Hi, everyone.
I've recently discovered a very intriguing baseball game that's played with a set of roleplaying dice. It's called
Deadball. It's the creation of W.M. Akers, a writer and game designer who sought to create a fun, playable game that captures the essence of baseball. After rolling a few "spring training" games, I think he's achieved his goal.
Deadball can be played with real or fictional players. It lends itself beautifully to the creation of fictional leagues, and that's what I've decided to do. I'm calling my creation the
Pastime League.
The eight cities of the Pastime League are completely fictional. They're located somewhere in the United States, in a part of the country where summer nights can be cool and refreshing. They aren't big cities; they're more like good-sized towns. The local team is an integral part of the town's life, part of its identity and a source of civic pride.
The league is set in the present, but my version of the present is, admittedly, ideal. People have smartphones, but they don't stare at them constantly. If They'll choose an outing at the ballpark, with family and friends, over just about any other outdoor activity. At a Pastime League game, you'll see all kinds of people. Grey-haired couples, married for years, sit in the same seats they occupied on their first date, 45 years ago. A family with young kids sits beside three young men who work together at a warehouse. In front of them are a dentist, with his son and grandson. You'll see people keeping score and, if you decide to keep a scorecard, the fans seated around you will gladly tell you what happened if you miss a play.
The people who run the Pastime League know about the analytical side of baseball management, but the style of play looks like something from the 1980s. There's an appealing mixture of pitching and hitting, slugging and speed.
Pastime League cities are located close enough together to travel easily by train. There's something appealing to me about ballclubs traveling this way. A team can board a train after a day game and arrive at its next destination in time for a good night's rest. Or, they can leave in the morning and get to the ballpark in time for an evening game.
I'm not yet sure about the kind of story I'll tell about the Pastime League. I might cover the league as a whole, creating a chronicle of its history, year by year. I might pick one team and follow its fortunes in greater depth. Or I might choose a single player, and focus on his career. Whatever I choose, I'm hoping I'll have fun with it, and if you read along, I hope you'll have fun, too.
I'll be back soon with some information about the eight clubs that make up the Pastime League.
P.S. I'll be continuing
Graham Sims' FBCB story, too.