One Hundred Blue Years

[Rawhide]

Foreword

Can you imagine the city of Buffalo today without their "team of champions", the "lovable losers", the Blues?

Despite the effects of the economy, the closing of industry, the decline of population, one factor has remained constant in the civic and social like of Buffaloians - a day at Jack Hoylt Stadium with the family, watching the Blues take it up against the best in the Major Leagues.

As Major League Baseball's only community-owned team, the community of upstate New York has riden the good times - and also the bad - with the Blues. The unique ownership structure and undying loyalty of the fans has been an instrumental factor in keeping our team in our city over the years, despite the constant fears of relocation or contraction.

I congratulate the Buffalo Blues on completing one hundred seasons in the Major Leagues, and wish them and all their fans the very best of luck in future seasons.

Let's Go Blue!

Sam Haughton
Chairman, Buffalo Blues
January 11 2000

Taken from "One Hundred Blue Years - The Official History of the Buffalo Blues Baseball Club" (A.Lindsay (ed), Westfield Press, 2000)

[JetsIn06]

I dig it. I'll be following along!

[Rawhide]

The Long, Lost Decade - 1901 to 1916

The Buffalo Blues were born out of the ashes of the abortive Milwaukee Brewers franchise, playing their inaugural game - a 3-6 loss to the Tigers in Detroit - on April 5 1901.

Over a million curious spectators saw the Blues complete their first season, finishing 7th in the American League. There were few highlights in the first season, as Buffalo compiled a 57-83 record.

With most of the records between 1901 and 1916 being destroyed, historians have had a tricky time piecing together an accurate timeline of what had occured during the Blues formative years in Buffalo.

What we do know is that finances were extremely limited, with principal owner Jack Hoylt demanding that the Blues run on a budget which placed extreme fiscal pressures on the Buffalo baseball club.

Despite - or perhaps because - of the hardships endured by the bean-counters at the club, the early Blues sides were quite competitive, and the addition of Pirates right-fielder Honus Wagner to the squad in 1902 was arguably the biggest contributing factor to the Blues winning the American League in 1903.

The first World Series match in Buffalo put the home-town Blues against the Brooklyn Robins. With big city rivals playing against little city cousins, most Buffalo supporters were expecting the biblical story of David vs Goliath to play itself out once again. However, it would be Brooklyn who earned their first World Series title, sweeping the Blues 4-0.

Most of the pivotal figures of the 1903 American League pennant-winning side had moved on by 1908, so it was a largely new squad who were involved in perhaps the most exciting and tense pennant race in history. The Blues, Senators and Tigers tied at the end of the season on top with a record of 84-70. It required a week of exciting tie-breaker matches - six in total, before the Blues would claim the 1908 pennant. However, they were no match for the Boston Doves (now the Atlanta Braves) in the World Series, with the Doves sweeping the Blues and claiming the first of five consecutive titles.

In 1912 the Blues said farewell to the old Clinton Street Grounds and moved into the Lake Side Park, the first concrete and steel stadium in the Major Leagues. Attendance figures soared in response, reaching 1,800,000 by 1915.

The signing of Ty Cobb - the "Georgia Peach" - saw the Blues consistently challenge for the American League title during the first half of the 1910s, however they would be frustrated in their ambitions, finishing second twice and third (two games behind) on another occasion. Cobb was traded to the Senators at the end of the 1915 season, having missed only four games in four seasons.

The club annuals were destroyed in the fire of 1916, which decimated the club's facilities at Lake Side Park. The Blues temporarily moved back into the Clinton Street Grounds, but further tragedy was to strike. Owner, general manager and part-time manager Jack Hoylt was found dead in his sleep at the age of 63, and the future of the Blues was placed in jepoardy.

Finishing Positions - 1901 to 1916

1901 - 57-83 (7th)
1902 - 67-73 (6th)
1903 - 81-59 (1st - Lost World Series 4-0 to Brooklyn)
1904 - 80-74 (4th)
1905 - 65-89 (7th)
1906 - 80-74 (3rd)
1907 - 90-64 (2nd)
1908 - 87-71 (1st - Lost World Series 4-0 to Boston Doves)
1909 - 90-64 (2nd)
1910 - 72-82 (5th)
1911 - 67-87 (7th)
1912 - 58-96 (8th)
1913 - 89-65 (2nd)
1914 - 91-63 (2nd)
1915 - 96-58 (3rd)
1916 - 81-73 (4th)

Most Valuable Players
1903 - Honus Wagner
1909 - Patrick Newnam
1913 - Jack Cameron

Cy Young Award Winners
1903 - Pink Hawley
1915 - Rip Vowinkel

Rookies Of The Year
1910 - Paul Howard

Batting Titles
1903 - Honus Wagner (.366)
1912 - Branch Rickey (.376)
1913 - Branch Rickey (.362)
1914 - Joe Birmingham (.363)

Home Run Leaders
1903 - Honus Wagner (11 - tied)
1909 - Tom Stankard (12)
1910 - Patrick Newnam (16)
1911 - Patrick Newnam (14 - tied)
1913 - Jack Cameron (26)
1916 - Cy Williams (18)

RBI Leaders
1903 - Lou Nordyke (119)
1905 - Ham Patterson (117 - tied)
1913 - Jack Cameron (140)

Win Leaders
1903 - Pink Hawley (20)
1914 - Chief Bender (21)
1915 - Rip Vowinkel (21)

Save Leaders
1904 - Reeve McKay (14 - tied)
1907 - Reeve McKay (26)
1909 - Reeve McKay (25)

ERA Leaders
1913 - Rip Vowinkel (2.69)
1914 - Rip Vowinkel (2.95)

Stolen Base Leaders
1912 - Ty Cobb (55)
1913 - Ty Cobb (49)
1914 - Ty Cobb (57)
1915 - Ty Cobb (49)
1916 - Max Carey (58)

Personal Career Milestones
1901 - Hugh Duffy - 1500th career run
1903 - Pink Hawley - 200th career win
1903 - Hugh Duffy - 3000th career hit
1906 - Fred Clarke - 2000th career hit
1907 - Pinky Swander - 32 game hitting streak
1914 - Ty Cobb - 300th career steal
1915 - Patrick Newnam - 1000th career run-batted-in
1915 - Ty Cobb - 1000th career run

World Series Champions - 1901 to 1916

1901 - Pittsburgh (NL) d. Baltimore (AL)
1902 - New York (NL) d. Baltimore (AL)
1903 - Brooklyn (NL) d. Buffalo (AL)
1904 - Chicago (AL) d. Brooklyn (NL)
1905 - Washington (AL) d. Chicago (NL)
1906 - Chicago (AL) d. Brooklyn (NL)
1907 - Chicago (AL) d. Brooklyn (NL)
1908 - Boston (NL) d. Buffalo (AL)
1909 - Boston (NL) d. Philadelphia (AL)
1910 - Boston (NL) d. Chicago (AL)
1911 - Boston (NL) d. Cleveland (AL)
1912 - Boston (NL) d. Detroit (AL)
1913 - New York (NL) d. Boston (AL)
1914 - Boston (AL) d. New York (NL)
1915 - Detroit (AL) d. New York (NL)
1916 - Boston (AL) d. Brooklyn (NL)

[Young Drachma]

Nice concept. I'll be cheering.

[Rawhide]

The Beginning of a New Era - 1917

With Jack Hoylt ten feet under ground, and with no surviving family, the ownership of the Buffalo Blues baseball club reverted to the city of Buffalo.

With only $196 left in the bank, and the rebuilding of Lake Side Park still to be completed, it was a real possibility that the team would be moved to St Louis for the 1917 season.

The response of the city of Buffalo was unprecedented. In return for buying $100 shares, ordinary fans of the team would be given the right to elect a board of governors, which would in turn appoint a new general manager to run the team. Over 300 interested parties bought shares in the first Buffalo Blues stock sale, held at City Hall on January 6 1917.

The first chairman of the Buffalo Blues, elected by the shareholders, was John Ryan.

After expenses had been paid, the Blues had a total of $252,080 in reserve, and were funding a team worth $80,139 in salaries. This was 15th of 16 Major League teams at the time.

Long serving players Rip Vonwinkel, Chief Bender and Branch Rickey were shown the door in order to get the team's total salary down to a sustainable level. This caused quite a bit of discontent among Blues fans. Vonwinkel was just a year removed from winning the Cy Young Award, while Rickey was an original Blue, having played 20 games in 1901. Bender was the Blues' first draft selection in 1902 and had anchored the rotation since 1904. All three players were the last link to the 1908 American League champions.

Despite the massive changes in the clubhouse, Buffalo were still predicted to content for the American League title. This wasn't quite borne out during the season, as the Blues finished in fourth position with a 83-71 record.

The pitching was key to the fortunes of the Blues, with Hod Leverette enjoying a sensational rookie season, winning 22 games with an ERA of 3.27. On the other hand, Howard Ehmke was dismal with a record of 12-21 and an ERA of more than 6.

Opening Day Line-up:
C - Jack Synder
1B - Dick Kauffman
2B - Oscar Dugey
3B - Heinie Groh
SS - Buck Weaver
LF - Cy Williams
CF - Max Carey
RF - Gene Elliott

Bench - C Ernie Krueger, OF Benny Kauff, IF Rabbit Maranville, OF Braggo Roth, 1B Joe Harris, CF Edd Roush

Rotation - Rube Marquard, Dan Tipple, Hod Leverette, Howard Ehmke, Eskrine Mayer
Bullpen - Bert Gallia, John McGraw, Joe Houser, Zip Zabel, Cap Crowell, Jesse Barnes

Career Milestones and League Awards
Buck Weaver won the AL Batting title with a career-best average of .366.
Max Carey lead the AL in stolen bases for the second year in a row.
SP Hod Leverette was named the AL Rookie of the Year.

Team Leaders
ERA - Hod Leverette (3.27)
Wins - Hod Leverette (22-9)
Saves - Bert Gallia (23)
Average - Buck Weaver (.366)
Home Runs - Gene Elliott, Dick Kauffman and Cy Williams (15)
Runs Batted In - Dick Kauffman (107)
Stolen Bases - Max Carey (47)

American League Standings - 1917
New York Yankees - 100-54
Boston Red Sox - 99-55
Detroit Tigers - 93-61
Buffalo Blues - 83-71
Cleveland Indians - 74-80
Philadelphia Athletics - 63-91
Washington Senators - 58-96
Chicago White Sox - 46-108

World Series 1917
New York Yankees d. Philadelphia Phillies 4-1

Additions and Subtractions for 1918
Gene Elliott won what Blues officials considered was too high an arbitration contract, and was duly traded to the Yankees for two prospects. Sam Rice was signed as a free agent from the Senators, and will compete for Elliott's vacant spot next year.

At the start of Spring Training in 1918, the Blues inked a contract with free agent Jack Boyle of Philadelphia, who was the reigning National League MVP yet inexplicitly released by the Phillies. To balance the books, Blues third baseman Heinie Groh was traded to Philadelphia in return for a prospect and $2000.

In - CF Mandy Brooks (New York AL), SP Sam Jones (New York AL), RF Sam Rice (Washington), 3B Jack Boyle (Philadelphia NL), 1B Mike Pasquella (Philadelphia NL)
Out - RF Gene Elliott (New York AL), 3B Heinie Groh (Philadelphia NL)

[Rawhide]

Thank you for your comments.

I'm using Baseball Mogul 2K9 to run this historical simulation, trying to stay one step ahead of player decline and contracts inflating. Think of this as Moneyball, 1920s style.

There are going to be big problems once we hit the 1960s with the advent of big money. I predict/fear that Buffalo will not be able to keep up, especially in a division with the Yankees and Red Sox.

I'll also have to do some tinkering before each expansion draft, as my experience is that the new expansion teams draft an unbeatable squad (Florida and Colorado each won 120 games in 1993 in a previous save).

Thanks for the support!

[Rawhide]

1918 - Damn Yankees

The new Lake View Park was finished in time for opening day against the Yankees. In honour of the former owner of the Blues, a man who gave major league baseball to Buffalo, the new facility was named Jack Hoylt Field.

As if inspired by the new stadium, the Blues exploded out of the blocks in 1918, going 19-3 during the month of April. By the time the draft rolled around, Buffalo were 39-14 and leading the AL by four games.

At the start of July, the Yankees had reeled in the Blues and lead the American League by the slimmest of margins. This was expanded to a lead of 3.5 games at the end of the month. The Blues traded a prospect away to Brooklyn in exchange for pitcher Brad Hogg, who replaced Sam Jones in the rotation.

August saw the two contendes face off in two pivotal series. Buffalo came to the big smoke and stole two games from the defending World Series champions, but the Yankees restored the status quo the following week by winning three of four games at Jack Hoylt Stadium. A disastrous trip to Philadelphia saw the Athletics win five of six games, and effectively knock Buffalo from the pennant race.

With eighteen games left to play, Buffalo trailed the Yankees by six games, and would not face them in the month of September. Buffalo accordingly finished the season with a record 98 wins, but still four games behind the probable World Champions.

The Blues' disappointment at not winning the pennant was tempered somewhat by the announcement that Dick Kauffman had won the MVP award for 1918, the fourth in club history.

Opening Day Line-up:
C - Jack Synder
1B - Dick Kauffman
2B - Oscar Dugey
3B - Jack Boyle
SS - Buck Weaver
LF - Cy Williams
CF - Max Carey
RF - Braggo Roth

Bench - C Ernie Krueger, OF Sam Rice, IF Rabbit Maranville, 1B Joe Harris, CF Gene Layden, CF Edd Roush

Rotation - Rube Marquard, Dan Tipple, Hod Leverette, Howard Ehmke, Sam Jones
Bullpen - John McGraw, Bert Gallia, Chick Holmes, Zip Zabel, Erskine Mayer, Red Oldham

Career Milestones and League Awards
AL Batting Title - Buck Weaver (.375)
AL Home Run Leader - Dick Kauffman (22)
AL RBI Leader - Jack Boyle (112 - tied)
AL Stolen Bases - Max Carey (35)
AL Win Leader - Rube Marquard (20 - tied)
AL Save Leader - John McGraw (26 - tied)

Team Leaders
ERA - Hod Leverette (3.19)
Wins - Hod Leverette (20-10)
Saves - John McGraw (26)
Average - Buck Weaver (.375)
Home Runs - Dick Kauffman (22)
Runs Batted In - Jack Boyle (112)
Stolen Bases - Max Carey (35)

American League Standings - 1917
New York Yankees - 102-52
Buffalo Blues - 98-56
Detroit Tigers - 80-74
Boston Red Sox - 79-75
Chicago White Sox - 73-81
Cleveland Indians - 67-87
Philadelphia Athletics - 60-94
Washington Senators - 57-97

World Series 1918
New York Yankees d. St Louis Cardinals 4-1

Additions and Subtractions for 1919

The Blues engaged in a series of trades during the off-season to try and tip the team over and past the Yankees.

C Jack Snyder, CF Edd Roush, 1B Joe Harris, SP Brad Hogg were released to free agency SP Dan Tipple won arbitration, and accordingly due to team policy was traded to the Giants in return for cash. 2B Oscar Dugey was traded to Cincinnati in return for a prospect.

RP Charlie Blackburn was added from free agency. 2B Charlie Hollicher was traded from the White Sox in exchange for C Ernie Krueger and cash. C Hank DeBerry arrived from Cleveland in exchange for SS Rabbit Maranville, 2B Bill Wambsganss and SP Red Oldham.

Finally, catching prospect Ginger Shinhault was signed from free agency at the start of spring training.


In - RP Charlie Blackburn (Philadelphia AL), 2B Charlie Hollicher (Chicago AL), RP Will Koenigsmark (Cincinnati), C Ginger Shinhault (Chicago NL)
Out - SP Dan Tipple (New York NL), C Ernie Krueger (Chicago AL), 2B Oscar Dugey (Cincinnati), C Jack Snyder (free agency), CF Edd Roush (free agency), 1B Joe Harris (free agency), SP Brad Hogg (free agency)

[Rawhide]

1919 - Hopes Dashed

Optimism was the theme of the year, with Buffalo predicted by some experts to break through and claim the pennant for the first time since 1908. The optimism quickly wore off after the Blues dropped three straight games at Yankee Stadium to start the new season.

By the middle of May the Blues had stablised to a 20-16 record, three games surprise joint leaders Philadelphia and Chicago. With a five game winning streak, Buffalo moved to the top of the American League on May 22, although that was quickly claimed back by the Yankees.

The Blues quickly went into a spiral, such was the closeness of the American League in 1919. Their record dipped below .500 by the time of the annual prospect draft. By the end of July, the challenge for a pennant was basically over with a record of 48-58. Reliever John McGraw was traded away to the Tigers for two prospects, while Blues management were unable to find suitable offers for 3B Jack Doyle or LF Cy Williams, whose contracts were up at the end of the season.

Buffalo rallied late in the season but it was too little too late. The awards season did provide for some cheering upm with Ginger Shinault earning the Rookie of the Year, and Hod Leverette receiving his first Cy Young Award.

Opening Day Line-up:
C - Ginger Shinault
1B - Dick Kauffman
2B - Charlie Hollocher
3B - Jack Boyle
SS - Buck Weaver
LF - Cy Williams
CF - Max Carey
RF - Braggo Roth

Bench - C Hank DeBerry, OF Sam Rice, SS Ray Chapman, 1B George Burns, C Gabby Hartnett, OF Eddie Brown

Rotation - Hod Leverette, Rube Marquard, Howard Ehmke, Sam Jones, Allen Sothoron
Bullpen - John McGraw, Charlie Blackburn, Will Koenigsmark, Bert Gallia, Zip Zabel, Tim McCabe

Career Milestones and League Awards
AL Cy Young Award - Hod Leverette
AL Rookie of the Year - Ginger Shinhault
AL Stolen Base Leader - Max Carey
AL ERA Leader - Hod Leverette
AL Win Leader - Hod Leverette

Team Leaders
ERA - Hod Leverette (3.03)
Wins - Hod Leverette (19-10)
Saves - Charlie Blackburn (7)
Average - Buck Weaver (.356)
Home Runs - Dick Kauffman (13) and Cy Williams (13)
Runs Batted In - Buck Weaver (129)
Stolen Bases - Max Carey (41)

American League Standings - 1919
New York Yankees - 91-63
Chicago White Sox - 88-66
Buffalo Blues - 79-75
Detroit Tigers - 74-80
Washington Senators - 72-82
Cleveland Indians - 71-83
Philadelphia Athletics - 71-83
Boston Red Sox - 70-84

World Series 1919
New York Yankees d. New York Giants 4-0

Additions and Subtractions for 1920

LF Cy Williams refused the Blues' offer of a one-year contract with a three-year option, and was released after ten years in the Buffalo club house. As a replacement, the Blues signed LF Tilly Walker from the St Louis Cardinals on a four-year contract with options. The 32-year old veteran played in the 1918 World Series. At the start of spring training, Williams resigned with the Blues for a vastly reduced sum compared to the one offered back in October.

RF Braggo Roth won arbitration and subsequently found himself traded to the Braves in return for promising pitcher Al Pierotti, and cash.

SS Larry Kopf was signed as a free agent from the Indians. The Blues management announced that Kopf would take over at second base, assuring Buck Weaver of a continued presence in the Buffalo clubhouse.

Athletics SP Ray Roberts was aggressively targeted by the Blues, who were looking for a reliable performer in the rotation. He was traded in return for SP Howard Ehmke, C Ginger Shinhault, two prospects and cash.

SP Hod Leverette was resigned to a new contract ending in 1924.

In - LF Tilly Walker (St Louis), SP Al Pierotti (Boston NL), SS Larry Kopf (Cleveland), SP Ray Roberts (Philadelphia AL)
Out - RF Braggo Roth (Boston NL), RP Bert Gallia (Cleveland), Sweetbreads Bailey (Philadelphia AL), Angel Aragon (Philadelphia AL), Howard Emhke (Philadelphia AL), Ginger Shinhault (Philadelphia AL)

[Rawhide]

1920 - A New Decade, A New Hope

(I lost the massive type-up that I had done, so I'll try to do as much as I can remember. Damn backspace key!)

The Buffalo Blues started the year with seasons of unfulfilled potential behind them. More than a few supporters had cause to believe that the team was possibly jinxed, destined to always finish behind those dreaded Yankees.

However, they exploded out of the blocks with eleven straight wins, and apart from some nervous moments in the middle of August, Buffalo's name never fell from the top of the American League table.

The pennant was secured at the Jack Hoylt Field with a 3-0 decision over the Chicago White Sox. The field was stormed by enthusiastic fans who wanted to celebrate the club's first pennant in twelve seasons.

The World Series would see the Blues take on the Braves, in a rematch of the 1908 championship decider. Unlike that series, this one would go right down to the wire.

The away team won each of the first four games, while Boston seemingly got the upper hand with a pivotal win in Game 5. The Blues won their first World Series game on home soil in Game 6 to level the series.

34,019 fans crammed into the Jack Hoylt for the championship decider, only to see the Braves come from a three run defecit to take the match into extra innings. The National League champions scored the vital run at the start of the tenth inning, while the Blues would strike out three times with a runner on base.

As Boston celebrated their sixth World Series title, the disappointed fans silently filed out of Jack Hoylt Field into the crisp October air.

Opening Day Line-up:
C - Hank DeBerry
1B - Dick Kauffman
2B - Larry Kopf
3B - Jack Boyle
SS - Buck Weaver
LF - Cy Williams
CF - Max Carey
RF - Tilly Walker

Bench - C Gabby Hartnett, OF Eddie Brown, IF Charlie Hollicher, OF Bing Miller, SS Ray Chapman, OF Sam Rice

Rotation - Ray Roberts, Hod Leverette, Sam Jones, Allen Sothoron, Roy Crumpler

Bullpen - Chick Holmes, Charlie Blackburn, Walt Whittaker, Dan Boone, Dominic Mulrenan, Al Mamaux

Career Milestones and League Awards
AL Cy Young Award - Ray Roberts
AL Strikeout Leader - Ray Roberts
AL Save Leader - Chick Holmes
AL Batting Title - Buck Weaver
36 game hitting streak - Jack Doyle
24 game hitting streak - Buck Weaver
22 game hitting streak - Buck Weaver

Team Leaders
ERA - Ray Roberts (2.72)
Wins - Ray Roberts (23-8)
Saves - Chick Holmes (31)
Average - Buck Weaver (.386)
Home Runs - Cy Williams (16)
Runs Batted In - Buck Weaver (147)
Stolen Bases - Max Carey (33)

American League Standings - 1920
Buffalo Blues - 92-62
New York Yankees - 87-67
Boston Red Sox - 84-70
Washington Senators - 78-76
Detroit Tigers - 76-78
Chicago White Sox - 67-87
Philadelphia Athletics - 66-88
Cleveland Indians - 66-88

World Series 1920
Boston Braves d. Buffalo Blues 4-3

Additions and Subtractions for 1921

Very quiet, apart from the return of SP Chief Bender as a free agent. He previously pitched in Buffalo between 1903 and 1915 before departing for Cleveland. The 36-year old pitcher is still highly regarded by Blues fans, although it is doubtful whether he could regain a spot in the rotation.

In - SP Ray Kremer (St Louis), SP Chief Bender (Cleveland)
Out - CF Gene Layden (St Louis)

[Rawhide]

1921 - History Repeats

The Buffalo Blues set out to defend their American League pennant and earn another shot at a World Series title. They started in the best possible way with a 16-8 beginning to the season. This was extended to an incredible 28-9 by the middle of May, and 45-17 halfway through June.

At the core of this success was 'the old man', Chief Bender, who had an 8-1 record by the time of the prospect draft.

The Blues stumbled slightly to finish June four games ahead of the Yankees, although a seven game sweep of Buffalo's biggest rival saw fans reach unprecedented levels of enthusiasm. Buffalo had restored a ten game lead at the end of July, and it seemed not a case of if the Blues would repeat as champions, but by how much.

An indifferent August - which included home series losses to Detroit and Cleveland - restored some life into the pennant race. However, it would not be the Yankees challenging, but instead the Philadelphia Athletics, who were having their best season since 1910. The A's visited Buffalo in early September and won two of three games, closing the gap to only three games. By the time the Blues visited the city of brotherly love later that month, the A's needed to win all three games to keep the pennant race alive. Their hopes were dashed and Buffalo left with a five game lead, and six games still to play.

The pennant was sealed on September 17 with a win against the Indians, and the attention of upstate New York soon switched to the World Series, this time to be played against the St Louis Cardinals. Concern switched to Chief Bender, who would miss the series with a hand stress fracture.

Game One - St Louis (NL) d. Buffalo (AL) 5-1
The Cardinals stamp their authority on the series by reducing the Blues to a single hit, a Kopf home run.

Game Two - St Louis (NL) d. Buffalo (AL) 10-4
Lead-off hitter Howie Camp had a day out, going four from five with four runs driven in.

Game Three - Buffalo (AL) d. St Louis (NL) 7-6
An important win to the Blues, with Max Carey going three from three.

Game Four - St Louis (NL) d. Buffalo (AL) 2-1
Eppa Rixey has a field day, striking out nine Blues batters.

Game Five - Buffalo (AL) d. St Louis (NL) 9-3
The third and final game at Jack Hoylt ends with a home win. However, Jack Boyle is ruled out for the remainder of the series with a hamstring tear.

Game Six - St Louis (NL) d. Buffalo (AL) 9-7
The Cardinals become the tenth major league team to win the World Series with a close win in front of their home fans.

For the second year in a row, the Blues end up watching another team celebrate a World Series victory.

Opening Day Line-up:
C - Hank DeBerry
1B - Dick Kauffman
2B - Larry Kopf
3B - Jack Boyle
SS - Buck Weaver
LF - Cy Williams
CF - Max Carey
RF - Tilly Walker

Bench - C Gabby Hartnett, OF Eddie Brown, IF Charlie Hollicher, OF Bing Miller, OF Heinie Manush, OF Sam Rice

Rotation - Ray Roberts, Hod Leverette, George Davis, Chief Bender, Dominic Mulrenan

Bullpen - Chick Holmes, Charlie Blackburn, Dan Boone, Al Mamaux, Sam Jones, Arlas Taylor

Career Milestones and League Awards
AL Cy Young Award - Ray Roberts
AL Win Leader - Ray Roberts
AL Strikeout Leader - Ray Roberts
AL Save Leader - Chick Holmes
AL Batting Title - Buck Weaver
24 game hitting streak - Buck Weaver
21 game hitting streak - Tilly Walker
250th win - Chief Bender
2000th strikeout - Chief Bender

Team Leaders
ERA - Ray Roberts (2.81)
Wins - Ray Roberts (26-6)
Saves - Chick Holmes (31)
Average - Buck Weaver (.372)
Home Runs - Cy Williams (16)
Runs Batted In - Buck Weaver (143)
Stolen Bases - Buck Weaver and Max Carey (25)

American League Standings - 1921
Buffalo Blues - 97-57
Philadelphia Athletics - 90-64
Boston Red Sox - 85-69
New York Yankees - 83-71
Detroit Tigers - 76-78
Washington Senators - 69-85
Chicago White Sox - 63-91
Cleveland Indians - 53-101

World Series 1921
St Louis Cardinals d. Buffalo Blues 4-2

Additions and Subtractions for 1922

Convinced that a team with every starter above the age of 30 was not the way to proceed into the new decade, the Blues management decided to trade away many of the stars of the past few years, including Hank DeBerry, Max Carey, Larry Kopf and Dick Kauffman. This reduced payroll, while bringing in some talented prospects who could progress to be important players for Buffalo.

Most Buffalo fans were unhappy though, since they believed the current players should have been given another year to get over the insurmontable hurdle.

In - CF Buzz Murphy (Boston NL), OF Cliff Heathcote (Washington), Johnny Mostil (Chicago AL), 2B Rogers Hornsby (Brooklyn), 1B Bill Kelly (Philadelphia AL)
Out - C Hank DeBerry (Boston NL), RP Chick Holmes, SP Harry Heitmann (Washington), CF Max Carey (Chicago AL), 1B Walter Holke (Chicago AL), C Lou Legett (Chicago AL), SP Sam Jones (Chicago AL), 3B Jimmie Dykes (Chicago AL), 2B Larry Kopf (Brooklyn), 1B George Burns (Brooklyn), SP Ralph Erickson (Brooklyn), 1B Dick Kauffman (Philadelphia AL)

[Izulde]

Man, what a heartbreaker that 1920 World Series was, but exciting nonetheless.

[Rawhide]

1922 - The Kids Are Alright

It was a very different Buffalo Blues side which fronted up for spring training. The mixture of new youth and old heads promised an interesting season for the Blues, if nothing else.

The Blues stumbled out of the blocks, starting the season 22-20 and seven games behind the Red Sox. The record had hardly improved by the time of the prospect draft, as Buffalo barely registered .500 during June. However, a vastly improved July saw the Blues race up the ladder and sit seven games once again behind the Red Sox.

The season ultimately came down to a showdown at Fenway Park in mid-August, with the Red Sox leading the AL by four games. A split series meant that Boston were well and truly in the driver's seat as the season drew to a close.

However, the funny old game of baseball proved there were still some unexpected surprises in board, as the Chicago White Sox mounted a late season charge, and in doing so, reduced the Red Sox lead to just two games with one more match to play. It was shades of 1908 all over again with three very good teams fighting it out to the end.

A home sweep of the Indians moved Buffalo to within a game of the Red Sox, with Chicago three games behind. On September 17 the Blues moved into a share of the lead with a win at Yankee Stadium.

The season would be decided in the final three games, with Buffalo playing out their fixtures at Philadelphia's Shibe Park. However, there would be no dramatic final day stories of lore, as Buffalo dropped all three matches to the Athletics, and the Red Sox sealed a spot in the World Series, against cross-town rivals Braves.

Opening Day Line-up:
C - Gabby Hartnett
1B - Bill Kelly
2B - Rogers Hornsby
3B - Jack Boyle
SS - Buck Weaver
LF - Cy Williams
CF - Johnny Mostil
RF - Tilly Walker

Bench - C Jon Banks, OF Bing Miller, IF Charlie Hollocher, OF Sam Rice, OF Cliff Heathcote, OF Freddy Leach

Rotation - Ray Roberts, Hod Leverette, Chief Bender, George Davis, Ray Kremer

Bullpen - Walt Whittaker, Dan Boone, Al Mamaux, Buck Freeman, Dominic Mulrenan, Arlas Taylor

Career Milestones and League Awards
AL Win Leader - Ray Roberts
AL Strikeout Leader - Ray Roberts
1000th Run - Buck Weaver
2000th Hit - Buck Weaver
Hit For The Cycle - Jack Boyle
25 game hitting streak - Jack Boyle
25 game hitting streak - Buck Weaver

Team Leaders
ERA - Hod Leverette (3.67)
Wins - Ray Roberts (20-8)
Saves - Walt Whittaker (19)
Average - Buck Weaver (.362)
Home Runs - Tilly Walker (18)
Runs Batted In - Jack Boyle (126)
Stolen Bases - Johnny Mostil (26)

American League Standings - 1922
Boston Red Sox - 91-63
Chicago White Sox - 89-65
Buffalo Blues - 89-65
Philadelphia Athletics - 84-70
New York Yankees - 82-72
Detroit Tigers - 65-89
Cleveland Indians - 63-91
Washington Senators - 53-101

World Series 1922
Boston Braves d. Boston Red Sox 4-3

Additions and Subtractions for 1923

After the action of the previous year, one would expect the Blues to be a bit quieter in the player market. And so it proved, apart from the release of Hornsby who was demanding a far higher contract, and the trade of veteran out-fielder Cy Williams to Washington. Closer to Christmas, the Blues bade farewell to popular pitcher Hod Leverette, who was traded to the Braves as part of a deal for promising prospect Harry Hulihan. While the Blues fans were sad to see him go, they accepted that it was best for the long term prospects of the club that players with expensive contracts could be moved on before they became deadweights.

In - 2B Marty McManus (Washington), SP Harry Hulihan (Boston NL)
Out - LF Cy Williams (Washington),2B Rogers Hornsby, LF Bing Miller, SP George Davis, SP Charlie Blackburn, SP Walt Whittaker (Boston NL), SP Al Mamaux (Boston NL), SP Hod Leverette (Boston NL)

[Rawhide]

1923 - Buck and the Blues

John Ryan stood down as chairman of the Buffalo Blues at the annual general meeting held in January. He was succeeded by Rufus Riordan, who promised "a tickertape parade down Niagara Street by 1929".

Riordan was an enthusiastic fan of baseball, Buffalo, and Buffalo baseball. To try and boost the attendance at Jack Hoylt Park he brought in many innovations, including the playing of an organ after each Blues run and each opposition strikeout. Special appreciation days were created for ladies, children and veterans, with members of the afore-mentioned people gaining entry for the princely sum of one cent (down from the standard fee of four cents). Perhaps his most lasting contribution though was the creation of the post of team captain, which was conferred upon the player in the main line-up who had served the most continuous years at the Blues.

The first official captain of the Buffalo Blues was therefore George Daniel "Buck" Weaver, who had played shortstop for Buffalo since 1916, winning four American League batting titles in the process. While the captaincy has sometimes been conferred retrospectively upon players such as Honus Wagner, Ty Cobb or Branch Rickey, they are not officially recognised in the annuals of Blues history.


Inaugural Blues captain George "Buck" Weaver

The season was barely three days old when Buffalo traded away the expensive contract of Charlie Hollocher, who had barely impressed in his five years at Jack Hoylt Park. He departed for the Phillies along with three Blues prospects. Coming the other way were two pitching prospects as well as dependable first baseman Sam Post, who was originally drafted by the Dodgers. The changes meant that Marty McManus broke into the starting line-up at the age of 23.

The changes seem to have the desired effect as the Blues put together a 15-game winning streak and going 23-1 at one stage, earning them an early lead of the American League. The key behind this success was their amazing record at Jack Hoylt Park - whether it was the sight of many attractive ladies, bosterious kids, or sullen veterans, enjoying their program of special admission days, nobody could be sure - but the Blues started 20-2 at home in 1923, earning "the Hoylt" the reputation as the toughest American League park for visiting teams.

The home record was badly needed however as the Blues were notriously bad travellers. The long hours spent in railway carriages spent wiling away the days seemed to affect the younger Blues more than the hardened veterans.

Buffalo received an intriguing trade offer from Cleveland, who wanted to return former Blues first baseman Dick Kauffman. More specifically however, they wanted to trade his contract away. Had the Blues accepted, it would have placed the club into receivership, such was the size of the contract and the state of the club coffers.

A slightly poor 16-11 record in June saw the Blues slide back to the pack, and were overtaken on June 30 by the Red Sox. This was compounded by a 1-9 start to July, and before Buffalo fans could blink, the Blues were six games behind the Red Sox. Two home series sweep losses against the Yankees had fans burning Rufus Riordan in effigy, and despite finishing in second place, Blues fans were far from impressed!

Two bright lights shone all season for the Blues. Firstly, the outstanding play of pitcher Dominic Mulrenan, who compiled an impressive 24-6 record in his first season in the rotation. He won six more games than the next-best American League pitcher. Secondly, Buck Weaver went within a whisker of hitting .400. Ironically former Blues second baseman Larry Kopf achieved that feat with Brooklyn in the National League, hitting .407.

Opening Day Line-up:
C - Gabby Hartnett
1B - Bill Kelly
2B - Charlie Hollocher
3B - Jack Boyle
SS - Buck Weaver (captain)
LF - Freddy Leach
CF - Johnny Mostil
RF - Tilly Walker

Bench - C Jon Banks, OF Sam Rice, IF Marty McManus, CF Buzz Murphy, OF Everett Parmenter, 1B Walt Walsh

Rotation - Ray Roberts, Arlas Taylor, Dominic Mulrenan, Harry Hulihan, Chief Bender

Bullpen - Buck Freeman, Dan Boone, Ed Gill, Charley Root, Adrian Lynch, Al Pierotti

Career Milestones and League Awards
AL Batting Title - Buck Weaver
AL Cy Young Award - Dominic Mulrenan
AL Win Leader - Dominic Mulrenan
AL Strikeout Leader - Dominic Mulrenen
AL ERA Leader - Dominic Mulrenan
1000th RBI - Jack Boyle (646 for Buffalo, 354 for Philadelphia NL)
23 game hitting streak - Marty McManus

Team Leaders
ERA - Dominic Mulrenan (2.55)
Wins - Dominic Mulrenan (24-6)
Saves - Ed Gill (22)
Average - Buck Weaver (.397)
Home Runs - Gabby Hartnett (21)
Runs Batted In - Buck Weaver (117)
Stolen Bases - Johnny Mostil (30)

American League Standings - 1923
Boston Red Sox - 96-58
Buffalo Blues - 88-66
Detroit Tigers - 88-66
New York Yankees - 87-67
Chicago White Sox - 80-74
Washington Senators - 67-87
Philadelphia Athletics - 62-92
Cleveland Indians - 48-106

World Series 1923
Boston Red Sox d. St Louis Cardinals 4-3

Additions and Subtractions for 1924

With the Blues having a long standing policy of trading away players who won arbitration, it was farewell to Arlas Taylor, who was sent to Pittsburgh for prospect Paul Waner and cash. The Blues and Cardinals flip-flopped pitching prospects as well.

The final big trade involved the Blues sending five pitchers to the Red Sox in exchange for promising right-fielder George Aloys "Showboat" Fisher, who already possessed something that the rest of the Blues clubhouse didn't - a World Series championship.

Pitching sensation Dominic Mulrenan was signed to a new five year contract. On the eve of spring training, 36 year-old right fielder Tilly Walker ended his four year association with the Blues, being traded to the Braves along with Al Pierotti for a swag of prospects. Walker hit a disappointing .250 in 1923.

In - RF Paul Waner (Pittsburgh), SP Red Lucas (St Louis), RF Showboat Fisher (Boston AL), 3B Bill Dreesen (Boston NL), C Mickey O'Neil (Boston NL), RF Cole Norris (Boston NL), 2B Billy Rhiel (Boston NL)
Out - SP Arlas Taylor (Pittsburgh), SP Charley Root (St Louis), SP Ed Gill (Boston AL), SP Tim McCabe (Boston AL), SP Zip Zabel (Boston AL), SP Harry Harper (Boston AL), RP Bill Hubbell (Boston AL), RF Tilly Walker (Boston NL), SP Al Pierotti (Boston NL)

[Rawhide]

1924 - Rumours Abound

Jack Boyle's contract was torn up on March 1, with the Blues offering no official reason to the media. The $27,000 per season price tag may have something to do with it, along with the fact that third baseman Sam Hale was signed from Detroit on the very same day for a considerable amount less.

Rumours swept up and down the shoreline of Lake Erie. The most prominent rumour was that Boyle had a severe gambling problem and was already in debt to the tune of his entire 1924 salary. Rufus Riordan, chairman of the Blues, declined to comment. It was only after the death of both men that the truth came out...Boyle had been carrying on an illicit affair with Riordan's wife.

Unaware of this at the time, the Blues fans instead concentrated on the recent trend of Buffalo to go for youth. Apart from 33-year old skipper Buck Weaver, the next oldest players in the line-up were 27-year old Hale and Johnny Mostil. Nowhere was the imbalance of youth and experience more evident than the fact that Weaver had played more major league matches than the rest of the Blues starting side and bench combined.

There was a similar inbalance in the pitching side of the equation, with 39 year-old Chief Bender far older than the rest of the pitchers. 30 year-old Dominic Mulrenan was the next-oldest.

All of the prognostication over age meant nothing though as the Boston Red Sox stunned the entire league by starting with a 22 game winning streak. In fact, they would remain undefeated until May 8 when the Blues scored something of an upset at Fenway Park.

Relief pitcher Neal Brady was traded to Buffalo from the Phillies on June 1, and immediately scored a role as the closer.

On June 5, the Blues made history as the first major league team to draft an African-American player, with pitcher Satchel Paige selected with the tenth overall selection. Not long afterwards, Dan Boone bade farewell to Buffalo, having been traded to the White Sox. In the opposite direction was Syl Johnson

The Blues spent most of 1924 in the entirely unsatisfying position of sitting above .500, but looking up at the Red Sox and the Yankees fighting it out for the pennant. With the club out of the race, no less than six trades were conducted during the month of July, mostly involving prospects. However, left-fielder Freddy Leach was sent to Washington when it became apparent that he would not re-sign with the Blues come October.

The season finished with a win over the American League champion Red Sox at Jack Hoylt Park, after which legendary pitcher Chief Bender, a draft selection of the Blues way back in 1902, announced his immediate retirement from baseball.

Bender pitched seventeen seasons in Buffalo, as well as six in Cleveland, and spent more than half his life in major league baseball. He finished with a 264-211 record and a 4.45 career ERA, striking out 2099 batters. Unfortunately he finished his career without a championship, pitching in the 1903 and 1908 World Series. He missed the 1921 World Series due to illness. At the time of retirement he was tenth on the list of all-time wins, exceeded among current pitchers by only Walter Johnson (Braves, 409) and Earl Moseley (Red Sox, 277).

If a Baseball Hall of Fame is ever considered as a concept in the future, one imagines that Bender would surely feature.



Opening Day Line-up:
C - Gabby Hartnett
1B - Bill Kelly
2B - Marty McManus
3B - Sammy Hale
SS - Buck Weaver (captain)
LF - Freddy Leach
CF - Johnny Mostil
RF - Showboat Fisher

Bench - C Jon Banks, OF Cliff Heathcote, 2B George Grantham, OF Sam Rice, RF Paul Waner, 1B Sam Post

Rotation - Dominic Mulrenan, Ray Roberts, Harry Hulihan, Chief Bender, Adrian Lynch

Bullpen - Frank Mack, Buck Freeman, Ike Kamp, Dan Boone, Bill Pertica, Bob Hasty

Career Milestones and League Awards
AL Strikeout Leader - Dominic Mulrenen
29 game hitting streak - Johnny Mostil
21 game hitting streak - Showboat Fisher

Team Leaders
ERA - Adrian Lynch (3.64)
Wins - Adrian Lynch (20-13)
Saves - Neal Brady (18)
Average - Sammy Hale (.344)
Home Runs - Bill Kelly (18)
Runs Batted In - Buck Weaver (118)
Stolen Bases - Johnny Mostil (26)

American League Standings - 1924
Boston Red Sox - 107-47
New York Yankees - 88-66
Detroit Tigers - 79-75
Buffalo Blues - 79-75
Washington Senators - 79-75
Cleveland Indians - 72-82
Chicago White Sox - 60-94
Philadelphia Athletics - 52-102

World Series 1924
Boston Braves d. Boston Red Sox 4-2
Former Blues pitchers Hod Leverette and Al Pierotti earn World Series rings.

Additions and Subtractions for 1925

For the first time in living memory, no transactions were conducted by the Blues during the off-season, with management preferring to keep the team together and give them another season to prove themselves.

In - None
Out - None

[Rawhide]

1925 - "Won't You Come Out Tonight?"

Two unwanted free agents reported for duty with Buffalo on the first day of spring training in March. First baseman Chris Burkam had previously played for the Giants and Phillies, and had actually spent 1924 in Mexico, sometimes playing baseball, sometimes not. Dutch Leonard was a more questionable signing, with a 67-110 career record with the Senators, and an iffy 6.07 ERA.

The season started with great promise, with the only blemish on a 17-5 April being a home series loss to the White Sox. Harry Hulihan was just one of the excellent performers, starting his first eight games with a 7-0 record and a 1.70 ERA.

The Washington Senators won their first sweep over Buffalo in history with a 4-0 result in May. This diminished Buffalo's lead in the AL to five games, which they still maintained at the time of the draft, in front of Boston and Washington.

Hulihan by this time had improved to 11-0, while Gabby Hartnett had scored a league-best 17 home runs and was on track to break the Buffalo club record.

Blues management spent the day after the draft upgrading the contracts of Hulihan and first baseman Bill Kelly, who would both stay until 1929.

Buffalo started July with a 57-21 record, seemingly destined for their fifth pennant and a shot at 100 wins. They finished the month having split their games and seemingly in another close pennant race. This lead to Blues fans talking openly about "the curse of July", after similar performances in that month in years gone by crueled the hopes of the club winning another pennant.

Only a 20-9 August restored the hopes of fans, with Buffalo again leading Boston by six games. Ironically the Blues and Red Sox did not face off against each other in that month. The Buffalo club won their historic 100th match of the season on September 12, and after a six game losing streak, finally sealed the American League pennant on September 21 in front of their home fans.

Their opponents in the 1925 World Series would be the Brooklyn Robins, who beat Buffalo back in 1903. The Robins won the National League by 10 games from the Braves. No Boston team would be in the World Series for the first time since 1921.

Game One - Brooklyn (NL) d. Buffalo (AL) 2-1
Ace pitcher Clarence Garrett neutralised the Blues offense, striking out five batters and allowing just four hits.

Game Two - Brooklyn (NL) d. Buffalo (AL) 1-0
The statistically lowest possible score goes against the Blues, with the home team scoring on an error from Showboat Fisher. The series now goes upstate for the Blues' chance to get back in the contest.

Game Three - Buffalo (AL) d. Brooklyn (NL) 3-0
An excellent performance from pitcher Adrian Lynch sees the Blues on the board in the 1925 World Series.

Game Four - Buffalo (AL) d. Brooklyn (NL) 1-0
Heinie Manush scores the only run of the game with a shot over the left fence of Jack Hoylt Field.

Game Five - Buffalo (AL) d. Brooklyn (NL) 9-5
The Blues did exactly what they needed to do, riding the back of Harry Hulihan's pitching and great production from Marty McManus and Bill Kelly. The series now switches back to Ebbets Field, where all trains from Buffalo are sold out.

Game Six - Brooklyn (NL) d. Buffalo (AL) 5-1
Disaster for the Blues as pitcher Ray Roberts is forced out of the contest after just three innings with a dislocated shoulder, injured while diving at the plate.

Game Seven - Buffalo (AL) d. Brooklyn (NL) 3-2
Euphoria in Buffalo as the Blues win their maiden World Series championship! Adrian Lynch again dominated the Robins batters, allowing three hits and two runs. Showboat Fisher made up for his game two error by driving in two runs and scoring the third himself in a productive third inning. The final out saw captain Buck Weaver collect the ball and throw Moxie Meixell out at first.

The Blues dugout exploded and ran onto the field in celebration. Later the following day, over 50,000 fans greeted the new World Champions at a reception at Buffalo's City Hall, where captain Weaver and World Series MVP Dominic Mulrenan lead the crowd in a rendition of "Buffalo Gals":

As I was walking down the street
Down the street, down the street,
A pretty gal I chance to meet
Under the silvery moon.
Buffalo gals, won't you come out tonight?
Come out tonight, Come out tonight?
Buffalo gals, won't you come out tonight,
And dance by the light of the moon.

I asked her if she'd stop and talk,
Stop and talk, Stop and talk,
Her feet covered up the whole sidewalk,
She was fair to view.
Buffalo gals, won't you come out tonight?
Come out tonight, Come out tonight?
Buffalo gals, won't you come out tonight,
And dance by the light of the moon.

I asked her if she'd be my wife,
Be my wife, be my wife
Then I'd be happy all my life,
If she'd marry me.
Buffalo gals, won't you come out tonight?
Come out tonight, Come out tonight?
Buffalo gals, won't you come out tonight,
And dance by the light of the moon.

Opening Day Line-up:
C - Gabby Hartnett
1B - Bill Kelly
2B - Marty McManus
3B - Sammy Hale
SS - Buck Weaver (captain)
LF - Heinie Manush
CF - Johnny Mostil
RF - Showboat Fisher

Bench - C Phillip Stephenson, 1B Chris Burkam, 2B George Grantham, OF Sam Rice, RF Paul Waner, RF Ed Goebel

Rotation - Dominic Mulrenan, Adrian Lynch, Dominic Mulrenan, Harry Hulihan, Dutch Leonard

Bullpen - Neal Brady, Frank Mack, Ike Kamp, Buck Freeman, Eddie Dyer, Ted Blankenship

Career Milestones and League Awards
American League MVP - Gabby Hartnett
American League Cy Young Award - Harry Hulihan
World Series MVP - Dominic Mulrenan
AL Home Run Leader - Gabby Hartnett
AL RBI Leader - Gabby Hartnett
AL ERA Leader - Harry Hulihan
AL Strikeout Leader - Adrian Lynch
2500th hit - Buck Weaver
36 game hitting streak - Heinie Manush

Team Leaders
ERA - Harry Hulihan (3.36)
Wins - Harry Hulihan (21-3) and Ray Roberts (21-7)
Saves - Neal Brady (20)
Average - Sammy Hale (.337)
Home Runs - Gabby Hartnett (35)
Runs Batted In - Gabby Hartnett (156)
Stolen Bases - Johnny Mostil (20)

American League Standings - 1925
Buffalo Blues - 102-52
Boston Red Sox - 100-54
New York Yankees - 89-65
Chicago White Sox - 80-74
Washington Senators - 64-90
Cleveland Indians - 63-91
Detroit Tigers - 60-94
Philadelphia Athletics - 58-96

World Series 1925
Buffalo Blues d. Brooklyn Robins 4-3


Additions and Subtractions for 1925

For the second year in succession, no players left the Blues immediately at the end of the season. No efforts would be made until spring training to sign free agents, with Buffalo officials choosing to stick with the squad that got the team to the club's first World Series in their 25th season.

In - None
Out - None

[Rawhide]

1926 - Riordan's Ruin

Having delivered a World Series title, one would think that life would be great for Buffalo Blues chairman Rufus Riordan. However, with his wife mysteriously leaving him to live in Cleveland (with, as later found out, former Blues third baseman Jack Boyle), life was far from great. A heartbroken Riordan tendered his resignation at the annual general meeting and less than a month later moved to New York to work as an investment banker. His body was found in the Hudson River in the aftermath of the Stock Market crash in 1929.

Taking over in his place was lawyer Robert McConnell, who presided over the Opening Day celebrations at Jack Hoylt Park and greeted President Coolidge on his way to throw out the opening pitch. It was an essentially unchanged squad which took on and beat the Yankees on opening day. The Blues would finish April in second position, one game back from New York.

Buffalo continued to power through on the back of Harry Hulihan's pitching (9-2) and lead the American League with a 38-13 record on June 1. As the Blues powered through the AL schedule, longtime prospect Paul Waner was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for shortstop Mark Koenig. With Showboat Fisher set to stay in Buffalo for many years yet, Waner was unlikely to ever cement a starting position.

Buffalo entered the dreaded month of July with a 57-21 record, and with only nine games at Jack Hoylt Park to assist in improving their recent July records. For the most part they performed well, however a 17-11 record allowed the Yankees to catch up and sit just four games behind.

An embarrasing home sweep against Washington saw the gap reduced to just one game....just in time for the Yankees to come to town, for perhaps the most important series of the year. New York would win the series but Buffalo held onto the lead by one game after the Yankees lost when the Blues had a rest day.

A series loss in Detroit leveled the American League standings once again, and once again the Yankees came to town. Thanks to the schedulers, fans would have another chance to see the two best clubs in the American League face off.

The Yankees struck a blow when they won the first game of the series. To add injury to insult, captain Buck Weaver would be out for the next fifteen days with a fractured hand. The next day, the Blues won and leveled the standings yet again, but their joy would last only 21 hours, as the Yankees moved ahead on the first day of September.

Buffalo regained the lead on September 5 as the Yankees lost a series to the Senators. By September 8 it was tied up again as the White Sox upset the hometown crowd in Buffalo. Their misery was compounded when Boston beat the reigning world champions and handed the lead back to New York with nine games to play.

That lead was extended to two games after Buffalo lost on the road to Chicago, and then swept Detroit inside Tiger Stadium. The final series of the year would see the Senators visit Jack Hoylt Park, while the Yankees took on Detroit. The two teams actually crossed paths at the train station in Detroit, staring at each other from opposite platforms.

Both teams lost on the following day, keeping the American League alive for another day, although Buffalo required a major miracle to defend their championship. It did not come, as Washington won the next day, ending the short reign of the world champions.

Opening Day Line-up:
C - Gabby Hartnett
1B - Bill Kelly
2B - Marty McManus
3B - Sammy Hale
SS - Buck Weaver (captain)
LF - Heinie Manush
CF - Johnny Mostil
RF - Showboat Fisher

Bench - C Jim Boyle, 1B Chris Burkam, 2B George Grantham, OF Sam Rice, RF Paul Waner, RF Everett Parmenter

Rotation - Harry Hulihan, Ray Roberts, Adrian Lynch, Dominic Mulrenan, Dutch Leonard

Bullpen - Neal Brady, Frank Mack, Ike Kamp, Buck Freeman, Eddie Dyer, Bob Hasty

Career Milestones and League Awards
AL Home Run Leader - Gabby Hartnett
AL RBI Leader - Gabby Hartnett
AL Win Leader - Harry Hulihan
AL Strikeout Leader - Ray Roberts (tied)
1500th Run - Buck Weaver
1000th RBI - Buck Weaver
22 game hitting streak - Heinie Manush

Team Leaders
ERA - Ray Roberts (3.43)
Wins - Harry Hulihan (21-6)
Saves - Neal Brady (20)
Average - Heinie Manush (.332)
Home Runs - Gabby Hartnett (36)
Runs Batted In - Gabby Hartnett (146)
Stolen Bases - Buck Weaver (14)

American League Standings - 1926
New York Yankees - 100-54
Buffalo Blues - 97-57
Chicago White Sox - 84-70
Boston Red Sox - 79-75
Philadelphia Athletics - 72-82
Washington Senators - 66-88
Cleveland Indians - 60-94
Detroit Tigers - 58-96

World Series 1926
New York Yankees d. St Louis Cardinals 4-3

Additions and Subtractions for 1927

As if to make up for lost time, there was a flurry of activity at Blues headquarters once the season finished. Heinie Manush and Showboat Fisher found themselves traded after the arbitrator decided in their favour, and Blues officials saw fit to also offload Marty McManus and Neal Brady as well.

In - SS Carey Selph (Cincinnati), 2B Charlie Gehringer (Detroit), SP Sam Gibson (Detroit), SP Orlin Collier (Detroit), RF Ed Goebel (New York NL)
Out - LF Heinie Manush (Cincinnati), RF Showboat Fisher (Detroit), 1B Chris Burkam, OF Sam Rice, SP Frank Mack, RP Buck Freeman, SP Dutch Leonard, SP Ed Wells (Detroit), Marty McManus (Detroit), 2B George Grantham (Detroit), RP Neal Brady (Detroit), LF Mike Smith (New York NL)

[Rawhide]

1927 - The Last Afternoon

Despite the large number of new faces in the Blues clubhouse, many pundits were still willing to back them for the pennant in 1927, although the general consensus was that Chicago and New York were the favourites to take the title.

Buffalo and Boston shared the lead of a tightly congested American League at the end of April. All of the good work was undone in May with four straight losses to the Yankees and a surprise series loss to lowly Detroit.

The Yankees continued to lead throughout June and by the time July started the Blues faced a mountain to climb - seven games back in third place.

The Blues also faced some tough decisions regarding personell. Third baseman Sammy Hale was traded to Washington on July 2 for Urbane Pickering when it became apparent he was demanding a contract three times that which Blues officials were offering. The next day, Johnny Mostil left for St Louis, in exchange for prospect outfielder Mule Haas.

Moving into second place was little consolation for Blues fans, as the Yankees pulled further ahead in the American League race. That's the way it seemed it would finish - until the Blues pulled within four games on September 16. In the last three games at Jack Holyt Field for 1927, the Blues would face the Yankees. Needing to win all three games to keep the pennant race alive, the stadium was sold out for three straight games to see the Blues prevail 4-1, 8-4 and 4-2. For the second time in two years, the pennant would be decided in the last series, and for the second time in two years the Yankees got to play lowly Detroit.

The Blues dropped their first game 4-1, and the Yankees won 12-6. The following day, the Yankees lost 5-3 while Buffalo trounced the Senators 7-1. The pennant would be decided on the very last day! Buffalo filfilled their end of the bargain by winning 5-3, and then crowded around the radio to listen to the closing stages of the New York-Detroit game. They would be disappointed, as it wasn't even close. A 12-4 victory to the Yankees returned them to the World Series, and the Buffalonians were reduced to second place - again!

Opening Day Line-up:
C - Gabby Hartnett
1B - Bill Kelly
2B - Charlie Gehringer
3B - Sammy Hale
SS - Buck Weaver (captain)
LF - Everett Parmenter
CF - Johnny Mostil
RF - Harry Rice

Bench - C Jim Boyle, 1B Lee Dunham, IF Billy Rhiel, 1B Charlie Grimm, C Bill Dickey, CF Buzz Murphy

Rotation - Harry Hulihan, Ray Roberts, Adrian Lynch, Dominic Mulrenan, Bob Hasty

Bullpen - Elbert Andrews, Ike Kamp, Eddie Dyer, Sam Gibson, Ted Blankenship, Red Lucas

Career Milestones and League Awards
AL Home Run Leader - Gabby Hartnett (tied)
AL RBI Leader - Gabby Hartnett (tied)
AL Win Leader - Dominic Mulrenan and Adrian Lynch (tied)
AL Strikeout Leader - Adrian Lynch
3000th hit - Buck Weaver

Team Leaders
ERA - Dominic Mulrenan (3.80)
Wins - Adrian Lynch (20-12) and Dominic Mulrenan (20-6)
Saves - Elbert Andrews (20)
Average - Charlie Gehringer (.346)
Home Runs - Gabby Hartnett (29)
Runs Batted In - Gabby Hartnett (126)
Stolen Bases - Everett Parmenter (13)

American League Standings - 1927
New York Yankees - 96-58
Buffalo Blues - 95-59
Chicago White Sox - 84-70
Boston Red Sox - 80-74
Washington Senators - 68-86
Philadelphia Athletics - 65-89
Cleveland Indians - 64-90
Detroit Tigers - 64-90

World Series 1927
New York Yankees d. Pittsburgh Pirates 4-0

Additions and Subtractions for 1927

In - 2B Tony Lazzeri (New York NL), Herman Layne (Philadelphia AL)
Out - 3BUrbane Pickering (New York NL), CF Everett Parmenter (Philadelphia AL), 1B Sam Post (Chicago NL), SP Ray Roberts, SP Bob Hasty (Boston AL), SP Ike Kamp, SP Lefty Thomas (Philadelphia AL), 2B Billy Rhiel (Philadelphia AL)

[Rawhide]

1928 - Off The Pace

The Buffalo Blues were winded and stunned from their dramatic loss of the 1927 American League to the New York Yankees. Many pundits predicted that it would perhaps affect the squad psychologically in the lead-up to the 1928 season.

A 12-12 start to April was Buffalo's worst in quite some while. However, the month was notable in one way - the Blues scored their biggest ever winning margin when they trounced the Chicago White Sox 19-0 on April 17. The hero of the day was second baseman Charlie Gehringer, who hit four from four, scored five runs and five runs batted in, including two home runs.

A more competitive May saw Buffalo move slightly up the standings, but the Yankees and White Sox were firmly entrenched at the top of the table. Relief pitcher Fay Thomas was traded from the Robins and found his way into the bullpen. June started with disaster as captain Buck Weaver was struck down with a severe shoulder seperation, placing him on the injured reserve list until at least August.

However, the combination of a dominant New York Yankees side and a tough schedule (twice the Blues had to play 15 game road trips) saw Buffalo well out of contention by the middle of August. However, they still finished with a winning record, having not suffered a losing season since 1912. And to top it off, Gabby Hartnett earned his third MVP award.

Opening Day Line-up:
C - Gabby Hartnett
1B - Bill Kelly
2B - Charlie Gehringer
3B - Carey Selph
SS - Buck Weaver (captain)
LF - Herman layne
CF - Buzz Murphy
RF - Harry Rice

Bench - C Bill Dickey, 1B Lee Dunham, IF Tommy Tevenow, IF Tony Lazzeri, IF Travis Jackson, 3B Pepper Martin

Rotation - Adrian Lynch, Dominic Mulrenan, Harry Hulihan, Red Lucas, Ted Blankenship

Bullpen - Elbert Andrews, Eddie Dyer, Les Cox, Sam Gibson, Bill Pertica, Syl Johnson

Career Milestones and League Awards
American League MVP - Gabby Hartnett
AL Home Run Leader - Gabby Hartnett
AL RBI Leader - Gabby Hartnett
Hit for the Cycle - Gabby Hartnett
30 game hitting streak - Gabby Hartnett

Team Leaders
ERA - Adrian Lynch (3.70)
Wins - Adrian Lynch (18-10)
Saves - Elbert Andrews (20)
Average - Gabby Hartnett (.358)
Home Runs - Gabby Hartnett (32)
Runs Batted In - Gabby Hartnett (133)
Stolen Bases - Charlie Gehringer (14)

American League Standings - 1928
New York Yankees - 111-43
Chicago White Sox - 91-63
Boston Red Sox - 82-72
Buffalo Blues - 81-73
Cleveland Indians - 68-86
Detroit Tigers - 64-90
Washington Senators - 64-90
Philadelphia Athletics - 55-99

World Series 1928
New York Yankees d. Boston Braves 4-1

Additions and Subtractions for 1929

With Buck Weaver entering the twilight of his career at the age of 38, the Blues looked to find potential suitors for their veteran shortstop, given that they probably would not extend his contract beyond 1929. Weaver nominated the Phillies and Robins as his preferred destination but neither franchise was willing to make a bid for the Blues captain.

Pitcher Dominic Mulrenan, the 1925 World Series MVP and 1923 Cy Young Award winner, was released after the 34-year old produced a struggling season. His career with Buffalo saw him with a 101-56 record with a 3.77 ERA. He was originally drafted 64th overall by the Braves way back in 1911 and was traded to Buffalo halfway through 1917.

In - SP Paul Gregory (Cleveland), SP Si Johnson (Washington)
Out - CF Herman Layne (Pittsburgh), SP Dominic Mulrenan, SP Ted Blankenship, SP Red Lucas, SP Sam Gibson (Cleveland), RF Eddie Dyer, SP Joe Kiefer, SP Elbert Andrews (Washington), SP Syl Johnson (Washington)

[Rawhide]

1929 - Gabby Takes The Reins as Satchel Breaks The Barrier

Buck Weaver was unable to find his way into the opening day roster of the Buffalo Blues, and Gabe Hartnett was appointed the second captain in club history. That in itself was historic, but what occured on April 9 completely took the cake.


Charles Leo "Gabby" Hartnett, Buffalo Blues captain

Satchel Paige became the first African-American to play in the Major Leagues when he took the mound in the Buffalo Blues home opener against the Cleveland Indians. He allowed no runs but was inexplicitly pulled after five innings, allowing the Indians to come back in the contest and snatch a 7-6 victory.


Satchel Paige

The Blues started the year dreadfully, ending April in eight position with just six wins. It appeared as though the glory years of the 1920s, a year in which the Blues finished in the second half every year and won three pennants and a World Series, were truly coming to a close.

Nowhere was this gulf more apparent that the Blues' annual series against the Yankees. Prior to 1929, Buffalo teams regularly took series at Yankee Stadium, even as the Yankees were assembling World Series outfits. However, the Blues would not win a single contest against the Yankees before August 1929 - at home or away. In fact, at the start of July the New Yorkers had already assembled a 33.5 game lead over Buffalo in the American League standings.

With the Blues out of the pennant race, attention turned to building the next possible great Blues dynasty. Right-fielder Beau Bell was acquired from the Cubs in exchange for reserve catcher Bill Dickey. Young centre-fielder Doc Cramer joined from the Athletics, with pitcher Ben Cantwell, closer Dick Terwilliger and a prospect being traded in return.

Finally, Braves relief pitcher Ed Strelecki and a prospect were traded for five Blues prospects.

The new additions had the desired effect as Buffalo started July with nine straight wins and 20 wins in total, although of course it was too little too late by then to salvage the 1929 season.

Gabby Hartnett exhibited great leadership qualities all year, but even he must have been surprised to be named the American League MVP once again, ahead of any of the superstars playing for the invincible Yankees, who were celebrating their fourth consecuitive World Series.

Satchel Paige finished the year with a 12-12 record and a respectable ERA of 4.15, the best among Blues pitchers.

Opening Day Line-up:
C - Gabby Hartnett (captain)
1B - Bill Kelly
2B - Charlie Gehringer
3B - Pepper Martin
SS - Travis Jackson
LF - Mike Smith
CF - Buzz Murphy
RF - Harry Rice

Bench - C Bill Dickey, 1B Lee Dunham, IF Tommy Tevenow, IF Tony Lazzeri, IF Mark Koenig, OF Mule Haas

Rotation - Adrian Lynch, Harry Hulihan, Greg Hollins, Satchel Paige, Bill Cronie

Bullpen - Dick Terwilliger, Les Cox, Edgar Barnhart, Ben Cantwell, Si Johnson, Fay Thomas

Career Milestones and League Awards
AL Home Run Leader - Gabby Hartnett
AL RBI Leader - Gabby Hartnett
21 game hitting streak - Pepper Martin

Team Leaders
ERA - Satchel Paige (4.15)
Wins - Harry Hulihan (16-15)
Saves - Ed Strelecki (8)
Average - Gabby Hartnett (.323)
Home Runs - Gabby Hartnett (38)
Runs Batted In - Gabby Hartnett (139)
Stolen Bases - Charlie Gehringer (11)

American League Standings - 1929
New York Yankees - 113-41
Boston Red Sox - 91-63
Washington Senators - 77-77
Chicago White Sox - 74-80
Cleveland Indians - 72-82
Buffalo Blues - 70-84
Detroit Tigers - 69-85
Philadelphia Athletics - 50-104

World Series 1929
New York Yankees d. New York Giants 4-1

Additions and Subtractions for 1930

Buck Weaver's association with the Blues was officially over, with the veteran shortstop pocketing $17,000 for not playing a single game in 1929.

Harry Rice was traded to the Cardinals after winning arbiration.

The financial fortunes of the Blues took a fall along with the stock market at the end of October 1929. In an effort to raise capital necessary to stay financially viable, Buffalo traded away the contract of Adrian Lynch in exchange for two prospects. The other star pitcher of the Blues, Harry Hulihan, was sent to Detroit in exchange for a prospect.

Blues chairman Robert McConnell ruled out a stock sale of the Blues, saying that it was unrealistic to expect the citizens of Buffalo to put their hands in their pockets to support baseball when they could barely support their families. He warned however that "the days of major league spending are finished" and that the Blues would be operating on "strict rules" from now on.

The various transactions meant that only two survivors from the Blues 1925 World Series team remained - Gabby Hartnett and Bill Kelly. In addition, Si Johnson was the "veteran" of the pitchers, at the age of only 23 and with 83 games experience.

Long years lay ahead.

In - CF Ben Chapman (St Louis), SP Joe Bowman (New York NL), SP Ian Cain (Boston NL), SP Bill Chamberlain (Detroit)
Out - OFHarry Rice (St Louis), CF Buzz Murphy, SS Buck Weaver, LF Lee Dunham (New York NL), SP Adrian Lynch (Boston NL), SP Harry Hulihan (Detroit)

[Rawhide]

1930 - Dark Days

The Buffalo Blues fought hard all season long but could not avoid reality, finishing seventh in the American League with their worst record since 1912.

Attendance fell from 1926's highwater mark of 2,334,626 to 1,426,889, a reflection of both the hard economic times, as well as the reduced drawing power of the "new Blues".

The Blues were only saved from last place by the stunning inepitude of the Philadelphia Athletics, who won 44 games all year. There were rumours that the Athletics were looking to move away to another city, with Baltimore, Milwaukee and Kansas City the most likely options.

Opening Day Line-up:
C - Gabby Hartnett (captain)
1B - Bill Kelly
2B - Charlie Gehringer
3B - Pepper Martin
SS - Travis Jackson
LF - Mike Smith
CF - Doc Cramer
RF - Mule Haas

Bench - C Phillip Stephenson, 1B Charlie Grimm, IF Carey Selph, IF Mark Koenig, RF Randy Moore, RF Cole Norris

Rotation - Ian Cain, Si Johnson, Bill Cronie, Orlin Collier, Monty Stratton

Bullpen - Ed Strelecki, Lou McEvoy, Charlie Perkins, Satchel Paige, Ed Durham, Fay Thomas

Career Milestones and League Awards
AL Home Run Leader - Gabby Hartnett
AL RBI Leader - Gabby Hartnett
1000th Run Batted In - Gabby Hartnett
21 game hitting streak - Bill Kelly

Team Leaders
ERA - Si Johnson (3.37)
Wins - Ian Cain (18-15)
Saves - Ed Strelecki (13)
Average - Gabby Hartnett (.316)
Home Runs - Gabby Hartnett (38)
Runs Batted In - Gabby Hartnett (139)
Stolen Bases - Cole Norris (19)

American League Standings - 1930
New York Yankees - 111-43
Washington Senators - 86-68
Chicago White Sox - 85-69
Cleveland Indians - 78-76
Boston Red Sox - 75-79
Detroit Tigers - 75-79
Buffalo Blues - 63-91
Philadelphia Athletics - 43-111

World Series 1930
New York Yankees d. New York Giants 4-3
The Yankees led in the series 3-0, but avoided an embarrasing and historic loss with victory in Game 7.

Additions and Subtractions for 1931

Robert McConnell's "strict rules" brought forward a stark reality for the Blues players once the 1930 season finished. Any player demanding to be paid more than his current contract would be moved on, no matter how valuable or integral to the team's success.

"We don't want to be in the position of the Athletics, where an epidemic of unrestrained spending has crippled a franchise to the point where the team is on the verge of leaving its home city," McConnell stated. "We must be restrained, and sensible, and always thinking of the greater good of the team."

'The greater good of the team' meant that although Pepper Martin, Travis Jackson and Si Johnson accepted contracts, Charlie Gehringer refused to take a pay cut and was promptly sold to the New York Giants. Free agent Spoke Emery, who played for the Phillies between 1922-1929, signed a two year contract with a two year option.

Disturbingly, Buffalo had won less games each year compared to the year before, a pattern that started with the 1925 World Series win. (102, 97, 95, 81, 70, 63 wins each year)

In - LF Spoke Emery (Mexican leagues)
Out - 2B Charlie Gehringer (New York NL)

[Rawhide]

1931 - A Step In The Right Direction

For a proud franchise fallen on hard times, it was simply expected that the Blues improve in 1931, although where and how remained to be seen. One area marked for immediate improvement was the pitching, which in fact improved its collective ERA from 6.03 to 5.13 during the season.

On the trading deadline, pitchers Fay Thomas, Lou McEvoy and shortstop Mark Koenig, in his sixth season with the Blues, found themselves traded to Brooklyn in return for relief pitchers Art Jones and Earl Mattingly.

On the final day of the season, September 22, Blues captain Gabby Hartnett found himself elevated to the list of all-time greats when he became the greatest home run hitter of all time, with 280, passing the Detroit Tigers great Bill Leinhauser, who had retired during the 1931 season. The Blues celebrated the feat with a 4-2 victory against the White Sox, and duly recorded 70 wins, an important upward spike in the team's record.

Spoke Emery proved himself a worthy addition to the Blues side, adding 27 home runs and 129 runs batted in, despite a relatively poor average of .265.


Opening Day Line-up:
C - Gabby Hartnett (captain)
1B - Bill Kelly
2B - Carey Selph
3B - Pepper Martin
SS - Travis Jackson
LF - Spoke Emery
CF - Doc Cramer
RF - Mule Haas

Bench - C Phillip Stephenson, LF Mike Smith, IF Mark Koenig, C Peter Duplessis, LF Joe Medwick, OF Ben Chapman

Rotation - Si Johnson, Ian Cain, Greg Hollins, Bill Cronie, Monty Stratton

Bullpen - Ed Strelecki, Charlie Perkins, Lou McEvoy, Ed Durham, Satchel Paige, Jim Turner

Career Milestones and League Awards
AL Home Run Leader - Gabby Hartnett
AL RBI Leader - Gabby Hartnett
AL Stolen Base Leader - Cole Norris
1000th Run - Gabby Hartnett
22 game hitting streak - Mule Haas

Team Leaders
ERA - Si Johnson (3.40)
Wins - Ian Cain (18-13)
Saves - Ed Strelecki (13)
Average - Mule Haas (.347)
Home Runs - Gabby Hartnett (36)
Runs Batted In - Gabby Hartnett (138)
Stolen Bases - Cole Norris (21)

American League Standings - 1931
New York Yankees - 101-53
Washington Senators - 89-63
Cleveland Indians - 82-72
Chicago White Sox - 81-73
Detroit Tigers - 70-84
Buffalo Blues - 70-84
Philadelphia Athletics - 62-92
Boston Red Sox - 61-93

World Series 1931
New York Giants d. New York Yankees 4-2

Additions and Subtractions for 1932

Two players who Blues fans had hoped would form the backside of the Buffalo teams of the 1930s found themselves dealt away once the dust settled on the 1931 season.

Mule Haas found himself a victim of the strict policy on trading arbitration-winning players, and was dealth for two Cubs prospects. Satchel Paige struggled to find his way back into the rotation after his feats of the 1929 season, and was sold to the newly-renamed Brooklyn Dodgers.

In - CF Dinny McNamara (Chicago NL), RP Jumbo Brown (Chicago NL)
Out - CF Mule Haas (Chicago NL), 1B Charlie Grimm, SP Bill Cronie, SP Satchel Paige (Brooklyn)

[Rawhide]

1932 - A Favourite Son Returns Home

On the first day of spring training, one of the 1925 World Series-winning Blues returned at Jack Hoylt Field "to lend a hand", in his words.

Heinie Manush left the Blues at the end of 1926, and spent two seasons each at Cincinnati and the Phillies. Now aged 30, he would provide a vaulable and experienced reserve presence in the dugout, able to fill any of the outfielding positions at a pinch.

One day after Manush's arrival, the Blues traded away pitcher Ian Cain, outfielders Doc Cramer and Cole Norris and two prospects to the Phillies in return for reigning National League batting champion Joe O'Rourke, who would take over from Bill Kelly at first base. With Kelly refusing to waive his no-trade clause, management told him that his contract would not be renewed in 1933.

With these two acquisitions, Blues management made it clear that they were looking to rebuild their roster around a troupe of power hitters. In Hartwell, Emery and now Manush and O'Rourke, they had four of the better strikers in all of baseball.

The question was: would the new and improved offense cover for the deficiencies in the pitching? Buffalo had not had a Cy Young winner since 1925 when Harry Hulihan earned the honour.

The short-term answer was simply: yes. Buffalo started the season 7-2, good enough for a very temporary lead of the American League, although a home series loss to the Athletics probably spoke more about the true abilities of the 1932 Blues. The Blues then backed that effort up with a series win inside Yankee Stadium, their first since 1928.

At the end of May, the Blues were just two games back from the equally-surprising Senators, who were in contention to win their first American League title since 1905. The three major contributors to date were Joe O'Rourke (.368 with 10 home runs), Ben Chapman (16 stolen bases already this year) and Si Johnson (9-1, 2.2 ERA).

The Blues then received a major surprise when the highly rated Joe DiMaggio fell to them at #5 in the prospect draft, after the four teams in front selected pitching prospects. Despite many fans demanding that he be immediately inserted into the line-up, Blues management decided to instead to send DiMaggio to the farm, mindful that rushing prospects straight into the top grade more often than not shortened their careers.

At the end of July, the Blues were sitting second with a 55-45, but were still chasing the surprising Senators, who were streaking ahead with a 67-33 record. On August 14 Gabby Hartnett brought up his 300th career home run, setting a standard that most experts of the time would never be exceeded.

A disappointing August saw the Blues slide gradually out of contention, however the first winning season since 1928 was virtually guaranteed. However, the American League pennant race was electrified by the resurgance of the Philadelphia Athletics, who overtook the Blues, Yankees and eventually the Senators to win their first American League title since 1909. Just two years previously the Athetlics were the laughing stock of the American League with just 43 wins.

Philadelphia would put the exclaimation mark on the season by defeating the New York Giants in the World Series, and coming back from 3-2 down to do it!

Si Johnson became the Blues' first Cy Young Award winner since Harry Hulihan in 1925.

Opening Day Line-up:
C - Gabby Hartnett (captain)
1B - Joe O'Rourke
2B - Bill Kelly
3B - Pepper Martin
SS - Travis Jackson
LF - Spoke Emery
CF - Ben Chapman
RF - Heinie Manush

Bench - C Phillip Stephenson, RF Beau Bell, CF Dinny McNamara, C Peter Duplessis, LF Joe Medwick, RF Randy Moore

Rotation - Si Johnson, Greg Hollins, Orlin Collier, Monty Stratton, Johnny Broaca

Bullpen - Ed Strelecki, Earl Mattingly, Charlie Perkins, Ed Durham, Hank Johnson, Jim Turner

Career Milestones and League Awards
AL Cy Young Award Winner - Si Johnson
AL Home Run Leader - Gabby Hartnett
AL Stolen Base Leader - Ben Chapman
AL ERA Leader - Si Johnson
AL Win Leader - Si Johnson
300th home run - Gabby Hartnett
21 game hitting streak - Travis Jackson
Hit for the cycle - Spoke Emery

Team Leaders
ERA - Si Johnson (2.47)
Wins - Si Johnson (22-7)
Saves - Ed Strelecki (20)
Average - Travis Jackson (.318)
Home Runs - Gabby Hartnett (27)
Runs Batted In - Joe O'Rourke (120)
Stolen Bases - Ben Chapman (34)

American League Standings - 1932
Philadelphia Athletics - 94-60
Washington Senators - 91-63
Buffalo Blues - 81-73
New York Yankees - 81-73
Cleveland Indians - 76-78
Chicago White Sox - 71-83
Boston Red Sox - 61-93
Detroit Tigers - 61-93

World Series 1932
Philadelphia Athletics d. New York Giants 4-3
The Athletics come back from 3-2 down in the series to win their first title!

Additions and Subtractions for 1933

Bill Kelly was released as promised, ending eleven seasons with the Blues, spent mostly at first base. He did score a career-best 21 home runs in 1932, but that wasn't enough to force a change of heart from Blues management.

The Blues and Senators pulled off a six-player trade, which saw Mel Ott added to the stable of power hitters which Buffalo were assembling. Promising right-fielder Randy Moore and pitchers Earl Mattingly and Jim Turner made the trip down to the nation's capital.

In - RP Bob Kline (New York NL), SP Dutch Leonard (New York NL), SP Ralph Mould (Cincinnati), RF Mel Ott (Washington), SP Tiny Chaplin (Washington)
Out - 2B Bill Kelly, SP Greg Hollins, RP Ed Durham (Cincinnati), RP Ed Strelecki (New York NL), SP Jack Wilson (Cincinnati), SP Hank McDonald (Cincinnati), RF Randy Moore (Washington), RP Earl Mattingly (Washington), SP Jim Turner (Washington)

[Rawhide]

1933 - The Only Thing Buffalo Has To Fear Is Buffalo Itself

With a New Deal being the theme of national affairs, Buffalo fans were confidently predicting a New Deal for themselves, and fully expected the resurgent Blues, made stronger not weaker after the Great Depression belt-pulling, to challenge for the American League title.

On paper, the Blues team was certainly the strongest since the 1925 World Series team, and the bullpen was stronger than ever. For the first time in club history, the Blues would run with a four-man rotation. Gabby Hartnett, while confident of a good season, expressed caution, warning that "paper teams win paper championships".

A 19-24 start to the season was therefore wildly underwhelming to the legion of Blues fans, and things had not really improved by July. Buffalo had a 35-45 record, good enough for seventh in the league, although fourteen games back from the Athletics, who looked as though 1932 was not a fluke season.

The 1933 season would see a new innovation, with an All-Star Match between the AL and NL to be played. The historic first game was played at Yankee Stadium, with Gabby Hartnett, Pepper Martin, Si Johnson, Art Jones and John Campbell becoming the first Blues to represent the AL in the game, won 6-4 by the National League. Hartnett became the first batter to face a pitch.

As if inspired by the new concept, the Blues roared back to .500 during July, to sit fourth in the American League. That was exactly how the season finished, as the American League were left in the wake of the Athletics who repeated as

Opening Day Line-up:
C - Gabby Hartnett (captain)
1B - Joe O'Rourke
2B - Joe Medwick
3B - Pepper Martin
SS - Travis Jackson
LF - Spoke Emery
CF - Ben Chapman
RF - Mel Ott

Bench - C Bill Steinecke, RF Beau Bell, OF Heinie Manush, C Peter Duplessis, IF Cecil Travis, CF Dinny McNamara

Rotation - Si Johnson, Ralph Mould, Greg Hollins, Reagan Smith

Bullpen - Monty Stretton, Art Jones, Charlie Perkins, John Campbell, Tiny Chaplin, Ray Starr, Hank Johnson

Career Milestones and League Awards
AL Home Run Leader - Gabby Hartnett
2000th hit - Gabby Hartnett


Team Leaders
ERA - Si Johnson (3.54)
Wins - Ralph Mould (17-14)
Saves - Art Jones (18)
Average - Pepper Martin (.335)
Home Runs - Gabby Hartnett (32)
Runs Batted In - Gabby Hartnett (128)
Stolen Bases - Ben Chapman (22)

All Stars
C Gabby Hartnett
3B Pepper Martin (did not play due to injury)
SP Si Johnson
SP Art Jones
SP John Campbell

American League Standings - 1933
Philadelphia Athletics - 94-60
Detroit Tigers - 79-75
New York yankees - 78-76
Buffalo Blues - 77-77
Cleveland Indians - 73-81
Washington Senators - 72-82
Chicago White Sox - 72-82
Boston Red Sox - 71-83

World Series 1933
New York Giants d. Philadelphia Athletics 4-2

Additions and Subtractions for 1934
Greg Hollins was released after a poor 11-19 season with a 7.00 ERA. Promising second baseman Odell Hale was obtained from the Braves, while durable yet unspectacular pticher Thornton Lee was traded from Cleveland in exchange for relief pitcher Tiny Chaplin and four other prospects. Spoke Emery was traded to Cincinnati for a relief pitching prospect and cash.

In - 2B Odell Hale (Boston NL), SP Thornton Lee (Cleveland)
Out - SP Greg Hollins, SP Bill Chamberlain, C Bill Steinecke (Boston NL), RP Tiny Chaplin (Cleveland)

[Rawhide]

1934 - The Numbers Sometimes Lie

The Buffalo Blues entered 1934 as one of the hot favourites to win the American League pennant for the sixth time in team history. In fact, for the first time fans could back up their expectations with mathematical proof, albeit of dubious quality. The Mathematics Faculty at the University of Virginia published the result of a series of highly intricate formulas predicting the outcome of every single major league baseball fixture of the season. They concluded that there was a 58% chance of the Blues winning the AL, and a 38% chance that they would win the World Series. Joe O'Rouke was the overwhelming choice as MVP, winning the award in 84% of simulations.

However, the Blues players were only concerned with what would happen in reality. Reality wasn't nearly as kind as the simulator, with the Blues finishing April in second spot behind the Athletics, who would win the first two head-to-head series between these teams in May. In June, Buffalo would win three of four games against the Athletics, and duly took possession of the lead in the American League.

Tragedy would strike for the Blues on June 26 when captain Gabby Hartnett was ruled out for three weeks with a dislocated shoulder. Hartnett would miss out on the second All-Star game, this time played in Boston. Six Blues players would be named to the American League side, although Hartnett and pitcher Thornton Lee would not play due to injury.

The Athletics shaved the Blues' lead in the AL to just one game when they swept Buffalo at Jack Hoylt Field. With the Giants leading the Cardinals by just two games, it appeared that all baseball fans could look forward to an exciting last eight weeks of the season. The Blues surrended their lead in the AL with a series loss to the Senators, yet win it back with sweeps against the Yankees and Red Sox. Philadelphia would not lie down however and took back the lead with another sweep at Jack Holyt Field.

September saw the Blues trailing the Athletics by three runs, and needing a bit of luck to get back in contention. They would have no suck luck, losing pitcher Si Johnson for the rest of the year and starting the month with five straight losses. On the last day of the year, it would be Philadelphia toasting their Athletics who had won their third AL pennant in a row.

Joe O'Rourke broke club records for most home runs in a season, as well as overtaking the injured Gabby Hartnett as the most potent attacking force, driving in a stack of runs. Therefore it was little surprise to see him named as the Most Valuable Player for 1934. At least those intricate mathematical predictions got something right this year.

Opening Day Line-up:
C - Gabby Hartnett (captain)
1B - Joe O'Rourke
2B - Odell Hale
3B - Pepper Martin
SS - Travis Jackson
LF - Joe Medwick
CF - Ben Chapman
RF - Mel Ott

Bench - C Jeff Vanvranken, CF Dinny McNamara, RF Beau Bell, OF Heinie Manush, OF Joe DiMaggio, OF Frank Demaree

Rotation - Ralph Mould, Si Johnson, Thornton Lee, Reagan Smith, Monty Stratton

Bullpen - Art Jones, Charlie Perkins, John Campbell, Hank Johnson, Ray Starr, Joe Bowman

Career Milestones and League Awards
AL Most Valuable Player - Joe O'Rourke
AL Batting Title - Joe O'Rourke
AL Home Run Leader - Joe O'Rourke
AL RBI Leader - Joe O'Rourke
AL Stolen Base Leader - Ben Chapman (tied)
1500th RBI - Gabby Hartnett
Hit for the cycle - Joe Medwick
Hit for the cycle - Ben Chapman

Team Leaders
ERA - Si Johnson (3.59)
Wins - Si Johnson (18-7)
Saves - Art Jones (25)
Average - Joe O'Rourke (.358)
Home Runs - Joe O'Rourke (42)
Runs Batted In - Joe O'Rourke (139)
Stolen Bases - Ben Chapman (17)

All Stars
C Gabby Hartnett (did not play due to injury)
1B Joe O'Rourke
3B Pepper Martin
2B Odell Hale
SP Thornton Lee (did not play due to injury)
SP Art Jones

American League Standings - 1934
Philadelphia Athletics - 100-54
Buffalo Blues - 93-61
Chicago White Sox - 81-73
Washington Senators - 75-79
New York Yankees - 70-84
Boston Red Sox - 67-87
Detroit Tigers - 66-88
Cleveland Indians - 64-90

World Series 1934
St Louis Cardinals d. Philadelphia Athletics 4-1
The first World Series since 1921 not to feature either New York or Boston-based teams.

Additions and Subtractions for 1935

In - RP Bobby Coombs (Chicago AL), 2B Darrell Peterson (Chicago AL), SP Al Smith (Chicago AL), SP Bill Perrin (Cleveland)
Out - 2B Joe Medwick (Chicago AL), RP Charlie Perkins (Cleveland), RP Ray Starr (Cleveland), SP Herman Fink (Cleveland), SP Marius Russo (Cleveland), SP Buck Ross (Cleveland), SP Joe Beggs (Cleveland), CF Joe Marty (Cleveland)

[Rawhide]

1935 - Grasping Defeat From The Jaws Of Victory

The 1935 Buffalo Blues team was in essence the same side that came close to toppling the Athletics in the 1934 pennant race. Second baseman Joe Medwick was now plying his trade in the Windy City, and a handful of pitchers were traded to Cleveland, but Blues fans were expecting their team to win the pennant just the same.

Their expectations seemed to be bourne out with a 19-6 start to the year. Si Johnson was pitching sensationally, winning his first five starts with a 0.91 ERA. The Blues continued their good form into June, and had opened up an eight game lead by the time of the draft. Home series losses to Chicago and Detroit seemed to give the rest of the American League hope, but the Blues soldiered on unscathed and had virtually sealed the American League by the start of July with a 55-26 record, eleven better than the Athletics.

The start of September revealed a different story. Despite going 17-11 through August, the Blues were swept by the Athletics who then seized control of the American League while going on an 18-2 run. Philadelphia lead the AL in the final week by two games. The last series of the year would see the Athletics travel to Jack Hoylt Field for what would be a tremendous series - if the pennant race was still alive.

The Blues dropped a game against the Indians, and found themselves two games behind with the last three games against the Athletics still to play. Crucially they would have to do it without Gabby Harnett, who was laid up in bed with a back strain.

The first game went 5-3 to the Blues, and the second also went by the way of the home team 6-4. The pennant race would therefore come down to a historical last day. A sold-out stadium went home disappointed yet again, as the Blues lost 5-4, with Pepper Martin striking out with the tying run on third base.

It was the tenth time that Buffalo had finished second in the American League.

Opening Day Line-up:
C - Gabby Hartnett (captain)
1B - Joe O'Rourke
2B - Odell Hale
3B - Pepper Martin
SS - Travis Jackson
LF - Vince Barton
CF - Ben Chapman
RF - Mel Ott

Bench - C Jeff Vanvranken, CF Dinny McNamara, RF Beau Bell, OF Heinie Manush, CF Mike Kreevich, OF Frank Demaree

Rotation - Ralph Mould, Si Johnson, Thornton Lee, Reagan Smith, Bill Perrin

Bullpen - Art Jones, Bobby Coombs, John Campbell, Hank Johnson, Jim Winford, Johnny Broaca

Career Milestones and League Awards
AL Most Valuable Player - Joe O'Rourke
AL Home Run Leader - Mel Ott
AL RBI Leader - Mel Ott
AL Stolen Base Leader - Ben Chapman
AL Save Leader - Art Jones
Hit for the cycle - Odell Hale

Team Leaders
ERA - Si Johnson (3.33)
Wins - Bill Perrin (18-9)
Saves - Art Jones (24)
Average - Pepper Martin (.350)
Home Runs - Mel Ott (45)
Runs Batted In - Mel Ott (161)
Stolen Bases - Ben Chapman (23)

All Stars
C Gabby Hartnett
RF Mel Ott
1B Joe O'Rouke
SP Si Johnson
RP John Campbell

American League Standings - 1935
Philadelphia Athletics - 93-61
Buffalo Blues - 92-62
Chicago White Sox - 79-75
Washington Senator - 77-77
Detroit Tigers - 74-80
Boston Red Sox - 72-82
New York Yankees - 69-85
Cleveland Indians - 60-94

World Series 1935
New York Giants d. Philadelphia Athletics 4-2

************

I'm going to change the format of the dynasty quite a bit from here on in, as I'm anxious to knock over a few years. I'm going to change to a decade-by-decade format, inspired a little by the Sportsecyclopedia website (www.sportsecyclopedia.com), followed by notable events, personalities, transactions etc.

Comments and suggestions welcome.

[Rawhide]

1936-1939

1936- Joe Medwick rejoined the team from the White Sox, as the Blues started the year horribly with a 0-8 record. However, they recovered in style to lead the American League by July. It was an extremely close and unpredictable American League, with the Red Sox and White Sox challenging the Philadelphia-Buffalo duopoly of recent years. With a fortnight to play, two games seperated first and fourth. It was hardly surprising then to see Buffalo drop out of the race, while Philadelphia and Chicago needed a playoff to decide the eventual champion. Joe O'Rourke hit a team record 46 home runs.

1937 - Gabby Hartnett was honoured for his twenty seasons with the Blues with a testemonial series against the Yankees in early April. As always, the season was not decided until the last week of the last month, with the Athletics once again visiting Buffalo for a critical series. Buffalo reversed the demons of the past with two straight wins, which game them the American League pennant on September 22. Their opponent in the World Series would be the New York Giants.

1937 World Series - The Giants were in an era of sustained excellence, with four World Series titles and eight pennants in the past nine seasons. With an amazing record of 118-36, they had no worries in dispatching the Blues. Former Blues second baseman Charlie Gehringer earned his fifth World Series championship.

1938 - Planning for life after Gabby Hartnett began with the acquisition of catcher Billy Sullivan from the Pirates. Sitting in fourth place on July 31, Buffalo stunned the baseball world by trading star second baseman to the White Sox in exchange for two prospect pitchers, a move designed to offset the signing of Joe O'Rourke to the most expensive Blues contract ever - $50,000 a year for six years. With the loss of one of the team's most important offensive weapons, the Blues ran out of steam and finished in fifth place.

Joe O'Rourke proved that he was worth ever dollar however, by becoming the first Blues player - and only the second in history - to hit more than 50 home runs in a season. At the end of the 1938 season, Buffalo had on their roster the three greatest home run hitters to that point of history - Gabby Hartnett (430), Joe O'Rourke (297) and Mel Ott (290).

1939 - Long-serving third baseman Pepper Martin was officially named as the new Blues captain after the retirement of Gabby Hartnett. A proud moment for the Buffalo Blues (and baseball in general) came with the establishement of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. The first Blues players to enter the Hall of Fame - as part of a mammoth 88-member inaugural class of inductees - were Buck Weaver, Rip Vowinkel, Jack Boyle, Patrick Newnam, who all entered as Blues, in addition to Honus Wagner and Ty Cobb who entered for other teams.

On September 3 1939, the Buffalo Blues won their seventh American League pennant with a win at Tiger Stadium. Halfway across the world, the dogs of war were unleashed heralding a conflict that would last until 1945.

1939 World Series - The Blues would again be facing the dynastic New York Giants, who were the overwhelming favourites to once again win it all. The Buffalo Blues briefly took a 2-1 series lead but the Giants were never headed from there on in, shutting out the Blues completely for the last two games. Some of the pain from the series loss was deflected by Joe O'Rourke's fifth MVP award.

World Series
1936 - New York Giants d. Philadelphia Athletics 4-1
1937 - New York Giants d. Buffalo Blues 4-2
1938 - New York Giants d. Philadelphia Athletics 4-2
1939 - New York Giants d. Buffalo Blues 4-2

Buffalo Blues
1936 - 88-66 (4th)
1937 - 86-68 (1st, lost World Series 2-4 to New York Giants)
1938 - 77-77 (5th)
1939 - 90-64 (1st, lost World Series 2-4 to New York Giants)

Most Valuable Players
1936 - 1BJoe O'Rourke
1937 - 1B Joe O'Rourke
1938 - 1B Joe O'Rourke
1939 - 1B Joe O'Rourke

Cy Young Awards
1939 - Si Johnson

All Stars
1936 - 1BJoe O'Rourke, 2B Joe Medwick, LF Mel Ott, 3B Pepper Martin, SP Si Johnson, SP Johnny Broaca, SP Thornton Lee
1937 - 1B Joe O'Rourke, 2B Joe Medwick, SS Travis Jackson, LF Mel Ott, SP Monty Stratton
1938 - 1B Joe O'Rourke, 2B Joe Medwick, 3B Pepper Martin, LF Mel Ott, SP SI Johnson, RP Ray Harrell
1939 - 1B Joe O'Rourke, 3B Pepper Martin, LF Mel Ott, SP Si Johnson, SP Monty Stratton, SP Thornton Lee

Notable Events
July 31 1936 - Gabby Hartnett - 400th home run
August 27 1936 - Gabby Hartnett - 1500th run
April 7 1937 - Mel Ott - 1000th RBI
May 16 1937 - Gabby Hartnett - 2500th hit
May 26 1937 - Mel Ott - 1000th run
August 8 1937 - Pepper Martin - 1000th run
May 2 1938 - Joe O'Rourke - 100th RBI
October 13 1938 - Gabby Hartnett announced his retirement from professional baseball
March 1 1939 - Pepper Martin is announced as the new Buffalo Blues captain
April 11 1939 - Joe O'Rourke - 300th home run
April 25 1939 - Joe O'Rourke - 1000th run
May 14th 1939 - Mel Ott - 300th home run
August 1st 1939 - Pepper Martin - 2000th hit
September 7th 1939 - Mel Ott - 2000th hit


Pepper Martin, Buffalo Blues captain


Joe Medwick, 1931-34, 1936-1938

[Rawhide]

1940-1949

1940 - The Buffalo Blues defended their American League title, although they waited until the last day of the season to make it official, holding off challenges from the White Sox and the Yankees. The New York Giants awaited in the World Series, where they would try to equal the Boston Braves' record of winning six straight World Series. Billy Sullivan scored a grand slam in the bottom of the ninth to lift Buffalo past New York in the sixth game to level the series. Pandemonium ensued on the following day when Mel Ott, Joe O'Rourke and Joe DiMaggio - playing in his first World Series - lead Buffalo to a 9-6 victory and the World Championship!

1941 - A combination of an ageing side (which had largely stayed the same since the early 1930s) and a resurgent New York Yankees side saw Buffalo finish a distant second. Pepper Martin and Mel Ott walked out on the club, after management refused to met their inflated salary demands. A shining light of the season is Joe O'Rourke, who passes Gabby Hartnett as the game's greatest home run hitter.

1942 - Joe O'Rourke's first season as captain was not a happy one, as the Blues slid further to fifth spot.

1943 - Buffalo fall hard to their worst ever record - 57-97 - but they are saved from last place by the equally incompetent Philadelphia Athletics. The two most consistent AL sides of the 1930s have fallen on hard times. Even more worrying, the Blues end the season with only $4,000 - not enough to pay the salaries of the team in 1944. A fire sale ensues, with no less than twelve players sold to raise capital for the Blues. The team payroll is slashed from $250,000 to $122,000, with nearly half of that invested in Joe O'Rouke who, at 38, refuses to tear up his no-trade clause.

As if to rub in the salt and remind Blues fans that an era was truly at a close, Gabby Hartnett was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

1944 - Joe O'Rourke and Beau Ryan were the only players on opening day with more than two seasons of experience. Therefore it was little surprise to see the Blues crash to last place, 22 games behind seventh position and with a historically bad 48-106 record. Attendance bottomed out at 1,100,000, the worst since 1912. Blues officials continued to trade for future prospects, hoping that there would be a silver lining to these dark clouds.

1945 - Despite Sam Gentile's average of .359 and Steve Southock's 32 home runs, the Blues experience an even worse season, on and off the field. Not for the first time, rumours abound that the Blues are to be packed off and moved to Baltimore.

1946 - The Buffalo Blues farewelled a champion of the club with Joe O'Rourke playing his final season at the age of 41. Having joined the club in 1932 from the Phillies, O'Rourke amassed an incredible 529 home runs, an average of .329, 11 All-Star game apperances, 7 Most Valuable Player awards and a World Series win in 1940. The Blues improved by 18 games on the previous year but could not avoid finishing in last place for the third straight season. Also departing was veteran pitcher Thornton Lee, who had pitched twelve seasons for the Blues, winning the 1940 World Series MVP award.

1947 - Robert O'Connell passed away on New Year's Day, ending his 21-year reign as the chairman of the Buffalo Blues. In his place shareholders elected Gabby Hartnett, who proceeded to launch a stock sale, the first since 1917, which raised nearly $2,000,000 in capital for the club. On the diamond, the Blues improve further and vacate the cellar for the first time since 1943. A major surprise was Ribs Raney winning the Cy Young Award, the first for the club since Si Johnson's win in 1939.

1948 - Steve Souchock slams 51 home runs, falling just one short of Joe O'Rourke's team record set ten years previously. Souchock does break the Buffalo record for most runs batten in, with 162 for the year breaking Mel Ott's record from 1935. The Blues continue their climb out of the cellar and reach .500 for the year. At the end of the year the last surviving Blue from the 1940 World Series, Beau Bell, is released at the age of 41 years.

1949 - The last year in a decade which started in glory, crashed in ruins and rebuilt in hope began with Pepper Martin's induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame. The Blues spent much of the year vying with the Yankees for the leadership of the American League, before falling into fourth position while the Yankees won their ninth pennant of the decade, although the Phillies would blemish their record in the World Series.

World Series
1940 - Buffalo Blues d. New York Giants 4-3
1941 - New York Yankees d. New York Giants 4-0
1942 - New York Yankees d. Brooklyn Dodgers 4-3
1943 - New York Giants d. New York Yankees 4-3
1944 - New York Yankees d. New York Giants 4-3
1945 - Philadelphia Phillies d. New York Yankees 4-2
1946 - New York Yankees d. New York Giants 4-2
1947 - New York Yankees d. Boston Braves 4-3
1948 - New York Yankees d. Boston Braves 4-3
1949 - Philadelphia Phillies d. New York Yankees 4-2

Buffalo Blues
1940 - 85-69 (1st - won World Series 4-3 v New York Giants)
1941 - 80-74 (2nd)
1942 - 73-81 (5th)
1943 - 57-97 (7th)
1944 - 48-106 (8th)
1945 - 41-113 (8th)
1946 - 59-95 (8th)
1947 - 70-84 (6th)
1948 - 77-77 (4th)
1949 - 79-75 (4th)

Most Valuable Players
1940 - Joe O'Rourke
1941 - Mel Ott
1942 - Joe O'Rourke
1943 - Joe O'Rourke

Cy Young Awards
1947 - Ribs Raney

World Series MVP
1940 - Thornton Lee

All Stars
1940 - 1B Joe O'Rourke, 3B Pepper Martin, 2B Oliver Hill, SP Wes Flowers
1941 - 1B Joe O'Rourke, LF Mel Ott, 2B Oliver Hill, C Billy Sullivan
1942 - 1B Joe O'Rourke
1944 - 1B Joe O'Rourke
1946 - 1B Sam Gentile
1947 - 1B Sam Gentile, 2B Stan Goletz, C Ray Murray, RP Ribs Raney
1948 - RF Steve Souchock, C Ray Murray, 2B Stan Goltez
1949 - 1B Sam Gentile, 3B Vern Stephens, RF Steve Souchock, LF Clarence Maddern, C Ray Murray, SP Ken Brondell, SP Cliff Chambers

Captains
(1939) - Pepper Martin
1942 - Joe O'Rourke
1947 - Sam Gentile

Notable Events

July 22 1940 - Mel Ott - 1500th RBI
August 2 1940 - Thornton Lee - 200th win
October 4 1940 - Buffalo beat New York Giants in Game 7 of the World Series
April 7 1941 - Mel Ott - 1500th run
July 11 1941 - Joe O'Rourke - 1500th RBI
August 14 1941 - Joe O'Rourke - 400th home run
August 19 1941 - Si Johnson - 200th win
September 1 1941 - Joe O'Rourke passes Gabby Hartnett as the greatest home run hitter of all time.
October 13 1941 - Joe O'Rourke replaces the departing Pepper Martin as captain
April 25 1942 - Joe O'Rourke - 2000th hit
November 1 1942 - Former Blues catching prospect Ginger Shinhault is elected to the Hall of Fame as an Athletic.
June 28 1943 - Joe O'Rourke - 1500th run
November 1 1943 - Gabby Hartnett is elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
August 17 1944 - Thornton Lee - 250th win
June 1 1945 - Joe O'Rourke - 500th home run
September 1 1945 - Joe O'Rourke - 2500th hit
April 1 1947 - Sam Gentile succeeds the retiring Joe O'Rourke as captain.
March 1 1949 - Pepper Martin is elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

1940 World Series Team
C Billy Sullivan, 1B Joe O'Rourke, 2B Oliver Hill, 3B Pepper Martin (captain), SS Cecil Travis, LF Mel Ott, CF Joe DiMaggio, RF Beau Bell, Bill Starr, Drew Russell, Joe Gordon, Bobby Mattick, Francis Healy, Augie Galan, SP Wes Flowers, SP Thornton Lee, SP Monty Stratton, SP Si Johnson, SP Jerry Vest, RP Lew Carpenter, RP Ray Harrell, RP Joe Sullivan, RP Jim Winford, RP Dutch Leonard, RP Ralph Hamner


L: Fans trying to get into Jack Hoylt Field for Game 7 of the 1940 World Series
C: Sam Gentile. Originally drafted in 1934, he debuted in 1942 and was captain in 1947
R: Mel Ott, one of the three great home run hitters of the 1930s and 1940s.

[JetsIn06]

Really love the format of this dynasty. I'm still following!

[Rawhide]

Thank you very much!

[Rawhide]

1950-1959

1950 - The Blues finish at .500, earning them fourth position. Steve Souchock receives the MVP award and leads the American League in home runs.

1951 - For the fifth straight season Buffalo earn more than 70 wins, but it's not good enough for much more than fifth position.

1952 - Steve Souchock joins the 300 home run club during the season, as Sam Gentile drives in his 1000th run. For the club though the results are dismal as Buffalo finish seventh.

1953 - Commemorating fifty years since the first pennant won by the Blues, the club record better results on and off the diamond. Robin Roberts wins the Cy Young Award as the Blues finish five games behind the White Sox in third place. Also this year, Joe O'Rourke was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, further cementing his reputation as one of the all-time great Blues players. Elsewhere, the Boston Braves leave for Milwaukee.

1954 - Robin Roberts becomes the first Blues pitcher to win two Cy Young Awards, and Duke Snider tops the American League batting title. Buffalo finish sixth in a tightly contested American League.

1955 - The achievements of Duke Snider in hitting 33 home runs and driving 126 runs, and Sam Gentile's 2000th hit, are the only highlights in a dismal season.

1956 - Duke Snider succeeds Sam Gentile as captain of the Blues, but it's a poor season overall for the club as they finish in eight position.

1957 - A major shock across the Major League Baseball landscape, as the Philadelphia Athletics, New York Giants and Brooklyn Dodgers all announce plans to relocate to Kansas City, San Francisco and Los Angeles respectively. Investors in Texas announce plans to buy the Blues and relocate them to Dallas, but are politely told that Buffalo's team is not for sale. Buffalo finish in seventh place, ahead of the Athletics who are playing their final season in their traditional heartland. Surprisingly, Bill Taylor is awarded the MVP award.

1958 - Buffalo improve their record by 15 games and finish in the top half of the American League for the first time since 1953. First baseman Doug Hansen is named as the MVP. Another stock sale raises further capital for the club.

1959 - Duke Snider scored his 300th home run and joined an exclusive club of ten players, five of whom played the majority of their careers with the Blues. The resurgent Blues put in their best performance of the decade and finished only four games behind the White Sox, giving fans hope that better days were on their way.

World Series
1950 - New York Yankees d. Philadelphia Phillies 4-1
1951 - Chicago White Sox d. Chicago Cubs 4-2
1952 - St Louis Cardinals d. Chicago White Sox 4-1
1953 - Chicago White Sox d. Philadelphia Phillies 4-0
1954 -Philadelphia Athletics d. New York Giants 4-1
1955 - New York Giants d. Chicago White Sox 4-3
1956 - Chicago White Sox d. New York Giants 4-2
1957 - Chicago Cubs d. Chicago White Sox 4-3
1958 - Cleveland Indians d. Chicago Cubs 4-3
1959 - Chicago White Sox d. Chicago Cubs 4-2

Buffalo Blues
1950 - 77-77 (4th)
1951 - 76-78 (5th)
1952 - 67-87 (7th)
1953 - 84-70 (3rd)
1954 - 76-78 (6th)
1955 - 71-83 (8th)
1956 - 62-92 (8th)
1957 - 67-87 (7th)
1958 - 82-72 (4th)
1959 - 86-68 (2nd)

Most Valuable Players
1950 - Steve Souchock
1957 - Bill Taylor
1958 - Doug Hansen

Cy Young Awards
1953 - Robin Roberts
1954 - Robin Roberts

All Stars
1950 - C Ray Murray, RF Steve Souchock, SS Solly Hemus
1951 - C Ray Murray, RF Steve Souchock, 1B Sam Gentile, SP Robin Roberts
1952 - RF Steve Souchock, SP Ribs Raney
1953 - C Ray Murray, 1B Sam Gentile, 3B Vern Benson, 2B Johnny Temple, SP Ribs Raney, SP Robin Roberts
1954 - CF Duke Snider, C Ray Murray, SP Ribs Raney, SP Robin Roberts
1955 - CF Duke Snider, 3B Willie Jones
1956 - SS Harvey Kuenn
1957 - SS Harvey Kuenn, LF Bill Taylor, CF Duke Snider, 2B Jim Gilliam
1958 - 1B Doug Hansen, SS Harvey Kuenn, LF Bill Taylor
1959 - LF Bill Taylor, C Ed Bailey, SP Robin Roberts, SP Paul Penson, SP Glenn Cox

Captains
(1947) - Sam Gentile
1956 - Duke Snider

Notable Events

March 1 1950 - Charlie Gehringer inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame (as a Giant)
March 1 1952 - Joe Medwick inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame
May 30 1952 - Sam Gentile - 1000th RBI
June 12 1952 - Steve Souchock - 1000th RBI
July 30 1952 - Steve Souchock - 300th home run
March 1 1953 - Joe O'Rourke inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame
April 4 1953 - Surviving members of the 1903 Blues side (the first to win a pennant) honoured at Jack Holyt Field on Opening Day.
April 5 1953 - Sam Gentile - 1000th run
March 1 1954 - Si Johnson (as a Blue) and Mule Haas (as a Cub) inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame
June 15 1955 - Sam Gentile - 2000th hit
January 31 1956 - Death of Buck Weaver, captain between 1923 and 1929
March 1 1956 - Mel Ott inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame
April 4 1958 - The Athletics host the Blues in the first major league baseball game in Kansas City
June 2 1958 - Duke Snider - 1000th RBI
May 31 1959 - Duke Snider - 300th home run
June 8 1959 - Duke Snider - 1000th run
July 2 1959 - Robin Roberts - 200th win


L: Robin Roberts R: Duke Snider

[Young Drachma]

I agree, this is good format and pace. Looking forward to more about the Blues!

[Rawhide]

Before we launch into the 1960s - a decade of massive expansion and change in the Major Leagues - I thought it would be informative to conduct a little retrospective of each of the franchises, as well as current career leaders.

Boston Red Sox
World Series Wins - 3 (1914, 1916, 1923)
World Series Losses - 3 (1913, 1922, 1924)
Best Season - 1924 (107-47)
Worst Season - 1904 (49-105)

Buffalo Blues
World Series Wins - 2 (1925, 1940)
World Series Losses - 6 (1903, 1908, 1920, 1921, 1937, 1939)
Best Season - 1925 (102-52)
Worst Season - 1945 (41-113)

Chicago Cubs
World Series Wins - 1 (1957)
World Series Losses - 4 (1905, 1951, 1958, 1959)
Best Season - 1957 (104-50)
Worst Season - 1915 (47-107)

Chicago White Sox
World Series Wins - 7 (1904, 1906, 1907, 1951, 1953, 1956, 1959)
World Series Losses - 4 (1910, 1952, 1955, 1957
Best Season - 1904 (102-52)
Worst Season - 1916 (35-119)

Cincinnati Reds
World Series Wins - 0
World Series Losses - 0
Best Season - 1912 (94-60)
Worst Season - 1953 (49-105)

Cleveland Indians
World Series Wins - 1 (1958)
World Series Losses - 1 (1911)
Best Season - 1916 (97-57)
Worst Season - 1923 (48-106)

Detroit Tigers
World Series Wins - 1 (1915)
World Series Losses - 1 (1912)
Best Season - 1915 (100-55)
Worst Season - 1948 (54-100)

Kansas City Athletics (Philadelphia 1901-1957)
World Series Wins - 2 (1932, 1954)
World Series Losses - 6 (1909, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1938)
Best Season - 1934 (100-54)
Worst Season - 1915 (39-115)

Los Angeles Dodgers (Brooklyn 1901-1957)
World Series Wins - 1 (1903)
World Series Losses - 6 (1904, 1906, 1907, 1916, 1925, 1942)
Best Season - 1904 (112-42)
Worst Season - 1928 (45-109)

Milwaukee Braves (Boston 1901-1952)
World Series Wins - 8 (1908, 1909, 1910, 1911, 1912, 1920, 1922, 1924)
World Series Losses - 3 (1928, 1947, 1948)
Best Season - 1908 (118-36)
Worst Season - 1951 (44-110)

New York Yankees
World Series Wins - 15 (1917, 1918, 1919, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1941, 1942, 1944, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1950)
World Series Losses - 6 (1901, 1902, 1931, 1943, 1945, 1949)
Best Season - 1929 (113-43)
Worst Season - 1909 (67-87)

Philadelphia Phillies
World Series Wins - 2 (1945, 1949)
World Series Losses - 3 (1917, 1950, 1953)
Best Season - 1917 (97-57)
Worst Season - 1925 (40-114)

Pittsburgh Pirates
World Series Wins - 1 (1901)
World Series Losses - 1 (1927)
Best Season - 1927 (109-45)
Worst Season - 1912 and 1946 (37-117)

San Francisco Giants (New York 1901-1957)
World Series Wins - 11 (1902, 1913, 1931, 1933, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1943, 1955)
World Series Losses - 11 (1914, 1915, 1919, 1929, 1930, 1932, 1940, 1941, 1944, 1954, 1956)
Best Season - 1937 (118-36)
Worst Season - 1906 (47-107)

St Louis Cardinals
World Series Wins - 3 (1921, 1934, 1952)
World Series Losses - 3 (1918, 1923, 1926)
Best Season - 1934 (110-44)
Worst Season - 1916 (49-105)

Washington Senators
World Series Wins - 1 (1905)
World Series Losses - 0
Best Season - 1905 (102-52)
Worst Season - 1922 (53-101)

Career Records

At Bats - 12,332 - Mel Ott
Batting Average - .366 - Willie Keeler
Complete Games - 516 - Kid Nichols
Doubles - 868 - Roxey Roach
ERA - 2.95 - Joe Hovlik
Extra Base Hits - 1,432 - Mel Ott
Games Pitched - 862 - Walter Johnson
Games Played - 3341 - Mel Ott
Hits - 3676 - Roxey Roach
Home Runs - 593 - Mel Ott
Home Run Percentage - 6.6% - Joe O'Rourke
Innings Pitched - 6458.2 - Walter Johnson
On Base Average - .453 - Billy Hamilton
On-Base Plus Slugging - 1.042 - Joe O'Rourke (only player above 1.000)
Runs Batted In - 2,620 - Mel Ott
Runs Scored - 2,423 - Mel Ott
Runs Created / 27 - 9.23 - Joe O'Rourke
Saves - 356 - Mays Copeland
Slugging Percentage - .603 - Joe O'Rourke
Steals - 945 - Billy Hamilton
Triples - 265 - Howdy Caton
Wins - 442 - Walter Johnson
Winning Percentage - .741 - Carl Fischer

[Rawhide]

1960-1969

1960 – Coming off a decade without a pennant, for the first time in Blues club history, Buffalo officials state that the express goal of the decade is to bring home the club’s third World Series title. Unfortunately they would have to do so without Duke Snider, who was requesting a diabolical $350,000 per season until 1964 – an outrageous investment in a player entering the twilight years of his career. Many other prospects and players are released by the club. The new captain is 1957 American League MVP Bill Taylor. Buffalo finish in eight position, six games behind even the Athletics.

1961 – The American League changed structure for the first time in twelve years, with the Washington Senators being given permission to move to Minnesota. Two brand new teams joined in their place – the Los Angeles Angels and a new Washington Senators franchise. The Blues act aggressively in the trade market, and their squad improves overnight with the outstanding play of pitcher Bob Gibson, who registers 23 wins for the year. The Blues finish in third spot, with Bill Taylor winning the Most Valuable Player award.


1962 – The New York Mets and Houston Astros join the National League, bringing the number of teams in the Major Leagues up to 20. All season long the Blues challenge the White Sox for supremecy in the AL, before falling short by just three games. It is still a season of great achievement; Robin Roberts wins his 250^th game, and 24 for the season. New signing Bert Cueto records an ERA of just 2.21 while winning 22 games. Four players in the line-up (Bill Taylor, Chuck Essegian, Norm Siebern and Ed Bailey) drive in more than 100 runs each, while the Blues win a record 103 games.

1963 – Leading into the season, the Blues were a popular pick by most sportswriters to win their first pennant since 1940. That was provided they got the same output from their pitchers. However, it would be the offense which faltered and led Buffalo back into fourth position. The Twins and Angels surprised nearly everybody by fighting it out for the pennant, which went to the Angels in just their third season of existence. The Angels capped off the fairytale by winning the first ever “California Series” with ease against the Dodgers

1964 – Winning their last ten games, and a club record 105 games in total, was not enough to give the pennant to the Blues, who were edged out by the New York Yankees on the last day of the season. Everybody however was happy when the Yankees were swept by the Cincinnati Reds, who won their first World Series in club history. Bert Cueto was once again a standout for the Blues, having gone 71-15 since he joined the club from the Angels.

1965 – The Blues broke a 25-year drought on September 18 when they sealed the American League pennant, eventually winning the title by 11 games from the White Sox. Their opponents would be the Pittsburgh Pirates, themselves in their first World Series since 1927 and trying to win their first since 1901. Media interest was therefore quite high in the series, although the contests weren’t even close. Buffalo won Games 3, 4 and 5 by scores of 13-7, 16-6 and 9-1 to win their third World Series title in history! During the year, Bert Cueto created history as the first Blues pitcher to toss a no-hitter.

1966 – The Blues had never won successive World Series titles, but then again never had they possessed two 20-win pitchers on their staff, or five batsmen who drove in 100 runs between them. The Blues won the American League even more easily than the year before, and then swept aside the St Louis Cardinals with ease. Bill Taylor moved to third on the list of all-time home run scorers, ahead of Blues chairman Gabby Hartnett, who would stand down at the end of the year. He had seen the club progress from easy beats into the preeminent force of the 1960s.

Robin Roberts was released at the end of the 1966 season, having pitched in the rotation since 1951. He amassed a 328-275 record since his debut for the Reds in 1944, and finished his career with a World Series ring (having been injured for the 1966 Series). Bill Taylor was another player absent for the World Series, recovering from injury. His place as captain for the series was taken by third baseman Brooks Robinson, who subsequently won the Most Valuable Player award for the series.

1967 – The Blues won a third successive American League pennant, but not without an excellent challenge from the Chicago White Sox. The month of August and September saw no less than seven changes in the leadership of the AL, before the Blues finally sealed their spot in the World Series. The third straight World Series title was won against the Cardinals, who made the series far more competitive than the year before.

1968 – The year developed into a fascinating four-team fight for the pennant, with Detroit, Chicago and Boston stepping up to try and steal Buffalo’s crown. Eventually it was the White Sox who won their first pennant in six years. Buffalo were far from disgraced in finishing second, and it would take a brave man to bet against them in 1969, especially considering the new divisional system which would be established.

The Blues announced plans to move into the Buffalo Municipal Stadium from 1970 onwards, a new “cookie-cutter” stadium to be shared with the Bills.>>

1969 – The Expansion Draft took away catcher Johnny Edwards and gave him to the Montreal Expos. The new divisional alignment saw Buffalo join Detroit, Boston, New York, Washington and Cleveland in the ultra-competitive AL East, while the White Sox were given virtually open slather in the AL West. Or at least that’s the experts thought – in reality the opposite was true. The Yankees won the East by 16 games over the Blues, who were never really in the hunt despite winning 100 games for the sixth time this decade. On the other hand, the Oakland Athletics beat the Chicago White Sox for the AL West title in a playoff game decided in the 17^th inning.

The expansion draft was a dismal failure for Kansas City and Montreal, who won just 22 and 32 games respectively, the two single worst seasons ever in the history of the Major Leagues.

World Series
1960 – San Francisco Giants d. Chicago White Sox 4-3
1961 – New York Yankees d. Los Angeles Dodgers 4-3
1962 – Chicago White Sox d. Los Angeles Dodgers 4-2
1963 – Los Angeles Angels d. Los Angeles Dodgers 4-1
1964 – Cincinnati Reds d. New York Yankees 4-1
1965 – Buffalo Blues d. Pittsburgh Pirates 4-1
1966 – Buffalo Blues d. St Louis Cardinals 4-0
1967 – Buffalo Blues d. St Louis Cardinals 4-2
1968 – Chicago White Sox d. Cincinnati Reds 4-2
1969 – New York Yankees d. St Louis Cardinals 4-2

American League Championship Series
1969 – New York Yankees d. Oakland Athletics 3-1

National League Championship Series
1969 – St Louis Cardinals d. Atlanta Braves 3-2

Buffalo Blues
1960 – 59-95 (8^th)
1961 – 85-69 (3^rd)
1962 – 103-59 (2^nd)
1963 – 89-73 (4^th)
1964 – 105-57 (2^nd)
1965 – 103-59 (1^st – Won World Series 4-1 v Pittsburgh Pirates)
1966 – 104-58 (1^st – Won World Series 4-0 v St Louis Cardinals)
1967 – 104-58 (1^st – Won World Series 4-2 v St Louis Cardinals)
1968 – 94-68 (2^nd)
1969 - 102-60 (2nd)

Most Valuable Players
1961 – Bill Taylor
1965 – Bill Taylor
1966 – Bill Taylor
1969 - Jackie Brandt

Cy Young Awards
1962 – Bert Cueto
1964 – Bert Cueto
1966 – Bert Cueto
1967 – Mudcat Grant

World Series MVP
1965 – Bill Taylor
1966 – Brooks Robinson
1967 – Bill Taylor

All Stars
1960 – 3B Vern Morgan, LF Bill Taylor, C Ed Bailey
1961 – LF Bill Taylor, 1B Norm Siebern, SP Bob Gibson
1962 – LF Bill Taylor, LF Chuck Essegian, 1B Norm Siebern, SP Bert Cueto, SP Bob Gibson
1963 – SS Tony Kubek, C Ed Bailey, SP Bert Cueto
1964 – C Johnny Edwards, 3B Brooks Robinson, SS Tony Kubek, RF Bill Taylor, 2B Bobby Richardson, SP Bert Cueto, SP Bob Gibson
1965 – 1B Norm Siebern, 3B Brooks Robinson, SS Tony Kubek, RF Bill Taylor, SP Bert Cueto, SP Mudcat Grant
1966 – SS Tony Kubek, RF Bill Taylor, LF Chuck Essegian, SP Bert Cueto, SP Bob Gibson
1967 – C Johnny Edwards, SP Mudcat Grant
1968 – 3B Brooks Robinson, RF Bill Taylor, SP Bob Gibson, SP Mudcat Grant
1969 – 3B Brooks Robinson, SS Tony Kubek, RF Bill Taylor, CF Jackie Brandt, SP Bert Cueto, SP Mudcat Grant, SP Bob Gibson

Captains
1960 – Bill Taylor


1965 Buffalo Blues – World Champions
C Johnny Edwards, 1B Norm Sibern, 2B Bobby Richardson, 3B Brooks Robinson, SS Tony Kubek, LF Chuck Essegian, CF Jackie Brandt, RF Bill Taylor, Tim McCarver, Jimmy Wynn, Duke Carmel, Leo Cardenas, Willie Smith, Joe Christopher, SP Bob Gibson, SP Bert Cueto, SP Robin Roberts, SP Clifton Benjamin, SP Andy Woods, CL Howie Reed, RP Mudcat Grant, RP Cecil Upshaw, RP Larry Jackson, RP Dennis Ribant, RP Frankie Tyrer


1966 Buffalo Blues – World Champions
C Johnny Edwards, 1B Norm Siebern, 2B Bobby Richardson, 3B Brooks Robinson (captain), SS Tony Kubek, LF Chuck Essegian, CF Jackie Brandt, CF Jimmy Wynn, Tim McCarvey, Leo Cardenas, Joe Pepitone, Duke Carmel, Davey Johnson, Willie Smith, SP Bob Gibson, SP Bert Cueto, SP Clifton Benjamin, SP Frankie Tyrer, SP Mudcat Grant, CL Howie Reed, RP Cecil Upshaw, RP Paul Lindblad, RP Larry Jackson, RP Dennis Ribant, RP Bill Henry

1967 Buffalo Blues – World Champions
C Johnny Edwards, 1B Joe Pepitone, 2B Bobby Richardson, 3B Brooks Robinson, SS Tony Kubek, LF Duke Carmel, CF Jackie Brandt, RF Bill Taylor (captain), Tim McCarver, Willie Smith, Jimmy Wynn, Leo Cardenas, Davey Johnson, Clarence Jones, SP Bob Gibson, SP Bert Cueto, SP Mudcat Grant, SP Frankie Tyrer, SP Larry Jackson, CL Howie Reed, RP Cecil Upshaw, RP Paul Lindblad, RP Dennis Ribant, RP Bill Henry, RP Adam Ashe

Notable Events>>
June 22 1962 – Robin Roberts – 250^th win
March 1 1964 – Sam Gentile (1940-1955) is inducted into the Hall of Fame
August 1 1964 – Bill Taylor – 1000^th run
March 5 1965 – Death of Pepper Martin
July 13 1966 – Death of Rip Vowinkel
September 20 1964 – Robin Roberts – 300^th win
April 7 1965 – Bert Cueto – No Hitter
August 28 1965 – Bill Taylor – 400^th Home Run
September 8 1965 – Bob Gibson – 2000^th Strikeout
March 1 1966 – Steve Souchock (1943-1952) is inducted into the Hall of Fame. He chooses to do so as a Blue, not as a Giant where he played three World Series.
April 5 1966 – Robin Roberts – 2000^th Strikeout
March 1 1967 – Ray Murray (1941-1955) is inducted into the Hall of Fame.
April 5 1967 – Bill Taylor – 1500^th RBI
June 26 1967 – Bill Taylor – 2000^th Hit
July 13 1967 – Bob Gibson – 200^th win
August 30 1968 – Bill Taylor – 500^th home run
March 1 1969 – Vern Stephens (who started his career in Buffalo) is inducted into the Hall of Fame as a Giant.
June 20 1969 – Bill Taylor – 1500^th Run
August 28 1969 – Bobby Richardson – 1000^th Run
September 16 1969 – Jackie Brandt – 1000^th RBI
September 26 1969 – The San Francisco Giants win the final game at the old Jack Hoylt Stadium, which will be demolished in 1970 to make way for apartment blocks. The Blues now move into the Buffalo Municipal Stadium, which they will share with the Buffalo Bills.

[Rawhide]

1970-1979

1970 – The Blues were coming off their most successful decade, with three World Series titles. The new decade starts with an unprecedented 16 game winning streak, including a 7-1 victory against the Senators in the first baseball match at the new Buffalo Municipal Stadium. With Bill Taylor likely in his last season, his Blues teammates seemed determined to make it a memorable one, and rewrote the record books with a 112-50 season, good enough to dislodge the Yankees from first place. Brooks Robinson hit an incredible .357 while Bob Gibson struck out 238 batters and won 26 of his 38 starts. The Blues swept the White Sox in three games to qualify for the World Series once again, where Buffalo met the Phillies. The first four games went according to home field advantage, before the Blues shocked Philadelphia 19-1 in Game 5. The Phillies rebounded in Game 6, before the largest crowd in Buffalo baseball history saw the Blues win Game 7. Appropriately enough it was retiring captain Bill Taylor who had the honour of taking the last out, a fly ball in left centre field. Taylor retires after eleven seasons as Blues captain, during which time he won three World Series and missed a fourth title due to injury.

1971 – Brooks Robinson became the new Buffalo captain and proceeded to guide the squad to an excellent 98-64 record. However, the Yankees overtook the Blues in August and it would be they, not Buffalo, participating in the post-season. For the first time, the Blues had five starters in the All-Star line-up.

1972 – Legendary pitchers Bert Cueto and Howie Reed were traded to the Brewers as the Blues tried to refresh their aging line-up. Cueto won 217 games in ten seasons, including three Cy Young Awards and four World Series titles. Despite another 20-win season from Bob Gibson – who has spent half of his life pitching for the Blues – Buffalo take a step backwards and finish in third place. The season is marred with the death on Opening Day of legendary Blues icon Gabby Hartnett.

1973 – With no major additions to the squad, most expect Buffalo to stay out of contention. However, the Blues surprise almost everybody by sticking with the Yankees and Red Sox for the majority of the season, before eventually finishing in second place. The revelation is Phil Allen who wins 22 games in his second full season. Byron Browne hits 46 home runs, by far his personal best. Bobby Richardson and Tony Kubek leave the club as free agents.

1974 – The pre-season predicitions expect five of the AL East teams to record winning seasons, with the woeful Milwaukee Brewers being the odd team out. The Brewers win just 31 games all year long, and are eventually relocated to Baltimore as the Orioles. Buffalo finish in a dominant third position.

1975 – Buffalo finish third, despite registering another strong 88-74 season. The Tigers and Yankees duel out for the AL East title all season long, while the Orioles double their win total in a credible first season in Baltimore.

1976 – The more things change, the more they stay the same. Buffalo slide into fourth position but record yet another winning record this decade.

1977 – With the American League expanding to 14 teams, the Blues find a new rival in the form of the Toronto Blue Jays. The American League handle expansion this time around much better than in 1969, with Toronto and Seattle allowing to assemble very competitive squads. Toronto finish with 73 wins, while Seattle nearly shock the world, finishing second in the AL West with 91 wins. The balance of baseball is still very skewed, with Pittsburgh, Houston and Texas all winning less than 50 games. Buffalo finish in fifth, one game ahead of Toronto, with their first losing season since 1960.

Pitcher Bob Gibson retired during the year. He started his association with Buffalo when he was drafted in 1953. Four World Series later, Gibson retired third on the all-time win list, with 370 in a stellar career.

1978 – Buffalo fall back into seventh place, as Boston ends the 1970s dominance of the New York Yankees. Over in the NL West, the Giants win the division by an incredible 48 games from the Cincinnati Reds. At the end of the season, Brooks Robinson retires and is replaces as captain by shortstop Bill Russell.

1979 – In an effort to restore the Blues’ reputation as a powerful offensive team, Buffalo recruit Steve Garvey as a free agent. Elsewhere in the league, the Texas Rangers are renamed the Dallas Stars. The Blues falter for much of the season, finishing once again in seventh position in an AL East dominated by the Orioles, who win their first division title in their eleven season existence. The World Series is the first to feature two expansion teams, with Houston also qualifying for their first apperance.

World Series
1970 – Buffalo Blues d. Philadelphia Phillies 4-3
1971 – Chicago White Sox d. St Louis Cardinals 4-3
1972 – St Louis Cardinals d. New York Yankees 4-2
1973 – New York Yankees d. Pittsburgh Pirates 4-2
1974 – New York Yankees d. St Louis Cardinals 4-3
1975 – St Louis Cardinals d. New York Yankees 4-0
1976 – San Francisco Giants d. New York Yankees 4-2
1977 – San Francisco Giants d. New York Yankees 4-1
1978 – San Francisco Giants d. Boston Red Sox 4-2
1979 – Baltimore Orioles d. Houston Astros 4-0

American League Championship Series
1970 – Buffalo Blues d. Chicago White Sox 3-0
1971 – Chicago White Sox d. New York Yankees 3-2
1972 – New York Yankees d. Chicago White Sox 3-2
1973 – New York Yankees d. Oakland Athletics 3-0
1974 – New York Yankees d. Minnesota Twins 3-0
1975 – New York Yankees d. Minnesota Twins 3-1
1976 – New York Yankees d. Chicago White Sox 3-1
1977 – New York Yankees d. Minnesota Twins 3-2
1978 – Boston Red Sox d. Oakland Athletics 3-1
1979 – Baltimore Orioles d. Chicago White Sox 3-0

National League Championship Series
1970 – Philadelphia Phillies d. Atlanta Braves 4-3
1971 – St Louis Cardinals d. Los Angeles Dodgers 3-0
1972 – St Louis Cardinals d. San Francisco Giants 3-0
1973 – Pittsburgh Pirates d. San Francisco Giants 3-1
1974 – St Louis Cardinals d. San Francisco Giants 3-0
1975 – St Louis Cardinals d. San Francisco Giants 3-2
1976 – San Francisco Giants d. St Louis Cardinals 3-0
1977 – San Francisco Giants d. Philadelphia Phillies 3-0
1978 – San Francisco Giants d. Chicago Cubs 3-0
1979 - Houston Astros d. Pittsburgh Pirates 3-2

Buffalo Blues
1970 – 112-50 (1st, Won ALCS v Chicago 3-0, Won World Series v Philadelphia 4-3)
1971 – 98-64 (2nd)
1972 – 84-78 (3rd)
1973 – 89-73 (2nd)
1974 – 95-67 (3rd)
1975 – 88-74 (3rd)
1976 – 85-77 (4th)
1977 – 74-88 (5th)
1978 – 62-100 (7th)
1979 - 68-94 (7th)

Most Valuable Players
1970 – Jackie Brandt
1974 – Bryon Browne

Cy Young Awards
1970 – Bob Gibson

World Series MVP
1970 – Bryon Browne

American League Championship Series MVP
1970 – Bob Gibson

All Stars
1970 – 2B Bobby Richardson, CF Jackie Brandt, RF Clarence Jones, SP Bert Cueto, SP Bob Gibson
1971 – C Tim McCarver, 2B Bobby Richardson, 3B Brooks Richardson, LF Byron Browne, RF Clarence Jones, SP Bert Cueto, SP Bob Gibson
1972 – C Tim McCarver, CF Jackie Brandt, SP Bob Gibson
1973 – C Tim McCarver, RF Clarence Jones, SP Phil Allen
1974 – C Tim McCarver, RF Clarence Jones, LF Byron Browne
1975 – SS Bill Russell, LF Bryon Browne
1976 – LF Gene Martin, SP Phil Allen
1977 – SS Bill Russell, SP Gary Ross
1978 – C Tim McCarver
1979 – 1B Steve Garvey

Captains
(1960) – Bill Taylor
1971 – Brooks Robinson
1979 – Bill Russell

Buffalo Blues – 1970 World Series Champions
C Tim McCarver, 1B Wes Parker, 2B Bobby Richardson, 3B Brooks Robinson, SS Tony Kubek, LF Byron Browne, CF Jackie Brandt, RF Bill Taylor (captain), Clarence Jones, John Bateman, Bobby Murcer, Jose Morales, Allan Lewis, Tom Shopay, SP Bob Gibson, SP Bert Cueto, SP Mudcat Grant, SP Frank Lower, SP Mike Chantler, RP Howie Reed, RP Tony Pierce, SP Paul Gilliford, RP Luke Walker, RP Gary Gentry, RP Travis Wilhelm

Notable Events
April 2 1970 – The Blues beat the Senators in the first baseball game at Buffalo Municipal Stadium
April 10 1970 – Bob Gibson – 250th win
April 16 1970 – Jackie Brandt – 1000th run
May 31 1970 – Bobby Richardson – 2000th hit
June 11 1970 – Bob Gibson – 3000th strikeout
August 25 1970 – Jackie Brandt – hit for the cycle
August 27 1970 – Tony Kubek – 1000th run
September 10 1970 – Bert Cueto – 200th win
September 28 1970 – Jackie Brandt – 300th home run
October 22 1970 – Bill Taylor retires after Game 7 of the World Series.
March 1 1971 – Robin Roberts (1951-1966) is inducted into the Hall of Fame.
May 19 1971 – Tony Kubek – 2000th hit
August 4 1971 – Jackie Brandt – 2000th hit
August 7 1971 – Bert Cueto – 2000th strikeout
September 21 1971 – Howie Reed – 200th save
April 1 1972 - Death of legendary Blues captain and chairman Gabby Hartnett
May 15 1972 – Bob Gibson – 300th win
August 18 1972 – Bobby Richardson – 2500th hit
June 2 1973 – Brooks Robinson – 1000th RBI
September 6 1973 – Gene Martin – hit for the cycle
September 16 1973 – Tony Kubek – 1000th RBI
April 3 1974 – Jackie Brandt – 1500th RBI
May 26 1974 – Brooks Robinson – 1000th run
June 7 1974 – Brooks Robinson – 2000th hit
August 2 1974 – Jackie Brandt – 400th home run
September 7 1974 – Jackie Brandt – 2500th hit
September 9 1974 – Jackie Brandt – 1500th run
December 2 1974 – Death of 1925 World Series third baseman Sammy Hale.
April 26 1975 – Bob Gibson – 350th win
August 5 1975 – Bob Gibson – 4000th strikeout
September 4 1975 – Death of former second baseman Joe Medwick
July 2 1977 – Bob Gibson announces his retirement
August 16 1977 – Byron Browne – 1000th run
August 19 1977 – Byron Browne – 1000th RBI
September 2 1977 – Clarence Jones – 1000th run
March 1 1978 – Bill Taylor (1955-1970) is inducted into the Hall of Fame
April 11 1978 – Clarence Jones – 1000th RBI
April 30 1978 – Brooks Robinson – 2500th hit
July 12 1978 – Jackie Brandt – 3000th hit
September 19 1978 – Byron Browne – 300th home run
July 5 1979 – Jackie Brandt – 2000th RBI
July 12 1979 – Tim McCarver – 1000th run
August 11 1979 – Jackie Brandt – 500th home run
September 1979 – Tim McCarver – 1000th RBI

[Rawhide]

Unfortunately this dynasty is toast.

There seems to be a major bug with the program that I am using, which:

a. Stuffs up the protection lists whenever an expansion draft is held, thereby making any expansion side an instant 120-game winner.

b. Has very poor AI. Case in point: Pittsburgh went from winning 47 games in 1977, to winning the World Series with 117 wins in 1980, and then back to 25 wins in 1983.

c. The financials also seem to have totally caved in, to the point where no fans at all are attending games each year!

So there you go.

[Young Drachma]

Oh no. That's terrible. That's a serious bug! Well hopefully the Blues can come back sometime. I liked your flow and format.