Meet the Bearcats!

Season 7 of my historical Strat-O-Matic hockey league will see the introduction of our second expansion team and sixth team overall, the Bearcats. In preparation, I've conducted the entry draft (where all teams choose from the pool of available players) and the expansion draft (where the Bearcats selected two players from each of the other five teams). I'm pleased to introduce the inaugural Bearcats roster!

• Dickie Boon, D -- Boon was a league-worst -16 last year, but that was more a function of playing on a historically awful Thistles team. Boon will be the Bearcats' go-to offensive defenseman and power-play quarterback.
• Rusty Crawford, F -- Crawford is a valuable defensive forward and solid penalty killer, but he spends way too much time in the box himself.
• Billy Gilmour, F -- The Bearcats' first captain is also their most accomplished offensive player; Gilmour currently ranks 18th all-time in total points (22 goals, 42 assists).
• Hap Holmes, G -- The first overall pick of this year's entry draft is a goaltender with limitless potential. The Bearcats could start him or trade him for a haul of established players.
• Harry Hyland, F / D -- Hyland was a solid +8 with a career high in points (4 goals, 8 assists) playing between Hobey Baker and Dubbie Bowie on the league's best line at five-on-five.
• Harvey Pulford, D -- The well traveled Pulford offers zero offensive contributions but is solid enough in his own end. Fun fact: He's now the first player to have suited up for all six teams!
• Art Ross, D -- Ross is your prototypical stay-at-home D-man. Side note: It's ironic that the NHL's annual award for the scoring title is named for a guy who didn't put up many points.
• Ernie Russell, F -- Hands-down the best skater on this team, Russell recharged his career last season with the Bulldogs. He was third on the team in playoff points (1 goal, 4 assists) as the Dogs made a run to the Finals.
• Jack Ruttan, F -- He's a quiet, no-nonsense player whose contributions might increase with more playing time. 
• Fred Scanlan, F -- Scanlan is a journeyman who can play all three forward positions.
• Harry Trihey, F -- The longtime Comets captain gave up his "C" during Season 6 as he struggled to earn playing time. He had just 9 points (3 goals, 6 assists), but it still good on draws. He'll begin the year as the Bearcats' assistant captain.

According to the stat cards, Holmes is now the best goaltender in this league. He'll need to be: The rest of the roster just isn't very good. For whatever reason, I think the Millionaires ended up with a better team back in Season 4; at the very least, it was a better team offensively. Goaltenders, however, add far more value than any other position, so perhaps the Bearcats can be competitive if Holmes plays up to his potential.

Welcome, Bearcats!

I'd been going around and around with the name of the expansion team that will be joining my historical Strat-O-Matic hockey league next season. As with the other team names in this league, it needs to follow certain criteria: It must be the name of a real-life historical hockey team (amateur or professional), it can't be the name of an existing major-league-level professional team in any sport, it can't be a team that played in the NHL at any point (even under a different name), and it can't be totally off-the-wall or racist.

So where does that leave us? I was leaning toward Aristocrats or Shamrocks, but then I stumbled across a team called the Bearcats, and that seemed pretty cool. Although I reserve the right to change my mind at the last minute, for the time being I'm planning on the Bearcats as the sixth franchise in my hockey league!

Season 7 Awards

Before I say a fond farewell to another season of nineteenth-century baseball, I'll share the awards for this season's top performers!

Position Player MVP: Jake Beckley, Resolutes

Beckley spent four seasons as Cap Anson's understudy, but now that he's the starting first baseman for the Resolutes, I've seen him blossom into a star in his own right. It's fair to say that he carried the Resolutes' offense this year. Beckley led the league in home runs and in extra-base hits overall, and although he's not quite Anson's equal with the glove, he turned in an error-free season. Anson and Canaries left fielder Ed Delahanty (last year's winner) finished second and third, respectively. 

Pitcher MVP: Amos Rusie, Haymakers

It was the year of the reliever. With pitching staffs expanded from four to five, teams could be more aggressive in deploying relief pitchers later in the game. Amos Rusie, the Haymakers' closer, pitched nothing but high-leverage innings and helped his team achieve the best regular season in league history. Rusie went 2-0 with a league-leading five saves and a 1.38 ERA. Teammate Mickey Welch (6-3, 2.54 ERA) was the runner up. 

Playoff MVP: Bobby Wallace, Haymakers

No single player dominated in this postseason, but the Haymakers' shortstop stood out offensively and defensively as a major catalyst for their victory. Wallace hit three triples, drove in four runs, and played flawlessly in the field. Haymakers leadoff man and center fielder Joe Kelley and Resolutes backstop Connie Mack were also considered for this award.

Season 7 Creighton Cup Series, Game 4

A Resolutes win tonight would extend the series to a fifth and final game; a Haymakers win would give the league's most dominant franchise yet another trophy for their hoard. Last year, the Resolutes were in exactly the same situation against the Blue Legs, and back-to-back shutouts by Christy Mathewson and John Clarkson allowed them to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. Tonight, would Mathewson turn in a season-saving performance once again as he faced all-time wins leader Cy Young?

This time, there would be no shutout for Mathewson. In the top of the second, Bobby Wallace tripled and then scored moments later on a single by Bid McPhee. The Haymakers' lead was short-lived, however; in the bottom of the frame, Connie Mack doubled home Fred Clarke and John McGraw to give the home team a 2-1 edge. 

The Resolutes' lead didn't last, either. In the top of the third, Joe Kelley singled and stole second. He scored on Cap Anson's booming double. The next inning, Deacon White crushed Mathewson's breaking ball for a solo home run to make it 3-2 for the Haymakers. They extended their advantage in the fifth when Kelley singled, swiped second yet again, and raced home on Sam Thompson's double. 

Down by two runs in the seventh, the Resolutes lifted Mathewson for pinch hitter Jim O'Rourke, but failed to capitalize. Rube Waddell took over in the eighth and tossed two scoreless frames, continuing his masterful postseason performance. 

Young, meanwhile, was cruising. His only blemish was Mack's two-run double back in the second. He sent the Resolutes down in order in the bottom of the eighth, and no manager -- indeed, no force of nature -- could have prevented him from coming out in the ninth to finish the game.

Now three outs away from a championship, the Haymakers made a few defensive adjustments to reduce the chances of a late-game collapse. They pulled iron-gloved slugger Jesse Burkett from left field, moved so-so center fielder Kelley to left, and brought in elite defender Ned Hanlon to patrol center. 

The Resolutes, however, weren't going to relinquish their title without a fight. Clarke singled with one out and hustled to third on Frank Grant's base knock. Now with runners at the corners and only one out, the Resolutes had the tying run on base and the winning run at the plate. 

And the man at the plate just happened to be Old Muggsy himself, John McGraw, last year's winner of the Playoff MVP trophy. McGraw needed to avoid hitting the ball on the ground, as a double play would end the Resolutes' season. Muggsy lofted the ball to right field, allowing Clarke to score on a sacrifice fly. 

Now it was 4-3, but the Resolutes were down to their final out. Grant was like a coiled spring on first, ready to run on contact. Connie Mack stepped up with a chance to be a hero. Mack has absolutely owned Young; in fact, the only home run of his career was a grand slam off of Young a couple of years ago. Young went right after Mack, dialing up his legendary heater. Mack connected but was late on his swing, and the ball screamed toward first. Cap Anson lunged and snagged the liner for the third out.

Game over! The Haymakers are champions again! With titles in Season 2, 3, 5, and 7, they are truly this league's version of the Yankees. Now, all that remains for Season 7 is to hand out the individual awards!

Season 7 Creighton Cup Series, Game 3

The teams split the first two games at the Haymakers' park and then moved to Resolutes territory for Game 3. It was a rematch of Game 1 on the mound, with Mickey Welch for the visitors and John Clarkson for the home team.

Joe Kelley, leading off in the top of the first, greeting Clarkson with a stand-up double. The next batter was Jesse Burkett, who hit a grounder right at first baseman Jake Beckley. In a moment that could only be described as Buckneresque, Beckley let the ball skip right past him. Burkett ended up on second, and Kelley scored easily. Cap Anson then plated Burkett with a single. Sam Thompson doubled, and after four batters the score was already 2-0 with no outs and runners on second and third. Before the inning was over, Roger Bresnahan and Bobby Wallace had also driven in runs to make it 4-0.

Clarkson, none too pleased with that state of affairs, came to bat in the bottom of the second. The league's best-hitting pitcher found the bases full of teammates -- Frank Grant, John McGraw, and Connie Mack, to be precise. He ripped a two-run single to cut the visitors' lead in half.

The teams continued to trade runs. In the top of the third, Haymakers second baseman Bid McPhee drove in Bresnahan with a single to make it 5-2. The Resolutes stormed right back in the bottom of the fourth, with Mack doubling in Grant, and McGraw scoring on groundout by Clarkson. The Haymakers held a scant one-run lead until the sixth, when McPhee tripled and scored on a sacrifice fly by Burkett.

The Resolutes lifted Clarkson after seven innings. Pinch hitter Jim O'Rourke drew a walk, and his compatriots promptly loaded the bases, but a double play saved Welch from disaster. Taking over for Clarkson was sidearm specialist Joe McGinnity, who ended up pitching two scoreless innings to keep the game within reach for the Resolutes.

Amos Rusie, the Haymakers' star closer, relieved Welch in the eighth. His mission was to record a six-out save. He retired the Resolutes in order in the bottom of the frame, but things got a little more complicated in the ninth. Mack led off with a walk to bring the tying run to the plate. Pinch hitter Sol White, however, grounded into a double play. Pete Hill singled to give the Resolutes another chance, but Hughie Jennings lofted a lazy infield fly to third baseman Deacon White, and the game was over.

With a 2-1 series lead, the Haymakers need just one more win to claim their fourth title in seven years!

Gold Box

Oh, come on, you magnificent bastards! Damn you for the countless hours you're about to take from me!

Season 7 Creighton Cup Series, Game 2

With the Haymakers up by a game, the Resolutes were feeling the pressure. Were they sufficiently...resolute? Let's find out!

With Cy Young on the mound for the home team and Christy Mathewson for the visitors, I anticipated a low-scoring game. Things were quiet until the bottom of the second when, with two outs, second baseman Bid McPhee singled, stole second, and scored on Young's sharp single. The Haymakers took an early 1-0 lead.

In the top of the fourth, a triple by Elmer Flick followed immediately by a Jake Beckley double tied the game. Fred Clarke singled to put runners at the corners, but Frank Grant bounced into a double play to end the threat. The Resolutes scored again, however, during their very next turn at bat. John McGraw singled and stole second; two batters later, Mathewson tripled him home. A sacrifice fly from the bat of Hughie Jennings increased the visitors' lead to 3-1.

The Haymakers got one back in the bottom of the frame. Joe Kelley led off with a double, and Big Sam Thompson plated him with a single later in the inning. Now it was 3-2 and the home team was one swing away from tying the game.

The score remained unchanged into the eighth. Happy Jack Chesbro had taken over for Young. He allowed a one-out single to Flick, who promptly swiped second. Beckley, the next batter, continued his torrid play with another base hit. 

As Flick dashed for third, I had to put on my third-base-coach hat and decide whether to wave him home. Time slowed down as I agonized over the decision. Go with my gut? Nah, go with the numbers! In that situation, Flick had an 85% chance of scoring. I'll take those odds any day. I waved Flick home as Thompson unleashed the throw. The play at the plate...

He's OUT!

Unbelievable! Thompson had gunned down Flick with a perfect throw from right, and the score remained 3-2 in the bottom of the eighth. In that half-inning, Thompson and Deacon White singled. With two on and two out, Bobby Wallace tripled to bring them both home. Now it was a 4-3 lead for the hometown Haymakers heading into the ninth.

The Haymakers needed three outs to secure the come-from-behind win, but Chesbro surrendered a leadoff double to Grant. The speedy infielder later scored on a single by Connie Make to tie the game at four. 

Bottom of the ninth! Hard-throwing lefty Rube Waddell relieved Mathewson. Joe Kelley led off with a single. He attempted to steal second, but Mack threw him out with ease. It was a costly out for the Haymakers, as Jesse Burkett followed with a single that might have scored Kelley.

The ninth ended with the score tied. When they passed the tenth, this contest became the longest playoff game in league history. More innings sped by as the teams struggled to break the deadlock. Chesbro and Waddell were magnificent, each striking out more than a batter per inning. 

The next run didn't come until the top of the fourteenth. With two outs, John McGraw -- last year's Playoff MVP -- singled and stole second. He raced home on another single by Mack, easily beating the throw. 5-4 Resolutes! 

In the bottom of the frame, Thompson and Bresnahan reached base with no outs, but Waddell's defense came to his rescue. The game ended 5-4, and now we'll head to the Resolutes' park with the series tied at one!

Season 7 Creighton Cup Series, Game 1

Here we go! The first-place Haymakers hosted Game 1 of this best-of-five series, sending ace Mickey Welch to the mound. The Resolutes countered with two-time Pitcher MVP John Clarkson. 

It was the visiting Resolutes who drew first blood. After a scoreless opening frame, Fred Clarke tripled in the top of the second and scored on a Frank Grant groundout. 

The home team struck back in the bottom of the fourth. Cap Anson led off the inning with a single. Sam Thompson flied out, bringing up catcher Roger Bresnahan. The veteran backstop crushed Clarkson's offering for a two-run homer, giving the Haymakers a 2-1 edge. It was the fourth postseason home run of Bresnahan's career, moving him past teammate Thompson for the most in league history. 

In the top of the fifth, however, the Resolutes struck back with a bomb of their own. With two outs and the bases empty, shortstop Hughie Jennings, certainly not known for his power, hammered a Welch mistake for his first playoff dinger. Now the game was knotted at two runs apiece.

Bresnahan singled to open the bottom of the sixth. With one out, shortstop Bobby Wallace tripled to bring the catcher home. Welch helped his own cause with a run-scoring single a moment later, and heading into the late innings it was 4-2 Haymakers.

Both pitchers cruised through the seventh and eighth. Welch got two quick outs in the top of the ninth, looking to wrap up a complete-game victory. There was a brief moment of drama when Pete Hill hit a long drive that was misplayed by center fielder Joe Kelley, giving the Resolutes a fleeting hope. With the tying run at the plate, Jennings hit a soft liner to Wallace to end the game.

Game 1 goes to the Haymakers! Game 2, also at this venue, will feature Cy Young against Christy Mathewson. I'm already salivating over this match up of all-time greats!

Ripley, Believe It or Not

This weekend, we played a couple of four-player games of Alien: Fate of the Nostromo. The first time around, a few early xenomorph encounters sapped our morale, and one of our objectives was devilishly difficult: getting all the heroes to the workshop, located in a remote corner of the ship. We had three of the four crammed into that room and the fourth just outside in the hallway when my character, Parker, drew a card that booted him immediately to the medbay. A moment later the alien jumped him and, well, that was that. 

For the second game, I swapped Parker for Ripley, the only character we hadn't used yet. I had poo-pooed Ripley earlier, during the two-player games that Nathaniel and I had played the previous weekend, but I quickly discovered Ripley's effectiveness in a session with a larger number of players. 

Games like this one (e.g., Forbidden Island and its sequels, the Pandemic games, etc.) don't scale well above a certain number of players because the game takes its turn after each player, so a lot of nasty stuff can happen in between your turns and you're powerless to prevent it. That's why Ripley is an essential character in larger Alien games -- her ability is to move other characters during her turn. So, for example, if the xenomorph is stalking closer to Matthew's Brett and his turn won't come up fast enough for him to escape, I can use Ripley's actions to move Brett out of harm's way. 

With a whopping five objectives to accomplish, we spread out through the ship, assembled various items, and brought them to the specified locations. After completing the fifth task, we drew the card for our final mission. It turned out be fleeing the Nostromo on the shuttle, like Ripley does at the end of the movie. (Fortunately, in this version, we weren't dealing with a self-destruct sequence on top of that!) 

We had to gather an incinerator, a cat carrier (for Jonesy!), and one coolant tank per crew member and then all convene at the docking bay. It's always tricky to get multiple characters into a location without the alien crashing the party, but Nathaniel's Dallas was armed with the incinerator and shooed the xenomorph away when it was just outside the door to the docking bay. That gave me enough time to have Ripley drop the fourth and final coolant tank, thereby enabling our escape from the ship!

Series Preview

The Haymakers dominated Season 7 from start to finish and have returned to the Creighton Cup Series after missing out last year for the first time in their history. Meanwhile, somebody had to finish in second place, and that distinction went to the Resolutes, who will attempt to defend their franchise's first title against a team that led the circuit in both runs scored (4.58) and runs allowed (3.08) and posted a league-record +36 run differential and .667 winning percentage. Wow!

If the stats above don't paint the picture, I'll sum it up: The Haymakers are...a machine. Their lineup may be a bit topheavy -- with Joe Kelley, Jesse Burkett, Cap Anson, and Sam Thompson in the first four slots -- but every position player on this team is a tough out. On the mound, their pitching is led by screwball specialist Mickey Welch, vying for his second Pitcher MVP trophy, and perennial warhorse Cy Young. Heck, even spot starter Candy "I swear I'm not a porn star" Cummings went 3-1 in four starts. Good luck coming back in the late inning, as well; closer Amos Rusie led the league in saves and is a strong candidate to become the first relief pitcher ever to win Pitcher MVP. How do you beat these guys? Historically, fielding is this team's Achilles' heel, but in Season 7 the Haymakers ranked as the league's best defense. 

The Resolutes are, well, just happy to be here. It was an up-and-down year for the defending champs, who relied heavily on first baseman Jake Beckley, a former Haymakers benchwarmer who has emerged from Anson's shadow to become a middle-of-the-order threat. After the playoffs, he'll likely be rewarded with the Position Player MVP trophy. Beyond Beckley, the Resolutes received significant contributions from leadoff man Pete Hill and the power-and-speed combo of Elmer Flick. If the Resolutes have a path to victory in this series, however, it lies with their pitchers. Co-aces John Clarkson and Christy Mathewson blanked the Blue Legs over the final 18 innings in last year's series, while southpaw swingman Rube Waddell brings triple-digit heat that the Resolutes could deploy in the late innings. 

The season series was 5-3 for the Haymakers, so in theory the Resolutes could win three games in this best-of-five championship. If they do, it will surely rank as the biggest upset in the history of this league.