Now let's get to some teams.

Eastern Division

Harbor Athletic Club

As one of baseball’s oldest surviving clubs, Harbor Athletic weathered a stormy turn-of-the-century period. Initially overlooked by the Association, they emerged from the doldrums of the Chesapeake League. Flush with cash from committed owners and directors, they soared in the Eastern Premier League, escaping the second tier through Pro/Rel. But lately, their course has shifted. Before the stoppage, production waned, yet they deftly avoided relegation. Traditionally known as the Harbors, their recent struggles earned them a less flattering moniker: the “Hacks."

Behind the scenes, the Harbor Athletic Club, a limited company, navigates choppy waters. Ownership splits between the passionate Hack fanbase and Jacob Connor, owner of Baltimore’s multinational shipping giant, Ameritime. Oftentimes these two groups are in harmony, but don’t expect the peace to stay for long if the team keeps on losing.



Boston Baseball Club

One of the three Eastern teams from the Association coming back around, Boston’s squad has had a very steep shot up the totem pole. In a crowded region with rabid local fanbases, the Bees have been able to drown out the noise since their disappointing Association efforts and were able to regularly sit atop the New England league for their post-Association days. Owner Robert Payne sold off the team through the first few years of the Eastern Premier League, and the supporters’ new board of directors let the squad run itself. Skipper Dan Bell elevated the squad to the best in the EPL on four separate occasions, but resigned his post after the loss of his son in World War II. Boston’s top team, financed by many of the rich white anglo-saxon protestants in the city (hence the WASPs nickname), have developed an attitude of arrogance that is admittedly deserved. 

The Bees will be leaving behind bitter rivals in North End and Cambridge to enter the MABL, but thanks to the location of their fancy new digs at Bell Park, they’re asking for trouble from the boys across the river. Cambridge has spent unprecedented amounts of cash to field a team in hopes of knocking the Bees out of the Eastern Crown Cup before the tournament even begins, and with new management in tow, Boston’s top team will need all the help they can get.

 

Brooklyn Baseball Club

The Jays, with a nickname coined for their obnoxiousness, continue to support the moniker as the MABL enters its first season. The 7-time champion of the EPL has been headed by one man for over four decades: Adam Hirsch. The original gracious negotiator has grown more outspoken as his success on the diamond increased, and the anger used to fuel his squad’s constant success has taken a toll on his nearly 80 year old body. Alas, his dream of a stable American League came to pass with possibly his last great tactic, and he built this Jays team to contend for the Roosevelt Cup.

Brooklyn, due to their massive fanbase, was the first to create a strange rule in their members association ownership. To become a shareholder of the team, you have to prove current or former residence of either the borough of Brooklyn or the surrounding area. As such, the team’s fans populate nearly every corner of the city, and encapsulate the diversity of New York in a unique way.



New York City Athletic Club

City has found itself always a bridesmaid, never the bride, throughout their history. After their 1902 Association title, the Boroughers have become the lovable losers of the baseball world. With no championship finish since the New York League (of which they won three), they’ve finished 2nd in EPL standings a whopping 10 times throughout the league’s 21 year history. Not all is lost for the squad as they head into the MABL, however, as long-time chairman Chris Wester’s death left a hole for his son Lyle to fill. Over the past 3 years, the younger Wester has taken his team on barnstorming tours to play some of the best teams from the West and poached talent from wherever he could. The Moles are no longer in the shadows; they’re a force to reckon with. 

The Athletic Club he inherited was gushing money during the depression. Wester sold off ownership through member programs to stay afloat, although remains a 50.1% owner of a club expanding into the likes of basketball, hockey and lacrosse.The revenues of baseball should be enough to keep other ventures afloat, but the other sports might become an albatross if finances aren’t kept in order.



Manhattan Baseball Club

Manhattan’s history is possibly the strangest of all. The organization began as a response to the “race mixing” of NYCAC, and began as the “All-White, All-American Boys in Blue”. The blue part of their original slogan only lasted a game, as the team’s launderer threw some red clothes in with the load and accidentally created the squad’s iconic indigo coloring. Their acceptanc to the MABL only comes from their success (and eventual desegregation), winning the EPL pennant in 1930 and multiple ECC tournaments. They got the nickname ''Giants'' from a quote by owner Theodore “Ted” Newsome. When asked about how competitive his team would fare against Brooklyn, who was amidst another EPL championship season,  he said “If they’re considered men amongst boys, we’re giants amongst men”. They proceeded to lose the following series, outscored 50-6. 

Newsome is a tycoon in his own right, a titan of industry who will use his power, money, and influence to change the world how he sees fit. Also known for barnstorming, but only against the Southern United States, the team is beloved in cities like Birmingham for their “individualism”, and regularly sees radio broadcasts stretch into the deep south



Centennial Baseball Club

Philadelphia’s oldest team got left out of the Association due to a similarly timed stretch of poor seasons in the regional league, seeing a team ten years their junior take the spot instead. However, just like Baltimore, the 76s proved post Association that they were the best team for the region, and it wasn’t particularly close. Philadelphia’s former Association team wasn’t able to keep up, and Centennial was able to quickly establish themselves as the premier Penn/Jersey team. And despite only one EPL championship, coming toward the beginning of the League’s establishment, they never fell below 12th (which they reached only once, in 1940). 

This team was originally owned by a single man, Chris Struve, but he sold the team to the supporters long ago, assuming that the team would fall by the wayside and float away with the sands of time. SIKE! The board of directors were able to keep the team’s head above water and then some, although team president Harry Shuster is a bit in over his head on this one.



Pittsburgh Eagles Baseball Club

Pittsburgh’s top flight team was formed as a U.S. Steel company team, composed of primarily German immigrants. The team became a rallying cry of German immigrants in the city, and the nickname of the team became “Die Adler”, directly translating to “The Eagles”. The team picked up black and gold as its colors until the First World War, when the team changed its official colors to red, white, and blue. After the war, they resumed their black and gold identity, only to just go back to the RWB scheme as it became clear that the Nazis were in fact bad. Due to the overt patriotic changes, fans who were looked unfavorably on the changes started calling them the “Grand Ol’ Eagles”, as representations of the American flag 

The Eagles are partially owned by U.S. Steel, and for a while featured the company name across the front of the jersey. When the team officially recognized the Eagles nickname, however, the fan ownership, about 60% of total control, voted to create a unique identity for the team.



Capital City United Baseball Club

In 1903, as the Association faded, the Capitals emerged. Former Federal Athletic player and Washington diplomat, Elliot Scheevel, rallied the team to represent the Mid-Atlantic. His shrewd maneuvers—buying out smaller clubs—birthed Capital City United. Outside their ballpark, cherry trees, planted by Aliza Scidmore, adorned the landscape. The original shipment, infested with parasites, met a fiery end. A sportswriter quipped, “Like the blossoms outside their park, Capital City is on fire.” The nickname stuck, and Scheevel secured some of the 2,000 trees shipped in 1913. These cherry blossoms grace one of baseball’s most prestigious parks—Scheevel Stadium, home to 2 EPL championship teams and numerous Eastern Crown finals. 

Scheevel’s estate now oversees the club, though disinterested heirs may pave the way for an impassioned supporters’ club.



Western Division

Union Stock Yards Baseball Club

Originally created in the late 1860’s by the sons of meat packers who worked at “The Yards”, USY has become one of the biggest teams in one of the biggest markets in the country. Becoming a professional team in 1880, the fanbase has become one of the most loyal in baseball, sticking with the team through thick and thin. The Blue Collar population of the city has gravitated towards the team over time, as the organization has honored the commitment that fans have had by placing the team’s nickname on the front of their home uniforms, but more importantly, by winning titles. Although dominant in a division surrounding lake Michigan, USY had become a force in the Midwestern Championship as well. The team’s other nickname, the Slaughter, comes from how they massacred their opponents on a near daily basis. 

USY is owned and operated by a single man: Dave Perrin. A meat-packing business owner and certified cheapskate, Perrin’s main focus heading into the league is the bottom line. Although his team has a loyal fanbase, the squad’s stadium is a decrepit old 29,000 seat ballpark in the dirtiest part of town. Attendance has become a slight issue, and if Perrin doesn’t see dividends or reach a deal to secure a new lot for his new stadium, one of the most devoted fan bases in the sport will be without a team to call home.



Chicago Republics Baseball Club

Originally named Sporting Athletic Chicago, the team was to be sold after a scandal in the final game of 1901, when a pitcher walked 14 batters in the bottom of the 9th to lose a game on purpose. The team effectively bought itself and sold shares of the club in order to raise money for a new stadium. Rob De Jong, manager of the team until his death in 1936, is said to be the forefather of modernAamerican baseball for his teachings about technique and the first to suggest that the Republics become a members association. The team’s colors are inspired by the city’s flag and the 1893 Statue of the Republic, while black was simply an aesthetic choice held onto since the 1920’s. The team’s long history of success, including multiple Midwestern championship trophies and barnstorming campaigns that saw them travel to everywhere in the country that would take them, have given them a large, cross-cultural fanbase all around the country. 

Their stadium is a marvelous 50,000 seat superstructure with a neoclassical facade along Lake Michigan. The stadium, although it has short fences, is known to be a pitcher’s park with how the wind blows into the stadium.



Cincinnati Reds

The most successful Midwestern Association team, the Reds had no problem sustaining success after they left. This team has over 40 years of sustained success, even after the club was sold to a member association over the course of the 1920’s. Since 1930, Cincinnati’s team president Josh Check has developed a powerhouse along the Ohio River through shrewd moves and commanding nature. With multiple championships with him at the helm, this team looks extremely strong heading into the first MABL season.

With Check in control, fans have enjoyed relative ease of mind about the club, knowing he will ensure success at any cost. However, the city of seven hills is anxious about this year. If Check doesn’t like what he sees, it’s known that heads will roll.



Lakers Baseball Club

LBC, as it has come to be known, has been one of the most successful Midwestern teams to date. Originally playing in a league consolidated around Lake Erie and Detroit, Cleveland’s best baseball club truly burst onto the scene with a Midwestern Championship in the league’s inaugural year, and remained perennial contenders throughout their time in the MWCL. Their name is derived from Lake Erie, which its stadium is nearly a stone’s throw away from. 

Cleveland’s top team was initially formed out of spite. Fans of Cole’s Cleveland Baseball Club didn’t like how he managed the squad, and so even before the dissolving of the team it was rumored that a members association was planning to buy Cole’s newly built stadium off of him. When the team went into bankruptcy, the members association was able to buy the park for cheap, and have since rebuilt it to accommodate over 35000 fans.



Detroit United Baseball Club

Founded in 1915 as a team sponsored by the Ford Motor Company, the squad quickly began to outplay other teams in the area, developing into the team Detroiters had been clamoring for since the Rowdies fell from grace in the Association. Eventually, to greater expand its fanbase, it began accepting players who had relationships with other car manufacturers in the city, and quickly expelled themselves from Ford’s grip and became a members association. While in the MWCL, the Dubs began a reign of dominance culminating in a 6 year span, featuring 2 titles and 4 other top five finishes. 

In 1935, the team partnered with United Auto Workers, in which requirements changed to require a relationship with the Union in order to be a shareholder in the club. They’ve since expanded into becoming a baseball club accepting all types of players, and have seen rapid growth and success due to their hiring practices and player support. 



Louisville Baseball Club

Louisville was too young to have shown any serious business being in the Association, but they’ve since proven themselves a strong team in the lower midwest. Often floating around different leagues due to their location, they’ve only consistently played St. Louis and Cincinnati, developing two of the most long standing and bitter rivalries in the entire sport. Their nickname comes from the city’s three main parks, Cherokee, Shawnee, and Iroqouis, which they played games in before the construction of a permanent grounds in the heart of the city.

Louisville’s owner is manufacturing magnate Bryan Carter, who was able to use his subsidized wealth after the war to bolster his team towards the top of MABL candidates. The team isn’t nearly in the place he would like it to be on the field, but unlike the Indians diehards, he’s willing to roll with the punches to achieve his long term goals.



Milwaukee Baseball Club

Previously the Association’s Brewers in name only, Milwaukee’s squad has a strange history. After the Association, Milwaukee’s owner Nick McCormick continued on building a team around his star ace, George Rogers. They developed a strong team, but was never strong enough to get over the hump and bring home a championship against greater teams like the Republics. 

After the 18th amendment was passed in 1919, McCormick didn’t have the excess cash to bankroll his Brewers, and under the behest of both Chicago clubs and their compatriots, ended up selling the team to noted prohibitionist William E. “Pussyfoot” Johnson, who viewed the team as an investment in raising the popularity of prohibition. The team was then formally known as the Milwaukee Pros, and from 1920 until his death in 1945, the team and its assets remained under Johnson’s control. Despite the unpopularity of the name, and the lack of alcohol sold during games, the team was somehow successful enough to garner a large following in the city by having eccentric and outspoken players who would get into public quarrels with their owner’s practices. Following Johnson’s death, his estate sold the team in shares, and Milwaukee’s best pro team became a members association. Their first orders of business were to hire a board of directors who supported alcohol sales at the newly renamed McCormick Park, and remove prohibitionist iconography from both uniforms and stadium signage. In 1946, the team’s surprising MWCL season was capped off in exhilarating fashion, as the squad won the championship on a walk-off home run on the final out of the final game of the year.



Travellers Baseball Club

First off, a little bit of ret-conning. The Travellers nickname comes from when this team was originally a “homeless” team, barnstorming their way through the lower midwest before finally settling in St. Louis in 1891. St. Louis was one of the Association members that was in an extremely solid financial position when the league was dismantled. Their existing travel budget, designed to go all across the midwest since their inception, allowed them to develop a league up through the Ohio River and form a lower-bound on the midwest. Playing against the likes of Louisville, Cincinnati, and Columbus, St. Louis showed that they were going to remain one of the premier teams if a Midwestern super league ever came to be, and absolutely destroyed opponents when it did. St. Louis was one of 4 teams in the league to win multiple MWCL championships, although the restart in ‘46 proved to be their worst year on record, finishing 8th out of 15 teams.

The previous owner of the team, Gregory Bates, sold the team to supporters in 1915, right after he built a 27,000 park overlooking the Mississippi River. The agreement that the board of directors and Bates came to was that the team was to lease the stadium from him (and eventually his estate) until the team could prove it had its own funds to build a larger park than what Bates could offer. Right now, the refurbished stadium named after the former landlord can hold a capacity of over 42,000, and can sell out on the rare occasion a rival comes to town. 

 

Last edited by H-Town1141 (3/17/2024 2:57 pm)

1947 MABL Preseason



The 1947 MABL season was born from the need for cohesion. The second World War reignited a call for a truly united culture that would eventually span the entire nation, and the creation of the Major American Baseball League was designed with this in mind. With the initial team selection process completed, the league looks bright heading into the first cross-regional season played since 1920. The league’s preseason predictions follow along the lines of the previous season, when soldiers traded rifles for bats and bullets for baseballs. The teams have most of their players from the previous year, although newcomers threaten to take the spotlight after a year in lower leagues and development systems. 

The Jays, 1946 East champions, remain strong. Young talents Brandon Sutton, rookie David Dillard, and 1946 Eastern MVP Jon Gibbs dominate both at the plate and in the field, while Jonah Lucas and Joe Mezra anchor the pitching staff. The Boroughers, not far behind, feature star Jared Kaplan, who left the Great Pacific for a long-term deal. Rookie Dilbert McPherson and Puerto Rican-born Manuel Gonzalez join him in the outfield. In Capital City, ace Joe Berg aims for his fourth Lisiewicz Award and a contract worth his services in free agency. Boston features a single solid star player, Jesus Pineda, while the rest of the squad is likely to be overhauled soon with prospects like Keith Holton, John Northeast, Justin Rivera, and Malachi Davenport developing in their system. Most of Baltimore’s aging pitching staff is likely to be gone at the end of the season, with utility player Blaise Perez hoping to lead a lineup fighting an uphill battle. Centennial’s Tom Clark is a holdover from a stellar ‘46 campaign for the squad, while most others left in the offseason in fear of Shuster’s operational style. Pittsburgh is ridiculously young with few bright spots. Rocky Thomas Jr., the star prospect for the Eagles, still has a few years before he completely breaks out, however. Meanwhile, Manhattan seeks recognition but faces New York media scrutiny. Owner Ted Newsome grapples with pressure, hoping the team’s reputation will attract fans.

In the West, Cincinnati aims for the first MABL crown. Their ace, Danny Hernandez, joins from the Dominican Republic, alongside outfielder Carlos Reyes. Meanwhile, scouts in the Pacific theater recognized Australian Guo-ning Dee as a standout batsman, and the ones back home found a young eastern prospect, Howard Townsley, who might find a spot in the both rotation and lineup this year. In Cleveland, a youthful roster led by war vets Joe Wells (CF) and Ron Elliot (SP) promises experience, while Latin Americans Oscar Fuentes and Luis Soto headline the rotation. The Republics, despite a subpar '46 finish, hope to rally around ace Nick Adkins and slugger Ryan Griffin. Milwaukee’s squad has a lot to look forward to in the future, with youth on the left side Sebastian Michaels (3B), Rick O’Leary (SS), and Moises Provencio (LF) expected to be joined by top prospect Brent Rodgers (CF) later this year. Detroit’s star pitcher and position player combo goes to Dominican Edwin Trevino and elite prospect Rock Adams. Adams, a young man from the South, worked his way out of a rigged system and finds himself in the bastion of race relations… Detroit (/s). Louisville’s Chris Graff (OF) and Eric Corbitt (SP) are young veterans found while stationed back home during the war, although the pieces around them don’t look too promising. St. Louis is a team filled with offensive talent, but their pitching woes might stop catcher Harry Pigg and outfield phenom Justin Fraser from showcasing their talents in the postseason. The Packers face an uphill battle. Their inclusion was driven by Eastern teams seeking major markets for league stability. However, with owner Dave Perrin considering relocation, Stock Yards faces uncertainty.

Last edited by H-Town1141 (3/17/2024 2:52 pm)

1947 - First Half

 

The MABL’s inaugural season got off to a bang, with opening day seen as catharsis for many in the baseball world. The first half of play showed off the type of talent at the top of each league, and heading into the break, here we stand. 

The Eastern League is shaking out as it was expected, as the Jays are holding a tenuous lead over first place in the league. While Joe Mezra and surprise All-Star Angel Mojica get to show their stuff in the all-star game, many around the league are worried that the 20 year-old Jonah Lucas might be feeling the lights of Hirsch Field. City Athletic is nothing to sneeze at, either, with Kaplan, McPherson, and Manueal Gonzalez all putting up impressive stats. David Sandoval’s starting third base all-star appearance is a testament to the entire team. Thanks to stellar offensive production aided by Manuel Gonzalez, New York finds themselves in contention heading into the homestretch. The rest of the East is a bit muddy, with the third and eighth place teams separated by only three games. Centennial’s own Tom Clark leads the East with 15 home runs but got left off the ballot due to the stellar outfield performances, while his teammate, Chris Charles, suits up at first. Cliff Hansen, a 27 year-old rookie speedster scouted out of an army base, will see his season evaporate as he faces 2-3 months with a dislocated shoulder. Capital City’s Joe Berg is making sure that his offseason will bring a bounty, as his lights-out first half has Capital City fans worried about his price tag in the offseason. Meanwhile, the bottom half of the east provides little fervor for fans outside of Blaise Perez, who is absolutely raking through the first half. 

The West features a surprise at the top of the table, with the Republics holding onto a two game lead heading into the dog days of summer. Ryan Griffin and Nate Hardesty can’t seem to lose an at-bat as the Republics have racked up the most runs in the MABL, while Nick Adkins keeps on winning. The production might slow down in the back half, which could give the competition the chance to catch up. Cleveland is nipping at their heels thanks to the incredible production of Osacr Fuentes, the best pitcher so far this year, and offensive wunderkinds Lance Byrd and Joe Wells. Looking ahead, they’re pushing for some win-now maneuvers at the deadline. Milwaukee has shown up thanks to seven all-stars, with Sebastian Michaels looking to be the best of the bunch heading into the break. The Brewers pitching is keeping the team in games while the offense is playing perfectly complementary baseball. I have to mention the Travellers for Harry Pigg, but despite their record, don’t have the pitching to keep up their play for much longer. The bottom of the table features who you’d expect, but maybe not in that order. Perrin, ever short-tempered, is hoping to see returns on players that don’t fit his build of the future. Detroit can see that it’s better to blow it up and work towards building around future centerpiece Rock Adams, whose fierce adversity has won his fans ina city very much struggling with a more progressive America. 

Trade Deadline:


The madness really begins in June, where the Republics start the dealing. Knowing that their backup first baseman, Mark Gosche, is on his final tour, the Boston Bees send him to Lincoln Park for a few minor-leaguers. 

The cross-town Packers are all-in on a rebuild, sending reliever Tommy McLaughlin to the Lakers in exchange for promising youngsters Miguel Flores and Eric Flynn. Not done yet, the Packers part with Australian catcher Bor-Zeng Go and prospect David Ramirez for Milwaukee prospect 18 year-old Jason Caines, a raw talent with tons of upside. 

Cleveland is looking to add for the back half of the season, starting off by trading away rookie closer Gavin Wooden and 19 year-old James Sentner for Detroit’s Luis Soto, hoping to add a second strong arm to the starting rotation.

Quick to pull the trigger, the Lakers proceed to send prospect 2B Donovan Ballas and 23-year old minor league 2B Luis Perez for Centennial reliever Danny Delgado.

Stock Yards has decided to go nuclear, trading all-star selection Israel Magana for Cleveland’s Ralph Manning, a young prospect picked up by the Lakers in the offseason, and hopeful shortstop of the future Jeff Jaime. 

Back to the Lakers, manager Phil Schleicher remained on the phone. The Indians were able to make a deal in acquiring outfield prospect Luis Cortez in exchange for a rental of Zachary Grebel.

lthough not flashy, he might pose a strong veteran presence for a team aiming for the first Roosevelt Cup. 

Without anything resembling star pitching, the Boroughers went headhunting at the trade deadline... for offense. Troy Fenske, a solid 35-year old first baseman, was having a tough year in Pittsburgh, batting .244 in the first half of the year. In exchange, Pittsburgh will receive outfield prospect Marcos Ramos, hoping something works out.  

Seemingly out of spite for the Reds, the Republics went out at the deadline and grabbed starting pitcher Chris Davidson, who on the year has a 3-3 record with a 2.64 ERA, in exchange for pitching prospect Johnny McNavin. His upside seems limited, but at 18, he’s got time to develop. 

Brooklyn, looking for an arm to add to the rotation, sent a slew of minor leaguers to Boston for the rights of rental Angel Ortiz, who might not even be good enough to crack the lineup. 

On deadline day, 17-year old minor league 1B Ross Smith and 21-year old minor league RHP Sean Long were swapped to Detroit with 30-year old 2B Mario Cuttitta, 20-year old minor league LF Ivan Baez, and 22-year old minor league 2B Hector Aguero heading to Washington. For the year, Cuttitta is batting .333 with 66 hits, 9 home runs, and 33 RBI.

All-Stars:
 

Cleveland should have had Oscar Fuentes, undeniably the best pitcher in baseball, taking the mound for the all-star game, but hometown hero Edwin Trevino gets the ball for Detroit. The trio of Brooklyn stars each get the nod to start, if not without a little help. While “Heifer” Dillard, nicknamed ironically for his lanky frame, is leading his team to the top of the pennant standings, Sutton and Jon Gibbs are arguably less valuable than the Boroughers’ McPherson and Jared Kaplan, who are playing out of their mind in their own right. An injury at the end of June sidelined Kaplan for the All-Star game, giving Gibbs the nod.In the end, it didn’t really matter. At Union Park in Detroit, the game turned into a complete clown show as the West hung up an 18-4 victory over the East, putting to bed the last eastern detractors who were worried about the state of midwestern competition. 

It's gonna be a helluva finish, guys and gals! Buckle up.

Last edited by H-Town1141 (3/19/2024 1:28 am)

My team is definitely going to be Milwaukee here, so it's nice to see them doing well.