There was no Wrigley field and no ivy back in
1901, the season with which we began our replay league. There weren't even any
Cubs! They were the Chicago Orphans and they played in West Side Park.
Click here to see
pictures of West Side Park from the early 1900's. It takes a while for it to
load.
1901
1901 was our first season and I had 11th pick in a serpentine draft. I
took Fred Clarke first and Topsy Hartsel second hoping I could get some steals
in the pitching area. Clarke and Hartsel did great but if you look at the stas,
you can see that my pitchers did not quite live up to expectations and I
finished 20 games out.
After a disappointing performance by my pitching staff in '01, I began to
realize that a good defense was very important in order for pitchers to do well
in Strato. This draft was a weak one. I selected John Gochnauer, the best
defensive ss available, with my first pick. We improved by 6 games, but I was
still frustrated by my pitching. I gave up ownership of the team in
frustration.
Key acquisitions by the team this year were John Titus, Doc Gessler, Nick
Altrock, and Jake Weimer. However, their record fell by 11 games down to only 68
wins.
I got back in the league because a franchise had become available. It was
the Cubs!!! My first pick was Fred Odwell. Nick Altrock, Ed Killian, Jack
Taylor, and Jake Weimer made a formidable foursome on the mound as Taylor won 35
and Altrock and Weimer each won 26. A late season acquisition of Ginger Beaumont
(for Doc Gessler and my second pick in '05) put me over the top to win the NL
pennant. Beaumont hit .384 for me with 36 RBI's in 44 games.
The World
Series did not go as well as we fell to the Highlanders 4 games to 2. The key to
our loss was season ERA leader Jake Weimer throwing 18 innings and posting an
ERA of 6.00.
Having the last pick each round as well as trading away my second pick
was more devastating than I thought it would be. I chose Ed Cicotte first with
the idea of making him a franchise player and building my team around him, but
ended up cutting him after the season when I realized he didn't play in "06 and
"07. Billy Gilbert and Harry Arndt helped, but we fell back into the second
division. I added Addie Joss just after the halfway
point.
I got the eighth pick
overall in the lottery, but traded up to get pick #2. I chose Eddie Collins with
that pick and plan to start building around him, but he doesn't start to produce
HOF numbers until 1909.
Addie
Joss pitches well, but ERA is 0.80 above real life. New pick Carlos Moran
disappoints in the lead off role. We drop to 98 losses.
I
was able to acquire future HOFer Tris Speaker with my first pick. Also returned
former favorite Wild Bill Donovan to the fold. Donovan had an All Star season
(19-13 with a 1.82 ERA) while Joss and Frank Laporte continued to play well
below their stats. Lost a franchise high 106 games.
I
chose Ed Summers with my first pick and then traded the often disappointing Joss
to get Joe Jackson. Got an awful contract roll for Jackson and will have to give
him a new contract before he produces if I want to keep him.
Two
fine selections in the lower rounds of Chief Wilson and Larry Gardner give me a
formidable nucleus to build around.
