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MLB Alternate Universe: What If O'Malley Was Never Born? (1958-1979 so far)


Silent Wind of Doom

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Ah... I was hoping the Brooklyn Dome would've been a reality in this universe!

But if the Brewers and the Pilots aren't the same team in this universe, the Brewers' colors would probably be navy and red. Bud Selig wanted to essentially re-create the minor league team he grew up following, and only ended up with royal and gold as the team's colors because he didn't have time to get new uniforms before the 1970 season.

Well, you are right about the Brewers. I've changed them accordingly. Gold and blue are colors representing the city and are featured on their flag, though, so don't be surprised to see them change later.

Indeed, but the traditional Brews colors work surprisingly well with powder blue... now I kind of hope you eventually decide against it. :D

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Ah... I was hoping the Brooklyn Dome would've been a reality in this universe!

But if the Brewers and the Pilots aren't the same team in this universe, the Brewers' colors would probably be navy and red. Bud Selig wanted to essentially re-create the minor league team he grew up following, and only ended up with royal and gold as the team's colors because he didn't have time to get new uniforms before the 1970 season.

Well, you are right about the Brewers. I've changed them accordingly. Gold and blue are colors representing the city and are featured on their flag, though, so don't be surprised to see them change later.

Indeed, but the traditional Brews colors work surprisingly well with powder blue... now I kind of hope you eventually decide against it. :D

We'll see. I may remain with navy and red. It does look really good with that powder blue away.

As for the PCL teams, things would be the same, save for some disappearing as major league clubs took their place.

Currently working on the chronology (the behind the scenes tables that contain the standings for each year that let me observe the story). There are certain changes in story that do go along with different cities being awarded a franchise, but even more changes come from the different divisional alignment that comes with it. I hope to have this all done soon and then be able to work again on images.

By the end of this, there's unfortunately little chance of Indy getting a franchise. Although I will say there's about a 50-50 chance that a current MLB city will end up without a team. I've not quite created a full picture of where things will end, and while writing may find a city become weary of their team, much like Montreal.

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Indianapolis has been protesting for an MLB team as early as the 1970's.Back in the early days of the game, Indy had a American Association team,a Federal League, and a NL team:The Indianapolis Blues\Hooisers(The AA used both names and The Federal and National Leagues had used the Hooisers name.)and the Circle City was so close to an MLB team.The name was going to be the Arrows (celebrating the native American heritage,hence Indiana,the name means "Land of the Indians")the team debuting in 1985 but they didn't get the cut.Indy and Indiana has heritage for the game.Keep on rolling with this series. Please give Indy a chance for an MLB team! :-)

"So look at yourself. Are you somebody to see good in your world or somebody to oppose the other person or party?"

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I was actually planning on using the Mets' cursive script if I ever needed. The Dodgers wore their team name on both uniforms at the time that they moved to Queens in this universe, so I didn't need it yet. I may in the future, though.

Sorry for the delay, but I've finally gotten things done, so here we go. We've reached the 70’s in earnest now. Led by Charlie O’s Athletics, who added several alternate uniforms to their repertoire, it is a time of experimentation. Of powder blue away uniforms, racing stripes, stirrups, and bright colors. Let’s see how history treats our new universe…

The year is 1972…
There is trouble in Seattle. The Sick’s Stadium performed even worse than anyone could have imagined, and the team is on the brink of bankruptcy. There is a search for new ownership, but there is no car dealer from Milwaukee to bail them out, and no other city that is prepared to shoulder the responsibility. The MLB is forced to step in, making some renovations to Sick’s during the offseason. Their second season draws about the same, but ownership just grits their teeth, hoping that the league can keep them afloat until they make it to the Kingdome.
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With the Royals residing in the National League West, the Reds are a member of the East in this universe and fall short of the Pirates for a postseason bid. Instead, it is the Astros who win the West, and they will go on to win many playoff spots without having to worry about the Dodgers, Giants, or Reds in their division through their history. They go on to win the NLCS, but lose to the A’s in the Series. It would be their first win in their new home, and the first time the Commissioner’s Trophy lands its way in California. It wouldn’t be the last.
The year is 1973…
The face of baseball is soon to change, as in January a group of investors led by Cleveland shipbuilder George Steinbrenner buy the flailing New York Yankees. Steinbrenner’s influx of cash into the team and investment into free agents would shape the economics of the game. But that would come later.
On the West Coast, Anaheim Stadium has been completed and the Padres move out of Chavez Ravine. Wanting to market themselves to their new home in Orange County as well as the big city, the Padres change their name to the California Padres. They also embrace the 70's with new uniforms, wearing bright yellow both home and away.
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In Kansas City, the Royals get a new concrete ballpark: Royals Stadium. A modern stadium with a unique tapered upper deck, it would remain Royals Stadium for some years before the name eventually changed to Kauffman Stadium.
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To open their new ballpark, the Royals make a valiant run for a National League West championship, but ultimately fall to the Minnesota Giants. The Giants win the pennant, but eventually lose to the defending San Francisco Athletics. The A’s would complete the threepeat next year against the Dodgers.
The year is 1976…
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It's been a long, tough road, but they've finally made it. The Seattle Pilots have dealt with a number of substandard seasons, but just barely managed to stave off bankruptcy. A couple years ago, knowing that the team was close to the promised land, new ownership stepped forward. The team is still near the cellar, but the loyal fanbase that suffered through the Sick's Stadium years will soon be rewarded greatly.
Their fellow expansion franchise, the Milwaukee Brewers, have reached new heights. After five years of existence, they've made it to the top of the American League West,taking on the newly energized Yankees. Milwaukee County Stadium is packed for its return to the postseason, but it would be at Yankee Stadium that the series would end, with Chris Chambliss closing the doors with a walk-off home run. The Yankees themselves would become the next victims of a Big Red Machine sweep.
The year is 1977…
The year begins with another expansion. Two more teams join the American League, one in each division.
The American League East's new member has the distinction of being the first Canadian team in the major leagues.
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The Toronto Blue Jays move into Canadian National Exhibition Stadium, the stadium that has housed the Canadian Football League's Toronto Argonauts for decades. In our universe Walter O'Malley pushed for the National League to expand into Montreal, but in our universe the Blue Jays come first.
The second new franchise resides in the American League West. I give you, the Denver Grizzlies.
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The city of Denver has been home to the Broncos for some years, and received an NHL franchise in '76 as the Kansas City Scouts moved in to become the Colorado Rockies. The Denver Bears of the minor leagues had already been calling the city home and Bears Stadium had been expanded to hold NFL games. It was the perfect place for expansion. The Grizzlies follow in the Rockies' footsteps of using imagery from the Colorado State flag for their identity.

The Brewers return to the American League Championship Series, but the Yankees with their new acquisition of Reggie Jackson defeat them once again. The Yankees would take on the NL West winning St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series, beating them in 6.

The year is 1978…
The Seattle Pilots languished at the bottom of the AL West for the last 6 years, but now they come into their own. Despite the new home, their attendance has still remained below average. Now the Kingdom fills as the Pilots shoot to the top of the standings, taking first place and meeting the Yankees in the ALCS. Unfortunately, they would face the same fate as the Brewers the previous two years.
In the National League, the New York Dodgers take the Eastern crown, and the Minnesota Giants the Western. For the first time in their respective histories, the two bitter rivals meet each other in a playoff series. The Dodgers take the first two in Metropolitan Stadium before returning to Flushing. The Giants manage to win Game 3, but in the tenth inning of Game 4, Bill Russel gets a line drive past the outfielders, bringing Ron Cey home to win the pennant for the Dodgers.
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This set up the 75th World Series to be a meeting that had not happened since the early sixties: a Subway Series. The New York Dodgers took on the New York Yankees. The Dodgers handily took Game 1 in Queens and were able to squeak out a win in Game 2, but when action moved to the Bronx, the Yankees were able to take their three home games. They closed out the series at Flushing Municipal Stadium to defend their title.
The year is 1979…
The Oakland Oaks have been around for nearly a decade, and have spent their first ten years in mediocrity. In 1979 they are the next benefactors of the Reds being in the NL East, taking the NL West and getting into their first playoffs against the Pittsburgh Pirates, or as the top of their dugout calls them, "The Family". There would be no joy in Oakland, however, as Stargell and his Pirates would take both of Oakland-Alameda Coliseum's first playoff games before completing the sweep in Three Rivers Stadium.
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In the American League the Pilots win their second NL West championship. In their second year in contention, the Pilots draw large crowds, finally finding a larger fanbase. Unfortunately, in the ALCS they don't fair much better than the Oaks, but are able to win one home game against the Orioles. The Orioles would go on to lose to the Pirates.

And so ends the 70's. Next time we'll delve into the 80's, but for now, here's the teams as they stand at the end of the 1970's.

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This is so awesome! I get to have fun and be cryptic so people can guess/hypothesize about what I'm going to do. It's just like I always see people with these threads do. I never get to do this. This is awesome! ^_^

I love this. You are doing a great job. Will there be any expansion/relocation in the alternate universe during the 80s?

No. I don't believe there's going to be any expansions or relocations, but I do plan on at least one rebranding. Have you noticed that, while most teams are following the histories of the team expanded in their place, there's one relocation that happened in our universe that hasn't been addressed yet? It's a pretty big one, too.

Coming from Montreal, I hope that the Expos have a place in your universe. I know we've lost them, but I think Montreal is a very good city for baseball. Actually, I think we could probably do better than Tampa

I can guarantee for you now that there will be no Expos. But make sure to stay tuned because I don't think you're going to be disappointed. ;) At least, I hope not.

The next update is, more likely than not, going to include the National League's expansion in the 90's, so both of your concerns will be addressed.

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Good job so far. I like the Denver Grizzlies. It makes sense, since the minor league team was just called the Bears.

I guess that San Diego is going to have to wait until the 90's to get a team, then. Maybe in this alternate reality, the San Diego Mariners are one of the teams that go to the NHL since the Padres aren't around, and Ray Kroc can put more time into them.

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This is so awesome! I get to have fun and be cryptic so people can guess/hypothesize about what I'm going to do. It's just like I always see people with these threads do. I never get to do this. This is awesome! ^_^

I love this. You are doing a great job. Will there be any expansion/relocation in the alternate universe during the 80s?

No. I don't believe there's going to be any expansions or relocations, but I do plan on at least one rebranding. Have you noticed that, while most teams are following the histories of the team expanded in their place, there's one relocation that happened in our universe that hasn't been addressed yet? It's a pretty big one, too.

Coming from Montreal, I hope that the Expos have a place in your universe. I know we've lost them, but I think Montreal is a very good city for baseball. Actually, I think we could probably do better than Tampa

I can guarantee for you now that there will be no Expos. But make sure to stay tuned because I don't think you're going to be disappointed. ;) At least, I hope not.

The next update is, more likely than not, going to include the National League's expansion in the 90's, so both of your concerns will be addressed.

I must admit that I'm disappointed for my Expos. But I love your way of seeing things. It is really a pleasure to follow your posts

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Can you say San Diego Mariners? Think about it. The Seattle Mariners don't exist due to the Pilots. The name makes sense due to the city's navy ties. The NL doesn't need to expand to Denver in '93 anymore, so they expand to San Diego.

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More great work, as usual. One question: did you ever think about moving the 1977 expansion 1-2 years later (1978 or 1979)? The reason I ask is because in real life, the main reason for the 1977 expansion was originally to get Seattle a team (not Toronto). After the Pilots move to Milwaukee, the City of Seattle, King County, and the State of Washington sued Major League Baseball for breach of contract, and after a long litigation process, the Mariners were created as a replacement for the Pilots. Around the same time, the San Francisco Giants were considering a move to Toronto for the 1976 season, but the sale of the team to a Toronto-based ownership group was squashed by the courts in the U.S., and the sale afterwards to Bob Lurie kept the team in the Bay Area. Consequently, Toronto got an expansion team to even out the numbers in the American League. Obviously, the Giants in the alternate universe are based in the Twin Cities, but who's to say something similar couldn't have happened there, too?

Just some food for thought, still an awesome project and can't wait to see what the 80's and 90's bring.

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