1966 IP GOWDY PROJECT : ALL STAR TOURNEY DIARY

 

   BLACK DIAMONDS WIN 1966 ALL STAR TOURNEY 

One of the reasons I play these baseball sims is to learn about baseball history and answer some what if questions.  I just completed my 1966 project and decided to answer the question of how to make the All Star game the special event it should be.  Not only the All Star game but also the World Baseball Classic and some way to honor the history of the game, especially the Negro leagues. 

My solution was to create an All Star tournament using the best players from the 1966 season.  Thanks to the Inside Pitch baseball board game, Digital Diamond Board Game Companion and a google dice roller, I was able to make it happen. 

As stated in an earlier blog, I setup 4 different teams who competed in a round robin tournament.  In a nod to the Negro league, the Black Diamonds team included the best black ballplayers of the 66 season.  The interesting aspect of the Diamonds was the number of ball players who cut their teeth in the Negro leagues before following Jackie Robinson to the majors.  Mays, Aaron, Roseboro and Frank Robinson were like a bridge from the past to the future.  There were so many great black ballplayers in 1966 that some failed to make the squad and caught on with one of the other 3 teams. 

The Latino Kings was the second team in the tourney.  The influx of Latin American ballplayers in the 60s did not really surprise me and  I can still remember Juan Marichal with the high league kick  and Campy Campaneris stealing another base.  The Kings had alot of hitters with high OBP and some great defenders like Roberto Clemente but very few power hitters and few great pitchers past Marichal. 

The American ballplayers were divided on a geographical basis.  The Confederates were players born in the Southern and Western states while the Federalists hailed from the Northern and Eastern states.  The Northern and Eastern states benefited from the European immigrants and while that would produce the likes of Koufax. Ford and Joe Torre the Federalists seemed to have older players on the downside of their careers.  Koufax's last year was in 66.  The Confederates seemed to have the right mix of pitching, hitting and defense going into the tournament. 

So , here is how it went.... 


SCOREBOARD 

Black Diamonds 3 Latino Kings 1 
Confederates 11  Federalists 2 
Black Diamonds 9  Federalists 1 
Latino Kings 7   Confederates 6
Black Diamonds 6  Confederates 2 
Latino Kings 5  Federalists 1 


STANDINGS 

Black Diamonds 3-0 
Latino Kings  2-1 
Confederates  1-2 
Federalists   0-3 


TEAM NOTES 


Black Diamonds  (3-0) 

Bob Gibson, Al Jackson and Earl Wilson all pitched complete games. 
Willie Mays had 5 hits, 3 BB, 2B, RBI and scored 4 runs. 
Hank Aaron had 3 hits, 1 BB, 2 RBI and 2 runs 


Latino Kings  (2-1) 

Marichal  went 8.2 innings against the Black Diamonds but gave up 3 runs and fanned 2
Manny Mota hit a HR off of Bob Gibson 
Mota also had a 3B, 1B, BB and R against the Confederates 
Clemente hit a grand slam off Jim Nash 
Clemente also hit a HR and 1B off of Steve Barber 
Felipe Alou had 2R, 2B,BB and a RBI against Barber 
Paul Casanova homered off of Jim Maloney 
Tiant 9IP  1R  1BB 6K against Feds 


Confederates (1-2) 

Mantle had 3H, 2BB, 2R and 1 RBI
Killebrew hit 2 homers, one was a GS, 5H, 3BB and 5 RBI
Fregosi HR off of Earl Wilson 
Drysdale held the Feds to 2R and fanned 4 over 7 innings 
Jim Lefebvre had 4 hits and a GS against Jim Bouton 
Hoyt Wilhelm 2IP 0R 0H 


Federalists  (0-3) 

Sandy Koufax  4IP 2HR 3R 0K against Confederates 
Joe Torre HR 2B 3RBI 
Frank Howard 2B and 3B against Diamonds 


That's the way it was in the 1966 All Star Tourney