APBA Baseball and I go back sixty years together – to 1951 – the very year the board play contest with dice version was first released by the little simulation game company in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. I was totally fascinated with the idea from the start, even though I didn’t get around to actually ordering my personal copy until 1953. When I did, the game’s like-like results placed me in a wholly different level of fun from the pinball game version of simulation baseball that I had been playing since about age eight. APBA Baseball allowed me to recreate credible replays of whole major league seasons, but I never went that far. These dice-driven board games took way too much time for a kid in school who also played the game in reality.
In today’s computer version of APBA Baseball, it is now possible to replay the whole major league season in about ten minutes, but that kind of speed is more than I need. Baseball is about anticipation and and wonder, build up and let down, disappointment and overcoming same, one’s attention to details and a corresponding awareness of how today’s actions impact tomorrow. You can’t pack all of that stuff into a season that plays out in ten minutes.
This APBA Baseball replay of the 2005 World Series between the Houston Astros and the Chicago White Sox will play out in real time daily here on The Pecan Park Eagle, one day at a time, until one club or the other wins four games. Game One was played out last night in Chicago, on the simulated date of October 22, 2005. Results of that game are reported below.
Game Two will be played tonight, again in Chicago. After that, the Series shifts to Houston for two, or possibly three games, if needed. If we need seven games to play the entire Series, the final two games will also be played in Chicago.
The teams will be managed by computerized versions of managers Phil Garner of the Astros and Ozzie Guillen of the White Sox. Players suffer from fatigue and injury – and need to be managed with those potentials in mind. Weather and wind also effect home runs in outdoor ballparks, as do ballpark dimensions effect home runs in all ballparks.
The only ungodly imposition I’ve made here is the interjection of a fresh Roy Oswalt as the Astros Game One starter. In other words, in this replay version, the infamous Pujols home run that caused the Astros to use up Roy O in an extra NL pennant clinching game never happened. This may be, hopefully, the Series we could have had with a fresh Oswalt from the start. Besides, if it weren’t for “what if,” there would be no other good reasons for a replay.
White Sox vs. Astros
GAME ONE: ASTROS DUMP WHITE SOX, 5-0, AS OSWALT HURLS 2-HIT, SHUTOUT COMPLETE GAME!
Roy Oswalt
On a cold and windy October evening on the south side of Chicago Saturday night, only the White Sox bats were hitting numbers lower than those on the thermometer, The effect was no doubt magnified by the red-hot arm that Astros starter Roy Oswalt also brought with him to the ballpark on this dark and stormy night. Oswalt held Chicago to two hits by Tadahito Iguchi. Those two hits by the Pale Hosed second sacker and a walk to Aaron Rowand were the only base runners that stood between Roy Oswalt and the second perfect game in World Series history.
Granted permission by MLB to wear their normal Saturday white homey digs on the road, the Astros danced through the cold Chicago night like so many victory-hungry, but extremely talented and athletic snowmen. These snowmen had the snow balls to get the job done.
Oswalt had everything working for him and was never in trouble. He struck out six to more than make up for the single walk he gave up to Rowand in the 2nd.
The Astros got on the board first in the top of the 2nd. After Morgan Ensberg led off with a double into the left center field gap, Sox starter Mark Buehrle quickly fanned Jason Lane and Jeff Bagwell to nearly escape damage. Mike Lamb then carbon copied Ensberg’s double into the left center gap from the left side of the plate to give Houston a 1-0 lead. Adam Evertt then bounced out to short to end the inning.
The Astros tallied again in the top of the 4th. With Ensberg again on base, this time on first from a walk, and with two outs, Jeff Bagwell moved him to second when he was hit by a pitch. Mike Lamb then bounced a hopping grounder to Sox third sacker Joe Crede that should have easily been out number three. Crede, however, then inexplicably threw the ball down the right field line.
Ensberg easily scored standing up from 2nd, but Bagwell also tried to score from 1st and was retired on a sliding out at the plate. Score that one 5-
Craig Biggio looks helmet after 2-run double.
9-4-2 to retire the side. Houston’s lead had climbed to 2-0. The Astros doubled their lead in the 5th. After Adam Everett led off with a single to deep short, Brad Ausmus took first on another HBP by Buehrle. After Willie Taveras then successfully sacrificed the runners to 2nd and 3rd, Craig Biggio cracked a double down the left field line that scored both men. Biggio ran hard enough to lose his helmet on the turn at 1st, but the runs still counted.
Daylight for Roy. Astros 4 – White Sox 0.
The Astros would add one more tally in the 7th. After Everett again beat out an infield hit, this time to the right side, Ausmus sacrificed him to second. Taveras then fanned, but Biggio followed again with a virtual carbon copy of his previous double down the left field line to make it 5-0, the final score of a game helped considerably by Biggio’s two-double, three-rbi night.
Roy Oswalt (1-0) went the distance for the win. Mark Buehrle (0-1) went the distance for the loss. Buehrle pitched well too, striking 8 against 1 walk. He simply didn’t pitch well strategically – and he failed to get any help from the Chicago offense and defense.
Iguchi’s double in the 3rd represented the only time in the game that the Sox placed a runner in scoring position.
“Roy had it tonight,” said Phil Garner of the Astros. “When he’s on, we’ve got a chance against anybody.” “Baseball’s a funny game. Know what I mean?” asked Chicago’s Ozzie Guillen.”Tomorrow’s another day. We’ll see what happens tomorrow. Are you with me?”
The Series resumes with Game Two tomorrow, Sunday, October 23, 2005. Andy Pettitte takes the mound for the visiting Houston Astros. He will face Jose Contreras of the Chicago White Sox.
Tags: 2005 World Series Replay
The Pecan Park Eagle 
July 8, 2011 at 10:23 pm |
Unfortunately, Oswalt didn’t pitch. Roger Clemens did, and lasted only two innings, giving up three earned runs.
Besides, there’s no guarantee that Oswalt would have done any better.
July 8, 2011 at 11:20 pm |
Darrell:
I couldn’t agree more. In reality, things are what they are. Clemens pitched and was gone in two innings for ineffectiveness that most likely was tied to his leg cramping issues in cold weather.In reality, Oswalt could not have pitched the opener because he had just worked the extra final game against St. Louis that had been made necessary by the infamous Pujols HR in Houston. And true: There is no guarantee Roy O could have done any better.
The fun of simulation replays, for some of us, is not the reversal of reality. Simulations just give some of us a place to take and act out our “what might have beens.” If that’s not your thing, that’s certainly OK too.
To me, it’s important that a simulation plays out fairly with its own control over the integrity of outcomes – and that results are in line with the talent available. Like the transition we make in literature from non-fiction to fiction, it requires a temporary suspension of our attachment to black and white reality ,
If that’s not your thing, a simulation series will simply frustrate you because the little inner voice that screams “That’s not the way it happened!” takes over as the big red brakes on any possible fun.
So. Bottom line: Enjoy the ride of don’t take the trip.
July 8, 2011 at 11:34 pm |
Bill
Enjoyed your past article on Graham McNamee very much. His contributions and legacy to early radio, are very much part of my book “Radio Master – The Life and Times of Sports Broadcasting Great Ted Husing” (Langdon Street Press). Sounds like its right down your alley. I too believe McNamee belongs in baseball HOF. http://www.tedhusing.net