With very few sports alternate histories dominating this forum, I thought it would be nice to present my first timeline at the start of the new baseball season.
Without further ado,
1965
Milwaukee auto salesman Bud Selig purchases the Braves from William Bartholomay who had considered moving the team to Atlanta. Selig is the savior of baseball in Milwaukee.
1967
AL owners give Charles Finley permission to move the Athletics from Kansas to Atlanta to start the 1968 season.
1969
Major League Baseball begins the season with two divisions for each league. The teams listed by division are as follows:
NL East: St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Cubs, Pittsburgh Pirates, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets, Montreal Expos
NL West: San Francisco Giants, Milwaukee Braves, Los Angeles Dodgers, Houston Astros, Cincinnati Reds, Kansas City Royals
AL East: New York Yankees, Cleveland Indians, Boston Red Sox, Baltimore Orioles, Washington Senators, Atlanta Athletics
AL West: Minnesota Twins, California Angels, Chicago White Sox, San Diego Padres, Detroit Tigers, Oakland Wolves
The Twins become the first team to clinch a division title on the second week of September. They finish 20 games ahead of the Angels. However, they lose the ALCS to the Orioles. But the Mets end the 1969 season with their first World Series championship.
1970
In February, the trustees/owners of the Seattle Pilots announce that they have sold the team to oilman Marvin Davis. He moves the team to Denver and renames them the Colorado Bears.
After a disappointing fifth place finish, Braves owner Bud Selig hires Dave Bristol as the club’s new manager.
1971
The Orioles defeat the Athletics in a one-game playoff to clinch the AL East. The Anaheim (formerly California) Angels clinch their first playoff appearance in a weak AL West. The Orioles will sweep the Angels to win the AL Pennant but lose to the Pirates in the World Series.
At the winter meetings, the owners vote against the sale of the Washington Senators and its move to Arlington, Texas. With its owner deep in debt, the remaining owners take over the team as trustees until a new owner can be found.
1972
The Atlanta A’s defeat the Chicago White Sox in the ALCS and the Cincinnati Reds in the World Series. Light hitting catcher Gene Tenace hits 4 home runs in the World Series and is named MVP.
In a swap of second basemen, the Baltimore Orioles trade Davey Johnson to the Atlanta A’s for Mike Andrews.
1973
Davey Johnson hits a career high 42 homers to lead the American League but his teammate Reggie Jackson wins the MVP award. The Athletics win the ALCS over the Detroit Tigers and its second straight World Series title.
The Washington Senators are sold to a new owner who moves the club to Seattle and renames them the Mariners. The Chicago White Sox move to the AL East.
The Chicago Cubs trade Ferguson Jenkins to the Bears for Bill Madlock.
1974
Bud Selig turns down a trade for Mets pitcher Buzz Capra. Instead, the Braves trade Earl Williams to Philadelphia for second baseman Don Money. In a trade with San Francisco, the Braves get pitcher Mike Caldwell for Darrell Chaney.
In a sellout crowd in Milwaukee, Hank Aaron surpasses Babe Ruth as the all-time home run leader. The unlucky pitcher is Al Downing of the Dodgers.
Buzz Capra ends up being the ace of the Mets pitching staff with a 17-6 record and the lowest earned run average in baseball.
Led by Hank Aaron, Darrell Evans, Ralph Garr, Dusty Baker, rookie shortstop Robin Yount, and a pitching staff led by Carl Morton, Mike Caldwell and Cy Young Award winner Phil Niekro, the Braves win the NL East over the Cincinnati Reds.
Ferguson Jenkins 24-12 record leads the Bears to its first postseason appearance. He and his teammate, AL MVP Jeff Burroughs lead Seattle to the AL West division after two straight years as a last place team in Washington, DC.
In the playoffs, it takes four games for the Milwaukee Braves to win the NL Pennant and appear in its first World Series in 15 years. The Atlanta Athletics are in the World Series for the third consecutive year after defeating the Bears in the ALCS.
It will be Atlanta vs. Milwaukee in the World Series.
The Braves win the World Series in 6 games. Darrell Evans 3 home runs in the Series earn him MVP honors.
Though he has not been as stingy as he might have been someplace like Oakland, Finley is aggravating both players and fans with his stinginess. He announces that despite Hunter’s great performances, he is still reluctant to pay an insurance annuity that is required in his contract. He also fires manager Dick Williams for failing to repeat as World Champions and releases Davey Johnson after he failed to replicate his 1973 career season in 1974.
Ted Turner offers to not only pay the annuity, but to buy the Athletics from Finley. He doesn’t want to see another big sell-off, though he wonders if he can pay all the big contracts that might be coming up eventually. On November 19, after quite a bit of public pressure - and some additional payments by some minority owners, Finley agrees to sell the Atlanta Athletics to Ted Turner.
After the Thanksgiving weekend, Catfish Hunter signs a contract extension with the Athletics. He will play there till he retires in 1980.
The Athletics hire Alvin Dark as the team’s new manager.
The Kansas City Royals trade backup outfielder Hal McRae to the Yankees for pitcher Larry Gura. McRae will develop into the top DH in the American League while Gura emergences as the ace of the Royals pitching staff.
1975
In September, the Athletics pull ahead of the Red Sox to stay in a great pennant race. Boston promises they’ll be back, though.
On the last day of the regular season, Catfish Hunter wins his 30th game against 5 losses in a playoff tune-up. He is the last 30-game winner in the major leagues to date, winning his 2nd Cy Young Award. He tosses the first 5 innings, and 3 other pitchers nail down the win.
In Milwaukee, Hank Aaron singles in his last at bat after announcing his retirement. Aaron hit only 16 homers this season and the Braves finished 15 games behind Cincinnati. He finishes his career with 747 home runs. With that total, however, he will still get rich once the Boeing 747 comes out, doing a series of popular ads for United Airlines.
The Cincinnati Reds, getting back for their 1972 loss, win game 7 of the World Series in Atlanta 4-3. They will win the World Series the next year, too, the first team to repeat as world champions since the 1961-62 Yankees.
1976
Turner is able to keep Hunter and Vida Blue, feeling that pitching was the most important part of baseball. However, Rollie Fingers, Bert Campaneris and Joe Rudi prefer playing on the west coast and Reggie Jackson signs with the Yankees. Sal Bando signs with the Milwaukee Braves where he will finish his career. His Athletics will go from 3rd and 88 wins to 4th and 75 wins, but 20 games behind the 3rd place New York Yankees.
1977
An expansion team debuts in the American League: the Toronto Blue Jays.
The Kansas City Royals win their first division title in the NL West by 5 games over the Dodgers. However with playoff experience from the previous year, the Phillies win their first NL Pennant since 1950.
Boston wins the division with a 98-64 record, one game ahead of Baltimore, withstanding what they term a “furious assault” the last few weeks by the Orioles, who are becoming known for their late season runs.
The Atlanta Athletics will bounce back to win 85 games in 1978, but wind up in 5th place, with the Yankees having signed Goose Gossage and a couple other free agents and won 102 games. The Yankees will win the World Series over the Dodgers.
In Game 4 of the American League playoffs, homers by Jeff Burroughs and Mike Hargrove and 12 strikeouts by Ferguson Jenkins give the Bears a 9-3 victory over Boston. The Bears will make their first trip to the World Series.
Mike Schmidt homers off Doyle Alexander in the 11th inning to win 7-6 in game 6 of the World Series to knot the Series at 3.
In game 7 of the 1977 World Series, Steve Carlton, 1-1 so far in the Series, out duels Ferguson Jenkins, the Game 3 winner, 4-3 to give the Phillies the Series win. “We finally make the Series,” laments Bears manager Billy Hunter, “and what happens? We run into a team that’s built like it’s supposed to play in our park.” We split in Philadelphia, whereas we usually have a great home field advantage here.
1978
After lackluster seasons in 1976 and 1977, the Milwaukee Braves hire George Bamberger as their new manager. In his first season as manager, the Braves finish the regular season at 92-70 and win their first division title in 4 years. Mike Caldwell’s 23 wins earn him the Cy Young Award while Paul Molitor is voted the National League Rookie of the Year. Bamberger is voted National League Manager of the Year.
The Atlanta Athletics select Bob Horner with its first pick of the 1978 amateur draft. Without playing a day in the minor leagues, Horner makes his major league debut on June 16 and hits a home run off Randy Jones of the Padres. His 25 home runs earn AL Rookie of the Year honors.
Colorado wins the America League West by 1 game over the Angels and 2 games over the surprising San Diego Padres. They will lose to the Yankees in the ALCS though. The Yankees will go on to win the World Series.
1979
The Montreal Expos are in a pennant race for the first time in its 10 year history but fade down the stretch as the Pirates pull it out and go on to win the World Series.
After several years in Anaheim, Nolan Ryan signs a 10 year contract with the Houston Astros.
Up next: The 1980's
Without further ado,
1965
Milwaukee auto salesman Bud Selig purchases the Braves from William Bartholomay who had considered moving the team to Atlanta. Selig is the savior of baseball in Milwaukee.
1967
AL owners give Charles Finley permission to move the Athletics from Kansas to Atlanta to start the 1968 season.
1969
Major League Baseball begins the season with two divisions for each league. The teams listed by division are as follows:
NL East: St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Cubs, Pittsburgh Pirates, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets, Montreal Expos
NL West: San Francisco Giants, Milwaukee Braves, Los Angeles Dodgers, Houston Astros, Cincinnati Reds, Kansas City Royals
AL East: New York Yankees, Cleveland Indians, Boston Red Sox, Baltimore Orioles, Washington Senators, Atlanta Athletics
AL West: Minnesota Twins, California Angels, Chicago White Sox, San Diego Padres, Detroit Tigers, Oakland Wolves
The Twins become the first team to clinch a division title on the second week of September. They finish 20 games ahead of the Angels. However, they lose the ALCS to the Orioles. But the Mets end the 1969 season with their first World Series championship.
1970
In February, the trustees/owners of the Seattle Pilots announce that they have sold the team to oilman Marvin Davis. He moves the team to Denver and renames them the Colorado Bears.
After a disappointing fifth place finish, Braves owner Bud Selig hires Dave Bristol as the club’s new manager.
1971
The Orioles defeat the Athletics in a one-game playoff to clinch the AL East. The Anaheim (formerly California) Angels clinch their first playoff appearance in a weak AL West. The Orioles will sweep the Angels to win the AL Pennant but lose to the Pirates in the World Series.
At the winter meetings, the owners vote against the sale of the Washington Senators and its move to Arlington, Texas. With its owner deep in debt, the remaining owners take over the team as trustees until a new owner can be found.
1972
The Atlanta A’s defeat the Chicago White Sox in the ALCS and the Cincinnati Reds in the World Series. Light hitting catcher Gene Tenace hits 4 home runs in the World Series and is named MVP.
In a swap of second basemen, the Baltimore Orioles trade Davey Johnson to the Atlanta A’s for Mike Andrews.
1973
Davey Johnson hits a career high 42 homers to lead the American League but his teammate Reggie Jackson wins the MVP award. The Athletics win the ALCS over the Detroit Tigers and its second straight World Series title.
The Washington Senators are sold to a new owner who moves the club to Seattle and renames them the Mariners. The Chicago White Sox move to the AL East.
The Chicago Cubs trade Ferguson Jenkins to the Bears for Bill Madlock.
1974
Bud Selig turns down a trade for Mets pitcher Buzz Capra. Instead, the Braves trade Earl Williams to Philadelphia for second baseman Don Money. In a trade with San Francisco, the Braves get pitcher Mike Caldwell for Darrell Chaney.
In a sellout crowd in Milwaukee, Hank Aaron surpasses Babe Ruth as the all-time home run leader. The unlucky pitcher is Al Downing of the Dodgers.
Buzz Capra ends up being the ace of the Mets pitching staff with a 17-6 record and the lowest earned run average in baseball.
Led by Hank Aaron, Darrell Evans, Ralph Garr, Dusty Baker, rookie shortstop Robin Yount, and a pitching staff led by Carl Morton, Mike Caldwell and Cy Young Award winner Phil Niekro, the Braves win the NL East over the Cincinnati Reds.
Ferguson Jenkins 24-12 record leads the Bears to its first postseason appearance. He and his teammate, AL MVP Jeff Burroughs lead Seattle to the AL West division after two straight years as a last place team in Washington, DC.
In the playoffs, it takes four games for the Milwaukee Braves to win the NL Pennant and appear in its first World Series in 15 years. The Atlanta Athletics are in the World Series for the third consecutive year after defeating the Bears in the ALCS.
It will be Atlanta vs. Milwaukee in the World Series.
The Braves win the World Series in 6 games. Darrell Evans 3 home runs in the Series earn him MVP honors.
Though he has not been as stingy as he might have been someplace like Oakland, Finley is aggravating both players and fans with his stinginess. He announces that despite Hunter’s great performances, he is still reluctant to pay an insurance annuity that is required in his contract. He also fires manager Dick Williams for failing to repeat as World Champions and releases Davey Johnson after he failed to replicate his 1973 career season in 1974.
Ted Turner offers to not only pay the annuity, but to buy the Athletics from Finley. He doesn’t want to see another big sell-off, though he wonders if he can pay all the big contracts that might be coming up eventually. On November 19, after quite a bit of public pressure - and some additional payments by some minority owners, Finley agrees to sell the Atlanta Athletics to Ted Turner.
After the Thanksgiving weekend, Catfish Hunter signs a contract extension with the Athletics. He will play there till he retires in 1980.
The Athletics hire Alvin Dark as the team’s new manager.
The Kansas City Royals trade backup outfielder Hal McRae to the Yankees for pitcher Larry Gura. McRae will develop into the top DH in the American League while Gura emergences as the ace of the Royals pitching staff.
1975
In September, the Athletics pull ahead of the Red Sox to stay in a great pennant race. Boston promises they’ll be back, though.
On the last day of the regular season, Catfish Hunter wins his 30th game against 5 losses in a playoff tune-up. He is the last 30-game winner in the major leagues to date, winning his 2nd Cy Young Award. He tosses the first 5 innings, and 3 other pitchers nail down the win.
In Milwaukee, Hank Aaron singles in his last at bat after announcing his retirement. Aaron hit only 16 homers this season and the Braves finished 15 games behind Cincinnati. He finishes his career with 747 home runs. With that total, however, he will still get rich once the Boeing 747 comes out, doing a series of popular ads for United Airlines.
The Cincinnati Reds, getting back for their 1972 loss, win game 7 of the World Series in Atlanta 4-3. They will win the World Series the next year, too, the first team to repeat as world champions since the 1961-62 Yankees.
1976
Turner is able to keep Hunter and Vida Blue, feeling that pitching was the most important part of baseball. However, Rollie Fingers, Bert Campaneris and Joe Rudi prefer playing on the west coast and Reggie Jackson signs with the Yankees. Sal Bando signs with the Milwaukee Braves where he will finish his career. His Athletics will go from 3rd and 88 wins to 4th and 75 wins, but 20 games behind the 3rd place New York Yankees.
1977
An expansion team debuts in the American League: the Toronto Blue Jays.
The Kansas City Royals win their first division title in the NL West by 5 games over the Dodgers. However with playoff experience from the previous year, the Phillies win their first NL Pennant since 1950.
Boston wins the division with a 98-64 record, one game ahead of Baltimore, withstanding what they term a “furious assault” the last few weeks by the Orioles, who are becoming known for their late season runs.
The Atlanta Athletics will bounce back to win 85 games in 1978, but wind up in 5th place, with the Yankees having signed Goose Gossage and a couple other free agents and won 102 games. The Yankees will win the World Series over the Dodgers.
In Game 4 of the American League playoffs, homers by Jeff Burroughs and Mike Hargrove and 12 strikeouts by Ferguson Jenkins give the Bears a 9-3 victory over Boston. The Bears will make their first trip to the World Series.
Mike Schmidt homers off Doyle Alexander in the 11th inning to win 7-6 in game 6 of the World Series to knot the Series at 3.
In game 7 of the 1977 World Series, Steve Carlton, 1-1 so far in the Series, out duels Ferguson Jenkins, the Game 3 winner, 4-3 to give the Phillies the Series win. “We finally make the Series,” laments Bears manager Billy Hunter, “and what happens? We run into a team that’s built like it’s supposed to play in our park.” We split in Philadelphia, whereas we usually have a great home field advantage here.
1978
After lackluster seasons in 1976 and 1977, the Milwaukee Braves hire George Bamberger as their new manager. In his first season as manager, the Braves finish the regular season at 92-70 and win their first division title in 4 years. Mike Caldwell’s 23 wins earn him the Cy Young Award while Paul Molitor is voted the National League Rookie of the Year. Bamberger is voted National League Manager of the Year.
The Atlanta Athletics select Bob Horner with its first pick of the 1978 amateur draft. Without playing a day in the minor leagues, Horner makes his major league debut on June 16 and hits a home run off Randy Jones of the Padres. His 25 home runs earn AL Rookie of the Year honors.
Colorado wins the America League West by 1 game over the Angels and 2 games over the surprising San Diego Padres. They will lose to the Yankees in the ALCS though. The Yankees will go on to win the World Series.
1979
The Montreal Expos are in a pennant race for the first time in its 10 year history but fade down the stretch as the Pirates pull it out and go on to win the World Series.
After several years in Anaheim, Nolan Ryan signs a 10 year contract with the Houston Astros.
Up next: The 1980's