The Wild Alternate World of Sports

Xen

Banned
Im starting off with Baseball, than I shall do how this effects what happens in Football, then Basketball, then Hockey, then NASCAR (maybe)


1948: The Philadelphia Phillies have just completed their sixteenth consecutive losing season, and their 29th in the 30 years. Attendance is down, and though their cross town rivals, the Philadelphia Athletics are struggling, they still draw much better than the Phillies. There is only one clear option, the team was sold to a group from Baltimore, and the Philadelphia Phillies moved south, taking on the name the Baltimore Orioles, and began playing in Municipal Stadium. The move was approved overwhelmingly by National League owners, eager to tap the Baltimore market (where the minor league Orioles drew large crowds).

1949: The move to Baltimore paid off for the franchise where the Orioles finished third in the National League with an 84-70.

1950: The Baltimore Orioles win the first pennant in franchise history, going on to defeat the New York Yankees in the World Series (Ironically the Yankees were once known as the Baltimore Orioles before moving to New York, half a century before). The team is called the Whiz Kids by the Baltimore media. It also was the first year, the Orioles played in Baltimore Memorial Stadium, where the team remained for over forty years.

1952: Hoping to duplicate the success the Orioles have had after their move from Philadelphia, the Boston Braves move westward to Milwaukee becoming the Milwaukee Braves.

1953: Like the Orioles, the Braves first season in their new city is a resounding success, squeaking past Baltimore to lead the National League in attendance.

1955: The American League is the first to become bi-coastal, when the St Louis Browns relocate to Los Angeles after Bill Veeck sold the franchise. The team became known as the Los Angeles Angels playing in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

1957: The National League expands to San Francisco (Seals) and Minnesota (Twins)

1958: The American League expands to Houston (Colt .45’s) and Kansas City (Blues); the Los Angeles Angels begin play at their new park, Angel Stadium at Chavez Ravine.

1959: Two major league franchises begin sniffing around to relocate, the rumor mill has the Brooklyn Dodgers looking to Buffalo and Indianapolis, and the Washington Senators talking to New Orleans and Louisville. Both situations are resolved by new stadiums deals, with D.C. Stadium scheduled to open in 1961 and Dodger Stadium scheduled to open in 1962. New York also approves construction of a new stadium in Flushing to host both the baseball Giants, and the football Giants, the Stadium was appropriately named Giants Stadium, and it was scheduled to open in 1964.

1960’s: It was a new era for Major League Baseball, teams began looking to increase their venue by relocating into new stadiums, and Major League Baseball would add four new franchises.

1962: Dodger stadium opens in Brooklyn, as does Candlestick Park in San Francisco, the two stadiums were dubbed the Twin Diamonds. The two parks were identical in nearly every way.

1965: The Houston Colt .45’s, change their name to the Astros, beginning play in the Astrodome. After years in Sportsman Park, the Cardinals played their final game defeating the Baltimore Orioles 3-2.

1966: Busch Stadium opens in St Louis, Mo; the Philadelphia Athletics threaten to move to Toronto, much to the outrage of the people of Philadelphia who lost the Phillies 18 years before. The move proposal is blocked by the American League; MLB promises the city of Toronto an expansion franchise.

1967: MLB adds four new teams, the American League expands to Toronto (Canucks) and Seattle (Rainers), and the National League expands to San Diego (Padres) and Dallas (Texans).

1968: Surprised and upset to be passed up by the expansion, Atlanta successfully lures the struggling Chicago White Sox to Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. The team becomes known as the Atlanta White Sox.

1970: Riverfront Stadium opens in Cincinnati as a home for the Reds; Three Rivers Stadium opens in Pittsburgh as a home for the Pirates.

1971: Veterans Stadium opens in Philadelphia, becoming the home of the Athletics.

1972: Brooklyn Dodgers all-star outfielder Roberto Clemente is killed in a plane crash en route to Puerto Rico.

1973: Kansas City Stadium opens as a home to the Blues. After failing to purchase the Cleveland Indians, George Steinbrenner purchases the Washington Senators from the Griffith family. It is the dawning of a new era for baseball in the nation’s capital; the team which had constantly been in last place became a winner by signing great players such as Reggie Jackson, Frank Robinson, and Pete Rose in the era of Free Agency.

1974: The Seattle Rainers move to Denver, Colorado, renamed the team Colorado Rockies; the team began play in Mile High Stadium

1981: The American League Expands, adding a new team to Seattle (Mariners) and Indianapolis (Arrows)

1982: A strike costs the game 79 days, with owners using replacement players to complete season. The San Francisco Seals win their first world series beating the Atlanta White Sox 4 games to 1. The strike ends in April, when the owners are poised to continue using replacement players. The 1983 season is shortened one month, and MLB now has a salary cap. The Metrodome opens in Minneapolis.

1983: The Potomac Series drew very poorly as the Baltimore Orioles defeated the Washington Senators in a seven game series. The Hoosier Dome opens in Indianapolis

1988: The National League expands to Miami (Marlins) and New Orleans (Pelicans)

1989: The Skydome opens in Toronto

1990: Pelican Stadium opens in New Orleans, receiving much fanfare, but soon falls out of favor when the retro-classical stadium look grips the 1990s.

1992: The first retro stadium Oriole Park at Camden Yards opens in Baltimore; it becomes the standard for future ball parks.

1994: The Dallas Texans move into the state of the art Ballpark in Arlington, and the Miami Marlins new retractable roof stadium opens in downtown Miami, the Cleveland Indians leave their old run down stadium for Jacobs Field. It would go down as being one of the most exciting seasons in recent memory with Los Angeles Angels leftfielder Tony Gwynn batting a .404, Cincinnati Reds slugger Dave Justice hit 63 homeruns, Red Sox ace Tom Glavine went 24-5 with a 1.97 era to win the AL Cy Young, and longtime Milwaukee Braves outfielder Dale Murphy got his 3000th hit on the final game of the season against the Miami Marlins, leading the Braves to the National League’s first Wild Card position. The World Series featured two loved teams struggling to win the ever elusive World Series, as the Chicago Cubs defeated the Boston Red Sox in seven games, with each game being decided by one run, and five running into extra innings.

1995: In a tough act to follow MLB had more surprises in 1995, the Rockies opened up Coors Field, Baltimore Orioles Third Baseman Cal Ripken, Jr. broke Lou Gehrig’s consecutive game streak in August against the St Louis Cardinals. The World Series featured the Philadelphia Athletics Sweeping the New York Giants.

1996: The National League expands for the final time locating a team in Phoenix (Arizona Diamondbacks) and Charlotte (Hornets). Both immediately began play in new stadiums with Bank One Ballpark opening in Phoenix, and the retro-classical BellSouth Stadium just outside of Charlotte.

1997: The White Sox move into Olympic Stadium in downtown Atlanta. Dale Murphy, the player-manager from the Milwaukee Braves retires from playing to free up roster space for a young short stop Derek Jeter.

1998: The final expansion in Major League Baseball, Tampa Bay (Hurricanes) and San Jose (Diablos). Ronald Reagan Stadium opens in Washington D.C. on the banks of the Anacostia River.

1999: Safeco Field opens in Seattle, the baseball world is stunned to learn Hall of Fame First baseman Pete Rose was busted for betting on baseball, he is suspended by Commissioner Bush. Fans debate whether or not Rose, who was managing the Philadelphia Athletics at the time, should remain in the Hall of Fame.

2000: The year of the new stadiums, Pacific Bell Park opens in San Francisco, Comerica Park open in Detroit, and Enron Field opens in Houston.

2001: The Milwaukee Braves get a new home in Miller Park and PNC Park in Pittsburgh

2002: After 40 years in Dodger Stadium, the Brooklyn team moves into the 38,000 seat, retro-classical New Ebbets Field, the stadium is built over the old field, which was torn down in 1963.

2003: Great American Ball Park opens in Cincinnati, and hosts the 2003 World Series Champion, the Cincinnati Reds.

2004: Two new stadiums open this year, Petco Park in San Diego and Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. The New York Yankees win their first world series since 1990 over the Pittsburgh Pirates.

2005: The New York Giants baseball team moves into their new stadium in Manhattan, NY. The stadium was named after the Giants owner Donald Trump. The Boston Red Sox win their first world series since World War I, triumphing over former cross-city rivals, the Milwaukee Braves.

2006: The St Louis Cardinals move into new Busch Stadium, it is sometimes called the Camden Yards of the mid-west.

Baseball’s future is bright, though the sport is highly unlikely to expand again anytime in the near future. Some fans have criticized the stadium boom as unnecessary, it however can’t be argued over the effect it has had at the team gates. As of opening day 2006, only the Minnesota Twins are scheduled for a new stadium, with construction taking place in St Paul with opening date set in 2008. With both the Giants and Dodgers getting new stadiums, the New York Yankees have moved temporarily to old Dodger Stadium in Brooklyn, while Yankee Stadium is being renovated.
 
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Football from 1959-Now

I will do one for Pro Football, starting in 1959:

1959: Lamar Hunt is able to buy enough of a stake in the Cardinals that he needs to move to Dallas. He renames them the Texans, and names Tom Landry as coach. Bert Bell, NFL Commissioner, dies in the stands during an Eagle game.

1960: Pete Rozelle is named commissioner of the NFL. The Dallas Texans are moved to the Western Conference, with the Colts replacing them in the East. The Eagles beat the Packers for the World Championship.

1964: Several cities have been petitioning the NFL for entry, but they have been excluded. As a result, there have been rumblings of potential owners from these cities getting together and forming a new league. Commissioner Rozelle, after getting wind of it, decides to meet with representatives of several different cities about expansion. Meanwhile, on the field, the Colts beat the Packers for the NFL title.

1965: After several meetings, Rozelle decides to award new expansion teams to Houston(Bud Adams) and St. Louis(Busch family) that will start play in 1967. The Oilers will play in the brand-new Astrodome, and the Gunners will play in new Busch Stadium. Here will be the new alignment for that year:

Eastern Conference: Browns, Colts, Giants, Redskins, Steelers, St. Louis Gunners, Eagles
Western Conference: Packers, Bears, Texans, Houston Oilers, 49ers, Rams, Lions

More expansion will be announced in the coming years. Rozelle says that four teams could be put in the league the next time. Denver, Seattle, Minnesota, Phoenix, New Orleans, Boston, and Miami are the prime candidates. On the field, the Packers beat the Colts for the World Title.

1967: The new re-alignment starts, and Rozelle announces more expansion plans. These four teams will start play in 1970. The cities that are awarded are Minneapolis(Vikings), Seattle(Kings), Miami(Dolphins), and Boston(Patriots). The Vikings will play in Met Stadium. Seattle will start out at Husky Stadium while plans are being made for a brand new stadium. Miami will play at the Orange Bowl, and the Patriots will start out at BC stadium while plans are being developed for a new stadium in the Boston area. Re-alignment will also take place, but that will be determined after the 69 season. Rozelle did say that the league will go to an American and National conference format.

On the field, the Packers, after beating Tom Landry's upstart Texans in a one-game playoff, beat the Colts for the league title. Vince Lombardi resigns as Packer coach after the game.

1970: With four new teams, this is how NFL 70 looks:

American Conference:

Eastern Division: Browns, Steelers, Dolphins, Colts
Western Division: Rams, 49ers, Gunners, Oilers, Kings

National Conference:

Eastern Division: Giants, Redskins, Eagles, Patriots
Western Division: Packers, Bears, Vikings, Lions, Texans

There will be four playoff teams in each conference: Two division champs, and the two non-division winners in each conference with the best records regardless of division. Also, it is the first year that the NFL Title game will rotate between different neutral sites, with this year's game in the Miami Orange Bowl.

With new teams and a new decade, stadiums are popping up everywhere. The Steelers move into brand-new Three Rivers Stadium, the Eagles will move into the Vet the next year, and Texans move into a new stadium in downtown Dallas. Also, Seattle and Boston announce plans to move into new stadiums within the next few years.

Also, Monday Night Football, Pete Rozelle's brainchild, begins it's first year on ABC.

On the field, the Colts beat the Texans for the World Championship in Miami.

1972: Carroll Rosenbloom, having ongoing problems with the City of Baltimore in trying to build a new stadium, wants to move to Tampa. However, Commissioner Rozelle and the other owners block this move. So, he decides to get someone to buy the Rams, and then swap franchises. A Mr. Robert Irsay agrees, and he becomes the Colt owner, while Rosenbloom takes over the Rams.

The Seattle Kings announce that they will move into a domed stadium off of Puget Sound in time for the 1975 season. And, the Pats will move into a 65,000 seat stadium outside Boston by 75 or 76.

1973: Pete Rozelle announces plans for more expansion to take place around 1976. The cities that are at the forefront are Denver, Memphis, Phoenix, Honolulu, Tampa, San Diego, and New Orleans. The two teams will be announced next year. On the field, the Steelers win their first championship for Art Rooney, beating the George Allen-led Redskins at the LA Coliseum.

1974: Rozelle announces the two expansion cities. They will be Denver(Broncos) and Tampa(Buccaneers). The Broncos will begin play in the NFC West, as the Texans will be moved to the East. The Bucs will begin play in the AFC East. The Broncos will begin play in Bears Stadium, a converted minor league ballpark that was remodeled to meet NFL standards. The Buccaneers will begin play at Tampa Stadium.

The Lions will move into a brand new dome in Pontiac starting next year.

On the field, the Steelers win their second championship in a row, beating Tom Landry and Roger Staubach's tough Texan team at the Orange Bowl.

1977: Pete Rozelle announces that two new expansion teams will be placed in LA and New York in time for the 1980 season. The LA team will play in Anaheim Stadium, and be called the Cougars. The New York-area team will play in a new stadium that will open up in the New Jersey Meadowlands in time for the 1981 season, and they will be called the Devils. In LA-related news, Ram owner Carroll Rosenbloom announced that he is looking into building a new stadium. Irwindale and Inglewood are potential sites, and there is talk of having the Rams and USC playing in the Rose Bowl and in Anaheim Stadium while the Coliseum is either destroyed for a new stadium or completely remodeled.

On the field, the Texans beat the Rams for the NFL Title at the Astrodome in Houston.

1979. Carroll Rosenbloom announces that the Rams will play in the Rose Bowl for a few years while a 70,000 seat stadium is built on the site of the Coliseum after they tear down the 56-year old stadium. USC will also play in the stadium. They will play their home games at Anaheim Stadium in the meantime. The stadium will be called Reeves Stadium, after the Ram owner who brought the team to California in 1946. It will host the 1984 NFL Championship Game.

A month after that announcement, Rosenbloom tragically passes away from an apparent drowning accident. Georgia, his wife, would inherit the team from Rosenbloom, and announced that plans for the new stadium will go on as scheduled.

On the field, the Steelers beat the Redskins for the World Championship at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.

1980: The Anaheim Cougars and the New Jersey Devils enter the NFL. This is how the divisions look:

American Conference

Eastern Division: Browns, Steelers, Dolphins, Colts, Buccaneers, Devils
Western Division: Rams, 49ers, Gunners, Oilers, Kings

National Conference

Eastern Division: Giants, Redskins, Eagles, Patriots, Texans
Western Division: Packers, Bears, Vikings, Lions, Broncos, Cougars

On the field, the Cinderella Browns, led by QB Brian Sipe and TE Ozzie Newsome, win the NFL title over the Terry Bradshaw-led Vikings, who lose their third NFL Title game in six years. Afterward, GM Joe Thomas, the architect of the expansion Vikings who was with them since their inception in 1970, resigns. Meanwhile, the Vikings announce plans to move into a domed stadium in 1982.

1984: Robert Irsay, the Colt owner, frustrated with the problems that he is having with the city of Baltimore in getting a new stadium, has his team seized by eminent domain after threatening to move it to Indianapolis or Phoenix. The team is sold to local investors, who work with the City of Baltimore on plans to build a stadium in Camden Yards that will open by the 1987 season. The Orioles will play in that stadium until their new one opens on the site of Memorial Stadium by the 1989 or 90 season.

On the field, the Broncos, who are rebuilt starting in 1981 by former Viking GM Joe Thomas at the behest of owner Edgar Kaiser, win their first NFL Title by beating the Don-Shula led Colts.

1987: Commissioner Pete Rozelle announces two more expansion teams that will begin play in 1990. One of them will be in Phoenix. They will be called the Firebirds, and will play in a brand new stadium on the Gila reservation that will open in 1991. Bart Starr will be the head coach. He has been part of a group that has been working for the past three years to get a team. The other team will go to San Diego, and will be called the Mariners. They will share the San Diego Stadium with the MLB Padres.

On the field, the Broncos win another Super Bowl, this time over the Rams and QB John Elway.

1990: Two new teams take the field, and the NFL decides to go to a three division format in each conference:

American Conference:

East: Dolphins, Colts, Buccaneers, Devils
Central: Browns, Steelers, Oilers, Gunners,
West: Rams, 49ers, Kings, FIREBIRDS

National Conference:

East: Giants, Redskins, Eagles, Patriots
Central: Vikings, Packers, Lions, Bears
West: Broncos, Texans, Cougars, MARINERS

On the field, Mike Ditka leads the Bears to a NFL Title win over Chuck Noll's rebuilt young Steeler team with Randall Cunningham at QB.

1994: Pete Rozelle decides to step down as commissioner at the end of the season after 35 years of great service. He oversaw several expansions, which grew the sport nationwide, as well as the wildly successful Monday Night Football package. He also finally agreed near the end of his term to allow players to move freely after their contracts expire, ushering in a new era of free agency. Paul Tagliabue will take Pete's place next year.

On the field, the Steelers win their second straight NFL Title, and Chuck Noll resigns as coach after winning six championships in a 25-year career with the team.

1999: Paul Tagliabue announces that further expansion will be looked at in the new millenium, with cities like New Orleans, Indianapolis, San Antonio, Charlotte, Portland, Kansas City, and San Jose being considered.

On the field, the Texans, led by coach Jimmy Johnson, win the NFL Title over the Bill Parcells-led Gunners, who make their first title game after the former Giant coach took over three years ago and turned them around.

2003: New expansion teams are announced that will begin play in the 2005 season. One will be put in San Jose, and will be called the Stingrays. The other team will be put in New Orleans, and will be called the Saints. The San Jose team will play in a brand-new stadium in downtown San Jose, and the Saints will play on the LSU campus until their stadium opens up in time for the 2007 season.

On the field, the Colts, led by QB Peyton Manning, win the NFL Title over the Broncos, who are led by coach Mike Shanahan and QB Jake Plummer.

The NFL 2010:

American Conference:

East: Dolphins, Colts, Buccaneers, Devils
Central: Browns, Steelers, Oilers, Gunners, Saints
West: Rams, 49ers, Kings, FIREBIRDS

National Conference:

East: Giants, Redskins, Eagles, Patriots
Central: Vikings, Packers, Lions, Bears
West: Broncos, Texans, Cougars, Mariners, Stingrays

The Future: Commissioner Paul Tagliabue is looking into more expansion of the 26-team league, but he also said that it might be several years off. Cities like Portland, Kansas City, San Antonio, Charlotte, Cincinnati, and Memphis will be considered. He also doesn't know how much longer he will be the commissioner, and that he may step down in the next few years.
 
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