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We have tested the new homemade game through 32 games each for 1972 Pittsburgh and 1964 Chicago White Sox. With chart modification to where it can all be put on a two-sided piece of card-stock, the time it takes to play a game is between 40 minutes and an hour. The thing that makes this game feel more exciting than others that I have played is that you can see exactly how the fielder's range and arm affects the play more in this one. Don Buford is a much better offensive player in 1964 than Al Weis, but when you put Weis at second base, he saves hits and runs with his range and arm. Ron Hansen and Weis make a much better double play duo than Hansen and Buford.
Ballpark effects are also quite noticeable. Foul ball outs at old Comiskey Park become non-outs at Fenway Park. Pop fouls behind home plate at Old Yankee Stadium stay in play a lot more than they do at Tiger Stadium. But, down the line, foul balls find the seats more at Yankee Stadium.
Of course, there are differences in the fair territory as well. When a pop fly is hit into short left field at Griffith Stadium, it has a much higher chance of falling in for a hit or even a chance for a double for faster players than it does at Fenway Park, where it almost has to be dropped to fall in for a hit. If you hit it over the center fielders head or in the gaps at the Polo Grounds, it could be an inside the park homer or at least a triple. The same ball hit at Braves Field might just be a long single for a slow runner.
I have played a series of the 1964 White Sox versus the 1954 Indians, but using League Park instead of Cleveland Stadium. Twice, there were short drives to right field that would have been caught for easy outs at most other parks that not only became hits but became triples because they hit the beam and caromed all the way from right field to the short left field foul line. Jim Landis had the option of stretching a double to a triple with his run rating the first time, and he beat the throw to third. The other time, it was a straight triple off the right field beam by Pete Ward.
The 1964 White Sox are 17-15 in the AL. This is good for a three-way tie for fourth place. The 1969 Orioles lead at 21-11, with the 1957 Yankees in second at 18-14. The three-way tie is between the Chisox, the 1954 Indians, and the 1968 Tigers.
HP is playing the 1972 Pirates, and they are 21-11 in the NL, one game behind 1970 Cincinnati.
The 1964 White Sox slash line through 32 games is 244/319/386, while the team ERA is 2.96 and opposing batting average is .228. Joe Horlen has pitched 2 shutouts, and Gary Peter's pitched a 2-hit shutout against the 1972 Athletics and only won 1-0. There was also a 4-3 loss to the 1969 Twins that went 19 innings and finished with JC Martin pitching for the White Sox.
I think it is a marketable game if the exact format can be programmed into a computer program, but neither of us have any experience with programming, and we are close to fixed income now, and couldn't afford paying somebody else to do this. So, I guess for now it just stays a fun hobby.
Ballpark effects are also quite noticeable. Foul ball outs at old Comiskey Park become non-outs at Fenway Park. Pop fouls behind home plate at Old Yankee Stadium stay in play a lot more than they do at Tiger Stadium. But, down the line, foul balls find the seats more at Yankee Stadium.
Of course, there are differences in the fair territory as well. When a pop fly is hit into short left field at Griffith Stadium, it has a much higher chance of falling in for a hit or even a chance for a double for faster players than it does at Fenway Park, where it almost has to be dropped to fall in for a hit. If you hit it over the center fielders head or in the gaps at the Polo Grounds, it could be an inside the park homer or at least a triple. The same ball hit at Braves Field might just be a long single for a slow runner.
I have played a series of the 1964 White Sox versus the 1954 Indians, but using League Park instead of Cleveland Stadium. Twice, there were short drives to right field that would have been caught for easy outs at most other parks that not only became hits but became triples because they hit the beam and caromed all the way from right field to the short left field foul line. Jim Landis had the option of stretching a double to a triple with his run rating the first time, and he beat the throw to third. The other time, it was a straight triple off the right field beam by Pete Ward.
The 1964 White Sox are 17-15 in the AL. This is good for a three-way tie for fourth place. The 1969 Orioles lead at 21-11, with the 1957 Yankees in second at 18-14. The three-way tie is between the Chisox, the 1954 Indians, and the 1968 Tigers.
HP is playing the 1972 Pirates, and they are 21-11 in the NL, one game behind 1970 Cincinnati.
The 1964 White Sox slash line through 32 games is 244/319/386, while the team ERA is 2.96 and opposing batting average is .228. Joe Horlen has pitched 2 shutouts, and Gary Peter's pitched a 2-hit shutout against the 1972 Athletics and only won 1-0. There was also a 4-3 loss to the 1969 Twins that went 19 innings and finished with JC Martin pitching for the White Sox.
I think it is a marketable game if the exact format can be programmed into a computer program, but neither of us have any experience with programming, and we are close to fixed income now, and couldn't afford paying somebody else to do this. So, I guess for now it just stays a fun hobby.
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