1955 BASEBALL SEASON DUE IN 2001
The 1955 baseball season -- the Brooklyn Dodgers' only World Series winners -- will be Strat-O-Matic's featured past-season in January 2001, SOM's Steve Barkan announced this week.
Barkan reminded that the 1966 season is on track for release in January 2000. And 1955 has already been selected for the following January, based in large part on results from a poll conducted on SOM's website.
Barkan said he was unsure of a schedule beyond January 2001.
"It could be 1963 after that, but that is not set," he said.
1955 HIGHLIGHTS
The season should be attractive to gamers for many reasons:
· Brooklyn's only world title.
· Willie Mays' huge, 51-homer season (.319-51-127, with .659 slugging, 13 triples and 24 SB).
· Six 40 homer men in the National League.
· 20-year-old Al Kaline tied Ty Cobb as the youngest batting champion.
Brooklyn won its first 10 and 22 of its first 24, then cruised to a pennant, by 13 games. The Dodgers' 201 homers were far better than any other team in the majors.
C Roy Campanella (.318-32-107) won his third NL MVP in five years. CF Duke Snider (.309-42-136), 1B Gil Hodges (.289-27-102) and RF Carl Furillo (.314-26-95) led a powerful offense, while SP Don Newcombe (20-5, 3.20) and RP Clem Labine (13-5, 3.24) were the best of the pitchers.
Other NL sluggers included Mays, Milwaukee's Ed Mathews (.289-41-101) and Hank Aaron (.314-27-106), Cincinnati's Ted Kluzewski (.314-47-113) Wally Post (.309-40-109) and Gus Bell (.308-27-104), Chicago's Ernie Banks (.295-44-117) and St. Louis' Stan Musial (.319-33-108). Philly's Richie Ashburn led the NL in batting (.338) and also drew 105 walks.
Other top NL pitchers were Philly's Robin Roberts (23-14, 3.28), ERA leader Bob Friend of Pittsburgh (14-9, 2.83), Cinci's Joe Nuxhall (17-12, 3.47) and Milwaukee's Warren Spahn (17-14, 3.26).
The AL had a fine pennant race, as the Yankees (96-58) were just 3 games better than Cleveland and 5 better than Chicago.
The Yankees had CF Mickey Mantle (.306-37-99), who led the AL in homers, and C Yogi Berra (.272-27-108), who won his second MVP award in a row. On the mound, Whitey Ford (18-7, 2.63) led the league in wins, with Bob Turley (17-13, 3.06, 210 Ks) and Tommy Byrne (16-5, 3.15) close behind. Don Larsen (9-2, 3.06), acquired in an 18-player trade with Baltimore, also helped.
Cleveland rookie LHP Herb Score (16-10, 2.85) led the majors by far with 245 strikeouts (in 227 IP), while Bob Lemon (18-10, 3.88) tied Ford for most AL victories and Early Wynn (17-11, 2.82) gave the Tribe a big-three rotation and Ray Narleski led the AL with 19 saves.
Chicago had a pair of 15-game winners in Billy Pierce (ML-best 1.97 ERA) and Dick Donovan, while leading the AL in batting and stolen bases.
Fourth-place Boston had slugging OFs Ted Williams (.356-28-83 in 320 ABs) and Jackie Jensen (.275-26-116) and SP Frank Sullivan (18-13, 2.91).
Fifth-place Detroit had Kaline (.340-27-102), RBI-leader Ray Boone (.284-20-116), SS Harvey Kuenn (.306 with ML-best 38 doubles) and LHP Billy Hoeft (16-7, 2.99).
KC's Gus Zernial (30 HR) and Vic Power (.319-19-76) and Washington's Roy Sievers (.271-25-106) also had productive seasons.