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Chicago Tribune – September 9, 2010

ARCH WARD

The Municipal League has evolved from the 1927 season to become as advertised “Minnesota’s Premier Baseball Simulation League”.   I had the opportunity to sit down with the Commissioner of the Municipal League and inquire what is on tap for the 2011 season.

Ward:  Commissioner, word is out that you will be completely changing the player database for the upcoming season.  Care to comment.

Commish:  Sure Mr. Ward.   As tradition, the winner of the Municipal League earns the right to select the player set for the upcoming season.   Jake Moosey, New York Knights, selected a set of all major league all-stars ever selected for the game.

Ward:  Quite a series and with a huge selection of players.  Its gotta be well over a thousand.

Commish:  You’re close, its 3007 batter and 1386 pitcher seasons that will be available.

Ward:  This is a big difference from your past three seasons.  Any insight to why?

Commish:  It’s the kids these days, with their twitter, ipads, ipods, download this, upload that, instant gratification.   The NY owner is part of that generation.

Ward:   Huh?

Commish:  Sorry about that Ward.  I guess kids were a little bit different from when you organized the first All-Star “Game of the Century” in ’33. 

Ward:  Dickey played in the first all-star game and then 10 more.  Are you saying that Dickey could catch for eleven different  MuniLeague Teams.

Commish:  No Dickey probably won’t play for any Municipal League Teams, but once a player is drafted, he will be chosen for a specific year.  Then the balance of his all-star seasons will be ineligible for play.  Using Bill Dickey as an example, Carlson’s Sluggers select 1936 Bill Dickey.  Bill Dickey then will no longer be able to be drafted.

Ward:  Understand that deal, but tell me how you think this will go, being 20 teams filled with the greatest seasons ever.  It’s kind of letting your kid eat peanut and crackerjacks all day long, every day.

Commish:  Arch, the kids don’t eat much crackerjacks these days, but I get your point.  There will be some manager strategy because players will be penalized by declining performance if they are over used,  plus and this is put in especially for the GSB BallClub – Injuries.   Injuries will be part of the 2011 season.

Ward:  How will all this talent be valued?

Commish:  There will be no values assigned to the players, but a straight snake style draft.  Also because the greatest player series maybe reused, the 2010 rosters will be frozen for future use.  However there will be no keeper holdover from 2010 to 2011, but will return if that all-time series is reused.

Ward:  Explain the difference between last season’s players and 2011 players.  Aren’t they the same?

Commish:  Many of the same players will participate, but there is a difference.  In 2010 play, each player was a composite of their best six seasons.  For 2011, each player stats and attributes are actual from each specific year.

Ward:  I heard that the annual league dues were five bucks each last season, so this league is only for Minnesota’s financial elite.  Will the due structure change for 2011?

Commish:  Ward I get that you only made a fin a week, but with two new retirees, the Irish and the Saint, we will retain our annual league fee at a fin.

Ward:  Good Luck to the Municipal League in 2011.  And Mr. Donna and the Stillwater Baseball Club is on the clock.

Commish:  Thanks Arch, your idea, and implementation of the game of the century in 1933 was pure genius.

Arch Ward (December 27, 1896 – July 9, 1955) was the sports editor for the Chicago Tribune and personal friend of the owner, Robert R. McCormick. He created the MLB All-Star Game, the All-America Football Conference (AAFC), the Golden Glovesamateur boxing tournament and the College All-Star Game. Ward was twice offered the job as commissioner of the National Football League. He later feuded with the owners of the league and started the AAFC. He was involved in conservative political causes and as well as the hierarchy of the Catholic Church. Ward was considered a dynamo with powerful contacts in American politics, church matters and journalism. In 1990, Thomas B. Littlewood wrote a biography of Arch titled "Arch: A Promoter Not a Poet- The Story of Arch Ward" (Iowa State University Press. Ames, Iowa. 1990)