Anyone that post's here remember the 1967 AL Pennant Chase? With a week to go there were 4 teams tied I think for the pennant. One being the White Sox.

The 69 Cubs get all the attention for blowing the season that year, but weren't the WhiteSox up like 5 games in mid September of that year? I dont know why this Wsox team and year doesn't get any attention from the baseball historians.

So - how was it that year for those of you who were around? With a week to go, did you think the WSox had a realistic shot at the pennant? From what I read, they had the best pitching and best defense in the AL that year. But they offense was lacking.

I don't remember it but that's considered the greatest pennant race in history. The worst thing is the Sox lost key games to shitty KC and the Senators.

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Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Elon, Tulsi, and Don

welp, with the "pennant race" back then being analogous to the "playoff races" nowadays (since i dont think we had the ALCS and NCLS until... what, the early-mid 70s?) is it fair to joke that a few years ago when the AL East + wild card came down to ~3 teams via games 162+163 of the season is now the de-facto GOAT playoff race?

i know Allan H. "Bud" [Corporate] Shithead was told that his Broadcast Partners were so enamored with the ratings of those Game 163/s that he was ordered to change up the playoff structure in such a way that every year now has a couple'a mandatory game 163s (the 2 "wild card games") and since we live in a culture where skip bayless and the prisoners of the moment = rocking the free world more often than not, yeah, i'm just trying to find out if others have caught the vibe i did where that ~2013 or 2014 game-163 laden AL East showdown is now the de-facto GOAT for playoff races. SHOMER SHABBOS! *pounds table*

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The divisional playoff system was implemented in 1969. So in 1967, if you were untied 1st place at the end of the year, you won the league and were in the World Series.

I agree that the extra 163 or 164 games we have now sort of dilute the history of the extra games of the past. Those extra games in the past were special and memorable because they happened so infrequently. Being tied at the end of the season having 1 game playoff to get into the World Series was special.

Since we're on the subject, how were the game 163 or series determined? I remember way way back when they use to only do a 1 game playoff. But I also recall that back in the 50s and 60s, they use to do best of 3. I think in 51 Bobby Thompson Shot heard around the world was game 3 of a best of 3. I also remember one year the Braves and Dodgers tied and also had a best of 3. I think that was the year the WS was in the series , 1959.

My first heartbreak was in 77. Both the Cubs and Sox were producing so well in July that the Tribune had a Subway Series iron on in a Sunday paper. I think it was the first time I bought a Trib. I remember putting it on my best Sears brand undershirt.

It started peeling off in the wash before both teams faded

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There are only two examples of infinity: The universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the universe.

Sini : you're reply got me thinking now about when they added the divisional playoff system.

When the divisional playoff system was approved, all the baseball traditionalists were up in arm. Even a lot of the fans. They said it was going to ruin baseball. Sort of like when the wild card team was implemented back in the 90s. But I tend to agree w/ the traditionalists. In baseball you play 162 games. After 162 games if you win your league/division, you've earned it. There is no question. First place should be awarded, not 2nd or 3rd place.

It was a bit ironic a few years ago when the incoming current commish was talking about going back to the old 2 league's system. No more divisions. But the top 4 teams from each league would make the postseason. Have not heard talk about it since though.

The more things change....

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I remember that year. The cubs finished .500 I think. I think that was their only .500 season in a 9 or 10 year span until the 84 season. I really didn't follow the Sox that year but remembered their cool looking uniforms.

I'd like to see the Central Divisions abolished and first and second in each division play in the LDS, then West versus East in the LCS. Similar, but I think a little better. The only problem is NL alignment is such that you can't go 8 and 8 without kicking two teams to the West that don't want to be in it: Cincinnati and Atlanta like the old days, Chicago and St. Louis as was originally planned, or Miami and Washington (my idea, because with those expansion teams kicked to the NL West, the NL East is the charter National League minus Brooklyn plus Atlanta).

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Do this:

NL West: Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Arizona, Colorado, Houston, Miami, Washington
NL East: New York, Chicago, St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Cincinnati, Milwaukee, Atlanta
AL West: Los Angeles, Oakland, Seattle, Kansas City, Minnesota, Chicago, Texas, expansion to San Antonio or VEGAS IF JERRY DOESN'T SOX MOVE FIRST???
AL East: New York, Boston, Baltimore, Tampa Bay, Toronto, Detroit, Cleveland, expansion to Durham or Montreal

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Washington in the NL West??

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"When people want their version of the truth, they go find it, no matter how baseless their beliefs." -- Ken Rosenthal

1967

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

Best guy to win the Triple Crown in 1967...Yaz.

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Good people drink good beer - Hunter S. Thompson

<º)))><

Waiting for the time when I can finally say
That this has all been wonderful, but now I'm on my way

I said, someone has to go west who shouldn't be west. I chose to make the NL West be the cities that weren't in the National League before the '50s.

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I realize there is a lot of tradition to the two leagues and that they are separate entities, but it's pretty clear that the modern fan doesn't view it that way. He simply sees the major leagueS as "Baseball".

That being the case, if there were ever to be a radical reorganization, I would suggest abandoning the traditional leagues and placing the natural geographical rivals into the same divisions.

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Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Elon, Tulsi, and Don

Leo's Cubs moved up to a respectable 3rd place that year but the ChiSox were in a close race. It was all about the pitching back then. The Sox had Peters,Horlen & John in those days but I'm just going by memory.

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favrefan said:"Chris Coghlan isn't gonna pay your rent, Jimmy."

I don't think I would ever want that. I don't even like the Astros in the American League. (Milwaukee in the National League is fine.)

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40 teams. 2 leagues.

Astros back to NL. KC to ALW, Toronto to ALC, Montreal added to ALE. Vancouver added to NLW, Denver to NLC, Pittsburgh to NLE.

The two new divisions are:

NL Caribbean
Mexico City
Miami
Havana
Houston
San Juan

AL (Far) East
Nagoya
Tokyo
Busan
Seoul
Taipei

4 division winners. 7 game series. NO WILD CARD.

I agree the traditional sense of the 2 leagues being different entities is pretty much dead. AL and NL are now like the Eastern and Western Conferences in the NBA.

I think a complete restructure would work for the better. The Cubs and Sox should be in the same division/league. And maybe when you do a playoffs system, you rank the teams based on records. So even if say the Cubs and Sox are in the same league, they can still meet as the final 2 teams in the World Series.

If they are adding 2 expansion teams, let's say Charlotte and uhm.. Mexico City(!) something will have to be done.
I don't much care about other parts of the country, but I haven't figured out how to keep the Cardinals and Cubs in the same division, while also allowing their territorial rivals White Sox and Royals in the same division. Something had to give. I've also decided to move the Rays out of their shitty situation in St Pete to Las Vegas

Mid-America Division
Cubs
White Sox
Cardinals
Royals

Cactus Division
Astros
Rangers
Diamondbacks
Mexico City (expansion)

San Andreas Division
A's
Giants
Dodgers
Angels

Pacific Division
Padres
Mariners
Las Vegas Rays
Portland (expansion)

Northlands Division
Twins
Brewers
Rockies
Tigers

Empire Division
Yankees
Red Sox
Mets
Blue Jays

Atlantic Division
Orioles
Natinals
Pirates
Phillies

Redneck Division
Braves
Reds
Indians
Marlins

This keeps all of the territorial rivalries intact... and makes some geographic sense.

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1926-1931-1934-1942-1944-1946-1964-1967-1982-2006-2011

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"This is Chicago, my friend. Anything can happen."

Hoyt Wilhem? Wow didnt know he was part of the WSox.

Bad idea. The genius of the wild card is that it allows the teams with the best records to compete for the extra playoff spots. Doesn't matter what division a team is in. Otherwise a team like the 2015 Cubs, who had the 3rd best record in the league, would miss the playoffs despite winning 97 games. It does feel as though there are too many teams qualifying for the postseason. But that is a real factor in maintaining interest in cities where several teams are vying for spots in the final weeks of the season. Overall, I think it's working just fine. Besides, do you really want the White Sox finishing in 7th or 8th place?

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Go Cubs!!!!

[quote="Godfella"][/quote

A tear to me eye I'll tell you about that 1967 team ...they couldn't hit a bull in the ass! Look at that front row good ol No Neck Williams They hit .225
as a team carried by their pitching and defense.They acquired washed up Ken Boyer.Jim King and Rocky Colavito with nothing left.That sort of fucked the team up. The 2 highest batting averages were Ken Berry and Buford .241.They had to split a Twi-night Twin Bill and gagged em both to the Kansas City A's.The GM was a prick by the name of Eddie Short he fucked them up and it took about a decade to recover

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I'm going to bounce from the spot for awhile but I will be back at some point to argue with you about this hoops stuff again. Playoffs have been great this season. See ya up the road.

I'm out.

So the GM short changed the Sox huh?

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I'm going to bounce from the spot for awhile but I will be back at some point to argue with you about this hoops stuff again. Playoffs have been great this season. See ya up the road.

I'm out.

I am way more funny than you are pretty.

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beside what I did to Bagels fridge....the girls critiqued my looks?

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I'm going to bounce from the spot for awhile but I will be back at some point to argue with you about this hoops stuff again. Playoffs have been great this season. See ya up the road.

I'm out.