WGOM Draft

2020 WGOM Draft: Expansion – Stadium and Manager

9 Comments

I will admit, when this project started, I sat it out because I didn't figure I'd be interested. But, I was wrong in a big way. So, to get involved, I'm going to be running an expansion draft. Pretty much anyone not already claimed is fair game, and I'll be following the other rules set forth throughout the original draft.

To get started, I'm going to put forth my stadium and manager first, then I'll announce my starting fielders, my bench players, then my pitchers - I'm envisioning four posts in all.

I'm starting with stadium and manager because they're easiest, if I'm being honest. I just want to get something out there to get started.

My Stadium

I grew up in Indianapolis, visiting Bush Stadium since as long as I can remember. It's said its ivy walls were the inspiration for those at Wrigley. Above the main turnstiles, there were big murals of old Indians players who went on to the majors. It hosted not only the Indians, but the city's Negro Leagues teams as well. Looking back, the teepee in CF was way out-of-bounds, so that's out now that I'm in charge.


Mural pictures from Great American Baseball Trips

My Manager

Career highlights

  • 3 WS Apperances, 1 WS Title
  • One of 7 managers with AL and NL pennant
  • 3x manager of the year award winner
  • 17th all-time in wins as manager
  • World Baseball Classic title
  • Could rock a pillbox hat

9 thoughts on “2020 WGOM Draft: Expansion – Stadium and Manager”

  2. Whaaaaaat is going on with the hat? Is that a 100% mesh upper?! Wowza. Somebody got paid actual money to make that happen.

    1. I wonder if the height of that hat was some sort of joke for the card. If you google Pirates Pillbox hat, they are much lower than that.

      1. These two are from Getty Images

        The first one says:

        Manager Jim Leyland #10 of the Pittsburgh Pirates looks on from the dugout during an Major League Baseball game circa 1986.

        It looks to be the tall, mesh hat.

        This second one looks to be shorter, and not mesh.

        Manager Jim Leyland #10 of the Pittsburgh Pirates smiles for the camera before an Major League Baseball game against the New York Mets circa 1986 at Shea Stadium in the Queens borough of New York City

          1. Looks like the same or very similar jersey to the card, but with a different white-balance.

  3. Great choice! So many fond memories of that place--the murals, feeling like the king of the world with my knothole club pass, San Diego Chicken, great baseball teams (Expos affiliate in the late 80s), posts blocking the view, dot-matrix display blowing my mind with its graphics, hopping a curb in our Ford Bronco to beat the traffic, etc.

    1. We used to get our Knothole Club memberships through the public library summer reading program. I remember that was the highest tier reward and I'd plow through books just to get to that level so I could get my tshirt and pass.

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