Life Is Just a Fantasy
Summer breeze makes you feel alright
Neon lights shining brightly make your brain ignite
I think probably Aldo Nova was talking about something else, but this tune was big in the early ’80s, so we’ll go with it.
The other day I mentioned my first Rotisserie League team from 1984. Fantasy baseball has become a huge industry over the years, but back then it was — well, let’s just say that my job as commissioner mostly involved picking up a USA Today on Tuesdays and adding up stats by hand, recording them on pieces of paper that I kept in a big binder.
Anyway, I was trying to remember who I had on my ‘84 team. I can reassemble some if in my mind, but huge chunks are missing (i.e., the pitching staff). Here’s what I recall:
- SP: Jim Beattie, Ken Schrom, Milt Wilcox, a bunch of guys who really stunk. The fact that I don’t include Beattie, Schrom, and Wilcox in that latter group tells you all you need to know.
- RP: Rollie Fingers, Jerry Don Gleaton, Ray Searage. I know why I remember Searage — he was a stud that year, but Gleaton?
- C: Lance Parrish, Tim Laudner.
- 1B: No clue. Maybe Darrell Evans?
- 2B: Pretty sure it was Damaso Garcia.
- 3B: Gary Gaetti. This is the year he hit five home runs.
- SS: Alan Trammell.
- OF: Kirk Gibson, Otis Nixon, Kevin Rhomberg, and I forget the rest. Actually, I picked up Joe Carter when he came over in the deal for Rick Sutcliffe. Then I dropped Carter to snag Brian Dayett.
- minors: Steve Farr, Joel Skinner, Steve Lubratich, Dwight Taylor.
Kind of some fun names on there. Beattie went on to become GM of the Montreal Expos, Fingers was inducted into the Hall of Fame, Trammell and Skinner served as managers for a while, and Rhomberg was one of the most superstitious players baseball has seen.
Thanks for indulging my little stroll down memory lane. What about you? I’m sure many of you play some form of fantasy ball. Who are some of the more intriguing players you’ve had grace your team’s roster over the years?
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1 opinion for Life Is Just a Fantasy
Knuckle Curve » First Fantasy Draft of the Year Complete
Feb 19, 2007 at 5:16 pm
[…] The other day we talked about fantasy baseball. Well, I’ve just completed my first draft of the spring. I play some straight Rotisserie ball, but mostly I’m a Scoresheet Baseball hound. Scoresheet blends the best of fantasy ball with the old tabletop simulations. […]
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