Vintage Baseball Guild

The 10^th Anniversary Team

LHP: Lefty Grove, BL/TL
Lefty Grove was rarely hailed as the best pitcher in the league at any given moment in time, but he had perhaps the most successful career of any pitcher in the first ten years of the VBG. Grove was the first pitcher selected in the inaugural VBG draft in 1927, taken fifth overall by the Indianapolis Corn Kings. Grove spent seven years with the Indianapolis franchise (which moved to Cincinnati in 1933), and he was traded in 1934 to San Francisco in exchange for young pitching prospect Bucky Walters; two first-round draft picks also changed hands in that same deal. The move proved good for Grove, as he went on help San Francisco win the World Series Championships in 1935 and 1936. In his two World Series appearances, Grove went 2-0 in three starts, with a 2.19 ERA. Grove also piled up a mountain of glowing statistics over the last decade. He currently maintains a career 3.36 ERA and a 184-106 record (.634 W%). Grove ranks currently first all-time in several career categories: strikeouts( 1594), wins (184), shutouts (21), innings (2,680.1), starts (355), and batters faced (11,347). His 125 complete games and 189 double-plays each rank second all-time, while his .520 steal percentage and 5.4 K/9 innings each rank fourth all-time. Lefty Grove is the only pitcher that has struck out 200 batters in a single season more than once; Grove did that thrice. Grove started 40+ games in three seasons, and pitched 200+ innings nine times. The enduring pitcher also pitched at least one shutout in nine of his ten seasons. While his single-season ERA never dipped below 2.80, he never exceeded 3.89, making consistency the hallmark of his career. The awards and honors earned by Grove are also numerous. In 1930, Grove won the Walter Johnson Pitcher Of The Year Award. That season, Grove went 22-8 with a 3.40 ERA and struck out 223 batters (second all-time). Grove has appeared in six Mid-Summer Classics: elected starter in 1930, named Team-Rep three times, and a Manager's Pick twice. Twice, Grove was named his team's MVP: in 1929 and 1930 while pitching for Indianapolis. Grove also made the Commissioner's First Team in 1930.
Regular Season Batting	Regular Season Pitching	Regular Season Fielding	World Series Batting	World Series Pitching	World Series Fielding

RHP: Wes Ferrell, BR/TR
Wes Ferrell quietly emerged as one of the most successful pitchers in the first decade of the VBG. Ferrell was passed over for four rounds in the inaugural draft, finally taken by Quasqueton as the 66^th player overall. Over the next ten seasons in Quasqueton, Ferrell won 177 games (third all-time), and maintained a record .753 winning percentage. Ferrell posted a 3.41 ERA in 2,127 innings. In 290 starts, Ferrell completed 101 games and threw 15 shutouts. Ferrell won 25 games or more in four seasons, a feat achieved by no other pitcher. He also started 40 games or more in four seasons, while losing ten or more games only once. Ferrell also posed an unusual threat at the plate as a batter, slugging 33 homeruns in 846 career at-bats and maintaining a .277 career batting average. Ferrell also became the only pitcher to appear as a position player in a World Series, playing seven innings in left field for Quasqueton in the 1933 World Series. Unfortunately, Ferrell did not fare well on the mound in his World Series performances. Helping guide Quasqueton to six Peanut League Pennants and two World Series Championships, Ferrell posted a 3-4 record with an attrocious 7.24 ERA in World Series play. Despite his long-term success, Ferrell won only a handfull of awards over the past decade. In 1930 Ferrell was voted Pitcher Of The Year in the Peanut League, as he went 25-7 with a 3.94 ERA. Never named to the Commissioner's First Team, Ferrell only appeared in one Mid-Summer Classic as Quasqueton's Team Representative in 1935. Wes Ferrell was named Team MVP of Quasqueton in 1935, the only pitcher to win that award in Quasqueton's franchise history.
Regular Season Batting	Regular Season Pitching	Regular Season Fielding	World Series Batting	World Series Pitching	World Series Fielding

C: Mickey Cochrane, BL/TR
Mickey Cochrane spent more time, and compiled more stats, behind homeplate than any other ball-player in the VBG's first decade of play. After being drafted sixth overall in the inaugural VBG draft, Cochrane spend seven years with the Oak Ridge Bombers, and three more spread between Dover, Texas, and Virginia. Over those years, Cochrane posed a dangerous offensive presence at the plate and played solid defense behind the plate. Offensively, Mickey Cochrane maintained a .330 batting average during the decade. His .408 OBP, 1,549 hits, 971 runs, and 273 doubles also appear on the career leader boards. His 108 sacrifice bunts ranks first all-time among VBG batters. Behind the plate, Cochrane stayed healthy and kept baserunners honest. Cochrane led all catchers with 1,159 games played and 1,145 starts. He also ranked first in putouts (4,365), assists (459), double-plays (43), and pickoffs (18). Perhaps Cochrane's deadliest statistic regards baserunners: Cochrane threw out 248 runners in his career and held runners to a record low .520 steal percentage. Cochrane only appeared in one World Series with the Oak Ridge Bombers in 1931, losing to the San Francisco Seals in five games. Cochrane performed very well however, batting .435 with four doubles and catching every inning during the series. Mickey Cochrane also reigned in a plethora of awards over the decade. He appeared in every Mid-Summer Classic and was elected starting catcher for the Peanut League in the first seven Classics. Cochrane also received the Commissioner's Choice nod eight straight seasons between 1927 and 1934. His Oak Ridge teammates named him team MVP five times, and his league peers named him the Peanut League Batter of the Year and MVP in 1933.
Regular Season Batting	Regular Season Fielding	World Series Batting	World Series Fielding

1B: Lou Gehrig, BL/TL
Lou Gehrig, the cornerstone of the Quasqueton offense that dominated throughout the past decade, holds a reputation as one of the most feared hitters in the history of the VBG. Gehrig was drafted second overall by Quasqueton in the inaugural 1927 draft, and went on to start every game at 1B for Quasqueton, a feat accomplished by no other player at any position in that span. Over that time, Gehrig posted batting statisitcs rivaled by few. Gehrig ranked third in batting average (.352), third in OBP (.449), and second in slugging (.631). One of only five players to amass over 2000 hits, Gehrig had 2,063 (4^th). Gehrig ranked first in runs (1,411), RBIs (1,409), walks (1,076), intentional walks (229), sacrifice flies (83), and game-winning RBIs (164). Gehrig also hit 376 doubles (7^th), 120 triples (3^rd), and 339 homeruns (3^rd). He also holds the single season record for intentional walks with 65. At firstbase, Gehrig led all with 1,540 regular season starts and maintained a .991 fielding percentage. In six World Series appearances, Gehrig batted a hefty .375 and slugged nine homeruns, five triples, and thirteen doubles in 136 at-bats. He drove in 37 RBIs and scored thirty runs in an effort that unfortunately only secured him two World Series titles. Gehrig also achieved other feats: he hit safely in 30 consecutive games in 1932, and he hit for the cycle a record three times. One of his cycles occured in the first game of the 1932 World Series, the only time the cycle has ever been completed in the post season. Lou Gehrig collected many awards over the decade, including a record six Peanut League MVP awards, four Batter of the Year Awards, two World Series MVP awards, and four team MVP awards with Quasqueton. He appeared in eight Mid-Summer Classics, starting six of them, and he was named to the Commissioner's Choice First Team eight times.
Regular Season Batting	Regular Season Fielding	World Series Batting	World Series Fielding

2B: Charlie Gehringer, BL/TR
Perhaps the crown jewel of the Kansas City Monarchs' franchise during the first decade of the VBG, Charlie Gehringer played more games at second-base than any other player in the league. The seventh pick overall by Kansas City in the inaugural 1927, Gehringer went on to start 1,422 games at second while maintaining a .968 fielding average. Gehringer brought a balanced combination of consistancy, power, and speed to the plate, batting .326 with a .491 slugging percentage. In ten years, Gehringer to failed to bat .300 or better only once. He collected 1,916 hits (6^th), scored 1,090 runs (8^th), and drove in 930 RBIs. Gehringer ranks fifth all-time with 378 doubles. He also hit 91 triples, 135 homeruns, 100 stolen bases, and 110 game-winning RBIs. Gehringer finished the decade with an active 31-game hitting streak, which he extended to 34 games at the start of the 1937 season. Kansas City named Gehringer their team MVP three times over the decade. He played in eight Mid-Summer Classics, and elected to the starting lineup three times. Gehringer was named to the Commissioner's Choice First Team four times.
Regular Season Batting	Regular Season Fielding

3B: Pie Traynor, BR/TR
Pie Traynor, drafted 22^nd overall by the Carolina Moonshiners in the 1927 draft, where only played one season, went on to play most of the past decade for the Indianapolis/Cincinnati franchise. Traynor also played for the San Francisco Seals and the San Diego Admirals. While in the Crackerjack League, Traynor made his name as the best thirdbaseman in the VBG. Traynor batted .300 or better three times, finishing the decade with with a .308 batting average. He collected 1,549 base hits, hit seventy triples, and stole 78 bases. Traynor's posted his best numbers in 1930, batting .358 with twelve triples, ten homeruns, 102 runs, and 132 RBIs. Traynor also started in more games at third base (1,195) in the first decade than any other player. He made 890 putouts (3^rd) and 2,840 assists (1^st). Traynor also turned more double plays than any other thirdbaseman (215). His fielding percentage at thirdbase was .946. Traynor played in three Mid-Summer Classics over the decade, making the starting lineup in 1929 and 1934. Traynor made the Commissioner's Choice First Team in 1931.
Regular Season Batting	Regular Season Fielding

SS: Travis Jackson, BR/TR
Travis Jackson was drafted 41^st overall by the Maryland Skipjacks in 1927 and went on to play eight of his ten years in Glenn Dale, Maryland. He spent one year each with Virginia and Frisco. Jackson batted .300 or better his first five years in the league, and once more in 1935, to compile a .299 average over the whole decade. He collected 1,611 hits, 848 runs, 739 RBIs, 306 doubles, 67 triples, and 105 homeruns. In 1930 Jackson posted a 29-game hitting streak. Among shortstops during the decade, Jackson ranked third in games started (1,124), sixth in fielding (.948), second in putouts (1,746), third in assists (4,138), and second in doubleplays (630). The Skipjack midfielder made the Mid-Summer Classic roster six times, starting in three of them. In 1927 Jackson hit the go-ahead, two-run homerun for the Crackerjacks to earn the Mid-Summer Classic MVP Award. Jackson was named to the Commissioner's Choice First Team in 1929.
Regular Season Batting	Regular Season Fielding

OF: Babe Ruth, BL/TL
Babe Ruth was the very first player drafted in the VBG back in 1927 by the San Diego Admirals, and met all expectations by setting the standard for batsmanship in the first decade of VBG play. In fact Ruth set the tone his first year, winning the first and only Triple Crown in batting ever in the VBG. Over ten years Ruth topped the career batting leaderboard in several catagories: on-base percentage (.485), slugging (.689), and homeruns (352). He also posted a .363 batting average (2nd), scored 1,161 runs (5^th), drove in 1,133 RBIs (5^th), collected 1,596 hits, 1,068 walks (2^nd), 185 intentional walks (2^nd), and 120 game-winning RBIs (7^th). Ruth also pulled his weight in the outfield, appearing in rightfield in 1,050 games (4^th). In rightfield Ruth posted a .961 fielding percentage while collecting 163 assists (1^st), 2,452 putouts (4^th), and helped turn 22 doubleplays (T-1^st). Ruth also holds the all-time single season homerun mark (56) set in 1927. He batted .408 in 1929, hit 40 homers or more six times, and drove in 100 RBIs or more eight times. Ruth is also the only player to ever post a slugging percentage better than .750, and he executed that three times. He hit for the cycle once. While he played the better part of his career in San Diego, Ruth spent a year and a half with the Maryland Skipjacks and his final season with the San Francisco Seals. Ruth made two World Series appearances, ironically getting his only Championship while riding the bench for the 1935 Seals. His 1929 Admirals lost to San Francisco in a six-game series, although Ruth played well, batting .400 and hitting one homerun during the series. Seven times Ruth was named to the Mid-Summer Classic, elected to the starting lineup in each appearance. He was named to the Commissioner's Choice First Team seven times. Ruth was named San Diego's Team MVP six times, and earned the same honor once in Maryland. In 1927 and 1929 Ruth was named the Peanut League's MVP, and he was named Batter Of The Year four times.
Regular Season Batting	Regular Season Fielding	World Series Batting	World Series Fielding

OF: Mel Ott, BL/TR
Mel Ott was passed over by fifteen teams in the inaugural draft in 1927 before being plucked up by the San Francisco Seals as the sixteenth player taken at the end of the first round. Trading instant success for promising paid off big for the Seals, as Ott became the anchor of their offense for the next decade and led his team to six World Series championships. Ott was a model for the ideal balance of consistency, power, speed, and fielding. Over the decade, Ott posted a .351 batting average (T-5^th), a .449 OBP (T-2^nd), and a .592 SPC (4^th). He collected 1,882 hits (8^th), scored 1,285 runs (2^nd), and drove in 1,310 RBIs (2^nd). Ott hit 278 doubles (5^th), 263 homeruns (4^th), stole seventy bases while only getting caught thirty times, and is credited with 148 game-winning RBIs (2^nd). Following a short rookie season, Ott went on to hit .310 or better, score 118 runs or more, and drive in 125 or more RBIs in each of the next nine seasons. He collected over 200 hits four times. Ott spent most of his time in right field, starting 1,104 games there (3^rd). He posted the second highest fielding percentage there (.968), made 2,484 putouts (3^rd), 138 assists (4^th), and 20 doubleplays (5^th). In 47 games of post-season play, Ott batted .342, hit eight homeruns, and drove in 52 RBIs. Ott earned as many accolades and honors as anyone else in the VBG. He appeared in nine of ten Mid-Summer Classics, starting in eight of them and missing out only in his first season of play. He was named to the Commissioner's Choice First Team nine of ten years as well. In his official rookie season (1928), Ott was named Rookie Of The Year. He went on two pick up three League MVP Awards and three Batter Of The Year Awards in the Crackerjack League. Ott was named San Francisco's Team MVP six years straight, and named World Series MVP in 1931. He hit for the cycle once in his career.
Regular Season Batting	Regular Season Fielding	World Series Batting	World Series Fielding

OF: Babe Herman, BL/TL
Babe Herman, drafted 27^th overall in the 1927 draft, anchored the Oak Ridge outfield for six seasons before being traded to the San Francisco Seals. Herman earned a reputation as one of the deadliest hitters in the VBG. Over the decade he posted a .349 batting average (7^th) and a .560 slugging percentage (6^th). He collected 2,033 hits (5^th), scored 1,170 runs (4^th), and slugged 1,226 RBIs (3^rd). Herman topped the leaderboard with 451 doubles, placed second with 123 triples, and hit 177 homeruns. He also ranks fourth with 140 game-winning RBIs. Babe Herman's most notable season came in 1930 when he set the single season records for batting (.433) and hits (290), hit 54 doubles, eighteen triples, 31 homeruns, scored 168 runs, and hit 152 RBIs. He also went on a thirty-game hitting streak during the 1930 season. In ten years, Herman batted .300 or better, scored over 100 runs, and hit over 100 RBIs eight times. He also hit more than 40 doubles in a season eight times. Herman started 846 games (5^th) in right field, posting a .933 fielding percentage. He made 1,822 putouts (5^th), 123 assists (5^th), and 20 doubeplays. He also appeared in 387 at firstbase. Herman led the Oak Ridge Bombers to the World Series once, in 1931, a losing effort against the San Francisco Seals. Later he appeared in the World Series with the Seals three times, winning a World Series championship in each. His World Series performance did not match his regular season play, where he posted a dismal .239 average and hit only two homeruns in 22 World Series games. Herman appeared in five Mid-Summer Classics, making the starting lineup in two of them. He was named to the Commissioner's Choice First Team four times. In 1936 Babe Herman was named the Crackerjaclk League MVP. In ten years, Herman was only named a Team MVP once, in 1936 with San Francisco.
Regular Season Batting	Regular Season Fielding	World Series Batting	World Series Fielding