Posted on 05/01/2021 8:03:04 AM PDT by Rummyfan
Fifty years ago, baseball was more entertaining than it is now, in my opinion. Walks, strikeouts, and home runs may (or may not) be baseball’s only “true outcomes,” but they are less fun to watch than fielding gems, triples, and the hit-and-run.
Unfortunately, the analytics revolution has made the hit-and-run nearly extinct. And its emphasis on strikeouts and home runs means fewer balls in play, and thus less excitement on the bases and in the field.
Yet, as entertaining as baseball was fifty years ago, games were not that well attended — not nearly as well attended as they are today. Consider the four-game series (Monday-Thursday) between the Baltimore Orioles and the Oakland A’s, played in Oakland beginning on April 26, 1971.
These were hands down the best two teams in the American League, and arguably in baseball. The Orioles were the defending world champions. During the previous two seasons, they had won a combined 217 regular season games. As the April series with the A’s began, they once again were in first place in the American League East.
The A’s were just coming into their own. In 1971, they would win the first of five consecutive American West titles, in between which would be sandwiched three consecutive world championships. They entered the series against the Orioles with a 14-6 record, best in the American League.
Nonetheless, the combined attendance for the four games was only 20,000. In 2019, only six teams averaged less than that number per game. (Oakland’s season attendance in 1971 was only 915,000; Baltimore’s was 1,023,000.)
(Excerpt) Read more at powerlineblog.com ...
Judging baseball’s popularity in attendance figures in Oakland is like judging them today by the attendance figures at Tropicana Field. Some towns just don’t get behind certain teams.
Still, I wish there were more video broadcasts of games prior to 1977 when the VCRs began appearing on the market and fans could record games themselves. A lot of great baseball was missed.
Interesting article. I am probably being that good bit silly mentioning this but one thing I think about regarding baseball around that time is that is when they retired a few of the older ballparks (Connie Mack, Forbes, and Crosley) and brought in the concrete and astroturf venues in their place. I recall reading someone’s comment that it took them a long time to get used to watching a game at Veteran’s in Philadelphia as it was so much better to do so at Connie Mack (Shibe).
Lots of interesting teams and characters around in the game then. I would not mind watching a Washington Senators game from about that time (again probably being silly, but still I would be curious).
71 Orioles - earl weaver — of the philosophy of the double play and 3 run homers - not much different than today, except back then, the hitters would dismantle the shift...
The Dodgers were the first team to draw 3,000,000. That was in 1977. Kids’ tickets were $1 back then.
Davey Lopes, Reggie Smith, Rick Monday, Steve Garvey, Bert Hooten, Ron Cey, Manny Mota. THAT was baseball.
I attended one game at Connie Mack Stadium while visiting friends in Philly. Even though in the upper deck you were still right on top of the field. Although I never went in person, the old Tiger Stadium looked the same. In the 70s the new Riverfront Stadium in Cincy and The Vet in Philly and Busch Stadium in St Louis introduced the new style of ball parks, which was horrible and all those parks have gone by the wayside now. Royals Stadium is still in use, but has undergone extensive renovation, as has Anaheim Stadium (the Big A).
That was real shame that the networks tossed out or taped over a lot of broadcasts (as reusability was one of videotape’s virtues) during those years up to about 1977. I would like to see videotape footage of Montreal Expo games at old Jarry Park (the Expos’ home until 1977 when they moved to the Big O).
Last summer, I shared here a YouTube video of a Dodgers-Reds game from June 1970 and it was one of the last times (if not the very last) the Dodgers played at Crosley Field and you get to see a few nice views of the old ballpark and it was recovered from the collection of an early home videotape recorder owner.
All I can remember of those Senators teams is Frank Howard.
The game venue has an impact on attendance also, IMO.
Our local hometown farm league team played in a historic stadium that was tired but had a great ambiance to it. Just being there was as fun as watching the game.
The city decided it wanted a new stadium which was built and became the team’s home. Myself and others I know haven’t been to a game since.
The Ballad of Ten-Cent Beer Night
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dh2g0TUKgc
The minor league season opens on Tuesday.
And then there was also Disco Demolition Night at Comiskey Park, lol, even though the woke people say that had racist and homophobic connotations.
Believe Ted Williams managed that team for a number of it’s years there.
You’re very astute on the lack of play, but I think you are missing the reason a little. MONEY! The game has been remade into a cash cow rather than a sport. All pro sports have. And rules go out the door shortly after they are proven an opponent of the transition. The game started changing dramatically in the 1980s when the long ball became the featured attraction. And it increased to the point of not being a team effort anymore but a player following.
So certain players were no longer paid to produce overall but to do one thing, dingers, pitchers didn’t go 9 innings, set up men were installed in staffs, and each team had a closer and until this year, specialty pitchers were in the pen. Utility players were more valuable if they could play numerous positions. And there was a steady run of a AAA team in the area to draw from quickly. So the roster isn’t 26 any more. And offence became the spotlight. Quick runs, not earned ones. And the addition of the DH.
They lowered the mound, decreased the strike zone and took more care to checking the ball for even a dirt spot. Fences were brought in, and the ball manufacturer was changed with a tighter wound core.
But batting averages went down while ERA’s went up. People don’t think about what that does to a game. It stops being a game and becomes an exhibition.
And the funny part to me is the amount of excitement involved as the lack of strategy goes down and the action comes almost to a halt. Outs made are mistakes almost as much as hits unless it is a home run by mishitting the ball.
A MLB players will bat, top end, around 650 times a year. Bonds is the single season HR leader with 73 in a single season in 2001. And on the average, batters in baseball, even with the DH, are striking out 23.7% of the appearances. And some wonder why the fans aren’t at the ball park? And the players have gone from a diverse group down to a breakdown of more than 40% of the league in Latin players, many that don’t even speak English which cuts down on player recognition. So the players are ghosts, not identifiable.
And as players got more spotlighted, they demanded more salary. And when ticket prices went to the moon and TV contracts got necessary, costs just short of burnout in the sun, people couldn’t afford tickets. And with the covid, it got worse. The players may have to go back to barnstorming to supplement their income for their mansions and cars. At least the second job is in the same field they have chosen.
wy69
The Polo Grounds with its 256’ right field was a great place to see a ball game. You could talk to the ball players back then (or heckle, if they were the opposing team). But it was a fun time.
BTW, those tickets cost a quarter. The bleacher seats were a dime. Cheap if you wanted to be over 500’ from home plate in the blazing sun.
Speaking of Teddy Ballgame, it was 60 years ago that he hit a home run in his final at bat at Fenway Park. There were fewer than 9,000 fans in attendance. Bleacher seats were 65 cents.
Can we not hate some music just because it’s crappy music?
What a set of guns, and he didn't mind showing the off. Also Harmon Killebrew.
Billy Martin led his Texas Rangers into the outfield with bats to use against the drunken fans. Very different society in 1974.
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