atari – Hardball Retro

“Hardball Retro’s Compendium of Baseball Video Games and Electronic Handhelds” honored with the 2025 Sporting News-SABR Baseball Research Award

Derek Bain — Fri, 04 Apr 2025 00:25:38 +0000

I am honored and humbled to be recognized, along with my co-author John Racanelli, as one of the winners of the 2025 Sporting News-SABR Baseball Research Award for our book, “Hardball Retro’s Compendium of Baseball Video Games and Electronic Handhelds.” I’d like to offer a heartfelt thanks to everyone who contributed to our effort! Special thanks to Mark Wendling for nominating our book for the award, Nate Edwards for his contributions on the Japanese baseball video game chapter, and the game designers / programmers who graciously responded to our interview requests: Don Daglow, Eddie Dombrower, Lance Haffner, Mark Lesser, Tom Tippett and Glen Wolfram.

I also would like to congratulate Steve Steinberg, Lyle Spatz and Mitchell Nathanson for their award-winning books!

—

“The 2025 Sporting News-SABR Baseball Research Awards, which honor outstanding research projects completed during the preceding calendar year that have significantly expanded our knowledge or understanding of baseball, have been awarded to:

Steve Steinberg and Lyle Spatz, Mike Donlin: A Rough and Rowdy Life from New York Baseball Idol to Stage and Screen (University of Nebraska Press)

Mitchell Nathanson, Under Jackie’s Shadow: Voices of Black Minor Leagues Baseball Left Behind (University of Nebraska Press)

Derek Bain and John Racanelli, Hardball Retro’s Compendium of
Baseball Video Games and Electronic Handhelds (Self-published)”

Source: SABR – 2025 Sporting News-SABR Baseball Research Award winners announced

2025 Sporting News-SABR Baseball Research Award winners announced

A Saturday Night Baseball Chinwag with Authors Derek Bain and John Racanelli

Derek Bain — Sun, 23 Mar 2025 14:32:43 +0000

Here’s a 3+ hour discussion on the Beatles Eternally YouTube channel about our book, “Hardball Retro’s Compendium of Baseball Video Games and Electronic Handhelds”. We talked about a wide variety of baseball sims, console, handheld, arcade and card & dice baseball games along with the designers, programmers, managers and broadcasters involved with the development of those gems!

Many thanks to Beatles Eternally for organizing our chat and my co-author John Racanelli for joining us on short notice!

Check out the video here:

SSI Computer Baseball – tutorial – create/edit teams

Derek Bain — Mon, 20 Jan 2025 16:26:32 +0000

I created a quick tutorial to discuss how to create and edit teams in SSI Computer Baseball.

Here’s a rundown of the requirements:

SSI Computer Baseball – Game Disk
optional – SSI Computer Baseball – Team Disks (included the Stat Compiler program)

SSI Computer Baseball was released in 1981 for the Apple ][ and was later ported to the popular personal computers of the 1980’s: Commodore 64 (1983), IBM PC (1983), Atari 8-bit computers (1984), Macintosh (1986) and Amiga (1986). I’m utilizing the Commodore 64 version in my tutorial, however the menu options and key combinations are fairly standard across platforms.

View the tutorial video here:

Season Disk Downloads:

coming soon

References:

SSI Computer Baseball (Apple ][ edition):

https://archive.org/details/a2_Computer_Baseball_1981_SSI_RDOS

SSI Computer Baseball (Commodore 64):

https://archive.org/details/Computer_Baseball_1983_SSI_Side_A

SSI Computer Baseball manual:

https://mirrors.apple2.org.za/ftp.apple.asimov.net/unsorted/SSI%20Computer%20Baseball.pdf

Retro Computer Baseball Game Review – SSI Computer Baseball

MicroLeague Baseball – tutorial – create/edit teams with the GM/Owner Disk (Commodore 64)

Derek Bain — Sat, 18 Jan 2025 22:19:07 +0000

I created a quick tutorial to discuss how to create and edit teams in MicroLeague Baseball.

Here’s a rundown of the requirements:

MicroLeague Baseball Game Disk
MicroLeague Baseball General Manager / Owner Disk
optional – MicroLeague Baseball Box Score / Stat Compiler

MicroLeague Baseball was released in 1984 for the Commodore 64, Apple ][, IBM PC and Atari 8-bit computers. The Amiga and Atari ST computers received ports of the game in 1987. I’m utilizing the Commodore 64 version in my tutorial, however the menu options and key combinations are fairly standard across platforms.

View the tutorial video here:

Season Disk Downloads:

Download my MicroLeague Baseball – Commodore 64 season disks here!

They will also be available on the MicroLeague Baseball Forever website.

References:

MicroLeague Baseball (Atari 8-bit edition):

https://archive.org/details/a8b_Micro_League_Baseball_1984_Micro_League_Sports_Association_US

MicroLeague Baseball (Commodore 64 edition):

Game Disk

General Manager/Owner Disk

Box Score/Stat Compiler Disk

MicroLeague Baseball (IBM PC edition): https://archive.org/details/msdos_MicroLeague_Baseball_1984

MicroLeague Baseball Forever: https://www.microleague-baseball-forever.com

Retro Computer Baseball Game Review – MicroLeague Baseball

Discussion: Hardball Retro’s Compendium of Baseball Video Games and Electronic Handhelds

Derek Bain — Thu, 09 Jan 2025 13:21:48 +0000

Co-authors Derek Bain and John Racanelli discussed their recently released book, Hardball Retro’s Compendium of Baseball Video Games and Electronic Handhelds at the January 2025 virtual meeting for the SABR Games & Simulations Committee.

Derek Bain is the author of five baseball books and co-chair of the SABR Games and Simulations Committee. John Racanelli is the membership director for the Emil Rothe (Chicago) SABR Chapter, founder and Co-Chair of the SABR Baseball Landmarks Research Committee, and a regular contributor to the SABR Baseball Cards Research Committee blog.

Check out the meeting video here!

Hardball Retro’s Compendium of Baseball Video Games & Electronic Handhelds

Derek Bain — Sun, 22 Sep 2024 19:41:00 +0000

Introducing – Hardball Retro’s Compendium of Baseball Video Games & Electronic Handhelds

available now at Amazon for $29.99 (paperback) and $9.99 (Kindle)

Celebrating 50 years of our pixelated National Pastime, this compendium documents the pertinent details for baseball video games and electronic handheld games released in the last half-century and follows the evolution of the genre. Game ratings and reviews for hundreds of baseball games are included along with interviews of designers, programmers and pioneers of the computer, video and handheld gaming industry – Don Daglow, Eddie Dombrower, Lance Haffner, Mark Lesser, Tom Tippett and Glen Wolfram. The authors wish to encourage readers to explore these games, both past and present, create your own teams and leagues, and share those results with fellow baseball gaming and simulation enthusiasts!

400 pages, full-color

Book Discussions / Promotional Appearances

SABR’s Emil Rothe Chicago Chapter – John Racanelli and Derek Bain present “A Brief History of Baseball Video Games and Electronic Handhelds” – April 29, 2026

Hittin’ Season: A Philadelphia Phillies podcast (WHYY) – Derek Bain and John Racanelli drop by to discuss their book, “Hardball Retro’s Compendium of Baseball Video Games and Electronic Handhelds,” with Justin Klugh of Baseball Prospectus. – June 20, 2025

Romantic About Baseball podcast – Jason Wood and Bruce Sarte interview Derek Bain – June 11, 2025

Sports Sim Magazine – “A Sports Sim Roundtable Examines the Charm and Torment of All-Time Greats Gaming Sets” – by Dan Verdun – May 2025 (Issue 20)

Beatles Eternally – “A Saturday Night Baseball Chinwag with Authors Derek Bain and John Racanelli” – March 22, 2025

SABR Games and Simulations – John Racanelli and Derek Bain discuss their book, “Hardball Retro’s Compendium of Baseball Video Games and Electronic Handheld. – January 8, 2025

Praise for Hardball Retro’s Compendium of Baseball Video Games & Electronic Handhelds

“Hardball Retro’s Compendium is a nostalgic treasure trove for baseball video game enthusiasts. (Authors) Bain and Racanelli take readers on a journey through baseball’s digital evolution… Packed with updated insights, interviews with legendary game designers, and reflections from players, this book is both a time capsule and a celebration of baseball’s virtual past. A must-read for fans of baseball and gaming history alike!” – Jamie Marshall, Sports Games Journal

Survey for my book project – “History of Baseball Video Games”

Derek Bain — Tue, 06 Jun 2023 15:24:31 +0000

I created a survey for my latest book project – a history of baseball video games! This will encompass console, computer and arcade baseball games spanning more than 5 decades. I’m planning to include reviews, interviews, screenshots, box art and ratings from various sources.

https://forms.gle/MfQp46x5BKVS2pJz5

Please consider filling out this survey – I’m looking for your feedback for any and all baseball video games that you’ve played or owned.

Please scan the list of baseball video games on the form and ONLY enter an overall rating for each game that you have played or owned on a scale of 1 (worst) to 10 (best) and optionally provide a comment for those titles. Several games have a single entry for the original title along with sequels. You may only enter one rating per game title. However you can utilize the Comments section to enter specific ratings for the different versions in those instances. (for example, a rating of 6 for Bases Loaded and a rating of 7 for Bases Loaded 2). Comments that are thought-provoking or detailed have a higher likelihood of making it into the book!

Please DO NOT rate or comment any games that you have never played! If I’m missing a game, there are text and rating fields at the end of each section to capture this information. Games that exist in console, computer and/or arcade should have an entry in each of those sections, so don’t confuse the Hardball! (console) entry with Hardball! (computer).

Be sure to click NEXT at the end of the each section form and SUBMIT when you’re done (arcade baseball games is the last section!)

Completion of this form indicates permission and authorization for me to utilize your responses including name/nickname, ratings and comments in my upcoming baseball video game book project.

Thank you for participating! – Derek Bain

Derek’s Podcast & Livestream Appearances, Interviews and Related Content

Derek Bain — Thu, 10 Dec 2020 18:29:16 +0000

The following page includes material such as podcasts, interviews and other content related to my ongoing Retro Computer Baseball Game Review series along with my article Play Retro Baseball Video Games In Your Browser.

Podcasts, Interviews and Videos

Box Scores From The Basement – Steve Etzel and I discuss our book, “Hardball Retro’s Compendium of Baseball Tabletop Simulations” and I play a game of Digital Diamond Baseball v14 against the BSFTB guys using the starting lineups and pitchers from the 2026 World Series, Game 4!

Box Scores From the Basement – The “Box Score” guys are joined by the co-chair of the SABR games and simulation committee, Derek Bain to discuss How to Create the Perfect Baseball Sim. – May 24, 2026

SABR’s Emil Rothe Chicago Chapter – John Racanelli and Derek Bain present “A Brief History of Baseball Video Games and Electronic Handhelds” – April 29, 2026

Romantic About Baseball podcast – Jason Wood and Bruce Sarte interview Derek Bain – June 11, 2025

Sports Sim Magazine – “A Sports Sim Roundtable Examines the Charm and Torment of All-Time Greats Gaming Sets” – by Dan Verdun – May 2025 (Issue 20)

Beatles Eternally – “A Saturday Night Baseball Chinwag with Authors Derek Bain and John Racanelli” – March 22, 2025

SABR Games and Simulations – John Racanelli and Derek Bain discuss their book, “Hardball Retro’s Compendium of Baseball Video Games and Electronic Handheld. – January 8, 2025

The New Sports Games Journal – “Diamonds in the Code: A Look into Baseball’s Digital Legacy: an Interview with Derek Bain” – by Jamie Marshall – November 2023 (Vol. 9, Issue 2)

Farther Off the Wall – “In our book, the 2021 spring baseball book reviews are done, but can there be more?” – Q&A session with Derek Bain – by Tom Hoffarth – June 2021

Comfortably Zoned Radio – podcast hosted by Ralph Tyko with guest Derek Bain (running time 30m) – March 26, 2018 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fh_02J25QMY

Weighted Donuts – podcast hosted by Wayne Unger and Craig Stier with guest Derek Bain (running time 53m) – September 18, 2016 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nPZNSVC6IE

Comfortably Zoned Radio – podcast hosted by Ralph Tyko with guests Bill Hall and Derek Bain (running time 50m) – August 11, 2016 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vui8zzkjnuM

“Ultimate Strat Baseball Newsletter” – Wolfman Shapiro interview of Derek Bain – February 2018 http://www.ultimatestratbaseball.com/USBN-2-2018/DerekBain-Author-February2018.htm

Selected Resources for Retro Baseball Video Games

Weighted Donuts podcast – Wayne Unger interviews Don Daglow and Eddie Dombrower (World Series Major League Baseball, Earl Weaver Baseball and Tony La Russa Baseball series) – February 16, 2017

Computer Chronicles – “Baseball Software” episode – hosted by Stewart Chiefet (APBA Baseball for Windows with Kenneth Miller, Hardball III with Daniel Jung and Tony La Russa Baseball with Don Daglow) –

Computer Chronicles – “Games” episode – hosted by Stewart Chiefet (Earl Weaver Baseball with Eddie Dombrower)

The Making of Tony La Russa Baseball 3 (video included with the game) –

Intellivisionaries – Episode 7 – includes reviews of Major League Baseball, World Championship Baseball, and World Series Major League Baseball along with interviews of David Rolfe (MLB) and Eddie Dombrower (WSMLB).

Informs podcast – hosted by Ashley Kilgore with Gary Cokins, credited with the oldest computer game code by the Baseball Hall of Fame. Related article – Realizing a Kid’s Dream of Computerized Baseball

Articles and Reviews

SSI Computer Baseball – Oxner, Bill. “Play Ball.” Computer Gaming World, June-July 1985, Volume 5.3. pgs 24-25.

Computer Statis Pro Baseball – Peschel, William. “View From The Dugout – Major League Baseball on the Computer.” Computer Gaming World, May 1986, Volume 28. pgs 19-20, 45.

MicroLeague Baseball – Kunerth, Jeff. “For Fanatics, Micro League Baseball is a Big Hit”. Chicago Tribune. December 27, 1987.

MicroLeague Baseball – Oxner, Bill. “Play Ball!” Computer Gaming World. Volume 5.3, June-July 1985, p24-27.

MicroLeague Baseball – Trunzo, James V. “An Interview With the Designer of MicroLeague Baseball.” Computer Gaming World. Volume 28. May 1986. p22-23.

Avalon Hill Pro Manager / Major League Manager –
Oxner, Bill. “Play Ball!” Computer Gaming World. Volume 5.3, June-July 1985, p24-27.

Avalon Hill Pro Manager / Major League Manager – Wilson, Johnny. “Baseball Game Survey.” Computer Gaming World. Volume 36, April 1987, p6-9, 42-44.

Pure-Stat Baseball – Jala, Beth S. “Software Gallery: Pure-Stat Baseball.” RUN Magazine. Issue 37, January 1987, p18, 24.

Pure-Stat Baseball – Teverbaugh, Rick. “Sports Scoreboard.” Computer Gaming World. Volume 33, December 1986, p52.

Pure-Stat Baseball – Wilson, Johnny. “Baseball Game Survey.” Computer Gaming World. Volume 36, April 1987, p6-9, 42-44.

Monday Morning Manager – Atari Explorer, Spring 1987. Letters to the Editor. “Update for Baseball Fans”. Page 4.

Radio Baseball – Teverbaugh, Rick. “Sports Scoreboard.” Computer Gaming World. Volume 33, December 1986, p52.

Earl Weaver Baseball – Connor, Peter. “Screen Test – Earl Weaver Baseball.” Advanced Computer Entertainment. October 1987, Issue 1, p68-69.

Earl Weaver Baseball – Jago, Francis. “Baseball Head to Head.” Commodore User. October 1987, Issue 49, p86-87.

Earl Weaver Baseball – Kendall, Mark. “Putting Bytes into the Old Ball Game.” Pomona College Magazine. June 26, 2013.

Earl Weaver Baseball – Leeds, Matthew. “Software Reviews – Earl Weaver Baseball.” May 1987, Issue 5, p48-49.

Earl Weaver Baseball – Lesser, Hartley and Patricia Lesser. “The Role of Computers.” Dragon Magazine. Issue 126, p84.

Earl Weaver Baseball – Lesser, Hartley and Patricia Lesser. “The Role of Computers.” Dragon Magazine. Issue 127, p78, 80.

Earl Weaver Baseball – Lesser, Hartley and Patricia Lesser. “The Role of Computers.” Dragon Magazine. Issue 132, p83.

Earl Weaver Baseball – McLean, Mickey. “Fast Looks – Earl Weaver Baseball 1.5” Compute! Issue 113, October 1989, p114.

Earl Weaver Baseball – Randall, Neil. “Reviews – Earl Weaver Baseball.” Compute! Issue 93, February 1988, p49-50.

Earl Weaver Baseball – Sipe, Russell and Johnny Wilson. “An Interview With Earl Weaver.” Computer Gaming World. Volume 36, April 1987, p36-39.

Earl Weaver Baseball – Wilson, Johnny. “Bezbol Been Berry, Berry Good To Me!” Computer Gaming World. Volume 36, April 1987, p6-8.

Earl Weaver Baseball – Wyss, Tony. “Hall of Fame – Earl Weaver Baseball.” SportPlanet.

Full Count Baseball – Fisher, Lew and Eric Faust. “Full Count Baseball.” Computer Gaming World. Volume 37, May 1987, p26.

Full Count Baseball – Trunzo, James V. “Lance Haffner Games.” Compute! Issue 83, April 1987, p66.

MicroLeague Baseball II – Compute! Issue 115, December 1989, p126, 130.

Microleague Baseball: The Manager’s Challenge – Amiga World, June 1992, p96.

Tony La Russa’s Ultimate Baseball – Murray, Rink. “386 Down the Power Alleys: Baseball Simulations Emerge From Spring Training.” PC Magazine. April 28, 1992, p493.

Tony La Russa’s Ultimate Baseball – Rogers, Win. “Great A’s Baseball: SSI’s Tony LaRussa’s Ultimate Baseball.” Computer Gaming World. Volume 88, November 1991, p104, 106.

Tony La Russa’s Ultimate Baseball – Rogers, Win. “Not Yet the Ultimate: SSI’s Expansion Disks for Tony LaRussa’s Ultimate Baseball.” Computer Gaming World. Volume 97, August 1992, p80, 82.

Earl Weaver Baseball II – Murray, Rink. “386 Down the Power Alleys: Baseball Simulations Emerge From Spring Training.” PC Magazine. April 28, 1992, p493.

Earl Weaver Baseball II – Poho, Seth. “Earl Weaver and the Greatest Baseball Game of All-Time.” RO Baseball. January 5, 2017.

Earl Weaver Baseball II – Rogers, Win. “Field of (Weird) Dreams.” Computer Gaming World. Volume 89, December 1991, p16, 18, 20.

APBA Baseball for Windows / Broadcast Blast – Gindin, Jim. “Baseball: Diamonds Are A Fan’s Best Friend”. Computer Gaming World. May 1995.

APBA Baseball for Windows / Broadcast Blast – Murray, Rink. “386 Down the Power Alleys: Baseball Simulations Emerge From Spring Training.” PC Magazine. April 28, 1992, p493.

APBA Baseball for Windows / Broadcast Blast – Poulter, Wallace. “A 3.1-Run Homer”. Computer Gaming World. November 1993. p134, 136.

APBA Baseball for Windows / Broadcast Blast – Rogers, Win. “Miller Associates’ APBA Major League Players Baseball 1.5”. Computer Gaming World. August 1992. p72–74.

APBA Baseball for Windows / Broadcast Blast – Gindin, Jim. “The Old Ballgame: Baseball for Windows Boasts a New Sound, But the Same Old Gameplay”. Computer Gaming World. November 1995. p206.

APBA Baseball for Windows / Broadcast Blast – McCauley, Dennis. “Atop the Mound: Baseball Slides Head-First Into Your PC”. Computer Gaming World. July 1996. p78.

Tony La Russa Baseball II – Poulter, Wallace. “Tony La Russa 2 Earns Some ‘A’s’”. Computer Gaming World. June 1993. p24,26.

Tony La Russa Baseball II – Wilson, Johnny L. “Another At Bat For Tony La Russa”. Computer Gaming World. April 1993. p8-10

Front Page Sports Baseball ’94 – Computer Gaming World. November 1994. http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_124.pdf

Front Page Sports Baseball ’94 – Ginden, Jim. “Baseball: Diamonds Are A Fan’s Best Friend”. Computer Gaming World. May 1995. p62. http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_130.pdf

Front Page Sports Baseball ’98 – McCauley, Dennis. “Sim World Series: Winners and Losers in This Year’s Baseball Sim Contest”. Computer Gaming World. December 1997. p312. http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_160.pdf

ESPN Baseball Tonight – Gindin, Jim. “Double Play: Turn Two With Reviews of Hardball IV and ESPN Baseball Tonight”. Computer Gaming World. April 1995. p132, 134, 136. http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_129.pdf

ESPN Baseball Tonight – Gindin, Jim. “Baseball: Diamonds Are A Fan’s Best Friend”. Computer Gaming World. May 1995. p62. http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_130.pdf

ESPN Baseball Tonight – Jones, George. “ESPN Baseball Tonight: Chris Berman Charisma, Tony La Russa Design”. Computer Gaming World. February 1995. p132, 134. http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_127.pdf

Hardball 3 – Rogers, Win. “Sights and Sounds of the Summer Game – Al Michaels Announces Hardball III”. Computer Gaming World. August 1992. p78-79. http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_97.pdf

Hardball 4 – Gindin, Jim. “Double Play: Turn Two With Reviews of Hardball IV and ESPN Baseball Tonight”. Computer Gaming World. April 1995. p132, 134, 136. http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_129.pdf

Hardball 4 – Gindin, Jim. “Baseball: Diamonds Are A Fan’s Best Friend”. Computer Gaming World. May 1995. p62. http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_130.pdf

Hardball 5 – Gindin, Jim. “Back to the Bullpen: Accolade’s Hardball 5 is More a Changeup Than a Fastball”. Computer Gaming World. January 1996. p274, 276. http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_138.pdf

Hardball 5 – Jones, George. “Holiday Top 100: Sports”. Computer Gaming World. December 1995. p110. http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_137.pdf

Hardball 6 – Kaiafas, Tasos. “Strike Six (HardBall 6 Review)” . Computer Gaming World. August 1998. p208. http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_169.pdf

Pursue the Pennant – Teverbaugh, Rick. “Sports Scoreboard”. Computer Gaming World. Volume 38, June-July 1987. p40. https://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_38.pdf

APBA, Full Count Baseball, Pursue the Pennant, Strat-o-Matic – Widner, Duane E. “Baseball is the Numbers”. Computer Gaming World. Volume 71, May 1990, p20-21. http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_71.pdf

Diamond Mind Baseball – Gindin, Jim. “Baseball: Diamonds Are A Fan’s Best Friend”. Computer Gaming World. May 1995. p62. http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_130.pdf

Baseball Analytics – Retro Reviews

	Retro Computer Baseball Game Review – SSI Computer Baseball
	Retro Computer Baseball Game Review –Computer Statis Pro Baseball
	Retro Computer Baseball Game Review – MicroLeague Baseball
	Retro Computer Baseball Game Review – Avalon Hill Pro Manager / Major League Manager
	Retro Computer Baseball Game Review – Pure-Stat Baseball
	Retro Computer Baseball Game Review – Monday Morning Manager
	Retro Computer Baseball Game Review – Radio Baseball
	Retro Computer Baseball Game Review – Earl Weaver Baseball
	Retro Computer Baseball Game Review – Full Count Baseball
	Retro Computer Baseball Game Review – MicroLeague Baseball II – III – IV
	Retro Computer Baseball Game Review – Tony La Russa’s Ultimate Baseball
	Retro Computer Baseball Game Review – Earl Weaver Baseball II
	Retro Computer Baseball Game Review – APBA Baseball
	Retro Computer Baseball Game Review – Tony La Russa Baseball II
	Retro Computer Baseball Game Review – Front Page Sports Baseball ’94 – ’96 – ’98
	Retro Computer Baseball Game Review – ESPN Baseball Tonight
	Retro Computer Baseball Game Review – Hardball 3-4-5-6
	Retro Computer Baseball Game Review – Pursue the Pennant – Diamond Mind Baseball
	Retro Computer Baseball Game Review – Pro League Baseball
	Retro Computer Baseball Game Review – Tony La Russa Baseball 3 – 4 – Old Time Baseball

Links to my Retro Reviews on Mobygames

https://www.mobygames.com/mobyrank/source/sourceId,2697/

Retro Computer Baseball Game Review – MicroLeague Baseball II – III – IV

Derek Bain — Sat, 29 Feb 2020 15:21:21 +0000

This is the tenth entry in a series focusing on computer baseball simulations to supplement the chapter “Play Retro Baseball Video Games In Your Browser” from my Hardball Retroactive book along with the corresponding post at Baseball Analytics. The series focuses on baseball simulations – games in which the primary emphasis is on managerial strategy and the ability to replay entire seasons with a degree of realism. Baseball video games that are strictly arcade representations of baseball (based solely on reflex and hand-eye coordination) are excluded.

MicroLeague Baseball II (Atari ST edition):

MicroLeague Baseball II (Enhanced) for Commodore 64:

MicroLeague Baseball: The Manager’s Challenge (IBM PC edition):

MicroLeague Baseball IV (IBM PC edition):

Publisher – MicroLeague Sports Association

Release Year – MicroLeague Baseball II – 1989 (Atari ST/IBM PC/Macintosh), 1990 (C64)

MicroLeague Baseball: The Manager’s Challenge – 1991

MicroLeague Baseball IV – 1992

Platforms –MicroLeague Baseball II Atari ST, Commodore 64, IBM PC, Macintosh

MicroLeague Baseball: The Manager’s Challenge IBM PC

MicroLeague Baseball IV IBM PC

Credits

MicroLeague Baseball II

Game Design:	Barry R. Morstain, Subway Software Group, Mark J. Trigsted
Game Design (Commodore 64):	P.S. Consulting and Subway Software
Programming:	James A. Dorsman, Douglas E. Mackall,
Programming (Macintosh):	Adventure Architects, Lon Hildreth, Walter Hunt
Programming Coordinator (Mac):	Mark Lesser
Programming (Commodore 64):	P.S. Consulting
Graphics & Animation (Mac):	George Karalias
Art Design:	Curt Simmons Wayne

MicroLeague Baseball IV

Programming:	Jim Nangano, Ed Daniels, Skip Haughay
Graphic Artist:	Steve Suhy
Music and Sound:	The Fat Man, David Govett
Additional Music / Sound Effects:	Rob Wallace

Review

This is a combined review for MicroLeague Baseball II, MicroLeague Baseball: The Manager’s Challenge and MicroLeague Baseball IV. I decided to merge the 3 releases into a single review based on the following observations:

MicroLeague Baseball II failed to offer a significant upgrade over the original version.
The Commodore 64 release (MicroLeague Baseball II “Enhanced”) essentially represents an entirely different product (Pure-Stat Baseball) repackaged as MicroLeague Baseball. The relatively few “enhancements” in this version do not warrant a separate review.
MicroLeague Baseball: The Manager’s Challenge and MicroLeague Baseball IV introduce several new features while retaining much of the original’s charm.

Therefore I resolved to concentrate my efforts on a review of MicroLeague Baseball IV while noting the differences between the second and third editions of the game along the way. I launched DosBox and fired up MLBB IV. The main menu facilitates a multitude of functions. Note that the General Manager / Owner option can only be executed if you installed the GM/Owner add-on disk (sold separately).

I generated a schedule to replay the 1992 season using the Schedule Editor then selected League Play. You have the ability to quick-play a single day, week or entire season with a single click. My entire replay of the regular season took less than 7 minutes to complete. The virtual ’92 Mets outpaced their real-life counterparts by 20 games to claim the NL East by a 4-game margin over the actual division-winning Pirates. The Braves secured the NL West in both realms, albeit by the slimmest of margins in the MicroLeague replay. The American League simulation featured tight races with the Orioles edging the Brewers in the East and the White Sox tiptoeing past the Twins in the West. Oakland fared the worst among actual division champs in the simulation as the club posted a 77-85 mark, 19 games below their real victory total.

A quick glance at the compiled statistics reveals an issue with the lineup selection, fatigue/usage factors and in-game AI. With the American League lineups in particular, the bench is hardly utilized and in some cases, the “starting 9” played the entire season without any rest. Perhaps due to faulty stamina ratings, I noted a number of starting pitchers with 30+ starts and less than 50 innings pitched. Consequently one or more relievers were saddled with an extremely unrealistic workload. Jeff Johnson (Yankees) yielded a 6.62 ERA in a preposterous 410 innings of work! Milwaukee portsider Bruce Ruffin’s 30-10 record in 99 appearances defies logic. Rod Nichols crafted a 28-9 record with a 3.15 ERA in 394 relief innings for the Tribe. Dave Righetti prevailed in 19 of 21 decisions out of the Giants’ bullpen. Red Sox southpaw Tom Bolton delivered a 21-15 mark in 71 outings. Several teams only utilized 3 relievers for the entire year. Other long relief aces included Mike Flanagan (20-5, 5.26 for the O’s) and Bob Kipper (24-11, 4.09 for the Twins).

The game does not include an option to view leader boards so the user must tab through individual team statistics. I did not perform an exhaustive search but observed a record-breaking 74 home runs by Indians first baseman Paul Sorrento! Juan Guzman notched 21 wins for the Jays.

I quick-played a series of exhibition games to determine the American and National League champions. Atlanta advanced to the World Series with a convincing sweep of the Metropolitans in the NLCS. Terry Pendleton swatted big-flies in the second and fourth contest while Tom Glavine twirled a three-hitter in Game 2. Mike Devereaux clubbed 3 circuit clouts and knocked in 5 runs in an 11-2 rout by the O’s in the initial matchup. Cal Ripken Jr. went yard in each of the next 3 contests and Devereaux added a round-tripper in Game 3 to punch Baltimore’s ticket to the Series as they took the Pale Hose to the cleaners with a sweep of the ALCS.

I elected to manage the Braves as the Series opened at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. John Smoltz took the ball in Game 1 while the O’s countered with Mike Mussina. After a pair of scoreless innings from both aces, Randy Milligan lashed a 2-run single up the middle to score Mike Devereaux and Cal Ripken Jr. In the fourth frame, Devereaux socked a 3-run blast into the left field bleachers to extend Baltimore’s lead to 5-0. Smoltz broke up Mussina’s no-hitter with 2 outs in the sixth with a clean opposite field single to right field. Ripken belted a big-fly to center off “Smoltzie” to put the O’s ahead 6-0. Juan Berenguer and Marvin Freeman put up goose eggs for the remainder of the game. Mussina cruised to a one-hit shutout, retiring Terry Pendleton on a lazy fly ball to left to close out the contest.

Tom Glavine got the nod in Game 2, squaring off against Bob Milacki. Cal Ripken Jr. socked a 2-run homer in the top of the first to put Baltimore ahead. In the bottom of the frame, Terry Pendleton rapped a long double to right-center and scored on a two-out base knock to right by Sid Bream. Both pitchers settled in and pitched scoreless ball for a few innings. The Braves knotted the game at 2-2 when Bream trudged home on a fielder’s choice in the fourth. Mike Flanagan replaced Milacki on the bump after Bream led off the bottom of the sixth with a sharp liner over Ripken’s head. Glavine laced a single to right with two away. O’s right fielder David Segui gunned down Mark Lemke at third base, but not before Bream crossed home plate with the go-ahead run. Pendleton extended the Atlanta lead with an opposite-field four-bagger in the seventh inning. Glavine got the hook after issuing consecutive free passes to Ripken and Glenn Davis in the eighth, followed by a two-out single by Chris Hoiles to close the gap to 4-3. Alejandro Pena fanned Segui to extinguish the threat. Baltimore brought their third pitcher into the contest after Brian R. Hunter delivered a pinch-hit line drive to left to open the bottom of the eighth. Todd Frohwirth induced Deion Sanders to rap into a 1-4-3 double play. Pena closed out the game with a clean inning, although Otis Nixon had to range into the left field corner to flag down Brady Anderson’s drive for the final out.

The teams headed to Baltimore for Game 3 with the Series tied. Ben McDonald got the starting assignment in the first World Series tilt at Camden Yards while the visitors countered with southpaw Steve Avery. Brady Anderson belted a long ball over the wall in right-center leading off the bottom of the first. Later in the same inning, Mike Devereaux came around on a hot grounder up the middle off the bat of Randy Milligan. Atlanta failed to answer until the fifth when Sid Bream’s line drive cleared the scoreboard in right. The Orioles knocked Avery from the contest in the seventh frame as they tacked on a pair of insurance runs. Atlanta brought the tying run to the plate in the top of the eighth. Following a two-out double by Ron Gant, the O’s elected to walk David Justice intentionally. Lonnie Smith slapped a single past Cal Ripken Jr.’s outstretched glove and Gant slid under the tag at home plate. McDonald managed to retire Bream on a weak grounder to Glenn Davis at first base, preventing any further damage. Orioles’ skipper Johnny Oates signaled for the right-handed reliever after Jeff Blauser coaxed a two-out base on balls in the ninth. Gregg “Otter” Olson earned the save when Brian R. Hunter grounded out to shortstop.

In their post-Game 3 conferences, both managers declared that Game 4 would feature a rematch of John Smoltz and Mike Mussina. Brady Anderson muffed a lazy fly ball to left-center off Ron Gant’s bat in the top of the first. Atlanta capitalized when David Justice ripped an offering from “Moose” into the right field corner for a two-bagger. Consecutive safeties by Lonnie Smith and Sid Bream plated another run but “Skates” was cut down at home plate on an ill-advised attempt to increase their lead. “Smoltzie” confidently blazed a path to the mound with his club ahead, 2-0. He promptly whiffed Brady Anderson and Mike Devereaux, then got Cal Ripken Jr. on a grounder to short. Devereaux delivered an RBI single in the third, cutting the Braves advantage in half. The Braves returned the favor in the fourth frame as Smith singled, swiped second and scored on a two-base knock by Bream. Each pitcher put up goose eggs for the balance of the game as Atlanta claimed the 3-1 victory. Smoltz struck out 9 Orioles and yielded only 3 base hits.

Tom Glavine, the 1991 NL Cy Young Award winner coming off consecutive 20-win campaigns, accepted the starting assignment in Game 5 against crafty right-hander Bob Milacki. Jeff Blauser initiated the scoring in the visitor’s second with a base hit to left field, plating David Justice and sending Sid Bream to third. Greg Olson barely beat the relay throw on an attempted 6-4-3 double play as Bream trotted home with Atlanta’s second run. After issuing a free pass to Rafael Belliard, Milacki dug himself a deeper hole when Otis Nixon lined a two-base hit up the left-center field gap. Mike Devereaux tracked down a long drive off Terry Pendleton’s bat near the warning track for the third out. Atlanta held a 3-0 lead as Glavine settled into a groove while Milacki got into a bases-loaded, no out jam in the third. Ron Gant singled and stole second, followed by successive walks to Justice and Lonnie Smith. Bream lofted a fly ball to right, deep enough to send Gant home with the fourth run. Blauser lashed a single to left to score Justice, then Olson smashed a hard grounder past second baseman Tim Hulett. Smith raced home and Oates immediately headed out to give Milacki the hook. Mike Flanagan entered the match down 6-0 and promptly avoided further damage when Belliard rapped into a 6-4-3 double play. Bream extended the Braves’ lead with a two-run blast off Mike Mussina, who was inexplicably brought into the contest despite the score along with the fact that he threw a complete game 24 hours earlier. Pendleton delivered a sac fly and Gant tripled in another run off Rick Sutcliffe in the eighth as the Braves went up 10-0. The only remaining drama in the game dissolved when Randy Milligan led off the bottom of the eighth inning with a clean single into shallow left field, breaking up Glavine’s no-hitter. The future Hall of Famer portsider racked up 11 strikeouts in a complete-game, one-hit shutout victory as Atlanta returned home with a 3-2 advantage in the Series.

As the fans settled into their seats after the last note of the National Anthem rang out, Mike Devereaux crushed a moon-shot into the left-field seats off Steve Avery in the first frame to put the O’s on the board. Leo Gomez clouted a two-run round-tripper in the second inning as Avery had difficulty commanding his fastball. Atlanta chipped away at Baltimore’s lead in the bottom of the frame when Sid Bream doubled and came home on a Rafael Belliard base knock. Ben McDonald evaded further harm when Mark Lemke was thrown out attempted to go from first to third on the play. The Braves loaded the bases in the bottom of the third. Otis Nixon singled and stole second with one away, then Terry Pendleton walked. Ron Gant skied deep to center but Devereaux ran it down. Dave Justice drew a base on balls and Bream followed with a two-bagger off the right-center field fence, plating 3 runs as Atlanta assumed a 4-3 advantage. The inning continued when Greg Olson walked and Lemke chipped a soft single over Cal Ripken Jr. and into left field. The third base coach wisely held Bream at third. Mike Flanagan jogged in from the bullpen and the Braves countered with pinch-hitter Jeff Blauser. Four pitches later, another run was forced home via a bases-loaded walk! Avery grounded out to shortstop but he returned to the mound with a 5-3 lead. Leading off the fifth inning, Brady Anderson walloped a four-bagger over the scoreboard in right to pull the Orioles within one run. Devereaux hit into a fielder’s choice in the seventh off reliever Mike Bielecki, plating the tying run. Pendleton reclaimed the lead with a big fly that cleared the center field wall in the bottom of the frame off Rick Sutcliffe. The see-saw battle continued as Chris Hoiles launched a long ball to left which sent Bielecki to the showers in the top of the eighth. Pendleton sent the crowd into a frenzy with a titanic blast into the right field stands with two out in the bottom of the ninth to win the game and the Series!!

Ratings

Graphics – [3] The player graphics and animation is an improvement over the original MLBB. Yet the flight path and fielder movements remain choreographed. Observe the game for a few innings and you’ll be able to determine exactly where each batted ball will be caught or drop in safely for a hit. MLBB IV comes with 4 ballparks (Camden Yards, Dodger Stadium, Fenway Park and Wrigley Field). The artistic renderings enhance the feel of the game. Digitized video clips are a distraction – after viewing the same highlights repeatedly, I toggled off this feature after a few innings. A throwback from the first edition, players running on and off the field, can be disabled by the user. The scoreboard is centered at the top of the display. As this version incorporates the use of a mouse, you can click on the scoreboard to bring up several options including the current box score.

Sound – [2] The crack of the bat and the thud of the ball crashing into a glove are effectively represented. A digitized crowd roar is triggered at the appropriate moments. However one is left to wonder why the ballpark is completely silent during the balance of the contest, with the exception of the National Anthem and the “Seventh-Inning Stretch”.

Strategy – [3] The choice of pitch type from the original MLBB has been replaced with 3 generic pitching preferences – pitch normally, aggressively, or around the batter. There are 3 defensive positioning options – play outfield aggressively, infield in or in at the corners. You can also signal for the pitcher to attempt a pick off move, pitch out or issue an intentional walk. On offense you can advise the batter to swing away with the option of runners playing it safe or aggressive, hit and run or hit behind the runner. Bunting strategies include the sacrifice bunt, squeeze play or bunt for a hit. With runners on base, you have the ability to attempt a double steal or solely ask the lead runner to swipe a bag. Managers can modify their lineups, warm up or replace pitchers prior to every batter-pitcher confrontation.

Artificial Intelligence – [1] The computer manager allowed relief pitchers to bat on multiple occasions. In 3 games played without the designated hitter, my computer counterpart never opted to pinch-hit for the pitcher. I expected more from a simulation on its fourth iteration, especially since MLBB 4 offers lefty/righty breakdowns.

Box Score – [3] The concise, newspaper-style box score fits neatly on the display with arrows to scroll down for additional information. The upper segment includes the standard batting information for the visiting and home teams while the lower encompasses the line score, errors, double plays, left on base, extra base hits, baserunning events and pitching statistics. The umpires’ names are a nice touch along with the time and attendance. The user has the option to print or compile statistics.

Rosters – [1] – Teams consist of a 25-man active roster and 5 reserves. The active and reserved players can be adjusted through the League Utilities / Set Roster menu option.

Statistics – [3] – The optional General Manager / Owner Disk aids in the customization of rosters, player statistics and ratings. Users can modify lineups or trade players. MLBB 4 offered additional Season disks (1982-1992), Franchise History, All-Star Roster and World Series Team disks for purchase. In addition, 3 Stadium disks (American League, National League and Classic Parks) were created to augment the set of 4 ballparks that came standard with MLBB 4.

Usage/Injuries/Ejections – [2] – Injuries, ejections and fatigue can occur in the game although I did not encounter any. The lack of plate appearances for ballplayers that were not in the starting lineup during the regular season simulation leads me to question whether the fatigue and injury factors were properly implemented and thoroughly tested. Many bench players and a number of relief pitchers did not appear in any games despite being on the active roster for the entire simulated season.

Ballparks / Park Factors – [1] – The manual claims “more stadium factors are taken into consideration.” However teams are not assigned to specific stadiums and only 4 stadiums are available without the purchase of the add-on stadium disks, so it’s not clear how park factors are accounted for.

Commentary – [1] – Play result text appears on the bottom of the screen while the play is in progress. The observations are fairly basic and variation is minimal.

Note: MicroLeague Baseball II “Enhanced” for the Commodore 64 is essentially Pure-Stat Baseball repackaged as MicroLeague Baseball with a few additional strategic options bolted on. My rating for MicroLeague Baseball II “Enhanced” mirrors the Pure-Stat Baseball score (16 out of 50).

Scale: Ratings from 1 (worst) to 5 (best)

Total Score: 20 out of 50

Enhancements and Features

Feature	MLBB	MLBB II	MLBB:TMC	MLBB IV
Offensive Options (no baserunners)	2	2	2
Offensive Options (baserunners)	7	7	7
Pitches	4	4	5
Pitcher Strategy	4	4	5
Infield Defensive Positioning	3	3	7
Outfield Defensive Positioning	1	1	9
Pitch Location (Full Count only)	N/A	N/A	6
Split Stats	N/A	N/A	YES	YES
Roster Slots	15 batters, 10 pitchers	15 batters, 10 pitchers	15 batters, 10 pitchers, 5 reserves	15 batters, 10 pitchers, 5 reserves
Fatigue / Stamina	N/A	YES	YES	YES
Park Factors	N/A	YES	YES	YES
One Pitch / Full At-Bat	One Pitch only	One Pitch only	One / Full
Injuries, Arguments, Ejections	N/A	YES	YES	YES
Rain Delays / Power Outages	N/A	YES	YES	YES
Quik-Play	N/A	YES	YES	YES
Bullpen Warm-Up Status	N/A	YES	YES	YES
Schedule Editor	N/A	N/A	N/A	YES
Series Play	N/A	N/A	YES	YES
Manager Profiles	N/A	N/A	N/A	YES
Play Multiple Games	N/A	N/A	N/A	YES
Playbook Editor	N/A	N/A	N/A	YES
Download Stats (USA Today)	N/A	N/A	N/A	YES

Observations

The MicroLeague Sports Association fine-tuned this product with 4 editions released in the span of a decade. Yet I’m left with the feeling that there were many wasted opportunities to enhance and improve this game especially when you compare it to the competition. The play-by-play commentary regressed, player movement remained choreographed, and the strategic options lagged behind contemporary text-based and graphical baseball sims of the era. The omission of a “league leaders” option is difficult to fathom. Why bother compiling the stats if you’re unable to view and sort them at your discretion?

Please add a comment below if you spent a significant amount of time and/or have any recollections of MicroLeague Baseball II, MicroLeague Baseball: The Manager’s Challenge or MicroLeague Baseball IV.

Screenshots

Articles in the Series

	Retro Computer Baseball Game Review – SSI Computer Baseball
	Retro Computer Baseball Game Review –Computer Statis Pro Baseball
	Retro Computer Baseball Game Review – MicroLeague Baseball
	Retro Computer Baseball Game Review – Avalon Hill Pro Manager / Major League Manager
	Retro Computer Baseball Game Review – Pure-Stat Baseball
	Retro Computer Baseball Game Review – Monday Morning Manager
	Retro Computer Baseball Game Review – Radio Baseball
	Retro Computer Baseball Game Review – Earl Weaver Baseball
	Retro Computer Baseball Game Review – Full Count Baseball
	Retro Computer Baseball Game Review – MicroLeague Baseball II – III – IV
	Retro Computer Baseball Game Review – Tony La Russa’s Ultimate Baseball
	Retro Computer Baseball Game Review – Earl Weaver Baseball II
	Retro Computer Baseball Game Review – APBA Baseball
	Retro Computer Baseball Game Review – Tony La Russa Baseball II
	Retro Computer Baseball Game Review – Front Page Sports Baseball ’94 – ’96 – ’98
	Retro Computer Baseball Game Review – ESPN Baseball Tonight
	Retro Computer Baseball Game Review – Hardball 3-4-5-6
	Retro Computer Baseball Game Review – Pursue the Pennant – Diamond Mind Baseball
	Retro Computer Baseball Game Review – Pro League Baseball
	Retro Computer Baseball Game Review – Tony La Russa Baseball 3 – 4 – Old Time Baseball

Additional Links

Play MicroLeague Baseball II in your browser! –

https://archive.org/details/msdos_MicroLeague_Baseball_2_1989

Play MicroLeague Baseball: The Manager’s Challenge in your browser! –

https://archive.org/details/msdos_MicroLeague_Baseball_-_The_Managers_Challenge_1991

Play MicroLeague Baseball IV in your browser! –

https://archive.org/details/msdos_MicroLeague_Baseball_IV_1992

Playthrough – HardballRetro

“Microleague Baseball: The Manager’s Challenge.” Amiga World, June 1992, p96.

https://archive.org/details/amiga-world-1992-06/page/n97/mode/1up

“Microleague Baseball II.” Compute! Issue 115, December 1989, p126, 130.

https://archive.org/details/1989-12-compute-magazine/page/n127/mode/1up

Microleague Baseball II manual –

http://www.atarimania.com/st/files/microleague_baseball_ii_micro_league_sports_association_manual.pdf

MicroLeague Baseball: The Manager’s Challenge manual – https://www.old-games.com/getfile/7581

Microleague Baseball IV manual – https://www.old-games.com/getfile/7579

https://www.mobygames.com/game/microleague-baseball-ii

https://www.mobygames.com/game/microleague-baseball-the-managers-challenge

https://www.mobygames.com/game/microleague-baseball-iv

http://www.stadium64.com/gameinfos/microleaguebaseball2/microleaguebaseball2.htm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9tPkIfJJ_0 (MicroLeague Baseball II for the IBM PC,

video by Squakenet)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMrEuqPmZpI (MicroLeague Baseball: The Manager’s Challenge for the IBM PC, video by Squakenet)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOIA4aUfrfc (MicroLeague Baseball IV for the IBM PC,

video by Squakenet)

About the Author

I am a New Jersey native with a passion for baseball, statistics, computers and video games who enjoys spending quality time with his family.

“Hardball Architects – Volume 1 (American League)“, published in July 2020 and
“Hardball Architects – Volume 2 (National League)”, published in April 2022, examine the trades, free agent acquisitions, draft picks and other transactions for the 30 Major League Baseball franchises, divided into a 2-volume set. Both books are available in paperback and digital (Kindle) format at Amazon.com. All key moves are scrutinized for every team and Sabermetric principles are applied to the roster construction throughout the lifetime of the organization to encapsulate the hits and misses by front office executives. Team performances are analyzed based on transaction type with graphs depicting the WAR (Wins Above Replacement) in every decade. Individual results for each player-transaction is charted over the duration of their stint with the franchise. Every team chapter includes All-Time Rosters and Single-Season Leaders based on transaction type. The Team Trade Record chronicles the WAR and WS (Win Shares) accumulated by players acquired in comparison to those traded to opposing teams. The opening chapter is devoted to the Evolution of the General Manager and incorporates a discussion with former Dodgers GM Fred Claire (along with former Angels and Red Sox GM Mike Port and current Reds GM Nick Krall in Volume 2) on a variety of front office topics.

“Hardball Retroactive”, published in June 2018, is available in paperback and digital (Kindle) format at Amazon.com. Hardball Retroactive is a modest collection of selected articles that I have written for Seamheads.com along with my Baseball Analytics blog since 2010. Exclusive content includes the chapter on “Minors vs. Majors” which assesses every franchise’s minor league successes and failures in relation to their major league operations.

“Hardball Retrospective” is available in paperback and digital (Kindle) format at Amazon.com. Supplemental Statistics, Charts and Graphs along with a discussion forum are offered at TuataraSoftware.com. In Hardball Retrospective, I placed every ballplayer in the modern era (from 1901-present) on their original teams. Using a variety of advanced statistics and methods, I generated revised standings for each season based entirely on the performance of each team’s “original” players. I discuss every team’s “original” players and seasons at length along with organizational performance with respect to the Amateur Draft (or First-Year Player Draft), amateur free agent signings and other methods of player acquisition. Season standings, WAR and Win Shares totals for the “original” teams are compared against the real-time or “actual” team results to assess each franchise’s scouting, development and general management skills.

Don Daglow (Intellivision World Series Major League Baseball, Earl Weaver Baseball, Tony LaRussa Baseball) contributed the foreword for Hardball Retrospective. The foreword and preview of my book are accessible here.

“Hardball Retrospective – Addendum 2014 to 2016” supplements my research for Hardball Retrospective, providing retroactive standings based on Wins Above Replacement (WAR) and Win Shares (WS) for each “original” team over the past three seasons (2014-2016). Team totals from 2010 – 2013 are included for reference purposes. “Addendum” is available in paperback and digital (Kindle) format at Amazon.com.

Retro Computer Baseball Game Review – Monday Morning Manager

Derek Bain — Sat, 30 Nov 2019 15:10:03 +0000

This is the sixth entry in a series focusing on computer baseball simulations to supplement the chapter “Play Retro Baseball Video Games In Your Browser” from my Hardball Retroactive book along with the corresponding post at Baseball Analytics. The series focuses on baseball simulations – games in which the primary emphasis is on managerial strategy and the ability to replay entire seasons with a degree of realism. Baseball video games that are strictly arcade representations of baseball (based solely on reflex and hand-eye coordination) are excluded.

Publisher – TK Computer Products

Release Year – 1986

Platforms – Apple ][, Atari 800, Atari ST, Commodore 64, IBM PC

Credits

Unknown – if anyone can provide this information, please post a Comment and I will update this section accordingly.

Review

Monday Morning Manager continues the tradition of the primarily text-based predecessors like SSI Computer Baseball and Computer Statis Pro Baseball. Sadly it fails to offer any tangible improvements over those offerings and in some respects the product presents fewer choices to the end-user.

Unable to locate my Monday Morning Manager (Commodore 64) floppy or game manual, I launched the Atari 800 version of the game using the Altirra emulator. I encountered a glitch when attempting to visit the mound or review my lineup during the game. The program tried to list my roster but crashed every time. My assumption is that the disk image is corrupt and that this flaw did not exist in the original version of the game. I decided to play a series of exhibition game between the AL and NL Greats to get a feel for the interface, with the caveat that I would be unable to make any in-game substitutions. In my initial endeavor, the computer manager visited the mound which resulted in the aforementioned crash bug. Consequently I resolved to manage both squads through a three-game set in an effort to complete an entire game, figure out the available options (without making any in-game substitutions) and view the resulting box score.

The 1968 AL Cy Young winner Denny McLain (31-6, 1.96) accepted the starting assignment against 1965 NL Cy Young honoree Sandy Koufax (26-8, 2.04). The “Iron Horse” Lou Gehrig kicked off the scoring with a solo blast to center field with one out in the bottom of the second. Following a walk to Mickey Mantle and an opposite-field single by Ted Williams, the AL squad tallied their second run on a two-base hit down the left field line by Yogi Berra. Koufax whiffed Luis Aparicio but Ty Cobb ripped a solid single to center to knock in “Teddy Ballgame” for a 3-0 lead. McLain got into trouble in the bottom of the fourth when Johnny Mize and Hank Aaron delivered back-to-back singles to place runners on first and third with nobody out. He struck out Eddie Mathews and Gabby Hartnett in succession then retired Pete Rose on a line drive to “Little Louie”. The AL Greats loaded the bases with one away in the fifth on a single by Rod Carew along with pair of walks to Babe Ruth and Jimmie Foxx. Koufax extricated himself from the jam with successive strikeouts of Gehrig and Mantle. The NL Greats were unable to mount any offense against McLain as he fashioned a five-hit shutout and the AL crew claimed the first contest, 3-0.

Game 2 featured Luis Tiant ’68 (21-9, 1.60) versus Tom Seaver ‘71 (20-10, 1.76). “El Tiante” struck out the side in the top of the first (Honus Wagner, Rogers Hornsby, Stan Musial). In the bottom of the frame, Ty Cobb led off with a single, stole second and came home on a two-run rocket to left-center field by Lou Gehrig. Tris Speaker extended the inning with a bloop single to left, but Seaver escaped further damage when Ted Williams lofted a lazy fly ball to Hank Aaron for the third out. Willie Mays reached on an miscue but he was consequently caught stealing on a laser throw by Yogi Berra. Hank Aaron dialed long distance with two down in the second inning to tally the National League’s first run in 11 frames and cut the deficit to 2-1. Harmon Killebrew launched a moon-shot deep over the right field wall in the bottom of the second to increase the AL’s advantage to 3-1. Gabby Hartnett and Honus Wagner supplied successive singles to start the third frame but Tiant induced Musial to ground into a 6-4-3 double play. Mize muffed Gehrig’s two-hopper to first and Speaker coaxed a walk, placing “Tom Terrific” on the ropes again. “The Splendid Splinter” ripped a hard liner to center and the third-base coach held Gehrig at third. “Killer” pounced on a curveball, drilling a two-run double down into the left field corner. Seaver recorded 3 straight outs as the NL squad clung to a 4-run deficit. “Hammerin’ Hank” plated the “Say Hey Kid” with a two-bagger into the right field corner in the top of the fourth. A base hit by Lefty O’Doul and a fielder’s choice by Eddie Mathews scored Aaron as the NL Greats inched back into the ballgame. The AL responded in the bottom of the frame when Rod Carew singled up the middle and Gehrig delivered another crushing blow, his second long ball of the game and third of the series to put his team ahead by a four-run margin. Later that inning, Killebrew connected on a mammoth blast to right-center field with “Teddy Ballgame” aboard to extend the AL advantage to 9-3. Rogers Hornsby legged out a three-base hit when the ball took a strange bounce at the base of the center field wall and eluded “The Georgia Peach”. “Stan the Man” greeted Tiant with a line shot back through the box and “Rajah” stepped on the dish to register the fourth tally for the NL. Mays rapped into a 6-4-3 double play and Aaron whiffed to end the marginal uprising. The Junior Circuit opened the bottom of the fifth with 3 successive singles by Luis Aparicio, Cobb and Carew. Seaver sustained his “Franchise” tag, escaping the bases loaded jam on short fly balls to Babe Ruth and Gehrig and a ground out by “The Grey Eagle”. Both pitchers settled in and shut down the opposition for the remainder of the game. Tiant whiffed Hornsby to seal the 9-4 victory for the American League. Minnesota teammates Carew and Killebrew led the squad with 4 hits apiece.

Dean Chance ’64 (20-9, 1.65) opposed Steve Carlton ’72 (1.97) in the series finale as the AL attempted to complete the sweep. Chance immediately encountered trouble in the first inning, loading the bases on a hit, walk and error by first baseman Lou Gehrig. Hank Aaron hammered a two-bagger into the right field corner to plate all 3 baserunners. Chance booted Ralph Kiner’s smash back through the box to extend the frame and move Aaron to third. Eddie Mathews followed with a deep fly ball to center which was flagged down by Ty Cobb for the third out. Rogers Hornsby started the top of the third with a double off the top of the right field wall. Stan Musial delivered a clean single that one-hopped Mickey Mantle in right, placing runners at the corners with nobody out. Willie Mays followed with a line-drive two-base hit over Ted Williams’ outstretched glove in left, scoring Hornsby. Aaron coaxed a base on balls, offering Kiner the opportunity to bat with the sacks full. Chance turned a dribbler back to the mound into a 1-2-3 double play. Mathews whiffed but the NL had extended their lead to 4-0. “Lefty” faced the bottom half of the order in the fifth and the AL crew generated successive singles by Mantle, Williams and Yogi Berra to bring the tying run to the dish. Luis Aparicio walked to force in a run for the Junior Circuit. Cobb laced a single to left, cutting the NL advantage to 4-2. Rod Carew lifted a shallow fly to right and the runners declined to advance. Babe Ruth demolished a heater on the inner half of the plate, sending the sphere into orbit before settling into the upper deck in right for a grand salami! Lou Gehrig ripped a two-out double and Mantle blasted a titanic shot into the bleachers in left-center as the AL notched their eighth run of the inning. “The Splendid Splinter” struck out to mercifully conclude an inning in which 11 batters came to the dish. Not ready to surrender by a long shot, Gabby Hartnett belted a long ball to left to commence the top of the sixth. Aaron lashed a two-out double down the right field line in the seventh and came around on a base knock by Kiner. Mathews drew a walk and Hartnett swatted a three-run big-fly to retake the lead for the NL squad, 9-8! “Hammerin’ Hank” launched a moon-shot in the top of the ninth to add an insurance run. In the bottom of the ninth, Carew blooped a single in front of Mays with one out to grant Ruth the chance to tie the game at 10-all. “The Bambino” grounded into a 6-4-3 double play as the National Leaguers claimed the first triumph in the exhibition match.

Ratings

Graphics – [1] The display is very reminiscent of SSI Computer Baseball. The ballplayers are represented by character graphics with stick-figures to differentiate between the batter, baserunner(s) and fielders. The ball (a single pixel) moves with a stilted motion. When the batter hits the ball, he drops the bat (which looks like an exclamation point) in front of home plate. Umpires are stationed in front of second base and behind home plate. The umpire raises his hand when an out occurs and waves his hands to indicate when a player is safe on a close play. The scoreboard appears at the top of the screen while the defensive lineup encompasses one-third of the screen on the left side. The current batter is listed below the defensive lineup along with his actual batting average and results from today’s contest. The bottom portion is reserved for prompts (“catcher, call your defensive signals” or “third base coach, give your signs”) and play-by-play commentary. Home runs trigger the scoreboard to cycle through an array of colors.

Sound – [2] The ambient crowd noise commences at game time. The crowd roars for base hits and jeers at strikeouts. The crack of the bat is audible. The applause volume spiked when the ball left the yard. When the game ends, the box score is displayed and a full rendition of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” reverberates throughout the stadium.

Strategy – [1] Through trial and error, I discerned the joystick directions on offense selected the following plays: swing away (fire button), steal (up), bunt (down), view lineup (right). Defensive options include: pitch (fire button), pick-off attempt (left), visit mound (right), intentional walk (up). Working without the manual, I was unable to ascertain if you can call a hit-and-run or coach your baserunners to be cautious or aggressive. In the field I could not determine if it was possible to adjust my fielder’s positioning (infield in, double-play depth, in at the corners, outfield positioning). If anyone has the manual, please scan it and send it to me! As a result of the lineup screen crash bug, I don’t know whether it is possible to warm up relievers.

Artificial Intelligence – [1] As mentioned I had to manage both teams so I could not verify the acumen of the computer manager with regards to lineup changes, bullpen management and strategy.

Box Score – [1] Upon the conclusion of the contest, I was almost immediately delivered to the box score screen. The entire roster for each team is listed on the screen without sorting by the actual lineup order. Defensive positions are ignored so there’s no easy way to determine who played where, when a player substitution occurred, etc. The team total runs, hits and errors appear in the top-left corner. In the Altirra emulator, F3 mapped to the “Select” key, which toggles between the home and visitor box score. The “Option” key (F4) allows the user to print the box score. Pressing the “Start” key (F2) results in a menu with 3 choices: Play Teams Again, Play New Teams, Save All Stats.

Rosters – [1] – Each team is restricted to a 19-man roster (13 batters and 6 pitchers). Monday Morning Manager incorporates a trade / free agent draft mode. To my knowledge it is not possible to edit existing player data or create new players.

Statistics – [2] – The game disk is stocked with 32 championship teams along with 2 AL and 2 NL Greats. Data disks were available for purchase. Offensive statistics were limited to batting average, doubles, triples, home runs, RBI and stolen bases. Pitcher data referenced won-loss record, saves, walks, strikeouts and earned run average. Two fielding positions were listed for each player. However there are no ratings for speed / baserunning, bunting, or defensive ability.

Usage/Injuries/Ejections – [1] – Injuries, ejections and fatigue do not occur in the game. It is not possible to prevent the computer manager from substituting a particular player or pitcher during a game or series.

Ballparks / Park Factors – [1] –The simulation does not appear to account for any park factors. The in-game display is a character-mapped stadium. The end-user does not select the ball park.

Commentary – [1] – Play results appear at the bottom of the screen. They do not include any descriptive text. Standard responses are “walk”, “single”, “pop out” and “runners go.. he’s safe”.

Scale: Ratings from 1 (worst) to 5 (best)

Total Score: 12 out of 50

Observations

Monday Morning Manager delivers a basic text-based baseball simulation with none of the bells and whistles to differentiate it in a market that was expanding in the mid-Eighties. This game was difficult to find back in the day (it may have only been available through mail-order). I don’t recall specific flaws with the Commodore 64 version but I know I didn’t spend a lot of time with this game. The roster limitations and lack of statistics probably expedited my decision to banish this floppy to the bottom of the pile.

Please add a comment below if you spent a significant amount of time and/or have any recollections of Monday Morning Manager.

Screenshots

Articles in the Series

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	Retro Computer Baseball Game Review –Computer Statis Pro Baseball
	Retro Computer Baseball Game Review – MicroLeague Baseball
	Retro Computer Baseball Game Review – Avalon Hill Pro Manager / Major League Manager
	Retro Computer Baseball Game Review – Pure-Stat Baseball
	Retro Computer Baseball Game Review – Monday Morning Manager
	Retro Computer Baseball Game Review – Radio Baseball
	Retro Computer Baseball Game Review – Earl Weaver Baseball
	Retro Computer Baseball Game Review – Full Count Baseball
	Retro Computer Baseball Game Review – MicroLeague Baseball II – III – IV
	Retro Computer Baseball Game Review – Tony La Russa’s Ultimate Baseball
	Retro Computer Baseball Game Review – Earl Weaver Baseball II
	Retro Computer Baseball Game Review – APBA Baseball
	Retro Computer Baseball Game Review – Tony La Russa Baseball II
	Retro Computer Baseball Game Review – Front Page Sports Baseball ’94 – ’96 – ’98
	Retro Computer Baseball Game Review – ESPN Baseball Tonight
	Retro Computer Baseball Game Review – Hardball 3-4-5-6
	Retro Computer Baseball Game Review – Pursue the Pennant – Diamond Mind Baseball
	Retro Computer Baseball Game Review – Pro League Baseball
	Retro Computer Baseball Game Review – Tony La Russa Baseball 3 – 4 – Old Time Baseball

Additional Links

https://archive.org/details/1986-06-compute-magazine/page/n114

Playthroughs – Hardball Retro

Atari 8-bit version:

Atari Explorer, Spring 1987. Letters to the Editor. “Update for Baseball Fans”. Page 4. https://archive.org/details/Atari_Explorer_Volume_7_Number_2_1987-03_Atari_Explorer_Publications_US/page/n5

About the Author

I am a New Jersey native with a passion for baseball, statistics, computers and video games who enjoys spending quality time with his family.