Franchise History w/Best & Worst Last Two Seasons

[ballmark]

I realized late this evening that I've missed this for the 2028 and 2029 seasons!! So let me make it up because my wife is away for the weekend and I've nothing to do but sleep and who needs to do that?

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The GGL has enjoyed a nice period of stability over the last couple of years, with no ownership changes, and no rebranding of franchises, just SimBaseball in one of the site's finest and most enjoyable Dynasty Leagues. Here's what I noticed while going through won/loss records for the last two seasons and notating my league spreadsheet:

• Shazam set a new record for victories under their ownership with 54 in their third year here last season.
• Chicago AL sadly, set a new record for losses last year, with 94, but we congratulate them for hitting the 20-season mark in ownership last year! Well done, danno38852!
• Detroit finally set a new franchise high in victories with 114 in 2029 and nearly went on the 10-day Injured List patting themselves on the back. They had previously been tied at 113 with the Detroit Dead Men Voting, set in 1957.
• The Insane Beef in Milwaukee (Mad Cows) set a new high water mark for wins with 111 in 2028 on their way to the playoffs the last two years.
• Minnesota also set a new record for frustration last season with 97 losses but tied the former owner in longevity and will surpass them at the end of this season.
• Montreal continues to have a winning record but also set a new franchise mark under Compton10101 for losses with 69 in 2029.
• There's good news in Pittsburgh as the Fireflies set a new franchise record with 71 wins in 2029 and are on a pace to surpass that this season.
• We welcomed Kyle (Damien435) back with open arms at the end of 2027 and by virtue of the way this thing works, St. Louis proceeded to set two new franchise records (as those records reset under each new owner; except the All Time highs and lows). So the Cardinals new high under Damien435 is 61 wins in 2028 and 107 losses in 2029.
• The only other notable change is that Kent in Washington hit **70** years as an owner here in the Goose Goslin League.

I hope to also bring back our League Introduction Page from the Old Forum. Maybe later this weekend. Did I mention the wife is away...?

-- Mark

P.S. -- If you notice anything I've missed, or something that should be there, don't hesitate to comment, or PM me.
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ATLANTA FEDERAL RESERVE
Currently owned by: Shazam (2027- )
Current Best/Worst: 54 wins in 2029; 122 losses in 2027
Franchise Best/Worst: 132 wins in 2015 under Horseradish; 132 losses in 2004 (cdunn) and 2012 (Horseradish)
Longest tenured owner: Zheric, from 1953 through 2002 (50 seasons) ~ Cincinnati Starlets
Known as the Troopers their first three years, they were purchased by Claude (Zheric) in 1953 and renamed the Starlets and became one of SimD's first "theme teams" and for the next five SimDecades most of the good players were renamed after prominent Hollywood science fiction starlets and actresses. It's hard to steal second in high heels, the media was repeatedly told. When Claude finally left, Carl Dunn (R.I.P.) bought the franchise from a short-lived DynastyBot and moved them to Philadelphia where he renamed them the Hornets and strategically garnered a top draft pick. Horseradish took over the next year and moved the club south to Atlanta where he renamed the team the EDGE, as he did with most of his SimD teams. When they were about ready to compete, he renamed the squad the Mudhens and set a National League record for victories. He retired from the league in 2022 for health reasons. A Bot held the reins in 2023 and then Dufess joined the GGL in 2024, renaming the team the Atlanta Hawks. Sadly, he only played for the minimum two year buy-in before departing the league. DynastyBot took the reins for the 2026 season to an unremarkable 32-130 record before the return of Shazam, who ran the New York AL/Minnesota franchise from 2018-2020. The franchise was rebranded under the new owner as the Federal Reserve.

BALTIMORE NATIONAL BOHEMIANS
Currently owned by: dabigtrain (2002- )
Current Best/Worst: 105 wins in 2014; 94 losses in 2024
Franchise Best/Worst: 112 wins in 1996 under joedirt; 109 losses in 1977 under grist06
Longest tenured owner: dabigtrain, from 2002 through 2029 (28 seasons) ~ Baltimore National Bohemians
A rocky beginning, Baltimore went by the Breeze, then the Steam, then the Mist, then back to the Steam before a solitary year as the Baltimore Blizzard in 1962. The city began to see some ownership stability under joedirt from 1963 to 1975 as the Baltimore Browns and then the Fire with grist06 until current management joined the GGL in 2002.

BOSTON RED SOX
Currently owned by: dgray14 (2017- )
Current Best/Worst: 89 wins in 2027; 105 losses in 2019
Franchise Best/Worst: 103 wins in 2004 under WHEELSRUGS; 107 losses under same in 1998
Longest tenured owner: WHEELSRUGS, from 1971 through 2015 (45 seasons) ~ Boston Green Sox
First three owners are Out of SimDynasty, but had dubbed the team the Boston Tea Party, Boston Clammers, and the Boston Chaos. They played for one solitary year in 1962 as the Boston Bombers. Owner tim_ackley held the reins for seven years as the Boston Terriers and then Boston fans put up with the name "Green Manalishi" for the 1970 season. This is your team on LSD. Under Wheels, they were the Green Wave for one year before becoming the well-known Boston Green Sox for many, many years here. Dynasty Bot renamed the team the Boston Bobcats in 2016 and dgray14 restored the legendary Red Sox name to Boston fans upon his arrival in 2017.

CHICAGO CYCLONES
Currently owned by: danno38852 (2010- )
Current Best/Worst: 103 wins in 2020; 94 losses in 2029
Franchise Best/Worst: 128 wins in very first year 1950 under Alsobroken; 122 losses in 1959 under Out of SimD
Longest tenured owner: Descent54, from 1984 through 2009 (26 seasons) ~ Chicago Black Sox
Must be something about the reputation on Chicago's south side. This team started out as the Devils, were the Big Bats for two years, then the Dons, the Monsters, the Villains, and then came into the hands of the infamous owner imalbundy2 (Ron). Ron blamed ABE for every loss Chicago ever had. He refused to understand how a computer simulation, when given a team that was clearly better by all statistical metrics, could ever be allowed to lose to one with patently inferior paradigms. It was obviously a conspiracy of the programmers out to make his team fail and deny him success. While he started off calling his team the Chicago Cougars, he changed the name almost every season as a protest to this unfair and corrupt conspiracy and thus Chicago fans lived through the following litany: High Plains Drifters, Corn Holes, Proctologists, WS Champions, 33 1/3s, 8 Tracks, and Geritol Addicts when the players were aging out. Finally Greg (Descent54) came along and the team became the Black Sox. After only going to the World Series once in more than 25 years, he gave up and turned the team over to danno38852.

DETROIT DIAMONDS
Currently owned by: ballmark (1974- )
Current Best/Worst: 114 wins in 2029; 124 losses in 1977
Franchise Best/Worst: 114 wins in 2029 under ballmark; 124 losses in 1977 under ballmark
Longest tenured owner: ballmark, with 57 seasons and counting by the end of this year ~ Detroit Diamonds
Detroit, one of the league's original 16 teams, began as the "Dead Men Voting" for the GGL's first decade, then were the Detroit Deluge for a baker's dozen of years before being taken over by current owner ballmark in 1974. Only two other owners in GGL history have owned a team longer. One of them is still active in this league.

KANSAS CITY ATHLETICS
Currently owned by: berrybasher (2016- )
Current Best/Worst: 99 wins in 2026; 109 losses in 2022
Franchise Best/Worst: 110 wins in 1990 under WedgeVA; 130 losses in 1981 under WedgeVA
Longest tenured owner: WedgeVA, from 1975 through 2015 (41 seasons) ~ Kansas City Kings
Kansas City is known for two things: BBQ and Blues. The team was called the Blues from 1950 through 1966 and its first two owners, then became the KC Carp under jbence from '67 to 1974. Long term owner WedgeVA took over in 1975 and renamed them the Kings. Took the team to six World Series, but could only win one title. berrybasher, like dgray14, has restored the team's historical nickname.

LOS ANGELES YOUNGSTUDS
Currently owned by: bpearly69 (2012- )
Current Best/Worst: 115 wins in 2027; 76 losses in 2019
Franchise Best/Worst: 123 wins as Brooklyn Traveling Wilburies in 1956 under Out of SimD; 122 losses as Montreal Comeback Kids in 2012 under bpearly69
Longest tenured owner: Slimlizard, from 1959 through 2007 (49 seasons) ~ Brooklyn Traveling Wilburies
This franchise began life in Brooklyn as the Railbirds. Five years later they became the Traveling Wilburies, which they would remain for the next 53 years. The storied franchise moved north to Canada under compton10101, locating it in Montreal, or MoNtReAl to follow team branding. But only for two years before owner jose1717 turned them into the "Hit Machine" for two years and bpearly69 - a former GGL member who was a long term owner of the New York NL franchise before temporarily leaving the league - returned to claim the ownership vacancy and after one year in Montreal moved the franchise to the USA west coast, reclaiming his former NY-NL nickname, the Youngstuds, in 2019.

MILWAUKEE MAD COWS
Currently owned by: abarkov (2011- )
Current Best/Worst: 111 wins in 2028; 113 losses in 2011
Franchise Best/Worst: 115 wins as Brew Masters in 1986 under Mike0221; 124 losses as Mudhens in 1972 under Horseradish
Longest tenured owner: Horseradish, from 1950 through 1982 (33 seasons) ~ Milwaukee Mudhens
Horseradish, one of the GGL's original owners, owned this team through 1982 as the Mudhens before giving way to its second-longest owner, Mike0221, who kept Milwaukee traditions alive, naming the team the Brew Masters. The early 2000s saw some ownership fluctuation between a pair of DynastyBots and a three-season stretch with an owner named Arianah, but abarkov has returned stability to this proud Wisconsin club.

MINNESOTA WOOD CHIPPERS
Currently owned by: Frankenstrat (2026- )
Current Best/Worst: 90 wins in 2026; 97 losses in 2029
Franchise Best/Worst: 112 wins as New York Blackhearts in 1977; 119 losses as New York Skyscrapers in 1983 and 2004
Longest tenured owner: burns41253, from 1982 through 2014 (33 seasons) ~ New York Skyscrapers
Franchise began life as one of two New York teams. They were the MAFIA (all caps) until 1955, when Kozpan took over the team for a whopping 27 years and great success as the Blackhearts. Ballmark's son took the team for only one season following that but did rename the team the Skyscrapers and burns41253 liked it enough to keep it for the next three decades. Todibus joined the GGL for three years, calling the team the Dead Rabbits, after an old New York Irish street gang. Shazam came along after Todibus, shifted the franchise from New York to Minnesota and called them the Diamondbacks. After three seasons, he gave way to a DynastyBot, and then in 2022 chance4103 relieved the Bot of its command and its nickname, and Minnesota became the Mudd Soxs. After a quartet of seasons, the team traded in their Muddy Soxx on some new lumbering equipment and became the Wood Chippers under new ownership and new owner Frankenstrat.

MONTREAL COMPTONZ EXPOZ
Currently owned by: Compton10101 (2025- )
Current Best/Worst: 117 wins as Montreal Comptonz Expoz in 2026; 69 losses in 2029
Franchise Best/Worst: 117 wins as Philadelphia -and- Montreal Comptonz Expoz in 2025/2026; 111 losses as Chicago Cubs in 1988
Longest tenured owner: Damien435, from 1953 through 2016 (64 seasons) ~ Chicago Cubs
The Goose Goslin League originally had two New York teams and two Chicago teams. This franchise was originally the National League Chicago version, beginning in 1950 as the Bartmans. Kyle (Damien435) became practically their only owner in '53 and renamed them the Cubs and set nearly every franchise record over the next 60+ seasons. Steve (Lawman23) took the reins when Kyle eventually had to drop out and finally felt that the club needed a fresh start in Philly, moving the team and renaming them the 76ers. He remained at the helm six more years when Mario (Compton10101) returned to the GGL after his short stint in Montreal a few SimYears back. One of his first acts as Owner was to move the franchise back to the chilly environs of Quebec, where he set a new victory total his first year there.

NEW YORK TITANS
Currently owned by: donharris1961 (2006- )
Current Best/Worst: 85 wins in 2013; 118 losses in 2020
Franchise Best/Worst: 121 wins as New York Youngstuds under bpearly69 in 1975; 126 losses as New York Newbies under bakdor111 in 1967
Longest tenured owner: bpearly69, from 1970 through 2005 (36 seasons) ~ New York Youngstuds
The team changed hands frequently in the beginning, known as the Highlanders, the Saints, the Knights, and finally as the Whiskey Cats for eight years under Owner anubis. They went back to the Knights for a pair of seasons and then became the Newbies for a trio of years before running into an owner who lavished some love upon them in bpearly69. He took the franchise to the Series 11 times, winning seven titles. He reluctantly left the GGL, but we were fortunate in finding donharris1961 quickly taking over the team and sticking with it for the past two decades and counting.

OAKLAND TWINS
Currently owned by: mrtwolff (1997- )
Current Best/Worst: 110 wins in 2021; 105 losses in 1998
Franchise Best/Worst: 118 wins as Cleveland Ballbusters in 1965; 112 losses as Cleveland Brigade in 1978
Longest tenured owner: mrtwolff, with 30 seasons in Oakland and counting ~ Oakland Twins
Prior to coming to Oakland, this franchise began in Cleveland as the Knocks, then spent 20 years with owner Satyr as the Ballbusters. Six years with putz37 as the Brigade before a memorable 15-year run with German owner Panele as the Cleveland Curve. Denbone ran the team just three years: One in Cleveland as the Comanches and two as the Invaders, after moving the franchise west to Oakland. Todd (mrtwolff) joined the GGL in Sim1997 and has been here since and is now tied with Chicago AL for most World Series trophies. Now into his third decade of GGL ownership!

PITTSBURGH FIREFLIES
Currently owned by: Q_142857 (2025- ) (killed Bot in mid-2024)
Current Best/Worst: 71 wins in 2029; 123 losses in 2026
Franchise Best/Worst: 112 wins as Pittsburgh Pythons in 2006; 123 losses as Fireflies in 2026
Longest tenured owner: docjwe3, from 1961 through 1995 (35 seasons) ~ Pittsburgh Highlanders
Pittsburgh has always been in Pittsburgh, but has gone through no fewer than nine different team nicknames, at least half a dozen owners (probably more, because four are "Out of SimD"), but does have three World Series titles to its credit, which is more than half a dozen other franchises. They were the Pillagers for three years, the Rockers for two, the Prowlers for five, back to the Pillagers for a single season, then the renowned Highlanders for a great 35 seasons, during which they didn't win a single World Series title. In fact, they only made the playoffs once during Doc's entire tenure! Lawman23 made his first appearance in the GGL here in Pittsburgh (before Chicago-NL) and ran the team as both the Panthers and the Pythons for 11 seasons, winning one title, finn51 and a DynastyBot led them as Pirates for three seasons, then kingofthemountain met with some success (two World Series titles) over 13 years as the Pittsburgh Jolly Rogers before the team suffered under another DynastyBot for two years, finally being rescued in mid-season last year by current owner Q_142857 and renamed the Pengwings. The franchise was rebranded for the 2026 season as the Fireflies and has improved every season since.

SAINT LOUIS CARDINALS
Currently owned by: Damien435 (2027- )
Current Best/Worst: 61 wins in 2028; 107 losses in 2029
Franchise Best/Worst: 125 wins as St. Louis Redlegs in 1975; 115 losses as St. Louis Redlegs in 1950
Longest tenured owner: fg, from 1981 through 2019 (39 seasons) ~ St. Louis Redlegs
While boasting two of the longest tenured owners in GGL History, the franchise has only three World Series titles to its credit. Tomsick began with the team and ran it for 32 seasons as the Redlegs. The club's second owner, fg, stuck with the name. fg, by the way, was an attorney named Nick who picked that owner name because his friends referred to him frequently as an "effing genius" and he thought this was a good place to use it. Steve (swd4647) took the reins from Nick and called the team the Hammers (as he did with most of his teams) for two years before zzinet bought the club for three years and renamed them the Browns and we began 2025 with yet another DynastyBot before Explorer58 came to the rescue. The franchise was rebranded with the classic Cardinals name for 2026. As happens far too often, Explorer58 stayed only the minimum two years, but with joy the GGL welcomed back Kyle (Damien435), who holds the title of longest-tenured owner of the former Chicago Cubs franchise (now operating out of Montreal under Compton10101).

SAN DIEGO CRUSADERS
Currently owned by: Leonard (2017- )
Current Best/Worst: 105 wins in 2024; 105 losses in 2018
Franchise Best/Worst: 118 wins as Sandlot Mafia in 2006; 127 losses as Sandlot Mafia in 1984
Longest tenured owner: seahags, from 1971 through 2015 (45 seasons) ~ San Diego Sandlot Mafia
Another east coast club that eventually moved west, San Diego began in Philadelphia as the Cheesesteaks with an owner who is Out of SimD. moustique took over the team for 11 years as the Metal Maniaques and then ran them for another seven years as the Metal Men. seahags then bought the club in 1971 and they became the Sandlot Mafia. He moved the club west to San Diego where they were the Sun Devils for one brief year before returning to the Sandlot Mafia nickname. They rang up nearly half a dozen World Series titles over the years. A DynastyBot ran the club under the name of the Corsairs for a single year before SimDynasty veteran Leonard slayed the bot and they became the Crusaders, again on the verge of greatness.

WASHINGTON PHANTOMS
Currently owned by: daytonjake (1960- )
Current Best/Worst: 110 wins in 2025; 116 losses in 2012
Franchise Best/Worst: 110 wins in 2025; 116 losses in 1952 and 2012
Longest tenured owner: daytonjake, with 70 seasons and counting. Kent (daytonjake) is the most senior owner in the Goose Goslin League and is the longest tenured owner in the history of the GGL ~ Washington Phantoms
Washington has had only two owners. The first is gone from living memory (Out of SimD), but ran the team as the Patriots from 1950 through 1959. daytonjake took over in 1960 and has run it as the Phantoms ever since. Not much else to tell. He is the Elder Statesmen of the league.

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Note from Mark: It appears that from 1950 to 1954 there were seven franchises that moved under new ownership or, more likely, there were Expansion Drafts that set up new teams in new cities. For whatever reason, the owners of these early teams in the early years are lost to the memory of the database. I have notated these owners, where needed, by simply calling them "Out of SimD." Also, the teams are no longer listed by league, but simply listed alphabetically.