Gaedel Rules
Moonlight Graham
Archibald Wright Graham, immortalized in the movie Field of Dreams, had one brief appearance in the major leagues as a defensive replacement in the outfield for one inning in 1905. No putouts, no assists, no at bats. After a couple of seasons in the minors, he quit baseball to forge a career as a doctor and spent fifty years in practice in Chisholm, Minnesota. At one point in the move, Ray Kinsella, uses the word "tragedy" to reflect upon Graham's five-minute career in the bigs. Doc Graham replied "Son, if I'd only got to be a doctor for five minutes, now that would have been a tragedy.
Pete Gray
Peter J. Wyshner (the family name was later changed to Gray) was in the lineup for 77 games for the 1945 St. Louis Browns (the defending AL champions). He hit .218 in 234 at bats. At age six, his right arm was amputated above the elbow after a farm accident. He persisted, however, with his dream to play baseball. He began his career in Canada playing for a semi-pro team in Three Rivers. Gray won a tryout with Toronto of the International League in 1943 but was farmed out to Memphis of the Southern Association.
" ... He played regularly in 1943, batted .299, and began to receive nationwide publicity. In 1944, Gray blossomed into a star with Memphis. He batted .333, stole sixty-three bases to tie a Southern Association record, led the league's outfielders in fielding percentage, and was voted most valuable player in the league. During two seasons with Memphis, he struck out only fifteen times." (William B. Mead, Even The Browns)
Gray closed out his pro career in 1949 with Dallas of the Texas League. Grey died June 30, 2002 at age 87.
Bert Shepard (Division Mothballed)
Bert Shepard had been a minor league pitcher of little distinction before serving as a fighter pilot in the Second World War. When his plane crashed in Germany, doctors amputated his right leg. While in a POW camp, Shepard, with a crude artificial leg, learned to walk and pitch. Back in the US in 1945, he suited up as pitching coach of the Washington Senators and pitched in batting practice and in some exhibition games. In a remarkable achievement, he took the mound on August 5th, 1945 in a regular season game against Boston. He pitched five and a third innings (three hits, one walk, two strikeouts, 1.69). His pro career, which began in 1939, ended in 1955 as Shepard pitched briefly with Modesto of the California League. In 1947, Shepard played in the Indian Head, Saskatchewan tournament pitching for Williston, North Dakota. He pitched a three-hitter against a strong touring team, the Ligon's All-Stars, but lost 1-0.
* Ties broken by 1) head to head, 2) run differential
In the case of a pure Scoresheet, on line draft, picks will alternatte in the case of ties (Team A goes first in one round, Team B first in the next).
Rules:
Commissioner : Steve Lorch
Pre-draft
Each team will protect 15 players plus up to four rookies as qualified by Scoresheet rules. With each rookie protected the owner shall forfeit his or her last draft pick for one rookie protected, the last two draft picks for two rookie protected,…etc.
There is no Crossover player limit which any team may have in Gaedel. (Voted on and passed 1/04/05)
Drafting
Each team will draft the remainder of their team on a set date that will be prearranged.
The draft will take place in a chatroom specified before hand. Time permitting, the draft can be finished in the chatroom. If time runs out before the chatroom draft if finished, then the draft will be finished via an e-mail format. (Scoresheet draft program?)
Draft order is determined by finish placement the previous year. Last place team picks first, etc… The two teams in the final playoff series make up the last two draft slots, with the series winner picking last.
Supplemental drafts: First supplemental draft is a snake format, with the team in last place picking first. In the second and subsequent supplemental drafts it is last place team to first place team picks in every round. Current year's MLB June draft picks & in-season international signings not eligible. Generally, if a player isn't eligible by the time our spring draft begins he won't be eligible until the following spring's draft.
All players on an AL roster when the preseason draft begins are eligible to be drafted, even if they are on the NL player list. This rule is not in effect for supplemental drafts.
Trading
There is no limit on the number of draft picks that can be exchanged by an owner.
When an owner is short a draft pick, then he or she must send Scoresheet $25 as a deposit towards the following year.
All trades are to be reported by one or all of the involved parties with a league wide email. The trade must also be sent to Scoresheet by all involved parties by an agreed date by all parties involved.
If any owner has a dispute regarding a trade, then a private contact to the commissioner must be made. DO NOT contact any other member of the league until the issue has been made public by the commissioner.
In the event the commissioner is involved in the disputed trade, then a member of the review committee that is not involved in the trade must be contacted privately.
Any disputed trades will be reviewed by a 3 man committee. (Voted on and passed 12/14/04 )
Changes
Whenever an issue is put to vote in Gaedel, it will take a majority vote of 8 votes to change an existing issue as well as a new rule to be implemented. (Voted on and passed 12/20/04).
Playoffs
Division winners plus a wild card.
Tie breakers are determined by head to head record. If it is still tied, run differential is used.