1960 Fantasy Astrology Recap
View the 1960 FABL Lineups Here!
I entered into my analysis of the 1960 Fantasy Astrology Baseball League season with a great deal of anxiety. That’s because it will be the first year in the scope of my project (i.e. reverse-chronologically speaking) where the Major Leagues had as few as 16 teams. Despite my fears, I was pleasantly surprised to see that all signs were able to find enough players to field full starting lineups, even if some eligibility rules had to be bent or flat out ignored. And what’s more, all four divisional leaders were consistent, regardless of whether said rules were followed.
The overall leader was the Libra Scales, breaking Leo’s five (reverse) year run at the top. While Mickey Mantle (2,486 / 16.2) and Eddie Mathews (2,549 / 16.7) made a fearsome Hall of Fame 1-2 punch in the middle of the order, it was actually pitching consistency that got Libra in front. The Scales had five pitchers within the top 20 MLB innings pitched leaders, although their number 5 starter in terms of fantasy points –Whitey Ford, starter of the All-Star Game v2 – came from outside that group. The top scorer was actually lefty Mike McCormick (2,392 / 59.8) of the Giants, but Tigers ace Jim Bunning (2,318 / 64.4) had the top points-per-game average.
Leo was still strong, mostly because of the presence of Don Drysdale (2,793 / 68.1), who enters my post-1960s updated database as the Lions’ number two all-time scoring starting pitcher, behind roid legend Roger Clemens. Speaking of all-decade teams Drysdale missed the Leo starting rotation only once in the last decade, just missing the chance to join the two who made the sign’s starting lineup all 10 years: right fielder Roberto Clemente and relief pitcher Hoyt Wilhelm.
Taurus was able to win the Earth Division unchallenged, because they had decent placeholders at first and second base. Dick Williams (1,250 / 9.8) would make the Hall of Fame as a manager, and Gil McDougald (934 / 7.8) was a utility piece for the AL Champion Yankees. While Willie Mays (2,608 / 17.0) and Ken Boyer (2,262 / 15.0) does not sound as catchy as Mantle and Mathews, the Bulls had nearly as strong a 1-2 punch as Libra. Both Negative division winners had Milwaukee Braves pitchers as aces, with Warren Spahn (2,337 / 58.4) the top Taurus hurler and Lew Burdette (2,282 / 50.7) starring for Scorpio. The Stingers also featured the real-life National League MVP Dick Groat (1,490 / 10.8), proving that voters back in the day had a huge propensity to overvalue batting average.
For the other awards winners, Henry Aaron (2,634 / 17.2) once again joins Mays as a Pole MVP. Pisces Vern Law (2,440 / 69.7) won the FABL’s Negative Cy Young Award, and also the real-life NL CYA. Law won the award even though he was out-pitched by his real-life teammate and Sagittarius Bob Friend (2,599 / 68.4)… who finished behind Drysdale for the PP CYA. Sticking with the Archers, Lindy McDaniel (2,355 / 36.2) was the top dedicated reliever in 1960 – Ernie Broglio (2,404 / 46.2) technically outscored him, but the Virgo pitcher started 25 of his 52 appearances. Without those innings-inflated points, yet another Pisces and Pirate – Roy Face (1,856 / 27.3) – would come away with the Negative Pole’s Reliable Reliever trophy.
I want to mention the top rookies in the league, even though neither of them were particularly impressive or recognizable, because they both played the same position for the same real-life team. Chuck Estrada (1,852 / 51.4) led both the Baltimore Orioles and the Aquarius Water Bearers in fantasy points, making both All-Star games for the American League. Meanwhile Steve Barber (1,391 / 38.6), the Negative Pole’s top first-year was just fourth on the Baltimore rotation in innings, but third in fantasy points for Pisces… finishing behind his teammate AND sign-mate Jack Fisher (1,507 / 37.7) on both counts!