From: nissim@mary.fordham.edu (Leonard J. Nissim)
Subject: Avoiding the CELLAR
Organization: Fordham University
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Keywords:  Dodgers, Cellar
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1992 14:09:00 GMT
X-Posted-From: mary.fordham.edu
NNTP-Posting-Host: sol.ctr.columbia.edu

                    Avoiding the CELLAR
                The Longest-Streak-Ever ends
               Third-Longest-Streak also ends

     To some extent, avoiding last place (the CELLAR) is a matter of 
luck.  A team can have a respectable record and finish last:  The 1991
California Angels were 81-81 (.500) but 7th of 7 teams in their division.
(Even before divisional play, the 1915 NY jints were 69-83 (.454), and 8th 
of 8 in the NL.)   A team can have a truly miserable record, and avoid the 
cellar by good luck:  The 1928 Boston Braves were 50-103 (.327), but 7th of 8 
teams in the NL; the Phillies saved them from last place by having an even 
worse record, 43-109 (.283).

    That said, all teams would still like to avoid the cellar.  Winning the 
league (later, the division) pennant is the goal of the regular season.  If 
unable to do that, no team wishes to finish last.  

     Their have been only nine streaks, I believe, where a major league team 
has avoided the cellar for 40 or more consecutive years.  The three longest 
such streaks have all ended in the 1990's:

(** indicates that a team and perhaps also its league did not exist prior to 
    the first year of the streak.  Also, the modern nickname only is given.)

                                                                    Length of
    Team           In cellar    Streak NOT in cellar   In cellar     streak 
----------------   ---------    --------------------   ---------    ---------
Bklyn/LA Dodgers    1905        1906 to 1991            1992        86 years 
St.L. Cardinals     1918        1919 to 1989            1990        71 years
Boston Red Sox      1932        1933 to 1991            1992        59 years
NY Yankees          1912        1913 to 1965            1966        53 years
Cleveland Indians   1914        1915 to 1966            1967        52 years
Detroit Tigers       **         1901 to 1951            1952        51 years
Chicago Cubs         **         1876 to 1924            1925        49 years
Cinc. Reds          1937        1938 to 1981            1982        44 years
Bos/Mil/Atl Braves  1935        1936 to 1975            1976        40 years 

     When can the Dodgers' record be broken?  Not until 2055!  
     24 of the current 26 teams have finished in the cellar in the 1980's or in
the 1990's.  The only exceptions are: 
a) the Oakland Athletics (last in cellar in 1979; could break the Dodgers' 
record in 2066), and 
b) The KC Royals (NEVER in the cellar; streak of avoiding the cellar begins 
with their creation in 1969; could break the Dodgers' record in 2055). 

     So the record streak, sadly ended this year, is safe until 2055 at the 
very earliest.
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Leonard Nissim, notorious Dodger fanatic     (nissim@mary.fordham.edu)  
Disclaimer:  "I speak only for myself."   
World Championships:  Brooklyn-----1955   
                      Los Angeles--1959  1963  1965  1981  1988
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