The Bill Virdon Retro Fantasy League
Our longest season will start up for the tenth time in mid-October and run until March 2027. It is a lot of fun, a great history lesson, a way to support the league, and get your baseball fix all winter on the website as games run nightly for 22+ weeks. Ask for more info at the field and own your own classic team and set of Hall of Fame players this winter. Draft and coach your team to the pennant and win the annual prize package!!!
Rules and Rosters 2026/2027
Commissioner Sillavan will submit seven random dates between the 1st and 31st each week. The National league teams (less the Braves) will each submit a month between April and September each week on one of the seven days (to be assigned). The American league teams (less the Browns) will submit a year between 1913 and 1953 each of the seven days. The combination will make a complete date in history and from there we will visit box scores. After 11 weeks the National league teams will switch to picking years and the American league will pick the months. The season runs 22 weeks total, seven days a week for a total of 154 games (the original MLB season).
There must be at least 6 teams in action in each league or we will move to the next date in the month. If it is the final day of the month we go back to the first of that same month until we reach a day with at least six teams playing in each league. The two remaining teams if not playing will play each other and start with a 0-0 score. The other matchups start with the final score of their game that day. No date will be repeated, so if we fall on a date already used we will skip to the next day. If a double-header was played, only stats from the first game played that day count.
Any runs or RBIs by any of the seven players count for one added run.
Any win by a pitcher counts for five bonus runs. Any pitcher credited with a save in the box score gets 1 bonus run.
Federal league games played in 1914 & 1915 will count for players on any of those teams.
Final scores and recaps will be listed on the VRFL Scores & Standings page and will show game scores and bonus runs in separate tallies. There will be some ties remember as in past baseball history. Once a team gets a second tie, they will be listed the next day as a win and a loss to help keep standings easier to follow. I will list each day the randomly generated date so owners can verify no mistakes have been made. You can see box scores for every date on Baseball Reference.com.
There are separate drafts for both the AL & NL with players who played primarily in those leagues during their careers (with one or two exceptions).
When drafting player groups, you are looking for players who not only have large career totals in wins, RBIs, or runs, but those who supplement certain time periods where your team may be weaker. When picking years, most owners will pick years where their team had a good record to maximize the chance of a good starting score before bonus runs are added. You may also want to pick years where you have the most players in action. You will never know your opponent before the day starts so there is no point in trying to play against a particular team.
The World Series will take place during the 23rd week with all teams submitting part of a game date except the two teams competing who will be replaced by the Browns and Braves if necessary.
Prize to the winner is two league caps from stock, two new wood baseball bats, and a Championship plaque. The team that loses the World Series will now receive one bat and one cap from stock.
Results & Awards History
2016/2017 Standings
- White Sox defeat Dodgers 4-3 in World Series
- Manager of the Year: Shelton (Dodgers) 13-5-4
- Executive of the Year: Zarechi (Browns) 338 bonus runs
- NL MVP: Babe Ruth, Cardinals 157 bonus runs
- AL MVP: Goose Goslin, Yankees 95 bonus runs
- NL Cy Young: Lefty Grove, Reds 13 wins
- AL Cy Young: Grover Alexander, Browns 14 wins
2017/2018 Standings
- Yankees defeat Giants 4-2 in World Series
- Manager of the Year: Burnell (Red Sox) 16-4-2
- Executive of the Year: Mulbery (Indians) 393 bonus runs
- NL MVP: Mel Ott, Braves 127 bonus runs
- AL MVP: Lou Gehrig, Athletics 168 bonus runs
- NL Cy Young: Earl Whitehill, Reds 13 wins
- AL Cy Young: Lefty Grove, White Sox 13 wins
2018/2019 Standings
- Giants defeat Yankees 4-3 in World Series
- Manager of the Year: Shelton (Dodgers) 16-5-1
- Executive of the Year: R. Smith (Giants) 378 bonus runs
- NL MVP: Lou Gehrig, Phillies 157 bonus runs
- AL MVP: Babe Ruth, White Sox 139 bonus runs
- NL Cy Young: Carl Hubbell, Pirates 12 wins
- AL Cy Young: Grover Alexander, Yankees 12 wins
2019/2020 Standings
- Yankees defeat Giants 4-3 in World Series
- Manager of the Year: Eisenhour (Cardinals) 16-4-2
- Executive of the Year: Ginocchio (Braves) 401 bonus runs
- NL MVP: Rogers Hornsby, Cardinals 114 bonus runs
- AL MVP: Babe Ruth, Athletics 127 bonus runs
- NL Cy Young: Burleigh Grimes, Phillies 9 wins
- AL Cy Young: Lefty Grove, Tigers 15 wins
2020/2021 Standings
- Yankees defeat Cardinals 4-2 in World Series
- Manager of the Year: Walker (Yankees) 14-6-2
- Executive of the Year: Gumersell (Indians) 405 bonus runs
- NL MVP: Pie Traynor, Braves 107 bonus runs
- AL MVP: Lou Gehrig, Tigers 135 bonus runs
- NL Cy Young: Burleigh Grimes, Giants 11 wins
- AL Cy Young: Ted Lyons, Senators 12 wins
2021/2022 Standings
- Yankees defeat Giants 4-2 in World Series
- Manager of the Year: Eisenhour (Cardinals) 14-6-2
- Executive of the Year: Wheatley (Browns) 410 bonus runs
- NL MVP: Mel Ott, Pirates 114 bonus runs
- AL MVP: Babe Ruth, Browns 133 bonus runs
- NL Cy Young: Carl Hubbell, Cubs 11 wins
- AL Cy Young: Herb Pennock, Browns & Earl Whitehill, Indians 9 wins
2022/2023 Standings
- Reds defeat Yankees 4-3 in World Series
- Manager of the Year: Eisenhour (Reds) 15-6-1
- Executive of the Year: Romano (White Sox) 423 bonus runs
- NL MVP: Rogers Hornsby, Reds 98 bonus runs
- AL MVP: Babe Ruth, Red Sox 139 bonus runs
- NL Cy Young: Grover Alexander, Cubs 15 wins
- AL Cy Young: Sad Sam Jones, Senators 14 wins
2023/2024 Standings
- Cubs defeat Yankees 4-2 in World Series
- Manager of the Year: Elsenraat (Pirates)/Romano (Athletics) 15-4-3
- Executive of the Year: Conner (Tigers) 439 bonus runs
- NL MVP: Rogers Hornsby (Cubs) 135 bonus runs
- AL MVP: Babe Ruth (Athletics) 143 bonus runs
- NL Cy Young: Grover Alexander (Reds) 11 wins
- AL Cy Young: Walter Johnson (Yankees) 13 wins
2024/2025 Standings
- Red Sox defeat Cardinals 4-2 in World Series.
- Manager of the Year: Cook (Yankees) 15-6-1
- Executive of the Year: Conner (Indians) 363 bonus runs
- NL MVP: Grover Alexander (Cubs) 120 bonus runs
- AL MVP: Babe Ruth (Indians) 133 bonus runs
- NL Cy Young: Grover Alexander (Cubs) 20 wins
- AL Cy Young: Walter Johnson (Yankees) 13 wins
2025/2026 Standings
- Browns defeat Pirates 4-2 in World Series
- Manager of the Year: Gumersell (Senators) 14-6-2
- Executive of the Year: Wheatley (Browns) 524 bonus runs
- NL MVP: Frankie Frisch (Pirates) 122 bonus runs
- AL MVP: Babe Ruth (Browns) 198 bonus runs
- NL Cy Young: Waite Hoyt (Pirates) 12 wins
- AL Cy Young: Earl Whitehill (Athletics) 11 wins
2026/2027 Draft Order
AL: 1 Athletics 2 Indians 3 Red Sox 4 Tigers 5 Senators 6 White Sox 7 Yankees 8 Browns
NL: 1 Reds 2 Dodgers 3 Braves 4 Phillies 5 Cubs 6 Cardinals 7 Giants 8 Pirates
2026/2027 Owner List
- Philadelphia Athletics (Cook Family Consortium)
- Cleveland Indians (Gregg Bates)
- Chicago White Sox (Admiral Lanham)
- Washington Senators (The O’Connell Collective)
- Boston Red Sox (Owen Bryson)
- St. Louis Browns (The St. Louis Browns Historical Society)
- Detroit Tigers (Erick Coe)
- New York Yankees (Dan Conner)
- Chicago Cubs (Richard Smith & Gang)
- Boston Braves (Rob Ginocchio)
- Philadelphia Phillies (AJ Dossantos)
- Pittsburgh Pirates (Virdon/Elsenraat Family)
- Cincinnati Reds (Jason Williams)
- St. Louis Cardinals (Tim Eisenhour)
- Brooklyn Dodgers (Matt O’Neill & Billy Hughes)
- New York Giants (The Mortimore/Gebhardt Syndicate)
Player Groups 2026/2027
AL Position Players
#1 Babe Ruth Heinie Manush Sam Rice Bobby Doerr Nellie Fox (PHA)
#2 Lou Gehrig Wally Pipp Bobby Veach Ray Schalk Larry Doby (CLE)
#3 Goose Goslin Luke Appling Tris Speaker Bucky Harris Mickey Mantle (WAS)
#4 Al Simmons Earl Averill Joe Sewell Earle Combs Phil Rizzuto (NYY)
#5 Charlie Gehringer George Sisler Joe Cronin Joe DiMaggio George Kell (CHW)
#6 Jimmie Foxx Bob Johnson Eddie Collins Rick Ferrell Yogi Berra (BOS)
#7 Jimmy Dykes Mickey Cochrane Joe Judge Tony Lazzeri Sam Crawford (SLB)
#8 Ty Cobb Harry Heilmann Harry Hooper Bill Dickey Hank Greenberg (DET)
AL Pitcher Pairs
#1 Earl Whitehill & Bob Lemon (PHA)
#2 Sad Sam Jones & Hal Newhouser (BOS)
#3 Lefty Grove & Early Wynn (NYY)
#4 Walter Johnson & Bob Feller (SLB)
#5 Ted Lyons & George Uhle (CLE)
#6 Herb Pennock & Bullet Joe Bush (CHW)
#7 Red Ruffing & Red Faber (WAS)
#8 Stan Coveleski & Lefty Gomez (DET)
NL Position Players
#1 Frankie Frisch Cy Williams Kiki Cuyler Johnny Mize Red Schoendienst (BRO)
#2 Paul Waner Jim Bottomley Rabbit Maranville Leo Durocher Richie Ashburn (BSN)
#3 Mel Ott Pie Traynor Arky Vaughan Al Lopez Duke Snider (STL)
#4 Rogers Hornsby Travis Jackson Max Carey Lloyd Waner Honus Wagner (CIN)
#5 Gabby Hartnett Charlie Grimm Bill Terry Stan Hack Jackie Robinson (PHI)
#6 High Pockets Kelly Zack Wheat Ross Youngs Wally Berger Gil Hodges (NYG)
#7 Dick Bartell Dave Bancroft Billy Herman Hack Wilson Ralph Kiner (PIT)
#8 Joe Medwick Chuck Klein Edd Roush Freddie Lindstrom Roy Campanella (CHC)
NL Pitcher Pairs
#1 Waite Hoyt & Dizzy Dean (BRO)
#2 Carl Hubbell & Dazzy Vance (CHC)
#3 Freddie Fitzsimmons & Warren Spahn (NYG)
#4 Wilbur Cooper & Bobo Newsom (BSN)
#5 Grover Alexander & Paul Derringer (PIT)
#6 Dolf Luque & Carl Mays (PHI)
#7 Burleigh Grimes & Eppa Rixey (STL)
#8 Jesse Haines & Jack Quinn (CIN)