Does anyone care about National League and American League records anymore?

Estil

Once upon a time, the National League and American League were really honest to goodness treated as two separate leagues. So much so that the league championship (before 1969) as well as National League and American League records were mentioned and made a fuss over almost as much as world championships and major league records. Almost! I've seen that quite clearly on both baseball cards and older baseball history videos and such.

But now it's been 20 years since they did away with both NL/AL Presidents (remember in the 50s they once got their own cards!) as well as having separate NL and AL umpires (remember when only AL umpires wore the outer puffy ball shield and in the 70s when only AL umpires were dark red blazers?). With the ONE exception of the silly half and half DH rule, the "leagues" are essentially LINOs (no, not the Thundercats character, but Leagues In Name Only) and are basically "just" conferences like you see in the other major sports leagues.

So does this mean that no one really cares anymore about NL and AL records?

RedHeart54

I imagine a lot of that went by the wayside once interleague play started. Even the significance of the World Series has waned a bit as it's no longer the one matchup to determine league "supremacy" (unless you counted the all star games which I don't).

Ironmanfan

I would imagine that some of those League records don't carry the same weight as they did years ago.

The first game back after the strike in 1981, I went to see the Phillies play the Cardinals, as Pete Rose was tied with Stan Musial for most NL hits (of course, Ty Cobb held the MLB Record).

Pete did get a single off the Cards' Mark Littell and the game did stop, while Stan came on the field for a brief ceremony, Rose took a phone call from President Reagan post game etc. I'm not sure they would go through all that fanfare in 2020.

I did eventually get my stub signed by Littell & Rose:

Estil

@RedHeart54 said:
I imagine a lot of that went by the wayside once interleague play started. Even the significance of the World Series has waned a bit as it's no longer the one matchup to determine league "supremacy" (unless you counted the all star games which I don't).

I was thinking that too, I mean that was just few years before the other things I mentioned in the OP (incidentally we got a new WS trophy in 2000 as well...personally I prefer the previous one...I mean for Pete's sake they made the base of the current trophy hollow! Cheapskates...).

Did anyone at any point back then care about who won the AS game? For example, that incident with Pete Rose running over Fay Fosse and half ruining Fay's career and people were upset because Pete did this in what was "just" an exhibition game?

softparade

I only care about MLB records.

Estil

@softparade said:
I only care about MLB records.

That was kind of the point of this topic; nowadays it seems only major league records matter...but up until maybe ~20 years ago there was a separate NL/AL distinction and you saw it all the time on 20th century baseball cards.

softparade

@Estil said:

@softparade said:
I only care about MLB records.

That was kind of the point of this topic; nowadays it seems only major league records matter...but up until maybe ~20 years ago there was a separate NL/AL distinction and you saw it all the time on 20th century baseball cards.

Yep, interleague play effectively killed off the two separate leagues. Only the DH thing still exists but that's not enough to consider them separate leagues.

nam812

@Estil said:
..........Did anyone at any point back then care about who won the AS game?......

I don't remember if I cared who won or not, but I sure waited for it each year.

I was under 10 in the early 70s, and I really looked forward to the all star game. Being in N.Y. I was lucky enough to have an A.L. team and a N.L. team which afforded me the opportunity to see stars from each league when they came to town, but to see all that star power in one spot was cool for a young boy like me. Another cool thing was they showed up and played in their everyday uniforms, not like now where they all wear the same bland vanilla uniform. I also remember the major stars getting 3 or 4 at bats and playing most of, if not the whole game.

The players of the 1970s weren't spoiled millionaires that have been told their whole lives how great they were. The average M.L.B. salary in 1970 was under $30,000 so if a common player or minor star made the all star game and played well against the best of the best, maybe he could bring that little tidbit to the negotiating table to help with his next contract. When you're only making $30,000 even just a $2,500 raise is almost 10%.

countdouglas

@nam812 said:
Another cool thing was they showed up and played in their everyday uniforms, not like now where they all wear the same bland vanilla uniform.

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The players still show up and play in their own team's uniforms for the actual All-Star Game. It's the Workout Day and Homerun Derby where they all wear the same ugly uniform.

doubledragon

I wonder if Joe Di Maggio's 56 game hitting streak will ever be broken?

Estil

@doubledragon said:
I wonder if Joe Di Maggio's 56 game hitting streak will ever be broken?

Buck Bokai of the London Kings is scheduled to in 2026.

softparade

@nam812 said:

@Estil said:
..........Did anyone at any point back then care about who won the AS game?......

I don't remember if I cared who won or not, but I sure waited for it each year.

I was under 10 in the early 70s, and I really looked forward to the all star game. Being in N.Y. I was lucky enough to have an A.L. team and a N.L. team which afforded me the opportunity to see stars from each league when they came to town, but to see all that star power in one spot was cool for a young boy like me. Another cool thing was they showed up and played in their everyday uniforms, not like now where they all wear the same bland vanilla uniform. I also remember the major stars getting 3 or 4 at bats and playing most of, if not the whole game.

The players of the 1970s weren't spoiled millionaires that have been told their whole lives how great they were. The average M.L.B. salary in 1970 was under $30,000 so if a common player or minor star made the all star game and played well against the best of the best, maybe he could bring that little tidbit to the negotiating table to help with his next contract. When you're only making $30,000 even just a $2,500 raise is almost 10%.

The colorful mix of actual team uniforms was is my favorite memories of old school All Star Games for sure.