Jon Dowd

Jon Dowd, is an assistant producer working on EA Sports' MVP Baseball video game series. His name was used to create a fictional player designed to emulate Barry Bonds.

Related Topics:
EA Sports' - MVP Baseball - Video game - Barry Bonds

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EA Sports had worked out a contract with the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) to use all Major League players who are members of the Players Association union. However, some prominent major league players are not part of the union. Reasons for exclusion include either because of being refused admission to the MLBPA, due to playing during the 1994 players' strike or because they have intentionally withdrawn from the union in order to bargain for more money in personal licensing deals. San Francisco Giants slugger and left fielder Barry Bonds belongs in the latter category.

Related Topics:
MLBPA - Major League - 1994 players' strike - San Francisco Giants - Left fielder - Barry Bonds

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Bonds, a 7-time MVP with first ballot Hall of Fame numbers is not easily ignored, especially since the Giants' offense rests on Bonds' shoulders. EA Sports was left with a strange predicament and needed a player who could fill Bonds' shoes and could be easily interpreted as Barry Bonds, but the replacement could not legally construed to be Barry Bonds, in order to avoid legal action. EA Sports created Jon Dowd in his stead. Although they attributed Dowd's batting abilities similar to Bonds, they changed several key factors: his name, race, age, and batting side.

Related Topics:
MVP - Hall of Fame

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For the 2005 edition of the game, EA Sports altered Dowd to be more similar to the real-life Bonds, altering his age, as well as his race. His default batting attributes are still the best in the game.

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In a similar fashion, Barry Bonds is known as "Wes Mailman" in Acclaim's All-Star Baseball series.

Related Topics:
Wes Mailman - Acclaim's - All-Star Baseball

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In some cases, a player's absence from MVP Baseball could be overlooked due to marginal importance, such as Boston Red Sox first baseman Kevin Millar. Millar was left out of the 2003 and 2004 editions of MVP Baseball (though a fictional avatar was created for the 2005 edition).

Related Topics:
Boston Red Sox - First baseman - Kevin Millar

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