| February 13, 2018 THIS WEEK IN APBA Volume I Issue 14 |
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Good afternoon,
Pitchers and catchers report! Sports Illustrated bathing suit issue hits the newsstands. Two more signs that spring is coming.
This week in APBA Youth was served.
Twelve year old Jack Copeland won the 2018 Wisconsin Winter tournament. Besides being a smart young man, Jack is brave wearing Viking gear in Wisconsin.
Mark Dergarabedian shares the following story:
I (Mark) had a major breakthrough this weekend - got my 13 year old son to play one half with me/against me - face to face with APBA football. We played the 2012 Seahawks (my son Keegan) against the 2012 Falcons (me).
A few things:
1. He doesn't "mind" playing APBA, but like most kids his age, the name of the game is Madden
2. He's played a few baseball games with me over the years so he understands the concept of how APBA works
Now, as you know; I only play the Master game, but no way was I going there to teach the game. We played basic and he picked it up quickly. And, I let him abuse the rules a bit - allowing him to run Russell Wilson outside as much as he wanted; no limits! It was hilarious; dice roll after dice roll he's getting good rolls for Wilson and I can't stop him! So much so, after one run he looks at me and says, "SAME PLAY." I said, "don't do that; I'll call G alignment and have a good chance to stop you." I DON'T CARE; YOU CAN'T STOP ME!" Tremendous!
The young lad called a great half; both on offense and defense. He mixed up his targets and orchestrated a last minute drive to end the half and is BEATING ME 21-13 at the half!
I'm going to slowly introduce the Master rules as we play the second half, but I have to say. he LOVED IT. Had a ton of fun.
The best part was we had a Rare Play where my returner had (RP 14, dice roll 66 if I remember correctly) smashed into the head coach and I then had to reduce my Offense by 3 points for the rest of the game!
It was awesome!
Bring the players of the 1985-86 NHL season to your home rink!
NEW MEMBERS TO THE APBA COMMUNITY
Please welcome the following new members to the APBA community. New members are folks who have recently made their first purchase of APBA products. If you know them or live in the same area, please reach out to them.
BRIAN WILLARD MANCHESTER, CT
JOHN DEPRISCO NEWARK, DE
MARK SPECK ASHBURN, VA
BOB HAAS HADDONFIELD, NJ
JOE MILLER CAMDEN, OH
WILLIAM MARCHANT SAN FRANCISCO, CA
GORDON ARMISTEAD DELTA, OH
BRADY BELLIS OAKLAND, CA
CHARLES MORFIN, JR. SANTA FE SPRINGS, CA
STEPHEN ASCHER SCARSDALE, NY
DAVID SIEGAL SCARSDALE, NY
DENNIS COPELAND MCGREGOR, TX
RICHARD ANSARA LOVELAND, OH
JEFFREY KLAUSE CICERO, IN
BRUCE BORDWELL PHELPS, NY
THOMAS SMITH MURRIETA, CA
STEVEN KLEPPER NAPERVILLE, IL
DAVID CYLINDER HUNTINGDON VALLEY, PA
JIM SOLE WASHINGTON D.C.
JOHN GARCIA NORWALK, CT
JEREMY YOWELL OLATHE, KS
SCOTT LESLEIN STOW, OH
KEVIN HARLA ST. CLAIR SHORES, MI
MICHAEL LEVITAS ATLANTA, GA
KEVIN CONNELLY FREEPORT, PA
IBRAHIM ABOKALLOUB PORTLAND, OR
KEVIN SCHIFF EVANSVILLE, IN
JEFF BUUCK WEST HILLS, CA
JEFFREY HYATT MCDONOUGH, GA
JASON KERSEY FAYETTEVILLE, AR
MARK EVANS STE. GENEVIEVE, MO
MAX DETWILER NORRISTOWN, PA
JOHN CORRIGAN ST. PAUL, MN
Several of you have asked for the new members contact info. In this day and age, we can't do that. But we will send your contact information to them if you ask us to.
THIS WEEK IN APBA ("TWIA") RADIO SHOW
APBA has began to sponsor a weekly broadcast offering insights into the game of APBA and players within the APBA community. The host is John Asalon who offers a extremely professional broadcast. Please join John Asalon and his guests every Thursday night at 8:00 pm (Eastern) for THIS WEEK IN APBA radio show.
John's guest this week is:
Mr. David Eisenhower will discuss his fifty year of APBA experiences and friendships.
The February 22nd show will feature Brian Wells and another guest debating the pros and cons of sports simulation and fantasy games.
Check the archives below the large screen on the first page of the above link for earlier broadcasts.
Every season from 1954 through 2017, except 1988, are now available. We are working on a new release of the 1988 baseball season carding every player. More seasons are being added weekly.
Now you have the teams, you can manage both teams or challenge your long time APBA buddy cross country.
Check out Lyle and Larry Ball's BATS replay using APBA GO on the APBA Baseball group Facebook page.
TOURNAMENT AND LEAGUE NEWS
REGIONAL TOURNAMENT REPORT
We received the Wisconsin Tournament Summary this week as they were in the leadoff spot for the 2018 Tournament Season. Kurt Bergland reported that The 2018 Wisconsin Winter Tournament is history. Great managers, even greater friends, and very close games highlighted the tournament which included seven (7) participants. Teams participating included the 1951 Giants, 1952 Dodgers, 1953 Yankees,
1954 Indians, 1954 Giants, 1956 Reds, and 1957 Braves.
Four games of pool play were contested to determine tournament seedings. The tournament playoff scores were report as follows:
53 Yankees defeated the 51 Giants, 7-4 in 13 innings.
54 Giants beat the 54 Indians, 8-7.
53 Yankees fought off a late rally by the 54 Giants to take the Championship, 4-3.
The winner of the Wisconsin APBA Baseball Tournament was 12-year old Jack Copeland as he effectively managed his 1953 Yankess enroute to victory as he inspired the sometimes petulant Billy Martin to become the Tournament MVP.
The next tournament up is The 4th Annual Greater Michigan APBA Baseball Tournament (GMABT) in Jackson, Michigan on Saturday March 3rd.
The 2018 APBA Regional Tournament schedule through July 2018 is as follows. Please mark your calendars accordingly and be sure to attend and participate in one of these fine events. You will not regret the experience.
Saturday March 3, 2018 - The 4th Annual Greater Michigan APBA Baseball Tournament (GMABT), Jackson, Michigan. Contact Rich Zawadzki at [email protected].
Saturday March 10, 2018 -The1st Annual Apba Heartland Tournament in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Contact Earle Shamblin at [email protected].
Saturday April 7, 2018 - The Twin Cities APBA Baseball Tournament, Maple Grove, Minnesota. Contact Jim Fraasch at [email protected].
Saturday April 14, 2018 - The Old Dominion APBA Baseball Tournament, Richmond, Virginia. Contact Jim Saska at [email protected].
Saturday April 14, 2018 - Florida's Spring Break From Reality APBA Baseball Tournament, Davenport, Florida (Denny's in Davenport). The theme is Happy Days ... teams from the 1950s and 1960s. Contact Tony Stevens at (352) 600-0974 or at [email protected]
Saturday April 28, 2018 - The Prairieland III APBA Baseball Tournament, Springfield, Illinois (Ramada Inn, 3281 Northfield Drive). The theme is The Golden Years 1920-1960's (No W.S. teams or 1941 Red Sox). Contact Tom Nelshoppen at [email protected] or register on-line at www.apbablog.com.
Saturday July 7, 2018 - The 4th Annual Linda B. Schulz Memorial APBA Baseball Tournament, Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania. Contact Ken Schulz at [email protected].
Saturday, July 14, 2018 - The Chicagoland Summer APBA Baseball Tournament, Des Plainies, Illinois (at the Comfort Inn O'Hare in Des Plainies, IL). Contact Rob Spatz at [email protected].
Saturday, July 21, 2018. The Second Annual Lancaster World Series , Landisville , Pennsylvania. Contact Dale Shreiner at [email protected].
If your tournament is not mentioned above and you are planning a Regional APBA Tournament in 2018 please forward me your tournament and contact information at [email protected] and I will be sure to promote your event in APBA's company electronic newsletter. Remember all APBA game tournaments are welcome.
THIS WEEK IN APBA RADIO SHOW
APBA has began to sponsor a weekly broadcast offering insights into the game of APBA and players within the APBA community. The host is John Asalon who offers a extremely professional broadcast. Please join John Asalon and his guests every Thursday night at 8:00 pm (Eastern) for THIS WEEK IN APBA radio show. John's guest this past week was Jim Sce.
Jim Sce joined John Asalon on TWIA's weekly broadcast to discuss his 50 years of APBA gaming and hilarious APBA-related stories. Jim is an APBA Hall of Famer, APBA Ambassador, and all around great guy (Nick made me say that, but why was he laughing?).
Jim started playing APBA in 1957 with three close friends, all twelve (12) years old in East Syracuse, New York. There were three "Jim's" and one Ron. Ron bought the game and the four friends played the heck out of it for a year. Sce was a Milwaukee Braves fan, one Jim was a Brooklyn Dodgers fan, the other Jim a Yankees fan and Ron, well, he was a Reds fan. In 1958, Jim bought his own game (1957 season) and has played APBA ever since.
Jim played all through high school and his college years. While at Pennsylvania Military College, Jim met Dick Seitz while picking up his cards at the game company in Lancaster. This was around 1965 or '66 (a good APBA number by the way). On his commute to Lancaster from Philadelphia he ran into a bad snowstorm and it became obvious he was not going to make APBA's 5:00 pm closing time. This, of course, was before cell phones, GPS, etc. so Jim pulled into a gas station, got gas, called APBA and Mr. Seitz answered. Jim told him his plight, the 1-1/2 hour trip was already three hours long and the gas station attendant told him he was a good 15 minutes away. Jim told Mr. Seitz that he could get there about 5:15 and asked if he would wait. Receiving a resounding No, Jim begged and Mr. Seitz relented and told Jim he would stay until 5:15 and not a minute later. There was then a pause and he added, "And bring exact change." On the other side of Seitz, every May Jim would receive in his college mailbox at Pennsylvania Military College, four seats to the APBA box for the Phillies at Connie Mack Stadium. Amazing!
Jim talked of playing APBA out of the box as he does not consider himself an game innovator. Jim shared that he was not good in math. He once got an F-, yes F-minus, on a Calculus test in college. Of course, everyone gave Jim grief. Being at a Military College he had to keep up with his class or he was going to be in Southeast Asia a lot sooner than expected and at a lot lower rank. So, Jim approached
Professor Hodgeson, and to the effect said, "an F- "? The Professor put his arm around Jim's shoulder and said, and Jim has never forgotten this quote even after all these years, "Sce, anything else - wouldn't have been fair to the guys that just got an F". He did say he knew it was just a prerequisite for Jim and as long as he showed up for class and did not disrupt the class he would get a C for the course, but he inquired when Jim started having trouble with math. Jim told him honestly, "when they introduced letters to it." And that is why Jim doesn't innovate. When the cards come, he opens the box and begins rolling dice. Author's Note: You just can't make this stuff up; your great Jim!
Jim then shared one of his funniest APBA moments. Danny Landers was the Programmer of the StatMaster program for APBA. (He also programmed the APBA Computer Bowling game). He and Jim were in a league together. One morning at a little after 5:00 am Jim's phone rang and it is Danny. He tried to trade Donnie Moore to Jim the morning after Moore committed suicide. Jim and Danny laughed about that for years to come although I am quite sure Donny Moore did not!
Jim shared one last APBA story involving "Bobby the Brain Heenan". Bobby and his wife Cindy came to visit Sce and his first wife in their new Atlanta area home. When they arrived, Bobby inquired why the master bathroom in the brand new house was being remodeled. Jim's wife noted she wanted it to be exquisite. Bobby's comment was, "you should have taken all the money you spent to remodel the bathroom and got a good boob job!" Jim laughed stating he believes this likely lead to his divorce!
Jim closed by saying that APBA and all the people that play APBA share a common brotherhood and love of the game and that the convention in 1973 proved that to him and many others that playing APBA was cool.
This author personally knows Jim and his dedication to APBA and APBA community. Jim has experienced much in his 50 years of APBA and as you can tell is a great storyteller. Great job as always Mr. Sce. It will be great to see you again in Alpharetta my friend. Tell Lorraine that I said hello and hope she is doing as well as can be expected considering she is living with you! I would also like to thank Jim for assisting me in writing this column this week as the podcast site was experiencing technical difficulties and I was unable to listen live as I was out to dinner with my wife, Darlene, celebrating her 59th birthday.
John's guest for the live February 15th show is tentatively scheduled to be David Eisenhower. Be sure to tune in to hear David and his discussion on APBA in his life and also get the latest information about APBA.
APBA LEAGUE INFORMATION
I am pleased to report that this column continues to assist leagues in finding new managers and pairing individuals looking for leagues. Beginning in January 2018 and to better manager newsletter volume, I will run any of your league opening or requests to join leagues for a period of four weeks. I will be glad to run them longer if you contact me at [email protected]. Openings or individuals looking to join leagues are as follows this week:
February 11th Openings
The United Baseball League Opening - The UBL enters its 51st season in 2018, and is looking for a serious and committed owner for an open franchise. The 20-team, 4-division keeper league drafts players from MLB teams, and has used most recently Baseball for Windows 5.75 computer game with a few modifications. Each team has a 60 player roster with minor leaguers drafted from MLB 40-man rosters in the spring, a MLB free agent draft after the season, Fall draft consisting of newly qualified players, and a Rule V draft during the off-season. Off-season activities are normally marked by 35-40 trades league-wide annually. This is a competitive and extremely stable organization with 15 owners with 15 to 45 years' membership, and simulates most non-fiscal aspects of MLB team operation. For questions or to apply, contact Joe Olivera at [email protected].
BBW League Openings - This BBW league has two manager openings in their 14 team, continuous ownership BBW league that is in it's 13th year. One of the teams has the first overall pick in the draft on Saturday, February 17. Great league, great members, and great rules. Some of the members have been together in leagues since 1980. Please contact Duane at [email protected] with interest and/or questions and he will send you a copy of their league rules.
February 4th Openings
Mid-West Winter League Opening - The Mid-West Winter League is looking for a replacement expansion owner. The MWWL is finishing up the 1993 season and will have an Expansion Draft prior to our 1994 Season in early March. The MWWL will be adding 4 franchises to a now 20 team League - to bring us up to 24 Teams total. One of the expansion owners had some life commitments arise. If interested contact Stray Corrado at [email protected].
The Internet Computer Baseball League Opening - The ICBL has openings for two (2) managers. The ICBL, established in 1989, is an in-season, 24 team league divided into the National League (NO DH) and the American League (DH) using BBW 5.75 and AIM. Team roster size is limited to 34 carded players and 6 prospects. At this time both openings are in the American League. If interested, please contact Brian Devine at [email protected] with your league/game experience and general knowledge of the game.
January 30th Openings
Texas League Opening - The Texas League (you don't have to live in Texas) is in need of one manager. This is a 20 team computer league utilizing Baseball for Windows. The Texas League is a stable league with quite a few managers who like to trade. Please email Jack Modrak in response to Between the Lines thread number 53775.1 if interested.
January 23rd Openings
No listings this week.
January 16th Openings
CCBL Openings - The CCBL is looking for two managers. The CCBL is a 20-team, off-season (October to March) continuous ownership baseball league established in 1979. We play a 162-game schedule, with teams competing on either the computer game or the Master game with minor modifications. Our draft is April 28. Contact Dave Greer at [email protected] if interested.
BWABL Openings - The Baltimore-Washington APBA Baseball League is currently looking for managers to fill vacancies in each of our two divisions. We have one opening in our Baltimore Division and one in our Washington Division. We are a 12 team, continuous ownership, F-T-F, MG league entering our 44th season. We play an 84-game schedule. Each team plays 12 games against each other team in their division and 4 games against each team from the other division. The inter-division games are played at two scheduled league meetings during the season. Our draft is on Sunday, March 11, 2018 so there is still time to get in on the action. You can check out our website athttp://www.angelfire.com/games2/bwabl/. If interested, please contact Tim Haller at [email protected].
January 9th Openings
BWABL Openings - The Baltimore-Washington APBA Baseball League is currently looking for managers to fill vacancies in each of our two divisions. We have one opening in our Baltimore Division and one in our Washington Division. We are a 12 team, continuous ownership, F-T-F, MG league entering our 44th season. We play an 84-game schedule. Each team plays 12 games against each other team in their division and 4 games against each team from the other division. The inter-division games are played at two scheduled league meetings during the season. Our draft is on Sunday, March 11, 2018 so there is still time to get in on the action. You can check out our website athttp://www.angelfire.com/games2/bwabl/. If interested, please contact Tim Haller at [email protected].
I hope this column is continuing to bring many APBA players together be it in regional tournaments or league play. Everyone have a great week and be kind to all table top gamers.
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Thank you for your support of APBA.
Sincerely,
John Herson
APBA Games
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