Good afternoon,

 

  

2020 APBA GO Free Agent Contest

 Now's your chance to win more than 20,000 APBA GO Credits and a 2019 Baseball Card Set by competing in the APBA GO Free Agent Contest! See if your knowledge of  Free Agency can make you a winner. Learn more about the contest here:  http://bit.ly/2XJVBod Entries close December 8th.

 

 

LEAGUE OPENING THE FIRST APBA MAIL LEAGUE. 

The North East League, the original APBA mail league,  is beginning its first search for a new manager in ten years.   About to start its 60th season, the NEL is a 12-team, continuous-ownership league that uses the 1986 basic APBA game and allows virtually unlimited use of the hit and run.  Not surprisingly, we focus more on fair competition and fun than on reality, and the result is a friendly league in which the majority of us have been managers for 22 or more years.  For more information on the NEL and the search, please email Woody Studenmund at [email protected]   

 

New Items this week:

2918 Big 12 Conference College football card set 

 

2018 ACC College football card set. Bring the National champs home! 

 

The golf game now has the 2019 Presidents Cup teams. The teams are also available separately.  This set includes Koepka and Day we will not be adding injury replacements  to the set. 

 

Don't put the clubs away. Two new courses Queen City and Stadium. 

 

 

NEW APBA COMMUNITY MEMBERS

 

THIS WEEK IN APBA ("TWIA") RADIO SHOW   

 

We are back to the professional, John Asalon, hosting TWIA. This week's guest is:TBA  

If you haven't already, download the Anchor Podcast app, then search for the TWIA podcast and begin listening!  Don't forget to "favorite" the podcast, as well!!  

 

TOURNAMENT REPORT 

 

REGIONAL TOURNAMENTS

 

Percy Ashcraft's 13th APBA GO Tournament

 

Just when I thought we had concluded the 2019 Regional Tournament Schedule, Percy Ashcraft submitted his tournament summary for his 13th APBA GO Tournament. The 13th Ashcraft APBA GO Tournament was held October 14-November 23, and was hosted by Percy Ashcraft from Prince George County, VA. The 'Fall Manager of the Year' Double-Elimination Tournament had 28 players participating.  Each team drafted was required to have a Manager of the Year on their roster from 1983-2018. 

 

The 2016 Indians, managed by Larry Ridgeway, rode two clutch solo home runs to outlast the 2015 Cubs, 4-3, in the Championship Game.  Manager Percy Ashcraft's '15 Cubs battled through the Lower Bracket to reach the title round, but lost for the second time in the tournament to the Tribe, who qualified because of MOY Terry Francona.

 

Larry saw homers by Lonnie Chisenhall (8th inning) and Mike Napoli (9th inning) carry the Indians to the crown.  Both homers came off Cubs reliever Hector Rondon, who up to that point in the tournament had not yielded a run in five appearances and was trying to preserve a slim 3-2 lead.  Meanwhile, the Indians' bullpen was outstanding and did not yield a run in the last five innings after the Cubs had jumped out to a 3-1 lead early.

 

The championship was the first for Larry in Ashcraft tournaments. Larry's Indians were a #8 seed, while Percy's Cubs, who qualified because of MOY Joe Maddon, nearly pulled off the impossible by advancing all the way to the Championship Round with the #28 and last seed.

 

The '16 Indians finished with a 6-0 record, while the '15 Cubs closed the tourney with a 6-2 mark.  With the title, Ted won 20,000 Rating Points graciously donated by APBA GO.  In 13 Ashcraft tournaments, there has only been one two-time winner - David Druk.

 

I want to thank Percy for his continued commitment to host APBA GO Tournaments. These tournaments are well attended and are a quality event under Percy's directorship. Great job Percy!

 

2nd Annual APBA Blog Pitching Grade Challenge

 

Tom Nelshoppen directed The 2nd Annual APBA Blog Pitching Grade Challenge as part of his APBA Blog.  This years winners are Darren Schulz and Joe Deauseault who won the pitching grade challenge by correctly guessing 19 of the 20 pitchers.  Thanks to Tom for coordinating and directing this highly anticipated annual event and a special thank you to the APBA Game Company and John Herson for contributing APBA GO prizes to each of them!  More information on the pitching grade challenge can be found at the following site:   http://www.apbablog.com/card-analysis/19-out-of-20-joe-deauseault-darren-schulz-win-the-challenge   Congratulations again to Joe and Darren!

 

Regional Tournament Summary

 

I am also preparing the 2019 APBA Regional Tournament Summary.  But I can tell everyone that the number of tournaments is up and continuing to grow, participation is up, and the generosity of those attending the tournaments is fantastic.

 

2020 REGIONAL TOURNAMENT CALL-OUT - Tournament Directors who are planning an APBA Regional Tournament between January and July of 2020 are requested to forward tournament information to Randy Coryer at  [email protected] for inclusion into the newsletter.  Thank you in advance for your assistance.

 

2020 Tournament Schedule

 

The 2020 APBA Regional Tournament schedule 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 of face-to-face gaming and tournament gathering.

 

Saturday February 22, 2020 - The 2020 APBA Scenic City Shootout will be held in the Hamilton Room of the Embassy Suites by Hilton located at 2321 Lifestyle Way Chattanooga TN 37421.  The cost will be $20 with the event scheduled to start at 8 am.  The tournament theme is The Expansion Era 1961-Present with teams having a Winning Percentage between .475 - .525.  Team selection will begin on November 30, 2019 at Noon.  The rules will be similar to the 2019 Shootout.  APBA Hall of Famer Charlie Fouche was the Inaugural Scenic City Shootout Champion.  Email Mike Kehrer ( [email protected]) or Steve Ryan ( [email protected]) with any questions or to register.

 

Saturday March 7, 2020 - The 6th Annual Greater Michigan APBA Baseball Tournament at The Loomis Park Baptist Church, 2301 North Elm Road, Jackson, Michigan 49201. There is a $20 Entry Fee ($10 Cancellation Fee if you cancel after August 16, 2019).  The tournament theme is any MLB team from 1901-2018 with winning % of less than .600 %.  This tournament still has room for participation (capping at 72) and plenty of good teams remain available.  Please contact Pastor Rich Zawadzki at  [email protected] if interested in attending or with your team selection by December 31, 2019.

 

Sunday March 15, 2020 - The Inaugural Rocky Mountain APBA Baseball Tournament will take place in Boulder, Colorado at a location to be announced.  For this year, teams will be selected from the 1993 season (birth year of the Rockies) until present.  No designated hitter will be used when an NL team plays at home. Please contact Ryan Strauss at  [email protected] to sign up today!

 

Saturday March 21, 2020 - The 2nd Annual Far West APBA Baseball Tournament.  The tournament is open to any team from 1908 to present PROVIDED that 154 or more games were played in that season.  Last year's champion 1930 Philadelphia A's may not be used.  The tournament play is the basic game using the advanced fielding option.  Boards and dice will be provided, bring your lucky dice tower or shaker (They have APBA shakers available). Cost for tournament is $40 and includes lunch, drinks, continental breakfast, trophy, and a day of great fun and camaraderie.  If interested please contact Steve at  [email protected] for more details. 

 

Saturday March 28, 2020 - The 3rd Annual Heartland Apba Tournament is scheduled for Saturday March 28, 2020 in Stillwater, Oklahoma.  The tournament the is any team with a .500 record or worse.  The DH will be used.  You can give Earle your team when you commit.  Three-man rotations will be used and starters must go a minimum of 5 innings unless yielding 5 runs.  Relieve pitchers can pitch one inning each game.  The cost to participate is a $10 entry fee.  Trophy and APBA. gift card to the winner!  Hope to see you there!  For more info contact Earle Shamblin at  [email protected] 

 

Saturday April 4, 2020 - The 13th edition of the Twin Cities APBA Baseball Tournament

(TCABT-XIII) will be held Saturday, April 4th, 2020, at the usual location in Maple Grove, MN. Interested parties can contact Jim Fraasch at  [email protected]. 

 

REVISED LISTING WITH DATE CHANGE - Saturday May 9, 2020 - Florida's Last Team Standing APBA Baseball Tournament. The location of the tournament is not yet finalized but it is likely to be in the area of Davenport, Florida (10 miles west of Disney).  The cost will be $25 for returning players, $15 for new players, and no cost to players under 18.  Please contact Tony Stevens at [email protected] for the rules, additional information, or to register for the tournament.

 

SAVE THE DATES - June 25-28, 2020 - The APBA National Convention in Alpharetta, Georgia.  Details are still being worked out and will be available sometime after the new year.

 

If your tournament is not mentioned above and you are planning a Regional APBA Tournament in 2020 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.

 

Potential APBA Tournaments

 

POTENTIAL TOURNAMENT IN SEATTLE AREA  -  There is an effort underway to conduct an APBA Baseball Tournament in the Seattle, Washington area.  If interested, please contact Dave Bednarek at  [email protected] with you name, contact information, and a preference for a Spring or Fall tournament.

 

UPDATE ON HOUSTON AREA TOURNAMENT - The tournament director has now met the minimum number of potential players showing an interest in playing in a tournament in 2020.  So, he is moving forward with setting the dates and venue.  In the meantime, they are still open to people who would like to participate.  If you are interested, please contact Ed Hubbard at  [email protected], and provide your name, email address and phone number.  As of now (based on stated preferences of those who provided them), they are looking at venues for weekends in May and August for the tournament.  The tournament will be held at a venue in the Clear Lake area of Houston, near the Johnson Space Center (close to Hobby Airport and about equal distance between downtown Houston and Galveston Island).  As soon as they have the venue and dates, we will update the newsletter with the hotel information and entrance fee details (to cover the cost of trophies, the common facilities and any common meals).  As stated before, they are planning an open tournament to any teams from 1946-72, with no DH, and 25-man rosters--otherwise, they plan to follow the APBA Annual Convention tournament rules (see:   http://apbagames.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/APBA-2019-TOURNAMENT-RULES.pdf). 

 

POTENTIAL TOURNAMENT IN NEW ORLEANS -  Are you tired of only seeing tournaments on the East Coast and Mid-West??  If there is enough interest, a small group of New Orleans players are looking to set up a regional in the NOLA area in 2020, please contact Randy Tabor at  [email protected] (note the underscore "_" in email address).

 

ALS CHARITABLE SUPPORT

 

IMPORTANT UPDATED INFORMATION - EACH TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR OVER THE NEXT YEAR IS REQUESTED TO MAKE A DONATION TO THE ALS FOUNDATION IN THE NAME OF RANDY WALKER - 2019 APBA HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE.  RANDY IS IN LATE STAGE OF ALS BUT CONTINUES TO FIGHT THE DISEASE AND ENJOY PLAYING APBA WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF HIS WIFE LISA.  THE DONATION CAN BE COLLECTED THE DAY OF THE TOURNAMENT BY PASSING A HAT OR BY INCREASING THE TOURNAMENT REGISTRATION FEE.  APBA WILL AWARD A PRIZE TO THE DIRECTOR AND TOURNAMENT RAISING THE MOST MONEY FOR ALS.  REMEMBER IT IS IMPORTANT TO BE BENEVOLENT WHEN AN APBA BROTHER IS IN NEED.  I KNOW I CAN COUNT ON YOUR SUPPORT.  MORE DETAILS WILL FOLLOW IN THE COMING WEEKS.

 

DONATIONS CAN BE SUBMITTED THROUGH THE ALS ASSOCIATION WEBSITE  WWW.ALSA.ORG/DONATE. ; DONATIONS CAN BE MADE VIA PHONE, CHECK, CREDIT CARD, OR PAYPAL.  PLEASE REFERENCE THE DONATION IN YOUR WRITE-UP.   RANDY AND LISA WALKER THANK YOU FOR THE APBA COMMUNITY SUPPORT TO A VERY WORTHY CAUSE.

 

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.  I will be glad to run your league opening, if you contact me at  [email protected] with a brief and concise write-up.  Openings or individuals looking to join leagues are as follows:

 

December 1st Opening

 

Windows Internet Baseball League Opening - The WIBL (Windows Internet Baseball League) has a managerial opening.  The BBW 5.75 - Full AIM league was formed in 1997 to beta test the "power tools" of League Manager Power Tools.  They have one managerial opening for the Glab franchise. Details of the league can be viewed at www.papdog.com/WIBL. For further league information please visit their link to the league guide:  http://www.papdog.com/WIBL/LeagueGuide.htm. If interested in the league there is an application at:  http://www.papdog.com/WIBL/WIBLapp.htm. Should you have any questions please contact Steven Pappas at www.papdog.com/WIBL.

 

November 24th Openings

 

Coast-to-Coast Baseball Association (CCBA) Opening - The CCBA is a continuous ownership BBW league entering it's 21 season.  Several members have been there from the beginning. They find themselves entering the upcoming season with several openings.  If you are looking to join a league or would like to add another, contact the Commissioner Chip Bingham at [email protected].

 

ABL League Opening - The American Baseball League (ABL) is looking to add one or two managers for their upcoming 2020 season.  The ABL has been in existence since 1982.  It is a face-to-face basic game (w/ modifications) league.  If you live in the Butler County or greater Cincinnati, Ohio area and are interested, send an e-mail to Greg Schultheiss at  [email protected].

 

November 17th Opening

 

SEATO League Opening - The SEATO APBA league in Lancaster, Pennsylvania is looking for 1 or possibly 2 members to join their league.  They are a FTF league following basic game rules plus a few of their own additions.  They are currently in their 50th year.  One team available will be Randy Walker's team, our friend who is finishing his 40th year and recently inducted into the APBA Hall of Fame.  The league and it's members will miss him immensely.  He is courageously battling A.L.S. and is in all of our thoughts and prayers.  Email all inquiries to John at  [email protected] information.

 

APBA GO Draft League Opening - The APBA GO Draft League is looking for 5 new managers in their league!  Last season they had 8 managers and lost one manager for this upcoming season.  They are looking to expand the league to 12 managers.  This is a keeper league but we will have a brand new draft for this season using the 2019 MLB season.  There is no entry fee except for the $20 needed to purchase the 2019 cards on the APBA Go website.  New managers will have a say in the rules revision for the upcoming season.  Managers will be voted in by current league members after a group discussion.  The league draft will take place in late December after Christmas.  The first week of play will be in early January.  There are only 5 spots available so hurry and secure your spot in the second season of the APBA Go Draft League!  If interested or if you have questions, please contact Nate Ellison at  [email protected].

 

November 10th Opening

 

MDTL League Opening - The MDTL is finishing it's 47th season.  They have one manager that is retiring at the end of the season and are looking for a replacement manager to take over the ownership of this very successful franchise.  Players on the team include Mondesi, Muncy, Soto, Benintendi, and Ohtani.  The league is a 20 team league with 25 man rosters.  They use the basic boards with a few modifications.  They also use the basic pitching grades.  This is a very solid league with a competitive but friendly membership.  If you are interested in joining the MDTL League please email Keith Riggs at  [email protected] with your gaming history and any questions you may have.

 

November 3rd Opening

 

UAL League Opening - The UAL needs a manager.  The UAL is 6 month winter league and are one month in.  They had a resignation from a playoff ready team.  They are a 24 team basic game league that uses a salary cap.  Mail league and they roll the dice, or not, and play a 160 game schedule October through March.  The available team has 43 A starts, 77 B starts, and 43  C starts  (290 innings of A* and 129 B*).  Eddie Rosario, Brantly, Andujar (NYY), Kepler, Jose Ramirez, and Story are some of the every day players.   Only drawback to this team is most of next years draft picks were traded to make this years team a contender.  The UAL CONSTITUTION is attached.   Here is the google docs page for the UAL league.  Hutcheson is the team without a manager.      https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1-6uARoqRDaFcjo0DW5841YHS7WX7AB6lpd93yFq3E_Y/edit#gid=96610676

 

If you are interested, please contact Larry Wilson at  [email protected]  for more information. 

 

October 27th Openings

 

All American Baseball Association (AABA) Opening -  The AABA is a hybrid card/dice and computer league started in 1983 and has an opening for a manager to take over a franchise.  The league is a 20 team draft league with a 162 game season April through October.  Three home/away series per month.  Basic game with upgrades including MG pitching grades and a few others.  The computer managers play BBW in manual mode.  Realistic pitching and use of hitter limits are applied.  The league draft is a live in person or by phone hookup in February.  They usually have 10 to 12 managers attending the draft for the weekend, with the others participate up by teleconference.  The available franchise features Bryce Harper, Gleber Torres, Joey Gallo, and excellent draft picks for the coming year.  If interested to learn more about the AABA opening, contact the league commissioner at [email protected].  Great group of managers, with three of them still around since 1983.  Many of their other managers have been in the league for 20 years or more.

 

October 20th Openings

 

Down Under Baseball League Opening - The DUBL, a draft mail league consisting of 28 teams, seeks a new manager for at least one of its existing franchises.  We use the basic game with several modifications and will begin our 43rd season next year.  The DUBL was featured on John Asalon's "This Week in APBA" radio show on June 30, 2019 and features an annual Convention in late June and an annual draft in January.  Each team plays 165 regular season games in a schedule played from May through October.  Twelve teams qualify for the playoffs each season.  Each team can carry 8 uncarded players as part of its 42-man roster.  For more information contact Monte at  [email protected].

 

September 8th Opening 

 

21st Century League Opening - The 21st Century APBA BBW Baseball League is now open and recruiting owners.  This is a 2 Division (American / National), 2 Conference (East / West) per Division and 5 team per Conference (20 teams' total) league.  They play a 150 game season with an All Star break and DH and non DH Divisions.  The league utilizes Micromanagers for away or home games.  The League rosters consist of 26 active players and 40 total players. The first season starts in spring 2020.  The starting year for the League is TBD.  If interested, please contact Commissioner Scott Rutherford at  [email protected] to join.  

 

September 1st Opening

 

AABL League Opening - The AABL, a 16 team basic game (with modifications) mail league in its 16th year, is looking to replace a manager who had to resign suddenly for personal reasons.  The open team has some nice buiding blocks like Josh Bell, Charlie Blackmon, and Mike Moustakas...but could use some help on the pitching staff.  With the current season almost over (ends in September) it is likely that the new manager won't have to do anything except play with the roster heading into the winter and the 2020 draft.  If interested please contact Andy at  [email protected].

 

August 11th Opening

 

Central New Jersey League Opening -  The 16 team face to face APBA league is based in the Philadelphia/South and Central New Jersey area and has been in existence for over 40 years.  This is a face to face league although league play using Computer rolling is also permissible.  The league plays a 162 game schedule and begins when the cards come out and ends the regular season by October 15th.  Anyone interested please contact Ed Dress at  [email protected]

 

August 4th Openings

 

ART League Opening - ART ( Almost the Real Thing League) is a 24-team BBW computer league looking for 3 (Brahmins, Compromise and Winos) dedicated managers.  The league follows the majority of MLB rules.  Each roster has 40 man ML and MI rosters.  Players follow option rules, teams work within budget guidelines ( based on wins), drafts for International FA, "First Year" draft, Rule V, and Free Agency.  The league has been in existence for 15+ years and all three franchise are either currently competitive or built for success long term.  If you are looking for a year round commitment with a fun group, you will enjoy what this league has to offer and they would love to have you join them.  If interested, contact Lanny at " [email protected]".