Me (right) getting annihilated 5 games to one by Tedd
The Illowa APBA League wrapped up our June get-together on late Saturday night after playing 24-30 games each.
The big story to me was the domination of the Chicago teams. You see, our league is divided into two divisions the East (made up mostly of Chicago teams) and the West (the downstate Illinois and Iowa teams). Technically, the only reason for the divisions is for scheduling purposes (we play inter-division games during three All-league get-togethers spaced throughout the season. The only other reason for divisions is for our annual All-Star Game. We don’t have two separate standings for each divisions.
But don’t let that fool you. It seems to me there it an underlying rivalry between the two groups. Call it geographical, big city vs small town, whatever. There’s definitely a healthy “us vs them’ mentality.
The Smith brothers, Don and Keith, facing off against each other.
Unfortunately for the West Division (including me and my Thunderchickens), we got our butt kicked last weekend. I don’t have the win totals from everyone but I do know this… I went 9-15 for the weekend and I’m pretty sure I was the winningest manager in the West Division. Even playoff favorite (and host of the weekend) Rising Bamm! Beanos were stymied.
Big winners were Tedd Mallasch and his appropriately named Chicago Champions. He couldn’t find a way to lose as he went 25-5. Down by 4 runs in the 7th inning of his last game of the weekend, Mallasch’s Champions simply hit 5 solo homeruns to hand the Molly Putts Marauders their tenth straight loss.
The Chicago Highlanders were almost as good. They went 22-8 for the weekend.
It might be a long year for the West Division.
Win or lose, it was still fun. The attraction of the IAL in my book, are the people and they are what make the league worth being in.
Well, the Highlanders at least managed to provide a road bump on the Champs first place march today – we fell behind 1-4 but came back to win the last 4 games to take the series 5-4. Hard fought series, very close games (apart from the one where Ian Snell gave up 7 runs without getting anyone out in the first inning).
Manny Parra had a start like that too. Went through the whole lineup of the Hitmen without giving up an out when I pulled him.
Funny thing was, Snell had a second start in that series – and took a no-hitter into the 4th inning. Now that would have been something.
Parra (and a couple of my other Ds) have done the same. Scott Olsen took a shutout into the ninth only to lose it.
but I love it when I get that kind of mileage out of my Ds.
:)