This past weekend, the Illowa APBA League all got together for our annual Spring Weekend. The IAL has three yearly get-togethers when we all manage to assemble in one place; The World Series/Draft weekend early in the year, the All-Star weekend and the Spring Weekend. The other two weekends have events and tasks that need tending to but with our Spring Weekend, we just play APBA… and talk… and maybe emit strange noises from our bodies (but let’s not go there).
This weekend occurred in Champaign, IL. Good for me because I live in neighboring Urbana. It’s also a bit different because the other weekends usually are spent in hotel conference rooms. This time, on Friday night, we went to host John Brandeberry’s house. For Saturday’s action, Brando had rented a very functional bridge club facility that worked well for us.
So the nine of us (one couldn’t make it) managed to play 24 games on the weekend. I didn’t get a score rundown on everyone but it seems a lot of people are running hot then cold. The same team that would go 5-1 in one series would go 1-5 in the next.
As for my Thunderchickens, we went .500. We had some fun times though. We ended on very high note against Keith Smith’s Kentucky Kernels. We split 3-3 against the Kernels but I had a short run of offense that I’ve never seen before. After struggling to score all weekend against other teams, we scored 17 runs in three innings and won 18-4. We managed to score 13 runs in the next game, too.
Don Smith (left) and brother Keith Smith on Friday night
Tedd Mallasch plays commish Mike Bunch.
As tradition, we went out for breakfast Saturday morning. This is Mike with son Marcus Bunch.
Northside Hitmen manager Chuck Lucas is happy about something.
Credit to Brando for this photo. Extra credit for not making me look like a doofus.
Four games going
Toward the end of the weekend. Unlike me, Brando can’t wait to do his stats.
As always, fun time was had by everyone which considering we stuck 9 guys in a small space, is no feat. Thanks to Brando for organizing this affair and hosting this (rumor has it his team did pretty well).
