Doug and Clark face off at last November’s Chicago APBA tourney
The Fall 2015 Chicagoland APBA World Series Tournament is only five days away. By my count, this will be the fifth tourney in the series. I will be attending along with 23 other APBA fans in Grayslake, Illinois.
I’ve got my train ticket already. No extra fare for my 1979 Royals who will fit nicely in my bag. Organizer Doug Schuyler provided some details on the Tournament which was deemed a 70s and 80s tournament. All teams chosen had to be from the 1970s or the 1980s.
Quick wrapup
4 divisions
6 teams per division
2 games vs each divisional foe
Home and Home doubleheaders
10 total divisional games
Top 2 from each division advance to playoffs!
13 AL teams
11 NL teams
The Chicagoland World Series Divisions
|
The Nolan Ryan Division Rich Zawadzki – 89 A’s |
The George Brett Division! Kevin Burghardt – 70 Orioles |
|
The Pete Rose Division! Joel Pike – 70 Reds |
The Johnny Bench Division! Scott Fennessey – 76 Reds |
There are plenty of It will be a pleasure to play Kevin Burghardt who I’ve met in person once before but have never rolled the bones against.
In addition to the team restriction, Doug is encouraging participants to dress the part. The best 1970s or 1980s outfit worn by a participant wins a prize. Gonna have to get help from my daughter on that. Retro is in, right?
At our last Illowa APBA League weekend, my buddy Chuck asked me about the tournaments that are springing up all over. “Is it really that much different than our league weekends?” he asked. I emphatically said yes. There is so much to learn from playing new people.
Look at this way. Playing in a league is like being married. You have a stable relationship with your co-managers. You know their playing habits and you’re comfortable with them. Best of all, you know that they’ll be there when the season is over.
But playing in a tournament is like speed dating. You’re plopped down in front of someone (maybe someone you’ve never met before) and you play a couple games with them. You learn their strange APBA ways and superstitions and maybe even talk a bit. And then BAM! your games are over and you move over to play someone else and start the whole process over again.
It’s pretty fantastic. Don’t tell the IAL guys, ok? They’ll think I’m having an affair.
The best part of tournament APBA is that you get to make long lasting connections. I’ve known Doug, Rich, Bob, Clark, Gary, Curt and Scott since the second Chicagoland tourney. I’m in pretty regular contact with some of them. At the same time, there will be some new faces this time around I’m looking forward to meeting.
Time to go. It’s time for batting practice for my Royals.
Good luck guys … looks like a blast!!!
– Jim
Wow, a tournament played in Illinois and nobody picked the 1983 White Sox? Or the 1984 Cubs?
I would have chosen the ’84 Cubs if I was participating. They are my all-time favorite Cubs team.
Thomas,
That is a brilliant comparison between League Play and APBA Tournament play. While I only have been able to participate in APBA/BBW Leagues online, it is pretty much the same people, tendencies and methods each year with a few new email addresses (we don’t see faces) every few seasons.
I have been fortunate to participate in the last three APBA Tournaments in Alpharetta and wish I was closer to some of the satellite tournaments around the country. New faces and new friends each year and it really seems to be supported by not all, but a lot of players who also participate in the Delphi Forums.
Well done!