Yeah, you can't win in the papers... you have to win it on the field... oops, I mean in the sims.

But then again, in the playoffs, I sim only from the first to the sixth and play it out the rest of the game, so the AI can't make some of its stupid moves and stupid double switches... so maybe it is on the field.:ohmy:

I just created all of my free agents for the coming 2061 season... now I have to let the teams draft for the coming season.

May be a week or so before I start the season... I also have to post the Islandian Pro Alliance Hall of Fame for CD... hope others enjoy it, too.

Islandian Pro Alliance Hall of Fame Members

There are 93 players in the Islandian Pro Alliance Hall of Fame... 58 position players and 35 pitchers... 45 of the 64 IPA teams have players in the HOF... Turon leads with 6... Ozarka and Rolling Hills have 4 each... 12 teams have 3 each.

Jet Kazmarek hit .350 for the best career BA... Jerry Culpepper led with 878 homers... Matt Bell and Frankie Quinn topped in wins with 391... Matt Bell led with a 2.42 lifetime ERA.

Click to Enlarge... sorry, that's the best I can do.

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I got my North Island Recreational League dynasty ready to go for the 1951 season ... it's only 12 teams so it goes much quicker than the IPA.

and now I need to work on the Islandian Pro Alliance... will create new free agents and randomly assign them to the 64 teams based on the teams' needs... may take me a week or to get to the 2061 season.

Each team will get two new players.

Going pretty quickly... I did 16 of the 64 teams in the last hour or so... most of the free agents are going to the active rosters... I like to see that... means the IPA will have a good rookie class.

Updated all the rosters of the 64 teams with new rookies.

Getting ready to play Spring Training... I will preview season after Spring Training.

Attachment 639685
Sunday, April 4, 2061

IPA PRESEASON PREVIEW
At a quick glance according to the baseball broadcasters and sportwriters, come October it will be the Far Mountain Redhawks and the Midway Wolves battling for the much-cherished and much-desired IPA Pro Cup... the Islandian baseball experts have perused all 64 clubs and have picked the Redhawks to nab the Ruthlandian Union title from the other division winners, Waleska, Wynnamac and Rocky Rapids... and the Wolves to prevail in the Tycobbian Union over defending Pro Cup titlist Rolling Hills, Oxford and Southport.

REDHAWKS FAVORED IN RU NORTH OVER GATORS
Far Mountain will take the RU North race in a good fight with LaGrange, Glasco, Taranto and Valmara... last year's winner, Ranford, has fallen out of favor and dropped greatly in statue, falling to sixth in the standings... the Redhawks' potent attack will help them edge out the second place Gators... Far Mountain's big bats will top LaGrange's mound staff, the best in the division.

1. FAR MOUNTAIN REDHAWKS... best scoring attack in the RU... good firepower with fairly good pitching.
2. LaGrange Gators (3 GB)… one of the best staffs... but lacks offense.
3. Glasco Foxhounds (6 GB)… solid pitching and solid bats.
4. Taranto Tars (9 GB)… good power... fairly good pitching.
5. Valmara Vipers (10 GB)… can hit... can't get anybody out.
6. Ranford Bulls (17 GB)… still a good club... fine attack... needs help pitching.
7. Ancona Red Elephants (18 GB)… just so-so at the plate and on the mound.
8. Kilkenny Cats (27 GB)… no offense... just fair on the hill.

4-TEAM TUSSLE IN RU SOUTH
Good pitching will spark the Waleska Westerners past three challengers in the Ruthlandian South Division in 2061... the Cowpokes will be followed fairly closely by last season's winner, St. John, Claxton and Valka.

1. WALESKA WESTERNERS... depends on its hurlers to win.
2. St. John Crusaders (5 GB)... still a fine team... don't count them out.
3. Claxton Diamonds (7 GB)... right up with Waleska in the pitching department... but not quite the bats.
4. Valka Blackhawks (8 GB)... good enough at the plate and on the hill... a solid contender.
5. Grand City Cybercats (17 GB)... fair offense and fair pitching.
6. Belair Beach Sunbirds (18 GB)... fair scoring... mediocre mound corps.
7. Crystal Lake Skippers (22 GB)... best bats in the RU South, right up there with Far Mountain... but the Skips can't get anybody out... worst pitching in the Ruthlandian Union by far.
8. San Dimas Rancheros (23 GB)... poor offense... mediocre pitching.

EAST IS BEST RACE IN RU
The best division in the Ruthlandian Union will also have one of the tightest pennant chases... powerhouse Wynnamac is fresh off a great 104-win season and headed for its third flag in the last five years, but this year they will be tested by the Elnora Clippers and the Marston Nine... the Macs and the Clippers are two peas in a pod... both with high-octane scoring and just enough pitching to get by... the Nine's strong pitching will keep them in the hunt.

1. WYNNAMAC SUNDOWNERS... can score... and has fairly good staff.
2. Elnora Clippers (2 GB)... Clippers are a little better at the plate than the Macs will a little more home-run power, but not quite as good on the hill... either team can win it.
3. Marston Nine (5 GB)... not far behind the two main contenders... the Nine has strong pitching... second to LaGrange... but Marston is short on longball power.
4. Eastshore Cotton Kings (13 GB)... can compete with the good teams in scoring runs, but is lousy on the mound.
5. Beechwood Jackrabbits (19 GB)... just an all-around mediocre team.
6. Sugar Valley Rattlers (24 GB)... worst-hitting team in the RU... not very good on the mound, either.
7. Cold Creek Raccoons (27 GB)... terrible pitching, but can score some runs.
8. Belle Plaine Musketeers (31 GB)... another long season for the Muskies... bad pitching... with subpar offense... 'nuff said.

JAM-PACKED LOGJAM IN RU WEST
Six teams... count 'em... six teams will bust heads and bust butts to win the division flag in the Ruthlandian West with the winner being the Volusia Vigilantes, but not by much... Rocky Rapids and Middlefield will gnawing at their heels and trying to head them off at the pass... with Colfax, Stoner and defending champion Sligo not very far behind... it's an evenly-matched division.

1. VOLUSIA VIGILANTES... the V's are the favorites because they have a little bit better pitching than the other five contenders... and the Volusia staff is only average in the Ruthlandian Union.
2. Rocky Rapids Snappers (1GB)... the Snappers are long overdue for a pennant... 2046 was the last time they graced the playoffs... they are just a run-of-the-mill club in a mediocre division where any one of six teams could win it.
3. Middlefield Roosters (2 GB)... the Roosters could easily prevail with its home-run power and mediocre mound staff... Middlefield has the best home-run hitters in the division.
4. Colfax Blasters (6 GB)... the Blasters are not likely to win... they have pathetic pitching... but they put more runs on the scoreboard than anyone in the RU West.
5. Stoner Silver Sox (7 GB)... along with Sligo, the Sox have the best pitching in the division, however, it's only fair-to-middling when compared to the rest of the Ruthlandian Union.
6. Sligo Rovers (10 GB)... the fact that the Rovers have won the last two pennants in the RU West gives them a chance again this year.
7. Fort Benton Defenders (18 GB)... fair offense... awful pitching... the Defenders are not likely to win the RU West.
8. Forest City Firebirds (21 GB)... ditto for the Firebirds... they hit worse than the Defenders and they pitch worse than the Defenders... and if you are so incline to continue with the negativity, you could even say the Firebirds are actually, and in fact, worse than the Defenders.

2060 Ruthlandian Union Final Standings

6TH TU NORTH FLAG IN 10 YEARS FORECAST FOR OXFORD
The Oxford Red Caps are the dominant team in the Tycobbian North Division... the Oxonians have captured five pennants in the last nine seasons... three of the last four... and are picked to win a third straight time this year... the Red Caps are heads and shoulders above its division rivals and should win the TU North fairly easily... Oxford scores more runs than anyone in its division and ranks right up there with the best in the Islandian Pro Alliance... the Red Caps can also hang with the teams with good pitching, too... the rest of the clubs will be evenly-matched and tightly-bunched... Fairfax, Hartsdale, North Hills, White River, Mahaska and Luxora will all be contesting for second place.

1. OXFORD RED CAPS... a Pro Cup trophy is not out of the question for the powerful Red Caps... explosive offense and solid pitching can take you a long way in the IPA.
2. Fairfax Frogs (7 GB)... can score runs... but pitching is subpar.
3. Hartsdale Hellcats (8 GB)... just average hitting and pitching.
4. North Hills Hawks (9 GB)... very similar to Hellcats... just an average ballclub.
5. White River Rascals (9 GB)... ditto Hartsdale and North Hills... middle-of-the-road team.
6. Mahaska Haymakers (11 GB)... below .500 club... fairly good offense, lacks HR power, but has bad pitching.
7. Luxora Zorros (13 GB)... just like the Haymakers... can score, has decent HR power, but lacks pitching.
8. Blue Lake Schooners (16 GB)... poor offense... poor pitching.

SOUTHPORT, TURON, TOP TEAMS IN TU SOUTH
The Karate Kids two-year reign in the Tycobbian South Division just might be over... a two-team battle is forecast between the Southport Sun Sox and the Turon Typhoons... for nine consecutive seasons the Typhoons have been first or second in the pennant race, winning it five times in nine years... the Sun Sox have not been that successful, but did win the TU South in 2055 and 2058... this year the prognoticators are leaning toward Southport by a skosh... four teams will fight it out for the third spot in the standings: Ginza, Summerland, Cape Coral and San Alejo... forget Arroyo Grande and horrible Colchester... neither has any chance of even the first division, much less the pennant.

1. SOUTHPORT SUN SOX... good pitching, good scoring, fair power.
2. Turon Typhoons (3 GB)... right up there with the Sun Sox, except for the pitching... that's the difference.
3. Ginza Ninjas (13 GB)... the Karate Kids are coming down from cloud nine... two wonderful years when they almost won back-to-back Pro Cups... just a tad above .500 team... just fair offense and average pitching.
4. Summerland Sunsets (15 GB)... ran a real good race last year, coming in a close third with a fine pitching staff, but they can't score runs for them... just a breakeven team this year.
5. Cape Coral Hurricanes (17 GB)... can hit the heck out of the ball, but so can the opposition... and they do it better than the 'Canes... about a .500 team.
6. San Alejo Montaneros (18 GB)... not a lot of offense... with average pitching... looks like a losing record.
7. Arroyo Grande Suns (22 GB)... lot of homers in a small ballpark... so-so pitching... probably winds up 10 games under the .500 mark.
8. Colchester Elites (37 GB)... what a bad franchise... only three... count 'em... 1... 2... 3... three seasons as a .500 team... three times in the last 24 seasons... Elites could lose 100 or more games this year.

MIDDIES MAY BE BACK IN THE TU EAST
Last year the South Fork Stallions surprisingly sneaked in and snatch the Tycobbian East title and they would like nothing better than to do it again... and they may... but they will have to beat back an old resurging powerhouse, the Midway Wolves... and also another team of good reputation and fame, the rejuvenated Red Bluff Red Sox... plus the up-and-coming Tucknanarra Tiger Cats, who lost a close race last year to South Fork by just four games.

This year the pollsters are picking the Wolves... they dipped to fifth place last year, finishing under .500... but now Midway has reloaded and ready to regain the throne in the Tycobbian East Division... South Fork will be up there, too, defending their title... followed by Red Bluff and Tuckanarra.

1. MIDWAY WOLVES... top offense in the TU East... maybe top three in the TU, equal to Pro Cup champ Rolling Hills and rock solid Oxford... fairly good pitching... Middies won 5 pennants and 2 Pro Cups in 9 seasons.
2. South Fork Stallions (6 GB)... still a good team with good offense and good pitching... will be in the run for the roses.
3. Red Bluff Red Sox (9 GB)... very similar club to South Fork... and may have a little more HR power.
4. Tuckanarra Tiger Cats (13 GB)... Tucks have better scoring than Stallions and Red Sox... and their pitching is just as good... ran a great race last year and can smell the roses this year... look for the Cats to make it a four-team tussle.
5. Ozarka Naturals (20 GB)... not in the class of the top four... breakeven ballclub... fair offense, no HR power, with average pitching.
6. High Mesa Cowboys (22 GB)... hits a lot of homers, but has terrible, terrible pitching... 'nuff said, said the man of few words.
7. Hillsboro Blazers (23 GB)... can score, hit homers, but can't pitch.
8. East Point Panthers (29 GB)... strong club '50 to '56 with two pennants... no worse than second place... bad ever since... no where to go but up... can't hit... can't pitch.

RACERS BEST IN THE TU WEST AGAIN
The Rolling Hills Racers were really on a roll last year and won the IPA Pro Cup for the fourth time in history... and they are picked to win the Tycobbian West again... and don't be surprised if they go all the way and repeat as IPA champion... but the Racers will have to earn it in the TU East... Kenwood is right up there with them and Denton City is not far behind... it will be a three-team tango for the pennant.

1. ROLLING HILLS RACERS... one of the best... maybe THE BEST offense in the whole wide IPA... with good enough pitching to win the Pro Cup... good shot at their record-setting 5th Pro Cup.
2. Kenwood Wildcats (1 GB)... the poll pickers think the Wildcats now have the pitching to go with its solid offense... and they are pert near as good as Rolling Hills... now that is something.
3. Denton City Redbirds (6 GB)... Redbirds are still a good ballclub... don't score like Racers and Wildcats, but they can go deep better... and their pitching is better... Denton City has 4 pennants in the last 8 years... don't count them out.
4. Bayview Vikings (14 GB)... just a fair-to-middling team... hits a lot of homers, but has little pitching... will struggle to get to the .500 mark.
5. La Claire Lynx (16 GB)... so-so team... average offense... and average pitching... could wind up near the .500 mark.
6. Arlon Champions (19 GB)... below average club... average scoring, homers... with pitiful pitching.
7. Bay St. Clair Buccaneers (24 GB)... similar to Lynx and Champs... subpar team.
8. Chicopee Braves (32 GB)... bad team two years in a row... headed for cellar for third straight season... close to a 100 losses... no power... horrible pitching... no hope.

2060 Tycobbian Union Final Standings

Attachment 640114
Sunday, May 1, 2061

APRIL RECAP IN IPA
They're off and running in the Islandian Pro Alliance!
The 2061 season is running pretty much to form with a few pleasant surprises and a few disappoints... division favorites Far Mountain, Waleska, Wynnamac and Volusia are doing well in the Ruthlandian Union... so are Midway, Rolling Hills and Southport in the Tycobbian Union... only Oxford was slow out of the gate.

REDHAWKS OFF TO THE RACES, VIPERS, TOO
The Far Mountain Redhawks (18-7) fired out of gate with a fine month in the RU North... but so did unheralded Valmara (18-7)... the two clubs are tied for the top spot... last year's division champion Ranford (15-10) is playing solid baseball, just 3 games behind the co-leaders... well-respected Glasco (14-11) and Taranto (14-11) are hanging close, four games off the pace... highly-rated LaGrange (12-13) started slowly and trails by six games... Ancona (12-13) had a good month for them... Kilkenny (8-17) was expected do poorly and did.

3-WAY TIE IN RU SOUTH
Waleska is the preseason pick in the Ruthlandian South Division, but defending champion St. John and lightly-regarded San Dimas stayed right with them... all of them were 15-10 for the first month of action... Belair Beach (14-11) had a properous month and is in the fourth spot... the Sunbirds are just one game out... Crystal Lake had an OK start in April, 3 games behind... three pretty good clubs did not fair well... Claxton (11-14) is 4 games behind... Valka (10-15) five games back... and Grand City (6-19) had an absolutely miserable month and is a whopping nine games behind the co-leaders.

MACS ON TOP AS USUAL IN RU EAST
Powerhouse Wynnamac just plays well year after year in the Ruthlandian East... the Macs had a fine April, going 15-10 and have a two-game edge over Marston (13-12) and they are three games up on Elnora (12-13)... those are the top-rated clubs in the pennant race this year... nobody else has a chance.

VOLUSIA HAS SUPERB APRIL
The preseason choice to take the Ruthlandian West, the Volusia Vigilantes (19-6), rocketed off with a crackerjack month and has a solid lead over two of its challengers, Rocky Rapids (15-10) and last season's division winner Sligo (14-11) and the Middlefield Roosters (14-11)... only IPA champion Rolling Hills (20-5) had a better April than the V's... fifth place Stoner is over .500, but is already six games off the pace... the other three also-rans, Fort Benton (12-13), Forest City Firebirds (11-14) and Colfax Blasters (8-17) don't appear to be contenders this year.

HAYMAKERS RAISIN' CANE IN TU NORTH
Lightweight Mahaska (17-8) had a killer April beating everybody in sight in the Tycobbian North Division and posting a three-game lead over second place White River (14-11), four better than third place North Hills (13-12) and a whopping six-game bulge over division favorite, juggernaut Oxford (11-14) and Fairfax (11-14), who didn't perform well in April, either... Luxora (10-15), Blue Lake (9-16) and Hartsdale (8-17) flopped badly in the first month of the season.

RACE JAM-PACKED IN TU SOUTH
It was supposed to be just a two-team pennant race in the Tycobbian South this year... Southport was the critics' choice to win with Turon a close second... only a month has gone by, but it is so nice to see a couple of unlikely contenders creating a few waves... downtrodden San Alejo and perennial loser Arroyo Grande are right up there with the big boys in the early season... Turon (16-9) had an impressive start, but is being pressed by almost every team in the TU South... the Typhoons only hold a very narrow lead over six other clubs... the Montaneros (15-10) and Sun Sox (15-10) are just a scant one game back of Turon... fourth in the standings are the Suns (14-11) and the Summerland Sunsets (14-11), both trailing by just two games... followed by the Ginza Ninjas, who almost won the Pro Cups the last two years. (13-12)... the Karate Kids are three back... Cape Coral (12-13) is in seventh place, yet just four games out in the race... only the horribly bad Colchester Elites (4-21) can forget about the playoffs this year.

5 TEAMS CLOSE IN TU EAST
Looks like a whale of a fight in the Tycobbian East Division this year... it appears to be a 5-team fight between the April co-leaders, Midway (15-10), the favorite, and its main two rivals, the Red Bluff Red Sox (15-10) and the Tuckanarra Tiger Cats (15-10)... High Mesa (14-11) and defending division winner South Fork (13-12) will also have something to say about who prevails in the TU East... also-rans Hillsboro (11-14), East Point Panthers (10-15) and Ozarka Naturals (10-15) are only 5 games off the pace, but not very likely to get any higher in the standings.

ROLLING HILLS REALLY OFF TO THE RACES
The current IPA Pro Cup titlist, the Rolling Hills Racers (20-5), had a simply sensational first month of the season... they cruised to the Tycobbian West Division crown last season... and appears to be even better this year... super duper bats and solid pitching are making shambles of the race already... the Racers are hitting .308 as a team and lighting up the scoreboard with plenty of runs... Rolling Hills is five games ahead of second place Bayview (15-10) and seven games in front of its arch rival Denton City (13-12) and eight games better than one of its prime challengers, Kenwood (13-12)... none of the remaining four clubs are likely contenders.

2061 Tycobbian Union Leaderboards
Sunday, May 1, 2061

Need to work on the new Hall of Fame Inductees... a few have sllpped my notice.

I need to pay more attention to the retirees.

I got 7 new additions to the IPA Hall of Fame... including the son of a HOF-er.

This is a first... it's now a family affair.

I just finished the writeups for all seven of the new IPA Hall of Famers.

I learned a lot about the incoming legends.

Will post them all tomorrow.

Attachment 640758
Sunday, May 1, 2061
IPA INDUCTS 7 GREATS INTO HOF
Seven Islandian Pro Alliance players have now met the standard of excellence required to be admitted to the coveted and revered Islandian Pro Alliance Hall of Fame... the Broadcasters and Sportswriters Association have voted in these seven legendary performers into the Hall and they will be inducted this fall during the IPA Winter Meeting... the IPA Hall of Fame now numbers 100 immortal players... the latest class includes the winningest pitcher of all-time, James Long, who boasts the most victories in IPA history... and one of the best all-around players in history, first baseman JoJo DeLucca... the rest of the class is Rikky Van Dalen, Corky DiNozzo, Benny Hull, Jason Butler and Jayson Hallstrom.

For the first time in the history of the IPA Hall of Fame, it will become a family affair... JoJo DeLucca will join his father, Joe DeLucca in the Hall of Fame... the elder DeLucca was inducted in 2039.

BIGGEST WINNER EVER LONG INDUCTED IN IPA HALL OF FAME
James Long starred for the Middlefield Roosters for all of his 21 seasons and topped the IPA in all-time victories with 442... he sparked the Roosters to 11 RU West pennants and 2 Pro Cup trophies (2052, 2056).

One of the most colorful characters in league history, Long was also the league's winningest pitcher... he won an extraordinary number of games... more than any other IPA hurlers, by far... Long broke the old league record by 51 wins, racking up a career mark of 442-250... he was a pitcher that no manager ever worried about while he was on the mound... off the field, however, that was another story... Long was quite a character... a wild and crazy guy.

For example, Long was kidding the press corps at team headquarters, pretending to be practicing his HOF speech... "Man, I can just see me now at the Hall of Fame installation... impressively standing on the podium, getting ready to grace the assembled audience with wonderful words about my wondrous career... my beautiful bronze plaque shining in the bright sunshine, gleaming from the fresh polish... everyone clinging to my every precious word... and then I will tell them... man, that guy is handsome!... I never realized I looked so good until today."

James Long retired at the age of 39... he was a 12-time All-Star and record 5-time Golden Arm Award winner (2050, 2054, 2055, 2056, 2057)... in his outstanding career he appeared in 812 games, pitched 6439 innings (1st), fanned 4029 batters (7th), walked 1236 and compiled a 2.68 ERA (14th).


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Monday, May 2, 2061

LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON, ANOTHER DELUCCA JOINS THE HALL OF FAME
Today was a very special day for the Islandian Pro Alliance Hall of Fame... it happened when Hall of Famer Joe DeLucca got the news about his son, Jojo DeLucca... "Never in a million years would I have ever thought this moment would come... somehow I played well enough to get there... and now my son is there, too... wonders never cease... and my blessings never cease."

During his tenure in the Islandian Pro Alliance Jojo DeLucca was nothing but class, on the field and off the field. Now he is part of the Hall of Fame class of 2061... DeLucca was a 15-time All-Star, 6-time Golden Glove, 2045 Golden Bat and 2045 Most Valuable Player... lifetime, DeLucca posted tremendous numbers for the Claxton Diamonds... he hit for a .303 average in 3398 games (3rd) and totaled 4125 hits (2nd) , 635 home runs (8th), 2425 RBIs (2nd) and scored 2099 runs (6th)... he played 23 seasons in the IPA and retired in 2058 at the age of ripe old age of 43... the Diamonds won 5 division flags while DeLucca was playing... strangely, DeLucca first signed with his dad's old club, Volusia, but was lost via free agency after one year to Claxton... the junior DeLucca told reporters, "Claxton offered me 20,000 a year for three years... the best Volusia did was 8,000... and just a one-year contract... I just thought I deserved more after a darn good rookie season... even my dad said I should go to Claxton... that was just too good of an offer."... Jojo DeLucca made $7,000 in his first year in the IPA.

In a TV interview on BNN, DeLucca expressed his thanks and gratitude to the many people who helped make this wonderful day possible. "It is a tremendous honor for me to follow my father into the Hall of Fame... not only was he himself a great ballplayer, but more so, he was an even better father... I have been truly blessed... I have been able to do something I love and get paid very well for it... there was no place that I ever wanted to be but on the baseball diamond every day doing what I love."

One of his friends and former teammates, Rick Clayburne, told reporters, "The greatest thing he taught me was on my first day in the big leagues -- it was the hustle... he hit two one-hoppers to the pitcher and ran as hard as he could to first base... Jojo set a great example for me to model my career... his hustle and desire -- those were the little things that stood out for me... plus he's one of the best hitters I've ever played with."

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EDIT: CORRECTION... Sorry, I unintentionally misled you... OOTPB did create the player that eventually became Jojo DeLucca... the original player was added to the Reserve Roster, but I changed the original name so that the son of a former player for that team was on the team... I then just let the game handle his career.

The DeLucca story is kind of special... and it just happened in OOTPB... the game did it... I didn't change any ratings... it just played out this way.

A really special moment for me.

Hasn't happened in the Major Leagues yet.

Wouldn't that be something?

You think Vlad, Jr. has a shot at joining his dad in Cooperstown?

Ray Boone's family is the only one I know of in MLB history that ever had a shot at a father and son in the Hall of Fame... and they didn't come close, I don't think... but all of them were pretty good major leaguers.

In a thirteen-year career, Ray Boone hit .275 with 151 home runs in 1373 games for Cleveland, the Detroit Tigers, the Chicago White Sox, the Kansas City Athletics, the Milwaukee Braves and the Boston Red Sox.

Boone was followed into the majors by son, Bob Boone, who was a really fine Gold Glove catcher for the Phillies and Angels from 1972 to 1990, and grandsons Bret Boone, who played from 1992 to 2005, and Aaron Boone, who played 1997 to 2009. The Boone family was the first to send three generations of players to the All-Star Game.
Source : © Copyright Wikipédia authors - This article is under licence CC BY-SA 3.0 .

Maybe I should also post Joe DeLucca's stats just for comparision.

He played for 13 years with the Volusia Vigilantes... 7-time All-Star... 4-time Gold Glove... DeLucca was a tremendous center fielder... great arm and range... sadly his teams never made the playoffs.

Looking at his stats again, I'm not sure he would have made the HOF if he had played in a later era... standards got a little tougher later on.

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battists posted on my OOTP20 Discussions thread about this same subject that Bobby and Bret Hull are in the National Hockey League Hall of Fame.

You know, Gordie Howe and one of his sons might have made it, too.

Sorry... don't know much about hockey...except for Maurice "Rocket" Richard, Jean Beliveau and Gordie Howe

Gordie Howe and his son Mark are in the NHL Hall of Fame.

Tuesday, May 3, 2061

DINOZZO GETS CALL TO IPA HALL OF FAME
What a career and what a ballplayer!
Corky DiNozzo truly was one of the best to play the game and today he was chosen to be installed into the Islandian Pro Alliance Hall of Fame by the Baseball Sportswriters and Broadcasters Association... a 13-time All-Star he was the Tycobbian Union Rookie of the Year in 2035... and the TU Golden Bat and TU Most Valuable Player in 2048... DiNozzo played his entire career for the Kenwood Wildcats... in his tenure they won 7 pennants...at age 37 he called it a career after 19 years in 2053.

DiNozzi will be enshrined into the IPA Hall of Fame during the next Winter Meetings.

"It is an honor to be mentioned with the greatest players of all-time... I want to thank my family, friends and teammates for supporting me throughout my long career," the outstanding catcher said told the press when he received notification of election to the HOF.

In his career, DiNozzo played in 2204 games with a .314 lifetime batting average... among his 2751 hits were 304 doubles, 15 triples and 628 home runs (9th)... He also scored 1413 runs and drove in 1711 runs.

His longtime skipper, Aaron Hankins said, “Trying to sneak a pitch past Corky was like trying to sneak a sunrise past a rooster.”... Hankins also praised him for being a manager on the field... "He certainly made my job a lot easier... nobody ever called a better game... and nobody handled pitchers like him."

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[

EDIT: CORRECTION... Sorry, I unintentionally misled you... OOTPB did create the player that eventually became Jojo DeLucca... the original player was added to the Reserve Roster, but I changed the original name so that the son of a former player for that team was on the team... I then just let the game handle his career.

OOTPB did not create the son of a former player in this case... not sure if it does this or not... it would be good if it did... would be interesting to watch it play out.

Wednesday, May 4, 2061

HALLSTROM HEADS TO IPA HALL OF FAME
During his fantastic IPA pitching career Jayson Hallstrom was hard-nosed competitor for the Summerland Sunsets... prior to an important game, he once told reporters, "If we lose today, it will be over my dead body... they'll have to leave me face down on the mound."

It was this attitude that helped to inspire Hallstrom to such an outstanding career... today he was rewarded with his election into the Islandian Pro Alliance Hall of Fame... Hallstrom wound up 6th-best all-time in victories and 13th-best ERA... he was a 7-time All-Star.

Hallstrom retired from baseball at age 41 and fashioned a 368-274 won-lost record in his career with a 2.65 ERA. The gifted hurler appeared in 778 games, fanned 3422 hitters and piled up 5964 innings pitched (6th)... despite his great success, Summerland only made the postseason playoffs twice in his career.

One of his managers in a TV interview at the announcement ceremony, Antonio Vasques, observed, "Jayson was a bulldog on the mound. If a man put a gun to my head and said I'm going to pull the trigger, if you lose this game, I'd want him to pitch that game."

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Thursday, May 5, 2061

HULL ELECTED TO IPA HALL OF FAME
The way Benny Hull played baseball made the word "superstar" seem inadequate... he played the game at an even higher level and that's why he is now one of the all-time greats and will soon be inducted into the heralded Islandian Pro Alliance Hall of Fame... Hull made the Ruthlandian All-Stars on 8 occasions and nabbed the 2049 RU Golden Bat Award...Hull's selection into the fabled Hall was announced today by the Baseball Sportswriters and Broadcasters Association.

Hull performed in obsurity for the habitual also-ran Grand City Cybercats... they never made the playoffs in his 19 seasons with the club... he was an 8-time All-Star and Gold Glove first sacker... Hull played in 2386 games with a .299 lifetime batting average... among his 2779 hits were 399 doubles, 44 triples and 597 home runs (12th)... he also scored 1309 runs and drove in 1737 runs... Hull was 38 when he retired in 2052... Hull drove in over a 100 runs in 13 of 14 seasons... that's how consistent and how good he was.

One of his teammates and managers, Thomas Hall, described the talented first baseman this way: "The greatness of Benny Hull was something that had to be seen... and to see him was to remember him forever."

Benny Hull will be inducted into the Hall of Fame this fall at the IPA Winter Meeting.

The new Hall of Famer speaking to the reporters at the press conference today, "I just went out and did my job every day... and I guess I must have done it well. Thank you for the honor you have given me today.

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Friday, May 6, 2061

BELAIR BEACH'S BUTLER MAKES IPA HALL OF FAME
One of baseball's latest legend, Jason Butler, was told on the phone that he has been selected to the Islandian Pro Alliance Hall of Fame earlier this week... he starred at third base and first base for Belair Beach, was an 8-time All-Star, Gold Glover and copped the 2047 Ruthlandian Union Golden Bat and 2047 Most Valuable Player Awards... with his 578 home runs (14th), 2741 hits and lifetime .297 batting average, everyone knew the gifted infielder belonged with the immortals of the game... Still, Butler remained humble.

"I'm a very lucky person to be born with the skill to play baseball and through baseball I built a name for myself," said Butler... now his career as a baseball player is complete... "This seals it," he said... "To get the recognition that every ballplayer seeks -- this is completion for me."

Butler retired at 37 in 2052. He will be inducted in the fall as a member of the Belair Beach Sunbirds... in his 17-year epic career he played in 2291 games and finished with 1696 RBIs and 1433 runs scored... sadly, the Sunbirds only made the playoffs one time in Butler's career.

Bob Meusel, his skipper at Belair Beach, told reporters, "You wish you had 25 players like Jason... all he did his entire career was quietly hit lots of home runs and drive in lots of runs and help his team to win games... yeah, I needed more like him... maybe I would be in the Hall of Fame, too."

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Saturday, May 7, 2061

'CANES VAN DALEN CHOSEN FOR IPA HALL OF FAME
The Islandian baseball community and adoring public today welcomed to the exclusive IPA club, the Hall of Fame, a new left fielder by the name of Rikky Van Dalen, a hitter par excellence... his election was announced today by the Baseball Sportswriters and Broadcasters Association... Rikky could swing a bat with the best of them... his induction ceremony will be held at the Islandian Pro Alliance Winter Meeting this fall.

Van Dalen told BNN in an interview, "I remember thinking to myself after I had had a couple of good years that if I keep doing this, maybe I just might make it to the Hall of Fame... the dream became a reality today and I must say this is a very proud day."

Over his career Van Dalen batted .315 and collected 2985 hits, 434 home runs and 1497 RBIs... he played in 2343 games and retired from baseball at age 38... Van Dalen led the Tycobbian Union three times in batting average... he batted .371 in 2042, .358 in 2044 and .352 in 2046... he also led the league with 200 or more hits in four seasons... his best years came as a member of the Cape Coral Hurricanes, whose hat he will wear at his induction ceremony... in spite of Van Dalen success, the 'Canes only made the playoffs one time... he was a 5-time All-Star and captured both the Tycobbian Union Golden Bat and Most Valuable Player trophies in 2042.

His former manager Flipper Bird told reporters, "The big thing about Rikky is that he could hit any pitch... I don't mean only strikes... he could hit a ball off his ankles or off his ear."

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Thursday, June 2, 2061

RACERS REALLY ROLLING IN TU WEST
Most of the good clubs are doing well after two months of play in the 2061 edition of the Islandian Pro Alliance... especially defending Pro Cup titlist Rolling Hills... the Racers (40-14) are running away with the Tycobbian West... they are already 10 games up on the second place Denton City Redbirds (30-24).

The surprising teams are the Mahaska Haymakers (30-24) and North Hills Hawks (29-25), both in the Tycobbian North Division... and both are giving the Oxford Red Caps (26-28) some trouble this season... the Red Caps have nabbed the pennant three times in the last four years and are heavily-favored this season... the Arroyo Grande Suns (33-21) and the Summerland Sunsets (30-24) are raising a few eyebrows, too, in the Tycobbian South race.

There are also several disappointing clubs... the Rocky Rapids Snappers (25-29) in the Ruthlandian West... the LaGrange Gators (25-29) in the Ruthlandian North... Oxford (26-28) and Fairfax (24-30) in the Tycobbian North... Kenwood (29-25) in the Tycobbian West... and two of the main contenders in the Tycobbian South... the favored Southport Sun Sox (28-26) and the Turon Typhoons (27-27) are a little chagrined with their performances so far.

VIPER ATTACK HAS THEM ON TOP OF RU NORTH
The Valmara Vipers (36-18) have a three-game lead in the Ruthlandian North despite its lousy pitching... but the Vips power and offense make up for it... they had the best mark in May 18-11 and rose above the other contenders... preseason choice Far Mountain (33-21) was 15-14 and are now in second place, 3 GB... last year division winner, the Ranford Bulls (31-23), are hanging close in third place, five games back... the Bulls were 16-13 last month... the fourth place Glasco Foxhounds (30-24) are six games off the pace... they posted a 16-13 mark in May... and the Taranto Tars (29-25) are within striking distance, 7 games out... the Tars were 15-13 for the month.

CLOSE RACE IN RU SOUTH, COWPOKES AHEAD
Six teams are challenging in the well-bunched Ruthlandian South race... first place Waleska (33-21), picked to win the pennant, had a strong 18-11 month and took over the top spot... solid St. John (30-24) was 15-14 and slipped to three games behind... the Crusaders are tied with Claxton (30-24) for second place... after a poor April, the Diamonds finished a terrific 19-10 in May and climbed back into the hunt... in the fourth spot are the San Dimas Rancheros (29-25), but they dipped to 14-15 and fell 4 games behind after being one of the co-leaders in April... the Belair Beach Sunbirds (28-26) are keeping their heads above water in the fifth spot in the standings after going 14-15 last month... the Sunbirds trail Waleska by five games... even sixth place Crystal Lake (27-27) is still in the running... they went 15-14 in May and are now six games in the rear... and forget about the other two teams, Valka (25-29) and Grand City (20-34)... they are not headed anywhere.

MACS BACK ON TOP IN RU EAST
Perennial pennant contender, Wynnamac (31-23), is always somewhere near the top of the Ruthlandian East Division... after two months of play, the Macs are in first place and leading by two games over the Marston Nine (29-25)... both of them played well last month with 16-13 records... all the other teams in the division are under .500 and don't appear to be any threat to the top two... although third place Beechwood (26-28) went 17-12 in May... and fourth place Eastshore (25-29) was 16-13... expected contender Elnora (24-30) is fifth in the standings and is 7 games behind... the Clippers had a bad 12-17 mark for the month.

VIGILANTES REIGN IN RU WEST
Everything is coming up roses for the Ruthlandian West leader, the Volusia Vigilantes (35-19)... they were the preseason favorite and they are playing like it... doing everything well on the diamond... the V's have already built up a five-game cushion on last year flag winner, the Sligo Rovers (30-24)... six games on third place Middlefield (29-25) and eight games better than fourth place Stoner (27-27)... highly-ranked Rocky Rapids (25-29) has fizzled out so far, trailing by 10 games... the bottom fell out for the Snappers in May... they wound a dismal 10-19... Volusia and Sligo finished 16-13... Middlefield 15-14... and Stoner was 14-15.

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Thursday, June 2, 2061

RED CAPS OFF TO POOR START IN TU NORTH
Who'da thunk it?... the heavily-favored Oxford Red Caps (26-28) under the .500 mark... yep, so far, they are stuggling at the plate and it's showing in their subpar season... Oxford is in the third spot in the Tycobbian North Division, but they are just four games back of first place Mahaska (30-24) and 3 games behind second place North Hills... so they are not out of the race by any means... just give the bats a little more time to get going and then we'll see what the Red Caps are made of... Blue Lake (25-29) and White River (25-29) are tied for fourth and hanging close, five games off the pace... Fairfax (24-30) has also slumbered at the start like Oxford, but the Frogs could leap back in the chase fairly soon... like Oxford, their bats have been iced cold thus far... Fairfax was picked to be one of the better challengers to the Red Caps in the preseason poll... Luxora (23-31) and Hartsdale (18-36) are facing a tough year.

North Hills and Blue Lake had the best marks in May with 16-13... Oxford improved a bit from its poor April (11-14)... this month the Red Caps were 15-14... Mahaska may be a flash in the pan... they were 13-16 this month... same thing for Fairfax and Luxora, 13-16... Hartsdale was a terrible 10-19 last month.

SUNS SHINING BRIGHTLY IN TU SOUTH
The lightly-regarded Arroyo Grande Suns (33-21) have suddenly found some pitchers to go with their home-run power and they are doing quite well in the Tycobbian South... they have a three-game margin over another team on the rise with its fine mound staff, the runner-up Summerland Sunsets (30-24)... the Suns added some additional ground in the pennant race in May with a super 19-10, while the Sunsets were 16-13... in the third spot in the standings are the unlikely San Alejo Montaneros (29-25), just four games behind after a so-so 14-15 month... preseason pick Southport (28-26) is just slightly over the .500 mark after going only 13-16 in the month... be patient, the Sun Sox are a good club... they will be in the hunt for the TU South title... Turon (27-27), expected to be the Sun Sox's only challenger, did poorly in May, just 11-18... you can also expect the Typhoons to do better... Ginza (24-30), the division winner the last two years and the Pro Cup champ in 2059, apparently is on the decline... the Ninjas had a bad month at 11-18... and certainly is not the team of the last two seasons... the Cape Coral Hurricanes (22-32) are seventh in the standings after an awful 10-19 month, 11 GB... the 'Canes are more like a tropical storm this year... not a full-flown hurricane... and as bad as they are, the last place Colchester Elites (19-35) were 15-14 in May.

MIDDIES BEST IN TU EAST AGAIN
After a lackluster fifth-place finish (73-81) a year ago, the Midway Wolves are right back in the thick of things... actually they are right back on top of the Tycobbian East Division standings with a three-game edge on their old rival, the Red Bluff Red Sox (33-21)... and a five-game lead over talented South Fork (31-23)... the TU East may be the best overall division in the Islandian Pro Alliance... there really isn't a bad team in it... here are the division records for May... take a gander: Midway 21-8, Red Bluff 18-11, South Fork 18-11, fourth place Tuckanarra was 14-15, fifth place High Mesa 15-14, sixth place Hillsboro 16-13, seventh place Ozarka 16-13... even last place East Point was decent at 13-16... like it has been for the last decade in the TU East, it should be a heck of a race between the top four contenders.

REMARKABLE RACERS ROMPING IN TU WEST
Sorry, the race is over in the Tycobbian West Division... the defending Pro Cup champion Rolling Hills Racers (40-18) are making shambles of the entire IPA... they are having an unbelievably good year... batting .318 as a team... that's not typo... .318 BA... the Racers are far ahead of everybody in team batting average... Volusia is having a great year, too, but they aren't even close to the Racers... they are batting .301 as a team... only Valmara of the RU North can match the Racers on the scoreboard... the IPA all-time best is .298 by the Elnora All-Stars of the Ruthlandian East Division in 2052.. the Tycobbian Union mark is held by the 2034 Kenwood Wildcats of the TU West Division with a .297 BA.

That's why Rolling Hills is already 10 games in front of second place Denton City (30-24) and 11 games up on Bayview (29-25) and Kenwood (29-25), the only other competition they have... for the month of May, the Racers were 20-9, the Redbirds 17-11, the Vikings 14-15 and the Wildcats 16-13... there is absolutely no need to cover the other four clubs in the Tycobbian West... they don't even have a chance for the first division (top four teams)... much less a chance at the pennant.
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SATURDAY, JUNE 18, 2061

IPA STARS READY TO SHINE IN ALL-STAR GAME WEDNESDAY
The best Islandian Pro Alliance pitchers against the best Islandian Pro Alliance batters... life is good today in the Islands... life is good today... coming up this Wednesday afternoon at the Midtown Base Ball Grounds in Rolling Hills, it's the 61st IPA All-Star Game... both the Ruthlandian All-Stars and the Tycobbian All-Stars will be shining on the diamond... the competition is totally one-sided with the TU Stars triumphant 41 times in 60 games... Tycobbian has won 10 of the last 11 midsummer classics.

Two Tycobbian teams, the Rolling Hills Racers and the Denton City Redbirds led with the most selections... they each had three players chosen to the elite squad... the oldest player on the TU Stars is outfielder Norishige Ito at age 34... the youngest is first baseman Mark Carmickle, just 21... the eldest participant on the Ruthlandian Stars is pitcher Mark Faber and second sacker Mickey Wilbur, both 34 years old... the youngest is 21-year-old first baseman Dayne Killian... one rookie, Mark Carmickle, made the All-Star squad... he'll be playing for the TU Stars.

Tycobbian has the most experienced players: Norishige Ito has been selected 8 times, his teammate Daryl Vale 6 times, Vincent McCloud 6 times, Bob Purkey 4 times and Kagetoki Miyazaki 4 times... the top honoree for the Ruthlandian Stars is Dickie DeBusshere, chosen 5 times in his career, Snooky Bartels 4 times and three players, who have been picked 3 times: Carlo Silva, Mickey Wilbur and Callum Slattery.

Ruthlandian Union All-Stars:
SP: Tom Bloodworth (Glasco) (8-4, 2.81 ERA) (1-time All-Star)
SP: Sam Carmon (Eastshore) (7-4, 2.09 ERA) (1-time All-Star)
SP: Levi Coleridge (LaGrange) (5-3, 2.50 ERA) (1-time All-Star)
SP: Mark Faber (St. John) (9-2, 2.67 ERA) (2-time All-Star)
SP: Tommy Holloway (Ranford) (7-2, 2.69 ERA) (1-time All-Star)
SP: Lance McElween (Marston) (7-3, 2.39 ERA) (1-time All-Star)
SP: Tomaz Mota (Volusia) (9-3, 2.41 ERA) (1-time All-Star)
CL: Luis Villavaso (Beechwood) (3-3, 1.81 ERA, 10 saves) (1-time All-Star)
C: Glen Chambliss (Ranford) (.370 BA, 16 HR, 36 RBI, 40 R) (2-time All-Star)
C: Freddie Civik (Valka) (.319 BA, 11 HR, 35 RBI, 34 R, 1 SB) (1-time All-Star)
C: Carlos Silva (Volusia) (.346 BA, 6 HR, 47 RBI, 32 R) (3-time All-Star)
1B: Dayle Killian (Eastshore) (.307 BA, 13 HR, 57 RBI, 39 R) (1-time All-Star)
1B: Manny Sendejas (Wynnamac) (.343 BA, 20 HR, 71 RBI, 60 R, 3 SB) (2-time All-Star)
2B: Clancy Beaufort (Sligo) (.319 BA, 15 HR, 43 RBI, 55 R, 2 SB) (2-time All-Star)
2B: Ozwaldo Romero (St. John) (.318 BA, 14 HR, 47 RBI, 48 R, 1 SB) (2-time All-Star)
2B: Mickey Wilbur (Elnora) (.339 BA/12 HR, 37 RBI, 41 R) (3-time All-Star)
SS: Dickie DeBusshere (Elnora) (.338 BA, 5 HR, 31 RBI, 31 R) (5-time All-Star)
SS: Bama Quade (Crystal Lake) (.286 BA, 2 HR, 31 RBI, 43 R, 9 SB) (1-time All-Star)
LF: Callum Slattery (Glasco) (.320 BA, 7 HR, 64 RBI, 41 R, 2 SB) (3-time All-Star)
CF: Jud Gilbride (Valmara) (.336 BA, 22 HR, 74 RBI, 73 R, 2 SB) (1-time All-Star)
CF: Tyler O'Reilly (Belair Beach) (.305 BA, 13 HR, 56 RBI, 53 R, 8 SB) (1-time All-Star)
RF: Snooky Bartels (Wynnamac) (.342 BA, 14 HR, 52 RBI, 48 R) (4-time All-Star)
RF: Bitsy Boccabella (Waleska) (.376 BA, 13 HR, 60 RBI, 50 R) (1-time All-Star)

Tycobbian Union All-Stars:
SP: Dontrelle Gilbreath (Red Bluff) (7-2, 2.11 ERA) (2-time All-Star)
SP: Rance Hasbrough (Denton City) (9-3, 2.18 ERA) (1-time All-Star)
SP: Weldon Herrington (High Mesa) (8-4, 2.54 ERA) (2-time All-Star)
SP: Darcey Kennedy (Bay St. Clair) (7-2/2.53 ERA) (3-time All-Star)
SP: Mick Marlow (Summerland) (10-3, 2.31 ERA) (1-time All-Star)
SP: Herm McClanahan (South Fork) (7-2, 1.87 ERA) (1-time All-Star)
SP: Marty Mobley (Mahaska) (10-3, 2.26 ERA) (2-time All-Star)
SP: Jeff Moncriffe (Southport) (7-3, 1.39 ERA) (1-time All-Star)
C: C. J. Chambliss (White River) (.317 BA, 4 HR, 28 RBI, 25 R) (1-time All-Star)
C: Ozzy Crenshaw (Denton City) (.344 BA, 4 HR, 35 RBI, 26 R) (2-time All-Star)
C: Francisco Queiro (Luxora) (.318 BA, 15 HR, 52 RBI, 29 R) (3-time All-Star)
1B: Buddy Blackford (Oxford) (.314 BA, 21 HR, 61 RBI, 46 R) (3-time All-Star)
1B: Mark Carmickle (Rolling Hills) (.321 BA, 14 HR, 63 RBI, 53 R) (1-time All-Star rookie)
2B: Derek Winchester (La Claire) (.313 BA, 4 HR, 37 RBI, 46 R, 3 SB) (2-time All-Star)
3B: Kagetoki Miyazaki (High Mesa) (.335 BA, 29 HR, 66 RBI, 61 R, 1 SB) (4-time All-Star)
3B: Teddy Stonich (Rolling Hills) (.330 BA, 16 HR, 58 RBI, 58 R) (3-time All-Star)
SS: Vincent McCloud (Denton City) (.293 BA, 10 HR, 44 RBI, 41 R, 7 SB) (6-time All-Star)
SS: Jameson Mulbert (Rolling Hills) (.379 BA, 4 HR, 30 RBI, 58 R, 7 SB) (3-time All-Star)
LF: Norishige Ito (Midway) (.364 BA, 14 HR, 46 RBI, 55 R, 1 SB) (8-time All-Star)
CF: Johnny Pendergrass (Summerland) (.382 BA, 4 HR, 32 RBI, 47 R, 8 SB) (1-time All-Star)
CF: Daryl Vale (Midway) (.322 BA, 21 HR, 68 RBI, 51 R, 8 SB) (6-time All-Star)
RF: Gabriel Macedo (Kenwood) (.346 BA, 29 HR, 67 RBI, 59 R, 1 SB) (1-time All-Star)
RF: Bob Purkey (South Fork) (.347 BA, 15 HR, 56 RBI, 52 R, 1 SB) (4-time All-Star)

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Thursday, June 23, 2061

TU STARS TOP RU WITH 6-RUN 7TH
Everything was pretty much going Ruthlandia's way in the annual Islandian Pro Alliance All-Star classic at the Midtown Base Ball Grounds in Rolling Hills... the RU Stars were up 3-1 going into the bottom of the 7th when the roof caved in on them... the Tycobbian Stars clubbed them for six runs and walloped the RU Stars 7-4... it was the Tycobbian Union's 11th win in the past 12 games and increased their overall record in the series to 42 victories and 19 defeats.

The TU Stars rapped seven Ruthlandian hurlers for 12 hits... Buddy Blackford (Oxford), Johnny Pendergrass (Summerland) and C. C. Chambliss (White River) each had two hits apiece... the most damaging blow was delivered by Vincent McCloud (Denton City) in the decisive seventh, a two-run base hit that put Tycobbia up 6-3... leading the RU Stars was Carlos Silva (Volusia) with two-run homer in the second frame... Ruthlandia could only manage five hits off Tycobbian pitching... McCloud was chosen the game's Most Valuable Player.

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Friday, July 1, 2061

IPA MIDSEASON RECAP
At the halfway point in the 2061 season, five of the eight divisions in the Islandian Pro Alliance are still in question... but three of them may be nearly decided... the Valmara Vipers in the Ruthlandian North are ahead by six games... the Wynnamac Sundowners are up by seven in the Ruthlandian East... and the defending Pro Cup champion Rolling Hills Racers have a comfortable eight-game edge in the Tycobbian West race.

Five of the preseason favorites are currently in the top spot in their division... Wynnamac and the Volusia Vigilantes in the Ruthlandian Union... and Rolling Hills, Midway Wolves and Oxford Red Caps in the Tycobbian Union.

The Vigilantes still have competition in the RU West from the Sligo Rovers, who trail by four games... the Red Caps are in a tight race with at least two other clubs in the TU North... Mahaska is just one game out in the race... and North Hills is only two games off the pace... in the TU East, the Wolves are still being pressured by South Fork, 4 GB... Red Bluff, 5 GB and by Tuckanarra, 7 GB... Arroyo Grande is on top of the TU South, leading Summerland by four, Ginza by five and Turon by seven.

The best race in the IPA is in the Ruthlandian South Division where the St. John Crusaders are being challenged by four teams, the San Dimas Rancheros, Waleska Westerners, Claxton Diamonds and Belair Beach Sunbirds... only four games separate the five clubs.

VIPERS HAVE GOOD 6-GAME CUSHION IN RU NORTH
In the Ruthlandian North, the high-scoring Valmara Vipers (54-26) continued its very good play in June with an 18-8 mark... last year's champ Ranford (48-32) and Glasco (47-33) stayed right with them at 17-9... but preseason pick Far Mountain (46-34) dipped to 13-13... the rest of the division is pretty much out of the hunt... they are way behind, 16 or more games back.

5-TEAM STRUGGLE IN RU SOUTH
It's a close five-team tussle in the RU South... last year's division winner, St. John (47-33) jumped to the top of the standings with a 17-9 month in June... surprising second place San Dimas (45-35), picked for the cellar, is just two games out after going 16-10... last month's leader and this year's favorite, Waleska (44-36) slumped to 11-15 in June and is now three games behind... Claxton (43-37) broke even last month at 13-13 and is now tied for fourth, 4 GB... Belair Beach (43-37) had a good month with a 15-11 record... they are tied with the Diamonds for fourth place... none of the others look like contenders.

MACS OPEN UP A LEAD IN RU EAST
The Wynnamac Sundowners continued their winning ways in the Ruthlandian East with a 17-9 mark in June... the Macs upped their lead to seven games over runners-up Marston (41-39) and Elnora (41-39)... the Nine has a bad month with a 12-14 record, but the Clippers had a solid 17-9... as long as they can stay away from a losing month, Wynnamac looks like they are headed for the third pennant in the last four seasons... Elnora appears to be their only challenger.

V'S, ROVERS BATTLE IN RU WEST
It appears to be just a two-horse race in the Ruthlandian West this season... first place Volusia (50-30) and second place Sligo (46-34) are the best in the west this year... the Vigilantes finished 15-11 in June, while the Rovers were just a tad better at 16-10... third place Stoner (40-40) and Middlefield (40-40) had lackluster months at 13-13 and 11-15 respectively... fifth place Rocky Rapids (39-41) , picked to be a pennant threat to Volusia in the preseason poll, has floundered badly and trails by 11 games... however, they had a decent month at 14-12 in June... the other teams have too much ground to make up to get back in the race.

Ruthlandian Union
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Friday, July 1, 2061

OXFORD REDHOT IN JUNE, ATOP TU NORTH
Preseason pick Oxford (44-36) slumbered for awhile in the Tycobbian North, but the Red Caps got redhot in June and shot past Mahaska (43-37) and North Hills (42-38), last month's co-leaders... going 18-8 Oxford moved one game in front of Mahaska and two up on North Hills... the Haymakers and Hawks were both 13-13 for the month... two clubs are tied for the fourth spot, six games behind Oxford... Luxora (38-42) and Blue Lake (38-42) can still make a race of it... the Zorros were 15-11 last month... the Schooners wound up 13-13... sixth place Fairfax (36-44) is eight games back, but could still close some ground if they have a good second half... but the Frogs posted a 12-14 record in June... White River (34-46) and Hartsdale (29-51) are not going anywhere this season.

SUNS STILL SHINING IN TU SOUTH
At the midpoint in the IPA season, the Arroyo Grande Suns (48-32) are still holding their own... the Suns were not well thought of in the preseason polls... they were picked seventh in the TU South... Arroyo Grande is no longer considered and also-ran in the race, they are a bonifide contender...the Suns had a solid 15-11 record in June and still have a four-game edge over the runner-up Summerland Sunsets (44-36)… the Sunsets were 14-12... Arroyo Grande is five games better than last year's pennant winner, the Ginza Ninjas (43-37)... after a slow start, the Ninjas revved it up to 19-7 last month and they are now back in the pennant chase for real... highly-respected Turon (41-39) is fourth in the standings and close enough to make a second-half run... the Typhoons recorded a 14-12 mark in June... preseason favorite Southport (40-40) has just been lackluster so far... the Sun Sox were only 12-14 for the month and are in fifth place, 8 GB... none of the bottom half teams, San Alejo (36-44), Cape Coral (34-46) and Colchester (30-50) are likely to get into the pennant race.

MIDDIES IN A BATTLE IN TU EAST
The Tycobbian East Division just might be the toughest division in the Islandian Pro Alliance... year after year there are three or four clubs that contend for the pennant... no exception this year... at the midseason mark the Midway Wolves (52-28) are riding high in the top spot... the Middies are four games up on second place South Fork (48-32), last year's division champ... the Wolves were favored in the preseason poll and they have fared well thus far... but they have several talented teams staying close... third place Red Bluff (47-33) is just five games out... and fourth place Tuckanarra (45-35) is seven games back... and all of them are playing well... in June Midway was 16-10, South Fork 17-9, Red Bluff 14-12 and Tuckanarra 16-10... the Wolves have the advantage right now, but it should be a fight right down to the finish.

RACERS STILL RULE IN TU WEST
The Rolling Hills Racers (55-25) won it all last year including the Pro Cup and they are determined to do it all over again... right now they are heads and shoulders above everybody in the Tycobbian West... the pollsters made the Racers the slight favorite over the Kenwood Wildcats and Denton City Redbirds, but so far it has not been close... Rolling Hills is eight games in front of the Redbirds (47-33) and 12 ahead of the Wildcats (43-37)... no one else is in the pennant picture... looks like Denton City is the only club that has a shot... and it's a pretty long shot... the Racers slowed down a bit in June with a 15-11 mark, while the Redbirds went 17-9 and the Wildcats wound up 14-12.

Tycobbian Union
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Monday, August 1, 2061

3 IPA RACES MAY BE OVER
Three division leaders in the Islandian Pro Alliance have double-digit leads heading into the final six weeks of the season... riding high in the saddle are the Wynnamac Sundowners in the Ruthlandian East, Volusia Vigilantes in the Ruthlandian West and Rolling Hills Racers in the Tycobbian West... the Macs and the V's are ahead by 11 games and the defending IPA crownbearer Rolling Hills is rollicking along with a 12-game bulge.

VIPERS ON TOP IN RU NORTH
Let's take a quick tour around the baseball diamonds in the IPA... in the RU North Valmara (70-39) with its high-scoring attack are six games in front of second place Glasco (64-45)... preseason pick Far Mountain (61-48) is in the third spot, 9 GB... and last year's champ Ranford (59-50) is fourth in the standings, trailing by 11 games... it's doubtful they can do it, but the Foxhounds have the best chance of overtaking the Vipers... in July: Valmara was 16-13, Glasco 17-12, Far Mountain 15-14, Ranford 11-18

CRUSADERS WILL BE TESTED IN RU SOUTH
One of the best races remaining is in the RU South where St. John (65-44) has a four-game edge on unheralded San Dimas (61-48), one of this year's biggest surprises... for the past eight seasons the Rancheros have been wallowing at the bottom of the division... they were forecast for the cellar this year... third place Claxton (59-50) and preseason pick Waleska (59-50) are hanging close, six games off the pace... fifth place Valka (57-52) is playing very well of late and is not to be written off... first place St. John is a very well-rounded ballclub and will be tough to beat... it will take a heck of team to whip them... all of the challengers did pretty well in July: the Crusaders were 18-11, Rancheros and Diamonds 16-13, Westerners 15-14 and the up-and-coming Blackhawks a sizzling 19-10.

SUNDOWNERS STREAKING ALL ALONE IN RU EAST
In the Ruthlandian East, the Wynnamac Sundowners (70-39) are speeding toward their seventh division flag in 11 seasons... the Macs are a well-balanced club... no one will catch them... Wynnamac blistered everybody in July with a 22-7 mark, runner-up Marston (59-50) lost ground in spite of a strong 18-11 record... third place Elnora (55-54) floundered with 14-15... no one will catch the Sundowners.

VIGILANTES BEST IN THE RU WEST BY FAR
In the Ruthlandian West, the top club, the Volusia Vigilantes (73-36), couldn't have played any better last month... the V's posted a terrific 23-6 mark and are making shambles of the division... second place Sligo (62-47) is 11 games behind and has very little chance of catching Volusia... yet, the Rovers had a good month in July going 16-13.

Ruthlandian Union

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RED CAPS AND HAYMAKERS FIGHT IT OUT IN TU NORTH
Over in the Tycobbian Union in the TU North, Oxford only had a one-game edge over Mahaska and North Hills heading into July, but the preseason favorite played like gangbusters with 21 wins and only 8 losses for the month and the Red Caps (65-44) jumped five games up on the Haymakers (60-49)... the Hawks (52-57) went into a 10-19 tailspin and dropped to fourth place and out of the race, 13 GB... the Blue Lake Schooners (57-52) climbed in the standings with a fine 19-10, but they are still eight games back of Oxford.

SUNS ARE SOLID IN TU SOUTH, BUT COULD BE PUSHED
Things stayed pretty much the same in the TU South race... first place Arroyo Grande (65-44) had a solid 17-12 July and increased its lead to five games over second place Summerland (60-49)... the Sunsets chalked up a good 16-13 mark for the month... both Turon (59-50) and Southport (58-51) did very well with 18-11 marks... they both drew closer to the top... the Typhoons are six games behind the Suns and the Sun Sox are seven games back in the race... the division champion the last two years, the Ginza Ninjas (54-55) fell apart in July and dropped out the race with a dismal 11-18 record... the history-making Karate Kids are now history this year.

WOLVES GETTING READY TO HOWL IN TU EAST
In the Tycobbian East, the Midway Wolves (71-38) soared to 19-10 and increased their lead to seven games over second place South Fork (64-45)... the Stallions went 16-13 in July... third place Tuckanarra (63-46) did very well at 18-11, but lost ground to the Middies... the Tiger Cats are eight games out... the fourth place Red Bluff Red Sox (58-51) fell out the race, winding up a poor 11-18 for the month... they trail Midway by a 13-game margin.

RACERS RACING TOWARD BACK-TO-BACK PRO CUPS
And lastly, there is not a lot to say about the Tycobbian West... it has been decided for several months... the race has belonged to the reigning IPA Pro Cup champion Rolling Hills Racers (76-33) from the start... they led by six games at the end of April, eight games at the end of May, nine games at the end of June... and now by 12 at the end of July... the Racers raced to a 21-8 mark last month... the closest challanger Denton City (64-45) did well, too, posting a 17-12 record... the Redbirds would still be four games behind Rolling Hills even if they had gone unbeaten last month.

Tycobbian Union

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Friday, September 2, 2061

SEPTEMBER STRETCH TIME IN IPA
After five months of play in the Islandian Pro Alliance, it's time to put up or shut up... September is here... it's the stretch drive and it's the time you have to win... there is no tomorrow... only three weeks left to win a pennant and a glorious spot in the much-loved IPA Pro Cup playoffs.

Ruthlandian Union

MACS ALREADY WON RU EAST
Only one club, the Wynnamac Sundowners (91-46), has officially won its division, the Ruthlandian East... the Macs are up 18 games and there are only 17 remaining in the season... they are still winning with abandon with a sparkling 21-7 record in August.

V'S LOOK SOLID IN RU WEST
Volusia (86-51) is looking good in the Ruthlandian West with a 9-game edge over the Sligo Rovers (77-60)... the Vigilantes slumped to 13-15 last month, but second place Sligo could only muster a 15-13 mark... the Rovers will have to do a lot better down the stretch.

ST. JOHN MIGHT SNAG FLAG AGAIN IN RU SOUTH
The St. John Crusaders (82-55) have a solid 7-game margin over two rivals in the Ruthlandian South, Waleska (75-62) and San Dimas (75-62)... the Crusaders had a healthy 17-11 for the month, while the Westerners were 16-12 and and the Rancheros 14-14.

VIPS AND HOUNDS GO AT IT IN RU NORTH
The Valmara Vipers (86-51) are battling the Glasco Foxhounds (83-54) for supremacy in the Ruthlandian North... Glasco glistened with a super 19-9 in August and cut the Vipers' lead to just three games... Valmara posted a solid 16-12... third place Far Mountain (77-60) is still a remote possibility, but they are nine games back after a 16-12 month... last year's winner Ranford (75-62) is a distant 11 games out after the Bulls registered a good 16-12 mark.

Ruthlandian Union

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Friday, September 2, 2061

SEPTEMBER TIME TO WIN IN THE IPA
It's always good to win in the IPA... April, May, June... but it's really crucial put up a lot of Ws in the September stretch drive... it's the do or die month... success means the IPA Pro Cup playoffs and a way to win the whole shebang... the much-sought after and the much-revered Pro Cup trophy.

Tycobbian Union

ROLL ON RACERS, RUNAWAY IN TU WEST
The current Pro Cup titleholder, the Rolling Hills Racers (92-45), appear to be a cinch in the Tycobbian West... second place Denton City (79-58) is not likely to overtake them... the Redbirds have 13 games to make up... the Racers were 16-12 in August and Denton City was 15-13.

SUNS TRY TO STAVE OFF TYPHOONS, SUNSETS, SUN SOX IN TU SOUTH
Still in doubt is the Tycobbian South race where Arroyo Grande (79-58) is only four games in front of Turon (75-62) and Summerland (75-62)... preseason favorite Southport (72-65) is still clinging to a slight chance of nabbing the division title, but the Sun Sox are seven games behind... the Suns went 14-14 in August... Turon was 16-12... Summerland 15-13... and Southport wound up 14-14.

MIDDIES LIKELY WINNER IN TU EAST
Midway is still in a struggle in the Tycobbian East... the Wolves (86-51) are six games in front of Tuckanarra (80-57) and South Fork (80-57)... the Middies were 15-13 for the month of August... the Tucks had a 17-11 mark... and South Fork 16-12.

RED CAPS ROLLING IN TU NORTH
The Oxford Red Caps (84-43) are in the driver's seat in the Tycobbian North with a good seven-game margin over runner-up Mahaska (77-60) and eight ahead of third place Blue Lake (76-61)... the Red Caps thrived with a great 19-9 in August, while the Haymakers were a solid 17-11 and the Schooners a strong 19-9... but neither gained any ground on redhot Oxford.

Tycobbian Union

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