Well, that wraps up another IPA season.
I am currently using OOTP19 for the league, but plan to convert to OOTP20 and OOTP21... will not use OOTP20... will skip it... I want to get to OOTP21 for its improved animation... I hear it is much better than OOTP19 or OOTP20.

It will just take me a while to do it... so be patient... as you know, I am computer-challenged... conversion never comes easy for me... too many times I reach a point where I am not sure of what to do next.

I have to get a backup on an external hard drive before I attempt conversions... I don't want to corrupt my league after 63 seasons.
It takes endless hours to convert each time because there are 5-6 million files to be transferred.

Wish me luck.

i converted my dynasty from 19 to 21 as well. It was a test run. But it looked fine. i'm waiting for January 1st for the "official" conversion.

Good luck.

Thanks Dark Horse.
But you are a lot smarter than me when it comes to computers.
But hey!... I did it before... went from version 12 to 19 and all went well.

Look out OOTP21, here I come!

Will be eagerly awaiting the return of IPA league! Always fun to read! Hope the conversion goes smoothly!

Thanks for following it, Sizeman21... looking forward to your new dynasty.

Getting ready to convert OOTP19 to OOTP20 and then to OOTP21.

Normally, I wait a year before I play a new version, so it is as good as it is going to get... this year I'm going to go to OOTP21 right away... hope I won't regret it... hope it is free of major problems.

I'm anxious to see the new animations... they say they are really improved.

Hope so.

I backed up the IPA this morning using the backup mechanism in the game... I hope if I have a problem, all I have to do hit "restore" and I will be back in business at the same point... hope the backup in the game is reliable... in my 18 years playing OOTP I used it one time previously when my game got corrupted and it did not work... I lost about 5 seasons of the IPA at that time.

I am now backing up the game on an external hard drive... it has 7,000,000 items to transfer... expected to take 23 hours.

From 10:30 am to 7 pm it has completed 33%.

If I get a good backup pm on the external hard drive, I will then convert OOTP19 to OOTP20 and then to OOTP21.

It looks like it may take 3 days or so due to the size of my league.

Backup for the IPA and NIRL-SIRL on an external hard drive looks like it went well on the first look... it took 24 hours to save... will find out when I convert to 20 and then 21 to see if everything transferred property.

I did convert the NIRL-SIRL to OOTP20 and then to OOTP21.
Everything is there on first glance... this league is ready to be played, once I get access to it.

Before I can play it, I have to convert the IPA to OOTP20 and then to OOTP21... so I'm 2-3 days away from beginning the 64th year for the IPA and the third year for the NIRL and second season for the SIRL.
IPA season 2064 and NIRL-SIRL season 1953 up and coming.

I'm guessing it will take about 24 hours to convert the IPA to each of the new versions.

It only took 10 minutes to convert the NIRL-SIRL to OOTP20 and only 10 minutes to convert to OOTP21.

OOTP19 converted to OOTP20 quite well... only took 6 hours.
Everything seemed to there... almanac, league history, team rosters, logos and such... this was just a quick check of major items in the games.

I will now convert OOTP20 to OOTP21.

The IPA and NIRL-SIRL should both be in business tomorrow.
I will start working on the team rosters and lineups for the NIRL and SIRL tomorrow... that is only 24 teams... the IPA will take much longer due to the 64 teams in it.

So far, so good... with the league conversions.

All is well... everything is converted to OOTP21.

Will start working on the new rookies for the 2064 season.

Should begin play in a week or so.

Sorry, the two conversions have occupied my time... haven't been able to spend any time on the Islandian Pro Alliance.

I got the North Island and South Island leagues up and running for the new season.

Will begin adding new free agents to the IPA teams today.
May take a week or two to get it all done.

One disappointing item about the conversion... Scores of previous seasons are not there in the Almanac... don't like it, but I can live with it... I think I had this happen when years ago I tried to convert OOTP12 to OOTP13... that's why I played it for about 7-8 years until this year.

The animation is much improved in OOTP21... it is worth all the time spent.

Still, it has goofy flaws... double to right center field... ball went through the fence... my center fielder and right fielder also ran through the fence and were last seen chasing the ball.

Still a great game... I can live with its imperfections.

Did 16 of the 64 team rosters... added three rookies to fill most needed spots in the roster.

Should finish this in 1-2 days and then it's season 64 in the IPA.

Whew!

Just finished updating all the team rosters with the new rookies.
I let the AI select them, but I shouldn't have... the talent level of the rookie class is a lot weaker than the way I usually do it... I made sure the talent level is good enough to play in the league... most of the rookies the AI generated will never play in the IPA.

I will probably go back to the old way next season.

But the good news is the 2064 season will begin very soon with the preseason preview.

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Thursday, April 3, 2063

2064 IPA PRESEASON PREVIEW
What lies in store for the Islandian Pro Alliance fans all across the Islands for the new 2064 season?... will the rich get richer, the poor get poorer... will there be any surprises this year?... will the defending IPA Pro Cup titlist, the surprising Hartsdale Hellcats, win it again?... will the Oxford Red Caps regain their TU North throne from the Hellcats?... will the Rolling Hills Racers dominate their division again?... we'll know most of the answers at the end of September... and we'll definitely know it all by November... till then, we'll just have to guesstimate and prognosticate as best we can... last year we didn't come close... not one soul mentioned Hartsdale winning the Pro Cup... not one of the top six picks made the Pro Cup Finals... only one of the six teams won their divisions... that was the overwhelming favorite, the defending Pro Cup champion... yet Rolling Hills fell in the first round of the playoffs to South Fork.

Here we go once again for the 64th time... let take a quick perusal of what could happen in the Islandian Pro Alliance this year... let's hope we do better in our forecasts this year... the baseball writers and broadcasters are picking Rolling Hills and Oxford to fight it out once again in the Tycobbian Union... Wynnamac and Rocky Rapids are favored to battle it out in the Ruthlandian Union... when it's all said and done, the Rolling Hills Racers will win it all.

Sure they will...

Around the IPA very quickly... Glasco is the choice in the tightly-bunched Ruthlandian North, but it will be a free-for-all with Valmara, last year's winner LaGrange, Taranto and Far Mountain... anybody could win.

I speak a Slavic language a little bit... so I may be a little partial to the Valmara Vipers... been a closet fan since the beginning of the IPA years ago... Viper outfielders Jet Kazmarek and Jan Szymanski are two of my favorites from the early years... Kazmarek was a great hitter, but a lousy fielder a la Babe Herman... he is the all-time best hitter in the IPA with a career .350 BA and nine batting titles... Szymanski was just a fine center fielder, clutch hitter and a winner... he got a late start in the IPA... Szymanski was already 29 when the IPA had it first season in 2001... he batted .269 in six seasons with 147 homers and 550 RBIs... never forgave the Vipers for trading both of them... love the Valmara logo and nickname, too... two of their grandsons are starters on the '64 edition of the Vipers, second sacker Vladimir Szymanski and right fielder Dominik Kazmarek.

The Ruthlandian South Division is another tight cluster of clubs... the Claxton Diamonds might win their second pennant in a row, but it will definitely not be easy... Waleska, San Dimas, Belair Beach and St. John will have a few things to say, too... absolutely no clear-cut favorite... neither the RU North winner, nor the RU South winner, is expected to do much in the postseason... both divisions are weaker than the RU East and RU West.

Perennial Ruthlandian East power Wynnamac is the top-heavy choice to make shambles of the pennant race... the Macs are back after winding up second the last two seasons to the Elnora Clippers... Eastshore, Sugar Valley and Elnora will fight it out for the runner-up spot in the standings, but the Sundowners are favored to win by a wide margin.

It should be quite a race in the Ruthlandian West this year... perennial bridesmaid Sligo is forecast to wind up second for the fourth consecutive season... the Rocky Rapids Snappers are predicted to take the division title in a super-close battle... no one else is given a chance... Volusia should end up third... last year's winner Colfax is picked a distant fifth this year... Fort Benton is rated the fourth-best club.

Personally, I'm pulling for the Sligo Rovers... which, of course, will jinx them.

Last year in the Tycobbian North Division the Oxford Red Caps folded in September and blew the pennant, beaten out by the Hartsdale Hellcats in a sudden-death playoff... and as we know, the Hellcats won the whole shebang, the Pro Cup trophy... boy, the Red Caps really missed out... it was their year to win it all... the experts are thinking Oxford is ready and able to do it right this year and win it going away by double digits, like they have done in quite a few recent seasons... the Red Caps have won 5 of the last 7 TU North crowns... would you believe Hartsdale just might be a one-year wonder?... the baseball gurus are picking them sixth this year... do you really think Mahaska, Blue Lake, Luxora and North Hills will all finish ahead of them?

Sorry, don't reckon so.

Down in the Tycobbian South Division it will be just a two-team dogfight between defending champion Summerland and the resurgent San Alejo Montaneros... no other challengers... three clubs will battle at a distance for the third spot, Cape Coral, Southport and Colchester.

Over in the Tycobbian East, High Mesa gets a very slight nod over last year's champion South Fork... it could be a five-team affair with Red Bluff, Tuckanarra and Hillsboro on their heels... should be a fan-friendly pennant race this year... all kinds of teams will be in the tussle.

What has happened to my Midway Wolves?... nowhere in sight... superstars Norishige Ito and Daryl Vale are two of my all-time favorites, but the Middies are a mediocre team... can Ito still do it at age 36?... hope so, never like to see a superstar play too long... Vale may be a little past his prime at 28, but can still do a fine job, but his glory days may have past... hope I'm wrong... don't think Vale will be playing at age 36.

And lastly, but not the leastly, what is the outlook for the powerhouse Rolling Hills Racers?... they have run rampant the last eight seasons, winning the Tycobbian West the last four years... and almost winning it the previous four years, too... plus they won two Pro Cups in '60 and '62... and the Racers are still rolling in '64... no doubt about it, Rolling Hills will be near the top of the TU West... but they might get some competition from arch-rival Kenwood... the pesky Wildcats appear to be the only contender... Bayview, Denton City and Bay St. Clair don't appear to be in the hunt... they will contest for the third spot only.

And there you have it in a nutshell, everything you need to know about the 2064 Islandian Pro Alliance season.

Sure you do...

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Wednesday, July 9, 2064

ARE THEY FOR REAL? WILL THEY LAST?
Halfway through the Islandian Pro Alliance season several lesser lights and unlikely teams are making some noise in the pennant races... and it's all in the Tycobbian Union... North Hills in the TU North, San Alejo in the TU South, Tuckanarra and Midway in the TU East and Arlon in the TU West... at midseason all of these clubs are playing like champs... are they all for real?... or will they flop and fade in the second half of the season?

NH HAWKS PERCHED PRECARIOUSLY ATOP TU NORTH
The upstart North Hills Hawks are on top of the Tycobbian North... all the leading perennial powers, the Hartsdale Hellcats, Oxford Red Caps, Mahaska Haymakers and Blue Lake Schooners are trying to catch them... the Hawks are up by two and a half games over the runners-up Haymakers and Schooners, four better than defending Pro Cup titleholder Hartsdale and five ahead of the Oxford Red Caps... North Hills is doing it with standout mound work... the Hawks (75-79) came in sixth in the standings last year, winding up 12 and a half games out of first place.

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Wednesday, July 9, 2064

SAN ALEJO HAS SOLID LEAD IN TU SOUTH
The TU South-leading San Alejo Montaneros are looking like the real thing with a 7-game lead at the halfway point... the Monties seem to be getting better and better as the season progresses... home-run power and better offense are the keys to this year's success... last year's winner Summerland is running second, followed by the Ginza Ninjas and Cape Coral Hurricanes... a distant fifth are the Turon Typhoons... only the second place Sunsets seem to be capable of getting back in the hunt... the rest started off well the first month or two, but have slumped since... San Alejo wound up 19 games off the pace last year, ending up in the fifth spot with a 76-78 mark.
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Wednesday, July 9, 2064

TUCKS HAVE TU EAST LEAD AT MIDYEAR
In April, the Tuckanarra Tiger Cats (53-30) started off so-so this season, but have rapidly improved... only Midway and Ozarka are within striking distance in the Tycobbian East pennant chase... last season winner South Fork has fizzled this year, slumping to the fourth spot spot in the standings... preseason pick High Mesa is floundering in fifth place... the Wolves and the Naturals will have to beef up its attack to catch the Tucks, a good all-around ballclub... the Stallions and Mustangs have way too much ground to make up to get back in the race... the Tiger Cats came in fifth last season, trailing South Fork by 9 games.

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Wednesday, July 9, 2064

SURPRISE! SURPRISE! CHAMPS COULD BE TU WEST CHAMPS
What a pleasant surprise are the Arlon Champions in the Tycobbian West Division... the Champs have been a bad ball team for four years running with a losing record each year right near the bottom of the division... they were a dismal 8th last year, 39 games behind with a 67-87 record... but not this year... Arlon (50-34) has sizzled this year and they will have to continue sizzle with the likes of Rolling Hills (49-34), Kenwood (49-35) and La Claire (48-35) clingingly close on their tail... lose two games in a row in the TU West and you can quickly drop to fourth place... the Champions will have a tough task to hold off all these challengers... but so far, so good... the Racers are not the team they have been in recent years... Rolling Hills has pitching woes and got off to a sluggish start in April... they are not likely to win 106 games this year... that's good news for Arlon... after a poor 2063 season, the Kenwood Wildcats appear to back... after a slow spring, the Wildcats are purring now... the La Claire Lynx attack is what's keeping them close in the race... they could win it if they find a good dominant starter in the second half of the season.

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Wednesday, July 9, 2064

VIPERS LEAD 4-TEAM RACE IN RU NORTH
It a heck of a race in the Ruthlandian North in the '64 season with four contenders... the rejuvenated Valmara Vipers have a small lead... the Vips are two and a half games up on last year's runaway champ LaGrange... 3 games better than lightly-regarded Ranford and three and a half games ahead of preseason pick Glasco.

Valmara, a regular power in the RU North... they won the pennant two years ago... they had an off-year last season, ending up in 6th place (74-80), but the Vipers are back in the race this year with a vengeance with their strong bats... Valmara's biggest need is on the mound, which is just mediocre at best... '63 champion LaGrange was slow getting going this year, going 11-13 the first month, but the Gators seem to have regained their stride and have played well since then... strong pitching is their forte... Ranford has been down the last two seasons, finishing 8th and 7th... the Bulls did not impress the press in the preseason poll, expected to come in 6th in the standings this year... they are getting by like Valmara with a good home-run power and limited pitching... Ranford began the season like a ball of fire, posting a terrific 17-7 in April, but they have cooled off and are now playing more like a mediocre club... running a close fourth in the RU North are the preseason choice, the Glasco Foxhounds... they possess good starting pitching like LaGrange and can go deep, but need bullpen help and more runs on the scoreboard... the Hounds finished a very distant second to the Gators last year, 19 games behind... the Ruthlandian North looks like a 3-team affair... the advantage may go to last year's victor LaGrange or perhaps this year's pick Glasco... their good hurlers may make the difference.
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Wednesday, July 9, 2064

CLAXTON BATTLES 5 TEAMS IN THE RU SOUTH
If it's a heck of a good pennant race in the RU North, you would have to say it's a whale of a good pennant race in the RU South... 6 teams are in a very tight tussle with only 3 games separating first place from sixth place... the defending champion and preseason favorite Claxton Diamonds are in the lead, but only by a scant half game over the Waleska Westerners... one and a half over perennial power St. John... just 2 games ahead of Grand City and Valka... and only 3 games better than Crystal Lake.

The Diamonds won it last year with its fine pitching corps, but Claxton lacks scoring power, ranking seventh in the RU South... actually all six contenders have solid pitching... that's probably why it's such a close race... a little better offense like St. John, Grand City or Waleska could make all the difference... Claxton had a slow start, playing under .500 in April and May (23-28), but they stepped it in June and July (23-10) and are currently playing like a division champion... Waleska is also coming on strong... the Westerners were only 22-28 the first two months, but have sizzled of late with a 23-10 mark... the St. John Crusaders are still a solid ballclub... they missed out on a fourth straight RU South title by one game last year... a quality starting rotation will keep them in the race the entire season... the Grand City Cybercats were picked to end up at the bottom of the league in the preseason poll, but they have played well so far... the 'Cats were a fairly close sixth last season (77-77), just 8 games back... this year their home-run power has made a difference... the Valka Blackhawks are in the same boat as Claxton... fine pitching, but they can't score runs... they are so bad at the plate, Valka was forecast to finish dead last this year... after a strong 16-8 April, the Blackhawks have slumped to 28-32 since... that is not a way to win a division flag... the Crystal Lake Skippers won the RU South in '58 and '59... and even won the IPA Pro Cup in 2058, but they have since slipped into borderline mediocrity... the Skips were rated near the bottom in the preseason, but capable pitching and fairly good home-run power has gotten them back in the race.

The IPA pollsters said the RU South would be a battleground and so far it is... anybody could win it.
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Wednesday, July 9, 2064

6 TEAMS STILL IN THE CHASE IN THE RU EAST
It's not as bunchly crunched as the Ruthlandian South, but the Ruthlandian East has a hassle of clubs still in the pennant chase... preseason favorite Wynnamac is in the driver's seat at midseason with a 3-game edge over runners-up Sugar Valley and Cold Creek... fourth place belongs to the Beechwood Jackrabbitts, trailing by 4 games... defending champion Elnora is 6 games behind in the fifth spot in the standings... and Belle Plaine is sixth and 7 games back in the race.

The Wynnamac Sundowners are one of the more successful franchises in the Islandian Pro Alliance... in the last 15 years the Macs have hoisted 7 pennants in their ballpark, won the Pro Cup in 2055 and finished no worst than third place... for the last two seasons the Sundowners came in second... last year they got beat out in a single-game playoff by the division-winning Elnora Clippers... the Macs are tired of the coming in second... they jumped out in front in the first two months of the season with a 37-17 mark... but they chilled down in June and early July, tailing off to 16-17... Wynnamac is the class of the RU East with fine starting pitching, excellent bullpen, good hitting, good scoring and good power... the Sugar Valley Rattlers have stayed right with the Macs, chalking up a 36-19 record in April and May, but they have gone into a slump, too, at 15-18... the Rattlers have fine pitching, but are woefully lacking at the plate... the Cold Creek Raccoons on the other hand, started slowly in the early months (26-24), then took off like a rocket in June (20-7), but have flopped badly in July (0-6)... the Raccoons just might have the pitching and hitting to pull it off... the Beechwood Jackrabbitts were 26-25 in the early going, then spurted with a 19-13 mark in June and July... boy, it would be something if the Jacks can have a winning season... it's been two decades since that happened... last year's RU East champion Elnora sputtered out the starting gate (8-16), but has prospered since with a 33-24 record... the Clippers may be getting ready to set sail for another RU East flag... and can you believe one of the worst franchises in IPA history is having a fairly good year... the Belle Plaine Musketeers have a winning record for the first time in 9 seasons... could this be the year for the Muskies?... maybe to break even, perhaps... but win the pennant?... not likely.

Nothing is going to Hoyle in the chaotic RU East... the baseball experts selected it this way: Wynnamac, Eastshore, Sugar Valley and Elnora... but Beechwood, Belle Plaine and Cold Creek are upsetting the order... beware the Elnora Clippers... they had a remarkable second-half surge last season and came back to upset Wynnamac... could happen again.

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Wednesday, July 9, 2064

ALWAYS A BRIDEMAID? SLIGO ROVERS LEAD RU WEST AT MIDYEAR
The Rocky Rapids Snappers were the darlings of the professional pickers this year in the preseason polling... they were supposed to be the best in the west this year... the Snappers were picked to edge the Sligo Rovers for the Ruthlandian West crown... sadly, the Snappers have been washed down the river to sixth place... nowhere near beating the Rovers... however, this has been a darn good year for the Rovers... strong pitching and a solid offense are a good combination for success... the critics keep forecasting a fall for the spunky second place Volusia Vigilantes, but the Jailhouse Gang keep proving them wrong... no gloom and doom for the V's this year... they would love to catch Sligo and have the Rovers finish second for the fifth consecutive season... strangely, defending RU West champion Colfax was blacklisted this year by the pollsters... the Black Sox were picked for fifth place, but they are not paying attention to the papers or TV... they are in third place and will probably make a run at Sligo before the season is over... Colfax still has a potent attack and fairly good pitching... still a good ballclub... and just who is that in fourth place in the standings?... the Fort Benton Defenders?... yes, the team with only one winning season since 2041... one winning season in the previous 23 seasons... not likely for the Defenders to win the RU West pennant, but it would be nice if they posted a winning year... Fort Benton hits the ball with gay abandon, scores quite well... even without the longballs... run-of-the-mill pitching is their crux.
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2064 Islandian Pro Alliance Midseason Leaderboards
Wednesday, July 9, 2064

Tycobbian Union

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Ruthlandian Union

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Saturday, July 12, 2064

STARS WILL BE IN SHINING ALL OVER THE ISLANDS
You won't just have to look to the heavens for glitter and shine, the All-Stars will soon be sparkling in abundance all across Islandia… the Islandian Pro Allance have just announced all the star players that will be participating in the 2064 IPA All-Star Classic next week at Pioneer Park, home of the defending Pro Cup champion Hartsdale Hellcats... the 40 best performers will be displaying their talents at the 64th Midsummer Classic on Tuesday, July 15.

The Tycobbian Stars will be led by 6-time All-Star Bob Purkey, 5-time honorees Teddy Stonich and Jameson Mulbert and 4-time All-Stars Elvis Gilford and Johnny Pendergrass... heading up the list of Ruthlandian Stars will be Snooky Bartels, making his 6th appearance, along with 5-time honoree Carlos Silva and 4-time All-Star Jean St. Julien... no rookies made the teams this season... 8 clubs placed two players apiece on the teams... San Alejo, Summerland, Tuckanarra and Rolling Hills had two stars on the Tycobbian Union, while the Ruthlandian Union had two players each from Valmara, Elnora, Belle Plaine and Colfax.

*

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Wednesday, July 16, 2064

TU STARS TRIUMPH OVER RU STARS ON GILFORD CLOUT
Old habits are hard to break... for the 44th time in 64 clashes in the Islandian Pro All-Star Classic the Tycobbian Stars triumphed over the Ruthlandian Stars... this time they won it 7-5 on a two-run homer by Elvis Gilford (Mahaska) in the top of the ninth.

It was a good baseball game that seesawed back-and-forth... the TU All-Stars struck first in the second frame on a two-run homer by Odell Overstreet (Tuckanarra)... in the third Eliot Marcum (Belle Plaine) got one of them back for the RU All-Stars with a solo swat... Ruthlandia jumped into the lead with three runs in the fourth on RBI singles by Klaus Dittmer (Far Mountain) and Timmy Benford (Valmara)... another one came via a wild pitch.

Both clubs hit the ball well... the Tycobbian Stars cracked 13 hits and the Ruthlandian Stars collected 11... Teddy Stonich (Rolling Hills) sparked them with three hits and two runs scored... Elvis Gilford, the game's Most Valuable Player, had two hits, two runs and two ribbies... the TU Stars took the lead 5-4 in the sixth on a sac fly by Donald Wren (Luxora) and a two-run single by Bob Purkey (South Fork)... Ruthlandia evened it all up 5-5 when Teddy Knox (Elnora) got hit by a pitch, was bunted to second and came across to score on Dan Timmons's base hit.... Timmons (Taranto), Benford (Valmara) and Jordy Olsen (Fort Benton) paced the RU All-Stars with two hits apiece.

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Monday, September 1, 2064

WHO WILL SURGE IN SEPTEMBER?
Bottom line time is here in the Islandian Pro Alliance... it is down to the nitty gritty and time to get it done... no slumps in September is the credo... the season is riding on it... and now a quick cruise around the Islands.

Claxton has the Ruthlandian South well in hand with an 11-game lead over the second place Waleska Westerners... the Diamonds are shore 'nuff the winner... the Sligo Rovers are very secure in the Ruthlandian West with a 10-game margin over runner-up Volusia... over in the Tycobbian Union the Tuckanarra Tiger Cats are feeling good with a 6 and a half-game edge over Ozarka in the TU East... and the San Alejo Montaneros are confortable with a 6-game lead in the TU South over the Summerland Sunsets... neither of the two are playing very well right now... one would rightly reckon that those pennant races are fairly well decided... however, Hartsdale pulled it off last year, trailing Oxford by 6 going into the final month, the Hellcats miraculously beat the Red Caps in a sudden-death game and went on to their greatest season ever and won the IPA Pro Cup... so it does happen...

And now for the divisions that are still a catfight... the Ranford Bulls are up by just 2 games over the Glasco Foxhounds in the Ruthlandian North... last year's champ La Grange is still hanging in there, just 2 and a half games out... even Valmara and Far Mountain are still technically in the chase, 4 and a half games and 6 and a half games back... down the stretch in September the Bulls looks the best of the three leaders.

It down to just two teams in the Ruthlandian East... Elnora, last year's flag winner, is running 10 and a half games out and is out of it... preseason favorite and longtime powerhouse Wynnamac has a shaky 3 games edge over the Sugar Valley Rattlers... it's anybody game to win... both the Macs and the Rattlers are playing well.

Checking out the close races in the Tycobbian Union... there are two logjams there... boy, it's a mess in the TU West where the surprising La Claire Lynx are top, but Rolling Hills Racers and the Kenwood Wildcats are nipping at their heels, just a half game behind... it could be here today and gone tomorrow in the standings... the standings could change on a day-by-day basis... based on last month's play, the Kenwood Wildcats are the team to beat... but the Racers and the Lynx are still in it and are still good ballclubs... it should be quite a photo finish.

4 teams are contending in the Tycobbian North... the Oxford Red Caps were a huge favorite to begin the season, looking like they would win by double digits, but it hasn't played out exactly that way... the first place Red Caps are being hard pressed by three other clubs... the Mahaska Haymakers are just 2 games behind Oxford... the Blue Lake Schooners and North Hills Hawks are still in the ballgame... the Schooners trail by 4 games and the Hawks are just 4 and a half off the pace... still plenty of time to catch the Red Caps with 24 games to play... Blue Lake and North Hills didn't play well in August... the Hawks went into the month with a 3-game lead and blew it all and more... Oxford and Mahaska are redhot heading into the final month... the TU North looks like it will come down to the Oxonians and the Haymakers.

Ruthlandian Union Standings

:eatpop: :)

It's peanuts and crackerjack time!

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Monday, September 29, 2064

PROOF IS IN THE PUDDING, 5 IPA PRESEASON PICKS PREVAIL
I suppose the baseball gurus are pretty darn good at picking winners... they nailed 5 of the division champions... looking back I think I only picked 2 of the 8 correctly... Rolling Hills and Oxford... the preseason prognosticators missed out on the Valmara Vipers in the Ruthlandian North, Sligo Rovers in the Ruthlandian West and the Tuckanarra Tiger Cats in the Tycobbian East... those three unlikely division champions were joined by the Claxton Diamonds, Wynnamac Sundowners, Rolling Hills Racers, Oxford Red Caps and San Alejo Montaneros, who, as forecast, captured their respectives league flags.

Valmara trailed Ranford going into the final month of the season... in a last-minute super September surge the Valmara Vipers came from fourth place and 4 and a half games back to edge out the preseason favorite Glasco Foxhounds in the Ruthlandian North by 2 games... the Vipers went 16-8 down the stretch, while Glasco was 13-11... the Bulls slumped to 9-15 and finished third, while last year's champ LaGrange could only manage 10-13 and ended up in fourth place.

In the Ruthlandian South, the Claxton Diamonds sparkled brilliantly and totally dominated the division, winning it by 14 games over the Valka Blackhawks... this was the second successive season the Diamonds reigned supreme in the RU South.

The Wynnamac Sundowners had a very good year in the Ruthlandian East and won it for the third time in the past five seasons... the Macs staved off the rejuvenated Sugar Valley Rattlers by 2 games and whipped the champion for the past two years, the Elnora Clippers, by 8 games.

After three straight second-place finishes in the Ruthlandian West, the Sligo Rovers finally came through and captured their third pennant in six seasons... and they did it in very convincing fashion, winning by 14 games over runner-up Fort Benton... preseason pick, Rocky Rapids, came in a very distant third... defending division champ, Colfax, was a very disappointing fourth... the Black Sox reached the IPA Pro Cup Finals last year and lost to Pro Cup champion Hartsdale.

Over in the Tycobbian Union in the TU North Division preseason favorite Oxford poured it on in the September stretch drive and pulled away from the pack... the Red Caps posted a 16-9 mark and toppled Blue Lake by 6 games, North Hills by 7 and Mahaska by 8... last year Tycobbian North champion was Hartsdale, who flopped this year and came in fifth, 14 games off the pace... the Hellcats won it all last year, taking the IPA Pro Cup trophy.

The Tycobbian South race went as expected... preseason favored San Alejo won it by 7 games over the second-place Summerland Sunsets and the Southport Sun Sox with Cape Coral coming in fourth... the Sunsets won the title in '63 and the Sun Sox in '62.

According to the IPA baseball analysts, the South Fork Stallions, last year's Tycobbian East titlist, were supposed to lose out in a close race to the preseason pick, the High Mesa Mustangs, the Red Bluff Red Sox and the Tuckanarra Tiger Cats... however, the Tucks spoiled the party and came away with the pennant... the Tiger Cats took charge in August and won it handily... the resurgent Midway Wolves closed strongly, but still wound up 6 games back in the second spot in the standings... High Mesa finished third, trailing by 7 games... Ozarka was fourth and 9 games back... and defending champ South Fork was fifth and 11 games behind... Red Bluff was never in the race, spending the whole season near the bottom of the league.

The mighty Rolling Hills Racers put everybody away in the Tycobbian West... heading into the final month the Racers were being heavily pressed and pushed hard by the La Claire Lynx and the Kenwood Wildcats... Rolling Hills took control with a marvelous 18-6 record to defeat La Claire by 4 games and Kenwood by 8 games... the Racers won the last 12 games in the regular season... the Lynx did well with a 15-10 mark, while the Wildcats crumbled with 10-14 down the stretch.

Ruthlandian Union Final Standings

2064 Islandian Pro Alliance Leaderboards

Ruthlandian Union
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Tycobbian Union
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Tuesday, September 30, 2064

POWERS CLASH FOR IPA PRO CUP TOMORROW
Most of the baseball fans around the Islands will be in their glory for the next month... it's postseason time in the Islandian Pro Alliance... 8 division champions will go at it hot-and-heavy the next few weeks and will try to make their hometown fans' dream come true... they are hoping they will be acclaimed the best team in Islandia and at the end of the month they can raised the glorious Pro Cup championship flag over their home park... the Pro Cup is the symbol of baseball supremacy throughout the Islands.

This year's Pro Cup challengers have accumulated 18 Pro Cup trophies between them... Rolling Hills leads with 5 IPA titles ('29, '31, '48, '60, '62)... Valmara has won it 4 times ('26, '43, '44, '50)... Tuckanarra has snared 3 trophies ('23, '24, '35)... both the Oxford Red Caps and the Wynnamac Sundowners have been victors 2 times... Red Caps ('07, '61) and the Macs ('08, '55)... a couple of the division winners have captured it one time... Sligo ('21) and San Alejo ('32)... while the poor Claxton Diamonds have never been blessed with the Holy Grail of Islandian Baseball - the much-revered Islandian Pro Alliance Pro Cup.

Over the years the Tycobbian Union has garnered the Pro Cup on 35 occasions, while the Ruthlandian Union has been the IPA champion 28 times... the TU has triumphed the last five years in the year-end classic.

What kind of team has the best chance of winning it all?... over the past five postseasons it has varied a little... power offense has won it three times with Rolling Hills ('60, '62) and Oxford ('61)... solid pitching and timely hitting won it for the Ginza Karate Kids ('59)... and the Hartsdale Hellcats, a good all-around club won it last year ('63).

First round play begins tomorrow afternoon... in the Ruthlandian Union Division Championship it will be Claxton hosting Valmara and Wynnamac traveling to Sligo… in the Tycobbian Union Rolling Hills opens up at home against the tough Tuckanarra Tiger Cats and Oxford will welcome the visiting San Alejo Montaneros… all playoff series will be the best-of-seven encounters.