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Sunday, October 12, 2081 PRO CUP FAVORITE WHITE RIVER EVENS SERIES WITH ROLLING HILLS, CRYSTAL LAKE BEATS FORT BENTON AGAIN IN GAME 2 Current IPA champion White River rebounded from an opening game defeat to even their Tycobbian Title Series at one game apiece with the Rolling Hills Racers. In the Ruthlandian Title Series Crystal Lake rode real good pitching again to dispose of the Fort Benton Cannons for the second day in a row. The Rascals perked up at the plate and belted the Racers 8-4 in game two to tie the best-of-seven series at one game apiece. White River's Philip Bliss blasted a grand slam in the bottom of the 8th frame that busted up a tight 4-3 game. J. B. Deeds (1-1/3.86 ERA) worked a solid game, tossing 8 innings and holding the Racers to 4 hits. 5 bases on balls kept him in hot water, but 6 strikeouts helped bail him out of trouble. Starter Bubby Dancer (0-1.3.45 ERA) was pinned with the lost, tagged for 4 runs in his 7 innings. For the second straight game in the RU Title Series Crystal Lake got an impressive mound performance from 37-year-old Augie Augustus (1-1/3.78 ERA). He held Fort Benton to just 5 hits in a 3-1 triumph. Both Augustus and Fletch Redmond went all the way. Redmon (0-1/3.45 ERA) also allowed 5 hits, but he was tagged for a solo roundtripper by Culver Jensen in the first inning and a game-deciding 2-run clout by Jake Osborne in the 6th frame. After a day of travel, both series will change venues for games three, four and five. White River and Fort Benton will be at home. Attachment 1008770 Attachment 1008771 |
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Tuesday, October 14, 2081 RACERS ROCK RASCALS, GO UP 2-1 IN TU TITLE SERIES, SKIPPERS SOAR TO 3-0 OVER CANNONS IN RU TITLE SERIES Rolling Hills and Crystal Lake are rolling high and sailing high in the second round of the Islandian Pro Alliance playoffs. The Racers rocked White River 9-7 with four homers to take a two-to-one edge in the Tycobbian Union Title Series. The Skippers breezed past Fort Benton 5-2 in the Ruthlandian Union Title Series for their third consecutive victory. One more win and Crystal Lake will be vying for another Pro Cup Trophy. Tycobbian Union RACERS MOVE AHEAD OF RASCALS 2-1 IN TU TITLE SERIES Rolling Hills took command of game three in the top of the 7th inning on the strength of Harv Phelan's 3-run wallop, putting them ahead 9-5. The Racers collected 11 hits and got 2-run swats from Art Horn and Jaron Shufford, plus a solo clout from Danny Marisnick. The Rascals only has one four-bagger, a 2-run shot by J. R. North. White River outhit Crystal Lake with 14 hits in all, led by Jake Bourland with 4, Viggo Frandzen with 3 and Babe Coleman with 2. North drove in 4 runs and Coleman a pair. 'Twas not a good day for the twirlers. Elvis Hutton (2-0/4.08 ERA) posted the victory, but he was slammed for 7 runs in his 8 and two-thirds frames. Fuzzy Swearingen (0-2/8.10 ERA) lost it, ripped for 8 runs in 6 and one-third innings. Ruthlandian Union CRYSTAL LAKE NEARS SWEEP OF FORT BENTON IN RU TITLE SERIES The Crystal Lake Skippers got strong pitching for the third consecutive game and put away the Fort Benton Cannons 5-2. Angelo Marinello (3-0/2.33 ERA) stymied the Cannons on 7 hits with 6 strikeouts and 2 walks. He fired a complete game for his 3rd straight postseason win. The Sailors broke up a 2-2 tie with 3 runs in the top of the 9th. Sookie Murphy's sac fly put them in front and Dave Sewell's 2-run single finished off the scoring. Jake Osborne tied the score with a 2-run double in the 6th frame. In the third inning Trace Lansing batted in both runs for Fort Benton with a two-bagger. Noah Fairclough (1-1/2.36 ERA) tossed a strong game until the 3-run outburst in the 9th. He also went the distance. Attachment 1008898 Attachment 1008899 Attachment 1008900 |
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Wednesday, October 15, 2081 RASCALS AND CANNONS ON VERGE OF ELIMINATION IN IPA TITLE SERIES Uh oh! The defending Pro Cup champion White River and the Fort Benton Cannons are in deep trouble in the Islandian Pro Alliance playoffs. Rolling Hills and Crystal Lake have both won three of the first four games so far, putting the Rascals and Cannons in severe jeopardy of elimination. One more defeat and White River and Fort Benton will go home for the season. Tycobbian Union Title Series RACERS OUTLAST RASCALS IN 12-INNING CLASH Rolling Hills moved way ahead 3-1 in the best-of-seven series in the Tycobbian Union Title Series. The Racers won a 12-inning thriller 5-4 on the road at White River Stadium. A walk to Clifford Stratton and a base hit by Danny Marisnick set the stage for Kit Clemmons' pinch-hit go-ahead single in the top of the 12th frame. Linc Dickens (1-0/1.80 ERA) won it in relief over Brayden Peters (0-1/9.00 ERA). Dickens blanked the Rascals in his 2 innings, but they put him to the test in the last of the 12th, placing runners on first and third with one away. However, Dickens struck on Dan Bayless and retired pinch hitter Liam Michaelson on a routine fly ball. Heading up the Racers at the plate were Danny Marisnick, who homered for the second game in a row and Emmett Spangler with 3 for 6 and 2 RBIs. Philip Bliss and Harv Phelan collected 2 hits each in the victory. Rolling Hills was outhit 13-11 by White River. The Racers stole 3 bases. White River's Viggo Frandsen had a 2-run homer, his 4th in the postseason, Babe Coleman and J. R. North contributed 3 hits apiece, and James Lundin and Lynn Elkins socked 2 hits each in the loss. Much to their dismay, the Rascals stranded 14 baserunners. Ruthlandian Union Title Series THREE STRIKES, BUT NOT OUT; CANNONS COME BACK SWINGING IN GAME 4 Fort Benton needed a good game to remain alive in the RU Title Series and they got it. The Cannons exploded for 15 hits in the fourth game of the series and blasted Crystal Lake 13-2 to stave off elimination. Now all they have to do is win three more in a row to advance to the IPA Pro Cup Series. Yeah, buddy, that's all. That, however, is a mighty task to accomplish. It has rarely happened in IPA postseason history. Not only did Fort Benton rattle the scoreboard, they got good performances on the hill from starter Nick Banfield and relievers Dieter Morgenstern and Burnell Otis. Morgenstern (2-0/0.00 ERA) fired 4 shutout innings for the win. The trio of twirlers held the Skippers to 6 hits. Ahead 5-2, the Cannons really sealed the verdict with 8 runs in the bottom of the 8th frame. Crystal Lake starter Bret Lynch (1-1/5.79 ERA) lost it, tagged for 7 runs in his 7 innings. Olev Kotli led the Fort Benton hit parade with 3 hits, including a bases-loaded triple and 4 RBIs. John Harding and Dwight Hogan drove in 2 runs each. Both White River and Fort Benton are down to their last loss of the season. There is no tomorrow for them. They must win game five, six and seven or else go home for the winter. Attachment 1009002 Attachment 1009003 Attachment 1009004 Attachment 1009005 |
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Thursday, October 17, 2018 SKIPPERS SET SAIL TO PRO CUP SERIES; RU TITLE BELONGS TO CRYSTAL LAKE; IN TU RASCALS CUT RACERS LEAD TO 3 GAMES TO 2 They were outscored 19 to 17 in the 5-game Ruthlandian Union Title Series, but the Crystal Lake Skippers still triumphed over the Fort Benton Cannons 4 games to one. The Skippers got standout pitching and now are setting sail for the IPA Pro Cup Series against the Tycobbian Union winner. In game five of that affair White River got new life with a tense 13-inning 2-1 victory that narrowed Rolling Hills' margin down to 3 games to 2. Ruthlandian Union SKIPPERS MASON TOYS WITH CANNONS, CINCHES RU TITLE 8-year veteran right-hander Lloyd Mason finished off Fort Benton 5-2 for his 3rd successive postseason win. Mason (3-0/2.39 ERA) tossed a complete game, holding the Cannons to 5 hits with 3 Ks and one free pass. Luis Trevino (0-3/4.06 ERA) absorbed the defeat, working 8 innings and giving up 4 runs on 10 hits. Center fielder Sookie Murphy (.222) paced the Sailors with a solo homer and 2 runs batted in. Second sacker Gino Lorenzetti (.405), third baseman Cookie Garland (.341) and catcher Dave Sewell (.378) also drove in runs for the Skippers. Crystal Lake skipper Paul Dillon gave full credit to his mound staff. "Mason, Marinello and Augustus really kept the Cannons in check. They were the key factor. Take away that one-game 13-2 massacre and we held Fort Benton to just 6 runs in 4 games. We also got good run support from Lorenzetti, Sewell, Garland, Osborne and Murphy." In his 19th season with the Skippers, Dillon has won 4 pennants and one Pro Cup (2076). Fort Benton manager Max Gregory observed, "They had home-run power and very strong pitching. That's a combination that's hard to beat. I was proud of our pitchers. They kept us in each game. Except for the 4th game rout, we just couldn't score." Gregory has been at the helm of the Cannons for 20 years. He has won pennants in 3 of the last 5 seasons. Tycobbian Union CURRENT IPA KING WHITE RIVER DOWN, BUT NOT OUT; RACERS LEAD SLIMMED TO 3 TO 2 IN TU TITLE SERIES The fifth game of the Tycobbian Title Series stretched to 13 innings before being decided by the tense score of 2-1 by right fielder Olaf Erikson's soaring shot out of the park. Shorty Meaux and Skeets Kazlauskas dueled for 10 innings, but neither got the verdict. Rance Derringer (1-0/0.00 ERA) posted the victory with a scoreless inning, while Ron Halloran (0-1/1.23 ERA) took the loss. Rascal reliever Dwayne Cave retired all 6 batters he faced in the crucial 11th and 12th frames. White River snapped the scoreless game in the 5th on a base hit by Shorty Meaux. Rolling Hills tied it up in the 6th on Art Horn's solo clout. Defending IPA champion White River still has its work cut out for them. They have to beat the Racers twice on their homefield to advance to the Pro Cup Series against Ruthlandian champion Crystal Lake. Bubby Dancer (16-9/3.92 ERA) gets the call from Rascal manager Butch Slattery and J.B. Deeds (4-2/3.62 ERA) will be on the mound for Racer skipper Hugo Sutton. Deeds beat Dancer 8-4 in the second game of the series at the Mid Town Base Ball Grounds in Rolling Hills. Attachment 1009094 Attachment 1009095 Attachment 1009096 Attachment 1009097 |
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Saturday, October 18, 2081 THE KING IS DEAD IN THE IPA; RACERS DETHRONE RASCALS IN TU TITLE SERIES Someone new will be wearing the IPA crown. The Rolling Hills Racers have dethroned the reigning king of Islandian baseball, the White River Rascals. The Racers were victors 8-7 in a dramatic sixth-game showdown that decided the Tycobbian Union Title four games to two. The King is dead, long live Rolling Hills or Crystal Lake, this year's Pro Cup finalists. For 6 and a half innings, it looks like a 7th-game finale was on the horizon. White River was up 7-5, going into the bottom of the 6th frame, but Rolling Hills fought back and cut it to 7-6. The never-say-die Racers in a last-ditch rally salvaged the series. Two costly errors led to the Rascals downfall. Second baseman Pete Palazzi tied the game with an RBI single and pinch hitter Pat Roberts drilled a game-winning base hit. Fine bullpen work saved the day for Rolling Hills. Ron Halloran, Linc Dickens and Bobby Maranto hurled 3 scoreless frames and gave the Racers a chance to get back into the game. Dickens (2-0/1.50 ERA) picked up the victory. Dwayne Cave (2-1/5.11 ERA) was pinned with the loss. The bats were booming in the shootout. Rolling Hills was sparked by Jaron Shufford (.267) with a 3-run homer and 4 RBIs. White River was led by Olaf Erikson (.216) with a 3-run blast and 4 ribbies. Viggo Frandsen (.380) smacked 3 hits and drove in a pair of runs. Butch Slattery, skipper for the Rascals said, "You can't give anybody 5 outs in an inning and expect to win a tight game." Rolling Hills manager Hugo Sutton, beaming at the prospects of winning another Pro Cup Trophy, told the press, "Bullpen and bats. That's what won it for us. Our starters struggled, but our hitting and homers and relievers saved the day and the series." The Racers won the Pro Cup in 2079 and will be trying to claim their record-setting 10th Pro Cup Trophy. Slattery had a lot to lament. "Too many walks, too many errors and too much talent did us in. The only pitching we got was from Shorty Meaux. Nobody else could get anybody out. Shorty's too short to cut up into several pitchers and that's exactly what we needed. There ain't enough of him to clone. As all of you know, Shorty is only 5-foot-5, but he stands mighty tall on the mound." White River won both games that Meaux started in the series. The Rascals beat the Racers 5-3 in the opener and 2-1 in 13 innings in game five. The 81st Pro Cup Series will feature two dynamite teams, the Ruthlandian Union champion Crystal Lake Skippers and the Tycobbian Union titlist Rolling Hills Racers. The Racers were rated the second-best team in this year's Pro Cup Poll, the Skippers were number three, while the reigning titleholder White River was favored to repeat this year. This year's Pro Cup Series will be a rootin', tootin' tussle and a sensational showdown to wrap up the 2081 season. Attachment 1009313 Attachment 1009314 Attachment 1009315 Attachment 1009316 |
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Just want to thank all of you that are now following the Islandian Pro Alliance again.
Viewership has really perked up since I have finally got to report on the Pro Cup playoffs again. In the last 10 days I have had a low of 201 views and a high of 453 views. Average per day is 355 views per day. Maybe I will be able to reach 1 million views in a few years. Total views since 2007 is 795,000. At the current rate, it might be possible to reach 1 million in the next 3 years or so. I have averaged 44,000 views per year. So it looks like I may need 5 years to do it. The good Lord willing and those two creeks don't rise, I just might make it. :) |
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Saturday, October 18, 2081 SENSATIONAL IPA PRO CUP SERIES SET TO START SUNDAY The public couldn't hardly get a better matchup than Crystal Lake and Rolling Hills in the 2081 edition of the Islandian Pro Alliance Pro Cup Series set to start this Sunday afternoon at beautiful Lakefront Park in Crystal Lake. In The Islandian Times Pro Cup Poll Rolling Hills was the #2 choice to win it this year, while Crystal Lake was the #3 pick. Both clubs are primed and ready to go. Together they have won 13 Pro Cups between them. The Racers have chalked up 9 Pro Cup trophies, the Skippers have collected 4. Rolling Hills is the most recent winner. The Racers won it in 2079 and 2075, while the Skippers most recent IPA title was in 2074. The Pro Cup Series will open up in Crystal Lake at Lakefront Park with Ivan Malek (14-12/3.85 ERA) and Augie Augustus (14-6/3.61 ERA) drawing the first-game assignments. It will be a best-of-seven series. Crystal Lake will host the first two games, Rolling Hills will get games three, four and five, then it will conclude in Crystal Lake for games six and seven. Crystal Lake depended on it pitching in the first two rounds of the playoffs to get by LaGrange and Fort Benton. Lloyd Mason, Angelo Marinello and Augie Augustus stood out. That trio will have to be just as good to shut down the lads in Rolling Hills, a very potent arsenal. Manager Paul Dillon is hoping the bats of Jake Osborne, Cookie Garland and Gino Lorenzetti will perk up a bit against Rolling Hills. The Racers, skippered by Hugo Sutton, sports a strong offense and some solid hurlers, too. Their top guns are Clifford Stratton, Jaron Shufford and Emmett Spangler. They beat East Point with fine pitching from Skeets Kazlauskas, Ivan Malek and Elvis Hutton and toppled Pro Cup champion White River with their bats. Basebase pundits are expecting a lot of fireworks in the Pro Cup Finals. The media are choosing Rolling Hills in a hard-fought seven-game series. The Racers have a decided edge in the bullpen with Linc Dickens, Ron Halloran and Bobby Maranto. |
Special thanks to hurricanekevin, txranger and knuckler for the beautiful logos.
I can never thank them enough. Playing the IPA is special because of all the wonderful graphics that have been done for me over the years. kevin did the Rolling Hills logo, tex did the IPA logo and knuckler created the Crystal Lake logo. |
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Monday, October 20, 2081 SKIPPERS RALLY IN HEARTSTOPPING PRO CUP OPENER; AUGUSTUS OUTDUELS MALEK The Crystal Lake Skippers saved the best for last in the opening game of the Islandian Pro Alliance Pro Cup Series at Lakefront Park. Augie Augustus outdueled Ivan Malek 3-2 in a game decided in the bottom of the 9th on Dave Sewell's run-scoring single. Ivan Malek was marvelous for the first 7 frames, blanking the Skippers on 4 hits. Rolling Hills was ahead 2-0 going into the last of the 8th. Harv Phelan's solo roundtripper put the Racers up 1-0 in the top of the 4th. Malek himself singled in the second score in the 6th inning. Crystal Lake finally put a run on the scoreboard in the 8th frame. Gino Lorenzetti doubled and tallied on Jake Osborne's base hit. The Skippers really went to work in the 9th with three straight hits. Sookie Murphy tripled, pinch hitter Darrin Turpin singled him in and tied the score at 2-2. Then Sewell cracked a hard grounder past first base to decide the game on a walk-off single. Augustus fired 7 strong innings, allowed 2 runs on 9 hits with 6 strikeouts and 2 bases on balls. However, the victory went to Ethan Zahn (1-0/2.25 ERA), who shut down the Racers on one hit over his 2 frames. Crystal Lake collected 9 hits, while Rolling Hills got 10. Malek (1-1/2.81 ERA) went the distance in defeat, walking 2 batters and fanning 3. Game two in Crystal Lake will pit Skeets Kazlauskas (17-8/2.94 ERA) for Rolling Hills, while Lloyd Mason (14-11/3.63 ERA) will work for the Skippers. Kazlauskas is 2-1 in the postseason in 4 starts. Mason is 3-0 in 3 assignments with a 2.39 ERA. Attachment 1009553 Attachment 1009554 Attachment 1009555 Attachment 1009556 |
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Thursday, October 23, 2081 RACERS 9TH-INNING RALLY TIES SKIPPERS IN PRO CUP FINALS; TEAMS SPLIT FIRST TWO GAMES In a remarkable rally on the road at Lakefront Park in Crystal Lake, Rolling Hills clipped the hometown Skippers 4-3 to split the first two games of the IPA Pro Cup Series. Subdued 3-1 going into the top of the 9th frame the Racers tore into reliever Ethan Zahn (1-1/6.35 ERA) for 3 runs to stun the Skippers, who were on the verge of taking a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. "All we needed was just 3 outs and we could have taken command of the series. Now we are back to square one and it's anybody's to win." That's what manager Paul Dillon told reporters after the very disappointing defeat. "Thank goodness, we wore out Mason and finally got him out of the game," Hugo Sutton facetiously said. Mason, the Skipper starter only allowed one run in his 7 innings and left his team with a 3-1 edge. Losing pitcher Ethan Zahn was greeted with a bang in the top of the 9th by 3 base hits, setting the stage for Emmett Spangler's base-clearing two-bagger to put Rolling Hills in front 4-3. Crystal Lake threatened in the last half of the inning and got two men on against Ron Halloran, but he finally finished them off for the comeback victory. The Racers' starter Skeets Kazlauskas pitched well in his 8 innings. The Skippers got 3 runs and 8 hits off of him. Kazlauskas (3-1/2.13 ERA) got the win, struck out 5 and walked only one batter. Halloran posted the save with a scoreless 9th frame. Rolling Hills went in front 1-0 on Liam Gerraghty's solo swat in the 3rd inning. Slowly but surely Crystal Lake got back into the game and took the lead. Culver Jensen doubled in a run in the bottom of the 3rd to tie it up, Dave Sewell made it 2-1 in the 5th with an RBI double and Gino Lorenzetti padded it to 3-1 with his homer in the last of the 8th. Rolling Hills socked 12 hits, led by Emmett Spangler (.309) with 3. Crystal Lake picked up 9 hits, paced by Dave Sewell (.395) and Heck Fraiser (.184) with 2 each. Thursday is a travel day as the clubs head to Rolling Hills and the Midtown Base Ball Grounds for the next 3 games. Angelo Marinello (22-4/3.44 ERA) toes the rubber for Crystal Lake. It will be J.B. Deeds (4-2/3.62 ERA) for Rolling Hills. Marinello is having the better postseason with a perfect 3-0 mark and an impressive 2.33 ERA. Deeds has been good and bad with a 1-1 mark and a 5.95 ERA. Attachment 1009705 Attachment 1009706 Attachment 1009707 Attachment 1009708 |
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Thursday, October 23, 2081 RACERS NIP SKIPPERS IN SHOOTOUT FOR 2-1 LEAD IN IPA PRO CUP FINALS For the third straight game it was a one-run thriller in the IPA Pro Cup Series. This time it was a slugfest instead of a pitcher's duel. Rolling Hills rolled past Crystal Lake 10-9 at Midtown Base Ball Grounds to go up two-games to one in the best-of-seven affair. Racer shortstop Emmett Spangler (.333) cracked 3 hits and drove in 4 runs to lead his club to victory. Catcher Jaron Shufford (.267) and third baseman Art Horn (.268) also lent a hand with 2 ribbies apiece. Rolling Hills slapped 12 hits, while Crystal Lake mustered 10. Pitching pretty much took a back seat in game three. J.D. Deeds (2-1/6.58 ERA) got a win in the ugliest way possible. He gave up 8 runs and 9 hits in 6 and one-third innings. Ron Halloran got the save, but he was touched for one run in two and two-thirds innings. 22-game winner Angelo Marinello (3-1/4.70 ERA) had a dismal day on the hill. He was shelled for 9 runs in less than 4 frames for his first defeat this postseason. Fortunately, Rolling Hills ran up a 9-4 margin early and then staved off the rebounding Skippers, who almost caught them. Crystal Lake had the tying score on second base when Ron Halloran got the final out. The Skippers fought hard, paced by Center fielder Sookie Murphy (.245) with a 3-run clout. Third baseman Cookie Garland (.321) and shortstop Heck Fraiser (.238) made the game close with 2 RBIs apiece. Game four is also slated for Rolling Hills as well as game five. The final two clashes are set for Lakefront Park in Crystal Lake should they be necessary. Rolling Hills skipper Hugo Sutton has decided on Elvis Hutton (19-9/3.12 ERA) for his starter, while it will Augie Augustus (14-6/3.61 ERA) doing the honors for Crystal Lake manager Paul Dillon. Augustus is 1-1 in the playoffs with a 3.42 ERA. Hutton is 2-0 with a 4.08 ERA. Attachment 1009886 Attachment 1009887 Attachment 1009888 Attachment 1009889 |
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Friday, October 24, 2081 ROLLING HILLS ROLLING IN PRO CUP SERIES; ON THE VERGE OF 10TH PRO CUP TROPHY The Rolling Hills Racers took command of the 2081 IPA Pro Cup Series with the Crystal Lake Skippers as Elvis Hutton spun a 4-0 gem in game four On his home diamond giving them a huge 3-1 edge in the best-of-seven series. Hutton held the Skippers to just 6 hits, winding up with 7 Ks and 3 walks. It was his 3rd victory this postseason. Hutton is unbeaten in his 3 starts and has posted a 2.70 ERA. One more win and the Racers will capture their IPA-leading 10th Pro Cup Trophy. Crystal Lake has a very steep hill to climb, the Skippers must win all 3 remaining games to win the IPA crown. The odds are strongly stacked against them. It has happened only two times in the Pro Cup Finals. After falling behind three games to one in the 2011 Pro Cup Finals, the Far Mountain Redhawks triumphed over the Ozarka Naturals and in 2014 the Kenwood Wildcats came back and defeated the Belair Beach Sunbirds. Both Hutton and Crystal Lake's Augie Augustus tossed complete games. Augustus (1-2/3.69 ERA) gave up 4 runs on 10 hits. He was done in by Clifford Stratton's 2-run shot in the opening inning and by Pete Palazzi's 2-run double in the 6th frame. Stratton (.339) went 3 for 4 in the game, while Palazzi (.304) was 2 for 3. Only left fielder Jake Osborne (.394) had a good game at the plate for the Skippers, but he got no help from the others in the lineup. Osborne got half of the 6 hits off Hutton. He got 3 hits in 4 plate appearances. Lloyd Mason (14-11/3.63 ERA) will try to keep Crystal Lake alive in the series in game five. Ivan Malek (14-12/3.85 ERA) will start for Rolling Hills. Game five will also be played at the Midtown Base Ball Grounds in Rolling Hills. Malek is 1-2 in the playoffs with a strong 2.81 ERA in his 3 starting assignments, while Mason is 3-0 in 4 starts with a superb 2.14 ERA. Malek lost the first game of the series 3-2 to the Skippers. Mason pitched well in the second game won by the Racers 4-3, but did not get the loss. Attachment 1009968 Attachment 1009969 Attachment 1009970 |
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I will be watching with interest. Go Racers! 10 Pro Cup titles would be very impressive. Rolling Hills just won't go away.
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Daily coverage makes a big difference in total views. When I couldn't recap my playoffs my views ranged from 35 to 125 views per day... that lasted 5 or 6 months... I considered ending the IPA , due to lack of interest... now with daily posting and playoff coverage, the range is 250 per day up to a high of 453 views. Really appreciate you guys coming back to follow the IPA. I'm really excited about recapping the Pro Cup Series again. |
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Saturday, October 25, 2081 SKIPPERS STAY ALIVE IN PRO CUP SERIES; BUT STILL TRAIL RACERS 3-2 Crystal Lake really came alive at the plate and pounded out an 8-5 victory on the road over the high-flying, high-rolling Rolling Hills Racers yesterday afternoon, slowing down their quest for their 10th Pro Cup Trophy. The Skippers banged out 13 hits and 2 homers to cut the Racers down to a three games to two lead in the IPA Pro Cup Series. Crystal Lake is trying to be the third team in history to come back from a 3-1 deficit. The Skippers still need 2 more victories to defeat the Racers. Center fielder Sookie Murphy, first sacker Culver Jensen, second baseman Gino Lorenzetti and left fielder Jake Osborne sparked the Skippers. Murphy walloped one out of the park in the first frame, good for 3 runs. Jensen belted a 2-run clout in the 6th inning putting them in front for good 7-3. Osborne (.421) had 3 hits, Jensen (.188) and Lorenzetti (.357), along with Heck Fraiser (.260) and Dave Sewell (.377) socked a pair base hits apiece. It was Murphy's 4th and Jensen's 2nd roundtripper in the postseason playoffs. Liam Gerraghty (.318) starred for the Racers with 3 hits, 2 homers, 3 runs and 3 RBIs. Clifford Stratton also had a 2-run home run. It was homer #4 for Stratton and #3 for Gerraghty. The two starters took it on the chins. Neither Lloyd Mason, nor Ivan Malek were around at the end. Mason (4-0/3.03 ERA) logged the win, but was blistered for 5 runs in 5 innings, while Malek (1-2/3.41 ERA) lost it. He was even worse, rocked for 7 runs in his 6 innings. Crystal Lake's bullpen came to Mason's rescue with 4 spotless innings. Chip Irby worked the 6th and 7th and Ethan Zahn wrapped up the game, tossing the 8th and 9th. Attachment 1010043 Attachment 1010044 Attachment 1010046 Attachment 1010047 |
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Monday, October 27, 2081 ROLLING HILLS WINS ! ROLLING HILLS WINS ! ROLLING HILLS WINS 10TH PRO CUP ! RACERS RALLY TWICE IN GAME 6; CLEMMONS HR WINS 10TH PRO CUP TROPHY Sure Crystal Lake was behind 3 games to two in the Pro Cup Finals. But all they had to do was win 2 more games. No big deal. Good teams do this all the time. Even in the Pro Cup Series. Everything was set for the Skippers to capture the 2081 IPA Pro Cup. They had the homefield advantage. Game six and game seven were being played at their own home field, Lakefront Park, where the Skippers are a stellar 51-26.. They had the bats and they had the pitchers. And they had 22-game winner Lloyd Mason was on the hill to boot. The only problem was the Rolling Hills Racers. They did not cooperate. The visiting Rolling Hills Racers won their 10th Pro Cup Trophy, tops in IPA history. In game six they trailed 3-0 for the first 5 frames. The Racers tied the score at 3-all in the top of the 6th. Catcher Jaron Shufford (.364) drove in the first score with a sacrifice fly ball, Harv Phelan (.309) made it 3-2 with a run-scoring single and the Racers evened it all up on a wild pitch by Lloyd Mason. Crystal Lake regained the lead in the last of the 8th frame on Dave Sewell's (.375) two-bagger. He advanced to third on a wild pitch scored on a ground out by Culver Jensen (.191). But "never say die" Rolling Hills rose to the occasion and won the game and the Pro Cup on pinch hitter Kit Clemmons' (.500) 2-run blast. Reliever Ron Halloran got the win with one and two-thirds scoreless innings. Halloran retired all 5 batters he faced. In the postseason Halloran stood out in the bullpen with 4 saves in 11 appearances. He was 1-1 record-wise with a fine 1.59 ERA. Halloran was a critical part of the Pro Cup crown. In the early going the Skippers fared well with 2 runs in the opening inning on Culver Jensen's (.191) lead-off solo swat and Don Grady's (.172) RBI ground out. Grady got his second ribby when he made it 3-0 in the 3rd frame with a base hit. Defending IPA champion White River was the critics' choice to win the postseason playoffs this year. Crystal Lake was the second choice. This year's champion Rolling Hills was ranked the third-best team. Winning skipper Hugo Sutton was overjoyed. It was his second time to claim the cherished trophy. Sutton also sparked the Racers to the overall IPA crown in 2079. He told the press, "We got hitting when we needed it, but more importantly we got the pitching when we needed it. Starters Skeets Kazlauskas, Elvis Hutton and reliever Ron Halloran were vital elements. It sure look like we were headed for a 7th-game showdown. Mason shut us down good for the first 5 frames. Thank goodness for the 3-run 6th that got us back into the game. And Lordy mercy, thank goodness for Kit's glorious 2-run homer, when we were behind a run in the top of the 9th." Paul Dillon, Crystal Lake's manager just kept shaking his head in disbelief in the press conference. "I just guess it just wasn't meant to be. I thought we would win going into the 6th with a 3-0 lead and again in the 8th when we went ahead again. Yeah buddy, this one really hurts. This was our year to win a Pro Cup. It sure seems like the gods were against us." Attachment 1010114 Attachment 1010115 Attachment 1010116 Attachment 1010117 |
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Monday, October 27, 2081 RACERS STRATTON PROCLAIMED IPA PRO CUP MVP IN CLOSE VOTE OVER HALLORAN AND KAZLAUSKAS The Rolling Hills Racers captured the big prize, the IPA Pro Cup Trophy. That's what all of the players were striving and playing for and they got it. Coming with that was some individual glory, the Pro Cup Series Most Valuable Player Award. Rolling Hills left fielder Clifford Statton got it in a close vote with teammates Ron Halloran and Skeets Kazlauskas. Stratton garnered 40 of the 108 votes cast in The Islandian Times poll for the standout player in the postseason playoffs. He just barely outdistanced reliever Ron Halloran by 5 votes and starting pitcher Skeets Kazlauskas by 7 votes. The MVP Award is for all three rounds of the playoffs, not just the Pro Cup Finals. Pro Cup MVP Clifford Stratton hit .313 in 17 games with 5 doubles, 4 homers, 14 RBIs and 13 runs scored. He collected 21 hits in his 71 plate appearances. Ron Halloran stood out in the bullpen with 11 relief appearances, 4 saves, 1.59 ERA and a 1-1 record. Skeets Kazlauskas made his mark with 6 starts, 3-1 record and a 2.54 ERA. Attachment 1010366 Attachment 1010367 Attachment 1010368 Attachment 1010369 |
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Tuesday, October 28, 2081 TOP 2081 IPA PERFORMERS PROCLAIMED BY RU AND TU The Islandian Pro Alliance issued its accolades to the standout performers for the 2081 season. The IPA Most Valuable Player honors went to first baseman Tory Swinnerton of the LaGrange Gators and left fielder Clifford Stratton of the Rolling Hills Racers. The league also announced the top batters, pitchers, rookies and defenders for this season. SWINNERTON COPS 2ND RU MVP AND GOLDEN BAT AWARD It's been a year of triumph for 9-year veteran Tory Swinnerton of the LaGrange Gators as he hit his way to the 2081 Ruthlandian Union Golden Bat Award. This is the second time he has nabbed the best hitter award and also his second Ruthlandian Union MVP trophy. Swinnerton also picked up both honors in 2078. The 29-year-old veteran compiled a .331 average and .406 on-base percentage by putting together 201 hits, 25 doubles, 5 triples, 52 home runs and 75 walks. He also scored 119 times and drove in 115 runs. Swinnerton led the Gators to the RU North title. It was the team's first pennant in 13 seasons. He has won the HR crown 7 times in his career. Swinnerton has walloped 397 homers and has a lifetime .303 BA. Left fielder Benny Wright (.327 BA/38 HR/126 RBI/124 R) of the Cold Creek Raccoons finished second in voting, while first baseman Bernie Yarbrough (.335 BA/43 HR/117 RBI/90 R) of the Colfax Black Sox finished third. MAC'S BRANCH CLAIMS RU GOLDEN ARM TROPHY The Wynnamac Sundowners have a rising superstar or maybe even a budding Hall-of-Famer in the making. It's Clifton Branch, this year's Ruthlandian Union Golden Arm Award selection. This blossoming 26-year-old hurler wowed fans, peers and sportswriters with a fabulous performance. For the second straight season he won 22 games. Branch is a first-time winner. The Sundowners tied for second place in the RU East this year. The Cold Creek Raccoons beat them out by 6 games. Branch compiled a 22-6 record in 32 starts, tallied 172 strikeouts in 274 innings and recorded a 2.36 ERA. Other clubs managed only a .224 batting average against him. He is in his 7th season. Hawk Templeton (23-7/2.56 ERA) of the Elnora Clippers finished second in voting, while Jim Brockington (22-6/2.36 ERA) of the Belair Beach Sunbirds finished third. MARSTON FRESHMEN HURLER RYCHLESKI NAMED BEST NEWCOMER IN THE RU Milosz Rychleski was an outstanding performer this season for Marston, earning the Ruthlandian Union Rookie of the Year Award. He went 11-6 on the year in 20 starts, striking out 68 in 148.2 innings while piecing together a 2.78 ERA. Rychleski is a 32-year-old rookie. Glasco traded him to the Nine at the July trade deadline. Center fielder Yasha Krychevsky (.269 BA/71 games) of the Ancona Jumbos finished second in voting, while Tokaji Irabu (11-16/4.15 ERA) of the Claxton Diamonds finished third. ROLLING HILLS STRATTON HONORED AS TYCOBBIAN UNION MVP What a year for Rolling Hills left fielder Clifford Stratton. In just his third season the Racers won the TU West race and copped their 10th Pro Cup crown, defeating the Crystal Lake Skippers in a 6-game affair. For his outstanding performance Stratton was selected the 2081 Tycobbian Union Most Valuable Player. Only 24 years of age, he batted .317 in 152 games with 171 hits, 35 doubles, 7 triples, 24 roundtrippers, 91 RBIs, 101 runs and 18 stolen bases. Stratton was also chosen the IPA postseason MVP. He hit .313 in 17 games with 5 twobaggers, 4 homers, 14 ribbies and 13 runs scored. Stratton outpolled Golden Bat winner Bobby Delaney (.336 BA/41 HR/125 RBI/103 R) of Arlon and pitcher Kent Burleigh (19-7-2.81 ERA) of East Point in the MVP balloting. ARLON'S DELANEY TOP SWINGER IN TU GOLDEN BAT POLL The future looks extremely bright for Bobby Delaney. At the age of 23, many players are still trying to find their way in Islandian Pro Alliance. Delaney has not only found his way, he's already established himself as one of the game's brightest stars, today being named the winner of the Tycobbian Union Golden Bat Award. "I didn't expect to hit .336 this year, that's for sure," the right fielder said. The Arlon Champions star also put up a .383 on-base percentage this year, with 198 hits, 27 doubles, 3 triples, 41 home runs, 125 RBIs and 103 runs scored. The Champions ran a good race this year in the TU West, winding up third behind IPA Pro Cup champion Rolling Hills. Arlon finished third, 8 GB. Clifford Stratton (.317 BA/24 HR/92 RBI/104 R/18 SB) of the Rolling Hills Racers finished second in voting, while Scotty McCandlish (.309 BA/40 HR/98 RBI/114 R) of the Arlon Champions finished third. RASCALS' MUNSEY HONORED AS TU GOLDEN ARM It was a dream season for 32-year-old portsider Jimbo Munsey of White River Rascals. He pitched his way to a 22-4 record and carted off the 2081 Tycobbian Union Golden Arm Award. Working 253 innings this year, Munsey made 29 starts, struck out 122 and crafted a 2.42 ERA. He gave up 209 hits and 89 walks and limited other teams to a .227 average. Munsey has found late-career success in White River. The Rascals are his 4th club. He has pitched 5 seasons with the Rascals. A late bloomer, Munsey never had a winning season in his first 6 years in the IPA. In the last three years Munsey has posted 53 victories with only 28 defeats. White River has won the TU North the last two seasons. The Rascals were the Pro Cup champion a year ago. Artie Hilton (20-7/2.76 ERA) of the Southport Sun Sox finished second in the Golden Arm voting, while Kent Burleigh (19-7/2.81 ERA) of the East Point Panthers finished third. HARTSDALE'S MANNON TOP TU ROOK The Tycobbian Union has made it official -- Calvin Mannon is the winner of the Rookie of the Year Award. In 2081 the Hartsdale right fielder was solid performer with a .357 batting average in 63 games, 14 home runs and 50 RBIs. Mannon also had 30 walks, scored 54 runs and posted a .439 on-base percentage. The Hellcats wound up in the fourth spot in the TU North Division and trailed pennant winner White River by 19 games. Mannon's Hellcat teammate in left field Jorah Hladki (.273 BA/18 HR/58 RBI/48 R) finished second in the voting, while shortstop Tommy Johnson (.235 BA/7 HR/50 RBI/53 R/150 games) of the North Hills Hawks finished third. Attachment 1010669 Attachment 1010670 Attachment 1010671 |
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Wednesday, October 29, 2081 IPA PICKS BEST GOLDEN GLOVEMEN Who are the Golden Glove Award winners? They are the guys that steal outs. They make spectacular plays, but they also consistently make the routine plays. This year in the Ruthlandian Union these defensive stalwarts made a name for themselves with their gloves. Shortstop Ollie Daggs of the Eastshore Cotton Kings was named for the 8th time in his career. Belair Beach second sacker Evan Murdock was honored for the 4th time. 2081 Ruthlandian Union Golden Glove Team: Attachment 1010741 2081 Tycobbian Union Golden Glove Team They flashed the leather all year and saved countless hits and runs for their teams. The following players are the Golden Glove Award winners for the Tycobbian Union in 2081. Chicopee second baseman Oliver MacKay made it for the 5th time, Kenwood shortstop John Bircher for his 3rd time and Cape Coral center fielder also for the 3rd time. Attachment 1010742 Attachment 1010743 |
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Thursday, October 30, 2081 TWO FIRST-TIME WINNERS SELECTED TOP IPA SKIPPERS, SUTTON AND TOSCANO HONORED The Islandian Pro Alliance presented its 2081 Manager of the Year Awards to Hugo Sutton of the Rolling Hills Racers and Lenny Toscano of the Cold Creek Raccoons. Both of them are youthful skippers. Sutton is just 41 and has been at the helm of the Racers for 5 years, while Toscano is 45 years of age and in his 6th season as manager. RH RACERS' HUGO SUTTON BEST SKIPPER IN TU Club officials have reported seeing Hugo Sutton at the ballpark as early as 7 am. His dedication, coupled with a shrewd management style and a knack for knowing "who's hot and who's not" earned Sutton the Tycobbian Union Manager of the Year Award for 2081. "I guess you could say I pushed all the right buttons at the right time for the Racers to have the season we did. But keep in mind, too, that I also had a group of dedicated ballplayers who played their hearts out. I thank them for winning this award for me." There was much joy in Rolling Hills this season. Their beloved Racers took first place in the Tycobbian Union West, rounding out the year with a 96-58 record. They also won their 10th Pro Cup to cap off a splendid season. Sutton improved his Racers from third place and 83-71 the previous year. Rolling Hills finished 10 games back in the pennant race. Sutton was a sensational 9-time All-Star outfielder for Rolling Hills from 2062 to 2078, batting .308 in his career with 371 homers. He led them to 3 Pro Cup titles in 2067, 2069 and 2075. Sutton took over as a player-manager in 2077 following the legendary Billy Christianson, who won 5 Pro Cups and was chosen Manager of the Year a record 7 times. Sutton retired as a player in 2078. This was his first Manager of the Year Award. COLD CREEK'S TOSCANO NAMED BEST MANAGER IN RU Lenny Toscano stepped before the microphone today and accepted his Ruthlandian Union Manager of the Year award, thanking the whole Cold Creek Raccoons organization for making the 2081 season such a success. Toscano struggled to find the right words. "My father was a drill instructor in the military. He taught me that you have to work hard, set goals and accept responsibility for your actions. That's what the entire Cold Creek organization did this year. My dedicated owner, coaching staff, hard-working and talented players and loyal front office all made this award possible. I thank them for it." And what a year it was. Toscano sparked the Raccoons to a 90-64 record and a first-place finish in the Ruthlandian Union West standings. Cold Creek came in fourth last year with a 75-79 mark and wound up 16 games behind in the pennant race. Toscano labored for 17 years on the mound for the mediocre Cold Creek Raccoons from 2057 to 2073, putting up a 144-170 mark and a 3.95 ERA. In all his seasons the Raccoons never made the postseason. Toscano retired in '73 as a player and took over the managerial reins in '76. He only had modest success until this year's pennant-winning season. Like Sutton, Toscano is a first-time honoree. Attachment 1010878 |
Thanks to all of you for following the Islandian Pro Alliance.
It has really rebounded as far as views since I began posting almost daily reports. I'll get busy and set up the 2082 IPA season. I'm getting concerned. The AI is not creating enough young players. The 2081 rookie class was very poor. My teams are getting up in age. |
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Wednesday, April 3, 2082 82ND IPA SEASON ON THE HORIZON; STARTS FRIDAY AFTERNOON The Islandian Pro Alliance is back on the diamond and back in business for their 82nd season. Opening Day is set for this Friday afternoon all across Islandia. Other sports have season openers, but baseball's Opening Day marks the ceremonial beginning of spring. Considered by many to be a national holiday, the opening of the baseball season brings with it the hope that this is your team's year. Whether it's the first pitch or the first ballpark hot dog of the season, Opening Day is a cause for optimism, hope, and for some, even a reason to call in sick to work or school. It may only be 1/154th of the season, but fans and players alike feel a unique anticipation. Opening Day may be the beginning of a fairy tale season for your favorite team, the debut of a Hall of Famer, the unveiling of a new ballpark, or a spectacular performance, like a no-hit game. The pick of the litter in Islandian Pro Alliance baseball circles for the new 2082 season is the Crystal Lake Skippers, the top dog according to the pronosticators in this year's preseason poll by The Islandian Times. The Skippers looks like the best in the Ruthlandian Union, while the East Point Panthers will survive the dogfight in the Tycobbian Union. The two defending division winners are the mostly likely to succeed in their leagues and meet for the much-treasured IPA Pro Cup Trophy, which currently rests in Rolling Hills, last year's winner. And away we go in a rapid preseason review of the 8 divisions in the Ruthlandian and Tycobbian Unions. KILKENNY CATS PREVAIL IN A 5-TEAM FRACAS 5 clubs will grapple for the Ruthlandian North Division crown. Kilkenny (88-66) is favored by a slight margin over runners-ups LaGrange (84-70), last year's champ, and Ancona (84-70). The Ranford Bulls (82-72) and Taranto Tars (80-74) will also be contenders. No more than 8 games will separate the 5 teams. CL SKIPPERS SAILING HIGH AGAIN IN RU SOUTH For the 4th year in a row the Crystal Lake Skippers (98-56) will win the Ruthlandian South and by a wide margin. The Sailors have the best pitching by far and also possess a solid offense. Valka (82-72), Waleska (80-74), Grand City (79-75) and Belair Beach (78-76) will battle for second place. Crystal Lake was a Pro Cup finalist last year, falling to IPA king Rolling Hills in 6 games. 'COONS, MACS, CLIPPERS AND KINGS CLASH IN RU EAST For the first time in over 4 decades the Cold Creek Raccoons (87-67) won the Ruthlandian East flag and they would love to do it again. So would 3 of their division rivals, the Wynnamac Sundowners (85-69), Elnora Clippers (84-70) and Eastshore Cotton Kings (80-74). It is forecast to be a knockdown fight-to-the-finish. The Macs have taken 3 of the last 6 pennants in the RU East. CANNONS TO REPEAT IN RU WEST BIG-TIME 3 of the last 5 seasons the Fort Benton Cannons (91-63) have been the best in the RU West. And there's a very good chance the Cannons will do it again -- and by a wide margin. This year the Middlefield Roosters (82-72), Stoner Silver Sox (79-75) and Volusia Vigilantes (78-76) will not have what it takes to topple hard-hitting and high-scoring Fort Benton. The Cannons are the class of the division. HOT RACE IN TU NORTH; Z'S PICKED IN CLOSE 6-TEAM BATTLE The White River Rascals (87-67) have been the dominant team in the Tycobbian North Division, winning it the last two years. They even won the Pro Cup two seasons ago. The Rascals will be in the hunt again this year, but they may be beaten out in a photo finish by the Luxora Zorros (88-66). It will be a jam-packed jam in the TU North with the Fairfax Frogs (84-70), Hartsdale Hellcats (82-72) and Blue Lake Blue Caps (81-73) all challenging the main two clubs closely. Even 6th place Mahaska (78-76) has an outside shot at the division crown. SUPER DUPER SKUFFLE IN TU SOUTH; 'CANES, TYPHOONS, ELITES AND SUNSETS WILL CONTEST Cape Coral won the Tycobbian South handily last year by 8 games over second place Colchester and 10 better than perennial power Turon. The forecast this year is for a much tighter race. The Hurricanes (85-69) will narrowly beat out Turon (84-70), Colchester (83-71) and Summerland (82-72) in a whale of a battle. The Typhoons have triumphed 8 times in the last 13 seasons. Turon also won 2 Pro Cups in 2072 and 2078. But they have missed the mark the last 2 years. PANTHERS ON THE PROWL FOR 3RD STRAIGHT TU EAST TITLE Hapless and downtrodden for over 3 decades, the East Point Panthers (90-64) have finally got on the right track with two straight Tycobbian East titles. The Cats are on the prowl for their 3rd division flag in a row. East Point just might be the best team in the Tycobbian Union. The Panthers have rock-solid pitching. They are a very slight favorite by 2 games on the Ozarka Naturals (88-66), who also have strong pitching. The third place High Mesa Buckaroos (83-71)are also expected to be in the mix with their quality pitching and home-run power. The fourth place Midway Wolves (79-75) could also be in the chase. VIKS TEAM TO BEAT IN TU WEST; PRO CUP CHAMP RACERS RIGHT ON THEIR TAILS Most likely two teams will be the prime contenders this year in the Tycobbian West. The Bayview Vikings (89-65) are the best bet to dethrone the current IPA Pro Cup champion Rolling Hills Racers (87-67), but not by much, just 2 games. Coming in 3rd in the TU West standings will be the Kenwood Wildcats (82-72), 7 GB. Chicopee (79-75) will be a distant 4th, 10 games off the pace. 2080 Ruthlandian Union Division Preseason Picks |
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Thursday, July 16, 2082 PRESEASON CHOICES HAVING TOUGH TIME IN IPA AT MIDSEASON Only two of the preseason choices by the baseball experts are on the top of the Islandian Pro Alliance standings at midseason. Both of the preseason favorites are in the Ruthlandian Union. The Kilkenny Cats in the RU North and the Crystal Lake Skippers in the RU South. Even they don't have safe and secure leads. The Cats are up by only 3 games over the Taranto Tars, while it's even closer in the RU South. The Skippers have a skimpy 2-game margin over Grand City. Four of the favored clubs are still in the running and within a few games of first place in their respective divisions. Cold Creek is running third in the RU East, 4 games off the pace of first place Elnora and Fort Benton is clinging close in the RU West. The Cannons are in second place, just 3 games behind the Forest City Firebirds. In the Tycobbian East East Point is 3 games behind leading Ozarka and in the Tycobbian West, Rolling Hills is in the third spot, 3 games out. The Kenwood Wildcats have the lead at midyear. Two of the preseason favorites White River and Cape Coral did not have good first halves. In the TU North the third place Rascals trail first place Hartsdale by 8 games. Over in the TU South the Hurricanes are in the second spot in the standings, but 8 games in back of the top team, the Turon Typhoons. Both White River and Cape Coral have a tough task to get back into the pennant chase, so far behind. Turon has the most comfortable lead at midyear. The Typhoons are 8 games up on defending champion Cape Coral in the Tycobbian South race. The Hartsdale Hellcats is 5 games better than the runner-up Fairfax Frogs in the Tycobbian North. In 6 of the 8 divisions, it's anybody's ballgame. All the races are wide open and competitive. In the 82nd IPA All-Star Game at Rolling Hills, Tycobbia continued to rule the roost with a 4-0 victory over the Ruthlandian All-Stars. Down through the years the TU Stars have dominated the All-Star Classic with 53 victories and only 29 defeats. 2082 IPA Midseason Leaders |
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Monday, October 28, 2082 CRYSTAL LAKE, LAGRANGE AND CAPE CORAL ONLY REPEAT CHAMPS IN IPA; PRO CUP CHAMP ROLLING HILLS FALTERS There will be a new Pro Cup champion this season in the Islandian Pro Alliance. Reigning king Rolling Hills wound up a distant third to the Kenwood Wildcats in the Tycobbian West race and did not qualify for the postseason playoffs. The only preseason favorites to win their division flags were the Crystal Lake Skippers in the Ruthlandian South and the Cape Coral Hurricanes in the Tycobbian South. The LaGrange Gators were picked third in the Ruthlandian North, but finally won out over Taranto and Ranford in a close race. The Pro Cup playoffs Union qualifiers are the LaGrange Gators, Crystal Lake Skippers, Elnora Clippers and Forest City Firebirds in the Ruthlandian Union. The Tycobbian Union teams are the Hartsdale Hellcats, Cape Coral Hurricanes, Ozarka Naturals and Kenwood Wildcats. 2082 Islandian Pro Alliance Season Recap RUTHLANDIAN UNION REVIEW RU North GREAT SEPTEMBER MAKES GATORS TOPS IN RU NORTH RU North Division champion LaGrange (86-68) started off slowly in April, but got engaged in May, but trailed Ranford by 6 games going into September. Then the Gators soared 18-6 and swept the pennant in a tight, photo finish with Taranto (85-69) and Ranford (83-71). The Gators edged out the Tars by one game and the Bulls by 3 games. Preseason favorite Kilkenny led most of the season but floundered badly in August and September (23-31) and dropped out of contention. This was the second season in a row that LaGrange won the RU North. RU South SKIPPERS SECOND-HALF SURGE WINS THE RU SOUTH TITLE Crystal Lake (96-58) captured its 4th straight RU South flag. The Skippers were favored to win and they finally did. They stayed close most of the year and moved up to the top spot in July and gradually pulled away and beat Belair Beach (90-64) by 6 games and Valka (87-67) by 9 games. RU East CLIPPERS TRIUMPH IN 4-TEAM RACE IN RU EAST For the first time in 7 seasons the Elnora Clippers (88-66) bagged the RU East pennant in a dynamic four-team season-long tussle with preseason-favored Cold Creek (87-67), Wynnamac Sundowners (85-69) and Marston Nine (83-71). Only 5 games separated them at season's end. RU West FIREBIRDS BURN FORT BENTON IN SEPTEMBER STRETCH DRIVE The preseason forecast called for Forest City (94-60) to finish dead last in the Ruthlandian West. The prediction was right for the first month of the season, fortunately for the Firebirds the pundits badly missed it overall. Miraculously Forest City copped its first division crown since 2068. Defending champion Fort Benton was expected to easily take the pennant. At midseason the pennant chase settled down to a two-team affair. Forest City surged in September with a 17-7 mark and bettered second place Fort Benton by 5 games. The final month was not kind to the Cannons. They wound up the month 11-13. 2082 Ruthlandian Union Final Standings Attachment 1011713 Attachment 1011714 Attachment 1011715 Attachment 1011716 |
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Monday, October 28, 2082 TYCOBBIAN UNION TU North HELLCATS STARTED SLOW; WOUND UP WAY AHEAD IN TU NORTH For the fourth time in eight seasons Hartsdale (97-57) is the best team in the TU North. Picked to come in fourth in the pennant race, the Hellcats took off like a cat out of hell in June and ended up an easy winner. Second place Fairfax wound up a whopping 12 games behind. The Frogs made a good race of it until August when they went on the blink and dropped completely out of contention. Defending champion White River (81-73) came in far back in the third spot, 16 GB. Luxora (73-81), the preseason choice, was never in the race and finished in fifth place, trailing by 24 games. TU South 'CANES CLAIM 2ND STRAIGHT TU SOUTH CROWN WITH 2ND HALF COMEBACK After four decades of frustration, the Cape Coral Hurricanes (89-65) are enjoying their second straight season of success with another Tycobbian South title. But it was not easy -- the 'Canes trailed perennial power Turon (87-67) by almost 10 games at midseason. Then the Hurricanes began to regain strength in the hot summer months and cut the Typhoons' margin to a paltry one and a half games going into September. Cape Coral went 13-11 down the stretch, while Turon slumped to 8-15. The Hurricanes eventually prevailed in the pennant race by a scant 2 games. Three other clubs contested during the year. Southport (83-71) and Ginza (83-71) winded up in a third-place tie, 6 GB, while Summerland (82-72) was fifth, 7 games off the pace. Cape Coral was forecast to win a very close four-team race. TU East NATS NAB TU EAST TITLE IN CLOSE RACE WITH STALLIONS AND PANTHERS; 1ST FLAG SINCE 2041 Ozarka and last year's winner East Point were supposed to duke it out for the Tycobbian East flag this year in the preseason prognostications, but it turned out to be harder than that. In all, five challengers made the race at various times in the year. South Fork, Midway and High Mesa also made their presence known. In September it came down to four clubs. Ozarka went 14-8 and held off second place South Fork by 3 games and East Point by 4 games. The Stallions finished strongly with a 16-7 mark. So did the Panthers at 15-10. The Wolves were a poor 10-14 and fell out of the chase. TU West KENWOOD DETHRONES PRO CUP KING ROLLING HILLS IN TU WEST Rolling Hills' (79-75) perennial rival in the Tycobbian West, the Kenwood Wildcats (90-64), did them in again this year, spoiling the Racers' hopes for a repeat Pro Cup Trophy. Rolling Hills has won 4 of the last 8 flags and 2 of the last 3 Pro Cups, while Kenwood has taken 3 of the last 5 crowns. This year Bayview (79-75) was the number-one pick in the preseason poll, however, the Vikings never really were in the race and wound up tied for third place with the Rolling Hills (79-75) and Arlon (79-75) 11 games behind. The Wildcats were rated the third-best club in the early-season voting. As it turned out the seventh choice, the Denton City Redbirds, put up the best fight. They ended up 6 games behind the pennant-winning Wildcats. Kenwood took command of the race from Rolling Hills and Denton City in August and were never seriously challenged the rest of the way. 2082 Tycobbian Union Final Standings Attachment 1011724 Attachment 1011725 Attachment 1011726 Attachment 1011727 |
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Tuesday, October 29, 2082 PRO CUP PLAYOFFS START TODAY ALL ACROSS THE ISLANDS; SKIPPERS AND HELLCATS FORECAST TO MEET IN FINALS And away we go! It's Pro Cup Playoff Time in Islandia! North, South, East or West, no matter where you go, the IPA playoffs will be there. From Hartsdale in the North to Kenwood in the West to Elnora in the East and way down yonder in the South to Cape Coral and all points in between, there will be baseball at its best in the Islandian Pro Alliance. Let the Games Begin! In the Ruthlandian Union Elite 8 Series #1-ranked Crystal Lake (96-58) will be at home against #6 LaGrange (86-68) and #3 Forest City (94-60) will welcome #8 Elnora (88-66). In the Tycobbian Union Elite 8 it will be #2 Hartsdale (97-57) hosting #5 Cape Coral (89-65) and #7 Kenwood (90-64) traveling to #4 Ozarka (93-61). Attachment 1011951 Let's take a tour around the towns. CRYSTAL LAKE SKIPPERS (aka Crushers 2002-2051) Owner: Flood Family Casino Enterprises GM/Manager: Duncan Welch Crystal Lake is the largest lake in Ruthlandia, situated in the southeastern corner of the country. The town, Crystal Lake, is located on a spit of land at the southwestern corner of the lake from which it got its name. Crystal Lake is south of Valka and just 25 miles across the lake. Belair Beach, San Dimas and Grand City are also close by. Crystal Lake is a polyglot town of 77,000 people who march to the beat of a different drummer. Crystal Lake is best known for its liberal politics. Think of San Francisco in the United States for a comparable culture. Environmentalists, Jesus Freaks, Rock 'n' Roll enthusiasts in a fairly free society. Locals claim they are not liberal, they are libertarians. Critics counter that residents aren't libertarians, they are libertines. European tourists compare the town to Amsterdam, but not quite as notoriously liberal. One thing for sure Crystal Lake is a mecca for tourism. It's a wide-open city where anything goes. It's a party-goers' paradise. The lowlands around the town are more properly classified as bogs. Glacial activity 10,000 years ago scooped out what would become Crystal Lake and dumped quite a moraine when retreating, forming the land that was settled in the late 1800's. The area never really did grow population-wise because of the swampy terrain. That's all changed. Crystal Lake was a planned town and came into being in the early 1920s when John William Flood began developing it. It was intended to be a summer resort getaway for the wealthy to escape the dog days of summer before the invention of air conditioning. It is laid out on a grid with north-south streets given names based on trees in alphabetical order (Aspen, Birch, Cedar...) and east-west streets given numbers (First, Second, Third...) and called avenues. Crystal Lake has always been a footloose and fun-loving town. In the 1920s, during the brief Ruthlandian prohibition experiment, they ran speakeasys and night clubs. In the 1950s, they built casinos. Present day Crystal Lake is a little Las Vegas. It's a party place. A tourist's paradise with little or no industry. Getting around Crystal Lake is pretty easy to do. The town was built around an electric traction trolley system that takes people everywhere. The town never adapted to the automobile, which is practically prohibited by ordinance today. It is a biker and walking society, that espouses pollution-free air, exercise, health, tofu and tai chi. The baseball team has been in business in some form for more than 150 years. The original team name was the Crushers. It comes from a 1921 letter from the team owner to his manager on his vision for building the club. John William Flood wrote to the first ball field manager Andy Capson: "I don't like watching a bunch of dandies or young boys prancing around the basepaths like thieving fools. Bunting is for the birds. I want to see real men crush the ball." Hence, the Crushers were born. John William Flood VI owns the team now. His dad changed the team name to Skippers in the 2052 season. John William makes his money in the casino business and is rather indifferent about day-to-day baseball operations. Since he's getting up in age, he has been concerned about his legacy. He's been examining the Green Bay Packers business model closely and is seriously considering willing the club to the people of Crystal Lake. The Floods have always been shady characters. John William Flood II was considered a scamp, regularly testing the will of the ABA commissioner in the days of the company leagues. John William Flood III was too busy developing real estate to break the rules like his ancestors did. The team had and deserved its somewhat unsavory reputation in the amateur league days. The famed Islandian slugger, Herman "Baby" George, the most prolific home run hitter in the annals of Islandian amateur leagues, was the first manager of the Crystal Lake Crushers. When it comes to hitting a baseball, Baby George is "Mr. Baseball" in the Islands. There has never been anyone quite like him. George was a bon vivant and literally in a class by himself. George began as a pitcher and was a very good one, but his hitting prowess soon converted him into a fulltime position player. He holds the all-time career homer mark in the industrial leagues. He turned out to be a pretty darn good manager, too. And the fans loved him in Crystal Lake for his savoie-faire attitude and his 2 Pro Cup Trophies. George retired at age 90 in 2047 and turned the GM and managerial reins over to Duncan Welch, who starred for the Crushers from 2017 to 2029, helping them win 6 pennants and 2 Pro Cups (2020 and 2022). In 20 seasons Welch was a career 350-255 with a terrific 2.78 ERA. He was especially good in the postseason, compiling a superb 17-5 mark with a 2.50 ERA in 27 starts. Welch was elected to the Islandian Pro Alliance Hall of Fame in 2056. He skippered the club for 15 seasons, won 2 pennants in '58 and '59 and even nabbed the 2058 Pro Cup Trophy, the third time in the team's history. Paul Dillon is the present manager of the Skippers. He replaced Welch in 1963. Dillon was quite a hitter in his 18 years with the club with a lifetime .323 BA, 2850 hits, 170 homers, 1215 RBIs and 1410 runs scored with 413 stolen bases... Dillon was a 3-time All-Star and the 2034 Rookie of the Year. He took over in 2063 for Duncan. Dillon only had modest success in his first decade as skipper. But things really starting popping in 2074 with the Pro Cup title, the fourth IPA championship in the club's history. Crystal Lake has won the RU South the last 4 seasons. The Crystal Lake Crushers amateur and industrial teams played in John William Flood Stadium in the 1920s. The name was shortened to JWF Stadium by the press and the public over the years. A new ballpark, Lakefront Stadium, was built in 1985 by the town council. Lakefront Stadium is located right at the water's edge on Crystal Lake. Fans get a magnificent view of the lake. On game days, the best way to get to the ball park is by taking The Traction, an ultra-modern subway system to the stadium or by sailing up to the Crystal Lake Marina. The food is typical baseball fare that tries to cater to both tourists and to the whole Earth Day crowd. The hot dog is a foot-long kosher dog served on a dark brown wheat roll. The beers are local microbrews and all claim to be genetically-modified organism free. In his day Baby George was known to enjoy a lot of hot dogs and a few refreshing brews during the games. Lakefront Stadium (1985) Capacity: 10,500 Dimensions: Left Field Line - 340' Left Field - 370' Left Center - 405' Center Field - 400' Right Center - 381' Right Field - 370' Right Field Line - 340' |
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LAGRANGE GATORS
(aka SPORTS 2002-2059) Owner: Foxy Jamison Sports Manager: Antoine Robicheaux (2077) LaGrange, with 65,000 residents, is found in the sparse and craggy foothills of the Appian Mountains in northeastern Ruthlandia. LaGrange is a very modern and up-to-date town with its main industries being silver and gold mining (some of the world’s richest reserves) and forestry and associated paper production industries. LaGrange was the second settlement in the country, populated by French Acadians during the 1850’s gold rush. Cajun French and English are spoken here. The LaGrange Sports Baseball Club was the second amateur team in Ruthlandia. Marston was the first. LaGrange was originally called the Sports, but was renamed the Gators in 2060. LaGrange plays in the Ruthlandian North Division. They play their games at the old Sports Stadium, now aptly called The Swamp, which has the town’s impressive skyline visible in the distance beyond the outfield walls. There’s a lot of fine food, fun, and frolic at The Swamp with great Cajun food and great Cajun music. A Zydeco band plays at every game. At the seventh inning stretch, “Take me out to the ballgame” is sung first in English and then in Cajun French. And throughout the game Cajun yells of “aaahh-eeeee” (exclamation of joy) and “laissez le bon temps rouler” (“let the good times roll”) can be heard cheering the home club to victory. Mouthwatering Cajun cuisine can be sampled at the concession stands. Seafood and okra gumbo, jambalaya and crawfish pies are in abundance along with the most delicious bread pudding, café brulot (orange and spice flavored coffee) and crème brulet (superb custard dessert) in the world, too, mes amis (“my friends”). The LaGrange Sports are owned by the family of one of the all-time great sluggers and first basemen in Ruthlandian company league circles, Foxy Jemison. He got his start in lumber mills, played ball for the company team, made a name for himself, moved up in the company hierarchy until he ended up owning it. Jemison sponsored a company team for years and worked hard to get a team in the IPA. Jemison managed the team through the 2026 season when longtime IPA superstar and Hall-of-Famer Quincy Peterson replaced him as the skipper of the Sports. It's a good thing that Jemison owned the team. He only made the playoffs one time in 2008 and posted only 7 winning seasons. Peterson played the outfield and was voted into the IPA Hall of Fame in 2027. He played in 3087 games in 22 seasons, the last 15 of them in LaGrange. Peterson had a career .294 BA with 3514 hits, 565 homers, 1956 RBIs and 2029 runs. Peterson was a 6-time All-Star and 4-time Golden Glover... the team won 5 Ruthlandian North pennants under Peterson... he retired as manager after the 2057 season and was succeeded by current skipper John Rodgers, who played for LaGrange from 2038 until 2053. Rodgers was a 5-time All-Star and 2-time Gold Glove shortstop, batting .293 lifetime with 343 roundtrippers and 1337 RBIs. Rodgers copped 3 pennants since taking over in 2058. He was forced to step down after the 2076 season after a string of poor seasons and was replaced by Antoine Robicheaux, who only played 6 years in the IPA, chalking up a 33-19 record with a 3.91 ERA from 2067 to 2071. After a terrible first year, Robicheaux had turned it around for the Gators and made them into a contender. LaGrange has won two pennants in a row. The Swamp (2001) Capacity: 10,732 Dimensions: LF Line 325 LF 345 LCF 400 CF 400 RCF 400 RF 345 RF Line 325 |
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ELNORA CLIPPERS
(aka ALL-STARS 2001-2059) Owner: Costanza Investments, Inc. General Manager and Manager: Enos Conrad Elnora, population 101,000, is a port city at the edge of the Great Plains on the east coast of Ruthlandia near the Valerian Ocean. It is one of the earliest settlements in the Islands. Elnora is the site of grain processing plants, vast wheat fields and shipping docks. It was the home of the first amateur teams formed by companies and commercial enterprises in the 1920s. Players were given jobs by the companies and then given ample time off to practice their skills and to play games to publicize the companies' wares, services and products to the baseball fans of Ruthlandia. The Elnora All-Stars were first owned by a wealthy eccentric by the name of George Costanza. He made a fortune in reality television with a show "about nothing". Yep, "about nothing'. In 2000, Costanza jumped at the chance to get a franchise in the Islandian Pro Alliance and immediately began signing up all of the amateur all-stars and named his team the All-Stars. But IPA commissioner, John Banson, refused to approve the contracts. Costanza had to go through the league draft to get his players like all of the other teams. Costanza appealed it all the way to the Islandian Supreme Court, but the league prevailed. Elnora plays in the Ruthlandian Union and is in the East Division. Elnora rebranded as the Clippers in 2060. They play at State Fair Park, which is the site of the Ruthlandian State Fair each year. It is the largest midway and carnival in the Islands. State Fair Park is known for serving great soups, made by the famous Elaine Benes Soup Company. Costanza imported a renowned and sometimes difficult chef from Argentina to manage his concessions. In addition to traditional baseball foods, wonderful soups like mulligatawny, turkey chili, crab bisque, cold cucumber, corn and crab chowder are served up at the ballpark. A word of warning, don't ask for bread. Back in the early days of Elnora baseball that Chef demanded that all customers in his restaurant follow his meticulous (and seemingly arbitrary) soup-ordering instructions to the letter, lest they be refused service by his insistent avowal, "No soup for you!" Costanza did go out and get a great manager for the original All-Stars. He hired one of the most successful industrial league manager in Ruthlandian baseball history, Zoggy White. He was only a semi-mediocre outfielder, but really made his mark as a manager. In reference to his success as a player versus his success as a manager, White once said, "Baseball has been good to me since I quit trying to play it." His style of play, which was nicknamed "Whiteyball," concentrates on pitching, speed, and defense to win games rather than home runs. White's baseball philosophy also includes a preference for patient hitters with high on-base percentages. White retired in 2026 after 27 seasons at the helm and took over as general manager. His success in the amateur leagues didn't transfer to the IPA as White only managed 3 pennants and 5 playoff appearances in his tenure. Leon Carter took the reins from White in 2027. Carter was a 7-time All-Star catcher for Elnora from 2013 to 2026. He finished his career with a lifetime .287 BA , 284 homers and over 1000 RBIs... Carter initially had success as the Elnora skipper... he won four pennants in his first decade, including the Pro Cup in 2033. His next decade was pretty good with six first-division finishes, however the All-Stars went into a decline and Carter was finally replaced by Stan Kivas in 2052. Kivas was a pretty darn good starter from 2033 to 2048 for the All-Stars, posting a 237-203 mark with a 3.45 ERA. As a 23-year-old rookie reliever in 2033, Kivas played a part in Elnora's only IPA Pro Cup victory, posting a fine 1.42 ERA in 9 relief appearances with three saves. As the new manager and GM Kivas made a dazzling debut. He cleaned house his first year with 17 rookies on the roster and wound up in third place in the RU East standings. The Clippers did well under Kivas consistently finishing in the Ruthlandian East first division. They won 3 pennants over the next decade. However, the team declined his last three seasons and he was replaced by Enos Conrad in 1968. Enos Conrad was an outfielder for 16 seasons (2036-2051) with the All-Stars and quite a contact hitter. He batted .333 lifetime with 2308 hits. Conrad won two RU batting titles, hitting .391 in 2041 and .369 in 2042. He was a 3-time All-Star and won the Ruthlandian Golden Bat in '41. Early in his tenure Conrad has had only mediocre success. However he was won 3 pennants in the last 6 years. He is also the General Manager. Next season pitcher Hamilton Burger, just 30 years old, will take the reins. Conrad has groomed him as his replacement. He will be unique in the IPA. He and Rolling Hills' Hugo Sutton are the only player-managers. State Fair Park (1971) Capacity: 12,500 Dimensions: Left Field Line - 335 Left Field - 370 Left Center - 399 Center Field - 415 Right Center - 399 Right Field - 370 Right Field Line - 335 |
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FOREST CITY FIREBIRDS
(aka LUMBERJACKS 2001-2051) Owner: Jackson Investments, Jackie Jackson II, President and CEO General Manager: Rich Barstow Forest City is the capital of Ruthlandia and the second largest town in the Islands with a population of 125,000. The town was settled by a group of American abolitionists from the North and the South, who foresaw the coming Civil War and decided to emigrate to Ruthlandia and Tycobbia and establish countries free from the rigors of slavery and religious intolerance. It was one of the earliest settlements because of the access to timber and its strategic location near the intersection of the Green River and the Silver River in the central part of the country. The beautiful Green River emanates out of the Appian Mountains in the north near Far Mountain (ski resort), runs south throught Rocky Rapids (lumber, grain and transportation center) in the western foothills and plains, flows through Forest City, then winds its way past agrarian Middlefield and Sugar Valley in the fertile southern lowlands and finally empties into Belair Bay and the Southern Sea at the bayside resort and shipping center, Belair Beach. The Silver River originates in its namesake, the Silver Mountains, which form the western border of Ruthlandia. It travels eastward through Volusia in the western foothills (silver mining and timber interests) and merges with the Green River at Forest City. The Ruthlandian capital is an old town with buildings and homes that go back a hundred years or more. It is rare that the town planning commission allows much in the way of a modern building. It is noted for being the seat of the Federal government, for banking, commerce, railroads, steel, advertising, autos, paper and lumber industries and also the home of the Forest City Firebirds. The club updated its nickname from the Lumberjacks in 2060... Forest City was originally called the Lumberjacks to honor the forest industry, one of the first major industries in the Islands. Forest City is in the Ruthlandian Union's West Division. The Firebirds play their games at old and quaint Riverside Stadium (circa 1915), right on the riverbanks with a wonderful view of the Silver River just beyond the left and center field fences. Across the river in the distance the fans can see the main part of town. Hot and freshly fried river catfish is a house speciality at Riverside, along with traditional ballpark fare. Forest City is owned and operated by the Rob Jackson family. Jackson was also GM and Manager in the early years of the club. Jackson was a four-letter man in college, excelling in baseball, football, basketball and track. He played many years in the industrial league for one of the biggest banks in the Islands. When his playing days were over, he went to work for the bank, managed its company team, moved up in the banking ladder and eventually became its president and chief administrative officer. He then expanded to professional baseball and was one of the prime originators of the Islandian Pro Alliance. He joined with good baseball men like John Banson (IPA creator and commissioner), Manny Earl of the Sugar Valley Rattlers and Rip Calkin of the La Claire Lynx to create the first professional baseball league in the Islands. Multi-millionaires also were involved and provided the needed finances to establish the league. Men like Jock Ewing of the Waleska Westerners, Brent Steiner of the Bayview Vikings, Jorge Trujillo of the Belair Beach Sunbirds, jazz great, Louis "Sugar Lips" Charles of the Bay St. Clair Buccaneers and rock 'n' roll superstar, Conway Birdie of the Cape Coral Hurricanes. Jackie Jackson II is the current CEO of Jackson Investments and is in charge of team operations. He never played in the IPA. However, his father Jackie Jackson was a solid second baseman for Forest City Lumberjacks from 2023 to 2030. His last 10 seasons were spent with Colchester and Belair Beach. Yep, his dad Rob traded him when he demanded too much money. Jackie Jackson retired at age 35 in 2038 and became the Lumberjacks skipper in 2039. Jackson didn't have much success in his managerial role. He only had 2 winning years. As a player Jackson had a lifetime .284 BA with 2172 hits, 165 HRs, 1122 runs and 869 RBIs. His older brother Rob, Junior also played shortstop with the 'Jacks from 2022 to 2033 and had a modest career batting .248 with 53 roundtrippers and 397 RBIs. After Jackie Jackson was demoted as manager and promoted to GM, Rich Barstow was the Forest City skipper from 2046 to 2067. Barstow toiled for a mediocre club for years and is the all-time leader in victories. Barstow put up a 260-295 record with a respectable 3.79 ERA. He played for the 'Jacks from 2027 to 2046. In his second season in 2048 Barstow led the Lumberjacks to the playoffs for the first time in 45 years. Their only other postseason appearance was way back in 2003 under Rob Jackson. Randy Snow, a solid outfielder for the Firebirds from 2052 to 2064, succeeded Barstow in 2068 and enjoyed great success by winning the Ruthlandian West crown in his first season... Snow batted .297 in his career with 301 homers, 1060 ribbies and 1003 runs scored. ut up a 260-295 record with a respectable 3.79 ERA. He played for the 'Jacks from 2027 to 2046. In his second season in 2048 Barstow led the Lumberjacks to the playoffs for the first time in 45 years. Their only other postseason appearance was way back in 2003 under Rob Jackson. Randy Snow, a solid outfielder for the Firebirds from 2052 to 2064, succeeded Barstow in 2068 and enjoyed great success by winning the Ruthlandian West crown in his first season... Snow batted .297 in his career with 301 homers, 1060 ribbies and 1003 runs scored. Riverside Stadium (1915) Capacity: 14,780 Dimensions: LF Line 332 LF 360 LC 388 CF 400 RCF 381 RF 350 RF Line 325 |
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