THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Saturday, October 28, 2051

IPA FIRST ALL-DECADE TEAM 2001-2010
The first of five all-decade teams has been selected by the Islandian Pro Alliance and announced today. The best players at each position for the seasons 2001 to 2010 have been selected in a vote of the Islands' sportswriters and broadcasters. Four other decades will also be covered 2011-2020, 2021-2030, 2031-2040 and 2040-2050. It will all culminate with the IPA All-Time All-Star Team, which will feature the best 11 players in the entire league's history. The best of the best of each decade will contend for the honor of being named the all-time best at each position. Three pitchers will be named to each decade due to the fact that there are more pitchers per position on team rosters than position players

The first decade 2001 to 2010 featured several players who will challenge for the all-time best team: pitcher Ilya Szabo, pitcher Cory Burg, pitcher Mila Miloski, C Hank Bethel, 1B Phil Gravelli, 2B Andy Hansen and RF Jet Kazmarek.

SP ILYA SZABO (2003-2021)
The top hurler was Ilya Szabo, a brilliant right-hander who starred for 19 years (2003-2021) with the Colfax Blasters of the Ruthlandian Union... Szabo posted a 327-210 record with a super 2.57 ERA... he was tenth on the all-time wins list and had the fifth-best ERA in league history... Szabo led Colfax to the playoffs four times during the decade and to a Pro Cup trophy in 2010... that year he was voted the Pro Cup MVP with a 5-2 record in 7 starts with a magnificent 1.42 ERA... in the postseason Szabo charted a 14-8 mark lifetime with an impressive 2.44 ERA in 25 games... he was a 9-time All-Star, won four Golden Arms and was chosen the Ruthlandian Union Most Valuable Player twice (2010 and 2015)... Szabo was selected the top pitcher in 2010, 2011, 2014 and 2015...in his last season at age 42 he was 18-17 for a fifth place club... in 2027 Szabo was elected to the Islandian Pro Alliance Hall of Fame.

(The 2001 All-Decade Team will continue tomorrow)

THE ISLANIAN TIMES
Sunday, October 29, 2051

IPA First All-Decade Team 2001-2010

SP CODY BURG (2001-2021)
Cape Coral's fireballin' Cody Burg also was named to the first decade's IPA All-Decade Team... the hard-throwing right-hander is the all-time strikeout leader and is number two in wins... Burg hurled for the Hurricanes for 21 seasons, retiring at age 39 with 369 victories, 5250 Ks and a career 2.79 ERA... 14 times he led the league in strikeouts... he was an 8-time All-Star and won three Tycobbian Golden Arms (2004, 2005, 2014)... also took the TU Most Valuable Player Award in 2014... Burg was outstanding the playoffs, too, posting a 9-2 record in 15 starts with a superb 1.54 ERA... four times in the decade Cape Coral made the postseason, but didn't win a Pro Cup... twice they were eliminated in tight series with the eventual IPA champion Turon Typhoons, one of the most powerful dynasty in the league's history.... Turon captured four Pro Cups from 2003 to 2018 and made the Finals five times... Burg was installed into the IPA Hall of Fame in 2027.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Monday, October 30, 2051

2001-2010 IPA First All-Decade Team

SP MILA MILOSKI (2002-2021)
The third hurler chosen for the 2001-2010 All-Decade Team was Mila Miloski, the ace of the Red Bluff Red Sox for five years and the top hurler for the Denton City Redbirds for 14 years... he was a winner no matter where he went... overall Miloski was 353-267 with a 3.19 ERA, winning the Tycobbian Golden Arm in 2010... he sparked Red Bluff to three postseason appearances and the IPA title in 2004... Miloski (4-1/1.80) was voted the Pro Cup MVP with two wins in the Final 4 and two more in the championship series... he was also a mainstay in two Pro Cup Finals for Denton City, but the Redbirds lost both of them... Miloski was 16-11 in 31 playoff starts with a 3.07 ERA... he retired at age 41 and was voted into the IPA Hall of Fame in 2027.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Tuesday, October 31, 2051

2001-2010 ISLANDIAN PRO ALLIANCE FIRST ALL-DECADE TEAM

C HANK BETHEL (2001-2027)
The top catcher of the first decade of play in the Islandian Pro Alliance was Hank Bethel, who played for 27 years with six teams and retired after a wonderful career at the ripe old age of 44. Bethel was a 12-time All-Star and ranked high in most offensive categories. He played in 3211 games (10th), collected 3318 hits (13th), 494 roundtrippers, scored 1985 times, batted in 1985 runs (8th) with a .288 career batting average. In 76 playoff games Bethel batted .270 with 11 home runs and 48 RBIs. He played 7 years with the Bayview Vikings and led them to the postseason 5 times with 3 pennants. For the next 15 seasons Bethel was in Rocky Rapids. During his time with the Snappers they captured one Pro Cup in 2019 and 4 pennants. His last four seasons were with Fort Benton, Glasco, Belle Plaine and San Dimas and not very productive. Bethel was just playing out the string.

1B PHIL GREVELLI (2001-2025)
Phil Gravelli is one of the all-time greats in IPA baseball circles. The great first baseman played for 25 years with Belair Beach and Crystal Lake, was a 12-time All-Star, twice a Golden Glove winner and the Ruthlandian Union MVP and RU Golden Bat recipient in 2007. Gravelli led his teams to 2 Pro Cups, 5 pennants and 7 playoffs. Crystal Lake won the IPA Pro Cup in 2020 and 2022. In addition, he holds 3 all-time IPA records.

His all-time numbers show Gravelli as the IPA leader in games, hits and RBIs. He compiled a .315 batting average and collected 4260 hits (1st), 726 home runs (4th) and 2493 RBIs (1st). In all, he played in 3628 games (1st).

In 65 postseason games Gravelli was even more productive with a .340 batting average, 7 homers and 44 runs batted in. Gravelli retired from baseball at the age of 42 and was inducted into the Islandian Pro Alliance Hall of Fame in 2027.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Wednesday, November 1, 2051

2001-2010 ISLANDIAN PRO ALLIANCE FIRST ALL-DECADE TEAM

2B ALAN HANSEN (2002-2023) was a winner everywhere he played. He starred at second base for Bayview for his first 5 years, won two pennants and made the playoffs four times. Then Hansen signed with Turon as a free agent and played for 10 pennant winners and got two Pro Cup rings (2009 and 2018). Overall in 3287 games (5th) Hansen had a career .296 BA, 3554 hits (7rd), 149 triples (7th), 2262 runs (1st), 2351 walks (2nd) and stole 725 bases (5th). He only struck out 554 times in over 12,000 at-bats. Hansen played in 135 postseason games, compiled a .309 batting average, had 159 hits, 31 doubles, scored 89 runs and stole 32 bases. He was chosen for the All-Star team four times and won a couple of Golden Gloves.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Thursday, November 2, 2051

2001-2010 ISLANDIAN PRO ALLIANCE FIRST ALL-DECADE TEAM

3B PABLO SANTA CRUZ (2002-2023)
For most of his career Pablo Santa Cruz was a winner. He sparked the Luxora Zorros to 7 division pennants and 10 playoff appearances. Santa Cruz was a 2-time TU All-Star with a .282 BA, 3364 hits (14th), 1990 runs (14th), 540 stolen bases (20th), 140 triples (14th), 181 homers and 1321 RBIs. In the postseason Santa Cruz struggled with a .229 average, but did score 34 runs and swipe 15 bases in 74 games. He retired at age 41 and was voted into the IPA Hall of Fame in 2029.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Friday, November 3, 2051

2001-2010 ISLANDIAN PRO ALLIANCE FIRST ALL-DECADE TEAM

SS DON NICHOLS (2001-2024)
Don Nichols played for 24 seasons, 7 with the Marston Nine and 17 for the Far Mountain Redhawks. His Redhawks won 3 consecutive Gold Cups in 2011, 2012 and 2013, made the postseason 5 times and copped 3 division crowns. Nichols was an 11-time All-Star, 2-time Golden Glover and in 2018 took the Ruthlandian Union MVP Award and the Golden Bat. During his illustrious career, Nichols had 386 home runs and batted .310. He was near the top in all-time IPA stats, ranking 8th in games (3253), 4nd in hits (3760), 15th in RBIs (1773), 4th in runs (2164) and 8th in stolen bases (668). In postseason play Nichols hit an even .300 with 9 homers , 51 RBIs, 53 runs and 17 stolen bases in 95 games. He retired in 2024 at the age of 43 and went into the IPA Hall of Fame in 2027.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Saturday, November 4, 2051

2001-2010 ISLANDIAN PRO ALLIANCE FIRST ALL-DECADE TEAM

LF QUINCY PETERSON (2001-2021)
Quincy Peterson was a standout outfielder as well as being one of the better hitters in the annals of IPA baseball. He played mainly for LaGrange and Elnora with a one-year stay in Belle Plaine, all in the Ruthlandian Union. Peterson was inducted into the Islandian Pro Alliance Hall of Fame in 2027.

Peterson was honored 6 times as an All-Star and gathered in 4 Golden Glove Awards. He participated in 5 Pro Cup playoffs in his career and was on 3 pennant winners. However, he never got a Pro Cup ring. Peterson retired at the age of 44 with a .294 career batting average. He mainly played left field, participated in 3087 games (16th), rang up 3514 hits (9th), 589 doubles (16th), 565 home runs (12th), scored 2029 runs (10th) and batted in 1956 runs (10th). Peterson was even tougher in the postseason, batting .343 with 13 homers, 38 RBIs and scoring 30 runs in only 41 games.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Sunday, November 5, 2051

2001-2010 ISLANDIAN PRO ALLIANCE FIRST ALL-DECADE TEAM

CF RYAN RAINES (2001-2017)
Ryan was a fine outfielder with a solid bat for 17 seasons... his first six years were with Volusia and his last 11 in Colfax... his teams made the postseason 12 times and Raines got a Pro Cup ring in 2010 when Colfax set an IPA mark for 107 victories... the Blasters still are the all-time leaders for a single season... Raines was an All-Star five times and was a Golden Glover... he retired at 39, but has never made the Hall of Fame... Raines was just a very good ballplayer that did it all... he could run, hit and played excellent defense... Raines was just a winner and a very capable asset to his teams... he never had a bad season.

In his career Raines played in 2319 games, batted .297, collected 2597 hits with 358 homers, 1458 RBIs and 1486 runs scored... he stole 370 bases... in the playoffs Raines only hit .252 in 109 games with 14 homers, 50 RBIs and 55 runs.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Monday, November 6, 2051

2001-2010 ISLANDIAN PRO ALLIANCE FIRST ALL-DECADE TEAM

RF JET KAZMAREK (2001-2016)
Jet Kazmarek was a short fellow with blazing speed that really stood tall in the batter's box... the 5' 6" outfielder is the all-time top batsman in the Islandian Pro Alliance with a remarkable lifetime .350 BA (1st)... he is the only .400 hitter in IPA history with an unbelievable .428 in 2002... 9 times Kazmarek won the league batting title...6 straight seasons in the Ruthlandian Union and three times in the Tycobbian Union... 8 times he was an All-Star... his teams appeared in the playoffs four times (all with Valmara)... Kazmarek played 6 seasons with the Vipers and 11 with the lousy Arroyo Grande Suns, winning the RU Golden Bat in 2002 and was voted the Ruthlandian MVP in 2002 and 2003... in 2191 games he totaled 2746 hits, 507 doubles, 215 triples (1st), 186 homers, 1287 RBIs and scored 1522 runs with 822 stolen bases (2nd)... Kazmarek retired at 41 and made the IPA Hall of Fame in 2027.

In the postseason Kazmarek batted .331 in 34 games with 11 RBIs and 27 runs scored... he stole 19 bases... the only thing that kept him from being the perfect ballplayer was his lack of power and mediocre fielding... even with his phenomenal speed, flyballs could really cause Kazmarek discomfort... his teammates were known to say even on a cloudy day the sun often gave him trouble in the outfield... even on groundballs.

That completes the first All-Decade Team.
I'll begin researching the second All-Decade Team tomorrow... covering the years 2011-2020.

It looks like you guys like this feature... the thread is getting record-setting views in the last week... the old record was about 250 views in a day... Tuesday there were 332 views... the average viewship is about 150 a day.

Thanks, guys.

Your great support keeps me doing this... and truth be known, I kinda of like the IPA, too.

It's great for me looking back over the years and remember all my favorite teams, seasons and players.

The wonderful OOTPB Modders have made me 63 beautiful sets of uniforms.

Only one more team is left to do... as soon as it is done, I will start season #52.

So get set for a new season with a few new nicknames (I changed a few of them)... some new team colors and logos... and the new uniforms.

I'll be posting the new jerseys, caps and logos during the new season.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Saturday, November 11, 2051

IPA SECOND ALL-DECADE TEAM 2011-2020
The Islandian Pro Alliance released its poll of the best players of the decade from 2011 to 2020. The top players of each decade were selected by a vote of the sportswriters and broadcasters that cover professional baseball in the Islands. Two stars of the First Decade Team also made the Second Decade Team: second baseman Andy Hansen and shortstop Don Nichols. All of the honorees are Hall-of-Famers.

Many of the Second Decade squad will be challengers for the All-Time All-Decade team: pitcher Nicky Engstrom, catcher Hal Stevenson, 1B Jack Elliott, 2B Andy Hansen, 3B Flash Devlin, SS Don Nichols, CF Roy Hobbs and RF Augie Marshall.

SP NICKY ENGSTROM (2010-2029)
During this decade, Engstrom was phenomenal with 20 wins in nine of the seasons. In his fabulous career with the Turon Typhoons Nicky Engstrom sparked his club to 8 pennants and one IPA Pro Cup with a 387-218 career record and a superb 2.43 ERA. Engstrom posted the most wins and the second-best ERA for a pitcher in history. He was a 12-time All-Star, won three Golden Arm Awards (2011, 2013, 2015) and copped the Ruthlandian Rookie of the Year trophy in 2010. In the Pro Cup playoffs Engstrom made 29 starts and compiled a terrific14-5 mark with a superb 2.18 ERA. He retired at age 40 and was installed in the Islandian Pro Alliance Hall of Fame in 2030.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Sunday, November 12, 2051

IPA SECOND ALL-DECADE TEAM 2011-2020

SP JERRY MEEKS (2008-2028)
17th on the all-time win list is Wynnamac's short, stubby southpaw Jerry Meeks, who notched an excellent 313-214 mark over 21 seasons with the Sundowners. Six times in the decade he notched 20 or more victories. Meeks was the Ruthlandian Most Valuable Player and Golden Arm winner in 2013. He was twice an All-Star. Wynnamac won the IPA Pro Cup in his rookie season in 2008, though Meeks did not play a major role, winding up 6-11 for the year with an ERA over 5.00. The Sundowners won 4 RU East flags during Meeks' career. In 9 playoff games and 8 starts the stylish lefty was 3-4 with a 4.17 ERA. Meeks retired at age 42 and became a member of the IPA Hall of Fame in 2029.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Monday, November 13, 2051

IPA SECOND ALL-DECADE TEAM 2011-2020

SP DON CHANEY (2010-2028)
Don Chaney toiled 19 years for the Rocky Rapids Snappers. Twice during the decade the tall and skinny, 6'6" right-hander won 26 games and 25 once. During his tenure he was 317-256 with a 3.13 ERA and ranks 12th in all-time victories. Chaney played on 5 pennant winners, made the All-Star team 6 times and netted the Golden Arm in 2017. As their number three starter in 2019 he helped the Snappers win their only Pro Cup with a 2-0 record in three starts with a strong 1.67 ERA. Rocky Rapids was unbeaten in the postseason, winning 12 straight games. Overall in the playoffs Chaney was 5-3 with a 3.11 ERA in 10 starting assignments.

i'm glad you kept this one going. And i've been excited to see the Modders add uniforms for your league. They all look awesome. i'll be continuing to :eatpop:

I'm excited, too.

Thanks for being such a loyal follower of the IPA.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Tuesday, November 14, 2051

IPA SECOND ALL-DECADE TEAM 2011-2020

C HAL STEVENSON (2001-2024)
Hal Stevenson was gifted at the plate and with the mitt and starred for the Sugar Valley Rattlers almost his entire IPA career. He is number 14 on the IPA career homer list with 567 and number 17 in RBIs with 1758. The Rattler superstar was a 12-time All-Star and hauled in 8 Golden Gloves in 23 seasons. He sparked Sugar Valley to 8 division pennants and to the postseason 9 times, but never won a Pro Cup. In 2013 Stevenson was honored with the Golden Bat Award. That year Stevenson topped the Ruthlandian Union with 49 home runs and 134 runs batted in, while batting at a .311 clip.

In his 2466-game career, Stevenson hit .287 with 2503 hits, 567 home runs, 1574 runs scored and 1758 RBIs. He wrapped up his career at the age of 40 and made the IPA Hall of Fame in 2027, which was the first year of its existence. However, Stevenson didn't have much success with the bat in the playoffs, batting only .197 with three homers and 10 RBIs in 21 games. Most of the time the Rattlers were eliminated early in the postseason.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Wednesday, November 15, 2051

IPA SECOND ALL-DECADE TEAM 2011-2020

1B JACK ELLIOTT (2013-2031)
At age 38, Elliott (2013-2031) called it quits after 19 seasons, 18 of them spent with the High Mesa Cowboys (became Mustangs in 2052). The standout first baseman made the All-Star team 13 times, won 12 Golden Bats, 5 Golden Gloves and 3 MVPs (2013, 2021, 2022). The gifted player led the league 9 times in homers, runs 8 times and in batting average 7 times. He is second all-time with 848 roundtrippers. Only Jerry Culpepper with 878 had more. Elliott played in 2758 games, hit .332 lifetime (3rd) with 3467 hits (11th), 2120 RBIs (4nd) and 2192 runs (3rd). Sadly, as great as he was, Elliott never played in the postseason.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Thursday, November 16, 2051

2001-2010 ISLANDIAN PRO ALLIANCE SECOND ALL-DECADE TEAM

2B ALAN HANSEN (2001-2023)
The great Hall of Fame and Golden Glove second sacker of the first decade IPA all-time team Andy Hansen is back for a second run. He was also selected the best second baseman for the second decade. Hansen and shortstop Don Nichols were the only repeat performers from the initial All-Decade club. Hansen retired in 2023 at age 44 and was elected to the IPA Hall of Fame in 2029. In his first season with Bayview he won the Tycobbian Union batting title amd Golden Bat in 2001 with a .371 batting average.

Hansen played for two teams in his 22 seasons and was a vital part of their success. He was with the Bayview Vikings for five years and finished up with the powerhouse Turon Typhoons. Hansen helped the Vikings win two pennants and make the playoffs four times. But it was with the Typhoons where he really excelled. Hansen spurred them to 10 pennants in his 17 seasons. Turon won two Pro Cups 2009 and 2018 and lost in the Finals in 2010 and 2017.

Overall in 3287 games (5th) Hansen had a career .296 BA, 3554 hits (7rd), 149 triples (7th), 2262 runs (1st), 2351 walks (2nd) and stole 725 bases (5th). He only struck out 554 times in over 12,000 at-bats. Hansen played in 135 postseason games, compiled a .309 batting average, had 159 hits, 31 doubles, scored 89 runs and stole 32 bases. He was chosen for the All-Star team four times and won a couple of Golden Gloves.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Friday, November 17, 2051

IPA SECOND ALL-DECADE TEAM 2011-2020

3B FLASH DEVLIN (2013-2031)
Flash Devlin starred for 19 seasons at third and shortstop with the La Claire Lynx in the Tycobbian West Division and compiled a lifetime .317 BA with 559 HRs, 1799 RBIs and 1995 runs. Devlin ranks 17th in homers, 14th in RBIs and 13th in runs scored. He was a 13-time All-Star. Devlin was 37 when he retired in 2032 with 3261 hits, ranking 19th on the all-time list. The star infielder was finally an inductee into the Islandian Pro Alliance Hall of Fame in 2038. Devlin stood out on a mediocre team. The Lynx were usually a second-division club and only made the postseason one time in Devlin's career. His club's lack of success had a detrimental effect on the Hall of Fame voting, but the media finally realized how good a player Devlin was and placed him among the IPA icons in '38. He also had a reputation of cockiness and self-importance. Devlin was not one of the media favorites during his playing days.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Saturday, November 18, 2051

2011-2020 ISLANDIAN PRO ALLIANCE SECOND ALL-DECADE TEAM

SS DON NICHOLS (2001-2024)
The great Far Mountain shortstop and Hall-of-Famer Don Nichols also was voted number one at his position on the second All-Decade team. During his superb career, Nichols had 386 home runs and batted .310. He was near the top in all-time IPA stats, ranking 8th in games (3253), 4nd in hits (3760), 15th in RBIs (1773), 4th in runs (2164) and 8th in stolen bases (668). In postseason play Nichols hit an even .300 with 9 homers , 51 RBIs, 53 runs and 17 stolen bases in 95 games. He retired in 2024 at the age of 43 and went into the IPA Hall of Fame in 2027.

Nichols played for 24 years, starting off with the Marston Nine for his initial 7 seasons and finishing up with the Far Mountain Redhawks for the final 17. He made the playoffs with the Nine 3 times and 5 times with the Redhawks. Nichols picked up three Pro Cup rings in '11, '12 and '13 as Far Mountain had an unprecedented three-peat. He was an 11-time All-Star and 2-time Golden Glover. In 2018 Nichols won the Ruthlandian Union Most Valuable Player Award and the Golden Bat.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Sunday, November 19, 2051

IPA SECOND ALL-DECADE TEAM 2011-2020

LF ROCCO BELASARIO (2005-2026)
Arlon's fabulous center fielder Rocco Belasario was one of the best player ever in the IPA. In a career spanning 3023 games, Belasario batted .301 with 3076 hits, 508 home runs, 1658 RBIs, 2116 runs scored and 1840 walks. He is 8th in walks all-time, 5th in runs scored, 18th in games played and number one in stolen bases.

For most of his career Belasario played in obscurity, but brilliantly. Arlon went to the postseason only 3 times and never come close to winning the Pro Cup in his tenure. But Belasario excelled with 9 All-Star selections and 5 Golden Gloves. The swift Belasario holds the all-time IPA mark for stolen bases with 1023, almost 200 better than second place Jet Kazmarek. 7 times Belasario led the Tycobbian Union in thefts. In limited postseason action he hit .263 with an impressive on-base percentage of .404, 2 homers, 6 RBIs and scored 15 runs in 23 games, while stealing 11 bases.

Belasario was 40, when he retired. He played 19 seasons with Arlon and 22 years in the league. The gifted outfielder gained entrance into the Islandian Pro Alliance Hall of Fame in 2027.

YESTERDAY IN THE IPA

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Monday, October 16, 2028

Waleska's Hobbs Pro Cup MVP
Waleska's splendid outfielder Roy Hobbs hasn't missed out on many awards and accolades in his legendary 16-year IPA career. The 13-time All-Star, 6-time Golden Bat winner, 4-time batting champ and Gold Glover this year filled in two missing items: Pro Cup ring and Pro Cup Most Valuable Player. The IPA announced Hobbs has been selected the most outstanding player in the 2028 IPA Pro Cup playoffs. Hobbs showed he is still quite a ballplayer at age 35.

Hobbs led the Waleska Westerners to the first Pro Cup title in the club's history. He topped the team with 18 RBIs and 4 homers, while batting .333 in 18 games. Running second in the MVP poll was Waleska's Loco Dillinger, who batted .385 with 6 doubles, 2 triples, 2 home runs, 13 RBIs and 16 runs scored. Third in the balloting was Tuckanarra's fine shortstop Jed Turchin. He hit .405 with 10 doubles and 3 homers, drove in 21 runs and scored 19 times in a great postseason. Finishing fourth was Waleska's bullpen ace Jarred Laclair, who registered a 2-1 record with 2 saves and a 0.96 ERA, while appearing in 10 games and working 18 innings. The number five votegetter was the Blue Jays third sacker Koora Nawajuk. He led Tuckanarra with 5 roundtrippers, while batting .319 with 15 runs batted in and scored 16 runs.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Monday, November 20, 2052

IPA SECOND ALL-DECADE TEAM 2011-2020

CF ROY HOBBS (2013-2031)
Roy Hobbs stood out for the Waleska Westerners for 19 years, finally calling it a career at age 38. Hobbs was a splendid center fielder with a .345 lifetime batting average, second-best in history, topped only by Valmara's Jet Kazmarek, who posted a .350 career average. Hobbs was a 15-time All-Star, won 7 Golden Bats, 2 Golden Gloves and 2 MVP Awards ('26 and '30). He collected 3793 hits, 587 homers, 594 doubles, 142 triples, 2026 runs and 2037 RBIs. Hobbs led the Ruthlandian Union 4 times in batting and hits 10 times. Overall in his terrific career Hobbs ranked 3rd in the IPA all-time in hits, 13th in doubles, 8th in triples, 11th in homers, 6th in RBIs and 11th in runs scored... when he retired in 2031 Hobbs could still hit, posting a .304 batting average in 85 games, but he said he was too much of a defensive liability to stay in the lineup... he was made a member of the Islandian Pro Alliance Hall of Fame in 2032.

Hobbs led the Westerners to their first-ever Pro Cup title in 2028 and was acclaimed the Pro Cup Most Valuable Player. He hit .333 in 18 games in the playoffs that season with 4 homers and 18 RBIs. Waleska won a thrilling seven-game series with the Tucknarra Blue Jays. Hobbs only played in two postseasons, batting .324 in 27 games with 5 home runs, 24 RBIs and 19 runs.

YESTERDAY IN THE IPA

The Islandian Times
Sunday, October 11, 2015

Marshall and Kennedy Pro Cup MVPs
The 2015 IPA Pro Cup Series was a hitter's delight. Consequently the Most Valuable Player Award went to a pair of prolific hitters: Augie Marshall and Arnie Kennedy of the champion Taranto Tars shared the award. The two sluggers demolished Bay St. Clair pitching and sparked the Tars to the IPA crown in five games.

Marshall, the 21-year-old right fielder, hit .375 in the playoffs with 5 home runs, 18 RBIs and 18 runs scored, while 27-year-old left fielder Arnie Kennedy rapped 5 out of the park, drove in 20 runs, scored 16 times and posted a .304 batting average. Each one of them delivered crucial hits at various times in the postseason. Chazzie DiBartolo played a big part in the Tars title run with a fine 4-0 record and was the only other votegetter in the poll.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Tuesday, November 21, 2051

IPA SECOND ALL-DECADE TEAM 2011-2020

RF AUGIE MARSHALL (2013-2033)
Augie Marshall played right field for six teams in his 19 years in the IPA, but played primarily for the Taranto Tars, where he enjoyed his most success from 2013 to 2022. Marshall led the Ruthlandian Union in homers and RBIs in 2014 and 2015. He was the RU Rookie of the Year in 2013 and a 9-time All-Star. Marshall hit 504 home runs and drove in 1791 runs, while batting .287. He helped two clubs win Pro Cups. Taranto won in 2015 and Crystal Lake took it in 2022. Marshall played until 2033 when he retired at age 39. He was inducted into the Islandian Pro Alliance Hall of Fame in 2049. Marshall batted .283 in 59 postseason games with 10 homers, 38 RBIs and 39 runs scored. He was voted the Co-MVP in the 2015 Pro Cup Finals along with teammate Arnie Kennedy. In 17 playoff games Marshall hit .375 with 5 homers, 18 RBIs and 18 runs scored.

The Third Decade All-Decade Team will be coming up soon.

I'm ready now for the 2052 season.

Got beautiful new jerseys and caps for all 64 teams... and lots of new team logos, too.

Several ballclubs have new nicknames.

In the Ruthlandian Union, the Beechwood Bobcats are now the Beechwood Blues... the Forest City Lumberjacks are now the Forest City Firebirds... the Crystal Lake Crushers are now the Crystal Lake Skippers... and the Eastshore Elegants are now the Eastshore Cotton Kings.

Only one change in the Tycobbian Union. The High Mesa Cowboys switched to the High Mesa Mustangs.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Friday, March 1, 2052

NORTH HILLS STAR NAMED TO IPA HALL
In his 16 years in the Islandian Pro Alliance star outfielder Adam Thurgood propelled his North Hills Hawks to 11 pennants and 4 Pro Cup crowns. Credentials like this made him an easy choice for the IPA Hall of Fame. Thurgood will be inducted this summer at the annual All-Star Game. He is the 76th player to be installed in the elite group.

In his career Thurgood batted .311 and made the All-Star team 9 times. He was the Tycobbian Rookie of the Year in his first season 2033 and won the 2041 Pro Cup Most Valuable Player trophy. In that series this year's honoree posted a .355 mark with 5 roundtrippers, 14 runs and 14 RBIs. Thurgood played his entire career in North Hills and retired at age 37 in 2048.

Lifetime Thurgood slammed 2860 hits with 506 home runs, 1613 RBIs and scored 1338 runs. In the playoffs he hit .294 in 123 games, collecting 30 homers, 79 RBIs and scoring 82 runs.

While I work on updating the rosters for the 2052 season, I thought you might like to see the all-time IPA Leaderboards.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Monday, April 1, 2052

TURON, VALMARA, NORTH HILLS PRO CUP WINNERS
As the Islandian Pro Alliance begins its 52nd campaign, a review of IPA history shows that the Valmara Vipers, Turon Typhoons and the North Hills Hawks have won the most Pro Cups with four each... the Vipers have appeared in the Pro Cup Finals on nine occasions, the Typhoons six times and the Hawks five times... the Ozarka Naturals went to the IPA Finals five times and came away empty each time.

Five clubs have captured the IPA crown three times apiece: the Far Mountain Redhawks, Tuckanarra Blue Jays, Southport Sun Sox, Waleska Westerners and Rolling Hills Reds... the Redhawks won it three years in a row... in '11, '12 and '13... only 28 of the league franchises have won the Pro Cup trophy... 36 of them are still waiting in the wings for their first.

TYCOBBIAN UNION 27 PRO CUPS
RUTHLANDIAN UNION 24 PRO CUPS

Turon 4
North Hills 4
Valmara 4
Tuckanarra 3
Southport 3
Waleska 3
Rolling Hills 3
Far Mountain 3
Crystal Lake 2
South Fork 2
Eastshore 2
Sugar Valley 1
Taranto 1
Volusia 1
Middlefield 1
Oxford 1
Ranford 1
Red Bluff 1
Rocky Rapids 1
San Alejo 1
Sligo 1
Blue Lake 1
Colfax 1
Elnora 1
Hartsdale 1
High Mesa 1
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Arlon 1
Wynnamac1

Islandian Pro Alliance Pro Cup History

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Monday, April 1, 2052

IPA THIRD ALL-DECADE TEAM 2021-2030
Who were the best baseball players in the Islands in the 2020's. Who will be represented on the Islandian Pro Alliance All-Decade team for the years 2021 to 2030? Two All-Decade Teams have been released so far. This will be number three.

Three members of the Third All-Decade are repeat performers. IPA legends Nicky Engstrom, Jack Elliott and Roy Hobbs were selected again for the second decade in a row.

SP Duncan Welch (2017-2036)
Heading up the Third Decade pitching rotation is Duncan Welch, who chalked up 350 wins and 255 losses in his 20 seasons in the IPA and compiled an impressive 2.78 career ERA... four times he was an All-Star, winning the RU Most Valuable Player trophy twice, in 2020 and 2023... three times he garnered the Golden Arm, in 2019, 2020 and 2023... six times the Crystal Lake Crushers won pennants and hauled in two Pro Cups (2020 and 2022)... beginning this year 2052, the team will have a new name: Crystal Lake Skippers.

Welch, the 6' 7" southpaw, ranked fifth in the Islandian Pro Alliance in wins with 350... the stringbean lefty also was brilliant in the postseason with a marvelous 17-5 mark in 28 games with a fine 2.50 ERA. Twice Welch was named the Pro Cup MVP in 2020 and 2022.

Yesterday in the IPA

The Islandian Times
Monday, October 12, 2020

CL's Welch Pro Cup MVP
To no one's surprise Crystal Lake's sensational southpaw Duncan Welch has been named the IPA Pro Cup Most Valuable Player this year. Welch sparked the Crushers to the Islandian championship with a superlative 6-1 record in the postseason. Welch made 7 starts and completed 4 of them with a 2.36 ERA against the best teams in the IPA. He worked 58 innings, allowed 45 hits, fanned 41 and walked only 15. During the regular season Welch was 24-12 with an IPA-leading 2.00 ERA.

Coming in second and third in the MVP balloting were two of Welch's Crusher teammates, 2B Greg Murphy and 1B Phil Gravelli. Murphy led the team with 4 homers and 14 RBIs, while batting .338. Gravelli topped team with a .356 batting average. He had 2 homers and 13 runs batted in.

Yesterday in the IPA

The Islandian Times
Saturday, October 15, 2022

Crushers Welch Pro Cup MVP Again
Almost hands down, Crystal Lake's brilliant 28-year-old southpaw Duncan Welch has been chosen the Pro Cup Most Valuable Player. Only one other player received support in The Islandian Times poll. Finishing a distance second was Midway standout Bobby Dorignac. Welch sparked the Crushers to the Pro Cup crown with a perfect 6-0 record in 6 starts with 4 complete games and a superb 1.03 ERA. The 22-year-old Dorignac was even better, but his Wolves didn't win the title, losing in six games. Dorignac was 5-0 with a microscopic 0.64 ERA. Welch was 23-12 in his sixth season and posted a 2.18 ERA, while second-year man Dorignac compiled a 19-14 mark and a 2.74 ERA.

This is the second time the lanky 6' 7" Welch has copped the Pro Cup MVP award. He also led Crystal Lake to the Island championship two years ago when they pulled a big upset by beating favored Ozarka. Welch was 6-1 in that series, notching a 2.36 ERA. He is 12-1 in the postseason with an outstanding 1.71 ERA. Lifetime Welch is 117-72 with a great 2.25 ERA.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Monday, April 1, 2052

IPA THIRD ALL-DECADE TEAM 2021-2030

SP Eric Gaudet (2019-2034)
The number two starter on the Third All-Decade squad is Rolling Hills' masterful right-hander Eric Gaudet... the 6' 5" hurler played 14 of his 16 seasons with the Reds, helping them win 8 pennants during that time and two Pro Cup trophies... Rolling Hills captured the IPA crown in '29 and '31... Gaudet made big contributions in both titles and won the Pro Cup MVP in '29, going 7-0 with an excellent 1.71 ERA in 8 starts... in 2031 he was 3-2 in 7 starts with an impressive 2.82 ERA.

Lifetime Gaudet notched a fine 283-193 record with a rock-solid 2.97 ERA... in the postseason he was the Reds' big-game ace and rarely failed to come through in crucial games... in the postseason Gaudet was 16-9 in 31 starting assignments with strong 2.49 ERA... in 2036 Gaudet retired at age 40, closing out his career with two seasons for the Turon Typhoons... the rangy right-hander was voted into the Islandian Pro Alliance Hall of Fame in 2036... 8 times Gaudet was an All-Star and won 20 games on 6 occasions.

Yesterday in the IPA

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Friday, October 12, 2029

2029 IPA Pro Cup Final Series
(best-of-seven)

Rolling Hills Sweep Stoner In Pro Cup
Dominant pitching and timely hitting combined to bring the Rolling Hills Reds their first Pro Cup in history and they did it in grand style, going unbeaten in the Finals... the Reds swept Stoner in four straight... finishing the Stars off 6-3 in game four at historic Midtown Base Ball Grounds in Rolling Hills.

The Reds ace Errol Gaudet set an IPA Pro Cup record with his 7th postseason victory... Gaudet (7-0/1.71) stopped Stoner on one run and 6 hits in his 7 innings, fanning 3 and issuing no walks... He turned it over to his bullpen with a 5-1 lead... Tom Pierson was the only effective reliever out of three... Pierson came on in the ninth after Alfonso Gonzales and Bobby Morris were tagged for 2 runs and 4 hits in the eighth... Pierson blanked the Stars in the ninth and got his first save of this postseason.

Rolling Hills racked up 12 hits in the win, led by RF Bobby McConnell (.294) with a homer and a double... McConnell hit a 2-run blast in the 4-run first, which the Stars never recovered from... 3B Jeff Booker (.314) added in 3 hits for the Reds... topping the Stars were 2B Norm Murdoch (.224) with 3-5 and RF Neil Mooney (.286) with 2 RBIs.

Reds manager Matty Christianson was estatic after winning his first Pro Cup. "Gaudet was beyond compare in the playoffs... what a postseason he had...Errol carried us pitching-wise... offensively it was everybody... we had a different hero everyday... it was a great team effort."

Losing skipper Benny Stern lamented, "Our offense was no match for the Reds pitching... Gaudet and Brown were outstanding in the Finals against us... we just ran up against a fine team... but I'm not gonna hang my head in shame... my Stars had a super run and with a few well-placed hits in the first three games we could still be playing... it really hurt to lose 2-1, 2-1 and 7-5."

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Sunday, October 14, 2029

Gaudet Unanimous Choice For Pro Cup MVP
No doubt about it, Rolling Hills 35-year-old ace Errol Gaudet is this year's IPA Pro Cup Most Valuable Player. The lanky 6 foot 5 inch soft-throwing right-hander sparked the Reds to their first Pro Cup crown in history and broke the record for playoff wins with a 7-0 record and a brilliant 1.77 ERA in 8 starts. Duncan Welch of Eastshore and Skeets Hobart of Wynnamac held the old record with 6-0. Welch did it in 2022 and Hobart in 2008. Gaudet got all the first place votes and was elected unanimously. During the regular season Gaudet was 21-13 with a 3.38 ERA. An 11-year IPA veteran, he has posted a career 217-127 mark and a splendid 2.80 ERA.

Four of Gaudet's teammates received votes in The Islandian Times MVP poll. Right fielder Bobby McConnell was a distant second in the balloting. McConnell batted .294 in the playoffs and led the Reds with 10 RBIs. Third baseman Jeff Booker came in third with a .314 batting average, 9 RBIs and 8 runs scored. Number four was catcher Tony Brinkerhoff with a .324 BA, 12 runs scored and 9 runs batted in. Finishing fifth was center fielder Scotty Yiska, who hit .284, drove in 9 runs and scored 9 times.

Today I had the most views ever... 305 is a new record for one day.

Thanks to all of you who continue to follow the IPA.

I'm continually amazed by your loyalty.

You are very much appreciated.

I wish I could personally thank each of you.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Monday, April 1, 2052

IPA THIRD ALL-DECADE TEAM 2021-2030

SP Nicky Engstrom (2010-2029)
To even make an Islandian Pro Alliance All-Decade Team once is quite an accomplishment - to make it two decades in a row is just a remarkable achievement. That's exactly what iconic Hall of Fame pitcher Nicky Engstrom has done. The gifted right-hander for the Turon Typhoons didn't dominate the 2020's like he did in the previous decade, but his numbers were still at a superior level. Four times he racked up 20 or more wins and his ERA remained near the brilliant mark. Engstrom had one of his best seasons at age 37 when he posted the best ERA of his career. He was only 18-16 for a 71-83 seventh place team, but his ERA was a superb 1.87 and led the Tycobbian Union and was second in the IPA.

In his legendary career with the Turon Typhoons Nicky Engstrom sparked his club to 8 pennants and one IPA Pro Cup with a 387-218 career record and a superb 2.43 ERA. Engstrom has won more games than any other hurler in history and compiled the second-best ERA for a pitcher in history. He was a 12-time All-Star, won three Golden Arm Awards (2011, 2013, 2015) and copped the Ruthlandian Rookie of the Year trophy in 2010. In the Pro Cup playoffs Engstrom made 29 starts and compiled a terrific 14-5 mark with a superb 2.18 ERA. He retired at age 40 and was installed in the Islandian Pro Alliance Hall of Fame in 2030. Engstrom was also selected for the IPA All-Decade Team 2011-2020.

I thought I would post some of the new team logos for the All-Decade players.

The logos will be next to the players' career stats.

No, all thanks go to you EC. Yours is one of the most enduring fictional dynasties on the board, and always a pleasure to catch up on. It's inspired me (and I'm sure many others) to dive into our own fictional baseball worlds.

Thank you for the very nice words, English Ray.

And thank you for keeping up with the IPA.

It was Portland and the Laseron Baseball Association and DreamTeams' Metro League that inspired me.
Those run number one and two on the all-time dynasty list for me.
They used maps, stadiums, uniforms and logos to get immersed in their leagues. The Laseron League had a great newspaper where articles by each team would be posted. It was a great league with some of the all-time OOTPB members participating in it.

The Metro League is still going strong.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Monday, April 1, 2052

IPA THIRD ALL-DECADE TEAM 2021-2030

C Crash Davis (2013-2033)
Crash Davis, who stood out for the Ginza Ninjas for 17 of his 21 seasons in the Islandian Pro Alliance, was chosen to the Third All-Decade Team as the top backstop... he was a lifetime .304 hitter with 3018 hits, 403 homers, 1465 RBIs and 1656 runs... Davis was a 15-time All-Star, 5-time Gold Glover and led his team to five pennants, but never won a Pro Cup ring... he was installed in the IPA Hall of Fame in 2038. Davis played until 2033 and retired at age 39. He only had modest success In postseason play where he batted .234 with 2 home runs, 12 RBIs and 12 runs scored in 35 games... not only was Davis a productive hitter, he was very good defensively, too. He was also quite good in the 2010s, but was beaten out by the great Hal Stevenson for the IPA Second All-Decade Team.

Beautiful jerseys compliments of knuckler.
I did the logo with the help of iNTaXX on the Japanese-type font.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Monday, April 1, 2052

IPA THIRD ALL-DECADE TEAM 2021-2030

1B Jack Elliott (2013-2031)
Only a limited few superstars will make an IPA All-Decade Team. And even fewer players will do it twice. The great slugging first sacker and Hall-of-Famer Jack Elliott is one of those superstars that did it. He was picked for the Second All-Decade Team and then again on the Third All-Decade Team.

At age 38, Elliott called it quits after 19 seasons, 18 of them spent with the High Mesa Cowboys (became Mustangs in 2052). The standout first baseman made the All-Star team 13 times, won 12 Golden Bats, 5 Golden Gloves and 3 MVPs (2013, 2021, 2022). The gifted player led the league 9 times in homers, runs 8 times and in batting average 7 times. He is second all-time with 848 roundtrippers. Only Jerry Culpepper with 878 had more. However, Culpepper never hit for the average Elliott did, batting .304 in his career. Elliott played in 2758 games, hit .332 lifetime (3rd) with 3467 hits (11th), 2120 RBIs (4nd) and 2192 runs (3rd). He made the IPA Hall of Fame in 2032. Much to his dismay, Elliott never played in the postseason.

knuckler created the fine High Mesa jerseys.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Monday, April 1, 2052

IPA THIRD ALL-DECADE TEAM 2021-2030

2B John Velasco (2026-2049)
The top second baseman during the third decade of play in the Islandian Pro Alliance was durable John Velasco... he played 24 years for the Fairfax Frogs and might still be playing but for a bad Achilles' tendon, which finally put him into retirement in '49 at age 42... in his last season Velasco hit .320 with 20 HRs, 73 RBIs and scored 84 runs. He also made the Tycobbian All-Star team that year. Velasco was a 9-time All-Star and ranks very high in all-time IPA stats...he hit .299 in his career playing in 3343 games (4th) with 4056 hits (2nd), 457 home runs, 2026 RBIs (7th) and 2071 runs (7th)... only the great first baseman Phil Gravelli had more hits with 4260... Velasco was inducted into the IPA Hall of Fame in 2049. He only made the postseason playoffs twice in his lengthy and remarkable career... Velasco batted .269 in 13 games with 1 homer, 10 RBIs and 6 runs.

Special thanks to rocknfire7 for his great Fairfax Frogs jerseys and caps.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Monday, April 1, 2052

IPA THIRD ALL-DECADE TEAM 2021-2030

3B Flash Devlin (2013-2031)
The best third basemen in the 2020s was Flash Devlin, who's back again for another decade... Devlin was also chosen to the Second All-Decade Team, one of the six players that have been repeaters during the first 30 years... the others are Nicky Engstrom, Alan Hansen, Don Nichols, Jack Elliott and Roy Hobbs.

Devlin is a member of the Islandian Pro Alliance Hall of Fame, elected in 2038... playing for the mediocre La Claire Lynx, he rarely got to play in the postseason... only once in his 19-year career did his club make the playoffs... but he made the press certainly stand up and pay attention in the regular season by making the All-Star Team 13 times... Devlin was a prolific hitter with a lifetime .317 BA, batting .356 in '17, .353 in '21, .343 in '18, .343 in '23 and .331 in '16 and '22... for his first 12 seasons he hit .300 or more ('13 to '24)... Devlin participated in 2737 games, collected 3261 hits (19th all-time), 559 home runs (17th), 1799 RBIs (14th) and scored 1995 runs (13th)... not only was he good with the bat, Flash Devlin was an outstanding third sacker known for his "flashy" plays.

Special thanks to knuckler for his impressive La Claire logo and road jersey.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Monday, April 1, 2052

IPA THIRD ALL-DECADE TEAM 2021-2030

SS James Couch (2015-2036)
Day in, day out, game-after-game, season-after-season James Couch just played very good baseball for the Ozarka Naturals for 20 years and Elnora for the final two seasons... he not only hit the ball well, he also was a standout defender... 10 times Couch was an All-Star... twice he was a Golden Glover... he led his club to 8 pennants, but never won a Pro Cup, yet they were finalists on three occasions... Couch was a vital part of the Nats' success... he was an easy choice for the best shortstop of the 2020s and voted to the IPA Third All-Decade Team.

James Couch played until he was 39, retiring in 2036... he entered the Islandian Pro Alliance Hall of Fame in 2038... Couch compiled a career .307 batting average... he won his only batting title in with a .351 mark in 2024... Couch piled up 3227 hits, 231 roundtrippers, 1339 RBIs and scored 1601 runs... in the postseason he hit .295 with 7 homers, 56 RBIs and 55 runs in 104 games.

Special thanks to Hankyu Braves for the fine Ozarka Naturals jerseys.

It is always nice for me to see somebody like Crouch - not a slugger - make it to the Hall...

Since the IPA is a small rip-off of the great Laseron Baseball Association, I think it would be appropriate to asked why it wasn't continued. It was an on-line league, I think with a lot of owners... maybe that was the problem.

The IPA just depends on me... I suppose it took a lot of people to make the LSA run.

No matter what, it is still the ultimate league that I know of.

Maybe you should revive the Laseron... just recreate it yourself... would you be able to use the team names, uniforms and stadiums?
Wouldn't it be great if the Geo Bahn Rock Hounds lived again?

The Metro League is another great one, but on a smaller scale. DreamTeams does a splendid job on it year-after-year.

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Monday, April 1, 2052

IPA THIRD ALL-DECADE TEAM 2021-2030

LF Donnie Lewis (2010-2029)
For 20 years Donnie Lewis the Third Decade Team's left fielder was a standout performer for the Rolling Hills Reds (14 seasons) and the Ancona Red Elephants (6 seasons)... he was a 5-time All-Star and career .307 hitter... Lewis ranked 9th in the IPA with 1837 walks, 17th in doubles with 583, 17th in runs with 1886, 22nd in hits with 3234 and 22nd in stolen bases with 537... he hit only 148 homers, but possessed a impressive .412 on-bat percentage... Lewis had two of his best years late in his career, batting .321 at age 35 with 115 RBIs and 114 runs... and a .320 mark at age 37 with 120 RBIs and 108 runs... he was voted into the Islandian Pro Alliance Hall of Fame in 2045 after retiring at 39... the main factors were his .307 lifetime BA and his 3234 hits, the magic numbers for getting into the elite group... the fact that he wasn't a power hitter and only made the playoffs twice in his career kept him out of Hall for quite a few years.

Special thanks to knuckler for the Rolling Hills logo.

Special thanks to Hankyu Braves for the Rolling Hills Reds and Ancona Red Elephants Home jerseys.

Finally... some exciting news... the 2052 Season will begin shortly... I have updated the rosters with free agents and the season is set to go... complete with new jerseys, new logos and some new team nicknames.

I'm really excited about this season!