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The other primary votegetters for the best all-time shortstop spot on the IPA 50th Anniversary All-Stars were James Couch, Andy Pearson and Jud Turchin.
SS James Couch (2015-2036)
Runner-up to Don Nichols in the best shortstop race was dependable and rock-solid James Couch... day in, day out, game-after-game, season-after-season 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... the Nats lost to one of the best teams in IPA history twice in the Pro Cup Finals... that team was the remarkable Far Mountain Redhawks, the winner of three straight Pro Cups, 2011 through 2013... Don Nichols was one of the prime leaders on that team ... the other defeat was to two-time champion Eastshore, a powerhouse in 2016... 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.
SS Andy Pearson (2013-2032)
In the third spot was Andy Pearson, who starred for the Arroyo Grande Suns for most of his 20 seasons in the IPA... Pearson was an 11-time All-Star and 3-time Golden Glover... he sparked the Suns to 4 division flags and postseason appearances... but he never won a Pro Cup ring... lifetime Pearson batted .314 with 3097 hits, 384 roundtrippers, 1567 RBIs, scored 1739 runs and stole 214 bases... Pearson has a lackluster postseason record, hitting only .246 in 29 games, but he did score 20 runs.
SS Jud Turchin (2002-2022)
Fourth in the balloting was Hartsdale's Jud Turchin... a 7-time All-Star and a Golden Glove winner, he carried a career .304 BA with 3360 hits, 391 homers, 1580 RBIs, 1868 runs and 320 SBs... the Hellcats made the playoffs 5 times in Turchin's tenure... Turchin hit only .238 in 22 games, but did produce 5 home runs, 13 RBIs and scored 17 times.
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