ISLANDIAN PRO ALLIANCE (RUTHLANDIA and TYCOBBIA BASEBALL UNIONS)

[Eugene Church]

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Thursday, October 13, 2044

2044 IPA PRO CUP FINALS - Game 4

SUNDOWNERS DRUB SUN SOX 8-5, SERIES TIED AT 2
For the second successive game at Granger Field, homestanding Wynnamac drubbed Southport 8-5 to deadlock the Pro Cup Finals at two victories apiece... the W'Macs bombed Sun Sox ace Billy Hoover (4-2/2.22) for 7 runs and 11 hits in just 4 innings... they sent him to the showers trailing 7-1... backed by 14 hits, Jimmy Willard (3-4/3.90) got revenge for a first-game loss to Hoover 5-3... it wasn't one of Willard's best days as he was tagged for 13 hits and 5 runs, but still went all the way... he fanned 3 and walked one.

Offensively it was RF Nokia Inkamara (.409), C Edward Williams (.344) and LF Robby Booth (.217) that supplied the firepower... they each drove in 2 runs... SS Jeff French (.275) had 2 hits with 2 runs and an RBI... Both French and Williams smashed a pair of doubles apiece, while Inkamara belted one... Willard (.190) also helped his own cause with 2 hits, a run and an RBI.

Leading Southport at the plate were SS Gonzalo Topez (.373) and C Vasillis Vlachos (.273) with 3 hits each... 3B Ricky Whitaker (.316) and 2B Owen Wallace (.234) also chipped with a pair of hits.

[Eugene Church]

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Friday, October 14, 2044

2044 IPA PRO CUP FINALS - Game 5

SUN SOX TORCH SUNDOWNERS 13-6 IN 14 INNINGS
The Pro Cup favorite Southport Sun Sox are now within one win of their first Pro Cup since 2027... they torched Wynnamac 13-6 in 14 innings to take a 3-2 edge in the Pro Cup Finals... a massive 7-run barrage in the 14th carried them to victory... it was a comedy of errors by the Sundowners, who committed 2 miscues and walked 2 batters to start off the critical inning... the winning score came in on an infield error... Barney Lewis also clubbed a grand slammer in the inning.

The Sun Sox got a great relief job from Hal Combs (1-0/1.23), who fired 4 and one-third shutout innings, striking out 5 and giving up 2 hits... the fifth Sundowner hurler Ernie Hodges (0-1/0.00) was victimized with the 7 unearned runs.

Southport scored first in the opening frame on a single by CF Barney Lewis (.400)... they made it 2-0 in the top of the second on RF Pat Kinney's (.328) RBI single... Wynnamac cut it to 2-1 in the last of the second on a double by 3B Duane Hudson (.411) and a single by 1B Jack Pope (.333)... in the fifth the Sun Sox put 3 on the board on 3B Ricky Whitaker's (.311) 2-run single and Kinney's RBI hit... the W'Macs narrowed it to 5-3 in the bottom of the inning on 2B Dale Fisher's (.238) 2-run triple... in the sixth Whitaker put Southport up 6-3 on an RBI single... the Sundowners rallied with back-to-back homers in their sixth by Duane Hudson (.411) and Jack Pope (.333), making it 6-5... and then sent the game into extra innings in the bottom of the ninth on doubles by Hudson and C Edward Williams (.361).

Southport collected 19 hits with Barney Lewis (.400) leading the way with 4 hits and 5 RBIs... Lewis now has 18 RBIs in the playoffs with 4 homers... Pat Kinney (.328) also had 4 hits and 2 RBIs... and Whitaker (.311) posted 2 hits and 2 RBIs... Wynnamac totaled 14 hits with Hudson (.411) getting 4 of them and Pope (.333) 3... Pope has socked 4 roundtrippers and driven in 13 in the postseason, both tops for the Sundowners.

The Sundowners also got excellent some relief work from Ciaran Gallagher (0.73), Shirai Nakamura (8.44) and Johnny Mitchell (0.00)... they blanked the Sun Sox from the 6th through the 13th on 4 hits... the starters were banged around a lot... Southport's Johnny Swanson (2-1/2.90) pitched into the 10th, surrendered 6 runs on 12 hits... and W'Macs' Geoff Hobart allowed (2-1/3.24) gave up 6 runs and 12 hits in just 5 and one-third innings... Hobart struck out 6 and issued 4 walks... he was down 6-3 when he departed.

Southport has the homefield advantage... the final two games, if needed, are slated for Pleasure Beach Park... Sun Sox skipper Charley Oscar will send his number-three starter Gordon Forbes (18-10/3.43) to the hill in game six, while Wynnamac's Matt Donnelly will counter with Sammy Hayes (22-12/3.54), who was the number-two man in his regular-season rotation... Forbes is 3-1 in the postseason with a 5.18 ERA in 4 starts... Hayes is 3-2 in 5 starts with a 4.37 ERA... Hayes beat Forbes handily in game three 9-2.

[Eugene Church]

AROUND THE TOWN IN THE IPA

Southport Sun Sox

Owner: Stage Productions, CEO Amanda Thompson
GM/Manager: Charley Oscar

Southport is located on Arvonian Island on its southeast tip. Arvonian Island, a tourist's treat, sits in the Southern Sea south of the main island and is separated from the mainland by Belair Bay. Cape Coral is on the island's north coast, Summerland on the northeast shore, Arroyo Grande on the southwest coast and San Alejo is in the mountainous interior.

Southport has a good natural port with beautiful white beaches and was settled by the British in the 1860s. They had first settled in Summerland, but thought that greater opportunities lay in the sparsely-populated southern part of the island.

Southport's population numbers about 75,000 fulltime residents, but is visited by many times that number of tourists from all over Tycobbia, Ruthlandia and recently by visitors from all over the world. The town got it start in 1870s when the "Father of Southport" Henry Banks built several hotels near the hot springs along with holiday cottages. Banks promoted Southport as "Heaven on Earth" and got the plant and factory owners on the mainland to send their workers there on holiday as a reward for their work. Banks arranged for cheap passage on ships to Southport as well. The growth intensified when he got the factory owners to close down for a week each year to service and repair the equipment. Banks got them to do it on different dates throughtout the year to insure a steady flow of tourists. As more and more industry developed in Tycobbia and Ruthlandia, the more Banks' tourist enterprise prospered and grew.

Southport's early growth and character was predicated on its pioneering use of electric power. In 1879 Banks created Southport Illuminations, lighting up the Promenade, the main downtown area, with 12 arc lamps. Banks called it "Artificial Sunshine". This was a year before Edison got the patent on the electric light bulb. Also as an attraction, Banks built was one of the world's first electric tramways running from Cocker Street to Dean Street on the Promenade. The tram has remained in continuous service to this day. Southport Illuminations has now grown to a three-mile stretch on the Promenade and lit up by 100,000 light bulbs. Tourists from all over Islandia and the world come to see the light spectacle. At Christmastime the Promenade is aglow with Christmas lights and decorations. It's a wondrous sight to see.

In 1912 Pleasure Beach, a world-class amusement park, was the brainchild of a town alderman, William George Bean. He wanted to create "a place where adults could feel like children again". It succeeded beyond his wildest dreams and is still a huge attraction today. The amusement park includes a baseball stadium, built in 1962 for the town's industrial leagues. It is named Pleasure Beach Ballpark and is run by Stageworks Productions, a company Bean's son-in-law, Leonard Thompson, established to run Pleasure Beach. Thompson's daughter, Amanda, is the current manager and CEO. You can see the beautiful blue waters of the Southern Sea beyond the outfield fences.

It was through Amanda Thompson's urging that the corporation ventured into professional baseball and obtained a franchise in the Islandian Pro Alliance. She thought it would be a great addition to Southport's tourist attractions, considering how much the Islands love baseball. That's how the Southport Sun Sox came into being.

The GM and skipper of the Southport Sun Sox is Charlie Oscar, one of the greatest all-around player ever, who starred as in the company leagues for over 25 years. Oscar was great with the glove and the bat. He could run, throw, field, hit for average and hit with power, a true 5-tool player.

Pleasure Beach Ballpark (1962)
Capacity: 12,500

Dimensions:
Left Field Line 330
Left Field 355
Left Center 385
Center Field 395
Right Center 385
Right Field 355
Right Field Line 330

[Eugene Church]

Map of Islandia

[Eugene Church]

AROUND THE TOWN IN THE IPA

WYNNAMAC SUNDOWNERS

Owner: Granger Co-Operative Association
GM/Manager: Matt Donnelly

Wynnamac is a town of 86,000 residents and can be found about 50 miles inland from the Valerian Ocean, which is near the eastern coast of Ruthlandia. It is located in the northeastern part of the country in the Central Plains, which spans east to west across it and is a well-known farming region, filled with seemingly endless fields of ripe golden wheat and rustic farms. It is the "Breadbasket of Ruthlandia". Settled by a diverse band of hearty and hardworking Canadian and Australian immigrants, who worked "sunup to sundown". They became known as "Sundowners" because of their great work ethic and love for the land...and for their love of baseball and the homestanding Wynnamac Sundowners. The area is also a center for meat packing and dairy industries.

Life hasn't changed much here for a hundred years and probably won't change much in the next hundred years. Wynnamac is a member of the IPA's Ruthlandian East Division. The club plays at Granger Field, which is built right next to a grain processing plant with huge silos and a water tower with a gigantic ear of corn on it...all visible from the ballpark. The Sundowners are owned by the Granger Co-operative Association, farmers banded together for the common good.

At the concession stands you get nothing fancy...just soda pop, hot dogs, hamburgers, popcorn, peanuts, crackerjacks and ice cream. No beer or alcoholic beverages are permitted at the stadium. It is against the law in Wynnamac county and strictly enforced.

Wynnamac's General Manager and Field Manager is Matt Donnelly, who loves the game of baseball like no other. And he played the game very well, too. He was an outstanding hitter and first baseman for quite a few seasons in the local company leagues, playing until he was almost 50.

Granger Field (1967)
Capacity: 7,965
Dimensions:
Left Field Line - 355
Left Field - 375
Left Center - 415
Center Field - 404
Right Center - 375
Right Field - 350
Right Field Line - 325

[Eugene Church]

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Saturday, October 15, 2044

2044 IPA PRO CUP FINALS - Game 6

W'MACS WIN 7-6, PRO CUP GOES TO 7TH GAME
The Wynnamac Sundowners are not intimidated by the potent pitching of the Southport Sun Sox... for the fourth straight game they cracked double-digit hits... the W'Macs smacked 10 hits in capturing a "must win" game six 7-6 by rallying from an early 5-2 deficit, thus forcing the Pro Cup Series to go to a seventh and decisive game... the Sun Sox suffered their first home loss in this year's playoffs... they had won seven in a row... Wynnamac last won the Pro Cup in 2008 and Southport garnered their only trophy in 2027... one of the long droughts will end tomorrow.

Winning pitcher Shirai Nakamura delivered the game-winning hit... with score tied 6-all in the top of the seventh, Jeff French singled with one out, stole second and rode home on Nakamura's single... Nakamura (1-0/5.40) relieved starter Sammy Hayes in the fifth with the game tied 6-6 and hurled 3 shutout innings... then Johnny Mitchell closed it out with 2 more scoreless frames for his third save in the postseason... in a terrible outing Sun Sox starter Gordon Forbes (3-2/5.75) caught the loss... he was pounded for 7 runs and 10 hits in 7 and two-thirds innings... Forbes also gave up 7 bases on balls.

LF Robby Booth (.231) and 1B Jack Pope (.333) homered for the Sundowners... Booth banged a 3-run shot in the fourth and Pope smacked a solo shot in the second... it was Pope's fifth homer in the playoffs, best in the IPA this season, and his 15th RBI... Booth and 3B Duane Hudson (.410) led the 10-hit attack with 2 hits each... Southport got 12 hits, led by C Vasilis Vlachos (.294) with 3-for-5... and 2B Owen Wallace (.268) and RF Chris Jones (.197) socked 2 hits apiece... 1B Eddy Douglas (.220) went deep for the Sun Sox with a solo clout and CF Barney Lewis (.385) had 2 runs batted in, giving his 20 for the playoffs, tops in the IPA.

The game-seven finale will also be at Southport's Pleasure Beach Park... for the third time in the Finals, it will be Southport's Billy Hoover and Wynnamac's Jimmy Willard on the hill... Hoover won game one 5-3, while Willard gained an 8-5 decision in game four... neither has been particularly effective in the series... both the Sun Sox and Sundowners' offense has had the edge so far... they are both averaging over 6 runs a game.

Willard was 24-10 with a fine 2.93 ERA during the regular season and Hoover was 21-14 with a splendid 2.38 ERA... only Hoover has prospered in the playoffs... Willard is 3-4 with a modest 3.90 ERA, while Hoover is 4-2 with a 2.22 ERA.

[Eugene Church]

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Sunday, October 16, 2044

2044 IPA PRO CUP FINALS - Game 7

SUN SOX IPA CHAMP, HOOVER WINS 5-2
For the first time in 16 years, the Southport Sun Sox are the supreme team in the IPA... in the seventh game of the Pro Cup series, ace right-hander Billy Hoover hurled the game of a lifetime as he stopped the hard-hitting Wynnamac Sundowners on 4 hits in a 5-2 victory... in a very fine outing Hoover (5-2/2.18) fanned 8 batters and walked just one for this 5th win in the postseason... things did not go as well for Jimmy Willard (3-5/4/12), the W'Macs top pitcher... he went the distance, but was pelted for 13 hits and 5 runs.

CF Barney Lewis (.406) provided 3 hits and 3 RBIs to anchor the Southport attack... Lewis' 2-run homer in the seventh gave Hoover a 3-run cushion... Lewis finished the postseason with 5 homers and set a new record with 23 RBIs... Tony Blundell had the old mark of 22, established 40 years ago in the 2004 Pro Cup Series when Red Bluff won it... 1B Eddy Douglas (.234) chipped in with 2 hits, 2 runs and drove in a run with a solo homer, his 4th of the playoffs... his blast put Southport ahead 3-2 in the fifth... three other Sun Sox had a pair of hits apiece: SS Gonzalo Topez (.348), C Vasilis Vlachos (.306) and 2B Owen Wallace (.288)... RF Nioka Inkamara (.351) and SS Jeff French (.254) drove in the Sundowner runs.

Wynnamac went ahead in the opening frame 1-0... Southport tied it up in the bottom half of the inning... the Sundowners took the lead again with a run in the fourth... the Sun Sox evened it at 2-all in the fifth, copped the lead 3-2 in the sixth and finished the W'Macs off with two more in the seventh.

In the postgame celebration, Sun Sox skipper Charley Oscar was overjoyed at winning his second Pro Cup... he told reporters, "The first Pro Cup is very special, but the second one is even better... I don't think I would ever get tired of being the IPA champs."

Oscar singled out Billy Hoover, Barney Lewis and Eddy Douglas for special praise. "Billy had a heck of a season and a super postseason... what he did in the last game... holding Wynnamac to just 2 runs... was really something... and it was Barney and Eddy that carried us at the plate... always coming through with a clutch homer or hit... Gonzie Topez and Pat Kinney were two more important elements... always getting on base and scoring runs... Wallace and Vlachos were valuable contributors, too."

Wynnamac manager Matt Donnelly was crushed at losing the Pro Cup, telling reporters that he thought the momentum had shifted after they won three of four games after initially dropping the first two games. "I thought we were going to win game seven... I really did... I thought the team was hitting so well that we could even beat Hoover... we hit him pretty well in game four and were really red-hot at the plate... but you've got to give it to him, he stuck it to us in game seven... oh, we came oh so close... it was a heartbreaking loss for us."

[Eugene Church]

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Monday, October 17, 2044

LEWIS EDGES HOOVER FOR PRO CUP MVP
Southport's Barney Lewis has always been a solid and reliable centerfielder at the plate and in the field, but this year in the playoffs, he stepped his play up to the elite status and came away with the IPA Pro Cup Most Valuable Player Award. The 29-year-old Lewis edged out his teammate Billy Hoover for the honor. Wynnamac closer Johnny Mitchell came in third in the balloting conducted by The Islandian Times.

Lewis got a hit in all 17 postseason games and sparked the Sun Sox to the IPA crown with a 12 and 5 record. Not only did he bat .406 to lead the team, but he set a new IPA mark with 23 RBIs, breaking the old record of 22 established 40 years ago by Tony Blundell of the Red Bluff Red Sox, the Pro Cup champion of 2004. Lewis went 28-for-69 with 3 doubles, a triple, 5 home runs and scored 9 runs. He also stole 5 bases in 5 tries. Lewis is a modest .266 career hitter with 237 homers and 762 RBIs and has made the All-Star team on two occasions (2042 and 2043).

Billy Hoover, the Southport mound ace, was a worthy challenger with a 5-2 record in 7 starts with a sparkling 2.18 ERA and 6 complete games. The 29-year-old hurler wrapped up the series with a super performance in the decisive game seven, whipping the tough Sundowners 5-2 on a 4-hitter. Hoover has chalked up 20 wins for the last three seasons. Overall he is 121-82 in his 5-year IPA tenure with an excellent 2.83 ERA. Hoover was the 2043 Tycobbian MVP and Golden Arm winner.

Wynnamac's superb closer, Johnny Mitchell, was third in the MVP voting. He had a fantastic postseason appearing in 9 games, posting 15 scoreless innings with a 2-0 record and 3 saves. Mitchell, age 25, has been a standout reliever for the Sundowners for 7 years. He has compiled a 38-26 mark with 104 saves and a 2.34 ERA in 301 relief appearances.

[Eugene Church]

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Tuesday, October 18, 2044

MARTIN EDGES GAMBLE FOR RU GOLDEN BAT
Most players Noel Martin's age have been long gone from the IPA, but not this 39-year-old swinger from Belle Plaine. He had his best year ever by far and edged perennial RU Golden Bat winner Bobby Gamble for this year's trophy. In 148 games Martin batted .354 with 203 hits, 35 homers, 121 RBIs, scored 112 runs and even stole 9 bases. He was the runner-up to Roberto Campos (St. John), who hit .359 for the batting crown. Martin was fourth in hits and eighth in scoring runs. This was his first Ruthlandian Golden Bat Award. Martin is a 19-year veteran, all with the Musketeers, with a .286 career batting average, 347 homers, 1321 runs and 1220 RBIs. It took him seven seasons to win a spot in the regular lineup. Martin is a five-time Ruthlandian All-Star. Despite his sensational season Belle Plaine finished deep in the RU East Division, coming in next-to-last.

Sugar Valley's great outfielder Bobby Gamble, a 5-time Golden Bat honoree, just missed out an another this season. He was a close second in the balloting. Gamble, now 31, played in 143 games, and batted .348, fourth best in the RU. He topped the league with 133 runs, was fifth in doubles with 39 and fourth in homers with 43. Gamble led the Rattlers to a very close second place in the RU East and in the process picked up this year's MVP award.

Finishing third in the voting for the Golden Bat was 2-time winner Nioka Inkamara of the Wynnamac Sundowners. He sparked his club to the RU East Division title with 40 roundtrippers, 131 RBIs, 114 runs and a .321 BA in 144 contests. The talented right fielder came in third in the RBI category in the IPA. At 27, Inkamara is a .314 lifetime batter.

DC'S STETSON COPS 2ND TU GOLD BAT
For the second year in a row, Denton City's super first sacker Wayman Stetson has been honored with the Tycobbian Golden Bat. In a tough race he outpaced Cape Coral's Rikky Van Dalen and Luxora's Derrek Jackson. Stetson has a colossal year with an IPA-leading 56 home runs. He drove in 128 runs, scored 112 and batted .323 for average. The 27-year-old Stetson played in 154 games, not missing a single one, and was one of the important cogs in the Zorros' second-place finish in the Tycobbian West pennant race. This year's Golden Bat winner is a career .316 hitter with 316 homers in his 8 seasons with the Z's and is also a six-time All-Star.

The number-two votegetter was Cape Coral's terrific left fielder Rikky Van Dalen, a previous Tycobbian MVP and Golden Bat recipient. He is a four-time All-Star and a two-time batting crown winner. Van Dalen was second in the IPA and first in the Tycobbian Union with a .358 BA. Appearing in 148 games this season, he totaled 35 homers, 117 RBIs, scored 113 times and stole 15 bases, leading the Hurricanes to the fourth spot in the TU South Division. Career-wise Van Dalen in 9 years is hitting at a .315 clip with 233 home runs.

Luxora outfielder Derrek Jackson wound up second in the TU batting race and sixth in the IPA with a .347 BA. In the Golden Bat competition he was number three. Jackson is a 9-year veteran with a lifetime .305 batting average. This season he collected 200 hits, fifth in the TU with 28 home runs, 107 RBIs and 100 runs, while participating in 147 games. 2044 was vast improvement over his previous seasons with career highs in almost all categories. Jackson is 32 years of age.

[Eugene Church]

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Wednesday, October 19, 2044

KIVAS OF ELNORA CLAIMS RU GOLDEN ARM
12-year veteran Stan Kivas posted the best season of his career this year for the Elnora All-Stars and picked up the Ruthlandian Union Golden Arm Award, emblematic of the top pitcher in the league. Kivas beat out two other very fine twirlers in Cold Creek's Sammy Wright and Glasco's Pat Meyers for the honor. Kivas racked up a 21-14 mark with a standout 2.11 ERA, which was the third-best ERA in the Ruthlandian Union and sixth-best in the IPA. The 34-year-old right-hander had 21 complete games in 41 starts with 5 shutouts and 193 strikeouts in 329 innings. Kivas was a huge presence in the All-Stars' second-place finish. They were just barely beaten out by division champion Wynnamac in a three-way playoff that also include the Sugar Valley Rattlers. In his career Kivas is 188-155 with a 3.33 ERA. This was his first year to win the Golden Arm. He is a three-time All-Star.

Cold Creek's Sammy Wright was second in the vote. The 26-year-old righty led the Catamounts to the fourth spot in the RU East standings just a notch below Wynnamac, Sugar Valley and Elnora. The Cats were only three games out of first place. Wright was 24-8 with a strong 2.96 ERA in 39 starts. He had 20 complete games with 225 strikeouts in 319 innings and 3 shutouts. After six years in the IPA Wright is 52-29 overall. This was his first year to be a full-time starter.

Glasco's young workhorse right-hander Pat Meyers was third in the Golden Arm race. He topped the RU with 27 complete games in 38 starting assignments and was fourth in the IPA. Meyers was 23-12 for the fourth-place Athletics in the RU North with a 2.54 ERA. He is only 25 years old and has been with the A's for five seasons with a 89-72 record and a lifetime 3.35 ERA.

SOUTH FORK'S MURPHY WINS 2ND GOLDEN ARM IN TU
For the second time in three seasons superstar slinger Jay Murphy of the South Fork Stallions has garnered the prestigious Tycobbian Golden Arm trophy. He was voted the award over two other top-notch pitchers in Tommy Carter of Kenwood and Johnny Swanson of Southport. Murphy also received the award in 2042. This season the 29-year-old star was also chosen the TU's Most Valuable Player with a 27-8 record and a sterling 2.59 ERA. He was one of the prime reasons the Stallions came in second in the RU East, just 2 games behind winning Red Bluff. Murphy is a great 122-68 with a 2.90 ERA in his 7 years with South Fork. This season he led the IPA with 27 wins and was fourth in the TU with 254 Ks in only 292 innings.

Kenwood's 26-year-old Tommy Carter was the runner-up in the poll. He came in second in the IPA with 26 victories. Carter was 26-8 with a 2.47 ERA and paced the Wildcats to the TU West title. This is only his second season as a starter. He spent his initial three years as a spot starter and in the bullpen. Overall Carter is 68-32 with a 2.88 ERA and 22 saves.

Southpaw Johnny Swanson of the Southport Sun Sox was the third-highest votegetter in the Tycobbian Golden Arm polling. He led the Sun Sox to the Tycobbian South title with 104 wins, the best in the IPA this season. The 26-year old compiled a 25-10 mark with a 2.61 ERA.

[Eugene Church]

Thanks to StLee for checking out the IPA.

[Eugene Church]

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Thursday, October 20, 2044

FM'S HUFFMAN BEST ROOKIE IN RU
Good rookies were few and far between in the IPA this year. The Far Mountain Redhawks were one of the few teams to have any luck with newcomers this season. Third baseman Norm Huffman was voted the Ruthlandian Union Rookie of the Year in The Islandian Times annual poll. He handily defeated his freshmen challengers, Bobby Teigen of the Belair Beach Sunbirds and Les Masterson of the Glasco Athletics. In 98 games the 31-year-old Huffman hit a respectable .285 with 19 homers, 76 RBIs and 70 runs scored. The Redhawks finished in the runner-up spot in the RU North this season behind champ Valmara.

Bobby Teigen is a 25-year-old shortstop with Belair Beach. He batted .316 in just 80 games for the Sunbirds with no homers, 23 RBIs and 23 runs. Belair Beach came in dead last in the RU South.

Glasco's young first basemen Les Masterson, age 25, finally got some regular action beginning in June and showed well with a .318 BA in 64 games with 3 homers, 22 RBIs and 35 runs.

CHICOPEE 3B SMITH TOP TU ROOK
New talent was sparse, too, in the Tycobbian Union as far as rookies. The Rookie of the Year trophy went to 24-year-old third sacker Ken Smith of the Chicopee Braves. He outpaced Jared Frankling of Turon and Callum Gainsborough of the San Alejo Montaneros for the award. Smith was in 121 games and finished with a .315 batting average, 7 homers, 55 RBIs and 68 runs. The Braves had a another miserable year and wound up seventh in the Tycobbian East.

Jarred Franklin, a southpaw hurler, did quite well for the Turon Typhoons after joining the squad in July. The 25-year-old Franklin fashioned an 11-5 record in 19 starts with a 3.46 ERA.

San Alejo third baseman Callum Gainsborough was third in the Rookie of the Year balloting. He batted a modest .259 with 6 roundtrippers, 57 RBIs and scored 62 runs in 138 games and also played solid defense. The Monties were a distant third behind Southport and Summerland in the TU South Division race.

[Eugene Church]

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Friday, October 21, 2044

SV'S GAMBLE GETS 4TH RU MVP TROPHY
Bobby Gamble's trophy case must really be getting overcrowded. The superlative superstar added his fourth Ruthlandian Most Valuable Player trophy to his huge collection. At age 31, the Sugar Valley center fielder outpaced his Golden Bat contenders, Nioka Inkamara of Wynnamac and Noel Martin of Belle Plaine in a heated vote. Martin, the RU batting champ, had already captured the RU Golden Bat Award. Inkamara came in third in that competition. This is the second year in a row that Gamble has been named the most valuable player in the RU.

Gamble, the remarkable Rattler outfielder, had another phenomenal season with a .348 BA, 39 doubles, 5 triples, 43 home runs, 106 RBIs and scored 133 runs. He led the IPA with 133 runs and ranked fifth in batting average and eighth in doubles and roundtrippers. The talented slugger led Sugar Valley to a wonderful season. They put up 96 victories, but still lost in a three-way playoff to Wynnamac in the super-close Ruthlandian East pennant chase. In his 12 seasons with the Rattlers, Gamble has 416 homers and a .320 BA.

Wynnamac's standout Nioka Inkamara was runner-up for this year's Most Valuable Player trophy. He is a past MVP and Golden Bat winner. The 27-year-old outfielder won them both in 2042 and was also the 2042 Golden Bat recipient. Inkamara sparked the Sundowners to the RU East Division title this year with a .321 batting average in 144 games and finished with 32 doubles, 8 triples, 40 home runs, 131 RBIs and 114 runs. Inkamara was third in the IPA in RBIs and sixth in run scored.

This was a career year for Belle Plaine outfielder Noel Martin. At age 39, he hit .354 with 31 doubles and 35 home runs, driving in 121 runs and scoring 112. Those numbers got him this season's Ruthlandian Golden Bat. However, the lowly Musketeers, still wound up seventh in the RU East.

STALLION ACE MURPHY MVP PICK IN TU
This has been a spectacular season for Jay Murphy, ace of the South Fork Stallions. He was a double-award winner, not only was he honored with the Tycobbian Golden Arm trophy, the 29-year-old right-hander was also gifted with the much-coveted Most Valuable Player Award. Murphy outdueled Kenwood's fine Tommy Carter for the trophy with Golden Bat honoree Wayman Stetson coming in third in The Islandian Times poll.

Murphy ranked first in the IPA with 27 wins and propelled South Fork to a second-place finish in the Tycobbian East. The Stallions missed out on the division flag by just two games. Murphy was 27-8 with a 2.58 ERA. The South Fork fireballer fanned 254 in his 292 innings, ranking fourth in the TU in strikeouts.

The Kenwood Wilcats claimed the Tycobbian West for the third time in the last four years and Tommy Carter played a huge role in it with a 26-8 mark with a superb 2.47 ERA. In addition to ranking second in the MVP category, Carter also came in second in the Tycobbian Golden Arm voting. The 26-year-old was second in the IPA with 26 victories.

After being chosen for the Tycobbian Golden Bat Award, Denton City's fantastic Wayman Stetson was the third-highest votegetter for MVP. The 27-year-old first baseman led the IPA with 56 home runs, batted .323 and ranked high with 128 RBIs and 112 runs. His Redbirds ended up second in the Tycobbian West, losing out to Kenwood by 7 games. Stetson played in all 154 games this season.

[Eugene Church]

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Saturday, October 22, 2044

BEST GLOVES IN IPA NAMED
The top glovemen in the Islandian Pro Alliance were singled out for their defensive prowess and awarded Golden Gloves as trophies. The Ruthlandian Union and Tycobbian Union annouced their honorees today. The Ruthlandian best defenders were led by five-time winner Ted Jarzinski (Belle Plaine), four-time winner Kenny Mitzusaka (Valka) and 3-time winning Ralph Sackett (Stoner). Tycobbian had four players that picked up their third trophies: Frank Penn (Hartsdale), Mikk Kukk (Mahaska), Sammy Thornton (Denton City) and Jimbo Foxx (Rolling Hills).

RUTHLANDIAN GOLDEN GLOVE TEAM:

PITCHER: ARNIE AYERS (LAGRANGE) (19-11/2.24) (.966 FA) (FIRST-TIME WINNER)
CATCHER: TED JARZINSKI (BELLE PLAINE) .274/16/91/66) (.992 FA/1 PB/49.2%RTO) (5-TIME GOLDEN GLOVER)
FIRST BASEMAN: JACK POPE (WYNNAMAC) (.294/19/91/94) (.994 FA) (FIRST-TIME WINNER)
SECOND BASEMAN: MIKE MATHEWS (BEECHWOOD) (.248/9/50/98) (FIRST-TIME WINNER)
THIRD BASEMAN: RALPH SACKETT (STONER) (.295/5/72/79) (.974 FA) (3-TIME GOLDEN GLOVER)
SHORTSTOP: NEIL MITCHELL (SLIGO) (.285/16/74/93) (.977 FA) (2-TIME GOLDEN GLOVER)
LEFT FIELDER: ELDON ALDRIDGE (ANCONA) (.279/29/109/84) (.992 fa) (2-TIME GOLDEN GLOVER)
CENTER FIELDER: KENNY MITZUSAKA (VALKA) (.326/33/135/89) (.998 FA) (4-TIME GOLDEN GLOVER)
RIGHT FIELDER: WALTER GLENN (ANCONA) (.316/2/43/84) (.997 FA) (2-TIME GOLDEN GLOVER)

TYCOBBIAN GOLDEN GLOVE TEAM:

PITCHER: WAYNE DAWSON (HARTSDALE) (15-16/3.84) (.9973 FA) (FIRST-TIME WINNER)
CATCHER: FRANK PENN (HARTSDALE) (.266/8/63/54) (.990 FA/1 PB/48.8% RTO) (3-TIME GOLDEN GLOVER)
FIRST BASEMAN: ENRIQUE ENCARNACION (WHITE RIVER) (.244/23/83/73) (.992 FA) (FIRST-TIME WINNER)
SECOND BASEMAN: MIKK KUKK (MAHASKA) (.293/10/67/67) (.985 FA) (3-TIME GOLDEN GLOVER)
THIRD BASEMAN: CALEB GAINSBOROUGH (SAN ALEJO) (.259/6/57/62) (.953 FA) (ROOKIE GOLDEN GLOVER)
SHORTSTOP: SAMMY THORNTON (DENTON CITY) (.313/13/65/109) (.9709 FA) (3-TIME GOLDEN GLOVER)
LEFT FIELDER: JESSE SHAW (RED BLUFF) (.287/17/70/89) (.992 FA) (2-TIME GOLDEN GLOVER)
CENTER FIELDER: CALVIN MARBURY (OXFORD) (.215/9/46/70) (.992 FA) (FIRST-TIME WINNER)
RIGHT FIELDER: JIMBO FOXX (ROLLING HILLS) (.43/33/115/92) (.988 FA) (3-TIME GOLDEN GLOVER)

[Afino]

Eugene, I can't believe you're still at this 6.5 years later. I admire your hard work and dedication to your franchise.

[Eugene Church]

Originally Posted by Afino

Eugene, I can't believe you're still at this 6.5 years later. I admire your hard work and dedication to your franchise.

Thank you for the compliment. I very much appreciate it.

I really bit off too much in the IPA. Covering 64 teams for almost 7 years takes a lot of time, but I've enjoyed it. I plan to do it for 50 seasons and then start a new Dynasty using OOTP15... or retire to Islandia and start a real baseball league.

My next Dynasty will only have 16 teams.

[Eugene Church]

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Sunday, October 23, 2044

DONNELLY PEGGED BEST MGR IN RU
For the second time in the last three years Wynnamac's Matt Donnelly has hauled in the Ruthlandian Manager of the Year honors. He bested last year's winner Vanya Vasylenko of the Valmara Vipers for this season's award. Only two skippers received votes in the poll conducted by The Islandian Times.

Donnelly guided the Sundowners to a tremendous season as they rose up from fourth place to the top spot in the Ruthlandian East Division, winning 98 games in the process. In 2043 they won only 83 games. Only Southport of the Tycobbian South won more game's than Wynnamac. The Sun Sox chalked up 104 victories.

Donnelly announced today that he is retiring as field manager of the Sundowners and he will turn the reins over to his son, Darrell, currently a fine center fielder. Donnelly has run the club for 43 years. The senior Donnelly will remain as general manager and his son will be a playing-manager. Donnelly said, "I wanted to go out on top. So this seemed like the perfect time to step down."

Vasylenko's Vipers enjoyed a strong season, too. The club improved from 84-70 and to 93-61 and won the RU North for the second year in a row.

OSCAR TOP TYCOBBIAN SKIPPER
Charley Oscar saved the best for the last in his very lengthy career. He has been at the helm of the Southport Sun Sox for their entire 43-year history in the IPA. In his retirement season Oscar not only won the Pro Cup, but was extoled as the Tycobbian Manager of the Year, beating out five other worthy challengers. Oscar's replacement will be former Sun Sox star Lorne Evans, who retired in 2043 after a great career in the IPA.

Oscar told the press, "I would rather go out on good terms. I didn't want to overstay my welcome and get fired."

Jim Schubert of Red Bluff was his closest competitor. Schubert led the Red Sox to the postseason for the first time in over three decades. They went from 78-76 last year to 95-59 this year and captured the Ruthlandian East Division title.

Hartsdale's Jud Turchin finished third in the balloting after sparking his Hellcats from fifth place in the TU North to the third spot in the standings this season. The Hellcats climbed from 72-82 to 88-66 and missed out on the division flag by just four games.

In fourth place was Luxora's skipper, Jim Thorpe Chandler, who piloted the Zorros from sixth in the TU North in 2043 with a 71-83 mark to a close second this year with an 88-66 record. Chandler is the son of long-time Midway manager, Cochise Chandler.

Fifth in the poll was Aaron Hankins of the Kenwood Wildcats, who won his second consecutive Tycobbian West crown. His Wildcats were 81-73 last year and kicked it up to 90-64 this year. Hankins will also call it quits this season. His replacement has not been announced yet. Hankins has skippered the team for 43 seasons. He is the only manager the Wildcats have ever had.

[Eugene Church]

That completes season 2044.

I'll get to work on the new season in few days.

Thanks to all who still follow the IPA.

[Eugene Church]

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Monday, October 24, 2044

7 IPA GREATS NAMED TO HOF
Five years has past since the Islandian Pro Alliance Hall of Fame added anyone to the esteemed institution. Joe DeLucca and Bobby Dorignac were the most recent honorees. Many people feel that the Hall selection committee is getting too strict with the guidelines and they should loosen up a little bit, citing numerous 300-game winners and 3000-hit batters that have been overlooked thus far. Their complaints have been heard. This year there will seven icons added to the pretigious assemble.

Pitching stars Dave Whitaker, Pat Kovacs, Arno Vainmaa and Jasper LaForge have made the legendary cut, along with position players Big Hoss Burkhalter, Donnie Lewis and Lorne Evans. This brings the total number to 62, 38 position players and 24 pitchers. They will all be inducted at the Hall of Fame in Marston in December.

Dave Whitaker was the highest votegetter this year. He had the misfortune to play for a team that never made the playoffs. Michael starred for Kilkenny from 2023-2041 and compiled an outstanding 347-282 record with an impressive 2.80 ERA for the generally mediocre Cats. Michael holds the IPA all-time record for shutouts and complete games and is fourth in career wins. He fired 67 shutouts and had 375 complete games. Eight times Michael won 20 or more games for Kilkenny. He won the RU Golden Arm three times in 2024, 2029 and 2036, and the RU MVP in 2024. Michael retired at age 38 in 2041.

Outfielder Lorne Evans was second in the Hall-of-Fame balloting. He is ranked fifth all-time in homers with 701, seventh in runs with 2045 and tenth in RBIs with 1836 runs batted in. Evans split his 19-year career between Southport and Tuckanarra and batted .305 with 2928 hits. He played from 2025 to 2043 and retired at 38. Eight times his teams made the playoffs and Tuckanarra captured the Pro Cup in 2035. Evans was a 12-time All-Star and twice a Golden Glover.

Fireballer Pat Kovacs collected the third-highest votes in the Hall of Fame poll this year. The 18-year veteran chalked up a 308-228 mark, all with the La Claire Lynx from 2025 to 2042 with a sterling 2.84 ERA. Kovacs is third on the all-time list with 4179 Ks, only Cape Coral's Cody Burg with 5250 and Turon's Nicky Engstrom with 4498 are in front of him. Engstrom tops the IPA with 387 victories in his career and Burg is number two with 369. Kovacs holds the IPA strikeout mark for a single season with 391 in 2028. He retired in 2042 at age 37.

7-foot hurler Arno Vainmaa toiled mainly in obscurity for Valka in Ruthlandia and Mahaska in Tycobbia and rarely played with a good ballclub, yet the right-hander piled up 308 wins with 252 losses with a 3.47 ERA. His high ERA was a stumbling block for many Hall of Fame votecasters, but this year Vainmaa came in fourth in the voting. He pitched from 2015 to 2034 and called it quits at 38.

The fifth-best votegetter Jasper LaForge also was kept out of the Hall of Fame until this year because of his lofty 3.50 ERA. The electors finally relented because of his 302-228 pitching record. Seven times LaForge won 20 games in his 21 seasons with Colfax and Sligo in the Ruthlandia Union. The Blasters won five pennants with him and one Pro Cup in 2010, when they set an IPA mark with 107 victories. The Rovers claimed three flags during his tenure. LaForge played his last season in 2024 and retired at age 42.

The last two inductees are outfielders, Big Hoss Burkhalter and Donnie Lewis. Burkhalter wound up sixth in the HOF poll. The 6-foot-6 giant slugger played from 2001 to 2018, finishing with 468 homers and 1718 RBIs and a .288 lifetime batting average. He was a vital cog in the early years with Waleska and Wynnamac in the Ruthlandian Union.

Donnie Lewis was a .309 career batter with 3234 hits, 583 doubles, 123 triples, 148 roundtrippers, along with 1886 runs and 1837 walks, ninth-best in IPA history. Lewis had a standout .412 on-base percentage. He was active 2010 to 2029, divided between Rolling Hills (14 years) in the Tycobbian Union and Ancona (6 years) in the Ruthlandian Union. His last season Lewis was 39. His election should open the Hall doors to several others who have 3000 hits, who have never impressed the electors in past years.

[Eugene Church]

THE ISLANDIAN TIMES
Sunday, April 2, 2045

IPA PRESEASON PICKS
The 45th IPA season is about to commence tomorrow all across the Islands and prognosticators have diligently perused the team rosters, analyzed all the vital statistics and come up with their predictions for the new year. The Islandian Times has collected all the data, put it in their computers and come up with a consensus of all the sportswriters and broadcasters in the country.

VALMARA HEAVY FAVORITE IN RU NORTH
In the Ruthlandian North Division defending champ Valmara is expected to handily win the pennant over the second place Glasco Athletics and the third place Ranford Bulls... Valmara is going for its third flag in a row... the Vipers' pitching staff is excellent and ready to go again... Valmara's offense should get the job done, too... Glasco has great pitching, but not a lot of scoring... the A's will be the division runner-up... Ranford has enough offense, but not enough pitching.

The rest of the division will finish well out of the running... Taranto fourth, Kilkenny fifth, Far Mountain will slump to sixth this season, LaGrange will come in next-to-last and Ancona will end up in the cellar.

CLAXTON DIAMONDS TOP PICK IN RU SOUTH
Crystal Lake has won the Ruthlandian South the last two seasons, but the experts are saying the Claxton Diamonds will edge them out this year... St. John, Waleska and Belair Beach could also be in the pennant mix... Grand City, San Dimas and Valka will be distant also-rans.

Crystal Lake has much-better firepower than the others, but comes up a little short on the mound, compared to the other contenders.

RATTLERS IN RUNAWAY IN RU EAST
The oddsmakers are predicting a runaway in the Ruthlandian East... Sugar Valley's home-run power is far superior to anyone else in the division and their pitching is adequate... last year's champ Wynnamac will have a battle on its hands for second place with Beechwood, Cold Creek and Elnora... the W'Macs just don't have much offense, but they do still have solid pitching... third place Beechwood and fourth place Cold Creek are in the same boat as the Sundowners, but don't quite equal them on the hill... fifth place Elnora has a little bit of both, fairly good offense and fairly good pitching.

Eastshore, Belle Plaine and Marston will come in sixth, seventh and last... the Elegants have good pitching, but are the worst-scoring club in the division... the Musketeers and the Nine have mediocre bats and fair pitching.

SNAPPERS AND ROOSTERS DUEL IN RU WEST
Last year's winner Rocky Rapids could win its second straight Ruthlandian West Division crown... they are improved over last year, but so are the Middlefield Roosters... these are the top clubs in the race this year and they could rival Valmara as the best in the Ruthlandian Union... the Snappers have the best bats in the division with good HR power and good pitching... the Roosters will counter with much better mound work and HR power... the Stoner Stars get the nod for third place over Volusia... both teams have very capable pitching corps, but could use more offense... the Stars are powerless, but the Vigilantes can go deep.

The second-division clubs will be Sligo in fifth place, Forest City sixth, Colfax seventh and Fort Benton in the basement.

HELLCATS FAVORED OVER HAWKS IN TU NORTH
10 of the last 11 years the powerhouse North Hills Hawks have prevailed in the Tycobbian North race, but this year the prognosticators are picking the Hartsdale Hellcats... it will be close... but the Hellcats are slightly better in scoring runs and just a tad better on the hill than the Hawks... give the Hawks the edge in HR power... third place Blue Lake could sneak into the hunt... the Blue Sox score well and pitch well, but not quite up to the level of the two top contenders... the Luxora Zorros will wind up in the fourth spot in the standings... the Z's lack offense, but have good pitching.

The Oxford Red Caps, White River Rascals and Fairfax Frogs will tussle for the fifth spot, while Mahaska will have last place all to themselves.

4-TEAM TANGO IN TU SOUTH
The Tycobbian South is arguably the toughest division in the IPA, along with the Tycobbian North... the reigning Pro Cup titlist Southport Sun Sox really have their hands full with three other fine teams, the Cape Coral Hurricanes, Summerland Sunsets and San Alejo Montaneros... according to the pros, the 'Canes' high-scoring machine will win out in a very close struggle with the second place Sunsets, third place Monties and fourth place Sun Sox.

Summerland can't hit a lick, but they have a magnificent mound staff... San Alejo can handle the bats well and they have fine pitching corps... Southport's problem is its free agents... none of last year's starting rotation has signed yet... their loss could be fatal... the Sun Sox's line-up is still intact, but the pitching replacements for the hold-out hurlers are woeful.

Ginza is a solid club and will finish fifth, but could sneak into the first division... the rest of the teams in the TU South will dogfight for sixth place... Turon can score, but is pathetic in pitching... Arroyo Grande is just a mediocre club again this year... and Colchester has very few redeeming qualities.

RB RED SOX CHOICE TO WIN AGAIN IN TU EAST
According to the crystal ballers Red Bluff will take its second consecutive Tycobbian East Division title in a four-team tussle... the Red Sox possess a dynamite attack and better-than-average pitching... this should be enough to beat back the second place High Mesa Cowboys, who have good pitching, but suffer on the scoreboard... third place will go to the Hillsboro Blazers... they have pretty good pitchers, but are atrocious at the plate, but do sport some power... Tucknarra will be in fourth place... the Blue Jays have impressive pitching, but are short on runs.

The Midway Wolves and South Fork Stallions will fight it out for the fifth spot in the TU East standings... both of them have a shot at third or fourth place... Ozarka and East Point are out of the running this year.

TERRIBLE TU WEST IS WIDE-OPEN THIS YEAR
If the forecasters are right this will be quite a year in the Tycobbian West... anyone of the eight clubs could end up with the pennant... however, none of them are expected to finish above the .500 mark... this is the worst division in the IPA... Bay St. Clair is the favorite, but the Bucs are a lackluster team with a poor offense, decent pitching and a little power... defending champ Kenwood is starting the season without its great slugger and catcher Corky DiNozzo, who hasn't been resigned... neither has 20-game winner Rusty Bradford been signed... even without them the Wildcats have a credible chance at the pennant... they still have Tommy Carter (26-8/2.47) and Clyde Myers (18-19/3.27)... the third-place choice is the Chicopee Braves, who has fairly decent pitching, but is horrendous in the batter's box... Arlon gets the call for fourth place, but in reality any of the clubs could finish first to last this year... they are just a bunch of mediocrity.

Rolling Hills, Denton City, La Claire and Bayview are predicted to end up in the second division... all of them are just plain bad teams.