Oh Wells! He did it Again!

Darren Schulz sends an LBS tourney recap!

With a new LBS record of 50 managers in attendance, the divisional round-robin format
allowed for no wild card entries in 2024. Win your division and you are in the Elite 8 of teams
from 1940-1999 with a winning percentage of .550 or under. When the final games were
entered into the tourney spreadsheet, the defending and three-time LBS champ, Greg Wells
(1968 Giants), emerged as the top seed with an unblemished 8-0 record. He was followed by
Bob McCurdy (1963 Giants), John Mikulas (1940 Cardinals), Clay Bauserman (1997 Indians),
John Cress (1997 Rockies), Mark McDonel (1968 Pirates), Norman Zavela (1984 Phillies), and
Logan Schulz (1996 Mariners). As the playoffs unfolded, it turned out to be a Giant affair!

The opening games of the quarterfinals started with Wells upending the youngest (15)
divisional champ Schulz by a final score of 4-2. McCurdy, a Glass City and Vegas tourney
champion, had the hot dice early with a convincing 8-1 victory over Greater Michigan champion
Zavela. Mikulas muted the hometown Buccos of McDonel 4-0, and the Bauserman bats blasted
the Mile High Rockies of Cress with a 7-2 triumph.

In the semifinals, pitching was the difference maker as Wells had just enough offense in
a 2-1 victory over Bauserman. Furthermore, McCurdy, playing in his first LBS tourney, punched
his ticket to the finale with a 5-3 win over Mikulas.

Game 1 – 1963 Giants (Juan Marichal Axz) 3 at 1968 Giants (Juan Marichal Ayz) 1

Bob McCurdy’s visiting squad struck first in the bottom of the 2nd when 9-hitter Chuck
Hiller delivered a two out, two run single. After Wells notched his first run after a two out error in
the 3rd, Ed Bailey immediately gained the momentum back for McCurdy’s 63 Giants with a solo
shot. From there, it was all the younger version of Marichal who went the distance, scattering 6
hits and giving up one unearned run in the complete game victory.

Game 2 – 1968 Giants (Gaylord Perry Byz) 9 at 1963 Giants (Jack Sanford Bz) 0

This one was over in the first inning. The first six batters in Greg’s lineup reached safely
to build an early 4-0 lead. They never looked back in the lop-sided contest. The 68 version of
Willie Mays finished 2-5 with two homers, three runs, and four RBIs. Ron Hunt finished 3-4 with
a double and two runs scored while Willie McCovey, who had been hitless in his first eight plate
appearances in the series, launched a late two-run bomb to finish the scoring. Perry took the
mound victory with an impressive complete game effort that featured five strikeouts and no free
passes.

Game 3 – 1963 Giants (Bobby Bolin Bxy) 1 at 1968 Giants (Bobby Bolin Ay) 3

One thing I have learned over the years is that no board game can create the drama that
Apba always seems to deliver. Scoreless through the first four frames, Hiller came through once
again in the fifth inning for the 63 Giants with a two out single to plate Alou with the game’s first run. Both versions of Bolin were dealing in this one. Clinging to that 1-0 lead in the bottom of the
8th inning, McCurdy’s starting pitcher retired a pinch hitter before giving up back to back singles
to Hunt and Mays.

That set the stage for what makes Greg Wells’s teams so hard to beat! Willie McCovey delivered with the 11-1 three run bomb to give the home team a lead for the first time in the series! With the 3-1 lead heading to the top half of the ninth, Wells called on Frank Linzy, the first reliever for either team in the series, to get the final three outs. McCurdy, not going down without a fight, scraped out a Jim Davenport single and pinch hitter Tom Haller reached on a two out error. With runners on first and third, Linzy retired Harvey Kuenn to earn the hard-earned save and to clinch Greg Wells his fourth LBS championship. Earlier in the series, Greg uttered, “You can’t create all of this in a game of Monopoly!” I believe everyone who was left in the SR Community Township Building would have to agree with that assessment of the series and the entire day. Not only did Greg capture another title, but also this is the second time he has won in this tourney in back-to-back fashion.

Greg received a 100-dollar APBA gift certificate to use at the company and, of course, his
now record fourth title plaque. He immediately donated the gift certificate to one of the youth
managers at this year’s event. As runner up, Bob McCurdy earned a 50-dollar gift certificate.
The other two semifinalists, John Mikulas and Clay Bauserman, received 25-dollar rewards.
Kudos to all of these managers for impressive performances!

View playoff boxscores here!

Once again, the entire Schulz family is truly humbled by the continuous support we have
received since this tournament was launched in 2015. A special thank you goes out to everyone
who brought donations and/or purchased tickets for the numerous APBA and sports-related
items for this year’s charity raffle. After tourney expenses, direct donations, and another
successful raffle, Ken and I were able to donate $900 to the American Diabetes Association in
memory of Linda. Furthermore, thank you to the 20+ managers who joined us for the Friday
night dinner, an evening that is becoming nearly as memorable as the tournament itself. And, of
course, thank you to Mark McDonel, who always brings us the donuts.

What’s Next?

LBS XI is set for October 25, 2025 at the Slippery Rock Township Building
with a theme that includes non-retired tournament teams from 1901-1939 (no federal league
teams) and 2000-2024 (no 2020 teams) that had a .550 winning percentage or under.
If interested, contact Ken Schulz at or Darren Schulz at
with your contact information and team selection.

Thanks for the recap, Darren and once again, congratulations to Greg!