This past weekend while I was at the Illowa APBA All-Star get-together, I received a Facebook message from Jerry Conca. I found out Jerry is a friend of Bill Gilliam who is in my Boys of Summer League so I figured he was an ok guy. Jerry and I messaged…
The Game The 2015 Illowa APBA All-Star Game was a hard fought battle this year. The Country Gents came out the victors in the end over the City Boys when the dust settled thanks to a two-run homer by Khris Davis of the Moline Upperdeckers homerun in the top of…
Here’s a Throwback Thursday for you. At the Illowa APBA League All-Star weekend eleven years ago in 2004, Todd Ventresca had a miraculous event that will probably never happen again in regular season play. For his Aurora Gamblers, pitcher Brandon Webb hurled a perfect game against the State Street Sluggers…
Steve Stein’s online tool appropriately named Steve’s APBA Card Computer has gotten a makeover. The new version does not rely on the Java platform. I’ve noticed that it’s been getting a lot of use this summer and my guess is that Steve has decided to cut the ties to Java…
Jim Fraasch sent me this detailed report on the Neil Ess Memorial Twin Cities APBA Baseball Tournament IV that happened this past weekend. It’s chock full of facts, figures, photos and most importantly, memories. -Tom (Left) Eric Berg (1906 Cubs) of Jacksonville, IL, (Right) Rogers Parsons (’64 Cardinals) of Duluth,…
Will happy times repeat for the City Boys in the 2015 All-Star Game This Friday is the annual All-Star weekend for the Illowa APBA League, one of most fun times of the year for the guys second probably to the Draft weekend. On Saturday, The City Boys will attempt to…
Tom Fulton has a way of finding good hitting pitchers. This 1947 Clint Hartung card is certainly no exception. Hartung was no slouch with the bat. In almost 100 plate appearances, he hit .309 with a .543 slugging percentage for the New York Giants in 1947. He drove in 13…
How do you know an APBA tournament is being held in Minnesota? Well, with participant names like Nelson, Skogen, Berg, and Lofgren, it’s an a easy guess. Twenty-three participants in TCABT-IV The Neil Ess Memorial Twin Cities APBA Baseball Tournament IV came to a close Saturday when Leroy Arnoldi skippered…
Set the date, Midwest APBA fans! Champaign, Illinois is hosting the Prairieland Baseball Tournament on April 16, 2016. The quick and dirty: When: April 16, 2016 9 am Where: Champaign, IL (Venue TBA until we get it booked and confirmed) Cost: $15 Teams eligible: Any MLB team 1900- present with…
With his passing last week, I thought it appropriate that Yogi Berra make an appearance this Monday. Thanks to Pastor Rich for his help. When I was a kid in the 70s, years it was years after Berra had picked up a bat in a game. Yet in casual parlay,…