My division may have been the losers at this weekend’s Illowa APBA League All-Star get together but my Twin City Thunderchickens had their best winning stretch in my memory.
Managers of the IAL congregated on Friday night at the Comfort Inn in Downers Grove, Illinois for our 2013 All-Star Game weekend. During the weekend, we played up to 30 games each and played our annual All-Star Game. John ‘Brando’ Brandeberry and I got to the hotel around 4pm and brothers Don and Keith Smith were already embroiled in a sibling rivalry series. Throughout the night, we each played a couple six-game series.
After a light breakfast in the hotel lobby, we started out with the All-Star Game between the City Boys (Chicago) and Country Gents (non-Chicago) Divisions. I have to say this was one of the most one-sided All-Star games in our history. I don’t yet have the official box score but suffice to say that Country Gents’ pitching staff couldn’t hold Prince Fielder & Co. down. Fielder, who was eventually named Game MVP, hit two homeruns and drove in five runs in the 10-2 City Boys win.
Congrats to Division manager Todd Ventresca (posing with MVP Prince Fielder above) and the rest of the City Boys’ Division! We’ll get you next year!
By the end of the game, it was late Saturday morning and we continued with our regular season. It was a treat to have Doug Schuyler come by and help play some games. Doug (left) is co-organizer of the upcoming Chicagoland APBA World Series Tournament in November and he was a real trooper. Within a couple minutes of coming in the door, he was already sitting across from Molly Putts manager Don Smith and playing a series. I think I speak for the league when I say we really enjoyed his company and appreciate his help. He’s welcome to come back anytime. I even got in one game with Doug before he left and we had a chance to discuss the upcoming Chicago Tournament. Thanks Doug!
As for my Twin City Thunderchickens, I was very pleased with how my team played this past weekend. We started out the year 18-30 and came into the weekend with a 44-52 record so we had some catching up to do. Thanks to a 6-0 sweep and another 5-1 series win, we ended up with a 20-10 record for the weekend. That gives us a winning record for the first time this the first series of the season. If I did my math right, I believe we’re now at 64-62 and poised for a strike for the last playoff spot.
I haven’t done my stats yet but I do know that my closer Jonathon Papelbon saved 13 games for the weekend. That almost matches Pap’s total for the rest of the year combined.
Thanks to league president Mike Bunch and vice-president Rob Moore for organizing this as efficiently as they did. Also thanks go to the Comfort Inn and their helpful staff. It’s nice that some of them recognize us (I THINK that’s a good thing).
