On Saturday, I got on a Skype call with my buddy Brando who lives in Montana. Brando is in our APBA league and is a long time friend of mine. He had a couple of computer issues he needed help with and while we were talking we thought, “why not play some APBA?”. We settled on my 1966 NL replay so he took the Phillies and I had the Giants.
The good news for me. San Francisco hit eight home runs in the two games we played (July 15th and 16th). Unfortunately, it didn’t do the Giants any good as they lost both games. Game one featured a potential pitchers’ duel with Jim Bunning and Juan Marichal going up against each other but it didn’t work out that way. Both were able to complete their games but it didn’t help their ERAs any. The Phillies won 6-5 on Clay Dalrymple’s three rbis.
Game two was just as exciting. Giants starter Ray Sadecki (DY) couldn’t bring the heat but he brought his bat (1-1-3-5). He bashed two dingers and drove home five runs. He also gave up nine runs. Four of those runs were from Dick Allen’s two homers. Philadelphia wins it 9-8 with Bob Buhl (also a DY but not near the hitting card of Sadecki) getting their sixth victory in a row.
Philly is also knocking on Atlanta’s door as they are just a half a game back.
Big implications
In just two games, some big changes took place in my 1966 NL environment. The biggest is in the standings. When you get as late as July in the season, that doesn’t happen very often.
With their two losses, the Giants to sixth place just barely below the Cincinnati Reds! Once in second place, they have fallen on hard times and in recent times, currently have a five-game losing streak. There’s no doubt that this team can hit; three of the four leaders in homers are on this team. But they haven’t been able to put it together.
There were a couple of stat accomplishments in just the two games we played. Bunning’s win was his 15th, second in the league to Don Sutton’s 17. Willie Mays’ home run on 7/15 means he is the first to reach 20. Dick Allen’s four rbis on 7/16 gives him 70 for the season.
And while, Allen doesn’t have the homers that Mays does, his two on July 16th boosts him up in rankings.
It was great to see my friend, Brando even if it was online. We’re planning on doing it again soon.
