1966 Cubs time-traveling to Fall 2016 Chicagoland Tournament

“What is this, some kind of sorcery?”

That’s what 1966 Chicago Cubs captain Ron Santo had to say when I told him that his team was going to play in the Fall 2016 Chicagoland APBA Tournament.  That they were going to go and play teams from other years.

“But we have a key series against the Cardinals coming up!”  And what do you mean, ‘other years’?  That’s crazy”, Ron said.

But it is true, my 1966 Cubs are taking a break from my replay and are going to participate in the Chicagoland Tourney which has a “sub-.500” theme.  No team with an actual winning record can be entered.  Certainly, my 1966 Cubs with their 59-103 record are eligible.

I actually had to look up the APBA card roster before assembling my team.  Since I do actual transactions for my replay, I wanted to make sure I brought the right APBA cards.  It turns out I had a couple of additions to the Cubs.  Starter/reliever Curt Simmons (D/C*) comes over from the Cardinals (don’t tell Ronnie!).  Also, Robin Roberts (DZ), a Hall of Famer in the last year of his career, was a late add.  Both players were part of the 1966 Cubs team but haven’t moved over in my replay yet.

Unfortunately, closer Ted Abernathy had been traded by season’s end and I won’t be able to use him.  The good news is that Abernathy is just a CYW.

A quick look at the 1966 Cubs

The cream of the crop looks ok for the ‘66 Cubs and they are names you would recognize.

• Ron Santo 1-4-5-7-7 five 14s
• Billy Williams 1-4-5-7-7-10 three 14s
• Ernie Banks 1-4-6-7-7
• Adolfo Phillips 1-0-0-0-11-10 three 14s, 42
• Glenn Beckert 0-0-7-7-7-7-10 three 31s

Santo, who has a 26-14, hit 30 homers and Williams almost did with 29.  Beckert’s card with the 55-7 (albeit with only one 14) is kind of nifty.

Pitching is a little thin, though.  Dick Ellsworth had a 3.98 ERA in 1966 but was rewarded with a DZ grade.  His overall record of 8-22 probably didn’t help.  The only graded starter is Ken Holtzman (go Illini!).  He was the only pitcher won in double digits (11-16) and is a CX.  Theoretically, I could start Fergie Jenkins who is a BX but he was used primarily as a reliever (12 starts, 48 relief appearances).

Other than Jenkins, the 1966 Cubs have a couple of C relievers in the pen in Cal Koonce and Bob Hendley.  Again, both could legally start as they started a few times (Leo Durocher must have tried everything that season).

I’ve gotten some mileage out of D pitching in past tournaments.  However, we’re going to have to roll really well to get past Bob Eller’s 1979 Dodgers, Justin Schubert’s 1987 Cubs and Eric Berg’s 1964 Twins.

Overall, it is a fun team for one that lost 103 games. Whether or not we win is another matter.  Ron Santo will have fun trying once he gets past the time travel thing!