I got a package in the mail from APBA yesterday. No, it wasn’t the 2015 Baseball cards. I ordered the 1930 baseball season. Why? Aside from the fact that it’s very fun season to have, I’ll be using two of the teams in upcoming tournaments this upcoming year.
Prairieland APBA Baseball Tournament
For our upcoming tournament here in Urbana (sign up if you’re interested!), I am bringing the 1930 New York Giants. I firmly believe that the Giants are the most balanced team in the NL in 1930. When my buddy Brando replayed the 1930 season, New York won the NL championship.
When Mel Ott is the third best hitter on your team, you know you got something good.
Chicagoland Summer Fantasy World Series
For this summer’s Chicagoland tournament, I’ll be taking the 1930 St. Louis Cardinals. Frank Frisch, Chick Hafey, George Watkins… yes, the team that hit .300.
There’s one extra catch with this tournament. Each tourney participant gets to add any player from history as long as he’s from the same franchise. I chose the player who helped me win my Illowa APBA League Championship, slugger 1998 Mark McGwire. He should help add some power to that lineup.
While I have some Monster Cards on both teams, I found it interesting that both teams have a bonafide Terrible Card. The 1930 Cardinals sport outfielder Homer Peel while the Giants can boast Chick Fullis.
Other Tournament News
Teams have been selected for the Twin Cities APBA Baseball Tournament that is being held on April 2, 2016. Jim Fraasch has all the details on TCABT-V at Jim’s APBA Barn.
Rich Zawadzki’s Greater Michigan APBA Baseball Tournament is right around the corner. The tourney date is set for March 5. There may still be slots open and if it’s anything like what I heard the first one was, it should be a great time. Leave a comment if you’re interested and I’ll make sure Rich sees it.
I’ve updated the Tournament page. If you have a tournament to plug, let me know.
Two things: 1 – I love your tourney page! 2 – I faced HoFer Joe Sweeney in the Convention Tourney a couple of years ago & his 1930 NY Giants and you are right, that is a very solid team.
Hi Steve,
Yeah the Giants have Terry, Lindstrom and Ott who are just so fun to look at. Their SS (Jackson) and catcher (Hogan) both have a 15-7.
Probably more important, they have better pitching than the 30 Cardinals or Cubs.
I’ll probably do a writeup on both the Giants and Cardinals.
The “fantasy player” aspect of the Chicagoland tourney is a great idea. A lot of interesting combinations coming out. Some are picking a big slugger to complement their team. Others are going for that one big A starter.
True about the fantasy player aspect. It didn’t occur to me about the ‘one big A starter.’ Also, did you compare other McGwire cards like the card with which Mr Skoff won the most recent HR Derby? Another possibility might be 1968 Bob Gibson. That is such a great idea and the possibilities are almost endless. – Steve
If I was smart, I would have gone with Gibson. The 1930 Cards pitching is pretty mediocre. They have a B and 3 Cs.
I went with my heart though. McGwire broke my league’s single season HR record that year… on the last at-bat of the season. We went on to win the WS.
http://www.apbablog.com/card-analysis/monster-card-monday-1998-mark-mcgwire
It’ll be nice to manage Big Mac again.
Besides, I had 1979 KC in the last tourney. They had a rotation of C, C, C, DW. We actually made it to the playoffs with that. :)
Tom,
I just noticed the Wally Berger in the shrink wrap at the top of this article. Has he been a Monster Card yet? Numbers like 1-1-3-4-6-7 seem worthy, no?
Hi Steve,
Most definitely. Berger’s rookie record (at the time) of 38 homers gives him a really nice card.
In the ’30 set, there is an endless supply of Monster Cards (as well as Terrible Cards too).
Very fun set!
Hi Tom,
We both had the same problem for the Chicagoland tournament. I took the 84 Cubs, who have as solid a 1-7 as anyone.
The choice becomes do I keep Larry Bowa, a SS-9 but an automatic out considering the level of most pitching in tournaments and go with say Reulbach or Brown and their A&C ratings to supplement a good but not great rotation?(Sorry APBA, but Sutcliffe should have been an A) or take another bopper.
I had in the end looked at some of the superstars that were being taken as the add on to the teams and all are mega-hitters, so that A is ok, but a 1 is still a homer, and a 5 is still very dangerous despite the elevated grade.
So in the end like you did I took the extra hitter. The great thing about 1959 Ernie Banks is in addition to a monster hitter card I actually keep my SS-9 rating!
Only will know this summer if I made the right choice.
Scott,
If it were me, Banks would have been my choice. Maybe it was a personal choice because I like him so much but you can’t go wrong with a SS-9 who infinitely improves your offense at that position.
Tom