Darren Schulz sends in a belated recap of the Great American Baseball League season
Before the 2021 holiday season, season two of the Great American Baseball League concluded with John Stubblefield leading his South Florida Hitmen to a 4-0 sweep over the defending champions, Boston ScalzBosox, managed by Jeff Scalzo. Sixteen teams played an 84-game regular season utilizing the current 1979 APBA card set and an online video platform.
Qualifying as a wild card entry in the Clemente Division. Stubblefield began his dominating run to a championship with a three-game sweep over the Ohio Pride (John Mikulas). The Hitmen lived up to their nickname with second baseman Rob Wilfong leading the way with a .500 average, a homer, and six RBIs. Meanwhile, in the Robinson Division, the father/son combo of Rob/Tyler Wyks rolled the Leesburg Fireballs to their first playoff series victory over the Wichita Warhawks (Paul Evans). Even though this one ended in another 3-0 sweep, game two was especially memorable as the two teams combined for eight long balls, including two from Leesburg’s Don Money in the 8-7, 10 inning affair.
After leading the Dubuque Duhawks to the top seed in the Clemente Division, manager Rick Roeth was the first and (ultimately) only one to find a crack in the Hitmen’s bats with a 3-2 win in game three. Still up two games to one, the Hitmen stormed back in games four and five with a combined 22 runs on 29 hits (Wilfong .421 AVE, 3 HR). This coupled with strong starting pitching from Geoff Zahn and Mike Caldwell ended any hopes for a momentum switch for the Duhawks. After taking the GABL Crown in season one, Jeff Scalzo was back for more with a league-leading 58-26 regular season record. Although Leesburg’s Tom Seaver, the league’s SP of the Year, blanked the ScalzBosox 2-0 in a game 2 four hitter, Jeff’s sluggers took the four other games by a total score of 34-20. Picking up where he left off during the 1980 season, Mike Schmidt slugged three more postseason dingers in route to advancing Boston to the World Series for the second straight season. The stage was set for the hottest team in the postseason going on the road to face the defending champions!
Even though the 1979 GABL World Series ended in a four-game sweep, Boston did not relinquish its title without a fight. In the end though, it was South Florida’s pitching that silenced the Boston bats to a tune of a .201 series batting average. While Rob Wilfong continued his legendary GABL postseason performance with a .438 average, one homer, and five more RBIs, it was the franchise’s first ever member, George Brett, who took home the World Series MVP award. With six runs, two HRs, and an OPS of 1.394 in the series, Mr. Brett came through in the clutch for the Hitmen.
Congrats to John Stubblefield for taking the crown and earning the season two GABL championship plaque!
After two months of offseason work, Ken Schulz stepped down as the league’s commissioner to focus on his seminary work and handed the leadership position over to Jared Herfel, manager of the Miramar Mavericks. Jared already has made several positive changes, including new and easier ways to track player usage and statistics. The top prize of the 1978 lottery (The GABL goes back in time with each season.) landed to Devlin Toth and the Hogwart Harries who promptly selected 36-year-old SP Wilbur Wood. If interested in our league, feel free to contact Jared Herfel at or visit the GABL website.
SERIES SUMMARY NOTES FROM CHAMPION JOHN STUBBLEFIELD
World Series Wrap-Up
Game One 123 456 789 R H E
South Florida 000 000 001 1 9 0
Boston 000 000 000 0 1 0
WP: Caldwell (1-0)
LP: Kison (0-1)
HR: none
World Series Game One was a genuine pitching duel as team aces Mike Caldwell (South Florida) and Bruce Kison (Boston) headed into the 8th inning in a scoreless tie.
In the top of the eighth, Boston’s Kison yielded a one-out single to Brian Downing and then a double to Champ Summers. Downing’s lack of speed meant he held up at 3rd base. Kison then got George Brett to hit a soft ball to Fred Lynn for out number two and then got a ground out to third by Garry Templeton.
In the ninth however, South Florida bats tried again as Rob Wilfong hit a one-out single. Steve Henderson was sent in to pinch run for Wilfong. After an Al Oliver fly out, Jack Clark hit a single to right center which scored Henderson – who was running on the pitch – all the way from first base for the game’s only run.
In the bottom of the ninth, Boston pinch hitter Derrel Thomas drew a one-out walk and stole second base. He moved to third on a ground out by Ken Landreaux but was stranded there as Fred Lynn hit a line out to Al Oliver to end the game.
Game Two 123 456 789 R H E
South Florida 000 010 300 4 6 1
Boston 000 000 030 3 6 1
WP: Morris (1-0)
LP: Richard (0-1)
S: Glynn (1)
HR: Brett (1), Templeton (1) – South Florida Evans (1) – Boston
World Series Game Two started similar to Game One as Jack Morris (South Florida) and JR Richard (Boston) both started very strong.
South Florida’s George Brett hits a solo dinger in the 5th as the Hitmen take a 1-0 lead. They add three more in the 7th on a three-run blast by Garry Templeton.
Richard ended the day with ten K’s, but he also struggled with walks as two of his South Florida free passes wound up scoring.
Boston scores their first runs of the series in the bottom of the 8th as they finally solve Morris with a single by Lynn, a double by Schmidt, followed by a home run by Dwight Evans.
South Florida’s bullpen closer Ed Glynn came on in the bottom of the ninth. With two outs, Derrel Thomas reached first on a single which brought Ken Landreaux to the plate as the potential tying run. Landreaux grounded out to Templeton to end the game.
Game Three 123 456 789 R H E
Boston 200 050 100 8 15 0
South Florida 000 000 00X 12 15 1
WP: Swan (1-0)
LP: Bibby (0-1)
HR: Summers (1), Brett (2) – South Florida Lynn (1,2) – Boston
The Series moves south to Parkland, FL — and unlike the ice-cold starts in Games One and Two in frosty Boston, Game Three yielded heat right away as Boston’s Fred Lynn cracks a two-run shot in the top of the first inning off of Craig Swan.
South Florida followed this up with eight straight hits to open the game which included a team cycle – four singles, two doubles, a triple and a home run. By the time Bibby settled down, six runs had crossed the plate.
South Florida added three more runs in the second and two more in the fourth to take an 11-2 lead.
Boston came charging back in the fifth with six hits yielding five runs to cut the lead to 11-7. In the midst of this, Fred Lynn pounded his second home run of the game – a three-run shot to give him 5 RBIs for the game.
Series MVP George Brett added a solo home run for the Hitmen – his second of the series.
The Boston comeback ended as the usually suspect South Florida bullpen held them to just four singles over the final four frames.
Game Four 123 456 789 R H E
Boston 002 000 000 2 5 0
South Florida 011 002 00X 4 8 1
WP: Zahn (1-0)
LP: Jones (0-1)
S: Rawley (1)
HR: Wilfong (1) – South Florida
Boston took an early lead in Game Four on a two-out rally in the third inning with consecutive hits by the top three in their lineup – Landreaux, Lynn, and Schmidt – giving them a 2-1 lead.
South Florida tied it up in the bottom of the third with an RBI single by Champ Summers scoring Jack Clark.
In the bottom of the sixth, South Florida gets to Randy Jones with a walk to George Brett followed by a two-run blast by Rob Wilfong to take a 4-2 lead.
Boston generates a two-out single by Thurman Munson in the 7th but leaves him stranded. In the eighth they get a two-out double by Fred Lynn, but he too is left stranded.
In the top of the ninth, with two outs, last chance for Boston. Willie Montanez hits a slow roller to Garry Templeton…who boots it! Montanez takes first. Game still on! Tying run at the plate for Thurman Munson. Munson hits a ground ball to George Brett who throws it over to Mike Jorgensen to end the series.
Notes:
Series MVP: George Brett (4 for 13 with 2 doubles, 2 home runs, 4 walks, 6 runs scored, 1.394 OPS)
- Walks were a key difference in the series.
- South Florida generated 12 walks – 5 of which came around to score.
- Boston produced only 5 free passes – none of whom scored. Boston had no walks the final 2 games.
- During the regular season, South Florida’s usually ultra-soft bullpen yielded 90 earned runs, however in the World Series, it held Boston to just one run in the four games.
Congratulations John! Good luck to the GABL managers in the new season!
