I have been playing APBA baseball since 1970, more than forty years, and have never reached the 100 win plateau in any format. I’ve managed the Chicago Champions in the Illowa APBA League since the 2nd season of the league, more than 35 years, and have never gotten 100 wins, until now. Two years ago the Champions finished in 1st place with 98 wins, last year we again finished in 1st place & won the World Series (our 11th title), but missed out on 100 wins, finishing with 99 victories.
This year with nine games to play, the Champs again had a strong hold on 1st place, but needed four wins to reach the century mark. Prince Fielder hit a walkoff homer with 2-outs in the bottom of the 9th of the 1st contest turning a victory for Tim Lincecum into defeat in the opener.
The Champions beat the Gamblers the next three games, and it was The Freak’s turn once again to toe the rubber for Chicago. Although he walked six men in the game, Three Rivers hadn’t a hit with 2-outs in the 9th, then the unthinkable happened, on the brink of 100 wins. Lincecum only had 8 2/3 innings left, so reliever Sergio Romo was called on to get the final out, and we finally had our 100th win. The Champs won two more games to finish the season with 102 victories, now it’s on to the postseason, and hopefully title twelve.
I’ve won 106 games in two seperate leagues – the IAL and the old AML 28-team league. Other than those two times, I’ve rarely been over 90!