New APBA Quest

I'm a big fan of APBA Baseball. By printing sets of cards for every baseball season since 1901, the possibilities are endless. But where does one start? I know some who have started a replay of the entire history of baseball since 1901. Others replay seasons here and there, in no particular order, or will replay the season for one particular team. I knew I wanted to do something, but couldn't decide what.

Then Stan Musial died.

Stan "The Man" Musial was indeed one of the greatest players of all-time and the best player to ever don the redbirds uniform. What does this have to do with APBA? Well, while I've never met Musial, I did send him an APBA box score to autograph for me back in the early 1990s, which he did and at no cost. I can't remember the details of the game, only that it was between the Cardinals "Original Franchise All-Stars" team and some other team. I believe he went 3-4 with 2 HRs and several RBIs. I figured it fitting that he sign it, which he did. It was my prized autograph until I was forced to sell it for financial reasons. Think Curt Schilling's "Bloody Sock." Still, it is one of my fondest memories and my "Stan Musial" story.
 
While reflecting on this man's career, his contributions to baseball, and his connection to APBA in my mind and in my heart, it dawned on me -- why not replay his entire career? I'm a Cardinals fan, so it's not like I'd be replaying a team I didn't like and frankly, they had some good years in the 40s. The 50s were a dark time in Cardinal history but maybe with me at the helm things will turn out differently?

Then I got to thinking...who else was a great player of that same time? Ted Williams of course! And since the Red Sox are another of my favorite teams I figured it I was going to replay Musial's career, I might as replay Williams's too! So that's what I decided to do: replay the careers of two baseball greats: Ted Williams and Stan Musial. Here are my guidelines:

1) I will start with 1939 (Ted Williams's rookie year) and replay the Red Sox. All 162 games. From there I'll play 1940 (Sox) again, and for 1941 I'll pick up both teams. However, since I currently have a few years in their careers, I probably won't necessarily play them in chronological order. I know. Bad, huh? And I think I'll start with 1944. Williams was off to war, but Musial was home and that was the year the Cardinals played the Browns in the World Series.

2) Unlike some fans (or fanatics), I am not going to look up the details of every game. Instead, I'll just use the lineups provided by APBA. I will, however, limit Williams and Musial to the number of games they played during the regular year--or at least come close. As for the war years, if they did not play during that season, I won't do a replay. Also, I'll probably play all the games against each team at the same time, instead of trying to follow the regular season schedule.

3) As for the playoffs and World Series, I plan to implement a playoff system. The 2nd place team will play the 3rd place team in a best-of-three series and the winner of that will play the pennant winner in a best-of-five series. World Series will be a best-of-seven affair. I will use the regular season records for all teams other than those I am replaying. For those I'm replaying (and I will replay even the non-Williams and non-Musial games) I will substitute my record for their actual season record and see where they would place.
 

So, that's it. We'll see how far I get :).

Happy gaming! Roll well and live!

Al

Walk Off Single Wins 1933 All-Star Game for the NL

I've long been a fan of APBA Baseball.  I started playing in a league during college (where my California Medflys beat the Newark Neanderthals one year for the title) and after graduating, played a few replays.  I wouldn't replay the entire season, but would replay the playoffs using a system similar to today's playoffs.

APBA Game box as it appeared when I started playing in the 1980s

After a while the game took a back shelf to raising kids but was renewed last year after my son and I traveled through Lancaster, PA and I paid homage to the home of APBA -- a few months before it relocated to Atlanta.  There, I bought the basic game and the 2010 season and my son and I had fun during the rest of our trip playing Red Sox vs. Cardinals.  When I returned home to St Louis I ordered a few past seasons, but my writing business spiraled downward after that and I spent most of my time job hunting.

Me in front of APBA office (Lancaster, PA)

 Then, I received the 1933 All-Star team via email and decided to replay that game.  Well, two months later, I finally got around to playing the game and what a nail biter it was!  Here is my summary of the game:

Philadelphia, PA (AP) - September 5, 1933 - After months of delay and change in location due to striking workers in Chicago, the inaugural all-star game was finally played at Shribe Park in Philadelphia and the all-star game tradition could not have gotten off to a better start, with the NL team beating out the AL team with a bottom-of-the-ninth walk off single by the Red's Chick Hafey.

Yankee teammates Ruth and Gehrig pose before the 1933 All-Star Game. 
They would disappoint fans by going a combined 1-for-6, though
Lou Gehrig would record the first-ever all star game hit.

The AL struck early in the second after NL starter "Wild Bill" Hallahan earned his nickname by loading the bases with a single, a walk, and a hit batsman.  Joe Cronin hit in Al Simmons with a fielder's choice, but Hallahan settled down and the AL was not able to score any more runs that inning.

The NL tied the game in the bottom of the second with an RBI double by Giant's first-baseman Bill Terry.   An RBI double by Philadelphia shortstop Dick Bartell scored Pepper Martin to give the NL the lead.  An RBI single by Al Simmons, who lead the AL All-Stars by going 4-for-5, tied the game in the top of the ninth, setting up and exciting showdown between Lefty Gomez and the best the NL had to offer.

Wally Berger led off the bottom-of-the-ninth with a fly out to right field.  Bill Terry then doubled to right and Gomez walked Jimmie Wilson to set up the double play.  Dick Bartell spoiled that plan with a sacrifice bunt that sent the runners to second and third.  With two outs, all-star game MVP "Chick" Hafey stepped up to the plate.  Hafey had already singled off Gomez and with Terry on third and Wilson on second, Hafey smacked the ball hard to right, scoring Terry and winning the game for the Nationals.

Al Simmons definitely had the best game, going 4-for-5 with an RBI and run scored, but played for the losing team.  While Bill Terry had a great game, I decided to award Chick Hafey the MVP for his walk-off single.

The St Louis Cardinal's contingent to the inaugural All-Star Game posing with former teammate Chick Hafey. 
The Cardinals accounted for four starters in all, including winning pitcher Bill Hallahan.

One of the great things about APBA is that it's more than playing a game - it's like your actually watching the game.  The flavor of the game (especially the master game) lends itself to a lot of enjoyable replay moments, like this 1933 All-Star Game.  Kudos to the new owners of APBA for sending out these free sample sets on occasion, it really helps to build and create loyal customers.

PS.  I know the actually game was played in Cominsky Park,  but I didn't think about looking up the exact location until midway through the game.  Oops.  I promise to do better research ahead of time :).