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FOUNDERS’ CUP VI MATCHUP IS SET
AMERICAN BACK FOR 4TH TIME IN FIVE YEARS; NIAGARA GOES FOR 1ST TITLE AT ANY LEVEL

BUFFALO & PHILADELPHIA (Aug. 21, 1876) – The APBL season is over, with the matchup for the sixth edition of the Founders’ Cup set after the Colonial Conference was decided on the season’s final day.

COLONIAL: Incredibly, it’s Niagara (51-39, +52 RD) who’s going to the A.P.B.L. final in a worst-to-first dream of a season. Not that it was easy. Ahead of St. John’s by one game going into the final day of the season, St. John’s hammered Alleghany 17-1 and that meant Niagara had to win at Shamrock to avoid a one-game playoff that would have been played at St. John’s due to head-to-head record. Behind 8-4 after the 7th, Niagara scored eight times over the final two innings to take the Colonial Conference pennant in most dramatic fashion. Niagara’s strength: their #2 ranked group of fielders.


KEY PLAYERS:

• Clyde Hudspeth (2B) – .316, .726 OPS, 74 R, 120 H, 14 2B, 8 3B, 62 RBI, 22 SB, +16.6 ZR, 3.3 WPA, 3.3 WAR
• Reginald Roper (RF) – .302, .692 OPS, 79 R, 127 H, 10 2B, 10 3B, 86 RBI, 9 BB, 10 SB, 4.2 WPA, 1.9 WAR
• Will Schumacher (SS) – .280, .657 OPS, 63 R, 97 H, 12 2B, 5 3B, 46 RBI, 19 SB, +19.0 ZR, 1.9 WPA, 2.8 WAR
• Jack Smith (P) – 25-15, 3.29 ERA, 49 K, 375.1 IP, 23 CG, 2 SHO, 1.5 K/BB, 1.28 WHIP, 4.7 WAR, 7.2 rWAR

METROPOLITAN: American (57-33, +188 RD) led the conference from the end of May on, and they’re back in the Founders’ Cup for the fourth time in five years because of…what else…what is indisputably the league’s best group of batsmen. Powered by Burke, Boyce, Busby, Pretty, Prince, and the Greenhorn Kassabian this team once again bulldozed the opposition. Add in two All-Star pitchers and this is a dynasty feared by everybody.

KEY PLAYERS:

• James Burke (CF) – .387, .936 OPS, 120 R, 165 H, 39 XBH, 80 RBI, 20 BB, 90 SB, 222 TB, 5.3 WPA, 6.0 WAR
• Peter Boyce (2B) – .323, .740 OPS, 86 R, 133 H, 21 2B, 6 3B, 95 RBI, 32 SB, +10.3 ZR, 4.7 WPA, 3.1 WAR
• Martin Prince (SS) – .322, .786 OPS, 86 R, 119 H, 26 XBH, 74 RBI, 17 BB, 33 SB, +27.1 ZR, 3.1 WPA, 4.9 WAR
• Simeon DiStefano (P) – 29-17, 2.54 ERA, 28 K, 392.2 IP, 30 CG, 10.1 HA/9, 1.23 WHIP, 3.9 WAR. 11.3 rWAR

The Founders’ Cup is a best-of-seven series with the following schedule:

• Aug. 21: GAME 1 – Niagara at American
• Aug. 22: GAME 2 – Niagara at American
• Aug. 23: day off
• Aug. 24: GAME 3 – American at Niagara
• Aug. 25: GAME 4 – American at Niagara
• Aug. 26: GAME 5 – American at Niagara (if necessary)
• Aug. 27: day off
• Aug. 28: GAME 6 – Niagara at American (if necessary)
• Aug. 29: GAME 7 – Niagara at American (if necessary)

The Writers Pool sees American as solid favorites given their championship experience and Niagara's weak record for a conference champion.

• American (32-13 Home) will defeat Niagara (48-42 Pyth. W-L)
• The series will go six games