ISLANDIAN PRO ALLIANCE (RUTHLANDIA and TYCOBBIA BASEBALL UNIONS)

[Eugene Church]

[care4ameatball]

Wow Roy Roberts is a slugger. 73 home runs is quite the achievement!

[StLee]

Originally Posted by care4ameatball

Wow Roy Roberts is a slugger. 73 home runs is quite the achievement!

Not to mention 174 RBI!!!

[Eugene Church]

Originally Posted by StLee

Not to mention 174 RBI!!!

Yes, that is really something, too... he almost broke Tallis' record of 178.
It was special year for Roy Roberts.

[Eugene Church]

I'm gonna take a short hiatus from the IPA and my North Island-South Island dynasty reports.

My only niece is 50 years old... she knows music has a special place in my life and my heart, so she asked if I would do her some CDs of my favorite music of all time... so for the next week I will work on her birthday gift from me... I plan to cover the history of pop music from "My Blue Heaven' by Gene Austin in 1926 to 1980, when I basically stopped buying pop and rock music... I found a stereo re-recording from the 1960s where Gene Austin re-created the song exactly according the original version... same arrangement and the same instruments... it is marvelously done... I can hear why "My Blue Heaven" was the first super hit in the USA... I will cover a few hits of the 20s and 30s... not very many of good quality sound-wise... the recorded quality of that period was pretty poor... but beginning in the late 30s it gets much better and is decently done... then, beginning with my birth year 1940, I will choose arguably the best 7 songs of each year until I reach 1981... it will give her a fairly good feeling for how the world of music and radio changed styles over the years and what the American public listened to on the radio... I should end up with about 10 CDs that are 80 minutes in length... about 300 songs... I have about 7450 recordings in my music library... almost all mint condition... meaning they are free of pops and clicks and the audio is good at the very minimal and overall excellent... yes, like I am very nitpicky when it comes to my logos, jerseys and OOTP graphics and I am even more nitpicky when it comes to the audio and sound quality of my music recordings.

See you folks in about a week... please don't forget about the IPA, NIPL, NIEL, SISL, SIPL and EC.

[Eugene Church]

Boy, I have missed my Islandian Pro Alliance and North Island and South Islands leagues... will give a preview of the Pro Cup playoffs next.

It's nice to get back to the calm and quiet of a routine life.

[Eugene Church]

Monday, September 27, 2066

IPA PLAYOFFS SET FOR WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON ALL ACROSS ISLANDIA
The only thing better than the Islandian Pro Cup playoffs is the beginning of the season... that's because all 64 teams and their frenetic fans have hopes and aspirations at that time of the year... yes indeed, there is still interest at this revered time of the season, but limited to the 8 pennant-winning towns and the other many obsessed baseball fanatics around the Islands... this Wednesday is the blessed day when play will begin for the much-cherished IPA Pro Cup trophy, awarded annually since 2000 to the best professional baseball team in the Islands.

As usual, the big question all across the Islands is who will win?... will it be record-setting Rolling Hills with 111 wins racking up its 6th Pro Cup trophy?... will it be the defending IPA champion Southport repeating and winning its 5th IPA title?... or powerful Claxton copping its 2nd Pro Cup in 3 years?... it could also be one of the other postseason teams, Valmara, Marston, Sligo, Red Bluff and Hartsdale... we must remember the IPA Pro Cup does not always play out true-to-form... remember when unheralded Arlon won in '58... unlikely Ginza in '59... unsung Hartsdale in '63... and overlooked Claxton in '64... all of these IPA champions were not well-regarded or given any chance to win... but to our surprise and our chagrin... they did.

If the IPA playoffs play out the way they should, here's what will happen... one of the highly-touted teams, Rolling Hills, Claxton and Southport, will hoist the vaunted IPA flag over their ballpark next season... but then, again, it could be one of the lesser lights that just might shine brightly for a few weeks or so and win the whole shebang.

2066 Islandian Pro Alliance Pro Cup Preview

1st Pick: ROLLING HILLS RACERS (111-43)
The Racers had the greatest season ever by any one team... breaking the team victory mark by 4 games... setting a new team batting average record at .306... Rolling Hills would scare anybody... that's why they are the number-one choice to win this year's Pro Cup trophy... in addition, the Racers run well (199 SB) and have good power (165 HR)... and for the first time, they have four solid starters... however, Rolling Hills is not perfect... they are subpar defensively (.976 FA)... and the bullpen is suspect... both categories have stung the Racers in recent postseasons, allowing Claxton and Southport to knock them out of the playoffs... this year the Rolling Hills' offense and starting pitching should be good enough to overcome all obstacles and bring home their 6th IPA title.



2nd Pick: Claxton Diamonds (102-52)
The Diamonds are back again and are better than they were when they won the Pro Cup in '64, defeating Rolling Hills in 7 games... Claxton hits well (.283 BA)... scores well ... plays very good defense (.979 FA)... has three starters that are just as good as you will find in the IPA... and the best closer ever... this year Alvie London set a new saves mark with 59... breaking his old record of 43, shared with Oxford's Pat McFarlane... and rookie first baseman Kevin Walton added a lot of punch to the batting order... Claxton can play with anybody... however, a lack of a solid #4 starter may hurt them... the Diamonds got their only Pro Cup trophy in 2064.



3rd Pick: Southport Sun Sox (89-65)
The reigning Pro Cup titlist is still an impressive ballclub... still has outstanding starters, fairly good scoring and power and solid defense (.978 FA)... a combination that won the Pro Cup last year... the Sun Sox knocked favorite Rolling Hills out last year in the Tycobbian title series in 7 games... they did it with pitching, clutch hitting and good defense... then Southport finished off Colfax in the Pro Cup Series in 5 games... the Sun Sox will be without its solid defender in center field... injured Pee Wee Little will miss the first few games of the playoffs... it will take a good team to beat Southport... they really would like to win their 5th Pro Cup... and could do it.



4th Pick: Hartsdale Hellcats (87-67)
The Hellcats remind you a lot of the club that surprisingly upset everybody in the playoffs and won the 2063 Pro Cup... Hartsdale may be better this year with the addition several talented rookies like Mordecai Bryson in right field and Emmett Ruskin at first base... they have made the Hellcat attack a lot more potent... Pro Cup heroes Phil Baylor and Tommy Johnson are still around on the mound, but Johnson sadly is injured and may miss the playoffs... that is a huge loss... Johnson, a big-game pitcher, hurled three shutouts in the '63 playoffs... Colby Pickens and late-season acquisition Lucien McElhinney give them two more solid starters... Hartsdale hits well, scores well, has a fairly good starting rotation and play standout defense (.981 FA)... maybe the Hellcats still have some Pro Cup magic left in them... they seem to have the best chance of the teams that don't have much of a chance to win the Pro Cup this year... Hartsdale has captured 2 Pro Cups... 2048 and 2063.

[Eugene Church]

5th Pick: Sligo Rovers (88-66)
The Rovers always do pretty well in the playoffs because they always have good pitching... but they are lousy when it come to scoring runs... one reason is they play in a big ballpark... a pitcher's park... in '59 Sligo reached the Ruthlandian title series and lost to Pro Cup finalist, Volusia... in '60 the Rovers were beaten in the first round by Pro Cup finalist, Wynnamac... and in '64 they were defeated by IPA Pro Cup champion Claxton in the RU title round... so Sligo does have a good postseason pedigree... the Rovers get a break in round one this year... they will play the #8 Pro Cup pick, the Marston Nine... two rookies spark the Sligo attack... left fielder Eddy Arnett (.300) and third baseman Norman French (.303)... both should do well in the Rookie of the Year voting... the big RBI guy is first baseman Cliff Hawthorne, but he bats a lowly .223 for average... Tiger Snodgrass and Floyd Burton will lead the starters, while closer Antoine Simon will head up the bullpen... there is no Pro Cup likely for Sligo this year... their only Pro Cup came in 2021.



6th Pick: Valmara Vipers (88-66)
This will be the Vipers' recording-setting 26th postseason appearance, but there is a good chance Valmara will not win their 5th Pro Cup trophy unless they get some really standout pitching, both starters and bullpen... the Vipers are pretty fair hitters, can score runs and hit with good power, but they have a poor bullpen... defensively they are an average club (.978 FA)... and Valmara has to get by Claxton in the first round... that's a tall order.



7th Pick: Red Bluff Red Sox (87-67)
The Red Sox depend on strong starters and home runs... they do not hit much for average... defensively they are just average (.978 FA)... Red Bluff had to be good this year... they beat some good, solid clubs like South Fork, High Mesa and Tucknarra to get to the playoffs... the starting foursome will have to carry the club in the postseason... the Red Sox have to get past powerhouse Rolling Hills in the first round... 'nuff said... no Pro Cup this year for Red Bluff... they have garnered a pair of Pro Cups over the years... the last one was in 2057... the first one was in 2004.



8th Pick: Marston Nine (86-68)
The Nine won a tight race with Sugar Valley and Wynnamac to make the playoffs... Marston carries a big stick and score runs... they hit for high average, but with little power...everyone in the starting lineup can hit the ball... that's a big plus in the postseason... and the pitching is good as far as the starters... the bullpen is not so good... and the defense is the worst in the IPA (.972 FA)... it is unlikely that Marston will go very deep into the playoffs this season... no Pro Cup is on the near horizon for the Nine... they don't have the mighty Casey at the Bat of the famed Mudville Nine in the lineup... and even if they did, we know how his immortal season ended... Marston has made the postseason 8 times in previous years, this is the 9th time, but they have struck out all 8 times... never have reach the Pro Cup Finals.

[Dark Horse]

You got eight interesting teams there. Should be an interesting post season.

[jg2977]

Go Marston! In the words of Dick Vitale, UPSET CITY, BABY!!

[jg2977]

I was looking for the Hillsboro Blazers on the map of Islandia, but I'm not seeing them.

[Eugene Church]

Originally Posted by jg2977

I was looking for the Hillsboro Blazers on the map of Islandia, but I'm not seeing them.

Wow! What an oversight on my part... Hillsboro is missing from the map of Islandia... it is due north of South Fork... there is a dot for it, but I failed to put the town name.... I'll see if I can load it in Paint and fix it.

Thanks.

[Eugene Church]

Didn't come out well... I couldn't match the font... but this will work.

New Map of Islandia complete with Hillsboro.

Hope all towns are there... it is really hard to double check them.

[Eugene Church]

Thursday, September 29, 2066

IPA PLAYOFF POWERS ARE OFF-AND-RUNNING
8 potent ballclubs are out of the starting gates for the 66th running of the Islandian Pro Alliance Pro Cup playoffs... they are off-and-running, all in search of the Holy Grail of the Islands, the IPA Pro Cup trophy... on opening day Claxton and Sligo snatched victories in the Ruthlandian Union, while Hartsdale and Rolling Hills triumphed in the Tycobbian Union.

2066 Ruthlandian Union Division Championship Series - Game 1 (best-of-seven series)

[Eugene Church]

[Eugene Church]

2066 Tycobbian Union Division Championship Series - Game 1 (best-of-seven series)

[Eugene Church]

[Dark Horse]

Rookie Kevin Walter hits a walk off grand slam! He just became a legend.
A pinch hit, walk off home run in extra innings? Reg French - legend.
Charley Boyer, pinch hit, go ahead, grand slam on the road; legendary.

All on the first day of the playoffs.

[Eugene Church]

Friday, October 1, 2066

SLIGO WINS FIRST TWO, OTHERS SPLIT SERIES
The Sligo Rovers are off to a great start in the IPA playoffs... the Rovers snatched two close games from the Marston Nine to go up two games to none the best-of-seven series... the other three first-round series are deadlocked at one win apiece... in the Ruthlandian Union Sligo came from way behind and whipped Marston 7-6 in 10 innings... and Valmara polished off Claxton with a big 5-run rally 6-1... over in the Tycobbian Union current Pro Cup titlist Southport staved off Hartsdale 5-3 and Red Bluff tripped up Pro Cup favorite Rolling Hills 6-4 in the late innings.

2066 Ruthlandian Union Division Championship Series - Game 2 (best-of-seven series)

[Eugene Church]