Looking For "Friends" to join "Our League" Season 3

[Stanley Kuppchaser]

Given the current situation, other responsibilities and avocations have been locked down and out. Therefore I had the time for this. Hopefully, when I again lose the time for it, someone else will be so used to seeing it they'll pick it up.



It would also be nice for other members to know that anyone who wants to, can do them. If there's a volunteer, I will gladly step aside.



All that said, the Asheboro Road Dogs, an original member from year 2, set the early pace in OL R92. The PT standings are also attached.

[Charlatan]

I’m no math wizard, but I find it difficult to believe Annandale can be 8-9 in OL play when our record is 20-7 overall!

[Stanley Kuppchaser]

Originally Posted by Charlatan

I’m no math wizard, but I find it difficult to believe Annandale can be 8-9 in OL play when our record is 20-7 overall!

I forgot to double check myself. I just typed the numbers into an old sheet. Probably got something hanging there. I'll give it a look. Thanks.

[Stanley Kuppchaser]

This is why OL is so nice. I did indeed leave in some of last year's losses on the books (and they were from a different team that had been in that cell). These are now updated through the first sim of the day.

[Magus978]

I've got stone standings at the end of the day.

[Stanley Kuppchaser]

If I had any shame I wouldn't tell this story on myself, but it's too damned funny not to share.

As I've too often said, nostalgia is something that draws me into PT.

Now, I didn't bother with the collections at all last year, didn't even give 'em a look. I was too busy trying to fix my Mundy mess. Well this time, when I saw that two of the players were Eddie Plank and Chuck Klein, I decided that the first mission to pull ten cards with Port Ruppert was the one I would sort of chase as I built the team.



For the Mundys, it turned to be the old Philadelphia Athletic, Ed Plank. So, whenever I finished a non-live AH scan, I'd do a quick AH for the Oakland Athletics, for quick ending auctions, but mostly using buy now for the cheaper cards, and, if the end time was no more than 10 minutes, throwing in a last minute bid for a pricier card. I knew I was overpaying a bit, but I figured I might be able to get it for 5,000 or so, and I would be happy to pay a 20% mark-up for Eddie Plank.


A little back story is needed here. Back in the mid-60's, and even into the 70's, when were "too hip" for it, a group of us would play stickball nearly every day when we were kids to adolescents, and then on week-ends into our late teens. One guy had a big picnic table in his backyard and we'd play his Strat-O-Matic baseball game. After a year, we all pitched in to buy some Strat-O-Matic oldtimer sets. After that, we'd draft the cards onto teams and play out a few seasons a summer, even keeping stats for many of them. There were always at least four of us, but we had gotten as high as 8 league members on occasion. My, did those cards get dog-eared.



Two players I always drafted first, and I could always get them, were Eddie Plank and Chuck Klein. We lived in New York, and of course, the Babe always went first, with Walter Johnson second, and Cy Young third, with Cobb or Hornsby or Gehrig, etc. No matter when I picked I took Plank first,, even skipping Ruth, and because we reversed the order each round, get Klein after him, but usually in a later round. His card was not in the top ten, so there were some I wouldn't pass up for him. It struck my funny bone that they played for different Philadelphia teams, which I didn't know ever had two teams, and that helped spark my love for reading baseball lore.



Back to the main story.


When I saw that they both were in collections, I decided on the race to ten, and then a slow, couple of week addition to the team. Yeah, right! I was happy that Plank's Athletics won the race to ten. In retrospect, that set the stage for tonight's sad senior-itis saga. It was pure nostalgia-driven excess that got me to the point where I lost my patience and was around 4,000 PP into it with three cards in the 70's to go. You should see what those cards go for. I set a strict limit of 1500, then 1800, and finally 2000 for the three. Until this afternoon, I couldn't budge on any of them. The cheapest combined price was always 2400 or more. And, for the past three or four days, I've showed the same steely discipline I showed last year with the Cy Young card.


Time for a brief turn in Chuck Klein's direction. If you read last night's tale, you know how sorry I feel for the terrible pack luck of my Memphis Chicos. I wanted to something nice for them because they are on the Asylum Keepers log-in name, who were my only team to win an OL crown last year. This year, their one piece of really good luck was to pack an Aaron Nola card. That was a sign (to me) that the baseball gods were smiling down in the Memphis sky. They had also pulled two of the 70's and three 60's Phillies. I was actually disciplined this time and got the card for around 4200, and still was able to save the Nola to sell. Chuck Klein joined the Chicos for this season.


Just one more tiny bit of set up. For the more than a week, I would type both the city and nickname together in the search box. Why? I dunno, for some dumb old man reason? Finally, I got smart to myself and just started typing in the city alone.


For the past three days, I got continually disappointed by the numbers that typing "Oakland" was getting, and raising my budget, yet still not able to buy any of the three I lacked. Typing "Philadelphia" brought such joyful numbers and I even saved the Nola.



Which brings us to this afternoon. I was just ending a brief PT session and was going to head downstairs to play a board game with the family. I clicked on "2010 Live" in the drop down, typed in "70" as the low price, typed in the city name, clicked "end time asc." and hit search, just as one of my sons called to me that they were ready. I walked to the top of the stairs called out, "Be right there!"



I walked back to the computer, intending to just exit the game and go play. Then I saw the screen full of names in white, with buy now prices I couldn't believe! Without a second glance I bought three cards for a total of 1750 PP (!), 250 (!) under my budget at close to the 20% mark-up I could live with!



And the Port Ruppert Mundys got - three Philadelphia Phillie cards to use in silver tournaments.


Because the only player that will appear as a duplicate on one of OL teams is Willie Mays, the best ever. Just feels right.

[OMGPuppies]

Originally Posted by Stanley Kuppchaser

If I had any shame I wouldn't tell this story on myself, but it's too damned funny not to share.

As I've too often said, nostalgia is something that draws me into PT.

Now, I didn't bother with the collections at all last year, didn't even give 'em a look. I was too busy trying to fix my Mundy mess. Well this time, when I saw that two of the players were Eddie Plank and Chuck Klein, I decided that the first mission to pull ten cards with Port Ruppert was the one I would sort of chase as I built the team.



For the Mundys, it turned to be the old Philadelphia Athletic, Ed Plank. So, whenever I finished a non-live AH scan, I'd do a quick AH for the Oakland Athletics, for quick ending auctions, but mostly using buy now for the cheaper cards, and, if the end time was no more than 10 minutes, throwing in a last minute bid for a pricier card. I knew I was overpaying a bit, but I figured I might be able to get it for 5,000 or so, and I would be happy to pay a 20% mark-up for Eddie Plank.


A little back story is needed here. Back in the mid-60's, and even into the 70's, when were "too hip" for it, a group of us would play stickball nearly every day when we were kids to adolescents, and then on week-ends into our late teens. One guy had a big picnic table in his backyard and we'd play his Strat-O-Matic baseball game. After a year, we all pitched in to buy some Strat-O-Matic oldtimer sets. After that, we'd draft the cards onto teams and play out a few seasons a summer, even keeping stats for many of them. There were always at least four of us, but we had gotten as high as 8 league members on occasion. My, did those cards get dog-eared.



Two players I always drafted first, and I could always get them, were Eddie Plank and Chuck Klein. We lived in New York, and of course, the Babe always went first, with Walter Johnson second, and Cy Young third, with Cobb or Hornsby or Gehrig, etc. No matter when I picked I took Plank first,, even skipping Ruth, and because we reversed the order each round, get Klein after him, but usually in a later round. His card was not in the top ten, so there were some I wouldn't pass up for him. It struck my funny bone that they played for different Philadelphia teams, which I didn't know ever had two teams, and that helped spark my love for reading baseball lore.



Back to the main story.


When I saw that they both were in collections, I decided on the race to ten, and then a slow, couple of week addition to the team. Yeah, right! I was happy that Plank's Athletics won the race to ten. In retrospect, that set the stage for tonight's sad senior-itis saga. It was pure nostalgia-driven excess that got me to the point where I lost my patience and was around 4,000 PP into it with three cards in the 70's to go. You should see what those cards go for. I set a strict limit of 1500, then 1800, and finally 2000 for the three. Until this afternoon, I couldn't budge on any of them. The cheapest combined price was always 2400 or more. And, for the past three or four days, I've showed the same steely discipline I showed last year with the Cy Young card.


Time for a brief turn in Chuck Klein's direction. If you read last night's tale, you know how sorry I feel for the terrible pack luck of my Memphis Chicos. I wanted to something nice for them because they are on the Asylum Keepers log-in name, who were my only team to win an OL crown last year. This year, their one piece of really good luck was to pack an Aaron Nola card. That was a sign (to me) that the baseball gods were smiling down in the Memphis sky. They had also pulled two of the 70's and three 60's Phillies. I was actually disciplined this time and got the card for around 4200, and still was able to save the Nola to sell. Chuck Klein joined the Chicos for this season.


Just one more tiny bit of set up. For the more than a week, I would type both the city and nickname together in the search box. Why? I dunno, for some dumb old man reason? Finally, I got smart to myself and just started typing in the city alone.


For the past three days, I got continually disappointed by the numbers that typing "Oakland" was getting, and raising my budget, yet still not able to buy any of the three I lacked. Typing "Philadelphia" brought such joyful numbers and I even saved the Nola.



Which brings us to this afternoon. I was just ending a brief PT session and was going to head downstairs to play a board game with the family. I clicked on "2010 Live" in the drop down, typed in "70" as the low price, typed in the city name, clicked "end time asc." and hit search, just as one of my sons called to me that they were ready. I walked to the top of the stairs called out, "Be right there!"



I walked back to the computer, intending to just exit the game and go play. Then I saw the screen full of names in white, with buy now prices I couldn't believe! Without a second glance I bought three cards for a total of 1750 PP (!), 250 (!) under my budget at close to the 20% mark-up I could live with!



And the Port Ruppert Mundys got - three Philadelphia Phillie cards to use in silver tournaments.


Because the only player that will appear as a duplicate on one of OL teams is Willie Mays, the best ever. Just feels right.

That was a great story. I also had stratomatic as a kid. I played a little of that, bu mostly I play statis pro baseball by myself. I fancied the all or nothing hitters and also the guys who always seemed to get on base. I would stay up late playing it while I listened to CBS Mystery Theater on the radio as I waited for my mom to get home from work.

[Magus978]

Very light schedule of OL play in Stone 160. Otonokizaka has taken 4 of 5 from Daytona Beach, which makes for the only numbers so far. Krikkit and Transylvania do have OL games to play, and they are detailed at the bottom.

REMAINING SCHEDULE
Otonokizaka - 2 @ Daytona Beach, 3 @ Krikkit (10 games total)
Daytona Beach - 2 vs Otonokizaka (7 games total)
Krikkit - 3 vs Otonokizaka, 3 @ Transylvania, 3 vs Transylvania (9 games total)
Transylvania - 3 vs Krikkit, 3 @ Krikkit (6 games total)

[Stanley Kuppchaser]

So here's the Night Owl edition of the OL R92 standing, which is shaping up as a competitive for the inaugural Red Rookie Rack. Damn, forgot to finish the borders again.

[Stanley Kuppchaser]

The Memphis Chiccos are actually the progeny of the Terra Incognita Rustlers, which is rather serendipitous since the Rustlers really had by far the worst luck of the three last year.



It is those currently prodigious pack pullers, the Freedonia Liberation Front who are using the log-in for Kid_Heckett, the director of the Asylum Keepers. I changed because I had just watched Duck Soup and happened across the Marxian logos when looking through the folder for the Rustlers and Keepers. I'm beginning to lean toward bringing them back with new logos, a la Port Ruppert.


With all the gaming going on around here today, there wasn't much pack earning or opening. Memphis won two and bought one, pulling two OL bronze and an OL iron. Getting swept by the Transylvania Impalers at home didn't help their earnings.


Freedonia had almost 5,000 PP and 2 packs, but I'm gonna let the PP build up until I can get a decent estimate of how close they are to a Willie Mays. I'm going to sell only the silver and above, so it's gonna take a few more weeks until they get the 100,000 in value it will take to get the only one I've seen. If they get any kind of Willie, even last year's New York Mutts one, they'll join. Of course, if they pack one, they're in.


Speaking of their two packs from today. The first was a live bronze and 5 live iron. Their second is attached. It's almost freaking me out.

[Stanley Kuppchaser]

Port Ruppert bought three live silver Phillies, but at a good price.

[SPBJT]

Whalers start off with a scorching 10-0 record, then settles down to an 18-25 record since. Picked up 84 Tony Oliva on Monday and has been paying dividends. My pitching needs attention. With points dribbling slowly in, will have to stair-step with 1-2 player upgrades at a time per week.

BTW: anyone know how to change my banners to the PT21 teams?

[revmcgator]

Originally Posted by SPBJT

BTW: anyone know how to change my banners to the PT21 teams?

https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...d.php?t=313116

[Stanley Kuppchaser]

Decided to stay with last year's names for my two other teams, for their return to OL. The cruise-control, pack pull approach seems to be working out, in terms of avoiding buying packs for Port Ruppert. Only gave in once. Of course, there's no cure for dumb stuff I do, and have chronicled here a little.


I've decided that if one them pulls, or can afford, a Willie Mays, I'll make them compliant that week. Of course, I hope Port Ruppert gets the first.



If the pack mania continues for Asylum, who knows? Hmm, wait.



Just for the heck of it, I stopped typing and checked for a Willie Mays. The only one extant in the game was a 99 with an opener of like 199,000. I clicked back here and realized I forgot to check the buy now. When I clicked back it was gone. So I guess you have to be well-laden with PP, and have good timing.



So please welcome back, eventually, the Asylum Keepers and Terra Incognita Rustlers.

[Bottom Of The Sixth]

Originally Posted by Stanley Kuppchaser

So please welcome back, eventually, the Asylum Keepers.

Love your new Asylum Keepers logo

[Charlatan]

Stanley thanks for sharing those great stories about your baseball heroes.

I'll just share a little bit : my first and fondest baseball memories when growing up were playing Strat-O-Matic. I grew up in Northern Va and rooted for the Senators (briefly). I first purchased SOM in 1970 - the reason I know this is 100% accurate is that I still have some of the 1969 cards with me. I recally having the best time with the '69 Senators and my favorite player, Frank Howard. 69 was the year he hit 48 homers but finished second to Killebrew for the homer race. I played that game so much I wore those cards down.

I purchased the cards again in 71 but I believe that's the year they added the lefty/righty splits on the back of the card. That was a great new addition.

I loved SOM so much I took a 2x3 poster board and made a standings board for my league - the teams, their records, and the games behind values were all on little pieces of posterboard that I'd insert into slits in the main poster. So I'd update the poster every day after playing the games.

I'd play every game by hand, more or less fairly, recording the game on the scoresheets. Once a week I'd collate the stats for each team on a sheet of paper. I'd then go through the stats for the teams and hand assemble a leaderboard page. It was a crazy amount of work.

That was before calculators too, so I had to do all the calculations by hand. Nothing taught me how to estimate fractions like doing all those baseball stats week after week after week...

Those were great days of a more innocent time, to be sure. Not sure I'd want to go back there but it's fun to think about them every now and then.

[SPBJT]

Whilst editing signature, I also was able to link last year's team onto there for the "Banner on the wall"

[Stanley Kuppchaser]

Those were great days of a more innocent time, to be sure. Not sure I'd want to go back there but it's fun to think about them every now and then.[/QUOTE]


Great stuff Charlatan! Remember the Dierker card, and the Belanger at short? Eddie Watt in the bullpen? Wasn't Messersmith's card sneaky good? The '69 set was the first I bought from my first real paycheck. The first season we played was earlier and was my friend's. Remember doing averages with a slide rule?



Gotta run. Another lockdown board game marathon awaits. By the way, I'm using my Maury Wills as a "get tired" utility at second, so he stays trained and he's gotten up to 101.

[Stanley Kuppchaser]

We finished up game play early tonight, so I checked in, to see there was one game left, I think. So I'll wait, put up the standings, and sleep in again. The Mundys cling to second in their division, despite a rough month, including 4-9 in the important race, with one home game against the Palolo Puppies, who greedily gobbled game one of the two-fer, 8-1, with Mike Morgan firing a complete-game gem, allowing a lone Mundy tally, just 4 hits, fanning 6 and no walks.


Should be playing the last one now. Update soon. By the way OMGpuppies, I notice that your abbreviation is now AH. Is that a kind of a nod to Aina Haina, or did you consider going with the 'Keets?

[Stanley Kuppchaser]

Sierra leads the way in OL R92 as the All Star break is on the horizon. A little tired, so I didn't scan the schedule for highlights. Others are, of course, invited write stories in later editions.


One score that hit me as soon as I logged in was Palolo sweeping the second game of their short road series at Glorious Mundy Stadium, in dramatic fashion, pushing across four, 9th-inning, runs against Port Ruppert reliever Dyar Miller, winning 6-4. The Puppies became the first team to score against Miller this season, ending his streak of 31 straight scoreless appearances, and pinning him with his first blown save, after 20 straight successes.