I finally got off my duff an updated the web site of the Illowa APBA League. It’s been a couple months since I touched it. I’m no web designer but I have fun doing it.
Our All-Star Game is coming up in October. Aside from the draft weekend, that one of highlights of the IAL season for me. We vote in the best players and the best of East battle the the best of the West.
I remember when my buddy Brando was in his first year in the league and was attending his first All-Star weekend. In the beginning, he didn’t see the big deal of a APBA All-Star Game. What was the big deal watching two guys playing APBA?, he thought.
As it came nearer to “Play Ball!”, and the rest of the managers were grabbing their dice, he understood. We weren’t simply going to watch two guys play APBA baseball; we were all part of the game. Each one of us got to roll for our own players. With the managers from one division on one side of the table and the managers of the other division on the other, the friendly trash talk began. It was constant fun chaos for the entire game.
A scene from the 2005 IAL All-Star Weekend
Speaking of managing, we determine the manager by the standings of the previous year. Guess who was in first place last year? Yes, yours truly. That makes me the manager of the West Division which pretty much includes the non-Chicago teams in our league.
Aside from on-the-field decisions, the IAL All-Star manager is responsible for choosing the pitchers and substitutes as well as making a lineup.
You can see the online version of the ballot to determine the starters to get a sense how players are doing in our league (My Albert Pujols will probably not start for the first time in his career. Mark Teixeira has THAT wrapped up).
The results of the balloting will be out soon. Stay tuned.