My Chicagoland – 2022

On Friday, July 22nd, David Dawn and I hopped in my car and headed for the NW side of Chicago, Rosemont to be precise, to participate in the 2022 Chicagoland APBA Baseball Tournament, directed by Rob Spatz.

We arrived around 2:30 and checked in at the Hyatt Rosemont. This was the first year for Rob to use this venue. Dave and I went down to the lobby restaurant and rolled a couple of games to kill some time.

As we were finishing up our 2nd game, Dick Glisinski and Steve Szauer walked up to the table. We chatted for a while. David and I are avid board gamers and always bring a few games to play if we have some spare time. So we pulled out No Thanks, a well respected filler game. I think I ended up winning by a few points, but everyone enjoyed it.

About that time, Jack Dolan, a good friend who I met at the national convention a few years ago, walked up. After exchanging greetings and introductions, we played a game of Coloretto, another filler game. Everyone seemed to enjoy that and David Dawn walked away with the victory.

It was time to get ready to leave for the Chicago Dogs baseball game. Rob had obtained tickets for those who wanted to go. The Dogs play as an independent team. All I can say is their stadium, Impact Field, is beautiful. It’s definitely fine enough for a high level minor league team. Here’s a link to a short video showing more of the park.

We finished our evening at the hotel restaurant bar, where Ed Trojanowski joined us for a nightcap. Ed is the defending 2021 Toledo Glass City APBA Baseball Tournament Champion.

On Saturday morning, I had a great breakfast with Zak and Norm Zavela, and John Roels. For sure, much of the talk was around baseball, but right at the end a gentleman walked up and asked us what we had been talking about. Of course, we gave him the spiel on APBA regional tournaments. But the cool part was that he was a character actor. He plays the character, Gekko, on The Mandalorian. His name is Dominic Pace, a very friendly and personable guy. Besides boardgaming, now you know another area of interest for me.

On to the meeting room and Chicagoland. Rob’s choice of venue was perfect with lots of elbow room. After a few remarks from Rob, the rolling of games started. The plan was to play 4 games (out of 8) and break for lunch. I did not have a good start landing at 0-4 (see game recaps at the end). So I needed the break.

One of the suggestions was a Mexican place for tacos. So we headed over to a place called Cilantro. I would say it’s similar to a Chipotle, but I think the food was a little better. I ordered a burrito, which I know was similar in size to Chipotle’s. Jack Dolan, not believing they were big, ordered 2. He should have believed me.

Soon we were back at the table for the afternoon session of 4 more games. I finally won a couple of games, but then fell twice more to finish 2-6.

Rob started working on the brackets as the afternoon wore on. Rob had created 6 divisions and each division supplied a division winner and a wildcard team for a total of 12.

In the end, Tommy Mathew and his 76 Reds defeated Clark Eichmann and his 63 Giants, 8-1. The 76 Reds went 11-0 for the day, the first undefeated Chicagoland champion.

Below is a video of some of the action during the day.

Here’s a link to a Facebook Live video of most of the championship game.

After the award presentation, many of us went out to dinner at Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria. They are known for their deep dish pizza and they did not disappoint.

Again, we ended up at the restaurant bar with the same folks from the night before and a few new ones. those being the Father/Son Zavela’s and Tom Lee. We finished off the evening with cool beverages and good talk.

David and I were up and at em early and had an uneventful drive back home on Sunday morning.

It cannot be said enough that at some point you should try and make Chicagland’s APBA Baseball tournament. Rob Spatz does a magnificent job and is now a veteran at it, even though he worries way too much about it. But I guess that’s why it’s so good.

If you want another good post about the weekend, head over to the APBA Blog, authored and maintained by one of the best APBA folks around, Thomas Nelshoppen. His blog is wonderful and informative and he is just a class individual. I’m proud to call him my friend.

My team, the 61 Tigers recap

First, some quick observations. I’ve played this team several times in tournaments and they have both excelled and not done so well. In Minneapolis, they made the best of 3 semis and lost the 3rd game on a walk off squeeze bunt. They were one out away from winning at the Linda B. Schulz tourney. So they are very capable. That being said, they were 2-8 for me one year at the National Convention.

They have a solid pitching staff with Bunning, Lary and Mossi all BZs with an X or Y. Their bullpen is anchored by Fox, who is a ACYZ.

But I’ve always felt they roll as does their big 3, Kaline, Cash, and Colavito. If those guys are hitting consistently, then I’ll do well. If not, sayonara.

In this tourney, they were a combined 22-80 with 6 HRs and 14 RBI. In comparison, Colavito hit 13 HRs the one year in Minneapolis over 13 games.

Game 1: Home vs 54 Indians
Colavito gives the Tigers a 2-1 lead after 1 with a 2 run HR. In the 4th, the Indians Strickland connects for a 3 run HR. The Tigers come back strong in the last half of the 6th to take the lead 6-4 on 4 hits and a walk. The Indians finally chase Lary with 4 runs in the 7th, the big blow being a 3 run HR by Doby. Tigers go down 8-6.

Game 2: Away vs 54 Indians
The Tigs strike in the first with 1 on a sac fly by Bruton. In the 2nd, Early Wynn helps himself with a 2 run HR. The Indians score 2 more in the 5th and walk away with 4-2 victory and a 2 game sweep.

Game 3: Home vs. 90 A’s
Bunning pitches well but suffers from a lack of offense by the Tigers, and one bad pitch to Conseco, who provided all the runs the A’s needed with a 3 run HR in a 3-1 loss. The Tigers’ only run was provided by Bruton’s triple and a single by Dick Brown.

Game 4: Home vs. 69 Orioles
Lary serves up a 3 run blast to Boog Powell in the top of the 1st. The Tigers manage to tie the game thru 4, with 2 solo HRs by Colavito and one by Brown. The lead didn’t last long with Powell doing the damage with another 3 run blast in the 5th. But it would be Paul Blair’s solo HR in the 8th that would provide the winning margin. The Tigers put 3 on the board in the 8th, but the rally ends there and games ends 7-6.

Game 5: Home vs. 67 Twins
Remember Little League games. Usually, the pitcher was the best player and hitter. Well, I had my little league game. Don Mossi pitches a 3 hit shutout and hits a sac fly with the base loaded in the 5th to give the Tigers a 1-0 victory and their first of the day.

Game 6: Away vs. 72 Pirates
Tigers strike early with a 3 run blast by Colavito in the first. The Pirates scratch back and take the lead 4-3 after 3 innings with timely hitting. But the Tigers put up 4 runs during the 4-6 inning stretch, which would end up being enough. The Tigers get their 2nd win with a 9-6 victory.

Game 7: Away vs. 57 Braves
The fleeting momentum screeches to a halt. The Tigers are annihilated by the Braves 10-1. The highlight was an 11 batter 2nd inning during which the Braves scored 6 times. They hit 3 triples during that inning. Got to believe that’s some kind of MLB record. (Okay, I just checked and found this: On September 15, 1901, Chicago hit five triples against Milwaukee in the eighth inning, the most ever hit in a single inning by one team in baseball history!) Doesn’t make me feel any better.

Game 8: Away vs. 61 Yanks
The Tigers won 101 games this year, but the Yanks won 109. Wow! The HR ball was Mossi’s demise. He surrendered HRs to Kubek, Mantle, and Maris. The Tigers bats are cold and they go down in the final game of the day for them. 5-1.