Inside: 1999 The NFL Stats, APBA JOURNAL Since 1967, devoted exclusively to the APBA fan, APBA Football with permission of the APBA Game Company, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Rosters makers of world famous APBA sports simulation games. $4.00 ISSUE #5 (August 31, 2000) Basketball, Hockey Cards Make Comeback Developers Connell, Tinneny Making Card Sets for 1999-2000; All-Star and Full-Roster Games Slated for Late This Fall As the next step in the revitalization of But since the card results are being cal- we expect to be here to tell our readers the APBA line, APBA will re-introduce its pro culated and the player ratings are being about it. hockey and pro basketball board games this determined while the redesign takes place, Jim Connell, who developed the hockey fall. it seems clear that those who played APBA game and has calculated all the cards for it The 2001 edition of the NHL game, with Hockey and APBA Basketball 2 in the past so far (including the AJ’s two seasons), is cards representing 1999-2000 in full-set and will be able to use the new cards with their providing the numbers once again this time. all-star formats, is slated for late October present game boards without any changes. We understand that he’s coordinating his sale. The 2001 NBA game, also in the two Of course, if anything is added (or sub- ratings this year with Dave Atkinson and the formats, scheduled to make its appearance tracted) that players need to know about, (Games, p. 3) in late November assuming the necessary licenses are secured. In addition to the usual availability A New APBA Line for 4-to-7-Year Olds - See Page 3 through Lancaster, the games will be sold by hobby, toy and sports retailers. Those who carry the game will be featured on the APBA Featured at ‘The National’ newly redesigned APBA website, now called by Richard Hormel bidder for the Seitz league archives advertised in apbastadium.com . Los Angeles, CA the AJ a few years ago and also for a 1986-season At last report, it was uncertain whether Pennant Race (Japanese APBA) game that we pic- there’d be any changes in the substance of [This came as a ‘Letter to the Editor’, but it seemed of such ma- tured here last year. -E.N.] the two games from their last appearance I attended 'The National' sports memorabilia con- three seasons ago. (A more attractive pre- jor interest that we’ve decided to run it as a front-page opinion piece. vention in Anaheim last weekend [late July]. The sentation and a redesign of the cards simi- main things I collect are old sports games and sports lar to the new football and baseball format Readers may recognize Richard’s name; he was the high books. I am always on the lookout for APBA at this should definitely be forthcoming.) things and have made some major purchases at shows. There were only a couple of APBA-related items displayed by the vendors and everything was over- priced. I was getting ready to leave when I looked around the corporate booth area (usually populated by baseball card companies) and there, lo and be- hold, was an APBA booth. Very, very impressive. There were all sorts of little people running around with APBA t-shirts on. I wandered over to a table where several people were making a presentation. I recognized Fritz Light and kind of interrupted the presentation by interjecting 'it's the greatest game ever made' when a dealer asked about the playability of APBA. I talked to the crew for a short bit and Fritz told me to come by later, which I did. Anyone who is an APBA fan should be thrilled by what's going on. Frankly, the game company seemed to be on its way out. I have been very disappointed by the quality of the new cards and boards for quite some time. It seemed as though Football cards are now expected in October. They’ll look like this pro- the company was just holding on and really wasn't totype, but they’ll be in color (and the card results should be easier to looking to the future. That seems to have changed. read than they are on this third-generation image). In addition to Fritz, Veryl Lincoln and the new (National, p. 3) Letters to the Editor APBA JOURNAL League Adjustments the Internet that has the golf boards in memory, so Let me ask you a league setup question. I’m think- that a user can type in whatever number comes up on Volume XXXIII, Number 5, August 2000 a golf card and get the play result. (They’d still need ing of forming a league of eight teams: four NL and four © Copyright 2000, AJ Publishing AL, using the 1960 schedule. golfer cards and a golf course to play, of course.) I In your opinion what inequalities does this present haven’t seen it myself, but readers with web access The APBA Journal (USPS 939-380; ISSN 0890-5649) is by either using the DH, or not using the DH, and also can probably find it without too much trouble through published monthly (bimonthly in January/February, given that the pitchers in the AL have to face the DH one of the APBA fan sites such as Chuck Murphy’s March/April and July/August) by AJ Publishing at 383 (http://apbasports.sports-only.com). and their ERAs are higher. Mandarin Dr. #6, Daly City CA 94015. Periodicals In your opinion would it be more realisitic to use AJ Author Hits the Big Time postage rates paid at Daly City, California. Subscrip- only NL teams or only AL teams and not combined the My book, Ring Ramblings, is now available online tion rate is $36.00 per year, $4.00 per issue. Postmas- two? I really don't have the time for a complete league at the following locations (soon to be in stores): replay. ter send address change to: APBA Journal, P.O. Box www.iuniverse.com 5405, South San Francisco, CA 94083-5405. Dale Keener www.bn.com (Barnes and Noble) London, Ohio www.borders.com Founded in August, 1967 by Leonard and Ronald Gaydos, I’d give different answers, actually, for different sea- Just search on Ring Ramblings or Gerbasi. On who published through 1976. Benjamin Weiser was sons during the DH era, since APBA’s formula has been IUniverse you can preview the book online. editor from 1973-76. L. Thomas Heiderscheit was editor evolving. Buy many copies, they make great gifts<g>. It's and publisher from 1977-84 and publisher, 1985-86. Assuming that you're taking your NL and AL clubs never too early to start Christmas shopping. from the same season, whichever season it happens Tom Gerbasi Howard Ahlskog was editor during 1985-86 and was to be: Staten Island, New York editor and publisher from 1987-1992. For 1999, the two leagues’ card numbers seem to Thanks for the advisory. We’ll continue to cover Current Staff: have been equalized, so there's no need to make ad- the former APBA Boxing games, board and computer, Eric Naftaly, Editor and Publisher justments or avoid combining players/teams from the as events warrant and our writers (including Tom) AL and NL. Mark Arentsen Marc Lichtenfeld come through with material. For sets made between 1990 and 1999 (1989-98 David Bajkiewicz Ron Marshall seasons), AL batting cards will be slightly weaker than BBW Baserunning Descriptions Alan Berger Stu McCorkindale comparable NL cards, because they were made to face I have looked on the AJ Products web site this Kevin Cluff Jarrod Miller AL pitching staffs with a lower average grade. So the evening, and I still need some help. I am trying to com- Hugh Hiorns Todd Rollin four AL teams would be at a disadvantage in a replay, pile a collection of charts that would help me interpret with weaker pitchers and weaker hitters than compa- Steve Kanehl Bob Savage what the phrases mean. Is there a book or something rable NL teams. David Lawrence Andy Smith that would help me understand the mathematical If you're playing the Master Game, I'd probably raise Bill Underwood probablilities that each phrase stands for? Scott Lehotsky all the AL pitchers by a grade point and give AL batters When it says "Halfway to Third, Try for Third or Bob Levy Lee Young a single on the bases-empty ball/strike/foul rare plays, not" Is there a publication that contains charts that give at least in interleague games. I'm not sure how I'd APBA Journal the percentage of success on each phrase? If so, I handle it in the basic game: possibly raise one-fifth of P.O. Box 5405 would greatly appreciate your help with where to find the AL pitching grades (or all the grades one-fifth of the it and how much it may be. South San Francisco, CA 94083 time) and call 36-37-39-40 results singles with the bases Rick Roeth Phone or Fax: 650/757-1122 empty. Since the two effects balance each other, they via e-mail can be ignored in games between two AL teams if de- (Toll Free: 877/313-7370) sired. I wish somebody would compile one. MA has said E-mail: [email protected] I'd probably use the above guidelines for 1987 and that they do it this way for "realism", because no player/ Web: www.westportalmall.com/apba 1988 teams as well.