ECBA Strat Convention Newsletter

WOODSTOCK VII
 
The annual ECBA summer convention was held in Woodstock, MD June 17-23, 2013, the seventh consecutive at the rural confines of the home of Larry and Sandy Fryer. In attendance were 9 of the 12 league members, to wit:
 
  
L to R: (standing) Al Ringland, Mark Gratkowski, Jim Sebastian, Warren Ringland
 
2nd Row: Steve Pow, Larry Fryer, Thomas Beltz
 
Back Row: Kevin Fisher, James Beltz
 
 
250 games were played during the week-long festivities, which included the annual wiffle ball homerun derby, East vs. West game, and the presentation of the championship bat from incumbent ECBA champion (James Beltz, T’Runners) to the new (Jim Sebastian, Surf).
 
Per tradition, father and son team, Warren and Al Ringland drove in from Texas, arriving Tuesday at noon, with Californians Jim Sebastian and Kevin Fisher flying in Monday afternoon. Pennsylvania attendees, Jim and Tom Beltz arrived Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively. Marylanders’ Steve Pow played 35 games on Wednesday and Thursday, prior to departing for his gala 30th birthday party weekend, and Mark Gratkowski was engaged all week, turning in a stellar 2nd place finish in the convention standings.
 
Convention Standings
Team, Manager
Wins
Losses
Pct.
Jerseys, Warren Ringland
45
30
.600
Mayhem, Mark Gratkowski
30
25
.545
Bootleggers, Tom Beltz
29
26
.527
Sickies, Al Ringland
26
24
.520
T’Runners, Jim Beltz
28
27
.509
Comets, Steve Pow
16
19
.457
Sabres, Larry Fryer
18
22
.450
Fisher Cats, Kevin Fisher
33
42
.440
Surf, Jim Sebastian
25
35
.417
 
ECBA Standings as of June 29, 2013
 
Eastern Division
Team
Wins
Losses
Pct.
GB
Trailrunners
68
42
.618
 
Comets
43
32
.573
 
Sabres
68
52
.567
5
Bootleggers
68
62
.523
10
Mayhem
62
73
.459
18.5
Mass Maniacs
48
112
.300
45
 
Western Division
Team
Wins
Losses
Pct.
GB
Jerseys
59
41
.590
 
Sickies
53
42
.558
3.5
Skanks
30
30
.500
9
Fisher Cats
52
58
.473
12
Surf
48
62
.436
16
Fan Four
 
 
 
 
 
With a full week of brotherhood and 250 games, it is difficult to choose from the many highlights as THE best. However, the Maryland Mayhems’ consecutive scoreless streak of 38 innings being quickly matched by Jim Beltz’s powerhouse Trailrunners, was one. In the midst of this streak, brother Tom noted Jim was so affected, he was “shaking his head like an old man”, as Tom mimicked the behavior to the delight of those in the basement at the time. In honor of this “feat”, Jim Beltz was presented with a bobblehead doll in his likeness. Jim (aka Willie Lutz) exclaimed, “How come I get this, Mark did it too!”
                                               
In the 2013 wiffle ball homerun derby, Jim Beltz ousted the 2012 champion, Larry Fryer in the finals by a hefty 12-4 margin.
   
The West beat the East 7-6 in four innings, with Kevin Fisher hitting a 3-run homer in the 4th. Mark Gratkowski blasted two homers for the East in a losing cause. Warren (Wilbur Wood) Ringland fanned 8 batters in his four innings of work.
 
Pictured below is Jim Beltz, sporting the homerun derby champion’s Burger King crown.
 
  
 
Other highlights of the convention included the previously mentioned Mayhem scoreless streak. After winning 20 of his first 30 games against the West, the Mayhem were swept by the Boots, incurring the 38 inning consecutive scoreless streak. While statisticians demanded a tie-breaker by thirds of innings in comparing the T’Runners later accomplishment, we now know the “people’s choice” went to Jim Beltz.
 
Equipped with not one, but two iPads for the convention, Kevin Fisher was aptly nicknamed, “iPad Man.”
It was another sublime week of brotherhood for the longest running (39 years) PBM league in the country! Begun in 1974, the ECBA continues as the premier Strat-O-Matic league in the world.