SCABS History 1989

SCABS History 1989

1989 marked the 5th season of SCAB History.  The major change in league rules was the move
to a keeper list.  It was decided that since we like certain players and that the draft takes too
long we would keep 10 players each year.  Some have expressed the opinion that this number
is too high, others have lobbied for more.

In the area of league ownership, Leo Delvecchio (Barney Rebels), departed from Kodak to
manage a Big M in Laffayette, NY.   In his place, another denizen of the labs, Bill Rookey
renamed the team The Rubble in honor of his predecessor. Meanwhile, owner Mike Weinpress
moved his Doinx to Mayberry NC and renamed them the Bullet.  Finally, the Blue Crew made a
shocking decision to relocate the team and transform them into the Borneo Wild Boars.

Here is the announcement issued by the Borneo front office:

This year's draft was conducted at Bill Rookey's home.  Foreshadowing the future, current
Bill Doran's All-Stars owner Dan Abbott, then 10 years old, assisted his father in the draft room.  
George Thompson also attended in an attempt to protect Doug from his bad selection history.
But it was to no avail, as George and Dan both implored Doug to select Lou Whitaker over Bill
Doran.  The cry of "No, Dad, No!" Still reverberates in the halls of SCABdom as the old man
stubbornly chose Doran.

As the season progressed it became clear that the New Yanks were a force to be reckoned with.
 After standing 6-7 with two games to go, the Bronx team won their last two games against the
Bullet and the Rubble, to edge the latter atop the competitive Soda Division.  

In the Pop Division, Randy Grattan's Penguins again found themselves perched on the top rung
along with nemesis Roger Taber's Sunsetters.  Both teams finished 9-6 on the season.

At midseason, the 2nd annual All-Star game was conducted.  Randy Grattan and Bill Rookey
selected the Pop and Soda squads and the teams matched up for the week.  In the end it was
another definitive whupping by the Soda Division 219-151.

In the Soda Division playoffs, the Yank upended the Rubble 171-158.  Led by 5 hitters in double
digits and pitcher Ted Higuera's 33 points, Lou's team shook off a tenacious but inferior Rubble
franchise.  Leo Delvecchio's team squandered twenty-point efforts by Robin Yount and Vince
Coleman as well as a 35-point masterpiece by Alan Anderson.
 

The Pop Division playoff was again won by the Key West Sunsetters, this time by a score of
165-137.  "Hard Luck" Randy Grattan once again showed a weakness in crunch time – always
the bridesmaid, but never the bride.

Finally, it was once again time to crown the New Yanks with another championship.  In the first
game, a shootout, the Yanks used 30 points from George Bell, 26 from pitching ace Bob Welch
and 30 from Bret Saberhagen to snag a 208-198 victory.  The Suns tried a valiant come-from-
behind effort but ultimately fell short in spite of a 34-point game by Tom Browning.

In game two, the Bronx team completed their sweep with a 151-111 statement against the Key
West team.  The Yanks were powered by a 21-point hitting performance by Jose Canseco and
23 points from pitcher Tom Candiotti.  Oh yeah, we cannot forget the 13-point contribution by
reliever Charlie Hough (He's so tough!).

Another season done, another championship for Lou and Ron Valente, and a winter of
discontent to ponder what might have been.