Fox’s 3 Consecutive Walk-Offs May Be a First, But Albers’ Brilliant Debut Shares Top Billing
August 8, 2013 by Bob Wirz · Leave a Comment
It does not happen this way often when two ultra-heroic events divide attention about deadline time. When it does, one deals. Jake Fox made the first bid for attention when the Somerset, NJ (Atlantic League) designated hitter collected walk-off hits in three consecutive games. We do not know if it has ever been done before, […]
Pan American Gold for Team USA May Depend On Continued Work of Atlantic Leaguer Andy Van Hekken
October 20, 2011 by Bob Wirz · Leave a Comment
Despite all of its world-wide baseball success, including the Olympic Games, the United States has not won a gold medal in the Pan American Games in 44 years (1967). Team USA set off its latest bid to capture the title as we were putting this column together Thursday, and if it is to be successful […]
24-Year-Old on Top of Indy Baseball World
It Is Another Busy Week in the Indy World With One 24-Year-Old Sitting on Top of It Every 24-year-old involved in Independent Baseball dreams of landing an honest-to-goodness major league opportunity. It has happened once more, although this time it was not a 95-mile per hour fastball or rare power that provided the launch. I […]
Independent Baseball Crowds Back Above Eight Million
September 23, 2010 by Bob Wirz · Leave a Comment
Strengthened by the addition of two more teams in the Northern League and with gains reported in three other leagues, Independent Baseball attendance climbed back above eight million fans for the 2010 regular season. It is the third time in four years the non-affiliated clubs have drawn above that level, this time finishing at 8,130,646. […]
Northern League Making Attendance Statement
August 19, 2010 by Bob Wirz · Leave a Comment
The Northern League made a major move in 2010 when it got back to a more attractive eight-team operation, and now it is making a challenge that might not have been easy to forecast. In its 18th season, the Northern is chasing the Atlantic League for the highest average attendance for every time the turnstiles […]
Atlantic League Economics Seem Bright As 2010 Independent Baseball Season Launches
As best we can read it, the economic picture could not look a whole lot better than it does in the Atlantic League as the 13-year-old circuit prepared to raise the curtain on the 2010 Independent Baseball season this very evening (Thursday). Definitive figures are not easily assembled, but Camden (NJ) Riversharks General Manager Adam […]
After Years of Fighting Injuries, Randy Williams Is Having an Unblemished Spring
March 26, 2010 by Bob Wirz · Leave a Comment
If Randy Williams turns out to be so fortunate as to spend all of 2010 with the Chicago White Sox, it will be his first such major league campaign, and he will turn 35 before fall. Williams certainly is off to a great start in following up on the second half of last season when […]
Two Atlantic Leaguers May Be Vying for Same Job In Los Angeles Angels’ Outfield
March 18, 2010 by Bob Wirz · Leave a Comment
If we allow ourselves to dream once in a while why not conjure up a scenario where two former Independent Baseball players are competing for the same job in the major leagues. I cannot say that is the case because it is not possible to get all the way into Mike Scioscia’s head. But this […]