STARBALL Launches 23rd. Rip Roarin' Season

FINALLY...BASEBALL RETURNS

Durham International Starball launches its 23rd consecutive season today in conjunction with the beginning of MLB Spring Training.

Butternuts owner Troy Arrington begins defense of his runaway 2011 Championship while old timers and NEW MEAT alike vow that there will be no Back 2 Back in the Butternuts future. And at least two drought-stricken owners-- Quakes and Morons--pledge to make it into the money this year or they will stack the rules so bad in their favor for the following season that no one will be able to touch them.

"Man, it's been a long time since I've won something," VP of SE Rob Moran quipped. "Am I losing my touch? Hell no! I will place in the money this year. I'm feeling the energy...this is the year to up the side bets with my brothers and nephews."

Quakes owner and Commish Hardison was heard bellyaching about his own dry run over the last many years and said "I'm so frustrated that I might change my beloved team name from Quakes to Lucky Dogs just to get the MoJo going again." Then, after a short pause he had a better idea: "Aw, maybe I should field a third team and just keep adding teams till I win something!"

Los Lobos main dog Wild Bill Miller was heard to confess to some frustration over last year's finish. "I'd already ordered my vanity licence plate-- SB3PEAT--now what am I supposed to do with it!?"

A smug Butternuts owner vowed to make it two in a row. "See my team logo? That's my strategy; I'm gonna fill my team full of big knockers. I will lead the League in homers, RBIs and runs scored. And Double D's. I cannot be beat."

So, as the countdown to Opening Day continues we're looking to field at least 20 great teams and sucker in some NEW MEAT. There are no rule changes for the 2012 Season.

Get Crackin'. You are in. Let your ol' Commish know. And rustle up some NEW MEAT, too.

Your other team owners can't wait to see your ugly team...

It All Starts With "The Pill"

The Duke Of Flatbush

Duke Snyder passed away today.

Would Mike Or Roy Do This?

2011 Durham International Starball Launches 22nd Season



Your Brain On Starball

The football season is over and baseball is on! There is nothing like the excitement of Opening Day and we are only 52 days away. Spring Training starts in just a few days.

The sole purpose of the 2011 season is to make sure Los Lobos do not humiliate us all by managing a threepeat! The Challenge is on.

 

Los Lobos Rules Starball Second Straight Season!

Congratulations to Los Lobos owner Wild Bill Miller for a runaway victory! It’s “Back 2 Back” for Los Lobos and your League management has been working hard all winter to make sure there won’t be a Threepeat! Our best thought so far is that the previous year’s champion plays without a relief pitcher the next year... Congratulations, Wild Bill!

The Championship is even more amazing once you realize that we couldn’t even beat the wolves even with an extra player! Yes, that’s right. An extra player. It was discovered that Golden Monkeys played with four outfielders for the season. On one of the switches owner Billy Moran sent in an incorrect switch which was quickly found by the VP of SE and quickly fixed....except that your humble Commish failed to delete the incorrect player from is starting lineup when the correct switch was put in, creating four in the outfield. Mea Culpa!

Thanks to Billy and his Dad for pointing this out once it was realized near season end. Golden Monkeys’ third place finish was therefore voided (he’s out of the money no matter what outfielder is deleted) and those below moved up a place. Thus, money winners in 2010 were:

Los Lobos $550
Spitballers $275
Sharks $137.50
Web Warriors $82.50
Zevonistas $55

The total payout was $1100.00. Congratulations to the money winners! As the season is over the OnRoto site is disabled regarding player movement so I have not been able to make the correction so the standings would reflect the actual final results.

It was a great season, despite LL winning...again. My thanks to all for keeping the Starball tradition alive, especially Starball HOF’er Rob Moran for his VP of SE work (well, except for that fourth outfielder overlook...just kiddin’). It’s unbelievable that we have kept this going 21 years! I’d bet we are one of the longest running Leagues in existence. I am trying to research that.

And now... It's on to Starball 2011, our 22nd Season of hard chargin' baseball.

God Bless Sweet Lou, Too

God Bless Bobby Thomson

"Bobby Thomson... up there swingin'... He's had two out of three, a single and a double, and Billy Cox is playing him right on the third-base line... One out, last of the ninth... Branca pitches... Bobby Thomson takes a strike called on the inside corner... Bobby hitting at .292... He's had a single and a double and he drove in the Giants' first run with a long fly to center... Brooklyn leads it 4-2...Hartung down the line at third not taking any chances... Lockman with not too big of a lead at second, but he'll be runnin' like the wind if Thomson hits one... Branca throws... [audible sound of bat meeting ball]
There's a long drive... it's gonna be, I believe...THE GIANTS WIN THE PENNANT!! THE GIANTS WIN THE PENNANT! THE GIANTS WIN THE PENNANT! THE GIANTS WIN THE PENNANT! Bobby Thomson hits into the lower deck of the left-field stands! The Giants win the pennant and they're goin' crazy, they're goin' crazy! HEEEY-OH!!!'' [ten-second pause for crowd noise]

I don't believe it! I don't believe it! I do not believe it! Bobby Thomson... hit a line drive... into the lower deck... of the left-field stands... and this blame place is goin' crazy! The Giants! Horace Stoneham has got a winner! The Giants won it... by a score of 5 to 4... and they're pickin' Bobby Thomson up... and carryin' him off the field!"

You might enjoy my reminiscence of Chipper Jones on the blog

A Lucky Dog Life

George

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Atlanta Braves organist Matthew Kaminski has tapped into the social media madness to spice up is "act" as one of the last live organists in MLB. Find out how to Twitter him during the games.

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