1985

Metro Division				Eastern Division
Long Island	105	57	...	Scranton	87	75	…
Hoboken	95	67	10	Annandale	86	76	1
Beacon	80	82	25	Philadelphia	64	78	3
Meadowlands	73	89	32	Bergen	80	82	7
Berkshire	68	94	37	Kennett	57	105	30

Central Division				Western Division
Harbor Beach	102	60	...	Leesville	102	60	...
Evanston	93	69	9	Fresno	86	76	16
Midlothian	84	78	18	Mimosa	83	79	19
Morgantown	82	80	20	Norfolk	67	95	35
Bradenton	55	107	47	Horseshoe Bay	51	111	51

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Dan Warren - The curtain rolled back, and history resumed in 1985. The Hyde Park Vita-Men, still under Bob Braun’s management, restyled themselves into the Beacon Explorers. Bill Kirwin (Kennett Komets) and Anthony Orlando (Hoboken Zephyrs) joined the league.

Hoboken topped Scranton and the Sheep Brigade, and then blew past the Harbor Beach Combers. The Leesville Hurricanes downed Midlothian in the playoffs, before losing to Long Island in the semi-finals. The Islanders then bested Hoboken for the league championship, but lost the TCBA crown to - once again - Mike Bravard.

Harbor Beach’s Tony Gwynn hit .384; Fresno’s Harold Baines hit 53 homers and amassed a record 186 RBI (Hack Wilson where are you?).

Twenty-game winners were Dave Stieb (22), Steve Carlton (22), Joe Niekro (21), Rick Sutcliffe (21), Bud Black (21), Doyle Alexander (21), McWilliams (20), Charlie Hough (20), and Storm Davis (20).

Norfolk’s Dennis Eckersley and Long Island’s Rick Sutcliffe each had no-hitters.

Bob Braun - Dave McKay? You owe me, Fiehl!

Marty Fiehl - Playing a series one night this year, I noticed the college student next door left her bathroom shade up while taking a shower. I’d rate her an OF-2, 3B-4, and T&A-10!

Jim McEneaney - TCBA 1985 saw the AL back up to 20 teams with the addition of Hoboken, Leesville, and others. The Dan Warren notes that LI beat Leesville in the semi-finals before defeating Hoboken for the title and then losing to Mike Bravard. I remember sitting in a hotel room around 2:00 or 3:00 on a Saturday morning (no, wait--it was Sunday by then!) losing that series. I believe it was Valentine's weekend (Jim had to send flowers or something to Lori earlier that day). I think Anthony and I were the last to arrive...we stopped for breakfast somewhere in New Jersey (he wanted steak and eggs!) and then got lost try to get back on the highway. I think most of those there thought we'd probably crashed in a corn field or sheep pasture....years later we'd again be the last to arrive as we headed west instead of east on Route 20 (?) that the Ho Jo's sat upon. We made it in just as the snow from that huge blizzard was just starting to fire up. Anyway, back on topic....I recall that the initial Lancaster meeting that we're referring to (Feb. 1986)was organized by a NL manager (Bill Brunton?) and we came together on a Saturday morning (early afternoon for the breakfast seeking Anthony and I). Stu was there...he'd drafted about a half dozen second basemen in the sealed January draft....I think that was the same year. We had a very small meeting room just off from the pool....I think it was about 95% humidity in there...

So that's what I recall.

Jim McEneaney (29 years later) - Again....a vague recollection, but in my process of losing, I recall a LI rally in the losing effort being cut short when the board result came up with a triple play. There may already have been 1 out...I really don't recall...it was late, and it was well over a quarter of a century ago....but I could swear that was an RP result. Guess we may just have to chalk it up to something akin to Babe Ruth calling his HR shot......

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