1979 APSPL Season
1979 was the last year for the team, and with early season injuries and the off-season death of Tex Collins, the Caesars backed up and were caught by the ascending Milwaukee Schlitz, led by APSPL star Phil Higgins and league and eventual APSPL World Series MVP Rick Weiterman. Detroit would finish second in the Midwestern Division behind Milwaukee and advanced to play the Cincinnati Suds in the first round of the playoffs winning 3-2. Detroit advanced to the semi-finals losing to Milwaukee 3-0. Milwaukee went on to beat the Kentucky Bourbons in the APSPL World Series, broadcast nationwide as the first televised event on the new start-up sports network ESPN.
The APSPL instituted several rule changes in 1979, including moving the base paths to 70 feet from 65, moving the pitcher’s mound to 49-feet, and several of the fields in the league lengthened their dimensions to 315-330 feet from 300-feet. The league even went to a "softer" softball that Detroit and Cleveland had to use at home games. Offensive production dropped as a result league-wide as the APSPL wanted to give "small ball" teams a chance against the power hitting teams, especially the Caesars.
On Detroit, Ron Ford's home run total dropped from 80 in 1978 to 43 and RBI's from 201 to 122 in the same number of games. Ford still led the league in both categories despite missing 21 games due to injury. Ford batted .617, but was not officially recognized as the batting champion due to not having enough at bats for eligibility, missing out on the triple crown as a result. Four Caesars took all-league honors (Ron Ford, Mike Nye, Doug Gerdes and Rick Trudeau). Trudeau finished second in the batting race with Nye joining him in the top-10. Ford, Gerdes and Gary Geister finished top-10 in home-runs and RBIs.
Despite strong attendance and fan interest, Ilitch was losing money on the team. Cleveland owner Ted Stepien intended to split the young professional sport, forming a new league, which Pittsburgh Hardhats ownership challenged in court. Stepien even offered to buy the Caesars from Ilitch for $100,000, but Ilitch would not sell the team with the Caesars name. Weary of the in-fighting, Ilitch disbanded the Caesars after three seasons.
The APSPL instituted several rule changes in 1979, including moving the base paths to 70 feet from 65, moving the pitcher’s mound to 49-feet, and several of the fields in the league lengthened their dimensions to 315-330 feet from 300-feet. The league even went to a "softer" softball that Detroit and Cleveland had to use at home games. Offensive production dropped as a result league-wide as the APSPL wanted to give "small ball" teams a chance against the power hitting teams, especially the Caesars.
On Detroit, Ron Ford's home run total dropped from 80 in 1978 to 43 and RBI's from 201 to 122 in the same number of games. Ford still led the league in both categories despite missing 21 games due to injury. Ford batted .617, but was not officially recognized as the batting champion due to not having enough at bats for eligibility, missing out on the triple crown as a result. Four Caesars took all-league honors (Ron Ford, Mike Nye, Doug Gerdes and Rick Trudeau). Trudeau finished second in the batting race with Nye joining him in the top-10. Ford, Gerdes and Gary Geister finished top-10 in home-runs and RBIs.
Despite strong attendance and fan interest, Ilitch was losing money on the team. Cleveland owner Ted Stepien intended to split the young professional sport, forming a new league, which Pittsburgh Hardhats ownership challenged in court. Stepien even offered to buy the Caesars from Ilitch for $100,000, but Ilitch would not sell the team with the Caesars name. Weary of the in-fighting, Ilitch disbanded the Caesars after three seasons.
1979 APSPL Regular Season Final Standings
Eastern Division
Rochester Zeniths (ROC) 35-27 .565
Trenton Champales (TRE) 30-30 .500 8.0
Philadelphia Athletics (PHI) 23-41 .359 13.0
New England Pilgrims (NE) 21-41 .339 14.0
Central Division
Kentucky Bourbons (KEN) 48-15 .762
Cincinnati Suds (CIN) 34-30 .531 14.5
Cleveland Competitors (CLE) 33-31 .516 15.5
Pittsburgh Hardhats (PIT) 33-31 .516 15.5
Midwestern Division
Milwaukee Schlitz (MIL) 40-23 .635
Detroit Caesars (DET) 40-24 .625 0.5
Minnesota Norsemen (MIN) 32-32 .500 8.5
Fort Wayne Scouts (FTW) 8-56 .172 32.5
APSPL Playoffs 1st round
Kentucky beat Trenton 12-11, 17-1, 14-2; (3-0)
Rochester beat Pittsburgh 6-7, 0-4, 10-9, 10-3, 5-1; (3-2)
Detroit beat Cincinnati 18-8, 7-8, 11-14, 3-1, 7-6; (3-2)
Milwaukee beat Cleveland 15-11, 16-8, 21-2; (3-0)
APSPL Semi-finals
Kentucky beat Rochester 22-10, 8-9, 4-3, 8-3; (3-1)
Milwaukee beat Detroit 11-5, 7-4, 5-1; (3-0)
Playoff MVP - Rick Weiterman, Milwaukee (16-21 .762)
APSPL World Series
Milwaukee beat Kentucky 5-15, 12-2, 16-11, 6-12, 4-3, 6-10, 9-4, 12-8; (5-3)
World Series MVP - Rick Weiterman, Milwaukee (19-24 .792)
Eastern Division
Rochester Zeniths (ROC) 35-27 .565
Trenton Champales (TRE) 30-30 .500 8.0
Philadelphia Athletics (PHI) 23-41 .359 13.0
New England Pilgrims (NE) 21-41 .339 14.0
Central Division
Kentucky Bourbons (KEN) 48-15 .762
Cincinnati Suds (CIN) 34-30 .531 14.5
Cleveland Competitors (CLE) 33-31 .516 15.5
Pittsburgh Hardhats (PIT) 33-31 .516 15.5
Midwestern Division
Milwaukee Schlitz (MIL) 40-23 .635
Detroit Caesars (DET) 40-24 .625 0.5
Minnesota Norsemen (MIN) 32-32 .500 8.5
Fort Wayne Scouts (FTW) 8-56 .172 32.5
APSPL Playoffs 1st round
Kentucky beat Trenton 12-11, 17-1, 14-2; (3-0)
Rochester beat Pittsburgh 6-7, 0-4, 10-9, 10-3, 5-1; (3-2)
Detroit beat Cincinnati 18-8, 7-8, 11-14, 3-1, 7-6; (3-2)
Milwaukee beat Cleveland 15-11, 16-8, 21-2; (3-0)
APSPL Semi-finals
Kentucky beat Rochester 22-10, 8-9, 4-3, 8-3; (3-1)
Milwaukee beat Detroit 11-5, 7-4, 5-1; (3-0)
Playoff MVP - Rick Weiterman, Milwaukee (16-21 .762)
APSPL World Series
Milwaukee beat Kentucky 5-15, 12-2, 16-11, 6-12, 4-3, 6-10, 9-4, 12-8; (5-3)
World Series MVP - Rick Weiterman, Milwaukee (19-24 .792)
1979 APSPL League Leaders
Batting Average |
Home Runs |
RBIs |
.557 - Rick Weiterman, MIL |
43 - Ron Ford, DET |
122 - Ron Ford, DET |
.549 - Rick Trudeau, DET |
37 - Jim Bizzell, CLE |
97 - Doug Gerdes, DET |
.536 - Don Brown, ROC |
33 - John Locke, MIN |
89 - John Locke, MIN |
.533 - Bill Gatti, KEN |
31 - Doug Gerdes, DET |
89 - Phil Higgins, MIL |
.531 - Phil Higgins, MIL |
31 - Dana Andry, CLE |
88 - Cobbie Harrison, KEN |
.527 - Barry Glaser, PIT |
29 - Fred Miller, CLE |
87 - Dennis Graser, MIL |
.516 - Don Rardin, KEN |
28 - Gary Geister, DET |
86 - Fred Miller, CLE |
.511 - Gene Parrish, MIN |
26 - Dave Watson, CLE |
79 - Bill Gatti, KEN |
.504 - Denny Brown, PIT |
22 - Mike Kolb, TRE |
78 - Gary Geister, DET |
.503 - Mike Nye, DET |
22 - Dennis Graser, MIL |
77 - Ron Dorsey, PHI |
1979 APSPL All Pro Team
Rick Weiterman, Milwaukee (MVP), Bill Gatti, Kentucky, Ron Ford, Detroit, Don Brown, Rochester, Doug Gerdes, Detroit, Mike Nye, Detroit, Phil Higgins, Milwaukee, Gary Richter, Trenton, Dennis Graser, Milwaukee, Barry Glaser, Pittsburgh, Rick Trudeau, Detroit, Denny Brown, Pittsburgh, Roger Wilt, Cleveland, Gene Parrish, Minnesota, Don Rardin, Kentucky, Mike LaFever, Cincinnati
Rick Weiterman, Milwaukee (MVP), Bill Gatti, Kentucky, Ron Ford, Detroit, Don Brown, Rochester, Doug Gerdes, Detroit, Mike Nye, Detroit, Phil Higgins, Milwaukee, Gary Richter, Trenton, Dennis Graser, Milwaukee, Barry Glaser, Pittsburgh, Rick Trudeau, Detroit, Denny Brown, Pittsburgh, Roger Wilt, Cleveland, Gene Parrish, Minnesota, Don Rardin, Kentucky, Mike LaFever, Cincinnati