1980 NASL

1980 NASL Franchise Information

Teams coming from the APSPL:

  • Cleveland Competitors
  • Milwaukee Schlitz

New Teams:

  • Cincinnati Rivermen – (recruited some of the APSPL Cincinnati Suds players)
  • Lexington Stallions – (recruited some of the APSPL Kentucky Bourbons players)
  • Pittsburgh Champions – (recruited some of the APSPL Pittsburgh Hard Hats players)
  • Chicago Nationwide Advertising – (recruited some of the players of the old APSPL disbanded Chicago Storm)
  • Detroit Auto Kings – (recruited some of the players of the APSPL disbanded Detroit Caesars)
  • Fort Wayne Huggie Bears – (recruited some of the players of the APSPL disbanded Fort Wayne Scouts)

1980 NASL Regular Season Final Standings

Eastern Division                Record  Pct.        GB

Detroit Auto Kings                           35-26     .574          –

Cleveland Competitors                  31-32     .492        5.0

Cincinnati Rivermen                       25-37     .403        10.5

Pittsburgh Champions                    25-39     .391        11.5

 

Western Division                              Record  Pct.        GB

Milwaukee Schlitz                            47-13     .786          –

Chicago Nationwide Advertising 43-19     .694        5.0

Lexington Stallions                           30-32     .486        18.0

Fort Wayne Huggie Bears                             11-49     .183        36.0

Top two teams in each division made the playoffs, The two division winners then met in the World Series.

1980 NASL All-Star Game (Willoughby, OH)- July 19

West All-Stars beat East All-Stars               10-7

– 1st Game MVP- Phil Higgins, West (3-4, HR, 2 Doubles, 3 RBIs)

East All-Stars beat West All-Stars               17-5

– 2nd Game MVP- Mike Turk, East (2 HRs, 4 RBIs)

NASL Eastern All-Stars (stats at time of game – July 19)

  • MGR- Mike Gouin, Detroit
  • P- Dana Andry, Cleveland              (.342, 21, 44)
  • C- Benny Holt, Cleveland               (.517, 17, 49)
  • 1B-Gary Geister, Detroit                (.365, 16, 45)
  • 2B-Tony Mazza, Detroit                 (.428,  0, 22)
  • 3B-Mike Turk, Detroit                     (.444, 11, 38)
  • SS-Jim Picard, Pittsburgh               (.455,  0, 11)
  • OF-Matt Partridge, Detroit           (.489,  6, 28)
  • OF-Doc Booker, Cleveland            (.472, 11, 51)
  • OF-Roger Snatchko, Pittsburgh   (.519, 11, 49)
  • OF-Mike O’Brien, Cincinnati         (.387, 10, 39)

Utility Players/Alternates:            ————–

  • 2B-Ed DePompei, Cleveland        (.373,  0, 16)
  • OF-Jerry Jarvela, Detroit                (.417,  0, 27)
  • OF-Ed Zalewski, Pittsburgh           (.427, 10, 36)
  • OF-Jim Tuttle, Cincinnati               (.463, 19, 43)
  • 2B-Mark Johnson, Pittsburgh      (.370,  0, 19)

NASL Western All-Stars (stats at time of game – July 19)

  • MGR- Eddie Zolna, Chicago
  • P- Rick Weiterman, Milwaukee (.503,  7, 52, 22-10 Pitching)
  • C- Willie Simpson, Chicago           (.535,  3, 55)
  • 1B-Dennis Graser, Milwaukee     (.472,  8, 53)
  • 2B-Lou Banks, Ft. Wayne               (.486, 14, 51)
  • 3B-Don Rardin Jr., Lexington       (.506,  2, 54)
  • SS-Paul Wenzel, Milwaukee         (.443,  1, 40)
  • OF-Ron Olesiak, Chicago                (93-161, .579, 24, 101, 13 2Bs, 4 3Bs)
  • OF-Tommy Spahn, Chicago           (.544, 12, 76)
  • OF-Phil Higgins, Milwaukee         (.497, 10, 63)
  • OF-Curt Dusek, Chicago                 (.459,  0, 38)

Utility Players/Alternates:            ————–

  • P- Phil Schroer, Lexington             (.403,  0, 39)
  • SS-Ken Kamradt, Chicago              (.472,  1, 51)
  • 2B-Buddy Haines, Chicago            (.514, 15, 69)
  • 2B-Cardell Collins, Ft. Wayne       (.345,  8, 36)
  • OF-Phil Gowdy, Lexington            (.388,  0, 25)

1980 NASL Playoffs

Divisional Championship round

Detroit beat Cleveland                   6-4, 8-7, 19-4, 5-10, 14-5;                                             (4-1)

Milwaukee beat Chicago                               9-13, 10-7, 17-12, 16-12, 10-17, 22-17;  (4-2)

World Series

Milwaukee beat Detroit                                 19-11, 10-12, 12-16, 22-13, 13-4, 12-3, 11-9;        (5-2)

World Series MVP –    Ken Parker,  Milwaukee (17-29, .586, 16 RBIs)

1980 NASL League Leaders

Batting                                                  Home Runs                                         RBIs

Ron Olesiak, Chicago       .555        Benny Holt, Cleveland    42           Ron Olesiak, Chicago       124

Don Rardin, Lexington   .548        Dana Andry, Cleveland  34           Buddy Haines, Chicago   115

Benny Holt, Cleveland    .533        Ron Olesiak, Chicago       34           Dennis Graser, Milw.      98

Tom Spahn, Chicago        .527        Mike LaFever, Cinn.         34           Mike Krolicki, Chicago    98

Jake Jakobi, Chicago        .520        Gary Geister, Detroit      31           Tom Spahn, Chicago        97

Buddy Haines, Chicago   .518        Dennis Graser, Milw.      30           Phil Higgins, Milwaukee 95

Ken Kamradt, Chicago    .517        Jim Bizzell, Cleveland      29           Benny Holt, Cleveland    95

Paul Campbell, Cinn.       .514        Fred Ryan, Pittsburgh     29           Mike LaFever, Cinn.         88

Rick Weiterman, Milw.  .510        Buddy Haines, Chicago   27           Jim Bizzell, Cleveland      87

Willie Simpson, Chic.       .506        Jerry Gadette, Detroit    24           Dana Andry, Cleveland  85

Paul Wenzel, Milwaukee              .496        Jim Tuttle, Cinn.                24           Gary Geister, Detroit      80

1980 NASL All Pro Team

  • P -Rick Weiterman, Milwaukee                  (132-259, .510, 13 HRs,  65 RBIs, 45-13 Pitching)
  • P- Dana Andry, Cleveland                              (               34 HRs,  85 RBIs)
  • P- Mike Krolicki, Chicago                               (                        98 RBIs, 10 3Bs)  27-6 Pitching as of July 21
  • C- Benny Holt, Cleveland                               (         .533, 42 HRs,  95 RBIs)
  • 1B-Dennis Graser, Milwaukee                     (131-273, .480, 30 HRs,  98 RBIs, 23 2Bs, 6 3Bs)
  • 2B- Buddy Haines, Chicago                           (142-274, .518, 27 HRS, 115 RBIs, 19 2Bs)
  • SS- Mike Turk, Detroit                                    (
  • 3B- Donnie Rardin Jr., Lexington                (157-286, .548, 20 2Bs, 14 3Bs)
  • SS- Ken Kamradt, Chicago                             (149-288. .517)
  • SS- Paul Wenzel, Milwaukee                        (127-256, .496)
  • OF- Ron Olesiak, Chicago – LEAGUE MVP (152-274, .555, 34 HRs, 124 RBIs, 27 2Bs, 9 3Bs)
  • OF- Phil Higgins, Milwaukee                        (127-262, .485, 16 HRs,  95 RBIs, 33 2Bs, 8 3Bs)
  • OF- Tom Spahn, Chicago                                                (137-260, .527, 15 HRs,  97 RBIs)
  • OF- Doc Booker, Cleveland                           (         .483, 23 HRs,  70 RBIs, 19 2Bs)
  • OF- Mike LaFever, Cincinnati                       (               34 HRs,  88 RBIs)
  • OF- Roger Snatchko, Pittsburgh                 (129-270, .478)
  • OF- Curt Dusek, Chicago                                (109-264, .413)
  • Utility- Jim Dillard, Milwaukee                    (               22 2Bs)
  • Utility- Willie Simpson, Chicago (127-152, .506, 23 2Bs, 13 3Bs)
  • Utility- Jake Jakobi, Chicago                         (127-244, .520)
  • Utility- Paul Campbell, Cincinnati               (         .514)

OTHERS Having Good Seasons:

  • Matt Partridge, Detroit                                  (               22 HRs)
  • Jim Bizzell, Cleveland                                      (   -261,       29 HRs, 87 RBIs)
  • Mike LeFever, Cincinnati                               (               34 HRs, 88 RBIs)
  • Gary Geister, Detroit                                       (               31 HRs, 80 RBIs
  • Fred Ryan, Pittsburgh                                     (               29 HRs,
  • Jerry Gadette, Detroit                                    (               24 HRs,
  • Dick Laba, Milwaukee                                    (                       10 3Bs)
  • Chuck Sidewind, Cleveland                           (                8 HRs, 24 RBIs)
  • Derek Gallagher, Milwaukee                       (
  • Ken Parker, Milwaukee                                  (
  • Cal Carmen, Detroit                                         (

The NASL and the APSPL merged leagues after the 1980 season and formed a new league called the United Professional Softball League (UPSL).  Many of the NASL and APSPL teams joined in the re-formation of the new league.  Many teams also disbanded operations and some new teams were formed in previous cities where the APSPL and NASL once existed

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