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
