What Was The BBA Like The Last Time Des Moines Played for the BBA Title?

[lordtoffee]

As the final out of Game 6 happened, Des Moines was able to have their moment of celebration. Finally, after almost half a century of waiting, Des Moines was going to be playing for a BBA title. There are middle aged fans who don't remember what it's like to see Des Moines in the BBA Series, and a lot has happened. Let's look back at what the BBA was like in 2007.

In 2007, Las Vegas was the two time defending champion, and would win in 2008 to cap a 3 in 4 run of titles. Des Moines would end up beating the Greenville Moonshiners, who would eventually move to Jacksonville and become the Hurricanes. There were 3 divisions of 4 teams per league, for a total of 24 teams, and only 1 wild card team made the postseason under the playoff format at the time. There was no byes, or 4th round of the playoffs as under our current format. 8 current BBA teams are missing, and other teams in today's BBA haven't found their current homes as the league is now situated.

In the Frick League, the division winners were Des Moines, Buffalo, and Long Beach. Las Vegas was the wild card. In the Johnson League, Greenville, Madison, and Hawaii would win their divisions, and Vancouver would get the wild card. An interesting aside happened in the JL, where Hawaii won 107 games and only won the division by a single game over Vancouver, with a 98 win Baltimore team just missing the playoffs by a single game in their division. Imagine if that happened in 2057, there would be a ton of discussion. That 98 win Baltimore team has to be one of the best teams to never make the BBA postseason, but their story is for another time.

As for the draft, the first overall pick that year was Roy Nivel Jr. by Chicago, and he would end up winning over 100 BBA games, and had a good and productive career. By the mid 2020's, every single player drafted was retired.

[Trebro]

nice write up!

[recte44]

50 years, incredible

[trmmilwwi]

A trip down memory lane. Love these writeups!

[Lane]

huge changes in the BBA since then!

also, how many ootp leagues have this kind of history and continuous engagement year after year?!

[Patrick M]

Happy to be a part of BBA lore.

[lordtoffee]

huge changes in the BBA since then!

also, how many ootp leagues have this kind of history and continuous engagement year after year?!

I would imagine not a whole lot.

[Trebro]

huge changes in the BBA since then!

also, how many ootp leagues have this kind of history and continuous engagement year after year?!

I think there was maybe one other league similar to this that I considered when I wanted to come back to online play, but only for a special league.

I made the right choice.

I say this in all sincerity: This league is exactly what I wanted to be a part of, and I'm grateful to be here.

[trmmilwwi]

Second to none I would say. One or two come close but don't have the quality banter and backstory.

[DaveB]

That’s a long time. Congratulations on getting the team to the championship.

[JimBob2232]

Man, its crazy. I can look at that 2007 Crawdads team and remember probably 75% of those guys.

Lindsay Jaquinto, Felipe Arroyo, Al Jones, Bill Carver and of course Tipper Kengos!

Man - brings back so many memories!

[Trebro]

Man, its crazy. I can look at that 2007 Crawdads team and remember probably 75% of those guys.

Lindsay Jaquinto, Felipe Arroyo, Al Jones, Bill Carver and of course Tipper Kengos!

Man - brings back so many memories!

My hope is to be with the Nine so long I can say the same circa the turn of the century. No idea what future holds but I think my preference s staying with the same team for as long as you'll let me.

[trmmilwwi]

Man, its crazy. I can look at that 2007 Crawdads team and remember probably 75% of those guys.

Lindsay Jaquinto, Felipe Arroyo, Al Jones, Bill Carver and of course Tipper Kengos!

Man - brings back so many memories!

Heck yeah, I remember those names. Loved those Crawdad teams.

[trmmilwwi]

Man, its crazy. I can look at that 2007 Crawdads team and remember probably 75% of those guys.

Lindsay Jaquinto, Felipe Arroyo, Al Jones, Bill Carver and of course Tipper Kengos!

Man - brings back so many memories!

My hope is to be with the Nine so long I can say the same circa the turn of the century. No idea what future holds but I think my preference s staying with the same team for as long as you'll let me.

Building the history and then remembering it all is so much fun.