FPL: Second award for Ercan
Richard Ercan, a 47-yr-old Turk, was appointed manager of the Wichita Aviator’s Florida Prospect League affiliate, the Palm Bay Aviators, for the start of the 2042 season and the team hasn’t looked back since. OK, Wichita has been sending some top prospects to Palm Bay since then, but you still have to manage them.
This first year in 2042 saw the Aviators lose just one single regular season game as they powered to their first ever Southeast division pennant with a 27-1 record. Nine games better than the team’s 2041 performance and a first ever FPL post season outing. Unfortunately, they found the Tallahassee Gamblers too much for them in the Showdown of Four. A quick exit for the Aviators first ever play-offs in their eight years of existence. Still, in his rookie season as the Palm Bay skipper he was awarded the FPL Manager of the Year award for that outstanding regular season record.
Back for his second season in 2043, Ercan had probably a better set of players as he looked to better the Aviators performance. The first half of the regular season went well, Palm Bay reached the halfway point with a 12-2 record. They fell away a little in the last weeks of the season but still ended up with a 23-5 overall regular season record. Ercan had guided the Aviators to their second ever post season. This time it went slightly better, in a run filled game against the Ybor City Spuds the Aviators were able to come up with a walk-off 10-9 victory and advance to their first ever Elite Cup appearance. Facing the Pensacola Jimmies Palm Bay took the final all the way, but just came up short as they lost to a 1oth inning run.
Ercan had done it again, he picked up his second straight FBL Manager of the Year award. His regular season win-loss totals in the FPL now stands at 50-6 with two Manager of the Year awards. The Wichita Aviators are proud to announce that Richard Ercan has agreed a contract to spearhead the Palm Bay Aviators battle to win the Elite Cup in 2044.