American Professional Slo-Pitch League (1977)
Tombstone
Born: 1976 – American Professional Slo-Pitch League founding franchise
Folded: Postseason 1977
First Game: May 29, 1977 (? – ? vs. Cleveland Jaybirds)
Last Game: August 28, 1977 (L 10-4, L 10-8 @ Kentucky Bourbons)
APSPL Championships: None
Stadium
Franklin County Stadium (14,000)1NO BYLINE, “Columbus”, Pro Softball Magazine, June 1977, 45.
Marketing
Team Colors: Red, White & Blue2NO BYLINE, “Columbus”, Pro Softball Magazine, June 1977, 46.
Ownership
Owners: Ken Laird & George Morano
Background
The Columbus All-Americans were one of 12 founding men’s softball franchises in the American Professional Slo-Pitch League during the summer of 1977. The APSPL’s dozen clubs were distributed across the industrial cities in the Upper Midwest, mid-Atlantic and northeast corridor where men’s amateur softball thrived. Though the new league was nominally professional, economic reality meant that players held day jobs during the week and all APSPL games were held on weekends and staged as double-headers.
The APSPL was also headquartered in Columbus in 1977, where league founder Bill Byrne formerly operated the Columbus Bucks semi-pro football team.
Columbus was placed in the APSPL’s Central Division for 1977, alongside the Cincinnati Suds, Cleveland Jaybirds and Kentucky Bourbons.
The All-Americans played seven home weekends between late May and the end of August 1977. Each home weekend saw a Saturday and Sunday doubleheader, for a total of 28 games across 14 home dates. The club offered season tickets for $28.00, or $1.00 per game.3NO BYLINE, “Columbus”, Pro Softball Magazine, June 1977, 46.
One and Done
Columbus’ Franklin County Stadium was the largest stadium in the APSPL in 1977 with 14,000 seats and was also the league’s only field with an Astroturf surface. The ballpark underwent a $5 million dollar renovation during the winter of 1976-77 that saw the installation of that new playing surface, along with all new seating and press facilities.4UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL. “Clippers Win Season Opener Before 16,000″. ” The Tribune (Coshocton, OH). April 23, 1977 Unfortunately for the All-Americans, the reason for that extensive makeover was the return of Triple-A minor league baseball to Ohio’s capital city after a six year absence. Excitement over the arrival of the Columbus Clippers, who drew 16,000 fans for their baseball home opener at Franklin County Stadium in April 1977, tended to drown out any buzz for the debut of men’s Slo-Pitch softball the following month.
Columbus finished their only season in last place in the APSPL’s Central Division with a 16-40 record. The All-Americans went out of business prior and the APSPL moved their headquarters to Louisville prior to the APSPL’s second season debut in the spring of 1978.
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