American Professional Slo-Pitch League (1977-1980)

Background

Between 1977 and 1982, three men’s professional softball leagues existed in the United States.

The first to form was the American Professional Slo-Pitch League, created by Columbus, Ohio promoter Bill Byrne, in 1977.  The APSPL lasted four seasons, playing from 1977 to 1980.

Splits, Mergers & Demise

After the 1979 APSPL season, Cleveland Competitors owner Ted Stepien (who would also buy the NBA”s Cleveland Cavaliers in 1980), split from the APSPL to form the rival North American Softball League (NASL).  The Milwaukee Schlitz franchise also left to join the NASL.  The Competitors and the Schlitz were complemented by six new Midwestern NASL franchises. Both leagues fielded clubs in Cincinnati and in Pittsburgh during the summer of 1980, competing for the very limited pro softball audience.

Stepien pulled out of pro softball after the 1980 season, resulting in the collapse of the NASL.  The Milwaukee Schlitz franchise essentially re-joined the six surviving franchises of the APSPL, and then the league announced a name change to the United Professional Softball League (UPSL) for the 1981 season.

The UPSL lasted two seasons, playing its final campaign in the summer of 1982. The demise of the UPSL after 1982 essentially brought an end to the professional era of men’s Slo-Pitch softball in the United States.

American Professional Slo-Pitch League Franchise List (1977-1980

[etable]

Franchise, Years Active, APSPL Champions

Baltimore Monuments, 1977, None

Chicago Storm, 1977-1978, None

Cincinnati Suds, 1977-1980, None

Cleveland Jaybirds, 1977-1978, None

Cleveland Stepien’s Competitors, 1979, None

Columbus All-Americans, 1977, None

Detroit Caesars, 1977-1979, 1978-1979

Fort Wayne Scouts, 1979, None

Kentucky Bourbons, 1977-1980, None

Milwaukee Copper Hearth, 1977, None

Milwaukee Schlitz, 1978-1979, 1979

Minnesota Goofy’s, 1977, None

Minnesota Norsemen, 1978-1979, None

New England Pilgrims, 1978-1980, None

New Jersey Statesmen, 1977, None

New York Clippers, 1977, None

Philadelphia Athletics, 1978-1980, None

Pittsburgh Hardhats, 1977-1980, None

Rochester Express, 1980, 1980

Rochester Zeniths, 1978-1979, None

Trenton Champales, 1979, None

Trenton Statesmen, 1978, None

[/etable]