Siouxland Explorers' Home Page

Welcome to Jeff Sajdak's

Siouxland Explorers Home Page

"They've shown me ways to lose I never knew existed." -- Casey Stengel

Under the direction of Jeff Sajdak, the Siouxland Explorers are in their first season at Lewis and Clark Park in Northwest Iowa, having moved from West Michigan for the 1970 season. Sajdak led the club in West Michigan for two years, winning one Gorney Division flag, before looking for greener cornfields out west.
The current Explorer club boasts a potent offense paced by legends Roberto Clemente, Pete Rose, and Billy Williams. The pitching staff is anchored by the flame-throwing lefty (who has sworn off the booze in conservative NW Iowa), Sudden Sam McDowell.

"The fans like to see home runs, and we have assembled a pitching staff for their enjoyment." --Calvin Griffith

History of the Explorers

Jeff Sajdak is in his third season as manager of the Explorers franchise, having taken over in late 1995, following the 1973 TCBA-Yesterday season. The team was formerly known as the Florida Panthers and was a last place club in 1973. The club moved to West Michigan to become the Boulder Bluff Bishops, and things began to turn around. billy williams The team posted a 74-83 record in 1972 and moved up to 3rd place in the Shiloh Division. Clemente was the only real star for the season, leading the TCBA-Y in hitting with a .376 average, second in OB% at .419, and fifth in slugging at .543.

In 1971, the Bishops moved to the Gorney Division and won the divisional championship behind the pitching of Sam McDowell and the hitting of Frank Howard, Pete Rose, and Wes Parker. McDowell led the league with 347 strikeouts, third on the all-time single season list in the TCBA, while posting a 19-11 record and a 2.62 ERA. Howard drove in 116 runs and slugged 46 homers, often driving in Rose and Parker who each had over 200 hits and 100 runs scored. Unfortunately, the Bishops ran into the Long Islanders in the playoffs and succumbed, four games to one.

In 1970, the team moved west to become the Siouxland Explorers, and made a significant trade, sending powerful Frank Howard and utilityman Tony Taylor to their division (and fraternal) rivals, the Waukesha Freemen. In return, the X's received HOF'er Billy Williams, infielder Ron Hansen, and firstbaseman Ed Kranepool, who was subsequently traded for Nate Colbert. The X's are retooling for some pennant runs in the future (past), and are hopeful that McDowell, Clemente, Williams, and Rose will be keeping Siouxland on top of the Gorney Division for years to come. pete rose

"It is interesting about people that leave early from ballgames. It's almost as if they came out to the ballgame to see if they can beat the traffic home." -- Sportscaster Lou Simmons

About the Owner

Jeff Sajdak began playing APBA Baseball in 1971, when he was an 8-year old Milwaukee Brewers fan. His big brother, Ken (who is the owner of the division rival Waukesha Freemen), introduced him to the game, and it wasn't long before Jeff was out-managing his brother. (Sorry, Ken, I just had to put that in!) The fraternal duo played a number of board leagues over the years, and TCBA-Y was Jeff's second venture into play-by-mail and first into computer leagues. "It has been a delight," said Jeff. "The league is great, the people are wonderful. I should have been doing this a long time ago!"

In real life, Jeff is married to his wonderful wife, Karin, and has three tremendous children, Emily, Daniel, and Tyler - all of whom have been infected by the baseball bug to one degree or another. Jeff works as a pastor at Immanuel Christian Reformed Church in Orange City, Iowa.

"Baseball is like church. Many attend but few understand." - Wes Westrum
If you'd like to understand, or just want to make Jeff's e-mail box happy, e-mail him at: [email protected]

One of his favorite movies	Roberto Clemente Tribute Page

"There is always some kid who may be seeing me for the first or last time. I owe him my best."

- Joe DiMaggio

"If you have an opportunity to make things better and you don't, then you are wasting your time on this earth."

- Roberto Clemente

Visit the web page of the real Northern League Sioux City Explorers .

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