Recognizing the ABL

While there's a lull in posting - I suspect that SK Cesis has played its game but there's no box score to report - I'll let you know what I'm up to.

Recently on eBay I was able to obtain a copy of the 1997-98 American Basketball League media guide. I wanted the guide because the guide had the 1996-97 American Basketball League statistics in it. I had been able to find stats for the 1997-98 season and the tiny fragment of the 1998-99 season that had been played. Having the media guide would provide me with the information I'd need to create a (virtually) full American Basketball League database.

Of course, all these stats have to be entered in by hand. There are further problems. I have "game starts" as a statistic for 1996-97, but not for the other two seasons. I only have minutes-per-game to the 0.1 decimal level for 1996-97, so "minutes played" will have to be estimations. Furthermore, the 1996-97 stats don't record personal fouls.

I'm only halfway through the 1996-97 season so far. I'm missing a lot of info that I hope others will be able to provide.

When I finish, I hope to be able to give recognition to all of those ABL players that never saw a minute of play in the WNBA. It's been over 10 years since the American Basketball League breathed its last breath on December 22, 2008 when it suspended operations and essentially gave up the ghost.

It's time for the WNBA to give the ABL its due and recognize ABL statistics in its record-keeping. I hope to be able to do the same with the WBL - that's my biggest dream - and its stats from 1978-81. "Ah, but a man's reach should exceed his grasp, or what's a heaven for?"