One drawback (because someone will bring it up if I don’t) is the 15. If the offensive manager’s result (red number on the card) is a 15-21, the offensive manager rolls two dice again and refers to the Error Chart (the Error Chart is referred to with bases empty unlike the UPC). The Error Chart works much in the same way. The result (again the red number) is the actual result number the offensive manager will use to refer to the boards. If bases are not empty and the offensive manager’s result (red number on the card) is a 23 or 36-41, the offensive manager rolls two dice again and refers to the UPC. The rules for the UPC modification are simple: Better yet, let us know HOW you change them and why.

If you like the concept but the rules or cards don’t quite work for you, feel free to change them. I’m sure there are variations that work just as well. These are the cards that our league has used for used and I have used for replays. I should say at this time that the cards displayed below and methods described are not canon. With both modifications, it requires an extra dice roll every so often but not so much to extend the length game significantly. It takes away the inherit unfairness that comes with the game. For example, it addresses the question: “Is it right that a baserunner has a much higher chance to get caught stealing if a shortstop is at bat?”.

While easy to implement, both serve to randomize result numbers that occur on players’ cards which mostly appear due the position that they position. The UPC and Error Chart both serve a similar purpose. If anyone knows, please inform me so I can give them credit. Note: both of these modifications have been around for decades and I don’t know who was the original creator of either. So I thought I’d pass both it on for everyone so could evaluate them and use them if they find them useful. Perhaps the Unusual Play Card and its brother, the Error Chart may be popular in my neck of the APBA woods but not be as well known elsewhere. Finally, I could be erroneous in my thinking. Then again, there are a lot new APBA fans out there and others coming back to the game. I assumed a lot of APBA Baseball fans have used these modifications and if not, have at least heard of them. During the comment discussions, the Unusual Play Card and Error Chart have been brought up. We’ve been discussing baseball basic game a lot recently.

Apba baseball injury chart