BELTON, Mo. - The gleaming trophy was no longer the only reason for the glint seen in the eyes of those competing Jan. 8 and 9 in the 1999 Electrabowl Tournament. All but two of the players had a new reason to win the 13th Annual Electrabowl Championship - to end the Van Pelt brothers' dynasty.
For the ninth consecutive year, they failed. With John Van Pelt and his Oakland Raiders 21-14 victory over the Carolina Panthers in the championship game, the Van Pelt brothers kept their lock on the Daniel Reardon Memorial Trophy, named after the inventor of the game rules.
This year was supposed to be different. Played on vibrating boards with plastic men, teams have kept the same bases since the beginning. This year, a draft with all new plastic bases was held to even the playing field.
It was expected that a new champion would emerge. But, it was not meant to be. The trophy will remain with John Van Pelt for another year.
"I was really surprised this year at the success of my team," said John Van Pelt, head coach of the Raiders. "I really believed the dynasty would come to an end. I'm glad it didn't. We get to keep it for one more year. I think 10 years will be enough."
The Raiders swept through the regular season, going undefeated into the playoffs. After a first round bye, the Raiders overcame the Denver Broncos 24-21 in the second round playoff game.
In what was to prove a grueling rematch of a close regular season game, the Raiders clinched their division and a spot in the big show with a 20-13 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars.
John Haworth, coach of the Carolina Panthers, had a harder time making it to the Electrabowl championship. With no byes in the playoffs, the Panthers clawed and scratched their way into a divisional championship showdown with the Green Bay Packers.
In a blizzard at Lambeau Field, the Panthers overcame the odds to make it to Haworth's first appearance ever in the championship game.
"It was a hoot making it to the championship game," Haworth said. "Now, I just want to go there and win."
"It's supposed to be a traveling trophy, but it only travels between two houses. It seems like it's been a Van Pelt dominated event for the past several years. The trophy needs to grace somebody else's mantle," Haworth said.
The Van Pelt brothers have kept the trophy to themselves since 1991, with Ken Van Pelt winning four times and John Van Pelt claiming five championship victories.
"It's an unstoppable combo," said Ken Van Pelt, coach of the Minnesota Vikings. "I think I have one more year in me."
"I like the fact that my brother and I have passed the trophy back and forth to each other year after year," John Van Pelt said. "I like that we keep it in the family. I know everyone playing next year will be trying to knock us down, but I hope they don't. I'd like to know the dynasty lasted 10 straight years before crumbling. That's a memorable dynasty," he said.
Ken Van Pelt did make a surprise announcement. After coaching the Minnesota Vikings since the inception of the Electrabowl League in 1987, Van Pelt has announced he will assume the helm of the Kansas City Chiefs.
"It is disappointing in the league that the hometown team has not been represented with any solidarity," he said. "I have decided to resign from the Minnesota Vikings and take over the head coaching position of the Kansas City Chiefs. For the past three years, the Chiefs have not had a stable program and it's time that they did."
Dice rolls are used to determine quarterbacks' and kickers' abilities before the first game of the season. During game play, players roll percentage dice to complete a pass or make a field goal. Dice are rolled for penalties and for kickoffs. A mixture of strategy and chance combine to make for some exciting matchups in Electrabowl competition.
Just how much longer strategy and chance will shine on the Van Pelt brothers, no one knows. But, all the others who play the game are just waiting for their chance to eclipse the Van Pelt suns.
Back to Table of Contents Penny Whistle #40
Back to Penny Whistle List of Issues
Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List
© Copyright 1999 by Lion's Den Publications.
This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web.
Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com