[10][11][12] The owners of the APSPL Pittsburgh Hardhats unsuccessfully challenged Stepien in court in an attempt to prevent the new league from splitting the young professional sport.
[15] The balls were estimated to be traveling at 144 mph by the time they reached the street, damaging cars and injuring several spectators.
[19][20][21] Of note historically, the first sporting event to air on ESPN on September 7, 1979 was an APSPL championship game between the Milwaukee Schlitz and Kentucky Bourbons.
[23][20][24] Softball players included former National Football League stars Billy "White Shoes" Johnson and Bob Lurtsema, Rick Wilson from the NBA, and retired MLB players Ralph Garr, Norm Cash, Bruce Miller, Jim Price, Darrel Chaney, Jim Northrup, Gene Hiser, Mickey Stanley, Danny Napoleon, Dick McAuliffe, and Zoilo Versalles.
[33] After the New Jersey franchise disbanded in 1979, Pepitone went on to serve as the team president and played first base for Chicago Nationwide Advertising in the North American Softball League (NASL) in their 1980 season.