Tom Miller (.544, 52 HRs, 124 RBIs) of the Hardhats made the 1977 all-pro team, Benny Holt of the Chicago Storm won the league MVP with the Detroit Caesars taking the first ever professional softball World Series title.
First-baseman Joe Aversa made the mid-season All-Star team and Greg Birko (.478 BA) has another strong campaign.
[13] Cleveland Stepien's Competitors, the Fort Wayne Huggie Bears and Milwaukee broke away from the APSPL to form a new league (North American Softball League) in 1980, under the leadership of Cleveland owner Ted Stepien, while the Hardhats continued in the reduced numbers of the APSPL.
[15] The Hardhats owner Jim DiIorio brought a challenge in federal court in an attempt to prevent splitting the young professional sport.
[20] Snatchko would lead the Champions but tensions with Stepien remained as he tried to lure talent away from the APSPL teams, including the Hardhats.
The Champions added Chuck Lazar, a local football stand-out from Allegheny College, who had spent the previous two seasons playing with the Hardhats.
Pittsburgh upset Kentucky in the first round 3-2 (5-10, 7–5, 4-10, 5-14, 4–1) to advance to their first APSPL World Series, where they were swept 3-0 (2-3, 11–3, 12–9) by the Rochester Express.
Pittsburgh struggled in the first year of the new league in 1981, finishing in last place of the Western Division, 23-35 (.397), 20 games behind the Cincinnati Suds.