Team Magnum (Australian Paintball Team)
Team Magnum was an Australian tournament paintball team based in New South Wales and associated with Ultimate Skirmish Game at Yarramundi. Its published history dates its formation to October 1987, with Steve Ballas as founder and captain.[14]
In 1996, Australian Paintballer described Magnum as Australia's longest-established paintball team.[1] The team finished second at the 1995 Australian Masters and won the professional division of the 1998 Victorian Five-Man Masters. It also supplied referees for tournaments at Yarramundi.[8][11][12]
History
[edit]Formation and early competition
[edit]According to the team's published history, Magnum formed in October 1987 from a group connected through friendships, employment and shared interests. Steve Ballas, nicknamed “Croc”, was its first captain.[14]
The team identified the 1988 Sydney Scorpions Inter Club Championship at Yarramundi as its first tournament and first victory.[14]
Magnum's own records also list victory at the 1992 Australian Masters, second place at the 1992 and 1993 South Pacific Championships, and victory at the 1993 five-player national championship.[14][15]
The team history credits Con Raftos with captaining Magnum to victory at the 1994 Rebel Tour.[14]
The archived website contains conflicting dates for an earlier Rebel Tour victory: its history places the event in 1991, while its accomplishments page lists 1990.[14][15]
Yarramundi
[edit]Magnum's home venue was identified as Ultimate Skirmish Game at Yarramundi, New South Wales.[1]
Theo “Poost” Saisanas was an original member of Magnum and was associated with both Ultimate Skirmish Game and Aussie Paintball Game Supplies. He participated in Australian paintball as a player and referee before his death from cancer on 21 September 1995.[2]
1995 season
[edit]Magnum competed in the Southern Tablelands Seven-Man Championship in 1995. The team placed second in the preliminary round with 595 points before finishing fourth in the finals.[3]
At the 1995 Australian Masters, held over two days at Skirmish Adventures in Helensburgh, Magnum finished second behind the visiting United States team Rage.[8]
At a Queensland tournament held at Cedar Creek Lodge on 30 September, Magnum entered two squads named Magnum Bad and Magnum Good. The squads met in the final, with Magnum Bad finishing first and Magnum Good second. American professional player Oh Pawlak played for Magnum Bad.[4][5] The team dedicated the victory to Theo Saisanas, who had died the previous week.[2][4]
The Queensland tournament was called the Australian Open in its event report, while the same issue's contents and obituary referred to it as the Australian Nationals.[2][4]
Magnum Good and Magnum Bad were also listed among the professional entries at the 1995 Australian Three-Man Speedball Championships, held at Heartbreak Ridge Paintball in Sydney on 5 November.[13]
In Australian Paintballer's national rankings for the 1995 season, Magnum placed fifth among the professional teams. It received 220.10 ranking points from five tournaments.[6]
1996 competition
[edit]Magnum competed at the 1996 Australian Masters at Skirmish Adventures in Helensburgh. The contemporary report records the team's participation but does not provide its final placing.[9]
Entries named Magnum Good and Magnum also appeared in the 1996 Victorian Three-Man Series, recording 195 and 100 series points respectively.[10]
1998 Victorian Five-Man Masters
[edit]Magnum won the professional division of the 1998 Victorian Five-Man Masters at Paintball Action Games near Ballan, Victoria.[11]
The team secured the championship during its concluding game against Rat Pack Red. Rat Pack Red needed a maximum score without losing a player to take the title, but an elimination ended that possibility. The game finished without a flag hang.[11]
Tournament organisation and refereeing
[edit]Magnum member Vince Scuderi was involved in efforts to establish a national tournament structure in Australia. By early 1996, he was serving as president of the newly formed Australasian Paintball Players League, which sought to introduce common rules, rankings and organisational standards for tournament paintball.[7]
Magnum and Top Hat Jokers supplied the referees for the 1998 Australian Seven-Player Paintball Championships at Yarramundi, New South Wales.[12]
1996 roster
[edit]The team's archived website published the following roster for 1996:[16]
- Con Raftos
- Steve Ballas
- Terry Marousis
- Vince Scuderi
- Peter Pap
- Peter Georgiou
- Chris Saisanas
- Paul Attenborough
- Troy Wendt
- Rod Ratcliffe
- Peter Mehail
- Luke Athanasiou
Recorded tournament results
[edit]| Year | Event | Entry or division | Result | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Sydney Inter Club Championship | Team Magnum | 1st | [14][15] |
| 1992 | Australian Masters | Team Magnum | 1st | [14][15] |
| 1992 | South Pacific Championships | Team Magnum | 2nd | [14][15] |
| 1993 | South Pacific Championships | Team Magnum | 2nd | [14][15] |
| 1993 | Five-Man National Paintball Championships | Team Magnum | 1st | [14][15] |
| 1994 | Rebel Tour | Team Magnum | 1st | [14][15] |
| 1995 | Southern Tablelands Seven-Man Championship | Team Magnum | 4th | [3] |
| 1995 | Australian Masters | Team Magnum | 2nd | [8] |
| 1995 | Australian Open / Australian Nationals | Magnum Bad | 1st | [4] |
| 1995 | Australian Open / Australian Nationals | Magnum Good | 2nd | [4] |
| 1996 | Victorian Three-Man Series | Magnum Good | 195 series points | [10] |
| 1996 | Victorian Three-Man Series | Magnum | 100 series points | [10] |
| 1998 | Victorian Five-Man Masters | Professional | 1st | [11] |
The 1988–1994 results above are recorded in Magnum's own published history and accomplishments list.[14][15]
See also
[edit]- Australian tournament paintball in 1995
- Australasian Paintball Players League
- Ultimate Skirmish Game
- Australian Masters
- 1998 Victorian Five-Man Masters
References
[edit]- Australian Paintballer, April–June 1996, cover and contents: Team Magnum profile caption.
- Australian Paintballer, December 1995–February 1996, “A Sad Loss to Aussie Paintball”.
- Australian Paintballer, June–July 1995, “Southern Tablelands 7-Man Championship Round-Up”.
- Australian Paintballer, December 1995–February 1996, “The Australian Open”.
- Oh Pawlak, Hotseat Guest #1. WARPIG.
- Australian Paintballer, April–June 1996, “1995 Australian Team Rankings”.
- Australian Paintballer, April–June 1996, “APPL — Australasian Paintball Players League”.
- Australian Masters. Steve Hobden, War Paint, issue 1, January 1996.
- Australian Masters. Kez Svanberg, War Paint, issue 4, November 1996.
- Three's a Crowd. Mic Bradshaw, Paint, issue 5, March 1997.
- 5 Man Victorian Masters. Mike Wallis, Paint, issue 8, May 1998.
- 1998 Australian 7 Man. Simon Morrison, Paint, issue 9, September 1998.
- 3 Man Speedball Championships. War Paint, issue 1, January 1996.
- Team History, 1987–1995. Team Magnum website, archived 4 October 1999.
- Tournament Accomplishments. Team Magnum website, archived 4 October 1999.
- 1996 Team Roster. Team Magnum website, archived 4 October 1999.