1987 Midwest Cup
The 1987 Midwest Cup was an invitational paintball tournament held at Doc James Outdoor Games in Wilmington, Illinois, on 4 October 1987. The combined Allied Forces team defeated the James Gang to win the gold-plated Midwest Cup.[1]
Organisation
The tournament was organised by Doc James Outdoor Games and sponsored by the Nelson Paint Company and Coca-Cola. No prize money was offered. Invitations were extended to teams from Illinois, Iowa, Missouri and Indiana, with the organiser stating that teams were selected according to their records of sportsmanship.[1]
The event was played on Doc James Outdoor Games' 100-acre course in Wilmington, Illinois.[2] Teams were expected to field between 20 and 25 players. Several groups combined because they could not individually meet this requirement:
- Members of the Peoria Warriors, Iowa Hawks and Wild Geese formed Allied Forces.
- Members of Lyon's Lions competed under the Mad Dog Rangers name.[1]
The report also identified the Missouri Stragglers among the teams present, but did not explain their final competition arrangement.[1]
Format and rules
Games lasted 30 minutes and used a capture-the-flag format. If neither side captured the opposing flag, the result was decided by comparing the number of players remaining in the game. Hits to the head counted as eliminations.[1]
Markers were chronographed and tagged before play, with a maximum permitted velocity of 300 feet per second. The opening stage was conducted as best-of-three series described by the contemporary report as double elimination. Subsequent stages used single-elimination games.[1]
Allied Forces, the James Gang, Esparza's Raiders and the Mad Dog Rangers advanced from the opening stage. Every opening series required a third game except that of the James Gang, which won its first two games by capturing the flag.[1]
Final
Allied Forces and the James Gang progressed to the final. Allied Forces fielded 25 players and the James Gang fielded 23.[1]
After winning the choice of starting positions, Allied Forces selected the Alpha Camp and adopted a defensive approach. The James Gang attacked the Alpha flag station but neither team completed a flag capture during the 30-minute game. The championship was therefore decided by the number of surviving players. The James Gang recorded 12 eliminations and Allied Forces eight, giving Allied Forces the victory.[1]
The winning team received the inscribed gold-plated Midwest Cup. Each Allied Forces player was also awarded a Nel-Spot 007 and a case of Coca-Cola. The second- and third-placed teams received trophy plaques and certificates. Esparza's Raiders received the tournament's sportsmanship award.[1]
Results
| Place | Team | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Allied Forces | Combined players from the Peoria Warriors, Iowa Hawks and Wild Geese |
| 2nd | James Gang | Lost the final on player count after neither team captured a flag |
| 3rd | Mad Dog Rangers | Included players from Lyon's Lions |
See also
References
- Ken Frelka, “The Midwest Cup”, Front Line, November 1987, pp. 9 and 23.
- “Doc James Outdoor Games” advertisement, Front Line, November 1987, p. 22.