Baseball: The World's Game (OOTP 22 Fictional World)

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1962 in OBA

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The third season of the Oceania Baseball Association saw a new team atop the Australasia League. Adelaide had a remarkable turnaround, going from a last place 62-100 the prior season to the top spot at 93-69. Christchurch was second at 90-72, followed by Sydney at 88-74 and Auckland at 87-75. Perth, the league champ in the first two seasons, fell to a sixth place 79-83.

League MVP went to Auckland’s Aidan McMillan. A second-year player from Gold Coast, the switch-hitting RF was the leader in runs (91), hits (185), doubles (35), triple slash (.316/.365/.584), OPS (.949), wRC+ (186), and WAR (8.3). Pitcher of the Year went to 23-year old Ashton Robbins. The righty for Brisbane was the ERA leader (1.94) and WHIP leader (0.90), posting 5.2 WAR and 222 strikeouts despite only 26 starts. Injuries would ultimately prevent him from having an all-time great career.



The Pacific League title went to Honolulu for their first title. After taking second last year to Guadalcanal, the Honu improved to 97-63, beating the Green Jackets by six games. Port Moresby was third at 89-73 with Fiji at 86-76.

Although the Mud Hens were third place, they boasted the Pacific League MVP and Pitcher of the Year. The former was 1B Dawson Schnee, a 31-year old American who left MLB after a journeyman career. In his second season in Papua New Guinea, he led the league in slugging (.514), OPS (.843), and wRC+ (174), adding 5.7 WAR and 32 home runs. Roland Poe won Pitcher of the Year for the second straight season. He had a league best 1.93 ERA, posting 279 strikeouts in 313 innings with 6.7 WAR.

The third Oceania Championship would be the first to go all seven games. In an intense battle, Adelaide edged Honolulu to send the title back to Australia. Shortstop Fineasi Hausia was the series MVP. The 27-year old Tongan had 12 hits, five runs, five RBI, five doubles, and a .429 average in the series.





Other notes: Perth’s Nate Makris hit 50 home runs, the second player to do so in OBA’s three years. He was one behind Adam Lucas’s 51 in 1960. Makris did beat him in RBI with 124 for the new single-season mark.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1962 in EPB

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Minsk continued its streak of a playoff berth in each of the first eight seasons of Eurasian Professional Baseball with their seventh straight 100+ win season. The Miners had the best overall record in EPB with a 112-50 mark atop the European League North Division. Both EL wildcards came from the North with St. Petersburg at 104-58 and Moscow at 102-60. It is the first playoff berth for the Polar Bears and the third straight for the Mules. Defending Soviet Series champ Kazan missed out, finishing fourth at 89-73. In the South Division, Kyiv advanced at 98-64, back in after taking second last year. Bucharest, who had made it into the playoffs in the first seven EPB seasons, just missed out with a second place 91-71 mark.

Winning European League MVP was Moscow 2B Anton Kirilenko. The 34-year old Belarusian led the league in WAR (8.4) and walks (87), adding 29 home runs and 157 hits. Bucharest ace Bogdan Chirita won his record fifth Pitcher of the Year. The 35-year old Romanian was again the WARlord, this time with 10.7 and a league-best 29 quality starts. He struck out 283 over 271.2 innings with a 1.82 ERA. This would ultimately be the end of a brief but stellar career for Chirita, as he tore his flexor tendon in the 1963 World Baseball Championship, followed by a torn labrum the following winter.



Finishing atop the Asian League was Chelyabinsk, winning the North Division at 108-54 for a second straight playoff berth. Tashkent took the South Division at 104-58 for a third straight berth. Both second place finishing teams picked up wild cards. Almaty got in at 101-61, back after missing out narrowly the prior two seasons. Meanwhile, defending AL champ Irkutsk made it four consecutive playoff berths with a 98-64 record.

Baku was a bottom rung team, but had both the league MVP and Pitcher of the Year. 27-year old lefty David Constantin won both with a league-best 1.64 ERA and 10.6 WAR. He had 30 complete games with 8 shutouts over 296 innings with 340 strikeouts.

In the playoffs in the European League, Minsk downed Moscow 3-1 and Kyiv outlasted St. Petersburg 3-2. Both Asian League first round series went all five with Tashkent surviving Almaty and Chelyabinsk defeating Irkutsk. In the European League Championship Series, the Miners dropped the Kings in six, giving Minsk its third league title and first since the opening two seasons. The Cadets won a seven-game classic over the Tomcats to give Chelyabinsk its first Asian League Championship Series. The Soviet Series was far less dramatic as Minsk swept Chelyabinsk for its second overall title. 39-year old CF Artyom Zakharov was the series MVP.





Other notes: Artur Golub of Ufa became the first EPB pitcher to have 400+ strikeouts in a season, fanning 418. Omsk’s Arutyun Lezjov set a single-game record with 22 strikeouts over 11.1 innings against Baku. Kirill Edelman and Sergei Filatov were the first to reach 2500 career strikeouts. Stepan Kirov and Rodion Zhukov both became the first hitters to 300 home runs. Catcher Lassi Luhta won his seventh Silver Slugger. Pitcher Skerdi Hoxha won his eighth and final Gold Glove.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1962 in EBF

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Defending European Champion Brussels again had the best record in the EBF Northern Conference, although they were far less dominant than the 113 wins from the prior year. The Beavers finished 99-63 atop the Northwest Division for a fourth consecutive playoff berth. Paris was second at 92-70 and narrowly took the wild card for their first playoff spot since 1956. The other division winners both finished 91-71 with Dublin atop the British Isles Division and Berlin winning the North Central. Both won their division by one game with Belfast and Hamburg both just missing at 90-72. The Brewers and Hammers were two games behind the Poodles for the wild card. For the Barons, it is their first playoff appearance since 1958 and the first since 1959 for the Dinos.

Hamburg had the Northern Conference’s MVP and Pitcher of the Year. RF Davey Miquel won his second straight MVP as 27-year old Frenchman was the conference leader in runs (115), home runs (52), RBI (110), walks (121), OBP (.420), slugging (.626), OPS (1.047), and wRC+ (211). Hermann Hoffmann was the Pitcher of the Year with the 26-year old Austrian right-hander leading in innings with 296.2. He had 7.7 WAR, 2.46 ERA, 21-9 record, and 283 strikeouts.



The Southern Conference was also very competitive. Seville and Rome both won divisions at 92-70 with Munich taking the Southeast at 91-71. The Stingrays won the Southwest title by two games over 90-72 Barcelona. It is Seville’s first-ever playoff berth, while the Bengals have their third in four years at the earned the wild card. The Red Wolves grabbed their first-ever playoff berth atop the South Central, snapping Zurich’s four-year streak with the Mountaineers at 88-74. The Mavericks were division champ for the first time since 1957. Athens at 86-76 was their closest competitor. Last year’s SC champ Belgrade struggled to a 76-86 season.
Slugger Gabriel Staudt won his second conference MVP, five years after his first. The 34-year old Swiss righty is in his third year with Zurich, having spent his first nine seasons in Paris. Staudt led the SC in home runs (53), slugging (.664), OBP (1.057), and wRC+ (192), adding 8.9 WAR and 121 RBI. Staudt also became the first EBF hitter to cross 500 career home runs. Pitcher of the Year went to Barcelona’s Saul Bernal. The 29-year old hometown favorite had a 20-10 record, 2.30 ERA, 227 strikeouts in 282.1 innings, and 6.7 WAR. He led the conference with 14 complete games.

In the first round of the European Baseball Federation playoffs, Berlin upset defending champ Brussels in five. On the other side of the Northern Conference, Dublin swept Paris. The Southern Conference had Seville edge Barcelona in five and Rome sweep Munich. In the NCC, the Dinos dropped the Barons in six, giving Dublin its first-ever conference title. In the SCC, the Red Wolves outlasted the Stingrays 4-3 for Rome’s first title. The European Championship went to Dublin in six games over Rome, sending the cup to Ireland for the first time. 1B Charles Day was the series MVP with the 26-year old Scot getting 26 hits in the postseason with six runs, 12 RBI, and a .426 average.





Other notes: The first three EBF players to reach 2000 career hits happened in 1962 with Paolo Gigliotti, Daniel Bosseler, and Gabriel Staudt. Staudt won his record ninth Silver Slugger while Gigliotti won his seventh. Pietro Ribsi became the first pitcher to 3500 strikeouts.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1962 in BSA

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The Bolivar League saw Caracas and Guayaquil as division champions for the third time in four years. The Golds had the best overall record at 99-63 atop the South Division, finishing five games ahead of Callao. The three time defending league champ Colts won the North Division easily at 92-70. For Caracas, it is their fourth consecutive division title.

Callao RF Mike Andrades won his third league MVP and first since 1957. The 31-year old Peruvian led the Bolivar League in runs (111), hits (221), doubles (33), home runs (52), RBI (147), slugging (.658), OPS (1.027), wRC+ (198), and WAR (9.4). The 147 RBI was a new single-season record in Beisbol Sudamerica, beating Andrades’ own record of 141 in 1957. Pitcher of the Year went to Guayaquil’s Laurenco Cedillo, the third of his career. The right-handed Chilean had a Triple Crown with a 24-6 record, 1.91 ERA, and 328 strikeouts. He also was the WARlord at 8.8.



1962 was the first time the Southern Cone League didn’t have Sao Paulo or Santiago in the league final since 1951. The Padres’ playoff streak ended at 10 years as they dropped to 75-87, while the Saints tied for second in the South Division with Asuncion at 92-70. Cordoba won the South Division at 106-56 for their first division title since winning Copa Sudamerica in 1956. Salvador claimed the Brazil Division at 99-63; their first title since winning it all in 1949.

The Chanticleers had the MVP and Pitcher of the Year. Argentine 3B Julien Angel was the MVP as the 27-year old was the leader in hits (196), home runs (39), average (.325) and slugging (.590) while adding 10.9 WAR. Will Feliciano won his first Pitcher of the Year and picked up a Triple Crown. Feliciano had a 25-5 record, 1.35 ERA, and 348 strikeouts. He also led the league in WHIP (0.78), innings (286.1), complete games (15), shutouts (9), and WAR (10.2). Feliciano also had two no-hitters in 1962

In the Bolivar League Championship Series, Caracas made it a four-peat as they swept Guayaquil. The Colts join La Paz (1942-46) as the only Bolivar League teams to win four straight. They also passed the Pump Jacks for the most league titles with eight. In the Southern Cone Championship, Salvador downed Cordoba 4-2. It is the second league title for the Storm, who won it all in 1949. In Copa Sudamerica, Caracas was crowned again, defeating Salvador in six games. The Colts are the first BSA team to win the Cup three times in a four season stretch. 2B Felipe Rivas won Copa Sudamerica MVP for the second time in his career, this time posting 11 hits, 3 home runs, 7 RBI, and 4 runs in the playoffs.





Other notes: Cali’s Solange Aranda had the 19^th BSA perfect game on August 2, striking out 12 against Caracas. Sebastiao Navarijo became the 11^th batter to 2500 career hits.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1962 in EAB

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Kyoto earned its third-ever playoff berth and first since 1952 as they had the best record in the Japan League in 1962. The Kamikaze won the South Division at 106-56, nine games ahead of last year’s division champ Kobe at 97-65. Defending league champ Chiba took the North Division for back-to-back seasons with a 100-62 record, eight games ahead of Kawasaki.

Killer Whales 1B Kakuzo Yokoyama picked up the league MVP with a powerful season. He led the league with 61 home runs and 146 RBI, the seventh player to hit 60+. Yokoyama also led the league in runs (113), slugging (.713), OPS (1.086), and wRC+ (233), also adding a .321 average and 9.9 WAR. Chiba’s Ziming Xie won his second Pitcher of the Year as the 28-year old from China led the league in strikeouts for the fourth straight season. Xie had 321 Ks with a 17-6 record, 2.53 ERA over 245.1 innings, and 8.4 WAR.



Defending East Asian Champion Pyongyang had the best record in the Korea League for the second straight season, going 113-49. The Pythons had the most runs (855) and fewest allowed (566) in the league, allowing them to win the North Division by 12 games despite Hamhung’s 101-61 season. Ulsan won the South Division at 90-72, edging last year’s champ Changwon by one game. It is the second playoff berth in three years and fourth overall for the Swallows.

30-year old Crabs 3B Hyun-Ook Jo won his second Korea League MVP, having also done it in 1957. Jo led the league in home runs with 54 while adding 115 RBI, a .303 average, and 9.6 WAR. Pitcher of the Year went to Pyongyang’s Tae-Young Yang with the 25-year old leading in wins (26-5), and ERA (2.08), as well as WHIP (0.81), quality starts (24), and shutouts (6). He added 315 strikeouts and 8.8 WAR.

The Japan League Championship Series went to Chiba for the second straight year as the Comets topped Kyoto in five games. For Chiba, it is their third overall title, having also won it in 1952. In the Korea League Championship Series, Pyongyang also made it back-to-back, besting Ulsan 4-2. The Pythons now have six league titles to their names. In an East Asian Championship rematch, Pyongyang prevailed again over Chiba, this time in a sweep. Winning both EAB Championship and KLCS MVP was SS Kyung-Hwan Choi, who had 17 hits, 2 home runs, 9 RBI, and a .459 average in 10 games. The Pythons are now four time overall and only the third to repeat as EAB champ (1957-58 Hamhung and 1926-27 Yokohama).





Other notes: Suwon’s Ju-An Pak became the third EAB player to 700 career home runs. Park would hit 49 home runs the next year at age 39 with Suwon, finishing with 760 career home runs and the all-time EAB mark for a few years. Ki-Wook Ahn became the fifth hitter to 1500 RBI. Hidemi Ishihara became the 10^th to 2500 career hits. 3B Hirotaka Mizutani won his ninth Gold Glove. Two-way player Tadasumi Tanabe won his eighth Silver Slugger at pitcher and Lei Meng won his eighth in LF.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1962 in CABA - League expands

The Central American Baseball Association became the first of the major leagues to expand beyond their original teams. In 1962, two teams were added to the Mexican League and two were added to the Caribbean League. The Mexican League North Division added the Torreon Tomahawks and the South Division added the Queretaro Terriers. Torreon fills a market gap in the north central part of the country west of Monterrey, but well south of Chihuahua and Hermosillo. Queretaro is roughly midway between Mexico City and Leon, adding another in the highly populated central part of the nation.

While the Mexican League additions made for two seven-team divisions, the Caribbean League expansion saw both teams into the Island Division, creating an unbalanced situation with eight in one and six in the other. With all of the major continental Central American markets covered, the Caribbean League opted to tap the island nations without teams. Thus added were the Bahamas Buccaneers and the Trinidad Trail Blazers.



With the additions also came an expanded postseason. The returning Island Division teams in particular had concern over the unbalanced division, especially when that division had often had the top two or three records in the league over the Continental Division. The change was made throughout CABA to add a single wild card, making it three playoff teams per league. The top division winner would get a bye, while the other division winner would host essentially a four game series (officially, a best-of-five with a one-game advantage to the host). The division champ would only need to win twice in four games, while the wild card would need to win three. This preserved a reward for a division title, but allowed great teams in stacked divisions a chance to power forward. The expansion draft had a chance to shake up things a bit, but was designed with the goal in mind not to damage any existing teams too strongly. Therefore, it was expected that the new squads would need a few years to grow. It would take six seasons before one of them made it to the postseason.



The addition of the wild card allowed defending CABA champion Chihuahua to make it back the playoffs in 1962. Juarez took the Mexican League North Division at 103-59, leading in both runs scored (737) and runs allowed (534). The Warriors finished 94-68, finishing one game ahead of Mexicali and five ahead of both Hermosillo and Leon to get the berth. The Lions playoff streak was snapped at four years as they finished two behind Ecatepec for the South Division title. At 91-71, the Explosion earned their first playoff berth since 1951. Torreon was the top performing expansion team at a respectable 79-83, while Queretaro was 65-97.

Leading the Jesters in their success was the legendary 1B Prometheo Garcia, who tied Kiko Velazquez by winning his eighth MVP. Guadalajara had traded their longtime hero at age 39 to Juarez for prospects and Garcia delivered as always, leading the league in average (.398), OBP (.445), OPS (1.133), wRC+ (232), WAR (9.7), and doubles (41), adding 36 home runs and 105 RBI. The .398 average was second-best ever in a CABA season, behind his own .406 from 1949. It would ultimately be the final CABA season for Garcia, who retired as the all-time leader in hits (3871), runs (1850), home runs (753), RBI (2042), and WAR (166.8). He’d leave for Major League Baseball and play six more seasons at a high level, switching the conversation from CABA’s all-time best hitter, to perhaps the best in baseball history.

Pitcher of the Year meanwhile went to Hermosillo’s Santiago Esquivel for the second time in three seasons. He was the strikeout leader with 312, adding a 2.19 ERA over 258.2 innings and 8.2 WAR. Esquivel also won his third consecutive Gold Glove.



In the Caribbean League, Santo Domingo and Honduras were again the top teams. The two-time defending league champ Dolphins won the Island Division for the fifth time in six years, while the Horsemen won their fifth straight Continental Division. Both teams with 108-54 and Santo Domingo had the tiebreaker to earn the bye. The wild card race was in the islands as Jamaica took it at 99-63, two games ahead of 97-65. Both expansion teams were at the bottom; Trinidad at 56-106 and Bahamas at 48-114. For the Jazz, they earned their first playoff berth since 1950.

Haiti’s Cipriano Masias won the league MVP. The 26-year Puerto Rican left fielder had the lead in average (.354), OBP (.396), and OPS (.990), adding 202 hits and 6.6 WAR. Diego Morales won his first Pitcher of the Year for Honduras. The Dominican lefty led in wins (21-5), posting a 2.18 ERA over 251.1 innings with 265 strikeouts and 8.2 WAR.

The first wild card to knock out a division champ was Chihuahua, who despite the one-game handicap against them, went on to sweep Ecatepec. In the Mexican League Championship Series, Juarez edged the defending champ Warriors in seven, giving the Jesters only their second-ever league title; the prior one was 1912; CABA’s second season.

The Caribbean Wild Card round had no surprises with Honduras sweeping Jamaica, setting up Horsemen versus Dolphins for the third straight season in the Caribbean League Championship Series. It was a seven game classic with game seven going 10 innings. Santo Domingo took the finale 6-5 in extras to claim the series in seven and the third-ever Caribbean League three-peat, joining Puerto Rico (1943-45) and Havana (1911-13). The Dolphins continued to roll and swept Juarez in the CABA championship, giving SD its second CABA crown in three years and fourth overall title.





Other notes: In addition to all of the other accolades mentioned earlier, Prometheo Garcia earned his 14^th Silver Slugger. He joins Kiko Velazquez (14) and Emmanuel Zavala (16) as the only CABA players with that many.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1962 in MLB

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Toronto snapped a five season playoff drought in 1962 with the National Association’s best record at 107-55. The Timberwolves were Eastern League champs surprisingly for only the sixth time considering their relative success with it their first league title since 1929. In the Midwest League, defending NA champ Kansas City won back-to-back league titles, finishing 97-65. It is their fifth first place in franchise history. The Cougars finished two games better than Omaha at 95-67.

The Hawks were right in the mix with a number of Eastern League teams for the four wild card spots. Montreal and Pittsburgh both finished 96-66 to move forward, snapping a nine-season playoff drought for the Maples and giving the Pirates back-to-back berths. Omaha took the third spot one game behind for their first playoff spot since 1956. Boston at 94-68 took the final spot, finishing two ahead of Hartford. In the last decade, the Red Sox have made the playoffs seven times, although only once did they get beyond the second round. Ottawa (87-75) and Brooklyn (72-90) both had four year playoff streaks snapped, meaning no National Association team has longer than a two season active playoff streak.

Indianapolis was around .500, but they had the NA MVP in R.J. Clinton. It was the second MVP for the 25-year old right fielder from Wisconsin, who led in home runs (47), slugging (.640), and OPS (1.021), adding 8.5 WAR and a .326 average. Pittsburgh’s Richard Thieman won Pitcher of the Year. It was a career season for the 29-year old in his ninth season with the Pirates, leading in wins (22-7), FIP- (64) and WAR (8.7). He had a 1.87 ERA over 265 innings with 244 strikeouts.

Pittsburgh beat Omaha and Montreal topped Boston in the first round of the playoffs, both 2-0. Toronto cruised to a 3-0 sweep in round two over the Maples, while Kansas City bested the Pirates in four. In the National Association Championship Series, the Cougars toppled the Timberwolves in five games, making KC the first repeat NA champ since the Philadelphia dynasty of the 1940s. It is the third title for Kansas City, who also won it in 1937.



Major League Baseball’s top overall record belonged to Oakland in 1962. The Owls had a franchise-record 108-54 season, winning the Western League for only the second time (1942). Calgary gave chance at 101-61, easily taking the first wild card. It is both back-to-back wild cards and back-to-back 100+ win seasons for the Cheetahs. The Southern League title went to defending World Series champ Oklahoma City for the third straight season, giving them a four-year playoff streak after starting with no berths in the franchise’s first 54 seasons. The Outlaws were 93-69, four games better than both Charlotte and Miami at 89-73.

For both the Canaries and Mallards, that record put them one game away from a wild card. The remaining three spots went to three Western League teams that each finished 90-72. Denver, last year’s top record holder, and Seattle both are in the playoffs for back-to-back seasons. Portland is in for the third time in four seasons. Phoenix had a three-year streak ended as they dropped to tenth in the WL at 75-87.

Although Las Vegas was last in the Western League, slugger Ron Koehler earned his second straight MVP. The 33-year old DH had his fourth 50+ home run season, leading the AA with 56. He was also the leader in RBI (132), runs (129), walks (117), OBP (.419), slugging (.636), OPS (1.056), wRC+ (172), and WAR (8.1). It was the final season of Koehler’s three-year stay in Sin City, as he signed with Oakland in offseason.

San Diego was mid-tier, but ace Spenser Emond was certainly not. The 37-year old won his record seventh Pitcher of the Year, becoming the first MLB (and as of 2037, the only) seven-time winner. It was a remarkable comeback as he had missed nearly all of 1961 with a torn elbow ligament, seemingly putting his career in jeopardy. Emond had a career high 303.1 innings pitched, leading the AA in ERA (2.58), WHIP (1.01), K/BB (8.0), quality starts (26), and WAR (9.2). It was his swan song, as Emond suffered a torn UCL in spring training 1963. He would return for a partial season in 1964, becoming MLBs fifth 300 game winner.

In the first round of the American Association playoffs, Denver swept Seattle and Calgary creamed Portland. The Dragons stunned Oakland with n 3-2 upset, while Oklahoma City cruised to a sweep of the Cheetahs. In an AACS rematch, the Outlaws would be denied a repeat as Denver took the series in five games. It was the third American Association title for the Dragons, who won it all 1938 and 1925.

Denver added a third World Series ring to the trophy shelf, outlasting Kansas City in a seven-game classic. It was an impressive run for the Dragons, who were one game away from missing the playoffs entirely. Among the stars of the run was catcher Herbert Arredondo, who won second round and AACS MVP, posting 26 hits, 11 runs, 3 home runs, and 15 RBI in the postseason. LF Brian Fullen was the World Series MVP. In the playoffs, he hit five home runs with 10 RBI, 14 hits, and 7 runs.





Other notes: Crossing 1500 runs scored were Carson Tinker and Jaxson Bradley. Martin Medina crossed 1500 RBI.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1963 MLB Hall of Fame

The Major League Baseball Hall of Fame inducted three players in the 1963 class. The star of the class was starting pitcher Jason Morrissey, who was a first ballot pick at an impressive 95.4%. SP Joseph Allen also made it in on the first ballot, although with a lower 71.1%. Also at 71.1% was LF John Roberts, who needed seven tries to finally get the nod. SP Alec Ebner had a solid debut at 63.2%, but was just short of the 66% threshold. Two others, closer Victoro Frajio and 2B Bodie Howard, were above the 50% mark.



One player was dropped after ten years on the ballot. Catcher Ben Mayo peaked at 28.4% on his second ballot and was down to 3.9% by the end. In 19 years with six teams, he had 2163 hits, 864 runs, 109 home runs, 887 RBI, .281 average, and 45.7 WAR. The anti-catcher bias makes it hard for the elite ones, but Mayo didn’t win any Silver Sluggers or Gold Gloves, making his “Hall of Very Good” designation most appropriate.



Jason “Miner” Morrissey – Starting Pitcher – Nashville Knights – 95.4% First Ballot

Jason Morrissey was a 6’0’’, 200 pound right-handed starting pitcher from North Miami Beach, Florida. He reinvented himself a bit over a 21 year pro career. At his peak, he had 98-100 mph velocity with strong stuff, great movement, and good control with a fastball, slider, and changeup arsenal. His velocity and stuff waned in the back in, but he made up for it with even more impressive movement and control. Morrissey was durable and an innings eater with 15 seasons of 250+ innings.

Morrissey attended Penn State and after an excellent college career, was picked sixth overall by Nashville in the 1936 MLB Draft. He was immediately thrown into the rotation for the Knights and proved worthy of being a regular starter, although he was viewed mostly as an above average innings eater in his early 20s. In his late 20s, his ERA began to lower and he started to get consideration for the Pitcher of the Year award. Morrissey took second in 1944, third in 1945, and third in 1946. Ultimately, he never won the big award.

Nashville found success in the late 1940s with four playoff appearances from 1944-48. They were the American Association champ in 1944 and 1947. Morrissey made nine playoff starts in that run worth 0.8 WAR over 69.2 innings with a 4.13 ERA. His first run with the Knights lasted 14 seasons with a 226-183 record over 3806 innings with a 3.48 ERA, 2602 strikeouts, and 79.4 WAR.

The 35-year old Morrissey was traded for the 1951 season for three players to Dallas, where he spent one respectable season. He signed a free agent deal with New York for 1952 and picked up his 250^th career win with the Yankees. NY would trade him to Detroit in the summer and he’d finish the 1952 campaign and play 1953 with the Tigers. Morrissey had a 3.32 ERA in 38 playoff innings for Detroit as they made it to the 1953 World Series.

Morrissey was now 38-years old entering the 1954 season and although his strikeouts had gone down, he was still providing generally the same level of production. He opted to return home to Nashville and finally won a World Series ring in 1954. Fittingly, he was a part of the first-ever title for the Knights. Unfortunately for Morrissey, a torn elbow ligament at the end of August meant he was out for the postseason.

Many figured that was the end of his career, but Morrissey would pitch two more partial seasons with Nashville, still posting good ERAs when healthy. His final overall stats with Nashville was 253-199, 3.43 ERA, 4200.1 innings, 2789 strikeouts, and 89.3 WAR. Appropriately, he earned his 300^th win in his last year with the Knights, becoming the fourth player to do so. He would be the first player to see his uniform number retired by Nashville. Morrissey spent his final season of 1957 with Hartford, then retired at age 42.

The final stats: 312-246, 3.45 ERA, 5193.1 innings, 3175 strikeouts, 1413 walks, 386/660 quality starts, 277 complete games, a FIP- of 87, and 105.9 WAR. At retirement, he was fourth all-time in innings pitched and tied for third in complete games. Morrissey was rarely dominant and his strikeout tally is notably low compared to his contemporaries with similar innings pitched. Still, he was consistently reliable for two decades and a key part in the first sustained success for Nashville. Thus, Morrissey is an easy first ballot choice at 95.4%.



Joseph Allen – Starting Pitcher – Chicago Cubs – 71.1% First Ballot

Joseph Allen was a 6’0’’, 185 pound pitcher from Whitehorse, the largest town in the desolate Yukon Territory of northwest Canada. Allen threw hard with 99-101 mph velocity with consistently above average to good stuff, movement, and control. He had four equally impressive pitchers he would use; a fastball, changeup, splitter, and cutter. Allen was incredibly durably and a hard worker, making him a popular player.

Despite growing up in the relative middle of nowhere, his arm earned him a scholarship to West Virginia. After a great college career with the Mountaineers, Allen was picked 15^th overall in the 1938 MLB Draft by Calgary. His rookie year saw a few relief appearances, followed by a solid 1940 as a starter. The Cheetahs were American Association champs this year and Allen had a great postseason, posting a 1.64 ERA over 22 playoff innings. He struggled a bit in 1941 and spent a good chunk of the season in the minors. In his fourth pro season, he was back into the rotation and he would be a full-season starter for the rest of his career without fail.

His best season by WAR was 1944 with 8.5 WAR and 3.00 ERA over 273.1 innings. Allen never finished in the top three in Pitcher of the Year voting with the Cheetahs. In total in Calgary, he had a 92-83 record, 3.74 ERA, 1501.2 innings, 1130 strikeouts, and 38.6 WAR. The Cheetahs began a rebuilding period and traded the now 27-year old Allen to Denver in June for three prospects. He spent another season after with the Dragons, posting the worst stats of his career to this point with average at best production.

Still, he was only 29-years old entering 1948 and Chicago thought he had plenty to offer, signing Allen to a seven-year, $201,400 contract. He would spend the remaining 10 years of his career as a Cub in his signature run, improving on his control significantly. In his seventh Cub season at age 35 in 1954, he won his lone Pitcher of the Year, leading the National Association in ERA (2.32), wins (21-8), and complete games (17). Allen also helped Chicago to five straight playoff berths. Although they never advanced out of the second round, it wasn’t Allen’s fault; he had a 1.89 ERA in 38 playoff innings with the Cubs.

During this later run, he also represented team Canada in the World Baseball Championship from 1947-55. He had a 2.44 ERA over 180.2 tournament innings and a 12-5 record. Canada made it to the championship four times in his run and won the world title over the Americans in 1954. His final stats with the Cubs: 148-122, 3.23 ERA, 2488.1 innings, 1723 strikeouts, and 55.5 WAR. Allen’s production noticeably in his final two seasons, although he was still around league average. He opted to retire after the 1957 season at age 39. The Cubs would retire his #14 uniform at the season’s end.

The final overall stats: 259-230 record, 3.52 ERA, 4398 innings, 3129 strikeouts, 335/580 quality starts, 223 complete games, FIP- of 82, and 99.3 WAR. Like his Hall of Fame classmate Jason Morrissey, Allen was rarely dominant or a league leader, but was a consistently reliable player for a long run. Allen won’t go in the pitching Mount Rushmore, but his consistency was rewarded with a first ballot pick at 71.1%.



John “Monster” Roberts – Outfielder – Cincinnati Reds – 71.1% Seventh Ballot

John Roberts was a 6’0’’, 200 pound left-handed outfielder from Laval, Quebec; a suburb north of Montreal. Roberts was a prolific contact hitter who finished with the highest career batting average of any MLB Hall of Famer as of 2037. Roberts was unrivaled at putting the ball in play, only striking out 263 times in 7151 at bats. Additionally, he was also well adept at drawing walks. Despite the nickname “Monster,” he wasn’t at all a powerful hitter. He had respectable gap power and used his very good speed to leg out many doubles and triples. He spent roughly half of his starts in left field with about 35% in right and 15% at first base. At any spot, Roberts was viewed as a below average defender despite his speed.

Roberts attended the University of Cincinnati and was drafted in his junior season 20^th overall by Montreal in the 1934 MLB Draft. He was unable to come to terms with the Maples and returned for his senior season with the Bearcats. Roberts was again selected by Montreal, this time 21^st overall in the 1935 draft. But again, he was unable to come to financial terms with his hometown team and would never sign with the Maples. Officially a free agent as of 1936, his success with the University of Cincinnati made the Reds familiar with him. Opting to stay in his new home, Roberts would sign with Cincinnati and play almost his entire pro career there.

He would start 3/4s of his rookie season and become a full-time starter the next season, leading the National Association in OBP in both seasons. In 1937, Roberts scored 141 runs, tying the then-single season record. A torn calf muscle would put him out most of 1938, but he’d be back full-time for the next five seasons.

Roberts led the NA in hits twice, runs twice, triples thrice, batting averae twice, and OBP five times. He won the batting title with a.370 average in 1940 and a .362 average in 1942. 1939 was his top season by WAR with 7.2. He would never be a top three guy in MVP voting as that was reserved for power hitters. But Roberts remained an excellent leadoff guy throughout his run. A number of injuries put Roberts out for significant chunks of time throughout his 30s. Knee issues were his biggest concern, twice straining his ACL. Still, he put up 2224 hits, 1252 runs, a .348 average, and 59.6 WAR with the Reds.

Cincinnati made the playoffs six times in his tenure, although they never got beyond the National Association Championship Series. In 31 playoff games, he had 44 hits, 23 runs, 21 walks, and a .358 average. Roberts also played for Team Canada in the first three World Baseball Championship tournaments and again in 1951. In the initial tournament in 1947, he was named the first tournament MVP, putting up 23 hits, 13 runs, 17 stolen bases, and a .418 average in 15 games. The Canadians were runners up to the United States in the first two tournaments.

Injuries started to diminish Roberts’ value, as he played fewer than 100 games in each of his final three seasons with Cincinnati. The Reds opted to buy out his contract after the 1949 season, although he maintained a good relationship with the franchise and would have his #22 uniform later retired. He signed at age 36 to Memphis in 1950 and played his last full-length season, putting up okay numbers. Roberts was traded straight up to New Orleans for reliever A.J. Flickinger and played his final year with the Mudcats, although various injuries meant he only played 57 games. He was unsigned in 1952 despite hoping to catch on somewhere and opted to retire at age 39 in November 1952.

The final stats for Roberts: 2448 hits, 1386 runs, 325 doubles, 170 triples, 56 home runs, 668 RBI, 1045 walks, 263 strikeouts, 538 steals, a .342/.425/.459 slash and 60.9 WAR. At retirement, he was the all-time leader in OBP and remains second as of 2037. He retired second in batting average behind Owen Richardson’s .349 and would rank fourth as of 2037. Despite this, his lack of power numbers, poor defense, and time missed to injury meant that advanced stats disfavored Roberts, despite his ability to get on base. In his first four Hall of Fame ballots, he hovered in the 50% range. He bumped up to 62.8% in try #5, but fell back to 49.2% the following year, making many wonder if he’d get relegated to the forgotten pile. Roberts picked up momentum in the 1963 ballot and got the nod at 71.1% on his seventh try.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1963 CABA Hall of Fame

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The Central American Baseball Association added three players into its Hall of Fame in the 1963 class. Leading the class was starting pitcher Rolando Pena, a no-doubt first ballot pick at 96.5%. Another pitcher, Gavino Zaldana, also saw a first ballot nod with a solid 81.3%. Also getting in was third baseman Sandro Villanueba. On his fifth attempt, he crossed the 2/3 threshold with 71.2%. Two others, SP Martin Duenas (58.4%, 8^th try) and SP Sheldon Malcolm (52.5%, 4^th try) were above the 50% mark. No players made it to a tenth ballot in the 1963 voting.



Rolando Pena – Starting Pitcher – Mexicali Maroons – 96.5% First Ballot

Rolando Pena was a 6’0’’, 200 pound right-handed starting pitcher from Villahermosa, the capital of the southern Mexico state of Tabasco. Pena had very good control, solid stuff, and decent movement. His velocity topped at 96-98 mph with an arsenal of a curveball, changeup, and cutter. Pena was also known as a solid defensive pitcher, once winning a Gold Glove. After a great amateur run, Pena was picked third overall by Mexicali in the 1942 CABA Draft and would spent his entire pro career with the Maroons.

He was a part-time starter in his rookie season then moved into the full-time role from thereafter. He had a good second and third season, then broke out in year four. From 1946-1952, he was the Mexican League leader in WAR and FIP- five times. In 1949, he led the league with a career-best 333 strikeouts. In 1947 and 1948, he was third in Pitcher of the Year voting. Pena won it in 1949, 1951, 1952, and 1953. He was widely viewed as the best pitcher in Mexico during this stretch.

During this time as well, Mexicali became the top team in the North Division. They won six straight division titles from 1949-54 and won five Mexican League titles. They were the overall CABA champ in 1953 and 1954. Pena’s playoff stats were actually somewhat underwhelming considering his regular season dominance, posting a 4.01 ERA over 123.1 innings. Still, he was a key reason they were in that position during that run. Pena also pitched for the Mexican team in the World Baseball Championship from 1952-56, including an excellent 1952 tournament with a 1.96 ERA in 41.1 innings for a runner-up squad. He fared better in the tournament with a 2.13 ERA in 80.1 innings.

1954 was the final year of the Mexicali dynasty and for Pena, shoulder inflammation and a herniated disc put him on the shelf for most of the season and the playoffs. He bounced back with a good 1955, leading the league in strikeouts for the second time. The now 34-year old would only have two more seasons left. He suffered a torn labrum in the summer of 1956. He returned in 1957 but was pedestrian in the first half of the season, then missed the second half with more back trouble. Pena opted to retire at the end of the 1957 season at only age 36. Immediately, the Maroons retired his #18 uniform.

The final stats for Pena: 218-150, 2.68 ERA, 3483.2 innings, 3624 strikeouts, 643 walks, 308/429 quality starts, a FIP- of 74, and 91.7 WAR. His final accumulations aren’t at the very top of the leaderboard, but over about an eight year stretch, Pena posted one of the most dominant stretches in Mexican League history. It is a very select group with four Pitcher of the Year awards, making Pena an easy first ballot pick at 96.5%.



Gavino Zaldana – Starting Pitcher – Honduras Horsemen – 81.3% First Ballot

Gavino Zaldana was a 6’6’’, 200 pound left-handed starting pitcher from Jiguani, a small city in eastern Cuba. Despite his height, he wasn’t a fireballer with velocity peaking at 94-96 mph. He threw five pitches and had strong stuff and control, but his movement was lousy. He mixed up a fastball, curveball, forkball, changeup, and circle change. Zaldana was great at changing speeds, but his poor movement meant he was an “extreme flyball” pitcher who could give up a lot of home runs. He allowed the most homers in six different seasons in his career. Fortunately for him, he also led in strikeouts five times to make up for it. Zaldana was a good defensive pitcher, but was chastised by some for a poor work ethic.

Zaldana was discovered as a teenage amateur and skipped the draft, signing a developmental deal in the summer of 1937 with Honduras. He wouldn’t debut until 1943 with four starts at age 22. He started part of the 1944 season, then became a full-time starter from then on. Because of the home runs allowed, he never had a season above 6 WAR. However, he did strike out 290+ batters in seven consecutive seasons.

Honduras was in a dry spell during Zaldana’s 20s, but emerged again with three straight 100+ win seasons from 1953-55. In 1953, they were the Caribbean League champ. In 36 postseason innings, Zaldana was solid with a 2.00 ERA and 50 strikeouts. Arguably his best season was 1955 at age 34, leading the league in WHIP (0.90), strikeouts (291), and wins (22-4). This was his only season in the top three for Pitcher of the Year, taking second. In total with Honduras, he had a 173-137 record, 3.13 ERA, 3009 innings, 3420 strikeouts, and 45.5 WAR.

Coming off that season, Zaldana opted for free agency and secured the bag with Guadalajara, seeing his salary go from a peak of $35,800 to $70,000. He fell off hard and was marginal at best and struggled in the playoffs. He was still on roster but was a healthy scratch in 1957 with only 40 innings, opting for retirement at season’s end at age 37. He did also pitch for the Cuban national team in the World Baseball Championship from 1954-56, posting a 2.00 ERA and 50 strikeouts in 36 innings. The Horsemen would go on to retire his #6 uniform soon after.

Zaldana’s final stats: 189-148, 3.17 ERA, 3322.2 innings, 3696 strikeouts, 585 walks, 274/419 quality starts, a FIP- of 98, and 47.1 WAR. The advanced stats are not kind to him with the home runs allowed and sabremetric-minded people point to Zaldana as one of the weakest CABA Hall of Famers. Strikeouts are sexy though and the voters of his era were wowed by that, not only inducting Zaldana, but as a first ballot guy at 81.3%.



Sandro Villanueba – Third Baseman – Ecatepec Explosion – 71.2% Fifth Ballot

Sandro Villanueba was a 6’2’’, 195 pound right-handed third baseman from Salama, a small town of fewer than 10,000 people in central Honduras. Villanueba was perhaps best known for having a very good eye, becoming only the fourth CABA Hall of Famer at the time with 1000+ walks drawn. He had a few good years in his 20s hitting for average, but was generally viewed as an average at best contact hitter with below average speed. Villanueba had respectable pop in his bat, reliable for around 25 home runs and 25-30 doubles most years. He was exclusively a third baseman in his career and was viewed as slightly above average defensively. Villanueba had a regular spot a lineup for 20 years, but was considered by many to be greedy and disloyal.

Villanueba was spotted as a teenage amateur by a scout from Guadalajara and was signed by the Hellhounds in late 1926. He spent four years on their developmental roster, but never saw the field with Guadalajara. He was shipped in the summer of 1930 to Ecatepec in a five player trade. Villanueba would spend nearly his entire pro career with the Explosion, making his debut at age 22 in 1932. He caught the tail end of the Ecatepec dynasty, earning a CABA Championship ring despite a limited bench role. He was a backup again the next year, then became a full-time starter in 1934. From there, he started 130+ games in all of his remaining 18 CABA seasons.

Villanueba wasn’t one to lead the league in many stats, leading in doubles (44) in 1937 and walks (76) in 1943. Still, he put up four straight 7+ WAR seasons in his late 20s. He won seven Silver Sluggers at third base, coming in 1936, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, and 47. Villanueba never did finish top three in MVP voting, but he gave you good starter production consistently for two decades.

His peak seasons were lean years for Ecatepec, but they had another run of success in 1943 and 1944. They won the Mexican League title both seasons and the CABA title in 1943. Villanueba did bat under .200 in his playoff career with the Explosion, but did add 21 hits, 17 runs, 8 home runs, and 17 RBI in 25 starts. In total with Ecatepec, he had 2308 hits, 1219 runs, 360 home runs, 1163 RBI, a .276/.345/.465 slash and 90.3 WAR. Despite this production and longevity, the Explosion would not retire his number and he would have an icy relationship post-career with the team.

Villaneuba continued to provide his same yearly production well into his 30s, getting his last Silver Slugger at age 37. For the 1949 season, the 39-year old signed with Puerto Rico and gave the Pelicans two seasons with slightly diminished, but still playable numbers. He also started for the Honduras National Team in the first three editions of the World Baseball Championship from 1947-49. In 33 starts, he had 10 home runs, 26 hits, and 16 runs. At age 41, he left for America and signed with Major League Baseball’s Boston Red Sox, seeing his paycheck rise from $25,000 to $44,000. He still was good enough to provide positive value in his year in Boston, despite missing a month to a herniated disc. The Red Sox traded him to Chicago and he put up similar production with the Cubs in 1952. Villanueba returned for one final CABA season with Havana in 1953, although this was easily his weakest season. He would retire after this season at age 43, one of a select few to hang around that long.

Villanueba’s final stats in CABA saw 2692 hits, 1410 runs, 485 doubles, 427 home runs, 1367 RBI, 1045 walks, 196 stolen bases, a .269/.339/.454 slash and 99.4 WAR. His numbers look like they belong on the surface, but for whatever reason, the voters were underwhelmed by Villanueba’s resume. He hovered in the 60% range for his first four times on the ballot. Then on try #5 in 1963, he got the push to 71.2%, earning his spot in the CABA Hall of Fame.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1963 EAB Hall of Fame

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Two players were added on their first ballot in East Asia Baseball’s 1963 Hall of Fame class. Pitcher Fumio Fujino was a nearly unanimous pick at 99.2%, while fellow pitcher Han-Soo Jung got the nod at 75.7%. Three others were above 50%; SP Min-Chin Park at 56.9% on his debut, CF Ha-Min Park at 52.2% on his fourth try, and RP Kantaro Kobayashi at 51.0% on his second ballot. No players were dropped from the EAB ballot after ten attempts in the 1963 group.



Fumio Fujino – Starting Pitcher – Sapporo Swordfish – 99.2% First Ballot

Fumio Fujino was a 6’2’’, 190 pound left-handed pitcher from Saitama, Japan. At his peak, Fujino topped out in the 98-100 mph range with solid stuff, good control, and decent movement. He had a great fastball and changeup that he mixed with a forkball, splitter, and slider; making it difficult for batters to guess what was coming next. Fujino was also considered an excellent defensive pitcher, winning Gold Glove five times in his career. He was also thought of as a strong leader, making him very popular with fans and teammates alike.

Fujino pitched in college at Chuo University in Tachikawa and was picked fourth overall in the 1938 East Asia Baseball Draft by Sapporo. He’d spent the majority of his career with the Swordfish and was thrown into the rotation immediately. His debut season was strong enough to earn Rookie of the Year honors in 1939. His Gold Gloves came consecutively from 1939-43. Fujino was solid in his first three years, including a no-hitter in 1941 against Hiroshima with 14 strikeouts and one walk. Fujino then became an ace in year #4, leading Japan in strikeouts in 1942 and 1943. In 1943, he won Pitcher of the Year for the first time and was third in MVP voting. He had a career-best 8.9 WAR and 1.67 ERA the next season, but finished second in PotY voting.

1945 saw his first major injury with ulnar nerve entrapment in his throwing elbow putting him out the second half of the season. Shoulder inflammation put him out much of 1948, followed by a partially torn UCL in 1951 and bone chips in his elbow in 1952. When he was healthy though, Fujino was still excellent. He led Japan in ERA in 1949 and 1950. He placed second in Pitcher of the Year in 1947 and won it for the second time in 1949.

During this time, Sapporo started up a dynasty that saw eight division titles from 1943-51. The Swordfish won the Japan League crown in 1944, 45, 47, 49, 50, and 51; and were the overall EAB champ in 47, 49, and 51. Fujino was an excellent postseason pitcher, posting a 1.84 ERA over 102.2 playoff innings with Sapporo with 115 strikeouts and 3.3 WAR. Fujino was a critical part in this dynasty.

After the 1952 season, Fujino was 36-years old and coming off back-to-back seasons with major injuries. Sapporo opted not to re-sign him and Fujino entered free agency for the first time. He signed a one-year deal with Nagoya and put up respectable numbers. However, the Nightowls thought his best value was as trade bait, as he was moved midway through 1953 to Daegu. The Diamondbacks were a contender and Fujino put them over the top as they won the Korea League title and the EAB title. In the postseason with the Diamondbacks, Fujino had a 1.29 ERA in 14 innings. This gave Fujino his fourth EAB finals ring, one of a select few to get four.

In the offseason, Fujino returned to Sapporo and spent two more seasons with the Swordfish. His numbers and innings were down with age, but he still had some value as a fan favorite. He finished his Sapporo run with a 198-113 record, 2.43 ERA, 3308 strikeouts, and 74.8 WAR. At age 39, he signed with his hometown squad Saitama and spent his final two seasons with the Sting. He was a back-end starter by this point and had more injury issues, including a partially torn labrum in the summer of 1957. That ultimately ended his career at age 40 following the 1957 campaign. That winter, Sapporo officially retired his #14 uniform.
The final stats saw a 220-131 record, 2.44 ERA, 3368 innings, 3640 strikeouts, 542 walks, 316/455 quality starts, FIP- of 76 and 81.9 WAR. Fujino’s tallies aren’t at the tip-top of the EAB Hall of Fame leaderboard, but still firmly belong. He was a great tenured pitcher who was a critical part of multiple league titles, making Fujino an obvious HOF pick at 99.2%.



Han-Soo Jung – Staring Pitcher – Seongnam Spiders – 75.7% First Ballot

Han-Soo Jung was a 6’1’’, 195 pound right-handed starting pitcher from Kaesong, a city in the southern part of North Korea near the border. Jung wasn’t considered great at any one thing, but was viewed as above average to good in all facets. His velocity topped out at 97-99 mph with four pitches, highlighted by an excellent slider. That was mixed with a good fastball and splitter, plus a rarely used changeup. He had an extreme groundball tendency. Jung was considered a hard-working “sparkplug” type and was known as incredibly durable, never suffering any significant injuries in his career.

Jung left North Korea for Japan’s Kyoto University to play baseball in college. He wasn’t a highly touted prospect, as he wasn’t selected until the late fourth round of the 1940 East Asia Baseball Draft. Jung was the 118^th overall pick by Seongnam, which would be his longest tenure and the team he was inducted with. At induction, Jung was the second-latest draft pick to earn the HOF nod with only Danzu Min picked later at #128.

Jung was thrown into the rotation immediately by the Spiders and had a solid rookie season, taking second in Rookie of the Year voting. He spent five seasons with Seongnam, posting a 72-53 record, 3.16 ERA, 1210 strikeouts, and 25.5 WAR. He wasn’t viewed as elite, but became known as a reliable arm. After five seasons with the struggling franchise, he was traded for three prospects to Incheon for the 1946 season.

Jung spent three seasons with the Inferno, who were then a mid-tier franchise. In his third season, he was used mostly out of the bullpen. He posted a 3.16 ERA, 34-30 record, 573 strikeouts, and 10.5 WAR with Incheon. Jung opted for free agency ahead of the 1949 season and at age 29, signed with Pyongyang. He pitched two years for the Pythons, then they traded him for the 1951 campaign to Sendai. Jung had one season with the Samurai, then re-entered free agency.

During this time, Jung became a regular for the North Korea team in the first 11 editions of the World Baseball Championship from 1947-57. In that stretch, he had a 3.02 ERA in 113.1 innings with a 10-3 record, 147 strikeouts, and 3.1 WAR. The remainder of his career would be in North Korea, as he joined up with Hamhung from 1952-55 and back to Pyongyang in his final two seasons of 1956-57.

At age 35 in 1955, Jung had arguably his best season with a career-high 6.8 WAR, 21-9 record, 2.77 ERA, and 27 quality starts. This earned him second in Pitcher of the Year voting, the only time he was in the top three. This season also was his only playoff appearance as it marked the start of Hamhung’s 1950s dynasty. In three playoff starts for the Heat, he had a 2.91 ERA over 21.2 innings with 22 strikeouts, helping Hamhung to the EAB Championship. Fresh off this big season, Jung opted to take a bigger payout and signed with Pyongyang. His production dropped noticeably in his 1956 return to the Pythons. He bounced back a bit the following year, opting to retire after the 1958 season at age 38.

Jung’s final stats: a 252-177 record, 3.31 ERA, 3785 innings, 3710 strikeouts, 673 walks, 338/531 quality starts, FIP- of 84, and 78.6 WAR. He was hardly ever mentioned as a top five pitcher in the league, but he quietly built up totals that don’t look out of place among the Hall of Fame pitchers. He was the third pitcher to reach 250 career wins. Voters who prefer a dominant peak over longevity, or prefer a long run with single team, weren’t wowed by Jung’s resume. Enough voters respected his tenure however to induct Jung at 75.7% on the first ballot in 1963.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1963 BSA Hall of Fame

Beisbol Sudamerica saw three players added to the Hall of Fame with the 1963 class with all three earning first ballot nods. The biggest percentage by far went to pitcher A. J. Fernandez at 97.6%. 1B Amadeus Ribeiro was firmly in as well with 84.5%. Meanwhile, SP Alexandre Bentivoglio just barely made the cut of 66%, receiving 66.2%. Three others were above 50% with closer Adrian Amaro at 59.1% on his second attempt, RF Nando Gaspar at 52.7% on his debut, and LF Placido Guerrero at 51.0% on his second go.



Two players saw their HOF hopes dashed after ten failed attempts. Pitcher Gustavo Borges had 14 seasons between four teams, posting a 181-137 record, 2.39 ERA, 3010 strikeouts, and 58.3 WAR. With no major accolades, he was banished to the Hall of Very Good despite the BSA voters’ proclivities towards pitchers. Borges peaked at 54.7% on his debut ballot, dropping to 34.1% at the end. Closer Luis Albina fell off as well, peaking at 48.0% in his fourth ballot and finishing at 31.1%. In 14 seasons between Brasilia and Buenos Aires, he won Reliever of the Year three times and posted 295 saves, a 1.43 ERA, 915 strikeouts over 832.2 innings, and 25.5 WAR. Albina wouldn’t have been out of place among some of the other relievers that got in, but he needed more saves and probably more strikeouts to get a more serious look.



A.J. “Mushy” Fernandez – Starting Pitcher – Valencia Velocity – 97.6% First Ballot

A.J. Fernandez was a 6’0’’, 180 pound right-handed starting pitcher from Pereira, Colombia; the largest city of the “Coffee Axis” in the central part of the country. Fernandez was a hard thrower at 98-100 mph max velocity known for strong control along with above average stuff and movement. His pitches were fastball, slider, curveball, and changeup; and he had an extreme groundball tendency. Like many Hall of Famers, Fernandez was known as a durable arm, not really having any significant injuries until some shoulder trouble at the tail end of his career.

He was noticed as a teenage amateur by a scout for Valencia, who signed him in the summer of 1936. Fernandez made his pro debut with five innings of relief at age 20 in 1941. Fernandez remained a reliever in his first three seasons in Venezuela and even was the closer in 1943. At age 23 in 1944, he became a full-time starter and would be a starter for the remainder of his pro career. It wasn’t until 1945 that he emerged as a true ace, leading the Bolivar League with a 1.57 ERA. This earned him third place in Pitcher of the Year voting.

Fernandez continued to be reliable for a mid-tier Valencia team in the 1940s with a singular playoff appearance in 1948. In 1949, he again was third in Pitcher of the Year voting. His greatest triumph with the Velocity came on September 18, 1950 against Barquisimeto. On that day, Fernandez had the 16^th perfect game in Beisbol Sudamerica history, striking out 10. He had 34 consecutive scoreless innings around his perfect. Fernandez finished his Valencia run with a 127-100 record, 2.34 ERA, 2164 strikeouts over 2048.2 innings, and 44.1 WAR. Once his career was done, the Velocity recognized his efforts by retiring his #15 uniform.

Fernandez’s run with Valencia ended after the 1950 season as he entered free agency at age 30. His annual salary basically doubled as he inked a six-year, $229,200 deal with Cali. This sent him home to Colombia, whom he pitched for in the World Baseball Championship from 1947-54 and again in 1957. In the tournament, he had a 9-3 record and three saves with a 4.37 ERA over 92.2 innings and 94 strikeouts.

With Cali, the veteran Fernandez won his lone Pitcher of the Year award in 1953, leading the Bolivar League in wins (22-8) and innings (283.2) with 7.1 WAR. This was also the tail end of their run as perennial division champs, as they had seven straight playoff berths from 1947-53 with four Bolivar League titles. Fernandez was a part of one of those titles in 1952 and posted a 2.17 ERA over 58 playoff innings. In total with the Cyclones, Fernandez had a 95-65 record, 2.92 ERA, 1526.1 innings, 1558 strikeouts, and 31.7 WAR.

Cali began to fall off as did Fernandez, who missed the final two months of the 1956 season with shoulder inflammation. The Cyclones didn’t re-sign Fernandez and he joined Bogota for his final pro season, retiring after the 1957 campaign at age 37.

The final career stats for Hernandez: 231-171, 2.62 ERA, 3751 innings, 3854 strikeouts, 321/446 quality starts, 185 complete games, a FIP- of 83, and 78.8 WAR. He final tallies put him more among the middle statistically of the pitchers to enter the Beisbol Sudamerica Hall of Fame. Still, it was a very strong career and his contemporaries felt he was a very easy choice, getting first ballot honors at 97.6%.



Amadeus “Hurricane” Ribeiro - First Baseman – 84.5% First Ballot

Amadeus Ribeiro was a 6’0’’, 205 pound left-handed hitting first baseman from Sapiranga, a smaller city of around 80,000 people in southern Brazil., Riberio was known as a prolific home run hitter with very solid contract ability as well. He would lead the Southern Cone League in home runs seven different times. He didn’t walk as often as you’d expect from a slugger, although his strikeout rate was more mid-range. Ribeiro was a fairly slow baserunner who spent his entire career at first base, where he was considered a terrible defender. However, with no DH in the Southern Cone League, he had to go somewhere. Critics noted that he lacked hustle as well, but the sheer power of Riberio meant he was an offensive force regardless.

The power of “Hurricane” was noticed even as a teenager as he was picked out of high school by Sao Paulo seventh overall in the 1937 Beisbol Sudamerica Draft. He was a development prospect initially, not playing in 1938 or 1940 with limited pinch hit appearances in 1939. Riberio saw a partial 1941 season at age 23, then became a full-time starter the following year.

His first full season in 1942 saw him lead the league in home runs (44), and RBI (97), for the first time. This was one of four Silver Slugger seasons at the crowded position, also winning the award in 1943, 45, and 46. In 1943, he won his first league MVP with the lead in homers (55), RBI (113), batting average (.323), runs (106), hits (195), and OPS (.995). Ribeiro had a solid pace the next year, but a severely strained hip muscle put him out six weeks midseason. In 1945, he bounced back for his second MVP, leading in homers for the third time.

Sao Paulo made the playoffs from 1942-45, winning the league title in 1943 and 44 along with Copa Sudamerica in 44. In the playoffs, Ribeiro had 34 hits, 14 runs, 9 home runs, and 15 RBI worth 1.8 over 32 starts. Little did he know that 1945 would be his final look at the postseason.

Despite the Padres going into a lull in the back-end of his run, Ribeiro still thrived. 1946 was his third MVP and by far his most impressive season. He crushed 62 home runs, tying the then single-season record. He added career bests in RBI (126), hits (204), triple slash (.332/.376/.684), OPS (1.060) and WAR (11.8). He never had a season like that again, but he led the league in homers three more times. In total with Sao Paulo, Ribeiro had 1842 hits, 935 runs, 506 home runs, 1057 RBI, a .282/.332/.559 slash and 72.0 WAR. In his final year with the Padres, he became the third player to 500 career home runs. His #20 uniform would be retired by Sao Paulo at the end of his career.

Ribeiro also became a regular for the Brazilian team in the World Baseball Championship, playing from 1947-55. In the WBC, he had 52 hits, 32 runs, 19 home runs, and 49 RBI in 76 games. Ribeiro left Sao Paulo just before the started their late 50s-early 60s dynasty. Before the 1953 season, the 35 year old was traded for two relievers to Fortaleza. After a respectable campaign with the Foxes, he signed a three-year deal with Belo Horizonte.

A sprained thumb put him out a chunk of 1954, but he bounced back with solid 1955 and 1956 seasons with the Hogs, even posting a solid 5.8 WAR at age 38 with 47 home runs. This gave him 10 seasons with 40+ dingers and made him the third to 600 career homers. In 1957, the 39-year old signed again with Fortaleza as the Foxes felt he still could be a nice piece, paying $170,000 over a three year deal. He stunk in his half season back in Fortaleza and was ultimately benched. Ribeiro opted for retirement that winter.

The final stats: 2488 hits, 1252 runs, 360 doubles, 649 home runs, 1415 RBI, a .278/.325/.542 slash and 89.0 WAR. At retirement, he was third on the home run leaderboard. With his power and three MVPs, it is surprising Ribeiro was inducted with only 84.5%. Regardless, he rightfully joins the all-time greats as a first ballot Hall of Famer.



Alexandre Bentivoglio – Starting Pitcher – Guayaquil Golds – 66.2% First Ballot

Alexandre Bentivoglio was a 6’4’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from Montevideo, Uruguay. He was a fireballer with 99-101 mph velocity and a dominant fastball. Mixed with a curveball and changeup, he was viewed as having terrific stuff with respectable movement. His weakness was control as he was often viewed as “effectively wild.” No pitcher in the Beisbol Sudamerica Hall of Fame has walked more batters, but his strikeout ability allowed him to succeed despite this and his added defensive flaws and perceived lack of hustle. He was a decent batter for a pitcher, winning a Silver Slugger in 1950.

His velocity earned attention from scouts as he was a rare draft pick out of high school, albeit a later selection. Guayaquil picked him in the fourth round, 82^nd overall, in the 1938 BSA Draft. He made one start in 1939 at age 19 and struggled. Bentivoglio was a full-time starter after that with spotty production in his first two full seasons, but began to find his rhythm after that.

He spent eight seasons total with the struggling Golds franchise and performed well enough to see his #24 retired by the franchise. He had three straight 8+ WAR seasons from 1944-46, leading the Bolivar League in strikeouts in 1945 with 355 and posting a career-best 380 the prior year. Nine times, he had 300+ strikeouts, impressive even in a whiff-heavy early days Beisbol Sudamerica. Still, he was never a top three finisher for Pitcher of the Year. His final stats in his most impressive tenure with Guayaquil was 106-85, 2.76 ERA, 2278 strikeouts in 1715.1 innings and 45.8 WAR.

In his contract year of 1947, Guayaquil traded the now 27-year old Bentivoglio to Santiago in exchange for prospects. After one year with the Saints, he signed a five-year, $88,000 deal with his hometown team Montevideo. He also would begin his appearances for his native Uruguay from 1950 to 1955 in the World Baseball Championship. He posted a 5.64 ERA over 60.2 tournament innings with 76 strikeouts.

Bentivioglio would never get to play in the postseason in his career as Montevideo was a bottom-tier team in his entire run. He never matched the dominance of his Golds peak, but still provided solid value in his first contract with the Venom, adding 18.4 WAR in four seasons. He was traded to Brasilia for the 1952 season, where he picked up his 4000^th career strikeout. After one year as a Bearcat, he signed back with Montevideo and played his final five professional seasons there. After an okay 1953, elbow troubles and age meant he was mediocre in his final four seasons. He retired after 1957 at age 38, posting a 82-99 record, 3.01 ERA, 1830 strikeouts, and 22.8 WAR in his tenure with the Venom.

The final stats for Bentivoglio; 215-206 record, 2.82 ERA, 3821 innings, 4688 strikeouts, 1196 walks, 388/523 quality starts, FIP- of 84, and 78.5 WAR. As mentioned, he retired with more walks than any other BSA pitcher, but was also the sixth to cross 4500 career strikeouts. Along with being stuck on bad teams, it made Bentivoglio’s Hall of Fame candidacy an odd case. Despite the erratic nature of his run, just enough voters felt his prowess made him worthy, barely crossing the threshold with 66.2% on the first ballot.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1963 EBF Hall of Fame

Although Hall of Fame voting had begun in the European Baseball Federation a few years prior, no one had gotten above 15% until 1963. French centerfielder Joe Ramet debuted on the ballot with a to-date highest mark of 58.6%, but was still shy of the required 66%. SP Mike Ring also had a decent debut at 32.0%, although that didn’t fare well for any future induction chances. It wouldn’t be until 1965 that someone would finally make the cut for the EBF Hall.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1963 World Baseball Championship

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The 1963 World Baseball Championship was the 17^th edition of the tournament, this time held in the capital of Honduras; Tegucigalpa. Hoping for a championship four-peat, the United States again was unbeaten in Division 1 at 7-0, holding off a scrappy 6-1 Kazakhstan. Division 2 had Italy and South Korea tie for first at 5-2 with three teams at 4-3. The tiebreaker moved the 1962 runner-up Koreans forward. Division 3 saw Canada and the Philippines tie at 5-2 with two others behind; the Canadians moved forward on the tiebreaker. In Division 4, Argentina, Japan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan all finished at 5-2. The tiebreaker system sent the Uzbeks forward for the first time as an underdog to the Double Round Robin.

Division 5 had Mexico claim first at 6-1, edging out Germany by one game. Division 6 went to England at 6-1, finishing one ahead of Brazil. Scotland made it two United Kingdom squads in the elite eight by going 6-1 in Division 7, topping Russia by one. And Division 8 saw an unbeaten France at 7-0 prevail over 5-2 efforts by China and Guatemala.

In Round Robin Group A, Canada was the top team at 5-1. England and the United States both went 3-3 and Scotland was 1-5. The tiebreaker went to the English, placing the Americans outside the final four for the first time in the tournament’s history. In Group B, Mexico and France advanced at 4-2 each, while South Korea was 3-3 and Uzbekistan was 1-5.

For both England and France, it was their first time to the semifinal going up against seasoned squads from Canada and Mexico. The Canadians won their semifinal series in five games over the French, while the Mexicans topped the English in six. This advanced Mexico to the World Championship for the fifth time and Canada for the eighth time. England officially was the third place finisher with France fourth. The finale was a seven-game classic with Mexico outlasting Canada, giving the Mexicans their third world title, joining the 1949 and 1950 trophies.





Tournament MVP went to Mexico’s Dalier Rosas. A 25-year old right fielder for MLB’s Atlanta Aces, Rosas was the tournament leader in home runs (15), RBI (25), doubles (6), and WAR (2.3), adding 32 hits, 19 runs, and a .320 average over 26 games. The Best Pitcher went to Russia’s Mikhail Marakhovsky. A 26-year old closer for St. Petersburg, he made two starts with four hits allowed over 17.1 shutout innings, striking out 32.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1963 in OBA

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The fourth season of the Oceania Baseball Association saw a very tight battle in the Australasia League. Christchurch and Adelaide ultimately finished tied for first at 90-92 with Perth only one behind and Brisbane five back. In a one-game tiebreaker, the Chinooks ousted the defending OBA champ Aardvarks, giving Christchurch its first league title.

Leading the Chinooks was Jacob Kelly, winning his second Pitcher of the Year. He had been traded in the summer of 1962 to Christchurch and his arrival paid off, posting a 22-10 record, 2.25 ERA, 268 strikeouts, and 8.7 WAR. The 33-year old left for Sydney the next year, but sadly saw shoulder inflammation effectively end his relevance. League MVP meanwhile went to Adelaide shortstop Fineasi Hausia. The 28-year old Tongan was the league leader in hits (184), average (.308) and WAR (10.0), adding Gold Glove winning defense with a 22.0 zone rating.



The Pacific League was a two-team race between Honolulu and Tahiti. Ultimately, the Honu repeated as champs as they finished 101-61 and the Tropics ended 99-63.

Honolulu had both the MVP and Pitcher of the Year. The former was 38-year old first baseman Buzzy Servello, an American journeyman who joined OBA after a decade-plus as an MLB backup. He led the Pacific League in hits (185), runs (96), average (.321), OBP (.392) and WAR (7.8). Kent Di Piazza won both Pitcher of the Year and his second Reliever of the Year. Another American who had come over after a forgettable decade in MLB, the 33-year old had 44 saves, 0.74 ERA over 97 innings, 146 strikeouts, and 7.1 WAR.

In the Oceania Championship, Christchurch defeated Honolulu in six games, making the Honu the runner-up in back-to-back years. It was the first title for the Chinooks and the first for a New Zealand-based team. Ji-Wan Pyong was the series MVP. A 32-year old South Korean castoff from EAB, he had 4 home runs, 6 RBI, 7 runs, and 8 hits in the series.





Other notes: Auckland’s Te Paoro Rangi threw the second perfect game in OBA history, striking out 11 on April 28 against Gold Coast.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1963 in EPB

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Three of the four teams that made the postseason the prior year in the EPB European League earned another berth in 1963. Moscow had the best overall record at 111-53 to win the North Division, giving the Mules a third straight playoff berth. Kyiv claimed the South Division at 107-55, making it seven in eight years for the Kings. Kazan was the first wild card at 108-54 with the 1961 Soviet Series champs back in after missing the prior year. The final wild card went to defending champion Minsk at 103-59, continuing their streak as the only team to make the playoffs each of EPB’s first nine seasons. Prague had a franchise best 98-64, but couldn’t keep up ultimately in the wild card race.

Moscow had the league MVP and the Pitcher of the Year in 1963. 2B Anton Kirilenko won back-to-back MVPs as the 35-year old Belarusian was again the WARlord, this time at 10.3. He added 43 home runs, 101 RBI, and a .302 average. Taleh Ismailov was Pitcher of the Year for the second time, having won it with Irkutsk back in 1956. The 35-year old Kazakh righty had the best ERA at 1.73, 10.1 WAR, and 281 strikeouts over 260 innings.



A competitive Asian League had Omsk with the best record, earning their first-ever playoff berth with a 101-61 mark atop the North Division. Bishkek edged Almaty for the South Division title with the Black Sox earning their first playoff berth at 97-65. The Assassins were one back at 96-66, taking the first wild card for back-to-back playoff berths. The second wild card went to Ufa, another team getting its first taste of the postseason. The Fiends finished at 95-67. Last year’s Asian League champ Chelyabinsk dropped to 85-77 and started a decade-long playoff drought.

Despite being last in their division, Ulaanbaatar had the league MVP in a breakout season for CF Amam Charyyew. A 25-year old Turkmen nicknamed “Mad Dog,” Charyyew had the second-ever EPB Triple Crown season for a hitter with a .318 average, 55 home runs, and 122 RBI. The 55 dingers was one shy of the single-season mark. He added 112 runs, a league-best .713 slugging, 1.077 OPS, 220 wRC+, and 9.8 WAR. Omsk had the Pitcher of the Year Arutyun Lezjov. A 29-year old Russian, he was the leader in wins at 28-4, plus had the most innings (302.2), and complete games (28). He added a 1.81 ERA, 350 strikeouts, and 11.6 WAR. The 28 wins tied a single-season EPB record (Taleh Ismailov, 1956) which held until Haxhi Maho got 29 in 1990.

Both European League first round playoff series went all five games with the division champs surviving challenges from wild cards; Moscow beat Minsk and Kyiv topped Kazan. The Kings then rolled to a sweep of the Mules in the ELCS, giving Kyiv its third league title. In the Asian League, Ufa upset Omsk in four in the first round and Almaty knocked off Bishkek 3-1. The Assassins bested the Fiends 4-2 in the ALCS for Almaty’s second league title. In the 1963 Soviet Series, the Kings clobbered the Assassins in five games, making the Ukrainian capital the first team to win three overall titles (1958, 1959). 3B Paul Stelea was the Soviet Series MVP with the 35-year old having joined the Kings that offseason as a free agent. In 14 playoff games, he had 15 hits, 6 runs, 3 home runs, and 9 RBI.





Other notes: Sebastian Weiss had the eighth EPB perfect game on June 24 for Bratislava, striking out 10 against Kazan. It was his second no-hitter of the year, having K’d eight and walked one against Prague in April. Theo Siitonen became the first closer in EPB to reach 300 career saves. SS Leonard Szuster of Minsk won his seventh and final Gold Glove. MVP Anton Kirilenko at 2B and 3B Pavlo Kolesnik became seven time Silver Slugger winners, joining catcher Lassi Luhta as the only to do so to date.