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

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1965 in EAB

East Asia Baseball for the 1965 season made a notable change. Previously, the minimum service time in EAB was seven years, but the players were able to negotiate that down to six seasons, which was MLB’s current standard. MLB would actually go the other direction a few years later. At this point, the EBF and OBA were also six seasons. CABA and APB’s minimum was seven years with BSA and EPB at eight.



The Japan League North Division saw a fierce battle between Chiba, trying to win the title for the fifth straight season, and Yokohoma, who hadn’t made the playoffs since 1929. The Yellow Jackets prevailed at 101-61, finishing a game ahead of the Comets despite Chiba’s record-setting offense. The Comets set the Japan League record of 872 runs, still the top mark as of 1965. Despite that, Yokohama’s league-best pitching gave them the edge. The Yellow Jackets had been tied with Fukuoka for the longest active playoff drought in EAB at 35 seasons. The South Division race was far less dramatic with Kobe cruising at 96-66, ending a three-year drought. Defending EAB champ Nagoya tied for fourth at 80-82.

Fukuoka’s Hideo Asai won MVP in his third season with the Frogs. The left-handed first baseman exploded for a league-best 55 home runs, 145 RBI, and 10.1 WAR, while adding a .342 average and 1.080 OPS. Pitcher of the Year was 31-year old lefty Daigo Hirano. It was his second year Tokyo after spending his career prior with Hamhung. Hirano led the league in ERA (2.60) with a 17-6 record over 245.1 innings, 205 strikeouts, and 6.6 WAR. This was his career peak, as two torn labrums in the next three years put Hirano out of the game.



In the Korea League, Pyongyang’s dominance continued with a fifth straight North Division title. The Pythons were 115-47, the best record yet in an impressive run with 109+ each year. Pyongyang was the league leader in both runs scored (865) and fewest allowed (536), allowing them to fend off a strong 101-61 Suwon squad. The defending league champ Changwon earned the South Division title for the third straight season and seventh time in a nine year stretch. The Crabs finished 95-67, seven games ahead of second place Gwangju.

Crabs slugger Lei Meng won his third league MVP. Meng had his tenth 50+ home run season and third of 60+, smacking 60 dingers and tying a career-best 146 RBI. He ended the season at 661 for his career, 99 short of the career record of Ju-An Pak. Meng also led the league in runs (127, a career best), OBP (.694), and wRC+ (195), adding 9.6 WAR. He added his 11^th Silver Slugger as well and became the 12^th hitter to 1500 career RBI. Pyongyang’s Tae-Yong Yang won his third Pitcher of the Year. The 28-year old had the most wins with a 23-5 record, the best ERA at 2.28, and led in WHIP (0.81), K/BB (12.4), quality starts (26), FIP- (61), and WAR (9.5). He struck out 322 batters in 272.2 innings.

In the Japan League Championship Series, Yokohama knocked out Kobe in six games. It was the fourth title the Yellow Jackets, but the first since their 1920s dynasty. The Korea League Championship Series was the third straight meeting between Changwon and Pyongyang and the fourth in five years. The Pythons had won it in 1961, but the Crabs took the most recent two in 1963 and 64. The 1965 edition with all seven games with Pyongyang prevailing for their third title of the decade and seventh overall.



The Pythons continued to roll into the East Asian Championship, dominating Yokohama in a sweep. This gave Pyongyang’s dynasty three overall titles in five years and five overall. 1B Chu Park was series MVP and over 11 playoff games had 11 hits and 6 runs.



Other notes: Three players crossed 2500 hits in 1965, making it 15 hitters to have done so thus far in EAB. Young-Hwan Sha won his 14^th Silver Slugger in right field.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1965 in CABA

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Defending Mexican League champion Leon earned their seventh playoff appearance in eight years by posting the top record in the league for 1965. The Lions finished at 103-59, fending off a solid effort from Ecatepec at 98-64. The Explosion cruised to the wild card with an eight game advantage to second place, giving them two playoff spots in four years. After missing the field the prior season, 1963 league champ Monterrey won the North Division at 101-61. Mexicali and Tijuana, both playoff teams last year, were next in line at 90-72 and 84-78, respectively.

Tijuana LF Vicente Guiterrez won league MVP for the third straight season. The 32-year old left-handed Mexican slugger was dominant with the league lead in runs (106), home runs (51), RBI (122), walks (84), OBP (.416), slugging (.636), OPS (1.052), wRC+ (228), and WAR (10.4). Pitcher of the Year was Byung-Hyun Jung, a 33-year old North Korean who had left EAB for CABA in 1963. In his third year for Ecatepec, Jung was the WARlord at 8.1 and FIP- leader at 60. He added a 2.33 ERA over 235.2 innings with 263 strikeouts and a 16-9 record.



Defending CABA champion Salvador set a franchise record with a 106-56 mark in 1965, by far the top mark in the Caribbean League. The Island Division was a three-team race between Haiti, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico. The Herons took first at 92-70 to end a five-year playoff drought. The Jazz and Pelicans both ended the regular season one back at 91-71, ultimately in a three-way tie with Guatemala for the wild card. The Ghosts beat both Jamaica and PR in tiebreaker games to snap a 26-year playoff drought, which had been the longest active drought in CABA. Honduras, who had the longest playoff streak at seven years, finished 89-73 and missed the field.

Guatemala had both the league MVP and Pitcher of the Year. DH Ramirez Jimenez earned MVP in his second full season, posting 210 hits, 41 home runs, 106 RBI, a .325 average, and 6.2 WAR. The 24-year old Guatemala native set a CABA record starting in 164 games; every regular season contest and both wild card playoffs. His Ghosts teammate and countryman Victor Zazueta was the Pitcher of the Year. The 25-year old right was the WARlord at 9.5, adding a 2.92 ERA, 21-8 record, over 287 innings with 315 strikeouts. Also worth noting for Guatemala was rising star CF Wesley Dubar, who led the Caribbean League at age 22 with 9.0 WAR. This began a streak of eight straight years as the WARlord, as he’d soon become viewed as the best player in CABA.

With their loaded roster, Guatemala won the wild card series over Haiti, sweeping the Herons despite the one-game handicap they had as a division champ. Monterrey won their wild card series in a sweep over Ecatepec. The Matadors continued to roll, taking the Mexican League Championship Series in five games over Leon in the fifth time they had met in the MLCS historically. This gave Monterrey two titles in three years, six in eleven years, and more than any other Mexican League team with nine total. In the Caribbean League Championship Series, Salvador made it a repeat, topping the Ghosts 4-2. This made the Stallions a three-time league champ.



Salvador became a three-time CABA Champion as well, earning back-to-back rings with a 4-2 series victory over Monterrey. The Stallions become the seventh team to repeat as overall champs. Series MVP went to catcher Wilfredo Peralta. In 12 playoff starts, he had 9 hits, 5 runs, 3 home runs, and 6 RBI.



Other notes: Honduras’ Oscar Medina had the 20^th CABA perfect game on May 15, striking out 10 against Haiti. Julio Hinojosa became the seventh to reach 1500 career RBI.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1965 in MLB

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Hartford won the Eastern League title in back-to-back seasons and this time had the best record in the entire National Association at 105-57. The Huskies had the most runs in the NA at 797, extending their streak of winning seasons to 25 years and their playoff streak to three seasons. In the Midwest League, 1963 World Series champ St. Louis placed first at 102-60, giving the Cardinals a third straight playoff berth. Defending MLB champ Chicago was second at 100-62, firmly taking the first wild card.

The second through fourth place finishers in the Eastern League grabbed the remaining wild cards. Boston and Ottawa both finished at 96-66, while Philadelphia was 95-67. Pittsburgh, Kansas City, and Minneapolis all finished five games out at 90-72. The Red Sox have the longest active playoff streak in MLB at four years; all wild cards. The Elks and Phillies both earned their first berths since 1961. Montreal, who had a three-year wild card streak entering the year, dropped to 77 wins.

St. Louis had both the MVP and Pitcher of the Year. LF Garland Mulholland won MVP for the first time as the 26-year old righty only led in wRC+ at 191. He added 8.6 WAR, a .338 average, 193 hits, 116 runs, and 28 home runs. Jerry Addison won his third consecutive Pitcher of the Year; a remarkable feat for the third-year righty. Addison led in ERA for the third straight year with 2.16 and had the most wins at 20-6. He also led in innings (278.2), WHIP (0.93), quality starts (27), and complete games (17). He had 8.1 WAR and was second in strikeouts at 272.

The wild card round had Ottawa edge Boston in three games and Chicago sweep Philadelphia in two. Both second round series had stunning upsets with the wild card teams sweeping the league champs; the Elks over Hartford and the Cubs over St. Louis. Chicago’s repeat bid was foiled in the National Association Championship Series as Ottawa won it in five games. The Elks are now seven time NA champs, winning their first since 1956. They’re also the first Canadian team to win an Association title since Vancouver won it all in 1957.



For the second straight season, San Francisco had the best record in the American Association. The Gold Rush earned a third straight playoff berth by winning the Western League crown at 105-57, allowing the fewest runs in the AA at 575. The Southern League went to Memphis for back-to-back seasons as well as the Mountain Cats were 99-63.

Each wild card came out of the Western League. San Diego (97-65), Vancouver (95-67), Las Vegas (94-68), and Calgary (93-69) moved on, while Atlanta (92-70), and Seattle (90-72) were the first teams out. Dallas, Phoenix, Houston, and Jacksonville each were in the mix, but faded. The Seals earn back-to-back playoff berths and the Cheetahs are back for the fourth time in five years after missing the prior year. The Vipers snapped a five-year drought and the Volcanoes snapped a six year skid.

League MVP went to Vancouver LF Joris “Vulture” Jochem. A 30-year old Dutch journeyman, he busted out a career year with the American Association lead in slugging (.638), OPS (1.035), and wRC+ (173). He added 7.4 WAR, 42 home runs, 114 RBI, 116 runs, and 198 hits. Pitcher of the Year went to San Francisco lefty Maiseli Lafaiali’i. The 29-year old was in his second year with the Gold Rush after leaving Phoenix and signing a seven-year, $1,574,000 deal. He was the AA leader in wins at 25-6, ERA (2.13), quality starts (28), FIP- (64), and WAR (9.9), adding 291.2 innings and 257 strikeouts.

The wild card round saw Las Vegas down Vancouver 2-0 and San Diego outlast Calgary 2-1. In round two, the league champs prevailed with San Francisco surviving a five-game challenge from the Vipers and Memphis rolling to a sweep of the Seals. The American Association Championship Series went all seven games and for the first time, had all seven games won by the visiting team. This allowed the Mountain Cats to defeat the Gold Rush. It is the fifth AA title for Memphis and they’re now 5-0 all time in the AACS, although this was their first trip outside of the 1910s dynasty.



The 1965 World Series was won by the National Association for the third straight season as Ottawa dropped Memphis 4-1. It is the fourth ring for Canada’s capital, who also won it all in 1940, 1929, and 1924. World Series MVP was LF Charlie Reid, who had played briefly with the Mountain Cats in 1963-64 before signing as a free agent with the Elks. The journeyman from Calgary had 5.2 WAR in his first four seasons, then posted a career-best 7.8 in 1965. In 16 playoff games, Reid had 16 hits, 12 runs, 7 home runs, and 19 RBI.



Other notes: Phoenix’s Kasey Lozano threw the 10^th MLB perfect game on April 16, 1965, striking out five against Tampa. Parker Harpaz became the 28^th pitcher to reach 250 career wins. 3B Colton Flack won his ninth Gold Glove.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1966 MLB Hall of Fame

Major League Baseball inducted three players into the Hall of Fame with the 1966 class and all three were no-doubt first ballot picks. San Antonio DH Sebastian Lunde was the star at 99.3% with only three players to date (Kaby Silva, Bailey Johnson, Elijah Cashman) getting a higher percentage. Pitchers Andy Upshaw (96.4%) and Edward Milsom (96.0%) were the other two inductees, both firmly getting the nod. 1B Tiger Novak on his third try and 1B Jackson Hilton on his debut both were above 60%, but below the required 66%. Three others were just above the 50% mark.



A record six players were dropped from the ballot after having earned ten attempts. The highest rated of these was closer Levi Lowell, who ended at 21.7% after debuting at 48.6%. In a 21-year career between 14 teams and two leagues, he had 294 saves, a 2.04 ERA, and 36.5 WAR. Respectable, but not Hall worthy. Dropped at 11.2% after a debut at 38.8% was SP Vinny Elliott. The 1944 American Association Pitcher of the Year, he put up 96.5 WAR in 14 MLB seasons with a 197-209 record, 3.39 ERA, 3298 strikeouts, and 3688 innings. That WAR usually is more than enough for pitchers, especially for a guy whose MLB stats ended at age 33 because of major injuries. But Elliott never seemed to get notable traction.

Another SP dropped was Finn Jean-Pierre, who had a 215-205 record, 3.65 ERA, 3109 strikeouts, and 78.4 WAR in 17 seasons. Reliable, but never dominant. He ended at 7.9% after peaking at 33.7% on his debut. Another SP, Harvey Robinson, was 187-117 with a 3.23 ERA, 2566 strikeouts, and 77.1 WAR in 14 seasons. Similarly, he peaked at 32.2% to begin but ended low at 5.1%.

One other pitcher worth noting was Luigi Mariko, the 1940 National Association Pitcher of the Year. He peaked at 29.4% and ended at 3.2%. Removing his final three seasons in CABA, Mariko had a 209-176 record, 3.72 ERA, 2978 strikeouts, and 66.3 WAR. The one hitter dropped was 1B Ernard Sutherland, who in 16 years between New York and Vancouver had 2549 hits, 1253 runs, 432 home runs, 1338 RBI, a .306 average, and 77.4 WAR. He peaked at 38.8% on his first ballot and closed at 3.2%. Good numbers, but especially at an offensive-heavy position like first base, you need more to get noticed.



Sebastian “Lizard” Lunde – Designated Hitter – San Antonio Oilers – 99.3% First Ballot

Sebastian Lunde was a 6’0’’, 200 pound left-handed slugger from Jacksonville, Florida. Perhaps the greatest pure hitter of all-time, Lunde had both generational contact and power skills. He was the master at putting the ball in play, striking out only 562 times in more than 10,000 plate appearances. He also remarkably only walked 363 times despite his power, meaning he swung at everything, but usually made good contact regardless of the pitch. Lunde was a slow baserunner and true designated hitter who didn’t play an inning in the field in his 20s. The few times he did start defensively, he was a lousy first baseman. Lunde was hard working and incredibly loyal, making him one of the most beloved players of his era.

Lunde’s hitting potential was noticed in high school at The Bolles School and he was a rare MLB Draft pick as a teenager. Memphis was sold big time and picked Lunde second overall in 1939. However, they were unable to come to terms and Lunde opted to attend Northwestern University. He had a decorated college career with the Wildcats, winning 1940 NCAA MVP and taking second in 1942 with Silver Sluggers both years. In 1942, Northwestern earned National Champion honors as well. When Lunde was draft eligible again, he was again highly sought after. Dallas selected him third overall in the 1942 MLB Draft.

The Dalmatians had won the American Association title in 1942 and were looking to contend again in 1943. Lunde spent the first half in minor league Fort Worth and never ultimately played a major league game for Dallas. At the 1943 deadline, Lunde was traded with three other prospects to San Antonio for pitcher Vinny Elliott. You could argue the trade paid off in the short-term for Dallas; the Dalmatians again got to the World Series and Elliott won Pitcher of the Year in 1944; although he didn’t stick around beyond that. It was better for the Oilers ultimately as Lunde spent 18 seasons there and turned them from a 52-win basement dweller in 1943 to a franchise fairly regularly in the playoff picture.

Lunde was unremarkable in 40 games as a rookie. In year two, he smacked 38 home runs and began a 15 year streak of 30+ home runs and 100+ RBI. Lunde led the American Association in home runs four times, RBI six times, slugging six times, hits four times, and runs twice. He won six Silver Sluggers, coming in 1945, 46, 48, 49, 50, and 51.

1946 was the real breakout season, earning his lone batting title (.354) and leading the AA in runs (125), hits (235), home runs (55), and RBI (149). This netted Lunde his first of four MVP awards. He won it again the next year despite missing a month with a back injury. Lunde made it three straight in 1948 and four straight in 1949, joining Elijah Cashman as the only players in MLB history to win four consecutive MVPs. He took second in 1950, 1952, and 1954.

In 1948, Lunde knocked in 159 RBI; the fifth most in a season to date. He had 155 RBI the next year, making him the only player in MLB history with two 150+ RBI seasons. In 1949, Lunde became the single-season home run king with 62, beating Cashman’s 61 from 1923. He remained the single-season king until Emmanuel Kao his 63 in 2001. That 1949 season also saw 242 hits; a single-season record that held until 2929.

San Antonio made the playoffs only twice in their first 45 seasons. They made it eight times over Lunde’s 17 season tenure, winning the Southern League four times. The Oilers never could get over the hump, getting stopped four times in the AACS. In 55 playoff games, Lunde had 66 hits, 33 runs, 14 home runs, 30 RBI, and a .269 average. He also played on the United States team from 1947-53 in the World Baseball Championship, smacking 39 home runs and 98 RBI in 97 games with 109 hits and 81 runs. He earned rings with the US team in 1947, 48, 51, and 52, and finished second in tournament MVP voting in 1950.

Lunde’s production began to wane a bit into his 30s as while he still had strong power, his hit tallies went down. He stayed loyal to the Oilers and was still a fan favorite as he earned career milestones. In 1957, Lunde crossed 600 home runs and in 1958, he scored his 1500^th run. In 1959, he became the 29^th to 3000 hits and only the fourth to 2000 career RBI. Lunde was the third to 700 home runs in 1960, but he was a part-time starter by this point at age 39 and running out of steam to challenge for Cashman’s career home run title. Lunde opted to retire at the end of the year and immediately saw his #5 uniform retired by San Antonio.

The final stats for Lunde: 3232 hits, 1678 runs, 451 doubles, 712 home runs, 2090 RBI, a .316/.341/.574 slash, and 73.8 WAR. At retirement, he was third all-time in MLB home runs (behind Cashman’s 750 and Kaby Silva’s 731) and was second in RBI only behind Stan Provost’s 2271. The WAR number is low relative to the other stellar hitters due to his lack of any defensive production. But Lunde no doubt stands as maybe the best hitter in MLB of the 1940s-50s and even as a career DH was a slam dunk first ballot Hall of Famer at 99.3%.



Andy “Scorpion” Upshaw – Starting Pitcher – Pittsburgh Pirates – 96.4% First Ballot

Andy Upshaw was a 6’0’’, 185 pound left-handed pitcher from Lebanon, Pennsylvania, a small town of around 25,000 people in the southeastern part of the state. Upshaw was known for having phenomenal stuff despite having velocity that topped out in the 94-96 mph range. He had five equally potent pitches that he mixed expertly; a fastball, slider, curveball, changeup, and splitter. His control was considered good with above average movement. Upshaw was very durable and a fan favorite known for his intelligence, work ethic, and loyalty.

Upshaw attended North Carolina State and finished second in NCAA Pitcher of the Year voting in his junior season with a 1.55 ERA over 99 innings and 119 strikeouts. In the 1945 MLB Draft, Upshaw was selected 30^th overall by Pittsburgh. He burst onto the scene with one of the best rookie years ever by a pitcher; leading the National Association in WAR (9.7), wins (22), and strikeouts (279). Despite this, he only finished third in Rookie of the Year voting while taking second in Pitcher of the Year voting.

Upshaw’s arsenal made him elite, especially early in his career as he led the NA in strikeouts in five of his first six seasons. For his career, he had nine seasons worth 6+ WAR and 11 seasons with 250+ strikeouts. In his first Pirates run, he finished third in Pitcher of the Year voting four times; 1947, 49, 51, and 52. But unfortunately for Upshaw, the Pirates were a bottom rung franchise during his main tenure. Still, he was beloved for this run and the native Pennsylvanian had his #31 uniform retired at the end of his career.

Midway through the 1953 season, Pittsburgh traded Upshaw to Las Vegas for three prospects. The Vipers were in the middle of a playoff streak, but couldn’t get the job done in the postseason. Upshaw spent 3 ½ seasons in Vegas and had his signature season at age 29 in 1954. Upshaw had only the fourth pitching Triple Crown in MLB history with a 25-8 record, 1.96 ERA, and 347 strikeouts; plus 10.8 WAR, 25 complete games, and 29 quality starts. He won his lone Pitcher of the Year and became the first pitcher in American Association history to also win the MVP. He won three postseason starts that year, but the Vipers were knocked out in the AACS by Nashville.

Upshaw’s first real major injury was a rotator cuff strain in 1955 that caused him to miss starts and post his weakest year to date. He bounced back to solid stats in 1956, but never returned MVP form. After missing the playoffs in 1955, Las Vegas again had an early exit in 1956. Upshaw’s final stats there saw a 65-33 record, 3.19 ERA, 907 strikeouts, and 22.0 WAR. 1955 was also his final appearance in the World Baseball Championship, which he participated in for the American team six times. Upshaw had a 6-2 record, 3.56 ERA, and 101 strikeouts in 55.2 innings. Also notably, he threw only the fourth no-hitter in tournament history, striking out 12 and walking two in 1953 against Spain. He won rings with the US team in 1948 and 1955.

For the 1957 season, the 32-year old Upshaw signed with Cincinnati. His control fell off a cliff in his first year with a lousy 5.17 and the league lead in two bad stats, losses (23) and walks (104). He wasn’t washed yet though as he posted strong 7.4 WAR season in 1958. In the third year of his contract, Upshaw was traded by the Reds to Louisville. He had one solid season there, then went back to Pittsburgh in the hopes of leading an improved Pirates franchise. Upshaw’s 1960 was mediocre and he opted for retirement at season’s end at age 36. With the Pirates in total, he had a 133-108 record, 2.97 ERA, 2243 strikeouts, and 59.6 WAR.

The final overall stats saw a 231-182 record, 3.16 ERA, 3811.1 innings, 3856 strikeouts, 330/500 quality starts, 170 complete games, 78 FIP-, and 97.1 WAR. While not at the tip top of the Hall of Fame pitcher leaderboard, his stats certainly aren’t out of place with his strikeout percentage better than a lot of the other starters in the field. Plus, his Triple Crown season sealed his status as an elite pitcher of his time, earning first ballot induction at 96.4%.



Edward Milsom – Starting Pitcher – San Antonio Oilers – 96.0% First Ballot

Edward Milsom was a 5’10”, 200 pound right-handed starting pitcher from Sydney, Australia. The first Australian-born Hall of Famer, Milsom combined 98-100 mph velocity with excellent movement and strong control. He boasted a stellar fastball, a great screwball, solid splitter, and occasional changeup. The biggest critique against him was that he lacked effort, but despite this, he still put up 15 strong seasons in the bigs.

Milsom left his native Australia during World War II and came to the United States, ultimately playing college baseball for the Georgia Bulldogs. As a foreign-born player, he wasn’t eligible for the first three rounds of the MLB Draft due to regional restrictions. He was picked almost immediately in round four in 1945, the second pick of the round and 155^th overall by San Antonio. Milsom’s start with the Oilers coincided with Sebastian Lunde’s arrival and SA’s emergence as a playoff contender. In his 10 seasons with the Oilers, Milsom participated in six postseasons, posting a 7-3 record, 2.45 ERA over 99 innings, 59 strikeouts, and 2.0 WAR. Despite his efforts, they never advanced beyond the American Association Championship Series.

Milsom was an immediate success for San Antonio, taking second in Rookie of the Year voting in 1946 with a split between starting and the bullpen. He led the AA with a 2.64 this season. Milsom was a full-time starter for the rest of his career and very efficient, four times leading in FIP-. He was the WARlord in 1949 at 9.8, 1951 at 10.7, and 1955 at 9.7. Milsom had 11 seasons worth 6+ WAR and tossed 250+ innings in ten different seasons.

1949 saw Milsom’s lone Pitcher of the Year with second place finishes in 1951 and 1955 for San Antonio. In total for the Oilers, Milsom had a 167-106 record, 3.00 ERA, 2626.1 innings, 211 strikeouts, and 81.1 WAR. His #14 uniform would be retired at the end of his career. Fresh off an excellent 1955, the now 31-year old Milsom left for free agency and signed a nice six year, $636,000 deal with San Diego. The Seals had just come off winning the World Series and hoped Milsom could help keep that run going.

Milsom did indeed help that, as San Diego won the World Series again in 1956 and 1958. He had a very strong first two seasons with the Seals, including a third place finish in Pitcher of the Year voting for 1957. A ruptured finger tendon late in the 1956 season kept him out of that postseason. Milsom’s productivity waned and he struggled to a 6.50 ERA in the 1958 postseason, although SD still got the ring. He bounced back a bit in 1959, but the Seals started to rebuild as the dynasty ended. Milsom was traded for the 1960 season to Cincinnati and had one middling season for the Reds. He opted to retire after that year at age 36.

The final stats: 250-159 record, 3.22 ERA, 3865.2 innings, 3078 strikeouts, 1.16 WHIP, 298/479 quality starts, 231 complete games, a FIP- of 74, and 107.0 WAR. The advanced stats like Milsom despite him being a lower strikeout pitcher relative to the other Hall of Fame selections. He was the 11^th MLB pitcher to 100+ career WAR and like each of the others, Milsom found his way into the Hall of Fame at 96.0% on the first ballot.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1966 CABA Hall of Fame

The Central American Baseball Association added two players into the Hall of Fame with the 1966 class. Starting pitcher Miguel Martinez received 84.1% on his ballot debut, while fellow pitcher Sheldon Malcolm got a big boost on his seventh ballot up to 81.7%. 1B Alejandro Encinas on his third try fell just short of the 66% threshold with a 64.7%. No other player on the CABA ballot was above 50%.



Notably, four players were removed from the ballot after ten failed attempts. The highest rated of this group was Korean CF Min-Je Kil, who spent 19 years almost exclusively with Mexico City. He won seven Silver Sluggers and had 2464 hits, 1322 runs, 371 home runs, 1318 RBI, and 82.1 WAR; a strong resume that surprisingly never got him over 50%. His peak was 48.5% on his ninth try.

The other three dropped were starting pitchers. Guatemalan lefty Alonzo De La Garza won Pitcher of the Year three times, but his CABA career was only nine seasons with a move to MLB in his 30s, plus three major elbow injuries. Still, he had 52.3 WAR in just seven seasons with Salvador, but his CABA tallies of 121-90, 2.65 ERA, 1875 strikeouts, and 58.2 weren’t high enough despite brief dominance. He peaked at 29.8% on his debut.

Paulo Perez peaked higher at 32.2% on his debut ballot, posting a 178-127 record, 3.07 ERA, 2432 strikeouts, and 58.9 WAR primarily with Havana. No dominance or major awards meant he never got much consideration. Lastly, Stinky Macaca deserves mention for having an all-time great name at least. He peaked at 20.1% with a career that had six Gold Gloves, a 209-213 record, 3.42 ERA, 3410 strikeouts, and 60.3 WAR with four teams. A nice sustained career for Stinky, but he was never elite.



Miguel Martinez – Starting Pitcher – Merida Mean Green – 84.1% First Ballot

Miguel Martinez was a 5’9’’, 200 pound left-handed pitcher from Banderilla, a small town located about 300 kilometers east of Mexico City. The stocky lefty was a hard thrower with 98-100 mph velocity mixed with good to great movement and average control. He had an extreme groundball tendency and had an incredible slider mixed with a great fastball, decent forkball, and decent changeup. Martinez was also a good defender and excellent at holding runners while also boasting solid durability. He was considered a team leader and was well liked in the clubhouse.

After an excellent amateur career, Martinez was picked fourth overall in the 1946 CABA Draft by Hermosillo. He had a respectable rookie campaign in 1947 and was excellent in the playoffs for the Hyenas, posting a 1.17 ERA in 23 innings. Hermosillo would win the CABA Championship in what would ultimately be Martinez’ only chance at the postseason. Despite his potential, the Hyenas traded him and veteran RF Manuel Figueroa to Merida in exchange for Salvador Islas; a 27-year old perennial Gold Glove first baseman who eventually earned Hall of Fame induction himself in 1972.

His Merida run would last nine seasons and he would be well respected by the franchise, getting his #34 uniform eventually retired. They were a mid to bottom tier franchise during Martinez’ tenure, but he consistently offered reliable production. Three times, he led the Mexican League in quality starts, but he typically didn’t put up dominant numbers. His peak season would come in 1954 at age 29 with a 1.90 ERA over 270 innings, 270 strikeouts, 30 quality starts, and 6.4 WAR. This earned Martinez his lone Pitcher of the Year Award. His WAR was a career-best 7.1 the next year, but he took third for the top award. In total with Merida, Martinez had a 136-97 record, 2.61 ERA, 2281 innings, 2248 strikeouts, and 46.8 WAR.

Martinez left for free agency after the 1956 season and the now 32-year old signed a five-year, $375,000 deal with Puerto Rico. He put up the same steady production in four seasons with the Pelicans, posting a 66-41 record, 3.40 ERA, 1028 innings, 888 strikeouts, and 24.6 WAR. In his last season at age 35, he still posted 6.0 WAR and 20 quality starts. While most players end up quitting because of loss of effectiveness and/or injury, Martinez decided to quit while he was still solid, retiring at age 36.

The final stats for Martinez: 213-144, 2.86 ERA, 3446 innings, 3258 strikeouts, 712 walks, a 1.06 WHIP, 334/455 quality starts, FIP- of 83, and 73.7 WAR. He’s not at the tip-top of the CABA Hall of Fame leaderboard by any stretch, but not at the bottom either. He was an interesting test case for voters who reward sustained solidness over big peaks. Either way, enough felt he earned a first-ballot induction with 84.1%.



Sheldon Malcolm – Starting Pitcher – Puerto Rico Pelicans – 81.7% Seventh Ballot

Sheldon Malcolm was a 6’1’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from Kingston, the capital of Jamaica. Malcolm’s skillset was considered well rounded and not outstanding at any one thing, boasting above average to good stuff, movement, and control. His velocity peaked in the 96-98 mph range with only two pitches; a fastball and a slider, owing to an extreme groundball tendency. Malcolm had great stamina, which led to use as a starter in the first half of his career despite guys with two pitches often being relegated to the bullpen. He was also known for strong durability in the front half of his career.

Malcolm was selected 17^th overall in the 1933 CABA Draft by Puerto Rico and spent his most prominent years with the Pelicans. His first two seasons were out of the bullpen mostly with mid-tier results, followed by a move to the rotation for the rest of this run. He led the Caribbean League in innings pitched in both 1941 and 1942 and had four seasons with 250+ strikeouts. Malcolm six times was Pitcher of the Month with Puerto Rico, although he was never a finalist for Pitcher of the Year in his career.

The Pelicans became a contender to start the 1940s, winning the Caribbean League title four times from 1941-46 and taking the overall CABA title in 1944. Malcolm missed the 1944 season, but had a 3.75 ERA over 57.2 playoff innings with Puerto Rico, striking out 49 with 1.3 WAR. He missed the 1944 run as the Pelicans released the 32-year old after the 1943 season. After spending 1944 with Santo Domingo, he signed with Puebla in 1945. The Pumas traded him back to Puerto Rico that summer for the final season of his first CABA run.

Now 35 years old, the rest of Malcolm’s career came out of the bullpen. He signed a three-year deal with MLB’s San Diego that doubled his best CABA salary, although he was rarely used with only 39.1 innings over those three seasons. Malcolm saw five innings with Tampa in 1949, then saw a bit more use with St. Louis in 1950 and Louisville in 1951.

At age 41, he returned to CABA with Merida, who traded him mid-season to Monterrey. In 1952 and 1953, he also pitched for Jamaica as a starter in the World Baseball Championship. His 1953 saw fairly significant use as a closer for the Matadors, but he suffered a damaged elbow ligament late in the season. Malcolm attempted a comeback in 1954 at age 43, but struggled in 17.1 innings, retiring at the season’s end.

For his entire career, Malcolm had a 196-146 record, 79 saves, 3.33 ERA, 2726 strikeouts in 3075.1 innings, and 55.3 WAR. For just CABA, he had a 184-139 record and 72 saves, 3.34 ERA, 2933 innings, 2604 strikeouts, 235/355 quality starts, FIP- of 90, and 51.9 WAR. Even with the MLB stats added, his resume is pretty unremarkable compared to other CABA Hall of Fame pitchers. Voters seemed to feel the same as his first four times on the ballot were in the 40-50% range. Try #5 he got a big boost, barely missing the 66% cut with 65.9%. He dropped to 59.3% in attempt #6, then got a big boost for induction on his seventh go at 81.7%. Malcolm is often cited as one of the weakest members of the CABA Hall, but regardless, he’s in.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1966 EAB Hall of Fame

East Asia Baseball’s Hall of Fame welcomed one new member from the 1966 ballot as SP Min-Chin Park got a solid boost in his fourth attempt up to 81.2%. Five others were above the 50% mark with no one else above 60%.



One of those five was SP Young-Gil Chyu, dropped after ten failed attempts on the ballot. In 14 seasons between Suwon and Goyang, Chyu had a 182-124 record, 3.05 ERA, 3179 strikeouts in 2634 innings, and 67.4 WAR. With no major awards and no playoff appearances, he was relegated to the Hall of Very Good pile, although he did get as high as 60.9% on his fifth attempt. He dropped as low as 35.0% on his ninth ballot before finishing at 50.5%.



Min-Chin “Bubba” Park – Starting Pitcher – Gwangju Grays – 81.2% Fourth Ballot

Min-Chin Park was a 5’7’’, 170 pound right-handed pitcher from Uijeongbu, a South Korean city of around 400,000 located a bit north of Seoul. Despite his smaller frame, Park still hit 95-97 mph velocity consistently and was known for solid control with both above average to good stuff and movement. He had five pitches with none outstanding, but all respectable; a fastball, slider, curveball, forkball, and changeup. Park was viewed as incredibly durable and reliable over his career and was a team captain throughout his pro career with Gwangju.

Nicknamed “Bubba,” he ultimately spent his entire pro career with the Grays. He left Korea for Japan to attend Kyoei University in Kasukabe. His college exploits allowed him to be picked fourth overall in the 1943 EAB Draft by Gwangju. Park was a part-time starter as a rookie and full-time after that, although his first three years saw middling-at-best production. His fourth year saw noticeable improvement and after that, he was the ace for a then-struggling franchise.

From 1949-51, he was the Korea League leader in ERA and WHIP, while twice leading in quality starts and earning WARlord honors with 9.4 in 1951. In 1949, he was the Pitcher of the Year with a 23-9 record, career-best 2.07 ERA, 0.76 WHIP, 12.4 K/BB and 8.7 WAR. He wouldn’t be a finalist for the award in any other seasons surprisingly, although he had a streak of nine seasons with 5+ WAR.

Park was also a regular for the South Korean team in the World Baseball Championship from 1948-56, posting a 2.36 ERA over 72.1 innings with 95 strikeouts. Park’s only EAB playoff appearance came in 1955 with the 33-year old allowing five runs (three earned) in 12.2 innings. His production dropped in 1956 at age 34 and fell more sharply in 1957 with a career-worst 3.50 ERA. Realizing his days were numbered, Park retired at age 36.

Park’s final stats: 187-140, 2.82 ERA, 3222 innings, 3045 strikeouts to 483 walks, 1.01 WHIP, 317/445 quality starts, 83 FIP-, and 70.5 WAR. He’s toward the lower-end of the starting pitchers that would get into the EAB Hall of Fame, but a respectable effort with a few notable seasons. He hovered between 55-65% on his first three times on the ballot, but with a weaker group on offer in 1966, Park’s resume got the boost to 81.2% to earn induction.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1966 BSA Hall of Fame

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Beisbol Sudamerica added two slam dunk first ballot selections with the 1966 Hall of Fame class. 1B R.J. Correa received 99.6% of the vote, which was to date, the highest percentage for anyone in the BSA Hall. Pitcher Nono Louceiro meanwhile had his own impressive 98.4% to get in. RF Nando Gaspar wasn’t far from the 66% threshold, but still short on his fourth try with 61.9%. Only one other, LF Martyn Jarava, was above 50%. There weren’t any players dropped from the ballot following ten attempts.



R.J. Correa – First Baseman – Cali Cyclones – 99.6% First Ballot

R.J Correa was a 5’11’’, 195 pound right-handed first baseman from Envigado, a city in the Aburra Valley of northwestern Colombia. Correa was one of the top contact hitters of his era while also adding good power to the tune of around 30 home runs and 30 doubles per year. Correa was respectable at drawing walks, although his strikeout rate wasn’t the best. His speed was below average and he was exclusively a first baseman, although his defense was generally viewed as average to just below average. Correa was a popular player for his talent, but also well liked in the clubhouse as a known prankster.

After an impressive amateur career around Colombia, Correa was picked ninth overall in the 1941 CABA Draft by Cali. He had only 25 at bats in his rookie season, then exploded in his first full season where he finished third in MVP voting, posting a 30-game hit streak along the way. His first of five Silver Sluggers at the competitive first base slot came in 1945 with addition wins in 1947, 49, 50, and 51. Cali became a Bolivar League powerhouse starting in the late 1940s and their ascent mirrored Correa’s. The Cyclones made the playoffs each year from 1947-53 and won the Bolivar League title four times, although they never earned the Copa Sudamerica ring. In 60 playoff starts with Cali, Correa had 67 hits, 23 runs, 13 doubles, 12 home runs, and 28 RBI.

1949 was the banner year for Correa with Beisbol Sudamerica’s fifth-ever Triple Crown by a hitter. While a good power hitter, he exploded for a career best 47 home runs, along with his lone batting title at .325 and 114 RBI. He also had a career best 110 runs scored and 9.7 WAR. Correa was second in MVP voting the next two seasons, then won it for the second time in 1953. In his career, Correa was the league leader in WAR thrice, runs twice, RBI twice, and OPS twice. In total with Cali, he had 2535 hits, 1263 runs, 401 doubles, 481 home runs, 1453 RBI, a .303 average, and 99.3 WAR. Unsurprisingly, his #35 uniform would be retired by the Cyclones franchise.

Correa was also a regular for Colombia in the World Baseball Championship, playing in 160 games and making 153 starts from 1947-60. For his country, he had 133 hits, 97 runs, 51 home runs, 96 RBI, and 5.6 WAR.

1956 saw Cali fall hard to 65-97, ending a streak of 14 straight winning seasons. Now in his mid 30s, Correa wasn’t MVP level anymore, but still was a strong bat in the lineup. The Cyclones fell even worse in 1957 and decided they had to below it up, trading Correa to Santiago for three prospects. The Saints were a playoff contender at this point and ultimately signed Correa to a three-year extension. Santiago couldn’t get over the hump in his tenure and with his production dropping at age 40, Correa retired after the 1960 season. In a cruel twist, the Saints would win Copa Sudamerica the next year.

Correa’s final stats: 2997 hits, 1488 runs, 468 doubles, 546 home runs, 1633 RBI, a .297/.350/.517 slash and 110.3 WAR. At retirement, he was second all-time in hits for BSA behind Angel Gabriel Cornejo’s 3253. Although later passed by many from a more offensive era, his 468 doubles was the career record at retirement. He was second all-time in RBI, fourth in runs scored, and fifth in hitting WAR. Clearly, one of the premiere hitters in South America in the 1940s and 50s and a no-doubt Hall of Famer with 99.6% of the vote.



Nono Louceiro – Starting Pitcher – Cordoba Chanticleers – 98.4% First Ballot

Nono Louceiro was a 6’3’’, 200 pound left-handed pitcher from Monteros, a town in northern Argentina of around 24,000. Louceiro would be renowned in his peak years for having stellar control along with solid movement and above average stuff. His velocity was 97-99 mph with a fastball, slider, forkball, and changeup; but it was his ability to spot those pitches that made him so effective. Louceiro was also viewed as a good defensive pitcher.

Louceiro was picked 17^th overall in the 1946 Beisbol Sudamerica Draft by Cordoba and spent his entire BSA career with the Chanticleers. After an iffy rookie season, he went onto have 6+ WAR seasons in 11 of the 13 seasons for Cordoba. In this stretch, he led the Southern Cone League in ERA twice, WHIP four times, K/BB four times, quality starts twice, FIP- twice, and WAR thrice. In May 1948, he threw a no-hitter with nine strikeouts and one walk against Rosario

1949 was Louceiro’s first season getting Pitcher of the Year consideration, taking third in the voting. In 1951, he won it for the first time. He was second in 1952, then won the award for the second time in 1953. Louceiro’s third Pitcher of the Year came in 1956 with one additional second place in 1957. 1953 was his best season by WAR with 10.4 and a career-best and league leading 336 strikeouts. The 1956 season saw the league-lead in ERA at 1.52. In 1959, he had a career-best 1.27 ERA in 28 starts, missing 5-6 weeks to a hamstring strain.

Louceiro was the ace as Cordoba became a Southern Cone League powerhouse in the 1950s. From 1950-56, they made the playoffs six times, won the league title four times, and took the Copa Sudamerica crown thrice (1951, 53, and 56). 1956 saw a remarkable 120-42 record with that team viewed perhaps as the league’s all-time greatest. In a stellar postseason career, Louceiro was 8-4 with a 1.82 ERA over 104 innings, 110 strikeouts, 18 walks, and 3.3 WAR. He also pitched for Argentina from 1948-60 in the World Baseball Championship, posting a 2.78 ERA and 19-10 record over 255.2 innings with 277 strikeouts and 6.8 WAR. His highlight in his international career was a no-hitter with 15 strikeouts in a 1954 game against Haiti.

After the 120-win 1956 season, Cordoba began a playoff drought, although they still had a winning record regularly. Louceiro continued to be an excellent pitcher into his 30s, but early in the 1960 season, he suffered a partially torn UCL. The Chanticleers chose to buyout his final year of his contract and said goodbye to their ace, although there would be no hard feelings and his #19 uniform would get retired. Even with the injury, Major League teams still wanted to give Louceiro a shot and he was signed by Columbus for $126,000; doubling his prior Cordoba peak. Louceiro was okay but nothing special in 26 starts for the Chargers. The 38-year old was cut before the 1962 season and would spend part of the year as a reliever in minor league Austin, retiring that offseason.

The final BSA stats for Louceiro: 208-110 record, 1.95 ERA, 3098.2 innings, 3438 strikeouts to only 382 walks for a 9.0 K/BB rate, 322/398 quality starts, a 64 FIP-, and 97.9 WAR. He wasn’t the dominant strikeout guy like many of his contemporaries, but his walk total remains among the lowest of all BSA Hall of Fame starters and he’s one of a very select few starts with a career ERA below 2. Louceiro was an elite pitcher of the 1950s and a critical piece in Cordoba’s dynasty, making him an obvious first ballot pick at 98.4%.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1966 EBF Hall of Fame

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After inducting its first two Hall of Famers the prior year, the European Baseball Federation added a third player with the 1966 class. CF Danijel Cindric got the nod on his first ballot with 76.1%. Single-season home run king Orion McIntyre made his debut at 57.2%, respectable but shy of the needed 66%. Three others; closer Richard Hackl, CF Joe Ramet, and closer Ken Jacob; were above 50%.



Danijel Cindric – Center Fielder – Madrid Conquistadors – 76.1% First Ballot

Danijel Cindric was a 6’0’’, 200 pound right-handed outfielder from Rijeka, a city of around 100,000 in the western coast of modern Croatia. Cindric was a very good power hitter that was excellent at drawing walks and above average at drawing contact. He had good speed and could leg-out extra base hits respectably. Despite his great eye, Cindric still struck out more than the average. He primarily played center field, although he made about 25% of his starts in left. He won two Gold Gloves in left and one in center and was viewed as a great fielder in his early career.

Cindric began playing baseball after World War II in what was then Yugoslavia and quickly became noticed as a top-tier player. He didn’t join the newly formed European Baseball Federation until its second season, singing a four-year, $121,000 deal at age 28 with Copenhagen; the 1950 champion. The Corsairs fell off in his two years there, but it certainly wasn’t Cindric’s fault. He won two Gold Gloves, hit 82 home runs and 176 RBI and posted 17.8 WAR in his time in Denmark. Copenhagen opted to trade Cindric before the 1953 to Milan for five prospects.

His 1953 debut with the Maulers was an all-timer as Cindric posted an incredible 15.4 WAR season, which held as the EBF single-season record until 2010. He had EBF’s first hitting Triple Crown with a .332 average, 54 home runs, and 132 RBI, while also posting a league-best 131 runs scored and 1.153 OPS. Naturally, he won the MVP and his first Silver Slugger this season. Although he remained great, Cindric never had another year quite like this one. He’d finish third in MVP voting in 1955 and win four more Silver Sluggers, coming in 1955, 57, 59, and 60.

Milan was one-and-done in the 1953 postseason, then missed the field in 1954. Cindric left the Maulers and at age 32 signed a four-year, $191,400 deal with Madrid. This was officially his Hall of Fame team despite the run lasting three seasons because they didn’t allow you to go in unaffiliated and he never stayed anywhere more than three years. Notably, Cindric arrived during an early dynasty run for the Conquistadors, who were conference champs the prior two seasons. They won their first European Championship in 1955 with Cindric posting 14 hits, 12 runs, and 4 home runs in that postseason run.

Madrid bought out the final year of his contract and Cindric, now aged 35, went home to Croatia and signed with Zagreb. He also made 56 starts for Croatia in the World Baseball Championship from 1956-64, posting 38 hits, 26 runs, 17 home runs, and 38 RBI. Cindric had three strong seasons with the Gulls and helped them to the European Championship in 1960, posting 22 hits, 14 runs, 5 home runs, and 14 RBI in that postseason run. This marked the end of his European career with a remarkable 89.6 WAR over ten seasons.

At age 38, Cindric signed a two-year, $252,000 deal with MLB’s New York Yankees, giving him a steep pay increase over the still fairly new EBF. He only lasted one year as he struggled with the Yankees, cutting cut at season’s end. Cindric wasn’t done with baseball though as he went south to Mexico, playing his final three unremarkable seasons with Mexicali.

For his EBF career, Cindric had 1545 hits, 1025 runs, 204 doubles, 428 home runs, 1082 RBI, a .278/.364/.581 slash and 89.6 WAR. He was the second EBF player to reach 1000 runs and 1000 RBI, both behind only Gabriel Staudt. For ten years, you can’t have much better of a run and it has to be acknowledged that his EBF career started at age 28, negating a few good years of counting stats. The resume was strong enough regardless to get Cindric into the Hall on the first ballot at 76.1%; the third EBF inductee.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1966 World Baseball Championship

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The 1966 World Baseball Championship was the 20^th edition of the event and the first to be held in Southeast Asia, hosted by the capital of the Philippines, Manila. The United States as usual won Division 1, this time finishing 6-1 with a one-game lead on both Denmark and North Korea. In Division 2, Peru at 5-2 edged Poland and Sweden at 4-3. For the Peruvians, it is their time advancing to the elite eight, joining the 1960 season. In Division 3, Canada was undefeated at 7-0, giving them 14 appearances in the elite eight in 20 tries. Division 4 went to Austria at 6-1, outlasting their neighbor Germany at 5-2. It was the second time advancing for the Austrians (1961).

A competitive Division 5 had Italy on top at 5-2, beating three teams at 4-3 (Australia, Hungary, Mexico). It was the third time advancing for the Italians, but the first in a decade. In Division 6, Brazil dominated at 7-0, sending them ahead for the eighth time. Division 7 had a tie at 6-1 between the Philippines and Russia; the tiebreaker send the Russian forward in back-to-back years. And in Division 8, Serbia prevailed for the second time as their 6-1 was a game ahead of Switzerland.

In Round Robin Group A, Russia and Serbia both moved forward with 4-2 records, while Canada was eliminated at 3-3 and Peru went 1-5. This earned the Russians their fourth semifinal appearance and the first for the Serbians. Brazil was the top team of Group B at 5-1, advancing along with the USA at 4-2, while Italy was 2-4 and Austria was 1-5. The Brazilians earned a fifth semifinal appearance and the Americans have pulled it off 19 of the first 20 tournament editions.

The United States easily swept Serbia in the semifinal, sending the Americans to the final for the 16^th time and giving the Serbians fourth. The other semifinal was a seven-game classic with Brazil outlasting Russia, sending the Brazilians to the championship for the first time. Soviet Russia takes third for the second straight season.



In the World Championship, the US downed Brazil 4-1, continuing the American tournament dominance. The United States now has 13 World Titles and six of the last seven.



Tournament MVP was Brazilian 2B Niculao Semide. This was the big debut for the 23-year old, who had only made nine starts prior for Fortaleza. The future multi-time league MVP had 27 hits, 14 runs, 8 doubles, 5 RBI, and 8 RBI. The Best Pitcher went to Russia’s Vyacheslav Leskov, a 30-year old closer who was signed with Warsaw for the 1966 season. The three-time Reliever of the Year in 21 innings had five saves, 41 strikeouts, and a 0.43 ERA.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1966 in APB

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In the second season for Austronesia Professional Baseball, Manila set a single-season win record that would hold as the top mark until 2013. The Manatees were 116-46, cruising to back-to-back Philippine League titles. Defending APB champ Taichung won the Taiwan League again, this time finishing 102-60. They held off a solid challenge from Taipei, who finished at 97-65.

Winning MVP in the Taiwan-Philippine Association was Manila’s Chen-Jui Huang. The 30-year old Taiwanese right fielder was the leader in runs (88), RBI (96), OPS (.870) and wRC+ (178), while adding 39 home runs and 8.4 WAR. Taipei’s Perumal Jayaweera was Pitcher of the Year for the second straight season. The 29-year old Sri Lankan lefty was the leader in ERA (1.56) and WAR (10.7), adding an 18-11 record, 283.1 innings, and 272 strikeouts.



The Sundaland Association had two new division winners in the second season. The Java League went to Bandung at 99-63, finishing seven ahead of Jakarta and nine ahead of last year’s winner Depok. Medan won the Malacca League at 108-54, holding the best record in the SA. Defending Association champ Pekanbaru had another great season, but their 101-61 wasn’t enough to catch the Marlins.

34-year old Indonesian left fielder Elias Koi won the Sundaland Association MVP. Nicknamed “Doom,” Koi smacked 57 home runs and led the league in slugging (.577), adding 93 RBI and 6.7 WAR. The 57 homers would last three seasons as the APB record, although it would remain the second-most in a season from 1969 to 2012. Pitcher of the Year was Medan’s Juan Malik. A 31-year old Indonesian righty, Malik was the leader in ERA (1.28) and WHIP (0.69), adding a 21-5 record over 224.1 innings with 219 strikeouts and 7.6 WAR.

In a Taiwan-Philippine Association Championship rematch, Taichung repeated as champion. The Toucans had no problem with Manila despite the record-setting wins from the Mantees, with Taichung winning in five games. In the Sundaland Association Championship, Medan edged Bandung in a seven-game classic.



The second Austronesia Championship went to the Marlins. Medan denied Taichung’s repeat bid, taking the series 4-1. Series MVP was 31-year old 2B Irfan Mohamad Mathew. In 12 playoff games, he had 10 hits, 7 runs, 3 doubles, 3 home runs, and 5 RBI.



Other notes; Taipei’s Sammy Tagasa was the first APB hitter to earn a cycle.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1966 in OBA

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Adelaide was Australasia League champion for the third time in the first seven years of the Oceania Baseball Association. The Aardvarks finished 92-70, ahead of Christchurch (88-74), defending champ Auckland (87-75) and Perth (85-77).

Melbourne was just below .500, but they had the league MVP in RF Danny Carrott. The 24-year old smacked 58 home runs, a new OBA record (although it only lasted as the top mark two seasons). Carrott also led the league in runs (101), RBI (123), slugging (.646), OPS (.984), wRC+ (201), and WAR (10.6). Auckland’s John Williams won Pitcher of the Year and joined his Pacific League counterpart as the second/third pitchers to win a Triple Crown. The 28-year old lefty had a 20-11 record, 2.23 ERA, and 330 strikeouts in 278.2 innings with 9.7 WAR.



Like Adelaide, Guadalcanal became a three-time league champion in 1966. The Green Jackets won the Pacific League title with a 96-66 mark, 11 games ahead of second place Port Moresby. Last year’s OBA champ Tahiti struggled to 73 -89, finishing seventh.

Guadalcanal had the Pacific League MVP and Pitcher of the Year. MVP was 1B Michael MacPherson, a 38-year old Canadian in his third season in OBA after a long journeyman run in MLB. He was the WARlord at 7.6 and led in OBP (.387) and walks (78), adding 34 home runs and 88 RBI. 25-year old righty Sakeo Rasalato was Pitcher of the Year and a Triple Crown winner. The Fijian had a 26-8 record, 1.50 ERA, and 374 strikeouts over 329.1 innings. Rasalato also set a single-season WAR record at 13.9 and led in K/BB (8.3), quality starts (38), and FIP- (47).

The seventh Oceania Championship would be the second one to end in a sweep. Guadalcanal dominated Adelaide to make the Green Jackets two-time champs. French CF Raymond Mille was the series MVP with the 29-year old getting 6 hits, 5 runs, 2 triples, 1 home run, and 5 RBI.





Other notes: Guam’s Sione Hala became the first OBA Triple Crown hitter, but only finished third in MVP voting. The 23-yaer old Tongan had a .311 average, 41 home runs, and 102 RBI. However, he only had 6.7 WAR because of horrible defense. For the first time in OBA, there was not a single no-hitter in a season. Fineasi Hausia became the first five-time Gold Glove winner at shortstop, while Ismail Barnett did it at third base. SS Vae Afatia became the first five-time Silver Slugger winner.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1966 in EPB

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Eurasian Professional Baseball didn’t look much different at the top in 1966 as it did the prior year. All four European League teams earned repeat playoff berths with a five-year streak for Kyiv, six-year streak for Moscow, and twelve-year streak for Minsk. The Mules had the best overall record at 106-56 atop the North Division with wild cards for the Miners (101-61) and Kazan (95-67). The Crusaders pitching staff set a league record with 1829 strikeouts, still the EPB all-time mark as of 2037. Helsinki at 92-70 had the misfortune of missing out in their tough division. The South Division title went to defending Soviet Series champ Kyiv at 92-70, who beat out Tirana by three games and both Budapest and Prague by five.

Minsk acquired longtime Dushanbe ace Sergei Filatov in a trade the prior summer and he earned European League MVP and Pitcher of the Yea in 1966. The 37-year old became a four-time Pitcher of the Year winner and two-time MVP. The lefty was the leader in wins at 26-7 and led in innings pitched (301.1), quality starts (29), complete games (22), shutouts (8), and WAR (10.8). He would leave for Moscow the next season, but with the Miners, Filatov became the first EPB pitcher to 3500 career strikeouts. He also threw the only no-hitter of his illustrious career in 1966, striking out 11 with one walk on May 28 against Sofia. Also of note in the EL was Kyiv’s Hryhoriy Boychuk becoming the second EPB closer to win three Reliever of the Year awards. The 33-year old lefty had a 0.75 ERA in 84.1 innings with 142 strikeouts and 38 saves.



The Asian League was historically top heavy with the two highest win totals in AL history both in 1966. After missing the playoffs narrowly last year, Omsk took the North Division at 120-42, leading in both runs scored (765) and runs allowed (417). The Otters allowed a league-record 1040 hits, which held as the best mark for 30 years. They also had a league-record 0.861 team WHIP. Meanwhile in the South Division, defending league champ Bishkek improved on their recent success with a 119-43 mark, earning a fifth straight playoff berth. As of 2037, these are still the top two winningest seasons in AL history and third/fourth for the entire EPB (Minsk in 1957 was 123-39, Warsaw was 122-40 in 1955).

Overshadowed was Ufa, who followed up a 115-win 1965 with a 110-52 1966 to take the first wild card. It was the fourth straight playoff berth for the Fiends. There was a huge gap to the second wild card spot with three teams just above .500. Yekaterinburg and Baku tied at 84-78 with Ulaanbaatar just one game behind. In a one-game playoff, the Yaks ultimately earned a third straight playoff appearance.

Omsk righty Arutyun Lezjov won both MVP and Pitcher of the Year for the Asian League; his first of the former and second of the latter. He was the wins leader at 25-5 and led in ERA (1.48), WHIP (0.73), quality starts (28), FIP- (40), shutouts (8), and WAR (13.1). The ERA mark was the EPB single-season record and the WAR was the fifth-best season for an EPB pitcher to that point. He also had 344 strikeouts over 280.1 innings and 24 complete games.

In the European League first round of the playoffs, Kazan stunned Moscow with a road sweep and Minsk outlasted Kyiv 3-2. In the ELCS, the Miners edged the Crusaders in a seven-game classic, giving Minsk five league titles in EPB’s first 12 seasons. In the Asian League, Omsk cruised to a sweep of Yekaterinburg and Bishkek downed Ufa in four. The ALCS was an all-timer with a combined 239 wins between the two teams. The Otters denied the Black Sox their three-peat win in a seven-game thriller, giving Omsk its first league title.



After two seven-game battles in the LCS round, the 1966 Soviet Series ended up being a dud. Minsk swept Omsk to give the Miners their third EPB title. It was the second sweep in finals history, joining Minsk’s last title in 1962 when they rolled Chelyabinsk. RF Mikhail Musayev was the postseason star after the 31-year old joined the Miners in a midseason trade from Krasnoyarsk. He won both ELCS and Soviet Series MVP, posting 17 hits, 9 runs, 5 home runs, and 13 RBI in 16 playoff starts.



Other notes: Artur Golub became the first EPB pitcher to record three no-hitters in a career. The Ufa ace’s third came with 14 strikeouts against Irkutsk. Kirill Edelman reached 3500 strikeouts, the second pitcher to do after Sergei Filatov did it four weeks earlier. Edelman and Henri Gevorgyan both earned their 200^th win, joining Filatov and Taleh Ismailov as the only ones to do so thus far. Pavlo Kolesnik became the first EPB batter to 2000 career hits. Corin Dragomir and Andrei Yakimov made it four EPB hitters with 400 career home runs. 2B Anton Kirilenko won his eighth and final Silver Slugger; the second EPB player to get to eight.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1966 in EBF

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London had the best record in the EBF Northern Conference in 1966 at 97-65, earning a second straight British Isles division title. Defending conference champ Glasgow was wild card again and earned a third-straight berth with an 88-74 mark. They edged Birmingham (87-75) and Berlin (85-77) for the final spot. The Barons were seven games behind 1964 champ Hamburg in the North Central Division as the 92-70 Hammers are back in the field after just missing the prior year. Brussels won the Northwest Division in back-to-back seasons and grabbed a seventh playoff berth in eight years. The Beavers were 92-70, 10 games away from Paris.

London’s Benny Baker was the conference MVP; his second after having done it as a rookie in 1960. The 30-year old English 1B was the WARlord at 9.2, taking second in home runs (51) and RBI (125) and adding 103 runs, 187 hits, and a .318 average. Berlin’s Joachim Muller won back-to-back Pitcher of the Year. The 28-year old German led in ERA (1.83), WAR (8.7) and FIP- (56), adding a 19-7 record over 246.1 innings with 253 strikeouts.





The best overall record for the European Baseball Federation came from Vienna at 108-54. The Vultures set an EBF record that still holds as the top mark as of 2037; a team ERA of 2.36. Their 448 runs allowed remains a Southern Conference record. Vienna cruised to back-to-back Southeast Division champs, well ahead of Athens and Belgrade. Those teams battled for the wild card with the Anchors getting it at 85-77, edging the Bruisers by two games and both Naples and Zurich by three. This ended a six-year playoff drought for the Anchors and meant the defending EBF champ Mountaineers missed the playoff field. The other division titles were lopsided with Marseille at 100-62 atop the Southwest and Rome at 96-66 in the South Central. It was the fifth straight division title for the Red Wolves, while the Musketeers ended a four-year drought. Barcelona, who had a four-year streak entering the season, fell to 78-84.

Conference MVP went to Naples RF Paul Schlacher. The 29-year old Austrian lefty was the WARlord at 11.3, also leading in home runs (51), RBI (121), OBP (.419), slugging (.700), OPS (1.118), and wRC+ (224). Leading Vienna’s record-setting rotation was 25-year old Frenchman Baptiste Imbert. He won Pitcher of the Year with the lead in ERA (1.87), WIHP (0.90), quality starts (26), FIP- (58), and WAR (9.0), adding 290 strikeouts in 254.2 innings. Imbert pitched one more year in Europe before spending the rest of his career in MLB.

The first round of the playoffs had Glasgow upset London in four games, Brussels outlast Hamburg in five, Athens stun Vienna in four, and Marseille taking a battle with Rome in five. This set up a Northern Conference Championship rematch between the Highlanders and Beavers and for back-to-back seasons, the wild card Glasgow squad advanced, this time 4-2. The Southern Conference Championship was a rout with the wild card Anchors getting pummeled by the Musketeers in a sweep. This gave Marseille its first conference title.



The 1966 European Championship was only the second final to end in a sweep. Glasgow crushed Marseille 4-0 to send the trophy to Scotland for the first time. RF Jasper Blackmore was the finals MVP, posting 21 hits, 9 runs, 5 home runs, and 14 RBI over 14 playoff starts.



Other notes: EBF’s 10^th perfect game came from Glasgow’s Klaus-Dieter Koopman, striking out eight against Amsterdam on August 25. At the end of July, Armando Rojas became EBF’s first pitcher to 4000 career strikeouts. Loris Eichelberger would join him at the start of September. They would be the only two to accomplish the feat until 1978. 3B Fragiskos Farkas became an eight-time Silver Slugger winner.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1966 in BSA

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Medellin had the Bolivar League’s best record in 1966, earning back-to-back North Division titles. The Mutiny finished 105-57, leading the league in both runs scored (701) and fewest allowed (468). Caracas had another good ear at 99-63, but again took second. In the South Division, Callao ended a five-year playoff drought with the Cats on top at 98-64. Lima was second at 93-69, followed by La Paz at 88-74. Quito’s dynasty officially ended after three straight league titles. In 1966, they were fourth in the division at 86-76.

Picking up MVP was Caracas 2B Mateo Aguilar. The 28-year old was the batting champ at .342 and led in hits (209) and WAR (8.4), adding 26 home runs and 97 RBI. Medellin’s Roldan De La Herran won the Pitcher of the Year, having joined the Mutiny in a midseason trade the prior summer from Cali. The 31-year old Colombian was the leader in wins at 25-7 and had the most innings at 308.2. He also led in complete games (19) and shutouts (6), posting 8.8 WAR, a 2.10 ERA, and 314 strikeouts. Notable as well was Cali’s Alfredo Mejia becoming a three-time Reliever of the Year winner. In his penultimate Beisbol Sudamerica season, Mejia had 38 saves and a 1.06 ERA with 132 strikeouts in 84.2 innings.



The Southern Cone League looked very similar from the prior seasons as Santiago and Fortaleza both won their third straight division title. Like the prior two seasons, the Saints had the best record overall, winning the South Division at 105-57. Santiago had 714 runs scored, a solid gap ahead of the next best Foxes at 636. Fortaleza took the Brazil Division at 98-64, six games ahead of Brasilia.

The Foxes had the MVP in Niculao Semide, who had a remarkable first full season. The 24-year old Brazilian 2B started the year as World Baseball Championship Tournament MVP, then followed that up with 9.5 WAR, 38 home runs, 100 RBI, 102 runs, and a .306 average. Cordoba’s Will Feliciano won his third Pitcher of the Year in his seventh full season. The right-handed Argentine was the leader in wins with a 23-8 record and had the most complete games (24) and shutouts (7). He added 9.1 WAR with a 1.89 ERA over 285.2 innings with 308 strikeouts.

Medellin and Callao met for the third time in the history of the Bolivar League Championship Series, as the Mutiny swept them in the first one back in 1931 and the Cats took it in five in 1954. Round three was a seven-game classic claimed by Medellin, giving them their first title since 1947. The Mutiny have six Bolivar League titles to their name now. The Southern Cone Championship was the fifth with Santiago versus Fortaleza and the third straight with the Saints taking it in 1964 and the Foxes winning 1965. The 1966 edition went the distance with Santiago winning 4-3. This gives the Saints three titles in the decade and six overall.



Copa Sudamerica was far less dramatic than the prior round with Santiago sweeping Medellin. The Saints join the Mutiny, Caracas, La Paz, and Buenos Aires for the most overall titles with four each. Three of those for Santiago have come in the 1960s. Finals MVP was 3B Matt Gonzalez, who had 9 hits, 5 runs, 3 home runs, and 8 RBI in 11 postseason games.



Other notes: Brasilia’s Bernardo Borja set the single-season save record with 54 over 89 innings, striking out 119. As of 2037, that remains BSA’s all-time record. Sao Paulo’s Victor Ramos threw a perfect game on April 18, striking out eight against Cordoba. Ishmael Perla won his 13^th Silver Slugger in left field, becoming the second player to reach 13 in BSA. It would be his final, leaving him two short of Hall of Famer Diego Pena’s 15 at shortstop.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1966 in EAB

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The defending Japan League champion Yokohama again won the North Division title and had the best record in the league. The Yellow Jackets finished 100-62, allowing the fewest runs in East Asia Baseball at 531. Yokohama finished four games ahead of a solid 96-66 Kawasaki. Meanwhile in the South Division, Kyoto at 93-69 took it by one game over 92-70 Kitakyushu. It is the fourth-ever playoff berth for the Kamikaze, who last took it in 1962. Last year’s division champ Kobe fell off a cliff, taking sixth at 68-94.

Chiba’s Yiming Yang won his second MVP in his final season with the Comets. The 27-year old right fielder from China earned his third straight batting title (.360) and led in hits for the third straight year (210), adding 9.3 WAR, 39 home runs, and 109 RBI. Yang would leave for Minnesota in 1967 and spend the next decade as a solid MLB contributor, although he never was MVP quality. In six full seasons with Chiba he had an impressive 45.8 WAR and 1188 hits with a .341 average, but wouldn’t get Hall of Fame traction since he left so early. Two-way player Totaro Uchiyama of Hiroshima won the Pitcher of the Year. The 25-year old righty was the ERA leader at 2.23, adding 7.0 WAR with 260 strikeouts in 246.2 innings. Uchiyama also added 4.5 WAR offensively with 21 home runs playing at third base and won a Gold Glove as a pitcher.



The big battle in the Korea League was again between Pyongyang and Hamhung in the North Division. Both finished the regular season at 105-57, requiring a one-game tiebreaker. The defending EAB Champion Pythons prevailed over the Heat to extend Pyongyang’s division title streak to six seasons. In the South Division, Yongin ended a lengthy playoff drought with a 97-65 finish, six games better than both Busan and Gwangju. The Gold Sox had made the playoffs only once in the prior 65 seasons, back in 1946. Changwon’s dominance in the division officially ended with their first losing season in more than a decade, finishing a lackluster 73-89.

Seoul second baseman Min-Hyeok Shin won his third league MVP. Nicknamed “Fox,” the 30-year old righty became the fifth EAB batter to earn a Triple Crown, posting 51 home runs, 134 RBI, and a .347 average. He also was the WARlord (10.7) and led in OBP (.411), slugging (.682), OPS (1.094), and wRC+ (196). It was an impressive bounce back for Shin, who had missed half of the prior season to injury.

Pyongyang’s Tae-Yong Yang won his fourth Pitcher of the Year and third straight with the 29-year old leading in WHIP (0.79), K/BB (16.2), and quality starts (31), posting 9.1 WAR over 276.1 innings with 324 strikeouts, a 23-8 record, and 2.18 ERA. Sadly for Yang, a partially torn UCL late in 1967 ended his career at age 31. He barely missed having 10 service years, meaning he wasn’t eligible for Hall of Fame voting. He finished with a 197-76 record, 2.62 ERA, 2647 strikeouts, and 67.8 WAR in just under ten full seasons; widely considered someone who would’ve been inducted easily if the rules were different. His #6 uniform would be retired by his hometown Pythons and he earned his place in history as a key part of the dynasty and one of a select group to win Pitcher of the Year four times.

Yang’s Pythons continued their 1960s dynasty by winning the Korea League Championship Series against Yongin, although the Gold Sox took them to the brink. The series went seven games with the finale going into extra innings with no score. The Pythons would walk it off to win 1-0 in the 10^th, giving them four Korea League titles in six years and eight titles overall; tied with Hamhung and Busan for the most. In the Japan League Championship Series, Yokohama also made it back-to-back titles, fending off Kyoto in seven games. The Yellow Jackets earned their fifth league title.



The 1966 East Asian Championship was a rematch and ultimately far more competitive than the prior year’s Pyongyang sweep. The Pythons again defeated Yokohama, this time 4-2, also giving Pyongyang four overall rings in six years. CF Min-Woo Yoon was the finals MVP, posting 15 hits over 13 playoff games. The Pythons have six overall titles, tied with Hamhung for the most. They’re also the first EAB team to win four over a six year stretch.



Other notes: Two players joined EAB’s 700 home run club in 1966, bringing it to five to accomplish the feat. Young-Hwan Sha did it in late July and Lei Meng did it in mid August. Sha earned his 15^th and final Silver Slugger in right field, making him the only EAB player to earn 15. Meng and Jung-Min Yi both crossed 1500 runs scored, making it 14 players thus far to do that. Dong-Ju Hahn became the 16^th to reach 2500 hits. Han-Gyeol Bu became a nine-time Gold Glove winner at shortstop, tying Takamasa Inomata’s record for the position.