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

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 09-01-2023, 04:22 PM

1975 CABA Hall of Fame

The Central American Baseball Association had three additions to the Hall of Fame from the 1975 voting. The ballot was highlighted by first-time candidates with six newcomers getting above 57%. LF Lorenzo Rodriguez (99.0%) and LF Julio Hinojosa (97.8%) were slam dunks, while closer Mario Villegas also got in with 73.4%. SP Micah Singh barely missed the 66% threshold with 65.7%. SP Felix Belizaire and SP Yennier Rey were the other notables with solid showings but not quite enough with 59.0% and 57.7%, respectively. There were no players on the CABA ballot dropped after ten attempts in 1975.

Lorenzo Rodriguez – Left Field – Santiago Sailfish – 99.0% First Ballot

Lorenzo Rodriguez was a 6’2’’, 200 pound left-handed left fielder from Guantanamo, a city of around 200,000 in southeast Cuba. Yes, it is THAT Guantanamo; fortunately, Rodriguez stayed far away from the dodgy US detention center. He was a tremendous contact hitter who led the Caribbean League in batting average six different times. Rodriguez had reliable power production as well, usually giving you around 30 home runs and around 35-45 doubles/triples per season. He had decent baserunning speed and was solid at avoiding strikeouts, although below average at drawing walks. Rodriguez was a career left fielder and generally viewed as a pretty average defender. He was intelligent, very durable, and loyal, making him an extremely popular player in his career.

Rodriguez was picked 13^th overall in the 1949 CABA Draft by Santiago and spent the majority of his career with the Sailfish. He saw limited pinch hit action in his first two seasons, but got a taste of the big time as Santiago won the 1951 CABA Championship. They had a dynasty run in the 1950s with Caribbean League titles in 1951, 52, 54, and 55; winning the overall CABA title in the first two years. It was 1952 where Rodriguez found his way into the lineup full-time as a designated hitter. He had a monster season, leading the league in runs (112), hits (200), doubles (36), RBI (115), total bases (374), average (.328), and OPS (.973). This earned league MVP and a Silver Slugger. He added 15 hits, 9 runs, 4 home runs, and 8 RBI in the postseason as the Sailfish brought home a ring.

That was Rodriguez’ only Silver Slugger as a DH; he’d win six more in left (1953, 56, 58, 60, 61, 63). He won his second MVP in 1953 with a Triple Crown season (37 home runs, 107 RBI, .346 average) while also leading in OPS (1.037) and WAR (7.9). Rodriguez only won the two MVPs, but finished second in 1954 and 1956, third in 1958, second again in 1960 and 1961. He led the Caribbean League in hits five times, OBP three times, OPS twice, wRC+ four times, and WAR twice. In Santiago’s playoff run, he had 45 hits, 18 runs, 11 doubles, 8 home runs, and 16 RBI in 38 playoff games. He was also a regular for Cuba in the World Baseball Championship from 1951-69. In 129 games and 114 starts, he had 105 hits, 60 runs, 18 doubles, 23 home runs, and 44 RBI.

Santiago was never a bad team in his run, but their time at the top ended with the 1955 season. They wouldn’t make the playoffs in the rest of Rodriguez’ run, although they were still above .500 more often than not. Rodriguez stayed there through his age 35 season of 1964, posting 2569 hits, 1234 runs, 434 doubles, 402 home runs, 1272 RBI, a .335/.369/.589 slash and 84.5 WAR. The team would eventually retire his #31 uniform and he’d remain a very popular legend for the franchise. Now a free agent for 1965, Rodriguez gave MLB a try and got a two-year, $328,000 contract with Hartford.

He had two very solid seasons with the Huskies, posting 10.8 WAR, 351 hits, 154 runs, 49 home runs, and 208 RBI. They won the Eastern League title in both seasons, but went one-and-done both seasons. A free agent again at age 38, Rodriguez signed for 1967 with Albuquerque. A fractured finger put him out six weeks and he was only slightly above average when healthy. Rodriguez would return to CABA for 1968-69 as a bench piece for Honduras, retiring after the 1969 season at age 41.

The final stats for his CABA career: 2644 hits, 1280 runs, 450 doubles, 161 triples, 414 home runs, 1324 RBI, a .332/.366/.582 slash, 164 wRC+ and 85.6 WAR. At retirement, the only CABA Hall of Famers with a better career batting average were GOAT candidates Prometheo Garcia and Kiko Velazquez. Rodriguez was as steady as you can be and a big part of Santiago’s early 1950s dynasty run, making him an obvious first ballot Hall of Fame choice at 99.0%.

Julio Hinojosa – Left/Center Field – Mexicali Maroons – 97.8% First Ballot

Julio Hinojosa was a 5’11’’, 195 pound right-handed outfielder from Tehuixtitlan, a community with around 7,000 people located just over an hour southeast of greater Mexico City. Hinojosa was a very well rounded batter who wasn’t amazing at any one thing, but above average to good at most things. He regularly batted above .300 with pretty good speed and pop in his bat. He was sometimes criticized as unmotivated, but Hinojosa was incredibly durable and could give you reliable production. He made around 60% of his starts in left field with the rest in center; playing CF in his early 20s before moving to LF. Defensively, Hinojosa was considered slightly above average in left and slightly below average in center.

Hinojosa was picked third overall by Mexicali in the 1945 CABA Draft and was only 19 years old when he debuted in 1946. He was mostly a bench piece as a rookie and part-time starter in year two, taking over the full-time gig thereafter, winning 1947 Rookie of the Year in his first full-time year. Hinojosa would put up 5+ WAR in 12 straight seasons from 1948-59. He never won MVP, but was third in 1950 and 1951, and second in 1953, 1954, and 1956. Hinojosa won eight Silver Sluggers (1948, 49, 50, 51, 53, 54, 56, 57) and a Gold Glove in 1954. He didn’t typically lead the Mexican League, but he was the runs leader in 1953-54 and was the triple slash leader (.358/.417/.652) and OPS (1.069) and wRC+ (209) leader in 1956.

Hinojosa helped usher in a dynasty run for Mexicali, which had largely been a weak franchise prior. They made the playoffs six straight years from 1949-54, winning the Mexican League five straight years from 1950-54. The Maroons were overall CABA champ in 1953 and 1954 and Hinojosa was the MLCS MVP in 1950. In 75 playoff games, he had 78 hits, 35 runs, 13 home runs, 43 RBI, and 2.4 WAR. Mexicali started to rebuild as Hinojosa entered his 30s and the 1950s came to an end. 1960 saw his first real major injuries a broken bone in the elbow knocking him out 8-9 months.

Hinojosa’s final stats with Mexicali: 2542 hits, 1256 runs, 426 doubles, 179 triples, 349 home runs, 1255 RBI, 658 stolen bases, a .315/.357/.542 slash and 95.7 WAR. His #14 uniform would be retired and he’d remain extremely popular with the Maroons fans and across Mexico. He had a solid bounce-back 1961, but the team opted to let him go into free agency at age 35. Hinojosa would sign a three-year, $324,000 deal with Puerto Rico.

His days winning awards had ended, but he was still a respectable starter with the Pelicans, posting 470 hits, 246 runs, 71 home runs, 229 RBI, and 9.5 WAR. Hinojosa at age 38 signed with Havana in 1965 and spent two yearsr with the Hurricanes posting 5.9 WAR. He missed six weeks in 1966 with a fractured rib. The Hurricanes let him go and he played his final three years with Chihuahua, posting 7.6 WAR total. Hinojosa was pushed to a more reserve role by the end with the Warriors, retiring after the 1969 season at age 43. He was able to cross 3500 hits in 1968, becoming the second CABA player to reach the mark.

Hinojosa’s final stats: 3564 hits, 1791 runs, 585 doubles, 233 triples, 513 home runs, 1762 RBI, 838 stolen bases, a .304/.347/.524 slash, 156 wRC+ and 118.7 WAR. At retirement, he was second only to Prometheo Garcia in CABA hits, runs, and RBI. Hinojosa had played more games than any CABA player at 3178 and is fourth as of 2037. He’d get passed in the 21^st Century, but he retired the CABA leader in doubles with 585. At retirement, Hinojosa was seventh in hitting WAR. An obvious Hall of Fame choice on the first ballot, getting 97.8%.

Mario Villegas – Closer – Guadalajara Hellhounds – 73.4% First Ballot

Mario Villegas was a 6’5’’, 205 pound right-handed relief pitcher from Coamo, a town of around 30,000 people in south central Puerto Rico. He had two pitches; a fastball and curveball, but his stuff was considered excellent despite merely above average control and movement. Villegas’ velocity peaked out in the 94-96 mph range, but he knew how to pick his spots. He was considered a durable reliever and a team captain with strong leadership skills and a great work ethic.

Villegas was signed as an amateur free agent with Guadalajara at age 16 and made his debut in 1955 at age 21 with the Hellhounds in a middle relief role. He became a full-time closer in his third year and generally was the closer for the rest of his stops. Guadalajara was his longest tenure with a seven year stint, although he wasn’t an awards finalist in this run. He led the Mexican League in saves once, posting a 2.55 ERA with 176 saves, 545 strikeouts in 462.2 innings, and 9.8 WAR. Villegas also sporadically pitched for the Puerto Rican national team in the World Baseball Championship, appearing in 23 games with 86 innings pitched, a 2.93 ERA, and 119 strikeouts.

Just before the 1962 season, Guadalajara traded the now 28-year old Villegas to Juarez for three players. He spent one season with the Jesters, then signed a three-year deal with Leon. Villegas was second in Reliever of the Year voting in 1964, then won the award in 1965 with a career best 1.17 ERA over 80 appearances. He also got to pitch in the CABA Championship as Leon won the 1964 Mexican League title, posting a 1.80 ERA over 20 playoff innings that year. He had 135 saves, a 1.92 ERA, and 6.9 WAR in his Lions tenure.

From there, Villegas left for MLB and signed with Jacksonville for 1966-67. He struggled in his first year, but regained form in 1967 and led the American Association in saves, helping the Gators to an AACS berth. Now 34-years old, Villegas returned to CABA with Bahamas in 1968. He was traded to Ecatepec in 1969 and finished third in Reliever of the Year voting. This was his final CABA season, as he’d spend 1970 and 1971 with OBA’s Melbourne, taking second in Reliever of the Year voting in 1970. In 1971, a rotator cuff strain put him out most of the season, leading to retirement after the season at age 37.

For his entire pro career, Villegas had a 2.44 ERA, 509 saves and 575 shutdowns, 1208.2 innings, and 29.9 WAR. For just CABA, he had 410 saves and 463 shutdowns, 2.41 ERA over 840 games and 969 innings with 1181 strikeouts and 24.4 WAR. He was the second CABA closer to 400 saves behind Feliz Fuentes’ all-time mark of 430 and is one of a select few to have 500+ over his entire career. Advanced stats show him as being less dominant than many other relievers who would later get Hall of Fame nods, but his tenure was enough to get the first ballot CABA look at 73.4%.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 09-02-2023, 04:04 AM

1975 EAB Hall of Fame

East Asia Baseball’s 1975 Hall of Fame class was an impressive one with three first ballot selections above 93%. RF Young-Hwan Sha (98.8%), SP Yeo Jeun (96.0%), and 3B Hyun-Ook Jo (93.8%) each earned the inductions. The only other player above 50% was 2B Yoshio Hagesawa at 55.9% on his second attempt. No players were dropped after ten ballots in this group. Notably falling below 5% after eight tries was catcher Tae-Hyun Jun, who won four Silver Sluggers and had 52.2 WAR over 16 years. An impressive catcher, but Hall of Fame voters hate catchers and their lack of accumulated stats, so he peaked at 29.3%.

Young-Hwan Sha – Right Field – Hamhung Heat – 98.8% First Ballot

Young-Hwan Sha was a 6’3’’, 190 pound left-handed right fielder from Chigyong, a town of around 30,000 people in the northeastern part of North Korea just outside of Hamhung. Sha was known for having prolific power and an incredible penchant for drawing walks. He would lead Korea in walks drawn six times, OBP eight times, and home runs thrice in his career. Sha was also a great contact hitter and a very smart baserunner, making the most of only average-at-best speed. He was rated as a five-star player at his peak despite being an atrocious defender, spending almost his entire run in right field. Sha’s bat was legendary though and this made him one of the most feared hitters of the 1950s and 1960s.

He left North Korea for high school in Japan at Aichi Shogyo HS in Nagoya and was an excellent prospect even then. Hamhung, the city close to his home, picked him out of high school 22^nd overall in the 1946 EAB Draft. Sha declined their offer and instead went to Osaka’s Kansai University. When he was up for the 1949 EAB Draft, Hamhung again came calling, this time with the sixth overall pick. Sha would sign with the Heat here and ultimately play his entire professional career with Hamhung.

Sha was immediately a full-time starter and won 1950 Rookie of the Year as well as his first of 15 Silver Sluggers. This was his only Slugger as a DH, as he spent the rest of his career in RF despite his abysmal defense. Sha won additional Sluggers in 1951, 52, 53, 54, 55, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 63, 64, 65, and 66. As of 2037, he’s the only EAB player to win the award 15 times in a career. Sha led the Korea League in runs scored four times, RBI twice, slugging five times, OPS six times, wRC+ six times, and WAR four times.

Sha won the MVP four times in his career; 1952, 53, 55, and 60. He also finished third in 1957 and second in 1958. His 1960 campaign was an all-timer as the fourth Triple Crown hitting season in EAB with a .383 average, 65 home runs, and 137 RBI. He also scored a staggering 147 runs, which remains the EAB single-season best as of 2037. His 1.258 OPS would remain a single-season record until 2028 and he put up 12.7 WAR.

Unsurprisingly, Hamhung became a dynasty during Sha’s peak years. They made six straight playoff appearances from 1955-60, winning the Korea League title four times and the overall EAB title three times (55, 57, 58). In 57 playoff starts, Sha had 61 hits, 40 runs, 13 home runs, 40 RBI, a .303/.407/.552 slash and 2.7 WAR. He also earned KLCS MVP honors in 1958. Sha was also beloved generally in North Korea for his work with the national team in the World Baseball Championship from 1951-68, posting 137 hits, 123 runs, 54 home runs, 115 RBI, and 131 walks over 158 games with 10.2 WAR.

Various injuries knocked him out a chunk of both 1961 and 1962. He remained a strong bat into his 30s, but Sha was no longer MVP caliber. The Heat were still a good team, but unable to best Pyongyang’s dynasty for the 1960s. Sha started to wind down somewhat, but he still delighted fans and was chasing milestones. He finally fell off hard at age 41 in the 1969 season, retiring after that year. Sha became the fourth batter to 700 home runs, the third to 3000 hits, the sixth to 1500 RBI, and the fifth to 1500 runs scored.

Sha’s final stats: 1950 runs scored, 3055 hits, 532 doubles, 760 home runs, 1863 RBI, 1357 walks drawn, a .312/.401/.611 slash, 1.012 OPS, wRC+ of 169, and 122.7 WAR. At retirement, he was second all-time in runs scored, tied for second in home runs, fourth in RBI, first in walks drawn, and fourth in hitting WAR. He was also the first Hall of Famer to retire with a career OPS above one. Sha’s #15 uniform was retired by Hamhung and he remains beloved there and throughout North Korea. He was a no-doubt first ballot guy at 98.8%.

Yeo Jeun – Starting Pitcher – Suwon Snappers – 96.0% First Ballot

Yeo Jeun was a 6’0’’, 200 pound starting pitcher from Ansan, a city of more than 600,000 that’s part of South Korea’s Seoul National Capital Area. Great control and solid movement were Jeun’s top assets, making up for average-at-best stuff. His velocity peaked at 93-95 mph, but Jeun had a five-pitch arsenal of a fastball slider, forkball, changeup, and cutter. He was a hard worker with excellent durability, making 30+ starts every year consistently until his 40s.

Jeun went to Toyo University in Japan and excelled in college with a 2.31 ERA over 396.2 college innings with 458 strikeouts and 13.8 WAR. He was a top prospect and was the first overall pick by Suwon in the 1947 East Asia Baseball Draft. Jeun was an okay reliever as a rookie, then became a full-time starter from thereafter. His fourth year saw his first of nine seasons with 6+ WAR. Jeun generally wasn’t a league leader and never finished in the top three for Pitcher of the Year voting.

His steady success wasn’t always noticed either as Suwon was consistently a bottom-tier Korea League team. They never made the playoffs in his nearly 20 year run with the Snappers. He would see some big time action in the World Baseball Championship with Jeun pitching for South Korea from 1951-62. He had a 2.58 ERA over 132.2 innings with 125 strikeouts and 4.3 WAR. Despite Suwon’s mediocrity, Jeun stayed loyal and would see his #7 uniform retired; although he’d also wear #4 while there.

At age 37 in the 1963 season, he finally left Suwon when he was traded to Nagoya. But after finishing the year with the Nightowls, he re-signed with the Snappers for another four seasons. His style allowed him to continue to be effective into his 40s and he posted a career-best 2.14 ERA in 1966 at age 40, his only time leading the league in a major category. This was an impressive comeback season as he had missed much of 1965 with a fractured elbow.

Jeun’s Suwon tenure officially ended in the summer of 1967 as he was traded at the deadline to Kawasaki. He got his only playoff experience this year as the Killer Whales were Japan League champ. Jeun left for free agency and signed at age 42 with Busan. His second season with the Blue Jays was derailed with a ruptured UCL. He would attempt a comeback in 1970 with OBA’s New Caledonia, but he pitched all of one inning. Jeun would get a ring as the Colonels were Oceania Champions and he’d retire at age 45 after the 1970 season.

Jeun’s final stats: 295-254 record, 3.48 ERA, 5049.2 innings, 4059 strikeouts, 763 walks, 390/664 quality starts, 149 complete games, a FIP- of 83 and 110.0 WAR. He very quietly moved up the leaderboards with his longevity, retiring as the EAB wins leader. He stands sixth all-time as of 2037. Jeun also remains the all-time losses leader with more starts and more hits allowed than any other EAB pitcher. He is one of two pitchers with 5000+ innings, ninth in pitching WAR, and was the eighth pitcher to reach 4000 strikeouts. Although Jeun won’t be remembered as an all-time dominant arm, his tenure and tallies couldn’t be ignored and the voters gave him 96.0% on the first ballot.

Hyun-Ook “Onion” Jo – Third Base – Changwon Crabs – 93.8% First Ballot

Hyun-Ook Jo was a 6’0’’, 190 pound left-handed hitting third baseman from the South Korean capital Seoul. Jo was a great power hitter who posted seven different 40+ home run seasons in his career. He was a solid contact hitter with an above average eye, decent gap power, and around average strikeout rate. His speed was below average, but he had a strong arm and was considered a very good defender at third base, winning four Gold Gloves in his career.

Jo left Korea for Senshu University in the greater Tokyo area and posted 52 home runs and 162 RBI over 161 college games with 9.6 WAR. This made him the top prospect for the 1953 East Asia Baseball Draft, picked first overall by Changwon. His entire EAB career would come with the Crabs and he was an immediate starter, winning 1954 Rookie of the Year with a 5.4 WAR, 38 home run debut season. In year two, he won his first of eight Silver Sluggers, leading Korea with 10.7 WAR. He’d take second in MVP voting.

Jo’s other Silver Sluggers would come in 1956, 57, 58, 59, 60, 62, and 64 with his Gold Gloves in 56, 57, 58, and 60. In 1957, Jo won MVP with a phenomenal 12.0 WAR, 59 home runs, 132 RBI, 1.068 OPS, and 126 runs. His second MVP would come in 1962 with a league-best 54 home runs. He was third in 1960 MVP voting as well. Jo posted seven seasons worth 8+ WAR and helped turn the Crabs into a contender in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

Changwon would make the playoffs seven times from 1957-65. They won the 1959 Korea League title with Jo taking KLCS MVP. The Crabs would win the Korea League again in 1963 and 1964 and took the overall EAB crown in 1963. Jo was KLCS MVP again in 1963 and in 61 playoff starts, had 65 hits, 33 runs, 16 home runs, and 37 RBI. Jo also played for the South Korea World Baseball Championship team from 1955-68, playing 161 games with 130 hits, 103 runs, 55 home runs, and 109 RBI. In 1959, he became the second player in WBC history to have a four home run game, smacking four with eight RBI in a game against Ireland.

A strained MCL put Jo out much of 1966 with back trouble putting him out a chunk of 1967. Changwon opted to let the 36-year old go into free agency despite still having solid numbers when healthy. Jo signed for 1968 with MLB’s Boston, but had iffy production in his limited stint. After one MLB season, he returned to Changwon for one final season in 1969, retiring after the season at age 38. The franchise would immediately retire his #18 uniform as one of the Crabs’ great heroes.

Jo’s final EAB stats: 2290 hits, 1353 runs, 359 doubles, 585 home runs, 1405 RBI, a .299/.361/,585 slash, 158 wRC+, and 111.7 WAR. At retirement, he was eighth in EAB history in hitting WAR, racking up the advanced stats despite his accumulations not being at the tip-top with a slightly shorter run than other Hall of Famers. Regardless, few would argue against Jo being EAB’s best third baseman of the 1950s-60s and he was very popular for helping Changwon to their first sustained success. Jo earned the first ballot nod at 93.8%.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 09-02-2023, 12:19 PM

1975 BSA Hall of Fame

Beisbol Sudamerica did not induct anyone into the Hall of Fame with the 1975 voting, which is the first time they had no inductees since 1945, the year prior to the first-ever inductees. Closer Jaguare Maia got very close on his debut ballot at 64.5%, but just missed the 66% threshold. Another reliever, Alfredo Mejia, got 59.5% in his second ballot. SP Jon Mancilla received 56.6% in his sixth attempt and 1B Valeriano Torrez had 50.9% in his penultimate try.

Dropped after ten ballots was SP Marcos Oyenede, who had a 16-year career with a 187-142 record, 2.66 ERA, 2879 strikeouts in 3107.1 innings, and 48.2 WAR. A nice run, but firmly a Hall of Very good type. Another pitcher dropped was Silvestre Azambuja, who won four championship rings and one Pitcher of the Year. In 15 years, he had a 168-104 record, 2.64 ERA, 2508 strikeouts in 2572.1 innings, and 47.1 WAR. Again, not quite enough tallies. Both guys peaked in the upper 20%-low 30% range. Also notable was 3B Evelio Castillo dropped after eight tries and falling below 5%. He had a 14-year career with Callao with one MVP and six Silver Sluggers, 1903 hits, 1001 runs, 245 home runs, and 57.8 WAR. His highest ballot was 16.8%.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 09-02-2023, 05:01 PM

1975 EBF Hall of Fame

Three players earned first ballot additions into the European Baseball Federation Hall of Fame with the 1975 ballot. SP Aaron Grunauer led the charge at 90.7%, joined by RF Davey Miquel at 81.4% and SP Peter Plattner at 73.9%. Uniquely enough, all three go in as well wearing the Hamburg Hammers hat.

One other player was above 50% with 3B Orion McIntyre dropped after ten failed tries. He hit 68 home runs with 140 RBI in the 1951 season, which held as the single-season EBF homer record until 1984. Despite his official career starting at age 35, the Northern Irishman won two MVPs and had 72.2 WAR, 1421 hits, 879 runs, 463 home runs, and 1099 RBI. “Mr. Reliable” seemed like a slam dunk early era guy, but he peaked at 62.5% in 1971 and never dropped below 50%. No doubt with a full career of stats he would’ve been a lock and McIntyre is still cited with his numbers as-is as an all-time great snub.

Two other players were dropped after ten ballots. LF Wolfgang Heinzmann’s official career started at age 29, but he posted 1347 hits, 871 runs, 405 home runs, 994 RBI, and 52.7 WAR with an MVP. Another guy that needed a full career to get the accumulations the voters wanted; he peaked at 39.8%. Meanwhile, SP Sergio Flores started at age 28 and in a decade had a 153-96 record, 2.58 ERA, 2025 strikeouts, and 62.4 WAR with the 1953 Pitcher of the Year. Same issue for him, although he was as high at 47.3% on his second ballot. This group pretty much ends the candidacy from guys who began EBF careers late with future options having a truly full run to judge.

Aaron Grunauer – Starting Pitcher – Hamburg Hammers – 90.7% First Ballot

Aaron Grunauer was a 5’10’’, 200 pound right-handed starting pitcher from Graz, Austria’s second largest city with just under 300,00 people. He had excellent control of his pitches, making up for having merely above average stuff and movement. Grunauer’s velocity peaked at 93-95 mph with a mix of fastball, slider, changeup, and curveball. He was incredibly durable with 30+ starts in all but his first and final seasons. Grunauer had solid stamina and was appreciated for being a very loyal soldier.

Grunauer attended the University of Cambridge in England and wasn’t a prized prospect, getting picked in the fourth round of the European Baseball Federation Draft in 1953 by Hamburg, 114^th overall. He made only seven appearances in his rookie year, but would become a full-time starter after that. Granauer was middling in his first two full seasons as a starter, but would find his rhythm entering the 1960s.

1960 was the breakout season for Grunauer, who won his lone Pitcher of the Year award with a league-best 1.41 ERA, 24-3 record, 0.78 WHIP, and 9.3 WAR. The 1.41 ERA set a single-season EBF record which was held until 1980; it still remains the second-best season for a starter as of 2037. This also earned him a third place finish in MVP voting. Grunauer’s also was second in 1961’s Pitcher of the Year voting, his only other time as a finalist. Still, he posted eight seasons worth 5+ WAR with Hamburg.

The Hammers were a regular contender during Grunauer’s run with seven playoff appearances and five Northern Conference finals berths. Their lone conference title was 1964 with a defeat to Barcelona in the European Championship. Grunauer’s playoff numbers were unimpressive with a 4.45 ERA in 16 starts, 111.1 innings, a 3-9 record, 82 strikeouts, and 1.5 WAR. He also played for his native Austria in the World Baseball Championship from 1957-69 with 24 games, a 3.83 ERA over 152.2 innings, 181 strikeouts, and 2.6 WAR.

Grunauer remained steady into his 30s, although he was rarely dominant or in the league leading spots. Hamburg entered a rebuilding phase in the late 1960s and traded Grunauer before the 1969 season to Marseille. He had one unremarkable season with the Musketeers as only a part-time starter, opting to retire after the season at age 37.

Grunauer’s final stats: a 225-151 record, 2.88 ERA, 3668 innings, 3217 strikeouts to 622 walks, 327/458 quality starts, a FIP- of 86, and 73.7 WAR. He was only considered elite for a brief stretch, but Grunauer compiled respectable numbers over his run that certainly don’t look out of place among those who would get in to the EBF Hall of Fame. His #24 was retired by the Hammers and he’d get 90.7% of the vote on his first ballot; the highest of the three Hamburg players in the 1975 class.

Davey Miquel – Right Field/First Base – Hamburg Hammers – 81.4% First Ballot

Davey Miquel was a 5’10’’, 195 pound left-handed hitter from Moirans-en-Montagne, a small commune of 2,000 people in eastern France near the Swiss border. Miguel had terrific home run power and a legendary eye for drawing walks. His contact skills were merely average and despite his eye, he did strike out more than you’d like. His power was very all-or-nothing, as he had a surprisingly low number of doubles despite regularly hitting 40+ dingers at his peak. Miquel had decent speed in his younger years, but was quite lousy defensively. He spent the most time in right field with some stints at first base and left field, as well as some designed hitter starts in his MLB run.

Miquel was spotted by Hamburg scouts and signed as a teenage amateur at age 17 in 1953. He’d make a few pinch hit appearances in 1957 and 1958, finally becoming a full-time starter in 1959. He was very durable in his peak with 142+ games played from 1959 to 1973. Miquel’s ability to draw walks was immediately noticed as he’d lead the league in 11 different seasons. He set the EBF single-season record with 129 walks in 1960 and has the top-three all-time EBF seasons (129, 128, 123). Despite only hitting above a .300 average once, the walks allowed him to lead in OBP five times and OPS four times..

Boosting that OPS was the dingers with five seasons leading the league and six straight years with 50+, peaking with 55 twice. He also led in runs scored thrice and RBI twice, although he was never the WAR leader in part hurt by his bad defense. He would post eight straight seasons of 6+ WAR. This earned Miquel Silver Sluggers in 1960, 61, 62, and 65. He won Northern Conference MVP in 1961 and 1962 and took third in 1963, second in 1965, and second again in 1966.

In Hamburg’s postseason runs, Miquel played 60 games with 47 hits, 31 runs, 18 home runs, 34 RBI, and 2.7 WAR. He also went home to France for the World Baseball Championship with 120 games and 106 starts from 1959-74. There, he had 80 hits, 85 runs, 48 home runs, 81 RBI, and 6.4 WAR. Miquel was second in WBC MVP voting in 1965 with a staggering 2.500 OPS in seven games with 8 home runs; setting tournament records for OBP, slugging, and OPS.

Miquel’s dominance came in his late 20s and early 30s. By the late 1960s as Hamburg started to rebuild, Miquel’s strikeout rate and contact got worse and his power numbers fell, although he still reliably got 30+ per year. Hamburg would let him go into free agency, although they’d retire his #31 uniform and he’d remain a fan favorite for the Hammers. At age 35, Miquel tried his hand in Major League Baseball by signing for the 1970 and 1971 seasons with Memphis. He still provided some power and walks, even leading the American Association in walks in 1971, but Miquel wasn’t going to win any awards at this point.

Before the 1972 season, the 37-year old was traded by Memphis to Buffalo. Miquel would struggle in his one year with the Blue Sox and eventually get benched. He signed with Columbus in 1973 and saw a bit of a power resurgence as a starter again, but struck out more than anyone in the National Association. In 1974, Miquel played 23 games between three teams (Kansas City, Dallas, Atlanta) and couldn’t provide a reason to be kept around, leading to his retirement after the year at age 39.

For his entire pro career, Miquel had 2025 hits, 1444 runs, 642 home runs, 1461 RBI, 1563 walks, a .253/.378/.530 slash, wRC+ of 166 and 78.2. WAR. Just in the EBF with Hamburg, he had 1561 hits, 1106 runs, 513 homers, 1139 RBI, 1210 walks, a .265/.392/.567 slash, wRC+ of 182 and 72.0 WAR. As of 2037, his career OBP is still top 15 among EBF Hall of Famers, which is incredibly impressive considering all of those around his mark had .300+ batting averages compared to his bottom-tier .265. His hit total is very low, but he’s seventh in walks drawn as of 2037. Miquel was one of the most feared power bats in his time and that got him the first ballot selection at 81.4%.

Peter “Smiley” Plattner – Starting Pitcher – Hamburg Hammers – 73.9% First Ballot

Peter Plattner was a 5’9’’, 185 pound right-handed pitcher from Altach, a small town of around 6,000 people in Austria near the western border. Nicknamed “Smiley,” Platter had incredible stuff with solid movement and peak velocity of 96-98 mph. His control was well below average, but his three-pitch arsenal of curveball, changeup, and cutter still got a ton of whiffs even when he was wild. Plattner’s changeup was especially feared and considered one of the best ever and he was excellent at adjusting speeds. He was a hard worker with excellent stamina in his prime, but a couple big injuries would limit his statistical potential.

Plattner went to England’s University of Oxford for college initially and was quickly a top prospect. Hamburg picked him 11^th overall in the 1954 EBF Draft, but Plattner didn’t sign and switched to the University of Liverpool. The next year, the Hammers grabbed him again with the 12^th pick and Plattner agreed. He would spend all but his final season in Hamburg and was always a full-time starter when healthy with the Hammers, taking second in 1956 Rookie of the Year honors.

Plattner’s best year arguably was his second season in 1957 with conference bests in WAR (12.9), strikeouts (392), complete games (20), and shutouts (10). The 10 shutouts remains a EBF single-season record and the 392 Ks was the top mark at the time. He had a 17-strikeout no-hitter against Oslo as well, yet only finished third in Pitcher of the Year voting. Plattner’s future would be in doubt though after a torn labrum in late April 1958 knocked him out for 14 months.

Plattner returned to form with 9.5 WAR and another 392 strikeout season in 1960, taking second in Pitcher of the Year voting. He’d finally win the award in 1961 and take second in MVP voting on a Triple Crown season of a 1.72 ERA, 23-9 record, and 379 strikeouts with 9.9 WAR. He capped off this incredible year with a perfect game on September 18 against Berlin, striking out 16; this is tied in EBF history for second most strikeouts in a perfect game.

He would never be as dominant again, although he still had solid 1962 and 1963 campaigns. In his playoff career with Hamburg, he had a 2.52 ERA over 60.2 innings with 66 strikeouts. In 16 games for Austria’s team in the World Baseball Championship, he’d post a 2.16 ERA with 165 strikeouts over 112.1 innings. Late in 1963, Plattner suffered a torn flexor tendon and never returned to form after, seeing his strikeout numbers diminish while still having trouble with walks.

Smaller injuries also limited his innings a bit in the later years. By 1968, Hamburg was ready to rebuild and despite being only 34 years old, Plattner’s value was dropping. The team would later retire his #23 uniform, but they let him go for the 1969 season. He spent one final season back home in Austria with Vienna, but was only a part-time starter and occasional bullpen piece. Plattner retired after the 1969 season at age 35.

His final stats: 170-133 record, 2.68 ERA, 2927 innings, 3431 strikeouts but 1006 walks, 257/368 quality starts, a FIP- of 83, and 64.4 WAR. Plattner was a top-tier strikeout pitcher in his brief prime, still managing a solid amount despite being lower than most EBF Hall of Famers in innings and longevity. The rate stats still look solid, even if he’s one of only three Hall of Famers with 1000+ walks allowed as of 2037. Plattner’s peak dominance was enough to get him the first ballot nod at 73.9% to complete the Hamburg trifecta in the 1975 Hall of Fame class.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 09-03-2023, 05:15 AM

1975 EPB Hall of Fame (Part 1)

Eurasian Professional Baseball had inducted eight players into its Hall of Fame prior to the 1975 ballot. They expanded big time in 1975 with five guys earning the 66% required for induction. There wouldn’t be another EPB class this big until 2005’s unprecedented seven-man group. All five selected would be first ballot as well with 3B Pavlo Kolesnik leading the way at 92.8%. The others didn’t get massive numbers, but enough with SP David Constantin at 75.9%, SP Askar Asanov at 72.6%, 2B Anton Kirilenko at 70.7%, and SP Ilya Pominov at 68.7%. No players were dumped after ten failed attempts in the 1975 voting.

Pavlo Kolesnik – Third Base/Designated Hitter – Minsk Miners – 92.8% First Ballot

Pavlo Kolesnik was a 5’10’’, 200 pound switch hitter from from Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second largest city located in the northeast. Kolesnik would be beloved as an ironman who played 146+ games in all of his EPB seasons, providing a very well-rounded bat. He was a solid contact hitter with very good home run and gap power, while also providing a solid eye and respectable ability to avoid strikeouts. Kolesnik was a slow baserunner and split his career between third base and designated hitter. He wasn’t an atrocious defender, but was definitely subpar and often best left out of the field.

When Eurasian Professional Baseball was officially formed, Kolesnik was already 28-years old and was known as a top flight batter in Ukraine. He would join the new league and go to Belarus, signing with Minsk. He spent his first five seasons with the Miners and helped establish them as a perennial power. Kolesnik led in home runs (43) and RBI (140) with the RBI mark holding as the EPB single-season record until 1988. He won Silver Slugger in each of his first five years with Minsk and was third in MVP voting in 1955 and 1956; and second in both 1957 and 1959.

In the first five years, Minsk made the playoffs each time and won the European League title in 1955 and 56, taking the Soviet Series in 56. Kolesnik took 1955 ELCS MVP honors and 1956 Soviet Series MVP, posting 47 hits over 30 starts in the two seasons. He became beloved in Belarus, but was also beloved back home in Ukraine as part of the World Baseball Championship team. From 1955-69, he made 111 starts in 121 games with 109 hits, 70 runs, 37 home runs, 66 RBI, and 5.5 WAR.

Entering 1960, the now 33-year old Kolesnik was a top free agent and signed a five-year, $460,000 deal with Novosibirsk. He won a batting title and Silver Slugger in 1960 and took third in MVP voting that year. The Nitros were a bottom tier team despite Kolesnik’s efforts and they traded him after the third year of his deal to Bucharest for prospects. He had 14.4 WAR, 502 hits, 244 runs, 76 home runs, and 233 RBI with Novosibirsk.

Kolesnik emerged as a star again with the Broncos with his arguably best season, leading the European League in the Triple Slash (.335/.407/.608) with a 1.016 OPS and 9.0 WAR. This got his seventh Silver Slugger, but he was second in MVP voting, ultimately never snagging the top award. Kolesnik won another Slugger in 1964 with 14.8 WAR, 356 hits, 172 runs, 55 home runs, and 179 RBI in just two seasons with Bucharest. His deal expired after the 1964 season and the 38-year old Kolesnik wanted to be on a playoff contender again. Thus, he re-signed with Minsk, whom had remained a dominant force since his departure.

He spent three more years with the Miners and was still a solid starter, although he’d only win one more Silver Slugger with his ninth in 1967. Kolesnik earned his second ring with Minsk taking the 1966 Soviet Series. In his eight total years there, he had 1351 hits, 713 runs, 240 home runs, 821 RBI, and 41.8 WAR. His jersey #1 would also be retired by Minsk as he’d remain an extremely popular face of franchise for years after. He became a free agent again at age 41 and spent his final two seasons with Bishkek, retiring after the 1969 season.

Kolesnik’s final stats: 2485 hits, 1234 runs, 487 doubles, 403 home runs, 1363 RBI, a .286/.352/.491 slash, 145 wRC+, and 75.5 WAR. His stats didn’t end up at the top of the leaderboards as the years went on, but they’re impressive considering his debut season was at age 28. With five more prime years, he could’ve ended up in the 3000 hit, 100 WAR, 600 home run range. Still, Kolesnik’s accomplishments were more than enough to get the first ballot nod at 92.8% as the first Ukrainian member of the EPB Hall.

David Constantin – Starting Pitcher – Baku Blackbirds – 75.9% First Ballot

David Constantin was a 6’4’’, 200 pound left-handed pitcher from Tarnova, a commune of around 6,000 people in western Romania. He had 96-98 mph peak velocity with good stuff and movement and okay control. Constantin could beat you with one of five pitches; fastball, slider, curveball, changeup, and splitter. He was incredibly durable and almost never missed a scheduled start and in his prime was good at going deep in games. Constantin was also a strong defensive pitcher. However, he was a complete jerk that was disliked in any clubhouse he went to.

Despite being unlikeable, Constantin had plenty of promise out of college and was picked 26^th overall by Budapest in the 1956 EPB Draft. He was a part-time starter in only two seasons with the Broncos and struggled to a 4.65 ERA over 257.1 innings. His home country team was unimpressed by both his play and attitude, although he would still later return home in the World Baseball Championship from 1959-68 with a 3.34 ERA over 86.2 innings. Constantin’s pro time in Romania would end before the 1959 season as he was traded to Baku.

He’d find his groove with the Blackbirds and have nine straight 5+ WAR seasons with Baku, later earning his #8 jersey’s retirement. He’d never get to play in the playoffs though with the Blackbirds perennially at the bottom. Constantin had highlights, including a no-hitter with 14 strikeouts and two walks against Ufa in 1959. On May 4, 1961; he’d toss a perfect game with 12 strikeouts against Dushanbe.

1962 was the crowning achievement season for Constantin as he won his lone Pitcher of the Year and also Asian League MVP. It would be his only time as a PotY finalist, but It was well deserved with a league-best 1.64 ERA and 10.6 WAR with 30 complete games, 8 shutouts, and 340 strikeouts. In total with Baku, Constantin had a 161-104 record, 2.45 ERA, 2592 strikeouts in 2433 innings, and 58.0 WAR. The Blackbirds would also later retire his #8 uniform, although their relationship with him over the later years would fluctuate.

He had solid production throughout and Warsaw hoped he’d carry that over, signing Constantin at age 33 to a four-year, $548,000 deal starting in 1967. Both his production and motivation fell off hard with the Wildcats, posting -0.2 WAR over 361.1 innings with a 3.41 ERA. He’d be in-and-out of the rotation and ultimately benched full-time; not pitching a single inning in 1970 despite being under contract the whole year. Constantin retired after the season at age 35.

Constantin’s final stats: 198-135 record, 2.75 ERA, 3051.2 innings, 3000 strikeouts, 252/358 quality starts, a FIP- of 87 and 59.1 WAR. Pretty much his entire production was the Bau run, but it was a very impressive nine year run. Respectable stats, but not amazing, which made some wonder if he’d have a real shot at the Hall of Fame considering he was also stuck on bad teams and was a jerk. The tallies were enough for 75.9% of the voters to not only put him in, but with a first ballot distinction.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 09-03-2023, 12:02 PM

1975 EPB Hall of Fame (Part 2)

Askar Asanov – Starting Pitcher – Dushanbe Dynamo – 72.6% First Ballot

Askar Asanov was a 6’2’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from Hisor, a city with a metro of around 300,000 people in western Tajikistan. He was never viewed as great at any one thing, but consistently above average at most things. Asanov had 95-97 mph peak velocity with a great fastball, mixed with a slider, changeup, and knuckle curve. He was very outspoken in the clubhouse and known for having many hot takes, many of which were naturally flagrantly wrong. Despite the bluster, he could give you a lot of quality innings.

Asanov was 26-years old already when Eurasian Professional Baseball was formed in 1955 and signed his first deal with Tashkent. He lone season as a Tomcat was iffy and he’d be traded to his home country team Dushanbe before the 1956 season. He’d spent the next decade with the Dynamo and see his #17 uniform retired at the end of the run. Asanov had five seasons with 8+ WAR with Dushanbe, but still wasn’t a league-leader except for when he struck out 333 in 1960. He never won Pitcher of the Year, although he was third in both 1956 and 1959. In 56, he saw a career-best 10.6 WAR season.

Dushanbe was an early Asian League contender with playoff berths from 1956-60. The Dynamo won the league title in 1958 and the Soviet Series crown in 1960. Asanov’s playoff numbers weren’t great with a 4.95 ERA over 67.1 innings. A torn back muscle in August 1958 kept him out of that run, but he still got his ring and played a big role getting them to that point. Asanov also played for the Tajik team in the World Baseball Championship with a 3.61 ERA over 139.2 innings, 155 strikeouts, and 2.5 WAR from 1957-67.

Asanov was less dominant as he entered his mid 30s, but still had solid numbers as Dushanbe entered a rebuilding phase. 1963 saw a partially torn labrum, but he managed to return decently to form for two more years with the Dynamo. In total there, he had a 151-107 record, 2.64 ERA, 2376.1 innings, 2456 strikeouts, and 72.7 WAR.

At age 37, Asanov became a free agent and signed for the 1966 season with St. Petersburg. He had one decent season as a Polar Bear, then was traded to Ulaanbaatar. Asanov had two respectable seasons with the Boars, then suffered a torn rotator cuff in his second start of 1969. He hoped to comeback from the injury, but a setback put him out 19 total months and he’d never pitch again, retiring officially after the 1970 season at age 41.

Asanov’s final stats: 220-149 record, 2.75 ERA, 3366 innings, 3392 strikeouts, 690 walks, 278/417 quality starts, FIP- of 76, and 87.6 WAR. He was a guy who wasn’t always noticed in his time, but quietly put up a pretty solid resume when looking at the final numbers. This got him the first ballot nod at 72.6% as the first Tajik-born Hall of Famer.

Anton “Flea” Kirilenko – Second Base – Moscow Mules – 70.7% First Ballot

Anton Kirilenko was a 5’10’’, 200 pound left-handed hitting second baseman from Lesnoy, a town within the Minsk region of Belarus. He was best known for a great eye for drawing walks and avoiding strikeouts. Kirilenko was a well-rounded bat though with solid contact and power production in his run, although he was slower than you’d expect for a middle infielder. He was a career second baseman with not only a far stronger bat than you’d usually see there, but very solid defense as well. Kirilenko was a hard worker and very durable, playing 130+ games in all of his EPB seasons.

Kirilenko was already 27 years old when EPB formed and was viewed by many as the best second baseman in Europe. He signed with Moscow in 1955 and spent all but his final season in Russia’s capital. He’d post a 8.1 WAR debut season and have eight seasons worth 7+ WAR. Kirilenko led the European League in walks four times, OBP thrice, WAR twice, and doubles once. He’d get eight Silver Sluggers at second base (1955, 56, 57, 60, 61, 62, 63, 66) and win Gold Glove in 1957.

Kirilenko became an extremely popular player and twice won All-Star Game MVP. He took European League MVP twice in 1962 and 1963, posting a career-best 10.3 WAR and 43 home runs in 63. Kirilenko was second in MVP voting in 1961 and third in 1965. He also went home to Belarus for the World Baseball Championship from 1956-69, playing 98 games with 78 hits, 61 runs, 31 home runs, and 58 RBI.

Moscow made the playoffs eight times from 1959-67, although they consistently suffered early playoff exits. Kirilenko was 39 years old in 1967 when the Mules finally broke through and won their European League title, falling in the Soviet Series to Bishkek. He had 37 hits, 18 runs, and 1.2 WAR in 35 playoff games for his career. The next season finally saw a noticeable decline and Moscow traded him before the 1969 campaign to Prague. There would be no hard feelings and his #30 uniform would be retired the next year. He stunk in his one year with the Pilots, retiring after the season at age 42.

Kirilenko’s final stats: 2179 hits, 1232 runs, 355 doubles, 410 home runs, 1203 RBI, a .275/.358/.486 slash, wRC+ of 148 and 93.7 WAR. He would the first Belrusian Hall of Famer, although his voting percentage of 70.7% is lower than you might expect looking at the stats. As of 2037, he is easily EPB’s WARlord among second basemen and many view Kirilenko as the league’s best-ever at the under-appreciated position.

Ilya Pominov – Starting Pitcher – Ufa Fiends – 68.7% First Ballot

Ilya Pominov was a 5’11’’, 200 pound left-handed pitcher from Gubkin, a town of around 85,000 people in western Russia located around three hours from the border with Ukraine. He got by on power with 99-101 mph peak velocity on his fastball. Pominov’s movement and control were considered respectable also and he had a five pitch arsenal, also mixing in a slider, curveball, changeup, and splitter. He was excellent at holding runners and in his 20s was viewed as having excellent stamina, leading the league thrice in complete games.

Pominov was a prized prospect in EPB’s first-ever amateur draft in 1955. Ufa would select him fourth overall and he’d immediately slot into their rotation, taking second in Rookie of the Year honors. Year three was his breakout with an Asian League best 10.5 WAR, although this didn’t earn much awards attention. He was the strikeout leader with 333 in 1960. He’d win his lone Pitcher of the Year in 1961 with a career best 10.8 WAR with a 24-9 record, 2.04 ERA, and 0.82 WHIP. He’d lead in ERA (1.73) and complete games (28) with 10.5 WAR in 1963, earning second in PotY voting and third in MVP voting.

Pominov started pitching for the Russian national team in the World Baseball Championship, posting a 2.92 ERA in 14 games and 92.1 innings from 1957-65. With Ufa, he had a 143-102 record, 2.53 ERA, 2262.1 innings, 2480 strikeouts, and 69.3 WAR. The team would also retire his #19 uniform. Ufa finally made the playoffs for the first time in 1963 and were Asian League finalists in both 1963 and 1964. Pominov had a partially torn labrum though in August 1964 and missed the latter playoff run.

Despite that injury, he was only 31 years old and was a very in-demand free agent, signing a six-year, $696,000 deal with Moscow starting in 1965. His Mules run would be plagued by injuries, starting with another partially torn labrum in the summer of 1965. In April 1966, a torn rotator cuff put him out after his third start. He blew out his elbow in his first inning of 1967 and required major surgery, putting him out 14 months. He was able to see some innings in 1968 and 1969 with okay numbers, but gone were the days of any dominance. Pominov opted to retire after the 1969 season at age 35.

Pominov’s final stats: 170-117 record, 2.53 ERA, 2661.1 innings, 2889 strikeouts to 594 walks, 226/328 quality starts, 180 complete games, a FIP- of 68, and 79.9 WAR. Without the injuries, he might have really cemented himself as a true EPB legend. Still, he managed a solid resume basically exclusively in his 20s and had enough to barely get the first ballot nod at 68.7%.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 09-04-2023, 07:02 AM

1975 OBA/APB Hall of Fame

The wait for the first Oceania Baseball Association Hall of Famer continues with all six newcomers to the ballot getting dropped with less than 5% of the vote. The returners didn’t see any noticeable movement with SS Fineasi Hausia again leading, although his 30.7% is still far away from the 66% requirement.

The first eligible players for Austronesia Professional Baseball’s Hall of Fame came up in 1975 with no inductees. The highest tally went to closer Hartriono Siagian at 38.7%.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 09-04-2023, 01:24 PM

1975 World Baseball Championship

1975 marked the 29^th World Baseball Championship, held for the first time in Taiwan with Taipei serving as the host city. Division one as usual had the defending world champion United States on top with the 7-0 Americans earning their 26^th elite eight berth. Defending runner-up China got its seventh overall and sixth consecutive division title. The Chinese won D2 at 6-1, having to hold off spirited 5-2 efforts by Poland and Bolivia. Division 3 had Argentina and South Korea tie for first at 5-2, while four teams were 4-3. The tiebreaker moved the Argentinians forward for the eighth time. In D4, North Korea claimed first at 6-1, one better than Spain. This gave the PRK its sixth division title.

Canada claimed a 21^st elite eight appearance by taking Division 5 at 6-1, finishing one ahead of the host Taiwan. England and Mexico tied for first at 5-2 in D6 with three teams close behind at 4-3. The tiebreaker sent the English forward for only the third time and first time since 1963. Puerto Rico and the Philippines tied for first in Division 7 at 5-2 with four close back at 4-3. The tiebreaker gave the Boricuas their fourth division title and first since 1971. And in Division 8, Brazil and Nigeria tied for top honors at 6-1 with Romania at 5-2. The tiebreaker denied the Nigerians from being the first African team to advance, while the Brazilians made it for the fourth straight season and the 15^th time overall, third behind the US and Canada.

The Americans rolled through Round Robin Group A at 6-0 to earn a 25^th semifinal berth. England and North Korea were both 3-3 and Canada was 0-6. The tiebreaker gave the English the nod for their second-ever semifinal berth, having taken third in 1963. Group B had China first at 4-2 for their fifth semifinal appearance of the decade. Brazil and Argentina tied at 3-3- and Puerto Rico was 2-4. The tiebreaker moved Brazil forward for the seventh time, having last made the semis with their 1969 finalist effort.

In the best-of-seven semifinals, the United States beat Brazil in six, sending the Americans to a fifth straight championship and their 22^nd finals appearance. China downed England 4-1 to give the Chinese their fourth finals berth in six years. Brazil officially was third place for the fifth time and England was fourth.

The 1975 World Championship was a rematch of 1971 and 1974. The Chinese got the closest they had come against the US by taking the series all seven games, but the Americans ultimately prevailed for a fifth straight world title and 19^th overall. LF Connor Neumeyer became the first player to win WBC MVP three times and as of 2037, is the only player with three or more. The 25-year old Pittsburgh Pirate had 36 hits, 23 runs, 14 home runs, 28 RBI, and 3.0 WAR. Pitcher of the Year was veteran Oakland closer Carson Hanford. He made two starts and four relief appearances in the tournament with a 0.83 ERA over 21.2 innings with 36 strikeouts and four walks.

Other notes: Australia’s Yul Saitz had a four home run game against Costa Rica. Below are the updated all-time tournament stats. With their third place in 1975, Brazil now has the fourth most points, getting ahead of South Korea. With their incredible run in the 1970s so far, China has climbed up to sixth most despite largely being a non-factor in the tournament’s first two decades.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 09-05-2023, 04:19 AM

1975 in WAB

West Africa Baseball officially debuted in 1975 with the first Western League champion being Abidjan. The capital of the Ivory Coast finished at 100-62 and was the only team in WAB to allow fewer than 500 runs (499). Taking the two wild card spots were Bamkao at 94-68 and Dakar at 93-69.

The first Western League MVP was 32-year old Freetown left fielder V.J. Balogun. Nicknamed “Puke,” the right-handed Nigerian led in WAR (10.4) and triple slash (.349/.424/.674), OPS (1.098), wRC+ (229), runs (125), and total bases (384), also adding 48 home runs and 105 RBI. Pitcher of the Year was Abidjan’s Blaise Ouattara. Nicknamed “Blue,” the 29-year old righty from Ghana led in WHIP (0.83), quality starts (24), and K/BB (9.2), adding 8.4 WAR over 253 innings with 267 strikeouts, and 2.31 ERA, and 17-7 record.

In the wild card round, Bamako bested Dakar in three games. The first Western League Championship Series went the distance, which is only five games in West Africa Baseball. The league champ Abidjan outlasted the Bullfrogs to take the first Western League title.

The Eastern League would see all three playoff spots go to Nigerian teams in the debut season. Kano was on top at 102-60, followed by Benin City at 97-65 and Lagos at 90-72. Douala was next closest at 85-77. The Condors allowed the fewest runs at 504, while the Blue Devils had the most runs scored of any WAB team in 1975 with 782.

Leading that offensive effort for Benin City was Eastern League MVP Jamil Boadi. The 30-year old right fielder from Ghana was the home run (53) and RBI (154) leader, as well as the leader in runs (116), total bases (365), slugging (.602), OPS (.954), and wRC+ (169), adding 8.4 WAR. The 154 RBI would stand as WAB’s single-season record until 2001. Ibadan’s Cheikh Sow was the Pitcher of the Year. The 28-year old Mauritanian lefty was the leader in ERA (1.95), wins (19-7), WHIP (0.76), K/BB (7.6), quality starts (25), FIP- (67) and WAR (6.9). He had 231 innings and was second in strikeouts at 282.

Lagos upset Benin City 2-1 in the wild card round and would take Kano the distance in the Eastern League Championship Series. However, the Condors would survive in five games to become the first EL champ.

In the first-ever West African Championship, Kano downed Abidjan in six games to send the first cup to Nigeria. The first finals MVP was 3B Siphelele Mannathoko, who would play only two seasons in WAB. The 34-year old from Botswana had 14 hits, 4 runs, 2 doubles, and one home run in 11 playoff games. For Kano, this started them on the path that would make them arguably WAB’s best franchise throughout its first decades.

Other notes: West Africa Baseball’s first Perfect Game came from Freetown’s Hamza Opoku, striking out 12 against Monrovia on June 19. Lagos’ ace Power Bonou struck out 21 on September 21 against Niamey. This mark would be the most in a game until passed in 1984.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 09-05-2023, 10:49 AM

1975 in CLB

Dalian was first in the Chinese Northern League for back-to-back seasons, this time posting a franchise-best 106-56 record. After only 75 wins last year, Shanghai earned the second place spot at 96-66 for their second playoff appearance in CLB’s first six seasons. Jinan was third yet again at 89-73, while defending China Series champ Xi’An was fifth at 87-75.

Hao Lan won back-to-back MVPs for the Golden Dragons. The 25-year old LF was the WARlord (12.4) and leader in runs (111), home runs (42), total bases (353), slugging (.612), OPS (.982), and wRC+ (217). Pitcher of the Year was Shanghai’s Lixuan Xiao. The 26-year old lefty led in ERA (1.42) and quality starts (33), adding 9.5 WAR over 286 innings with 276 strikeouts and a 14-8 record.

The Southern League had an incredible tight battle with Macau and Wuhan tying for first at 93-69. The tiebreaker gave the league title to the Magicians in their first playoff berth, while the Wolverines earned back-to-back playoff berths. Changsha was one behind at 92-70 and defending SL champ Guangzhou was three away at 90-72.

Southern League MVP went to Macao 3B Wei Gao. The 26-year old righty was the leader in hits (186), total bases (313), and batting average (.314) with a 11.1 WAR and 202 wRC+ campaign. Pitcher of the Year was Shenzhen’s Zhiyuan Lai, CLB’s first Triple Crown winner. The 24-year old righty had a staggering 0.71 ERA with a 17-4 record with 331 strikeouts over 229 innings, adding a FIP- of 17 and 13.4 WAR. The 0.71 ERA set a world record for the best single-season ever by a starting pitcher in any league. As of 2037, only the bonkers 0.64 from EAB’s Toshikuni Naikai in 2020 would be better. Also worth a mention was closer Encai Xing becoming the first the first three-time Reliever of the Year winner. He had 36 saves and a 1.19 ERA split between Hong Kong and Macau.

Both first place teams would win the semifinal series as Dalian downed Wuhan 4-1 and Macau topped Shanghai 4-2. Both teams were first time finalists and their China Series matchup would go all seven games. The Golden Dragons edged the Magicians to take the title with league MVP Hao Lan also taking finals MVP. In 12 playoff games, Lan had 16 hits, 6 runs, 1 home run, 9 RBI, and 8 stolen bases.

Other notes: Macau’s Enhua Zhou set a still-standing postseason record with a perfect zero ERA over 21 playoff innings, also holding the postseason record with a .0882 slugging against him. Zhou pitched 21 innings with six hits and one unearned run allowed, striking out 30 with five walks. He was named semifinals MVP for his effort. 1B Shenchao An, LF Ruilong Yuan, and RF Chenggong Ou Yang each won their sixth Gold Gloves, giving them the award in each CLB season so far. RF Xinze Yan became a six-time Silver Slugger winner.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 09-05-2023, 05:05 PM

1975 in APB

Two-time defending Austronesia Champion Kaohsiung improved to a 113-49 mark atop the Taiwan League, the most wins in a season for a Taiwanese team. The Steelheads won their third straight league title and smacked 240 home runs as a team, which remains the Taiwan-Philippine Association single-season record as of 2037. The Philippine League was very competitive with Davao (88-74) edging out Cebu (86-76), Manila (83-79), and Quezon (82-80). Last year’s winner Zamboanga was last but still decent ag 78-84. For the Devil Rays, they won their second league title, having also taken first in 1972.

The Steelheads had both the association MVP and Pitcher of the Year. RF Chun-Chia Lan won back-to-back MVPs, leading in RBI (102) and adding 52 home runs, a .937 OPS, and 7.9 WAR. Pitcher of the Year was Aminuddin Wahi with the 27-year old Malaysian leading in complete games (18), and shutouts (8)), adding 6.2 WAR and a 1.89 ERA with a 21-7 record. Many felt Manila’s Wisnu Dharmayuman got robbed of the award by being on a weaker team. He had a 1.57 ERA, 406 strikeouts, and 10.9 WAR; but the 16-10 record sunk him with some traditionalists.

The Sundaland Association’s Java League required a tiebreaker game for the title after Semarang and Surabaya tied at 100-62. The Sliders won the tiebreaker for their first league title, leaving Singapore as the only team in the association without a playoff berth. After a weak 71-win season in 1974, Batam bounced back to take the Malacca League at 92-70; their fifth playoff berth in six years. Defending association champ Palembang was second at 87-75.

Panthers LF Abracham Gumelar won his fourth MVP award with the 28-year old lefty getting the first ever APB Triple Crown for a hitter. He had a .297 average, 46 home runs, and 104 RBI. He also led in runs (90), total bases (327), OBP (.362), slugging (.599), OPS (.961), and wRC+ (253), with 10.0 WAR. Meanwhile, Semarang’s Sahid Fakhruddin won his third straight Pitcher of the Year. He also had a Triple Crown season, becoming the second APB pitcher to do so (Kun-Sheng Lin did it four times). Fakhruddin had a 23-5 record, 1.06 ERA, and 388 strikeouts over 272.1 innings with a 0.74 WHIP and 9.6 WAR.

Kaohsiung was the heavy favorite for the Taiwan-Philippine Association Championship, but they were stunned with the 113-win Steelheads getting swept by the 88-win Devil Rays. The Sundaland Association Championship had excitement by going seven games. Semarang defeated Batam in the end for their first title.

The 11^th Austronesia Championship had two first-time finals participants. Semarang defeated Davao 4-2 with finals MVP going to pitcher Alfin Surdani. He pitched 8.2 scoreless innings with 13 strikeouts in a key start and also had an eight-inning relief appearance in the postseason. He had a 0.00 ERA with just an unearned run against him and 22 strikeouts for the playoff run.

Other notes: Wisnu Dharmayuman tied the single-game strikeout record with 21 Ks in ten innings against Taichung on May 30. Batam’s Gita Hermawan had a 28-game hit streak to set a new APB record. SS Hadi Yahya won his eighth Silver Slugger, the most for any APB player to date. MVP Abracham Gumelar won his seventh in LF.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 09-06-2023, 06:48 AM

1975 in OBA

Auckland dominated the Australasia League in 1975, getting their second ever first place finish (1965) by finishing at 108-54. Defending Oceania Champion Adelaide was second at 95-67, a distant 13 games away. For the Avengers, that is the second-most wins in a season to date by an Australasia League team, one behind Gold Coast’s 109-53 campaign in 1972.

Winning league MVP for the seventh consecutive season was Adelaide SS Jimmy Caliw. The 29-year old Filipino led the league in runs (98), hits (169), home runs (35), RBI (99), total bases (318), OBP (.350), slugging (.538), OPS (.888), wRC+ (175) and WAR (12.6). Caliw got his seventh straight 10+ WAR season and his ninth Gold Glove. Meanwhile, Brisbane’s Nathaniel Doloran won his fifth Pitcher of the Year and earned back-to-back Triple Crowns. The 28-year old Australian lefty had a 28-7 record, 1.79 ERA, and broke his own single-season strikeout record with 497. He also led with 341 innings, 0.83 WHIP, 35 quality starts, 19 complete games, 49 FIP-, and 13.9 WAR.

The Pacific League had five teams within four games of the top spot. Defending champ Tahiti finished on top for the fourth time in franchise history with the Tropics at 89-73. Port Moresby was two games behind at 87-75 with Guam three back and both Fiji and Samoa at four back.

Guam DH Sione Hala won his seventh league MVP with the 32-year old Tongan leading in runs (107), home runs (51), RBI (114), total bases (349), slugging (.605), OPS (.942), wRC+ (200), and WAR (7.9). Samoa’s Brad Nelson became a three time Pitcher of the Year winner. The 28-year old lefty from Vanuatu led in strikeouts (423) and also walks (108) over 330 innings with 34 quality starts, 8.9 WAR, a 2.05 ERA, and 20-14 record.

The 16^th Oceania Championship was a rematch of the 1965 final. Just like that one, Tahiti defeated Auckland, this time in six games; giving the Tropics their second OBA ring. 1B Kereama Ruka was the finals MVP with the 26-year old from Kiribati making the most of only one start and three games as a pinch hitter. In 8 plate appearances, he had 4 hits, 2 walks, 2 runs, and one home run.

Other notes: Alapati Tatupu and Sione Hala became the second and third OBA batters to reach 2000 career hits. Hala won his ninth Silver Slugger as well. LF Martin Topio won his record 11^th Gold Glove. 3B Ieremia Tenakanai won his eight Silver Slugger and C Mark O’Grady and 1B Seymour Lennox became seven time Silver Slugger winners.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 09-06-2023, 04:27 PM

1975 in EPB

Minsk won a sixth straight European League North Division title and earned a 20^th playoff berth in the first 21 years of Eurasian Professional Baseball. At 108-54, the Miners had the best record in all of EPB. St. Petersburg and defending Soviet Series champ Moscow were both wild card teams again with the Polar Bears at 102-60 and the Mules at 94-68. For Moscow, it is their fifth playoff berth in six years. Kyiv won the South Division at 95-67 for their second division title in three years. Last year’s winner Kharkiv missed the field with a second place 89-73.

Moscow DH Emin Ismayilov won the European League MVP, having signed with the Mules as a free agent in the offseason after eight years with Kyiv. He was only two points short of a Triple Crown as he had a .307 average and led in runs (113), hits (181), home runs (62), RBI (117), walks (74), total bases (398), OBP (.384), slugging (.676), OPS (1.059), wRC+ (213), and WAR (10.3). It was only the second 60+ HR season in EPB history behind Zina Gigolashvili’s 65 in 1971.

Kyiv’s Ihor Povaliy became the first pitcher in EPB history to win both Pitcher of the Year and Rookie of the Year in the same season. The 24-year old Belarusian lefty was the WARlord (10.5) and leader in K/BB (11.1), shutouts (8), and FIP- (50), adding 332 strikeouts over 268.1 innings with a 1.74 ERA and 21-6 record. Also of note, Jas Starsky became EPB’s second four-time Reliever of the Year winner. The 35-year old spent 1975 with Minsk and posted a 1.12 ERA over 96.2 innings with 164 strikeouts and 6.8 WAR.

In the first round of the playoffs, Moscow upset Minsk in four games and Kyiv edged St. Petersburg in five games. The European League Championship Series saw the Mules sweep the Kings, giving Moscow back-to-back league titles as a wild card. It is their third EL crown (1975, 74, 67).

The top mark in the Asian League went to Ulaanbaatar atop the North Division at 106-56; their first division title and back-to-back playoff berths. The Boars allowed only 393 runs, setting an AL record. Tbilisi won the South Division at 104-58 for their first-ever division crown and fourth straight playoff appearance. Almaty (97-65) and Irkutsk (92-70) earned the wild card spots. The Assassins earned a fifth straight playoff berth and the Ice Cats snapped a drought dating back to 1962. Last year’s Asian League champ Krasnoyarsk collapsed spectacularly. After winning 100 games in 1974, the Cossacks dropped to a last place 60-102 in 1975.

Asian League MVP went to Ulaanbaatar’s Zdeno Macala. The 25-year old Slovak DH had a banner year with the lead in runs (103), home runs (44), RBI (115), total bases (363), slugging (.600), and 92 WAR. Baku’s Vladimir Nadiryan won the Pitcher of the Year. The 28-year old Armenian righty was the WARlord (10.1) and led in quality starts (29), and FIP- (58). He added 366 strikeouts over 289.2 innings with a 1.80 ERA and 17-12 record.

Both first round series in the Asian League went all five games with the wild card teams stunning the division champs; Irkutsk topped Ulaanbaatar and Almaty bested Tbilisi. This sent Almaty to their fifth straight ALCS and Irkutsk to their first in 15 years. In the ALCS, the Ice Cats downed the Assassins in five games, giving Irkutsk its third league title (1975, 1961, 1956).

The 21^st Soviet Series featured the second wild card from both leagues. It also saw back-to-back years with two Russian teams in the finale. The series went all seven games with Moscow edging Irkutsk, giving the Mules back-to-back titles. League MVP Emin Ismayilov also won finals MVP, posting 18 hits, 11 runs, 4 doubles, 6 home runs, and 15 RBI in 15 playoff games. Moscow becomes the third franchise to win back-to-back EPB rings, joining 1972-73 Almaty and 1958-59 Kyiv. Irkutsk meanwhile moves to 0-3 in Soviet Series appearances.

Other notes: Zina Gigolashvili became the first batter in EPB to reach 700 career home runs and the first to 1500 RBI. He’d play one more season and retire as the leader in both stats with 720 home runs and 1559 RBI, plus 1398 runs scored. Zaur Kadirov became the sixth batter to 500 home runs. Demis Mankovsky became the first reliever to 400 career saves in EPB. Havlik Hloznik became the ninth pitcher to 4000 strikeouts and the 22^nd to 200 wins. Catcher Samir Allahverdiyev won his 11^th and final Silver Slugger, becoming the first hitter to win 11 at any position.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 09-07-2023, 04:04 AM

1975 in EBF

After missing the playoffs three times since their 1971 European Championship, Luxembourg had the best record in the EBF Northern Conference in 1975. The Lancers finished 103-59 for their third Northwest Division title in franchise history. Rotterdam’s playoff streak was ended at eight seasons, fourth in the solid division at 82-80. The wild card came out of the North Central Division ultimately. Oslo won the division at 91-71 with Stockholm one behind at 90-72 to take the wild card. In the British Isles Division, 1973 EBF champ London ended up back on top after missing the field in 1974, finishing at 97-65. Glasgow at 88-74 was two games off the wild card. Defending NC champ Birmingham fell hard, dropping from 92 wins to 68 wins.

Prior to 1975, there had been five pitching Triple Crowns in European Baseball Federation, the last of which came in 1961. Both Pitcher of the Year winners in 1975 earned the Triple Crown with the Northern Conference honor to Luxembourg’s Greg Saint-Pierre. The 25-year old Frenchman also won the conference MVP honor with a 26-3 record, 1.45 ERA, and 361 strikeouts. He also led in 10.7 WAR, 0.79 WHIP, 11.3 K/BB, and 30 quality starts over 272.2 innings.

In the first round of the playoffs, Stockholm stunned Luxembourg in an upset 3-1 while Oslo knocked off London in four. In the Northern Conference Championship, the Octopi defeated the Swordsmen in six games. This gave Oslo its first-ever conference title.

Zurich (102-60) had the top record in the Southern Conference, winning the South Central Division for the third straight year. Zagreb and defending European champion Belgrade tied for the Southeast Division title at 96-66. The one-game tiebreaker gave the Gulls the division title and the Bruisers the wild card. Meanwhile in a down Southwest Division, Seville took first at 85-77, defeating Barcelona, Madrid, and Lisbon all by four games. For the Stingrays, this was only their third playoff berth and their first since the 1962-63 division wins.

Southern Conference MVP went to Zagreb’s Richard Rautenstrauch at only age 23. The German had a hitting Triple Crown, which had only previously been done in EBF by Danijel Cindric in 1953. He boasted an incredible 62 home runs, 133 RBI, 443 total bases, a .385/.440/.874 slash, 1.314 OPS, wRC+ of 270, and 14.7 WAR. He set single season records to that point in average, slugging and OPS. Rauternstrauch’s totals remain the single-season slugging and OPS seasons as of 2037. 14.7 WAR was the second-best season to that point and is still fourth best for an EBF hitter as of 2037. He also won his second Gold Glove.

Zurich’s Jean-Luc Roch won his second Pitcher of the Year in three years and had a Triple Crown season of his own. The 24-year old French lefty had a 23-2 record, 1.83 ERA, and 399 strikeouts, adding 12.9 WAR, a FIP- of 37, 12.1 K/BB, and 0.73 WHIP. Roch also threw two no-hitters with 12 strikeouts and one walk against Naples on August 23, then had nine Ks and three walks on September 27 in the playoffs against Seville. He joined Harald Solbach (1952) as the only EBF players to this point with two no-hitters in a season.

In the first round of the playoffs, Zurich swept Seville and Zagreb outlasted Belgrade in a five game classic. The Southern Conference Championship ended in a sweep for the first time in a decade with the Gulls flattening the Mountaineers. This was Zagreb’s second conference title, as they also won it in 1960.

The 26^th European Championship was a seven game thriller, the first to go all seven since 1970. Zagreb claimed their second EBF ring by edging Oslo, keeping the title in Yugoslavia. 1B Petros Kalogiannis was the finals MVP with the 28-year old Greek righty posting 18 hits, 12 runs, 3 triples, 6 home runs, and 15 RBI over 16 playoff games.

Other notes: Sauncho Fiero became EBF’s first batter to 3000 career hits. He’d finish after the 1978 season with 3321 and would be EBF’s hit king until the mid 1990s. Joachim Muller became the fifth EBF pitcher to 3500 strikeouts.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 09-07-2023, 05:03 PM

1975 in BSA

Before the 1975 season, Beisbol Sudamerica made rule changes with the intent of raising offensive numbers. BSA had below average to low offensive numbers historically, although they were no longer the lowest scoring major league with many of the newer leagues being even lower. Still, leaders wanted to see their numbers come more in line with that of MLB or CABA. The home run chase of 1973 with Valor Melo and Julio Batista convinced many within South America that more power and scoring meant more ticket sales.

The changes saw the Bolivar League average ERA go from 3.24 in 1974 to 3.80 in 1975, while the Southern Cone’s went from 3.14 to 3.41. The Bolivar League’s batting average went from .243 to .265, while the Southern Cone went from .235 to .246. The Bolivar League would be viewed historically as having average offensive numbers onward into the 1980s and 1990s, while the Southern Cone while bumped up was still below average.

Defending Bolivar League champion Valencia won the North Division again and set a franchise record with a 114-48 record. The Velocity clobbered 283 home runs as a team, tying the all-time single-season mark set by Caracas in 1932. Their 900 runs scored was a new record and was well above the next best of 731. In the South Division, Cali won their first division title since 1953 with a 95-67 record. Last year’s division winner Quito was a distant second at 86-76.

Valencia had the MVP and the Pitcher of the Year in 1975. Second-year DH A.J. Nunez posted an impressive MVP season with the 22-year old Colombian leading the league with 136 runs, 58 home runs, 151 RBI, 445 total bases, .758 slugging, 1.146 OPS, and 193 wRC+. Nunez set the single season record for RBI, runs scored, and OPS. Lazaro Rodriguez had the seventh Triple Crown season for a BSA pitcher, the first since 1963. It was back-to-back Pitcher of the Year awards for the 24-year old Paraguayan with a 25-7 record, 2.29 ERA, and 442 strikeouts. He also led in WAR (10.5), innings (275.2), WHIP (0.82), K/BB (16.4), complete games (18), and FIP- (55).

In the Southern Cone League, Buenos Aires had the best record and earned their first South Division title since 1963. The Atlantics tied their franchise record at 111-51 and had a historic pitching season despite the offensive rule changes. They had 1831 strikeouts as a team, which still stands as the league record as of 2037. Last year’s Copa Sudamerica champ Cordoba was third in the division at 94-68 with Santiago at 98-64.

The Brazil Division was stacked at the top and ultimately saw a tie for first at 100-62 between Rio de Janeiro and defending champ Salvador. Sao Paulo was only two back at 98-64 with Brasilia a solid 92-70. In a one-game tiebreaker for the title, the Redbirds prevailed. It was Rio’s first division title since the 1970 cup win.

Santiago’s Afonso Revela became the new South American home run king, beating Valor Melo’s 66 from two years prior. Revela smacked a nice 69, but would only be the home run king for one season. This wasn’t enough to win MVP either, as that went to Sao Paulo’s Eugenio Montes. The 26-year old Argentine had his own 60 home run season and led the league in runs (120), RBI (123), total bases (405), wRC+ (220), and WAR (10.5). Buenos Aires had the Pitcher of the Year with Raphael Grieco with the 29-year old leading in ERA (1.85), WHIP (0.77), complete games (14), FIP- (45), and WAR (10.9). He had 361 strikeouts in 247.2 innings with a 21-9 record.

In the Bolivar League Championship Series, Valencia earned back-to-back titles. They edged Cali in seven games with each game going to the home team. The Southern Cone Championship also went all seven with Buenos Aires defeating Rio de Janeiro with a 3-1 walkoff home run in game seven by RF Marti Salazar. This was the seventh title for the Atlantics and first since 1963.

In the 45^th Copa Sudamerica, Valencia ended up the runner-up for back-to-back seasons Buenos Aires’ pitching prowess dominated the Velocity’s power with the Atlantics winning the series 4-1. RF Juan Arcos was finals MVP with the 25-year old in 12 playoff games getting 14 hits, 9 runs, 5 home runs, and 12 RBI. Buenos Aires joined Santiago and Medellin for most cup wins with five apiece. The Atlantics also won it all in 1941, 42, 45, and 63.

Other notes: On May 27, Salvador’s Matthew Ventura had the 31^st BSA Perfect Game, striking out 11 against Asuncion. On September 21, Buenos Aires’ Thiago Granja had a 20 strikeout, one walk no-hitter. This tied Luisao Capucho’s 1945 effort for most Ks in a BSA no-no. Pitcher of the Year Lazardo Rodriguez twice had 21 strikeout games in 1975, joining Mohamed Ramos as both the only pitcher to do it twice in a career or in a single season. Leonardo Souza became the 18^th pitcher to 4000 career strikeouts. Luca Alvares became the 13^th batter to 500 home runs. 3B Emaxwell Navas won his 10^th Silver Slugger.

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