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

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1985 OBA Hall of Fame

Third baseman Ieremia Tenakanai was the lone inductee into the Oceania Baseball Association Hall of Fame in 1985, getting a first ballot nod at 95.6%. Only two others crossed 50% with SP Kent Thackray at 546% in his debut and SP Honore Waheo at 52.4% on his fourth try.



One player was dropped after ten ballots in pitcher Martim Orvalho. The Hawaiian righty had an 11 year career with three teams with a 146-125 record, 2.77 ERA, 2412 innings, 1922 strikeouts, and 51.2 WAR. A nice career, but lacking both the accumulations and accolades to earn much traction. He peaked at 26.4% on his second ballot and ended at 10.7%.



Ieremia “Fury” Tenakanai – Third Base – Tahiti Tropics – 95.6% First Ballot

Ieremia Tenakanai was a 6’1’’, 205 pound right-handed third baseman from Port Moresby, the capital of Papua New Guinea. Nicknamed “Fury” for his hot temper and tireless drive, Tenakanai was a very good contact hitter with a solid pop in his bat. He averaged around 30 home runs and another 30 or so doubles/triples per season. Tenakanai was solid at avoiding strikeouts, but drew fewer walks than you’d expect with his power. His speed was decent, but he was often reckless on the basepaths. Tenakanai primarily played third base, although he also had some starts at shortstop and designated hitter. He was considered a terrible defender, but his bat and durability still made him a very valuable man in the lineup.

A scout from Tahiti noticed Tenakanai as a teenager in Papua New Guinea and signed him to a developmental deal in 1960. He made his official debut in 1964 at age 20, but was used rather sparingly in his first three seasons. He wasn’t used in the postseason run, but he received a ring as the Tropics won the 1965 OBA Championship. Tenakanai became a full-time starter in 1967 and remained in that role with 130+ games played over the next 14 seasons.

Tenakanai would led the Pacific League in hits five times, home runs twice, RBI four times, total bases four times, batting average five times, OBP thrice, OPS twice, wRC+ thrice, and WAR once. He picked up 11 Silver Sluggers in his career (67-68, 70-78) and won three MVPs; taking the top honor in 1971, 74, and 76. Tenakanai also took second in 1969, third in 1970, second in 1972, second in 1973, second in 1975, second in 1977, and third in 1978. He was firmly considered a top three bat in the PL for a good decade with Tahiti.

Tenakanai became extremely popular with the Tropics fans and back home as the first major Papuan baseball star. He played for the Papua New Guinea team in the World Baseball Championship in 129 games between 1965-81, posting 145 hits, 72 runs, 46 home runs, 92 RBI, and 6.0 WAR. Tahiti was typically in contention as well during Tenakanai’s reign and won the Pacific League title in 1971, 74, 75, and 76. In 1975, they took the second OBA title in franchise history. In the playoffs, Tenakanai made 25 starts with 31 hits, 15 runs, 8 home runs, 15 RBI, and a .940 OPS. Although they were runner-up in 1971, he won finals MVP that year.

Tenakanai hadn’t seemed to slow down much into his 30s, although 1979 did see his lowest power totals of his career. This was the final season with Tahiti, as he entered free agency at age 35. He still remained beloved by Tropics fans and had his #6 uniform soon retired. MLB’s Charlotte gave him a big three-year, $2,010,000 contract and he had one respectable season with the Canaries. Charlotte decided to cut him though before the 1981 season and Tenakanai went unsigned that year, retiring at age 37.

For his Tahiti and OBA run, Tenakanai had 2345 hits, 1014 runs, 322 doubles, 130 triples, 423 home runs, 1203 RBI, a .294/.327/.526 slash, 174 wRC+, and 86.5 WAR. He was the third OBA hitter to reach 1000 career RBI and the fifth to 1000 runs scored. His totals would slide down the leaderboards notably as OBA progressed, but there was no doubt he was one of the most feared bats of his era. Tenakanai was the first Papuan Hall of Famer and played a big role in increasing the popularity of the sport in the country. He was a first ballot nod with 95.6%.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1985 APB Hall of Fame

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Third baseman Stanley Susilowati was the lone inductee in 1985 to Austronesia Professional Baseball’s Hall of Fame. Susilowati just barely squeaked in on his third ballot at 66.8%, crossing the 66% requirement. Closer Hao-Ming Lu was close on his second attempt, but short at 61.8%. The only other player above 50% was starting pitcher Adrian Su at 52.3% for his debut. No players were dropped after ten ballots.



Stanley Susilowati – Third Base – Pekanbaru Palms – 66.8% Third Ballot

Stanley Susilowati was a 6’2’’, 200 pound right-handed third baseman from
Sampang, a city of around 124,000 people in the East Java Province of Indonesia. Susilowati was best known for being an elite defensive third baseman and an iron man, who started 145 games in 11 of his 13 APB seasons. He played almost exclusively at third and excelled with outstanding arm strength. He had a tremendous eye and was terrific at drawing walks, although his contact skills and strikeout avoidance were middling. Susilowati had solid power, averaging around 30 home runs per year and 20 doubles per season. His speed was just below average.

Susilowati was already 26 years old and had a few years of experience in the semi-pro ranks when Austronesia Professional Baseball was formed in 1965. Pekanbaru signed him to a $122,000 two-year deal and he immediately produced for the Palms. Susilowati led the Sundaland Association in WAR (10.7) and runs scored (95), winning MVP, Silver Slugger, and Gold Glove. Pekanbaru was the first Sundaland Association champ, falling to Taichung in the inaugural APB Championship.

Susilowati ended up playing eight seasons with the Palms, who wouldn’t make the playoffs again in his tenure. Susilowati thrived though, winning a second MVP in 1968 with a second place finish in 1966 and 1967. He won eight straight Gold Gloves from 1965-72 and Silver Sluggers in 67 and 68. Susilowati was the WARlord thrice and had 7+ WAR in each of his Pekanbaru seasons. He also led in runs scored twice, walks twice, OBP twice, and OPS once. Susilowati was also a regular starter for Indonesia in the World Baseball Championship. From 1965-76, he made 102 starts with 88 hits, 61 runs, 38 home runs, 76 RBI, a .244/.358/.589 slash and 5.7 WAR.

With Pekanbaru, Susilowati finished with 1105 hits, 587 runs, 263 home runs, 593 RBI, 626 walks, a .250/.347/.473 slash and 77.1 WAR. The Palms would later retire his #6 uniform and he’d remain a very popular player with fans of the franchise. However, they had fallen to the very bottom of the league in the early 1970s and opted to trade Susilowati. He and prospect CF Renny Cervantes were moved to Kaohsiung for CF Yao-Hsun Ching, and relievers Chih-Hsiung Chung and Wu Hsu.

Susilowati arrived in Taiwan just in time for the start of the Steelheads dynasty. He played three years with Kaohsiung, who won the Taiwan League each of those years and took the APB title in 1973 and 1974. Susilowati was third in MVP voting in 1974 and in 26 playoff games had 22 hits, 12 runs, 6 dobules, 2 home runs, and 9 RBI. In total with the Steelheads, he had 16.6 WAR, 331 hits, 186 runs, 68 home runs, and 169 RBI.

After the 1975 season, the 37-year old Susilowati became a free agent for the first time. He went back to Indonesia and signed a three-year deal with Batam. Susilowati had a respectable first season, but struggled in his second season and was ultimately benched. He retired after the 1977 season at age 38. Susilowati posted 3.7 WAR in his time with the Blue Raiders.

Susilowati’s final stats saw 1576 hits, 841 runs, 245 doubles, 368 home runs, 862 RBI, 861 walks, a .231/.321/.436 slash, 151 wRC+, and 97.4 WAR. At induction, he had the third most WAR of any APB player and sits 23^rd all-time as of 2037 and fourth among third basemen. His totals in a lot of the sexier categories are low though, which turned off many voters. WAR, walks, and great defense doesn’t resonate with many voters. Even in the low offense environment of APB, his .231 batting average is well below almost all but one later APB Hall of Famer. Those drawbacks kept him out on the first two ballots at 61.8% and 59.7%. On his third attempt, Susilowati got the bump just across the line at 66.8% to secure his spot in the APB Hall of Fame.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1985 CLB Hall of Fame

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Relief pitcher Chaosong Zhang became the second member of the Chinese League Baseball Hall of Fame, getting a first ballot induction in 1985 at 79.9%. Another closer, Yi Li, nearly joined him in his debut, but fell just short at 58.9%. No other player was above 50% and no one was dropped after ten ballots.



Chaosong Zhang – Closer – Dalian Gold Dragons – 79.9% First Ballot

Chaosong Zhang was a 5’11’’, 195 pound right-handed relief pitcher from Luorong, a town of around 67,000 people in the southern China Guangzi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Zhang had excellent stuff with very good control and movement as well. His velocity peaked at 96-98 mph with an impressive one-two punch of slider and cutter. Zhang also had very good stamina and durability for a reliever, leading in appearances five times in his career.

When Chinese League Baseball was formed, Zhang was already 27 years old and an established pitcher in China. He was signed by Dalian and spent six seasons as a Gold Dragon. Zhang was a closer for most of his run there, although he did make appearances as a starting pitcher in 1971 and 1972. He led the Northern League in saves three times with Dalian with 4+ WAR in each season. Zhang won Reliever of the Year in 1972 and took third in 1970, second in 1973, third in 1974, and second in 1975. He also pitched 68.1 innings between 1971-77 with the Chinese team in the World Baseball Championship, posting 15 saves, a 3.03 ERA, and 89 strikeouts.

Dalian made their first playoff appearances in 1974 and 1975, winning the China Series in 1975. It was also a career year for Zhang with bests in ERA (1.05) and saves (50). He also posted a 1.88 ERA and four saves in 14.1 innings in the 1975 playoff run. In total with Dalian, Zhang had 236 saves, 2.02 ERA, 838 innings, 984 strikeouts, and 31.3 WAR. After the 1975 season, the now 33-year old Zhang became a free agent.

Zhang began a journeyman career for the next four years. He pitched for Zhengzhou in 1976 and won his second Reliever of the Year award. He went to Foshan in 1977 and took third in Reliever of the Year, leading in saves for the fourth time in his career. Zhang went back to Dalian in 1978 and picked up his 300^th save back with the Gold Dragons. However, his numbers were down noticeably that year. Zhang signed with Dongguan in 1979 and struggled in his limited appearances, getting traded in June to Zhengzhou. He was unsigned in 1980 and retired that winter at age 38.

Zhang’s final stats: 318 saves, 2.04 ERA, 1106.2 innings, 1347 strikeouts to 220 walks, 378 shutdowns, FIP- of 52, and 42.1 WAR. He was the second reliever to reach 300 saves, although his ERA would be weaker than the other relievers later inducted into the Hall of Fame. Still, his WAR numbers fit with that group and Zhang was always considered a top three level guy in his run. Had his official career not started at age 27, he might have raised his totals towards the top of the leaderboard. The voters gave Zhang the nod on his debut at 79.9%.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1985 Asian Baseball Federation Formed

After the formation of South Asia Baseball with the 1980 season, the most populated nations without a team in a Global Baseball Alliance league were Turkey, Iran, and Pakistan. Certainly, the game had been introduced in each country and had plenty of supporters. No doubt, these countries had cities and markets that could support major league level teams. On their own though, they weren't big enough to sustain a league comparable to the other existing ones in the GBA.

Logistics, geography, and politics meant these three countries didn't fit in other existing leagues. Turkey had been considered to have teams within the European Baseball Federation, but mixed relations with some countries and being further east than most teams in the EBF kept them out. Pakistan's warring with India made joining up with South Asia Baseball a non-starter. All three had also sided against the Soviet Bloc generally, making teams within Eurasian Professional Baseball unfeasible.

Post World War II, Iran, Pakistan, and Turkey generally had good relations with each other and more commonality politically and culturally than with many of their neighbors. Each was in the Central Treaty Organization and then later the Economic Cooperation Organization, promoting shared economic and security concerns. Thus, when leaders started seriously contemplating a major professional baseball organization, some alliance of teams between the three appeared to be the best way forward. This eventually culminated in the creation of the Asian Baseball Federation, which saw its debut season in 1985.

In its original form, the ABF had the eight-team Pakistan League and the ten-team West Asia Association; split between a five-team Turkish League and five-team Persian League. This setup lasted 15 years, then saw a major realignment and teams added due to the EPB exodus. The eight Pakistan League teams were based in Faisalabad, Hyderabad, Lahore, Peshawar, Gujranwala, Karachi, Multan, and Rawalpindi. The Iranian teams were Isfahan, Mashhad, Shiraz, Tabriz, and Tehran. The Turkish teams were Adana, Ankara, Bursa, Istanbul, and Izmir. There would be no interleague play.

The top two teams in the Pakistan League face off in a best-of-seven league championship, while the top teams in the WAA divisions do the same. The two winners advance to the best-of-seven ABF Championship. The West Asia Association uses the designated hitter while the Pakistan League does not. The PL generally would have a low offense environment relative to historical trends. The WAA had noticeably higher scoring than their counterpart while still being viewed as below average still. The ABF originally had seven years minimum service time required for free agency and used a partially regional draft to keep players local, although there weren't any foreign player limits to rosters.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1985 World Baseball Championship

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The 39^th World Baseball Championship was centered around Osaka, Japan. In Division 1, Guatemala took first at 7-2, topping Belgium and Norway by one apiece. It is the second-ever division title for the Guatemalans, who placed third back in 1968. In D2, the defending world champ United States had the top honor at 8-1, two games ahead of Argentina, Ecuador, and Taiwan. The Americans have made it to the elite eight 35 times in 39 events. Division 3 had France and China tied for first at 7-2 with Nigeria at 6-3. The tiebreaker went to the French to give them their fifth division title and their first since 1976. In D4, Turkey became the 57^th different nation to win a division title. The Turks were 7-2, edging out Australia, Belarus, and Germany at 6-3.

Division 5 have Uzbekistan on top at 8-1, beating Romania by one and the Philippines by two. It is the third division title for the Uzbeks, who last did it in 1964. D6 had Mexico and Russia tied at 7-2 with the tiebreaker going to the Mexicans. They’ve now advanced 18 times, the fourth most of any nations. Division 7 had Indonesia dominant at 8-1 for their sixth division title and first since 1982. Last year’s runner-up Brazil tied for third at 5-4. And in Division 8, Canada survived at 6-3 with five nations one game behind (Costa Rica, Cuba, India, Iran, Paraguay). It snaps a seven-year drought for the Canadians, who earned their 24^th elite eight appearance.

Of note, the United States was the only team in the elite eight in 1985 that had also made it the prior year. The Americans went unbeaten at 6-0 in Round Robin Group A to advance to the semifinal yet again. Turkey at 3-3 earned their first-ever semifinal berth, while Canada was 2-4 and Guatemala was 1-5. In Group B, Indonesia was first at 5-1 to move to the semifinal for the fifth time. France was 3-3 with Mexico and Uzbekistan at 2-4. The French earned their third semifinal appearance.



In the semifinal, the United States swept France 3-0 and Turkey knocked out Indonesia 3-1. The Indonesians were officially third place for the third time, while the French were fourth. The Americans were in the championship for the unprecedented 25^th time, while it was Turkey’s first-ever final. The Turks gave a valiant effort, but the US won the series 4-2 for the 25^th American title and their fourth in five years.



Leading Turkey’s effort was Tournament MVP Muhammad Ozcelik. The 26-year old left fielder had left for MLB as a teenager and was in his fifth season with Phoenix. In the WBC, Ozcelik had 30 hits, 18 runs, 5 doubles, 6 home runs, 14 RBI, and 16 walks in 25 starts. The Best Pitcher went to Venezuelan Luis Vasquez Jr., who had just left for Baltimore after a Hall of Fame career with Valencia. The 35-year old righty pitched 10.2 scoreless innings with three hits and two walks allowed and 12 strikeouts.

Other notes: There were two no-hitters thrown in 1985. Canada’s Christopher Fournier did it against Cuba and American Ethan Brazille did it against Turkey. Both struck out 15 and walked one.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1985 in ABF

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1985 marked the debut season of the Asian Baseball Federation. In the Pakistan League, Karachi took first place at 92-70. Peshawar took second at 90-72 to earn the second playoff spot. Faisalabad and Multan were both in the mix, but fell short at 85-77.

The first Pakistan League MVP was Peshawar center fielder Ali Karaduman. A 28-year old lefty from Istanbul, Karaduman had Gold Glove defense and led in WAR (9.5) and doubles (42). He also had 23 home runs and a 160 wRC+. Multan’s Artem Nurov was the first Pitcher of the Year. The 29-year old lefty from Azerbaijan led in WAR (8.7), strikeouts (313), WHIP (0.87), and quality starts (29). He added a 15-11 record and 1.75 ERA in 257 innings.



Over in the West Asia Association, the top overall record went to Istanbul. The Ironmen won the Turkish League at 99-63, topping 92-70 Izmir. In the Persian League, Tabriz took first at 91-71. The Tiger Sharks were four ahead of Isfahan and seven better than Tehran.

The first WAA MVP and Pitcher of the Year both went to Izmir’s Abbas Nadim. The 27-year old Pakistani righty was one strikeout away from being the first Triple Crown winner with a 21-7 record, 1.86 ERA, and 361 strikeouts over 276.1 innings. Nadim also led in WAR (10.4) and had eight shutouts.

In the first Pakistan League Championship Series, Karachi topped Peshawar 4-2. The West Asia Association Championship would go all seven games with the home team winning each game. That favored Istanbul over Tabriz. The Ironmen continued on to be the first Asian Baseball Federation champion, defeating the Carp 4-1 in the final. Catcher Japra Bhatti was the finals MVP with 11 hits, 7 runs, 1 home run, and 7 RBI in 12 starts.





Other notes: The first ABF perfect game came on July 8 from Istanbul’s Akif Erdem, who struck out 15 in an outstanding effort against Isfahan. Two weeks later saw the second no-hitter via Peshawar’s Lotfi Roshan. His no-no was 11 innings with 16 strikeouts and one walk against Hyderabad. This was only the third no-hitter in any world league to this point that had gone 11 innings.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1985 in SAB

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Bengaluru again had the best record in the Indian League, although they dropped from their impressive 116 wins the prior year. The Blazers finished 96-66, still plenty strong to run away with the South Division. Visakhapatnam, the wild card last year, was a non-factor at 73-89. In the West Division, Ahmedabad earned their first-ever division title at 92-70, unseating two-time defending South Asian Champion Pune. The Purple Knights still made it back to the playoffs with the wild card spot, although they needed to beat Mumbai in a one-game playoff to do it. Pune was 87-76 with the Meteors at 86-77. The Central Division needed a tiebreaker game as well with both Jaipur and Kanpur ending at 82-80, while Delhi was 81-81. The Jokers won the tiebreaker, making it six straight division titles for them to start the IL’s history. Jaipur, Bengaluru, and Pune have made the playoffs each of the first six seasons in SAB, while the Animals have made it four times.

Delhi 2B V.J. Williams won back-to-back Indian League MVPs. The 25-year old Indian native was the leader in WAR (11.6), triple slash (.337/.418/.653), OPS (1.071), wRC+ (224), total bases (374), and runs (127). Williams added 45 home runs and 111 RBI. Bengaluru’s Vannak Thai was the Pitcher of the Year. The 32-year old from Thailand led in ERA (1.69) and wins (18-7), posting 278 strikeouts and 6.9 WAR in 240 innings.

In the first round of the playoffs, Bengaluru ousted defending champ Pune in a 3-2 battle, while Jaipur upset Ahmedabad 3-1. After getting early exits in the prior two postseasons, the Blazers claimed the Indian League Championship Series 4-1 over the Jokers. Bengaluru now has two league pennants, having also won the 1982 title.



Defending Southeast Asia League Champion Dhaka had the best record again and earned a fifth straight playoff berth. The Dobermans won the North Division at 103-59, fending off solid challenges from Hanoi and Chittagong. They took the wild card spots with the Hounds at 97-65 and the Commandos at 93-69, both earning their first-ever playoff berth. Yangon finished 81-81, missing the playoffs for the first time. In the North Division, Ho Chi Minh City took first for the third straight season. The Hedgehogs were 88-74, besting Vientiane by four games.

Chittagong CF Van Loi Phung won the Southeast Asia League MVP with the third-ever 13+ WAR season for a SAB hitter. The 24-year old Vietnamese righty won a Gold Glove and led in WAR (13.5), triple slash (.354/.404/.717), OPS (1.120), wRC+ (208), total bases (435), runs (122), and RBI (142). He also had 53 home runs and 215 hits. Dhaka’s Indradu Rajeeb won the Pitcher of the Year. The 33-year old Indian lefty had bounced around between other teams before signing with the Dobermans for 1985. He led in ERA (2.31), WHIP (0.95), and complete games (14), adding 7.4 WAR and 279 strikeouts over 260.2 innings with a 19-10 record.

In the first round, both wild card teams upset the division champs. Hanoi took it 3-2 over Ho Chi Minh City, while Chittagong stunned defending champ Dhaka in four. This sent two first time participants to the Southeast Asian League Championship Series. The Hounds defeated the Commandos 4-2 to advance to the SAB Championship.



Hanoi would fall in five to Bengaluru as the Blazers became two-time SAB Champions. SS Advaith Ravi was the finals MVP, having joined Bengaluru as a free agent in the offseason. The 34-year old lefty had 16 hits, 9 runs, 4 home runs, 7 RBI, and 9 walks over 15 playoff starts. In SAB’s first six years, five of the titles have gone to Indian League teams.



Other notes: 1985 had the first perfect game in South Asia Baseball history on August 2. Ahmedabad’s Ynilo Naranjo did it with 10 strikeouts against Mumbai. Al-Amin Kundu became the first SAB hitter to reach 300 career home runs. Kundu is also the only player to win a Silver Slugger in each of SAB’s first six seasons.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1985 in WAB

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Abidjan had an impressive recovery in 1985 after a franchise worst 72-90 record the prior year. The Athletes finished first atop the Western League at 100-62 for their ninth playoff berth in the first 11 seasons of West African Baseball. It is also Abidjan’s sixth time taking first in the regular season standings. Bamako finished second by one game at 99-63 for a third straight playoff appearance. Kumasi was third at 97-65 with a 12 game gap to fourth place Conakry. The Monkeys extended their playoff streak to eight seasons, tied for the WAB record. Defending West African Champion Nouakchott dropped to a fifth place 79-83.

Kumasi’s Austin Massaquoi became a two-time Western League MVP. The right fielder from Sierra Leone led the league in runs scored (106), adding 8.0 WAR, 42 home runs, 95 RBI, and a .921 OPS. Bamako’s Omonefe Olatunji took home Pitcher of the Year in his fourth season. The left-handed Nigerian led in wins with a 21-8 record and posted a 2.16 ERA over 246 innings with 289 strikeouts and 7.9 WAR. He managed to edge out teammate Addise Assefa for the award despite Assefa’s 401 strikeouts and 8.5 WAR. As of 2037, there have only been seven seasons by a WAB pitcher with 400+ strikeouts; Assefa has three of them.

Kumasi upset Bamako 2-1 in the wild card round and carried that momentum into the Western League Championship Series against Abidjan. The Monkeys took the series in a 3-2 battle to earn their second WL pennant, joining their 1979 effort.



In the Eastern League, another typical power had the top record after missing the playoffs the prior year. 1983 WAB champ Lagos found its way to first place at 99-63, bouncing back from the 84-78 from the prior season. The Lizards now have nine playoff appearances, tied with Abidjan for the most in WAB thus far. Lagos was only one game better than Niamey, who took second at 98-64 for back-to-back wild cards and a franchise-best season. Defending EL champ Kano firmly had the third place spot at 95-67, giving the Condors a third straight playoff berth and their ninth overall. Port Harcourt, a wild card last year, dropped to 75-87.

Taking Eastern League MVP was Niamey 2B Chigozie Nyima. Nicknamed “Bug,” the 27-year old Nigerian led in WAR (8.0), doubles (49), RBI (141), total bases (380), slugging (.623), OPS (.990), and wRC+ (179), while adding a .310 average and 40 home runs. Nyima would be the hottest free agent in the offseason, signing a record eight-year, $5,180,000 deal with Abidjan. Lagos’ Dalanda Soumah won EL Pitcher of the Year with the 25-year old Guinean leading in wins (23-6), and ERA (2.12). He added 325 strikeouts over 221 innings with 8.2 WAR.

Niamey swept Kano 2-0 in the wild card round to earn back-to-back appearances in the Eastern League Championship Series. The Atomics would be denied their first title as Lagos claimed the ELCS 3-1. The Lizards continue their dominance, winning their sixth EL pennant in 11 years.



Lagos would add their fifth West African Championship ring (1978, 79, 81, 83, 85) as they bested Kumasi 4-2 in the final. SS Ismael Sidi won finals MVP for the second time in his career, having also won it in 1983. In 10 playoff games, Sidi had 13 hits, 3 runs, 3 doubles, 1 home run, and 3 RBI.



Other notes: Power Bonou became the first pitcher to 200 career wins. He would retire after the 1987 season with 238 and hold the top spot in WAB until the late 2000s.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1985 in CLB

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Defending Chinese League Baseball champion Beijing improved greatly from the prior season, finishing atop the Northern League at 110-52. The Bears set numerous Northern League records, allowing only 337 runs and 287 earned runs, a 1.72 team ERA, 987 hits allowed, 0.808 WHIP, and 5.90 H/9. As of 2037, the WHIP, runs, earned runs, and ERA marks remain NL single season bests. Tianjin, who was the runner-up the prior season and champ in 1983, easily took the second place spot at 101-61. Third place was Xi’an at 90-72 with Shanghai fourth at 89-73.

Qingdao centerfielder Libo Li won Northern League MVP for the second time, five years after his first MVP. The 33-year old led in WAR (13.9), triple slash (.309/.356/.531), OPS (.887), wRC+ (209), total bases (295), and stolen bases (78). It would be Li’s penultimate CLB season, as he’d leave for MLB’s San Francisco in 1987 and spend another decade in America. Pitcher of the Year was Beijing’s Xueming Hao. The 25-year old lefty led in WHIP (0.74) and wins (18-5), posting a 1.51 ERA over 250 innings with 314 strikeouts and 6.9 WAR.



For the third straight season, Chongqing had the top record in the Southern League. It was a three team race for the two playoff spots with the Cavaliers on top at 103-59. Hong Kong was one back at 102-60 to earn their third playoff berth in four years. Chengdu barely missed out at 99-63, finishing third for back-to-back seasons.

Hong Kong third baseman Wang Hla Sann picked up Southern League MVP. The fourth-year righty led in hits (162), doubles (38), and WAR (9.3), adding 189 wRC+, 26 home runs, and a .291 average. Pitcher of the Year went to Chongqing’s Yang He. The 27-year old righty led in wins (23-9), innings (287.2), and strikeouts (346). He added a 1.97 ERA and 8.7 WAR.

Both first place teams prevailed over the second place teams in the crossover semifinals. Chongqing survived 4-3 in an intense battle with Tianjin, while Beijing bested Hong Kong 4-1. This gave the Bears back-to-back China Series appearances and the second in three years for the Cavaliers.



In the 16^th China Series, Beijing beat Chongqing 4-1, giving the Bears their third CLB title (1970, 84, 85). Beijing is the second repeat champion in CLB history, joining 1977-78 Kunming. Part of that Kunming run was RF Jinyu Liu, who won finals MVP for the Bears. The 35-year old Liu had signed with Beijing after going unsigned in 1984. In 10 playoff games, he had 12 hits, 7 runs, 3 home runs, and 5 RBI.



Other notes: The 16^th CLB Perfect Game came on August 16 from Nanjing’s Zimin Miao, who struck out 12 against Dalian. Yin Yang, Tao Liu, and Hongchen Wang each crossed 2000 hits, making it six CLB batters to do so. Yang also became the ninth to 1000 runs scored. Guodong Lin and Peng Huang became the fifth and sixth to 3000 strikeouts. 3B Chantha Thepsenavong became only the second player to win ten Gold Gloves. SS Junjie Hsiung won his eighth Silver Slugger.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1985 in APB



Taichung claimed back-to-back Taiwan League titles and did it by a 19 game margin, finishing 103-59. This was one game short of a franchise wins record for the Toucans, who led the Taiwan-Philippine Association in runs scored (633) and fewest allowed (449). The Philippine League was competitive as Manila (87-75) ended one game ahead of defending Austronesia Champion Quezon (86-76). This gave the Manatees their second playoff berth in three years.

TPA MVP went to Taichung third baseman Huang Huang. The 27-year old switch hitter was the season’s WARlord (9.1) and leader in runs (89). He added 31 home runs and a 151 wRC+. Pitcher of the Year was Quezon’s Carson Lim. The 26-year old Filipino righty led in ERA (1.74), WHIP (0.81), shutouts (8), and FIP- (70). Lim added 6.2 WAR, 222 strikeouts, and a 14-6 record over 222.2 innings.



Jakarta took the top spot in the Java League for the third time in four years. The Jaguars were 99-63, finishing nine better than Bandung and 15 ahead of last year’s first place team Semarang. Jakarta had a record-setting pitching staff, setting single-season marks in the Sundaland Association for fewest runs (324), earned runs (287), and ERA (1.73). The runs and earned runs mark still stand as all-time bests as of 2037 for all of Austronesia Professional Baseball. In the Malacca League, Batam was first at 96-66 to snap a five-year playoff drought. Two-time defending association champ Medan took second at 90-72.

Although the Marlins missed the postseason, 1B Tunggul Widhyasari won his third Sundaland Association MVP for them. The 29-year old Indonesian lefty made history with his third Triple Crown season, becoming the third batter in any world league to earn the honor thrice or more. He had 38 home runs, 89 RBI, and .317 averag,e while also leading in runs (78), walks (74), total bases (296), OBP (.399), slugging (.571), OPS (.970), wRC+ (242), and WAR (9.0). This would be his last great season with Medan, missing almost all of 1986 to injury and then leaving for Jakarta (and later MLB). Jaguars righty Poh Tan won Pitcher of the Year with the 30-year old leading in WHIP (0.71), innings (292.0), quality starts (33), and shutouts (10). Tan added 8.1 WAR and 343 strikeouts with a 1.60 ERA and 21-9 record. Some thought his teammate Hadi Ningsih should’ve won as he had the best ERA (1.51), most strikeouts (373), and most WAR (11.8). Jakarta’s pitching staff was so loaded that four of the top five pitchers in WAR in the SA were Jaguars.

In the Taiwan-Philippine Association Championship, Manila downed Taichung 4-1 to give the Manatees their third-ever TPA pennant (1967, 70). Jakarta won the Sundaland Association final 4-1 over Batam to make the Jaguars five time winners (1968, 69, 70, 82).



Jakarta added their third Austronesian Championship to the mantle, joining their 1969 and 1970 trophies. The 21^st final went to the Jaguars 4-1 over Manila with finals MVP going to CF I Wayan Rohman. He had joined Jakarta in a trade the prior season with the 32-year old posting 10 hits, 4 runs, 2 doubles, 2 home runs, and 5 RBI in 10 playoff starts.



Other notes: Zamboanga’s Cesar Gonzalez threw the 13^th APB perfect game on June 21, striking out three against Taichung. Rajwant Arhana became the second APB reliever to 300 career saves. CF Ying-Chieh Tsai and RF Lin Zulkifti became eight time Gold Glove winners.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1985 in OBA

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Christchurch bounced back from a 79-83 mark the prior year to finish atop the Australasia League at 96-66. This gave the Chinooks their fourth league title, joining the 1963, 1983, and 1985 titles. Combined with Auckland’s success, the last six AL titles have gone to a New Zealand team. Sydney was second at 92-70, followed by the Avengers and Brisbane both at 83-79.

Melbourne LF Riley Singleton won the Australasia League MVP. The 25-year old Australian led in home runs (41), RBI (111), total bases (371), slugging (.642), OPS (.991), wRC+ (197), and 9.7 WAR. He also was second in batting average at .324. Adelaide ace Tarzan Rao won his fifth Pitcher of the Year of the 1980s. The 32-year old righty from Vanuatu led in WAR (11.9) for the eighth straight season and strikeouts (445) for the sixth straight. Rao also led in ERA (2.20), innings (336), WHIP (0.82), K/BB (14.4), and FIP- (58). His 22-16 record left him one win shy of a third straight Triple Crown. Also of note, Sydney’s Lorenzo Amaru won his third Reliever of the Year. The 27-year old Tahitian would leave for MLB in 1986 and spend the next decade stateside.



Port Moresby won the Pacific League for only the second time, joining the 1978 season. The Mud Hens were dominant at 107-55, setting a franchise record. This broke up the Honolulu dynasty, who had won four straight PL titles and three straight OBA rings. The Honu were still second place at 90-72, but 17 games away from the top spot.

Leading Port Moresby’s efforts was Pacific League MVP Jay Guadalupe. A 26-year old from Guam, he had a league-best 98 runs, 91 stolen bases, and .361 OBP, adding a .298 average, 25 home runs, and 8.0 WAR. He played one more season with the Mud Hens, then left for MLB’s Detroit. Pitcher of the Year went to 28-year old Australian Theo Stocker, who joined Guam in a 1983 midseason trade with Melbourne. Stocker led in strikeouts (337) and WAR (9.0), adding a 2.49 ERA over 322 innings and 21-11 record. Unfortunately, injuries would put him out of the game only three years later.

In the 26^th Oceania Championship, Christchurch was looking for their second ring and Port Moresby was gunning for its first. The Mud Hens ended up the victor 4-2, bringing the trophy to Papua New Guinea. Veteran LF Rui Guo was the finals MVP, a 37-year old from China who had played in both EAB and CABA before coming to Port Moresby. The 1976 Japan league MVP, Guo had 7 hits, 5 runs, 4 home runs, and 4 RBI in the series.





Other notes: The 6^th OBA perfect game was thrown by Samoa’s Leo Nathaporn on May 25. He struck out 16 against Fiji, setting the record for most strikeouts in an OBA perfecto and tying the mark for any no-hitter. At 47-115, Fiji set the mark for the worst record in OBA history. It remains the low mark for a Pacific League team, although a later expansion Australasia League team would fare worse. Pitcher of the Year Tarzan Rao became the second pitcher to 250 wins and the fourth to 4000 strikeouts. Nigel Chalmers became the third to 4500 Ks. Scott Kyle became the first to 300 saves, a mark no OBA pitcher would reach again until 2020. Pitcher Durant Lindly won his eighth Gold Glove.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1985 in EPB

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Defending Soviet Series champ Bucharest improved on their record from the prior year and won a fourth EPB European League South Division title in five years. The Broncos were 110-52, one win short of a franchise record. After seeing their six-year playoff streak snapped narrowly last year, Kyiv returned the playoffs by easily taking the first wild card at 104-58. Kharkiv, the EL runner-up last year, fell to 84-78. Minsk’s North Division streak moved to five straight years with their 102-60 finish. Warsaw was close behind at 100-62, good enough for the second wild card. The Wildcats ended a four-year playoff drought. Last year’s wild card St. Petersburg dropped to 80-82.

For the seventh time, the European League MVP went to a pitcher, although it was the first time happening for a pitcher-only since 1966. Bucharest ace Haxhi Maho won MVP and his second Pitcher of the Year. The 27-year old Albanian lefty led the EL in wins (24-8), ERA (1.68), quality starts (31), shutouts (8), FIP- (57), and WAR (10.7). He added 315 strikeouts over 294 innings.

Despite his efforts and their season success, Bucharest was stunningly swept in the first round of the playoffs by Warsaw. This sent the Wildcats to the European League Championship Series for the fifth time and first time since 1980. Minsk renewed its postseason rivalry with Kyiv and got the sweep, giving the Miners their third ELCS berth in five years. Minsk also has an impressive 17 ELCS berths in EPB’s first 31 seasons. The Miners added their eighth EL pennant to the accolades by outlasting Warsaw in a seven game classic. Game seven was the ultimate pitcher’s duel, staying scoreless until Minsk won it 1-0 in the 14^th inning. Their eighth EL title matches Kyiv for the most.



Omsk surprised many in the Asian League by finishing with the best record at 101-61 atop the North Division, ending a 13-year playoff drought for the Otters. They had tough competition with Yekaterinburg at 99-63, snapping their own 12-year playoff drought by getting the first wild card. Novosibirsk at 91-71 was the second wild card. In the South Division, Almaty took first at 96-66 to end a six-year playoff skid, beating Dushanbe by nine games. With that, all four playoff teams were different than the prior year in the AL. Two-time defending league champ Bishkek dropped to ,500 with similar middling efforts from Ufa, Krasnoyarsk, and Ulaanbaatar.

Asian League MVP went to Yekaterinburg first baseman Aleksei Sakalauskas. The 26-year old Russian led in runs (103), home runs (54), RBI (116), total bases (362), OBP (.374), slugging (.623), OPS (.997), wRC+ (223), and WAR (10.8). Pitcher of the Year was Novosibirsk’s Igor Bury with the 25-year old righty leading in strikeouts (418), quality starts (30), FIP- (45), and WAR (11.8), while taking second in ERA at 1.78 over 278.1 innings. This was the first major accolade for someone who would be considered by many to be the EPB GOAT by career’s end. Not only would he continue to pitch at this high level, but he also plays the outfield. In 1985, Bury had 3.2 WAR with 19 home runs over 89 games and a 144 wRC+.

In the first round of the playoffs, Omsk defeated Novosibirsk 3-1 and Almaty outlasted Yekaterinburg 3-2. For the Otters, this was their third ever Asian League Championship Series berth (first since 1970). It was the 11^th for the Assassins, but it had been a decade since their last appearance. Omsk would win the ALCS 4-2 over Almaty, giving the Otters their second-ever AL pennant (1966).



Omsk wouldn’t get their first EPB ring though with perennial power Minsk sweeping them in the 31^st Soviet Series. It was the fifth title for the Miners, but surprisingly their first since 1969 despite having 13 playoff berths in the 15 years since then. Minsk is now tied with Kyiv for the most overall EPB titles. CF Ihar Kabelsky was the postseason leader, winning ELCS MVP for the Miners with 20 hits, 9 runs, 6 extra base hits, and 8 stolen bases over 14 games.



Other notes: EPB’s 24^th and 25^th perfect games came in 1985. On May 5, Novosibirsk’s Pavol Blovsky struck out nine against Bishkek. Then on August 6, Omsk’s Fredek Nikuradze fanned 12 against Baku. Konrad Mazur became the fifth hitter to 1500 RBI. DH Ivan Valev won his 11^th and final Silver Slugger. “Socks” had three more years left in MLB, but this ended his EPB career. He left with 2856 hits, just behind Kirill Ohlobystin’s 2998 for the top EPB mark.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1985 in EBF

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Leading the European Baseball Federation’s Northern Conference in 1985 was Copenhagen at 106-56, giving the Corsairs their third North Central Division title in five years. Rotterdam snapped a four-year playoff drought to take the Northwest Division at 101-61, while Birmingham at 98-64 won a third straight British Isles Division. Two-time defending EBF champ Amsterdam managed to just barely extend its postseason streak to four years. The Anacondas finished at 92-70 and took the wild card, besting Hamburg by one game and Paris by three. Last year’s NC runner-up Berlin was 83-79.

Birmingham slugger Sean Houston won back-to-back Northern Conference MVPs, although he didn’t match the record setting 72 home run, 167 RBI mark from the prior year. He still led the NC with 237, which would’ve been a single-season record if not topped by two players in the Southern Conference as well. The 26-year old Scot also led with 146 RBI, 460 total bases, a .382 average, .741 slugging, 1.154 OPS, and 219 wRC+. Houston also had 52 home runs and 10.4 WAR. Houston’s single-season runs record of 144 from the prior year almost got matched by Copenhagen’s Lasse Kallevik, who scored 141 times. London’s Oliver Churchley won the Pitcher of the Year and was only eight strikeouts short of a Triple Crown. The 27-year old English righty had a 19-9 record, 2.39 ERA, and 294 strikeouts. He was also the leader in WAR (9.2), FIP- (64), and innings pitched (278.1).

In the first round of the playoffs, Copenhagen outlasted Amsterdam in five to pause the Anacondas dynasty. Birmingham beat Rotterdam 3-1 to earn their first Northern Conference Championship berth since 1978. The Corsairs had made it two years prior, but their only pennant had been the inaugural 1950 EBF season. It went all seven games, but Copenhagen pulled off the conference title over the Bees.



Zurich continued to make history in the Southern Conference with the three-time defending conference champs finishing at 117-45. This set a franchise record with the Mountaineers also setting conference records in hits (1717) and batting average .301. Both of those still stand as of 2037. Additionally, Zurich extended its playoff and South Central Division title streak to 13 seasons. Munich won a third straight Southeast Division handily at 105-57. The Southwest Division was very competitive with Marseille on top at 103-59, returning to the playoffs after their four-year streak was snapped the prior season. Seville and Madrid jockeyed for the wild card with the Stingrays (93-69) taking it by one over the Conquistadors and five over Naples. This ended a seven year playoff drought for Seville. Lisbon, the conference runner up the prior season, plummeted to a not nice 69 wins.

The increased offensive environment set in motion the prior year was very evident in the Southern Conference MVP race. Marseille RF Jacob Ronnberg ended up taking his third trophy, setting the EBF single season record for hits with 242. He became the second to bat over .400 with a .402 average, just behind Franco Gilbert’s .408 the prior year. Gilbert, for what its worth, batted .389 with 238 hits in 1985. Ronnberg also led in runs (136), triples (34), total bases (483), slugging (.804), OPS (1.243), wRC+ (228), and WAR (12.9). He also won his eighth Gold Glove.

Despite all that, you could’ve easily given the MVP to Athens LF Josip Stojanovic. The fourth-year slugger for Serbia crushed 71 home runs, only one behind Sean Houston’s record from the prior year. His 161 RBI was just six lower than Houston’s 1984 mark. Stojanovic had 9.8 WAR and a .320 average. Munich’s Casper Ebsen won Pitcher of the Year in his third season. Nicknamed “Barbarian,” the 23-year old Dane led in wins (26-8), inning (292.1), WHIP (0.93), and quality starts (28). He added a 2.74 ERA and 317 strikeouts with 6.0 WAR.

Both first round playoff series were sweeps with Zurich over Seville and Marseille over Munich. It would mark the third time in the decade that the Mountaineers and Musketeers had met in the Southern Conference Championship. Marseille prevented Zurich from a conference title four-peat, shutting down the record setting offense and winning the series in five. Despite being their 11^th SCC appearance, it was only the third pennant for the Musketeers (1966, 1981).



The 36^th European Championship was the second title for Marseille, who had won it all in 1981. The Musketeers won 4-2 over Copenhagen, bringing the cup back to southern France. 1B Julien Lefebvre was the finals MVP with the 27-year old Frenchman getting 29 hits, 20 runs, 4 doubles, 5 triples, 4 home runs, and 11 RBI in 14 playoff starts. The 20 runs scored was a EBF postseason record that has been matched twice, but not topped as of 2037.



Other notes: Although the focus was on offensive milestones, Zurich’s Jean-Luc Roch notably became the first to 5500 career strikeouts. He’d retire after the 1986 season with 5757 as the all-time leader and remains second best as of 2037. Chrstophoros Zarkadis became the fourth to 600 career home runs. Zarkadis aslo won his ninth and final Silver Slugger at shortstop. Jacob Ronnberg won his eighth at RF.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1985 in BSA

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For the first time in a decade, Cali earned a playoff spot. The Cyclones had the best record in 1985 in the Bolivar League at 102-60, winning the South Division. Quito was a distant second at 88-74 and last year’s division winner Lima dropped to 80-82. In the North Division, Caracas ended a 12-year postseason drought. The Colts were only 85-77, but this allowed them to squeak by Barquisimeto by one game. Defending Copa Sudamerica champ Ciudad Guayana finished 80-82, in a three-way tie for third with Medellin and Valencia.

Bolivar League MVP went to Cali DH Arnau Aceves. In his second full season, the 25-year old Colombian led in runs (114), home runs (59), RBI (131), total bases (410), slugging (.679), and WAR (8.3). Ciudad Guayana’s Ruben Garcia was the Pitcher of the Year. The 28-year old Venezuelan righty led in WAR (10.7), strikeouts (356), K/BB (11.1), quality starts (26), and FIP- (55). Garcia added a 2.89 ERA over 277 innings and 18-11 record.



The Southern Cone League also saw a large postseason drought snapped for Belo Horizonte, who had come close in recent years. The Hogs got their first Brazil Division title since 1968 with a 102-60 finish, besting defending league champ Recife by nine games. In the South Division, Cordoba edged out last year’s winner Concepcion by two games. At 96-66, the Chanticleers earned their second division title in three years.

Belo Horizonte’s great season saw them take both MVP and Pitcher of the Year. The former went to RF Yago Prata with the 26-year old Brazilian leading in runs (121), home runs (61), RBI (129), total bases (444), slugging (.724), OPS (1.111), wRC+ (216), and 9.9 WAR. His .356 average left him 13 points shy of a Triple Crown season. Benjamim Alegre won his fifth Pitcher of the Year in six seasons despite missing nearly two months to injury. In only 218.2 innings, he still led the league in WAR (8.6) and posted 317 strikeouts, a 2.30 ERA, and 14-9 record.

The Bolivar League Championship Series was a seven game classic that saw Cali prevail against Caracas. This was the fifth pennant for the Cyclones, but the first since they won four from 1948-52. It is also the first pennant for a Colombian team since Bogota in 1973. Cordoba cruised to the Southern Cone Championship 4-1 over Belo Horizonte. This gave the Chanticleers their sixth pennant with the last one in 1974.



Cali hoped that the 55^th Copa Sudamerica would bring them their first overall title, as they had 0-4 in their prior appearances. Cordoba dashed those hopes as the Chanticleers took the series 4-1, improving their record to 4-1 in the finale. Cordoba’s other cup wins came in 1951, 53, 56, and 74. SS Nando Crispin was the finals MVP, making his return to the lineup after missing the LCS to injury. In the five Copa Sudamerica games, he had 7 hits, 4 runs, 3 home runs, and 4 RBI.



Other notes: Valor Melo became the first Beisbol Sudamerica hitter to cross 800 career home runs. He’d play two more seasons and retire with 870, holding the HR king title until the mid 2000s. Melo would also retire the RBI leader with 1862, passing Diego Pena’s 1754, and held that as well until the 2000s. Melo also won his 10^th and final Silver Slugger at first base.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1985 in EAB

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Osaka ended a 26-year playoff drought in style as the Orange Sox had the best record in the Japan League at 104-58. This won them the Central Division by ten games over Nagoya, while defending league champ Kobe fell off to 79-83. After seeing their five-year North Division streak snapped in 1984, Sapporo reclaimed the throne at 102-60. Last year’s winner Sendai plummeted from 105 wins to 76. Kawasaki claimed a fifth straight Capital Division at 95-67, six games ahead of Tokyo. In a weak West Division, 82-80 Hiroshima took first, beating Kumamoto by one and Fukuoka by three. This ended a 12-year playoff drought for the Hammerheads. Kitakyushu, who had dominated the division since the realignment, completely collapsed with the worst record in the Japan League at 59-103.

JL MVP went to Kawasaki third baseman Seizo Shinad. The 30-year old righty led in home runs (56), slugging (.685), and WAR (10.6), adding 126 RBI, a .329 average, and 219 wRC+. Hiroshima’s Aiya Kodama won his fourth straight Pitcher of the Year. Still only 26 years old, Kodama led in WAR (9.1) and strikeouts (364) both for the fourth straight season. He also led in complete games (20), FIP- 962), and innings (279.2), while adding a 2.35 ERA and 17-11 record.

Osaka survived their divisional series 3-2 over Hiroshima, while Kawasaki defeated Sapporo 3-1. It was the fourth straight season the Killer Whales were in the Japan League Championship Series, while the Orange Sox hadn’t done it since their 1958 pennant. Kawasaki lost in the JLCS for the third straight season with Osaka winning 4-2. It is the sixth JL title for the Orange Sox, who also won in 1923, 25, 43, 46, and 58.


The Korea League’s strength was tilted towards the South Division with the top four records coming out of there. Defending East Asian Champion Yongin finished first at 101-61, getting their fourth playoff berth in six years. Second was Ulsan at 96-66, who snapped a 22-year playoff drought to take the first wild card. The second wild card saw a tie between Jeonju and Daejeon at 93-69. The tiebreaker favored the Jets, snapping the Ducks’ four-year playoff streak. Jeonju also became the first of the 1978 expansion teams to earn a playoff berth. In the North Division, Seongnam was fist at 89-73 for a fourth straight playoff berth. The Spiders were one game ahead of Suwon and three better than Hamhung.

Korea League MVP went to Seongnam’s Jin-Uk Song. The 28-year old left fielder was the WARlord (9.2) and leader in wRC+ at 173. He had 32 home runs, 120 runs, and a .999 OPS. Yongin’s Ju-Eon Eun won Pitcher of the Year for the second time. The 26-year old righty was the wins leader at 26-6 and led in WAR (9.3), and FIP- (62). Eun added 269 strikeouts and a 2.70 ERA over 270.1 innings.

Yongin topped Jeonju 3-1 in their first round series while Ulsan went on the road and beat Seongnam 3-2. The Swallows celebrated their first Korea League Championship Series appearance since 1962, but they were no match for the defending champs. The Gold Sox swept Ulsan and claimed their third KL pennant, having also won in 1970.



Yongin’s efforts to repeat as East Asian Champion would be denied as Osaka won the 65th EAB finale 4-2. For the Orange Sox, it was their fourth title (1923, 1925, 1943). LF Kazuharu Yonesaki won finals MVP as the 23-year old had 25 hits, 10 runs, 5 doubles, 1 home run, 14 RBI, and 12 stolen bases in 17 playoff starts.


Other notes: Hisao Arai of Daejeon hit 56 doubles, one short of the EAB single-season record. Sosuke Hoshizawa became the 20th EAB batter to 600 career home runs. LF Ki-Chun Park won his 15th and final Gold Glove. No other EAB player has won that many at any position. Catcher I-An Lee won his eighth Silver Slugger. Before the 1986 season, East Asia Baseball increased the minimum service time for free agency requirement from six to seven years.