1935 CABA/EAB Hall of Fame
n the 1935 Central American Baseball Association Hall of Fame class, both Diomar Glas and Adrian De La Rosa were inducted on the first ballot at over 98%. Closer Ramiro Aguero was close at 62.9% on his second try with fellow reliever Jimmy Pike at 60.6% on his seventh.
Two made it to their 10th ballot, but were both in the single-digits to close. Starting pitcher Pablo Sanchez had 38.6 WAR over a 10-year career between Jamaica and Havana, but only once got over 20% of the vote. Right fielder Caligula Davalos was burned by his counting stats starting at age 28. He won the MVP with Honduras hitting 57 home runs in 1912 and put up 5.58 WAR and 329 dingers in 10 CABA seasons between the Horsemen and Havana. Despite a good resume for a short official burst, he peaked at 27.1% in his second year on the ballot.
The 1935 East Asia Baseball Hall of Fame had one inductee in starting pitcher Seo-Yul Park, who made it on the first ballot at 69.6%.
Diomar “Top Dog” Glas – Right Fielder – Santo Domingo Dolphins – First Ballot 98.6%.
Diomar Glass was a 6’2’’, 200 pound left handed right fielder and first baseman from the Montana Rey area of Willemstad, Curacao. The first Hall of Famer from the island, Glas was an all-time great power hitter, especially against righties. Nine times in his CABA career, he led the league in home runs.
He was a generally good contact hitter and could draw walks, but he did strikeout a lot. He spent about 2/3s of his career in right field and the other 1/3 at first base and was a poor fielder at both. Incredibly durable and reliable, Glas quickly became a fan favorite at each of his stops and was THE home run hitter of CABA’s first two decades.
As an amateur, he quickly drew a lot of attention even in little Curacao and when the 1912 CABA draft came along, was picked 12th overall by Santo Domingo. Glas spent a decade in Dolphin purple and became a beloved figure with #36 jerseys seen throughout the Dominican. He won his first MVP in 1917 and won six of his nine Silver Sluggers in Santo Domingo. In that MVP season, the Dolphins won their first CABA championship with Glas earning series MVP. SD again was Caribbean champ in 1918, falling to Tijuana in the CABA final. In these two seasons, Glas posted 40 hits, seven homers, 18 runs, and 23 RBI in 23 playoff games.
Although Glas continued to excel, Santo Domingo struggled to enter the 1920s. In the 1922 offseason, the Dolphins stunned many when he was traded to the other side of the DR, getting five prospects in a deal with Santiago. The Swordfish had won the Caribbean League in 1921 and they hoped the 32-year old slugger could help them do it again.
He picked up his second and third MVPs with the Swordfish and in 1923, helped them win the CABA crown over Tijuana, although he lacked the postseason heroics this time. After two years with Santiago, he tested free agency for the first time in his career and got his biggest payday, signing with Havana for four years at $4,780 per year.
The Hurricanes never quite got over the hump while he was there, but Glas still picked up two Silver Sluggers and made history in 1928 as the first CABA player to 600 career home runs, the first to 2500 hits, and the first to 1500 RBI. For 1929, he signed a three-year contract with Puerto Rico, but only played one season as time finally caught up with him at age 38. Glas retired that offseason and would then go onto a 12-year managerial career, although he only twice got a team to a winning record as a coach.
Glas finished with 2611hits, 1452 runs, 623 home runs, 1627 RBI, a .279/.340/.536 slash and 95.9 WAR. He retired as the all-time home run leader and held that title for about two decades. His top spot as RBI king held about 30 years.
His overall spot on the leaderboards would fall as more offensive-friendly eras would pass. But he was indeed the “Top Dog” in power in the 1910s and 1920s in CABA and when you factor in the low offense of early day CABA, his power holds up among the all-timers. Beloved for good reason in both his native Curacao and his second home of Santo Domingo, Glas is an inner-circle Hall of Fame choice.
Adrian De La Rosa – Starting Pitcher – Guadalajara Hellhounds – 98.3% First Ballot
Adrian De La Rosa was a 6’2’’, 205 pound right handed pitcher from Ocozocoautla, a small town in southeast Mexico. He threw hard, often hitting the upper 90s range, and provided very good control and movement with his strong fastball and curveball, plus a decent circle change. De La Rosa was quiet, but incredibly reliable. He also could be counted upon to regularly go the distance, leading the league in complete games seven times and shutouts six times.
Highly touted as an amateur, De La Rosa earned the first overall draft pick in the 1912 CABA draft by Guadalajara, where he’d spend his entire career. His first three seasons however were spent as a back-end starter and reliever. It wasn’t until this fourth season that he was a full time starter, leading Mexico in quality starts 930) and complete games (18) with 7.6 WAR. From there, he’d be a full-time starter until retiring after his age 37 season in 1929.
Guadalajara became a powerhouse in the Mexican League in the early 1920s, winning seven South Division titles in eight seasons. The Hellhounds won the overall CABA title in 1920 and 1921 and were the 1925 Mexican League champs. De La Rosa was a key part of that dynasty, although it wasn’t until 1925 at age 33 that he won Pitcher of the Year for the first time. He had career bests in WAR (7.9), quality starts (31), innings (300), WHIP (0.78), complete games (25), and shutouts. He won the award again the next year with a career-best 1.87 ERA.
That was his last stellar season, although he remained for another three seasons. He became the second CABA pitcher to 250 career wins, finishing with a 251-184 record with a 2.34 ERA. De La Rosa had 4080 innings, 3487 strikeouts with only 455 walks, 370 quality starts out of 471, and 70.4 WAR.
His biggest lasting mark was 248 complete games, the all-time record CABA record that still holds even a century later. His 66 shutouts was the top mark for nearly a century as well. Despite that, he only had one no-hitter back in 1918. His #16 was retired by Guadalajara in 1929. About as reliable of a presence at the top of the rotation and a key part of the Hellhounds’ 1920s dynasty, De La Rosa is an obvious Hall of Fame choice.
Seo-Yul “Neighbor” Park – Starting Pitcher – Yokohama Yellow Jackets – 69.6% First Ballot
Seo-Yul Park was a 5’10’’, 200 pound left handed pitcher from Pakchon, located about an hour north of Pyongyang in modern day North Korea. Park’s velocity was around 93-95 mph and he had solid movement and control, alternating between a slider, curveball, sinker, and splitter. When East Asia Baseball had formed, he was already a successful amateur and semi-pro pitcher. His first EAB contract came at age 27; a five-year deal worth $12,100 with the Yokohama Yellow Jackets.
Park’s entire nine-year EAB run came with Yokohama, helping them create Japan’s first baseball dynasty. The Yellow Jackets won the Japan title in 1924, 1926, and 1927; winning the overall EAB crown in 26 and 27. In 24 and 26, Park was the Pitcher of the Year, leading the league in ERA in both seasons. He also was the fourth EAB pitcher to record 2000 strikeouts. He retired after the 1929 season at age 35 after seeing his production fall off in his final two seasons.
Statistically, he’s an interesting case as a guy whose official counted stats started late and whose true peak was only seven seasons. He finished with a 138-72 record, 2.05 ERA, 2117 strikeouts in 1964.2 innings, 199 quality starts out of 254, and a 58.2 WAR. Many players who didn’t have the accumulations from a late start ended up left out from the various Halls of Fame. But he was explosive in his time and a big part of the Yokohama dynasty, earning him the nod into the EAB HOF.
n the 1935 Central American Baseball Association Hall of Fame class, both Diomar Glas and Adrian De La Rosa were inducted on the first ballot at over 98%. Closer Ramiro Aguero was close at 62.9% on his second try with fellow reliever Jimmy Pike at 60.6% on his seventh.
Two made it to their 10th ballot, but were both in the single-digits to close. Starting pitcher Pablo Sanchez had 38.6 WAR over a 10-year career between Jamaica and Havana, but only once got over 20% of the vote. Right fielder Caligula Davalos was burned by his counting stats starting at age 28. He won the MVP with Honduras hitting 57 home runs in 1912 and put up 5.58 WAR and 329 dingers in 10 CABA seasons between the Horsemen and Havana. Despite a good resume for a short official burst, he peaked at 27.1% in his second year on the ballot.
The 1935 East Asia Baseball Hall of Fame had one inductee in starting pitcher Seo-Yul Park, who made it on the first ballot at 69.6%.
Diomar “Top Dog” Glas – Right Fielder – Santo Domingo Dolphins – First Ballot 98.6%.
Diomar Glass was a 6’2’’, 200 pound left handed right fielder and first baseman from the Montana Rey area of Willemstad, Curacao. The first Hall of Famer from the island, Glas was an all-time great power hitter, especially against righties. Nine times in his CABA career, he led the league in home runs.
He was a generally good contact hitter and could draw walks, but he did strikeout a lot. He spent about 2/3s of his career in right field and the other 1/3 at first base and was a poor fielder at both. Incredibly durable and reliable, Glas quickly became a fan favorite at each of his stops and was THE home run hitter of CABA’s first two decades.
As an amateur, he quickly drew a lot of attention even in little Curacao and when the 1912 CABA draft came along, was picked 12th overall by Santo Domingo. Glas spent a decade in Dolphin purple and became a beloved figure with #36 jerseys seen throughout the Dominican. He won his first MVP in 1917 and won six of his nine Silver Sluggers in Santo Domingo. In that MVP season, the Dolphins won their first CABA championship with Glas earning series MVP. SD again was Caribbean champ in 1918, falling to Tijuana in the CABA final. In these two seasons, Glas posted 40 hits, seven homers, 18 runs, and 23 RBI in 23 playoff games.
Although Glas continued to excel, Santo Domingo struggled to enter the 1920s. In the 1922 offseason, the Dolphins stunned many when he was traded to the other side of the DR, getting five prospects in a deal with Santiago. The Swordfish had won the Caribbean League in 1921 and they hoped the 32-year old slugger could help them do it again.
He picked up his second and third MVPs with the Swordfish and in 1923, helped them win the CABA crown over Tijuana, although he lacked the postseason heroics this time. After two years with Santiago, he tested free agency for the first time in his career and got his biggest payday, signing with Havana for four years at $4,780 per year.
The Hurricanes never quite got over the hump while he was there, but Glas still picked up two Silver Sluggers and made history in 1928 as the first CABA player to 600 career home runs, the first to 2500 hits, and the first to 1500 RBI. For 1929, he signed a three-year contract with Puerto Rico, but only played one season as time finally caught up with him at age 38. Glas retired that offseason and would then go onto a 12-year managerial career, although he only twice got a team to a winning record as a coach.
Glas finished with 2611hits, 1452 runs, 623 home runs, 1627 RBI, a .279/.340/.536 slash and 95.9 WAR. He retired as the all-time home run leader and held that title for about two decades. His top spot as RBI king held about 30 years.
His overall spot on the leaderboards would fall as more offensive-friendly eras would pass. But he was indeed the “Top Dog” in power in the 1910s and 1920s in CABA and when you factor in the low offense of early day CABA, his power holds up among the all-timers. Beloved for good reason in both his native Curacao and his second home of Santo Domingo, Glas is an inner-circle Hall of Fame choice.
Adrian De La Rosa – Starting Pitcher – Guadalajara Hellhounds – 98.3% First Ballot
Adrian De La Rosa was a 6’2’’, 205 pound right handed pitcher from Ocozocoautla, a small town in southeast Mexico. He threw hard, often hitting the upper 90s range, and provided very good control and movement with his strong fastball and curveball, plus a decent circle change. De La Rosa was quiet, but incredibly reliable. He also could be counted upon to regularly go the distance, leading the league in complete games seven times and shutouts six times.
Highly touted as an amateur, De La Rosa earned the first overall draft pick in the 1912 CABA draft by Guadalajara, where he’d spend his entire career. His first three seasons however were spent as a back-end starter and reliever. It wasn’t until this fourth season that he was a full time starter, leading Mexico in quality starts 930) and complete games (18) with 7.6 WAR. From there, he’d be a full-time starter until retiring after his age 37 season in 1929.
Guadalajara became a powerhouse in the Mexican League in the early 1920s, winning seven South Division titles in eight seasons. The Hellhounds won the overall CABA title in 1920 and 1921 and were the 1925 Mexican League champs. De La Rosa was a key part of that dynasty, although it wasn’t until 1925 at age 33 that he won Pitcher of the Year for the first time. He had career bests in WAR (7.9), quality starts (31), innings (300), WHIP (0.78), complete games (25), and shutouts. He won the award again the next year with a career-best 1.87 ERA.
That was his last stellar season, although he remained for another three seasons. He became the second CABA pitcher to 250 career wins, finishing with a 251-184 record with a 2.34 ERA. De La Rosa had 4080 innings, 3487 strikeouts with only 455 walks, 370 quality starts out of 471, and 70.4 WAR.
His biggest lasting mark was 248 complete games, the all-time record CABA record that still holds even a century later. His 66 shutouts was the top mark for nearly a century as well. Despite that, he only had one no-hitter back in 1918. His #16 was retired by Guadalajara in 1929. About as reliable of a presence at the top of the rotation and a key part of the Hellhounds’ 1920s dynasty, De La Rosa is an obvious Hall of Fame choice.
Seo-Yul “Neighbor” Park – Starting Pitcher – Yokohama Yellow Jackets – 69.6% First Ballot
Seo-Yul Park was a 5’10’’, 200 pound left handed pitcher from Pakchon, located about an hour north of Pyongyang in modern day North Korea. Park’s velocity was around 93-95 mph and he had solid movement and control, alternating between a slider, curveball, sinker, and splitter. When East Asia Baseball had formed, he was already a successful amateur and semi-pro pitcher. His first EAB contract came at age 27; a five-year deal worth $12,100 with the Yokohama Yellow Jackets.
Park’s entire nine-year EAB run came with Yokohama, helping them create Japan’s first baseball dynasty. The Yellow Jackets won the Japan title in 1924, 1926, and 1927; winning the overall EAB crown in 26 and 27. In 24 and 26, Park was the Pitcher of the Year, leading the league in ERA in both seasons. He also was the fourth EAB pitcher to record 2000 strikeouts. He retired after the 1929 season at age 35 after seeing his production fall off in his final two seasons.
Statistically, he’s an interesting case as a guy whose official counted stats started late and whose true peak was only seven seasons. He finished with a 138-72 record, 2.05 ERA, 2117 strikeouts in 1964.2 innings, 199 quality starts out of 254, and a 58.2 WAR. Many players who didn’t have the accumulations from a late start ended up left out from the various Halls of Fame. But he was explosive in his time and a big part of the Yokohama dynasty, earning him the nod into the EAB HOF.
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