1918
There was little change at the top of the standings as the top teams throughout the past few seasons again found their way to the top of the standings. After a one-year sabbatical from the postseason, Jersey City squeezed past Baltimore by a couple games to win the Eastern League.
That was the only new pennant winner as Baltimore, Kansas City, and Cleveland all repeated in their respective leagues. The defending National Champions in Brooklyn won their fifth straight NEL pennant, while Cleveland won a franchise-best 105 games along with their third straight Midwest Association crown.
With just 89 wins, Jersey City was far and away the worst team in the field, but they shockingly swept Cleveland in the first round. Brooklyn took down Kansas City in six and looked like they were poised to repeat. However, the Giants came up big with a seven-game triumph, earning their third National Championship in five years. For as much ink has been spilled on Kansas City's dynasty, the scoreboard now show: Jersey City 4, Kansas City 3 when it comes to national titles.
Third-year Cleveland outfielder
Joey Habets hit his peak at the age of 25, salshing /334/.392/.437, driving in 87 runs and stealing 75 bases in a 209-hit season as he took home MVP honors.
In his third year, Louisville right-hander
Tim LeBlanc put it all together as a 26-year-old. A shrewd midseason trade with Seattle brought him over from the PCL in 1916 and LeBlanc has only improved since then. It culminated in a 28-9 season and 1.43 ERA, leading the USBF in both categories.
Over the past decade, stolen bases had gradually slowed down and 1918 was a demarcation point in that. Minneapolis'
Ricky Camarena swiped 103 bases and
Jake Pina snagged 100. Pina could've easily earned MVP, hitting .329 with 199 hits and 75 RBI, the culmination of a very good career spent mostly on a mediocre team.
Also of note, New York righty
Ray Simpson had posted a great (if award-less) career, but suffered through two truly miserable seasons to end it. On August 7, though, he spun his 300th win, the second pitcher to pull off the feat. It would be his final victory in a lousy 8-28 campaign (after 8-23 the year prior) and his final career victory.
Minor League Champions
Pacific Coast League: Los Angeles Angels, 133-67, defeats San Francisco Seals
Southeastern League: New Orleans Pelicans, 94-46, defeats Atlanta
Colonial League: Worcester Tornadoes, 76-50, defeats Reading
Texas League: Houston Buffaloes, 72-54, defeats El Paso
River Valley League: Fort Wayne Westerns, 79-61, defeats Peoria
Rocky Mountain League: Salt Lake City Bees, 87-39, defeats Ogden (3rd straight)
Coastal League: Jacksonville Tars, 79-61, defeats Charleston
Northern League: Lincoln Lions, 81-45, defeats Sioux City (2nd straight)
In the PCL, The Skipper's turnaround reached the mountaintop in a dizzying amount of time. The Angels finished second, but knocked off perennial power San Francisco in the PCL Championship, going from 152 losses to a title in just two years' time.