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FuzzyRussianHat

06-11-2023 12:06 PM

1959 in BSA

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In a very competitive Bolivar League in 1959, Guayaquil had the best record at 92-70. The Golds took the South Division for only the second time in franchise history, edging Lima by one game and La Paz by four. Callao, who had won the division four of the prior five years, was fourth at 84-78. In the North Division, Caracas took first 89-73, back on top after just missing the prior two years. Medellin was second at 86-76 with defending league champ Barquisimeto third at .500.

Bolivar League MVP went to Aleix Espinoza of Lima. The 28-year old Peruvian RF was the league leader in RBI (116), slugging (.637), OPS (1.027), and wRC+ (180), adding 36 home runs and 9.8 WAR. Guayaquil’s Laurenco Cedillo was Pitcher of the Year for back-to-back years. Still only 24-years old, the Golds ace led in ERA (1.86), wins (21-5), quality starts (31), WAR (10.3), and FIP- (51) while finishing second in strikeouts with 313 over 261 innings.

https://i.imgur.com/64QvS24.jpg

The best record in South America by far in 1959 went to defending Copa Suadmerica champ Sao Paulo. The Padres finished 110-52, taking the Brazil Division for the seventh consecutive season. Fortaleza (96-66) and Rio de Janeiro (93-69) had nice seasons, but couldn’t compete. Meanwhile in the South Division, Santiago was first at 97-65 for a third straight division title. The Saints finished five games better than Cordoba.

Buenos Aires LF Ishmael Perla was MVP for the second time in his career, also winning the award back in 1954. The 30-year old hometown hero beat his own single-season record for batting WAR at 13.7, a mark that still stands as the best in BSA as of 2037. Perla led the league in runs (102), hits (198), triples (30), walks (92), stolen bases (107), triple slash (.358/.445/.600), OPS (1.045), and wRC+ (245). The OBP mark was also a single-season record and Perla picked up his third Gold Glove as well. Despite his efforts, the Atlantics were only one game above .500. Pitcher of the Year went to Salvador’s Diego Pimentel. The 27-year old Brazilian lefty had a league best 21 complete games, posting a 18-10 record with a 1.69 ERA over 266.2 innings for 331 strikeouts and 10.4 WAR. Also notable was Sao Paulo’s Justo Carvalho winning his third Reliever of the Year, posting 46 saves, a 1.20 ERA, and 5.4 WAR.

The Bolivar League Championship Series saw Caracas defeat Guayaquil in five games, giving the Colts their fifth league title in franchise history. The third straight Southern Cone final between Sao Paulo and Santiago had the same ultimate result. The Padres made it a three-peat, taking the series in six games for their sixth league title; the most of any Southern Cone team. Sao Paulo was a heavy favorite to repeat as Copa Sudamerica champion, but Caracas pulled off the upset in a seven-game classic. It is only the second Cup win for the Colts, who also did it all the way back in 1933.

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Other notes: Angel Gabriel Cornejo became the third BSA player to reach 1500 career runs scored. He finished his final season with 1507, putting him behind Diego Pena (1596) and Saul Vargas (1514). Pena played his final season in 1959. CF Loury Nova won his 14<sup>th</sup> and final Gold Glove. It wouldn’t be until 2007 that another BSA player reached 14.

FuzzyRussianHat

06-12-2023 05:20 AM

1959 in EAB

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The top spot in the Japan League in 1959 went to Hiroshima, who’s only other South Division title came back when they won it all in 1939. The Hammerheads finished at 102-60, topping second place Kobe by seven games. Defending league champ Osaka fell to a disappointing fifth place at 79-83. Saitama made it back-to-back North Division titles with a 99-63 finish. Sapporo was their only challenger, finishing five back at 94-68.

Two-way star Tadasumi Tanabe led the Sting again and won his fourth consecutive MVP and third straight Pitcher of the Year. Sadly, it would be the last great season for Tanabe, who required elbow ligament reconstruction surgery in September. This caused him to miss the postseason and ultimately started a very injury-plagued second half of his career. On the mound, the 28-year old was the leader in wins with a 20-6 record over 261.1 innings, posting a 2.31 ERA with 261 strikeouts and 6.5 WAR. In the outfield, Tanabe put up 6.9 WAR with a .356 average, 152 hits, 82 runs, 23 home runs, and 71 RBI.

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Defending East Asian Champion Hamhung won a fifth consecutive Korea League North Division title in 1959. The Heat finished 99-63, 11 games better than second place Suwon. The best overall record in Korea belonged to Changwon, well atop the South Division at 106-56. For the Crabs, it is now three straight division titles and it also matches a franchise record for wins in a season, a mark they also hit in 1923.

Pyongyang 1B Chu Park had a historic season, getting his first MVP at age 25. The left-handed slugger became the new single-season home run king with 67, topping the previous record of 64. It’s the second most in any pro league to this point, only behind Orion McIntyre’s 68 in the 1951 European Baseball Federation season. Park also led the league with 151 RBI and .752 slugging, while posting a .342 average and 11.1 WAR.

Pitcher of the Year went to Changwon’s Dan Dudamel for the second time in three years. He was the league leader in wins (20-12), innings (289.2), and strikeouts (297), adding a 2.55 ERA and 7.2 WAR. He also won his third straight Gold Glove. The Crabs also saw Chang-Hee Lee win his third straight Reliever of the Year. Lee had a 0.81 ERA over 77.1 innings with 32 saves, 123 strikeouts, and 4.5 WAR.

The Japan League Championship Series saw Hiroshima defeat Saitama in six games, giving the Hammerheads their second league title After falling to Hamhung in the prior two years, Changwon claimed the Korea League Championship Series in six games, denying the Heat’s three-peat. For the Crabs, it is their third league title, joining the 1945 and 1923 campaigns. The East Asian Championship was a seven game battle that saw Hiroshima prevail 4-3 for their second overall title. This also breaks up what was a six-year title streak for Korean teams, sending the trophy back to Japan.

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Other notes: Fukuoka slugger Takashi Ishihara became the second player to reach 700 career home runs. In his final season, he finished with 703, retiring second to Byung-Oh Tan’s 718 dingers. Dong Ju-Hahn of Ulsan hit 57 doubles, beating his own single-season record of 55 set the prior year. 57 would hold as the record until 2005. On June 1, Kawasaki’s Okahito Kuroda threw a perfect game with eight strikeouts against Fukuoka.

FuzzyRussianHat

06-12-2023 12:15 PM

1959 in CABA

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The best record in CABA was Leon in 1959, setting a franchise record with a 112-50 mark. The Lions earned back-to-back Mexican League South Division titles, leading the league in both runs scored (730 and fewest allowed (494). In the North Division, Tijuana rolled to the title at 104-58. The Monterrey dynasty ended, finishing second at 92-70 to snap their chance at five straight league titles. For the Toros, it is their first playoff berth since 1940.

Guadalajara slugger Prometheo Garcia won his seventh league MVP and earned an unprecedented fifth Triple Crown, passing the four Triple Crowns earned by 10-time MVP Kiko Velazquez. Showing no sign of slowing down even at age 36, Garcia was the leader in runs (123), hits (222), home runs (51), RBI (141), average (.369), slugging (.700)), OPS (1.116), wRC+ (221), and WAR (10.3). The 141 RBI was a career record for Garcia. This season, he became the third hitter to 600 home runs and the eighth to 1500 runs scored.

Pitcher of the Year went to Leon’s Edgar Andunvar, becoming the second CABA pitcher to win the award five times. It was a bit of a career resurgence for the Honduran lefty, who last won the award in 1952. At age 37 in his second season with Leon, Andunvar had the league lead in wins (22-8) , ERA (1.88), WHIP (0.87), quality starts (28), and FIP- (77). He had a 6.1 WAR and 201 strikeouts over 244 innings.

https://i.imgur.com/v5HnoQD.jpg

Defending CABA champion Honduras won the Caribbean League Caribbean Division for back-to-back seasons. The Horsemen were 93-69, nine games better than Nicaragua. The best record in the Caribbean went to Island Division winner Haiti at 95-67, beating Puerto Rico by four games and defending division champ Santo Domingo by five. For the Herons, it is their first playoff berth since 1940.

Second-year RF Yovani Pena won the league MVP for Honduras. The left-handed Dominican led the league in WAR (7.4) and walks drawn (74), adding 36 home runs and a .924 OPS in 142 starts. Pitcher of the Year went to Haiti’s Adrian Perez. The 27-year old had a league-leading 0.93 WHIP with a 16-8 record, 2.59 ERA, 212 strikeouts in 229.2 innings and 5.8 WAR. This would be more than half of his career WAR with a real flash in the pan career. Injuries and mediocrity meant that he was a forgettable reliever for the next decade.

The Mexican League Championship Series saw Leon swept Tijuana for the first Lions league title since 1942 and their fifth overall. In the Caribbean League Championship Series, Honduras repeated by besting Haiti 4-1. The Horsemen are now a record 11-time Caribbean League champs. The CABA Championship was a seven-game thriller with Leon outlasting defending champ Honduras for the Lions’ third overall title (1939, 1941).

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Other notes; CF Linus Williams won his 12<sup>th</sup> Gold Glove and SS Thiago Hernandez won his ninth. Williams is the fourth CABA player to win the award 12 times. MVP Prometheo Garcia won his 11<sup>th</sup> Silver Slugger.

FuzzyRussianHat

06-13-2023 05:15 AM

1959 in MLB

https://i.imgur.com/zZgsQKK.jpg

Philadelphia posted the best record in Major League Baseball in 1959, sitting atop the National Association’s Eastern League at 112-50. For the Phillies, this is their first league title since 1950. 1957 World Series champ Indianapolis made it three straight playoff berths by taking the Midwest League title at 98-64.

In the wild card race, the first three spots went to Eastern League teams with Ottawa at 96-66, followed by both Boston and Brooklyn at 94-68. The Elks are in the field for the fifth time in six years, while the Red Sox are back for the fifth time in seven years. The Dodgers, the defending National Association champ, earned back-to-back playoff spots for the first time in franchise history. The final playoff spot went to the Midwest League as Cleveland finished 93-69, beating Toronto by three games and Louisville by four. The Cobras snapped a 20-year postseason drought.

MVP went to Indianapolis RF R.J. Clinton. The 1957 Rookie of the Year led the NA in runs (118) and slugging (.624), adding 39 home runs, 109 RBI, a .340 average, and 8.3 WAR. Brooklyn’s John Delaney won his third consecutive Pitcher of the Year. The 28-year old had the most wins (22-7), innings (284), quality starts (29), and shutouts (8) and the best WHIP at 0.85. He posted a 2.03 ERA, 193 strikeouts, and 9.0 WAR.

The first round of the National Association playoffs saw Boston knock out the defending champ Dodgers and Cleveland oust Ottawa, both 2-0. The Cobras then stunned Philadelphia in round two, taking the series 3-1. Indianapolis fended off a strong challenge from the Red Sox and won in five. For Cleveland, they earned only their third-ever NACS trip with the other two back in the 1920s. They took the Racers to the brink, but Indianapolis outlasted them in a seven-game series that saw the home team win each game. This gives Indy their third National Association title of the 1950s and fifth in franchise history.

https://i.imgur.com/ZPfgVQN.jpg

In the American Association, the best overall mark went to Las Vegas, winning the Western League at 99-63. For the Vipers, this gives them nine playoff berths over the course of the 1950s. Phoenix was second at 94-68 to take a wild card and snap a five-year playoff drought. San Antonio won the Southern League for back-to-back seasons at 98-64. Second place Oklahoma City at 91-71 took the second wild card slot, giving the Outlaws their second-ever postseason berth.

The remaining two wild card spots saw an intense battle. Portland at 89-73 took the third spot for their second berth in three years. Meanwhile, the final spot ended with a four-way tie at 88-74 between Los Angeles, Calgary, Oakland, and Tampa. This essentially led to a four-team single-elimination tournament to decide who moved on. The Angels and Cheetahs knocked out the Thunderbirds and Owls; then LA defeated Calgary to push the Angels to the playoffs with a 90-74 final record. San Diego, who had built a dynasty with three of the last four World Series titles, was a non-factor at 76-86, finishing 10<sup>th</sup> in the Western League. Vancouver, the champ two years ago, was an abysmal 65-97.

Although 80-82 Miami wasn’t in the final mix, the Mallards did have the American Association MVP in LF Tyler Whisnant. The 29-year old lefty from Tennessee was the league leader in hits (215), average (.371), OBP (.418), OPS (1.020), and wRC+ (170), adding 7.4 WAR. San Diego may have fallen hard in1959, but Spenser Emond was as excellent as ever, winning his record sixth Pitcher of the Year. The 34-year old lefty was the leader in ERA (2.76), WHIP (1.02), quality starts (25), FIP- (63), and WAR (9.7), adding a 20-11 record over 280.1 innings and 257 strikeouts. Emond also became the 12<sup>th</sup> MLB pitcher to reach 3500 career strikeouts.

The first round in the American Association playoffs saw Oklahoma City defeat Portland and Phoenix over Los Angeles, both 2-0. Round two had the Firebirds upset San Antonio 3-1, while Las Vegas survived a five game challenge from the Outlaws. In the AACS, the Vipers cruised to a five-game victory, finally sending Vegas to its first World Series despite being the winningest team of the 1950s. They capped off the season by winning it all, defeating Indianapolis 4-2 in the Fall Classic. The Racers play the bridesmaid again, now holding an 0-5 record in World Series appearances. This also extends the American Association’s streak of taking the title to eight seasons.

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Other Notes: New York’s Jeremiah Rutledge threw the ninth MLB perfect game on September 15 against Washington. He struck out 17 batters in the dominant performance, setting a MLB record for most strikeouts in any no-hitter. Sebastian Lunde became the 29<sup>th</sup> batter to 3000 career hits and the fourth to cross 2000 career RBI. 1960 would be his final year and he’d finish with 2090 RBI, second only to Stan Provost (2271). Lunde also would finish with 712 home runs, behind only Elijah Cashman (750), and Kaby Silva (731). Rodrick Wisdom became the third reliever to 400 career saves. Eduardo Muniz and Trevor Brown became the 22<sup>nd</sup> and 23<sup>rd</sup> pitchers to reach 250 wins.

FuzzyRussianHat

06-13-2023 05:14 PM

1960: Oceania Baseball Association Formed

After World War II was completed, baseball's popularity and presence began to spread in all corners of the world. One of the areas to grow quickest was Australia, which saw a general post-war boom. Increased American influence on Australia meant the game quickly spread in popularity with amateur and semi-professional teams popping up throughout the nation. Nearby New Zealand started to see growth as well and with the successes of the newly formed European Baseball Federation and Eurasian Professional Baseball, many saw the potential for the Oceania region to join the ranks.

Prominent leaders wanted to form their own professional baseball organization, hoping to join with the other groups in the Global Baseball Alliance and be competitive. But the big challenge was having enough markets able to support teams. The smallest GBA groups, CABA and Beisbol Sudamerica, both had 24 total teams with 12 in two leagues. Australia and New Zealand alone didn't have enough cities large enough to come close to that and getting to at least 16 total teams seemed to be a prerequisite to belong as a true "major league" in the region. There were some brief conversations with leaders in southeastern Asia, but cultural and logistical challenges made that a non-starter. Taiwan, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Singapore would soon create their own baseball organization by 1965.

The focus then shifted to building the game in the adjacent islands of the Pacific. Many of those areas had at least some familiarity with baseball due to American and/or Japanese imperialism in the area. The tremendous success of baseball in the Caribbean showed that island nations could flourish as baseball hotbeds. However, there were worries that there weren't enough population centers in many of the options. Yet, the relatively compact nature of these island areas meant that even without big cities, the entire island or group could quickly adopt the local squad almost as a national team.

The newly minted state of Hawaii had a major metro in Honolulu that was a perfect fit with a MLB expansion to Hawaii viewed as very unlikely. Although much smaller, Guam (US controlled) was also a good fit. Teams were later approved in the Solomon Islands (Guadalcanal), Samoa, New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tahiti. These seven, plus the Papua New Guinea capital of Port Moresby (at the time, controlled by Australia) made up the Pacific League. On the other side was the eight-team Australasia League with six Australian teams (Adelaide, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney) and two New Zealand teams (Auckland and Christchurch). Together, the two leagues made the Oceania Baseball Association, which officially began play in 1960.
https://i.imgur.com/KIEaCde.png

Like the other GBA nations, the season would take place from March through October. There were some reservations in playing in what is the winter in the Southern Hemisphere compared to what is the summer months up north, but the Southern Cone teams of BSA had shown it was workable. Plus, none of the areas involved had harsh winters with highs still into the 50s and 60s regularly in the coldest months for some of the continental teams. For most of the island teams, the heat stays year round with rain a much more common problem than cold.

There would not be interleague play; the entire 162-game regular season would be confined to one league. There wouldn't be an expansive playoff either, as the two league champions would simply meet at the season's end in the best-of-seven Oceania Championship. The biggest strategic quirk compared to the other leagues is that OBA would use a four-man pitching rotation instead of the standard five. OBA would also use the designated hitter in both leagues.

FuzzyRussianHat

06-14-2023 05:32 AM

1960 MLB Hall of Fame

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For only the second time in Major League Baseball history, the Hall of Fame had a class of five players. Unlike the star-studded 1934 class, the 1960 edition didn’t have any inner-circle level guys despite adding five. Still, all five players were first ballot selections. SP Henry Lopez and 2B J.R. Osborn were the stars at 88.9% and 88.3%, respectively. SP Millard Barkley received 75.0%, SP Carter Hicks got 72.8%, and CL Victor Porter secured 68.0%. Three others made it above 50%. No one in the 1960 ballot was dropped after a tenth try.

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Henry Lopez – Starting Pitcher – Philadelphia Phillies – 88.9% First Ballot

Henry Lopez was a 6’3’’, 195 pound right-handed pitcher from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He was a very hard-throwing pitcher with 98-100 mph velocity, mixing great stuff with good movement and respectable control. Lopez’s fastball was outstanding, mixed with a good curveball and good changeup. He attended Ohio University in college and wasn’t incredibly highly touted, picked in the third round, 125<sup>th</sup> overall, by Philadelphia in the 1939 MLB Draft.

Lopez immediately proved he belonged though, earning the National Association Rookie of the Year in 1940 with 5.0 WAR and a 2.37 ERA in only 25 starts. Injuries meant he only made 27 starts in his second year, but he still was stellar enough to earn the Pitcher of the Year with a 2.35 ERA, 16-3 record, 202 strikeouts, and 6.0 WAR. This year was the first of the Phillies dynasty and Lopez had a great postseason, going 3-1 with a 2.15 ERA over 29.1 playoff innings.

A hamstring strain, followed by bone chips in his elbow, put Lopez out for a big chunk of 1942. He missed the postseason, but Philadelphia rolled to back-to-back World Series rings. The Phillies would win the National Association title in seven straight seasons from 1941-47, winning the World Series in 41, 42, 43, 44, and 47. In his Philadelphia playoff career, Lopez had a 10-6 record, 3.34 ERA over 148 innings, 109 strikeouts, and 2.8 WAR. 1945 and 1946 were Lopez’s top seasons by WAR, posting 7.5 in both. He was also the league leader in wins (23, 22) in those seasons, earning Pitcher of the Year in 1945. In total in Philly, he had a 162-78 record, 2.87 ERA over 2259 innings, 1994 strikeouts, and 56.2 WAR. His #3 uniform would be retired at the end of his career.

At age 31, Lopez entered free agency and signed a five-year, $241,000 contract with San Diego. He wasn’t an elite pitcher with the Seals, but gave them four seasons of respectable production. In his fifth year in SD at age 35, disaster struck in April with a ruptured UCL. Lopez opted to retire due to this injury at age 36.

The final stats for Lopez: 231-117, 3.16 ERA, 3234.2 innings, 2661 strikeouts, 269/416 quality starts, 165 complete games, a FIP- of 82, and 73.0 WAR. His grand totals are a bit lower than some other pitchers in the Hall, but he had solid production and was a big playoff performer in MLB’s most impressive dynasty. This earns Lopez the first ballot nod at 88.9%.

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J.R. Osborn – Second Baseman – San Francisco Gold Rush – 88.3% First Ballot

J.R. Osborn was a 5’10’’, 200 pound right handed second baseman from Merced, California; a smaller city in the central part of the state. Osborn was an excellent contact hitter and an ironman who avoided major injury until the very end of his career. He was also a team captain, known as a terrific leader and hard worker. Osborn had respectable gap power and speed and was great at avoid strikeouts, although he was below average at drawing walks. He made starts at six positions in his career, but spent the bulk at second base and was considered a solid and reliable glove.

He attended Eastern Michigan University and was the NCAA Silver Slugger winner at 2B in 1933. That winter, San Francisco picked him 16<sup>th</sup> overall in the MLB Draft. Osborn spent nearly his entire career with the Gold Rush and he was instantly excellent, earning a Silver Slugger in his rookie year and taking second in Rookie of the Year voting. He won four Silver Sluggers in total, also taking the award in 1939, 43, and 44.

Osborn was never in the top three in MVP voting, as he lacked the sexy power numbers and was only a league-leader once (43 doubles in 1945), But he consistently posted 4+ WAR in 13 consecutive seasons, averaging around 30 doubles and 20 home runs per year. He was a reliable leader in an era where San Francisco was usually above or around .500, but unable to make it into the postseason.

He finally got to the playoffs at age 37 in 1950 as the Gold Rush went on a run and won it all. By this point, he was more of an elder statesmen and less of a major contributor, including a bench role in the 1950 and 1951 World Baseball Championship tournaments for the US team. Age started to catch up to Osborn as he struggled in 1951, then missed most of 1952 with a torn calf muscle. Early in the 1953 season, Osborn was released but on good terms, as he’d return to the Bay to have his jersey#27 retired in 1955. San Antonio signed him for the 1953 season and with the Oilers, he picked up the 3500 career hit and 1500 career RBI milestones. He went to Tampa for his final season in 1954, going unsigned in 1955 and retiring at age 43.

Osborn’s final stats: 3703 hits, 1847 runs, 601 doubles, 210 triples, 335 home runs, 1582 RBI, 727 stolen bases, a .308/.353/.476 slash and 88.7 WAR. At retirement, he was second all-time in hits to Stan Provost. Jess Lewis would pass him in 1959, but Osborn would remain third all-time as of 2037. He was fourth in runs scored at retirement and second in doubles. Osborn’s longevity and reliability make him an easy first ballot pick at 88.3%.

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Millard Barkley – Starting Pitcher – New York Yankees – 75.0% First Ballot

Millard Barkley was a 6’0’’, 190 pound right-handed starting pitcher from Hamburg, New York; a town just south of Buffalo. Barkley was known for having very good movement over a diverse pitch arsenal with decent control. His velocity on his fastball peaked at 95-97 mph, but Barkley mixed in a slider, changeup, splitter, and knuckle curve. The knuckle curve was viewed as his best pitch and he was known to earn ground balls often. Perhaps his most important attribute was durability as an ironman who made 31+ starts in all but the first and final season of his 22 year professional career.

Barkley attended Georgia Tech and was drafted close to home in the 1930 MLB Draft, selected in the second round, 86<sup>th</sup> overall, by Buffalo. He spent his first three pro seasons largely in minor league Rochester, making his MLB debut with a few relief appearances in 1933. He entered the rotation the next year and spent three seasons with the Blue Sox with respectable, but unremarkable results. He had a 45-39 record, 3.62 ERA, and 12.3 WAR over 711.1 innings with Buffalo.

At age 27, Barkley was traded to the other side of the state to the New York Yankees. He became best known as a Yankee and was inducted in the pinstripes, although his main run there only lasted five seasons. There was well, he was reliable and respectable, but nothing outstanding. At age 32, Barkley was traded before the 1942 season to Charlotte. In his four seasons with the Canaries, he had his first chance at the playoffs. He had a 60-57 record, 3.79 ERA, and 15.7 WAR while there.

Barkley was again traded, this time to the Philadelphia dynasty before the 1946 season. The now 36-year old Barkley had his best season in his Phillies debut, taking third in Pitcher of the Year voting with a career-best 2.14 ERA, 20-10 record, and 7.1 WAR. He had a solid run in the 1946 and 47 postseasons with a 5-3 record, 3.06 ERA, 67.2 innings, and 0.9 WAR. The Phillies won the National Association title in 1946 and the World Series in 1947, giving a ring to Barkley.

He became a free agent after the 1947 and showed no signs of aging at this point. He bounced around for the next six seasons, but posted 31.4 WAR with statistically the most impressive run of his career despite moving into his 40s. Barkley played with Phoenix in 1948, Jacksonville in 1949, the Yankees in 1950 and 51, Philadelphia again in 1952, and Columbus in 1953. In 1954 with Tampa, he finally fell off significantly and retired at the year’s end at age 44.

The final stats for Barkley: 293-267, 3.54 ERA, 5191.2 innings, 3536 strikeouts, 1634 walks, 417/685 quality starts, 224 complete games, and 90.9 WAR. His 685 starts were only two behind Angelo Leblanc’s all-time mark. He’s a test case in the argument between the voters that feel peak dominance is the most important and those who more value longevity. Barkley was never dominant or a league leader or viewed as the most elite guy. But he provided reliable production over three decades and remarkably had his best success in his late 30s and early 40s when most others are out of the game. Thus, Barkley picked up 75.0% on his debut to earn his place among the legends of the game.

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Carter “Hawkeye” Hicks – Starting Pitcher – Brooklyn Dodgers – 72.8% First Ballot

Carter Hicks was a 5’11’’, 185 pound left-handed starting pitcher from New York City. Hicks was a hard thrower with 99-101 mph velocity, often overpowering batters. His key pitch was a slider, mixed with a cutter, splitter, and a changeup. His movement and control were considered average to above average, but the power of those pitches made up for any deficiencies. Hicks was very durable and reliable in his 20s, although his personality didn’t make him any friends. He was often criticized for a lack of hustle and loyalty, but his talent kept him around.

Hicks attended Rutgers University and returned back to NYC to start his MLB career, picked seventh overall in the 1939 MLB Draft by Brooklyn. He made a solid debut in 1940 and would be a full-time starter for the Dodgers from 1940 through the summer of 1948. In his second season, Hicks led the National Association in WAR. He’d do it twice more with 8.7 in 1944 and 8.9 in 1945. Hicks also led the NA in strikeouts in 43, 44, and 45. In 1944, Hicks won his lone Pitcher of the Year with a league and career best 2.40 ERA over 273.1 innings with 283 strikeouts. He finished third for the award in 1945.

Hicks was a bright spot for Brooklyn and the Dodgers had some solid seasons, but were never able to make the playoffs in his tenure. He signed a massive seven-year, $307,200 deal before the 1946 season, but the team began to struggle and rebuild at the end of the 1940s. Brooklyn traded the now 29-year old Hicks midway through the 1948 season to St. Louis. He gave some solid production over the next four seasons for a struggling Cardinals squad.

In 1951, Hicks had his first injury issues with forearm tendinitis and inflammation. He was healthy the next year, but saw his production fall to league-average levels. His contract expired after the 1952 season and he signed a five-year, $305,000 deal with San Francisco. In late April 1953, the 34-year old Hicks suffered a torn labrum, putting him out for the year. The Gold Rush cut him in the offseason and he signed for 1954 with Ottawa. This would be Hicks’ final season at age 35 and he’d get his first opportunity at the postseason with the Elks. After the season, Brooklyn reached out and opted to retire Hicks’ #45 uniform for his time there.

The final stats for Hicks: 208-162, 2.96 ERA, 3525.2 innings, 3116 strikeouts, 845 walks, 336/461 quality starts, 139 complete games, and 79.2 WAR. He was more of a short-burst career, but had enough dominance in his peak to get a look despite a prickly personality and spending his career on weak franchises. Hicks picked up a first ballot induction at 72.8%.

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Victor “Skates” Porter – Closer – San Diego Seals – 68.0% First Ballot

Victor Porter was a 6’4’’, 200 pound right-handed closer from Waterford, California; a small town in the central part of the state not far from Modesto. Porter had dual American/Mexican citizenship with an American father and Mexican mother. He was one of the hardest throwing pitchers of the era with a stellar 99-101 mph fastball. He combined this with excellent movement on a curveball and solid control. Porter went south to Mississippi State for college and took second in NCAA Pitcher of the Year voting in his sophomore season. This earned him the 42<sup>nd</sup> overall pick in the 1937 MLB Draft by San Diego.

After nine innings in 1938, Porter became the closer for the Seals in 1939 and held that role for the next decade. He won Reliever of the Year three times; in 1942, 43, and 46. Porter was second in Reliever of the Year in both 1939, 41, and 47; consistently viewed as an elite closer during his San Diego tenure. He led the American Association in saves in 1941 and 43, posting eight seasons of 4+ WAR. The Seals made it to the AACS in 1945 and 46 with Porter posting a 0.59 ERA in 15.1 playoff innings. In total with San Diego, Porter had 289 saves, a 1.68 ERA over 652 innings, 1141 strikeouts, and 44.8 WAR. The Seals would retire his #3 uniform once his career was done.

Porter’s career peaked in San Diego as he would bounce around between seven teams over his final six seasons. Oddly enough, his role and use would become significantly diminished despite never suffering any significant injury or really seeing a steep drop in productivity. He had some success in limited use, but apart for a brief stretch in 1952 as Seattle’s closer, he was a rarely used arm in his 30s. Porter signed with Cleveland in 1949 at age 32 and was traded to Oakland mid-season. He signed with Jacksonville in 1950 and was traded to Chicago in mid 1951. Porter went to Seattle in 1952 and was traded to Indianapolis midseason. He stayed with the Racers in 1953, then signed with Hartford in 1954. The Huskies released him in the summer and he was picked up by Houston’s minor league affiliate for the rest of the year, retiring at season’s end at age 37.

The final stats: 309 saves, 1.97 ERA, 819 innings, 1351 strikeouts, 239 walks, 355 shutdowns, FIP- of 34 and 50.5 WAR. His save total was lower than more that got the nod previously, but he was dominant enough in his peak to post 50+ WAR. At the time, only two other relievers had gotten above 50 WAR in their career. That peak dominance with the Seals earned him just enough to crack the 66% threshold at 68.0%, putting Porter into the Hall on the first ballot.

FuzzyRussianHat

06-14-2023 12:14 PM

1960 CABA Hall of Fame

The 1960 Central American Baseball Association Hall of Fame class saw two players inducted, both only narrowly getting above the 66.0% threshold. SP Fernando Balboa made it on his first try at 70.1% while LF Se-Hyeon Kim got exactly enough on his third try at 66.0%. One other, 3B Sandro Villanueba, was close with a 60.1% mark on his second try.

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One player was dropped after a tenth attempt in 1B Bernardo Gallegos. In his CABA run almost exclusively with Santiago, he had 1596 hits, 909 runs, 289 home runs, 893 RBI, and 56.9 WAR. His final five seasons were in Nashville, giving him 2285 hits and 71.0 WAR for his whole pro career. The tallies weren’t impressive enough though to get more than 19.2% on the CABA ballot, although he managed to stay on the ballot for ten tries.

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Fernando Balboa – Starting Pitcher – Leon Lions – 70.1% First Ballot

Fernando Balboa was a 5’8’’, 155 pound right-handed pitcher from San Jose de las Lajas, a small town in west central Cuba. At 155 pounds, he is the lightest addition in CABA Hall of Fame history, but still managed 95-97 mph velocity despite his small frame. He had excellent control with great stuff between a fastball, curveball, screwball, and changeup. His movement was lousy though, causing Balboa to give up far more home runs than the usual ace pitcher. He was a good teammate and had solid durability throughout his 16 year career.

Balboa was signed as a teenage amateur in late 1934 by Puebla and made his debut at age 21 in 1937. He saw limited action in his first three seasons and struggled, becoming a full-time starter in years four and five. Only putting up okay production, the Pumas traded Balboa to Leon for catcher Oliver Feaster and pitcher Domingo Rivero. His signature run would come with his six-year stint with the Lions, who had won the CABA championship in 1941. They were runner-up in Balboa’s Leon debut in 1942 with Balboa posting a 3.24 ERA over 25 playoff innings.

In 1944, Balboa was second in Pitcher of the Year voting; the closest he came to the award. He had a no-hitter with 10 strikeouts and one walk in 1943 against Ecatepec. He led Mexico in strikeouts in 1944 with 304 and 325 in 1945 and had a career-best 7.1 WAR in 1943. In total with Leon, he had a 107-69 record, 2.88 ERA, 1557 innings, 1777 strikeouts, and a 26.1 WAR.

The 32-year old Balboa left for free agency in 1949 and signed with Ecatepec in a two-year deal. He spent one year with the Explosion and was traded to Nicaragua in the offseason. After one year with the Navigators, Balboa signed with Mexicali. He had a career resurgence in 1950 with the Maroons, placing third in Pitcher of the Year voting and helping Mexicali to the Mexican League title. This run earned Balboa a nice four-year free agent deal with Santo Domingo.

He had three years with the Dolphins with middling production, then was traded back to Ecatepec for the 1954 season. It would be his last year as a partial torn UCL ended his season and ultimately his pro career at age 39. Balboa also spent eight seasons pitching for the Cuban World Baseball Championship team from 1947-54.

The final stats for Balboa: 216-173 record, 3.22 ERA, 3562.2 innings, 3785 strikeouts, 495 walks, 302/462 quality starts, and 51.3 WAR. Many look at him as a “Hall of Very Good” type guy and his tallies are among the weakest of pitchers that made the Hall. Still, he was strong enough at his best to get a look, especially with a weak ballot in his debut, allowing Balboa to make it on the first ballot at 70.1%.

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Se-Hyeon “Rally” Kim – Left Field – Santiago Sailfish – 66.0% Third Ballot

Se-Hyeon Kim was a 6’0’’, 200 pound right-handed left fielder from Okcheon, a small county in central South Korea. Kim combined solid contact and power hitting skills with excellent durability and reliability. He had solid speed and the ability to leg out doubles and triples. His discipline was only okay as he didn’t walk much and struck out fairly regularly. Kim spent almost his entire career in left field and was viewed as a delightfully average defender, posting a career EFF of exactly 1.000. He was also known as a prankster, which made him a clubhouse favorite.

He was one of the Asian players of the era who got spotted oddly enough by CABA scouts and played his career in the Western Hemisphere. Santiago signed a teenaged Kim in 1929 and he made his debut in the Dominican with a few limited starts in 1934 and 1935. At age 22 in 1936, he became a full-time starter and from 1937-1951, he started 146+ games every season. By Kim’s third full season, he was putting up 100+ RBI, 6+ WAR seasons. He won Silver Slugger in 1938 and 1945, although he was never quite good enough to finish high in MVP voting. He led the Caribbean League in RBI with 122 in 1040, also posting a career-best 47 home runs. He led in homers in 1945 and runs in 1946.

The Sailfish were a mid-tier team during his run with Kim only seeing the playoffs in 1935. In total, he had 1677 hits, 890 runs, 230 doubles, 110 triples, 321 home runs, 976 RBI, a .289/.334/.532 slash, and 49.8 WAR. The 32-year old Kim signed a four-year extension with Santiago in late 1945, but only two months later, he was traded over to Cuba to Havana. Still, he remained a fondly remembered Sailfish and had his #26 uniform retired later.

Kim spent his final seven seasons with the Hurricanes, putting up strong production in his first year, but gradually weaker numbers as he aged. In 1949, he was able to help Havana to the CABA Championship. In 1952, he suffered his first major injury with a hamstring strain and saw his lowest tallies, leading Kim to retire at year’s end at 1953. With the Hurricanes, he had 1042 hits, 517 runs, 203 home runs, 527 RBI, and 16.5 WAR. He also went home in 1947 and played in on the inaugural South Korean national team in the WBC, although he didn’t play in the tournament again.

The final stats for Kim: 2719 hits, 1407 runs, 358 doubles, 172 triples, 524 home runs, 1503 RBI, 715 stolen bases, a .278/.322/.511 slash and 66.3 WAR. He was the 12<sup>th</sup> CABA batter to pass 2500+ hits and the 11<sup>th</sup> to home runs, notable milestones despite never having any huge signature seasons. It was underwhelming enough though that Kim hovered in the 50% range his first two times on the ballot. With a quieter field in 1960, he got 66.0%, exactly enough, to put his name among the all-time CABA greats forever.

FuzzyRussianHat

06-15-2023 05:10 AM

1960 EAB Hall of Fame

The East Asia Baseball Hall of Fame added three players into the Hall of Fame in 1960 with all three being first ballot picks. Two of them were no-doubters with SP Su-Yeon Kim at 98.5% and CL Oki Tanaka at 98.1%. The third was SP Ji-Yoon Park, sneaking in above the 66% threshold at 69.5%. Two others were above 50%, both on their first try.

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One pitcher was dropped after a tenth try in Toshihiro Tsukahara. In 17 years with Kawasaki, he had a 197-151 record, 2.50 ERA, 3132 strikeouts over 3232.2 innings and 71.3 WAR. The 1942 Japan League Pitcher of the Year, he peaked at 62.5% on his third try on the ballot, but generally hovered in the 40% range. There are other starters in the Hall with comparable or arguably worse numbers, but he for whatever reason never got strong consideration.

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Su-Yeon Kim – Starting Pitcher – Incheon Inferno – 98.5% First Ballot

Su-Yeon Kim was a 6’3’’, 200 pound left-handed starting pitcher from Seoul, South Korea. He was a very well-rounded pitcher who wasn’t stellar at any one thing, but had solid stuff, movement, and control. Kim had 94-96 mph velocity with a four-pitch arsenal of a fastball, slider, changeup, and splitter. He was very durable, a fairly good fielder, and had a strong work ethic. Kim went to Jeju International University on the island province just south of the mainland, earning the third overall pick in the 1940 EAB Draft by Incheon.

Kim spent his entire professional career with the Inferno and was an immediate success, taking Rookie of the Year in 1941 and finishing third in Pitcher of the Year voting. All but his final two seasons were 5.5+ WAR as he became a consistent ace for what was a bottom-tier franchise in the 1940s. In 1945 and 1946, he won the Pitcher of the Year. He took third in 1947, second in 1949, and second again in 1950. Kim led Korea in WAR twice, quality starts six times, ERA once, and strikeouts once.

Incheon finally found success for the first time in franchise history in 1950. That year, they exploded for a 113-49 record, winning the EAB championship. Kim had a 3.10 ERA in four playoff starts with 29 innings and 25 strikeouts. The team won the title again in 1954, although Kim did not pitch in that postseason. He also pitched from 1947-51 for South Korea in the World Baseball Championship, posting a 2.93 ERA over 73.2 innings with 86 strikeouts. After a decade of sustained excellence, his production dropped a bit, then a lot in 1954. He was relegated to a bullpen role midseason at age 35, opting to retire at the end of that championship season. That winter, his #3 uniform was retired by Incheon.

Kim’s final stats: 231-145, 2.64 ERA, 3650.2 innings, 3387 strikeouts, 540 walks, 333/451 quality starts, and 95.7 WAR. His relatively early retirement meant his tallies didn’t reach the absolute upper echelon, but there’s no doubt he was consistently among the best aces in Korea throughout the 1940s and early 50s. This earned Kim a first ballot selection at 98.5%.

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Oki Tanaka – Closer – Sapporo Swordfish – 98.1% First Ballot

Oki Tanaka was a 5’8’’, 195 pound right-handed closer from Noda, a small city in Japan’s Chiba Prefecture. He threw a stellar 98-100 mph fastball and was excellent at countering it with a great circle change with great movement. His control was generally viewed as average at best, but his stuff was stellar enough to draw whiffs regardless. Tanaka also had excellent durability, meaning he could come out of the bullpen at any time. His main downside was that he was considered to lack drive and work ethic, but despite that, he still finished his career as arguably the GOAT closer in East Asia Baseball history.

He attended Kansai University in the Osaka prefecture and was picked 18<sup>th</sup> overall in the 1937 EAB Draft by Sapporo, where he’d spend nearly his entire professional career. He had a weak rookie year in relief, but earned the closer role in year two and held that spot the remaining 14 years of his run with the Swordfish. In 1941, he finished second in Reliever of the Year voting. He then won it four straight seasons from 1942-45, taking third in Pitcher of the Year as well in 1945. Tanaka was second in Reliever of the Year in 1946 and 1947 and third in 1948. He won the award for the fifth time in 1949 and took second again in 1950 and 1952.

In 1945, Tanaka set the single-season record for saves with 53, a mark that still holds as of 2937. That year also had a career-best 0.71 ERA. He posted 51 saves in 1949 and 50 in 1951, holding three of the at the time eight ever 50+ save seasons in EAB. Sapporo was a dynasty in the 1940s and early 50s as well with six Japan League titles and three EAB overall rings. In 41 appearances and 66.1 playoff innings, Tanaka had 26 saves, a 2.17 ERA, 96 strikeouts, and 1.7 WAR. He remains the all-time postseason saves leader.

In 1949, Tanaka became the fourth EAB pitcher to reach 400 career saves and in 1951, became the first (and only) to cross 500. His 565 career saves is the East Asia Baseball record and only behind recent Beisbol Sudamerica Hall of Famer Jonathan Iglesias (579) for the most in any pro league. Tanaka also pitched for the Japanese national team in the 1952 and 53 World Baseball Championships, posting a 2.17 ERA over 45.2 innings.

After a strong 1952 with Sapporo, the now 36-year old Tanaka declared for free agency and took the money, more than doubling his average Swordfish salary by signing with MLB’s Houston. He barely saw the field though, only appearing in seven games. The Hornets cut him and he signed briefly with Cincinnati in 1954, but didn’t play an MLB game. He then signed with Chicago and saw 18 innings with them before being cut. Tanaka returned to Japan and finished out the summer with Kobe, but he was washed at this point. He would retire after the 1954 season at age 38.

The final EAB stats for Tanaka: 565 saves, a 1.77 ERA over 1059 games and 1290.1 innings, 1967 strikeouts, 324 walks, a 0.85 WHIP, 681 shutdowns, and 64.9 WAR. It is hard to argue against Tanaka when looking for EAB’s all-time best closer and he makes a case among the best to ever do it in any professional league. With that, he was an easy first ballot choice at 98.1%.

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Ji-Yoon Park – Starting Pitcher – Daejeon Ducks – 69.5% First Ballot

Ji-Yoon Park was a 5’11’’, 190 pound right-handed starting pitcher from Dongducheon, a small city just north of Seoul. Park had incredible stuff with 99-101 mph velocity on an all-time great fastball, mixed with a slider, forkball, and splitter. His movement was considered average and his control was often lacking, but his pitchers were so powerful that it often didn’t matter, earning plenty of strikeouts and flyballs. Park was considered a quiet person despite his dominance. Defensively, he was viewed as subpar.

Park attended Seinan Gakuin University in Fukuoka and excelled, earning the first overall pick in the 1942 East Asia Baseball Draft by Daejeon. He immediately became a full-time starter and had respectable numbers in his initial seasons, although he missed mossed of year three in 1945 with shoulder inflammation. Park bounced back and won Pitcher of the Year in 1947, 1948, and 1950.

He was the Korea League leader in ERA twice, strikeouts four times, FIP- five straight years, and WAR twice. In 1950, he had career highs in wins (22), strikeouts (370), and WAR (11.1). Park also helped the perennially lousy Ducks to the playoffs twice with appearances in 1947 and 1950. These would be the franchise’s only playoff berths until finding some success in the early 1980s. Park also pitched from 1947-50 for the South Korean national team in the World Baseball Championship, posting a 2.88 ERA over 50 innings with 72 strikeouts.

His production began to falter a bit into his 30s with fewer strikeouts, but Park was still a strong starter for Daejeon. Unfortunately late in 1954, Park suffered a torn UCL. He remained on the roster in 1955 but never pitched again because of this injury, retiring at only age 35. His #46 uniform would be retired by the Ducks during the 1955 campaign.

Park’s final stats: 155-110, 2.67 ERA, 2508 innings, 3133 strikeouts, 610 walks, 241/345 quality starts, a 70 FIP-, and 73.2 WAR. Much of his overall totals are lower than the typical Hall of Fame pitcher due to a shortened career, but at his peak, there were few more dominant in the 1940s and 50s. The lack of big numbers and being on a bottom-tier Daejeon squad did hurt him with some voters. However, three Pitcher of the Year awards is hard to ignore and Park ended up a first ballot Hall of Fame pick, albeit barely over the threshold at 69.5%.

FuzzyRussianHat

06-15-2023 06:26 PM

1960 BSA Hall of Fame

Beisbol Sudamerica inducted two into the Hall of Fame in the 1960 class. Pitcher Leonardo Magana was a first round selection, earning 79.0% of the vote. First baseman Yuri Assuncao on his third attempt also made it in, snagging 73.3%. SP Aldemar Ramires on his sixth try had a respectable 60.3%, but was still short. SP Dizzy Castillo was the other player above 50%, getting 59.5% on his debut.

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One player was removed after his 10<sup>th</sup> ballot in closer Diego Cabanero. In 16 seasons with seven teams, he had 302 saves, 1.91 ERA, 1601 strikeouts over 897.1 innings, and 39.8 WAR. His numbers match up decently with some others who got in, but he needed more saves and a signature season, never winning Reliever of the Year. He peaked at 55.0% on his second ballot before dropping into the teens by the end.

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Leonardo Magana – Starting Pitcher – Medellin Mutiny – 79.0% First Ballot

Leonardo Magana was a 5’10’’, 195 pound left-handed starting pitcher from Cucuta, a northern Colombian city on the border with Venezuela. Magana had 96-98 mph velocity and above average to good stuff, control, and movement. He had a fastball, slider, forkball, and changeup in the arsenal with the slider considered the top pitch, owing to an extreme groundball tendency. Magana was a decent defensive pitcher, although he was viewed by some to be a bit of a dummy.

Magana was selected 13<sup>th</sup> overall in the 1938 Beisbol Sudamerica draft by Medellin and became a starter immediately in 1939, taking third in Rookie of the Year voting. Injuries plagued him early in his career with a ruptured UCL in April 1941, followed by another ruptured UCL in May 1943. The second one also included a major setback, ultimately putting Magana on the shelf for 17 months. At this point, many figured he’d be lucky to even make it back and even fewer expected him to be great if he did.

After missing all of 1944, Magana returned to baseball midway through the 1945 season at age 27. He pitched a full solid season in 1946, then won the Pitcher of the Year in 1947 with a 25-5 record, league-best 1.51 ERA, 332 strikeouts, and 8.6 WAR. It was truly a magical season as he also finished third in the MVP voting. Medellin had an impressive 112-50 record and Magana was a stud in the playoffs with a 1.09 ERA over 33 innings with 32 strikeouts, leading the Mutiny to the Copa Sudamerica crown.

Magana was second in Pitcher of the Year in 1948 and had a career-best 9.1 WAR. This was his last time in the PotY conversation as Medellin had a slight downturn. He pitched for Colombia in both the 1947 and 1948 World Baseball Championships. He had a bit of a resurgence in 1952 at age 34, posting 8.4 WAR with 20 complete games. But in late April 1953, a torn rotator cuff ended his season and ultimately his time with Medellin.

Magana signed with Cali at age 36 and debuted for the Cyclones in the 1954 season. He was no longer an ace, but was still put up decent production, earning his 200<sup>th</sup> career win with Cali. He was primed to remain in the rotation in 1955, but tore his rotator cuff for a second time in spring training. It was one injury too many and Magana retired at age 38. Medellin would retire his #14 uniform that summer.

The final stats: 200-138, 2.69 ERA, 3131 innings, 3398 strikeouts, 746 walks, 272/389 quality starts, 169 complete games, and 72.4 WAR. That he was able to have as long and successful of a career with the severe injuries he had is truly remarkable and it makes one wonder where he might have ended up if he could’ve stayed healthy. Magana was recognized for his work in the face of adversity, earning induction on the first ballot at 79.0%.

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Yuri Assuncao – First Baseman – Belo Horizonte Hogs – 73.3% Third Ballot

Yuri Assuncao was a 6’2’’, 190 pound right-handed first baseman from Vila Velha, a coastal city in southeastern Brazil. Assuncao was a solid power hitter with good speed and a solid penchant for drawing walks. He had above average contact ability and struck out slightly more than average. He was also viewed as a very good defensive first baseman and at retirement was second all-time in Beisbol Sudamerica in Zone Rating for the position. Assuncao was also a sparkplug and gamer, which earned him a lot of respect and popularity.

Assuncao was picked fifth overall in the 1934 BSA Draft by Belo Horizonte. This would be his most famous run, spending eight seasons with the Hogs. Assuncao was an immediate success, winning 1935 Rookie of the Year. He won all four of his Silver Sluggers with Belo Horizonte, winning in 1938, 39, 41, and 43; and won Gold Glove in 1939. In 1938, Assuncao was third in MVP voting and won the award in 1939 with a league-leading .966 OPS, 10.9 WAR, and 94 runs, along with a career-best 42 home runs.

In 1939, Belo Horizonte made it to the postseason for the first time and the only time in Assuncao’s tenure. They were the Copa Sudamerica runner–up with Assuncao adding 10 hits, 2 home runs, and 4 RBI. In total with the Hogs, he had 1179 hits, 573 runs, 219 home runs, 682 RBI, and 54.2 WAR. Ultimately, his #24 uniform would be retired by the franchise as well.

Before the 1943 season, the 31-year old Assuncao was traded to Bogota for three prospects. He spent one great season with the Bats, finishing second in MVP voting with 9.1 WAR and career bests in hits (175) and RBI (108). He then tested free agency for the 1944 season and had too high of an asking price, not getting signed until late June by Brasilia. The Bearcats would ultimately give him a long-term deal and he spent eight years in the capital.

Assuncao won two Gold Gloves with Brasilia and put up some solid offensive seasons, but he never again was an MVP finalist. He also played for the Brazilian national team in 1947, 48, and 49 in the World Baseball Championship. Generally durable in his career, injuries began to pile up into his late 30s. A fractured hand put him out the second half of 1949 and a torn PCL kept him out almost all of 1950.

He came back in 1951 at age 39 and even despite missing two months with a groin injury, still posted starter-quality numbers. Assuncao finished his Brasilia career with 796 hits, 406 runs, 168 home runs, 416 RBI, and 31.0 WAR. He entered free agency for 1952 and Rio de Janeiro thought he still had plenty left in the tank by offering a three-year deal. He struggled in his one and final season as a Redbird, retiring at the end of the year at age 41.

The final stats for Assuncao: 2250 hits, 1137 runs, 314 doubles, 160 triples, 443 home runs, 1250 RBI, 722 stolen bases, a .263/.334/.492 slash, and 94.0 WAR. Solid numbers all around, but the BSA voters still weren’t overly wowed by the resume. On his debut, he barely missed the cut at 65.3%, then dropped by ten percent in year two, making some wonder if he’d continue to plummet. In year three, he got a strong boost and earned induction in the 1960 class at 73.3%.

FuzzyRussianHat

06-16-2023 05:09 AM

1960 World Baseball Championship

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The 1960 World Baseball Championship was the 14<sup>th</sup> edition of the event and returned to the United States, held in Los Angeles. The Americans took care of business by going a perfect 7-0 in Division 1, beating out top competitor Italy at 5-2. In Division 2, Ukraine went unbeaten, two games better than both Australia and South Korea. Defending world champ Canada tied with Greece at 5-2 atop Division 3 with Cuba, Kazakhstan, and Sweden each only one back. The Canadians advanced on the tiebreaker. In Division 4, Ireland surprised the field with a 7-0 run with 5-2 Haiti serving as the only real competition.

Division 5 had a three-way tie for first at 5-2 between Czechia, France, and Mexico with the Dominican Republic and Guatemala both one back at 4-3. The Czechs moved forward to the Double Round Robin on the tiebreaker. Division 6 saw Scotland on top at 6-1, besting last year’s runner-up Poland at 5-2. Division 7 featured a tie at the top between Argentina and Peru at 5-2, both one better than Romania and Slovakia. Peru advanced via the tiebreaker. And in Division 8, it was a tie at 6-1 between Colombia and North Korea. The Colombians moved forward on the tiebreaker, meaning no Asia teams advanced this time to the Elite Eight.

In the Double Round Robin Group A, the Americans led the field at 5-1. Colombia advanced with them at 4-2, while Peru was 2-4 and Scotland 1-5. This sent Colombia to the semifinal for the third time, while the US had done it in all 14 editions of the tournament. Group B had Canada in first at 5-1, advancing along with Czechia at 3-3. Ireland and Ukraine both finished 2-4. This sent the Canadians to the final four for the 11<sup>th</sup> time and the Czechs for the first time.

In the best-of-seven semifinals, the United States swept the Czech Republic and Canada rolled in five over Colombia, setting up a US-Canada final for the fifth time in the tournament’s history. The Americans would prevail 4-2 against the defending champs, giving the US its eighth world title.

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The tournament MVP went to American 1B Daniel Hadnott. A 25-year old lefty for Dallas, Hadnott led the tournament in runs scored (29), hits (29), home runs (12), stolen bases (11), average (.446), and WAR (3.2). Best Pitcher was given to American Wes Kihn, a 28-year old closer for Oakland. He had two starts and three relief appearances, posting a 3-0 record with a save, a perfect 0.00 ERA, and 54 strikeouts in 22.1 innings.

Other notes: Ukraine’s Orkhan Mochulyak threw the first perfect game in the tournament’s history, striking out 16 against Belgium.

FuzzyRussianHat

06-16-2023 12:20 PM

1960 in OBA

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The first Oceania Baseball Association season took place in 1960 and unlike many of the other league’s debut season, there weren’t any overly dominant teams. In fact, none of the 16 teams topped 90 wins. This meant though that both saw a very competitive field. The Australasia League had a tie at the top between Perth and Melbourne at 86-76 with Auckland one back, Christchurch two back, Gold Coast four back, and Sydney five back. In a one-game playoff, the Penguins prevailed over the Mets to become the first league champion.

The first MVP and Pitcher of the Year both went to Perth’s Glenn Anderson. A 27-year old Auckland native, Anderson was the leader in ERA (1.88) wins (25-6), complete games (24) and shutouts (12), posting 277 strikeouts over 321.1 innings. Anderson would be great again in 1961, but a torn UCL and torn labrum in following three seasons meant his run was very brief.

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The first Pacific League champion was Guam, who finished at the top at 88-74. Guadalcanal was second, two back at 86-76, followed by Honolulu three back, Port Moresby five back, and Fiji seven back.

The MVP went to Fiji left fielder Adam Lucas. A 28-year old from Canberra, Australia, he had the first 50+ home run season in OBA history with 51 dingers. Lucas also led in RBI (116), slugging (.601), OPS (.942), wRC+ (185), and WAR (8.5). Both Pitcher of the Year and Reliever of the Year went to Honolulu’s Heath Abraham. “Torch” was a 27-year old from Brisbane who posted 43 saves and a 0.79 ERA over 90.2 innings with 178 strikeouts and 7.3 WAR. He’d win Reliever of the Year again the next year, but like Anderson, would have a very short career as two torn rotator cuffs put him out of the game prematurely.

In the first ever Oceania Championship, Perth prevailed 4-1 against Guam, sending the first title to Western Australia.

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FuzzyRussianHat

06-17-2023 05:29 AM

1960 in EPB

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The best record in the EPB European League in 1960 went to Minsk at 116-46, giving the Miners a playoff berth in all six years of Eurasian Professional Baseball to date. They also won their fifth straight North Division title. Bucharest also made it six-for-six on playoff berths, winning the South Division at 111-51. Two-time defending Soviet Series champ Kyiv earned a fifth playoff berth by taking the first wild card at 105-57. The second spot went to Warsaw at 104-58, who finished two games ahead of Moscow to advance. It is the third playoff berth for the Wildcats.

Bucharest ace Bogdan Chirita continued his dominance of the European League, winning his fourth Pitcher of the Year (third straight) and back-to-back league MVPs. The 33-year old right-handed Romanian was the league leader in wins (25-4), ERA (1.70), WHIP (0.81), shutouts (7), FIP- (46), and WAR (11.2). he added 304 strikeouts over 258.2 innings.

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In the Asian League, the top overall record went to Tashkent at 104-58, beating Asgabat by one game for the South Division title. It is the first playoff appearance for both franchises. Dushanbe meanwhile at 95-67 got the second wild card, extending their playoff run to all six years in EPB. Almaty at 88-74 fell short of making it 6/6 for them. In the North Division, Irkutsk was first at 93-69 for their third playoff berth, beating Ufa by two games and Yekaterinburg by three. Defending league champ Krasnoyarsk was fourth at 84-78.

MVP went to Asgabat 1B Roman Lazutin. The 23-year old Russian lefety in his second full season was the league leader in home runs (52), RBI (115), and slugging (.575). He tied the single-season home run record with three hitters having gotten to 52. Pitcher of the Year was Dushanbe’s Kirill Edelman. A 32-year old lefty from Krasnodar, Russia, Edleman was the leader in wins (23), posting a 23-8 record, 2.29 ERA, 293 strikeouts over 279.1 innings, and 8.6 WAR.

In the first round of the playoffs in the European League, Warsaw upset Minsk in five games and Bucharest swept Kyiv. In the Asian League, Dushanbe stunned Tashkent in four games and Asgabat survived Irkutsk 3-2. The ELCS went to the Wildcats in six games over the Broncos and the ALCS saw the Dynamo prevail in five against the Alphas. This gave Warsaw its first league title and Dushanbe it’s second. In the Soviet Series, a battle between the two final wild card teams, the Dynamo defeated the Wildcats 4-2, sending the cup to Tajikistan for the first time.

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Other notes: Tashkent’s Oleg Poznyak threw a perfect game on April 27 with 12 strikeouts against Ulaanbaatar. Mher Harutyunyan (2B) and Skerdi Hoxha (P) became the first six-time Gold Glove winners. 3B Pavlo Kolesnik became the first six-time Silver Slugger winner.

FuzzyRussianHat

06-17-2023 11:39 AM

1960 in EBF

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London had the top record in the 1960 European Baseball Federation season, winning the Northern Conference’s British Isles Division at 109-53. This was a franchise record for the Monarchs and their fourth playoff berth. Last year’s division champ Dublin fell hard to 69-93. Hamburg won the North Central Division at 104-58 for their second division title in three years. Brussels picked up back-to-back Northwest Division crowns, finishing 96-66. In the wild card race, Birmingham narrowly took it at 90-72, edging Rotterdam by one game and last year’s Northern Conference champ Stockholm by two games. For the Bees, it is their fourth playoff berth in five years. This is the first time in the EBF’s 11 years that the NC wild card came from the British Isles Division.

Northern Conference MVP and Rookie of the Year went to London first baseman Benny Baker. The Englishman from Middlesbrough had a remarkable debut season, leading the conference in WAR (10.7), wRC+ (218), RBI (145), doubles (37), and runs (120), adding 54 home runs and a 1.045 OPS. Pitcher of the Year went to Hamburg’s Aaron Grunauer. A 27-year old Austrian righty, Grunauer was the leader in wins (24-3), ERA (1.41), and WHIP (0.78), adding 32 quality starts and 9.3 WAR. Also notable was Brussels’ Roman Jongmans becoming the second three-time Reliever of the Year winner. The 34-year old Belgian had a 1.85 ERA and 37 saves over 92.1 innings.

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In the Southern Conference, Marseille had the best record, earning their first-ever playoff berth with a 104-58 record atop the Southwest Division. Defending European Champion Barcelona was second at 98-64, easily taking the wild card with a seven game gap to the closest competitor Madrid. Zagreb won the Southeast Division for back-to-back seasons with a 94-68 mark, nine games better than Belgrade. Zurich picked up the South Central Division by 12 games with a 92-70 mark. The Mountaineers have claimed six playoff berths in the last seven seasons.

The Southern Conference MVP was Athens 1B Rudjer Bosnjak. The 26-year old Serbian set a single-season record with 1.176 OPS and set an EBF record with a 49-game hit streak. This is tied for the longest hit streak in pro baseball league with MLB’s Jayden Gagnon getting 49 in 1930 f0r Jacksonville. Bosjnak also led the conference in WAR (12.6), triple slash (.368/.456/.721), wRC+ (225), home runs (56), hits (216), and runs (127). He was three RBI short of a Triple Crown season. Pitcher of the Year was Zagreb’s Stefan Crnjac. A 25-year Slovene righty, he was the leader in wins at 25-5, adding a 2.29 ERA, 263 innings, 260 strikeouts, and 8.3 WAR. It was the one big season for Crnjac, who had his career derailed with a torn UCL the following summer.

Both Northern Conference first round playoff series went all five games with London edging rival Birmingham and Brussels surviving Hamburg. In the Southern Conference, Zagreb edged defending champ Barcelona 3-2 while Marseille swept Zurich. In the NCC, the Beavers bested the Monarchs 4-2 for their first-ever conference title. The SCC also had a first-time winner with the Gulls dropping the Musketeers in six. In the European Championship, Brussels took the first three games, but Zagreb rallied in an epic comeback, climbing out of the 3-0 hole to take the championship in seven games.

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Other notes: Hamburg’s Peter Plattner struck out 392 batters, tying his own single-season record. Stockholm’s Jens Nilsson became the first EBF pitcher to strike out 20 in a game, doing it on June 1 against Luxembourg. Gabriel Staudt became the first EBF player to 1000 runs scored and the second to 400 career home runs. Danijel Cindric, Wolfgang Heinzmann, and Fabian Wittkowski all crossed 400 homers as well. Cindric also crossed 1000 runs later in the season. Pietro Ribsi became the first pitcher to 3000 strikeouts.

FuzzyRussianHat

06-18-2023 05:16 AM

1960 in BSA

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Defending Copa Sudamerica champ Caracas claimed the Bolivar League North Division title for back-to-back seasons, holding the league’s best record at 99-63. In the South Division, Callao narrowly took the title at 88-74, finishing one game ahead of Lima and four ahead of Cali. For the Cats, it is their fifth playoff berth in the last seven seasons. Last year’s division champ Guayaquil fell off hard, taking last in the league at 70-92.

League MVP went to Barquisimeto 2B Remberto Borja. It was the third MVP for the 30-year old Venezuelan, who led the league in runs (112) and WAR (10.7), adding a .376 average and .999 OPS. It was also the eighth Silver Slugger for Borja. Pitcher of the Year went to third-year lefty Fidel Saldana of Lima. The hometown favorite had the most win s(23-9) and led in WHIP (0.92) and complete games (19), adding 8.8 WAR and 295 strikeouts in 283 innings. Also of note, the Rookie of the Year and Reliever of the Year went to the same player for the first time. Caracas lefty Alfonso Brandao had a 1.31 ERA, 46 saves, and 120 strikeouts in 89 innings with 4.0 WAR.

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For the fourth straight season, the Southern Cone League division champs were Santiago and Sao Paulo. The Saints outraced Buenos Aires in the South Division, finishing 103-59 while the Atlantics were 101-61. The Padres took the Brazil Division at 94-68 for an eighth straight playoff berth. This ties the Beisbol Sudamerica record for most consecutive berths, matching 1939-46 La Paz and 1941-48 Buenos Aires.

League MVP went to Santiago 2B Jerrold Perez. The 26-year old Chilean was the fifth BSA batter to earn a Triple Crown with a .352 average, 37 home runs, and 111 RBI. Perez also led the league in hits (207), OPS (.991), and wRC+ (234), while adding 9.9 WAR. Sao Paulo’s Argel Souza won his fourth Pitcher of the Year. The 30-year old righty led the league with 8.4 WAR, adding a 18-5 record, 1.81 ERA over 254 innings with 302 strikeouts. Also of note for the Padres, Justo Carvalho became the second pitcher to win four Reliever of the Year awards. Carvalho at age 34 had 38 saves, a 1.37 ERA, and 121 strikeouts in 85.1 innings. He also became the fifth closer in BSA history to hit 400 career saves.

In the Bolivar League Championship Series, Caracas edged Callao in a seven-game classic for back-to-back titles. The Colts are now six-time Bolivar League champs. For the fourth consecutive season, Sao Paulo downed Santiago in the Southern Cone Championship. The Padres bested the Saints in five games for the four-peat, giving them seven titles overall. The Copa Sudamerica rematch between the Colts and Padres went seven games again and was arguably the most exciting series in Copa Sudamerica history. It came down to extra innings in game seven with Caracas taking the finale 4-3 in 10 innings for back-to-back titles. The Colts now have three cups to their name.

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Other notes: Cali’s Felipe Delgado became the second BSA batter to record 3000 career hits. It was the final year for Delgado, who retired at 3047 hits, second to Angel Gabriel Cornejo’s 3253. Joao Lucas Eusebio became the ninth hitter to 500 home runs. Ralph Jung became the 21<sup>st</sup> pitcher to 3500 strikeouts. LF Ishmael Perla won his eighth Silver Slugger.

FuzzyRussianHat

06-18-2023 11:22 AM

1960 in EAB

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Kobe claimed the Japan League South Division in 1960 with the league’s best record at 103-59. It is third division title in five years for the Blaze. Last year’s East Asia Baseball champ Hiroshima dropped to fifth place at 80-82. Saitama won the North Division for the third straight year. The Sting were 94-68, five games ahead of Sapporo.

League MVP went to Kyoto 2B Yoritoki Osawa. The third-year lefty was the league leader in home runs (50), slugging (.641), OPS (.988), wRC+ (204), and WAR (8.9). Pitcher of the Year was Chiba’s Ziming Xie. The 26-year old right-hander from Meilu, China was the league leader in strikeouts (335) and quality starts (27). He had a 2.19 ERA, 17-10 record, and 6.8 WAR over 267.1 innings.

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The best overall record in East Asia Baseball belonged to Hamhung atop the Korea League North Division at 112-50. The Heat earned a sixth straight division title. In the South Division, Ulsan prevailed at 92-70, topping defending league champ Changwon by four games and Daejeon by five games. It is only the third-ever playoff berth for the Swallows and their first since 1937.

Hamhung RF Young-Hwan Sha won his fourth MVP with an impressive record-breaking season at age 32. He had the fourth Triple Crown season for an EAB batter with a .383 average, 65 home runs, and 137 RBI. The homer total was two off the single-season record (67) set the prior year by Chu Park. His 147 runs scored was the single-season record and still holds as the all-time mark as of 2037. His 1.258 OPS also set a new single-season record which held until 2028. Sha also led Korea in hits (213), OBP (.465), slugging (.793), wRC+ (225), and WAR (12.7).

The Heat also had the Pitcher of the Year in third-year righty Ju-Hwan park. He had the most wins (20-3) and the best ERA (2.44 ) and WHIP (0.95), adding 241 strikeouts in 228.1 innings and 6.7 WAR. Also of note, Changwon’s Chang-Hee Lee became the third EAB closer to win the Reliever of the Year award four times. The 26-year old from Seoul had 32 saves, a 1.25 ERA, and 105 strikeouts in 65 innings.

In the Japan League Championship Series, Kobe beat Saitama in six games, giving the Blaze their second title in four ears and fourth overall. For the Sting, they’re the runner-up now for the third time and 1-6 in the JLCS all-time. In the Korea League Championship Series, Hamhung downed Ulsan 4-2, giving the Heat four league titles in six years. Hamhung now has eight league titles, tied with Busan for the most in Korea League history. In the East Asian Championship, Kobe cruised to a five-game win over Hamhung. It is the second overall title for the Blaze, who also won it all back in 1935.

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Other notes: Suwon’s Ju-An Pak became the fourth EAB batter to 600 career home runs. In addition to his MVP season, Young-Hwan Sha became the 11<sup>th</sup> to 500 home runs and won his 10<sup>th</sup> Silver Slugger.

FuzzyRussianHat

06-19-2023 05:32 AM

1960 in CABA

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Defending CABA champion Leon had the best record in the Mexican League for the third straight season, taking the South Division in 1960 at 109-53. The Lions had the most runs scored (742) and fewest allowed (499) in the league as well. In a competitive North Division, Juarez (90-72) edged Monterrey (88-74), defending champ Tijuana (87-75), and Chihuahua (85-77). For the Jesters, it is their first playoff berth since 1941 and sixth in franchise history.

Mexico City’s Emmanuel Lopez won his fourth league MVP. The 31-year old centerfielder led the league in WAR (11.1), hits (218), average (.353), OBP (.397), OPS (.970) and wRC+ (189). The Pitcher of the Year was also the Rookie of the Year in Hermosillo’s Santiago Esquivel. He didn’t lead any stats, but posted in 13 games a 2.45 ERA over 238.2 innings with 275 strikeouts and 5.8 WAR. Esquivel also added a Gold Glove. Also of note, Leon’s Bruno Escandon won his third Reliever of the Year, posting 45 saves and a 1.52 ERA.

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In the Caribbean League, Santo Domingo had the top mark at 100-62 atop the Island Division, giving the Dolphins three playoff berths in the last four years. Jamaica was second at 90-72 with both defending division champ Haiti and Puerto Rico at 88-74. In the Continental Division, Honduras cruised to the title at 97-65. The two-time defending Caribbean League champ now has six division titles in the last eight years.

At 820 runs scored, the Horsemen also had the top offense in CABA. Leading that effort was LF Yovani Pena, who won his second straight league MVP. The third-year Dominican lefty was the league leader in runs (119), RBI (125), walks (66), slugging (.647), OPS (1.023), wRC+ (182), and WAR (9.8). Pitcher of the Year was Santo Domingo’s Wilner Christian, winning the award for the second time. The 30-year old was the leader in wins (19-13), ERA (2.06), WHIP (0.93), and quality starts (31).

The Mexican League Championship Series was a seven-game classic for the first time since 1954. Leon edged Juarez to give the Lions back-to-back titles and their sixth league crown. In the Caribbean League Championship Series, Santo Domingo denied Honduras’ three-peat hopes with the Dolphins taking the title in five games. This gives SD their second title in four years and their fifth Caribbean crown. The CABA Championship went the distance with Santo Domingo defeating Leon 4-3. It is the third overall championship for the Dolphins, who also won it all in 1927 and 1917.

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Other notes: Salvador’s Timmy Ramirez became the fourth CABA member of the 600 home run club. Nehemie Joseph became the 15<sup>th</sup> to 2500 hits. Honduras’ Feliz Fuentes became the first CABA closer to 400 career saves. SS Thiago Hernandez won his 10<sup>th</sup> Gold Glove. Prometheo Garcia won his 12<sup>th</sup> Silver Slugger at 1B.

FuzzyRussianHat

06-19-2023 12:40 PM

CABA after 50 years

The end of the 1960 season marked 50 seasons for the Central American Baseball Association. Below is a look at how teams have performed through the first 50 years.

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The Mexican League has been pretty competitive overall with no one team standing far above or below the rest of the field. The highest average win tally belongs to Mexico City (84.7) while the most playoff appearances belongs to Guadalajara (12). Tijuana, Mexico City, and Ecatepec are tied for the most CABA championships at four each, while it is the Toros and Monterrey with the most finals appearances at seven apiece. All but Juarez have at least one CABA title to their name, but all 12 have won the Mexican League title at least once. The weakest team has been Merida, who have been at the bottom after being the very first CABA champ.

The Caribbean League has seen less overall parity with the Island Division vastly outperforming the Continental Division. All six Island teams have more wins than defeats, while only Honduras is above .500 overall in the Continental. The Horsemen have controlled the division though with 21 playoff appearances, well ahead of any other CABA team. They also have the most total finals berths at 11 and are tied for the most CABA titles with Santiago at four. The Sailfish are the winningest team through 50 years, averaging 88.8 wins per season. 10 of the 12 teams have won the CABA crown. Nicaragua and Guatemala are the only CABA franchises without a single finals berth.

FuzzyRussianHat

06-20-2023 05:28 AM

1960 in MLB

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In the National Association in 1960, the top five records were all in the Eastern League. Brooklyn at 106-56 won their first-ever league title and earned a playoff berth for the third straight season. Boston was second at 102-60, earning wild card spots along with Philadelphia and Washington both at 96-66. The Red Sox and Phillies both return to the playoff again, while the Admirals are back after a two-year layoff.

Ottawa at 89-73 was fifth in the EL and took the final wild card, finishing one game ahead of Toronto, two better than Hartford, three better than Cincinnati and Louisville, and four ahead of New York. For the Elks, they earn their sixth playoff berth in seven seasons. In the Midwest League, Milwaukee took first at 88-74 for their first playoff berth since 1948. The Mustangs were two games ahead of the Reds and Lynx. Defending NA champ Indianapolis fell to fourth place at 80-82.

League MVP went to Ottawa LF Cameron Green. The 25-year old from Raleigh, North Carolina was the league leader in hits at 210. He added 7.7 WAR, a .347 average, and 29 home runs. Boston’s Nils Rodgers won Pitcher of the Year in an impressive sophomore season. It was the flash point for Rodgers, who would be largely an unremarkable journeyman in the rest of his career. But at age 22, he led the National Association in wins with a 19-5 record and had 14 complete games. He added 218 strikeouts over 236 innings for 6.4 WAR.

The first round of the playoffs had Philadelphia beat Washington in two games and Boston edge Ottawa in three. Round two had the Phillies upset Brooklyn 3-2, while Milwaukee secured the home sweep of the Red Sox despite Boston’s better record. The Mustangs outlasted Philadelphia in a seven-game classic in the National Association Championship Series. For Milwaukee, it is their fourth NA title, joining the 1935, 1934, and 1904 campaigns.

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The best record in the American Association went to Los Angeles atop the Western League at 96-66. The Angels finished two games ahead of Portland, four games ahead of Phoenix, and six on Oakland. LA earned back-to-back playoff spots, while the Pacifics and Firebirds earned back-to-back wild cards and the Owls snapped a three-year drought. Defending league and AA champ Las Vegas missed the cut at 83-79, taking eighth in the Western League.

Oklahoma City won the Southern League for the first time in franchise history at 94-68. Second place in the South went to Atlanta, who ended in a three-way tie for the final card with Albuquerque and San Diego. The Isotopes won the first tiebreaker game over the Seals, but fell to the Aces in the second game. This earned Atlanta its first playoff appearance since 1940.

American Association MVP went to Outlaws 2B Jesse Kincannon. The 27-year old in his final season with OKC was the WARlord at 7.5, also posting a .327 average, 211 hits, and 111 runs. Miami’s Parker Harpaz won his first Pitcher of the Year at age 28. The lefty was the WARlord at 8.0 and led in complete games (21) and shutouts (7). He also posted a 3.29 ERA, 21-12 record, and 260 strikeouts in 284.2 innings. It was be Harpaz’s last year of this run with the Mallards, signing a $1,070,000 seven-year deal with Calgary in the offseason.

In the first round, Phoenix knocked out Oakland 2-1 and Portland topped Atlanta 2-0. The Firebirds stunned Los Angeles in a five game classic, while Oklahoma City rolled to a sweep over the Pacifics, sending OKC to their first American Association Championship Series appearance. Phoenix would knock off the Outlaws 4-2 in the AACS, giving the Firebirds their third title in the last decade and their sixth overall. Phoenix extended the AA’s World Series title streak to nine seasons as the Firebirds downed Milwaukee in five games. It is the third World Series ring for Phoenix, who also won it in 1953 and 1907.

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Other notes: San Antonio DH Sebastian Lunde became the third MLB hitter to reach 700 career home runs. It was the final season for “Lizard,” who finished with 712 dingers; behind only Elijah Cashman (750), and Kaby Silva (731). He passed Cashman to retire second in RBI at 2090, behind only Stan Provost at 2271. Bill Tan became the 30<sup>th</sup> batter to 3000 career hits and Edward Milsom became the 24<sup>th</sup> pitcher to 250 wins. CF Leonardo Baeza became a 10-time Gold Glove winner.

FuzzyRussianHat

06-20-2023 11:50 AM

1961 MLB Hall of Fame

Major League Baseball added two players into its Hall of Fame in the 1961 class. LF Erich Fleischmann made it in on the first ballot at 85.7% and SP Brentley Suka on his third attempt crossed the line at 81.4%. LF John Roberts on his fifth ballot was close to the 66% threshold, but was just short at 62.8%. Closer Victoro Fraijo, SP Roy Cole, and 2B Brodie Howard were each above 50%.

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One player was dropped following 10 attempts on the ballot. Pitcher Alexis Drolet peaked at 29.8% on his debut. He had a 206-167 record, 3.60 ERA, 2538 strikeouts over 3512.2 innings and 75.4 WAR. A respectable career, but in the “Hall of Very Good” territory compared to many of the other contemporary pitchers.

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Erich “Jailhouse” Fleischmann – Left/Right Field – Washington Admirals – 85.7% First Ballot

Erich Fleischmann was a 6’0’’, 190 pound left-handed corner outfielder from Lunen, Germany, a town in the Ruhr area in the western part of the country. Fleischmann was an excellent power hitter and was best remembered for his home run hitting prowess. He was a decent contact hitter who could draw walks decently, but he had trouble with strikeouts. At retirement, he had the third most whiffs in MLB history. Fleischmann had above average speed and was a corner outfielder, making roughly 2/3s of his starts in left field and 1/3 in right. He was typically viewed as an average to above average gloveman in his career. Some felt his lack of drive hurt his career potential, but Fleischmann was still largely popular in his various stops.

Fleischmann left Germany as a teenager to escape the rising Nazi regime and picked up the game of baseball quickly, ultimately earning a college roster spot at Alabama. As a foreign born player, he wasn’t eligible in the initial rounds of the MLB Draft due to the regional restrictions. In the 1936 draft, Washington would select him with the third pick of the fourth round, 154<sup>th</sup> overall. He spent 1937 in minor league Richmond, then made his MLB debut in 1938 for the Admirals.

Fleischmann was an instant success, hitting 37 home runs as a rookie and earning the National Association Rookie of the Year. In 1939, he was the NA leader in home runs with 49, earning his first Silver Slugger. He won the award again in 1941, 1942, and 1944 with Washington. Fleischmann was second in MVP voting in 1941 and third in 1942, leading the NA with 8.7 WAR in 41. He thrice led the National Association in dingers and had seven straight 40+ homer seasons, establishing himself as a premier power hitter.

Washington showed some improvement in his tenure from a bottom-tier team to a mid-tier one, but Fleischmann still didn’t get to play in the postseason with the Admirals. In nine seasons, he had 392 home runs, 1426 hits, 904 runs, 926 RBI, and 58.4 WAR. This effort earned his #2 uniform being retired by the club a decade later. In his last season with Washington in 1946, he missed two months due to a strained MCL. At the end of this season, the now 31-year old Fleischmann opted for free agency and found a buyer in San Diego, signing a $230,800, 6-year deal.

Fleischmann ultimately played only three seasons with the Seals and gave them respectable power, but not a ton else. He did win his fifth and final Silver Slugger in 1949 at age 33. Fleischmann decided to opt-out of his deal and signed a five-year contract with Hartford for the 1950 season. He struggled in a year and chance with the Huskies, although he did get to experience his only playoff appearance as Hartford made it to the World Series. He was traded in the summer of 1951 to Kansas City.

He bounced back a bit with the Cougars and was a respectable contributor for 3 ½ seasons. Fleischmann also had a chance to return home, playing for the German national team in five World Baseball Championship Tournaments in the 1950s. At age 39, he played his final season in 1955 with New Orleans, where he was able to cross 2500 career hits and 650 career home runs.

The final stats for Fleischmann; 2522 hits, 1609 runs, 342 doubles, 665 home runs, 1651 RBI, 972 walks, a .265/.337/.526 slash, and 80.2 WAR. At retirement, he was one of only six MLB batters to have hit 650+ home runs. Even though his 30s were relatively unremarkable, his Washington run showed premiere power, earning Fleischmann a first-ballot Hall of Fame nod at 85.7%.

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Brentley “Thunder” Suka – Starting Pitcher – Dallas Dalmatians – 81.4% Third Ballot

Brentley Suka was a 6’0’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from Tillmans Corner, Alabama; a tiny community part of metropolitan Mobile. His nickname “Thunder” was fitting with the 99-101 mph velocity he had at his peak. Suka had a five pitch arsenal of a slider, forkball, changeup, splitter, and cutter. He combined the speed with good movement and control, making him a very formidable foe at his peak. Despite this, Suka really wasn’t a huge strikeout pitcher. He was a fan favorite and an all-around likeable guy.

Suka left the Deep South for college, playing at Michigan State. In his freshman year with the Spartans, he finished second in college Pitcher of the Year voting. This made him a highly touted prospect when the 1937 MLB Draft came around and Suka was picked fourth overall by Dallas. He immediately became the lynchpin of the Dalmatians rotation, finishing second in Pitcher of the Year voting in his sophomore season.

Dallas found success from 1942-45 with four straight playoff appearances and trips to the World Series in 1942 and 1943. In 86 playoff innings, Suka had a 3.45 ERA worth 2.4 WAR with 66 strikeouts. He was named the American Association Championship Series MVP in 1942. In 1943, Suka won his lone Pitcher of the Year with a 2.92 ERA, 21-11 record, 247 strikeouts, 8.0 WAR, and an AA-best 24 complete games. He took third in Pitcher of the Year voting in 1944.

In the first World Baseball Championship Tournament, Suka excelled for the American team with a 1.80 ERA and 3-0 record in four starts with 30 innings and 39 strikeouts. He was a reliever in 1948 and then went 5-0 as a starter in 1952 with the US winning the world title in each of his stints on the team. In total, his tournament stats saw an impressive 9-0 record, 1.99 ERA and 91 strikeouts over 77 innings.

Although Suka saw success on the world stage and continued to pitch well for Dallas, the Dalmatians struggled as the 1940s ended. Before the 1949 season, the 32-year old was traded to Oakland for four prospects. His stint with the Owls lasted all of four innings. In his first start, Suka suffered a torn flexor tendon in his elbow, putting him out of commission for 13 months. Oakland released him in the offseason.

Suka was snapped back up by Dallas for the 1950 season and had a solid bounce back year. He spent four seasons in his return to the Dalmatians and while not the dominant force he previously was, was still a solid arm who could eat innings. Not wanting to overstay his welcome, Suka retired at the end of the 1953 season at age 36 and saw his #25 uniform retired soon after by Dallas.

The stats for Suka: 235-176 record, 3.45 ERA, 3837.1 innings, 2662 strikeouts, 848 walks, 269/483 quality starts, 226 complete games, a FIP- of 78 and 96.3 WAR. He almost quietly put up some solid totals, but was still overlooked a bit by the voters. His debut on the ballot put him at 62.8%, short of the mark but a promising start. Suka dropped to 52.5% on the second ballot, making many wonder if he’d be banished to the Hall of Very Good. On his third try in 1961, Suka saw a strong bump and earned induction at 81.4%.
i

FuzzyRussianHat

06-21-2023 05:55 AM

1961 CABA Hall of Fame

A relatively weak ballot in 1961 meant the Central American Baseball Association inducted only one player into the Hall of Fame. On his 10<sup>th</sup> and final chance at immortality, closer Leroy Morillo picked up the bump needed to make it in with 80.7%. 3B Sandro Villanueba on his third attempt came close to the 66% mark required, but was denied entry at 63.9%. Only one other player, SP Martin Duenas, was above the 50% mark.

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One was dropped after ten tries in reliever Carlos Andrade. He had 287 saves and a 2.81 ERA with 20.7 WAR over his entire pro career, which spanned 22 seasons between seven CABA teams and 10 MLB teams; a journeyman to almost a comical extent. He peaked at 22.5%.

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Leroy Morillo – Closer – Ecatepec Explosion – 80.7% Tenth Ballot

Leroy Morillo was a 5’7’’, 170 pound right-handed relief pitcher from the Dominican capital Santo Domingo. He joined Aitor Moreno (Class of 1947) as the only CABA Hall of Famers to get in on the tenth and final ballot. Morillo got by on speed with 98-100 mph velocity on a great fastball. His other pitch was a respectable curveball, but his movement and control were at times lacking. The pure power of his heater made him a tough foe. Morillo worked extremely hard, but was not viewed as the brightest or most cunning pitcher.

Morillo was picked in the 1932 CABA Draft by his hometown squad Santo Domingo with the 31<sup>st</sup> overall pick. He never pitched with the Dolphins though, traded a year later to Ecatepec with another prospect to get veteran outfielder Laron Williams. Morillo spent nearly his entire pro career with the Explosion, seeing sporadic action out of the bullpen in his first three seasons. In year four, he cemented himself as the full-time closer.

Morillo was third in Reliever of the Year voting in 1937, then won the award in 1939 with a Mexican League best 43 saves. He was third in 1940, second in 1941, third in 1944, and second in 1945. The Explosion were mid-tier in most of his run, but found success by winning the CABA title in 1943 and Mexican League title in 1944. The then veteran Morillo had five saves and a 2.95 ERA over 21.1 playoff innings with 27 strikeouts.

In 1945 at age 35, he was moved out of the closer role, but had statistically perhaps his most impressive season over a smaller sample size. However in August, shoulder inflammation knocked him out for the remainder of the season. Ecatepec released him and he signed a two-year deal with Mexico City. He stunk in his one year with the Aztecs and retired at age 36. Ecatepec would retire his #49 uniform that offseason.

The final stats: 350 saves and 378 shutdowns, a 2.53 ERA over 803 innings, 1098 strikeouts, 247 walks, a FIP- of 69 and 22.1 WAR. Morillo was consistently in the top three conversations for Mexican League relievers, but the advanced statistics stick him firmly at the bottom among relievers who would get the HOF nod. He was fifth in saves at retirement, but didn’t have a ton of support from the voters. He hovered in the 40s on his first few tries, then shot up to 63.5% on his eighth attempt. Morillo fell back to 49.6% the next year, making many think he was done. But with a weak ballot and a strong campaign from supporters, Morillo got the big bump to 80.7% on his tenth and final time on the ballot, making him the lone member of the 1961 CABA class.

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