XI. 1900 SEASON
SUPER LIGAN
- The 1900 Super Ligan season was the sixth season of professional baseball within the Koana Islands. It began on 6th of April 1900 and concluded on the 21st September the same year. It was the first time since 1896 that an extra game was needed to decide the winner.
- The Sandford Stad Bulldogs won their first Super Ligan title and set a record with the fewest wins in doing so with just 94. Defending champions Blidområde finished runners-up for the first time in their history, but very nearly came away as champions once again.
- Down by two games with just two to spare, the Wild stunned Vizhune when LF Marten Dahllöf's 3-run homerun in the 8th lifted them to a 5-3 victory, whilst Joaquim Fabre blasted two homers himself to ease the Broncos past Sandford Stad.
- However, a win on the final day would still gift Sandford Stad the title, even with Blidområde smashing the Vipers 11-5 earlier in the day. Joaquim Fabre's RBI single in the bottom of the first was cancelled out by Bulldogs first baseman Elias Forsbrand's solo HR in the top of the 4th. The Bulldogs sqeezed ahead in the 7th on Theo Fagerholm's sacrifice fly plating Elias Forsbrand who had doubled and then moved to third on an error before Dennis Szalkai's Sac Fly in the 8th gave Sandford Stad a 3-1 lead. 34-year old Jean Jenssen was called from the bullpen and made light work of the Broncos 8th inning with two strikeouts prior to Alf Torkelinsson becoming a groundout victim for the first out in the bottom of the 9th. Malte Gundersson launched a deep solo shot into the right field bleachers and suddenly the crowd were nervous. Pinch hitter Oliver Dahlengren singled but Jenssen set down Adrian Lillkvist on strikes and suddenly the Doggies were just one-out away from lifting the trophy. Up stepped first baseman Mo Howells, who in his three years in the Super Ligan had amassed just 586 plate appearances and hit 11 dingers; hardly a deep-ball threat. On a 1-1 delivery, he sent one over the fence in left-center and rounded home to his second walk-off hit to stun the visiting supporters into silence. The last time he hit a walk-off? That was June 13th last season, when he blasted a solo home run in the 10th, against the Sandford Stad Bulldogs.
- With The Bulldogs ahead of the Wild on the final day, and both teams locked 6-6 in the head-to-head, Sandford Stad was given the home advantage in the extra game to be played against Blidområde. In the end, the extra game was a bit of an anti-climax as the Bulldogs ran out 6-0 winners to lift the Super Ligan trophy for the first time.
- Wild 1B Yngve Carlqvist hit for the cycle on the 9th of July in a high-scoring 19-14 victory over Vizhune. He became the 8th player to achieve the feat following Thomassmåstad's first overall pick in 1898 Leo Speltke, who went 4-5 against Ängelar. The Armada were the opposition again in early September when David Rudkilde became the third player in the season to achieve the accolade and signified the first time three or more players hit for a cycle within a season.
- Ny Aucklanda's SP Efraim Wahlström no-hit the Vipers on the 13th of May, striking out 10 and walking 1 in the 12-0 thrashing to help the Warlcoks finish third in the standings; their highest finish since winning the Championship in 1895.
- Jonestan and Uckford had their best and equal-best finishes respectivel this year, but did it without Ove Almkuist and Sebastian Mathisson in their rotations after seeing an injury end their seasons premateurly on the same day in early June. Ängelar were sandwiched between the two teams at season's end, and also suffered their fair-share of injuries with LF Ferdinand Riemer missing two months with back spasms. Knud Grano stepped up for the Northerners though, leading the league in HRs with 47 whilst batting in 109, 16 more than his closest team-mate.
- In a quirky bit of history, Jonestan sent Kim Moe to Humoor for the second time in his career. Just a couple of days after losing Ove Almkuist for the season, the Broncos shipped the 33-year old 1B to the Hawks having made the same deal in 1897. Then, two-years later, having signed with the Broncos again, he was traded to Küstestadt Boxers in the Baseball Meisterschaft before signing with Jonestan for a third time at the beginning of this season.
- The biggest piece of news during the season was Omfattandestad sacking manager Jösse Samuelsen on the 30th of May. Languishing in 13th place with a 18-32 record, owner Kalle Thunberg pulled the pin on the contract, replacing him with former Armada Bench Coach Torkel Johncke who finished the season with a 51-53 record. Offense minded, Johncke loves to play smallball and is hoping to blood in some younger prospects and turn the team around. His contract expires at the end of 1901.
- A major deal that Johncke completed early-on was trading with Conneaut for Left Fielder Alfons Boden. The 31-year old is a free agent at the end of the season but is believed to be disillusioned with life at the Centurions who he has been with since the league began in 1895.
- Thomas Petersson announced in late September that next season would be his last before he steps aside. Possible replacements include Kalle Thunberg from Omfattandestad and Vilgot Forsberg from Ny Auckland Warlocks.
- A number of single-season records were broken this year, namely Lage Jensen regaining top spot in the most stolen bases over the season with 50. The Embleton Gunner has his record eclipsed in 1898 by Liam Maloney when he played for Conneaut (he is now a reserve for Vizhune). A string of injuries prevented Jensen reaching the record previously. Jönn Stedholm set an infamous record of number of strikeouts by a batter in a seaosn with 248. The 24-year old 1B set the record with the Devils, smashing the previous record also held by him of 216, which he set last season during a split year with the Devils and Eagles. Bulldogs shortstop Fredrik Wanberg set the doubles record with 57, knocking Torkel Koch off top spot with his 56.
- On the mound, Jonestan Closer Anders Rasmussen set a new saves record of 48, Grenanda's Lage Gulliksson equalled André Westermark's 1898 record of 228.0 innings pitched and picked up Pitcher of the Year for the second time. Embleton's Carl Anckarström gave up 43 HRs, eclipsing the previous record of 41 that he set in 1896.
- He may only be 26, but it will be hard to top the third baseman Robin Talman's 1900 campaign, as he has been named the winner of the Super Ligan Most Valuable Player Award. His winning campaign featured a .335 batting average and a .385 on-base percentage this year. In 154 games he piled up 209 hits, 54 doubles, 3 triples, 36 home runs, 127 RBIs and 103 runs scored. He received 14 first place votes, as a unanimous winner. Lage Jensen of the Embleton Gunners finished second in voting, whilst his team-mate John Lane finished third.
- Super Ligan comes to a deal with Koanian Baseboll Förbund to form a second division. After Kalle Thunberg and Vilgot Forsberg were against the proposal, Thomas Petersson was voted back in for another 5-year term during the owner meetings. Following advice from the English Football League, two teams will be promoted from
Division Ett with the bottom two teams relegated from the Super Ligan.
- Division Ett will consist of the following teams: Bryankeld Panthers, Erana Kullar Wolves, Hamnområde (Humoor) Seagulls, Innerstad (Omfattandestad) Pigeons, Jarnekdal Islanders, Jordnot Kanjon Prowlers, Lerastalle Blues, Nyhamn Royals, Nyhaven Bees, Oberoendestad Cardinals, Rovaniemi Squirrels and Ruysdael Greens. Randia Stars, Guld Kust Tigers and the Hydevattnen Tridents have all applied for inclusion into the second tier and have been given verbal agreements.
- The 1900 Baseball Meisterschaft season was the third season of professional baseball in Günsovölk. It began on the 16th of April 1900 and concluded on the 14th September the same year.
- The Shoof Pirates clinched their third straight GBM title, holding a 13 game lead over Jueman at one point in late June before easing off the gas in the latter stages of the season and allowing the Windmills to close within a couple to make the season look closer than it actually was. Tobias Horn set a new strikeout record for pitching on the 30th of August with his 211th strikeout beating the previous record held by Rocky Kohler which he set in 1898. Horn eventually went on to accrue 226 strikeouts by seasons end.
- Shoof's other Horn, Theodor, claimed his second consecutive Most Valuable Player award. The 27-year-old veteran scorched the opposition with a .289 average, picking up 151 hits, 31 doubles, 6 triples, 46 home runs and 117 RBIs, while scoring 107 runs. He received 6 first place votes out of a possible 8. Lienhard Arnold of the Jueman Windmills finished second in voting, while Jesse Kaufmann of the Schönheit Anglers finished third with 2 first place votes. The latter claimed Rookie of the Year instead.
- The Küstestadt Boxers had a season to forget after a dip in form that started in late-May and lasted throughout June saw them fall away from the Pirates despite their "famed" rotation posting respectible figures throughout the year. Tore Thern, the 3B who the Boxers received in a trade with Omfattandestad set the GBM on fire this season, including a 33-game hitting streak which smashed the previous record of 28. He also set a new single-season hit record with 214, replacing team-mate Janos Derr.
- Hüll seemed to blow things up in late June, completing numerous trades for prospects as they go into full rebuild mode following a dismal start to the season.
- Druten Stadt performed much better than originally expected thanks to rookie Wallace Leitner. The Right Fielder was expected to make his debut this year but ended up making 116 starts to finish with a slashline of .301/.362/.493.
- President Marcel Fuhrmann announced the expansion of two teams for the 1901 season, the Shoof Monarchs and Ruigoord Oarsmen will become the 9th and tenth teams to join in an attempt to break up the dominance both on and off the field of the Shoof Pirates.