[BirdWatcher]

Jacksonville Wolf Pack:



Although the Columbus Whalers are the most celebrated team in the first decade plus of the WPK, having captured four titles in six Kinsella Classic Series appearances, it is actually the Jacksonville Wolf Pack who have the best overall winning percentage in the Shoeless Joe League (second overall in WPK history). Some of this makes sense as Jacksonville has a bigger fan base than Columbus and historically has spent quite a bit more on player payroll. And they have quite a bit to show for it as well, as they have won three KCS championships in five trips to the series. This year however they are on pace for their worst season ever.

Columbus Whalers:



As has been well documented, the Columbus Whalers are the dominant team, at least in terms of championships won, in the early period of the WPK. They have largely done it with a celebrated starting rotation that just keeps producing Pitcher of the Year award after Pitcher of the Year award in the SJL. And perhaps most impressively they do it with a generally much lower payroll than the teams they are competing with and a somewhat smaller fan base. They have never lost more than 88 games in a season and have three times won over 100 and are on pace for another contending season in 1978.

Washington Night Train:



The Washington Night Train have never won 100 games in a season but they also have never lost more than 82. And in two trips to the Kinsella Classic Series they have captured two championship trophies. They are a well financed club so their consistency might not be as surprising as their lack of really dominant seasons. Like Jacksonville, they are on pace for their worst season ever as we head into the second half of the 1978 season.

Philadelphia Mud Hens:



The SJL has claimed the WPK Championship 9 of the 13 full seasons thus far played in the WPK, but we have seen all the SJL teams to win a championship to this point and things drop off a bit now. Having said that, the Philadelphia Mud Hens are currently in first place in the SJL as they look to claim their first SJL pennant and their first trip to the KCS. Philly has been a bit of an up and down team, though they have never won 100 or lost 100 and have never finished in first or last place. Twice they have come in second place, just 1 game behind Washington in 1967 and 2 games behind Jacksonville in 1974. Philadelphia has moderate attendance numbers and a fairly robust budget. Will this be the year they break through and finally earn a trip to the KCS?

Boston Berserkers:



The Berserkers have the poorest attendance history of any of the teams in the top 5 in the SJL in spite of Harbor Street Yards being capable of seating 42,000 fans per game. And they correspondingly haven't had very large budgets to work with (although their owner is pretty free with money) and have often operated in the red. In the first 8 years of their existence they only managed 1 non-losing season and that year they broke even. They have been generally on the rise since though and have won at least 90 games in 4 of the past 5 seasons. While they have a winning record this year they have taken a step backwards from the past few seasons. Still, there is time for them to contend in 1978.