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Old 04-10-2023, 05:25 AM   #234
FuzzyRussianHat
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Join Date: Dec 2020
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1951 in EBF



Year two of the European Baseball Federation saw some record setting seasons. In the Northern Conference, Paris dominated the Northwest Division at 124-38, the first-ever 124 win season in any of the professional league. Last year’s division champ Amsterdam had a 107-55 mark, easily taking the wild card spot. Stockholm cruised to the North Central Division at 112-50, while the first European Champion Copenhagen fell off hard to 75-87. The Corsairs would have to wait until the 1980s to make the playoffs again. Glasgow was the British Isles champ again with a 94-68 record, beating Dublin by five games.

Amsterdam CF Joe Ramet was the NC MVP. The 32-year old Frenchman had 131 runs, 207 hits, 60 home runs, 142 RBI, and 13.2 WAR. The WAR total would remain a top 10 single-season mark even into the 21st Century. Pitcher of the Year went to Stockholm’s Pietro Ribsi. The 26-year old Italian had the first Triple Crown pitcher season with a 25-6 record, 2.05 ERA, and 328 strikeouts. He also had a conference-best 293.2 innings, 28 quality starts, and 11.9 WAR.



Believe it or not, Paris didn’t have the best record in the EBF in 1951, as Madrid finished at 125-37. It was the first 125 win season in professional baseball and wouldn’t be matched in any league again until 2000 during Kano’s West African Baseball dynasty. Last year’s Southern Conference champ Barcelona took the wild card at 109-53, the second-best record in the SC. Munich won a tight Southeast Division at 99-63, finishing two ahead of defending division champ Vienna. The South Central Division was decided by one game with Milan successfully defending their title at 92-70, edging 91-71 Zurich.

Munich’s Orion McIntyre won the Southern Conference MVP. The 35-year old Northern Irish 3B crushed 68 home runs, which would be the EBF single-season record until 1984. He added 140 RBI, 1.051 OPS, and 10.4 WAR. The Mavericks also had the Pitcher of the Year in Todd Sandstrom. The 27-year old Swede had a 2.13 ERA, 0.81 WHIP, 292 strikeouts, and 8.7. WAR.

Despite the record-setting seasons, both Paris and Madrid were knocked out in the first round of the playoffs. Amsterdam downed the Poodles in four games, while Barcelona swept the Conquistadors. Glasgow edged Stockholm in five games and Munich outlasted Milan in five games. The Northern Conference Championship saw the Anacondas defeat the Highlanders in five games, while the Southern Conference had the Mavericks best the Bengals in six. The second European Championship saw Amsterdam defeat Munich in six games, sending the cup to the Netherlands.





Other notes: Paris’s Gabriel Staudt’s 151 RBI would stand as the single-season record until 1982. Poodles closer Romain Guy-Blache had 57 saves, which would not only be the EBF single-season record, but the record in any world league until 2010.

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