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Stockholm finished the 1964 season with the best record in the European Baseball Federation. The Swordsmen won the Northern Conference’s North Central Division at 100-62, giving them tenth playoff appearances in EBF’s first 15 years. Last year’s division winner Hamburg was close behind at 98-64, earning the wild card spot by three games. Defending conference champ Paris picked up the Northwest Division title again at 98-64. Brussels’ playoff streak was ended at five games despite finishing 95-67; the Beavers were three games out of the division and the wild card. Over in the British Isles Division, Glasgow advanced for the first time since 1951. The Highlanders finished 92-70, eight better than last year’s winner Birmingham.

Glasgow had the league MVP in 25-year old English right fielder Jasper Blackmore. The Liverpool native was the league leader in runs (120), triples (38), slugging (.639), OPS (.994), and WAR (10.1), adding 34 home runs and 104 RBI. Pitcher of the Year also was a Highlander with 25-year old Wendell Aston winning the award. He was the ERA leader at 1.57, adding 246 strikeouts over 201 innings and 7.5 WAR.



A wild card team the year prior, Barcelona won the Southwest Division at 97-65 and had the Southern Conference’s best record. Last year’s division winner Seville was 89-73, eight short of the division and ultimately three from the wild card. In the Southeast Division, Munich edged Belgrade and Vienna for the top spot. The Mavericks finished 93-69 for their second division title in three years. The Bruisers were 92-70 and Vultures 90-72; giving the wild card spot to Belgrade. It is their third berth in four years. Defending European Champion Rome won the South Central Division for the third straight season. The Red Wolves were 88-74, three games ahead of Zurich and four better than Naples.

Zurich slugger Gabriel Staudt won his third straight MVP and fourth overall. Still going strong at age 36, the Swiss left fielder was the leader in home run s(50), runs (117), OBP (.415), slugging (.702), OPS (1.117), wRC+ (206), and WAR (10.9). It was his fourth time leading in homers and fifth time as the hitting WARlord. Pitcher of the Year was 26-year old Barcelona right Abelando Serrano. The Spaniard was the leader in innings (297.1), strikeouts (346), and WAR (11.0), adding a 2.09 ERA and 17-9 record. He had a great 1965 as well, but injuries ruined his game beyond that.

The first round of the Northern Conference playoffs saw Glasgow upset Stockholm in a sweep and Hamburg outlast Paris in five. In the Southern Conference it was two sweeps; Barcelona over Rome and Munich over Belgrade. In their fourth NCC appearance, the Hammers finally became conference champs, defeating the Highlanders in five games. The Bengals bested the Mavericks in six games, giving Barcelona three conference titles (1959, 1950).



The Bengals joined Amsterdam as the only franchises with two European Championships to date. Barcelona beat Hamburg for the title in five games, sending the trophy to Spain for the third time. RF Josias Bastida was the series MVP and first round MVP. The 33-year old Spanish lefty in 14 playoff games had 22 hits, 12 runs, 3 home runs, and 12 RBI.



Other notes: Loris Eichelberger and Armando Rojas became the second and third EBF pitchers to 35000 career strikeouts. Rojas joined Eichelberger and Pietro Ribsi as the only 200 win pitchers. Ribsi became the first to 250 in 1964. Afonso Dida and Hartwig Werner became the fifth and sixth batters to 2000 hits. Gabriel Staudt was the first to 1500 runs scored and won his record 11^th Silver Slugger. Werner became an eight-time Gold Glove winner in LF.