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FuzzyRussianHat · 07-13-2023, 06:17 PM

After inducting its first two Hall of Famers the prior year, the European Baseball Federation added a third player with the 1966 class. CF Danijel Cindric got the nod on his first ballot with 76.1%. Single-season home run king Orion McIntyre made his debut at 57.2%, respectable but shy of the needed 66%. Three others; closer Richard Hackl, CF Joe Ramet, and closer Ken Jacob; were above 50%.

Danijel Cindric – Center Fielder – Madrid Conquistadors – 76.1% First Ballot

Danijel Cindric was a 6’0’’, 200 pound right-handed outfielder from Rijeka, a city of around 100,000 in the western coast of modern Croatia. Cindric was a very good power hitter that was excellent at drawing walks and above average at drawing contact. He had good speed and could leg-out extra base hits respectably. Despite his great eye, Cindric still struck out more than the average. He primarily played center field, although he made about 25% of his starts in left. He won two Gold Gloves in left and one in center and was viewed as a great fielder in his early career.

Cindric began playing baseball after World War II in what was then Yugoslavia and quickly became noticed as a top-tier player. He didn’t join the newly formed European Baseball Federation until its second season, singing a four-year, $121,000 deal at age 28 with Copenhagen; the 1950 champion. The Corsairs fell off in his two years there, but it certainly wasn’t Cindric’s fault. He won two Gold Gloves, hit 82 home runs and 176 RBI and posted 17.8 WAR in his time in Denmark. Copenhagen opted to trade Cindric before the 1953 to Milan for five prospects.

His 1953 debut with the Maulers was an all-timer as Cindric posted an incredible 15.4 WAR season, which held as the EBF single-season record until 2010. He had EBF’s first hitting Triple Crown with a .332 average, 54 home runs, and 132 RBI, while also posting a league-best 131 runs scored and 1.153 OPS. Naturally, he won the MVP and his first Silver Slugger this season. Although he remained great, Cindric never had another year quite like this one. He’d finish third in MVP voting in 1955 and win four more Silver Sluggers, coming in 1955, 57, 59, and 60.

Milan was one-and-done in the 1953 postseason, then missed the field in 1954. Cindric left the Maulers and at age 32 signed a four-year, $191,400 deal with Madrid. This was officially his Hall of Fame team despite the run lasting three seasons because they didn’t allow you to go in unaffiliated and he never stayed anywhere more than three years. Notably, Cindric arrived during an early dynasty run for the Conquistadors, who were conference champs the prior two seasons. They won their first European Championship in 1955 with Cindric posting 14 hits, 12 runs, and 4 home runs in that postseason run.

Madrid bought out the final year of his contract and Cindric, now aged 35, went home to Croatia and signed with Zagreb. He also made 56 starts for Croatia in the World Baseball Championship from 1956-64, posting 38 hits, 26 runs, 17 home runs, and 38 RBI. Cindric had three strong seasons with the Gulls and helped them to the European Championship in 1960, posting 22 hits, 14 runs, 5 home runs, and 14 RBI in that postseason run. This marked the end of his European career with a remarkable 89.6 WAR over ten seasons.

At age 38, Cindric signed a two-year, $252,000 deal with MLB’s New York Yankees, giving him a steep pay increase over the still fairly new EBF. He only lasted one year as he struggled with the Yankees, cutting cut at season’s end. Cindric wasn’t done with baseball though as he went south to Mexico, playing his final three unremarkable seasons with Mexicali.

For his EBF career, Cindric had 1545 hits, 1025 runs, 204 doubles, 428 home runs, 1082 RBI, a .278/.364/.581 slash and 89.6 WAR. He was the second EBF player to reach 1000 runs and 1000 RBI, both behind only Gabriel Staudt. For ten years, you can’t have much better of a run and it has to be acknowledged that his EBF career started at age 28, negating a few good years of counting stats. The resume was strong enough regardless to get Cindric into the Hall on the first ballot at 76.1%; the third EBF inductee.

07-13-2023, 06:17 PM	#409
FuzzyRussianHat Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 2,916	1966 EBF Hall of Fame After inducting its first two Hall of Famers the prior year, the European Baseball Federation added a third player with the 1966 class. CF Danijel Cindric got the nod on his first ballot with 76.1%. Single-season home run king Orion McIntyre made his debut at 57.2%, respectable but shy of the needed 66%. Three others; closer Richard Hackl, CF Joe Ramet, and closer Ken Jacob; were above 50%. Danijel Cindric – Center Fielder – Madrid Conquistadors – 76.1% First Ballot Danijel Cindric was a 6’0’’, 200 pound right-handed outfielder from Rijeka, a city of around 100,000 in the western coast of modern Croatia. Cindric was a very good power hitter that was excellent at drawing walks and above average at drawing contact. He had good speed and could leg-out extra base hits respectably. Despite his great eye, Cindric still struck out more than the average. He primarily played center field, although he made about 25% of his starts in left. He won two Gold Gloves in left and one in center and was viewed as a great fielder in his early career. Cindric began playing baseball after World War II in what was then Yugoslavia and quickly became noticed as a top-tier player. He didn’t join the newly formed European Baseball Federation until its second season, singing a four-year, $121,000 deal at age 28 with Copenhagen; the 1950 champion. The Corsairs fell off in his two years there, but it certainly wasn’t Cindric’s fault. He won two Gold Gloves, hit 82 home runs and 176 RBI and posted 17.8 WAR in his time in Denmark. Copenhagen opted to trade Cindric before the 1953 to Milan for five prospects. His 1953 debut with the Maulers was an all-timer as Cindric posted an incredible 15.4 WAR season, which held as the EBF single-season record until 2010. He had EBF’s first hitting Triple Crown with a .332 average, 54 home runs, and 132 RBI, while also posting a league-best 131 runs scored and 1.153 OPS. Naturally, he won the MVP and his first Silver Slugger this season. Although he remained great, Cindric never had another year quite like this one. He’d finish third in MVP voting in 1955 and win four more Silver Sluggers, coming in 1955, 57, 59, and 60. Milan was one-and-done in the 1953 postseason, then missed the field in 1954. Cindric left the Maulers and at age 32 signed a four-year, $191,400 deal with Madrid. This was officially his Hall of Fame team despite the run lasting three seasons because they didn’t allow you to go in unaffiliated and he never stayed anywhere more than three years. Notably, Cindric arrived during an early dynasty run for the Conquistadors, who were conference champs the prior two seasons. They won their first European Championship in 1955 with Cindric posting 14 hits, 12 runs, and 4 home runs in that postseason run. Madrid bought out the final year of his contract and Cindric, now aged 35, went home to Croatia and signed with Zagreb. He also made 56 starts for Croatia in the World Baseball Championship from 1956-64, posting 38 hits, 26 runs, 17 home runs, and 38 RBI. Cindric had three strong seasons with the Gulls and helped them to the European Championship in 1960, posting 22 hits, 14 runs, 5 home runs, and 14 RBI in that postseason run. This marked the end of his European career with a remarkable 89.6 WAR over ten seasons. At age 38, Cindric signed a two-year, $252,000 deal with MLB’s New York Yankees, giving him a steep pay increase over the still fairly new EBF. He only lasted one year as he struggled with the Yankees, cutting cut at season’s end. Cindric wasn’t done with baseball though as he went south to Mexico, playing his final three unremarkable seasons with Mexicali. For his EBF career, Cindric had 1545 hits, 1025 runs, 204 doubles, 428 home runs, 1082 RBI, a .278/.364/.581 slash and 89.6 WAR. He was the second EBF player to reach 1000 runs and 1000 RBI, both behind only Gabriel Staudt. For ten years, you can’t have much better of a run and it has to be acknowledged that his EBF career started at age 28, negating a few good years of counting stats. The resume was strong enough regardless to get Cindric into the Hall on the first ballot at 76.1%; the third EBF inductee. __________________ Baseball: The World's Game fictional world reports Continental Baseball Federation world reports (8-tier promotion/relegation sim and college feeder)