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FuzzyRussianHat · 12-24-2023, 06:09 AM

1987 was only the third season that anyone was eligible for voting for the still new and empty West African Baseball Hall of Fame. 1986’s best candidate had a paltry 3.3%, but 1987 saw the first inductee with LF V.J. Balogun. He received 70.8% to earn the nod as the first Hall of Famer. Pitcher Souleymane Moussa was next with a 25.4% debut, still a long way from the 66% requirement.

V.J. “Puke” Balogun – Left Field - Lagos Lizards – 70.8% First Ballot

V.J. Balogun was a 6’4’’ 210 pound right-handed slugger from Ibadan, Nigeria’s third largest city. He was the first superstar of West African Baseball, known for being a prolific hitter. Balogun had great contact skills, excellent home run power, a solid eye, and good knack for avoiding strikeouts. He was an okay baserunner, but was hurt by being his 30s by the time his official career started. He primarily played left field with a few starts at first base and right field and was viewed as a below average defender. Balogun was a fan favorite with a tremendous work ethic.

Balogun had already emerged as one of Nigeria’s best baseball players, regularly dominating the amateur and disorganized semi-pro ranks that existed in his 20s. When West Africa Baseball formed for the 1975 season, Balogun was already 32 years old with nearly a decade of pro baseball under his belt. Many teams wanted him to be their star and he ultimately made his WAB start in Sierra Leone, signing with Freetown on a four-year, $1,008,000.

He immediately established himself as the top bat in Africa by winning MVP and Silver Sluggers in 1975 and 1976. Balogun was the WARlord and triple slash leader in both his seasons with the Foresters and also led in runs scored both years. He also returned home to play for Nigeria in the World Baseball Championship from 1975-80, getting 57 hits, 48 runs, 32 home runs, and 50 RBI over 65 starts. Balogun had a tournament best 21 runs scored in 1979 as Nigeria became the first African nation to make it to the championship.

Despite his efforts, Freetown was just outside of the playoffs in his two seasons there, posting 408 hits, 253 runs, 103 home runs, 229 RBI, a .357/.435/.701 slash and 21.8 WAR. He decided to opt of his contact, becoming a free agent at age 34. Balogun returned to his home country and signed a five-year, $1,692,000 deal with Lagos. The Lizards had been an Eastern League finalist in their first two seasons. Balogun got them over the hump as they won four EL pennants in his tenure. They lost in the 1977 WAB Championship, ironically to Freetown, but won it all in 1978, 79, and 81.

Balogun won his third straight MVP in 1977 and smacked 61 home runs, becoming the first to 60+ homers along with Onamado Agenor’s 62 that season. He won additional Silver Sluggers in 1977, 78, and 79; and took second in 1978 MVP voting. In 1978, he was the ELCS MVP and posted 42 hits, 26 runs, 10 home runs, 33 RBI, and 1.8 WAR over 41 career playoff games.

Age began to catch up to Balogun, who declined to merely good levels in 1979, followed by a steeper drop in 1980. His power dropped significantly in 1981 and he eventually was moved more to the bench, but Balogun still played a solid role behind the scenes for the loaded Lagos squads. He would retire after the 1981 season at age 39. With Lagos, he had 824 hits, 493 runs, 180 home runs, 535 RBI, a .305/.386/.570 slash and 31.5 WAR.

For his only seven season WAB tenure, Balogun had 1232 hits, 746 runs, 229 doubles, 283 home runs, 764 RBI, a .321/401/.609 slash, 184 wRC+, and 53.3 WAR. Obviously the accumulations are on the low end because of how late he started, losing out on nearly a decade of his possible best production. Still, he came in in his early 30s and immediately dominated with three MVPs, becoming one of the first superstars of WAB. There were some voters that felt they would cheapen the Hall by not requiring certain statistical benchmarks, but enough ignored that thought to put Balogun in. He only received 70.8%, but his brief excellence was worthy of being the first Hall of Famer for West African Baseball.

12-24-2023, 06:09 AM	#816
FuzzyRussianHat Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 2,833	1987 WAB Hall of Fame 1987 was only the third season that anyone was eligible for voting for the still new and empty West African Baseball Hall of Fame. 1986’s best candidate had a paltry 3.3%, but 1987 saw the first inductee with LF V.J. Balogun. He received 70.8% to earn the nod as the first Hall of Famer. Pitcher Souleymane Moussa was next with a 25.4% debut, still a long way from the 66% requirement. V.J. “Puke” Balogun – Left Field - Lagos Lizards – 70.8% First Ballot V.J. Balogun was a 6’4’’ 210 pound right-handed slugger from Ibadan, Nigeria’s third largest city. He was the first superstar of West African Baseball, known for being a prolific hitter. Balogun had great contact skills, excellent home run power, a solid eye, and good knack for avoiding strikeouts. He was an okay baserunner, but was hurt by being his 30s by the time his official career started. He primarily played left field with a few starts at first base and right field and was viewed as a below average defender. Balogun was a fan favorite with a tremendous work ethic. Balogun had already emerged as one of Nigeria’s best baseball players, regularly dominating the amateur and disorganized semi-pro ranks that existed in his 20s. When West Africa Baseball formed for the 1975 season, Balogun was already 32 years old with nearly a decade of pro baseball under his belt. Many teams wanted him to be their star and he ultimately made his WAB start in Sierra Leone, signing with Freetown on a four-year, $1,008,000. He immediately established himself as the top bat in Africa by winning MVP and Silver Sluggers in 1975 and 1976. Balogun was the WARlord and triple slash leader in both his seasons with the Foresters and also led in runs scored both years. He also returned home to play for Nigeria in the World Baseball Championship from 1975-80, getting 57 hits, 48 runs, 32 home runs, and 50 RBI over 65 starts. Balogun had a tournament best 21 runs scored in 1979 as Nigeria became the first African nation to make it to the championship. Despite his efforts, Freetown was just outside of the playoffs in his two seasons there, posting 408 hits, 253 runs, 103 home runs, 229 RBI, a .357/.435/.701 slash and 21.8 WAR. He decided to opt of his contact, becoming a free agent at age 34. Balogun returned to his home country and signed a five-year, $1,692,000 deal with Lagos. The Lizards had been an Eastern League finalist in their first two seasons. Balogun got them over the hump as they won four EL pennants in his tenure. They lost in the 1977 WAB Championship, ironically to Freetown, but won it all in 1978, 79, and 81. Balogun won his third straight MVP in 1977 and smacked 61 home runs, becoming the first to 60+ homers along with Onamado Agenor’s 62 that season. He won additional Silver Sluggers in 1977, 78, and 79; and took second in 1978 MVP voting. In 1978, he was the ELCS MVP and posted 42 hits, 26 runs, 10 home runs, 33 RBI, and 1.8 WAR over 41 career playoff games. Age began to catch up to Balogun, who declined to merely good levels in 1979, followed by a steeper drop in 1980. His power dropped significantly in 1981 and he eventually was moved more to the bench, but Balogun still played a solid role behind the scenes for the loaded Lagos squads. He would retire after the 1981 season at age 39. With Lagos, he had 824 hits, 493 runs, 180 home runs, 535 RBI, a .305/.386/.570 slash and 31.5 WAR. For his only seven season WAB tenure, Balogun had 1232 hits, 746 runs, 229 doubles, 283 home runs, 764 RBI, a .321/401/.609 slash, 184 wRC+, and 53.3 WAR. Obviously the accumulations are on the low end because of how late he started, losing out on nearly a decade of his possible best production. Still, he came in in his early 30s and immediately dominated with three MVPs, becoming one of the first superstars of WAB. There were some voters that felt they would cheapen the Hall by not requiring certain statistical benchmarks, but enough ignored that thought to put Balogun in. He only received 70.8%, but his brief excellence was worthy of being the first Hall of Famer for West African Baseball. __________________ Baseball: The World's Game fictional world reports Continental Baseball Federation world reports (8-tier promotion/relegation sim and college feeder)