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South Asia Baseball had officially begun Hall of Fame voting in 1989, but the highest mark anyone got on the first three ballots was Louis Gungbissoon’s 13.6% in 1990. 1992 saw the first real contenders debut on the ballot and pitcher Sankar Sundaram earned 72.1%, becoming SAB’s first-ever Hall of Famer. 1B Yamin Thaw also had a nice showing at 57.7%, but was shy of the 66% threshold. Closer Jason Mayekar and SP Vannak Thai both debuted around 44%.



Sankar “Punchy” Sundaram – Pitcher – Pune Purple Knights – 72.1% First Ballot

Sankar Sundaram was a 6’0’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from Chanigarh, a city of around a million people that is the shared capital of the Indian states of Punjab and Haryana. Sundaram had excellent stuff with respectable movement and decent control. His velocity peaked at 95-97 mph on his splitter and sinker and he mixed them with a strong curveball and knuckle curve, plus a rarely used changeup. Sundaram was a great defensive pitcher, winning Gold Gloves in 1984 and 1985. He was a great leader and team captain, becoming one of the most respected players in Indian baseball.

Sundaram was already a multi-year veteran of India’s semi-pro circuits when South Asia Baseball was officially established beginning with the 1980 season. The 27-year old signed a seven-year, $1,934,000 deal with Pune, which made up the entirety of his “official” pro career. Sundaram led the Indian League in ERA in 1980 at 1.73, but a fractured cheekbone cost him six weeks of the season. He led in strikeouts in 1981, 82, and 84. Sundaram led in WHIP from 1980-83 and was twice the league’s pitching WARlord.

Because of this success, Sundaram won four consecutive Pitcher of the Year awards from 1981-84. He also took third in 1985. As their ace, Pune was a consistent contender with six straight playoff berths to start their existence. The Purple Knights won the Indian League title in 1981, 83, and 84. In the latter two years, they also were South Asian Champion. Sundaram was 1984 ILCS MVP and was a stud in the postseason. He had a 9-2 record over 118.1 innings with a 1.75 ERA, 176 strikeouts, 26 walks, and 4.7 WAR.

Sundaram was also a popular player nationally, as he pitched for India in the World Baseball Championship from 1980-86. He had a 3.76 WBC ERA over 93.1 innings with 128 strikeouts, 33 walks, and 1.8 WAR. Sundaram’s numbesr dropped a little bit in his final season, but at 6.0 WAR, he was still an elite pitcher. His contact expired and he couldn’t come to terms with any teams in 1987. Still in great health, Sundaram decided to retire early at age 35.

For his seven year Pune run, Sundaram had a 97-51 record and 39 saves, a 3.47 ERA, 1476 innings, 2139 strikeouts, 136/207 quality starts, FIP- of 57, and 51.1 WAR. He presented a very interesting case for the voters with such a small sample size, albeit an impressive one. Supporters noted that his accumulations would’ve been more impressive if his “official” start didn’t begin at age 27, although he was credited for service time from his semi-pro days and thus eligible for the vote. Sundaram’s early retirement also was pointed out by both supporters and detractors when considering his candidacy. Winning three pennants and dominating in the playoffs with Pune went a long way, as he still has the fourth most pitching WAR in the postseason as of 2037. That, plus four Pitcher of the Year awards, gave Sundaram the support he needed to become SAB’s first Hall of Famer. He only received 72.1%, but that was enough for enshrinement.