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Arab League Baseball elected to expand the active roster size for the 1997 season to 26 players. ALB would keep this standard until dropping back down to 25 for the 2010 season.



The Western Conference had three repeat division champions. Two-time defending Arab League champ Casablanca extended their Mediterranean Division streak to five seasons at 98-64. However, it was Cairo at 107-55 who had the top overall seed, winning the Nile Division. The Pharaohs won the division by 14 games despite solid efforts by Alexandria (93-69) and Giza (90-72). The Levant Division had Amman first at 88-74, seven better than Jerusalem. Both Cairo and Casablanca have been in the playoffs in six of ALB’s first seven seasons.

The top award winners came from non-playoff teams. Beirut LF Junoon Asghar was the Western Conference MVP, becoming the second ALB player to hit 60+ home runs. His 62 dingers was still five away from Ahmed Hassan Egeh’s 1990 record of 67. The 26-year old Palestinian also led in runs (113), RBI (135), total bases (389), slugging (.684), OPS (1.051), and wRC+ (195), while adding 8.4 WAR and a .293 average. Alexandria’s Ahmed Khandour was Pitcher of the Year as the 25-year old Egyptian lefty led in ERA (2.13) and quality starts (28). Khandour added a 20-8 record over 237 innings with 266 strikeouts and 8.1 WAR.

Amman stunned defending champ Casablanca 2-0 in the first round of the playoffs, denying the Bruins’ three-peat bid. The Aviators were no match for Cairo in the Western Conference Championship as the Pharaohs swept them 3-0. Cairo now has three pennants, having also won the WCC in 1990 and 1992.



The big change in the Eastern Conference was the fall of Medina. The Mastodons had won the EC four consecutive seasons, but they fell to 80-82 and opened up a vacancy at the top. Mosul easily got the top seed at 110-52 atop the Iraq Division. The Muskies were repeat division winners. Dubai set a franchise best at 97-65 and won a third consecutive Gulf Division. In the Saudi Division, Mecca (89-73) was one better than Jeddah (88-74), giving the Marksmen their first-ever division title.

Mosul SS Mohammed Mohamed was repeat Eastern Conference Champion and had a record setting season. He became the second Triple Crown hitter in ALB history at 42 home runs, 135 RBI, and a .389 average. That and his Gold Glove winning defense at short gave him an incredible 16.0 WAR season, which still holds as the ALB all-time record. It was nearly a world record for WAR from a pure position player, just behind the 16.07 by OBA’s Jimmy Caliw in 1976. Mohamed set a new batting average record (that he’d beat himself next year) and his .465 OBP still holds in 2037 as the top mark. His 229 hits was also an ALB record, albeit short lived. The only 22-year old Saudi righty also led the league in total bases (416), slugging (.707), OPS (1.172), and wRC+ (225).

Mosul also saw Rashid Tariq win his third consecutive Eastern Conference Pitcher of the Year. The 27-year old Iraqi led in wins (24-6), ERA (2.42), innings (282.1), WHIP (0.93), complete games (14), FIP- (52), and WAR (11.5). His 343 strikeouts were also second in the EC.

Mecca swept Dubai in the first round to send the Marksmen to their first-ever Eastern Conference Championship. They couldn’t stand up to the juggernaut that was Mosul, as the Muskies got the 3-0 sweep for their first pennant.



In the seventh Arab League Championship, Cairo claimed their first-ever title in a seven game classic over Mosul. Finals MVP went to LF Hicham Sow in his first season as a full-time starter. The 26-year old Mauritanian had 15 hits, 6 runs, 5 doubles, 2 home runs, and 3 RBI over 10 playoff starts. The Pharaohs were the first Egyptian team to claim the overall title.



Other notes: Ahmed Hassan Egeh and Bilal Hamdan became the first players to reach 300 career home runs. Catcher Ahmed Assi became the first six-time Gold Glove winner in ALB.