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The European Baseball Federation saw a solid three player group added for the 1998 Hall of Fame class. Each was first ballot picks, led by OF Franco Gilbert at an impressive 98.1%. IF Ben Kelly snagged 84.4% and 1B/LF Fredrik Malm received 79.1%. SP Johannes Soderberg almost joined them in his debut at 62.0%, falling four points short. No one else was above 50% with the top returning being LF Husnija Kojic at 44.5% for his second try. There also weren’t any players removed from the ballot after ten failed attempts.



Franco “Tuna” Gilbert – Outfield – Zurich Mountaineers – 98.1% First Ballot

Franco Gilbert was a 6’5’’, 200 pound left-handed outfielder from St. Moritz, Switzerland; an Alpine resort town of about 5,000 people. Nicknamed “Tuna,” Gllbert was a legendary leadoff man and has very few peers in baseball history in terms of contact ability, grading as 11/10 in his prime. He was okay at drawing walks, but few more reliably put the ball into play. Gilbert wasn’t just a singles hitter though, providing stellar gap power. He averaged upward of 60-70 extra base hits per season, getting just as many triples as doubles. Despite his larger frame, Gilbert wasn’t one to hit home runs with a career best of seven.

His frame also surprised you considering how lightning quick he was. Gilbert was an excellent baserunner and one of the most efficient ever at swiping bags. He made roughly 2/3s of his starts in right field with the rest in left. Defensively, Gilbert graded out as reliably average. He was incredibly scrappy and hard-working, making him very popular and successful. Gilbert’s sparkplug nature possible worked against him though as his body started to break down relatively early.

Despite his Swiss roots and being best known for his time with Zurich, Gilbert’s pro career started in Portugal. He was signed in April 1975 as a teenage amateur free agent with Lisbon. Gilbert’s contact ability was impressive even in his youth and he made his EBF debut at only age 19 in 1978. He had only 10 games that season, then was a part-time pinch hitter and runner in 1979. 1980 saw Gilbert moved into the lineup full time at only age 21.

In this first full season, he led the Southern Conference in hits, batting average, and stolen bases. His 124 steals tied the then EBF single season record and still sits seventh best as of 2037. The season also featured a 32-game hitting streak, the longest of his career. Lisbon made the playoffs, but fell in the first round. This scrappy star though became a favorite to watch.

While in Portugal, he began playing for Switzerland in the World Baseball Championship. From 1979-89, Gilbert played 94 WBC games with 101 hits, 45 runs, 22 doubles, 9 triples, 47 RBI, 43 stolen bases, a .289/.344/.411 slash, and 2.0 WAR. Injuries kept Gilbert from full seasons in the next three campaigns, including a broken bone in his elbow that cost him the second half of 1982. In 1983, he still led in triples, won his second batting title, and led in OBP. Gilbert impressively pulled off a 1.003 OPS despite having a mere four home runs.

1984 was historic for Gilbert as he posted a .408 batting average. He became the first EBF batter to hit above .400 and as of 2037, still holds the single-season record. He also led in hits, doubles, triples, steals, and OBP while posting 10.1 WAR. Gilbert would only take third in MVP voting and again be denied his first Silver Slugger. He had the misfortune of sharing a position and conference with Jacob Ronnberg, who won 14 Silver Sluggers, 11 Gold Gloves, and four MVPs.

Lisbon made it back to the playoffs as a wild card after a three-year postseason drought, falling in the conference championship to Zurich. This also marked the end of Gilbert’s time with the Clippers, as he was a very highly touted free agent at only age 26. For his Lisbon tenure, Gilbert had 957 hits, 428 runs, 139 doubles, 150 triples, 450 stolen bases, a .373/.412/.567 slash, 177 wRC+, and 37.9 WAR.

Gilbert received many offers, but he greatly wanted to return home to Switzerland. It didn’t hurt that Zurich had won four conference titles in five years and were 12 years into their historic 21 year division title streak. It also didn’t hurt that the Mountaineers gave him $8,640,000 over eight years. Gilbert signed with Zurich and hoped he could get them over the hump, as despite their conference pennants, the Mountaineers had yet to claim the European Championship during their streak.

His first four seasons with the Mountaineers were each worth 8+ WAR. He led in OBP in 1985 and Zurich set a franchise record at 117-45. However, Ronnberg’s Marseille squad upset the Mountaineers in the conference final. The next three years, Gilbert led each time in hits, triples, and batting average, while leading in OBP twice and runs once. His 44 doubles in 1987 fell one short of EBF’s single-season record. 1986 also featured a 44-game on base streak.

1987 saw more records fall as Gilbert had 254 hits, beating the previous record of 242 set by Ronnberg two years earlier. This was also a world record at the time and although it would be passed in other leagues, it holds in 2037 as the EBF record. Gilbert also scored 140 runs, which was only four short of EBF’s record at the time. That remains tied for sixth-best as of 2037.

Gilbert played well in the postseason as well, but Zurich would be snake bitten in his prime. They were one-and-done in 1986 despite a 111-win season, then lost in the conference finals of both 1987 and 1988. The next four seasons all saw division titles, but first round exits. Between Zurich and Lisbon, Gilbert’s playoff career had 63 games, 93 hits, 44 runs, 10 doubles, 18 triples, 44 stolen bases, a .366/.401/.583 slash, and 3.6 WAR.

1988 was his last outstanding season as a Mountaineer as injuries started to pile up. He missed three months in 1989 to ulnar nerve entrapment. Back spasms and a hamstring tear cost him a month in each of the next two seasons. He led in batting average and OBP one last time in 1990, giving him six times in his career leading each. Gilbert also led in hits five times, triples five times, and stolen bases four times.

In 1992, Gilbert’s physical deterioration started to greatly limit his gap power, speed, and defensive ability. He was demoted to a backup role, although he did still post a .348 average. Gilbert’s contract expired after the 1992 season and he was left without a home in 1993. Heartbreakingly, that would be the year Zurich finally won it all. Gilbert would retire that winter at age 35. The Mountaineers would quickly bring him in to retire his #43 jersey and present him with an honorary championship ring. For his Zurich run, Gilbert had 1505 hits, 776 runs, 228 doubles, 206 triples, 299 stolen bases, a .373/.410/.560 slash, 163 wRC+, and 51.3 WAR.

Gilbert’s career stats saw 2462 hits, 1204 runs, 367 doubles, 356 triples, 56 home runs, 756 RBI, 1110 stolen bases, a .373/.410/.562 slash, 168 wRC+, and 89.2 WAR. The injuries kept him from getting bigger accumulations on the stat leaderboards, but his career .373 batting average is unmatched. As of 2037, the next closest in EBF is at .355. Only three players in any world league with 3000+ plate appearances are ahead of him as of 2037. Gilbert was also fifth all-time in EBF triples at retirement and second in stolen bases. In 2037, he sits ninth and seventh, respectively. Gilbert also was second in OBP in EBF history at retirement and remains fifth in 2037. Very few players in pro baseball history were his peer at making contact and Gilbert rightfully was a slam dunk first ballot inductee with 98.1%.



Ben “Cannon” Kelly – Infielder – Dublin Dinos – 84.4% First Ballot

Ben Kelly was a 6’2’’, 200 pound left-handed hitting infielder from South Shields, England; a coastal town of 75,000 in the country’s northeast. He had dual heritage with an English father and Scottish mother. Kelly had prolific slugging ability while also being a very solid contact hitter. The nickname “Cannon” was fitting for how hard Kelly hit the ball. He was good at drawing walks, but did still strike out quite a bit. Per 162 games, Kelly averaged 48 home runs, plus 25 doubles and 8 triples per season. Although known as a big bopper, Kelly had deceptively good speed. He could get steals, but was sometimes too aggressive on the basepaths.

With his bat and solid durability, there was also a spot in the lineup for Kelly. However, he made starts in his career in each spot of the infield and outfield. He made the most starts, about 1/3, at third base. Around a ¼ of his starts were at first and another ¼ at second, with less frequent stays elsewhere. He was adaptable and graded as above average at first and left field. Kelly was firmly below average to poor in the other spots.

Kelly attended the University of Birmingham for his college career and excelled, quickly becoming the United Kingdom’s top prospect for the 1978 EBF Draft. With the second overall pick, Kelly was picked by Dublin, where he’d spend his entire European career. He would choose to use his second nationality to play for Scotland in the World Baseball Championship though. From 1979-88, he played in seven WBCs with 63 starts, 62 hits, 33 runs, 21 home runs, 45 RBI, a .259/.331/.594 slash, and 2.4 WAR.

He’d become a baseball icon from his time in Ireland with the Dinos. Kelly had one of the finest rookie seasons in EBF history with 7.7 WAR, 47 home runs, and the Northern Conference lead in slugging, OPS, and wRC+. He won Rookie of the Year easily and his first of five Silver Sluggers with Dublin, each at third base. With the Dinos, Kelly led the conference in runs scored, home runs, RBI, and total bases in 1980, 1982, and 1983. He also won a batting title in 1982 and led in slugging, OPS, and wRC+ four times. Kelly also was the 1980 and 1983 WARlord with a career best 12.6 in 1983. Although second, he had a stellar 12.2 WAR in 1982.

Those eye-popping numbers led to Kelly winning MVP in 1980, 82, and 83. He had career bests in home runs (63) and RBI (156) in 1982. The 156 RBI was a single-season record, although he’d get passed two years later. Kelly followed that season with 133 runs, 59 home runs, and 143 RBI. Dublin snapped a seven-year playoff drought in 1982, although they lost in the first round. Despite his efforts, the Dinos were typically below average during his run.

Kelly’s time in Dublin, and time in the European Baseball Federation, only lasted seven seasons. His numbers were less incredible in his last two years in Ireland, but still outstanding. In total, he had 1241 hits, 771 runs, 170 doubles, 82 triples, 363 home runs, 840 RBI, a .310/.366/.665 slash, 193 wRC+, and 62.8 WAR. Had he stayed, Kelly could’ve had a shot at some impressive spots on the EBF leaderboard. At induction, he had the second best OPS of any Hall of Famer and is still fifth best as of 2037. Kelly’s Dublin run was so dominant that he couldn’t be denied and he received a first ballot nod at 84.4%.

His Dublin tenure was only about 1/3 of his pro career, as Kelly was a hot commodity as a 29 year old free agent. He left Europe for Major League Baseball and ended up in Quebec, signing a five-year, $7,000,000 deal with Montreal. Kelly immediately lived up to the billing, leading the National Association in home runs, RBI, total bases, and slugging. This earned him MVP, joining a very select group to win MVP in MLB and another pro league. Kelly also was among another select group with four MVPs in a career. That effort also earned him a Silver Slugger at third base. The Maples would get knocked out in the first round of the playoffs.

Torn ankle ligaments cost him a month of the 1987 season, but Kelly helped Montreal win the National Association pennant. They lost the World Series to Calgary in what would be Kelly’s last time playing in the postseason. He had a mixed bag with 16 hits, 11 runs, 5 home runs, 11 RBI, but a .203/.267/.430 slash. He won a Silver Slugger in 1988 at second base and was decent in 1989, but had more injury issues. Over a four year tenure in Montreal, Kelly had 594 hits, 332 runs, 148 home runs, 384 RBI, a .279/.329/.547 slash and 20.8 WAR.

The Maples regressed to below .500 to close out the 1980s and looked to trade Kelly in the last year of his five-year deal. He was shipped to Milwaukee for reliever Logan Waldow and SP Ignacio Tamez. Kelly’s one year as a Mustang was solid, leading in slugging and winning a Silver Slugger at 2B. It was the final honor of his career, giving him eight Silver Sluggers between MLB and EBF. Kelly was a free agent at age 34 and still had plenty of suitors. Philadelphia inked him to a four year, $8,800,000 deal.

His Phillies debut was marred by a broken hand costing him half the season. Kelly managed to stay healthy in the next three seasons and still provided steady power and value. Philadelphia was above .500 each year he was there, but never made the playoffs. With the Phillies, Kelly had 526 hits, 316 runs, 144 home runs, 331 RBI, a .258/.318/.519 slash, and 17.4 WAR. That would mark the end of his nine year MLB career, finishing with 1257 hits, 740 runs, 335 home runs, 811 RBI, a .269/.325/.538 slash and 44.0 WAR.

Entering 1995, the 38-year old Kelly still wanted to play, but many teams were iffy on an aging slugger. The newly formed African Association of Baseball was hoping to establish itself and lured Kelly to Uganda. He signed a two-year, $3,000,000 deal with Kampala. Injuries cost him roughly half of 1995, but he would lead the conference in walks drawn in 1996. In two seasons as a Peacock, Kelly had 217 hits, 145 runs, 58 home runs, 170 RBI, a .254/.363/.526 slash, and 7.7 WAR.

He still provided positive value despite his age, but Kelly couldn’t find a home for the 1997 season. He retired that winter at age 41, finishing his entire pro career with 2715 hits, 1656 runs, 390 doubles, 125 triples, 756 home runs, 1821 RBI, 527 stolen bases, a .285/.346/.590 slash, 167 wRC+, and 114.5 WAR. Kelly was one of the absolute best sluggers of the 1980s and 1990s and certainly earned recognition in some fashion. His Dublin brilliance was bright enough to make him the second member of EBF’s 1998 Hall of Fame class.



Fredrik Malm – First Base/Left Field – Madrid Conquistadors – 79.1% First Ballot

Fredrik Malm was a 5’11’’, 200 pound left-handed hitter from Bergen, Norway; the second largest city in the nation with around 289,000 people on the west coast. Malm was a very good contact hitter who had a fairly strong pop in his bat. He averaged around 37 home runs per 162 games while also giving you around 45 doubles/triples per season. Malm had good speed and was very intelligent at base stealing. He had an above average eye and strikeout rate. Defensively, Malm made around 2/3s of his starts at first base and the rest in left field. He was delightfully average with his glove in both spots.

Malm was spotted as a teenager amateur by a Spanish scout from Madrid. In March 1973, he inked a developmental deal with the Conquistadors. Malm officially debuted at age 20 with mostly pinch hit appearances in 1976. Madrid made Malm a full time starter the next year and he held that role for the next 15 years, only missing time when injured. From 1978-88, he posted 11 consecutive seasons worth 6+ WAR. Malm also appeared from 1977-93 with Norway in the World Baseball Championship, making 150 starts with 164 hits, 94 runs, 28 doubles, 50 home runs, 106 RBI, a .294/.367/.634 slash, and 8.9 WAR.

Maln was reliably quite good, although he very rarely was a conference leader. 1982 was his only time atop the leaderboards, winning a batting title at .341 and leading with 201 hits. With the competition at his positions, he only won three Silver Sluggers in his career, coming in 1982, 83, and 87. Madrid was stuck in the mid-tier in Malm’s earliest seasons, but they were convinced he could help them reach the next level. The Conquistadors gave Malm an eight-year, $3,816,000 extension in May 1980.

Madrid found success in the mid 1980s despite being in a tough Southwest Division against a powerhouse Marseille squad. The Conquistadors made the playoffs four times from 1983-87. They suffered first round exits in 1983 and 1984, then lost to the Musketeers in the 1986 Southern Conference Championship. In 1987, Madrid put it all together and won the European Championship over Amsterdam. Malm had 14 hits, 8 runs, 6 extra base hits, and 11 RBI in 11 playoff starts.

Fresh off the title season and very popular with the fans, the 32-year old Malm was extended for another five years at $6,780,000 total. 1988 was on pace to be maybe his finest season, but Malm lost more than two months to a strained groin. Other injuries cost him significant time in the next three years. After missing the postseason in 1988 and 1989, Madrid bounced back and won the EBF title over Hamburg in 1990. Malm was conference finals MVP and posted 15 hits, 8 runs, 3 doubles, 4 home runs, and 11 RBI in 19 playoff starts. For his career, Malm had 46 playoff starts, 45 hits, 24 runs, 15 extra base hits, 26 RBI, and 0.9 WAR.

in 1992, Malm suffered a broken kneecap in spring training. He only made it back in the final weeks of the season and got 7 hits in 8 games, allowing him to cross 2500 career hits. Madrid brought out the final year of his contract, making Malm a free agent at age 37. He played in the 1993 WBC, but went unsigned for the season. Malm decided to retire that winter with the Conquistadors bringing him in to retire his #28 uniform.

Malm’s career saw 2502 hits, 1363 runs, 419 doubles, 159 triples, 477 home runs, 1355 RBI, 714 stolen bases, a .321/.368/.600 slash, 170 wRC+, and 98.5 WAR. He almost quietly put up an impressive career, sitting 13^th at induction in hitting WAR. Malm’s not an inner-circle level guy, but he was reliably excellent in the 1980s and a big part of two championship seasons for Madrid. He earned 79.1% for a first ballot induction to round out the fine 1998 EBF class.