Baseball: The World's Game

[FuzzyRussianHat]

For the 1956 Major League Baseball Hall of Fame class, three players earned induction. Pitcher Angelo Leblanc led the class at 89.4% with a first ballot pick. The other two were both fifth ballot players who finally got over the 66% threshold. Catcher Hernan Ortega made it at 71.6% and CF Luke Murray barely crossed the line at 66.9%. 1B Eliot Cote, SP Jacob Gosselin, SP Roy Cole, and SP Patrick Iannazzo each were above 59% with solid but just short efforts.



Getting dropped after his 10^th attempt was catcher Elijah Weston. In 17 years primarily with Jacksonville or San Diego, he had five Silver Sluggers, 2133 hits, 945 runs, 282 home runs, 1151 RBI, a .304 average, and 58.4 WAR. But with the general anti-catcher bias the HOF voting tends to have due to lower accumulations by default, he was left out despite never finishing lower than 46%. Weston peaked at 54.0% on his fourth ballot. Also dropped after a 10^th try was pitcher Kadoor Saleem. A 18-year veteran from Pakistan, he played with Louisville, Montreal, and Cleveland and won 1929 Pitcher of the Year. Saleem had 211-194 record, 3.38 ERA, 3043 strikeouts in 3889.2 innings, and 81.7 WAR. Unfortunately for him, he was thought of as a “Hall of Very Good” type, peaking at 27.7% on his debut ballot.



Angelo “Cannon” Leblanc – Starting Pitcher – Vancouver Volcanoes -89.4% First Ballot

Angelo Leblanc was a 5’11’’, 200 pound right-handed starting pitcher from Surrey, British Columbia; part of metro Vancouver. Known for his incredible durability, Leblanc had 96-98 mph velocity and very good movement split between his five pitches; a fastball, slider, curveball, changeup, and splitter. Although never dominant, he was as reliable as they come, making 19 straight seasons with 33+ starts.

After heading to Auburn to play college baseball, he returned home when picked 43^rd overall by Vancouver in the 1929 MLB Draft. For 12 seasons, Leblanc was a fixture in the Volcanoes rotation, posting a 187-173 record for the mid-tier franchise with a 3.69 ERA, 3256.2 innings, 2179 strikeouts, and 54.2 War. After a 26-year playoff drought, Vancouver broke through in 1939 to win the American Association title; the only playoff action Leblanc saw with the team. Still, his longevity meant his #42 uniform would be retired when he career ended. He was the first person to have his jersey retired by the team and would be one of only two as of 2037.

The run ended for the hometown kid as Vancouver traded Leblanc for the 1942 season to Omaha. He remained steady in six years with the Hawks in his mid 30s with a 74-95 record, but 3.66 ERA, 1130 strikeouts, and 32.6 WAR. At age 39, he signed with Albuquerque for the 1948 season and had a bit of a career resurgence. That year, he finished third in Pitcher of the Year voting; the only time in his career he made the top three. The Isotopes won the AA title that year and made it to the AACS in 1949. Leblanc seemed primed to keep going, but in his first start of 1950, he suffered a torn rotator cuff to end his career. He also got to pitch in the first three editions of the World Baseball Championship for Team Canada.

The final line for Leblanc: 301-291, 3.66 ERA, 687 starts, 5316.2 innings, 3669 strikeouts, 382 quality starts, 277 complete games, and 98.2 WAR. His longevity helped make him the third MLB pitcher to 300 wins, but also made him the all-time loser at 291, a record that holds into present day. 687 starts were the most anyone had made and would only get passed once in the coming years. Some were down on his as a compiler who was never more than good, but 20 seasons of reliability is worth something for sure. Thus, Leblanc not only was inducted, but made it on the first ballot at 89.4%.



Hernan Ortega – Catcher – Ottawa Elks – 71.6% Fifth Ballot

Hernan Ortega was a 5’7’’, 180 pound right-handed catcher from the Puerto Rican capital San Juan. Ortega was an excellent contact hitter, especially for a catcher. He was good at avoiding strikeouts and decent at drawing walks. His power was below average at best and he was a slow baserunner. He was considered a great leader behind home plate and spent his entire career as a catcher. Defensively, Ortega was thought of as reliable and solid. He was also very durable at a demanding position.

Ortega came stateside and played college baseball at Ole Miss. He wasn’t eligible in the first three rounds of the 1928 MLB Draft due to the regional requirements, but was the first pick of the fourth round by Dallas when he was available. Ortega had an excellent debut, winning his first of four Silver Sluggers as a rookie and finishing second in Rookie of the Year voting. He earned the batting title with a .347 average in 1931. He won two more Silver Sluggers in 1933 and 1934 with the Dalmatians. In six seasons in Dallas, he had 909 hits, 366 runs, a .314 average, and 25.8 WAR.

Before the 1935 season, the 26-year old Ortega was traded to Ottawa to begin his signature run. He added his fourth Silver Slugger in 1938 with the Elks and spent the final 12 years of his career in Canada’s capital. In total, he had 1233 starts, 1534 hits, 560 runs, 103 home runs, a .298 average, and 37.8 WAR with the Elks.


He was the man behind the plate in the final seven years of Ottawa’s 10-year postseason streak. After early exits initially, the Elks finally broke through with National Association titles in 1938 and 1940, plus the World Series ring in 1940. Ortega made 60 starts with Ottawa in the postseason and posted 62 hits, 25 runs, 21 RBI, and .286 batting average. In the 1940 championship season, he had 21 hits and 15 runs with a 368 average in 16 games. For his role in their run, Ortega’s #19 uniform was retired at the end of his career. After a solid decade as a starter, he began to wind down and retired after the 1946 season at age 38.

The final stats for Ortega: 2443 hits, 926 runs, 433 doubles, 175 home runs, 1084 RBI, .304/.356/.428 slash and 63.6 WAR. Among catchers, he retired second all-time in WAR and hits behind Gary Nodine. Unfortunately, the Hall of Fame voters tend to be very biased against catchers as the demands of the position mean the overall hitting numbers aren’t as impressive as other sluggers. It took Ortega five tries to get in even with his resume, crossing the line on his fifth try at 71.6%. This makes him the second catcher in the MLB HOF and the first Puerto Rican to get in.



Luke Murray – Centerfielder – Kansas City Cougars – 66.9% Fifth Ballot

Luke Murray was a 5’11’’, 200 pound left-handed center fielder from Canton, South Dakota; a small town 20 minutes south of Sioux Falls. He played his entire career in center and was known as an excellent defender and a team captain. He was an average to above average contact and power hitter with solid speed. Murray was adept at drawing walks, but did strike out more than the average hitter. With his leadership skills and personality, Murray was an extremely popular player of the 1930s and 40s.

He played college baseball at LSU and helped the Tigers to the 1928 National Championship. Murray won the College World Series MVP and was a Silver Slugger winner in center. With those accolades, he earned the seventh overall draft pick by Kansas City in the 1929 MLB Draft. Murray was an immediate success as the 1930 Rookie of the Year and getting his first of eight Silver Sluggers. He spent 11 seasons with the Cougars, winning four of his five Gold Gloves and seven of his eight Silver Sluggers. He finished third in MVP voting in 1935, 1937, and 1939. He had reliable production, but apart from leading with 9.5 WAR in his second year, he never was a league leader in any stats.

Unfortunately for Murray, the Cougars were generally a bottom-tier team in his run. They made the playoffs once, breaking through as a wild card in 1937 that won the National Association title. Murray had a solid run in 14 games, hitting five home runs with 11 RBI, 18 hits, 13 runs, and 0.9 WAR. Other than his final season with Milwaukee, this would be his only playoff appearance. In total with Kansas City, Murray had 1686 hits, 1027 runs, 276 hom eruns, 912 RBI, a .294 average, and 85.8 WAR.

Murray left for free agency and signed with Houston in 1941 at age 31. He won his final Silver Slugger and Gold Glove in his Hornets debut. He wasn’t elite after that, but was still a solid starter from 1942-1944. He regressed hard offensively in 1945. Houston let him go and Murray played one more season in 1946 with Milwaukee, retiring at the age of 37.

The final stats: 2497 hits, 1548 runs, 411 doubles, 125 triples, 394 home runs, 1307 RBI, 1146 walks, 570 stolen bases, .276/.358/.480 slash, and 106.4 WAR. He has the most WAR accumulated of any player at CF at retirement and at retirement, was one of only 13 hitters with 100+ career WAR. Despite this resume, he wasn’t given much love by the Hall of Fame voters as great defense and drawing walks wasn’t exciting. His first four times on the ballot, he finished around the 60% mark. Finally on his fifth try, he got enough to get in barely at 66.9%.

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The 1956 Central American Baseball Association Hall of Fame class inducted one player as pitcher Felix Hernandez was a first ballot pick at 96.8%. Only one other, 2B Ray Reyes, was above 50% with a 57.0% mark on his fourth attempt. No players were dropped after a 10^th ballot in the 1956 class.



Felix Hernandez – Starting Pitcher – Puebla Pumas – 96.8% First Ballot

Felix Hernandez was a 5’6’’, 160 pound right-handed pitcher from Juticalpa, Honduras, a small town in the central part of the country. Despite his tiny frame, Hernandez threw hard with 99-101 mph velocity with an excellent fastball and curveball, a good forkball, and a weak occasional changeup. His movement was unremarkable, but his stuff and control were excellent. He was also incredibly durable and reliable, posting 199+ innings in all 16 of his professional seasons.

Hernandez was discovered as a teenage amateur by scouts from Puebla, signing with the team in 1929. He made his CABA debut in 1935 and was third in Rookie of the Year voting in his debut. The Pumas never made the playoffs in his decade with the squad, but he was a reliable arm with three seasons of 7+ WAR and three seasons leading in FIP-. In 1942, he won his lone Pitcher of the Year, leaving Mexico in ERA (1.73) and WHIP (0.74). He finished third in 1939. In total with Puebla, he had a 123-97 record, 77 saves, 2.70 ERA, 2226.2 innings, 2656 strikeouts, 211 quality starts, and 54.3 WAR.

Hernandez entered free agency at age 32 and signed with Puerto Rico for the 1945 season. He had immediate success with the Pelicans, taking second in Pitcher of the Year in 1945 and 1947. He helped in the back half of their 1940s dynasty as Puerto Rico won the Caribbean League title in 1945 and were a playoff team in 1946. In the 1945 run, he had 31.2 innings in four starts with 1.99 ERA and 34 strikeouts. In five seasons with the Pelicans, Hernandez had an 88-59 record, 3.11 ERA, 1424 strikeouts, 1368 innings, and 28.5 WAR.

He became the fifth CABA pitcher to pass 4000 strikeouts in his last year with Puerto Rico. Before the 1950 season, Hernandez was traded at age 37 to Leon. He spent one year with the Lions and posted 4.7 WAR, opting to retire at the end of the year at age 38. He also played in his final four seasons for his native Honduras in the World Baseball Championship with varied results.

The final stats for Hernandez saw a 224-172 record,2.92 ERA, 3844.1 innings, 4316 strikeouts, 551 walks, 0.97 WHIP, 330/488 quality starts, and 87.5 WAR. With that, he was an easy first ballot choice, especially in a weak 1956 class. Hernandez made it in with an impressive 96.8% of the vote.

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One player was added into the East Asia Baseball Hall of Fame with the 1956 class as first baseman Yu-Jin Kim got 91.3% of the vote on his first ballot. Two other players were above 50% in LF Bum-Young Ahn in his first attempt and SS Soo-Hyun Choo in his second attempt. No players were dropped after a 10^th ballot in 1956.



Yu-Jin Kim – First Baseman – Osaka Orange Sox – 91.3% First Ballot

Yu-Jin Kim was a 6’0’’, 195 pound right-handed first baseman from Kimchaek, a port city in the northeastern part of modern North Korea. Kim was known as a very good power hitter with solid contact skills and a great eye for drawing walks. Kim was a team captain renowned for his leadership skills and work ethic. He was a slow baserunner and did strike out more than average. He played exclusively at first base and was generally viewed as a below average to poor defender. Kim was also very durable and reliable, making 140+ starts in 13 seasons.

He was discovered as a teenage amateur by scouts from Osaka and headed to Japan, where he spent his entire pro career with the Orange Sox. He debuted in 1934 at age 20 and made a few appearances from the bench in his first three seasons, finally becoming a full-time starter in 1937. In his first year as a starter, he led Japan with 44 homers and had the top OBP and OPS. Kim would lead Japan in home runs three times, RBI three times, walks four times, runs twice, OBP five times, OPS four times, and WAR twice. He picked up Silver Sluggers in 1937, 38, 39, 44, 45, 46, and 47.

His first MVP honor came in 1939 with 51 home runs, 128 RBI, 106 runs, 69 walks, a 1.008 OPS, and 8.9 WAR; all league bests. He won it again in 1944 with 100 runs, 48 dingers, 110 RBI, a .958 OPS, and 9.1 WAR; again league bests. He was second in MVP voting in 1937, 1945, and 1947, continuing his excellence into his 30s. After struggling in the 1930s, Osaka became a contender from 1943-46, winning the Japan League title in 43 and 46 and the EAB title in 43. In the playoffs, Kim had 26 hits in 34 games with 17 runs, 8 homers, 10 RBI, and 1.0 WAR. After 12 straight seasons with 5.5+ WAR, his production began to fall at age 35 and 36. Kim opted to retire at age 37 after the 1950 season. In his twilight years, he did get to play four times for the newly christened North Korea in the World Baseball Championship from 1947-50.

The final stats for Kim; 2267 hits, 1198 runs, 309 doubles, 570 home runs, 1412 RBI, 941 walks, a .280/.357/.538 slash and 94.8 WAR. He was the fifth player to have reached 500 career homers and at retirement was sixth in career WAR among EAB hitters. He’d fall down the leaderboards in later years, but Kim was an elite power hitter of the late 1930s and 1940s and deserving of the first ballot nod at 91.3%.

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The 1956 Besibol Sudamerica Hall of Fame class was a big one with four players inducted for the second straight season. All four were first ballot picks and all four were pitchers with three starters and one reliever. Timoteo Caruso was the leader of the class at 98.9% with big numbers as well from Ilalio Lopez (95.5) and Freddie Sandoval (94.7%). R.J. Figueroa at 83.8% was the fourth member.



No one else was above 50% and no one was dropped after a tenth ballot. Notably dropped after falling below 5% on his ninth try was pitcher Lucas Jesusinho with a 2.29 ERA, 144-90 record, 61.0 WAR, and 2237 strikeouts. His official career started at age 28 and he might have gotten in had he had a chance to add his earlier 20s to the tally.



Timoteo Caruso – Starting Pitcher – Rio de Janeiro Redbirds – 98.9% First Ballot

Timoteo Caruso was a 6’3’’, 200 pound right-handed starting pitcher from Para de Minas, a town in the southeastern Brazil state Minas Gerais. Caruso had excellent stuff with 99-101 mph velocity, plus terrific movement on his pitches and good control. He had four pitches with a fastball, slider, sinker, and changeup. After his amateur career, Caruso was picked third overall by Rio de Janeiro in the 1935 Besibol Sudamerica Draft.

His entire pro career would be with the Redbirds, who were a bottom-tier franchise for much of his run with his only playoff appearance in 1941. Still, Caruso was an immediate star, posting 9.9 WAR and a 1.62 ERA to earn Rookie of the Year honors in 1936. He then led the Southern Cone League in WAR in the next six seasons. In his second season, Caruso threw a perfect game, striking out eight against Cordoba on 9/12/37. He led in the league in ERA five times, strikeouts three times, WHIP eight times, and FIP-10 times.

Competing with the legendary Mohamed Ramos meant despite these accolades, Caruso won Pitcher of the Year only four times. He took it in 1939, 40, 41, and 44. He took third in 1938, second in 1942 and 1946, third in 1947, and third in 1948. In 1942, he posted a stellar 16.0 WAR season and somehow wasn’t Pitcher of the Year. That is the third-best single season in BSA history. In 1941, Caruso won a Triple Crown with a 24-6 record, 1.20 ERA, and 358 strikeouts.

Caruso continued to roll into his early 30s and played for the Brazilian national team in the first three World Baseball Championship Tournaments. He had 13 straight seasons of 8+ WAR to start his career. 1947 saw his second no-hitter on 7/11/47 against Rosario. In 1949, injuries began to derail him with a partially torn labrum in 1949 and a herniated disc in 1950. Caruso retired at age 37 after the 1950 season. Unsurprisingly, his #19 uniform was the first to be retired by Rio.

The final stats for Caruso: 219-99 record, 119 saves, 1.56 ERA, 3184 innings, 4290 strikeouts, 459 walks, a 0.74 WHIP, 319/379 quality starts, a FIP- of 39, and 138.6 WAR. He has the best ERA of any Beisbol Sudamerica starting pitcher in the Hall of Fame. Had he been on a better team and not a contemporary to Mohamed Ramos, Caruso may have been the undisputed best pitcher of his era. Still, few pitchers in any professional league had the dominance that Caruso did in his prime. He’s a no-doubt inner-circle Hall of Famer, getting in at 98.9%.



Ilalio Lopez – Starting Pitcher – La Paz Pump Jacks – 95.5% First Ballot

Ilalio Lopez was a 5’11’’, 195 pound right-handed starting pitcher from Sucre, the judicial capital in central Bolivia. Lopez was a hard thrower with 98-100 mph velocity along with above average movement and control. His fastball was excellent and his best pitch. Lopez mixed it with a respectable curveball and changeup. He was a rare draft pick coming out of high school, picked by his home country team La Paz sixth overall in the 1933 Beisbol Sudamerica Draft.

He made a few relief appearances as a teenager, not becoming a full-time starter until the 1938 season at age 22. As he became a solid starter, the Pump Jacks started a dynasty. La Paz had eight straight division titles from 1939-46, making it to Copa Sudamerica in seven of those eight years and winning it in 1939, 40, 43, and 46. In his postseason career, Lopez had a 12-6 record, 2.49 ERA, 148 innings, and 154 strikeouts.

Lopez was the clear #2 to Mohamed Ramos in his early years, but Ramos began to age and Lopez started to improve. Lopez took third in Pitcher of the Year voting in 1943, then finally won it in 1945 and 1946. From age 27 to 32, he had six straight 7+ WAR seasons. As he entered his 30s, the Pump Jacks dynasty ended. Lopez was able to play in the first four World Baseball Championship tournaments with Bolivia with a 2.58 ERA in 83.2 innings. At age 33 in 1949, the generally durable Lopez had his first major injury with a torn rotator cuff. He returned for 1950 but a suffered another torn rotator cuff in his second start of the year, ultimately ending his career at age 35.

The final stats for Lopez: 200-136 record, 2.43 ERA, 2995.2 innings, 3282 strikeouts, 263/340 quality starts, 198 complete games, and 72.0 WAR. With guys like Ramos and Caruso also in the Southern Cone League, Lopez’s stats may seem unremarkable. But he was a very good pitcher nonetheless and an important part of the La Paz dynasty, earning induction on his first ballot at 95.5%.



Freddie Sandoval – Closer – Fortaleza Foxes – 94.7% First Ballot

Freddie Sandoval was a 5’9’’, 200 pound left-handed relief pitcher from Cagua, a northern Venezuelan city that is part of metropolitan Maracay. Sandoval had an incredible fastball that regularly was at 100+ mph. He mixed it with a screwball and splitter with solid movement and decent control. The stocky Sandoval was very talented, but was thought of by many teammates as disloyal and greedy.

Sandoval was a fourth round draft pick, selected 92^nd overall in the 1934 CABA Draft by Fortaleza. He had a decent rookie season in the closer role, then missed most of 1936 with a torn back muscle. When he returned in 1937, he emerged as an elite closer. He was Reliever of the Year in 1937 with a blistering 6.9 WAR season with 156 strikeouts in 86.1 innings and 47 saves.

He won Reliever of the Year again in 1938, took third in 1939, second in 1940, and second in 1942. In 1940, Fortaleza finally broke through and won the Southern Cone League title with Sandoval picking up two saves and 13 strikeouts in 8.2 playoff innings for a 2.08 ERA. In total with the Foxes, Sandoval had 271 saves and 336 shutdowns for a 1.33 ERA over 581 innings, 939 strikeouts, and 35.5 WAR. His #24 uniform would ultimately be retired as well for his success with Fortaleza.

Sandoval left for free agency to begin his 30s and would play for another six teams with varied results. In some stops, he remained in the closer role and was a setup man in others. He had a one-year deal in 1943 with Barquisimeto, then spent 1944 in Caracas. He joined Maracaibo in 1945 and was traded during the summer to Medellin, but he was good enough between the stops to earn his third Reliever of the Year award. In the 1946 offseason, he went back to the Mariners and took third in Reliever of the Year voting.

In 1947 at age 35, the still solid Sandoval signed with Valencia. He was again traded at the deadline, this time to Cali. In that short stint, he picked up his 400^th save, joining Chano Angel as the only Beisbol Sudamerica relievers to reach the mark. Sandoval signed back with the Velocity in 1948 and had his last great season, taking second in Reliever of the Year honors. He began a third stint with Maracaibo in 1949 and was traded in the summer for the third time in his career, this time to Rio de Janeiro. He saw limited action in 1950 with Caracas, opting to retire at the end of the year at 1950.

The final stats for Sandoval: 459 saves and 578 shutdowns, 1.44 ERA, 1047.1 innings, 1655 strikeouts, 204 walks, a FIP- of 25 and 61.3 WAR. He was a league leader six times in saves and seven times had 5+ WAR seasons, not an easy task for a closer. His stats hold up among the all-time great relief pitchers in BSA and he was second all-time in saves at retirement. Sandoval was well worthy of his first ballot selection at 94.7%.



R.J. Figueroa – Starting Pitcher – Fortaleza Foxes - 83.8% First Ballot

R.J. Figueroa was a 5’11’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from Guayaquil, Ecuador. He was not highly touted as an amateur, but eventually honed his skills with good control and stuff, although lackluster movement. His fastball topped out at 95-97 mph, but he was good at placing it, along with a curveball and changeup. Some felt Figueroa was unmotivated , but he put up reliably consistent numbers and was very durable, putting up 200+ innings in all 17 years of his pro career.

Figueroa would be drafted in the fourth round, 98^th overall, in the 1932 Besibol Sudamerica Draft by Santiago. He quickly found a spot in the rotation of a strong Saints squad which had postseason success in BSA’s first decade. Figueroa was third in Rookie of the Year voting and put up a 1.06 ERA in 17 postseason innings for Santiago, The Saints won Liga Cono Sur in 1934, and 36 and in 1936 took the Copa Sudamerica title. Figueora had a 7.1 WAR season in 1937 and 8.0 WAR in 1938. In seven seasons with Santiago, he had a 109-87 record, 2.92 ERA, 1861.1 innings, 2110 strikeouts, 156/225 quality starts, and 39.6 WAR. With the Saints, Figueroa got to play in the 1934 and 1936 Copa Sudamerica, helping them win the title in 1936. He had a 3.31 ERA and 55 strikeouts in 54.1 playoff innings. Unfortunately for him, he wouldn’t see the playoffs again after leaving Santiago.

At the end of the 1940 season, the 30-year old Figueroa was traded by a rebuilding Santiago to Fortaleza. Figueroa would go into the Hall with the Foxes as he spent the next nine seasons there. They had been the Southern Cone champ the year prior and managed a few 90+ win seasons during Figueroa’s time, but they never got over the hump throughout the decade. With Fortaleza, Figueroa had a 118-124 record, 2.54 ERA, 2235.2 innings, 2533 strikeouts, 204/27 quality starts, and 54.9 WAR. He also picked up a no-hitter on 8/29/47 with eight strikeouts and one walk against his former team Santiago.

Figueroa did play for his native Ecuador in the first four World Baseball Championship tournaments, going 3-5 in nine starts over 65.1 innings with 60 strikeouts and a 3.17 ERA. He was still reliably productive in his 30s, although he never was a top-three vote getter for Pitcher of the Year. In 1950, he left Fortaleza and played his final season for his hometown team Guayaquil, retiring after the season at age 40.

The final stats saw a 235-227 record, 2.79 ERA, 4326 innings, 4794 strikeouts, 784 walks, 373/527 quality starts, 195 complete games, and 96.3 WAR. He very quietly put up a very good career, but the lack of dominance made many view him as a Hall of Very Good type, especially in the early era of BSA that saw many great pitchers. Still, his longevity and consistency still got enough attention from the voters to not only put him in on his first ballot, but in at 83.8% amongst a class loaded with great pitchers.

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The 1956 World Baseball Championship was held in Buenos Aires, Argentina. As the game had expanded into Europe in the 1950s, the tournament was again expanded, this time to 64 total teams in eight divisions of eight teams each. The division winners advance to the postseason with two double-round-robin four-team groups, followed by best-of-seven semifinals and the best-of-seven World Championship.



Division 1 had a tie at the top between the defending champ United States and France at 6-1 with the Americans advancing on the tiebreaker. Division 2 had a three-way tie between Germany, Italy, and South Korea at 5-2 each. The Germans advanced on the tiebreaker. Canada won Division 3 at 6-1, beating 5-2 England for the top spot. In Division 4, Japan was the only team to go unbeaten in division play at 7-0, although Scotland (6-1) gave them a run within the division.

In Division 5, newcomers Kazakhstan and Slovakia were the top two at 6-1 with the tiebreaker going to the Slovaks. In Division 6, Brazil prevailed at 6-1, one better than Bulgaria and Ukraine. In Division 7, Russian took the top spot at 6-1, one ahead of the host Argentina. And in Division 8, North Korea and Poland tied for first at 5-2 with NK moving forward on the tiebreaker.

Round Robin Group A had Russia as the top team at 4-2, followed by Japan and Slovakia at 3-3 and North Korea at 2-4. Slovakia was the other team to advance, moving them to the final four for the first time. In Group B, the United States and Canada both moved forward at 4-2, defeating Brazil (3-3) and Germany (1-5).

The Americans swept Slovakia 4-0 in the semifinal to send the US to the final for the seventh time in the tournament’s history. On the other side, Russia defeated Canada in six games, setting up a World Championship rematch between the superpowers. The United States seemed poised to take it again after winning the first three games of the series, but the Russians rallied from the hole and took the series in seven for their first title. It is the second time in three years the US has blown a 3-0 series lead, as that was their fate against Canada in 1954.





The tournament MVP was Russia’s Kirill Popov. The 30-year old third baseman signed to Warsaw had 34 hits, 25 runs, 14 home runs, 19 RBI, a .374 average, and 2.2 WAR. The 14 homers tied a tournament record. The Best Pitcher went to North Korea’s Seung-Yeon Kim. A 36-year-old journeyman actually signed to CABA’s Guadalajara for the 1956 season, Kim had 11 scoreless innings with 13 strikeouts.

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In the second season of Eurasian Professional Baseball, the top overall record went to Kyiv. The Kings finished 111-51 to take the South Division of the European League. Defending league champ Minsk similarly dominated the North Division with a record of 110-52. The wild cards went to Bucharest (94-68) and Budapest (91-71). Warsaw, who had a tremendous 122-win season in last year’s debut but had an early playoff exist, were a non-factor in 1956 with a 79-83 mark.

League MVP went to Bucharest RF Piotr Borzecki. The 33-year old from Poland had a league-best 52 home runs, 113 runs, and a 1.027 OPS. He became the first EPB hitter to hit 50+ homers in a season. Kyiv’s Gansukh Sandag was Pitcher of the Year. The 27-year old Mongolian had the most wins with his 22-6 record and led the league in complete games with 22. He had a 2.21 ERA and 222 strikeouts over 260.1 innings for 4.8 WAR.



The top record in the Asian League went to Irkutsk, as the Ice Cats won the North Division at 106-56. Baku earned the South Division title with a 103-59 mark. Almaty and Dushanbe were both three games back at 100-62, taking the two wild card spots. The first EPB champion Yekaterinburg finished 99-63, one game short of a wild card and return trip to the playoffs.

Both league MVP and Pitcher of the Year went to Irkutsk’s Taleh Ismailov. The 28-year old Kazakh had a Triple Crown year with a 28-4 record, 1.81 ERA, and 340 strikeouts. He also led in quality starts (28), shutouts (5), FIP- (42), and WAR (14.2). As of 2036, that is the most WAR in a single-season by a EPB pitcher and the 28 wins would hold until 1990.

In the first round of the playoffs in the European League, Budapest upset Kyiv with a sweep and Minsk topped Bucharest in four games. In the ELCS, the Miners downed the Bombers in five, sending Minsk to back-to-back championships. In the Asian League, Irkutsk survived Almaty 3-2 and Dushanbe swept Baku. The ALCS was a seven game classic with the Ice Cats prevailing over the Dynamo. The series may have tired them out as Minsk would defeat Irkutsk in five games in the Soviet Series. It would be the first overall title for the Miners, who would go on to be the perennial powerhouse in Eurasian Professional Baseball for years to come.





Other notes: Baku’s Kerim Khudayberdiew would throw EPB’s first perfect game on September 7, striking out 12 against Omsk. 20-year old Omsk rookie Vadym Tatarkov set a bad all-time record that stands years later with a 4-30 record. His 352 hits allowed and 72 homers allowed are also records for futility.

[FuzzyRussianHat]

In the European Baseball Federation Northern Conference in 1956, Paris had the top record at 99-63. The Poodles have won 90+ in all seven seasons in the EBF, but this brings them back in the postseason after missing the prior two years. Rotterdam was two games behind at 97-65 in the Northwest Division, easily taking the wild card slot for their first playoff berth. The North Central Division crown went to Stockholm at 93-69, finishing four games ahead of defending conference champ Berlin. The Swordsmen earn a fourth straight playoff berth. The British Isles Division saw Birmingham take their first-ever division crown at 88-74, three games ahead of London and five better than Belfast.

Conference MVP went to Paris 1B Fausto Martini. The 34-year old Italian was the leader in hits (192), home runs (47), RBI (141), and wRC+ (211), while adding 9.7 WAR. Berlin’s Loris Eichelberger was the Pitcher of the Year. The 25-year old Swiss righty led in ERA at 1.79, adding 32/36 quality starts, 10.4 WAR, and 334 strikeouts over 286 innings.



The top mark in the Southern Conference went to Lisbon at 102-60, giving them their first-ever Southwest Division title. The second best record in the conference went to division rival Madrid as the defending European Champion finished 98-64 to take the wild card. Zagreb had their first winning season and won the Southeast Division at 91-71. Munich’s postseason streak ended at five seasons as they won only 79 games. Zurich won a third straight South Central Division title. They finished tied for first at 90-72 with Milan, but the Mountaineers advanced by winning a one-game tiebreaker. Naples at 89-73 was right in the race as well but ended up just short.

Madrid CF Branislav Mikusiak won his second MVP. In his second year with the Conquistadors, the 30-year old Slovak lefty led the conference in runs (114) and WAR (10.4), adding 39 home runs and 111 RBI, plus a .308 average and 60 stolen bases. Seville’s Armando Rojas was the Pitcher of the Year. The 24-year old Spaniard was one strikeout away from a Triple Crown season, posting a 24-7 record, 1.93 ERA, 334 strikeouts, 31 quality starts, 0.85 WHIP, and 11.7 WAR.

In the first round of the playoffs, Paris bested Rotterdam 3-1, Stockholm edged Birmingham 3-2, Lisbon outlasted Madrid 3-2, and Zagreb swept Zurich 3-0. The Northern Conference Championship saw the Poodles drop the Swordsmen in five games, giving Paris a second conference title. Lisbon swept Zagreb in the Southern Conference Championship to advance to their first European Championship. It was the second time the finale went seven games and like in 1952, the Poodles ended up on the wrong side of it as Lisbon became European Champion.





Other notes: Madrid’s Mike Ring threw a perfect game on 7/21 against Seville with nine strikeouts. The first five-time Silver Slugger winners were SC MVP Branislav Mikusiak and LF Gabriel Staudt. Didier Fischer became a five time Gold Glove winner at catcher and CF Mercury Hand won his sixth at CF.

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The Bolivar League in 1956 was incredibly skewed towards the South Division with the top five records coming from that division. Callao at 102-60 was the champion for their second title in three years. The Cats were five games ahead of Lima and seven better than defending Copa Sudamerica champ Guayaquil. No one had a winning record in the North Division. Caracas at 80-82 was the best team, earning their first playoff berth since 1938. The Colts were one game better than both Barquisimeto and Medellin.

Bolivar League MVP went to Mike Andrades. The 25-year old RF from Peru led the league in hits (218), average (.344), slugging (.629), OPS (.990), and wRC+ (185). He added 42 home runs and 7.6 WAR. Pitcher of the Year went to 28-year old Caracas righty Miguel Ayala. He led in wins (23) and ERA (2.10) with 274 strikeouts and 7.8 WAR.



Defending Southern Cone League champ Cordoba set a league record with a 120-44 record atop the South Division. The Chanticleers are the second Beisbol Sudamerica team to win 120+, joining La Paz (122-40 in 1940). The Brazil Division champ was Sao Paulo at 96-66, finishing seven ahead of Rio de Janeiro. The Padres earn a fourth straight division title.

Asuncion was still a bottom-tier team, but 1B Adrian Calvo won his third MVP with the Archers. The 31-year old led the league in homers (54), RBI (116), slugging (.649), and wRC+ (232) while adding 10.9 WAR. Calvo also earned his ninth and final Silver Slugger. Cordoba’s Nono Louceiro won his third Pitcher of the Year. The 32-year old lefty had a 22-4 record with a league best 1.52 ERA, 0.78 WHIP, 11.6 K/BB, 56 FIP-, and 9.0 WAR.

The Bolivar League Championship Series had a stunning result as Caracas stunned Callao in seven games, giving the Colts their fourth league title and first since 1938. The Southern Cone final was the fourth straight meeting between Cordoba and Sao Paulo. The Chanticleers won for the third time, taking the series in five for their fourth title in the decade. Copa Sudamerica had the biggest win gap in pro baseball history between teams in a final with Cordoba at 120 wins and Caracas at 80. The Colts ran out of magic and the Chanticleers swept them for their third overall title. It stands as the most wins in Southern Cone history with the second best season ERA (1.94) and third fewest runs allowed (383) in league history, making the 1956 Cordoba squad one of the greatest in Beisbol Sudamerica history.





Other notes: Amadeus Ribeiro of Belo Horizonte crossed 600 home runs, the third player in BSA history to do so. It would be another 20 years before another BSA player earned the honor. Teammate Diego Pena became the fifth to cross 2500 hits. Alonzo Guzman became the eighth pitcher to 4500 strikeouts. Adrian Amaro became the fourth to 400 career saves. There were zero no-hitters thrown in 1956, joining 1952 as the only seasons in BSA history without a no-no. CF Loury Nova won his 11^th Gold Glove.

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The best record in Japan in 1956 went to Kobe at 98-64, giving them their first playoff berth since 1949. Two-time defending league champ Kitakyushu was second in the South division at 90-72. In the North Division, Sapporo took first at 88-74, three games better than Yokohama and four ahead of Sendai. It is back-to-back playoff berths for the Swordfish.

League MVP went to two-way player Tadasumi Tanabe. The 25-year old as a pitcher had a 2.11 ERA, 196 innings, 181 strikeouts, and 4.5 WAR. As an outfielder, he had 4.8 WAR and a 3.57 average in 81 starts with 14 home runs. Kobe’s Shiro Kusakabe won the Pitcher of the Year. The 28-year old righty had a 20-7 record, 2.19 ERA, and league-best 327 strikeouts, 48 FIP-, and 10.3 WAR.



After missing the playoffs last year, Daegu took the Korea League South Division title at 110-52 for a fifth playoff berth in six years. The Diamondbacks held off solid efforts from Changwon (101-61) and Yongin (96-66). In the North Division, defending East Asia Baseball champ Hamhung earned back-to-back division titles with a 101-61 mark.

The Korea League MVP was Changwon LF Lei Meng. The 25-year old from China was the third EAB player to hit 60+ home runs in a season, leading the league with 60 HR, .729 slugging, 1.100 OPS, 197 wRC+, and 10.9 WAR. Incheon lefty Tokinari Nakano was Pitcher of the Year. The 26-year old led in strikeouts (350) and WAR (9.5), while posting a 2.30 ERA and 20-3 record.

In the Japan League Championship Series, Sapporo beat Kobe 4-2, giving the Swordfish their record 10^th league title. The Korea League Championship Series went seven games with Daegu edging Hamhung for their third title in five years. The Diamondbacks now have five league titles to their name. The East Asian Championship went seven games for the first time since 1951. Daegu topped Sapporo 4-3 to give the Diamondbacks their second overall title, joining the 1953 win. It’s also the fourth straight season for a Korean team winning the title over a Japanese one.





Other notes: Yongin’s Ki-Wook Ahn had 150 RBI, becoming the fifth EAB player to do it in a season and first in 20 years. Takashi Ishihara crossed 600 home runs, the third player to do so. He also won his ninth and final Silver Slugger in RF.

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For the 1956 season, the Central American Baseball Association made a few rules changes to increase offensive numbers. The Mexican League’s batting average from 1955 to 1956 went from .245 to .257 and ERA went from 3.28 to 3.51. In the Caribbean League, it went from .243 to .259 batting average and 3.41 to 3.85 in ERA.



Both division races in the Mexican League came down to the final day of the season. In the North Division, defending CABA champ Monterrey took first at 99-63, beating Mexicali by one game. In the South Division, Guadalajara and Mexico City tied at 91-71 with the Hellhounds winning a one-game playoff to advance. This gives Guadalajara back-to-back division titles.

Mexico City CF Emmanuel Lopez won his second MVP. The 27-year old led the league in runs (107) and WAR (8.4), adding a .342 batting average and 31 home runs. Monterrey’s Wily Orantes won back-to-back Pitcher of the Year awards. The 30-year old led in ERA for the second straight year with 1.61, also leading in wins (21), WHIP (0.86), and quality starts (30). Mexicali’s Feliz Fuentes became a three time Reliever of the Year winner, posting 41 saves with a 2.11 ERA and 3.7 WAR.



In the Caribbean League Island Division, Puerto Rico won in a competitive race at 100-62. It is the first playoff berth in a decade for the Pelicans. Haiti was a close second at 97-65 and defending league champ Santiago was 96-66. Costa Rica at 93-69 took the Continental Division for their first playoff berth since 1948. Honduras, who had won 100+ in the prior three seasons in the division, fell to 79 wins.

23-year old Pelicans RF Argenis Cabrera won the league MVP. The left-handed Cuban was the league leader in home runs (50), slugging (.686), OPS (1.071) and wRC+ (188). Puerto Rico also had the Pitcher of the Year Jaime Rivas. The 26-year old from Costa Rica had the league lead in WHIP (0.96), innings (285), and complete games (20), adding a 6.3 WAR and 2.72 ERA.

In a Mexican League Championship Series rematch, Monterrey again topped Guadalajara, this time in five games. The Matadors are now five-time league champs. The Caribbean League Championship Series was also 4-1 with Puerto Rico taking it over Costa Rica. The Pelicans win their first title since 1945 and ninth overall, tying Honduras for the most titles. In the CABA Championship, Puerto Rico defeated Monterrey in six games for their third overall crown.





Other notes: Santiago’s Herode Etienne threw a perfect game on 5/1 against Costa Rica. He struck out four batters, tied for the fewest out of the 17 CABA perfectos to date. Prometheo Garcia crossed both 2500 career hits and 500 home runs. Gavino Zaldana and Rolando Pena both crossed 3500 career strikeouts. Pena also made it to 200 wins.

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Ottawa led the National Association in 1956, winning the Eastern League with a 101-61 record. It is the third straight playoff berth for the Elks and their first EL title since 1940. All four wild cards came out of the EL, led by Hartford at 95-67. The Huskies also earned a third straight playoff berth. Toronto and Washington both moved on with 89-73 records and Buffalo took the last spot at 88-74. Defending NA champ Boston was short by two games. The Timberwolves earned a third straight playoff berth, while the Admirals earned their first berth since 1931 and the Blue Sox getting their first since 1937. In the Midwest League, Omaha at 88-74 took the title for their first playoff berth since 1943 and first ML crown since 1940. Detroit, Louisville, and Minneapolis all finished 85-77, finishing three games out of both the league title and a wild card.

Winning the National Association MVP was Herve Bouchard of Ottawa. The 24-year old 1B led in the triple slash with a .343/.443/.620 mark, 1.063 OPS, wRC+ of 210, and 9.7 WAR. He also led in runs at 114 and was second in both home runs (42) and RBI (121). Baltimore’s Max Murray was the Pitcher of the Year. The 26-year old righty from Brampton, Ontario led in ERA (2.10), WAR (8.9), and WHIP (0.96), posting 281 strikeouts over 265.2 innings.

In the first round playoff matchups, Washington swept Toronto 2-0 and Hartford topped Buffalo 2-1. In round two, Ottawa swept the Admirals in three and Omaha downed Hartford in four. This sent the Hawks to the National Association Championship Series for the first time in the franchise’s 56 year history. In the NACS, The Elks prevailed in six games to give Ottawa their sixth NA title.



Defending World Series champion San Diego set a franchise record in 1956 with a 112-50 mark, giving them the Western League title. All four wild cards came from the WL with Las Vegas (101-61), Los Angeles (99-63), Oakland (97-65), and Albuquerque (94-68) moving on. The Vipers and Isotopes both bounced back after their playoff streaks were ended with rough 1955s. Meanwhile, Nashville cruised to the Southern League title for the third straight season. The Knights at 105-57 were 16 games better than their closest competition San Antonio.

The American Association MVP and Pitcher of the Year went to the same guy for the second time in three years. Nashville’s Patrick Froemke at age 25 had an all-time great season with a 28-3 record, 1.76 ERA, 306 innings, 233 strikeouts, 0.90 WHIP, 6.7 K/BB, 30 quality starts, 25 complete games, 59 FIP- and 11.6 WAR. The WAR total was second all-time in MLB behind Domingo Martinez’s 11.7 in 1940. Froemke seemed poised to become an all-time great with this season, but a torn labrum in spring 1958 would ultimately force his retirement at only age 27. Still, his 1956 forever ranks among the best pitching seasons in MLB history.

The first round playoff matchups both went all three games with Los Angeles beating Oakland and Albuquerque upsetting Las Vegas. In the second round, San Diego swept the Isotopes in three and Nashville outlasted the Angels in five, setting up a rematch in the American Association Championship Series. The Seals made it back-to-back AA titles as they defeated the Knights in six games. San Diego became the first franchise to win back-to-back World Series titles in a decade, defeating Ottawa in a seven game thriller. It is the third overall ring for the Seals.





Other notes: Stan Provost played his final season in 1956 with Portland and became the first (and to date, only) MLB player to 4000 career hits. Provost was also the first player in any pro league to reach 4000+. He finished with 2348 runs, still the MLB all-time mark as of 2037 and at retirement, he was the world professional leader. His 682 doubles was also a MLB record still standing decades later. He also retired with the RBI world lead at 2271.

In other statistical milestones, Nashville’s Jason Morrissey became the fourth MLB pitcher to reach 300 career wins. Bill Tan and Matthew Verdery both crossed 1500 runs scored. RF Madaleno Anziani won his ninth Gold Glove.

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Two players were inducted for the 1957 Major League Baseball Hall of Fame Class. Both only barely crossed the 66% threshold with 1B Maxwell Redmond at 69.4% on his fourth ballot and 1B Eliot Cote making it on hus second ballot at 68.2%. Only three others were above 50% in a weak year; all at 52.9%; SP Jacob Gosselin on his sixth go, SP Patrick Iannazzo on his eighth, and LF John Roberts on his first.



Getting cut after his 10^th ballot was 1B Ryan Gray, who spent 18 years between Miami, Tampa, Calgary, and Jacksonville. Gray peaked on his final attempt at 47.5%, but was viewed behind the other 1B in the group. He had 2791 hits, 1515 runs, 529 home runs, 1669 RBI, a .290 average, and 54.2 WAR. Another 1B was cut after 10 tries in Balthasar Sharp, who peaked at 29.9% on his second go. In a 22 year career, he had 2662 hits, 1561 runs, 593 home runs, 1604 RBI, a .270 average, and 77.8 WAR.



Maxwell Redmond – First Baseman – Montreal Maples – 69.4% Fourth Ballot

Maxwell Redmond was a 6’0’’, 200 pound left-handed first baseman from Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Redmond was considered a solid all-around bat in his time with good contact and at times great power numbers. He was pretty good at drawing walks, but did strike out a bit more than average. He was a decently smart baserunner, but lacked natural speed. Redmond played exclusively defensively at first base and was generally viewed as just below average with his glove. He was a fan favorite, a hard worker, and a durable and reliable player.

Redmond went west for college and played at Stanford. After a solid college career, he went home to Tennessee as he was picked 25^th overall by Memphis. He was immediately an effective power bat with 41 home runs in his rookie season, earning him second place in Rookie of the Year voting. Unfortunately, his only chance at the postseason came in his first two seasons with the Mountain Cats. In 1937 and 1938, he won his two Silver Sluggers and in 1938, he was second in MVP voting; the closest he’d come to the award with career bests in WAR (6.8), homers (44), and average (.328). In seven seasons in Memphis, he had 1253 hits, 697 runs, 229 doubles, 265 home runs, 802 RBI, a .292/.356/.538 slash, and 33.5 WAR.

He left home and tested free agency at age 28, signing an eight-year deal with Montreal. He’d ultimately wear the Maples M in the Hall of Fame and would have his #9 retired by the franchise, as Redmond was a bright spot in a down period for the franchise. In his time there, he had 1272 hits, 686 runs, 201 doubles, 226 home runs, 722 RBI, a .281/.346/.479 slash, and 30.9 WAR. His overall numbers with Montreal were a little weaker than Memphis, as Redmond’s power started to diminish in his 30s, going from a year 30+ dinger guy to someone hitting in the teens.

Montreal didn’t re-sign Redmond and he signed in 1948 with Louisville for his final MLB season, where he was able to cross 500 career homers. He continued his professional career for two more years, playing in 1949 with Honduras and getting traded for 1950 to Chihuahua. A number of injuries caused him to see little action in those final three seasons, retiring at age 39.

Redmond’s final MLB stats: 2618 hits, 1441 runs, 446 doubles, 508 home runs, 1575 RBI, a .287/.352/.508 slash, and 67.3 WAR. A solid, respectable bat throughout, but someone on the borderline of the Hall of Fame. He debuted at 56.5% and slowly gained steam, missing by one percent in 1956. With a weaker 1957 field, Redmond was able to just get over the 66% hump and qualify on his fourth ballot at 69.4%.



Eliot Cote – First Baseman – Buffalo Blue Sox – 68.2% Second Ballot

Eliot Cote was a 5’10’’, 205 pound right-handed first baseman from Mount Forest, Ontario; a small unincorporated community about two hours west of greater Toronto. Cote was known for having an incredible eye and ability to draw walks, leading his association five times in his career. Cote added reliable consistent power with 13 seasons of 30+ home runs, although he never had more than 39. He was an above average contact hitter with weak speed and baserunning ability. He played almost exclusively at first base and was viewed as a below average defender. Cote was a hard worker and viewed as a very durable and reliable player.

Cote went south to play college baseball with LSU, winning the 1928 College World Series with the Tigers. As a junior, he was picked in 1930 the second round, 95^th overall, by Toronto. However, Cote was unable to come to terms with the Timberwolves and returned for his senior season with LSU. In the 1931 MLB Draft, he was again picked by Toronto, this time 82^nd overall. Cote came to terms with the Timberwolves and was ready to contribute to his home province squad. He spent his first two pro seasons in minor league Hamilton, showing solid potential. Before the 1934 season, Toronto traded him and fellow prospect Dan Jordan to Buffalo for veteran 2B Kenny Goldman.

His most prominent run in the majors came with the Blue Sox, where Cote spent1934-1940. He was a bench player in his first year, then found his way into a regular starting role at age 25. With Buffalo, he had 1006 hits, 591 runs, 211 home runs, 570 RBI, a .294/.395/.538 slash and 35.0 WAR. Cote had a solid postseason in 1937, helping Buffalo to their first ever National Association Championship Series appearance. That was their only playoff berth in his run.

After the 1940 season, the now 31-year old Cote opted for free agency and signed a seven-year deal with Houston. He only played three seasons with the Hornets, but had a solid run, including career bests in 1943 in OBP (.433), runs (125), RBI (119), and WAR (7.4). This earned him his only Silver Slugger, coming as a DH. He opted out of his Hornets contract and signed at age 34 with Denver. He spent four solid seasons with the Dragons.

Cote was traded to Calgary for the 1948 season, then went signed for his final two MLB seasons with Philadelphia. With the Phillies, he crossed the 500 career home run mark, 1500 RBI mark, and 1500 career runs. He also played for the Canadian national team in the 1949 and 1950 World Baseball Championships. At age 41, his MLB career was over, but Cote went to the newly formed European Baseball Federation and played his final two professional seasons for Rotterdam.

The final MLB stats for Cote: 2475 hits, 1530 runs, 413 doubles, 527 home runs, 1535 RBI, 1525 walks, a .281/.391/.514 slash and 77.7 WAR. He quietly built a very solid resume, although he wasn’t an award winner or someone who caught a lot of attention relative to the other big bats at first base. Drawing walks doesn’t earn attention either, although his .391 OBP remains among the top of those inducted into the MLB Hall. He only barely crossed the 66% threshold, but Cote earned induction on his second attempt at 68.2%.

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The Central American Baseball Association inducted one player in the 1957 Hall of Fame class, adding LF Jeong-Hyeon Pin on the first ballot at 98.5%. 2B Ray Reyes barely missed the 66% cut on his fifth try on the ballot, finishing at 65.3%. Two others were above 50%; closer Leroy Morillo at 55.0% on his sixth go and RF Willy Samuel at 50.5% on his ninth.



Two players were dropped after a 10^th ballot. SP Ryder McCollin spent his entire 14 year pro career with Santiago, posting a 161-119 record, 3.02 ERA, 2497 strikeouts, and 55.2 WAR. A solid career, but too short to get big accumulations and without any major awards. He peaked on his third ballot at 35.8%. Closer Honoro Guzman was dropped as well, peaking on his debut ballot at 34.3%. With Salvador and three others, he had 338 saves, a 2.67 ERA, and 14.4 WAR. He won Reliever of the Year in 1930 and 1940 and won two rings with Mexico City, but the advanced stats showed a lack of dominance needed to get the nod.



Jeong-Hyeon Pin – Left Fielder – Juarez Jesters – 98.5% First Ballot

Jeong-Hyeon Pin was a 6’2’’, 200 pound left-handed left fielder from Busan, South Korea. Pin was one of the great power hitters of the 1930s and 40s in CABA, combining strong home run and gap power with solid contact ability. Pin didn’t walk often and struck out more than you’d like, but made up for it by making hits count. He was a slow baserunner and spent the vast majority of his career defensively in left field, where he was generally thought of as a poor fielder. Pin was a good teammate though and loyal, making him an extremely popular player in his career.

He had an unusual path as a Korean player whose nearly entire career was in Mexico. As a teenager, he was spotted by scouts from Juarez and signed as an amateur free agent. He made his debut as a pinch hitter at age 19 in 1932. Pin’s first full season was 1934 and despite only starting 80 games, he earned Rookie of the Year. He missed half of 1935 with a partially torn labrum, but from then forward, he was a full-time starter in the Jesters lineup.

Pin was a consistent contributor with Juarez, posting 13 seasons of 5+ WAR and seven with 40+ home runs, In 1939, he won league MVP, leading Mexico in runs (111), doubles (36), RBI (115), slugging (.629), OPS (.992), and wRC+ (200). That was also his first Silver Slugger season of seven. He added additionally sluggers in 1943, 44, 45, 46, 48, and 49. Pin’s second MVP came in 1943 at age 30, leading the league in OPS (.947) and wRC+ (191). He was second in MVP voting in 1941

He aged remarkably, continuing his production into his 30s. At age 35, he set career highs in home runs (54) and RBI (127), earning third in MVP voting in 1948. Pin was one of the lone bright spots for Juarez, who only made the playoffs once in his tenure. With the Jesters, he had 2480 hits, 1316 runs, 493 doubles, 584 home runs, 1428 RBI, a .295/.343/.574 slash and 93.1 WAR. His #23 uniform would be retired at the end of his career.

At the end of the 1949 season, Pin was traded for two prospects to Merida. In his one season with the Mean Green, he crossed 600 career CABA home runs and 2500 hits. At the time, he was the second CABA player to cross 600 dingers and the tenth to get to 2500 hits. He joined with Leon in 1951 in his final CABA season with limited production. Still, this last season got him to 634 career home runs, passing Diomar Glas for the all-time CABA lead. He returned home to Korea for his final two professional seasons, playing 1952 for Seongnam and 1953 for Goyang. He also played from 1947-49 for the South Korean national team in the World Baseball Championship. After going unsigned in 1954, Pin retired at age 42.

The final CABA stats for Pin, 2664 hits, 1421 runs, 524 doubles, 634 home runs, 1546 RBI, a .289/.337/.564 slash and 96.0 WAR. At retirement, he was the all-time CABA leader in home runs and doubles, although Prometheo Garcia would pass him in both within a decade. Oddly enough, despite that accolade, Pin never led the league in home runs in a single season, although he was second on six occasions. Few players brought the power that Pin had in CABA’s early years and he was a no-doubt Hall of Fame pick at 98.5%.

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The 1957 East Asian Baseball Hall of Fame class had three first ballot inductees. Starting pitcher Taiji Makino was the star of the group at 94.3%, followed by RF Ha-Jun Cho at 86.2%. Just crossing the 66% threshold as well was catcher Sang-Sik Bom at 69.25. No one else was above 50% in the group.



One player was dropped after a 10^th ballot in SP Hyeong-Jun Sim. In 19 years with nine teams, he had a 239-233 record, 3.68 ERA, 4037 strikeouts, and 53.7 WAR. He was only the third EAB pitcher to 4000 Ks, but that was more a function of longevity than dominance. He had 44.1% on his first ballot but was down to the teens by the end.

Two other pitchers, Cheol-Jung Park and Mun Soo, were dropped on their ninth ballot after falling below 5%. Park had brief brilliance but had to retire early after destroying his elbow. He was the 1938 Pitcher of the Year and led in strikeouts from 1938-40, ending with a 138-88 record, 3.19 ERA, 2311 Ks, and 46.7 WAR. His career was effectively about eight years long though due to the injuries, peaking at 34.9% on his ballot debut. Soo was a two time Reliever of the Year winner with 257 saves and a 2.24 ERA, but didn’t have the accumulated numbers to draw attention after peaking at 42.7% on his second ballot.



Taiji Makino – Starting Pitcher – Fukuoka Frogs – 94.3% First Ballot

Taiji Makino was a 6’2’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from Tokorozawa, a city in Japan’s Saitama Prefecture. Makino was known as a consistent and reliable pitcher that was primarily a starter and occasionally a reliever. He wasn’t dominant or outstanding, but generally well-rounded. Makino had 95-97 mph velocity and had a four-pitch arsenal of a fastball, curveball, changeup, and splitter; each of which were equally potent. His durability was a key to his longevity, as he tossed 200+ innings in all 16 of his professional seasons.

Makino attended Rikkio University and was highly touted after much success in the college ranks. Fukuoka would draft Makino second overall in the 1935 EAB Draft and he would spend his entire pro career with the Frogs. He immediately lived up to the high selection, earning the 1936 Japan League Rookie of the Year, leading the league in wins with 20. He led in wins three times in his career, impressive considering the Frogs were a bottom-tier franchise in his whole run. Makino never had a chance to play in the postseason and Fukuoka had only five winning seasons in his 16-year tenure.

Still, he reliably showed up each and every day for the franchise. 14 of his 16 seasons were 5+ WAR, although he never was the leader in ERA or strikeouts. He was often thought of as a top 10 pitcher, but not often viewed at the highest echelon. In 1941, he was third in Pitcher of the Year voting. In 1946 at age 32, he won It for the only time. That year, he had a career-best 2.03 ERA over 217.2 innings for 5.6 WAR. He had higher WAR seasons with 8.9 in both 1939 and 1940.

As time went on, he gathered up some statistical accolades. He was the 11^th EAB pitcher to 200 career wins and the sixth to 4000 strikeouts, despite not generally being though of as a dominant Ks guy. At retirement, his 3996 innings pitched was the most of any EAB player and he was fourth in career WAR for a pitcher at 98.4 Makino was also a veteran presence on the first five national teams for Japan in the World Baseball Championship. In 104 tournament innings, he had a solid 2.77 ERA, 111 strikeouts, and 2.3 WAR. In 1951 at age 37, his production dropped a bit, although he was still statistically good enough for a spot in the rotation. Having met the vesting criteria in his contract, Makino opted to retire after the 1951 season.

His final stats: 233-189, 95 saves and 115 shutdowns, a 2.83 ERA, 3996 innings, 4009 strikeouts, 736 walks, 336/505 quality starts, a FIP- of 75 and 98.0 WAR. His #14 uniform was the second retired by Fukuoka and he is remembered fondly by Frogs fans as a reliably positive player in a weak time for the franchise. Had he been flashier and on more dominant teams, Makino would be perhaps more remembered among the truly top tier of EAB pitchers. Still, his 16 consistent years of strong production earned him a first ballot spot in the East Asia Baseball Hall of Fame.



Ha-Jun Cho – Right Fielder – Changwon Crabs – 86.2% First Ballot

Ha-Jun Cho was a 5’9’’ 200 pound left-handed right fielder from Ulsan, South Korea. Cho was known as a well-rounded and very durable hitter in his career. He was an above average to good contact and power hitter with a solid eye and ability to draw walks. He was a below average baserunner and a career right fielder, generally viewed as a below average to weak defender. However, Cho was a fan favorite known for a tireless work ethic and loyalty, along with excellent durability and reliability.

Cho was signed as an amateur as a teenager by Changwon in 1928 and spent nearly his entire professional baseball career with the Crabs. He made his debut in 1932 and saw limited action in his first two seasons. In 1934, he became the full-time starter in right and would start 144+ games every year for 17 straight seasons. He would post 11 consecutive 5.5 WAR seasons to open his career as a starter. Cho won his first Silver Slugger in 1936 and won eight total, also winning in 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 44, and 46.

Changwon throughout the 1930s and 40s were generally above .500, but wouldn’t make the playoffs in Cho’s tenure until the 1945 season. That year, they came away with the EAB Championship, despite that year being a down one for Cho. He bounced back in 1946 at age 34, leading Korea in RBI (106) and posting a career high .399 OBP, getting him second place in MVP voting. This would be his final great season, although he had four more seasons as a starter with the Crabs. He played for South Korea in the first World Baseball Championship in 1947.

After the 1950 season, Changwon traded Cho to Nagoya for catcher Susumu Iwasa. Cho spent one season primarily as a bench player for the Nightowls, but while there he crossed 1500 RBI and 1500 run scored for his career. He was the second EAB player to cross both marks, joining the legendary Byung-Oh Tan. After the 1951 season, Cho retired at age 39. His #14 would be retired the next season by the Crabs.

The final stats for Cho, 2764 hits, 1505 runs, 466 doubles, 527 home runs, 1504 RBI, 1054 walks, 1855 strikeouts, a .289/.360/.516 slash and 89.9 WAR. In the 1930s and 40s, he was someone you could count on starting a full season and giving you reliable strong production. Like his HOF classmate Taiji Makino, he maybe is forgotten for not having record-setting single seasons. But few were as consistent with the bat in the 1930s and 1940s in Korea than Cho, making him deserving of the first ballot selection.



Sang-Sik Bom – Catcher – Nagoya Nightowls – 69.2% First Ballot

Sang-Sik Bom was a 6’3’’, 195 pound right-handed catcher from Daegu, South Korea. He was the first catcher inducted into the EAB Hall of Fame and as of 2037, the only catcher inducted with the position so undervalued among voters. He was an excellent hitter and not just as a catcher, boasting solid power and contact ability at his peak. He was decent at drawing walks and did strike out more than you’d like and was a slow baserunner. Defensively, he was average to below average behind the plate, but he had a far better bat than his contemporaries and was durable.

Bom was signed as an amateur free agent by Nagoya and spent his prime EAB seasons with the Nightowls. He debuted in 1929 at age 19 and made six starts. He became a part-time starter in 1930 and full starter when healthy in the rest of his 12 seasons with Nagoya. Bom won his first Silver Slugger at age 22 in 1932 and won nine in the Japan League, also taking it in 1933, 34, 35, 37, 38, 39, 40, and 41. He led Japan in WAR in 1935 with 8.2 and had a career high 10.4 in 1934; the single-season record for an EAB catcher. Bom was second in MVP voting in 1933, 34, and 35, third in 1937 and 1941.
Nagoya was a regular contender in the 1930s and Bom earned four Japan League titles and three EAB titles in his time with Nagoya. In 52 playoff starts, he had 52 hits, 26 runs, 12 doubles, 8 home runs, 31 RBI, and 1.5 WAR. With the Nightowls, Bom finished with 1658 hits, 833 runs, 252 doubles, 321 home runs, 912 RBI, a .286/.340/.503 slash, and 80.7 WAR.

At the end of the 1941 season, the 32-year old Bom defected to the United States and signed a five-year deal with the Denver Dragons. He was successful in MLB as well, winning Silver Sluggers for Denver in 1943 and 44. He had 491 hits, 278 runs, 109 home runs, 326 RBI, and 18.0 WAR in four seasons with the Dragons.

In 1946, Bom signed with Montreal and played his final three MLB seasons as a respectable starter with the Maples. Bom also returned to his native South Korea post-war and played with the national team in the World Baseball Championship from 1947-50. He went back to East Asia Baseball in 1949, playing his final three pro seasons with Daegu. This allowed him to be the first EAB catcher to reach 1000 career RBI. At age 43, he retired and his #24 uniform was retired as well by Nagoya.

For his entire pro career, Bom had 2673 hits, 1394 runs, 424 doubles, 532 home runs, 1554 RBI, and 113.7; among the most impressive of any catcher in pro baseball history. In EAB alone, he had 1898 hits, 970 runs, 368 home runs, 1058 RBI, a .278/.334/.489 slash and 89.2 WAR. He remains the catcher leader in EAB in career total bases, runs, home runs, RBI, and WAR. Still, the bias against catchers against HOF voting and the fact that he left mid-career for the US hurt Bom in the eyes of many Hall of Fame voters. The grand totals are low relative to other players due to his position and his split career, but his accolades were undeniable, getting Bom a HOF induction on the first ballot at just above the 66% threshold with 69.2%.

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Two players were inducted into Beisbol Sudamerica’s Hall of Fame in the 1957 class. Both were first ballot no-doubt picks with CF Saul Vargas at 98.9% and SP Tilson Garcis at 98.2%. Two others; SP Daniel Rosado and SP Aldemar Ramires, were just above the 50% mark.



Two were dropped after their 10^th time on the ballot. SP Hernan Trevino pitched with six teams and had a 142-128 record, 2.44 ERA, 3078 strikeouts, and 62.9 WAR. His career started officially at age 27, hurting his tallies. Trevino peaked at 45.8% on his second try. Carson Hernandez also started at age 27 and finished with 145-83 record, 2.51 ERA, 2190 strikeouts, and 48.8 WAR, peaking at 28.1% on his second try.



Saul Vargas – Centerfielder – Cali Cyclones – 98.9% First Ballot

Saul Vargas was a 5’10’’, 195 pound left-handed centerfielder from Dos Quebradas, a city in west central Colombia. Vargas was an all-time great contact hitter and baserunner, leading the Bolivar League in hits five times, runs six times, average four times, and stolen bases 10 times. He was great at putting the ball in play and okay at drawing walks. Vargas had solid gap power and used his speed to turn many doubles into triples. He wasn’t a slugger, but still got you around 20 homers a year. He spent his entire career defensively at CF and was considered decent early in his career, but overall below average with the glove.

Vargas was picked 14^th overall in the 1932 Beisbol Sudamerica Draft by Cali and would spend his entire career with the Cyclones. Vargas would post 13 seasons of 7+ WAR and would lead the Bolivar League in WAR six times, starting in his third season in 1935. His first Silver Slugger came in 1936, with 10 more coming in 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, and 47. He became the first Bolivar League player to win 11 Silver Sluggers in his career.

Vargas won his first league MVP in 1936, his second in 1938, third in 1945, and fourth in 1947. He was second in 1937, 39, and 44. In 1938, the 25-year old Vargas had a 12.0 WAR season, at the time second-most in a season by a BSA hitter. His 114 stolen bases was a single-season record at the time. Cali made the playoffs in 1933, 34, 36, and 37, but couldn’t advance to Copa Sudamerica. After being mid-tier in the early 1940s, the Cyclones became a contender at the end of the decade.

Vargas’s last great year was in 1947 at age 34, posting 8.8 WAR. His production fell off hard in his final four seasons, but Vargas was there to see Cali won the Bolivar League title in 1948, 49, and 50. He still stepped up come postseason time in 48 and 50 to help the Cyclones advance to Copa Sudamerica, although they were unable to take the crown. In the postseason in 61 career games, Vargas had 52 hits, 26 runs, 9 doubles, 3 home runs, 13 RBI, and 1.0 WAR. He became the first player to 1000 career stolen bases and 1500 runs and would be only 52 hits short of being the first BSA player to 3000 hits. Vargas retired at age 39 after the 1951 season

The final stats for Vargas, 2948 hits, 1514 runs, 377 doubles, 262 triples, 338 home runs, 1179 RBI, 1191 stolen bases, a .290/.340/.479 slash and 115.6 WAR. At retirement, he was the Beisbol Sudamerica all-time hit king and leader in runs, triples, and steals. His #5 uniform was immediately retired by Cali after he was done. One of the undisputed great beats of South American baseball in the 1930s and 40s, Vargas was an easy first-ballot inductee at 98.9%.



Tilson Garcia – Starting Pitcher – Barquisimeto Black Cats- 98.2% First Ballot.

Tilson Garcia was a 5’9’’, 195 pound right-handed starting pitcher from Petare, Venezuela, part of metropolitan Caracas. Garcia was a balanced pitcher with respectable stuff, control, and movement. His velocity range was 96-98 mph with a five pitch arsenal of a fastball, curveball, forkball, changeup, and cutter. He was an expert at switching pitches and coaxing groundballs. Garcia was incredibly durable and was a workhorse, throwing 235+ innings in all 16 years of his career. He was a solid defender and once won a Gold Glove. Despite his positives, he clashed with teammates in the clubhouse, as he was viewed as disloyal, greedy, and lazy.

Garcia was a highly touted prospect and picked fifth overall in the 1935 Beisbol Sudamerica Draft by Barquisimeto. The Black Cats were a bottom-tier team when he arrived and despite having an alright debut, would lead the Bolivar League in losses in his first two seasons. He’d come into his own with 6+ WAR seasons in 1938-40 and a 27-7 season with 8.2 WAR and 2.05 ERA in 1939. He had 371 strikeouts and finished second in Pitcher of the Year voting, helping Barquisimeto to their first-ever playoff berth. His run would be short though, as the Black Cats traded Garcia for prospects in the summer of 1941 to Rio de Janeiro.

The Redbirds were division champs in 1941 and Garcia would play two more years with Rio. He left for free agency in 1944 and Barquisimeto gave him another chance. The now 29-year old had a career best 1.93 ERA in 1944 and career best 9.3 WAR in 1945, finishing second in Pitcher of the Year in 1944. Garcia clashed again with some in the organization and was traded to Cali for the 1946 season. Still, his #18 uniform would get retired by Barquisimeto years later and he’d go into the Hall of Fame in the Black Cats hat. In his seven and a half seasons, he had a 132-111 record, 2.53 ERA, 2359 strikeouts, and 49.8 WAR.

Now 31-years old, Garcia had two okay years with Cali and would move close to home by signing with Caracas for 1948. Garcia’s last great season came in his Colts debut, finishing third in Pitcher of the Year. After two seasons with Caracas, he was traded to Lima and spent his final two years with the Lobos. With Lima, he passed 250 career wins and 4500 career strikeouts, becoming the fourth BSA pitcher to both milestones. Garcia retired after the 1951 season at age 37. In his final years, he also pitched for the Venezuela national team, posting a 3.58 ERA and 1.6 WAR over 73 innings with 83 strikeouts.

The final stats for Garcia: 263-212 record, 2.71 ERA, 4415 innings, 4578 strikeouts, 1.04 WHIP, 392/535 quality starts, 244 complete games, and 86.9 WAR. He never won Pitcher of the Year or was the most dominant pitcher in Beisbol Sudamerica, but he was incredibly durable and solid for 16 years. Thus, even without a long run with one team or any accolades, Garcia was not only inducted, but added on the first ballot at 98.2%.

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The 1957 World Baseball Championship was held in Guadalajara, Mexico. The United States took Division 1 with a 6-1 record, finishing one game ahead of France and Hungary. Italy advanced went a 7-0 run in Division 2, one game ahead of an upstart Uzbekistan. Canada claimed Division 3 at 6-1, one better than England. Division 4 went to Romania at 6-1, who were a game better than the Czech Republic. D5 went to the Netherlands at 6-1 with Mexico, Ecuador, and Paraguay all one game behind. Poland picked up D6 at 6-1, one better than Brazil and Haiti. Division 7 saw Argentina take it at 5-2, who edged out defending champ Russia, Peru, Georgia, and Kazakhstan. And in D8, there was a three-way tie for first at 5-2. Switzerland advanced to the Round Robin with the tiebreaker over both Chile and Colombia.

In the Double Round Robin Group A, Canada took the top mark at 5-1, advancing along with 3-3 Italy. The Swiss and Poles both were eliminated at 2-4. In Group B, the Americans prevailed at 4-2. Romania and Argentina tied for second at 3-3 with the tiebreaker going to the Romanians. The Dutch were last at 2-4.

For Romania, it was their first-ever semifinal appearance and they gave Canada a challenge, but the Canadians prevailed in seven games to advance to their fifth championship appearance. On the other side, Italy made their second semifinal appearance, but the powerhouse USA moved forward in six games. The World Championship saw the Americans against the Canadians for the fourth time. The US won the series 4-1, giving the Americans their sixth world title in the WBC’s first 11 editions.





Both the tournament MVP and Best Pitcher went to Americans. MVP was 24-year old 3B Steven Mautner of Tampa. In his first tournament appearance, Mautner in 22 starts had 29 hits, 14 runs, 5 doubles, 3 home runs, and 13 RBI with a .349/.432/.542 slash.

32-year old Oakland closer Nick Hedrick was the Best Pitcher winner. He was used as a starter and excelled with a 5-0 record in seven starts, 55.1 innings, a 0.65 ERA, 109 strikeouts, and a stellar 4.7 WAR. The WAR and strikeout tallies were both tournament records that still hold even as of 2037 and through expanded tournament formats in later years. Hedrick had a record-setting 25 strikeout game against Norway in nine innings early on.

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Defending Eurasian Professional Baseball champion Minsk set a league record with a 123-39 mark atop the European League North Division. This beats Warsaw’s 122 wins in the 1955 debut season and stands as the winningest season in EPB history decades later. Kyiv took the South Division for the second straight season with a 109-53 record. Wild cards went to Warsaw at 104-58 and Bucharest at 97-65. The Wildcats are in the playoffs for the second time in three years and the Broncos have made it three straight.

League MVP went to Miners LF Eldar Vdovichenko. The 25-year old Russian led the European League in runs (122), hits (208), stolen bases (88), average (.339), slugging (.611), OPS (.997), wRC+ (176),and WAR (9.6). Pitcher of the Year went to Warsaw’s Alexandru Spinu. The 28-year old left-handed Moldovan was the league leader in innings (281.1), strikeouts (342), K/BB (11.0), complete games (22), FIP- (52), and WAR (11.4). He had a 21-9 record and 2.50 ERA.



The best record in the Asian League was Almaty at 116-46 atop the South Division, putting the Assassins into the playoffs for the third straight year. After narrowly missing the playoffs last year, 1955 Soviet Series champ Yekaterinburg won the North Division at 106-56. The wild card race was tight with Novosibirsk and Dushanbe advancing both at 101-61; the first playoff berth for the Nitros and third for the Dynamo. Defending Asian League champ Irkutsk missed by one game at 100-62 with Krasnoyarsk only two out of the last wildcard and Tashkent five games away.

The Asian League MVP and Pitcher of the Year were the same player for back-to-back seasons. Dushanbe pitcher Sergei Filatov won his second Pitcher of the Year and his first MVP. The 28-year old left-handed Russian from Kazan led the league in ERA (1.94), WHIP (0.87), K/BB (7.33), FIP- (47), and WAR (11.9), adding a 19-8 record over 274.1 innings and 312 strikeouts.

Just like with Warsaw’s record 122-win season, 123-win Minsk were upset in the first round. Bucharest bested the Miners in 3-1, while the Wildcats upset Kyiv in four. Almaty took care of business by sweeping Dushanbe and Novosibirsk upset Yekaterinburg in four. The ELCS was a seven game classic with the Broncos edging Warsaw. The ALCS went to the Assassins in five against the Nitros. In the Soviet Series, Bucharest bested Almaty in six games, sending the title to Romania for the first time.

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Leading the European Baseball Federation’s Northern Conference in 1957 was Stockholm, getting their seventh straight playoff berth. The Swordsmen finished 104-58 atop the North Central Division. In the Northwest Division, Rotterdam took first 100-62 for back-to-back playoff berths and their first division title. Amsterdam finished one behind at 99-63, getting the wild card easily and their seventh playoff appearance in the EBF’s first eight seasons. Birmingham picked up back-to-back British Isles Division crowns, taking it easily at 92-70. Defending conference champ Paris fell off to 75 wins.

Stockholm’s Pietro Ribsi was the conference MVP and Pitcher of the Year. He won his third Pitcher of the Year, beating out a field that had two other pitchers with 12+ WAR seasons. The 32-year old Italian was the Northern Conference leader in wins (24), innings (301.2), and quality starts (33). He had a 24-8 record, 1.79 ERA, 339 strikeouts, and 12.5 WAR. He beat out stellar seasons by Hamburg’s Peter Plattner and Rotterdam’s Trent Addams, who also had outstanding seasons on the mound.




The top record in the Southern Conference and overall in the EBF went to Madrid, taking the Southwest Division title at 107-55. The Conquistadors are the only team to make the playoffs in each of the first eight years of the EBF. Defending European Champion Lisbon was second at 94-68, but still moved forward as a wild card. In a competitive South Central Division, Naples earned their first-ever playoff berth with a 91-71 mark. Zurich’s title streak was snapped with an 88-74 record for them. The Southeast Division stunk with all five teams below .500. Munich was the best of the bad at 79-83, sending them to the playoffs for the sixth time. Athens finished two games back and last year’s division champ Zagreb fell hard to 68 wins.

Madrid CF Brainslav Mikusiak won back-to-back MVPs and the third of his career. The 31-year old Slovak led the conference in runs (133), hits (195), triple slash (.336/.422/.675), OPS (1.097), wRC+ (214), and WAR (12.6). He also added 46 home runs and 125 RBI. Seville’s Armando Rojas won back-to-back Pitcher of the Year awards. The 25-year old Spaniard was the SC leader in ERA (1.72), innings (282.1), strikeouts (351), WHIP (0.88), quality starts (29), shutouts (7), and WAR (10.1).

All four first round playoff series went all five games. Stockholm survived Amsterdam and Rotterdam edged Birmingham in the Northern Conference. Lisbon upset division foe Madrid and Naples knocked off Munich in the Southern Conference. In the NCC, the Swordsmen topped the Ravens in six games. The SCC saw the Nobles outlast the Clippers in seven games. The European Championship saw two franchises in their first finals appearance. Stockholm cruised to a 4-1 win over Naples, sending the title to Sweden for the first time.





Other notes: On August 27, Barcelona’s Cosimo Rozzi had the sixth EBF perfect game, striking out six against Seville. Pietro Ribsi and Elih Cruz became the first pitchers to reach 2000 career strikeouts. CF Mercury Hand won his record seventh Gold Glove. LF Gabriel Staudt won his sixth Silver Slugger, as did SC MVP Brainslav Mikusiak. They’re the first in the EBF to get to six.

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Callao posted a 100+ win season for the third time in four years, taking the Bolivar League South Division at 101-61. They finished six games better than second place Lima. Meanwhile, the North Division was a tight battle that saw Barquisimeto take first at 89-73. It is only the third-ever playoff berth for the Black Cats, who last made it to the postseason in 1943. Barquisimeto was only one game ahead of defending Bolivar League champ Caracas and five better than Maracaibo.

Mike Andrades won his second straight league MVP. The 27-year old Callao right fielder led the league in runs (121), hits (224), RBI (141), average (.357), slugging (.666), OPS (1.033), wRC+ (194), and WAR (9.3). The 141 RBI was a new single-season record for Beisbol Sudamerica. Pitcher of the Year went to Barquisimeto’s Julio Cigala. The 32-year old Venezuelan only led in complete games (18), posting a 5.2 WAR, 21-11 record, 2.52 ERA, and 249 strikeouts over 281.2 innings.



Sao Paulo won the Brazil Division for the fifth straight season and posted the best record in the Southern Cone League with a 105-57 record. Brasilia was next at 96-66 with Salvador at 94-68. In the South Division, Santiago snapped a four-year playoff drought by taking first at 94-68. Defending Copa Sudamerica champ Cordoba, who won 120 games the prior season, finished one game behind the Saints at 93-69.

League MVP and Pitcher of the Year both went to Sao Paulo’s Angel Souza. It is the second PotY for Souza and he’s the first non-two way pitcher to win MVP in the Southern Cone. The 27-year old tossed a Triple Crown season with a 27-4 record, 1.14 ERA, and 350 strikeouts, also leading the league in innings (291.2), quality starts (33), FIP- (52), and WAR (11.2). The 1.14 ERA is third-best all time in a Beisbol Sudamerica single season, only behind Timoteo Caruso’s 1.07 in 1946 and Mohammed Ramos’ 1.09 in 1939.

In the Bolivar League Championship Series, Callao defeated Barquisimeto in five games, giving the Cats their second league title in four years. In the Southern Cone Championship, Sao Paulo bested Santiago 4-1, also giving the Padres their second title in four years. It is their fourth league title. In a rematch of the 1954 Copa Sudamerica, the Cats again prevailed over the Padres; this time in a seven-game classic.





Other notes: Angel Gabriel Cornejo of Cordoba became the first BSA player to get to 3000 career hits. This would be his last season as a full-time starter, but Cornejo would play two more years, retiring at age 46 with 3253 hits. Cornejo also became the fourth BSA hitter to 1500 RBI. Diego Pena became the second to 1500 runs scored. R.J. Correa and Felipe Delgado became the sixth and seventh hitters to 2500 hits. Asuncion’s Adrian Calvo became the seventh BSA hitter to 500 career home runs. Lincoln Parra was the sixth pitcher to 250 career wins. In award notables, CF Loury Nova became a 12-time Gold Glove winner, joining SS Jamie Escoto as the only 12 time winners.

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The best record in the Japan League in 1957 went to Sendai at 96-66, giving the Samurai their third playoff berth in five years. Sendai ended two games better than defending league champ Sapporo at 94-68 and seven ahead of Saitama in the North Division. Kobe claimed the South Division at 93-69 for back-to-back division titles. The Blaze were two games ahead of Fukuoka and four ahead of both Hiroshima and Kitakyushu.

The Japan League MVP and Pitcher of the Year both went to Saitama’s Tadasumi Tanabe. It is back-to-back MVPs for the two-way star and his first PotY. On the moun, Tanabe led the league in innings (278) and WAR (9.5), while adding a 18-6 record, 2.20 ERA, and 289 strikeouts. In left field, Tanabe added 7.1 WAR with 142 hits, 29 home runs, 82 RBI, a .932 OPS and .315 average in 115 starts. By combined WAR, it is the greatest EAB single season to date and up there with one of the best single seasons in pro baseball history. Overshadowed was Kawasaki 1B Toyo Ishigura, who posted a .345 average, 56 home runs, 129 RBI, and 10.6 WAR. He was only 10 average points away from a Triple Crown.



The best record in the Korea League was Changwon at 102-60, earning their first South Division title since 1949. Defending East Asia Baseball champ Daegu fell to a third place 84-78 record. In the North Division, Hamhung claimed a third straight crown with a 98-64 mark. They were eight games better than Pyongyang.

The Crabs swept the major awards, boasting the league MVP, Pitcher of the Year, and Reliever of the Year. MVP went to 25-year old 3B Hyun-Ook Jo. Nicknamed “Onion,” Jo was the Korea League leader in runs (126), home runs (59), OPS (1.068), wRC+ (181), and WAR (12.0). He also earned his second straight Gold Glove at third. Pitcher of the Year was Dan Dudamel, a 24-year old righty from the Philippines He had the league lead in wins (22), strikeouts (297), WHIP (1.02), K/BB (9.0), quality starts (24), and WAR (8.0), while posting a 2.97 ERA over 269.1 innings. Dudamel also earned Gold Glove honors. Chang-Hee Lee was Reliever of the Year, his first of what would be fourth straight. Lee had a 1.34 ERA and 45 saves for 4.2 WAR out of the bullpen.

Both of the League Championship Series went seven games in 1957. In Japan, Kobe edged Sendai to give the Blaze their third league title, joining the 1935 and 1942 campaigns. In Korea, Changwon seemed on their way to a sweep, but Hamhung rallied from a 3-0 hole to take the series in seven. For the Heat, it is their second title in three ears and sixth overall. The East Asian Championship was far less dramatic as Hamhung swept Kobe for the Heat’s record fifth overall title. With two rings in three years, Hamhung has built up a potential dynasty.





Other notes: Dong-Hee Cho became the ninth EAB hitter to 500 career home runs. Takashi Ishihara became the third to 1500 career RBI. Han-Soo Jung was the third EAB pitcher to 250 career wins. Dong-Ju Hahn of Ulsan had a 32-game hitting streak in 1957, the third-longest to date in EAB. Toshinobu Noguchi won his eighth and final Gold Glove at catcher, a record for the position. 3B Nariyuki Yanagisawa won his ninth Silver Slugger.