Baseball: The World's Game

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In 1961, East Asia Baseball would add one player into its Hall of Fame. Starting Pitcher Ju-Han Choi was the guy as a first ballot nod with 85.1% of the vote. Fellow SP Young-Gil Chyu was second best with 60.9% on his fifth attempt. Five other players would finish above the 50% mark.



One was dropped after 10 attempts in pitcher Ichirouta Oya. He finished at 38.6% and peaked at 48.0% on his fourth ballot. Oya in 20 years had a 206-222 record, 2.96 ERA, 3953.2 innings, 3622 strikeouts, and 45.5 WAR. Good longevity, but delightfully average. Also of note, two were dropped after an eighth ballot due to falling below 5%. RF Min-Seong Pak was MVP in 1932 and had 2640 hits, 1406 runs, 495 home runs, 1469 RBI, and 86.6 WAR. Despite a pretty solid resume in 24 years almost exclusively with Busan, he never got much traction, peaking at 36.4% on his debut. Pitcher Takiji Ito was the other, peaking at 29.6%. In 15 years, he had a 207-145 record, 3.05 ERA, 3237 strikeouts, 54.2 WAR, and three Silver Sluggers at the position. Alas, he fell into the Hall of Very Good category ultimately.



Ju-Han Choi – Starting Pitcher – Kawasaki Killer Whales – 85.1% First Ballot

Ju-Han Choi was a 5’10’’, 175 pound right-handed pitcher from Hunghae, a small town in the eastern South Korean province of North Gyeongsang. Choi’s velocity peaked at 96-98 mph with good control and above average movement. His premier pitch was his curveball, but Choi had a five-pitch arsenal, adding a fastball, slider, forkball, and changeup. While talented, teammates often dismissed him as a lazy dumb jerk, which detractors say limited his potential. Still, he was incredibly durable, throwing 235+ innings in all but his first and final seasons.

Choi moved to Japan for college and attended Fukuyama University. After a respectable amateur career, Choi was picked 23^rd overall in the 1937 EAB Draft by Goyang. He spent seven seasons with the Green Sox and was a bone fide ace by years three-six, posting four straight seasons of 6+ WAR. Choi placed second in Pitcher of the Year voting in 1943, the closest he came to the award. In 1940, he tossed a no-hitter against Daegu with nine strikeouts and one walk.

Goyang in this period was a consistent playoff team, although they never were able to take the Korea League title. Choi couldn’t be blamed; in four postseasons he had a 2.60 ERA over 52 innings with 36 strikeouts. In total for his seven seasons with the Green Sox, Choi had a 112-73 record, 3.16 ERA, 1847 strikeouts over 1738 innings, and 35.6 WAR.

Now age 30, Choi was traded for the 1945 season to Kawasaki for outfielder Akira Serizawa and reliever Joon-Suk No. It was a rebuilding era for the Killer Whales, who had success earlier in the decade. Choi spent seven years there and opted to be inducted in the Kawasaki hat, despite having arguably a more notable tenure in Goyang. With the Killer Whales, Choi had a 81-102 record, 2.85 ERA, 35 saves, 1749 strikeouts over 1693 innings, and 33.7 WAR.

He left for the 1952 season at age37 and signed with Seongnam. Choi was third in Pitcher of the Year in his Spiders debut, an impressive accomplishment for someone that age. In 1953, he became the seventh EAB pitcher to reach 4000 career strikeouts and threw his second no-hitter that summer against Gwangju, He had three solid seasons with Seongnam, then fell off in his final season at age 40, retiring after the 1955 campaign.

The final stats for Choi: 238-223, 3.11 ERA, 4335.1 innings, 4444 strikeouts, 853 walks, 377/564 quality starts, 85 FIP- and 88.0 WAR. He was rarely viewed as a top five level guy in his career, but had enough longevity to earn notice. At retirement, he was third all-time in EAB strikeouts at 4444 and sixth in wins, giving him enough juice despite the signature run or season to grab first ballot honors at 85.1%.

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Beisbol Sudamerica elected two players in the 1961 Hall of Fame Class. One was a no-doubter in RF Matias Amaro, who picked up an impressive 97.4% of the vote. SP Dizzy Castillo was the other on his second try, just sneaking in above the 66% threshold at 66.6%. Two others were above 50% with no players making it to a tenth ballot in this group.



Matias Amaro – Right/Left Fielder – Barquisimeto Black Cats – 97.4% First Ballot

Matias Amaro was a 6’0’’,185 pound left-handed corner outfielder from Valera, a city in western Venezuela. Amaro was a dominant power hitter with an excellent eye, six times a league-leader in home runs and eight times in walks. He was actually viewed as a below average contact hitter for much of his career, but still got on base plenty with his walks and made his hits very impactful. Amaro was an ironman who played 150+ games in all but his rookie season, where he still played 140. He was a right fielder primarily with about ¼ of his starts in left and was average to slightly below average defensively despite relatively lousy speed. He was a hard worker and very popular for obvious reasons.

Amaro was highly touted as an amateur and was picked third overall by Barquisimeto in the 1937 Beisbol Sudamerica Draft. He was immediately a success, winning the 1938 Bolivar League Rookie of the Year. By his junior season, Amaro won his first league MVP and Silver Slugger. He was third in MVP voting in 1941 and won it in both 1942 and 1943, Amaro’s Silver Sluggers came in 40, 41, 42, 43, 45, 46, and 53. In the 1940s, he was THE home run hitter of South America, leading the Bolivar League six times in seven seasons.

1942 was the standout season, winning the batting title at .307, also leading the league in OPS (1.027) and WAR (11.5); both career bests. He had a career best 53 homers in 1940 and 106 RBI in 143. He led the league in OBP, slugging, and OPS in three straight seasons. Amaro was a beast in this run, but Barquisimeto only made the playoffs twice in this decade-long run, falling in the BLCS both times. Looking to start fresh, the Black Cats traded Amaro and reliever Leandro Martinez to Cali for five prospects before the 1948 season.

The Cyclones were in the midst of an impressive run and hoped the now 33-year old Amaro would put them over the top. He had two good, but not amazing, seasons with Cali. He had a strong 1948 postseason but a poor 1949 one, getting his only experience in Copa Sudamerica in these years. The Cyclones were the runner-up both seasons, losing to Belo Horizonte in 1948 and Salvador in 1949. Amaro opted for free agency and signed a four-year deal with Valencia in 1950.

He spent four seasons with varied success with the Velocity, still able to draw walks but seeing his contact ability and power fade a bit. He also became a regular on the Venezuela National Team for the World Baseball Championship, playing with the squad from 1948-55. He picked up 19 home runs and 45 RBI in 88 tournament games. At age 39, Amaro returned to Barquisimeto and played his final two seasons back with the Black Cats. He picked up his 600^th career home run and 1500^th RBI, marks that only Diego Pena had reached in the prior year. He was second in both stats on the all-time leaderboard when he retired after the 1955 season at age 41, seeing his #7 uniform retired soon after.

The final stats for Amaro: 2284 hits, 1378 runs, 348 doubles, 661 home runs, 1515 RBI, 1379 walks, 190 strikeouts, a .237/.335/.486 slash and 94.8 WAR. Other players in later years would surpass his power numbers as homers became more common, but he was the standard of his era. His 1379 walks drawn remained the BSA career record until passed by Paco Amorim in the 2030s. A slugger in every definition of the word, Amaro was a no-doubt Hall of Fame pick on the first ballot at 97.4%.



Dizzy Castillo – Pitcher – La Paz Pump Jacks – 66.6% Second Ballot

Dizzy Castillo was a 5’11’’, 200 pound right-handed starting pitcher from Riberalta, Boliva; a small city in the northern part of the country. He was a hard thrower with 99-101 mph velocity on his fastball, which he mixed with a curveball and changeup. Still, his stuff was generally viewed as above average, with similar grades on his control and movement. Castillo was very durable with a blank injury log and bounced around a bit in his career between the starting rotation and the bullpen.

Castillo was picked 25^th overall in the 1939 Beisbol Sudamerica Draft by La Paz, who had just started their 1940s dynasty. The Pump Jacks made it to Copa Sudamerica seven times from 1939-46 and won it all in 1939, 40, 43, and 46. Castillo wasn’t the star of that loaded squad, but played a role out of the bullpen mostly. He became a full-time starter in 1945 with an impressive 1.75 ERA and career-best 7.0 WAR, He finished second in Pitcher of the Year voting that year, his only time in the top three in his career.

The Pump Jack dynasty faded as the 1940s came to a close. After three seasons as a starter, Castillo spent some time as a closer in 1948, then was back in the rotation in 1949. That was his final year with the squad, posting a 99-83 record and 68 saves in total with a 2.28 ERA, 1840 strikeouts, and 35.6 WAR. In the layoffs, he had a 1.41 ERA over 57.1 innings with nine savs and a 2-3 record, 61 strikeouts, and 2.0 WAR.

At age 33, a now rebuilding La Paz traded to Valencia for prospects. Castillo spent his final five seasons with the Velocity and stayed in the rotation throughout, providing the same reliable production that he was known for. He had a 76-69 record, 2.91 ERA, 1174 strikeouts, and 26.0 WAR. Castillo also pitched for Bolivia in the World Baseball Championship from 1947-54, posting a 3.23 ERA over 100.1 tournament innings with 108 strikeouts. Castillo was still perfectly capable of pitching in the bigs after the 1954 season, but opted to retire at age 37.

The final stats for Castillo: 175-152 record, 72 saves and 111 shutdowns, a 2.56 ERA, 2887.2 innings, 3014 strikeouts 248/329 quality starts, a FIP- of 81, and 61.6 WAR, He was really the definition of a “good hand,” who was rarely outstanding, but consistently respectable. Even in a pitcher-focused BSA though, his stat line didn’t immediately jump out as all-time great. Still, enough voters liked his resume to give him 59.5% on his debut ballot and then the bump to 66.6% to get in on the second try.

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The 1961 World Baseball Championship took place in Medellin, Colombia and was the 15th edition of the tournament. The defending champion United States again took Division 1 and advanced to the Double Round Robin. They were 7-0, fending off a surprising challenge from Georgia at 6-1. In Division 2, Germany prevailed at 6-1, finishing one better than South Korea. Division 3 had a tie at the top between Slovakia and Uzbekistan at 5-2, both one ahead of last year's overall runner-up Canada. Slovakia moved forward via the tiebreaker. In Division 4, Sweden was unbeaten at 7-0, two games ahead of both Japan and Poland.

Division 5 saw Mexico on top at 7-0, while France was second at 5-2. In Division 6, Brazil advanced with a 6-1 mark, two games ahead of both Belgium and Croatia. Division 7 saw a five-way tie for first at 4-3 between Serbia, Belarus, Chile, Ecuador, and Russia; while North Korea and Ireland were 3-4. After tiebreakers were sorted, Serbia moved forward. And in Division 8, Austria and China tied at 5-2, both a game ahead of Colombia and Denmark. The tiebreaker pushed the Austrians forward into the Double Round Robin.

In Group A, the Americans took first at 5-1, advancing along with 4-2 Brazil. Germany finished 2-4 and Serbia was 1-5. The US has made it to the final four in every tournament, while the Brazilians made it for the fourth time. In Group B, Mexico went unbeaten at 6-0, advancing with 3-3 Sweden. Slovakia finished 2-4 and Austria was 1-5. It was the fifth final four berth for the Mexicans and the second for the Swedes.

Traditional powers pushed forward in the best-of-seven semifinals with the United States defeating Sweden 4-1 and Mexico outlasting Brazil 4-3. This sent the Americans to the final for the 12th time and the Mexicans for the fourth time. This was the third time they had met in the championship with Mexico taking it in 1950 and the US winning in 1952. The Americans grabbed it in five games in 1961, giving the US back-to-back world titles and four in five years.





The tournament MVP went to Indianapolis RF R.J. Clinton, the 1959 National Association MVP. The 24-year old was the tournament leader in hits with 36, RBI with 32, and WAR with 2.1. He added 10 home runs and 20 runs with a .396 average for the American team. Best Pitcher was awarded to Sweden’’s Henrik Lindsvik. A 27-year old for Marseille of the EBF, Lindsvik had a perfect ERA over 12.2 innings with nine strikeouts and two hits against him for the Swedes.

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The second season of the Oceania Baseball Association saw the first champion Perth with the best record. After winning a competitive Australasia League in the debut season with 87 wins, the Penguins became the first 100+ winner with a 105-57 mark. Auckland at 94-68 was the closest competition, followed by Gold Coast (89-73) and Christchurhch (86-76).

Winning MVP in the Australasia League was Perth shortstop Vae Afatia. A native of American Samoa, the 27-year old was the leader in WAR (11.7) home runs (38), RBI (106), slugging (.517), OPS (.851), and wRC+ (163). Pitcher of the Year was Gold Coast’s Jacob “Hammer” Kelly. He had the league lead in WAR (10.7), innings (338.1), quality starts (3), and complete games (24), adding a 1.97 ERA and 329 strikeouts.



The Pacific League had a new winner as Guadalcanal placed first at 99-63. The Green Jackets were five games better than 94-68 Honolulu, while last year's winner Guam dropped down to 72-90, tied for sixth.

Pacific League MVP was Lothar Weingart of Guadalcanal. A 35-year old Hawaiian, he had 31 home runs, 77 RBI, and 7.9 WAR. It was a brief professional career for Weingart, who moved to Phoenix the next year and floundered in MLB, opting to retire after that season. Port Moresby had the Pitcher of the Year in 28-year old Australian lefty Roland Poe. Poe was the league leader in ERA (2.21), strikeouts (311), quality starts (35), FIP- (65), and WAR (9.1).

In the second-ever Oceania Championship, Guadalcanal pounded Perth in five games, denying the Penguins the repeat and sending the trophy out to the Solomon Islands.






Other notes: Guam’s Vito Reynosa threw the first perfect game in OBA history against Honolulu, striking out 10 on April 17.

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Moscow had the best overall record in Eurasian Professional Baseball with a franchise record 117-45 mark in 1961. This gave them their second playoff and the European League's North Division title for the first time. Minsk was second at 105-57 to expand their postseason streak, while 99-63 Kazan grabbed the second wild card for their first-ever playoff berth. Defending European League champ Warsaw was next at 92-70, missing the playoff field. Bucharest won the South Division at 99-63, finishing seven ahead of Kyiv. The Broncos and Miners have made the playoffs each of EPB's first seven seasons.

Despite missing the playoffs, Warsaw had the European League MVP in 1B Stephan Kirov. The 34-year old Russian led the league in homers for the third straight season, posting a career-best 51. He also led with a career best 114 RBI and was the leader in slugging (.614), OPS (.967), and wRC+ (181). Pitcher of the Year was Prague’s Michal Sagan. He led the league in wins (23-7), innings (292.2), strikeouts (318), and WAR (11.4) with a 2.12 ERA. It was an impressive year for Sagan at only age 23, but sadly later injuries would cause him to fall out of relevance by his 30s.



Yekaterinburg was the top dog in the Asian League, winning the North Division at 112-50 for their third playoff berth. Both wild cards came from the North as well with Chelyabinsk and Irkutsk both going 101-61. It is the first-ever playoff appearance for the Cadets and the third straight for the Ice Cats. Tashkent earned the South Division title at 102-60 for their first division title and back-to-back playoff appearances. Defending Soviet Series champion Dushanbe dropped hard to 72-90, beginning what would be a decade-long drought.

Asian League MVP was two-way player Mikhail Vlaschenko, who had been traded from Kazan to Irkutsk in the offseason. He was primarily a pitcher and led the league with 347 strikeouts, adding a 2.86 ERA over 301.2 innings, 20-11 record, and 9.0 WAR. The 28-year old also played in center field with respectable defense and had 98 hits and 3.9 WAR offensively, giving him the MVP edge. However, the Pitcher of the Year was Ufa’s Ilya Pominov. The 27-year old lefty had the most wins with a 24-9 record and added 10.8 WAR, 322 strikeouts, a 2.04 ERA and 0.82 WHIP.

The first round of the playoffs in the European League had Kazan stun Moscow with a sweep and a Minsk five-game victory over Bucharest. In the Asian League, Chelyabinsk upset Yekaterinburg 3-0 and Irkutsk knocked out Tashkent 3-1. In the ELCS, the Crusaders continued their hot streak, defeating the Miners in six. The ALCS went all seven with the Ice Cats outlasting the Cadets, giving Irkutsk its second Asian League title. They would move to 0-2 in the Soviet Series though, as Kazan's run concluded with the championship in six games over the Ice Cats.





Other notes: Tbilisi’s Zina Gigolashvili hit 56 home runs, a new EPB single-season record. His 125 RBI was two away from the mark set in 1956 by Serguei Eminov. Two perfect games were thrown in 1961. Baku’s David Consantin struck out 12 against Dushanbe on May 4. Then on July 9, Kazan’s Termirlan Balayev did it with nine Ks against Moscow.

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Defending Northern Conference champion Brussels had the best record in the European Baseball Federation in 1961 at 113-49, leading the entire league in runs scored (789) and second only to Hamburg in runs allowed (497). The Beavers cruised to their third straight Northwest Division title. The Hammers rolled to the North Central Division title at 109-53 for their third division title in four years. Stockholm at 87-75 was the NC wild card, giving the Swordsmen nine playoff berths in the EBF’s first 12 seasons. The British Isles Division had a first-time champ in Belfast at 94-68. With the Brewers’ berth, that leaves Oslo and Malta as the only EBF teams without at least one playoff appearance.

Hamburg had both the conference MVP and the Pitcher of the Year. MVP was 26-year old RF Davey Miquel. The left-handed Frenchman was the leader in home runs (55), runs (113), walks (128), OBP (.437), slugging (.658), OBP (1.096) and wRC+ (215). The 128 walks drawn was second most-ever in a EBF season behind his own mark of 129 the prior year. 129 remains the all-time mark as of 2037. Pitcher of the Year went to Peter Plattner, who became the EBF’s fourth-ever Triple Crown winning pitcher. The 27-year old Austrian nicknamed “Smiley” had a 23-9 record, 1.72 ERA, and 379 strikeouts over 303 innings; which was the highest inning total in a season ever for an EBF pitcher. Plattner was also the WARlord at 9.9 and led in quality starts (28), complete games (25), and shutouts (6). He also threw the eighth EBF perfect game on September 18, striking out 16 against Berlin. That matched Zdenek Plsek’s effort from 1952 for the most strikeouts in a perfect game.



The top two records in the Southern Conference both were in the Southwest Division as Madrid and Marseille battled to the bitter end. They tied at 98-64 in the regular season with the Conquistadors winning a one-game playoff to win the title. It is Madrid’s eighth playoff berth and back-to-back for the Musketeers, who took the wild card easily. Zurich claimed the South Central Division at 96-66, eight games ahead of Malta. The Mountaineers have seven playoff berths in the last eight years. In the Southeast Division, Belgrade earned its second-ever playoff berth with a 94-68 record. Defending European Champion Zagreb fell hard, going from 94 wins the prior year to a lousy 68-94 in 1961.

Southern Conference MVP went to Athens 1B Rudjer Bosnjak for the second straight season. The 27-year old Serbian was the leader in homers (54), RBI (134), OBP (.422), slugging (.657), OPS (1.079), and wRC+ (199). Armando Rojas was the Pitcher of the Year and joined his conference counterpart in also earning a Triple Crown. The 29-year old Spaniard won his fourth Pitcher of the Year, but his first with Madrid, having left Seville for the Conquistadors in free agency the prior year. Rojas had a 25-6 record, 1.61 ERA, and 370 strikeouts over 296 innings. He also was the WARlord at 13.6 and led in WHIP (0.79), K/BB (11.9), quality starts (29), complete games (21), shutouts (6), and FIP- (44). The 13.6 WAR was the most ever in a season to that point by an EBF pitcher and as of 2037, is the third-best season all-time.

In the first round of the playoffs in the Northern Conference, Hamburg swept Belfast and Brussels survived a fierce challenge from Stockholm, escaping with the series win in five games. In the Southern Conference, Belgrade upset Madrid 3-2 and Marseille downed Zurich 3-1. In the NCC, the Beavers bested the Hammers in six games, giving Brussels back-to-back conference titles. In the SCC, the Bruisers rallied from a 3-0 deficit to beat the Musketeers in seven, giving Belgrade its first conference title. In the European Championship, the Beavers earned their first-ever overall title, besting the Bruisers in six games. It was redemption for Brussels, who blew a 3-0 series lead the prior year to Zagreb. For the first time, the European title resides in Belgium.





Other notes: Southern Conference Rookie of the Year Sauncho Fiero of Athens was notable in that he won the award and won a batting title with a .345 average. Marseille’s Rafael Bernard struck out 20 in a March 27 game against Madrid. He’s the second EBF pitcher to fan 20 in a game with Jens Nilsson of Stockholm doing it the prior year. Brussels batter Graeme Breem became the first EBF hitter with a hit-streak of 30+, getting to 31 over the summer. In milestones, Pietro Ribski became the first EBF pitcher to 200 career wins. Paolo Gigliotti became the third to 1000 runs scored.

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Two-time defending Copa Sudamerica champion Caracas made it three straight Bolivar League North Division titles in 1961. The Colts had the beest record in the league at 103-59, cruising to the division title. Meanwhile, the South Division saw a battle between Guayaquil and Lima with both finishing the regular season at 93-69. The Golds took the one-game playoff over the Lobos to claim their second division title in three seasons. Last year’s division winner Callao fell to fourth at 81-81.

Bolivar League MVP went to Guayaquil DH Max Sanchez. It was the first full-season as a starter for the 27-year old Peruvian and his only particularly notable season in his career. Sanchez was the league leader in hits with 210 and added 113 runs, 28 home runs, 72 stolen bases, a .325 average, and 7.3 WAR. Pitcher of the Year went to Caracas’s Jon Mancilla. The 27-year old Paraguayan was the leader in wins (22-7) and had a 2.09 ERA with 316 strikeouts in 279.1 innings and 7.2 WAR.



Sao Paulo extended its postseason streak to nine seasons, setting a new Beisbol Sudamerica record. The four-time defending Southern Cone League champ won the Brazil Division at 95-67, six games better than both Brasilia and Rio de Janeiro. The best record in the league went to Santiago atop the South Division at 102-60, eight better than Buenos Aires. The Saints extend their own solid playoff streak to five seasons.

Santiago two-way player Jay Carrizales won his second league MVP. As a pitcher, he led in wins with a 23-9 record and had the most innings at 289, adding a 2.30 ERA and 269 strikeouts for 6.1 WAR. At the plate as a 1B/OF, the 29-year old Chilean added 103 hits in 107 starts with 20 home runs and 3.3 WAR. This was the last great season for one of BSA’s more interesting players, as he’d require radial nerve decompression surgery in his throwing elbow next year. Salvador’s Diego Pimentel was the Pitcher of the Year with the 29-year old lefty leading the league with 1.68 ERA. He had 311 strikeouts in 268. 1 innings and 7.3 WAR.

In the Bolivar League Championship Series, Caracas completed the three-peat, surviving in seven games against Guayaquil in a rematch from 1959. The Colts have seven Bolivar League titles now, tied with La Paz for the most. They also are the third team to win three straight, joining Cali’s 1948-50 run and the 1942-46 five-peat of the Pump jacks.

Meanwhile, the Southern Cone Championship was the fifth consecutive meeting between Sao Paulo and Santiago with the Padres shooting for their own five-peat. The Saints finally prevailed, taking the title in five games. It is Santiago’s fourth league title but first since they won three in four years in the mid 1930s. The Saints also denied Caracas’ attempt to earn the first Copa Sudamerica three-peat as Santiago took the series 4-1. It is only the second time the Cup has ended up in the Chilean capital, joining the 1936 season.





Other notes: Asuncion’s Jesus Acosta threw a perfect game against Belo Horizonte on June 16, striking out 12. Diego Mena became the 11^th BSA pitcher to 4500 strikeouts. Marco Fischer became the 10^th batter to 2500 career hits and Joao Lucas Eusebio became the fifth to 1500 RBI. Remberto Borja won his ninth Silver Slugger, split between 2B and SS.

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Defending East Asia Baseball champion Kobe earned back-to-back Japan League South Division titles, although they had to battle for it in 1961. The Blaze finished on top at 101-61, beating Kyoto by two games and Nagoya by four. Meanwhile in the North Division, Chiba earned only their second-ever playoff berth in EAB’s 41 year history. The Comets were 103-59, 10 ahead of Sapporo and 12 over Tokyo. Saitama, who had won the division the prior three seasons, fell hard to 67-95. This marked the start of what would ultimately be a 44-year playoff drought for the Sting.

Kobe’s Man-Hee Cho earned the Japan League MVP. The 29-year old 1B led the league in doubles (37), OBP (.387), slugging (.653), and OPS (1.040), adding 9.8 WAR, 50 home runs, and 130 RBI. Pitcher of the Year went to Nagoya’s Nobumasa Yamada. The 24-year old righty was the ERA leader at 1.91, posting a 14-8 record and 8 saves in 221.2 innings with 212 strikeouts and 6.5 WAR.



In the Korea League, Hamhung was denied a seventh straight North Division title as Pyongyang began their own streak and started what would ultimately be a 1960s dynasty. The Pythons had the best record in the league at 112-50, while the Heat were next at 97-65. Pyongyang also posted the most runs (836) and fewest allowed (562) in the league. In the South Division, Changwon was dominant to the tune of a 109-53 record. This gives the Crabs four division titles in five years.

Leading the Python offense was slugger Chu Park, winning his second MVP in three years. The 27-year old smacked 65 home runs, tied for second most in a single-season behind his 67 from two years prior. Park also led the league in runs (135), hits (214), RBI (135), slugging (.750), and WAR (11.0). Hamhung’s Ju-Hwan Park won back-to-back Pitcher of the Year Awards. Still only 24 years old, Park again was the leader in ERA, beating his mark from last year with 2.10. He also led in WHIP (0.82), quality starts (26), FIP- (61), and WAR (9.7), adding 318 strikeouts in 274.1 innings and a 23-5 record.

In the Japan League Championship Series, Chiba denied Kobe the repeat with the Comets winning in six games. This gives Chiba two league titles, joining the 1952 campaign. In the Korea League Championship Series, Pyongyang downed Changwon 4-1, giving the Pythons their fifth title and first since 1932. Pyongyang would claim the East Asian Championship in five games over Chiba. The Pythons earned their third overall title, joining the inaugural title in 1921 and their 1924 win.





Other notes: Seoul’s Min-Hyeok Shin posted a .390 batting average, a new single season record. This would hold as the EAB single-season record until 1992. Ki-Wook Ahn became the 12^th hitter to 500 career home runs. Ju-An Pak became the fourth to 1500 career RBI. Kenshiro Aoki became the fifth reliever to 400 career saves. Young-Hwan Sha won his 11^th Silver Slugger in right field.

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For the fourth straight season, Leon finished with the best record in the Mexican League. The two-time defending league champ easily took the South Division with a 107-55, allowing only 526 runs over the season. Meanwhile, Chihuahua won the North Division at 95-67, besting Hermosillo by six games. Last year’s winner Juarez dropped to fifth at 80-82. For the Warriors, it is their first playoff berth since 1948.

In addition to having the best record, Leon boasted the league MVP, Pitcher of the Year, and Reliever of the Year. RF Zak Carranza won the MVP with the 29-year old leading in home runs (53), RBI (134), walks (71), slugging (.653), and OPS (1.050). Daniel Valdez won the Pitcher of the Year with the league’s best ERA of 2.06, posting 7.0 WAR over 253.1 innings with 207 strikeouts. The Lions wouldn’t have him for the postseason though with a stretched elbow ligament in September. Bruno Escandon became the second CABA pitcher to win four Reliever of the Year awards He had 4.5 WAR over 91 innings with 34 saves and 120 strikeouts and a 2.08 ERA.



The Caribbean League Island Division was a fierce battle with defending CABA champ Santo Domingo narrowly taking the title. The Dolphins finished at 98-64, one game ahead of Jamaica and five better than Haiti. For SD, they have won four division titles in five seasons. Honduras extended their postseason streak to four consecutive seasons with their 22^nd Continental Division title. The Horsemen took it at 93-69 with a 12 game gap to their closest competitor Salvador.

Honduras RF Yovani Pena won his third consecutive MVP, doing it in the first four seasons of his career. He led the league in runs (117), walks (70), slugging (.643) and WAR (7.8), adding 49 home runs and 116 RBI. Santo Domingo’s Wilner Christian won his third Pitcher of the Year. In his penultimate season with the Dolphins, Christian was the leader in wins (21) and quality starts (26), posting 7.9 WAR and a 2.55 ERA with 263 strikeotus in 264.2 innings. The 31-year old would pitch one more year for SD, then leave for MLB and St. Louis.

In the Mexican League Championship Series, Chihuahua edged Leon in seven games, denying the Lions a three-peat. It is the fifth title for the Warriors and their first since 1948. The Caribbean League Championship Series for the third time in four years had Santo Domingo versus Honduras with the Horsemen having won in 1958 and the Dolphins in 1960. The 1961 edition went to SD in six games, giving Santo Domingo back-to-back titles and their sixth in total. The Dolphins were denied back-to-back CABA titles with the championship going to Chihuahua 4-1. It is the second CABA crown for the Warriors, who also won it all in 1922.





Other notes: Prometheo Garcia set two major milestones in 1961. In May, he became the first CABA hitter to reach 3500 career hits. Then on July 31, he became the first to 700 home runs. Garcia also won his 13^th Silver Slugger. Julio Hinojosa became the 16^th hitter to 2500 hits. Edgar Andunvar became the sixth pitcher to 250 career wins and the 15^th to cross 3500 strikeouts. SS Thiago Hernandez won his 11^th and final Gold Glove. 2B Luis Miranda and CF Emmanuel Lopez became nine time Silver Slugger winners. Also of note, 1961 was the final season of CABA’s original format with four new teams and an expanded postseason starting in 1962.

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For the 1961 Major League Baseball season, there was one notable structure change. In the newest collective bargaining, the active roster size was dropped from 25 to 24. The secondary roster size remained at 40 for the time being. Strategically, this generally meant teams would carry one fewer relief pitcher.



Pittsburgh won the Eastern League for only the second time in franchise history, matching an accomplishment from way back in 1928. The Pirates had the best record in the National Association at 103-59. Ottawa was one behind at 102-60, earning a wild card for the fourth consecutive season and a seventh playoff berth in eight years. The other wild cards all came from a top-heavy EL as well. Brooklyn at 99-63, Philadelphia at 98-64, and Hartford at 97-65 moved on, while 96-66 Montreal missed out by one game. It was the fourth straight playoff berth for the Dodgers, third straight for the Phillies, and sixth in eight years for the Huskies.

Over in the Midwest League, Kansas City finished first at 92-70, snapping a 13-year playoff drought for the Cougars. Detroit and Omaha tied for second at 85-77, both seven games from the league title and 12 games away from a wild card. Milwaukee, who had a surprising National Association title run the prior season, fell to sixth at 77-85. This was the beginning of a long string of mediocrity for the Mustangs, who wouldn’t see the postseason again until the new Millennium.

Pittsburgh 3B Victor Pettit won his second NA MVP as the 25-year old was the leader in hits (208) and WAR (10.1). He added 38 home runs, 118 RBI, and a .339 average. Ottawa’s Bartolomeo Silvestri won the Pitcher of the Year. A 33-year old veteran from Italy, he posted a career year with the most complete games (17) and shutouts (6) in the NA. Silvestri had a 17-10 record, 2.45 ERA, 220 strikeouts over 268.1 innings, and 6.3 WAR.

In the first round of the playoffs, Brooklyn bested Philadelphia in three games and Ottawa topped Hartford in two. The Dodgers stunned Pittsburgh in round two with a road sweep, while Kansas City outlasted the Elks in five. In the National Association Championship Series, the Cougars edged Brooklyn in a seven game classic. Despite the top heavy nature of the Eastern League, that gives the Midwest League three straight NA titles. It is the second for Kansas City, who previously won it in 1937.



The American Association had a few newer faces in the playoffs with only two teams from the prior year’s field making it back. The best overall record went to Denver at 107-55 atop the Western League, giving the Dragons their first playoff berth in four years and their first league title since 1938. The second best record came from Calgary, who finished two back at 105-57. That snaps a five-year playoff drought for the Cheetahs, who were below .500 the prior season. Defending World Series champ Phoenix was third in the WL at 99-63 and took the second wild card, giving them three straight playoff berths. In the Southern League, Oklahoma City made it three straight berths, cruising to their second league title at 100-62. No one else in the SL was above .500.

10 of the 12 Western League teams were above .500 and that meant a crowded field for the final two wild card spots. Those spots ultimately went to San Francisco and Seattle, who both finished 91-71. Oakland finished one back, Albuquerque and San Diego two back, and Portland three back. The Grizzlies snapped a six-season playoff drought and the Gold Rush ended a five year one.

Although they missed the playoffs at 85-77, Las Vegas had the American Association MVP in DH Ron Koehler. In his second year with the Vipers, the 32-year old slugger led the AA in home runs with 57, his third time with 50+ and third time as the leader. He also had 151 RBI, the first MLB player with 150+ since Sebastian Lunde in 1949. Koehler was also the leader in runs (119), slugging (.633), OPS (1.052) and wRC+ (171). Pitcher of the Year went to Calgary veteran E.J. Perron. The 29-year old lefty in his 10^th year with the Cheetahs was the wins leader at 24-6 and led in complete games (20) and shutouts (5). He had a 2.87 ERA over 272.2 innings with 271 strikeouts and 7.9 WAR.

In the first round of the American Association playoffs, Phoenix beat San Francisco 2-0 and Calgary topped Seattle 2-1. In round two, Denver survived a challenge from the Firebirds and Oklahoma City held off the Cheetahs; both in five games. In the AACS, the Outlaws topped the Dragons in six, giving OKC its first-ever AA title. This leaves Oakland, Seattle, and San Antonio as the American Association teams without a World Series appearance. In the Fall Classic, Oklahoma City topped Kansas City 4-2, giving the AA ten straight titles over the NA.





Other notes: Calgary’s Jon George had a 45-game hit streak in the spring. This is the second-longest streak in MLB history, behind only Jayden Gagnon’s 49 games for Jacksonville in 1930. 1961 didn’t have a single no-hitter, the first time since 1920 that there wasn’t at least one. Ottawa’s Chance Warren became the seventh MLB batter to 3500 career hits. He played one more season to finish at exactly 3600, retiring fourth all-time. Warren also crossed 1500 runs scored in 1961. Patrick White was the 31^st member of the 3000 hit club. Peter Robinson, Ayaz Shainidze, and Abraham Reimer each crossed 250 wins, putting 27 pitchers beyond that mark. In award notables, 1B Nathaniel Maxwell won his ninth Gold Glove.

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Two players were added into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame with the 1962 class. All-time hit king Stan Provost was a no-doubt pick at 98.0%. Closer Julian Ouellet also made the cut on the first ballot, albeit at a less impressive 73.0%. Two others were above 50% with Roy Cole at 62.3% and CL Victoro Fraijo at 53.2%.


It was the last chance for Cole, who was dropped after ten attempts on the ballot. The 62.3% was the closest he got, usually hovering in the 50% range. In 19 years as a starting pitcher between Jacksonville, Miami, and San Francisco, he had a 276-255 record, 3.68 ERA, 2849 strikeouts, 4723.2 innings, and 79.7 WAR. A long, respectable career, but he was never dominant and was viewed as a “Hall of Very Good” guy.



Stan Provost – Outfielder – Minneapolis Moose – 98.0% First Ballot

Stan Provost was a 5’10’’, 200 pound left-handed hitting outfielder from Sudbury, Ontario; near the northern part of Lake Huron. Provost was a generational talent in many respects, but most so in his contact hitting ability and his durability. Few players in baseball history had his ability to put the ball in play and also do so with solid pop, hitting for average with very solid gap and home run power. Provost impressively stayed in shape, playing 145+ games every year from his age 22 through age 43 seasons. With his contact ability came a great eye and ability to get on base via the walk, along with decent speed as well. Provost made about 2/3s of his starts in right field with some center field in his 20s and left field more in his later years. Defensively, he was viewed as a bit below average, but not atrocious. By the end of his very lengthy career, Provost was one of the most popular players of his era.

Provost attended St. Peter’s in Peterborough, Ontario, and was one of the rare players of the area to be drafted straight out of high school, as his talent and potential was clear even as a teenager to pro scouts. He was picked 56^th overall in the 1930 MLB Draft by Toronto made his pro debut in 1931 at only age 18. Provost clearly wasn’t ready yet, as almost no 18-year old would be, and he struggled in 33 MLB games, along with a half season in minor league Hamilton. He started 1932 in Hamilton and still wasn’t clicking as quickly as Toronto had hoped considering his high draft pick. Instead of giving him more time in the minors to grow, the Timberwolves traded Provost in the summer of 1932 along with LF Andre May to Cincinnati for SP Yul Gordon and LF Ezekiel Nufio.

The Reds were more patient with Provost, splitting him for a few seasons between occasional major league starts and the Dayton affiliate. In his fifth pro season at age 22, Provost became a full-time starter and began to provide some solid production. It was 1937 at age 24 when he finally emerged as the top-tier guy many felt he could be, as he won the batting title with a .355 average. Provost also got his first taste of the postseason this year. The next season, he began to find his power stroke and posted an 8.3 WAR season, winning his first Silver Slugger.

1939 was the best season of his career and one of the best seasons a MLB player had had, earning Provost the National Association MVP. He had a .3900 batting average, just behind Jimmy Millers single-season record of .3902. His 159 RBI was third most in a season to that point and his 11.0 WAR season was the fifth best to that point. He also was the NA leader in hits (234), doubles (43), OBP (.451), slugging (.665), and OPS (1.116). The Reds also made it to the NACS, falling to eventual World Series champ Baltimore. This season established Provost among the elite and also came in a contract year. The now 27-year old opted for free agency and secured the bag with Minneapolis, signing for the 1940 season to an eight-year, $246,000 deal. With Cincinnati, he finished with 1038 hits, 564 runs, 142 home runs, a .322 average, and 30.1 WAR.

Provost ultimately played seven seasons with the Moose and although he was with Cincinnati for one additional year, he played more games in Minneapolis and went into the Hall with the squad. Provost didn’t match that 1939 season, but led the NA in runs twice, homers one (50 in 1943), average once, OBP twice, and OPS twice. He won two of his eight Silver Sluggers (1943, 44) and was third In MVP voting in 1943. With Minneapolis, he had 1265 hits, 766 runs, 231 home runs, a .329 average, and 50.6 WAR. The Moose made the playoffs in 1944 and 45, getting to the NACS in 1945 and falling to the Philadelphia dynasty.

Provost opted out of his contract for the 1947 season and at age 34, signing with Seattle. He spent three seasons with the Grizzlies, winning a Silver Slugger in 1948 and finishing third in MVP voting in 1949. While there, he crossed 2500 career hits, 1500 runs scored and 1500 career RBI. The mid-tier Seattle squad opted to sell high and traded the now 37-year old for prospects to New Orleans for the 1950 season.

11 years after his first MVP, Provost won his second at an unprecedented age 37 with the Mudcats. He was the American Association batting champ (his fourth) and led in the triple slash and with 8.8 WAR. His addition didn’t ultimately get New Orleans the playoff run they hoped and Provost entered free agency, signing with Hartford, who had made the World Series the prior year. The Huskies missed the playoffs both seasons he was there, but Provost did pick up his seventh Silver Slugger in 1951.

His numbers dipped slightly in 1952, but he was still a very good starter statistically entering his age 40 season. Provost returned to Seattle and won his final Silver Slugger in 1953, still posting 6.2 WAR. In this season, Provost became the all-time leading run scorer and the first player to 2000. He also was the fourth to 3500 career hits and finished the season at 3658, the new all-time hit king.

In the offseason, the Grizzlies traded him to Las Vegas for prospects and in his one season with the Vipers, Provost became the third hitter to 2000 career RBI and became the new RBI career leader. He also became the 12^th player to 600 career home runs. Las Vegas made it to the AACS with the best record in the American Association, but were upset by eventual World Series champ Nashville. Despite his longevity and good numbers when he got to play in the postseason, Provost never made it to the World Series.

This was his last great season, as the now 42-year old signed for 1955 with Oakland. He had a respectable season all things considered, but statistically his worst in two decades. In 1956, he signed with Portland and became the first (and as of 2037, the only) MLB player to reach 4000 career hits. But his one year with the Pacifics wasn’t great and he became a free agent at season’s end. The 44-year old didn’t retire yet, but couldn’t find a home in 1957. He finally signed in September and played 10 games with minor league Rochester, opting to finally call it quits at age 45. He was one of a very select group to play into his mid 40s.

The final stats are remarkable for Provost: 4133 hits, 2348 runs, 682 doubles, 97 triples, 660 home runs, 2271 RBI, 1552 walks, 1361 strikeouts, a .322/.397/.545 slash, and 132.9 WAR. At retirement, he was the all-time leader in games played (3633), and at bats (12,824), as well as runs, hits, total bases (6989), doubles, and RBI; plus was second to only Elijah Cashman in hitting WAR. As of 2037, Provost remains the hit king and all-time leader in games, at bats, and doubles. His longevity and consistency were unmatched and any conversation about the top five all-time MLB hitters has to include Provost.




Julian Ouelett – Relief Pitcher – Ottawa Elks – 73.0% First Ballot

Julian Ouelett was a 5’11’’, 200 pound right-handed relief pitcher from Drummondville, Quebec; located a bit northeast of Montreal. Ouellet throw two pitches; a slider and sinker, but was known for having filthy stuff, solid movement, and above average control with velocity peaking around 97-99 mph. He was also considered a team leader and a fairly durable reliever. Ouellet went stateside and played college baseball at Oklahoma City, finishing third in college Pitcher of the Year voting as a junior starter. He was picked in the 1935 MLB Draft 46^th overall by Ottawa and would be a career reliever in the pros.

Ottawa was in the midst of a postseason streak in the 1930s Ouellet immediately was a key contributor. He moved into the closer role as a rookie and twice was Rookie of the Month, a very tough feat to achieve as a reliever. In his sophomore season, he won Reliever of the Year and was second in Pitcher of the Year voting with 5.4 WAR over 87.1 innings, a 1.03 ERA and 31 saves with 111 strikeouts.

He was Reliever of the Year again in 1938 and 1941; while taking second in 1939 and third in 1940. He was also second in Pitcher of the Year voting again in 1941. The Elks would make it to the World Series in 1938 and 40 and win it all in 1940. Ouelett was great in the postseason, posting a 1.09 ERA over 41.1 innings with the Elks with 14 saves, 52 strikeouts, and 1.8 WAR. His final stats with Ottawa saw 237 saves and 269 shutdowns, 1.57 ERA over 515.1 innings, 687 strikeouts, and 30.0 WAR.

The 28-year old Ouellet opted for free agency and signed with San Francisco for the 1943 season. He’d finish third in Reliever of the Year voting, but it would be his last season as the full-time closer anywhere for a while. Ouellet was released and signed with San Diego, where he’d spent 1944 through part of 1949. He was still a respectable reliever, but was rarely able to find significant innings. In the summer of 1949, Ouellet was traded for three prospects to San Antonio.

After finishing the year with the Oilers, the now 35-year old returned close to home and signed with Montreal. He made his way back into the closer role for 1950 and 1951 with the Maples, helping them win the 1951 World Series. From there, Ouellet went back to San Diego for 1952 and 1953, then joined New York at age 39 in 1954. He suffered a torn flexor tendon in his elbow that summer. He had very brief stints after that with Las Vegas, Tampa, and Philadelphia, retiring at age 41 after the 1956 season.

The final stats for Ouellet: 349 saves and 428 shutdowns, 1.93 ERA, 972.2 innings, 1265 strikeouts, 290 walks, and 47.3 WAR. With small bullpens in MLB, it is hard for even great relievers to compile big numbers except in short bursts. In his Ottawa run, Ouellet was excellent and his tallies compared favorably next to some others who earned the Hall of Fame nod. Plus, he had notable playoff success and was popular among Canadians especially, allowing Ouellet to get the first ballot nod at 73.0%.

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For the first time since 1949, no players made the cut for the Central American Baseball Association’s Hall of Fame. The 1962 ballot’s closest was 3B Sandro Villanueba at 62.6% on his fourth attempt. Only one other, SP Sheldon Malcolm, was above 50% as he got 57.3% on his third try on the ballot.

There were two players dropped after ten tries on the ballot. Catcher Aneuris Castro peaked at 30.9% on his second try and was to 18.4% by the end. He had a 20 year pro career with the first 10 in Mexico City, followed by the second part in MLB. Castro was a four-time CABA Silver Slugger winner and won seven Gold Gloves; three in CABA and four in MLB. With the Aztecs, he had 1355 hits and 57.4 WAR and for his entire career, 83.7 WAR. But having the split career meant his accumulations were low for any one league and combined with the general anti-catcher bias of the voting; meant Castro was left out despite being probably the best catcher of the 1930s.

Also dropped was LF Lanny Lujan, who had an 18-year career mostly with Guatemala. He peaked at 19.1% on his debut and was down to 6.5% at the end. He had 2035 hits, 1287 runs, 501 home runs, 1363 RBI, and 53.9 WAR with three Silver Sluggers. Solid, but never dominant, putting him in the “Hall of Very Good” level of player.

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1962 also didn’t see new inductees for East Asia Baseball’s Hall of Fame, which was the first class without a player since 1939. Four players finished above the 50% mark, but no one was above 60% with 66% required for induction. Closer Kantaro Kobayashi had the highest mark at 59.8% on his debut. CF Ha-Min Park on his third attempt had 59.5%. SP Young-Gil Chyu was at 54.6% on his sixth go and 1B Jae-Ha Cho was at 52.9% on his third ballot. No players were dropped after a tenth ballot in the 1962 group.

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Beisbol Sudamerica added four players into its Hall of Fame in the 1962 class. All four were starting pitchers, all four were first ballot, and they each were above 96%. Omar Kung had the highest percentage at 98.8%, followed by Rolando Salva (98.4%), Alonzo Guzman (98.0%), and Barry Hernandez (96.1%). One other player was above 50% with closer Adrian Amaro at 51% on his first try.



There were four different players as well that were dropped from the BSA ballot after ten failed attempts. Leading this group was SP Daniel Rosado, who had 13 seasons with La Paz with a 162-108 record, 2.26 ERA, 2410 strikeouts, and 56.9 WAR. Good, but lacked longevity due to injuries. He peaked at 53.1% on his debut before dropping to 29.8% at the end. Another SP, Angel Guitron, had a 10-year career with Barquisimeto with a 130-94 record, 2.57 ERA, 2659 strikeouts, and 55.9 WAR. Sadly, injuries put him into irrelevancy by age 31. He peaked at 41.9% on his second ballot and was at 11.4% at the end.

Closer Virgilio Meirelles peaked at 45.1% on his debut but was down to 7.1% on his last ballot. He had 218 saves, 1.61 ERA, 1752 strikeouts in 1087.1 innings and 44.0 WAR. Dominant at points and a two-time Reliever of the Year in Rio de Janeiro, but didn’t have the save total to get attention.

By advanced metrics, 2B Leudy Perales getting dropped was a major oversight. He peaked at 45.4% on his debut and only got 2.7% by the end. Perales was the first batter with 100+ career WAR to not get in, posting 2347 hits, 1128 runs, 272 home runs, and a .272/.341/.441 slash in 16 years with Sao Paulo. The lack of the power numbers hurt him despite winning seven Silver Sluggers and 1944 MVP. Plus, there seemed to be a bias against second basemen with none getting picked in the BSA Hall until 1970.



Omar Kung – Pitcher – Belo Horizonte Hogs – 98.8% First Ballot

Omar Kung was a 6’2’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from the small Brazilian town of Colorado, located in the southern state of Parana. Kung was best known for very good control with solid stuff and above average movement. His fastball topped out in the 98-100 mph range and he expertly mixed it with a slider and changeup. Kung had solid stamina and was a very durable and reliable pitcher in his run. He was considered a very intelligent pitcher, but wasn’t viewed as the best clubhouse guy by many of his teammates.

Kung was a highly touted prospect and was selected fourth overall in the 1942 Beisbol Sudamerica Draft by Belo Horizonte, where he’d spend his entire pro career. Kung was used as a reliever in his first two seasons with the Hogs with a solid rookie year and a lackluster sophomore season. In year three, he became a full time starter and would go onto throw 215+ innings in each of his remaining pro seasons. Belo Horizonte would become a contender in the Brazil Division in the late 1940s and early 1950s, making five playoff appearances from 1946-1952. Kung would be a huge part of that run, as the Hogs were the Copa Sudamerica champs in 1948, 1950, and 1952.

In 1948, Kung placed second in Pitcher of the Year voting, leading the Southern Cone League with a 1.52 ERA. In 1950, he won the award with a career-best 9.8 WAR season. He took second again in 1951 and 1953 and posted nine seasons of 6+ WAR. In the postseason, Kung had a 2.43 ERA over 111 innings with 127 strikeouts and 3.9 WAR.

He also became a regular for the Brazilian national team, pitching in the first ten editions of the World Baseball Championship. In 178.1 tournament innings, he had a 11-9 record with a 3.99 ERA, 213 strikeouts, and 4.7 WAR. Kung continued to show solid production into his 30s and stuck with Belo Horizonte, posting 6.5 WAR in his final season at age 36 in 1956. Typically, most players either retire because they stopped being good and/or because of injuries, but Kung decided that he was just ready to move on.

The final stats: 228-134 record and 129 saves, 2.31 ERA, 3193.1 innings, 3460 strikeouts to 494 walks, 273/355 quality starts, FIP- of 68, and 89.6 WAR. He had a solid decade of being a top five pitcher in a field of very good pitchers and helped Belo Horizonte win it all three times. Thus, Kung was picked convincingly with 98.8% of the vote on his first ballot.



Rolando Salva – Starting Pitcher – Buenos Aires Atlantics – 98.4% First Ballot

Rolando Salva was a 6’1’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from General Isidro Resquin, a small town in central Paraguay. Salva was a hard thrower with a 99-101 mph fastball, along with a great forkball and decent curveball and changeup. His stuff was considered excellent with good control and average movement. Salva was also known as a good defensive pitcher, once winning a Gold Glove. He was a hard working “sparkplug” type player who became extremely popular with teammates and fans for his work ethic and attitude.

Despite coming from tiny unknown town in Paraguay, Salva excelled as an amateur and earned the first overall draft pick in the 1939 Beisbol Sudamerica Draft by Rosario. Salva made his debut at age 20 with some limited relief work in 1940, then became a starter the next year for the Robins. He struggled initially, but found his footing as a good starter by year three and an elite one by his fifth season. He led the Southern Cone League in ERA in 1944, then finished third in Pitcher of the Year voting in 1945. Disaster struck with a torn elbow ligament in May of 1946, ending his season and putting his career in doubt. The struggling Robins franchise wasn’t sure if he’d be worth the long-term investment with free agency approaching and traded the 27-year old Salva to Buenos Aires for three prospects. His stats with Rosario saw a 2.35 ERA, 66-62 record, 1423 strikeouts over 1339.1 innings, and 26.6 WAR.

Salva’s most memorable moments were with the Atlantics and the trade was a big winner for Buenos Aires. He bounced back better than ever from the injury with a career year in 1947, posting 10.1 WAR and 383 strikeouts. The next season, he won his first Pitcher of the Year with a career-best 11.2 WAR and league lead with 372 strikeouts. This was the tail end of the Atlantics dynasty with a Copa Sudamerica berth in 1947 and playoff appearance in 1948. These would be Salva’s only playoff innings as Buenos Aires became a mid-tier team for the rest of his run.

It would be an impressive run, taking second in Pitcher of the Year voting in 1949 and third in 1950. In 1950, he tossed a no-hitter with nine strikeouts and one walk against Fortaleza. In 1952, he won Pitcher of the Year for the second time and grabbed it for the third time in 1954. He led the Southern Cone League in strikeouts four times, WHIP four times, and WAR thrice. He also pitched for his native Paraguay in the World Baseball Championship from 1947-56. Although he didn’t get support with a 3-12 record, he wasn’t to blame with a 3.36 ERA in 158 innings with 211 strikeouts and 3.6 WAR.

He remained a fan favorite even as Buenos Aires couldn’t get over the hump. Salva was the 14^th pitcher to cross 4000 career strikeouts, doing so in 1954 at age 34. That year saw 372 strikeouts, a 11.1 WAR, and 2.01 ERA. Sadly, it was his last great year with injuries piling up in the next two seasons. Biceps tendinitis, shoulder inflammation, and an arthritic elbow all weighed his production and playing time down significantly in 1955 and 1956. Salva opted to retire after the 1956 season at age 37 and saw his #23 uniform retired by the Atlantics. With Buenos Aires, he had a 148-93 record, 2.10 ERA, 2328.1 innings, 3047 strikeouts, and 74.2 WAR.

The grand totals for Salva: 214-155, 68 saves, 2.19 ERA, 3667.2 innings, 4470 strikeouts, 665 walks, 338/446 quality starts, FIP- of 70, and 100.8 WAR. His Buenos Aires run alone is worthy of consideration and his popularity certainly helped, but his early years with Rosario gave him the accumulations required to lock him in as a Hall of Famer. Salva got the first ballot nod at 98.4%.



Alonzo Guzman – Starting Pitcher – Bogota Bats – 98.0% First Ballot

Alonzo Guzman was a 6’2’’, 200 pound right-handed starting pitcher from Pasto, Colombia, a city in the Andes Mountains in the southwestern part of the country. Guzman had excellent 99-101 mph velocity on his fastball with good movement along with a curveball and changeup. His control was considered average at best, but his stuff made up for it as he was great at getting groundballs and strikeouts. Guzman was considered an excellent defensive pitcher, winning Gold Glove honors thrice. He was very well respected in the clubhouse as a hardworking, loyal, and intelligent player.

Guzman was picked 10^th overall in the 1939 Beisbol Sudamerica Draft by Bogota and made some starts and relief appearances right away. He became a full-time member of the rotation in year two, but wasn’t an elite-level pitcher until his fourth season. From there, he had 13 consecutive seasons worth 5+ WAR with eight of those with 7+ WAR. He won Gold Gloves in 1944, 45, and 46.

In 1948, he had a career high of 361 strikeouts and 9.7 WAR; although he surprisingly wasn’t in the top three for Pitcher of the Year. Then in 1949 at age 31, Guzman won his first Pitcher of the Year. He won his second in 1951 and took second in 1952. Guzman aged very well, leading the Bolivar League in ERA and WHIP thrice in his 30s. After struggling for much of the 1940s, the Bats became a contender with playoff berths from 1949-51. Guzman missed the 1949 postseason to injury, but was there for the other two seasons, including a Copa Sudamerica appearance in 1951. He also pitched for the Colombian team in the World Baseball Championship from 1947-56 with a 2.33 ERA, 10-4 record, 135 innings, 157 strikeouts, and 5.1 WAR.

Bogota fell off a bit from there and would trade the now 37-year old Guzman to Sao Paulo before the 1955 season for three prospects. His final stats with the Bats was a 249-151 record, 2.33 ERA, 3738 innings, 4151 strikeouts, and 96.0 WAR. His debut season with the Padres saw a third place finish in Pitcher of the Year, but his productivity fell a bit the next year and Guzman opted to retire at age 39. With Sao Paulo, he became the eighth Beisbol Sudamerica pitcher to cross 4500 career strikeouts and the fifth to 250 wins. Once retired, the popular player saw his #3 uniform retired by Bogota.

The final stats saw a 279-170 record, 2.31 ERA, 4211.1 innings, 4519 strikeouts, 948 walks, 414/548 quality starts, and 104.4 WAR. Certainly a strong career with a well-deserved first ballot selection at 98.0%.



Barry Hernandez – Starting Pitcher – Callao Cats – 96.1% First Ballot

Barry Hernandez was a 5’8’’, 190 pound right-handed pitcher from Moyobamba, Peru; a smaller city in the northern part of the nation. The stocky Hernandez was known for having excellent movement, good stuff, and solid control. His fastball peaked at 97-99 mph, but his most deadly pitch was his changeup, plus a strong splitter. Hernandez was a fan favorite and was well liked and respected throughout the baseball community. He was also a very durable player who had 250+ innings thrown in 14 of his 18 professional seasons.

Hernandez was picked 23^rd overall in the 1938 Beisbol Sudamerica Draft by Callao. He spent his rookie season in a closer role for the Cats, then was moved to the rotation after that. By his fourth season, Hernandez was third in Pitcher of the Year voting. He finished third again in 1944 and 1947 in his first run with the Cats, twice leading the Bolivar League in WAR. He had four seasons above 10+ WAR in his career and eight above 9+ WAR. Callao was a bottom-tier team in the 1940s though and despite his success, Hernandez didn’t get the accolades perhaps suggested by his stats.

In the summer of 1948, the 31-year old Hernandez was trade to Bogota for four prospects. This season was his lone Pitcher of the Year, leading the Bolivar League with a career-best 1.74 ERA. The Bats just missed the playoffs despite their push and were unable to sign Hernandez in the offseason. He entered free agency and returned home to Peru on a six-year, $155,200 deal with Lima.

Hernandez spent five and a half seasons with the Lobos and finished second in Pitcher of the Year voting in 1950, and 1951, while taking third in 1952. With Lima, he had a 2.71 ERA, 74-67 record, 1408 innings, 1500 strikeouts, and 45.4 WAR. Despite his efforts, the squad struggled. Hernandez was still popular and also was a favorite in all of Peru for his efforts in the World Baseball Championship from 1947-55. He had a 12-4 record and 1.93 ERA in 153.2. tournament innings with 183 strikeouts and 6.4 WAR.

At age 37, Hernandez was traded for prospects back to Callao in the summer of 1954. He finished second in Pitcher of the Year voting and helped an improved Cats team to their first-ever Copa Sudamerica title. This was his last great season as he suffered his first major injury in May 1955; a torn flexor tendon. He came back in 1956 but had other injuries cause him to miss time and see little production when he did pitch. Hernandez retired at age 39 and had his #2 uniform retired by Callao. His final stats with the Cats over two stints: 157-130, 2.32 ERA, 2677 innings, 2892 strikeouts, and 76.7 WAR.

The final overall stats for Hernandez: 241-199, 2.43 ERA, 4207.1 innings, 4543 strikeouts, 796 walks, 383/514 quality starts, 207 complete games, and 126.2 WAR. By WAR, he tired fourth best on the all-time pitching leaderboard and above the other three pitchers in the 1962 Hall of Fame class, despite finishing slightly below them at 96.0%. Still, Hernandez was like the others, a no-doubt selection into the Beisbol Sudamerica HOF.

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The 1962 World Baseball Championship was the 16^th edition of the tournament and the first to be held in Australia with Sydney serving as the host city. The defending champion United States team yet again advanced into the Double Round Robin with a 7-0 record in Division 1, besting top challenges Italy and Kazakhstan at 5-2. Division 2 went to South Korea at 6-1, beating out 4-3 marks from Paraguay and Romania. Canada claimed Division 3 with a rout at 7-0, three games better than anyone else. In Division 4, Japan moved on at 6-1 with four other teams below them at 4-3.

A competitive Division 5 narrowly went to Argentina at 5-2. They were a game better than defending runner-up Mexico, who finished 4-3 along with the Dominican Republic, Portugal, and Uruguay. In Division 6, Chile went unbeaten at 7-0, edging a solid 6-1 effort from Bolivia to advance. In Division 7, Russia was the only European team to advance with a 6-1 mark, one ahead of North Korea. And in Division 8, Australia moved forward at 6-1, finishing a game ahead of Guatemala.

The Americans went unbeaten at 6-0 in Group A, meaning that the US has made it to the final four still in every single WBC. South Korea and Russia both were 3-3 and Argentina was 0-6. The tiebreaker moved the Koreans forward for their second semifinals appearance, joining the 1949 runner-up campaign. In Group B, Japan finished first at 5-1. Canada also advanced with a 3-3 mark, just topping Chile and Australia both at 2-4. It is Japan’s third final four and the 12^th for Canada.

In the semifinals, the Americans cruised to a sweep over the Canadians, giving the US a 13^th finals berth. South Korean downed Japan 4-1, sending the Koreans to their second-ever final. The Japanese officially had the bronze medal with Canada marked fourth. In the World Championship series, the US continued to roll with a 4-0 sweep of South Korea in a rematch of the 1949 final. This gives the Americans the first-ever world title three-peat and their 10^th overall.





Tournament MVP went to defending American Association MVP Ron Koehler. The Las Vegas slugger was the tournament leader in runs (29), hits (26), home runs (16), RBI (36), and WAR (2.3). The homer and RBI tallies were new tournament records. Best Pitcher was given to Portugal’s Ringo Barros. A 25-year old journeyman reliever to that point with Dublin, he pitched 11 scoreless innings in relief with 19 strikeouts and five hits for 0.9 WAR.

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The third season of the Oceania Baseball Association saw a new team atop the Australasia League. Adelaide had a remarkable turnaround, going from a last place 62-100 the prior season to the top spot at 93-69. Christchurch was second at 90-72, followed by Sydney at 88-74 and Auckland at 87-75. Perth, the league champ in the first two seasons, fell to a sixth place 79-83.

League MVP went to Auckland’s Aidan McMillan. A second-year player from Gold Coast, the switch-hitting RF was the leader in runs (91), hits (185), doubles (35), triple slash (.316/.365/.584), OPS (.949), wRC+ (186), and WAR (8.3). Pitcher of the Year went to 23-year old Ashton Robbins. The righty for Brisbane was the ERA leader (1.94) and WHIP leader (0.90), posting 5.2 WAR and 222 strikeouts despite only 26 starts. Injuries would ultimately prevent him from having an all-time great career.



The Pacific League title went to Honolulu for their first title. After taking second last year to Guadalcanal, the Honu improved to 97-63, beating the Green Jackets by six games. Port Moresby was third at 89-73 with Fiji at 86-76.

Although the Mud Hens were third place, they boasted the Pacific League MVP and Pitcher of the Year. The former was 1B Dawson Schnee, a 31-year old American who left MLB after a journeyman career. In his second season in Papua New Guinea, he led the league in slugging (.514), OPS (.843), and wRC+ (174), adding 5.7 WAR and 32 home runs. Roland Poe won Pitcher of the Year for the second straight season. He had a league best 1.93 ERA, posting 279 strikeouts in 313 innings with 6.7 WAR.

The third Oceania Championship would be the first to go all seven games. In an intense battle, Adelaide edged Honolulu to send the title back to Australia. Shortstop Fineasi Hausia was the series MVP. The 27-year old Tongan had 12 hits, five runs, five RBI, five doubles, and a .429 average in the series.





Other notes: Perth’s Nate Makris hit 50 home runs, the second player to do so in OBA’s three years. He was one behind Adam Lucas’s 51 in 1960. Makris did beat him in RBI with 124 for the new single-season mark.

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Minsk continued its streak of a playoff berth in each of the first eight seasons of Eurasian Professional Baseball with their seventh straight 100+ win season. The Miners had the best overall record in EPB with a 112-50 mark atop the European League North Division. Both EL wildcards came from the North with St. Petersburg at 104-58 and Moscow at 102-60. It is the first playoff berth for the Polar Bears and the third straight for the Mules. Defending Soviet Series champ Kazan missed out, finishing fourth at 89-73. In the South Division, Kyiv advanced at 98-64, back in after taking second last year. Bucharest, who had made it into the playoffs in the first seven EPB seasons, just missed out with a second place 91-71 mark.

Winning European League MVP was Moscow 2B Anton Kirilenko. The 34-year old Belarusian led the league in WAR (8.4) and walks (87), adding 29 home runs and 157 hits. Bucharest ace Bogdan Chirita won his record fifth Pitcher of the Year. The 35-year old Romanian was again the WARlord, this time with 10.7 and a league-best 29 quality starts. He struck out 283 over 271.2 innings with a 1.82 ERA. This would ultimately be the end of a brief but stellar career for Chirita, as he tore his flexor tendon in the 1963 World Baseball Championship, followed by a torn labrum the following winter.



Finishing atop the Asian League was Chelyabinsk, winning the North Division at 108-54 for a second straight playoff berth. Tashkent took the South Division at 104-58 for a third straight berth. Both second place finishing teams picked up wild cards. Almaty got in at 101-61, back after missing out narrowly the prior two seasons. Meanwhile, defending AL champ Irkutsk made it four consecutive playoff berths with a 98-64 record.

Baku was a bottom rung team, but had both the league MVP and Pitcher of the Year. 27-year old lefty David Constantin won both with a league-best 1.64 ERA and 10.6 WAR. He had 30 complete games with 8 shutouts over 296 innings with 340 strikeouts.

In the playoffs in the European League, Minsk downed Moscow 3-1 and Kyiv outlasted St. Petersburg 3-2. Both Asian League first round series went all five with Tashkent surviving Almaty and Chelyabinsk defeating Irkutsk. In the European League Championship Series, the Miners dropped the Kings in six, giving Minsk its third league title and first since the opening two seasons. The Cadets won a seven-game classic over the Tomcats to give Chelyabinsk its first Asian League Championship Series. The Soviet Series was far less dramatic as Minsk swept Chelyabinsk for its second overall title. 39-year old CF Artyom Zakharov was the series MVP.





Other notes: Artur Golub of Ufa became the first EPB pitcher to have 400+ strikeouts in a season, fanning 418. Omsk’s Arutyun Lezjov set a single-game record with 22 strikeouts over 11.1 innings against Baku. Kirill Edelman and Sergei Filatov were the first to reach 2500 career strikeouts. Stepan Kirov and Rodion Zhukov both became the first hitters to 300 home runs. Catcher Lassi Luhta won his seventh Silver Slugger. Pitcher Skerdi Hoxha won his eighth and final Gold Glove.

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Defending European Champion Brussels again had the best record in the EBF Northern Conference, although they were far less dominant than the 113 wins from the prior year. The Beavers finished 99-63 atop the Northwest Division for a fourth consecutive playoff berth. Paris was second at 92-70 and narrowly took the wild card for their first playoff spot since 1956. The other division winners both finished 91-71 with Dublin atop the British Isles Division and Berlin winning the North Central. Both won their division by one game with Belfast and Hamburg both just missing at 90-72. The Brewers and Hammers were two games behind the Poodles for the wild card. For the Barons, it is their first playoff appearance since 1958 and the first since 1959 for the Dinos.

Hamburg had the Northern Conference’s MVP and Pitcher of the Year. RF Davey Miquel won his second straight MVP as 27-year old Frenchman was the conference leader in runs (115), home runs (52), RBI (110), walks (121), OBP (.420), slugging (.626), OPS (1.047), and wRC+ (211). Hermann Hoffmann was the Pitcher of the Year with the 26-year old Austrian right-hander leading in innings with 296.2. He had 7.7 WAR, 2.46 ERA, 21-9 record, and 283 strikeouts.



The Southern Conference was also very competitive. Seville and Rome both won divisions at 92-70 with Munich taking the Southeast at 91-71. The Stingrays won the Southwest title by two games over 90-72 Barcelona. It is Seville’s first-ever playoff berth, while the Bengals have their third in four years at the earned the wild card. The Red Wolves grabbed their first-ever playoff berth atop the South Central, snapping Zurich’s four-year streak with the Mountaineers at 88-74. The Mavericks were division champ for the first time since 1957. Athens at 86-76 was their closest competitor. Last year’s SC champ Belgrade struggled to a 76-86 season.
Slugger Gabriel Staudt won his second conference MVP, five years after his first. The 34-year old Swiss righty is in his third year with Zurich, having spent his first nine seasons in Paris. Staudt led the SC in home runs (53), slugging (.664), OBP (1.057), and wRC+ (192), adding 8.9 WAR and 121 RBI. Staudt also became the first EBF hitter to cross 500 career home runs. Pitcher of the Year went to Barcelona’s Saul Bernal. The 29-year old hometown favorite had a 20-10 record, 2.30 ERA, 227 strikeouts in 282.1 innings, and 6.7 WAR. He led the conference with 14 complete games.

In the first round of the European Baseball Federation playoffs, Berlin upset defending champ Brussels in five. On the other side of the Northern Conference, Dublin swept Paris. The Southern Conference had Seville edge Barcelona in five and Rome sweep Munich. In the NCC, the Dinos dropped the Barons in six, giving Dublin its first-ever conference title. In the SCC, the Red Wolves outlasted the Stingrays 4-3 for Rome’s first title. The European Championship went to Dublin in six games over Rome, sending the cup to Ireland for the first time. 1B Charles Day was the series MVP with the 26-year old Scot getting 26 hits in the postseason with six runs, 12 RBI, and a .426 average.





Other notes: The first three EBF players to reach 2000 career hits happened in 1962 with Paolo Gigliotti, Daniel Bosseler, and Gabriel Staudt. Staudt won his record ninth Silver Slugger while Gigliotti won his seventh. Pietro Ribsi became the first pitcher to 3500 strikeouts.

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The Bolivar League saw Caracas and Guayaquil as division champions for the third time in four years. The Golds had the best overall record at 99-63 atop the South Division, finishing five games ahead of Callao. The three time defending league champ Colts won the North Division easily at 92-70. For Caracas, it is their fourth consecutive division title.

Callao RF Mike Andrades won his third league MVP and first since 1957. The 31-year old Peruvian led the Bolivar League in runs (111), hits (221), doubles (33), home runs (52), RBI (147), slugging (.658), OPS (1.027), wRC+ (198), and WAR (9.4). The 147 RBI was a new single-season record in Beisbol Sudamerica, beating Andrades’ own record of 141 in 1957. Pitcher of the Year went to Guayaquil’s Laurenco Cedillo, the third of his career. The right-handed Chilean had a Triple Crown with a 24-6 record, 1.91 ERA, and 328 strikeouts. He also was the WARlord at 8.8.



1962 was the first time the Southern Cone League didn’t have Sao Paulo or Santiago in the league final since 1951. The Padres’ playoff streak ended at 10 years as they dropped to 75-87, while the Saints tied for second in the South Division with Asuncion at 92-70. Cordoba won the South Division at 106-56 for their first division title since winning Copa Sudamerica in 1956. Salvador claimed the Brazil Division at 99-63; their first title since winning it all in 1949.

The Chanticleers had the MVP and Pitcher of the Year. Argentine 3B Julien Angel was the MVP as the 27-year old was the leader in hits (196), home runs (39), average (.325) and slugging (.590) while adding 10.9 WAR. Will Feliciano won his first Pitcher of the Year and picked up a Triple Crown. Feliciano had a 25-5 record, 1.35 ERA, and 348 strikeouts. He also led the league in WHIP (0.78), innings (286.1), complete games (15), shutouts (9), and WAR (10.2). Feliciano also had two no-hitters in 1962

In the Bolivar League Championship Series, Caracas made it a four-peat as they swept Guayaquil. The Colts join La Paz (1942-46) as the only Bolivar League teams to win four straight. They also passed the Pump Jacks for the most league titles with eight. In the Southern Cone Championship, Salvador downed Cordoba 4-2. It is the second league title for the Storm, who won it all in 1949. In Copa Sudamerica, Caracas was crowned again, defeating Salvador in six games. The Colts are the first BSA team to win the Cup three times in a four season stretch. 2B Felipe Rivas won Copa Sudamerica MVP for the second time in his career, this time posting 11 hits, 3 home runs, 7 RBI, and 4 runs in the playoffs.





Other notes: Cali’s Solange Aranda had the 19^th BSA perfect game on August 2, striking out 12 against Caracas. Sebastiao Navarijo became the 11^th batter to 2500 career hits.

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Kyoto earned its third-ever playoff berth and first since 1952 as they had the best record in the Japan League in 1962. The Kamikaze won the South Division at 106-56, nine games ahead of last year’s division champ Kobe at 97-65. Defending league champ Chiba took the North Division for back-to-back seasons with a 100-62 record, eight games ahead of Kawasaki.

Killer Whales 1B Kakuzo Yokoyama picked up the league MVP with a powerful season. He led the league with 61 home runs and 146 RBI, the seventh player to hit 60+. Yokoyama also led the league in runs (113), slugging (.713), OPS (1.086), and wRC+ (233), also adding a .321 average and 9.9 WAR. Chiba’s Ziming Xie won his second Pitcher of the Year as the 28-year old from China led the league in strikeouts for the fourth straight season. Xie had 321 Ks with a 17-6 record, 2.53 ERA over 245.1 innings, and 8.4 WAR.



Defending East Asian Champion Pyongyang had the best record in the Korea League for the second straight season, going 113-49. The Pythons had the most runs (855) and fewest allowed (566) in the league, allowing them to win the North Division by 12 games despite Hamhung’s 101-61 season. Ulsan won the South Division at 90-72, edging last year’s champ Changwon by one game. It is the second playoff berth in three years and fourth overall for the Swallows.

30-year old Crabs 3B Hyun-Ook Jo won his second Korea League MVP, having also done it in 1957. Jo led the league in home runs with 54 while adding 115 RBI, a .303 average, and 9.6 WAR. Pitcher of the Year went to Pyongyang’s Tae-Young Yang with the 25-year old leading in wins (26-5), and ERA (2.08), as well as WHIP (0.81), quality starts (24), and shutouts (6). He added 315 strikeouts and 8.8 WAR.

The Japan League Championship Series went to Chiba for the second straight year as the Comets topped Kyoto in five games. For Chiba, it is their third overall title, having also won it in 1952. In the Korea League Championship Series, Pyongyang also made it back-to-back, besting Ulsan 4-2. The Pythons now have six league titles to their names. In an East Asian Championship rematch, Pyongyang prevailed again over Chiba, this time in a sweep. Winning both EAB Championship and KLCS MVP was SS Kyung-Hwan Choi, who had 17 hits, 2 home runs, 9 RBI, and a .459 average in 10 games. The Pythons are now four time overall and only the third to repeat as EAB champ (1957-58 Hamhung and 1926-27 Yokohama).





Other notes: Suwon’s Ju-An Pak became the third EAB player to 700 career home runs. Park would hit 49 home runs the next year at age 39 with Suwon, finishing with 760 career home runs and the all-time EAB mark for a few years. Ki-Wook Ahn became the fifth hitter to 1500 RBI. Hidemi Ishihara became the 10^th to 2500 career hits. 3B Hirotaka Mizutani won his ninth Gold Glove. Two-way player Tadasumi Tanabe won his eighth Silver Slugger at pitcher and Lei Meng won his eighth in LF.