Baseball: The World's Game

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After back-to-back 97 win seasons with no playoff appearance, Montreal exploded for the best record in the 1919 MLB season at 107-55. The Maples had the rare feat of boasting the MVP and Pitcher of the Year in the same season. 36-year old left fielder Karmendra Jainarine signed as a free agent after four years with Memphis and posted a career best 9.8 WAR for Montreal. 31-year old pitcher Lautaro Romero had a career year as well, leading the National Association with a 2.28 ERA and 21-4 mark


The Eastern League had a ton of competition for the Maples as Hartford’s 100-62 mark netted them second for back-to-back seasons. Philadelphia’s bid for a World Series three-peat was thwarted as they finished third at 98-64, two up on fourth place Brooklyn at 96-66.


Cincinnati had the sixth most wins in the National Association, but the most in the Midwest League at 88-74 for their first league title. Louisville earned back-to-back berths at 85-77, one up on Columbus, two on Detroit, and three on Milwaukee.


Despite the numbers greatly favoring the Eastern League, the Midwest League prevailed in the first round of the playoffs. The Reds outlasted the Huskies in five games and the Lynx stunned the Maples with a road sweep. In an Ohio River showdown, Cincinnati defeated Louisville in six games for the Reds first Association title.


Portland picked up the top spot in the American Association at 106-56, leading MLB with 947 and a .298 team batting average. It was the fourth straight playoff berth by the Pacifics and the second straight for San Francisco, who took the second place spot at 101-61. Defending AA champ Dallas secured a third straight berth with the Southern League title at 99-63. Atlanta picked up their second ever playoff spot, taking second at 97-65 and outlasting Jacksonville by two games and Houston by six. Aces leadoff man Patrick Null picked up the league MVP as the 25-year old outfielder had the batting title at .373 and 233 hits.


Pitcher of the Year went to Newton Persaud for the second time. It was his first with Houston, as he signed with the Hornets for seven years and $49,140 in the offseason after nine years with the struggling New Orleans franchise. Persaud’s 11.51 WAR was the second best season in MLB history for a pitcher to that point, only behind Jeremy Frechette’s 11.53 in 1905. Persaud was also one win away from nabbing the Triple Crown.


Top seeds prevailed in the AA first round with Dallas surviving San Francisco in five games and Portland besting Atlanta in six. In an AACS rematch, the Dalmatians again prevailed, securing back-to-back American Association crowns with a sweep. Dallas would again be denied the World Series title though, as the surprising Cincinnati Reds capped off their playoff run with the franchise’s first title in six games. Outfielder Randy Adamo was World Series MVP, picking up 24 hits, six home runs, 13 runs, and 19 RBI over 17 playoff games.


Other notes: Tyler Peterson became the first reliever to win Reliever of the Year three times. Peterson started the year with the Reds, but was traded to Columbus early in the year for prospects.


First baseman Elijah Cashman won Rookie of the Year for St. Louis with a 6.9 WAR season. The 45^th overall draft pick by Dallas in 1917, the Cardinals got him in a trade the next year and he picked up AAA MVP in 1918. Over the next two decades, Cashman would make a case as the greatest hitter in MLB history.


Houston’s Willie Hodo and Omaha’s Casey Esnault would both in April become the first MLB pitchers to reach 250 career wins. Baltimore’s Jim Klattenburger became the first pitcher to hit 400 career saves. Jonathon Gillette of Houston was the fifth to reach 1500 runs scored and Dallas’ Christophe Martin the sixth to hit 1500 RBI.

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Nobody reached the 66% threshold in the 1920 MLB Hall of Fame voting class, leaving Franklin Carro as the lone member for a year. 1907 American Association Pitcher of the Year Tom Guillaume was the highest vote getter at 53.1%, followed by 1902 and 1903 MVP George Cull at 49.7% and 1904 MVP Mario Salazar at 48.2%.


Worth noting was Jeremy Diedrich, down at the bottom at 7.5% after his ninth year. Next year, he’d be the first player to make it to 10 years on the ballot and also not get in. But he’s an interesting “what if,” who won Pitcher of the Year in 1901 for Calgary and then again in 1902 for Toronto. Starting in MLB at age 26, his first five years recorded 30.4 WAR, about as strong of a start as you can get. But a partially torn UCL in early 1906 ended his career at age 31

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Guadalajara for the second straight year had the best record in CABA at 107-55. The Hellhounds led the Mexican League in runs scored and fewest allowed, getting the league MVP from 24-year old outfielder Victor Valenzuela with 11.8 WAR, 200 hits, and 99 runs. He earned the rare feat of winning MVP, Gold Glove, and Silver Slugger.


Meanwhile in the North Division, Tijuana fell off with a fourth place 83-79 mark. Chihuahua for the first time at 92-70, one better than Hermosillo at 91-71. Last place Juarez saw Nick Bermea get his fourth Pitcher of the Year. In the LCS, Guadalajara swept the Warriors for their first Mexican League title.


Defending Caribbean champ Honduras won the Continental Division for the second straight year, finishing 90-72. The big numbers again came from the Island Division as Santiago outlasted Jamaica. The Sailfish took first at 106-56, two better than the 104-58 Jazz. Haiti was 94-68 and last year’s division winner Santo Domingo dropped to 82-80.


Santiago ace Ulices Montero won his fourth Pitcher of the Year and also became the first pitcher to get the MVP. In his age 28 season, Montero had a Triple Crown year at 24-5, a career best 1.37 ERA, and 424 strikeouts. He also set CABA records for WHIP (0.66) and opponent OBP (.184).


Despite leading the Caribbean League in runs and runs allowed, the Sailfish would fall in five games to the Horsemen, sending Honduras to back-to-back Caribbean titles. But the Horsemen were no match for Guadalajara as the Hellhounds won their first CABA championship in a sweep. First baseman Aneurys Perez was series MVP, hitting a 335 OPS+ in the postseason.

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The Eastern League was incredibly top heavy in 1920 with only three teams below .500 and five with 95 or more wins. The same top two prevailed but swapped spots with Hartford first at 106-56 and Montreal next at 104-58. Buffalo had their best-ever franchise season at 102-60, but it still wasn’t enough for a berth. Philadelphia, the World Series champ in 1917 and 1918, missed out for the second straight year despite finishing with 97 wins.


Columbus picked up the Midwest League title at 104-58 with a the MVP in Kayden Lindsay, a third-year outfielder who won the batting title and led the National Association in WAR. Defending World Series champ Cincinnati took the second place spot and playoff berth at 96-66. Pitcher of the Year went to Buffalo’s Derek Edwards as the 22-year old lefty and second overall pick in 1918 had the best ERA in MLB at 2.15.


The Huskies beat the Reds in a five game classic to prevent a repeat and the Chargers downed the Maples in four games. The NACS would go the distance with Hartford winning in seven for their second Association title.


In the American Association, the Western League was the top heavy one with four teams at 98 wins or more. San Francisco led the way at 108-54 and were one of a select few teams to score 1000+ runs. Portland took the second place spot at 101-61, one better than Phoenix and three over Denver. Pacifics slugger Walter Seda won his third career MVP with a career best 222 hits and 126 runs scored.


In the Southern League, Houston took first at 100-62 for their playoff berth since 1914. Dallas, winner of the AA title in the last two seasons, extended their playoff streak to four years with a second place mark at 99-63. Jacksonville (94-68), Charlotte (93-69), and Atlanta (92-70) were in the fight.


Pitcher of the Year went to Gators veteran Easton Dematties, who at age 30 had a career year and league best ERA at 2.45. Canaries 1B/DH Christopher Ross socked 58 home runs, tying the all-time record set by Aitor Cerda seven years earlier.


The first round of the AA playoffs saw the Hornets sweep the Pacifics and the Gold Rush sweep the Dalmatians. The American Association Championship Series went seven games and Houston outlasted the San Fran offense, giving the Hornets a seventh association title in the AA’s first 20 years.


In the World Series, Houston secured a fifth MLB title, defeating Hartford in six games. It wouldn’t be until the mid 1940s that another franchise could claim five titles to their name. Outfielder Richie Ferenchak was an unlikely World Series MVP, picking up 23 hits and 12 runs over 16 postseason games.


Other notes; Willie Hodo of Toronto became the second pitcher to reach 3500 career strikeouts.

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By the 1920s, Major League Baseball was a major success and the Central American Baseball Association was on its way. Baseball had become the game of choice in much of the Western Hemisphere. But early in the 20^th century, the game had spread into the Eastern Hemisphere.


Baseball was introduced across the Pacific to Japan by Americans before the turn of the century and began to slowly grow there. Soon after, the game came to the Korean peninsula. The cultural and financial success of MLB and CABA was something prominent figures in East Asia felt they could replicate.


Teams popped up in Japan and the then-occupied Korean peninsula. In 1921, they were organized by the sanctioning body known as East Asia Baseball. There was a separate Japanese League and Korean League which largely kept affairs separate and their nationals in their league. The Designated Hitter was used in Korea, but not Japan. Both leagues had two seven-team divisions with the champs playing in a best-of-seven League Championship Series. From there, the Japanese champ and Korean champ battle for the East Asian Championship in a best-of-seven.

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The 1921 MLB Hall of Fame class enshrined four players with three of them receiving more than 92% of the votes. Pitchers Jeremy Frechette and Josh Davis, along with outfielders Adam Boehm and Adam Tucker, hold up as a very strong class even looking more than 100 years later. Three of the four played a big role in the early Houston Hornets dynasties.


Jeremy Frechette – Starting Pitcher – Houston Hornets – 96.1% (First Ballot)

The ace pitcher of the Houston Hornets dynasty, Jeremy Frechette was born on July 7, 1880 in Fayetteville Arkansas. At 5’7’’, 170 pounds, the right-handed pitcher wasn’t physically imposing. But his fastball would top out in the upper 90 mph range, along with a filthy sinker, strong slider, and eventually excellent control.


Frechette played collegiately at Stanford, where he was used as a closer. Despite being known as a Houston legend, he was actually drafted in 1901 by New Orleans in the 5^th round as the 200^th overall pick. As a rookie in 1902, he had a few lackluster relief appearances before being traded in July with a few prospects to Houston for a rental of second baseman Taylor Robbins.


In 1903, he started to show promise as a starter, splitting his time between the bullpen and starting. The next year, he emerged as one of the most reliable inning eaters in the game, leading the American Association with 295 innings and a very solid 8.2 WAR.


In 1905, he set a record still untouched more than a century later with 29 wins. Along with a league-best 2.45 ERA and 11.5 WAR, Frechette earned his first of five Pitcher of the Year Awards. He also posted a 1.60 ERA in 39.1 playoff innings, leading the Hornets to their first American Association title and World Series appearance.


As great as he was in the regular season, he’d become one of the best postseason pitchers of all-time. During his tenure, Houston made the World Series six times and won it four; and made it to the AACS nine times. His postseason line: 16-7, 2.92 ERA, 34 starts, 256 innings, 223 strikeouts. It wasn’t until the postseason expanded years later that anyone even approached his totals, still holding the WAR mark (7.74) more than a century later and sitting second in strikeouts, innings, and third in wins.


Frechette posted nine consecutive 20+ win seasons from 1904 to 1912, led the AA in strikeouts from 1907-1909, and led in WAR five times with three seasons above 10 WAR. The Hornets won the World Series in 1908, 10, 11, and 12. In 1912, Frechette was the first pitcher to reach 200 career wins and in 1914, the third to hit 2500 career strikeouts. He won Pitcher of the Year in 1905, 08, 09, 11, and 12.


At age 33 in 1914, Frechette surprisingly fell off quickly and was released in July 1915, retiring that winter. The end of his run also marked the end of that Houston dynasty, posting their first losing season in 1915 since 1902. He finishes with a 233-104 record, 3.32 career ERA of 3080.1 innings, 2522 strikeouts, a 1.21 WHIP, 128 ERA+, and 92.5 WAR. Five PotYs and a playoff legend make Jeremy Frechette an inner-circle Hall of Famer of the early era.

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Josh Davis – Starting Pitcher – Cleveland Cobras – 95.4% (First Ballot)


Josh Davis was born in Ewa Beach, Hawaii in 1884, long before Hawaii was a state or had been officially taken over by the United States. Davis came stateside to pursue baseball, playing collegiately at Indiana University. The 5’11’’, 200 pound left made a big impression with the Hoosiers and caught the eye of many teams, getting drafted fourth overall in the 1904 draft by the Cleveland Cobras.


Davis had three pitches and was a master at coaxing groundballs with a sinker that topped out in the upper 90s. Along with a filthy changeup and solid curveball, Davis immediately was successful, posting a 2.86 ERA as a rookie in 1905. He would lead the National Association in WAR and strikeouts the next three seasons, winning Pitcher of the Year in 1907 and 1908. He’d win it again in 1910 and 1911 with the Cobras, posting a career-best 1.98 ERA in 1910. In 1911, he was the first Triple Crown winning pitcher with the NA’s best mark in wins (19), ERA (2.43), and strikeouts (256)


Despite his personal success, Cleveland did not make the playoffs during his entire tenure. Although they posted a couple winning seasons, they never cracked the 90-win mark. When his contract expired at the end of 1911, Davis decided to leave the Cobras in search of playoff glory and of course, big money.


Houston had established themselves as the first dynasty by then and their success gave them money to spend, which they used in December 1911 on Davis in the tune of seven years, $33,900. He seamlessly transitioned to the American Association, winning AA Pitcher of the Year in 1913 and 1914 (and barely missed in in 1912 due to teammate Jeremy Frechette). Davis had two 10+ WAR seasons in 1913 and 1914 and posted a career high 305 strikeouts in 1914. In 1912, he got his lone World Series ring.


1915 started well enough, throwing his only no-hitter in April against Las Vegas. But in May, disaster struck the then 31-year old lefty with an ulnar nerve entrapment in his elbow. The injury and a setback put him out for the year and led to Houston cutting ties. No Major League team wanted to take a chance on Davis, fearing the injury meant the end of his career. But he was determined to continue on and found a buyer, the Santiago Sailfish of CABA. He signed a five-year, $21,600 deal and moved to the Dominican.


The Sailfish were rewarded for their signing as Davis posted a 6.5 WAR season and Santiago claimed the CABA championship in 1916. However, more injuries would plague Davis after that, including radial nerve compression in the elbow in July 1918. Unfortunately, this one wasn’t one he could bounce back from and Davis retired at age 35.


His final MLB numbers are impressive: six Pitcher of the Year Awards, 196-109, 2.53 ERA over 2862 innings, 2763 strikeouts, and 90.1 WAR. Combining his CABA numbers, Davis had 225 wins, 3201 strikeouts, and a 98.6 WAR. Even with injury ending his MLB run at age 31, Davis certainly earned his place among the all-time great arms.


Adam “Ripper” Boehm – Outfielder - Houston Hornets – 92.3% (First Ballot)


Adam Boehm was one of baseball’s first star players and would later be known for his incredible longevity. Born May 16, 1870 in Newark, OH; Boehm ended up a 5’8’’, 205 pound left handed outfielder. He’d become known as an all-time great contact hitter with solid power, an elite eye, and nice quickness. In his 20s, he bounced around barnstorming in the Midwest and his “sparkplug” personality earned him respect and the nickname “Ripper.”


Oddly enough, his entire 20s came in the pre-MLB era, leading to his early day stats not counting towards leaderboards. But his efforts led to being picked fifth in the inaugural MLB Draft by the Ottawa Elks.

Boehm played centerfield primarily in his six seasons in Ottawa, earning two Silver Sluggers and five All-Star game invites. Approaching age 37 towards 1907 though, the Elks decided it was time to move on, trading Boehm to Dallas for three prospects. With the Dalmatians and now in left field, Boehm had a career-best and American Association leading 128 runs scored. But he hadn’t gotten a taste of postseason play yet and didn’t think he’d find it in Dallas.


He did stay in Texas, signing a three-year, $12,720 deal with Houston, who had been the AA champ and World Series runner-up in 1905 and 1906. There, at age 38, he began what became his signature run in eight seasons with the Hornet dynasty. In 1908, he won his lone career MVP with 137 runs scored, a 1.105 OPS, and a 9.8 WAR. He was batter of the month in three straight months and was first round and World Series MVP as Houston claimed their first MLB ring.


Boehm wouldn’t post league-leading numbers quite the same again, but he was a reliable starter in left and part of four MLB champion teams. He signed a three-year extension in 1912 and started up until age 45; one of a very small group ever to make it that long. Eventually age caught up to him in 1915 and he retired following that season.


Had his 20s come only a few years later, there’s no doubt that Boehm would be at the top of many all-time leaderboards. Even so, he was the first player ever to reach 1000 and 1500 runs scored and the second to reach 2500 career hits. His final line was 2542 hits, 1579 runs, 399 home runs, 1435 RBI, 1302 walks drawn, a .301/.397/.503 slash and 89.3 WAR. Pretty remarkable for a guy whose official MLB career began at age 31.


Adam Tucker –Left Fielder – Baltimore Orioles – 79.2% (First Ballot)

Adam Tucker was born January 20, 1876 in Port St. Lucie, Florida. A 6’0’’, 200 pound lefty, Tucker was known as a team leader and excellent contact hitter. While many outfielders bounce around over their career, Tucker was very firmly a left fielder, playing 2125 of 2133 career games in left.


He began playing on various teams in the pre-MLB days throughout Florida, earning the attention of the Jacksonville Gators once MLB started up. At age 25, he was picked in the inaugural MLB Draft in the 3^rd round, 117^th overall, by Jacksonsville. In four years with the Gators, Tucker twice earned Silver Slugger and led the American Association in RBI in 1903 with 129. That year, Jacksonville won the AA championship with Tucker knocking in 14 and hitting five homers in 11 postseason games.


Tucker decided to test free agency after the 1904 season and signed a very rich deal with Baltimore; the team he’d become best known for playing with. He signed an eight-year, $32,280 deal with the Orioles and would play seven of those years. In 1906, he led the National Association in hitting overall with the triple slash .380/.433/.614, finishing second in MVP voting. He was a four-time All-Star and twice a Silver Slugger winner with Baltimore, but couldn’t lift the Orioles to a postseason appearance.


In 1910, Tucker finished with a league best 8.2 WAR, matching his career high from 1906. But he’d drop off a bit the next year and before the 1912 at age 36, he was traded to Detroit for three prospects. After a respectable year with the Tigers, he signed a two-year deal with Calgary. He played one with the Cheetahs, then was traded to Miami for the 1914 campaign. With the Mallards, he became the first player to 2500 career hits.


At age 39 in 1915, Tucker signed with Seattle but only played 14 games due to numerous injuries. That would mark the end of his MLB career, but he’d play two more professional seasons after in CABA with Honduras and Santiago.


Tucker finished his MLB career with 2549 hits, 1270 runs, 407 home runs, 1319 RBI, a .323 batting average, .380 OBP, 156 OPS+, and 84.0 career WAR. He wasn’t the flashiest or more dominant player, but a reliable leader and starter for 14 years makes Tucker a solid Hall of Fame selection.

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In the first season under the East Asia Baseball sanctioning, Tokyo and Nagoya were the Japan League’s first division champions. In the North, the Tides had the fewest runs allowed at 454, finishing first at 96-66. It was a competitive group with Saitama four back, Sapporo six back, and Kawasaki both above .500. The Nightowls took the South at 92-70 with Osaka (86-76) the only team above .500 in the division.


The Orange Sox had pitcher Zeshin Saito, who was the inaugural Pitcher of the Year and MVP. The 25-year old lefty had a Japan-best 11.7 WAR and 342 strikeouts with a 1.63 ERA.


In the Korea League, the North division was oddly distributed with three teams above 100 wins, one at 35, and one at only 19. Pyongyang won it at 118-44, beating out Hamhung (109-53) and Seongna (104-58). The South had more balance with Daegu first at 104-58, beating Changwon (97-65) and Gwangju (96-66).


League MVP went to Yongin’s Jae-Hee-Sin, whacking 59 home runs and 175 RBI. The RBI mark would stay the league record for more than a decade with three of EAB’s 150+ RBI seasons of the 20^th century in 1921. Ko Agano of Daegu was Pitcher of the Year and Seiki Okuyama of Seongnam set a long-standing record of 28 wins.


The JLCS went to Tokyo in five games over Nagoya and Pyongyang bested Daegu in six in the KLCS. The first EAB Championship went seven games and was claimed by the Pythons. Left fielder Toma Dobashi won series MVP with the 29-year old getting 16 hits, four homers, and 12 RBI in the postseason.


Other notes: Two perfect games were thrown in EAB in 1921. Japan PotY Zeshin Saito tossed one with 15 strikeouts versus Fukuoka and Hamhung’s Jae-Won Park had 14 Ks against Ulsan. Hamhung’s Sang-Hyun Kang posted a 42-game hit streak. He’d be the only guy to have a streak of 40+ until 1992.

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Guadalajara won their third straight Mexican League South Division title, as the defending CABA champ led Mexico in runs scored and allowed for a 103-59 record. Aneurys Perez was league MVP for the Hellhounds, leading the way in runs, homers, RBI, walks, OBP, slugging, OPS, and WAR. Chihuahua won back-to-back North Division titles, also finishing 103-59. Mexico City’s Lian Llanes won Pitcher of the year with his league-best 1.39 ERA.


The Caribbean League final would be a rematch as well with Santiago taking first in a strong Island Division at 108-54, beating 96-win Haiti and Jamaica. Honduras took the Continental Division at 97-65. Sailfish ace Ulices Montero won his fourth straight PotY and fifth overall with 424 strikeouts, a 0.76 WHIP, 1.86 ERA, and 12.5 WAR. Despite a losing record, Havana’s Mackendy Civil was MVP with the league lead in the triple slash for a 10.8 WAR.


Santiago wouldn’t led Honduras upset them this time, sweeping the LCS for the franchise’s second league title. Guadalajara defeated Chihuahua in six games for back-to-back Mexican titles and claimed back-to-back CABA crowns in a seven-game classic over the Sailfish. Pitcher Honorato Gutierrez was series MVP with four playoff starts for a 1.06 ERA, 34 innings, and 28 strikeouts.


Other notes: Kenyon Jorgensen of Juarez threw CABA’s fifth perfect game, striking out 11 against Puebla on 8/2. Three pitchers reached the 3000 career strikeout mark; Alejandro Cordova, Nick Bermea, and Ulices Montero.

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For the second straight season, San Francisco had the best record in MLB. The Gold Rush had an MLB best 105-57 with 917 runs scored. In his third season with San Fran, 32-year old outfielder Jonathan Gibbs won his third career MVP with a 48 home run, 150 RBI season. It was his first MVP since the 1914 season with Columbus and he set career highs. Portland took second in the Western League at 92-70 for their seventh playoff berth in eight years. The Pacifics wouldn’t return to the postseason again until the late 50s.


Atlanta won the Southern League title for the first team in team history with an 101-61 mark. Defending World Series champ Houston was second at 97-65 to return the playoffs. At age 31, Hornets pitcher Newton Persaud won his third Pitcher of the Year, leading the American Association in strikeouts for the fourth straight year and WAR for the fifth.


In a rematch of last year’s AACS, San Francisco edged Houston in five games to advance. The Aces easily swept Portland in the first round, but would fall in five games to the Gold Rush for SF’s first-ever Association title.


The Eastern League had two teams at the top earning their first-ever playoff appearance. Baltimore won the title at 101-61 and Buffalo, who missed out last year despite winning 102 games, took the second spot at 100-62. Defending National Association champ Hartford placed third at 93-69, thwarting a repeat bid. The Orioles had the league MVP in second baseman Norris Thuston, who at only age 22 had a 10.48 WAR season, at the time the third best season from a position player.


In the Midwest League, Kansas City had their first playoff berth in about a decade by taking first at 100-62. Last year’s ML champ Columbus easily took second at 95-67. Washington 30-year old pitcher Jeremiah Jaiboon won his second PotY with a MLB best 2.12 ERA.


The Cougars survived a five-game series with the Blue Sox to advance, while the Orioles swept the Chargers. In the NACS, Baltimore defeated Kansas City in six games to send the Orioles to the World Series along with fellow first-timer San Francisco. The Gold Rush prevailed in five in the Fall Classic. 22-year old outfielder Jo De Groot won World Series MVP, picking up 12 runs, 24 hits, and 14 RBI in 15 playoff games.


Other notes: Portland’s Kyle Bartz became the first player in MLB history to reach 3000 career hits. Bartz would retire after the 1923 season with a total of 3383 hits. He’d become the eighth to reach 1500 career runs scored later in 1921. Houston’s Jonathon Gillette became the third to whack 500 career home runs.

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After four Hall of Fame inductees in 1921, no players reached the 66% threshold for the 1922 class. Phoenix pitcher Tom Guillaume got the closest he has yet at 61%, much better than the 27.8% the prior year. Shortstop Dave Douglas made his debut just above 60% and early days MVP George Cull hit his highest percentage at 58% in his sixth try.

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Defending Japanese champion Tokyo improved from 96 wins to 104 in their second season in East Asia Baseball. Unfortunately for them, Sapporo was three games better for the North Division title at 107-55. The Swordfish led Japan in runs scored and allowed with pitcher Ju-An Kim earning both Pitcher of the Year and League MVP with the league-best 1.62 ERA. The South Division was a bit weaker with 89-73 Hiroshima taking the top spot by one game over 88-74 Osaka. In the JLCS, Sapporo would prevail in six games.


The North was also top heavy in the Korea League as Hamhung outraced defending champ Pyongyang for the top spot. The Heat led the way at 107-55, five games better than the 102-60 Pythons. Daegu dominated in the South Division at 98-64, 15-games ahead of next best Changwon. The top awards went to players on below .500 teams as Seoul’s Ju-Won Song won MVP, whacking 138 RBI (31 more than second place). Suwon’s Jung-Won Park led the league in ERA for the PotY.


In the KLCS, Hamhung defeated Daegu in six games. In the second East Asia Baseball Championship, the Heat bested the Swordfish in six. Outfielder Sozen Murata won series MVP in the EAB final and the KLCS for the Heat, getting 19 hits, 11 runs, four HR, and eight RBI in 12 games.


Other Notes: Tokyo’s Tae-U Jun threw EAB’s third perfect game on 4/25 against Kobe. Then on 9/18, Kyoto’s Shinji Higa tossed the fourth perfecto.

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Defending CABA champ Guadalajara won a fourth straight South Division title in 1922, taking the crown comfortably at 101-61. The Hellhounds had the Pitcher of the Year in Carlos Cartagena, with the 27-year old eating what would be a long-standing record of 309.1 innings while posting a solid 2.27 ERA.


The North Division was more competitive with Hermosillo (96), Tijuana (95), and Mexicali (89) all posting solid years. However, Chihuahua prevailed at 102-60 for a third straight division title.


Interestingly, the pitcher with the best WAR in Mexico was the Reliever of the Year for the Warriors. B.J. “The Warden” Medina picked up his second award in his return to Mexico after a few years in MLB, posting 50 saves and a 1.07 ERA with 218 strikeouts over 101.1 innings. He finished second in PotY voting, the closest a reliever had gotten to the award. Outfielder Alba Jimenez, who signed with Tijuana in the offseason from Santo Domingo, won his second career MVP, easily leading the Mexican League with 47 home runs.


For the third straight year, the MLCS was between Guadalajara and Chihuahua. For the first time, the Warriors prevailed, winning the series in five games for their first Mexican title.


Although it was their fourth straight 90+ win season, 1922 would be the first playoff berth for the Haiti Herons, winning the Caribbean Island division at 99-63. They held off Havana (93-69), Jamaica (92-70), and defending champ Santiago (91-71), getting a Pitcher of the Year from Makenson Augustin.


In the Continental Division, Honduras edged Guatemala for the top spot with the Horsemen at 89-73 and Ghosts at 87-75. Guatemala shortstop Neno Campos won the league MVP with the batting title and 10.8 WAR.


It was the fourth straight playoff berth for Honduras and for the third time in that stretch, they prevailed in the CLCS despite boasting the less impressive record. Honduras beat Haiti 4-2 to take the Caribbean League title. Yet again, they’d be denied their first CABA title, falling in a seven-game classic to Chihuahua. Second baseman Hamilton Salazar was series MVP with a .386 average in the postseason.


Other Notes: Kenyon Jorgensen of Juarez had CABA’s fifth perfect game, striking out 11 against Puebla on 8/2. Santiago ace Ulices Montero became the first pitcher to 3500 career strikeouts and Santo Domingo’s Alejandro Cordova the first to 200 wins. Jamaica’s Chris Barnett and SD’s Diomar Glas were the first to reach 1000 career RBI.

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San Francisco once again won the Western League in 1922, giving the Gold Rush five straight playoff berths and four league titles in that stretch. SF had the most runs scored at 907 and finished 100-62. Las Vegas took the second place spot at 91-71 for their first ever playoff berth. This left San Diego, Nashville, New Orleans, and Oklahoma City as the only AA franchises without one playoff appearance in the first 22 years of Major League Baseball.


The Knights came close to getting their first spot, but 98 wins put Nashville third in the Southern League. Houston won the SL with the best AA record at 103-59, followed by Atlanta second at 100-62. The Aces had the league MVP in first baseman Israel Bishop as the lefty from Grenada led the AA in runs (123), hits (220), RBI (128) and average (.351). Hornets ace Newton Persaud won his fourth Pitcher of the Year, leading the AA in WAR for the sixth straight season.


In the first round of the playoffs, Houston swept Los Vegas and Atlanta upset San Francisco in four games. The Aces would fall in the AACS for the second straight year as the Hornets won in five, sending them to their second World Series in three years and eighth WS appearance overall.


In the National Association, Buffalo was the top team with a 100-62 mark atop the Eastern League. Seven teams were within six games of second place with Philadelphia taking second at 92-70, one up on Hartford, two on Baltimore, three on Boston, four on New York, five on Toronto, and six on Washington.


The Midwest League was even tighter with four teams within one game of each other for the top spot. Cleveland and Kansas City both finished 90-72 with Cincinnati and Columbus one back at 89-73. As both clinched a playoff spot, the Cobras and Cougars didn’t have to play a one-game playoff, with Cleveland getting the tiebreaker for the ML title. It was a huge turnaround for the Cobras, who hadn’t won more than 61 games in a season in their last three years.


Pitcher of the Year went to Nick Bermea. After four PotYs in CABA with Juarez, the Columbus, Georgia native returned to America by signing with Philadelphia and tossing a NA best 2.55 ERA at age 32. St. Louis slugger Elijah Cashman had his first career MVP at age 25 with a 1.060 OPS. His 46 home runs was third in the NA. Next year, he’d begin a streak of eight years as the Association leader in dingers.


It would be an all-Midwest Association final after Cleveland defeated Philadelphia in four and Kansas City topped Buffalo in four in the first round. The Cobras bested the Cougars in six, ending KC’s run for the second straight year in the NACS and giving Cleveland their first World Series appearance. Their first title would have to come another year as Houston won the World Series in six games; the Hornets’ sixth overall MLB crown and second in three years. First baseman Emanuel McCain won WS MVP with 20 hits, 12 runs, and 11 RBI over his postseason.


Other Notes: Denver and former Omaha Shortstop Lee Chase won his 10^th Gold Glove. Christopher Ross became the fourth hitter to 500 career home runs. Denver pitcher Regal Lewis became the third pitcher to 3500 career strikeouts.

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For the second straight season, no one reached the 66% threshold for MLB Hall of Fame induction. Shortstop Dave Douglas saw four points of improvement, getting to 63.8% on his second year. Mario Salazar got his highest total yet at 58.4% in his seventh try and third baseman Israel Villalobos had a nice debut at 54.3%.


John Waymire became the second player to last 10 years on the ballot, ending on a low 5.8% with a high of 30.6% on his second try. An interesting career as a closer, Waymire played with nine teams (NO, CAL, DEN, NY, SF, PHX, LOU, HOU, CHA) from 1901 to 1908. With a 1.66 ERA in 476.1 innings and 170 saves, he was one of the first well known closers, twice a Reliever of the Year.

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Sapporo won the Japan League North Division for the second straight season with a 103-59 mark and league-best 670 runs scored. Tokyo was close but just short at 99-63. In the South, Osaka took first at 102-60, fending off Kitakyushu (98-64) and Hiroshima (95-67). For the second time, Orange Sox pitcher Zeshin Saito won both league MVP and Pitcher of the Year, having thrown almost 34 WAR over three seasons. This time, Saito had enough support around him to lead Osaka to a league title, as the Orange Sox defeated the Swordfish in five games in the JLCS.


In the Korea League, Defending EAB champ Hamhung and Pyongyang battled at the top of the North Division. The Heat claimed first at 118-44, leaving the Pythons out of the postseason despite finishing 116-46. Hamhung outfielder Sozen Murata won MVP with 119 runs scored and a 1.093 OPS and Pitcher of the Year Chikara Ohkubo with a 12.7 WAR mark and 353 strikeouts. The 29-year old Ohkubo joined the Heat from Busan with a seven-year, $33,580 contract.


The South Division went to Changwon at 106-56, 13 games better than previous division champ Daegu. Despite Hamhung’s gaudy stats, the Crabs would oust them in six games in the Korea League Championship Series. However, Osaka would sweep Changwon in the East Asia Baseball Championship for the first overall title by a Japanese team.


Other notes: The fifth and sixth EAB perfect games were thrown in 1923. Katsunari Fujiwara of Tokyo tossed one against Kobe in April and Moon Kim of Changwon did it against Suwon in May.

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Guadalajara secured a fifth straight playoff berth in 1923 as the Hellhounds won the South Division at 103-59, 10 games better than Mexico City. “Mr. Reliable” Victor Valenzuela won his second MVP with the outfielder leading the league in the triple slash with a 9.3 WAR. Guadalajara pitcher Aitor Moreno in his second year with the squad tossed 10 shutouts en route to the Pitcher of the Year.


After missing the playoffs the last three years, Tijuana was back atop the North Division at 95-67, besting defending CABA champ Chihuahua by five games. The Toros would oust the Hellhounds 4-1 in the MLCS for their seventh Mexican League title.


In a very competitive Caribbean League, Santiago had the best record at 96-66. The Sailfish finished two ahead of Haiti, three of Havana, and nine over Jamaica. Perhaps putting Santiago over the top was Diomar Glas, who they acquired in the offseason from Santo Domingo for five prospects. The Curacaoan outfielder would get his second MVP, picking it up at age 32 after his first game at age 27. Santiago also had Pitcher of the Year Ulices Montero, picking up his sixth thus far in his decade-long career.


The Continental Division was a two-team race between Guatemala and Honduras. The Ghosts snapped the Horsemen’s postseason streak at four years, getting their first playoff berth with a 92-70 mark, two games better than Honduras. In the CLCS, the Sailfish topped the Ghosts in six games. In the CABA Championship, Santiago best Tijuana in five games for their second CABA title and the first Caribbean winner since 1917.


Other Notes: Toros catcher Mar Pavia won his 11^th and final Silver Slugger award. Diomar Glas became the first player to 400 career home runs and Ulices Montero the second pitcher to 200 career wins.

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The best record in the National Association in 1923 went to Baltimore atop the Eastern League at 102-60. Philadelphia took the wild card at 97-65, finishing three ahead of Buffalo and five over Ottawa. In the Midwest League, Columbus took the first place spot at 92-70. Kansas City got the other plyoff spot at 90-72, one better than Cincinnati and four over Chicago and Minneapolis.


The notable individual seasons came from non-playoff teams. St. Louis first baseman Elijah Cashman set the Major League record with 61 home runs in his second MVP season. Cashman’s 12.3 WAR was the most ever in a single season by any MLB player to that point, hitting a 1.060 OPS with league bests in runs (138) and RBI (145) along with Gold Glove winning defense. Despite this, the Cardinals were 74-88, tied for seventh In the Midwest.


Brooklyn was 10^th in the Eastern League at 75-87 but had Pitcher of the Year Bailey Johnson. The 26-year old left was one ERA point from the Triple Crown at 23-7, 2.34 ERA, and 313 strikeouts. The man one point better was Dylan D’Ippolito of Washington at 2.33, the 1923 Rookie of the Year. Very soon, D’Ippolito became notable as a legitimate two-way success on the mound and in the outfield.


In the playoffs, Baltimore swept Kansas City and Columbus beat Philadelphia in four in the first round. The NACS went to the Orioles in six games for their second Association title in three years.


The defending World Series champ Houston improved upon their 1922 record by nine games, the best in the American Association at 112-50. The Hornets had by far the best pitching staff in the AA, allowing 592 runs with a fifth Pitcher of the Year Award for Newton Persaud. Charlotte placed second in the SL at 93-69, beating out Atlanta for second by two games.


SL Sixth place Oklahoma City had the league MVP in Ethan “Socks” Lewin. The 26-year old designated hitter became the first MLB hitter ever to land the Triple Crown at .368 with 52 home runs and 143 RBI.


San Francisco advanced to the playoffs for the sixth straight season with their fifth Western League title in that run. The Gold Rush finished at 95-67. Six teams were within five games of the second place spot with Calgary and Denver tying for the spot at 89-73. Oakland was one back at 88-74, then Vancouver (86-76), Phoenix (85-77), San Diego (85-77), and Los Angeles (84-78). In a one-game playoff, the Cheetahs beat the Dragons to send Calgary to the playoffs for the first time since 1905.


The Cheetahs used that momentum to stun Houston in the first round in five games. Charlotte also swept San Francisco on the road, setting up both second place teams in the AACS. The Canaries won their first Association title in a seven-game classic over the Cheeaths. The World Series went seven as well with the home team winning each game; this time leading to Baltimore’s first overall title. Journeyman catch Russel Dennis won the World Series MVP, picking up 19 hits and 11 runs over the postseason.


Other Notes: Phoenix’s Marc Hutson had a 35-game hit streak, the second-longest only behind Condela Gurrola’s 40-game streak for Seattle in 1902. Seattle’s Del Klassen became the second hitter to 3000 career hits. Archie Meredith of Toronto was the 5^th to 500 career home runs and Newton Persaud the fourth to 3500 career strikeouts.

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After back-to-back seasons with no one reaching the 66% threshold for the MLB Hall of Fame, two were elected for the 1924 class. Shortstop Dave Douglas made it on his third try at 71.4% and pitcher Tom Guillaume narrowly made the cut on his seventh effort at 67.0%. Closer Dan Wagner and first baseman Chad Tepp both hit 60% on their first time on the ballot. Early days MVP George Cull on his eighth try had his highest number yet, but still short at 59.7%.


Meanwhile, CABA’s Hall of Fame had existed for a few seasons but no one had come close yet in the limited history to the threshold. That is, until 1924 when pitcher Baptiste Timothee earned the distinction as the first Hall of Famer for the Central American Baseball Association.

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Dave “Scuba” Douglas – Shortstop – Cincinnati Reds – 71.4 % (3^rd Ballot)


Dave Douglas had a lengthy career even with most of his 20s coming in the pre-MLB era. The 6’0’’ 180 pounder from Dallas, Oregon was a right-handed bat who apart from a brief stint at third base and left field at the very end, played his entire career at shortstop. “Scuba” surprisingly only won the Gold Glove once despite a career Zone Rating of 136.8 over 1781 games at short. Five times he was named the best hitter at the position.

By the time Major League Baseball was officially formed for the 1901 season, Douglas was already 27 years old. But he was well known as a very solid all-around hitter, fielder, and leader. As such, Cincinnati used their first pick in the inaugural draft to choose Douglas; 24^th overall.


Douglas played eight seasons with the Reds, leading the National Association in WAR in 1901, 1902, and 1905 as well as in runs in 1905. In 1908, Cincinnati had their first-ever playoff berth, falling in the NACS to St. Louis. That would be his last season as a Red as like many others, he chased the big money and allure of the Houston Hornets dynasty. He signed a four year, $15,520 deal at age 35 and played four years with the Hornets.


Douglas would be an integral starter for Houston as they won three straight World Series titles from 1910-1912. Douglas led the American Association with 139 runs in 1910 and 1911, posted a 10.1 WAR for his lone MVP season. During the three-peat, he had 57 playoff hits and 32 runs scored.


After 1912, now age 39, his contract was purchased by the Leon Lions of CABA, which was something allowed in the early days between the two organizations. He was respectable in his year there, but age caught up as he was traded to Haiti in 1914. He made a brief return in 1915 and 1916 to the majors with Atlanta and Las Vegas, but by this point, his days as a premier player was done.


For his MLB career, Douglas finished with 91.4 WAR, 2249 hits and 1392 runs scored with a .286 average and .374 OBP. An always solid defensive presence, reliable hitter, and team leader, Douglas earned his spot among the HOF greats.


Tom “Dash” Guillaume – Starting Pitcher – Phoenix Firebirds – 67.0% (7^th Ballot)

The first Canadian inducted into the MLB Hall of Fame, Tom Guillaume in rural Alberta. As he got older, the 5’7’’ 195 pound righty was introduced to baseball by some friends. A “fan favorite” personality type, Tom’s work ethic and adaptability made him a quick study despite not being exposed to the game much as a kid.


He was never a dominant pitcher, although his fastball did top out in the 96-98 range. But his stuff and movement were always respectable, his control solid, and his repertoire diverse, switching between a fastball, slider, changeup, splitter, and forkball.


Guillaume was 24-years old when the MLB was officially formed and was well enough liked and known locally in Alberta to get on the radar of the Calgary Cheetahs. In the inaugural draft, he was picked in the 10^th round by Calgary; the 463^rd player overall.


In his few months with the Cheetahs, he pitched an unremarkable 38.1 innings. In July of 1901, he was involved in a trade with Phoenix, sending a farm boy from rural Alberta to the heat of Arizona. The Firebirds put him in as a starter, but he finished his rookie year with a lousy 5.20 ERA, not exactly a guy seemingly destined for greatness.


The remaining 11 years of his MLB career would be with the Firebirds. He gradually worked on his craft, eventually making his way into an ace role for a team that made the playoffs each year from 1905 to 1910 after struggling in their first years. Tom led the American Association in wins in 1906, 1907, and 1910, while leading in WHIP in 1907.


That 1907 season was his lone Pitcher of the Year, going 27-5 with a 2.77 ERA over 282.1 innings, 42 walks, 224 strikeouts, and a 0.98 WHIP. In five postseason starts, he posted a 4-1 record, 1.77 ERA over 40.2 innings, helping lead Phoenix to their first World Series title. It would be the team’s only Association title in the run, suffering four knockouts in the AACS despite strong win-loss records. Guillaume was a solid playoff performer though, with a career 2.61 ERA in 17 playoff starts with 134.1 innings.


1911 was the end of Phoenix’s run at the top of the Western League and Tom saw a step drop-off in personal production in 1912 at age 35, retiring after that season.


Guillaume finished with a 193-124 record, 3.39 ERA over 2933 innings with 1984 strikeouts and a 56.3 WAR. He was rarely dominant, but a well-liked teammate and reliable starter with a few years atop the staff during a strong run for Phoenix. The lack of flash meant it took him seven tries on the Hall of Fame ballot to narrowly make the cut, but Guillaume found his spot in the Hall of Fame.



Baptiste “Matchbox” Timothee - Starting Pitcher – Havana Hurricanes – First Ballot (77.9%)


The first Central American Baseball Association Hall of Famer, Baptiste Timothee was the first great starting pitcher in the Caribbean League. Born in rural northern Haiti, the hard working Timothee was inducted to the game in his mid 20s and took to it. He had four pitches with a mid 90s fastball, strong slider and forkball, as well as a changeup. “Matchbox” was a right-handed arm, standing at 6’0’’, 200 pounds.


When CABA was officially formed, Timothee was already 28-years old, but his past barnstorming earned him a contract with the Havana Hurricanes. In the first year of CABA, Timothee was the Pitcher of the Year with a league-leading 11.9 WAR, a 23-6 record, 1.59 ERA, and 350 strikeouts. He had three great postseason starts to help the Hurricanes to the first Caribbean league title. The next year, Havana would take the CABA title as well. In 1912, Timothee had the second ever CABA perfect game, striking out 15 against Santo Domingo.


Timothee would again be Pitcher of the Year in 1913 and 1915, leading the Caribbean League in wins and ERA in both. His 1913 season was a 12.8 WAR season with a 1.44 ERA. In only six seasons in Cuba, Timothee had 59.2 WAR.


At age 34, Timothee left Havana and signed a five-year, $15,900 contract with Santo Domingo starting in 1917. Unfortunately, he suffered severe forearm inflammation in late May and missed four months. Timothee was back by the postseason and made two passable starts, helping the Dolphins win their first CABA championship and getting himself a second ring. After a forgettable 1918 season, Timothee retired at the age of 35.


His final numbers; 139-68, 2.25 ERA over 1942.1 innings with 2042 strikeouts and 61.1 WAR. His career was short, but his six years with Havana were among the strongest six consecutive seasons anyone would ever post in CABAs history. This was enough to earn him the honor as the first member of CABA’s Hall of Fame.