Baseball: The World's Game

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Two players earned induction into the East Asia Baseball 1943 Hall of Fame class. Pitcher Michiro Yabuta was a first ballot pick at 88.0%, while first baseman Ji-Hoo Kim barely making the cut on his second try at 67.6%. Pitcher Kil-Sung Min was the other player above 50%, finishing at 61.8% on his second try.



One player made it to his 10^th ballot and was dropped in closer Dong-Hyeon Park. His EAB career started at age 30 and only lasted eight seasons, but he posted 30.1 WAR and two Reliever of the Year awards between Hamhung and Yokohama.



Michiro “Ripper” Yabuta – Starting Pitcher – Nagoya Nightowls – 88.0% First Ballot

Michiro Yabuta was a 6’4’’, 200 pound right-handed starting pitcher from the small town of Akabira on the northern Japanese island Hokkaido. His fastball was in the 95-97 range and respectable, but it was a deadly changeup which got him most of his strikeouts. He also had a solid splitter and knuckle curve as well as respectable defense, as he thrice won the Gold Glove.

Yabuta came into professional baseball right as EAB was formed, missing out on the initial draft by a year. He signed at age 22 with Ulsan to begin his pro career and became a full-time start in his second season. By his fourth year, he found his rhythm as an ace, posting a 20 win, 2.27 ERA, 8.6 WAR 1924 campaign.

The struggling Ulsan franchise traded Yabuta to Gwangju in the summer of 1925, as the Grays were hoping to build a winner. They won three straight Korea League titles, although each time was denied in the EAB final during Yabuta’s three-and-a-half seasons there. Still, he posted a reliable 6-7 WAR each year with Gwangju. Not necessarily dominant, but reliably solid.

Yabuta signed a seven-year deal with Nagoya for the 1929 season at age 30 and was unremarkable in his first two seasons. But in year three, he started a solid run that helped the Nightowls win the EAB Championship in both 1931 and 1934. In 1933, Yabuta had career bests in WAR (9.0), strikeouts (337), and wins (23), giving him a second place finish in Pitcher of the Year voting; the closest he came to winning the award. In 1934, Yabuta was the second EAB pitcher to 200 career wins and in 1935, Yabuta became the first pitcher to 4000 career strikeouts.

Back issues caused the usually healthy Yabuta to miss about two months in 1935. In 1936, Yabuta signed with Sapporo, his home prefecture team. However, bone chips in his elbow put him out at the end of the season. His return the next year at age 38 was a struggle with Yabuta retiring at the end of the season. However, he became the first EAB pitcher to cross 4500 career strikeouts in this final season.

The final line: 245-180, 2.99 ERA, 3908.1 innings, 4608 strikeouts, 354 quality starts out of 505, and 86.1 WAR. He retired the leader in strikeouts, but also would be the highest ERA pitcher inducted at the time of his induction and a century later, would be one of two Hall of Famers to have 900+ career walks. Still, his longevity and legendary changeup were hard to deny, putting Michiro Yabuta in on the first ballot at 88.0%.



Ji-Hoo Kim – First Baseman – Saitama Sting – 67.6% First Ballot

Ji-Hoo Kim was a 6’0’’, 200 pound right-handed first baseman from Goyang, South Korea. Kim was renowned for having one of the best eyes in baseball history and legendary patience, leading his league in walks in 12 different seasons in his career. He also had solid power and contact as well, making him a feared hitter in the 1920s and 30s. He was a slow and weak baserunner and spent his career entirely at first base defensively, where he was an average fielder. Kim was also a hard worker, making him extremely popular everywhere he went.

Kim had an excellent amateur and semi-pro career, already feared as a hitter when East Asia Baseball was formed in 1921. Kim at age 25 signed with Saitama, the team he’s inducted officially with despite only playing four seasons with them. With the Sting, he had two batting titles, led in OPS three times, and in 1924, lead Japan in WAR at 10.8 for his first MVP.

Fresh off the MVP season, Saitama traded him for prospects to Pyongyang in exchange for three players, including eventual Hall of Fame pitcher Jun-Hyeok Cho. After one season with the Pythons, the now 30-year old Kim signed for the 1926 season with Gwangju. The Grays won two Korea League titles in Kim’s four year tenure, which saw three straight MVPs from 1926 to 1928. He led Korea in homers twice, RBI once, OPS thrice more, and WAR once at 10.3. A herniated disc kept him out for half of the 1929 season, his last with the Grays.

In 1930, the 34-year old Kim left for America; one of the first Korean players to do so successfully. He spent four seasons with MLB’s Houston, then two with Miami. Although not an MVP anymore, he still put up solid seasons and led the American Association in walks drawn four times. At age 40 in 1936, he came back to EAB for one season with Daegu, retiring that offseason.

Between EAB and MLB, Ki had 470 home runs, 94.2 WAR, 2129 hits, 1359 RBI, 1373 runs, and 1596 walks. Even in only 10 EAB seasons, he became the first Hall of Famer to 1000+ walks. His final EAB line was 1397 hits, 865 runs, 308 home runs, 857 RBI, 1042 walks, a .292/.420/.533 slash and 75.5 WAR. His .420 OBP is the all-time top career mark even a century later.

His low overall totals due to leaving for MLB and lack of signature run with one team made him disfavored by many voters, getting only 56.8% on his first ballot. He barely made the cut on try two at 67.6%. But four MVPs and seven Silver Sluggers over 10 seasons is outstanding and earned Ji-Hoo Kim a spot in the EAB Hall of Fame.

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The Bolivar North Division was a tight battle claimed by Barquisimeto by one game. The Black Cats took it at 89-73, just beating out Bogota at 88-74. Last year’s champ Maracaibo fell off hard to 71 wins. In the South Division, the La Paz dynasty continued for a fifth straight title at 104-58. Cali at 99-63 had a good effort, but couldn’t catch the Pump Jacks.

Barquisimeto RF Matias Amaro won his third MVP in four seasons. Amaro led in 1943 in home runs (46), runs (87), walks (77), OBP (.355), and OPS (.912), adding 8.6 WAR and 106 RBI. Bogota’s Arsenio Salgado had a career season with a 25-6 record, 1.70 ERA, 302 strikeouts and 6.9 WAR. He had 33 quality starts out of 36.



Sao Paolo and Buenos Aires both won Liga Cono Sur division titles again in 1943. The Padres cruised to the Brazil Division title at 111-51, while the two-time defending champion Atlantics claimed the South Division at 100-62.

The MVP and Pitcher of the Year awards both went to Sao Paolo players. 25-year old 1B Amadeus Ribeiro earned the third Triple Crown by a Beisbol Sudamerica player with a .323 average, 55 home runs, and 113 RBI. He also led the league in runs (106), hits (195), slugging (.629), OPS (.995), and wRC+ (229). Veteran Danilo Patricio picked up the Pitcher of the Year with the 33-year old signing with the Padres that offseason from Brasilia. Patricio led the league in ERA (1.41), strikeouts (358), WAR (12.0), Quality starts (32), complete games (19), and innings (293.1).

In a rematch of the 1939 Bolivar League Championship Series, La Paz beat Barquisimeto in six games, giving the Pump Jacks their fourth Bolivar title in five seasons. In a rematch of the prior season, Sao Paolo got revenge on Buenos Aires, sweeping them in the Cono Sur Championship for the Padres first title. In Copa Sudamerica, La Paz topped Sao Palo in five games, giving the Pump Jacks a third overall title in their dynasty run. They join Medellin as the only franchises with three Copa Sudamerica titles to date.





Other notes: Cali CF Saul Vargas became the first eight-time Silver Slugger winner. In his final season, La Paz catcher Armando Urquides won his seventh Silver Slugger. Two-way player Ignacio Rola won his seventh as a pitcher. Rio de Janeiro RF Martin Arriaga became the first eight-time Gold Glove winner.

Montevideo’s Raphael Silva threw a perfect game on April 10, striking out 10 against Rosario. Cali’s RJ Correa had a 30-game hit streak, setting the Beisbol Sudamerica record. La Paz’s Mohamed Ramos made it to 6000 career strikeouts while only eight others have even made it to 3000. Valencia’s Mohammed Jimenez became the first BSA batter to both 2000 career hits and 1000 runs scored. Brasilia’s Jose Negron became the second to 1000 career RBI.

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The Japan League North Division was a three team race with five-time defending champ Kawasaki ultimately taking third at 84-78. Saitama was second at 86-76, two games behind Sapporo at 88-74. For the Swordfish, it is their first playoff berth since 1935. The South Division came down to the final day with Osaka at 97-63 besting Kyoto by one game. It’s the third Orange Sox division title and first since 1925. Last year’s Japan champ Kobe tied for third with Nagoya at 87 wins.

Nagoya’s Si-U Gim won his fourth MVP, the first to earn four MVPs in Japan League history. The 28-year old shortstop led in WAR for the fifth time in his career, posting 12.4 while adding 34 home runs and 88 RBI. Sapporo’s Fumio Fujino won Pitcher of the Year in his fifth season. He led in wins (22), strikeouts (317), WHIP (0.73) and K/BB (15.1). Only Drew St. Louis’s 1.54 bested Fujino (1.77) for a Triple Crown. Fujino also won his fifth Gold Glove.



Goyang took the Korea League North Division for the sixth time in eight years; ultimately the final title of this stretch. At 94-68, they ended three games ahead of Pyongyang. Busan claimed the South Division at 103-59 for their ninth division title in 12 seasons.

Green Sox slugger Byung-Oh Tan won his fourth MVP in five seasons. In his age 30 season, Tan led only in WAR at 9.0, but had 41 home runs, 108 RBI, and a .340 average. Tan joins Ji-Hoo Kim as the only four-time Korea League MVPs. Hamhung’s Seung-Jun Pae grabbed Pithcer of the Year with the league lead in ERA (1.54) and WAR (9.3). This would be the career peak for the 29-year old Pae, who would be out of the game by age 33 with multiple torn labrums.

In the 1943 Japan League Championship Series, Osaka downed Sapporo in five games for their third league title and first since 1925. The Korean League Championship Series went seven again and yet again, Busan prevailed over Goyang. That gives the Blue Jays five titles in six years and seven in 11 years, while the Green Sox are denied for the sixth time in eight years. In the East Asian Championship, Osaka bested Busan in six games. The Orange Sox join Busan and Nagoya as the only franchises with three overall titles thus far.





Other notes: Busan’s Yu-Geon Moon became the sixth EAB pitcher to 35000 cereer strikeouts. Nagoya’s Kazuo Udagawa became the eighth pitcher to 200 career wins. MVP Byung-Oh Tan made it to both 2000 career hits and 1000 RBI.

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Chihuahua picked up the 1943 Mexican League North Division title, their first since 1926. The Warriors took it at 93-69 with defending champ Monterrey falling to fifth at 71-91. In the South Division, Ecatepec defeated defending league champ Leon for the title with the Explosion at 97-65, three ahead of the Lions. It’s Ecatepec’s first playoff berth in a decade.

Juarez LF Jeong-Hyeon Pin won his second MVP. The 30-year old Korean led Mexico in slugging (.574), OPS (.947), and wRC+ (191). Chihuahua had the Pitcher of the Year in 31-year old Jovan Williams. The Jamaican veteran had a career season with the league lead in wins (20), ERA (1.86), quality starts (30), and WAR (8.9).



Puerto Rico won a third straight Caribbean League Island Division title with the 99-63 Pelicans beating Santo Domingo by five games. The Continental Division saw defending CABA champ Honduras first for the fifth straight season at 86-76, two better than Salvador and four over Costa Rica.

Puerto Rico RF Pasqualino Yanez won back-to-back MVPs. The 31-year old lefty led the Caribbean in WAR (8.7), OPS (.977), and RBI (121). Salvador’s Alonso De La Garza won his second Pitcher of the Year and first since his rookie year of 1939. De La Garza led the league in WAR (8.7) and FIP- (64) with a 2.56 ERA and 295 stirkeouts.

In the 1943 Mexican League Championship Series, Ecatepec defeated Chihuahua in six games, giving the Explosion their fourth league title and first since 1932. The third straight Caribbean League Championship Series between Puerto Rico and Honduras went to the Pelicans. PR secured the rubber match in six games for their second title in three years and sixth league title overall. The CABA Championship went seven games for the sixth straight season. Ecatepec prevailed over Puerto Rico for the Explosion’s fourth overall title. They join Tijuana as the only four-time CABA Championship winners.





Other notes: Guatemala’s Lanny Lujan and Puerto Rico’s Yves Jean joined the 400 home run club. Santo Domingo’s Ray Reyes and Haiti’s Gabriel Tuitt both joined the 2000 hit club.

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Two-time defending World Series champ Philadelphia won their third straight Eastern League title, going 106-56. Hartford was a strong second at 102-60, the first playoff berth for them since 1935. Last year’s EL wild card Baltimore fell to 87 wins. Cincinnati took the Midwest League for back-to-back series, winning it at 98-64. Omaha was again the wild card, earning a fourth straight playoff berth. The Hawks at 91-71 finished one game better than Minneapolis.

Moose two-way player Jared Lee won back-to-back MVPs. As a pitcher, the 25-year old Lee had 4.7 WAR and led in strikeouts at 241. As a left fielder, he added 5.6 WAR, 32 home runs, 92 RBI, and a .326 average. Kansas City’s Bray Spalding in his third year grabbed Pitcher of the Year, leading the National Association in WAR (8.5), innings (268.2) and FIP- (67).

In the first round, Philadelphia defeated Omaha and Hartford knocked off Cincinnati; both in four games. The 1943 NACS went to the Phillies in six games over the Huskies, giving Philadelphia a third straight National Association title.



The Southern League was a three-team battle at the top between Charlotte, Dallas, and Houston. The Canaries and Dalmatians tied for first at 91-71 with the Hornets two behind. The tiebreaker went to Dallas for back-to-back league titles, while Charlotte gets their eight playoff berth in the last 11 years. Five teams were within five games of first in the Western League in 1943. Albuquerque at 98-64 took the title for the first time since 1936. Vancouver and Los Angeles tied for second at 95-68, both two games ahead of Calgary and San Diego. In a one-game playoff for the wild card spot, the Volcanoes defeated the Angels.

The MVP and Pitcher of the Year both went to Dallas. In his second season, LF Conrad Mill picked up MVP with an American Association best 1.060 OPS, .642 slugging, and 179 wRC+. He had 7.3 WAR, 40 home runs, and 118 RBI. 26-year old Brentley Suka won the Pitcher of the Year with a 21-1 record, 2.92 ERA, 247 strikeouts, 24 complete games, and 8.0 WAR. Also of note, San Diego’s Victor Porter won back-to-back Reliever of the Year, setting an AA record with 6.0 WAR for the award winner at 1.41 ERA and 39 saves.

In the first round, Dallas survived Vancouver in five games and Albuquerque topped Charlotte in four games. In the AACS, Dallas defeated Albuquerque in six games, giving the Dalmatians back-to-back American Association titles and their fourth overall. The 1943 World Series of a rematch of the prior year with the same ultimate result; Philadelphia over Dallas, this time in six games. The Phillies join the 1910-12 Houston Hornets as the only teams to three-peat as MLB champion. Philadelphia now has five World Series titles, behind only the Hornets at six.





Other notes: 10-time Mexican League MVP Kiko Velazquez made his MLB debut with Las Vegas and at age 36, led the AA with 140 RBI. Albuquerque’s Bill Tan set a single season record with 93 stolen bases in his second season. As of nearly a century later, he would be the only MLB player to crack 90+ in a season and would hold four of the eight instances of someone stealing 80+.

Buffalo’s Dale Brooks became the 15^th MLB player to 3000 career hits. Brooks also Joined the 1500 RBI club along with Caleb Yang and Kent Price. Yang also made it to 1500 runs scored. Atlanta’s Patrick Iannazzo became the 12^th pitcher to 250 career wins. Houston’s Rovaldis Arvelo became the second to 400 career saves, passing Jim Klattenburger for the top spot on the all-time leaderboard.

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The 1944 Major League Baseball Hall of Fame Class saw two players inducted, both getting in on their sixth attempt. 3B Franz Bolt received 77.2% to get in, while SP Dee Walters squeaked in at 66.4%, just above the 66% threshold required to get in. 3B Brantley Lloyd on his second ballot barely missed it at 64.5%. 2B Kenny Goldman on his fourth try got 59.3%. CL Noah Pugliese, 1B Israel Bishop, and RF Jake Nicholson were the others above 50%.



Bishop was dropped after his 10^th try at the Hall and hovering around the 50% mark most years. The Grenadan first baseman peaked at 58.5% on his fourth try. He played with New Orleans, Atlanta, and Minneapolis and won American Association MVP in 1922. Bishop’s stats were 2218 hits, 1144 runs, 385 home runs, 1245 RBI, a .312/.368/.527 slash and 64.8 WAR.

Also making his 10^th ballot and falling off was RF Boswell Lindsey, ending at 7.7% and peaking at 24.7% on his second try. Primarily with Tampa in his 18 years, he had 2465 hits, 1317 runs, 513 home runs, 1525 RBI, and 60.9 WAR. Another notable who only made it to his eighth ballot was RF Jonathan Goldstein. He was a two time MVP and had a 56 and 52 home run season in his first two full seasons, finishing with 567 homers on 2553 hits and 68.7 WAR. Despite that, he peaked at 23.7% on his first try.



Franz Bolt – Third Baseman – Nashville Knights – 77.2% Sixth Ballot

Franz Bolt was a 5’11’’, 195 pound third baseman born in Weiden in the southeast state of Bavaria in modern Germany. He’s the first German-born MLB Hall of Famer, moving to America as a teenager and playing college baseball at Vanderbilt. Bolt was a great contact hitter with solid gap power and excellent baserunning skills, although he had average at best speed. He played essentially his entire career at third base and was considered a below average fielder.

Bolt had a great college career at Vanderbilt, finishing second in the 1915 NCAA MVP voting. Despite that, he wasn’t picked until the fourth round of the 1915 MLB Draft, picked 155^th overall by Nashville. He immediately became a solid starter, earning 1916 Rookie of the Year. He spent seven seasons with the Knights and apart from a terrible 1920, was a solid contributor throughout his run. With the Knights, he put up 26.0 WAR and 1248 hits.

Nashville was a bottom-rung team in Bolt’s run and in 1923, he left and signed a five-year deal with Denver. In his third year with the Dragons in 1925, he had career bests in average (.348), WAR (.7.0) and RBI (114) and was the American Association Championship MVP, helping Denver to their first World Series title. He took second in overall MVP voting, his only time getting that close. This would be Bolt’s only time getting to play postseason baseball, but he earned a ring.

Despite all of the positives, Bolt decided to opt out of his Denver contract hoping for a big payday. He signed with the New York Yankees and during that run, picked up his 200^th career hit, 1000^th RBI, and 1000^th run. He got his second Silver Slugger in 1927. His four years with the Yankees had his highest career WAR with one team at 26.9, but New York never made the playoffs.

Bolt again opted out early and signed a big deal with Vancouver for the 1930 at age 35. Unfortunately, his production fell off hard in his time with the Volcanoes. In his four years there, he earned his 3000^th hit; the ninth player to cross that threshold.

The final line: 3062 hits, 1568 runs, 484 doubles, 375 home runs, 1485 RBI, a .299/.360/.468 slash and 76.5 WAR. Very solid career totals, but he was never a league leader or powerhouse. That, plus his lack of a signature run with one team kept him on the outside in the initial Hall of Fame voting. He barely missed on his fourth try at 65.7%, but finally crossed the 66% threshold at 77.2% to earn his spot in the MLB Hall of Fame.



Dee Walters – Starting Pitcher – Hartford Huskies – 66.4% Sixth Ballot

Dee Walters was a 5’10’’, 185 pound right-handed pitcher from West Haven, Connecticut. Walters wasn’t a dominant pitcher, but was considered pretty well rounded overall. He peaked at 94-96 mph velocity with four pitches; an extreme groundballer with a sinker, splitter, changeup, and curveball. Walters was reliable and considered a well-liked leader in the clubhouse.

Walters played college baseball at Northwestern and was drafted 44^th overall in the 1916 MLB Draft by Hartford. The Huskies kept him in the minor league in his first two seasons as a pro and part of his fourth season, as the Huskies were a top team in the Eastern League. They were the 1920 National Association champ and remained a winning team in Walters’ tenure, but would only make the playoffs once more in his run.

In his time with the Huskies, Walters was 148-111 with a 3.34 ERA, 1650 strikeouts over 2392.2 innings, and 48.0 WAR. After being a good, not great starter for most of his run, he had a career year in 1928 at age 32 with 7.8 ERA and 2.62 ERA, placing him third in Pitcher of the Year voting.

Deciding to sell high, Hartford traded Walters to Houston for prospects. In his one season with the Hornets, Walters won his lone Pitcher of the Year with 8.4 WAR, 20-0 record, 3.20 ERA and 20 complete games. He got rocked in his one postseason start, then opted to try free agency. Walters signed a four-year deal with San Diego.

He put up four strong seasons with the Seals, putting up 23.7 WAR with a 73-45 record and 3.15 ERA. After the 1933 season at age 38, Walters said it was time to call it quits to pursue other things. His final line was 241-165, 3.27 ERA, 3762.1 innings, 2527 strikeouts, 315 quality starts out of 483 and 80.1 WAR. His lack of dominance hurt him with some Hall of Fame voters, although he was always above 50%. His fifth try he got to 63.8%, finally crossing the 66% threshold at 66.4% in his sixth go and earning induction.

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The 1944 Central American Baseball Association Hall of Fame class saw two first ballot inductees, both over the 90% mark. SP Noah Nieveld was nearly unanimous at 99.7% and SP Pablo Gonzalez got to 91.5%. Two others crossed 50% but were still out; another SP Aitor Moreno and 2B Junior Mota. No CABA players were 10^th ballot drops in 1944.



Noah “Toro” Nieveld – Starting Pitcher – Santo Domingo Dolphins – 99.7% First Ballot

Noah Nieveld was a 6’0’’, 195 pound right-handed pitcher born in Sint Nicolas, Aruba. The first Aruban to make the CABA Hall of Fame, “Toro” had a 96-98 fastball and incredible movement on a knuckle curve and changeup, plus a decent slider. Weak control plagued him at times; he has more walks (1036) than any CABA Hall of Famer. However, his excellent movement and stuff, plus a strong work ethic, made up for it.

After an excellent amateur run in Aruba, Santo Domingo drafted Nieveld eighth overall in the 1923 CABA draft. After limited time as a rookie, he then spent the next eight seasons as the Dolphins ace. In 1927, Nieveld played a big role in Santo Domingo winning the CABA championship with three solid starts in the postseason run. In 1928, Nieveld earned his lone Pitcher of the Year with a Triple Crown season of 22-7, 1.81 ERA, and 337 strikeouts with 11.1 WAR.

Despite his individual success, the 1927 championship was their only playoff berth in his tenure. With Santo Domingo, Nieveld had 60.5 WAR, 141-84 record, 2.61 ERA, and 2346 strikeouts. He also had a no-hitter in 1927 against Santiago. He was second in Pitcher of the Year voting in 1929 and 1930.

After the 1932 season, Santo Domingo traded him to the other side of the Dominican Republic to Santiago, where Nieveld spent the final six seasons of his career. The Sailfish improved, but only made the playoffs once in Nieveld’s tenure. In 1935, he was second in Pitcher of the Year voting again with a Caribbean-best 1.74 ERA. In 1937, a strained oblique caused him to miss the last two months of the season. Then in 1938, the now 36-year old Nieveld started to struggle, retiring at the end of the season. He was able to throw his second no-hitter in that last season against Salvador.

Nieveld’s final line: 224-136, 2.65 ERA, 3431.1 innings, 1036 walks, 3728 strikeouts, 327/451 quality starts, and 88.9 WAR. One of the best pitchers of the 1920s and 1930s and the first star from Aruba, Nieveld is well deserving of a spot in the CABA Hall of Fame.



Pablo Gonzalez – Starting Pitcher – Puebla Pumas – 91.5% First Ballot

Pablo Gonzalez was a 5’10’’, 195 pound right-handed pitcher from Villahermosa, a city in the southeastern Mexican state of Tabasco. Gonzalez had 97-99 mph velocity with very good movement and control with his best pitch an excellent cutter. He mixed that with a slider, splitter, and changeup. He was a good defender with a Gold Glove to his name in 1933.

Gonzalez was the fourth overall draft pick by Puebla in the 1922 CABA Draft and would spend 14 of his 16 seasons of professional baseball with the Pumas. After only 11 innings in 1923, he became a full-time starter after that. He never won Pitcher of the Year, but came close many times. He was second in voting in 1927, 1928, and 1931, while taking third in 1929 and 1930. He was also third in MVP voting in 1928.

In 1928, Gonzalez also put up 23 playoff innings with a 1.57 ERA to help Puebla to their first CABA championship. He had career bests in wins (20), ERA 91.74), and strikeouts (305). That would be their only playoff appearance in Gonzalez’s run. He had 76.3 WAR, 2.39 ERA, 173-137 record, and 2966 with the Pumas. They would retire his #7 jersey after he retired.

In 1934, a sore shoulder and broken kneecap knocked him out for the second half and shoulder inflammation caused Gonzalez to miss almost all of 1935. He came back with an 8.0 WAR season in 1936 at age 34, his final season with Puebla. The Pumas opted to trade him for prospects to Santiago, where he had a decent 1937. He signed with Ecatepec for three seasons in 1938, but only had eight outings with them as elbow ligament reconstruction surgery ended his career.

Gonzalez’s final line: 188-154, 2.47 ERA, 3302 innings, 3176 strikeouts with only 534 walks, 306/415 quality starts and 81.1 WAR. His accumulated stats aren’t high on the leaderboards, but his ERA compares well with other Hall of Famers. One of the top pitchers of the Mexican League in the 20s and 30s and a big part of Puebla’s first CABA title, Gonzalez earned his spot as a first ballot Hall of Famer.

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Two players received induction in the 1944 East Asia Baseball Hall of Fame class. On his first ballot, pitcher Hyung-Mo So earned a spot at 89.9%. Another pitcher, Kil-Sung Min, squeaked in on the smallest of margins on his third try at 66.1%, just above the 66% threshold. SP Jun-Hyeok Cho barely missed on his first try at 63.3%. 3B Kisho Miura also had a strong showing at 59.6% on his sixth try, but is still out for now.



No players in the EAB ballot were 10-timers. One notable dropped on his eighth ballot was CF Hyeon-Seong Kang, who put up 58.7 WAR in nine seasons with Pyongyang, along with a MVP in 1930. However, he left for Brooklyn after that MVP seasons to sink his EAB tallies. He peaked at 26.4% on his second go.



Hyung-Mo So – Pitcher – Seongnam Spiders – 89.9% First Ballot

Hyong-Mo So was a 5’10’’, 200 pound left-handed pitcher born in Ulsan, South Korea. So had a stellar 98-100 mph cutter that sawed off many bats and mixed it with a strong curveball. He also had a weak changeup, but was essentially a two-pitch guy. This led to So being a reliever early on, but he proved he could be a strong starter. Although a great pitcher, So was not well liked by most players and fans; with words like “lazy,” “dumb,” and “rude,” being used to describe him.

After a strong amateur career, So was picked second overall in the 1924 EAB Draft by Seongnam, where he would spend his entire professional career. The Spiders wouldn’t make the playoffs at any point in So’s run, but he was their best player in most of those years. He was placed in the bullpen as a rookie and spent his second through fourth seasons as a closer. In 1928, he was the Korea League Reliever of the Year with an excellent 0.31 ERA in 87.1 innings for 6.5 WAR and 34 saves.

After that season, Seongnam put So in the rotation and he excelled as the 1929 Pitcher of the Year with a 21-5 record, 1.73 ERA, 295 strikeouts, and 9.9 WAR. The next year, he led in strikeouts at 322 and had a staggering 12.2 WAR, but stunningly was second in Pitcher of the Year voting. He was third in 1931, third in 1932, and second in 1933. In 1934 at age 30, he won his second Pitcher of the Year with 24 wins and 28 quality starts and a 2.00 ERA. In 1935, a collection of injuries started to limit his starts and productivity. In 1937, he required elbow ligament reconstruction surgery. He only pitched once in 1938 and retired at age 35 with his #67 retired that year.

His final stats: 154-99 record, 105 saves, 2.21 ERA, 2249 innings, 2601 strikeouts, 192/270 quality starts and 80.3 WAR. He was dominant in his prime, although his start in the bullpen and early retirement to injury kept his final tallies a bit lower than some other Hall of Famers. His lousy personality and Seongnam’s lack of playoff success hurt him too, but his peak dominance was undeniable, earning Hyung-Mo So a spot in the EAB Hall of Fame.



Kil-Sung Min – Starting Pitcher – Pyongyang Pythons – 66.1% Third Ballot

Kil-Sung Min was a 6’2’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher born in Seoul, South Korea. Min had a 96-98 mph fastball, great curveball, and solid changeup. He was known for solid stuff and control. As a 15-year old, he was signed as a developmental prospect by Pyongyang in late 1921. After developing his skills, he debuted as a reliever at age 21, then a full-time starter after.

His Pythons tenure was eight seasons, including the 1930 Korea League Pitcher of the Year with a 21-8 record, 2.21 ERA, 12.1 K/BB and 8.0 WAR. In 1934, he took second in PotY voting. Pyongyang won four North Division titles during Min’s tenure, taking the Korea League title in 1929 and 1932. He was a solid postseason pitcher, posting a 2.46 ERA in 12 starts with 91.1 innings and 88 strikeouts.

With his success, at age 29, Min opted to head to America, signing with Albuquerque for the 1935 season. He’d make as much money in his first year with the Isotopes as he had made in his last three seasons with Pyongyang. He never was dominant in MLB and wasn’t much more than a fourth or fifth in the rotation starter or long reliever.

Albuquerque traded him at the 1939 deadline to Washington, where he finished the 1939 season and pitched in 1940. He signed with New Orleans for 1941, but suffered a torn labrum in spring training and retired without logging a pitch for the Mudcats.

Between the two leagues, he had 199 wins, a 3.05 ERA, 2752 strikeouts, and 56.2 WAR. His EAB run over eight years as 143-63, 2.41 ERA, 2044 strikeouts over 1930.2 innings, and 44.7 WAR. An impressive burst, but many voters felt it wasn’t enough to justify induction. Still, enough voters were impressed enough to keep him above 60% each year on the ballot, finally getting in on his third try at 66.1%, sliding barely past the 66% threshold. He would often be cited decades later by small hall advocates as someone undeserving. Regardless, Kil-Sung Min is in.

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For the sixth straight season, La Paz won the Bolivar League South Division. The top four records in the league were in the division with the Pump Jacks first at 104-58, seven ahead of Guayaquil and 11 up on Cali. The North Division was weak but competitive with Medellin and Maracaibo battling. The Mutiny took the title at 83-79, one ahead of the Mariners. It’s Medellin’s first playoff berth since winning Copa Sudamerica in 1937.

In his first full season at age 22, Medellin 2B Jayden Simon won the MVP. From French Guiana, Simon led the Bolivar League in WAR (9.0) and doubles (37). La Paz’s Mohamed Ramos won his seventh and ultimately final Pitcher of the Year. Now age 35, Ramos led in strikeouts again at 411 and WHIP (0.73) while posting 8.8 WAR and a 1.79 ERA. Ramos has led in strikeouts 13 different seasons. He passed 6500 career Ks in late September; no one else has gotten to 4000 yet.



Sao Paolo and Buenos Aires for the third straight season are the two division winners in the Southern Cone League. The Padres rolled to the Brazil Division title at 109-53. The Atlantics took the South Division at 102-60, seven games ahead of Cordoba. Buenos Aires has now taken four straight division titles.

Sao Paolo 2B Leudy Perales won the MVP at age 34, leading the league in hits (181), and runs (102) while posting 10.4 WAR and a .305 average. Rio de Janeiro’s Timoteo Caruso grabbed his fourth Pitcher of the Year. The 30-year old ace didn’t lead the league in any stats, but still had a stellar year with a 1.38 ERA, 327 strikeouts, and 10.2 WAR.

The Bolivar League final went to La Paz in six games of Medellin, giving the Pump Jacks their third straight league title and fifth in six seasons. In the third Southern Cone final meeting between Sao Paolo and Buenos Aires, the Padres took it in six. Sao Paolo now has back-to-back titles. In a Copa Sudamerica rematch, the Padres got revenge and defeated the Pump Jacks in six games. With that, Sao Paolo claims their first overall title.





Other notes: On July 1, Caracas’s Domingo Ojeda threw a perfect game with nine strikeouts against Bogota. Danilo Patricio, Ivo Sovereira, and Cato Arias became the third, fourth, and fifth pitchers to 200 career wins. Cali’s Saul Vargas became the second BSA hitter to 2000 hits. Vargas also became the first nine-time Silver Slugger winner at CF. Callao’s Barry Huaman became the second to 400 home runs.

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The 1944 Japan League saw both Sapporo and Osaka win division titles for back-to-back seasons. The Swordfish took the North Division at 90-72, finishing three games ahead of Kawasaki. The defending champ Orange Sox had the best record overall at 106-56, 13 games ahead of Nagoya in the South Division.

Osaka 1B Yu-Jin Kim grabbed his second MVP. The 30-year old led Japan in WAR (9.1), home runs (48), RBI (110), runs (100), OBP (.372), slugging (.586), OPS (.958) and wRC+ (218). Kobe’s Drew St. Louis grabbed his record fifth Pitcher of the Year. St. Louis at age 30 was three ERA points away from a Triple Crown with 22 wins, a 1.66 ERA, and 364 strikeouts. He also led Japan in WAR at 9.4.



Pyongyang won the Korea League North Division for the first time since 1932 as the Pythons finished 101-61. Goyang, who generally controlled the division for the last decade, fell hard to sixth at 71-91. Busan continued their control of the South Division at 100-62, five games ahead of Yongin. It would give the Blue Jays 10 division titles in 13 seasons.

The Pythons 1B Jae-Ha Cho had a career year for the MVP. The 30-year old led Korea in WAR (8.5), runs (112), homers (49), slugging (.630), OPS (.986), and wRC+ (173). It would be his penultimate EAB season, as he left for Brooklyn once he was able post-war in 1946. Busan’s Ye-Geon Moon won his record seventh Pitcher of the Year. It would be the last stellar season for the 36-year old lefty, leading in WHIP (0.87) and posting 2.30 ERA, 298 strikeouts, and an 8.2 WAR. On September 10, Moon became the first EAB pitcher to 250 career wins.

The 1944 JLCS rematch saw Sapporo get revenge on Osaka, as the Spiders took the series in six. Sapporo gets their fourth Japan League title and first since 1933. In the KLCS, Busan edged Pyongyang 4-3 to give the Blue Jays six Korea League titles in seven years and nine overall. The East Asian Championship was a seven game classic with Busan prevailing over Sapporo for their fourth overall title. The Blue Jays are the first franchise to four EAB titles. This would mark the end of Busan’s dominance, as they wouldn’t get back to the KLCS until 1971. Still, their sustained run remains one of the most impressive in EAB history.





Other notes: Nagoya’s Danzu Min became the first EAB hitter to 600 career home runs. At this point, he’s one of only three to get to 500. Sapporo’s Ichirouta Oya became the seventh pitcher to 3500 strikeouts and the ninth to 200 wins. Kyoto’s Tokugoro Takahashi became the second to 400 career saves. Goyang’s Byung-Oh Tan won his 10^th Silver Slugger, the first EAB player to win the honor 10 times.

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In the 1944 Mexican League, Hermosillo took the North Division at 88-74, three ahead of defending division champ Chihuahua. It’s the Hyenas first playoff berth since 1933. Ecatepec had the best overall record to win the South Division at 99-63, five games better than last year’s league champ Leon and six games ahead of Mexico City. The Explosion earn back-to-back division titles.

Leading the Hyenas was 3B Paco Luna, securing MVP at age 27. The career year for Luna saw him lead Mexico in the triple slash (.347/.415/.599) for a 1.014 OPS, 208 wRC+, and 9.5 WAR. The Aztecs had the Pitcher of the Year in veteran Ward Wellman. The 34-year old American won his second, having also done it eight years earlier. Wellman led Mexico in wins (21), WHIP (0.91), and WAR (6.5) with a 2.20 ERA.



Puerto Rico won a fourth consecutive Caribbean League Island Division title. The Pelicans won a competitive division at 97-65, holding off Santiago (94-68) and Santo Domingo (91-71). In a weak Continental Division, Salvador won their first title since 1931. The Stallions went 84-78, three games ahead of Nicaragua. Honduras, who had won it the prior five years, fell to a fifth place 71 wins.

Havana RF Renato Ortivez won the league MVP and a Triple Crown in his third season. He’s the first CABA hitter not named Kiko Velazquez to earn the honor, posting a .331 average, 45 home runs, and 111 RBI. Ortivez also led the Caribbean in OBP (.389), slugging (.643), OPS (1.032), and wRC+ (183). Salvador’s Alonso De La Garza grabbed his third Pitcher of the Year award. The 29-year old Guatemalan led the league in ERA (2.20) and WAR (10.2) with 274 strikeouts over 274.1 innings.

The 1944 Mexican League Championship Series went seven games for the first time since 1939. Ecatepec prevailed over Hermosillo to give the Explosion back-to-back titles and their fifth in franchise history. The Caribbean League Championship Series saw Puerto Rico win in six over Salvador, giving the Pelicans their third title in four years and seventh overall. The CABA Championship went only five games with Puerto Rico dropping Ecatepec. The Pelicans get their second CABA title, joining the 1925 season.





Other notes: Monterrey’s Ernesto Urbina became the fourth CABA pitcher to 250 career wins. Felipe Morales and Ward Wellman both got to 200 wins. Morales also crossed 3500 strikeouts, the ninth to do so. Catcher Chip Perez of Juarez earned his 11^th Silver Slugger, matching the mark of Hall of Famer Mar Pavia. Leon’s Emmanuel Zavala got his 10^th Silver Slugger at shortstop. Jamaica SS Thomas Rheault became only the second Caribbean League player to earn 10 Gold Gloves.

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In 1944, Hartford was able to dethrone three-time defending World Series champ Philadelphia for first in the Eastern League. The Huskies finished 105-57 for their first EL title since 1920. The Phillies still grabbed the wild card at 103-59, tied for the second best record in MLB. Minneapolis took the Midwest League at 96-66, their first playoff berth since 1934 and first ML crown since 1928. Cincinnati extended their postseason streak to three years by taking second at 92-70.

The Moose had SP/OF Jared Lee win his third straight MVP award. The 26-year old as a pitcher had a 17-4 record, 3.43 ERA, 194 strikeouts and 4.0 WAR. In the outfielder, he added 26 home runs, 79 RBI, a .359 average and 5.1 WAR. With three MVPs by 26, he seemed on his way to a Hall of Fame career, but although he played into his late 30s, this would be his last year able to play full-time in a season. Brooklyn’s Carter Hicks won Pitcher of the Year. The 25-year old led the National Association in ERA (2.40), strikeouts (283), quality starts (28), and WAR (8.7).

In the first round of the playoffs, Hartford topped Cincinnati in four games and Philadelphia swept Minneapolis. In a highly anticipated NACS rematch, the Phillies swept the Huskies to give Philadelphia its fourth straight National Association title. It is also their sixth NA title, passing Ottawa for the lead outright.



Two-time defending American Association champ Dallas won the Southern League for the third straight season, posting their best record in the stretch at 104-58. Nashville took second at 100-62 to earn their first playoff spot since 1925 and only third-ever playoff berth. Los Angeles took the Western League at 100-62, their first playoff appearance since 1938 and first WL title since 1926. Denver at 95-67 took the second place spot, three games better than last year’s WL champ Albuquerque. It’s the first playoff spot since the Dragons won the 1938 World Series.

Taking the 1944 American Association was Nashville CF Choo Crass. The 24-year old led the AA in doubles (45) and WAR (7.5). Dallas’s Vinny Elliott earned the Pitcher of the Year. He had been traded to the Dalmatians the prior year from San Antonio. Elliott had the AA lead in WAR (9.2), strikeouts (293) and complete games (22) with a 2.85 ERA.

The First Round saw the second place teams get road upsets; Denver edged Dallas in five games and Nashville knocked off Los Angeles in four. The Knights swept the Dragons to give Nashville their first American Association title. The underdog Knights gave Philadelphia a respectable fight, but the Phillies dynasty continued. Philadelphia won the 1944 World Series in six games over Nashville, becoming the first team in MLB history to win four straight Fall Classics. Ultimately, they would be the only franchise in the 20^th Century to win four straight.





Other notes: Albuquerque’s Brad Berg and Omaha’s Rodrigo Reta both passed 500 home runs and 1500 career RBI. San Diego’s Aubin Shrauger, and Kansas City’s Purvis Jones each also crossed 500 dingers. Omaha’s Kaby Silva crossed 1500 runs scored.

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The 1945 MLB Hall of Fame Class had four players inducted; three on the first ballot. SP Brandon Scott and 1B Robert Ross were both no-doubt picks with Scott getting 99.0% and Ross at 96.8%. 1B Phil Stelluto also made it on the first try at 76.4%. Joining them on his third try on the ballot was 3B Brantley Lloyd. Closer Noah Pugliese missed out on his second try with a respectable 58.0%. SP Rush Anest and 1B Emanuel McCain each were around 50%.



McCain gets dropped after his 10^th go on the ballot. McCain played for Buffalo, Houston, and Montreal and tallied 2314 hits, 1273 runs, 422 home runs, 1359 RBI, a .307 average, and 67.9 WAR. He stayed around the 40-50% range each year but was never dominant enough to get the attention required for induction.

Two others also were dropped after 10 tries on the ballot. Tyler Peterson was a three-time Reliever of the Year with a 17-year career between nine times. He had 314 saves, a 1.49 ERA, and 45.2 WAR, which are comparable numbers to other relievers who got the nod. He ended at 10.8% after peaking at 47.1% on his second ballot. Also dropped was LF Cam Lloyd, the 1918 MVP. Apart from the MVP season, he never had any huge numbers, compiling 2317 MLB hits, 1303 runs, 466 home runs, 1388 RBI, and 49.6 WAR. Lloyd ended at 7% and peaked in his debut on the ballot at 25%.



Brandon Scott – Starting Pitcher – Brooklyn Dodgers – 99.0% First Ballot

Brandon Scott was a 6’2’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from South Farmingdale, a small town on Long Island, New York. Scott threw hard with a 98-100 mph fastball which he mixed with a strong slider and changeup. Scott also had incredible stamina and durability, as he had the second most innings pitched all-time at the time of retirement.

Scott pitched at Kansas in college and helped lead the Jayhawks to the 1920 College World Series title. In the 1921 MLB Draft, he was picked 21^st overall by the Brooklyn Dodgers. Brooklyn was a bottom-tier franchise during the 1920s, but Scott was a bright spot in his eight seasons as a Dodger. He finished with a 111-117 record, 3.32 ERA, 1551 strikeouts over 2049.1 innings and 39.6 WAR with the Dodgers. He’d ultimately get his #9 retired by Brooklyn and chose to get inducted with the Dodgers, embracing the franchise as a native New York.

However, his best and most notable statistical run came in his 30s with Miami. The Dodgers traded him to the Mallards for five prospects before the 1930 season at age 29. Miami made playoff appearances from 1930-32 and in 1931, won the World Series. Scott was the Pitcher of the Year in 1931 with a career-best 24 wins with a 2.77 ERA and 6.7 WAR.

After dealing with losing records often in Brooklyn, Scott had five 20+ win seasons with the Mallards. In 1933, he led the American Association in WAR at 7.7 to earn his second Pitcher of the Year. In 1936 at age 35, he won his third PotY, leading for the first time in his career in ERA (2.36) and WHIP (0.99). In eight seasons with Miami, he had a 155-92 record, 3.01 ERA, 1635 strikeouts over 2237.2 innings, and 48.6 WAR.

In 1938 at age 37, Scott became a free agent and signed with Montreal. Incredibly durable through his career, age and a rotator cuff injury caused Scott to struggle in his first year as a Maple. His second year, he only started about half the season before getting benched, retiring at the end of the 1939 campaign at the age of 38.

Scott’s final statistics: 279-231, 3.22 ERA, 4603 innings, 3384 strikeouts, 1309 walks, 382/592 quality starts, and a 92.5 WAR. At retirement, he was only behind Newton Persaud (328) in wins, although the longevity meant he also only trailed Persaud in losses (241). Scott was incredibly reliable and a big part of Miami’s early 1930s success. Few pitchers in the 1920s and 30s could be counted on quite like Brandon Scott, earning him a near unanimous first ballot induction.



Robert Ross – First Baseman – Ottawa Elks – 96.8% First Ballot

Robert Ross was a 5’11’’, 200 pound left-handed first baseman from Terrebonne, a suburb of Montreal. Ross was an very good power hitter with solid contact and walk-drawing skills. He struck out more than you’d like, but made up for it with extra-base hits. Ross had decent speed and was a very intelligent baserunner. He played exclusively at first base and was generally a below average to poor defender.

Ross went to the United States to play college baseball for Colorado, finishing second in the NCAA MVP voting in his junior season. This got him noticed and picked by Ottawa 22^nd overall in the 1922 MLB Draft. Apart from his final season, Ross played his entire 17 year professional career with the Elks and became synonymous with their Eastern League success. After splitting his rookie season between the majors and minors, Ross became the full time first base starter for the next 14 years.

1924 would be the first playoff appearance in an 18 year stretch that would have 15 playoff berths, five World Series appearances and three titles. The Elks won it all in 1924 and Ross was the World Series MVP, posting six home runs and 16 RBI in their postseason run at only the age of 22. The Elks would win the National Association title again in 1925, falling in the WS to Denver. They’d win it all again in 1929.

Ross’s best individual season was 1926, his lone MVP season. He led the NA in runs (130), home runs (49), RBI (144), OBP (.416), slugging (.702), OBP (1.118), wRC+ (218), and WAR (9.9). He took third in MVP voting in 1929 and 1932. He was top five in RBI seven straight seasons. He led in home runs with 55 in 1932 and was top three in homers seven times. Despite this, he only won Silver Slugger once as his career since he shared a position with the possible GOAT Elijah Cashman in his first half and Kaby Silva in his second half.

Where Ross beats those two is postseason production. Ross retired with 28 postseason home runs, a record that held nearly a century even with the expanded postseason starting in the 1950s. He added 61 RBI, 3.8 WAR, 99 hits, and 63 runs in 95 playoff games. The Elks won it all in 1924 and 1929, and were NA champ in 1925 and 1938.

In the early 1930s, Ottawa was a playoff regular, but saw numerous early exists. They finally got back to the World Series in 1938; Ross’s final season with the team. He was a consistent stud in his 20s, but in his 30s had dropped to merely good. Never injured, Ross became a split-starter in that final season at age 36, only getting 15 postseason at bats in that final run. However, he did become the fourth MLB player to pass 600 home runs in that final year.

The Elks would get their third overall ring of that run in 1940, but Ross wouldn’t be around. He was let go and signed in 1939 with New Orleans. He did collect his 2500^th career hit with the Mudcats, but retired after one uneventful season at the age of 37. His #12 jersey was retired by Ottawa that year.

The final career line for Ross: 2563 hits, 1680 runs, 454 doubles, 626 home runs, 1735 RBI, 1023 walks, a .285/.357/.563 slash, and 84.0 WAR. Had he not shared his career with Elijah Cashman, Ross would have certainly grabbed more awards. But his resume on its own is impressive before you factor in him being a big-time playoff performer and a key part to Ottawa’s nearly two decades of Eastern League success. Ross was an easy choice to get inducted at 96.8%.



Phil Stelluto – First Baseman – Pittsburgh Pirates – 76.4% First Ballot

Phil Stelluto was a 6’5’’, 200 pound switch-hitting first baseman from Sanatoga, a small town in eastern Pennsylvania. Stelluto was a strong all-around hitter with good contact, home run power, and eye. He played almost exclusively at first base and was considered an above average to good defender. As a baserunner, he was generally below average.

Stelluto played college baseball at Notre Dame and was picked in the second round, 79^th overall, in the 1921 MLB Draft by Pittsburgh. He’d spend his entire 17-year pro career with the Pirates and be a full-time starter for 15 of those years. After spending most of 1922 and 1923 in the minors, he became the full time starter from 1924 until 1938, making 140+ starts each of those years.

Stelluto was consistently very good, but rarely a league leader. He led in RBI in 1924 (139) and 1928 (124) and had six 40+ home run seasons and 10 seasons of 100+ RBI. He was batter of the month six times in his career, but never won a Silver Slugger or MVP. Being stuck in the National Association alongside the peaks of other first basemen Elijah Cashman, Robert Ross, and Kaby Silva, meant that he was generally overlooked. Not helping was the fact that Pittsburgh only made the playoffs once in his tenure and were typically an average to mediocre team.

Still, his final numbers are very strong. 2449 hits, 1487 runs, 321 doubles, 570 home runs, 1655 RBI, 1168 walks, a .280/.368/.528 slash and 85.9 WAR. His #51 was the first number to be retired by the Pirates. A century later, no one has played more games or gotten more hits with Pittsburgh. He’s often a forgotten slugger in the all-time conversations, but he was the lone bright spot for the Pirates in the 1920s and 30s and a hitter worthy of a spot in the Hall of Fame.



Brantley Lloyd – Third Baseman – San Francisco Gold Rush – 74.2% Third Ballot

Brantley Lloyd was a 5’10’’, 170 pound left-handed better from the small town northwest Oregon town of Canby. Lloyd was a pretty good contact hitter and a great baserunner, leading the American Association in stolen bases three times. He was solid at drawing walks and had decent power. He played second base in college and at the very beginning of his pro career, but spent the vast majority of his career at third base, where he was considered a very solid defender.

Lloyd played college baseball at Arizona at was selected ninth overall in the 1916 MLB Draft by San Francisco. Of his 21 year MLB career, 19 of those were spent with the Gold Rush. He became a full-time starter in his second year and held onto the role throughout, although nagging injuries in his 30s would cause him to miss a few weeks each season near the end. Lloyd’s best season was 1920 at age 24, leading the American Association in runs (136), stolen bases (53), and WAR (7.8), getting him third in MVP voting. He won three Silver Sluggers, finished in the top five in WAR five times and in runs five times.

He was drafted right as San Francisco began a run as the powerhouse of the Western League. The Gold Rush made the playoffs 11 times in Lloyd’s tenure, winning the WL eight times, the AA three times, and the World Series title once in 1921. Lloyd put up 82 postseason hits, 64 runs, 15 home runs, and 47 RBI in 73 playoff games. He wasn’t atop many leaderboards, but the Gold Rush knew they could get reliable production at 3B from him for nearly 20 years. His San Francisco tenure ended as he was traded across the bay to Oakland for the 1936 season at age 40. He spent two weak years with the Owls and then after being unsigned in 1938, retired from the game at age 43.

Lloyd’s final statistics: 2982 hits, 1829 runs, 414 doubles, 346 home runs, 1325 RBI, 1339 walks, 635 stolen bases, a .281/.361/.436 slash and 86.2 WAR. At retirement, he was fourth all-time in runs scored and remained in the top 10 for much of the century. Despite this, his lack of big power and flash meant he missed the cut in his first two years on the ballot, albeit above 60%. Year three finally got Lloyd over the hump at 74.2% to give the man his deserved spot in the MLB Hall of Fame.

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One player was picked for the 1945 Central American Baseball Association’s Hall of Fame as RF Domingo Huerta was a first ballot pick at 92.6%. SP Aitor Moreno came very close on his eighth ballot, but just missed the 2/3 threshold at 62.3%. 2B Junior Mota was the only other player to cross 50%, getting 58.0% on his sixth ballot. No players on the CABA ballot were dropped after a 10^th season.



Domingo Huerta – Right Fielder – Costa Rica Rays – 92.6% First Ballot

Domingo Huerta was a 6’0’’, 200 pound left-handed outfielder from Panama City. The first Panamanian Hall of Famer, Huerta was a feared batter who combined great power with solid contact ability, a solid eye and decent speed. Huerta played almost exclusively in right field and was generally thought of defensively as average to slightly above average.

Huerta had an excellent amateur career in Panama, earning him the #1 overall draft pick by Costa Rica in the 1925 CABA Draft. He immediately was a starter for the Rays, winning the Caribbean League MVP in his third season in 1928 with the league lead in runs (99), OPS (.989), and WAR (9.1). He second MVP came in 1931 with career bests in home runs (46), OBP (.395), OPS (1.061), run s(104), hits (168), and WAR (9.4). In 1934 at age 30, Huerta added his third MVP with the lead in OPS (.981), adding 36 homers and 6.5 WAR despite only playing 129 games thanks to injury.

The Rays became a contender in the 1930s, winning the Continental Division five times. Costa Rica won the Caribbean League in 1932, 1935, and 1936 and in 1935, claimed the CABA title. In 1935, Huerta earned CLCS MVP honors. In total with the Rays, Huerta won nine Silver Sluggers, 1886 hits, 1145 runs, 501 home runs, 1212 RBI, and 81.1 WAR. He became only the second CABA player to reach 500 career homers.

Starting to fade into his mid 30s, Costa Rica traded Huerta to Santo Domingo for the 1939 season. He had an unremarkable year with the Dolphins, although he still hit 39 homers and did collect his 2000^th career hit. Huerta went to MLB for his final season and was a part-time starter with Toronto. After going unsigned in 1941, Huerta retired at the age of 38.

His final CABA stats: 2021 hits, 1232 runs, 303 doubles, 540 home runs, 1316 RBI, a .274/.346/.561 slash, .907 OPS, and 83.5 WAR. Many of his totals would be surpassed in the coming decades, but few were as reliable and dangerous in the 1920 and 1930s as a power hitter. Extremely popular both at home in Panama as their first Hall of Famer and with the Costa Rica Rays fanbase, Huerta‘s #20 is retired for his big role in their 1930s success. An easy choice for the 1945 Hall of Fame class.

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Only one player made the East Asia Baseball Hall of Fame Class in 1945 and barely so. Pitcher Jun-Hyeok Cho on his second ballot barely crossed the 66% threshold at 66.5%. The only other player to be above 50% was 3B Kisho Miura at 56.5% on his sixth attempt.



Two were dropped after their 10^th time on the ballot. Ko Agano finished at 39.0% on his last try with the pitcher peaking at 54% on his fifth go. He pitched for five teams and his tallies were hurt by being 29 years old with EAB formed. He was the 1921 Korea League Pitcher of the Year and had a 158-100 record, 2.55 ERA, 2246 strikeouts, and 57.7 WAR. Perhaps with his 20s added, he would’ve made the cut.

Another pitcher with a similar fate was Ju-An Kim, who ended at 6% after peaking at 27.3% on his first try. His official stats with four teams starts at age 32, although he notably won both Pitcher of the Year and MVP in 1922 for Sapporo. Kim had a 117-59 record, 2.11 ERA, 1448 strikeouts, and 52.1 WAR. Again, with a full career, someone who would’ve had a shot.



Jun-Hyeok Cho – Starting Pitcher – Saitama Sting – 66.5% Second Ballot

Jun-Hyeok Cho was a 5’8’’, 190 pound right-handed pitcher born in Pyongyang. He had excellent velocity with a fastball that hit 99-101 mph routinely. He mixed it with a solid splitter and okay changeup, showing respectable control but at times lacking movement.

Cho was one of the rare players of the era picked out of high school, taken in the third round and 84^th overall in the 1921 EAB Draft by his hometown Pyongyang. He spent part of three years in development and only saw 42.2 innings with the Pythons with poor success. He was on roster and did earn an EAB ring as part of the 1924 championship Pyongyang squad. Disappointed in the young pitcher’s lack of immediate progression, he was traded with two others to Saitama for 1B Ji-Hoo Kim, who was inducted in the 1943 Hall of Fame class.

The remainder of Cho’s professional career and his signature run came in 14 seasons with the Sting. He started to see some real success at age 22, but a torn abdominal muscle caused him to miss much of 1927. He bounced back though with his best two seasons, leading Japan in ERA in both 1928 (1.46) and 1929 (1.38). He had a no-hitter against Fukuoka in 1928 with nine strikeouts and one walk. Both of those seasons and in 1930, he’d take second in Pitcher of the Year voting; the closest he’d come to the award. In 1930, the Sting won their first Japan League title, falling in the EAB final to Gwangju.

Cho’s production would steadily decline into the 1930s as Saitama generally struggled as well. By his late 20s, he was merely a decent middle of the rotation guy and into his 30s, he became borderline. Cho retired after the 1938 season at age 35, a relatively early exit for someone who didn’t have any major injuries to force him out of the game.

Cho’s final line: 181-125, 2.53 ERA, 2993.0 innings, 2917 strikeouts, 260/402 quality starts and 52.9 WAR. One could argue that the two pitchers who were dropped on the 10^th year had a more compelling case over their shortened careers. His #14 was retired by the Sting and for a 3-4 year stretch, he was a true ace who helped them to a league title. Some would point to him as one of the weakest members of the Hall and he barely crossed the threshold at 66.5%, but Cho can say forever that he was a second ballot Hall of Famer.

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Worth nothing as well that voting had begun in the 1940s for the Beisbol Sudamerica Hall of Fame, although nobody had earned induction in the first few years. 1945 had the largest number of eligible players to date, but only reliever Marvin Loera even cracked 1/4s of the vote. It would be next year’s ballot in 1946 that would see the initial members of the BSA HOF.



The Bolivar League saw the same two division champs again in 1945 as La Paz won its seventh straight South Division and Medellin took back-to-back in the North. The Mutiny were the only team above .500 in the North at 89-73, while the Pump Jacks at 99-63 were better than Cali by six games and Guayaquil by 10.

Cali’s Saul Vargas won his third MVP. The 32-year old Colombian CF led the Bolivar League in runs (91), hits (183), slugging (.531), OPS (.881), and WAR (8.3). Vargas also won his 10^th Silver Slugger; the first Bolivar League player to do so. La Paz 29-year old righty Ilalio Lopez picked up the Pitcher of the Year with the league lead in WIHP (0.8), innings pitched (302), quality starts (32/35), and complete games (24). He had a 1.85 ERA, 19-14 record, and 8.3 WAR.



The Southern Cone League Brazil Division came down to a tiebreaker game as Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro both finished 101-61. The Padres took the tiebreaker, giving the defending Copa Sudamerica champ a fourth straight division title. Meanwhile, the South Division saw Buenos Aires on top for the fifth straight season. The Atlantics were dominant with Beisbol Sudamerica's best record at 111-51. They led the league in both runs scored (603) and fewest allowed (386).

Sao Paulo 1B Amadeus Ribeiro won his second MVP in three years. The 27-year old nicknamed “hurricane” led the league in runs (95), home runs (49), slugging (.593), OPS (.957) and wRC+ (205). 30-year old Uruguayan lefty Evan Yho won his second Pitcher of the Year with Buenos Aires. Yho led the Southern Cone in WAR (10.7), wins (22) and K/BB (14.4) while posting a 1.55 ERA and 359 strikeouts.

The Bolivar Championship rematch went again to La Paz over Medellin in six games, giving the Pump Jacks four straight league titles and six of the last seven. The fourth straight Cono Sur final between Buenos Aires went to the Atlantics five games over the Padres. This would be the final of their CSCS meetings with a split record. Buenos Aires added their third Copa Sudamerica title in five seasons by defeating La Paz in five games in a rematch and repeat of 1942. The Atlantics join the Pump Jacks and Medellin as the only three-time champs to date.





Other notes: On August 11, Diego Meno of Cali threw a perfect game against Quito, striking out eight. Luisao Capucho of Sao Paulo set a record for most strikeouts in a no-hitter, fanning 20 with one walk on August 25 against Montevideo. Mohamed Ramos became the first BSA pitcher to 300 wins, a feat that wouldn't be hit again until the 1970s. Three pitchers joined Ramos and Pierre Ramirez with 3500+ strikeouts; Danilo Patricio, Cato Arias, and Oscar Blanco. Closer Freddie Sandoval won his third Reliever of the Year, getting 39 saves and 5.7 WAR in a season split between Maracaibo and Medellin.

Sao Paulo's Carlo Mizurado became the third BSA hitter to reach 400 career home runs. Mizurado and Ruy Vargas both crossed 1000 RBI. The third, fourth, and fifth BSA hitters to 2000+ hits were Leudy Perales, Jorge Santiago, and Jose Negron. Perales also passed 1000 runs scored, the fifth to do so. Rio de Janeiro’s Martin Arriaga became the first 10-time Gold Glove winner. The right fielder would win his 11^th the next season.

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The Japan League in 1945 saw Sapporo and Osaka both claim their third consecutive division title. The defending league champ Swordfish had the top record in East Asia Baseball at 105-57, while the Orange Sox took the South Division at 94-68. Sapporo had the fewest runs allowed (443) while Osaka had the second most scored (613).

Fukuoka RF Takashi Ishihara won his first MVP. The third-year lefty led the league in WAR (10.8), home runs (52), RBI (120), runs (113) and slugging (.657). Tokyo’s Yeon-U Choo picked up the Pitcher of the Year. The 23-year old was Japan’s leader in ERA (1.7), WHIP (0.71), and WAR (9.0). Sapporo’s Oki Tanaka became the second Japan League player to win four Reliever of the Year awards. He set the single-season saves record of 53, which would hold through the 20^th century. He had 6.4 WAR and 0.71 ERA over 89.1 innings.



The Korea League North Division saw Hamhung take the top spot for the first time since 1938. The Heat finished at 99-63, beating out defending champ Pyongyang by just one game. In a competitive South, Changwon was first at 96-66, topping Ulsan by four games and Busan by 10. For the Crabs, it is only their second playoff berth, joining the league title 1923 run. For the dynastic Blue Jays, it would start a stretch of 26 years between division titles.

Goyang’s Byung-Oh Tan picked up his fifth MVP. The 32-year old LF was only two points away from a Triple Crown with 47 home runs, 119 RBI, and a .339 average. Tan also led Korea in runs (113), slugging (.652), OPS (1.033) and WAR (8.8). He earned his record 11^th Silver Slugger as well Incheon’s Su-Yeon Kim was the Pitcher of the Year, leading Korea in ERA (2.02), WHIP (0.87), and quality starts (29).

Round three in the JLCS between Sapporo and Osaka wouldn't be competitive as the Swordfish swept the Orange Sox for back-to-back Japan League titles and their record fifth overall. The KLCS went six with Changwon prevailing over Hamhung for their second-ever Korea League title. The Crabs added their first-ever East Asia Baseball title as well in a seven-game thriller over Sapporo. The Swordfish are runner-up for back-to-back years and are 1-4 in the EAB finale.





Other notes: Seung-Mo Kim of Busan became the second pitcher to 250 career wins, joining teammate Yu-Geon Moon. They also became the fourth and fifth pitchers to cross 4000 strikeouts. Another Blue Jay Sang-U Yoon and Goyang's Byung-Oh Tan became the second and third EAB batters to 2500+ hits. Saitama's Osamu Kurokawa became the third to reach 400 saves. Kawasaki CF Alex Menocal became a 10-time Gold Glove winner, the first EAB player to do so. 3B Kuh-Ha Han became an eight-time winner.

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After a four year gap between playoff appearances, Mexico City had the Mexican League's best record at 109-53. This allowed them to outrace a solid 101-61 effort by Leon for the South Division title, while back-to-back league champ Ecatepec dropped to third at 88-74. In the North Division, Hermosillo claimed back-to-back division titles, the best in a fairly weak field at 89-73.

Chihuahua RF Samuel Sousa picked up the MVP. He led the Mexican League with a career season in home runs (51), RBI (111), slugging (.622), OPS (.976), and WAR (53.1). Tijuana veteran Samuel Valadez picked up his second Pitcher of the Year, five years after his first. The 37-year old Cuban had the league lead in ERA (1.63) and complete games (14), adding 7.3 WAR and 211 strikeouts.



Puerto Rico continued its dominance in the Caribbean League, taking a fifth straight Island Division title with the league-best 103-59 record. Costa Rica secured a weak Continental Division for their first playoff appearance since winning the league in 1936. The Rays at 86-76 were three games better than Panama. Defending division champ Salvador fell hard, the worst team in the league at 64-98.

Costa Rica RF Alvaro Fulgensio picked up the MVP in the 29-year old’s final CABA season, as he left for MLB the next season. Fulgensio led the Caribbean League in hits (202), average (.347), slugging (.407), and OPS (.986). Puerto Rico’s Roy Facey picked up Pitcher of the Year despite the 31-year old lefty missing a month. He still led the Caribbean in wins (22) and ERA (2.17).

In the MLCS, Mexico City downed Hermosillo in six games, giving the Aztecs their fifth Mexican League title and first since 1940. The CLCS saw Puerto Rico prevail in six games against Costa Rica, giving the Pelicans three straight Caribbean titles and four in five seasons. They joined Havana (1911-13) as the only teams to win three straight Carribean crowns. Puerto Rico now has eight total, tying Honduras for the most. The CABA Championship went seven games with the home team winning each time. For Puerto Rico, that meant they were the runner-up for the third time in their five-year run. Mexico CIty became a four-time overall champ with their first since 1936. The Aztecs tie Ecatepec and Tijuana for most overall CABA titles.





Other notes: On July 15, Salvador's Pedro Castro threw CABA's 16th perfect game against Panama, striking out 13. Crossing 200 career wins were Napler Pedro and Samuel Valadez. Jeong-Hyeon Pin crossed 400 home runs and 1000 RBI. Crossing 2000 hits were Emmanuel Zavala and Emmanuel Reyes. Jamaica shortstop Thomas Rheault won his Caribbean League record 11^th Gold Glove. Leon SS Emmanuel Zavala grabbed an 11^th Silver Slugger.

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Philadelphia remained the class of the National Association in 1945. The four-time defending World Series champs had MLB's best record at 107-55, taking the Eastern League title. Phillies shortstop Wei-Ting Wei broke a single-season record with 142 runs scored. Hartford took second with their third straight 100+ win season and playoff appearance with the Huskies at 100-62. Brooklyn barely missed out at 99-63 with a solid 95-win Toronto in the mix as well. In the Midwest League, Minneapolis won back-to-back titles, on top at 102-60. Cincinnati made it four straight playoff berths taking second at 94-68, four ahead of Chicago.

Hartford RF Noah O’Dell picked up the NA MVP as the 24-year old led the way In hits (218), triple slash (.371/.428/.624), OPS (1.052), and WAR (10.0). Philadelphia’s Henry Lopez won his second Pitcher of the Year. In his sixth season, the righty led the National Association in wins (23) and innings (279.2), adding a 2.64 ERA, 234 strikeouts, and 7.5 WAR.

The league champs prevailed in the first round as Philadelphia swept Cincinnati and Minneapolis topped Hartford in four. The Moose gave a respectable effort, but the Phillies secured an unprecedented fifth consecutive National Association title in six games. No other franchise would even get four-in-a-row until the San Diego dynasty of the late 2020s.



The five best records in the American Association would all come from a hyper-competitive Western League. San Diego narrowly took it at 104-58, their first playoff berth since winning the World Series in 1936. Los Angeles and San Francisco tied for second at 102-60 and in a one-game playoff, the Angels advanced for back-to-back playoff berths. This extended the Gold Rush drought to 14 years. Vancouver (97-65) and Denver (94-68) had great runs too that fell short.

Although weaker, the Southern League was also incredibly competitive with five teams within two games of first. Defending AA champ Nashville and Dallas tied for first at 87-75, two games ahead of Houston, Memphis, and Miami. No tiebreaker game is used when both teams are in the playoff; the season tiebreaker went to the Dalmatians for their fourth straight SL title.

Charlotte’s Danys Vera won his second American Association MVP and third overall MVP. The 33-year old Guatemalan LF led in the triple slash (.361/.432/.646) and OPS (1.078) with a 7.5 WAR and 185 wRC+. Albuquerque’s Luke Freeberg got the Pitcher of the Year. The 25-year old left didn’t lead in any stats, but had a 2.85 ERA, 257 strikeouts, and 8.0 WAR. All career bests, as injuries would derail his career soon after.

The first round of the playoffs saw the strong Western League advance as San Diego survived Nashville in five games and Los Angeles won in four at Dallas. In the AACS, the Angels won in six games, giving them their second-ever American Association title (1909). After being a tiebreaker game away from elimination, Los Angeles stunned the world by denying the Philadelphia five-peat in the World Series. The Angels took the Fall Classic in five games for their first MLB championship.





Other notes: Houston's Ned Giles earned his 300th career win on May 15, joining Newton Persaud as the only MLB pitchers to do so. Giles also crossed 4000 strikeouts, joining Persaud and Bailey Johnson as the only to reach the feat. Domingo Martinez made it to 3000 strikeouts.

Omaha's Kaby Silva joined Elijah Cashman as the only members of the 700 home run club. He would ultimately retire after 1946 at 731; second all-time behind Cashman's 750. Silva also joined the 3000 hit club in 1945, the 16th member. Seattle's Andrei Tanev became the sixth member of the 600 home run club. Blake Wynn and Dan McKenzie both made it to 500.

Isaac Epperson of New York became the third to reach 3500 hits, joining Corey Patrizio and Jax Sanders. Epperson retired in the offseason at 3551, third all-time behind Patrizio (3596) and Sanders (3609). The eventual hit king, Stan Provost, crossed 2000 in 1945. Epperson also crossed 1500 RBI, as did Jesse Cuello and Purvis Jones. Ridrigo Reta crossed 1500 runs scored. Boston’s Blake Wynn picked up his 10^th Gold Glove at 1B.

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The 1946 Major League Baseball Hall of Fame class had three inductees, all on the first ballot, but all below 80%. LF Rafael Becerra (79.9%), SP Mark Tarkenton (71.7%), and 1B Pedro Gil (71.0%) were those added to the Hall. Three others were above 60% but were short of the 66% threshold; 2B Kenny Goldman, LF Sergio Castro, and 1B Balta Llama. Three others made it above 50%. No players in the 1946 MLB ballot were dropped from the ballot on their 10^th try.



Rafael Becerra – Left Fielder/Designated Hitter – San Antonio Oilers – 79.9% First Ballot

Rafael Becerra was a 6’0’’, 200 pound left-handed batter from Querendaro in the Mexican state of Michoacan. Becerra was a very solid hitter with strong contact and power ability. He was an above average baserunner and could respectably draw walks. Becerra was a poor defender who primarily played in left field, although he made about 40% of his career starts as a designated hitter.

Becerra came to the United States for college and played NCAA baseball at Ohio. He was the first pick in the fourth round of the 1923 MLB Draft, 150^th overall, by Milwaukee. The late pick could be attributed to the regional rounds at the front of the draft which limited teams to regional American and Canadian selections. Becerra was immediately named the #7 prospect in baseball though. The Mustangs wouldn’t make him a full-time starter until year three, getting his first Silver Slugger that season. In five seasons with Milwaukee, he had 650 hits, 132 home runs, 382 RBI, and 20.7 WAR.

Interestingly, Becerra was traded before the 1929 season to San Francisco, where he’d finish his 20s. In his second season for the Gold Rush, Becerra earned his lone career MVP, leading the American Association in runs (126), home runs (45), RBI (140), slugging (.642) and OPS (1.070). With a .350 average, he was only five points away from a Triple Crown. SF won the AA title in 1929, falling in the World Series to Ottawa. The next year, he had a career-best 50 home runs. After four seasons with San Francisco, Becerra had 747 hits, 159 home runs, 474 RBI, a .311 average, and 20.0 WAR.

At age 30, Becerra entered free agency for the 1933 season and signed a seven-year deal with San Antonio in what would be his longest run. He picked up his third, fourth, and fifth Silver Sluggers in his first three years with the Oilers, leading the AA in OBP (.403) and OPS (1.000) in 1934. A hip injury and broken leg cost him parts of 1936 and 1938, but he was a consistent bat for San Antonio.

In seven seasons for the Oilers, Becerra had 1042 hits, 595 runs, 233 home runs, 646 RBI, and 23.6 WAR. They were a weak franchise who didn’t make the playoffs in his run, but Becerra was a reason to go to the ballpark. He crossed500 home runs and 1500 RBI in his final year in San Antonio, but his production began to slip into his late 30s and he wasn’t re-signed by the Oilers.

This ended his MLB career, but Becerra had a bit of a career revival in CABA, playing another six years. He played 1940-42 with Honduras and 1943-1945 with Guadalajara. He was a starter with the Horsemen during a dynasty run, winning two CABA titles during Becerra’s tenure. He got 701 hits, 144 home runs, and 16.7 in six CABA seasons.

Between the two organizations, Becerra had 3140 hits, 668 home runs, 81.1 WAR, 1874 RBI and 1753 runs. Specifically in MLB, Becerra finished with 2439 hits, 1374 runs, 524 home runs, 1502 RBI, a .305/.372/.561 slash and 64.3 WAR. A very solid and reliable bat during the 1920s and 1930s earned Becerra a first ballot spot in the MLB Hall.



Mark Tarkenton – Starting Pitcher – San Francisco Gold Rush – 71.7% First Ballot

Mark Tarkenton was a 5’10’’, 190 pound right-handed pitcher from the small town of Kerman in Fresno County, California. Tarkenton was an extreme groundball pitcher whose top pitcher was a 98-100 mph cutter, mixed with a curveball and changeup. His stuff was considered exceptional with solid control. He didn’t fully develop that stuff though until a year or two post college. After playing for Georgia, he was drafted by San Francisco in the second round, 96^th overall, in the 1926 MLB Draft.

Tarkenton was used sparingly in his first two seasons, only throwing 79.2 total innings. This was the tail end of SF’s run atop the Western League. He became a full-time starter in 1929 and held that role for the next decade for the Gold Rush. That season, San Francisco won the American Association title, losing the World Series to Ottawa.

He became a dominant strikeout pitcher, leading the American Association in Ks eight times in nine seasons. He led in WAR three times, twice going above 10 WAR. In 1934, he earned the Triple Crown with a 23-8 record, 2.45 ERA, and 329 strikeouts. He was the third pitcher in MLB history at that point to achieve the honor. That was his lone Pitcher of the Year season; he did take third in 1936 and second in 1937. Although never a bad team, San Francisco wasn’t a playoff team for most of the 1930s. In 1939 at age 33, Tarkenton’s production dropped off significantly. In summer 1940, a stretched elbow ligament effectively ended his career. His #18 would get retired though by the Gold Rush that winter.

He was done at age 35, but still put up 3159 career strikeouts over 11 full seasons. Tarkenton had a 184-152 record, 3.32 ERA in 3070 innings with 218/381 quality starts and 81.0 WAR. He averaged 9.26 Ks per nine innings, the highest of any Hall of Fame starter at the time of induction. His ERA was a bit higher than some others in the Hall with lower compiled stats due to his relatively short career. However, his strikeout dominance in the 1930s meant Tarkenton was going to have a good shot and at 71.7%, made it on the first ballot to the 1946 class.



Pedro Gil – First Baseman – Washington Admirals – 71.0% First Ballot

Pedro Gil was a 6’2’’, 195 pound left-handed batter from the small town of Banning, part of the Inland Empire in California. He was an excellent contact hitter with good power and a decent eye. He was an okay baserunner and spent the majority of his career at first base, considered an okay fielder. He also made some starts in left field and as a designated hitter when he was in the American Association.

Gil attended the University of Houston and was a stellar college baseball player, earning the college MVP award as a freshman. In 1922, Las Vegas selected Gil with the 41^st overall pick in the MLB Draft. He immediately excelled with a 37 home run, 129 RBI, .350 average rookie season, earning the Rookie of the Year. In 1925, Gil led the AA in home runs (49) and RBI (160). Although he was in the top 10 in a number of stats in numerous seasons, that would be his only time in the top spot. Gil won his two Silver Sluggers with the Vipers in 1924 and 1926.

He spent six seasons with Las Vegas with 1086 hits, 212 home runs, 708 RBI, and 25.8 WAR. Gil was a fan favorite and signed an eight-year extension with the Vipers in late 1926, but was traded to Washington for the start of the 1929 season at age 27. He would go into the Hall as an Admiral, also spending six seasons there. Gil’s only opportunities at playoff baseball came with the Admirals, who won the World Series in 1930. With Washington, Gil had 995 hits, 195 home runs, 595 RBI, a .304 average, and 26.8 WAR.

In 1935, the 33-year old Gil signed with Brooklyn and spent four seasons starting for the Dodgers, where he added 108 home runs, 319 RBI, and 10.6 WAR. His last two seasons then came with San Diego where he added another 43 home runs, 159 RBI, and 3.4 WAR.

The final line for Gil: 2969 hits, 1602 runs, 412 doubles, 558 home runs, 1781 RBI, a .298/.350/.526 slash and 66.7 WAR. He was a consistent starter for 17 seasons who could be counted on for around 30 home runs, a near .300 average and around 4-5 WAR per season. Not dominant, but as reliable and well-liked as you can get in the mind of his peers and fans. This snagged Gil a first ballot selection with 71.0% of the vote.