So let's take a quick look at the final standings in the WPK this season:
Looking back at the pre-season predictions there is quite a bit that the prognosticators got right, and of course some things they blew. One of the things they were certainly right about was the relative parity in the SJL. Although things didn't turn out quite a close as they thought- they saw the difference between 1st and last place being only about 11 games- it was certainly a much tighter race than the MGL. The team that was largely considered the favorite to win this season, San Antonio, was in the race until pretty late, but finished in 4th place. The pre-season predictions did not see Jacksonville repeating as the SJL champ, and they nearly didn't, but in the end they prevailed. And while they were right about the Milwaukee Cadets finishing in last place, the biggest miss was the Philadelphia Mud Hens, who were predicted to finish next to last and instead were in the running to win the league until the next to last day of the season.
The pre-season predictors were right about the Denver Brewers winning the MGL and were almost spot on about their record, though they saw the Brewers getting one more victory than they did. They saw the Brewers winning over Brooklyn by 6 games. Right about who would finish in 2nd, almost right about the margin. And they had L.A., Charlotte, and Baltimore all finishing in the next 3 spots, just in slightly different order. And really, they were pretty close with the rest of the MGL standings too, with San Francisco finishing in last, though with 98 losses not 105.
(Now I want to step outside the WPK reality a moment and talk about something I love about this league so far. I am very happy that 10 years in things have stayed so stable and reasonable in terms of team wins and losses. The best won-loss record thus far is that of the Brewers in 1971, when we were 108-54. The best thus far in the SJL was the 104-58 of the Columbus Whalers in 1969. The worst record so far was admittedly pretty bad: the El Paso Dawgs went 45-117 n 1967. In the MGL the worst was the Charlotte Sting in 1969, when they went 55-107. But there have also been seasons with no 100 win teams and no 100 loss teams. If things continue on this path, I will be very happy indeed.)