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The Chinese Northern League saw two first-time playoff teams in the 1974 campaign. Dalian took the first place spot with an impressive jump from 64 wins only two years prior as the Golden Dragons finished at 97-65. Xi’An finished second at 95-67, taking the second playoff spot by one game over Jinan, two over Tianjin, and by five over last year’s first place squad Nanjing. It was tough for the Jumbos, who finished third for back-to-back years. CLB runner-up Harbin dropped to 81-81, placing seventh.

Leading Dalian’s charge was league MVP Hao Lan. The third-year left fielder exploded with the league lead in WAR (12.3), home runs (51), RBI (124), runs scored (114), total bases (381), slugging (.670), OPS (1.053), and wRC+ (229). He became the first CLB hitter to have a 12+ WAR season. 114 runs tied the current CLB single-season record and 124 RBI was one short of the top mark.

Xi’An’s’ Guichao Li won back-to-back Pitcher of the Year awards. The 25-year old lefty had a league best 1.05 ERA and 0.66 WHIP over 188 innings with 250 strikeouts and 9.2 WAR. This also set a single-season ERA record, although it would get topped next year. Li’s lower inning count was due to shoulder inflammation knocking him out all of August and much of September, although critically he was back for the playoffs.



Incredible pitching pushed Wuhan to the Southern League crown easily at 111-51, their second title joining the inaugural 1970 season. On top of setting a SL wins record, they allowed only 926 hits with a 0.779 WHIP for the season, both marks still standing as all-time CLB bests as of 2037. Guangzhou was able to extend their postseason streak to four years by taking second at 97-65. Defending Chinese champ Dongguan missed out with a third place 91-71 finish.

Shenzhen RF Nyo Sar Htet had a record-setting debut season, signing at age 28 out of an independent league in the offseason. He took Southern League MVP and Rookie of the Year with a record 59 home run season. This would stand as the top mark in Chinese League Baseball until 2011. There wouldn’t be another 50+ season in China until 1995. He also had a league-best 124 RBI, 109 runs, 383 total bases, .352 OBP, .673 slugging, 1.025 OPS, and 245 wRC+, adding 9.6 WAR.

Leading the pitching effort for Wuhan was 29-year old Lian Chen, winner of Pitcher of the Year. The 29-year old righty was the ERA leader (1.38) and wins leader (22-5) with 8.3 WAR, 247.2 innings, and 231 strikeouts. He managed to finish ahead of Shenzhen’s Zhiyuan Lai, who had a blistering 13.0 WAR season with a league-best 366 strikeouts; a then league record. Also of note was Wolverine closer Encai Xing winning his second Reliever of the Year with 57 saves, 0.82 ERA, 181 strikeouts in 98.1 innings, and 7.5 WAR. 57 saves remains the CLB single-season record as of 2037 and would be tied for the world record in any league until 2010.

Despite Wuhan’s record-setting season, they’d be upset in the semifinal series 4-2 by Xi’An. Guangzhou would upset Dalian as well 4-1, sending both second place finishers to the China Series. It was the first berth for the Attack and the second for the Gamecocks, who won it all in 1971.



The China Series was incredibly dramatic, needing all seven games to decide it. Game seven was a 13-inning battle ultimately won by Xi’An over Guangzhou. Leading the Attack to their first title was CF Zhichao Liu, who had 15 hits, 10 runs, 3 doubles, 5 home runs, and 11 RBI in 13 playoff starts.



Other notes: Tianjin as a team hit 249 doubles, which would stand as the Northern League record until 2034. Guangzhou’s Su-Bin Mar threw China’s fourth Perfect Game on July 9, striking out six against Shenzhen. 1B Shenchao An and RF Ruilong Yuan are the only players to win Gold Gloves in each of CLB’s first five seasons. Ling Zheng is the only five-time Silver Slugger winner, winning his first four at shortstop by taking it in 1974 at third base.