Baseball: The World's Game

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Pitcher Flor Perez was the lone inductee for the 1985 Hall of Fame Class of the Central American Baseball Association. Perez earned a first ballot selection, receiving 84.6%. Only two others cracked the 50% mark with 1B Carlos De La Fuente at 59.1% on his third ballot and SP Barnabe Sanchez at 53.1% for his second attempt. There were no players dropped after ten ballots.



Flor Perez – Pitcher – Mexico City Aztecs – 84.6% First Ballot

Flor Perez was a 5’11’’, 175 pound right-handed pitcher from the capital of Venezuela, Caracas. Perez had incredibly overpowering stuff with above average movement, but subpar control. His velocity peaked at 97-99 mph with a curveball, changeup, sinker, cutter arsenal. All four pitches were deadly with the change and curve especially drawing whiffs. Perez’ stamina was on the lower end and he didn’t go the distance too often compared to other starters, but he still had solid durability. Defensively he was lousy, but his stuff still made up oftentimes for his flaws.

Perez was spotted by a scout from Mexico City while he was trying to poach talent in Venezuela. At age 16, Perez decided to join the Aztecs developmental system. He debuted with a few starts in 1965 at age 21, but found himself rarely used for his first four seasons. Mexico City was just beginning its dynasty and cracking the lineup wasn’t an easy task. From 1966-74, the Aztecs had nine straight playoff appearances, seven Mexican League titles, and six CABA Championships. Perez was there for all of it and earned six rings, although it wasn’t until 1969 that he became a full-timer in the rotation.

In 1969, Perez took third in Pitcher of the Year voting as he led the Mexican League in ERA at 2.08. He led in strikeouts with 311 in 1972, then had a career-best 1.97 ERA in 1972 in a split starter/relief role. Perez earned Pitcher of the Year in 1972, then took it again in 1974 with a ML-best 0.90 WHIP and 20-7 record. His playoff numbers were mixed with the Aztecs, finishing with an 11-8 record over 139.2 innings, a 3.48 ERA, 161 strikeouts, and 3.6 WAR. He also regularly returned home to Venezuela to play for his country in the World Baseball Championship. From 1967-79, Perez had a 14-5 record, 3.84 ERA, 138.1 innings, 211 strikeouts, and 2.8 WAR.

In 1974, Perez had his lone no-hitter on July 4 with a 12 strikeout, one walk performance against Tijuana. This was also the last year of Mexico City’s playoff run, as they fell in the MLCS. The team started a playoff drought the next year and Perez had a sluggish start to the year with an ERA above 3.50. The Aztecs realized it was time to rebuild and looked to trade Perez and others. He finished his Mexico City run with a 114-67 record, 2.64 ERA, 1603.2 innings, 2033 strikeouts to 398 walks, 69 FIP-, and 45.8 WAR. The franchise would later retire his #25 uniform for his role in the dynasty run.

The Aztecs traded him in July 1975 to Guadalajara for pitchers Ruben Pineda and Fidele Lara. Perez would regain his form in 1976 and take second in Pitcher of the Year voting, helping the Hellhounds snap a playoff drought and win their first CABA championship since the 1920s. Perez had a 2.66 ERA over 23.2 playoff innings in the run. He had two more solid years and then a middling fourth year with Guadalajara, posting a 62-56 record, 2.77 ERA, 1058.1 innings, 1269 strikeouts, and 23.0 WAR. Although still healthy, Perez decided to call it quits after the 1979 season at age 36.

The final stats for Perez: 176-123 record, 2.69 ERA, 2662 innings, 3302 strikeouts, 646 walks, 267/357 quality starts, 75 FIP-, and 68.8 WAR. His innings and thus his accumulations are among the lower end of other CABA Hall of Famers, but his rate stats are certainly not out of place. Winning two Pitcher of the Year awards and holding seven CABA rings pushed Perez across the line for many of the voters skeptical of his totals. He received the first ballot recognition at 84.6%, the lone member of CABA’s 1985 Hall of Fame class.

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Outfielder Yu-Chan Jang picked up a first ballot induction into the East Asia Baseball Hall of Fame with 97.0% of the vote. He was the lone member of the 1985 class, although 2B Su-Yeon Park very nearly joined him with 64.0%. This was the highest mark Park had received in his nine attempts at the HOF. Also above 50% were 3B Hiromichi Ono at 59.2% for his second attempt and C Jung-Soo Chen with 53.9% for his sixth go.



Two players fell off the ballot after ten failed tries. SP Young-Jin Moon had a 17 year career with Yongin and peaked at 49.4% on his debut before dropping to 15.5% by the end. Moon had a 213-165 record, 3.34 ERA, 3386 innings, 3153 strikeouts, and 67.1 WAR. A nice run, but with no awards, he never got much attention. Also dropping was 1B Kenzan Manabe, who had 17 years between Osaka and Yongin and won MVP in 1955. He debuted at 56.1%, but plummeted to 11.3% by the end of his candidacy. Manabe had 2650 hits, 1414 runs, 558 home runs, 1540 RBI, a .274/.329/.507 slash and 76.6 WAR. Similar marks had gotten others across the line, but other big hitting first basemen of his era overshadowed him and Manabe rarely topped the leaderboards.



Yu-Chan Jang – Left/Center Field – Suwon Snappers – 97.0% First Ballot

Yu-Chan Jang was a 5’11’’, 200 pound right-handed outfielder from Daegu, South Korea. Jang was known for great durability, longevity, and work ethic. He was a solid contact hitter with very reliable power, regularly getting around 30-40 home runs and around 40 doubles/triples per season. Jang had very good speed and was an incredibly intelligent baserunner. He had an above average eye for drawing walks with average strikeout rates. Jang made about 2/3s of his starts in left field and was considered quite solid defensively in left. He made roughly the other third of his starts in center field and was thought of as an above average gloveman there.

Jang left South Korea to attend Japan’s Tohoku Fukushi University in Sendai. After an excellent collegiate baseball career, he was picked fifth overall in the 1957 EAB Draft by Suwon. Jang instantly was a starter with the Snappers and took second in Rookie of the Year voting in 1958. He was a full-time starter for 14 years with Suwon and had 130+ starts in all but 1967 when he lost a month to injury. Jang picked up nine of his ten Silver Sluggers with the Snappers, winning from 1959-64 in center field and then in left in 68, 68, and 70.

Jang had seven seasons worth 8+ WAR with Suwon and consistently provided a ton of value. However, his only times at the top of the leaderboard was a first place in doubles in 1964 and runs scored in 1970. As a result, he never won MVP, although he was third in voting in 1964 and second in 1966. Jang was perhaps underappreciated because the Snappers never made the playoffs despite his efforts. Suwon rarely was bad in his tenure, but were usually around .500 or just short. Their 101 win season was overshadowed by the 115 wins of the Pyongyang dynasty in their division. Just with Suwon though, Jang had a Hall of Fame resume with 2437 hits, 1302 runs, 374 doubles, 169 triples, 454 home runs, 1425 RBI, a .307/.357/.569 slash, and 101.6 WAR. His #12 uniform would be retired later and he’d remain a beloved icon for Snappers fans.

Jang had about another decade left post-Suwon, becoming a free agent after the 1972 season at age 36. He signed a three-year, $756,000 deal with Busan and ultimately played two seasons there as a solid starter, although he never matched his Snappers peak as a Blue Jay. Before the 1974 season, Jang was traded to his hometown squad Daegu, picking up his 1500^th career run in his one year with the Diamondbacks. It was also his first taste of the postseason as Daegu made it to the EAB Championship, falling to Kyoto in the final. Jang had 13 hits, 11 runs, 5 home runs, and 8 RBI in 12 playoff games.

A free agent again after the 1974 campaign, the now 39-year old signed with Seoul on a three-year, $952,000 deal. Injuries cost Jang half of the 1975 season and he seemed cooked in the 1976 season, although he picked up his 3000^th career hit. Jang shocked many with a remarkable 1977 at age 41, leading the Korea League in WAR (8.1), slugging (.652), and wRC+ (180). He smacked 45 home runs, a career high, and had an OPS above one for the third time in his career. This remarkable turnaround earned Jang his lone MVP and his tenth Silver Slugger. The season had a sad ending though with a torn calf muscle in September ending his run with the Seahawks.

Daegu signed him in for the 1978 season to a three-year deal, but Jang regressed back towards what you expect from an aging slugger. He got to play again in the EAB Championship with his hometown squad in 1978, who was upset by Sendai in the championship. Jang opted to retire after the 1979 season at age 44, one of a very select group to play that long. There was a thought he could reach the very exclusive 2000 runs and 2000 RBI clubs, but Jang had been reduced more to a bench role by the end.

Jang’s final stats: 3429 hits, 1923 runs, 535 doubles, 229 triples, 657 home runs, 1974 RBI, 1181 stolen bases, a .290/.341/.541 slash, 143 wRC+, and 127.3 WAR. He featured prominently on the leaderboards at induction, sitting third in runs, third in hits, fifth in doubles, eleventh in home runs, fifth in RBI, fifth in stolen bases, and fifth in hitting WAR. As of 2037, he remains top ten all-time in WAR, steals, RBI, hits, and runs. It is no wonder why Jang was such a beloved figure in 1960s and 1970s Korean baseball, earning the first ballot nod at 97.0% as the lone member of the 1985 Hall of Fame class.

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Beisbol Sudamerica had three first ballot Hall of Famers with the 1985 class, led by a historic performance by OF Luca Alvares. He became the first player in any pro league to earn 100%; a unanimous induction. 3B Emaxwell Navas firmly got in as well with 91.8%, while pitcher Micael Saraiva earned the nod with 74.7%. Only one other was above 50% with reliever Tomas Nobel at 59.1% on his debut, only a few points shy of the 66% requirement.



1B Ryan Azambuja ended at 49.1% on his tenth and final ballot, peaking at 59.8% on his fifth try. In 11 seasons with Bogota, he had 1732 hits, 839 runs, 438 home runs, 1025 RBI, a .295/.326/.555 slash and 55.8 WAR. He led the Bolviar League in home runs five times, but didn’t have the longevity to get the accumulations. Also dropped was LF Pascal Herrera, who ended at 36.4% after getting as high as 47.5%. He won five Silver Sluggers, but was hurt by six of his 16 pro seasons being in MLB. In BSA, he had 1667 hits, 763 runs, 293 doubles, 308 home runs, 865 RBI, a .313/.354/.554 slash, and 54.7 WAR. Good, but again not quite high enough totals to make it.

Closer Sebastian Reyes fell off with a peak of 26.9% on his second ballot and finish at 6.7%. He had 309 saves and a 2.58 ERA over 791 innings with 900 strikeouts and 21.3 WAR, firmly a Hall of Very Good type. Lastly, catcher Martinho Mera fell off with 2.6% on his tenth ballot, peaking at 37.8% on his debut. He was doomed by the anti-catcher bias of many voters despite a 15 year career primarily with Salvador that saw six Silver Sluggers and two Gold Gloves. Mera had 1757 hits, 621 runs, 175 home runs, 694 RBI, a .251/.287/.377 slash and 62.5 WAR. He had the third most WAR of any BSA catcher, but It still wouldn’t be until the 2030s that the Beisbol Sudamerica HOF finally put in any catcher.



Luca “Lunatic” Alvares – Right/Left Field – Lima Lobos – 100.0% First Ballot

Luca Alvares was a 6’3’’, 200 pound left-handed outfielder from Sicuani, a town of around 55,000 people in the southeastern Peruvian Cuzco Department. Nicknamed “Lunatic Luca,” he was an absolutely beloved figure in Peruvian baseball, known for his work ethic, leadership, and infectious personality. Alvares was an excellent home run hitter who had 11 seasons with 40+ homers. He was also above average as a contact hitter and was around average at drawing walks and avoiding strikeouts. Although he hit many homers, he didn’t get too many doubles or triples despite having decent baserunning speed. Alvares made about 2/3s of his starts in right field with the rest in left and was generally considered a competent fielder. He was also quite durable for most of his 17 year professional career.

Alvares quickly drew attention as a top amateur prospect throughout Peru. He was up for selection in the 1962 Beisbol Sudamerica Draft and went to Lima 16^th overall. His entire pro career would be in the Peruvian capital and he’d also make 78 appearances between 1964-74 for the national team. In the World Baseball Championship, Alvares had 59 hits, 44 runs, 26 home runs, 45 RBI, and 2.7 WAR. He was only a part-time starter as a rookie, but assuming a regular role from year two onward.

In his third season, Lunatic Luca led in home runs with 47, earning his first of eight Silver Sluggers. He also won the award in 1966, 67, 68, 69, 72, 73, and 74; while adding a Gold Glove in 1967. Alvares led in home runs thrice, runs scored twice, RBI twice, total bases twice, slugging twice, and WAR once. In 1968, he had a career-best 50 home runs. Despite his excellence, Alvares never won Bolivar League MVP. He took third in 1966, second in 1967, third in 1968, and third in 1973.

Lima had historically struggled prior to Alvares’ tenure. In 1968, he helped them snap a 32-year playoff drought and win their first Copa Sudamerica. He was the BLCS MVP with 12 hits, 8 runs, 5 home runs, and 9 RBI in 11 postseason games. The Lobos were almost always above .500 during Alvares prime in the 1960s and early 1970s, but they only made the playoffs twice more with no luck in 1970 or 1972. A fractured foot meant he missed the 1970 playoff run. He wore #13 most of his career, switching to #19 for 1974 after the Lobos retired #13 for 1978 Hall of Famer Aleix Espinoza.

Alvarez carried on into his 30s, sticking with the Lobos as they fell to the bottom tier later in the 1970s. The team eventually didn’t re-sign him after the 1979 season, which saw him cross the 2500 career hit and 1500 RBI thresholds. Alvarez tried to find a home for 1980, but went unsigned. He retired officially in the winter of 1980 at age 40.

The final stats for Lunatic Luca saw 2506 hits, 1435 runs, 330 doubles, 682 home runs, 1527 RBI, a .282/.335/.561 slash, 156 wRC+, and 98.9 WAR. He was third in home runs at induction and tenth in RBI and certainly had numbers worthy of induction. But it was still a surprise that he was the first guy to earn a unanimous induction considering there were definitely others who boasted stronger resumes. Of course, it is more the fault of stuffy writers that obvious inner circle guys ended up a vote or two short of 100%. But Alvares was so beloved and iconic that he made world history.



Emaxwell Navas – Third Base – Belo Horizonte Hogs – 91.8% First Ballot

Emaxwell Navas was a 5’10’’, 170 pound right-handed third baseman from Maceio, a city with one million people and the capital of northeastern Brazil’s State of Alagoas. Navas was a very well rounded hitter who wasn’t amazing at anything, but reliably solid across the board. He was a good contact hitter who got you 30-35 doubles and 25-35 home runs per year on average while also getting you a nice number of walks. He was below average as a baserunner, but made up for his flaws with a great work ethic. Navas was a career third baseman and considered consistently average with the glove. He was also considered quite durable, making 139+ starts each year from 1964-76.

Navas was drafted fourth overall by Belo Horizonte in the 1957 Beisbol Sudamerica Draft and spent his entire pro career with the Hogs. It took time for him to develop though, as he was a pinch hitter only for the first three yars of his career. Navas moved into a starting role in 1962, but a torn PCL in July put him out 10 months, costing him the rest of 1962 and a large chunk of 1963. He’d finally have a full season as a starter in his sixth season in 1964 and put up consistent production for the next decade plus.

Navas was the undisputed top hitting third baseman for a decade in the Southern Cone League, winning 11 straight Silver Sluggers from 1966-76. He had 13 straight seasons worth 6+ WAR and even cracked double-digits in 1969 and 1971. He was the WARlord with 11.1 in 1971 and also led the league with 111 RBI. The only other time he led in a category was 40 doubles in 1969. Because of that, he never won league MVP, although he was close on a few occasions. Navas was third in 1966, second in 1969, and second in 1971.

He also became very popular throughout all of Brazil as a key cog for the national team in the World Baseball Championship. He started 227 games between 1964-78 with 184 hits, 111 runs, 62 home runs, 140 RBI, a .227/.303/.495 slash and 6.5 WAR. His 227 games are the most appearances for any Brazilian and he helped the squad to three finals appearances. While the Hogs had some respectable seasons in his tenure, they only made the playoffs once in his entire run, falling in the LCS to Santiago in 1968. Still, Navas was one of the reasons to still go to the ballpark and his #11 would be retired at the end of his career.

He still played at a very high level into his 30s, only finally seeing a drop off in 1977 at age 39. That season saw his first major injury in more than a decade, a torn calf muscle. Navas signed for two more years and had trouble staying with the lineup from other injuries. He ultimately called it quits after the 1979 season at age 41.

Navas’ final stats: 2661 hits, 1231 runs, 535 doubles, 445 home runs, 1385 RBI, a .296/.353/.514 slash, 166 wRC+, and 120.8 WAR. At induction, he had the seventh most WAR of any South American batter and was second in doubles behind Javier Herrera’s 618. He was also barely behind Angel Gabriel Cornejo for most WAR at a third base. Navas is almost always in the conversation for the top three 3Bs in BSA history and was an easy choice, perhaps getting undersold with 91.8%.



Micael Saraiva – Starting Pitcher – Belo Horizonte Hogs – 74.7% First Ballot

Micael Saraiva was a 6’3’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from Russas, a municipality of around 79,000 people in the northeastern Brazilian state Ceara. Saraiva wasn’t a particularly dominant pitcher, but he gave you consistently above average stuff, movement, and control with great stamina. His velocity only peaked at 93-95 mph, but he still had a good fastball mixed with a curveball and changeup. Saraiva was poor at holding runners, but considered a very good defensive pitcher otherwise, winning three Gold Gloves from 1971-73. He was, by pitcher standards, a decent hitter and won a Silver Slugger in 1967.

Belo Horizonte took a chance on Saraiva picking him 38^th overall in the second round of the 1963 Beisbol Sudamerica Draft. He spent his first two seasons in the developmental system before debuting as a reliever in 1966. He became a part-time starter in year two, then a full-time one for the next decade with nine straight seasons of 250+ innings. Saraiva led the Southern Cone League in innings pitched twice and complete games twice, as well as wins twice and quality starts once. He had eight seasons worth 5+ WAR, putting up reliable but not outstanding stats.

Saraiva pitched for Brazil in the World Baseball Championship from 1969-79 with 102 innings, a 4.94 ERA, 113 strikeouts, and 1.7 WAR. In 1968, he finished third in Pitcher of the Year voting, his only time as a finalist. He ended up spending six seasons with Belo Horizonte, making two playoff starts in 1968. In total with the Hogs, he had a 95-54 record, 2.58 ERA, 1359.1 innings, 1307 strikeouts, and 30.3 WAR. BH decided to move on from Saraiva before the 1972 season, trading the now 28-year old to Brasilia for three prospects and a draft pick.

He spent two seasons with the Bearcats continuing his consistent production, posting a 33-23 record, 2.63 ERA over 550 innings, 552 strikeouts, and 11.0 WAR. Saraiva entered free agency for the 1974 and at age 30, signed a four-year, $1,040,000 deal with Sao Paulo. The Padres had been good in the 1970s so far, but hadn’t quite been able to get over the hump. In 1976 and 1977, they won the Southern Cone League title and in 76, beat Valencia in Copa Sudamerica. Saraiva’s postseason stats were underwhelming with a 4.67 ERA in 44.1 innings, but he ate up innings reliably in the regular season.

Saraiva signed a four-year extension in the summer of 1977 with Sao Paulo. He was never quite as good there as his other runs, with a dead even 100 ERA+ with the Padres compared to a 117 with Belo Horizonte and 115 with Brasilia. In 1979, shoulder inflammation knocked him out of his second start of the season. This ultimately required surgery and put him on the shelf for 14 months, effectively ending his career. He remained on roster in 1980, but never made it back to the show, retiring at age 37.

Saraiva’s final stats saw a 201-142 record, 2.90 ERA, 3225.1 innings, 3095 strikeouts to 547 walks, 272/391 quality tarts, FIP- of 84, 150 complete games, and 66.8 WAR. It was a steady career, but he was never generally viewed as a top five pitcher in the game. Still, the Beisbol Sudamerica voters in particular loved starting pitchers and felt Saraiva’s resume fit the bill. He wasn’t the star of the 1985 class, but he picked up the first ballot recognition with 74.7%.

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The 1985 European Baseball Federation Hall of Fame Class was an impressive one as for the second time in history, four players were inducted. Each of them received the first ballot recognition, although two stood well above the rest. SS Nikolaos Pavlis picked up 98.4% and SP Callum Docker received 96.5%. Fellow SP Fabian Mullner secured his spot on a respectable 77.1% and 1B Tobias Sigmarsson narrowly crossed the 66% requirement with 68.6%. No players fell off the EBF ballot in 1985 after ten attempts.



Nikolaos “Blitz” Pavlis – Shortstop – Zagreb Gulls – 98.4% First Ballot

Nikolaos Pavlis was a 5’11’’, 190 pound right-handed shortstop from Aryiroupoli, Greece; an southern Athens suburb with around 34,000 people. Pavlis was one of the hardest hitting batters of the era, averaging around 30-40 home runs per season with another 30-40 doubles and triples per season. He also had solid speed and baserunning instincts, allowing him to stretch out for extra bases. Pavlis was an above average contact hitter with a respectable eye, although he did strike out a bit more than the average. In his EBF career, he was a full-time shortstop and a very good defensive one. Pavlis would move to first base and play solid there in his final seasons in MLB. He was a great leader and a hard worker, making him one of the most popular players of his era.

The second Greek inductee into the Hall of Fame, Pavlis ultimately spent little time at home apart from road games to Athens and three editions with the national team in the World Baseball Championship. He went to England to play college baseball with the University of Westminster. After excelling there, Zagreb selected him seventh overall in the 1965 European Baseball Federation Draft. His entire EBF career would be in Croatia with the Gulls, where he became a franchise icon and a celebrated sports star for all of Yugoslavia.

Pavlis was a full-time starter beginning in his rookie year, although injuries cost him two months of his first season. Small injuries here and there cost him time, but he was generally quite durable at a very demanding position, playing in 125+ games in all but his first and final season with the Gulls. His bat was largely unmatched at shortstop and he won nine Silver Sluggers (1967-72, 75, 77, 78).

In only his second season at 22-years old, Pavlis picked up Southern Conference MVP by leading with 10.3 WAR. It would be his first of eight seasons worth 10+ WAR with eleven seasons worth 8+. That year, the Gulls snapped a six-year playoff drought, although they were one-and-done. Zagreb missed the playoffs the next five years despite Pavlis’ efforts. He was third in MVP voting in 1968, then had a historic 1969 season that netted his second MVP. His 14.3 WAR was the second most by a EBF hitter at that point and still ranks sixth best as of 2037. He also led the conference in OPS (1.063), wRC+ (220), total bases (401), home runs (50), runs (115), and RBI (119). Pavlis had career highs in hits, total bases, wRC+, and WAR.

Pavlis continued to be great with a second place in 1971 MVP voting, then his third win of the top prize in 1973. He’d take third again in 1974 and second in 1975. Although he didn’t win it in 1975, he had career bests in home runs (51), RBI (127), and runs (132). Most importantly, this year saw Zagreb win the European Championship for the second time in franchise history. The Gulls also made the playoffs in 1973, 74, and 78. In his playoff career, Pavlis had 40 starts, 40 hits, 27 runs, 6 home runs, 19 RBI, and 1.6 WAR. Bringing home the title helped cement his status as an all-timer with Zagreb retiring his #25 uniform at the end of his career.

In 1979, a back injury cost Pavlis part of the season. However, his production also slipped and he found himself relegated to more of a bench role for the first time. Although there wouldn’t ultimately be hard feelings, Pavlis opted to leave the Gulls at the end of the 1979 season to find a starting role somewhere else. He had numerous suitors in Europe, but the biggest money by far came from Major League Baseball’s Buffalo Blue Sox. More than doubling his top Gulls salary, Pavlis signed a three-year, $2,220,000 deal with Buffalo.

That marked the end of his European career and his time as a shortstop, as the now 35-year old was having trouble with the physical demands of the spot. He played three seasons at first base for Buffalo and wasn’t the same elite hitter, but he still provided respectable power stats. With the Blue Sox, he had 8.0 WAR, 395 hits, 229 runs, 95 home runs, 249 RBI, and 117 wRC+. He became a free agent after the 1982 season and didn’t find a major league home. Minor league Providence signed him for part of the 1983 campaign, but Pavlis opted to retire after his run in Rhode Island at age 39.

For his entire pro career, Pavlis had 137.0 WAR, 2537 hits, 1509 runs, 575 home runs, and 1516 RBI. Just for his EBF and Zagreb run, he had 2142 hits, 1280 runs, 333 doubles, 138 triples, 480 home runs, 1267 RBI, 506 stolen bases, a .298/.360/.583 slash, 175 wRC+, and 129.0 WAR. At induction, he had the third most WAR for a EBF batter. Pavlis was easily the top in WAR for shortstops and was widely considered EBF’s GOAT at the position until Harvey Coyle completely re-wrote the record books about 30-40 years later. Pavlis was a no-doubt Hall of Fame pick on the first ballot at 98.4%.



Callum Docker – Starting Pitcher – Dublin Dinos – 96.5% First Ballot

Callum Docker was a 6’1’’, 200 pound left-handed pitcher from Cinderford, a town of around 9,000 people in southwestern England. Docker was a fireballer who used his incredible 99-101 mph fastball to overpower hitters despite having average movement and subpar control. His stuff was excellent though as he also boasted a great splitter and changeup, plus a decent slider. Docker generally had good durability and respectable stamina, along with a solid knack for holding runners. He was incredibly well respected in the clubhouse as a team captain, earning the loyalty and admiration of many teammates during his run.

Docker attended Harper Adams University College in Edgmond and earned the 14^th overall pick in the 1964 EBF Draft by Dublin. His full career would be with the Dinos, although he still played for England regularly in the World Baseball Championship. In 176.1 innings in the WBC from 1967-79, Docker had a 12-7 record, 2.71 ERA, 232 strikeouts, and 4.6 WAR. He made only six starts with poor results in 1966, but excelled in his first full season in 1967. He led the Northern Conference in wins at 24-5 and won Rookie of the Year unanimously. Docker even took third in Pitcher of the Year voting and had an excellent postseason with a 0.74 ERA over three starts and 24.1 innings. This performance helped Dublin win the 1967 European Championship.

The Dinos got back to the final in 1968 with Docker again taking third in Pitcher of the Year voting. They made the playoffs three more times in Docker’s tenure, although never again got beyond the first round. He would lead the conference three times in WHIP, twice in wins, and one in ERA with a 1.65 mark in 1974. Docker took second in Pitcher of the Year voting that season, but ultimately never won the top award.

After posting sub 2.50 ERAs for most of his career, Docker started to see it above three regularly to close out the 1970s. He still regularly ate innings and picked up strikeouts, but he started giving up more hits and walks, posting average at best advanced stats. He decided to retire after the 1979 season at age 35. Dublin would almost immediately retire his #45 jersey for his role in their 1967 championship series and general service.

Docker’s final stats: 227-122 record, 2.50 ERA, 3240.2 innings, 3685 strikeouts to 774 walks, 87 FIP-, 313/407 quality starts, and 61.6 WAR. At induction, he was seventh in wins and his ERA fit in with other inductees, although the advanced stats didn’t love him. Still, his resume was plenty impressive in the eyes of the EBF voters, who placed Docker into the Hall of Fame with a first ballot 96.5%.

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Fabian Mullner – Starting Pitcher – Oslo Octopi – 77.1% First Ballot

Fabian Mullner was a 6’0’’, 175 pound right-handed pitcher from the capital of Austria, Vienna. He threw hard with 99-101 mph peak velocity, but also had solid control and movement on his pitches. Mullner’s stuff was three pitches with a curveball, changeup, and cutter. He had pretty good durability in his career with perfectly respectable stamina and defense. Mullner was a very hard worker and loyal, which endeared him to many teammates and coaches in his career.

Mullner was a scouting discovery as he was spotted by a keen eye from Oslo in 1960. At age 16, Mullner made his way north to Norway, where he’d play his entire professional career. He debuted as a reliever in 1965 at age 20 and got his first starts the next year. Mullner was a full-time starter for the next decade after that for the Octopi. He would return home to Austria for the World Baseball Championship, pitching 136.2 innings between 1967-79. In the WBC, he had a 10-9 record, 4.21 ERA, 163 strikeouts, and 2.1 WAR.

Mullner’s standout season came in 1969, leading the Northern Conference with a 1.55 ERA, 31 quality starts, 8 shutouts, and 9.8 WAR. This earned him his lone Pitcher of the Year, as he never was a finalist or league leader in any other season. Mullner remained reliable and steady though for about another decade for Oslo, helping them to their first-ever playoff appearances. In 1975, the Octopi won their first Northern Conference title, falling to Zagreb in the championship. Mullner had a 1.95 ERA over 37 innings in that playoff run and posted a 2.31 ERA over 70 career postseason innings with a nice 69 strikeouts and 1.9 WAR.

After their 1975 season, Oslo fell hard with three straight seasons below 70 wins. Mullner stayed loyal to the team, but his stats regressed to around league average levels in his final few seasons. In 1979, he had been reduced to only a part time role in the rotation. He still had a year left on the big contact extension he signed in the summer of 1973, but Mullner decided to call it a career at only age 35.

Mullner’s final stats, 191-149 record, 2.54 ERA, 3347.2 innings, 3201 strikeouts to 610 walks, 295/413 quality starts, 83 FIP-, and 69.1 WAR. His numbers really aren’t too dissimilar from Callum Docker’s, although Mullner didn’t have quite as many people campaigning for his induction. He still had enough though to earn himself a first ballot nod with 77.1%.



Tobias Sigmarsson – First Baseman – Belfast Brewers – 68.6% First Ballot

Tobias Sigmarsson was a 6’0’’’, 205 pound right-handed first baseman from the capital of Iceland, Reykjavik. The first Icelandic Hall of Famer, Sigmarsson was a terrific power hitter who had 10 seasons with 40+ home runs and 16 straight with 30+. He also was a solid contact hitter also gave you around 25-30 doubles per year and a few triples. Sigmarsson could draw walks fairly effectively, but was still a free swinger who struck out more than you’d like. He was a slow baserunner and never played in the field anywhere but first base, although he was a perfectly passable defender. Sigmarsson was very intelligent and was considered an ironman, making 148+ starts in 15 straight seasons.

Sigmarsson left the limited baseball scene at the time in Iceland to play college baseball at England’s University of Sheffield. At the time, there were some regional restrictions in the draft which left the few Icelandic players from early consideration. Sigmarsson wouldn’t get picked until early round five, 133rd overall, by Belfast in the 1963 EBF Draft. His entire European career would ultimately be spent in Northern Ireland.

He didn’t crack the lineup regularly until his third season, mainly used as a pinch hitter. But once in the cleanup spot, Sigmarsson delivered with six consecutive 40+ home run seasons and eight straight with 100+ RBI. He won Silver Sluggers in 1968, 69, 71, and 72. He led the Northern Conference thrice in both home runs and RBI, peaking with 49 dingers in 1967. 1968 was his finest season, leading in WAR (9.5), OPS (1.005), and total bases (387), all career bests. Sigmarsson finished second in MVP voting, the only time he was a finalist.

Despite his efforts, he didn’t get a ton of notice on the wider stage as Belfast generally stunk. The Brewers had only one playoff berth in their first 50 years of existence and typically hovered near the bottom of the standings. Sigmarsson’s slugging was one of the only redeeming things of the era and they’d retire his #9 uniform. After a decade with the Brewers, Sigmarsson became a free agent at age 33. He had international suitors and decided to leave European baseball, signing a five-year, $2,330,000 deal with MLB’s Louisville Lynx starting with the 1975 season.

He carried over his production to Kentucky in five strong seasons with Louisville, winning a Silver Slugger in 1978. The Lynx had a 16-year playoff drought prior to his arrival, but made it four straight years while Sigmarsson was there. After early exits in 1975-77, Louisville broke through and won the 1978 World Series. In that playoff run, Sigmarsson had 16 hits, 11 runs, 4 home runs, and 8 RBI in 16 playoff games. In total with the Lynx, he had 27.7 WAR, 850 hits, 468 runs, 189 home runs, 527 RBI, and a .293/.355/.544 slash.

Sigmarsson’s contract expired after the 1979 season and the 38-year old signed a two-year deal with Detroit. His production dropped a bit, but he still put up 6.7 WAR and 66 home runs in his two seasons with the Tigers. Sigmarsson spent his final two seasons with Omaha, although his role was reduced with the Hawks, posting 1.2 WAR while there. After going unsigned in 1984, Sigmarsson retired at age 43. For his MLB career, he had 1244 hits, 703 runs, 284 home runs, 767 RBI, a .276/.341/.517 slash and 35.6 WAR.

For his entire pro career, Sigmarsson had 106.3 WAR, 2922 hits, 1606 runs, 457 doubles, 693 home runs, 1820 RBI, a .286/.348/.550 slash and 165 wRC+. That would be a lock in any league, but his EBF candidacy was based primarily on his time in Belfast. With the Brewers, he had 1678 hits, 903 runs, 273 doubles, 409 home runs, 1053 RBI, a .294/.353/.577 slash, 180 wRC+, and 70.7 WAR. Still impressive over a shorter stretch, but lower accumulations due to his exit to MLB. Many voters held that and being stuck on a terrible Belfast team against him, but enough were wowed by the dingers and his popularity. Sigmarsson earned a first ballot nod as the fourth member of the 1985 class, just barely crossing the 66% requirement at 68.6%.

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Eurasian Professional Baseball’s 1985 Hall of Fame class had two inductees. Both were first ballot, but by very different margins. Closer Jas Starsky was a firm pick at 95.6%, while starting pitcher Seitzhan Svechnikov just crossed the 66% requirement with 66.6%. Two other debuting candidates got very close but fell just short with SP Pavel Melnichuk at 65.4% and SP Serhiy Belov at 61.3%. Also above 50% was 2B Ali Alasgarov at 52.6% on his third ballot, SP Eryk Wozniak at 52.0% in his seventh attempt, and SP Artyom Rudasev at 50.3% for his seventh go.



No one was cut after ten ballots, but two notables fell below 5% after a number of tries. The biggest snub was SS Leonard Szuster, who had 22 years between Minsk and Omsk. He won seven Gold Gloves and had eight Silver Sluggers with 2407 hits, 1211 runs, 396 doubles, 215 home runs, 1014 RBI, a .265/.328/.395 slash and 109.8 WAR. Despite that resume, he debuted at 46.3% and plummeted until falling to 4.4% on his eighth ballot. As of 2037, he has the fourth most WAR of any EPB hitter, but the voters weren’t swayed by defensive value and turned off by low power numbers. . Pitcher Borys Voynov debuted at 54.0% before falling to 4.1% on his ninth ballot. He had a 203-108 record in 14 years with Minsk with a 2.65 ERA, 2838 innings, 2798 strikeouts, and 65.4 WAR.



Jas “Hellraiser” Starsky – Closer – Warsaw Wildcats – 95.6% First Ballot

Jas Starsky was a 5’11’’, 200 pound right-handed relief pitcher from Glogzw, a city of around 65,000 people in western Poland. Nicknamed “Hellraiser,” he was known for incredible stuff and very good movement along with decent control. His peak velocity was 96-98 mph and he only had two pitches, but Starsky’s fastball/splitter combo was deadly when he was dealing. He was also considered a very good defensive pitcher. Starsky was the ultimate journeyman playing for 11 teams in his career, but he was a fan favorite at each stop. His great work ethic and adaptability made him a success in multiple environments.

Starsky got noticed as a great amateur in Poland and caught the attention of the capital’s team. Warsaw selected him 47^th overall in the 1962 EPB Draft; the ninth pick of the second round. He was immediately thrown into a closer role and generally held that for his entire career, posting 20+ saves in 14 different seasons. Starsky also pitched for Poland in the World Baseball Championship from 1965-79. Although he was exclusively a reliever as a pro, he made 25 starts with 14 relief appearances in the WBC. Over 176 innings, Starsky had a 2.35 ERA, 285 strikeouts, and 6.1 WAR. His highlight was a 14 strikeout, two walk no-hitter in a 1969 encounter with Brazil.

With Warsaw, he played seven seasons in his first run. Starsky was second in Reliever of the Year voting in 1967. The Wildcats only made the playoffs once in this tenure, but Starsky was a local favorite and would later see his #21 uniform retired. He posted 187 saves and 21.2 WAR in the first run. In 1969, he seemed primed for a career-best season, but suffered bone chips in his elbow that put him out for five months.

The Wildcats would trade him for three prospects before the 1970 season to Tirana. His one year with the Trojans was his strongest season and his first Reliever of the Year, posting 7.8 WAR over 102.2 innings with 47 saves and 208 strikeouts. As of 2037, the WAR total is the second most ever in a EPB season by a Reliever of the Year winner. Starsky also picked up four saves in the playoffs as Tirana won the European League title, falling in the Soviet Series to Yekaterinburg.

He pitched another decade, but his vagabond life began at age 31 as a free agent for the first time. Starsky signed with Omsk in 1971 and won Reliever of the Year for the second time and took third in Pitcher of the Year voting. This season saw a 0.75 ERA, a career-best for a full season, and 7.0 WAR. Srarsky spent 1972 in Moscow, then returned to Warsaw for 1973. The Wildcats would trade him midseason to Kharkiv, who ended up winning the EL title. He led the league in saves (36) and had 6.7 WAR, earning his third Reliever of the Year.

1974 was split as well, starting with Tashkent and getting traded at the deadline to Krasnoyarsk. Starsky was second in Reliever of the Year voting this season. He signed in 1975 with Minsk and won the award for the fourth and final time. Starsky was third in voting in 1976 with Kyiv, then second in 1977 with Tashkent. That was his last year as a full-time closer with a torn rotator cuff in April 1978 with Bratislava. He attempted a comeback in 1979 by signing with Tbilisi, but was traded before the season to Dushanbe. Starsky was unremarkable in his limited use with the Dynamo and retired after the season at age 39.

Starsky’s final stats: 473 saves and 564 shutdowns, 1.42 ERA, 1211.1 innings, 1986 strikeouts to 301 walks, FIP- of 33, and 67.0 WAR. He also had a 1.67 ERA and 22 saves over 59.1 playoff innings with 107 strikeouts and 3.1 WAR. Starsky retired EPB’s all-time saves leader and still holds the crown as of 2037, although he is just behind former saves leader Demis Mankovsky for most WAR by an EPB reliever (72.1 to 67.0). As of 2037, Starsky also has the career record in ERA (1.42), H/9 (4.73), K/9 (14.8), WHIP (0.77), opponents average (.155), and opponents OBP (.216). Starsky’s dominance and popularity made him an easy first ballot choice, getting in with 95.6%.



Seitzhan Svechnikov – Starting Pitcher – Yerevan Valiants – 66.6% First Ballot

Seitzhan Svechnikov was a 6’1’’, 185 pound left-handed pitcher from Kosonsoy, a city of around 50,000 people in eastern Uzbekistan. Svechnikov was a fireballer with 99-101 mph velocity and overpowering stuff, which made up for middling movement and control at times. His fastball was fantastic, but he also had a very good forkball, good slider, and occasionally used curveball and changeup. Svechnikov had good stamina and was quite durable, posting 11 straight seasons with 255+ innings.

He was spotted in late 1960 as a teenager by a scout from Yerevan and opted to sign a developmental deal with the Valiants. Svechnikov spent his entire pro career in Armenia, finally making his debut in 1966 at age 21. He was a full-time starter from the beginning, but really didn’t emerge as an ace until a few years in. Svechnikov led the Asian league in strikeouts three times and won Pitcher of the Year in 1974. That season had a career-best 414 Ks over 296.2 innings with a 2.12 ERA and league-best 12.9 WAR. That season earned him a hefty contract extension worth $1,798,000 over six years. Svechnikov finished third in Pitcher of the Year the following season, his only other time as a finalist.

Svechnikov also pitched for Uzbekistan from 1967-78 in the World Baseball Championship. Over 109.2 innings, he had a 2.87 ERA, 155 strikeouts, and 2.8 WAR. He tossed 16.2 scoreless innings notably in the 1971 edition. Yerevan was typically awful in his tenure, but in 1977, they popped out of nowhere to win the South Division. Svechnikov had a 4.12 ERA in three playoff starts as they lost in the ALCS. That would be Yerevan’s only playoff appearance for their 45 year run in Eurasian Professional Baseball.

Svechnikov’s production dropped a bit after his Pitcher of the Year season, although he was still a solid starter. 1978 saw a big setback though with a stretched elbow ligament putting him on the shelf for 10 months. Svechnikov came back and pitched a full 1979, but his strikeouts and innings were both down significantly with average at best production. He decided to retire after this season at age 35.

Svechnikov’s stats had a 186-180 record, 2.76 ERA, 3567.1 innings, 4436 strikeouts, 741 walks, 300/444 quality starts, 172 complete games, 77 FIP- and 87.4 WAR. He was the tenth EPB pitcher to earn 4000 career strikeouts and his stats didn’t look out of place compared to some others in the Hall of Fame, but Svechnikov was often overlooked having been stuck with lousy Yerevan teams. In his debut, he managed to win enough voters over to get the first ballot nod, albeit barely at 66.6%.

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Third baseman Ieremia Tenakanai was the lone inductee into the Oceania Baseball Association Hall of Fame in 1985, getting a first ballot nod at 95.6%. Only two others crossed 50% with SP Kent Thackray at 546% in his debut and SP Honore Waheo at 52.4% on his fourth try.



One player was dropped after ten ballots in pitcher Martim Orvalho. The Hawaiian righty had an 11 year career with three teams with a 146-125 record, 2.77 ERA, 2412 innings, 1922 strikeouts, and 51.2 WAR. A nice career, but lacking both the accumulations and accolades to earn much traction. He peaked at 26.4% on his second ballot and ended at 10.7%.



Ieremia “Fury” Tenakanai – Third Base – Tahiti Tropics – 95.6% First Ballot

Ieremia Tenakanai was a 6’1’’, 205 pound right-handed third baseman from Port Moresby, the capital of Papua New Guinea. Nicknamed “Fury” for his hot temper and tireless drive, Tenakanai was a very good contact hitter with a solid pop in his bat. He averaged around 30 home runs and another 30 or so doubles/triples per season. Tenakanai was solid at avoiding strikeouts, but drew fewer walks than you’d expect with his power. His speed was decent, but he was often reckless on the basepaths. Tenakanai primarily played third base, although he also had some starts at shortstop and designated hitter. He was considered a terrible defender, but his bat and durability still made him a very valuable man in the lineup.

A scout from Tahiti noticed Tenakanai as a teenager in Papua New Guinea and signed him to a developmental deal in 1960. He made his official debut in 1964 at age 20, but was used rather sparingly in his first three seasons. He wasn’t used in the postseason run, but he received a ring as the Tropics won the 1965 OBA Championship. Tenakanai became a full-time starter in 1967 and remained in that role with 130+ games played over the next 14 seasons.

Tenakanai would led the Pacific League in hits five times, home runs twice, RBI four times, total bases four times, batting average five times, OBP thrice, OPS twice, wRC+ thrice, and WAR once. He picked up 11 Silver Sluggers in his career (67-68, 70-78) and won three MVPs; taking the top honor in 1971, 74, and 76. Tenakanai also took second in 1969, third in 1970, second in 1972, second in 1973, second in 1975, second in 1977, and third in 1978. He was firmly considered a top three bat in the PL for a good decade with Tahiti.

Tenakanai became extremely popular with the Tropics fans and back home as the first major Papuan baseball star. He played for the Papua New Guinea team in the World Baseball Championship in 129 games between 1965-81, posting 145 hits, 72 runs, 46 home runs, 92 RBI, and 6.0 WAR. Tahiti was typically in contention as well during Tenakanai’s reign and won the Pacific League title in 1971, 74, 75, and 76. In 1975, they took the second OBA title in franchise history. In the playoffs, Tenakanai made 25 starts with 31 hits, 15 runs, 8 home runs, 15 RBI, and a .940 OPS. Although they were runner-up in 1971, he won finals MVP that year.

Tenakanai hadn’t seemed to slow down much into his 30s, although 1979 did see his lowest power totals of his career. This was the final season with Tahiti, as he entered free agency at age 35. He still remained beloved by Tropics fans and had his #6 uniform soon retired. MLB’s Charlotte gave him a big three-year, $2,010,000 contract and he had one respectable season with the Canaries. Charlotte decided to cut him though before the 1981 season and Tenakanai went unsigned that year, retiring at age 37.

For his Tahiti and OBA run, Tenakanai had 2345 hits, 1014 runs, 322 doubles, 130 triples, 423 home runs, 1203 RBI, a .294/.327/.526 slash, 174 wRC+, and 86.5 WAR. He was the third OBA hitter to reach 1000 career RBI and the fifth to 1000 runs scored. His totals would slide down the leaderboards notably as OBA progressed, but there was no doubt he was one of the most feared bats of his era. Tenakanai was the first Papuan Hall of Famer and played a big role in increasing the popularity of the sport in the country. He was a first ballot nod with 95.6%.

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Third baseman Stanley Susilowati was the lone inductee in 1985 to Austronesia Professional Baseball’s Hall of Fame. Susilowati just barely squeaked in on his third ballot at 66.8%, crossing the 66% requirement. Closer Hao-Ming Lu was close on his second attempt, but short at 61.8%. The only other player above 50% was starting pitcher Adrian Su at 52.3% for his debut. No players were dropped after ten ballots.



Stanley Susilowati – Third Base – Pekanbaru Palms – 66.8% Third Ballot

Stanley Susilowati was a 6’2’’, 200 pound right-handed third baseman from
Sampang, a city of around 124,000 people in the East Java Province of Indonesia. Susilowati was best known for being an elite defensive third baseman and an iron man, who started 145 games in 11 of his 13 APB seasons. He played almost exclusively at third and excelled with outstanding arm strength. He had a tremendous eye and was terrific at drawing walks, although his contact skills and strikeout avoidance were middling. Susilowati had solid power, averaging around 30 home runs per year and 20 doubles per season. His speed was just below average.

Susilowati was already 26 years old and had a few years of experience in the semi-pro ranks when Austronesia Professional Baseball was formed in 1965. Pekanbaru signed him to a $122,000 two-year deal and he immediately produced for the Palms. Susilowati led the Sundaland Association in WAR (10.7) and runs scored (95), winning MVP, Silver Slugger, and Gold Glove. Pekanbaru was the first Sundaland Association champ, falling to Taichung in the inaugural APB Championship.

Susilowati ended up playing eight seasons with the Palms, who wouldn’t make the playoffs again in his tenure. Susilowati thrived though, winning a second MVP in 1968 with a second place finish in 1966 and 1967. He won eight straight Gold Gloves from 1965-72 and Silver Sluggers in 67 and 68. Susilowati was the WARlord thrice and had 7+ WAR in each of his Pekanbaru seasons. He also led in runs scored twice, walks twice, OBP twice, and OPS once. Susilowati was also a regular starter for Indonesia in the World Baseball Championship. From 1965-76, he made 102 starts with 88 hits, 61 runs, 38 home runs, 76 RBI, a .244/.358/.589 slash and 5.7 WAR.

With Pekanbaru, Susilowati finished with 1105 hits, 587 runs, 263 home runs, 593 RBI, 626 walks, a .250/.347/.473 slash and 77.1 WAR. The Palms would later retire his #6 uniform and he’d remain a very popular player with fans of the franchise. However, they had fallen to the very bottom of the league in the early 1970s and opted to trade Susilowati. He and prospect CF Renny Cervantes were moved to Kaohsiung for CF Yao-Hsun Ching, and relievers Chih-Hsiung Chung and Wu Hsu.

Susilowati arrived in Taiwan just in time for the start of the Steelheads dynasty. He played three years with Kaohsiung, who won the Taiwan League each of those years and took the APB title in 1973 and 1974. Susilowati was third in MVP voting in 1974 and in 26 playoff games had 22 hits, 12 runs, 6 dobules, 2 home runs, and 9 RBI. In total with the Steelheads, he had 16.6 WAR, 331 hits, 186 runs, 68 home runs, and 169 RBI.

After the 1975 season, the 37-year old Susilowati became a free agent for the first time. He went back to Indonesia and signed a three-year deal with Batam. Susilowati had a respectable first season, but struggled in his second season and was ultimately benched. He retired after the 1977 season at age 38. Susilowati posted 3.7 WAR in his time with the Blue Raiders.

Susilowati’s final stats saw 1576 hits, 841 runs, 245 doubles, 368 home runs, 862 RBI, 861 walks, a .231/.321/.436 slash, 151 wRC+, and 97.4 WAR. At induction, he had the third most WAR of any APB player and sits 23^rd all-time as of 2037 and fourth among third basemen. His totals in a lot of the sexier categories are low though, which turned off many voters. WAR, walks, and great defense doesn’t resonate with many voters. Even in the low offense environment of APB, his .231 batting average is well below almost all but one later APB Hall of Famer. Those drawbacks kept him out on the first two ballots at 61.8% and 59.7%. On his third attempt, Susilowati got the bump just across the line at 66.8% to secure his spot in the APB Hall of Fame.

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Relief pitcher Chaosong Zhang became the second member of the Chinese League Baseball Hall of Fame, getting a first ballot induction in 1985 at 79.9%. Another closer, Yi Li, nearly joined him in his debut, but fell just short at 58.9%. No other player was above 50% and no one was dropped after ten ballots.



Chaosong Zhang – Closer – Dalian Gold Dragons – 79.9% First Ballot

Chaosong Zhang was a 5’11’’, 195 pound right-handed relief pitcher from Luorong, a town of around 67,000 people in the southern China Guangzi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Zhang had excellent stuff with very good control and movement as well. His velocity peaked at 96-98 mph with an impressive one-two punch of slider and cutter. Zhang also had very good stamina and durability for a reliever, leading in appearances five times in his career.

When Chinese League Baseball was formed, Zhang was already 27 years old and an established pitcher in China. He was signed by Dalian and spent six seasons as a Gold Dragon. Zhang was a closer for most of his run there, although he did make appearances as a starting pitcher in 1971 and 1972. He led the Northern League in saves three times with Dalian with 4+ WAR in each season. Zhang won Reliever of the Year in 1972 and took third in 1970, second in 1973, third in 1974, and second in 1975. He also pitched 68.1 innings between 1971-77 with the Chinese team in the World Baseball Championship, posting 15 saves, a 3.03 ERA, and 89 strikeouts.

Dalian made their first playoff appearances in 1974 and 1975, winning the China Series in 1975. It was also a career year for Zhang with bests in ERA (1.05) and saves (50). He also posted a 1.88 ERA and four saves in 14.1 innings in the 1975 playoff run. In total with Dalian, Zhang had 236 saves, 2.02 ERA, 838 innings, 984 strikeouts, and 31.3 WAR. After the 1975 season, the now 33-year old Zhang became a free agent.

Zhang began a journeyman career for the next four years. He pitched for Zhengzhou in 1976 and won his second Reliever of the Year award. He went to Foshan in 1977 and took third in Reliever of the Year, leading in saves for the fourth time in his career. Zhang went back to Dalian in 1978 and picked up his 300^th save back with the Gold Dragons. However, his numbers were down noticeably that year. Zhang signed with Dongguan in 1979 and struggled in his limited appearances, getting traded in June to Zhengzhou. He was unsigned in 1980 and retired that winter at age 38.

Zhang’s final stats: 318 saves, 2.04 ERA, 1106.2 innings, 1347 strikeouts to 220 walks, 378 shutdowns, FIP- of 52, and 42.1 WAR. He was the second reliever to reach 300 saves, although his ERA would be weaker than the other relievers later inducted into the Hall of Fame. Still, his WAR numbers fit with that group and Zhang was always considered a top three level guy in his run. Had his official career not started at age 27, he might have raised his totals towards the top of the leaderboard. The voters gave Zhang the nod on his debut at 79.9%.

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After the formation of South Asia Baseball with the 1980 season, the most populated nations without a team in a Global Baseball Alliance league were Turkey, Iran, and Pakistan. Certainly, the game had been introduced in each country and had plenty of supporters. No doubt, these countries had cities and markets that could support major league level teams. On their own though, they weren't big enough to sustain a league comparable to the other existing ones in the GBA.

Logistics, geography, and politics meant these three countries didn't fit in other existing leagues. Turkey had been considered to have teams within the European Baseball Federation, but mixed relations with some countries and being further east than most teams in the EBF kept them out. Pakistan's warring with India made joining up with South Asia Baseball a non-starter. All three had also sided against the Soviet Bloc generally, making teams within Eurasian Professional Baseball unfeasible.

Post World War II, Iran, Pakistan, and Turkey generally had good relations with each other and more commonality politically and culturally than with many of their neighbors. Each was in the Central Treaty Organization and then later the Economic Cooperation Organization, promoting shared economic and security concerns. Thus, when leaders started seriously contemplating a major professional baseball organization, some alliance of teams between the three appeared to be the best way forward. This eventually culminated in the creation of the Asian Baseball Federation, which saw its debut season in 1985.

In its original form, the ABF had the eight-team Pakistan League and the ten-team West Asia Association; split between a five-team Turkish League and five-team Persian League. This setup lasted 15 years, then saw a major realignment and teams added due to the EPB exodus. The eight Pakistan League teams were based in Faisalabad, Hyderabad, Lahore, Peshawar, Gujranwala, Karachi, Multan, and Rawalpindi. The Iranian teams were Isfahan, Mashhad, Shiraz, Tabriz, and Tehran. The Turkish teams were Adana, Ankara, Bursa, Istanbul, and Izmir. There would be no interleague play.

The top two teams in the Pakistan League face off in a best-of-seven league championship, while the top teams in the WAA divisions do the same. The two winners advance to the best-of-seven ABF Championship. The West Asia Association uses the designated hitter while the Pakistan League does not. The PL generally would have a low offense environment relative to historical trends. The WAA had noticeably higher scoring than their counterpart while still being viewed as below average still. The ABF originally had seven years minimum service time required for free agency and used a partially regional draft to keep players local, although there weren't any foreign player limits to rosters.

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The 39^th World Baseball Championship was centered around Osaka, Japan. In Division 1, Guatemala took first at 7-2, topping Belgium and Norway by one apiece. It is the second-ever division title for the Guatemalans, who placed third back in 1968. In D2, the defending world champ United States had the top honor at 8-1, two games ahead of Argentina, Ecuador, and Taiwan. The Americans have made it to the elite eight 35 times in 39 events. Division 3 had France and China tied for first at 7-2 with Nigeria at 6-3. The tiebreaker went to the French to give them their fifth division title and their first since 1976. In D4, Turkey became the 57^th different nation to win a division title. The Turks were 7-2, edging out Australia, Belarus, and Germany at 6-3.

Division 5 have Uzbekistan on top at 8-1, beating Romania by one and the Philippines by two. It is the third division title for the Uzbeks, who last did it in 1964. D6 had Mexico and Russia tied at 7-2 with the tiebreaker going to the Mexicans. They’ve now advanced 18 times, the fourth most of any nations. Division 7 had Indonesia dominant at 8-1 for their sixth division title and first since 1982. Last year’s runner-up Brazil tied for third at 5-4. And in Division 8, Canada survived at 6-3 with five nations one game behind (Costa Rica, Cuba, India, Iran, Paraguay). It snaps a seven-year drought for the Canadians, who earned their 24^th elite eight appearance.

Of note, the United States was the only team in the elite eight in 1985 that had also made it the prior year. The Americans went unbeaten at 6-0 in Round Robin Group A to advance to the semifinal yet again. Turkey at 3-3 earned their first-ever semifinal berth, while Canada was 2-4 and Guatemala was 1-5. In Group B, Indonesia was first at 5-1 to move to the semifinal for the fifth time. France was 3-3 with Mexico and Uzbekistan at 2-4. The French earned their third semifinal appearance.



In the semifinal, the United States swept France 3-0 and Turkey knocked out Indonesia 3-1. The Indonesians were officially third place for the third time, while the French were fourth. The Americans were in the championship for the unprecedented 25^th time, while it was Turkey’s first-ever final. The Turks gave a valiant effort, but the US won the series 4-2 for the 25^th American title and their fourth in five years.



Leading Turkey’s effort was Tournament MVP Muhammad Ozcelik. The 26-year old left fielder had left for MLB as a teenager and was in his fifth season with Phoenix. In the WBC, Ozcelik had 30 hits, 18 runs, 5 doubles, 6 home runs, 14 RBI, and 16 walks in 25 starts. The Best Pitcher went to Venezuelan Luis Vasquez Jr., who had just left for Baltimore after a Hall of Fame career with Valencia. The 35-year old righty pitched 10.2 scoreless innings with three hits and two walks allowed and 12 strikeouts.

Other notes: There were two no-hitters thrown in 1985. Canada’s Christopher Fournier did it against Cuba and American Ethan Brazille did it against Turkey. Both struck out 15 and walked one.

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1985 marked the debut season of the Asian Baseball Federation. In the Pakistan League, Karachi took first place at 92-70. Peshawar took second at 90-72 to earn the second playoff spot. Faisalabad and Multan were both in the mix, but fell short at 85-77.

The first Pakistan League MVP was Peshawar center fielder Ali Karaduman. A 28-year old lefty from Istanbul, Karaduman had Gold Glove defense and led in WAR (9.5) and doubles (42). He also had 23 home runs and a 160 wRC+. Multan’s Artem Nurov was the first Pitcher of the Year. The 29-year old lefty from Azerbaijan led in WAR (8.7), strikeouts (313), WHIP (0.87), and quality starts (29). He added a 15-11 record and 1.75 ERA in 257 innings.



Over in the West Asia Association, the top overall record went to Istanbul. The Ironmen won the Turkish League at 99-63, topping 92-70 Izmir. In the Persian League, Tabriz took first at 91-71. The Tiger Sharks were four ahead of Isfahan and seven better than Tehran.

The first WAA MVP and Pitcher of the Year both went to Izmir’s Abbas Nadim. The 27-year old Pakistani righty was one strikeout away from being the first Triple Crown winner with a 21-7 record, 1.86 ERA, and 361 strikeouts over 276.1 innings. Nadim also led in WAR (10.4) and had eight shutouts.

In the first Pakistan League Championship Series, Karachi topped Peshawar 4-2. The West Asia Association Championship would go all seven games with the home team winning each game. That favored Istanbul over Tabriz. The Ironmen continued on to be the first Asian Baseball Federation champion, defeating the Carp 4-1 in the final. Catcher Japra Bhatti was the finals MVP with 11 hits, 7 runs, 1 home run, and 7 RBI in 12 starts.





Other notes: The first ABF perfect game came on July 8 from Istanbul’s Akif Erdem, who struck out 15 in an outstanding effort against Isfahan. Two weeks later saw the second no-hitter via Peshawar’s Lotfi Roshan. His no-no was 11 innings with 16 strikeouts and one walk against Hyderabad. This was only the third no-hitter in any world league to this point that had gone 11 innings.

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Bengaluru again had the best record in the Indian League, although they dropped from their impressive 116 wins the prior year. The Blazers finished 96-66, still plenty strong to run away with the South Division. Visakhapatnam, the wild card last year, was a non-factor at 73-89. In the West Division, Ahmedabad earned their first-ever division title at 92-70, unseating two-time defending South Asian Champion Pune. The Purple Knights still made it back to the playoffs with the wild card spot, although they needed to beat Mumbai in a one-game playoff to do it. Pune was 87-76 with the Meteors at 86-77. The Central Division needed a tiebreaker game as well with both Jaipur and Kanpur ending at 82-80, while Delhi was 81-81. The Jokers won the tiebreaker, making it six straight division titles for them to start the IL’s history. Jaipur, Bengaluru, and Pune have made the playoffs each of the first six seasons in SAB, while the Animals have made it four times.

Delhi 2B V.J. Williams won back-to-back Indian League MVPs. The 25-year old Indian native was the leader in WAR (11.6), triple slash (.337/.418/.653), OPS (1.071), wRC+ (224), total bases (374), and runs (127). Williams added 45 home runs and 111 RBI. Bengaluru’s Vannak Thai was the Pitcher of the Year. The 32-year old from Thailand led in ERA (1.69) and wins (18-7), posting 278 strikeouts and 6.9 WAR in 240 innings.

In the first round of the playoffs, Bengaluru ousted defending champ Pune in a 3-2 battle, while Jaipur upset Ahmedabad 3-1. After getting early exits in the prior two postseasons, the Blazers claimed the Indian League Championship Series 4-1 over the Jokers. Bengaluru now has two league pennants, having also won the 1982 title.



Defending Southeast Asia League Champion Dhaka had the best record again and earned a fifth straight playoff berth. The Dobermans won the North Division at 103-59, fending off solid challenges from Hanoi and Chittagong. They took the wild card spots with the Hounds at 97-65 and the Commandos at 93-69, both earning their first-ever playoff berth. Yangon finished 81-81, missing the playoffs for the first time. In the North Division, Ho Chi Minh City took first for the third straight season. The Hedgehogs were 88-74, besting Vientiane by four games.

Chittagong CF Van Loi Phung won the Southeast Asia League MVP with the third-ever 13+ WAR season for a SAB hitter. The 24-year old Vietnamese righty won a Gold Glove and led in WAR (13.5), triple slash (.354/.404/.717), OPS (1.120), wRC+ (208), total bases (435), runs (122), and RBI (142). He also had 53 home runs and 215 hits. Dhaka’s Indradu Rajeeb won the Pitcher of the Year. The 33-year old Indian lefty had bounced around between other teams before signing with the Dobermans for 1985. He led in ERA (2.31), WHIP (0.95), and complete games (14), adding 7.4 WAR and 279 strikeouts over 260.2 innings with a 19-10 record.

In the first round, both wild card teams upset the division champs. Hanoi took it 3-2 over Ho Chi Minh City, while Chittagong stunned defending champ Dhaka in four. This sent two first time participants to the Southeast Asian League Championship Series. The Hounds defeated the Commandos 4-2 to advance to the SAB Championship.



Hanoi would fall in five to Bengaluru as the Blazers became two-time SAB Champions. SS Advaith Ravi was the finals MVP, having joined Bengaluru as a free agent in the offseason. The 34-year old lefty had 16 hits, 9 runs, 4 home runs, 7 RBI, and 9 walks over 15 playoff starts. In SAB’s first six years, five of the titles have gone to Indian League teams.



Other notes: 1985 had the first perfect game in South Asia Baseball history on August 2. Ahmedabad’s Ynilo Naranjo did it with 10 strikeouts against Mumbai. Al-Amin Kundu became the first SAB hitter to reach 300 career home runs. Kundu is also the only player to win a Silver Slugger in each of SAB’s first six seasons.

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Abidjan had an impressive recovery in 1985 after a franchise worst 72-90 record the prior year. The Athletes finished first atop the Western League at 100-62 for their ninth playoff berth in the first 11 seasons of West African Baseball. It is also Abidjan’s sixth time taking first in the regular season standings. Bamako finished second by one game at 99-63 for a third straight playoff appearance. Kumasi was third at 97-65 with a 12 game gap to fourth place Conakry. The Monkeys extended their playoff streak to eight seasons, tied for the WAB record. Defending West African Champion Nouakchott dropped to a fifth place 79-83.

Kumasi’s Austin Massaquoi became a two-time Western League MVP. The right fielder from Sierra Leone led the league in runs scored (106), adding 8.0 WAR, 42 home runs, 95 RBI, and a .921 OPS. Bamako’s Omonefe Olatunji took home Pitcher of the Year in his fourth season. The left-handed Nigerian led in wins with a 21-8 record and posted a 2.16 ERA over 246 innings with 289 strikeouts and 7.9 WAR. He managed to edge out teammate Addise Assefa for the award despite Assefa’s 401 strikeouts and 8.5 WAR. As of 2037, there have only been seven seasons by a WAB pitcher with 400+ strikeouts; Assefa has three of them.

Kumasi upset Bamako 2-1 in the wild card round and carried that momentum into the Western League Championship Series against Abidjan. The Monkeys took the series in a 3-2 battle to earn their second WL pennant, joining their 1979 effort.



In the Eastern League, another typical power had the top record after missing the playoffs the prior year. 1983 WAB champ Lagos found its way to first place at 99-63, bouncing back from the 84-78 from the prior season. The Lizards now have nine playoff appearances, tied with Abidjan for the most in WAB thus far. Lagos was only one game better than Niamey, who took second at 98-64 for back-to-back wild cards and a franchise-best season. Defending EL champ Kano firmly had the third place spot at 95-67, giving the Condors a third straight playoff berth and their ninth overall. Port Harcourt, a wild card last year, dropped to 75-87.

Taking Eastern League MVP was Niamey 2B Chigozie Nyima. Nicknamed “Bug,” the 27-year old Nigerian led in WAR (8.0), doubles (49), RBI (141), total bases (380), slugging (.623), OPS (.990), and wRC+ (179), while adding a .310 average and 40 home runs. Nyima would be the hottest free agent in the offseason, signing a record eight-year, $5,180,000 deal with Abidjan. Lagos’ Dalanda Soumah won EL Pitcher of the Year with the 25-year old Guinean leading in wins (23-6), and ERA (2.12). He added 325 strikeouts over 221 innings with 8.2 WAR.

Niamey swept Kano 2-0 in the wild card round to earn back-to-back appearances in the Eastern League Championship Series. The Atomics would be denied their first title as Lagos claimed the ELCS 3-1. The Lizards continue their dominance, winning their sixth EL pennant in 11 years.



Lagos would add their fifth West African Championship ring (1978, 79, 81, 83, 85) as they bested Kumasi 4-2 in the final. SS Ismael Sidi won finals MVP for the second time in his career, having also won it in 1983. In 10 playoff games, Sidi had 13 hits, 3 runs, 3 doubles, 1 home run, and 3 RBI.



Other notes: Power Bonou became the first pitcher to 200 career wins. He would retire after the 1987 season with 238 and hold the top spot in WAB until the late 2000s.

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Defending Chinese League Baseball champion Beijing improved greatly from the prior season, finishing atop the Northern League at 110-52. The Bears set numerous Northern League records, allowing only 337 runs and 287 earned runs, a 1.72 team ERA, 987 hits allowed, 0.808 WHIP, and 5.90 H/9. As of 2037, the WHIP, runs, earned runs, and ERA marks remain NL single season bests. Tianjin, who was the runner-up the prior season and champ in 1983, easily took the second place spot at 101-61. Third place was Xi’an at 90-72 with Shanghai fourth at 89-73.

Qingdao centerfielder Libo Li won Northern League MVP for the second time, five years after his first MVP. The 33-year old led in WAR (13.9), triple slash (.309/.356/.531), OPS (.887), wRC+ (209), total bases (295), and stolen bases (78). It would be Li’s penultimate CLB season, as he’d leave for MLB’s San Francisco in 1987 and spend another decade in America. Pitcher of the Year was Beijing’s Xueming Hao. The 25-year old lefty led in WHIP (0.74) and wins (18-5), posting a 1.51 ERA over 250 innings with 314 strikeouts and 6.9 WAR.



For the third straight season, Chongqing had the top record in the Southern League. It was a three team race for the two playoff spots with the Cavaliers on top at 103-59. Hong Kong was one back at 102-60 to earn their third playoff berth in four years. Chengdu barely missed out at 99-63, finishing third for back-to-back seasons.

Hong Kong third baseman Wang Hla Sann picked up Southern League MVP. The fourth-year righty led in hits (162), doubles (38), and WAR (9.3), adding 189 wRC+, 26 home runs, and a .291 average. Pitcher of the Year went to Chongqing’s Yang He. The 27-year old righty led in wins (23-9), innings (287.2), and strikeouts (346). He added a 1.97 ERA and 8.7 WAR.

Both first place teams prevailed over the second place teams in the crossover semifinals. Chongqing survived 4-3 in an intense battle with Tianjin, while Beijing bested Hong Kong 4-1. This gave the Bears back-to-back China Series appearances and the second in three years for the Cavaliers.



In the 16^th China Series, Beijing beat Chongqing 4-1, giving the Bears their third CLB title (1970, 84, 85). Beijing is the second repeat champion in CLB history, joining 1977-78 Kunming. Part of that Kunming run was RF Jinyu Liu, who won finals MVP for the Bears. The 35-year old Liu had signed with Beijing after going unsigned in 1984. In 10 playoff games, he had 12 hits, 7 runs, 3 home runs, and 5 RBI.



Other notes: The 16^th CLB Perfect Game came on August 16 from Nanjing’s Zimin Miao, who struck out 12 against Dalian. Yin Yang, Tao Liu, and Hongchen Wang each crossed 2000 hits, making it six CLB batters to do so. Yang also became the ninth to 1000 runs scored. Guodong Lin and Peng Huang became the fifth and sixth to 3000 strikeouts. 3B Chantha Thepsenavong became only the second player to win ten Gold Gloves. SS Junjie Hsiung won his eighth Silver Slugger.

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Taichung claimed back-to-back Taiwan League titles and did it by a 19 game margin, finishing 103-59. This was one game short of a franchise wins record for the Toucans, who led the Taiwan-Philippine Association in runs scored (633) and fewest allowed (449). The Philippine League was competitive as Manila (87-75) ended one game ahead of defending Austronesia Champion Quezon (86-76). This gave the Manatees their second playoff berth in three years.

TPA MVP went to Taichung third baseman Huang Huang. The 27-year old switch hitter was the season’s WARlord (9.1) and leader in runs (89). He added 31 home runs and a 151 wRC+. Pitcher of the Year was Quezon’s Carson Lim. The 26-year old Filipino righty led in ERA (1.74), WHIP (0.81), shutouts (8), and FIP- (70). Lim added 6.2 WAR, 222 strikeouts, and a 14-6 record over 222.2 innings.



Jakarta took the top spot in the Java League for the third time in four years. The Jaguars were 99-63, finishing nine better than Bandung and 15 ahead of last year’s first place team Semarang. Jakarta had a record-setting pitching staff, setting single-season marks in the Sundaland Association for fewest runs (324), earned runs (287), and ERA (1.73). The runs and earned runs mark still stand as all-time bests as of 2037 for all of Austronesia Professional Baseball. In the Malacca League, Batam was first at 96-66 to snap a five-year playoff drought. Two-time defending association champ Medan took second at 90-72.

Although the Marlins missed the postseason, 1B Tunggul Widhyasari won his third Sundaland Association MVP for them. The 29-year old Indonesian lefty made history with his third Triple Crown season, becoming the third batter in any world league to earn the honor thrice or more. He had 38 home runs, 89 RBI, and .317 averag,e while also leading in runs (78), walks (74), total bases (296), OBP (.399), slugging (.571), OPS (.970), wRC+ (242), and WAR (9.0). This would be his last great season with Medan, missing almost all of 1986 to injury and then leaving for Jakarta (and later MLB). Jaguars righty Poh Tan won Pitcher of the Year with the 30-year old leading in WHIP (0.71), innings (292.0), quality starts (33), and shutouts (10). Tan added 8.1 WAR and 343 strikeouts with a 1.60 ERA and 21-9 record. Some thought his teammate Hadi Ningsih should’ve won as he had the best ERA (1.51), most strikeouts (373), and most WAR (11.8). Jakarta’s pitching staff was so loaded that four of the top five pitchers in WAR in the SA were Jaguars.

In the Taiwan-Philippine Association Championship, Manila downed Taichung 4-1 to give the Manatees their third-ever TPA pennant (1967, 70). Jakarta won the Sundaland Association final 4-1 over Batam to make the Jaguars five time winners (1968, 69, 70, 82).



Jakarta added their third Austronesian Championship to the mantle, joining their 1969 and 1970 trophies. The 21^st final went to the Jaguars 4-1 over Manila with finals MVP going to CF I Wayan Rohman. He had joined Jakarta in a trade the prior season with the 32-year old posting 10 hits, 4 runs, 2 doubles, 2 home runs, and 5 RBI in 10 playoff starts.



Other notes: Zamboanga’s Cesar Gonzalez threw the 13^th APB perfect game on June 21, striking out three against Taichung. Rajwant Arhana became the second APB reliever to 300 career saves. CF Ying-Chieh Tsai and RF Lin Zulkifti became eight time Gold Glove winners.

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Christchurch bounced back from a 79-83 mark the prior year to finish atop the Australasia League at 96-66. This gave the Chinooks their fourth league title, joining the 1963, 1983, and 1985 titles. Combined with Auckland’s success, the last six AL titles have gone to a New Zealand team. Sydney was second at 92-70, followed by the Avengers and Brisbane both at 83-79.

Melbourne LF Riley Singleton won the Australasia League MVP. The 25-year old Australian led in home runs (41), RBI (111), total bases (371), slugging (.642), OPS (.991), wRC+ (197), and 9.7 WAR. He also was second in batting average at .324. Adelaide ace Tarzan Rao won his fifth Pitcher of the Year of the 1980s. The 32-year old righty from Vanuatu led in WAR (11.9) for the eighth straight season and strikeouts (445) for the sixth straight. Rao also led in ERA (2.20), innings (336), WHIP (0.82), K/BB (14.4), and FIP- (58). His 22-16 record left him one win shy of a third straight Triple Crown. Also of note, Sydney’s Lorenzo Amaru won his third Reliever of the Year. The 27-year old Tahitian would leave for MLB in 1986 and spend the next decade stateside.



Port Moresby won the Pacific League for only the second time, joining the 1978 season. The Mud Hens were dominant at 107-55, setting a franchise record. This broke up the Honolulu dynasty, who had won four straight PL titles and three straight OBA rings. The Honu were still second place at 90-72, but 17 games away from the top spot.

Leading Port Moresby’s efforts was Pacific League MVP Jay Guadalupe. A 26-year old from Guam, he had a league-best 98 runs, 91 stolen bases, and .361 OBP, adding a .298 average, 25 home runs, and 8.0 WAR. He played one more season with the Mud Hens, then left for MLB’s Detroit. Pitcher of the Year went to 28-year old Australian Theo Stocker, who joined Guam in a 1983 midseason trade with Melbourne. Stocker led in strikeouts (337) and WAR (9.0), adding a 2.49 ERA over 322 innings and 21-11 record. Unfortunately, injuries would put him out of the game only three years later.

In the 26^th Oceania Championship, Christchurch was looking for their second ring and Port Moresby was gunning for its first. The Mud Hens ended up the victor 4-2, bringing the trophy to Papua New Guinea. Veteran LF Rui Guo was the finals MVP, a 37-year old from China who had played in both EAB and CABA before coming to Port Moresby. The 1976 Japan league MVP, Guo had 7 hits, 5 runs, 4 home runs, and 4 RBI in the series.





Other notes: The 6^th OBA perfect game was thrown by Samoa’s Leo Nathaporn on May 25. He struck out 16 against Fiji, setting the record for most strikeouts in an OBA perfecto and tying the mark for any no-hitter. At 47-115, Fiji set the mark for the worst record in OBA history. It remains the low mark for a Pacific League team, although a later expansion Australasia League team would fare worse. Pitcher of the Year Tarzan Rao became the second pitcher to 250 wins and the fourth to 4000 strikeouts. Nigel Chalmers became the third to 4500 Ks. Scott Kyle became the first to 300 saves, a mark no OBA pitcher would reach again until 2020. Pitcher Durant Lindly won his eighth Gold Glove.

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Defending Soviet Series champ Bucharest improved on their record from the prior year and won a fourth EPB European League South Division title in five years. The Broncos were 110-52, one win short of a franchise record. After seeing their six-year playoff streak snapped narrowly last year, Kyiv returned the playoffs by easily taking the first wild card at 104-58. Kharkiv, the EL runner-up last year, fell to 84-78. Minsk’s North Division streak moved to five straight years with their 102-60 finish. Warsaw was close behind at 100-62, good enough for the second wild card. The Wildcats ended a four-year playoff drought. Last year’s wild card St. Petersburg dropped to 80-82.

For the seventh time, the European League MVP went to a pitcher, although it was the first time happening for a pitcher-only since 1966. Bucharest ace Haxhi Maho won MVP and his second Pitcher of the Year. The 27-year old Albanian lefty led the EL in wins (24-8), ERA (1.68), quality starts (31), shutouts (8), FIP- (57), and WAR (10.7). He added 315 strikeouts over 294 innings.

Despite his efforts and their season success, Bucharest was stunningly swept in the first round of the playoffs by Warsaw. This sent the Wildcats to the European League Championship Series for the fifth time and first time since 1980. Minsk renewed its postseason rivalry with Kyiv and got the sweep, giving the Miners their third ELCS berth in five years. Minsk also has an impressive 17 ELCS berths in EPB’s first 31 seasons. The Miners added their eighth EL pennant to the accolades by outlasting Warsaw in a seven game classic. Game seven was the ultimate pitcher’s duel, staying scoreless until Minsk won it 1-0 in the 14^th inning. Their eighth EL title matches Kyiv for the most.



Omsk surprised many in the Asian League by finishing with the best record at 101-61 atop the North Division, ending a 13-year playoff drought for the Otters. They had tough competition with Yekaterinburg at 99-63, snapping their own 12-year playoff drought by getting the first wild card. Novosibirsk at 91-71 was the second wild card. In the South Division, Almaty took first at 96-66 to end a six-year playoff skid, beating Dushanbe by nine games. With that, all four playoff teams were different than the prior year in the AL. Two-time defending league champ Bishkek dropped to ,500 with similar middling efforts from Ufa, Krasnoyarsk, and Ulaanbaatar.

Asian League MVP went to Yekaterinburg first baseman Aleksei Sakalauskas. The 26-year old Russian led in runs (103), home runs (54), RBI (116), total bases (362), OBP (.374), slugging (.623), OPS (.997), wRC+ (223), and WAR (10.8). Pitcher of the Year was Novosibirsk’s Igor Bury with the 25-year old righty leading in strikeouts (418), quality starts (30), FIP- (45), and WAR (11.8), while taking second in ERA at 1.78 over 278.1 innings. This was the first major accolade for someone who would be considered by many to be the EPB GOAT by career’s end. Not only would he continue to pitch at this high level, but he also plays the outfield. In 1985, Bury had 3.2 WAR with 19 home runs over 89 games and a 144 wRC+.

In the first round of the playoffs, Omsk defeated Novosibirsk 3-1 and Almaty outlasted Yekaterinburg 3-2. For the Otters, this was their third ever Asian League Championship Series berth (first since 1970). It was the 11^th for the Assassins, but it had been a decade since their last appearance. Omsk would win the ALCS 4-2 over Almaty, giving the Otters their second-ever AL pennant (1966).



Omsk wouldn’t get their first EPB ring though with perennial power Minsk sweeping them in the 31^st Soviet Series. It was the fifth title for the Miners, but surprisingly their first since 1969 despite having 13 playoff berths in the 15 years since then. Minsk is now tied with Kyiv for the most overall EPB titles. CF Ihar Kabelsky was the postseason leader, winning ELCS MVP for the Miners with 20 hits, 9 runs, 6 extra base hits, and 8 stolen bases over 14 games.



Other notes: EPB’s 24^th and 25^th perfect games came in 1985. On May 5, Novosibirsk’s Pavol Blovsky struck out nine against Bishkek. Then on August 6, Omsk’s Fredek Nikuradze fanned 12 against Baku. Konrad Mazur became the fifth hitter to 1500 RBI. DH Ivan Valev won his 11^th and final Silver Slugger. “Socks” had three more years left in MLB, but this ended his EPB career. He left with 2856 hits, just behind Kirill Ohlobystin’s 2998 for the top EPB mark.

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Leading the European Baseball Federation’s Northern Conference in 1985 was Copenhagen at 106-56, giving the Corsairs their third North Central Division title in five years. Rotterdam snapped a four-year playoff drought to take the Northwest Division at 101-61, while Birmingham at 98-64 won a third straight British Isles Division. Two-time defending EBF champ Amsterdam managed to just barely extend its postseason streak to four years. The Anacondas finished at 92-70 and took the wild card, besting Hamburg by one game and Paris by three. Last year’s NC runner-up Berlin was 83-79.

Birmingham slugger Sean Houston won back-to-back Northern Conference MVPs, although he didn’t match the record setting 72 home run, 167 RBI mark from the prior year. He still led the NC with 237, which would’ve been a single-season record if not topped by two players in the Southern Conference as well. The 26-year old Scot also led with 146 RBI, 460 total bases, a .382 average, .741 slugging, 1.154 OPS, and 219 wRC+. Houston also had 52 home runs and 10.4 WAR. Houston’s single-season runs record of 144 from the prior year almost got matched by Copenhagen’s Lasse Kallevik, who scored 141 times. London’s Oliver Churchley won the Pitcher of the Year and was only eight strikeouts short of a Triple Crown. The 27-year old English righty had a 19-9 record, 2.39 ERA, and 294 strikeouts. He was also the leader in WAR (9.2), FIP- (64), and innings pitched (278.1).

In the first round of the playoffs, Copenhagen outlasted Amsterdam in five to pause the Anacondas dynasty. Birmingham beat Rotterdam 3-1 to earn their first Northern Conference Championship berth since 1978. The Corsairs had made it two years prior, but their only pennant had been the inaugural 1950 EBF season. It went all seven games, but Copenhagen pulled off the conference title over the Bees.



Zurich continued to make history in the Southern Conference with the three-time defending conference champs finishing at 117-45. This set a franchise record with the Mountaineers also setting conference records in hits (1717) and batting average .301. Both of those still stand as of 2037. Additionally, Zurich extended its playoff and South Central Division title streak to 13 seasons. Munich won a third straight Southeast Division handily at 105-57. The Southwest Division was very competitive with Marseille on top at 103-59, returning to the playoffs after their four-year streak was snapped the prior season. Seville and Madrid jockeyed for the wild card with the Stingrays (93-69) taking it by one over the Conquistadors and five over Naples. This ended a seven year playoff drought for Seville. Lisbon, the conference runner up the prior season, plummeted to a not nice 69 wins.

The increased offensive environment set in motion the prior year was very evident in the Southern Conference MVP race. Marseille RF Jacob Ronnberg ended up taking his third trophy, setting the EBF single season record for hits with 242. He became the second to bat over .400 with a .402 average, just behind Franco Gilbert’s .408 the prior year. Gilbert, for what its worth, batted .389 with 238 hits in 1985. Ronnberg also led in runs (136), triples (34), total bases (483), slugging (.804), OPS (1.243), wRC+ (228), and WAR (12.9). He also won his eighth Gold Glove.

Despite all that, you could’ve easily given the MVP to Athens LF Josip Stojanovic. The fourth-year slugger from Serbia crushed 71 home runs, only one behind Sean Houston’s record from the prior year. His 161 RBI was just six lower than Houston’s 1984 mark. Stojanovic had 9.8 WAR and a .320 average. Munich’s Casper Ebsen won Pitcher of the Year in his third season. Nicknamed “Barbarian,” the 23-year old Dane led in wins (26-8), inning (292.1), WHIP (0.93), and quality starts (28). He added a 2.74 ERA and 317 strikeouts with 6.0 WAR.

Both first round playoff series were sweeps with Zurich over Seville and Marseille over Munich. It would mark the third time in the decade that the Mountaineers and Musketeers had met in the Southern Conference Championship. Marseille prevented Zurich from a conference title four-peat, shutting down the record setting offense and winning the series in five. Despite being their 11^th SCC appearance, it was only the third pennant for the Musketeers (1966, 1981).



The 36^th European Championship was the second title for Marseille, who had won it all in 1981. The Musketeers won 4-2 over Copenhagen, bringing the cup back to southern France. 1B Julien Lefebvre was the finals MVP with the 27-year old Frenchman getting 29 hits, 20 runs, 4 doubles, 5 triples, 4 home runs, and 11 RBI in 14 playoff starts. The 20 runs scored was a EBF postseason record that has been matched twice, but not topped as of 2037.



Other notes: Although the focus was on offensive milestones, Zurich’s Jean-Luc Roch notably became the first to 5500 career strikeouts. He’d retire after the 1986 season with 5757 as the all-time leader and remains second best as of 2037. Chrstophoros Zarkadis became the fourth to 600 career home runs. Zarkadis aslo won his ninth and final Silver Slugger at shortstop. Jacob Ronnberg won his eighth at RF.

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For the first time in a decade, Cali earned a playoff spot. The Cyclones had the best record in 1985 in the Bolivar League at 102-60, winning the South Division. Quito was a distant second at 88-74 and last year’s division winner Lima dropped to 80-82. In the North Division, Caracas ended a 12-year postseason drought. The Colts were only 85-77, but this allowed them to squeak by Barquisimeto by one game. Defending Copa Sudamerica champ Ciudad Guayana finished 80-82, in a three-way tie for third with Medellin and Valencia.

Bolivar League MVP went to Cali DH Arnau Aceves. In his second full season, the 25-year old Colombian led in runs (114), home runs (59), RBI (131), total bases (410), slugging (.679), and WAR (8.3). Ciudad Guayana’s Ruben Garcia was the Pitcher of the Year. The 28-year old Venezuelan righty led in WAR (10.7), strikeouts (356), K/BB (11.1), quality starts (26), and FIP- (55). Garcia added a 2.89 ERA over 277 innings and 18-11 record.



The Southern Cone League also saw a large postseason drought snapped for Belo Horizonte, who had come close in recent years. The Hogs got their first Brazil Division title since 1968 with a 102-60 finish, besting defending league champ Recife by nine games. In the South Division, Cordoba edged out last year’s winner Concepcion by two games. At 96-66, the Chanticleers earned their second division title in three years.

Belo Horizonte’s great season saw them take both MVP and Pitcher of the Year. The former went to RF Yago Prata with the 26-year old Brazilian leading in runs (121), home runs (61), RBI (129), total bases (444), slugging (.724), OPS (1.111), wRC+ (216), and 9.9 WAR. His .356 average left him 13 points shy of a Triple Crown season. Benjamim Alegre won his fifth Pitcher of the Year in six seasons despite missing nearly two months to injury. In only 218.2 innings, he still led the league in WAR (8.6) and posted 317 strikeouts, a 2.30 ERA, and 14-9 record.

The Bolivar League Championship Series was a seven game classic that saw Cali prevail against Caracas. This was the fifth pennant for the Cyclones, but the first since they won four from 1948-52. It is also the first pennant for a Colombian team since Bogota in 1973. Cordoba cruised to the Southern Cone Championship 4-1 over Belo Horizonte. This gave the Chanticleers their sixth pennant with the last one in 1974.



Cali hoped that the 55^th Copa Sudamerica would bring them their first overall title, as they had 0-4 in their prior appearances. Cordoba dashed those hopes as the Chanticleers took the series 4-1, improving their record to 4-1 in the finale. Cordoba’s other cup wins came in 1951, 53, 56, and 74. SS Nando Crispin was the finals MVP, making his return to the lineup after missing the LCS to injury. In the five Copa Sudamerica games, he had 7 hits, 4 runs, 3 home runs, and 4 RBI.



Other notes: Valor Melo became the first Beisbol Sudamerica hitter to cross 800 career home runs. He’d play two more seasons and retire with 870, holding the HR king title until the mid 2000s. Melo would also retire the RBI leader with 1862, passing Diego Pena’s 1754, and held that as well until the 2000s. Melo also won his 10^th and final Silver Slugger at first base.