Baseball: The World's Game (OOTP 22 Fictional World)

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Adelaide was Australasia League champion for the third time in the first seven years of the Oceania Baseball Association. The Aardvarks finished 92-70, ahead of Christchurch (88-74), defending champ Auckland (87-75) and Perth (85-77).

Melbourne was just below .500, but they had the league MVP in RF Danny Carrott. The 24-year old smacked 58 home runs, a new OBA record (although it only lasted as the top mark two seasons). Carrott also led the league in runs (101), RBI (123), slugging (.646), OPS (.984), wRC+ (201), and WAR (10.6). Auckland’s John Williams won Pitcher of the Year and joined his Pacific League counterpart as the second/third pitchers to win a Triple Crown. The 28-year old lefty had a 20-11 record, 2.23 ERA, and 330 strikeouts in 278.2 innings with 9.7 WAR.



Like Adelaide, Guadalcanal became a three-time league champion in 1966. The Green Jackets won the Pacific League title with a 96-66 mark, 11 games ahead of second place Port Moresby. Last year’s OBA champ Tahiti struggled to 73 -89, finishing seventh.

Guadalcanal had the Pacific League MVP and Pitcher of the Year. MVP was 1B Michael MacPherson, a 38-year old Canadian in his third season in OBA after a long journeyman run in MLB. He was the WARlord at 7.6 and led in OBP (.387) and walks (78), adding 34 home runs and 88 RBI. 25-year old righty Sakeo Rasalato was Pitcher of the Year and a Triple Crown winner. The Fijian had a 26-8 record, 1.50 ERA, and 374 strikeouts over 329.1 innings. Rasalato also set a single-season WAR record at 13.9 and led in K/BB (8.3), quality starts (38), and FIP- (47).

The seventh Oceania Championship would be the second one to end in a sweep. Guadalcanal dominated Adelaide to make the Green Jackets two-time champs. French CF Raymond Mille was the series MVP with the 29-year old getting 6 hits, 5 runs, 2 triples, 1 home run, and 5 RBI.





Other notes: Guam’s Sione Hala became the first OBA Triple Crown hitter, but only finished third in MVP voting. The 23-yaer old Tongan had a .311 average, 41 home runs, and 102 RBI. However, he only had 6.7 WAR because of horrible defense. For the first time in OBA, there was not a single no-hitter in a season. Fineasi Hausia became the first five-time Gold Glove winner at shortstop, while Ismail Barnett did it at third base. SS Vae Afatia became the first five-time Silver Slugger winner.

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Eurasian Professional Baseball didn’t look much different at the top in 1966 as it did the prior year. All four European League teams earned repeat playoff berths with a five-year streak for Kyiv, six-year streak for Moscow, and twelve-year streak for Minsk. The Mules had the best overall record at 106-56 atop the North Division with wild cards for the Miners (101-61) and Kazan (95-67). The Crusaders pitching staff set a league record with 1829 strikeouts, still the EPB all-time mark as of 2037. Helsinki at 92-70 had the misfortune of missing out in their tough division. The South Division title went to defending Soviet Series champ Kyiv at 92-70, who beat out Tirana by three games and both Budapest and Prague by five.

Minsk acquired longtime Dushanbe ace Sergei Filatov in a trade the prior summer and he earned European League MVP and Pitcher of the Yea in 1966. The 37-year old became a four-time Pitcher of the Year winner and two-time MVP. The lefty was the leader in wins at 26-7 and led in innings pitched (301.1), quality starts (29), complete games (22), shutouts (8), and WAR (10.8). He would leave for Moscow the next season, but with the Miners, Filatov became the first EPB pitcher to 3500 career strikeouts. He also threw the only no-hitter of his illustrious career in 1966, striking out 11 with one walk on May 28 against Sofia. Also of note in the EL was Kyiv’s Hryhoriy Boychuk becoming the second EPB closer to win three Reliever of the Year awards. The 33-year old lefty had a 0.75 ERA in 84.1 innings with 142 strikeouts and 38 saves.



The Asian League was historically top heavy with the two highest win totals in AL history both in 1966. After missing the playoffs narrowly last year, Omsk took the North Division at 120-42, leading in both runs scored (765) and runs allowed (417). The Otters allowed a league-record 1040 hits, which held as the best mark for 30 years. They also had a league-record 0.861 team WHIP. Meanwhile in the South Division, defending league champ Bishkek improved on their recent success with a 119-43 mark, earning a fifth straight playoff berth. As of 2037, these are still the top two winningest seasons in AL history and third/fourth for the entire EPB (Minsk in 1957 was 123-39, Warsaw was 122-40 in 1955).

Overshadowed was Ufa, who followed up a 115-win 1965 with a 110-52 1966 to take the first wild card. It was the fourth straight playoff berth for the Fiends. There was a huge gap to the second wild card spot with three teams just above .500. Yekaterinburg and Baku tied at 84-78 with Ulaanbaatar just one game behind. In a one-game playoff, the Yaks ultimately earned a third straight playoff appearance.

Omsk righty Arutyun Lezjov won both MVP and Pitcher of the Year for the Asian League; his first of the former and second of the latter. He was the wins leader at 25-5 and led in ERA (1.48), WHIP (0.73), quality starts (28), FIP- (40), shutouts (8), and WAR (13.1). The ERA mark was the EPB single-season record and the WAR was the fifth-best season for an EPB pitcher to that point. He also had 344 strikeouts over 280.1 innings and 24 complete games.

In the European League first round of the playoffs, Kazan stunned Moscow with a road sweep and Minsk outlasted Kyiv 3-2. In the ELCS, the Miners edged the Crusaders in a seven-game classic, giving Minsk five league titles in EPB’s first 12 seasons. In the Asian League, Omsk cruised to a sweep of Yekaterinburg and Bishkek downed Ufa in four. The ALCS was an all-timer with a combined 239 wins between the two teams. The Otters denied the Black Sox their three-peat win in a seven-game thriller, giving Omsk its first league title.



After two seven-game battles in the LCS round, the 1966 Soviet Series ended up being a dud. Minsk swept Omsk to give the Miners their third EPB title. It was the second sweep in finals history, joining Minsk’s last title in 1962 when they rolled Chelyabinsk. RF Mikhail Musayev was the postseason star after the 31-year old joined the Miners in a midseason trade from Krasnoyarsk. He won both ELCS and Soviet Series MVP, posting 17 hits, 9 runs, 5 home runs, and 13 RBI in 16 playoff starts.



Other notes: Artur Golub became the first EPB pitcher to record three no-hitters in a career. The Ufa ace’s third came with 14 strikeouts against Irkutsk. Kirill Edelman reached 3500 strikeouts, the second pitcher to do after Sergei Filatov did it four weeks earlier. Edelman and Henri Gevorgyan both earned their 200^th win, joining Filatov and Taleh Ismailov as the only ones to do so thus far. Pavlo Kolesnik became the first EPB batter to 2000 career hits. Corin Dragomir and Andrei Yakimov made it four EPB hitters with 400 career home runs. 2B Anton Kirilenko won his eighth and final Silver Slugger; the second EPB player to get to eight.

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London had the best record in the EBF Northern Conference in 1966 at 97-65, earning a second straight British Isles division title. Defending conference champ Glasgow was wild card again and earned a third-straight berth with an 88-74 mark. They edged Birmingham (87-75) and Berlin (85-77) for the final spot. The Barons were seven games behind 1964 champ Hamburg in the North Central Division as the 92-70 Hammers are back in the field after just missing the prior year. Brussels won the Northwest Division in back-to-back seasons and grabbed a seventh playoff berth in eight years. The Beavers were 92-70, 10 games away from Paris.

London’s Benny Baker was the conference MVP; his second after having done it as a rookie in 1960. The 30-year old English 1B was the WARlord at 9.2, taking second in home runs (51) and RBI (125) and adding 103 runs, 187 hits, and a .318 average. Berlin’s Joachim Muller won back-to-back Pitcher of the Year. The 28-year old German led in ERA (1.83), WAR (8.7) and FIP- (56), adding a 19-7 record over 246.1 innings with 253 strikeouts.





The best overall record for the European Baseball Federation came from Vienna at 108-54. The Vultures set an EBF record that still holds as the top mark as of 2037; a team ERA of 2.36. Their 448 runs allowed remains a Southern Conference record. Vienna cruised to back-to-back Southeast Division champs, well ahead of Athens and Belgrade. Those teams battled for the wild card with the Anchors getting it at 85-77, edging the Bruisers by two games and both Naples and Zurich by three. This ended a six-year playoff drought for the Anchors and meant the defending EBF champ Mountaineers missed the playoff field. The other division titles were lopsided with Marseille at 100-62 atop the Southwest and Rome at 96-66 in the South Central. It was the fifth straight division title for the Red Wolves, while the Musketeers ended a four-year drought. Barcelona, who had a four-year streak entering the season, fell to 78-84.

Conference MVP went to Naples RF Paul Schlacher. The 29-year old Austrian lefty was the WARlord at 11.3, also leading in home runs (51), RBI (121), OBP (.419), slugging (.700), OPS (1.118), and wRC+ (224). Leading Vienna’s record-setting rotation was 25-year old Frenchman Baptiste Imbert. He won Pitcher of the Year with the lead in ERA (1.87), WIHP (0.90), quality starts (26), FIP- (58), and WAR (9.0), adding 290 strikeouts in 254.2 innings. Imbert pitched one more year in Europe before spending the rest of his career in MLB.

The first round of the playoffs had Glasgow upset London in four games, Brussels outlast Hamburg in five, Athens stun Vienna in four, and Marseille taking a battle with Rome in five. This set up a Northern Conference Championship rematch between the Highlanders and Beavers and for back-to-back seasons, the wild card Glasgow squad advanced, this time 4-2. The Southern Conference Championship was a rout with the wild card Anchors getting pummeled by the Musketeers in a sweep. This gave Marseille its first conference title.



The 1966 European Championship was only the second final to end in a sweep. Glasgow crushed Marseille 4-0 to send the trophy to Scotland for the first time. RF Jasper Blackmore was the finals MVP, posting 21 hits, 9 runs, 5 home runs, and 14 RBI over 14 playoff starts.



Other notes: EBF’s 10^th perfect game came from Glasgow’s Klaus-Dieter Koopman, striking out eight against Amsterdam on August 25. At the end of July, Armando Rojas became EBF’s first pitcher to 4000 career strikeouts. Loris Eichelberger would join him at the start of September. They would be the only two to accomplish the feat until 1978. 3B Fragiskos Farkas became an eight-time Silver Slugger winner.

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Medellin had the Bolivar League’s best record in 1966, earning back-to-back North Division titles. The Mutiny finished 105-57, leading the league in both runs scored (701) and fewest allowed (468). Caracas had another good ear at 99-63, but again took second. In the South Division, Callao ended a five-year playoff drought with the Cats on top at 98-64. Lima was second at 93-69, followed by La Paz at 88-74. Quito’s dynasty officially ended after three straight league titles. In 1966, they were fourth in the division at 86-76.

Picking up MVP was Caracas 2B Mateo Aguilar. The 28-year old was the batting champ at .342 and led in hits (209) and WAR (8.4), adding 26 home runs and 97 RBI. Medellin’s Roldan De La Herran won the Pitcher of the Year, having joined the Mutiny in a midseason trade the prior summer from Cali. The 31-year old Colombian was the leader in wins at 25-7 and had the most innings at 308.2. He also led in complete games (19) and shutouts (6), posting 8.8 WAR, a 2.10 ERA, and 314 strikeouts. Notable as well was Cali’s Alfredo Mejia becoming a three-time Reliever of the Year winner. In his penultimate Beisbol Sudamerica season, Mejia had 38 saves and a 1.06 ERA with 132 strikeouts in 84.2 innings.



The Southern Cone League looked very similar from the prior seasons as Santiago and Fortaleza both won their third straight division title. Like the prior two seasons, the Saints had the best record overall, winning the South Division at 105-57. Santiago had 714 runs scored, a solid gap ahead of the next best Foxes at 636. Fortaleza took the Brazil Division at 98-64, six games ahead of Brasilia.

The Foxes had the MVP in Niculao Semide, who had a remarkable first full season. The 24-year old Brazilian 2B started the year as World Baseball Championship Tournament MVP, then followed that up with 9.5 WAR, 38 home runs, 100 RBI, 102 runs, and a .306 average. Cordoba’s Will Feliciano won his third Pitcher of the Year in his seventh full season. The right-handed Argentine was the leader in wins with a 23-8 record and had the most complete games (24) and shutouts (7). He added 9.1 WAR with a 1.89 ERA over 285.2 innings with 308 strikeouts.

Medellin and Callao met for the third time in the history of the Bolivar League Championship Series, as the Mutiny swept them in the first one back in 1931 and the Cats took it in five in 1954. Round three was a seven-game classic claimed by Medellin, giving them their first title since 1947. The Mutiny have six Bolivar League titles to their name now. The Southern Cone Championship was the fifth with Santiago versus Fortaleza and the third straight with the Saints taking it in 1964 and the Foxes winning 1965. The 1966 edition went the distance with Santiago winning 4-3. This gives the Saints three titles in the decade and six overall.



Copa Sudamerica was far less dramatic than the prior round with Santiago sweeping Medellin. The Saints join the Mutiny, Caracas, La Paz, and Buenos Aires for the most overall titles with four each. Three of those for Santiago have come in the 1960s. Finals MVP was 3B Matt Gonzalez, who had 9 hits, 5 runs, 3 home runs, and 8 RBI in 11 postseason games.



Other notes: Brasilia’s Bernardo Borja set the single-season save record with 54 over 89 innings, striking out 119. As of 2037, that remains BSA’s all-time record. Sao Paulo’s Victor Ramos threw a perfect game on April 18, striking out eight against Cordoba. Ishmael Perla won his 13^th Silver Slugger in left field, becoming the second player to reach 13 in BSA. It would be his final, leaving him two short of Hall of Famer Diego Pena’s 15 at shortstop.

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The defending Japan League champion Yokohama again won the North Division title and had the best record in the league. The Yellow Jackets finished 100-62, allowing the fewest runs in East Asia Baseball at 531. Yokohama finished four games ahead of a solid 96-66 Kawasaki. Meanwhile in the South Division, Kyoto at 93-69 took it by one game over 92-70 Kitakyushu. It is the fourth-ever playoff berth for the Kamikaze, who last took it in 1962. Last year’s division champ Kobe fell off a cliff, taking sixth at 68-94.

Chiba’s Yiming Yang won his second MVP in his final season with the Comets. The 27-year old right fielder from China earned his third straight batting title (.360) and led in hits for the third straight year (210), adding 9.3 WAR, 39 home runs, and 109 RBI. Yang would leave for Minnesota in 1967 and spend the next decade as a solid MLB contributor, although he never was MVP quality. In six full seasons with Chiba he had an impressive 45.8 WAR and 1188 hits with a .341 average, but wouldn’t get Hall of Fame traction since he left so early. Two-way player Totaro Uchiyama of Hiroshima won the Pitcher of the Year. The 25-year old righty was the ERA leader at 2.23, adding 7.0 WAR with 260 strikeouts in 246.2 innings. Uchiyama also added 4.5 WAR offensively with 21 home runs playing at third base and won a Gold Glove as a pitcher.



The big battle in the Korea League was again between Pyongyang and Hamhung in the North Division. Both finished the regular season at 105-57, requiring a one-game tiebreaker. The defending EAB Champion Pythons prevailed over the Heat to extend Pyongyang’s division title streak to six seasons. In the South Division, Yongin ended a lengthy playoff drought with a 97-65 finish, six games better than both Busan and Gwangju. The Gold Sox had made the playoffs only once in the prior 65 seasons, back in 1946. Changwon’s dominance in the division officially ended with their first losing season in more than a decade, finishing a lackluster 73-89.

Seoul second baseman Min-Hyeok Shin won his third league MVP. Nicknamed “Fox,” the 30-year old righty became the fifth EAB batter to earn a Triple Crown, posting 51 home runs, 134 RBI, and a .347 average. He also was the WARlord (10.7) and led in OBP (.411), slugging (.682), OPS (1.094), and wRC+ (196). It was an impressive bounce back for Shin, who had missed half of the prior season to injury.

Pyongyang’s Tae-Yong Yang won his fourth Pitcher of the Year and third straight with the 29-year old leading in WHIP (0.79), K/BB (16.2), and quality starts (31), posting 9.1 WAR over 276.1 innings with 324 strikeouts, a 23-8 record, and 2.18 ERA. Sadly for Yang, a partially torn UCL late in 1967 ended his career at age 31. He barely missed having 10 service years, meaning he wasn’t eligible for Hall of Fame voting. He finished with a 197-76 record, 2.62 ERA, 2647 strikeouts, and 67.8 WAR in just under ten full seasons; widely considered someone who would’ve been inducted easily if the rules were different. His #6 uniform would be retired by his hometown Pythons and he earned his place in history as a key part of the dynasty and one of a select group to win Pitcher of the Year four times.

Yang’s Pythons continued their 1960s dynasty by winning the Korea League Championship Series against Yongin, although the Gold Sox took them to the brink. The series went seven games with the finale going into extra innings with no score. The Pythons would walk it off to win 1-0 in the 10^th, giving them four Korea League titles in six years and eight titles overall; tied with Hamhung and Busan for the most. In the Japan League Championship Series, Yokohama also made it back-to-back titles, fending off Kyoto in seven games. The Yellow Jackets earned their fifth league title.



The 1966 East Asian Championship was a rematch and ultimately far more competitive than the prior year’s Pyongyang sweep. The Pythons again defeated Yokohama, this time 4-2, also giving Pyongyang four overall rings in six years. CF Min-Woo Yoon was the finals MVP, posting 15 hits over 13 playoff games. The Pythons have six overall titles, tied with Hamhung for the most. They’re also the first EAB team to win four over a six year stretch.



Other notes: Two players joined EAB’s 700 home run club in 1966, bringing it to five to accomplish the feat. Young-Hwan Sha did it in late July and Lei Meng did it in mid August. Sha earned his 15^th and final Silver Slugger in right field, making him the only EAB player to earn 15. Meng and Jung-Min Yi both crossed 1500 runs scored, making it 14 players thus far to do that. Dong-Ju Hahn became the 16^th to reach 2500 hits. Han-Gyeol Bu became a nine-time Gold Glove winner at shortstop, tying Takamasa Inomata’s record for the position.

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The 1965 and 1963 Mexican League champ Monterrey won the North Division for the third straight year in 1966, cruising to the title at 98-64. The Matadors allowed 518 runs, the fewest in the league. The best record in Mexico was South Division champ and last year’s wild card Ecatepec at 103-59. Mexico City picked up the wild card at 91-71, finishing two games better than Leon. This ended an 11-year postseason drought for the Aztecs while giving the Lions only their second miss in the last nine years.

Hermosillo was .500, but they had the MVP in 26-year old first baseman Edgardo Franco. Nicknamed “Weasel,” the right-handed Honduran was the leader in the triple slash (.363/.429/.600), OPS (1.029), wRC+ (197), WAR (9.1), runs (113), and stolen bases (80). Franco spent one more season with the Hyenas before leaving for MLB from 1968-1972. The Pitcher of the Year was Sebastian “Cadillac” Cruz. The 26-year old 6’6’’ lefty was the ERA leader (1.76), posting 232 strikeouts and 230.2 innings and 4.7 WAR.



Fresh off back-to-back CABA Championships, Salvador got even better with a franchise record 111-51 record. This extended the postseason streak to four seasons for the Stallions, who led the Caribbean League in runs scored (801) and fewest allowed (566). The wild card also came from the Continental Division with a solid 99-63 season for Honduras. The Horsemen rejoin the postseason field after having a seven-year streak snapped in 1965. Jamaica took the Island Division title at 93-69, beating Santiago by two games and Puerto Rico by six. The Jazz ended a three-year playoff skid. Last year’s division champ Haiti fell to a sixth place 73-89.

Guatemala’s Wesley Dubar won the first of several MVP awards. The 23-year old Panamanian center fielder was the league leader in runs (121), slugging (.643), OPS (1.023), wRC+ (173) and WAR (12.0), adding 39 home runs and 111 RBI. This began what would be a nine-year streak as the runs scored leader in the Caribbean League and was year two of what would be an eight-year stretch as the WARlord. Pitcher of the Year went to Salvador’s Isadoro Cruz in his second full season. The 23-year old righty led in wins with a 23-7 record, posting a 2.66 ERA over 261 innings with 269 strikeouts and 6.5 WAR.

Both wild card series were sweeps for the division champ with Monterrey over Mexico City and Jamaica over Honduras. In the Mexican League Championship Series, the Matadors downed Ecatepec in five games, giving Monterrey back-to-back titles. It is their third in four years; seventh in twelve years, and record tenth overall. The Caribbean League Championship Series was a seven-game classic that saw the Jazz deny Salvador’s three-peat. Jamaica earned its first league title since 1950 and fifth overall.



The 1966 Central American Baseball Association Championship was an all-timer between Jamaica and Monterrey. The series went all seven with game seven going 15 innings. The Jazz took the game 5-4 to bring the cup to Jamaica for the fourth time (1950, 1933, 1930). Oddly enough, one other final had seen game seven go 15 innings; Jamaica’s 1930 title win over Hermosillo. The Matadors are 0-3 in the CABA final in the last four seasons and 3-7 historically. Veteran catcher Sebastian Gonzalez was the top playoff performer as LCS MVP, posting 17 hits, 7 runs, 17 RBI, and 3 home runs in 16 games.



Other notes: Emmanuel Lopez became the fourth CABA batter to reach 1500 runs scored.

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Hartford had the best record in the National Association in back-to-back seasons, winning a third straight Eastern League title at 102-60. The Huskies also have a four-season playoff streak, tied with San Francisco for the longest active streak. Hartford had to hold off very strong competition with all four wild cards coming out of the EL. In the Midwest League, Kansas City took first at 94-68 for their fourth playoff appearance in six years. Columbus and Minneapolis both finished 91-72, ultimately two games short of the last wild card, while Omaha was 90-72. Chicago, who won the 1964 World Series and had 100 wins in 1965, fell off a cliff to the worst record in the NA at 53-109.

The first wild card went to defending World Series champion Ottawa at 99-63, three games behind Hartford for the league title. Next were Philadelphia and New York, both at 94-68. The Phillies earned back-to-back berths, while it was the first since 1953 for the Yankees. The final wild card went to Washington at 93-69, who the prior year had the worst record in the National Association at 55-107. This snapped a five-year drought for the Admirals. Of note, Boston (88-74) had a four-year playoff streak ended and St. Louis (73-89) ended a three-year one.

MVP went to third year Kansas City 1B Woodrow Naylor. The 23-year old was the leader in runs scored (119), walks drawn (119), OBP (.457), OPS (.1047), wRC (206), and WAR (8.6), adding 34 home runs and 108 RBI. The walk tally was only the 13^th time a MLB hitter had 119+ walks in a season. Ottawa’s Logan Davis was Pitcher of the Year. The 32-year old lefty had the most wins with a 22-7 record and most innings pitched (282.1) and most quality starts (28). He had a 2.65 ERA with 210 strikeouts and 5.3 WAR.

In the first round of the playoffs, Philadelphia edged New York in three and Washington swept Ottawa. For the second straight year, Hartford was one-and-done despite having the top record with the Huskies falling in four to the Admirals. Midwest League champ Kansas City fended off their wild card challenge from the Phillies 3-1. In the National Association Championship Series, Washington’s Cinderella season continued with a sweep of the Cougars. For the Admirals, they are now 4-0 in the NACS, although they last won it in 1930. Their other titles came in 1912 and 1914.



The American Association in 1966 had four teams with 100+ wins with two in each league. The best overall narrowly was Houston atop the Southern League at 104-58; their first league title since 1952 and only second playoff berth since then. Miami was close behind at 102-60 with the Malalrds ending a 27-year playoff drought. 102 wins was also a franchise record for Miami. In the Western League, San Diego finished first at 103-59 for a third straight playoff berth and their first WL pennant since 1958. Phoenix was one back at 102-60, putting the 1964 Association Champs back into the playoffs after narrowly missing the prior year.

The other two wild card spots went to San Antonio and San Francisco, both at 93-69. This gave the Gold Rush four straight playoff berths and was the first since 1959 for the Oilers. Missing out narrowly were Calgary and Las Vegas (both 90-72), Nashville (89-73), Jacksonville (88-74), and Oakland (87-75). Defending American Association champ Memphis dropped down to ninth place in the Southern League at 79-83.

Leading Miami’s turnaround was second-year right fielder Jose Eduardo Banda. The 22-year old left-handed Mexican led in slugging (.626), adding a .346 average, 47 home runs, 115 runs, 212 hits, 119 RBI, and 8.4 WAR. Pitcher of the Year was Phoenix’s David Maggio, who had been largely a journeyman prior. In his second season with the Firebirds, the 32-year old lead in wins at 22-6, as well as ERA (2.32) and quality starts (28). He had 275 innings, 217 strikeouts, and 6.3 WAR.

In the wild card round, the two 100+ win teams advanced in three games with Miami over San Francisco and Phoenix over San Antonio. The second round matchups ended up with the division rivals facing off. In both cases, the league champion won in a 3-2 affair with Houston surviving the Mallards and San Diego outlasting the Firebirds. The American Association Championship Series was San Diego’s first since 1958 and Houston’s first since 1952. In a seven-game battle, the Seals defeated the Hornets. It is the fifth title for San Diego.



In the 1966 World Series, Washington’s magic ultimately ran out. The Seals dropped the Admirals in five games to give San Diego its fifth MLB title (1936, 1955, 1956, 1958). Catcher Avelino Suarez was the playoff leader and AACS MVP. In 17 playoff games for the Seals, he had 19 hits, 9 runs, 5 doubles, and 12 RBI.



Other notes: For the 1966 season, Major League Baseball lowered the secondary roster size from 40 to 38. Arthur Moller hit 57 home runs, giving him four seasons of 50+. Parker Harpaz became the 14^th MLB pitcher to 3500 career strikeouts. Tyler Whisnant joined the 3000 hit club as the 35^th MLB member and also crossed 1500 runs scored. 3B Colton Flack won his 10^th Gold Glove.

A few bad records were set in 1966. At 43-119, New Orleans had the fourth worst record in MLB history, behind 1957 Cincinnati (41-121) and two teams at 42-120. The Mudcats allowed 1775 hits, the all-time worst mark. Meanwhile, Chicago SS Patrick Friese struck out a record 331; still the whiff king as of 2036. The previous MLB record was 311, set by Nick Fiscus in 1917.
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Major League Baseball’s 1967 Hall of Fame class inducted three players. Starting pitcher Rayan Orozco was a no-doubt pick, earning the first ballot nod at 95.8%. The other two inductees barely were above the 66% threshold, but crossed the line. Closer Rodrick Wisdom on his debut got to 68.4% and first baseman Jackson Hilton on his second attempt finished at 66.8%. 2B Bodie Howard was close on his seventh go but short at 61.2%. Two others, both on their third try, were above 50% in right fielders Estefan Salinas and Gene Jobgen.



Two players were removed after ten ballots. RF Eli Dewalt had an 18-year career with 2844 hits, 1384 runs, 436 home runs, 1480 RBI, .302 average, and 66.2 WAR. He lacked individual accolades with one Silver Slugger, meaning he never got much traction, peaking at 34.4% on his second ballot and ending at 17.9%. Also cut was catcher Alejandro Fernandez, who debuted at 48.0% but ended at 7.2%. In 18 seasons, he won nine Silver Sluggers, had 1827 hits, 1196 runs, 427 home runs, 1149 RBI, and 70.5 WAR. Fernandez was likely the best catcher of his era, but the Hall of Fame’s anti-catcher bias struck again due to the lack of counting stats that come with the position. That, and his best years came with forgettable Louisville teams.

Also worth a mention was CF Myeong-Won Lee, who was dropped after falling below 5% on his fifth ballot. Dooming him from induction was a split career between CABA and MLB. He was a three-time MVP in eight seasons with Haiti, then had a long run with Philadelphia’s dynasty. Over 23 total seasons, he had 2969 hits, 1696 runs, 438 doubles, 185 triples, 498 home runs, 1610 RBI, and 122.7 WAR; plus six Gold Gloves and nine Silver Sluggers. The combined resume makes Lee likely the best player to be left out of any Hall, but the split tallies were just low enough in each league to keep him from stronger consideration.



Rayan Orozco – Starting Pitcher – Indianapolis Racers – 95.8% First Ballot

Rayan Orozco was a 6’4’’, 200 pound left-handed starting pitcher from Candelaria, Puerto Rico; a barrio of around 20,000 people in the northern part of the island. Orozco had 10/10 stuff at his peak with 99-101 mph velocity, along with great movement and good control. He had an extreme groundball tendency with a stellar sinker and forkball, along with a great slider and okay changeup. Orozco also was terrific at holding runners and was known for strong stamina when healthy.

After becoming a high school star on the island, Orozco came stateside and played college baseball for Georgia. As someone born outside of the main US or Canada, he wasn’t eligible in the first three rounds of the MLB Draft due to the regional restrictions. In 1945, he was the first of the fourth round picks, selected by Columbus. However, Orozco couldn’t come to terms with the Chargers and returned to Georgia for his senior season. He took second in NCAA Pitcher of the Year voting in 1946 and was picked second in the fourth round, 152th overall, by Indianapolis. Orozco’s entire pro career would be with the Racers.

Orozco was an immediate success for what had been a struggling Indianapolis franchise in recent memory. His rookie year was worth 7.5 WAR, posting a 2.30 ERA over 238.2 innings. He took second in both Pitcher of the Year and Rookie of the Year, dropping the latter to future HOF 1B Jaxson Bradley. Orozco’s sophomore season saw him claim Pitcher of the Year with a career-best 9.6 WAR and the National Association lead in ERA and FIP-.

He would go onto have 11 seasons worth 6+ WAR and would lead in FIP- four times, strikeouts once, and ERA twice. Orozco’s second Pitcher of the Year came in 1950 with a 2.37 ERA, 20-7 record, and 8.4 WAR. He took second in 1954, third in 1956 and 1957, second again in 1958, and third in 1959. In 1954, he was the strikeout leader for the only time in his career with 285. During his run, Indy started to see occasional success. He pitched in the playoffs four times with the Racers taking the NACS in 1952, 1957, and 1959; although each time they fell in the World Series. In his postseason career, Orozco had an 11-5 record in 131.1 innings with a 2.54 ERA, 130 strikeouts, 1.05 WHIP, and 3.5 WAR.

Orozco’s first major injury was a torn labrum in May 1953, which put him out the rest of that season. He bounced back the next year at age 29 with a great season, but suffered another partial tear in 1955. He torn his labrum again at the end of the 1956 campaign, but still bounced back for three more great seasons. In 1960 at age 35, shoulder inflammation knocked him out almost the entire season. These injuries finally caught up to him as Orozco struggled in a 1961 season that also saw rotator cuff inflammation. He opted to retire after the 1961 season at age 37, with his #34 uniform being immediately retired by the Racers.

Orozco’s final stats: 207-125 record, 2.83 ERA, 3236.2 innings, 3128 strikeouts, 299/424 quality starts, 146 complete games, FIP- of 69, and 97.5 WAR. Very few Hall of Fame MLB starters finished with a sub-three ERA and his tallies don’t look out of place even with injuries hurting his longevity. Orozco was regularly a top five pitcher in MLB in the late 1940s and throughout the 1950s and the star for Indianapolis, earning an easy first-ballot induction at 95.8%.



Rodrick Wisdom – Closer – Hartford Huskies – 68.4% First Ballot

Rodrick Wisdom was a 6’5’’, 200 pound right-handed relief pitcher from Asheville, North Carolina; a city of around 100,000 people in the western part of the state. At his peak, Wisdom threw fire with an incredible 99-101 mph cutter. His only other pitch was a solid changeup, but this one-two punch combined with great movement and good control made Wisdom a force at his best. His strikeouts weren’t as outstanding as many other elite closers, but the cutter was excellent at earning very fieldable outs. He had good stamina and could hold runners, but having only two pitches meant his pro career was in the bullpen.

Wisdom went west for college with the Oregon Ducks. He was a starter in college and earned the 24^th overall pick in the 1943 MLB Draft by Atlanta. He struggled in limited use in his first two years, followed by a partial stint with mixed results at closer in year three. His next three years with the Aces were more solid, earning Reliever of the Year in 1948 and a third place finish in 1949. In six seasons with the struggling Atlanta franchise, Wisdom had a 3.57 ERA, 90 saves, 258 strikeouts in 302.1 innings, 112 shutdowns, and 8.7 WAR.

Before the 1950 season, the now 26-year old Wisdom was traded to Hartford for three prospects, beginning his signature MLB run. He signed a three-year extension quickly and ultimately spent 12 seasons with the Huskies; a very long tenure for any reliever. Wisdom was the starting closer for all but the final season with Hartford, winning his second Reliever of the Year in 1958 and taking second in both 1950 and 1955. He had a 29-save opportunity streak from August 1954 to June 1955 and had a 22 game scoreless streak during that run as well.

Hartford never had a losing record during Wisdom’s tenure and he got to pitch in seven postseasons. He posted a 3.33 ERA over 48.2 innings with 13 saves. The Huskies were National Association champs in his debut year of 1950, but unfortunately for him couldn’t get beyond the NACS in the other seasons. Wisdom became the third MLB closer to reach 400 career saves and by the time he was done, was the all-time saves leader at 441. In total with the Huskies, he had 351 saves with a 2.24 ERA, 864 innings, 852 strikeouts, 409 shutdowns, and 25.1 WAR.

In 1961, the now 37-year old Wisdom was moved out of the closer role for the first time in his Huskies career as his cutter velocity had dropped a few miles per hour of velocity. He wasn’t re-signed after the season, although the franchise would retire his #68 uniform (not that #68 was in particular high demand). Wisdom went south of the border and pitched two seasons in middle relief for Juarez, then two with Torreon. Dwindling production and a partially torn labrum in 1964 ended his effectiveness, as he retired at age 42 following the 1965 season.

The final MLB stats for Wisdom: 441 saves, 2.59 ERA, 1020 appearances, 1166.1 innings, 1110 strikeouts, 362 walks, 521 shutdowns, 70 FIP- and 33.8 WAR. He was the first reliever to pitch in more than 1000 games and remains second all-time in both saves and games as of 2037; getting passed by only Carson Hanford in both. The lack of big strikeout numbers meant his WAR was actually mid-grade among MLB Hall of Famers despite his tenure. However, such longevity and consistency aren’t common for relievers, earning Wisdom the first ballot nod, even if only barely at 68.4%.



Jackson Hilton – First Baseman – Jacksonville Gators – 66.8% Second Ballot

Jackson Hilton was a 5’11’’, 195 pound left-handed first baseman from Graham, North Carolina, a tiny town of under 20,000 people in the north central part of the state. At his prime, Hilton was one of the top home run hitters in Major League Baseball, while adding solid contract and gap power skills. He was viewed as above average at drawing walks and at avoiding strikeouts, once posting a 40-game on base streak. A very slow baserunner, Hilton was a career first baseman and was considered a bit below average, but not atrocious defensively.

Hilton attended Northwestern and was a stud designed hitter as a freshman, winning a Silver Slugger. He took College World Series MVP as the Wildcats were the 1942 National Champion. When eligible for the MLB Draft, it was Jacksonville who picked Hilton up, fifth overall in the 1944 Draft. He would be only the second player inducted into the Hall of Fame as a Gator, joining Del Klassen.

Hilton won Rookie of the Year in 1945 with a 37 home run season. He’d go onto hit 30+ home runs in 12 different seasons and 40+ in six straight seasons from 1946-51. During that run, he led the American Association in dingers three times. His career best of 51 in 1952 oddly enough wasn’t the lead. He also had seven straight 100+ RBI seasons, including 148 in 1950. His best season by WAR was 8.0 in his second year, which also had a career best .336.

Hilton won five Silver Sluggers at the competitive first base slot: in 1946, 48, 49, 50, and 52. He never won MVP, although he took second in 1946 and third in 1952. Jacksonville made the playoffs four times in his early years, although only once did they get as far as the AACS. In 18 playoff games, he had 15 hits, 10 runs, 6 home runs, and 12 RBI. Hilton also started in the 1947 World Baseball Championship and was a reserve in 1948 and 1950, posting 7 home runs in 75 at bats. In total with the Gators, he had 1985 hits, 1128 runs, 475 home runs, 1315 RBI, a .300 average, and 59.1 WAR. The franchise would honor him by eventually retiring his #39 uniform; the first player to earn the honor for Jacksonville.

At age 33, Hilton declined his contract option and became a free agent for the 1957 season. He signed a five-year, $330,000 deal with Omaha, nearly doubling his yearly salary. His production had dropped from his early 20s, although he still gave the Hawks four decent seasons. He posted 431 hits, 246 runs, 95 home runs, 254 RBI, and 8.7 WAR. Hilton crossed the 500 home run and 1500 RBI milestones with Omaha. He was moved to a bench role in his final season with the Hawks and became a free agent after the 1960 season. Hilton spent 1961 as a minor league reserve in Chattanooga, retiring after the season at age 37.

Hilton’s final stats: 2416 hits, 1374 runs, 361 doubles, 570 home runs, 1569 RBI, a .290/.358/.545 slash and 67.7 WAR. A fine career, but a bit lower on the leaderboards than most other MLB Hall of Famers. For a first baseman especially, usually bigger final stat lines are needed to stand out. Hilton was well known and generally popular and as they say, chicks dig the long ball. In his 20s, few players offered his reliable power. Hilton missed the cut on his first ballot at 60.3%, but barely snuck across the 66% threshold in his second try at 66.8%.