Baseball in the Golden West - the WABL

[BigRed75]

This dynasty is one that's four years in the making. I first created the teams, caps and uniforms with OOTP 12, but to have the world truly the way I wanted it, I needed to make changes to the world_default.xml file. Not a big thing, of course, but there were so many changes I wanted to make, the motivation took a while to get there.

Anyway, the basic premise of the league is as follows: in 1908, baseball proved popular enough that state leagues popped up, similar to football and rugby league. And just as how the Victoria Football League evolved into the AFL, and the New South Wales Rugby League became the NRL, in this world, the West Australian Baseball League (WABL) will eventually become a national league.

For now, though, it's 1908 and the boards of eight baseball clubs met to create a state league. Seven teams are from the Perth area, with the eighth from Bunbury, 100 miles to the south. 1908, in real life, was the start of the New South Wales rugby league, and I'm using the growth and evolution of that league as the basis of this one, with a few changes (For example, the NSWRL started with nine teams, dropping to eight in 1909. I'm just going to start with eight to avoid byes).

The league plays an 84-game schedule, with each team playing two three-game series at home against the other seven. With cricket played in the summer and football (both codes) in the fall and winter, the only time available was the spring, so the WABL plays a September to December schedule.

As these clubs were supposedly already existent, there was no initial draft. However, the league took a radical step for Australian sport - instead of using geographical recruiting zones like football, each team has the right to nominate five players that they will have exclusive negotiating rights for the entire year. The order of selection will be by random draw in the first season, and reverse order of finish in subsequent seasons. Any player not nominated will be free to negotiate with any WABL club. Players will come from the Perth Inter-Collegiate Athletic Conference (PIAC), a group of eight Perth secondary schools, as well as country baseball leagues throughout WA.

In my next post, we meet the eight foundation clubs of the WABL.

[BigRed75]

The Foundation Clubs

As mentioned previously, the idea for the WABL was inspired by the real-life New South Wales Rugby League which evolved into the NRL, right down to the choice of 1908 as the league's foundation. The eight WABL teams and team colours, not surprisingly, were chosen out of respect for the NSWRL foundation clubs. They are:

• Bunbury Bulldogs (Red and White - Newcastle)
• Claremont Blues (Blue and White - Newtown)
• East Perth Demons (Blue and Red - Eastern Suburbs)
• Guildford Tigers (Orange and Black - Balmain)
• North Perth Reds (Red and Black - North Sydney)
• South Perth Pilots (Red and Green - South Sydney)
• Victoria Park Royals (Purple and White - Glebe)
• West Perth Swans (Black and White - Western Suburbs)

The season doesn't start until mid-September, but the game starts on January 1. No matter, because next I will re-cap the 1908 season of the Perth Inter-Collegiate Athletic Conference (PIAC), where the high-school stars who hope to earn contracts to play in the WABL sharpen their skills. Then it's the inaugural WABL draft, and a season preview.

[BigRed75]

Note: Ordinarily, I wouldn't do posts about the PIAC, my high school feeder league. However, with the WABL not scheduled to start until mid-September, the PIAC, which plays in March and April leading up to the draft, is the only game in town right now. So here's an update.



Fremantle Boys and Guildford Grammar were the class of the league throughout the season, with other schools such as Scotch, Hale and CBC Fremantle occasionally popping up to challenge before sinking back down in the standings. Both schools had a finals spot wrapped up with a week to go, the only question was who would get home ground advantage. As you can see, Fremantle Boys won what is called the "minor premiership" here in Australia...



...but it didn't matter as Guildford swept the first two games in Fremantle before finishing them off at home to win the 1908 PIAC title. Randall Fouracre hit .643 (9-for-14) to take home the MVP award and, at age 17, he will be eligible for the 1908 WABL Draft and is likely to attract some attention. Other draft-eligible standouts in the PIAC season include:

• Martin Morgenstern (SS, Perth Boys): The 18yo shortstop from Kojonup hit .487/.524/.547 and is rated 3 1/2 stars from scouts
• Karl Woollett (1B, CBC Perth): Will turn 18 before the draft, hit .477/.537/.623 and lead the league with 49 RBI. Scouts are pessimistic about his chances of moving to the next level, with a 1 1/2 star rating
• Mike Peacock (P, Hale): One of the highly rated pitchers at 4 1/2 stars, but questions remain if he can make the move to a starting pitcher playing against adults instead of 14-to-18 year olds. Should still go high in the draft as he will be 19 by the time Spring Training starts.
• Brock Okilita (P, Guildford Grammar): Set the tone with a Game 1 win at Fremantle in the finals. Okilita is one of two Guildford pitchers with 8 wins, luckily for the squad the other, Thomas Mildren, will return next year as he is 16. Okilita may well be the first player chosen in the draft.

Next up: The results of the inaugural WABL draft

[BigRed75]

1908 WABL Draft Recap

The first draft in Australian sporting history took place on the 15th of June, as representatives from the eight WABL clubs met to nominate their priority picks for the upcoming season. Each club gets exclusive rights to five players for a year; all other players are fair game for all teams to sign if they so wish or they can continue to play with their current country or metropolitan teams.

The picking order was determined by random draw. West Perth were the lucky first team, followed by Bunbury, North Perth, Victoria Park, Claremont, South Perth, East Perth and Guildford. Here are the results:




First Round Notes: William Esmonde was the first pick by West Perth. Esmonde dominated proceeding for the Subiaco club last year with an 11-3 record and 2.61 ERA in 20 starts...The first five selections were all pitchers, with Marshall Boxsell (Bunbury) and Ralph Purcell (North Perth) taken out of the schoolboy ranks and Luke Murdock (Vic Park) and Adrian De Young (Claremont) already playing for metropolitan teams...Boxsell's microscopic 1.65 ERA led the Southern River Schools League...Ian Browne (South Perth) was the first position player chosen. Scouts seem to think he'll develop into a consistent hitter with plus speed...Norm Considine was the scouts' choice as the best player taken, even though he went 8th to Guildford. Considine hit .535/.605/.747 in the 1908 high school season.



Second Round Notes: With the first selection in the second round, West Perth took James Gale, the starting centre fielder from PIAC Premiers Guildford Grammar...SP Edward Birss (Vic Park) was the first player taken from a country league; he played in Tom Price in the state's Pilbara region...Martin Neumann (Claremont) is known for his speed and defensive play, but word is also that when he hits the ball, it doesn't stop for a long time...Allan Sutcliffe (South Perth) became the second PIAC player taken; the Pilots prioritised their scouting reports over his putrid statistics for St Brigid's College this season



Third Round Notes: West Perth were ecstatic to pick up Bradley Mant from CBC Perth with their pick; privately, Swans officials think they have a cleanup hitter in the making...Claremont has similar feelings about Brad Donovan, a 1B from Kalgoorlie North in the Goldfield League...Phillip Casey (East Perth) became the second player from Guildford Grammar drafted; the 2B hit .379/.429/.464 for the PIAC Premiers...Guildford drafted C Eddie Mitchinson, considered the player with the greatest power potential in the draft



Fourth and Fifth Round Notes: West Perth went back to the PIAC well in the fourth round with the selection of Ethan Newitt from St Brigid's...South Perth drafted William Mant, cousin of Bradley Mant, in the fourth round; the 2B may be a better contact hitter than his cousin, but doesn't have the same power...SS Seb Morrow (East Perth) became the first player taken from the Great Southern League out of Katanning...SS Wesley Dethridge (North Perth) was the third player from Guildford Grammar selected, fittingly, the most of any PIAC school...the pick of Nelson Smith (Vic Park) left many observers scratching their heads; consensus had him rated at 1 star, but the Royals obviously see something in him that they like...Brian Foley (Guildford) was the last draftee. The right-handed pitcher missed the second half of the PIAC season due to injury but Tigers officials are confident he has fully recovered.

Next up: Spring Training and the 1908 Season Preview!

[BigRed75]

1908 Season Preview



After watching spring training, the experts have favoured South Perth to win the flag in 1908, with North Perth providing the biggest challenge. The two teams have Opening Day all to themselves on Friday at North Perth Ballpark. West Perth "won" the spring training crown, as a result, their predicted total improved by eight wins from the start of spring training, still not good enough to put them in the first division or even an above .500 record.



South Perth as the consensus best pitching staff, with three of their first starters ranked amongst the Top 4 in the league. The Pilots' offence ranks out as average, but their pitching is expected to finished more than one run better than the next best squad in the league. If it's true that pitching wins championships, Souths has to like their chances.

North Perth, on the other hand, plan to bludgeon their opponents into submission. The Reds know you can't win if you don't score runs, and they project to score 80 more runs than the next closest team. That club, Bunbury, has the second-best offence and pitching, and should be in or about the thick of the race as well. Prognosticators are less optimistic about Guildford or West Perth's chances, and it's hard to see Claremont, Vic Park or East Perth really do anything more than make up the numbers.

The Top 10 Prospects:
1. Norm Considine, Guildford, 3B
2. Norman Dawson, East Perth, 1B
3. Brian Wigmore, East Perth, C
4. William Esmonde, West Perth, P
5. Dylan O'Brien, Vic Park, P
6. Adrian DeYoung, Claremont, P
7. James Gale, West Perth, CF
8. Ralph Purcell, North Perth, P
9. Arnold Hayes, Guildford, P
10. Marshall Boxsell, Bunbury, P

Considine was the highest-rated prospect before the draft, so no surprise he tops this list despite being drafted 8th...Esmonde, of course, was the 1st pick in the draft...Esmonde, Wigmore and DeYoung are the only prospects to make the active roster out of spring training, all others will start the season in the reserves...O'Brien impressed Royals brass with a 1.04 ERA in spring training...Four of the top 5 draft picks (Esmonde, Boxsell, Purcell, DeYoung) made the list.

[BigRed75]

Vance

Opening Day, and the first match of the WABL showed that North Perth's bats were too much for South Perth's pitching. Ian Vance lived up to the billing as the league's #1 batsman with a player of the match performance. But it's an 84-game season, and one game does not a season make...



However, by the end of September, the Reds showed no signs of cooling down. With 11 straight wins to start the season, the Reds are quickly beginning to show separation from the rest of the league. Vance has hit in every game so far this season and leads the loop with a .511 batting average.

Next: The proper recap I was going to do for October, on track right up until I noticed that one club hadn't lost at all in September...

[BigRed75]

October 1908

League Standings

North Perth stretched out their season-opening winning streak to an incredible 18 matches before falling to Guildford, 4-1. The loss didn't seem to phase the Reds, who went 21-5 for the month. The only other club to keep pace was South Perth; the Pilots actually had a better record (22-4) in October to cut the Reds' lead by one game. So far, it looks like the prognosticators are correct.

News and notes: Burt O'Connor (NP) was named the Player of the Month. The centre fielder hit .485 for the month, with 27 RBI and 32 runs scored...As O'Connor is a rookie, no surprise that he was WABL Rookie of the Month, also...Alec Nothard (NP) was named Pitcher of the Month after going 6-1 with a 1.23 ERA in seven starts...Hayden Talbot (NP) became the first WABL player to record six hits in a single game, going 6-for-6 against East Perth on 4 October...Ian Vance's hitting streak ended at 12 games, but Sebastian Edlich (SP) was able to fashion a 19 game hitting streak, the longest so far this season

(From L-R: O'Connor, Nothard, Edlich)

[BigRed75]

November 1908

League Standings

When the season began, pundits predicted a battle between the high-powered offence of the North Perth Reds and the pitching strength of the South Perth Pilots. Whilst the Reds seemed to have the upper hand at first, winning an amazing 18 games to start the season, the Pilots kept chipping away at the lead. By mid-November, the standings had flipped and Souths took over first place for the first time. Both teams exchanged positions for a week, then Souths took over for good, building up a 4-game lead by the end of the month.

Both teams look to have a Finals spot sewn up, with the Reds currently enjoying a 15-game lead over third-placed Guildford. So it looks for all the world like the battle between elite pitching and powerful hitting will play itself out again in the 1908 WABL Finals.

News and Notes: With their team eliminated from contention, West Perth supporters are clamouring for manager Vincent Brear to elevate draft picks Bradley Mant, James Gale and Ethan Newitt from the reserve roster in order to gain experience. No word on if the rookies will join William Esmonde on the main roster...Speaking of rookies, Sean Pavey (EP) took home Rookie of the Month honours, hitting .364 for the Demons in November...Not surprisingly, the Pitcher of the Month, Liam McMullen, comes out of the South Perth rotation. McMullen had a perfect month, going 5-0 with a 1.11 ERA and 34 strikeouts in 7 starts...As good as McMullen was, his teammate, Ethan Litchfield, may have been even better. Acquired from Guildford in the only pre-season trade, Litchfield went 5-0 in seven starts and picked up an additional win in a relief performance on 4 November. Litchfield stands at 13-1 for the season with a 2.99 ERA and 72 strikeouts in 141.1 innings...Thomas Brewster (SP) was named Hitter of the Month. Strangely, his November stats (.417, 5 HR, 23 RBI) actually represent a step down for Brewster, who's hitting .427 with 12 HR on the season overall...Vern Baxter (EP), the 7th overall pick in the draft, went from shutting out the Swans on six hits on 1 November to issuing 10 walks and 8 runs just ten days later against the Pilots. In his next start, he faced West Perth again, but this time gave up 13 hits and 7 runs, although the Demons managed to win anyway. Baxter then made one relief appearance for two innings the next day (17 November) and hasn't been seen since.

From L-R: Pavey, McMullen, Litchfield, Baxter

[BigRed75]

December 1908
League Standings

They say that pitching wins championships, and in a five-game championship season in particular, having two front-line starters makes you the favourite in four of the matches in a five-match series. But to have the top four pitchers in the league in your rotation...well, you might as well gift-wrap the title now.

The South Perth rotation is so strong, you could make the case that Ethan Litchfield, 18-1 on the season with a 3.09 ERA, is the fourth-best pitcher on the staff. Whilst the Reds do have Alec Nothard (17-4, 2.43 ERA), the other two starters in their Finals rotation aren't of the calibre that Souths can send out. Anything can happen, though, that's why the games are played. And Norths' batting lineup is still more powerful than the Swans.

League Leaders

News and Notes: Two players, Ian Vance (NP) and Thomas Brewster (SP) hit over .400 for the season. Vance's .408 led the loop...Rumours of clubhouse disharmony dogged the Claremont Blues, with first baseman Todd Barclay speaking out to the press, claiming fighting, arguing and personality clashes. Unsurprisingly, manager Edwin Underhill denied Barclay's allegations...On the final day of the season, Phil Ough (Clar.) pitched what was arguably the performance of the season, a 1-hit shutout of Vic Park. Ough struck out seven and walked only three in the 12-0 victory. He finished the season 11-8 with a 5.10 ERA, leading the Blues in wins and strikeouts.

From L-R: Brewster, Ough, Barclay

[BigRed75]

1908 WABL Grand Final

Given my previous post about pitching, it's no surprise that the South Perth Pilots won the inaugural WABL Grand Final. (In a related, but coincedental, fact, South Sydney won the first NWSRL title, the league, and team, that the WABL and South Perth were based on.) It's also not surprising to see postseason wins notched up by Kevin Floyd, Liam McMullen and Ethan Litchfield out of the bullpen. What is surprising, however, is the ease in which the Pilots swept aside North Perth. The two teams were evenly matched in the home-and-away season, with each side fashioning a 6-6 record against the other. Yet, when in came to crunch time, the Pilots easily dominated. Alec Nothard may have been the Reds' best pitcher in 1908, but his record against Souths (2-3, 6.60, 44 H in 30 IP) was pedestrian at best. It should be no surprise that the Pilots got to him early in Game 1 at Pilots Park, and, while he held on for seven innnings at home in Game 3, ultimately, Souths were too strong for Nothard (and North), as they had been all season.

1908 WABL Premiers - South Perth Pilots

Next up: 1908 award winners and the 1909 offseason

[BigRed75]

1908 WABL Awards

The first set of WABL awards were announced, with medals given out for hitting, pitching, fielding and managerial excellence. In addition, a 14-man "All-WABL" team consisting of the best players at each position was announced. As time goes on, no doubt, these awards will acquire names honouring the league's best. But for now, here are the awards:

Outstanding Batter Award - Burt O'Connor, North Perth
At the age of 20, Burt O'Connor of the North Perth Reds could very well have his best years ahead of him. It's a startling thought when you consider the year he had in 1908 was good enough for the centre fielder to win the WABL Outstanding Batter Award.

Signed from Mosman Park in the Metropolitain League, the Perth native made an instant impact with his new club from the beginning.

The league's top hitter put up a .396/.523/.610 triple-slash line. He played 84 games and racked up 130 hits, 14 doubles, 4 triples, 16 home runs, 70 RBIs and scored 95 runs from the lead-off spot.

Thomas Brewster of the South Perth Pilots finished second in voting, while Ian Vance, O'Connor's teammate on North Perth, finished third.

Outstanding Pitcher Award - Kevin Floyd, South Perth
The Outstanding Pitcher of the year award for 1908 was presented to Kevin Floyd of South Perth.

"It's always nice to receive an award like this," said Floyd. "I just hope I can improve on my performance next year and be in the running again," the Pilots star told reporters.

Floyd excelled with an impressive 14-3 record in 19 starts. In 145.2 innings he yielded 113 hits and 24 walks, while striking out 82 and compiling a fine 1.36 ERA. He was also named the Best on Ground for the WABL Grand Final series.

Alec Nothard of the North Perth Reds finished second in voting, while Floyd's fellow Pilot, Ethan Litchfield, finished third.

Outstanding First-Year Player Award - Burt O'Connor, North Perth
After having won the Outstanding Batter Award, it came as no surprise that O'Connor also scooped up the award for the best first-year player. The North Perth slugger was eligible for the award by virtue of the fact that this was his first professional season (the Metropolitian League is an amateur circuit). Players drafted from amateur teams and the high school ranks will be eligible for the award, whilst those with prior professional experience before being drafted or signed by a WABL club will not be eligible.

Outstanding Manager Award - Nicholas Pearson, South Perth
No surprise here, as Australian sport has a history of rewarding the manager of the championship side with the top managerial award. However, given the ease with which South Perth swept through the home-and-away season and the Finals, Nicholas Pearson was clearly the only choice.

From L-R: O'Connor, Floyd, Pearson

Fielding Excellence Awards
Pitcher - Quintin Worsfold, Bunbury
Catcher - Adrian Beamish, West Perth
First Base - Samuel Bourke, Claremont
Second Base - Kyle Cully, Claremont
Third Base - Rick Cartwright, Guildford
Shortstop - Zachariah Layland, South Perth
Left Field - Malcolm Ewin, Bunbury
Centre Field - Sean Pavey, East Perth
Right Field - Ralph Cornell, Bunbury

All-WABL Team
First Base - Leo Irwin, Bunbury
First Base - Drew Durrington, West Perth
Second Base - Hayden Talbot, North Perth
Third Base - Gareth Sutcliffe, Claremont
Shortstop - Zachariah Layland, South Perth
Shortstop - Victor Redelius, West Perth
Left Field - Ian Vance, North Perth
Centre Field - Burt O'Connor, North Perth
Right Field - Thomas Webster, South Perth
Catcher - Edward Johnson, Guildford
Pitcher - Kevin Floyd, South Perth
Pitcher - Ethan Litchfield, South Perth
Pitcher - Liam McMullen, South Perth
Pitcher - Alec Nothard, North Perth

[BigRed75]

17 January, 1909

WABL Directors Affix Trading Rules
Trades of contracts between teams to be permitted within window

In an extraordinary general meeting yesterday, the chairmen of the eight WABL clubs ironed out the trading rules for the league, which completed its successful first season at the New Year. Clubs agreed to allow the trade of player contracts between clubs, within certain strict time frames.

Whilst the trading of contracts is anathema in Australian sport, it has been an important part of roster building in American Professional Baseball for the past 20 years. Rules regarding trades were never set down before the WABL began, leading to some clubs, such as East Perth and Victoria Park, becoming aggressive in the trade market, whilst other clubs, namely Claremont and Bunbury, refuse to trade contracts on general principle.

Under the rules passed yesterday by a 6-2 vote, teams will be permitted to trade contracts during a one-week window, set in mid-February around the league's annual general meeting. Outside of the trade window, teams may strengthen their squad through use of the reserve roster, draft, and the recruitment of players not under contract with another WABL club.

The 1909 WABL AGM is scheduled to begin on the 8th of February. The first trade window will run from 5 February to 12 February.

[BigRed75]

1909 WABL Off-Season

No games in the WABL, but plenty of things still going on.

The first trade window appeared to be a bust, with only two trades occuring. West Perth and Bunbury traded a pair of 32-year-olds, with first baseman Vaughan Farrell (.390/.525/.714 in part-time work) heading to the South West in exchange for pitcher Vernon Radfield (10-6, 4.44 ERA, 60 K in 135.2 IP) along with another pitcher, prospect Rick Trew (Round 3, Pick 18). In the other trade, Victoria Park traded corner infielder Wendell Bullock (.246/.332/.400) to Guildford for young right fielder Burt Monck (Round 4, Pick 32).

In the PIAC, Perth Boys HS survived a late-season stumble that saw CBC Fremantle catch and pass them to claim the minor premiership by one game. "The Boys" bounced back, claiming the 1909 PIAC Premiership in four games.

The second annual WABL Draft was held on 15 June. With the first pick, Victoria Park selected Tristan Saunders, a pitcher from Perth Boys' whose name you can see above as the winning pitcher in Game 3 of the PIAC Grand Final...West Perth drafted highly-rated SS Jarrod Shanahan with the second pick despite having All-WABL shortstop Victor Redelius on their list...Picking third, East Perth selected RF Anthony Dingle, the PIAC batting champion...RF Jason King became the second Perth Boys' player selected when Claremont used the 6th overall pick to claim his rights...Unlike last season, many teams relied heavily on PIAC squads for their picks. North Perth was the first not to do so when their took SS Martin Morgenstern from Kojonup in the Great Southern League; even so, Morgenstern is a former Perth Boys' player who went undrafted last year

From L-R: Saunders, Shanahan, Dingle

[BigRed75]

1909 WABL Preseason

The 1909 season was released on 3 August, and the season is scheduled to begin on 17 September. The Bunbury Bulldogs have the honour of opening the season, hosting the Guildford Tigers. The other six clubs are scheduled to begin play on Saturday the 18th, with the season lasting until 23 December. With Christmas Eve and Christmas Day off, the 1909 Grand Final will begin on Boxing Day, 26 December.

Bulldogs' future in doubt? The choice of Bunbury to host the season opener was a bit of a surprise, given the rumblings about the Bulldogs' continued participation in the league. Travel costs to and from Bunbury are a problem, doubly so for the Bulldogs than the other teams. A Bulldogs season opener may have been an attempt to mollify the club.

New faces in the dugouts: A number of WABL clubs will open the season with new managers. Joshua Auty took over the reigns at Bunbury, whilst Damian Gerlach was promoted to be manager at West Perth. Gerlach replaced Vincent Brear, who in turn made the move over to East Perth after the Demons sacked Bert Stranaghan. The swap from West to East is sure to add some spice to the rivalry, particularly if Brear finds the success with Easts that eluded him at Swans Park.

Ouch! The East Perth Demons were the first club to suffer a significant spring training injury, when their starting left fielder, Reginald Sneddon, was ruled out for the entire season with a broken kneecap suffered in a 3-2 loss to North Perth. Sneddon, who hit .319/.450/.556 with 9 HR for the Dees, is likely to be replaced by 22-year-old Phil Carson, signed from Boyanup in the state's southwest.

Spring Results: Victoria Park will be hoping that their spring form translates into early-season success in the WABL. Last year's wooden spooners took the pre-season crown with a 9-3 record, a full two games better than Bunbury, West Perth, and North Perth. Conversely, South Perth fans are on the record as saying that the Pilots' 6-6 spring record means nothing in light of their title defence. Claremont (5-7), Guildford (4-8) and East Perth (3-9) round out the spring ladder. Joel Robinson from South Perth led the batting charts with a .423 (11-for-26) batting average, whilst pitcher Stewart Limeburner of Bunbury had a perfect spring, going 3-0 in his three spring starts, lasting four innings in each, and not allowing a single run.

1909 Prospect List out: The second edition of the WABL prospect list was released, and a new name is at the top, with Swans draftee Jarrod Shanahan adjudged to be the top future star of the league:

1. Jarrod Shanahan, SS, West Perth (Pick #2, 1909 Draft)
2. Norm Considine, 3B, Guildford (LY: #1 prospect)
3. Ralph Purcell, P, North Perth (LY: #8 prospect)
4. Dylan O'Brien, P, Victoria Park (LY: #5 prospect)
5. Tristan Saunders, P, Victoria Park (Pick #1, 1909 Draft)
6. Ed McNatty, P, Bunbury (Pick #4, 1909 Draft)
7. Mike Peacock, P, West Perth (Pick #10, 1909 Draft)
8. Bradley Mant, 3B, West Perth (LY: #21 prospect)
9. Arnold Hayes, P, Guildford (LY: #9 prospect)
10. Marshall Boxsell, P, Bunbury (LY: #10 prospect)

And finally, the predictions: South Perth's mediocre spring did nothing to diminish their stock in the pundits' minds, with the Pilots still the expert choice to capture the 1909 flag. North Perth should still provide the main challenge to Souths, with Bunbury and West Perth expected to take a step forward. The talent simply isn't their for Vic Park, with the Royals predicted to finish a miserable 29 games back. Critics also expect Kevin Floyd to retain his Outstanding Pitcher award, although more favour Hayden Talbot to best his teammate (and current holder) Burt O'Connor in the race for the Outstanding Batter.

From L-R: Shanahan, Floyd, Talbot

[BigRed75]

September 1909

News and Notes: Two weeks into the 1909 season, and things are the same as they were in 1908, with North Perth and South Perth opening up a massive four-game lead on the other WABL teams...Last season's WABL iron man Sean Pavey has had a rocky start to the season, spraining his ankle on Opening Day, then being placed on the disabled list four days later with a sore back. He won't be eligible to return until 6 October, but the Demons wish it was sooner as Pavey has hit .389 (7-for-18) in (very) limited action...Kevin Floyd would like you to remember that he's the best pitcher in the league, throwing a shutout in South's season opener against West Perth. The Busselton native is 3-0 with a 0.69 ERA...When the Pilots faced Bunbury at the end of the month, Liam McMullen shut out the Bulldogs 2-0 in the first game of the series, only for Quintin Worsfold to return the favour the next day, blanking the Pilots 5-0 on six hits.

From L-R: Worsfold, McMullen, Pavey

[BigRed75]

October 1909

Award Winners: One familiar face, one new face, and one person pressed into service who performed admirably.

Batter of the Month: Burt O'Connor, CF, North Perth
The Reds' leadoff hitter didn't get off to a sparkling start in September, but he made up for it in October with a .342 batting average. Offense is down across the league, meaning his two home runs, 13 RBI and 23 runs pale in comparison to the numbers he put up last year.

Pitcher of the Month: Louis Bullock, RHP, North Perth
After achieving a winning record for Guildford last season, the Reds acquired Bullock in an attempt to keep up with South Perth's sterling rotation. With quality support, Bullock has justified the faith, going 6-1 in October with a 1.44 ERA and 27 strikeouts whilst holding opponents to a measly .224 batting average. Overall, Bullock is 9-1 with a 1.77 ERA.

Rookie of the Month: Phil Carson, LF, East Perth
When Reginald Sneddon went down with a season-ending injury in spring training, Demons fans were lamenting the loss of arguably their best player. It turns out, they needn't have worried too much, as Carson has so far hit .302 with an on-base percentage of .436, the best on the team. While East Perth is current 7th in the league, nobody can lay the blame for that at the feet of the youngster from Boyanup.

From L-R: O'Connor, Bullock, Carson

News and Notes: The rumblings in Bunbury are getting stronger that the Bulldogs won't be back for the 1910 WABL season. Reduced attendance and increased travel costs could see the club seek alternatives for next year...Victor Redelius's season-opening hitting streak came to an end on 5 October at 17 games. It remains the longest hitting streak of the season and was the second-such streak of the Swans' shortstop's career...Kevin Floyd racked up three more shutouts this month, but those three matches represented his only wins of October. The defending pitching medalist is current 6-3 on the season...Victoria Park's season went from bad to worse when their ace pitcher, Stephen Cooke, went down with a broken leg. He won't be available until December at the earliest...Alexander Barrowcliff of Guildford turned in what was likely the best individual pitching performance in October, allowing just two hits in a 1-0 shutout victory over Claremont.

From L-R: Redelius, Cooke, Barrowcliff

[BigRed75]

November 1909

All of a sudden, the two-team party at the top of the WABL ladder became a bit more interesting, as the Bunbury Bulldogs decided to gatecrash the party. A 19-7 record in November, including a 13-game winning streak from the 7th to the 21st, moved the Doggies to only four games back of North Perth and three back of South Perth for second place. With 20 matches left in the season, things could get interesting.

Award Winners: Always a bridesmaid, never the bride, but not for long. A long-time WABL slugger finally gets some long-overdue recognition.

Batter of the Month: Thomas Brewster, LF, South Perth
In the nearly two years of the WABL, Thomas Brewster's career has been one of overshadowing. Whether it's North Perth sluggers Burt O'Connor and Ian Vance, or the outstanding pitching staff on his own team, Brewster often goes overlooked. However, this month, the Bunbury native got his just reward. With a .316/.414/.442 triple slash line, 18 RBI and 18 runs scored, Brewster won the Batter of the Month award.

Pitcher of the Month: Toby Beers, RHP, Bunbury
How do you rack up a 7-1 record in just six starts? When you do double duty as a starter and stopper. Beers went 6-0 in his six starts, then picked up another win in 5 innings of relief and a save against Vic Park for good measure. The only blemish was relief loss to Guildford on 27 November, the day after he shut them out on 4 hits in his scheduled start. For the month, Beers went 7-1 with a 1.02 ERA, pitching 61.2 innings of work.

Rookie of the Month: Phil Carson, LF, East Perth
A second straight rookie award for Carson, although his numbers weren't as good as last month. Regardless, it would appear as though Carson has the Outstanding First-Year Player award for 1909 locked up.

From L-R: Brewster, Beers, Carson

News and Notes: South Perth's Kevin Floyd set a new WABL record for strikeouts in a season when he struck out his second batter against West Perth. The 103rd strikeout broke Gavin O'Flaherty's total from last season. Floyd currently sits on 107 strikeouts with five starts remaining...Joel Downes from East Perth may have been the worst starter in the WABL with his .136/.169/.171 stat line, but the shortstop received even more infamy when broke his hand punching a locker room door. The injury opened up a chance for Seb Morrow, the Dees' fourth-round choice from last season...Despite their on-field success, it looks increasingly likely as though the Bunbury Bulldogs won't be playing in the WABL next season. Bulldogs chairman Jacob Curnow has cited abnormal travel costs, wages and a potential £10,000 loss for the year, calling the current model "unsustainable," adding "if this continues, the club will become insolvent. Unless we can get concessions or assistance with travel costs, we will have to explore other options for next season."

From L-R: Floyd, Downes, Curnow

[BigRed75]

December 1909
League Standings

Much like with 1908, South Perth claimed the Minor Premiership by staying in touch with North Perth throughout the season, then turning it on in style in December to claim the flag. Once again, the Grand Final will pit North against Souths, and the Pilots will hold home ground advantage.

Bunbury gave it a good run through November, but ultimately the Bulldogs faded down the stretch. West Perth made it up to 4th place on the ladder, but still finished two games below .500 on the season. Season 1909 was step backward for Claremont and Guildford, and while East Perth finished 6th last season and 7th this season, they sported identical 33-51 records both years. Finally, it was consecutive wooden spoons for Victoria Park, but if there is a bright spot, it would have to be the nine-game improvement in the Royals' record compared to last season.

League Leaders

News and Notes: Offence was down, way down, while pitching was up during Season 1909...Last season, the league leaders in average and HRs hit .408 and 21 dingers, respectively. This season, the leading totals were .328 and 6 homers...Kevin Floyd's season ERA was as low as 0.92 on 6 December, but seven earned runs allowed in his last three starts meant a final ERA of 1.13...With 26 strikeouts in December, Floyd extended his single-season strikeout record to 133. Other pitchers to break Gavin O'Flaherty's 1908 mark of 102 include Alec Nothard (109), Louis Bullock (107) and O'Flaherty himself (107)...Spare a thought for Brian Wigmore. The East Perth catcher had a horrible day at the office on 16 December against Claremont, committing three errors in his team's 6-3 loss

[BigRed75]

1909 WABL Grand Final

Game 1: Alec Nothard allowed just two hits to Kevin Floyd's four, was more economical (98 pitches to Floyd's 124) and allowed just one earned run, same as Floyd. Unfortunately for Nothard and the Reds, he also allowed an unearned run when he dropped a throw from Dermott Douglass whilst covering first base, allowing Sebastian Edlich to score what proved to be the winning run in the Pilots 2-1 victory. Floyd was no slouch by any means, and in most cases would certainly deserve a victory, but Nothard was just a bit better, and certainly didn't deserve a loss. (Pilots lead series, 1-0)

Game 2: On a warm December day at Old Mill Field, Liam McMullen showed punters that Floyd isn't the only ace on the South Perth staff. McMullen scattered five hits and survived some nervous moments when North put runners in scoring position in the top of the 1st inning. Staked to a 2-0 lead after the 1st when Thomas Brewster's RBI triple plated Joel Robinson and Zachariah Layland subsequently scored Brewster, McMullen proved too strong for North. The first inning was the closest the Reds ever got to scoring, and whilst Pilot bats never threatened after the first either, with McMullen on the mound, they didn't have to. (Pilots lead series, 2-0)

Game 3: Faced with a 2-0 deficit at North Perth Park, the Reds turned to their ace, Ian Nothard, to stop the rot. And Nothard responded in a big way, twirling a 3-hit shutout aided by the resurgence of the North Perth bats for a 5-0 victory. A Joel Robinson error in the bottom of the 2nd proved costly when it allowed Joshua Considine to reach base. After stealing second, he advanced to third on Richard Bryant's groundout, then scored off a single from Gordon Gerlach. It would prove to be the only run Nothard needed, but the Reds scored four more times for good measure, with batters such as Burt O'Connor (2-for-4, 1 R) and Ian Vance (1-for-4, 1 R) perhaps starting to wake up their bats. Nothard himself contributed to the cause, driving in Vance and Alec Richardson in the bottom of the 6th. With either Louis Bullock or Gavin O'Flaherty available for tomorrow's match at home, North will look to build on this momentum to even the Grand Final, particularly with the news that Souths shortstop Zachariah Layland suffered an injury and has been ruled out of the rest of the series. (Pilots lead series, 2-1)

Game 4: Nervous moments for the Reds when Roger Goldsmith was able to score in the top of the 1st off of two throwing errors, but the home team was able to settle down, scoring five runs in the bottom of the 2nd to put the match beyond doubt. Burt O'Connor's bat stayed awake, going 3-for-4 with a walk, run scored and 3 RBI. Defense cost both teams, with five combined errors, but really hurt the Pilots. Of the seven runs given up by Liam McMullen, only one was earned. However, all seven count on the scoreboard, and the Grand Final will go the distance, back at Old Mill Field on New Years' Day 1910. (Series tied 2-2)

Game 5: The match for the premiership, with arguably the two best pitchers in the league going head-to-head, is precisely what the young league needed. North struck first, with Ian Vance singling in the top of the 2nd, advancing to second and then third on back-to-back errors, and scoring off of a Richard Bryant single. Alec Nothard had to work out of jams in both the bottom of the 3rd and 4th, but another two runs in the top of the 5th gave him some breathing room. A lead-off triple by Alec Richardson set the tone for the top of the 6th, as the Reds doubled their total to make it 6-0. That took the wind out of the Pilots' sails, and knocked starter Kevin Floyd out of the game. Ethan Litchfield came in to relieve and gave up a further six runs. With the score 12-1 in the bottom of the ninth, Marcus Sneddon came in to pitch, and Rowan Knopp's routine ground ball was booted by Richardson, putting Knopp on second base. He scored on - what else? - a throwing error that saw Sebastian Edlich take second, marking the 8th error of the match and cutting the lead to 12-2. But that proved to be it, as Sneddon retired Barry Bowden to end the game and complete North's remarkable come down from 2-0 down to win the Grand Final at Souths' home ground. (Reds win series, 3-2)

1909 WABL Premiers - North Perth Reds

[BigRed75]

1909 WABL Awards

Outstanding Batter Award - Timothy Olson, West Perth
West Perth's Timothy Olson put the wraps on a fine campaign today by winning the 1909 West Australian Baseball League Outstanding Batter Award.

The 36-year-old veteran scorched the opposition with a .319 average, picking up 106 hits, 13 doubles, 28 triples, 2 home runs and 57 RBI, while scoring 59 runs. The Perth native, a fan favourite who has been with the West Perth club for 15 years, was a major part of the squad's rebuilding effort that saw them rise from 7th place in 1908 to 4th this season.

Zachariah Layland of the South Perth Pilots finished second in voting, while Olson's teammate Victor Redelius finished third. All three players were also named to the 1909 All-WABL team.

Outstanding Pitcher Award - Kevin Floyd, South Perth
30-year-old Kevin Floyd took home his second straight Outstanding Pitcher medal. The South Perth ace is the only person to have won the award.

"It's always nice to receive an award like this," said Floyd. "I just hope I can improve on my performance next year and be in the running again," the Pilots star told reporters.

Floyd certainly improved on his 1908 season, with an impressive 14-5 record in 21 starts. In 183.1 innings he yielded 129 hits and 15 walks, while setting a new WABL single-season record with 133 strikeouts. His fine 1.13 ERA was also a new league record.

Gavin O'Flaherty of the North Perth Reds finished second in voting, while his teammate Alec Nothard finished third. All three pitchers made the All-WABL team along with Toby Beers of Bunbury.

Outstanding First-Year Player Award - Harris Abbey, Bunbury Bulldogs
In a mild surprise, based on the winners of the monthly awards, Harris Abbey of Bunbury won the Outstanding First-Year Player Award over Phil Carson of East Perth.

However, a closer examination establishes Abbey's qualifications. The centre fielder was Bunbury's second-round selection (10th overall) in the 1908 draft from Mosman Park in the Metropolitan League. The 24-year-old spent most of the 1908 season in the reserves, appearing in only three matches at the senior level, but won the starting centre fielder job in spring training from incumbent Axel Agar.

Batting leadoff, Abbey ended up leading the WABL in at-bats (352) whilst knocking an even 100 base hits for a .284/.321/.369 triple-slash line. Abbey was a threat on the base paths, swiping a WABL-record 46 bases, however, he was also caught 43 times. With the future of the Bunbury franchise up in the air, Abbey may very well re-nominate for the WABL Draft in 1910 rather than stay with the Bulldogs.

Carson finished second in the voting, with Norman Upchurch of South Perth rounding out the top three.

Outstanding Manager Award - Nicholas Pearson, South Perth
If the awards had taken results of the Grand Final into account, Daniel Somerville may have had a good chance to scoop the gong. But with a second consecutive Minor Premiership, Nicholas Pearson takes home his second consecutive top skipper award as well.

From L-R: Olson, Floyd, Abbey, Pearson

Fielding Excellence Awards
Pitcher - Marcus Sneddon, North Perth (1)
Catcher - Rowan Ivory, South Perth (1)
First Base - Tim Acret, East Perth (1)
Second Base - Norman Upchurch, South Perth (1)
Third Base - Tommy Koka, Bunbury (1)
Shortstop - Zachariah Layland, South Perth (2)
Left Field - Harry Fawkes, Claremont (1)
Centre Field - Sean Pavey, East Perth (2)
Right Field - George Willmott, Claremont (1)

All-WABL Team
First Base - Leo Irwin, Bunbury (2)
Second Base - Hayden Talbot, North Perth (2)
Third Base - Barry Bowden, South Perth (1)
Shortstop - Zachariah Layland, South Perth (2)
Shortstop - Victor Redelius, West Perth (2)
Left Field - Timothy Olson, West Perth (1)
Centre Field - Burt O'Connor, North Perth (2)
Right Field - Thomas Webster, South Perth (2)
Right Field - George Willmott, Claremont (1)
Catcher - Edward Johnson, Guildford (2)
Pitcher - Toby Beers, Bunbury (1)
Pitcher - Kevin Floyd, South Perth (2)
Pitcher - Alec Nothard, North Perth (2)
Pitcher - Gavin O'Flaherty, North Perth (1)