x-Won 3rd place by tiebreaker
World Series: Taylor Maids 4, Silicon Valley Chips 1
MVP: Walter Johnson, Maids
Records from Season 1 are scarce, as most HBWRL historians define the
"modern era" as beginning in Season 2. We do know this much:
Taylor Maids LF Ralph Kiner hit the first homerun in HBWRL history, off
Anchorage Avalance P Eddie Plank.
Speed played a much bigger role than in the modern version of the game.
The Silicon Valley Chips, propelled by speedsters George Sisler, Jackie Robinson,
Rabbit Maranville and Amos Otis, started the season at an improbable 6-0. Two-thirds
of the way through the season, they were 10-2. They split their last 6 games
to finish the season at 13-5, which stood until Season 14 as the best regular
season record ever. They led from "wire to wire." Juan Marichal went an unheard
of 9-0; the rest of the Chips pitching staff went 4-5.
The Taylor Maids, who had such stars as Walter Johnson, Eddie Collins, Ty Cobb,
and Babe Ruth, won their final 2 games, after starting 7-9, to sneak into the
playoffs at 9-9.
The Anchorage Avalanche and preseason favorite Broome Stickpins tied for
3rd (and last) place at 7-11. The Stickpins were awarded 3rd place by
tiebreaker, having beaten the Avalanche in 4 of the teams' 6 meetings.
There were no starting rotations and no restrictions on how often a
pitcher could pitch. Walter Johnson started every World Series game for
the Maids. After Nolan Ryan started Game 1 for the Chips and was blown
out, Juan Marichal started every remaining game for the Chips.
Despite Rabbit Maranville's .444 average in the series, the Maids
coasted to a 4-1 win. Johnson was named Series MVP. Cobb and Ruth also
tore up Marichal, and a surprisingly vulnerable Chips bullpen.
Despite hitting the first homerun in HBWRL history, Ralph Kiner is the
only one of the Season 1 Taylor Maids not still active in the HBWRL.
