The 1997–98 Australian Baseball League season was the 9th season of the original Australian Baseball League, contested between eight teams representing state and regional capitals: , , , , , , and . The Melbourne Reds became the first three-time champions defeating the Gold Coast Cougars 2 games to 0 in the Championship series, in front of a small home crowd of 600 at the Melbourne Ballpark.
Teams
Each of the 8 teams from the previous season returned, however the Sydney Blues changed their name to the Sydney Storm after legal action taken by Cricket NSW during the offseason.
In the season opening press release, The league called for expressions of interest in a licence to reform the Canberra Bushrangers for the season, The Bushrangers previously folded at the end of the season.
Rosters During the regular season each team made use of an active roster of 22–24 men, with a maximum of 4 import players.
1997–98 Melbourne Monarchs season#Roster 1997–98 Melbourne Reds season#Roster 1997–98 Perth Heat season#Roster 1997–98 Sydney Storm season#Roster
Venues
+ Teams in the ABL Team City State Stadium Ref Adelaide South Australia Norwood Oval Brisbane Queensland Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre Gold Coast Queensland Carrara Oval Newcastle New South Wales Newcastle International Sports Centre Melbourne Victoria Melbourne Ballpark Melbourne Victoria Moorabbin Oval Perth Western Australia WACA Ground Sydney New South Wales Concord Oval
Regular season
Round 1: 31 October – 5 November 1997 + Round 1Perth Heat3d.Adelaide Giants1(6-5, 6-3, 6-5, 2-8)Gold Coast Cougars2d.Brisbane Bandits1(7-1, 8-6, 13-14)Melbourne Monarchs3d.Melbourne Reds1(8-6, 10-6, 7-2, 2-8)Sydney Storm2d.Hunter Eagles0(11-10, 5-3)
Round 2: 7–9 November 1997 + Round 2Perth Heat3d.Sydney Storm1(3-5, 3-2, 10-3, 4-1)Adelaide Giants3d.Melbourne Monarchs1(1-3, 3-0, 9-4, 7-4)Gold Coast Cougars2d.Melbourne Reds1(6-3, 6-10, 5-4, W/out)Brisbane Bandits3d.Hunter Eagles1(6-4, 7-4, 4-3, 2-4)
Round 3: 14–16 November 1997 + Round 3Perth Heat2dr.Sydney Storm2(1-5, 5-9, 4-3, 11-7)Melbourne Reds3d.Gold Coast Cougars1(4-1, 6-2, 3-2, 1-2)Adelaide Giants3d.Melbourne Monarchs1(N/A, 7-2, N/A, N/A)Brisbane Bandits3d.Hunter Eagles1(9-1, 13-11, 12-6, 9-10)
Round 4: 21–23 November 1997 + Round 4Perth Heat2dr.Melbourne Monarchs2(6-7, 6-1, 9-5, 0-2)Melbourne Reds3d.Brisbane Bandits1(7-11, 20-7, 12-7, 12-9)Gold Coast Cougars3d.Hunter Eagles1(10-5, 0-3, 8-4, 8-1)Sydney Storm3d.Adelaide Giants1(1-5, 3-2, 5-2, 6-3)
Round 5: 28–30 November 1997 + Round 5Melbourne Reds4d.Brisbane Bandits0(12-8, 12-1, 11-7, 11-7)Gold Coast Cougars3d.Hunter Eagles1(5-2, 0-6, 7-6, 15-3)Sydney Storm2dr.Adelaide Giants2(6-5, 1-4, 8-7, 2-6)
Round 6: 5–7 December 1997 + Round 6Melbourne Reds4d.Hunter Eagles0(2-1, 10-6, 7-6, 8-1)Brisbane Bandits2d.Gold Coast Cougars1(9-3, 14-9, 10-15)Sydney Storm3d.Melbourne Monarchs1(3-2, 6-5, 4-8, 18-5)Adelaide Giants3d.Perth Heat1(2-7, 7-1, 5-1, 6-3)
All Star Games: 12–13 December 1997
The All-Stars Weekend, was the first series of All-Star exhibition games held by the Australian Baseball League. The games were contested over two nights at Carrara Oval on the Gold Coast, The then home of the Gold Coast Cougars franchise.
The games were played between the Australian All-Stars, USA All-Stars and the 1997 Japanese Industrial League Champions the Mitsubishi Juko Kobe. The Australian and USA All-Star teams were selected from players who were at the time playing in the Australian Baseball League.
Game 1: Australian All-Stars vs Mitsubishi Juko Kobe
Game 2: Australian All-Stars vs USA All-Stars
Round 7: 14–16 December 1997 + Round 7Sydney Storm2d.Hunter Eagles1(8-5, 4-1, 4-6)Gold Coast Cougars1d.Brisbane Bandits0(N/A)Sydney Storm2d.Hunter Eagles1(N/A)
Round 8: 19–21 December 1997 + Round 8Sydney Storm2dr.Melbourne Monarchs2(5-3, 3-6, 0-1, 6-5)Gold Coast Cougars3d.Brisbane Bandits0(8-3, 9-8, 15-8)Perth Heat2dr.Adelaide Giants2(4-2, 4-0, 2-5, 2-6)Melbourne Reds3d.Hunter Eagles1(4-5, 17-7, 8-7, 7-0)
Round 9: 26–28 December 1997 + Round 9Perth Heat2dr.Melbourne Reds2(13-6, 7-6, 2-3, 3-8)Sydney Storm4d.Brisbane Bandits0(23-9, 3-2, 10-0, 10-7)Melbourne Monarchs4d.Gold Coast Cougars0(4-1, 4-1, 4-0, 6-0)Adelaide Giants3d.Hunter Eagles1(12-4, 1-6, 6-2, 7-3)
Round 10: 30 December 1997, 2–6 January 1998 + Round 10Brisbane Bandits2d.Perth Heat1(11-1, 18-2, 2-15)Sydney Storm2d.Melbourne Reds1(4-1, 1-10, 8-4)Gold Coast Cougars3d.Adelaide Giants0(8-6, 9-8, 10-9)Melbourne Monarchs3d.Hunter Eagles0(8-3, 7-5, 3-2)Sydney Storm1d.Hunter Eagles0(17-14)
Round 11: 9–11 January 1998 + Round 11Sydney Storm3d.Hunter Eagles0(10-3, 14-3, 10-3)Melbourne Monarchs2d.Melbourne Reds1(6-2, 3-7, 14-4)Adelaide Giants2d.Brisbane Bandits1(4-2, 4-8, 8-6)Perth Heat2d.Gold Coast Cougars1(2-19, 8-7, 8-2)
Round 12: 16–18 January 1998 + Round 12Melbourne Monarchs3d.Brisbane Bandits1(1-2, 4-3, 11-10, 12-11)Gold Coast Cougars4d.Sydney Storm0(17-12, 7-2, 15-7, 10-8)Melbourne Reds3d.Adelaide Giants1(4-5, 10-6, 10-8, 11-10)Perth Heat2dr.Hunter Eagles2(0-8, 11-6, 6-8, 5-2)
Round 13: 22–25 January 1998 + Round 13Brisbane Bandits2d.Sydney Storm1(2-3, 6-1, 2-1)Melbourne Monarchs2d.Gold Coast Cougars1(10-9, 5-1, 3-4)Adelaide Giants1dr.Hunter Eagles1(9-1, 4-5, W/Out)Perth Heat2d.Melbourne Reds0(2-0, 9-6)
Round 14: 26–29 January 1998 + Round 14Brisbane Bandits1dr.Melbourne Monarchs1(N/A, 15-10)Melbourne Reds2d.Adelaide Giants1(N/A, 11-2, 5-6)Perth Heat3d.Hunter Eagles0(15-5, 8-7, 17-6)Gold Coast Cougars2d.Sydney Storm1(9-3, 8-5, 7-12)
Round 15: 30 January – 3 February 1998 + Round 15Perth Heat2d.Brisbane Bandits1(0-12, 12-6, 5-1)Gold Coast Cougars2d.Adelaide Giants1(1-4, 9-6, 7-5)Melbourne Monarchs3d.Hunter Eagles0(9-0, 9-5, 7-6)Sydney Storm2d.Melbourne Reds1(14-11, 4-13, 10-9)
Round 16: 6–8 February 1998 + Round 16Perth Heat2d.Gold Coast Cougars1(6-2, 3-10, 7-4)Adelaide Giants2d.Brisbane Bandits1(13-12, 12-10, 8-9)Melbourne Monarchs1dr.Melbourne Reds1(5-4, 4-5, W/Out)Sydney Storm1d.Hunter Eagles0(11-5)
Ladder
Top 10 Stats
+ Defensive Stats Name Wins Losses Saves ERAMark Respondek4002.57Warren May6114.96Robert Hogan5205.97Pat Ahearne3403.46David White2427.79Jason Beverlin2406.22
+ Offensive Stars Name Avg HR RBIAdam Burton.3882155Ben Utting.346734Myles Barnden.343628Chris Ashby.314618Jeff Spencer.306741Shane Hogan.2981849
Postseason
Finals Series at Melbourne Ballpark In previous years the post season was played as home and away best of 3 games, with the two winner of each series meeting for a best of 5 series{fact}, in 1997–98 this was changed to a round robin play-off format with each team playing 3 games, 1 against each of the other 3 qualified teams, with the two highest places teams playing off in the Championship Series.
All games for the 9th ABL title were played at the Melbourne Ballpark from February, 10-12 with the best of three championship series 14–15 February.
Finals Series
Game 1: 10 February 1998
Game 2: 10 February 1998
Game 3: 11 February 1998
Game 4: 11 February 1998
Game 5: 12 February 1998
Game 6: 12 February 1998
Postseason Ladder
Championship Series
Game 1: 14 February 1998
Game 2: 15 February 1998
Awards Award Person TeamBatting ChampionBrendan KingmanGolden GloveGlenn WilliamsManager of the YearTom NietoMost Valuable PlayerBrendan KingmanChampionship M.V.P.Shane HoganRookie of the YearRodney Van BuizenReliever of the YearGabe MolinaPitcher of the YearErick NelsonUmpire of the YearGerard TancredNew South Wales
All-Star Team Position Name TeamCatcherGary White1st BaseRon Johnson2nd BaseAdam Burton3rd BasePaul GormanShort StopBen UttingOut FieldGlen BarkerOut FieldTrent DurringtonOut FieldGrant McDonaldDesignated HitterBrendan KingmanStarting PitcherErick NelsonRelief PitcherGabe MolinaManagerTom Nieto
References