1997–98 Australian Baseball League season

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: Adelaide Giants, Brisbane Bandits, Gold Coast Cougars, Hunter Eagles, Melbourne Monarchs, Melbourne Reds, Perth Heat and Sydney Storm. 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

Adelaide Giants

Brisbane Bandits

Melbourne Monarchs

Gold Coast Cougars

Melbourne Reds

Hunter Eagles

Perth Heat

Sydney Storm

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 1998-99 season, The Bushrangers previously folded at the end of the 1994-95 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.

Venues

Teams in the ABL

Team	City	State	Stadium	Ref
Adelaide Giants	Adelaide	South Australia	Norwood Oval
Brisbane Bandits	Brisbane	Queensland	Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre
Gold Coast Cougars	Gold Coast	Queensland	Carrara Oval
Hunter Eagles	Newcastle	New South Wales	Newcastle International Sports Centre
Melbourne Monarchs	Melbourne	Victoria	Melbourne Ballpark
Melbourne Reds	Melbourne	Victoria	Moorabbin Oval
Perth Heat	Perth	Western Australia	WACA Ground
Sydney Storm	Sydney	New South Wales	Concord Oval

Regular season

Round 1: 31 October–5 November 1997

Round 1

Perth Heat	3	d.	Adelaide Giants	1	(6-5, 6-3, 6-5, 2-8)
Gold Coast Cougars	2	d.	Brisbane Bandits	1	(7-1, 8-6, 13-14)
Melbourne Monarchs	3	d.	Melbourne Reds	1	(8-6, 10-6, 7-2, 2-8)
Sydney Storm	2	d.	Hunter Eagles	0	(11-10, 5-3)

Round 2: 7–9 November 1997

Round 2

Perth Heat	3	d.	Sydney Storm	1	(3-5, 3-2, 10-3, 4-1)
Adelaide Giants	3	d.	Melbourne Monarchs	1	(1-3, 3-0, 9-4, 7-4)
Gold Coast Cougars	2	d.	Melbourne Reds	1	(6-3, 6-10, 5-4, W/out)
Brisbane Bandits	3	d.	Hunter Eagles	1	(6-4, 7-4, 4-3, 2-4)

Round 3: 14–16 November 1997

Round 3

Perth Heat	2	dr.	Sydney Storm	2	(1-5, 5-9, 4-3, 11-7)
Melbourne Reds	3	d.	Gold Coast Cougars	1	(4-1, 6-2, 3-2, 1-2)
Adelaide Giants	3	d.	Melbourne Monarchs	1	(N/A, 7-2, N/A, N/A)
Brisbane Bandits	3	d.	Hunter Eagles	1	(9-1, 13-11, 12-6, 9-10)

Round 4: 21–23 November 1997

Round 4

Perth Heat	2	dr.	Melbourne Monarchs	2	(6-7, 6-1, 9-5, 0-2)
Melbourne Reds	3	d.	Brisbane Bandits	1	(7-11, 20-7, 12-7, 12-9)
Gold Coast Cougars	3	d.	Hunter Eagles	1	(10-5, 0-3, 8-4, 8-1)
Sydney Storm	3	d.	Adelaide Giants	1	(1-5, 3-2, 5-2, 6-3)

Round 5: 28–30 November 1997

Round 5

Melbourne Reds	4	d.	Brisbane Bandits	0	(12-8, 12-1, 11-7, 11-7)
Gold Coast Cougars	3	d.	Hunter Eagles	1	(5-2, 0-6, 7-6, 15-3)
Sydney Storm	2	dr.	Adelaide Giants	2	(6-5, 1-4, 8-7, 2-6)

Round 6: 5–7 December 1997

Round 6

Melbourne Reds	4	d.	Hunter Eagles	0	(2-1, 10-6, 7-6, 8-1)
Brisbane Bandits	2	d.	Gold Coast Cougars	1	(9-3, 14-9, 10-15)
Sydney Storm	3	d.	Melbourne Monarchs	1	(3-2, 6-5, 4-8, 18-5)
Adelaide Giants	3	d.	Perth Heat	1	(2-7, 7-1, 5-1, 6-3)

All Star Games: 12–13 December 1997

The series was held at Carrara Oval.

Game 1 was played against the Japanese Industrial League Champions and Game 2 against combined team of Americans playing in the ABL.

12 December

Mitsubishi Juko Kobe

Vs

Australia All-Stars

13 December

U.S.A. All-Stars

15

d.

Australia All-Stars

9

Round 7: 14–16 December 1997

Round 7

Sydney Storm	2	d.	Hunter Eagles	1	(8-5, 4-1, 4-6)
Gold Coast Cougars	1	d.	Brisbane Bandits	0	(N/A)
Sydney Storm	2	d.	Hunter Eagles	1	(N/A)

Round 8: 19–21 December 1997

Round 8

Sydney Storm	2	dr.	Melbourne Monarchs	2	(5-3, 3-6, 0-1, 6-5)
Gold Coast Cougars	3	d.	Brisbane Bandits	0	(8-3, 9-8, 15-8)
Perth Heat	2	dr.	Adelaide Giants	2	(4-2, 4-0, 2-5, 2-6)
Melbourne Reds	3	d.	Hunter Eagles	1	(4-5, 17-7, 8-7, 7-0)

Round 9: 26–28 December 1997

Round 9

Perth Heat	2	dr.	Melbourne Reds	2	(13-6, 7-6, 2-3, 3-8)
Sydney Storm	4	d.	Brisbane Bandits	0	(23-9, 3-2, 10-0, 10-7)
Melbourne Monarchs	4	d.	Gold Coast Cougars	0	(4-1, 4-1, 4-0, 6-0)
Adelaide Giants	3	d.	Hunter Eagles	1	(12-4, 1-6, 6-2, 7-3)

Round 10: 30 December 1997, 2–6 January 1998

Round 10

Brisbane Bandits	2	d.	Perth Heat	1	(11-1, 18-2, 2-15)
Sydney Storm	2	d.	Melbourne Reds	1	(4-1, 1-10, 8-4)
Gold Coast Cougars	3	d.	Adelaide Giants	0	(8-6, 9-8, 10-9)
Melbourne Monarchs	3	d.	Hunter Eagles	0	(8-3, 7-5, 3-2)
Sydney Storm	1	d.	Hunter Eagles	0	(17-14)

Round 11: 9–11 January 1998

Round 11

Sydney Storm	3	d.	Hunter Eagles	0	(10-3, 14-3, 10-3)
Melbourne Monarchs	2	d.	Melbourne Reds	1	(6-2, 3-7, 14-4)
Adelaide Giants	2	d.	Brisbane Bandits	1	(4-2, 4-8, 8-6)
Perth Heat	2	d.	Gold Coast Cougars	1	(2-19, 8-7, 8-2)

Round 12: 16–18 January 1998

Round 12

Melbourne Monarchs	3	d.	Brisbane Bandits	1	(1-2, 4-3, 11-10, 12-11)
Gold Coast Cougars	4	d.	Sydney Storm	0	(17-12, 7-2, 15-7, 10-8)
Melbourne Reds	3	d.	Adelaide Giants	1	(4-5, 10-6, 10-8, 11-10)
Perth Heat	2	dr.	Hunter Eagles	2	(0-8, 11-6, 6-8, 5-2)

Round 13: 22–25 January 1998

Round 13

Brisbane Bandits	2	d.	Sydney Storm	1	(2-3, 6-1, 2-1)
Melbourne Monarchs	2	d.	Gold Coast Cougars	1	(10-9, 5-1, 3-4)
Adelaide Giants	1	dr.	Hunter Eagles	1	(9-1, 4-5, W/Out)
Perth Heat	2	d.	Melbourne Reds	0	(2-0, 9-6)

Round 14: 26–29 January 1998

Round 14

Brisbane Bandits	1	dr.	Melbourne Monarchs	1	(N/A, 15-10)
Melbourne Reds	2	d.	Adelaide Giants	1	(N/A, 11-2, 5-6)
Perth Heat	3	d.	Hunter Eagles	0	(15-5, 8-7, 17-6)
Gold Coast Cougars	2	d.	Sydney Storm	1	(9-3, 8-5, 7-12)

Round 15: 30 January-3 February 1998

Round 15

Perth Heat	2	d.	Brisbane Bandits	1	(0-12, 12-6, 5-1)
Gold Coast Cougars	2	d.	Adelaide Giants	1	(1-4, 9-6, 7-5)
Melbourne Monarchs	3	d.	Hunter Eagles	0	(9-0, 9-5, 7-6)
Sydney Storm	2	d.	Melbourne Reds	1	(14-11, 4-13, 10-9)

Round 16: 6–8 February 1998

Round 16

Perth Heat	2	d.	Gold Coast Cougars	1	(6-2, 3-10, 7-4)
Adelaide Giants	2	d.	Brisbane Bandits	1	(13-12, 12-10, 8-9)
Melbourne Monarchs	1	dr.	Melbourne Reds	1	(5-4, 4-5, W/Out)
Sydney Storm	1	d.	Hunter Eagles	0	(11-5)

Top 10 Stats

Defensive Stats

Name	Wins	Losses	Saves	ERA
Mark Respondek	4	0	0	2.57
Warren May	6	1	1	4.96
Robert Hogan	5	2	0	5.97
Pat Ahearne	3	4	0	3.46
David White	2	4	2	7.79
Jason Beverlin	2	4	0	6.22

Offensive Stars

Name	Avg	HR	RBI
Adam Burton	.388	21	55
Ben Utting	.346	7	34
Myles Barnden	.343	6	28
Chris Ashby	.314	6	18
Jeff Spencer	.306	7	41
Shane Hogan	.298	18	49

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

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Gold Coast Cougars	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	7	?	?
Melbourne Monarchs	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	5	?	?
WP: ? (1-0)   LP: ? (0-1)   Sv: ? Home runs: Cougars: ? Monarchs: ?

Game 2: 10 February 1998

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Melbourne Reds	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	18	?	?
Sydney Storm	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	5	?	?
WP: ? (1-0)   LP: ? (0-1)   Sv: ? Home runs: Reds: ? Storm: ?

Game 3: 11 February 1998

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Melbourne Monarchs	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	1	?	?
Sydney Storm	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	5	?	?
WP: ? (1-0)   LP: ? (0-1)   Sv: ? Home runs: Monarchs: ? Storm: ?

Game 4: 11 February 1998

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Gold Coast Cougars	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	1	?	?
Melbourne Reds	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	2	?	?
WP: ? (1-0)   LP: ? (0-1)   Sv: ? Home runs: Cougars: ? Reds: ?

Game 5: 12 February 1998

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Sydney Storm	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	6	?	?
Gold Coast Cougars	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	8	?	?
WP: ? (1-0)   LP: ? (0-1)   Sv: ? Home runs: Storm: ? Cougars: ?

Game 6: 12 February 1998

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Melbourne Monarchs	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	12	?	?
Melbourne Reds	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	5	?	?
WP: ? (1-0)   LP: ? (0-1)   Sv: ? Home runs: Monarchs: ? Reds: ?

Championship Series

Game 1: 14 February 1998

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Gold Coast Cougars	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	0	0	3	?	?
Melbourne Reds	1	0	0	0	2	0	1	0	-	4	?	?
WP: David White (1-0)   LP: ? (0-1)   Sv: ? Home runs: Cougars: - Reds: Shane Hogan (1)

Game 2: 15 February 1998

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Melbourne Reds	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	3	0	4	6	?
Gold Coast Cougars	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	?	?
WP: Jason Beverlin (1-0)   LP: Paxton Crawford (0-1)   Sv: - Home runs: Reds: Shane Hogan (1), Myles Barnden (1) Cougars: -

Awards

Award	Person	Team
Batting Champion	Brendan Kingman	Sydney Storm
Golden Glove	Glenn Williams	Sydney Storm
Manager of the Year	Tom Nieto	Melbourne Reds
Most Valuable Player	Brendan Kingman	Sydney Storm
Championship M.V.P.	Shane Hogan	Melbourne Reds
Rookie of the Year	Rodney Van Buizen	Hunter Eagles
Reliever of the Year	Gabe Molina	Perth Heat
Pitcher of the Year	Erick Nelson	Melbourne Monarchs
Umpire of the Year	Gerard Tancred	New South Wales

All-Star Team

Position	Name	Team
Catcher	Gary White	Sydney Storm
1st Base	Ron Johnson	Gold Coast Cougars
2nd Base	Adam Burton	Melbourne Reds
3rd Base	Paul Gorman	Gold Coast Cougars
Short Stop	Ben Utting	Melbourne Reds
Out Field	Glen Barker	Brisbane Bandits
Out Field	Trent Durrington	Gold Coast Cougars
Out Field	Grant McDonald	Brisbane Bandits
Designated Hitter	Brendan Kingman	Sydney Storm
Starting Pitcher	Erick Nelson	Melbourne Monarchs
Relief Pitcher	Gabe Molina	Perth Heat
Manager	Tom Nieto	Melbourne Reds

References

• Flintoff, Peter; Dunn, Adrian (August 1998). Flintoff & Dunn's Australian Baseball League Almanac 1998 Edition. Melbourne: Flintoff & Dunn.