Season details | |
---|---|
Sport | Baseball |
Country | Australia |
Teams | 6 |
Dates | 17 October 1998 – 13 February 1999 |
Defending champions | Melbourne Reds (1997–98) |
Champions | Gold Coast Cougars (1st title) |
MVP | Adam Burton ( Reds) |
Final positions | |
Champions | Gold Coast Cougars |
Runners-up | Sydney Storm |
Finalists | Adelaide Giants |
Finalists | Melbourne Monarchs |
Fifth place | Melbourne Reds |
Sixth place | Perth Heat |
Regular season | |
Games played | 132 |
Best batting average | Brandon Pollard ( Cougars) (.317) |
Most homeruns hit | Brandon Pollard ( Cougars) (12) |
Best ERA | Brett Cederbald ( Cougars) (2.34) |
← 1997–98
Last updated on 13 February 2013 |
† | Clinched final berth |
The 1998–99 Australian Baseball League season was the 10th season of the original Australian Baseball League, contested between six teams representing state and regional capitals: Adelaide Giants, Gold Coast Cougars, Melbourne Monarchs, Melbourne Reds, Perth Heat and Sydney Storm. The championship was won by the Gold Coast Cougars, who defeated the Sydney Storm in 2 games in the championship series at the Sydney Showground Stadium. The Adelaide Giants finished the season on top of the ladder but were knocked out in Semi Final 1 by the Sydney Storm.
All play-off games in the 1998-99 ABL season were held at the then-recently completed Sydney Showground, which was to become the main venue for baseball at the 2000 Summer Olympics.
1998–99 was the final season of the original Australian Baseball League. At the completion of the season the rights to the league were purchased by Dave Nilsson who then attempted to form the International Baseball League of Australia.
Only 6 of the 8 teams from the previous season returned, The Hunter Eagles and Brisbane Bandits were both unable to continue in the league due to increasing financial pressure.
During the regular season each team made use of an active roster of 22-24 men, with a maximum of 4 import players.