The 1915 Southern Union Baseball season was the twenty-first season of professional baseball within the Southern Union.

It was the first season of a 22-team Baseball Meisterchaft as well as a knockout tournament called the Güns-Kelch in Günsovölk, and the first season of the Nationwide League in Ianoia after officially becoming the second tier of professional baseball in the country.

The Novainsula Baseball Federation entered preliminary talks with the South Indian Ocean Baseball Association this year about joining as the sixth member, with a view to join SIOBA for the 1919 season.

Domestic Baseball

Koana Islands

Super Ligan

BK Salau clinched their first Super Ligan title in dominant fashion, moving to the top of the table after the second round of match-ups and never letting up, romping to a 13-point gap over runners-up Ny Aucklanda IF. It wasn’t a bad season for the Bergsmän, who haven’t finished lower than third for the last five years.

Last years surprise winners and defending champions Jordnot Kanjon BK found the season tough going, languishing in 13th place for most of May before a strong back-half of the year propelled them up to a respectable 3rd place finish, narrowly ahead of BF Oberoendestad who performed admirably away from home (23-3-13), to claim their highest finish since they achieved 3rd back in 1907.

Glenton Kullar BbK’s season was one to forget after they pinned their hopes on a top-half finish, following three straight campaigns finishing 4th. They eventually slumped to 7th despite spending much of June in 3rd.

Newcomers 1890 Ängelar SK and IK Förenta Saffron, both returning after extended absences from the top flight, secured their Super Ligan status for another season, with the latter winning their final 7 games having dropped to last place with 6 games remaining in what the local journalists were claiming was the “greatest escape”.

Atletisk Nyhamn and Vizhune IS both succumbed to the drop, despite the former’s glimmer of hope on the final day after picking up a 3-0 win over champions BK Salau. For Vizhune IS, it marks the first time the club will not be competing in the Super Ligan since joining the inaugural season in 1895, winning five titles in that time.

Division Ett

Körsbärstad IF and SK Ryttare were rarely troubled all season, moving clear of the other teams in mid-July to win promotion to the Super Ligan for the first time in 11 and 5 years, respectively. It was a close affair with both clubs holding top spot at times before Djävlarna pulled clear in the final month.

Prestons-Grenada were early pace-setters, thanks to a strong month of April in which they won 9 of their 12 fixtures, but the form wasn’t sustainable, and they eventually finished a respectable 7th. Recently relegated BK Humoor 1893 suffered a similar fate. After moving into top spot at the end of May, the clubs bid for an immediate return to the Super Ligan nosedived after a poor June, never recovering after slipping out of the promotion spots in August.

Ruysdael Akademisk IF was surprise the package of the season. Perennial lower-half finishers, De Gröna were expected to battle against the re-election spots once more. Despite a poor mid-season when they lost 11 of 13 games, a string of 7 straight wins to end the year saw them leapfrog four clubs to finish 3rd.

Västra Delen 95 flirted with re-election zone for much of the year in what became a tightly-contested affair with GK Udde Korall but fell to 13th on the final weekend. Litenstat Jarnekdal SBK spent all season in the bottom 2 spots, equaling their same points haul as last season when they achieved 14th. Both were comfortably re-elected for another season.

Günsovölk

Baseball Meisterschaft

The Baseball Meisterschaft saw some significant changes this season, with the introduction of six new clubs and the implementation of the Series Sweep Bonus Point (SBP). Rasensport Sorgenfrei dominated from early June and maintained top spot throughout, securing their 8th Meisterschaft title and setting a league record with 14 series sweeps.

VfB Andacht had an impressive season, finishing as runners-up for the first time, narrowly beating Viktoria Grosstadt SV by drawing an additional game. Blau-Weiss Ruigoord achieved their highest finish since 1905, landing in 5th place, just two points ahead of defending champions Mächtstadt VfL. Die Artilleristen struggled at the start of the season, going 0-2-4 and continuing a trend of subpar performances.

Among the newcomers, LR Benëe had a commendable season, finishing in 11th place, seven points behind 10th-placed BSG Geldstadt, who themselves performed well away from home.

At the bottom of the table, Ahnüü 96, Gelb Kekerdom TuS, and Thijssen Juist faced expulsion threats and had to re-apply to retain their professional status. Fortunately, all three teams managed to secure their spots for the next season. Ahnüü 96 were unlucky to be put up for re-election, dropping to 20th place on the penultimate weekend due BC Burgbernheim’s strong performance (8-2-1) in the last stretch helping them save their season after a challenging 3-4-16 start in the previous 23 games.

Güns-Kelch

In the inaugural Güns-Kelch, Mächtstadt VfL shook off their disappointing Meisterschaft campaign to secure their first ever chalice. Their opponents, Thijssen Juist, found their new professional status hard to manage, struggling with squad depth due to the additional league games, as well splitting time in the Güns-Kelch.

Non-league club Horssen FSV reached the semi-finals, having eliminated both BV Küstestadt and Käseplatz SSV in the First and Third Rounds respectively. Uelzenia Hüll were also on the receiving end of a giant-slaying, going down 8-7 at home to Tienpoint SV. Another highlight was in the early Qualifying Rounds for the competition when Oddersted SC threw a no-hitter in their 9-0 demolotion of Wolfsburg Union.

QUARTER-FINALS
Blau-Weiss Ruigoord (BM) 4-7 Tapfer Concordia BV (BM)
Hafenstadt BV (BM) 6-10 Mächtstadt VfL (BM)
Thijssen Juist (BM) 7-2 Ducibus BV (BM)
Horssen FSV (NON) 4-4 TS Füssen (NON) [Replay: TS Füssen (NON) 1-4 Horssen FSV (NON)]

SEMI-FINALS
Tapfer Concordia BV (BM) 2-4 Mächtstadt VfL (BM)
Horssen FSV (NON) 3-4 Thijssen Juist (BM)

FINAL                                                            R   H   E
Thijssen Juist (BM)       1   0   0   0   1   0   0   0   1      3   3   0
Mächtstadt VfL (BM)       0   2   1   0   0   2   0   0   -      5  10   1

Ianoia

I-League

The I-League season was a thrilling and closely contested competition that saw Racing Welford emerge as the champions, clinching their second title and their first since 1911. They finished the season with an impressive 7-point lead over the runners-up, Sporting Cuckney. However, the gap between the top two teams flattered Racing Welford, as both sides exchanged positions multiple times during the back half of the year. Ultimately, the Panthers suffered a devastating sweep on the final weekend to Chatteris United, securing second-place for the second consecutive year.

Tyrant-Ilford was also a strong contender for the title, holding top spot until the end of May. However, a challenging run of five straight losses at the start of August caused them to slip down the table, eventually finishing behind the defending champions, McCutchen City. The Myrmidons displayed great resilience after finding themselves in 11th position during the month of June, making an impressive comeback to secure a respectable standing having started the season with 4 wins in their first 17 games.

In a crucial match that had significant repercussions, Athletic Ivychurch faced Tyrant-Ilford on the final day of the season. The match ended in a dramatic 3-3 draw, with Ivychurch giving up a crucial 3-2 lead in the bottom of the 9th inning. The result meant that Athletic Ivychurch finished level on points with Blenkinsopp Town, with the latter staying ahead in the league standings due to a superior run difference. Tragically, this draw led to Athletic Ivychurch being relegated from the I-League for the first time in their history, marking them as the first club to suffer such a fate.

Nationwide League

The Nationwide League promotion race witnessed historic achievements and intense competition among the aspiring clubs. Red Flag, a Lanhydrock-based club, made history by becoming the first team to win promotion to the I-League. Their journey to the finish line was thrilling, as they ended the season equal on points with Brinkburn Coastal.

Red Flag took control of top spot from mid-May and appeared to have secured the title by late July, especially after Brinkburn suffered two losses to the leaders, having already been swept by Donyatt-Burstwick the previous weekend. However, the Flaggers encountered a stumbling block in their final fixtures, losing six out of their last eight games. Despite this late-season dip in form, it had little impact as Red Flag still managed to claim the title by winning one extra game compared to the Orcas.

Athletic Ragdale, after an impressive performance throughout much of the back-half of the season, finished in fourth place behind Souldrop. However, they dropped behind the Seahorses on the final weekend of fixtures. Caunton Victoria ended the season 7 points behind Athletic Ragdale, displaying consistent mid-table form throughout the year. They managed to finish above NN Kingsdown, who faced a challenging start to the season, securing just three wins and a draw in the opening month.

At the bottom of the table, Heslington United struggled for the majority of the season and found themselves propping up the table for the final two-thirds of the campaign. They remained in the bottom two places from the second Saturday in April. Flitwick & Forest faced a tense final day, hoping for a win to confirm their professional status. However, a 4-3 loss away to Souldrop saw them finish just one point behind Athletic Bedlington in 12th. In another setback, Flitwick & Forest experienced the indignity of being no-hit by Brinkburn Coastal in the first weekend of May. Despite their challenges, both Heslington United and Flitwick & Forest managed to retain their professional status for another season, as all clubs unanimously voted in favor of retaining them.

Social Cup

The Social Cup proved to be a historic and exciting tournament for Spartans of Martletwy as they secured their first trophy since turning professional in 1907. The championship-clinching moment came in a thrilling final match against Ulcombe United, resulting in a dramatic 7-6 come-from-behind victory for Martletwy.

Both Spartans of Martletwy and Ulcombe United reached the Social Cup final for the first time in their history, setting the stage for a momentous clash. Ulcombe United appeared to have gained the upper hand in the 5th inning when they erased Spartans’ two-run lead with an impressive 3-run home run, followed by three consecutive doubles that added two more runs to their tally. However, the determination and resilience of Spartans of Martletwy came to the forefront in the late innings. They staged a remarkable comeback, scoring in each of the final three frames, turning the tide in their favor. The highlight of the match came in the final moments when center fielder Clinton Black delivered a walk-off solo home run, securing the title for Spartans of Martletwy.

Notably, the Social Cup also saw the entry of Nationwide League clubs as professionals in the first round. St. Barlow made an impressive run, reaching the Quarter-Finals after benefiting from facing other Nationwide League clubs along the way. Heslington United stunned Oldstead Irish with a tight 7-6 victory in the First Round, producing an early upset in the competition.

While some close matches and replays were necessary in the First Round, as Donyatt-Burstwick and Athletic Bedlington faced stiff challenges from non-league opponents Tyrant-Antrobus and Badlesmere United, respectively, there were no upsets in subsequent rounds of the tournament.

QUARTER-FINALS
St. Barlow (NW) 4-7 Racing Welford (ILG)
Sporting Cuckney (ILG) 3-4 Ulcombe United (ILG)
Chatteris United (ILG) 2-5 Spartans of Martletwy (ILG)
McCutchen City (ILG) 6-3 Blenkinsopp Town (ILG)

SEMI-FINALS
Racing Welford (ILG) 3-4 Ulcombe United (ILG)
Spartans of Martletwy (ILG) 5-4 McCutchen City (ILG)

FINAL                                                                 R   H   E
Ulcombe United (ILG)           0   0   1   0   5   0   0   0   0      6   8   1
Spartans of Martletwy (ILG)    2   1   0   0   1   0   1   1   1      7  10   3

Albaland

Baseball League

The 1915 ABL season witnessed the continued dominance of Sandwick City, who clinched their sixth consecutive league title, solidifying their status as a powerhouse within Albaland. Bridgebank, while putting up a strong fight, finished as runners-up for the third time.

Throughout the season, both Sandwick City and Bridgebank held the top spot at various points, not receiving any challenge to their dominance from other clubs. However, Sandwick City’s consistent performance in the final month, where they remained undefeated, allowed them to secure the title with a couple of games to spare.

Terregles Collieries emerged as early pacesetters in the league, but their fortunes took a downturn in June when they went through a winless streak of five games. They managed to maintain their position of third place for much of the season, though they briefly slipped to fourth behind Oxenfoord Wanderers, who showcased a strong performance and even no-hit Waltonians at home, ending May on a high note. South Angel was also a contender in the league until July and August when they eventually fell to fifth place. Despite this, the fifth-place finish marked the club’s highest finishing position in a season, surpassing their previous best of sixth place set back in 1910.

Waltonians successfully avoided the re-election process, demonstrating an upturn in form towards the tail end of the season. They went on a positive run with a record of 6 wins, 2 draws, and 1 loss, moving up to 11th with still a month of fixtures to play. However, a disappointing performance in the final games saw them slide back to the 15th place in the final standings.

Strathmiglo Wanderers experienced a drop in position at the end of the season for the third consecutive year, but they managed to secure re-election by their peers. However, the growing dominance of Sandwick City in the league prompted discussions among clubs about potentially expanding the re-election process to accommodate two clubs as early as 1918.

Alba Shield

The 1915 Alba Shield final proved to be a thrilling and closely contested match, with Terregles Collieries emerging victorious to claim their first-ever trophy. This marked the fifth time in nine seasons that the Alba Shield final extended to extra innings.

In a dramatic final showdown, Terregles Collieries faced off against South Angel, who took an early lead, heading into the top of the 8th inning with a 3-run advantage. However, the Foxes staged an impressive comeback, narrowing the deficit to 2 runs in the next frame. In the 9th inning, Third Baseman Luke Maguire delivered a clutch 2-run home run, leveling the score and sending the game into extra innings.

Both teams scored again in the 10th inning, before Terregles Collieries took the lead in the 12th inning, putting 2 more runs on the board, which South Angel could not match.

For South Angel, the defeat was a bitter pill to swallow as it marked their second loss in the Alba Shield final, making them the first team in Albaland to reach two finals and lose both. Their previous final appearance was in 1913 when they were defeated 4-2 by Bridgebank.

The journey to the Alba Shield final was a remarkable one for Terregles Collieries. In the Semi-Finals, they secured a thrilling walk-off grand slam against Glenarm, after conceding a game-leading run in the 10th inning. It was a feat they had achieved earlier in the season, when they scored a walk-off grand slam in the 10th inning against non-league side Inverbervie Rose in the First Round.

The 1915 season also witnessed a notable giant-killing moment during the First Round when Kirkcolm Town, a league team, were stunned 5-4 at home by Kilmorack Colts, a non-league side.

QUARTER-FINALS
Kirkpatrick Town (NON) 4-8 Glenarm (BL)
Strathmiglo Wanderers (BL) 3-7 Terregles Collieries (BL)
Melton Coss (BL) 5-4 Sandwick City (BL) (F/10)
South Angel (BL) 6-1 Bridgebank (BL)

SEMI-FINALS
Melton Coss (BL) 5-9 South Angel (BL)
Glenarm (BL) 7-11 Terregles Collieries (BL) (F/10)

FINAL/12                                                                     R   H   E
Terregles Collieries (BL) 0   0   0   0   0   0   0   1   2   1   0   2      6  16   0
South Angel (BL)          1   0   0   0   0   0   2   0   0   1   0   0      4   9   1

Houtmansland

Topklasse Divisie

The 1915 season witnessed a historic moment as Eikenheuvel HC clinched their first trophy as a professional club, ending a 14-season-long wait for a major title. De Uilen showcased their dominance during the back-half of the campaign, delivering a strong and unbeaten performance in 14 games, with just five draws and four losses in the second half of the season, ultimately securing the title.

Atletisch Bath, who had claimed the league title ahead of Eikenheuvel HC in 1911, found themselves as runners-up for the first time. They made a promising start to the season, moving into top spot in May and holding a slender 3-point lead heading into the winter break. However, inconsistent form during July and August plagued their campaign, allowing Eikenheuvel HC to close the gap and ultimately take the lead to secure the title.

HHV, Bos Aan Zee, and defending champions KBO Armweide were involved in a tight three-way fight towards the end of the season, with the defending premiers slipping from 3rd to 5th on the final day after a heart-wrenching 3-2 walk-off loss to Atletisch Bath.

SAE Zwingelspaan, who had a promising start to the season and spent April at or near the top of the table, saw their campaign falter as the months wore on. A series sweep at the hands of Bos Aan Zee caused them to fall down the standings, and they remained around 7th position for the rest of the year. One of the notable highlights for De Boeren was a remarkable 3-0 victory over Eikenheuvel HC in late August, achieving the rare feat of no-hitting the eventual champions.

RKC Mesch experienced a disappointing season, finishing last for the first time since 1903. This marked the 11th year out of 14 that De Zwervers finished in the bottom half of the league. Consequently, the club was forced to re-apply for their professional status, but they successfully argued their case and secured a narrow 7 votes to 3 victory.