Season IV finally reached its end about ten months after it began.  The loss of Frank’s and Mike P.’s teams contributed to this season taking longer to complete than any prior season.  There was more to Season IV though, than just the Frank and Mike P. incidents. 

Joe, for the fourth straight season, finished in first place.  It was Dan who had the best over-all record, but Joe did win the Eagle Division.  Because of the two-division format, this marked the first time in league history that a first-place team would have to play a playoff series.  Eugene, playing in only his second season, somehow managed to overcome a mid-season fifteen-game losing streak, and finish in second place in the Eagle Division.  The up-and-comer would be facing the veteran to determine who would represent the Eagle Division in the World Series.  And as fate would have it, Eugene emerged victorious.  For the first time we would not be subjected to an all-Agostino World Series. 

Much excitement surrounded the determination of Eugene’s opponent.  Dan coasted to the ZER4PHALE Division championship.  The only late-season drama as far as he was concerned was his run at 100 wins.  With three games to go and his victory total at 99, it seemed a foregone conclusion that Dan would be the first to achieve the century mark in wins.  He lost all three.  His 99 wins, though, remains the single-season wins record. 

Mike suffered a typical mid-season slump and Louis caught him in the standings to finish in a second-place tie.   Everything else notwithstanding, Lou’s and Mike’s seasons came down to a one-game playoff.  At this point everything seemed to favor Mike.  On the mound would be Herb Score who Mike had picked up during the season.  Score tallied 19 wins and had been Mike’s most consistent starter down the stretch.  Mike also won the split-card pick and would be the home team.  Mike confidently took his place at the table and then…..  Louis proceeded to score six runs in the top of the first.  You could have turned the game off right there.  Louis would be participating in his fourth consecutive post-season.  Mike once again would be on the outside looking in.  Louis’ post-season participation in season IV was brief though as Dan took care of him in five games.

Could Eugene’s magic continue into the World Series?  No.  Dan beat him in the decisive seventh game to win his first championship.  And thus Season IV had finally reached its conclusion.

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A couple of pitching footnotes to Season IV:

·        Marv Grissom for Frank (the actual Frank, not the replacement Frank), and Bob Purkey for John, pitched the league’s second and third no-hitters.

·        In a controversial Cy Young Award vote, Nolan Ryan for Eugene edged out Dan’s Dave Righetti.  An irate Dan vowed that he would protest by sitting out Season 19 (Righetti’s uniform number).  Righetti was named the All-Star team Starting Pitcher, even though Ryan was named the Cy Young Award winner.