Midwest League 1981

Summary

• Midwest League Champion: Wausau Timbers (Mariners)
• Team with Best Won/Lost Record: Wausau Timbers (Mariners) 84/48, .636
• Most Valuable Player: Ed Saavedra (Waterloo/Indians)
• Prospect of the Year: Harold Reynolds (Wausau/Mariners)
• Manager of the Year: Gomer Hodge (Waterloo/Indians)

• League Attendance: 602,793
  • 8 teams in two divisions played a 136 game, split-season schedule which began on April 15 and ended on September 1. A two-tier post-season playoff determined the league championship.
  • The MWL had teams in Iowa and Wisconsin.

Overview

Composite 1981 Won/Lost Record for Each Team

                 Nickname   Affiliate Won Lost  Pct (Rank)
Appleton         Foxes      White Sox  54  80  .403  (6)
Burlington       Bees       Brewers    54  81  .400  (7)
Cedar Rapids     Reds       Reds       65  68  .489  (5)
Clinton          Giants     Giants     52  80  .394  (8)
Quad City        Cubs       Cubs       77  58  .570  (3)
Waterloo         Indians    Indians    81  55  .596  (2)
Wausau           Timbers    Mariners   84  48  .636  (1)
Wisconsin Rapids Twins      Twins      68  65  .511  (4)

First Half

Northern Division  W  L   Pct  GB    Southern Division  W  L   Pct  GB
Wausau             41 23 .641  ---   Quad City          37 29 .561  ---
Waterloo           40 26 .606  2.0   Cedar Rapids       37 29 .561  ---
Wisconsin Rapids   36 29 .554  5.5   Burlington         21 45 .318 16.0
Appleton           29 36 .446 12.5   Clinton            21 45 .318 16.0

First half ended on June 22.

Tie Game: Wausau vs. Wisconsin Rapids (date and details unknown)

Tie-Breaker: Quad City was declared Southern Division champion for the first half on the basis of winning the regularly-scheduled game on July 2, which was used as a tie-breaker.

Second Half

Northern Division  W  L   Pct  GB    Southern Division  W  L   Pct  GB
Wausau             43 25 .632  ---   Quad City          40 29 .580  ---
Waterloo           41 29 .586  3.0   Burlington         33 36 .478  7.0
Wisconsin Rapids   32 36 .471 11.0   Clinton            31 35 .470  7.5
Appleton           25 44 .362 18.5   Cedar Rapids       28 39 .418 11.0

1981 Post Season

Round 1:
Wausau d. Waterloo, 2-1
Quad City d. Cedar Rapids, 2-1

Championship:
Wausau d. Quad City, 2-0

1981 All Star Game

June 20 @ Cedar Rapids, Iowa
South 5, North 4

          North             111 100 000 - 4 12 ?
          South             000 211 001 - 5  8 ?

WP: Jim Gerlach (Quad City/Cubs)
LP: Tom Brennan (Wausau/Mariners)
MVP: none selected

Box Score and Details

1981 League Changes

Sources

• Lloyd Johnson & Miles Wolff, Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (Durham: Baseball America, 2007)
• 1981 All-American Baseball News Minor League and College Baseball Statistics Report
• 1982 Sporting News Guide
• 1989 Midwest League Record Book
• 1982 Midwest League Media Guide
• 1981 & 1982 Programs/Yearbooks:
  • 1981 Wausau Timbers
  • 1981 Appleton Foxes
  • 1981 & 1982 Waterloo Indians
  • 1982 Burlington Rangers
  • 1982 Madison Muskies
  • 1982 Wisconsin Rapids Twins
  • 1982 Midwest League All-Star Game Program