1981 ILLOWA LEAGUE
W
L
PCT
GB
Manager
East Moline Bombers
93
68
.578
0
Mike Bunch
Merrionette Park Rocket-Fire
90
71
.559
3
Dale Smith
Quad Cities Thunderchickens
89
72
.553
4
Dennis Jennings
Northside Hitmen
84
77
.522
9
Chuck Lucas
Northeast Cardinals
82
79
.509
11
Tom Reisdorph
Davenport Fire
74
87
.460
19
Don Smith
Chicago Champions
71
90
.441
22
Tedd Mallasch
Geneseo A’s
60
101
.373
33
Tom Nelson
IAL Champions: Northside Hitmen
MVP: Al OliverCy Young: Doug Corbett
Mike Bunch congratulates Chuck Lucas after the Hitmen win the IAL title in 1981
1981 was a year of firsts for the IAL. It was the first time Chuck Lucas won the IAL Championship defeating the East Moline Bombers in the World Series. It was the first time a reliever both won and saved 20 or more games as Cy Young winner Doug Corbett led the league with 22 wins and also saved 20. It was the first time an MVP player came from a non-playoff team. Al Oliver, playing for the 5th place Northeast Cardinals, won the award by hitting .352 and driving in 138 runs.
1981 IAL Hitting and Pitching Leaders
Player
CLUB
AVG
Player
CLUB
HR
Cecil Cooper
RFIRE
.361
Mike Schmidt
CHAMP
48
Al Oliver
CARDS
.352
Gorman Thomas
BMBRS
42
Bill Buckner
FIRE
.336
Jim Rice
CHAMP
37
Bake McBride
CARDS
.317
Bob Horner
FIRE
37
Rod Carew
HTMN
.311
Garry Carter
CHAMP
36
Player
CLUB
R
Player
CLUB
RBI
Pete Rose
CARDS
114
Al Oliver
CARDS
138
Mike Schmidt
CHAMP
113
Dale Murphy
HTMN
127
Gorman Thomas
BMBRS
112
Gorman Thomas
BMBRS
117
Willie Randolph
HTMN
110
Steve Garvey
TCHIX
117
Steve Garvey
TCHIX
108
Cecil Cooper
RFIRE
115
Player
CLUB
2B
Player
CLUB
3B
Lance Parrish
A’s
51
Alfredo Griffin
A’s
11
Pete Rose
CARDS
50
Bake McBride
CARDS
10
Al Oliver
CARDS
48
Richie Hebner
CARDS
9
Gorman Thomas
BMBRS
43
Andre Dawson
HTMN
8
Dwight Evans
RFIRE
43
Rod Carew
HTMN
8
Player
CLUB
SLG
Player
CLUB
OBP
Mike Schmidt
CHAMP
.633
Willie Randolph
HTMN
.416
Ted Simmons
BMBRS
.606
Cecil Cooper
RFIRE
.408
Bob Horner
FIRE
.579
Ted Simmons
BMBRS
.389
Dwight Evans
RFIRE
.574
Rod Carew
HTMN
.384
Cecil Cooper
RFIRE
.567
Al Oliver
CARDS
.383
Player
CLUB
SB
Player
CLUB
BB
Bill North
A’s
57
Willie Randolph
HTMN
114
Ozzie Smith
TCHIX
56
Joe Morgan
RFIRE
89
Cesar Cedeno
CHAMP
49
Bill North
A’s
74
Willie Randolph
HTMN
40
Mike Schmidt
CHAMP
74
Andre Dawson
HTMN
35
Toby Harrah
A’s
67
Player
CLUB
ERA
Player
CLUB
W
Don Sutton
BMBRS
2.43
Doug Corbett
BMBRS
22
Rudy May
HTMN
2.52
Steve Carlton
CARDS
18
Ron Guidry
TCHIX
2.75
Rick Langford
HTMN
18
Dick Ruthven
RFIRE
3.07
Don Robinson
HTMN
18
Tommy John
TCHIX
3.12
Dick Ruthven
RFIRE
16
Player
CLUB
SO
Player
CLUB
CG
Steve Carlton
CARDS
294
Steve Carlton
CARDS
26
Don Robinson
HTMN
179
Rick Langford
HTMN
23
Dennis Leonard
CHAMP
175
Don Robinson
HTMN
14
Phil Niekro
RFIRE
166
Dick Ruthven
RFIRE
13
Bert Blyleven
FIRE
148
Phil Niekro
RFIRE
11
Player
CLUB
Sho
Player
CLUB
IP
Steve Carlton
CARDS
5
Steve Carlton
CARDS
300
Vida Blue
TCHIX
5
Rick Langford
HTMN
288 1/3
Phil Niekro
RFIRE
4
Bob Knepper
A’s
272
Ferguson Jenkins
RFIRE
4
Don Robinson
HTMN
270 1/3
Rick Langford
HTMN
3
Phil Niekro
RFIRE
265 2/3
Player
CLUB
BB
Player
CLUB
L
Steve Carlton
CARDS
123
Bob Knepper
A’s
25
Rick Langford
HTMN
92
Dennis Leonard
CHAMP
18
Bob Welch
CARDS
89
Steve Carlton
CARDS
16
Tommy John
TCHIX
78
John Candelaria
HTMN
16
Ron Guidry
TCHIX
76
Richard Dotson
FIRE
16
Player
CLUB
Sv
Neil Allen
FIRE
23
Doug Corbett
BMBRS
20
Jerry Garvin
RFIRE
20
Dave Smith
A’s
15
Joe Sambito
TCHIX
15
