1968 in baseball
Encyclopedia
The Year of the Pitcher
In Major League BaseballMajor League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
, the trend throughout the 1960s was of increased pitching dominance, caused by enforcing a larger strike zone (top of armpit to bottom of knee) beginning in 1963
1963 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Los Angeles Dodgers beat New York Yankees ; Sandy Koufax, MVP*All-Star Game, July 9 at Municipal Stadium: National League, 5–3; Willie Mays, MVP-Other champions:*College World Series: USC...
. The delicate balance of power between offense and defense reached its greatest tilt in favor of the pitcher by 1968.
Individually, Bob Gibson
Bob Gibson
Robert "Bob" Gibson is a retired American professional baseball player. Nicknamed "Hoot" and "Gibby", he was a right-handed pitcher who played his entire 17-year Major League Baseball career with St. Louis Cardinals...
set a modern earned run average
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
record of 1.12 and a World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
record of 17 strikeouts in Game 1, while Series opponent Denny McLain
Denny McLain
Dennis Dale "Denny" McLain is a former American professional baseball player, and the last major league pitcher to win 30 or more games during a season —a feat accomplished by only thirteen players in the 20th century....
of the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
won 31 regular season games, the only player to reach the 30 win milestone since Dizzy Dean
Dizzy Dean
Jay Hanna "Dizzy" Dean was an American Major League Baseball pitcher. He was the last National League pitcher to win 30 games in one season. Dean was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1953....
in 1934
1934 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: St. Louis Cardinals over Detroit Tigers *All-Star Game, July 10 at Polo Grounds: American League, 9-7-Awards and honors:*Most Valuable Player:**American League: Mickey Cochrane, Detroit Tigers, C...
. Mickey Lolich
Mickey Lolich
Michael Stephen Lolich is a former Major League Baseball pitcher from 1962 until 1979 who played the majority of his career with the Detroit Tigers.-Baseball career:...
won three complete games in the World Series, the last player as of 2009
2006 in baseball
-Headline Event of the Year:*The 2006 World Baseball Classic final 4 teams are Japan, Cuba, Korea and the Dominican Republic, with the United States at 3–3 failing to qualify for the semi-finals. Under the leadership of manager Sadaharu Oh and veterans Ichiro Suzuki and Daisuke Matsuzaka, Japan ...
to do so. Luis Tiant
Luis Tiant
Luis Clemente Tiant Vega , born November 23, 1940 in Marianao, Cuba, , is a former right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Cleveland Indians , Minnesota Twins , Boston Red Sox , New York Yankees , Pittsburgh Pirates and California Angels...
of the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
had the American League's lowest ERA at 1.60 and allowed a batting average of only .168, a major league record.
Hitting was anemic. Carl Yastrzemski
Carl Yastrzemski
Carl Michael Yastrzemski is a former American Major League Baseball left fielder and first baseman. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1989. Yastrzemski played his entire 23-year baseball career with the Boston Red Sox . He was primarily a left fielder, with part of his later career...
of the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
had the lowest batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
of any league champion when his .301 was good enough for the American League batting title, Yastrzemski being the only American League hitter to bat .300 that season. The AL's collective slugging average of .340 remains the lowest since 1915
1915 in baseball
-Champions:*World Series: Boston Red Sox over Philadelphia Phillies Inter-league playoff: Boston declined challenge by Chicago Inter-league playoff: Philadelphia declined challenge by Chicago -Statistical leaders:...
(when the game was still in the so-called dead-ball era
Dead-ball era
The dead-ball era is a baseball term used to describe the period between 1900 and the emergence of Babe Ruth as a power hitter in 1919. In 1919, Ruth hit a then league record 29 home runs, a spectacular feat at that time.This era was characterized by low-scoring games and a lack of home runs...
), while the collective batting average of .231 is the all-time lowest. After the season, the Rules Committee, seeking to restore balance, restored the pre-1963 strike zone and lowered the height of the pitching mound from 15 to 10 inches. 1969
1969 in baseball
-Expansion:Four expansion teams joined Major League Baseball for this season: the San Diego Padres, the Kansas City Royals, the Seattle Pilots, and the first MLB team in Canada, the Montreal Expos. To accommodate the additional teams, the two leagues were split into two divisions of East and West...
batting averages zoomed back to their historical averages and never again would pitching have as large a statistical average over batting in the major leagues.
This was the final year when baseball had no divisions within the two leagues, with the only post-season competition being the World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
itself. Four expansion teams would join baseball for the season following in 1969. This was also the first season that the Athletics franchise played in Oakland, California
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
, after their departure from Kansas City
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
.
Major League Baseball
- World Series1968 World SeriesThe 1968 World Series featured the defending champion St. Louis Cardinals against the Detroit Tigers, with the Tigers winning in seven games for their first championship since 1945, and the third in their history...
: Detroit TigersDetroit TigersThe Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
over St. Louis CardinalsSt. Louis CardinalsThe St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
(4–3); Mickey LolichMickey LolichMichael Stephen Lolich is a former Major League Baseball pitcher from 1962 until 1979 who played the majority of his career with the Detroit Tigers.-Baseball career:...
, MVP - All-Star Game1968 Major League Baseball All-Star GameThe 1968 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 39th playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball...
, July 9 at the AstrodomeReliant AstrodomeReliant Astrodome, also known as the Houston Astrodome or simply the Astrodome, is the world's first multi-purpose, domed sports stadium, located in Houston, Texas, USA. The stadium is part of the Reliant Park complex...
: National League, 1–0; Willie MaysWillie MaysWillie Howard Mays, Jr. is a retired American professional baseball player who played the majority of his major league career with the New York and San Francisco Giants before finishing with the New York Mets. Nicknamed The Say Hey Kid, Mays was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979, his...
, MVP
Other champions
- College World SeriesCollege World SeriesThe College World Series or CWS is an annual baseball tournament held in Omaha, Nebraska that is the culmination of the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship, which determines the NCAA Division I college baseball champion. The eight teams are split into two, four-team, double-elimination brackets,...
: USCUniversity of Southern CaliforniaThe University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university... - Japan SeriesJapan Series, or is the annual championship series in Nippon Professional Baseball, the top baseball league in Japan. It is a seven-game series between the winning clubs of the league's two circuits, the Central League and the Pacific League....
: Yomiuri GiantsYomiuri GiantsThe are a professional baseball team based in Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan. The team competes in the Central League in Nippon Professional Baseball, the top level of professional play in Japan. They play their home games in the Tokyo Dome, opened in 1988. The English-language press occasionally calls the...
over Hankyu Braves (4–2) - Little League World SeriesLittle League World SeriesThe Little League Baseball World Series is a baseball tournament for children aged 11 to 13 years old. It was originally called the National Little League Tournament and was later renamed for the World Series in Major League Baseball. It was first held in 1947 and is held every August in South...
: Wakayama, OsakaOsakais a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
, JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
Awards and honors
- Most Valuable PlayerMLB Most Valuable Player AwardThe Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award is an annual Major League Baseball award, given to one outstanding player in the American League and one in the National League. Since 1931, it has been awarded by the Baseball Writers Association of America...
- Denny McLainDenny McLainDennis Dale "Denny" McLain is a former American professional baseball player, and the last major league pitcher to win 30 or more games during a season —a feat accomplished by only thirteen players in the 20th century....
, Detroit TigersDetroit TigersThe Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
, P (AL) - Bob GibsonBob GibsonRobert "Bob" Gibson is a retired American professional baseball player. Nicknamed "Hoot" and "Gibby", he was a right-handed pitcher who played his entire 17-year Major League Baseball career with St. Louis Cardinals...
, St. Louis CardinalsSt. Louis CardinalsThe St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
, P (NL)
- Denny McLain
- Cy Young AwardCy Young AwardThe Cy Young Award is an honor given annually in baseball to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball , one each for the American League and National League . The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young, who died in 1955...
- Denny McLain, Detroit Tigers (AL)
- Bob Gibson, St. Louis Cardinals (NL)
- Rookie of the YearMLB Rookie of the Year AwardIn Major League Baseball, the Rookie of the Year Award is annually given to one player from each league as voted on by the Baseball Writers Association of America . The award was established in 1940 by the Chicago chapter of the BBWAA, which selected an annual winner from 1940 through 1946...
- Stan BahnsenStan BahnsenStanley Raymond Bahnsen is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. Nicknamed the "Bahnsen Burner," he once made 118 starts over a three year stretch while playing with the Chicago White Sox in the mid 1970s.-New York Yankees:...
, New York YankeesNew York YankeesThe New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
, P (AL) - Johnny BenchJohnny BenchJohnny Lee Bench is a former professional baseball catcher who played in the Major Leagues for the Cincinnati Reds from 1967 to 1983 and is a member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame...
, Cincinnati RedsCincinnati RedsThe Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
, C (NL)
- Stan Bahnsen
MLB statistical leaders
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January–April
- January 23 – Joe MedwickJoe MedwickJoseph Michael Medwick , nicknamed "Ducky", was an American Major League Baseball player. A left fielder for the St. Louis Cardinals during the "Gashouse Gang" era of the 1930s, he also played for the Brooklyn Dodgers , New York Giants , and Boston Braves...
is voted into the Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers Association of AmericaBaseball Writers Association of AmericaThe Baseball Writers' Association of America is a professional association for baseball journalists writing for daily newspapers, magazines and qualifying Web sites. The BBWAA was founded on October 14, 1908, to improve working conditions for sportswriters in the early part of the 20th century...
.
- January 28 – Goose GoslinGoose GoslinLeon Allen "Goose" Goslin was a left fielder in Major League Baseball known for his powerful left-handed swing and dependable clutch hitting. He played 18 seasons with the Washington Senators, St. Louis Browns, and Detroit Tigers, from until...
and Kiki CuylerKiki CuylerHazen Shirley "Kiki" Cuyler was a Major League Baseball right fielder from 1921 until 1938. He was born in Harrisville, Michigan.Cuyler broke into the big leagues in 1921 with the Pittsburgh Pirates and became a fixture in the lineup in 1924...
are admitted into the Hall of Fame by unanimous vote of the Special Veterans Committee.
- February 6 - Voters in King County, WashingtonKing County, WashingtonKing County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. The population in the 2010 census was 1,931,249. King is the most populous county in Washington, and the 14th most populous in the United States....
, approve by 62 percent a $40 million bond issue to build a domed, multipurpose stadium. The KingdomeKingdomeThe Kingdome was a multi-purpose stadium located in Seattle's SoDo neighborhood. Owned and operated by King County, the Kingdome opened in 1976 and was best known as the home stadium of the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League , the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball , and the...
, being built between 1972 and 1976, would operate from 1976 until its demolition in 2000.
- February 13 – The San Francisco GiantsSan Francisco GiantsThe San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
and Los Angeles DodgersLos Angeles DodgersThe Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
execute a four-player trade, with Tom HallerTom HallerThomas Frank Haller was an American professional baseball player and baseball executive. He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball with the San Francisco Giants , Los Angeles Dodgers and Detroit Tigers...
one of the two players going to Los Angeles and Ron HuntRon HuntRonald Kenneth Hunt is a former Major League Baseball player. A second baseman who also played third base sparingly, Hunt played for the New York Mets , Los Angeles Dodgers , San Francisco Giants , Montreal Expos and St...
one of the two going to San Francisco. The trade is the first between the two clubs since their move to the West Coast, and also the first since the one that would have sent Jackie RobinsonJackie RobinsonJack Roosevelt "Jackie" Robinson was the first black Major League Baseball player of the modern era. Robinson broke the baseball color line when he debuted with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947...
from the Brooklyn Dodgers to the New York Giants after the season, but he retired rather than report with his new team.
- April 9 – Opening Day is postponed because of the funeral for the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., assassinated on April 4.
- April 14 – Jim BunningJim BunningJames Paul David "Jim" Bunning is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher and politician.During a 17-year baseball career, he pitched from 1955 to 1971, most notably with the Detroit Tigers and the Philadelphia Phillies. When he retired, he had the second-highest total of career...
's first win with the Pittsburgh PiratesPittsburgh PiratesThe Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
, 3–0 at Los Angeles' Dodger StadiumDodger StadiumDodger Stadium, also sometimes called Chavez Ravine, is a stadium in Los Angeles. Located adjacent to Downtown Los Angeles, Dodger Stadium has been the home ballpark of Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Dodgers team since 1962...
, is his 40th career shutout and includes his 1,000th National League strikeoutStrikeoutIn baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
, making him the first pitcher since Cy YoungCy YoungDenton True "Cy" Young was an American Major League Baseball pitcher. During his 22-year baseball career , he pitched for five different teams. Young was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1937...
with 1,000 in each league.
- April 15 - At the AstrodomeReliant AstrodomeReliant Astrodome, also known as the Houston Astrodome or simply the Astrodome, is the world's first multi-purpose, domed sports stadium, located in Houston, Texas, USA. The stadium is part of the Reliant Park complex...
, the Houston AstrosHouston AstrosThe Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
defeat the New York MetsNew York MetsThe New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
1-0 in a 24-inning, 6-hour, 6-minute marathon. In the bottom of the 24th, Bob AspromonteBob AspromonteRobert Thomas Aspromonte is a former utility player who had a 13 year career in 1956 and from 1960 to 1971. He played for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers, Houston Colt 45's/Astros, Atlanta Braves and New York Mets all of the National League.During his career, Aspromonte played first base, second...
's bases-loaded ground ball goes through the legs of Met shortstop Al WeisAl WeisAlbert John Weis is a former Major League Baseball infielder.Weis grew up in Bethpage, New York, and graduated from Farmingdale, New York, High School in 1955...
for an error (the only one committed by the Mets all game) that plates Norm MillerNorm Miller (baseball)Norman Calvin Miller , is a retired American professional baseball player who played outfielder in the Major Leagues from to for the Houston Astros and Atlanta Braves. Later in his career he served in the Astros' front office.Miller was Jewish. He batted left-handed, threw right-handed, stood ...
for the winning run. To date, the game is the longest to end in a shutout in terms of both innings and duration.
- April 19 – Nolan RyanNolan RyanLynn Nolan Ryan, Jr. , nicknamed "The Ryan Express", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He is currently principal owner, president and CEO of the Texas Rangers....
of the New York MetsNew York MetsThe New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
becomes the sixth pitcher in National League history to strike out the side on nine pitches. But Los Angeles wins 3–2 at New York's Shea StadiumShea StadiumWilliam A. Shea Municipal Stadium, usually shortened to Shea Stadium or just Shea , was a stadium in the New York City borough of Queens, in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. It was the home baseball park of Major League Baseball's New York Mets from 1964 to 2008...
.
- April 27 – Tom PhoebusTom PhoebusThomas Harold Phoebus , is a former starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played with the Baltimore Orioles , San Diego Padres and Chicago Cubs...
, the Baltimore OriolesBaltimore OriolesThe Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
' top pitcher in 19671967 in baseball-Major League Baseball:*World Series: St. Louis Cardinals over Boston Red Sox ; Bob Gibson, MVP*All-Star Game, July 11 at Anaheim Stadium: National League, 2-1 ; Tony Pérez, MVP-Other champions:*College World Series: Arizona State...
, throws a 6–0 no-hitterNo-hitterA no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...
against the Boston Red SoxBoston Red SoxThe Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
at Baltimore's Memorial StadiumMemorial Stadium (Baltimore)Memorial Stadium was a sports stadium in Baltimore, Maryland, that formerly stood on 33rd Street on an over-sized block also bounded by Ellerslie Avenue , 36th Street , and Ednor Road...
. Brooks RobinsonBrooks RobinsonBrooks Calbert Robinson, Jr. is a former American professional baseball player. He played his entire 23-year major league career for the Baltimore Orioles . Nicknamed "The Human Vacuum Cleaner", he is generally acclaimed as the greatest defensive third-basemen in major league history...
drives in three runs and makes a great stab to rob Rico PetrocelliRico PetrocelliAmerico Peter "Rico" Petrocelli is an American retired baseball shortstop and third baseman who played his entire career in the American League with the Boston Red Sox...
of a hit in the 8th inning. Converted outfielder Curt BlefaryCurt BlefaryCurtis Le Roy Blefary was an American left fielder in Major League Baseball who played with the Baltimore Orioles , Houston Astros , New York Yankees , Oakland Athletics and San Diego Padres...
catches the game.
May–August
- May 6 – At Memorial StadiumMemorial Stadium (Baltimore)Memorial Stadium was a sports stadium in Baltimore, Maryland, that formerly stood on 33rd Street on an over-sized block also bounded by Ellerslie Avenue , 36th Street , and Ednor Road...
, Baltimore OriolesBaltimore OriolesThe Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
pitcher Dave LeonhardDave LeonhardDavid Paul Leonhard is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball who played from through for the Baltimore Orioles. Listed at 5' 11", 165 lb., Leonhard batted and threw right-handed. He attended Johns Hopkins University....
took a no-hitterNo-hitterA no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...
into the seventh inning before Detroit TigersDetroit TigersThe Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
outfielder Jim Northrup broke it up with a single after two outs. He had to conform with a one-hit shutout, 4–0 victory over Detroit.
- May 8 – At Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, Catfish HunterCatfish HunterJames Augustus "Catfish" Hunter , was a Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. During a 15-year baseball career, he pitched from 1965-1979 for both the Oakland Athletics and the New York Yankees...
of the Oakland AthleticsOakland AthleticsThe Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
pitches a 4–0 perfect gamePerfect gameA perfect game is defined by Major League Baseball as a game in which a pitcher pitches a victory that lasts a minimum of nine innings and in which no opposing player reaches base. Thus, the pitcher cannot allow any hits, walks, hit batsmen, or any opposing player to reach base safely for any...
over the Minnesota TwinsMinnesota TwinsThe Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
. The perfect game is the first in an American League regular season game since Charlie RobertsonCharlie RobertsonCharles Culbertson Robertson was an American Major League Baseball pitcher.Born in Dexter, Texas, and grew up in Nocona, Texas graduating from Nocona High School in 1915. Charles attended Austin College from 1917 until 1919. He began his career with the Chicago White Sox in 1919 at the age of 23...
's in and the first no-hitterNo-hitterA no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...
in the franchise's OaklandOakland, CaliforniaOakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
history, which is in only its 25th game. (The franchise had never had a no-hitter in its Kansas CityKansas City, MissouriKansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
history, which was from -. Its last no-hitter was by Bill McCahanBill McCahanWilliam Glenn McCahan was an American professional baseball player who played pitcher in the Major Leagues from 1946 to 1949....
on September 3, ; the franchise was then based in Philadelphia.) Hunter strikes out 11 batters, including Rich ReeseRich ReeseRichard Benjamin Reese , is a former professional baseball player who played outfield and first base in the major leagues from 1964-1973....
for the final out. He also records three RBIs: with a seventh-inning bunt single that drives in Rick MondayRick MondayRobert James "Rick" Monday, Jr. is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball and is currently a broadcast announcer. From 1966 through 1984, Monday, a center fielder for most of his career, played for the Kansas City/Oakland Athletics , Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers...
to break a scoreless tie, and a single in the eighth to drive in Jim PagliaroniJim PagliaroniJames Vincent Pagliaroni was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher from 1955-1969 for the Boston Red Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates, Oakland Athletics and the Seattle Pilots....
, his catcher, and Monday.
- June 1 – St. Louis CardinalsSt. Louis CardinalsThe St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
pitcherPitcherIn baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
Joe HoernerJoe HoernerJoseph Walter Hoerner was a Major League Baseball relief pitcher. A native of Dubuque, Iowa, the left-hander was signed by the Chicago White Sox as an amateur free agent before the 1957 season. He played for the Houston Colt .45s , St...
ties a National LeagueNational LeagueThe National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
record for relievers with 6 consecutive strikeouts vs. the New York MetsNew York MetsThe New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
.
- June 3 - The New York Yankees turn a triple playTriple PlayA triple play is a baseball play in which three outs are made as a result of continuous action without any intervening errors between outs.Triple play may also refer to:...
in the eighth inning of a 4-3 loss to the Minnesota Twins.
- June 8 – Against the Philadelphia PhilliesPhiladelphia PhilliesThe Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
at Dodger StadiumDodger StadiumDodger Stadium, also sometimes called Chavez Ravine, is a stadium in Los Angeles. Located adjacent to Downtown Los Angeles, Dodger Stadium has been the home ballpark of Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Dodgers team since 1962...
, Don DrysdaleDon DrysdaleDonald Scott "Don" Drysdale was a Major League Baseball player and Hall of Fame right-handed pitcher with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was one of the dominant starting pitchers of the 1960s, and became a radio and television broadcaster following his playing career...
of the Los Angeles DodgersLos Angeles DodgersThe Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
breaks Walter JohnsonWalter JohnsonWalter Perry Johnson , nicknamed "Barney" and "The Big Train", was a Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He played his entire 21-year baseball career for the Washington Senators...
's streak of 56 consecutive scoreless innings. A fifth-inning sacrifice fly by Howie BedellHowie BedellHoward William Bedell is a former Major League Baseball player. An outfielder, Bedell played for the Milwaukee Braves in 1962 and the Philadelphia Phillies in 1968. He batted left-handed and threw right-handed.In his career, Bedell played in 67 games and registered 28 hits, three runs batted in...
scores Tony TaylorTony TaylorAntonio Nemesio Taylor is a former second baseman in Major League Baseball. From 1958 through , Taylor played for the Chicago Cubs , Philadelphia Phillies and Detroit Tigers...
for the run that ends the streak at 58 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings. This new record will stand until Orel HershiserOrel HershiserOrel Leonard Hershiser IV is a former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball. He is currently an analyst for Baseball Tonight and Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN and a professional poker player for...
breaks it in with 59 consecutive scoreless innings.
- July 1 – As a part of the season that will see him post a 1.12 ERAEarned run averageIn baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
, Bob GibsonBob GibsonRobert "Bob" Gibson is a retired American professional baseball player. Nicknamed "Hoot" and "Gibby", he was a right-handed pitcher who played his entire 17-year Major League Baseball career with St. Louis Cardinals...
's streak of 47 and two-thirds inning of scoreless pitching is broken.
- July 3 – Luis TiantLuis TiantLuis Clemente Tiant Vega , born November 23, 1940 in Marianao, Cuba, , is a former right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Cleveland Indians , Minnesota Twins , Boston Red Sox , New York Yankees , Pittsburgh Pirates and California Angels...
of the Cleveland IndiansCleveland IndiansThe Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
strikes out 19 in a ten inning, 1–0 victory over the Minnesota TwinsMinnesota TwinsThe Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
.
- July 9 – At the Houston Astrodome, in the first All-Star Game ever to be played in an indoor arena and on artificial turf, the National LeagueNational LeagueThe National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
defeats the American LeagueAmerican LeagueThe American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
1–0. Appropriately, pitching dominates the game. Willie MaysWillie MaysWillie Howard Mays, Jr. is a retired American professional baseball player who played the majority of his major league career with the New York and San Francisco Giants before finishing with the New York Mets. Nicknamed The Say Hey Kid, Mays was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979, his...
, playing in place of injured Pete RosePete RosePeter Edward Rose , nicknamed "Charlie Hustle", is a former Major League Baseball player and manager. Rose played from 1963 to 1986, and managed from 1984 to 1989....
, tallies an unearned run in the first inning against American League starter Luis TiantLuis TiantLuis Clemente Tiant Vega , born November 23, 1940 in Marianao, Cuba, , is a former right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Cleveland Indians , Minnesota Twins , Boston Red Sox , New York Yankees , Pittsburgh Pirates and California Angels...
. Don DrysdaleDon DrysdaleDonald Scott "Don" Drysdale was a Major League Baseball player and Hall of Fame right-handed pitcher with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was one of the dominant starting pitchers of the 1960s, and became a radio and television broadcaster following his playing career...
, Juan MarichalJuan MarichalJuan Antonio Marichal Sánchez is a former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball. Playing for the San Francisco Giants most of his career, Marichal was known for his high leg kick, pinpoint control and intimidation tactics, which included aiming pitches directly at the opposing batters'...
, Steve CarltonSteve CarltonSteven Norman Carlton , nicknamed "Lefty", is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He pitched from 1965-1988 for six different teams in his career, but it is his time with the Philadelphia Phillies where he received his greatest acclaim as a professional and won four Cy Young Awards...
, Tom SeaverTom SeaverGeorge Thomas "Tom" Seaver , nicknamed "Tom Terrific" and "The Franchise", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He pitched from 1967-1986 for four different teams in his career, but is noted primarily for his time with the New York Mets...
, Ron ReedRon ReedRonald Lee Reed is a retired American starting/relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Atlanta Braves , St. Louis Cardinals , Philadelphia Phillies and Chicago White Sox...
and Jerry KoosmanJerry KoosmanJerome Martin Koosman is a former left-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Mets, Minnesota Twins, Chicago White Sox and Philadelphia Phillies between 1967 and 1985...
hold the AL to three hits, as Mays is named MVP.
- July 11 – The Baltimore OriolesBaltimore OriolesThe Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
promote first base coach Earl WeaverEarl WeaverEarl Sidney Weaver is a former Major League Baseball manager. He spent his entire 17-year managerial career with the Baltimore Orioles . Weaver was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1996.-Playing career:After playing for Beaumont High School in St...
to manager, replacing Hank BauerHank BauerHenry Albert "Hank" Bauer was an American right fielder and manager in Major League Baseball. He played with the New York Yankees and Kansas City Athletics ; he batted and threw right-handed...
.
- July 14:
- Hank Aaron becomes the 8th player in major league history to reach 500 career homers500 home run clubIn Major League Baseball , the 500 home run club is a term applied to the group of batters who have hit 500 or more regular-season home runs in their careers. On August 11, 1929, Babe Ruth became the first member of the club. Ruth ended his career with 714 home runs, a record which stood from 1935...
. - Don Wilson of the Houston AstrosHouston AstrosThe Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
strikes out 18, including eight in a row at one point.
- Hank Aaron becomes the 8th player in major league history to reach 500 career homers
- July 24 – Hoyt WilhelmHoyt WilhelmJames Hoyt Wilhelm was an American Major League Baseball pitcher. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1985....
appears in his 907th game as a pitcher, breaking Cy Young'sCy YoungDenton True "Cy" Young was an American Major League Baseball pitcher. During his 22-year baseball career , he pitched for five different teams. Young was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1937...
long standing all-time record.
- July 30 – Washington Senators'Texas Rangers (baseball)The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
shortstop Ron Hansen, playing in Cleveland, completes the eighth unassisted triple playUnassisted triple playIn baseball, an unassisted triple play occurs when a defensive player makes all three putouts by himself in one continuous play, without any teammates touching the ball . In Major League Baseball , it is one of the rarest of individual feats, along with hitting four home runs in one game and the...
in history, and the first since 19271927 in baseball-Headline Event of the Year:*Murderers' Row lead New York Yankees to World Series victory.*Babe Ruth hits 60 home runs.-Champions:* World Series: New York Yankees over Pittsburgh Pirates...
. Cleveland wins, 10–1.
September–December
- September 14 – Denny McLainDenny McLainDennis Dale "Denny" McLain is a former American professional baseball player, and the last major league pitcher to win 30 or more games during a season —a feat accomplished by only thirteen players in the 20th century....
becomes the first 30-game winner since Dizzy DeanDizzy DeanJay Hanna "Dizzy" Dean was an American Major League Baseball pitcher. He was the last National League pitcher to win 30 games in one season. Dean was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1953....
in 19341934 in baseball-Major League Baseball:*World Series: St. Louis Cardinals over Detroit Tigers *All-Star Game, July 10 at Polo Grounds: American League, 9-7-Awards and honors:*Most Valuable Player:**American League: Mickey Cochrane, Detroit Tigers, C...
as the Detroit TigersDetroit TigersThe Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
beat the Oakland AthleticsOakland AthleticsThe Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
, 5–4, at Detroit's Tiger Stadium. Reggie JacksonReggie JacksonReginald Martinez "Reggie" Jackson , nicknamed "Mr. October" for his clutch hitting in the postseason with the New York Yankees, is a former American Major League Baseball right fielder. During a 21-year baseball career, he played from 1967-1987 for four different teams. Jackson currently serves as...
's home run in the 4th puts the A's ahead 2–0, but Norm CashNorm CashNorman Dalton Cash was an American first baseman in Major League Baseball who spent almost his entire career with the Detroit Tigers...
answers with a three-run shot. Jackson hits another in the 6th, but the Tigers push across two in the 9th to win. Al KalineAl KalineAlbert William "Al" Kaline is a former Major League Baseball right fielder. He is a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame. Kaline played his entire 22-year baseball career with the Detroit Tigers. Kaline still works for the Tigers as a front office official. Because of his lengthy career and...
, pinch hitting for McLain, walks and scores the tying run. McLain, who posted a 31–6 record in the regular season, gives up six hits and strikes out 10.
- September 15 – The St. Louis CardinalsSt. Louis CardinalsThe St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
clinch the National League pennant with a 7–4 win at the Astrodome over the host Houston AstrosHouston AstrosThe Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
. Roger MarisRoger MarisRoger Eugene Maris was an American Major League Baseball right fielder. During the 1961 season, he hit a record 61 home runs for the New York Yankees, breaking Babe Ruth's single-season record of 60 home runs...
hits his 275th, and last, regular-season home run off Don Wilson in the 3rd inning, and Curt FloodCurt FloodCurtis Charles Flood was a Major League Baseball player who spent most of his career as a center fielder for the St. Louis Cardinals. A defensive standout, he led the National League in putouts four times and in fielding percentage twice, winning Gold Glove Awards in his last seven full seasons...
racks up five hits.
- September 17 – Gaylord PerryGaylord PerryGaylord Jackson Perry is a former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He pitched from 1962-1983 for eight different teams in his career. During a 22-year baseball career, Perry compiled 314 wins, 3,534 strikeouts, and a 3.11 earned run average...
of the San Francisco GiantsSan Francisco GiantsThe San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
hurls a no-hitter at Candlestick Park as the Giants edge the visiting St. Louis CardinalsSt. Louis CardinalsThe St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
and Bob GibsonBob GibsonRobert "Bob" Gibson is a retired American professional baseball player. Nicknamed "Hoot" and "Gibby", he was a right-handed pitcher who played his entire 17-year Major League Baseball career with St. Louis Cardinals...
, 1–0. Ron HuntRon HuntRonald Kenneth Hunt is a former Major League Baseball player. A second baseman who also played third base sparingly, Hunt played for the New York Mets , Los Angeles Dodgers , San Francisco Giants , Montreal Expos and St...
's first-inning home run (the second of the only two he will hit on the season and one of only 11 Gibson will allow in 304 2/3 innings) backs Perry, who evens his record at 14–14.
- September 18 – Sixteen hours after Perry's feat, Ray WashburnRay WashburnRay Clark Washburn is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. Washburn, a right-hander, pitched for the St. Louis Cardinals from to and the Cincinnati Reds in ....
of the St. Louis CardinalsSt. Louis CardinalsThe St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
makes major league history by hurling a second consecutive no-hitter in the same park. Run-scoring hits by Mike ShannonMike ShannonThomas Michael Shannon is an American-born former Major League Baseball player and current radio sportscaster.Shannon is a radio broadcaster for the St. Louis Cardinals. He was raised in St. Louis, Missouri and played with the Cardinals during some of the team's most successful years...
and Curt FloodCurt FloodCurtis Charles Flood was a Major League Baseball player who spent most of his career as a center fielder for the St. Louis Cardinals. A defensive standout, he led the National League in putouts four times and in fielding percentage twice, winning Gold Glove Awards in his last seven full seasons...
at Candlestick down the Giants, 2–0. This is the first time in history back-to-back no hitters have been pitched between the same two teams on two consecutive days.
- September 28 – Mickey MantleMickey MantleMickey Charles Mantle was an American professional baseball player. Mantle is regarded by many to be the greatest switch hitter of all time, and one of the greatest players in baseball history. Mantle was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.Mantle was noted for his hitting...
plays in his 2,401'st and final game, eight days after hitting his last home run ending his career with 536.
- September 29 – Carl YastrzemskiCarl YastrzemskiCarl Michael Yastrzemski is a former American Major League Baseball left fielder and first baseman. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1989. Yastrzemski played his entire 23-year baseball career with the Boston Red Sox . He was primarily a left fielder, with part of his later career...
of the Boston Red SoxBoston Red SoxThe Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
goes 0-for-5 but maintains a .3005 batting average, to win his second straight American League batting crown with the lowest winning average ever. Yastrzemski is the league's only .300 hitter. Danny CaterDanny CaterDanny Anderson Cater is a former Major League Baseball first baseman, third baseman, and outfielder. He was signed by the Philadelphia Phillies at the age of 18 on June 8,...
of the Oakland AthleticsOakland AthleticsThe Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
ends second with a .290 average.
- October 2 – For the first time in history, two soon-to-be-named MVPs oppose each other in Game One of the 1968 World Series1968 World SeriesThe 1968 World Series featured the defending champion St. Louis Cardinals against the Detroit Tigers, with the Tigers winning in seven games for their first championship since 1945, and the third in their history...
. St. Louis CardinalsSt. Louis CardinalsThe St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
' Bob Gibson is nearly untouchable with a Series-record 17 strikeouts and a 4–0 win over Denny McLainDenny McLainDennis Dale "Denny" McLain is a former American professional baseball player, and the last major league pitcher to win 30 or more games during a season —a feat accomplished by only thirteen players in the 20th century....
and the Detroit TigersDetroit TigersThe Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
. Detroit manager Mayo SmithMayo SmithEdward Mayo Smith was an American player, manager, and scout in Major League Baseball.Smith was born in New London, Missouri, but grew up in Florida. A left-handed batter who threw right-handed, Smith was a career minor league outfielder who spent many seasons in the International League with the...
moves Gold Glove outfielder Mickey StanleyMickey StanleyMitchell Jack "Mickey" Stanley was a baseball player for the Detroit Tigers from 1964-1978. Stanley was known as a superb defensive outfielder over his 15-year career, though he is best remembered for the last few weeks of the 1968 season.-Early life:Stanley prepped at Ottawa Hills High School in...
to shortstop, improving his offense by opening a spot for Al KalineAl KalineAlbert William "Al" Kaline is a former Major League Baseball right fielder. He is a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame. Kaline played his entire 22-year baseball career with the Detroit Tigers. Kaline still works for the Tigers as a front office official. Because of his lengthy career and...
.
- October 10 – In Game Seven of the World Series, Mickey LolichMickey LolichMichael Stephen Lolich is a former Major League Baseball pitcher from 1962 until 1979 who played the majority of his career with the Detroit Tigers.-Baseball career:...
of the Detroit TigersDetroit TigersThe Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
, pitching on two days rest, wins his third game of the Series as he beats Bob GibsonBob GibsonRobert "Bob" Gibson is a retired American professional baseball player. Nicknamed "Hoot" and "Gibby", he was a right-handed pitcher who played his entire 17-year Major League Baseball career with St. Louis Cardinals...
and the St. Louis CardinalsSt. Louis CardinalsThe St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
, 4–1. Lolich brings Detroit its first World Championship since 19451945 World Series-Game 1:Wednesday, October 3, 1945 at Briggs Stadium in Detroit, Michigan-Game 2:Thursday, October 4, 1945 at Briggs Stadium in Detroit, Michigan-Game 3:Friday, October 5, 1945 at Briggs Stadium in Detroit, Michigan...
. Lolich hurls a five-hitter, and is named Series MVP. Key moments came in the 6th inning when Lolich picked Lou BrockLou BrockLouis Clark "Lou" Brock is an American former professional baseball player. He began his Major League Baseball career with the Chicago Cubs but, spent the majority of his career as the left fielder for the St. Louis Cardinals. Brock was best known for breaking Ty Cobb's all-time major league...
and Curt FloodCurt FloodCurtis Charles Flood was a Major League Baseball player who spent most of his career as a center fielder for the St. Louis Cardinals. A defensive standout, he led the National League in putouts four times and in fielding percentage twice, winning Gold Glove Awards in his last seven full seasons...
off first base to keep the score 0–0. With the game scoreless in the 7th, the Tigers had two on and two out when Jim Northrup hit a line drive to center field. Gold glover Flood misjudged the ball and started in, allowing the ball to sail over his head for a triple. Northrup then scored on Bill FreehanBill FreehanWilliam Ashley Freehan is a former professional baseball player. He played his entire Major League Baseball career as a catcher for the Detroit Tigers...
's double for a 3–0 lead. Each team added a 9th inning run to account for the 4–1 final score. It was the first time the Cardinals had ever lost a 7th game of a World Series. The Tigers became only the 3rd team to rally from a 3–1 deficit to win the series 4 games to 3 (the 1925 Pirates and 1958 Yankees were the first two). The Tigers became the last team to win the championship between two first-place teams from leagues without division play where the pennant is automatically awarded to the team with the best won-lost record in its league.
- October 21 - After two seasons with the Boston Red SoxBoston Red SoxThe Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
, All-Star catcher Elston HowardElston HowardElston Gene Howard was an American Negro League and Major League Baseball catcher, left fielder and coach. During a 14-year baseball career, he played from 1955–1968, primarily for the New York Yankees...
announces his retirement.
- November 19 – New York YankeesNew York YankeesThe New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
pitcher Stan BahnsenStan BahnsenStanley Raymond Bahnsen is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. Nicknamed the "Bahnsen Burner," he once made 118 starts over a three year stretch while playing with the Chicago White Sox in the mid 1970s.-New York Yankees:...
, who posted a 17–12 record with 162 strikeouts and a 2.05 ERA, is named American League Rookie of the Year. Bahnsen easily outdistances outfielder Del UnserDel UnserDelbert Bernard Unser is a retired Major League Baseball center fielder and utility player who had a 15-year career from 1968 to 1982. Unser played for the Washington Senators from 1968 to 1971 and the Cleveland Indians in 1972...
of the Washington SenatorsTexas Rangers (baseball)The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
.
- November 22 – Cincinnati RedsCincinnati RedsThe Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
catcher Johnny BenchJohnny BenchJohnny Lee Bench is a former professional baseball catcher who played in the Major Leagues for the Cincinnati Reds from 1967 to 1983 and is a member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame...
edges out New York MetsNew York MetsThe New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
pitcher Jerry KoosmanJerry KoosmanJerome Martin Koosman is a former left-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Mets, Minnesota Twins, Chicago White Sox and Philadelphia Phillies between 1967 and 1985...
to win the National League Rookie of the Year Award. Bench becomes the third member of the Reds in six years to be named the top rookie.
January–March
- January 8 – Brian Johnson
- January 21 – Keith ShepherdKeith ShepherdKeith Wayne Shepherd is a former middle relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who played from through for the Philadelphia Phillies , Colorado Rockies , Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles . Listed at 6' 2", 205 lb., Shepherd batted and threw right-handed...
- January 27 – Eric WedgeEric WedgeEric Michael Wedge is a Major League Baseball manager and former catcher, and is the current manager of the Seattle Mariners. As a player, Wedge attended Northrop High School in Fort Wayne and played on the school's state champion baseball team in 1983...
- January 29 – Kevin RobersonKevin RobersonKevin Lynn Roberson was a Major League Baseball player from to for the Chicago Cubs and New York Mets. He was an outfielder. Broadcaster Harry Caray made Roberson famous amongst Cubs' fans when he would declare, "They're dancing in the streets in Decatur, Illinois!" after Roberson would hit a...
- February 1 – Kent MerckerKent MerckerKent Franklin Mercker is a retired Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He played for nine teams over his seventeen-year career....
- February 2 – Scott EricksonScott EricksonScott Gavin Erickson is a former Major League Baseball pitcher.-Career:Erickson was born in Long Beach, California, and began his professional career, after being drafted by the NY Mets in 1986, Houston Astros in 1987, and Toronto Blue Jays in 1988, in when he was drafted by the Minnesota Twins...
- February 5 – Roberto AlomarRoberto AlomarRoberto "Robbie" Alomar Velázquez is a former Major League Baseball player , regarded by many as one of the best second basemen in MLB history. During his career he won more Gold Gloves than any other second baseman in history, and also won the second-most Silver Slugger Awards for a second...
- February 10 – Ryan BowenRyan Bowen (baseball)Ryan Eugene Bowen is a former professional baseball pitcher. Bowen pitched all or part of five seasons in Major League Baseball from 1991 until 1995 for the Houston Astros and Florida Marlins....
- February 10 – Eddie ZoskyEddie ZoskyEdward James Zosky is a former shortstop in Major League Baseball who played five seasons non-consecutively from 1991 to 2000 for the Toronto Blue Jays, Florida Marlins, Milwaukee Brewers and Houston Astros...
- February 13 – Matt MieskeMatt MieskeMatthew Todd Mieske is a former right fielder in Major League Baseball who played from to for the Milwaukee Brewers, Chicago Cubs, Seattle Mariners, Houston Astros and Arizona Diamondbacks.-External links:...
- February 22 – Kazuhiro SasakiKazuhiro SasakiKazuhiro "Daimajin" Sasaki is a former Nippon Professional Baseball and Major League Baseball right-handed relief pitcher. He played his entire NPB career with the Yokohama Taiyo Whales / Yokohama BayStars...
- February 26 – J.T. Snow
- February 27 – Matt StairsMatt StairsMatthew Wade Stairs is a former Canadian professional Major League baseball outfielder, first baseman, designated hitter, and pinch hitter. He played for 12 different teams, a major league record he shares with Octavio Dotel, Mike Morgan and Ron Villone...
- March 3 – Scott RadinskyScott RadinskyScott David Radinsky is the pitching coach of the Cleveland Indians.He is also a left-handed former relief pitcher in Major League Baseball, who had an 11-year career from – and –...
- March 4 – Giovanni CarraraGiovanni CarraraGiovanni Carrara Jiménez [car-RAH-ra] is a Major League Baseball pitcher who currently plays in Serie A1 in Italy for the Caffè Danesi Nettuno. He most recently pitched in MLB for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Carrara bats and throws right-handed...
- March 7 – Jeff KentJeff KentJeffrey Franklin Kent is a retired Major League Baseball second baseman. Kent won the National League Most Valuable Player award in 2000 with the San Francisco Giants, and is the all-time leader in home runs among second basemen...
- March 8 – Jim Dougherty
- March 15 – Kim BatisteKim BatisteKimothy Emil Batiste is a former Major League Baseball player for the Philadelphia Phillies and San Francisco Giants , both of the National League. He was drafted in the third round of the amateur draft by the Phillies. His major league debut came in with the Phillies...
- March 22 – Ramón Martínez
- March 26 – Shane ReynoldsShane ReynoldsRichard Shane Reynolds is a former starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Houston Astros , Atlanta Braves and Arizona Diamondbacks...
- March 26 – José VizcaínoJosé VizcaínoJosé Luis Vizcaíno Pimental is a former Major League Baseball player. He was a backup infielder for most of his MLB career. In , he played a significant role with the Chicago Cubs, having 551 at-bats and being 9th in the National League with 131 singles as well as second in the NL with 9 sacrifice...
- March 29 – Juan BellJuan BellJuan Bell Mathey , is a former professional baseball player who played in the major leagues primarily as an infielder from 1989-1995.- Early career :...
April–June
- April 1 – Masumi KuwataMasumi KuwataMasumi Kuwata is a former Japanese right-handed pitcher. He was formerly with the Yomiuri Giants of the Central League. He pitched 21 seasons with the Giants, beginning in 1986. In December 2006 Masumi signed a minor league deal with the Pirates...
- April 2 – Curt LeskanicCurt LeskanicCurtis John Leskanic is an American former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. During a 12-year baseball career, he pitched from 1993-2004 for the Boston Red Sox, Colorado Rockies, Milwaukee Brewers, and Kansas City Royals...
- April 3 – Mike LansingMike LansingMichael Thomas Lansing is a former Major League Baseball infielder who played for the Montreal Expos, Colorado Rockies, and the Boston Red Sox between 1993 and 2001...
- April 19 – Brent MayneBrent MayneBrent Danem Mayne is a former Major League Baseball catcher who has played with the Kansas City Royals , New York Mets , Oakland Athletics , San Francisco Giants , Colorado Rockies , Arizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Dodgers...
- April 24 – Todd Jones
- May 4 – Eddie Pérez
- May 12 – Mark Clark
- May 18 – Clemente AlvarezClemente AlvarezClemente Rafael Álvarez is a former Major League Baseball catcher and right-handed batter who played for the Philadelphia Phillies in the ....
- May 19 – Alan ZinterAlan ZinterAlan Michael Zinter is a former Major League Baseball player who briefly played in the major leagues in and . He is currently the hitting coach for the Double-A Mobile Bay Bears in the Arizona Diamondbacks organization....
- May 14 – Mark DalesandroMark DalesandroMark Anthony Dalesandro was a Major League Baseball catcher and third baseman. He is an alumnus of Chicago's St...
- May 24 – Jerry DipotoJerry DipotoGerard Peter Dipoto , is a former professional baseball player and an executive who currently serves as the General Manager of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. He served as interim GM of the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2010.-Early life:Dipoto played high school baseball at Toms River High School North...
- May 27 – Jeff BagwellJeff BagwellJeffrey Robert Bagwell , is a former American professional baseball player and coach. He played his entire fifteen-year Major League Baseball career as a first baseman for the Houston Astros and was a four-time All-Star...
- May 27 – Frank ThomasFrank Thomas (AL baseball player)Frank Edward Thomas, Jr. , nicknamed "The Big Hurt", is a former Major League Baseball designated hitter and first baseman....
- June 8 – Dave MlickiDave MlickiDavid John Mlicki is a former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball. After attending Oklahoma State University he was selected by the Cleveland Indians in the 17th round of the 1990 amateur draft...
- June 12 – Scott AldredScott AldredScott Phillip Aldred is a former Major League Baseball pitcher and current minor league pitching coach.-Early life:Aldred was born in Flint, Michigan...
July–September
- July 7 – Chuck KnoblauchChuck KnoblauchEdward Charles "Chuck" Knoblauch is a retired Major League Baseball player. He played all or part of twelve seasons in the majors, from until , for the Minnesota Twins , New York Yankees and Kansas City Royals...
- July 14 – Derrick May
- July 18 – Rolando ArrojoRolando ArrojoLuis Rolando Arrojo Avila was a Major League Baseball pitcher who pitched from to .Arrojo made his mark with the teams from Villa Clara in the Cuban National Series, where he still is the all-time leader in hit batsmen. He was the staff ace on the Villa Clara team that won 3 consecutive Cuban...
- July 27 – Tom GoodwinTom GoodwinThomas Jones Goodwin is a former Major League Baseball player. He attended Central High School in Fresno, and then went on to play for Fresno State University...
- August 1 - Brian BohanonBrian BohanonBrian Edward Bohanon , is a retired professional baseball player who pitched in the Major Leagues from 1990-2001.-External links:...
- August 1 – Shigetoshi HasegawaShigetoshi Hasegawais a retired relief pitcher in Major League Baseball and best-selling author and Japanese television personality. He achieved the most recognition when he played for the Seattle Mariners from through . Previously, Hasegawa played with the Anaheim Angels , and before that spent six years with the...
- August 2 – Dae-Sung Koo
- August 3 – Rod BeckRod BeckRodney Roy "Rod" Beck nicknamed "Shooter", was a relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the San Francisco Giants , Chicago Cubs , Boston Red Sox and San Diego Padres...
- August 5 – John OlerudJohn OlerudJohn Garrett Olerud , is a former American first baseman in Major League Baseball. Olerud played with the Toronto Blue Jays , New York Mets , Seattle Mariners , New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox ....
- August 7- Stan SpencerStan SpencerStanley Roger Spencer is a former major league pitcher for the San Diego Padres.Spencer was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in 1987 in the 26th round, 681st overall, and then again by the Montreal Expos with the 35th pick in the first round of the 1990 draft...
- August 12 – Reggie HarrisReggie HarrisReginald Allen Harris is a former middle-relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who played between and for the Oakland Athletics , Boston Red Sox , Philadelphia Phillies , Houston Astros and Milwaukee Brewers...
- August 21 – Karl Rhodes
- August 24 – Tim SalmonTim SalmonTimothy James Salmon is a former Major League Baseball right fielder and designated hitter who played his entire career with the California/Anaheim/Los Angeles Angels...
- August 31 – Hideo NomoHideo Nomois a former right-handed pitcher in Nippon Professional Baseball and Major League Baseball from Japan. He achieved early success in Japan, where he played with the Kintetsu Buffaloes from to...
- September 4 – Mike PiazzaMike PiazzaMichael Joseph "Mike" Piazza ; born September 4, 1968) is an American former Major League Baseball catcher. He played in his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Florida Marlins, New York Mets, San Diego Padres and the Oakland Athletics....
- September 6 – Pat MearesPat MearesPatrick James Meares is a former Major League Baseball shortstop.Meares was the 12th round draft pick of the 1990 amateur draft by the Minnesota Twins, from Wichita State University....
- September 13 – Denny NeagleDenny NeagleDennis Edward Neagle Jr. is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He was last under contract with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays during the season, but he did not play due to injury...
- September 13 – Bernie WilliamsBernie WilliamsBernabé Williams Figueroa Jr. is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and Puerto Rican musician.-Early life:...
- September 25 – Reggie JeffersonReggie JeffersonReginald Jirod Jefferson is a former designated hitter who played for the Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Indians, Seattle Mariners and the Boston Red Sox. He played from to . He was traded in the winter of by Cleveland to Seattle for speedy shortstop Omar Vizquel...
October–December
- October 3 – Jim ByrdJim ByrdJames Edward Byrd , born October 3, 1968, is a former Major League Baseball player. He batted and threw right-handed.Drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the 8th round of the 1987 amateur draft, Byrd had a brief major league career in the 1993 season...
- October 7 – Milt CuylerMilt CuylerMilton Cuyler, Jr. is a former major league outfielder drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the second round of the amateur draft. He finished third behind Juan Guzman and winner Chuck Knoblauch for the American League Rookie of the Year award.After failing to live up to his early promise, he was...
- October 7 - Butch Henry
- October 20 – Rudy SeanezRudy SeanezRudy Caballero Seánez [SEE-ah-nez] is a former relief pitcher in Major League Baseball. He was the prototypical major league journeyman....
- October 31 – Eddie TaubenseeEddie TaubenseeEdward Kenneth Taubensee is a former catcher in Major League Baseball.Taubensee played for three different ballclubs during his career: the Cleveland Indians , Houston Astros , and Cincinnati Reds . He made his major league debut on May 18, 1991, and played his final game on October 7, 2001...
- November 3 – Paul QuantrillPaul QuantrillPaul John Quantrill is a former Major League Baseball right-handed relief pitcher. He earned a reputation for being very durable and having impeccable control. He regularly appeared in 80 or more games a season and did not walk more than 25 batters in a season since...
- November 4 – Carlos BaergaCarlos BaergaCarlos Obed Baerga Ortiz is a former Major League Baseball player. After spending most of his career as a second baseman, he was used at various positions late in his career.-Cleveland Indians:...
- November 4 – Osvaldo FernándezOsvaldo FernandezOsvaldo Fernández Rodríguez is a former Cuban professional baseball player who pitched in the Major Leagues from - and -. He was a member of the Cuban baseball team which won a gold medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain...
- November 6 – Chad CurtisChad CurtisChad Curtis is a former outfielder in Major League Baseball who played from -, notably for the New York Yankees...
- November 7 - Russ SpringerRuss SpringerRussell Paul Springer is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. Springer made his major league debut on April 17, , with the New York Yankees. He also pitched for the California Angels, Philadelphia Phillies, Arizona Diamondbacks, Atlanta Braves, Houston Astros, St...
- November 12 – Randy KnorrRandy KnorrRandy Duane Knorr is the manager for the Syracuse Chiefs of the International League, the Triple A affiliate to the Washington Nationals, and is a former catcher in Major League Baseball for the Toronto Blue Jays , Houston Astros , Florida Marlins , Texas Rangers and Montreal Expos...
- November 12 – Sammy SosaSammy SosaSamuel Peralta "Sammy" Sosa is a Dominican former professional baseball right fielder. Sosa played with four Major League Baseball teams over his career which spanned from 1989-2007....
- November 13 – Pat HentgenPat HentgenPatrick George Hentgen is a former Major League Baseball player. Hentgen was a right-handed starting pitcher in the major leagues and a Cy Young Award winner in...
- November 14 – Kent BottenfieldKent BottenfieldKent Dennis Bottenfield is a former Major League Baseball pitcher from 1992 to 2001 for the Montreal Expos, Colorado Rockies, San Francisco Giants, Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals, Anaheim Angels, Philadelphia Phillies and Houston Astros...
- November 16 – Chris HaneyChris HaneyChristopher Deane Haney is an American former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He pitched from 1991–2000 and in 2002 for the Montreal Expos, Kansas City Royals, Chicago Cubs, Cleveland Indians, and Boston Red Sox. In 2001, he played in Japan for the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks. Haney gave up...
- November 18 – Clay BellingerClay BellingerClayton Daniel Bellinger is a former Major League Baseball player. Bellinger attended Rollins College.- Career :s...
- November 18 – José OffermanJosé OffermanJosé Antonio Offerman Dono is a former professional baseball player who played professional baseball for nearly 20 years...
- November 18 – Gary SheffieldGary SheffieldGary Antonian Sheffield , nicknamed "Sheff", is an American retired Major League Baseball outfielder. He played for eight major league ball clubs from 1988 to 2009, primarily as an outfielder.-Biography:...
- November 18 – Darrell WhitmoreDarrell WhitmoreDarrell Lamont Whitmore is a former American Major League Baseball player for the Cleveland Indians and Florida Marlins and was a college football and baseball player for the West Virginia Mountaineers....
- November 24 – Dave HansenDave Hansen (baseball player)David Andrew Hansen in Long Beach, California, is a former Major League Baseball player, specializing as a pinch hitter. He is currently the hitting coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers.-Los Angeles Dodgers:...
- November 25 – Shingo TakatsuShingo TakatsuShingo Takatsu is a professional baseball pitcher for the Sinon Bulls of the Chinese Professional Baseball League. He had a short stint with the Chicago White Sox where he was the closer for two seasons until struggles closing games ultimately led to his demotion to the minors...
- November 28 – Scott SheldonScott SheldonScott Patrick Sheldon is a former Major League Baseball third baseman/shortstop and right-handed batter who played for the Oakland Athletics and Texas Rangers...
- December 2 – Darryl KileDarryl KileDarryl Andrew Kile was an American Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He pitched from 1991-2002 for three different teams in his career. In his first season for the Cardinals, he won 20 games in 2000 as the team reached the postseason for the first time in four years. They advanced to the...
- December 8 – Mike MussinaMike MussinaMichael Cole Mussina , nicknamed Moose, is a former Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher. He played for the Baltimore Orioles and the New York Yankees ....
- December 11 – Derek BellDerek Bell (baseball player)Derek Nathaniel Bell is a former Major League Baseball player. Primarily a right fielder and center fielder, Bell batted from the right side and threw with his right hand. He is 6'2" tall, and during his playing career, he weighed 215 pounds.-Amateur and minor league career:Bell played amateur...
- December 17 – Curtis PrideCurtis PrideCurtis John Pride is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and is currently the head baseball coach at Gallaudet University. Pride stands at 6'0" tall and weighs 210 pounds. He batted left-handed and threw right-handed.-Youth:Deaf at birth from rubella, Pride developed oral skills early in his...
- December 19 – James MoutonJames MoutonJames Raleigh Mouton is a former professional baseball player. An outfielder, he played all or part of eight seasons in Major League Baseball, from 1994 until 2001, for the Houston Astros, San Diego Padres, Montreal Expos and Milwaukee Brewers.- Early career :Mouton was originally drafted by the...
- December 22 – David NiedDavid NiedDavid Glen Nied is a former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher.-Career:Nied attended Duncanville High School. He was drafted out of high school by the Atlanta Braves in the 14th round of the 1987 Major League Baseball Draft...
- December 23 – Rick WhiteRick White (baseball player)Richard Allen White is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. White spent parts of 12 seasons in the majors, working primarily as a relief pitcher. He batted and threw right-handed.-Career summary:...
- December 27 – Dean PalmerDean PalmerDean William Palmer is a former third baseman in Major League Baseball who had a 14-year career from 1989 to 2003...
January–March
- January 26 – Eddie Phillips, 66, catcher for the Boston Braves, Detroit Tigers, Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Yankees, Washington Senators, and Cleveland Indians between 1924 and 1935
- February 7 – Ollie MarquardtOllie MarquardtAlbert Ludwig "Ollie" Marquardt was a second baseman in Major League Baseball who played briefly for the Boston Red Sox during the 1931 season. Listed at 5' 9", 156 lb., Marquardt batted and threw right-handed. He was born in Toledo, Ohio.Marquardt appeared in 17 games for the hapless 1931...
, 65, second baseman for the 1931 Boston Red Sox; later a successfully minor league manager - February 26 – Rip CollinsRip CollinsHarry Warren Collins was a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Yankees , Boston Red Sox , Detroit Tigers and St. Louis Browns . Collins batted and threw right-handed...
, 72, a four-sport star at Texas A&M University, who pitched in the American League for the New Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Detroit Tigers and St. Louis Browns from 1920–31, and also was a member of the 1921 AL champion Yankees team - February 29 – Lena BlackburneLena BlackburneRussell Aubrey "Lena" Blackburne was an American baseball infielder, manager, coach and scout in Major League Baseball.-Biography:...
, 81, infielder, manager and coach in almost a 30-year baseball career, who also originated the idea of rubing mud on new baseballs to remove their slippery finish - March 30 – Bernie HunglingBernie HunglingBernard Herman Hungling [Bud] was a reserve catcher in Major League Baseball who played between and for the Brooklyn Robins and St. Louis Browns . Listed at 6' 2", 180 lb., Hungling batted and threw right-handed...
, 72, catcher for the Brooklyn Robins and St. Louis Browns between 1922 and 1930
April–June
- April 19 – Tommy BridgesTommy BridgesThomas Jefferson Davis Bridges was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played his entire career with the Detroit Tigers from 1930 to 1946...
, 61, 6-time All-Star pitcher who won 194 games for the Detroit Tigers, including three 20-win seasons and a 4–1 World Series record - April 26 – John KronerJohn KronerJohn Harold Kroner was a second baseman in Major League Baseball who played from 1935 through 1938 for the Boston Red Sox and Cleveland Indians . Listed at 6' 0", 185 lb., Kroner batted and threw right-handed. He was born in St...
, 57, second baseman for the Boston Red Sox and Cleveland Indians in the 1930s - May 26 – Doc AyersDoc AyersYancey Wyatt "Doc" Ayers was an American pitcher in Major League Baseball. He was known for throwing the spitball, and was one of the 17 pitchers allowed to continue throwing the pitch after it was outlawed in 1920. Ayers played nine seasons in the American League with the Washington Senators and...
, 78, spitball pitcher for the Washington Senators and Detroit Tigers - June 11 – Dan Boone, 73, a pitcher for the Philadelphia Athletics, Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Indians from 1920 through 1923
- June 11 – Bill ReganBill ReganWilliam Wright Regan was a second baseman in Major League Baseball who played from through for the Boston Red Sox and Pittsburgh Pirates...
, 69, second baseman for the Boston Red Sox, who became the first player in the team's history to hit two home runs in the same inning , a mark only matched by Ellis BurksEllis BurksEllis Rena Burks is a former outfielder and designated hitter who played in Major League Baseball for 18 seasons...
62 years later - June 15 – Sam CrawfordSam CrawfordSamuel Earl Crawford , nicknamed "Wahoo Sam", was a Major League Baseball player who played outfield for the Cincinnati Reds and Detroit Tigers. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1957....
, 88, Hall of Fame right fielder for the Tigers, a lifetime .309 hitter who hit a record 312 triples, led both leagues in home runs, and retired with the 5th-most RBI in history
July–September
- July 3 – Pat SimmonsPat Simmons (baseball)Patrick Clement Simmons [birth name: Patrick Clement Simoni] was a relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who played briefly for the Boston Red Sox during the and seasons. Listed at 5' 11", 172 lb., Simmons batted and threw right-handed...
, 59, pitcher who played from 1928 to 1929 for the Boston Red Sox - July 8 – Dusty BoggessDusty BoggessLynton Ross "Dusty" Boggess was an American umpire in Major League Baseball who worked in the National League from 1944 to 1962.Boggess was born in Terrell, Texas, and attended Waco High School in Waco...
, 64, NL umpire for 18 seasons from 1944 to 1962 who worked in four World Series - July 27 – Babe AdamsBabe AdamsCharles Benjamin "Babe" Adams was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball from 1906 to 1926 who spent nearly his entire career with the Pittsburgh Pirates...
, 86, pitcher who won 194 games for the Pittsburgh Pirates; the only member of their championship teams in both 1909 and 1925, he won three games in the 1909 World Series - August 22 – Heinie GrohHeinie GrohHenry Knight "Heinie" Groh was an American third baseman in Major League Baseball who spent nearly his entire career with the Cincinnati Reds and New York Giants. He was the National League's top third baseman in the late 1910s and early 1920s, and captained championship teams with the Reds and ...
, 78, third baseman for the New York Giants and Cincinnati Reds who led the NL in hits, runs and walks once each and in doubles twice, widely known for his "bottle bat" - August 29 – Paul HowardPaul Howard (baseball)Paul Joseph Howard, nicknamed "Del", was an outfielder in Major League Baseball who played briefly for the Boston Red Sox during the 1909 season. Listed at 5' 8", 170 lb., Howard batted and threw right-handed. He was born in Boston, Massachusetts.Howard was a .200 hitter with one double, ...
, 84, outfielder for the 1909 Boston Red Sox - September 14 – Hans LobertHans LobertJohn Bernard "Hans" Lobert was an American infielder, coach, manager and scout in Major League Baseball.Lobert was born in Wilmington, Delaware...
, 86, third baseman for five National League clubs from 1903 to 1917, and later a coach, manager and scout between 1920 and 1944 - September 25 – Ken HollowayKen HollowayKenneth Eugene Holloway was a pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for three different teams between and . Listed at 6' 0", 185 lb., Holloway batted and threw right-handed. He was born in Barwick, Georgia. It has been erroneously reported that he was born "Halloway" or “Hollaway” and...
, 71, pitcher for the Detroit Tigers, Cleveland Indians and New York Yankees between 1922 and 1930 - September 26 – Bud ClancyBud ClancyJohn William Clancy was a first baseman in Major League Baseball from 1924-1934.-External links:...
, 68, first baseman who played from 1924 through 1934 for the Chicago White Sox, Brooklyn Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies
October–December
- October 21 – Jack KillilayJack KillilayJohn William Killilay was a pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Boston Red Sox during the season. Listed at 5' 11", 165 lb., Killilay batted and threw right-handed...
, 81, pitcher for the 1911 Boston Red Sox - November 3 – Vern StephensVern StephensVernon Decatur Stephens was an American shortstop in professional baseball who played 15 seasons in the American League for four different teams. A native of McAlister, New Mexico, Stephens batted and threw right-handed...
, 48, 8-time All-Star shortstop who led the AL in RBI three times and in home runs once - November 5 - Wally MattickWally MattickWalter Joseph Mattick was a Major League Baseball center fielder who played for the Chicago White Sox from – and briefly for the St. Louis Cardinals in . He batted and threw right-handed....
, 81, center fielder for the Chicago White Sox from 1912–1913, briefly with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1918 - November 17 – Earl HamiltonEarl HamiltonEarl Andrew Hamilton was a MLB left-handed pitcher for the St. Louis Browns , Detroit Tigers , Pittsburgh Pirates , and the Philadelphia Phillies . He pitched a no-hitter against Detroit on August 30, 1912. The Tigers did get a run on a Ty Cobb walk and an error, making the final score 5-1 Browns...
, 77, pitcher with the St. Louis Browns and Pittsburgh Pirates, later a minor league team owner - December 6 – Fats JenkinsFats JenkinsClarence Reginald "Fats" Jenkins was an African American professional baseball and basketball player from about 1920 to 1940 when both professional sports were racially segregated...
, 70, All-Star left fielder of the Negro Leagues - December 8 – Benn KarrBenn KarrBenjamin Joyce Karr [Baldy] was a pitcher in Major League Baseball who played between 1920 and 1927 for the Boston Red Sox and Cleveland Indians . Listed at 6' 0", 175 lb., Karr batted left-handed and threw right-handed...
, 75, pitcher for the Boston Red Sox and Cleveland Indians in the 1920s - December 17 – Hank SevereidHank SevereidHenry Levai Severeid born in Story City, Iowa was a Catcher for the Cincinnati Reds , St. Louis Browns , Washington Senators and New York Yankees ....
, 77, catcher for the Cincinnati Reds, St. Louis Browns, Washington Senators and New York Yankees between 1911 and 1926, hitting .289 in 1,390 games - December 24 – Johnnie HevingJohnnie HevingJohn Aloysius Heving was a professional baseball player. A catcher, he played all or part of eight season in Major League Baseball between 1920 and 1932. Heving batted and threw right-handed. He was born in Covington, Kentucky...
, 72, a catcher for the St. Louis Browns, Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Athletics between 1920 and 1932