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standings</span> </div> </a> <button aria-controls="toc-Major_league_baseball_final_standings-sublist" class="cdx-button cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only vector-toc-toggle"> <span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-expand"></span> <span>Toggle Major league baseball final standings subsection</span> </button> <ul id="toc-Major_league_baseball_final_standings-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-American_League_final_standings" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#American_League_final_standings"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">5.1</span> <span>American League final standings</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-American_League_final_standings-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-National_League_final_standings" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#National_League_final_standings"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">5.2</span> <span>National League final standings</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-National_League_final_standings-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Nippon_Professional_Baseball_final_standings" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Nippon_Professional_Baseball_final_standings"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">6</span> <span>Nippon Professional Baseball final standings</span> </div> </a> <button aria-controls="toc-Nippon_Professional_Baseball_final_standings-sublist" class="cdx-button cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only vector-toc-toggle"> <span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-expand"></span> <span>Toggle Nippon Professional Baseball final standings subsection</span> </button> <ul id="toc-Nippon_Professional_Baseball_final_standings-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-Central_League_final_standings" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Central_League_final_standings"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">6.1</span> <span>Central League final standings</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Central_League_final_standings-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Pacific_League_final_standings" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Pacific_League_final_standings"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">6.2</span> <span>Pacific League final standings</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Pacific_League_final_standings-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Events" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Events"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">7</span> <span>Events</span> </div> </a> <button aria-controls="toc-Events-sublist" class="cdx-button cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only vector-toc-toggle"> <span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-expand"></span> <span>Toggle Events subsection</span> </button> <ul id="toc-Events-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-January" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#January"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">7.1</span> <span>January</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-January-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-February" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#February"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">7.2</span> <span>February</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-February-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-March" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#March"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">7.3</span> <span>March</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-March-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-April" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#April"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">7.4</span> <span>April</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-April-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-May" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#May"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">7.5</span> <span>May</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-May-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-June" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#June"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">7.6</span> <span>June</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-June-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-July" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#July"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">7.7</span> <span>July</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-July-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-August" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#August"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">7.8</span> <span>August</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-August-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-September" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#September"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">7.9</span> <span>September</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-September-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-October" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#October"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">7.10</span> <span>October</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-October-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-November" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#November"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">7.11</span> <span>November</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-November-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-December" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#December"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">7.12</span> <span>December</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-December-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Births" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Births"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">8</span> <span>Births</span> </div> </a> <button aria-controls="toc-Births-sublist" class="cdx-button cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only vector-toc-toggle"> <span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-expand"></span> <span>Toggle Births subsection</span> </button> <ul id="toc-Births-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-January_2" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#January_2"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">8.1</span> <span>January</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-January_2-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-February_2" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#February_2"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">8.2</span> <span>February</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-February_2-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-March_2" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#March_2"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">8.3</span> <span>March</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-March_2-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-April_2" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#April_2"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">8.4</span> <span>April</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-April_2-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-May_2" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#May_2"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">8.5</span> <span>May</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-May_2-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-June_2" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#June_2"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">8.6</span> <span>June</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-June_2-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-July_2" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#July_2"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">8.7</span> <span>July</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-July_2-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-August_2" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#August_2"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">8.8</span> <span>August</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-August_2-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-September_2" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#September_2"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">8.9</span> <span>September</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-September_2-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-October_2" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#October_2"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">8.10</span> <span>October</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-October_2-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> 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mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-expand"></span> <span>Toggle Deaths subsection</span> </button> <ul id="toc-Deaths-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-January_3" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#January_3"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">9.1</span> <span>January</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-January_3-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-February_3" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#February_3"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">9.2</span> <span>February</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-February_3-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-March_3" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#March_3"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">9.3</span> <span>March</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-March_3-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> 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class="vector-toc-numb">9.7</span> <span>July</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-July_3-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-August_3" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#August_3"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">9.8</span> <span>August</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-August_3-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-September_3" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#September_3"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">9.9</span> <span>September</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-September_3-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-October_3" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#October_3"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">9.10</span> <span>October</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-October_3-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> 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href="/wiki/1961_Major_League_Baseball_season" title="1961 Major League Baseball season">1961 Major League Baseball season</a> and <a href="/wiki/1961_Nippon_Professional_Baseball_season" title="1961 Nippon Professional Baseball season">1961 Nippon Professional Baseball season</a></div> <p>The following are the <a href="/wiki/Baseball" title="Baseball">baseball</a> events of the year <a href="/wiki/1961" title="1961">1961</a> throughout the world. </p> <div class="shortdescription nomobile noexcerpt noprint searchaux" style="display:none">Overview of the events of 1961 in baseball</div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1246091330">.mw-parser-output .sidebar{width:22em;float:right;clear:right;margin:0.5em 0 1em 1em;background:var(--background-color-neutral-subtle,#f8f9fa);border:1px solid var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1);padding:0.2em;text-align:center;line-height:1.4em;font-size:88%;border-collapse:collapse;display:table}body.skin-minerva .mw-parser-output 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ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul{margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt,.mw-parser-output .hlist li{margin:0;display:inline}.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul ul{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .hlist .mw-empty-li{display:none}.mw-parser-output .hlist dt::after{content:": "}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li::after{content:" · ";font-weight:bold}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li:last-child::after{content:none}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dd:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dt:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dd:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dt:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dd:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dt:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li li:first-child::before{content:" (";font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd li:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt li:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li li:last-child::after{content:")";font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .hlist ol{counter-reset:listitem}.mw-parser-output .hlist ol>li{counter-increment:listitem}.mw-parser-output .hlist ol>li::before{content:" "counter(listitem)"\a0 "}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd ol>li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt ol>li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li ol>li:first-child::before{content:" ("counter(listitem)"\a0 "}</style><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><table class="sidebar nomobile nowraplinks"><tbody><tr><td class="sidebar-above" style="font-size:larger;"> Years in baseball</td></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="hlist"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Baseball_by_year" title="Category:Baseball by year">←</a> <a href="/wiki/1958_in_baseball" title="1958 in baseball">1958</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1959_in_baseball" title="1959 in baseball">1959</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1960_in_baseball" title="1960 in baseball">1960</a></li> <li><b><a class="mw-selflink selflink">1961</a></b></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1962_in_baseball" title="1962 in baseball">1962</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1963_in_baseball" title="1963 in baseball">1963</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1964_in_baseball" title="1964 in baseball">1964</a> <a href="/wiki/Category:Baseball_by_year" title="Category:Baseball by year">→</a></li></ul> </div></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading" style="font-size:larger; line-height:1.8em;"> <hr /><a href="/wiki/1961_in_sports" title="1961 in sports">1961 in sports</a></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="hlist"> <ul><li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_air_sports&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1961 in air sports (page does not exist)">Air sports</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_American_football&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1961 in American football (page does not exist)">American football</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_aquatic_sports&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1961 in aquatic sports (page does not exist)">Aquatic sports</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1961_in_association_football" title="1961 in association football">Association football</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_the_sport_of_athletics&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1961 in the sport of athletics (page does not exist)">Athletics</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_Australian_rules_football&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1961 in Australian rules football (page does not exist)">Australian rules football</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_badminton&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1961 in badminton (page does not exist)">Badminton</a></li> <li><a class="mw-selflink selflink">Baseball</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_basketball&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1961 in basketball (page does not exist)">Basketball</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_Canadian_football&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1961 in Canadian football (page does not exist)">Canadian football</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_chess&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1961 in chess (page does not exist)">Chess</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_sport_climbing&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1961 in sport climbing (page does not exist)">Climbing</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_combat_sports&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1961 in combat sports (page does not exist)">Combat sports</a> <ul><li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_sumo&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1961 in sumo (page does not exist)">Sumo</a></li></ul></li> <li>Cricket <ul><li><a href="/wiki/International_cricket_in_1960%E2%80%9361" title="International cricket in 1960–61">1960–61</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/International_cricket_in_1961" title="International cricket in 1961">1961</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/International_cricket_in_1961%E2%80%9362" title="International cricket in 1961–62">1961–62</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_cycling&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1961 in cycling (page does not exist)">Cycling</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_dance_sports&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1961 in dance sports (page does not exist)">Dance sports</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_darts&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1961 in darts (page does not exist)">Darts</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_equestrianism&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1961 in equestrianism (page does not exist)">Equestrianism</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_esports&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1961 in esports (page does not exist)">Esports</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_field_hockey&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1961 in field hockey (page does not exist)">Field hockey</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_flying_disc_sports&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1961 in flying disc sports (page does not exist)">Flying disc</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_golf&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1961 in golf (page does not exist)">Golf</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_gymnastics&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1961 in gymnastics (page does not exist)">Gymnastics</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_handball&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1961 in handball (page does not exist)">Handball</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_ice_hockey&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1961 in ice hockey (page does not exist)">Ice hockey</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_ice_sports&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1961 in ice sports (page does not exist)">Ice sports</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_korfball&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1961 in korfball (page does not exist)">Korfball</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_lumberjack_sports&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1961 in lumberjack sports (page does not exist)">Lumberjack sports</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_mind_sports&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1961 in mind sports (page does not exist)">Mind sports</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_modern_pentathlon&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1961 in modern pentathlon (page does not exist)">Modern pentathlon</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1961_in_motorsport" title="1961 in motorsport">Motorsport</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_orienteering&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1961 in orienteering (page does not exist)">Orienteering</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_paralympic_sports&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1961 in paralympic sports (page does not exist)">Paralympic sports</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_precision_sports&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1961 in precision sports (page does not exist)">Precision sports</a> <ul><li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_shooting&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1961 in shooting (page does not exist)">Shooting</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_racquetball&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1961 in racquetball (page does not exist)">Racquetball</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_roller_sports&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1961 in roller sports (page does not exist)">Roller sports</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_sailing&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1961 in sailing (page does not exist)">Sailing</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_skiing&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1961 in skiing (page does not exist)">Skiing</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_speedway&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1961 in speedway (page does not exist)">Speedway</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=International_rugby_league_in_1961&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="International rugby league in 1961 (page does not exist)">Rugby league‎</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_rugby_union&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1961 in rugby union (page does not exist)">Rugby union</a></li> <li>Snooker <ul><li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1960%E2%80%9361_snooker_season&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1960–61 snooker season (page does not exist)">1960–61</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961%E2%80%9362_snooker_season&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1961–62 snooker season (page does not exist)">1961–62</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_strength_sports&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1961 in strength sports (page does not exist)">Strength sports</a> <ul><li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_weightlifting&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1961 in weightlifting (page does not exist)">Weightlifting</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_squash_sport&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1961 in squash sport (page does not exist)">Squash</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_table_tennis&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1961 in table tennis (page does not exist)">Table tennis</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_tennis&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1961 in tennis (page does not exist)">Tennis</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_triathlon&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1961 in triathlon (page does not exist)">Triathlon</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_volleyball&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1961 in volleyball (page does not exist)">Volleyball</a></li></ul> </div></td> </tr></tbody></table> <meta property="mw:PageProp/toc" /> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Headline_event_of_the_year">Headline event of the year</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_baseball&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Headline event of the year"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Roger_Maris" title="Roger Maris">Roger Maris</a> hits 61 home runs, breaking <a href="/wiki/Babe_Ruth" title="Babe Ruth">Babe Ruth</a>'s record.</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Champions">Champions</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_baseball&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Champions"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Major_League_Baseball">Major League Baseball</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_baseball&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Major League Baseball"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/1961_World_Series" title="1961 World Series">World Series</a>: <a href="/wiki/New_York_Yankees" title="New York Yankees">New York Yankees</a> over <a href="/wiki/Cincinnati_Reds" title="Cincinnati Reds">Cincinnati Reds</a> (4–1); <a href="/wiki/Whitey_Ford" title="Whitey Ford">Whitey Ford</a>, MVP</li> <li><a href="/wiki/1961_Major_League_Baseball_All-Star_Game_(first_game)" title="1961 Major League Baseball All-Star Game (first game)">All-Star Game (#1)</a>, July 11 at <a href="/wiki/Candlestick_Park" title="Candlestick Park">Candlestick Park</a>: National League, 5-4 (10 innings)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/1961_Major_League_Baseball_All-Star_Game_(second_game)" title="1961 Major League Baseball All-Star Game (second game)">All-Star Game (#2)</a>, July 31 at <a href="/wiki/Fenway_Park" title="Fenway Park">Fenway Park</a>: 1–1 tie (9 innings, rain)</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Other_champions">Other champions</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_baseball&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: Other champions"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/1961_College_World_Series" class="mw-redirect" title="1961 College World Series">College World Series</a>: <a href="/wiki/University_of_Southern_California" title="University of Southern California">USC</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1961_Japan_Series" title="1961 Japan Series">Japan Series</a>: <a href="/wiki/Yomiuri_Giants" title="Yomiuri Giants">Yomiuri Giants</a> over <a href="/wiki/Nankai_Hawks" class="mw-redirect" title="Nankai Hawks">Nankai Hawks</a> (4–2)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/1961_Little_League_World_Series" title="1961 Little League World Series">Little League World Series</a>: Northern, <a href="/wiki/El_Cajon,_California" title="El Cajon, California">El Cajon, California</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1961_Senior_League_World_Series" title="1961 Senior League World Series">Senior League World Series</a>: Natrona Heights, Pennsylvania</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Awards_and_honors">Awards and honors</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_baseball&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: Awards and honors"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><b><a href="/wiki/Baseball_Hall_of_Fame" class="mw-redirect" title="Baseball Hall of Fame">Baseball Hall of Fame</a></b> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Max_Carey" title="Max Carey">Max Carey</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Billy_Hamilton_(baseball,_born_1866)" title="Billy Hamilton (baseball, born 1866)">Billy Hamilton</a></li></ul></li> <li><b><a href="/wiki/MLB_Most_Valuable_Player_Award" class="mw-redirect" title="MLB Most Valuable Player Award">Most Valuable Player</a></b> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Roger_Maris" title="Roger Maris">Roger Maris</a> (AL)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Frank_Robinson" title="Frank Robinson">Frank Robinson</a> (NL)</li></ul></li> <li><b><a href="/wiki/Cy_Young_Award" title="Cy Young Award">Cy Young Award</a></b> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Whitey_Ford" title="Whitey Ford">Whitey Ford</a>, <a href="/wiki/New_York_Yankees" title="New York Yankees">New York Yankees</a></li></ul></li> <li><b><a href="/wiki/MLB_Rookie_of_the_Year_Award" class="mw-redirect" title="MLB Rookie of the Year Award">Rookie of the Year</a></b> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Don_Schwall" title="Don Schwall">Don Schwall</a> (AL)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Billy_Williams_(left_fielder)" class="mw-redirect" title="Billy Williams (left fielder)">Billy Williams</a> (NL)</li></ul></li> <li><b><a href="/wiki/Gold_Glove_Award" title="Gold Glove Award">Gold Glove Award</a></b> <ul><li>(P) <a href="/wiki/Frank_Lary" title="Frank Lary">Frank Lary</a>, <a href="/wiki/Detroit_Tigers" title="Detroit Tigers">Detroit Tigers</a> (<a href="/wiki/American_League" title="American League">AL</a>); <a href="/wiki/Bobby_Shantz" title="Bobby Shantz">Bobby Shantz</a>, <a href="/wiki/Pittsburgh_Pirates" title="Pittsburgh Pirates">Pittsburgh Pirates</a> (<a href="/wiki/National_League_(baseball)" title="National League (baseball)">NL</a>)</li> <li>(C) <a href="/wiki/Earl_Battey" title="Earl Battey">Earl Battey</a>, <a href="/wiki/Minnesota_Twins" title="Minnesota Twins">Minnesota Twins</a> (AL); <a href="/wiki/John_Roseboro" title="John Roseboro">John Roseboro</a>, <a href="/wiki/Los_Angeles_Dodgers" title="Los Angeles Dodgers">Los Angeles Dodgers</a> (NL)</li> <li>(1B) <a href="/wiki/Victor_Pellot" class="mw-redirect" title="Victor Pellot">Vic Power</a>, <a href="/wiki/Cleveland_Indians" class="mw-redirect" title="Cleveland Indians">Cleveland Indians</a> (AL); <a href="/wiki/Bill_White_(first_baseman)" title="Bill White (first baseman)">Bill White</a>, <a href="/wiki/St._Louis_Cardinals" title="St. Louis Cardinals">St. Louis Cardinals</a> (NL)</li> <li>(2B) <a href="/wiki/Bobby_Richardson" title="Bobby Richardson">Bobby Richardson</a>, <a href="/wiki/New_York_Yankees" title="New York Yankees">New York Yankees</a> (AL); <a href="/wiki/Bill_Mazeroski" title="Bill Mazeroski">Bill Mazeroski</a>, <a href="/wiki/Pittsburgh_Pirates" title="Pittsburgh Pirates">Pittsburgh Pirates</a> (NL)</li> <li>(3B) <a href="/wiki/Brooks_Robinson" title="Brooks Robinson">Brooks Robinson</a>, <a href="/wiki/Baltimore_Orioles" title="Baltimore Orioles">Baltimore Orioles</a> (AL); <a href="/wiki/Ken_Boyer" title="Ken Boyer">Ken Boyer</a>, <a href="/wiki/St._Louis_Cardinals" title="St. Louis Cardinals">St. Louis Cardinals</a> (NL)</li> <li>(SS) <a href="/wiki/Luis_Aparicio" title="Luis Aparicio">Luis Aparicio</a>, <a href="/wiki/Chicago_White_Sox" title="Chicago White Sox">Chicago White Sox</a> (AL); <a href="/wiki/Maury_Wills" title="Maury Wills">Maury Wills</a>, <a href="/wiki/Los_Angeles_Dodgers" title="Los Angeles Dodgers">Los Angeles Dodgers</a> (NL)</li> <li>(OF) <a href="/wiki/Al_Kaline" title="Al Kaline">Al Kaline</a>, <a href="/wiki/Detroit_Tigers" title="Detroit Tigers">Detroit Tigers</a> (AL); <a href="/wiki/Roberto_Clemente" title="Roberto Clemente">Roberto Clemente</a>, <a href="/wiki/Pittsburgh_Pirates" title="Pittsburgh Pirates">Pittsburgh Pirates</a> (NL)</li> <li>(OF) <a href="/wiki/Jim_Landis" title="Jim Landis">Jim Landis</a>, <a href="/wiki/Chicago_White_Sox" title="Chicago White Sox">Chicago White Sox</a> (AL); <a href="/wiki/Willie_Mays" title="Willie Mays">Willie Mays</a>, <a href="/wiki/San_Francisco_Giants" title="San Francisco Giants">San Francisco Giants</a> (NL)</li> <li>(OF) <a href="/wiki/Jimmy_Piersall" title="Jimmy Piersall">Jimmy Piersall</a>, <a href="/wiki/Cleveland_Indians" class="mw-redirect" title="Cleveland Indians">Cleveland Indians</a> (AL); <a href="/wiki/Vada_Pinson" title="Vada Pinson">Vada Pinson</a>, <a href="/wiki/Cincinnati_Reds" title="Cincinnati Reds">Cincinnati Reds</a> (NL)</li></ul></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="MLB_statistical_leaders">MLB statistical leaders</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_baseball&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: MLB statistical leaders"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Sandy_Koufax.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d0/Sandy_Koufax.jpg/180px-Sandy_Koufax.jpg" decoding="async" width="180" height="227" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d0/Sandy_Koufax.jpg/270px-Sandy_Koufax.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d0/Sandy_Koufax.jpg/360px-Sandy_Koufax.jpg 2x" data-file-width="961" data-file-height="1213" /></a><figcaption>Hall of Famer <a href="/wiki/Sandy_Koufax" title="Sandy Koufax">Sandy Koufax</a></figcaption></figure> <table cellpadding="1" style="width:auto;font-size: 90%; border: 1px solid gray;"> <tbody><tr align="center" style="font-size: larger;"> <td>  </td> <th colspan="2"><a href="/wiki/American_League" title="American League">American League</a> </th> <th colspan="2"><a href="/wiki/National_League_(baseball)" title="National League (baseball)">National League</a> </th></tr> <tr style="background:lightblue;"> <th>Type</th> <th>Name</th> <th>Stat</th> <th>Name</th> <th>Stat </th></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Batting_average_(baseball)" title="Batting average (baseball)">AVG</a></td> <td><a href="/wiki/Norm_Cash" title="Norm Cash">Norm Cash</a> DET</td> <td>.361</td> <td><a href="/wiki/Roberto_Clemente" title="Roberto Clemente">Roberto Clemente</a> PIT</td> <td>.351 </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Home_run" title="Home run">HR</a></td> <td><a href="/wiki/Roger_Maris" title="Roger Maris">Roger Maris</a> NY</td> <td>61</td> <td><a href="/wiki/Orlando_Cepeda" title="Orlando Cepeda">Orlando Cepeda</a> SF</td> <td>46 </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Run_batted_in" title="Run batted in">RBI</a></td> <td><a href="/wiki/Roger_Maris" title="Roger Maris">Roger Maris</a> NY</td> <td>142</td> <td><a href="/wiki/Orlando_Cepeda" title="Orlando Cepeda">Orlando Cepeda</a> SF</td> <td>142 </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Win_(baseball)" class="mw-redirect" title="Win (baseball)">Wins</a></td> <td><a href="/wiki/Whitey_Ford" title="Whitey Ford">Whitey Ford</a> NY</td> <td>25</td> <td><a href="/wiki/Warren_Spahn" title="Warren Spahn">Warren Spahn</a> MIL<br /><a href="/wiki/Joey_Jay" title="Joey Jay">Joey Jay</a> CIN</td> <td>21 </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Earned_run_average" title="Earned run average">ERA</a></td> <td><a href="/wiki/Dick_Donovan" title="Dick Donovan">Dick Donovan</a> WSH</td> <td>2.40</td> <td><a href="/wiki/Warren_Spahn" title="Warren Spahn">Warren Spahn</a> MIL</td> <td>3.02 </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Strikeout" title="Strikeout">SO</a></td> <td><a href="/wiki/Camilo_Pascual" title="Camilo Pascual">Camilo Pascual</a> MIN</td> <td>221</td> <td><a href="/wiki/Sandy_Koufax" title="Sandy Koufax">Sandy Koufax</a> LAD</td> <td>269 </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Save_(baseball)" title="Save (baseball)">SV</a></td> <td><a href="/wiki/Luis_Arroyo" title="Luis Arroyo">Luis Arroyo</a> NY</td> <td>29</td> <td><a href="/wiki/Roy_Face" title="Roy Face">Roy Face</a> PIT<br /><a href="/wiki/Stu_Miller" title="Stu Miller">Stu Miller</a> SF</td> <td>17 </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Stolen_base" title="Stolen base">SB</a></td> <td><a href="/wiki/Luis_Aparicio" title="Luis Aparicio">Luis Aparicio</a> CHW</td> <td>53</td> <td><a href="/wiki/Maury_Wills" title="Maury Wills">Maury Wills</a> LAD</td> <td>35 </td></tr></tbody></table> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Major_league_baseball_final_standings">Major league baseball final standings</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_baseball&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: Major league baseball final standings"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="American_League_final_standings">American League final standings</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_baseball&action=edit&section=8" title="Edit section: American League final standings"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1216972533">.mw-parser-output .col-begin{border-collapse:collapse;padding:0;color:inherit;width:100%;border:0;margin:0}.mw-parser-output .col-begin-small{font-size:90%}.mw-parser-output .col-break{vertical-align:top;text-align:left}.mw-parser-output .col-break-2{width:50%}.mw-parser-output .col-break-3{width:33.3%}.mw-parser-output .col-break-4{width:25%}.mw-parser-output .col-break-5{width:20%}@media(max-width:720px){.mw-parser-output .col-begin,.mw-parser-output .col-begin>tbody,.mw-parser-output .col-begin>tbody>tr,.mw-parser-output .col-begin>tbody>tr>td{display:block!important;width:100%!important}.mw-parser-output .col-break{padding-left:0!important}}</style><div> <table class="col-begin" role="presentation"> <tbody><tr> <td class="col-break col-break-2"> <style 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a>abbr{text-decoration:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-mini abbr{font-variant:small-caps;border-bottom:none;text-decoration:none;cursor:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-full{font-size:114%;margin:0 7em}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-mini{font-size:114%;margin:0 4em}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}@media(prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}}@media print{.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:none!important}}</style><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini" style="float:left;width:0;"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:1961_American_League_standings" title="Template:1961 American League standings"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:1961_American_League_standings" title="Template talk:1961 American League standings"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:1961_American_League_standings" title="Special:EditPage/Template:1961 American League standings"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div><a href="/wiki/American_League" title="American League">American League</a> </caption> <tbody><tr> <th width="51%">Team </th> <th width="6%"><a href="/wiki/Win_(baseball)" class="mw-redirect" title="Win (baseball)">W</a> </th> <th width="6%"><a href="/wiki/Loss_(baseball)" class="mw-redirect" title="Loss (baseball)">L</a> </th> <th width="9%"><a href="/wiki/Winning_percentage" title="Winning percentage">Pct.</a> </th> <th width="8%"><a href="/wiki/Games_behind" title="Games behind">GB</a> </th> <th width="10%"><a href="/wiki/Home_(sports)" title="Home (sports)">Home</a> </th> <th width="10%"><a href="/wiki/Road_(sports)" title="Road (sports)">Road</a> </th></tr> <tr class="MLBStandingsHighlightedRow"> <td><a href="/wiki/1961_New_York_Yankees_season" title="1961 New York Yankees season">New York Yankees</a> </td> <td>109</td> <td>53 </td> <td>.673 </td> <td>— </td> <td>65‍–‍16 </td> <td>44‍–‍37 </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/1961_Detroit_Tigers_season" title="1961 Detroit Tigers season">Detroit Tigers</a> </td> <td>101</td> <td>61 </td> <td>.623 </td> <td>8 </td> <td>50‍–‍31 </td> <td>51‍–‍30 </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/1961_Baltimore_Orioles_season" title="1961 Baltimore Orioles season">Baltimore Orioles</a> </td> <td>95</td> <td>67 </td> <td>.586 </td> <td>14 </td> <td>48‍–‍33 </td> <td>47‍–‍34 </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/1961_Chicago_White_Sox_season" title="1961 Chicago White Sox season">Chicago White Sox</a> </td> <td>86</td> <td>76 </td> <td>.531 </td> <td>23 </td> <td>53‍–‍28 </td> <td>33‍–‍48 </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/1961_Cleveland_Indians_season" title="1961 Cleveland Indians season">Cleveland Indians</a> </td> <td>78</td> <td>83 </td> <td>.484 </td> <td>30½ </td> <td>40‍–‍41 </td> <td>38‍–‍42 </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/1961_Boston_Red_Sox_season" title="1961 Boston Red Sox season">Boston Red Sox</a> </td> <td>76</td> <td>86 </td> <td>.469 </td> <td>33 </td> <td>50‍–‍31 </td> <td>26‍–‍55 </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/1961_Minnesota_Twins_season" title="1961 Minnesota Twins season">Minnesota Twins</a> </td> <td>70</td> <td>90 </td> <td>.438 </td> <td>38 </td> <td>36‍–‍44 </td> <td>34‍–‍46 </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/1961_Los_Angeles_Angels_season" title="1961 Los Angeles Angels season">Los Angeles Angels</a> </td> <td>70</td> <td>91 </td> <td>.435 </td> <td>38½ </td> <td>46‍–‍36 </td> <td>24‍–‍55 </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/1961_Kansas_City_Athletics_season" title="1961 Kansas City Athletics season">Kansas City Athletics</a> </td> <td>61</td> <td>100 </td> <td>.379 </td> <td>47½ </td> <td>33‍–‍47 </td> <td>28‍–‍53 </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/1961_Washington_Senators_season" title="1961 Washington Senators season">Washington Senators</a> </td> <td>61</td> <td>100 </td> <td>.379 </td> <td>47½ </td> <td>33‍–‍46 </td> <td>28‍–‍54 </td></tr></tbody></table> </td> <td class="col-break col-break-2"> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238443738">.mw-parser-output .locmap .od{position:absolute}.mw-parser-output .locmap .id{position:absolute;line-height:0}.mw-parser-output .locmap .l0{font-size:0;position:absolute}.mw-parser-output .locmap .pv{line-height:110%;position:absolute;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .locmap .pl{line-height:110%;position:absolute;top:-0.75em;text-align:right}.mw-parser-output .locmap .pr{line-height:110%;position:absolute;top:-0.75em;text-align:left}.mw-parser-output .locmap .pv>div{display:inline;padding:1px}.mw-parser-output .locmap .pl>div{display:inline;padding:1px;float:right}.mw-parser-output .locmap .pr>div{display:inline;padding:1px;float:left}@media screen{html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output 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title="Yankees"><img alt="Yankees" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e1/Clear1x1.gif" decoding="async" width="8" height="8" class="mw-file-element" data-file-width="1" data-file-height="1" /></span></span></div><div class="pr" style="width:6em;left:5px"><div><b><a href="/wiki/New_York_Yankees" title="New York Yankees">Yankees</a></b></div></div></div><div class="od notheme" style="top:43.423%;left:81.652%;font-size:85%"><div class="id" style="left:-4px;top:-4px"><span class="notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="Senators"><img alt="Senators" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/97/ButtonRed.svg/8px-ButtonRed.svg.png" decoding="async" width="8" height="8" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/97/ButtonRed.svg/12px-ButtonRed.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/97/ButtonRed.svg/16px-ButtonRed.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="480" data-file-height="480" /></span></span></div><div class="pv" style="width:6em;top:5px;left:-3em"><div><b><a href="/wiki/Washington_Senators_(1961%E2%80%931971)" title="Washington Senators (1961–1971)">Senators</a></b></div></div></div></div><div class="thumbcaption"><div class="magnify"><a href="/wiki/File:Usa_edcp_relief_location_map.png" title="File:Usa edcp relief location map.png">class=notpageimage| </a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Locations of teams for the 1961 <a href="/wiki/American_League" title="American League">American League</a> season<br /><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:ButtonRed.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/97/ButtonRed.svg/8px-ButtonRed.svg.png" decoding="async" width="8" height="8" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/97/ButtonRed.svg/12px-ButtonRed.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/97/ButtonRed.svg/16px-ButtonRed.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="480" data-file-height="480" /></a></span> <a href="/wiki/American_League" title="American League">American League</a></div></div></div></div> <p>  </p> </td></tr></tbody></table></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="National_League_final_standings">National League final standings</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_baseball&action=edit&section=9" title="Edit section: National League final standings"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1216972533"><div> <table class="col-begin" role="presentation"> <tbody><tr> <td class="col-break col-break-2"> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1248642426"> <table class="wikitable MLBStandingsTable"> <caption><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1239400231"><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini" style="float:left;width:0;"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:1961_National_League_standings" title="Template:1961 National League standings"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:1961_National_League_standings" title="Template talk:1961 National League standings"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:1961_National_League_standings" title="Special:EditPage/Template:1961 National League standings"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div><a href="/wiki/National_League_(baseball)" title="National League (baseball)">National League</a> </caption> <tbody><tr> <th width="51%">Team </th> <th width="6%"><a href="/wiki/Win_(baseball)" class="mw-redirect" title="Win (baseball)">W</a> </th> <th width="6%"><a href="/wiki/Loss_(baseball)" class="mw-redirect" title="Loss (baseball)">L</a> </th> <th width="9%"><a href="/wiki/Winning_percentage" title="Winning percentage">Pct.</a> </th> <th width="8%"><a href="/wiki/Games_behind" title="Games behind">GB</a> </th> <th width="10%"><a href="/wiki/Home_(sports)" title="Home (sports)">Home</a> </th> <th width="10%"><a href="/wiki/Road_(sports)" title="Road (sports)">Road</a> </th></tr> <tr class="MLBStandingsHighlightedRow"> <td><a href="/wiki/1961_Cincinnati_Reds_season" title="1961 Cincinnati Reds season">Cincinnati Reds</a> </td> <td>93</td> <td>61 </td> <td>.604 </td> <td>— </td> <td>47‍–‍30 </td> <td>46‍–‍31 </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/1961_Los_Angeles_Dodgers_season" title="1961 Los Angeles Dodgers season">Los Angeles Dodgers</a> </td> <td>89</td> <td>65 </td> <td>.578 </td> <td>4 </td> <td>45‍–‍32 </td> <td>44‍–‍33 </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/1961_San_Francisco_Giants_season" title="1961 San Francisco Giants season">San Francisco Giants</a> </td> <td>85</td> <td>69 </td> <td>.552 </td> <td>8 </td> <td>45‍–‍32 </td> <td>40‍–‍37 </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/1961_Milwaukee_Braves_season" title="1961 Milwaukee Braves season">Milwaukee Braves</a> </td> <td>83</td> <td>71 </td> <td>.539 </td> <td>10 </td> <td>45‍–‍32 </td> <td>38‍–‍39 </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/1961_St._Louis_Cardinals_season" title="1961 St. Louis Cardinals season">St. Louis Cardinals</a> </td> <td>80</td> <td>74 </td> <td>.519 </td> <td>13 </td> <td>48‍–‍29 </td> <td>32‍–‍45 </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/1961_Pittsburgh_Pirates_season" title="1961 Pittsburgh Pirates season">Pittsburgh Pirates</a> </td> <td>75</td> <td>79 </td> <td>.487 </td> <td>18 </td> <td>38‍–‍39 </td> <td>37‍–‍40 </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/1961_Chicago_Cubs_season" title="1961 Chicago Cubs season">Chicago Cubs</a> </td> <td>64</td> <td>90 </td> <td>.416 </td> <td>29 </td> <td>40‍–‍37 </td> <td>24‍–‍53 </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/1961_Philadelphia_Phillies_season" title="1961 Philadelphia Phillies season">Philadelphia Phillies</a> </td> <td>47</td> <td>107 </td> <td>.305 </td> <td>46 </td> <td>22‍–‍55 </td> <td>25‍–‍52 </td></tr></tbody></table> </td> <td class="col-break col-break-2"> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238443738"><div class="locmap noviewer noresize thumb tright"><div class="thumbinner" style="width:345px"><div style="position:relative;width:343px;border:1px solid lightgray"><span class="notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Usa_edcp_relief_location_map.png" class="mw-file-description" title="1961 in baseball is located in the United States"><img alt="1961 in baseball is located in the United States" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f3/Usa_edcp_relief_location_map.png/343px-Usa_edcp_relief_location_map.png" decoding="async" width="343" height="212" class="mw-file-element" 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srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c1/ButtonBlue.svg/12px-ButtonBlue.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c1/ButtonBlue.svg/16px-ButtonBlue.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="480" data-file-height="480" /></span></span></div><div class="pv" style="width:6em;bottom:5px;left:-3em"><div><b><a href="/wiki/Milwaukee_Braves" title="Milwaukee Braves">Braves</a></b></div></div></div><div class="od notheme" style="top:38.696%;left:84.193%;font-size:85%"><div class="id" style="left:-4px;top:-4px"><span class="notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="     Phillies"><img alt="     Phillies" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c1/ButtonBlue.svg/8px-ButtonBlue.svg.png" decoding="async" width="8" height="8" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c1/ButtonBlue.svg/12px-ButtonBlue.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c1/ButtonBlue.svg/16px-ButtonBlue.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="480" data-file-height="480" /></span></span></div><div class="pv" style="width:6em;top:5px;left:-3em"><div><b>     <a href="/wiki/Philadelphia_Phillies" title="Philadelphia Phillies">Phillies</a></b></div></div></div><div class="od notheme" style="top:39.622%;left:76.259%;font-size:85%"><div class="id" style="left:-4px;top:-4px"><span class="notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="Pirates  "><img alt="Pirates  " src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c1/ButtonBlue.svg/8px-ButtonBlue.svg.png" decoding="async" width="8" height="8" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c1/ButtonBlue.svg/12px-ButtonBlue.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c1/ButtonBlue.svg/16px-ButtonBlue.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="480" data-file-height="480" /></span></span></div><div class="pv" style="width:6em;bottom:5px;left:-3em"><div><b><a href="/wiki/Pittsburgh_Pirates" title="Pittsburgh Pirates">Pirates</a>  </b></div></div></div><div class="od notheme" style="top:42.74%;left:5.556%;font-size:85%"><div class="id" style="left:-4px;top:-4px"><span class="notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="  Giants"><img alt="  Giants" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c1/ButtonBlue.svg/8px-ButtonBlue.svg.png" decoding="async" width="8" height="8" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c1/ButtonBlue.svg/12px-ButtonBlue.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c1/ButtonBlue.svg/16px-ButtonBlue.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="480" data-file-height="480" /></span></span></div><div class="pv" style="width:6em;bottom:5px;left:-3em"><div><b>  <a href="/wiki/San_Francisco_Giants" title="San Francisco Giants">Giants</a></b></div></div></div><div class="od notheme" style="top:48.961%;left:59.731%;font-size:85%"><div class="id" style="left:-4px;top:-4px"><span class="notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="Cardinals"><img alt="Cardinals" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c1/ButtonBlue.svg/8px-ButtonBlue.svg.png" decoding="async" width="8" height="8" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c1/ButtonBlue.svg/12px-ButtonBlue.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c1/ButtonBlue.svg/16px-ButtonBlue.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="480" data-file-height="480" /></span></span></div><div class="pl" style="width:6em;right:5px"><div><b><a href="/wiki/St._Louis_Cardinals" title="St. Louis Cardinals">Cardinals</a></b></div></div></div></div><div class="thumbcaption"><div class="magnify"><a href="/wiki/File:Usa_edcp_relief_location_map.png" title="File:Usa edcp relief location map.png">class=notpageimage| </a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Locations of teams for the 1960–1961 <a href="/wiki/National_League_(baseball)" title="National League (baseball)">National League</a> seasons<br /><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:ButtonBlue.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c1/ButtonBlue.svg/8px-ButtonBlue.svg.png" decoding="async" width="8" height="8" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c1/ButtonBlue.svg/12px-ButtonBlue.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c1/ButtonBlue.svg/16px-ButtonBlue.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="480" data-file-height="480" /></a></span> <a href="/wiki/National_League_(baseball)" title="National League (baseball)">National League</a></div></div></div></div> <p>  </p> </td></tr></tbody></table></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Nippon_Professional_Baseball_final_standings">Nippon Professional Baseball final standings</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_baseball&action=edit&section=10" title="Edit section: Nippon Professional Baseball final standings"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Central_League_final_standings">Central League final standings</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_baseball&action=edit&section=11" title="Edit section: Central League final standings"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <table class="wikitable plainrowheaders" width="60%" style="text-align:center;"> <tbody><tr> <th scope="col" width="35%"><a href="/wiki/Central_League" title="Central League">Central League</a> </th> <th scope="col" width="5%"><a href="/wiki/Games_played" title="Games played">G</a> </th> <th scope="col" width="5%"><a href="/wiki/Win_(baseball)" class="mw-redirect" title="Win (baseball)">W</a> </th> <th scope="col" width="5%"><a href="/wiki/Loss_(baseball)" class="mw-redirect" title="Loss (baseball)">L</a> </th> <th scope="col" width="5%"><a href="/wiki/Tie_(draw)" title="Tie (draw)">T</a> </th> <th scope="col" width="7%"><a href="/wiki/Winning_percentage" title="Winning percentage">Pct.</a> </th> <th scope="col" width="5%"><a href="/wiki/Games_behind" title="Games behind">GB</a> </th></tr> <tr> <th scope="row" style="text-align:center;"><a href="/wiki/Yomiuri_Giants" title="Yomiuri Giants">Yomiuri Giants</a> </th> <td>130</td> <td>71</td> <td>53</td> <td>6</td> <td>.569</td> <td>— </td></tr> <tr> <th scope="row" style="text-align:center;"><a href="/wiki/Chunichi_Dragons" title="Chunichi Dragons">Chunichi Dragons</a> </th> <td>130</td> <td>72</td> <td>56</td> <td>2</td> <td>.562</td> <td>1.0 </td></tr> <tr> <th scope="row" style="text-align:center;"><a href="/wiki/Kokutetsu_Swallows" class="mw-redirect" title="Kokutetsu Swallows">Kokutetsu Swallows</a> </th> <td>130</td> <td>67</td> <td>60</td> <td>3</td> <td>.527</td> <td>5.5 </td></tr> <tr> <th scope="row" style="text-align:center;"><a href="/wiki/Hanshin_Tigers" title="Hanshin Tigers">Hanshin Tigers</a> </th> <td>130</td> <td>60</td> <td>67</td> <td>3</td> <td>.473</td> <td>12.5 </td></tr> <tr> <th scope="row" style="text-align:center;"><a href="/wiki/Hiroshima_Carp" class="mw-redirect" title="Hiroshima Carp">Hiroshima Carp</a> </th> <td>130</td> <td>58</td> <td>67</td> <td>5</td> <td>.465</td> <td>13.5 </td></tr> <tr> <th scope="row" style="text-align:center;"><a href="/wiki/Taiyo_Whales" class="mw-redirect" title="Taiyo Whales">Taiyo Whales</a> </th> <td>130</td> <td>50</td> <td>75</td> <td>5</td> <td>.404</td> <td>21.5 </td></tr></tbody></table> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Pacific_League_final_standings">Pacific League final standings</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_baseball&action=edit&section=12" title="Edit section: Pacific League final standings"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <table class="wikitable plainrowheaders" width="60%" style="text-align:center;"> <tbody><tr> <th scope="col" width="35%"><a href="/wiki/Pacific_League" title="Pacific League">Pacific League</a> </th> <th scope="col" width="5%"><a href="/wiki/Games_played" title="Games played">G</a> </th> <th scope="col" width="5%"><a href="/wiki/Win_(baseball)" class="mw-redirect" title="Win (baseball)">W</a> </th> <th scope="col" width="5%"><a href="/wiki/Loss_(baseball)" class="mw-redirect" title="Loss (baseball)">L</a> </th> <th scope="col" width="5%"><a href="/wiki/Tie_(draw)" title="Tie (draw)">T</a> </th> <th scope="col" width="7%"><a href="/wiki/Winning_percentage" title="Winning percentage">Pct.</a> </th> <th scope="col" width="5%"><a href="/wiki/Games_behind" title="Games behind">GB</a> </th></tr> <tr> <th scope="row" style="text-align:center;"><a href="/wiki/Nankai_Hawks" class="mw-redirect" title="Nankai Hawks">Nankai Hawks</a> </th> <td>140</td> <td>85</td> <td>49</td> <td>6</td> <td>.629</td> <td>— </td></tr> <tr> <th scope="row" style="text-align:center;"><a href="/wiki/Toei_Flyers" class="mw-redirect" title="Toei Flyers">Toei Flyers</a> </th> <td>140</td> <td>83</td> <td>52</td> <td>5</td> <td>.611</td> <td>2.5 </td></tr> <tr> <th scope="row" style="text-align:center;"><a href="/wiki/Nishitetsu_Lions" class="mw-redirect" title="Nishitetsu Lions">Nishitetsu Lions</a> </th> <td>140</td> <td>81</td> <td>56</td> <td>3</td> <td>.589</td> <td>5.5 </td></tr> <tr> <th scope="row" style="text-align:center;"><a href="/wiki/Daimai_Orions" class="mw-redirect" title="Daimai Orions">Daimai Orions</a> </th> <td>140</td> <td>72</td> <td>66</td> <td>2</td> <td>.521</td> <td>15.0 </td></tr> <tr> <th scope="row" style="text-align:center;"><a href="/wiki/Hankyu_Braves" class="mw-redirect" title="Hankyu Braves">Hankyu Braves</a> </th> <td>140</td> <td>53</td> <td>84</td> <td>3</td> <td>.389</td> <td>33.5 </td></tr> <tr> <th scope="row" style="text-align:center;"><a href="/wiki/Kintetsu_Buffaloes" class="mw-redirect" title="Kintetsu Buffaloes">Kintetsu Buffaloes</a> </th> <td>140</td> <td>36</td> <td>103</td> <td>1</td> <td>.261</td> <td>51.5 </td></tr></tbody></table> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Events">Events</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_baseball&action=edit&section=13" title="Edit section: Events"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="January">January</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_baseball&action=edit&section=14" title="Edit section: January"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Opening_Day_of_1961_Baseball_Season._President_Kennedy_throws_out_first_ball._(first_row)_Vice_President_Johnson..._-_NARA_-_194197.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c8/Opening_Day_of_1961_Baseball_Season._President_Kennedy_throws_out_first_ball._%28first_row%29_Vice_President_Johnson..._-_NARA_-_194197.jpg/220px-Opening_Day_of_1961_Baseball_Season._President_Kennedy_throws_out_first_ball._%28first_row%29_Vice_President_Johnson..._-_NARA_-_194197.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="220" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c8/Opening_Day_of_1961_Baseball_Season._President_Kennedy_throws_out_first_ball._%28first_row%29_Vice_President_Johnson..._-_NARA_-_194197.jpg/330px-Opening_Day_of_1961_Baseball_Season._President_Kennedy_throws_out_first_ball._%28first_row%29_Vice_President_Johnson..._-_NARA_-_194197.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c8/Opening_Day_of_1961_Baseball_Season._President_Kennedy_throws_out_first_ball._%28first_row%29_Vice_President_Johnson..._-_NARA_-_194197.jpg/440px-Opening_Day_of_1961_Baseball_Season._President_Kennedy_throws_out_first_ball._%28first_row%29_Vice_President_Johnson..._-_NARA_-_194197.jpg 2x" data-file-width="2700" data-file-height="2700" /></a><figcaption>President <a href="/wiki/John_F._Kennedy" title="John F. Kennedy">John F. Kennedy</a> throws out first ball in Washington, D.C. at <a href="/wiki/Griffith_Stadium" title="Griffith Stadium">Griffith Stadium</a> on April 10, 1961</figcaption></figure> <ul><li>January 3 – "Frantic" <a href="/wiki/Frank_Lane" title="Frank Lane">Frank Lane</a> steps down as <a href="/wiki/General_manager_(baseball)" title="General manager (baseball)">general manager</a> of the <a href="/wiki/Cleveland_Indians" class="mw-redirect" title="Cleveland Indians">Cleveland Indians</a> to sign a ten-year contract to assume a similar position with the <a href="/wiki/Kansas_City_Athletics" title="Kansas City Athletics">Kansas City Athletics</a>, working under the club's new owner, <a href="/wiki/Charles_O._Finley" class="mw-redirect" title="Charles O. Finley">Charles O. Finley</a>. Within eight months, Finley will fire Lane.</li> <li>January 19 – The <a href="/wiki/Cleveland_Indians" class="mw-redirect" title="Cleveland Indians">Cleveland Indians</a> release pitcher <a href="/wiki/Don_Newcombe" title="Don Newcombe">Don Newcombe</a>, <a href="/wiki/1956_in_baseball" title="1956 in baseball">1956</a> <a href="/wiki/National_League_Most_Valuable_Player" class="mw-redirect" title="National League Most Valuable Player">National League Most Valuable Player</a> and MLB <a href="/wiki/Cy_Young_Award" title="Cy Young Award">Cy Young Award</a> winner during his heyday with the <a href="/wiki/Brooklyn_Dodgers" title="Brooklyn Dodgers">Brooklyn Dodgers</a>. Newcombe finishes with a 153–96 (3.57 <a href="/wiki/Earned_run_average" title="Earned run average">ERA</a>) career mark, and three seasons of 20 or more victories.</li> <li>January 24 – <a href="/wiki/Frank_Lane" title="Frank Lane">Frank Lane</a>, known for constantly shaking up his roster, makes his first deal as GM of the <a href="/wiki/Kansas_City_Athletics" title="Kansas City Athletics">Kansas City Athletics</a>, sending outfielders <a href="/wiki/Whitey_Herzog" title="Whitey Herzog">Whitey Herzog</a> and <a href="/wiki/Russ_Snyder" title="Russ Snyder">Russ Snyder</a> to the <a href="/wiki/Baltimore_Orioles" title="Baltimore Orioles">Baltimore Orioles</a> for rookie left-hander <a href="/wiki/Jim_Archer" title="Jim Archer">Jim Archer</a>, catcher <a href="/wiki/Clint_Courtney" title="Clint Courtney">Clint Courtney</a>, first baseman <a href="/wiki/Bob_Boyd_(baseball)" title="Bob Boyd (baseball)">Bob Boyd</a>, shortstop <a href="/wiki/Wayne_Causey" title="Wayne Causey">Wayne Causey</a> and outfielder <a href="/wiki/Al_Pilarcik" title="Al Pilarcik">Al Pilarcik</a>. Courtney will appear in one game for Kansas City on April 15 (as a <a href="/wiki/Pinch_hitter" title="Pinch hitter">pinch hitter</a>) before the Athletics ship him back to Baltimore later that day.</li> <li>January 25 – In a <a href="/wiki/Waivers_(baseball)" class="mw-redirect" title="Waivers (baseball)">waiver</a> deal, the <a href="/wiki/Cincinnati_Reds" title="Cincinnati Reds">Cincinnati Reds</a> trade stalwart southpaw <a href="/wiki/Joe_Nuxhall" title="Joe Nuxhall">Joe Nuxhall</a> to <a href="/wiki/Frank_Lane" title="Frank Lane">Lane's</a> <a href="/wiki/Kansas_City_Athletics" title="Kansas City Athletics">Athletics</a> for right-handers <a href="/wiki/John_Briggs_(baseball)" title="John Briggs (baseball)">John Briggs</a> and <a href="/wiki/John_Tsitouris" title="John Tsitouris">John Tsitouris</a>. Nuxhall first pitched for the Reds at age 15 on June 10, 1944, becoming the youngest man ever to play Major League Baseball. After eight years in the <a href="/wiki/Minor_leagues" class="mw-redirect" title="Minor leagues">minors</a>, he rejoined the Reds in 1952 and made two <a href="/wiki/National_League_(baseball)" title="National League (baseball)">NL</a> <a href="/wiki/Major_League_Baseball_All-Star_game" class="mw-redirect" title="Major League Baseball All-Star game">All-Star</a> teams (<a href="/wiki/1955_in_baseball" title="1955 in baseball">1955</a>, <a href="/wiki/1956_in_baseball" title="1956 in baseball">1956</a>). He will return to Cincinnati in late July 1962 as an effective pitcher, then popular radio broadcaster, and member of the Reds' Hall of Fame.</li> <li>January 29 – <a href="/wiki/Billy_Hamilton_(baseball,_born_1866)" title="Billy Hamilton (baseball, born 1866)">Billy Hamilton</a> and <a href="/wiki/Max_Carey" title="Max Carey">Max Carey</a> are voted into the <a href="/wiki/Baseball_Hall_of_Fame" class="mw-redirect" title="Baseball Hall of Fame">Hall of Fame</a> by the Veterans Committee.</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="February">February</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_baseball&action=edit&section=15" title="Edit section: February"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li>February 1 – The <a href="/wiki/Los_Angeles_Dodgers" title="Los Angeles Dodgers">Los Angeles Dodgers</a> sell the contract of outfielder <a href="/wiki/Chuck_Essegian" title="Chuck Essegian">Chuck Essegian</a>, record-setting <a href="/wiki/Pinch_hitter" title="Pinch hitter">pinch hitter</a> and one of the stars of the club's <a href="/wiki/1959_World_Series" title="1959 World Series">1959 World Series</a> championship, to the <a href="/wiki/Baltimore_Orioles" title="Baltimore Orioles">Baltimore Orioles</a>.</li> <li>February 7 – <a href="/wiki/Boston_Red_Sox" title="Boston Red Sox">Boston Red Sox</a> outfielder <a href="/wiki/Jackie_Jensen" title="Jackie Jensen">Jackie Jensen</a> makes a return to the major leagues by signing a $40,000 contract. Jensen had retired in 1960 due to a <a href="/wiki/Fear_of_flying" title="Fear of flying">fear of flying</a>. Jensen will hit .263 with 13 home runs in 1961.</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="March">March</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_baseball&action=edit&section=16" title="Edit section: March"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li>March – The Cuban government, led by <a href="/wiki/Fidel_Castro" title="Fidel Castro">Fidel Castro</a>, abolishes professional baseball and ends the <a href="/wiki/Cuban_League" title="Cuban League">Cuban League</a>, which was started in <a href="/wiki/1878_in_baseball#Events" title="1878 in baseball">1878</a>, and the <i><a href="/wiki/Cuban_National_Series" title="Cuban National Series">Serie Nacional de Béisbol</a></i> is established.</li> <li>March 6 – <a href="/wiki/New_York_Mets" title="New York Mets">The New York Metropolitan Baseball Club Inc.</a> formally receives a certificate of membership from <a href="/wiki/National_League_(baseball)" title="National League (baseball)">National League</a> president <a href="/wiki/Warren_Giles" title="Warren Giles">Warren Giles</a>. Eight days later, the newborn franchise hires <a href="/wiki/George_Weiss_(baseball)" title="George Weiss (baseball)">George Weiss</a>, 66, as its first club president. Future Hall-of-Famer Weiss is coming off 29 years with the rival <a href="/wiki/New_York_Yankees" title="New York Yankees">New York Yankees</a>, who won 15 <a href="/wiki/World_Series" title="World Series">World Series</a> during Weiss's long term as their farm system director, then general manager.</li> <li>March 31 – The <a href="/wiki/Chicago_Cubs" title="Chicago Cubs">Chicago Cubs</a> trade two pitchers, <a href="/wiki/Moe_Drabowsky" title="Moe Drabowsky">Moe Drabowsky</a> and <a href="/wiki/Seth_Morehead" title="Seth Morehead">Seth Morehead</a>, to the <a href="/wiki/Milwaukee_Braves" title="Milwaukee Braves">Milwaukee Braves</a> for two infielders, <a href="/wiki/Daryl_Robertson" title="Daryl Robertson">Daryl Robertson</a> and <a href="/wiki/Andre_Rodgers" title="Andre Rodgers">Andre Rodgers</a>. Drabowsky, a 25-year old, Polish-born "<a href="/wiki/Bonus_baby" class="mw-redirect" title="Bonus baby">bonus baby</a>," went 32–41 (4.02 <a href="/wiki/Earned_run_average" title="Earned run average">ERA</a>) in five years as a Cub; he will become best known as a <a href="/wiki/Baltimore_Orioles" title="Baltimore Orioles">Baltimore Orioles</a> <a href="/wiki/Relief_pitcher" title="Relief pitcher">reliever</a> whose shutdown performance (6<small><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1154941027">.mw-parser-output .frac{white-space:nowrap}.mw-parser-output .frac .num,.mw-parser-output .frac .den{font-size:80%;line-height:0;vertical-align:super}.mw-parser-output .frac .den{vertical-align:sub}.mw-parser-output .sr-only{border:0;clip:rect(0,0,0,0);clip-path:polygon(0px 0px,0px 0px,0px 0px);height:1px;margin:-1px;overflow:hidden;padding:0;position:absolute;width:1px}</style><span class="frac"><span class="num">2</span>⁄<span class="den">3</span></span></small> shutout innings pitched, one hit allowed, 11 strikeouts) against the <a href="/wiki/Los_Angeles_Dodgers" title="Los Angeles Dodgers">Los Angeles Dodgers</a> in Game 1 kicks off the Orioles' four-game sweep of the <a href="/wiki/1966_World_Series" title="1966 World Series">1966 World Series</a>.</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="April">April</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_baseball&action=edit&section=17" title="Edit section: April"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li>April 4 – The <a href="/wiki/New_York_Yankees" title="New York Yankees">New York Yankees</a> acquire pitcher <a href="/wiki/Duke_Maas" title="Duke Maas">Duke Maas</a> from the first-year expansion <a href="/wiki/Los_Angeles_Angels" title="Los Angeles Angels">Los Angeles Angels</a> in exchange for shortstop <a href="/wiki/Fritz_Brickell" title="Fritz Brickell">Fritz Brickell</a>.</li> <li>April 10 — In the traditional "Presidential Opener" in <a href="/wiki/Washington,_D.C." title="Washington, D.C.">Washington, D.C.</a>, the <a href="/wiki/Chicago_White_Sox" title="Chicago White Sox">Chicago White Sox</a> defeat the <a href="/wiki/Washington_Senators_(1961%E2%80%9371)" class="mw-redirect" title="Washington Senators (1961–71)">Washington Senators</a>, 4–3, with <a href="/wiki/John_F._Kennedy" title="John F. Kennedy">John F. Kennedy</a> throwing out the first pitch before a crowd of 26,725. The Senators are an <a href="/wiki/Expansion_team" title="Expansion team">expansion team</a> created expressly to replace the <a href="/wiki/Minnesota_Twins" title="Minnesota Twins">preceding team of the same name</a> that moved to <a href="/wiki/Minneapolis%E2%80%93Saint_Paul" title="Minneapolis–Saint Paul">Minneapolis–Saint Paul</a> over the winter. The 1961 season is the first of the expansion era, and this Presidential Opener is the last in the history of <a href="/wiki/Griffith_Stadium" title="Griffith Stadium">Griffith Stadium</a>, Washington's venerable baseball park.</li> <li>April 11 <ul><li>At <a href="/wiki/Fenway_Park" title="Fenway Park">Fenway Park</a>, <a href="/wiki/1961_Boston_Red_Sox_season" title="1961 Boston Red Sox season">Boston Red Sox</a> rookie <a href="/wiki/Carl_Yastrzemski" title="Carl Yastrzemski">Carl Yastrzemski</a> gets a hit off <a href="/wiki/Ray_Herbert" title="Ray Herbert">Ray Herbert</a> of the <a href="/wiki/1961_Kansas_City_Athletics_season" title="1961 Kansas City Athletics season">Kansas City Athletics</a>. It is the first of 3,318 <a href="/wiki/Hit_(baseball)" title="Hit (baseball)">hits</a> that Yastrzemski will amass over an illustrious 23-year career.</li> <li>The <a href="/wiki/1961_Los_Angeles_Angels_season" title="1961 Los Angeles Angels season">Los Angeles Angels</a> play the first game in franchise history, defeating the <a href="/wiki/1961_Baltimore_Orioles_season" title="1961 Baltimore Orioles season">Baltimore Orioles</a> team, 7–2. For the Angels, <a href="/wiki/Ted_Kluszewski" title="Ted Kluszewski">Ted Kluszewski</a> hits two <a href="/wiki/Home_run" title="Home run">home runs</a> while <a href="/wiki/Eli_Grba" title="Eli Grba">Eli Grba</a> pitches a complete game.</li> <li>At <a href="/wiki/Yankee_Stadium_(1923)" title="Yankee Stadium (1923)">Yankee Stadium</a>, the <a href="/wiki/Minnesota_Twins" title="Minnesota Twins">Minnesota Twins</a> shut out the <a href="/wiki/New_York_Yankees" title="New York Yankees">New York Yankees</a>, 6–0, in their first game since their move from Washington, D.C. <a href="/wiki/Pedro_Ramos" title="Pedro Ramos">Pedro Ramos</a> is the winning pitcher, helping himself with a two-run <a href="/wiki/Single_(baseball)" title="Single (baseball)">single</a> while allowing just three singles in beating Yankees starter, <a href="/wiki/Whitey_Ford" title="Whitey Ford">Whitey Ford</a>.</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Philadelphia_Phillies" title="Philadelphia Phillies">Philadelphia Phillies</a> pitcher <a href="/wiki/Robin_Roberts_(baseball)" title="Robin Roberts (baseball)">Robin Roberts</a> ties <a href="/wiki/Grover_Cleveland_Alexander" title="Grover Cleveland Alexander">Grover Cleveland Alexander</a>'s National League record with a 12th-straight Opening Day start‚ but Philadelphia loses 6–2 to <a href="/wiki/Don_Drysdale" title="Don Drysdale">Don Drysdale</a> and the <a href="/wiki/Los_Angeles_Dodgers" title="Los Angeles Dodgers">Los Angeles Dodgers</a>. Roberts is now 5-6 on Opening Day.</li> <li>The <a href="/wiki/Chicago_Cubs" title="Chicago Cubs">Chicago Cubs</a> play their first National League game of the experimental "<a href="/wiki/College_of_Coaches" title="College of Coaches">College of Coaches</a>" era and are defeated by the <a href="/wiki/Cincinnati_Reds" title="Cincinnati Reds">Cincinnati Reds</a>, 7–1, at <a href="/wiki/Crosley_Field" title="Crosley Field">Crosley Field</a>. <a href="/wiki/Vedie_Himsl" title="Vedie Himsl">Vedie Himsl</a> serves as the Cubs' first-ever "head coach." Three other coaches will rotate as the Cubs' <i>de facto</i> manager in 1961—Himsl and <a href="/wiki/El_Tappe" title="El Tappe">El Tappe</a> each will have three stints in the post—and the team will finish seventh in the eight-team Senior Circuit.</li></ul></li> <li>April 12 – The <a href="/wiki/Baltimore_Orioles" title="Baltimore Orioles">Baltimore Orioles</a> acquire pitcher <a href="/wiki/Dick_Hall_(baseball)" title="Dick Hall (baseball)">Dick Hall</a> and outfielder <a href="/wiki/Dick_Williams" title="Dick Williams">Dick Williams</a> from the <a href="/wiki/Kansas_City_Athletics" title="Kansas City Athletics">Kansas City Athletics</a> for former "kiddie corps" pitcher <a href="/wiki/Jerry_Walker" title="Jerry Walker">Jerry Walker</a>, 22, and outfielder <a href="/wiki/Chuck_Essegian" title="Chuck Essegian">Chuck Essegian</a>.</li> <li>April 13 – The fledgling <a href="/wiki/Los_Angeles_Angels" title="Los Angeles Angels">Los Angeles Angels</a> trade outfielder <a href="/wiki/Lou_Johnson" title="Lou Johnson">Lou Johnson</a> to the <a href="/wiki/Triple-A_(baseball)" title="Triple-A (baseball)">Triple-A</a> <a href="/wiki/Toronto_Maple_Leafs_(International_League)" title="Toronto Maple Leafs (International League)">Toronto Maple Leafs</a> of the <a href="/wiki/International_League" title="International League">International League</a> for fellow-outfielder <a href="/wiki/Leon_Wagner" title="Leon Wagner">Leon Wagner</a>. It's a career-saving trade for "Daddy Wags," who will slug 188 home runs for the Angels and <a href="/wiki/Cleveland_Indians" class="mw-redirect" title="Cleveland Indians">Cleveland Indians</a> through June 13, 1968, and make two <a href="/wiki/American_League" title="American League">American League</a> <a href="/wiki/Major_League_Baseball_All-Star_Game" title="Major League Baseball All-Star Game">All-Star</a> teams.</li> <li>April 14 – At <a href="/wiki/Tiger_Stadium_(Detroit)" title="Tiger Stadium (Detroit)">Briggs Stadium</a>, <a href="/wiki/Frank_Lary" title="Frank Lary">Frank Lary</a> of the <a href="/wiki/Detroit_Tigers" title="Detroit Tigers">Detroit Tigers</a> fires a one-hitter in a 7–0 victory over the <a href="/wiki/Chicago_White_Sox" title="Chicago White Sox">Chicago White Sox</a>. <a href="/wiki/Jim_Landis" title="Jim Landis">Jim Landis</a>' infield single in the fifth inning is the lone safety that Lary permits.</li> <li>April 16 – Feisty <a href="/wiki/Leo_Durocher" title="Leo Durocher">Leo Durocher</a> marks his return to baseball by getting the heave-ho from umpire <a href="/wiki/Jocko_Conlan" title="Jocko Conlan">Jocko Conlan</a> in a wild argument over a foul ball call. During the dispute, Durocher kicks dirt on Conlan, who retaliates by kicking Durocher in the shin, who then kicks the umpire back—an act which earns Durocher a three-game suspension. It's his first ejection since joining the <a href="/wiki/Los_Angeles_Dodgers" title="Los Angeles Dodgers">Los Angeles Dodgers</a> as a coach on the staff of manager <a href="/wiki/Walter_Alston" title="Walter Alston">Walter Alston</a> before the season. He had been out of uniform since quitting as skipper of the <a href="/wiki/New_York_Giants_(MLB)" class="mw-redirect" title="New York Giants (MLB)">New York Giants</a> in September 1955.</li> <li>April 21 – The <a href="/wiki/Minnesota_Twins" title="Minnesota Twins">Minnesota Twins</a> play their very first home game in franchise history, losing to the team that coincidentally replaced them in the nation's capital, the <a href="/wiki/Expansion_team" title="Expansion team">expansion</a> <a href="/wiki/Washington_Senators_(1961%E2%80%9371)" class="mw-redirect" title="Washington Senators (1961–71)">Washington Senators</a>, 5–3.</li> <li>April 22 – The <a href="/wiki/Boston_Red_Sox" title="Boston Red Sox">Boston Red Sox</a> snap a 13-game losing streak in Chicago's <a href="/wiki/Comiskey_Park" title="Comiskey Park">Comiskey Park</a> by edging the <a href="/wiki/Chicago_White_Sox" title="Chicago White Sox">Chicago White Sox</a> 7–6 on <a href="/wiki/Pumpsie_Green" title="Pumpsie Green">Pumpsie Green</a>'s 11th-inning home run.</li> <li>April 25 – The <a href="/wiki/Kansas_City_Athletics" title="Kansas City Athletics">Kansas City Athletics</a> sign infielder <a href="/wiki/Bert_Campaneris" title="Bert Campaneris">Bert Campaneris</a> as an amateur free agent.</li> <li>April 26 – <a href="/wiki/Mickey_Mantle" title="Mickey Mantle">Mickey Mantle</a> blasts his sixth and seventh home runs of 1961—and <a href="/wiki/Roger_Maris" title="Roger Maris">Roger Maris</a> hits his first—in the <a href="/wiki/New_York_Yankees" title="New York Yankees">New York Yankees</a>' ten-inning, 13–11 victory over the <a href="/wiki/Detroit_Tigers" title="Detroit Tigers">Detroit Tigers</a> at <a href="/wiki/Tiger_Stadium_(Detroit)" title="Tiger Stadium (Detroit)">Briggs Stadium</a>. The torrid Mantle and slow-starting Maris will engage in a record-setting, but friendly, home-run-hitting duel all season.</li> <li>April 27 <ul><li>The <a href="/wiki/Los_Angeles_Angels" title="Los Angeles Angels">Los Angeles Angels</a> drew a crowd of 11,931 for their home opener against the <a href="/wiki/Minnesota_Twins" title="Minnesota Twins">Minnesota Twins</a> at Los Angeles' <a href="/wiki/Wrigley_Field_(Los_Angeles)" title="Wrigley Field (Los Angeles)">Wrigley Field</a>. <a href="/wiki/Ty_Cobb" title="Ty Cobb">Ty Cobb</a>, in his last appearance at a ball park, throws out the ceremonial first pitch. Minnesota starter <a href="/wiki/Camilo_Pascual" title="Camilo Pascual">Camilo Pascual</a> spoils the opener by winning, 4–2, sending the Angels to their eighth loss in nine games.</li> <li>The <a href="/wiki/Cincinnati_Reds" title="Cincinnati Reds">Cincinnati Reds</a> trade veteran starting catcher <a href="/wiki/Ed_Bailey" title="Ed Bailey">Ed Bailey</a> to the <a href="/wiki/San_Francisco_Giants" title="San Francisco Giants">San Francisco Giants</a> for catcher <a href="/wiki/Bob_Schmidt_(baseball)" title="Bob Schmidt (baseball)">Bob Schmidt</a>, infielder <a href="/wiki/Don_Blasingame" title="Don Blasingame">Don Blasingame</a> and a <a href="/wiki/Player_to_be_named_later" title="Player to be named later">player to be named later</a>. Blasingame becomes Cincinnati's starting second baseman. Relief pitcher <a href="/wiki/Sherman_Jones" title="Sherman Jones">Sherman Jones</a> becomes the "<a href="/wiki/Player_to_be_named_later" title="Player to be named later">PTBNL</a>" on May 13.</li> <li>After spending only six months as <a href="/wiki/General_manager_(baseball)" title="General manager (baseball)">general manager</a> of <a href="/wiki/Houston_Astros" title="Houston Astros">Houston's</a> <a href="/wiki/National_League_(baseball)" title="National League (baseball)">National League</a> <a href="/wiki/Expansion_team" title="Expansion team">expansion team</a>, which won't debut until April 1962, <a href="/wiki/Gabe_Paul" title="Gabe Paul">Gabe Paul</a> quits and takes a similar job with the <a href="/wiki/Cleveland_Indians" class="mw-redirect" title="Cleveland Indians">Cleveland Indians</a> of the <a href="/wiki/American_League" title="American League">American League</a>. It's later revealed that serious differences with Houston co-owner <a href="/wiki/Roy_Hofheinz" title="Roy Hofheinz">Roy Hofheinz</a> drove Paul to cut his ties with the Texas club.</li></ul></li> <li>April 28 – Forty-year-old <a href="/wiki/Warren_Spahn" title="Warren Spahn">Warren Spahn</a>, the <a href="/wiki/Milwaukee_Braves" title="Milwaukee Braves">Milwaukee Braves</a>' future Hall-of-Fame left-hander, throws the second <a href="/wiki/No-hitter" title="No-hitter">no-hitter</a> of his long career to defeat the <a href="/wiki/San_Francisco_Giants" title="San Francisco Giants">San Francisco Giants</a> 1–0 at <a href="/wiki/Milwaukee_County_Stadium" title="Milwaukee County Stadium">County Stadium</a>. Spahn walks two and strikes out five. <a href="/wiki/Hank_Aaron" title="Hank Aaron">Hank Aaron</a> drives in the game's only run.</li> <li>April 30 – <a href="/wiki/San_Francisco_Giants" title="San Francisco Giants">San Francisco</a> slugger <a href="/wiki/Willie_Mays" title="Willie Mays">Willie Mays</a> becomes the ninth player to hit <a href="/wiki/MLB_hitters_with_four_home_runs_in_one_game" class="mw-redirect" title="MLB hitters with four home runs in one game">four home runs</a> in a single game as the Giants beat the <a href="/wiki/Milwaukee_Braves_(1953%E2%80%9365)" class="mw-redirect" title="Milwaukee Braves (1953–65)">Braves</a>, 14–4, at Milwaukee during an eventful weekend series.</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="May">May</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_baseball&action=edit&section=18" title="Edit section: May"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li>May 4 – The <a href="/wiki/Los_Angeles_Dodgers" title="Los Angeles Dodgers">Los Angeles Dodgers</a> add to their already-strong pitching staff by acquiring <a href="/wiki/Turk_Farrell" title="Turk Farrell">Turk Farrell</a> (along with infielder <a href="/wiki/Joe_Koppe" title="Joe Koppe">Joe Koppe</a>) from the <a href="/wiki/Philadelphia_Phillies" title="Philadelphia Phillies">Philadelphia Phillies</a> for third baseman <a href="/wiki/Charley_Smith" title="Charley Smith">Charley Smith</a> and outfielder <a href="/wiki/Don_Demeter" title="Don Demeter">Don Demeter</a>.</li> <li>May 8 <ul><li>The <a href="/wiki/New_York_Yankees" title="New York Yankees">New York Yankees</a> trade away veteran <a href="/wiki/Relief_pitcher" title="Relief pitcher">relief pitcher</a> <a href="/wiki/Ryne_Duren" title="Ryne Duren">Ryne Duren</a> to the <a href="/wiki/Los_Angeles_Angels" title="Los Angeles Angels">Los Angeles Angels</a>, along with another reliever, <a href="/wiki/Johnny_James" title="Johnny James">Johnny James</a>, and rookie outfielder <a href="/wiki/Lee_Thomas_(baseball)" title="Lee Thomas (baseball)">Lee Thomas</a>, for pitcher <a href="/wiki/Tex_Clevenger" title="Tex Clevenger">Tex Clevenger</a> and outfielder <a href="/wiki/Bob_Cerv" title="Bob Cerv">Bob Cerv</a>. Duren, who will battle <a href="/wiki/Alcoholism" title="Alcoholism">alcoholism</a> throughout his playing career, is one of the most intimidating pitchers of the day, throwing a blazing fastball, wearing thick eyeglasses, and often emphasizing his unpredictable <a href="/wiki/Glossary_of_baseball_terms#wild_in_the_strike_zone" title="Glossary of baseball terms">control</a> by firing warmup pitches far over his catcher's head.</li> <li>New York's expansion <a href="/wiki/National_League_(baseball)" title="National League (baseball)">National League</a> club announces that the team nickname will be <a href="/wiki/New_York_Mets" title="New York Mets">"Mets,"</a> a natural shortening of the corporate name ("New York Metropolitan Baseball Club, Inc.")</li></ul></li> <li>May 9 – The <a href="/wiki/Baltimore_Orioles" title="Baltimore Orioles">Baltimore Orioles</a>' <a href="/wiki/Jim_Gentile" title="Jim Gentile">Jim Gentile</a> slugs a <a href="/wiki/Grand_slam_home_run" class="mw-redirect" title="Grand slam home run">grand slam</a> in both the first and second innings in a game against the <a href="/wiki/Minnesota_Twins" title="Minnesota Twins">Minnesota Twins</a>, and finishes with nine <a href="/wiki/Run_batted_in" title="Run batted in">RBI</a> in the game.</li> <li>May 10 – <a href="/wiki/Milwaukee_Braves" title="Milwaukee Braves">Milwaukee Braves</a> outfielder <a href="/wiki/Wes_Covington" title="Wes Covington">Wes Covington</a> is acquired by the <a href="/wiki/Chicago_White_Sox" title="Chicago White Sox">Chicago White Sox</a> in a cash transaction. Previously a career-long Brave, Covington will appear for four MLB teams in 1961, when he is later traded to the <a href="/wiki/Kansas_City_Athletics" title="Kansas City Athletics">Kansas City Athletics</a> (June 10), then the <a href="/wiki/Philadelphia_Phillies" title="Philadelphia Phillies">Philadelphia Phillies</a> (July 2).</li> <li>May 30 – The <a href="/wiki/Los_Angeles_Dodgers" title="Los Angeles Dodgers">Los Angeles Dodgers</a>, in a virtual tie with the <a href="/wiki/Cincinnati_Reds" title="Cincinnati Reds">Cincinnati Reds</a> and <a href="/wiki/San_Francisco_Giants" title="San Francisco Giants">San Francisco Giants</a> for first place in the <a href="/wiki/National_League_(baseball)" title="National League (baseball)">National League</a>, acquire veteran infielder <a href="/wiki/Daryl_Spencer" title="Daryl Spencer">Daryl Spencer</a> from the <a href="/wiki/St._Louis_Cardinals" title="St. Louis Cardinals">St. Louis Cardinals</a> for shortstop <a href="/wiki/Bob_Lillis" title="Bob Lillis">Bob Lillis</a> and outfielder <a href="/wiki/Carl_Warwick" title="Carl Warwick">Carl Warwick</a>.</li> <li>May 31 – <a href="/wiki/Boston_Red_Sox" title="Boston Red Sox">Boston Red Sox</a> reserve outfielder <a href="/wiki/Carroll_Hardy" title="Carroll Hardy">Carroll Hardy</a> pinch-hits for rookie <a href="/wiki/Carl_Yastrzemski" title="Carl Yastrzemski">Carl Yastrzemski</a>. On September 20, <a href="/wiki/1960_in_baseball" title="1960 in baseball">1960</a>, Hardy pinch hit for <a href="/wiki/Ted_Williams" title="Ted Williams">Ted Williams</a>, making him the only player to go in for both future Hall of Famers. Hardy also hit his first major league home run pinch-hitting for <a href="/wiki/Roger_Maris" title="Roger Maris">Roger Maris</a> when both were at <a href="/wiki/Cleveland_Indians" class="mw-redirect" title="Cleveland Indians">Cleveland</a> (May 18, <a href="/wiki/1958_in_baseball" title="1958 in baseball">1958</a>).</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="June">June</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_baseball&action=edit&section=19" title="Edit section: June"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li>June 1 – The <a href="/wiki/Minnesota_Twins" title="Minnesota Twins">Minnesota Twins</a> make two transactions. They trade third baseman <a href="/wiki/Reno_Bertoia" title="Reno Bertoia">Reno Bertoia</a>, pitcher <a href="/wiki/Paul_Giel" title="Paul Giel">Paul Giel</a> and a "<a href="/wiki/PTBNL" class="mw-redirect" title="PTBNL">PTBNL</a>" to the <a href="/wiki/Kansas_City_Athletics" title="Kansas City Athletics">Kansas City Athletics</a> for centerfielder <a href="/wiki/Bill_Tuttle" title="Bill Tuttle">Bill Tuttle</a>. (Giel retires from baseball after one game pitched for Kansas City, and is returned to Minnesota on June 10 as the PTBNL in his own trade.) Then the Twins purchase the contract of second baseman <a href="/wiki/Billy_Martin" title="Billy Martin">Billy Martin</a> from the <a href="/wiki/Milwaukee_Braves" title="Milwaukee Braves">Milwaukee Braves</a>. Martin will immediately replace incumbent second-sacker <a href="/wiki/Billy_Gardner" title="Billy Gardner">Billy Gardner</a>, and Tuttle becomes the Twins' regular third baseman in late June.</li> <li>June 8 – General manager <a href="/wiki/Frank_Lane" title="Frank Lane">Frank Lane</a> continues to shake up his <a href="/wiki/First_division_(baseball)" title="First division (baseball)">second-division</a> <a href="/wiki/Kansas_City_Athletics" title="Kansas City Athletics">Kansas City Athletics</a>, trading first baseman <a href="/wiki/Marv_Throneberry" title="Marv Throneberry">Marv Throneberry</a> to the <a href="/wiki/Baltimore_Orioles" title="Baltimore Orioles">Baltimore Orioles</a> for outfielder <a href="/wiki/Gene_Stephens" title="Gene Stephens">Gene Stephens</a>.</li> <li>June 10 <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Hal_R._Smith" title="Hal R. Smith">Hal Smith</a>, 30, starting catcher of the <a href="/wiki/St._Louis_Cardinals" title="St. Louis Cardinals">St. Louis Cardinals</a> and three-time <a href="/wiki/Major_League_Baseball_All-Star_Game" title="Major League Baseball All-Star Game">All-Star</a>, enters a St. Louis hospital complaining of chest and abdominal pain. When physicians diagnose a coronary artery condition, Smith is compelled to immediately end his playing career. He remains in the game as a minor-league manager, MLB coach and scout, and is able to briefly return to the field for the <a href="/wiki/Pittsburgh_Pirates" title="Pittsburgh Pirates">Pittsburgh Pirates</a> in July 1965 on an emergency basis to appear in four games and catch 12 innings.</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Frank_Lane" title="Frank Lane">Frank Lane</a> strikes again, trading pitchers <a href="/wiki/Ray_Herbert" title="Ray Herbert">Ray Herbert</a> and <a href="/wiki/Don_Larsen" title="Don Larsen">Don Larsen</a>, third baseman <a href="/wiki/Andy_Carey" title="Andy Carey">Andy Carey</a> and outfielder <a href="/wiki/Al_Pilarcik" title="Al Pilarcik">Al Pilarcik</a> from his <a href="/wiki/Kansas_City_Athletics" title="Kansas City Athletics">Kansas City Athletics</a> to the <a href="/wiki/Chicago_White_Sox" title="Chicago White Sox">Chicago White Sox</a> for pitchers <a href="/wiki/Bob_Shaw_(baseball)" title="Bob Shaw (baseball)">Bob Shaw</a> and <a href="/wiki/Gerry_Staley" title="Gerry Staley">Gerry Staley</a> and outfielders <a href="/wiki/Wes_Covington" title="Wes Covington">Wes Covington</a> and <a href="/wiki/Stan_Johnson" title="Stan Johnson">Stan Johnson</a>.</li></ul></li> <li>June 12 <ul><li>Citing poor health, <a href="/wiki/Bill_Veeck" title="Bill Veeck">Bill Veeck</a> sells his controlling interest in the <a href="/wiki/Chicago_White_Sox" title="Chicago White Sox">Chicago White Sox</a> to brothers <a href="/wiki/Arthur_Allyn_Jr." title="Arthur Allyn Jr.">Arthur</a> and <a href="/wiki/John_Allyn" title="John Allyn">John Allyn</a>. Fourteen years later, in 1975, he will repurchase the team to keep it from moving to <a href="/wiki/Seattle" title="Seattle">Seattle</a>.</li> <li>The <a href="/wiki/Cleveland_Indians" class="mw-redirect" title="Cleveland Indians">Cleveland Indians</a> sign 18-year-old pitcher <a href="/wiki/Tommy_John" title="Tommy John">Tommy John</a> out of a <a href="/wiki/Terre_Haute,_Indiana" title="Terre Haute, Indiana">Terre Haute, Indiana</a>, <a href="/wiki/Gerstmeyer_High_School" class="mw-redirect" title="Gerstmeyer High School">high school</a>.</li></ul></li> <li>June 14 <ul><li>Yet another trade occurs involving the <a href="/wiki/Kansas_City_Athletics" title="Kansas City Athletics">Kansas City Athletics</a>, who send southpaw <a href="/wiki/Bud_Daley" title="Bud Daley">Bud Daley</a> to the <a href="/wiki/New_York_Yankees" title="New York Yankees">New York Yankees</a> for right-hander <a href="/wiki/Art_Ditmar" title="Art Ditmar">Art Ditmar</a> and hard-hitting third base prospect <a href="/wiki/Deron_Johnson" title="Deron Johnson">Deron Johnson</a>.</li> <li>The <a href="/wiki/Minnesota_Twins" title="Minnesota Twins">Minnesota Twins</a> send their former starting second baseman, <a href="/wiki/Billy_Gardner" title="Billy Gardner">Billy Gardner</a>, to the Yankees for veteran left-hander <a href="/wiki/Danny_McDevitt" title="Danny McDevitt">Danny McDevitt</a>.</li></ul></li> <li>June 15 <ul><li>Former All-Star catcher <a href="/wiki/Sammy_White_(baseball)" title="Sammy White (baseball)">Sammy White</a>, who retired to run his Boston bowling alley rather than be traded to the <a href="/wiki/Cleveland_Indians" class="mw-redirect" title="Cleveland Indians">Cleveland Indians</a> in March 1960, un-retires when the <a href="/wiki/Milwaukee_Braves" title="Milwaukee Braves">Milwaukee Braves</a> acquire his contract from the <a href="/wiki/Boston_Red_Sox" title="Boston Red Sox">Boston Red Sox</a>. White will hit only .219 in 62 games as a backup receiver for the Braves and <a href="/wiki/Philadelphia_Phillies" title="Philadelphia Phillies">Philadelphia Phillies</a> before he retires for good in October 1962.</li> <li>The Braves also bid adieu to longtime shortstop <a href="/wiki/Johnny_Logan_(baseball)" title="Johnny Logan (baseball)">Johnny Logan</a>, 35, sending the former four-time <a href="/wiki/Major_League_Baseball_All-Star_Game" title="Major League Baseball All-Star Game">NL All-Star</a> to the <a href="/wiki/Pittsburgh_Pirates" title="Pittsburgh Pirates">Pittsburgh Pirates</a> for outfielder <a href="/wiki/Gino_Cimoli" title="Gino Cimoli">Gino Cimoli</a>.</li></ul></li> <li>June 18 <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Kansas_City_Athletics" title="Kansas City Athletics">Kansas City Athletics</a>' first-year owner <a href="/wiki/Charles_O._Finley" class="mw-redirect" title="Charles O. Finley">Charles O. Finley</a> fires his first manager, <a href="/wiki/Joe_Gordon" title="Joe Gordon">Joe Gordon</a>, a Hall of Fame second baseman who piloted the Athletics to a 26–33 record. He's replaced by a <a href="/wiki/Player-manager" class="mw-redirect" title="Player-manager">player-manager</a>, <a href="/wiki/Hank_Bauer" title="Hank Bauer">Hank Bauer</a>, the club's 38-year-old right fielder.</li> <li>Trailing the first-year <a href="/wiki/Washington_Senators_(1961%E2%80%931971)" title="Washington Senators (1961–1971)">expansion Washington Senators</a> 12–5 going into the bottom of the ninth in the first game of a doubleheader at <a href="/wiki/Fenway_Park" title="Fenway Park">Fenway Park</a>, the <a href="/wiki/Boston_Red_Sox" title="Boston Red Sox">Boston Red Sox</a> score eight runs after two men are out to steal a 13–12 victory from Washington. Catcher <a href="/wiki/Jim_Pagliaroni" title="Jim Pagliaroni">Jim Pagliaroni</a> delivers the big blow, a <a href="/wiki/Grand_slam_home_run" class="mw-redirect" title="Grand slam home run">grand slam home run</a> that ties the score at twelve. To add insult to injury, Boston sweeps the twin bill with a 13-inning, 6–5 triumph in the nightcap, with Pagliaroni hitting the game-winning solo shot.</li></ul></li> <li>June 20 – After releasing him as a player, the <a href="/wiki/Pittsburgh_Pirates" title="Pittsburgh Pirates">Pittsburgh Pirates</a> appoint <a href="/wiki/Gene_Baker" title="Gene Baker">Gene Baker</a> the player-manager of the <a href="/wiki/Batavia_Pirates" class="mw-redirect" title="Batavia Pirates">Batavia Pirates</a> of the <a href="/wiki/New_York-Penn_League" class="mw-redirect" title="New York-Penn League">New York-Penn League</a>. The hiring is significant because Baker becomes the first African-American manager of a minor league team with a major league affiliate. Baker leads Batavia to a third-place finish, but they lose in the league finals to the <a href="/wiki/Olean_Red_Sox" class="mw-redirect" title="Olean Red Sox">Olean Red Sox</a>.</li> <li>June 22 – The <a href="/wiki/Los_Angeles_Angels" title="Los Angeles Angels">Los Angeles Angels</a> obtain a future <a href="/wiki/Major_League_Baseball_All-Star_Game" title="Major League Baseball All-Star Game">All-Star</a> second baseman, <a href="/wiki/Billy_Moran" title="Billy Moran">Billy Moran</a>, from independently operated <a href="/wiki/Toronto_Maple_Leafs_(International_League)" title="Toronto Maple Leafs (International League)">Toronto</a> of the <a href="/wiki/Triple-A_(baseball)" title="Triple-A (baseball)">Triple-A</a> <a href="/wiki/International_League" title="International League">International League</a> for pitcher <a href="/wiki/Russ_Heman" title="Russ Heman">Russ Heman</a> and infielder <a href="/wiki/Ken_Hamlin" title="Ken Hamlin">Ken Hamlin</a>.</li> <li>June 23 <ul><li>After granting him in a seven-game leave of absence earlier in June, the <a href="/wiki/Minnesota_Twins" title="Minnesota Twins">Minnesota Twins</a> (25–41) dismiss manager <a href="/wiki/Cookie_Lavagetto" title="Cookie Lavagetto">Cookie Lavagetto</a>. He has managed the team since May 7, 1957, when it was the <a href="/wiki/Washington_Senators_(1901%E2%80%931960)" title="Washington Senators (1901–1960)">American League's original Washington Senators</a>. Owner <a href="/wiki/Calvin_Griffith" title="Calvin Griffith">Calvin Griffith</a> names <a href="/wiki/Sam_Mele" title="Sam Mele">Sam Mele</a>, a Twins coach, to replace Lavagetto.</li> <li>Nine home runs are struck in a nine-inning game as the visiting <a href="/wiki/Detroit_Tigers" title="Detroit Tigers">Detroit Tigers</a> maul the <a href="/wiki/Cleveland_Indians" class="mw-redirect" title="Cleveland Indians">Cleveland Indians</a>, 15–7.</li></ul></li> <li>June 25 – At <a href="/wiki/Cleveland_Stadium" title="Cleveland Stadium">Cleveland Stadium</a>, a brawl breaks out during the fifth inning of a game between the <a href="/wiki/Cleveland_Indians" class="mw-redirect" title="Cleveland Indians">Indians</a> and <a href="/wiki/Detroit_Tigers" title="Detroit Tigers">Detroit Tigers</a>. It's touched off when Cleveland's <a href="/wiki/Jimmy_Piersall" title="Jimmy Piersall">Jimmy Piersall</a> charges the mound after being hit by a pitch from <a href="/wiki/Jim_Bunning" title="Jim Bunning">Jim Bunning</a> of the Tigers, the future Hall of Famer and U.S. Senator. Piersall and two teammates, <a href="/wiki/Johnny_Temple" title="Johnny Temple">Johnny Temple</a> and <a href="/wiki/Bob_Hale_(baseball)" title="Bob Hale (baseball)">Bob Hale</a>, along with Detroit's <a href="/wiki/Hank_Aguirre" title="Hank Aguirre">Hank Aguirre</a>, are ejected for fighting. Although spiked by Piersall during the melee, Bunning stays in the game and claims a 6–3 victory.</li> <li>June 29 – <a href="/wiki/Willie_Mays" title="Willie Mays">Willie Mays</a> hits three home runs, helping the San Francisco Giants beat the <a href="/wiki/Philadelphia_Phillies" title="Philadelphia Phillies">Philadelphia Phillies</a> 8–7.</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="July">July</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_baseball&action=edit&section=20" title="Edit section: July"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li>July 4 <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Willie_Mays" title="Willie Mays">Willie Mays</a> hits his 300th career home run off pitcher <a href="/wiki/Jack_Curtis_(baseball)" title="Jack Curtis (baseball)">Jack Curtis</a>, leading the <a href="/wiki/San_Francisco_Giants" title="San Francisco Giants">San Francisco Giants</a> to a 4–1 victory over the <a href="/wiki/Chicago_Cubs" title="Chicago Cubs">Chicago Cubs</a> at <a href="/wiki/Wrigley_Field" title="Wrigley Field">Wrigley Field</a>.</li> <li>In the first game of an <a href="/wiki/Independence_Day_(United_States)" title="Independence Day (United States)">Independence Day</a> <a href="/wiki/Doubleheader_(baseball)" title="Doubleheader (baseball)">double-header</a> at <a href="/wiki/Metropolitan_Stadium" title="Metropolitan Stadium">Metropolitan Stadium</a>, <a href="/wiki/Minnesota_Twins" title="Minnesota Twins">Minnesota Twins</a> <a href="/wiki/Pinch-hitter" class="mw-redirect" title="Pinch-hitter">pinch-hitter</a> <a href="/wiki/Julio_B%C3%A9cquer" title="Julio Bécquer">Julio Bécquer</a> hits the first recorded ever four-pitcher <a href="/wiki/Walk-off_home_run#Walk-off_grand_slam" title="Walk-off home run">walk-off grand slam</a> in Major League Baseball history. <a href="/wiki/Chicago_White_Sox" title="Chicago White Sox">Chicago White Sox</a> <a href="/wiki/Starting_pitcher" title="Starting pitcher">starter</a> <a href="/wiki/Billy_Pierce" title="Billy Pierce">Billy Pierce</a>, up 4–2 in the ninth inning en route to a <a href="/wiki/Complete_game" title="Complete game">complete game</a>, allows a <a href="/wiki/Single_(baseball)" title="Single (baseball)">single</a> to <a href="/wiki/Bob_Allison" title="Bob Allison">Bob Allison</a>. Pierce is relieved by <a href="/wiki/Russ_Kemmerer" title="Russ Kemmerer">Russ Kemmerer</a>, who allows another single to <a href="/wiki/Earl_Battey" title="Earl Battey">Earl Battey</a>. Left-hander <a href="/wiki/Frank_Baumann_(baseball)" title="Frank Baumann (baseball)">Frank Baumann</a> then is brought in and he <a href="/wiki/Base_on_balls" title="Base on balls">walks</a> <a href="/wiki/Lenny_Green" title="Lenny Green">Lenny Green</a> to <a href="/wiki/Glossary_of_baseball_(B)#bases_loaded" class="mw-redirect" title="Glossary of baseball (B)">load the bases</a>. Afterwards, White Sox manager <a href="/wiki/Al_L%C3%B3pez" title="Al López">Al López</a> summons <a href="/wiki/Warren_Hacker" title="Warren Hacker">Warren Hacker</a> from the <a href="/wiki/Bullpen" title="Bullpen">bullpen</a> while Twins manager <a href="/wiki/Sam_Mele" title="Sam Mele">Sam Mele</a> counters with Bécquer, who pulls the ball over the right field fence for the walk-off homer and a 6–4 victory.</li> <li>In the second game of the double-header, <a href="/wiki/Minnesota_Twins" title="Minnesota Twins">Minnesota Twins</a> slugger <a href="/wiki/Harmon_Killebrew" title="Harmon Killebrew">Harmon Killebrew</a> hits a three-run home run, which will be the only <a href="/wiki/Inside-the-park_home_run" title="Inside-the-park home run">inside-the-park home run</a> of the 573 homers he will hit in his distinguished career.</li> <li>The traditional midpoint of the MLB season sees the 49–29 <a href="/wiki/Cincinnati_Reds" title="Cincinnati Reds">Cincinnati Reds</a> in the <a href="/wiki/National_League_(baseball)" title="National League (baseball)">National League's</a> top spot, two games ahead of the 47–31 <a href="/wiki/Los_Angeles_Dodgers" title="Los Angeles Dodgers">Los Angeles Dodgers</a>. The Reds, who finished sixth in <a href="/wiki/1960_in_baseball" title="1960 in baseball">1960</a>, are seeking their first NL <a href="/wiki/Pennant_(sports)" title="Pennant (sports)">pennant</a> in 21 years. In the <a href="/wiki/American_League" title="American League">American League</a>, another surprising contender, the <a href="/wiki/Detroit_Tigers" title="Detroit Tigers">Detroit Tigers</a> (50–28–1), hold a one-game edge over the <a href="/wiki/New_York_Yankees" title="New York Yankees">New York Yankees</a> (48–28–1). Perhaps of equal interest, the Yankees' slugging outfielders <a href="/wiki/Roger_Maris" title="Roger Maris">Roger Maris</a> (31) and <a href="/wiki/Mickey_Mantle" title="Mickey Mantle">Mickey Mantle</a> (28) are bidding to equal or surpass <a href="/wiki/Babe_Ruth" title="Babe Ruth">Babe Ruth</a>'s single-season home run record of 60 long balls.</li></ul></li> <li>July 5 – The tempestuous 2½-year reign of <a href="/wiki/Solly_Hemus" title="Solly Hemus">Solly Hemus</a> as manager of the <a href="/wiki/St._Louis_Cardinals" title="St. Louis Cardinals">St. Louis Cardinals</a> ends when he is replaced by third-base coach and former longtime minor-league skipper <a href="/wiki/Johnny_Keane" title="Johnny Keane">Johnny Keane</a>. The fiery Hemus leaves with a 190–192 (.497) record, and 12 ejections. Keane will end up piloting the <a href="/wiki/1964_St._Louis_Cardinals_season" title="1964 St. Louis Cardinals season">1964 Cardinals</a> to the club's seventh world championship.</li> <li>July 11 – Strong winds at <a href="/wiki/Candlestick_Park" title="Candlestick Park">Candlestick Park</a> dominate the first <a href="/wiki/1961_Major_League_Baseball_All-Star_Game_(first_game)" title="1961 Major League Baseball All-Star Game (first game)">All-Star Game</a> of the season. A capacity crowd sees pitcher <a href="/wiki/Stu_Miller" title="Stu Miller">Stu Miller</a> blown off the mound in the ninth inning resulting in balk being called, and it enables the <a href="/wiki/American_League" title="American League">American League</a> to forge a 3–3 tie before losing 5–4 in 10 innings.</li> <li>July 17 – Commissioner <a href="/wiki/Ford_Frick" title="Ford Frick">Ford Frick</a> decrees that <a href="/wiki/Babe_Ruth" title="Babe Ruth">Babe Ruth</a>'s record of 60 home runs in a 154-game schedule in <a href="/wiki/1927_in_baseball" title="1927 in baseball">1927</a> "cannot be broken unless some batter hits 61 or more within his club's first 154 games." Two days later, Frick, an old friend of Ruth, announces that should Ruth's record be beaten after 154 games, the record will carry an asterisk. When asked about the ruling, <a href="/wiki/Roger_Maris" title="Roger Maris">Roger Maris</a> replies, "A season is a season."</li> <li>July 19 – All-time hits and batting average king <a href="/wiki/Ty_Cobb" title="Ty Cobb">Ty Cobb</a> is laid to rest in <a href="/wiki/Royston,_Georgia" title="Royston, Georgia">Royston, Georgia</a>, two days after his death from cancer at 74. The funereal gathering of 150 includes only three baseball people, two of whom are fellow Hall of Famers <a href="/wiki/Mickey_Cochrane" title="Mickey Cochrane">Mickey Cochrane</a> and <a href="/wiki/Ray_Schalk" title="Ray Schalk">Ray Schalk</a>.</li> <li>July 21 – The <a href="/wiki/Cincinnati_Reds" title="Cincinnati Reds">Cincinnati Reds</a> acquire right-hander <a href="/wiki/Ken_Johnson_(right-handed_pitcher)" title="Ken Johnson (right-handed pitcher)">Ken Johnson</a> from the <a href="/wiki/Triple-A_(baseball)" title="Triple-A (baseball)">Triple-A </a> <a href="/wiki/Toronto_Maple_Leafs_(International_League)" title="Toronto Maple Leafs (International League)">Toronto Maple Leafs</a>. Johnson, previously a dismal 6–15 (5.03) in 52 games for the 1958–1961 <a href="/wiki/Kansas_City_Athletics" title="Kansas City Athletics">Kansas City Athletics</a>, finds a new lease on life in the <a href="/wiki/National_League_(baseball)" title="National League (baseball)">National League</a>, winning six games down the stretch and helping the Reds win the pennant.</li> <li>July 25 – In the first game of a doubleheader in <a href="/wiki/The_Bronx" title="The Bronx">The Bronx</a>, <a href="/wiki/Roger_Maris" title="Roger Maris">Roger Maris</a> belts two home runs, <a href="/wiki/Mickey_Mantle" title="Mickey Mantle">Mickey Mantle</a> hits one, and <a href="/wiki/Whitey_Ford" title="Whitey Ford">Whitey Ford</a> improves to 18–2, in the <a href="/wiki/New_York_Yankees" title="New York Yankees">New York Yankees</a>' 5–1 triumph over the <a href="/wiki/Chicago_White_Sox" title="Chicago White Sox">Chicago White Sox</a>. Maris and Mantle are now tied with 38 home runs in their chase for <a href="/wiki/Babe_Ruth" title="Babe Ruth">Babe Ruth</a>'s single-season record. Then, in the nightcap, Maris slugs two more homers (numbers 39 and 40) to retake the AL long-ball lead, in the Yanks' 12–0 rout. With the <a href="/wiki/Detroit_Tigers" title="Detroit Tigers">Detroit Tigers</a> falling to the <a href="/wiki/Los_Angeles_Angels" title="Los Angeles Angels">Los Angeles Angels</a>, the Yanks leapfrog the Tigers to assume a half-game lead in the pennant race.</li> <li>July 31 – At <a href="/wiki/Fenway_Park" title="Fenway Park">Fenway Park</a>, the second <a href="/wiki/1961_Major_League_Baseball_All-Star_Game_(second_game)" title="1961 Major League Baseball All-Star Game (second game)">All-Star Game</a> of the year ends in a 1–1 tie as heavy rain halted play. It is the first tie in All-Star history.</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="August">August</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_baseball&action=edit&section=21" title="Edit section: August"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li>August 2 <ul><li>Sophomore pitcher <a href="/wiki/Juan_Marichal" title="Juan Marichal">Juan Marichal</a> of the <a href="/wiki/San_Francisco_Giants" title="San Francisco Giants">San Francisco Giants</a> one-hits the <a href="/wiki/Los_Angeles_Dodgers" title="Los Angeles Dodgers">Los Angeles Dodgers</a> at the <a href="/wiki/Los_Angeles_Memorial_Coliseum" title="Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum">LA Coliseum</a>. <a href="/wiki/Tommy_Davis_(outfielder)" title="Tommy Davis (outfielder)">Tommy Davis</a>' fifth-inning <a href="/wiki/Single_(baseball)" title="Single (baseball)">single</a> is the Dodgers' only <a href="/wiki/Glossary_of_baseball_terms#knock" title="Glossary of baseball terms">"knock."</a> The Dodgers' 6–0 defeat, combined with the <a href="/wiki/Cincinnati_Reds" title="Cincinnati Reds">Cincinnati Reds</a>' doubleheader sweep of the <a href="/wiki/Philadelphia_Phillies" title="Philadelphia Phillies">Philadelphia Phillies</a>, puts Los Angeles (62–39) a full game behind Cincinnati (65–40) in the <a href="/wiki/National_League_(baseball)" title="National League (baseball)">National League</a> race.</li> <li>The <a href="/wiki/Detroit_Tigers" title="Detroit Tigers">Detroit Tigers</a> (64–38–1), now 1½ games off the pace in their pennant battle with the <a href="/wiki/New_York_Yankees" title="New York Yankees">New York Yankees</a> (65–36–1), obtain veteran relief pitcher <a href="/wiki/Gerry_Staley" title="Gerry Staley">Gerry Staley</a> and infielder <a href="/wiki/Reno_Bertoia" title="Reno Bertoia">Reno Bertoia</a> from the <a href="/wiki/Kansas_City_Athletics" title="Kansas City Athletics">Kansas City Athletics</a> for pitcher <a href="/wiki/Bill_Fischer_(baseball)" title="Bill Fischer (baseball)">Bill Fischer</a> and infielder <a href="/wiki/Ozzie_Virgil_Sr." title="Ozzie Virgil Sr.">Ozzie Virgil</a>. Staley, 40, is coming off two stellar seasons as bullpen ace of the 1959–1960 <a href="/wiki/Chicago_White_Sox" title="Chicago White Sox">Chicago White Sox</a>; Bertoia returns to Detroit and team that first signed him as a teenaged "<a href="/wiki/Bonus_baby" class="mw-redirect" title="Bonus baby">bonus baby</a>" in 1953.</li></ul></li> <li>August 3 – <a href="/wiki/Smoky_Burgess" title="Smoky Burgess">Smoky Burgess</a> belts two home runs and collects six RBI, <a href="/wiki/Dick_Stuart" title="Dick Stuart">Dick Stuart</a> homers once and knocks in five runs, and <a href="/wiki/Roberto_Clemente" title="Roberto Clemente">Roberto Clemente</a> goes five-for-six and scores four times in the defending <a href="/wiki/1960_World_Series" title="1960 World Series">World Series</a> champion <a href="/wiki/Pittsburgh_Pirates" title="Pittsburgh Pirates">Pittsburgh Pirates</a>' 19–0 rout of the <a href="/wiki/St._Louis_Cardinals" title="St. Louis Cardinals">St. Louis Cardinals</a> at <a href="/wiki/Sportsman%27s_Park" title="Sportsman's Park">Busch Stadium</a>. It's one of the few highlights of the Bucs' disappointing 1961 season.</li> <li>August 6 – <a href="/wiki/Mickey_Mantle" title="Mickey Mantle">Mickey Mantle</a>'s 41st and 42nd homers of 1961 help his <a href="/wiki/New_York_Yankees" title="New York Yankees">New York Yankees</a> outlast the visiting <a href="/wiki/Minnesota_Twins" title="Minnesota Twins">Minnesota Twins</a> 7–6 in 15 innings in the first game of a Sunday doubleheader. Mantle's 43rd blast of the season and two runs scored enable the Yanks to sweep by taking the nightcap, 3–2.</li> <li>August 11 – <a href="/wiki/Warren_Spahn" title="Warren Spahn">Warren Spahn</a> of the <a href="/wiki/Milwaukee_Braves" title="Milwaukee Braves">Milwaukee Braves</a> records his 300th career win, beating the <a href="/wiki/Chicago_Cubs" title="Chicago Cubs">Chicago Cubs</a> 2–1 at <a href="/wiki/Milwaukee_County_Stadium" title="Milwaukee County Stadium">County Stadium</a>. Spahn also knocks in the game's first run with a <a href="/wiki/Sacrifice_fly" title="Sacrifice fly">sacrifice fly</a>.</li> <li>August 16 – In a Wednesday <a href="/wiki/Doubleheader_(baseball)" title="Doubleheader (baseball)">"twinight doubleheader"</a> at <a href="/wiki/Los_Angeles_Memorial_Coliseum" title="Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum">Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum</a>, the <a href="/wiki/Cincinnati_Reds" title="Cincinnati Reds">Cincinnati Reds</a>' <a href="/wiki/Bob_Purkey" title="Bob Purkey">Bob Purkey</a> and <a href="/wiki/Jim_O%27Toole" title="Jim O'Toole">Jim O'Toole</a> each throw complete-game shutouts to defeat the <a href="/wiki/Los_Angeles_Dodgers" title="Los Angeles Dodgers">Dodgers</a>, 6–0 and 8–0, and retake first place in the <a href="/wiki/National_League_(baseball)" title="National League (baseball)">National League</a>. Los Angeles had held the NL's top spot since August 8.</li> <li>August 20 – The <a href="/wiki/Philadelphia_Phillies" title="Philadelphia Phillies">Philadelphia Phillies</a> snap a modern-day record 23-game losing streak, defeating the <a href="/wiki/Milwaukee_Braves_(1953%E2%80%9365)" class="mw-redirect" title="Milwaukee Braves (1953–65)">Milwaukee Braves</a> 7–4 in the second game of a doubleheader at <a href="/wiki/Milwaukee_County_Stadium" title="Milwaukee County Stadium">Milwaukee County Stadium</a>. Phillie pitcher <a href="/wiki/John_Buzhardt" title="John Buzhardt">John Buzhardt</a> goes the distance for the victory; he had also been the winning pitcher in the Phillies' last victory prior to the start of the losing streak, on July 28 against the <a href="/wiki/San_Francisco_Giants" title="San Francisco Giants">San Francisco Giants</a>.</li> <li>August 20 – Two <a href="/wiki/Minnesota_Twins" title="Minnesota Twins">Minnesota Twins</a> pitchers homer off two <a href="/wiki/Los_Angeles_Angels" title="Los Angeles Angels">Los Angeles Angels</a> pitchers, to become the sixth (and last) pitching duo to homer in the same game. Starter <a href="/wiki/Jack_Kralick" title="Jack Kralick">Jack Kralick</a> leads off the third inning with a homer off <a href="/wiki/Jim_Donohue" title="Jim Donohue">Jim Donohue</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Al_Schroll" title="Al Schroll">Al Schroll</a> hits a lead-off homer in the eighth off <a href="/wiki/Art_Fowler" title="Art Fowler">Art Fowler</a>.</li> <li>August 21 – The Baltimore Orioles purchase the contract of <a href="/wiki/Charley_Lau" title="Charley Lau">Charley Lau</a> from the Milwaukee Braves.</li> <li>August 22 <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Roger_Maris" title="Roger Maris">Roger Maris</a> becomes the first player to hit his 50th home run of the season in the month of August as the Yankees lose to the <a href="/wiki/Los_Angeles_Angels" title="Los Angeles Angels">Los Angeles Angels</a> 4–3. Angels' pitcher <a href="/wiki/Ken_McBride" title="Ken McBride">Ken McBride</a> tees up the gopher ball in the sixth inning with one on.</li> <li>Less than nine months into his tenure as owner of the <a href="/wiki/Kansas_City_Athletics" title="Kansas City Athletics">Kansas City Athletics</a>, <a href="/wiki/Charles_O._Finley" class="mw-redirect" title="Charles O. Finley">Charles O. Finley</a> fires his hand-picked <a href="/wiki/General_manager_(baseball)" title="General manager (baseball)">general manager</a>, <a href="/wiki/Frank_Lane" title="Frank Lane">Frank Lane</a>. Finley names <a href="/wiki/Pat_Friday" title="Pat Friday">Pat Friday</a>, a 36-year-old employee of his insurance firm, as Lane's successor; Friday has no baseball experience. Finley and Lane will fight each other in court for almost five years over Lane's severance pay. During his seven months as Kansas City's general manager, "Trader" Lane has lived up to his reputation, making 20 deals, not counting amateur free-agent signings.</li></ul></li> <li>August 23 – At <a href="/wiki/Crosley_Field" title="Crosley Field">Crosley Field</a>, the <a href="/wiki/San_Francisco_Giants" title="San Francisco Giants">San Francisco Giants</a> hit five home runs in a 12-run ninth inning, beating the host <a href="/wiki/Cincinnati_Reds" title="Cincinnati Reds">Cincinnati Reds</a>, 14–0.</li> <li>August 24 – Ageless <a href="/wiki/Satchel_Paige" title="Satchel Paige">Satchel Paige</a> signs with the <a href="/wiki/Portland_Beavers" title="Portland Beavers">Portland Beavers</a> of the <a href="/wiki/Pacific_Coast_League" title="Pacific Coast League">Pacific Coast League</a>. in 25 innings for Portland, he will have a 2.88 ERA.</li> <li>August 26 – Hall of Fame first baseman <a href="/wiki/Hank_Greenberg" title="Hank Greenberg">Hank Greenberg</a> steps down as <a href="/wiki/General_manager_(baseball)" title="General manager (baseball)">general manager</a> of the <a href="/wiki/Chicago_White_Sox" title="Chicago White Sox">Chicago White Sox</a>. He is succeeded by <a href="/wiki/Ed_Short" title="Ed Short">Ed Short</a>, the ChiSox' publicity director.</li> <li>August 27 – In their second crucial doubleheader in 11 days—this time at <a href="/wiki/Crosley_Field" title="Crosley Field">Crosley Field</a>—the <a href="/wiki/Cincinnati_Reds" title="Cincinnati Reds">Cincinnati Reds</a> again sweep the <a href="/wiki/Los_Angeles_Dodgers" title="Los Angeles Dodgers">Los Angeles Dodgers</a>, 6–5 and 8–3. Cincinnati's lead in the NL swells to 3½ games.</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="September">September</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_baseball&action=edit&section=22" title="Edit section: September"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li>September 1 <ul><li>As a critical three-game series begins in <a href="/wiki/Yankee_Stadium_(1923)" title="Yankee Stadium (1923)">New York</a>, the <a href="/wiki/Detroit_Tigers" title="Detroit Tigers">Detroit Tigers</a> sit 1½ games behind the first-place <a href="/wiki/New_York_Yankees" title="New York Yankees">Yankees</a>. After both clubs battle into the home half of the ninth of a scoreless tie, the Bombers string together three straight <a href="/wiki/Single_(baseball)" title="Single (baseball)">singles</a> from <a href="/wiki/Elston_Howard" title="Elston Howard">Elston Howard</a>, <a href="/wiki/Yogi_Berra" title="Yogi Berra">Yogi Berra</a> and <a href="/wiki/Bill_Skowron" title="Bill Skowron">Bill Skowron</a> and grab a 1–0 victory. The game starts two streaks: the Tigers lose eight games in a row, while the Yankees win 13 straight. The Yanks' lead balloons to 11½ games by September 12, and they clinch the <a href="/wiki/American_League" title="American League">American League</a> pennant on the 20th.</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Paul_Richards_(baseball)" title="Paul Richards (baseball)">Paul Richards</a> resigns as manager of the <a href="/wiki/Baltimore_Orioles" title="Baltimore Orioles">Baltimore Orioles</a> to become the general manager of the <a href="/wiki/National_League_(baseball)" title="National League (baseball)">National League</a> <a href="/wiki/Expansion_team" title="Expansion team">expansion team</a> to be known as the <a href="/wiki/Houston_Astros" title="Houston Astros">Houston Colt .45s</a>, which will debut in April 1962. <a href="/wiki/Lum_Harris" title="Lum Harris">Lum Harris</a> finishes the year as manager of the Orioles.</li></ul></li> <li>September 2 – <a href="/wiki/Milwaukee_Braves_(1953%E2%80%9365)" class="mw-redirect" title="Milwaukee Braves (1953–65)">Milwaukee Braves</a> manager <a href="/wiki/Chuck_Dressen" title="Chuck Dressen">Chuck Dressen</a> (71–58, fourth in the eight-team NL) is fired and executive vice president <a href="/wiki/Birdie_Tebbetts" title="Birdie Tebbetts">Birdie Tebbetts</a>, who managed Cincinnati between 1954 and 1958, becomes the new Braves' pilot.</li> <li>September 4 – With <a href="/wiki/Labor_Day_(United_States)" class="mw-redirect" title="Labor Day (United States)">Labor Day</a> action completed, the <a href="/wiki/Cincinnati_Reds" title="Cincinnati Reds">Cincinnati Reds</a> hold a two-game lead over the runner-up <a href="/wiki/Los_Angeles_Dodgers" title="Los Angeles Dodgers">Los Angeles Dodgers</a> in the <a href="/wiki/National_League_(baseball)" title="National League (baseball)">National League</a>. In the <a href="/wiki/American_League" title="American League">American League</a>, the <a href="/wiki/New_York_Yankees" title="New York Yankees">New York Yankees</a>' lead over the <a href="/wiki/Detroit_Tigers" title="Detroit Tigers">Detroit Tigers</a> stands at six games, while the race to surpass <a href="/wiki/Babe_Ruth" title="Babe Ruth">Babe Ruth</a>'s single-season home run mark sees <a href="/wiki/Roger_Maris" title="Roger Maris">Roger Maris</a> holding a 53–50 advantage over <a href="/wiki/Mickey_Mantle" title="Mickey Mantle">Mickey Mantle</a>.</li> <li>September 11 – The <a href="/wiki/Houston_Colt_.45s" class="mw-redirect" title="Houston Colt .45s">Houston Colt .45s</a> sign outfielder <a href="/wiki/Rusty_Staub" title="Rusty Staub">Rusty Staub</a> as an amateur free agent and give him a massive, for its time, $100,000 bonus. Staub, 17, had starred at <a href="/wiki/Jesuit_High_School_(New_Orleans)" title="Jesuit High School (New Orleans)">New Orleans' Jesuit High School</a>.</li> <li>September 12 <ul><li>Gaining revenge against their old team, <a href="/wiki/Don_Demeter" title="Don Demeter">Don Demeter</a> smashes three home runs and <a href="/wiki/Charley_Smith" title="Charley Smith">Charley Smith</a> hits one, to help their last-place <a href="/wiki/Philadelphia_Phillies" title="Philadelphia Phillies">Philadelphia Phillies</a> out-slug the <a href="/wiki/Los_Angeles_Dodgers" title="Los Angeles Dodgers">Los Angeles Dodgers</a>, 19–10, at the <a href="/wiki/Los_Angeles_Memorial_Coliseum" title="Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum">Coliseum</a>. The loss drops the Dodgers 4½ games behind the <a href="/wiki/Cincinnati_Reds" title="Cincinnati Reds">Cincinnati Reds</a>. The losing pitcher, <a href="/wiki/Sandy_Koufax" title="Sandy Koufax">Sandy Koufax</a>, is knocked out of the box in the second inning after allowing six earned runs and gaining only four outs.</li> <li>The <a href="/wiki/Chicago_Cubs" title="Chicago Cubs">Chicago Cubs</a>' "<a href="/wiki/College_of_Coaches" title="College of Coaches">College of Coaches</a>" experiment continues, as <a href="/wiki/El_Tappe" title="El Tappe">El Tappe</a> takes over as rotating "head coach" for the third time in 1961. The head-coaching changeover is the Cubs' ninth of the regular season. Tappe's tenure lasts until the season ends and he compiles a 5–11 mark, capping off Chicago's 64–90, seventh-place campaign.</li></ul></li> <li>September 14 – At <a href="/wiki/Sportsman%27s_Park" title="Sportsman's Park">Busch Stadium</a>, the <a href="/wiki/St._Louis_Cardinals" title="St. Louis Cardinals">St. Louis Cardinals</a> and the <a href="/wiki/Chicago_Cubs" title="Chicago Cubs">Chicago Cubs</a> set a National League record by using 72 players in a <a href="/wiki/Doubleheader_(baseball)" title="Doubleheader (baseball)">double header</a>. The Cardinals prevail with 37 players and sweep the twin bill, 8–7 in a regular nine-inning game and then 6–5 in 11 innings. St. Louis' <a href="/wiki/Ken_Boyer" title="Ken Boyer">Ken Boyer</a> posts a 7-for-11 day, <a href="/wiki/Hit_for_the_cycle" class="mw-redirect" title="Hit for the cycle">hitting for the cycle</a> in the nitecap and completing it by belting a <a href="/wiki/Walk-off_home_run" title="Walk-off home run">walk-off home run</a> in the bottom of the 11th.</li> <li>September 22 – <a href="/wiki/Harry_Craft" title="Harry Craft">Harry Craft</a>, one of four men to rotate as "head coach" during the <a href="/wiki/Chicago_Cubs" title="Chicago Cubs">Chicago Cubs</a>' bizarre "<a href="/wiki/College_of_Coaches" title="College of Coaches">College of Coaches</a>" experiment in 1961, is named the first manager in the history of the <a href="/wiki/Houston_Colt_.45s" class="mw-redirect" title="Houston Colt .45s">Houston Colt .45s</a>, who begin play in the National League the following season. Craft formerly managed the 1957–1959 <a href="/wiki/Kansas_City_Athletics" title="Kansas City Athletics">Kansas City Athletics</a>. He will pilot the Colt .45s from 1962 until September 18, 1964.</li> <li>September 23 – In the <a href="/wiki/New_York_Yankees" title="New York Yankees">New York Yankees</a>' 8–3 triumph over the <a href="/wiki/Boston_Red_Sox" title="Boston Red Sox">Boston Red Sox</a> at <a href="/wiki/Fenway_Park" title="Fenway Park">Fenway Park</a>, two future Hall-of-Famers, <a href="/wiki/Whitey_Ford" title="Whitey Ford">Whitey Ford</a> and <a href="/wiki/Mickey_Mantle" title="Mickey Mantle">Mickey Mantle</a>, reach personal bests, with Ford winning his 25th game and Mantle hitting his 54th home run of the 1961 campaign. It's Ford's first of two career 20+-win seasons, while the injury-plagued Mantle will hit no more four-baggers in 1961.</li> <li>September 26 <ul><li>The <a href="/wiki/Cincinnati_Reds" title="Cincinnati Reds">Cincinnati Reds</a> clinch their first <a href="/wiki/National_League_(baseball)" title="National League (baseball)">National League</a> pennant since 1940. Home runs by outfielder <a href="/wiki/Frank_Robinson" title="Frank Robinson">Frank Robinson</a> and pinch hitter <a href="/wiki/Jerry_Lynch" title="Jerry Lynch">Jerry Lynch</a> (a tie breaker in the eighth inning) give the Reds an 8–3 win over the <a href="/wiki/Chicago_Cubs" title="Chicago Cubs">Chicago Cubs</a> at <a href="/wiki/Wrigley_Field" title="Wrigley Field">Wrigley Field</a>.</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Roger_Maris" title="Roger Maris">Roger Maris</a> of the <a href="/wiki/New_York_Yankees" title="New York Yankees">New York Yankees</a> hits his major league record-tying 60th home run of the season, a third inning solo shot against <a href="/wiki/Jack_Fisher" title="Jack Fisher">Jack Fisher</a> of the <a href="/wiki/Baltimore_Orioles" title="Baltimore Orioles">Baltimore Orioles</a>.</li></ul></li> <li>September 30 – The <a href="/wiki/Cleveland_Indians" class="mw-redirect" title="Cleveland Indians">Cleveland Indians</a> fire veteran manager <a href="/wiki/Jimmy_Dykes" title="Jimmy Dykes">Jimmy Dykes</a>, 64, on the eve of the closing day of their 1961 season. The dismissal ends the colorful Dykes' managerial career, which began in 1934 with the <a href="/wiki/Chicago_White_Sox" title="Chicago White Sox">Chicago White Sox</a> and saw him helm six big-league clubs, five in the <a href="/wiki/American_League" title="American League">American League</a>, over 21 seasons. He never won a pennant, and his teams compiled a 1,406–1,541 (.477) record. During the off-season, <a href="/wiki/Mel_McGaha" title="Mel McGaha">Mel McGaha</a>, 35, is named Cleveland's skipper for 1962.</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="October">October</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_baseball&action=edit&section=23" title="Edit section: October"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li>October 1 – Before a small home crowd at <a href="/wiki/Yankee_Stadium_(1923)" title="Yankee Stadium (1923)">Yankee Stadium</a>, <a href="/wiki/Roger_Maris" title="Roger Maris">Roger Maris</a> smacks a 2–0 pitch into the right field stands for his 61st home run of the season—a record that will last until <a href="/wiki/Mark_McGwire" title="Mark McGwire">Mark McGwire</a> breaks it in <a href="/wiki/1998_in_baseball" title="1998 in baseball">1998</a>. The historic homer, hit off rookie right-hander <a href="/wiki/Tracy_Stallard" title="Tracy Stallard">Tracy Stallard</a> of the <a href="/wiki/Boston_Red_Sox" title="Boston Red Sox">Boston Red Sox</a>, is the Yankees' 240th, which sets a major league single-season record.</li> <li>October 2 – After spending 1961 in forced "retirement" from the <a href="/wiki/New_York_Yankees" title="New York Yankees">New York Yankees</a>—although he says he has turned down "five or six" overtures to take the helm of a big-league team in the past 12 months—<a href="/wiki/Casey_Stengel" title="Casey Stengel">Casey Stengel</a>, 71, returns to baseball as the first manager of the <a href="/wiki/New_York_Mets" title="New York Mets">New York Mets</a>, an <a href="/wiki/Expansion_team" title="Expansion team">expansion team</a> poised to enter the <a href="/wiki/National_League_(baseball)" title="National League (baseball)">National League</a> in 1962. "The Ol' Perfessor," who won ten <a href="/wiki/Pennant_(sports)" title="Pennant (sports)">pennants</a> and seven <a href="/wiki/World_Series" title="World Series">World Series</a> titles over his 12-year tenure (1949–1960) with the Yankees, becomes the only man to have played for or managed all four <a href="/wiki/20th_century" title="20th century">20th century</a> New York-based MLB franchises, and will be elected to the <a href="/wiki/Baseball_Hall_of_Fame" class="mw-redirect" title="Baseball Hall of Fame">Baseball Hall of Fame</a> in 1966.</li> <li>October 5 – Seeking to spark interest and attendance as they move into their new ballpark, <a href="/wiki/DC_Stadium" class="mw-redirect" title="DC Stadium">DC Stadium</a>, in 1962, the second-year <a href="/wiki/Washington_Senators_(1961%E2%80%931971)" title="Washington Senators (1961–1971)">Washington Senators</a> acquire colorful centerfielder <a href="/wiki/Jimmy_Piersall" title="Jimmy Piersall">Jimmy Piersall</a> from the <a href="/wiki/Cleveland_Indians" class="mw-redirect" title="Cleveland Indians">Cleveland Indians</a> for 1961 <a href="/wiki/American_League" title="American League">American League</a> <a href="/wiki/Earned-run_average" class="mw-redirect" title="Earned-run average">earned-run average</a> king <a href="/wiki/Dick_Donovan" title="Dick Donovan">Dick Donovan</a>, catcher/outfielder <a href="/wiki/Gene_Green_(baseball)" title="Gene Green (baseball)">Gene Green</a> and infielder <a href="/wiki/Jim_Mahoney" title="Jim Mahoney">Jim Mahoney</a>. Piersall, 31, is a two-time <a href="/wiki/Major_League_Baseball_All-Star_Game" title="Major League Baseball All-Star Game">All-Star</a> who batted .322 in 1961 and won his second <a href="/wiki/Gold_Glove_Award" title="Gold Glove Award">Gold Glove Award</a> for defensive excellence. But, in <a href="/wiki/1962_in_baseball" title="1962 in baseball">1962</a>, Piersall struggles offensively and fails as a drawing card. Meanwhile, veteran pitcher Donovan wins 20 games for the Indians.</li> <li>October 9 – In the decisive Game 5 of the <a href="/wiki/1961_World_Series" title="1961 World Series">World Series</a>, <a href="/wiki/Johnny_Blanchard" title="Johnny Blanchard">Johnny Blanchard</a> and <a href="/wiki/H%C3%A9ctor_L%C3%B3pez" title="Héctor López">Héctor López</a> spark a five-run first inning and 13–5 win for the <a href="/wiki/New_York_Yankees" title="New York Yankees">New York Yankees</a> over the <a href="/wiki/Cincinnati_Reds" title="Cincinnati Reds">Cincinnati Reds</a> and a four-games-to-one Series triumph. Blanchard and López hit home runs, and López drives in five runs. <a href="/wiki/Bud_Daley" title="Bud Daley">Bud Daley</a>'s long relief effort wraps up the Fall Classic, as <a href="/wiki/Ralph_Houk" title="Ralph Houk">Ralph Houk</a> becomes the third rookie manager to guide a World Series winner. <a href="/wiki/Whitey_Ford" title="Whitey Ford">Whitey Ford</a> is named the Series MVP.</li> <li>October 10 – The first <a href="/wiki/National_League_(baseball)" title="National League (baseball)">National League</a> <a href="/wiki/1961_Major_League_Baseball_expansion_draft" title="1961 Major League Baseball expansion draft">expansion draft</a> stocks the rosters of the <a href="/wiki/New_York_Mets" title="New York Mets">New York Mets</a> and <a href="/wiki/Houston_Colt_.45s" class="mw-redirect" title="Houston Colt .45s">Houston Colt .45s</a>, set to debut in 1962. <a href="/wiki/Hobie_Landrith" title="Hobie Landrith">Hobie Landrith</a> is New York's first choice, and <a href="/wiki/Eddie_Bressoud" class="mw-redirect" title="Eddie Bressoud">Eddie Bressoud</a> is Houston's. Both are selected from the <a href="/wiki/San_Francisco_Giants" title="San Francisco Giants">San Francisco Giants</a>.</li> <li>October 11 – The <a href="/wiki/New_York_Mets" title="New York Mets">Mets</a> purchase left-hander <a href="/wiki/Johnny_Antonelli" title="Johnny Antonelli">Johnny Antonelli</a> from the <a href="/wiki/Milwaukee_Braves" title="Milwaukee Braves">Milwaukee Braves</a>. Antonelli is well-remembered from his time as ace of the <a href="/wiki/1954_New_York_Giants_(MLB)_season" title="1954 New York Giants (MLB) season">1954 world-champion New York Giants</a>' pitching staff. But Antonelli, 31, decides to retire from the mound prior to the Mets' inaugural <a href="/wiki/Spring_training" title="Spring training">spring training</a> camp.</li> <li>October 16: <ul><li>The <a href="/wiki/Philadelphia_Phillies" title="Philadelphia Phillies">Philadelphia Phillies</a> sell the contract of six-time 20-game-winner, seven-time NL All-Star and future <a href="/wiki/Baseball_Hall_of_Fame" class="mw-redirect" title="Baseball Hall of Fame">Hall-of-Famer</a> <a href="/wiki/Robin_Roberts_(baseball)" title="Robin Roberts (baseball)">Robin Roberts</a> to the <a href="/wiki/New_York_Yankees" title="New York Yankees">New York Yankees</a>. Roberts, 35, has gone 234–199 (3.46 ERA) in a 529 games as a Phillie, but was only 1–10 (5.85) in 1961.</li> <li>The <a href="/wiki/New_York_Mets" title="New York Mets">New York Mets</a> purchase the contracts of three players. One of them is former <a href="/wiki/Brooklyn_Dodgers" title="Brooklyn Dodgers">Brooklyn Dodgers</a> pitcher <a href="/wiki/Billy_Loes" title="Billy Loes">Billy Loes</a>, ironically acquired from the <a href="/wiki/San_Francisco_Giants" title="San Francisco Giants">San Francisco Giants</a>. However, in February 1962, Loes tells the Mets he can no longer pitch because of a sore arm and he's returned to the Giants, who release him on March 2, 1962.</li></ul></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="November">November</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_baseball&action=edit&section=24" title="Edit section: November"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li>November 15 – <a href="/wiki/Roger_Maris" title="Roger Maris">Roger Maris</a> wins his second consecutive <a href="/wiki/American_League_Most_Valuable_Player_Award" class="mw-redirect" title="American League Most Valuable Player Award">American League Most Valuable Player Award</a>, squeaking past his teammate <a href="/wiki/Mickey_Mantle" title="Mickey Mantle">Mickey Mantle</a> by four votes.</li> <li>November 16 – The <a href="/wiki/New_York_Mets" title="New York Mets">New York Mets</a> logo, designed by sports <a href="/wiki/Cartoonist" title="Cartoonist">cartoonist</a> <a href="/w/index.php?title=Ray_Gatto&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Ray Gatto (page does not exist)">Ray Gatto</a>, is unveiled. The insignia, which is round with orange stitching, represents a baseball. A bridge in the foreground symbolizes that the Mets, in bringing back the <a href="/wiki/National_League_(baseball)" title="National League (baseball)">National League</a> to <a href="/wiki/New_York_City" title="New York City">New York</a>, represent all five boroughs. The skyline in the background includes a church spire, symbolic of <a href="/wiki/Brooklyn" title="Brooklyn">Brooklyn</a>, the <a href="/wiki/Williamsburg_Savings_Bank" class="mw-redirect" title="Williamsburg Savings Bank">Williamsburg Savings Bank</a>, the <a href="/wiki/Woolworth_Building" title="Woolworth Building">Woolworth Building</a>, the <a href="/wiki/Empire_State_Building" title="Empire State Building">Empire State Building</a> and the <a href="/wiki/Headquarters_of_the_United_Nations" title="Headquarters of the United Nations">United Nations Building</a>. The Mets' colors are Dodger blue and Giant orange, symbolic of the return of National League baseball to New York after the Dodgers and Giants moved to <a href="/wiki/California" title="California">California</a>.</li> <li>November 22 – <a href="/wiki/Frank_Robinson" title="Frank Robinson">Frank Robinson</a> becomes the first <a href="/wiki/Cincinnati_Reds" title="Cincinnati Reds">Cincinnati Reds</a> player in 21 years to win the National League MVP Award, taking 219 of 224 possible votes.</li> <li>November 26: <ul><li>The Professional Baseball Rules Committee votes 8–1 against legalizing the <a href="/wiki/Spitball" title="Spitball">spitball</a>. Only American League supervisor of umpires <a href="/wiki/Cal_Hubbard" title="Cal Hubbard">Cal Hubbard</a> votes in favor.</li> <li>The <a href="/wiki/Houston_Colt_.45s" class="mw-redirect" title="Houston Colt .45s">Houston Colt .45s</a> trade their first pick in October's expansion draft, <a href="/wiki/Eddie_Bressoud" class="mw-redirect" title="Eddie Bressoud">Eddie Bressoud</a>, to the <a href="/wiki/Boston_Red_Sox" title="Boston Red Sox">Boston Red Sox</a> for fellow shortstop <a href="/wiki/Don_Buddin" title="Don Buddin">Don Buddin</a>.</li></ul></li> <li>November 27: <ul><li>The <a href="/wiki/Chicago_White_Sox" title="Chicago White Sox">Chicago White Sox</a> again trade fan-favorite <a href="/wiki/Minnie_Mi%C3%B1oso" title="Minnie Miñoso">Minnie Miñoso</a>, this time to the <a href="/wiki/St._Louis_Cardinals" title="St. Louis Cardinals">St. Louis Cardinals</a>, in exchange for first baseman/outfielder <a href="/wiki/Joe_Cunningham_(baseball)" title="Joe Cunningham (baseball)">Joe Cunningham</a>.</li> <li>Lefthander <a href="/wiki/Bo_Belinsky" title="Bo Belinsky">Bo Belinsky</a> is one of 19 players taken in the <a href="/wiki/Rule_5_draft" title="Rule 5 draft">Rule 5 draft</a>. Selected by the <a href="/wiki/Los_Angeles_Angels" title="Los Angeles Angels">Los Angeles Angels</a> from the <a href="/wiki/Baltimore_Orioles" title="Baltimore Orioles">Baltimore Orioles</a>, Belinsky will make headlines in 1962—on the field by throwing a <a href="/wiki/No-hitter" title="No-hitter">no-hitter</a> and, off the field, with his freewheeling, bachelor lifestyle.</li></ul></li> <li>November 28: <ul><li>The <a href="/wiki/Chicago_White_Sox" title="Chicago White Sox">Chicago White Sox</a> trade veteran first baseman <a href="/wiki/Roy_Sievers" title="Roy Sievers">Roy Sievers</a>, a former <a href="/wiki/American_League" title="American League">American League</a> home-run champion, to the <a href="/wiki/Philadelphia_Phillies" title="Philadelphia Phillies">Philadelphia Phillies</a> for pitcher <a href="/wiki/John_Buzhardt" title="John Buzhardt">John Buzhardt</a> and third baseman <a href="/wiki/Charley_Smith" title="Charley Smith">Charley Smith</a>.</li> <li>The <a href="/wiki/New_York_Mets" title="New York Mets">New York Mets</a> acquire hard-hitting outfielder <a href="/wiki/Frank_Thomas_(outfielder)" title="Frank Thomas (outfielder)">Frank Thomas</a> from the <a href="/wiki/Milwaukee_Braves" title="Milwaukee Braves">Milwaukee Braves</a> for a "<a href="/wiki/Player_to_be_named_later" title="Player to be named later">player to be named later</a>" (former All-Star outfielder <a href="/wiki/Gus_Bell" title="Gus Bell">Gus Bell</a>, who will not be added to the deal until May 22, 1962). Thomas will lead the hapless <a href="/wiki/1962_New_York_Mets_season" title="1962 New York Mets season">1962 Mets</a> in <a href="/wiki/Home_runs" class="mw-redirect" title="Home runs">home runs</a> (34) and <a href="/wiki/Runs_batted_in" class="mw-redirect" title="Runs batted in">runs batted in</a> (94).</li></ul></li> <li>November 30 <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Chicago_Cubs" title="Chicago Cubs">Chicago Cubs</a> outfielder <a href="/wiki/Billy_Williams_(left_fielder)" class="mw-redirect" title="Billy Williams (left fielder)">Billy Williams</a>, who hit .278 with 25 home runs and 86 RBI, is selected as the National League Rookie of the Year. Catcher <a href="/wiki/Joe_Torre" title="Joe Torre">Joe Torre</a> of the <a href="/wiki/Milwaukee_Braves_(1953%E2%80%9365)" class="mw-redirect" title="Milwaukee Braves (1953–65)">Milwaukee Braves</a> (.278, 10, 42) and Cubs pitcher <a href="/wiki/Jack_Curtis_(baseball)" title="Jack Curtis (baseball)">Jack Curtis</a> (10 wins, 4.89 ERA) also receive consideration for the honor.</li> <li>The <a href="/wiki/San_Francisco_Giants" title="San Francisco Giants">San Francisco Giants</a> strengthen their mound staff by acquiring two veteran pitchers, southpaw <a href="/wiki/Billy_Pierce" title="Billy Pierce">Billy Pierce</a> and right-hander <a href="/wiki/Don_Larsen" title="Don Larsen">Don Larsen</a>, from the <a href="/wiki/Chicago_White_Sox" title="Chicago White Sox">Chicago White Sox</a> for four players, one of whom is <a href="/wiki/Knuckleball" title="Knuckleball">knuckleball</a> hurler <a href="/wiki/Eddie_Fisher_(baseball)" title="Eddie Fisher (baseball)">Eddie Fisher</a>. Pierce will be instrumental in the Giants' 1962 <a href="/wiki/National_League_(baseball)" title="National League (baseball)">National League</a> pennant drive by winning 16 games, including the opening game of the <a href="/wiki/1962_National_League_tie-breaker_series" title="1962 National League tie-breaker series">three-game tie-breaker</a> against the <a href="/wiki/Los_Angeles_Dodgers" title="Los Angeles Dodgers">Los Angeles Dodgers</a>; Larsen, now a reliever, will face his old team, the <a href="/wiki/New_York_Yankees" title="New York Yankees">New York Yankees</a>, in the <a href="/wiki/1962_World_Series" title="1962 World Series">1962 World Series</a>, and defeat them in Game 4.</li></ul></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="December">December</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_baseball&action=edit&section=25" title="Edit section: December"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li>December 1 – Right-hander <a href="/wiki/Don_Schwall" title="Don Schwall">Don Schwall</a>, who won 15 games for the <a href="/wiki/First_division_(baseball)" title="First division (baseball)">second-division</a> <a href="/wiki/Boston_Red_Sox" title="Boston Red Sox">Boston Red Sox</a>, is named American League Rookie of the Year by the <a href="/wiki/Baseball_Writers%27_Association_of_America" title="Baseball Writers' Association of America">BBWAA</a>. <i><a href="/wiki/The_Sporting_News" title="The Sporting News">The Sporting News</a></i> names <a href="/wiki/Kansas_City_Athletics" title="Kansas City Athletics">Kansas City Athletics</a> shortstop <a href="/wiki/Dick_Howser" title="Dick Howser">Dick Howser</a>, the future manager, its AL "Rookie Player of the Year," with Schwall winning "Rookie Pitcher of the Year" honors.</li> <li>December 2 – MLB clubs vote to curb bonuses. All first-year players not on major-league rosters, except one minor leaguer, can be drafted by any other club for $8,000. Clubs are expected to be unwilling to pay large bonuses for players who will be subject to a draft for just $8,000.</li> <li>December 8 – The fledgling <a href="/wiki/New_York_Mets" title="New York Mets">New York Mets</a> purchase the contract of future Hall-of-Fame centerfielder <a href="/wiki/Richie_Ashburn" title="Richie Ashburn">Richie Ashburn</a> from the <a href="/wiki/Chicago_Cubs" title="Chicago Cubs">Chicago Cubs</a>. In 1962, Ashburn, 35, will bat .306 in 135 games as a Met during his final MLB season.</li> <li>December 15: <ul><li>The <a href="/wiki/Milwaukee_Braves" title="Milwaukee Braves">Milwaukee Braves</a> acquire starting pitcher <a href="/wiki/Bob_Shaw_(baseball)" title="Bob Shaw (baseball)">Bob Shaw</a> and infielder <a href="/wiki/Lou_Klimchock" title="Lou Klimchock">Lou Klimchock</a> from the <a href="/wiki/Kansas_City_Athletics" title="Kansas City Athletics">Kansas City Athletics</a> for catcher <a href="/wiki/Joe_Azcue" title="Joe Azcue">Joe Azcue</a>, third baseman <a href="/wiki/Ed_Charles" title="Ed Charles">Ed Charles</a> and outfielder <a href="/wiki/Manny_Jim%C3%A9nez" title="Manny Jiménez">Manny Jiménez</a>.</li> <li>The <a href="/wiki/New_York_Mets" title="New York Mets">New York Mets</a> acquire second baseman <a href="/wiki/Charlie_Neal" title="Charlie Neal">Charlie Neal</a> and pitcher <a href="/wiki/Willard_Hunter" title="Willard Hunter">Willard Hunter</a> (<a href="/wiki/PTBNL" class="mw-redirect" title="PTBNL">PTBNL</a>) from the <a href="/wiki/Los_Angeles_Dodgers" title="Los Angeles Dodgers">Los Angeles Dodgers</a> for outfielder <a href="/wiki/Lee_Walls" title="Lee Walls">Lee Walls</a> and $100,000. Neal is a former <a href="/wiki/Brooklyn_Dodgers" title="Brooklyn Dodgers">Brooklyn Dodger</a> who later starred in the <a href="/wiki/1959_World_Series" title="1959 World Series">1959 World Series</a>.</li></ul></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Births">Births</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_baseball&action=edit&section=26" title="Edit section: Births"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="January_2">January</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_baseball&action=edit&section=27" title="Edit section: January"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li>January 3 – <a href="/wiki/John_Leister" title="John Leister">John Leister</a></li> <li>January 5 – <a href="/wiki/Henry_Cotto" title="Henry Cotto">Henry Cotto</a></li> <li>January 5 – <a href="/wiki/John_Russell_(catcher)" title="John Russell (catcher)">John Russell</a></li> <li>January 5 – <a href="/wiki/Roger_Samuels" title="Roger Samuels">Roger Samuels</a></li> <li>January 12 – <a href="/wiki/Casey_Candaele" title="Casey Candaele">Casey Candaele</a></li> <li>January 14 – <a href="/wiki/Joe_Redfield" title="Joe Redfield">Joe Redfield</a></li> <li>January 15 – <a href="/wiki/Jody_Lansford" title="Jody Lansford">Jody Lansford</a></li> <li>January 18 – <a href="/wiki/John_Bohnet" title="John Bohnet">John Bohnet</a></li> <li>January 19 – <a href="/wiki/Ken_Dowell" title="Ken Dowell">Ken Dowell</a></li> <li>January 24 – <a href="/wiki/Tim_Barrett_(baseball)" title="Tim Barrett (baseball)">Tim Barrett</a></li> <li>January 29 – <a href="/wiki/Mike_Aldrete" title="Mike Aldrete">Mike Aldrete</a></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="February_2">February</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_baseball&action=edit&section=28" title="Edit section: February"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li>February 2 – <a href="/wiki/Michael_Kay_(sports_broadcaster)" title="Michael Kay (sports broadcaster)">Michael Kay</a></li> <li>February 3 – <a href="/wiki/Freddie_Toliver" title="Freddie Toliver">Freddie Toliver</a></li> <li>February 9 – <a href="/wiki/John_Kruk" title="John Kruk">John Kruk</a></li> <li>February 11 – <a href="/wiki/Steve_Springer" title="Steve Springer">Steve Springer</a></li> <li>February 15 – <a href="/wiki/Mark_Davidson" title="Mark Davidson">Mark Davidson</a></li> <li>February 21 – <a href="/wiki/Joel_Skinner" title="Joel Skinner">Joel Skinner</a></li> <li>February 23 – <a href="/wiki/John_Morris_(outfielder)" title="John Morris (outfielder)">John Morris</a></li> <li>February 23 – <a href="/wiki/Mike_Smith_(1984%E2%80%9389_pitcher)" class="mw-redirect" title="Mike Smith (1984–89 pitcher)">Mike Smith</a></li> <li>February 25 – <a href="/wiki/Dana_Kiecker" title="Dana Kiecker">Dana Kiecker</a></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="March_2">March</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_baseball&action=edit&section=29" title="Edit section: March"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li>March 3 – <a href="/wiki/Ron_Wotus" title="Ron Wotus">Ron Wotus</a></li> <li>March 5 – <a href="/wiki/Steve_Ontiveros_(pitcher)" title="Steve Ontiveros (pitcher)">Steve Ontiveros</a></li> <li>March 8 – <a href="/wiki/Mark_Salas" title="Mark Salas">Mark Salas</a></li> <li>March 10 – <a href="/wiki/Mike_Birkbeck" title="Mike Birkbeck">Mike Birkbeck</a></li> <li>March 11 – <a href="/wiki/Bryan_Oelkers" title="Bryan Oelkers">Bryan Oelkers</a></li> <li>March 24 – <a href="/wiki/Al_Chambers" title="Al Chambers">Al Chambers</a></li> <li>March 26 – <a href="/wiki/Mike_Warren_(baseball)" title="Mike Warren (baseball)">Mike Warren</a></li> <li>March 26 – <a href="/wiki/Mickey_Weston" title="Mickey Weston">Mickey Weston</a></li> <li>March 28 – <a href="/wiki/Glenn_Davis_(baseball)" title="Glenn Davis (baseball)">Glenn Davis</a></li> <li>March 29 – <a href="/wiki/Mike_Kingery" title="Mike Kingery">Mike Kingery</a></li> <li>March 31 – <a href="/wiki/Tracy_Jones" title="Tracy Jones">Tracy Jones</a></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="April_2">April</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_baseball&action=edit&section=30" title="Edit section: April"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li>April 3 – <a href="/wiki/Doug_Baker_(baseball)" title="Doug Baker (baseball)">Doug Baker</a></li> <li>April 3 – <a href="/wiki/Tim_Crews" title="Tim Crews">Tim Crews</a></li> <li>April 4 – <a href="/wiki/Brad_Komminsk" title="Brad Komminsk">Brad Komminsk</a></li> <li>April 9 – <a href="/wiki/Brian_Dorsett" title="Brian Dorsett">Brian Dorsett</a></li> <li>April 9 – <a href="/wiki/Kirk_McCaskill" title="Kirk McCaskill">Kirk McCaskill</a></li> <li>April 14 – <a href="/wiki/Jay_Aldrich" title="Jay Aldrich">Jay Aldrich</a></li> <li>April 19 – <a href="/wiki/Spike_Owen" title="Spike Owen">Spike Owen</a></li> <li>April 20 – <a href="/wiki/Don_Mattingly" title="Don Mattingly">Don Mattingly</a></li> <li>April 22 – <a href="/wiki/Jimmy_Key" title="Jimmy Key">Jimmy Key</a></li> <li>April 26 – <a href="/wiki/Curtis_Wilkerson" title="Curtis Wilkerson">Curtis Wilkerson</a></li> <li>April 27 – <a href="/wiki/Ray_Hayward" title="Ray Hayward">Ray Hayward</a></li> <li>April 29 – <a href="/wiki/Wes_Gardner" title="Wes Gardner">Wes Gardner</a></li> <li>April 29 – <a href="/wiki/Louie_Meadows" title="Louie Meadows">Louie Meadows</a></li> <li>April 30 – <a href="/wiki/Tony_Mack" title="Tony Mack">Tony Mack</a></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="May_2">May</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_baseball&action=edit&section=31" title="Edit section: May"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li>May 3 – <a href="/wiki/Bob_Buchanan_(baseball)" title="Bob Buchanan (baseball)">Bob Buchanan</a></li> <li>May 7 – <a href="/wiki/Manny_Hern%C3%A1ndez" title="Manny Hernández">Manny Hernández</a></li> <li>May 19 – <a href="/wiki/Ken_Gerhart" title="Ken Gerhart">Ken Gerhart</a></li> <li>May 20 – <a href="/wiki/Ralph_Bryant" title="Ralph Bryant">Ralph Bryant</a></li> <li>May 21 – <a href="/wiki/Greg_Tabor" title="Greg Tabor">Greg Tabor</a></li> <li>May 23 – <a href="/wiki/Kevin_Romine" title="Kevin Romine">Kevin Romine</a></li> <li>May 25 – <a href="/wiki/Kerwin_Danley" title="Kerwin Danley">Kerwin Danley</a></li> <li>May 30 – <a href="/wiki/Jim_Steels" class="mw-redirect" title="Jim Steels">Jim Steels</a></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="June_2">June</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_baseball&action=edit&section=32" title="Edit section: June"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li>June 2 – <a href="/wiki/Jeff_Schulz" title="Jeff Schulz">Jeff Schulz</a></li> <li>June 3 – <a href="/wiki/Jos%C3%A9_Tolentino" title="José Tolentino">José Tolentino</a></li> <li>June 8 – <a href="/wiki/Kevin_Gross" title="Kevin Gross">Kevin Gross</a></li> <li>June 9 – <a href="/wiki/Tom_Edens" title="Tom Edens">Tom Edens</a></li> <li>June 17 – <a href="/wiki/Mickey_Brantley" title="Mickey Brantley">Mickey Brantley</a></li> <li>June 17 – <a href="/wiki/V%C3%ADctor_Mata" title="Víctor Mata">Víctor Mata</a></li> <li>June 18 – <a href="/wiki/Andr%C3%A9s_Galarraga" title="Andrés Galarraga">Andrés Galarraga</a></li> <li>June 18 – <a href="/wiki/Tom_McCarthy_(1980s_pitcher)" title="Tom McCarthy (1980s pitcher)">Tom McCarthy</a></li> <li>June 19 – <a href="/wiki/Steve_Stanicek" title="Steve Stanicek">Steve Stanicek</a></li> <li>June 20 – <a href="/wiki/Gary_Varsho" title="Gary Varsho">Gary Varsho</a></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="July_2">July</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_baseball&action=edit&section=33" title="Edit section: July"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li>July 14 – <a href="/wiki/Vic_Rodriguez_(baseball)" title="Vic Rodriguez (baseball)">Vic Rodriguez</a></li> <li>July 16 – <a href="/wiki/DeMarlo_Hale" title="DeMarlo Hale">DeMarlo Hale</a></li> <li>July 23 – <a href="/wiki/Chuck_Crim" title="Chuck Crim">Chuck Crim</a></li> <li>July 27 – <a href="/wiki/Nelson_Santovenia" title="Nelson Santovenia">Nelson Santovenia</a></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="August_2">August</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_baseball&action=edit&section=34" title="Edit section: August"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li>August 2 – <a href="/wiki/Danny_Sheaffer" title="Danny Sheaffer">Danny Sheaffer</a></li> <li>August 4 – <a href="/wiki/Mark_Wasinger" title="Mark Wasinger">Mark Wasinger</a></li> <li>August 15 – <a href="/wiki/Chris_Brown_(baseball)" title="Chris Brown (baseball)">Chris Brown</a></li> <li>August 16 – <a href="/wiki/Greg_Jelks" title="Greg Jelks">Greg Jelks</a></li> <li>August 16 – <a href="/wiki/Donnie_Scott" title="Donnie Scott">Donnie Scott</a></li> <li>August 18 – <a href="/wiki/Jack_Howell_(baseball)" title="Jack Howell (baseball)">Jack Howell</a></li> <li>August 19 – <a href="/wiki/Mark_Ciardi" title="Mark Ciardi">Mark Ciardi</a></li> <li>August 23 – <a href="/wiki/Tony_Ghelfi" title="Tony Ghelfi">Tony Ghelfi</a></li> <li>August 26 – <a href="/wiki/%C3%81ngel_Hern%C3%A1ndez_(umpire)" title="Ángel Hernández (umpire)">Ángel Hernández</a></li> <li>August 26 – <a href="/wiki/Jeff_Parrett" title="Jeff Parrett">Jeff Parrett</a></li> <li>August 27 – <a href="/wiki/Mike_Maddux" title="Mike Maddux">Mike Maddux</a></li> <li>August 29 – <a href="/wiki/Jeff_Kellogg" title="Jeff Kellogg">Jeff Kellogg</a></li> <li>August 31 – <a href="/wiki/Mike_Hartley_(baseball)" title="Mike Hartley (baseball)">Mike Hartley</a></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="September_2">September</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_baseball&action=edit&section=35" title="Edit section: September"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li>September 2 – <a href="/wiki/Jeff_Russell" title="Jeff Russell">Jeff Russell</a></li> <li>September 5 – <a href="/wiki/Tom_Dozier" title="Tom Dozier">Tom Dozier</a></li> <li>September 6 – <a href="/wiki/Roy_Smith_(1980s_pitcher)" title="Roy Smith (1980s pitcher)">Roy Smith</a></li> <li>September 9 – <a href="/wiki/Jim_Corsi_(baseball)" title="Jim Corsi (baseball)">Jim Corsi</a></li> <li>September 16 – <a href="/wiki/Scott_Medvin" title="Scott Medvin">Scott Medvin</a></li> <li>September 16 – <a href="/wiki/Mark_Parent_(baseball)" title="Mark Parent (baseball)">Mark Parent</a></li> <li>September 16 – <a href="/wiki/Chris_Pittaro" title="Chris Pittaro">Chris Pittaro</a></li> <li>September 22 – <a href="/wiki/Vince_Coleman_(baseball)" title="Vince Coleman (baseball)">Vince Coleman</a></li> <li>September 22 – <a href="/wiki/Bob_Geren" title="Bob Geren">Bob Geren</a></li> <li>September 26 – <a href="/wiki/Steve_Buechele" title="Steve Buechele">Steve Buechele</a></li> <li>September 28 – <a href="/wiki/Ed_Vosberg" title="Ed Vosberg">Ed Vosberg</a></li> <li>September 28 – <a href="/wiki/Kevin_Ward_(baseball)" title="Kevin Ward (baseball)">Kevin Ward</a></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="October_2">October</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_baseball&action=edit&section=36" title="Edit section: October"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li>October 4 – <a href="/wiki/Mike_Sharperson" title="Mike Sharperson">Mike Sharperson</a></li> <li>October 13 – <a href="/wiki/Mike_Capel" title="Mike Capel">Mike Capel</a></li> <li>October 16 – <a href="/wiki/Dave_Stapleton_(pitcher)" title="Dave Stapleton (pitcher)">Dave Stapleton</a></li> <li>October 16 – <a href="/wiki/Billy_Taylor_(1990s_pitcher)" title="Billy Taylor (1990s pitcher)">Billy Taylor</a></li> <li>October 17 – <a href="/wiki/Dan_Pasqua" title="Dan Pasqua">Dan Pasqua</a></li> <li>October 19 – <a href="/wiki/Tim_Belcher" title="Tim Belcher">Tim Belcher</a></li> <li>October 20 – <a href="/wiki/Jerry_Meals" title="Jerry Meals">Jerry Meals</a></li> <li>October 20 – <a href="/wiki/Keith_Smith_(shortstop)" title="Keith Smith (shortstop)">Keith Smith</a></li> <li>October 23 – <a href="/wiki/Jim_Presley" title="Jim Presley">Jim Presley</a></li> <li>October 24 – <a href="/wiki/Rafael_Belliard" title="Rafael Belliard">Rafael Belliard</a></li> <li>October 24 – <a href="/wiki/Danny_Clay" title="Danny Clay">Danny Clay</a></li> <li>October 24 – <a href="/wiki/Steve_Ziem" title="Steve Ziem">Steve Ziem</a></li> <li>October 26 – <a href="/wiki/Gus_Polidor" title="Gus Polidor">Gus Polidor</a></li> <li>October 27 – <a href="/wiki/Bill_Swift" title="Bill Swift">Bill Swift</a></li> <li>October 28 – <a href="/wiki/Bob_Melvin" title="Bob Melvin">Bob Melvin</a></li> <li>October 30 – <a href="/wiki/Scott_Garrelts" title="Scott Garrelts">Scott Garrelts</a></li> <li>October 30 – <a href="/wiki/Joe_Johnson_(baseball)" title="Joe Johnson (baseball)">Joe Johnson</a></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="November_2">November</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_baseball&action=edit&section=37" title="Edit section: November"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li>November 4 – <a href="/wiki/Mark_Bailey_(baseball)" title="Mark Bailey (baseball)">Mark Bailey</a></li> <li>November 4 – <a href="/wiki/Logan_Easley" title="Logan Easley">Logan Easley</a></li> <li>November 4 – <a href="/wiki/Argenis_Salazar" class="mw-redirect" title="Argenis Salazar">Ángel Salazar</a></li> <li>November 5 – <a href="/wiki/Fred_Manrique" title="Fred Manrique">Fred Manrique</a></li> <li>November 7 – <a href="/wiki/Orlando_Mercado" title="Orlando Mercado">Orlando Mercado</a></li> <li>November 10 – <a href="/wiki/Phil_Ouellette" title="Phil Ouellette">Phil Ouellette</a></li> <li>November 11 – <a href="/wiki/Pete_Coachman" title="Pete Coachman">Pete Coachman</a></li> <li>November 11 – <a href="/wiki/Scott_May_(baseball)" title="Scott May (baseball)">Scott May</a></li> <li>November 11 – <a href="/wiki/Kevin_Towers" title="Kevin Towers">Kevin Towers</a></li> <li>November 12 – <a href="/wiki/Greg_Gagne_(baseball)" title="Greg Gagne (baseball)">Greg Gagne</a></li> <li>November 15 – <a href="/wiki/Mike_Payne_(baseball)" title="Mike Payne (baseball)">Mike Payne</a></li> <li>November 18 – <a href="/wiki/Mike_Felder" title="Mike Felder">Mike Felder</a></li> <li>November 19 – <a href="/wiki/Jeff_Hearron" title="Jeff Hearron">Jeff Hearron</a></li> <li>November 27 – <a href="/wiki/Randy_Milligan" title="Randy Milligan">Randy Milligan</a></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="December_2">December</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_baseball&action=edit&section=38" title="Edit section: December"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li>December 1 – <a href="/wiki/Herm_Winningham" title="Herm Winningham">Herm Winningham</a></li> <li>December 4 – <a href="/wiki/Alexis_Infante" title="Alexis Infante">Alexis Infante</a></li> <li>December 9 – <a href="/wiki/Bruce_Tanner" title="Bruce Tanner">Bruce Tanner</a></li> <li>December 11 – <a href="/wiki/Mike_Henneman" title="Mike Henneman">Mike Henneman</a></li> <li>December 11 – <a href="/wiki/Bob_Sebra" title="Bob Sebra">Bob Sebra</a></li> <li>December 14 – <a href="/wiki/Jeff_Robinson_(starting_pitcher)" title="Jeff Robinson (starting pitcher)">Jeff Robinson</a></li> <li>December 18 – <a href="/wiki/Scott_Bailes" title="Scott Bailes">Scott Bailes</a></li> <li>December 18 – <a href="/wiki/Dave_Hengel" title="Dave Hengel">Dave Hengel</a></li> <li>December 21 – <a href="/wiki/Michael_Weiner_(executive)" title="Michael Weiner (executive)">Michael Weiner</a></li> <li>December 22 – <a href="/wiki/Andy_Allanson" title="Andy Allanson">Andy Allanson</a></li> <li>December 25 – <a href="/wiki/Rick_Renteria" title="Rick Renteria">Rick Renteria</a></li> <li>December 26 – <a href="/wiki/Storm_Davis" title="Storm Davis">Storm Davis</a></li> <li>December 26 – <a href="/wiki/Jim_Traber" title="Jim Traber">Jim Traber</a></li> <li>December 31 – <a href="/wiki/Rick_Aguilera" title="Rick Aguilera">Rick Aguilera</a></li> <li>December 31 – <a href="/wiki/Steve_Engel" title="Steve Engel">Steve Engel</a></li> <li>December 31 – <a href="/wiki/Donell_Nixon" title="Donell Nixon">Donell Nixon</a></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Deaths">Deaths</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_baseball&action=edit&section=39" title="Edit section: Deaths"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="January_3">January</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_baseball&action=edit&section=40" title="Edit section: January"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li>January 5 – <a href="/wiki/Fred_Luderus" title="Fred Luderus">Fred Luderus</a>, 75, Philadelphia Phillies first baseman of the 1910s, captain of the 1915 NL champions.</li> <li>January 8 – <a href="/wiki/Ray_Nelson_(baseball)" title="Ray Nelson (baseball)">Ray Nelson</a>, 85, second baseman who played in 39 games for the 1921 New York Giants.</li> <li>January 8 – <a href="/wiki/Schoolboy_Rowe" title="Schoolboy Rowe">Schoolboy Rowe</a>, 50, three-time All-Star pitcher who won 158 games, mainly with the Detroit Tigers (1933–1942) and Philadelphia Phillies (1943 and 1946–1949); member of Detroit's 1935 World Series champions.</li> <li>January 14 – <a href="/wiki/John_Cavanaugh_(baseball)" title="John Cavanaugh (baseball)">John Cavanaugh</a>, 60, third baseman who played in one game for the Philadelphia Phillies on July 5, 1919.</li> <li>January 15 – <a href="/wiki/Lefty_Capers" title="Lefty Capers">Lefty Capers</a>, 54, pitcher who worked in 15 games for Louisville of the Negro leagues in 1930 and 1931.</li> <li>January 15 – <a href="/wiki/Joe_Price_(outfielder)" title="Joe Price (outfielder)">Joe Price</a>, 63, outfielder who appeared in one game for the New York Giants on September 5, 1928.</li> <li>January 17 – <a href="/wiki/Bud_Tinning" title="Bud Tinning">Bud Tinning</a>, 54, pitcher who appeared in 99 games for the 1932–1934 Chicago Cubs and 1935 St. Louis Cardinals; led National League in winning percentage in 1933 (.684).</li> <li>January 18 – <a href="/wiki/Gene_Woodburn" title="Gene Woodburn">Gene Woodburn</a>, 74, pitcher who worked in 31 contests for the 1911–1912 St. Louis Cardinals.</li> <li>January 26 – <a href="/wiki/George_Hogreiver" title="George Hogreiver">George Hogreiver</a>, 91, outfielder in 123 games for the 1896 Cincinnati Reds and the 1901 Milwaukee Brewers.</li> <li>January 28 – <a href="/wiki/Red_Kelly_(baseball)" title="Red Kelly (baseball)">Red Kelly</a>, 76, outfielder for 1910 Chicago White Sox and Notre Dame graduate.</li> <li>January 28 – <a href="/wiki/Red_Oldham" title="Red Oldham">Red Oldham</a>, 67, pitcher for the Detroit Tigers and Pittsburgh Pirates who worked in 176 games over seven seasons between 1914 and 1926; member of 1925 World Series champion Pirates.</li> <li>January 30 – <a href="/wiki/Aaron_Ward_(baseball)" title="Aaron Ward (baseball)">Aaron Ward</a>, 64, second baseman on the New York Yankees' first championship team in 1923; played in 1,059 games for the Yankees (1917–1926), Chicago White Sox (1927) and Cleveland Indians (1928).</li> <li>January 31 – <a href="/wiki/Guy_Cantrell" title="Guy Cantrell">Guy Cantrell</a>, 56, pitcher who worked in 38 career games over three seasons between 1925 and 1930 for the Brooklyn Robins, Philadelphia Athletics and Detroit Tigers.</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="February_3">February</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_baseball&action=edit&section=41" title="Edit section: February"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li>February 2 – <a href="/wiki/Lefty_Atkinson" title="Lefty Atkinson">Lefty Atkinson</a>, 56, outfielder who appeared in MLB as a pinch runner in one contest (and scored one run) for the 1927 Washington Senators.</li> <li>February 2 – <a href="/wiki/Red_Holt" title="Red Holt">Red Holt</a>, 66, first baseman in 25 games for the 1925 Philadelphia Athletics.</li> <li>February 3 – <a href="/wiki/Dana_Fillingim" title="Dana Fillingim">Dana Fillingim</a>, 67, pitcher who appeared in 200 MLB games between 1915 and 1925, 187 of them for the Boston Braves.</li> <li>February 4 – <a href="/wiki/Parke_Carroll" title="Parke Carroll">Parke Carroll</a>, 56, former newspaper sports editor who became a baseball executive; business manager of the Kansas City Athletics from 1955 to 1958, then general manager in 1959 and 1960.</li> <li>February 4 – <a href="/wiki/Jim_Elam" title="Jim Elam">Jim Elam</a>, 40, pitcher/first baseman for the 1943 Newark Eagles of the Negro National League.</li> <li>February 8 – <a href="/wiki/Bert_Yeabsley" title="Bert Yeabsley">Bert Yeabsley</a>, 67, minor-league outfielder who appeared in MLB in three games as a pinch hitter or pinch runner for the 1919 Philadelphia Phillies.</li> <li>February 11 – <a href="/wiki/Pete_Shields" title="Pete Shields">Pete Shields</a>, 69, first baseman who played 23 games for the Cleveland Indians in April and May 1915.</li> <li>February 15 – <a href="/wiki/Joe_Bean" title="Joe Bean">Joe Bean</a>, 86, shortstop who played 50 games for the 1902 New York Giants.</li> <li>February 16 – <a href="/wiki/Dazzy_Vance" title="Dazzy Vance">Dazzy Vance</a>, 69, Hall of Fame pitcher who led the National League in strikeouts seven years in a row, captured 197 MLB victories (190 for Brooklyn) and won the 1924 MVP award.</li> <li>February 17 – <a href="/wiki/Doc_Johnston" title="Doc Johnston">Doc Johnston</a>, 73, first baseman in 1,056 games over 11 seasons between 1909 and 1922 as a member of the Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Naps/Indians, Pittsburgh Pirates and Philadelphia Athletics.</li> <li>February 19 – <a href="/wiki/Art_Loudell" title="Art Loudell">Art Loudell</a>, 78, pitcher for 1910 Detroit Tigers.</li> <li>February 19 – <a href="/wiki/Epp_Sell" title="Epp Sell">Epp Sell</a>, 63, pitcher who appeared in 12 games for the 1922–1923 St. Louis Cardinals.</li> <li>February 19 – <a href="/wiki/Red_Smith_(shortstop)" title="Red Smith (shortstop)">Red Smith</a>, 61, shortstop who played 20 games for the Philadelphia Athletics in 1925.</li> <li>February 20 – <a href="/wiki/Otto_Krueger_(baseball)" title="Otto Krueger (baseball)">Otto "Oom Paul" Krueger</a>, 84, shortstop and third baseman in 507 games between 1899 and 1905 for Cleveland, St. Louis, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, all of the National League.</li> <li>February 23 – <a href="/wiki/Davey_Crockett_(baseball)" title="Davey Crockett (baseball)">Davey Crockett</a>, 85, first baseman who played 28 games for the 1901 Detroit Tigers.</li> <li>February 26 – <a href="/wiki/Happy_Smith" title="Happy Smith">Happy Smith</a>, 77, outfielder and pinch hitter for the 1910 Brooklyn Superbas.</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="March_3">March</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_baseball&action=edit&section=42" title="Edit section: March"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li>March 1 – <a href="/wiki/Alex_Malloy" title="Alex Malloy">Alex Malloy</a>, 74, pitcher who went 0–6 (2.56) in seven games and six starts for the 1910 St. Louis Browns.</li> <li>March 13 – <a href="/wiki/Joe_Berry_(catcher)" title="Joe Berry (catcher)">Joe Berry</a>, 88, catcher for the Philadelphia Phillies for one game in 1902; his son <a href="/wiki/Joe_Berry_(second_baseman)" title="Joe Berry (second baseman)">Joe Jr.</a> played second base for the 1921–1922 New York Giants.</li> <li>March 13 – <a href="/wiki/Simon_F._Pauxtis" title="Simon F. Pauxtis">Simon Pauxtis</a>, 75, University of Pennsylvania graduate who appeared in four games as a catcher for the 1909 Cincinnati Reds; later, a college football coach (Dickinson College, Widener University).</li> <li>March 13 – <a href="/wiki/Speed_Whatley" class="mw-redirect" title="Speed Whatley">Speed Whatley</a>, 46, outfielder for five Negro leagues clubs (notably the Homestead Grays) between 1937 and 1944; led Negro American League in slugging percentage (.692) as a rookie.</li> <li>March 28 – <a href="/wiki/Jack_Coveney" title="Jack Coveney">Jack Coveney</a>, 80, catcher who played four games for 1903 St. Louis Cardinals.</li> <li>March 28 – <a href="/wiki/Powel_Crosley_Jr." title="Powel Crosley Jr.">Powel Crosley Jr.</a>, 74, industrialist, inventor and entrepreneur; owner of the Cincinnati Reds from 1934 until his death.</li> <li>March 28 – <a href="/wiki/Jim_Hackett" title="Jim Hackett">Jim Hackett</a>, 83, first baseman and pitcher who played in 105 games for the 1902–1903 St. Louis Cardinals.</li> <li>March 30 – <a href="/wiki/Alonzo_Longware" title="Alonzo Longware">Alonzo Longware</a>, 70, third baseman for the Indianapolis ABCs and Detroit Stars in 1920, the maiden season of the Negro National League.</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="April_3">April</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_baseball&action=edit&section=43" title="Edit section: April"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li>April 8 – <a href="/wiki/Fred_Brickell" title="Fred Brickell">Fred Brickell</a>, 54, outfielder who appeared in 501 games for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Philadelphia Phillies between 1926 and 1933; father of <a href="/wiki/Fritz_Brickell" title="Fritz Brickell">Fritz Brickell</a>.</li> <li>April 9 – <a href="/wiki/Lefty_York" title="Lefty York">Lefty York</a>, 68, pitcher who hurled in 68 games for the 1919 Philadelphia Athletics and 1921 Chicago Cubs.</li> <li>April 10 – <a href="/wiki/Jim_Kelly_(baseball)" title="Jim Kelly (baseball)">Jim Kelly</a>, 77, outfielder for the National League's Pittsburgh Pirates (1914) and Boston Braves (1918), and Federal League's Pittsburgh Rebels (1915).</li> <li>April 10 – <a href="/wiki/Branch_Rickey_Jr." title="Branch Rickey Jr.">Branch Rickey Jr.</a>, 47, vice president and farm system director of the Pirates since 1951; farm director and assistant general manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers from 1939 to 1950; son of the <a href="/wiki/Branch_Rickey" title="Branch Rickey">Hall of Fame baseball executive</a>.</li> <li>April 15 – <a href="/wiki/Nick_Cullop_(pitcher)" title="Nick Cullop (pitcher)">Nick Cullop</a>, 73, pitcher for the Cleveland Naps, New York Yankees and St. Louis Browns, who also won 22 games for the 1915 Kansas City Packers in the outlaw Federal League.</li> <li>April 15 – <a href="/wiki/Jess_Doyle" title="Jess Doyle">Jess Doyle</a>, 63, pitcher in 55 big-league games between 1925 and 1931, all but one of them for the Detroit Tigers.</li> <li>April 15 – <a href="/wiki/Cy_Falkenberg" title="Cy Falkenberg">Cy Falkenberg</a>, 81, pitcher who won 130 games over a 12-season career in the American, National and Federal leagues between 1903 and 1917, including 23 for the 1913 Cleveland Naps.</li> <li>April 21 – <a href="/wiki/Lum_Davenport" title="Lum Davenport">Lum Davenport</a>, 60, Chicago White Sox southpaw who pitched in 25 games over all or part of four seasons from 1921 to 1924.</li> <li>April 23 – <a href="/wiki/Jack_Barry_(baseball)" title="Jack Barry (baseball)">Jack Barry</a>, 73, shortstop of the Philadelphia Athletics' "$100,000 infield", coach since 1921 at Holy Cross, where he won the 1952 College World Series and posted the highest career winning percentage (.806) in collegiate history.</li> <li>April 27 – <a href="/wiki/Frank_Gibson_(baseball)" title="Frank Gibson (baseball)">Frank Gibson</a>, 70, catcher and first baseman in 471 games for the 1913 Detroit Tigers and the 1921–1927 Boston Braves.</li> <li>April 28 – <a href="/wiki/Tom_Connolly_(umpire)" title="Tom Connolly (umpire)">Tommy Connolly</a>, 90, Hall of Fame umpire from 1898 to 1931 who worked the first American League game ever, as well as the first contests at Comiskey Park, Shibe Park, Fenway Park and Yankee Stadium.</li> <li>April 28 – <a href="/wiki/Curtis_Ricks" title="Curtis Ricks">Curtis Ricks</a>, 68, pitcher/outfielder for the 1922 Cleveland Tate Stars and 1923 Chicago American Giants of the Negro National League.</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="May_3">May</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_baseball&action=edit&section=44" title="Edit section: May"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li>May 1 – <a href="/wiki/Jim_Hanley" title="Jim Hanley">Jim Hanley</a>, 75, left-handed pitcher who worked in one game for the 1913 New York Yankees.</li> <li>May 4 – <a href="/wiki/Frank_Jude" title="Frank Jude">Frank Jude</a>, 76, Native American (Ojibwe) outfielder and classmate of <a href="/wiki/Jim_Thorpe" title="Jim Thorpe">Jim Thorpe</a>'s at <a href="/wiki/Carlisle_Indian_School" class="mw-redirect" title="Carlisle Indian School">Carlisle Indian School</a> who appeared in 80 games for the 1906 Cincinnati Reds.</li> <li>May 8 – <a href="/wiki/Weldon_Wyckoff" title="Weldon Wyckoff">Weldon Wyckoff</a>, 70, Philadelphia Athletics right-hander who pitched for the 1913 World Series champions, the 1914 American League champions, and the 1915 A's, who fell all the way into the AL basement with a 43–109 record; Wyckoff went 10–22 for that team; he also appeared briefly for 1916 Athletics and 1916–1918 Boston Red Sox.</li> <li>May 11 – <a href="/wiki/Lee_Dunham" title="Lee Dunham">Lee Dunham</a>, 58, first baseman and pinch hitter in five games for the 1926 Philadelphia Phillies.</li> <li>May 11 – <a href="/wiki/Jack_Marshall_(pitcher)" title="Jack Marshall (pitcher)">Jack Marshall</a>, 68, pitcher and part-time first baseman who played in the Negro leagues from 1920 to 1924 and in 1928–1929.</li> <li>May 13 – <a href="/wiki/Al_Humphrey" title="Al Humphrey">Al Humphrey</a>, 75, outfielder in eight games for the 1911 Brooklyn Dodgers.</li> <li>May 13 – <a href="/wiki/Binky_Jones" title="Binky Jones">Binky Jones</a>, 61, shortstop who played in ten games for the 1924 Brooklyn Robins.</li> <li>May 15 – <a href="/wiki/John_Taff" title="John Taff">John Taff</a>, 70, pitcher who appeared in five games for the 1913 Philadelphia Athletics.</li> <li>May 16 – <a href="/wiki/Dick_Harley_(pitcher)" title="Dick Harley (pitcher)">Dick Harley</a>, 86, pitcher who worked in nine games for Boston of the National League in 1905.</li> <li>May 17 – <a href="/wiki/Otto_Knabe" title="Otto Knabe">Otto Knabe</a>, 76, second baseman for the Philadelphia Phillies from 1907 to 1913; also played briefly for Pittsburgh and Chicago of the National League; player-manager for the Baltimore Terrapins of the "outlaw" Federal League.</li> <li>May 17 – <a href="/wiki/Barney_Slaughter" title="Barney Slaughter">Barney Slaughter</a>, 76, pitcher in eight games for the 1910 Phillies.</li> <li>May 21 – <a href="/wiki/Ben_Koehler" title="Ben Koehler">Ben Koehler</a>, 84, outfielder and native of Germany who appeared in 208 games for the 1905–1906 St. Louis Browns.</li> <li>May 22 – <a href="/wiki/Mike_Regan_(baseball)" title="Mike Regan (baseball)">Mike Regan</a>, 73, pitcher who appeared in 55 games for the Cincinnati Reds between 1917 and 1919.</li> <li>May 28 – <a href="/wiki/Fred_Smith_(infielder)" title="Fred Smith (infielder)">Fred Smith</a>, 69, infielder who played 438 career games as a member of the 1913 Boston Braves and 1917 St. Louis Cardinals, as well as for Buffalo and Brooklyn of the Federal League in 1914 and 1915.</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="June_3">June</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_baseball&action=edit&section=45" title="Edit section: June"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li>June 4 – <a href="/wiki/Iron_Davis" title="Iron Davis">Iron Davis</a>, 71, pitcher in 36 games for the New York Highlanders and Boston Braves between 1912 and 1915; threw a no-hit, no-run game against the Philadelphia Phillies on September 9, 1914, the first no-hitter at two-year-old Fenway Park, the Braves' occasional home field that season.</li> <li>June 5 – <a href="/wiki/Syd_Smith_(baseball)" title="Syd Smith (baseball)">Syd Smith</a>, 77, catcher who appeared in 146 games between 1908 and 1915 for the Philadelphia Athletics, St. Louis Browns, Cleveland Naps and Pittsburgh Pirates.</li> <li>June 10 – <a href="/wiki/LaRue_Kirby" title="LaRue Kirby">LaRue Kirby</a>, 71, centerfielder who played three games with 1912 New York Giants and 113 games with St. Louis Terriers (Federal League).</li> <li>June 11 – <a href="/wiki/Frank_Woodward_(baseball)" title="Frank Woodward (baseball)">Frank Woodward</a>, 67, pitcher in 42 games for the Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, Washington Senators and Chicago White Sox between 1918 and 1923.</li> <li>June 16 – <a href="/wiki/Benny_Bowcock" title="Benny Bowcock">Benny Bowcock</a>, 81, second baseman for 1903 St. Louis Browns who appeared in 14 games and batted .320 in 50 at bats.</li> <li>June 16 – <a href="/wiki/Mack_Hillis" title="Mack Hillis">Mack Hillis</a>, 59, infielder who played 12 MLB games as a member of 1924 New York Yankees and 1928 Pittsburgh Pirates.</li> <li>June 16 – <a href="/wiki/Tullie_McAdoo" title="Tullie McAdoo">Tullie McAdoo</a>, 76, light-hitting first baseman who appeared in 253 games in the Negro National League, primarily for St. Louis, from 1920 to 1924.</li> <li>June 16 – <a href="/wiki/Chuck_Miller_(baseball)" title="Chuck Miller (baseball)">Chuck Miller</a>, 71, outfielder and pinch hitter in 40 games for 1913–1914 St. Louis Cardinals.</li> <li>June 17 – <a href="/wiki/Ollie_Johns" title="Ollie Johns">Ollie Johns</a>, 81, left-hander who pitched in four games for the 1905 Cincinnati Reds.</li> <li>June 18 – <a href="/wiki/Eddie_Gaedel" title="Eddie Gaedel">Eddie Gaedel</a>, 36, 3 ft 7 in (1.09 m) player who, as part of a Bill Veeck stunt promotion, made one official MLB appearance as a pinch hitter for the St. Louis Browns on August 19, 1951.</li> <li>June 21 – <a href="/wiki/Alfred_Bergman" title="Alfred Bergman">Al "Big Dutch" Bergman</a>, 71, second baseman and Notre Dame alumnus who appeared in eight games for 1916 Cleveland Indians.</li> <li>June 23 – <a href="/wiki/Connie_Day" title="Connie Day">Connie Day</a>, 63, second baseman whose playing career in the Negro leagues extended over ten seasons between 1920 and 1932.</li> <li>June 26 – <a href="/wiki/Bill_Collins_(outfielder)" title="Bill Collins (outfielder)">Bill Collins</a>, 79, outfielder for Boston, Brooklyn and Chicago of the National League and Buffalo of the Federal League in 1910–1911 and 1913–1914.</li> <li>June 30 – <a href="/wiki/Dizzy_Dismukes" title="Dizzy Dismukes">Dizzy Dismukes</a>, 71, pitcher in 86 games in Negro leagues over nine seasons between 1920 and 1932; played first base and the outfield in six more career contests and managed eight Negro leagues teams.</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="July_3">July</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_baseball&action=edit&section=46" title="Edit section: July"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li>July 3 – <a href="/wiki/Bill_Finneran" title="Bill Finneran">Bill Finneran</a>, 83, umpire in National League (1911–1912 and 1923) and Federal League (1915).</li> <li>July 4 – <a href="/wiki/Jake_Hehl" title="Jake Hehl">Jake Hehl</a>, 61, pitcher who appeared in one game at age 18 for the Brooklyn Robins on June 20, 1918.</li> <li>July 16 – <a href="/wiki/Mike_Mitchell_(baseball)" title="Mike Mitchell (baseball)">Mike Mitchell</a>, 81, outfielder who played 1,124 games for the Cincinnati Reds, Chicago Cubs, Pittsburgh Pirates and Washington Senators between 1907 and 1914.</li> <li>July 17 – <a href="/wiki/Ty_Cobb" title="Ty Cobb">Ty Cobb</a>, 74, the Detroit Tigers' Hall of Fame center fielder (1905–1926) widely recognized during his lifetime as the greatest player in the sport's history, and holder of more records than any other player, including highest lifetime batting average (.367) and most career hits (4,191), runs (2,245), steals (892), games (3,033) and at bats (11,429); as player-manager of Tigers from 1921 to 1926, he compiled a 479–443 (.520) record, then finished his baseball career as a player only with Philadelphia Athletics (1927–1928).</li> <li>July 17 – <a href="/wiki/Ed_Reulbach" title="Ed Reulbach">Ed Reulbach</a>, 78, pitcher who starred for the Chicago Cubs from 1905 to 1913, winning 182 career games.</li> <li>July 18 – <a href="/wiki/Hod_Eller" title="Hod Eller">Hod Eller</a>, 67, pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds from 1917 to 1921, including a 1919 World Series game which saw him strike out six Chicago White Sox batters in a row.</li> <li>July 25 – <a href="/wiki/Carlton_Molesworth" title="Carlton Molesworth">Carlton Molesworth</a>, 85, pitcher in only four games for Washington of the National League in 1895 who went on to a long career as a minor-league manager and scout.</li> <li>July 27 – <a href="/wiki/Jack_Little_(baseball)" title="Jack Little (baseball)">Jack Little</a>, 78, centerfielder and Baylor graduate who played in three games for 1912 New York Highlanders.</li> <li>July 28 – <a href="/wiki/John_Grim_(baseball)" title="John Grim (baseball)">John Grim</a>, 93, 19th-century catcher who appeared in 708 games for Philadelphia, Louisville and Brooklyn of the National League and Rochester and Milwaukee of the American Association between 1888 and 1899 .</li> <li>July 31 – <a href="/wiki/Bud_Weiser" title="Bud Weiser">Bud Weiser</a>, 70, outfielder in 41 games for 1915–1916 Philadelphia Phillies.</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="August_3">August</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_baseball&action=edit&section=47" title="Edit section: August"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li>August 2 – <a href="/wiki/Harry_Gardner_(baseball)" title="Harry Gardner (baseball)">Harry Gardner</a>, 74, pitcher in 14 games for the 1911–1912 Pittsburgh Pirates.</li> <li>August 2 – <a href="/wiki/Walter_Morris" title="Walter Morris">Walter Morris</a>, 81, shortstop in 23 games for the 1908 St. Louis Cardinals, later a longtime minor-league manager and executive who helped to organize 12 different leagues.</li> <li>August 3 – <a href="/wiki/Tom_Downey" title="Tom Downey">Tom Downey</a>, 77, infielder for the Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Phillies and Chicago Cubs (1909–1912), then the Buffalo Bisons of the Federal League (1914–1915).</li> <li>August 4 – <a href="/wiki/Chuck_Rose" title="Chuck Rose">Chuck Rose</a>, 75, outfielder, first baseman and southpaw pitcher who hurled in three games for the St. Louis Browns in 1909.</li> <li>August 14 – <a href="/wiki/Harry_Colliflower" title="Harry Colliflower">Harry Colliflower</a>, 92, pitcher and outfielder for the 1899 Cleveland Spiders who spent one year, 1910, as an American League umpire.</li> <li>August 17 – <a href="/wiki/Jack_McCandless" title="Jack McCandless">Jack McCandless</a>, 70, outfielder in 128 games for Baltimore of the Federal League in 1914 and 1915.</li> <li>August 18 – <a href="/wiki/John_Leary_(baseball)" title="John Leary (baseball)">John Leary</a>, 70, first baseman and catcher in 219 games for the 1914–1915 St. Louis Browns.</li> <li>August 29 – <a href="/wiki/Bill_Schwartz_(first_baseman)" title="Bill Schwartz (first baseman)">Bill Schwartz</a>, 77, first baseman in 24 games for the 1904 Cleveland Naps.</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="September_3">September</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_baseball&action=edit&section=48" title="Edit section: September"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li>September 9 – <a href="/wiki/Jesse_Barnes" title="Jesse Barnes">Jesse Barnes</a>, 69, pitcher who won 152 games for the Boston Braves, New York Giants and Brooklyn Dodgers between 1915 and 1927, including a no-hitter on May 7, 1922, against the Philadelphia Phillies.</li> <li>September 9 – <a href="/wiki/Rube_Oldring" title="Rube Oldring">Rube Oldring</a>, 77, outfielder who played mainly for the Philadelphia Athletics, including four pennant winners (1910, 1911, 1913, 1914).</li> <li>September 11 – <a href="/wiki/Chink_Outen" title="Chink Outen">Bill "Chink" Outen</a>, 56, lefty-swinging catcher and pinch hitter who appeared in 93 games for the 1933 Brooklyn Dodgers.</li> <li>September 15 – <a href="/wiki/Leon_Carlson" title="Leon Carlson">Leon Carlson</a>, 66, relief pitcher who made three appearances for 1920 Washington Senators.</li> <li>September 20 – <a href="/wiki/Jim_McGinley" title="Jim McGinley">Jim McGinley</a>, 82, pitcher for the 1904–1905 St. Louis Cardinals.</li> <li>September 23 – <a href="/wiki/Ted_Jourdan" title="Ted Jourdan">Ted Jourdan</a>, 66, first baseman who played in 75 games for the Chicago White Sox (1916–1918 and 1920).</li> <li>September 26 – <a href="/wiki/Vern_Hughes_(baseball)" title="Vern Hughes (baseball)">Vern Hughes</a>, 68, southpaw who twirled in three contests for the 1914 Baltimore Terrapins (Federal League).</li> <li>September 27 – <a href="/wiki/Bick_Campbell" title="Bick Campbell">Bick Campbell</a>, 63, umpire who worked 936 career games in American League (1928–1931) and National League (1938–1940).</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="October_3">October</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_baseball&action=edit&section=49" title="Edit section: October"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li>October 4 – <a href="/wiki/Roy_Golden" title="Roy Golden">Roy Golden</a>, 73, pitcher who twirled in 37 games for the 1910–1911 St. Louis Cardinals.</li> <li>October 14 – <a href="/wiki/Clyde_Southwick" title="Clyde Southwick">Clyde Southwick</a>, 74, catcher who played four games for the 1911 St. Louis Browns.</li> <li>October 17 – <a href="/wiki/Abe_Atkins" title="Abe Atkins">Abe Atkins</a>, 67, third baseman for the 1923 Toledo Tigers of the Negro National League.</li> <li>October 17 – <a href="/wiki/Harry_Felix" title="Harry Felix">Harry Felix</a>, 86, pitcher in ten games for the New York Giants and Philadelphia Phillies in 1901 and 1902.</li> <li>October 21 – <a href="/wiki/Harry_Gleason" title="Harry Gleason">Harry Gleason</a>, 86, infielder/outfielder who played from 1901 through 1905 for the Boston Americans and St. Louis Browns.</li> <li>October 29 – <a href="/wiki/Tom_Cafego" title="Tom Cafego">Tom Cafego</a>, 50, left fielder, pinch hitter and pinch runner who appeared in four games for 1937 St. Louis Browns.</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="November_3">November</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_baseball&action=edit&section=50" title="Edit section: November"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li>November 1 – <a href="/wiki/Tom_Hughes_(pitcher,_born_1884)" title="Tom Hughes (pitcher, born 1884)">Tom Hughes</a>, 77, pitcher for the New York Highlanders (1906–1907 and 1909–1910) and Boston Braves (1914–1918); threw a no-hit, no-run game against Pittsburgh on June 16, 1916.</li> <li>November 3 – <a href="/wiki/Freddie_Maguire" title="Freddie Maguire">Freddie Maguire</a>, 62, second baseman who played in 618 games for New York Giants, Chicago Cubs and Boston Braves over six seasons between 1922 and 1931.</li> <li>November 4 – <a href="/wiki/Kid_Mohler" title="Kid Mohler">Kid Mohler</a>, 90, whose playing career lasted 24 seasons spanning 1890 to 1914 but appeared in only three games in majors as a rare, left-handed-throwing second baseman for Washington of the National League in 1894; head baseball coach, U.S. Naval Academy, 1929 to 1932; member, Pacific Coast League Hall of Fame.</li> <li>November 6 – <a href="/wiki/Roy_Hartzell" title="Roy Hartzell">Roy Hartzell</a>, 80, outfielder, third baseman and shortstop who appeared in 1,290 games for the St. Louis Browns and New York Highlanders/Yankees between 1906 and 1916.</li> <li>November 17 – <a href="/wiki/Benny_Kauff" title="Benny Kauff">Benny Kauff</a>, 71, "the Ty Cobb of the Feds", outfielder who won back-to-back batting (.370 and .342) and stolen base (75 and 55) titles in the 1914–1915 Federal League, then considered an "outlaw" circuit but now recognized as a major league; also played for New York Highlanders of the American League and New York Giants of the National; banned from baseball by Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis after he was tried and found innocent on charges of car theft in 1920.</li> <li>November 23 – <a href="/wiki/Nick_Carter_(baseball)" title="Nick Carter (baseball)">Nick Carter</a>, 82, pitcher in 14 games for the 1908 Philadelphia Athletics.</li> <li>November 24 – <a href="/wiki/John_Mohardt" title="John Mohardt">John Mohardt</a>, 63, outfielder/pinch runner for 1922 Detroit Tigers.</li> <li>November 27 – <a href="/wiki/Bob_Harmon" title="Bob Harmon">Bob Harmon</a>, 74, pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates from 1909 to 1918; won 23 games for 1911 Cardinals.</li> <li>November 28 – <a href="/wiki/Earl_Moore" title="Earl Moore">Earl Moore</a>, 84, pitcher who won 163 games between 1901 and 1914 in the American, National and Federal leagues; posted a 20–8 won–lost mark for the 1903 Cleveland Naps, and led the American League in ERA (1.74); also won 22 games for the 1910 Philadelphia Phillies.</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="December_3">December</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_baseball&action=edit&section=51" title="Edit section: December"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li>December 5 – <a href="/wiki/Emil_Fuchs_(baseball)" title="Emil Fuchs (baseball)">Judge Emil Fuchs</a>, 83, cash-strapped owner of the Boston Braves from 1922 to July 31, 1935; managed the Braves himself to a last-place 56–98 record in 1929; one of his final acts as owner was the ill-fated 1935 purchase of Babe Ruth, who batted only .181 with six home runs in 28 games, and retired on May 30.</li> <li>December 5 – <a href="/wiki/Frank_Mahar" title="Frank Mahar">Frank Mahar</a>, 83, amateur outfielder pressed into emergency service by Philadelphia Phillies on August 29, 1902, for match against the New York Giants; according to <a href="/wiki/Society_for_American_Baseball_Research" title="Society for American Baseball Research">SABR</a>, he was hit in the mouth by a fly ball in warmups and was forced to leave the game after playing only a single inning in left field.<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li> <li>December 8 – <a href="/wiki/Coonie_Blank" title="Coonie Blank">Coonie Blank</a>, 69, catcher for the 1909 St. Louis Cardinals.</li> <li>December 8 – <a href="/wiki/Lou_Koupal" title="Lou Koupal">Lou Koupal</a>, 62, pitcher who worked in 101 games over six seasons between 1925 and 1937 for four big-league clubs.</li> <li>December 10 – <a href="/wiki/Bert_Maxwell" title="Bert Maxwell">Bert Maxwell</a>, 75, pitched in 21 games over four widely dispersed seasons for 1906 Pittsburgh Pirates, 1908 Philadelphia Athletics, 1911 New York Giants and 1914 Brooklyn Tip-Tops (Federal League).</li> <li>December 15 – <a href="/wiki/Dummy_Hoy" title="Dummy Hoy">William "Dummy" Hoy</a>, 99, center fielder for seven clubs, primarily Cincinnati, over 14 seasons between 1888 and 1902, who scored over 100 runs nine times, and was the game's most accomplished deaf player; he had thrown out the first ball of the 1961 World Series' third game on October 7.</li> <li>December 17 – <a href="/wiki/Ping_Bodie" title="Ping Bodie">Ping Bodie</a>, 74, outfielder in 1,050 games for the Chicago White Sox, Philadelphia Athletics and New York Yankees between 1911 and 1921; one of first Italian-Americans to play in the major leagues.</li> <li>December 25 – <a href="/wiki/Frank_Foutz" title="Frank Foutz">Frank Foutz</a>, 84, first baseman who played 20 games for the 1901 Baltimore Orioles of the American League.</li> <li>December 25 – <a href="/wiki/Don_Savage" title="Don Savage">Don Savage</a>, 42, third baseman who played in 105 games for the 1944–1945 Yankees.</li> <li>December 31 – <a href="/wiki/Dutch_Lieber" title="Dutch Lieber">Dutch Lieber</a>, 51, relief pitcher for the 1934–1935 Philadelphia Athletics; in 21 games, posted a 1–2 won–lost mark with two saves.</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1961_in_baseball&action=edit&section=52" title="Edit section: References"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}</style><div class="reflist"> <div class="mw-references-wrap"><ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-1">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238218222">.mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background-size:contain;padding:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#085;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}</style><cite id="CITEREFMorris" class="citation web cs1">Morris, Peter. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/Frank-Mahar/">"Frank Mahar"</a>. <i>sabr.org</i>. <a href="/wiki/Society_for_American_Baseball_Research" title="Society for American Baseball Research">Society for American Baseball Research</a> Biography Project<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">December 22,</span> 2023</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=sabr.org&rft.atitle=Frank+Mahar&rft.aulast=Morris&rft.aufirst=Peter&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fsabr.org%2Fbioproj%2Fperson%2FFrank-Mahar%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3A1961+in+baseball" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> </ol></div></div> <div class="navbox-styles"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1236075235">.mw-parser-output .navbox{box-sizing:border-box;border:1px solid #a2a9b1;width:100%;clear:both;font-size:88%;text-align:center;padding:1px;margin:1em auto 0}.mw-parser-output .navbox .navbox{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .navbox+.navbox,.mw-parser-output .navbox+.navbox-styles+.navbox{margin-top:-1px}.mw-parser-output .navbox-inner,.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup{width:100%}.mw-parser-output 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style="border-spacing:0;background:transparent;color:inherit"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1239400231"><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:Year_in_baseball" title="Template:Year in baseball"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Year_in_baseball" title="Template talk:Year in baseball"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Year_in_baseball" title="Special:EditPage/Template:Year in baseball"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div><div id="History_of_baseball" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em"><a href="/wiki/Origins_of_baseball" title="Origins of baseball">History of baseball</a></div></th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/1845_to_1868_in_baseball" title="1845 to 1868 in baseball">1845 to 1868</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1869_in_baseball" title="1869 in baseball">1869</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/1870_in_baseball" title="1870 in baseball">1870</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1871_in_baseball" title="1871 in baseball">1871</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1872_in_baseball" title="1872 in baseball">1872</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1873_in_baseball" title="1873 in baseball">1873</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1874_in_baseball" title="1874 in baseball">1874</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1875_in_baseball" title="1875 in baseball">1875</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1876_in_baseball" title="1876 in baseball">1876</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1877_in_baseball" title="1877 in baseball">1877</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1878_in_baseball" title="1878 in baseball">1878</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1879_in_baseball" title="1879 in baseball">1879</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1880_in_baseball" title="1880 in baseball">1880</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1881_in_baseball" title="1881 in baseball">1881</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1882_in_baseball" title="1882 in baseball">1882</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1883_in_baseball" title="1883 in baseball">1883</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1884_in_baseball" title="1884 in baseball">1884</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1885_in_baseball" title="1885 in baseball">1885</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1886_in_baseball" title="1886 in baseball">1886</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1887_in_baseball" title="1887 in baseball">1887</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1888_in_baseball" title="1888 in baseball">1888</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1889_in_baseball" title="1889 in baseball">1889</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/1890_in_baseball" title="1890 in baseball">1890</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1891_in_baseball" title="1891 in baseball">1891</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1892_in_baseball" title="1892 in baseball">1892</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1893_in_baseball" title="1893 in baseball">1893</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1894_in_baseball" title="1894 in baseball">1894</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1895_in_baseball" title="1895 in baseball">1895</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1896_in_baseball" title="1896 in baseball">1896</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1897_in_baseball" title="1897 in baseball">1897</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1898_in_baseball" title="1898 in baseball">1898</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1899_in_baseball" title="1899 in baseball">1899</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1900_in_baseball" title="1900 in baseball">1900</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1901_in_baseball" title="1901 in baseball">1901</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1902_in_baseball" title="1902 in baseball">1902</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1903_in_baseball" title="1903 in baseball">1903</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1904_in_baseball" title="1904 in baseball">1904</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1905_in_baseball" title="1905 in baseball">1905</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1906_in_baseball" title="1906 in baseball">1906</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1907_in_baseball" title="1907 in baseball">1907</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1908_in_baseball" title="1908 in baseball">1908</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1909_in_baseball" title="1909 in baseball">1909</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/1910_in_baseball" title="1910 in baseball">1910</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1911_in_baseball" title="1911 in baseball">1911</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1912_in_baseball" title="1912 in baseball">1912</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1913_in_baseball" title="1913 in baseball">1913</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1914_in_baseball" title="1914 in baseball">1914</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1915_in_baseball" title="1915 in baseball">1915</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1916_in_baseball" title="1916 in baseball">1916</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1917_in_baseball" title="1917 in baseball">1917</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1918_in_baseball" title="1918 in baseball">1918</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1919_in_baseball" title="1919 in baseball">1919</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1920_in_baseball" title="1920 in baseball">1920</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1921_in_baseball" title="1921 in baseball">1921</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1922_in_baseball" title="1922 in baseball">1922</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1923_in_baseball" title="1923 in baseball">1923</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1924_in_baseball" title="1924 in baseball">1924</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1925_in_baseball" title="1925 in baseball">1925</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1926_in_baseball" title="1926 in baseball">1926</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1927_in_baseball" title="1927 in baseball">1927</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1928_in_baseball" title="1928 in baseball">1928</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1929_in_baseball" title="1929 in baseball">1929</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/1930_in_baseball" title="1930 in baseball">1930</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1931_in_baseball" title="1931 in baseball">1931</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1932_in_baseball" title="1932 in baseball">1932</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1933_in_baseball" title="1933 in baseball">1933</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1934_in_baseball" title="1934 in baseball">1934</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1935_in_baseball" title="1935 in baseball">1935</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1936_in_baseball" title="1936 in baseball">1936</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1937_in_baseball" title="1937 in baseball">1937</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1938_in_baseball" title="1938 in baseball">1938</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1939_in_baseball" title="1939 in baseball">1939</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1940_in_baseball" title="1940 in baseball">1940</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1941_in_baseball" title="1941 in baseball">1941</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1942_in_baseball" title="1942 in baseball">1942</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1943_in_baseball" title="1943 in baseball">1943</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1944_in_baseball" title="1944 in baseball">1944</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1945_in_baseball" title="1945 in baseball">1945</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1946_in_baseball" title="1946 in baseball">1946</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1947_in_baseball" title="1947 in baseball">1947</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1948_in_baseball" title="1948 in baseball">1948</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1949_in_baseball" title="1949 in baseball">1949</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/1950_in_baseball" title="1950 in baseball">1950</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1951_in_baseball" title="1951 in baseball">1951</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1952_in_baseball" title="1952 in baseball">1952</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1953_in_baseball" title="1953 in baseball">1953</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1954_in_baseball" title="1954 in baseball">1954</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1955_in_baseball" title="1955 in baseball">1955</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1956_in_baseball" title="1956 in baseball">1956</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1957_in_baseball" title="1957 in baseball">1957</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1958_in_baseball" title="1958 in baseball">1958</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1959_in_baseball" title="1959 in baseball">1959</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1960_in_baseball" title="1960 in baseball">1960</a></li> <li><a class="mw-selflink selflink">1961</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1962_in_baseball" title="1962 in baseball">1962</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1963_in_baseball" title="1963 in baseball">1963</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1964_in_baseball" title="1964 in baseball">1964</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1965_in_baseball" title="1965 in baseball">1965</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1966_in_baseball" title="1966 in baseball">1966</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1967_in_baseball" title="1967 in baseball">1967</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1968_in_baseball" title="1968 in baseball">1968</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1969_in_baseball" title="1969 in baseball">1969</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/1970_in_baseball" title="1970 in baseball">1970</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1971_in_baseball" title="1971 in baseball">1971</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1972_in_baseball" title="1972 in baseball">1972</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1973_in_baseball" title="1973 in baseball">1973</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1974_in_baseball" title="1974 in baseball">1974</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1975_in_baseball" title="1975 in baseball">1975</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1976_in_baseball" title="1976 in baseball">1976</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1977_in_baseball" title="1977 in baseball">1977</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1978_in_baseball" title="1978 in baseball">1978</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1979_in_baseball" title="1979 in baseball">1979</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1980_in_baseball" title="1980 in baseball">1980</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1981_in_baseball" title="1981 in baseball">1981</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1982_in_baseball" title="1982 in baseball">1982</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1983_in_baseball" title="1983 in baseball">1983</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1984_in_baseball" title="1984 in baseball">1984</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1985_in_baseball" title="1985 in baseball">1985</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1986_in_baseball" title="1986 in baseball">1986</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1987_in_baseball" title="1987 in baseball">1987</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1988_in_baseball" title="1988 in baseball">1988</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1989_in_baseball" title="1989 in baseball">1989</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/1990_in_baseball" title="1990 in baseball">1990</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1991_in_baseball" title="1991 in baseball">1991</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1992_in_baseball" title="1992 in baseball">1992</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1993_in_baseball" title="1993 in baseball">1993</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1994_in_baseball" title="1994 in baseball">1994</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1995_in_baseball" title="1995 in baseball">1995</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1996_in_baseball" title="1996 in baseball">1996</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1997_in_baseball" title="1997 in baseball">1997</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1998_in_baseball" title="1998 in baseball">1998</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1999_in_baseball" title="1999 in baseball">1999</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2000_in_baseball" title="2000 in baseball">2000</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2001_in_baseball" title="2001 in baseball">2001</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2002_in_baseball" title="2002 in baseball">2002</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2003_in_baseball" title="2003 in baseball">2003</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2004_in_baseball" title="2004 in baseball">2004</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2005_in_baseball" title="2005 in baseball">2005</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2006_in_baseball" title="2006 in baseball">2006</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2007_in_baseball" title="2007 in baseball">2007</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2008_in_baseball" title="2008 in baseball">2008</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2009_in_baseball" title="2009 in baseball">2009</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/2010_in_baseball" title="2010 in baseball">2010</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2011_in_baseball" title="2011 in baseball">2011</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2012_in_baseball" title="2012 in baseball">2012</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2013_in_baseball" title="2013 in baseball">2013</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2014_in_baseball" title="2014 in baseball">2014</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2015_in_baseball" title="2015 in baseball">2015</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2016_in_baseball" title="2016 in baseball">2016</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2017_in_baseball" title="2017 in baseball">2017</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2018_in_baseball" title="2018 in baseball">2018</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2019_in_baseball" title="2019 in baseball">2019</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2020_in_baseball" title="2020 in baseball">2020</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2021_in_baseball" title="2021 in baseball">2021</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2022_in_baseball" title="2022 in baseball">2022</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2023_in_baseball" title="2023 in baseball">2023</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2024_in_baseball" title="2024 in baseball">2024</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><td class="navbox-abovebelow" colspan="2"><div> <dl><dt><span class="nobold">See also</span></dt> <dd><a href="/wiki/Baseball" title="Baseball">Baseball</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Major_League_Baseball" title="Major League Baseball">Major League Baseball</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Minor_League_Baseball" title="Minor League Baseball">Minor League Baseball</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Negro_league_baseball" title="Negro league baseball">Negro league baseball</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Nippon_Professional_Baseball" title="Nippon Professional Baseball">Nippon Professional Baseball</a></dd></dl> 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