1961 Major League Baseball season
Sports season
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 1961 major league baseball season began on April 10, 1961. The regular season ended on October 1, with the Cincinnati Reds and New York Yankees as the regular season champions of the National League and American League, respectively. The postseason began with Game 1 of the 58th World Series on October 4 and ended with Game 5 on October 9. In the second iteration of this World Series matchup, the Yankees defeated the Reds, four games to one, capturing their 19th championship in franchise history, since their previous in 1958. The season is best known for Yankee teammates Roger Maris' and Mickey Mantle's pursuit of Babe Ruth's prestigious 34-year-old single-season home run record of 60. Maris ultimately broke the record when he hit his 61st home run on the final day of the regular season, while Mantle was forced out of the lineup in late September due to a hip infection and finished with 54 home runs. Going into the season, the defending World Series champions were the Pittsburgh Pirates from the 1960 season.
National League (NL)
- April 10 – October 1, 1961 (AL)
- April 11 – October 1, 1961 (NL)
- October 4–9, 1961
154 (NL)
| 1961 MLB season | |
|---|---|
| League | American League (AL) National League (NL) |
| Sport | Baseball |
| Duration | Regular season:
|
| Games | 162 (AL) 154 (NL) |
| Teams | 18 total: 10 (AL) 8 (NL) |
| TV partner(s) | NBC, CBS, ABC |
| Regular season | |
| Season MVP | AL: Roger Maris (NYY) NL: Frank Robinson (CIN) |
| AL champions | New York Yankees |
| AL runners-up | Detroit Tigers |
| NL champions | Cincinnati Reds |
| NL runners-up | Los Angeles Dodgers |
| World Series | |
| Venue | |
| Champions | New York Yankees |
| Runners-up | Cincinnati Reds |
| World Series MVP | Whitey Ford (NYY) |
For the third year, there were two separate All-Star Games played. The first, the 30th All-Star Game, was held on July 11 at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, California, home of the San Francisco Giants. The National League won, 5–4. The second, the 31st All-Star Game, was held on July 31 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts, home of the Boston Red Sox. The game ended in a 1–1 tie, due to a rainout following the end of the ninth inning.
In response to the proposed Continental League, the American League expanded by two teams in the first MLB expansion since 1901, ushering in the expansion era. The original Washington Senators moved to the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area in Minnesota and became the Minnesota Twins, being the sixth team since 1953 to relocate, and the third of American League teams since then. The American League therefore placed a new team in Washington, D.C., also called the Washington Senators. Also, the American League placed a team in Los Angeles called the Los Angeles Angels.
Schedule
The 1961 schedule was the first time that the American and National Leagues did not follow the same scheduling format. Due to expansion of the American League, the AL schedule consisted of 162 games for all 10 teams. Each team was scheduled to play 18 games against the other nine teams. Meanwhile, the National League, still consisting of eight teams, continued the 154-game format in place since the 1904 season (except for 1919). Each team was scheduled to play 22 games against the other seven teams. 1961 would mark the last 154-game season in professional baseball history, as the National League itself would copy the American League 162-game format following their own expansion the following season.
American League Opening Day took place on April 10, featuring the Chicago White Sox and newly enfranchised Washington Senators, while National League Opening Day took place the following day, featuring all eight teams. The final day of the regular season was on October 1, and saw sixteen teams play. The World Series took place between October 4 and October 9.
Rule changes
The 1961 season saw the following rule changes:
- A sacrifice fly is no longer limited to fair balls.[1]
- A rule preventing leagues of all levels of major and minor league baseball from drafting college players during a school year was implemented.[2]
Teams
Standings
American League
| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB | Home | Road |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York Yankees | 109 | 53 | .673 | — | 65–16 | 44–37 |
| Detroit Tigers | 101 | 61 | .623 | 8 | 50–31 | 51–30 |
| Baltimore Orioles | 95 | 67 | .586 | 14 | 48–33 | 47–34 |
| Chicago White Sox | 86 | 76 | .531 | 23 | 53–28 | 33–48 |
| Cleveland Indians | 78 | 83 | .484 | 30½ | 40–41 | 38–42 |
| Boston Red Sox | 76 | 86 | .469 | 33 | 50–31 | 26–55 |
| Minnesota Twins | 70 | 90 | .438 | 38 | 36–44 | 34–46 |
| Los Angeles Angels | 70 | 91 | .435 | 38½ | 46–36 | 24–55 |
| Kansas City Athletics | 61 | 100 | .379 | 47½ | 33–47 | 28–53 |
| Washington Senators | 61 | 100 | .379 | 47½ | 33–46 | 28–54 |
National League
| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB | Home | Road |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati Reds | 93 | 61 | .604 | — | 47–30 | 46–31 |
| Los Angeles Dodgers | 89 | 65 | .578 | 4 | 45–32 | 44–33 |
| San Francisco Giants | 85 | 69 | .552 | 8 | 45–32 | 40–37 |
| Milwaukee Braves | 83 | 71 | .539 | 10 | 45–32 | 38–39 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 80 | 74 | .519 | 13 | 48–29 | 32–45 |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | 75 | 79 | .487 | 18 | 38–39 | 37–40 |
| Chicago Cubs | 64 | 90 | .416 | 29 | 40–37 | 24–53 |
| Philadelphia Phillies | 47 | 107 | .305 | 46 | 22–55 | 25–52 |
Tie games
7 tie games (4 in AL, 3 in NL), which are not factored into winning percentage or games behind (and were often replayed again) occurred throughout the season.
American League
The Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Chicago White Sox, Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Athletics, Los Angeles Angels, Minnesota Twins, and New York Yankees had one each.
- April 22 (game 2), Baltimore Orioles vs. New York Yankees, tied at 5 after a shortened seven innings on account of rain, following a 32 minute rain delay.[4]
- June 1, Detroit Tigers vs. Kansas City Athletics, tied at 4 after a shortened eight innings on account of rain.[5]
- June 8 (game 2), Boston Red Sox vs. Los Angeles Angels, tied at 4 after 11 innings due to rain following a 51 minute rain delay. Game called at 1:18 a.m.[6]
- September 5, Minnesota Twins vs. Chicago White Sox, tied at 3 after nine innings due to fog.[7]
National League
The Chicago Cubs had two tie games. The Milwaukee Braves, Philadelphia Phillies, San Francisco Giants, St. Louis Cardinals had one each.
- June 6 (game 2), St. Louis Cardinals vs. Chicago Cubs, tied at 3 after 10 innings on account of 12:50 a.m. curfew.[8]
- June 28, Philadelphia Phillies vs. San Francisco Giants, tied at 7 after 15 innings on account of 12:50 a.m. curfew.[9]
- August 2 (game 2), Chicago Cubs vs. Milwaukee Braves, tied at 7 after 11 innings on account of darkness. Game rescheduled to September 3.[10]
Postseason
The postseason began on October 4 and ended on October 9 with the New York Yankees defeating the Cincinnati Reds in the 1961 World Series in five games.
Bracket
| World Series | ||||
| AL | New York Yankees | 4 | ||
| NL | Cincinnati Reds | 1 | ||
Managerial changes
Off-season
In-season
League leaders
American League
| Stat | Player | Total |
|---|---|---|
| AVG | Norm Cash (DET) | .361 |
| OPS | Norm Cash (DET) | 1.148 |
| HR | Roger Maris (NYY) | 61 |
| RBI | Jim Gentile (BAL) Roger Maris (NYY) |
141 |
| R | Roger Maris (NYY) | 132 |
| H | Norm Cash (DET) | 193 |
| SB | Luis Aparicio (CWS) | 53 |
| Stat | Player | Total |
|---|---|---|
| W | Whitey Ford (NYY) | 25 |
| L | Pedro Ramos (MIN) | 20 |
| ERA | Dick Donovan (WAS) | 2.40 |
| K | Camilo Pascual (MIN) | 221 |
| IP | Whitey Ford (NYY) | 283.0 |
| SV | Luis Arroyo (NYY) | 29 |
| WHIP | Dick Donovan (WAS) | 1.026 |
National League
| Stat | Player | Total |
|---|---|---|
| AVG | Roberto Clemente (PIT) | .351 |
| OPS | Frank Robinson (CIN) | 1.015 |
| HR | Orlando Cepeda (SF) | 46 |
| RBI | Orlando Cepeda (SF) | 142 |
| R | Willie Mays (SF) | 129 |
| H | Vada Pinson (CIN) | 208 |
| SB | Maury Wills (LAD) | 35 |
| Stat | Player | Total |
|---|---|---|
| W | Joey Jay (CIN) Warren Spahn (MIL) |
21 |
| L | Bob Friend (PIT) Art Mahaffey (PHI) |
19 |
| ERA | Warren Spahn (MIL) | 3.02 |
| K | Sandy Koufax (LAD) | 269 |
| IP | Lew Burdette (MIL) | 272.1 |
| SV | Roy Face (PIT) Stu Miller (SF) |
17 |
| WHIP | Warren Spahn (MIL) | 1.142 |
Milestones
Batters
Four home runs in one game
- Willie Mays (SF):
- Became the ninth player to hit four home runs in one game in a 14–4 win against the Milwaukee Braves on April 30.[15][16]
Cycles
- Ken Boyer (STL):
- Boyer hit for his first cycle and 12th in franchise history, in game two of a doubleheader on September 14 against the Chicago Cubs.[17]
Other batting accomplishments
- Jim Gentile (BAL):
- Became the fourth player to hit two grand slams in a single game, in a 13–5 win over the Minnesota Twins on May 9.[18]
- Eddie Mathews / Hank Aaron / Joe Adcock / Frank Thomas (MIL):
- Became the first group of players to hit four consecutive home runs in the seventh inning on June 8 against the Cincinnati Reds.[19]
- Roger Maris (NYY):
- Tied an American League record by becoming the fourth player to hit home runs in six consecutive games between August 11 and 16.[20]
- Set a Major League record for single-season home runs at 61 on the last day of the season on October 1, breaking Babe Ruth's 34-year-old major league single-season record of 60, set in 1927. Maris' record would stand for 37 years until it was broken by Mark McGwire's 70 in 1998. Maris' American League record would stand for a total of 61 years until it was eclipsed by Aaron Judge's 62 in 2022.
- Orlando Cepeda / Felipe Alou / Jim Davenport / Willie Mays / John Orsino (SF):
- Become the third group of players in Major League history to hit five home runs in one inning in the ninth inning against the Cincinnati Reds on August 23.[21][22]
Pitchers
No-hitters
- Warren Spahn (MIL):
- Spahn threw his second career no-hitter and 11th no-hitter in franchise history, by defeating the San Francisco Giants 1–0 on April 28. Wilson walked two and struck out five.[23]
Other pitching accomplishments
- Warren Spahn (MIL):
- Became the 13th member of the 300-win club, defeating the Chicago Cubs on August 11, winning 2–1.[24]
Miscellaneous
- Philadelphia Phillies:
- Lost their 23rd consecutive game in game one of a doubleheader on August 20 to the Milwaukee Braves, breaking the modern (1901–present) major league record for most consecutive losses that was set by the Boston Americans in 1906 and Philadelphia Athletics in both 1916 and 1943.
- Lost their 20th consecutive game on August 17 to the Milwaukee Braves, breaking the modern National League record for most consecutive losses that was set by the Boston Beaneaters in 1906.
Awards and honors
Regular season
| Baseball Writers' Association of America Awards | ||
|---|---|---|
| BBWAA Award | National League | American League |
| Rookie of the Year | Billy Williams (CHC) | Don Schwall (BOS) |
| Cy Young Award | — | Whitey Ford (NYY) |
| Most Valuable Player | Frank Robinson (CIN) | Roger Maris (NYY) |
| Babe Ruth Award (World Series MVP) |
— | Whitey Ford (NYY) |
| Gold Glove Awards | ||
| Position | National League | American League |
| Pitcher | Bobby Shantz (PIT) | Frank Lary (DET) |
| Catcher | John Roseboro (LAD) | Earl Battey (MIN) |
| 1st Base | Bill White (STL) | Vic Power (CLE) |
| 2nd Base | Bill Mazeroski (PIT) | Bobby Richardson (NYY) |
| 3rd Base | Ken Boyer (STL) | Brooks Robinson (BAL) |
| Shortstop | Maury Wills (LAD) | Luis Aparicio (CWS) |
| Outfield | Vada Pinson (CIN) | Jim Landis (CWS) |
| Roberto Clemente (PIT) | Al Kaline (DET) | |
| Willie Mays (SF) | Jimmy Piersall (CLE) | |
Other awards
| The Sporting News Awards | ||
|---|---|---|
| Award | National League | American League |
| Player of the Year[25] | — | Roger Maris (NYY) |
| Pitcher of the Year[26] | Warren Spahn (MIL) | Whitey Ford (NYY) |
| Fireman of the Year[27] (Relief pitcher) |
Stu Miller (SF) | Luis Arroyo (NYY) |
| Rookie of the Year[28] (Player) |
Billy Williams (CHC) | Dick Howser (KCA) |
| Rookie of the Year[28] (Pitcher) |
Ken Hunt (CIN) | Don Schwall (BOS) |
| Manager of the Year[29] | — | Ralph Houk (NYY) |
| Executive of the Year[30] | — | Dan Topping (NYY) |
Monthly awards
Player of the Month
| Month | National League |
|---|---|
| May | Joey Jay (CIN) |
| June | George Altman (CHC) |
| July | Frank Robinson (CIN) |
| August | Warren Spahn (MIL) |
| September | Jim O'Toole (CIN) |
Baseball Hall of Fame
Home field attendance
| Team name | Wins | %± | Home attendance | %± | Per game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Dodgers[31] | 89 | 8.5% | 1,804,250 | −19.9% | 23,432 |
| New York Yankees[32] | 109 | 12.4% | 1,747,725 | 7.4% | 21,577 |
| Detroit Tigers[33] | 101 | 42.3% | 1,600,710 | 37.1% | 19,521 |
| San Francisco Giants[34] | 85 | 7.6% | 1,390,679 | −22.5% | 18,061 |
| Minnesota Twins[35] | 70 | −4.1% | 1,256,723 | 69.0% | 15,515 |
| Pittsburgh Pirates[36] | 75 | −21.1% | 1,199,128 | −29.7% | 15,573 |
| Chicago White Sox[37] | 86 | −1.1% | 1,146,019 | −30.3% | 14,148 |
| Cincinnati Reds[38] | 93 | 38.8% | 1,117,603 | 68.4% | 14,514 |
| Milwaukee Braves[39] | 83 | −5.7% | 1,101,441 | −26.5% | 14,304 |
| Baltimore Orioles[40] | 95 | 6.7% | 951,089 | −19.9% | 11,599 |
| St. Louis Cardinals[41] | 80 | −7.0% | 855,305 | −22.0% | 10,965 |
| Boston Red Sox[42] | 76 | 16.9% | 850,589 | −24.7% | 10,373 |
| Cleveland Indians[43] | 78 | 2.6% | 725,547 | −23.7% | 8,957 |
| Kansas City Athletics[44] | 61 | 5.2% | 683,817 | −11.8% | 8,548 |
| Chicago Cubs[45] | 64 | 6.7% | 673,057 | −16.9% | 8,629 |
| Los Angeles Angels[46] | 70 | 603,510 | 7,360 | ||
| Washington Senators[47] | 61 | 597,287 | 7,561 | ||
| Philadelphia Phillies[48] | 47 | −20.3% | 590,039 | −31.6% | 7,565 |
Venues
The 1961 season saw two new teams in the American League, and with it, one new venue and one returning venue:
- The Los Angeles Angels played their first and only season at Wrigley Field. Their final game was on October 1 against the Cleveland Indians, moving into Dodger Stadium (referred to as "Chavez Ravine Stadium" when the Angels played) for the start of the 1962 season.
- The Washington Senators played their first and only season at Griffith Stadium, the longtime home of the original AL Washington Senators. Their final game was on September 21 against the Minnesota Twins, moving into District of Columbia Stadium for the start of the 1962 season.
The Minnesota Twins, newly relocated from their long-time home in Washington, D.C. as the Washington Senators, leave Griffith Stadium after playing there for 50 seasons, moving into Metropolitan Stadium where they would play for 21 seasons through 1981.
Briggs Stadium, home of the Detroit Tigers, is renamed to Tiger Stadium.
The Los Angeles Dodgers would play their final game at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on September 20 against the Chicago Cubs, moving into Dodger Stadium for the start of the 1962 season.
Media
Television
CBS and NBC continued to air weekend Game of the Week broadcasts, while ABC televised several games in prime time. One of ABC's prime time games occurred as Roger Maris[49][50] was poised to tie and subsequently break Babe Ruth's regular season home run record of 60. As with all MLB games in those days, the action was totally blacked out[51] of major league markets. As a matter of fact, as documented in the HBO film 61*, the Maris family was welcomed into ABC's Kansas City, Missouri affiliate KMBC-TV so they could watch the in-house feed of the game, which was blacked out of Kansas City.
The All-Star Game and World Series aired on NBC.
