1964 Major League Baseball season
Sports season
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The 1964 major league baseball season began on April 13, 1964. The regular season ended on October 4, with the St. Louis Cardinals 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 61st World Series on October 7 and ended with Game 7 on October 15. In the fifth iteration of this World Series matchup, the Cardinals defeated the Yankees, four games to three, capturing their seventh championship in franchise history, since their previous in 1946. As of 2024, the Cardinals are the only National League team to have an edge over the Yankees in series played (3–2), despite holding a losing record in World Series games against them (13–15). Going into the season, the defending World Series champions were the Los Angeles Dodgers from the 1963 season.
National League (NL)
- April 13 – October 4, 1964
- October 7–15, 1964
| 1964 MLB season | |
|---|---|
| League | American League (AL) National League (NL) |
| Sport | Baseball |
| Duration | Regular season:
|
| Games | 162 |
| Teams | 20 (10 per league) |
| TV partner(s) | NBC, CBS |
| Regular season | |
| Season MVP | AL: Brooks Robinson (BAL) NL: Ken Boyer (STL) |
| AL champions | New York Yankees |
| AL runners-up | Chicago White Sox |
| NL champions | St. Louis Cardinals |
| NL runners-up | Philadelphia Phillies and Cincinnati Reds |
| World Series | |
| Champions | St. Louis Cardinals |
| Runners-up | New York Yankees |
| World Series MVP | Bob Gibson (STL) |
The 35th Major League Baseball All-Star Game, was held on July 7 at Shea Stadium in New York, New York, home of the New York Mets. The National League won, 7–4.
This season is often remembered for the end of the New York Yankees' third dynasty, as they won their 29th American League Championship in 44 seasons.
Schedule
The 1964 schedule consisted of 162 games for all teams in the American League and National League, each of which had ten teams. Each team was scheduled to play 18 games against the other nine teams of their respective league. This continued the format put in place by the American League since the 1961 season and by the National League since the 1962 season, and would be used until 1969.
Opening Day took place on April 13, featuring four teams. The final day of the regular season was on October 4, which saw 18 teams play. The World Series took place between October 7 and October 15.
Rule changes
The 1964 season saw the following rule changes:
- In an attempt to help bolster the four expansion teams, (Houston Colt .45s, Los Angeles Angels, New York Mets, and Washington Senators), they were permitted to farm out four first-year players in addition to what all other sixteen teams could do. These four additional players did not count in each team's player roster, nor would the teams risk losing said players on waivers. The rules for the other sixteen teams limited the number of players to one.[1]
- Colored bats, unless approved by the Rules Committee, were banned.[1][2]
Teams
Standings
American League
| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB | Home | Road |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York Yankees | 99 | 63 | .611 | — | 50–31 | 49–32 |
| Chicago White Sox | 98 | 64 | .605 | 1 | 52–29 | 46–35 |
| Baltimore Orioles | 97 | 65 | .599 | 2 | 49–32 | 48–33 |
| Detroit Tigers | 85 | 77 | .525 | 14 | 46–35 | 39–42 |
| Los Angeles Angels | 82 | 80 | .506 | 17 | 45–36 | 37–44 |
| Cleveland Indians | 79 | 83 | .488 | 20 | 41–40 | 38–43 |
| Minnesota Twins | 79 | 83 | .488 | 20 | 40–41 | 39–42 |
| Boston Red Sox | 72 | 90 | .444 | 27 | 45–36 | 27–54 |
| Washington Senators | 62 | 100 | .383 | 37 | 31–50 | 31–50 |
| Kansas City Athletics | 57 | 105 | .352 | 42 | 26–55 | 31–50 |
National League
| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB | Home | Road |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis Cardinals | 93 | 69 | .574 | — | 48–33 | 45–36 |
| Philadelphia Phillies | 92 | 70 | .568 | 1 | 46–35 | 46–35 |
| Cincinnati Reds | 92 | 70 | .568 | 1 | 47–34 | 45–36 |
| San Francisco Giants | 90 | 72 | .556 | 3 | 44–37 | 46–35 |
| Milwaukee Braves | 88 | 74 | .543 | 5 | 45–36 | 43–38 |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | 80 | 82 | .494 | 13 | 42–39 | 38–43 |
| Los Angeles Dodgers | 80 | 82 | .494 | 13 | 41–40 | 39–42 |
| Chicago Cubs | 76 | 86 | .469 | 17 | 40–41 | 36–45 |
| Houston Colt .45s | 66 | 96 | .407 | 27 | 41–40 | 25–56 |
| New York Mets | 53 | 109 | .327 | 40 | 33–48 | 20–61 |
Tie games
6 tie games (4 in AL, 2 in NL), which are not factored into winning percentage or games behind (and were often replayed again) occurred throughout the season.
American League
The Cleveland Indians and New York Yankees had two tie games each. The Baltimore Orioles, Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Athletics, and Minnesota Twins had one each.
- May 13, Detroit Tigers vs. New York Yankees, tied at 1 after a shortened six innings due to rain. 36 minute rain delay began during first at bat of the top of the seventh, which was negated.[4]
- June 22, Minnesota Twins vs. Cleveland Indians, tied at 8 during the top of the 11th inning due to rain.[5]
- July 4, Baltimore Orioles vs. Kansas City Athletics, tied at 6 after nine innings on account of curfew.[6]
- July 12, Cleveland Indians vs. New York Yankees, tied at 2 after a shortened game in the middle of the seventh inning due to rain.[7]
National League
The Los Angeles Dodgers had two tie games. The Cincinnati Reds and New York Mets had one each.
- May 28, Cincinnati Reds vs. Los Angeles Dodgers, tied at 2 after 17 innings on account of curfew.[8]
- June 7, New York Mets vs. Los Angeles Dodgers, tied at 1 after a shortened five innings due to rain. Game called after 64 minute rain delay.[9]
Postseason
The postseason began on October 7 and ended on October 15 with the St. Louis Cardinals defeating the New York Yankees in the 1964 World Series in seven games.
Bracket
| World Series | ||||
| AL | New York Yankees | 3 | ||
| NL | St. Louis Cardinals | 4 | ||
Managerial changes
Off-season
| Team | Former Manager | New Manager |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore Orioles | Billy Hitchcock | Hank Bauer |
| Cleveland Indians | Birdie Tebbetts | George Strickland |
| New York Yankees | Ralph Houk | Yogi Berra |
In-season
League leaders
American League
| Stat | Player | Total |
|---|---|---|
| AVG | Tony Oliva (MIN) | .323 |
| OPS | Mickey Mantle (NYY) | 1.015 |
| HR | Harmon Killebrew (MIN) | 49 |
| RBI | Brooks Robinson (BAL) | 118 |
| R | Tony Oliva (MIN) | 109 |
| H | Tony Oliva (MIN) | 217 |
| SB | Luis Aparicio (BAL) | 57 |
| Stat | Player | Total |
|---|---|---|
| W | Dean Chance (LAA) Gary Peters (CWS) |
20 |
| L | Diego Seguí (KCA) | 17 |
| ERA | Dean Chance (LAA) | 1.65 |
| K | Al Downing (NYY) | 217 |
| IP | Dean Chance (LAA) | 278.1 |
| SV | Dick Radatz (BOS) | 29 |
| WHIP | Joe Horlen (CWS) | 0.935 |
National League
| Stat | Player | Total |
|---|---|---|
| AVG | Roberto Clemente (PIT) | .339 |
| OPS | Willie Mays (SF) | .990 |
| HR | Willie Mays (SF) | 47 |
| RBI | Ken Boyer (STL) | 119 |
| R | Dick Allen (PHI) | 125 |
| H | Roberto Clemente (PIT) Curt Flood (STL) |
211 |
| SB | Maury Wills (LAD) | 53 |
| Stat | Player | Total |
|---|---|---|
| W | Larry Jackson (CHC) | 24 |
| L | Tracy Stallard (NYM) | 20 |
| ERA | Sandy Koufax (LAD) | 1.74 |
| K | Bob Veale (PIT) | 250 |
| IP | Don Drysdale (LAD) | 321.1 |
| SV | Hal Woodeshick (HOU) | 23 |
| WHIP | Sandy Koufax (LAD) | 0.928 |
Milestones
Batters
Cycles
- Jim King (WAS):
- King hit for his first cycle and first in franchise history, on May 26 against the Boston Red Sox.[14]
- Ken Boyer (STL):
- Boyer hit for his second cycle, 13th in franchise history, and eighth natural cycle in major league history, on June 16 against the Houston Colt .45s.[15]
- Willie Stargell (PIT):
- Stargell hit for his first cycle and 18th in franchise history, on July 22 against the St. Louis Cardinals.[16]
- Jim Fregosi (LAA):
- Fregosi hit for his first cycle and first in franchise history, on July 28 against the New York Yankees.[17]
Other batting accomplishments
- Tony Oliva / Bob Allison / Jimmie Hall / Harmon Killebrew (MIN):
- Became the third group of players to hit four consecutive home runs in the 11th inning on May 2 against the Kansas City Athletics.[18]
- Bert Campaneris (KCA):
- Became the third player to hit two home runs in his Major League debut on July 23 against the Minnesota Twins, hitting a home runs in the first and seventh innings.[19][20]
Pitchers
Perfect games
- Jim Bunning (PHI)
- Pitched the seventh perfect game in major league history and the first in franchise history in game one of a doubleheader on June 21 against the New York Mets. Larsen threw 89 pitches, 68 for strikes, and struck out 10 in the 6–0 victory.[21]
No-hitters
- Ken Johnson (HOU):
- Johnson threw his first career no-hitter and the second no-hitter in franchise history, in a 1–0 loss to the Cincinnati Reds on April 23. He walked two and struck out nine. This was the first instance of a team throwing a no-hitter but still losing the game.[22]
- Sandy Koufax (LAD):
- Koufax threw his third career no-hitter and the 16th no-hitter in franchise history, by defeating the Philadelphia Phillies 3–0 on June 4. He walked one and struck out 12, throwing 68 strikes on 97 pitches.[23]
Miscellaneous
- San Francisco Giants:
- Set a major league record for most runs scored in the 23th inning, by scoring two runs against the New York Mets in game two of a doubleheader on September 1.[24]
Awards and honors
Regular season
| Baseball Writers' Association of America Awards | ||
|---|---|---|
| BBWAA Award | National League | American League |
| Rookie of the Year | Dick Allen (PHI) | Tony Oliva (MIN) |
| Cy Young Award | — | Dean Chance (LAA) |
| Most Valuable Player | Ken Boyer (STL) | Brooks Robinson (BAL) |
| Babe Ruth Award (World Series MVP) |
Bob Gibson (STL) | — |
| Gold Glove Awards | ||
| Position | National League | American League |
| Pitcher | Bobby Shantz (PHI/CHC/STL) | Jim Kaat (MIN) |
| Catcher | Johnny Edwards (CIN) | Elston Howard (NYY) |
| 1st Base | Bill White (STL) | Vic Power (PHI[b]/LAA/MIN) |
| 2nd Base | Bill Mazeroski (PIT) | Bobby Richardson (NYY) |
| 3rd Base | Ron Santo (CHC) | Brooks Robinson (BAL) |
| Shortstop | Rubén Amaro (PHI) | Luis Aparicio (BAL) |
| Outfield | Roberto Clemente (PIT) | Vic Davalillo (CLE) |
| Curt Flood (STL) | Al Kaline (DET) | |
| Willie Mays (SF) | Jim Landis (CWS) | |
Other awards
| The Sporting News Awards | ||
|---|---|---|
| Award | National League | American League |
| Player of the Year[26] | Ken Boyer (STL) | — |
| Pitcher of the Year[27] | Sandy Koufax (LAD) | Dean Chance (LAA) |
| Fireman of the Year[28] (Relief pitcher) |
Al McBean (PIT) | Dick Radatz (BOS) |
| Rookie Player of the Year[29] | Dick Allen (PHI) | Tony Oliva (MIN) |
| Rookie Pitcher of the Year[30] | Billy McCool (CIN) | Wally Bunker (BAL) |
| Manager of the Year[31] | Johnny Keane (STL) | — |
| Executive of the Year[32] | Bing Devine (STL) | — |
Monthly awards
Player of the Month
| Month | National League |
|---|---|
| May | Billy Williams (CHC) |
| June | Jim Bunning (PHI) |
| July | Ron Santo (CHC) |
| August | Frank Robinson (CIN) |
| September | Bob Gibson (STL) |
Baseball Hall of Fame
Home field attendance
| Team name | Wins | %± | Home attendance | %± | Per game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Dodgers[33] | 80 | −19.2% | 2,228,751 | −12.2% | 27,515 |
| New York Mets[34] | 53 | 3.9% | 1,732,597 | 60.4% | 21,129 |
| San Francisco Giants[35] | 90 | 2.3% | 1,504,364 | −4.3% | 18,572 |
| Philadelphia Phillies[36] | 92 | 5.7% | 1,425,891 | 57.2% | 17,604 |
| New York Yankees[37] | 99 | −4.8% | 1,305,638 | −0.3% | 16,119 |
| Chicago White Sox[38] | 98 | 4.3% | 1,250,053 | 7.9% | 15,433 |
| Minnesota Twins[39] | 79 | −13.2% | 1,207,514 | −14.2% | 14,726 |
| St. Louis Cardinals[40] | 93 | 0.0% | 1,143,294 | −2.3% | 14,115 |
| Baltimore Orioles[41] | 97 | 12.8% | 1,116,215 | 44.1% | 13,612 |
| Milwaukee Braves[42] | 88 | 4.8% | 910,911 | 17.8% | 11,246 |
| Boston Red Sox[43] | 72 | −5.3% | 883,276 | −6.3% | 10,905 |
| Cincinnati Reds[44] | 92 | 7.0% | 862,466 | 0.4% | 10,518 |
| Detroit Tigers[45] | 85 | 7.6% | 816,139 | −0.7% | 9,953 |
| Los Angeles Angels[46] | 82 | 17.1% | 760,439 | −7.4% | 9,388 |
| Pittsburgh Pirates[47] | 80 | 8.1% | 759,496 | −3.1% | 9,376 |
| Chicago Cubs[48] | 76 | −7.3% | 751,647 | −23.3% | 9,280 |
| Houston Colt .45s[49] | 66 | 0.0% | 725,773 | 0.9% | 8,960 |
| Cleveland Indians[50] | 79 | 0.0% | 653,293 | 16.1% | 7,967 |
| Kansas City Athletics[51] | 57 | −21.9% | 642,478 | −15.7% | 7,932 |
| Washington Senators[52] | 62 | 10.7% | 600,106 | 12.0% | 7,409 |
Venues
The New York Mets leave the Polo Grounds (where they played for two seasons) and open Shea Stadium (with the AFL's New York Jets) where they would go on to play 45 seasons through 2008. Excluding 1958–1961, the time in which there was no National League New York team (following the relocation of the New York Giants to San Francisco, California), this marked the first season to not see any iteration of the Polo Grounds not feature a major-league team since 1882, the season prior to founding of the Giants.
The Houston Colt .45s would play their final game at Colt Stadium on September 27 against the Los Angeles Dodgers, moving into the Houston Astrodome (as the Houston Astros) for the start of the 1965 season.
Media
Television
CBS and NBC aired weekend Game of the Week broadcasts. Although it had been three years since the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961 was passed to authorize sports leagues to enter into television contracts that "pooled" the TV rights of all their teams, MLB still operated under the older system where the networks purchased the regular season rights to individual clubs. By 1964, CBS paid $895,000 total for the rights to six teams, with the New York Yankees getting a $550,000 share. The six clubs that exclusively played nationally televised games on NBC were paid $1.2 million total.[53]
The All-Star Game and World Series aired on NBC.
Retired numbers
- Fred Hutchinson had his No. 1 retired by the Cincinnati Reds on October 19. This was the first number retired by the team (aside from the temporary, two-season retired No. 5 of Willard Hershberger).
