1969 in baseball

 

The following are the baseball events of the year 1969 throughout the world.  

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Early Years

1845-1868 • 1869

See also

Baseball Major League Baseball Minor league baseball Negro league baseball Nippon Professional Baseball 1969 in sports

Sources

Baseball Hall of Fame Baseball Almanac Baseball Library Baseball Reference National Pastime The Deadball Era

Expansion Fever

After the addition of the Los Angeles Angels and Washington Senators to the American League in 1961, and the New York Mets and Houston Colt .45s (now Astros) to the National League in 1962, Major League Baseball called for a further four-team expansion at the 1967 Winter Meetings. However, there was a complication: Missouri Senator Stuart Symington was irate over the seemingly shady deal to permit Kansas City Athletics owner Charles O. Finley to move his team to Oakland, California for the 1968 season. This happened even though Finley had just signed a new deal to play at Municipal Stadium at A.L. president Joe Cronin's behest, and Jackson County, Missouri, had just issued public bonds to build a new stadium, the future Kauffman Stadium.

Senator Symington drew up legislation to remove baseball's anti-trust exemption, and threatened to push it through if Kansas City did not get a new team. The Office of the Commissioner complied, and the American League agreed to put one of its new franchises in Kansas City. Ewing Kauffman won the bidding for the new franchise, and named it the Kansas City Royals. The other A.L. team was awarded to Seattle, Washington. A consortium led by Dewey Soriano and William Daley, the later of whom once tried to move the Cleveland Indians to Seattle, won the bidding for the Seattle Franchise, and named it the Seattle Pilots.

In the National League, they gave one franchise to San Diego, California, and the other to Montreal, Quebec, resulting in the first Major League franchise built outside the United States. C. Arnholdt Smith, former owner of the AAA Pacific Coast League's San Diego Padres, won the bidding for the San Diego franchise and named it the San Diego Padres. Charles Bronfman owner of Seagram, won the bidding for the Montreal franchise and named them the Montreal Expos.

As part of the expansion, each league was to be split into two divisions of six teams, and each league would have a new playoff level--the best-of-five American League and National League Championship Series. The teams were originally to be fielded in 1971, but further pressure from Senator Symington led to the expansion being hastened to take place in time for the 1969 season.

In a year marked by the Mets' miracle World Series run, both the Padres and Expos finished with 110 losses and at the bottom of their respective divisions. The Royals did better, finishing 69-93 and in fourth in the A.L. East. Even though the Pilots managed to avoid losing 100 games (they were 63-98), financial trouble would lead to a wrangle for team control, ending with bankruptcy and the sale of the team to Bud Selig and their move to Milwaukee for the 1970 season. The legal fallout of the battle would lead eventually to the expansion for the 1977 season.

Champions

Major League Baseball

• World Series: New York Mets over Baltimore Orioles (4-1); Donn Clendenon, MVP

	League Championship Series NBC					World Series NBC
	East	Baltimore Orioles	3
	West	Minnesota Twins	0
						AL	Baltimore Orioles	1
						NL	New York Mets	4
	East	New York Mets	3
	West	Atlanta Braves	0

• All-Star Game, July 23 at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium: National League, 9-3; Willie McCovey, MVP

Other champions

• College World Series: Arizona State
• Japan Series: Yomiuri Giants over Hankyu Braves (4-2)
• Little League World Series: Taipei, Taiwan

Awards and honors

• Most Valuable Player
  • Harmon Killebrew, Minnesota Twins, 3B (AL)
  • Willie McCovey, San Francisco Giants, 1B (NL)
• Cy Young Award
  • Mike Cuellar, Baltimore Orioles and Denny McLain, Detroit Tigers (AL)
  • Tom Seaver, New York Mets (NL)
• Rookie of the Year
  • Lou Piniella, Kansas City Royals, OF (AL)
  • Ted Sizemore, Los Angeles Dodgers, 2B (NL)

MLB Statistical Leaders

	American League National League Type Name Stat Name Stat AVG Rod Carew MIN .332 Pete Rose CIN .348 HR Harmon Killebrew MIN 49 Willie McCovey SFG 45 RBI Harmon Killebrew MIN 140 Willie McCovey SFG 127 Wins Denny McLain DET 24 Tom Seaver NYM 25 ERA Dick Bosman WAS 2.19 Juan Marichal SFG 2.10 Ks Sam McDowell CLE 279 Fergie Jenkins CHC 273

Major League Baseball final standings

American League Rank Club Wins Losses Win % GB EAST 1st Baltimore Orioles 109 53 .673    -- 2nd Detroit Tigers 90 72 .566   19.0 3rd Boston Red Sox 87 75 .537   22.0 4th Washington Senators 86 76 .531 23.0 5th New York Yankees 80 81 .497 28.5 6th Cleveland Indians 62 99 .358 46.5 WEST 1st Minnesota Twins 97 65 .599    -- 2nd Oakland Athletics 88 74 .543   9.0 3rd California Angels 71 91 .438 26.0 4th Kansas City Royals 69 93 .426 28.0 5th Chicago White Sox 68 94 .420 29.0 6th Seattle Pilots 64 98 .395 33.0

National League Rank Club Wins Losses Win %   GB East Division 1st New York Mets 100 62 .617    -- 2nd Chicago Cubs 92 70 .568   8.0 3rd Pittsburgh Pirates 88 74 .543 12.0 4th St. Louis Cardinals 87 75 .537 13.0 5th Philadelphia Phillies 63 99 .389 37.0 6th Montreal Expos 52 110 .321 48.0 West Division 1st Atlanta Braves 93 69 .574    -- 2nd San Francisco Giants 90 72 .556   3.0 3rd Cincinnati Reds 89 73 .549 4.0 4th Los Angeles Dodgers 85 77 .525 8.0 5th Houston Astros 81 81 .500 12.0 6th San Diego Padres 52 110 .321 41.0

Events

• January 21 - Stan Musial and Roy Campanella are voted into the Hall of Fame by BBWAA members.

• February 2 - Pitchers Stan Coveleski and Waite Hoyt are voted into the Hall of Fame by the Special Veterans Committee.

• March 1 - Mickey Mantle announces his retirement.

• March 16 - A plane crash in Maracaibo, Venezuela kills 155 passengers including Carlos Santeliz, the Venezuelan League Rookie of the Year, on his way to the Braves' spring training camp. Another fatality is Néstor Chávez, en route to the Giants' camp. Chávez (1-0) was 12–5 with Double-A Waterbury in the Eastern League (1967), including seven shutouts. Pablo Torrealba was also scheduled to take the flight, but missed it and took a later one.

• April 8
  • At Shea Stadium, Dan McGinn hits the first home run in Montreal Expos history, a solo shot against Tom Seaver.
  • At Anaheim Stadium, Mike Hegan hits the first home run in Seattle Pilots history, a two-run shot against Jim McGlothlin.
  • At San Diego Stadium, Ed Spiezio hits the first home run in San Diego Padres history, a solo shot against Don Wilson of the Houston Astros.
  • At Municipal Stadium, the Kansas City Royals, in their inaugural game, defeat the Minnesota Twins 4-3 in 12 innings. Two pitching stars on the Baltimore Orioles team that won the 1966 World Series pitch for the Royals in this game: Wally Bunker throws the very first pitch, and Moe Drabowsky wins the game in relief. Lou Piniella gets the first hit for the franchise.

• April 12 - At Detroit, the Yankees' Mel Stottlemyre allows just one hit, a 4th-inning double to Jim Northrup, and beats Denny McLain and the Detroit Tigers 4–0. For the 3rd time in two years, Northrup saves the Tigers from being the victims of a no-hitter.

• April 13 - At the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, Mike Fiore hits the first home run in Kansas City Royals history, a solo shot against Blue Moon Odom.

• April 14 - The Montréal Expos open at home with an 8-7 win over the St. Louis Cardinals at Parc Jarry.

• April 17 - In only the ninth game in Montréal Expos history, Bill Stoneman no-hits the Philadelphia Phillies 7-0 at Connie Mack Stadium. The victory is also only the second in franchise history.

• May 1 - The Houston Astros, no-hit the day before by Jim Maloney of the Cincinnati Reds, answer back as Don Wilson pitches a 4-0 no-hitter, with 13 strikeouts over the Reds. Houston ties a National League record with just one assist. In Wilson's previous start against Cincinnati, on April 22, he gave up six runs in five innings in a 14-0 loss. The back-to-back no-hitters are only the second in Major League history, the feat having been accomplished just the year before by Gaylord Perry and Ray Washburn.

• July 8 - With three runs in the 9th inning, the New York Mets beat the Chicago Cubs 4-3, cutting Chicago's lead in the National League East to four games. Chicago's Ron Santo rips into center fielder Don Young for two misplays in the outfield; Santo apologizes the next day for criticizing Young, who had left early and didn't take the team bus. Santo is later booed in his first game back at Wrigley Field.

• July 13 - In the 3rd meeting between the two brothers, the San Diego Padres' Joe Niekro defeats his brother Phil Niekro of the Atlanta Braves 1-0; Joe is 2-1 over Phil.

• July 23 - At R.F.K. Memorial Stadium, Willie McCovey hits two home runs as the National League beats the American League 9–3, for its seventh straight All-Star Game win. McCovey is named MVP, with his two homers tying an All-Star Game record set earlier by Arky Vaughan (1941), Ted Williams (1946) and Al Rosen (1954).

• July 29 - Willie McCovey hits his 300th career home run helping the San Francisco Giants beat the Chicago Cubs, 4-2.

• August 5 - Willie Stargell of the Pittsburgh Pirates hits the first home run ever hit completely out of Dodger Stadium. The blast comes off Alan Foster of the Los Angeles Dodgers and measures 506 feet—to date, the longest home run ever hit at the park. Stargell will hit another out of the Stadium, off Andy Messersmith in 1973.

• August 10 - Citing damage to his right shoulder, Don Drysdale retires from the Los Angeles Dodgers. He is the last player still playing for the Dodgers that had also played in Brooklyn.

• August 13 - Montreal reliever Roy Face gives up the last of his record 21 extra-inning home runs, an 11th-inning grand slam to the Cincinnati Reds' Johnny Bench. Cincinnati wins 8–3 in Montreal.

• August 14 - In the National League Eastern Division, the Chicago Cubs lead the St. Louis Cardinals by 8.5 games and the New York Mets by 9.5 games.

• September 10 - A loss by the Chicago Cubs, and a double header sweep by the New York Mets, gives the Mets their first ever lead of the National League East Division. The Mets will not relinquish their lead from this point, as the Cubs suffer through a legendary collapse.

• September 22 - Willie Mays, hits 600th career home run helping the San Francisco Giants beat the San Diego Padres 4-2.

• September 23 - Carl Yastrzemski hits his 200th career home run helping the Boston Red Sox beat the New York Yankees 8-3.

• September 24 - After 7 uninspired losing seasons, the New York Mets clinch the National League East Division title as Donn Clendenon hit 2 home runs in a 6-0 Mets win over Steve Carlton and the St. Louis Cardinals. The Mets have won 38 out of their 49 games dating from August 14. The Cubs will finish the season 8 games behind the Mets, and not win the division until exactly fifteen years from this day.

• October 2 - The Seattle Pilots finish their first and final season in the [[Seattle, Washington}Emerald City]] with a 3-1 loss to the Oakland Athletics.

• October 16 - In Game Five of the World Series at Shea Stadium, Donn Clendenon hit his third home run of the Series and pitcher Jerry Koosman completes the New York Mets' dominance over the Baltimore Orioles with a five-hit 5–3 complete game victory. Clendenon is named World Series MVP.

Births

January-March

• January 3 - Cris Colón
• January 8 - Brian Boehringer
• January 10 - Takahito Nomura
• January 13 - Kevin Foster
• January 13 - Orlando Miller
• January 15 - Delino DeShields
• January 19 - Orlando Palmeiro
• January 21 - Rusty Greer
• January 27 - Phil Plantier
• February 6 - Bob Wickman
• February 27 - Willie Banks
• March 1 - Doug Creek
• March 8 - Lee Tinsley
• March 23 - Chris Turner
• March 25 - Travis Fryman
• March 25 - Scott Sanders
• March 25 - Dan Wilson
• March 28 - Craig Paquette

April-June

• April 1 - Frank Castillo
• April 2 - Steve Hosey
• April 6 - Bret Boone
• April 7 - Ricky Bones
• April 8 - Pete Walker
• April 14 - Brad Ausmus
• April 14 - Brad Pennington
• April 15 - Jeromy Burnitz
• April 16 - Fernando Viña
• May 1 - Phil Hiatt
• May 10 - Pete Schourek
• May 13 - Lyle Mouton
• May 15 - Hideki Irabu
• May 22 - Vaughn_Eshelman
• May 27 - Todd Hundley
• May 28 - Mike Difelice
• May 29 - Toby Borland
• June 2 - Kurt Abbott
• June 4 - Robert Pérez
• June 16 - Kevin Young
• June 21 - Donovan Osborne
• June 25 - Brad Woodall
• June 26 - Mike Myers

July-September

• July 2 - So Taguchi
• July 8 - Bobby Ayala
• July 8 - Ernie Young
• July 10 - Marty Cordova
• July 14 - José Hernández
• July 26 - Greg Colbrunn
• July 29 - Mike Williams
• August 1 - Kevin Jarvis
• August 4 - Troy O'Leary
• August 5 - Marcos Armas
• August 5 - Pedro Astacio
• August 9 - Troy Percival
• August 13 - Alex Fernández
• August 19 - Matt Franco
• August 20 - Mark Holzemer
• August 21 - Andújar Cedeño
• August 22 - Hipólito Pichardo
• August 26 - Ken Grundt
• August 27 - Ricky Bottalico
• September 7 - Darren Bragg
• September 11 - Eduardo Pérez
• September 13 - Russ Davis
• September 15 - Herb Perry
• September 21 - Jason Christiansen
• September 23 - Jeff Cirillo
• September 25 - Tony Womack

October-December

• October 2 - Matt Walbeck
• October 6 - Robert Person
• October 12 - José Valentín
• October 13 - Tim Crabtree
• October 13 - Damian Miller
• October 14 - Héctor Ortiz
• October 17 - Chris Tremie
• October 20 - Juan González
• October 22 - Héctor Carrasco
• October 22 - Ariel Prieto
• October 24 - Arthur Rhodes
• October 26 - Mark Sweeney
• October 28 - Kirk Bullinger
• November 6 - Don Wengert
• November 8 - Shane Halter
• November 11 - Damion Easley
• November 16 - Pete Rose (Jr.)
• November 17 - Ben Weber
• November 21 - Ken Griffey, Jr.
• November 23 - David McCarty
• November 27 - Tim Laker
• November 28 - Robb Nen
• November 29 - Mariano Rivera
• November 30 - Mark Lewis
• December 9 - Ramón García
• December 14 - Scott Hatteberg
• December 14 - Dave Nilsson
• December 16 - Jason Wood
• December 18 - Joe Randa
• December 29 - Scott Ruffcorn

Deaths

• January 23 - Al Bridwell, 85, shortstop whose apparent game-winning single for the New York Giants in a 1908 contest led to the controversial play in which baserunner Fred Merkle was eventually called out for not touching second base
• February 19 - Doc White, 89, Chicago White Sox pitcher whose record of five consecutive shutouts was finally broken by Don Drysdale in 1968
• March 14 - Heinie Zimmerman, 82, third baseman who won the NL triple crown in 1912 but was barred from baseball in 1919 for his role in fixing games
• March 16 - William Bell, 71, All-Star pitcher of the Negro Leagues who posted the highest career winning percentage in black baseball
• March 21 - Pinky Higgins, 59, third baseman who held the AL record for career games at that position from 1944 to 1959, a 3-time All-Star and later manager of the Red Sox
• April 19 - Rip Collins, 59, catcher for the Chicago Cubs and New York Yankees in the 1940s
• May 5 - Eddie Cicotte, 84, pitcher who won 208 games for the Tigers, Red Sox and White Sox, but was thrown out of baseball as one of the eight "Black Sox" involved in fixing the 1919 World Series; he was the first of the eight to come forward, confessing his involvement and testifying before the grand jury
• May 17 - Pants Rowland, 90, manager of the 1917 World Series champion Chicago White Sox, later president of the Pacific Coast League from 1944 to 1954
• May 20 - Lee Allen, 54, historian at the Baseball Hall of Fame since 1959, former sportswriter
• July 8 - Bill Carrigan, 85, manager and backup catcher for the Boston Red Sox' world champions in 1915 and 1916
• September 29 - Tommy Leach, 91, third baseman and center fielder, primarily for the Pittsburgh Pirates, who led the NL in runs twice and home runs once
• September 30 - Jim Galvin, 62, played briefly for the 1930 Boston Red Sox
• October 2 - Gordon Cobbledick, 70, sportswriter for the Cleveland Plain Dealer from 1928 to 1964
• October 9 - Don Hoak, 41, third baseman who played on 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers and 1960 Pittsburgh Pirates World Series championship teams.
• November 14 - Curt Roberts, 40, first black player in Pittsburgh Pirates history
• November 15 - Billy Southworth, 76, manager who won World Series titles in 1942 and 1944 with the St. Louis Cardinals and the 1948 NL pennant with the Boston Braves, posting a .597 career winning percentage
• December 3 - Roy Wilson, 83, pitcher for the Chicago White Sox in the 1920s
• December 7 - Lefty O'Doul, 72, left fielder who batted .349 in his career and won two batting titles after being converted from a pitcher; became the winningest manager in Pacific Coast League history, and earned additional fame as the "father" of professional baseball in Japan

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