Baseball – 1960

Baseball in 1960

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January


January 5The Continental League‚ a proposed 3rd major league‚ gets an assurance of congressional support from New York Senator Kenneth Keating.
January 11The Cubs send infielders Alvin Dark, Chicago-native Jim Woods‚ and P John Buzhardt to the Phillies for OF Richie Ashburn. Ashburn hit .259 last year.
January 14Charles Comiskey‚ Jr.‚ says Bill Veeck has turned down his offer to buy the White Sox.
January 16Dick Groat scores 14 points, but the football Steelers edge the baseball Pirates 22–20 in sudden death overtime of a benefit basketball game. The Steelers are helped by a ringer, former Pitt hoop All-American Don Hennon.
January 21Stan Musial asks for‚ and receives‚ a pay cut from $100‚000 to $80‚000 a year. Musial says he was overpaid in 1957 and 1958‚ and his salary should be cut‚ based on his performance in 1959.
January 26Boston OF Jackie Jensen‚ 32‚ announces his retirement from baseball. Jensen will later say‚ “Looking back‚ it was foolish to quit. But I thought it would answer my problems [one of which was his great fear of flying].” Jensen will return to play in 1961 before retiring again for good.
January 29The Illinois Appellate Court says Dorothy Rigney‚ sister of Charles Comiskey‚ Jr.‚ was entitled to sell her mother’s shares of White Sox stock to Bill Veeck. Her brother brought suit in an effort to gain control of the club.

February


February 4For the 2nd straight year‚ the BBWAA voters fail to elect a new Hall of Fame member. Edd Roush gets 146 votes‚ but 202 are necessary for election. Sam Rice (143) and Eppa Rixey (142) are next in line.

The Giants move their offices to Candlestick Park. They will work out of a locker room until the San Francisco facility is completed.
February 14Jim Hearn wins the ML Baseball Players Golf Tournament.
February 15Cienfuegos completes a 6-0 sweep to give Cuba the Caribbean Series championship for the 5th straight year. Camilo Pascual wins 2‚ including the Series clincher against Puerto Rico.
February 18Walter O’Malley‚ owner of the Dodgers‚ completes the purchase of the Chavez Ravine area in Los Angeles by paying $494‚000 for property valued at $92‚000.
February 20Branch Rickey meets with officials of the proposed Western Carolinas League about pooling talent for Continental League clubs.
February 23Demolition of Ebbets Field begins. Lucy Monroe sings the National Anthem‚ and Roy Campanella is given an urn of dirt from behind home plate.

March


March 9Hank Greenberg says efforts to settle the Veeck-Comiskey dispute have failed and that Charles Comiskey refuses to become a minority partner of the Veeck-Greenberg syndicate that controls the White Sox.
March 10In Scottsdale‚ Arizona‚ Red Sox OF Marty Keough and pitcher Dave Hillman are injured in an auto accident.
March 13The White Sox unveil new road uniforms with the players’ names above the number on the back‚ another innovation by Bill Veeck.
March 15The New Orleans Pelicans cease operation as a member of the Southern Association‚ and Little Rock replaces them.
March 16The Red Sox send catcher Sammy White and OF Jim Marshall to the Indians for C Russ Nixon. The trade is later canceled when White retires.
March 24Commissioner Ford Frick says he will not allow the Continental League to pool players in the Western Carolinas League as it would violate existing major-minor league agreements.
March 26An Orioles-Reds series scheduled for Havana‚ Cuba‚ is moved to Miami by Baltimore chief Lee MacPhail. The Reds‚ with a farm club in Cuba‚ want the trip‚ but the Orioles fear increased political unrest in the area.
March 29The Giants send P Al Worthington to the Red Sox for OF Jim Marshall. After 6 appearances for the Bosox‚ the White Sox will buy him from Boston and use him in 4 games before releasing him to Minneapolis in May‚ his 3rd stop in the Twin City. Reportedly‚ Worthington disagreed with Chicago owner Bill Veeck‘s use of the scoreboard to steal signs. (Dewey & Acocella).
March 31By a vote of 8-1‚ the Professional Baseball Rules Committee turns down a PCL proposal to use a designated hitter for the pitcher.

April


April 3The Orioles pickup C Clint Courtney‚ along with SS Ron Samford‚ from the Senators for 2B Billy Gardner.
April 4The White Sox send C Earl Battey and 1B Don Mincher plus cash to the Senators for 1B Roy Sievers.
April 5The Giants purchase 1B Dale Long from the Cubs.
April 8The Cubs get infielder Don Zimmer from the Dodgers in return for infielder John Goryl‚ OF Lee Handley‚ minor league P Ron Perranoski‚ and cash. Perranoski‚ 11-10 at Ft. Worth‚ will develop into the top reliever in the NL.
April 9Black and white fans integrate the stands at City Park Stadium in New Orleans for an Indians-Red Sox exhibition game. Walt Bond hits 2 HRs in Cleveland’s 12-8 win.
April 12With 42‚269 fans in attendance‚ the Giants edge the Cardinals 3-1 in the first game at San Francisco’s Candlestick Park. Sam Jones pitches a 3-hitter‚ and Cardinals OF Leon Wagner hits the first HR in the $15 million stadium. In the 3rd inning‚ the umpires protest that the foul poles are several inches in fair territory‚ rather than on the foul lines: the Giants will make the correction after the season.

Chuck Essegian‘s 11th-inning pinch-hit HR beats the Cubs‚ 3-2‚ before a record Opening Day crowd (67‚550) at Los Angeles. The HR is Essegian’s 3rd straight as a pinch hitter‚ including 2 in the 1959 WS. Don Drysdale pitches all the way‚ striking out 14‚ for the win over Bob Elston.

In a deal that will haunt the Indians‚ Frank Lane sends Norm Cash to Detroit for 3B Steve Demeter. Cash will be Detroit’s regular 1B for the next 14 years and will hit 373 HRs for them. Demeter will play 4 games for Cleveland.
April 14After a 9-4 Opening Day loss to the Reds‚ Eddie Sawyer decides he’s had it with managing and quits the Phillies‚ stating‚ “I’m 49 and I want to live to be 50.” He came to Philadelphia from Toronto (International League) in l948 and has managed no other ML team. Interim manager Andy Cohen wins one game before Gene Mauch gets the job and begins a 26-year managerial career in the bigs.

At San Francisco‚ the Cubs win 6-5 despite a helping hand by Cubs pitcher Moe Drabowsky. Moe‚ warming up in the bullpen when teammate Frank Thomas lines a ball down the 3B line‚ fields the double cleanly‚ and the interference holds Thomas to a single. But Thomas has a wind-blown double in the 9th to win the game. Banks has a grand slam in the 3rd to counter 3 solo homers by the Giants.
April 16Sam Jones’s no-hit bid is spoiled with 2 out in the 8th by Walt Moryn‘s pinch HR. The Giants beat the Cubs 6-1.

Ed Bailey has 4 singles and a homer to lead the Reds to an 11-3 win at Pittsburgh.
April 17On Easter Sunday‚ Frank Lane brings AL batting champ Harvey Kuenn to Cleveland and sends co-HR champ Rocky Colavito to Detroit. Colavito‚ an unparalleled fan favorite in Cleveland‚ had been a brief Spring hold out for more money. Colavito was on first base in an exhibition game in Memphis against the White Sox when manager Joe Gordon informed him of the trade. Rocky will hit 173 HRs before returning to the Tribe on January 20‚ 1965. Kuenn will report to Cleveland‚ pull a muscle‚ and never be the same hitter He’ll be traded after one season.

Eddie Mathews hits his 300th HR‚ off Robin Roberts‚ plus a double and triple‚ as Milwaukee beats Philadelphia 8-4. To date‚ only Jimmie Foxx hit his 300th at a younger age.

Pittsburgh’s Joe Gibbon makes his ML debut in the 2nd game of a twinbill with the Reds. With the Pirates down 5-0 in the 8th‚ the rookie comes in to mop up. Gibbon throws 2 scoreless innings and the Bucs score 6 in the 9th for a 6-5 win. Hal Smith’s 3-run pinch homer and Bob Skinner‘s 2-out‚ two-run homer off reliever Ted Wieand makes Gibbon the winner. The Bucs win the opener‚ 5-0‚ behind Bob Friend‘s 4-hitter.
April 18In the AL opener at Washington‚ a week later than the NL start‚ President Dwight D. Eisenhower throws out the first ball‚ then watches Camilo Pascual strike out 15 batters to tie Walter Johnson‘s record. Boston’s only run in a 10-1 loss is a Ted Williams HR.

Trader Lane continues to swap sending Cleveland favorite Herb Score‚ a lefty‚ is sent to the White Sox for righty Barry Latman. Score and Colavito‚ traded 3 days ago‚ were the last two players to pre-date Lane’s arrival in Cleveland.
April 19Opening Day in Cleveland takes on added drama as Rocky Colavito makes his debut with the Tigers. He is hitless in 6 ABs and strikes out 4 times. Detroit’s Frank Lary and Cleveland’s Gary Bell each pitch 10 shutout innings. The Tigers score twice in the 11th‚ but Jim Piersall’s 2-run single off Jim Bunning ties the game. In the 15th‚ as the ML record for the longest Opening Day game is tied‚ Al Kaline‘s 2-run single gives Detroit a 4-2 win.

Before a home crowd of 41‚661‚ Minnie Minoso celebrates his return to the White Sox with a 4th-inning grand slam against Kansas City. Leading off the bottom of the 9th with the score tied 9-9‚ Minoso hits a solo homer for his 6th RBI.

On Patriot’s Day at Fenway Park‚ Roger Maris makes his debut with the Yankees a smash as he goes 4-for-5‚ including 2 home runs‚ and drives in 4 runs. The Yanks spoil Boston’s Opener with an 8-4 win as Jim Coates goes all the way for New York. Tom Brewer is the loser. Red Sox catcher Haywood Sullivan has his first ML hit after 5 seasons and 16 at bats. Mayor John Collins‚ wheel-chair bound because of polio‚ tosses out the first ball.
April 20Light hitting Roy McMillan has 2 home runs‚ 3 singles‚ and drives in 5 runs as the Reds top the Braves‚ 10-5‚ in 10 innings.
April 22In the home opener at Yankee Stadium‚ Mantle socks a 4th inning homer off Hoyt Wilhelm‚ and New York beats Baltimore‚ 5-0.

A record opening day crowd of 53‚563 at Briggs Stadium sees the Tigers chalk up their 3rd straight win‚ 6-5‚ over the White Sox. Recently acquired Rocky Colavito blasts a HR in his first at bat in Detroit‚ and Eddie Yost adds a HR in the 5th.
April 24The Yankees score 8 runs against the Orioles before the first out is made‚ tying an AL record set by Cleveland July 6‚ 1954‚ also against Baltimore. The Orioles respond with grand slams by Albie Pearson and Billy Klaus in the 8th and 9th‚ but New York holds on for a 15-9 triumph.

Lou Berberet‘s first-inning grand slam off Early Wynn at Detroit is the AL’s 3rd of the day‚ tying the ML record for number of slams on one day in one league. The Tigers beat the White Sox 12-4.

Jimmie Coker‘s slam for Philadelphia off Ted Wieand of the Reds is the day’s 4th. This ties the ML record for most slams in one day‚ and gives the Phils a 9-5 win.

George Altman of the Cubs earns a “3-ball walk‚” as umpire Ken Burkhart accidentally counts a balk as a ball in Chicago’s game against the Giants. With the count 0-1‚ Billy Loes backs Altman off the plate‚ but the pitch is called a balk. The Cubs add some offense and win‚ 9-4‚ behind Don Elston. Billy Loes loses.
April 29In St. Louis‚ the Cards crush the Cubs‚ 16-6. Stan Musial plays his 1‚000th game at 1B‚ becoming the first player ever with that many at 2 positions (1‚513 in the outfield). A bright spot for the Cubs is Ernie Banks hitting 2 homers to break Gabby Hartnett‘s club record of 231 HRs.

Rio Grande Valley and San Antonio set a new Texas League record by playing 24 innings at San Antonio’s Mission Stadium. The Valley Giants score twice in the 24th‚ ending the 5 hour‚ 42 minute marathon with a 4-2 win.
April 30Pittsburgh has a 10-run 2nd inning in its 8th straight win‚ 12-7 at Cincinnati.

May


May 1The Pirates‚ behind Vern Law‘s pitching‚ win their 9th game in a row‚ 13-2‚ against the Reds at Cincinnati.

Orioles vet Skinny Brown hurls Baltimore to a 4-1‚ win over the Yankees. Browns allows just one hit‚ a first inning homer by Mantle. Rookie Ron Hansen matches Mantle to up his RBI total to an AL high 32.
May 2Ron Kline’s 7-hitter gives the Cardinals a 4-3 win and ends Pittsburgh’s streak at 9 games‚ the club’s longest since 1945. Roy Face issues a bases-loaded walk in the 9th for his 2nd straight loss.

Playing at a converted football stadium because their own Russwood Park was destroyed by fire on April 17‚ the Memphis Chicks and Birmingham set a Southern League one-game record with 11 HRs‚ 6 of which clear a RF fence just 204 feet from home plate. Afterward‚ all drives over the RF fence are declared doubles until home plate can be moved. The Chicks move to Tobey Park in mid-July.
May 4The Cubs make a trade-with WGN-plucking Lou Boudreau out of the broadcast booth to replace Charlie Grimm (6-11) as manager‚ Jolly Cholly takes Lou’s chair behind the mike. The Cubs win‚ 5-1‚ over the Pirates as Dick Ellsworth gains his first ML victory.

The Orioles C Gus Triandos sets AL records with 3 passed balls in one inning (6th) and 4 in one game‚ but Hoyt Wilhelm‚ making a rare start‚ goes 7 innings and gets credit for a 6-4 Baltimore win over the White Sox. Early Wynn records his 2‚000th strikeout in a no-decision effort for the Sox. Triandos’ PB mark for an inning will be tied by reserve backstop Myron Ginsberg in six days‚ and Tom Egan will collect 5 PBs in 1970 to erase Gus’ name.
May 6The Dodgers send veteran OF Sandy Amaros to Detroit for 1B Gail Harris.
May 7Eddie Bressoud’s three-run homer, a 397-foot, inside-the-park shot off Harvey Haddix, highlights a six-run rally as the Giants edge the Pirates 6-5 in Candlestick Park. San Francisco ties a ML record and sets a NL record by leaving just two men on base in two consecutive games (16 innings), while winning both. The three runs tie for the most Haddix will ever give up on a home run. Among the 240 homers he surrenders during his career, Haddix will not give up a grand slam, a NL record. Jim Palmer holds both the major league and American League records in this category.

Siblings Larry and Norm Sherry of the Dodgers become the 10th brother battery in ML history. Catcher Norm belts an 11th-inning HR to give his relief-pitching brother Larry a 3-2 win against Philadelphia.

Red Sox pitcher Bill Monbouquette allows just one hit in beating the visiting Tigers‚ 5-0. Neil Chrisley‘s double is the only safety.

Takehiko Bessho becomes the winningest pitcher in Japan as his Tokyo Giants beat the Hanshin Tigers 6-3. Bessho has 302 wins‚ one more than Victor Starfin.
May 10Joe Ginsberg of the Orioles loses a struggle with Hoyt Wilhelm‘s knuckler‚ and ties the record set 6 days earlier by teammate Gus Triandos with 3 passed balls in one inning. Dick Williams of the A’s belts a grand slam‚ as the AL record of 3 on one day in one league is tied for the 2nd time in 16 days. Williams also doubles in a 9-run 5th inning. Kansas City beats Baltimore 10-0.

Grand slams by Red Sox teammates Vic Wertz and Rip Repulski at Fenway Park give Boston a 9-7 win over Chicago. The NL-vet Repulski’s 8th-inning shot off Don Ferrarese comes on his first AL at bat.
May 11At San Francisco‚ Sam Jones hurls a 2-hitter and draws a bases loaded walk for the only run as the Giants edge the Phils‚ 1-0. Owens is the loser.
May 12Duplicating Jones’ effort of yesterday‚ the Giants Jack Sanford pitches a 2-hit‚ 1-0 win over the Phils. He matches Jones by striking out 11 and walking 3.

At Wrigley‚ the Reds sink the Cubs‚ 14-1‚ by scoring 7 runs in the first inning and 6 in the 2nd.

The Phils release P Curt Simmons‚ who had no decisions this year or last. The Cardinals sign the veteran‚ who will win 69 games for the Birds over the next 7 seasons.

In the Florida State League‚ Palatka’s Michael Mattaice hurls his 2nd consecutive no-hitter‚ rolling over Tampa‚ 20-0. On the 3rd‚ he beat Daytona Beach 4-0.
May 13Mike McCormick’s shutout of the Dodgers is the 3rd straight by San Francisco pitchers‚ following 2-hitters against Philadelphia by Sam Jones and Jack Sanford. The first-place Giants have 7 straight wins.

Pirate Dick Groat becomes the first NL player since Connie Ryan in 1953 to go 6-for-6 as Pittsburgh beats Milwaukee‚ 8-2.

Philadelphia suffers its 3rd straight 1-0 shutout‚ losing to the Reds in Cincinnati. The Phillies‚ losers of back-to-back 1-0 games in San Francisco‚ tie the ML record for straight 1-0 losses. Jim O’Toole’s win is Cincinnati’s 9th straight. The Phils announce a trade of 1B Ed Bouchee and P Don Cardwell to the Cubs for 2B Tony Taylor and C Cal Neeman.
May 15Two days after being traded from the Phillies to the Cubs‚ Don Cardwell pitches a no-hitter. A brilliant‚ leaping catch of Carl Sawatski‘s drive by RF George Altman in the 8th inning saves Cardwell’s gem. Ernie Banks‘ HR paces the 4-0 win‚ the first no-hitter against the Cards since May 11‚ 1919.

At Cincinnati‚ the Reds are down 9-1 when P Raul Sanchez starts a brawl by plunking 3 of 4 Phils batters in the 8th inning‚ the last batter being P Gene Conley. Phils manager Gene Mauch then charges the mound to tackle Sanchez. Both dugouts empty with fights all around. The most cinematic is 2B Billy Martin‚ 5’11” taken on the 6’11” Conley‚ though future Hall of Famers Frank Robinson and Robin Roberts is a close second. It takes 12 minutes to restore order. The Phils romp 14-3‚ then lose 5-1 in the doubleheader.
May 19The Yankees send SS Andy Carey to the A’s for slugger Bob Cerv. Cerv had been with the Yanks for 5 years before going to KC where he banged 38 HRs in 1958 and was chosen as the AL left fielder over Ted Williams. Cerv will be claimed in the expansion draft in 1960 and the Yanks will again reacquire him.
May 20At Comiskey Park‚ Ted Kluszewski drives in 4 runs to lead the White Sox to a 5-3 win‚ the 9th in a row at home for Chicago. Mantle hits a 2-run homer in the 9th inning 2-run shot off Early Wynn‚ the winner. Chicago leads Cleveland in the AL by 1 1/2 games.

The Pirates stretch their NL lead to 1 1/2 games by edging the Giants‚ 5-4‚ on Roberto Clemente‘s single in the 12th inning. Clemente has 3 hits to raise his average to .378. Willie McCovey‘s homer in the 9th tied it for San Francisco‚ and a score in the 12th puts them ahead. But Don Hoak‘s single and a run-scoring double by Dick Groat sets the stage for Clemente.

Love that home cooking. The Cards‚ 2-17 on the road‚ win their 10th in 13 decisions at home‚ beating the Reds and starter Jim O’Toole‚ 6-1. With the bases loaded‚ Stan Musial hits a line drive back at Cincy reliever Joe Nuxhall‚ who deliberately drops the ball in order to start a DP. The umps rule Nuxhall did it on purpose and Musial is out. The runners return to their bases. Jackson is the winner.
May 22With Colavito on the bench because of poor hitting‚ the Tigers sweep the visiting Red Sox‚ 6-2 and 5-2. Boston has now lost 9 straight and extend that to 10 games before winning. Bunning and Aguirre notch the wins‚ as the Hubmen strand 15 runners in the nitecap.
May 25George Crowe’s ML-record 11th pinch-hit HR‚ off Don McMahon‚ gives the Cardinals a 5-3 win over the Braves. Crowe began the season tied with Smoky Burgess and Gus Zernial in career pinch HRs.
May 27Pittsburgh acquires 29-year-old lefty Wilmer “Vinegar Bend” Mizell from the Cardinals‚ along with LF Dick Gray‚ for minor leaguers Julian Javier and Ed Bauta. Javier will start at 2B for the Cards for a dozen years.

Since there is no rule limiting the size or shape of the catcher’s mitt‚ Baltimore manager Paul Richards combats the passed-ball problem while catching Hoyt Wilhelm (38 in 1959; 11 so far this year) by devising an oversized mitt to gather in Hoyt’s fluttering knuckler. It is half again as large as the standard glove and 40 ounces heavier. Wilhelm goes the distance in beating New York 3-2 at Yankee Stadium. Courtney has no passed balls behind the plate.

Ed Bailey snaps a 5-5 tie with a 9th inning grand slam as the Reds defeat the visiting Braves‚ 9-5. Pinson’s 2nd triple of the game set up 2 intentional walks and set the table for Bailey.

Camilo Pascual strikes out 13 but Washington loses to the Red Sox‚ 4-3‚ his 3rd loss to Boston this year.
May 28Casey Stengel is hospitalized with a virus and high fever and will miss 13 games. New York goes 7-6 under interim manager Ralph Houk. Today the Yanks top the Senators‚ 5-1‚ behind Jim Coates‘ 5th straight win. The game is scoreless until Mantle cracks a 5th inning opposite field homer off Jim Kaat‚ who then walks three‚ hits two batters‚ and a serves up a Gil McDougald 2-run triple good for 3 runs. Later Mantle homers again‚ and Maris‚ leading the AL‚ also homers‚ the first time the two have hit round trippers together in a game.

At Forbes Field in the 8th inning‚ Clemente is on 3B and Smith on 1B with 2 outs‚ when Mazeroski fans on a ball that hits in the front of the plate. The ball then hits Umpire Al Barlick on the right knee and bounces back toward Phillies pitcher‚ Jim Owens. Maz doesn’t move as Smith jogs to 2B. . Clemente races in from 3B then stops. Owens fields the ball and goes after Clemente ignoring pleas from the Phils’ bench to simply throw to 1B. In the run-down‚ Clemente knocks the ball out of Jim Coker’s glove and scores the tying run on the catcher’s error (the photo has been widely published).. The Pirates win‚ 4-2 in the 13th on Don Hoak‘s 2-run HR.
May 30At the Stadium‚ the Yanks earn a split with the Senators when‚ in game 2‚ Yogi Berra belts a two-run homer in the 8th inning. When Mantle makes a catch for the final out‚ he is surrounded by a group a fans‚ one of whom punches him in the face as he races for the dugout. Because of the incident‚ the Yankees announce that ushers using ropes-a tactic used at one point with DiMaggio-will escort Mantle off the field.

June


June 1Mickey Mantle hits a one-out HR in the first inning‚ a 400-foot blow on an 0-2 pitch‚ for the only Yankee hit against Baltimore’s Hal Brown. The Baby Birds win 4-1 and sweep the three game series with the Yankees to move into first place (27-15). New York leaves Baltimore in 4th place (19-19).
June 4Detroit’s Chico Fernandez strokes a 10th-inning triple against Cleveland‚ and then swipes home for the final run in a 7-4 win. Rocky Colavito breaks out of his slump with a solo HR in the 4th and a 2-run HR in the 10th‚ off Stigman.
June 5The Yankees sweep two from the Red Sox‚ taking the opener on homers by Mantle and Maris. Roger’s blow is a 3 run shot to give New York a 5-4 victory. Art Ditmar is the CG winner in the nitecap‚ winning 8-3.
June 8Bob Turley tosses a 3-hit shutout against the White Sox‚ and Mantle adds his 9th and 10th homers of the season. His 2nd homer‚ in the 8th‚ is followed by Maris’s 16th of the year‚ matching his season total last year with KC. It is the first time the M Boys have hit back-to-back homers.
June 9George Strickland’s 2-run homer in the 6th is the winning margin in Cleveland’s 3-2 win over the Red Sox. With the Orioles losing a pair to Detroit‚ Cleveland stretches its AL lead to 1 1/2 games. After the game‚ the Red Sox send outfielder Gene Stephens to the Orioles for OF Willie Tasby.
June 10In New York‚ Mantle cracks his 3rd homer in 3 days to ruin a good relief effort by Cleveland’s Dick Stigman. The 8th inning solo shot gives New York a 4-3 win.

Reds catcher Dutch Dotterer hits a grand slam home run off the Dodgers Sandy Koufax to account for of Cincy’s scoring. They win‚ 4-3. For Dutch‚ it is one of his 5 career dingers and his only slam.

The Red Sox fire manager Billy Jurges‚ who left the team on June 8 reportedly because of illness. Del Baker will be the interim manager. Tomorrow‚ the Sox will hire Pinky Higgins as the regular manager. It’ll be Pinky’s second tour of duty as Sox skipper.
June 11At Fenway‚ the White Sox set an AL record with just 7 assists in a twi-night doubleheader split against the Red Sox‚ losing 5-4 and winning 8-4. With 2 assists in the first game and 5 in the 2nd‚ Chicago also sets an AL record for fewest assists in 2 consecutive games. Don Buddin hits a leadoff HR in the day game off Early Wynn‚ who allows just one more hit till the 6th. After a Runnels single‚ Wynn knocks down Williams with an inside pitch. Ted then belts his 497th homer‚ a 450-foot shot. Wertz follows a walk to Williams in the 8th with a HR.
June 12In a record-tying 3 hour and 52 minute‚ 9-inning game‚ Willie McCovey‘s pinch-hit grand slam‚ the first slam of his career‚ and Orlando Cepeda‘s 3-run double pace the Giants to a 16-7 rout of the Braves.

The Tigers and Senators combine for 11 homers in their DH split‚ with the Nats hitting 8 roundtrippers. Jim Lemon hits 3 homers‚ one in game 1‚ an 8-2 win‚ and a pair in the nitecap loss‚ 12-5. Colavito has a pair in the nitecap for Detroit and winning pitcher Frank Lary also goes deep.
June 13The Indians trade C Russ Nixon and OF Carroll Hardy to the Red Sox for Marty Keough and P Ted Bowsfield. Nixon had been traded in March to the Red Sox for Sammy White‚ but the deal fell through when White refused to report. Hardy once pinch hit for Maris in Cleveland‚ and will do the same for Ted Williams this year‚ the only time Williams will ever have a pinch hitter.
June 14New York beats KC‚ 6-2 behind Jim Coates and Roger Maris. Maris drives in 5 runs with a HR‚ double‚ and single. The Yankees have now 7th straight‚ all since Stengel returned from the hospital‚ and now are in a virtual tie with the Indians and Orioles for 1st place.

Bunning strikes out 13 in 7 innings‚ but gives up a HR to Ted Williams‚ #498‚ and is losing before Norm Cash bats for him and hits a 2-run homer. Detroit beats Boston‚ 2-1.

The Cubs sign Danvars‚ Mass. high school superstar Danny Murphy (.489: 11-0) to a $130‚000 contract‚ making him the highest paid player of the bonus era so far. In 4 days‚ the 17-year-old will start in the outfield at Crosley Field when the Reds Jay Hook stops the Cubs‚ 7-1. Murphy will hit just .120 this year and after three seasons drop to the minors. He’ll resurface as a pitcher with the White Sox in 1969‚ one of the few players to make the majors as a position player and pitcher.

In Juarez‚ Mexico‚ actress Lorraine Day obtains a divorce from Leo Durocher. The two wed on January 20‚ 1947.
June 15Mexico City and Poza Rico combine to hit 12 HRs in one game‚ a Mexican League record.

Philadelphia sends Wally Post back to Cincinnati‚ along with OF Harry Anderson and 1B Fred Hopke‚ for outfielders Tony Gonzalez and Lee Walls. Gonzalez will be a reliable starter for 9 years in Philley and‚ in 1962‚ will be the first CF to field 1.000.

The Dodgers send another Brooklyn veteran packing when Clem Labine goes to the Tigers for P Ray Semproch.
June 17A 2-run HR off Wynn Hawkins at Cleveland Municipal Stadium makes Ted Williams the 4th player in ML history to hit 500 HRs. The Red Sox win 3-1 behind Frank Sullivan‘s 12 strikeouts.

In Chicago‚ Bill Veeck‘s new $300‚000 exploding scoreboard is silent as no Sox players hit homers. However‚ when Clete Boyer bangs one in the 2nd inning‚ all the Yankees light sparklers and greet the third baseman on the dugout steps. Berra leads the sparklers in the bullpen. Mantle’s 8th inning homer prompts another round of sparklers as the Yanks win‚ 4-2.
June 18New York continues the fireworks in Chicago with long home runs by Mantle‚ Maris and Skowron to win 12-5 and sweep the 4-game series in Chicago. The Mantle home run is over the CF fence and is followed by Maris’s clout to the upper deck in right.

The Giants‚ a big favorite to win the pennant in a preseason poll of writers taken by The Sporting News‚ change managers‚ replacing Bill Rigney with Tom Sheehan. Horace Stoneham’s team is 33-25 and trails only Pittsburgh. At 66 years‚ 2 months‚ and 18 days‚ Sheehan is the oldest rookie manager in ML history.
June 19In a brilliant pair of pitching performances‚ the Orioles Hoyt Wilhelm and Milt Pappas throw shutouts to beat the host Tigers. Wilhelm allows 2 hits in winning the opener‚ 2-0‚ over Bunning‚ and Pappas allows 3 hits in winning the nitecap‚ 1-0‚ over Don Mossi. Gentile and Hansen homer in the opener as Clint Courtney‚ using the big glove‚ is twice charged with batter interference‚ the first loading the bases in the 4th.
June 21Whitey Ford outduels Yankee Killer Frank Lary to give New York a 6-0 win in Detroit. Mantle is 3-for-5 with 2 homers off Lary.

Despite 2 HRs and a single by Ted Williams‚ driving in 4 runs‚ the Red Sox lose to KC‚ 11-7. Jerry Casale puts the Sox in the hole by giving up hits to the first 6 batters.

Reno (California League) beats visiting Stockton‚ 8-3‚ as legendary fireballer Steve Dalkowski strikes out 19 Silver Sox batters.
June 23The Braves acquire Alvin Dark from the Phils for infielder Joe Morgan and cash. The cash they keep; Morgan they sell to the Indians in August.
June 24Willie Mays hits 2 HRs‚ singles‚ steals home‚ and makes 10 putouts to lead the Giants in a 5-3 win at Cincinnati. Mays has 3 RBI and 3 runs scored.
June 26Hoping to speed up the election process‚ the Hall of Fame changes its voting procedures. The new rules allow the Special Veterans Committee to vote annually‚ rather than every other year‚ and to induct up to 2 players a year. The BBWAA is authorized to hold a runoff election of the top 30 vote getters if no one is elected in the first ballot.

At Forbes Field‚ Cubs rookie Ron Santo‚ making his ML debut‚ leads Chicago to a sweep of the first place Pirates. Santo is 3-for-7 and drives in 5 runs as the Cubs win 7-5 and 7-6.
June 30Dick Stuart blasts 3 consecutive HRs‚ as the Pirates split with the Giants. Stuart drives in 7 runs and joins Ralph Kiner as the 2nd Pirate to hit 3 HRs in a game at Forbes Field. Jack Sanford pitches a 3-hit shutout to give the Giants an 11-0 first-game win. With the 11-6 nitecap victory‚ Pittsburgh is 3 ahead of the 2nd-place Braves.

The Braves lose to the Cubs in Chicago‚ 11-5‚ as Cubs pitcher Don Cardwell has 4 hits.

New York’s Mark Baldwin surrenders only 3 hits‚ but is out dueled by Ed Stein‚ who pitches his 2nd one-hitter of the season to lead Brooklyn to a 3-0 victory.

At Fenway‚ SS Don Buddin pulls some fancy footwork to lead the Bosox to a win against the Tigers. With the score tied in the 8th‚ Buddin is caught in a rundown between 3B and home‚ but he eludes Detroit catcher Red Wilson to score. Wilson argues that Buddin left the baseline‚ and earns a rejection by Red Flaherty for his views. The Red Sox score 3 more runs and win‚ 11-7. Ted Williams has a HR‚ off Bunning‚ and Colavito answers with 2 homers.

July


July 1A first-refusal option for chief minority stockholder H. Gabriel Murphy to buy the holdings of Washington owner Calvin Griffith expires. Murphy will lose 2 court decisions in efforts to keep Griffith from moving the Senators to Minnesota.

Cards reliever Ernie Broglio is nothing but efficient‚ tossing a total of 2 1/3 innings of relief in two games with the Braves. Ernie wins both. The Cards blow a 7-0 lead in the opener before winning in the 10th‚ 8-7. They blow a 5-0 lead in the nitecap‚ but win 7-5. Fellow reliever Lindy McDaniel gets rapped in both games.
July 3Before 50‚556 fans in New York‚ the Yankees sweep two from the Tigers‚ winning 7-6 and 6-2. In the opener‚ Ryne Duran fans Charlie Maxwell with the bases loaded and 2 outs in the 9th. Detroit is ahead 2-1 in the night cap when Norm Cash argues at length about a call at first base‚ and finally gets tossed. When play resumes‚ Pete Burnside serves up a 3-run homer to Mantle‚ batting righty. The Yankees are 23-5 since June 5 and lead the AL by 3 games.

A day after his wedding in Chicago‚ Jim O’Toole pitches and loses‚ as the Cubs pound him for 7 runs and 9 hits in less than 5 innings. Chicago wins‚ 7-5. An unsympathetic manager Hutchinson says‚ “It was his turn to pitch. I didn’t tell him to get married.”
July 4Mickey Mantle’s 3-run first-inning HR off Hal Woodeshick is the 300th of his career. Mantle becomes the 18th player to join the 300 club‚ but the Yankees drop a 9-8 decision to Washington.
July 8The Cuban revolution led by Fidel Castro brings an end to Havana’s International League team. The Sugar Kings relocate in Jersey City‚ marking that city’s return to the IL after a 10-year absence. Poor attendance at Roosevelt Stadium prompts the parent Reds to cease the minor-league operation there following the 1960 season.
July 9Jim Coates suffers his first loss after 9 straight wins‚ and 14 straight over two seasons‚ as the Red Sox beat the Yankees 6-5. The Sox are lead by Vic Wertz‚ who slugs a HR‚ double and single to drive in 4 runs. Coates’ ML record is 17-2.
July 11One-hit shutout pitching by Bob Friend and HRs by Ernie Banks and Del Crandall pace the NL to a 5-4 win over the AL at Kansas City’s Municipal Stadium in the first of 2 All-Star Games. Friend has notched 2 of the NL’s last 3 All-Star wins.
July 13Vern Law becomes the 2nd Pirate to win a 1960 All-Star Game‚ working 2 scoreless innings. Stan Musial comes off the NL bench and hits his record 6th and last All-Star Game HR. Willie Mays‚ Ken Boyer‚ and Eddie Mathews also homer in the 6-0 NL win‚ the 3rd shutout in All-Star Game history.
July 15San Francisco fog plays havoc with a Giants-Dodgers game. Willie McCovey‘s invisible triple prompts umpire Frank Dascoli to halt play for 24 minutes. Los Angeles wins 5-3.

At Briggs Stadium‚ Mantle cracks a three-run homer of Don Mossi‚ but Detroit rallies to win 8-4.

Brooks Robinson goes 5-for-5‚ hitting for the cycle‚ to lead the Orioles to a 5-2 win over the White Sox. With 3 hits yesterday‚ Robinson has 8 straight hits. His 9th inning triple off reliever Turk Lown‚ seals the win for Milt Pappas over starter Billy Pierce.
July 17The Senators‚ losers of 10 straight to the Indians‚ sweep a pair from the Tribe‚ 3-2 and 5-3. The opening win is over Mudcat Grant‚ who had never lost to the Senators in 14 straight victories.

Batting just .244 and not hitting for power‚ Willie McCovey‚ 1959 NL Rookie of the Year‚ is sent down to Tacoma (Pacific Coast League).
July 18The NL votes to expand to 10 clubs if the Continental League does not join organized baseball. The new NL clubs would invade CL territories.

The Yanks score 5 runs in the 3rd off Dick Stigman‚ and Whitey Ford coasts to a complete game 9-2 victory over the Indians.
July 19In a spectacular ML debut‚ Giant Juan Marichal pitches no-hit ball until Clay Dalrymple pinch-hit singles with 2 out in the 7th. Marichal winds up with 12 strikeouts and a one-hit 2-0 win against the Phillies. Marichal is the first NL hurler since 1900 to debut with a one-hitter.

Roy Sievers‘ 21-game hit streak‚ the longest for any player in 1960‚ ends‚ but White Sox teammate Luis Aparicio’s inside-the-park HR and Billy Pierce‘s shutout beat Boston‚ 6-0.

Senators ace Pedro Ramos pitches a one-hitter‚ bating Detroit‚ 5-0. Colavito’s leadoff single in the 8th‚ a grounder that eludes SS Jose Valdivielso‚ is the lone safety.

The Yankees outslug the Indians‚ 13-11‚ behind the slugging of Bill Skowron. Skowron follows a Berra blast with his 2nd homer in the 8th but Cleveland answers with 2 in the bottom of the 8th for an 11-8 lead. Moose then hits a bases-loaded double in the 9th to win it. Maris hits his 30th HR and Piersall homers for the Tribe.
July 20At Municipal Stadium‚ with Cleveland in the lead 8-2‚ Mantle golfs a Gary Bell pitch over the auxiliary scoreboard into the distant upper deck in RF‚ matching Luke Easter as the only players to reach that spot. Cleveland holds on for an 8-6 win.
July 21Robin Roberts pitches his 3rd career one-hitter‚ and the 3rd one-hitter of the season in new Candlestick Park. Felipe Alou spoils Roberts’ no-hit bid in the 5th inning of a 3-0 Philadelphia win when 3B Joe Morgan fields the hit‚ but falls down and cannot make a throw.
July 22At Fenway the Red Sox down the Indians 6-4. Vic Wertz has a 3-run homer and 4 RBIs. Ted Williams also homers and‚ in the 7th inning‚ steals 2B. Williams sets a ML record as the only player to steal bases in 4 consecutive decades: he’ll be match by Rickey Henderson in 2000. Jimmy Piersall homers twice‚ both off winner Ike Delock.

The Yankees purchase 33-year-old P Luis Arroyo from Jersey City (IL). He will be a key to New York’s 1960 pennant and a star in 1961.
July 23Kansas City OF Whitey Herzog hits into the only all-Cuban triple play in ML history. The action goes from Washington P Pedro Ramos‚ to 1B Julio Becquer‚ to SS Jose Valdivielso. The win‚ however‚ goes to reliever Chuck Stobbs (7-2) as the Nats take an 8-3 decision. Killebrew has a 2-run homer.

In an effort to distract Ted Williams during his at bats in the 6th and 8th innings‚ the Indians CF Jimmy Piersall goes into a war dance. Piersall gets tossed for his efforts and manager Joe Gordon is also ejected for arguing Jimmy’s case. It is Piersall’s 6th ejection of the season. Gordon had previously announced that any more ejections would cost Piersall $500 each‚ but he thinks today’s thumbing is unwarranted and waives the fine. AL president Joe Cronin is less forgiving and fines Piersall $100. The Indians win‚ 4-2‚ behind Jim Perry‘s pitching and the first ML HR of Mike de la Hoz.
July 24Chicago’s 3rd straight win at Yankee Stadium and 8th straight overall‚ 6-3 behind Billy Pierce‚ gives the Sox a 2-game lead atop the AL. Eli Grba beats Herb Score 8-2 in the 2nd game to give New York a twin-bill split.
July 25The Bucs return to first place as Bob Friend defeats the Cardinals 4-2 in St. Louis. Pittsburgh will remain atop the NL for the rest of the season.

The Reds spot the Cubs a 5-0 lead after 6 innings‚ then come back to win‚ 6-5‚ at Wrigley.
July 26After 38 consecutive scoreless innings over 4 games‚ the Phils push over a run in the 6th inning against the Cubs‚ and go on to win 4-3. Philadelphia was coming off 3 straight shutouts at the hands of the Dodgers.
July 27William Shea‚ chairman of Mayor Robert Wagner’s New York baseball committee‚ announces the formation of the Continental League. The 5 founding cities are New York‚ Houston‚ Toronto‚ Denver‚ and Minneapolis/St. Paul.
July 28With relief help from Bobby Shantz‚ Whitey Ford‚ who leaves with an upset stomach‚ picks up a 4-0 win over the Indians. Kubek‚ Mantle‚ and Boyer homer for the pinstripers. The Yanks sweep‚ winning the nitecap‚ 9-2‚ and take over 1st place by 3 percentage points.

The Red Sox‚ losers of 9 straight to the White Sox‚ beat Chicago 4-2‚ knocking the Pale Hose out of 1st.

Boston OF Gary Geiger (.302)‚ who homered yesterday against Chicago‚ suffers a collapsed lung and is out for the rest of the season.
July 30Just as he predicts‚ Philadelphia P Art Mahaffey‚ just called up from Buffalo‚ picks off the first batter to get a hit against him. Then with the next batter to get a hit‚ he does it again. Curt Flood and Bill White are the base runner victims‚ but St. Louis still wins 6-3. In his next game‚ the first batter to get a hit off Mahaffey will be Jim Marshall‚ and Mahaffey will pick him off as well. In the 1980s‚ Tippy Martinez will pick off 3 runners in one inning.
July 31At Yankee Stadium‚ the A’s push over three unearned runs in the 11th on two throwing errors by 3B Hector Lopez to top New York‚ 5-2.

A game between Memphis and Chattanooga (Southern Association) is postponed because the 94-degree weather is too much for the spectators in Memphis’s roofless Tobey Field.

August


August 2In an agreement with the major leagues‚ the Continental League abandons plans to join the AL and NL. Walter O’Malley‚ chairman of the NL Expansion Committee‚ says‚ “We immediately will recommend expansion and that we would like to do it in 1961.” Braves owner Lou Perini proposes a compromise that 4 of the CL territories be admitted to the current majors in orderly expansion. Branch Rickey‘s group quickly accepts. The Continental League ends without playing a game.
August 3Frank Lane trades managers with Detroit’s GM Bill DeWitt. The Indians Joe Gordon (49-46) is dealt to the Tigers for Jimmy Dykes (44-52). For one game‚ until the pair can change places‚ Jo-Jo White pilots the Indians and Billy Hitchcock guides the Tigers.
August 4Believing that Chicago’s Jim Brewer is throwing at him‚ the Reds 2B Billy Martin throws his bat toward the mound. Then‚ advancing to retrieve it from Brewer‚ who has picked it up. The two exchange words and Martin launches a hard overhand right that fractures the orbital bone of Brewer’s right eye. Both benches empty and Martin continues swinging‚ decking Frank Thomas. Brewer requires surgery and will be out of action for a month. The Cubs win‚ 5-3‚ on Ernie Banks‘ homer at Wrigley. Martin will be fined $500 for the punch and Brewer and the Cubs will sue the combative infielder on August 22nd for $1‚000‚000. Years later‚ when the courts award Brewer $100‚000‚ Martin’s comment will be‚ “how can they ever collect it? I haven’t got that kind of money‚”
August 7The White Sox win a pair from the Senators‚ with reliever Gerry Staley picking up two victories. Staley will be 13-8‚ all in relief‚ with both wins and losses topping the AL relievers. This is the 3rd time he has won two games in relief in one day: he did it in 1948 and 1950.
August 8Before a day crowd of 48‚323‚ the largest day crowd ever at Comiskey Park‚ cheer Billy Pierce 4-hit victory over the Yankees‚ 9-1. Pierce faces just 31 batters.
August 9With fine relief pitching of Lindy McDaniel in the opener and a 5-hitter by Curt Simmons in the nitecap‚ the Cards sweep the Phils‚ 5-4 and 6-0. Phillie Tony Taylor ties a ML record for 2B by going the entire doubleheader (18 innings) without a putout‚ the first to achieve the feat since Connie Ryan of the Phillies‚ June 14‚ 1953.

Ted Williams blasts his 19th HR and 511th of his career‚ off Perry‚ but the Red Sox lose to the Indians‚ 6-3. Ted’s 5th inning HR ties him with Mel Ott for 3rd on the all-time list. Francona and Power homer for the Tribe to back Perry (14-5). Power’s hit ricochets off the top of the RF fence in Cleveland toward Lu Clinton. The ball hits Clinton’s foot and is “kicked” over the fence. Umpire Hal Smith rules the hit a HR‚ since the ball never touched the ground.
August 10Ted Williams hits a pair of homers and a double to pace the Red Sox to a 6-1 win over the Indians. Ted has 21 homers for the season. The 1st of the two today‚ #512‚ moves Ted past Mel Ott into 4th place on the all-time list. After the game‚ Williams announces that he will retire at the end of the season.
August 14The Pirates sweep a doubleheader from 2nd-place St. Louis to take a 6-game lead in the NL pennant race. Don Hoak‘s RBI single in the 11th inning gives Pittsburgh a 3-2 win in the nightcap‚ following a 9-4 win in the opener. The Cards Bill White connects for the cycle in the opener.

The Yankees lose a doubleheader to Washington and fall to 3rd place in the AL‚ a half game behind the Orioles and White Sox. P Camilo Pascual‘s grand slam is the difference in a 5-4 first-game win. In the 2nd‚ Mickey Mantle‚ believing there are 2 outs‚ jogs to 1B on a grounder to 3B. The Senators turn a DP‚ with New York’s Roger Maris suffering bruised ribs trying to break it up at 2B. Maris will miss 18 games as a result. Mantle is heavily booed‚ and Casey Stengel replaces him with Bob Cerv. The clubs set a ML record by using 17 pinch hitters-9 by the Yankees-in the doubleheader (more than 18 innings)‚ while playing a ML record 24 errorless innings.
August 15Behind Art Ditmar’s 5-hitter and Mickey Mantle‘s 2 HRs‚ off Jerry Walker and Hoyt Wilhelm‚‚ New York cops a 4-3 win and first place in the AL. The 2nd HR comes after C Clint Courtney drops a Mantle foul pop-up. Baltimore’s loss is only its 2nd in the last 15 games. Baltimore and Chicago now trail by a half-game.

In the first of 2 games at Crosley Field‚ Frank Robinson and Eddie Mathews exchange punches after Robbie slides in hard at 3B in the 7th inning. Robbie comes out on the short end with a swollen eye‚ bloody nose‚ and jammed thumb‚ but comes back in the nitecap with a double and homer to lead the Reds to a 4-0 win. Bob Purkey wins the shutout‚ despite allowing 11 hits.
August 17Clem Labine‚ picked up yesterday after being released by Detroit‚ pitches 3 2/3 innings of hitless ball for Pittsburgh to save a 5-3 win over the Phils.

AT Wrigley‚ Ernie Banks hits a one-out game-ending HR in the 9th off Don Drysdale to give the Cubs a 1-0 win. Glen Hobbie is the victor.
August 18Facing just 27 batters‚ Lew Burdette pitches a 1-0 no-hitter against the Phillies. Tony Gonzalez‚ the only Phil to reach base‚ is hit by a Burdette pitch in the 5th inning but erased on a DP. The Milwaukee pitcher also scores the only run of the game.

Bob Sprout sets a Midwest League record with 22 strikeouts‚ and pitches a 7-inning no-hitter as Decatur defeats Waterloo 3-0. The 18-year-old lefty needs a dropped foul ball for his chance at the record. Sprout will pitch just one game in the ML‚ with the Angels in 1961.
August 20Ted Williams draws the 2‚000th walk of his career in the Red Sox’ split of a twi-night doubleheader with Baltimore. Williams joins Ruth as the only batters to collect 2‚000 walks. The Splendid Splinter also clouts HRs 514 and 515 in game 1‚ an 8-6 Boston win. The O’s win the nitecap‚ 6-0‚ behind Brown‚ but drop into 3rd place‚ 2 games behind the 1st-place Yankees.
August 22For Billy Martin‘s fight on August 5th‚ Jim Brewer and the Cubs hit back with a $1‚040‚000 law suit. The claim will be settled in court and Martin will be liable for $25‚000 in damages.
August 23Following up his no hitter‚ Lew Burdette fires his 3rd shutout in a row‚ pitching the Braves to a 7-0 win over the Dodgers. The Braves stroke 5 homers‚ including Aaron’s 33rd and Mathews 29th.
August 24Despite Roy Sievers 2 homers and a double‚ the Yankees beat the White Sox‚ 3-2‚ dropping Chicago 1 1/2 games off the pace and into a 2nd place tie with the Orioles. Art Ditmar is the winner over Herb Score.
August 25Boston’s Vic Wertz‘s 2nd career slam‚ off Don Newcombe‚ as a pinch hitter ties the record set by Bill Skowron in 1957. Ted Williams hits his 516th HR in a 10-7 Boston win over Cleveland.

Glenn Hobbie picks a good time to hit his first ML HR‚ connecting off Vinegar Bend Mizell with 2 out in the 9th to give the Cubs a 2-1 win over the Pirates.
August 26The Yanks crash 5 solo homers and 4 pinch hits‚ the latter tying an AL record‚ to top the Indians 7-6. Berra’s 2nd homer gives New York the win in the 11th. In game 2‚ the Yankees win 7-5 with Bob Cerv‘s 3-run HR the big blow.
August 27After pitching 32 2?3 innings without allowing a run‚ Braves P Lew Burdette gives up a Felipe Alou HR as San Francisco defeats Milwaukee 3-1.
August 28In a battle of New York’s chief rivals for the AL pennant‚ Baltimore’s Milt Pappas has Chicago down 3-0 in the 8th. An apparent 3-run HR by Ted Kluszewski is nullified because umpire Ed Hurley calls time just before Pappas delivers. Hurley spotted Floyd Robinson and Earl Torgeson warming up along the RF sideline. The Sox argue for 15 minutes‚ with Nellie Fox and Al Lopez being tossed‚ before Klu hits again and lines out. The O’s prevail 3-1 and take over 2nd place‚ 2 games behind the Yankees‚ and the Sox are 3 1/2 back.

In New York‚ the Yankees snap a 3-3 tie when Mantle hits a 2-run homer in the 5th and Berra follows with a solo shot. The Yanks top the Tigers‚ 8-5.

In Los Angeles‚ the Reds drop 9 runs-6 unearned-on the Dodgers in the 1st inning‚ then get shut out the rest of the way. The Reds win‚ 9-3‚ behind Bob Purkey. Roseboro’s 2 run HR in the 5th followed by Irv Noren pinch solo are all the Dodger scoring.
August 30Boston 2B Pete Runnels goes 6-for-7‚ as the Red Sox edge the Tigers in the 15-inning opener of a twin bill. His 15th-inning double brings Frank Malzone home with the winning run to win‚ 5-4. Runnels has 3 more hits in the nightcap victory‚ 3-2 in 10 innings. His 6 hits are the most in an AL game since July 8‚ 1955. With 9-for-11 in the doubleheader‚ Runnels ties the ML record.

At San Francisco‚ Sam Jones strikes out 14 Phillies and drives in the winning run in the 5th to beat Robin Roberts‚ 2-1.

September


September 2In the first game of a doubleheader‚ Ted Williams homers off Don Lee of the Senators. Williams had homered against Lee’s father‚ Thornton‚ 20 years earlier. Boston sweeps‚ winning the first 4-1 and the 2nd game‚ 3-2.

Milt Pappas stops New York on 3 hits-2 by Kubek-to give Baltimore a 5-0 lead in the first of a 3-game showdown. The Orioles now trail New York by .003.
September 3A battle of lefthanders features Sandy Koufax of the LA Dodgers against Mike McCormick of the San Francisco GiantsFelipe Alou‘s HR gives McCormick a 1-0 win‚ his 2nd 1-0 win against Los Angeles in 1960.

The Orioles hand the Yankees a second straight shut out winning 2-0 and replacing the Yanks in 1st place by a game. Robinson has both RBIs to back Jack Fisher‘s 7-hitter. During the game in Baltimore‚ plate umpire Larry Napp is struck by foul balls 3 times. Charley Berry finishes the game behind the plate‚ as Napp is carried off the field.

Al Cicotte of the Toronto Maple Leafs (IL) pitches an 11-inning no-hitter against Montreal.
September 4After a ML record 798 consecutive games at 2B‚ the White Sox’ Nellie Fox is hospitalized with a virus. Fox would have gone 1‚072 straight games had manager Marty Marion not rested him on August 5‚ 1955. Billy Goodman replaces Fox as the Sox split a doubleheader with the Tigers‚ losing 6-4 before winning 5-4.

After 30 straight scoreless inning‚ the Yankees finally score but the Orioles extend their win streak to 7 by topping New York again‚ 6-2. With 2 outs in the 7th‚ Yankee 1B Moose Skowron singles to break up Chuck Estrada‘s no-hitter‚ but Wilhelm‚ in relief‚ preserves the win.

Woodie Held hits 2 homers and a double and drives in 6 runs to pace the Indians to a 10-2 win over the A’s. Jimmy Piersall also homers.
September 5The first-place Pirates split with the Braves‚ winning 9-7 before losing‚ 7-1. The Bucs rout Spahn in the opener scoring 7 runs in the 4th after the Braves had knocked out starter Bob Friend. Bob Buhl is the winner in the nitecap‚ scattering 7 hits. Chuck Cottier has 3 doubles and 3 RBIs to back Buhl. Haddix is the loser and gives way to Diomedes Olivo‚ who makes his ML debut in relief. At age 41‚ or thereabouts‚ Olivo is the oldest rookie in ML history except for Satchel Paige. The IL MVP pitches 2 runless innings.
September 6Pittsburgh’s All-Star SS Dick Groat suffers a broken wrist when hit by a Lew Burdette pitch. The Pirates captain‚ 2nd in the batting race‚ will be sidelined until the final weekend of the season. Dick Schofield‚ his replacement‚ has 3 hits‚ as the Bucs rally for a 5-3 win. Roy Face finishes a Pittsburgh win for the 30th time in 1960.

In his final game at Yankee Stadium‚ Ted Williams thumps his 518th career homer to lead Boston to a 7-1 win. Billy Muffett‘s shut out is ruined when he serves up a homer to Mantle with 2 outs in the 9th.
September 7At Crosley Field‚ Frank Robinson homers in the 15th inning as the Reds edge the Dodgers‚ 4-3‚ Marshall Bridges is the winner in relief‚ pitching 6 innings of shutout‚ and allowing 2 hits while striking out 7.
September 10In Detroit‚ Mantle unloads a cannon shot for 3 runs in the 6th inning‚ the ball clearing the RF roof and landing in the Brooks Lumber Yard across Trumbull Avenue. New York pins a 5-1 loss on Paul Foytack that moves them a half game in first place ahead of Baltimore‚ losers today. In June‚ 1985‚ Mantle’s blow was retroactively measured at 643 feet‚ and will be listed in The Guinness Book of World Records at that distance.
September 12A crowd of more than 20‚000 sees the first-place Pirates dump the Giants 6-1 and sets a new Pittsburgh home attendance record of 1‚521‚251-4‚230 more than the old mark set in 1948.
September 13Eighteen-year-old OF Danny Murphy becomes the youngest Cub to hit a HR when he clouts a 3-run homer off Bob Purkey‚ but the Reds win 8-6 in Cincinnati. Murphy will play just 49 games for the Cubs from 1960 to 1962. He will come back as a pitcher for the White Sox in 1969 and 1970.

Nellie Fox hits a 2-out HR in the 11th to give the visiting White Sox a 6-5 win over the Senators. It is Nellie’s 2nd HR of the year.
September 15Willie Mays ties the modern ML record with 3 triples in a game against the Phillies. His 3-bagger off Turk Farrell gives the Giants an 8-6 win in 11 innings. Mays also strokes a double and single. The last National Leaguer to hit 3 treys in a game was Roberto Clemente‚ in 1958.
September 16Warren Spahn‚ 39 years old‚ notches his 11th 20-win season with a no-hitter against the Phillies winning 4-0. Spahn also sets a Milwaukee club record with 15 strikeouts in handing the last-place Phils their 90th loss of the year.

The Orioles (83-58) and Yankees (82-57) open a crucial 4 games series with the O’s just .002 in back of New York. But Lopez and Maris crack homers to back Whitey Ford‘s 4-2 win over the Birds. The 2 runs off Ford were the first the Birds have scored off him at the Stadium in 33.2 innings. Shantz rescues Whitey in the 9th.
September 17With Ty Cobb among the 49‚055 fans in attendance at Yankee Stadium‚ Mantle cracks a 2-run homer‚ his 35th‚ off the O’s Chuck Estrada to give New York a 2-0 lead in the first. Berra adds a HR. In the last of the 8th‚ Bobby Richardson‘s hit off Estrada’s glove drives in 2 runs for a 5-3 New York win.

The surprising 4th-place Senators fall to a game above .500 when Ted Williams‘ 2-run HR off Pedro Ramos gives Boston a 2-1 win. Muffett allows just 3 hits‚ including Jim Lemon’s 38th HR‚ in a quick 1 hr: 40 minute win. A late collapse-15 losses in the final 18 games-will drop Washington to 5th place‚ but that will still be the club’s best finish in 7 years. The club will continue its improvement in Minnesota.
September 18Don Zimmer‚ Ron Santo‚ and George Altman hit 6th-inning HRs as the Cubs beat the Dodgers 5-2 at Wrigley Field. Chicago’s biggest HR threat‚ Ernie Banks‚ sets a record by drawing his 27th intentional walk of the year.

Pittsburgh’s Vern Law joins the 20-win circle with a complete-game 5-3 win in the first game of a Sunday doubleheader at Cincinnati’s Crosley Field.

Before 53‚876 fans‚ the Yankees sweep the Orioles‚ winning‚ 7-3 and 2-0. The Yankees sweep the 4-game series and the faltering Birds‚ now 4 back‚ will end up in 2nd place‚ 8 games back. Ralph Terry‘s 2 hitter in the nitecap beats Milt Pappas.
September 19Chicago’s pennant hopes are damaged with a nitecap 7-6 loss to the Tigers‚ after they win the opener‚ 8-4. Pinch hitter Norm Cash scores the decisive run in game 2. Cash thus ends his year by grounding into no double plays‚ the 1st ALer since league records on this were started in 1940. Teammate Dick McAuliffe and Roger Repoz will duplicate this in 1968.
September 20Boston OF Carroll Hardy pinch-hits for Ted Williams‚ who is forced to leave the game after fouling a ball off his ankle and grounds into a DP. It is the only time Williams has been pinch hit for; Hardy also pinch hit for Maris when both were at Cleveland. The Orioles win 5-4 when Brooks Robinson pulls away from a pitch and accidentally bloops an RBI single in the 8th.

In Milwaukee‚ Jay Hook gives up just 2 hits as the Reds win‚ 8-0‚ and chill the Braves pennant hopes.

First place Pittsburgh sweeps a pair from the Phillies‚ winning 7-1 and 3-2. The Bucs lead by 6 games. Bob Friend wins the opener and sets a new club record for strikeouts‚ beating Hendrix’ mark of 176 set in 1912.
September 24Mickey Mantle’s 11th-inning homer off Ted Wilks gives New York a 6-5 win over the Red Sox at Fenway. Mantle had driven in the game’s second run with a drag bunt in the first to bring home Roger Maris‚ who had tripled.
September 25For the first time since 1927‚ the Pirates are headed for the WS. While the Bucs lose 4-2 to the Braves‚ the 2nd-place Cardinals are mathematically eliminated by 20-game loser Glen Hobbie‘s 5-0 win for the Cubs. A gigantic torch light victory parade in Pittsburgh’s Golden Triangle at midnight celebrates the pennant.

Ralph Terry clinches the Yankees’ 25th pennant with a 4-3 win over the Red Sox. Luis Arroyo saves the win. It is Casey Stengel‘s 10th pennant in 12 years at New York.

The Giants outslug the Dodgers‚ winning 13-9 on 16 hits. Kirkland and Davenport hoimer to support Juan Marichal (5-2)‚ who struggles through 6 innings. Willie Davis has a 3-run homer off Marichal‚ and Tommy Davis has 4 hits‚ including a homer. Jim Gilliam is 0-for-1 but has 4 walks and scores 4 runs. It will be 10 years before anyone scores 4 runs with no hits.
September 27Pancho Herrera’s 135th strikeout sets an NL record‚ even though the Phils beat the Braves 5-3.
September 28At Fenway‚ in his final ML plate appearance‚ against Baltimore’s Jack Fisher (12-11)‚ Ted Williams picks out a 1-1 pitch and drives it 450 feet into the right-CF seats behind the Boston bullpen. It is Williams’ 521st and last HR‚ putting him 3rd on the all-time list. Williams stays in the dugout‚ ignoring the crowd’s cheers‚ but when he trots out to LF in the 9th‚ he is replaced immediately by Carroll Hardy. The Splendid Splinter retires as a standing crowd roars. The Sox rally for 2 runs in the 9th‚ featuring a double by Vic Wertz‚ to give the 7th-place Red Sox a 5-4 victory. Wertz ends the year with 103 RBI‚ and just 49 runs scored: this is the fewest runs for anyone with 100 RBI.

The Yanks win their 12th of 15 straight‚ taking a 6-3 victory over the Senators. Mantle swats homers 39 and 40‚ off Chuck Stobbs‚ to insure his home run title over Maris. Since August 15th‚ Mick has hit 13 to Roger’s 4.
September 30The Yankees beat the Red Sox‚ 6-5‚ and set an new AL record for homers with 192. Tony Kubek and Jesse Gonder hit the homers today as the Bombers win their 13th straight.

October


October 1The Yankees win their 14th straight‚ beating the Red Sox‚ 3-1 behind 3 pitchers. Jim Coates (13-3) is the winner. Nichols is the loser for the Bosox‚ while Tracy Stallard‚ in relief‚ fans Roger Maris. Maris’s next at bat against Stallard will be a momentous one a year from now.

The Cubs score a pair of unearned runs in the 14th to defeat the Dodgers‚ 10-8‚ in a 4 hour: 54 minute marathon. Future Hall of Famer Billy Williams hits his first ML homer‚ off the Dodgers’ Stan Williams‚ in the 9th. Zimmer also homers for Chicago as the win goes to Glen Hobbie (16-20).
October 2Washington drops a 2-1 decision to Baltimore in the last game ever played by the original-franchise Senators. Pedro Ramos takes the loss for Washington. The O’s clinch 2nd place.

Gaylord Perry pitches the Indians to a 4-0 win over the White Sox. It is Perry’s 18th victory‚ tying him for the AL high with Chuck Estrada.

Dale Long hits a 2-run homer in the 9th to give the Yankees an 8-7 win over Boston. The Yankees go into the WS with a 15-game win streak‚ the most ever.
October 3The Yankees head into the WS with a 15-game winning streak‚ the 8th longest streak in the AL this century‚ after Dale Long’s 2-run 9th-inning HR gives them an 8-7 win over the Red Sox. New York’s 193 HRs are an AL record‚ 3 better than the 1956 Yanks. RBI leader Roger Maris drives in 3 runs‚ but falls one HR short of Mickey Mantle‘s league-high 40.

Joe Gordon (26-31) resigns as manager of the Tigers‚ blaming interference by from club president Bill DeWitt. Gordon will be named manager of the KC Athletics‚ replacing Bob Elliott.
October 5In a portent of things to come‚ Bill Mazeroski‘s 2-run 5th-inning HR off Jim Coates is the difference as Pittsburgh beats New York 6-4 in its first WS win since 1925. Roy Face survives a 2-run 9th-inning Elston Howard HR to preserve Vern Law‘s victory.
October 6Mickey Mantle’s 2 HRs highlight New York’s 16-3 victory at Forbes Field‚ evening the WS. A 7-run 6th inning overwhelms Pittsburgh.
October 8Bombing continues in the Bronx in Game 3. Yankee Bobby Richardson‘s 6 RBI‚ including a grand slam off reliever Clem Labine in a 6-run first inning‚ and Whitey Ford‘s 4-hitter give the Yanks a 10-0 win and a 2-1 WS lead‚ spoiling Pittsburgh manager Danny Murtaugh‘s 43rd birthday.
October 9Vern Law wins again‚ thanks to his own RBI single and Bill Virdon’s 2-run hit. Roy Face retires the final 8 batters in order. Pittsburgh’s 3-2 win evens the WS.
October 10Bill Mazeroski stars again. His 2-run double stakes Harvey Haddix to a 3-0 lead. Roy Face is called on once more for another hitless effort to preserve a 5-2 win and 3-2 WS lead for the surprising Pirates.
October 11Radio-television executive John Fetzer buys a controlling interest of the Tigers‚ giving one man control of the team for the first time since Walter Briggs died in 1952. He offers club president Bill DeWitt a job as his assistant.
October 12Whitey Ford preserves the Yankees hopes with a 7-hit shutout at Pittsburgh. Bob Friend is bombed again as New York coasts 12-0. Bobby Richardson‘s 2 run-scoring triples give him a WS record of 12 RBI.
October 13In a 9-9 tie‚ Bill Mazeroski leads off the last of the 9th and hits what is arguably the most dramatic home run in Series history‚ off Ralph Terry‚ to give Pittsburgh a 10-9 win and the World Championship. An oddity in this game: it is the only WS game this century with no strikeouts recorded; it won’t be until 2002 that even one team (the Angels) has a game without a strikeout. Despite Maz’s heroics‚ Bobby Richardson is the Series MVP‚ as the Yanks outscore the Bucs‚ 52 to 27.
October 17The NL votes to admit Houston and New York to the league in 1962‚ the first structural change since 1900‚ and to go to a 10-team league.
October 18Instituting a mandatory retirement age of 65‚ New York Yankee co-owners Dan Topping and Del Webb relieve Casey Stengel (1‚149-696) as manager. Stengel: “I wasn’t retired-they fired me.”
October 20Coach Ralph Houk‚ 41‚ is named to succeed Stengel. He briefly led the Yankees in 1960 when Stengel was hospitalized.
October 22The San Francisco Giants lose to their Tokyo counterparts 1-0 in the first of a 16-game exhibition series. They lose again 2-1 to the Japan All-Stars the next day‚ but finish the series with 11 wins‚ 4 losses‚ and one tie.
October 25The Houston Colts announce that the team has hired Gabe Paul as GM. Paul will clash with majority owner Roy Hofheinz and will leave the following spring for Cleveland.
October 27Trying to jump ahead of the NL‚ the AL admits Los Angeles and Minneapolis to the league with plans to have the new clubs begin competition in 1961 in the new 10-team league. Calvin Griffith is given permission to move the existing Washington Senators franchise to Minneapolis/St. Paul‚ MN. League president Joe Cronin says the AL will play a 162-game schedule‚ with 18 games against each opponent. The National League will balk‚ saying the two expansions are not analogous and that the AL was not invited to move into LA.
October 31The Giants trade IF Andre Rodgers to the Braves for SS Alvin Dark‚ then sign Dark to a 2-year contract as manager. Dark does not plan to be a playing manager.

November


November 1Baltimore SS Ron Hansen is voted AL Rookie of the Year‚ getting 22 of 24 votes. The other 2 votes go to teammates Chuck Estrada and Jim Gentile.
November 2Roger Maris nips Mickey Mantle for the AL’s Most Valuable Player award‚ 225-222‚ the 2nd-closest vote ever‚ after the DiMaggio-Williams race in 1947.

Hank Greenberg asks for AL dates at the Los Angeles Coliseum‚ home of the NL Dodgers. Greenberg and Bill Veeck are expected to run the new LA club in the AL.

George Weiss‚ recently turned 66‚ resigns as GM of the Yankees.
November 3Pittsburgh’s Vern Law is voted Cy Young Award winner. He outpolls Warren Spahn 8-4.
November 15A $3.5 million offer for the Athletics is accepted from a St. Louis group and the sale of the 52% stock by the widow of the late Arnold Johnson is expected tomorrow. A sale of the remaining minority stock is expected.
November 16NL batting champion Dick Groat is named league MVP‚ outpolling Pirates teammate Don Hoak 276-162.
November 17The new Washington franchise is awarded to Elwood Quesada‚ Washington native‚ W W II hero‚ and head of the Federal Aviation Agency.

Hank Greenberg drops out of the bidding to run the new AL franchise in Los Angeles.
November 18Charles O. Finley‚ 42-year-old insurance tycoon from Gary‚ IN‚ makes a formal bid for the new Los Angeles club.
November 19Mickey Vernon is hired as the first manager of the new Washington team.
November 21Bob Scheffing signs to manage the Tigers after the job is turned down by Casey Stengel.
November 22The AL proposes that both leagues expand to 9 teams in 1961 and begin inter-league play. It will delay entering the Los Angeles market if the NL agrees.
November 23Dodgers OF Frank Howard is voted NL Rookie of the Year with 12 of 24 votes.
November 26Minnesota Twins is the new name chosen for the club transplanted from Washington to the Twin Cities of Minneapolis/St. Paul. It “was given the name by club officials because of the united effort behind major league baseball in Minnesota.”
November 28The Cleveland Indians select Valmy Thomas from the St. Louis Cardinals in the Rule 5 major league draft. For Valmy it is his 5th (and last) ML team in his 5 years‚ a ML record for changing uniforms.

December


December 3Cleveland trades OF Harvey Kuenn to San Francisco for OF Willie Kirkland and P Johnny Antonelli.
December 5President Joe Cronin suggests that if the NL starts its new New York franchise in 1961‚ the AL will stay out of Los Angeles until 1962. The NL turned down the suggested compromise of November 22nd because Houston will not be ready in 1961.
December 6A group headed by movie star Gene Autry and former football star Bobby Reynolds is awarded the new AL Los Angeles Angels. Fred Haney will be GM. Charles O. Finley withdraws his bid for Los Angeles and offers to purchase control of the Kansas City Athletics.
December 7Detroit trades 2B Frank Bolling and a player to be named later (OF Neil Chrisley) to Milwaukee for OF Bill Bruton‚ 2B Chuck Cottier‚ C Dick Brown‚ and P Terry Fox.
December 14The Angels and Senators each select 28 players from a pool of AL talent. Among Los Angeles selections are P Dean Chance‚ SS Jim Fregosi‚ 1B Ted Kluszewski‚ and RF Albie Pearson. Washington selections include P Bobby Shantz‚ LF Chuck Hinton‚ OF Gene Woodling‚ and P Hal Woodeshick.
December 15The Reds acquire pitchers Joey Jay and Juan Pizarro from the Braves for SS Roy McMillan and a player to be named later. Cincy then trades Pizarro and P Cal McLish to the White Sox for 3B Gene Freese. The 2 pitchers will win 24 games between them for the Sox in 1961‚ while Freese will have one good year in Cincy.

The biggest trade in history? The Phils lose more than 2 1/2 inches when they acquire P Frank Sullivan from the Red Sox for 6′ 9″ Gene Conley. In the next 2 years‚ Conley will win 26 games for the Sox‚ the 3rd Boston team he will play for: Conley started with the Boston Braves in their last year before moving to Milwaukee‚ and played several seasons with the Celtics as Bill Russell‘s backup.
December 20Charles O. Finley buys the 52 percent of the A’s in the late Arnold Johnson’s estate.
December 21Cubs owner P. K. Wrigley says Chicago will have no manager‚ but will use a college of coaches.
December 23Rip Collins is added to Chicago’s college of coaches.