Baseball – 1965

Baseball in 1965

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January


January 5James M. Johnston and James H. Lemon purchase the remaining 40 percent of Senators stock to acquire complete control of the club.
January 15The Mets trade Of George Altman back to his original team‚ the Cubs‚ for OF Billy Cowan.
January 20Rocky Colavito returns to Cleveland in a 3-way deal that sends outfielders Jim Landis and Mike Hershberger and P Fred Talbot from the White Sox to Kansas City; C Johnny Romano‚ OF Tommie Agee‚ and P Tommy John from Cleveland to Chicago; and C Cam Carreon from the White Sox to the Indians. The Colavito curse continues as Agee will win Rookie of the Year honors and John will notch another 286 wins.
January 31Pud Galvin is chosen for Hall of Fame induction by the Special Veterans Committee.

Masanori Murakami‚ the first Japanese player in the major leagues‚ says he will not return to the Giants in 1965.

February


February 1The NL clubs adopt an emergency team replacement plan to restock any club struck by disaster.

C Ed Bailey moves from the Braves to the Giants for P Billy O’Dell.
February 3Braves officials propose a $500‚000 payment to county officials if the club’s lease to play in Milwaukee can be terminated a year early. The offer is refused.
February 11Braves officials propose to pay 5 cents from each ticket sold to a fund for the purpose of bringing a new ML team to Milwaukee. Teams‚ Inc.‚ a civic group‚ accepts the offer‚ buys out the park for Opening Day‚ and stages Stand Up for Milwaukee Day.
February 17Commissioner Ford Frick suspends U.S.-Japan baseball relations until the dispute over Masanori Murakami‘s contract with the Giants is resolved.

March


March 1As Pittsburgh’s training camp opens‚ Roberto Clemente is absent and suffering from malaria. He will report to camp a month late and struggle until mid-May.
March 7Tigers manager Chuck Dressen suffers a mild coronary occlusion. He will be sidelined until May 19th. Coach Bob Swift will be acting manager.
March 17Jackie Robinson is signed as a member of the ABC-TV baseball broadcast team‚ becoming the first black to receive a network position broadcasting baseball. ABC provides the first-ever nationwide baseball coverage with weekly Saturday broadcasts on a regional basis.
March 19Cubs radio announcer Jack Quinlan is killed in Arizona when he loses control of his car and slams into the back of a truck. Quinlan was returning from a golf outing.
March 25Pittsburgh 2B Bill Mazeroski suffers a broken bone in his right foot. He will not start until May.
March 30The Yankees sell P Stan Williams to the Indians.

April


April 9President Lyndon B. Johnson joins 47‚878 fans for the opening of Harris County Domed Stadium (the Astrodome). The Astros win an exhibition with the Yankees 2-1 in 12 innings on a Nellie Fox single. Mickey Mantle hits the first HR in the new park.
April 12President Johnson throws out the first ball‚ then watches as the Red Sox beat the Senators in DC‚ 7-2. Five Boston HRs tie a ML record for an opener and 7 total HRs set a ML record.

Don Drysdale slugs his 2nd opening day homer‚ this one a 2-run shot off New York’s Al Jackson. LA wins 6-1 at Shea Stadium.

Ed Bailey hits a game-ending HR to give Bob Veale and the Pirates a 1-0 win over the Giants. Juan Marichal serves up the 9th inning homer.

In Minnesota‚ the Yankees drop their second straight 11th inning opener‚ as the Twins win 5-4. Twins starter Jim Kaat‚ stranded because of the ice and snow‚ is brought to Metropolitan Stadium by helicopter. Kaat is matched by Jim Bouton‚ who goes five innings‚ giving up two earned runs. Bob Allison’s wind-blown fly ball in the 11th drops untouched for a three-base error by Hector Lopez‚ one of eight errors the two teams combine for. Cesar Tovar‘s 2-out single scores the winner off Pedro Ramos.

On opening day in Chicago‚ the Cards hand Bob Gibson a 5-run lead in the 1st inning against Larry Jackson. But the wind is blowing out and the game ends after 11 innings called because of darkness. The standoff is 10-10. For the Cubs‚ Roberto Pena makes 3 errors in 7 chances but is 3-for-6 with HR and double. Ernie Banks hits the only other HR.
April 13At Crosley Field‚ Reds rookie Tony Perez connect for his first homer‚ a grand slam off Braves hurler Denny LeMaster‚ to help the Reds win‚ 8-3.
April 14In a banner finish‚ Al Spangler stars for the Astros by swiping home with the winning run in the 11th to give the Astros a 7-6 win over the Mets.
April 17In his first full ML game‚ Orioles LF Curt Blefary hits 2 HRs‚ as Baltimore loses 12-9 in Boston’s home opener.

Don Drysdale ties a ML record by striking out 4 Phils-Wes Covington‚ Tony Gonzalez‚ Dick Stuart‚ and Clay Dalrymple-in order in the 2nd inning‚ but also gives up 2 HRs to lose 3-2. It is the 8th straight time the Phillies have beaten big Don.

In Kansas City‚ the Yanks top the A’s‚ 5-2‚ with all of New York’s scoring coming via home runs. With NY ahead‚ 2-1‚ in the 8th‚ Maris walks and Mantle follows with his 1st homer of the year.
April 18California Angels rookie Rudy May has a no-hitter ruined in the 8th inning of his ML debut by Jake Wood‘s double. The Angels lift him after 9 innings of one-hit ball‚ and Detroit wins in 13 innings.
April 19At a cost of $20‚000‚ the outer Astrodome ceiling is painted because the sun’s glare makes fielding ?y balls hazardous. Outfielders had been wearing batting helmets in preseason games because of the glare. Painting the skylights will reduce the lighting by nearly 40% and create the need for lights. But the lack of sunlight will cause the grass to die and spur the introduction of artificial turf.

Jim Maloney pitches a one hitter as the Reds top the Braves‚ 2-0. The only hit is Denis Menke‘s single in the 8th inning.
April 21At Yankee Stadium‚ Mantle puts New York ahead with a two-run homer in the first off Camilo Pascual‚ but the Twins come back to win 7-2.
April 25At Yankee Stadium‚ Mel Stottlemyre and California’s Rudy May lock up in a pitching duel until Mickey Mantle scores the only run of the game with a 4th inning solo shot into the left field bleachers.
April 27The Phils set a team record with 6 HRs but still lose to the Giants 14-13.

The Twins unload seven runs in the first inning and coast to a 11-1 win over the Indians. The big blow is Camilo Pascual‘s grand slam off Stan Williams‚ the 2nd grand slam of his career. Pascual makes it easy as he tosses a two-hitter.
April 28Mets announcer Lindsey Nelson broadcasts the Mets-Astros game at the Astrodome from a hanging gondola‚ 208 feet above 2B. He sees plenty of action as Houston wins‚ 12-9.
April 29At Cincinnati‚ Pete Rose collects a homer‚ double and 3 singles as the Reds beat the Mets‚ 6-1.

Masanori Murakami agrees to stay with the Giants in 1965 if he can return to Japan in 1966.

May


May 1Dodgers LF Tommy Davis suffers a fractured ankle sliding into 2nd base in a 4-2 win over the visiting Giants. Davis will not reappear until October 3rd.

In a 9-8 loss at Detroit‚ Boston’s Chuck Schilling ties a ML record with his 2nd straight pinch-hit HR in back-to-back games. But Boston loses both.
May 3The Indians claim minor-league OF Joe Rudi on waivers from the KC Athletics.

The Yankees trade John Blanchard (.147) and P Roland Sheldon to Kansas City for C John Edwards. Edwards will replace the injured Elston Howard.
May 4Masanori Murakami arrives in San Francisco from Japan to rejoin the Giants as a relief pitcher‚ ending a bitter contract dispute between the Giants and his home team‚ the Nankai Hawks. Murakami will have a good season; appearing in 45 games‚ he wins 4 and loses one‚ saves 8‚ gives up 57 hits in 74 innings‚ fans 85‚ and walks only 22 while posting an ERA of 3.50.

To take the place of the injured Tommy Davis‚ the Dodgers bring up 31-year-old Lou Johnson from Spokane. The veteran will hit .259 in Dodger blue.
May 5Elston Howard undergoes elbow surgery. The Yankees catcher is out until June 4th.

In a great matchup in New York‚ the Phillies Jim Bunning hits a HR and beats Warren Spahn‚ 1-0. For Bunning‚ it is his 6th complete game victory against the Mets in 6 starts‚ 3 of them shutouts. He has 6 assists‚ including a pickoff at 2B.
May 8Elmira (Eastern League) beats Springfield 2-1 in 27 innings‚ a new (but broken June 14‚ 1966) record for organized baseball’s longest game. The attendance is 386 fans as the game runs 6:24. Fred Beene picks up the win‚ pitching the last 12 innings. The game is scoreless for 25 innings‚ with both teams scoring in the 26th‚ and finally Elmira breaks through in the 27th. Elmira is managed by Earl Weaver.

A ML-record streak of 438 chances accepted without an error and 89 straight errorless games by Baltimore 2B Jerry Adair ends with his 8th-inning fumble in a 4-3‚ 15-inning loss to the Tigers.

In the nitecap of a Carolina League game at Hampton‚ pitcher John Keller of the Peninsula Grays has his skull fractured by a bat during an on field fracas between the Grays and the Porstmouth Tides. Keller was on the bench when the fight started and Portsmouth winning 15-4.
May 9In the 2nd game‚ Cleveland (5) and Boston combine for 9 double plays‚ tying an AL record. Cleveland sweeps the pair‚ 9-4 and 10-7‚ as Fred Whitfield has 7 hits and 6 RBI for the Tribe. In game 2‚ Rocky Colavito and pitcher Sonny Siebert homer.

The Mets win 5-4 in the 9th after losing the opener to the visiting Braves‚ 8-2. With his mother in the stand for Mother’s Day‚ Joe Torre has 6 hits including 3 homers for the afternoon. He sits the last 2 innings of the opener as Dennis Menke’s 3-run homer and Mack Jones‘ 2-run homer give Tony Cloninger all the support he needs.
May 10At Fenway Park‚ the 9th place Yankees lose again‚ 3-2‚ when Yaz outhits a hobbling Mickey Mantle. Yastrzemski hits a pair of homers and sacrifice fly‚ while Mantle is 3-for-4 with a homer. After Mantle doubles with two outs in the 9th‚ starter Jim Lonborg is lifted and Dick Radatz gets the final out. It is Lonborg’s first major league win. Before the game the Yankees trade INF Pedro Gonzalez to Cleveland in exchange for 1B Ray Barker. Barker will help fill in for the injured Maris.
May 11Mel Stottlemyre stops the Red Sox‚ 5-3‚ and Mantle reaches base 4 times‚ once on his 6th homer of the year.

The Pirates put Elroy Face on the DL‚ and he’ll remain there till August 24.
May 13Twenty-five-year-old Angels P Dick Wantz dies following brain surgery for cancer. He appeared in one game‚ April 13th‚ allowing 3 hits and striking out 2 in one inning pitched. Against Cleveland.
May 14At Fenway‚ the Tigers score 4 runs in the 10th inning off reliever Dick Radatz to win 12-8. Terry Fox is the winner. For the 2nd game in a row‚ Willie Horton clouts 2 HRs and drives in 5 runs for Detroit. For Boston‚ Yaz hits for the cycle‚ and adds a 2nd homer.
May 15Haywood Sullivan replaces Mel McGaha as skipper of the A’s.

Cubs P Dick Ellsworth throws a one-hitter at the Dodgers‚ but unfortunately the only hit is a three-run pinch HR by Al Ferrara in the 8th inning that gives Los Angeles a 3-1 win.

At Memorial Stadium‚ Mantle slices an opposite field homer in the 8th inning off Dick Hall to give New York a 3-2 win over the Orioles.
May 16Oriole teenager Jim Palmer picks up his first major league win‚ topping the Yankees‚ 7-5. Palmer also bangs his first major league homer‚ a two-run drive off Jim Bouton‚ to give himself the victory margin.
May 17At Chavez Ravine‚ Don Mincher cracks a pinch homer to tie the game at 4-4‚ but the Angels push across a run in the 10th to top Minnesota‚ 5-4. Bob Lee is the winner. Mincher’s homer will be the only Twins round tripper this year at Chavez.
May 22The Pirates and Giants trade infielders‚ Dick Schofield going to San Francisco and Jose Pagan to Pittsburgh. The Pirates come out ahead on the trade as Pagan will spend 7 years with the Bucs.
May 23The Dodgers score 2 in the 1st off Bob Buhl‚ but then are shut out for the next 15 innings by Cubs pitching. Chicago scores in the 6th and 9th and finally in the 16th on a bases loaded walk to George Altman. Dick Ellsworth is the winner over Howie Reed in the longest game of the year.

The Braves trade OF Lee Maye to the Astros for P Ken Johnson and OF Jim Beauchamp.
May 25Nine different Twins (5) and Red Sox (4) hit HRs‚ tying a ML record. Minnesota wins the slugfest‚ 17-5. Boston’s Gerry Moses‚ age 18 years and 9 months‚ goes into the record books when he pinch hits his first homer‚ off Mudcat Grant. Moses is the youngest player to ever pinch hit a round tripper.
May 29OF Harvey Kuenn‚ P Bob Hendley and C Ed Bailey are traded from the Giants to the Cubs for C Dick Bertell and 1B/OF Len Gabrielson.

Orioles club president Joe Inglehart sells his 32 percent holding in the club to National Brewing Company President Jerry Hoffberger and club treasurer Zanvyl Krieger.

Mickey Lolich‘s 10-inning win is Detroit’s 2nd straight 2-hit 1-0 win against Cleveland.

Dick Allen cranks a 529-foot home run over the left CF roof at Connie Mack Stadium in the 1st inning off Chicago’s Larry Jackson. The Phils win 4-2.

Lou Johnson hits 2 HRs to back Don Drysdale‘s pitching and give the Dodgers a 5-3 win over the Braves.
May 30Mickey Mantle’s 4th inning homer off Gary Peters opens the scoring for New York‚ and they win‚ 3-2 over host Chicago.
May 31Chuck Dressen is back managing the Tigers after a preseason heart attack.

June


June 1Bob Veale sets a Pittsburgh record with 16 strikeouts and beats Philadelphia 4-0‚ the 12th straight win for the 7th-place Pirates.
June 4The A’s receive $100‚000‚ P Jesse Hickman‚ and 2B Ernie Fazio from Houston for 1B Jim Gentile.
June 5At Yankee Stadium‚ Mel Stottlemyre goes 10 innings to win 4-3 over the White Sox. Stottlemyre also clouts a 4th inning homer‚ off Gary Peters‚ for the first Yankee score in 24 innings. Mantle adds a homer in the 6th off Peters‚ and Elston Howard‚ recovering from elbow surgery a month ago‚ wins the game with a single in the 10th.
June 6In the 2nd game of a doubleheader‚ the Phils Johnny Callison hits 3 HRs at Wrigley Field to give the Phils a 10-9 victory over Chicago. The Phils do enough to win the opener as well‚ 2-1.
June 8Arizona State star sophomore Rick Monday‚ selected by the Athletics‚ is the first player chosen in the initial ML free-agent draft of high school‚ college‚ and sandlot players. Picking 2nd‚ the Mets take P Les Rohr (who will two games). Joe Coleman‚ Jr. is taken 3rd by the Senators. On the 10th round they finally take Nolan Ryan. Cincinnati picks Johnny Bench in the 2nd round after taking Bernie Carbo in the 1st.

Joe Torre‚ Eddie Mathews‚ Hank Aaron‚ and Gene Oliver hit 10th-inning HRs‚ as the Braves win 8-2 at Chicago. It sets the ML record for most HRs in an extra inning.
June 10In the College World Series‚ Ohio State’s Steve Arlin pitches 15 innings‚ a CWS record‚ to beat Washington State‚ 1-0. Arlin strikes out a record 20 batters. The Buckeyes will lose in the final‚ 2-1‚ to Arizona State.
June 11Lou Klein replaces Bob Kennedy as head coach of the Cubs. Kennedy becomes assistant to GM John Holland. It doesn’t help today as the Cubs lose‚ 4-3‚ to the Reds at Wrigley. Gordy Coleman‘s 2-run homer in the 9th inning is the winner.

St. Louis trades pitchers Ron Taylor and Mike Cuellar to the Astros for P Hal Woodeshick.
June 14No-hit pitching and 18 strikeouts‚ tying the NL extra-inning record‚ net Cincinnati’s Jim Maloney a 0-0 tie with the last-place Mets through 10 innings. Johnny Lewis‘s 11th-inning lead off HR gives New York and Larry Bearnarth‚ in relief of Frank Lary‚ a 1-0 win and a heartbreaking loss for Maloney. Maloney allows one other hit and is the 10th pitcher to lose a no-hitter in extra innings; Harvey Haddix was the last‚ in 1959. Maloney walks one to go with his 18 strikeouts.
June 15Tigers P Denny McLain makes a first-inning relief appearance and fans the first 7 batters he faces‚ setting a ML record. He has a remarkable 14 strikeouts in 62?3 innings‚ tying the NL relief record (Marquard‚ 1911‚ 8 innings) and one shy of Walter Johnson‘s ML record (15 in 11 1/3 innings‚ 1913). Detroit rallies to beat Boston 6-5 as Bill Freehan records a record-tying 19 putouts at catcher.
June 17Julian Javier suffers a broken finger when hit by a Vern Law pitch. The St. Louis 2B will be out 7 weeks. Pittsburgh’s Law wins the game 4-1.
June 18The Yankees rout the first-place Twins 10-2 on 4 homers. Mickey Mantle cracks a grand slam in the first inning‚ and his replacement Ross Moschitto adds his first and only ML HR. New York is still 10 back in 7th place.
June 20The Atlanta-bound Braves ban sportswriter Lou Chapman from the clubhouse for his “stories of a negative nature” and their “disquieting” effect on players and management. The ban is rescinded a day later upon protest by Milwaukee BBWAA members.

In the opener of 2 in Kansas City‚ the Tigers rally from an 8-run deficit in the 2nd inning to win 12-8. Al Kaline collects his 1‚000 RBI with a 2-run single. Detroit loses the 2nd game to snap their 8-game win streak.

Jay Dahl‚ who pitched 3 innings in Houston’s all-rookie lineup in September‚ 1963‚ is killed in a car crash. Dahl had won a game yesterday for Salisbury (Western Carolina League) to up his record to 5-0. At 19‚ he is the youngest ex-major leaguer to die.
June 22Ray Barker’s ML-record-tying 2nd consecutive pinch-hit HR is wasted in a first-game‚ 6-2 Yankees loss to the A’s. Mickey Mantle adds a HR in the opener‚ but in the 4-2 nightcap win he tries to score from 2nd on a wild pitch and snaps a upper-thigh hamstring. He will be out for 3 weeks. The June 21st Sports Illustrated cover features Mantle with the prescient title “New York Yankees: End of an Era?”
June 29Indian P Ralph Terry‘s 8-5 win at Boston gives Cleveland the AL lead.

The Yankees lose Roger Maris for 49 games with bone chips in the heel of his right hand.

July


July 3Pre-game horseplay between Phillies teammates Frank Thomas and Richie Allen turns serious when Thomas swings a bat at Allen. Allen recovers enough to hit a 3-run triple in the 7th and Thomas hits a pinch homer to tie the game in the 8th inning. But the Reds prevail 10-8. Following the game‚ the Phils release Thomas‚ who has had a history of irritating players before the incident with Allen‚ and he signs with Houston.
July 5Jim Maloney pitches the Reds to a 7-5 win against the Dodgers‚ as Cincinnati takes the NL lead.

Minnesota takes an AL lead it will not give up‚ as Dave Boswell and Jim Perry pitch the Twins to a 6-2 and 2-0 sweep of the Red Sox. The Sox win just one of 18 games with the Twins this year.
July 6Don Demeter of the Phillies plays his record 226th consecutive game without an error in the OF. Finishing his string in the AL‚ Demeter will play 266 games without an error‚ a ML record‚ but his 226 mark will subsequently be broken in the NL by Doug Dascenzo.
July 8Joe Morgan is the first Houston player with 6 hits in a game‚ but the Braves beat the Astros 9-8 in 12 innings‚ thanks to Mike De La Hoz. De La Hoz hits a pinch homer in the 8th inning‚ ties the game in the 9th with a single when the Braves score 3 runs‚ and singles and scores the winning run to end the game.
July 9Senators LF Frank Howard ties a ML record with 7 strikeouts in Washington’s twin-bill split with the Red Sox.
July 10SAn Francisco’s Juan Marichal‘s 14th win of the year is his 7th shutout‚ as he 2-hits the Phils 7-0.
July 13Willie Mays’s HR‚ 2 walks‚ and 2 runs scored pace the NL to a 6-5 All-Star Game victory in Minnesota. Juan Marichal pitches 3 scoreless innings to earn game MVP.
July 15Mickey Mantle’s 5th inning homer‚ off Phil Ortega‚ ties the game 1-1‚ and host New York goes on to top the Senators‚ 2-1.
July 17Los Angeles returns to first place‚ as Claude Osteen beats the Cubs 7-2.
July 18Twins manager Sam Mele is fined $500 and suspended 5 days following an altercation with umpire Bill Valentine in Minnesota’s doubleheader split with the Angels.
July 20Mel Stottlemyre of the Yankees becomes the first pitcher to hit an inside-the-park grand slam since Deacon Phillippe did it for the Pirates in 1910. Stottlemyre’s bases-loaded drive in the 5th at Yankee Stadium‚ off Bill Monbouquette‚ assures him a 6-3 victory over the Red Sox.

Seven is a lucky number for the Braves as they score 7 runs in the 7th to beat the Mets‚ 7-1. Hank Aaron‘s 2-run homer‚ off Larry Miller‚ is the capper on the scoring.
July 22Ed Bailey hits a grand slam and drives in 8 runs‚ as the Cubs beat the Phillies 10-6 at Wrigley Field.
July 23Dick Stuart homers in a ML-record 23rd different park when he connects at Shea Stadium in Philadelphia’s 5-1 win. His park mark will be topped.
July 24At the Astrodome‚ Reds pitcher Joe Nuxhall loses his no hitter when Bob Lillis singles in the 8th inning. Nuxhall finishes with a 2-0 one hitter.
July 27The Braves use 15 hits indowing the host Astros‚ 7-1. Tony Cloninger is the victor‚ helping himself with a triple. For the second game in a row‚ Felipe Alou leads off with a homerun.

At Boston‚ the Royals rake a pair from the Red Sox‚ winning 7-3 and 10-8. Young Tony Conigliaro has a pair of homers for Boston in game 1 and a grand slam in game 2.

The Orioles waive veteran Robin Roberts‚ who was dissatisfied with not being a starting pitcher.

The official number of foreigners permitted on each Japanese team is lowered from 3 to 2. The Yomiuri Giants announce they will henceforth have no foreigners-a policy that lasts until 1975‚ when they sign 2B Davey Johnson.
July 28RF Tony Conigliaro suffers a broken left wrist when hit by a Wes Stock pitch in a 6-0 Boston win. He will miss 24 games.

The Reds Sammy Ellis outpitches Sandy Koufax‚ as he beats the Dodgers‚ 4-1‚ striking out 12 batters.
July 30Milwaukee manager Bobby Bragan says his pitchers threw 75 to 80 spitballs in a 9-2 loss to the Giants. Bragan says he ordered the spitters to prove rules against them are not being enforced.

August


August 2Harmon Killebrew suffers a dislocated left elbow in a collision with Baltimore’s Russ Snyder. The Twins slugger will miss 48 games. Killebrew is leading AL in homers with 22 and RBIs at 70.
August 3Judge Roy Hofheinz purchases 53 percent of Bob Smith’s holdings in the Astros‚ giving Hofheinz a controlling 86 percent of the club’s stock.
August 6After hitting 7-for-11 against the White Sox‚ Mantle loops a homer off Mickey Lolich but Detroit tops the visiting Yankees‚ 5-4. New York will win tomorrow and Mick will add another homer.
August 8Recently released by the Mets‚ Warren Spahn wins his 361st victory and first as a Giant. San Francisco beats the Cards 6-4.

In New York‚ the Cubs score 6 runs in the 9th inning to whip the Mets‚ 14-10. Chris Krug is not much help in the 9th‚ as the Cubbie strikes out twice. It’s the first time since 1922 a Cub has K’ed twice in one inning.

The Reds show no mercy in pasting the Dodgers‚ 18-0 in the NL’s most lopsided shutout in twenty years. Jim Maloney coasts to the win‚ while Don Drysdale takes the loss.
August 10At New York‚ Jim Kaat benefits from sloppy Yankee fielding and Minnesota scores 6 unearned runs to beat the Yankees‚ 7-3.

In the 2nd of two at Fenway‚ the O’s Brooks Robinson hits a ball that appears to hit the net above the Green Monster‚ but is ruled in play by Lou DiMuro. Robinson reaches third with a triple‚ and then adds a homer in the 7th. Brooks lost another homer last year. The O’s win 12-4 after losing the opener‚ 15-5.
August 12The Giants split a pair with Pittsburgh‚ losing game 2 by a 5-2 score after winning the opener‚ 4-3. In the win‚ Matty and Jesus Alou hit homers‚ the first time 2 Alous have homered in the same game since Matty and Felipe did it on May 15‚ 1961

Milwaukee Brewers Baseball Club‚ Inc. applies for a NL franchise. The nonprofit group has been formed to find a replacement team for the soon-to-be-departing Braves.
August 15Washington 3B Ken McMullen ties an AL record by starting 4 DPs in a 4-2 win‚ as the Senators complete a 3-game sweep of Baltimore.

Pinch-hit HRs by Max Alvis in the 9th inning and Leon Wagner in the 11th give Cleveland a 6-4 win against Minnesota. Two pinch-hit HRs in one game ties the ML record.

The Japanese community of San Francisco holds Masanori Murakami Day at Candlestick Park to honor the first Japanese player to have reached the American major leagues. Ordinarily a reliever‚ Murakami makes his first ML start as the Giants outslug the Phillies‚ 15-9.
August 16At Fenway‚ Earl Wilson is most of the Boston offense as he bangs a pair of home runs. But the righty still takes the loss to the White Sox‚ 5-4.

Chris Short beats the Dodgers for the 5th time this season as the Phils win‚ 6-1. Only Jim Lefebrvre’s 9th inning homer stops Short from a shutout. Maury Wills has 2 stolen bases as the Dodgers’ lead over the Braves shrinks to a half game.
August 18The Braves take first place when Tony Cloninger beats St. Louis‚ 5-3. Hank Aaron of the Braves hits a HR off Curt Simmons‚ but has it nullified when umpire Chris Pelekoudas says Aaron stepped out of the batter’s box when he made contact.

In a 3-2 Orioles’ win over the Red Sox‚ Brooks Robinson hits into his 3rd triple play‚ tying the record of George Sisler‚ who banged into triple plays in 1921‚ 1922‚ and 1926.
August 19In a magnificent performance‚ Reds P Jim Maloney‘s records his 2nd 10-inning no-hit effort of 1965. It is another 0-0 duel through 9 innings‚ until Reds SS Leo Cardenas homers off the LF foul pole in the 10th at Wrigley Field. Maloney sets a no-hit record by allowing 10 walks‚ and fans 12 in Cincinnati’s 1-0 win. Larry Jackson is the losing pitcher.

At San Francisco‚ Don Drysdale faces Warren Spahn in the start of a critical four-game series. Drysdale last longer than Spahn‚ allowing five runs through eleven innings and leaves with the game tied. The Dodgers win it in 15 innings‚ 6-5.
August 20Eddie Mathews hits his 28th HR as the Braves win 4-3 at Pittsburgh. The duo of Mathews and Hank Aaron‚ 1954-65‚ becomes the top HR tandem in ML history‚ passing the Babe Ruth-Lou Gehrig total of 772 HRs while playing together.

Detroit All-Star SS Dick McAuliffe is lost for the season with a broken bone in his left hand suffered diving into 1B‚ as the 3rd-place Tigers sweep a doubleheader at Boston. The Tigers win‚ 2-0 and 3-2.
August 22San Francisco’s Juan Marichal‚ batting against LA’s Sandy Koufax‚ complains that C John Roseboro’s return throws are too close. He then turns and attacks Roseboro with his bat. A 14-minute brawl ensues before Koufax‚ Willie Mays‚ and other peacemakers can restore order. Roseboro suffers a considerable cut on the head. Marichal is suspended 8 playing days and levied a NL-record $1‚750 fine.
August 24In Milwaukee‚ Tommy Harper cracks a two-run homer with 2 outs in the 9th inning as the Reds beat the Braves‚ 3-2. Billy O’Dell is the pitcher serving up Harper’s homer.
August 25Braves reliever Bill O’Dell sees Red again as he is victimized for the 2nd day in a row by a 9th inning Cincy homer. This time it is Tony Perez doing the damage by hitting a 3-run homer to defeat the Braves‚ 7-4.

Boston’s Earl Wilson fans 13 batters in beating the Senators‚ 8-3.

Moonlight Graham dies in Chisholm‚ MN. Graham played in one ML game‚ for the 1905 Giants‚ and did not get to bat. His character in W.P. Kinsella‘s Shoeless Joe‚ later played by Burt Lancaster in the movie Field of Dreams made him a baseball household name.
August 27Dodger P Don Drysdale wins in Philadelphia‚ but the Phils don’t make it easy. Drysdale wins 9-8‚ to end his 9-game losing streak to the Phillies. He last beat them on June 1‚ 1962‚ which was his 13th straight victory over the Phils.
August 29Willie Mays sets a NL record for HRs in one month with his 17th of August‚ 41st overall‚ as San Francisco beats the Mets‚ 8-3. Mays tops Ralph Kiner‚ who slugged 16 for Pittsburgh in September‚ 1949.

The White Sox take a pair from Boston by 3-2 scores with rookie Bob Locker saving both games. Shortstop Ron Hansen handles 28 chances in the 2 games‚ a ML record‚ and his 18 chances in the 14-inning opener ties the ML record for extra innings.
August 30Following his doctor’s advice‚ Casey Stengel announces his retirement as manager of the Mets. He will head up Mets scouting in California. Stengel ends a 25-year managerial career that included 10 pennants with the Yankees‚ followed by a dismal 175-404 with the expansion Mets. The 75-year-old Stengel has been in professional baseball since 1910.
August 31Boston C Russ Nixon ties a ML record with 3 run-scoring sacrifice flies in the 2nd game at Washington. Boston wins 8-5 after taking the opener‚ 4-0.

September


September 1Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale lose as the Pirates sweep the Dodgers in a doubleheader‚ 3-2 and 2-1‚ at Pittsburgh. The Pirates are now in 5th place‚ just 2 1/2 games out of first place.

Cincinnati sweeps the Braves 7-6 and 2-0 to regain first place‚ while the Giants and Phils are rained out. Jim Maloney strikes out 12 in tossing the shutout for the Reds.
September 2The Cubs beat St. Louis 5-3 at Wrigley Field‚ as Ernie Banks hits his 400th home run‚ a three-run shot off Curt Simmons‚ in the 3rd. Simmons teed up the 400th HR of Willie Mays in 1963. Banks will end the season with 28 HRs and 106 RBI. Ron Santo and Billy Williams will also knock in over 100 runs‚ the only team with 3 such sluggers‚ but the Cubs will finish 8th.

The Dodgers Claude Osteen tops the Pirates‚ 7-1‚beating 14-game winner Bob Veale. The Bucs will next lose a pair to the Braves to drop Pittsburgh from the race.

Mantle hits a 1st inning homer with 2 on as New York scores 5 runs on their way to an 8-1 win over the Angels. Whitey Ford is the winner.

The Twins beat the Red Sox‚ 8-7‚ but get little help from Bob Allison who strikes out 5 times.
September 3Preparing a move to Anaheim‚ the Angels change their name from Los Angeles to California.

The Mets top the Cards 6-3 behind the slugging of Jim Hickman‚ who cranks 3 home runs off Birds’ pitcher Ray Sadecki. Hickman is the first Mets player to hit 3 HRs in a game.

The Reds score 7 in the 8th and roll over the visiting Phils‚ 16-7.
September 4At Yankee Stadium‚ the Red Sox sweep two from the Yankees‚ winning 1-0 and 7-2. Mantle’s homer in the 2nd game‚ off Dennis Bennett‚ is the only bright spot for New York. Against nemesis Dick Radatz in the 8th‚ Mantle bunts foul on a two-strike pitch‚ the second time he’s struck out bunting against the Monster.

The Reds score 3 runs in the 9th to edge the Phillies‚ 5-4. Deron Johnson drives in the last 2 runs with a single.
September 5The Reds edge the Phillies‚ 10-9‚ despite the slugging of Phils first sacker Dick Stuart. Stuart clouts a grand slam‚ the 9th of his career‚ in the 1st inning‚ then hits a 2-run homer in the 7th.
September 6At Los Angeles‚ Drysdale and the newly signed Spahn face each other again‚ but both are gone by extra innings. Drysdale lasts 8 innings‚ but Spahn exits after a 1+ inning ripping. The Giants win‚ 7-6‚ in 12 innings on Jim Davenport‘s hit‚ and move a game behind the first-place Dodgers. Marichal‚ who hit Roseboro over the head with a bat 15 days ago‚ is banned from the trip.

The Phils split with the Cards‚ taking the 2nd game 10-5 behind Chris Short. Curt Simmons‚ who had won 17 of 20 from the Phils since they released him‚ is the loser. Rookie Adolfo Phillips has three doubles and his first ML homer to pace the attack. In the opener‚ the Cards win‚ 10-3 behind the spark of Curt Flood‚ who singles home a run‚ steals his 56th base‚ and hits a 3-run homer. He adds a 2-run homer in the nitecap.
September 8Bert Campaneris plays all 9 positions against the Angels in a promotion to hype poor attendance at Kansas City. When Campy takes the mound in the 8th inning‚ the first batter he faces is his cousin Jose Cardenal‚ who pops out. Campy allows one run‚ and leaves the game in the 9th after a collision with Angels C Ed Kirkpatrick at home plate when Campy is catching. Rene Lachemann replaces Campy as catcher. The Angels win it in the 13th inning 5-3‚ with the win going to Campy’s batterymate Aurelio Monteagudo.

The Giants take over 1st place for the 1st time this season as reliever Masanori Murikami win 3-1 in Los Angeles‚ dropping the Dodgers to 2nd place by .002 percentage points. The Giants have now won 4 straight and will win their next 10.
September 9In LA‚ a duel between Dodger Sandy Koufax and Bob Hendley of the Cubs is perfect until Dodger LF Lou Johnson walks in the 5th. Following a sacrifice‚ Johnson steals 3B and scores on C Chris Krug’s wild throw. Johnson later gets the game’s only hit‚ a 7th-inning single. Koufax’s 4th no-hitter in 4 years is a perfect game. One hit by 2 clubs in a completed 9-inning game is also a ML record‚ as is the one runner left on base. The 2 base runners in a game is a ML record. For Chicago pitchers‚ it is the 2nd one-hitter they’ve thrown against LA this year and lost. Ellsworth lost on May 15‚ 1965.

The Angels waive Lu Clinton and both the Indians and the Athletics claimed him. Since the rule on waivers is that the team lowest in the standings gets first dibs‚ Clinton join the Athletics (as noted by Merritt Clifton). He arrives in mid-game and appears as a pinch-hitter‚ striking out‚ as California beats the A’s‚ 7-2. He and the Athletics then learned after the game that Clinton has been awarded to the Indians because the Athletics’ claim was filed after the 24-hour claiming period had expired. Charlie Finley knew this before Clinton reported to the Athletics‚ but manager Haywood Sullivan‚ fed up with Finley’s second-guessing‚ didn’t answer the telephone during the game‚ and therefore didn’t find out.
September 10Phils rookie Ferguson Jenkins debuts with 4 1/3 innings of relief against the Cardinals and picks up his first victory. Philadelphia wins 5-4 in 12 innings. It is the Phillies 10‚000th game decision since 1900.

The Orioles sweep a pair from Kansas City‚ 5-2 and 10-5. In game 2‚ the O’s get consecutive HRs by in 8th from Brooks Robinson‚ Blefary‚ and Adair.
September 11Tony Cloninger’s one-hit‚ 9-0 win is Milwaukee’s 2nd straight one-hitter against the Mets‚ tying a ML mark set 48 years ago. Wade Blasingame‚ Billy O’Dell‚ and Phil Niekro combined the day before for a 3-1 win. In today’s win‚ Aaron has two hits‚ a stolen base‚ RBI‚ and run scored before leaving for pinch hitter John Blanchard.
September 12Washington’s Brant Alyea debuts with a pinch-hit HR on the first pitch from Rudy May in his first ML at bat. Yes‚ it ties major-league record. In Washington‚ 840 fans watch the Senators beat the Angels 7-1.
September 13Willie Mays’s 500th HR (off Don Nottebart) and Juan Marichal‘s 22nd victory beat Houston 5-1. The win is the Giants 11th straight and gives them a 2 1?2 game lead.
September 14Five days after pitching against each other‚ the Cubs Bob Hendley and LA’s Sandy Koufax hook up again. No no-no this time as Hendley allows 4 hits and wins‚ 2-1.
September 16An eventful day in Boston includes the firing of Red Sox GM Mike Higgins and a no-hitter by Dave Morehead. Boston beats Cleveland 2-0. Afterwards, owner Tom Yawkey rewrites Morehead’s contract giving the 22-year-old a $1,000 bonus. Morehead lost a no-hitter against Cleveland in 1963 on Fred Whitfield‘s bad-hop single in the 8th. Replacing Higgens is Dick O’Connell, who is named chief of operations.

Bob Bolin’s 5-1 win at Houston gives the Giants 14 straight wins‚ the longest NL streak since 1951.

Claude Osteen launches a Dodgers’ winning streak as he shuts out the Chicago Cubs 2-0. The Dodgers will win their next 3‚ all by shutouts‚ in St. Louis. Osteen helps his own cause in the 2-run second inning by lining a hit off the shoe of Cubs pitcher Bill Faul. Faul, who says he goes into a trance to make his pitches invisible to batters, exits. Sandy Koufax, who lost on the 13th, 2-1, on Billy Williams’ 2-run HR, earns the save in the ninth by retiring 3. A crowd of 550 pays at Wrigley Field earning the Dodgers a visitors’ share of the gate of $151.25.
September 17The 1st place Giants lose for the first time in 15 games as Phil Niekro outpitches Juan Marichal. The Braves win 9-1. The Giants will then win their next 3 games to push their lead to 4 games over Los Angeles.
September 18On Mickey Mantle Day at Yankee Stadium‚ 50‚180 fans see Mantle play his 2‚000th game. Joe DiMaggio and Bobby Kennedy are on hand as Mantle is given a barbecue grill in the shape of a prairie schooner and a six-foot Kosher salami weighing 100 pounds. In Mantle’s first at bat‚ Detroit’s Joe Sparma comes off the mound to shake his hand. Mick then flies out. Detroit wins‚ 4-3‚ with reliever Denny McLain getting the win.

Larry Jackson of the Cubs beats the Mets‚ 4-3‚ for his 11th straight win over New York.
September 19Bob Veale allows one hit-a 2-out 6th inning single to Tony Taylor-in pitching the Pirates to a 1-0‚ 10-inning win over the visiting Phillies. Roberto Clemente‘s 2-out single in the 10th off Jack Baldschun‚ in relief of Chris Short‚ drives home the winner.
September 20Just 812 see the soon-to-be Atlanta Braves lose to the Phils‚ 4-1‚ in Milwaukee.

Fewer fans (537) see the A’s Jim “Catfish” Hunter beat Jim “Mudcat” Grant‚ 8-2‚ in Minnesota. Both contests are makeup games.

In Cleveland’s 5-4 win‚ Pedro Gonzalez of the Indians swings a bat at P Larry Sherry of the Tigers following a Sherry brushback pitch. Gonzalez is fined $500 by AL President Joe Cronin the following day.
September 22Before 12‚577 fans‚ the Braves end a 13-year stay in Milwaukee against the Dodgers. Despite a Frank Bolling grand slam off Sandy Koufax‚ the Braves lose 7-6 in 11 innings.
September 23A 20-game winner in 1964‚ Larry Jackson loses his 20th game of 1965‚ as the Phillies sweep a twin bill from the Cubs‚ 11-5 and 7-4. Jackson is the first pitcher since Murry Dickson of the 1951-52 Pirates to follow a 20-win season with 20 losses.
September 24At Candlestick‚ Tony Cloninger throws a 4-hitter to give the Braves an 8-2 win over the Giants. In Southern California‚ the Dodgers win 4-3 over the Cards to reduce the Giants lead to one game.
September 25Sandy Koufax blanks the Cardinals 2-0 to win his 24th. He fans 12 along the way‚ raising his record season total to 356. His 2-0 shutout of St. Louis keeps Los Angeles a game behind the Giants.

Another Kansas City publicity stunt makes the great Satchel Paige baseball’s oldest performer. At 59‚ Paige hurls the first 3 innings‚ garners one strikeout‚ and allows just one hit‚ to Carl Yastrzemski‚ in his first ML appearance since 1953. The Red Sox break a 2-2 tie in the 8th to pin the loss on reliever Don Mossi with a 5-2 win.

The first-place Giants top the Braves‚ 7-5‚ led by Willie Mays‘s 50th HR of the year.

The Twins Mudcat Grant one hits the Senators to win‚ 5-0. Don Blasingame‘s double in the 3rd is the only hit for Washington; it is the 4th time that Blasingame has collected the only hit for his team. Grant becomes the first 20-game winner in the AL. Zoilo Versalles has 4 hits for the Twins‚ including a triple and a 2-run homer. Minnesota completes the sweep with a 5-3 win in the nitecap.

In Houston‚ the Reds Jim Maloney allows 2 hits in beating Houston‚ 1-0.
September 26Minnesota gains its first AL pennant by defeating Washington 2-1. Jim Kaat (17-11) wins the clincher.

The Braves overcome Juan Marichal to beat the Giants 3-2. Drysdale shuts out the Cards‚ 1-0‚ topping the 200 mark in strikeouts for a NL record 6th straight season. The Giants and Dodgers are now deadlocked with 7 games to play.
September 27Tom Haller clouts 2 HRs to give the Giants an 8-4 win over the Cards. The Dodgers keep pace by defeating the Reds 6-1.

A week after sending veteran Ken Boyer to the Mets‚ St. Louis trades SS Dick Groat‚ 1B Bill White and C Bob Uecker to the Phillies for P Art Mahaffey‚ OF Alex Johnson and C Pat Corrales.
September 28Former Giant Bill White has 4 hits to lead the Cards to a 9-1 beating of the Giants. The Dodgers edge the Reds 2-1 on Lou Johnson’s 12th inning HR off Joey Jay to move into 1st place by a game over San Francisco.

The Giants lose to St. Louis 8-6‚ even though Willie Mays‚ in his 2‚000th career game‚ hits his 51st HR of the year.
September 29Phillies C Pat Corrales sets a ML record by reaching base twice on catcher’s interference in one game and 6 times in one season. The Phils beat Chicago 7-6.

In a pitcher’s duel between 2 future Hall of Famers‚ Bob Gibson aids his cause by smacking a grand slam off Gaylord Perry in the 8th inning to lift the Cards to a 8-6 win over the Giants. It is Gibson’s 5th HR of the year and the 1st of 2 career slams he’ll hit. The Giants scored all their runs in the 9th inning.

In Los Angeles‚ the Dodgers roll on‚ defeating the Reds 5-0 on Koufax’s 2 hitter. The Dodgers now lead by 2 games.

California is not much of a draw at Fenway‚ attracting 409 fans. They see Boston win‚ 2-1.
September 30Don Drysdale (23-12) pitches a 3-hitter and blanks the Braves 4-0. Los Angeles has now won 13 straight games‚ 7 by shutouts.

October


October 1The Dodgers finally lose as Denny LeMaster and the Braves stop them 2-0. The Giants fail to capitalize as they are bombed by the visiting Reds‚ 17-2‚ on 21 hits.
October 2Sandy Koufax’s 2-1 win against the Braves clinches the NL pennant for the Dodgers. With 13 strikeouts‚ Koufax ups his modern ML single season record to 382. He leads the NL in wins (26)‚ ERA (2.04)‚ complete games (27)‚ and innings pitched (3352?3).

Willie Mays sets a Giants record with his 52nd HR‚ as Ron Herbel beats the Reds 3-2. Johnny Mize had hit 51 for the Giants in 1947.

Another Mets’ marathon twin bill features an 18-inning scoreless tie in which Philadelphia’s Chris Short (18-11) fans 18 batters in the 15 innings he pitches. In ML history there has been one other 18-inning scoreless tie and a record 19-inning scoreless tie. New York loses the first game 6-0 to Jim Bunning (19-9)‚ setting ML records with 27 scoreless innings and 31 strikeouts in an overtime twin bill. Bunning’s win is his 7th shutout of the year‚ the most by a Phillie pitcher since Alexander in 1918.
October 3The Cubs tie a ML record with their 3rd triple play of the season-1B Ernie Banks to SS Don Kessinger-but Pittsburgh wins 6-3 at Forbes Field. Bill Faul is on the mound during each triple play. Submariner Ted Abernathy suffers the loss to Roy Face‚ but concludes a record season for appearances (84) and consecutive errorless games (84) for a pitcher. He has 31 saves.

Knuckleballer Eddie Fisher of the White Sox sets an AL record with his 82nd appearance‚ one more than John Wyatt in 1964 as the Sox beat young Catfish Hunter and the A’s‚ 3-2.

The Yanks win 11-5 at Boston as Tony Kubek goes 3-for-4 and clouts a 9th inning homer off Dick Radatz in his final major league at bat. The 29-year-old will be diagnosed over the winter as having three crushed vertebrae‚ the result of a childhood football injury. He will quit rather than risk further injury‚

Six Dodgers pitchers‚ a ML shutout record‚ combine to blank the Braves‚ 3-0.

Sudden Sam McDowell (17-11) loses a 2-1 decision to Baltimore’s Steve Barber‚ but the 22-year-old Tribe southpaw wraps up the AL lead in ERA (2.18) and strikeouts (325). Rocky Colavito plays his 162nd consecutive errorless game (274 chances)‚ a ML season record.

In a 6-3 loss to the Giants Vada Pinson collects a hit in his 27th straight game. This is the 2nd longest streak in Reds’ history.
October 4Dick Sisler is released as manager of the Reds.

Boston trades P Bill Monbouquette to Detroit for OF George Thomas and IF George Smith.
October 6Minnesota’s 6-run 3rd inning routs Dodger Don Drysdale‚ subbing for Koufax‚ and sparks an 8-2 Twins win in the first game of the WS. Jim Grant gets the win allowing just one hit‚ a HR by Ron Fairly. Mincher and Versalles homer for the Twins. Koufax sits out the opener because it is the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur.
October 7Jim Kaat gives Minnesota a 2-0 WS lead by driving in 2 runs‚ defeating Sandy Koufax 5-1 at Metropolitan Stadium.
October 9Dodgers P Claude Osteen‚ 5-0 versus Minnesota while with the Senators‚ remains perfect against the Twins‚ winning 4-0 in game 3 at Chavez Ravine.
October 10In game 4 Don Drysdale evens the WS with a 5-hit 7-2 win. Wes Parker and Lou Johnson hit HRs‚ as the Dodgers beat Jim Grant.
October 11Sandy Koufax’s 4-hit‚ 7-0 win against the Twins puts Los Angeles one win from the championship. Maury Wills ties a WS record with 4 doubles and scores twice.
October 12Washington trades OF Woodie Held to Baltimore for C John Orsino.

Milwaukee Brewers Baseball Club‚ Inc. applies for an AL franchise to replace the Braves.
October 13The Twins’ Mudcat Grant does it all himself‚ hitting a 3-run HR and pitching a 5-1 win at Minnesota to knot the WS with the Dodgers.
October 14Working on two days rest‚ Sandy Koufax pitches a 3-hitter and blanks Minnesota 2-0‚ giving the Dodgers a 2nd World Championship in 3 years. He is named WS MVP.
October 19The Mets purchase C Jerry Grote from Houston.

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.
October 20St. Louis trades 3B Ken Boyer to the Mets for P Al Jackson and 3B Charlie Smith.
October 25Leo Durocher becomes manager of the Cubs‚ replacing head coach Lou Klein (48-58).
October 26Don Heffner is named manager of the Reds. Dick Sisler (89-73) is out.
October 27C Bob Uecker‚ 1B Bill White‚ and SS Dick Groat are traded by St. Louis to Philadelphia for P Art Mahaffey‚ OF Alex Johnson‚ and C Pat Corrales.

November


November 3Sandy Koufax is named Cy Young Award winner by a unanimous vote.

Athletics P Lew Krausse enjoys one of the finest performances in winter league history‚ throwing a one-hitter for Caracas against Lara and establishing the following still unsurpassed marks: most strikeouts in a 9-inning game (21)‚ most consecutive strikeouts (10)‚ most strikeouts in 2 consecutive games (33).
November 4Al Lopez resigns as manager of the White Sox.
November 10Willie Mays is named NL MVP‚ receiving 224 votes to 177 for Sandy Koufax.
November 17Retired Air Force Lieutenant-General William Eckert is unanimously elected commissioner of baseball. Ford Frick leaves office after 14 years.
November 18Zoilo Versalles is named AL MVP. The Minnesota SS gets 275 votes to 174 for OF teammate Tony Oliva.

Wes Westrum is named the Mets manager for 1966.
November 22Baltimore OF Curt Blefary edges Angels P Marcelino Lopez for the AL Rookie of the Year Award.
November 26Dodgers 2B Jim Lefebvre is voted NL Rookie of the Year.
November 28Haywood Sullivan (54-82) resigns as A’s manager to become director of player personnel for the Red Sox. Alvin Dark replaces him.
November 29The Yankees trade Phil Linz to the Phillies for INF Ruben Amaro. Linz’s BA had decline in each of past 5 seasons.
November 30The Red Sox trade Ed Bressoud to the Mets for Joe Christopher. Bressoud will be the only former New York Giant to play for the Mets besides Willie Mays‚ who will close out his years there.

December


December 1The KC Athletics‚ which waived young Joe Rudi to the Indians in May‚ got him back‚ along with backup C Phil Roof. The Indians receive veteran OF Jim Landis and P Jim Rittwage. Rudi hit .254 at Dubuque this past season.

The Giants send Matty Alou‚ coming off a .231 season‚ to the Pirates for P Joe Gibbon and INF Ozzie Virgil. Alou will rebound to lead the NL in hitting and have 4 straight seasons over .331.
December 2P Lindy McDaniel and OF Don Landrum are traded by the Cubs to the Giants for C Randy Hundley and P Bill Hands.

Baltimore sends 1B Norm Siebern to the Angels for OF Dick Simpson.
December 4Masanori Murakami‚ 4-1 this year‚ does not renew his contract with the Giants‚ signing instead with the Nankai Hawks of Osaka for $40‚000.
December 6Baltimore sends OF Jackie Brandt and P Darold Knowles to the Phillies for P Jack Baldschun.
December 9OF Frank Robinson is traded from Cincinnati to the Orioles for pitchers Milt Pappas and Jack Baldschun and OF Dick Simpson. The Reds Bill DeWitt defends the trade by labeling Robinson “an old 30‚” a concept that Robinson will quickly prove wrong.

While giving a speech in Columbus‚ MO‚ Branch Rickey collapses and dies a few days short of his 84th birthday. Player‚ manager‚ an extraordinary judge of baseball talent‚ and a shrewd trader‚ he became perhaps the game’s most influential executive.
December 10The Pirates trade long-time Buc P Bob Friend to the Yankees for P Pete Mikkelsen and cash.
December 12Roy Hofheinz fires manager Lum Harris (65-97). Grady Hatton takes over the Astros.
December 14Eddie Stanky is signed to manage the White Sox.
December 15Detroit trades P Phil Regan to the Dodgers for IF Dick Tracewski. Regan will lead the NL in saves in 1966 while winning 14 of 15 decisions.