1969 in baseball

Year in baseball
this year = 1969

Champions

Major League Baseball

The most notable part of the 1969 season were the Miracle Mets

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

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

Other champions

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

Awards and honors

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

MLB Statistical Leaders

Major League Baseball final standings

Events

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

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

*March 1 - Mickey Mantle announces his retirement.

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

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

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

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

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

*April 17 - Montréal Expos pitcher Bill Stoneman no-hits the Philadelphia Phillies 7-0 at Connie Mack Stadium. It is only the 9th game, and just the 2nd win, in Expos franchise history.

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

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

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

*July 23 - At R.F.K. Memorial Stadium, Willie McCovey hits two home runs as the National League beats the American League 9–3, for its seventh straight All-Star Game win. McCovey is named MVP, with his two homers tying an All-Star Game record set earlier by Arky Vaughan (1941), Ted Williams (1946) and Al Rosen (1954). The game was postponed by one day after heavy rains in the Washington, D.C. area.

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

*August 5 - Pittsburgh Pirate Willie Stargell hits the first home run ever hit completely out of Dodger Stadium. Los Angeles pitcher Alan Foster surrenders the 506-foot blast--to date, the longest home run in Dodger Stadium history. (Stargell will hit another homer out of Dodger Stadium, off Andy Messersmith in 1973.)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

*October 2 - The Seattle Pilots finish what would be their only season in the Emerald City with a 3-1 loss to the Oakland Athletics at Sick's Stadium.

*October 4 - The American League and National League Championship Series begin, the first such series to feature the respective leagues' division champions. Baltimore would sweep Minnesota in 3 games for the A.L. pennant; New York would do the same against Atlanta for the N.L. crown.

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

Births

January-March

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

April-June

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

July-September

*July 2 - So Taguchi
*July 8 - Bobby Ayala
*July 8 - Ernie Young
*July 10 - Marty Cordova
*July 14 - José Hernández
*July 26 - Greg Colbrunn
*July 29 - Mike Williams
*August 1 - Kevin Jarvis
*August 1 - Brent Knackert
*August 4 - Troy O'Leary
*August 5 - Marcos Armas
*August 5 - Pedro Astacio
*August 9 - Troy Percival
*August 13 - Alex Fernández
*August 19 - Matt Franco
*August 20 - Mark Holzemer
*August 21 - Andújar Cedeño
*August 22 - Hipólito Pichardo
*August 26 - Ken Grundt
*August 27 - Ricky Bottalico
*August 31 - Nate Minchey
*September 7 - Darren Bragg
*September 11 - Eduardo Pérez
*September 12 - Hilly Hathaway
*September 13 - Russ Davis
*September 15 - Herb Perry
*September 21 - Jason Christiansen
*September 23 - Jeff Cirillo
*September 25 - Tony Womack

October-December

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

Deaths

January-June

*January 6 - Hank Olmsted, 89, pitcher for the 1905 Boston Americans
*January 23 - Al Bridwell, 85, shortstop whose apparent game-winning single for the New York Giants in a 1908 contest led to the controversial play in which baserunner Fred Merkle was eventually called out for not touching second base
*February 19 - Doc White, 89, Chicago White Sox pitcher whose record of five consecutive shutouts was finally broken by Don Drysdale in 1968
*March 14 - Heinie Zimmerman, 82, third baseman who won the NL triple crown in 1912 but was barred from baseball in 1919 for his role in fixing games
*March 16 - William Bell, 71, All-Star pitcher of the Negro Leagues who posted the highest career winning percentage in black baseball
*March 21 - Pinky Higgins, 59, third baseman who held the AL record for career games at that position from 1944 to 1959, a 3-time All-Star and later manager of the Red Sox
*April 4 - Les Wilson, 83, outfielder who played for the 1911 Boston Red Sox
*April 7 - Si Rosenthal, 65, outfielder who played from 1925 to 1926 for the Boston Red Sox
*April 19 - Rip Collins, 59, catcher for the Chicago Cubs and New York Yankees in the 1940s
*May 1 - Gary Wilson, 90, second baseman for the 1902 Boston Americans
*April 23 - Freddie Moncewicz, 65, backup shortstop for the 1928 Boston Red Sox
*May 5 - Eddie Cicotte, 84, pitcher who won 208 games for the Tigers, Red Sox and White Sox, but was thrown out of baseball as one of the eight "Black Sox" involved in fixing the 1919 World Series; he was the first of the eight to come forward, confessing his involvement and testifying before the grand jury
*May 17 - Pants Rowland, 90, manager of the 1917 World Series champion Chicago White Sox, later president of the Pacific Coast League from 1944 to 1954
*May 20 - Lee Allen, 54, historian at the Baseball Hall of Fame since 1959, former sportswriter
*June 24 - John Perrin, 71, right fielder for 1921 Boston Red Sox; later a fullback/quarterback for the NFL Hartford Blues

July-December

*July 8 - Bill Carrigan, 85, manager and backup catcher for the Boston Red Sox' world champions in 1915 and 1916
*September 29 - Tommy Leach, 91, third baseman and center fielder, primarily for the Pittsburgh Pirates, who led the NL in runs twice and home runs once
*September 30 - Jim Galvin, 62, played briefly for the 1930 Boston Red Sox
*October 2 - Gordon Cobbledick, 70, sportswriter for the "Cleveland Plain Dealer" from 1928 to 1964
*October 9 - Don Hoak, 41, third baseman who played on 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers and 1960 Pittsburgh Pirates World Series championship teams.
*November 1 - George Winn, 72, pitcher for the Boston Red Sox (1919) and Cleveland Indians (1922-23)
*November 14 - Curt Roberts, 40, first black player in Pittsburgh Pirates history
*November 15 - Billy Southworth, 76, manager who won World Series titles in 1942 and 1944 with the St. Louis Cardinals and the 1948 NL pennant with the Boston Braves, posting a .597 career winning percentage
*December 3 - Roy Wilson, 83, pitcher for the Chicago White Sox in the 1920s
*December 7 - Lefty O'Doul, 72, left fielder who batted .349 in his career and won two batting titles after being converted from a pitcher; became the winningest manager in Pacific Coast League history, and earned additional fame as the "father" of professional baseball in Japan