1960 Major League Baseball expansion draft

Last updated

1960 Major League Baseball expansion draft
General information
SportBaseball
Date(s)December 14, 1960
Overview
61 total selections
League Major League Baseball
Expansion teams
Expansion season 1961
First selection Eli Grba (Los Angeles Angels)
1961  →

The 1960 MLB expansion draft was held by Major League Baseball on December 14, 1960, to fill the rosters of the Los Angeles Angels and the Washington Senators. The Angels and Senators (who later became the Texas Rangers) were new franchises that would enter the American League (AL) the following season as part of the 1961 Major League Baseball expansion. The Angels represented the AL's first team to be based on the West Coast of the United States, while the Senators would take the place of the league's original Washington Senators franchise that had moved to Minneapolis–Saint Paul as the Minnesota Twins after the 1960 season.

Contents

The draft, held in Boston, site of American League headquarters, had been scheduled for Tuesday, December 13, 1960, but had to be postponed one day due to a heavy snowstorm that struck the New England region. [1]

Ground rules

As with all MLB expansion lotteries prior to 1992, it was an "intraleague" affair and only players from the admitting league were eligible for selection. Each existing American League club had to make available for the draft seven players on their active rosters on August 31, 1960, and eight others from their 40-man rosters. The expansion clubs paid US$75,000 for each of 28 players they drafted with a maximum of seven players drafted from each existing club, not including minor league selections. They were required to take at least ten pitchers, two catchers, six infielders, and four outfielders. The clubs also had the option of drafting one non-roster player for $25,000 from each established franchise.

Hasty expansion sowed draft confusion

Usa edcp location map.svg
Black pog.svg
Black pog.svg
class=notpageimage|
1961 MLB Expansion Teams

Reacting belatedly to the National League's July 1960 announcement that it would expand to New York and Houston to begin play in April 1962 (twenty months later), the American League suddenly declared in October 1960 it would add two new teams as well—and that the AL's expansion teams would take the field in only six months, in time for the 1961 season.

Playing catch-up to the National League, under a much tighter deadline with no ownership groups, management or stadia yet in place, the Junior Circuit was forced to wait until November 17, 1960, to officially award an expansion franchise to Washington, D.C., [2] to replace the recently-relocated Twins. Because it also intended to enter the Los Angeles metropolitan market, then controlled by Walter O'Malley, principal owner of the Dodgers, the American League was compelled to negotiate an indemnification agreement with O'Malley before the Los Angeles franchise could be granted. Finally, on December 6, 1960—one week before the expansion draft was expected to be held—the Angels franchise was officially created and awarded to Gene Autry.

Because each new team had not had the time to assemble a scouting department, they were forced to lean on scouting reports from National League franchises to select their full complement of new players. The Angels were aided by the San Francisco Giants, and the Senators by the Pittsburgh Pirates. [1] The league's chaotic, eleventh-hour approach to expansion resulted, on the day of the draft, in the new Senators' and Angels' noncompliance with rules that governed the maximum number of players each new club could select from each of the eight established teams. As a result, several post-draft trades were necessary to rectify the problem. [2] [1]

The situation is described by authors Andy McCue and Eric Thompson in their 2011 Hardball Times article, "Mismanagement 101: The American League Expansion of 1961," also published by the Society for American Baseball Research.

Results

Key
‡ All-Star
Eli Grba, selected by the Los Angeles Angels, was the first overall pick. Eli Grba.jpg
Eli Grba, selected by the Los Angeles Angels, was the first overall pick.
Bobby Shantz, the second overall selection, was the top pick of the Washington Senators. Bobby Shantz 1953.jpg
Bobby Shantz, the second overall selection, was the top pick of the Washington Senators.
PickPlayerPositionSelected fromSelected by
1 Eli Grba Pitcher New York Yankees Los Angeles Angels
2 Bobby Shantz ‡ Pitcher New York Yankees Washington Senators
3 Duke Maas Pitcher New York Yankees Los Angeles Angels
4 Dave Sisler Pitcher Detroit Tigers Washington Senators
5 Jerry Casale Pitcher Boston Red Sox Los Angeles Angels
6 Johnny Klippstein Pitcher Cleveland Indians Washington Senators
7 Tex Clevenger Pitcher Minnesota Twins Los Angeles Angels
8 Pete Burnside Pitcher Detroit Tigers Washington Senators
9 Bob Sprout Pitcher Detroit Tigers Los Angeles Angels
10 Carl Mathias Pitcher Cleveland Indians Washington Senators
11 Aubrey Gatewood Pitcher Detroit Tigers Los Angeles Angels
12 Ed Hobaugh Pitcher Chicago White Sox Washington Senators
13 Ken McBride ‡ Pitcher Chicago White Sox Los Angeles Angels
14 Hal Woodeshick ‡ Pitcher Minnesota Twins Washington Senators
15 Ned Garver ‡ Pitcher Kansas City Athletics Los Angeles Angels
16 Tom Sturdivant Pitcher Boston Red Sox Washington Senators
17 Ron Moeller Pitcher Baltimore Orioles Los Angeles Angels
18 Héctor Maestri Pitcher Minnesota Twins Washington Senators
19 Bob Davis Pitcher Kansas City Athletics Los Angeles Angels
20 Rudy Hernández Pitcher Minnesota Twins Washington Senators
21 Ed Sadowski Catcher Boston Red Sox Los Angeles Angels
22 Pete Daley Catcher Kansas City Athletics Washington Senators
23 Buck Rodgers Catcher Detroit Tigers Los Angeles Angels
24 Dutch Dotterer Catcher Kansas City Athletics Washington Senators
25 Eddie Yost ‡ Third baseman Detroit Tigers Los Angeles Angels
26 Coot Veal Shortstop Detroit Tigers Washington Senators
27 Ken Aspromonte Second baseman Cleveland Indians Los Angeles Angels
28 Dale Long ‡ First baseman New York Yankees Washington Senators
29 Ken Hamlin Shortstop Kansas City Athletics Los Angeles Angels
30 Jim Mahoney Shortstop Boston Red Sox Washington Senators
31 Gene Leek Third baseman Cleveland Indians Los Angeles Angels
32 Bob Johnson Shortstop Kansas City Athletics Washington Senators
33 Jim Fregosi ‡ Shortstop Boston Red Sox Los Angeles Angels
34 Billy Klaus Second baseman Baltimore Orioles Washington Senators
35 Bob Cerv ‡ First baseman/Outfielder New York Yankees Los Angeles Angels
36 Johnny Schaive Second baseman Minnesota Twins Washington Senators
37 Ken Hunt Outfielder New York Yankees Los Angeles Angels
38 Willie Tasby Outfielder Boston Red Sox Washington Senators
39 Jim McAnany Outfielder Chicago White Sox Los Angeles Angels
40 Gene Woodling ‡ Outfielder Baltimore Orioles Washington Senators
41 Earl Averill Jr. Outfielder/Catcher Chicago White Sox Los Angeles Angels
42 Marty Keough Outfielder Cleveland Indians Washington Senators
43 Faye Throneberry Outfielder Minnesota Twins Los Angeles Angels
44 Chuck Hinton ‡ Outfielder Baltimore Orioles Washington Senators
45 Ted Kluszewski ‡ First baseman Chicago White Sox Los Angeles Angels
46 Gene Green Catcher Baltimore Orioles Washington Senators
47 Don Ross Infielder Baltimore Orioles Los Angeles Angels
48 Bud Zipfel First baseman New York Yankees Washington Senators
49 Julio Bécquer First baseman Minnesota Twins Los Angeles Angels
50 Jim King Outfielder Cleveland Indians Washington Senators
51 Dean Chance ‡ Pitcher Baltimore Orioles Los Angeles Angels
52 Joe Hicks Outfielder Chicago White Sox Washington Senators
53 Fred Newman Pitcher Boston Red Sox Los Angeles Angels
54 Chet Boak Second baseman Kansas City Athletics Washington Senators
55 Red Wilson Catcher Cleveland Indians Los Angeles Angels
56 Dick Donovan ‡ Pitcher Chicago White Sox Washington Senators
57 Steve Bilko First baseman Detroit Tigers Los Angeles Angels
58 Leo Burke Third baseman Baltimore Orioles Washington Senators
59 Albie Pearson ‡ Outfielder Baltimore Orioles Los Angeles Angels
60 Haywood Sullivan Catcher Boston Red Sox Washington Senators
61 Joe McClain Pitcher Minnesota Twins Washington Senators

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Los Angeles Dodgers</span> Major League Baseball franchise in Los Angeles, California

The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West Division. Established in 1883 in Brooklyn, New York, the team joined the NL in 1890 as the Brooklyn Bridegrooms and assumed several other monikers before finally settling on the name Dodgers in 1932. From the 1940s through the mid-1950s, the Dodgers developed a fierce crosstown rivalry with the New York Yankees as the two clubs faced each other in the World Series seven times, with the Dodgers losing the first five matchups before defeating them to win the franchise's first title in 1955. It was also during this period that the Dodgers made history by breaking the baseball color line in 1947 with the debut of Jackie Robinson, the first African American to play in the Major Leagues since 1884. Another major milestone was reached in 1956 when Don Newcombe became the first player ever to win both the Cy Young Award and the NL MVP in the same season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American League</span> League within Major League Baseball

The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is the younger of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major league status. It is sometimes called the Junior Circuit because it claimed Major League status for the 1901 season, 25 years after the formation of the National League.

The Continental League of Professional Baseball Clubs was a proposed third major league for baseball in the United States and Canada. The league was announced in 1959 and scheduled to begin play in the 1961 season. Unlike predecessor competitors such as the Players' League and the Federal League, it sought membership within organized baseball's existing organization and acceptance within Major League Baseball as any attempt at outsider leagues could be quashed by them per a 1922 Supreme Court case declaring MLB exempt from federal antitrust laws. The league disbanded in August 1960 without playing a single game as a concession by William A. Shea as part of his negotiations with Major League Baseball to expand to incorporate at least eight new teams.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Los Angeles Angels</span> Major League Baseball franchise in Anaheim, California

The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Greater Los Angeles area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. Since 1966, the team has played its home games at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buzzie Bavasi</span> American baseball executive (1914–2008)

Emil Joseph "Buzzie" Bavasi was an American executive in Major League Baseball who played a major role in the operation of three California baseball franchises from the late 1940s through the mid-1980s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mickey Vernon</span> American baseball player and manager

James Barton"Mickey"Vernon was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) first baseman who played for the Washington Senators, Cleveland Indians, Boston Red Sox (1956–1957), Milwaukee Braves (1959) and Pittsburgh Pirates (1960). He also was the first manager in the history of the expansion edition of the Senators, serving from 1961 through May 21, 1963, and was a coach for four MLB teams between 1960 and 1982.

The 1961 Minnesota Twins season was the 61st in franchise history and its first in Minneapolis–Saint Paul after it transferred from Washington following a six-decade tenure in late October 1960. The maiden edition of the Twins finished 1961 with a record of 70–90, good for seventh place in the American League, which had expanded from eight to ten teams during the 1960–61 offseason. The Twins played their home games at Metropolitan Stadium, where they set a franchise record for home attendance.

The 1961 Los Angeles Angels season ended with the Angels finishing eighth in the American League with a record of 70–91, 38+1⁄2 games behind the World Champion New York Yankees. It was the Angels' first season in franchise history, and their only season at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles. Gene Autry owned the franchise, which was created as a counterpart to the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the two teams would even share the same stadium the following year when the Angels moved to Dodger Stadium.

The 1961 Washington Senators season was the team's inaugural season, having been established as a replacement for the previous franchise of the same name, which relocated to the Twin Cities of Minnesota following the 1960 season, becoming the Minnesota Twins. The Senators finished in a tie for ninth place in the ten-team American League with a record of 61–100, 47+1⁄2 games behind the World Champion New York Yankees. It was also the team's only season at Griffith Stadium before moving its games to D.C. Stadium for the following season. The expansion team drew 597,287 fans, tenth and last in the circuit. The old Senators had drawn 743,404 fans in 1960.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Julio Bécquer</span> Cuban baseball player (1931–2020)

Julio Bécquer Villegas was a Cuban-born American professional baseball player, a first baseman who played in 488 games over seven seasons for the Washington Senators / Minnesota Twins and Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball. A native of Havana, he batted and threw left-handed; Bécquer stood 5 feet 11 inches (1.80 m) tall and weighed 178 pounds (81 kg) during his active career.

The 1968 Major League Baseball expansion draft was conducted to stock up the rosters of four expansion teams in Major League Baseball created via the 1969 Major League Baseball expansion and which would begin play in the 1969 season.

The Los Angeles Angels are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The "Angels" name originates from the city that was their original home, Los Angeles, and was inspired by a minor league club of the same name. The Angels were established in 1961, and have played their home games at Angel Stadium since 1966.

The Major League Baseball relocations of the 1950s–1960s brought several Major League Baseball franchises to the Western and Southern United States, expanding the league's geographical reach. This was in stark contrast to the early years of modern baseball, when the American League placed teams in National League cities. Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia, and St. Louis had two teams; New York City had three. With no teams west of St. Louis or south of Washington, D.C., baseball was effectively confined to the Northeast and Midwest.

The 1977 Major League Baseball expansion resulted in the establishment of expansion franchises in Seattle and Toronto in the American League of Major League Baseball. The Seattle Mariners and Toronto Blue Jays began play in the 1977 Major League Baseball season, becoming the 25th and 26th teams in Major League Baseball.

The 1969 Major League Baseball expansion resulted in the establishment of expansion franchises in Kansas City and Seattle in the American League and in Montreal and San Diego in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Kansas City Royals, Montreal Expos, San Diego Padres, and Seattle Pilots began play in the 1969 Major League Baseball season. One of the reasons for expansion was increasing pressure to maintain the sport as the US national pastime, particularly because of the increasing popularity of professional football.

The 1961 Major League Baseball expansion resulted in the formation of two new Major League Baseball (MLB) franchises in the American League (AL). A new club was started in Washington, D.C., and took the existing name of the Senators, as the previous team of the same name moved to Minnesota for the start of the 1961 season and became the Twins. The second new franchise was granted to an ownership group led by Gene Autry for a team in Los Angeles who named themselves the Angels. The two new teams each paid a fee of $2.1 million and became the 17th and 18th franchises in MLB.

The 1962 Major League Baseball expansion was the formation of two new Major League Baseball (MLB) teams for the 1962 season. The Houston Colt .45s and the New York Mets were added to the National League (NL), becoming the 19th and 20th teams in MLB's two leagues. The Colt .45s were the first major league team in Houston while the Mets filled the void left when the New York Giants and Brooklyn Dodgers of the NL moved to California after the 1957 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Angels–Rangers rivalry</span> Major League Baseball rivalry

The Angels–Rangers rivalry is a Major League Baseball (MLB) divisional rivalry played between the Los Angeles Angels and the Texas Rangers as both teams play in the American League West Division. The rivalry has been said to have developed over a domination in the division between the two teams, and also in recent years more animosity between the two teams due to multiple players who have played for both, including Nolan Ryan, Mike Napoli, Darren Oliver, Vladimir Guerrero, C. J. Wilson, and Josh Hamilton. Both teams often fought for control of the division, primarily during the 2000s and 2010s though both teams entered the present decade fighting for relevance as neither side has appeared in the postseason since 2016. The Angels and Rangers have each pitched a perfect game against each other, making them the only pair of MLB teams to have done so. Mike Witt pitched a perfect game for the Angels against the Rangers in 1984 at Arlington Stadium and Kenny Rogers for the Rangers against the Angels in 1994. Both teams have yet to face each other in the postseason, the Angels currently lead the series all time 511–485.

Major League Baseball (MLB), the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, has undergone several rounds of expansion beginning in 1961, eventually reaching 30 teams with its most recent expansion taking place in 1998. MLB has discussed preparations for another round of expansion. Several investment groups are vying for an MLB franchise.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Ringolsby, Tracy (November 8, 1992). "First Expansion Draft a Slap-Dash Affair". chicagotribune.com. Scripps Howard News Service. Retrieved February 20, 2024.
  2. 1 2 McCue, Andy, and Thompson, Eric (2011), "Mismanagement 101: The American League's Expansion of 1961." The National Pastime 2011, Archived 2019-07-06 at the Wayback Machine Society for American Baseball Research
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.