1963 Minnesota Twins season

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1963  Minnesota Twins
League American League
Ballpark Metropolitan Stadium
City Bloomington, Minnesota
Record91–70 (.565)
Divisional place3rd
Owners Calvin Griffith (majority owner, with Thelma Griffith Haynes)
General managers Calvin Griffith
Managers Sam Mele
Television WTCN-TV
Radio 830 WCCO AM
(Ray Scott, Herb Carneal, Halsey Hall)
←  1962 Seasons 1964  →

The 1963 Minnesota Twins season was the 3rd season for the Minnesota Twins franchise in the Twin Cities of Minnesota, their 3rd season at Metropolitan Stadium and the 63rd overall in the American League.

Contents

The Twins finished 91–70, third in the American League. 1,406,652 fans attended Twins games, the highest total in the American League.

Offseason

Regular season

Four Twins made the All-Star Game: first baseman Harmon Killebrew, shortstop Zoilo Versalles, outfielder Bob Allison and catcher Earl Battey.

On August 29, the Twins played two games at Washington. The club struck eight home runs in the first game (to tie an American League record) and four more in the nightcap, for an even dozen on the day.

On September 21, the Twins played two games at Boston's Fenway Park. Slugger Harmon Killebrew connected for three home runs in the first game and another in the nightcap. His four-homer double-header tied an AL record.

Harmon Killebrew again led the team (and the American League) with 45 home runs; his 96 RBI was Minnesota's best. Bob Allison hit 35 home runs and drove in 91. Camilo Pascual won 21 games and led the AL with 202 strikeouts.

With 33 home runs, Twins rookie Jimmie Hall topped the Boston Red Sox Ted Williams' "true rookie" American League record of 31 homers, set by Williams in 1939. The team's total of 225 home runs was the second-most ever in a season at the time, only trailing the 1961 New York Yankees' 240. [5]

Three Twins won Gold Gloves: first baseman Vic Power won his sixth, shortstop Zoilo Versalles won his first, and Jim Kaat won his second.

Season standings

American League
Team W L Pct. GB Home Road
New York Yankees 10457.646—58‍–‍2246‍–‍35
Chicago White Sox 9468.58010½49‍–‍3345‍–‍35
Minnesota Twins 9170.5651348‍–‍3343‍–‍37
Baltimore Orioles 8676.53118½48‍–‍3338‍–‍43
Cleveland Indians 7983.48825½41‍–‍4038‍–‍43
Detroit Tigers 7983.48825½47‍–‍3432‍–‍49
Boston Red Sox 7685.4722844‍–‍3632‍–‍49
Kansas City Athletics 7389.45131½36‍–‍4537‍–‍44
Los Angeles Angels 7091.4353439‍–‍4231‍–‍49
Washington Senators 56106.34648½31‍–‍4925‍–‍57

Record vs. opponents

1963 American League record

Sources:
TeamBALBOSCWSCLEDETKCALAAMINNYYWSH
Baltimore —7–117–1110–813–59–99–99–97–1115–3
Boston 11–7—8–1010–89–97–119–87–116–129–9
Chicago 11–710–8—11–711–712–610–88–108–1013–5
Cleveland 8–108–107–11—10–811–710–85–137–1113–5
Detroit 5–139–97–118–10—13–512–68–108–109–9
Kansas City 9–911–76–127–115–13—10–89–96–1210–8
Los Angeles 9–98–98–108–106–128–10—9–95–139–9
Minnesota 9–911–710–813–510–89–99–9—6–1114–4
New York 11–712–610–811–710–812–613–511–6—14–4
Washington 3–159–95–135–139–98–109–94–144–14—

Notable transactions

Roster

1963 Minnesota Twins
Roster
PitchersCatchers

Infielders

Outfielders

Other batters

Manager

Coaches

Player stats

= Indicates team leader

Batting

Starters by position

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

PosPlayerGABHAvg.HRRBI
C Earl Battey 147508145.2852684
1B Vic Power 138541146.2701052
2B Bernie Allen 139421101.240943
3B Rich Rollins 136531163.3071661
SS Zoilo Versalles 159621162.2611054
LF Harmon Killebrew 142515133.2584596
CF Jimmie Hall 156497129.2603380
RF Bob Allison 148527143.2713591

Other batters

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

PlayerGABHAvg.HRRBI
Lenny Green 14528067.239427
Don Mincher 8222558.2581742
Johnny Goryl 6415043.287924
George Banks 257111.15538
Jerry Zimmerman 395613.23203
Wally Post 21479.19126
Vic Wertz 35446.13637
Paul Ratliff 10214.19013
Jim Lemon 7172.11801
Jay Ward 9151.06702
Tony Oliva 773.42901
Bill Tuttle 430.00000
Julio Bécquer 100----00

Pitching

Starting pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

PlayerGIPWLERASO
Camilo Pascual 31248.12192.46202
Dick Stigman 33241.015153.25193
Jim Kaat 31178.110104.19105
Jim Perry 35168.1993.7465
Lee Stange 32164.21252.62100
Jack Kralick 525.2143.8613

Other pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

PlayerGIPWLERASO
Jim Roland 1049.0412.5734
Dwight Siebler 738.2212.7922
Gerry Arrigo 515.2122.8713

Relief pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

PlayerGWLSVERASO
Bill Dailey 6663211.9972
Bill Pleis 366204.3737
Garry Roggenburk 362442.1624
Ray Moore 311326.9838
Mike Fornieles 111104.767
Fred Lasher 110004.7610
Frank Sullivan 100115.732
Don Williams 300010.382
Gary Dotter 20000.002

Farm system

LevelTeamLeagueManager
AAA Dallas-Fort Worth Rangers Pacific Coast League Jack McKeon
AA Charlotte Hornets Sally League Al Evans
A Wilson Tobs Carolina League Ralph Rowe
A Orlando Twins Florida State League Harry Warner
A Erie Sailors New York–Penn League Frank Franchi
A Bismarck-Mandan Pards Northern League Vern Morgan
Rookie Wytheville Twins Appalachian League Red Norwood

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Wilson [8]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harmon Killebrew</span> American baseball player (1936–2011)

Harmon Clayton Killebrew Jr., nicknamed "the Killer" and "Hammerin' Harmon", was an American professional baseball first baseman, third baseman, and left fielder. He spent most of his 22-year career in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the Minnesota Twins. A prolific power hitter, Killebrew had the fifth-most home runs in major league history at the time of his retirement. He was second only to Babe Ruth in American League (AL) home runs, and was the AL career leader in home runs by a right-handed batter. Killebrew was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1984.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bob Allison</span> American baseball player (1934–1995)

William Robert Allison was an American professional baseball outfielder who played 13 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), with the Washington Senators / Minnesota Twins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jimmie Hall</span> American baseball player (born 1938)

Jimmie Randolph Hall is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder and left-handed batter who played eight seasons in the big leagues. A two-time All-Star, Hall made his debut with the Minnesota Twins (1963–66), followed by stints with the California Angels (1967–68), Cleveland Indians (1968–69), New York Yankees (1969), Chicago Cubs (1969–70) and Atlanta Braves (1970).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earl Battey</span> American baseball player (1935–2003)

Earl Jesse Battey, Jr. was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher from 1955 to 1967, most prominently for the Minnesota Twins where he was a five-time All-Star player and was an integral member of the 1965 American League pennant-winning team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rich Rollins</span> American baseball player (born 1938)

Richard John Rollins is an American former Major League Baseball third baseman. He played with the Minnesota Twins (1961–68), Seattle Pilots / Milwaukee Brewers (1969–1970), and Cleveland Indians (1970). During a 10-year baseball career, Rollins hit .269 with 77 home runs, and 399 runs batted in (RBI).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zoilo Versalles</span> Cuban baseball player (1939–1995)

Zoilo Casanova Versalles Rodriguez, nicknamed "Zorro", was a Cuban professional baseball player. He played as a shortstop in Major League Baseball, most notably for the Minnesota Twins/Washington Senators. He was the catalyst who led the 1965 Twins to their first World Series after moving from Washington to Minnesota. The same year he also won the American League Most Valuable Player award.

The 1965 Minnesota Twins season was the 5th season for the Minnesota Twins franchise in the Twin Cities of Minnesota, their 5th season at Metropolitan Stadium and the 65th overall in the American League.

The 1969 Minnesota Twins season was the 9th season for the Minnesota Twins franchise in the Twin Cities of Minnesota, their 9th season at Metropolitan Stadium and the 69th overall in the American League.

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 1970 Minnesota Twins season was the 10th season for the Minnesota Twins franchise in the Twin Cities of Minnesota, their 10th season at Metropolitan Stadium and the 70th overall in the American League.

The 1962 Minnesota Twins season was the 2nd season for the Minnesota Twins franchise in the Twin Cities of Minnesota, their 2nd season at Metropolitan Stadium and the 62nd overall in the American League.

The 1964 Minnesota Twins season was the 4th season for the Minnesota Twins franchise in the Twin Cities of Minnesota, their 4th season at Metropolitan Stadium and the 64th overall in the American League. They failed to improve on their 91 game wins from the previous two seasons, and fell to 79–83, a tie for sixth with the Cleveland Indians in the American League, 20 games behind the AL champion New York Yankees.

The 1966 Minnesota Twins season was the 6th season for the Minnesota Twins franchise in the Twin Cities of Minnesota, their 6th season at Metropolitan Stadium and the 66th overall in the American League.

The 1967 Minnesota Twins season was the 7th season for the Minnesota Twins franchise in the Twin Cities of Minnesota, their 7th season at Metropolitan Stadium and the 67th overall in the American League.

The 1968 Minnesota Twins season was the 8th season for the Minnesota Twins franchise in the Twin Cities of Minnesota, their 8th season at Metropolitan Stadium and the 68th overall in the American League. The team finished 79–83, seventh in the American League.

The 1971 Minnesota Twins finished 74–86, fifth in the American League West. 940,858 fans attended Twins games, the fifth-highest total in the American League, the first time the Twins failed to attract over one million fans since moving to Minnesota.

The 1972 Minnesota Twins finished 77–77, third in the American League West.

The 1973 Minnesota Twins finished 81–81, third in the American League West.

The 1975 Minnesota Twins finished 76–83, fourth in the American League West.

The 1963 Philadelphia Phillies season was the 81st in franchise history. The 87–75 Phillies finished the season in fourth place in the National League, 12 games behind the National League and World Series Champion Los Angeles Dodgers.

References

  1. ↑ "Rudy May Stats". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  2. ↑ "Rich Reese Stats". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  3. ↑ "Joe Foy Stats". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  4. ↑ "Rubén Gómez Stats". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  5. ↑ "For single seasons, up to 1963, in the regular season, sorted by descending Home Runs". Stathead.com. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  6. ↑ "Bill Tuttle Stats". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  7. ↑ "Dwight Siebler Stats". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  8. ↑ Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (1997). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (2nd ed.). Durham, North Carolina: Baseball America. ISBN   978-0-9637189-8-3.
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