1967 MLB season | |
---|---|
League | American League (AL) National League (NL) |
Sport | Baseball |
Duration | Regular season:
|
Number of games | 162 |
Number of teams | 20 (10 per league) |
TV partner(s) | NBC |
Draft | |
Top draft pick | Ron Blomberg |
Picked by | New York Yankees |
Regular season | |
Season MVP | AL: Carl Yastrzemski (BOS) NL: Orlando Cepeda (STL) |
AL champions | Boston Red Sox |
AL runners-up | Detroit Tigers |
NL champions | St. Louis Cardinals |
NL runners-up | San Francisco Giants |
World Series | |
Champions | St. Louis Cardinals |
Runners-up | Boston Red Sox |
World Series MVP | Bob Gibson (STL) |
The 1967 major league baseball season began on April 10, 1967. The regular season ended on October 1, with the St. Louis Cardinals and Boston Red Sox as the regular season champions of the National League and American League, respectively. The postseason began with Game 1 of the 64th World Series on October 4 and ended with Game 7 on October 12. In the second iteration of this World Series matchup, the Cardinals defeated the Red Sox, four games to three, capturing their eighth championship in franchise history, since their previous in 1964. Going into the season, the defending World Series champions were the Baltimore Orioles from the 1966 season.
The 38th Major League Baseball All-Star Game, was held on July 11 at Anaheim Stadium in Anaheim, California, home of California Angels. The National League won, 2–1.
It was the final season for the Kansas City Athletics, before relocating to Oakland, California and becoming the Oakland Athletics for the 1968 season.
The season was filled with historic seasons from multiple players. Carl Yastrzemski of the Boston Red Sox had tied for the most home runs in MLB with Harmon Killebrew, giving him the elusive triple crown. He led the American League in batting average (.326), home runs due to the tie with Killebrew (44) and runs batted in (121) (This feat would not be accomplished again until Miguel Cabrera earned the triple crown in 2012 with the Detroit Tigers). [1] Yastrzemski also won the AL MVP and led the Red Sox to the AL pennant for the first time in two decades. They would ultimately lose to the St. Louis Cardinals 7–2 in Game 7 of the World Series. [2]
The Cardinals had standout players as well, with first baseman Orlando Cepeda becoming the first unanimously voted NL MVP. Cepeda finished the season with 25 home runs, 111 RBIs and a .325 batting average. He did however, struggle in the World Series, hitting only .103 with one RBI. [3]
The 1967 schedule consisted of 162 games for all teams in the American League and National League, each of which had ten teams. Each team was scheduled to play 18 games against the other nine teams of their respective league. This continued the format put in place by the American League since the 1961 season and by the National League since the 1962 season, and would be used until 1969.
Opening Day took place on April 10, featuring two teams from each league. The final day of the regular season was on October 1, which saw all 20 teams play, continuing the trend from 1965. The World Series took place between October 4 and October 12.
The 1967 season saw the following rule changes:
Team | W | L | Pct. | GB | Home | Road |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Boston Red Sox | 92 | 70 | .568 | — | 49–32 | 43–38 |
Detroit Tigers | 91 | 71 | .562 | 1 | 52–29 | 39–42 |
Minnesota Twins | 91 | 71 | .562 | 1 | 52–29 | 39–42 |
Chicago White Sox | 89 | 73 | .549 | 3 | 49–33 | 40–40 |
California Angels | 84 | 77 | .522 | 7½ | 53–30 | 31–47 |
Washington Senators | 76 | 85 | .472 | 15½ | 40–40 | 36–45 |
Baltimore Orioles | 76 | 85 | .472 | 15½ | 35–42 | 41–43 |
Cleveland Indians | 75 | 87 | .463 | 17 | 36–45 | 39–42 |
New York Yankees | 72 | 90 | .444 | 20 | 43–38 | 29–52 |
Kansas City Athletics | 62 | 99 | .385 | 29½ | 37–44 | 25–55 |
Team | W | L | Pct. | GB | Home | Road |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
St. Louis Cardinals | 101 | 60 | .627 | — | 49–32 | 52–28 |
San Francisco Giants | 91 | 71 | .562 | 10½ | 51–31 | 40–40 |
Chicago Cubs | 87 | 74 | .540 | 14 | 49–34 | 38–40 |
Cincinnati Reds | 87 | 75 | .537 | 14½ | 49–32 | 38–43 |
Philadelphia Phillies | 82 | 80 | .506 | 19½ | 45–35 | 37–45 |
Pittsburgh Pirates | 81 | 81 | .500 | 20½ | 49–32 | 32–49 |
Atlanta Braves | 77 | 85 | .475 | 24½ | 48–33 | 29–52 |
Los Angeles Dodgers | 73 | 89 | .451 | 28½ | 42–39 | 31–50 |
Houston Astros | 69 | 93 | .426 | 32½ | 46–35 | 23–58 |
New York Mets | 61 | 101 | .377 | 40½ | 36–42 | 25–59 |
The postseason began on October 4 and ended on October 12 with the St. Louis Cardinals defeating the Boston Red Sox in the 1967 World Series in seven games.
World Series | ||||
AL | Boston Red Sox | 3 | ||
NL | St. Louis Cardinals | 4 |
Team | Former Manager | New Manager |
---|---|---|
Boston Red Sox | Pete Runnels | Dick Williams |
Cleveland Indians | George Strickland | Joe Adcock |
Detroit Tigers | Frank Skaff | Mayo Smith |
Stat | Player | Total |
---|---|---|
AVG | Carl Yastrzemski 1 (BOS) | .326 |
OPS | Carl Yastrzemski (BOS) | 1.040 |
HR | Harmon Killebrew (MIN) Carl Yastrzemski 1 (BOS) | 44 |
RBI | Carl Yastrzemski 1 (BOS) | 121 |
R | Carl Yastrzemski (BOS) | 112 |
H | Carl Yastrzemski (BOS) | 189 |
SB | Bert Campaneris (KC) | 55 |
1 American League Triple Crown batting winner
Stat | Player | Total |
---|---|---|
W | Jim Lonborg (BOS) Earl Wilson (DET) | 22 |
L | George Brunet (CAL) | 19 |
ERA | Joe Horlen (CWS) | 2.06 |
K | Jim Lonborg (BOS) | 246 |
IP | Dean Chance (MIN) | 283.2 |
SV | Minnie Rojas (CAL) | 27 |
WHIP | Joe Horlen (CWS) | 0.953 |
Stat | Player | Total |
---|---|---|
AVG | Roberto Clemente (PIT) | .357 |
OPS | Dick Allen (PHI) | .970 |
HR | Hank Aaron (ATL) | 39 |
RBI | Orlando Cepeda (STL) | 111 |
R | Hank Aaron (ATL) Lou Brock (STL) | 113 |
H | Roberto Clemente (PIT) | 209 |
SB | Lou Brock (STL) | 52 |
Stat | Player | Total |
---|---|---|
W | Mike McCormick (SF) | 22 |
L | Jack Fisher (NYM) | 18 |
ERA | Phil Niekro (ATL) | 1.87 |
K | Jim Bunning (PHI) | 253 |
IP | Jim Bunning (PHI) | 302.1 |
SV | Ted Abernathy (CIN) | 28 |
WHIP | Dick Hughes (STL) | 0.954 |
Baseball Writers' Association of America Awards | ||
---|---|---|
BBWAA Award | National League | American League |
Rookie of the Year | Tom Seaver (NYM) | Rod Carew (MIN) |
Cy Young Award | Mike McCormick (SF) | Jim Lonborg (BOS) |
Most Valuable Player | Orlando Cepeda (STL) | Carl Yastrzemski (BOS) |
Babe Ruth Award (World Series MVP) | Lou Brock (STL) | — |
Gold Glove Awards | ||
Position | National League | American League |
Pitcher | Bob Gibson (STL) | Jim Kaat (MIN) |
Catcher | Randy Hundley (CHC) | Bill Freehan (DET) |
1st Base | Wes Parker (LA) | George Scott (BOS) |
2nd Base | Bill Mazeroski (PIT) | Bobby Knoop (CAL) |
3rd Base | Ron Santo (CHC) | Brooks Robinson (BAL) |
Shortstop | Gene Alley (PIT) | Jim Fregosi (CAL) |
Outfield | Roberto Clemente (PIT) | Paul Blair (BAL) |
Curt Flood (STL) | Al Kaline (DET) | |
Willie Mays (SF) | Carl Yastrzemski (BOS) |
The Sporting News Awards | ||
---|---|---|
Award | National League | American League |
Player of the Year [11] | — | Carl Yastrzemski (BOS) |
Pitcher of the Year [12] | Mike McCormick (SF) | Jim Lonborg (BOS) |
Fireman of the Year [13] (Relief pitcher) | Ted Abernathy (CIN) | Minnie Rojas (CAL) |
Rookie Player of the Year [14] | Lee May (CIN) | Rod Carew (MIN) |
Rookie Pitcher of the Year [15] | Dick Hughes (STL) | Tom Phoebus (BAL) |
Comeback Player of the Year [16] | Mike McCormick (SF) | Dean Chance (MIN) |
Manager of the Year [17] | — | Dick Williams (BOS) |
Executive of the Year [18] | — | Dick O'Connell (BOS) |
Month | National League |
---|---|
May | Roberto Clemente (PIT) |
June | Hank Aaron (ATL) |
July | Jim Ray Hart (SF) |
August | Orlando Cepeda (STL) |
Team name | Wins | %± | Home attendance | %± | Per game |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
St. Louis Cardinals [19] | 101 | 21.7% | 2,090,145 | 22.0% | 25,804 |
Boston Red Sox [20] | 92 | 27.8% | 1,727,832 | 113.0% | 21,331 |
Los Angeles Dodgers [21] | 73 | −23.2% | 1,664,362 | −36.4% | 20,548 |
New York Mets [22] | 61 | −7.6% | 1,565,492 | −19.0% | 20,070 |
Minnesota Twins [23] | 91 | 2.2% | 1,483,547 | 17.8% | 18,315 |
Detroit Tigers [24] | 91 | 3.4% | 1,447,143 | 28.7% | 17,648 |
Atlanta Braves [25] | 77 | −9.4% | 1,389,222 | −9.8% | 17,151 |
Houston Astros [26] | 69 | −4.2% | 1,348,303 | −28.0% | 16,646 |
California Angels [27] | 84 | 5.0% | 1,317,713 | −5.9% | 15,876 |
New York Yankees [28] | 72 | 2.9% | 1,259,514 | 12.0% | 15,360 |
San Francisco Giants [29] | 91 | −2.2% | 1,242,480 | −25.0% | 15,152 |
Chicago White Sox [30] | 89 | 7.2% | 985,634 | −0.4% | 12,020 |
Chicago Cubs [31] | 87 | 47.5% | 977,226 | 53.7% | 11,634 |
Cincinnati Reds [32] | 87 | 14.5% | 958,300 | 29.0% | 11,831 |
Baltimore Orioles [33] | 76 | −21.6% | 955,053 | −20.6% | 12,403 |
Pittsburgh Pirates [34] | 81 | −12.0% | 907,012 | −24.2% | 11,198 |
Philadelphia Phillies [35] | 82 | −5.7% | 828,888 | −25.2% | 10,361 |
Washington Senators [36] | 76 | 7.0% | 770,868 | 33.8% | 9,636 |
Kansas City Athletics [37] | 62 | −16.2% | 726,639 | −6.1% | 8,971 |
Cleveland Indians [38] | 75 | −7.4% | 662,980 | −26.6% | 8,185 |
The Kansas City Athletics would play their final two games at Municipal Stadium on September 27 in a doubleheader against the Chicago White Sox, relocating to Oakland, California at Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum for the start of the 1968 season.
NBC was the exclusive national TV broadcaster of MLB, airing the weekend Game of the Week , the All-Star Game, and the World Series.