1971 in baseball

Last updated March 26, 2025

The following are the baseball events of the year 1971 throughout the world.

Champions

Major League Baseball

National League: Pittsburgh Pirates

American League: Baltimore Orioles

1971 World Series: Pittsburgh (NL) def. Baltimore (AL), 4 games to 3.

Inter-league playoff: Pittsburgh (NL) declined challenge by Tokyo Yomiuri Giants.

World Series MVP: Roberto Clemente
All-Star Game, July 13 at Tiger Stadium: American League, 6–4; Frank Robinson, MVP

Other champions

Amateur World Series: Cuba
College World Series: USC
Japan Series: Yomiuri Giants over Hankyu Braves (4–1)
Big League World Series: District 44 LL, Cupertino, California
Little League World Series: Tainan, Taiwan
Senior League World Series: La Habra, California
Pan American Games: Cuba over United States

Winter Leagues

Awards and honors

Baseball Hall of Fame
- Dave Bancroft
- Jake Beckley
- Chick Hafey
- Harry Hooper
- Joe Kelley
- Rube Marquard
- Satchel Paige
- George Weiss (executive)

Baseball Writers' Association of America Awards
BBWAA Award	National League	American League
Rookie of the Year	Chris Chambliss (CLE)	Earl Williams (ATL)
Cy Young Award	Ferguson Jenkins (CHC)	Vida Blue (OAK)
Most Valuable Player	Joe Torre (STL)	Vida Blue (OAK)
Gold Glove Awards
Position	National League	American League
Pitcher	Bob Gibson (STL)	Jim Kaat (MIN)
Catcher	Johnny Bench (CIN)	Ray Fosse (CLE)
1st Base	Wes Parker (LA)	George Scott (BOS)
2nd Base	Tommy Helms (CIN)	Davey Johnson (BAL)
3rd Base	Doug Rader (HOU)	Brooks Robinson (BAL)
Shortstop	Bud Harrelson (NYM)	Mark Belanger (BAL)
Outfield	Bobby Bonds (SF)	Paul Blair (BAL)
	Roberto Clemente (PIT)	Amos Otis (KC)
	Willie Davis (LA)	Carl Yastrzemski (BOS)

Statistical leaders

	American League		National League
Stat	Player	Total	Player	Total
AVG	Tony Oliva (MIN)	.337	Joe Torre (STL)	.363
HR	Bill Melton (CWS)	33	Willie Stargell (PIT)	48
RBI	Harmon Killebrew (MIN)	119	Joe Torre (STL)	137
W	Mickey Lolich (DET)	25	Ferguson Jenkins (CHC)	24
ERA	Vida Blue (OAK)	1.82	Tom Seaver (NYM)	1.76
K	Mickey Lolich (DET)	308	Tom Seaver (NYM)	289

Major league baseball final standings

American League final standings

v
t
e
AL East
Team	W	L	Pct.	GB	Home	Road
⁽¹⁾ Baltimore Orioles	101	57	.639	—	53‍–‍24	48‍–‍33
Detroit Tigers	91	71	.562	12	54‍–‍27	37‍–‍44
Boston Red Sox	85	77	.525	18	47‍–‍33	38‍–‍44
New York Yankees	82	80	.506	21	44‍–‍37	38‍–‍43
Washington Senators	63	96	.396	38½	35‍–‍46	28‍–‍50
Cleveland Indians	60	102	.370	43	29‍–‍52	31‍–‍50

v
t
e
AL West
Team	W	L	Pct.	GB	Home	Road
⁽²⁾ Oakland Athletics	101	60	.627	—	46‍–‍35	55‍–‍25
Kansas City Royals	85	76	.528	16	44‍–‍37	41‍–‍39
Chicago White Sox	79	83	.488	22½	39‍–‍42	40‍–‍41
California Angels	76	86	.469	25½	35‍–‍46	41‍–‍40
Minnesota Twins	74	86	.463	26½	37‍–‍42	37‍–‍44
Milwaukee Brewers	69	92	.429	32	34‍–‍48	35‍–‍44

Angels

White Sox

Royals

Brewers

Twins

Athletics

Orioles

Red Sox

Indians

Tigers

Yankees

Senators

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Locations of teams for the 1970–1971 American League seasons

West

East

National League final standings

v
t
e
NL East
Team	W	L	Pct.	GB	Home	Road
⁽¹⁾ Pittsburgh Pirates	97	65	.599	—	52‍–‍28	45‍–‍37
St. Louis Cardinals	90	72	.556	7	45‍–‍36	45‍–‍36
Chicago Cubs	83	79	.512	14	44‍–‍37	39‍–‍42
New York Mets	83	79	.512	14	44‍–‍37	39‍–‍42
Montreal Expos	71	90	.441	25½	36‍–‍44	35‍–‍46
Philadelphia Phillies	67	95	.414	30	34‍–‍47	33‍–‍48

v
t
e
NL West
Team	W	L	Pct.	GB	Home	Road
⁽²⁾ San Francisco Giants	90	72	.556	—	51‍–‍30	39‍–‍42
Los Angeles Dodgers	89	73	.549	1	42‍–‍39	47‍–‍34
Atlanta Braves	82	80	.506	8	43‍–‍39	39‍–‍41
Cincinnati Reds	79	83	.488	11	46‍–‍35	33‍–‍48
Houston Astros	79	83	.488	11	39‍–‍42	40‍–‍41
San Diego Padres	61	100	.379	28½	33‍–‍48	28‍–‍52

Braves

Reds

Astros

Dodgers

Padres

Giants

Cubs

Expos

Mets

Phillies

Pirates

Cardinals

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Locations of teams for the 1971–1976 National League seasons

West

East

Nippon Professional Baseball final standings

Central League final standings

Central League
Team	G	W	L	T	Pct.	GB
Yomiuri Giants	130	70	52	8	.574	—
Chunichi Dragons	130	65	60	5	.520	6.5
Taiyo Whales	130	61	59	10	.508	8.0
Hiroshima Toyo Carp	130	63	61	6	.508	8.0
Hanshin Tigers	130	57	64	9	.471	12.5
Yakult Atoms	130	52	72	6	.419	19.0

Pacific League final standings

Pacific League
Team	G	W	L	T	Pct.	GB
Hankyu Braves	130	80	39	11	.672	—
Lotte Orions	130	80	46	4	.635	3.5
Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes	130	65	60	5	.520	18.0
Nankai Hawks	130	61	65	4	.484	22.5
Toei Flyers	130	44	74	12	.373	35.5
Nishitetsu Lions	130	38	84	8	.311	43.5

Events

January

January 7 – The ruptured Achilles tendon of Cincinnati Reds centerfielder Bobby Tolan brings an end to two sports seasons. Tolan suffers the injury while playing basketball for the Reds' offseason squad. He will miss the 1971 season because of the injury and the Cincinnati front office orders the basketball team to be disbanded.
January 11 – Detroit Tigers pitcher John Hiller suffers a heart attack at age 27. He'll miss the 1971 season but will make a full recovery and remarkable comeback.
January 18 – The Pittsburgh Pirates sign Tony Armas as a free agent.
January 23 – The Milwaukee Brewers hire Frank "Trader" Lane as general manager, replacing Marvin Milkes. Eight days from his 76th birthday, Lane is the former GM of four MLB teams between 1948 and 1961, and is known for his relentless roster-churning and player transactions. By the time he retires after the 1972 season, Lane will have made more than 400 deals during his MLB career.
January 29 – Making a trade within their division, the St. Louis Cardinals acquire well-traveled southpaw George Brunet and former NL batting champ Matty Alou from the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for right-hander Nelson Briles and outfielder Vic Davalillo.
January 31 – The new Special Veterans Committee selects seven men for enshrinement to the Hall of Fame: former players Dave Bancroft, Jake Beckley, Chick Hafey, Harry Hooper, Joe Kelley and Rube Marquard, and executive George Weiss.

February

February 9 – Former Negro leagues pitcher Satchel Paige is nominated for the Hall of Fame. On June 10, the Hall's new Veterans Committee will formally select Paige for induction.
February 10 – The Los Angeles Dodgers acquire left-handed pitcher Al Downing from the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for outfielder Andy Kosco. In 1974, Downing will become part of history as the pitcher who surrenders Hank Aaron's 715th career home run, which breaks the all-time record set by Babe Ruth.

March

March 6 – Oakland Athletics owner Charles O. Finley persuades American League president Joe Cronin to experiment with a Cactus League exhibition game in which a base on balls is granted on three balls rather than four. The game sees pitchers issue 19 walks, batters slug six home runs, and the Athletics outscore the Milwaukee Brewers, 13–9.^[1]
March 20 – Alex Johnson's season-long troubles with California Angels' management begin when manager Lefty Phillips removes the reigning American League batting champion from an exhibition game for failure to run out a ground ball and lackadaisical play on defense. The following day, Johnson also is pulled from a game for not running out a grounder.

April

April 5:
- The 1971 American League season begins with a non-traditional "Presidential Opener" at Robert F. Kennedy Stadium when Richard Nixon, a devoted baseball fan, misses the contest while on a working trip to California. It also will be the last such opener for the Washington Senators, who will move to Dallas–Fort Worth after the season ends. In the game, Washington's Dick Bosman throws a six-hit, complete game shutout and the Senators blank the Oakland Athletics, 8–0, before 45,061 fans.
- In Cincinnati, 51,702 attend the first-ever National League opener played at Riverfront Stadium. The Atlanta Braves spoil the day for the defending NL champion Cincinnati Reds, 7–4, as Félix Millán goes four-for-four.
- The St. Louis Cardinals return 21-year-old first baseman Cecil Cooper to the Boston Red Sox. The Cardinals had selected Cooper in the Rule 5 draft in November 1970.
April 10:
- The Philadelphia Phillies defeat the Montreal Expos, 4–1, in the first game played at Philadelphia's Veterans Stadium.
- Willie Stargell of the Pittsburgh Pirates hits three home runs, including his 200th career homer.
- Willie Mays of the San Francisco Giants becomes the first player to hit a home run in each of his team's first four games of a season. His fourth blast comes off Jerry Reuss in the third inning of a 6–4 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Memorial Stadium. Earlier, Mays had hit homers in the season's first three games against the San Diego Padres.
April 13 – An unusual arrangement sees two Double-A circuits, the Southern League and Texas League, temporarily merge into one loop, called the Dixie Association, for the 1971 season. The union is necessary because each league begins the year with only seven teams. After the Charlotte Hornets, a Minnesota Twins affiliate, win the 1971 championship in September, the constituent leagues each gain an eighth team, rebalancing their schedules, and they resume their separate identities in 1972.
April 16 – The Atlanta Braves sign free agent pitcher Luis Tiant, released by the Minnesota Twins. Tiant, 30, is battling a sore arm.
April 26 – Out of shape and his skills rusty after sitting out the entire 1970 season, Curt Flood notifies the Washington Senators that he is quitting baseball. Flood, who collected seven singles in 35 at bats in 13 games with Washington, moves temporarily to Spain, but continues his legal challenge to the reserve clause.
April 27 – Hank Aaron becomes the third player in Major League history to hit his 600th home run.

May

May 6 – NBC Sports and Major League Baseball agree to a four-year, $72 million contract, running through 1976, for 26 Saturday "Game of the Week" telecasts, ten Monday night games, the Major League Baseball All-Star Game, both the AL and NL League Championship Series, and the World Series. Part of the agreement stipulates that all World Series games played during the workweek be played at night.
May 15:
- Billy Williams of the Chicago Cubs hits the 300th home run of his career during a 6–4 win over the San Diego Padres at Wrigley Field. The milestone homer comes off Tom Phoebus.
- Alex Johnson, voted the California Angels' Player of the Month for April, is held out of the lineup for failure to hustle during the previous day's game against Milwaukee at Anaheim Stadium. He will be benched four more times for similar reasons over the next six weeks.
- Pitcher Luis Tiant, struggling to regain his form at Triple-A Richmond, is released by the Atlanta Braves just one month after signing with them. Two days later, free-agent Tiant signs with the Boston Red Sox and is assigned to their Triple-A club, the Louisville Colonels, where he continues his comeback efforts.
May 17:
- The Cincinnati Reds' 23-year-old superstar, Johnny Bench, hits his 100th career home run.
- The Cleveland Indians are involved in a bizarre play against the Washington Senators at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium. The Senators' Tommy McCraw leads off the bottom of the fourth inning with a 140-foot pop fly (some sources say it was 250 feet) into short left-center for what should be an out. Instead, Indians shortstop Jack Heidemann, left fielder John Lowenstein and center fielder Vada Pinson collide as they go for the ball, which falls amongst the three players. Before the ball can be recovered, McCraw circles the bases for an inside-the-park home run; meanwhile, Heidemann, Lowenstein and Pinson are all injured and have to be replaced. Despite their embarrassing moment, the Indians defeat the Senators 6–3.
May 29 – The Cincinnati Reds acquire 22-year-old outfielder George Foster from the San Francisco Giants for pitcher Vern Geishert and shortstop Frank Duffy. A powerful, right-handed hitter, Foster has been unable to crack the Giants' lineup. But given an opportunity to play by Cincinnati, he becomes the Reds' regular left-fielder (1975), leads the National League in runs batted in three consecutive years (1976–1978), smashes 52 homers to lead MLB and become his league's Most Valuable Player (1977), makes five NL All-Star teams, and wins two World Series rings (1975, 1976).
May 30 – Willie Mays hits his 638th career home run and becomes the National League's all-time career leader in runs scored with 1,950. His San Francisco Giants, meanwhile, improve to 36–14 (.720) with a 5–4 win over the Montreal Expos at Candlestick Park. They lead the NL West by 10½ games over their bitter rivals, the Los Angeles Dodgers.

June

June 2 – The Atlanta Braves release third baseman Clete Boyer. The 34-year-old former Gold Glove Award-winner has been publicly feuding with Braves' management for three weeks. Boyer plays four more seasons with the Taiyo Whales of Nippon Professional Baseball.
June 3 – Pitcher Ken Holtzman of the Chicago Cubs throws the second no-hitter of his career, victimizing the host Cincinnati Reds, 1–0. Holtzman scores the only run, unearned, in the third inning, to beat Reds pitcher Gary Nolan.
June 6 – Willie Mays hits his major league-leading 22nd and last career extra-inning home run. It comes against Phillies reliever Joe Hoerner.
June 8 – The June 1971 amateur draft features future notable players who are selected in the early rounds. In the first, Burt Hooton goes to the Chicago Cubs, Jim Rice goes to the Boston Red Sox, and Frank Tanana goes to the California Angels. In the second round, George Brett is selected by the Kansas City Royals and Mike Schmidt goes to the Philadelphia Phillies.
June 14 – The California Angels are engulfed in controversy when Alex Johnson charges that teammate Hiraldo "Chico" Ruiz pulled a gun on him in the Angels' clubhouse the previous day. There are no witnesses to the incident, which will be confirmed by Angels' general manager Dick Walsh in September.^[2] Johnson and Ruiz, formerly friends, have become bitter enemies.
June 21 – Struggling at the plate (.199 with only 32 hits in 52 games played), Cleveland Indians first baseman Ken Harrelson, 29, announces his retirement from baseball and his intention to qualify for the professional golf tour. However, he will return to baseball as a colorful analyst and play-by-play announcer in 1975, and forge a 40-year broadcasting career that culminates with a Ford C. Frick Award.
June 23 – In a singular performance, pitcher Rick Wise of the Philadelphia Phillies no-hits the Cincinnati Reds, 4–0, and bangs two home runs in the game. Wise joins Wes Ferrell (1931), Jim Tobin (1944) and Earl Wilson (1962) as the only pitchers to pitch a no-hitter and hit a home run in the same game. It is the second no-hitter against Cincinnati this month, both in Riverfront Stadium.

June 25:
- Vida Blue, the electrifying 22-year-old Oakland Athletics left-hander, wins his 16th game of 1971 (against two losses), firing a five-hit, 7–0 shutout against the visiting Kansas City Royals while fanning 12 hitters; the blanking lowers his earned run average to 1.37. In Oakland's 70th game of 1971, Blue records his 16th complete game, sixth shutout, and the sixth time he has reached double-digits in strikeouts.
- Willie Stargell of the Pittsburgh Pirates hits what will be the longest home run ever hit at Veterans Stadium. In the second inning of the Pirates' 14–4 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies, his shot off Jim Bunning strikes above an exit in the 600 level of the upper deck. The spot where the ball struck will eventually be marked with a yellow star with a black "S" inside a white circle until Stargell's 2001 death, after which the white circle will then be painted black. The star will remain until the stadium's 2004 demolition.
June 26 – California Angels general manager Dick Walsh suspends outfielder Alex Johnson for "failure to give his best efforts" during games. The Major League Baseball Players Association files a grievance on Johnson's behalf four days later. Johnson never plays for the Angels again.
June 29 – The Atlanta Braves release 48-year-old knuckleball artist Hoyt Wilhelm. He signs as a free agent with the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 10, 1971 and finishes his Hall of Fame career in a Dodger uniform exactly one year later after 1,070 games pitched over 21 seasons.
June 30 – American League owners meet behind closed doors for over eight hours in Detroit to discuss the fate of the Washington Senators franchise, after it's revealed that owner Bob Short has not paid rent for Robert F. Kennedy Stadium since the end of the 1969 season. During the meeting, Short begins to campaign for support to move the ten-year-old expansion team to Dallas–Fort Worth for the 1972 season.

July

July 7 – Commissioner of Baseball Bowie Kuhn announces that players from the Negro leagues elected to the Hall of Fame will be given full membership in the museum. It had been previously announced that they would be honored in a separate wing.
July 9:
- The Oakland Athletics beat the California Angels 1–0 in 20 innings—the longest shutout in American League history. Vida Blue strikes out 17 batters in 11 innings for Oakland, while the Angels' Billy Cowan ties a major league record by fanning six times. Both teams combine for 43 strikeouts, a new major league record.
- Kansas City Royals shortstop Freddie Patek hits for the cycle in the Royals' 6–3 victory over the Minnesota Twins at Metropolitan Stadium.
July 10 – In the wake of his team's marathon loss the day before, California Angels outfielder Tony Conigliaro announces his retirement at age 26, asserting that his vision, initially compromised when he was struck in the face by a pitch on August 18, 1967, is deteriorating and he cannot see well enough to play. A medical examination later confirms Conigliaro's statement. Batting only .222 with four homers in 74 games in 1971, Conigliaro will sit out three full seasons before attempting a final comeback in 1975 with his original team, the Boston Red Sox.
July 13 – In an All-Star Game featuring home runs by future Hall of Famers Hank Aaron, Johnny Bench, Roberto Clemente, Reggie Jackson, Harmon Killebrew and Frank Robinson, the American League triumphs over the National League 6–4 at Tiger Stadium. It is the only AL All-Star victory between 1962 and 1983. Jackson's home run goes 520 feet, and Robinson is named MVP.
July 30 – The Cleveland Indians fire general manager/field manager Alvin Dark. Club president Gabe Paul resumes his former role as GM, and coach Johnny Lipon takes over as interim pilot through season's end. The Tribe are 43–61, sixth and last in the American League East, and have recently been fined for including illegal performance incentives in player contracts.

August

August 4:
- In Texas League action, Tom Walker pitched a 15-inning no-hitter for the Dallas-Fort Worth Spurs to beat the Albuquerque Dodgers, 1–0, which is considered the second longest no-hitter pitched in American professional baseball history. Walker struck out 11 batters and walked four to complete the gem. His manager, Cal Ripken Sr., left him in the game until he finally picked the victory after throwing 176 pitches. Only Fred Toney, who hurled 17 no-hit innings in the Blue Grass League in 1909, has pitched a longer no-hitter in baseball history.
- St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Bob Gibson wins his 200th game, a 7–2 victory over the San Francisco Giants at St. Louis.
August 7 – Ken Boswell belts his first career grand slam home run and a run-scoring double as the New York Mets explode for 21 hits and crush the Atlanta Braves, 20–6. The 20 runs are a Mets record, breaking the mark of 19 set against the Chicago Cubs on May 6, 1964.
August 10:
- Harmon Killebrew becomes the 10th player to amass 500 home runs, and adds his 501st, but the Orioles beat the Twins 4–3. Mike Cuellar picks up the win.
- Sixteen baseball researchers at Cooperstown form the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR), with founder Robert Davids as president.
August 14 – Ten days after his 200th victory, St. Louis Cardinal pitcher Bob Gibson no-hits the Pittsburgh Pirates 11–0, the first no-hitter ever pitched at Three Rivers Stadium. He strikes out 10 batters along the way; three of those Ks belong to Willie Stargell, including the final out. The no-hitter is the first to be pitched in Pittsburgh in 64 years; none had been pitched in the 62-year (mid-1909 to mid-1970) history of Three Rivers Stadium's predecessor, Forbes Field.
August 17 – Billy Williams collects the 2,000th hit of his career in a 5–4 loss to the Atlanta Braves in Atlanta.
August 23 – A clubhouse meeting called by Chicago Cubs pilot Leo Durocher after a frustrating, 4–3 loss the day before to the Houston Astros backfires when several players, including Joe Pepitone and Ron Santo, respond by criticizing Durocher's managing. When news of the rift hits the sports pages, owner Philip K. Wrigley takes out a full-page newspaper ad on September 3 backing his skipper and blasting the "Dump Durocher clique." On the field, the Cubs lose 15 of their next 21 games after the clubhouse ruckus.
August 24 – The City Council of Washington, D.C. files suit against the Senators and owner Bob Short, seeking collection of $136,848 in unpaid rent for Robert F. Kennedy Stadium that dates to the end of the 1969 season. Commissioner of Baseball Bowie Kuhn then spends the following two weeks looking for potential buyers who will keep the team in the U.S. capital.
August 25 - The Cincinnati Reds signed free agent infielder Doug Flynn.
August 28 – Phillies pitcher Rick Wise hits two home runs, including a grand slam off Don McMahon, in the second game of a doubleheader, duplicating his feat in his June no-hitter. Wise beats the San Francisco Giants, 7–3.

September

September 1 – The Pittsburgh Pirates start what is believed to be the first All-Black lineup in major league history, which include several Latin American players, in a 10–7 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies.^[3] The lineup: Rennie Stennett (2B); Gene Clines (CF); Roberto Clemente (RF); Willie Stargell (LF); Manny Sanguillén (C); Dave Cash (3B); Al Oliver (1B); Jackie Hernández (SS), and Dock Ellis (P).^[4] Another Black player, Bob Veale, was one of three relievers in the game.
September 3 – Ron Cey makes his MLB debut, pinching hitter for pitcher Jose Pena in the Dodgers 6–5 win over the Cincinnati Reds. Cey would go on to be the Dodgers regular starting third baseman for the next 12 seasons.
September 5 – J. R. Richard ties Karl Spooner's major league record by striking out 15 San Francisco Giants in his first major league game, as the Houston Astros beat the Giants.
September 9 – The Chicago Cubs sign Bruce Sutter as an amateur free agent.
September 10 – Ferguson Jenkins breaks Charlie Root's Chicago Cubs club record for career strikeouts during an 8–7, 12-inning loss to the Cardinals at Wrigley Field.
September 13 – Baltimore Orioles right fielder Frank Robinson becomes the 11th player to reach 500 career home runs.
September 15:
- Sal Bando's two-run, eighth-inning homer in the first game of a doubleheader at Comiskey Park lifts the Oakland Athletics to a 3–2 victory over the Chicago White Sox. When the second-place Kansas City Royals fall to the California Angels, the Athletics (94–54) lock up the American League West Division championship. It's the franchise's first trip to the postseason in 40 years—when it played in Philadelphia and was managed by legendary Connie Mack.
- Pitcher Larry Yount, elder brother of Robin, the Baseball Hall of Fame shortstop/centerfielder, is called upon to make his MLB debut for the Houston Astros in relief in the ninth inning of a game against the Atlanta Braves. But Yount injures his arm in the bullpen, and once on the mound, the pain gets worse as he warms up. Astros manager Harry Walker pulls the injured hurler from the game before he throws a single pitch. Yount, then 21, never appears in another major-league game.
September 21 – Meeting in Boston, American League owners approve the transfer of the Washington Senators to Dallas–Fort Worth, after an 11th-hour bid from a local ownership group falls apart. The vote is 10–2, with only Baltimore and Chicago opposed. The move will end the AL's presence in Washington, D.C. after 71 consecutive years (and two different "Senators" franchises). It's the ninth franchise shift in MLB since March 1953, and will be the last such transfer until 2005, when Washington joins the National League as the new home of the former Montreal Expos.
September 22 – At Busch Stadium, the Pittsburgh Pirates clinch the National League East title for the second straight year as they beat the Bob Gibson-led St. Louis Cardinals, 5–1.

September 24 – At Cleveland Stadium, the Baltimore Orioles clinch the American League East title for the third straight year by beating the Indians, 7–2 in the first game of a doubleheader. Mike Cuellar picks up his 20th victory of 1971.
September 26 – Baltimore Orioles pitcher Jim Palmer shuts out the host Cleveland Indians, 5–0, and becomes the fourth member of the Orioles 1971 pitching staff to notch his 20th victory, joining Dave McNally, Mike Cuellar and Pat Dobson. Only one other team in ML history, the 1920 Chicago White Sox, boasted four 20-game winners.
September 28:
- An independent arbitrator rules that the California Angels must pay suspended outfielder Alex Johnson $29,970 in back salary, because Johnson should have been placed on the disabled list for "emotional incapacitation" rather than suspended without pay. The Angels are permitted to keep the $3,750 in the 29 fines the team levied against Johnson before his June 26 suspension.
- Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Jim Bunning, 39, announces his retirement as an active player after 224 victories, nine All-Star selections, and a perfect game; he will be elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1996. Bunning will manage in the Phillies' farm system for four seasons before beginning a successful career in politics.
September 29 – The Montreal Expos' Ron Hunt is hit by a pitch for the 50th time of the season.
September 30 – In the last American League home game ever played in Washington, D.C., the Senators lead 7–5 but forfeit the contest to the New York Yankees, when, with two outs in the top of the ninth, fans storm the field. The Senators will relocate to Arlington, Texas, and became the Texas Rangers for the 1972 season.

October

October 5:
- The Baltimore Orioles win their ninth consecutive American League Championship Series game, defeating the Oakland Athletics, 5–3, to reach their third straight World Series. Baltimore is undefeated (9–0) in ALCS play, having swept Minnesota in both 1969 and 1970, and Oakland this season.
- The California Angels trade outfielder Alex Johnson, suspended since June 26, and catcher Jerry Moses to the Cleveland Indians for pitcher Alan Foster and outfielders Vada Pinson and Frank Baker. The following day, the Angels fire manager Lefty Phillips.
October 6 – The Pittsburgh Pirates break a 5–5 deadlock with four sixth-inning runs to defeat the San Francisco Giants and win the 1971 National League Championship Series, three games to one. A three-run homer by Al Oliver seals the Pittsburgh win. It's the first LCS in either circuit that does not end in a three-game sweep.
October 10 – With Game 2 of the 1971 World Series postponed by rain, the Boston Red Sox and Milwaukee Brewers pull off a nine-player blockbuster. The Red Sox trade pitchers Ken Brett and Jim Lonborg (1967's American League Cy Young Award winner), first baseman George Scott, and outfielders Billy Conigliaro and Joe Lahoud to the Brewers for pitchers Lew Krausse Jr. and Marty Pattin and outfielders Tommy Harper and Pat Skrable.
October 17 – Pitcher Steve Blass throws a four-hitter and Roberto Clemente homers as the Pittsburgh Pirates win Game 7 of the World Series over the Baltimore Orioles, 2–1, becoming world champions for the first time since 1960. Clemente is named the Series MVP. Game 4, played on October 13, is the first night game in World Series history.
October 18 – In an eight-player trade, the New York Mets send pitchers Jim Bibby, Rich Folkers and Charlie Hudson and outfielder Art Shamsky to the St. Louis Cardinals for pitchers Harry Parker and Chuck Taylor, first baseman/outfielder Jim Beauchamp and shortstop Chip Coulter.
October 20 – The fallout from the California Angels' disastrous 1971 season continues when the club fires general manager Dick Walsh, who has four years remaining on a seven-year contract.
October 27 – Baltimore Orioles general manager Harry Dalton is hired to fill Walsh's old job as GM of the California Angels. In his six years as head of baseball operations, Dalton's Orioles have won four American League pennants and two World Series titles. Executive vice president Frank Cashen assumes the Orioles' GM duties.

November

November 2 – Pat Dobson of the Baltimore Orioles pitches a no-hitter against the Yomiuri Giants, winning 2–0. It is the first no-hitter in Japanese-American baseball exhibition history. The Orioles compile a record of 12–2–4 on the tour.
November 9 – The Cleveland Indians, who finished last in the AL East and lost 101 games in 1971, promote former infielder Ken Aspromonte to manager. Aspromonte, 40, spent the past two seasons at the helm of Triple-A Wichita.
November 10:
- Joe Torre of the St. Louis Cardinals, who led the National League in batting average (.363) and runs batted in (137) while hitting 24 home runs, is named the Most Valuable Player over Willie Stargell of the Pittsburgh Pirates (.295/125/48). Torre receives 318 points to 222 for Stargell.
- Oakland Athletics pitcher Vida Blue adds the American League MVP Award to his list of awards for 1971, easily outpointing teammate Sal Bando 268–182.
November 14 – In Venezuelan Winter League, Luis Tiant of the Tiburones de la Guaira hurls a 3–0 no-hitter against his former team Leones del Caracas. Tiant becomes the fourth pitcher in the league's 26-year history to achieve the feat, joining Len Yochim (1955), Mel Nelson (1963) and Howie Reed (1968).
November 17 – At age 22, Oakland Athletics pitcher Vida Blue becomes the youngest player ever to win the Most Valuable Player Award and only the fourth to capture both the Cy Young Award and the MVP in the same season.
November 22 – Cleveland Indians first baseman Chris Chambliss receives 11 of 24 first place votes to win the American League Rookie of the Year Award.
November 23 – Just weeks after winning his second World Series championship, Pittsburgh Pirates manager Danny Murtaugh announces his retirement. The 53-year-old Murtaugh has a history of health issues and was briefly hospitalized during 1971 for chest pain; his decision ends the third of four terms he will serve as the team's manager. The Pirates name coach and former centerfielder Bill Virdon as Murtaugh's successor.
November 24 – Catcher-infielder Earl Williams, who hit 33 home runs and 87 RBI for the Atlanta Braves, wins the National League Rookie of the Year honors. Williams gets 18 of 24 first place votes, with the others going to Willie Montañez of the Philadelphia Phillies.

November 29:
- The Cincinnati Reds send first baseman Lee May, second baseman Tommy Helms and utilityman Jimmy Stewart to the Houston Astros for second baseman Joe Morgan, outfielder César Gerónimo and pitcher Jack Billingham. This trade, initially criticized in the Cincinnati press, will prove to be one of the best in Reds' history, and "puts the wheels" on the Big Red Machine when future Hall-of-Famer Morgan wins the 1975 and 1976 NL MVP awards.
- The Chicago Cubs trade pitcher Ken Holtzman to the Oakland Athletics for outfielder Rick Monday. Southpaw Holtzman will go 4–1 (2.55 ERA) in eight World Series games and help Oakland win championships in 1972, 1973 and 1974.
- The San Francisco Giants deal future Hall-of-Fame pitcher Gaylord Perry and shortstop Frank Duffy to the Cleveland Indians for fireballing southpaw Sam McDowell.
November 30 – The Chicago White Sox purchase the contract of Jorge Orta from Mexicali of the Mexican Northern League.

December

December 1 – The Chicago Cubs release longtime star and future Hall of Famer Ernie Banks, ending his 19-year major league career. The Cubs also announce that Banks will serve as a coach on manager Leo Durocher's staff in 1972. "Mr. Cub" finishes his illustrious playing career with 512 home runs and 1,636 RBI.
December 2 – Eight trades are announced today during the 1971 Winter Meetings, including:
- The Los Angeles Dodgers deal pitchers Doyle Alexander and Bob O'Brien, catcher Sergio Robles and outfielder Royle Stillman to the Baltimore Orioles for former Dodger hurler Pete Richert and future Baseball Hall of Fame outfielder Frank Robinson. Robinson's six years in Baltimore have produced four American League pennants and two World Series titles.
- The Dodgers then trade slugging third baseman/outfielder Dick Allen to the Chicago White Sox for starting pitcher Tommy John and infielder Steve Huntz. Allen will win the 1972 American League Most Valuable Player Award; John will go 87–42 (2.97 ERA) in six seasons with the Dodgers.
- The White Sox obtain starting pitcher Stan Bahnsen from the New York Yankees for infielder Rich McKinney.
- The Kansas City Royals acquire young first baseman John Mayberry from the Houston Astros for pitchers Lance Clemons and Jim York. Mayberry, 22, will slam 143 homers and make two AL All-Star teams in his six seasons with the Royals.
- The newly transferred and renamed Texas Rangers make three deals involving 13 players.
December 3:
- The Milwaukee Brewers trade outfielder José Cardenal to the Chicago Cubs for pitchers Jim Colborn and Earl Stephenson and outfielder Brock Davis. Colborn will win 20 games for the 1973 Brewers.
- The San Diego Padres deal left-hander Dave Roberts, who finished second in the National League in earned run average (2.10) in 1971, to the Houston Astros for pitchers Bill Greif and Mark Schaeffer and infielder Derrel Thomas.
- The Cincinnati Reds send former NL saves leader Wayne Granger to the Minnesota Twins for left-hander Tom "The Blade" Hall.
December 6 – When news leaks out that local investors led by Cleveland shipping magnate George M. Steinbrenner III have reached a handshake deal to buy the Indians for $8.5 million, enraged owner Vernon Stouffer pulls out of the transaction. Stouffer believes that the reported sale price is an attempt to force him to sell the cellar-dwelling team for at least $1.5 million below his target asking price of $10-million-plus. Fourteen months later, Steinbrenner's group successfully bids for the New York Yankees, buying them from CBS in a deal worth only $8.8 million.
December 8 – The California Angels fill their managerial vacancy with Del Rice, former MLB catcher and coach, who has been managing the club's Triple-A Salt Lake City affiliate.
December 10 – The Angels acquire future Hall-of-Famer Nolan Ryan from the New York Mets, along with pitcher Don Rose, catcher Francisco Estrada and outfielder Leroy Stanton, in exchange for six-time All-Star shortstop Jim Fregosi. Fireballer Ryan will throw four of his record seven career no-hitters and record five seasons of 300 or more strikeouts over his eight seasons in an Angel uniform.
December 13 – The Philadelphia Phillies acquire outfielder Bill Robinson, 28, from the Chicago White Sox organization for a minor-league catcher. After a disappointing stint with the 1967–1969 New York Yankees, Robinson has not played in the majors since September 25, 1969. But he will successfully revive his career over the next 12 seasons as a member of the Phillies and Pittsburgh Pirates.