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1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966


OCTOBER
1961

Sunday, October 1st

IN THE NEWS: Roger Maris' torturous, season-long race against Babe Ruth ends in a dramatic at bat against Boston's Tracy Stallard. Maris' classic lefthanded swing sends home run number 61 into the RF stands in "The House That Ruth Built." (Sal Durante, one of 23,154 fans in attendance, grabs the historic home run ball which he sells for $5,000). New York's 1–0 win gives the Yanks 109 wins, one short of the club's 1927 record. It is New York's major-league record 240th homer of the year.

Setting another ML record, the Cubs and Dodgers use 11 pinch hitters in one 9-inning game, seven of which are used by the Cubs. Stan Williams continues his Wrigley dominance, winning 8–2, with nine strikeouts. Williams has 207 K's, 2nd to Sandy Koufax in the National League. He also has three of the Dodgers' 15 hits.

SCOREBOARD: OCTOBER 1, 1961
Kansas City Athletics 3, Washington Senators 2 at Municipal Stadium
Cleveland Indians 8, Los Angeles Angels 5 at Wrigley Field
Detroit Tigers 8, Minnesota Twins 3 at Metropolitan Stadium
New York Yankees 1, Boston Red Sox 0 at Yankee Stadium
Los Angeles Dodgers 8, Chicago Cubs 2 at Wrigley Field
San Francisco Giants 8, Milwaukee Braves 2 at County Stadium
Milwaukee Braves 3, San Francisco Giants 2 at County Stadium
St. Louis Cardinals 2, Philadelphia Phillies 0 at Shibe Park
Pittsburgh Pirates 3, Cincinnati Reds 1 at Forbes Field
Compiled by Retrosheet (www.retrosheet.org)

Wednesday, October 4th

IN THE NEWS: Whitey Ford's 3rd straight World Series shutout, with home runs by Elston Howard and Bill Skowron, gives New York a 2–0 win in the opener against Cincinnati at Yankee Stadium.

Thursday, October 5th

IN THE NEWS: Joey Jay's 4-hitter, Gordy Coleman's 2-run home run, and two RBI hits by Johnny Edwards lead Cincinnati to a 6–2 win and even the World Series.

The Indians trade CF Jim Piersall to Washington for P Dick Donovan, OF Gene Green, and IF Jim Mahoney. Donovan will respond will 20 wins and lead the American League in shutouts with 5.

Saturday, October 7th

IN THE NEWS: John Blanchard's pinch-hit home run ties the game in the 8th, and Roger Maris' 9th-inning home run off Bob Purkey is the difference in a 3–2 New York win for Luis Arroyo in game three of the World Series.

Sunday, October 8th

IN THE NEWS: Five more scoreless innings by Whitey Ford and four by Jim Coates silence the Reds. Hector Lopez and Clete Boyer each drive in two runs for a 7–0 win. Ford breaks Babe Ruth's World Series record of 29 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings, running his streak to 32.

Monday, October 9th

IN THE NEWS: Super-subs Johnny Blanchard and Hector Lopez spark a 5-run first inning and 13–5 win for New York. Both hit home runs, and Lopez drives in five runs. Bud Daley's long relief effort wraps up the Series, as Ralph Houk becomes the 3rd rookie pilot to guide a World Series winner.

Tuesday, October 10th

IN THE NEWS: An expansion draft to stock the new National League clubs takes place in Cincinnati. Selecting 1st, Houston takes Giants SS Eddie Bressoud; the Mets take 31-year-old Giant C Hobie Landrith. Second choices are Bob Aspromonte (45s) and Elio Chacon. Other Houston selections include Bobby Shantz, Ken Johnson, Dick Farrell, and Bob Lillis. New York takes Roger Craig, Gil Hodges, Don Zimmer, Gus Bell, Jay Hook, among others. Also, Cards C Chris Cannizzaro, out much of this year due to an appendectomy.

Billy Hitchcock takes the place of Lum Harris (17-10) as manager of the Orioles.

Wednesday, October 11th

IN THE NEWS: Kazuhisa "Iron Man" Inao of the Nishitetsu Lions lives up to his nickname and notches his 42nd win of the season, tying the all-time world record since 1893 set by Victor Starfin of the Yomiuri Giants in 1939. He also sets a season strikeout record by fanning 353.

Thursday, October 12th

IN THE NEWS: Ralph Houk is given a 2-year contract extension to manage the Yankees.

The Texas League makes two franchise shifts, moving the Ardmore, OK team to Albuquerque, NM and the Victoria, TX team to El Paso.

Saturday, October 14th

IN THE NEWS: The Mets purchase 31-year-old P Johnny Antonelli, 1–0 with the Braves this season. Anty elects to retire rather than report. New York also purchases another lefty, Ken Mackenzie (6–4 with Louisville) from the Braves. In two days, the Mets sell Jim Marshall to the Cubs.

Monday, October 16th

IN THE NEWS: Veteran pitchers Robin Roberts and Billy Loes are purchased by the Yankees and Mets respectively. Roberts will be released in April without ever pitching an inning for the Yanks.

Wednesday, October 18th

IN THE NEWS: The Houston Colt 45s purchase P Hal Woodeshick from the Tigers.

Saturday, October 28th

IN THE NEWS: Ground is broken for the Flushing Meadows stadium, the future home of the New York Mets.

Tuesday, October 31st

IN THE NEWS: A federal judge rules that Birmingham, AL, laws against integrated playing fields are illegal, eliminating the last barrier against integration in the Southern Association.