Baseball in 1961

archives.chicagotribune.com/1961/04/17/page/49 With rain coming down very fierce and a occasional clap of thunder, I decided to postpone a double-header recreate from 4/16(A's-Yankees, which was ppd. anyway) until tomorrow. Since I have had some fun with a Pirates-Dodgers series that has had plenty of fireworks, I'd thought I share a real Pirates-Dodgers game from 4/16 which had plenty of offense and a little something else too: His name was Leo Durocher. archives.chicagotribune.com/1961/04/17/page/49 Did I mention there was a bunch of snow on 4/16?

Sens sac sacks Tribe CLE 3-6-0 WSH 4-12-1(10 INNINGS) WP-Sturdivant(1-0) LP-Allen(0-1) HR-Daley(1), Francona(1), O'Connell(1, tied game in 9th) Willie Tasby's sacrifice fly scores Bud Zipfel with winning run in 10th.

Duel In Detroit CWS 0-5-0 DET 1-5-0 WP-Bunning(1-0) LP-Wynn(0-1) Steve Boros doubles home Al Kaline in 9th for Tigers victory. Strikeouts-Wynn 6, Bunning 4.

Dodgers overcome another sluggish 1st inning, pound Pirates, 11-6 Drysdale settles down after 1st, Fairly a real "4-flusher" LOS ANGELES, Apr 15(AP)-Lately, there's been something about the 1st inning. One night after the Pirates and Dodgers pulled off a marathon 1st inning, they did it again with the Pirates jumping on Don Drysdale for 5 runs, then the Dodgers jumped Pirate starter Bob Friend for 4 runs. Unlike last night, Drysdale and the Dodgers wore down the Pirates, who won last night's opener in 14 exhausting innings, but finally ran out of steam at the Coliseum, by a final count of 11-6. Drysdale eventually wears them down After Sandy Koufax got bedeviled by walks in last night's 1st, it was hits that nearly did in Drysdale, helpless to watch as the Pirates batted around to the tune of 5 runs on 6 hits, with triples by Roberto Clemente and Dick Schofield highlighting the inning. Dodger fans had reason to be concerned with a lackluster 1st inning for t...

Beaten with a "Stick" PHI 5-7-0 SFG 12-15-1 WP-Marichal(1-0) LP-Green(0-1) HR-Taylor(1), Mays(1), Hiller(1), Dalrymple(1) SFG 1-5 hitters, 11-22, 8 RBI's, 9 runs scored. Marichal-Complete game, 7 strikeouts. Disclaimer-In the game that was played on 4/15/61, Dallas Green pitched a 2-0 shutout win. Also, Felipe Alou, who tripled in this recreate, no triples in 1961(he was also a homer short of the cycle).

Jay pecks at Cards CIN 7-13-1 CIN 0-2-2 WP-Jay(1-0) LP-Broglio(0-2) HR-Jay(1) Joey Jay allows 2 hits, strikes out 8 as Reds clobber Cards. Kasko, Pinson, Post 3 hits each.

Bumbling Braves MIL 1-6-4 CHC 8-7-0 WP-Cardwell(1-0) LP-Willey(0-1) HR-Zimmer(1), Ashburn(1) (GS) Braves commit 4 errors in embarrassing loss to Cubs.

Count on Geiger LAA 3-8-0 BOS 4-14-2(12 innings) WP-Fornieles(1-0) LP-Morgan(0-1) HR-Hunt(2,3) Gary Geiger-2 doubles, game-winning triple in 12th as Red Sox go to 3-0.

Leo the Yankee-Killer KCA 4-8-0 NYY 3-9-1 WP-Walker(1-0) LP-Stafford(0-1) SV-Fischer(1) HR-Skowron(2), Berra(2), Posada(1,2), Sullivan(1) Leo Posada-2 home runs, 3 RBI's as A's rally from 3-0 deficit to stun Yanks.

4-Orioles MIN 2-11-1 BAL 4-9-0 WP-Fisher(1-0) LP-Kralick(0-1) SV-Wilhelm(2) HR-Triandos(1) Orioles off to 4-0 start.

Willie The Wonder CLE 7-12-1 WSH 2-3-2 WP-Latman(1-0) LP-Hobaugh(0-1) HR-Kirkland(1), Veal(1), Temple(1) Willie Kirkland(CLE)-HR, 2B, 5 RBI 2 runs scored.

SOX SNEAK BY TIGERS, 4-3 Pilarcik single wins in 9th, Larsen quells late Tiger rally By RICHARD DOZER, Chicago Tribune Press Service DETROIT, Apr 15-He may have been "perfect" in '56, but Don Larsen was good enough to snuff out those potent Tiger bats in the 7th, setting the stage for Al Pilarcik's run-scoring single in the top of the 9th as the White Sox tamed the Tigers, 4-3 in front of a festive Saturday crowd that wanted to see their heroes even their record. What they saw instead was opportunistic Sox bats and arms turn the promising Tigers into an early disappointment at 1-3. Off to a good start Lead-off man Luis Aparicio started the festivities with a single off Paul Foytack; one stolen base later, Roy Sievers singled him home to give the Sox an early lead. Starting pitcher Cal McLish tamed the Tigers with perfect 1-2-3 innings in the 1st and 2nd. Then in the top of the 3rd, after McLish and Aparicio subsequently grounded to second baseman Jake Wood, N...

PHI 3-9-3 SFG 4-14-0 WP-Duffalo(1-0) LP-Ferrarese(0-1) HR-Malkmus(PHI, 1) Haller-(SFG, 1) Willie McCovey's triple scored Jose Pagan with the game-winner in the 13th. Back tomorrow(2/22) with the games of 4/15/1961.

Things would calm down for Koufax from the 2nd inning on, allowing 3 more walks, while striking out 2. He allowed one more run in the 6th, as Clemente and Christopher doubled, sandwiched between Koufax's second "K." The Dodgers would get a home run from catcher Norm Sherry in the 2nd and a RBI single by Tommy Davis, his 3rd of 4 hits on the night in the 8th, making the score 7-6. After the Pirates stranded 2 in the top of the 9th, the Dodgers got harmless outs from Howard and Windhorn, setting the stage for Gil Hodges. His home run off Fred Green sent the Coliseum crowd in hysterics, then after Bob Aspromonte's strikeout, extra innings commenced, meaning numerous pinch-hitting appearances, not to mention a bases-loaded threat in the Pirate 12th which fizzled, leading up to the decisive 14th inning. Top of the 14th Skinner: Grounded to 2nd. Groat: Lined to 3rd. Clemente: Home Run(8-7) Rocky Nelson: Walked Bill Virdon: At this point in the game, I forgot ...

For most of the 1960's, Sandy Koufax was the model of consistency for the LA Dodgers, so much so that he earned his plaque in Cooperstown based on the years 1962-66, when he pitched the Dodgers to 2 World Series titles and countless thrills. At times, he was still "a work in progress," as evidenced by this first inning Strat-O-Matic recreation of an early season game at the Coliseum against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Here's what happened: Bob Skinner(LF): Walked(moved to 2nd on passed ball) Dick Groat(SS): Popped to catcher. Roberto Clemente(RF): Singled, Skinner scored. Dick Stuart(1B): Singled, Clemente to 3rd. Joe Christopher(CF): Walked, bases loaded. Hal W. Smith(C): Lined to 2nd. At that point, Koufax could concentrate on getting that 3rd out via the "K," what happened next would certainly put gray hair on Walter Alston and the 25,000 in attendance: it would make that Coliseum crowd fairly restless, too: Don Hoak(3B): Singled, Clemen...

Williams, Banks go back-to-back as Cubs stun Braves, 6-5 CHICAGO, Apr 14(AP)-With a "College" coaching the Cubs now, you would think the atmosphere at Wrigley Field would be a bit more spirited. Such was the case in bottom of the 7th as Billy Williams and Ernie Banks both went back-to-back to rally the Cubbies to a thrilling 6-5 win over the Milwaukee Braves today. The Cubs entered the inning down 5-1, as Bob Buhl was pitching a masterful game for the Braves, allowing just 2 hits, both by Williams, who also homered in the 1st and tripled in the 6th. It started with a single Dick Bertell opened the inning with a single, then was forced out on a bunt attempt by Al Heist. Pinch-hitter Bob Will then singled Heist to 3rd, followed by a pop to 2nd by Richie Ashburn. Don Zimmer then singled Heist home, sending up Williams, who blasted Buhl's pitch to the right field bleachers for the tying home run. Banks then followed up with what proved to be the game-winning home ru...

Estrada kills Twins with arm, bat Oriole righty strikes out 8, drives in 2 BALTIMORE, Apr 14(AP)-"He should'nt have lasted that long." That's what the Orioles fans thought after Chuck Estrada labored through a disastrous 1st inning, walking 4 and allowing 2 runs, but he bounced right back, walking just 1 batter from the 2nd inning on and striking out 8 helpless Twins in a 6-3 triumph tonight at Memorial Stadium. He can hit, too Estrada contributed with his bat as well, driving in single runs in the 2nd with a double and a single in the 4th. But it was the later innings where Estrada excelled, striking out 2 each in the 7th, 8th and 9th innings, easily outlasting Twins lefty Jim Kaat, who struggled to pitch 5 innings, allowing 11 hits on 5 runs. Game notes -Twins catcher Hal Naragon, subbing for the injured Earl Battey, allowed 2 Oriole runs to score on passed balls. -Oriole CF Jackie Brandt paced the 13-hit attack with 3 hits and a RBI. -Twins CF Lenny Gree...

Wild night in DC Indians outlast Senators, 8-7 WASHINGTON, Apr 15(AP)-Johnny Romano's 2nd home run of the game with 2 outs in top of the 9th inning gave the Cleveland Indians a 8-7 victory over the Washington Senators last night. Romano's HR came after Bubba Phillips had extended the game with an 2-out single, his 4th hit on the night plus error on left fielder Gene Woodling. The game was highlighted early on by 5 triples, 3 by the Indians, 2 by the Senators, who finally found their offense after being blanked in their last 2 games by the White Sox. Romano also hit a 2-run homer in the 2nd, giving him 4 RBI's on the night. WP-Funk(2-0) LP-Sisler(0-1) SV-Allen(1) HR-Romano(1,2) Zipfel(WSH)(1) CLE 8-14-3 WSH 7-8-2

Dodgers go thru 3rd shortstop, beat Phils, 7-3 LOS ANGELES, Apr 14(AP)-The Dodgers may want to call Pee Wee Reese out of retirement. The Dodgers went through their 3rd shortstop in as many games when Daryl Spencer exited with a minor bruise to his left knee in the 5th inning of last night's 7-3 victory over the Phillies. Bob Aspromonte took over in the 6th and is slated to be the 3rd starting shortstop in 4 games when they entertain the Pirates on Friday night at the Coliseum. Maury Wills remains out for 6 games with a injury sustained in Wednesday night's game. The Dodgers got home runs from Charlie Neal with 1 on in the 2nd, a solo shot from Tommy Davis in the 3rd and a three-run shot from Ron Fairly to put the game out of reach in the 5th. Roger Craig pitched 7 strong innings to get the win and needed relief help from Ron Perranoski and Larry Sherry to close out the series-clinching win. Game notes: -Tony Taylor left the game with a sprained wrist for the Phils, he...

Cincinnati 13, Cubs 2 Frank Robinson homered twice, driving in 5 runs, 4 of them in a 9-run, 13-batter 4th as the Reds battered the Cubs at Crosley Field. Bob Purkey pitched 8 strong innings for the win. Cincinnati 2-0 Cubs 0-2 Milwaukee 7, St. Louis 5 Del Crandall went 3-3 with 3 RBI's as the Braves rallied for 4 runs in the 6th to beat St. Louis. Julian Javier provided a defensive gem in the 1st as he turned a triple play off the bat of Joe Adcock. Milwaukee 2-0 St. Louis 0-2 Pittsburgh(2-0) at San Francisco(0-2) Philadelphia(1-1) at Los Angeles(1-1)

Mantle walks over Twins, 5-4 NEW YORK, Apr 13(AP)-Mickey Mantle coaxed a bases-loaded walk from reliever Ray Moore in the bottom of the 9th as the Yankees completed a comeback from a 4-1 deficit to beat Minnesota, 5-4. The Yankees scored 3 times in the bottom of the 8th to force the tie, getting key hits on Moose Skowron's 2-run triple and subsequent single by Tony Kubek. The Twins built a 4-1 lead on the pitching of Camilio Pascual and a 3-run 6th inning highlighted by Bob Allison's lead-off homer, a sac fly by Pascual and RBI single by Lenny Green. Richardson starts game-winning rally After reliever Luis Arroyo led off the inning with a grounder to short, Bobby Richardson singled to begin the rally. Hector Lopez drew a walk, then Yogi Berra singled, holding Richardson at 3rd to set up Mantle's heroics. Mantle, who had walked his previous 2 times up, worked the count to 3-2 before Moore's pitch landed low into Hal Naragon's glove for the game-winning run....

Senators stuck on "21," seek offensive punch after blanked by Sox again WASHINGTON(AP)-For the 2nd time this week, the Washington Senators retired 21 Chicago White Sox batters in a row, only to come out of their opening series with one win out of 3 games and only 2 runs scored. The offensive shortcomings could not prevent another shutout as Juan Pizarro allowed 5 hits in a complete game shutout of the punchless Sens, 2-0. Senator starter Joe McClain was more than up to the task, joining Dick Donovan in the "21" club, retiring that number of Sox batters from the 2nd to the 9th inning. Sievers knocks in 2 White Sox first baseman Roy Sievers drove in both Sox runs, scoring Luis Aparicio, who had led the game off with a 2-base error by 1B RC Stevens with a double, and also drove in Nellie Fox from 2nd with a single in the 9th. The Senators had chances to score against the Sox, most notably in the 5th, when Willie Tasby led off with a single, Stevens singl...

Dodgers lose Wills, Moon, then ballgame to Phils, 9-2 LOS ANGELES(AP)-It was a Hollywood premiere with all the trimmings, then the premiere was upstaged by rare Dodger bad luck, turning into a "Black Wednesday" in Dodger-land. Hollywood native takes mound Frank Sullivan, acquired from the Red Sox in the off-season by Philadelphia and a native of Hollywood, took the mound and whatever nerves he may have had quickly subsided when he struck out Maury Wills, but what may have been nerves turned into gloom and despair for the Coliseum faithful when Wills pulled his hamstring when exiting the batter's box, thus ending his evening and for that matter, the next 7 Dodgers games. Sullivan had a otherwise successful Phillie debut from that moment forward, pitching 7-2/3 innings, striking out 4, including key strikeouts in the middle of Dodger rallies in the 5th and 8th. All in all, a successful "Hollywood debut" as the tall, lanky right-hander registered a 9-2 Ph...

4/12/1961 MLB Injury Report Chicago White Sox-Al Smith(5 games), Sherm Lollar(15 games) LA Angels-Eddie Yost(8 games) LA Dodgers-Maury Wills(8 games), Wally Moon(7 games)  

Barber outduels McBride, Orioles win 4-1 BALTIMORE(AP)-Steve Barber held the Los Angeles Angels to 2 hits, striking out 8, en route to a 4-1, complete game win in Baltimore tonight. Barber allowed singles to Billy Moran in the 1st and Albie Pearson in the 9th to pick up the win. Angels pitcher Ken McBride matched Barber pitch for pitch until the bottom of the 8th, when the Orioles broke it open with a 3-run 8th, getting a lead-off walk from Barber, then after a successful sacrifice from Jackie Brandt, Russ Snyder singled Barber to 3rd, who then scored on a sacrifice fly by Brooks Robinson. Jim Gentile then closed out the scoring with a 2-run-homer. Barber also figured in the 1st Oriole run, driving in Whitey Herzog(who had walked) with a RBI single in the 5th. Notes: McBride struck out 9 Orioles, including Gus Triandos 4 times. Brooks Robinson has 5 RBI's in 2 games. Leon Wagner drove in the only Angel run on a fielder's choice to 1st in the 9th. Angels 3rd basem...

Since we are dealing with a Strat-O-Matic-inspired recreation of a epic baseball season, I will from time to time print some stories of recreations built solely of C&D(Cards and Dice). This one was from what would've been a 4/12/1961 White Sox-Senators game(they were actually rained out), with some backstory and then some. Here's the story... Sox bounce back from near-no-no, but lose 2 key players WASHINGTON-(AP) The Sox wanted to prove they had some punch after Monday's near-no-hit bid. They did, but at the expense of 2 key veteran players. The Sox scored 2 runs in the 3rd, made them hold up behind the pitching of Billy Pierce and Turk Lown in blanking the Senators, 2-0. Then after the game announced that star players Al Smith and Sherm Lollar would both be gone for extended periods because of late-game injuries. Smith exited in the 8th with a sprained wrist, while Lollar pulled a shoulder muscle lining out in the 9th. Smith will be out 5 games, while Lollar wi...

11-Number of strikeouts by the Cubs' Glen Hobbie against the Reds; he also gave up back-to-back HR's by Johnny Edwards and Gordy Coleman in the 8th, as the Cubbies dropped their opener at Crosley, 6-4. 9-Strikeouts by both Whitey Ford and Don Drysdale in winning efforts against the Twins and Phillies respectively.   6-Runs in bottom of 1st as the Braves and Warren Spahn outlasted the Redbirds from St. Louis, 8-6. 2-Number of home runs by Leon Wagner(Angels) and Tony Gonzalez(Phillies), both efforts were losing ones. 10-Games to be missed by Bill Mazeroski of the Pirates after he was injured in the 9th against the Giants.   8-Runs scored by Orioles and Braves. 21-Batters retired in a row by the Senators Dick Donovan in his near-no-hit effort against the White Sox.

In Cleveland's 3-2 10-inning win over Detroit, Norm Cash tripled with 1 out in the bottom of the 10th. It would've been better off if he had homered as he did in the bottom of the 6th. After a intentional pass to Steve Boros, Dick Brown struck out and Chico Fernandez flied harmlessly to left, preserving a Cleveland win made possible by Woodie Held's 2-out single scoring Tito Francona. WP-Funk LP-Fox HR-Cash(1) Whitey Ford had a better idea on this Opening Day in the Bronx, "Whitey-Wash" the Twins, that he did by allowing 3 hits, striking out 9 in the Bombers' 7-0 triumph over the Twins. 15 Yankee hits produced 7 runs, including 3 taters. WP-Ford LP-Ramos HR-Maris(1) Skowron(1) Berra(1) As inaugural games go, the Angels had a fairly impressive one, 4 home runs, including 2 by Leon "Daddy Wags" Wagner. However, the Halos pitching staff has some work to do in the area of free passes, as 10 base-on-balls and 4 RBI's by Brooks Robinson paced...

But I figured, maybe I better start off with Opening Day again, Sox-Senators for the reason that maybe something stupendous could've happened at Griffin Stadium on 4/10/1961: Ex-White Sox pitcher Dick Donovan was that something stupendous.                          IP    ER   R   H  BB  K Donovan         9       1    1    1    1   1 (retired 20 in a row from the 1st through 8th innings) He pitched 7-1/3 no-hit innings and after losing the no-hit bid and giving up the run, led off the bottom of the 8th with a... home run. WSH 2-3-1 CWS 1-1-1 Early Wynn on the other hand, deserved a better fate, allowing 1 run on 2 hits in 7 innings, with battery-mate Sherm Lollar breaking up Donovan...

Starting Lineups: Red Sox                    Dodgers 2b Schiiling               SS Wills    CF Geiger                 CF W. Davis 1b Wertz                   3b T. Davis RF Jensen                RF Snider LF Yastrzemski         LF Moon 3B Runnels               1b Larker    C  Nixon                    2b Neal SS Green   ...

My final NL game of the night took a little long, so I'll just give you the scores only with limited details, full details sometime later today, then the programming note: Cubs 7, Reds 5, 12 innings-Banks, Williams HR's Cards 5, Braves 4-Javier lead-off homer Pirates 7, Giants 1-Clemente, Hoak HR's Dodgers 7, Phillies 6, 12 innings-Sullivan(PHI) 2 HR's, Junior Gilliam walk-off single Sometime today, I will have a Super Bowl special, the 1961 Red Sox vs. the 1961 Dodgers(Atlanta was a AA farm club of the Dodgers then). I'll have a inning-by-inning account which I'll share to Facebook after the game. GO FALCONS!

A total of 11 home runs were hit on 4/13/1961 on this American League day, starting off with the "C & C Wrecking Company of Detroit." Tigers thump Tribe for 2nd in a row Rocky Colavito and Norm Cash socked 2-run homers as the Tigers turned that early start into a 2nd win in a row over the Indians, 6-1. Colavito and Cash's early dingers were sandwiched around another 2-run bomb from starting pitcher and winner Frank Lary and were never headed from the 4th inning on. Willie Kirkland spoiled Lary's complete game win with a solo shot in the 7th. Injury report: Both Steve Boros and Dick Brown(Tigers) left the game with minor injuries and should be ready for their next game. White Sox sock Sens JC Martin and Jim Landis in the 5th and Roy Sievers and Al Smith in the 6th all went back-to-back with their home runs, as the White Sox sent the upstart Senators back to reality with a 5-1 triumph, avoiding a 3-game sweep in the Nation's Capital. Juan Pizarro scattered ...

This is a S-O-M simulation for a reason, you'll either get numbers resembling or fairly close to the actual 1961 action, or you'll get anomalies like what I'm about to show you; on the other hand, I'm pretty sure Qualls, Oklahoma does exist. Johnny on the spot(or not) Last night at the Coliseum, the pride and joy of Qualls, Oklahoma Johnny Callsion, homered in his first 2 at-bats against the Dodgers homer-prone Johnny Podres, which was enough to give the Phils' their 2nd triumph in as many games, 5-3. Ruben Amaro even added a solo shot off Podres to back up the complete-game pitching of Art Mahaffey. The Dodgers Tommy Davis did get a 2-run shot off of Mahaffey(who struck out 7) in the 1st, while Maury Wills in a last-ditch effort to extend the game, was caught stealing 2nd with Jim Gilliam at the plate with the tying run. The Dodgers will send Roger Craig to try and avert a sweep against Hollywood native Frank Sullivan in the series finale. Injury report: Willie ...