Even the Braves

[petrel]

Early August 1966

The Braves continue their road trip by taking on the Chicago Cubs. The suprising thing is that both the NL East and NL West have interesting divisional races alive in August, while in the AL everything's a foregone conclusion. The Stars lead the Cubs by 4 1/2 in the NL East.

(* * *)

August 2nd-4th,1966
Boston Braves (82-20) at Milwaukee Brewers (23-76)

August 2: Howie Koplitz strikes out seven Cubs in eight innings. Braves 4, Cubs 1.
W: Howie Koplitz (17-5) L: Tobias Watson (11-6) S: Don Carpenter (22)

August 3: Mickey Mantle hits his 17th home run of the year as the Braves triumph. Braves 8, Cubs 4.
W: Hank Aguirre (15-3) L: Tobias Watson (11-7) S: Ron Herbel (12)

August 4: The Braves pour on the hits and Harvey Branch gets his 19th win. Braves 11, Cubs 2.
W: Harvey Branch (19-0) L: Eric Durant (5-11)

(* * *)

Our road trip now takes us to New York...to play the dreaded Giants.

We still have to play the Giants 12 times this year, but thank goodness, this is the last time we will have to play the Giants at Giants Stadium. We shall play them nine more times after this three game series, and all of those games will be at home.

August 5th-7th, 1966
Boston Braves (88-20) at New York Giants (88-17)

August 5: A heartbreaking game. Joe Torre hit two home runs for 3 RBI each to give the Braves a 6-0 lead after six innings. But Carl Yastrzemski hits a three-run homer in the bottom of the 7th, and Bob Johson and Ken Boyer add homers in the bottom of the 9th to tie the game at 6-6. In the top of the 11th with one out, Joe Christopher hits a triple but no one can advance him, whereas Don Carpenter gives up a single, a walk, and two more singles to lead off the bottom of the 11th and give Frank Thomas the game-winning hit. Giants 7, Braves 6 (11). Yastrzesmki's home run is his 300th lifetime home run and puts him ahead of Dave Nicholson, with 38 homers vs. 37 for 1966.
W: Claude Raymond (2-0) L: Don Carpenter (6-2)

August 6: Dave Nicholson and Joe Torre hit back to back home runs in the top of the 8th for a Braves win. Nicholson's home run is his second of the game, and Nicholson now leads Yaz 39 to 38 in the home run race. Braves 6, Giants 5.
The Phillies beat the Pirates in Philadelphia, 3-1, in 18 innings.
W: Ron Herbel (3-2) L: Joe Hoerner (1-1) S: Don Carpenter (23)

August 7: The Giants explode for 19 hits and four home runs, taking the final game of the Giants/Braves series games played in New York. Fred Newman gets his 20th win of the year. Giants 13, Braves 3. Frank Robinson hits home runs off Hank Aguirre in the 1st and 2nd innings, the second homer being his 400th lifetime home run.
W: Fred Newman (20-1) L: Hank Aguirre (15-4)

(* * *)

We're still in the running, although 2 1/2 games out of first. We take three days off before we play the Reds on the road, and we rest up in Cincinnati.

The Giants play the Pirates in Pittsburgh. They sweep 4-2, 5-1 and 10-9. That moves the Giants to four games ahead of the Braves. It's starting to look like we're going to need some help in bringing the Giants down to earth.

Funny: while we were off, the Red Sox and Tigers played in Fenway at August 8th. Fog stopped the game four times during play. The Tigers got all three runs in the first inning before the first stoppage, and won 3-2.

(* * *)

On August 10th, 1966, Charlie "Chuck" Dressen, who managed the NL Champion Dodgers in 1953 and the AL Champion Senators in 1955 and 1957, died of a heart attack brought on by a kidney infection in San Francisco. He had also been diagnosed with cancer in the interim.. Dressen managed three pennant winners but could never make it to a World Series title.


Chuck and Jackie

Oddly enough, this was the 15th anniversary of a particular incident. While managing the Dodgers, on August 10th, 1951, the Dodgers swept the Giants in three days. Dressen sang "The Giants is Dead!" through a door where the Giants could hear it.

The Dodgers led the Giants by 12 1/2 games. But the Giants came back, and won the pennant in 1951 on Bobby Thomson's home run, leading to no small embarrassment for Dressen.


August 11-13, 1966
Boston Braves (89-22) at Cincinnati Reds (41-70)

August 11: Dave Nicholson hits his 40th home run and Branch gets his 20th win without a loss. Braves 4, Reds 1. Branch has a 21-game win streak extending to September 16, 1965 and is now three games short of the NL record of 24 consecutive pitcher wins by Carl Hubbell.
W: Harvey Branch (20-0) L: Paul Toth (5-14)

August 12: Mantle gets his 18th home run of the year. Braves 7, Reds 1.
W: Cecil Perkins (12-2) L: Imbert Silva (3-13)
The Giants beat the Brewers 14-0 -- but on coming into the locker room, Earl Battey's cleats snag on a towel on the floor, he twists his knee, and tears a ligament. Battey is out for the season, and the towel boy who failed to remove the towel gets death threats from Giants fans. Johnny Romano takes over for Battey.

August 13: The game goes into 19 innings and in the middle of the night, little-used Reds catcher John Bateman hits the first home run of his career in the bottom part of the inning to help the Reds avoid a sweep. Reds 5, Braves 4 (19).

(* * *)

The loss of Earl Battey didn't even slow down the Giants. They beat the Brewers 7-1, 14-0 and 4-0 to take a five-game lead in the NL East.

The Braves will come back home for three home games against the Brooklyn Dodgers. After that we play the Giants at home for the first time this year.

August 14th-16th, 1966
Brooklyn Dodgers (54-63) at Boston Braves (91-23)

August 14: The Dodgers score six runs in the 7th to tie the game, but Rudy Regalado homers off Tom Qualters in the eighth to put the Braves up for good in front of a sold-out crowd. Braves 7, Dodgers 6.
W: Lindy McDaniel (7-1) L: Tom Qualters (1-6) S: Don Carpenter (24)

August 15: Harvey Branch takes a 1-0 lead into the eighth, but Don Carpenter loses the game in relief on a Don LeJohn home run in the 9th. Dodgers 2, Braves 1.
W: Kevin Trevenot (4-5) L: Don Carpenter (6-3)

August 16: Joe Morgan hits two home runs as the Braves win. Braves 6, Dodgers 3.
W: Carl Perkins (13-2) L: Jack Palacios (8-11)

(* * *)

Around the world:

Martin Luther King Jr. leads a civil rights march in Chicago, during which he is struck by a rock thrown from an angry white mob.
The Beatles' John Lennon apologizes for his "more popular than Jesus" remark.
Mao Tse-Tung begins the Cultural Revolution in China.
The New York Herald Tribune stops publication. It merges with the New York Journal-American and the NewYork World-Telegram and Sun to form the New York World Journal Tribune.

In baseball:

Lou Clinton (Cubs) is out for the season with a broken back vertebra.
Stan Palys (Cubs) is out for the season with a broken hip.
Kelly Osborne (Yankees) is out for four weeks with an inflammed rotator cuff.
Ed Bailey (Dodgers) is out for seven weeks with a dislocated hip.

Don Mossi retires at the age of 37 after 13 years with the Indians, Dodgers, Braves and Red Sox. A member of the 1958-59 "SuperDodgers", he won two games in World Series play and the Cy Young Award for the National League in 1958. Oddly enough, his only All-Star appearance was in 1958.


"Mom! The horror movie's on!

Mossi went 143-117 with a 3.70 lifetime ERA and 1,344 K in 2,416 IP. Oddly enough, Mossi was known to be "the ugliest man to play baseball". I know he was, because I saw him up close. You could pour water out of his head.

A reporter asked him why he was retiring. "My kids were getting older, my arm hurt, and a new attitude was coming into the game. I just had enough. I was tired of waiting for someone to sign me."

Wilmer "Vinegar Bend" Mizell retired at age 35 after 12 seasons as a starting pitcher with the Cardinals, Yankees, Phillies, Braves, and Cubs. He was 25-7 with a 2.97 ERA on the Yankees World Championship team, and went 130-77 with a 3.57 lifetime ERA. He would be an All-Star in 1955. He was named after his home town of Vinegar Bend, Alabama.
Dick Gernert retired at age 36 after 14 years in baseball as a first baseman for the Red Sox, Indians, White Sox, Dodgers, Indians again, and Cardinals. A member of the 1958-59 "SuperDodgers", Gernert finished his career with a .260 BA and 252 home runs. He won two Gold Gloves as a first baseman in 1953 and 1958, and represented Brooklyn in the 1959 All-Star Game.
Hobie Landrith retired at age 36 after 16 years as a back-up catcher for the Reds and Phillies.

[petrel]

Late August 1966

For the first time this year, the New York Giants come to Braves Field. We play them twice in the back half of August. They have 99 wins, and I'd like it a lot if they never got a chance to see 100.

August 17th-19th, 1966
New York Giants (99-18) at Boston Braves (93-24)

August 17: A Bob Johnson triple goes for three RBIs in the 11th, leading to a heartbreaking loss. Giants 9, Braves 6 (11).
W: Bob Locker (12-3) L: Don Carpenter (6-4) S: Claude Raymond (22)

That night, Gil Hodges told the Braves, "You keep playing like that, and you can forget a pennant this year."

August 18: Despite three home runs by the Giants, the Braves manage to hang on and claim the victory. Braves 6, Giants 5.
W: Hank Aguirre (16-4) L: Woodie Fryman (3-1) S: Don Carpenter (25)

August 19: Harvey Branch was going for his 22nd straight win, and this time, his opponent would be the Giants. After five innings, the Giants led 6-2. Lindy McDanel came in for Branch in the sixth, and the Braves closed it to 7-6 after eight innings. But Ron Herbel gave up a single and two doubles in the top of the 9th, and the Braves went down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the ninth. Giants 9, Braves 6.
W: Gaylord Perry (8-12) L: Harvey Branch (20-1) S: Jack Lamabe (3)

(* * *)

Branch's winning streak: over.
Perry's acquistion from the Giants: justified.
Braves standings: 7 games behind the Giants after losing two of three at home.

That afternoon, there was an editorial in the Boston Herald:

Braves GM Job in Jeopardy
After Six Years of Losing, Insiders Claim Stark Will Fire Bowman

BOSTON -- Stick a fork in him. He's done.

The remarkable tenure of Ron "Petrel" Bowman will come to an end after 13 years of service, according to insiders. Rumor has it that Bowman will be asked to step down at the end of 1966 by owner Ron Stark to be replaced by Assistant GM Charles Sullivan. According to sources, Bowman has had five teams out of six finish with 95 wins or more, and has not been able to shake the Giants from the top spot in the NL. The most recent series at Braves Field, which the Braves lost two of three, supposely cinched the decison of Stark to call for new blood in the Braves organization.

(* * *)

That morning, I received several calls from the national press. I told them there were so many things wrong with that that I couldn't even begin to start. Among them, the fact that Charles Sullivan is Director of Marketing, and does not have the title of "Assistant GM". I told them that they should talk to Chuck directly, or to call Ron Stark Jr. rather than wasting my time chasing down stupid rumors.

The damned Boston press. Always trying to start a brouhaha. Ominously, however, Ron Stark had no comment, rather than a statement of praise for my work. The mood in the office was downcast -- at least among the people that know me. Part of it was undoubtedly the loss to the Giants -- we had such high hopes to do well against them when they came here.

The only thing I can do in the face of all of this is just go on. Mike Singer, my Director of Security, called and said, "Hey Pet, I still like ya."

(* * *)

August 20th-22nd, 1966
Boston Braves (94-26) at Baltimore Orioles (46-77)

August 20: A Troy Storey single in the bottom of the 11th sends the Braves to a second straight loss. Orioles 4, Braves 3.
W: Bob Bruce (5-3) L: Bill Graham (2-2)

August 21: The Braves finally snap out of it and give the Orioles a goose egg. Braves 6, Orioles 0.
W: Howie Koplitz (18-5) L: Larry Foss (14-8)

August 22: The Orioles take the series, scoring all of their runs in the first four innings. Orioles 10, Braves 6.
W: Bill Hands (9-10) L: Hank Aguirre (16-5)

(* * *)

Our limp effort has put us nine games out of first. We take three days off, and we hope that the Giants slide backwards.

The Giants flatten the Cardinals 13-2, 8-2, and 10-0. They lead us by 10 1/2 games.

This next three-game series might determine the fate of the entire Braves season.

August 26th-28th, 1966
New York Giants (107-19) at Boston Braves (95-28)

August 26: Claude Osteen and Harvey Branch -- two 20-game winners -- face each other, but the battle is decided in extra innings, with the game decided in the 10th when Dick Phillips hits a home run for three RBIs. Giants 4, Braves 1.
W: Bob Locker (14-3) L: Ron Herbel (3-3)

August 27: Carl Yastrzemski hits into a double play at the top of the ninth to give the Braves a win. Braves 5, Giants 3.
W: Cecil Perkins (14-2) L: Gaylord Perry (9-13) S: Ron Herbel (13)

August 28: The Braves score four runs in the first -- and it's all that they need as the Braves take two of three from the Giants! Braves 6, Giants 2.
W: Howie Koplitz (19-5) L: Bill Kirk (19-5)

(* * *)

The win brings us to 9 games back. As the Giants host the Orioles in New York, we wish them bad luck as we take on the Phillies at Braves Field. Rudy Regalado is out for five days with a pulled hamstring, so Tony Taylor will take his place at third.

August 26th-28th, 1966
Philadelphia Phillies (79-50) at Boston Braves (97-29)

August 29: Dave Nicholson's 49th home run of the season in the 6th inning puts the Braves ahead for good. Braves 3, Phillies 2.
W: Hank Aguirre (17-5) L: Bill Monbouquette (12-9) S: Ron Herbel (14)

August 30: After 20 straight wins, Harvey Branch loses his second straight game. Phillies 6, Braves 3.
W: Steve Blass (12-5) L: Harvey Branch (20-2)

In the Bronx, the Yankees beat the Red Sox 6-4 and win their -- ho-hum -- 8th straight division title. They lead the Washington Senators by 31 1/2 games; poor Philadelphia is 84 1/2 behind.

The New York Yankees are American League East Champions!!

August 31: Mickey Mantle hits his 22nd home run as the Braves win by 10 over Philadelphia. Braves 14, Phillies 4.
W: Cecil Perkins (15-2) L: Tom Cheney (12-7)
The Cubs sweep the visiting Stars 1-0, 11-9 and 6-4 to close to within 2 1/2 games of the NL West-leading Stars.

(* * *)

Around the World:

The Beatles play their final concert in San Francisco, California.

In baseball:

Eddie Mathews (Senators) bats in his 1500th RBI.
Hank Aaron (Angels) hits his 2000th hit.

Mike Ferraro (White Sox) is out for the season with a broken leg.
Tony Cloninger (White Sox) is out for the season and for part of 1967 with a broken back vertebra.
Don Bessent (Cubs) is out for the season with severe elbow tendonitis.

Joe Adcock, a two-time MVP who hit 470 lifetime homeruns, has retired at the age of 37.

A left fielder, Adcock was a mainstay of the Boston Red Sox for nine years. He also played with the Reds, Braves, and Orioles. His MVP awards were won in 1958 and 1959, and he would also finish as a four-time All-Star with two Gold Gloves as a left fielder.

He is 11th All-Time in home runs, 17th all time in RBI (with 1568), finishing his career with a .292 batting average. He had the reputation of being something of a jerk, but boy, could he play ball. I think he was the best thing the Orioles had going for them in the years before he retired.

Mickey McDermott retired at the age of 36. He was known as a starting pitcher for the 1958-59 "SuperDodgers", over which time he went 41-10 in regular season play, 2-1 in World Series play, and won two World Championships. He was also a four-time All Star with a Gold Glove as a pitcher.


See the "Rookie" in this famous Rockwell cover? That's McDermott, believe it or not, showing up at the Red Sox.

He came to Brooklyn by way of Boston, then pitched for the Angels and Pirates after the Dodgers let him go in 1962. McDermott finished with a 175-120 record, a 3.74 lifetime ERA and 12 shoutouts.

I know the real reason McDermott wasn't signed again. He drinks too much. His 1-7, 5.51 ERA season with the Pirates in 1965 I attribute to booze. It's sad. He could have won 200 games if he kept himself in shape.

Camilo Pascual retired at age 32 after just nine years in baseball. He played for the Senators and Giants from 1953 to 1961. Then, he became a victim of the Giants success, stuffed in the minor league system despite having a 101-61 lifetime record and a 3.47 lifetime ERA. After languishing in the minors, he was signed as a free agent by the Cubs in 1965, where he pitched 8 2/3 inning as a shutout, ending the season with a 1-0 record.
Del Crandall retired at age 36. A catcher with the Braves, White Sox, Angels and Seals, Crandall had a 17-year baseball career, finishing with a .243 average in 3,830 games played and hitting 183 HR. He would win a Gold Glove for the White Sox in 1956.

[CatKnight]

Ya know there's something wrong when a team with a .767 winning percentage is effectively out of the pennant race...

[petrel]

Early September 1966

The most games the Braves have ever managed to win under my tenure is 103. We did it in 1960, but we fell to the Yankees, who were just warming up in their amazing championship run.

It is September 1st. We have already won 99 games. That just goes to show you how strange this year has been.

We go on the road to Brooklyn, and then come back to Boston for two weeks, playing the Giants at home for the final time this season from September 12th through September 14.

September 2nd-4th, 1966
Boston Braves (99-30) at Brooklyn Dodgers (62-72)

September 1: The Braves score all their runs in the final three innings to get their 100th win. Braves 6, Dodgers 3. Jim Gilliam, the 11-time Dodger All Star, sprains a finger and goes out for two weeks.
W: Ron Herbel (4-3) L: Kevin Trevenot (5-7) S: Don Carpenter (26)

September 2: Hank Aguirre pitches five good innings and gets a lot of support. Braves 11, Dodgers 2.
W: Hank Aguirre (18-5) L: O. J. Mackinney (0-5)

September 3: Joe Morgan hits two home runs, but Cookie Rojas hits a home run in the bottom of the 10th to keep the Braves from sweeping. Dodgers 5, Braves 3 (10)
W: Dennis Higgins (7-8) L: Don Carpenter (6-5)

(* * *)

While we're on the road, the Giants take two from the Phillies and one from the Cardinals. We are now 11 games out of first. Furthermore, Bob Johsnon of the Giants takes the lead in the NL homerun race, hitting 50 home runs to 49 home runs by Dave Nicholson.

September 5th-7th, 1966
Philadelphia Phillies (81-54) at Boston Braves (101-31)

September 5: Braves pitching holds the Phillies to five hits. Braves 5, Phillies 2.
W: Cecil Perkins (16-2) L: Tom Cheney (12-8) S: Don Carpenter (27)
Roy McMillan of the Seals gets his 2500th lifetime hit at the Seals beat the Peaches in Atlanta 8-4.[/b] He will also get two more hits during the game.

September 6: Howie Koplitz gets his 20th win in style, with a complete game, five-hit shutout. Braves 11, Phillies 0.
W: Howie Koplitz (20-5) L: Pete Craig (5-6)

September 7: Hank Aguirre and Bill Graham combine for another 5-hit shutout. Braves 5, Phillies 0.
W: Hank Aguirre (19-5) L: Bill Monbouquette (12-11)

(* * *)

We take a day off and the Giants go to Philadelphia, winning their first game there. We're still 11 games out of first, as the Giants have won six straight.

The Cubs have now closed to within 2 1/2 of the Stars in the NL West.

September 9th-11th, 1966
Baltimore Orioles (52-89) at Boston Braves (104-31)

September 9: Mickey Mantle goes 4 for 4 with a double, a home run, and 4 RBI. Braves 9, Orioles 3.
W: Harvey Branch (21-2) L: Bill Hands (10-12)

September 10: Cecil Perkins pitches a three-hit shutout! Braves 2, Orioles 0.
W: Cecil Perkins (17-2) L: Dave McNally (4-17)
Carl Yastrzemski of the Giants suffers a torn hamstring while warming up before the game. He will be out for four weeks as the Giants lose 8-2, their second consecutive loss to the Phillies.

September 11: Joe Christopher goes 4 for 6 with a home run to help the Braves complete the sweep. Braves 9, Orioles 5.
W: Howie Koplitz (21-5) L: Joel Cataldo (8-13)

(* * *)

Tony Taylor suffers a hand stress fracture and is out for two weeks. Our mainstay, Rudy Regalado, will finally return to third base duty.

With the setbacks the Giants have suffered, we might have a chance to close our 8 1/2 game gap with them -- the Giants come to Braves Field to complete the season series. After these games, it's all up to the hands of fate.

September 12th-14th, 1966
New York Giants (117-24) at Boston Braves (107-31)

September 12: It takes five pitchers, but the Braves prevail over the Giants. Braves 8, Giants 5.
W: Bill Graham (3-2) L: Bob Locker (15-4) S: Lindy McDaniel (3)

September 13: In a battle between two 20-game winners: Claude Osteen and Harvey Branch -- the younger man wins as Branch pitches seven shutout innings. Braves 4, Giants 0.
W: Harvey Branch (22-2) L: Claude Osteen (23-6) S: Ron Herbel (15)

September 14: Gaylord Perry pitches a complete game as the Giants break their four-game losing streak. Giants 5, Braves 2.
W: Gaylord Perry (11-14) L: Cecil Perkins (17-3)

And the Braves and the Giants will each take a day off on the 15th. The National League is safe! But we're 7 1/2 games back. With the Giants injuries, could we somehow end up winning the pennant?

(* * *)

Around the world:

UN Secretary-General U Thank declares that he will not seek re-election.
The final new episode of The Dick Van Dyke Show airs after five seasons on the air.



The first episode of Star Trek, "The Man Trap", airs on NBC.

In baseball:

Roy McMillan (Seals) gets his 2500th hit.
Rocky Colavito (Seals) gets his 300th home run.

Tug McGraw (Astros) is out for the season with a broken wrist.
Andrew Axmacher (Seals) is out for the season with a torn knee ligament.
Dave Dowling (Angels) is out for the season with a dislocated hip.
Stan Bahnsen (Astros) is out for four weeks with a wrist stress fracture.
Pet MacGillegowie (Angels) is out for seven weeks with a fractured skull.

Art Houtemann retired at age 38. He was a pitcher since 1950 wth the Tigers, Giants, and Athletics, missing only the 1951 (war) and 1964 (minors) seasons. Houtemann finished with a 143-139 lifetime record and a 3.77 lifetime ERA. Never a 20-game winner, he nevertheless was a two-time All-Star, in 1950 and 1957.
Eddie Bressoud retired at age 33, after playing since 1955 various parts of seasons with the Indians, Seals, Brewers, Orioles, Reds, and Angels, finished with a .218 lifetime BA.

[CatKnight]

You finally won a series against the Giants. That's good! It's getting late for a comeback though, this could be close.

Well, even if this is pet's final season he's safely brought us into the Star Trek era.

[petrel]

Late September 1966
Part I

Our next opponents are the Orioles. We are still 7 1/2 back, so we have to play perfect ball throughout these next three weeks and hope the Giants stumble. Stumbling against the Reds in Cincinnati -- where the Giants are traveling -- would be very fortuituous. Rest assured, we listen to those Giants games or follow them every way we can, hanging on every out.

Jim Proctor has 27 wins for the Yankees compared to two losses. Fred Newman of the Giants has 26 wins, so both pitchers are at an outside chance to break the 30-win barrier.

September 16th-18th, 1966
Baltimore Oriles (52-95) at Boston Braves (109-32)

September 16: Howie Koplitz and Don Carpenter shut out the Orioles and send them to their 12th straight loss. Braves 2, Orioles 0.
W: Howie Koplitz (22-5) L: Joel Cataldo (8-14) S: Don Carpenter (28)

September 17: Down 7-2, the Braves score six home runs in the bottom of the 7th. Mickey Mantle gets two home runs, #28 and #29. Braves 8, Orioles 7.
W: Lindy McDaniel (8-1) L: A Tallez (0-1) S: Ron Herbel (16)
The Yankees beat the Tigers 4-1 in Detroit with 12 games left in the season as Jim Proctor gets his 28th win of the year. He has three chances to get two wins if he is not advanced in the rotation.

September 18: Harvey Branch holds the Orioles to just three hits as they lose their 14th straight. Braves 8, Orioles 0.
W: Harvey Branch (23-2) L: Dave McNally (4-18)

(* * *)

The Giants, however, sweep the Reds 8-3, 5-4 and 7-1 so we gain no ground. They go back to New York to play the Houston Astros. We go on the road for six games, to play first the Pittsburgh Pirates, and then the Brooklyn Dodgers.

September 19th-21st, 1966
Boston Braves (112-32) at Pittsburgh Pirates (49-98)

September 19: Joe Torre hits a single, a triple, and a home run. Braves 9, Pirates 5.
W: Cecil Perkins (18-3) L: Simon Scherr (1-10)
In Los Angeles, the Kansas City Blues are held to four hits as the Angels win 7-2 and take their second straight AL West crown.

The Los Angeles Angels are American League West Champions!!

September 20: Dave Nicholson hits his 51st and 52nd home runs of the year. Braves 7, Pirates 1.
W: Howie Koplitz (23-5) L: Dick Burwell (9-10)

September 21: Both teams combine for 29 hits, but the Braves sweep. Braves 13, Pirates 6.
W: Don Drysdale (10-4) L: Wayne Genser (10-16)

(* * *)

In New York, Jim Proctor leaves after the sixth inning with the Yanks down 3-2. The Yankees come back to win 4-3 to give the Yankees their 131st win of the season, tying the all-time record, but Proctor loses his shot at win #29. He has at least two more starts so the record is within his reach.

Meanwhile, the Giants have no trouble with the Astros, winning 5-3, 3-0 and 7-1. We're still 7 out, but there are only 12 more games in the season for the Giants and only 15 for us. This puts the Giants/Braves magic number at seven games.

I say make them work for every single one of those games. We go on the road to Ebbets Field while the Giants play the visiting Pirates.

September 22nd-24th, 1966
Boston Braves (115-32) at Brooklyn Dodgers (70-80)

September 22: The Dodgers only run comes in the 8th inning. Braves 6, Dodgers 1. However, the Giants win, cutting the magic number to 6.
W: Harvey Branch (24-2) L: Earl Wilson (15-2)

September 23: The Braves pull away in the later innings. Braves 7, Dodgers 4. The Giants win again over the Pirates in a lopsided 16-2 victory, cutting the magic number down to 5.
W: Cecil Perkins (19-3) L: Dennis Higgins (7-9) S: Don Carpenter (29)

September 24: All the runs of the game are scored in the first three innings. Braves 3, Dodgers 1.
W: Howie Koplitz (24-5) L: Jack Palacios (9-14) S: Ron Herbel (17)

(* * *)

Norm Sherry hits a home run in the top of the seventh as the Giants lose in Pittsburgh 4-3 to close us to within 6 1/2 games. The Stars have lost four striaght while the Cubs have won four straight, and Chicago has closed to within 3 1/2 games of L. A.

The Giants will take three games off and the Braves will come back home to play the Phillies.

September 25th-27th, 1966
Philadelphia Phillies (90-63) at Boston Braves (118-32)

September 25: Don Mincher hits a three run homer in the first inning to close the Braves to within 6 games. Braves 5, Phillies 3.
W: Hank Aguirre (20-5) L: Bill Monbouquette (12-14) S: Ron Herbel (18)....

...

[petrel]

Late September 1966
Interim

The New York Giants had a 6 1/2 game lead in the National League East. Even though the Braves had won 118 games and remained hot on their tails, the Braves wouldn't get any more days off before the close of the season. Furthermore, the Giants would play their final six games of the year against the last-place Pirates.

In New York. It looked as if the Giants had a good chance of prevaling in the National League pennant race, with neither the Stars nor the Cubs a real match for the Giants.

Giants management decided that a party would be held on September 25th. It would be closed to the press and to the families of the players -- only the members of the team and the supporting clubhouse staff. Sam Mele, manager of the Giants, begged off, prefering to spend his off time that night in other ways.

The party was held at a private club in Manhattan -- space had been arranged by Joan Whitney Payson, the Giants owner. It would be a pool party, complete with indoor pool, traditional picnic pool and beer on ice. The purpose was to give the Giants a chance to come together in a pressure-free, relaxed atmosphere for one final time before beginning a difficult month of championship baseball.

Some of the players brought their trunks, taking advantage of the indoor swimming facilities. In New York City, there weren't many open pools with property being at a premium, and the open/public pools that existed would have been overwhelmed by Giants fans wanting to get a peek at their heroes. Some of the men hadn't been swimming in years, but a few planned on taking advantage of it.

(* * *)

The party started around 6pm, and no one knew when it was going to be ending. Some of the players planned on staying a few hours, and then enjoying what the New York nightlife had to offer. It was probably the biggest perk of playing for the Giants, as there was so much to do.

A few of the men goofed around in the pool like high school kids. Others ate and talked shop -- fishing, and hunting in the off season. Others, like Earl Battey, showed up and watched. Battey had torn a ligament six weeks earlier and was still hobbling about, although he could at least support his full body weight on the knee. Backup catcher Johnny Romano had also broken his ankle and he too was out for the season. This left 27-year old rookie Bill Heath and the never-was Justin Cloutier to share backstop duties. Joe McCabe was on the extended roster but there was little chance he'd play.

Frank Robinson, who had gone 4 for 4 with two home runs two days earlier in a 16-2 win against the Pirates in Pittsburgh, was splashing around in the deep end of the pool. He had complained of some leg trouble on the road but told his wife that he "wouldn't miss this" and went to get the rare chance to swim during the season.

One of the players there talked about it years later.

We were all sitting around and shooting the ****. The radio was up so we could hear the Braves/Phillies game, and we were all standing around drinking beers. Earl Battey is sitting on a lounge chair, drinking a beer, reared back and half-asleep and I'm chatting with Bob Johnson.

We hear Frank Robinson goofing off at the deep end of the pool, going 'help! help!' We figure Frank's just kidding around and we don't pay any attention to it. I don't think anyone is. Some of the guys in the pool had been splashing some guys who weren't in the pool and we were pretty tired of the pool by that time. I go back to chatting with Johnson.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Earl Battey come to life all of a sudden. And I know he's not supposed to put too much weight on that knee, but he rockets out of that chair like a man going after a fly ball. He's not even wearing swimming trunks, but he dives right into the deep end of the pool, and that gets everybody's attention.

Battey is diving. I couldn't figure out what was going on, but it was like a rush to the pool. You have about ten or eleven guys all hit the pool at the same time, some in trunks, some in pants and short-sleeved shirts, and they're all swimming and racing to the deep end.

About a minute later, they haul Robinson out of the deep end of the pool. Everyone is pulling him out, and he's completely limp. He's not breathing.

They turn him on his front. One of the Giants knows artificial respiration. They lift his arms above his head and they're pressing on his back, like they do in the Boy Scouts. Someone's shouting, "Call an ambulance! Tell them it's Frank Robinson of the Giants!"

So we wait about ten minutes and we get an ambulance. What they're doing to Robinson looks like something out of a cartoon. We didn't have CPR back then, but I guess those paramedics know it, because they clear everyone out and start it for about ten minutes on him. One of them calls another ambulance unit so now we have four guys there.

They put a tube down his throat and try giving him oxygen through a plastic bag. They haul him away. Everyone can't believe what they're seeing. Earl Battey starts crying.

They said they got Robinson to respond to the paramedics when he was in the ambulance. But he had had some kind of heart attack down there. He only lived for five more minutes in the ER.

Then he died. We followed The Judge to the hospital, all the way, in our cars but the doctor told us that they couldn't save him. It was chaos down there, as the Giants fans were starting to converge at the hospital, wanting information, wanting to see Robinson in a hospital bed or something.

Sam Mele rushed down there and he told everyone there to go the **** home, because there wasn't anything we could do for Frank. He said the press were on their way and it was going to be wild. Finally, Yaz told us to head back home and we did.

Some of us heard the press conference on the radio, those of us living north of the Bronx. How Frank Robinson had died in a tragic accident. I still can't believe it. How can a man die in a swimming pool, while we're all there? To this day, I don't let any of my kids go to a pool party where they're unsupervised. I don't think anyone who lived through that day does.

(* * *)

Frank Robinson (1935-1966) finished his career with a .299 lifetime batting average, 413 home runs, and 1243 RBI. He was Rookie of the Year in 1957 with the St. Louis Cardinals and was a six time All-Star. He was named Most Valuable Player in 1964 and won two championship rings with the Giants in 1964 and 1965.



He leaves behind a wife, Barbara Ann, and two children, Frank Kevin and Nichelle.

(* * *)

The first thought the New York papers has was sympathy for Robinson's family and what a tragic death it was. Of course, an autopsy was performed, and no, Robinson was not drunk when he drowned. Most likely, according to the coroners, he was partially dehydrated and had suffered a muscle spasm in his legs, and no one took his cries for help seriously.

The second thought was how this would affect the pennant race -- because of course, sports writers are sports writers, and this is how they make their living, on speculation. A sermon would be held in Manhattan and Robinson's body would be taken to Beaumont, Texas for burial. The Giants would attend the first, but not the second. There were still games to play. The press also talked about retiring Robinson's #20, and the Giants would wear a black armband with the number 20 in orange for the rest of the year.

As everyone from Pete Rozelle to Ford Frick to Joan Whitney Payson to Jackie Robinson chimed in as to how well Frank Robinson was respected among his peers, the Daily News, Post, and Times speculated on what it meant to the team's makeup. The Giants had no catcher, and now had to face the possibility of either Lee Thomas or Carmen Mauro in left field, neither of whom left teams quivering in fear.

Would the Giants rally around Robinson's death to reach even greater heights? Or would they be so demoralized and devastated that they would collapse before they could even get to the postseason?

(* * *)

As for me, I just sighed and thought, "What a waste." I would have rather LOST the NL East championship than win it this way, but the Braves had to deal with it as well. Even if we won, our victory would be tarnished by those who would start with, "If Robinson had been alive...!"

It was the biggest disaster in baseball since Willie Mays died in Korea. Another promising young player who also died as he was reaching incredible heights. I simply made a note to myself: move on, and no pool parties for the Braves as long as I was alive.

(* * *)

Trivia

Oddly enough, before Robinson died, this was supposed to be the cover of Sports Illustrated coming out the next day, with Gaylord Perry on the cover.



Sports Illustrated simply ran a black cover instead with a small photo of Robinson instead. Thousands of printed cover pages had to be destroyed, and they are still collectors items.

[petrel]

Late September-Early October 1966
Part I

Baseball mourned. There was a moment of silence at Braves before the beginning of the Braves/Phillies game, a moment mandated by Commissioner Pete Rozelle. The players left their dugouts and stood with their hats over their hearts for a full minute.

We simply hung a black banner with an orange "20" over the left field fence, which would stay there until the end of the season. Then...baseball resumed.

September 26: With two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth, the Braves, down 3-1, come back to win it on a pair of singles by Joe Torre and Mickey Mantle. Braves 4, Philles 3.
W: Ron Herbel (5-3) L: Ron Perranoski (5-8)
The Cubs beat the Pirates 7-0 and close to within 2 1/2 games of the Stars.

September 27: The Phillies only score four hits as the Braves win their 12th straight game. Braves 4, Phillies 1.
W: Cecil Perkins (20-3) L: Pete Craig (7-8)

(* * *)

We are now five games behind the Giants, with nine to go for both clubs. We host the Baltimore Orioles, while the Giants visit the Phillies in Philadelphia. I trust Phillies fans to treat the occasion of the Giants with the seriousness and respect it deserves.

September 28th-30th, 1966
Baltimore Oriles (55-101) at Boston Braves (121-32)

September 28: Jim Bouton, pressed into duty as Howie Koplitz is out one start due to a bruised kidney, holds the Orioles to two hits over seven innings. Braves 4, Orioles 0.
W: Jim Bouton (2-1) L: Joel Cataldo (8-16)

The Phillies fans fail to come through on the high expectations. A knight of the keyboard heard some drunk Phillie fan shout "I wish the water had been deeper!" after the Giants take care of the Phillies in the bottom of the ninth to win 4-3 on the road. The loutishness of Phillies fans dominated the papers for the next three days.

In Cleveland, four Yankees hit home runs and give Jim Proctor all the help his needs for his 29th win of the year, as the Yankees glide to a 7-1 victory. He will go for win #30 against the Tigers in October.

The Giants have a magic number of four against the Braves.

September 29: The Braves take the lead in the sixth off a Don Mincher home run. Braves 6, Orioles 4.
W: Lindy McDaniel (9-1) L: Len Church (1-1) S: Ron Herbel (19)
With the Phillies commanded to give any drunks the old heave-ho, the Giants still lose 7-3. The Braves close to four games behind the lead.

However, Jim Bouton, who has been working the bullpen, complained of sharp pains shooting down his pitching arm. The diagnosis was severe elbow tendonitis. Bouton is out for the season, and Bill Graham moves into the "#5" starter position. Nick Wilhite will be called on to perform short starter duty.

September 30: The Braves win their fifteenth straight game -- and their final home game -- as the Orioles fall to the home club. Braves 7, Orioles 2
W: Harvey Branch (25-2) L: Bill Hands (11-14)

(* * *)

In the bottom of the 9th in Philadelphia, with the score tied 1-1, Bob Locker is called to keep the Giants alive. Instead, he throws two wild pitches and the second one lets the winning run cross over the plate as the Phillies beat the Giants 2-1.

With three games left, we are now just three games behind the Giants. In order to catch up...we have to win them all, which would be 21 straight wins. The Giants have to lose at least three games for us to have a chance.

They go back home to play the Pirates for six straight games. The Braves go to Philadelphia to close out the year against the Phils.

In the National League West, the Cubs beat the visiting Astros 5-4 and the Stars lose two straight to the Reds on the West Coast.

We're three games behind the Giants. The Cubs are one game behind the stars. For the first time in years, one of baseball's two leagues has a down-to-the-wire pennant race!

(* * *)

October 1st-3rd, 1966
Boston Braves (124-32) at Philadephia Phillies (92-67)

October 1: Dave Nicholson hits his 54th home run. Braves 9, Phillies 1.
W: Cecil Perkins (21-3) L: Phil Niekro (5-4)
In the bottom of the 11th, Frank Thomas defeats the Pirates with a single as New York wins 2-1, lowering their magic number to three games.

October 2: Nicholson hits home run #55 and the Braves win their 17th straight. Braves 5, Phillies 0.
W: Howie Koplitz (25-5) L: Pete Craig (7-9)

In New York, Bill Kirk and Jack Lamabe shut out the visiting Pirates 5-0. The Giants score their 1000th team run.. The magic number for the New York Giants is two, and they could technically clinch the pennant on the 3rd if the Braves lose and the Giants win.

The Stars beat the Dodgers 8-1 and the Cubs lose to the Reds 9-2 to expand the Stars lead over the Cubs to two games.

October 3: Lindy McDaniel falls apart in the seventh inning, giving up five runs as the Philles avoid the sweep and end the Braves win streak. Phillies 6, Braves 2
W: Tom Cheney (16-8) L: Hank Aguirre (20-6)

The Giants finish their game an hour earlier -- a low scoring game, with the Giants beating the Pirates 1-0. The Giants listen around the radio -- as they've done all year -- and when Joe Torre strikes out to end the top of the 9th and the game, the Giants can finally have a celebration.

The New York Giants are 1966 National League East Champions!!

In Cincinnati, the Cubs slaughter the Reds 11-0 and the Dodgers shut out the Stars 1-0 to bring the Cubs back within one game of the NL West lead.

(* * *)

Well, we lose the pennant on my birthday. What a crappy birthday present. 126 wins this season and JACK **** to show for it. We're simply the Best Second Place Team of All Time.

Cold comfort. The commissioner has to do something about this. What he'll do about it, I don't know, but he has to do something, and something big.

Then again, it's not so shocking. The Giants were virtually impossible to beat. Furthermore, they're fighting for the memory of #20. We were damned if we won and we're damned now that we've lost.

The team falls apart completely. "I pushed them to their limit," said Gil Hodges. Joe Christopher pulls his hamstring. Dave Nicholson bruises a rib. Rudy Regalado hurts his knee after an eighth-inning single. We send the ball club out to finish the final three games of the season at Ebbets Field against the Brooklyn Dodgers. Afterwards, they can heal.

[petrel]

Late September-Early October 1966
Part II

Also on October 3rd, versus the visiting Detroit Tigers on the very final game of the season, Jim Proctor gives up 7 hits to the Tigers in 7 innings -- but he also throws 73 percent of his pitches for strikes. The Yankees rise to the challenge, scoring 11 runs as the Yankees win their final game of the season 11-0.

Jim Proctor becomes the first starting pitcher to win thirty games since Dizzy Dean back in 1934 won thirty games and the first American Leaguer to win 30 since Lefty Grove did it in 1931.

October 4th-6th, 1966
Boston Braves (126-33) at Brooklyn Dodgers (71-85)

October 4: Jose Santiago gets his first win, called into relief in the 7th when the Braves score four runs. Braves 10, Dodgers 7.
W: Jose Santiago (1-1) L: Kevin Trevenot (5-9) S: Ron Herbel (20)
The Cubs win on the road against the Reds 3-2, while the Stars lose to the visiting Cardinals 9-8. The NL West standings:

Stars, 88-69, 5 games left
Cubs, 89-70, 3 games left.

October 5: Foster Castleman homers with two out in the bottom of the 9th, but it's not enough for a Dodgers comeback. Braves 4, Dodgers 3.
W: Cecil Perkins (22-3) L: Shayne Hanlon (13-11) S: Don Carpenter (30)
The Cubs beat the Reds at home 3-2 and the Stars beat the Cardinals 1-0. Both clubs remain tied for the NL West lead.

October 6: Joe Morgan and Vic Davalillo hit RBI singles in the top of the 8th to win the final game of the season. Braves 9, Dodgers 7.
W: Nick Willhite (1-0) L: Moe Drabowsky (0-2) S: Jose Santiago (1)
The Cubs beat the Reds 8-6 and the Stars beat the Cardinals 7-3. Both teams still remain tied for the NL West lead.

(* * *)

The only matter left was who would represent the NL West: the Cubs, who were NL West Champions in 1965, or the Los Angeles Stars, who had the chance to go to the postseason in just their second year of existence.

On the 7th, the Cubs played for the final time in 1966 against the Reds at Wrigley Field. The Cubs were limited to six hits as the Reds got the better of them, 6-1. The very bad news was that Harry Agganis, their first baseman who was hitting .305, went down for the season with a hip injury. If the Cubs needed a playoff game, then Gail Harris would take over at first. However, the Stars lost to the visiting Brooklyn Dodgers 6-5 on a Lou Jackson sacrifice fly in the top of the ninth.

The fate of the Los Angeles Stars was in their own hands. They still had two game against the Dodgers. If the Stars went 2-0, the NL West pennant was theirs. If they lost both games, that pennant went to the Cubs. Else, there woudl be a one-game playoff.

On the 8th, the Stars absolutely flattened the Dodgers 10-2 at Anaheim Stadium. They scored eight runs in the first three innings and held the Dodgers to five hits. They now led the Cubs with just 1/2 game to go going into the final game of the season!

(* * *)

On the 9th, the visting Dodgers took a 3-0 lead. But the Stars scored four runs in the bottom of the 5th to take the lead, and home runs by Eric Morrisson and Deacon Jones in the 8th inning brought the sold-out crowd to its feat. In the top of the 9th, Stars reliever Bob Heffner struck out Billy Bryan of the Dodgers to give the Stars the win...and the championship!

The Los Angeles Stars are 1966 National League West Champions!!

It was not only the first NL West championship for the Stars, but it was only the second year of the Stars existence as a franchise! Definitely an amazing story for an bizarre year in baseball.

(* * *)

As for the rest of baseball:

* The record for most wins in a season was broken not once, but twice -- the Giants got 132 wins and the Yankees got 139 wins. Except in New York, these records were basically granted little fanfare.
* The Dodgers 72-90 record is the worst for a Brooklyn team since 1944, where they finished seventh in an eight-team league with 63-91.
* With their 64-98 finish, this is the 10th straight year the Reds have failed to crack the 70-win mark.
* Milwaukee ties their worst-ever finish in 1963.
* The Yankees beat Washington by 36 games for a record and beat the Athletics by 97 games.
* This is the third straight year that the Athletics have not cracked the50-win mark.
* The Blues 53-109 finish is their worst finish ever as a Kansas City team.
* Milwaukee and the Athletics once again post unhealthy attendance records: for the Athletics, only 819,000 turns of the turnstiles are counted. The Brewers have it worse, with only 616,000 tickets sold in 1966.

Around the world:

Baldur von Schirach and Albert Speer are released from Spandau Prison.
Bobby Seale and Huey P. Newton found the Black Panther Party.
The Soviet Union declares that all Chinese students must leave the country by the end of October.

In baseball:

Eddie Mathews (Senators) scored his 1500th run.
Hank Aaron (Angels) scored his 1500th RBI.

Clete Boyer (Stars) is out six weeks with a dislocated hip.

[CatKnight]

Ow.

Good run though, pet. Really good run.

[jakemann]

Congratulations on a great season. And I thought 104 wins in a campaign was a lot! As for the Giants, it will be that much sweeter when you bring them down next year!

[petrel]

1966 National League Championship Series
Los Angeles Stars (92-70) vs. New York Giants (132-30)
Record in 1966: NYG over LAS 9 games to 3

Los Angeles Stars

1966 Batting             Team    G   AVG    AB    H  2B  3B  HR   BB    K   SB  CS    R  RBI   SLG   OBP
Brock, Lou                LAS  162  .354   644  228  29  11  29   72   78   51  33  118  129  .568  .420
Maxvill, Dal              LAS  153  .300   577  173  24   4   2   68   78    3   3   88   35  .366  .372
Jones, Deacon             LAS  148  .295   550  162  37   3  13   33   64   11   1   80   67  .444  .331
Morrisson, Eric           LAS  134  .236   529  125  31   0  17   51  128    2   4   62   84  .391  .304
Kravitz, Danny            LAS  134  .299   492  147  32   6  14   32   69    1   1   73   94  .474  .350
Boyer, Clete              LAS  143  .254   461  117  13   6  17   34   84    2   4   59   63  .419  .305
McAnany, Jim              LAS  123  .282   393  111  20   5   6   37   32    8   9   57   34  .405  .349
Hickman, Chris            LAS   89  .182   307   56   9   0   9   31   76    4   1   34   32  .300  .254
Kirchner, Brett           LAS   85  .205   259   53  16   3   1   10   63    6   7   32   17  .301  .247
Clemens, Doug             LAS   59  .289   232   67  11   0   5   46   39    1   6   41   34  .401  .413
Easton, John              LAS  134  .303   122   37  12   1   4    7   13    1   0   15   31  .516  .328
Schypinski, Jerry         LAS   70  .309   110   34   3   2   0    1   11    5   1   13    7  .373  .315
Espy, Brian               LAS   35  .253    95   24   7   0   1    3   10    0   0    7   11  .358  .276
Verdugo, Neil             LAS   48  .228    92   21   3   0   1    4   15    1   0   13   18  .293  .258
Maestri, Hector           LAS   40  .138    87   12   3   0   0    1   18    0   0    9    6  .172  .144
Kasko, Eddie              LAS   73  .306    85   26   3   0   0    4    8    2   3    9    5  .341  .330
Oldham, John              LAS   95  .325    83   27  10   0   3    7    9    1   0   13   22  .554  .372
Duser, Carl               LAS   40  .105    76    8   2   0   0    2   18    0   0    4    7  .132  .138
Veal, Coot                LAS   35  .306    72   22   3   0   0    5    4    1   2    8    4  .347  .351
Bunning, Jim              LAS   36  .078    64    5   0   0   0    4   12    0   0    2    0  .078  .132
McFarlane, Orlando        LAS   30  .196    56   11   2   0   0    2   12    0   0    2    1  .232  .224
Dews, Jason               LAS   16  .188    48    9   2   0   2    2   14    0   1    3    9  .354  .216
Score, Herb               LAS   28  .128    39    5   1   0   0    1   12    0   0    2    2  .154  .150
Beiersdorfer, Sam         LAS   22  .303    33   10   3   0   1    2    8    1   0    6   13  .485  .378
Jenks, Alex               LAS   19  .292    24    7   1   0   1    2    5    0   0    4    4  .458  .346
Paden, Keith              LAS   10  .063    16    1   0   0   0    2    6    0   0    1    1  .063  .167
Seyfried, Gordon          LAS    3  .100    10    1   0   0   0    0    2    0   0    2    0  .100  .100
Waugh, Jim                LAS    3  .000     9    0   0   0   0    0    2    0   0    0    1  .000  .000
Lassetter, Don            LAS    7  .000     7    0   0   0   0    0    0    0   0    0    0  .000  .000
Curry, Tony               LAS    3  .000     3    0   0   0   0    0    0    0   0    0    0  .000  .000
Regan, Phil               LAS    0  .333     3    1   0   0   0    0    0    0   0    1    0  .333  .333
Rubinstein, Corey         LAS    0  .000     3    0   0   0   0    0    0    0   0    0    0  .000  .000
Kraly, Steve              LAS    2  .000     3    0   0   0   0    0    2    0   0    0    0  .000  .000
Heffner, Bob              LAS    0  .000     2    0   0   0   0    0    0    0   0    0    0  .000  .000
Hogue, Cal                LAS    0  .000     2    0   0   0   0    0    0    0   0    0    0  .000  .000
Woodland, Luke            LAS    1  .000     1    0   0   0   0    0    0    0   0    0    0  .000  .000
Duncan, Dave              LAS    3  .000     1    0   0   0   0    0    0    0   0    0    0  .000  .000
Schrum, Nijel             LAS    0  .000     1    0   0   0   0    0    0    0   0    0    0  .000  .000

1966 Pitching            Team     IP   ERA    G  GS   W   L  SV    K   BB   R/9
Duser, Carl               LAS  252.0  3.39   40  40  15  13   0   73   67 10.79
Maestri, Hector           LAS  250.1  4.21   40  40  20  12   0   85   64 11.65
Bunning, Jim              LAS  232.2  3.17   36  36  11  12   0  190   72  9.55
Score, Herb               LAS  146.1  4.49   28  28  14   8   0  184  111 14.08
Heffner, Bob              LAS  128.1  2.38   81   0   6   6   6   82   18  7.85
Regan, Phil               LAS  115.2  3.27   74   0   7   9   8   71   35 10.35
Rubinstein, Corey         LAS   69.2  2.71   47   0   4   2   1   68   20  9.69
Paden, Keith              LAS   59.1  3.94   10  10   5   2   0   46   15 11.53
Schrum, Nijel             LAS   38.1  6.10   35   0   3   5  18   20   16 13.62
Waugh, Jim                LAS   37.1  1.45   12   3   2   0   1   14   10  7.96
Williams, Paul            LAS   32.0  7.31   20   0   1   0   0   24   13 15.47
Hogue, Cal                LAS   23.1  3.86   10   0   1   0   0   10    9 13.89
MacJames, Shane           LAS   22.0  1.64   14   0   0   0   0   13    5  8.59
Seyfried, Gordon          LAS   22.0  4.09    4   3   1   1   0    5    2 11.45
Kraly, Steve              LAS   13.0  1.38    2   2   2   0   0    4    0 10.38
Valentine, Corky          LAS    8.1  2.16    6   0   0   0   0    2    5  9.72
Magrini, Pete             LAS    4.2  0.00    4   0   0   0   0    3    1  7.71

[petrel]

New York Giants

1966 Batting             Team    G   AVG    AB    H  2B  3B  HR   BB    K   SB  CS    R  RBI   SLG   OBP
Thomas, Frank             NYG  149  .284   612  174  25   2  41   56  116    1   0   98  128  .533  .346
Boyer, Ken                NYG  153  .278   601  167  28   4  25   59  102    4   2  102   82  .463  .344
O'Brien, Johnny           NYG  149  .283   573  162  25   5   0   24  103    3   1   48   46  .344  .317
Clendenon, Donn           NYG  145  .279   563  157  29   4  31   83  126    4   1  107  111  .510  .377
Johnson, Bob              NYG  162  .351   561  197  25  11  51  139   51    1   2  136  166  .708  .479
Yastrzemski, Carl         NYG  141  .314   560  176  21   4  49  120   56    4   1  161  118  .629  .440
Battey, Earl              NYG  106  .316   386  122  14   5  22   48   58    0   2   81   61  .549  .399
Romano, Johnny            NYG   70  .302   199   60   5   0   8   33   40    0   0   19   38  .447  .400
Mauro, Carmen             NYG  100  .261   165   43   7   1   1   18   33    3   0   27   11  .333  .332
Hunt, Ron                 NYG   57  .278   126   35   6   5   0   16   11    1   1   13   12  .405  .370
Osteen, Claude            NYG   38  .143   119   17   2   1   0    3   34    0   0    5    6  .176  .161
Phillips, Dick            NYG  101  .297   118   35   2   1   4   21    9    0   0   20   25  .432  .407
Kirk, Bill                NYG   39  .094   106   10   1   0   0    2   25    0   0    7    4  .104  .135
Thomas, Lee               NYG   32  .258    97   25   2   1   5   11   15    0   0   12   14  .454  .345
Newman, Fred              NYG   38  .155    97   15   2   0   1    5   37    0   0   10    9  .206  .194
Perry, Gaylord            NYG   39  .068    73    5   1   0   0    2   29    0   0    2    2  .082  .093
Liokumovich, Greg         NYG   25  .190    58   11   0   0   0    0   11    0   0    4    7  .190  .190
Heath, Bill               NYG   21  .250    48   12   1   0   0    5   10    2   1    3    5  .271  .321
Davis, Willie             NYG   14  .200    45    9   3   0   0    0    7    0   1    6    4  .267  .234
Kostro, Frank             NYG   11  .278    36   10   0   1   1    3    7    0   0    3    5  .417  .333
O'Rourke, Charlie         NYG   42  .265    34    9   3   1   0    6    0    0   0    3   13  .412  .357
Virgil, Ozzie             NYG   14  .483    29   14   1   0   0    3    2    2   0    3    3  .517  .531
Kralick, Jack             NYG    9  .158    19    3   0   0   0    1    4    0   0    4    1  .158  .238
Fryman, Woodie            NYG    0  .000    16    0   0   0   0    1    9    0   0    1    0  .000  .059
Campaneris, Bert          NYG    3  .143     7    1   0   0   0    0    0    1   0    3    0  .143  .143
Bowens, Sam               NYG    3  .167     6    1   0   0   0    2    0    0   0    1    1  .167  .375
O'Donnell, George         NYG    2  .000     6    0   0   0   0    0    0    0   0    0    0  .000  .000
Locker, Bob               NYG    0  .000     4    0   0   0   0    0    2    0   0    1    0  .000  .000
Cloutier, Justin          NYG    8  .000     3    0   0   0   0    1    1    0   0    0    1  .000  .250
McCabe, Joe               NYG    1  .500     2    1   0   0   0    0    0    0   0    0    0  .500  .500
Seelke, John              NYG    5  .500     2    1   1   0   0    3    1    0   0    0    1 1.000  .800
Hoerner, Joe              NYG    0  .500     2    1   0   0   0    0    1    0   0    0    0  .500  .500
Pena, Orlando             NYG    0  .000     2    0   0   0   0    0    0    0   0    0    0  .000  .000
Banks, George             NYG    1  .000     1    0   0   0   0    0    0    0   0    0    0  .000  .000
Raymond, Claude           NYG    0  .000     1    0   0   0   0    0    0    0   0    0    0  .000  .000
Sutherland, Darrell       NYG    0  .000     1    0   0   0   0    0    0    0   0    0    0  .000  .000

1966 Pitching            Team     IP   ERA    G  GS   W   L  SV    K   BB   R/9
Osteen, Claude            NYG  288.2  1.84   38  38  25   7   0  128   54  8.48
Kirk, Bill                NYG  263.1  3.18   39  39  24   6   0   74   76 10.12
Newman, Fred              NYG  260.0  1.70   38  38  28   1   0   94   47  8.13
Perry, Gaylord            NYG  249.1  3.72   39  39  12  15   0  148   65 11.48
Liokumovich, Greg         NYG  142.0  3.55   25  25  14   1   0  105   61 11.54
Locker, Bob               NYG   95.0  3.60   65   0  15   5   4   52   19 10.14
Fryman, Woodie            NYG   91.2  3.44   49   0   4   2   9   58   29 10.80
Lamabe, Jack              NYG   73.0  2.59   57   0   5   4   3   59   16  8.75
Kralick, Jack             NYG   56.0  4.18   10   9   3   0   0   29   18 10.29
Raymond, Claude           NYG   44.2  1.41   41   0   6   0  26   48    4  5.44
Hoerner, Joe              NYG   39.0  3.46   33   0   1   1   3   41    4  8.54
Pena, Orlando             NYG   21.0  1.29   14   0   0   0   0   10    5  7.29
O'Donnell, George         NYG   17.1  1.56    3   2   1   0   0    4    2  6.75
Sutherland, Darrell       NYG    2.0  0.00    1   0   1   0   0    2    0  9.00

[petrel]

1966 American League Championship Series
Los Angeles Angels (105-57) vs. New York Yankees (139-23)
Record in 1966: NYY over LAA, 9 games to 3

Los Angeles Angels

1966 Batting             Team    G   AVG    AB    H  2B  3B  HR   BB    K   SB  CS    R  RBI   SLG   OBP
Williams, Billy           LAA  161  .267   617  165  22   8  30   59   65    2   3   83   95  .475  .333
Aaron, Hank               LAA  149  .286   598  171  33   6  41   60   96    4   3   93  139  .567  .349
Aparicio, Luis            LAA  138  .298   577  172  27   8   4   39   59   29   7   88   37  .393  .341
Stephens, Gene            LAA  150  .312   570  178  25   9   9   51  116   12   1   94   72  .435  .370
Kindall, Jerry            LAA  160  .300   563  169  35   2  33   78  125    1   2   91  110  .545  .384
MacGillegowie, Pat        LAA  110  .280   436  122  27   2  11   30  111    7   1   63   41  .427  .328
Lau, Charlie              LAA  119  .282   425  120  21   3   6   43   67    1   0   53   42  .388  .345
Bradley, Chris            LAA  137  .312   413  129  24   1  22   51  100    4   0   79   69  .535  .389
Lange, Hugh               LAA  138  .249   382   95  23   0  17   17   64    3   0   49   60  .442  .283
Tompsett, Jim             LAA   94  .285   172   49  16   0   0    5   26    1   0   17   36  .378  .304
Carey, Andy               LAA   72  .193   150   29   3   0   1    9   36    0   0    6   14  .233  .244
Shepard, Jack             LAA   65  .313   112   35   8   0   2   18   21    0   0   15    8  .438  .412
Hughes, Tom               LAA   36  .136    88   12   2   0   0    5   15    0   0    7    3  .159  .181
Torres, Felix             LAA   25  .233    86   20   2   0   2    4   20    1   0    4    6  .326  .272
Taylor, Dick              LAA   66  .203    74   15   6   0   0    2   19    2   2    7    5  .284  .244
Brinkman, Ed              LAA   25  .227    66   15   3   0   0    6    7    0   0    7    4  .273  .311
Dowling, Dave             LAA   32  .125    56    7   3   0   0    4   20    0   0    3    2  .179  .183
Jarvis, Pat               LAA   37  .074    54    4   1   0   0    1   19    0   0    1    1  .093  .091
Tettelbach, Dick          LAA   46  .255    47   12   2   1   1    3    9    1   0    4    7  .404  .327
Talton, Tim               LAA   16  .163    43    7   3   0   0    1    3    0   0    5    0  .233  .200
Barragan, Cuno            LAA   17  .158    38    6   2   0   0    3   10    0   0    4    1  .211  .220
Jones, Charlton           LAA    9  .152    33    5   1   1   0    0   11    0   0    2    2  .242  .147
Snyder, Gene              LAA   17  .100    30    3   1   0   0    0   12    0   0    1    0  .133  .100
Malkmus, Bobby            LAA   16  .200    25    5   0   0   1    3    7    0   0    2    4  .320  .286
Kaat, Jim                 LAA    6  .158    19    3   1   0   0    0    7    0   0    2    0  .211  .158
Hartman, Bob              LAA    8  .059    17    1   0   0   0    1    3    0   0    0    0  .059  .111
Moford, Herb              LAA    6  .133    15    2   0   0   0    0    2    0   0    0    0  .133  .133
Throneberry, Marv         LAA   19  .429    14    6   0   0   1    1    5    0   0    3    2  .643  .438
Nelson, Luke              LAA    9  .222     9    2   1   0   0    0    0    0   0    1    0  .333  .222
Willett, Timmy            LAA    0  .500     2    1   0   0   0    0    0    0   0    0    0  .500  .500
Moffatt, Greg             LAA    1  .000     1    0   0   0   0    0    0    0   0    0    0  .000  .000
Dantie, Jason             LAA    0  .000     1    0   0   0   0    0    0    0   0    0    0  .000  .000

1966 Pitching            Team     IP   ERA    G  GS   W   L  SV    K   BB   R/9
Hughes, Tom               LAA  241.2  1.71   36  36  25   5   0   58   75  9.76
Dowling, Dave             LAA  180.1  3.49   32  32  15   7   0  112   59 11.28
Jarvis, Pat               LAA  178.2  4.48   37  37   8  13   0   95   47 11.28
Willett, Timmy            LAA  113.0  2.55   69   0   5   2   4   91   46 10.67
Hoad, Britt               LAA  112.2  2.96   75   0   6   8   6   78   42 10.07
Snyder, Gene              LAA  100.1  3.05   21  17   3   5   0   32   22 11.30
Kaat, Jim                 LAA   95.2  3.95   35   6   3   5   5   48   26 12.42
Woodeshick, Hal           LAA   79.2  5.87   59   0   7   5   3   37   49 15.14
Robinson, Humberto        LAA   63.2  2.97   38   0   4   0   2   25   31 11.73
Hartman, Bob              LAA   53.0  1.87    8   8   5   1   0   11    6  7.30
Aust, Dennis              LAA   50.2  0.89   45   0   7   0  27   34   10  5.68
Moford, Herb              LAA   43.2  3.50    8   6   3   1   0   10   13 11.95
Dantie, Jason             LAA   21.1  3.80   13   0   1   0   0   16    9 11.81
Ridzik, Steve             LAA    4.1  0.00    3   0   1   0   0    3    1  4.15
Tierney, Harris           LAA    0.1  0.00    1   0   0   0   0    0    0  0.00

[petrel]

New York Yankees

1966 Batting             Team    G   AVG    AB    H  2B  3B  HR   BB    K   SB  CS    R  RBI   SLG   OBP
Clemente, Roberto         NYY  143  .318   569  181  48  23  25   83   59    1   1  108  135  .615  .405
Petty, Stuart             NYY  154  .191   561  107  22   4   9   35  135    4   1   53   58  .292  .238
Oliver, Gene              NYY  155  .259   556  144  32   3  25   92  116    2   4   72  124  .462  .368
Pagan, Jose               NYY  140  .308   552  170  30   7  16   48   79    1   1   91   76  .475  .361
Temple, Johnny            NYY  132  .313   530  166  39   4   2   49   54   13   4  100   26  .413  .373
Killebrew, Harmon         NYY  158  .283   519  147  22   3  23  130  118    0   0   80  109  .470  .430
Skinner, Bob              NYY  160  .373   507  189  34   6  40  100   79    4   1  128  136  .700  .474
Jackson, Kevin            NYY  152  .219   439   96  19   1   1   37   98    1   1   40   25  .273  .291
Buford, Don               NYY  159  .335   340  114  19   1  21  116   45    7   4  107   71  .582  .508
DeJesus, Rafael           NYY   90  .289   187   54  10   0   4   19   36    0   0   29   30  .406  .363
Ward, Preston             NYY   88  .250   132   33  10   0   4   19   28    1   0   14   21  .417  .346
Ward, Jay                 NYY   38  .298   124   37  10   1   0   13   11    1   1   27    5  .395  .365
Proctor, Jim              NYY   40  .056   107    6   2   0   0    6   31    1   0    2    8  .075  .110
Maye, Lee                 NYY   60  .267    90   24   4   0   3    9   11    0   1   12   13  .411  .330
Renfroe, Marshall         NYY   36  .101    89    9   3   0   0    1   24    0   0    4    7  .135  .118
Osborne, Kelly            NYY   28  .151    73   11   0   1   0    2   29    0   0    3    7  .178  .184
Hendley, Bob              NYY   39  .181    72   13   1   0   0    1   21    0   0    4    7  .194  .192
Graff, Milt               NYY   24  .268    71   19   3   1   1    2   10    1   1   19    6  .380  .280
Berra, Yogi               NYY   27  .250    60   15   1   1   3    6    7    0   0    8   11  .450  .318
Kern, Bill                NYY   33  .314    35   11   2   0   0    1    1    0   0    2   11  .371  .316
Giallombardo, Bob         NYY   11  .179    28    5   0   0   0    0    5    0   0    1    2  .179  .172
Cline, Ty                 NYY   19  .364    22    8   0   0   0    2    3    0   0    5    1  .364  .440
Campbell, Jim             NYY    8  .150    20    3   0   0   0    0    6    0   0    1    1  .150  .150
Terry, Ralph              NYY    7  .100    10    1   0   0   0    0    3    0   0    0    0  .100  .100
Martinez, Tony            NYY    7  .556     9    5   0   0   0    0    1    0   0    3    0  .556  .556
Camilli, Doug             NYY    4  .000     2    0   0   0   0    1    0    0   0    0    1  .000  .333
Brady, Jim                NYY    0 1.000     2    2   0   0   0    0    0    0   0    0    0 1.000 1.000
Mendes, Eduard            NYY    1  .000     2    0   0   0   0    0    1    0   0    0    0  .000  .000
Giusti, Dave              NYY    0  .000     2    0   0   0   0    0    0    0   0    0    0  .000  .000
Northrup, Jim             NYY    2  .000     1    0   0   0   0    0    0    0   0    0    0  .000  .000
Cannizzaro, Chris         NYY    1  .000     1    0   0   0   0    3    1    0   0    1    0  .000  .750
Rakow, Ed                 NYY    0  .000     1    0   0   0   0    0    0    0   0    0    0  .000  .000
Priddy, Bob               NYY    0  .000     1    0   0   0   0    0    0    0   0    0    0  .000  .000
Boozer, John              NYY    0  .000     1    0   0   0   0    0    1    0   0    0    0  .000  .000

1966 Pitching            Team     IP   ERA    G  GS   W   L  SV    K   BB   R/9
Proctor, Jim              NYY  290.1  1.39   40  40  30   2   0  116   41  7.53
Renfroe, Marshall         NYY  245.1  2.60   36  36  24   3   0   87   69 10.31
Hendley, Bob              NYY  214.1  1.97   39  39  19   2   0  107   44  8.65
Osborne, Kelly            NYY  185.0  2.19   28  28  19   2   0  131   41  8.56
Brady, Jim                NYY  118.0  1.91   75   0  11   5   9   42   13  7.40
Rakow, Ed                 NYY   81.2  2.64   60   0   6   3   2   58   22  9.59
Giallombardo, Bob         NYY   75.1  2.27   11  11   7   0   0   26   16  9.80
Bauta, Ed                 NYY   65.2  3.29   52   0   5   5   8   41   23 11.92
McMahon, Don              NYY   54.1  1.99   51   0   6   0  33   43   22 10.93
Terry, Ralph              NYY   50.2  2.49   18   7   3   0   0   36   10 10.48
Priddy, Bob               NYY   38.0  0.71   21   0   5   1   3   19    8  8.05
Giusti, Dave              NYY   28.0  0.64   13   0   2   0   0   14    3  5.14
Boozer, John              NYY   24.0  2.63   15   0   1   0   0   15    4  9.75
Mendes, Eduard            NYY    6.0  0.00    1   1   1   0   0    5    2  9.00