Saturday 10/21/1963: Pizarro and Smith receive Cy Young Award
Juan Pizarro will never forget this year. His dominating season convinced the AL to name Minnesota's lefty the Cy Young Award winner of 1963. His ERA of 3.17 helped him to a 26-14 record this year. He struck out 309 and walked 131 in 377.1 innings. He has 30 complete games and 5 shutouts. He's 5th in the AL in ERA and 1st in wins! Frank Smith will never forget this year. His dominating season convinced the NL to name Cincinnati's right-hander the Cy Young Award winner of 1963. Frank has a record of 25-12 this season, with an ERA of 3.21. In 358.1 Innings he was able to strike out 318 batters. Frank has pitched 2 shutouts and 9 complete games. He's 1st in the NL in ERA and 2nd in wins! Smith wins the award for the 8th time in his 13-year career.
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Saturday 10/21/1963: Mays and Aaron win Most Valuable Player Award
Boston's centerfielder Willie Mays will never forget this day. A great season convinced the voters that he is the worthy AL Most Valuable Player Award winner. He has hit 46 bombs while batting .337 this season. His 190 hits and 105 walks add up to a .439 on-base percentage. He's 2nd in the AL in batting, 3rd in homeruns and 1st in RBI! Mays wins the award for the 3rd time in his 12-year career. A season for the ages earned Los Angeles (N)'s centerfielder Hank Aaron the NL Most Valuable Player Award this year. Aaron has hit 51 longballs this year while batting .346. He adds 37 doubles, along with 134 runs scored. He's 8th in the NL in batting, 3rd in homeruns and 2nd in RBI!
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Saturday 10/21/1963: Washington's Stargell earns Rookie Of The Year Award
The AL Rookie Of The Year Award winner was announced today, with Washington's first baseman Willie Stargell earning the trophy for putting up the best numbers among rookies in his league. Willie has gone 149 for 507 (.294) this season, hitting 43 taters and driving in 116 runs. He has scored 99 runs on his own. He's 8th in the AL in RBIs and 4th in homeruns! The NL Rookie Of The Year Award winner was announced today as well, with Houston's pitcher Dean Chance earning the trophy for putting up the best numbers among rookies in his league. In 38 starts this year Dean struck out 234 batters in 312.1 innings of work. His ERA is 3.26, his record 21-11. He has 22 complete games and 4 shutouts. He's 2nd in the NL in ERA and 5th in wins!
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Monday 10/9/1963: Los Angeles (N)'s Callison wins Player of the Week award
The AL Player of the Week award goes to Juan Pizarro, one of Minnesota's best starting pitchers. He was in a zone all week, compiling an ERA of 1.00 while going 2-0. He hurled a shutout as well. Juan has a record of 26-14 this season, with an ERA of 3.17. In 377.1 Innings he was able to strike out 309 batters. He has 30 complete games and 5 shutouts. He's 5th in the AL in ERA and 1st in wins! The NL Player of the Week award goes to Johnny Callison, Los Angeles (N)'s starting rightfielder. Callison helped his team with an average of .500 and 8 RBI in 16 at bats. Callison has hit 17 bombs this year while batting .328. He adds 42 doubles, along with 107 runs scored.
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Sunday 10/8/1963: Harry Anderson drills 5 hits
ST. LOUIS (N) - Harry Anderson hits 'em where they ain't. St. Louis (N) certainly agrees as Cincinnati's leftfielder unloaded five hits, adding to his reputation of being one of the best pure hitters in the game. In the 1st inning he belted a RBI double off Don Schwall. In the 2nd inning he belted a two-run double off Don Schwall. His 3rd hit was a double off Don Schwall in the 5th inning. His 5th hit, a two-run homerun off Barry Latman in the 8th inning, landed an estimated 390 feet from home plate. He collected a single in the 7th. Harry did drive in 5 while scoring 5 runs on his own. His 5 hit performance increases his batting average to .318. The final score of the game was 20-10.
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Monday 10/2/1963: Cleveland's Kuenn wins Player of the Week award
Harvey Kuenn wins his 3rd Player of the Week award. AL pitchers couldn't figure out how to retire this guy all week long. Harvey went 12 for 26 (.462), while hitting 3 HR and collecting 9 RBI. The NL's best player of the week was Los Angeles (N)'s Duke Snider, who wins the award for the 32nd time in his career. Duke pounded opposing pitchers, hitting .520 with 5 HR and 13 RBI while slugging 1.120. Duke has gone 176 for 569 (.309) this season, hitting 53 homeruns and driving in 141 runs. He has scored 123 runs on his own. He's 4th in the NL in RBIs and 2nd in homeruns!
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Sunday 10/1/1963: Gibson and Chance receive Pitcher of the Month award
The best month of September in the AL certainly had Washington's right-hander Bob Gibson, earning him the Pitcher of the Month award. His record of 5-1 in 6 was among the leagues best this month. In 56 innings of work he allowed just 37 hits while striking out 39, compiling an ERA of just 1.77. Bob got two complete game shutouts as well! In 32 starts this year Bob struck out 206 batters in 278.1 innings of work. His ERA is 3.56, his record 20-10. Bob has pitched 3 shutouts and 27 complete games. He's 8th in the AL in ERA and 7th in wins! Dean Chance couldn't have pitched much better than he did in September, and the NL thought so as well, naming the right-hander Pitcher of the Month. He struck out 58 hitters in his 7 starts, putting together a record of 7-0 while pitching 58 innings. His ERA in September was 2.00. Dean fired two shutouts! In 37 starts this year Dean struck out 226 batters in 304.1 innings of work. His ERA is 3.28, his record 20-11. Dean has pitched 4 shutouts and 22 complete games. He's 3rd in the NL in ERA and 5th in wins!
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Sunday 10/1/1963: Chicago (A)'s Gentile earns Batter of the Month award
The AL's best player of the month was Chicago (A)'s Jim Gentile, who wins the award for the 1st time in his career. In 90 at bats he hit .367 with 11 HR and 30 RBI. His season numbers are: .261 AVG, 135 hits, 15 doubles, no triples and 46 taters, along with 116 RBI and 107 runs scored. He's 5th in the AL in RBIs and 2nd in homeruns! The NL Batter of the Month award goes to Hank Aaron, Los Angeles (N)'s starting centerfielder. Hank was on fire, hitting .396 with 12 homeruns and 27 RBI. Hank has gone 199 for 572 (.348) this season, hitting 48 taters and driving in 144 runs. He has scored 131 runs on his own. He's 7th in the NL in batting, 3rd in homeruns and 3rd in RBI!
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Tuesday 9/26/1963: Kansas City's Fischer out for 5 weeks
KANSAS CITY - When it rains, it pours. Kansas City's right-hander Bill Fischer will not pitch for at least 5 weeks, handing the team a huge setback. He suffered a serious injury in a game against Detroit where he left the field in the 7th inning. Doctors examined him after the game and diagnosed a Spasms Back which will require surgery. Opposing players hit .283 against Bill this season. While posting an ERA of 4.30 he went 12-20 in 41 starts, fanning 125 and walking 69 hitters. Bill has pitched 3 shutouts and 11 complete games.
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Monday 9/25/1963: Los Angeles (N)'s Duke Snider slams three taters
PITTSBURGH - three dingers in one game is certainly something special, especially for Duke Snider who did it against Pittsburgh, at age 37! His 1st shot, a solo homerun off Stan Williams in the 1st inning, cleared the fence in right-center. A 462 foot drive to left-center marked his 2nd bomb, a three-run homerun off Stan Williams in the 2nd inning. Number 3 in the 5th inning, a shot estimated at 440 feet, cleared the wall in center field. Overall he finished with 4 hits in 6 AB, with three runs scored and driving in 9 runs. Los Angeles (N) scored 16 runs on 18 hits.
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Monday 9/25/1963: Gentile (CHA) and Friend (LAN) win P.O.W. award
The Player of the Week award in the AL goes to Chicago (A)'s Jim Gentile this time, as the first baseman displayed the best offensive perfomance in his league. Jim was on fire, hitting .474 with 4 HR and 12 RBI. Jim managed to drive in at least one run in every game he played this week. The Player of the Week award in the NL goes to Los Angeles (N)'s Bob Friend this time, as the pitcher displayed the best pitching perfomance in his league. Friend was overpowering all week long, going 2-0 with an ERA of 2.55. Along the way he struck out 10 in 17.2 innings. A complete game added to his brilliant performance. Bob has a record of 24-12 this season, with an ERA of 4.22. In 347.1 Innings he was able to strike out 212 batters. Bob has pitched 3 shutouts and 20 complete games. He's 1st in the NL in wins!
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Sunday 9/24/1963: Chicago (N)'s Pinson severely injured
CHICAGO (N) - Chicago (N)'s players were scared when they had to watch Vada Pinson suffer a serious injury when he dove for a ball in the game against Milwaukee. He collapsed in pain and was helped off the field. Pinson will probaby miss 9 weeks. Chicago (N) wasted no time and rushed him to an hospital. Team officials were informed later that Pinson had suffered a Herniated Disc Back. While compiling an on base percentage of .411, Vada hit .355 and slugged .580. He has collected 92 runs batted in this year. He's 6th in the NL in batting!
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Sunday 9/24/1963: Bob Gibson turns in great performance against Kansas City
KANSAS CITY - Great days are rare. But not for Washington's right-hander Bob Gibson. Kansas City found out the hard way that he is among the leagues top pitchers, getting just 2 hits. It's his 3rd shutout this season, and the 9th time he has done it in his career. 'Hey, that's my job! Everytime I take the mound I give the best I can. And my best stuff was too much for them today.' Gibson (19-10) struck out 5 and issued 5 BB, throwing 70 of 128 pitches for strikes. Ed Charles helped Gibson at the plate, he stroked 2 hits in 4 AB, stroking a double, with 2 RBI. Washington scored 4 runs on 10 hits.
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Tuesday 9/19/1963: Chicago (A)'s Jim Gentile slams three taters
CHICAGO (A) - Jim Gentile powered Chicago (A) to a 13-1 win over Los Angeles (A). He did it in style by homering three times. A pitch from Ken Mcbride in the 4th inning left his bat for a solo homerun, landing 396 feet from home plate in left field. His 2nd blast, a three-run homerun off Ken Mcbride in the 6th inning, landed an estimated 412 feet from home plate. His 3rd shot, off Bob Davis in the 7th inning, was a two-run homerun and cleared the fence in center field. Overall he went 3 for 5, scoring three runs with 6 RBI. His homerun total this year is 44, along with 108 RBI.
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Tuesday 9/19/1963: Pete Whisenant punishes New York (A) with three dingers
CLEVELAND - Pete Whisenant powered Cleveland to a 17-6 win over New York (A). He did it in style by homering three times. A pitch from Karl Spooner in the 1st inning left his bat for a GRAND SLAM, landing 395 feet from home plate in left-center. Number 2 in the 4th inning, a shot estimated at 382 feet, cleared the wall in right field. A 435 foot drive to center field marked his 3rd bomb, a three-run homerun off Marshall Bridges in the 7th inning. Pete stroked 4 hits in 5 AB, stroking a double, scoring FOUR runs and driving in 9 runs. Mickey Mantle was the last player to hit 3 homeruns in a game, doing it 8/29/1963.
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Monday 9/18/1963: Hoeft and Aaron win Player of the Week award
Detroit's pitcher Billy Hoeft had some reason to celebrate, as the league named him the AL Player of the Week. Hoeft was overpowering all week long, going 2-0 with an ERA of 2.25. Along the way he struck out 11 in 16 innings. He hurled a shutout as well. Los Angeles (N)'s centerfielder Hank Aaron had some reason to celebrate as well, as the league named him the NL Player of the Week. In 26 at bats he hit .500 with 4 HR and 10 RBI. His season numbers are: .344 AVG, 182 hits, 34 doubles, 7 triples and 43 homeruns, along with 133 RBI and 122 runs scored. He's 7th in the NL in batting, 3rd in homeruns and 3rd in RBI!
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Monday 9/11/1963: J.c. Martin uncorks cycle hits against Philadelphia (N)
PHILADELPHIA (N) - J.c. Martin is a pretty good hitter, but his 4 hit performance seemed to surprise even himself considering that the hits added up to the cycle, one of the most difficult things to accomplish in baseball. His 1st hit was a RBI double off Art Mahaffey in the 2nd inning. The game was tied, 2-2, after the blast. A pitch from Art Mahaffey in the 4th inning left his bat for a two-run homerun, landing 347 feet from home plate in right field. In the 6th inning he unloaded a triple off Art Mahaffey. A single in the 9th off Ted Sadowski accounted for his 4th hit. That drive completed the cycle, causing a smile on his face! J.c. scored 4 runs, and he collected 4 RBI as well! He now has a total of 38 hits this season, accounting for a .259 batting average. He's now the 23rd player in league history to hit for the cycle! On 5/19/1963, Woodie Held was the last player to hit for the cycle.
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Monday 9/11/1963: Minnesota has no chance in a 1-hitter by Billy Hoeft
DETROIT - With his best stuff going, Detroit's Billy Hoeft overmatched the opposing hitters all day long. Minnesota had no chance, collecting just one hit against the left-hander. Hoeft (15-15) struck out 6 and walked 4, throwing 73 of 132 pitches for strikes. 'Today I just felt fine. I had a good feeling while warming up.' Al Kaline helped Hoeft at the plate, he went 2 for 3, hitting a homerun. Detroit scored 1 run on 7 hits.
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Monday 9/11/1963: Los Angeles (A)'s Wagner wins Player of the Week award
Leon Wagner from Los Angeles (A) wins his 2nd Player of the Week award for putting up the best numbers this week in the AL. He hit .481 with 11 RBI and slugged 1.111 in 27 at bats. The NL Player of the Week award goes to Vada Pinson, Chicago (N)'s starting rightfielder. He had an on base percentage of .500 and hit .514, while driving in 8 runs. Pinson has walked 52 times this year and posts a .406 OBP. While batting .349, 182 for 522, he has driven in 83 runs. He's 7th in the NL in batting!
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Sunday 9/10/1963: Ray Washburn shuts out Pittsburgh on 2 hits
PHILADELPHIA (N) - It was a great day for Philadelphia (N)'s right-hander Ray Washburn. The 25-year old recorded his first career shutout, a 2-hitter, against Pittsburgh on Sunday. 'I had my stuff going. Everything I tried worked. What a day!' Washburn (10-9) struck out 5 and walked none, throwing 64 of 108 pitches for strikes. Gil Mcdougald provided Philadelphia (N) with the offense Washburn needed as he finished 2 for 3, hitting a homerun, scoring two runs with 2 RBI. The final score of the game was 8-0.
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Tuesday 9/5/1963: Bob Grim quiets Cleveland bats with shutout
KANSAS CITY - Bob Grim had some fun again. Cleveland hitters did not. Kansas City's right-hander gave up just one hit in his 2nd shutout of the season. He now has 7 career shutouts in 211 games started. Grim (12-7) struck out 6 and walked 4, throwing 60 of 105 pitches for strikes. 'Hey, that's my job! Everytime I take the mound I give the best I can. And my best stuff was too much for them today.' George Altman provided Kansas City with the offense Grim needed as he went 1 for 3, homering once, and collecting 3 RBI. Kansas City improved its record to 64-71, scoring 4 runs on 7 hits.
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Monday 9/4/1963: Bob Nieman ropes 2000th career hit
PITTSBURGH - Milwaukee's rightfielder Bob Nieman already had some highlights in his career, and today he added another one, getting his 2000th career hit. He hit a double in the 7th off Stan Williams for number 2000. His best year so far was 1957 where he hit .375 with 23 homeruns and 90 RBI. 'Wow. That is all I can say now. I'm thrilled.'
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Monday 9/4/1963: Player of the Week honors go to Mantle and Versalles
It's the 15th time that the AL Player of the Week award goes to New York (A)'s centerfielder Mickey Mantle. Mantle helped his team with an average of .364 and 9 RBI in 22 at bats. Mickey is hitting .280 this year, with 118 hits in 421 at bats. He has driven in 81 runs, slugging .570. The NL's best player of the week was St. Louis (N)'s Zoilo Versalles, who wins the award for the 1st time in his career. He had an on base percentage of .440 and hit .440, while driving in 10 runs. His season features a batting average of .260 (113 hits in 434 AB), 31 doubles, 3 triples and 7 longballs. Versalles collected 48 RBI and 62 runs as well.
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Friday 9/1/1963: Pitcher of the Month award winners announced
Winner of this months AL Pitcher of the Month award is Chicago (A)'s Billy O'dell. He struck out 24 hitters in his 7 starts, putting together a record of 6-0 while pitching 24 innings. His ERA in August was 2.48. Billy also fired a shutout. Opposing players hit .266 against Billy this season. While posting an ERA of 4.58 he went 15-12 in 33 starts, fanning 129 and walking 89 hitters. Billy has pitched one shutout and 12 complete games. It's the 1st time that the NL Pitcher of the Month award goes to St. Louis (N)'s pitcher Moe Drabowsky. He started 7 games in August, going 5-1 and compiling an ERA of 1.56 in 57.2 innings. Moe fanned 40 hitters. His ERA of 4.04 helped him to a 15-10 record this year. He struck out 149 and walked 66 in 222.2 innings. He's 10th in the NL in ERA and 6th in wins!
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Friday 9/1/1963: Mays (BOS) and Torre (PHI) win monthly award
The AL's best player of the month was Boston's Willie Mays, who wins the award for the 10th time in his career. He had an on base percentage of .509 and hit .398, while driving in 25 runs. This year Mays drove in 121 and scored 113 runs while batting .349 with 35 homeruns. He's 2nd in the AL in batting, 3rd in homeruns and 1st in RBI! The Batter of the Month award in the NL goes to Philadelphia (N)'s Joe Torre this time, as the catcher displayed the best offensive perfomance in his league. He had an on base percentage of .434 and hit .366, while driving in 28 runs. His season features a batting average of .333 (143 hits in 430 AB), 30 doubles, 4 triples and 16 taters. Torre collected 76 RBI and 74 runs as well.
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Wednesday 8/30/1963: Baltimore has no chance in a 1-hitter by Dick Hyde
BALTIMORE - Baltimore's hitters looked uncomfortable, and Chicago (A)'s Dick Hyde didn't help them. The right-hander fired his 1st shutout of the season, a 1-hitter. Hyde (9-10) struck out 4 and walked 1, throwing 56 of 87 pitches for strikes. 'Today I just felt fine. I had a good feeling while warming up.' Chicago (A)'s second baseman Billy Martin stroked 1 hit in 4 AB, homering once, scoring two runs and driving in 3 runs. That was enough to support the brilliant performance of Hyde. Chicago (A) scored 8 runs on 9 hits.
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Tuesday 8/29/1963: Ron Mrozinski quiets Los Angeles (N) bats with shutout
NEW YORK (N) - New York (N)'s southpaw Ron Mrozinski will never forget this day. The 32-year old recorded his first career shutout, a 1-hitter, against Los Angeles (N) on Tuesday. 'I was hitting my spots. Now I'll start concentrating on my next start, and hopefully it will work again.' Mrozinski (2-6) struck out 6 and issued 2 BB, throwing 68 of 111 pitches for strikes. New York (N)'s first baseman Ed Kranepool got 2 hits in 3 AB, hitting a double, with 2 RBI. That was enough to support the brilliant performance of Mrozinski. The final score of the game was 3-0.
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Monday 8/28/1963: Cepeda and Coogan win Player of the Week award
It's the 10th time that the AL Player of the Week award goes to Kansas City's first baseman Orlando Cepeda. He hit .423 with 13 RBI and slugged .962 in 26 at bats. He got at least one hit each game this week and is on a 9 game hitting streak right now. The NL Player of the Week award goes to Dale Coogan, Pittsburgh's starting first baseman. In 19 at bats he hit .632 with 2 HR and 6 RBI.
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Sunday 8/27/1963: Willie Mays ropes 500th career homerun
BOSTON - Boston's centerfielder Willie Mays made baseball history today, collecting his 500th career homerun! A 425 foot drive to right-center marked his 500th career bomb, a solo homerun off Jack Sanford in the 2nd inning. Along with his 500 homeruns, Willie collected 2097 hits and 1482 RBI in 12 seasons. Willie has managed to hit 30+ homeruns in a season 11 times, and he topped 40 homeruns 6 times. 'Baseball is a great game, and adding something to it's history is smething I've always wanted. What a great day!' The Hall of Fame already has reserved a place for this great player.
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Thursday 8/24/1963: Stan Williams pitches 2-hit shutout against Houston
PITTSBURGH - Stan Williams took the mound and never left. And Houston hitters couldn't touch him at all. Pittsburgh's right-hander gave up just 2 hits in his 1st shutout of the season. He now has 7 career shutouts in 95 games started. 'Things like that happen. You take the mound and everything works. My velocity was pretty good today and I guess it showed.' Williams (14-7) struck out 9 and issued 4 BB, throwing 65 of 123 pitches for strikes. The hitting star for Pittsburgh was first baseman Dale Coogan, he finished with 3 hits in 4 AB, stroking two 2B's, with 2 RBI. Pittsburgh scored 2 runs on 7 hits.
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Monday 8/21/1963: Philadelphia (N)'s Mccovey wins Player of the Week award
The AL's best player of the week was Kansas City's Orlando Cepeda, who wins the award for the 9th time in his career. He hit .444 with 9 RBI and slugged 1.037 in 27 at bats. Cepeda has hit for a .346 average this season. He has 64 extra base hits along with 281 total bases, resulting in a .623 slugging percentage. He's 3rd in the AL in batting, 4th in homeruns and 7th in RBI! Willie Mccovey wins his 1st Player of the Week award. NL pitchers couldn't figure out how to retire this guy all week long. Willie was on fire, hitting .480 with 2 HR and 6 RBI. He got at least one hit each game this week and is on a 9 game hitting streak right now. Mccovey has walked 49 times this year and posts a .382 OBP. While batting .307, 118 for 384, he has driven in 58 runs.
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Thursday 8/17/1963: Dean Chance pitches 1-hit shutout against Chicago (N)
HOUSTON - Houston's right-hander Dean Chance didn't look unexperienced at all. The 22 year old pitched a 1-hit shutout against Chicago (N), recording his 2nd shutout of the season. 'I was able to keep´em off balance. That certainly helped.' Chance (11-11) fanned 8 and walked 4, throwing 128 pitches. Faye Throneberry provided Houston with the offense Chance needed as he got 2 hits in 4 AB, homering twice, scoring twice and driving in 2 runs. Houston improved its record to 53-66, scoring 5 runs on 10 hits.
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Wednesday 8/16/1963: Pittsburgh's Buzhardt out for 8 weeks
PITTSBURGH - Pittsburgh's ace John Buzhardt suffered a severe injury on Wednesday and will be out for at least 8 weeks. In the 3rd of the game against Philadelphia (N) he experienced pain in his throwing arm and had to leave the game. Buzhardt was rushed to an hospital near the ballpark, where doctors took x-rays. Those revealed the serious injury, Strained Elbow Ligament. Opposing players hit .248 against John this season. While posting an ERA of 3.92 he went 14-6 in 25 starts, fanning 110 and walking 81 hitters. He's 6th in the NL in ERA and 6th in wins!
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Wednesday 8/16/1963: Don Drysdale (BOS) will miss 7 weeks
BOSTON - When it rains, it pours. Boston's ace Don Drysdale will not pitch for at least 7 weeks, handing the team a huge setback. He suffered a serious injury in a game against Cleveland where he left the field in the 5th inning. Boston wasted no time and rushed him to an hospital. Team officials were informed later that Drysdale had suffered a Ruptured Bicep Tendon. This season Drysdale compiled an ERA of 2.52, going 19-8 in 30 starts. He fanned 198 while giving up 221 hits in 253.2 innings. He has 22 complete games and one shutout. He's 2nd in the AL in ERA and 2nd in wins!
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Monday 8/14/1963: Gentile and Del greco win Player of the Week award
Chicago (A)'s first baseman Jim Gentile had some reason to celebrate, as the league named him the AL Player of the Week. Jim was on fire, hitting .500 with 5 HR and 14 RBI. He has hit 33 bombs while batting .244 this season. His 92 hits and 84 walks add up to a .390 on-base percentage. Bobby Del greco wins his 2nd Player of the Week award. NL pitchers couldn't figure out how to retire this guy all week long. In 23 at bats he hit .478 with 5 HR and 11 RBI. He now has homered in 4 consecutive games as well! He has hit 22 homeruns while batting .307 this season. His 119 hits and 64 walks add up to a .420 on-base percentage.
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Monday 8/7/1963: Clemente (BOS) and Demeter (PIT) win P.O.W. award
Roberto Clemente wins his 3rd Player of the Week award. AL pitchers couldn't figure out how to retire this guy all week long. In 32 at bats he hit .406 with 6 HR and 13 RBI. Roberto has gone 128 for 404 (.317) this season, hitting 26 taters and driving in 85 runs. He has scored 81 runs on his own. He's 3rd in the AL in RBIs and 4th in homeruns! It's the 3rd time that the NL Player of the Week award goes to Pittsburgh's centerfielder Don Demeter. In 22 at bats he hit .455 with 3 HR and 12 RBI. He has hit 33 homeruns while batting .353 this season. His 141 hits and 42 walks add up to a .424 on-base percentage. He's 7th in the NL in batting, 3rd in homeruns and 1st in RBI!
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Sunday 8/6/1963: Bill Stafford pitches his 2nd shutout of the season
MINNESOTA - Bill Stafford had his best stuff going, and New York (A) hitters were chanceless. Minnesota's right-hander fired a 2-hitter, his 2nd shutout of the season. Stafford (11-16) struck out 5 and issued 2 BB, throwing 61 of 105 pitches for strikes. 'Pitching a great game is always a good thing. And it doesn't get much better than today.' Wes Covington helped Stafford at the plate, he finished 2 for 4, blasting a homerun, and collecting 4 RBI. The final score of the game was 7-0.
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Saturday 8/5/1963: Kansas City's Killebrew severely injured
KANSAS CITY - Kansas City's season has taken a hit after one of their best players, third baseman Harmon Killebrew, injured himself while rounding a base. He is likely to miss 8 weeks. After being examined by several specialists the diagnosis is clear: Fractured Knee. Harmon is hitting .279 this year, with 92 hits in 330 at bats. He has driven in 68 runs, slugging .509.
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Wednesday 8/2/1963: Boston's Roberto Clemente has great day, hits three longballs
NEW YORK (A) - Roberto Clemente powered Boston to a 6-1 win over New York (A). He did it in style by homering three times. His 1st shot, off Whitey Ford in the 1st inning, was a two-run homerun and cleared the fence in right field. In the 2nd inning he unloaded a two-run homerun off Whitey Ford. His 3rd blast, a solo homerun off Whitey Ford in the 6th inning, landed an estimated 414 feet from home plate. Roberto finished 4 for 5, stroking a double, scoring three runs with 5 RBI. Ken Boyer was the last player to hit 3 homeruns in a game, doing it 7/20/1963.
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Tuesday 8/1/1963: Hamilton and Smith receive Pitcher of the Month award
Los Angeles (A)'s pitcher Steve Hamilton is the AL winner of the Pitcher of the Month award in July. He started 5 games in July, going 4-0 and compiling an ERA of 1.67 in 43 innings. Steve fanned 26 hitters. Steve got two complete game shutouts as well! This season Hamilton compiled an ERA of 3.99, going 8-8 in 22 starts. He fanned 122 while giving up 142 hits in 162.1 innings. Steve has pitched 2 shutouts and 5 complete games. Cincinnati's Frank Smith had a terrific July, and it earned him the NL Pitcher of the month award. He started 7 games in July, going 6-0 and compiling an ERA of 3.21 in 53.1 innings. Frank fanned 41 hitters. This season Smith compiled an ERA of 3.20, going 16-9 in 29 starts. He fanned 189 while giving up 200 hits in 219.1 innings. He has 4 complete games and one shutout. He's 1st in the NL in ERA and 2nd in wins!
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Tuesday 8/1/1963: Boston's Boyer earns Batter of the Month award
The AL's best player of the month was Boston's Ken Boyer, who wins the award for the 3rd time in his career. He hit .440 with 23 RBI and slugged .821 in 84 at bats. Boyer has hit 18 bombs this year while batting .324. He adds 13 doubles, along with 75 runs scored. He's 9th in the AL in batting! The NL's best player of the month was Milwaukee's Frank Howard, who wins the award for the 2nd time in his career. Frank was on fire, hitting .368 with 14 homeruns and 42 RBI. His season numbers are: .295 AVG, 114 hits, 15 doubles, one triple and 42 taters, along with 114 RBI and 83 runs scored. He's 1st in the NL in RBIs and 1st in homeruns!
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Monday 7/31/1963: Boston's Mays wins Player of the Week award
Willie Mays wins his 15th Player of the Week award. AL pitchers couldn't figure out how to retire this guy all week long. He had an on base percentage of .545 and hit .526, while driving in 11 runs. Mays has walked 64 times this year and posts a .436 OBP. While batting .336, 117 for 348, he has driven in 93 runs. He's 3rd in the AL in batting, 7th in homeruns and 2nd in RBI! Los Angeles (N)'s pitcher Bob Friend had some reason to celebrate as well, as the league named him the NL Player of the Week. Friend was overpowering all week long, going 2-0 with an ERA of 0.50. Along the way he struck out 8 in 18 innings. He hurled a shutout as well.
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Friday 7/28/1963: Earl Wilson pitches his 1st shutout of the season
NEW YORK (A) - New York (A)'s bats were sleeping, and Washington's Earl Wilson gave them no chance to wake up. He gave up just 2 hits in recording his 1st shutout of the season. 'I was hitting my spots. Now I'll start concentrating on my next start, and hopefully it will work again.' Wilson (10-9) struck out 5 and issued 3 BB, throwing 61 of 121 pitches for strikes. Willie Stargell helped Wilson at the plate, he finished with 2 hits in 4 AB, blasting a homerun. The final score of the game was 2-0.
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Thursday 7/27/1963: Bill Fischer dominates Los Angeles (A), gives up just one hit
KANSAS CITY - Los Angeles (A)'s offense is struggling, and Kansas City's Bill Fischer didn't help them. The right-hander fired his 3rd shutout of the season, a 1-hitter. The bid for a no-hitter was broken up when Leon Wagner singled with no outs in the 5th inning. Fischer (9-13) fanned none and walked 2, throwing 108 pitches. 'Giving my team a chance to win is the most important thing for me. I was able to do it today.' George Altman provided Kansas City with the offense Fischer needed as he went 1 for 1, hitting a homerun, and driving in 2 runs. Kansas City scored 2 runs on 7 hits.
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Monday 7/24/1963: Art Mahaffey pitches 1-hit shutout against New York (N)
PHILADELPHIA (N) - New York (N)'s hitters looked uncomfortable, and Philadelphia (N)'s Art Mahaffey didn't help them. The right-hander fired his 1st shutout of the season, a 1-hitter. 'I was hitting my spots. Now I'll start concentrating on my next start, and hopefully it will work again.' Mahaffey (13-12) struck out 5 and walked 5, throwing 68 of 118 pitches for strikes. Richie Ashburn helped Mahaffey at the plate, he finished 1 for 1, doubling once. Philadelphia (N) improved its record to 46-51, scoring 1 run on 7 hits.
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Monday 7/24/1963: Boyer (BOS) and Howard (MIL) win P.O.W. award
The Player of the Week award in the AL goes to Boston's Ken Boyer this time, as the third baseman displayed the best offensive perfomance in his league. Boyer helped his team with an average of .545 and 7 RBI in 22 at bats. The NL's best player of the week was Milwaukee's Frank Howard, who wins the award for the 4th time in his career. Frank was on fire, hitting .429 with 4 HR and 19 RBI.
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Thursday 7/20/1963: Boston's Ken Boyer has great day, hits three longballs
BOSTON - Ken Boyer was in a groove, and the results spoke for themselves. He powered Boston to a 10-1 win over Kansas City by homering three times. His 1st blast, a solo homerun off Ron Taylor in the 2nd inning, landed an estimated 420 feet from home plate. In the 4th inning he unloaded a solo homerun off Ron Taylor. A 429 foot drive to center field marked his 3rd bomb, a three-run homerun off Ron Taylor in the 5th inning. Overall he stroked 4 hits in 4 AB, scoring FOUR times and collecting 5 RBI. His homerun total this year is 18, along with 54 RBI.
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Monday 7/17/1963: Cincinnati's White wins Player of the Week award
The AL's best player of the week was Detroit's Al Kaline, who wins the award for the 4th time in his career. Al went 10 for 27 (.370), while hitting 4 HR and collecting 10 RBI. He has hit 22 bombs while batting .307 this season. His 101 hits and 47 walks add up to a .388 on-base percentage. He's 3rd in the AL in RBIs and 6th in homeruns! The NL Player of the Week award goes to Bill White, Cincinnati's starting second baseman. White helped his team with an average of .517 and 13 RBI in 29 at bats.
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Monday 7/3/1963: Covington (MIN) and Del greco (STL) win P.O.W. award
Wes Covington wins his 3rd Player of the Week award. AL pitchers couldn't figure out how to retire this guy all week long. Wes went 14 for 29 (.483), while hitting 3 HR and collecting 13 RBI. Wes managed to drive in at least one run in every game he played this week. Bobby Del greco from St. Louis (N) wins his 1st Player of the Week award for putting up the best numbers this week in the NL. In 20 at bats he hit .600 with 3 HR and 7 RBI.
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Saturday 7/1/1963: St. Louis (N)'s Schwall named Pitcher of the Month
It's the 4th time that the AL Pitcher of the Month award goes to Minnesota's pitcher Juan Pizarro. He started 7 games in June, going 7-0 and compiling an ERA of 2.18 in 62 innings. Juan fanned 53 hitters. Juan pitched a shutout as well. His ERA of 3.08 helped him to a 14-7 record this year. He struck out 153 and walked 66 in 187 innings. He has 15 complete games and 2 shutouts. He's 4th in the AL in ERA and 2nd in wins! It's the 1st time that the NL Pitcher of the Month award goes to St. Louis (N)'s pitcher Don Schwall. He struck out 15 hitters in his 4 starts, putting together a record of 3-0 while pitching 15 innings. His ERA in June was 1.59. Don has a record of 3-0 this season, with an ERA of 1.59. In 34 Innings he was able to strike out 15 batters.
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Saturday 7/1/1963: Kansas City's Cepeda earns Batter of the Month award
The Batter of the Month award in the AL goes to Kansas City's Orlando Cepeda this time, as the first baseman displayed the best offensive perfomance in his league. Orlando went 41 for 98 (.418), while hitting 7 HR and collecting 22 RBI. Cepeda has walked 17 times this year and posts a .390 OBP. While batting .357, 105 for 294, he has driven in 55 runs. He's 2nd in the AL in batting, 6th in homeruns and 10th in RBI! Duke Snider of Los Angeles (N) wins his 19th Batter of the Month award for putting up the best numbers in the NL. In 86 at bats he hit .453 with 10 HR and 26 RBI. Duke is hitting .368 this year, with 102 hits in 277 at bats. He has driven in 74 runs, slugging .693. He's 4th in the NL in batting, 2nd in homeruns and 4th in RBI!
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Friday 6/30/1963: New York (N) has no chance in a 2-hitter by Jerry Walker
CHICAGO (N) - Chicago (N)'s right-hander Jerry Walker will never forget this day. The 24-year old recorded his first career shutout, a 2-hitter, against New York (N) on Friday. 'Hey, that's my job! Everytime I take the mound I give the best I can. And my best stuff was too much for them today.' Walker (1-0) fanned 6 and walked 1, throwing 125 pitches. Johnny Romano provided Chicago (N) with the offense Walker needed as he collected 1 hit in 2 trips to the plate, homering once. Chicago (N) scored 1 run on 3 hits.
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Monday 6/26/1963: Washington's Stargell wins Player of the Week award
The AL Player of the Week award goes to Willie Stargell, Washington's starting first baseman. Willie was on fire, hitting .462 with 3 HR and 9 RBI. The NL Player of the Week award goes to Paul Smith, Milwaukee's starting leftfielder. Smith helped his team with an average of .500 and 5 RBI in 26 at bats. He got at least one hit each game this week and is on a 8 game hitting streak right now. He now has homered in 3 consecutive games as well!
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Saturday 6/24/1963: Al Aber out for 6 weeks
CHICAGO (N) - Chicago (N)'s ace Al Aber suffered a severe injury on Saturday and will be out for at least 6 weeks. In the 3rd of the game against Philadelphia (N) he experienced pain in his throwing arm and had to leave the game. Strained Tricep Muscle was the diagnosis after x-rays were taken in a nearby hospital. The message shocked teammates and team officials. This season Aber compiled an ERA of 5.07, going 7-10 in 20 starts. He fanned 78 while giving up 143 hits in 136.2 innings. He has 5 complete games and one shutout.
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Saturday 6/24/1963: Bob Shaw dominates New York (N), gives up just 2 hits
NEW YORK (N) - With his best stuff going, Milwaukee's Bob Shaw overmatched the opposing hitters all day long. New York (N) had no chance, collecting just 2 hits against the right-hander. 'I'll have to give a lot of credit to my catcher. He put all the right fingers down today.' Shaw (2-1) fanned 3 and walked 1, throwing 97 pitches. Paul Smith provided Milwaukee with the offense Shaw needed as he got 4 hits in 5 AB, blasting a homerun, scoring two runs. Milwaukee improved its record to 36-39, scoring 5 runs on 16 hits.
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Friday 6/23/1963: Houston's Haller severely injured
HOUSTON - Houston's catcher Tom Haller will miss about 7-8 weeks after being knocked unconscious in a collision at home plate, in the 8th inning of the game between Houston and Los Angeles (N). He was helped off the field after the incident. Haller will miss at least 7-8 weeks. After being examined by several specialists the diagnosis is clear: Fractured Hip. This year Haller drove in 37 and scored 37 runs while batting .310 with 16 homeruns.
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Wednesday 6/21/1963: Don Mincher parks three against Detroit
MINNESOTA - Don Mincher was in a groove, and the results spoke for themselves. He powered Minnesota to a 18-5 win over Detroit by homering three times. In the 3rd inning he unloaded a GRAND SLAM off Jim Bunning. His 2nd shot, a two-run homerun off Bob Smith in the 4th inning, cleared the fence in right-center. His 3rd blast, a solo homerun off Joe Black in the 5th inning, landed an estimated 337 feet from home plate. Don stroked 3 hits in 5 AB, with three runs scored with 7 RBI.
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Monday 6/19/1963: Chicago (N)'s Colavito wins Player of the Week award
The Player of the Week award in the AL goes to Chicago (A)'s Jim Lemon this time, as the rightfielder displayed the best offensive perfomance in his league. In 29 at bats he hit .414 with 3 HR and 11 RBI. Jim is hitting .297 this year, with 80 hits in 269 at bats. He has driven in 45 runs, slugging .506. The NL Player of the Week award goes to Rocky Colavito, Chicago (N)'s starting leftfielder. Rocky pounded opposing pitchers, hitting .591 with 2 HR and 9 RBI while slugging 1.000. He hit in every game this week and extended his hitting streak to 10 games.
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Monday 6/12/1963: Chicago (N)'s Robinson out for 7 weeks
CHICAGO (N) - Being hit with a pitch is no fun at all. Especially when you get injured. Chicago (N)'s rightfielder Frank Robinson will miss about 7 weeks after being hit by Bill Monbouquette in the 3rd inning of the game between Chicago (N) and Houston. After x-rays were taken the diagnosis did not surprise many: Broken Hand. Surgery will be performed next week. This year Robinson drove in 33 and scored 46 runs while batting .276 with 14 homeruns.
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Monday 6/12/1963: Stargell and Snider win Player of the Week award
It's the 1st time that the AL Player of the Week award goes to Washington's first baseman Willie Stargell. In 22 at bats he hit .318 with 6 HR and 11 RBI. Stargell has hit 25 taters this year while batting .275. He adds 7 doubles, along with 43 runs scored. He's 5th in the AL in RBIs and 1st in homeruns! The NL Player of the Week award goes to Duke Snider, Los Angeles (N)'s starting leftfielder. Duke went 11 for 22 (.500), while hitting 3 HR and collecting 9 RBI. His season numbers are: .361 AVG, 82 hits, 12 doubles, one triple and 21 taters, along with 64 RBI and 52 runs scored. He's 6th in the NL in batting, 3rd in homeruns and 2nd in RBI!
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Saturday 6/10/1963: Roy Face pitches his 1st shutout of the season
CINCINNATI - New York (N)'s hitters were dominated by Cincinnati's Roy Face. He gave up just one hit in recording his 1st shutout of the season. 'Hey, that's my job! Everytime I take the mound I give the best I can. And my best stuff was too much for them today.' Face (7-6) struck out 7 and walked 4, throwing 62 of 111 pitches for strikes. Bob Schmidt provided Cincinnati with the offense Face needed as he got 2 hits in 4 AB, hitting a homerun, with 2 RBI. The final score of the game was 3-0.
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Monday 6/5/1963: Zauchin and Snider win Player of the Week award
Norm Zauchin wins his 5th Player of the Week award. AL pitchers couldn't figure out how to retire this guy all week long. He had an on base percentage of .552 and hit .480, while driving in 9 runs. Zauchin has walked 40 times this year and posts a .464 OBP. While batting .351, 68 for 194, he has driven in 44 runs. He's 4th in the AL in batting, 6th in homeruns and 6th in RBI! The NL Player of the Week award goes to Duke Snider, Los Angeles (N)'s starting leftfielder. Duke pounded opposing pitchers, hitting .522 with 4 HR and 12 RBI while slugging 1.087. Duke managed to drive in at least one run in every game he played this week. His season features a batting average of .346 (71 hits in 205 AB), 10 doubles, no triples and 18 homeruns. Snider collected 55 RBI and 45 runs as well. He's 8th in the NL in batting, 3rd in homeruns and 3rd in RBI!
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Thursday 6/1/1963: Los Angeles (N)'s Friend named Pitcher of the Month
Boston's pitcher Johnny Antonelli is the AL winner of the Pitcher of the Month award in May. He struck out 38 hitters in his 7 starts, putting together a record of 7-0 while pitching 38 innings. His ERA in May was 2.00. Johnny has a record of 12-0 this season, with an ERA of 2.33. In 116 Innings he was able to strike out 81 batters. He's 1st in the AL in ERA and 1st in wins! The best month of May in the NL certainly had Los Angeles (N)'s right-hander Bob Friend, earning him the Pitcher of the Month award. He started 8 games in May, going 6-2 and compiling an ERA of 3.62 in 64.2 innings. Bob fanned 34 hitters. Bob pitched a shutout as well. Opposing players hit .245 against Bob this season. While posting an ERA of 4.18 he went 9-4 in 15 starts, fanning 73 and walking 51 hitters. Bob has pitched 2 shutouts and 7 complete games. He's 2nd in the NL in wins!
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Thursday 6/1/1963: Minnesota's Covington earns Batter of the Month award
The AL's best player of the month was Minnesota's Wes Covington, who wins the award for the 1st time in his career. In 103 at bats he hit .340 with 10 HR and 29 RBI. He has hit 21 homeruns while batting .361 this season. His 69 hits and 25 walks add up to a .439 on-base percentage. He's 1st in the AL in batting, 1st in homeruns and 1st in RBI! Don Demeter of Pittsburgh wins his 2nd Batter of the Month award for putting up the best numbers in the NL. Don was on fire, hitting .377 with 10 homeruns and 31 RBI. Demeter has hit for a .378 average this season. He has 29 extra base hits along with 134 total bases, resulting in a .667 slugging percentage. He's 5th in the NL in batting, 5th in homeruns and 2nd in RBI!
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Wednesday 5/31/1963: Von Mcdaniel (SF) will miss 5-6 weeks
SAN FRANCISCO - San Francisco is without its ace Von Mcdaniel for at least 5-6 weeks. He injured himself while throwing a pitch to Bob Hazle in a game against Cincinnati. His face showed signs of pain immediately after the ball left his hand. Bone Chips Elbow was the diagnosis after x-rays were taken in a nearby hospital. The message shocked teammates and team officials. This season Mcdaniel compiled an ERA of 3.88, going 6-6 in 15 starts. He fanned 88 while giving up 95 hits in 106.2 innings. He has 4 complete games and one shutout. He's 10th in the NL in ERA and 8th in wins!
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Monday 5/29/1963: Player of the Week honors go to Kaline and Bell
The AL Player of the Week award goes to Al Kaline, Detroit's starting rightfielder. Al pounded opposing pitchers, hitting .435 with 3 HR and 11 RBI while slugging .913. Al managed to drive in at least one run in every game he played this week. Gus Bell wins his 3rd Player of the Week award. NL pitchers couldn't figure out how to retire this guy all week long. Gus went 15 for 28 (.536), while hitting 0 HR and collecting 10 RBI. He hit in every game this week and extended his hitting streak to 7 games. His season features a batting average of .290 (49 hits in 169 AB), 9 doubles, one triple and 7 bombs. Bell collected 37 RBI and 14 runs as well.
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Monday 5/22/1963: Kuenn (CLE) and Williams (STL) win P.O.W. award
Cleveland's rightfielder Harvey Kuenn had some reason to celebrate, as the league named him the AL Player of the Week. Harvey was on fire, hitting .556 with 2 HR and 5 RBI. Billy Williams wins his 3rd Player of the Week award. NL pitchers couldn't figure out how to retire this guy all week long. Williams helped his team with an average of .524 and 9 RBI in 21 at bats. This year Williams drove in 36 and scored 39 runs while batting .430 with 13 longballs. He's 1st in the NL in batting, 4th in homeruns and 7th in RBI!
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Friday 5/19/1963: Woodie Held punishes New York (N) with four hits, cycle
NEW YORK (N) - Philadelphia (N)'s shortstop Woodie Held accomplished a difficult feat in a game against New York (N), hitting for the cycle to improve his career batting average to .221! His 1st hit was a double off Al Jackson in the 1st inning. His 2nd hit was a triple off Al Jackson in the 3rd inning. In the 5th inning he unloaded a solo homerun off Al Jackson. A single in the 6th off Al Jackson accounted for his 4th hit. That drive completed the cycle, causing a smile on his face! Woodie scored 3 runs, and he collected 3 RBI as well! He is hitting .289 this season, with 6 HR and 18 RBI. He becomes the 22nd player in league history collect at least a single, double, triple and a homerun in a single game. On 9/26/1962, Luis Aparicio was the last player to hit for the cycle.
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Friday 5/19/1963: Bob Friend fires 1-hitter against Cincinnati
LOS ANGELES (N) - All you need to win is a dominating pitching performance. And Los Angeles (N)'s Bob Friend did so today, in a 1-hit shutout against Cincinnati. Friend (7-3) fanned 3 and walked 1, throwing 100 pitches. 'Things like that happen. You take the mound and everything works. My velocity was pretty good today and I guess it showed.' Wayne Belardi helped Friend at the plate, he went 1 for 3, blasting a homerun, with 3 RBI. Los Angeles (N) improved its record to 21-20, scoring 5 runs on 7 hits.
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Tuesday 5/16/1963: Willie Mays ropes 2000th career hit
BOSTON - Boston's centerfielder Willie Mays joined some elite company today, collecting his 2000th career hit! In 12 years of big league action so far, Willie has compiled a batting average of .320, along with 480 homeruns and 1409 RBI. 'I guess I'll celebrate a bit today. But the most important thing is winning, and my whole career I gave everything I could to help my team.' With one out in the 6th inning, Willie drilled a single, causing a standing ovation from the crowd.
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Monday 5/15/1963: Huge blow for Cincinnati's Lopez, career over
CINCINNATI - Cincinnati's second baseman Hector Lopez hurt himself in the 6th inning while making a routine throw to first base. He experienced serious pain and had to leave the game. Hector Lopez will miss at least entire career. After x-rays were taken the diagnosis did not surprise many: Torn Bicep Muscle. Surgery will be performed next week. Lopez has walked 7 times this year and posts a .374 OBP. While batting .333, 41 for 123, he has driven in 18 runs.
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Monday 5/15/1963: San Francisco's Robinson wins Player of the Week award
The AL Player of the Week award goes to Harmon Killebrew, Kansas City's starting third baseman. Harmon was on fire, hitting .500 with 3 HR and 10 RBI. Floyd Robinson from San Francisco wins his 1st Player of the Week award for putting up the best numbers this week in the NL. In 24 at bats he hit .542 with 4 HR and 10 RBI.
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Thursday 5/11/1963: Washington's Willie Stargell has great day, hits three longballs
KANSAS CITY - Washington beat Kansas City 7-2, but that was not the real story of the game. Willie Stargell was, as he went deep three times. Number 1 in the 4th inning, a shot estimated at 418 feet, cleared the wall in left-center. His 2nd shot, a solo homerun off Ron Taylor in the 7th inning, cleared the fence in left field. His 3rd blast, a solo homerun off Willard Schmidt in the 8th inning, landed an estimated 370 feet from home plate. Willie stroked 3 hits in 4 AB, with three runs scored and collecting 4 RBI. So far this season he is batting .315 with 11 homers and 23 RBI. Norm Zauchin was the last player to hit 3 homeruns in a game, doing it 4/26/1963.
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Monday 5/8/1963: Cleveland's Whisenant wins Player of the Week award
It's the 1st time that the AL Player of the Week award goes to Cleveland's leftfielder Pete Whisenant. He hit .417 with 7 RBI and slugged .792 in 24 at bats. It's the 1st time that the NL Player of the Week award goes to Pittsburgh's shortstop Charlie Shoemaker. Charlie pounded opposing pitchers, hitting .588 with 2 HR and 10 RBI while slugging 1.176.
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Saturday 5/6/1963: Bud Daley quiets Minnesota bats with shutout
MINNESOTA - Good things can happen when you throw strikes. And Bud Daley did so today, in a 2-hit shutout against Minnesota. 'Pitching a great game is always a good thing. And it doesn't get much better than today.' Daley (2-1) struck out 5 and issued 1 BB, throwing 55 of 88 pitches for strikes. Kansas City's rightfielder Wally Moon finished with 3 hits in 5 AB, going deep twice, scoring twice and collecting 3 RBI. That was enough to support the brilliant performance of Daley. The final score of the game was 6-0.
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Wednesday 5/3/1963: Joe Ginsberg out for 9 weeks
NEW YORK (N) - New York (N)'s catcher Joe Ginsberg will miss at least 9 weeks after he got hurt seriously in a collision at home plate. He laid on the ground without movement for several minutes and had to be carried off the field. Doctors examined him after the game and diagnosed a Fractured Hip which will require surgery. He has hit no bombs while batting .293 this season. His 24 hits and 16 walks add up to a .408 on-base percentage.
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Monday 5/1/1963: Cincinnati's Smith named Pitcher of the Month
Bob Purkey pitched like a legend in April, and the AL named him Pitcher of the Month for his extraordinary performance. His record of 4-2 in 7 was among the leagues best this month. In 62 innings of work he allowed just 46 hits while striking out 24, compiling an ERA of just 1.60. Bob also fired a shutout. The best month of April in the NL certainly had Cincinnati's right-hander Frank Smith, earning him the Pitcher of the Month award. He had an ERA of just 1.66 in 54.1 innings of work in which he struck out 48 hitters. His record in April is 5-2.
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Monday 5/1/1963: Batter of the Month award winners announced
The AL Batter of the Month award goes to Willie Mays, Boston's starting centerfielder. Willie was on fire, hitting .460 with 11 homeruns and 35 RBI. The Batter of the Month award in the NL goes to Los Angeles (N)'s Hank Aaron this time, as the centerfielder displayed the best offensive perfomance in his league. Hank pounded opposing pitchers, hitting .370 with 11 and 29 RBI while slugging .760.
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Monday 5/1/1963: Mantle and Aaron win Player of the Week award
New York (A)'s centerfielder Mickey Mantle had some reason to celebrate, as the league named him the AL Player of the Week. Mickey went 10 for 20 (.500), while hitting 2 HR and collecting 7 RBI. Mantle has walked 13 times this year and posts a .382 OBP. While batting .295, 26 for 88, he has driven in 17 runs. Hank Aaron from Los Angeles (N) wins his 11th Player of the Week award for putting up the best numbers this week in the NL. Hank was on fire, hitting .423 with 4 HR and 12 RBI. He hit in every game this week and extended his hitting streak to 8 games. His season numbers are: .370 AVG, 37 hits, 6 doubles, no triples and 11 bombs, along with 29 RBI and 24 runs scored. He's 7th in the NL in batting, 1st in homeruns and 2nd in RBI!
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Friday 4/28/1963: Chicago (A)'s Billy Martin slams five hits
MINNESOTA - On Friday, Chicago (A)'s second baseman Billy Martin displayed his sensational ability to handle the bat against Minnesota, punishing their pitchers with five hits. A pitch from Don Rowe in the 4th inning left his bat for a double. A pitch from Don Bessent in the 6th inning left his bat for a two-run homerun, landing 423 feet from home plate in right-center. His 5th hit was a RBI double off Bill Pleis in the 7th inning. He had singles in the 1st and in the 2nd inning . Billy did drive in 3 while scoring 2 runs on his own. He's having a very good season so far, batting .375. Chicago (A) scored 16 runs on 19 hits.
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Wednesday 4/26/1963: Season ending injury strikes Chicago (N)'s Harris
CHICAGO (N) - Chicago (N)'s first baseman Gail Harris suffered a season ending injury when he was struck by a pitch from Houston's Mickey Lolich. He collapsed in pain and was helped off the field. Broken Wrist was the diagnosis after x-rays were taken in a nearby hospital. The message shocked teammates and team officials. Gail has gone 12 for 49 (.245) this season, hitting one homerun and driving in 7 runs. He has scored 6 runs on his own.
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Wednesday 4/26/1963: Norm Zauchin pounds three dingers
MINNESOTA - Hitting a homerun is fine, but hitting three of them in one game is something special. Baltimore's first baseman Norm Zauchin accomplished that feat in a 14-2 win over Minnesota. His 1st shot, off Bill Stafford in the 5th inning, was a solo homerun and cleared the fence in left field. A 392 foot drive to left field marked his 2nd bomb, a solo homerun off Bill Stafford in the 7th inning. A pitch from George Susce in the 8th inning left his bat for a three-run homerun, landing 422 feet from home plate in left-center. Norm went 4 for 5, with FOUR runs scored and collecting 5 RBI.
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Monday 4/24/1963: St. Louis (N)'s Williams wins Player of the Week award
Wes Covington from Minnesota wins his 2nd Player of the Week award for putting up the best numbers this week in the AL. Wes pounded opposing pitchers, hitting .500 with 5 HR and 14 RBI while slugging 1.100. Billy Williams wins his 2nd Player of the Week award. NL pitchers couldn't figure out how to retire this guy all week long. Billy pounded opposing pitchers, hitting .630 with 1 HR and 5 RBI while slugging .926. His season numbers are: .471 AVG, 33 hits, 6 doubles, 2 triples and 2 bombs, along with 8 RBI and 22 runs scored. He's 1st in the NL in batting!
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Sunday 4/23/1963: Billy Martin stars with 2000th career hit
CHICAGO (A) - Billy Martin got a standing ovation from 35831 fans in Chicago (A), who witnessed his 2000th career hit. His hit in the 3rd inning was a single off Tom Brewer. In 13 years of big league action so far, Billy has compiled a batting average of .316, along with 172 homeruns and 852 RBI. 'This day is special, I'll probably remember it my whole life. Thank god I'm blessed with the talent to play this game.'
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Thursday 4/20/1963: Boston's Howser out for 4-5 weeks
BOSTON - Being hit with a pitch is no fun at all. Especially when you get injured. Boston's shortstop Dick Howser will miss about 4-5 weeks after being hit by Ron Taylor in the 4th inning of the game between Boston and Kansas City. Broken Finger was the diagnosis after x-rays were taken in a nearby hospital. The message shocked teammates and team officials. Howser has hit no taters this year while batting .167. He adds 2 doubles, along with 5 runs scored.
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Monday 4/17/1963: Detroit's Cash out for 8 weeks
DETROIT - Detroit's first baseman Norm Cash suffered a serious injury when he was struck by a pitch from New York (A)'s Frank Sullivan. He collapsed in pain and was helped off the field. Cash will probaby miss 8 weeks. Cash was rushed to an hospital near the ballpark, where doctors took x-rays. Those revealed the serious injury, Broken Wrist. Norm has gone 22 for 44 (.500) this season, hitting 8 bombs and driving in 17 runs. He has scored 12 runs on his own. He's 1st in the AL in batting, 1st in homeruns and 3rd in RBI!
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Monday 4/17/1963: Boston's Mays wins Player of the Week award
It's the 14th time that the AL Player of the Week award goes to Boston's centerfielder Willie Mays. Willie was on fire, hitting .478 with 5 HR and 14 RBI. Willie managed to drive in at least one run in every game he played this week. He now has homered in 3 consecutive games as well! It's the 3rd time that the NL Player of the Week award goes to Milwaukee's first baseman Frank Howard. Frank went 11 for 22 (.500), while hitting 5 HR and collecting 11 RBI. He hit in every game this week and extended his hitting streak to 9 games.
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Monday 4/10/1963: Eddie Mathews slams 500th homerun
BOSTON - New York (A)'s third baseman Eddie Mathews was in good mood after the game against Boston, and he had every reason as he made baseball history while collecting his 500th career homerun. A pitch from Frank Kreutzer in the 9th inning left his bat for a solo homerun, landing 404 feet from home plate in left-center. Perhaps his best year so far was 1957 where he hit .311 with 55 homeruns and 133 RBI. Eddie hit 30+ homeruns in a season 10 times, hitting 40 bombs 8 times. 'You dream about that as a kid, but when you reach such a milestone it's hard to believe. Fantastic.' The Hall of Fame already has reserved a place for this great player.
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Monday 4/10/1963: Cash and Aaron win Player of the Week award
The AL's best player of the week was Detroit's Norm Cash, who wins the award for the 5th time in his career. Norm was on fire, hitting .500 with 4 HR and 10 RBI. Los Angeles (N)'s centerfielder Hank Aaron had some reason to celebrate as well, as the league named him the NL Player of the Week. He hit .550 with 9 RBI and slugged 1.300 in 20 at bats. He got at least one hit each game this week and is on a 7 game hitting streak right now.
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Wednesday 4/5/1963: Dom Zanni (NYM) will miss 7 weeks
NEW YORK (N) - New York (N) is without its right-hander Dom Zanni for at least 7 weeks. He injured himself while throwing a pitch to Dick Mcauliffe in a game against Chicago (N). His face showed signs of pain immediately after the ball left his hand. After being taken to a local hospital, Zanni was examined by specialists. The diagnosis revealed the sad truth, a Strained Tricep Muscle.
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