Major League Baseball Season Recap 1964

World Series – St. Louis Cardinals NL over New York Yankees AL 4 games to 3

World Series MVP – Bob Gibson
Babe Ruth Award – Bob Gibson

Awards –
Major League Cy Young Award Dean Chance

MVP Awards –
NL Ken Boyer
AL Brooks Robinson

Major League Rookie of The Year –
NL Rookie of The Year – Dick Allen
AL Rookie of The Year – Tony Oliva

All-Star Game – July 7th – N.L. 7 over A.L. 4, played at Shea Stadium (NL)
AL Starter D. Chance NL Starter D. Drysdale+ MVP Johnny Callison

1964 Baseball Season Headlines

SearchSearch Events, Dates and More Date (Newest)Title (A - Z)

January 6, 1964

Charlie Finley inks a deal with the city of Louisville to move the Kansas City A’s

January 6, 1964

The Chicago White Sox introduce powder-blue road uniforms, starting a fashion trend that will last into the early 1980s.

January 15, 1964

San Francisco Giants outfielder Willie Mays, the highest-paid player in major league baseball, signs for $105,000.

January 15, 1964

Baseball’s executives select New York City as the site of the game’s first free-agent draft

January 16, 1964

American League owners vote down Charlie Finley’s proposed move of the Kansas City A’s to Louisville

January 25, 1964

Aaron and Mathews sign new contracts

January 28, 1964

Cincinnati Reds center fielder Vada Pinson is cleared of assault charges from Cincinnati sportswriter Earl Lawson 

January 29, 1964

1964 – Pitcher-writer Jim Brosnan is given permission by the Chicago White Sox to make his own deal with another team. His in-season writing has been censured by White Sox owner Ed Short.

January 30, 1964

1964 – The United States Senate Subcommittee on Monopolies begins hearings on baseball.

February 13, 1964

Chicago Cubs second baseman Ken Hubbs dies in plane crashe

February 15, 1964

Chicago Cubs star Ken Hubbs is found after the crash of his private plane

February 17, 1964

Former White Sox SS Luke Appling is elected into the Hall of Fame by a special vote

February 17, 1964

Colts trade outfielder Carl Warwick to St. Louis for outfielder Jim Beauchamp and pitcher Chuck Taylor. Beauchamp would hit .164 and .189 as an Houston reserve. The 21-year-old Taylor was sent back to St. Louis where he saw his first big league action in 1969 and became a quality reliever.

February 20, 1964

1964 – Colts trade in cacti for grapefruits as they begin their first spring training in Cocoa, FL. The new facility is hailed as “state-of-the-art” but soon becomes disparaged because of poor drainage, snakes, and a spartan dormitory where the players are housed. Prankster Turk Farrell livens things up by purchasing a young alligator and slipping him into the clubhouse whirlpool. 

February 23, 1964

Charlie Finley gives in to American League pressure and signs a four-year lease with the municipal government to keep the A’s in Kansas City. Finley wanted two years. His exasperated AL colleagues vote 9-1 that KC’s offer is reasonable. Finley will move the team out of KC as soon as the lease expires after the 1967 season.

February 23, 1964

The San Francisco Giants acquire P Masanori Murakami, 3B Tatsuhico Tanaka, and C Hiroshi Takahashi on a player development deal with the Nankai Hawks, who own rights to all three. They are the first Japanese natives ever to play for American teams. All three are assigned to the Magic Valley Cowboys (Pioneer League). Although none of the three are considered top prospects, Murakami will confound everyone by reaching the major leagues by September after an outstanding season in the minors.

March 5, 1964

Atlanta’s Mayor Ivan Allen, Jr. claims to have a verbal agreement with a major league team which promises to move to the Peach State if a stadium is ready by next year. The next day the Board of Alderman approves a $15-million stadium.

April 1, 1964

Cleveland’s manager Birdie Tebbetts suffers a heart attack

April 1, 1964

Bob Sadowski sets a Braves franchise record of striking out 5 times in a game

April 3, 1964

New York Mets pitcher Carl Willey suffers a broken jaw when he is hit by a line drive batted by Detroit Tigers outfielder Gates Brown during a spring training loss

April 8, 1964

Five days before the start of the season, right-hander Jim Umbricht, the only pitcher to post a winning record in Houston’s first two seasons, loses his well-publicized battle with cancer when he succumbs to a malignant melanoma. The popular 33 year-old Colt .45’s relief pitcher, whose uniform number 32 will be retired by Houston, underwent surgery to remove a tumor from his leg before the 1963 season, returning to the club to post a 4-3 record along with a 2.61 ERA in 35 games.

April 10, 1964

1964 – Demolition begins on the Polo Grounds in New York City to clear the way for a housing project.

April 11, 1964

Jim Umbricht’s ashes are privately scattered from a small plane over Colt Stadium

April 13, 1964

After beating the Reds, 6-3, in the traditional Opening Day game in Cincinnati, Houston is in first place for the first and only time as the Colt .45’s. Next season, the team will be renamed the Astros, reflecting Houston’s role in the nation’s space program.

April 13, 1964

for the first time in their three-year history that the Colts have sole possession of first place

April 14, 1964

Sandy Koufax beats the St. Louis Cardinals, 4 – 0, in his only career start on Opening Day

April 16, 1964

The Mets’ new home, Shea Stadium, is christened with Dodgers Holy Water from the Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn and Giants Holy Water from the Harlem River at the location where it flowed past the Polo Grounds. It is named in honor of William A. Shea, the man who brought National League baseball back to New York.

April 16, 1964

Holy Water from the Gowanus Canal, which passes near Ebbets Field, the Dodgers’ old home, and Holy Water from the Harlem River where it flows past the Polo Grounds, the former longtime ballpark of the Giants and the Mets’ home for the past two seasons is used to christened Shea Stadium. The ballpark’s namesake, Bill Shea, credited with bringing the National League back to New York, pours the water from two bottles, blessing the Flushing Meadow structure on the eve of its debut.

April 16, 1964

Tony Conigliaro makes his debut against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium & Whitey Ford goes distance in 11 inning opening day loss to rival Red Sox

April 16, 1964

1964 – Texas Governor John Connally tosses out the first pitch for the Colts’ home opener, a 6-5 loss to the Milwaukee Braves.  Connally tosses lefthanded because his right arm is still healing from gunshot wounds suffered in the assassination of John F. Kennedy.

April 17, 1964

The New York Mets lose their first game at Shea Stadium to the Pittsburgh Pirates, 4 – 3. Pittsburgh’s Willie Stargell hits the first home run ever at Shea.

April 17, 1964

Conigliaro homers in first Fenway at-bat

April 18, 1964

Sandy Koufax first to strike out 3 of 9 pitchers twice

April 19, 1964

Bob Bruce immaculate inning against the Cardinals

April 20, 1964

Nellie Fox drives in four runs with a two-run single and a two-run triple to pace a 7-1 win over St. Louis

April 23, 1964

Ken Johnson loses despite no hitter

April 28, 1964

1964 – Barry Larkin is born in Cincinnati, OH. The shortstop will play his entire 19-year career with his hometown Cincinnati Reds, lead the team to a World Championship in 1990, and win an MVP Award in 1995 before gaining election to the Hall of Fame in 2012.

May 2, 1964

Minnesota Twins hit four consecutive home runs in the 11th inning

May 2, 1964

At Memorial Stadium, the Orioles host “Safety Patrol Day” to honor students who helped their schoolmates travel to and from school safely by giving free admission to 20,000 children from around the state of Maryland to the team’s game against the Cleveland. Unfortunately, a freak accident involving an escalator to the upper deck causes the death of a teenage girl and injuries to 46 other children when a people channeler, a device to control the crowding of patrons getting onto an escalator, was inadvertently left on top, restricting the flow of kids in the wrong direction, a blockage which caused children to fall back onto one another when they could not exit at the same pace as people getting onto the the moving steps.

May 3, 1964

Sadaharu Oh of the Yomiuri Giants rips four home runs against the Hanshin Tigers, establishing a new Japanese League record for most home runs in a game

May 6, 1964

Dave Nicholson hits a tape measure home run that lands on the back of the left field roof before bouncing out of Comiskey Park

May 8, 1964

1964 – In Cleveland, there are tornado warnings, but New York supplies the damage when Mickey Mantle cracks a three-run homer off Tommy John in the 4th inning to lead the Yanks to a 10 – 3 win.

May 9, 1964

At Cleveland, Pedro Ramos gives up four home runs to New York – Tony Kubek, Mickey Mantle, Joe Pepitone, and Hector Lopez – as the Yankees win, 6 – 2.

May 17, 1964

Roberto Clemente puts on quite a show but can’t prevent Pittsburgh’s 3 – 2 loss to Sandy Koufax and the Dodgers. Frank Finch of the Los Angeles Times reports: “Pittsburgh’s exciting right fielder, Roberto Clemente, waged a one-man war against Los Angeles with a spectacular display of throwing and batting. The fiery Puerto Rican smacked a triple, double and single to keep Koufax in hot water, but it was his arm that captured the fans’ fancy and left two baserunners for dead. Dick Tracewski ended a promising scoring spree in the 2nd inning when Clemente’s strike to Ducky Schofield nailed him as he tried to scramble back to second base. When Ron Fairly’s triple eluded Clemente in the 7th, he retrieved the ball and threw it on the fly from the warning track to home plate. And then Roberto took John Roseboro’s game-winning sacrifice fly and pegged another shot to the plate that nearly nipped Fairly. The next batter, Willie Davis, challenged Clemente’s arm by trying to stretch a single. He was out at second by a couple of lengths. Not since their own Carl Furillo was in his prime have the Dodgers seen such a display of throwing as Clemente’s.”

May 19, 1964

Ernie Broglio throws a record-tying three wild pitches in one inning

May 20, 1964

Harmon Killebrew visits John Guiney

May 22, 1964

Baltimore walks off the Twins, 6 – 5

May 23, 1964

At New York‚ the Angels score 4 in the 1st‚ and the Yankees counter with 5 in the bottom of the inning off Bo Belinsky. That’s all the scoring for the pinstripers as the Angels win, 9 – 5. This is only the second time this season that the injury-plagued Yanks have started their regular outfield of Mickey Mantle‚ Roger Maris and Tom Tresh. Mantle will pull a muscle on the 26th‚ keeping him out of the lineup for two weeks.

May 24, 1964

Seven shutouts in both leagues tie the major league record for blankings in one day.

May 24, 1964

Cubs speedster Lou Brock steals home for the first time‚ combining with Billy Williams on a double steal in the 1st inning of the first game of a doubleheader at Cincinnati. But the Reds win both games‚ 6 – 5 and 12 – 4.

May 24, 1964

Mickey Mantle hits his second homer in two days‚ off Fred Newman‚ to start the scoring for New York. The Yanks top the Angels‚ 8 – 5.

May 24, 1964

Harmon Killebrew hits 470 ft homer

May 25, 1964

Ground is broken for a new park for the St. Louis Cardinals. The stadium is expected to be ready in time for the 1966 season.

May 26, 1964

In front of a meager crowd of 2,503 fans at Wrigley Field, the visiting Mets pummel the Cubs, 19-1. New York’s 25 year-old first baseman Dick Smith, batting leadoff, becomes the first player in franchise history to collect five hits in a game.

May 27, 1964

Roberto Clemente’s longest clout? Not nearly. His longest out? Could be. In the 8th inning, with a runner on second and two men out, with the Pirates down by two, Clemente tees off and delivers what is quite possibly the longest out of his career, a missile headed for the deepest reaches of Forbes Field. Collared by the Phillies’ Tony Gonzalez near the flag pole, this 450-foot blast is called by Clemente, in a conversation with Les Biederman of The Sporting News, one of the hardest balls he’s ever hit.

May 29, 1964

The Reds and Dodgers play 17 innings before the game is a called at 2 – 2. All 4 runs come in the 12th inning. National League rules state that no inning may start after 12:50 a.m.

May 31, 1964

At Shea Stadium, the New York Mets and the San Francisco Giants play the longest doubleheader in major league history – 9 hours, 52 minutes

May 31, 1964

Roberto Clemente’s fifth career home run off Sandy Koufax is a game-tying, bases-empty blast of epic proportions

June 4, 1964

Sandy Koufax of the Los Angeles Dodgers no-hits the Philadelphia Phillies

June 7, 1964

1964 – Deron Johnson leads the Cincinnati Reds to an 11 – 6 win over the St. Louis Cardinals as he collects a home run, double and three singles.

June 8, 1964

After other teams back off in their pursuit to sign the outstanding NC high schooler when his little toe is blown off the A’s ink Jim Hunter for $75,000

June 11, 1964

After a 2-week absence‚ Mickey Mantle is back in the lineup and clouts 2 home runs at Fenway Park off Bill Monbouquette. The Yankees win easily, 8 – 4.

June 11, 1964

Charlie Finley fires Ed Lopat (17-35) as manager of the A’s‚ replacing him with Mel McGaha‚ former manager of the Cleveland Indians.

June 12, 1964

6/12/1964: Lou Clinton of the Angels hit a three run shot off of Hank Aguirre in the top of the first in Detroit. The game was called off after a 50 minute delay in the top of the second with the Angels still ahead 3-0.

June 15, 1964

Lou Brock is acquired by St Louis Cardinals

June 21, 1964

Jim Bunning pitches a perfect game for the Philadelphia Phillies first since 1922

June 21, 1964

The Yankees move into first place by eight percentage points over Baltimore, as they outpitch the White Sox to win, 2 – 0 and 2 – 1. Home runs by Mickey Mantle and Elston Howard win it for Jim Bouton in the opener against Juan Pizarro, and an error wins the nightcap in the 17th. The Yankees sweep 4, giving up just one run in 41 innings, and take nine games from Chicago in 11 days.

June 21, 1964

Rick Wise wins the first of his 188 major league victories

June 21, 1964

1964 – The Colts spank the Milwaukee Braves, 5-2 and 5-4, to complete a four-game sweep. Rusty Staub is the opening-game star with four hits, including two home runs.  Pitcher Ken Johnson and outfielder Joe Gaines go deep in the nightcap. Bob Lillispicks up five hits in the twinbill. In addition, the team signs high-school phenom Larry Dierker.

June 23, 1964

Charlie Lau ties a major-league record with two pinch hits in the 8th inning of Baltimore’s 9 – 8 win over the Yankees. The O’s, losing, score seven runs in the inning after two are out. Yanks manager Yogi Berra is criticized by some of his players for lifting starter Rollie Sheldon, who was leading 7 – 2, having allowed just two solo shots by Boog Powell. Rookie reliever Pete Mikkelsen cannot hold the lead as the O’s move into first place.

June 23, 1964

In the nitecap of a doubleheader, Len Gabrielson’s 6th-inning single is the only hit the Cubs manage off the Phils’ Ray Culp, who wins, 9 – 0.

June 23, 1964

Willie Crawford signed by dodgers 2 days out of High School

June 24, 1964

University of Wisconsin star slugger Rick Reichardt signs with the Angels. He receives the biggest bonus to that point, an estimated $200,000. The signing is one reason that the amateur draft is put into place to try to level the playing field and hold the line on bonuses.

June 24, 1964

Rick Reichardt becomes the biggest “bonus baby”

June 25, 1964

Steve Barber’s 3-hit 3 – 1 win gives the Orioles a 3-game sweep of the Yankees and first place in the American League.

June 26, 1964

University of Wisconsin standout Rick Reichardt receives the highest bonus to date when he signs with the Angels for $200,000. The bidding war for the talented Badger outfielder ultimately led the owners to institute a draft, which started in 1965 when Arizona State University’s Rick Monday became the first-ever #1 overall selection.

June 26, 1964

Twins P Gerry Arrigo just misses a no-hitter when Chicago’s Mike Hershberger laces a 9th-inning single, as the Twins beat the Sox, 2 – 0. Arrigo will toss another one-hitter while pitching for the Cincinnati Reds.

June 27, 1964

Roberto Clemente’s two-run, tape-measure double finds its way out of Forbes Field at its farthest point, touching off Pittsburgh’s come-from-behind, 8th-inning, game-winning rally off Cincinnati’s Bob Purkey and Bill Henry. Dick Schofield singles, Bill Virdon doubles and both score on Clemente’s ground-rule double that bounces over the center-field wall. The game is thus deadlocked and, one out later, Clemente will score the deciding run ahead of Manny Mota’s home run off Henry.

June 27, 1964

Cleveland 3B Max Alvis is stricken with spinal meningitis. He will be disabled for six weeks but will make the All-Star team in 1965. Texas native will rebound nicely, making the American League All-Star team next season and in 1967.

June 30, 1964

At Wrigley Field, the Reds’ Joey Jay allows just two hits but loses to the Cubs, 1 – 0. Larry Jackson does him one better, allowing just one hit and driving in the lone run with a single. Jackson’s no-hit bid is stopped in the 7th when Pete Rose singles.

July 1, 1964

Say It Ain’t So… Juan. While the Giants’ Juan Marichal is reducing his ERA from 2.54 to 2.44 in the course of a 2 – 1 win over Bob Veale and the Pirates, Willie Mays and Roberto Clemente resume their personal war for National League hitting honors. Clemente singles twice, drives in the Pirates’ only run, and finishes at .349. Mays doesn’t have much of a chance to close ground; after his first-inning home run, the Bucs’ moundsmen walk him the next three times up. However, the one hit jumps him from .344 to .347. Ironically, the Pirates’ only run is driven in by Clemente when Marichal resorts to a quick pitch with the bases loaded in the fifth. Clemente speaks with Giants beat writer Bob Stevens: “‘I was trying to smooth out the dirt around the plate,’ Clemente said, ‘not looking, when I hear someone on the bench yell at me. I look up and see the ball, and I try to just punch at it with one hand.’ He got just enough of it to drive it into the ground in front of the plate and bounce it so high that Orlando Cepeda had to wait helplessly for it to come down as the run scored and Clemente fled across the base. Clemente laughed in reminiscence. ‘I don’t remember anybody try to quick-pitch me since Don Bessent do it with Brooklyn. ‘I punch it for double.'”

July 1, 1964

At Crosley Field, the Reds score four runs in the bottom of the 9th to tie the Cubs, 5 – 5. Pete Rose ends the game with a 10th-inning homer.

July 1, 1964

Five thousand cabbies and their families are on hand at Yankee Stadium to celebrate ‘Taxi Day’ at the Bronx ballpark. Billy Bryan’s 11th inning solo home run is the decisive blow in Kansas City’s 5-4 Wednesday afternoon victory.

July 3, 1964

Birdie Tebbetts returns to limited duty as manager of the Indians.

July 4, 1964

Manny Jimenez, who went the entire 1963 season without a home run, hits 3, and goes 4 for 4 for Kansas City against Baltimore. The game ends in a 6 – 6 tie when halted by a special curfew so a fireworks display can take place in Baltimore.

July 4, 1964

Kansas City’s Manny Jimenez, who didn’t homer in 1963, connects for three in a 6-6 tie with the Orioles. The game is stopped by a special Baltimore curfew to permit a fireworks show to take place.

July 5, 1964

Dennis Bennett beats Juan Marichal, 2 – 1, to give the Phillies a 3-game sweep of the Giants at Candlestick Park. The Phils hold a 1 1/2 game lead at the All-Star break.

July 6, 1964

The National League and its umpires settle on a contract lasting until December 1969. The league provides increased pension and insurance payments.

July 7, 1964

Johnny Callison’s two-out, three-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning gives NL the All Star Game Win

July 9, 1964

Frank Thomas, pinch-hitting for Roy McMillan, strokes a two-out, two-run homer off Curt Simmons, giving the Mets a 4–3 victory over the Cardinals at Shea Stadium. The round-tripper comes in the outfielder’s first at-bat in five weeks, due to being sidelined by a glandular infection.

July 9, 1964

1964 – Colts shock the Dodgers with four in the ninth for a 6-5 triumph. Nellie Fox bloops a single to plate the tying and winning runs. Earlier, Jerry Grote had belted a two-run homer off Don Drysdale.

July 10, 1964

Jesus Alou becomes the first Giant with six hits in a game in almost 40 years, as San Francisco beats the Cubs, 10 – 3. All six hits are against different pitchers.

July 10, 1964

Jesus Alou of the San Francisco Giants collects six hits against six different pitchers

July 11, 1964

Vic Power of the Angels is fined $250 and suspended 10 days for spitting on umpire Jim Honochick after a close play during a doubleheader loss to the White Sox, 7 – 4 and 6 – 1, the previous day.

July 12, 1964

Nellie Fox singles home Eddie Kasko with walkoff but Gaylord Perry steals the show by destroying his bat after the game

July 13, 1964

The Yankees clout four homers in Cleveland to top the Tribe, 10 – 4.

July 14, 1964

Jack Sanford of the San Francisco Giants undergoes arm surgery.

July 14, 1964

Baltimore Orioles Bob Johnson gets his 6th straight hit as a pinch hitter to set an American League mark, but the New York Yankees win, 4 – 3.

July 14, 1964

The Cubs overcome making five errors in the top of the third inning and beat the Mets, 4-2. The Chicago miscues, that include shortstop Andre Rodgers and catcher Dick Bertell each committing two and first baseman Ernie Banks contributing to the total by dropping a pop fly, account for all of New York’s scoring in the Wrigley Field contest.

July 15, 1964

Whitey Ford’s 2 – 0 win over the Baltimore Orioles raises the New York Yankees to first place.

July 15, 1964

The Minnesota Twins’ Mudcat Grant tosses a 6 – 0 shutout against the Washington Senators, despite allowing 13 Nat hits. The record for most hits allowed in a 9-inning shutout is 14, done twice before.

July 15, 1964

In the first of two with the Cleveland Indians, Wes Stock wins his 12th straight game, all in relief, 5 – 3. The Kansas City A’s take the nightcap, 3 – 2.

July 16, 1964

Steve Barber regains first place for the Orioles with a successful 6 – 1 outing against the Yankees and Jim Bouton.

July 17, 1964

The Phillies regain first place with a 7 – 5 win against the Pirates. They will hold the lead until September 27th.

July 17, 1964

In Los Angeles, the Cub-Dodger contest becomes the first Pay-TV baseball game as Subscription Television offers the cablecast to subscribers for money. The Dodgers beat Chicago, 3 – 2, with Don Drysdale collecting 10 strikeouts.

July 17, 1964

The first-place O’s win again as Robin Roberts shuts out Detroit, 5 – 0, despite giving up 11 hits.

July 18, 1964

The Reds’ Pete Rose hits the only grand slam of his career served up by his future manager, Dallas Green.

July 18, 1964

Ken Boyer, Tim McCarver, and Bill White hit back-to-back-to-back home runs for the St. Louis Cardinals

July 19, 1964

Luis Tiant debuts with a 4-hit, 11-strikeout, 3 – 0 win for Cleveland at Yankee Stadium. The losing pitcher is Whitey Ford. Tiant was brought up yesterday after posting a 15-1 record at Portland (AAA).

July 19, 1964

Chicago edges the A’s, 3 – 2, in 13 innings when pitcher Gary Peters socks a pinch homer.

July 22, 1964

1964 – Led by Willie Stargell, who hits for the cycle, the Pirates roll over the Cardinals, 13 – 2.

July 23, 1964

Bert Campaneris hits two home runs in his major league debut

July 24, 1964

1964 – Hank Aguirre gives up five runs on three homers to New York in the first four innings, but the Tigers overcome a 5 – 2 deficit to win, 10 – 5.

July 24, 1964

Barry Bonds is born in Riverside, California

July 25, 1964

1964 – The Twins tie an American League record by using nine pitchers in a 13-inning game they lose, 6 – 5, to the White Sox. Jerry Fosnow is the loser; Don Mossi, the 5th Chicago pitcher, is the winner.

July 26, 1964

LF Tony Conigliaro suffers a broken arm in a 6 – 1 Boston win at Cleveland.

July 26, 1964

The Braves sweep the Mets in a doubleheader at Shea Stadium, but Atlanta uses 11 pitchers to do it. The Mets also use 11 pitchers, a two-team record, as the Braves win, 11 – 7 and 15 – 10. Both wins go to Chi-Chi Olivowho toils just 2 2/3 innings.

July 26, 1964

In Philadelphia, the first-place Phils drop a doubleheader to St. Louis and two lefty pitchers. Rookie Gordie Richardson tops the Phils, 6 – 1, in his first major league start, then Ray Sadecki beats them, 4 – 1, in the nitecap.

July 27, 1964

Luke Appling Leads Eight New Members of Baseball Hall of Fame

July 27, 1964

Reds manager Fred Hutchinson enters a Cincinnati hospital for further cancer treatment. Dick Sisler takes the helm.

July 27, 1964

In the first clash of tenth-place teams in major league history, the Senators prevail, beating the Mets in the Hall of Fame exhibition game, 6-4. The Cooperstown combatants will collectively lose 209 games this season, but Washington will climb out of the cellar to finish ahead of Kansas City.

July 28, 1964

Jim Fregosi of the Los Angeles Angels hits for the cycle in a 3-1 win over the Yankees

July 31, 1964

The Giants take advantage of three errors by Bill Mazeroski and two by Bob Bailey to tip the bumbling Bucs, 8 – 6. Maz’s last error, on a potential double play ball in the 9th, helps the Giants score three runs. Willie Mayshas three singles and three runs to lead the attack. The Giants remain 1 1/2 games back of the Phils, but learn that Juan Marichal has back spasms; he will not pitch again until August 25th.

July 31, 1964

At Philadelphia, 24,197 see Chris Short, with help from Jack Baldschun, stop the Dodgers, 6 – 1. Johnny Callison starts the Phils’ scoring with a 2-run homer in the 1st, off Ron Moeller. Tommy Davis hits an 8th-inning double that caroms off 2B Tony Taylor’s mouth, kayoing both Taylor and Chris Short. Maury Wills has four singles and drives in the lone run.

July 31, 1964

The Cards send down Glen Hobbie and bring up knuckleballer Barney Schultz.

August 2, 1964

Detroit P Larry Sherry suffers a fractured left foot when struck by a liner off the bat of Leon Wagner in Cleveland’s doubleheader sweep, 6 – 1 and 2 – 1. Sherry will be out for rest of the year.

August 2, 1964

In Baltimore’s 8 – 7 win over Kansas City, Brooks Robinson hits a ball that strikes the LF pole at KC and it is ruled in play by John Rice. Brooks is thrown out at third base. Later, Rice admits he made a mistake.

August 4, 1964

Fred Hutchinson returns to manage the Reds. They respond by sweeping a pair, 5 – 2 and 4 – 2, from the Braves.

August 4, 1964

A’s starter John O’Donoghue gives up his 3rd homer to Mickey Mantle this year, but that’s all he allows, as Kansas City tops visiting New York, 5 – 1.

August 5, 1964

Full Radio Broadcast 1964 04 05 Colt 45s at Yankees

August 5, 1964

After weeks of negotiating, Ford Frick tells the league presidents and club owners he will not run for another term as commissioner.

August 5, 1964

“Roberto Clemente scores 2 knockouts: Drysdale in 8, Dodgers in 9.” Clemente’s 9th-inning liner over the head of second baseman Nate Oliver, his third hit of the game, brings home Gene Alley with the winning run. Visiting beat writer Frank Finch reports: “The crowd of 11,071 figured L.A. had won another one when the Californians reeled off six straight hits with two out in the 6th to take a 3 – 1 lead, but starter Don Drysdale and reliever Ron Perranoski failed to contain the battling Buccos down the stretch. After pitching his way out of several earlier jams, Drysdale was yanked in the 8th when Bill Virdon singled and reached third on Clemente’s double. Perranoski (4-6) came in to whiff the dangerous Jerry Lynch, then wild-pitched Virdon across the plate… Perranoski gave up a score-tying home run to Jim Pagliaroni in the last of the 9th and a single to Ducky Schofield to set the stage for Roberto Clemente’s game-winning single.”

August 7, 1964

The 10th-place Mets send 1B Frank Thomas to the National League-leading Phils (1 1/2 games ahead of the Giants) for P Gary Kroll, OF Wayne Graham, and cash. Thomas, seemingly the answer to the Phils’ first base problem, rides the Mets’ team bus to Philadelphia, then finds out he has been traded. He then drives in two runs as the Phils top the Mets, 9 – 4. The Phils will take the next two games with Thomas collecting five RBIs in the sweep.

August 7, 1964

Steve Barber and Harvey Haddix beat the Yankees, 2 – 0, to boost the Orioles back into first place.

August 8, 1964

1964 – The Los Angeles Angels sign a contract to move to Anaheim in 1966.

August 9, 1964

After throwing a perfect game on Father’s Day against the Mets, Phillies right-hander Jim Bunning continues his mastery over New York, retiring a total of 44 New York batters in a row. Joe Christopher beats out a two-out bunt in the fifth inning to finally end the right-hander’s perfection over the Amazins’.

August 10, 1964

1964 – Roberto Clemente: “Step In Bucket Saves My Back.” Taking advantage of an off-day in the Pirates’ schedule, the Associated Press collars Clemente for a brief profile/interview of the National League’s leading hitter, with a particular focus on the peculiarities of his batting style. One genuine scoop emerges, Clemente’s own explanation for his distinctive and dramatic step away from the plate or, as they say, “into the bucket.” While his early tendency to bail out had been corrected in Puerto Rico in 1952 by Santurce’s player/manager Buster Clarkson [“He put a bat behind my left foot and made sure I didn’t drag my foot”], the subsequent seeming resurrection of this habit occurs in response to the damage to Clemente’s spine sustained in a December 1954 automobile accident and aggravated almost exactly two years later by a violent swing and miss during winter ball. “In 1956 I was doing good until I hurt my back,” Clemente recalls. “Since then I step to the side with my left foot faster so I don’t have to twist my body so much.”

August 11, 1964

Hank Aaron passes Joe DiMaggio with his 362nd career home run in the Braves’ 9 – 6 win over the Colt .45’s.

August 12, 1964

Mickey Mantle sets a major league record when hits a home run from both sides of the plate for the 10th time in his career.

August 13, 1964

A day after the team and fans celebrate his birthday, ailing Fred Hutchinson again takes a leave of absence as manager of Reds. Dick Sisler again takes charge. Hutch will enter a hospital for further treatments.

August 13, 1964

In a battle of teenagers, 19-year-old Met first baseman Ed Kranepool homers twice off 18-year-old Phillie hurler Rick Wise.

August 13, 1964

CBS buys 80 percent of the New York Yankees, effective November 2nd.

August 14, 1964

1964 – Bo Belinsky is suspended by the Angels after attacking sportswriter Braven Dyer. Four days later Belinsky will be assigned to Hawaii (Pacific Coast League), then suspended for the season when he refuses to report.

August 14, 1964

In a battle of teenagers at Shea Stadium, 19 year-old first baseman Ed Kranepool homers twice off 18 year-old Phillies’ starter Rick Wise. The young Philadelphia right-hander will prevail to earn the victory in the team’s 6-4 decision over the Mets.

August 15, 1964

Mayor Richard Daley declares “Ernie Banks Day” in Chicago and 26,000 fans cheer the Cubs’ slugger. Banks then goes hitless as Pittsburgh wins, 5 – 4.

August 16, 1964

Sandy Koufax pitches a 3 – 0 shutout win against St. Louis, but he will miss the rest of the season because of an elbow injury suffered when he slid into second base

August 16, 1964

St. Louis outfielder Curt Flood collects eight consecutive hits during a doubleheader against Dodgers pitching. The Cardinals split the twin bill in Los Angeles, losing the opener to Sandy Koufax, 3-0, but take the nightcap when Curt Simmons tosses a six hitter to give the Redbirds a 4-0 victory.

August 17, 1964

1964 – General manager Bing Devine and business manager Art Routzong of the Cardinals are fired by owner August Busch. The popular Devine, who engineered the Lou Brock trade, leaves with the Cardinals in 5th place.

August 19, 1964

Nellie Fox delivers his third hit, a single off Barney Schultz, scoring Al Spangler for an 8-7, ten-inning triumph over St. Louis. Bob Aspromonte drives in four, including a game-tying hit with two out in the ninth to push the game into overtime.

August 20, 1964

Yogi Berra slaps a harmonica from utility player Phil Linz

August 20, 1964

Orioles LF Boog Powell fractures his right wrist in a collision with the outfield fence in Baltimore’s loss at Boston. He will be sidelined until September 5th.

August 21, 1964

1964 – Reds reliever Billy McCool pitches 6 2/3 innings of stellar relief to beat the Dodgers, 3 – 2. McCool allows one hit and strikes out 9.

August 22, 1964

1964 – The Yankees lose the first game to Boston, 5 – 3, extending their losing streak to six games. Boston scores three runs in the 8th inning to win it. In the nitecap, New York wins, 8 – 0, as Mickey Mantle and Johnny Blanchard both homer, and Roger Maris drives in three runs. Mel Stottlemyre wins his 3rd game in a row since being recalled from Richmond. The Yanks end the day 5 1/2 games behind the Orioles, with the White Sox in 2nd place, 1 1/2 games back.

August 23, 1964

Mets pitcher Willard Hunter picks up half his career wins (4) today as New York sweeps the Cubs, 2 – 1

August 23, 1964

New York tops host Boston, 4 – 3, as Mickey Mantle starts the scoring with a 2-run homer in the 3rd inning off Earl Wilson. New York will win 26 of their next 33 games.

August 23, 1964

Don Larsen tosses a five-hitter in the Texas heat to best Warren Spahn It is Larsen’s first complete game in five years.

August 29, 1964

On Elston Howard Night, the Yankees take two from Boston, 10 – 2 and 6 – 1. 

August 30, 1964

1964 – Milwaukee (8) and San Francisco (7) combine to use a major league-record 15 pinch hitters in two nine-inning games. The Giants win the opening marathon, 15 – 10, then win, 7 – 4. The Milwaukee refreshment stands, down to $13 in pennies, drop their prices; beer goes from 31 cents to 30 cents, hot dogs from 26 cents to 25 cents, hot sandwiches from 62 cents to 60 cents.

August 31, 1964

1964 – Ground is broken for Anaheim Stadium, future home of next year’s California Angels.

September 1, 1964

Masanori Murakami of the San Francisco becomes the first Japanese-born player to appear in a major league game

September 1, 1964

Southpaw relief P Masanori Murakami becomes the first major league player from Japan. He debuts in a 4 – 1 San Francisco loss at New York. His first 11 innings will be scoreless ones.

September 1, 1964

The Phillies top Houston, 4 – 3, on 3 solo home runs in the 7th inning. Johnny Callison‚ Wes Covington‚ and Frank Thomas supply the power outbursts.

September 1, 1964

The Cardinals move past the faltering Giants into third place with a 5 – 4 win over the Braves. Former Brave‚ now Cardinals utility C‚ Bob Uecker hits his first home run of the year‚ then singles in the winning run in the 9th to win it for the Birds. St. Louis is 7 1/2 in back of the first-place Phils.

September 1, 1964

At Crosley Field‚ Jim Maloney strikes out 13 in the Reds’ 2 – 1 win over Chicago.

September 1, 1964

Masanori Murakami becomes the first native-born Japanese player to appear in the U.S. major leagues when he throws a scoreless eighth inning in the Giants’ 4-1 loss to the Mets at Shea Stadium. The 20 year-old southpaw, who was to play only minor league ball until June as an ‘exchange player’, will be allowed to stay and play in one full season with San Francisco next year, before returning to the Nankai Hawks, ending his brief American stint with a 5-1 record and an ERA of 3.75.

September 1, 1964

Masanori Murakami becomes the first native-born Japanese player to appear in the U.S. major leagues when he throws a scoreless eighth inning in the Giants’ 4-1 loss to the Mets at Shea Stadium. The 20 year-old southpaw, who was to play only minor league ball until June as an ‘exchange player’, will be allowed to stay and play in one full season with San Francisco next year, before returning to the Nankai Hawks, ending his brief American stint with a 5-1 record and an ERA of 3.75.

September 1, 1964

1964 – Colt .45s have trouble leaving their Philadelphia hotel as a local radio station falsely reports that the Beatles are staying there. Teenaged fans swarm the exits, seeking a glimpse of the Fab Four. Battling past the mob, the .45s then lose to the Phils, 4-3, on four solo homers.

September 2, 1964

1964 – Lee Stange ties a major-league record with four strikeouts in the 7th inning, as the Indians beat Washington, 9 – 0.

September 3, 1964

Don Larsen tosses a four-hit shutout at Philadelphia, 6-0 . Mike White paces the Colts attack with four hits while Eddie Kasko chips in three. 

September 4, 1964

1964 – The Yankees overcome two homers by Ken Harrelson to beat the host A’s, 9 – 7, in 10 innings. Mickey Mantle and Elston Howard hit back-to-back homers in the 4th inning for New York. With the Orioles losing today, Baltimore (81-54) and Chicago (82-55) are virtually tied for first, with New York (77-56) three games back.

September 5, 1964

Ernie Banks belts a double and homer in the same inning, and the Cubs use the big score to beat the Cards, 8 – 5. Mike Cuellar takes the loss against Larry Jackson.

September 5, 1964

The Yanks acquire veteran P Pedro Ramos from the Indians as pennant insurance. The Indians get two players to be named later: Ralph Terry on October 12, and Bud Daley on November 27.

September 5, 1964

Blue Moon Odom makes his major league debut, and Mickey Mantle greets him with a 3-run opposite-field homer in the 1st inning. New York hangs on to win, again by a 9 – 7 score.

September 6, 1964

For the second time in 4 days and the third time in his career‚ Zoilo Versalles has the only hit for the Twins. His 2-run homer in the 6th is the lone hit off Boston’s Bill Monbouquette but it is good enough for a Twins win‚ 2 – 1.

September 6, 1964

At Philadelphia‚ Giants ace Juan Marichal strikes out 13 Phillies‚ including 7 in a row‚ to win, 4 – 3.

September 6, 1964

The Red Sox sell pitcher Wilbur Wood to the Pirates. The knuckleballer was 0-5 last year and had no decision in 4 appearances this year. The Bucs will pass Wood along to the White Sox in 1967 where he’ll blossom.

September 7, 1964

Completing a 12-3 home stand, the Cards sweep a Labor Day doubleheader from the Reds 3 – 2, 3 – 2, and move into a 2nd-place tie with Cincinnati.

September 7, 1964

The Pirates roll out 11 pitchers but still lose two to the Giants, 6 – 4 and 9 – 6.

September 7, 1964

At Connie Mack Stadium, a Labor Day crowd of 26,390 fans watches the first-place Phillies split a doubleheader with the Dodgers. The attendance for the twin bill brings the season’s total to 1,224,172 patrons, breaking the all-time franchise home attendance record established by the Whiz Kids in 1950.

September 8, 1964

1964 – Phils’ first baseman Frank Thomas fractures his right thumb sliding back into first base in the 3 – 2 loss to the Dodgers. The Phils are six games ahead, but Thomas’s loss will be felt keenly when the Phils begin to slide. Art Mahaffey takes the loss, lasting just a third of an inning.

September 8, 1964

The Mets announce the signing of 18 year-old right-hander Bill Denehy. The recent high school graduate, who struck out 151 batters in 81 innings, posted a 10-1 record for Woodrow Wilson High School in Middletown, Connecticut, and won three tournament games en route to leading his team to the state championship.

September 9, 1964

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports that Cleveland GM Gabe Paul has requested economic surveys of the Seattle, WA market in anticipation of a possible Indians move to the Northwest.

September 10, 1964

Baltimore tops the Senators, 12 – 5, despite Brooks Robinson hitting into his second triple play. Brooks will hit into a record four triple killings by the time he hangs up his glove.

September 10, 1964

The Phils split a 2-game series with the Cards and build a 6-game lead in the National League on Chris Short’s 5 – 1 win. Short strikes out 12 throwing no curves to win his 16th.

September 10, 1964

With his office being responsible for all of the costs for teams not making it into the postseason, Baseball commissioner Ford Frick authorizes the Phillies, Yankees, White Sox, and Orioles to print tickets for the World Series. Due to a historic late-season collapse by Philadelphia, the surging Cardinals win the National League pennant on the last day of the season, and will play the Bronx Bombers in the Fall Classic.

September 11, 1964

After rookie Wally Bunker (16-4) gives the Orioles a 5 – 2 win, Kansas City’s bonus baby Blue Moon Odom stops the O’s, 8 – 0, on two hits. The split shaves the Orioles’ lead to a half-game over the White Sox.

September 11, 1964

Angels reliever Bob Lee fractures his right hand punching a heckling sailor in Boston.

September 11, 1964

At Milwaukee’s County Stadium, Braves’ southpaw Denny Lemaster throws a one-hitter, beating the Reds and Jim Maloney, who gives up only two hits, 1-0. The only run of the two-hour and six-minute contest scores on a sac fly by Felipe Alou plating Gene Oliver in the bottom of the eighth inning.

September 11, 1964

Bob Gibson holds the Cubs to two hits, and the Cards win, 5 – 0. Ken Boyer’s 22nd homer starts the Birds’ scoring.

September 11, 1964

The Phils’ Dennis Bennett stops the Giants, 1 – 0, defeating Juan Marichal. Ruben Amaro’s double scores the lone run and keeps the Phils six games ahead of the Cards.

September 12, 1964

Orioles southpaw Frank Bertaina records his first major league victory when he tosses a one-hitter to beat the A’s and the Orioles set the record by only having 19 official at bats

September 12, 1964

The Indians score six in the 1st, and outlast the White Sox, 11 – 10. For 2nd-place Chicago, it is their 4th loss in six games. The loss goes to starter Ray Herbert, with Sam McDowell the victor.

September 13, 1964

St. Louis becomes the first National League club to score in each inning since the Giants did it on June 1, 1923

September 13, 1964

Dodgers walk off vs NY Mets – Full Radio Broadcast

September 15, 1964

At Wrigley Field, Larry Jackson fires a six-hitter, beating the Reds, 6-1, to become the season’s first 20-game winner. The 33 year-old right-handed workhorse will finish the campaign with a 24-11 record for the eighth-place Cubs.

September 16, 1964

1964 – The White Sox move into a first-place tie (88-61) with Baltimore by besting Detroit, 4 – 1, while the Orioles lose to Minnesota 2 – 1. The Yanks are one point behind.

September 16, 1964

Phillies pitcher Jim Bunning (17-4), starting on two days’ rest after pitching 10 innings in Houston, loses to the Colt .45s, 6 – 5. Bunning had won eight in a row. Manager Gene Mauch will be highly criticized for his overuse of his top pitchers down the stretch as Philadelphia blows its season-long lead.

September 17, 1964

In the National League, the Phillies defeat the Dodgers, 4-3 on Dick Allen grounder to score Ruben Amaro Sr. in top of the 9th inning. The Phils lead the NL by 6.5 games with just 12 remaining. The next day, their historic, epic collapse will begin.

September 17, 1964

Seattle mayor J.D. Dorm Braman publicly admits his attempt to bring the Indians to the Emerald City. Other suitors for the disgruntled franchise, whose board of directors will vote to keep the team in Cleveland next month, include the cities of Oakland and Dallas.

September 17, 1964

The Yankees whip the Angels, 6 – 2, to lock on to first place for good with a 2-percentage-point lead over the idle White Sox and Orioles. Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle each have three hits. Mantle’s include his 2,000th career hit and his 450th home run, his 31st of the year. The Yankees have won two in a row and will run their win streak to 11 games.

September 17, 1964

Thanks to the efforts of Charlie Finley (seen below wearing a wig), the Beatles, who had planned for a day of rest in New Orleans on the only free date scheduled during their American tour, play a concert in Kansas City’s Municipal Stadium. The group’s manager Brian Epstein, who had initially turned down the A’s owner’s offers of $50,000 and $100,000 to have the lads from Liverpool perform in the City of Fountains, agrees on $150,000, about six times the going rate, enabling the Fab Four to earn $4,838 per minute, the largest sum ever paid for a musical concert.

September 19, 1964

In the first game of a doubleheader, the Reds stun the Cardinals, 7 – 5, when Frank Robinson connects for a three-run 9th inning home run off Bob Gibson. The Cards take the second game, 2 – 0, scoring both runs on C Don Pavletich’s throwing error on a double steal. Ray Sadecki wins his 18th.

September 19, 1964

The Dodger-Phils matchup in Los Angeles goes 15 innings, when with two outs in the bottom of the 16th, Willie Davis singles, steals second, and takes third on a wild pitch. With rookie reliever Morrie Steevens making his first big league appearance, Davis swipes home to give the Dodgers the 4 – 3 win. His steal of home is the latest in any game in the National League and ties Hal Trosky’s 16th-inning swipe of home in a 1944 game. The Phils now lead by 5 1/2.

September 19, 1964

The Yanks move a half game ahead of the rained-out O’s by defeating the A’s, 8 – 3. Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris homer and Ralph Terry pitches effectively in relief of Al Downing.

September 19, 1964

The first manager in franchise history, Harry Craft, is fired with a 61-88 mark

September 21, 1964

The Phillies start their slide as John Tsitouris shuts them down and Chico Ruiz steals home for the only run

September 22, 1964

Larry Dierkerbecomes the last rookie to make his major league debut as a Colt .45. On his 18th birthday

September 23, 1964

The sizzling Yanks win their 9th in a row, defeating the Tribe, 4 – 3, in 11 innings, and 6 – 4. Elston Howard’s homer off Louie Tiant snaps a tie in the opener. John Romano homers in each game for the Indians while recently-acquired Pedro Ramos finishes up both games for New York. Ramos, however, will not be eligible for the World Series.

September 23, 1964

The slumping Phils (90-63) drop their third in a row to the Reds, 6 – 4. Vada Pinson has two homers, good for four runs, to lead the Reds over the 1st-place Quakers. The Reds (86-66) trail by 3 1/2 games, with the Cards and Giants five back.

September 23, 1964

The Mets surprise the Cards and Roger Craig, 2 – 1, scoring the winner on an error. The Cards’ only run is Bill White’s homer off Galen Cisco. Cards manager Johnny Keane is quoted as saying he has no idea whether he will be asked to return as Cards manager next year.

September 23, 1964

Washington’s Don Loun makes his first mound appearance and shuts out the Red Sox, 1 – 0, for his only major league win. Loun will lose his next and last start.

September 24, 1964

9/24/1964 – The Cubs official lineup showed Ernie Banks playing first base and batting fifth. John Boccabella started the game in his place and grounded out in the second and fourth innings. However, in the sixth Ron Santo tripled and so did Boccabella, scoring Santo. The Dodgers manager Walter Alston then protested the batting order. Boccabella’s triple was nullified and Santo placed back at third. Ernie Banks was deemed to be the proper batter and was called out and given a time at bat. However, this was an incorrect ruling by crew chief Frank Secory. According to rule 3.08(a)(3), Boccabella became the first baseman and the proper fifth place batter when he took the field in the top of the first inning as an unannounced substitute. Therefore, it was incorrect to remove Boccabella’s triple and to charge Banks with a time at bat. Boccabella finished the game at first base, collecting a single in the eighth inning. The Cubs won with a two-run rally in the bottom of the ninth inning thanks to three walks, an error and Santo’s sacrifice fly. The final score was 4-3.

September 25, 1964

At Shea Stadium, Jim Maloney fires a one-hitter in the Reds’ 3 – 0 win over the Mets. Joe Christopher’s 2nd-inning single is the only hit.

September 25, 1964

Dean Chance beats the Twins’ Jim Kaat, 1 – 0, to become the Angels’ first 20-game winner. Chance’s five 1 – 0 wins this year tie the major-league record held by four pitchers (Reb Russell; Walter Johnson; Joe Bush and Carl Hubbell).

September 25, 1964

The 1st-place Phils, just 3 1/2 games in the lead after dropping three games at home to the Reds (1 – 0, 9 – 2 and 6 – 4), throw Jim Bunning at the Braves. Bunning lasts six innings but the Braves topple the host Phils, 5 – 3, as Joe Torre belts two triples to drive home three runs. In the second contest, the woes continue as the Phillies lose, 7 – 5, in 11 innings. Chris Short goes eight innings for Philley before exiting with a 3 – 3 tie. Torre slams a two-run homer in the 10th, but the Phils match it, before losing it in the 11th. Torre has three hits in the nitecap with three RBIs.

September 26, 1964

At Shibe Park, the Braves and Phillies set a major league record by using 43 players in a 9-inning game. The Braves’ 25 match the 9-inning high mark for National League clubs. Eight of the 25 are pitchers, tying a league mark, but still the stumbling Phils drop their 6th in a row, 6 – 4. The topper is Rico Carty’s three-run triple in the top of the 9th against reliever Bobby Shantz, in for starter Art Mahaffey. Joe Torre again has three hits for Milwaukee, which shaves the Phils’ lead to a half-game.

September 26, 1964

Rookie Mel Stottlemyre’s collects 5 hits and fires 2 hit shutout

September 26, 1964

The Reds belt the Mets, 6 – 1, for their 7th straight win, the longest in the National League this season. Marty Keough drives in half the runs with a single and double. The Reds are now a half-game back of the Phils.

September 27, 1964

Despite three home runs by Johnny Callison, the Phils are 14 – 8 losers to the Braves, who complete a 4-game sweep at Connie Mack Stadium. The Phils’ 7th straight loss drops them out of first, which they had held for 73 days. Milwaukee tallies 22 hits – 10 against Jim Bunning in four innings and the others against four relievers. Joe Torre has two hits including his 20th homer.

September 27, 1964

The Reds are winners of nine straight as they sweep a doubleheader, 4 – 1 and 3 – 1, over New York to take a one-game lead over the faltering Phillies. However, the Reds will then lose four of their final five games to finish the season tied for second with Philadelphia, one game behind the pennant-winning St. Louis Cardinals.

September 27, 1964

The Philadelphia Inquirer stops its recent practice of printing the Phillies magic number, citing the countdown digit has lost its significance in the National League race. The fading Phils, which had a 6.5 game lead just six days ago, now clings to a half-game margin, and the team will need to beat the contenders they will face in five of the six remaining games to clinch the once ‘certain’ pennant.

September 27, 1964

On Fan Appreciation Day at Shea Stadium, a promotion which features egg tossing contests and wheelbarrow races between games, the Reds sweep a twin bill from the Mets to take sole possession of first place. Six days ago, Cincinnati had trailed the Phillies by six and a half games.

September 27, 1964

Colt 45’s walkoff win in the last game played at Colt stadium

September 29, 1964

At a press conference, the Mets announce Casey Stengel, the only skipper the franchise has ever known, will continue to manage next season. Although the expansion team has finished last in all three years of its existence, the ‘Old Perfessor’ is given a raise.

September 29, 1964

Masanori Murakami becomes the first player born in Japan to win a major league game. At Candlestick Park, the 20 year-old southpaw one-hits the Colt .45’s over three innings, and the Otsuki native gets the victory when Matty Alou, who hasn’t homered in two years, goes deep to give the Giants a dramatic walk-off 5-4 win in the bottom of the 11th inning.

September 30, 1964

As a pinch-hitter in the top of the seventh inning at Yankee Stadium, Bill Roman hits his only big league home run in his first major league at-bat. The 25 year-old Tiger rookie first baseman will accumulate only 37 career plate appearances during a brief two-year stint in Detroit.

September 30, 1964

A total of 36 strikeouts, 19 by Pittsburgh batters, ties the National League record for whiffs in the Pirates’ 1 – 0 squeaker against the Reds in 16 innings. Jerry May’s squeeze bunt scores the lone run. The loss drops the Reds out of 1st place with three games left.

September 30, 1964

In a rarity at Fenway Park, the Indians shut out the Red Sox in a doubleheader winning 5 – 0 and 3 – 0. Rookie Luis Tiant and Sam McDowell go the distance in applying the whitewash.

September 30, 1964

The Phillies lose their 10th straight game as Curt Simmons of the Cards beats Jim Bunning, 8 – 5. The Phils now trail by 2 1/2 games with just two to play, but have a glimmer of hope since the Cardinals have three games left against the 10th-place Mets.

October 1, 1964

National League teams have there first coin flip in case of playoffs

October 1, 1964

Only 306 Fans show up to watch a game at Fenway Park

October 4, 1964

St. Louis Cardinals win a wild National League pennant race by defeating the New York Mets 1964

October 4, 1964

Thirty minutes after their 9-2 loss to Chicago on the last day of the season, the Giants fire manager Alvin Dark, and then name Herman Franks, a coach on the team, to be his successor. The former controversial skipper, rumored to be on the chopping block before the start of the season, is quoted complaining about the number of black and Hispanic players on his team in a Newsday article printed in August, telling Stan Issacs, “they are just not able to perform up to the white player when it comes to mental alertness”.

October 4, 1964

Larry Jackson’s 9 – 2 victory over the Giants is his 24th win for the Cubs, the most ever for a pitcher on an eighth-place team. Jackson also sets a major league record for pitchers by fielding 109 chances during the season without committing an error. Walter Johnson fielded 103 chances without an error in 1913.

October 4, 1964

The Philadelphia Phillies bomb the Cincinnati Reds, 10 – 0, as both teams finish one game behind the St. Louis Cardinals. The Phillies and Reds then sit in the visitor’s clubhouse and hope that New York Mets pitcher Galen Cisco can stop the Cardinals. The Mets take a 3 – 2 lead into the 5th inning, but St. Louis scores three runs to regain the lead. New York scores once more but the Cardinals complete their scoring with three in the 8th to win, 11 – 5. Bob Gibson wins in relief. For St. Louis, it is their first pennant since 1946.

October 7, 1964

Bob Uecker, who had been shagging out in left field, tries his hand at catching batting practice balls with a tuba when an unsuspecting member of a Dixieland band leaves it unattended. Much to the delight of the crowd, the comedic Cardinals backup catcher is successful in two of his six attempts to snag a fly ball in the mouth of the instrument, but the owner, who is not amused, asks the team for $250 to cover the cost of repairing the dented brass.

October 8, 1964

Rookie Mel Stottlemyre dominates the St. Louis Cardinals and Bob Gibson Game 2 of 1964 World Series

October 10, 1964

Mickey Mantle, facing Barney Schultz, slams the first pitch of the bottom of the ninth inning giving New York a dramatic 2-1 walk-off victory

October 11, 1964

Ken Boyer grand-slam caps off St. Louis rally vs Yankees

October 14, 1964

Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle hit home runs on back-to-back pitches from Curt Simmons of the St. Louis Cardinals, and Joe Pepitone belts a grand slam. New York wins, 8 – 3, at St. Louis and evens the Series.

October 15, 1964

October 15, 1964: Bob Gibson’s Dominance, Mickey Mantle’s Record, and a World Series for the Ages

October 16, 1964

New York Yankees announce the firing of Yogi Berra as manager

October 16, 1964

After deliberating for four hours, the Indians’ Board of Directors decide to keep the team in the Forest City after exploring options to possibly shift the franchise to Seattle, Oakland, or Dallas. The Tribe signs a ten-year lease to use Cleveland Stadium at a reduced rent, which includes an escape clause for the city and the club after any season.

October 17, 1964

Despite a 99-63 record, the Yankees fire manager Yogi Berra after losing the World Series to the Cardinals in seven games

October 17, 1964

Johnny Keane, rumored in August to be replaced as the Cardinals’ manager by Leo Durocher before the Redbirds surged to win the World Series, surprises team owner Gussie Busch and GM Bob Howsam with a letter of resignation that he had written at the end of September during the height of the pennant race with Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Cincinnati. The former St. Louis skipper will take the Yankee job, which opens as the result of the firing of Yogi Berra, which also occurs today.

October 19, 1964

Fred Hutchinson formally resigns as manager the Reds

October 19, 1964

Harry Walker becomes the skipper of the Pirates replacing Danny Murtaugh, who will return to the field as an interim manager during the 1967 season replacing his fired successor. During his two-plus years in the Pittsburgh dugout, ‘Harry the Hat’ compiles a respectable 224-184 (.549) record but is let go after his team plays .500 ball after competing for the National League flag the previous two seasons.

October 19, 1964

Two days after manager Johnny Keane announces his departure from the Redbirds to join the Yankees, Cardinals general manager Bob Howsam announces the resignation of team consultant Branch Rickey, stating he has no explanation for the 83 year-old’s decision to leave the club. The move is seen as the continuation of the front office shakeup for the World Champs, that also includes the resignation of Eddie Stanky as the director of player development and the dismissal of former GM Bing Devine.

October 20, 1964

Johnny Keane, three days after resigning as manager of the World Champion Cardinals, replaces Yogi Berra as the Yankees’ field boss. The new skipper of the Bronx Bombers will not fare well next year, leading the aging team to their first losing season since 1925.

October 20, 1964

Red Schoendienst, a favorite former player, is named as the Cardinals new manager, replacing Johnny Keane, who resigned the day following the team’s Game 7 Fall Classic victory over New York

October 21, 1964

After just 11 years in Milwaukee, the Braves’ Board of Directors votes to ask the National League for permission to move to Atlanta

November 2, 1964

The Columbia Broadcasting System becomes the first corporate owner of a major league team by buying eighty percent of the Yankees from Dan Topping and Del Webb for $11.2 million

November 3, 1964

Philadelphia voters approve a $25 million bond issue to build a new sport stadium. Due to cost overruns, a 1967 measure will be needed to authorize an additional $13 million, bringing the final price tag to approximately $50 million, making Veterans Stadium one of the most expensive ballparks ever built.

November 7, 1964

The Braves, for the second time in eleven years, receive permission to shift their franchise to another city

November 10, 1964

The Braves sign a twenty-five year lease to play in the newly constructed Atlanta Stadium

November 12, 1964

Cincinnati Reds manager Fred Hutchinson dies after a battle with cancer.

November 17, 1964

Yogi Berra signs a two-year contract with the Mets as a player-coach

November 18, 1964

Brooks Robinson is voted AL MVP

November 23, 1964

The New York Mets purchase future Hall of Fame pitcher Warren Spahn from the Milwaukee Braves

November 24, 1964

St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Ken Boyer is selected as the National League Most Valuable Player

November 28, 1964

Tony Olivia is overwhelmingly selected as the American League’s Rookie of the Year

November 28, 1964

The Phillies’ slugging third baseman Dick Allen is chosen as the 1964 NL Rookie of the Year

November 29, 1964

The Red Sox trade first baseman Dick Stuart to the Phillies for pitcher Dennis Bennett.

December 1, 1964

The Houston Colt .45s officially change their nickname to “Astros.”

December 1, 1964

The Chicago White Sox trade P Ray Herbert and 1B Jeoff Long to the Phillies for OF Danny Cater and SS Lee Elia.

December 1, 1964

Cleveland obtains OF Chuck Hinton from the Senators for 1B Bob Chance and IF Woodie Held.

December 3, 1964

California Angels trade Bo Belinsky to the Philadelphia Phillies for Rudy May

December 3, 1964

1964 – General Manager Paul Richards sparks controversy when news leaks out during the Winter Meetings in Houston that he had offered the team’s entire 40-man roster plus $5 million dollars for the 40-man roster of the Milwaukee Braves. Richards claimed to have had the backing of owners Bob Smith and Roy Hofheinz but the Braves shoot down the idea as a joke that got out of hand. Had it been consumated, future Hall of Famers like Hank Aaron, Phil Niekro and Eddie Mathews could have been Astros.

December 4, 1964

Los Angeles Dodgers trade slugger Frank Howard

December 4, 1964

The major leagues restore to the commissioner’s office all powers rescinded after Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis’s death in 1944. Principally, they waive their right to take legal action in the event of disagreements with the commissioner and grant him authority to judge whether actions taken by the owners in concert are, automatically “in the best interests of baseball.” Voting for the annual All-Star teams is turned back to the fans.

December 4, 1964

Minnesota acquires versatile Cesar Tovar from the Reds for P Gerry Arrigo. Tovar will play eight seasons in Minnesota.

December 4, 1964

The owners vote to use a free-agent draft with clubs selecting in the inverse order of the previous year’s standings to choose players every four months. The new system, scheduled to begin next month, is designed to level the playing field by preventing rich clubs, like the Yankees, from using their wealth to lock up all of the talented players.

December 6, 1964

Major League Baseball releases its official 1964 batting averages that confirms Twins’ outfielder Tony Oliva wins the batting crown

December 12, 1964

1While the official name will remain the Harris County Domed Stadium, Judge Roy Hofheinz introduces his new ballpark as the “Astrodome” for the first time while displaying the team’s new logo of baseballs in orbit around a likeness of the new stadium.

December 15, 1964

Tigers owner John Fetzer announces a two-year television pact between Major League Baseball and ABC-TV. The network pays $12.2 million to telecast games on 25 Saturdays, Independence Day, and Labor Day.

December 15, 1964

The Cards purchase OF Tito Francona from the Indians.

December 17, 1964

The Yankees fire long-time television and radio voice Mel Allen

December 26, 1964

Seattle Angels of the Pacific Coast League name Bob Lemon their new manager

August 21, 2019

PODCAST Season 3, Episode 4 – Foxx, Marichal, Berra, Stairs, Perry

SEASON RECAP FOR 1964