1961 – Sandy Koufax (18-13) fans seven Phils in the course of a 2 – 1 loss to set a National League record for strikeouts in a season: 269. This surpasses Christy Mathewson’s 267 in 1963, which was accomplished in 367 innings pitched, as opposed to Koufax’s remarkable 255. Both runs off Sandy are unearned.
In front of only 1,717 fans at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles, Bob Sprout appears in his only major league game. The Angels starter, who once struck out 22 batters in a seven-inning no-hitter in the minor leagues, starts against the Senators, allowing four hits and two runs in four innings, and has no role in the decision of his team’s 8-6 victory over Washington.
On September 26, 1961 — At Yankee Stadium, with fewer than 20,000 fans in attendance, during a 3-2 Yankee win over the Baltimore Orioles, in the bottom of the 3rd inning Roger Maris ties Babe Ruth’s 34 year-old single-season record with his 60th home run of the year, a high drive down the right-field…
Cincinnati clinches its first National League pennant since 1940. Homers by Frank Robinson and pinch hitter Jerry Lynch, a tie-breaker in the 8th, give the Reds a 6 – 3 win at Chicago.
The Reds, with an 8-3 win over the Cubs at Wrigley Field, clinch their first National League pennant since 1940. Cincinnati will lose the World Series to the Yankees, 4 games to 1.
Minnesota’s Joe Altobelli hits a one-out 7th inning homer, the only hit off Washington’s Dick Donovan, who wins, 4 – 1. Jim Kaat loses his 16th.
At Cincinnati, the Giants stage a 9-run 4th to rip the Reds, 12 – 5. Orlando Cepeda hits his 45th homer of the year, a grand slam, to climax the frame. Cepeda will hit one more home run this year and finish with 39 walks, the first National League player with more than 40 homers and fewer than 40 walks. Hal Trosky has done it in the American League.
A dropped fly ball by Ken Hunt in the 10th gives the Tigers two runs and a 7 – 5 win over the Angels. Hunt had tied the game in the 8th with a home run. Rookie Howie Koplitz wins his first major league game, after going 23-3 with a no-hitter for Birmingham (Southern Association). Koplitz will win his first seven decisions in the Bigs over four years but an arm injury will limit him to a 9-7 record.
An ailing Mickey Mantle’s career-high 54th home run, his last of the regular season, helps New York beat Boston, 8 – 3. Whitey Ford leaves the game in the 5th inning, but wins his 25th.
The Phils’ Wes Covington hits a solo homer in the 16th inning to top Pittsburgh’s Elroy Face, 5 – 4. Face also gives up an extra-inning homer to Felipe Alou on the 11th. Bobby Malkmus earlier homered for the Phils. Jack Baldschun pitches 7 1/3 innings of shutout relief for the win.
Enjoy our free trial and start listening to games, interviews and shows! Ruth, Mantle, Aaron, and Seaver!