Twice, Fergie Jenkins had gotten so close to a Cy Young Award that he could taste it. After finishing in second for the award in 1967 and third in 1970, in 1971 Jenkins finally broke through. On Nov. 3, 1971, he was named the NL Cy Young Award winner, becoming the first Cubs…
In front of a crowd gathered on the U.S. Capitol steps, Pennsylvania lawmakers Hugh Scott and Richard South Schweiker collect their World Series wager made with their fellow senators from Maryland, Charles Mathias Junior and J. Glenn Beall, Jr. As winners of a bet made on the 1971 Fall Classic between the Orioles and Pirates, the two Keystone State senators victoriously ride elephants as the losers lead and feed the pachyderms peanuts while carrying shovels to clean the street, if necessary.
On November 2, 1971, Baltimore right-hander Pat Dobson hurls a 2-0 no-hitter against the Yomiuri Giants during an exhibition tour in Japan. Dobson’s gem is one of 12 victories for the Orioles in their 18-game schedule against Japan League teams. Game ticket & learn more about the players, teams, stadiums and dates in history …
1971 – Vida Blue of the Oakland Athletics wins the American League Cy Young Award by a 98-85 margin over Mickey Lolich of the Detroit Tigers. Blue was 24-8 for Oakland, posting 301 strikeouts, eight shutouts and a 1.82 ERA, becoming the youngest pitcher to win the award. In the National League, Ferguson Jenkins of the Chicago Cubs receives the honor.
After being swept in the ALCS by the Orioles, the A’s bolster their pitching, obtaining starting pitcher Ken Holtzman from the Cubs in exchange for center fielder Rick Monday. The 26 year-old southpaw, who recorded only nine wins with the Cubs last season, rebounds with a 19-11 record and becomes a mainstay in Oakland’s rotation behind Vida Blue and Catfish Hunter.
Dick Williams is named the Associated Press American League Manager of the Year after guiding the A’s to their first playoff appearance since the franchise faced St. Louis in the 1931 Fall Classic. The 42 year-old skipper also copped the honor for piloting the Red Sox during the team’s Impossible Dream season in 1967.
Clemente caps off MVP performance belting game 7 homerun On October 17, 1971, Roberto Clemente hits a fourth-inning homer off Baltimore’s Mike Cuellar to put the Pirates ahead, 1-0, in Game 7 of the World Series. The right-fielder has hit safely in all seven games of the series, a feat he also accomplished in 1960 against…
1971 – In the World Series, Brooks Robinson drives in Frank Robinson in the 10th inning of Game 6 to give Baltimore a Series-tying 3 – 2 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Dave McNally gets the victory in relief and Bob Miller is the loser. Pittsburgh’s Roberto Clemente does all he can to win the game single-handed. Stranded after his 1st-inning triple to the wall in left center, his 3rd-inning solo shot puts Pittsburgh up, 2 – 0. He’s retired on long flies in the 5th and 8th innings while Pittsburgh fritters away its modest lead. He comes up in the 10th inning with Dave Cash having just stolen second base. Baltimore manager Earl Weaver walks Clemente intentionally, preferring to face Willie Stargell, and Al Oliver, who flies out to center. All of Clemente’s offensive contributions notwithstanding, the reason the game reaches extra innings is his defensive gem in the bottom of the 9th, a no-look, one-hop strike from Memorial Stadium’s right field corner, 310 feet away, to catcher Manny Sanguillen, preventing the runner at first, running on contact on Don Buford’s two-out double, from even attempting to score. By extending the game, Clemente’s throw will force Baltimore’s best player, Frank Robinson, to win this game with his legs, challenging the arm of centerfielder Vic Davalillo on two consecutive plays. In doing so, Robinson tears his left hamstring and aggravates an already damaged right Achilles tendon; he will be but a shadow of himself in the decisive 7th game.
1971 – Nelson Briles of the Pittsburgh Pirates throws a two-hit shutout against the Baltimore Orioles for a 4 – 0 victory which gives the Pirates a 3-2 edge in the World Series.
In the first World Series night game ever played, the Pirates defeat the Orioles at Three Rivers Stadium, 4-3, overcoming the Birds’ three-run first inning thanks to the Bucs’ bullpen holding Baltimore scoreless for 8.2 innings. All Fall Classic contests will be evening tilts, beginning with Game 6 of the 1987 Series.