1960s Timeline

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Dec 15, 2021

William "Dummy" Hoy, Oldest Former Major League Ballplayer, Dead at 99

Dec. 15, 1961 - William “Dummy” Hoy (pictured throwing out the first pitch at Game 3 of this year’s World Series), the oldest former...

Dec 12, 2021

Mantle Expected to Sign 1962 Contract for $85,000

Dec. 12, 1961 - The world champion Yankees may be faced with a record payroll that could go well over $700,000. But their salary troubles...

Dec 8, 2021

MLB: Mets Acquire Former Batting Champ Richie Ashburn

Dec. 8, 1961 - The New York Mets today acquired another slightly aged though still highly capable player they expect to give their club...

Nov 30, 2021

WOR-TV Likely Network for New York Mets Games in '62

Nov. 30, 1961 - New York stations WOR-TV and WOR radio said today they had reached “major portions of agreement” in negotiations to...

Nov 27, 2021

MLB: White Sox Trade Minnie Minoso to St. Louis

Nov. 27, 1961 - The Chicago White Sox traded Orestes (Minnie) Minoso, their Cuban outfield star, to the St. Louis Cardinals for Joe...

Nov 23, 2021

Casey Stengel Expounds on the Spitball

Nov. 23, 1961 - New York Mets manager Casey Stengel said today he couldn’t see what all the fuss was about the spitball. “If the pitchers...

Nov 22, 2021

Reds' Frank Robinson Wins NL MVP Award

Nov. 22, 1961 - Frank Robinson (pictured at his wedding last month), crack outfielder of the Cincinnati Reds, today was named the winner...

Nov 16, 2021

The New York Mets Have a Logo

Nov. 16, 1961 - The New York Mets gave a $1,000 check to Ray Gotto, a cartoonist, for submitting the prize-winning emblem for the new...

Nov 15, 2021

Maris Voted MVP Second Year in a Row

Nov. 15, 1961 - Yankee outfielder Roger Maris, whose 61 home runs last season were the most ever hit by a major league player in a...

Nov 9, 2021

White Sox Purchase Hotel to Bypass Segregation in Florida

Nov. 9, 1961 - The Chicago White Sox erased any possible racial segregation problem in spring training today by purchasing the 117-room...

Nov 8, 2021

Ford Wins Cy Young Award

Nov. 8, 1961 - Whitey Ford, the bellwether of the Yankee pitching staff for more than 10 years, gained the Cy Young award as the...

Nov 8, 2021

Former Baseball Great Jimmy Foxx Bankrupt

Nov. 8, 1961 - Jimmy Foxx (pictured with Connie Mack in 1931), who now lives in Lakewood, Ohio, filed a voluntary petition in bankruptcy...

Nov 4, 2021

Maris Gets 61st Home-Run Ball Back in Sacramento

Nov. 4, 1961 - Roger Maris today got back the ball he hit for his 61st home run last season, but he avoided a red-carpet welcome planned...

Oct 30, 2021

Fan Who Caught Maris’s 61st Homer Weds

Oct. 30, 1961 - Sal Durante (right), the 19-year-old Brooklyn truck driver who caught Roger Maris’s 61st home run, arrived in Sacramento...

Oct 26, 2021

William A. Shea Honored by Mayor for Bringing National League back to New York

Oct. 26, 1961 - The New York City Mayor’s Committee on Baseball was honored today for “outstanding accomplishments in preserving the...

Oct 25, 2021

MLB: Reds’ Joey Jay Named National League Pitcher of the Year

Oct. 25, 1961 - Joey Jay was named the National League pitcher of the year today by UPI’s board of baseball experts. The 26-year-old...

Oct 19, 2021

MLB: Al Kaline Named Comeback Player of 1961

Oct. 19, 1961 - Al Kaline (pictured right with Mickey Mantle and Norm Cash) of the Detroit Tigers, who increased his batting average 46...

Oct 11, 2021

MLB: Dodgers Manager Walt Alston Gets New Contract

Oct. 11, 1961 - Walt Alston (pictured with Dodgers owner Walter O’Malley) was signed today to a new one-year contract to manage the...

Oct 10, 2021

Baseball’s New Clubs Pick First Players

Oct. 10, 1961 - At a combined cost of $3,650,000, the New York Mets and the Houston Colts today fished 45 players out of the 136-player...

Oct 9, 2021

Ford Named Outstanding Performer of 1961 World Series

Oct. 9, 1961 - Whitey Ford (pictured right with Johnny Blanchard and Roger Maris), a double pitching victor for the Yankees, was named...