1960s Timeline

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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