YEAR IN REVIEW : 1967 American League

Off the field...

The entire crew of the Apollo One spacecraft including Virgil Grissom, Edward White and Roger Chaffee were killed during a pre-launch rehearsal after fire swept through their Saturn rocket as it sat on its launching pad. The tragedy marked the first deaths of any astronaut while actively engaged in the American space program.

The United States Senate promoted Solicitor General Thurgood Marshall as the first African-American member of the Supreme Court. Previous to his nomination from President Lyndon B. Johnson, Marshall had held office in the U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals after President John F. Kennedy recognized him as one of the country's most promising attorneys.

American labor leader Jimmy Hoffa was arrested and sentenced to thirteen years in prison following a series of government investigations into illegal business practices. While serving his sentence at a federal prison in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, he refused to resign as president of the Teamsters and retained the support of most union members. United States President Richard Nixon eventually commuted Hoffa's sentence releasing him from prison on Christmas Eve, 1971. Four years later, while attempting to rebuild his administration, Hoffa "disappeared" after apparently attending a meeting at the Red Fox restaurant in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. To this day, the Teamster leader has never been found and was declared legally dead in 1982.

In the American League...

On May 30th, New York Yankees lefty Whitey Ford surprisingly announced his retirement after struggling for several weeks due to a bone spur on his throwing elbow. The perennial ace finished his career with an amazing 236-109 record, a 2.75 lifetime ERA, ten World Series wins and the highest career winning percentage (.690) of any modern pitcher.

The Washington Senators managed to fight off exhaustion long enough to beat the Chicago White Sox 6-5 during a twenty-two inning contest that lasted six hours and thirty-eight minutes. The June 12th marathon set the record for the longest night game in American League history.

New York Yankees team president Mike Burke announced that "The House That Ruth Built" (also known as Yankee Stadium) would undergo its first major renovation at an estimated cost of $1.5 million dollars. The Mets agreed to allow the Bronx Bombers to use Shea Stadium while their park was getting the facelift.

In the National League...

St. Louis Cardinal and single-season home run champion Roger Maris hit a "one in a million" shot against the Pittsburgh Pirates for his first National League round-tripper. Unbelievably, Maris, who wore number 9, hit a ball into Seat 9, located in Row 9 during a game on May 9th.

The Chicago Cubs and New York Mets combined for eleven home runs (Cubs eight, Mets three) during the second game of a June 11th doubleheader. The unexpected "home run derby" tied a Major League record originally set by the Detroit Tigers and New York Yankees in 1950.

Tony Perez ended the longest All-Star Game in Major League history (fifteen innings) to date after launching a home run off "Catfish" Hunter for the 2-1 National League victory. Despite the game-winning hit, pitching reigned supreme at this Midsummer Classic as Ferguson Jenkins of the National League struck out seven, the American League allowed no walks and both leagues combined for thirty total strikeouts.

Around the League...

After an eleven-hour debate, the American League owners approved the move of Charles Finley's Athletics from Kansas City to Oakland. The junior circuit also mandated the expansion of the league with a deadline of 1971, guaranteeing a new franchise in both Kansas City and Seattle by that time.

The National League owners also agreed to a two team expansion and explored the possibilities of putting the new teams in Milwaukee, Dallas, Montreal, Toronto, Buffalo and / or San Diego.

St. Louis Cardinal Orlando Cepeda became the first National League MVP to be voted for unanimously while the American League MVP, Boston Red Sox slugger Carl Yastrzemski, won the Triple-Crown and led the American League in batting average (.326), slugging average (.622), home runs (tied with Harmon Killebrew with forty-four), RBIs (one-hundred twenty-one) and hits (one-hundred eighty-nine).

Four Baseball Hall of Fame inductees debuted during the 1967 season including Tom Seaver, Johnny Bench, Rod Carew and Reggie Jackson.

Baseball Almanac Top Quote

"And if I have my choice between a pennant and a triple crown, I'll take the pennant every time." - Carl Yastrzemski (who did both this season)

1967 American League Player Review

1966 | 1967 Hitting Statistics League Leaders | 1968

Base on Balls Harmon Killebrew Minnesota 131 Top 25
Batting Average Carl Yastrzemski Boston .326 Top 25
Doubles Tony Oliva Minnesota 34 Top 25
Hits Carl Yastrzemski Boston 189 Top 25
Home Runs Harmon Killebrew Minnesota 44 Top 25
Carl Yastrzemski Boston
On Base Percentage Carl Yastrzemski Boston .421 Top 25
RBI Carl Yastrzemski Boston 121 Top 25
Runs Carl Yastrzemski Boston 112 Top 25
Slugging Average Carl Yastrzemski Boston .622 Top 25
Stolen Bases Bert Campaneris Kansas City 55 Top 25
Total Bases Carl Yastrzemski Boston 360 Top 25
Triples Paul Blair Baltimore 12 Top 25
1967 A.L. History | 1967 N.L. History | Year-by-Year History

1967 American League Pitcher Review

1966 | 1967 Pitching Statistics League Leaders | 1968

Complete Games Dean Chance Minnesota 18 Top 25
ERA Joe Horlen Chicago 2.06 Top 25
Games Bob Locker Chicago 77 Top 25
Saves Minnie Rojas California 27 Top 25
Shutouts Steve Hargan Cleveland 6 Top 25
Joe Horlen Chicago
Tommy John Chicago
Mickey Lolich Detroit
Jim McGlothin California
Strikeouts Jim Lonborg Boston 246 Top 25
Winning Percentage Joe Horlen Chicago .731 Top 25
Wins Jim Lonborg Boston 22 Top 25
Earl Wilson Detroit
1967 A.L. History | 1967 N.L. History | Year-by-Year History

1967 American League Team Standings

1967 All-Star Game | 1967 Team Standings | 1967 World Series

Boston Red Sox 92 70 .568 0
Minnesota Twins 91 71 .562 1
Detroit Tigers 91 71 .562 1
Chicago White Sox 89 73 .549 3
California Angels 84 77 .522
Washington Senators 76 85 .472 15½
Baltimore Orioles 76 85 .472 15½
Cleveland Indians 75 87 .463 17
New York Yankees 72 90 .444 20
Kansas City Athletics 62 99 .385 29½

1967 American League Team Review

Hitting Statistics League Leaderboard

Base on Balls Detroit 626
Batting Average Boston .255
Doubles Boston 216
Minnesota
Hits Boston 1,394
Home Runs Boston 158
On Base Percentage Detroit .327
Runs Boston 722
Slugging Average Boston .395
Stolen Bases Kansas City 132
Triples Kansas City 50

1967 American League Team Review

Pitching Statistics League Leaderboard

Complete Games Minnesota 58
ERA Chicago 2.45
Fewest Hits Allowed Chicago 1,197
Fewest Home Runs Allowed Chicago 87
Fewest Walks Allowed Minnesota 396
Saves California 46
Shutouts Chicago 24
Strikeouts Cleveland 1,189
baseball almanac flat baseball

baseball almanac fast facts

On April 14, 1967, Red Sox rookie pitcher Billy Rohr made his Major League debut and pitched a no-hitter versus the Yankees through eight and two-thirds innings. Elston Howard broke up the gem and the Red Sox won 3-0. However, did you know that Rohr went on to win only 1 more game during 1967, 1 game in 1968, then left the big leagues at 22 years old?

On May 14, 1967, Mickey Mantle hit a 3-2 pitch served up by Stu Miller into the lower right-field stands. The blast was Mantle's five-hundredth making him the sixth big leaguer to reach that magic plateau.

On August 6, 1967, Dean Chance of Minnesota pitched 5 perfect innings of baseball. Rain halted the game and his shot a perfect game ended. 19 days later, on August 25, 1967, Chance missed perfection again, but still tossed a 2-1 no hitter versus the Cleveland Indians.