YEAR IN REVIEW : 1967 National 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

"My idea of managing is giving the ball to Tom Seaver and sitting down and watching him work." - Sparky Anderson

1967 National League Player Review

1966 | 1967 Hitting Statistics League Leaders | 1968

Base on Balls Ron Santo Chicago 96 Top 25
Batting Average Roberto Clemente Pittsburgh .357 Top 25
Doubles Rusty Staub Houston 44 Top 25
Hits Roberto Clemente Pittsburgh 209 Top 25
Home Runs Hank Aaron Atlanta 37 Top 25
On Base Percentage Dick Allen Philadelphia .404 Top 25
RBI Orlando Cepeda St. Louis 111 Top 25
Runs Hank Aaron Atlanta 113 Top 25
Lou Brock St. Louis
Slugging Average Hank Aaron Atlanta .573 Top 25
Stolen Bases Lou Brock St. Louis 52 Top 25
Total Bases Hank Aaron Atlanta 344 Top 25
Triples Vada Pinson Cincinnati 13 Top 25
1967 N.L. History | 1967 A.L. History | Year-by-Year History

1967 National League Pitcher Review

1966 | 1967 Pitching Statistics League Leaders | 1968

Complete Games Fergie Jenkins Chicago 20 Top 25
ERA Phil Niekro Atlanta 1.87 Top 25
Games Ted Abernathy Cincinnati 70 Top 25
Ron Perranoski Los Angeles
Saves Ted Abernathy Cincinnati 28 Top 25
Shutouts Jim Bunning Philadelphia 6 Top 25
Strikeouts Jim Bunning Philadelphia 253 Top 25
Winning Percentage Dick Hughes St. Louis .727 Top 25
Wins Mike McCormick San Francisco 22 Top 25
1967 N.L. History | 1967 A.L. History | Year-by-Year History

1967 National League Team Standings

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

St. Louis Cardinals 101 60 .627 0
San Francisco Giants 91 71 .562 10½
Chicago Cubs 84 74 .540 14
Cincinnati Reds 87 75 .537 14½
Philadelphia Phillies 82 80 .506 19½
Pittsburgh Pirates 81 81 .500 20½
Atlanta Braves 77 85 .475 24½
Los Angeles Dodgers 73 89 .451 28½
Houston Astros 69 93 .426 32½
New York Mets 61 101 .377 40½

1967 National League Team Review

Hitting Statistics League Leaderboard

Base on Balls Philadelphia 545
Batting Average Pittsburgh .277
Doubles Houston 259
Hits Pittsburgh 1,585
Home Runs Atlanta 158
On Base Percentage Pittsburgh .327
Runs Chicago 702
Slugging Average Pittsburgh .380
Stolen Bases St. Louis 102
Triples Pittsburgh 62

1967 National League Team Review

Pitching Statistics League Leaderboard

Complete Games San Francisco 64
ERA San Francisco 2.92
Fewest Hits Allowed San Francisco 1,283
Fewest Home Runs Allowed Philadelphia 86
Fewest Walks Allowed Los Angeles 393
Saves St. Louis 45
Shutouts Cincinnati 18
Strikeouts Cincinnati 1,065
baseball almanac flat baseball

baseball almanac fast facts

On April 13, 1967, a 22 year old pitcher named Tom Seaver pitched his first Major League game. The future hall of famer lasted five and a third innings, allowed six hits, gave up two runs and walked four in a no-decision debut.

Did you know that on May 10, 1967, all-time home run king Hank Aaron hit the only inside-the-park home run of his entire Major League career?

On July 14, 1967, Eddie Mathews of Houston became the seventh member of the 500 Home Runs Club when he launched a Juan Marichal pitch during the fourth inning at Candlestick Park.