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Saturday, 10/21/1961
Saturday 10/21/1961: Drysdale (BOS) and Smith (CIN) win Cy Young Award
Don Drysdale was named the AL Cy Young Award winner today. Boston's right-hander put up fabulous numbers this year which earned him the highest award a pitcher can receive. This season Drysdale compiled an ERA of 2.44, going 22-10 in 44 starts. He fanned 304 while giving up 318 hits in 383 innings. Don has pitched 5 shutouts and 29 complete games. He's 1st in the AL in ERA and 1st in wins! Drysdale wins the award for the 3rd time in his 5-year career. Frank Smith was named the NL Cy Young Award winner today. Cincinnati's right-hander put up fabulous numbers this year which earned him the highest award a pitcher can receive. In 47 starts this year Frank struck out 306 batters in 360 innings of work. His ERA is 3.55, his record 27-11. He has 13 complete games and one shutout. He's 2nd in the NL in ERA and 1st in wins! Smith wins the award for the 6th time in his 11-year career.
 
Saturday 10/21/1961: Most Valuable Player Award winners announced
It was a day to remember for Kansas City's Orlando Cepeda, who won the AL Most Valuable Player Award today. It put the finishing touches on what has been a tremendous season for the slugger. His season numbers are: .368 AVG, 233 hits, 46 doubles, 3 triples and 46 taters, along with 130 RBI and 129 runs scored. He's 1st in the AL in batting, 2nd in homeruns and 4th in RBI! Cepeda wins the award for the 2nd time in his 3-year career. Chicago (N)'s rightfielder Frank Robinson had a fabulous season as well, no doubt about it. The NL shared this opinion and names the 26 year old the Most Valuable Player Award winner! Frank is hitting .340 this year, with 196 hits in 576 at bats. He has driven in 156 runs, slugging .710. He's 6th in the NL in batting, 2nd in homeruns and 2nd in RBI!
 
Saturday 10/21/1961: Rookie Of The Year Award winners announced
Detroit's Jim Archer was almost in tears when he heard the news. The 29 year old pitcher was named the Rookie Of The Year Award winner in the AL today. What a way to begin a career! His ERA of 3.93 helped him to a 20-7 record this year. He struck out 115 and walked 96 in 282 innings. He's 6th in the AL in wins! Frank Howard will never forget his first full season. The NL was convinced that Milwaukee's rightfielder, 25 years old, should be the Rookie Of The Year Award winner of 1961. Howard has hit for a .284 average this season. He has 72 extra base hits along with 331 total bases, resulting in a .536 slugging percentage. He's 5th in the NL in RBIs and 6th in homeruns!
 
Monday 10/9/1961: Player of the Week honors go to Kasko and Nieman
Eddie Kasko from Minnesota wins his 1st Player of the Week award for putting up the best numbers this week in the AL. Eddie went 9 for 17 (.529), while hitting 1 HR and collecting 3 RBI. Eddie is hitting .263 this year, with 181 hits in 689 at bats. He has driven in 59 runs, slugging .343. Bob Nieman wins his 8th Player of the Week award. NL pitchers couldn't figure out how to retire this guy all week long. He had an on base percentage of .579 and hit .556, while driving in 3 runs.
 
Monday 10/2/1961: Player of the Week honors go to Throneberry and Aaron
It's the 2nd time that the AL Player of the Week award goes to Minnesota's first baseman Marv Throneberry. In 19 at bats he hit .579 with 1 HR and 6 RBI. Hank Aaron wins his 9th Player of the Week award. NL pitchers couldn't figure out how to retire this guy all week long. Hank pounded opposing pitchers, hitting .450 with 4 HR and 13 RBI while slugging 1.150. Aaron has hit for a .318 average this season. He has 83 extra base hits along with 383 total bases, resulting in a .658 slugging percentage. He's 1st in the NL in RBIs and 1st in homeruns!
 
Sunday 10/1/1961: Cincinnati's Johnson named Pitcher of the Month
Baltimore's pitcher Curt Simmons is the AL winner of the Pitcher of the Month award in September. His ERA of just 1.92 helped him to a 5-1 record in September. He worked 56.1 innings, striking out 30 hitters while walking 17. Curt pitched a shutout as well. Opposing players hit .249 against Curt this season. While posting an ERA of 3.99 he went 15-13 in 33 starts, fanning 119 and walking 94 hitters. Curt has pitched one shutout and 4 complete games. It's the 2nd time that the NL Pitcher of the Month award goes to Cincinnati's pitcher Don Johnson. He started 7 games in September, going 5-1 and compiling an ERA of 2.58 in 52.1 innings. Don fanned 26 hitters. Don has a record of 20-4 this season, with an ERA of 3.84. In 285.2 Innings he was able to strike out 176 batters. He has 5 complete games and one shutout. He's 5th in the NL in ERA and 5th in wins!
 
Sunday 10/1/1961: Boston's Mays earns Batter of the Month award
The AL Batter of the Month award goes to Willie Mays, Boston's starting centerfielder. Willie was on fire, hitting .314 with 13 homeruns and 25 RBI. Mays has hit 40 bombs this year while batting .289. He adds 38 doubles, along with 113 runs scored. He's 6th in the AL in RBIs and 4th in homeruns! The AL Batter of the Month award goes to Frank Robinson, Boston's starting rightfielder. Frank was on fire, hitting .355 with 12 homeruns and 32 RBI. Robinson has walked 104 times this year and posts a .471 OBP. While batting .345, 190 for 550, he has driven in 148 runs. He's 3rd in the AL in batting, 2nd in homeruns and 2nd in RBI!
 
Wednesday 9/27/1961: Kansas City's Grim out for 5 weeks
KANSAS CITY - Kansas City is without its ace Bob Grim for at least 5 weeks. He injured himself while throwing a pitch to Al Smith in a game against Minnesota. His face showed signs of pain immediately after the ball left his hand. Grim was rushed to an hospital near the ballpark, where doctors took x-rays. Those revealed the serious injury, Pulled Rotator Cuff Muscle. In 26 starts this year Bob struck out 115 batters in 184 innings of work. His ERA is 3.67, his record 13-7.
 
Monday 9/25/1961: Mays (BOS) and Nieman (LAN) win P.O.W. award
The AL Player of the Week award goes to Willie Mays, Boston's starting centerfielder. In 22 at bats he hit .409 with 6 HR and 13 RBI. He has hit 39 longballs while batting .294 this season. His 159 hits and 95 walks add up to a .399 on-base percentage. He's 5th in the AL in RBIs and 4th in homeruns! Los Angeles (N)'s rightfielder Bob Nieman had some reason to celebrate as well, as the league named him the NL Player of the Week. Bob pounded opposing pitchers, hitting .500 with 4 HR and 8 RBI while slugging 1.167. He hit in every game this week and extended his hitting streak to 14 games. Bob is hitting .342 this year, with 188 hits in 549 at bats. He has driven in 112 runs, slugging .574. He's 5th in the NL in batting and 6th in RBI!
 
Thursday 9/21/1961: Chicago (A)'s Foytack out for 8 weeks
CHICAGO (A) - Chicago (A) is without its right-hander Paul Foytack for at least 8 weeks. He injured himself while throwing a pitch to Carl Yastrzemski in a game against Los Angeles (A). His face showed signs of pain immediately after the ball left his hand. Doctors examined him after the game and diagnosed a Ruptured Elbow Ligament which will require surgery. In 37 starts this year Paul struck out 226 batters in 266 innings of work. His ERA is 4.57, his record 14-13. Paul has pitched one shutout and 3 complete games.
 
Monday 9/18/1961: San Francisco's Whitey Lockman laces 2000th career hit
SAN FRANCISCO - San Francisco's second baseman Whitey Lockman joined some elite company today, collecting his 2000th career hit! In 15 years of big league action so far, Whitey has compiled a batting average of .281, along with 149 homeruns and 840 RBI. 'I guess I'll celebrate a bit today. But the most important thing is winning, and my whole career I gave everything I could to help my team.' He hit a single in the 3rd off Ed Rakow for number 2000.
 
Monday 9/18/1961: Cash (DET) and Hansen (SF) win P.O.W. award
The AL Player of the Week award goes to Norm Cash, Detroit's starting first baseman. Cash helped his team with an average of .636 and 13 RBI in 22 at bats. He hit in every game this week and extended his hitting streak to 7 games. He now has homered in 4 consecutive games as well! The NL Player of the Week award goes to Ron Hansen, San Francisco's starting shortstop. Ron was on fire, hitting .625 with 2 HR and 12 RBI.
 
Sunday 9/17/1961: Juan Marichal pitches his 3rd shutout of the season
DETROIT - Detroit's right-hander Juan Marichal is a great pitcher. And he once again showed his stuff, blanking Los Angeles (A) on just 2 hits. It's his 3rd shutout this season, and the 3rd time he has done it in his career. 'Well, the ball went where I wanted it. I was able to hit the corners with all of my pitches.' Marichal (18-15) struck out 5 and walked 1, throwing 64 of 96 pitches for strikes. Brooks Robinson provided Detroit with the offense Marichal needed as he finished with 3 hits in 4 AB, hitting a homerun, scoring two runs with 2 RBI. The final score of the game was 9-0.
 
Monday 9/11/1961: Cepeda (KC) and Alou (MIL) win P.O.W. award
The AL's best player of the week was Kansas City's Orlando Cepeda, who wins the award for the 7th time in his career. Orlando was on fire, hitting .583 with 2 HR and 5 RBI. It's the 1st time that the NL Player of the Week award goes to Milwaukee's leftfielder Felipe Alou. He had an on base percentage of .654 and hit .625, while driving in 6 runs. He got at least one hit each game this week and is on a 9 game hitting streak right now.
 
Thursday 9/7/1961: Nellie Fox collects 2000th hit against Los Angeles (N)
CHICAGO (N) - Chicago (N)'s second baseman Nellie Fox joined some elite company today, collecting his 2000th career hit! Along with his 2000 hits, Nellie collected 15 homeruns and 710 RBI in 14 seasons. 'Wow. That is all I can say now. I'm thrilled.' His hit in the 5th inning was a double off Bob Friend.
 
Monday 9/4/1961: Player of the Week honors go to O'dell and Kubek
It's the 1st time that the AL Player of the Week award goes to Chicago (A)'s pitcher Billy O'dell. Billy went 2-0 with an ERA of 0.53, while fanning 7 in 17 innings of work. He hurled a shutout as well. Tony Kubek from Pittsburgh wins his 2nd Player of the Week award for putting up the best numbers this week in the NL. Tony was on fire, hitting .500 with 3 HR and 8 RBI. Tony has gone 191 for 523 (.365) this season, hitting 12 homeruns and driving in 73 runs. He has scored 103 runs on his own. He's 2nd in the NL in batting!
 
Friday 9/1/1961: Philadelphia (N) has no chance in a 2-hitter by Lou Brissie
PHILADELPHIA (N) - Age doesn't matter. At least Milwaukee's lefty Lou Brissie shares this opinion. The 37 year old pitched a 2-hit shutout against Philadelphia (N), recording his 1st shutout of the season. Brissie (6-17) fanned 8 and walked 1, throwing 106 pitches. 'I was able to keep´em off balance. That certainly helped.' Ron Jackson helped Brissie at the plate, he stroked 1 hit in 3 AB, hitting a homerun, and collecting 2 RBI. The final score of the game was 4-0.
 
Friday 9/1/1961: Drysdale and Smith receive Pitcher of the Month award
Don Drysdale couldn't have pitched much better than he did in August, and the AL thought so as well, naming the right-hander Pitcher of the Month. He started 8 games in August, going 6-1 and compiling an ERA of 1.67 in 70 innings. Don fanned 64 hitters. Don fired two shutouts! His ERA of 2.42 helped him to a 18-9 record this year. He struck out 259 and walked 46 in 323 innings. Don has pitched 5 shutouts and 24 complete games. He's 1st in the AL in ERA and 2nd in wins! It's the 17th time that the NL Pitcher of the Month award goes to Cincinnati's pitcher Frank Smith. He had an ERA of just 2.97 in 60.2 innings of work in which he struck out 53 hitters. His record in August is 6-0. Frank has a record of 21-8 this season, with an ERA of 3.31. In 285.2 Innings he was able to strike out 247 batters. Frank has pitched one shutout and 10 complete games. He's 2nd in the NL in ERA and 1st in wins!
 
Friday 9/1/1961: Cepeda (KC) and Howard (MIL) win monthly award
Orlando Cepeda of Kansas City wins his 7th Batter of the Month award for putting up the best numbers in the AL. Cepeda helped his team with an average of .363 and 19 RBI in 102 at bats. Cepeda has walked 45 times this year and posts a .426 OBP. While batting .374, 187 for 500, he has driven in 110 runs. He's 2nd in the AL in batting, 2nd in homeruns and 3rd in RBI! The Batter of the Month award in the NL goes to Milwaukee's Frank Howard this time, as the rightfielder displayed the best offensive perfomance in his league. Frank was on fire, hitting .402 with 17 homeruns and 46 RBI. He has hit 33 bombs while batting .301 this season. His 147 hits and 44 walks add up to a .357 on-base percentage. He's 5th in the NL in RBIs and 5th in homeruns!
 
Monday 8/28/1961: Cepeda (KC) and Carey (LAN) win P.O.W. award
Orlando Cepeda from Kansas City wins his 6th Player of the Week award for putting up the best numbers this week in the AL. Cepeda helped his team with an average of .500 and 9 RBI in 26 at bats. It's the 2nd time that the NL Player of the Week award goes to Los Angeles (N)'s third baseman Andy Carey. Andy was on fire, hitting .538 with 3 HR and 13 RBI.
 
Wednesday 8/23/1961: Andy Carey stars with cycle against St. Louis (N)
LOS ANGELES (N) - Los Angeles (N)'s third baseman Andy Carey once again displayed his tremendous ability to make contact with that little white ball. He tore up St. Louis (N)'s pitching staff with a 4 hit performance on Wednesday. In the 1st inning he unloaded a RBI triple off Moe Drabowsky. A single in the 4th off Terry Fox accounted for his 2nd hit. A pitch from Barry Latman in the 5th inning left his bat for a two-run double. His 4th hit, a two-run homerun off Barry Latman in the 7th inning, landed an estimated 378 feet from home plate. That drive completed the cycle, causing a smile on his face! Andy scored 5 runs, and he collected 7 RBI as well! This season has been a good one for him so far, as he has 140 hits in 445 at bats, resulting in a .315 batting average. He's now the 20th player in league history to hit for the cycle! On 8/15/1961, Frank Torre was the last player to hit for the cycle.
 
Wednesday 8/23/1961: Los Angeles (N)'s Duke Snider crushes homerun #600
LOS ANGELES (N) - Los Angeles (N)'s leftfielder Duke Snider was in good mood after the game against St. Louis (N), and he had every reason as he made baseball history while collecting his 600th career homerun. In 14 years of big league action so far, Duke has compiled a batting average of .322, along with 2518 hits and 1825 RBI. Duke hit 30+ homeruns in a season 11 times, hitting 40 bombs 10 times. 'You dream about that as a kid, but when you reach such a milestone it's hard to believe. Fantastic.' A pitch from Barry Latman in the 5th inning left his bat for a two-run homerun, landing 392 feet from home plate in left-center. The Hall of Fame already has reserved a place for this great player.
 
Tuesday 8/22/1961: Willie Mays uncorks five hits against Washington
BOSTON - Willie Mays is among the best pure hitters in the game, but his 5 hit performance seemed to surprise even himself. His 1st hit, a three-run homerun off Frank Baumann in the 1st inning, cleared the fence in left field. A pitch from Frank Baumann in the 4th inning left his bat for a RBI double. A pitch from Tom Sturdivant in the 5th inning left his bat for a RBI double. His 5th hit, a two-run homerun off Johnny Klippstein in the 7th inning, landed an estimated 337 feet from home plate. He collected a single in the 2nd, driving in one run. Willie did drive in 8 while scoring 3 runs on his own. He now has a total of 126 hits this season, accounting for a .291 batting average. The final score of the game was 14-0.
 
Monday 8/21/1961: Player of the Week honors go to Mathews and Howard
It's the 14th time that the AL Player of the Week award goes to New York (A)'s third baseman Eddie Mathews. He had an on base percentage of .630 and hit .565, while driving in 6 runs. He hit in every game this week and extended his hitting streak to 7 games. Milwaukee's rightfielder Frank Howard had some reason to celebrate as well, as the league named him the NL Player of the Week. Frank went 11 for 25 (.440), while hitting 5 HR and collecting 15 RBI. He got at least one hit each game this week and is on a 8 game hitting streak right now.
 
Saturday 8/19/1961: St. Louis (N)'s Walls out for the season
ST. LOUIS (N) - St. Louis (N)'s rightfielder Lee Walls will miss the rest of the season. He injured himself running the bases in the game between St. Louis (N) and Milwaukee. The injury didn't seem to be serious the moment it happened. But suddenly Walls collapsed in pain and had to be carried off the field. After being examined by several specialists the diagnosis is clear: Broken Knee. Walls has walked 31 times this year and posts a .311 OBP. While batting .260, 112 for 430, he has driven in 60 runs.
 
Tuesday 8/15/1961: Cleveland's Frank Torre hits for the cycle
BALTIMORE - Cleveland's first baseman Frank Torre once again displayed his tremendous ability to make contact with that little white ball. He tore up Baltimore's pitching staff with a 5 hit performance on Tuesday. A single in the 1st off Frank Sullivan accounted for his 1st hit. A two-run triple off Frank Sullivan in the 4th inning, accounted for his 2nd hit. His 3rd hit was a two-run double off Frank Sullivan in the 6th inning. His 4th hit, a solo homerun off Dallas Green in the 7th inning, landed an estimated 403 feet from home plate. That drive completed the cycle, causing a smile on his face! A single in the 9th off Hersh Freeman accounted for his 5th hit. Frank did drive in 7 while scoring 3 runs on his own. He is hitting .246 this season, with 1 HR and 19 RBI. 19 players in league history have so far hit for the cycle, including Frank. On 9/19/1960, Del Crandall was the last player to hit for the cycle.
 
Monday 8/14/1961: Player of the Week honors go to Peterson and Snider
The AL Player of the Week award goes to Hardy Peterson, Baltimore's starting catcher. Hardy went 12 for 24 (.500), while hitting 4 HR and collecting 8 RBI. Peterson has walked 39 times this year and posts a .434 OBP. While batting .356, 95 for 267, he has driven in 48 runs. The Player of the Week award in the NL goes to Los Angeles (N)'s Duke Snider this time, as the leftfielder displayed the best offensive perfomance in his league. Duke went 11 for 23 (.478), while hitting 3 HR and collecting 6 RBI. He has hit 19 longballs while batting .321 this season. His 70 hits and 49 walks add up to a .448 on-base percentage.
 
Sunday 8/13/1961: Chris Short (BOS) will miss 6-7 weeks
BOSTON - When it rains, it pours. Boston's left-hander Chris Short will not pitch for at least 6-7 weeks, handing the team a huge setback. He suffered a serious injury in a game against Baltimore where he left the field in the 9th inning. Doctors examined him after the game and diagnosed a Ruptured Elbow Ligament which will require surgery. This season Short compiled an ERA of 4.49, going 10-9 in 22 starts. He fanned 97 while giving up 192 hits in 170.1 innings. Chris has pitched one shutout and 8 complete games.
 
Saturday 8/12/1961: Kansas City's Altman out for 5 weeks
KANSAS CITY - Kansas City's centerfielder George Altman suffered a serious injury when he was struck by a pitch from Detroit's Jim Archer. He collapsed in pain and was helped off the field. Altman will probaby miss 5 weeks. Doctors examined him after the game and diagnosed a Broken Finger which will require surgery. He has hit 25 taters while batting .262 this season. His 107 hits and 44 walks add up to a .340 on-base percentage. He's 10th in the AL in RBIs and 7th in homeruns!
 
Monday 8/7/1961: Player of the Week honors go to Francona and Kubek
The Player of the Week award in the AL goes to Cleveland's Tito Francona this time, as the first baseman displayed the best offensive perfomance in his league. Tito pounded opposing pitchers, hitting .538 with 1 HR and 7 RBI while slugging .885. He got at least one hit each game this week and is on a 8 game hitting streak right now. The NL Player of the Week award goes to Tony Kubek, Pittsburgh's starting shortstop. He had an on base percentage of .581 and hit .536, while driving in 9 runs. He hit in every game this week and extended his hitting streak to 14 games. This year Kubek drove in 56 and scored 86 runs while batting .373 with 8 homeruns. He's 2nd in the NL in batting!
 
Tuesday 8/1/1961: Billy O'dell pitches 2-hit shutout against Washington
WASHINGTON - Billy O'dell had his best stuff going, and Washington hitters had nothing to cheer about. Chicago (A)'s lefty pitched a 2-hitter, his 1st shutout of the season. O'dell (10-10) fanned 5 and walked 3, throwing 118 pitches. 'Today I just felt fine. I had a good feeling while warming up.' Sammy Taylor provided Chicago (A) with the offense O'dell needed as he stroked 2 hits in 3 AB, stroking a double, with 4 RBI. Chicago (A) improved its record to 49-53, scoring 7 runs on 6 hits.
 
Tuesday 8/1/1961: Detroit's Marichal earns Pitcher of the Month award
Detroit's pitcher Juan Marichal is the AL winner of the Pitcher of the Month award in July. His record of 5-1 in 7 was among the leagues best this month. In 62 innings of work he allowed just 52 hits while striking out 38, compiling an ERA of just 2.47. Juan has a record of 11-12 this season, with an ERA of 4.18. In 230.1 Innings he was able to strike out 124 batters. Juan has pitched 2 shutouts and 16 complete games. The best month of July in the NL certainly had Chicago (N)'s right-hander Stu Miller, earning him the Pitcher of the Month award. He went 6-0 in July and finished the month with an ERA of 4.01. He struck out 47 in 49.1 innings. His ERA of 4.05 helped him to a 15-3 record this year. He struck out 175 and walked 87 in 193.1 innings. He's 7th in the NL in ERA and 1st in wins!
 
Tuesday 8/1/1961: New York (A)'s Mathews earns Batter of the Month award
New York (A)'s third baseman Eddie Mathews had some reason to celebrate, as the league named him the AL Batter of the Month. Eddie was on fire, hitting .337 with 10 homeruns and 28 RBI. Eddie is hitting .338 this year, with 123 hits in 364 at bats. He has driven in 100 runs, slugging .624. He's 4th in the AL in batting, 5th in homeruns and 1st in RBI! The Batter of the Month award in the NL goes to Chicago (N)'s Ed Bouchee this time, as the first baseman displayed the best offensive perfomance in his league. He hit .470 with 24 RBI and slugged .795 in 83 at bats. Bouchee has hit for a .346 average this season. He has 44 extra base hits along with 190 total bases, resulting in a .543 slugging percentage. He's 3rd in the NL in batting!
 
Monday 7/31/1961: New York (A)'s Mathews wins Player of the Week award
The AL's best player of the week was New York (A)'s Eddie Mathews, who wins the award for the 13th time in his career. Mathews helped his team with an average of .458 and 9 RBI in 24 at bats. Eddie has gone 120 for 361 (.332) this season, hitting 24 bombs and driving in 98 runs. He has scored 76 runs on his own. He's 1st in the AL in RBIs and 6th in homeruns! The Player of the Week award in the AL goes to New York (A)'s Frank Robinson this time, as the rightfielder displayed the best offensive perfomance in his league. He hit .478 with 11 RBI and slugged 1.174 in 23 at bats.
 
Wednesday 7/26/1961: St. Louis (N)'s Bob Allison mashes five hits
PHILADELPHIA (N) - Bob Allison saw the ball really well, leading St. Louis (N) to a 7-5 win over Philadelphia (N). His five hits thrilled his teammates and coaches, and Bob seemed happy as well after the game. His 2nd hit, a two-run homerun off Curt Simmons in the 4th inning, cleared the fence in right field. That one tied it at 2 runs apiece. A two-run double off Curt Simmons in the 5th inning accounted for his 3rd hit. His 5th hit, a solo homerun off Jack Spring in the 9th inning, landed an estimated 343 feet from home plate. He collected singles in the 1st and in the 7th . Bob scored 2 runs, and he collected 5 RBI as well! He is hitting .294 this season, with 24 HR and 73 RBI.
 
Monday 7/24/1961: Throneberry (MIN) and Miller (CHN) win P.O.W. award
Marv Throneberry from Minnesota wins his 1st Player of the Week award for putting up the best numbers this week in the AL. In 19 at bats he hit .474 with 2 HR and 8 RBI. Throneberry has hit 14 taters this year while batting .250. He adds 10 doubles, along with 48 runs scored. Chicago (N)'s pitcher Stu Miller had some reason to celebrate as well, as the league named him the NL Player of the Week. Miller was overpowering all week long, going 2-0 with an ERA of 3.29. Along the way he struck out 16 in 13.2 innings. Opposing players hit .243 against Stu this season. While posting an ERA of 3.91 he went 13-3 in 24 starts, fanning 167 and walking 80 hitters. He's 8th in the NL in ERA and 3rd in wins!
 
Friday 7/21/1961: Huge blow for New York (A)'s Blackwell, career over
NEW YORK (A) - It was one of baseball saddest days. New York (A)'s right-hander Ewell Blackwell fell victim to a career ending injury in a game against Baltimore on Friday. He complained about pain after throwing a pitch to Bob Skinner, then suddenly collapsed. After being examined by several specialists the diagnosis is clear: Bone Chips Shoulder. Opposing players hit .241 against Ewell this season. While posting an ERA of 3.32 he went 14-6 in 23 starts, fanning 139 and walking 44 hitters. He's 8th in the AL in ERA and 1st in wins! His career featured a record of 303-158 with an ERA of 3.61. Baseball will certainly miss this great player.
 
Monday 7/17/1961: It's NO-NO time for Herb Score against Cleveland
DETROIT - Cleveland's bats were sleeping, and Detroit's Herb Score gave them no chance at all to wake up. He was untouchable in firing a no-hitter in his 25th game started this season. Sammy Esposito spoiled the bid for a perfect game when he walked with 2 away in the 8th inning. 'Wow, what a nice day. I guess I had a good breakfast today. That's a dream coming true for me!' Score (14-2) was really unbelievable, striking out 18 and walking 4, throwing 84 of 133 pitches for strikes. Joe Ginsberg helped Score at the plate, he went 1 for 2, doubling once, and collecting 2 RBI. The final score of the game was 3-0.
 
Monday 7/17/1961: Irv Noren collects 2000th hit against New York (A)
NEW YORK (A) - Boston's players had every reason to congratulate Irv Noren, who reached a milestone today, collecting his 2000th career hit! Along with his 2000 hits, Irv collected 162 homeruns and 899 RBI in 12 seasons. 'You dream about that as a kid, but when you reach such a milestone it's hard to believe. Fantastic.' He hit a single in the 9th off Marshall Bridges for number 2000.
 
Monday 7/17/1961: Player of the Week honors go to Esposito and Bouchee
Sammy Esposito from Cleveland wins his 1st Player of the Week award for putting up the best numbers this week in the AL. Esposito helped his team with an average of .538 and 7 RBI in 26 at bats. The Player of the Week award in the NL goes to Chicago (N)'s Ed Bouchee this time, as the first baseman displayed the best offensive perfomance in his league. He hit .481 with 8 RBI and slugged 1.037 in 27 at bats. This year Bouchee drove in 46 and scored 77 runs while batting .330 with 9 taters. He's 7th in the NL in batting!
 
Thursday 7/13/1961: Bob Gibson pitches his 4th shutout of the season
WASHINGTON - Bob Gibson had some fun again. New York (A) hitters did not. Washington's right-hander gave up just one hit in his 4th shutout of the season. He now has 4 career shutouts in 18 games started. 'I was able to keep´em off balance. That certainly helped.' Gibson (11-4) fanned 6 and walked none, throwing 83 pitches. Gene Green helped Gibson at the plate, he finished with 1 hit in 4 AB, blasting a homerun. Washington improved its record to 43-43, scoring 2 runs on 7 hits.
 
Monday 7/10/1961: Player of the Week honors go to Drysdale and Smith
's pitcher Don Drysdale had some reason to celebrate, as the league named him the AL Player of the Week. He was in a zone all week, compiling an ERA of 1.59 while going 1-1. He was able to complete both starts of the week. His ERA of 2.73 helped him to a 9-7 record this year. He struck out 160 and walked 28 in 208 innings. He has 13 complete games and 2 shutouts. The Player of the Week award in the AL goes to Frank went 1-1 with an ERA of 2.25, while fanning 18 in 16 innings of work. A complete game added to his brilliant performance. In 24 starts this year Frank struck out 169 batters in 187.2 innings of work. His ERA is 2.93, his record 13-6. He has 8 complete games and one shutout. He's 2nd in the AL in ERA and 1st in wins!
 
Monday 7/3/1961: Cincinnati's Lopez wins Player of the Week award
Tito Francona wins his 3rd Player of the Week award. AL pitchers couldn't figure out how to retire this guy all week long. He hit .630 with 10 RBI and slugged 1.000 in 27 at bats. Cincinnati's second baseman Hector Lopez had some reason to celebrate as well, as the league named him the NL Player of the Week. Hector was on fire, hitting .500 with 4 HR and 11 RBI.
 
Saturday 7/1/1961: Baltimore's Sullivan severely injured
BALTIMORE - Baltimore's right-hander Frank Sullivan suffered a severe injury on Saturday and will be out for at least 5 weeks. In the 7th of the game against Washington he experienced pain in his throwing arm and had to leave the game. After x-rays were taken the diagnosis did not surprise many: Torn Tricep Muscle. Surgery will be performed next week. This season Sullivan compiled an ERA of 4.33, going 11-5 in 20 starts. He fanned 58 while giving up 187 hits in 160 innings. He's 4th in the AL in wins!
 
Saturday 7/1/1961: Cincinnati's Smith named Pitcher of the Month
Detroit's Herb Score had a terrific June, and it earned him the AL Pitcher of the month award. He struck out 66 hitters in his 7 starts, putting together a record of 6-0 while pitching 66 innings. His ERA in June was 2.98. Herb also fired a shutout. Opposing players hit .188 against Herb this season. While posting an ERA of 3.35 he went 11-2 in 21 starts, fanning 234 and walking 94 hitters. Herb has pitched one shutout and 2 complete games. He's 7th in the AL in ERA and 4th in wins! Frank Smith pitched like a legend in June, and the NL named him Pitcher of the Month for his extraordinary performance. He started 8 games in June, going 6-2 and compiling an ERA of 3.22 in 64.1 innings. Frank fanned 56 hitters. Frank pitched a shutout as well. This season Smith compiled an ERA of 2.99, going 12-5 in 22 starts. He fanned 151 while giving up 146 hits in 171.2 innings. Frank has pitched one shutout and 7 complete games. He's 2nd in the NL in ERA and 1st in wins!
 
Saturday 7/1/1961: San Francisco's Boyer named Batter of the Month
The AL's best player of the month was Kansas City's Orlando Cepeda, who wins the award for the 6th time in his career. Cepeda helped his team with an average of .373 and 28 RBI in 102 at bats. Cepeda has hit 22 taters this year while batting .381. He adds 28 doubles, along with 69 runs scored. He's 1st in the AL in batting, 2nd in homeruns and 1st in RBI! It's the 2nd time that the NL Batter of the Month award goes to San Francisco's third baseman Ken Boyer. Ken was on fire, hitting .340 with 11 homeruns and 26 RBI. Boyer has hit for a .303 average this season. He has 35 extra base hits along with 169 total bases, resulting in a .563 slugging percentage. He's 6th in the NL in RBIs and 3rd in homeruns!
 
Monday 6/26/1961: Jackie Collum (WS2) will miss 5-6 weeks
WASHINGTON - When it rains, it pours. Washington's ace Jackie Collum will not pitch for at least 5-6 weeks, handing the team a huge setback. He suffered a serious injury in a game against Chicago (A) where he left the field in the 5th inning. After being taken to a local hospital, Collum was examined by specialists. The diagnosis revealed the sad truth, a Pulled Rotator Cuff Muscle. In 16 starts this year Jackie struck out 60 batters in 124 innings of work. His ERA is 3.34, his record 9-6. Jackie has pitched one shutout and 4 complete games.
 
Monday 6/26/1961: Player of the Week honors go to Score and Smith
The AL Player of the Week award goes to Herb Score, one of Detroit's best starting pitchers. Herb went 2-0 with an ERA of 1.59, while fanning 17 in 17 innings of work. He hurled a shutout as well. Frank Smith of Cincinnati wins his 2nd Player of the Week award for dominating NL's hitters the entire week. He was in a zone all week, compiling an ERA of 0.00 while going 2-0. He hurled a shutout as well. In 21 starts this year Frank struck out 146 batters in 162.2 innings of work. His ERA is 2.99, his record 11-5. He has 6 complete games and one shutout. He's 2nd in the NL in ERA and 1st in wins!
 
Saturday 6/24/1961: Ewell Blackwell celebrates 300th win
MINNESOTA - New York (A)'s right-hander Ewell Blackwell already had some highlights in his career, and today he added a historic one as he picked up his 300th career win. He struck out 1 and walked one earned run. Over 9 innings he allowed one earned run and 5 hits. His career features a 3.60 ERA, along with 4057 K's in 4965 innings. 'You dream about that as a kid, but when you reach such a milestone it's hard to believe. Fantastic.' He has won 20 games 10 times in his career, setting a career high with 29 wins in 1957. The Hall of Fame is already waiting for this great player.
 
Thursday 6/22/1961: Clem Labine pitches his 1st shutout of the season
CHICAGO (N) - All you need to win is a dominating pitching performance. And Chicago (N)'s Clem Labine did so today, in a 1-hit shutout against Los Angeles (N). 'Today I just felt fine. I had a good feeling while warming up.' Labine (4-5) struck out 7 and walked 2, throwing 59 of 101 pitches for strikes. The hitting star for Chicago (N) was third baseman Gail Harris, he finished with 1 hit in 4 AB, blasting a homerun, and driving in 2 runs. Chicago (N) improved its record to 41-31, scoring 3 runs on 7 hits.
 
Wednesday 6/21/1961: Billy Pierce shuts out Los Angeles (A) on one hit
NEW YORK (A) - Billy Pierce had an unexpectedly great performance against Los Angeles (A) on Wednesday, pitching a 1-hitter for his 1st shutout of the season. 'Winning is the most important thing. And I gave my team all the support it needed!' Pierce (9-4) struck out 8 and walked 4, throwing 65 of 122 pitches for strikes. New York (A)'s rightfielder Dick Kokos collected 2 hits in 5 trips to the plate. That was enough to support the brilliant performance of Pierce. New York (A) scored 1 run on 5 hits.
 
Monday 6/19/1961: Chicago (N)'s Romano wins Player of the Week award
Washington's pitcher Bob Gibson had some reason to celebrate, as the league named him the AL Player of the Week. Bob went 2-0 with an ERA of 0.00, while fanning 8 in 18 innings of work. He pitched two shutouts! The Player of the Week award in the NL goes to Chicago (N)'s Johnny Romano this time, as the catcher displayed the best offensive perfomance in his league. Johnny was on fire, hitting .563 with 5 HR and 10 RBI. While compiling an on base percentage of .400, Johnny hit .310 and slugged .619. He has collected 56 runs batted in this year. He's 5th in the NL in RBIs and 6th in homeruns!
 
Sunday 6/18/1961: Hank Aaron homers three times against San Francisco
SAN FRANCISCO - Los Angeles (N)'s centerfielder Hank Aaron flexed his muscles and displayed his tremendous power, homering three times in a 7-2 win over San Francisco. A pitch from Jack Kralick in the 3rd inning left his bat for a two-run homerun, landing 447 feet from home plate in center field. His 2nd shot, off Jack Kralick in the 6th inning, was a solo homerun and cleared the fence in left field. A 362 foot drive to right field marked his 3rd bomb, a two-run homerun off Jack Kralick in the 7th inning. Overall he finished with 4 hits in 5 AB, scoring three runs with 5 RBI. The final score of the game was 7-2.
 
Sunday 6/18/1961: Jim Maloney out for 6 weeks
BALTIMORE - Baltimore's right-hander Jim Maloney suffered a severe injury on Sunday and will be out for at least 6 weeks. In the 3rd of the game against Boston he experienced pain in his throwing arm and had to leave the game. Doctors examined him after the game and diagnosed a Pulled Bicep Muscle which will require surgery. This season Maloney compiled an ERA of 4.93, going 6-6 in 17 starts. He fanned 94 while giving up 127 hits in 126 innings.
 
Monday 6/12/1961: San Francisco's Boyer wins Player of the Week award
Wally Moon wins his 4th Player of the Week award. AL pitchers couldn't figure out how to retire this guy all week long. Wally was on fire, hitting .625 with 5 HR and 14 RBI. He hit in every game this week and extended his hitting streak to 8 games. Moon has hit 13 bombs this year while batting .305. He adds 15 doubles, along with 52 runs scored. The NL's best player of the week was San Francisco's Ken Boyer, who wins the award for the 6th time in his career. In 26 at bats he hit .308 with 4 HR and 11 RBI. He has hit 16 homeruns while batting .299 this season. His 72 hits and 25 walks add up to a .359 on-base percentage. He's 7th in the NL in RBIs and 4th in homeruns!
 
Thursday 6/8/1961: Bob Anderson shuts out St. Louis (N) on 2 hits
ST. LOUIS (N) - St. Louis (N)'s hitters were dominated by Los Angeles (N)'s Bob Anderson. He gave up just 2 hits in recording his 2nd shutout of the season. 'I felt early that I was on top of my game. Fortunately I was able to keep that feeling the entire game.' Anderson (3-6) struck out 4 and issued 3 BB, throwing 56 of 102 pitches for strikes. The hitting star for Los Angeles (N) was catcher Earl Battey, he got 2 hits in 4 AB, doubling twice. Los Angeles (N) scored 1 run on 5 hits.
 
Monday 6/5/1961: Cincinnati's Anderson wins Player of the Week award
Harmon Killebrew wins his 3rd Player of the Week award. AL pitchers couldn't figure out how to retire this guy all week long. He had an on base percentage of .423 and hit .348, while driving in 9 runs. The Player of the Week award in the NL goes to Cincinnati's Harry Anderson this time, as the leftfielder displayed the best offensive perfomance in his league. He had an on base percentage of .423 and hit .400, while driving in 6 runs. He has hit 13 taters while batting .292 this season. His 50 hits and 8 walks add up to a .324 on-base percentage.
 
Sunday 6/4/1961: Jim Kaat quiets Minnesota bats with shutout
MINNESOTA - It was a great day for Cleveland's left-hander Jim Kaat. The 22-year old recorded his first career shutout, a 2-hitter, against Minnesota on Sunday. Kaat (8-6) struck out 7 and walked 1, throwing 64 of 103 pitches for strikes. 'My catcher called a very good game. I have to give credit to him.' The hitting star for Cleveland was second baseman Ted Lepcio, he finished with 2 hits in 3 AB, blasting a homerun, and driving in 2 runs. Cleveland improved its record to 31-24, scoring 4 runs on 9 hits.
 
Thursday 6/1/1961: Kansas City's Fischer earns Pitcher of the Month award
Kansas City's pitcher Bill Fischer is the AL winner of the Pitcher of the Month award in May. He struck out 16 hitters in his 7 starts, putting together a record of 6-1 while pitching 16 innings. His ERA in May was 2.13. His ERA of 3.53 helped him to a 9-3 record this year. He struck out 28 and walked 40 in 109.2 innings. He's 7th in the AL in ERA and 1st in wins! Don Johnson couldn't have pitched much better than he did in May, and the NL thought so as well, naming the right-hander Pitcher of the Month. His record of 6-1 in 8 was among the leagues best this month. In 63 innings of work he allowed just 71 hits while striking out 35, compiling an ERA of just 3.14. Don pitched a shutout as well. Don has a record of 8-2 this season, with an ERA of 3.65. In 103.2 Innings he was able to strike out 68 batters. He has 5 complete games and one shutout. He's 6th in the NL in ERA and 2nd in wins!
 
Thursday 6/1/1961: Kansas City's Killebrew earns Batter of the Month award
It's the 2nd time that the AL Batter of the Month award goes to Kansas City's third baseman Harmon Killebrew. Harmon pounded opposing pitchers, hitting .347 with 11 and 29 RBI while slugging .758. His season features a batting average of .315 (53 hits in 168 AB), 5 doubles, 2 triples and 17 homeruns. Killebrew collected 44 RBI and 39 runs as well. He's 3rd in the AL in RBIs and 1st in homeruns! Cincinnati's rightfielder Bob Hazle had some reason to celebrate as well, as the league named him the NL Batter of the Month. He had an on base percentage of .527 and hit .464, while driving in 26 runs. Bob has gone 64 for 152 (.421) this season, hitting 11 homeruns and driving in 30 runs. He has scored 36 runs on his own. He's 1st in the NL in batting!
 
Wednesday 5/31/1961: Camilo Pascual fires 1-hitter against Philadelphia (N)
SAN FRANCISCO - San Francisco's Camilo Pascual overmatched the opposing hitters all day long. Philadelphia (N) had no chance, collecting just one hit against the right-hander. 'Giving my team a chance to win is the most important thing for me. I was able to do it today.' Pascual (6-4) struck out 6 and issued 4 BB, throwing 66 of 108 pitches for strikes. Ken Boyer provided San Francisco with the offense Pascual needed as he finished 3 for 4, blasting a homerun, scoring two runs and collecting 2 RBI. San Francisco scored 7 runs on 9 hits.
 
Wednesday 5/31/1961: Los Angeles (N)'s Fisher out for 5-6 weeks
LOS ANGELES (N) - Los Angeles (N) is without its right-hander Jack Fisher for at least 5-6 weeks. He injured himself while throwing a pitch to Eddie Miksis in a game against Chicago (N). His face showed signs of pain immediately after the ball left his hand. Doctors examined him after the game and diagnosed a Bone Chips Shoulder which will require surgery. In 14 starts this year Jack struck out 56 batters in 107.2 innings of work. His ERA is 4.60, his record 8-3. He's 2nd in the NL in wins!
 
Monday 5/29/1961: Cincinnati's Hazle wins Player of the Week award
It's the 2nd time that the AL Player of the Week award goes to Detroit's first baseman Norm Cash. Norm was on fire, hitting .500 with 3 HR and 7 RBI. Cash has hit 16 taters this year while batting .301. He adds 9 doubles, along with 39 runs scored. He's 3rd in the AL in RBIs and 1st in homeruns! Bob Hazle wins his 4th Player of the Week award. NL pitchers couldn't figure out how to retire this guy all week long. Hazle helped his team with an average of .522 and 11 RBI in 23 at bats. He got at least one hit each game this week and is on a 11 game hitting streak right now. Hazle has hit for a .430 average this season. He has 18 extra base hits along with 99 total bases, resulting in a .697 slugging percentage. He's 1st in the NL in batting!
 
Tuesday 5/23/1961: Los Angeles (A)'s Roy Sievers gets milestone hit
LOS ANGELES (A) - Los Angeles (A)'s players had every reason to congratulate Roy Sievers, who reached a milestone today, collecting his 2000th career hit! His hit in the 5th inning was a single off Herb Score. His best year so far was 1956 where he hit .332 with 43 homeruns and 125 RBI. 'I still remember my first hit. But the one today is something special. I'll definitely keep that ball!'
 
Tuesday 5/23/1961: Detroit's Gene Woodling gets milestone hit
LOS ANGELES (A) - Detroit's leftfielder Gene Woodling was in good mood after the game against Los Angeles (A), and he had every reason as he made some history while collecting his 2000th career hit. Along with his 2000 hits, Gene collected 207 homeruns and 1106 RBI in 15 seasons. 'It's hard to believe that I did it. I want to thank my family, my friends and my teammates!' His hit in the 2nd inning was a single off Gene Conley.
 
Monday 5/22/1961: Player of the Week honors go to Borkowski and Demeter
The AL's best player of the week was Baltimore's Bob Borkowski, who wins the award for the 2nd time in his career. He had an on base percentage of .556 and hit .556, while driving in 6 runs. He hit in every game this week and extended his hitting streak to 8 games. Borkowski has hit 4 bombs this year while batting .358. He adds 9 doubles, along with 26 runs scored. He's 6th in the AL in batting! Don Demeter wins his 1st Player of the Week award. NL pitchers couldn't figure out how to retire this guy all week long. Don was on fire, hitting .484 with 5 HR and 10 RBI.
 
Sunday 5/21/1961: Lou Berberet nabs five hits against San Francisco
SAN FRANCISCO - Lou Berberet punished San Francisco's pitching today, collecting five hits in 5 AB. That definitely helped Chicago (N), they won the game 7 to 4. In the 3rd inning he unloaded a solo homerun off Jack Kralick. The game was tied, 3-3, after the blast. A 364 foot drive to right field marked his 4th hit, a solo homerun off Jack Kralick in the 7th inning. He had singles in the 1st inning (one RBI) , in the 5th inning and in the 9th . Lou scored 2 runs, and he collected 3 RBI as well! His 5 hit performance increases his batting average to .235.
 
Saturday 5/20/1961: Bob Purkey out for 6-7 weeks
CLEVELAND - Cleveland's ace Bob Purkey suffered a severe injury on Saturday and will be out for at least 6-7 weeks. In the 3rd of the game against Washington he experienced pain in his throwing arm and had to leave the game. Cleveland wasted no time and rushed him to an hospital. Team officials were informed later that Purkey had suffered a Strained Tricep Muscle. Opposing players hit .263 against Bob this season. While posting an ERA of 2.93 he went 7-3 in 12 starts, fanning 37 and walking 20 hitters. He's 6th in the AL in ERA and 2nd in wins!
 
Thursday 5/18/1961: Tom Poholsky out for 5 weeks
BOSTON - When it rains, it pours. Boston's right-hander Tom Poholsky will not pitch for at least 5 weeks, handing the team a huge setback. He suffered a serious injury in a game against Cleveland where he left the field in the 6th inning. After x-rays were taken the diagnosis did not surprise many: Torn Tricep Muscle. Surgery will be performed next week. In 9 starts this year Tom struck out 39 batters in 64.2 innings of work. His ERA is 5.57, his record 2-4.
 
Wednesday 5/17/1961: Philadelphia (N) has no chance in a 1-hitter by Ray Crone
PHILADELPHIA (N) - Philadelphia (N)'s hitters looked uncomfortable, and Pittsburgh's Ray Crone didn't help them. The right-hander fired his 3rd shutout of the season, a 1-hitter. Crone (6-2) fanned 7 and walked none, throwing 107 pitches. 'Giving my team a chance to win is the most important thing for me. I was able to do it today.' Tony Kubek helped Crone at the plate, he got 2 hits in 5 AB, and driving in 3 runs. Pittsburgh improved its record to 23-15, scoring 8 runs on 10 hits.
 
Monday 5/15/1961: Chicago (N)'s Colavito wins Player of the Week award
Brooks Robinson wins his 1st Player of the Week award. AL pitchers couldn't figure out how to retire this guy all week long. He hit .577 with 17 RBI and slugged .962 in 26 at bats. He hit in every game this week and extended his hitting streak to 7 games. Rocky Colavito from Chicago (N) wins his 8th Player of the Week award for putting up the best numbers this week in the NL. Colavito helped his team with an average of .500 and 12 RBI in 26 at bats. His season numbers are: .382 AVG, 52 hits, 10 doubles, one triple and 9 bombs, along with 39 RBI and 34 runs scored. He's 1st in the NL in batting, 5th in homeruns and 2nd in RBI!
 
Friday 5/12/1961: Earl Francis quiets Milwaukee bats with shutout
MILWAUKEE - It was a great day for St. Louis (N)'s right-hander Earl Francis. The 25-year old recorded his first career shutout, a 1-hitter, against Milwaukee on Friday. 'Things like that happen. You take the mound and everything works. My velocity was pretty good today and I guess it showed.' Francis (3-5) struck out 6 and issued 1 BB, throwing 68 of 104 pitches for strikes. Andre Rodgers helped Francis at the plate, he got 3 hits in 4 AB. St. Louis (N) scored 3 runs on 8 hits.
 
Monday 5/8/1961: Whitey Ford out for 4-5 weeks
NEW YORK (A) - When it rains, it pours. New York (A)'s left-hander Whitey Ford will not pitch for at least 4-5 weeks, handing the team a huge setback. He suffered a serious injury in a game against Washington where he left the field in the 6th inning. Bone Chips Elbow was the diagnosis after x-rays were taken in a nearby hospital. The message shocked teammates and team officials. This season Ford compiled an ERA of 2.68, going 2-1 in 7 starts. He fanned 25 while giving up 36 hits in 50.1 innings.
 
Monday 5/8/1961: Player of the Week honors go to Kaline and Carey
Detroit's centerfielder Al Kaline had some reason to celebrate, as the league named him the AL Player of the Week. Al went 10 for 24 (.417), while hitting 4 HR and collecting 8 RBI. He hit in every game this week and extended his hitting streak to 9 games. Al is hitting .266 this year, with 29 hits in 109 at bats. He has driven in 16 runs, slugging .505. Andy Carey wins his 1st Player of the Week award. NL pitchers couldn't figure out how to retire this guy all week long. Andy pounded opposing pitchers, hitting .474 with 4 HR and 5 RBI while slugging 1.158. Andy has gone 43 for 110 (.391) this season, hitting 8 bombs and driving in 19 runs. He has scored 24 runs on his own. He's 4th in the NL in batting!
 
Thursday 5/4/1961: Bob Anderson pitches 2-hit shutout against Pittsburgh
LOS ANGELES (N) - It was a great day for Los Angeles (N)'s right-hander Bob Anderson. The 25-year old recorded his first career shutout, a 2-hitter, against Pittsburgh on Thursday. Anderson (1-3) fanned 7 and walked 2, throwing 111 pitches. 'Wow, what a nice day. I guess I had a good breakfast today.' Bob Nieman provided Los Angeles (N) with the offense Anderson needed as he went 1 for 4, blasting a homerun. Los Angeles (N) improved its record to 14-13, scoring 4 runs on 9 hits.
 
Thursday 5/4/1961: Larry Doby has 2000th career hits
NEW YORK (A) - New York (A)'s Larry Doby showed a smile on his face after he got his 2000th career hit against Los Angeles (A) on Thursday. He hit a single in the 10th off Bobby Tiefenauer for number 2000. Along with his 2000 hits, Larry collected 404 homeruns and 1401 RBI in 14 seasons. 'I still remember my first hit. But the one today is something special. I'll definitely keep that ball!'
 
Tuesday 5/2/1961: Baltimore's Crandall out for 5-6 weeks
BALTIMORE - Baltimore's Del Crandall suffered a serious injury Tuesday in a game against New York (A). Crandall fell down while running the bases and couldn't get up without help. He will miss probably 5-6 weeks. Fractured Knee was the diagnosis after x-rays were taken in a nearby hospital. The message shocked teammates and team officials. This year Crandall drove in 16 and scored 17 runs while batting .244 with 4 longballs.
 
Monday 5/1/1961: Brewer and Aber receive Pitcher of the Month award
Winner of this months AL Pitcher of the Month award is Baltimore's Tom Brewer. He started 6 games in April, going 5-1 and compiling an ERA of 3.10 in 49.1 innings. Tom fanned 28 hitters. It's the 2nd time that the NL Pitcher of the Month award goes to Chicago (N)'s pitcher Al Aber. He struck out 29 hitters in his 7 starts, putting together a record of 7-0 while pitching 29 innings. His ERA in April was 3.23.
 
Monday 5/1/1961: Kansas City's Cepeda earns Batter of the Month award
It's the 5th time that the AL Batter of the Month award goes to Kansas City's first baseman Orlando Cepeda. He had an on base percentage of .471 and hit .409, while driving in 21 runs. Los Angeles (N)'s centerfielder Hank Aaron had some reason to celebrate as well, as the league named him the NL Batter of the Month. Hank went 29 for 87 (.333), while hitting 11 HR and collecting 29 RBI.
 
Monday 5/1/1961: New York (A)'s Mathews wins Player of the Week award
The AL Player of the Week award goes to Eddie Mathews, New York (A)'s starting third baseman. Eddie went 10 for 22 (.455), while hitting 4 HR and collecting 11 RBI. He got at least one hit each game this week and is on a 7 game hitting streak right now. It's the 1st time that the NL Player of the Week award goes to Cincinnati's centerfielder Ed Bailey. He had an on base percentage of .483 and hit .440, while driving in 10 runs. Bailey has walked 15 times this year and posts a .500 OBP. While batting .395, 32 for 81, he has driven in 16 runs. He's 5th in the NL in batting!
 
Tuesday 4/25/1961: Chicago (A)'s Maxwell out for 5-6 weeks
CHICAGO (A) - Kansas City's Bill Fischer drilled Chicago (A)'s leftfielder Charlie Maxwell in the 3rd inning. He was slow getting up and had to leave the game. Charlie Maxwell will miss at least 5-6 weeks. Doctors examined him after the game and diagnosed a Fractured Hand which will require surgery. This year Maxwell drove in 4 and scored 11 runs while batting .242 with 2 taters.
 
Tuesday 4/25/1961: Bob Chakales pitches his 1st shutout of the season
CLEVELAND - Minnesota's right-hander Bob Chakales will never forget this day. The 33-year old recorded his first career shutout, a 2-hitter, against Cleveland on Tuesday. Chakales (2-0) struck out 8 and issued 2 BB, throwing 72 of 108 pitches for strikes. 'I didn't feel that I had good stuff while warming up. But it got better the more I threw the ball. I guess I was lucky.' Minnesota's Minnesota scored 5 runs on 11 hits.
 
Monday 4/24/1961: Ike Delock quiets Philadelphia (N) bats with shutout
PITTSBURGH - Ike Delock had his best stuff going, and Philadelphia (N) hitters had nothing to cheer about. Pittsburgh's right-hander pitched a 2-hitter, his 1st shutout of the season. Gil Mcdougald spoiled the bid for a no-hitter when he singled with no outs in the 5th inning. 'They took some ugly cuts at my breaking stuff, so I kept throwing it. Fortunately they were not able to adjust in time.' Delock (2-1) struck out 6 and walked none, throwing 70 of 109 pitches for strikes. The hitting star for Pittsburgh was centerfielder Gus Bell, he collected 2 hits in 4 trips to the plate, stroking a double. Pittsburgh improved its record to 12-6, scoring 4 runs on 8 hits.
 
Monday 4/24/1961: Player of the Week honors go to Bowsfield and Wehmeier
Ted Bowsfield of Kansas City wins his 1st Player of the Week award for dominating AL's hitters the entire week. Bowsfield was overpowering all week long, going 1-0 with an ERA of 1.59. Along the way he struck out 10 in 17 innings. He hurled a shutout as well. The Player of the Week award in the NL goes to San Francisco's Herm Wehmeier this time, as the pitcher displayed the best pitching perfomance in his league. He was in a zone all week, compiling an ERA of 3.50 while going 2-0. He was able to complete both starts of the week.
 
Saturday 4/22/1961: Harvey Haddix turns in great performance against Washington
BALTIMORE - Harvey Haddix had his best stuff going, and Washington hitters had nothing to cheer about. Baltimore's southpaw pitched a 2-hitter, his 1st shutout of the season. 'My catcher called a very good game. I have to give credit to him.' Haddix (2-2) fanned 8 and walked 2, throwing 115 pitches. The hitting star for Baltimore was leftfielder Tommy Davis, he finished with 1 hit in 3 AB. Baltimore scored 1 run on 3 hits.
 
Tuesday 4/18/1961: Tom Sturdivant turns in great performance against Los Angeles (A)
WASHINGTON - Washington's right-hander Tom Sturdivant will never forget this day. The 30-year old recorded his first career shutout, a 1-hitter, against Los Angeles (A) on Tuesday. 'I was able to keep´em off balance. That certainly helped.' Sturdivant (1-0) struck out 2 and walked 2, throwing 63 of 107 pitches for strikes. Pancho Herrera helped Sturdivant at the plate, he got 2 hits in 4 AB, hitting a homerun, scoring three times. Washington improved its record to 10-4, scoring 5 runs on 13 hits.
 
Monday 4/17/1961: Los Angeles (A)'s Sievers wins Player of the Week award
It's the 13th time that the AL Player of the Week award goes to Los Angeles (A)'s third baseman Roy Sievers. In 25 at bats he hit .360 with 5 HR and 10 RBI. It's the 1st time that the NL Player of the Week award goes to Milwaukee's rightfielder Frank Howard. In 27 at bats he hit .593 with 2 HR and 5 RBI.
 
Sunday 4/16/1961: Los Angeles (N)'s Snider severely injured
LOS ANGELES (N) - Los Angeles (N)'s Duke Snider suffered a serious injury Sunday in a game against St. Louis (N). Snider fell down while running the bases and couldn't get up without help. He will miss probably 5-6 weeks. Doctors examined him after the game and diagnosed a Strained Anterior Cruciate Ligament which will require surgery. Snider has walked 8 times this year and posts a .400 OBP. While batting .298, 14 for 47, he has driven in 12 runs. He's 4th in the NL in RBIs and 3rd in homeruns!
 
Wednesday 4/12/1961: Don Drysdale quiets Cleveland bats with shutout
CLEVELAND - Boston's right-hander Don Drysdale is a great pitcher. And he once again showed his stuff, blanking Cleveland on just 2 hits. It's his 1st shutout this season, and the 11th time he has done it in his career. Drysdale (2-0) fanned 8 and walked 1, throwing 118 pitches. 'Things like that happen. You take the mound and everything works. My velocity was pretty good today and I guess it showed.' Bob Speake provided Boston with the offense Drysdale needed as he stroked 1 hit in 4 AB, hitting a homerun. The final score of the game was 4-0.
 
Monday 4/10/1961: New York (A)'s Mathews wins Player of the Week award
New York (A)'s third baseman Eddie Mathews had some reason to celebrate, as the league named him the AL Player of the Week. Eddie pounded opposing pitchers, hitting .483 with 0 HR and 5 RBI while slugging .586. Milwaukee's second baseman Ron Jackson had some reason to celebrate as well, as the league named him the NL Player of the Week. Jackson helped his team with an average of .654 and 6 RBI in 26 at bats.
 
Sunday 4/9/1961: Cleveland's Maris severely injured, out for season
CLEVELAND - Cleveland's centerfielder Roger Maris will miss the rest of the season. He injured himself running the bases in the game between Cleveland and Baltimore. The injury didn't seem to be serious the moment it happened. But suddenly Maris collapsed in pain and had to be carried off the field. Cleveland wasted no time and rushed him to an hospital. Team officials were informed later that Maris had suffered a Broken Foot.
 
Saturday 4/8/1961: Ray Crone dominates San Francisco, gives up just 2 hits
SAN FRANCISCO - Ray Crone had his best stuff going, and San Francisco hitters had nothing to cheer about. Pittsburgh's right-hander pitched a 2-hitter, his 1st shutout of the season. The bid for a no-hitter was broken up when Floyd Robinson singled with no outs in the 5th inning. Crone (1-0) struck out 4 and walked none, throwing 58 of 93 pitches for strikes. 'My catcher called a very good game. I have to give credit to him.' Tony Kubek provided Pittsburgh with the offense Crone needed as he finished 3 for 5, doubling once, and driving in 2 runs. Pittsburgh improved its record to 2-3, scoring 6 runs on 10 hits.
 
Wednesday 4/5/1961: Bob Bruce fires 2-hitter against Chicago (A)
CHICAGO (A) - Chicago (A)'s hitters looked uncomfortable, and Cleveland's Bob Bruce didn't help them. The right-hander fired his 1st shutout of the season, a 2-hitter. 'Giving my team a chance to win is the most important thing for me. I was able to do it today.' Bruce (1-0) struck out 6 and issued 2 BB, throwing 65 of 110 pitches for strikes. Tom Umphlett provided Cleveland with the offense Bruce needed as he stroked 3 hits in 4 AB, doubling once, with 2 RBI. The final score of the game was 6-0.
 
Tuesday 4/4/1961: Season ending injury strikes Minnesota's Pizarro
MINNESOTA - Minnesota's ace Juan Pizarro will not pitch again this year, suffering a serious injury in the game against Washington on Tuesday. After x-rays were taken the diagnosis did not surprise many: Torn Rotator Cuff Muscle. Surgery will be performed next week.
 

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