Thursday 10/19/1968: John (NYY) and Mcdowell (CHN) win Cy Young Award Tommy John will never forget this year. His dominating season convinced the AL to name New York (A)'s southpaw the Cy Young Award winner of 1968. Tommy has a record of 32-7 this season, with an ERA of 2.08. In 354 Innings he was able to strike out 200 batters. Tommy has pitched 10 shutouts and 35 complete games. He's 1st in the AL in ERA and 1st in wins! Sam Mcdowell was named the NL Cy Young Award winner today. Chicago (N)'s lefty put up fabulous numbers this year which earned him the highest award a pitcher can receive. His ERA of 2.80 helped him to a 29-7 record this year. He struck out 340 and walked 176 in 378.2 innings. He has 26 complete games and 5 shutouts. He's 1st in the NL in ERA and 1st in wins! |
Thursday 10/19/1968: Most Valuable Player Award winners announced The Most Valuable Player Award in the AL was handed to New York (A)'s rightfielder Vada Pinson! Vada has gone 221 for 659 (.335) this season, hitting 34 bombs and driving in 98 runs. He has scored 128 runs on his own. He's 1st in the AL in batting, 8th in homeruns and 9th in RBI! Pinson wins the award for the 2nd time in his 9-year career. Chicago (N)'s rightfielder Frank Robinson will never forget this day as well. A great season convinced the voters that he is the worthy NL Most Valuable Player Award winner. Robinson has walked 108 times this year and posts a .432 OBP. While batting .303, 167 for 552, he has driven in 137 runs. He's 1st in the NL in RBIs and 1st in homeruns! Robinson wins the award for the 2nd time in his 11-year career. |
Thursday 10/19/1968: Billingham (CHA) and Owens (CHN) win Rookie Of The Year Award Getting an award is a nice way to start a career. Chicago (A)'s Jack Billingham smiled as he was named the AL Rookie Of The Year Award winner. His ERA of 2.72 helped him to a 19-12 record this year. He struck out 154 and walked 89 in 287.2 innings. Jack has pitched one shutout and 5 complete games. He's 4th in the AL in ERA and 9th in wins! Getting an award is a nice way to start a career. Chicago (N)'s Jim Owens smiled as he was named the NL Rookie Of The Year Award winner. Jim has a record of 21-8 this season, with an ERA of 3.70. In 274.2 Innings he was able to strike out 133 batters. He's 7th in the NL in wins! |
Monday 10/9/1968: Washington's Tovar wins Player of the Week award It's the 1st time that the AL Player of the Week award goes to Washington's shortstop Cesar Tovar. He had an on base percentage of .611 and hit .588, while driving in 3 runs. This year Tovar drove in 83 and scored 106 runs while batting .295 with 17 taters. It's the 6th time that the NL Player of the Week award goes to St. Louis (N)'s leftfielder Billy Williams. In 17 at bats he hit .471 with 2 HR and 4 RBI. Williams has walked 75 times this year and posts a .386 OBP. While batting .303, 178 for 588, he has driven in 108 runs. He's 9th in the NL in RBIs and 5th in homeruns! |
Monday 10/2/1968: Player of the Week honors go to Sutton and Aaron Cleveland's pitcher Don Sutton 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 0.50 while going 2-0. He hurled a shutout as well. The NL Player of the Week award goes to Hank Aaron, Los Angeles (N)'s starting centerfielder. Hank was on fire, hitting .545 with 2 HR and 4 RBI. He has hit 28 homeruns while batting .279 this season. His 160 hits and 63 walks add up to a .349 on-base percentage. |
Sunday 10/1/1968: St. Louis (N)'s Nash named Pitcher of the Month New York (A)'s pitcher Tommy John is the AL winner of the Pitcher of the Month award in September. He struck out 39 hitters in his 7 starts, putting together a record of 7-0 while pitching 39 innings. His ERA in September was 2.08. Tommy pitched a shutout as well. In 40 starts this year Tommy struck out 200 batters in 354 innings of work. His ERA is 2.08, his record 32-7. Tommy has pitched 10 shutouts and 35 complete games. He's 2nd in the AL in ERA and 1st in wins! St. Louis (N)'s pitcher Jim Nash is the NL winner of the Pitcher of the Month award in September. He started 7 games in September, going 6-0 and compiling an ERA of 2.47 in 58.1 innings. Jim fanned 39 hitters. Jim pitched a shutout as well. His ERA of 3.74 helped him to a 22-13 record this year. He struck out 246 and walked 109 in 324.2 innings. He has 20 complete games and 3 shutouts. He's 4th in the NL in wins! |
Sunday 10/1/1968: Red hot Herrera and Williams win Batter of the Month award It's the 1st time that the AL Batter of the Month award goes to New York (A)'s leftfielder Pancho Herrera. Pancho was on fire, hitting .405 with 6 homeruns and 23 RBI. This year Herrera drove in 55 and scored 43 runs while batting .345 with 10 longballs. St. Louis (N)'s leftfielder Billy Williams had some reason to celebrate as well, as the league named him the NL Batter of the Month. Billy went 39 for 100 (.390), while hitting 10 HR and collecting 30 RBI. This year Williams drove in 104 and scored 116 runs while batting .299 with 43 taters. He's 9th in the NL in RBIs and 5th in homeruns! |
Saturday 9/30/1968: Don Sutton blanks Baltimore with a 1-hitter CLEVELAND - Don Sutton took the mound and never left. And Baltimore hitters couldn't touch him at all. Cleveland's right-hander gave up just one hit in his 3rd shutout of the season. He now has 9 career shutouts in 125 games started. Sutton (23-13) was overpowering, fanning 12 while walking 2, throwing 113 pitches. 'Hey, that's my job! Everytime I take the mound I give the best I can. And my best stuff was too much for them today.' Charlie Shoemaker helped Sutton at the plate, he stroked 2 hits in 4 AB. Cleveland improved its record to 84-73, scoring 2 runs on 9 hits. |
Friday 9/29/1968: Dick Radatz blanks Atlanta with a 1-hitter LOS ANGELES (N) - Dick Radatz took the mound and never left. And Atlanta hitters couldn't touch him at all. Los Angeles (N)'s right-hander gave up just one hit in his 4th shutout of the season. He now has 8 career shutouts in 175 games started. Radatz (16-15) struck out 9 and issued 4 BB, throwing 62 of 109 pitches for strikes. 'Things like that happen. You take the mound and everything works. My velocity was pretty good today and I guess it showed.' Carl Yastrzemski provided Los Angeles (N) with the offense Radatz needed as he went 2 for 4, homering once, with 4 RBI. Los Angeles (N) scored 10 runs on 17 hits. |
Monday 9/25/1968: Boston's Howser wins Player of the Week award The AL's best player of the week was Boston's Dick Howser, who wins the award for the 1st time in his career. Dick went 10 for 21 (.476), while hitting 1 HR and collecting 4 RBI. It's the 5th time that the NL Player of the Week award goes to St. Louis (N)'s leftfielder Billy Williams. He had an on base percentage of .478 and hit .455, while driving in 9 runs. His season numbers are: .294 AVG, 161 hits, 35 doubles, 3 triples and 41 longballs, along with 100 RBI and 111 runs scored. |
Friday 9/22/1968: Tito Francona collects 2000th hit against Boston BOSTON - Oakland's first baseman Tito Francona was in good mood after the game against Boston, and he had every reason as he made some history while collecting his 2000th career hit. His hit in the 8th inning was a single off Chris Short. His best year so far was 1962 where he hit .331 with 26 homeruns and 110 RBI. 'Wow. That is all I can say now. I'm thrilled.' |
Wednesday 9/20/1968: Sonny Siebert fires 2-hitter against Los Angeles (N) NEW YORK (N) - Los Angeles (N)'s hitters were dominated by New York (N)'s Sonny Siebert. He gave up just 2 hits in recording his 1st shutout of the season. 'Giving my team a chance to win is the most important thing for me. I was able to do it today.' Siebert (9-19) fanned 6 and walked 2, throwing 92 pitches. The hitting star for New York (N) was leftfielder Larry Elliot, he finished with 1 hit in 3 AB, blasting a homerun. New York (N) scored 3 runs on 10 hits. |
Monday 9/18/1968: Vaughan and Robinson win Player of the Week award It's the 1st time that the AL Player of the Week award goes to Oakland's pitcher Charlie Vaughan. He was in a zone all week, compiling an ERA of 0.00 while going 2-0. He pitched two shutouts! In 40 starts this year Charlie struck out 239 batters in 315.2 innings of work. His ERA is 4.16, his record 18-15. Charlie has pitched 5 shutouts and 20 complete games. He's 7th in the AL in wins! Floyd Robinson wins his 7th Player of the Week award. NL pitchers couldn't figure out how to retire this guy all week long. He hit .542 with 7 RBI and slugged .917 in 24 at bats. Floyd is hitting .335 this year, with 175 hits in 522 at bats. He has driven in 92 runs, slugging .615. He's 2nd in the NL in batting! |
Monday 9/11/1968: Charlie Vaughan turns in great performance against Baltimore BALTIMORE - Oakland's lefty Charlie Vaughan didn't look unexperienced at all. The 20 year old pitched a 1-hit shutout against Baltimore, recording his 4th shutout of the season. 'That was one of the best games of my career. I had my stuff working very well today.' Vaughan (17-15) struck out 3 and issued 3 BB, throwing 62 of 108 pitches for strikes. Tito Francona provided Oakland with the offense Vaughan needed as he got 2 hits in 4 AB. Oakland improved its record to 74-67, scoring 1 run on 4 hits. |
Monday 9/11/1968: Chicago (N)'s Mcauliffe wins Player of the Week award It's the 2nd time that the AL Player of the Week award goes to New York (A)'s pitcher Juan Marichal. He was in a zone all week, compiling an ERA of 0.50 while going 2-0. He hurled a shutout as well. His ERA of 3.46 helped him to a 23-6 record this year. He struck out 179 and walked 65 in 286 innings. He has 21 complete games and 5 shutouts. He's 10th in the AL in ERA and 2nd in wins! It's the 1st time that the NL Player of the Week award goes to Chicago (N)'s shortstop Dick Mcauliffe. Dick went 14 for 27 (.519), while hitting 2 HR and collecting 10 RBI. Mcauliffe has hit for a .248 average this season. He has 49 extra base hits along with 222 total bases, resulting in a .467 slugging percentage. |
Friday 9/8/1968: Gary Geiger homers three times against Minnesota MINNESOTA - Hitting a homerun is fine, but hitting three of them in one game is something special. Baltimore's leftfielder Gary Geiger accomplished that feat in a 8-4 win over Minnesota. His 1st blast, a solo homerun off Bob Lee in the 1st inning, landed an estimated 358 feet from home plate. A 417 foot drive to right field marked his 2nd bomb, a solo homerun off Bob Lee in the 4th inning. His 3rd shot, off Roberto Rodriguez in the 9th inning, was a solo homerun and cleared the fence in left field. Gary finished 3 for 5, with three runs scored with 3 RBI. On 8/24/1968, Ron Swoboda was the last player to hit 3 dingers in a single game. |
Thursday 9/7/1968: Charlie Vaughan pitches his 3rd shutout of the season OAKLAND - Oakland's southpaw Charlie Vaughan didn't look unexperienced at all. The 20 year old pitched a 2-hit shutout against Detroit, recording his 3rd shutout of the season. The bid for a no-hitter was broken up when Ellis Burton singled with no outs in the 5th inning. 'Wow, what a nice day. I guess I had a good breakfast today.' Vaughan (16-15) struck out an astounding 13 and walked none, throwing 67 of 97 pitches for strikes. Bill Sorrell provided Oakland with the offense Vaughan needed as he got 2 hits in 3 AB, blasting a homerun, and collecting 2 RBI. Oakland improved its record to 70-67, scoring 3 runs on 6 hits. |
Monday 9/4/1968: Player of the Week honors go to Pinson and Davis It's the 7th time that the AL Player of the Week award goes to New York (A)'s rightfielder Vada Pinson. He hit .552 with 7 RBI and slugged .897 in 29 at bats. He has hit 29 longballs while batting .341 this season. His 187 hits and 42 walks add up to a .387 on-base percentage. He's 2nd in the AL in batting, 4th in homeruns and 7th in RBI! Tommy Davis wins his 2nd Player of the Week award. NL pitchers couldn't figure out how to retire this guy all week long. Davis helped his team with an average of .517 and 9 RBI in 29 at bats. He hit in every game this week and extended his hitting streak to 9 games. |
Sunday 9/3/1968: New York (N)'s Wayne Causey hits for the cycle CHICAGO (N) - Wayne Causey led New York (N) to a 5-3 win over Chicago (N) by squeezing four hits out of his bat. That's not the best part, though. He hit for the cycle as well! In the 1st inning he unloaded a triple off Catfish Hunter. A single in the 2nd off Catfish Hunter accounted for his 2nd hit. A 417 foot drive to center field marked his 3rd hit, a solo homerun off Catfish Hunter in the 5th inning. That one tied it at 3 runs apiece. In the 9th inning he belted a double off Catfish Hunter. That drive completed the cycle, causing a smile on his face! Wayne scored 3 runs, and he collected 2 RBI as well! He now has a total of 132 hits this season, accounting for a .279 batting average. 37 players in league history have so far hit for the cycle, including Wayne. On 8/7/1968, Willie Mccovey was the last player to hit for the cycle. |
Saturday 9/2/1968: Willie Mays stars with 700th career homerun BOSTON - Boston's centerfielder Willie Mays made baseball history today, collecting his 700th career homerun! In 17 years of big league action so far, Willie has compiled a batting average of .313, along with 2947 hits and 2108 RBI. Willie has managed to hit 30+ homeruns in a season 15 times, and he topped 40 homeruns 9 times. 'Baseball is a great game, and adding something to it's history is smething I've always wanted. What a great day!' A 400 foot drive to right field marked his 700th career bomb, a three-run homerun off Grant Jackson in the 5th inning. The Hall of Fame already has reserved a place for this great player. |
Friday 9/1/1968: Boston's Drysdale earns Pitcher of the Month award Don Drysdale pitched like a legend in August, and the AL named him Pitcher of the Month for his extraordinary performance. He struck out 54 hitters in his 8 starts, putting together a record of 6-0 while pitching 54 innings. His ERA in August was 0.76. Don pitched a shutout as well. In 35 starts this year Don struck out 249 batters in 300.2 innings of work. His ERA is 2.27, his record 22-8. Don has pitched one shutout and 22 complete games. He's 2nd in the AL in ERA and 2nd in wins! Winner of this months NL Pitcher of the Month award is Philadelphia (N)'s Tom Kelley. His ERA of just 2.21 helped him to a 5-0 record in August. He worked 61 innings, striking out 28 hitters while walking 25. Tom pitched a shutout as well. In 35 starts this year Tom struck out 178 batters in 292 innings of work. His ERA is 2.93, his record 20-9. Tom has pitched 2 shutouts and 23 complete games. He's 3rd in the NL in ERA and 3rd in wins! |
Friday 9/1/1968: Pinson (NYY) and Yastrzemski (LAN) win monthly award The Batter of the Month award in the AL goes to New York (A)'s Vada Pinson this time, as the rightfielder displayed the best offensive perfomance in his league. Vada was on fire, hitting .400 with 7 homeruns and 27 RBI. This year Pinson drove in 83 and scored 101 runs while batting .334 with 29 longballs. He's 4th in the AL in batting, 4th in homeruns and 8th in RBI! It's the 3rd time that the NL Batter of the Month award goes to Los Angeles (N)'s leftfielder Carl Yastrzemski. In 95 at bats he hit .421 with 8 HR and 21 RBI. His season numbers are: .334 AVG, 149 hits, 33 doubles, 3 triples and 25 bombs, along with 77 RBI and 97 runs scored. He's 3rd in the NL in batting! |
Tuesday 8/29/1968: Jack Billingham dominates Baltimore, gives up just 2 hits BALTIMORE - It was a great day for Chicago (A)'s right-hander Jack Billingham. The 25-year old recorded his first career shutout, a 2-hitter, against Baltimore on Tuesday. Steve Whitaker spoiled the bid for a no-hitter when he singled with two outs in the 5th inning. 'That was one of the best games of my career. I had my stuff working very well today.' Billingham (15-10) struck out 7 and issued 3 BB, throwing 64 of 116 pitches for strikes. Joe Nossek helped Billingham at the plate, he finished 1 for 4, blasting a homerun, with 2 RBI. Chicago (A) scored 5 runs on 9 hits. |
Monday 8/28/1968: Los Angeles (N)'s Yastrzemski wins Player of the Week award The Player of the Week award in the AL goes to Cleveland's Ron Swoboda this time, as the rightfielder displayed the best offensive perfomance in his league. He had an on base percentage of .542 and hit .474, while driving in 8 runs. The Player of the Week award in the NL goes to Los Angeles (N)'s Carl Yastrzemski this time, as the leftfielder displayed the best offensive perfomance in his league. Carl went 11 for 20 (.550), while hitting 3 HR and collecting 10 RBI. |
Saturday 8/26/1968: Fergie Jenkins shuts out Baltimore on 2 hits BALTIMORE - Cleveland's right-hander Fergie Jenkins is a great pitcher. And he once again showed his stuff, blanking Baltimore on just 2 hits. It's his 2nd shutout this season, and the 5th time he has done it in his career. 'I had a good grip on the ball today and I was able to put it where I wanted. That kept them out of balance.' Jenkins (14-15) was overpowering, fanning 10 while walking 1, throwing 100 pitches. Ron Swoboda helped Jenkins at the plate, he went 2 for 4, hitting a homerun, scoring twice with 3 RBI. Cleveland scored 6 runs on 6 hits. |
Saturday 8/26/1968: Don Drysdale fires NO-NO against Minnesota MINNESOTA - Don Drysdale had some fun again. REAL fun. Minnesota hitters did not. Boston's right-hander fired a no-hitter in his 1st shutout of the season. He now has 38 career shutouts in 512 games started. Drysdale (21-8) struck out 8 and issued 1 BB, throwing 59 of 90 pitches for strikes. 'Wow, what a nice day. I guess I had a good breakfast today. That's a dream coming true for me!' Dick Howser provided Boston with the offense Drysdale needed as he collected 2 hits in 5 trips to the plate, doubling once. Boston scored 7 runs on 9 hits. |
Thursday 8/24/1968: Zoilo Versalles nabs five hits against Philadelphia (N) ST. LOUIS (N) - Zoilo Versalles led St. Louis (N) to a 12-2 win over Philadelphia (N) by squeezing five hits out of his bat. His 2nd hit, off Pedro Ramos in the 3rd inning, was a solo homerun and cleared the fence in right-center. Number 3 in the 5th inning accounted for a double. In the 8th inning he belted a double off Ted Davidson. He had singles in the 2nd inning and in the 7th inning . Zoilo scored 3 runs, and he collected one RBI as well! He now has a total of 112 hits this season, accounting for a .273 batting average. |
Thursday 8/24/1968: Ron Swoboda on fire, crushes three CLEVELAND - Ron Swoboda powered Cleveland to a 7-2 win over Chicago (A). He did it in style by homering three times. His 1st shot, off Dick Joyce in the 1st inning, was a solo homerun and cleared the fence in center field. Number 2 in the 3rd inning, a shot estimated at 426 feet, cleared the wall in center field. A pitch from Dick Joyce in the 8th inning left his bat for a solo homerun, landing 425 feet from home plate in right-center. Ron stroked 3 hits in 4 AB, scoring three runs and driving in 3 runs. His homerun total this year is 23, along with 63 RBI. On 6/7/1968, Al Kaline was the last player to hit 3 dingers in a single game. |
Monday 8/21/1968: Cincinnati's Pagliaroni wins Player of the Week award Tommy John of New York (A) wins his 3rd Player of the Week award for dominating AL's hitters the entire week. Tommy went 2-0 with an ERA of 1.50, while fanning 13 in 18 innings of work. He hurled a shutout as well. Tommy has a record of 23-7 this season, with an ERA of 2.16. In 275.1 Innings he was able to strike out 149 batters. Tommy has pitched 9 shutouts and 29 complete games. He's 1st in the AL in ERA and 1st in wins! The NL's best player of the week was Cincinnati's Jim Pagliaroni, who wins the award for the 5th time in his career. In 19 at bats he hit .421 with 4 HR and 11 RBI. |
Monday 8/14/1968: Oakland's Orsino wins Player of the Week award Oakland's catcher John Orsino had some reason to celebrate, as the league named him the AL Player of the Week. John went 11 for 24 (.458), while hitting 3 HR and collecting 5 RBI. His season features a batting average of .332 (122 hits in 368 AB), 17 doubles, 2 triples and 25 homeruns. Orsino collected 73 RBI and 75 runs as well. He's 4th in the AL in batting, 4th in homeruns and 7th in RBI! Felipe Alou wins his 4th Player of the Week award. NL pitchers couldn't figure out how to retire this guy all week long. Alou helped his team with an average of .481 and 12 RBI in 27 at bats. He got at least one hit each game this week and is on a 10 game hitting streak right now. Felipe has gone 143 for 417 (.343) this season, hitting 18 homeruns and driving in 76 runs. He has scored 77 runs on his own. He's 1st in the NL in batting! |
Sunday 8/13/1968: Houston has no chance in a 2-hitter by Dick Radatz HOUSTON - Los Angeles (N)'s right-hander Dick Radatz is a great pitcher. And he once again showed his stuff, blanking Houston on just 2 hits. It's his 2nd shutout this season, and the 6th time he has done it in his career. Radatz (10-13) struck out 4 and walked 3, throwing 57 of 107 pitches for strikes. 'Winning is the most important thing. And I gave my team all the support it needed!' Deron Johnson helped Radatz at the plate, he got 2 hits in 3 AB, with 5 RBI. The final score of the game was 6-0. |
Sunday 8/13/1968: Season ending injury strikes Houston's Roland HOUSTON - Houston's southpaw Jim Roland experienced probably the worst case scenario for a pitcher, a season ending injury. After pitching in the 5th inning of the game against Los Angeles (N), Roland complained about serious pain in his throwing arm. He had to leave the game. Doctors examined him after the game and diagnosed a Torn Bicep Muscle which will require surgery. Jim has a record of 10-6 this season, with an ERA of 3.69. In 212.1 Innings he was able to strike out 131 batters. Jim has pitched 3 shutouts and 7 complete games. |
Wednesday 8/9/1968: Dick Ellsworth pitches 2-hit shutout against Baltimore BALTIMORE - Baltimore's offense is struggling, and Washington's Dick Ellsworth didn't help them. The southpaw fired his 1st shutout of the season, a 2-hitter. 'I was hitting my spots. Now I'll start concentrating on my next start, and hopefully it will work again.' Ellsworth (11-10) was overpowering, fanning 11 while walking 1, throwing 92 pitches. Roy White helped Ellsworth at the plate, he stroked 3 hits in 5 AB, blasting a homerun, doubling once, with 2 RBI. Washington scored 7 runs on 10 hits. |
Monday 8/7/1968: Philadelphia (N)'s Willie Mccovey gets the cycle PHILADELPHIA (N) - Willie Mccovey is a pretty good hitter, but his 5 hit performance seemed to surprise even himself considering that the hits added up to the cycle, one of the most difficult things to accomplish in baseball. A single in the 1st off Fritz Peterson accounted for his 1st hit. In the 2nd inning he belted a double off Fritz Peterson. Number 3 in the 3rd inning, a shot estimated at 387 feet, cleared the wall in left field. In the 6th inning he unloaded a triple off Herman Starrette. That drive completed the cycle, causing a smile on his face! A single in the 7th off Floyd Weaver accounted for his 5th hit. Willie scored 4 runs, and he collected 2 RBI as well! His 5 hit performance increases his batting average to .292. He's now the 36th player in league history to hit for the cycle! On 8/3/1968, Floyd Robinson was the last player to hit for the cycle. |
Monday 8/7/1968: Cash (NYY) and Cater (PHI) win P.O.W. award The AL's best player of the week was New York (A)'s Norm Cash, who wins the award for the 12th time in his career. Cash helped his team with an average of .500 and 9 RBI in 20 at bats. His season features a batting average of .294 (102 hits in 347 AB), 13 doubles, one triple and 28 taters. Cash collected 70 RBI and 84 runs as well. He's 7th in the AL in RBIs and 2nd in homeruns! Danny Cater wins his 1st Player of the Week award. NL pitchers couldn't figure out how to retire this guy all week long. Danny was on fire, hitting .481 with 3 HR and 9 RBI. This year Cater drove in 53 and scored 52 runs while batting .292 with 13 taters. |
Sunday 8/6/1968: Eddie Kasko stars with 2000th career hit MINNESOTA - Detroit's third baseman Eddie Kasko joined some elite company today, collecting his 2000th career hit! With one out in the 8th inning, Eddie drilled a double, causing a standing ovation from the crowd. His best year so far was 1967 where he hit .350 with 19 homeruns and 81 RBI. 'This day is special, I'll probably remember it my whole life. Thank god I'm blessed with the talent to play this game.' |
Sunday 8/6/1968: Ray Culp quiets Chicago (A) bats with shutout BOSTON - It was a great day for Boston's right-hander Ray Culp. The 27-year old recorded his first career shutout, a 2-hitter, against Chicago (A) on Sunday. 'I really like to play baseball, and I love the way I was able to play it today.' Culp (8-8) struck out 6 and walked 1, throwing 68 of 106 pitches for strikes. Boston's rightfielder Bill Voss got 1 hit in 4 AB, homering once, with 2 RBI. That was enough to support the brilliant performance of Culp. The final score of the game was 3-0. |
Thursday 8/3/1968: Floyd Robinson on fire, hits for cycle SAN FRANCISCO - Floyd Robinson hits 'em where they ain't. Atlanta certainly agrees as San Francisco's rightfielder unloaded four hits and hitting for the cycle. A single in the 1st off Don Cardwell accounted for his 1st hit. Number 2 in the 3rd inning, a shot estimated at 450 feet, cleared the wall in center field. A two-run double off Jay Ritchie in the 4th inning accounted for his 3rd hit. In the 9th inning he unloaded a triple off Jack Baldschun. That drive completed the cycle, causing a smile on his face! Floyd scored one run, and he collected 3 RBI as well! He now has a total of 123 hits this season, accounting for a .326 batting average. He's now the 35th player in league history to hit for the cycle! On 6/30/1968, Leo Posada was the last player to hit for the cycle. |
Wednesday 8/2/1968: Wes Covington collects 2000th hit against Pittsburgh PITTSBURGH - Chicago (N)'s rightfielder Wes Covington joined some elite company today, collecting his 2000th career hit! He hit a three run homerun in the 7th off John Miller for number 2000. Along with his 2000 hits, Wes collected 387 homeruns and 1266 RBI in 12 seasons. 'It's hard to believe that I did it. I want to thank my family, my friends and my teammates!' |
Tuesday 8/1/1968: Philadelphia (N)'s Weaver named Pitcher of the Month Jack Billingham couldn't have pitched much better than he did in July, and the AL thought so as well, naming the right-hander Pitcher of the Month. He started 3 games in July, going 3-0 and compiling an ERA of 0.00 in 21.2 innings. Jack fanned 13 hitters. In 23 starts this year Jack struck out 89 batters in 169 innings of work. His ERA is 2.66, his record 12-6. The best month of July in the NL certainly had Philadelphia (N)'s left-hander Jim Weaver, earning him the Pitcher of the Month award. He had an ERA of just 0.57 in 31.2 innings of work in which he struck out 19 hitters. His record in July is 3-0. Jim fired two shutouts! Opposing players hit .210 against Jim this season. While posting an ERA of 2.49 he went 5-1 in 7 starts, fanning 41 and walking 11 hitters. He has 4 complete games and 3 shutouts. |
Tuesday 8/1/1968: Orsino (OAK) and Robinson (SF) win monthly award The Batter of the Month award in the AL goes to Oakland's John Orsino this time, as the catcher displayed the best offensive perfomance in his league. He had an on base percentage of .459 and hit .400, while driving in 22 runs. Orsino has hit 21 longballs this year while batting .315. He adds 12 doubles, along with 63 runs scored. He's 8th in the AL in batting, 10th in homeruns and 7th in RBI! The NL Batter of the Month award goes to Floyd Robinson, San Francisco's starting rightfielder. Floyd went 34 for 90 (.378), while hitting 8 HR and collecting 23 RBI. He has hit 18 taters while batting .321 this season. His 117 hits and 45 walks add up to a .397 on-base percentage. He's 8th in the NL in batting! |
Monday 7/31/1968: New York (A)'s John wins Player of the Week award The AL Player of the Week award goes to Tommy John, one of New York (A)'s best starting pitchers. John was overpowering all week long, going 2-0 with an ERA of 0.00. Along the way he struck out 9 in 18 innings. He pitched two shutouts! It's the 3rd time that the NL Player of the Week award goes to Atlanta's rightfielder Felipe Alou. In 25 at bats he hit .520 with 2 HR and 6 RBI. |
Wednesday 7/26/1968: Bob Sadowski dominates Chicago (N), gives up just 2 hits CHICAGO (N) - Los Angeles (N)'s Bob Sadowski overmatched the opposing hitters all day long. Chicago (N) had no chance, collecting just 2 hits against the right-hander. 'I'll have to give a lot of credit to my catcher. He put all the right fingers down today.' Sadowski (14-10) fanned 8 and walked none, throwing 95 pitches. The hitting star for Los Angeles (N) was second baseman Jim Pyburn, he got 3 hits in 5 AB, hitting a homerun. Los Angeles (N) scored 3 runs on 12 hits. |
Monday 7/24/1968: New York (A)'s Mathews wins Player of the Week award It's the 16th time that the AL Player of the Week award goes to New York (A)'s leftfielder Eddie Mathews. He had an on base percentage of .400 and hit .393, while driving in 9 runs. Mathews has walked 33 times this year and posts a .303 OBP. While batting .239, 85 for 355, he has driven in 59 runs. The Player of the Week award in the NL goes to Philadelphia (N)'s Willie Mccovey this time, as the first baseman displayed the best offensive perfomance in his league. Willie pounded opposing pitchers, hitting .458 with 2 HR and 7 RBI while slugging 1.000. |
Sunday 7/23/1968: Billy Mccool pitches 2-hit shutout against Baltimore BALTIMORE - It was a great day for Minnesota's left-hander Billy Mccool. The 24-year old recorded his first career shutout, a 2-hitter, against Baltimore on Sunday. 'Winning is the most important thing. And I gave my team all the support it needed!' Mccool (3-3) struck out 7 and issued 5 BB, throwing 60 of 104 pitches for strikes. Merv Rettenmund provided Minnesota with the offense Mccool needed as he collected 2 hits in 3 trips to the plate, hitting a homerun, scoring 2 runs and driving in 2 runs. Minnesota scored 8 runs on 11 hits. |
Saturday 7/22/1968: Bob Lee dominates Baltimore, gives up just 2 hits BALTIMORE - Bob Lee had his best stuff going, and Baltimore hitters were chanceless. Minnesota's right-hander fired a 2-hitter, his 2nd shutout of the season. Lee (5-7) struck out 4 and walked 3, throwing 58 of 101 pitches for strikes. 'Wow, what a nice day. I guess I had a good breakfast today.' Boog Powell provided Minnesota with the offense Lee needed as he finished with 1 hit in 4 AB, blasting a homerun, with 2 RBI. Minnesota scored 6 runs on 9 hits. |
Tuesday 7/18/1968: Jerry Koosman dominates Chicago (A), gives up just 2 hits CLEVELAND - Good things can happen when you throw strikes. And Jerry Koosman did so today, in a 2-hit shutout against Chicago (A). 'Things like that happen. You take the mound and everything works. My velocity was pretty good today and I guess it showed.' Koosman (7-6) struck out 3 and walked 1, throwing 63 of 108 pitches for strikes. Bill Sudakis helped Koosman at the plate, he got 3 hits in 4 AB, homering once, scoring two runs. Cleveland improved its record to 47-45, scoring 4 runs on 12 hits. |
Monday 7/17/1968: Los Angeles (N)'s Johnson wins Player of the Week award The AL's best player of the week was Oakland's John Orsino, who wins the award for the 5th time in his career. John was on fire, hitting .480 with 5 HR and 10 RBI. His season numbers are: .303 AVG, 87 hits, 10 doubles, one triple and 20 homeruns, along with 59 RBI and 56 runs scored. He's 7th in the AL in RBIs and 6th in homeruns! The Player of the Week award in the NL goes to Los Angeles (N)'s Deron Johnson this time, as the third baseman displayed the best offensive perfomance in his league. Deron was on fire, hitting .483 with 5 HR and 11 RBI. He now has homered in 3 consecutive games as well! |
Saturday 7/15/1968: Pittsburgh has no chance in a 2-hitter by Dennis Bennett LOS ANGELES (N) - All you need to win is a dominating pitching performance. And Los Angeles (N)'s Dennis Bennett did so today, in a 2-hit shutout against Pittsburgh. Curt Flood spoiled the bid for a no-hitter when he doubled with one out 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.' Bennett (4-3) showed excellent control, walking nobody and fanning 4. Deron Johnson helped Bennett at the plate, he went 3 for 4, homering once, with 2 RBI. The final score of the game was 6-0. |
Tuesday 7/11/1968: Tommy John quiets Minnesota bats with shutout MINNESOTA - Great days are rare. But not for New York (A)'s lefty Tommy John. Minnesota found out the hard way that he is among the leagues top pitchers, getting just 2 hits. It's his 5th shutout this season, and the 17th time he has done it in his career. '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.' John (15-6) struck out 6 and walked 1, throwing 57 of 99 pitches for strikes. Norm Cash helped John at the plate, he got 2 hits in 4 AB, hitting a homerun, and collecting 2 RBI. The final score of the game was 2-0. |
Sunday 7/9/1968: Gerry Arrigo fires 1-hitter against San Francisco SAN FRANCISCO - Gerry Arrigo had his best stuff going, and San Francisco hitters were chanceless. Pittsburgh's left-hander fired a 1-hitter, his 3rd shutout of the season. 'Hey, that's my job! Everytime I take the mound I give the best I can. And my best stuff was too much for them today.' Arrigo (10-4) fanned 5 and walked 4, throwing 106 pitches. The hitting star for Pittsburgh was second baseman Felix Mantilla, he collected 2 hits in 3 trips to the plate, hitting a homerun, scoring 2 runs with 4 RBI. Pittsburgh scored 8 runs on 8 hits. |
Monday 7/3/1968: Houston's Roland wins Player of the Week award The AL Player of the Week award goes to Tommy John, one of New York (A)'s best starting pitchers. John was overpowering all week long, going 2-0 with an ERA of 3.00. Along the way he struck out 9 in 18 innings. He hurled a shutout as well. His ERA of 2.18 helped him to a 14-6 record this year. He struck out 99 and walked 20 in 186 innings. He has 20 complete games and 4 shutouts. He's 2nd in the AL in ERA and 1st in wins! Houston's pitcher Jim Roland had some reason to celebrate as well, as the league named him the NL Player of the Week. Roland was overpowering all week long, going 2-0 with an ERA of 1.00. Along the way he struck out 8 in 18 innings. He hurled a shutout as well. |
Saturday 7/1/1968: Short (BOS) and Allen (CIN) win monthly pitcher award Boston's Chris Short had a terrific June, and it earned him the AL Pitcher of the month award. His ERA of just 1.90 helped him to a 5-1 record in June. He worked 61.2 innings, striking out 52 hitters while walking 21. Chris fired two shutouts! His ERA of 3.08 helped him to a 12-5 record this year. He struck out 131 and walked 61 in 166.2 innings. He has 10 complete games and 3 shutouts. He's 8th in the AL in ERA and 3rd in wins! Bob Allen pitched like a legend in June, and the NL named him Pitcher of the Month for his extraordinary performance. His ERA of just 0.75 helped him to a 1-0 record in June. He worked 24 innings, striking out 16 hitters while walking 10. Opposing players hit .168 against Bob this season. While posting an ERA of 2.23 he went 1-3 in 18 starts, fanning 69 and walking 31 hitters. |
Saturday 7/1/1968: Batter of the Month award winners announced The AL's best player of the month was New York (A)'s Brooks Robinson, who wins the award for the 1st time in his career. He had an on base percentage of .375 and hit .362, while driving in 28 runs. While compiling an on base percentage of .353, Brooks hit .326 and slugged .560. He has collected 56 runs batted in this year. He's 7th in the AL in batting and 6th in RBI! Frank Howard of Atlanta wins his 6th Batter of the Month award for putting up the best numbers in the NL. Howard helped his team with an average of .371 and 30 RBI in 105 at bats. Frank has gone 80 for 291 (.275) this season, hitting 23 taters and driving in 69 runs. He has scored 51 runs on his own. He's 2nd in the NL in RBIs and 2nd in homeruns! |
Friday 6/30/1968: Jim Nash dominates San Francisco, gives up just 2 hits SAN FRANCISCO - San Francisco's offense is struggling, and St. Louis (N)'s Jim Nash didn't help them. The right-hander fired his 2nd shutout of the season, a 2-hitter. Nash (9-9) struck out 4 and walked 2, throwing 61 of 108 pitches for strikes. 'I had my stuff going. Everything I tried worked. What a day!' The hitting star for St. Louis (N) was rightfielder Duke Carmel, he finished with 2 hits in 3 AB, blasting a homerun, with 3 RBI. The final score of the game was 4-0. |
Friday 6/30/1968: Baltimore has no chance in a 2-hitter by Bill Hands BALTIMORE - California's right-hander Bill Hands will never forget this day. The 28-year old recorded his first career shutout, a 2-hitter, against Baltimore on Friday. Hands (3-7) struck out an astounding 13 and walked 1, throwing 67 of 106 pitches for strikes. 'I was able to keep´em off balance. That certainly helped.' Ray Webster helped Hands at the plate, he finished 1 for 3, hitting a homerun, and collecting 2 RBI. California scored 3 runs on 5 hits. |
Friday 6/30/1968: Minnesota's Leo Posada gets the cycle MINNESOTA - Leo Posada led Minnesota to a 12-2 win over Washington by squeezing four hits out of his bat. That's not the best part, though. He hit for the cycle as well! His 1st hit, off Tom Phoebus in the 1st inning, was a solo homerun and cleared the fence in left-center. A single in the 4th off Tom Phoebus accounted for his 2nd hit. Number 3 in the 5th inning accounted for a double. A pitch from Earl Wilson in the 7th inning left his bat for a triple. That drive completed the cycle, causing a smile on his face! Leo did drive in 2 while scoring 3 runs on his own. This season has been a good one for him so far, as he has 91 hits in 259 at bats, resulting in a .351 batting average. He's now the 34th player in league history to hit for the cycle! On 5/16/1968, Gary Geiger was the last player to hit for the cycle. |
Monday 6/26/1968: Boyer (BOS) and Pizarro (PHI) win P.O.W. award The Player of the Week award in the AL goes to Boston's Ken Boyer this time, as the third baseman displayed the best offensive perfomance in his league. He hit .579 with 5 RBI and slugged .789 in 19 at bats. Juan Pizarro of Philadelphia (N) wins his 6th Player of the Week award for dominating NL's hitters the entire week. Pizarro was overpowering all week long, going 2-0 with an ERA of 0.00. Along the way he struck out 13 in 18 innings. He pitched two shutouts! This season Pizarro compiled an ERA of 2.25, going 17-2 in 21 starts. He fanned 184 while giving up 133 hits in 183.2 innings. He has 14 complete games and 4 shutouts. He's 2nd in the NL in ERA and 1st in wins! |
Saturday 6/24/1968: Frank Robinson stars with 500th career homerun NEW YORK (N) - Frank Robinson got a standing ovation from 15725 fans in New York (N), who witnessed his historic 500th career homerun. Perhaps his best year so far was 1961 where he hit .340 with 56 homeruns and 156 RBI. Frank has managed to hit 30+ homeruns in a season 9 times, and he topped 40 homeruns 8 times. '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.' His monumental drive, a solo homerun off Jeff James in the 1st inning, cleared the fence in left field. The Hall of Fame already has reserved a place for this great player. |
Friday 6/23/1968: Chris Short pitches 2-hit shutout against Cleveland BOSTON - Chris Short had his best stuff going, and Cleveland hitters were chanceless. Boston's left-hander fired a 2-hitter, his 3rd shutout of the season. Short (12-5) struck out 9 and walked 3, throwing 64 of 104 pitches for strikes. 'I hit the corners with all of my pitches. That helped a lot!' The hitting star for Boston was first baseman Donn Clendenon, he got 2 hits in 3 AB. The final score of the game was 1-0. |
Friday 6/23/1968: Season ending injury strikes Boston's Clemente BOSTON - Boston's rightfielder Roberto Clemente will miss the rest of the season. He injured himself running the bases in the game between Boston and Cleveland. The injury didn't seem to be serious the moment it happened. But suddenly Clemente collapsed in pain and had to be carried off the field. Torn Thigh Muscle was the diagnosis after x-rays were taken in a nearby hospital. The message shocked teammates and team officials. Clemente has hit 25 bombs this year while batting .347. He adds 20 doubles, along with 71 runs scored. He's 4th in the AL in batting, 1st in homeruns and 1st in RBI! |
Thursday 6/22/1968: Steve Carlton dominates Baltimore, gives up just 2 hits DETROIT - Great days are rare. But not for Detroit's lefty Steve Carlton. Baltimore found out the hard way that he is among the leagues top pitchers, getting just 2 hits. It's his 2nd shutout this season, and the 10th time he has done it in his career. Ernie Bowman spoiled the bid for a no-hitter when he singled with two outs in the 8th inning. 'I'll have to give a lot of credit to my catcher. He put all the right fingers down today.' Carlton (5-12) struck out an astounding 14 and walked 1, throwing 82 of 132 pitches for strikes. Detroit's second baseman Billy Moran went 1 for 3, hitting a double. That was enough to support the brilliant performance of Carlton. Detroit improved its record to 29-44, scoring 2 runs on 5 hits. |
Monday 6/19/1968: Los Angeles (N) has no chance in a 1-hitter by Jim Roland LOS ANGELES (N) - Good things can happen when you throw strikes. And Jim Roland did so today, in a 1-hit shutout against Los Angeles (N). Roland (6-2) struck out 5 and issued 5 BB, throwing 70 of 117 pitches for strikes. 'Winning is the most important thing. And I gave my team all the support it needed!' Brock Davis provided Houston with the offense Roland needed as he finished 2 for 3, doubling once. Houston scored 1 run on 6 hits. |
Monday 6/19/1968: Chicago (N)'s Knoop wins Player of the Week award Bob Bowman from Washington wins his 1st Player of the Week award for putting up the best numbers this week in the AL. Bob pounded opposing pitchers, hitting .476 with 3 HR and 8 RBI while slugging 1.000. Bobby Knoop from Chicago (N) wins his 2nd Player of the Week award for putting up the best numbers this week in the NL. He hit .522 with 6 RBI and slugged 1.000 in 23 at bats. He has hit 5 homeruns while batting .298 this season. His 62 hits and 27 walks add up to a .382 on-base percentage. |
Sunday 6/18/1968: Cincinnati's Aust severely injured CINCINNATI - When it rains, it pours. Cincinnati's ace Dennis Aust will not pitch for at least 10 weeks, handing the team a huge setback. He suffered a serious injury in a game against Atlanta where he left the field in the 1st inning. After x-rays were taken the diagnosis did not surprise many: Pulled Rotator Cuff Muscle. Surgery will be performed next week. Opposing players hit .224 against Dennis this season. While posting an ERA of 3.68 he went 1-5 in 19 starts, fanning 32 and walking 17 hitters. |
Thursday 6/15/1968: Chris Short pitches his 2nd shutout of the season BOSTON - Good things can happen when you throw strikes. And Chris Short did so today, in a 1-hit shutout against Baltimore. Short (11-4) fanned 7 and walked 2, throwing 100 pitches. 'Today I just felt fine. I had a good feeling while warming up.' Ron Hunt helped Short at the plate, he stroked 2 hits in 3 AB. Boston scored 1 run on 5 hits. |
Tuesday 6/13/1968: St. Louis (N) has no chance in a 2-hitter by Jim Weaver ST. LOUIS (N) - St. Louis (N)'s bats were sleeping, and Philadelphia (N)'s Jim Weaver gave them no chance to wake up. He gave up just 2 hits in recording his 1st shutout of the season. The bid for a no-hitter was broken up when Zoilo Versalles singled with no outs in the 8th inning. Weaver (1-0) was overpowering, fanning 10 while walking none, throwing 92 pitches. 'I felt early that I was on top of my game. Fortunately I was able to keep that feeling the entire game.' Philadelphia (N)'s catcher Joe Torre finished 2 for 4, doubling once, and driving in 2 runs. That was enough to support the brilliant performance of Weaver. Philadelphia (N) improved its record to 42-22, scoring 5 runs on 9 hits. |
Monday 6/12/1968: Orsino (OAK) and Robinson (OAK) win P.O.W. award John Orsino wins his 4th Player of the Week award. AL pitchers couldn't figure out how to retire this guy all week long. John was on fire, hitting .522 with 2 HR and 6 RBI. The AL's best player of the week was Oakland's Frank Robinson, who wins the award for the 12th time in his career. Frank pounded opposing pitchers, hitting .409 with 6 HR and 11 RBI while slugging 1.273. He now has homered in 3 consecutive games as well! |
Sunday 6/11/1968: Tom Seaver (BAL) will miss 6 weeks BALTIMORE - Baltimore is without its right-hander Tom Seaver for at least 6 weeks. He injured himself while throwing a pitch to Dan Dobbek in a game against Oakland. His face showed signs of pain immediately after the ball left his hand. After being examined by several specialists the diagnosis is clear: Pulled Rotator Cuff Muscle. In 13 starts this year Tom struck out 114 batters in 109.2 innings of work. His ERA is 1.81, his record 8-4. Tom has pitched 3 shutouts and 11 complete games. He's 1st in the AL in ERA and 7th in wins! |
Wednesday 6/7/1968: Houston's Al Kaline goes deep three times HOUSTON - Al Kaline was in a groove, and the results spoke for themselves. He powered Houston to a 10-7 win over San Francisco by homering three times. His 1st shot, a three-run homerun off Dallas Green in the 1st inning, cleared the fence in left field. A 390 foot drive to left-center marked his 2nd bomb, a two-run homerun off Dallas Green in the 3rd inning. It tied the ballgame at 5. His 3rd shot, off Mike Marshall in the 8th inning, was a solo homerun and cleared the fence in center field. Overall he went 3 for 4, with three runs scored and driving in 6 runs. In 7587 career at bats, he has hit 376 homeruns and collected 1381 RBI. It's pretty obvious that he will enter the Hall of Fame some day! |
Monday 6/5/1968: Cincinnati's Whitfield wins Player of the Week award The AL Player of the Week award goes to Gary Geiger, Baltimore's starting leftfielder. In 25 at bats he hit .440 with 4 HR and 6 RBI. He got at least one hit each game this week and is on a 9 game hitting streak right now. It's the 1st time that the NL Player of the Week award goes to Cincinnati's first baseman Fred Whitfield. He hit .529 with 8 RBI and slugged 1.235 in 17 at bats. |
Saturday 6/3/1968: Steve Hargan turns in great performance against Washington BALTIMORE - Washington's hitters were dominated by Baltimore's Steve Hargan. He gave up just one hit in recording his 2nd shutout of the season. 'Pitching a great game is always a good thing. And it doesn't get much better than today.' Hargan (2-7) struck out 4 and walked 2, throwing 53 of 100 pitches for strikes. The hitting star for Baltimore was leftfielder Gary Geiger, he finished 1 for 2, hitting a homerun. The final score of the game was 2-0. |
Thursday 6/1/1968: Philadelphia (N)'s Pizarro named Pitcher of the Month Winner of this months AL Pitcher of the Month award is New York (A)'s Tommy John. He had an ERA of just 1.57 in 63 innings of work in which he struck out 34 hitters. His record in May is 7-0. Tommy fired two shutouts! Opposing players hit .261 against Tommy this season. While posting an ERA of 2.03 he went 9-4 in 13 starts, fanning 60 and walking 14 hitters. He has 13 complete games and 2 shutouts. He's 2nd in the AL in ERA and 1st in wins! Philadelphia (N)'s Juan Pizarro had a terrific May, and it earned him the NL Pitcher of the month award. His record of 5-2 in 8 was among the leagues best this month. In 71 innings of work he allowed just 44 hits while striking out 71, compiling an ERA of just 2.03. Juan pitched a shutout as well. In 15 starts this year Juan struck out 127 batters in 133 innings of work. His ERA is 2.37, his record 11-2. Juan has pitched 2 shutouts and 10 complete games. He's 1st in the NL in ERA and 1st in wins! |
Thursday 6/1/1968: Boston's Clemente earns Batter of the Month award The AL Batter of the Month award goes to Roberto Clemente, Boston's starting rightfielder. Roberto was on fire, hitting .349 with 12 homeruns and 22 RBI. His season features a batting average of .364 (72 hits in 198 AB), 14 doubles, 3 triples and 19 taters. Clemente collected 43 RBI and 49 runs as well. He's 3rd in the AL in batting, 1st in homeruns and 1st in RBI! Philadelphia (N)'s catcher Joe Torre had some reason to celebrate as well, as the league named him the NL Batter of the Month. In 95 at bats he hit .316 with 11 HR and 34 RBI. While compiling an on base percentage of .394, Joe hit .320 and slugged .629. He has collected 48 runs batted in this year. He's 8th in the NL in batting, 4th in homeruns and 2nd in RBI! |
Wednesday 5/31/1968: Juan Pizarro quiets New York (N) bats with shutout PHILADELPHIA (N) - Juan Pizarro had some fun again. New York (N) hitters did not. Philadelphia (N)'s left-hander gave up just one hit in his 2nd shutout of the season. He now has 39 career shutouts in 385 games started. Lee Elia spoiled the bid for a no-hitter when he singled with no outs in the 9th inning. Pizarro (11-2) showed excellent control, walking nobody and fanning 4. 'I'll have to give a lot of credit to my catcher. He put all the right fingers down today.' Joe Torre provided Philadelphia (N) with the offense Pizarro needed as he went 2 for 4, scoring three runs and driving in 3 runs. The final score of the game was 11-0. |
Wednesday 5/31/1968: Tom Seaver shuts out Boston on one hit BALTIMORE - Tom Seaver had some fun again. Boston hitters did not. Baltimore's right-hander gave up just one hit in his 3rd shutout of the season. He now has 3 career shutouts in 11 games started. The bid for a no-hitter was broken up when Roberto Clemente singled with one out in the 7th inning. Seaver (7-4) struck out 8 and walked 1, throwing 78 of 124 pitches for strikes. 'I really like to play baseball, and I love the way I was able to play it today.' Ken Hunt helped Seaver at the plate, he got 1 hit in 4 AB, hitting a double, and collecting 2 RBI. Baltimore scored 2 runs on 8 hits. |
Monday 5/29/1968: Billingham (CHA) and Covington (CHN) win P.O.W. award The AL Player of the Week award goes to Jack Billingham, one of Chicago (A)'s best starting pitchers. Jack went 2-0 with an ERA of 0.00, while fanning 7 in 14 innings of work. Opposing players hit .236 against Jack this season. While posting an ERA of 2.33 he went 6-3 in 13 starts, fanning 43 and walking 27 hitters. It's the 11th time that the NL Player of the Week award goes to Chicago (N)'s rightfielder Wes Covington. In 21 at bats he hit .524 with 2 HR and 7 RBI. Covington has walked 25 times this year and posts a .410 OBP. While batting .324, 55 for 170, he has driven in 37 runs. He's 5th in the NL in batting, 5th in homeruns and 5th in RBI! |
Friday 5/26/1968: Detroit has no chance in a 2-hitter by Tom Seaver BALTIMORE - Baltimore's right-hander Tom Seaver is a great pitcher. And he once again showed his stuff, blanking Detroit on just 2 hits. It's his 2nd shutout this season, and the 2nd time he has done it in his career. 'I was hitting my spots. Now I'll start concentrating on my next start, and hopefully it will work again.' Seaver (6-4) struck out 9 and walked none, throwing 60 of 94 pitches for strikes. Bob Sadowski provided Baltimore with the offense Seaver needed as he went 2 for 3. Baltimore scored 1 run on 6 hits. |
Thursday 5/25/1968: Joe Horlen out for 5 weeks ATLANTA - Atlanta's ace Joe Horlen suffered a severe injury on Thursday and will be out for at least 5 weeks. In the 6th of the game against Pittsburgh he experienced pain in his throwing arm and had to leave the game. Pulled Rotator Cuff Muscle was the diagnosis after x-rays were taken in a nearby hospital. The message shocked teammates and team officials. Joe has a record of 2-5 this season, with an ERA of 4.98. In 68.2 Innings he was able to strike out 26 batters. |
Tuesday 5/23/1968: Catfish Hunter (CHN) will miss 7 weeks CHICAGO (N) - Chicago (N) is without its right-hander Catfish Hunter for at least 7 weeks. He injured himself while throwing a pitch to Paul Smith in a game against Atlanta. His face showed signs of pain immediately after the ball left his hand. After being examined by several specialists the diagnosis is clear: Pulled Rotator Cuff Muscle. Catfish has a record of 5-3 this season, with an ERA of 4.40. In 88 Innings he was able to strike out 66 batters. He's 9th in the NL in wins! |
Monday 5/22/1968: Player of the Week honors go to Fregosi and Roland Washington's shortstop Jim Fregosi had some reason to celebrate, as the league named him the AL Player of the Week. He had an on base percentage of .478 and hit .455, while driving in 9 runs. Jim has gone 47 for 163 (.288) this season, hitting 7 longballs and driving in 26 runs. He has scored 28 runs on his own. It's the 1st time that the NL Player of the Week award goes to Houston's pitcher Jim Roland. Jim went 2-0 with an ERA of 0.00, while fanning 10 in 18 innings of work. He hurled a shutout as well. |
Friday 5/19/1968: Don Drysdale earns 300th career win CHICAGO (A) - Boston's right-hander Don Drysdale gained immortality by recording his 300th win in the big leagues. Don Drysdale threw 114 pitches in 9 innings, 68 for strikes. He allowed one earned run while striking out 0 and walking one earned run. His career features a 2.82 ERA, along with 3079 K's in 4192 innings. 'I still remember my first win. But the one today is something special. I'll definitely keep it in my heart!' He set a career high with 32 wins in 1965. Drysdale won 20 or more games a season 11 times. The Hall of Fame is already waiting for this great player. |
Tuesday 5/16/1968: Baltimore's Gary Geiger gets the cycle CALIFORNIA - Gary Geiger led Baltimore to a 7-5 win over California by squeezing four hits out of his bat. That's not the best part, though. He hit for the cycle as well! A single in the 4th off Bill Hands accounted for his 1st hit. His 2nd hit was a RBI double off Bill Hands in the 6th inning. Hit number 3 followed in the 8th inning, a triple. His 4th hit, a two-run homerun off Bill Landis in the 10th inning, landed an estimated 397 feet from home plate. That drive completed the cycle, causing a smile on his face! Gary did drive in 3 while scoring 3 runs on his own. He now has a total of 38 hits this season, accounting for a .299 batting average. He's now the 33rd player in league history to hit for the cycle! On 5/12/1968, Lou Brock was the last player to hit for the cycle. |
Monday 5/15/1968: New York (A)'s Marichal wins Player of the Week award The Player of the Week award in the AL goes to New York (A)'s Juan Marichal this time, as the pitcher displayed the best pitching perfomance in his league. Juan went 2-0 with an ERA of 0.00, while fanning 7 in 18 innings of work. He pitched two shutouts! In 9 starts this year Juan struck out 48 batters in 72 innings of work. His ERA is 3.38, his record 5-0. Juan has pitched 2 shutouts and 4 complete games. He's 7th in the AL in wins! The Player of the Week award in the NL goes to Philadelphia (N)'s Lou Brock this time, as the centerfielder displayed the best offensive perfomance in his league. Lou went 16 for 33 (.485), while hitting 2 HR and collecting 8 RBI. He hit in every game this week and extended his hitting streak to 12 games. |
Friday 5/12/1968: Philadelphia (N)'s Lou Brock hits for the cycle PHILADELPHIA (N) - Philadelphia (N)'s centerfielder Lou Brock once again displayed his tremendous ability to make contact with that little white ball. He tore up Houston's pitching staff with a 4 hit performance on Friday. Number 1 in the 1st inning, a shot estimated at 370 feet, cleared the wall in left field. His 2nd hit was a RBI triple off Joe Coleman in the 2nd inning. That one tied it at 3 runs apiece. Number 3 in the 4th inning accounted for a RBI double. A single in the 5th off Fred Lasher accounted for his 4th hit. That drive completed the cycle, causing a smile on his face! Lou scored 3 runs, and he collected 3 RBI as well! He's having a very good season so far, batting .432. He becomes the 32nd player in league history collect at least a single, double, triple and a homerun in a single game. On 7/15/1967, Chuck Hinton was the last player to hit for the cycle. |
Thursday 5/11/1968: Sandy Koufax fires NO-NO against Baltimore NEW YORK (A) - Sandy Koufax had his best stuff going, and Baltimore hitters were chanceless. New York (A)'s left-hander fired a NO-NO, his 1st shutout of the season. Koufax (6-3) was overpowering, fanning 11 while walking 2, throwing 109 pitches. 'Giving my team a chance to win is the most important thing for me. I was able to do it today, and it's especially nice to do it in such fashion.' Tom Tresh provided New York (A) with the offense Koufax needed as he finished with 2 hits in 4 AB, going deep twice, scoring twice with 3 RBI. New York (A) improved its record to 19-15, scoring 6 runs on 7 hits. |
Wednesday 5/10/1968: Eddie Mathews slams 700th homerun NEW YORK (A) - New York (A)'s Eddie Mathews showed a smile on his face after he belted his 700th career homerun against Baltimore on Wednesday. In 16 years of big league action so far, Eddie has compiled a batting average of .300, along with 2649 hits and 2058 RBI. Eddie hit 30+ homeruns in a season 15 times, hitting 40 bombs 11 times. 'Baseball is a great game, and adding something to it's history is smething I've always wanted. What a great day!' In the 4th inning he unloaded his 700th blast off Fred Newman. It's no secret that he will one day be in the Hall of Fame! |
Tuesday 5/9/1968: Grant Jackson pitches his 1st shutout of the season NEW YORK (A) - New York (A)'s southpaw Grant Jackson will never forget this day. The 25-year old recorded his first career shutout, a 2-hitter, against Baltimore on Tuesday. Jackson (4-2) struck out 6 and walked 4, throwing 62 of 109 pitches for strikes. 'They took some ugly cuts at my breaking stuff, so I kept throwing it. Fortunately they were not able to adjust in time.' Norm Cash helped Jackson at the plate, he collected 1 hit in 3 trips to the plate, blasting a homerun, with 3 RBI. New York (A) improved its record to 17-15, scoring 6 runs on 8 hits. |
Monday 5/8/1968: James (BOS) and Freese (STL) win P.O.W. award Boston's leftfielder Charlie James had some reason to celebrate, as the league named him the AL Player of the Week. In 25 at bats he hit .520 with 4 HR and 7 RBI. His season numbers are: .388 AVG, 45 hits, 10 doubles, no triples and 6 bombs, along with 24 RBI and 23 runs scored. He's 3rd in the AL in batting and 5th in RBI! The NL Player of the Week award goes to Gene Freese, St. Louis (N)'s starting third baseman. Gene went 10 for 21 (.476), while hitting 2 HR and collecting 10 RBI. Freese has hit 8 homeruns this year while batting .255. He adds 7 doubles, along with 19 runs scored. He's 9th in the NL in RBIs and 5th in homeruns! |
Thursday 5/4/1968: Bob Gibson quiets Chicago (A) bats with shutout CALIFORNIA - With his best stuff going, California's Bob Gibson overmatched the opposing hitters all day long. Chicago (A) had no chance, collecting just 2 hits against the right-hander. Gibson (5-1) struck out 7 and issued 1 BB, throwing 73 of 118 pitches for strikes. 'Wow, what a nice day. I guess I had a good breakfast today.' The hitting star for California was catcher Don Pavletich, he went 1 for 3, hitting a double. California scored 1 run on 4 hits. |
Monday 5/1/1968: Earl Francis (STL) will miss 4 weeks ST. LOUIS (N) - St. Louis (N) is without its right-hander Earl Francis for at least 4 weeks. He injured himself while throwing a pitch to Wes Parker in a game against San Francisco. His face showed signs of pain immediately after the ball left his hand. Spasms Back was the diagnosis after x-rays were taken in a nearby hospital. The message shocked teammates and team officials. Earl has a record of 3-2 this season, with an ERA of 2.28. In 51.1 Innings he was able to strike out 27 batters. |
Monday 5/1/1968: Paul (OAK) and Mcdowell (OAK) win monthly pitcher award It's the 1st time that the AL Pitcher of the Month award goes to Oakland's pitcher Mike Paul. He had an ERA of just 1.39 in 51.2 innings of work in which he struck out 55 hitters. His record in April is 4-0. Oakland's Sam Mcdowell had a terrific April, and it earned him the AL Pitcher of the month award. He had an ERA of just 2.57 in 63 innings of work in which he struck out 44 hitters. His record in April is 6-0. Sam got two complete game shutouts as well! |
Monday 5/1/1968: Batter of the Month award winners announced Tony Oliva of California wins his 1st Batter of the Month award for putting up the best numbers in the AL. In 86 at bats he hit .442 with 6 HR and 21 RBI. The NL Batter of the Month award goes to Jimmy Wynn, New York (N)'s starting leftfielder. Jimmy was on fire, hitting .371 with 9 homeruns and 15 RBI. |
Monday 5/1/1968: Player of the Week honors go to Clemente and Johnson The AL's best player of the week was Boston's Roberto Clemente, who wins the award for the 9th time in his career. He hit .600 with 9 RBI and slugged 1.300 in 20 at bats. Bob Johnson from Houston wins his 1st Player of the Week award for putting up the best numbers this week in the NL. Bob was on fire, hitting .571 with 2 HR and 3 RBI. |
Sunday 4/30/1968: Chicago (A) has no chance in a 2-hitter by Dean Chance CHICAGO (A) - Detroit's right-hander Dean Chance is a great pitcher. And he once again showed his stuff, blanking Chicago (A) on just 2 hits. It's his 1st shutout this season, and the 17th time he has done it in his career. With one out in the 5th inning Tito Francona singled to break up the no-hitter. 'I was able to keep´em off balance. That certainly helped.' Chance (3-3) struck out 7 and issued 1 BB, throwing 65 of 110 pitches for strikes. Rick Monday helped Chance at the plate, he got 1 hit in 4 AB, and driving in 2 runs. The final score of the game was 3-0. |
Friday 4/28/1968: Rocky Colavito has 2000th career hits NEW YORK (A) - Rocky Colavito got a standing ovation from 66953 fans in New York (A), who witnessed his 2000th career hit. With no outs in the 7th inning, Rocky drilled a two run homerun, causing a standing ovation from the crowd. In 11 years of big league action so far, Rocky has compiled a batting average of .324, along with 433 homeruns and 1314 RBI. 'You dream about that as a kid, but when you reach such a milestone it's hard to believe. Fantastic.' |
Monday 4/24/1968: New York (A)'s Pinson wins Player of the Week award Vada Pinson wins his 6th Player of the Week award. AL pitchers couldn't figure out how to retire this guy all week long. Vada was on fire, hitting .455 with 4 HR and 8 RBI. While compiling an on base percentage of .353, Vada hit .316 and slugged .633. He has collected 17 runs batted in this year. He's 1st in the AL in RBIs and 1st in homeruns! Jimmy Wynn wins his 2nd Player of the Week award. NL pitchers couldn't figure out how to retire this guy all week long. In 31 at bats he hit .484 with 5 HR and 7 RBI. |
Sunday 4/23/1968: Tom Kelley pitches his 1st shutout of the season ST. LOUIS (N) - It was a great day for Philadelphia (N)'s right-hander Tom Kelley. The 24-year old recorded his first career shutout, a 2-hitter, against St. Louis (N) on Sunday. Kelley (3-2) fanned 4 and walked 4, throwing 108 pitches. '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.' Willie Kirkland helped Kelley at the plate, he got 1 hit in 4 AB, homering once. Philadelphia (N) scored 3 runs on 10 hits. |
Thursday 4/20/1968: Juan Pizarro pitches his 1st shutout of the season PHILADELPHIA (N) - Philadelphia (N)'s lefty Juan Pizarro is a great pitcher. And he once again showed his stuff, blanking Atlanta on just 2 hits. It's his 1st shutout this season, and the 38th time he has done it in his career. Pizarro (4-0) fanned 8 and walked 3, throwing 117 pitches. 'They took some ugly cuts at my breaking stuff, so I kept throwing it. Fortunately they were not able to adjust in time.' Willie Mccovey helped Pizarro at the plate, he collected 2 hits in 4 trips to the plate, hitting a homerun, scoring three times and driving in 4 runs. Philadelphia (N) scored 14 runs on 15 hits. |
Tuesday 4/18/1968: California's Hamilton severely injured, out for season CALIFORNIA - California's left-hander Steve Hamilton will not pitch again this year, suffering a serious injury in the game against Boston on Tuesday. After being taken to a local hospital, Hamilton was examined by specialists. The diagnosis revealed the sad truth, a Torn Back Muscle. This season Hamilton compiled an ERA of 6.00, going 0-1 in 3 starts. He fanned 9 while giving up 17 hits in 18 innings. |
Monday 4/17/1968: San Francisco's Robinson wins Player of the Week award Dick Allen from California wins his 5th Player of the Week award for putting up the best numbers this week in the AL. Dick went 10 for 19 (.526), while hitting 4 HR and collecting 9 RBI. It's the 6th time that the NL Player of the Week award goes to San Francisco's rightfielder Floyd Robinson. He had an on base percentage of .536 and hit .500, while driving in 7 runs. He hit in every game this week and extended his hitting streak to 7 games. This year Robinson drove in 9 and scored 13 runs while batting .400 with 2 bombs. He's 4th in the NL in batting! |
Monday 4/10/1968: Player of the Week honors go to Jenkins and Mcdowell Fergie Jenkins of Cleveland wins his 1st Player of the Week award for dominating AL's hitters the entire week. Jenkins was overpowering all week long, going 2-0 with an ERA of 1.00. Along the way he struck out 23 in 18 innings. He hurled a shutout as well. Sam Mcdowell of Chicago (N) wins his 3rd 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 pitched two shutouts! |
Saturday 4/8/1968: Fergie Jenkins pitches his 1st shutout of the season CLEVELAND - Cleveland's right-hander Fergie Jenkins is clearly one of the best pitchers in the game. Minnesota found out the hard way, getting just one hit. Jenkins 1st shutout this season was a masterpiece, as he was almost untouchable. He has now hurled 4th shutouts in his career. 'I had my stuff going. Everything I tried worked. What a day!' Jenkins (2-0) struck out an astounding 14 and walked none, throwing 77 of 114 pitches for strikes. Chuck Hinton helped Jenkins at the plate, he stroked 3 hits in 4 AB, hitting a homerun, scoring 2 runs. Cleveland scored 4 runs on 6 hits. |
Thursday 4/6/1968: Pittsburgh's Gonzalez severely injured PITTSBURGH - Pittsburgh's players were scared when they had to watch Tony Gonzalez suffer a serious injury when he dove for a ball in the game against Philadelphia (N). He collapsed in pain and was helped off the field. Gonzalez will probaby miss 9 weeks. Broken Foot was the diagnosis after x-rays were taken in a nearby hospital. The message shocked teammates and team officials. |
Thursday 4/6/1968: Mike Mccormick quiets Boston bats with shutout BOSTON - With his best stuff going, Cleveland's Mike Mccormick overmatched the opposing hitters all day long. Boston had no chance, collecting just one hit against the left-hander. Mccormick (1-0) struck out 3 and issued 2 BB, throwing 56 of 99 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.' Bobby Darwin helped Mccormick at the plate, he collected 3 hits in 5 trips to the plate, hitting two dingers, scoring three times and collecting 6 RBI. Cleveland improved its record to 3-0, scoring 11 runs on 16 hits. |