What Really Happened in
1963

Chronology


June

Tony Gonzalez
1st--
NL
AL
CHC 2, PHI 0
CIN 1, LAD 0
MIL 4, HOU 1
PIT 10, NYM 1
STL 7, SFG 4
CHW 3, BOS 1
LAA 7, BAL 1
MIN 7, DET 1
NYY 5, CLE 2
WSA 9, KCA 1

2nd--
NL
AL
CIN 5, LAD 2
HOU 3, MIL 1
NYM 2, PIT 1
NYM 4, PIT 3
PHI 5, CHC 2
CHC 3, PHI 2
SFG 6, STL 4
BOS 11, CHW 9
CHW 10, BOS 0
CLE 5, NYY 0
CLE 7, NYY 2
DET 7, MIN 6
LAA 8, BAL 2
WSA 6, KCA 4

3rd--White Sox first baseman Joe Cunningham breaks his collarbone in a collision with Angels first sacker Charlie Days. Cunningham will not return until Labor Day.
--The Braves play in Boston for the first time since the franchise left in 1953, in a charity exhibition game with the Red Sox (which they lose 5-3).
NL
AL
HOU 2, LAD 1
CHW 4, LAA 0
KCA 4, MIN 1

4th--
NL
AL
CHC 6, SFG 1
LAD 2, HOU 1
MIL 3, NYM 2
BAL 3, NYY 1
CLE 6, DET 4
LAA 1, CHW 0
MIN 5, KCA  0
WSA 1, BOS 0

5th--Chasing a long fly ball off the bat of Frank Robinson, Mickey Mantle runs into the chain link fence at Baltimore, breaking a bone in his left foot and damaging the cartilage in his left knee. He will be out for 61 days. The Yankees beat the Orioles for first place in the AL.
NL
AL
CHC 9, SFG 5
CHC 5, SFG 4
LAD 5, HOU 1
MIL 11, NYM 9
PHI 6, STL 0
PIT 5, CIN 4
PIT 4, CIN 3
CHW 3, LAA 0
LAA 8, CHW 2
DET 5, CLE 4
MIN 4, KCA 0
NYY 4, BAL 3


6th--With an extra-innings victory over the Giants, the Chicago Cubs enter first place for the first time since 1958 -- albeit a first place tie with San Francisco and St. Louis.
NL
AL
CHC 3, SFG 2
CIN 7, PIT 5
CIN 10, PIT 5
STL 5, PHI 4
BAL 4, NYY 2
WSA 2, BOS 1

7th--
NL
AL
HOU 2, SFG 1
LAD 4, CHC 1
MIL 9, PIT 5
NYM 3, STL 2
CHW 7, KCA 1
CLE 8, WSA 1
DET 8, NYY 4
MIN 6, LAA 1

8th--Baltimore loses pitcher Chuck Estrada, who has a spur and bone chips in his right elbow, for the season.
NL
AL
CIN 1, PHI 0
HOU 2, SFG 1
LAD 9, CHC 5
PIT 6, MIL 4
STL 4, NYM 0
BOS 7, BAL 1
CLE 6, WSA 1
DET 8, NYY 4
KCA 7, CHW 6
MIN 9, LAA 3

9th--Houston and San Francisco clash in the first Sunday night game in ML history. (The Colt 45's win 3-0.)
--The Phillies tie the Reds 7-7 in the 9th thanks to homers by Johnny Callison, Don Demeter and Jim Lemon, then  go on to win the game in the 10th.
--Even though Ernie Banks gets a pair of solo homers off Dodgers ace Sandy Koufax, the Cubs lose to Los Angeles 11-8.
NL
AL
HOU 3, SFG 0
LAD 11, CHC 8
NYM 8, STL 7
STL 10, NYM 4
PHI 8, CIN 7
CIN 3, PHI 1
PIT 4, MIL 0
MIL 5, PIT 3
BOS 3, BAL 2
CHW 4, KCA 3
CLE 7, WSA 3
LAA 4, MIN 2
NYY 6, DET 2

10th--
NL
AL
CHC 3, HOU 2
NYM 3, CIN 2
PHI 6, MIL 2
SFG 7, LAD 3
CLE 3, BAL 2
DET 6, BOS 1
LAA 13, KCA 3
NYY 7, WSA 0
WSA 1. NYY 0

11th--
NL
AL
CIN 8, NYM 3
HOU 6, CHC 2
PHI 8, MIL 7
SFG 3, LAD 0
STL 3, PIT 1
BOS 7, DET 3
CLE 9, BAL 5
KCA 5, LAA 2
MIN 8, CHW 6

12th--With a .304 BA for the season, Cleveland rookie outfielder Vic Davalillo's arm is broken when he's hit by a Hank Aguirre pitch. The Indians beat the Tigers 12-6.
--Dave Nicholson of the Chicago White Sox ties a major league record when he strikes out seven times in a doubleheader with the Angels.
NL
AL
CIN 3, PIT 0
LAD 9, HOU 1
MIL 9, NYM 0
PHI 6, STL 2
SFG 3, CHC 1
BOS 5, WSA 3
CHW 3, LAA 1
LAA 5, CHW 0
CLE 12, DET 6
KCA 12, MIN 4
MIN 8, KCA 1
NYY 3, BAL 2
13th--
NL
AL
CIN 4, PIT 2
LAD 3, HOU 0
SFG 2, CHC 1
STL 7, PHI 3
BOS 7, WSA 5
CLE 5, DET 3
MIN 6, KCA 3
BAL 5, NYY 4

14th--Cleveland wins a 19-inning marathon with Washington by a score of 3-2. It's the longest game ever played in Cleveland. Cleveland's Willie Kirkland becomes the second ML player to hit two extra-inning homers.
NL
AL
CHC 4, LAD 1
MIL 3, PHI 0
NYM 10, CIN 3
SFG 2, HOU 1
STL 5, PIT 2
BOS 5, BAL 1
CHW 3, KCA 2
WSA 5, CLE 2
CLE 3, WSA 2
MIN 3, LAA 2
NYY 4, DET 2

15th--Juan Marichal no-hits the Houston Colt 45's. He is the first Giants pitcher since Carl Hubbell (May 8, 1929) to throw a no-hitter.
--Ernie Banks is diagnosed with subclinical mumps, which will afflict him for the rest of the season. He has hit 15 homers so far, but will end the season with just 18.
NL
AL
NYM 4, CIN 1
LAD 4, CHC 1
MIL 5, PHI 3
SFG 1, HOU 0
CLE 4, WSA 0
KCA 4, CHW 3
LAA 9, MIN 6
NYY 9, DET 2

16th--
NL
AL
CHC 8, LAD 3
LAD 2, CHC 0
CIN 11, NYM 5
CIN 10, NYM 3
HOU 3, SFG 0
SFG 4, HOU 3
MIL 5, PHI 3
PHI 7, MIL 4
PIT 4, STL 3
STL 11, PIT 7
BOS 8, BAL 1
BOS 12, BAL 5
CHW 2, KCA 1
CHC 3, KCA 2
CLE 4, WSA 2
CLE 6, WSA 4
LAA 5, MIN 3
LAA 5, MIN 4
NYY 4, DET 0
NYY 6, DET 3

17th--Bob Scheffing is fired as manager of the 24-36 Detroit Tigers, and is replaced by Charlie Dressen.
NL
AL
LAD 2, SFG 0
PHI 4, CIN 2
PIT 9, MIL 3
STL 8, NYM 1
BAL 7, BOS 2
CLE 1, WSA 0

18th--
NL
AL
CHC 3, HOU 1
CIN 2, PHI 1
MIL 7, PIT 5
SFG 9, LAD 3
STL 6, NYM 2
BOS 9, DET 0
CLE 7, BAL 3
LAA 2, KCA 1
MIN 5, CHW 3
NYY 10, WSA 5

19th--Detroit's Gates Brown hits a home run off Boston's Bob Heffner in his first at-bat. He becomes the eleventh AL player to accomplish this feat.
NL
AL
CHC 9, HOU 1
CIN 6, PHI 5
PIT 6, MIL 2
SFG 8, LAD 3
STL 9, NYM 4
BOS 9, DET 2
CLE 5, BAL 4
BAL 6, CLE 2
LAA 4, KCA 2
KCA 4, LAA 3
CHW 12, MIN 4
NYY 3, WSA 2
20th--
NL
AL
CHC 5, HOU 0
CIN 11, PHI 1
MIL 2, PIT 1
BOS 8, DET 3
CLE 11, BAL 8
MIN 9, CHW 4
NYY 5, WSA 4

21st--
NL
AL
CHC 6, PIT 5
CIN 3, HOU 0
MIL 6, SFG 3
NYM 3, PHI 1
LAD 5, STL 3
BOS 7, NYY 4
CHW 2, CLE 0
DET 6, KCA 4
LAA 1, WSA 0
MIN 5, BAL 2
BAL 10, MIN 2

22nd--Philadelphia center fielder Tony Gonzalez plays his 200th consecutive error-free game.
NL
AL
CIN 3, HOU 0
PIT 3, CHC 0
PHI 2, NYM 0
SFG 3, MIL 0
STL 2, LAD 1
CHW 2, CLE 1
DET 3, KCA 2
LAA 9, WSA 4
MIN 3, BAL 1
NYY 6, BOS 5
NYY 3, BOS 2

23rd--The Houston Colt 45's suffer their fourth straight shutout loss in the first game of a doubleheader in Cincinnati. After forty scoreless innings, Houston finally gets a run in the 2nd inning of the nightcap, going on to lose 8-1.
--Jimmy Piersall (NYM) hits his 100th homer -- and celebrates by running backwards around the bases. The Mets get rid of Piersall a few days later.
--Boston pitcher Bob Heffner becomes the second hurler with three putouts in a single inning. Boston's Jim Bagby was the first (in 1940).
NL
AL
CIN 4, HOU 0
CIN 8, HOU 1
LAD 4, STL 3
MIL 10, SFG 4
NYM 5, PHI 0
NYM 4, PHI 1
PIT 7, CHC 6
BAL 4, MIN 1
CHW 2, CLE 1
CLE 2, CHW 0
DET 11, KCA 2
NYY 8, BOS 0
WSA 4, LAA 0

24th--
NL
AL
LAD 5, CIN 4
MIL 3, HOU 0
SFG 4, STL 3
BOS 7, CLE 5
CHW 5, NYY 2
KCA 6, DET 3
LAA 3, WSA 2
MIN 6, BAL 4

25th--
NL
AL
CHC 4, NYM 1
LAD 4, CIN 1
MIL 4, HOU 0
PHI 5, PIT 4
STL 6, SFG 5
BAL 10, LAA 0
BOS 4, CLE 1
BOS 3, CLE 2
CHW 2, NYY 1
KNA 8, WSA 4
MIN 1, DET 0

26th--
NL
AL
HOU 7, MIL 2
LAD 1, CIN 2
NYM 8, CHC 6
PHI 6, PIT 2
STL 6, SFG 5
BOS 6, CLE 5
LAA 3, BAL 1
LAA 3, BAL 2
MIN 6, DET 1
NYY 3, CHW 2

27th--In a 13-4 win over the Pirates, Philadelphia's center fielder Tony Gonzalez sees his 205-game streak of errorless baseball come to an end as he commits an error in the 7th. His teammate Johnny Callison hits for the cycle -- the only time in his career that he will do so.
NL
AL
PHI 13, PIT 4
CHW 6, NYY 0
CLE 6, BOS 4
MIN 10, DET 6
WSA 4, KCA 2

28th--Milwaukee's Warren Spahn ends a streak of fourteen straight losses against the Dodgers on their home turf, holding Los Angeles to a three-hitter in a 1-0 win. Spahn had last won on Dodger ground fifteen years ago, on August 21, 1948.
NL
AL
CHC 4, PHI 3
MIL 1, LAD 0
PIT 3, NYM 1
SFG 7, CIN 3
STL 9, HOU 2
BAL 2, KCA 1
BOS 4, NYY 3
CLE 4, CHW 3
DET 8, LAA 3
LAA 8, DET 3
MIN 11, WSA 4
MIN 10, WSA 3
29th--
NL
AL
CIN 7, SFG 3
LAD 6, MIL 5
PIT 4, NYM 3
STL 2, HOU 1
BAL 3, KCA 2
CLE 5, CWS 2
LAA 7, DET 4
NYY 2, BOS 0
30th--
NL
AL
HOU 1, STL 0
MIL 7, LAD 0
PHI 3, CHC 2
PIT 3, NYM 0
SFG 7, CIN 3
BAL 4, KCA 3
KCA 3, BAL 1
CLE 8, CHW 4
CHW 4, CLE 0
DET 6, LAA 5
MIN 6, WSA 2
NYY 4, BOS 2
NYY 11, BOS 4

Standings as of June 30, 1963
National
W
L
Pct
GB
American
W
L
Pct
GB
St. Louis Cardinals
Los Angeles Dodgers
San Francisco Giants
Cincinnati Reds
Chicago Cubs
Milwaukee Braves
Pittsburgh Pirates
Philadelphia Phillies
New York Mets
Houston Colt 45's
45
43
44
41
40
38
36
35
29
29
31
32
33
35
35
37
39
41
48
49
.592
.573
.571
.539
.533
.507
.480
.461
.377
.372
-
1.5
1.5
4.0
4.5
6.5
8.5
10.0
16.5
17.0
New York Yankees
Chicago White Sox
Minnesota Twins
Boston Red Sox
Cleveland Indians
Baltimore Orioles
Los Angeles Angels
Kansas City Athletics
Detroit Tigers
Washington Senators
44
45
43
40
40
41
42
34
29
23
28
33
32
33
36
38
39
40
45
56
.611
.577
.573
.548
.526
.519
.512
.459
.392
.291
-
2.0
2.5
4.5
6.0
6.5
7.0
11.0
16.0
24.5

July
1st--
NL
AL
CIN 4, SFG 3
HOU 4, STL 3
LAD 2, MIL 1
PIT 2, PHI 1
PHI 8, PIT 1
KCA 6, BAL 4
NYY 7, BOS 5

2nd--
NL
AL
CHC 4, NYM 1
CIN 6, HOU 4
LAD 1, STL 0
PIT 3, PHI 2
SFG 1, MIL 0
BAL 4, LAA 3
BOS 6, CLE 1
MIN 7, DET 4
NYY 3, CHW 0
WSA 7, KCA 2

3rd--Warren Spahn (Milwaukee Braves) and Juan Marichal (San Francisco Giants) clash in a 16-inning marathon that ends 1-0 in favor of the Giants on a Willie Mays homer. Both pitchers go the distance.
--Minnesota's Zoilo Versalles ties an AL mark with five errors in a doubleheader. The Twins win the first game 7-5, lose the second 4-3.
NL
AL
CHC 9, NYM 2
CIN 2, HOU 1
LAD 5, STL 0
MIL 6,SFG 5
BAL 3, LAA 1
BOS 6, CLE 2
DET 7, MIN 5
NYY 5, CHW 4
4th--
NL
AL
CHC 2, NYM 1
CHC 3, NYM 0
HOU 5, CIN 2
HOU 6, CIN 2
LAD 10, STL 7
MIL 6, SFG 3
PHI 1, PIT 0
PHI 5, PIT 1
BAL 7, LAA 4
CLE 4, BOS 3
CLE 7, BOS 5
DET 5, MIN 3
DET 3, MIN 1
NYY 9, CHW 1
CHW 4, NYY 2
WSA 3, KCA 2

5th--
NL
AL
CHC 3, PHI 2
HOU 4, MIL 2
LAD 1, CIN 0
PIT 3, NYM 1
SFG 6, STL 5
BAL 4, MIN 3
MIN 7, BAL 5
BOS 8, CHW 3
CLE 4, NYY 1
DET 4, KN+CA 3
WSA 5, LAA 1

6th--
NL
AL
CIN 3, LAD 1
MIL 7, HOU 1
PHI 6, CHC 0
PIT 11, NYM 3
SFG 5, STL 3
BAL 2, MIN 1
BOS 6, CHW 2
DET 8, KCA 4
NYY 11, CLE 6
WSA 3, LAA 2

7th--Third baseman Jim Ray Hart debuts with a double and single in a 15-inning win by his Giants over the Cardinals -- then suffers a broken collarbone when hit by a Bob Gibson pitch in the second game.
NL
AL
MIL 4, HOU 0
LAD 4, CIN 0
LAD 3, CIN 1
PHI 3, CHC 2
PIT 11, NYM 5
SFG 4, STL 3
STL 5, SFG 0
BAL 4, MIN 3
CHW 4, BOS 1
CLE 11, NYY 3
NYY 7, CLE 4
DET 5, KCA 1
KCA 8, DET 1
WSA 7, LAA 1
WSA 6, LAA 4

8th--The word is out that Charles Finley wants to move the Kansas City Athletics to Oakland.
9th-- Stan Musial makes his record-setting 24th appearance. Willie Mays is the star of the 5-3 NL victory, with two stolen bases, two RBIs, two runs scored, and a memorable catch.
10th--
NL
AL
CIN 3, CHC 1
HOu 2, PIT 0
LAD 1, NYM 0
PHI 10, SFG 2
BOS 7, MIN 4

11th--Cincinnati's Jim Maloney strikes out thirteen Cubs in a 7-3 Cubs win.

NL
AL
12th--

NL
AL

13th--43-year-old pitcher Early Wynn collects his 300th career win. He will retire after this season with a 3.54 career ERA, the highest by a 300-game winner. This will be his last career win.

NL
AL
14th--

NL
AL
15th--

NL
AL
16th--

NL
AL
17th--

NL
AL
18th--

NL
AL

19th--Roy Sievers hits his 300th career home run, a game-winning, 9th inning shot that gives Philadelphia a 2-1 win over the Mets. Mets pitcher Roger Craig suffers his 13th consecutive loss.

NL
AL
20th--

NL
AL

21st--Pittsburgh's Jerry Lynch hits his 14th pinch-hit home run, tying an ML record. The 9th inning blast ties the game, which the Pirates go on to win 6-5 over the Cubs.
22nd--Though his exact age is unknown, Diomedes Olivo becomes (probably) the oldest pitcher in organized baseball to toss a no-hitter in a 1-0 International League victory by Atlanta over Toronto.
27th--Frank Thomas pulls the hidden ball trick on Jimmy Wynn in a 1-0 Houston victory over the Mets. Tomorrow the Mets will lose again to Houston, their 22nd straight loss away from home, matching a ML record set in 1890 by the Pirates.
28th--Chicago's Dick Ellsworth strikes out ten as the Cubs beat the Cards 5-1. Stan Musial goes down swinging three times.
31st--The Cleveland Indians become the first AL team to hit four consecutive homers -- all off Angel pitcher Paul Foytack, the first pitcher to give up four straight round-trippers. The hitters: Woodie Held, Pedro Ramos, Tito Francona, and Larry Brown (his first in the majors.)
August
September
13--The three Alou brothers (Felipe, Matty and Jesus) briefly play together in the outfield for the Giants in the same game.
October
November
December