March 22 - The New York Mets, who finished last in the National League with a 40-120 record in their inaugural season, purchase pitcher Carl Willey from the Milwaukee Braves. Willey will boost a pitching rotation that include Roger Craig, Al Jackson and Tracy Stallard. The Mets will improve to 51-111 in that season.
April 13: After 11 hitless at bats, Cincinnati second baseman Pete Rose records his first major league hit, a triple off Pittsburgh'sBob Friend. Increased enforcement of the balk rule produces a major-league record seven in the Pirates' 12?4 trouncing at Crosley Field. Friend commits four of the balks.
July 9 - At Municipal Stadium, the National League wins 5?3 over the American League in the All-Star Game. After four years, MLB had decided to return to the original single-game format. The American League out-hit the National League 11-6, but the effort went in vain as MVP Willie Mays put on a one-man show. Although he was held to a single, Mays collected two runs, two RBI, two stolen bases and made the defensive play of the game — a running catch that deprived Joe Pepitone of an extra base in the eighth inning. This game also marked the 24th and final All-Star appearance of Stan Musial, who pinch-hit in the fifth inning. He lined out to right field, leaving behind a .317 batting average (20-for-63) and an All-Star Game record of six home runs.
October 6 - At Dodger Stadium, Sandy Koufax defeats the New York Yankees, 2?1, completing a shocking World Series sweep for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Whitey Ford gives up only two hits, both by Frank Howard, who belts a long home run in the fifth inning to start the Dodgers' scoring. In the Series, the Yankees bat just .171 and score only four runs, the second-lowest total in World Series history. Curiously enough, the Dodgers would set the mark for the least runs scored in a World Series only three years later, falling victim to a decisive sweep at the hands of the Baltimore Orioles.
January 2 - Al Mamaux, 68, pitcher who twice won 20 games for Pittsburgh
January 5 - Rogers Hornsby, 66, Hall of Fame second baseman who posted the highest lifetime batting average (.358) of any right-handed batter, 7-time batting champion including a .424 mark in 1924; twice MVP, and the first NL player to hit 300 home runs
January 29 - Lee Meadows, 68, pitcher won 188 games for the Cardinals, Phillies and Pirates, was first modern major leaguer to wear glasses
January 31 - Ossie Vitt, 73, third baseman for the Tigers and Red Sox, later a minor league manager
February 9 - Ray Starr, 56, All-Star pitcher who pitched for six teams and won 138 games
February 28 - Eppa Rixey, 71, pitcher elected to the Hall of Fame just one month earlier, until 1959 was winningest left-hander in NL history with 266 victories for Phillies and Reds
March 1 - Irish Meusel, 69, left fielder batted .310 lifetime, led NL in RBI in 1923
March 11 - Joe Judge, 68, first baseman batted .300 nine times for Senators, later coach at Georgetown for 20 years
March 29 - Wilcy Moore, 65, relief pitcher who won last game of 1927 World Series for Yankees
April-June
April 23 - Harry Harper, 67, pitched from 1913 through 1923 for the Senators, Red Sox, Yankees and Robins
May 4 - Dickie Kerr, 69, pitcher who as a 1919 rookie won two World Series games for the White Sox, as one of the players not involved in fixing the Series; later helping a struggling pitcher-turned-hitter, Stan Musial
May 22 - Dave Shean, 79, second baseman and captain of champion 1918 Red Sox
May 23 - Gavvy Cravath, 82, right fielder who won six home runs titles with Phillies
May 27 - Dave Jolly, 38, knuckleball relief pitcher for Milwaukee Braves from 1953-1957
June 24 - Jud Wilson, 69, All-Star third baseman of the Negro Leagues
June 28 - Frank "Home Run" Baker, 77, Hall of Fame third baseman, lifetime .307 hitter and 4-time home run champion, last surviving member of Philadelphia Athletics' "$100,000 infield"
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