1969 Baseball Season Highlights

Arguably the most memorable event of the 1969 baseball season was the Mets incredible World Series win. But the year also saw a number of other firsts -- it was Bowie Kuhn's first year as the new commissioner and the first year that both leagues had 12 teams. You can find highlights of the 1969 baseball season below:

  • American League and National League both expand to 12 teams and divide into two divisions, with division winners to play best-of-five playoffs.
  • Mets become second major league team in three years to win flag after finishing as low as ninth the preceding year.
  • Orioles take American League flag.
  • Braves win National League West title, bow to Mets in three straight games in first NLCS.
  • Twins win first American League West title, are swept by Orioles in first ALCS.
  • Mets beat heavily favored Orioles in 1969 World Series in five games to top off miracle season.
  • Donn Clendenon raps three homers and hits .357 to lead Mets in the 1969 World Series.
  • Jerry Koosman wins two World Series games for Mets.
  • Bowie Kuhn named new commissioner, replacing Spike Eckert.
  • To add more offense, rules are made to reduce the height of the pitcher's mound and the size of the strike zone.
  • The National League's batting average jumps seven points and the American League's jumps 16 points.
  • Harmon Killebrew leads majors with 49 homers and 140 RBI and is American League MVP.
  • Willie McCovey named National League MVP after leading league in homers (45), RBI (126), SA (.656), and OBP (.458).
  • Seaver wins 1969 National League Cy Young Award.
  • Detroit's Denny McLain leads American League with nine shutouts and 24 wins to repeat as American League Cy Young winner.
  • Minnesota's Rod Carew steals home seven times to tie Pete Reiser's major league season record.
  • Orioles' 109 wins tie 1961 Yanks for most wins in 162-game season.
  • National League wins 1969 All-Star Game 9-3 at Washington.
  • Dave McNally sets Orioles franchise record by winning 15 games in a row.
  • Ted Williams is hired as Washington manager; the team finishes over .500 for the first time in its nine-year history.
  • The Curt Flood case begins vs. OB after Flood is traded to Phils by Cards and refuses to report to new team.
  • Twins manager Billy Martin beats up one of his own pitchers, Dave Boswell.
  • On August 5, Pirate Willie Stargell becomes first to hit a homer out of Dodger Stadium.

    1969 Baseball Season Highlights
    Willie Stargell steps into
    baseball history by hitting
    the first home run
    out of Dodger Stadium.

  • LA's Willie Davis hits in 31 consecutive games.
  • Houston hurlers fan major league record 1,221 hitters.
  • Wayne Granger of Reds is first pitcher to appear in 90 games.
  • Bobby Bonds of Giants fans major league record 187 times.
  • McCovey receives major league record 45 intentional walks.
  • McCovey's .656 SA sets record for National League first basemen.
  • Boston's Rico Petrocelli sets American League shortstop record with 40 homers.
  • Bob Moose of Pittsburgh no-hits Mets on Sept. 20.
  • Ken Holtzman of Cubs no-hits Atlanta on August 19.
  • Jim Palmer of Baltimore no-hits Oakland on August 13; this comes in the midst of his 15 consecutive wins.
  • Bill Stoneman of Montreal no-hits Phils on April 17.
Check out the next page for more highlights of the 1969 baseball season.

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