1961 Leaders & Numbers

The majors’ first modern expansion led to a statistical expansion for the game’s best players, feasting on diluted opposition that produced a barrelful of career years. For his incredible spike of success, Norm Cash thanked not so much expansion but a corked bat, as he would confess to using years later. Speaking of incredible, only batting in front of Mickey Mantle could allow Roger Maris to launch 61 homers with no intentional walks. With the fences brought in for Candlestick Park’s second year, Orlando Cepeda and Willie Mays put on their own friendly—and far less remembered—competition for the NL home run title. Jim Gentile, anything but with his frequent dugout tantrums, had little to pout about in his monster year. The Pirates may have struggled in defense of their world championship, but an improved Dick Stuart was not to blame. Joey Jay, for years denied a consistent spot in the Braves’ starting rotation, got one in Cincinnati and tied former teammate Warren Spahn for the NL lead in wins and shutouts (four). A well-preserved Whitey Ford finally got to pitch every fourth turn and had his best year yet. Frank Lary got the offensive support that so badly eluded him the year before. Reining in his wildness, Sandy Koufax set the NL strikeout record at 269—but that was just a small precursor of things to come. Luis Arroyo, in a sudden and all-too-brief burst of success, became the latest reliever to reset the bar on saves.

The Ten Best National League Hitters, 1961
Name	Team	G	BA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	IB	HB	SB	CS	GD
1. Frank Robinson	Cincinnati	153	.323	545	117	176	32	7	37	124	48	23	10	22	3	15
2. Willie Mays	San Francisco	154	.308	572	129	176	32	3	40	123	66	15	2	18	9	14
3. Hank Aaron	Milwaukee	155	.327	603	115	197	39	10	34	120	36	20	2	21	9	16
4. Orlando Cepeda	San Francisco	152	.311	585	105	182	28	4	46	142	28	11	9	12	8	21
5. Ken Boyer	St. Louis	153	.329	589	109	194	26	11	24	95	59	9	1	6	3	11
6. Dick Stuart	Pittsburgh	138	.301	532	83	160	28	8	35	117	33	1	4	0	3	22
7. Wally Moon	Los Angeles	134	.328	463	79	152	25	3	17	88	80	9	1	7	5	9
8. Eddie Mathews	Milwaukee	152	.306	572	103	175	23	6	32	91	90	3	2	12	7	10
9. Vada PInson	Cincinnati	154	.343	607	101	208	34	8	16	87	38	1	1	23	10	9
10. George Altman	Chicago	138	.303	518	77	157	28	12	27	96	37	3	4	6	2	4

The Ten Best American League Hitters, 1961
Name	Team	G	BA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	IB	HB	SB	CS	GD
1. Mickey Mantle	New York	153	.317	514	132	163	16	6	54	128	117	9	0	12	1	2
2. Norm Cash	Detroit	159	.361	535	119	193	22	8	41	132	105	19	9	11	5	16
3. Jim Gentile	Baltimore	148	.302	486	96	147	25	2	46	141	91	5	11	1	1	12
4. Rocky Colavito	Detroit	163	.290	583	129	169	30	2	45	140	111	2	2	1	2	14
5. Roger Maris	New York	161	.269	590	132	159	16	4	61	142	94	0	7	0	0	16
6. Harmon Killebrew	Minnesota	150	.288	541	94	156	20	7	46	122	101	6	3	1	2	11
7. Al Kaline	Detroit	153	.324	586	116	190	41	7	19	82	64	2	4	14	1	16
8. Roy Sievers	Chicago	141	.295	492	76	145	26	6	27	92	57	4	6	1	0	11
9. Norm Siebern	Kansas City	153	.296	560	68	166	36	5	18	98	79	3	1	2	4	4
10. Tito Francona	Cleveland	155	.301	592	87	178	30	8	16	85	53	3	4	2	1	11

The Ten Best National League Pitchers, 1961
Name	Team	ERA	W	L	PCT	SV	G	GS	IP	TB	ER	BB	IB	WP	HB	BK	SB	CS	GD
1. Warren Spahn	Milwaukee	3.02	21	13	.618	0	38	34	262.2	360	88	63	1	3	3	0	2	4	30
2. Jim O'Toole	Cincinnati	3.10	19	9	.679	2	39	35	252.2	329	87	86	7	6	3	2	4	8	19
3. Sandy Koufax	Los Angeles	3.52	18	13	.581	1	42	35	255.2	336	100	90	6	12	3	2	6	7	14
4. Joey Jay	Cincinnati	3.53	21	10	.677	0	34	34	247.1	330	97	91	1	9	5	0	16	5	15
5. Joe Gibbon	Pittsburgh	3.32	13	10	.565	0	30	29	195.1	267	72	53	4	3	4	0	6	3	16
6. Don Cardwell	Chicago	3.82	15	14	.517	0	39	38	259.1	349	110	88	0	6	10	2	13	4	19
7. Stu Miller	San Francisco	2.66	14	5	.737	17	63	0	122	136	36	26	11	0	1	0	11	5	6
8. Curt Simmons	St. Louis	3.13	9	10	.474	0	30	29	195.2	287	68	58	6	2	4	0	9	9	16
9. Bob Gibson	St. Louis	3.24	13	12	.520	1	35	27	211.1	274	76	112	7	8	6	1	9	6	22
10. Lew Burdette	Milwaukee	4.00	18	11	.621	0	40	36	272.1	458	121	30	3	1	3	1	9	7	22

The Ten Best American League Pitchers, 1961
Name	Team	ERA	W	L	PCT	SV	G	GS	IP	TB	ER	BB	IB	WP	HB	BK	SB	CS	GD
1. Whitey Ford	New York	3.21	25	4	.862	0	39	39	283	366	101	89	3	8	1	0	0	7	28
2. Steve Barber	Baltimore	3.33	18	12	.600	1	37	34	248.1	262	92	126	4	9	2	1	6	6	38
3. Frank Lary	Detroit	3.24	23	9	.719	0	36	36	275.1	373	99	64	2	6	6	0	5	11	25
4. Bill Stafford	New York	2.68	14	9	.609	2	36	25	195	238	58	55	4	1	5	0	4	6	22
5. Luis Arroyo	New York	2.19	15	5	.750	29	65	0	119	115	29	41	8	4	3	0	0	1	17
6. Dick Donovan	Washington	2.40	10	10	.500	0	23	22	168.2	212	45	32	3	9	3	0	15	5	14
7. Jim Bunning	Detroit	3.19	17	11	.607	1	38	37	268.1	354	95	68	3	2	9	0	13	11	18
8. Ralph Terry	New York	3.15	16	3	.842	0	31	27	188.1	255	66	42	0	0	1	0	9	6	13
9. Hal Brown	Baltimore	3.19	10	6	.625	1	27	23	166.2	224	59	33	0	3	1	0	3	3	14
10. Don Mossi	Detroit	2.96	15	7	.682	1	35	34	240.1	368	79	44	3	1	0	1	2	5	21

Brown type indicates league leader.
Notes: Walks (BB) do not include intentional walks (IB). For pitchers, caught stealing (CS) also includes pickoffs.
How does This Great Game determine the best hitters and pitchers? Find out here.

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