1964 Leaders & Numbers

Baseball witnessed the explosive debuts of Richie Allen and Tony Oliva—the latter a virtual Vada Pinson clone with a fast start followed by a gradual career decline that ultimately made him one of the best players not in the Hall of Fame. Willie Mays was named the first-ever black captain of a major league ballclub and responded with one of his best years yet. Yankee manager Yogi Berra’s chalkboard fodder wrote of Brooks Robinson’s bat fading in the summer, only encouraging the Oriole third baseman to step it up with his best offensive stint ever. Ron Santo and Billy Williams gave long-sought protection that was too little, too late for a fading Ernie Banks. The last great Yankee season to be experienced for nearly a generation came courtesy of old warriors Mickey Mantle and Whitey Ford, both forging their last great hurrahs. Dean Chance channeled his outspoken anger over not receiving a raise from the Angels and became a man on a mission on the mound. Larry Jackson’s 24 wins were the most ever for an eighth-place team. A dried-up Dodger offense could only explain Don Drysdale’s terrific ERA—and ordinary won-lost record. Phillie manager Gene Mauch told Jim Bunning and Chris Short to get aggressive with hitters; the results were telling. At Boston, there was the Green Monster, and then there was simply “The Monster,” Dick Radatz—one of the majors’ best closers at 6’5”, 250 pounds. Lighter on the scale but no less effective was reliever Hoyt Wilhelm, 40 years young and beginning a streak of five straight years with a sub-2.00 ERA.

The Ten Best National League Hitters, 1964
Name	Team	G	BA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	IB	HB	SB	CS	GD
1. Willie Mays	San Francisco	157	.296	578	121	171	21	9	47	111	69	13	1	19	5	11
2. Richie Allen	Philadelphia	162	.318	632	125	201	38	13	29	91	54	13	0	3	4	8
3. Ron Santo	Chicago	161	.313	592	94	185	33	13	30	114	81	5	2	3	4	11
4. Frank Robinson	Cincinnati	156	.306	568	103	174	38	6	29	96	59	20	9	23	5	13
5. Hank Aaron	Milwaukee	145	.328	570	103	187	30	2	24	95	53	9	0	22	4	22
6. Billy Williams	Chicago	162	.312	645	100	201	39	2	33	98	51	8	2	10	7	11
7. Rico Carty	Milwaukee	133	.330	455	72	150	28	4	22	88	39	4	3	1	2	16
8. Ken Boyer	St. Louis	162	.295	628	100	185	30	10	24	119	58	12	2	3	5	22
9. Roberto Clemente	Pittsburgh	155	.339	622	95	211	40	7	12	87	35	16	2	5	2	9
10. Orlando Cepeda	San Francisco	142	.304	529	75	161	27	2	31	97	36	7	8	9	4	13

The Ten Best American League Hitters, 1964
Name	Team	G	BA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	IB	HB	SB	CS	GD
1. Mickey Mantle	New York	143	.303	465	92	141	25	2	35	111	81	18	0	6	3	9
2. Tony Oliva	Minnesota	161	.323	672	109	217	43	9	32	94	26	8	6	12	6	9
3. Bob Allison	Minnesota	149	.287	492	90	141	27	4	32	86	88	4	7	10	1	7
4. Harmon Killebrew	Minnesota	158	.270	577	95	156	11	1	49	111	88	5	8	0	0	15
5. Brooks Robinson	Baltimore	163	.317	612	82	194	35	3	28	118	41	10	4	1	0	17
6. Boog Powell	Baltimore	134	.290	424	74	123	17	0	39	99	70	6	2	0	0	9
7. Rocky Colavito	Kansas City	160	.274	588	89	161	31	2	34	102	79	4	5	3	1	16
8. Dick Stuart	Boston	156	.279	603	73	168	27	1	33	114	30	7	3	0	0	11
9. Jim Fregosi	Los Angeles	147	.277	505	86	140	22	9	18	72	70	2	4	8	3	10
10. Leon Wagner	Cleveland	163	.253	641	94	162	19	2	31	100	44	12	6	14	2	13

The Ten Best National League Pitchers, 1964
Name	Team	ERA	W	L	PCT	SV	G	GS	IP	TB	ER	BB	IB	WP	HB	BK	SB	CS	GD
1. Don Drysdale	Los Angeles	2.18	18	16	.529	0	40	40	321.1	331	78	59	9	11	0	1	2	9	21
2. Sandy Koufax	Los Angeles	1.74	19	5	.792	1	29	28	223	222	43	48	5	9	0	0	5	6	8
3. Juan Marichal	San Francisco	2.48	21	8	.724	0	33	33	269	332	74	44	8	4	1	2	9	5	17
4. Chris Short	Philadelphia	2.20	17	9	.654	2	42	31	220.2	250	54	46	5	4	4	0	11	3	22
5. Bob Veale	Pittsburgh	2.74	18	12	.600	0	40	38	279.2	279	85	115	9	18	3	1	11	8	33
6. Larry Jackson	Chicago	3.14	24	11	.686	0	40	38	297.2	374	104	50	8	4	1	0	6	5	22
7. Jim Bunning	Philadelphia	2.63	19	8	.704	2	41	39	284.1	373	83	43	3	2	14	0	8	4	20
8. Jim O'Toole	Cincinnati	2.66	17	7	.708	0	30	30	220	259	65	44	7	2	0	0	10	2	11
9. Bob Bruce	Houston	2.76	15	9	.625	0	35	29	202.1	256	62	29	4	4	3	1	11	3	10
10. Bob Gibson	St. Louis	3.01	19	12	.613	1	40	36	287.1	369	96	77	9	6	9	0	12	2	16

The Ten Best American League Pitchers, 1964
Name	Team	ERA	W	L	PCT	SV	G	GS	IP	TB	ER	BB	IB	WP	HB	BK	SB	CS	GD
1. Dean Chance	Los Angeles	1.65	20	9	.690	4	46	35	278.1	243	51	77	9	9	2	0	8	4	31
2. Whitey Ford	New York	2.13	17	6	.739	1	39	36	244.2	279	58	54	3	6	2	0	0	1	17
3. Dick Radatz	Boston	2.29	16	9	.640	29	79	0	157	171	40	49	9	1	7	0	10	7	5
4. Gary Peters	Chicago	2.50	20	8	.714	0	37	36	273.2	317	76	96	9	15	6	0	4	4	27
5. Juan Pizarro	Chicago	2.56	19	9	.679	0	33	33	239	295	68	50	5	10	3	0	2	6	17
6. Joe Horlen	Chicago	1.88	13	9	.591	0	32	28	210.2	197	44	51	4	4	4	0	7	3	25
7. Wally Bunker	Baltimore	2.69	19	5	.792	0	29	29	214	254	64	57	5	3	3	0	7	3	17
8. Fred Newman	Los Angeles	2.75	13	10	.565	0	32	28	190	232	58	31	8	2	7	0	5	3	22
9. Bob Lee	Los Angeles	1.51	6	5	.545	19	64	5	137	116	23	50	8	3	1	0	4	1	13
10. Hoyt Wilhelm	Chicago	1.99	12	9	.571	23	73	0	131.1	131	29	29	1	3	2	0	8	1	11

Brown type indicates league leader.
Notes: Walks (BB) do not include intentional walks (IB). For pitchers, caught stealing (CS) also includes pickoffs.
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