The1966 Boston Red Sox season was the 66th season in the franchise'sMajor League Baseball history. TheRed Sox finished ninth in theAmerican League (AL) with a record of 72 wins and 90 losses, 26games behind the AL andWorld Series championBaltimore Orioles. After this season, the Red Sox would not lose 90 games again until2012.

The Red Sox drew 811,172 fans toFenway Park, eighth in the ten-team Junior Circuit and 16th among the 20 MLB franchises.^[1] The team's home schedule ended September 18 so that Fenway Park could be converted for use by theBoston Patriots of theAmerican Football League, whose first home game was September 25. The Red Sox' full 162-game season also concluded early, on Tuesday, September 27, five days before the other 19 MLB clubs.^[2]

The 1966 season saw the debut of tworookies, first basemanGeorge Scott, 22, who had captured theTriple Crown of theDouble-AEastern League in1965, and third basemanJoe Foy, 23, who the previous year had wonThe Sporting News Minor League Player of the Year Award as a member of theTriple-AToronto Maple Leafs. Both won regular jobs and Scott was selected to the1966 AL All-Star squad. Fellow rookiesMike Andrews, 23, andReggie Smith, 21, got their first taste of MLB action as September call-ups from Toronto.

The Red Sox were also active in the trade market, acquiring players such asJohn Wyatt,Lee Stange andJosé Tartabull who, with Scott, Foy, Smith and Andrews, will play key roles on their1967 team.^[3]

After a terrible three months (27–47,.365) from April through June, the club was able to win 45 of its final 88 games (.511).^[4] EventualHall of Fame second basemanBilly Herman did not survive a second full season as the Red Sox' manager. He was fired September 8 with his 64–82 team in ninth place. CoachPete Runnels filled in as interim manager for Boston's final 16 games, winning half of them. Then, on September 28, the day after their season ended, the Red Sox promotedDick Williams, 37, from two-timeGovernors Cup champion Toronto and signed him to a one-year contract as their skipper for 1967.

• October 4, 1965: The Red Sox trade eight-year veteran starting pitcher, former 20-game winner (1963) and 4x AL All-StarBill Monbouquette, 29, to theDetroit Tigers for catcherJackie Moore (player to be named later), 26, second basemanGeorge Smith, 28, and centerfielderGeorge Thomas, 27.^[5]
• October 15, 1965: The Red Sox purchase the contract of right-handed pitcherJosé Santiago, 25, from theKansas City Athletics.^[5]
• November 29, 1965:
  • In theRule 5 draft, the Red Sox select relief pitcherKen Sanders, 24, from theAthletics; they lose veteran outfielderGary Geiger, 28, to theAtlanta Braves, and pitcherBob Heffner, 27, to theCleveland Indians.^[5]
  • InfielderJimy Williams is drafted from the Red Sox by theSt. Louis Cardinals in the 1965 first-year draft.^[6]
• November 30, 1965: The Red Sox begin to remake their infield when they unconditionally release eight-time All-Star and 2xGold Glove Award-winning third basemanFrank Malzone, 35, and trade former starting shortstopEddie Bressoud, 33, to theNew York Mets for reserve outfielderJoe Christopher, 29.^[5]
• December 15, 1965: The Red Sox trade starting first basemanLee Thomas, 29, to theAtlanta Braves, along with relief pitchersArnold Earley, 32, andJay Ritchie (PTBNL), 29, for pitchersDan Osinski, 32, andBob Sadowski, 27.^[5]

• April 3, 1966: The Red Sox trade former All-Star second basemanFélix Mantilla, 31, to theHouston Astros for utility infielderEddie Kasko, 34.^[3]
• April 6, 1966: The Red Sox trade catcherRuss Nixon, 31, and second basemanChuck Schilling, 28, to theMinnesota Twins for left-handerDick Stigman, 30, and a minor-leagueplayer to be named later, first baseman José Calero.^[3]
• June 2, 1966: The Red Sox trade "The Monster," two-time AL All-Star relief pitcherDick Radatz, 29, to theCleveland Indians for pitchersDon McMahon, 36, andLee Stange, 29.^[3]
• June 7, 1966: The Red Sox select left-handerKen Brett, 17, fromEl Segundo High School, as their first pick (fourth overall) in the1966 Major League Baseball draft.^[3]
• June 13, 1966: The Red Sox trade pitchersGuido Grilli, 27, andKen Sanders, 24, and outfielderJim Gosger, 23, to theKansas City Athletics for pitchersRollie Sheldon, 29, andJohn Wyatt, 31, and outfielderJosé Tartabull, 27.^[3]
• June 14, 1966: The Red Sox trade starting pitcherEarl Wilson, 31, and reserve outfielderJoe Christopher, 30, to theDetroit Tigers for outfielderDon Demeter, 30, and pitcherJulio Navarro, 32 (PTBNL).^[3]
• August 15, 1966: The Red Sox acquire two pitchers:Hank Fischer, 26, from theCincinnati Reds for twoplayers to be named later (pitchers Rollie Sheldon and Dick Stigman), andBill Short, 28, from theBaltimore Orioles for cash considerations.^[7] The Red Sox also announce that they have sold pitcherBob Sadowski to theToronto Maple Leafs.^[7] On October 17, they will sell Short's contract to thePittsburgh Pirates.^[3]

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Toronto
Source:^[8][9]

• 1966 Boston Red Sox team page at Baseball Reference
• 1966 Boston Red Sox season at baseball-almanac.com

• Boston Red Sox seasons
• 1966 Major League Baseball season
• 1966 in sports in Massachusetts
• 1960s in Boston

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