| 1964 MLB season | |
|---|---|
| League | American League (AL) National League (NL) |
| Sport | Baseball |
| Duration | Regular season:
|
| Games | 162 |
| Teams | 20 (10 per league) |
| TV partner(s) | NBC,CBS |
| Regular season | |
| SeasonMVP | AL:Brooks Robinson (BAL) NL:Ken Boyer (STL) |
| AL champions | New York Yankees |
| AL runners-up | Chicago White Sox |
| NL champions | St. Louis Cardinals |
| NL runners-up | Philadelphia Phillies andCincinnati Reds |
| World Series | |
| Champions | St. Louis Cardinals |
| Runners-up | New York Yankees |
| World SeriesMVP | Bob Gibson (STL) |
| MLB seasons | |
The1964 major league baseball season began on April 13, 1964. The regular season ended on October 4, with theSt. Louis Cardinals andNew York Yankees as the regular season champions of theNational League andAmerican League, respectively. The postseason began with Game 1 of the61st World Series on October 7 and ended with Game 7 on October 15. In the fifth iteration of this World Series matchup, the Cardinals defeated the Yankees, four games to three, capturing their seventh championship in franchise history, since their previous in1946. As of 2024, the Cardinals are the onlyNational League team to have an edge over the Yankees in series played (3–2), despite holding a losing record in World Series games against them (13–15). Going into the season, the defendingWorld Series champions were theLos Angeles Dodgers from the1963 season.
The35th Major League Baseball All-Star Game, was held on July 7 atShea Stadium inNew York,New York, home of theNew York Mets. TheNational League won, 7–4.
This season is often remembered for the end of theNew York Yankees' third dynasty, as they won their 29thAmerican League Championship in 44 seasons.
The 1964 schedule consisted of 162 games for all teams in the American League and National League, each of which had ten teams. Each team was scheduled to play 18 games against the other nine teams of their respective league. This continued the format put in place by the American League since the1961 season and by the National League since the1962 season, and would be used until1969.
Opening Day took place on April 13, featuring four teams. The final day of the regular season was on October 4, which saw 18 teams play. TheWorld Series took place between October 7 and October 15.
The 1964 season saw the following rule changes:
| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB | Home | Road |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York Yankees | 99 | 63 | .611 | — | 50–31 | 49–32 |
| Chicago White Sox | 98 | 64 | .605 | 1 | 52–29 | 46–35 |
| Baltimore Orioles | 97 | 65 | .599 | 2 | 49–32 | 48–33 |
| Detroit Tigers | 85 | 77 | .525 | 14 | 46–35 | 39–42 |
| Los Angeles Angels | 82 | 80 | .506 | 17 | 45–36 | 37–44 |
| Cleveland Indians | 79 | 83 | .488 | 20 | 41–40 | 38–43 |
| Minnesota Twins | 79 | 83 | .488 | 20 | 40–41 | 39–42 |
| Boston Red Sox | 72 | 90 | .444 | 27 | 45–36 | 27–54 |
| Washington Senators | 62 | 100 | .383 | 37 | 31–50 | 31–50 |
| Kansas City Athletics | 57 | 105 | .352 | 42 | 26–55 | 31–50 |
| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB | Home | Road |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis Cardinals | 93 | 69 | .574 | — | 48–33 | 45–36 |
| Philadelphia Phillies | 92 | 70 | .568 | 1 | 46–35 | 46–35 |
| Cincinnati Reds | 92 | 70 | .568 | 1 | 47–34 | 45–36 |
| San Francisco Giants | 90 | 72 | .556 | 3 | 44–37 | 46–35 |
| Milwaukee Braves | 88 | 74 | .543 | 5 | 45–36 | 43–38 |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | 80 | 82 | .494 | 13 | 42–39 | 38–43 |
| Los Angeles Dodgers | 80 | 82 | .494 | 13 | 41–40 | 39–42 |
| Chicago Cubs | 76 | 86 | .469 | 17 | 40–41 | 36–45 |
| Houston Colt .45s | 66 | 96 | .407 | 27 | 41–40 | 25–56 |
| New York Mets | 53 | 109 | .327 | 40 | 33–48 | 20–61 |
The postseason began on October 7 and ended on October 15 with theSt. Louis Cardinals defeating theNew York Yankees in the1964 World Series in seven games.
| World Series | ||||
| AL | New York Yankees | 3 | ||
| NL | St. Louis Cardinals | 4 | ||
| Team | Former Manager | New Manager |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore Orioles | Billy Hitchcock | Hank Bauer |
| Cleveland Indians | Birdie Tebbetts | George Strickland |
| New York Yankees | Ralph Houk | Yogi Berra |
| Stat | Player | Total |
|---|---|---|
| AVG | Tony Oliva (MIN) | .323 |
| OPS | Mickey Mantle (NYY) | 1.015 |
| HR | Harmon Killebrew (MIN) | 49 |
| RBI | Brooks Robinson (BAL) | 118 |
| R | Tony Oliva (MIN) | 109 |
| H | Tony Oliva (MIN) | 217 |
| SB | Luis Aparicio (BAL) | 57 |
| Stat | Player | Total |
|---|---|---|
| W | Dean Chance (LAA) Gary Peters (CWS) | 20 |
| L | Diego Seguí (KCA) | 17 |
| ERA | Dean Chance (LAA) | 1.65 |
| K | Al Downing (NYY) | 217 |
| IP | Dean Chance (LAA) | 278.1 |
| SV | Dick Radatz (BOS) | 29 |
| WHIP | Joe Horlen (CWS) | 0.935 |
| Stat | Player | Total |
|---|---|---|
| AVG | Roberto Clemente (PIT) | .339 |
| OPS | Willie Mays (SF) | .990 |
| HR | Willie Mays (SF) | 47 |
| RBI | Ken Boyer (STL) | 119 |
| R | Dick Allen (PHI) | 125 |
| H | Roberto Clemente (PIT) Curt Flood (STL) | 211 |
| SB | Maury Wills (LAD) | 53 |
| Stat | Player | Total |
|---|---|---|
| W | Larry Jackson (CHC) | 24 |
| L | Tracy Stallard (NYM) | 20 |
| ERA | Sandy Koufax (LAD) | 1.74 |
| K | Bob Veale (PIT) | 250 |
| IP | Don Drysdale (LAD) | 321.1 |
| SV | Hal Woodeshick (HOU) | 23 |
| WHIP | Sandy Koufax (LAD) | 0.928 |
| Baseball Writers' Association of America Awards | ||
|---|---|---|
| BBWAA Award | National League | American League |
| Rookie of the Year | Dick Allen (PHI) | Tony Oliva (MIN) |
| Cy Young Award | — | Dean Chance (LAA) |
| Most Valuable Player | Ken Boyer (STL) | Brooks Robinson (BAL) |
| Babe Ruth Award (World Series MVP) | Bob Gibson (STL) | — |
| Gold Glove Awards | ||
| Position | National League | American League |
| Pitcher | Bobby Shantz (PHI/CHC/STL) | Jim Kaat (MIN) |
| Catcher | Johnny Edwards (CIN) | Elston Howard (NYY) |
| 1st Base | Bill White (STL) | Vic Power (PHI[b]/LAA/MIN) |
| 2nd Base | Bill Mazeroski (PIT) | Bobby Richardson (NYY) |
| 3rd Base | Ron Santo (CHC) | Brooks Robinson (BAL) |
| Shortstop | Rubén Amaro (PHI) | Luis Aparicio (BAL) |
| Outfield | Roberto Clemente (PIT) | Vic Davalillo (CLE) |
| Curt Flood (STL) | Al Kaline (DET) | |
| Willie Mays (SF) | Jim Landis (CWS) | |
| Month | National League |
|---|---|
| May | Billy Williams (CHC) |
| June | Jim Bunning (PHI) |
| July | Ron Santo (CHC) |
| August | Frank Robinson (CIN) |
| September | Bob Gibson (STL) |
| Team name | Wins | %± | Home attendance | %± | Per game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Dodgers[16] | 80 | −19.2% | 2,228,751 | −12.2% | 27,515 |
| New York Mets[17] | 53 | 3.9% | 1,732,597 | 60.4% | 21,129 |
| San Francisco Giants[18] | 90 | 2.3% | 1,504,364 | −4.3% | 18,572 |
| Philadelphia Phillies[19] | 92 | 5.7% | 1,425,891 | 57.2% | 17,604 |
| New York Yankees[20] | 99 | −4.8% | 1,305,638 | −0.3% | 16,119 |
| Chicago White Sox[21] | 98 | 4.3% | 1,250,053 | 7.9% | 15,433 |
| Minnesota Twins[22] | 79 | −13.2% | 1,207,514 | −14.2% | 14,726 |
| St. Louis Cardinals[23] | 93 | 0.0% | 1,143,294 | −2.3% | 14,115 |
| Baltimore Orioles[24] | 97 | 12.8% | 1,116,215 | 44.1% | 13,612 |
| Milwaukee Braves[25] | 88 | 4.8% | 910,911 | 17.8% | 11,246 |
| Boston Red Sox[26] | 72 | −5.3% | 883,276 | −6.3% | 10,905 |
| Cincinnati Reds[27] | 92 | 7.0% | 862,466 | 0.4% | 10,518 |
| Detroit Tigers[28] | 85 | 7.6% | 816,139 | −0.7% | 9,953 |
| Los Angeles Angels[29] | 82 | 17.1% | 760,439 | −7.4% | 9,388 |
| Pittsburgh Pirates[30] | 80 | 8.1% | 759,496 | −3.1% | 9,376 |
| Chicago Cubs[31] | 76 | −7.3% | 751,647 | −23.3% | 9,280 |
| Houston Colt .45s[32] | 66 | 0.0% | 725,773 | 0.9% | 8,960 |
| Cleveland Indians[33] | 79 | 0.0% | 653,293 | 16.1% | 7,967 |
| Kansas City Athletics[34] | 57 | −21.9% | 642,478 | −15.7% | 7,932 |
| Washington Senators[35] | 62 | 10.7% | 600,106 | 12.0% | 7,409 |
TheNew York Mets leave thePolo Grounds (where they played for two seasons) and openShea Stadium (with theAFL'sNew York Jets) where they would go on to play 45 seasons through2008. Excluding1958–1961, the time in which there was noNational League New York team (following the relocation of theNew York Giants toSan Francisco,California), this marked the first season to not see any iteration of the Polo Grounds not feature a major-league team since1882, the season prior to founding of the Giants.
TheHouston Colt .45s would play their final game atColt Stadium on September 27 against theLos Angeles Dodgers, moving into theHouston Astrodome (as the Houston Astros) for the start of the1965 season.
CBS andNBC aired weekendGame of the Week broadcasts. Although it had been three years since theSports Broadcasting Act of 1961 was passed to authorize sports leagues to enter into television contracts that "pooled" the TV rights of all their teams, MLB still operated under the older system where the networks purchased the regular season rights to individual clubs. By 1964, CBS paid $895,000 total for the rights to six teams, with the New York Yankees getting a $550,000 share. The six clubs that exclusively played nationally televised games on NBC were paid $1.2 million total.[36]
TheAll-Star Game andWorld Series aired on NBC.
