Image source: www.wikipedia.org/wiki/baseball

- 1 -

Brief Baseball History

1845 - 2012

The Founding of the Game of Baseball and the Baseball Hall of Fame

Baseball Eras & Rules Changes

Section 1 - Page 9

Photo Use Permissions, Acknowledgements, Credits for Section 1The Founding of Baseball & the National Baseball Hall of Fame, 1845-1939 (page 14)

Photos by © Joe Taxiera: 7 photos - Taken at the National Baseball Hall-of-Fame (HOF).Public Domain Photos: 8 photos - All non-HOF photos on page 14, with most of them first published prior to 1923.

19th Century Era, 1871-1900 & The Dead Ball Era, 1901-1919 (pages 16 & 18)Public Domain Photos: 32 photos - All photos from these 2 sections, with most of them first published prior to 1923. Most of these photos were available from more than one source, which included the Library of Congress, Baseball Fever, Wikipedia, Wikimedia and numerous other websites, as well as photos by U.S. Government related entities .

The Live Ball Era, 1920-1941 (see credits/players on page 20)National Baseball Hall of Fame Library: 14 photos Public Domain Photos: 2 photos

The War Era & Integration Era, 1942-1960 (see credits/players on page 22)National Baseball Hall of Fame Library: 16 photos

The Expansion Era, 1961-1976 (see credits/players on page 24)Photos courtesy of © Steve's Baseball Photography Pages, Steve Dewing, www.thatsmyboy03.com: 16 photos

The Free Agency Era, 1977-1993 (see credits/players on page 26)Photos courtesy of © Steve's Baseball Photography Pages, Steve Dewing, www.thatsmyboy03.com: 10 photosNational Baseball Hall of Fame Library: 4 photosPhotos by © Greg Eichelberger/editor.scvindy@gmail.com: 2 photos

The Long Ball Era, 1994-2007 (see credits/players on pages 28 & 30)Photos by © KeithAllisonPhoto.com: 14 photos Photos by © Michael G. Baron: 5 photosPhotos by © Xiaolei Li: 2 photos Photos by © Peggy Hughes: 4 photosPhoto by © Christopher Ebdon: 1 photo Photo by © Andy Monfried: 1 photoPhotos by © Greg Eichelberger/editor.scvindy@gmail.com: 4 photosPublic domain photo: 1 photo - Rafael Palmeiro

A Transition to a New Era of Stronger Pitching & Defense, 2008-2012 (see credits/players on page 32)Photos by © KeithAllisonPhoto.com: 11 photos Photos by © Michael G. Baron: 3 photosPhoto by © Brock Fleeger: 1 photo Photo TBD: 1 - Clayton Kershaw

Player photos will only be used in this book under the following circumstances: 1) Photos taken by the author of this book. 2) Photos with written permission from the original photographers and/or copyright holders. 3) Photos with written permission from websites verifying they are the original photographers and/or copyright holders. 4) Public Domain - photos first published prior to January 1, 1923 in the United States. 5) Public Domain - unpublished photos (created anywhere) where the author died before 1936. 6) Puplic Domain - published in the U.S. between 1923 and 1977 without a copyright notice. 7) Public Domain - published in the U.S. between 1923 and 1963 with a copyright notice, but copyright not renewed. 8) Public Domain - published outside the U.S. before 1923 (or before July 1, 1909 in the 9th Federal Court District). 9) Public Domain - published outside the U.S. between 1923 and 1977 and that are in the public domain.10) Public Domain - photos taken by many U.S. Government related entities and designated as public domain.11) Public Domain - newer photos released to the public domain by the photographers and/or copyright holders. 12) Photos from public libraries, with specific permission for use in this book.13) Photos on public websites such as Flickr, Wikipedia, Wikimedia, etc., identified as "free use with no restrictions" or

"free use with attribution" to the author/photographer, in which case the photographer is identified. Even in this case,most of the original photographers were contacted and they've provided written permission to use their photographs.

Section 1 - Page 10

PageWhat Makes Baseball Unique 12

Baseball Eras & Player Photos, 1845 - 2012 14

The Founding of Baseball & the Hall of Fame 1845 - 1939 15

The 19th Century Era 1871 - 1900 17

The Dead Ball Era 1901 - 1919 19

The Live Ball Era 1920 - 1941 21

The War Era & Integration Era 1942 - 1960 23

The Expansion Era 1961 - 1976 25

The Free Agency Era 1977 - 1993 27

The Long Ball Era 1994 - 2007 29

New Transitional Era (Stronger Pitching & Defense) 2008 - 2012 33

2008 Year in Review 2008 33

2009 Year in Review 2009 34

2010 Year in Review 2010 35

2011 Year in Review 2011 36

2012 Year in Review 2012 38

Home Runs - Average # of HR Hit in 30 Current Ballparks 1996 - 2012 40

Home Runs - Home vs. Away - Top 15 Single Season HR Hitters 41

Home Ball Parks - Biggest Hitters' Advantages 1871 - 2012 42

Home Ball Parks - Biggest Pitchers' Advantages 1871 - 2012 43

Year-by-Year MLB-wide Comparison, Pitching & Hitting 1901 - 2012 44

Pitchers with 2.99 ERA, 20 W, 200 SO all in the same season 46

Pitchers with 2.99 ERA, 300 W, 3000 SO in career

Hitters with .300 AVG, 100 R, 100 RBI, 40 HR all in the same season 47

Hitters with .300 AVG, 2000 R, 2000 RBI, 500 HR in career

Annual Salary Progression 1901 - 2012 48

Highest Career Earnings - Players 1901 - 2012 50

Largest Single Contracts - Players 1901 - 2012 50

2012 Opening Day Team Payrolls compared to 2011 2012 51

MLB Umpires - Most Games & HOF Umpires 1871 - 2012 52

First Night Games at 16 Ballparks, pre-expansion 1935 - 1988 52

Brief Baseball History

Contents - Section 1

Section 1 - Page 11

What makes Baseball Unique, compared to other Major SportsBaseball has its origination from games such as cricket, rounders and town ball in the early 1800's (see pages 14 & 15) , which makes it very different from other major American team sports, such as football, basketball, ice hockey & soccer.

Some of the differences include the shape of the playing field, the lack of a clock or time limit to a game, the fact that the defense is in control of the ball, and that the ball doesn't change hands after each score.

But the appeal to baseball fans is also about the subtleties or nuances of the game, such as the almost limitless waysof calculating statistics, the vast differences from ballpark to ballpark, situational defenses, and the pitch sequencesbased on a given batter or circumstance. A team can also choose to not face a batter, simply by intentionally walking him,minimizing the damage he could cause. They allow him to reach first base, but with no further immediate damage.

In what other sport can you choose whether to face a strong opposing player, or to just "skip" him?

In baseball, the length of the game isn't determined by a clock.Instead of quarters or halves based on a fixed amount of playing time, baseball plays a game with 9 innings per team.

Since a team can continue to score runs until 3 outs are recorded, this means that they can both build up a big lead or make up a large deficit in just one inning, before the other team has a chance to respond.

In other sports, the ball either changes hands automatically after each score, or at a minimum, there's an opportunity for for some type of face-off or kick-off to regain possession. A large deficit becomes very difficult to make up, because it requires scoring on multiple (separate) possessions with the ball, while keeping the other team to minimal or no scoring. And of course, all of these possessions take time. Players on a team in the lead can draw out each of their possessionsto kill time off the clock, holding a lead simply by having the clock run out…in other sports.

In baseball, until the last out of the last inning, no matter how many runs a team is behind, there's still a chance to win.

The field dimensions vary by ball park, and the shape isn't rectangular like other sportsInstead of the rectangular shaped field or playing area seen in other team sports, with offensive teams pushing throughthe defensive team, trying to make it from one end to the other to score "goals," baseball has it's infield diamond shape. And there is a single focal point, home plate, from which everything happens (no "goals" on each end like other sports).The batter starts at home plate, and scores a run after reaching 1st, 2nd and 3rd bases, and touching home safely.

As mentioned before, the team that controls the ball (the defense) actually has no way to score. And the offensive playersnever touch the ball except with the bat, unless they're hit by a pitch or tagged out with the ball.

Most sports have in-bounds and out-of-bounds areas.In baseball, a ball hit in foul territory is out of play for the hitter,but in play for the fielder if they can catch it on the fly. A fieldercan even reach into the stands to catch a fly ball for an out.

A ball hit over the outfield fence in fair territory is a home run, buteven that's fair game if an outfielder can catch it above the fence.

The 90 degree angle from home plate to the outfield fences inright and left field is consistent throughout all ball parks. But thedistance from home plate to the fences vary by ball park, andthe curvature of the fence around the outfield varies as well. And on top of that (no pun intended) the fence height and shapevaries as it wraps around the outfield. Many ball parks also have non-symetrical outfield fences between the left and right sides.

The amount of foul territory between the foul lines and seats isalso different in every ball park. The newer ball parks have lessfoul territory, to bring the fans closer to the "action" on the field. This means that more foul pop flies make it safely to the stands without being caught. This gives the batter another chance fora hit, but also adds a strike, increasing chances for a strikeout. Image source: www.wikipedia.org/wiki/baseball

Section 1 - Page 12

Besides the infield dimensions, baseball parks don't follow a strict set of guidelinesCould you imagine one of the NFL teams shortening their home field to 95 yards? Or lowering their goal posts?

Or maybe building a 10° hill along the back of the end zone for wide receivers to run up as they're catching a touchdown?

Baseball parks have this kind of flexibility. They move their fences and change the heights, with archways, bricks, cornersand built-in scoreboards causing unpredictable bounces when balls hit against them.

Boston's Fenway Park has outfield walls that are 37' high in left field, 18' high in center field, 5' high in right field.Houston's Minute Maid Park has a wide 10° grass covered incline sloping up against the center field fence.Los Angeles Dodger Stadium has fences down the foul lines that are only 4 feet high, allowing low line drive HR.

Many parks have changed their outfield dimensions multiple times over the years.

New York's Yankee Stadium (1923-2008) in Babe Ruth's days was much more spacious, except down the foul lines,as the left-handed Ruth was a strong pull-hitter to right field, and thus could take advantage of the short right field fence:

Left LC Center RC Right1923 280' 500' 487' 429' 294' (1923 was the first season in use for Yankee Stadium)2008 318' 399' 408' 385' 314' (2008 was the final season; a new Yankee Stadium opened in 2009)

Kansas City's Municipal Stadium made both Top Lists (see pages 42 & 43) for the biggest "Hitters Park" (1958, 1964) & "Pitchers Park" (1966, 1967). 239 HR were hit there in 1964 (147 in road games), and 45 HR in 1966 (131 in road games). In 1965, they moved the fences further out by 39' in left field, 45' in left center field and 11' in center field. Then in 1966, the 10' fence/screen heights were raised to 22' in left & center, and 40' in right. After 1967, the K.C. A's moved to Oakland…

Adjustments to fence distances might also be made in the first few years of new ballparks. San Francisco's CandlestickPark opened in 1960, and the Giants hit & allowed 80 HR at home and 157 HR in their road games (see page 43) .After the season, they moved their fences 32' closer in left center and right center fields, and 10' closer in center field.In 1961, the Giants hit & allowed 174 HR at home, and hit & allowed 161 HR in their road games (much more balanced).

Changes are sometimes made to the fences by the home team to leverage the strengths of current players.An example of this is Boston's Fenway Park in Ted Williams' first 2 MLB seasons (left-handed pull hitter to right field):Williams' first season, 1939: right center 405' & right 332'...In his second season, 1940: right center 382' & right 304'. None of the other fence dimensions at Fenway Park were modified in 1940.

Other parks have other circumstances that impact the flight and distance of a batted ball. 2 examples:Denver's Coors Field, has an altitude of 1 mile, where the ball carries further in the thin air (see pages 40 & 42) .Chicago's Wrigley Field has strong winds off of Lake Michigan, which varies by day and even time of day. This determines whether it's a "pitcher's park" that day (the wind is blowing in toward home plate), or a "hitter's park" (wind blowing out).

It's batter vs. pitcher, then batter vs. 9 defenders, until runners start reaching baseIn most team sports, it's an equal number of players on offense and defense facing each other on a field or court.

In baseball, it's the pitcher versus the batter initially. The catcher's job is to "call" the pitches to throw, and to catch them.Since hitting is about timing, the pitcher tries to change the location and speeds of pitches, to keep the batter guessingand off-balance. If the batter strikes out, the other defenders don't get involved.

Defensive players prepare for each batter by changing their position on the field, based on their knowledge of both the pitcher's and batter's tendencies, and they get more actively involved as batters make contact with the ball, or reach base.

So each batter is playing against 9 defensive players, hoping to place a hit in between or over the defenders.

Once runners start reaching base, they can serve as distractions to the pitcher and fielders, as threats to steal, or advancearound the bases in other ways. Pitchers often change their windup with runners on base, pitching out of a "stretch"position instead of a windup. They can pitch the ball to the plate more quickly from this position, reducing the possibility of a stolen base. But many pitchers don't pitch as effectively when they're not using the windup, which benefits the batter.

But ultimately, there will always be 9 defenders on the field, and there can be at most 4 offensive players, if all 3 bases are occupied with runners.

So all things aren't "equal" in baseball, but that doesn't really matter. It just adds to the appeal of the game.

In the end, the numbers are the numbers, and baseball fans do love comparing them.

Section 1 - Page 13

Rounders Town Ball / "Massachusetts game" Cricket field

Alexander Cartwright Henry Chadwick Al Spalding Ford Frick Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis

Hall of Fame plaques of the first 5 players elected in 1936 (3 years before the official opening of the HOF):

National Baseball Hall of Fame, Cooperstown, N.Y., established in 1939

Walter Johnson **** Christy Mathewson **** Babe Ruth **** Honus Wagner **** Ty Cobb

(All photos above were in the Public Domain, see Page 2 for more details)

(National Baseball Hall of Fame photos above by © Joe Taxiera)

Section 1 - Page 14

Pre-Major League Baseball Era - The Founding of BaseballEarly 1800's Baseball evolved from many games being played in America (some that originated in England), such

as rounders, crickett, town ball (AKA the "Massachusetts game"), stool ball, poison ball, bat and ball, goat ball, and the "New York game" of base ball.

1845 Alexander Cartwright, a New York bank teller, organized the Knickerbocker Base Ball Club in 1845,with many former members of the New York Base Ball Club, who played the "New York game."William Rufus Wheaton likely formalized the first set of 20 Knickerbocker Rules, which included:

1) Bases shall be from "home" to second base, 42 paces; from first to third base, 42 paces.2) The field shall be divided into fair and foul territories.3) "Soaking" will no longer be allowed (throwing the ball at baserunners to put them out).4) 3 hands out, all out (3 outs to a half-inning).

Some early baseball expressions from the mid-1800's, and what they're called today: Aces (runs), Behind (catcher), Club Nine (team), Cranks (fans), Dew Drop (slow pitch), Foul Tick (foul ball), Hands out (outs), Hurler (pitcher), Match (game), Muff (error), Striker (batter), Tally (score).

1857 National Association of Base Ball Players was formed by 22 clubs, with "Doc" Adams from the Knickerbocker BB Club voted President and Chairman of the Committee on Rules & Regulations. 35 new rules included: 9 innings & 9 players to a side (likely introduced by Louis Fenn Wadsworth); 90' between bases & 45' to the pitchers mound (likely introduced by Daniel Lucius "Doc" Adams); A minimum 5 innings would determine a complete game; the Balk rule with baserunners advancing.

1864 Henry Chadwick, one of baseball's first sportswriters, introduced his boxscore scoring system in 1864 (adapted from the Cricket scorecard), and the "batting average" (1865) and ERA statistics.

1905 Henry Chadwick wrote an article claiming the origin of baseball was rounders (an English game). Al Spalding (former CWS pitcher), a sporting goods store owner, was outraged and spearheadedthe forming of the 7-member Mills Commission, (run by Colonel A.G. Mills, former N.L. President) to determine the true (American) origin. They posted public advertisements requesting information.

1907 In response to the Mills Commission ad, 73-year-old Abner Graves gave testimony that he was aschoolmate and playmate of Abner Doubleday in Cooperstown, N.Y., when in 1839, Graves (5 years old)saw Doubleday use a stick to draw a baseball diamond in the dirt, including the locations of the players.

Abner Doubleday coincidentally happened to be someone that A.G. Mills knew. Doubleday was a cadet at West Point in 1839, later became a General and Civil War hero… this was the perfect story …baseball invented in a rural American town by a future war hero. Doubleday, who had passed awayin 1893, never mentioned baseball in his 67 diaries, or in his many newspaper & magazine articlesafter retiring from the Army. Nor did he ever mention it to his friend of 30 years, Colonel A.G. Mills...

The result? The Mills Commission wrongly credited Abner Doubleday with inventing baseball.

1935 Steven Clark, a wealthy Cooperstown resident, decided to build a national baseball museum in the "founding town" of baseball, as he felt that tourism was the way to boost the economy of this village.He contacted Ford Frick, the President of the National League, and offered to personally pay all construction costs of the building. The new Baseball Hall of Fame was planned for opening in 1939.

1936 The first 5 players were elected by the Baseball Writers Association of America, into the yet-to-be-opened Hall of Fame: Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner, Christy Mathewson and Walter Johnson.

1938 Baseball Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis received a letter from Bruce Cartwright, who provided documentation that it was his grandfathe r, Alexander Cartwright, who in 1845 drew the firstbaseball diamond, and created the new rules. A committee confirmed this, and named Cartwright into the HOF as a "Father of Modern Baseball." No mention was made of the Doubleday "error."In reality, there was no one single inventor of baseball, as it was a sport that evolved over time.

Abner Graves' identification in 1907 of Abner Doubleday may have been a case of mistaken identity.Graves was only 5 years old in 1839, while Abner Doubleday would have been 20. Doubleday hada younger cousin also named Abner Doubleday who lived in Cooperstown, close to Graves' age, and therefore could have been his "schoolmate." Maybe two 5-year-olds, drawing a game in the dirt,evolved into the story of a famous war hero who was the inventor of baseball, who wasn't…

1939 The official National Baseball Hall of Fame dedication in Cooperstown, New York, on the 100-year anniversary of what was originally thought to be the "invention" of baseball by Abner Doubleday in 1839.See page 395 for additional photos and information on the Baseball Hall of Fame inductees.

Section 1 - Page 15

Denton "Cy" Young (P) Michael "Mickey" Welch (P) John Clarkson (P) Charles "Kid" Nichols (P)30 Wins x 5; 20 Wins x 15 44 W & 1.66 ERA in 1885 30 Wins x 6; 53 W in 1885 30 Wins x 7; 20 Wins x 11 Records: 511 W, 749 CG 307 Wins, 2.71 ERA 328 Wins, 2.81 ERA 361 Wins, 2.96 ERA, 532 CG

Thomas "Tommy" Bond (P) Timothy "Tim" Keefe (P) James "Pud" Galvin (P) Charles "Hoss" Radbourn (P)Won 40 games 3 cons. yrs. 41 W, 68 CG, 359 SO in 1883 46 W in 1883 & 1884 59 W, 73 CG, 1.38 in 1884 234 W career, 2.14 ERA 30 W x 6 cons., 342 W, 2.63 ERA 20 W x 10; 365 W, 2.85 20 W x 9; 309 W, 2.68 ERA

"Wee Willie" Keeler (RF) Adrian "Cap" Anson (1B) Dennis "Dan" Brouthers (1B) Billy Hamilton (CF) 239 Hits & .424 Avg in 1897 2,075 RBI, 3,435 H, .334 Avg .350 x 6; .300 x 14 198 R, .403 Avg in 1894 2,932 Hits & .341 Avg Record 27 Seasons 2,296 Hits, .342 Avg 914 SB, .344 Avg

Ed Delahanty (LF) "Sir" Hugh Duffy (CF) Jesse "Crab" Burkett (LF) John McGraw (3B, MGR) 238 Hits & .410 in 1899 160 R, 237 H, .440 in 1894 160 R, 240 H, .410 in 1896 .547 OBP, .391 in 1899.400 x 3; .300 x 11; .346 Avg .300 x 10, .326 Avg .400 x 2; .300 x 11, .338 Avg .466 OBP & .334 Avg

All photos on this page were in the Public Domain, see Page 2 for more details

Section 1 - Page 16

19th Century Era (excluded from post-1900 "modern" records), 1871-1900Constant rules changes during this era made it very difficult to compare statistics with future post-1900 records.

When the National League started in 1876, teams played from 57 to 70 games, and all the players played everyday. There was often only 1 pitcher per team. George Bradley (STL) started all 64 games for his team and completed 63. Jim Devlin had 68 GS and 66 CG. Of the 520 games started by pitchers league-wide, 473 were complete games.

The game changed quickly during the late 1800's, evolving into 3-man starting pitching rotations and relief pitchers. Other leagues came & went: American Assoc. (1882-1891), Union Assoc. (1884 only), Players League (1890 only).

During this era, starting pitchers completed 90% of their games, and the season HR record was 27.

1871 National Association, the first professional league, was formed with 9 teams and grew to 13 teams, but was plagued by financial solvency and gambling problems, ultimately disbanding at the end of 1875.

1876 National League was formed with 8 teams, predominantly with players from the National Association.

1879 Base on Balls - reduced to 9 "called balls"Tommy Bond won 40+ games for his third consecutive season.

1880 Base on Balls - reduced to 8 "called balls." A baserunner was ruled out if hit by a batted ball. It is now a strikeout when a catcher catches a foul or foul tip on the fly on the third strike.

1881 Base on Balls - reduced to 7 "called balls." The pitcher's rubber moved from 45' to 50' from home plate.

1884 Base on Balls - reduced to 6 "called balls"

1884 Huge HR season. Lakefront Park II in Chicago, with very short outfield fences (LF 180', CF 300', RF 196')was only used for 2 years. In 1883, balls hit over the short outfield fences were ground rule doubles, but in 1884 they were home runs. The top 4 HR marks from 1871-1898 were all hit in 1884, with all 4 beingthe following Chicago players: Ned Williamson (27 HR, 25 at home), Fred Pfeffer (25 HR, all at home),Abner Dalrymple (22 HR, 18 at home), and Cap Anson (21 HR, 20 at home).

Home Runs hit by: 1883 1884 1885 - League Leader 10 27 11 - Ned Williamson 3 27 2 - Chicago White Stockings team 13 142 54 - 8 National League teams combined 124 322 174

Larry Corcoran, (Chicago White Stockings), won 35 games, and allowed a NL record 35 HR (he had only allowed 7 HR in 1883). This record of 35 HR allowed won't be broken for 64 years (1948)."Old Hoss" Radbourn won a record 59 games (with 12 losses) which still stands today. In 678 IP, he had 73 CG in 73 starts, with 11 shutouts, 441 strikeouts, and an ERA of 1.38. He allowed 18 HR.Pud Galvin won 46 games for the second consecutive year, with a 1.99 ERA. He allowed 23 HR.MLB record 8 no-hitters were pitched (4 in AA, 2 in NL and 2 in UA in their only season of existence)

1885 One side of the baseball bat could now be flat (this only lasted one year). John Clarkson went 53-16 as a pitcher, with 623 IP, 1.85 ERA, 10 SHO, and 68 CG in 70 starts.

1887 Base on Balls - reduced to 5 "called balls." A strikeout was 4 "called" strikes, for this season only. Pitcher's box reduced to 4 feet by 5 1/2 feet. A batter was awarded first base when hit by a pitch.

1888 Pud Galvin became baseballs' first career 300 game winner.

1889 Base on Balls - reduced to 4 "called balls" where it remains today.

1893 Pitcher's box replaced by a pitcher's rubber slab 12" x 4", and moved from 50' to 60'6" from home plate.

1894 Big offensive season. Highest runs scored totals ever recorded in the National League.Hugh Duffy won the NL Triple Crown (.440 AVG, 18 HR, 145 RBI), set other records (.694 SLG, 85 XBH, 374 TB).Billy Hamilton set records with 192 Runs and 355 TOB, and Heinie Reitz hit a record 31 Triples. Amos Rusie led the NL with an unusually high ERA of 2.78. Only 4 pitchers had an ERA under 4.00.

1895 Pitcher's rubber slab size increased to 24" x 6." New 2 3/4" maximum diameter for a baseball bat.

Section 1 - Page 17

Grover "Pete" Alexander (P) Christy Mathewson (P) Mordecai "3-Finger" Brown (P) Walter Johnson (P)20 W x 9, 373 W, 2.56 ERA 20 W x 13; 373 W, 2.13 ERA 20 W x 6; 239 W; 2.06 ERA 20 W x 12; 417 W, 2.17 ERARecord 16 Shutouts in 1916 1.14 ERA in 1909 1.04 ERA in 1906 Record 110 Shutouts

Charles "Chief" Bender (P) Joe McGinnity (P) "Happy Jack" Chesbro (P) Eddie Plank (P) 212 Wins, 2.46 ERA 20 W x 8; 246 W, 2.66 ERA 41 W, 48 CG, 1.82 ERA in 1904 20 W x 8; 326 W, 2.35 ERA

Sam Crawford (RF) Ed Walsh (P) Rube Waddell (P) Tris Speaker (CF)367 SB; .300 x 10; .309. Avg 40 Wins, 1.42 ERA in 1908 193 Wins, 2.16 ERA .300 x 18; 3,514 Hits, .345

Record 309 Triples Record 1.82 ERA 27 W, 1.48 ERA in 1905 Record 792 Doubles

Ty Cobb (CF) Napolean "Nap" Lajoie (2B) John "Honus" Wagner (SS) Joe Jackson (OF) "The Georgia Peach" 1901 Triple Crown & .426 Avg 723 SB, 3,420 H, .328 Avg "Shoeless Joe"897 SB, 4,189 H, .366 Avg .300 x 15; 3,242 H, .338 Avg .300 Avg x 15 cons. 1911-.408 Avg. & 233 Hits .300 x 23 cons.; .400 x 3 .356 Career Avg

All photos on this page were in the Public Domain, see Page 10 for more details

Section 1 - Page 18

The Dead Ball Era (The Dirty Ball Era), 1901-1919Pitchers dominated this era, with the exceptions of 1901, 1911 & 1912. 9 pitchers won the Triple Crown (page 386).

"Doctored" Baseballs were commonly used during this 19 year era. Spitballs were legal, with pitchers using saliva mixed with tobacco juice, slippery elm, chewing gum, etc. Mud, resin, talcum powder & paraffin were also used, and the baseball was cut, roughed and misshapen with tools, spikes, sanding & filing with an emery board.

The same baseball would often be used for an entire game during this era, because of their high cost ($3 each). Foul balls were redeemed by fans for free admission to other games, and returned balls were put back in play. By the ninth inning, this ball would often become a dark greenish brown color, making it difficult for hitters to see on the onset of twilight. The stitching would sometimes start unraveling, leaving the horsehide ragged or loose.

During this time, emphasis was placed on the hit-and-run, singles, bunts, sacrifices and stolen bases. The dead ball and large open parks made for fewer home runs, and more doubles, triples and inside-the-park HR. Batters used heavy bats, choked up on the handle, and didn't attack the pitch aggressively. Managers relied on pitching and defensive strategy much more than offensive strategy. This was referred to as the "scientific method."

Foul strike rule for the first 2 strikes was applied in 1901 in the NL and 1903 in the AL, adding to hitting difficulties.

The Dead Ball Era had outstanding batting averages by the best players, but low league-wide batting averages: NL AVG in 1908 was .239, Honus Wagner's .354 led NL AL AVG in 1910 was .243, Nap Lajoie's .384 led AL

During this era, starting pitchers completed 67% of their games, and the season HR record was 29.

1901 American League was formed, competing with the National League for available players, and taking advantage of the NL 4-team contraction after 1900. Hitters flourished, as 41 hit for a .300 AVG. Nap Lajoie won the first AL Triple Crown (.426 AVG, 14 HR, 125 RBI). His .426 AVG remains the MLB record.

1904 The pitcher's mound had a new height limit of 15". Hitters struggled, as only 9 hit for a .300 AVG.Jack Chesbro, an exceptional spitballer, set still-current records with 51 GS, 48 CG and 41 Wins.A record 17 pitchers won 20 games . This record will only be matched once in the future.

1906 Mordecai "Three-Finger" Brown had a MLB record 1.04 ERA, which will be the 2nd lowest in history.

1908 Addie Joss had an ERA of 1.16, as 18 pitchers had < 2.00 ERA and 64 pitchers had < 3.00 ERA. Incredibly, only 5 pitchers had > 3.00 ERA with a min. 154 IP, with the highest at 3.60 (see page 32).Chicago Cubs won the World Series over the Detroit Tigers. The Cubs haven't won a W.S. since.

1909 Ty Cobb won the AL Triple Crown (.377 AVG, 9 HR, 107 RBI) & led Detroit to their 3rd straight AL pennant.

1911 A peak offensive season in this era. New "cork center" baseball (used in the 1910 World Series) was introduced as the MLB standard. Ty Cobb hit for a .420 AVG, and "Shoeless" Joe Jackson finished second in the AL with a .408 AVG. (80 games into the 1911 season, Ty Cobb had a .450 AVG, a 70 point lead over Joe Jackson and his .380 AVG)Cy Young retired with the following MLB career pitching records: 511 W, 316 L, 815 GS, 749 CG.

1912 A peak offensive season in this era. Ty Cobb hit for a .409 AVG, and "Shoeless" Joe Jackson finished second in the AL with a .395 AVG."Chief" Wilson (PIT) hit a still current MLB record 36 Triples. His next best season: 14 Triples in 1913.

1913 Philadelphia Athletics won their 3rd World Championship in 4 years, led by Frank "Home Run" Baker.

1914 Dutch Leonard set a MLB season record 0.96 ERA, a record that still stands.Federal League was formed, but lasted only 2 seasons before disbanding.

1916 Grover Cleveland "Pete" Alexander set a MLB record with 16 SHO, & had a 1.55 ERA, 38 CG, 33 Wins.

1917 Sam Crawford retired with MLB career records of 309 Triples and 51 Inside-the-Park Home Runs.Ed Walsh retired with a MLB record 1.82 career ERA.6 No-Hitters were pitched, matching the 1908 & 1915 seasons (this won't happen again until 1969).

1918 With World War I, the season was shortened to 128 games. Led by pitcher / hitter Babe Ruth, the Boston Red Sox won their 4th World Championship in the last 7 years (but won't win again until 2004).

1919 World War I continued, and the season was shortened to 140 games. Babe Ruth hit a MLB record 29 HR in his last season with the Red Sox (he will be sold to the Yankees).Black Sox Scandal, with 8 Chicago White Sox players "throwing" the World Series in a gambling scandal. The most famous player "questionably" implicated in this scandal was "Shoeless" Joe Jackson.

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George Herman "Babe" Ruth (RF); 1 MVP Jimmie Foxx (1B); 3 MVP Joe DiMaggio (CF); 3 MVP714 HR, 2,213 RBI, .342 Avg; W94-L46, 2.28 ERA 534 HR, 1,922 RBI, .325 Avg 56 game hitting streak in 1941 .300 Avg x 14; 40 HR x 11; 100 RBI x 13 .300 Avg x 11; 100 RBI x 13 .300 Avg x 10; 100 RBI x 9; .325 Avg

Lou Gehrig (1B); 2 MVP Mel Ott (RF) Rogers Hornsby (2B); 2 MVP George Sisler (1B); 1 MVP40 HR x 5; 100 R & RBI x 13 511 HR, 1,860 RBI, .304 Avg 2 Triple Crowns; .424 in 1924 .420-1922; 257 Hits-1920.300 x 12; .340 Avg, 493 HR 100 R & RBI x 9 .300 x 14; .400 x 3; .358 Avg .300 x 13; .400 x 2; .340

Chuck Klein (RF); 1 MVP Al Simmons (LF) Joe Medwick (LF); 1 MVP Lewis "Hack" Wilson (CF)250 H, 170 RBI, .386 in 1930 253 H, .387 in 1925 237 H, 154 RBI, .374 in 1937 56 HR, 191 RBI, .356 in 1930 1 Triple Crown; .320 Avg 100 RBI x 12; .300 x 13; .334 1 Triple Crown; .324 Avg 100 RBI x 6; .307 Avg

Bill Terry (1B) Carl Hubbell (P); 2 MVP Robert "Lefty" Grove (P); 1 MVP Burleigh Grimes (P)254 Hits, .401 Avg in 1930 Record 24 cons. Wins 31 W, 27 CG, 2.06 in 1931 20 Wins x 5; 270 Wins 200 H x 6; .300 x 10; .341 20 W x 5; 253 W, 2.98 ERA 20 Wins x 8; 300 W, 3.06 ERA

Photos courtesy of National Baseball Hall of Fame Library: All photos on this page except Babe Ruth (both public domain photos).

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The Live Ball Era (The Clean Ball Era), 1920-1941Hitters dominated this era, with MLB "tweaking" the baseball's construction to make it livelier and increase offense. The home run feats of Babe Ruth in the early 1920's influenced hitting, as bunting & base stealing both declined.The New York Yankees dominated this era as a team, with 9 World Series Championships & 12 AL Pennants.

1920-1939 were strong offensively with the number of .300 hitters per season ranging from 36 to 62 players.

During this era, starting pitchers completed 47% of their games, & 8 players hit 50+ HR in a season.

1920 New baseball was introduced, with a higher grade wool yarn used to wrap around the cork core center, and the cores were wound by machine rather than by hand. This new ball was also less expensive.Babe Ruth's HR's jumped from 29 in 1919, to a MLB record 54 in 1920, with a MLB record .847 SLG. George Sisler hit for a .407 AVG with a MLB record 257 Hits (a record that won't be broken until 2004). The spitball was banned for fear of seriously injuring batters, but a "grandfather clause" allowed teams to register designated spitball pitchers. 17 pitchers were registerd by the end of 1921. Ray Chapman was killed by a ball pitched by Carl Mays (not a spitballer), reportedly by a "dirty" ball that was hard to see. Umpires were directed to put new cleaner baseballs in play more frequently. Other "freak deliveries" and other forms of "ball doctoring" were also outlawed.The Negro Leagues were formed in answer to racial discrimination in the major leagues.

1921 Babe Ruth hit a MLB record 59 HR, breaking his own record of 54 set the prior year.Umpires started rubbing a special mud into baseballs, reducing gloss and slickness without dirtying.

1922 Rogers Hornsby won the NL Triple Crown (.401 AVG, 42 HR, 152 RBI). George Sisler won the AL Batting Title (.420 AVG), with Ty Cobb finishing 2nd (.401 AVG). Cobb also hit for a .400 AVG in 1911 & 1912.

1924 Rogers Hornsby won NL Batting Title (.424 AVG), second only to Nap Lajoie (.426 AVG in 1901) since 1901.

1925 Rogers Hornsby won his second NL Triple Crown in 4 years (.403 AVG, 39 HR, 143 RBI).

1926 New "cushioned cork center" baseball was introduced, which was slighly deadened.

1927 Babe Ruth hit a MLB record 60 HR, breaking his own record of 59 HR set in 1921.

1928 Ty Cobb retired with a MLB record career .367 AVG; Tris Speaker retired with a MLB record 792 doubles.

1930 The peak offensive season during this era. Record 62 players had a .300 AVG & 36 scored 100 runs. NL hit 892 HR league-wide, with a .303 AVG (only time over .300 in history). AL hit 673 HR with .288 AVG.Bill Terry hit .401, Hack Wilson had MLB record 191 RBI, Lou Gehrig 174 RBI, Al Simmons 165 RBI, Chuck Klein had .386 AVG, 158 R, 250 H, 40 HR, 107 XBH, 170 RBI, 445 TB & MLB record 44 OF Assists.4 players hit 40 HR in the same season for the first time. Many players had career years offensively, but no batters had 100 SO. Hack Wilson's 84 SO led NL; Jimmie Foxx & Ed Morgan led AL with 66 SO.

1931 New baseball was introduced with raised seams , giving pitchers a better grip and improved curveballs.AL kept the new ball as is, but the NL decided to "deaden" their baseballs after high 1930 offense. NL hit 493 HR (45% decrease), with a .277 AVG. The AL surpassed the NL with 576 HR. It will take until the 1942 season before the NL catches back up to the AL offensively. Earl Webb hit a still current MLB record 67 Doubles. His next best season: 30 Doubles in 1930.Balls that bounced over the outfield fence were now considered "ground-rule doubles" instead of HR.

1933 2 Triple Crown Winners: Jimmie Foxx, AL (.356, 48 HR, 163 RBI); Chuck Klein, NL (.368, 28 HR, 120 RBI).The first All-Star Game was played at Comiskey Park in Chicago, won by the National League, 4-2.

1934 Lou Gehrig won the AL Triple Crown (.363 AVG, 49 HR, 165 RBI), but Mickey Cochrane won the AL MVP .

1935 Babe Ruth retired at age 40, one week after hitting 3 home runs in a game on May 25.The first night game was played under the lights in Cincinnati's Crosley Field (see more on page 52) .

1937 Joe Medwick became the last NL player to win the Triple Crown (.374 AVG, 31 HR, 154 RBI) & won NL MVP . Carl Hubbell set MLB record with a 24-game winning streak, from July 1936 through May 1937.

1938 Jimmie Foxx won his 3rd AL MVP (.349, 50 HR, 175 RBI); Catcher Ernie Lombardi won the NL MVP (.342 AVG).

1939 Lou Gehrig retired 8 games into the season, after learning he had ALS. He will pass away June 2, 1941.

1941 Ted Williams hit .406, the 13th and final .400 hitter since 1901. He missed the Triple Crown by 5 RBI.Joe DiMaggio had a MLB record 56 game hit streak, and edged Ted Williams for the AL MVP Award.

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Ted Williams (LF) Stan Musial (LF) Mickey Mantle (CF) Willie Mays (CF) 2 MVP; 2 Triple Crowns 3 MVP; 3,630 Hits, .331 Avg 3 MVP; 1 Triple Crown; 1 GG 2 MVP; 12 GG; .302 Avg521 HR, .344 Avg, .406-1941 .300 Avg x 17; 475 HR 40 HR x 4; 536 HR, .298 Avg 40 HR x 6; 660 HR

Roberto Clemente (RF) Henry "Hank" Aaron (RF) Frank Robinson (RF) Roy Campanella (C) 1 MVP; 12 GG; .317 Avg 1 MVP; 1 GG; .305 Avg 2 MVP; 1 Triple Crown; 1 GG 3 MVP; .276 Avg .300 Avg x 13; 3,000 Hits 40 HR x 8; 755 HR, 2,297 RBI 586 HR, .294 Avg 41 HR, 142 RBI in 1953

Jackie Robinson (2B) Yogi Berra (C) Ernie Banks (SS) Al Kaline (RF) 1 MVP; .311 career Avg 3 MVP; 358 HR, .285 Avg 2 MVP; 1 GG; 512 HR, .274 10 GG; 3,007 Hits, .297 Avg 197 SB, 947 R, .409 OBP 100 RBI x 5; 1,430 RBI; 414 SO 40 HR x 5; 100 RBI x 8 498 2B, 399 HR, 1,583 RBI

Bob Feller (P) Robin Roberts (P) Early Wynn (P) Warren Spahn (P)26 W, 348 SO, 2.18 ERA-1946 286 Wins, 3.41 ERA 1 CYA, 300 Wins 1 CYA, 362 Wins 20 Wins x 6; 266 Wins 20 Wins x 6 cons. seasons 20 Wins x 5 seasons 20 Wins x 13 seasons 3 no-hitters, 12 one-hitters 2 no-hitters

All photos on this page courtesy of National Baseball Hall of Fame Library

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The War Era & Integration Era, 1942-1960During the early 1940's, almost 500 major and minor league players served in World War II. Considering there were only 8 AL and 8 NL teams, this was a significant number of unavailable players during a 4-year period. Replacement players were hired (some classified "4F" that couldn't serve) and the play was consequently "diluted." Ted Williams, at ages 25-27, served in WW II from 1943-1945, but managed to win Triple Crowns both before & after.Joe DiMaggio missed the 1943-1945 seasons to serve in WW II, while Bob Feller missed almost 4 full seasons.Hoyt Wilhelm, Warren Spahn, Enos Slaughter, Hank Greenberg and Yogi Berra were amongst the many other players missing 3 of their "prime" baseball years to serve in the war.

During the early 1950's, over 120 major and minor league, and college players served during the Korean War.Ted Williams, Willie Mays, Whitey Ford, Don Newcombe, and Don Larsen, were amongst these players.

In 1947, Jackie Robinson became the first black MLB player since 1884. The integration that followed with players such as Willie Mays, Henry Aaron, Roberto Clemente and Ernie Banks led to the demise of the Negro Leagues.

Teams started relocating to other cities for the first time since 1903. 5 teams moved between 1953 - 1958.

The most balanced period in MLB history between pitching & hitting may have been from 1947 to 1959, excluding the 1952 season (Korean War). But the New York Yankees dominated this era, with 9 World Championships.

During this era, starting pitchers completed 37% of their games, & 5 players hit 50+ HR in a season.

1942 Ted Williams won the AL Triple Crown (.356 AVG, 36 HR, 137 RBI), but Joe Gordon won the AL MVP .

1943 Temporary change in baseball construction during World War II, due to rubber shortages. A lower grade rubber was used in the balls' core, and they called it a "balatta ball" that felt "dead" when hit.

1945 Snuffy Stirnweiss (.30854), edged Tony Cuccinello (.30845) for AL Batting Title, the smallest margin ever.

1946 With WW II over, and standard baseballs back in use, most returning players were "rusty" after 3 years off.3 players were significant exceptions to this : Bob Feller had a spectacular season upon returning from serving almost 4 years in WWII, with 36 CG out of 42 starts, 10 SHO, an ERA of 2.18, 26 Wins & 348 SO.Stan Musial returned from serving in the Navy, batting .365 to win the NL MVP , with 22 of 24 first votes.Ted Williams also returned from WW II, batting .342 with 38 HR and 123 RBI to win the AL MVP .

1947 Integration began this season, with Jackie Robinson (NL) and Larry Doby (AL) the first black MLB players.Johnny Mize and Ralph Kiner co-led the NL with 51 HR. Joe DiMaggio won the AL MVP (.315, 20 HR, 97 RBI).Ted Williams won his 2nd AL Triple Crown (.343 AVG, 32 HR, 114 RBI), but lost the MVP by 1 vote (202-201). Williams only received 3 out of 24 first place MVP votes, hurt by his poor relationship with sportwriters.Jackie Robinson won the first annual Rookie of the Year award given to one player in MLB in 1947.

1948 Stan Musial won his second NL MVP in 3 years (.376 AVG, 39 HR, 131 RBI), 1 HR short of the Triple Crown .Satchel Paige, a long-time star in the Negro Leagues past his prime, made his MLB debut at age 42. In 72 IP, he had 6 wins and 1 loss, 3 complete games and 2 consecutive shutouts, with an ERA of 2.48.

1949 Jackie Robinson was the first black player to win a NL MVP . Eight of the next 10 NL MVP's will be black. Ted Williams won the AL MVP and just missed winning a third Triple Crown (.343 AVG, 43 HR, 159 RBI), losing the Batting Title by .0001 (.3429 to .3428) on the last day of the season to George Kell. Ralph Kiner led the NL with 54 HR. The AL set a MLB record with 4.55 walks per team, per game.

1950 A peak offensive season during this era. Strike zone expanded after AL record walks/game in 1949. Stan Musial, Jackie Robinson, Ralph Kiner, Duke Snider all had big offensive seasons in the NL, but Jim Konstanty (Phillies relief pitcher), won the MVP with 16 Wins in 74 games of relief, with 22 Saves.

1952 With the Korean War, there was a big drop in offense for one season, as many players served in the war. The number of pitchers with an ERA under 3.00: 5 in 1951 22 in 1952 6 in 1953

1955 Yogi Berra (AL) and Roy Campanella (NL) each won his 3rd MVP in 5 years. Both players were catchers. Willie Mays hit 51 HR, as 6 players hit 40+ HR for the third consecutive season (previous high, 4 in 1930).

1956 Mickey Mantle won his first of 2 consecutive AL MVP 's, and the Triple Crown (.353 Avg, 52 HR, 130 RBI).

1959 Ernie Banks won his 2nd cons. NL MVP (.304, 45 HR, 143 RBI) and Nellie Fox the AL MVP (.306, 2 HR, 70 RBI).

1960 Ted Williams retired with a MLB record .482 OBP. He hit 521 HR, despite losing 5 years to military service.Roger Maris (225 votes) edged out teammate Mickey Mantle (222 votes) for the AL MVP Award.Pittsburgh Pirates beat the New York Yankees (4-3) in the World Series , and exciting Game 7, won 10-9 by the Pirates, was (and still is) the only postseason game in history with 0 Strikeouts by either team.

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Sandy Koufax (P) Juan Marichal (P) Bob Gibson (P) Gaylord Perry (P) 3 CYA; 1 MVP; 2.76 ERA 243 W, 2.89 ERA 2 CYA; 1 MVP; 9 GG; 2.91 ERA 2 CYA; 314 W, 3.11 ERA 20 Wins x 3; 4 no-hitters 20 Wins x 6; 1 no-hitter 20 Wins x 5; 251 Wins 20 Wins x 5; 1 no-hitter

Jim Palmer (P) Ferguson Jenkins (P) Denny McLain (P) Joe Morgan (2B) 3 CYA; 4 GG; 2.86 ERA 1 CYA; 3,192 SO 1 MVP, 2 CYA; 20 Wins x 3 2 MVP; 5 GG; .271 Avg 20 Wins x 8; 268 Wins 20 Wins x 7; 284 Wins 1968 - 31 W, 280 SO, 1.96 689 SB, 268 HR, 2,517 H

Pete Rose (OF, 1B, 2B) Lou Brock (LF) Carl Yastrzemski (LF) Rod Carew (2B, 1B) 1 MVP; 2 GG; 4,256 H, .303 938 SB, .300 x 8; .293 Avg 1 MVP; 1 Triple Crown; 7 GG 1 MVP; .300 x 15; .328 Avg .300 x 15; 200 H x 10 200 H x 4; 3,023 Hits 3,419 H, 452 HR, 1,844 RBI 200 H x 4; 3,053 Hits

Willie McCovey (1B) Harmon Killebrew (1B, 3B) Johnny Bench (C) Brooks Robinson (3B) 1 MVP; 40 HR x 2; 521 HR 1 MVP; 40 HR x 8; 573 HR 2 MVP; 10 GG; 389 HR 1 MVP; 16 GG; 2,848 H 100 RBI x 4; 1,555 RBI 100 RBI x 8; 1,584 RBI 40 HR x 2; 100 RBI x 6 1,357 RBI; 1,232 R

All photos on this page courtesy of © Steve's Baseball Photography Pages, Steve Dewing, www.thatsmyboy03.com

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The Expansion Era, 1961-1976MLB expanded beyond 8 teams per league for the first time this century. In 1961 (AL) & 1962 (NL), the leagues grew to 10 teams each, and in 1969, expanded again to 12 teams per league (with 2 x 6 team divisions).

The threat of a new 8-team "Continental League" announced in 1959, to start in 1961, forced MLB into its first expansion in 60 years (since 1901). The Continental League disbanded without ever playing a game, with the agreement that 4 of its franchises would join Major Leage Baseball, with 2 teams in 1961, and 2 teams in 1962.

During this era, starting pitchers completed 26% of their games, and 3 players hit 50+ HR

1961 AL expansion season, with 2 teams added: The Washington Senators and Los Angeles Angels.Roger Maris hit 61 HR to break Babe Ruth's record, and the NY Yankees hit a MLB record 240 HR.Mickey Mantle was second with 54 HR. Maris (202 votes) edged out Mantle (198 votes) for the AL MVP .AL HR increased 41%, from 1,086 in 1960 to 1,534 HR. 8 players hit 40 HR, a single season record.Dick Donovan led the AL with a 2.40 ERA. Only 3 AL & no NL pitchers had an ERA under 3.00.

1962 NL expansion season, with 2 teams added: The Houston Colt .45's and New York Mets.NL HR increased 21%, from 1,196 in 1961 to 1,449. MLB hit a record 3,001 HR.Mickey Mantle won his 3rd AL MVP , while Maury Wills (record 104 SB) edged Willie Mays for NL MVP .

1963 Start of 6 years of pitching dominance, as MLB reacted to the 1961-1962 expansion offensive surge.24 pitchers had <3.00 ERA with the widened strike zone and enforcement "relaxed" on 15" mound height.

1966 Frank Robinson won the AL MVP & Triple Crown (.316, 49 HR, 122 RBI). Roberto Clemente was NL MVP .Sandy Koufax won his 3rd Cy Young Award in 4 years, and had 4 no-hitters in 4 seasons (1962-1965).

1967 Carl Yastrzemski became the last Triple Crown winner, and won the AL MVP (.326 AVG, 44 HR, 121 RBI).

1968 "The Year of the Pitcher." An amazing 49 pitchers had an ERA under 3.00, with 7 being under 2.00.The expanded strike zone and higher mounds gave pitchers an unprecedented advantage over hitters. The "regulation" mound height was supposed to be 15" (set in 1904), but this wasn't strictly enforced in the mid-1960's, and mounds were rumored to be as high as 20" for teams that emphasized pitching (the reputed mound height at LA Dodger Stadium). Only 1,995 HR hit in MLB, the fewest since 1952. Bob Gibson won the NL MVP & CYA (22-9, post-1919 record 1.12 ERA, 268 SO, 34 GS, 28 CG, 13 SHO). Denny McLain won the AL MVP & CYA (31-6, 1.96 ERA, 280 SO, 28 CG), the first 30-game winner since 1934.Juan Marichal had 30 CG but received 0 CYA votes (26-9, 2.43 ERA). Many other pitchers had career years. On offense, Carl Yastrzemski's .301 AVG was the lowest to win a Batting Title in MLB history. The AL set a MLB record low with a .230 AVG, while the NL hit .243. Only 6 MLB players had a .300 AVG. No MLB players scored 100 runs in 1968. The last time this happened was in 1919 (The Dead Ball Era) .

1969 Expansion season, 4 teams: AL - Seattle Pilots, KC Royals; NL - San Diego Padres, Montreal Expos. Big jump in offense. MLB HR increased 56% from 1,995 to 3,119. In reaction to the pitching dominancein 1968, the strike zone was reduced, and the pitchers mound lowered to 10", where it remains today. Saves added as an official statistic. The way Saves are calculated will change over the next few years.6 No-Hitters are pitched, tying a post-1900 record set in the years 1908, 1915 and 1917.

1971 Pitchers dominated. 34 pitchers had ERA's under 3.00. Ron Hunt had post-1900 MLB record 50 HBP.

1972 Players' Strike for 8 games at the start of season. Pitchers dominated again, with 44 sub-3.00 ERA's.

1973 Nolan Ryan set MLB record with 383 Strikeouts, a record that still stands, but Jim Palmer won the AL CYA .Designated Hitter used in AL for a 3 year trial period. AL AVG increased from .239 in 1972 to .259 in 1973.

1974 Hank Aaron hit his 715th HR to break Babe Ruth's record. Oakland A's won 3rd straight World Series.5-man pitching rotations started being used by some teams (all teams will switch to 5-man by 1980).

1975 Baseball switched to a cowhide cover because of increasing shortages of horsehide.Fred Lynn was the first MLB player to win the MVP award and Rookie of the Year in the same season.

1976 Hank Aaron retired with a record 755 HR, and many still-standing records (1,477 XBH, 2,297 RBI, 6,856 TB).Joe Morgan won his 2nd consecutive NL MVP Award (.320, 27 HR, 111 RBI) for the Cincinnati Reds, as the "Big Red Machine" won their 2nd consecutive World Series Championship, sweeping the NYY, 4-0.Designated Hitter in AL made permanent. Going forward, AL league-wide offensive stats will exceed NL.

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