The 1965 Boston Red Sox season was the 65th season in the franchise's Major League Baseball history. The Red Sox, with Billy Herman at the helm, finished ninth in the American League (AL) with a record of 62 wins and 100 losses (this is, to date, the most recent season the team has lost 100+ games in a season), 40 games behind the AL champion Minnesota Twins, against whom the 1965 Red Sox lost 17 of 18 games. The team drew only 652,201 fans to Fenway Park, seventh in the ten-team league but the Red Sox' lowest turnstile count since 1945, the last year of World War II. The final home game had 487 fans.
One of the team's few bright spots was that 20-year old Tony Conigliaro led the AL with 32 home runs, becoming the youngest home run champion in AL history.
On September 16, 1965, at Fenway Park, third-year right-hander Dave Morehead, 22, threw the club's first no-hitter since August 1, 1962, and 13th in its history,"MLB Team History: Boston Red Sox No-Hitters." ESPN when he defeated the Cleveland Indians (and Luis Tiant), 2–0. Morehead, only 10–16 on the season after today, fanned eight and permitted only one baserunner, Rocky Colavito, who drew a base on balls in the second inning."Boston Red Sox 2, Cleveland Indians 0." Retrosheet box score (September 16, 1965).
From a long-term viewpoint, September 16 was also consequential when, prior to the game, owner Tom Yawkey dismissed longtime confidant Pinky Higgins as executive vice president and general manager. Higgins, 56, had been associated with the Red Sox continuously since May 1946, as a third baseman, minor- and major-league field manager, and front-office executive. His successor, fellow senior executive Dick O'Connell, 51, the club's business manager, will supervise the team's successful rebuilding and win two AL pennants (, ) and two The Sporting News Executive of the Year Awards during his dozen years as general manager.
Offseason October 14, 1964: The Red Sox release veteran outfielders Al Smith, 36, and Dick Williams, 35."Transactions for 1964 Boston Red Sox". Retrosheet They will later name Williams the 1965 manager of their new Triple-A affiliate, the Toronto Maple Leafs of the International League. November 29, 1964: The Red Sox trade first baseman Dick Stuart, 32, to the Philadelphia Phillies for left-handed pitcher Dennis Bennett, 25. November 30, 1964: In the first-year draft, the Red Sox select, among others, southpaw Sparky Lyle, 20, from the Baltimore Orioles, and lose infielder Tim Cullen, 22, to the Washington Senators.Tim Cullen page at Baseball Reference In the minor league draft, the Red Sox select right-hander Gary Waslewski, 23, from the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Regular season
Season standings
Record vs. opponents
Notable transactions March 30, 1965: The Red Sox purchase the contract of nine-year veteran centerfielder Lenny Green, 32, from the Baltimore Orioles."Transactions for 1965 Boston Red Sox." Retrosheet June 8, 1965: In the first-of-its-kind 1965 Major League Baseball draft, the Red Sox select outfielder Billy Conigliaro, 17-year-old brother of their star sophomore right fielder, from Swampscott High School in the Boston suburb, as their first-round selection (fifth overall). They also pick Amos Otis, 18, then a shortstop, in the fifth round (95th overall).Amos Otis page at Baseball Reference"1965 Boston Red Sox Picks in the June MLB Amateur Draft." Baseball Reference September 14, 1965: The Red Sox trade veteran relief pitcher Jack Lamabe, 29, to the Houston Astros for pitcher Bucky Brandon, 25, then a minor-leaguer.
Opening Day lineup 38 Rico Petrocelli SS 7 Lenny Green CF 8 Carl Yastrzemski LF25 Tony Conigliaro RF 6 Lee Thomas 1B12 Félix Mantilla 2B11 Frank Malzone 3B10 Bob Tillman C27 Bill Monbouquette P
Roster 1965 Boston Red Sox Roster Pitchers Catchers
Infielders Outfielders
Other batters Manager
Coaches (Pitching) (Third base) (Bullpen) (First base)
Player stats = Indicates team leader
Batting
Starters by position Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in Pos Player G AB H Avg. HR RBI C 111 368 79 .215 6 35 1B 151 521 141 .271 22 75 2B 150 534 147 .275 18 92 3B 106 364 87 .239 3 34 SS 103 323 75 .232 13 33 LF 133 494 154 .312 20 72 CF 119 373 103 .276 7 24 RF 138 521 140 .269 32 82
Other batters Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in Player G AB H Avg. HR RBI 112 367 99 .270 5 37 81 324 83 .256 9 35 107 296 67 .226 8 25 71 171 41 .240 3 9 60 163 48 .294 7 23 59 137 37 .270 0 11 33 107 17 .159 3 9 24 45 9 .200 1 2 4 4 1 .250 1 1 1 1 0 .000 0 0
Pitching
Starting pitchers Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts Player G IP W L ERA SO 36 230.0 13 14 3.98 164 35 228.2 10 18 3.70 110 34 192.2 10 18 4.06 163 32 185.1 9 17 4.47 113
Other pitchers Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts Player G IP W L ERA SO 34 141.2 5 7 4.38 85 15 52.0 1 5 6.23 49
Relief pitchers Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts Player G W L SV ERA SO 63 9 11 22 3.91 121 57 0 1 0 3.63 47 44 1 2 2 3.17 55 39 4 2 1 3.78 27 27 0 2 0 7.16 42 14 0 3 0 8.17 17
Awards and honors Carl Yastrzemski, Gold Glove Award (OF)
Farm system
LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Toronto, Pittsfield
Source:Johnson, Lloyd, and Wolff, Miles, ed., The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball, 3rd edition. Durham, North Carolina: Baseball America, 2007
References
External links 1965 Boston Red Sox team page at Baseball Reference 1965 Boston Red Sox season at baseball-almanac.com