The 1969 Seattle Pilots season was the only season of the Seattle Pilots, a Major League Baseball team. As an expansion team in the American League, along with the Kansas City Royals, the Pilots were placed in the newly established West division. They finished last among the six teams with a record of 64–98 (), 33 games behind the division champion Minnesota Twins.
Fewer than 678,000 fans came to see the Pilots, which ranked 20th of the 24 major league teams — a major reason why the team was forced into bankruptcy after only one season. Despite the poor conditions at aging Sick's Stadium, the ticket prices were among the highest in the major leagues. The bankruptcy sale of the team was approved by a federal court in Seattle on March 31, 1970, and the team moved to Milwaukee at the end of spring training for the 1970 season and became the Milwaukee Brewers. Milwaukee had lost the Braves to Atlanta after the 1965 season.
A book about the season exists called The 1969 Seattle Pilots: Major League Baseball's One-Year Team. Part of the Pilots' season was also documented in the book Ball Four by Jim Bouton.
After the Pilots, there would not be another MLB team in Seattle until the birth of the Mariners in 1977.
The last remaining active member of the 1969 Seattle Pilots was Fred Stanley, who retired after the 1982 season.
Jim Bouton had the team autograph a baseball and gave it to a fan. The ball is now in the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.
Offseason April 1, 1968: Marv Staehle was purchased by the Pilots from the Cleveland Indians.Marv Staehle at Baseball-Reference June 7, 1968: Wilbur Howard was selected by the Pilots in the 19th round of the 1968 Major League Baseball draft.Wilbur Howard at Baseball-Reference October 21, 1968: Jim Bouton was purchased by the Pilots from the New York Yankees.Jim Bouton at Baseball-Reference March 31, 1969: Chico Salmon was traded by the Pilots to the Baltimore Orioles for Gene Brabender and Gordy Lund.Chico Salmon at Baseball-Reference
Expansion draft
The MLB expansion draft for the Pilots and the Kansas City Royals was held on October 15, 1968.
PlayerFormer teamPickNotesDon MincherCalifornia Angels 2ndTommy HarperCleveland Indians3rdRay OylerDetroit Tigers5thJerry McNertneyJerry McNertney at Baseball-ReferenceChicago White Sox 7thBuzz StephenMinnesota Twins9thNever played for Seattle; only major league experience was in 1968.Chico SalmonCleveland Indians11thTraded before the start of the season to Baltimore for Gene Brabender and Gordon Lund.Diego SeguíDiego Seguí at Baseball-ReferenceOakland Athletics 14thTommy DavisChicago White Sox16thMarty PattinCalifornia Angels18thGerry SchoenWashington Senators20thNever played for Seattle; only major league experience was in 1968.Gary BellBoston Red Sox21stJack AkerOakland Athletics24thRich RollinsMinnesota Twins26thLou PiniellaLou Piniella at Baseball-ReferenceCleveland Indians 28thTraded shortly before opening day to Kansas City for Steve Whitaker and John Gelnar.Dick BatesWashington Senators30thLarry HaneyBaltimore Orioles32ndDick BaneyBoston Red Sox33rdSteve HovleySteve Hovley at Baseball-ReferenceCalifornia Angels35thSteve BarberSteve Barber at Baseball-ReferenceNew York Yankees37thJohn MiklosWashington Senators39thNever played in the major leagues.Wayne ComerDetroit Tigers41stBucky BrandonBoston Red Sox44thSkip LockwoodOakland Athletics46thGary TimberlakeNew York Yankees48thBob RichmondWashington Senators50thNever played in the major leagues.John MorrisBaltimore Orioles52ndMike MarshallMike Marshall page on Baseball Reference Detroit Tigers53rdJim GosgerOakland Athletics55thMike FerraroNew York Yankees57thPaul ClickCalifornia Angels59thPitched in the minors through 1973. Never played in the major leagues.
1968 MLB June amateur draft and minor league affiliates The Pilots and Kansas City Royals, along with the two National League expansion teams set to debut in 1969, the Montreal Expos and San Diego Padres, were allowed to participate in the June 1968 MLB first-year player draft, although the new teams were barred from the lottery's first three rounds. The Pilots drafted 29 players in the 1968 June draft, including future major league manager Tom Kelly (eighth round) and starting pitcher Bill Parsons (seventh round).Information at Baseball Reference Seattle affiliated with one minor league club during 1968 to develop drafted players; the roster was filled out by professional and amateur free agents that had been signed and players loaned from other organizations.
1968 farm system
Regular season On Tuesday, April 8, the Pilots won their first-ever game, 4–3 at Anaheim Stadium over the California Angels. Twenty-six-year-old Pilots' starter Marty Pattin went five innings, allowing two earned runs for Seattle. RHP Jack Aker earned the save. Right fielder Mike Hegan hit Seattle's first-ever home run, a two-run shot off Jim McGlothlin, after second baseman Tommy Harper had doubled to left to begin the Pilots' existence. On the afternoon of Friday, April 11, the Pilots played, and won, their first American League game at Sick's Stadium in Seattle – 7–0 over the Chicago White Sox. Thirty-two-year-old righty Gary Bell tossed a complete game for Seattle, scattering nine hits, striking out six Sox and walking four. Bell also helped his own cause by stroking a two-run double off RHP Bob Locker in the bottom of the sixth. Seattle 1b Don Mincher hit a two-run HR off RHP Joe Horlen in the third. The official attendance was 14,993. On July 2, Reggie Jackson of the Oakland Athletics hit three home runs against the Pilots to raise his season total to 34.Charlie Finley: The Outrageous Story of Baseball's Super Showman, p. 129, G. Michael Green and Roger D. Launius. Walker Publishing Company, New York, 2010, In the 1969 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, outfielder Mike Hegan was the only Pilot selected to the All-Star game on the reserved squad. However, due to injury, he would be replaced by his teammate, infielder Don Mincher. On October 2, the Pilots played their last-ever game, losing 3-1 to Oakland in front of 5,473 fans in Seattle. In the final inning, Steve Whitaker hit the Pilots' last-ever home run, Greg Goossen got their final hit (a single), and Jerry McNertney struck out to end the game. Steve Barber took the loss. Miguel Fuentes, who would be killed in a bar fight during the off-season, threw what turned out to be the final pitch in Pilots’ history.
Season standings
Record vs. opponents
The first game April 8, Anaheim Stadium, Anaheim, California Team123456789RHESeattle400000000460California0100101003101W: Marty Pattin (1–0) L: Jim McGlothlin (0–1) SV: Jack Aker (1) HRs: SEA: Mike Hegan (1), CAL: Jim Fregosi (1) Box Score of Game played on Tuesday, April 8, 1969 at Anaheim Stadium
Opening Day Lineup +Opening Day Starters # Name Position21 Tommy Harper 2B8 Mike Hegan RF12 Tommy Davis LF5 Don Mincher 1B9 Rich Rollins 3B14 Jim Gosger CF15 Jerry McNertney C1 Ray Oyler SS33 Marty Pattin P 1969 Seattle Pilots Roster by Baseball Almanac
Notable transactions April 1: Lou Piniella was traded by the Pilots to the Kansas City Royals for Steve Whitaker and John Gelnar. May 27: Jim Pagliaroni was purchased by the Pilots from the Oakland Athletics.Jim Pagliaroni at Baseball-Reference June 5: 1969 Major League Baseball draft Gorman Thomas was selected by the Pilots in the first round (21st pick).Gorman Thomas at Baseball-Reference Bob Coluccio was selected by the Pilots in the 17th round.Bob Coluccio at Baseball-Reference June 14: Larry Haney was traded by the Pilots to the Oakland Athletics for John Donaldson.John Donaldson at Baseball-Reference August 24: Jim Bouton was traded by the Pilots to the Houston Astros for Dooley Womack and Roric Harrison. September 13: Marv Staehle was purchased from the Pilots by the Montreal Expos.
Roster 1969 Seattle PilotsRoster Pitchers Catchers
Infielders Outfielders
Other batters Manager
Coaches
Game log
|-style=background:#cfc | 1 || April 8 || @ Angels|| 4–3 ||Pattin||McGlothlin||Aker|| 11,930 || 1–0 || W1 |-style=background:#fbb | 2 || April 9 || @ Angels|| 3–7 ||Borbon||Brabender||Wilhelm|| 5,347 || 1–1 || L1 |-style=background:#cfc | 3 || April 11 ||White Sox|| 7–0 ||Bell||Horlen|| — || 14,993 || 2–1 || W1 |-style=background:#cfc | 4 || April 12 ||White Sox|| 5–1 ||Segui||Ellis||Aker|| 8,319 || 3–1 || W2 |-style=background:#fbb | 5 || April 13 ||White Sox|| 7–12 ||Wood||Pattin|| — || 10,031 || 3–2 || L1 |-style=background:#fbb | 6 || April 14 ||Royals|| 1–2 ||Nelson||Marshall||Wickersham|| 3,611 || 3–3 || L2 |-style=background:#fbb | 7 || April 16 ||Twins|| 4–6 ||Perranoski||Aker|| — || 7,329 || 3–4 || L3 |-style=background:#bbb | — || April 18 || @ White Sox|| colspan="7" |Postponed (Makeup June 18) |-style=background:#cfc | 8 || April 19 || @ White Sox|| 5–1 ||Pattin||Peters||Segui|| 3,901 || 4–4 || W1 |-style=background:#fbb | 9 || April 20 || @ White Sox|| 2–3 (10) ||Wood||Segui|| — || 12,579 || 4–5 || L1 |-style=background:#fbb | 10 || April 20 || @ White Sox|| 3–13 ||Horlen||Barber||Locker|| 12,579 || 4–6 || L2 |-style=background:#cfc | 11 || April 21 || @ Royals|| 4–1 ||Marshall||Jones||Aker|| 9,024 || 5–6 || W1 |-style=background:#fbb | 12 || April 22 || @ Royals|| 1–2 ||Hedlund||Segui||Drabowsky|| 9,066 || 5–7 || L1 |-style=background:#fbb | 13 || April 23 || @ Royals|| 3–4 ||Morehead||Edgerton|| — || 10,267 || 5–8 || L2 |-style=background:#fbb | 14 || April 25 ||Athletics|| 2–14 ||Nash||Bell|| — || 6,617 || 5–9 || L3 |-style=background:#cfc | 15 || April 26 ||Athletics|| 6–3 ||Barber||Dobson||Segui|| 6,658 || 6–9 || W1 |-style=background:#fbb | 16 || April 27 ||Athletics|| 5–13 ||Fingers||Marshall||Krausse|| 5,802 || 6–10 || L1 |-style=background:#bbb | — || April 28 ||Angels|| colspan="7" |Postponed (Makeup July 9) |-style=background:#cfc | 17 || April 29 ||Angels|| 1–0 ||Pattin||McGlothlin|| — || 1,954 || 7–10 || W1 |-style=background:#fbb | 18 || April 30 || @ Twins|| 4–6 ||Hall||Brabender||Perranoski|| 4,087 || 7–11 || L1
|-style=background:#fbb | 19 || May 1 || @ Twins|| 1–4 ||Boswell||Bell||Grzenda|| 6,485 || 7–12 || L2 |-style=background:#fbb | 20 || May 2 || @ Athletics|| 7–8 ||Lindblad||Aker|| — || 4,823 || 7–13 || L3 |-style=background:#fbb | 21 || May 3 || @ Athletics|| 2–3 ||Dobson||Marshall|| — || 4,565 || 7–14 || L4 |-style=background:#cfc | 22 || May 4 || @ Athletics|| 6–4 ||Pattin||Fingers||O'Donoghue|| 10,852 || 8–14 || W1 |-style=background:#fbb | 23 || May 4 || @ Athletics|| 7–11 ||Odom||Brandon||Lindblad|| 10,852 || 8–15 || L1 |-style=background:#fbb | 24 || May 6 ||Red Sox|| 2–12 ||Culp||Brabender|| — || 9,427 || 8–16 || L2 |-style=background:#fbb | 25 || May 7 ||Red Sox|| 4–5 ||Siebert||Bell||Romo|| 7,084 || 8–17 || L3 |-style=background:#cfc | 26 || May 9 ||Senators|| 2–0 ||Marshall||Coleman|| — || 7,148 || 9–17 || W1 |-style=background:#cfc | 27 || May 10 ||Senators|| 16–13 |Segui||Higgins |Bell|| 7,360 || 10–17 || W2 |-style=background:#cfc | 28 || May 11 ||Senators|| 6–5 ||Segui||Baldwin|| — || 14,363 || 11–17 || W3 |-style=background:#cfc | 29 || May 12 ||Yankees|| 8–4 ||Pattin||Downing|| — || 8,763 || 12–17 || W4 |-style=background:#cfc | 30 || May 13 ||Yankees|| 5–3 ||Bell||Stottlemyre||Segui|| 19,072 || 13–17 || W5 |-style=background:#fbb | 31 || May 14 ||Yankees|| 4–5 ||Burbach||Marshall||Bahnsen|| 12,273 || 13–18 || L1 |-style=background:#cfc | 32 || May 16 || @ Red Sox|| 10–9 (11) ||Bouton||Romo||O'Donoghue|| 33,079 || 14–18 || W1 |-style=background:#fbb | 33 || May 17 || @ Red Sox|| 1–6 ||Nagy||Bell|| — || 21,172 || 14–19 || L1 |-style=background:#cfc | 34 || May 18 || @ Red Sox|| 9–6 ||Marshall||Culp||Segui|| 25,125 || 15–19 || W1 |-style=background:#fbb | 35 || May 20 || @ Senators|| 5–6 ||Higgins||Pattin|| — || 6,520 || 15–20 || L1 |-style=background:#cfc | 36 || May 21 || @ Senators|| 6–2 ||Brabender||Coleman||Segui|| 6,083 || 16–20 || W1