The 1991 Major League Baseball season saw the Minnesota Twins defeat the Atlanta Braves for the World Series title, in a series where every game was won by the home team.
The Twins and Braves became the first two teams in MLB history to win the pennant after finishing last the previous season.
Awards and honors Baseball Hall of Fame Rod Carew Ferguson Jenkins Tony Lazzeri Gaylord Perry Bill Veeck
+Baseball Writers' Association of America AwardsBBWAA AwardNational LeagueAmerican LeagueRookie of the YearJeff Bagwell (HOU)Chuck Knoblauch (MIN)Cy Young AwardTom Glavine (ATL)Roger Clemens (BOS)Manager of the YearBobby Cox (ATL)Tom Kelly (MIN)Most Valuable PlayerTerry Pendleton (ATL)Cal Ripken Jr. (BAL)Gold Glove AwardsPositionNational LeagueAmerican LeaguePitcherGreg Maddux (CHC)Mark Langston (CAL)CatcherTom Pagnozzi (STL)Tony Peña (BOS)First BasemanWill Clark (SF)Don Mattingly (NYY)Second BasemanRyne Sandberg (CHC)Roberto Alomar (TOR)Third BasemanMatt Williams (SF)Robin Ventura (CWS)ShortstopOzzie Smith (STL)Cal Ripken Jr. (BAL)OutfieldersBarry Bonds (PIT)Kirby Puckett (MIN)Tony Gwynn (SD)Devon White (TOR)Andy Van Slyke (PIT)Ken Griffey Jr. (SEA)Silver Slugger AwardsPitcher/Designated HitterTom Glavine (ATL)Frank Thomas (CWS)CatcherBenito Santiago (SD)Mickey Tettleton (DET)First BasemanWill Clark (SF)Cecil Fielder (DET)Second BasemanRyne Sandberg (CHC)Julio Franco (TEX)Third BasemanHoward Johnson (NYM)Wade Boggs (BOS)ShortstopBarry Larkin (CIN)Cal Ripken Jr. (BAL)OutfieldersBarry Bonds (PIT)Joe Carter (TOR)Bobby Bonilla (PIT)Ken Griffey Jr. (SEA)Ron Gant (ATL)Jose Canseco (OAK)
Other awards Outstanding Designated Hitter Award: Chili Davis (MIN) Roberto Clemente Award (Humanitarian): Harold Reynolds (SEA) Rolaids Relief Man Award: Bryan Harvey (CAL, American); Lee Smith (STL, National)
Player of the Month Month American League National League April Dave Henderson Félix José May Rubén Sierra David Justice June Joe Carter Barry Larkin July Robin Ventura Barry Bonds August Frank Thomas Will Clark September Cal Ripken Jr. Howard Johnson
Pitcher of the Month Month American League National League April Roger Clemens Lee Smith May Scott Erickson Tom Glavine June Jack Morris Rob Dibble July Bill Krueger Dennis Martínez August Kevin Tapani Mitch Williams September Roger Clemens Chris Nabholz
Statistical leaders Statistic American League National League AVG Julio Franco TEX .341 Terry Pendleton ATL .319 HR José Canseco OAKCecil Fielder DET 44 Howard Johnson NYM 38 RBI Cecil Fielder DET 133 Howard Johnson NYM 117 Wins Scott Erickson MINBill Gullickson DET 20 Tom Glavine ATLJohn Smiley PIT 20 ERA Roger Clemens BOS 2.62 Dennis Martínez MON 2.39 SO Roger Clemens BOS 241 David Cone NYM 241 SV Bryan Harvey CAL 46 Lee Smith STL 47 SB Rickey Henderson OAK 58 Marquis Grissom MON 76
Standings
American League
National League
Postseason
Bracket
Managers American League Team Manager CommentsBaltimore OriolesFrank RobinsonReplaced during the season by Johnny OatesBoston Red SoxJoe MorganCalifornia AngelsDoug RaderReplaced during the season by Buck RodgersChicago White SoxJeff TorborgCleveland IndiansJohn McNamaraReplaced during the season by Mike HargroveDetroit TigersSparky Anderson13th season with the clubKansas City RoyalsJohn WathanReplaced during the season by Hal McRaeMilwaukee BrewersTom TrebelhornMinnesota TwinsTom KellyWon the World SeriesNew York YankeesStump MerrillOakland AthleticsTony La RussaSeattle MarinersJim LefebvreTexas RangersBobby ValentineToronto Blue JaysCito GastonReplaced temporarily by Gene Tenace while undergoing treatment for a herniated disc. Won AL East
National League Team Manager CommentsAtlanta BravesBobby CoxWon National League pennantChicago CubsDon ZimmerReplaced during the season by Jim EssianCincinnati RedsLou PiniellaHouston AstrosArt HoweLos Angeles DodgersTommy LasordaMontreal ExposBuck RodgersReplaced during the season by Tom RunnellsNew York MetsBud HarrelsonReplaced during the season by Mike CubbagePhiladelphia PhilliesNick LeyvaReplaced during the season by Jim FregosiPittsburgh PiratesJim LeylandWon NL EastSt. Louis CardinalsJoe TorreSan Diego PadresGreg RiddochSan Francisco GiantsRoger Craig
Home field attendance and payroll Team nameWinsHome attendanceEst. payrollToronto Blue Jays915.8%4,001,5273.0%49,402$19,902,4173.3%Los Angeles Dodgers938.1%3,348,17011.5%41,335$32,790,66448.9%Chicago White Sox87 −7.4%2,934,15446.5%36,224$16,919,66757.8%Oakland Athletics84 −18.4%2,713,493 −6.4%33,500$36,999,16784.2%Boston Red Sox84 −4.5%2,562,4351.3%31,635$35,167,50068.6%Baltimore Orioles67 −11.8%2,552,7535.7%31,515$17,519,00073.5%St. Louis Cardinals8420.0%2,448,699 −4.8%29,151$21,860,0013.9%California Angels811.3%2,416,236 −5.5%29,830$33,060,00147.5%Cincinnati Reds74 −18.7%2,372,377 −1.2%29,289$26,305,33381.8%Chicago Cubs770.0%2,314,2503.1%27,883$23,380,66760.2%Texas Rangers852.4%2,297,72011.7%28,367$18,224,50016.8%Minnesota Twins9528.4%2,293,84231.0%28,319$23,361,83353.0%New York Mets77 −15.4%2,284,484 −16.4%27,860$32,590,00148.7%Kansas City Royals829.3%2,161,537 −3.7%26,686$26,319,8348.9%Seattle Mariners837.8%2,147,90542.3%26,517$15,691,83321.9%Atlanta Braves9444.6%2,140,217118.4%26,422$18,403,50022.2%Pittsburgh Pirates983.2%2,065,3020.8%24,587$23,634,66751.9%Philadelphia Phillies781.3%2,050,0122.9%24,699$22,487,33263.7%New York Yankees716.0%1,863,733 −7.1%23,009$27,344,16828.3%San Diego Padres8412.0%1,804,289 −2.8%22,275$22,150,00124.5%San Francisco Giants75 −11.8%1,737,478 −12.0%21,450$30,967,66643.6%Detroit Tigers846.3%1,641,6619.8%20,267$23,838,33329.6%Milwaukee Brewers8312.2%1,478,729 −15.6%18,484$23,115,50014.7%Houston Astros65 −13.3%1,196,152 −8.8%14,767$12,852,500 −31.5%Cleveland Indians57 −26.0%1,051,863 −14.2%12,828$17,635,00016.0%Montreal Expos71 −16.5%934,742 −31.9%13,746$10,732,333 −38.1%
Television coverage Network Day of week Announcers CBS Saturday afternoons Jack Buck, Tim McCarver, Dick Stockton, Jim Kaat ESPN Sunday nightsTuesday nightsWednesday nightsFriday nights Jon Miller, Joe Morgan
Events January–March January 6 – Alan Wiggins, former leadoff hitter for the San Diego Padres and a key member of their 1984 pennant run, becomes the first baseball player known to die of AIDS. He was 32. January 7 – Pete Rose is released from Marion Federal Prison after serving a five-month sentence for tax evasion. January 8 – Rod Carew, Gaylord Perry and Ferguson Jenkins are elected to the Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers' Association of America, with Carew becoming the 22nd player to be named in his first year of eligibility. February 4 – The 12 members of the board of directors of the Hall of Fame vote unanimously to bar Pete Rose from the ballot. February 26 – New York Yankees second baseman Tony Lazzeri and major league owner Bill Veeck are elected to the Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee.
April–June April – MLB requires that all teams wear American and Canadian flag decals on their batting helmets in honor of those who served in Operation Desert Storm. April 8 – Just hours before the first pitch of the baseball season, MLB averts an umpires strike by reaching agreement with the Major League Umpires' Association on a new four-year contract. April 18 – The new Comiskey Park opens across the street from where the original stood in Chicago. A sold-out stadium sees the Detroit Tigers defeat the Chicago White Sox, 16–0. April 21 – The Chicago Cubs score five runs in the top of the eleventh inning, but the Pittsburgh Pirates comeback with six runs in the bottom of the inning for the victory; the greatest extra-innings comeback (in terms of runs) in Major League history. April 23 – Nick Leyva is fired as manager of the Philadelphia Phillies, becoming the first manager fired in 1991. May 1 – Nolan Ryan of the Texas Rangers records his seventh no-hitter, striking out Roberto Alomar for the final out in a 3–0 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays. May 1 – Rickey Henderson of the Oakland Athletics records his 939th stolen base, eclipsing Lou Brock's all-time record. May 21 – Don Zimmer is fired as manager of the Chicago Cubs and replaced by Jim Essian. Zimmer is the second manager fired during the 1991 season. May 22 – John Wathan is fired as manager of the Kansas City Royals and replaced by Hal McRae. Wathan is the third manager fired in less than one month. May 23 – By stealing second base from pitcher Ron Darling and catcher Rick Cerone of the New York Mets, Andre Dawson of the Chicago Cubs becomes the third player in baseball history to record 300 home runs and 300 stolen bases. As of this date, the only other members of the 300–300 club are Bobby Bonds and Willie Mays. On the same day, Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Tommy Greene throws a no-hitter, and the Baltimore Orioles fire Frank Robinson and replace him with Johnny Oates. Robinson is the fourth manager fired on the season, and the third fired in three days. June 3 – Buck Rodgers becomes the fifth managerial casualty of the season, and the third in the National League East. Tom Runnels replaces Rodgers as the new Montreal Expos manager. June 10 – The National League votes to choose Miami, Florida, and Denver, Colorado, to form baseball teams for the 1993 season. They beat out Orlando, Florida, St. Petersburg, Florida, Washington, D.C., and Buffalo, New York. The Miami franchise was awarded to Blockbuster Video CEO H. Wayne Huizenga, while the Denver franchise was awarded to Ohio beverage distributor John Antonucci and Phar-Mor CEO Michael I. Monus. June 16 – The Cincinnati Reds and Philadelphia Phillies wear 1957 uniforms in a Nostalgia Day game at Veterans Stadium.
July–September July 6 – The National League publicly announces its two expansion franchises for 1993: the Colorado Rockies and the Florida Marlins (based in Denver and Miami, respectively). July 6 – John McNamara, winner of the 1979 National League West division with the Cincinnati Reds and 1986 American League pennant with the Boston Red Sox, is fired as manager of the Cleveland Indians. He is replaced by Mike Hargrove. The firing is the sixth on the season and occurs just as the first half of the season ends. July 7 – Outside a restaurant in Arlington, Texas, American League umpire Steve Palermo is shot and paralyzed from the waist down after aiding a woman who was being mugged. The assailant is later sentenced to 75 years in prison. July 9 – Cal Ripken Jr.'s three-run home run lifts the American League to a 4–2 win over the National League in the annual All-Star Game, held at the SkyDome in Toronto. Andre Dawson homers for the NL, who lose for the fourth straight year. Ripken Jr., who also won the pre-game Home Run Derby, is named the game's MVP. July 13 – The Baltimore Orioles throw the second four-man no-hitter in baseball history, as Bob Milacki, Mike Flanagan, Mark Williamson, and Gregg Olson combine for a 2–0 win against the Oakland Athletics. On September 28, 1975, four Oakland Athletics pitchers (Vida Blue, Glenn Abbott, Paul Lindblad, and Rollie Fingers) tossed a combined no-hitter against the California Angels. July 26 – Montreal Expos pitcher Mark Gardner throws a no-hitter through nine innings, but does not complete it when his team fails to score against Los Angeles Dodgers starter Orel Hershiser and reliever Kip Gross. Gardner loses the no-hitter and the game in the tenth inning when the Dodgers get three hits and score the only run of the game. The Expos only get two hits. July 28 – Picking up where Mark Gardner left off, Montreal Expos hurler Dennis Martínez throws a perfect game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Expos only get four hits, but they score two runs and give Martínez the thirteenth perfect game in major league history. Ron Hassey, Martínez's catcher, becomes the first player to catch two perfect games, having also caught Len Barker's in 1981.