Champions Major League Baseball World Series: Baltimore Orioles over Los Angeles Dodgers (4–0); Frank Robinson, MVP All-Star Game, July 12 at Busch Stadium: National League, 2–1 (10 innings); Brooks Robinson, MVP
Other champions College World Series: Ohio State Japan Series: Yomiuri Giants over Nankai Hawks (4–2) Little League World Series: Westbury American, Houston, Texas Senior League World Series: East Rochester, New York
Awards and honors Baseball Hall of Fame Ted Williams Casey Stengel (manager) Baseball Writers' Association of America Awards BBWAA Award National League American League Rookie of the Year Tommy Helms (CHC) Tommie Agee (CWS) Cy Young Award Sandy Koufax (LAD) — Most Valuable Player Roberto Clemente (PIT) Frank Robinson (BAL)Gold Glove Awards Position National League American League Pitcher Bob Gibson (STL) Jim Kaat (MIN) Catcher John Roseboro (LAD) Bill Freehan (DET) 1st Base Bill White (PHI) Joe Pepitone (NYY) 2nd Base Bill Mazeroski (PIT) Bobby Knoop (CAL) 3rd Base Ron Santo (CHC) Brooks Robinson (BAL) Shortstop Gene Alley (PIT) Luis Aparicio (BAL)Outfield Roberto Clemente (PIT) Tommie Agee (CWS) Curt Flood (STL) Al Kaline (DET) Willie Mays (SF) Tony Oliva (MIN)
Statistical leaders
American LeagueNational League Stat Player Total Player Total AVG Frank Robinson1 (BAL) .316 Matty Alou (PIT) .342 HR Frank Robinson1 (BAL) 49 Hank Aaron (ATL) 44 RBI Frank Robinson1 (BAL) 122 Hank Aaron (ATL) 127 W Jim Kaat (MIN) 25 Sandy Koufax2 (LAD) 27 ERA Gary Peters (CWS) 1.98 Sandy Koufax2 (LAD) 1.73 K Sam McDowell (CLE) 225 Sandy Koufax2 (LAD) 317 1 American League Triple Crown batting winner 2 Major league Triple Crown pitching winner
Major league baseball final standings American League final standings
National League final standings
Nippon Professional Baseball final standings Central League final standings Central League G W L T Pct. GBYomiuri Giants 134 89 41 4 .685 —Chunichi Dragons 132 76 54 2 .585 13.0Hanshin Tigers 135 64 66 5 .492 25.0Hiroshima Carp 136 57 73 6 .438 32.0Taiyo Whales 130 52 78 0 .400 37.0Sankei Atoms 135 52 78 5 .400 37.0
Pacific League final standings Pacific League G W L T Pct. GBNankai Hawks 133 79 51 3 .608 —Nishitetsu Lions 138 75 55 8 .577 4.0Toei Flyers 136 70 60 6 .538 9.0Tokyo Orions 134 61 69 4 .469 18.0Hankyu Braves 134 57 73 4 .438 22.0Kintetsu Buffaloes 133 48 62 3 .369 31.0
Events January
January 3 – The Baltimore Orioles release veteran left-hander Harvey Haddix. The 40-year-old hurler, famed for throwing 12 perfect innings (before giving up a baserunner, a hit, and the game itself in the 13th) on May 26, 1959, is beginning a new career as a pitching coach for the 1966 New York Mets. January 10 – The Philadelphia Phillies send Wes Covington to the Chicago Cubs for fellow outfielder Doug Clemens. January 14 – The New York Yankees trade backup catcher Doc Edwards to the Cleveland Indians for outfielder Lou Clinton. January 15 – The California Angels purchase the contract of veteran catcher Ed Bailey from the Chicago Cubs. January 20 – The Baseball Writers' Association of America voters elect Ted Williams to the Hall of Fame. Williams receives 282 of a possible 302 votes.
February February 22 – Slugger Dick Stuart's tenure in Philadelphia ends after only one season when the Phillies deal the indifferent-fielding first baseman to the New York Mets for catcher Jimmie Schaffer, second baseman Bobby Klaus and third baseman Wayne Graham. February 24 – The Orioles fly their starting catcher, Dick Brown, from their spring training camp to Baltimore to undergo tests to determine the cause of his severe headaches. Two weeks later, the 31-year-old Brown undergoes surgery to remove a brain tumor. Although he recovers from the operation, Brown's career is ended and he will ultimately succumb to the malady in April 1970. February 28 – Seeking an unprecedented three-year $1.05 million to be divided evenly, the Los Angeles Dodgers pitchers Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale begin a joint holdout.
March
March 5 – In what will prove to be one of the more influential off-the-field events in Major League history, United Steelworkers union official Marvin Miller is elected the Executive Director of the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA). Under Miller's guidance, the players' union will make major gains such as salary increases, improvements in pension benefits, and the advent of free agency and salary arbitration. Miller will occupy his position from 1966 to 1982, as the players' union is transformed into one of the strongest unions in the United States. March 8 – The Special Veterans Committee waives Hall of Fame election rules and inducts Casey Stengel, 75, who managed the New York Yankees to ten American League pennants and seven World Series titles between and . Stengel had retired from the New York Mets on August 30, 1965. March 10 – The Cleveland Indians trade backup catcher Cam Carreon to the Baltimore Orioles for minor-league outfielder Lou Piniella, coming off a .249, 11-homer season with Double-A Elmira (where he is managed by Earl Weaver). At this point in his career, the 22-year-old Piniella has been given only one at bat in the major leagues. March 17 – Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale escalate their threat of retirement by signing movie contracts. On March 30, they will end their 32-day holdout, signing for $130,000 and $105,000 respectively. March 30 The Houston Astros activate veteran right-hander Robin Roberts. The 39-year-old future Hall-of-Famer had signed a coach's contract after the 1965 season, and he'd been given the opportunity to pitch himself back onto the Houston mound staff over spring training. The Baltimore Orioles pick up left-handed-hitting backup catcher Vic Roznovsky from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for outfielder Carl Warwick. Roznovsky, Cam Carreon and Larry Haney will play behind rookie Andy Etchebarren, elevated to first-string catcher by Dick Brown's career-ending brain surgery.
April April 3 University of Southern California pitcher Tom Seaver signs with the New York Mets. He had been drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the January 1966 Major League Baseball draft, but Atlanta signed him to a minor league contract while he was still in college and rendered him ineligible to play for the Trojans. Commissioner of Baseball William Eckert voids the contract, with the Mets winning a special lottery over Cleveland and Philadelphia to win the right to sign him. The Houston Astros and Boston Red Sox swap veteran infielders, with the Astros getting former AL All-Star Félix Mantilla for Eddie Kasko. April 6 – The Kansas City Athletics trade left-hander John O'Donoghue to the Cleveland Indians for righty Ralph Terry, a former 20-game winner (23–12) and World Series MVP for the New York Yankees. April 7 – The St. Louis Cardinals sell the contract of veteran pitcher Bob Purkey to his original team, the Pittsburgh Pirates. Purkey, too, won 20+ games (23–5) in when he was with the Cincinnati Reds. April 11 – At the traditional Presidential Opener at D.C. Stadium, Emmett Ashford officiates at third base in the Washington Senators' 5–2 win over the Cleveland Indians to become the first African-American umpire in MLB history. Ashford, 51, spent 12 years in the Pacific Coast League before being promoted to the American League umpiring staff over the winter. Vice President Hubert Humphrey throws out the first ball of the season. April 12 MLB officially enters the Southeastern U.S., as 50,671 fans show up at Atlanta Stadium to watch the Braves' first home game. In 13 innings, the Braves fall to the Pittsburgh Pirates, 3–2. Atlanta's Joe Torre hits the first homer in the ballpark, but the decisive blow is Willie Stargell's two-run blast off starting pitcher Tony Cloninger in the top of the 13th. Torre's second homer of the day, a solo shot in the home half, narrows the margin of defeat to one run. On Opening Day at Fenway Park, the Baltimore Orioles' Frank Robinson and Brooks Robinson go a combined five for ten, score three runs and collect four RBI to spearhead a 13-inning 5–4 triumph over the Boston Red Sox. Each "Robby" hits a home run off Boston starter Earl Wilson. It's Frank Robinson's first American League game after ten seasons in Cincinnati and by the end of 1966, he'll be a Triple Crown winner, an AL MVP, and World Series champion. April 19 – The California Angels play their first regular-season game in their new ballpark, Anaheim Stadium, in front of 31,660 fans. The Angels' Rick Reichardt scores the first run, with a one-out solo home run in the bottom of the second inning. The Angels fall to the Chicago White Sox and Tommy John, 3–1, with Marcelino Lopez taking the loss for the home side. April 21 – The Chicago Cubs make one of the most successful trades of the 1960s, acquiring 23-year-old rookie right-hander Ferguson Jenkins from the Philadelphia Phillies, along with first baseman John Herrnstein and centerfielder Adolfo Phillips, for veteran pitchers Bob Buhl, 37, and Larry Jackson, 34. The trade helps transform the Cubs into a first division team in , when Jenkins will begin a skein of six consecutive seasons of 20 or more victories, earning the National League Cy Young Award along the way. In two stints as a Cub, Jenkins will go 167–132 over ten seasons, and in 1991 he will be elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. April 26 – The Los Angeles Dodgers place coach and veteran infielder Jim Gilliam on their 28-man roster. Gilliam will start 52 games at third base during the 1966 season and help the Dodgers win the NL pennant in his last year as an active player. April 28 Sonny Siebert and reliever Bob Allen scatter five hits and Leon Wagner hits a game-deciding sacrifice fly in the eighth inning to lead the Cleveland Indians to their tenth consecutive victory of 1966 (without a loss), 2–1 over the California Angels. The Chicago Cubs trade minor-league third baseman Bobby Cox to the Atlanta Braves for spare outfielder Billy Cowan. Cox, 24, never plays for the MLB Braves but he will return to the team to become their Hall-of-Fame manager over 25 seasons between and . April 30 – The California Angels erase a 9–3, eighth-inning deficit by scoring 12 runs, as they defeat the Boston Red Sox, 16–9 at Fenway Park. During the 11-hit, late-game uprising, Rick Reichardt hits two home runs and drives in four.
May May 1 – "Sudden Sam" McDowell, the Cleveland Indians' fireballing, 23-year-old left-hander, one-hits the visiting Chicago White Sox and earns his fourth win of the year (without a loss) with a 1–0 victory. Don Buford's third-inning double spoils the no no. McDowell himself singles twice in his three at bats off hard-luck loser Tommy John. Cleveland's record improves to 11–1, but, incredibly, the Indians are a half game behind the first-place, 12–1 Baltimore Orioles. May 4 At Yankee Stadium, Indians shortstop Larry Brown and left-fielder Leon Wagner collide while chasing a fourth-inning pop fly hit by Roger Maris. Wagner sustains a concussion but misses only one game of action; however, Brown suffers a broken nose and fractured skull and he doesn't return to the Cleveland lineup until June 16. Maris's popup lands for a double, but Sonny Siebert fires a complete-game, 2–1 Tribe victory. The San Francisco Giants' Willie Mays hits his 512th career home run, breaking the existing National League and topping another Giant, the late Mel Ott. San Francisco beats the Los Angeles Dodgers, 6–1, at Candlestick Park. May 6 – In a head-to-head matchup between the Indians (now 14–1 and back in first place) and Orioles (who've fallen to 12–3) at Memorial Stadium, it takes 15 innings for Baltimore to outlast Cleveland, 3–2. The Tribe take a 2–1 lead in the visitors' half of the 15th, but the Orioles tie the game on rookie Davey Johnson's home run and win it on a "walk-off," RBI single by Boog Powell.