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1965 Season Summary 1965 Season Summary

Dodgers, Koufax Halt Twins in 1965 World Series

The public was surprised to see baseball's dominance of the New York Yankees finally end. Although, at the time no was could be sure if it was just a pause with an off-year or the start of something new. The Yankees had won 14 of the last 16 American League pennants and captured nine World Series Crowns along-the-way.

Complied from our manager's old notebook and from magazines, team yearbooks and newspaper clippings by staff@baseballhistorian.com.

Contrasting teams faced off in the 1965 World Series.

The Minnesota Twins powered by the long ball and a league leading .254 team batting average battled the pitching-rich Los Angeles Dodgers. The Twins were led by batting-stars Harmon Killebrew, Tony Oliva, Bob Allison, Zoilo Versalles. The Dodgers by legend Sandy Koufax 26-8, and his major league leading 382 strikeouts, and Don Drysdale, who went 23-12.

Sandy Koufax, scheduled to pitch the World Series Opener, sat out Game 1 in observance of a Jewish holiday. Dodger manager Walter Alston then turned to Don Drysdale, who was shelled 8-2, with Zoilo Versalles 3-run homer highlighting the game.

Sandy Koufax shutout the Twins in Game 5 as the Dodgers won 7-0. In Game 6, Minnesota's pitcher Jim 'Mudcat' Grant single-handedly beat the Dodgers 5-1 in a complete game win, and blasted a 6th inning 3-run home run to-boot.

In Game 7, it was Koufax again, hurling another complete game shutout, 2-0, as Los Angeles won its second World Championship in the last three years.

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1965 Final Standings:

National League:

Los Angeles Dodgers 97-65 ... San Francisco Giants 95-67 - 2GB... Pittsburgh Pirates 90-72 - 7GB... Cincinnati Reds 89-73 - 8GB... Milwaukee Braves 86-76 - 11GB... Philadelphia Phillies 85-76 - 11.5GB... St. Louis Cardinals 80-81 - 16.5GB... Chicago Cubs 72-90 - 25GB... Houston Astros 65-97 - 32GB... New York Mets 50-112 - 47GB

American League:

Minnesota Twins 102-60 ... Chicago White Sox 95-67 - 7 GB... Baltimore Orioles 94-68 - 8 GB... Detroit Tigers 89-73 - 13GB... Cleveland Indians 87-75 - 15GB... New York Yankees 77-85 - 25GB... California Angels 75-87 - 27GB... Washington Senators 70-92 - 32GB... Boston Red Sox 62-100 - 40GB... Kansas City Athletics 59-103 - 43GB

 

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Player Bios:

Johnny Podres, Pitcher Left-handed, Los Angeles Dodgers - the 33-year old lefty has already won four World Series games for the Dodgers... he broke in with Brooklyn back in 1953, going 9-4... then - 11-7 in '54... spent entire '56 season in the U.S. Military during Korean Conflict, came back and to go 12-9, 2.66 ERA in '57. Johnny Podres moved with the Dodgers to Los Angeles in 1958 and had a 13-15 W/L record, 3.73 ERA in 210 innings, fanning 143 batters. His best season was 1961 - 18-5 record, 3.74 ERA. Johnny Podres lifetime stats: 148-116 W/L, 3.68 ERA, 440 G, 340 GS, 77 GC, 24 Shutouts, 2,239 hits in 2,265 innings, 1,435 Ks, 743 Walks, 242 Hr yielded, an .259 opponents batting average. Brooklyn/LA Dodgers 1953-1966; Detroit 1967; San Diego 1969

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Elroy Face, Pitcher Right-handed, Pittsburgh Pirates - born in Stephentown, NY - the 5' 8"-155-pound relief specialist has baffled National League batters for years relying on mainly one pitch - his forkball... broke in with Pittsburgh in 1953 and led NL pitchers in appearances in '56 and '60 with 68 each year. Roy Face won 17 ballgames in a row in 1959, and finished with the highest W/L record in history (18-1, .947 pct). Appeared in 4 games for Pirates in their 1960 World Series' win, pitching 10 1/3 innings and allowed 6 earned runs.

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1965 Home Run Leaders:

National League:

Willie Mays, SF Giants 52... Willie McCovey, SF Giants 39... Billy Williams, Cubs 34... Frank Robinson, Reds 33... Ron Santo, Cubs 33... Hank Aaron, Milw Braves 32... Ed Mathews, Braves 32... John Callison, Phillies 32... Deron Johnson, Phillies 32... Mack Jones, Braves 31... Ernie Banks, Cubs 28... Dick Stuart, Phillies 28

American League:

Tony Conigilaro, Red Sox 32... Norm Cash, Tigers 30... Willie Horton, Tigers 29... Leon 'Daddy Wags' Wagner, Indians 28... Rocky Colavito, Indians 26... Fred Whitfield, Indians 26... Tom Tresh, Yankees 26... Harmon Killebrew, Twins 25... Bob Allison, Twins 23... Ken Harrelson, KC A's 23... Curt Blefary, Orioles 22... Lee Thomas, Red Sox 22... Don Mincher, Twins 22

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1965 MOST VALUABLE PLAYERS MVP

Willie Mays, SF Giants - CF - batted .317, 21 doubles, 52 home runs, 118 Runs, 112 RBIs, walked 76 times and struck out just 71 times - and was voted the 1965 NL Most Valuable Player MVP

Zoilo Versalles, Twins - SS - batted .273, 45 doubles, 12 triples, 19 home runs, 126 Runs, 77 RBIs, walked 41 times and struck out 122 times - and was voted the 1965 AL Most Valuable Player MVP

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Strike Outs by Batters:

1965 National League:

Dick 'Richie' Allen, Phillies 150... Dick Stuart, Phillies 136... Donn Clendenon, Pirates 128... Tommy Harper, Reds 127... Willie Stargell, Pirates 127... Jim Wynn, Colt 45's (Astros) 126... Charley Smith, Mets 123... Mack Jones, Milw Braves 122... Willie McCovey, SF Giants 118... Johnny Lewis, Mets 117...

Johnny Callison, Phillies 117... Lou Brock, Cardinals 116... Eddie Mathews, Milw Braves 110... Ron Santo, Cubs 109... Ron Swoboda, Mets 102... Leo Cardenas, Reds 100... Frank Robinson, Reds 100

1965 American League:

Zoilo Versalles, Twins 122... Max Alvis, Indians 121... Tony Conigilaro, Red Sox 116... Don Lock, Wash Senators 115... Bob Allison, Twins 114... Frank Howard, Senators 112... Ken Harrelson, KC A's 112... Dick Green, KC A's 110... Jim Fregosi, Cal Angels 107... Willie Horton, Tigers 101... Bobby Knoop, Cal Angels 101

NOTE: The World Champion Los Angeles Dodgers had no player among the above list of Ks by batters... we can only guess 'Swinging and Missing' does matter.

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Player Bios:

Bill Monbouquette, Pitcher RH, Boston Red Sox 1958-65 - one of the American League's top pitchers during the early 60s, Monbouquette relied on pin-point control and constant speed changes to post a 20-10 in 36 starts in 1963, walking just 42 batters in 266 2/3 innings, while striking out 174. He broke into the majors at age 21 with Boston in '58 and by 1960 was the Red Sox main man... going 14-11, 3.64 ERA, 14-14, 3.39 ERA, 15-13, 3.33 ERA, 20-10, 3.81 ERA and 13-14, 4.04 ERA from 1960 thru 1964. Monbouquette was a 3-time All-Star (1960, 1962 and 1963) - and hurled a no-hitter against the Chicago White Sox on August 1, 1962. Born in Medford, Massachusetts - Bill Monbouquette career: 114-112, 3.68 ERA, 343 Games, 263 GS, 78 GC, 18 shutouts, 1961.7 IP, 1995 hits, 462 BB, 1122 Ks, 211 HR allowed... Boston Red Sox 1958-1965; Tigers 1966-67, Yankees 1968

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Bernie Allen, Second Baseman, Bats LH, T RH, Minnesota Twins - a former football quarterback at Purdue University, he gave up the gridiron for a baseball career. After spending one year with Charlotte of the Sally Minor League in '61, the 23-year old was invited to the Twins training camp for a tryout... so impressive was Bernie Allen's performance that he stayed with the Twins. In 1962, he hit .269 and set a Twins' record for second baseman with 12 homers. He missed most of the 1965 season including the World Series due to injuries. Rated as a fine fielder Allen was traded to the Senators in 1967 and in the next five years - hit .193, .241, .247, .234, .266. Bernie Allen career: .239 BA, 815 hits in 3,404 at bats, 140 Ds, 21 Ts, 73 Hr, 357 Runs, 351 RBIs, 370 Walks, 424 Ks... Twins 1962-66; Senators 1967-71; Yankees 1972.

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Felix Mantilla, Second Base/SS Outfield RH, Boston Red Sox - a native of Isabela, Puerto Rico... started as an all-around utility IF/OF. Mantilla played for the Milwaukee Braves from 1956 thru 1961 and appeared in 2 World Series '57 and '58... was selected in expansion draft by Mets in 1962 and was traded to the Red Sox in 1963. At last Mantilla was given a chance to play regularly, and he developed into one of the AL's top power hitters in 1964, lining 20 doubles and 30 home runs - after hitting just 35 homers in his first 8 seasons. In 1965, he lined 18 Hr had drove in 92 runs. Felix Mantilla career: .261 BA, 707 hits in 2,707 at bats, 97 Ds, 10 Ts, 89 Hr, 360 Runs, 330 RBIs... Milw Braves 1956-1961; NY Mets 1962; Red Sox 1963-65; Houston 1966

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