Champions Major League Baseball World Series: Los Angeles Dodgers beat New York Yankees (4–0); Sandy Koufax, MVP All-Star Game, July 9 at Municipal Stadium: National League, 5–3; Willie Mays, MVP
Other champions College World Series: USC Japan Series: Yomiuri Giants over Nishitetsu Lions (4–3) Little League World Series: Granada Hills National, Granada Hills, California Senior League World Series: Monterrey, Mexico Pan American Games: Cuba over United States
Awards and honors Baseball Hall of Fame John Clarkson Elmer Flick Sam Rice Eppa Rixey Baseball Writers' Association of America Awards BBWAA Award National League American League Rookie of the Year Pete Rose (CIN) Gary Peters (CWS) Cy Young Award Sandy Koufax (LAD) — Most Valuable Player Sandy Koufax (LAD) Elston Howard (NYY)Gold Glove Awards Position National League American League Pitcher Bobby Shantz (STL) Jim Kaat (MIN) Catcher Johnny Edwards (CIN) Elston Howard (NYY) 1st Base Bill White (STL) Vic Power (MIN) 2nd Base Bill Mazeroski (PIT) Bobby Richardson (NYY) 3rd Base Ken Boyer (STL) Brooks Robinson (BAL) Shortstop Bobby Wine (PHI) Zoilo Versalles (MIN)Outfield Roberto Clemente (PIT) Jim Landis (CWS) Curt Flood (STL) Al Kaline (DET) Willie Mays (SF) Carl Yastrzemski (BOS)
Statistical leaders
American LeagueNational League Stat Player Total Player Total AVG Carl Yastrzemski (BOS) .321 Tommy Davis (LAD) .326 HR Harmon Killebrew (MIN) 45 Hank Aaron (MIL)Willie McCovey (SF) 44 RBI Dick Stuart (BOS) 118 Hank Aaron (MIL) 130 W Whitey Ford (NYY) 24 Sandy Koufax1 (LAD)Juan Marichal (SF) 25 ERA Gary Peters (CWS) 2.33 Sandy Koufax1 (LAD) 1.88 K Camilo Pascual (MIN) 202 Sandy Koufax1 (LAD) 306 1 National 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 140 83 55 2 .601 —Chunichi Dragons 140 80 57 3 .584 2.5Hanshin Tigers 140 69 70 1 .496 14.5Kokutetsu Swallows 140 65 73 2 .471 18.0Taiyo Whales 140 59 79 2 .428 24.0Hiroshima Carp 140 58 80 2 .420 25.0
Pacific League final standings Pacific League G W L T Pct. GBNishitetsu Lions 150 86 60 4 .589 —Nankai Hawks 150 85 61 4 .582 1.0Toei Flyers 150 76 71 3 .517 10.5Kintetsu Buffaloes 150 74 73 3 .503 12.5Daimai Orions 150 64 85 1 .430 23.5Hankyu Braves 150 57 92 1 .383 30.5
Events January
January 5 – The National League's greatest hitter of the modern era, Rogers Hornsby, suffers a fatal heart attack at age 66. [See Deaths below.] January 10 – Chicago Cubs owner Philip K. Wrigley, who two years ago invented the "College of Coaches" to replace baseball's traditional field-manager-led on-field hierarchy, today creates the position of athletic director, and names ex-Air Force Academy athletics director Robert V. Whitlow to the post. But Whitlow's lack of baseball experience leads to him being ignored by general manager John Holland and the Cubs' coaching staff; he resigns in January 1965 and his position is abolished.. January 14 – The Baltimore Orioles and Chicago White Sox pull off a blockbuster trade. Baltimore obtains future Baseball Hall of Fame shortstop Luis Aparicio and veteran outfielder Al Smith in exchange for Cooperstown-bound knuckleballer Hoyt Wilhelm, shortstop Ron Hansen (the 1960 American League Rookie of the Year), third baseman Pete Ward and outfielder Dave Nicholson. The White Sox gain, in Wilhelm, a shutdown relief pitcher, as well as three regulars; meanwhile, Aparicio will help the Orioles break through to a World Series championship in 1966. January 24 – The Los Angeles Dodgers acquire Don Zimmer from the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for minor league pitcher Scott Breeden. Infielder Zimmer previously played for the Dodgers from 1954 to 1959. January 27 – Sam Rice, Eppa Rixey, Elmer Flick and John Clarkson are elected to the Hall of Fame by the Special Veterans Committee. January 29 – Elwood "Pete" Quesada divests himself of his majority stake in the Washington Senators, and James Johnston and James Lemon become co-owners of the two-year-old expansion team. Johnston and Lemon hire former New York Yankees outfielder George Selkirk as their new general manager, replacing Ed Doherty.
February February 7 – The Kansas City Athletics sign pitcher Marcel Lachemann, who becomes known as a manager and pitching coach after his playing days. February 14 – New York Yankees southpaw relief pitcher Marshall Bridges (8–4 with 18 saves in 52 games pitched in ) is wounded in the left calf by a gun-wielding woman in an after-hours incident at a Fort Lauderdale bar. Known as "Fox" and "The Sheriff," Bridges, 31, will recover in time to appear in his first 1963 contest for the Bombers on April 20. February 18 – Commissioner of Baseball Ford Frick publicly opposes interleague play; the American League reportedly favors the idea, but the National League, currently considered the stronger of the two circuits, rejects it. "I have always maintained that the two leagues should keep themselves as far apart as possible," says Frick, a former NL president. He does, however, predict expansion and two 12-team leagues, each split into two divisions, which will become reality in . February 20 – On the eve of spring training and Year 3 of the Chicago Cubs' "College of Coaches" era, owner Philip K. Wrigley appoints former American League outfielder/third baseman and native Chicagoan Bob Kennedy "head coach." But in a departure from the coaching rotations of 1961–1962, it is announced that Kennedy is expected to serve in the post for the full 1963 season. In fact, Kennedy leads the Cubs to an 82–80 mark, their first above-.500 season since 1946, and will hold the head coaching job through June 13, 1965. February 27 – The Kansas City Athletics trade right-hander Jerry Walker to the Cleveland Indians for outfielder Chuck Essegian. Walker, 24, is a former member of the "Kiddie Corps"—mostly "bonus-baby" pitchers of the Baltimore Orioles. His brief MLB playing career (which ends in 1964) will be superseded by a 40+ year tenure as a pitching coach and front-office executive.
March March 8 – The second-year New York Mets, who finished last in the National League with a 40–120 record in their inaugural season, release veteran Gene Woodling, closing the book on the outfielder's playing career. Known as a key member of five of Casey Stengel's championship New York Yankees teams (–), Woodling, 40, batted .274 in 81 games for the Mets in . March 14 – The Los Angeles Angels sell the contract of fireballing relief pitcher Ryne Duren to the Philadelphia Phillies. Duren, 34, will win six games and save two others for the 1963 Phils. March 18 – The Washington Senators purchase the contract of veteran right-hander Ron Kline, 31, from the Detroit Tigers. March 22 – The New York Mets purchase pitcher Carl Willey from the Milwaukee Braves. Willey will attempt to boost a pitching rotation that includes Roger Craig, Al Jackson and Tracy Stallard. March 25 – The Philadelphia Phillies further strengthen their bullpen by acquiring Johnny Klippstein from the Cincinnati Reds in a cash transaction. Veteran righty Klippstein, 35, will post a stellar 1.93 earned run average in 1963, his 14th MLB season. March 28 – After less than three years in their organization, bonus baby Danny Murphy is dealt by the Chicago Cubs to the Houston Colt .45s, along with pitcher Dave Gerard, for pitchers Hal Haydel and Dick LeMay and catcher Merritt Ranew. Murphy, 20, currently an outfielder, signed a $100,000 contract after his high school graduation, but batted only .171 in three brief trials as a Cub; he will convert to the mound in and when he finally returns to the majors in it will be as a relief pitcher.
April
April 1 – The New York Mets purchase the contract of outfielder Duke Snider from the Los Angeles Dodgers. Future Hall of Famer Snider, 36, is one of the most celebrated stars of the Brooklyn Dodgers' 1950s National League dynasty. April 2 – Another veteran outfielder and future Hall of Famer, Minnie Miñoso, changes teams when the St. Louis Cardinals ship the 39-year-old to the Washington Senators. Miñoso's lone season as a Redbird was ruined by a fractured wrist, limiting him to only 39 games. April 4 – The Pittsburgh Pirates and Houston Colt .45s swap outfielders, with Pittsburgh obtaining Manny Mota for Howie Goss. Mota, 24, will establish himself as a major-leaguer after the Pirates recall him from Triple-A in July, and go on to play into while setting pinch-hitting records. April 8: In the seventh inning of the National League's traditional Opening Day contest at Cincinnati's Crosley Field, Reds southpaw Jim O'Toole commits the first balk of the 1963 season with the slow-running Bob Bailey of the Pittsburgh Pirates on first base. Two batters later, Bailey scores an inconsequential run in O'Toole's 5–2 complete-game victory."Cincinnati Reds 5, Pittsburgh Pirates 2." Retrosheet box score (April 8, 1963). But the balk call signals an approaching controversy: prior to the season, NL president Warren Giles has instructed umpires to strictly enforce Rule 8.05(m), which demands that pitchers stop their motions for a full second with a runner on base; as a result, 96 balks will be called in the Senior Circuit over the next four weeks. Second-inning home runs by Jim Gentile and Boog Powell power the Baltimore Orioles to a 3–1 win over the Washington Senators in the American League's traditional Presidential Opener before 43,022 at District of Columbia Stadium. Steve Barber goes eight innings for the victory. John F. Kennedy throws out the first ball."Baltimore Orioles 3, Washington Senators 1." Retrosheet box score (April 8, 1963). The Detroit Tigers acquire pitcher Denny McLain, 19, off first-year waivers from the Chicago White Sox. April 11: Warren Spahn of the Milwaukee Braves becomes the all-time winningest left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball history. His 6–1 victory over the New York Mets gives him 328 career wins, moving him ahead of Eddie Plank, star southpaw of the early-century Philadelphia Athletics. Except for Duke Snider's home run in today's game, no Met gets past second base. In his third American League game since being acquired over the winter from the Pittsburgh Pirates, catcher Don Leppert of the Washington Senators slugs three home runs against the Boston Red Sox, leading his team to an 8–0 rout at D.C. Stadium. His battery-mate, Tom Cheney, fires a one-hitter (a fourth-inning single by Eddie Bressoud) and fans ten. Leppert is one of seven batters who will enjoy three-homer days in 1963; Cheney's one-hitter is the first of ten one-hitters thrown in MLB this year."Top Individual Performances of 1963." Retrosheet. April 13 – After 11 hitless at bats, Cincinnati Reds second baseman Pete Rose records his first major league hit, a triple off Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Bob Friend. The NL's mandated enforcement of the balk rule produces a major-league record seven in the Pirates' 12–4 trouncing of the Reds at Crosley Field."Balk Records by Teams." Baseball Almanac. Friend commits four of the balks; Cincinnati's John Tsitouris (two) and Jim O'Toole (one) are guilty of the rest."Pittsburgh Pirates 12, Cincinnati Reds 4." Retrosheet box score (April 13, 1963). April 21 – The New York Yankees acquire southpaw relief pitcher Steve Hamilton from the Washington Senators for right-handed reliever Jim Coates. April 29 – The Baltimore Orioles claim 18-year-old outfielder Curt Blefary from the New York Yankees on first-year waivers. He will win the American League Rookie of the Year Award.
May May 2 – The Minnesota Twins trade left-hander Jack Kralick to the Cleveland Indians for right-hander Jim Perry. Gaylord Perry's elder sibling, Jim will win 128 games over a decade in a Minnesota uniform, with two 20-game-winning seasons. Perry also will capture the American League Cy Young Award. May 4: