1963 in baseball

The following are the baseball events of the year 1963 throughout the world.

Major League Baseball

 * World Series: Los Angeles Dodgers over 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

Awards and honors

 * Most Valuable Player
 * Elston Howard (AL)
 * Sandy Koufax (NL)
 * Cy Young Award
 * Sandy Koufax
 * Rookie of the Year
 * Gary Peters (AL)
 * Pete Rose (NL)

Events

 * January 27 - Sam Rice, Eppa Rixey, Elmer Flick and John Clarkson are elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Special Veterans Committee.


 * April 13: After 11 hitless at bats, Cincinnati second baseman Pete Rose records his first major league hit, a triple off Pittsburgh's Bob Friend. Increased enforcement of the balk rule produces a major-league record seven in the Pirates' 12–4 trouncing at Cincinnati. Friend commits four of the balks.


 * July 9 - At Municipal Stadium, the National League wins 5–3 over the American League in the All-Star Game. After four years, MLB had decided to return to the original single-game format. The American League out-hit the National League 11-6, but the effort went in vain as MVP Willie Mays put on a one-man show. Although he was held to a single, Mays collected two runs, two RBI, two stolen bases and made the defensive play of the game – a running catch that deprived Joe Pepitone of an extra base in the eighth inning. This game also marked the 24th and final appearance of Stan Musial, who pinch-hit in the fifth inning. He lined out to right field, leaving behind a .317 batting average (20-for-63) and an All-Star Game record of six home runs.


 * September 18 - In the final game ever played at the Polo Grounds, the Philadelphia Phillies defeat the New York Mets 6-1. New York gets its only run on Jim Hickman's 4th-inning home run, the last home run to be hit at the park.


 * October 6 - At Dodger Stadium, Sandy Koufax defeated the New York Yankees, 2–1, for a shocking World Series sweep for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Whitey Ford gave up only two hits, both by Frank Howard, who belted a long home run in the fifth inning to start the Dodgers scoring. In the Series, the Yankees batted just .171 and scored only four runs, the second-lowest total in WS history.


 * October 12 - In the first (and last) Hispanic American major league All-Star Game, the National League team beats the American League 5–2 at the Polo Grounds. The game features such names as Felipe Alou, Luis Aparicio, Orlando Cepeda, Roberto Clemente, Julián Javier, Minnie Miñoso, Tony Oliva and Zoilo Versalles. Vic Power receives a pregame award as the number one Latin player. NL starter Juan Marichal strikes out six in four innings, though reliever Al McBean is the winning pitcher. Pinch hitter Manny Mota drives in two runs against loser Pedro Ramos.

January-March

 * January 2 - Al Mamaux, 68, pitcher who twice won 20 games for Pittsburgh
 * January 5 - Rogers Hornsby, 66, Hall of Fame second baseman who posted the highest lifetime batting average (.358) of any right-handed batter, 7-time batting champion including a .424 mark in 1924; twice MVP, and the first NL player to hit 300 home runs
 * January 29 - Lee Meadows, 68, pitcher won 188 games for the Cardinals, Phillies and Pirates, was first modern major leaguer to wear glasses
 * January 31 - Ossie Vitt, 73, third baseman for the Tigers and Red Sox, later a minor league manager
 * February 15 - Bump Hadley, 58, pitcher who ended Mickey Cochrane's career with a 1937 pitch that fractured his skull; later a broadcaster
 * February 20 - Bill Hinchman, 79, outfielder twice batted .300 for Pittsburgh, later a scout
 * February 28 - Eppa Rixey, 71, pitcher elected to the Hall of Fame just one month earlier, until 1959 was winningest lefthander in NL history with 266 victories for Phillies and Reds
 * March 1 - Irish Meusel, 69, left fielder batted .310 lifetime, led NL in RBI in 1923
 * March 11 - Joe Judge, 68, first baseman batted .300 nine times for Senators, later coach at Georgetown for 20 years
 * March 29 - Wilcy Moore, 65, relief pitcher who won last game of 1927 World Series for Yankees

April-June

 * April 23 - Harry Harper, 67, pitcher who won 57 games, mainly with Senators
 * May 4 - Dickie Kerr, 69, pitcher who as a 1919 rookie won two World Series games for the White Sox, as one of the players not involved in fixing the Series
 * May 22 - Dave Shean, 79, second baseman and captain of champion 1918 Red Sox
 * May 23 - Gavvy Cravath, 82, right fielder who won six home runs titles with Phillies
 * May 27 - Dave Jolly, 38, knuckleball relief pitcher for Milwaukee Braves from 1953-1957
 * June 6 - Charlie Mullen, 74, first baseman for White Sox and Yankees in 1910s
 * June 8 - Earl Smith, 66, catcher for five NL champions, batted .350 in 1925 World Series
 * June 24 - George Trautman, 73, president of the minor leagues since 1946
 * June 24 - Jud Wilson, 69, All-Star third baseman of the Negro Leagues
 * June 28 - Frank "Home Run" Baker, 77, Hall of Fame third baseman, lifetime .307 hitter and 4-time home run champion, last surviving member of Philadelphia Athletics' "$100,000 infield"

July-September

 * July 27 - Hooks Dauss, 73, pitcher won 222 games, all for Detroit
 * August 15 - Karl Drews, 43, pitcher for four teams including 1947 champion Yankees
 * September 4 - Home Run Johnson, 88, early shortstop of the Negro Leagues
 * September 27 - Andy Coakley, 80, pitcher won 18 games for 1905 Athletics, later coach at Columbia for 37 years

October-December

 * October 2 - Cy Perkins, 67, catcher for 16 seasons, most with Athletics, later a coach for many years
 * November 6 - Clarence Mitchell, 72, spitball pitcher won 125 games, hit into unassisted triple play in 1920 World Series
 * November 13 - Muddy Ruel, 67, catcher for 19 seasons including 1924 champions Senators, later a coach
 * November 14 - Oscar Melillo, 64, second baseman for Browns and Red Sox
 * December 8 - Red Worthington, 57, left fielder for Boston Braves from 1931-1934
 * December 30 - Wilbur Good, 78, outfielder for six teams, primarily the Cubs