October Games

Going into the last three days of the 1965 baseball season I am replaying with APBA, there was a chance for a four-way tie for first place in the National League.  Cincinnati led with a 95-64 record on Sept. 30 and Pittsburgh and San Francisco were each a game behind with records of 94-65. St. Louis, which had led the league for much of the season, but faltered late, was in fourth place with a 93-66 record.

Minnesota had already clinched the American League and ended up beating out Detroit by six games, so the focus at the end of this season was strictly on the National League.

It came down to the last game of the season.

Here’s a rundown of the games of October.

Oct. 1

Pittsburgh 7 Chicago 2 – The Pirates hit four home runs, including Willie Stargell’s 39^th, and Bucs pitcher Bob Veale picked up the win with 10 strikeouts.

St. Louis 4 Houston 3- Tim McCarver hit a leadoff home run in the ninth inning to give the Cardinals a needed win. Bob Gibson went the distance on the mound for St. Louis, giving up only 5 hits. Two, though were home runs to Rusty Staub, his 23^rd, and Joe Morgan, his 16^th.

San Francisco 14 Cincinnati 4 – The Giants took a 10-0 lead by the sixth inning and pitcher Juan Marichal was perfect through the first five innings. Backup outfielder Ken Henderson hit a home run and drove in four for San Francisco.

After the day’s games, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and San Francisco all shared 95-65 records. St. Louis was a game behind at 94-66.

Oct. 2

Houston 1 St. Louis 0 – The Astros knocked the Cardinals out of the race when Walt Bond blooped a single in the sixth, scoring Morgan, for the game's only run.

Pittsburgh 7 Chicago 0 – Vern Law gave up only four hits and Stargell drove in four runs in the Buc’s victory.

Cincinnati 3 San Francisco 2 –Tony Perez hit a seventh-inning home run to give the Reds their 3-2 lead. Reliever Billy McCool picked up his 21^st save, despite having Giants runners on third in the eighth and ninth innings.

Cincinnati and Pittsburgh were tied with 96-65 records and San Francisco was a game behind at 95-66.

Oct. 3

The last day of the season.  If Cincinnati beat the Giants and the hapless Cubs defeated Pittsburgh, the Reds would claim the National League crown. If San Francisco won and the Pirates lost, there’d be a three-way tie. And if Pittsburgh won and the Giants won, Pittsburgh would take the pennant.

Cincinnati 5 San Francisco 0 – Frank Robinson hit his 43^rd home run of the season and Sammy Ellis earned his 24^th win. Willie Mays, who ended the season with a league-leading 49 homers and Willie McCovey, who had 44 home runs, went a combined 0-7 in the game.

Pittsburgh 6 Chicago 0 – Donn Clendenon hit two home runs and drove in four runs and the Pirates ended up tied with the Reds with 97-65 records.

I’ll have a three-game playoff next with the opening game in Pittsburgh and the next two in Cincinnati.

I always say this during a replay season, but this one has to be the best one I’ve done in my 24 years of APBA baseball. My favorite team, the Minnesota Twins, won the American League, there was great pitching (Sam McDowell of Cleveland led the majors with 355 strikeouts and  Vern Law of Pittsburgh and Marcelino Lopez of California each had two no-hitters) and great hitting (Leon “Daddy Wags” Wagner of Cleveland led the American League with 46 home runs. It seemed Wagner caught on fire at the end of the season, bashing 12 in September and October.)

Next up is the National League playoff with the winner facing the Twins in the 1965 World Series.