1961 Pittsburgh Pirates season

1961 Pittsburgh Pirates
League	National League
Ballpark	Forbes Field
City	Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Owners	John W. Galbreath (majority shareholder); Bing Crosby, Thomas P. Johnson (minority shareholders)
General managers	Joe L. Brown
Managers	Danny Murtaugh
Television	KDKA-TV Bob Prince, Jim Woods
Radio	KDKA Bob Prince, Paul Long, Jim Woods
Seasons

The 1961 Pittsburgh Pirates fell from World Champions the previous season to sixth place in the National League, as they won 75 games and lost 79, 18 games behind NL Champion Cincinnati.

Regular season

Season standings

National League

Team	W	L	Pct.	GB	Home	Road
Cincinnati Reds	93	61	.604	—	47‍–‍30	46‍–‍31
Los Angeles Dodgers	89	65	.578	4	45‍–‍32	44‍–‍33
San Francisco Giants	85	69	.552	8	45‍–‍32	40‍–‍37
Milwaukee Braves	83	71	.539	10	45‍–‍32	38‍–‍39
St. Louis Cardinals	80	74	.519	13	48‍–‍29	32‍–‍45
Pittsburgh Pirates	75	79	.487	18	38‍–‍39	37‍–‍40
Chicago Cubs	64	90	.416	29	40‍–‍37	24‍–‍53
Philadelphia Phillies	47	107	.305	46	22‍–‍55	25‍–‍52

Record vs. opponents

1961 National League record Sources: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]
Team	CHC	CIN	LAD	MIL	PHI	PIT	SF	STL
Chicago	—	12–10	7–15	9–13–1	13–9	11–11	5–17	7–15–1
Cincinnati	10–12	—	12–10	15–7	19–3	11–11	12–10	14–8
Los Angeles	15–7	10–12	—	12–10	17–5	13–9	10–12	12–10
Milwaukee	13–9–1	7–15	10–12	—	16–6	12–10	11–11	14–8
Philadelphia	9–13	3–19	5–17	6–16	—	7–15	8–14–1	9–13
Pittsburgh	11–11	11–11	9–13	10–12	15–7	—	10–12	9–13
San Francisco	17–5	10–12	12–10	11–11	14–8–1	12–10	—	9–13
St. Louis	15–7–1	8–14	10–12	8–14	13–9	13–9	13–9	—

Game log

1961 Game Log: 75–79 (Home: 38–39; Away: 37–40)
April: 9–6 (Home: 4–2; Away: 5–4) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 1 April 11 @ Giants 8–7 Face (1–0) McCormick Labine (1) 41,423 1–0 2 April 12 @ Giants 1–2 Loes Law (0–1) Duffalo 7,583 1–1 3 April 13 @ Giants 5–6 (12) Duffalo Face (1–1) — 10,910 1–2 4 April 14 @ Dodgers 6–3 Gibbon (1–0) Koufax Labine (2) 28,371 2–2 5 April 15 @ Dodgers 4–1 Friend (1–0) Drysdale — 36,783 3–2 6 April 16 @ Dodgers 6–13 Williams Law (0–2) Palmquist 27,716 3–3 7 April 18 Cubs 5–3 Mizell (1–0) Wright Face (1) 30,781 4–3 8 April 19 Cubs 4–1 Friend (2–0) Anderson — 12,742 5–3 9 April 20 Cubs 0–3 Hobbie Gibbon (1–1) — 10,428 5–4 10 April 23 Braves 1–3 Spahn Law (0–3) — 21,249 5–5 11 April 24 Braves 7–6 Friend (3–0) Drabowsky Labine (3) 14,826 6–5 12 April 26 Phillies 3–2 Mizell (2–0) Green — 9,420 7–5 13 April 29 @ Reds 6–3 Law (1–3) Jay Face (2) 9,173 8–5 14 April 30 @ Reds 6–3 Friend (4–0) Hook Face (3) 9–5 15 April 30 @ Reds 2–4 Purkey Gibbon (1–2) — 11,743 9–6
May: 12–12 (Home: 7–6; Away: 5–6) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 16 May 2 @ Cardinals 6–0 Haddix (1–0) Broglio — 6,549 10–6 17 May 3 @ Cardinals 1–3 Gibson Mizell (2–1) McDaniel 5,611 10–7 18 May 5 Dodgers 0–10 Podres Friend (4–1) Farrell 25,023 10–8 19 May 6 Dodgers 9–5 Gibbon (2–2) Craig Face (4) 9,736 11–8 20 May 7 Dodgers 2–4 Koufax Witt (0–1) Sherry 17,363 11–9 21 May 9 Giants 9–6 Haddix (2–0) Sanford Labine (4) 17,250 12–9 22 May 10 Giants 0–3 McCormick Friend (4–2) — 21,599 12–10 23 May 12 Reds 8–5 Shantz (1–0) Bridges — 20,662 13–10 24 May 13 Reds 13–5 Labine (1–0) O'Toole — 13,343 14–10 25 May 14 Reds 1–4 Hunt Friend (4–3) Brosnan 17,459 14–11 26 May 16 Cardinals 2–1 Face (2–1) Simmons — 13,578 15–11 27 May 17 Cardinals 4–3 Mizell (3–1) Broglio Face (5) 17,691 16–11 28 May 19 @ Phillies 1–4 Mahaffey Friend (4–4) — 16,035 16–12 29 May 20 @ Phillies 4–3 Gibbon (3–2) Roberts Face (6) 12,547 17–12 30 May 21 @ Phillies 13–11 Friend (5–4) Ferrarese — 9,291 18–12 31 May 22 @ Braves 2–1 Haddix (3–0) Buhl — 10,332 19–12 32 May 23 @ Braves 0–1 Burdette Shantz (1–1) — 9,367 19–13 33 May 24 @ Cubs 7–3 Mizell (4–1) Ellsworth Labine (5) 5,573 20–13 34 May 26 @ Cardinals 2–12 Simmons Friend (5–5) — 8,868 20–14 35 May 27 @ Cardinals 5–7 Broglio Law (1–4) McDaniel 14,941 20–15 36 May 28 @ Cardinals 4–8 Cicotte Haddix (3–1) — 16,632 20–16 37 May 30 Cubs 3–5 Ellsworth Mizell (4–2) Elston 20–17 38 May 30 Cubs 0–10 Cardwell Friend (5–6) — 30,852 20–18 39 May 31 Braves 9–1 Gibbon (4–2) Spahn — 16,902 21–18
June: 15–13 (Home: 10–9; Away: 5–4) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 40 June 1 Braves 8–2 (7) Haddix (4–1) Burdette — 19,128 22–18 41 June 2 Phillies 0–6 Buzhardt Friend (5–7) — 14,344 22–19 42 June 3 Phillies 5–1 Shantz (2–1) Mahaffey Face (7) 11,153 23–19 43 June 4 Phillies 0–5 Ferrarese Mizell (4–3) — 27,352 23–20 44 June 5 @ Dodgers 5–2 Law (2–4) Perranoski Face (8) 14,715 24–20 45 June 6 @ Dodgers 7–8 Podres Face (2–2) Sherry 15,784 24–21 46 June 7 @ Dodgers 3–7 Koufax Francis (0–1) — 19,967 24–22 47 June 8 @ Dodgers 4–2 Friend (6–7) Williams Shantz (1) 17,599 25–22 48 June 9 @ Giants 6–9 Bolin Face (2–3) Miller 27,815 25–23 49 June 10 @ Giants 0–5 McCormick Mizell (4–4) — 26,630 25–24 50 June 11 @ Giants 8–4 Law (3–4) Loes Friend (1) 34,185 26–24 51 June 13 Reds 2–1 Gibbon (5–2) Maloney — 19,423 27–24 52 June 14 Reds 5–4 Shantz (3–1) Brosnan — 14,270 28–24 53 June 15 Reds 1–8 Jay Mizell (4–5) — 19,209 28–25 54 June 16 Cardinals 2–5 Gibson Haddix (4–2) — 26,229 28–26 55 June 17 Cardinals 9–3 Shantz (4–1) Broglio — 15,436 29–26 56 June 18 Cardinals 5–3 Friend (7–7) Simmons Face (9) 30–26 57 June 18 Cardinals 3–7 Jackson Gibbon (5–3) Miller 29,176 30–27 58 June 20 @ Phillies 6–2 Haddix (5–2) Mahaffey Face (10) 10,649 31–27 59 June 22 @ Phillies 5–1 Friend (8–7) Buzhardt — 9,126 32–27 60 June 23 Phillies 11–12 Lehman Francis (0–2) Sullivan 16,170 32–28 61 June 24 Phillies 2–6 Short Mizell (4–6) Sullivan 9,546 32–29 62 June 25 Phillies 10–5 Face (3–3) Baldschun — 33–29 63 June 25 Phillies 3–4 Mahaffey Haddix (5–3) Sullivan 10,951 33–30 64 June 27 Dodgers 5–9 Farrell Friend (8–8) Sherry 25,936 33–31 65 June 28 Dodgers 9–3 Gibbon (6–3) Drysdale — 21,581 34–31 66 June 29 Dodgers 4–2 Francis (1–2) Koufax Face (11) 21,520 35–31 67 June 30 Giants 4–3 Face (4–3) McCormick — 31,900 36–31
July: 9–17 (Home: 4–10; Away: 5–7) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 68 July 1 Giants 3–4 Jones Friend (8–9) — 19,737 36–32 69 July 2 Giants 7–6 Haddix (6–3) McCormick Labine (6) 37–32 70 July 2 Giants 9–0 (7) Shantz (5–1) Marichal — 36,093 38–32 71 July 3 @ Reds 3–4 Maloney Gibbon (6–4) Brosnan 31,839 38–33 72 July 4 @ Reds 0–2 Jay Francis (1–3) — 11,802 38–34 73 July 6 @ Cubs 15–3 Friend (9–9) Ellsworth — 39–34 74 July 6 @ Cubs 1–5 Hobbie Mizell (4–7) — 15,813 39–35 75 July 7 @ Braves 6–5 McBean (1–0) Spahn Face (12) 17,622 40–35 76 July 8 @ Braves 4–3 Gibbon (7–4) Buhl Shantz (2) 16,109 41–35 77 July 9 @ Braves 5–4 McBean (2–0) Burdette Face (13) 20,845 42–35 78 July 13 @ Giants 1–2 Miller Friend (9–10) — 11,328 42–36 79 July 14 @ Giants 6–4 Labine (2–0) LeMay Face (14) 23,177 43–36 80 July 15 @ Giants 3–8 McCormick Haddix (6–4) — 22,596 43–37 81 July 16 @ Dodgers 11–12 (10) Podres Face (4–4) — 15,930 43–38 82 July 17 @ Dodgers 4–6 Williams Friend (9–11) Koufax 26,232 43–39 83 July 20 Cubs 4–0 Gibbon (8–4) Curtis — 13,859 44–39 84 July 21 Braves 3–5 Burdette Friend (9–12) Nottebart 28,290 44–40 85 July 22 Braves 4–5 Cloninger Shantz (5–2) Nottebart 16,417 44–41 86 July 23 Braves 4–11 Buhl Haddix (6–5) — 44–42 87 July 23 Braves 4–5 McMahon Friend (9–13) — 26,531 44–43 88 July 25 Giants 7–16 Miller Gibbon (8–5) — 18,698 44–44 89 July 26 Giants 8–3 Friend (10–13) LeMay — 17,306 45–44 90 July 27 Giants 0–2 Marichal Mizell (4–8) — 17,885 45–45 91 July 28 Dodgers 4–6 Podres Francis (1–4) Farrell 25,593 45–46 92 July 29 Dodgers 4–5 Perranoski McBean (2–1) Farrell 11,822 45–47 93 July 30 Dodgers 3–7 Drysdale Gibbon (8–6) Perranoski 18,273 45–48
August: 16–16 (Home: 8–7; Away: 8–9) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 94 August 2 @ Cardinals 2–4 Jackson Shantz (5–3) — 12,048 45–49 95 August 3 @ Cardinals 19–0 Haddix (7–5) Cicotte — 11,514 46–49 96 August 4 @ Reds 4–5 Brosnan Labine (2–1) — 27,383 46–50 97 August 5 @ Reds 11–7 McBean (3–1) Hunt — 12,125 47–50 98 August 6 @ Reds 9–4 Mizell (5–8) Jay Labine (7) 48–50 99 August 6 @ Reds 2–3 (10) Brosnan Face (4–5) — 31,167 48–51 100 August 7 @ Phillies 3–1 Friend (11–13) Buzhardt — 5,586 49–51 101 August 8 @ Phillies 10–2 Haddix (8–5) Mahaffey — 50–51 102 August 8 @ Phillies 3–2 Sturdivant (1–0) Short — 11,081 51–51 103 August 9 Cardinals 0–4 Simmons Gibbon (8–7) Bauta 17,038 51–52 104 August 10 Cardinals 2–3 Sadecki Francis (1–5) — 13,812 51–53 105 August 11 Phillies 6–0 (7) Friend (12–13) Roberts — 12,965 52–53 106 August 12 Phillies 4–0 Mizell (6–8) Owens — 8,785 53–53 107 August 13 Phillies 13–4 Sturdivant (2–0) Buzhardt — 12,923 54–53 108 August 14 @ Braves 3–8 Cloninger Haddix (8–6) — 14,648 54–54 109 August 15 @ Braves 1–4 Willey Gibbon (8–8) — 16,843 54–55 110 August 16 @ Braves 1–2 Spahn Friend (12–14) — 18,330 54–56 111 August 17 @ Cubs 4–11 Drott Mizell (6–9) Anderson 54–57 112 August 17 @ Cubs 4–3 Francis (2–5) Brewer Face (15) 16,961 55–57 113 August 18 @ Cubs 1–2 (11) Ellsworth Sturdivant (2–1) — 7,469 55–58 114 August 19 @ Cubs 4–3 (11) Labine (3–1) Curtis — 11,777 56–58 115 August 20 @ Cubs 0–1 (11) Cardwell Friend (12–15) — 19,038 56–59 116 August 22 Braves 4–1 Gibbon (9–8) Buhl Face (16) 15,874 57–59 117 August 23 Braves 7–6 Face (5–5) Nottebart — 15,117 58–59 118 August 24 Braves 1–6 Spahn Friend (12–16) — 16,653 58–60 119 August 25 Cubs 1–0 Sturdivant (3–1) Cardwell — 12,651 59–60 120 August 26 Cubs 3–7 Schultz Face (5–6) Anderson 9,137 59–61 121 August 27 Cubs 7–3 Gibbon (10–8) Curtis Labine (8) 60–61 122 August 27 Cubs 5–6 Brewer Mizell (6–10) Anderson 15,471 60–62 123 August 28 Cubs 4–5 Anderson Face (5–7) — 13,753 60–63 124 August 29 Reds 0–3 O'Toole Friend (12–17) Maloney 17,999 60–64 125 August 30 Reds 3–1 Sturdivant (4–1) Purkey — 20,000 61–64
September: 13–15 (Home: 4–5; Away: 9–10) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 126 September 1 @ Cardinals 4–8 Jackson Gibbon (10–9) — 13,480 61–65 127 September 2 @ Cardinals 5–4 Face (6–7) McDaniel — 9,140 62–65 128 September 3 @ Cardinals 8–1 Friend (13–17) Simmons — 13,817 63–65 129 September 4 @ Cardinals 4–9 Sadecki Francis (2–6) McDaniel 10,021 63–66 130 September 5 @ Cubs 8–3 Sturdivant (5–1) Hobbie — 3,417 64–66 131 September 6 @ Cubs 2–6 Cardwell Gibbon (10–10) — 3,080 64–67 132 September 7 @ Cubs 7–5 Shantz (6–3) Brewer — 2,752 65–67 133 September 8 @ Braves 2–1 Friend (14–17) Hendley — 15,606 66–67 134 September 9 @ Braves 3–4 Nottebart Face (6–8) — 12,320 66–68 135 September 10 @ Braves 3–4 Spahn Sturdivant (5–2) — 24,198 66–69 136 September 11 @ Giants 3–4 (10) Sanford Face (6–9) — 5,512 66–70 137 September 12 @ Giants 3–0 Gibbon (11–10) McCormick — 9,539 67–70 138 September 13 @ Dodgers 8–2 Haddix (9–6) Farrell — 10,494 68–70 139 September 14 @ Dodgers 6–7 Roebuck Face (6–10) — 9,805 68–71 140 September 16 Cardinals 3–6 Sadecki Francis (2–7) — 6,830 68–72 141 September 17 Cardinals 0–3 Jackson McBean (3–2) — 10,030 68–73 142 September 18 Cardinals 8–6 Foss (1–0) Gibson Face (17) 8,934 69–73 143 September 19 @ Reds 1–10 O'Toole Friend (14–18) — 14,225 69–74 144 September 20 @ Reds 2–3 Jay Face (6–11) — 14,822 69–75 145 September 22 @ Phillies 6–3 Labine (4–1) Sullivan — 4,687 70–75 146 September 23 @ Phillies 4–5 (16) Baldschun Face (6–12) — 4,005 70–76 147 September 24 @ Phillies 4–3 Mizell (7–10) Short Sturdivant (1) 3,282 71–76 148 September 26 Dodgers 3–5 Williams Friend (14–19) Farrell 71–77 149 September 26 Dodgers 8–0 Gibbon (12–10) Drysdale — 9,602 72–77 150 September 27 Giants 5–3 Haddix (10–6) Miller — 7,471 73–77 151 September 28 Giants 4–7 Duffalo Francis (2–8) Miller 5,384 73–78 152 September 29 Reds 1–8 O'Toole Foss (1–1) Jones 10,119 73–79 153 September 30 Reds 11–6 Jackson (1–0) Jay — 7,158 74–79
October: 1–0 (Home: 1–0; Away: 0–0) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 154 October 1 Reds 3–1 Gibbon (13–10) Brosnan — 26,760 75–79
Legend:        = Win        = Loss Bold = Pirates team member

Opening Day lineup

Opening Day Lineup
#	Name	Position
18	Bill Virdon	CF
24	Dick Groat	SS
4	Bob Skinner	LF
14	Rocky Nelson	1B
21	Roberto Clemente	RF
12	Don Hoak	3B
9	Bill Mazeroski	2B
6	Smoky Burgess	C
19	Bob Friend	SP

Notable transactions

• May 1961: Don Williams was purchased from the Pirates by the Chicago White Sox.
• June 20, 1961: Gene Baker was released by the Pirates.
• June 24, 1961: Ron Woods was signed by the Pirates as an amateur free agent.

Roster

1961 Pittsburgh Pirates
Roster
Pitchers 34 Tom Cheney 26 Roy Face 37 Larry Foss 27 Earl Francis 19 Bob Friend 22 Joe Gibbon 35 Fred Green 31 Harvey Haddix 25 Al Jackson 29 Clem Labine 32 Vern Law 34 Al McBean 30 Vinegar Bend Mizell 28 Bobby Shantz 15 Tom Sturdivant 37 Jim Umbricht 39 George Witt		Catchers  6 Smoky Burgess  2 Don Leppert  2 Bob Oldis  5 Hal Smith Infielders 16 Gene Baker 24 Dick Groat 12 Don Hoak 16 Johnny Logan  9 Bill Mazeroski 14 Rocky Nelson 11 Dick Schofield  7 Dick Stuart		Outfielders 23 Joe Christopher 20 Gino Cimoli 21 Roberto Clemente 35 Donn Clendenon 15 Román Mejías 20 Walt Moryn  4 Bob Skinner 18 Bill Virdon		Manager 40 Danny Murtaugh Coaches 41 Bill Burwell 45 Lenny Levy 43 Sam Narron 42 Ron Northey 44 Frank Oceak

Statistics

Batting

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Regular Season

Player	G	AB	H	Avg.	HR	RBI
J. Umbricht	1	1	1	1.000	0	0
G. Witt	9	2	1	0.500	0	0
B. Shantz	44	16	7	0.438	0	3
R. Clemente	146	572	201	0.351	23	89
D. Clendenon	9	35	11	0.314	0	2
S. Burgess	100	323	98	0.303	12	52
D. Stuart	138	532	160	0.301	35	117
G. Cimoli	21	67	20	0.299	0	6
D. Hoak	145	503	150	0.298	12	61
D. Groat	148	596	164	0.275	6	55
R. Face	62	11	3	0.273	0	1
B. Skinner	119	381	102	0.268	3	42
D. Leppert	22	60	16	0.267	3	5
A. McBean	28	15	4	0.267	1	3
B. Mazeroski	152	558	148	0.265	13	59
J. Christopher	76	186	49	0.263	0	14
V. Law	11	19	5	0.263	0	5
B. Virdon	146	599	156	0.260	9	58
T. Sturdivant	13	32	8	0.250	0	1
J. Logan	27	52	12	0.231	0	5
H. Smith	67	193	43	0.223	3	26
W. Moryn	40	65	13	0.200	3	9
R. Nelson	75	127	25	0.197	5	13
D. Schofield	60	78	15	0.192	0	2
L. Foss	3	6	1	0.167	0	1
H. Haddix	31	56	8	0.143	0	3
B. Friend	41	79	11	0.139	0	7
J. Gibbon	31	59	8	0.136	0	6
V. Mizell	25	23	3	0.130	0	1
E. Francis	23	28	3	0.107	0	0
G. Baker	9	10	1	0.100	0	0
C. Labine	56	10	1	0.100	0	0
F. Green	13	3	0	0.000	0	0
A. Jackson	5	8	0	0.000	0	0
R. Mejias	4	1	0	0.000	0	0
B. Oldis	4	5	0	0.000	0	0
T. Cheney	1	0	0	—	0	0
Team Totals	154	5,311	1.448	0.273	128	646

Pitching

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Regular Season

Player	G	IP	W	L	ERA	SO
T. Cheney	1	0	0	0	—	0
J. Umbricht	1	31⁄3	0	0	2.70	1
T. Sturdivant	13	852⁄3	5	2	2.84	45
J. Gibbon	30	1951⁄3	13	10	3.32	145
B. Shantz	43	891⁄3	6	3	3.32	61
A. Jackson	3	232⁄3	1	0	3.42	15
C. Labine	56	922⁄3	4	1	3.69	49
A. McBean	27	741⁄3	3	2	3.75	49
R. Face	62	92	6	12	3.82	55
B. Friend	41	236	14	19	3.85	108
H. Haddix	29	156	10	6	4.10	99
E. Francis	23	1022⁄3	2	8	4.21	53
V. Law	11	591⁄3	3	4	4.70	20
F. Green	13	202⁄3	0	0	4.79	4
V. Mizell	25	100	7	10	5.04	37
L. Foss	3	151⁄3	1	1	5.87	9
G. Witt	9	152⁄3	0	1	6.32	9
Team Totals	154	1362	75	79	3.92	759

Farm system

See also: Minor League Baseball

Level	Team	League	Manager
AAA	Columbus Jets	International League	Larry Shepard
A	Asheville Tourists	Sally League	Ray Hathaway
B	Burlington Bees	Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League	Harding "Pete" Peterson
C	Grand Forks Chiefs	Northern League	Bob Clear
D	Kingsport Pirates	Appalachian League	Jim Gibbons
D	Batavia Pirates	New York–Penn League	James Adlam and Gene Baker
D	Hobbs Pirates	Sophomore League	Al Kubski
D	Shelby Colonels	Western Carolinas League	Aaron Robinson and James Adlam

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Asheville, Hobbs

References

• 1961 Pittsburgh Pirates team page at Baseball Reference
• 1961 Pittsburgh Pirates Page at Baseball Almanac
• Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (1997). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (2nd ed.). Durham, North Carolina: Baseball America. ISBN 978-0-9637189-8-3.