1963 Baltimore Orioles season

The 1963 Baltimore Orioles season involved the Orioles finishing fourth in the American League with a record of 86 wins and 76 losses.

1963 Baltimore Orioles
Major League affiliations
American League (since 1901)
Location
Memorial Stadium (since 1954) Baltimore, Maryland (since 1954)
Results
Record	86–76 (.531)
League place	4th
Other information
Owner(s)	Jerold Hoffberger
General manager(s)	Lee MacPhail
Manager(s)	Billy Hitchcock
Local television	WBAL-TV
Local radio	WBAL (AM) (Chuck Thompson, Joe Croghan)
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Offseason

• November 21, 1962: Jimmie Coker purchased by the Orioles from the Philadelphia Phillies.[1]
• November 26, 1962: Paul Blair was drafted by the Orioles from the New York Mets in the 1962 first-year draft.[2]
• November 26, 1962: Curt Motton was drafted by the Orioles from the Chicago Cubs in the 1962 minor league draft.[3]
• November 26, 1962: Gus Triandos and Whitey Herzog were traded by the Orioles to the Detroit Tigers for Dick Brown.[4]
• December 15, 1962: Jack Fisher, Jimmie Coker and Billy Hoeft were traded by the Orioles to the San Francisco Giants for Stu Miller, Mike McCormick, and John Orsino.[5]
• January 14, 1963: Hoyt Wilhelm, Ron Hansen, Dave Nicholson, and Pete Ward were traded by the Orioles to the Chicago White Sox for Luis Aparicio and Al Smith.[6]
• Prior to 1963 season: Ron Stone was signed as an amateur free agent by the Orioles.[7]

Regular season

Season standings

American League	W	L	Pct.	GB	Home	Road
New York Yankees	104	57	0.646	—	58–22	46–35
Chicago White Sox	94	68	0.580	10½	49–33	45–35
Minnesota Twins	91	70	0.565	13	48–33	43–37
Baltimore Orioles	86	76	0.531	18½	48–33	38–43
Cleveland Indians	79	83	0.488	25½	41–40	38–43
Detroit Tigers	79	83	0.488	25½	47–34	32–49
Boston Red Sox	76	85	0.472	28	44–36	32–49
Kansas City Athletics	73	89	0.451	31½	36–45	37–44
Los Angeles Angels	70	91	0.435	34	39–42	31–49
Washington Senators	56	106	0.346	48½	31–49	25–57

Record vs. opponents

1963 American League Records Sources:
Team	BAL	BOS	CWS	CLE	DET	KC	LAA	MIN	NYY	WSH
Baltimore	—	7–11	7–11	10–8	13–5	9–9	9–9	9–9	7–11	15–3
Boston	11–7	—	8–10	10–8	9–9	7–11	9–8	7–11	6–12	9–9
Chicago	11–7	10–8	—	11–7	11–7	12–6	10–8	8–10	8–10	13–5
Cleveland	8–10	8–10	7–11	—	10–8	11–7	10–8	5–13	7–11	13–5
Detroit	5–13	9–9	7–11	8–10	—	13–5	12–6	8–10	8–10	9–9
Kansas City	9–9	11–7	6–12	7–11	5–13	—	10–8	9–9	6–12	10–8
Los Angeles	9–9	8–9	8–10	8–10	6–12	8–10	—	9–9	5–13	9–9
Minnesota	9–9	11–7	10–8	13–5	10–8	9–9	9–9	—	6–11	14–4
New York	11–7	12–6	10–8	11–7	10–8	12–6	13–5	11–6	—	14–4
Washington	3–15	9–9	5–13	5–13	9–9	8–10	9–9	4–14	4–14	—

Notable transactions

• April 29, 1963: Curt Blefary was selected off waivers by the Orioles from the New York Yankees as a first-year waiver pick.[8]
• May 8, 1963: Hobie Landrith was purchased from the Orioles by the Washington Senators.[9]
• May 15, 1963: Bobby Darwin was selected off waivers by the Orioles from the Los Angeles Angels as a first-year waiver pick.[10]

Roster

1963 Baltimore Orioles
Roster
Pitchers 13 Steve Barber 28 George Brunet 27 Wally Bunker 20 Pete Burnside 14 Ike Delock 23 Chuck Estrada 29 Dick Hall 40 Mike McCormick 19 Dave McNally 17 John Miller 37 Stu Miller 35 Buster Narum 32 Milt Pappas 38 Robin Roberts 24 Herm Starrette 18 Wes Stock 22 Dean Stone		Catchers 10 Dick Brown 30 Hobie Landrith 44 Charley Lau 12 John Orsino Infielders  7 Jerry Adair 11 Luis Aparicio  4 Jim Gentile  2 Bob Johnson  5 Brooks Robinson  1 Bob Saverine		Outfielders 14 Sam Bowens 25 Jackie Brandt  6 Joe Gaines 16,26 Boog Powell 3,16 Al Smith  9 Russ Snyder 20 Fred Valentine		Manager 45 Billy Hitchcock Coaches 41 Luke Appling 42 Hank Bauer 31 Harry Brecheen

Player stats

Batting

Starters by position

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

Pos	Player	G	AB	H	Avg.	HR	RBI
C	John Orsino	116	379	103	.272	19	56
1B	Jim Gentile	145	496	123	.248	24	72
2B	Jerry Adair	109	382	87	.228	6	30
3B	Brooks Robinson	161	589	148	.251	11	67
SS	Luis Aparicio	146	601	150	.250	5	45
LF	Boog Powell	140	491	130	.265	25	82
CF	Jackie Brandt	142	451	112	.248	15	61
RF	Al Smith	120	368	100	.272	10	39

Other batters

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

Player	G	AB	H	Avg.	HR	RBI
Russ Snyder	148	429	110	.256	7	36
Bob Johnson	82	254	75	.295	8	32
Dick Brown	59	171	42	.246	2	13
Bob Saverine	115	167	39	.234	1	12
Joe Gaines	66	126	36	.286	6	20
Sam Bowens	15	48	16	.333	1	9
Fred Valentine	26	41	11	.268	0	1
Hobie Landrith	2	1	0	.000	0	0

Pitching

Starting pitchers

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

Player	G	IP	W	L	ERA	SO
Steve Barber	39	258.2	20	13	2.75	180
Mike McCormick	25	136	6	8	4.30	75
Wally Bunker	1	4	0	1	13.50	1

Other pitchers

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

Player	G	IP	W	L	ERA	SO
John Miller	3	17	1	1	3.18	16

Relief pitchers

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

Player	G	W	L	SV	ERA	SO
Stu Miller	71	5	8	27	2.24	118
George Brunet	16	0	1	1	5.40	13

Awards and honors

All-Star Game

• Luis Aparicio, shortstop, starter
• Steve Barber, reserve
• Brooks Robinson, reserve[11]

Farm system

See also: Minor League Baseball

Level	Team	League	Manager
AAA	Rochester Red Wings	International League	Darrell Johnson
AA	Elmira Pioneers	Eastern League	Earl Weaver
A	Stockton Ports	California League	Harry Dunlop
A	Fox Cities Foxes	Midwest League	Billy DeMars
A	Aberdeen Pheasants	Northern League	Cal Ripken, Sr.
Rookie	Bluefield Orioles	Appalachian League	Billy Hunter

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Stockton, Bluefield

Notes

1. Jimmie Coker page at Baseball Reference
2. Paul Blair page at Baseball Reference
3. Curt Motton page at Baseball Reference
4. Whitey Herzog page at Baseball Reference
5. Jack Fisher page at Baseball Reference
6. Hoyt Wilhelm page at Baseball Reference
7. Ron Stone page at Baseball Reference
8. Curt Blefary page at Baseball Reference
9. Hobie Landrith page at Baseball Reference
10. Bobby Darwin page at Baseball Reference
11. http://baseball-almanac.com/asgbox/yr1963as.shtml

References

• 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.
• 1963 Baltimore Orioles team page at Baseball Reference
• 1963 Baltimore Orioles season at baseball-almanac.com