1969 Baltimore Orioles season

The 1969 Baltimore Orioles season was a season in American baseball. In the first season after the American League was split into two divisions, the Orioles won the first-ever American League East title, finishing first with a record of 109 wins and 53 losses, 19 games ahead of the runner-up Detroit Tigers.

1969 Baltimore Orioles
1969 AL East Champions 1969 AL Champions
Major League affiliations
American League (since 1901)
East Division (since 1969)
Location
Memorial Stadium (since 1954) Baltimore, Maryland (since 1954)
Results
Record	109–53 (.673)
Divisional place	1st
Other information
Owner(s)	Jerold Hoffberger
General manager(s)	Harry Dalton
Manager(s)	Earl Weaver
Local television	WJZ-TV
Local radio	WBAL (AM) (Chuck Thompson, Bill O'Donnell, Jim Karvellas)
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After the regular season, the Orioles went on to the inaugural American League Championship Series, where they faced the Minnesota Twins. They swept the Twins in the 1969 ALCS, but lost the World Series to the upstart National League champion New York Mets in five games.

The team was managed by Earl Weaver, and played their home games at Memorial Stadium.

Offseason

• October 15, 1968: Wally Bunker was drafted from the Orioles by the Kansas City Royals with the 25th pick in the 1968 Major League Baseball expansion draft.[1]
• December 4, 1968: Curt Blefary and John Mason (minors) were traded by the Orioles to the Houston Astros for Mike Cuellar, Enzo Hernández, and Elijah Johnson (minors).[2]
• December 2, 1968: Bobby Darwin was drafted from the Orioles by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 1968 rule 5 draft.[3]
• January 20, 1969: Ron Stone was traded by the Orioles to the Philadelphia Phillies for Clay Dalrymple.[4]
• March 31, 1969: Gene Brabender and Gordy Lund were traded by the Orioles to the Seattle Pilots for Chico Salmon.[5]

Spring training

The Baltimore Orioles held Spring training at Miami Stadium in Miami for the 11th season.

Regular season

Season standings

AL East	W	L	Pct.	GB	Home	Road
Baltimore Orioles	109	53	0.673	—	60–21	49–32
Detroit Tigers	90	72	0.556	19	46–35	44–37
Boston Red Sox	87	75	0.537	22	46–35	41–40
Washington Senators	86	76	0.531	23	47–34	39–42
New York Yankees	80	81	0.497	28½	48–32	32–49
Cleveland Indians	62	99	0.385	46½	33–48	29–51

Record vs. opponents

1969 American League Records Sources:
Team	BAL	BOS	CAL	CWS	CLE	DET	KC	MIN	NYY	OAK	SEA	WSH
Baltimore	—	10–8	6–6	9–3	13–5	11–7	11–1	8–4	11–7	8–4	9–3	13–5
Boston	8–10	—	8–4	5–7	12–6	10–8	10–2	7–5	11–7	4–8	6–6	6–12
California	6–6	4–8	—	9–9	8–4	5–7	9–9	7–11	3–9	6–12	9–9–1	5–7
Chicago	3–9	7–5	9–9	—	8–4	3–9	8–10	5–13	3–9	8–10	10–8	4–8
Cleveland	5–13	6–12	4–8	4–8	—	7–11	7–5	5–7	9–8	5–7	7–5	3–15
Detroit	7–11	8–10	7–5	9–3	11–7	—	8–4	6–6	10–8	7–5	10–2	7–11
Kansas City	1–11	2–10	9–9	10–8	5–7	4–8	—	8–10	5–7–1	8–10	10–8	7–5
Minnesota	4–8	5–7	11–7	13–5	7–5	6–6	10–8	—	10–2	13–5	12–6	6–6
New York	7–11	7–11	9–3	9–3	8–9	8–10	7–5–1	2–10	—	6–6	7–5	10–8
Oakland	4–8	8–4	12–6	10–8	7–5	5–7	10–8	5–13	6–6	—	13–5	8–4
Seattle	3–9	6–6	9–9–1	8–10	5–7	2–10	8–10	6–12	5–7	5–13	—	7–5
Washington	5–13	12–6	7–5	8–4	15–3	11–7	5–7	6–6	8–10	4–8	5–7	—

Notable transactions

• June 5, 1969: 1969 Major League Baseball draft
  • Dave Skaggs was drafted by the Orioles in the 6th round.[6]
  • Dave Winfield was drafted by the Orioles in the 40th round, but did not sign.[7]
• August 16, 1969: Bob Galasso was signed as an amateur free agent by the Orioles.[8]

Roster

1969 Baltimore Orioles
Roster
Pitchers 17 Mike Adamson 33 Fred Beene 23 Frank Bertaina 35 Mike Cuellar 49,29 Dick Hall 44 Jim Hardin 40 Dave Leonhard 29,32 Marcelino López 19 Dave McNally 22 Jim Palmer 36 Tom Phoebus 24 Pete Richert 18 Al Severinsen 39 Eddie Watt		Catchers  3 Clay Dalrymple  8 Andy Etchebarren 10 Elrod Hendricks Infielders  7 Mark Belanger 37 Terry Crowley  2 Bobby Floyd 15 Davey Johnson 26 Boog Powell  5 Brooks Robinson 30 Chico Salmon		Outfielders  6 Paul Blair  9 Don Buford 12 Dave May 21 Curt Motton 14 Merv Rettenmund 20 Frank Robinson		Manager  4 Earl Weaver Coaches 31 George Bamberger 55 Billy Hunter 41 Charley Lau 48 George Staller

Game log

1969 Regular Season Game Log (109–53) (Home: 60–21; Road: 49–32)
April (16–7) (Home: 10–4; Road: 6–3) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Stadium Record Report Rank GB Game Time Local TV National TV 1 April 8 Red Sox 4–5 (12) 0–1 2 April 10 Red Sox 2–1 (13) 1–1 3 April 11 Senators 0–4 1–2 4 April 12 Senators 9–0 2–2 5 April 13 Senators 2–0 3–2 6 April 13 Senators 9–0 4–2 7 April 14 @ Red Sox 3–5 4–3 8 April 15 @ Red Sox 10–5 5–3 9 April 16 @ Red Sox 11–8 (8) 6–3 10 April 17 @ Red Sox 9–5 7–3 11 April 18 @ Senators 6–0 8–3 12 April 19 @ Senators 5–7 8–4 13 April 20 @ Senators 2–1 9–4 14 April 20 @ Senators 2–5 9–5 15 April 21 Indians 11–0 10–5 16 April 22 Indians 3–2 11–5 17 April 23 Tigers 3–2 (10) 12–5 18 April 24 Tigers 5–2 13–5 19 April 25 Yankees 2–7 13–6 20 April 26 Yankees 5–6 13–7 21 April 27 Yankees 6–0 14–7 22 April 27 Yankees 10–5 15–7 23 April 30 @ Tigers 3–2 16–7
May (18–8) (Home: 7–4; Road: 11–4) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Stadium Record Report Rank GB Game Time Local TV National TV 24 May 1 @ Tigers 0–2 16–8 25 May 2 @ Yankees 5–1 17–8 26 May 3 @ Yankees 5–4 18–8 27 May 4 @ Yankees 5–3 19–8 28 May 4 @ Yankees 14–2 20–8 29 May 6 White Sox 0–1 20–9 30 May 7 White Sox 4–6 20–10 31 May 9 Royals 2–4 20–11 32 May 10 Royals 6–5 21–11 33 May 11 Royals 5–0 22–11 34 May 13 @ Twins 2–4 22–12 35 May 14 @ Twins 9–8 23–12 36 May 15 @ Twins 5–0 24–12 37 May 16 @ Royals 5–3 (11) 25–12 38 May 17 @ Royals 4–2 26–12 39 May 18 @ Royals 5–0 27–12 40 May 20 Twins 2–3 (13) 27–13 41 May 21 Twins 4–3 28–13 42 May 22 Twins 6–2 29–13 43 May 23 Athletics 4–3 30–13 44 May 24 Athletics 2–1 31–13 45 May 25 Athletics 5–3 32–13 46 May 27 @ Pilots 1–8 32–14 47 May 28 @ Pilots 9–5 33–14 48 May 30 @ Angels 3–1 34–14 49 May 31 @ Angels 3–4 34–15
June (21–6) (Home: 8–4; Road: 13–2) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Stadium Record Report Rank GB Game Time Local TV National TV 50 June 1 @ Angels 4–3 35–15 51 June 3 @ Athletics 3–1 (11) 36–15 52 June 4 @ Athletics 6–1 37–15 53 June 6 Pilots 5–1 38–15 54 June 7 Pilots 10–0 39–15 55 June 8 Pilots 5–7 39–16 56 June 10 Angels 11–4 40–16 57 June 11 Angels 5–7 (14) 40–17 58 June 13 @ White Sox 5–2 41–17 59 June 14 @ White Sox 12–3 42–17 60 June 15 @ White Sox 9–0 43–17 61 June 15 @ White Sox 13–2 44–17 62 June 17 @ Senators 5–1 45–17 63 June 18 @ Senators 3–1 46–17 64 June 19 @ Senators 2–0 47–17 65 June 20 @ Indians 2–7 47–18 66 June 20 @ Indians 5–1 48–18 67 June 21 @ Indians 3–1 49–18 68 June 22 @ Indians 2–3 49–19 69 June 22 @ Indians 6–0 50–19 70 June 23 Senators 5–3 51–19 71 June 24 Senators 6–3 (11) 52–19 72 June 25 Senators 8–11 52–20 73 June 27 Tigers 4–1 53–20 74 June 28 Tigers 6–4 54–20 75 June 29 Tigers 2–3 54–21 76 June 29 Tigers 4–3 55–21
July (17–10) (Home: 13–3; Road: 4–7) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Stadium Record Report Rank GB Game Time Local TV National TV 77 July 1 @ Yankees 9–10 55–22 78 July 2 @ Yankees 2–3 55–23 79 July 4 @ Tigers 1–4 (5) 55–24 80 July 5 @ Tigers 9–3 56–24 81 July 6 @ Tigers 4–5 56–25 82 July 8 Yankees 10–3 57–25 83 July 8 Yankees 4–1 58–25 84 July 9 Yankees 6–5 (10) 59–25 85 July 10 Red Sox 5–4 60–25 86 July 11 Red Sox 4–7 60–26 87 July 11 Red Sox 3–12 60–27 88 July 12 Red Sox 4–0 61–27 89 July 13 Red Sox 6–3 62–27 90 July 15 Indians 5–1 63–27 91 July 16 Indians 4–6 63–28 92 July 16 Indians 6–5 64–28 93 July 17 Indians 3–2 65–28 94 July 18 @ Red Sox 1–6 65–29 95 July 19 @ Red Sox 3–5 65–30 96 July 20 @ Red Sox 5–6 65–31 July 23: All-Star Game (NL wins—) 9–3 Carlton (STL) Stottlemyre (NYY) 45,259 RFK Stadium Washington, D.C. 97 July 24 White Sox 5–2 66–31 98 July 25 White Sox 4–2 67–31 99 July 26 White Sox 2–1 68–31 100 July 27 White Sox 17–0 69–31 101 July 29 @ Royals 4–1 70–31 102 July 30 @ Royals 4–2 71–31 103 July 31 @ Royals 3–1 72–31
August (19–12) (Home: 12–4; Road: 7–8) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Stadium Record Report Rank GB Game Time Local TV National TV 104 August 1 @ Twins 3–4 (10) 72–32 105 August 2 @ Twins 6–5 73–32 106 August 3 @ Twins 2–5 73–33 107 August 4 @ Indians 0–2 73–34 108 August 5 Royals 7–5 (10) 74–34 109 August 6 Royals 2–1 75–34 110 August 7 Royals 10–2 76–34 111 August 8 Twins 6–5 77–34 112 August 9 Twins 5–1 78–34 113 August 10 Twins 2–0 79–34 114 August 11 Athletics 4–7 79–35 115 August 12 Athletics 4–3 80–35 116 August 13 Athletics 8–0 81–35 117 August 15 @ Pilots 2–1 82–35 118 August 16 @ Pilots 15–3 83–35 119 August 17 @ Pilots 4–1 84–35 120 August 18 @ Pilots 12–3 85–35 121 August 19 @ Angels 10–0 86–35 122 August 20 @ Angels 2–3 86–36 123 August 21 @ Angels 0–2 86–37 124 August 22 @ Athletics 4–3 (10) 87–37 125 August 23 @ Athletics 2–4 87–38 126 August 24 @ Athletics 0–9 87–39 127 August 24 @ Athletics 8–9 (18) 87–40 128 August 26 Pilots 1–2 87–41 129 August 27 Pilots 7–2 88–41 130 August 28 Pilots 4–3 (11) 89–41 131 August 29 Angels 2–6 89–42 132 August 29 Angels 1–2 89–43 133 August 30 Angels 6–3 90–43 134 August 31 Angels 5–4 91–43
September (17–10) (Home: 9–2; Road: 8–8) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Stadium Record Report Rank GB Game Time Local TV National TV 135 September 1 @ White Sox 8–0 92–43 136 September 2 @ White Sox 3–10 92–44 137 September 4 @ Tigers 5–4 93–44 138 September 5 @ Tigers 8–4 94–44 139 September 6 @ Tigers 4–5 (11) 94–45 140 September 7 @ Tigers 6–5 (14) 95–45 141 September 9 Senators 6–1 96–45 142 September 9 Senators 3–2 97–45 143 September 10 Red Sox 8–7 98–45 144 September 11 Red Sox 4–2 99–45 145 September 12 Indians 2–1 100–45 146 September 13 Indians 10–5 101–45 147 September 14 Indians 7–3 102–45 148 September 15 @ Senators 2–3 102–46 149 September 16 @ Senators 1–0 103–46 150 September 18 @ Red Sox 6–4 104–46 151 September 18 @ Red Sox 0–5 104–47 152 September 19 Yankees 4–2 105–47 153 September 20 Yankees 8–7 106–47 154 September 23 @ Indians 1–3 106–48 155 September 24 @ Indians 4–3 (11) 107–48 156 September 25 @ Indians 4–1 108–48 157 September 26 @ Yankees 2–4 108–49 158 September 27 @ Yankees 0–1 108–50 159 September 28 @ Yankees 2–3 108–51 160 September 29 Tigers 1–4 108–52 161 September 30 Tigers 3–4 108–53
October (1–0) (Home: 1–0) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Stadium Record Report Rank GB Game Time Local TV National TV 162 October 1 Tigers 2–1 (10) 109–53

Player stats

= Indicates team leader

Starters by position

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

Pos	Player	G	AB	R	H	Avg.	HR	RBI	SB
C	Elrod Hendricks	105	295	36	72	.244	12	38	0
1B	Boog Powell	152	533	83	162	.304	37	121	1
2B	Davey Johnson	142	511	52	143	.280	7	57	3
3B	Brooks Robinson	156	598	73	140	.234	23	84	2
SS	Mark Belanger	150	530	76	152	.287	2	50	14
LF	Don Buford	144	554	99	161	.291	11	64	19
CF	Paul Blair	150	625	102	178	.285	26	76	20
RF	Frank Robinson	148	539	111	166	.308	32	100	9

[9]

Other batters

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

Player	G	AB	R	H	Avg.	HR	RBI	SB
Andy Etchebarren	73	217	29	54	.249	3	26	1
Merv Rettenmund	95	190	27	47	.247	4	25	6
Dave May	78	120	8	29	.242	3	10	2
Chico Salmon	52	91	18	27	.297	3	12	0
Curt Motton	56	89	15	27	.303	6	21	3
Bobby Floyd	39	84	7	17	.202	0	1	0
Clay Dalrymple	37	80	8	19	.238	3	6	0
Terry Crowley	7	18	2	6	.333	0	3	0

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
Dave McNally	41	268.2	20	7	3.22	166
Mike Cuellar	39	290.2	23	11	2.38	182
Tom Phoebus	35	202	14	7	3.52	117
Jim Palmer	26	181	16	4	2.34	123

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
Jim Hardin	30	137.2	6	7	3.60	64

Relief pitchers

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

Player	G	IP	W	L	SV	ERA	SO
Eddie Watt	56	71	5	2	16	1.65	46
Pete Richert	44	57.1	7	4	12	2.20	54
Dick Hall	39	65.2	5	2	6	1.92	31
Dave Leonhard	37	94	7	4	1	2.49	37
Marcelino López	27	69.1	5	3	0	4.41	57
Al Severinsen	12	19.2	1	1	0	2.29	13
Mike Adamson	6	8	0	1	0	4.50	2
Frank Bertaina	3	6	0	0	0	0.00	5
Fred Beene	2	2.2	0	0	0	0.00	0

Postseason

ALCS

Game 1

October 4, 1969, at Memorial Stadium

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	R	H	E
Minnesota	0	0	0	0	1	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	3	4	2
Baltimore	0	0	0	1	1	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	4	10	1
W: Dick Hall (1–0)   L: Ron Perranoski (0–1)
HR: MIN – Tony Oliva (1), BAL – Frank Robinson (1), Mark Belanger (1), Boog Powell (1)

Game 2

October 5, 1969, at Memorial Stadium

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	R	H	E
Minnesota	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	1
Baltimore	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	8	0
W: Dave McNally (1–0)   L: Dave Boswell (0–1)
HR: None

Game 3

October 6, 1969, at Metropolitan Stadium

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Baltimore	0	3	0	2	0	1	0	2	3	11	18	0
Minnesota	1	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	2	10	2
W: Jim Palmer (1–0)   L: Bob Miller (0–1)
HR: BAL – Paul Blair (1)

1969 World Series

Game	Score	Date	Location	Attendance
1	Mets – 1, Orioles – 4	October 11	Memorial Stadium	50,429
2	Mets – 2, Orioles – 1	October 12	Memorial Stadium	50,850
3	Orioles – 0, Mets – 5	October 14	Shea Stadium	56,335
4	Orioles – 1, Mets – 2 (10 innings)	October 15	Shea Stadium	57,367
5	Orioles – 3, Mets – 5	October 16	Shea Stadium	57,397

Game log

1969 Postseason Game Log
1969 American League Championship Series vs. Minnesota – Baltimore wins series 3–0 # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Stadium Report Game Time Local TV National TV 1 October 4 Twins 2 October 5 Twins 3 October 6 @ Twins
1969 World Series vs. New York (NL) – New York (NL) wins series 4–1 # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Stadium Report Game Time Local TV National TV National Radio 1 October 11 Mets 2 October 12 Mets 3 October 14 @ Mets 4 October 15 @ Mets 5 October 16 @ Mets

Farm system

Level	Team	League	Manager
AAA	Rochester Red Wings	International League	Cal Ripken Sr.
AA	Dallas-Fort Worth Spurs	Texas League	Joe Altobelli
A	Stockton Ports	California League	Bill Werle
A	Miami Marlins	Florida State League	Woody Smith
A-Short Season	Aberdeen Pheasants	Northern League	Ken Rowe
Rookie	Bluefield Orioles	Appalachian League	Jackie Ferrell

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Stockton, Miami

Notes

1. Wally Bunker at Baseball Reference
2. Curt Blefary at Baseball Reference
3. Bobby Darwin at Baseball Reference
4. Clay Dalrymple at Baseball Reference
5. Chico Salmon at Baseball Reference
6. Dave Skaggs at Baseball Reference
7. Dave Winfield at Baseball Reference
8. Bob Galasso at Baseball Reference
9. https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/BAL/1969.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.
• 1969 Baltimore Orioles at Baseball Reference
• 1969 Baltimore Orioles season at Baseball Almanac