Copyright © Los Angeles Dodgers, Inc.

The 1961 Dodgers

Team History: 1951-1997
1961 Record:
89-65, 2nd place
Postseason:
None
Manager:
Walter Alston
All-Stars:
Game 1 — Sandy Koufax, P; John Roseboro, C; Maury Wills, SS; Game 2 — Don Drysdale, P; Sandy Koufax, P; John Roseboro, C; Maury Wills, SS
Home Attendance:
1,804,250

Season Recap:

1961 Dodgers Yearbook

1961 Dodgers Yearbook

Copyright © Los Angeles Dodgers, Inc.

The 1961 season would be the last in the vast and temporary home of the Dodgers, the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Although the Dodgers were actually favored in preseason polls, they could not quite fulfill the experts’ predictions and wound up in second place, four games behind Fred Hutchinson’s Cincinnati Reds. Despite the second-place finish, Walter Alston and company had many positives during the season. Among them was the emergence of 25-year-old left-hander Sandy Koufax, who won 18 and lost 13 with a 3.52 ERA. He set the National League record for most strikeouts in a season with 269. Koufax led the league with the fewest hits per nine innings with 7.46. Johnny Podres topped the N.L. with a .783 winning percentage to go along with his 18-5 record. Don Drysdale slipped to 13-10 but still had the third-best strikeout total in the N.L. with 182. With Stan Williams’ 205 strikeouts, good for second in the National League, the pitching-rich Dodger staff led baseball once again with 1,105 K’s. While Larry Sherry had arm problems, he still was 4-4 with 15 saves, while left-hander Ron Perranoski, acquired in a trade with the Cubs for Don Zimmer in 1960, had spent a year in the minor leagues and was called up to finish 7-5 with 6 saves and a 2.65 ERA. The offense was still paced by Wally Moon, who batted .328 with 17 home runs and 88 RBI. Left-hander Ron Fairly, who played first base and outfield, batted .322 with 10 home runs and 48 RBI. Snider contributed a .296 batting average to combine with 16 homers and 56 RBI. Maury Wills topped the N.L. again in stolen bases with 35. Catcher John Roseboro had a team-high 877 putouts. The Dodgers lost 10 straight games in August and September, preventing them from any pennant hopes. In the final game played at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, the home of the Dodgers for four seasons in L.A., the Dodgers defeated the Chicago Cubs, 3-2 in 13 innings on Sept. 20, 1961. Koufax pitched a complete game, struck out 15 batters and threw 205 pitches. Fairly stroked a game-winning single and Moon carried home the final Coliseum run. A total of 743 home runs were hit at the Coliseum, including 346 by the Dodgers.

Below are the Dodger Front Office department heads and personnel, plus scouts who worked for Walter O’Malley.

President:
Walter O’Malley
Executive Vice President & General Manager:
Emil J. Bavasi
Vice President & Director of Minor League Operations:
Fresco Thompson
Vice President & Director of Stadium Operations:
Richard B. Walsh
Assistant Treasurer & Comptroller:
Col. E. John Burns
Executive Assistant:
Henry J. Walsh
Executive Assistant:
Joseph Ziegler
Director of Public Relations & Promotions:
Arthur E. Patterson
Director of Ticket Sales:
Harold Parrott
Director of Scouting:
Al Campanis
Advertising Director:
Danny Goodman
Assistant Director of Minor League Operations:
William P. Schweppe
Traveling Secretary:
Lee Scott
Director of Transportation:
Robert J. Schenz
Statistician:
Allan Roth
Group Ticket Sales and Knothole Club:
George (Tuck) Stainback
Manager:
Walter Alston
Scouts:
Al Campanis, Director; Dwight (Red) Adams, Cliff Alexander, Hugh Alexander, Romanus (Monty) Basgall, William Brenzel, John S. Carey, Leon Hamilton, Andy High, Tom Lasorda, Hank Majeski, Kenneth Myers, Harold (Lefty) Phillips, Jake Pitler, Rudy Rufer, Jack Warner, Jim Weaver, Bert Wells. Manual Boody, Bob Carter, Ramon (Monchile) Concepcion, Scott Drysdale, Jerry Flathman, A. G. (Tony) John, Sylvester Johnson, Marty Jones, Richard (Tex) Jones, Monroe Katz, Steve Lembo, Mike Maietta, Marion McDonald, Don Mohr, Richard Murray, Pat Murrow, Floyd L. (Pat) Patterson, Romeo Pilon, John Pryor, Howard Ruppen, Phil Sahara, L.F. (Lefty) Scheibel, Joe Thomas, Guy Wellman