The 1966 Los Angeles Dodgers season was the 77th season for the Los Angeles Dodgers franchise in Major League Baseball (MLB), their 9th season in Los Angeles, California, and their 5th season playing their home games at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles California. The Dodgers won the National League championship with a 95–67 record (1+12 games over the San Francisco Giants), but were swept by the Baltimore Orioles in the World Series.

Regular season

Sandy Koufax became the first pitcher to win three Cy Young Awards in a career.[1]

Season recap

The defending World Series champion Dodgers relied upon the same model that brought them the championship in 1965; great pitching, tight defense, and speed. However, pitchers Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale held out nearly all of spring training due to a contract dispute, finally signing just before the start of the regular season. Drysdale had a sub par season going 13–16 with a 3.42 E.R.A. Koufax went 27–9 with a 1.73 E.R.A. Claude Osteen had his best season to date, winning 17 games with a 2.85 E.R.A., and rookie Don Sutton replaced Johnny Podres in the rotation, chipping in with 12 wins and a 2.99 E.R.A. Phil Regan had a good season, going 14–1 with 21 saves.

The National League race was a 4 team affair between the Dodgers, Giants, Pirates, and Phillies, with all but the Phillies taking their turn in 1st place during the summer. The Dodgers vaulted to the top with an 8-game win streak in mid-September. However, the pennant was still not decided until the final day of the season. The Giants, who had eliminated the Pirates by beating them on the next to last day, needed to beat the Pirates again in the season's final game, and then hope the Dodgers would lose both games of a double header in Philadelphia to the Phillies. If that happened, the Giants would have trailed the Dodgers by 1/2 game, and would still have had to fly to Cincinnati to play the Reds in a make-up game, needing a win to tie for 1st. The Giants defeated the Pirates in extra innings, and the Dodgers lost the first game of the double header, blowing a lead in the 8th inning. However, while the Giants were waiting at the Pittsburgh airport (not knowing if they were going to fly to Cincinnati or go home), Koufax beat the Phillies in the second game of the double header. While they were waiting, a reporter asked Giants pitcher Ron Herbel "you guys don't know where you're going yet, do you?" Herbel replied "we know where we're going. No way superman (Koufax) loses the second game."

Season standings

National League
Team W L Pct. GB Home Road
Los Angeles Dodgers 9567 .586 5328 4239
San Francisco Giants 9368 .578 4734 4634
Pittsburgh Pirates 9270 .568 3 4635 4635
Philadelphia Phillies 8775 .537 8 4833 3942
Atlanta Braves 8577 .525 10 4338 4239
St. Louis Cardinals 8379 .512 12 4338 4041
Cincinnati Reds 7684 .475 18 4633 3051
Houston Astros 7290 .444 23 4536 2754
New York Mets 6695 .410 28½ 3249 3446
Chicago Cubs 59103 .364 36 3249 2754

Record vs. opponents


Sources:
Team ATL CHC CIN HOU LAD NYM PHI PIT SF STL
Atlanta 7–1110–814–4–17–1114–411–77–118–107–11
Chicago 11–76–125–138–108–105–136–126–124–14
Cincinnati 8–1012–64–146–1210–710–88–107–1011–7
Houston 4–14–113–514–47–117–117–114–146–1210–8
Los Angeles 11–710–812–611–712–611–79–99–910–8
New York 4–1410–87–1011–76–127–115–139–97–11
Philadelphia 7-1113–58–1011–77–1111–710–810–810–8
Pittsburgh 11–712–610–814–49–913–58–107–118–10
San Francisco 10–812–610–712–69–99–98–1011–712–6
St. Louis 11–714–47–118–108–1011–78–1010–86–12

Opening Day lineup

Opening Day starters
NamePosition
Maury WillsShortstop
Wes ParkerFirst baseman
Willie DavisCenter fielder
Ron FairlyRight fielder
Jim LefebvreThird baseman
Lou JohnsonLeft fielder
John RoseboroCatcher
Nate OliverSecond baseman
Claude OsteenStarting pitcher

Notable transactions

Roster

1966 Los Angeles Dodgers
Roster
Pitchers Catchers

Infielders

Outfielders

Other batters

Manager

Coaches

Game log

Regular season

Legend
 Dodgers win
 Dodgers loss
 Postponement
 Clinched pennant
BoldDodgers team member
1966 regular season game log: 95–67 (Home: 54–27; Away: 41–40)[6]
April: 11–7 (Home: 8–4; Away: 3–3)
#DateTime (PT)OpponentScoreWinLossSaveTime of GameAttendanceRecordBox/
Streak
May: 16–11 (Home: 9–4; Away: 7–7)
#DateTime (PT)OpponentScoreWinLossSaveTime of GameAttendanceRecordBox/
Streak
June: 14–14 (Home: 3–4; Away: 11–10)
#DateTime (PT)OpponentScoreWinLossSaveTime of GameAttendanceRecordBox/
Streak
July: 18–10 (Home: 13–6; Away: 5–4)
#DateTime (PT)OpponentScoreWinLossSaveTime of GameAttendanceRecordBox/
Streak
July 1211:00 a.m. PDT37th All-Star GameAmerican League vs. National League (Busch Memorial Stadium, St. Louis, Missouri)
August: 15–15 (Home: 9–5; Away: 6–10)
#DateTime (PT)OpponentScoreWinLossSaveTime of GameAttendanceRecordBox/
Streak
September: 20–9 (Home: 11–5; Away: 9–4)
#DateTime (PT)OpponentScoreWinLossSaveTime of GameAttendanceRecordBox/
Streak
October: 1–1 (Home: 0–0; Away: 1–1)
#DateTime (PT)OpponentScoreWinLossSaveTime of GameAttendanceRecordBox/
Streak

Detailed records

National League
OpponentHomeAwayTotalPct.Runs scoredRuns allowed
Atlanta Braves7–24–511–7.6117862
Chicago Cubs6–34–510–8.5566359
Cincinnati Reds7–25–412–6.6676646
Houston Astros5–46–311–7.6118558
Los Angeles Dodgers
New York Mets7–25–412–6.6679354
Philadelphia Phillies7–24–511–7.6116244
Pittsburgh Pirates5–44–59–9.5006472
San Francisco Giants4–55–49–9.5005559
St. Louis Cardinals4–56–310–8.5564036
53–2842–3995–67.586606490

Month-by-Month

Month Games Won Lost Win % RS RA
April181170.6116047
May2716110.59311089
June2814140.50010698
July2818100.6438569
August3015150.500125111
September292090.69011169
October2110.50097
Total16295670.586606490
Games Won Lost Win % RS RA
Home 8153280.654286220
Road 8142390.519320270
Total16295670.586606490

Composite Box

1966 Los Angeles Dodgers Inning–by–Inning Boxscore
Team1234567891011121314RHE
Opponents6361434157476163426211149012810
Dodgers8242836661735471588331260613990

Sources:

Postseason Game log

1966 Postseason game log: 0–4 (Home: 0–2; Away: 0–2)
World Series: vs. Baltimore Orioles 0–4 (Home: 0–2; Away: 0–2)[7]
#DateTime (PT)OpponentScoreWinLossSaveTime of GameAttendanceSeriesBox
Streak
1October 51:00 p.m. PDTOriolesL 2–5Drabowski (1–0)Drysdale (0–1)2:5655,941BAL 1–0L1
2October 61:00 p.m. PDTOriolesL 0–6Palmer (1–0)Koufax (0–1)2:2655,947BAL 2–0L2
3October 810:00 a.m. PDT@ OriolesL 0–1Bunker (1–0)Osteen (0–1)1:5554,445BAL 3–0L3
4October 911:00 a.m. PDT@ OriolesL 0–1McNally (1–0)Drysdale (0–2)1:4554,458BAL 4–0L4

Starting Lineups

Regular Season

Batting Order

1966 Regular Season Batting Order game log
April
#DateOpponent1st2nd3rd4th5th6th7th8th9th
May
#DateOpponent1st2nd3rd4th5th6th7th8th9th
20 May 3 @ SF
21 May 4 @ SF
22 May 5 @ SF
32 May 17 SF
33 May 18 SF
34 May 19 SF
June
#DateOpponent1st2nd3rd4th5th6th7th8th9th
54 June 10 @ SF
55 June 11 @ SF
56 June 12 @ SF
61 June 17 SF
62 June 18 SF
63 June 19 SF
July
#DateOpponent1st2nd3rd4th5th6th7th8th9th
August
#DateOpponent1st2nd3rd4th5th6th7th8th9th
126 August 26 @ SF
127 August 27 @ SF
128 August 28 @ SF
September
#DateOpponent1st2nd3rd4th5th6th7th8th9th
136 September 5 SF
137 September 6 SF
138 September 7 SF
October
#DateOpponent1st2nd3rd4th5th6th7th8th9th

Defensive Lineup

1966 Regular Season Defensive Lineup game log
April
#DateOpponentC1B2B3BSSLFCFRFP
May
#DateOpponentC1B2B3BSSLFCFRFP
20 May 3 @ SF
21 May 4 @ SF
22 May 5 @ SF
32 May 17 SF
33 May 18 SF
34 May 19 SF
June
#DateOpponentC1B2B3BSSLFCFRFP
54 June 10 @ SF
55 June 11 @ SF
56 June 12 @ SF
61 June 17 SF
62 June 18 SF
63 June 19 SF
July
#DateOpponentC1B2B3BSSLFCFRFP
August
#DateOpponentC1B2B3BSSLFCFRFP
126 August 26 @ SF
127 August 27 @ SF
128 August 28 @ SF
September
#DateOpponentC1B2B3BSSLFCFRFP
136 September 5 SF
137 September 6 SF
138 September 7 SF
October
#DateOpponentC1B2B3BSSLFCFRFP

World Series

Batting Order

1966 Postseason Batting Order game log
#DateOpponent1st2nd3rd4th5th6th7th8th9th
1 October 5 BAL
2 October 6 BAL
3 October 8 @ BAL
4 October 9 @ BAL

Defensive Lineup

1966 Postseason Defensive Lineup game log
#DateOpponentC1B2B3BSSLFCFRFP
1 October 5 BAL
2 October 6 BAL
3 October 8 @ BAL
4 October 9 @ BAL

Game Umpires

Regular Season

1966 Regular Season Umpire game log
April
#DateOpponentHP1B2B3B
May
#DateOpponentHP1B2B3B
20 May 3 @ SF Shag Crawford
(crew chief)
Ed Vargo Doug Harvey Harry Wendelstedt
21 May 4 @ SF Ed Vargo Doug Harvey Harry Wendelstedt Shag Crawford
(crew chief)
22 May 5 @ SF Doug Harvey Harry Wendelstedt Shag Crawford
(crew chief)
Ed Vargo
32 May 17 SF John Kibler Bill Jackowski
(crew chief)
Ed Sudol Paul Pryor
33 May 18 SF Bill Jackowski
(crew chief)
Ed Sudol Paul Pryor John Kibler
34 May 19 SF Ed Sudol Paul Pryor John Kibler Bill Jackowski
(crew chief)
June
#DateOpponentHP1B2B3B
54 June 10 @ SF Chris Pelekoudas Bob Engel Frank Secory
(crew chief)
Ken Burkhart
55 June 11 @ SF Bob Engel Frank Secory
(crew chief)
Ken Burkhart Chris Pelekoudas
56 June 12 @ SF Frank Secory
(crew chief)
Ken Burkhart Chris Pelekoudas Bob Engel
61 June 17 SF Stan Landes Mel Steiner Al Barlick
(crew chief)
Augie Donatelli
62 June 18 SF Mel Steiner Al Barlick
(crew chief)
Augie Donatelli Stan Landes
63 June 19 SF Al Barlick
(crew chief)
Augie Donatelli Stan Landes Mel Steiner
July
#DateOpponentHP1B2B3B
August
#DateOpponentHP1B2B3B
126 August 26 @ SF Mel Steiner Al Barlick
(crew chief)
Augie Donatelli Stan Landes
127 August 27 @ SF Al Barlick
(crew chief)
Augie Donatelli Stan Landes Mel Steiner
128 August 28 @ SF Augie Donatelli Stan Landes Mel Steiner| Al Barlick
(crew chief)
September
#DateOpponentHP1B2B3B
136 September 5 SF Bill Williams Tom Gorman
(crew chief)
Tony Venzon Lee Weyer
137 September 6 SF Tom Gorman
(crew chief)
Tony Venzon Lee Weyer Bill Williams
138 September 7 SF Tony Venzon Lee Weyer Bill Williams Tom Gorman
(crew chief)
October
#DateOpponentHP1B2B3B

World Series

1966 Postseason Umpire game log
#DateOpponentHP1B2B3BLFRF
1 October 5 BAL Bill Jackowski
(NL)
(crew chief)
Nestor Chylak
(AL)
Chris Pelekoudas
(NL)
John Rice
(AL)
Mel Steiner
(NL)
Cal Drummond
(AL)
2 October 6 BAL Nestor Chylak
(AL)
Chris Pelekoudas
(NL)
John Rice
(AL)
Mel Steiner
(NL)
Cal Drummond
(AL)
Bill Jackowski
(NL)
(crew chief)
3 October 8 @ BAL Chris Pelekoudas
(NL)
John Rice
(AL)
Mel Steiner
(NL)
Cal Drummond
(AL)
Bill Jackowski
(NL)
(crew chief)
Nestor Chylak
(AL)
4 October 9 @ BAL John Rice
(AL)
Mel Steiner
(NL)
Cal Drummond
(AL)
Bill Jackowski
(NL)
(crew chief)
Nestor Chylak
(AL)
Chris Pelekoudas
(NL)

Player stats

= Indicates team leader
= Indicates league leader

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
CJohn Roseboro142445123.276953
1BWes Parker156475120.2531251
2BJim Lefebvre152544149.2742474
SSMaury Wills143594162.273139
3BJohn Kennedy12527455.201324
LFLou Johnson152526143.2721773
CFWillie Davis153624177.2841161
RFRon Fairly117351101.2881461

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
Tommy Davis10031398.313327
Jim Gilliam8823551.217116
Jeff Torborg4612027.225113
Nate Oliver8011923.19303
Al Ferrara6311531.270523
Dick Stuart389124.26439
Jim Barbieri398223.28003
Dick Schofield207018.25704
Wes Covington37334.12116
Derrell Griffith23151.06702
Bart Shirley1251.20000
Tommy Hutton320.00000
Jim Campanis110.00000
Willie Crawford600----00

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
Sandy Koufax41323.02791.73317
Don Drysdale40273.213163.42177
Claude Osteen39240.117142.85137
Don Sutton37225.212122.99209

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
Joe Moeller2978.2242.5231

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
Phil Regan65141211.6288
Ron Perranoski556773.1850
Bob Miller464252.7758
Jim Brewer130223.688
Nick Willhite60002.084
Bill Singer30000.004
Howie Reed10000.001
Johnny Podres10000.001

1966 World Series

Game 1

October 5, 1966, at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. Attendance: 55,941

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Baltimore (A) 310 100 000 590
Los Angeles (N) 011 000 000 230
W: Moe Drabowsky (1–0) L: Don Drysdale (0–1)
HR: BALFrank Robinson (1), Brooks Robinson (1)    LADJim Lefebvre (1)

Game 2

October 6, 1966, at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. Attendance: 55,947

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Baltimore (A) 000 031 020 680
Los Angeles (N) 000 000 000 046
W: Jim Palmer (1–0) L: Sandy Koufax (0–1)

Game 3

October 8, 1966, at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland. Attendance: 54,445

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Los Angeles (N) 000 000 000 060
Baltimore (A) 000 010 00X 130
W: Wally Bunker (1–0) L: Claude Osteen (0–1)
HR: BALPaul Blair (1)

Game 4

October 9, 1966, at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland. Attendance: 54,458

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Los Angeles (N) 000 000 000 040
Baltimore (A) 000 100 00X 140
W: Dave McNally (1–0) L: Don Drysdale (0–2)
HR: BALFrank Robinson (2)

Awards and honors

Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax

All-Stars

The Sporting News awards

Farm system

Level Team League Manager
AAA Spokane Indians Pacific Coast League Roy Hartsfield
AA Albuquerque Dodgers Texas League Bob Kennedy
A Santa Barbara Dodgers California League Norm Sherry
A Jamestown Dodgers New York–Penn League Bill Berrier
A Tri-City Atoms Northwest League Duke Snider
Rookie Ogden Dodgers Pioneer League Tommy Lasorda

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Tri-City, Ogden

1966 Major League Baseball draft

This was the second Major League Baseball draft. The Dodgers drafted 67 players in the June draft and nine in the January draft. Nine of them eventually played in MLB. The top draft pick was pitcher Lawrence Hutton from Greenfield High School in Greenfield, Indiana. He played in the Dodgers farm system through 1971 and finished with a 22–28 record and 4.33 ERA in 117 games, never advancing past AA.

The most successful picks from this draft class were Bill Russell and Charlie Hough. Russell, the ninth round pick out of Pittsburg High School played with the Dodgers through 1986, mostly as a shortstop and later managed the team from 1996 to 1998. Hough was drafted in the eighth round out of Hialeah High School as an infielder but quickly converted to pitcher. He played with the Dodgers through 1980 and then with three other teams until he retired in 1994. He later became a coach for the Dodgers organization.

Notes

References