The 1973 International League was a Class AAA baseball season played between April 16 and September 13. Eight teams played a 146-game schedule, with the top two teams in each division qualifying for the post-season.
The Pawtucket Red Sox won the Governors' Cup, defeating the Charleston Charlies in the final round of the playoffs.
Team changes
- The Louisville Colonels relocated to Pawtucket, Rhode Island and were renamed the Pawtucket Red Sox. The club remained affiliated with the Boston Red Sox.
- The league realigned from one eight-team division to two four-team divisions, the American and National. American League affiliates played in the American Division and National League affiliates played in the National Division.
Teams
Map of teams
Regular season
Summary
- The Charleston Charlies finished with the best record in the league for the first time in franchise history.
- The regular season schedule changed from 144-games to 146-games.
Standings
| American Division | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | Win | Loss | % | GB |
| Rochester Red Wings | 79 | 67 | .541 | – |
| Pawtucket Red Sox | 78 | 68 | .534 | 1 |
| Syracuse Chiefs | 76 | 70 | .521 | 3 |
| Toledo Mud Hens | 65 | 81 | .445 | 14 |
| National Division | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | Win | Loss | % | GB |
| Charleston Charlies | 85 | 60 | .586 | – |
| Tidewater Tides | 75 | 70 | .517 | 10 |
| Peninsula Whips | 72 | 74 | .493 | 13.5 |
| Richmond Braves | 53 | 93 | .363 | 32.5 |
League Leaders
Batting leaders
| Stat | Player | Total |
|---|---|---|
| AVG | Royle Stillman, Rochester Red Wings | .354 |
| H | Mike Cummings, Pawtucket Red Sox | 139 |
| R | Rick Bladt, Syracuse Chiefs | 97 |
| 2B | Bill McNulty, Tidewater Tides | 30 |
| 3B | Rick Bladt, Syracuse Chiefs | 10 |
| HR | Jim Fuller, Rochester Red Wings | 39 |
| RBI | Jim Fuller, Rochester Red Wings | 108 |
| SB | Larry Lintz, Peninsula Whips | 48 |
Pitching leaders
| Stat | Player | Total |
|---|---|---|
| W | John Montague, Peninsula Whips | 15 |
| ERA | Dick Pole, Pawtucket Red Sox | 2.03 |
| CG | Dick Pole, Pawtucket Red Sox | 16 |
| SV | Joe Grzenda, Syracuse Chiefs | 18 |
| SO | Dick Pole, Pawtucket Red Sox | 158 |
| IP | Fred Holdsworth, Toledo Mud Hens | 214.0 |
Playoffs
- The Pawtucket Red Sox won their first Governors' Cup in their first season following their relocation, defeating the Charleston Charlies in five games.
- The semi-finals were expanded from a best-of-three series to a best-of-five series.
Playoff bracket
| Semi-finals | Governors' Cup | ||||||||
| A1 | Rochester | 0 | |||||||
| N1 | Charleston | 3 | |||||||
| N1 | Charleston | 2 | |||||||
| A2 | Pawtucket | 3 | |||||||
| A2 | Pawtucket | 3 | |||||||
| N2 | Tidewater | 2 | |||||||
Awards
| International League awards | |
|---|---|
| Award name | Recipient |
| Most Valuable Player | Jim Fuller, Rochester Red Wings |
| Pitcher of the Year | Dick Pole, Pawtucket Red Sox |
| Rookie of the Year | Otto Vélez, Syracuse Chiefs |
| Manager of the Year | Joe Morgan, Charleston Charlies |
See also
References
- ↑ 1973 IL Standings at stats-crew.com, URL accessed 19 November 2024.
- ↑ 1973 IL Batting Leaders at baseball-reference.com, URL accessed 19 November 2024.
- ↑ 1973 Pitching Leaders at baseball-reference.com, URL accessed 19 November 2024.