1967 Boston Red Sox season

1967 Boston Red Sox
1967 AL Champions
Major League affiliations
American League (since 1901)
Location
Fenway Park (since 1912)
Boston, Massachusetts (since 1901)
Other information
Owner(s)	Tom Yawkey
General manager(s)	Dick O'Connell
Manager(s)	Dick Williams
Local television	WHDH-TV Channel 5
Local radio	WHDH-AM 850 (Ken Coleman, Ned Martin, Mel Parnell)
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The 1967 Boston Red Sox season, often referred to as The Impossible Dream, consisted of the team's first winning season since 1958, as the Red Sox shocked all of New England and the rest of the baseball world by winning the American League Championship (also called the AL Pennant) and reached the World Series for the first time since 1946. The season had one of the most memorable finishes in baseball history, as the AL pennant race went to the very last game, with Boston (92–70) beating out the Detroit Tigers and Minnesota Twins by one game.

Offseason

Notable transactions

• November 29, 1966: 1966 minor league draft
  • Amos Otis was drafted from the Red Sox by the New York Mets.
  • Mike Page was drafted from the Red Sox by the Atlanta Braves.
• January 28, 1967: Geoff Zahn was drafted by the Red Sox in the 5th round of the 1967 Major League Baseball draft (Secondary Phase), but did not sign.
• Prior to 1967 season: Tony Muser was signed as an amateur free agent by the Red Sox.

Preseason: Low expectations

The Red Sox entered the 1967 season as "doormats" of the American League, with low expectations, low attendance to begin the season, and little known talent outside of team captain Carl Yastrzemski. They had had losing seasons for each of the previous eight years. Two years earlier, the Red Sox had finished the 1965 season with a league-worst 100 losses. In addition, the team posted ninth-place finishes in 1965 and 1966. Low expectations for the season were demonstrated by the measly 8,324 fans who attended Opening Day, which about matched their average attendance throughout the 1960s.

Regular season

Boston historians consider the 1967 Red Sox season as the "re-invention" of Boston Red Sox baseball. Every aspect of Boston baseball was transformed at the hands of this club. For instance, in 1966, the Red Sox ranked eighth out of ten American League teams in home attendance (811,172). The 1967 season set a Fenway Park record and the Sox finished first in the league in home attendance (1,727,832). Jerry Remy (current Red Sox television broadcaster for NESN) is quoted as saying, "The 1967 created the Red Sox craze and Red Sox Nation we have today. They re-invented baseball in New England."

Major personnel moves

In 1967, Dick Williams became the manager of the Red Sox. Previously, he had coached the Red Sox’ farm club in Toronto. Williams was a stern disciplinarian and enacted a get tough policy. He stressed the fundamentals. In spring training, he had called George Scott "a fat".

The Red Sox also made two major acquisitions down the stretch. The first came on August 3, when the Red Sox acquired catcher Elston Howard from the New York Yankees. Howard would hit just .147 while replacing Mike Ryan as the starting catcher, forcing the Red Sox to turn to third-stringer Russ Gibson more and more often down the stretch. While Gibson hit just .203, it was better than either Howard or Ryan (who hit .199) had managed during the season. The second was on August 28, when they signed outfielder Ken Harrelson after the Kansas City Athletics released him. Harrelson replaced José Tartabull as the starting right fielder. Tartabull himself had replaced the injured Tony Conigliaro, who was out for the season after a brutal beaning, detailed below.

Setback: Tony Conigliaro

Throughout the season of 1967, the Red Sox were clicking offensively and defensively right from Opening Day. One of the keys to the Red Sox instant success was young, fan-favorite Tony Conigliaro. Entering his fourth season in 1967, Conigliaro set the bar for his personal success very high, as he achieved immediate success his first three years in the major leagues. In fact, Conigliaro slugged an amazing 24 home runs his rookie season in 1964, followed by an AL leading 32 home runs his sophomore season in 1965 and 28 in 1966. As the Red Sox showed promise in the early part of the 1967 season, Conigliaro's expectations from the fans rose exponentially.

Throughout Conigliaro's first three seasons, minor and typical baseball injuries struck the young player. He had broken his left arm his rookie season, broken his left wrist his sophomore season after being hit by a pitch, and missed day-to-day action on other various minor injuries. Nothing serious had prevented Conigliaro from bouncing back and continuing to see offensive success at an unparalleled rapid pace. Some Red Sox die-hards in fact predicted Conigliaro would finish his career with better numbers than the great Ted Williams.

On August 18, 1967, In the fifth inning of a mid-summer game between Boston and the California Angels at Fenway Park, Conigliaro was beaned by a pitch from Angels pitcher Jack Hamilton right above the left cheek bone. Conigliaro was immediately knocked unconscious and was taken off the field on a stretcher. It was later announced that the slugger had sustained severe damage to his cheek bone and the retina of his eye. Conigliaro missed the remainder of the 1967 season and, as Boston held its breath for their young phenom, memories of the long drought of being a winning team in baseball had crept over the Fenway crowd. (No mentions of a curse, however. The idea of the "Curse of the Bambino" would not be entertained for another 20 years.)

Though their young All-Star was out indefinitely, the Red Sox won the game and continued on to win the American League Championship. However, faith from Red Sox fans had to be found without Conigliaro. He would return a year later, and earn Comeback Player of the Year Award in 1969. In 1970, he would reach career-high numbers in HRs (36) and RBI (116). Problems with Conigliaro's eyesight returned in 1971 and he had to retire from major league baseball following a stint with the California Angels that year. His eyesight improved to the point that he attempted—and briefly succeeded—in a comeback attempt with the Red Sox during the Spring of 1975. However following an early season injury he was replaced in the lineup by rookie and future Hall-of-Famer Jim Rice, and was released shortly thereafter, never to return to professional baseball.

Carl Yastrzemski

During the "impossible dream" of 1967, Red Sox slugger and the 1963 batting champion, Carl Yastrzemski, led the Red Sox in his break-out season, transforming his young career and elevating himself from All-Star to Most Valuable Player. "Yaz" led the Red Sox in batting average, hits, home runs, runs batted in, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, on-base + slugging, games played, at bat appearances, runs scored, total bases, doubles, base on balls (walks) and extra base hits. He was also named to his fourth All-Star Game, which was the third straight year he received this honor.

All of these team categories in which he led the club is overshadowed by his accomplishments in offensive statistics league-wide. Yastrzemski batted .326 on the season, slugged 44 home runs, and drove in 121 RBIs, which was good to lead the American League in all three of these main offensive categories. In leading the league in home runs, RBIs, and batting average, Yastrzemski achieved the Triple Crown. Only one Red Sox player in history had reached this milestone (Red Sox legend Ted Williams did it twice, in 1942 and 1947). It was the second consecutive year that the Triple Crown was achieved in the American League, Frank Robinson having won the honor in 1966 during his first year with the Baltimore Orioles. It took 45 years before another triple crown was won, by Miguel Cabrera of the Detroit Tigers in 2012. In 1967 Yastrzemski was actually tied in the home run category with Harmon Killebrew of the Minnesota Twins that year. In the scope of this season that had begun with low expectations for the Boston Red Sox, the leadership and outstanding batting by Yastrzemski added to the "impossible" feeling that the season overall had overwhelmed the New England region.

Yastrzemski ended the season with numerous awards and honors: 1967 All-Star, 1967 Most Valuable Player, 1967 Outfield Gold Glove, 1967 Major League Player of the Year. Statistically, Yastrzemski dominated the American League, as he had his own team. He led the league in: batting average, runs batted in, home runs, runs, slugging percentage, on-base plus slugging, hits, on-base percentage, and total bases.

The setting

Red Sox second baseman Mike Andrews says of the times: "This chaotic war was going on while we were playing baseball. To think that baseball could be meaningful to these wounded soldiers was unbelievable." Four Red Sox players—All-Stars Jim Lonborg and Tony Conigliaro, along with Dalton Jones and Jim Landis—were drafted for military service. The four served two-week stints in the military reserve.

Season summary

Early games

As a 21-year-old rookie, Billy Rohr made his first start on April 14 at Yankee Stadium facing Whitey Ford. He was one strike away from a no-hitter when Elston Howard, who would join the Red Sox later that season, hit a soft single into right-center field. Yastrzemski had saved Rohr's no-hit bid earlier in the game when he made an over-the-shoulder running-away catch deep in left field. Following Howard's single, Rohr proceeded to retire the next batter for a 3–0 shutout. Four days later at Fenway Park, he beat the Yankees again, 6–1. Mel Stottlemyre was charged with the loss. However Rohr only won one more major league game and was out of the majors after the 1968 season.

August

Right out of the gates, the Red Sox showed contender capabilities and entering August, were only two and a half games behind the league-leading Chicago White Sox and were eight games over .500. By month's end, the White Sox lost hold of first-place and on August 26, the Red Sox sat atop the American League at 72–56. A five-way race between the Red Sox, White Sox, Detroit Tigers, Minnesota Twins, and the California Angels developed for the American League pennant. The Angels slumped in early September to fall out of the race, and the White Sox slumped in the next to last week of the season.

Down the stretch

Starting September—the last month of the season—the Red Sox sat atop of the American League, but were caught in a dog-fight with Chicago, Minnesota and Detroit. The four teams were separated by half a game and all jumped between first to fourth sporadically. The pennant race was coming down to the last weekend of the season. Unfortunately for the White Sox, a three-game sweep at the hands of the Washington Senators left Chicago three games out of first place and left the pennant scramble a three-team race. The Red Sox faced the Twins in a two-game series at Fenway Park on that last weekend. The Twins were in first place and were ahead by one game over the Red Sox. To win the pennant, The Red Sox had to sweep the Twins and the Detroit Tigers, playing the California Angels, would have to lose one more game.

Carl Yastrzemski, vying for the triple crown, led the American League in batting average and RBI, and shared the home run lead with Harmon Killebrew of the Twins. Both players hit one home run in the series, so Yastrzemski won the triple crown. Yastrzemski went 7 for 8 with a home run and 6 RBI in the two-game series. In the last game of the season, 21 game winner Jim Lonborg got the start for the Red Sox vs. the Twins' 20 game winner Dean Chance. The Red Sox won the game 5–3 with a five-run fifth inning, and Lonborg finished the season with 22 victories. In Detroit, the Tigers won the first game of a double header vs. the Angels, and needed to win the second game to tie the Red Sox for first place. But their bullpen failed, and the Angels' Rick Reichardt hit a home run in an 8–5 Angel win. The Red Sox had won their first American League pennant in 21 years.

Aftermath

Although the Red Sox did not complete the unbelievable task and lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1967 World Series, the overachieving club is considered among the greatest Red Sox teams in club history. Beyond Yastrzemski completing one of the best single season offensive campaign, Red Sox players dominated the American League across the board. Pitcher Jim Lonborg won the Cy Young Award. The two Sox All-Stars, joined by Tony Conigliaro and Rico Petrocelli, comprised the four Red Sox named to the American League All-Star team.

Season standings

American League	W	L	Pct.	GB
Boston Red Sox	92	70	.568	–
Detroit Tigers	91	71	.562	1
Minnesota Twins	91	71	.562	1
Chicago White Sox	89	73	.549	3
California Angels	84	77	.522	7½
Baltimore Orioles	76	85	.472	15½
Washington Senators	76	85	.472	15½
Cleveland Indians	75	87	.463	17
New York Yankees	72	90	.444	20
Kansas City Athletics	62	99	.385	29½

Record vs. opponents

1967 American League Records Sources: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10]
Team	BAL	BOS	CAL	CWS	CLE	DET	KC	MIN	NYY	WSH
Baltimore	—	10–8	6–11	7–11	9–9	3–15	10–8	8–10	13–5	10–8
Boston	8–10	—	10–8	8–10	13–5	11–7	12–6	7–11	12–6	11–7
California	11–6	8–10	—	7–11	14–4	8–10	14–4	7–11	9–9	6–12
Chicago	11–7	10–8	11–7	—	12–6	8–10	8–10	9–9	12–6	8–10
Cleveland	9–9	5–13	4–14	6–12	—	8–10	11–7	10–8	9–9	13–5
Detroit	15–3	7–11	10–8	10–8	10–8	—	12–6	8–10–1	10–8	9–9
Kansas City	8–10	6–12	4–14	10–8	7–11	6–12	—	8–10	7–11	6–11
Minnesota	10–8	11–7	11–7	9–9	8–10	10–8–1	10–8	—	12–6–1	10–8
New York	5–13	6–12	9–9	6–12	9–9	8–10	11–7	6–12–1	—	12–6
Washington	8–10	7–11	12–6	10–8	5–13	9–9	11–6	8–10	6–12	—

Opening Day lineup

12	José Tartabull	CF
1	Joe Foy	3B
8	Carl Yastrzemski	LF
25	Tony Conigliaro	RF
5	George Scott	1B
7	Reggie Smith	2B
6	Rico Petrocelli	SS
22	Mike Ryan	C
16	Jim Lonborg	P

Notable transactions

• June 2, 1967: Don McMahon and minor leaguer Bob Snow were traded by the Red Sox to the Chicago White Sox for Jerry Adair.
• June 4, 1967: Don Demeter and Tony Horton were traded by the Red Sox to the Cleveland Indians for Gary Bell.
• June 6, 1967: Mike Garman was drafted by the Red Sox in the 1st round (3rd pick) of the 1967 Major League Baseball draft. Player signed June 9, 1967.
• July 15, 1967: Norm Siebern was purchased by the Red Sox from the San Francisco Giants.
• August 3, 1967: Pete Magrini and a player to be named later were traded by the Red Sox to the New York Yankees for Elston Howard. The Red Sox completed the deal by sending Ron Klimkowski to the Yankees on August 8.

Roster

1967 Boston Red Sox
Roster
Pitchers 39 Gary Bell 28 Dennis Bennett 27 Bucky Brandon 36 Ken Brett 39 Galen Cisco 21 Hank Fischer 29 Bill Landis 16 Jim Lonborg 28 Sparky Lyle 44 Don McMahon 17 Dave Morehead 37 Dan Osinski 15 Billy Rohr 30 José Santiago 20 Lee Stange 18 Jerry Stephenson 19 Gary Waslewski 26 John Wyatt		Catchers 35 Russ Gibson 18 Elston Howard 22 Mike Ryan 10 Bob Tillman Infielders 14 Jerry Adair  2 Mike Andrews  1 Joe Foy 11 Tony Horton  3 Dalton Jones  6 Rico Petrocelli 17 Ken Poulsen  5 George Scott  4 Norm Siebern		Outfielders 25 Tony Conigliaro  4 Don Demeter 40 Ken Harrelson 15 Jim Landis  7 Reggie Smith 12 José Tartabull 24 George Thomas  8 Carl Yastrzemski		Manager 23 Dick Williams Coaches 31 Bobby Doerr 34 Al Lakeman 33 Sal Maglie 32 Eddie Popowski

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	Mike Ryan	79	226	45	.199	2	27
1B	George Scott	159	565	171	.303	19	82
2B	Mike Andrews	142	494	130	.263	8	40
3B	Joe Foy	130	446	112	.251	16	49
SS	Rico Petrocelli	142	491	127	.259	17	66
LF	Carl Yastrzemski	161	579	189	.326	44	121
CF	Reggie Smith	158	565	139	.246	15	61
RF	Tony Conigliaro	95	349	100	.287	20	67

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
José Tartabull	115	247	55	.223	0	10
Russ Gibson	49	138	28	.203	1	15
Elston Howard	42	116	17	.147	1	11
Ken Harrelson	23	80	16	.200	3	14
Tony Horton	21	39	12	.308	0	9

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
Jim Lonborg	39	273.1	22	9	3.16	246
Gary Bell	29	165.1	12	8	3.16	115
Dennis Bennett	13	69.2	4	3	3.88	34
Billy Rohr	10	42.1	2	3	5.10	16

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
Bucky Brandon	39	157.2	5	11	4.17	96
José Santiago	50	145.1	12	4	3.59	109

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
John Wyatt	60	10	7	20	2.60	68
Ken Brett	1	0	0	0	4.50	2

1967 World Series

Main article: 1967 World Series

NL St. Louis Cardinals (4) vs. AL Boston Red Sox (3)

Game	Score	Date	Location	Attendance	Time of Game
1	Cardinals: 2, Red Sox: 1	October 4	Fenway Park	34,796	2:22
2	Cardinals: 0, Red Sox: 5	October 5	Fenway Park	35,188	2:24
3	Red Sox: 2, Cardinals: 5	October 7	Busch Memorial Stadium	54,575	2:15
4	Red Sox: 0, Cardinals: 6	October 8	Busch Memorial Stadium	54,575	2:05
5	Red Sox: 3, Cardinals: 1	October 9	Busch Memorial Stadium	54,575	2:20
6	Cardinals: 4, Red Sox: 8	October 11	Fenway Park	35,188	2:48
7	Cardinals: 7, Red Sox: 2	October 12	Fenway Park	35,188	2:23

Awards and honors

Individual awards and leaders

• American League Most Valuable Player: Carl Yastrzemski
• American League Cy Young Award Winner: Jim Lonborg
• American League Gold Glove Award Winner: George Scott (first base), Carl Yastrzemski (outfield)
• American League Batting Champion: Carl Yastrzemski (.326)
• American League Home Run Champion: Carl Yastrzemski (44)
• American League RBI Leader: Carl Yastrzemski (121)
• American League All-Stars: Carl Yastrzemski, Rico Petrocelli, Tony Conigliaro, Jim Lonborg
• Associated Press Athlete of the Year, Carl Yastrzemski
• Associated Press AL Manager of the Year, Dick Williams
• Hutch Award, Carl Yastrzemski

Team statistics

• Batting average: 1st (.255)
• Runs/game: 1st (4.46)
• Hits: 1st (1394)
• Home Runs: 1st (158)

Commemoration

The 2007 season marked the 40th anniversary of The Impossible Dream, which was honored and marked with Opening Day ceremonies featuring members of the 1967 Red Sox team and an hour-long documentary on NESN (a regional sports network part-owned by the Red Sox) called Impossible to Forget. The Red Sox went on to win the 2007 World Series, a four-game sweep over the Colorado Rockies as well, to earn their second title in 4 years.

Farm system

See also: Minor League Baseball

Level	Team	League	Manager
AAA	Toronto Maple Leafs	International League	Eddie Kasko
AA	Pittsfield Red Sox	Eastern League	Billy Gardner
A	Winston-Salem Red Sox	Carolina League	Bill Slack
A	Waterloo Hawks	Midwest League	Rac Slider
A	Greenville Red Sox	Western Carolinas League	Matt Sczesny

References

• 1967 Boston Red Sox at Baseball Reference
• 1967 Boston Red Sox season at Baseball Almanac