YEAR IN REVIEW : 1977 American League

Off the field...

In a seven hour period during the night of July 19-20, at least twelve inches of rain fell in the mountainous region around Johnstown, Pennsylvania. The emerging flood swept through the area, resulting in the deaths of seventy-seven people and damage in excess of $200 million. Despite the disaster, it paled in comparison to the first major flood that had devastated the area in 1889 killing 2,200 people.

David Berkowitz, also known as the "Son of Sam" terrorized the New York City area for over a year with a series of random shootings. Berkowitz had typically made victims of people in parked cars with a .44-caliber pistol and later explained that he adopted the name "Son of Sam" because of the "demons" in his neighbor Sam Carr's dog that "made him do it." Originally the serial killer pleaded insanity, but was later found competent to stand trial for six murders and seven attempted murders. After being found guilty on all counts, he was sentenced to twenty-five years to life for each of the murders.

The American Agricultural Movement was organized to preserve the family farm system and to seek 100% parity for all agricultural products. The nationwide farmer's strike resulted when their demands were not met by the United States Government by midnight, December 13th, but eventually subsided by March 1978 without the farmers accomplishing their goals.

In the American League...

Baseball's first black manager hired became the first also fired after Frank Robinson was let go by the struggling Cleveland Indians, who were 26-31 and in fourth place in the American League East by June. Jeff Torborg was named as his replacement.

On the Forth of July, the Boston Red Sox set off some "fireworks" of their own as they launched eight home run blasts out of Fenway Park, tying a Major League record and beating the Toronto Blue Jays 9-6. The home run derby ended a nine-game losing streak and featured round-trippers by Fred Lynn, Jim Rice, Carl Yastrezemski, George Scott, Butch Hobson and Bernie Carbo.

On October 18th, Reggie Jackson officially became "Mr. October" after hitting three consecutive homeruns and five RBIs during Game 6 of the World Series. The New York Yankees followed his lead and went on to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers for their first World Championship title since 1962. Jackson finished the Series with five home runs, eight runs batted in and a .450 average.

In the National League...

During an 8-0 victory (in what be his last game in Shea Stadium as a Met until 1983) New York ace Tom Seaver sat down Dan Driessen, of the Cincinnati Reds, for his 2,397th K, passing Sandy Koufax for the twenty-third spot on the all-time strikeout kings list.

Three Atlanta Braves, Gary Matthews, Biff Pocoraba and Pat Rockett pulled off the impossible after they executed a triple steal over the San Diego Padres en-route to a 7-3 victory on September 11th.

Lou Brock stole the nine-hundredth base of his career and the thirty-fifth of the season during the opening game of a September 30th doubleheader between his St. Louis Cardinals and the New York Mets. The "Redbirds" went on to win the game 7-2.

Around the League...

Mary Shane became the first female play-by-play announcer in Major League Baseball history after she was signed by the Chicago White Sox to broadcast their games for the 1977 season.

As part of a promotional night to debut the new "Reggie Bar", a candy bar named after Reggie Jackson, fans at Yankee Stadium received free samples. The marketing scheme backfired though as fans threw hundreds of them back onto the field forcing the game to be halted until the ground crew was able to clear them away.

Despite a miserable 54-107 record, the Toronto Blue Jays boasted a home attendance of 1,701,052 during their debut season (by comparison, the Seattle Mariners drew 1,338,511) — the most ever for a Major League expansion team through this season.

Prior to the start of the '77 season, the Toronto Blue Jays had agreed to a trade that would send veteran pitcher Bill Singer to the New York Yankees for the then, little used, left-hander Ron Guidry. All bets were off though after the front office realized that Singer was on the cover of their printed media guide. By the end of the season, Singer had gone 2-8 and retired while Guidry compiled a 16-7 record and an impressive 2.82 ERA.

Baseball Almanac Top Quote

"We had a certain swagger. These kids will develop that as they learn to win. Then they'll start expecting to." - Dennis Eckersley

1977 American League Player Review

1976 | 1977 Hitting Statistics League Leaders | 1978

Base on Balls Toby Harrah Texas 109 Top 25
Batting Average Rod Carew Minnesota .388 Top 25
Doubles Hal McRae Kansas City 54 Top 25
Hits Rod Carew Minnesota 239 Top 25
Home Runs Jim Rice Boston 39 Top 25
On Base Percentage Rod Carew Minnesota .452 Top 25
RBI Larry Hisle Minnesota 119 Top 25
Runs Rod Carew Minnesota 128 Top 25
Slugging Average Jim Rice Boston .593 Top 25
Stolen Bases Freddie Patek Kansas City 53 Top 25
Total Bases Jim Rice Boston 382 Top 25
Triples Rod Carew Minnesota 16 Top 25
1977 A.L. History | 1977 N.L. History | Year-by-Year History

1977 American League Pitcher Review

1976 | 1977 Pitching Statistics League Leaders | 1978

Complete Games Jim Palmer Baltimore 22 Top 25
Nolan Ryan California
ERA Frank Tanana California 2.54 Top 25
Games Sparky Lyle New York 72 Top 25
Saves Bill Campbell Boston 31 Top 25
Shutouts Frank Tanana California 7 Top 25
Strikeouts Nolan Ryan California 341 Top 25
Winning Percentage Paul Splittorff Kansas City .727 Top 25
Wins Dave Goltz Minnesota 20 Top 25
Dennis Leonard Kansas City
Jim Palmer Baltimore
1977 A.L. History | 1977 N.L. History | Year-by-Year History

1977 American League Team Standings

1977 All-Star Game | 1977 Team Standings | 1977 World Series

New York Yankees 100 62 .613 0
Baltimore Orioles 97 64 .602
Boston Red Sox 97 64 .602
Detroit Tigers 74 88 .457 26
Cleveland Indians 71 90 .441 28½
Milwaukee Brewers 67 95 .414 33
Toronto Blue Jays 54 107 .335 45½
Kansas City Royals 102 60 .630 0
Texas Rangers 94 68 .580 8
Chicago White Sox 90 72 .556 12
Minnesota Twins 84 77 .522 17½
California Angels 74 88 .457 28
Seattle Mariners 64 98 .395 38
Oakland Athletics 63 98 .391 38½
American League Team Standings

1977 American League Team Review

Hitting Statistics League Leaderboard

Base on Balls Texas 596
Batting Average Minnesota .282
Doubles Kansas City 299
Hits Minnesota 1,588
Home Runs Boston 213
On Base Percentage Minnesota .351
Runs Minnesota 867
Slugging Average Boston .465
Stolen Bases Oakland 176
Triples Kansas City 77

1977 American League Team Review

Pitching Statistics League Leaderboard

Complete Games Baltimore 65
ERA Kansas City 3.52
Fewest Hits Allowed Kansas City 1,377
Fewest Home Runs Allowed Kansas City 110
Fewest Walks Allowed Boston 378
Saves Kansas City 42
Shutouts Texas 17
Strikeouts California 965
baseball almanac flat baseball

baseball almanac fast facts

On April 6, 1977, the Seattle Mariners played their first Major League game as 57,762 fans watched them lose to the California Angels 7-0 at the Kingdome.

On April 7, 1977, the first game was played at Toronto's Exhibition Stadium. The first home run hit by an American League player on Canadian soil went to Richie Zisk of the Chicago White Sox, but the Toronto Blue Jays shot back and won 9-5.

On May 30, 1977, Dennis Eckersley of the Indians no-hit the Angels and won 1-0 in Cleveland. Later during his career Eckerlsey commented about that particular game and the final out, "I was ready, but Gil (Flores) kept on stepping out of the box. I pointed at him, 'Get in there. They're not here to take your picture. You're the last out. Get in there.' I was pretty cocky back then!"