Jump to content

1981 Major League Baseball season

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about the 1981 Major League Baseball season only. For information on all of baseball, see 1981 in baseball.
1981 MLB season
LeagueMajor League Baseball
SportBaseball
DurationApril 8 – June 11, 1981
August 10 – October 28, 1981
Number of games162 (scheduled)
102–111 (actual)[1]
Number of teams26
TV partner(s)ABC, NBC, USA
Draft
Top draft pickMike Moore
Picked bySeattle Mariners
Regular season
Season MVPAL: Rollie Fingers (MIL)
NL: Mike Schmidt (PHI)
Postseason
AL championsNew York Yankees
  AL runners-upOakland Athletics
NL championsLos Angeles Dodgers
  NL runners-upMontreal Expos
World Series
ChampionsLos Angeles Dodgers
  Runners-upNew York Yankees
World Series MVPRon Cey, Pedro Guerrero, and Steve Yeager (LA)
MLB seasons
class=notpageimage|
Locations of teams for the 1977–1981 American League seasons
West   East
class=notpageimage|
Locations of teams for the 1977–1992 National League seasons
West   East

The 1981 Major League Baseball season culminated with the Los Angeles Dodgers defeating the New York Yankees in the World Series, capturing the franchise's fifth World Series title. The season had a players' strike, which lasted from June 12 to July 31, and split the season into two halves. Teams that won their division in each half of the season advanced to the playoffs. This was the first split season in American League history, and second for the National League, which had played a split season in 1892.

The All-Star Game was originally scheduled for July 14, but was canceled due to the strike. It was ultimately played on August 9, as a prelude to the second half of the season, which began the following day.[2]

Standings

[edit]

American League

[edit]
AL East
Team W L Pct. GB Home Road
Milwaukee Brewers 62 47 .569 — 28‍–‍21 34‍–‍26
Baltimore Orioles 59 46 .562 1 33‍–‍22 26‍–‍24
New York Yankees 59 48 .551 2 32‍–‍19 27‍–‍29
Detroit Tigers 60 49 .550 2 32‍–‍23 28‍–‍26
Boston Red Sox 59 49 .546 2½ 30‍–‍23 29‍–‍26
Cleveland Indians 52 51 .505 7 25‍–‍29 27‍–‍22
Toronto Blue Jays 37 69 .349 23½ 17‍–‍36 20‍–‍33
AL East
First Half Standings 		W L Pct. GB
New York Yankees 34 22 .607 —
Baltimore Orioles 31 23 .574 2
Milwaukee Brewers 31 25 .554 3
Detroit Tigers 31 26 .544 3+1⁄2
Boston Red Sox 30 26 .536 4
Cleveland Indians 26 24 .520 5
Toronto Blue Jays 16 42 .276 19
AL East
Second Half Standings 		W L Pct. GB
Milwaukee Brewers 31 22 .585 —
Boston Red Sox 29 23 .558 1+1⁄2
Detroit Tigers 29 23 .558 1+1⁄2
Baltimore Orioles 28 23 .549 2
Cleveland Indians 26 27 .491 5
New York Yankees 25 26 .490 5
Toronto Blue Jays 21 27 .438 7+1⁄2
AL West
Team W L Pct. GB Home Road
Oakland Athletics 64 45 .587 — 35‍–‍21 29‍–‍24
Texas Rangers 57 48 .543 5 32‍–‍24 25‍–‍24
Chicago White Sox 54 52 .509 8½ 25‍–‍24 29‍–‍28
Kansas City Royals 50 53 .485 11 19‍–‍28 31‍–‍25
California Angels 51 59 .464 13½ 26‍–‍28 25‍–‍31
Seattle Mariners 44 65 .404 20 20‍–‍37 24‍–‍28
Minnesota Twins 41 68 .376 23 24‍–‍36 17‍–‍32
AL West
First Half Standings 		W L Pct. GB
Oakland Athletics 37 23 .617 —
Texas Rangers 33 22 .600 1+1⁄2
Chicago White Sox 31 22 .585 2+1⁄2
California Angels 31 29 .517 6
Kansas City Royals 20 30 .400 12
Seattle Mariners 21 36 .368 14+1⁄2
Minnesota Twins 17 39 .304 18
AL West
Second Half Standings 		W L Pct. GB
Kansas City Royals 30 23 .566 —
Oakland Athletics 27 22 .551 1
Texas Rangers 24 26 .480 4+1⁄2
Minnesota Twins 24 29 .453 6
Seattle Mariners 23 29 .442 6+1⁄2
Chicago White Sox 23 30 .434 7
California Angels 20 30 .400 8+1⁄2

National League

[edit]
NL East
Team W L Pct. GB Home Road
St. Louis Cardinals 59 43 .578 — 32‍–‍21 27‍–‍22
Montreal Expos 60 48 .556 2 38‍–‍18 22‍–‍30
Philadelphia Phillies 59 48 .551 2½ 36‍–‍19 23‍–‍29
Pittsburgh Pirates 46 56 .451 13 22‍–‍28 24‍–‍28
New York Mets 41 62 .398 18½ 24‍–‍27 17‍–‍35
Chicago Cubs 38 65 .369 21½ 27‍–‍30 11‍–‍35
NL East
First Half Standings 		W L Pct. GB
Philadelphia Phillies 34 21 .618 —
St. Louis Cardinals 30 20 .600 1+1⁄2
Montreal Expos 30 25 .545 4
Pittsburgh Pirates 25 23 .521 5+1⁄2
New York Mets 17 34 .333 15
Chicago Cubs 15 37 .288 17+1⁄2
NL East
Second Half Standings 		W L Pct. GB
Montreal Expos 30 23 .566 —
St. Louis Cardinals 29 23 .558 1⁄2
Philadelphia Phillies 25 27 .481 4+1⁄2
New York Mets 24 28 .462 5+1⁄2
Chicago Cubs 23 28 .451 6
Pittsburgh Pirates 21 33 .389 9+1⁄2
NL West
Team W L Pct. GB Home Road
Cincinnati Reds 66 42 .611 — 32‍–‍22 34‍–‍20
Los Angeles Dodgers 63 47 .573 4 33‍–‍23 30‍–‍24
Houston Astros 61 49 .555 6 31‍–‍20 30‍–‍29
San Francisco Giants 56 55 .505 11½ 29‍–‍24 27‍–‍31
Atlanta Braves 50 56 .472 15 22‍–‍27 28‍–‍29
San Diego Padres 41 69 .373 26 20‍–‍35 21‍–‍34
NL West
First Half Standings 		W L Pct. GB
Los Angeles Dodgers 36 21 .632 —
Cincinnati Reds 35 21 .625 1⁄2
Houston Astros 28 29 .491 8
Atlanta Braves 25 29 .463 9+1⁄2
San Francisco Giants 27 32 .458 10
San Diego Padres 23 33 .411 12+1⁄2
NL West
Second Half Standings 		W L Pct. GB
Houston Astros 33 20 .623 —
Cincinnati Reds 31 21 .596 1+1⁄2
San Francisco Giants 29 23 .558 3+1⁄2
Los Angeles Dodgers 27 26 .509 6
Atlanta Braves 25 27 .481 7+1⁄2
San Diego Padres 18 36 .333 15+1⁄2

Postseason

[edit]
Main article: 1981 MLB Postseason

Bracket

[edit]
Division Series
(ALDS, NLDS) 		League Championship Series
(ALCS, NLCS) 		World Series
         
E1 NY Yankees 3
E2 Milwaukee 2
E1 NY Yankees 3
American League
W1 Oakland 0
W1 Oakland 3
W2 Kansas City 0
AL NY Yankees 2
NL Los Angeles 4
E1 Philadelphia 2
E2 Montreal 3
E2 Montreal 2
National League
W1 Los Angeles 3
W1 Los Angeles 3
W2 Houston 2

NOTE: Due to a strike in mid-season, the season was divided into a first half and a second half. The division winner of the first half (denoted E1, W1) played the division winner of the second half (denoted E2, W2).

Statistical leaders

[edit]
Statistic American League National League
AVG Carney Lansford BOS .336 Bill Madlock PIT .341
HR Tony Armas OAK
Dwight Evans BOS
Bobby Grich CAL
Eddie Murray BAL		 22 Mike Schmidt PHI 31
RBIs Eddie Murray BAL 78 Mike Schmidt PHI 91
Wins Dennis Martínez BAL
Steve McCatty OAK
Jack Morris DET
Pete Vuckovich MIL		 14 Tom Seaver CIN 14
ERA Dave Righetti NYY 2.05 Nolan Ryan HOU 1.69
SO Len Barker CLE 127 Fernando Valenzuela LAD 180
SV Rollie Fingers MIL 28 Bruce Sutter STL 25
SB Rickey Henderson OAK 56 Tim Raines MTL 71
The Oakland Athletics playing host to the Texas Rangers at the Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum during a 1981 home game.

Awards and honors

[edit]
Further information: 1981 Baseball Hall of Fame balloting
Baseball Writers' Association of America Awards
BBWAA Award National League American League
Rookie of the Year Fernando Valenzuela (LAD) Dave Righetti (NYY)
Cy Young Award Fernando Valenzuela (LAD) Rollie Fingers (MIL)
Most Valuable Player Mike Schmidt (PHI) Rollie Fingers (MIL)
Gold Glove Awards
Position National League American League
Pitcher Steve Carlton (PHI) Mike Norris (OAK)
Catcher Gary Carter (MTL) Jim Sundberg (TEX)
First Baseman Keith Hernandez (STL) Mike Squires (CWS)
Second Baseman Manny Trillo (PHI) Frank White (KC)
Third Baseman Mike Schmidt (PHI) Buddy Bell (TEX)
Shortstop Ozzie Smith (STL) Alan Trammell (DET)
Outfielders Dusty Baker (LAD) Dwight Evans (BOS)
Andre Dawson (MTL) Rickey Henderson (OAK)
Garry Maddox (PHI) Dwayne Murphy (OAK)
Silver Slugger Awards
Pitcher/Designated Hitter Fernando Valenzuela (LAD) Al Oliver (TEX)
Catcher Gary Carter (MTL) Carlton Fisk (CWS)
First Baseman Pete Rose (PHI) Cecil Cooper (MIL)
Second Baseman Manny Trillo (PHI) Bobby Grich (CAL)
Third Baseman Mike Schmidt (PHI) Carney Lansford (BOS)
Shortstop Dave Concepción (CIN) Rick Burleson (CAL)
Outfielders Dusty Baker (LAD) Dwight Evans (BOS)
Andre Dawson (MTL) Rickey Henderson (OAK)
George Foster (CIN) Dave Winfield (NYY)

Other awards

[edit]

Player of the Month

[edit]
Month American League National League
April Ken Singleton Dave Concepción
May Dwight Evans Art Howe
August Cecil Cooper Mike Schmidt
September Eddie Murray
Willie Wilson		 Gary Matthews

Pitcher of the Month

[edit]
Month American League National League
April Matt Keough Fernando Valenzuela
May Mark Clear Charlie Lea
August Ron Guidry Rick Camp
Ed Whitson
September Larry Gura
Dennis Martínez		 Tom Seaver

Home field attendance

[edit]
Team name Wins %± Home attendance %± Per game
Los Angeles Dodgers[3] 63 −31.5% 2,381,292 −26.7% 42,523
Philadelphia Phillies[4] 59 −35.2% 1,638,752 −38.2% 29,795
New York Yankees[5] 59 −42.7% 1,614,353 −38.6% 31,654
Montreal Expos[6] 60 −33.3% 1,534,564 −30.5% 27,403
California Angels[7] 51 −21.5% 1,441,545 −37.3% 26,695
Houston Astros[8] 61 −34.4% 1,321,282 −42.0% 25,907
Oakland Athletics[9] 64 −22.9% 1,304,052 54.8% 23,287
Kansas City Royals[10] 50 −48.5% 1,279,403 −44.1% 27,221
Detroit Tigers[11] 60 −28.6% 1,149,144 −35.6% 20,894
Cincinnati Reds[12] 66 −25.8% 1,093,730 −45.9% 20,254
Boston Red Sox[13] 59 −28.9% 1,060,379 −45.8% 20,007
Baltimore Orioles[14] 59 −41.0% 1,024,247 −43.0% 18,623
St. Louis Cardinals[15] 59 −20.3% 1,010,247 −27.1% 19,061
Chicago White Sox[16] 54 −22.9% 946,651 −21.1% 19,319
Milwaukee Brewers[17] 62 −27.9% 874,292 −52.9% 17,843
Texas Rangers[18] 57 −25.0% 850,076 −29.1% 15,180
Toronto Blue Jays[19] 37 −44.8% 755,083 −46.1% 14,247
New York Mets[20] 41 −38.8% 704,244 −40.9% 13,543
Cleveland Indians[21] 52 −34.2% 661,395 −36.0% 12,248
Seattle Mariners[22] 44 −25.4% 636,276 −23.9% 11,163
San Francisco Giants[23] 56 −25.3% 632,274 −42.3% 11,930
Chicago Cubs[24] 38 −40.6% 565,637 −53.1% 9,752
Pittsburgh Pirates[25] 46 −44.6% 541,789 −67.1% 10,623
Atlanta Braves[26] 50 −38.3% 535,418 −48.9% 10,708
San Diego Padres[27] 41 −43.8% 519,161 −54.4% 9,439
Minnesota Twins[28] 41 −46.8% 469,090 −39.0% 7,690

Television coverage

[edit]
Network Day of week Announcers
ABC Monday nights
Sunday afternoons 		Keith Jackson, Howard Cosell, Don Drysdale, Al Michaels, Jim Palmer, Bob Uecker
NBC Saturday afternoons Joe Garagiola, Tony Kubek, Dick Enberg, Tom Seaver, Merle Harmon, Ron Luciano
USA Thursday nights Jim Woods, Nelson Briles, Monte Moore, Wes Parker

Events

[edit]

January–March

[edit]

April–June

[edit]
  • April 9 – After pitcher Jerry Reuss pulls a muscle, rookie Fernando Valenzuela is given his first starting assignment. His first Major League start results in a five-hit shutout. It is the beginning of what will be called "Fernandomania" in Southern California.
  • April 10 – Carlton Fisk debuts with the Chicago White Sox, coincidentally in Fenway Park against his former team, the Boston Red Sox. Fisk hits a three-run home run in the eighth to secure a 5–3 win for Chicago.
  • April 18 – Tom Seaver of the Cincinnati Reds records his 3000th career strikeout. Keith Hernandez is the victim.
  • April 18–19 – Minor league teams from Pawtucket and Rochester clash in a 33 inning game that extends eight hours and 25 minutes; the longest professional baseball game up to that time. Future Hall of Famers Wade Boggs and Cal Ripken Jr. go a combined 6-for-25 in the game.
  • April 27 – Just 18 days after his first start, Fernando Valenzuela has grabbed the attention of the baseball world. In just his fifth start, he pitches his fourth complete game shutout running his record to 5–0 with a microscopic 0.20 ERA. He is also batting over .400 to help his own cause.
  • April 29 – Steve Carlton of the Philadelphia Phillies records his 3000th career strikeout. April 1981 is the only month in history to have two pitchers reach this milestone. He is the first left-handed pitcher in Major League history to reach that mark.
  • May 10 – In the second game of a doubleheader, Charlie Lea of the Montreal Expos no-hits the San Francisco Giants 4–0, the first no-hitter ever pitched at Olympic Stadium.
  • May 15 – Len Barker of the Cleveland Indians pitches a perfect game against the Toronto Blue Jays, 3–0, at Cleveland Municipal Stadium. He struck out 11, all swinging, after the third inning and never had a 3-ball count on any batter on a misty, rain-soaked night where only 7,290 fans took in the game. Current Indians broadcaster Rick Manning caught the 27th out of the night on a fly ball to center field. Barker's catcher, Ron Hassey will later catch Dennis Martínez's 1991 perfect game making him the first catcher in history to catch two perfect games.
  • May 25 – Carl Yastrzemski plays in his 3,000th major league game, scoring the winning run in Boston's 8–7 triumph over Cleveland. Yaz joins Ty Cobb, Stan Musial and Hank Aaron as the fourth major leaguer to appear in 3,000 games.
  • May 28 – After Kansas City Royals player Amos Otis hits a grounder along the third-base line at the Seattle Kingdome, Mariners player Lenny Randle gets down onto his hands and knees and blows on the ball, in an attempt to make it a foul ball.[29]
  • June 5 – Nolan Ryan issues the 1,777th walk in his career, breaking the record previously held by Early Wynn.
  • June 10 – Pete Rose hits a Nolan Ryan pitch for the 3,630th safe hit of his career; tying Stan Musial's National League record for career hits.
  • June 12 – After meeting with major league owners for most of the previous day, players' union chief Marvin Miller announces, "We have accomplished nothing. The strike is on", thus beginning the longest labor action to date in baseball history. By the time the season resumes on August 10, 706 games (38 percent of the season schedule) will have been canceled.
  • June 16 – In the midst of the players' strike, William Wrigley III announces the sale of the Chicago Cubs to the Tribune Company for $20 million. This ends the decades long association between the Wrigley family and the Cubs.
  • June 23 - Also in the midst of the players' strike, the Pawtucket Red Sox and the Rochester Red Wings resumed the longest game in professional baseball history at Fenway Park, after the game was adjourned on April 19th due to darkness. Pawtucket won in the bottom of the 33rd after just 18 minutes of play.

July–September

[edit]
  • August 6 – As a result of the nearly two-month interruption in play because of the strike, major league owners elect to split the 1981 season into two halves, with the first-place teams from each half in each division (or a division's runner-up team in the second half, if the same club were to win both halves (The Sporting News Official Baseball Guide for 1982, p. 13) meeting in a best-of-five divisional playoff series. The last time the major leagues had played a split season was 1892. The Oakland Athletics, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angeles Dodgers suddenly find themselves guaranteed playoff spots as first-half champions (a problem noted at this time is that those teams will not have much left to play for in that year's regular season).
  • August 9 – At Cleveland Stadium, the National League wins its tenth consecutive All-Star Game over the American League, 5–4. Gary Carter hits two home runs and is selected the MVP. The 1981 Midsummer Classic becomes the first and, as of 2020, the only All-Star Game ever played on a Sunday, and the second ever played during the month of August, the first having taken place on August 3, 1959.
  • September 4 – In the conclusion of the longest game in Fenway Park history, the Seattle Mariners beat the Boston Red Sox 8–7 in 20 innings. The game began on September 3, but was suspended after 19 innings with the score tied 7–7.
  • September 6 – Despite having won the first-half American League East title, New York Yankees manager Gene Michael is replaced by Bob Lemon, who managed the club in 1978–79. The Yankees are under .500 in the second half of the season.
  • September 6 – The Los Angeles Dodgers' Fernando Valenzuela beats the St. Louis Cardinals 5–0 to tie the National League record of seven shutouts by a rookie pitcher.
  • September 26 – Nolan Ryan of the Houston Astros breaks the record of four no hitters by pitcher Sandy Koufax by pitching his fifth career no hitter in the Astrodome against, coincidentally, Koufax's former team, the Los Angeles Dodgers.
  • September 30 – The Kansas City Royals defeat the Minnesota Twins, 5–2, to clinch the second half of the American League Western Division title. More importantly, it is the last Major League game to be played at Metropolitan Stadium, as the Twins prepare to move into the new Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome.

October–December

[edit]
  • October 3 – Bob Horner hits two home runs and scores the winning run to give the Atlanta Braves a 4–3 win over the Cincinnati Reds, and the Houston Astros the second-half title in the NL West division. Cincinnati, which lost the first-half title to the Dodgers by half a game, will finish with the best overall record (66–42) in the major leagues, but will miss the playoffs as a result of not having won either half's division title.
  • October 3 – The Milwaukee Brewers (playing since 1970) and Montreal Expos (since 1969) clinch their first postseason appearances. Milwaukee beats Detroit 2–1 to wrap up the second-half title in the AL East division, while Montréal edges the Mets 5–4 to win the NL East's second playoff spot. (St. Louis finishes with the best overall record in the NL East but misses the playoffs for the same reason as the Cincinnati Reds.)
  • October 5 – The Kansas City Royals shut out Cleveland 9–0 in the first game of a scheduled doubleheader to clinch the second-half title in the AL West. The second game is canceled as irrelevant. This was a make-up game after the scheduled season ended the day before.
  • October 19 – Rick Monday of the Los Angeles Dodgers hits a ninth-inning home run to break a 1–1 tie and secure a Game 5 victory in the National League Championship Series. The losing Montréal Expos had been leading the series two games to one in what would be their only postseason appearance.
  • October 28 – Pedro Guerrero drives in five runs, and pitcher Burt Hooton and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the New York Yankees 9–2 to win the 1981 World Series in six games. In a remarkable postseason, the Dodgers rallied from game deficits of 2–0 against the Astros in the division series, 2-1 against the Expos in the National League Championship series, and 2–0 against the Yankees in the World Series. Guerrero, Ron Cey and Steve Yeager are named co-MVPs.
  • November 11 – Fernando Valenzuela of the Los Angeles Dodgers wins the National League Cy Young Award, becoming the first rookie to win the award.
  • November 25 – Rollie Fingers of the Milwaukee Brewers becomes the first relief pitcher ever to win the American League MVP Award, edging Rickey Henderson of the Oakland Athletics, 319 to 308. Fingers saved 28 games while posting a 1.04 ERA.
  • December 2 – Following the strike-shortened season, Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Fernando Valenzuela becomes the third consecutive Dodgers player to be named National League Rookie of the Year. The Mexican lefthander posted a 13–7 record with a 2.48 ERA and led the NL in strikeouts (180), games started (25), complete games (11), shutouts (eight) and innings pitched (1921⁄3). His 13 wins tied him with Steve Carlton in second place behind Tom Seaver, who finished with 14. Valenzuela also made his first All-Star appearance and received both the Cy Young and TSN Rookie of the Year awards.

Deaths

[edit]
  • January 26 – Ray Oyler, 42, shortstop known for excellent glovework with the Detroit Tigers' 1968 champions, afterwards taken in the expansion draft by the Seattle Pilots
  • February 2 – Al Van Camp, 77, first baseman/left fielder who played from 1928 to 1932 for the Cleveland Indians and Boston Red Sox
  • February 4 – Grant Gillis, 70, utility infielder for the Washington Senators and Boston Red Sox between 1927 and 1929
  • February 15 – Cotton Pippen, 69, pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals, Philadelphia Athletics and Detroit Tigers from 1936 to 1940, better known as the pitcher that struck out Ted Williams in his first major league at-bat
  • March 7 – Pee-Wee Wanninger, 78, backup shortstop for the Yankees, Red Sox and Reds, better known as the player who replaced Everett Scott with the Yankees in 1925 to end his then major league record of 1,307 consecutive games
  • March 10 – Bob Elson, 76, broadcaster for the Chicago White Sox from 1931 to 1970; also worked with the Cubs and Oakland Athletics
  • March 17 – Paul Dean, 67, pitcher who joined his older brother Dizzy on the St. Louis Cardinals, winning 19 games in each of his first two seasons; the brothers each won two games in the 1934 World Series
  • March 19 – Frank Lane, 85, general manager of the White Sox, Indians, Brewers and Cardinals known for his numerous trades
  • March 25 – Red Morgan, 97, third baseman for the 1906 Boston Americans, at the time of his death the oldest living former major leaguer
  • April 16 – Effa Manley, 84, owner of the Negro leagues' Newark Eagles from 1935 to 1948
  • April 27 – Emerson Dickman, 66, pitcher for the Boston Red Sox between 1936 and 1941, who later became a coach at Princeton University in the 1950s
  • May 26 – George Smith, 79, pitcher who played from 1926 to 1930 for the Detroit Tigers and Boston Red Sox
  • July 1 – Dan Daniel, 91, sportswriter for The Sporting News and various New York newspapers for over 50 years; also a member of baseball's Rules Committee
  • July 8 – Merl Combs, 61, shortstop for the Boston Red Sox, Washington Senators and Cleveland Indians between 1947 and 1952
  • August 9 – Sammy T. Hughes, 70, 6-time All-Star second baseman of the Negro leagues, mainly with the Elite Giants
  • October 4 – Freddie Lindstrom, 75, Hall of Fame third baseman for the New York Giants who batted .311 lifetime, twice collecting 230 hits and batting .333 in the 1924 World Series at age 18; later coach at Northwestern
  • October 17 – Johnny Peacock, 71, catcher for the Boston Red Sox, Philadelphia Blue Jays/Phillies and Brooklyn Dodgers, between 1937 and 1945
  • October 22 – Taffy Wright, 70, outfielder for the Washington Senators, Chicago White Sox and Philadelphia Athletics from 1938 to 1949
  • October 25 – Pete Reiser, 62, All-Star center fielder for the Brooklyn Dodgers who led the NL in batting and four other categories in 1941 and in steals twice, but whose fearless defensive style led to numerous injuries
  • December 10 – John F. Kieran, 89, New York sportswriter and radio and television personality who authored books on numerous subjects
  • December 22 – Ed Gallagher, 71, pitcher for the 1932 Boston Red Sox
  • December 28 – John Bischoff, 87, catcher for the Chicago White Sox and Boston Red Sox in the 1920s, and one of the first foreign ballplayers to play in Cuban baseball

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "The 1981 Season". Retrosheet. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
  2. ^ Chronology of the Baseball Strike, Associated Press (The New York Times, archives), August 1, 1981.
  3. ^ "Los Angeles Dodgers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  4. ^ "Oakland Athletics Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  5. ^ "New York Yankees Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  6. ^ "Washington Nationals Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  7. ^ "Los Angeles Angels Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  8. ^ "Cleveland Indians Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  9. ^ "Oakland Athletics Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  10. ^ "Kansas City Royals Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  11. ^ "Detroit Tigers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  12. ^ "Cincinnati Reds Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  13. ^ "Boston Red Sox Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  14. ^ "Baltimore Orioles Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  15. ^ "St. Louis Cardinals Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  16. ^ "Chicago White Sox Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  17. ^ "Milwaukee Brewers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  18. ^ "Texas Rangers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  19. ^ "Toronto Blue Jays Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  20. ^ "New York Mets Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  21. ^ "Cleveland Indians Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  22. ^ "Seattle Mariners Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  23. ^ "San Francisco Giants Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  24. ^ "Chicago Cubs Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  25. ^ "Pittsburgh Pirates Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  26. ^ "Atlanta Braves Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  27. ^ "San Diego Padres Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  28. ^ "Minnesota Twins Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  29. ^ Mackin, Bob (2004). The Unofficial Guide to Baseball's Most Unusual Records. Canada: Greystone Books. p. 240. ISBN 9781553650386..
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1981_Major_League_Baseball_season&oldid=1257866964"