1969 Seattle Pilots season

1969 Seattle Pilots
Only season in Seattle
Major League affiliations
American League (since 1969)
Western Division (since 1969)
Location
Sick's Stadium (since 1969)
Seattle (since 1969)
Other information
Owner(s)	Dewey Soriano
General manager(s)	Marvin Milkes
Manager(s)	Joe Schultz
Local television	None
Local radio	KVI (Jimmy Dudley, Bill Schonely)
Next season

The 1969 Seattle Pilots season was the only season of the Seattle Pilots, a Major League Baseball team. As an expansion team in the American League, along with the Kansas City Royals, the Pilots were placed in the newly established West division. They finished last among the six teams with a record of 64–98 (.395), 33 games behind the division champion Minnesota Twins.

Fewer than 678,000 fans came to see the Pilots, which ranked 20th of the 24 major league teams — a major reason why the team was forced into bankruptcy after only one season. Despite the poor conditions at aging Sicks Stadium, the ticket prices were among the highest in the major leagues. The bankruptcy sale of the team was approved by a federal court in Seattle on March 31, and the team moved to Milwaukee at the end of spring training for the 1970 season and became the Milwaukee Brewers. Milwaukee had lost the Braves to Atlanta after the 1965 season.

A book about the season exists called The 1969 Seattle Pilots: Major League Baseball's One-Year Team. Part of the Pilots' season was also documented in the book Ball Four by Jim Bouton. After the Pilots, there would not be another MLB team in Seattle until the birth of the Mariners in 1977.

Offseason

• April 1, 1968: Marv Staehle was purchased by the Pilots from the Cleveland Indians.
• June 7, 1968: Wilbur Howard was selected by the Pilots in the 19th round of the 1968 Major League Baseball draft.
• October 21, 1968: Jim Bouton was purchased by the Pilots from the New York Yankees.
• March 31, 1969: Chico Salmon was traded by the Pilots to the Baltimore Orioles for Gene Brabender and Gordy Lund.

Expansion draft

Main article: 1968 MLB expansion draft

The MLB expansion draft for the Pilots and the Kansas City Royals was held on October 15, 1968.

Player	Former team	Pick
Don Mincher	California Angels	2nd
Tommy Harper	Cleveland Indians	3rd
Ray Oyler	Detroit Tigers	5th
Jerry McNertney	Chicago White Sox	7th
Buzz Stephen	Minnesota Twins	9th
Chico Salmon	Cleveland Indians	11th
Diego Seguí	Oakland Athletics	14th
Tommy Davis	Chicago White Sox	16th
Marty Pattin	California Angels	18th
Gerry Schoen	Washington Senators	20th
Gary Bell	Boston Red Sox	21st
Jack Aker	Oakland Athletics	24th
Rich Rollins	Minnesota Twins	26th
Lou Piniella	Cleveland Indians	28th
Dick Bates	Washington Senators	30th
Larry Haney	Baltimore Orioles	32nd
Dick Baney	Boston Red Sox	33rd
Steve Hovley	California Angels	35th
Steve Barber	New York Yankees	37th
John Miklos	Washington Senators	39th
Wayne Comer	Detroit TIgers	41st
Bucky Brandon	Boston Red Sox	44th
Skip Lockwood	Oakland Athletics	46th
Gary Timberlake	New York Yankees	48th
Bob Richmond	Washington Senators	50th
John Morris	Baltimore Orioles	52nd
Mike Marshall	Detroit Tigers	53rd
Jim Gosger	Oakland Athletics	55th
Mike Ferraro	New York Yankees	57th
Paul Click	California Angels	59th

Regular season

File:Pilots logo 1969.JPG

Pilots' logo.

• On Tuesday, April 8, the Pilots won their first-ever game, 4–3 at Anaheim Stadium over the California Angels. Twenty-six-year-old Pilots' starter Marty Pattin went five innings, allowing two earned runs for Seattle. RHP Jack Aker earned the save. RF Mike Hegan hit Seattle's first-ever HR, a two-run shot off Jim McGlothlin CAL, after 2b Tommy Harper SEA had doubled to left to begin the Pilots' existence.
• On the afternoon of Friday, April 11, the Pilots played, and won, their first American League game at Sick's Stadium in Seattle – 7–0 over the Chicago White Sox. Thirty-two-year-old righty Gary Bell tossed a complete game for Seattle, scattering nine hits, striking out six Sox and walking four. Bell also helped his own cause by stroking a two-run double off RHP Bob Locker CHW in the bottom of the sixth. 1b Don Mincher SEA hit a two-run HR off RHP Joe Horlen CHW in the third. The official attendance was 14 993.
• On July 2, Reggie Jackson of the Oakland Athletics hit three home runs against the Pilots to raise his season total to 34 home runs.
• In the 1969 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, outfielder Mike Hegan was the only Pilot selected to the All-Star game on the reserved squad. However, due to injury, he would be replaced by his teammate, infielder Don Mincher.

Season standings

AL West	W	L	Pct.	GB	Home	Road
Minnesota Twins	97	65	0.599	—	57–24	40–41
Oakland Athletics	88	74	0.543	9	49–32	39–42
California Angels	71	91	0.438	26	43–38	28–53
Kansas City Royals	69	93	0.426	28	36–45	33–48
Chicago White Sox	68	94	0.420	29	41–40	27–54
Seattle Pilots	64	98	0.395	33	34–47	30–51

Record vs. opponents

1969 American League Records Sources: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12]
Team	BAL	BOS	CAL	CWS	CLE	DET	KC	MIN	NYY	OAK	SEA	WSH
Baltimore	—	10–8	6–6	9–3	13–5	11–7	11–1	8–4	11–7	8–4	9–3	13–5
Boston	8–10	—	8–4	5–7	12–6	10–8	10–2	7–5	11–7	4–8	6–6	6–12
California	6–6	4–8	—	9–9	8–4	5–7	9–9	7–11	3–9	6–12	9–9–1	5–7
Chicago	3–9	7–5	9–9	—	8–4	3–9	8–10	5–13	3–9	8–10	10–8	4–8
Cleveland	5–13	6–12	4–8	4–8	—	7–11	7–5	5–7	9–8	5–7	7–5	3–15
Detroit	7–11	8–10	7–5	9–3	11–7	—	8–4	6–6	10–8	7–5	10–2	7–11
Kansas City	1–11	2–10	9–9	10–8	5–7	4–8	—	8–10	5–7–1	8–10	10–8	7–5
Minnesota	4–8	5–7	11–7	13–5	7–5	6–6	10–8	—	10–2	13–5	12–6	6–6
New York	7–11	7–11	9–3	9–3	8–9	8–10	7–5–1	2–10	—	6–6	7–5	10–8
Oakland	4–8	8–4	12–6	10–8	7–5	5–7	10–8	5–13	6–6	—	13–5	8–4
Seattle	3–9	6–6	9–9–1	8–10	5–7	2–10	8–10	6–12	5–7	5–13	—	7–5
Washington	5–13	12–6	7–5	8–4	15–3	11–7	5–7	6–6	8–10	4–8	5–7	—

The first game

April 8, Anaheim Stadium, Anaheim, California

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Seattle	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	6	0
California	0	1	0	0	1	0	1	0	0	3	10	1
W: Marty Pattin (1–0)  L: Jim McGlothlin (0–1)  SV: Jack Aker (1)
HRs: SEA: Mike Hegan (1), CAL: Jim Fregosi (1)

Opening Day lineup

21	Tommy Harper	2B
8	Mike Hegan	RF
12	Tommy Davis	LF
5	Don Mincher	1B
9	Rich Rollins	3B
14	Jim Gosger	CF
15	Jerry McNertney	C
1	Ray Oyler	SS
33	Marty Pattin	P

Notable transactions

• April 1, 1969: Lou Piniella was traded by the Pilots to the Kansas City Royals for Steve Whitaker and John Gelnar.
• May 27, 1969: Jim Pagliaroni was purchased by the Pilots from the Oakland Athletics.
• June 5, 1969: 1969 Major League Baseball draft
  • Gorman Thomas was drafted by the Pilots in the 1st round (21st pick).
  • Bob Coluccio was drafted by the Pilots in the 17th round.
• June 14, 1969: Larry Haney was traded by the Pilots to the Oakland Athletics for John Donaldson.
• August 24, 1969: Jim Bouton was traded by the Pilots to the Houston Astros for Dooley Womack and Roric Harrison.
• September 13, 1969: Marv Staehle was purchased from the Pilots by the Montreal Expos.

Roster

1969 Seattle Pilots
Roster
Pitchers 23 Jack Aker 32 Dick Baney 13 Steve Barber 46 Dick Bates 39 Gary Bell 56 Jim Bouton 32 Gene Brabender 27 Bucky Brandon 39 George Brunet 38 Bill Edgerton 14 Miguel Fuentes 25 John Gelnar 27 Bob Locker 42 Skip Lockwood 28 Mike Marshall 38 Bob Meyer 35 John Morris 43 John O'Donoghue 33 Marty Pattin 39 Garry Roggenburk 24 Diego Seguí 40 Jerry Stephenson 23 Fred Talbot 45 Gary Timberlake 41 Dooley Womack		Catchers 10 Larry Haney 15 Jerry McNertney 17 Jim Pagliaroni 26 Merritt Ranew 30 Freddie Velázquez Infielders 30 Ron Clark 10 John Donaldson 18 Gus Gil 34 Greg Goossen 21 Tommy Harper 11 John Kennedy 14 Gordon Lund  5 Don Mincher  1 Ray Oyler  9 Rich Rollins 22 Fred Stanley		Outfielders 20 Wayne Comer 12 Tommy Davis 14 Jim Gosger  8 Mike Hegan 36 Steve Hovley 16 Dick Simpson 28 Sandy Valdespino 25 José Vidal 12 Danny Walton 19 Steve Whitaker 51 Billy Williams Other batters 26 Mike Ferraro		Manager  3 Joe Schultz Coaches  2 Frankie Crosetti  4 Sal Maglie  6 Eddie O'Brien  7 Ron Plaza 31 Sibby Sisti

Player stats

= Indicates team 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
C	Jerry McNertney	128	410	99	.241	8	55
1B	Don Mincher	140	427	105	.246	25	78
2B	John Donaldson	95	338	79	.234	1	19
3B	Tommy Harper	148	537	126	.235	9	41
SS	Ray Oyler	106	255	42	.165	7	22
LF	Tommy Davis	123	454	123	.271	6	80
CF	Wayne Comer	147	481	118	.245	15	54
RF	Mike Hegan	95	267	78	.292	8	37

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
Steve Hovley	91	329	91	.277	3	20
Gus Gil	92	221	49	.222	0	17
Steve Whitaker	69	116	29	.250	6	13
Rich Rollins	58	187	42	.225	4	21
Ron Clark	57	163	32	.196	0	12
Greg Goossen	52	139	43	.309	10	24
John Kennedy	61	128	30	.234	4	14
Jim Pagliaroni	40	110	29	.264	5	14
Danny Walton	23	92	20	.217	3	10
Merritt Ranew	54	81	20	.247	0	4
Jim Gosger	39	55	6	.109	1	7
Dick Simpson	26	51	9	.176	2	5
Larry Haney	22	59	15	.254	2	7
Fred Stanley	17	43	12	.279	0	4
Gordy Lund	20	38	10	.263	0	1
Sandy Valdespino	20	38	8	.211	0	0
José Vidal	18	26	5	.192	1	2
Freddie Velázquez	6	16	2	.125	0	2
Billy Williams	4	10	0	.000	0	0
Mike Ferraro	5	4	0	.000	0	0

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
Gene Brabender	40	202.1	13	14	4.36	139
Marty Pattin	34	158.2	7	12	5.62	126
Mike Marshall	20	87.2	3	10	5.13	47
George Brunet	12	63.2	2	5	5.37	37
Gary Bell	13	61.1	2	6	4.70	30
Bob Meyer	6	32.2	0	3	3.31	17
Gary Timberlake	2	6	0	0	7.50	4

Other pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player	G	IP	W	L	SV	ERA	SO
Fred Talbot	25	114.2	5	8	0	4.16	67
John Gelnar	39	108.2	3	10	3	3.31	69
Steve Barber	25	86.1	4	7	0	4.80	69
Miguel Fuentes	8	26	1	3	0	5.19	14
Garry Roggenburk	7	24.1	2	2	0	4.44	11
Skip Lockwood	6	23	0	1	0	3.52	10

Relief pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player	G	IP	W	L	SV	ERA	SO
Diego Seguí	66	142.1	12	6	12	3.35	113
Jim Bouton	57	92	2	1	1	3.91	68
John O'Donoghue	55	70	2	2	6	2.96	48
Bob Locker	51	78.1	3	3	6	2.18	46
Jack Aker	15	16.2	0	2	3	7.56	7
Dick Baney	9	18.2	1	0	0	3.86	9
Dooley Womack	9	14.1	2	1	0	2.51	8
Bucky Brandon	8	15	0	1	0	8.40	10
John Morris	6	12.2	0	0	0	6.39	8
Bill Edgerton	4	4	0	1	0	13.50	2
Jerry Stephenson	2	2.2	0	0	0	10.12	1
Dick Bates	1	1.2	0	0	0	26.99	3

Farm system

See also: Minor League Baseball

Level	Team	League	Manager
AAA	Vancouver Mounties	Pacific Coast League	Bob Lemon
A	Clinton Pilots	Midwest League	Sibby Sisti, Karl Kuehl and Tommy Giordano
A-Short Season	Newark Co-Pilots	New York–Penn League	Earl Torgeson
Rookie	Billings Mustangs	Pioneer League	Bob Mavis and Roland LeBlanc

Vancouver affiliation shared with Montreal Expos

References

• 1969 Seattle Pilots: Batting, Pitching, & Fielding Statistics. Baseball-Reference.com
• 1969 Seattle Pilots Roster webpage. Baseball Almanac website

Further reading

• Bouton, Jim (1970). Ball Four. New York: World Publishing. LCCN 78-120125.
• Hogan, Kenneth (2006). The 1969 Seattle Pilots: Major League Baseball's One-Year Team. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland. ISBN 978-0-78-642786-4.
• Mullins, Bill (2013). Becoming Big League: Seattle, the Pilots, and Stadium Politics. Seattle, WA: University of Washington Press. ISBN 978-0-29-599252-5.