1960s All-Decade Team

August 21, 2017

3–4 minutes

Major League Baseball during the 1960s was all about expanding the game. In 1960 there were 16 teams by 1969 there were 24. Each league was also split into two divisions, east and west, and the League Championship Series (LCS) was added in 1969. The outfield was chalk full of Hall of Famers and then there was 1968. The decade also is home to Bill Mazeroski walk-off World Series homer and of course Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle‘s pursuit of Babe Ruth‘s single season home run record.

The list of players who reached statistical milestones during the 1960s is much shorter than other decades but it reads like a who’s who of Baseball lore. Ted Williams, Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle, Eddie Mathews, and Hank Aaron all joined the 500 home run club expanding it from three to eight and Early Wynn and Warren Sphan both collected their 300th win.

Catcher, Joe Torre

Age: 19 – 28
Years: 1960 – 1969
Teams: Milwaukee / Atlanta Braves, St. Louis Cardinals
All-Star: 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967

Joe Torre Batting Statistics
WAR	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
36.3	1,196	4,302	542	1,261	183	27	160	653	10	21	400	603	.293	.357	.460	.817

First Base, Willie McCovey

Age: 22 – 31
Years: 1960 – 1969
Teams: San Francisco Giants
MVP: 1969
All-Star: 1963, 1966, 1968, 1969

Willie McCovey Batting Statistics
WAR	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
44.5	1,322	4,257	728	1,189	168	33	300	821	17	18	650	805	.279	.378	.546	.923

Second Base, Pete Rose

Age: 22 – 28
Years: 1963 – 1969
Teams: Cincinnati Reds
Rookie of the Year: 1963
All-Star: 1965, 1967, 1968, 1969

Pete Rose Batting Statistics
WAR	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
30.1	1,064	4,301	679	1,327	218	52	75	433	50	60	397	467	.309	.369	.436	.805

Third Base, Dick Allen

Age: 21 – 27
Years: 1963 – 1969
Teams: Philadelphia Phillies
Rookie of the Year: 1964
All-Star: 1965, 1966, 1967

Dick Allen Batting Statistics
WAR	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
35.2	866	3,221	591	966	167	60	177	544	64	27	422	851	.300	.380	.554	.933

Shortstop, Dick McAuliffe

Age: 20 – 29
Years: 1960 – 1969
Teams: Detroit Tigers
All-Star: 1965, 1966, 1967

Dick McAuliffe Batting Statistics
WAR	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
28.8	1,154	4,140	630	1,056	147	59	142	487	52	48	580	692	.255	.348	.422	.770

Outfield, Mickey Mantle

Age: 28 – 36
Years: 1960 – 1968
Teams: New York Yankees
MVP: 1962
All-Star: 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1968

Mickey Mantle Batting Statistics
WAR	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
42.3	1,155	3,624	682	1,023	136	18	256	668	55	13	841	811	.282	.415	.542	.957

Outfield, Frank Robinson

Age: 24 – 33
Years: 1960 – 1969
Teams: Cincinnati Reds, Baltimore Orioles
MVP: 1961,
1966
All-Star: 1961, 1962, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1969

Frank Robinson Batting Statistics
WAR	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
64.6	1,468	5,265	1,013	1,603	309	44	316	1,011	145	55	778	749	.304	.402	.560	.962

Outfield, Willie Mays

Age: 29 – 38
Years: 1960 – 1969
Teams: San Francisco Giants
MVP: 1965
All-Star: 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969

Willie Mays Batting Statistics
WAR	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
84.1	1,498	5,459	1,050	1,635	259	53	350	1,003	126	42	681	783	.300	.377	.559	.935

Starting Pitcher, Sandy Koufax

Age: 24 – 30
Years: 1960 – 1966
Teams: Brooklyn / Los Angeles Dodgers
MVP: 1963
Cy Young Award: 1963, 1965, 1966
All-Star: 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966

Sandy Koufax Pitching Statistics
WAR	G	GS	W	L	ERA	IP	CG	SHO	SV	R	ER	BB	SO	SO/9	WHIP
48.0	260	237	137	60	2.36	1,807.2	122	37	6	542	474	512	1,910	9.5	1.005

Starting Pitcher, Bob Gibson

Age: 24 – 33

Years: 1960 – 1969

Teams: St. Louis Cardinals

MVP: 1968

Cy Young Award: 1968

All-Star: 1962, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969

Bob Gibson Pitching Statistics
WAR	G	GS	W	L	ERA	IP	CG	SHO	SV	R	ER	BB	SO	SO/9	WHIP
54.4	336	302	164	105	2.74	2,447	164	41	4	847	746	822	2,071	7.6	1.147

Starting Pitcher, Whitey Ford

Age: 31 – 38

Years: 1960 – 1967

Teams: New York Yankees

Cy Young Award: 1961

All-Star: 1960, 1961, 1964

Whitey Ford Pitching Statistics
WAR	G	GS	W	L	ERA	IP	CG	SHO	SV	R	ER	BB	SO	SO/9	WHIP
27.3	253	230	115	56	2.83	1,608.2	62	21	3	576	506	422	1,041	5.8	1.173

Starting Pitcher, Juan Marichal

Age: 22 – 31

Years: 1960 – 1969

Teams: San Francisco Giants

All-Star: 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969

Juan Marichal Pitching Statistics
WAR	G	GS	W	L	ERA	IP	CG	SHO	SV	R	ER	BB	SO	SO/9	WHIP
55.3	328	320	191	88	2.57	2,549.2	197	45	2	861	728	503	1,840	6.5	1.045

Starting Pitcher, Don Drysdale

Age: 23 – 32

Years: 1960 – 1969

Teams: Brooklyn / Los Angeles Dodgers

Cy Young Award: 1962

All-Star: 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1968

Don Drysdale Pitching Statistics
WAR	G	GS	W	L	ERA	IP	CG	SHO	SV	R	ER	BB	SO	SO/9	WHIP
44.6	371	359	158	126	2.83	2,629.2	135	40	4	961	827	598	1,910	6.5	1.118

Relief Pitcher, Hoyt Wilhelm

Age: 37 – 46

Years: 1960 – 1969

Teams: Baltimore Orioles, Chicago White Sox

All-Star: 1961, 1962

Hoyt Wilhelm Pitching Statistics
WAR	G	GS	W	L	ERA	IP	CG	SHO	SV	R	ER	BB	SO	SO/9	WHIP
24.5	557	15	75	65	2.16	1,103.1	3	1	153	332	265	303	872	7.1	0.993

Honorable Mention

Catcher – John Ramano
First Base – Norm Cash
Second Base – Joe Morgan
Third Base – Eddie Mathews
Shortstop – Rico Petrocelli
Outfield – Hank Aaron
Outfield – Al Kaline
Starting Pitcher – Jim Bunning
Starting Pitcher – Dean Chance
Relief Pitcher – Stu Miller

23 responses to “1960s All-Decade Team”

Jerry Johnson

September 9, 2017 at 12:13 am

The fact that Hank Aaron is not starting in the outfield is an abomination. Debating Aaron vs. Mantle over their entire careers? Cool. However, there is no debate regarding who the better player was during the 1960’s.

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Garry Harris

October 21, 2017 at 2:26 pm

No disrespect intended but, the 1960’s team is all wrong.

C Bill Freehan, Joe Torre
1B Harmon Killebrew, Orlando Cepeda, Willie McCovey
2B Bill Mazeroski
3B Ron Santos, Brooks Robinson, Dick Allen
SS Maury Wills, Jim Fregosi, Luis Aparicio
LF Billy Williams, Lou Brock, Carl Yastrzemski
CF Willie Mays, Vada Pinson
RF Hank Aaron, Frank Robinson, Roberto Clemente

SP Sandy Koufax
SP Juan Marichal
SP Bob Gibson
SP Don Drysdale
SP Jim Bunning

RP Ron Perranoski
RP Hoyt Wilhelm
RP Don McMahan

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ElJefeDeNoche@gmail.com

December 6, 2017 at 3:24 pm

As a Tigers fan born in the ’60s I never appreciated how good Dick McAuliffe really was. Best shortstop of the 1960s? I always thought of him as solid second basement for the ’68 World Champions who had a penchant for not grounding in to double plays.

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1. Kevin Joseph Foley
  
  October 19, 2019 at 3:33 pm
  
  NO WAY! NO CUBS! AT ALL!
  
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  1. Anonymous
    
    January 4, 2025 at 7:01 pm
    
    They didn’t win much in the 60’s, but Ernie Banks needs to be at shortstop. No discussion needed.
    
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  2. Anonymous
    
    January 6, 2025 at 10:09 am
    
    anyone wanting Banks at SS is ignoring that after 1961 he was never a Shortstop.
    
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Dan Holmes

October 9, 2018 at 11:26 am

Jim Fregosi is a better choice at short, especially since he played the position the entire decade, unlike Mac.

Mantle over Aaron for the 1960s? I think you need to go back and look at the stats for that decade.

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Anonymous

January 25, 2019 at 1:01 pm

what about my all time favorite player ernie banks at short?

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1. Dave Franks
  
  January 25, 2019 at 1:16 pm
  
  Ernie Banks spent most of the 60s playing 1B. He is on the 1950s All-Decade Team. https://thebaseballscholar.com/2017/08/28/1950s-all-decade-team/
  
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D Bath

June 27, 2019 at 11:21 am

You prefer Mickey Mantle’s 42 WAR to Hank Aaron’s 81 WAR? Aaron’s WORST season in the 1960’s was a 6.8 WAR season in 1964.

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Anonymous

September 8, 2020 at 4:54 pm

How is Clemente not even on this list? This list is automatically wrong that Clemente is not even on here. Not to mention mazeroski is the best second basemen in this decade defensively and actually drove in more runs than ANY OTHER second baseman during the 60s. You’re list seems biased against the pirates.

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Sieedah Nelson

December 31, 2020 at 2:19 pm

How in the world could you leave Hank Aaron off of your list. It’s hard to take you serious. He hit 375 homers and averaged almost 110 rbis

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Anonymous

March 4, 2021 at 3:38 pm

Hank Aaron honorable mention?? 🤔🤔
That’s rediculous

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1. Doug Bath
  
  March 4, 2021 at 8:00 pm
  
  No kidding… Hank hit .308 with 375 HR and 1,107 RBI in the 1960’s. Every one of those numbers was better than all of the OF that were listed on that team. Mickey has no business starting ahead of Hank and his 81 WAR in the decade.
  
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Spare Me

July 24, 2021 at 5:40 pm

Hmm, now who could have been left off this list?

How about:

Someone with more hits in the 1960s than anyone on this ridiculous list – in fact, with more hits than anyone in the entire American League.

The AL MVP, the All-Star MVP, and the World Series MVP one year later.

And there was one other thing I’m forgetting.

Hmm, what was it?

Oh, right. A Gold Glove every single year.

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Rafael Delgado

October 20, 2021 at 9:32 am

Good selection but I don’t see Roberto Clemente on this list, was the highest batting average of the 60’s with .329 and had 4 batting titles during that decade. With a legendary throwing arm and also the best right fielder of his time.

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Greg Nicolaysen

December 28, 2021 at 10:00 pm

I would add Dave McNally (Baltimore Orioles) to the list of pitchers for the 1960s. His career was in the latter half of the decade but was stellar, including great World Series performances in 1966 and 1969, and a top ERA in 1968. His top performances carried over into the 1970s.

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Matthew

July 29, 2022 at 7:53 pm

All Time 60’s Team
2B Pete Rose
RF Roberto Clemente
CF Willie Mays
LF Carl Yastrzemski
DH Frank Robinson
1B Willie McCovey
3B Brooks Robinson
C ????
SS Luis Aparicio

P Sandy Koufax, Juan Marichal, Bob Gibson
note: All these are HoFers, I have Aaron in RF in the 50’s. Brooks Robinson was an AS and a GG every year of the decade. You’re wrong on SS.

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Anonymous

August 5, 2023 at 5:03 pm

No Yaz 3 batting titles and a triple crown!! Not even an honorable mention.????????

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Anonymous

November 11, 2023 at 6:54 am

Wow, I just read this article and was surprised by some players selection. But the biggest mistake was not even mentioning Roberto Clemente. He had the highest BA of the 60’s .328, most hits 1,874, most batting titles 4, his BA with runners in scoring position was .332 behind Aaron .335. The only other players (with 1,400+) able to hit over .300 were Aaron .308, F. Robinson .305 and Mays .300. In addition Clemente lead the outfielders in assists, drs and golden gloves 9, his WAR is top 3 behind Mays and Aaron. No way not to mention.

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Rafael

November 11, 2023 at 6:58 am

Wow, I just read this article and was surprised by some players selection. But the biggest mistake was not even mentioning Roberto Clemente. He had the highest BA of the 60’s .328, most hits 1,874, most batting titles 4, his BA with runners in scoring position was .332 behind Aaron .335. The only other players (with 1,400+) able to hit over .300 were Aaron .308, F. Robinson .305 and Mays .300. In addition Clemente lead the outfielders in assists, drs and golden gloves 9, his WAR is top 3 behind Mays and Aaron. No way not to mention.

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Anonymous

October 1, 2024 at 4:55 am

No mention of Roberto Clemente. Wow, just WOW.

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Anonymous

March 31, 2025 at 12:20 pm

That infield is terrible defensively , TERRIBLE I say! Here are my picks:

Catcher: Bill Freehan
– I’ll take a good defensive Catcher over a terrible defensive catcher with a good bat. Torre was so bad he only played half his games as Catcher.

First Base: Orlando Cepeda
– Good defensive First Baseman as well as great bat

Second Base: Bill Mazeroski
– The greatest defensive Second Baseman ever!

Third Base: Eddie Mathews
– Offensively a left-handed hitting Mike Schmidt level. Defensively good until the brick-handed Dick Allen!

Shortstop: Luis Aparicio
– Great defensive shortstop and SB leader!

Left Field: Carl Yastrzemski
– Best defensive Left Fielder and Triple Crown winner!

Center Field: Willie Mays
– Today’s analysis shows that Mantle defense was not as good as thought back then! (Total Zone: Mantle -10, Mays +176). Back then, I would choose Mantle over Mays to drop a monster switch hitter into my lineup. I have since changed my mind.

Right Field: Hank Aaron
– Robinson was just average defensively, Aaron was good defensively, Clemente was outstanding. (Total Zone: Robinson -2, Aaron 98, Clemente 204). Aaron had the superior bat IMHO (oWAR for the 1960s: Robinson 65.3, Aaron 71.1, Clemente 54.4)

I have no problems with the Pitcher chosen except I would also include ‘Sudden’ Sam McDowell in the Honorable Mentions!

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