1971 Boston Red Sox season
Encyclopedia
The Boston Red Sox
season was a season in American baseball
. It involved the Red Sox finishing third in the American League East
with a record of 85 wins and 77 losses.
's management, the Red Sox finished 16 games behind the evenetual American League champions Baltimore Orioles
. The Sox did not have a .300 hitter in 1971, with Reggie Smith
's .283 batting average
being the best among their regulars. Tony Conigliaro
, his health still a question, had been traded the previous October to the California Angels for reliever Ken Tatum
and rookie infielder Doug Griffin
. Conigliaro played in 74 games for the Angels in 1971 but then had to give up baseball, his sight having deteriorated greatly. Tatum was 2-4 with the Red Sox, and Griffin batted a season .244, while becoming the regular second baseman.
, Carlton Fisk
, who got into 14 games for the 1971 Sox and hit two home runs. Making a bigger splash was a utility fielder who had been acquired in 1970 from the New York Yankees
but came into his own in 1971. John Kennedy hit .272, with five homers and 22 RBIs, and was nicknamed "Super Sub".
Another bright spot for the Sox in '71 was Jim Lonborg
's winning 10 games (and losing 7). But Sonny Siebert
, a pitcher acquired in a deal with the Cleveland Indians
in 1969, was the top hurler for Boston, winning 16 games. A feisty left-hander, Sparky Lyle
was 6-4, with 16 saves and a 2.77 ERA.
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
season was a season in American baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
. It involved the Red Sox finishing third in the American League East
American League East
The American League Eastern Division is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions . This division was created before the start of the 1969 season along with the Western Division...
with a record of 85 wins and 77 losses.
Offseason
- December 3, 1970: Carmen FanzoneCarmen FanzoneCarmen Ronald Fanzone is a former utility man who played between and in Major League Baseball. Listed at 6' 0", 200 lb., he batted and threw right-handed...
was traded by the Red Sox to the Chicago CubsChicago CubsThe Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
for Phil GaglianoPhil GaglianoPhilip Joseph Gagliano is a former Major League Baseball infielder from 1963-1974. His brother, Ralph Gagliano, also played professional baseball. He became a good utility player during his early career with the St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs...
. - December 31, 1970: Chuck HartensteinChuck HartensteinCharles Oscar Hartenstein [Twiggy] is a former relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for five different teams between the and seasons. Listed at 5' 11", 165 lb., Hartenstein batted and threw right-handed...
was purchased from the Red Sox by the Chicago White SoxChicago White SoxThe Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
. - January 13, 1971: John TamargoJohn TamargoJohn Felix Tamargo is a former Major League Baseball catcher and coach and long-time minor league manager. He played all or part of five seasons in the majors from until...
was drafted by the Red Sox in the 3rd round of the 1971 Major League Baseball Draft1971 Major League Baseball Draft-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1971 Major League Baseball draft.* Did not sign- Background :The June 1971 draft was a productive one, even though none of its top ten choices yielded players who would have memorable major league careers...
(Secondary Phase), but did not sign. - March 31, 1971: Tony MuserTony MuserAnthony Joseph Muser is currently a roving instructor in the San Diego Padres organization. From 1997 until 2002, Muser served as the manager of the Kansas City Royals...
and Vicente RomoVicente RomoVicente Romo Navarro , nicknamed "Huevo" , is a former Major League Baseball right-handed relief pitcher. From through , Romo played for the Cleveland Indians , Boston Red Sox , Chicago White Sox , San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers...
were traded by the Red Sox to the Chicago White SoxChicago White SoxThe Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
for Duane JosephsonDuane JosephsonDuane Charles Josephson was an American professional baseball player, a catcher who played for the Chicago White Sox and Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball....
and Danny Murphy.
Season summary
In the second year of Eddie KaskoEddie Kasko
Edward Michael Kasko is a former infielder, manager, scout and front office executive in American Major League Baseball....
's management, the Red Sox finished 16 games behind the evenetual American League champions Baltimore Orioles
1971 Baltimore Orioles season
In , the Baltimore Orioles finished first in the American League East, with a record of 101 wins and 57 losses. As of 2010, the 1971 Orioles are the last Major League Baseball club to have four 20-game winners in a season: Jim Palmer, Dave McNally, Mike Cuellar, and Pat Dobson.- Offseason :*...
. The Sox did not have a .300 hitter in 1971, with Reggie Smith
Reggie Smith
Carl Reginald Smith is a former Major League Baseball outfielder, coach and front office executive. During a 17-year big league career , Smith appeared in 1,987 games, hit 314 home runs and batted .287. He was a switch-hitter who threw right-handed. In his prime, he had one of the strongest...
's .283 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
being the best among their regulars. Tony Conigliaro
Tony Conigliaro
Anthony Richard Conigliaro , nicknamed "Tony C" and "Conig", was a Major League Baseball outfielder and right-handed batter who played for the Boston Red Sox and California Angels . He was born in Revere, Massachusetts, and was a 1962 graduate of St. Mary's High School...
, his health still a question, had been traded the previous October to the California Angels for reliever Ken Tatum
Ken Tatum
Kenneth Ray Tatum is a retired professional baseball player who played 6 seasons for the California Angels, Boston Red Sox, and Chicago White Sox of Major League Baseball.-References:...
and rookie infielder Doug Griffin
Doug Griffin
Douglas Lee Griffin is a former Major League Baseball second baseman who played in the American League for the California Angels and Boston Red Sox...
. Conigliaro played in 74 games for the Angels in 1971 but then had to give up baseball, his sight having deteriorated greatly. Tatum was 2-4 with the Red Sox, and Griffin batted a season .244, while becoming the regular second baseman.
Highlights
Highlights of an otherwise forgettable season included the late arrival of a big catcher from Bellows Falls, VermontBellows Falls, Vermont
Bellows Falls is an incorporated village located in the town of Rockingham in Windham County, Vermont, United States. The population was 3,165 at the 2000 census...
, Carlton Fisk
Carlton Fisk
Carlton Ernest Fisk , nicknamed "Pudge" or "The Commander", is a former Major League Baseball catcher. During a 24-year baseball career, he played for both the Boston Red Sox and Chicago White Sox .Fisk was known by the nickname "Pudge" due to his 6'2", 220 lb frame...
, who got into 14 games for the 1971 Sox and hit two home runs. Making a bigger splash was a utility fielder who had been acquired in 1970 from the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
but came into his own in 1971. John Kennedy hit .272, with five homers and 22 RBIs, and was nicknamed "Super Sub".
Another bright spot for the Sox in '71 was Jim Lonborg
Jim Lonborg
James Reynold Lonborg is a former Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher who played with the Boston Red Sox , Milwaukee Brewers and Philadelphia Phillies...
's winning 10 games (and losing 7). But Sonny Siebert
Sonny Siebert
Wilfred Charles Siebert is a former Major League Baseball pitcher from 1964 to 1975. He finished with a record of 140-114 and a 3.21 ERA. He threw a no-hitter on June 10, 1966 against the Washington Senators. He was originally drafted simultaneously by the Cleveland Indians and the St...
, a pitcher acquired in a deal with the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
in 1969, was the top hurler for Boston, winning 16 games. A feisty left-hander, Sparky Lyle
Sparky Lyle
Albert Walter "Sparky" Lyle is an American former left-handed relief pitcher who spent sixteen seasons in Major League Baseball . He was a closer from 1969 to 1977, first for the Boston Red Sox and then the New York Yankees. A three-time All-Star, he won the American League Cy Young Award in 1977...
was 6-4, with 16 saves and a 2.77 ERA.
Opening Day lineup
| 11 | Luis Aparicio Luis Aparicio Luis Ernesto Aparicio Montiel is a former shortstop in professional baseball. His career in Major League Baseball spanned three decades, from through . Aparicio played for the Chicago White Sox , Baltimore Orioles and Boston Red Sox . He batted and threw right-handed... |
SS |
| 7 | Reggie Smith Reggie Smith Carl Reginald Smith is a former Major League Baseball outfielder, coach and front office executive. During a 17-year big league career , Smith appeared in 1,987 games, hit 314 home runs and batted .287. He was a switch-hitter who threw right-handed. In his prime, he had one of the strongest... |
CF |
| 8 | Carl Yastrzemski Carl Yastrzemski Carl Michael Yastrzemski is a former American Major League Baseball left fielder and first baseman. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1989. Yastrzemski played his entire 23-year baseball career with the Boston Red Sox . He was primarily a left fielder, with part of his later career... |
LF |
| 6 | Rico Petrocelli Rico Petrocelli Americo Peter "Rico" Petrocelli is an American retired baseball shortstop and third baseman who played his entire career in the American League with the Boston Red Sox... |
3B |
| 5 | George Scott | 1B |
| 24 | Duane Josephson Duane Josephson Duane Charles Josephson was an American professional baseball player, a catcher who played for the Chicago White Sox and Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball.... |
C |
| 40 | Billy Conigliaro Billy Conigliaro William Michael Conigliaro is a former Major League Baseball outfielder who played in the American League for the Boston Red Sox , Milwaukee Brewers and Oakland Athletics... |
CF |
| 2 | Doug Griffin Doug Griffin Douglas Lee Griffin is a former Major League Baseball second baseman who played in the American League for the California Angels and Boston Red Sox... |
2B |
| 21 | Ray Culp Ray Culp Raymond Leonard Culp was a pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies , Chicago Cubs , and Boston Red Sox .... |
P |
Notable transactions
- April 7, 1971: Tom SatrianoTom SatrianoThomas Victor Nicholas Satriano is a retired American professional baseball player. Although he began his professional career as a third baseman, he converted to catcher and played 321 games as a backstop during a ten-year, 674-game Major League Baseball career from – for the Los...
was released by the Red Sox. - May 17, 1971: Luis TiantLuis TiantLuis Clemente Tiant Vega , born November 23, 1940 in Marianao, Cuba, , is a former right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Cleveland Indians , Minnesota Twins , Boston Red Sox , New York Yankees , Pittsburgh Pirates and California Angels...
was signed as a free agent by the Red Sox.
Roster
| 1971 Boston Red Sox | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roster | |||||||||
| Pitchers |
Catchers Infielders |
Outfielders |
Manager Coaches |
||||||
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 | 91 | 306 | 75 | .245 | 10 | 39 | |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 47 | 68 | 22 | .324 | 0 | 13 | |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 52 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 4.26 | 51 | |