1974 Major League Baseball season

This article is about the 1974 Major League Baseball season only. For information on all of baseball, see 1974 in baseball.

Sports season

1974 MLB season

League| Major League Baseball
Sport| Baseball
Duration| April 4 – October 17, 1974
Number of games| 162
Number of teams| 24
TV partner(s)| NBC
Draft
Top draft pick| Bill Almon
Picked by| San Diego Padres
Regular season
Season MVP| AL: Jeff Burroughs (TEX)
NL: Steve Garvey (LA)
Postseason
AL champions| Oakland Athletics
AL runners-up| Baltimore Orioles
NL champions| Los Angeles Dodgers
NL runners-up| Pittsburgh Pirates
World Series
Champions| Oakland Athletics
Runners-up| Los Angeles Dodgers
World Series MVP| Rollie Fingers (OAK)
MLB seasons

← 1973

1975 →

The 1974 Major League Baseball season: The Oakland Athletics won their third consecutive World Series, defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers four games to one.

Two notable personal milestones were achieved during the 1974 season. The first came on April 8, when Hank Aaron of the Atlanta Braves blasted his 715th career home run, breaking the all-time career home run mark of 714 set by Babe Ruth. Aaron would finish his career with 755 home runs, a record that would stand until Barry Bonds broke it in 2007. The second milestone came on September 10, when the St. Louis Cardinals' Lou Brock stole his 105th base off pitcher Dick Ruthven and catcher Bob Boone of the Philadelphia Phillies. This broke the single-season stolen base record of 104, set by Maury Wills in 1962. Brock stole 118 bases for the season, a record that would stand until 1982, when Rickey Henderson stole 130.

## Standings[edit]

### American League[edit]

* v
* t
* e

AL East | W | L | Pct. | GB | Home | Road

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Baltimore Orioles | 91 | 71  | 0.562  | —  | 46–35  | 45–36
New York Yankees | 89 | 73  | 0.549  | 2  | 47–34  | 42–39
Boston Red Sox | 84 | 78  | 0.519  | 7  | 46–35  | 38–43
Cleveland Indians | 77 | 85  | 0.475  | 14  | 40–41  | 37–44
Milwaukee Brewers | 76 | 86  | 0.469  | 15  | 40–41  | 36–45
Detroit Tigers | 72 | 90  | 0.444  | 19  | 36–45  | 36–45

* v
* t
* e

AL West | W | L | Pct. | GB | Home | Road

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Oakland Athletics | 90 | 72  | 0.556  | —  | 49–32  | 41–40
Texas Rangers | 84 | 76  | 0.525  | 5  | 42–38  | 42–38
Minnesota Twins | 82 | 80  | 0.506  | 8  | 48–33  | 34–47
Chicago White Sox | 80 | 80  | 0.500  | 9  | 46–34  | 34–46
Kansas City Royals | 77 | 85  | 0.475  | 13  | 40–41  | 37–44
California Angels | 68 | 94  | 0.420  | 22  | 36–45  | 32–49

### National League[edit]

* v
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* e

NL East | W | L | Pct. | GB | Home | Road

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Pittsburgh Pirates | 88 | 74  | 0.543  | —  | 52–29  | 36–45
St. Louis Cardinals | 86 | 75  | 0.534  | 1½  | 44–37  | 42–38
Philadelphia Phillies | 80 | 82  | 0.494  | 8  | 46–35  | 34–47
Montreal Expos | 79 | 82  | 0.491  | 8½  | 42–38  | 37–44
New York Mets | 71 | 91  | 0.438  | 17  | 36–45  | 35–46
Chicago Cubs | 66 | 96  | 0.407  | 22  | 32–49  | 34–47

* v
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NL West | W | L | Pct. | GB | Home | Road

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Los Angeles Dodgers | 102 | 60  | 0.630  | —  | 52–29  | 50–31
Cincinnati Reds | 98 | 64  | 0.605  | 4  | 50–31  | 48–33
Atlanta Braves | 88 | 74  | 0.543  | 14  | 46–35  | 42–39
Houston Astros | 81 | 81  | 0.500  | 21  | 46–35  | 35–46
San Francisco Giants | 72 | 90  | 0.444  | 30  | 37–44  | 35–46
San Diego Padres | 60 | 102  | 0.370  | 42  | 36–45  | 24–57

## Postseason[edit]

Main article: 1974 MLB Postseason

### Bracket[edit]

| League Championship Series
(ALCS, NLCS) | | | World Series |

|
|
|
|
|

|  |  |  | | |  |  |  |
| East | Baltimore | 1 | |
| West | Oakland | 3 |
| | AL | Oakland | 4 |
|  |
| | | NL | Los Angeles | 1 |
| East | Pittsburgh | 1 |

| West | Los Angeles | 3 |

## Awards and honors[edit]

* Baseball Hall of Fame
* Cool Papa Bell
* Jim Bottomley
* Jocko Conlan
* Whitey Ford
* Mickey Mantle
* Sam Thompson
* Most Valuable Player
* Jeff Burroughs, Texas Rangers (AL)
* Steve Garvey, Los Angeles Dodgers (NL)
* Cy Young Award
* Catfish Hunter, Oakland Athletics (AL)
* Mike Marshall, Los Angeles Dodgers (NL)
* Rookie of the Year
* Mike Hargrove, Texas Rangers (AL)
* Bake McBride, St. Louis Cardinals (NL)
* Gold Glove Award
* George Scott (1B) (AL)
* Bobby Grich (2B) (AL)
* Brooks Robinson (3B) (AL)
* Mark Belanger (SS) (AL)
* Paul Blair (OF) (AL)
* Amos Otis (OF) (AL)
* Joe Rudi (OF) (AL)
* Thurman Munson (C) (AL)
* Jim Kaat (P) (AL)

## Statistical leaders[edit]

Statistic  | American League | National League

|
|

AVG | Rod Carew MIN | .364 | Ralph Garr ATL | .353
HR | Dick Allen CHW | 32 | Mike Schmidt PHI | 36
RBI | Jeff Burroughs TEX | 118 | Johnny Bench CIN | 129
Wins | Catfish Hunter OAK
Ferguson Jenkins TEX | 25 | Phil Niekro ATL
Andy Messersmith LA | 20
ERA | Catfish Hunter OAK | 2.49 | Buzz Capra ATL | 2.28
SO | Nolan Ryan CAL | 367 | Steve Carlton PHI | 240
SV | Terry Forster CHW | 24 | Mike Marshall LA | 21
SB | Billy North OAK | 54 | Lou Brock STL | 118

## Home field attendance[edit]

Team name  | Wins  | %± | Home attendance  | %± | Per game

|
|
|
|
|

Los Angeles Dodgers[1] | 102  | 7.4%  | 2,632,474  | 23.2%  | 32,500
Cincinnati Reds[2] | 98  | -1.0%  | 2,164,307  | 7.3%  | 26,394
St. Louis Cardinals[3] | 86  | 6.2%  | 1,838,413  | 16.8%  | 22,696
Philadelphia Phillies[4] | 80  | 12.7%  | 1,808,648  | 22.5%  | 22,329
New York Mets[5] | 71  | -13.4%  | 1,722,209  | -9.9%  | 21,262
Boston Red Sox[6] | 84  | -5.6%  | 1,556,411  | 5.1%  | 19,215
New York Yankees[7] | 89  | 11.3%  | 1,273,075  | 0.9%  | 15,717
Detroit Tigers[8] | 72  | -15.3%  | 1,243,080  | -27.9%  | 15,347
Texas Rangers[9] | 84  | 47.4%  | 1,193,902  | 74.0%  | 14,924
Kansas City Royals[10] | 77  | -12.5%  | 1,173,292  | -12.8%  | 14,485
Chicago White Sox[11] | 80  | 3.9%  | 1,149,596  | -11.7%  | 14,019
Cleveland Indians[12] | 77  | 8.5%  | 1,114,262  | 81.1%  | 13,756
Pittsburgh Pirates[13] | 88  | 10.0%  | 1,110,552  | -15.9%  | 13,711
Houston Astros[14] | 81  | -1.2%  | 1,090,728  | -21.8%  | 13,466
San Diego Padres[15] | 60  | 0.0%  | 1,075,399  | 75.8%  | 13,277
Montreal Expos[16] | 79  | 0.0%  | 1,019,134  | -18.3%  | 12,739
Chicago Cubs[17] | 66  | -14.3%  | 1,015,378  | -24.9%  | 12,536
Atlanta Braves[18] | 88  | 15.8%  | 981,085  | 22.5%  | 12,112
Baltimore Orioles[19] | 91  | -6.2%  | 962,572  | 0.4%  | 11,884
Milwaukee Brewers[20] | 76  | 2.7%  | 955,741  | -12.5%  | 11,799
California Angels[21] | 68  | -13.9%  | 917,269  | -13.3%  | 11,324
Oakland Athletics[22] | 90  | -4.3%  | 845,693  | -15.5%  | 10,441
Minnesota Twins[23] | 82  | 1.2%  | 662,401  | -27.0%  | 8,078
San Francisco Giants[24] | 72  | -18.2%  | 519,987  | -37.7%  | 6,420

## Events[edit]

On August 30, Texas Rangers player Dave Nelson steals three bases – 2nd, 3rd and home in the first inning against the Cleveland Indians.[25]

## Television coverage[edit]

NBC was the exclusive national TV broadcaster of MLB, airing the weekend Game of the Week, Monday Night Baseball, the All-Star Game, both League Championship Series, and the World Series.

## References[edit]

1. ^ "Los Angeles Dodgers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
2. ^ "Cincinnati Reds Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
3. ^ "St. Louis Cardinals 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 Mets Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
6. ^ "Boston Red Sox Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
7. ^ "New York Yankees Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
8. ^ "Detroit Tigers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
9. ^ "Texas Rangers 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. ^ "Chicago White Sox Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
12. ^ "Cleveland Indians Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
13. ^ "Pittsburgh Pirates Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
14. ^ "Cleveland Indians Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
15. ^ "San Diego Padres Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
16. ^ "Washington Nationals Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
17. ^ "Chicago Cubs Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
18. ^ "Atlanta Braves Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
19. ^ "Baltimore Orioles Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
20. ^ "Milwaukee Brewers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
21. ^ "Los Angeles Angels Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
22. ^ "Oakland Athletics Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
23. ^ "Minnesota Twins Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
24. ^ "San Francisco Giants Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
25. ^ "Strange and Unusual Plays". www.retrosheet.org. Retrieved June 13, 2012.

## External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to 1974 in Major League Baseball.

* 1974 Major League Baseball season schedule at Baseball Reference
* Baseball History Shorts

* v
* t
* e

1974 MLB season by team

| AL East|

* Baltimore
* Boston
* Cleveland
* Detroit
* Milwaukee
* New York

|

AL West|

* California
* Chicago
* Kansas City
* Minnesota
* Oakland
* Texas

| NL East|

* Chicago
* Montréal
* New York
* Philadelphia
* Pittsburgh
* St. Louis

|

NL West|

* Atlanta
* Cincinnati
* Houston
* Los Angeles
* San Diego
* San Francisco

* 1974 MLB draft
* 1974 All-Star Game
* 1974 World Series

* v
* t
* e

Major League Baseball seasons

Pre-modern era|

| Beginnings|

* 1876
* 1877
* 1878
* 1879
* 1880
* 1881

|

Competition|

* 1882
* 1883
* 1884
* 1885
* 1886
* 1887
* 1888
* 1889
* 1890
* 1891

NL monopoly|

* 1892
* 1893
* 1894
* 1895
* 1896
* 1897
* 1898
* 1899
* 1900

Modern era|

| Dead-ball era|

* 1901
* 1902
* 1903
* 1904
* 1905
* 1906
* 1907
* 1908
* 1909
* 1910
* 1911
* 1912
* 1913
* 1914
* 1915
* 1916
* 1917
* 1918
* 1919
* 1920

|

Live-ball era|

* 1921
* 1922
* 1923
* 1924
* 1925
* 1926
* 1927
* 1928
* 1929
* 1930
* 1931
* 1932
* 1933
* 1934
* 1935
* 1936
* 1937
* 1938
* 1939
* 1940
* 1941

World War II|

* 1942
* 1943
* 1944
* 1945

Post-war and integration|

* 1946
* 1947
* 1948
* 1949
* 1950
* 1951
* 1952
* 1953
* 1954
* 1955
* 1956
* 1957
* 1958
* 1959
* 1960

First expansion|

* 1961
* 1962
* 1963
* 1964
* 1965
* 1966
* 1967
* 1968

Birth of division play|

* 1969
* 1970
* 1971
* 1972
* 1973
* 1974
* 1975
* 1976
* 1977
* 1978
* 1979
* 1980
* 1981
* 1982
* 1983
* 1984
* 1985
* 1986
* 1987
* 1988
* 1989
* 1990
* 1991
* 1992
* 1993

Wild Card begins|

* 1994
* 1995
* 1996
* 1997
* 1998
* 1999
* 2000
* 2001
* 2002
* 2003
* 2004
* 2005
* 2006
* 2007
* 2008
* 2009
* 2010
* 2011

Wild Card expansion|

* 2012
* 2013
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016
* 2017
* 2018
* 2019
* 2020
* 2021
* 2022

Pitch clock era|

* 2023
* 2024
* 2025

See also|

* Major League Baseball schedule
* Major League Baseball

* v
* t
* e

1974 Major League Baseball postseason

World Series

* American League Championship Series
* National League Championship Series

American League teams|

* Baltimore Orioles
* Oakland Athletics

National League teams|

* Los Angeles Dodgers
* Pittsburgh Pirates

* v
* t
* e

Major League Baseball

2024 season

American League|

| East|

* Baltimore Orioles
* Boston Red Sox
* New York Yankees
* Tampa Bay Rays
* Toronto Blue Jays

|

Central|

* Chicago White Sox
* Cleveland Guardians
* Detroit Tigers
* Kansas City Royals
* Minnesota Twins

West|

* Houston Astros
* Los Angeles Angels
* Oakland Athletics
* Seattle Mariners
* Texas Rangers

National League|

| East|

* Atlanta Braves
* Miami Marlins
* New York Mets
* Philadelphia Phillies
* Washington Nationals

|

Central|

* Chicago Cubs
* Cincinnati Reds
* Milwaukee Brewers
* Pittsburgh Pirates
* St. Louis Cardinals

West|

* Arizona Diamondbacks
* Colorado Rockies
* Los Angeles Dodgers
* San Diego Padres
* San Francisco Giants

| Schedule|

* Spring training
* Opening Day
* Jackie Robinson Day
* Civil Rights Game
* All-Star Game
* Interleague play
* International games
* London
* Mexico City
* Little League Classic
* Field of Dreams Game
* MLB game at Rickwood Field
* Players Weekend
* World Baseball Classic

|

Postseason|

* World Series
* Champions
* AL
* AL champions
* ALCS
* ALDS
* NL
* NL champions
* NLCS
* NLDS
* Wild Card Game/Series
* Appearances
* Streaks
* Droughts
* Series
* Game 7s

Business|

* Authentication Program
* Business rules
* Draft
* Rule 5
* Highest-paid players
* Hot stove league
* Luxury tax
* Lockouts/strikes
* Media
* Logo
* Radio
* Television
* MLB.com
* MLB Advanced Media
* MLB Network
* Minor League Baseball
* Players Association
* World Baseball Classic Inc.
* Transactions
* Free agency
* Valuations
* Winter Meetings

Miscellaneous|

* Instant replay
* Team uniforms
* Stadiums
* Mascots
* Rivalries

History|

* History
* AL
* Seasons
* Tie-breakers
* Tie-breaking procedures
* All-time win–loss records
* Records
* Awards
* Retired numbers
* Hall of Fame
* members
* Players' League
* Union Association
* National Baseball Commission
* Federal League
* Continental League
* Baseball color line
* First black players in MLB
* Negro leaguers who played in MLB

Steroid usage|

* Drug policy
* suspensions
* Mitchell Report
* Biogenesis scandal
* BALCO scandal
* Barry Bonds perjury case

Timeline|

* Timeline of Major League Baseball
* History of team nicknames
* Dead-ball era
* Live-ball era
* Golden age of baseball
* Defunct and relocated teams
* Relocations of the 1950s–1960s
* Expansion
* 1961
* 1962
* 1969
* 1977
* 1993
* 1998
* Potential
* Contraction attempt

* Commissioner: Rob Manfred
* League Presidents
* AL
* NL

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template
*[%±]: Percent change
*[Per game]: Average home attendance per game