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The 1963 International League season was the 78th in the league's history, and ended with the Indianapolis Indians winning the first Governors' Cup in franchise history.
With the folding of the American Association, the IL added Indianapolis from the AA and an expansion team from Arkansas to expand to 10 teams, which were then split into two divisions. After the season, the two teams would move to the PCL.
The playoff format was modified to reflect the new realignment. The first-place teams in each division played each other, as did the second-place teams. The winners played for the Governors' Cup. All series remained best-of-seven.
Indianapolis and Atlanta finished the season tied, so the teams held a one-game playoff for the Southern Division title on September 3 in Indianapolis. The Indians won the game 1-0, and that result is reflected in the standings below.
[edit] Final standings
Playoff teams in bold.
[edit] Playoffs
[edit] First Round
| Indianapolis vs. Syracuse
|
| Date | Away | Home
|
| September 4 | Syracuse 2 | Indianapolis 11
|
| September 5 | Syracuse 1 | Indianapolis 2
|
| September 6 | Syracuse 1 | Indianapolis 5
|
| September 7 | Indianapolis 3 | Syracuse 4
|
| | 11 innings
|
| September 8 | Indianapolis 6 | Syracuse 5
|
| | 11 innings
|
| Indianapolis wins series 4-1
|
|
| Atlanta vs. Toronto
|
| Date | Away | Home
|
| September 5 | Toronto 1 | Atlanta 9
|
| September 6 | Toronto 6 | Atlanta 13
|
| September 7 | Toronto 2 | Atlanta 5
|
| September 8 | Atlanta 5 | Toronto 3
|
| Atlanta wins series 4-0
|
|
[edit] Governors' Cup Finals
| Indianapolis vs. Atlanta
|
| Date | Away | Home
|
| September 9 | Atlanta 4 | Indianapolis 10
|
| September 10 | Atlanta 6 | Indianapolis 7
|
| September 11 | Atlanta 5 | Indianapolis 4
|
| September 12 | Indianapolis 7 | Atlanta 3
|
| September 13 | Indianapolis 9 | Atlanta 4
|
| Indianapolis wins series 4-1
|
|
[edit] League Leaders
[edit] Batting
- Batting Average Don Buford, Indianapolis, .336
- Runs Scored Buford, 114
- Hits Buford, 206
- Doubles Buford, 41
- Triples Dick Allen, Arkansas, 12
- Home Runs Allen, 33
- Runs Batted In Allen, 97
- Stolen Bases Buford, 42
[edit] Pitching
- Wins Bill Smith, Arkansas, 14
- Earned Run Average Fritz Ackley, Indianapolis, 2.76
- Complete Games Smith, 14
- Shutouts Paul Brown, Arkansas; Nelson Chittum, Rochester, 6
- Strikeouts Frank Kreutzer, Indianapolis, 157
[edit] References
Brian Bennett, On A Silver Diamond: The Story Of Rochester Community Baseball from 1956-1996. Triphammer Publishing, 1997.
The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball. W. Lloyd Johnson and Miles Wolff, editors. Baseball America, 1993.
1964 Baseball Almanac
[edit] External Links
1963 Rochester Red Wings review – On A Silver Diamond
