Surprising League Leaders of the 1960s

Surprising League Leaders of the 1960s

By Paul Semendinger, Ed.D.

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NOTE - This article was originally written for the IBWAA and was published in their daily newsletter on May 31, 2025.

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A few weeks ago, I shared a list of some lesser-known players who led their leagues in various categories in the 1970s. I began to wonder if there were some similar "one-year wonders" from the 1960s.

It wasn't a surprise that I found a few.

While the following players are not remembered as stars today, for one season at least, they were something special:

Ernie Broglio, 1960 N.L. Wins Leader, Tie (21) - Warren Spahn also won 21 games in 1960. Broglio went 7-12 in 1959. In 1961, he went 9-12. In between, he won 20 games for the only time in his career, going 21-9.

Frank Baumann, 1960 A.L. ERA Champ (2.67) - This was the only time in his eleven-year career that Baumann led the league in a positive pitching category. The next season, he led the league in allowing the most earned runs.

Jake Wood, 1961 A.L. Triples Leader (14): A second baseman, Jake Wood played in 162 games for the Detroit Tigers in 1961. He led the leagues in triples and strikeouts. He batted .258. The next season, he played in 111 games. Wood would play five more seasons. Over those remaining seasons, he would hit a grand total of 12 triples.

Ray Herbert, 1963 A.L. Leader in Shutouts (7) - Across a 14-year career, Ray Herbert threw 13 shutouts. More than half of them came in this one special season. It is said that he gave up the longest home run (to Mickey Mantle) in the history of Yankee Stadium.

Don Wert, 1964 A.L. Leader in Games Played, Tie (162): Don Wert did play for 9 seasons, and he did play a lot of games in that time, but he was an iron man in 1964 as the Tigers played him in all 162 games. In 1964, Wert hit an underwhelming .261/12/53. Primarily a third baseman, Wert's skills were as a defender. In 1965, he placed 10th in the MVP voting. (Rocky Colavito and Ron Hansen also played in 162 games in 1965.)

Lee Maye, 1964 N.L. Doubles Leader (44) - Lee Maye played for 13 seasons from 1969 through 1971. Lee May played for 18 seasons from 1965 through 1982. Lee Maye led the league in an offensive category just once, with 44 doubles in 1964. Lee May led the A.L. in runs batted in with 109 in 1976.

Deron Johnson, 1965 N.L. RBI Leader (130) - Across a long 16-year career, Johnson was never an All-Star. He never led the league in any category, save for 1965 when he drove home an amazing 130 runs. This was the only season when he reached 100 or more RBIs.

Jack Aker, 1966 A.L. Saves Leader (32) - Aker played for six teams across 11 seasons but 1966 was his best year. That was the only time he ever saved 30 or more games, or even 20 or more games. The next-best saves total of his career was 17, accumulated in 1972. It's a shame, he didn't know at the time that he was a league leader.

Minnie Rojas, 1967 A.L. Saves Leader (27) - Rojas played for only three seasons but in one of them, he led the league in saves. Unfortunately for Rojas and Jack Aker (above), the save did not become an official statistic until 1969.

Del Unser, 1969 A.L. Triples Leader (9): Unser played for 15 seasons but ‘69 was the only time he ever led the league in any statistical category. Unser had been the runner-up for Rookie of the Year in 1968. His career lasted into the 1980s.

Fred Gladding, 1969 N.L. Saves Leader (29) - With saves now as an official statistic, Fred Gladding paced the league. Across his 13-year career, that was the only time he would lead the league in saves. It was also the only time he had more than 18 in any season.

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Paul Semendinger has authored many books including From Compton to the Bronx (with Roy White) and The Least Among Them. Paul has also been published by SABR and the IBWAA on some great anthologies of baseball. In addition to his writing, he still plays baseball too. Thus far he is 2-0 on the season as a starting pitcher and wonders daily why the Yankees don't call him to the big leagues.