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The following are the baseball events of the year 1996 throughout the world.  

This year in baseball

2020s

2029 • 2028 • 2027 • 2026 • 2025
2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020

2010s

2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015
2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011 • 2010

2000s

2009 • 2008 • 2007 • 2006 • 2005
2004 • 2003 • 2002 • 2001 • 2000

1990s

1999 • 1998 • 1997 • 1996 • 1995
1994 • 1993 • 1992 • 1991 • 1990

1980s

1989 • 1988 • 1987 • 1986 • 1985
1984 • 1983 • 1982 • 1981 • 1980

1970s

1979 • 1978 • 1977 • 1976 • 1975
1974 • 1973 • 1972 • 1971 • 1970

1960s

1969 • 1968 • 1967 • 1966 • 1965
1964 • 1963 • 1962 • 1961 • 1960

1950s

1959 • 1958 • 1957 • 1956 • 1955
1954 • 1953 • 1952 • 1951 • 1950

1940s

1949 • 1948 • 1947 • 1946 • 1945
1944 • 1943 • 1942 • 1941 • 1940

1930s

1939 • 1938 • 1937 • 1936 • 1935
1934 • 1933 • 1932 • 1931 • 1930

1920s

1929 • 1928 • 1927 • 1926 • 1925
1924 • 1923 • 1922 • 1921 • 1920

1910s

1919 • 1918 • 1917 • 1916 • 1915
1914 • 1913 • 1912 • 1911 • 1910

1900s

1909 • 1908 • 1907 • 1906 • 1905
1904 • 1903 • 1902 • 1901 • 1900

1890s

1899 • 1898 • 1897 • 1896 • 1895
1894 • 1893 • 1892 • 1891 • 1890

1880s

1889 • 1888 • 1887 • 1886 • 1885
1884 • 1883 • 1882 • 1881 • 1880

1870s

1879 • 1878 • 1877 • 1876 • 1875
1874 • 1873 • 1872 • 1871 • 1870

1860s

1869 • 1868 • 1867 • 1866 • 1865
1864 • 1863 • 1862 • 1861 • 1860

See also
Sources


Champions[]

Major League Baseball[]

  Division Series League Championship Series World Series
                           
  East  New York Yankees 3  
West  Texas Rangers 1  
  East  New York Yankees 4  
American League
  WC  Baltimore Orioles 1  
WC  Baltimore Orioles 3
  Cent.  Cleveland Indians 1  
    AL  New York Yankees 4
  NL  Atlanta Braves 2
  East  Atlanta Braves 3  
WC  Los Angeles Dodgers 0  
  East  Atlanta Braves 4
National League
  Cent  St. Louis Cardinals 3  
West  San Diego Padres 0
  Cent.  St. Louis Cardinals 3  

Other champions[]

Awards and honors[]

MLB Statistical Leaders[]

  American League National League
Type Name Stat Name Stat
AVG Alex Rodriguez SEA .358 Tony Gwynn SDP .353
HR Mark McGwire OAK 52 Andres Galarraga COL 47
RBI Albert Belle CLE 148 Andres Galarraga COL 150
Wins Andy Pettitte NYY 21 John Smoltz ATL 24
ERA Juan Guzman TOR 2.93 Kevin Brown FLA 1.89
Ks Roger Clemens BOS 257 John Smoltz ATL 276

Major League Baseball final standings[]

American League
Rank Club Wins Losses Win %   GB
East Division
1st New York Yankees 92 70 .568    --
2nd Baltimore Orioles * 88 74 .543   4.0
3rd Boston Red Sox 85 77 .525   7.0
4th Toronto Blue Jays 74 88 .457 18.0
5th Detroit Tigers 53 109 .327 39.0
Central Division
1st Cleveland Indians 99 62 .615    --
2nd Chicago White Sox 85 77 .525 14.5
3rd Milwaukee Brewers 80 82 .494 19.5
4th Minnesota Twins 78 84 .481 21.5
5th Kansas City Royals 75 86 .466 24.0
West Division
1st Texas Rangers 90 72 .556    --
2nd Seattle Mariners 85 76 .528   4.5
3rd Oakland Athletics 78 84 .481 12.5
4th California Angels 70 91 .435 19.5
National League
Rank Club Wins Losses Win %   GB
East Division
1st Atlanta Braves 96 66 .593    --
2nd Montréal Expos 88 74 .543   8.0
3rd Florida Marlins 80 82 .494 16.0
4th New York Mets 71 91 .438 25.0
5th Philadelphia Phillies 67 95 .414 29.0
Central Division
1st St. Louis Cardinals 88 74 .543    --
2nd Houston Astros 82 80 .506   6.0
3rd Cincinnati Reds 81 81 .500   7.0
4th Chicago Cubs 76 86 .469 12.0
5th Pittsburgh Pirates 73 89 .451 15.0
West Division
1st San Diego Padres 91 71 .562    --
2nd Los Angeles Dodgers * 90 72 .556   1.0
3rd Colorado Rockies 83 79 .512   8.0
4th San Francisco Giants 68 94 .420 23.0

 

  • The asterisk denotes the club that won the wild card for its respective league.

Events[]

January-June[]

  • March 5 - The Veterans Committee elects four new members to the Hall of Fame, and just misses naming a fifth. The group elected includes Earl Weaver, Baltimore Orioles manager for 17 seasons; pitcher Jim Bunning, who won 100 games in each league; 19th-century manager Ned Hanlon, who won pennants in Baltimore and Brooklyn, and Bill Foster, the Negro Leagues' winningest pitcher. Second baseman Nellie Fox receives the necessary 75% of the Committee's votes, but the rules allow for election of only one modern player, and Bunning has more votes.
  • April 1 - Seven pitches into the first game of the season, at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati, home plate umpire John McSherry collapses on the field and dies of a massive heart attack. The game between the Cincinnati Reds and Montréal Expos is postponed, along with the rest of the games scheduled for that day. Reds owner Marge Schott later comes under fire for wanting the game in Cincinnati to continue despite the tragedy (and against the wishes of the players on both teams), saying that she felt "cheated" when it was canceled.

July-December[]

  • July 9 - At Veterans Stadium, the National League defeats the American League 6-0 in the All-Star Game. Ken Caminiti and Mike Piazza hit home runs for the winners. The game is the first All-Star contest in which no walks are issued by either team. The Orioles' Cal Ripken, Jr. starts the game, despite suffering a broken nose when he accidentally catches a forearm from White Sox reliever Roberto Hernández when the latter slips on the tarp during the AL team photo shoot.

Movies[]

Deaths[]

  • February 8 - Del Ennis, 70, All-Star left fielder for the Phillies who had seven 100-RBI seasons, leading the NL for the 1950 "Whiz Kids" team, and was the team's career home run leader (259) until 1980
  • February 19 - Charles O. Finley, 77, owner of the Athletics from 1960 to 1981 who moved the team from Kansas City to Oakland, and was known for numerous gimmicks and controversies; won three straight World Series from 1972-74
  • March 8 - Bill Nicholson, 81, 5-time All-Star right fielder for the Cubs and Phillies who twice led the NL in home runs and RBI
  • April 1 - John McSherry, 51, National League umpire since 1971 who worked in eight NLCS and two World Series
  • May 3 - Alex Kellner, 71, an All-Star pitcher who played for the Athletics, Reds and Cardinals between 1948 and 1959
  • May 19 - Johnny Berardino, 79, infielder for the Browns and Indians who topped 80 RBI in 1940 and 1941; became an actor, best known for the soap opera General Hospital
  • May 26 - Mike Sharperson, 35, All-Star infielder for the Dodgers who batted .300 in 1992
  • June 16 - Mel Allen, 83, legendary broadcaster who spent over 35 years with the Yankees, also on national broadcasts and This Week in Baseball
  • July 8 - Jim Busby, 69, All-Star center fielder for six teams who batted .312 for 1953 Senators, led AL in putouts twice; later a coach
  • August 4 - Willard Brown, 81, All-Star outfielder of the Negro Leagues who became the first black player to hit a home run in the American League
  • September 4 - Babe Dahlgren, 84, All-Star first baseman best remembered for replacing Lou Gehrig to end his 2,130 consecutive games streak, hitting a home run in the game
  • September 6 - Barney McCosky, 79, outfielder for the Tigers and Athletics who batted .312 lifetime, led AL in hits in 1940
  • October 4 - Joe Hoerner, 59, All-Star reliever for seven teams who averaged 15 saves for 1966-69 Cardinals
  • October 29 - Ewell Blackwell, 74, six-time All-Star pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds who came within two outs of throwing consecutive no-hitters in 1947; led NL in wins and strikeouts that season
  • November 11 - Lum Harris, 81, manager who won 1969 NL West title with the Braves; previously a pitcher for the Athletics, and Houston manager
  • December 27 - Gene Brabender, 55, pitcher who led the Seattle Pilots with 13 wins in their only season
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