1973 International League season
| 1973 International League season | |
|---|---|
| League | International League |
| Sport | Baseball |
| Duration | April 13 – September 14 |
| Number of games | 146 |
| Number of teams | 8 |
| Regular season | |
| Season MVP | Jim Fuller, Rochester Red Wings |
| Governors' Cup Playoffs | |
| League champions | Pawtucket Red Sox |
| Runners-up | Charleston Charlies |
The 1973 International League was a Class AAA baseball season played between April 16 and September 13. Eight teams played a 146-game schedule, with the top two teams in each division qualifying for the post-season.
The Pawtucket Red Sox won the Governors' Cup, defeating the Charleston Charlies in the final round of the playoffs.
Team changes
- The Louisville Colonels relocated to Pawtucket, Rhode Island and were renamed the Pawtucket Red Sox. The club remained affiliated with the Boston Red Sox.
- The league realigned from one eight-team division to two four-team divisions, the American and National. American League affiliates played in the American Division and National League affiliates played in the National Division.
Teams
Map of teams
American division 
National division
Regular season
Summary
- The Charleston Charlies finished with the best record in the league for the first time in franchise history.
- The regular season schedule changed from 144-games to 146-games.
Standings
| American Division | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | Win | Loss | % | GB |
| Rochester Red Wings | 79 | 67 | .541 | – |
| Pawtucket Red Sox | 78 | 68 | .534 | 1 |
| Syracuse Chiefs | 76 | 70 | .521 | 3 |
| Toledo Mud Hens | 65 | 81 | .445 | 14 |
| National Division | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | Win | Loss | % | GB |
| Charleston Charlies | 85 | 60 | .586 | – |
| Tidewater Tides | 75 | 70 | .517 | 10 |
| Peninsula Whips | 72 | 74 | .493 | 13.5 |
| Richmond Braves | 53 | 93 | .363 | 32.5 |
League Leaders
Batting leaders
| Stat | Player | Total |
|---|---|---|
| AVG | Royle Stillman, Rochester Red Wings | .354 |
| H | Mike Cummings, Pawtucket Red Sox | 139 |
| R | Rick Bladt, Syracuse Chiefs | 97 |
| 2B | Bill McNulty, Tidewater Tides | 30 |
| 3B | Rick Bladt, Syracuse Chiefs | 10 |
| HR | Jim Fuller, Rochester Red Wings | 39 |
| RBI | Jim Fuller, Rochester Red Wings | 108 |
| SB | Larry Lintz, Peninsula Whips | 48 |
Pitching leaders
| Stat | Player | Total |
|---|---|---|
| W | John Montague, Peninsula Whips | 15 |
| ERA | Dick Pole, Pawtucket Red Sox | 2.03 |
| CG | Dick Pole, Pawtucket Red Sox | 16 |
| SV | Joe Grzenda, Syracuse Chiefs | 18 |
| SO | Dick Pole, Pawtucket Red Sox | 158 |
| IP | Fred Holdsworth, Toledo Mud Hens | 214.0 |
Playoffs
- The Pawtucket Red Sox won their first Governors' Cup in their first season following their relocation, defeating the Charleston Charlies in five games.
- The semi-finals were expanded from a best-of-three series to a best-of-five series.
Playoff bracket
| Semi-finals | Governors' Cup | ||||||||
| A1 | Rochester | 0 | |||||||
| N1 | Charleston | 3 | |||||||
| N1 | Charleston | 2 | |||||||
| A2 | Pawtucket | 3 | |||||||
| A2 | Pawtucket | 3 | |||||||
| N2 | Tidewater | 2 | |||||||
Awards
| International League awards | |
|---|---|
| Award name | Recipient |
| Most Valuable Player | Jim Fuller, Rochester Red Wings |
| Pitcher of the Year | Dick Pole, Pawtucket Red Sox |
| Rookie of the Year | Otto Vélez, Syracuse Chiefs |
| Manager of the Year | Joe Morgan, Charleston Charlies |
See also
References
- ^ 1973 IL Standings at stats-crew.com, URL accessed 19 November 2024.
- ^ 1973 IL Batting Leaders at baseball-reference.com, URL accessed 19 November 2024.
- ^ 1973 Pitching Leaders at baseball-reference.com, URL accessed 19 November 2024.