1966 REPLAY AWARD WINNERS

NATIONAL LEAGUE

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER

Felipe Alou (Atlanta Braves) – Alou was the key ingredient in what was a record setting offense in Atlanta. His numbers from the leadoff slot were comparable to any cleanup hitter in the league. His finished second to his brother Matty for the batting crown with a .396 average. He led the league in hits (84), runs scored (44), ranked fourth in doubles (14), and sixth in home runs (12). If that isn’t enough, Alou finished third in OBP (.410), second in slugging (.670), and second in OPS (1.080).

Contenders: Dick Allen (Philadelphia), Willie Davis (Los Angeles)

CY YOUNG

Bob Gibson (St. Louis Cardinals) – Gibson was the landslide winner for the award. He finished with a 7-3 record, second best in the NL. He finished tied for second in shutouts (2), and fifth in strikeouts (68). He then established dominance by leading the league in the following categories: complete games (8), ERA (1.76), WHIP (0.85), and opponent’s batting average (.165) – the latter three categories were won by large margins.

Contenders: Sandy Koufax (Los Angeles), Juan Marichal (San Francisco)

FIREMAN OF THE YEAR

Billy McCool (Cincinnati Reds) – McCool was the dominant reliever in the NL, and one of the few bright spots for a team reeling from the loss of Frank Robinson. McCool notched a solid 3-0 record, and ranked second in the NL with nine saves. Like Gibson, he distanced himself from the competition by leading the following categories among relievers by wide margins – ERA (0.83), WHIP (0.80), and opponent’s batting average (.148).

Contenders: Roy Face (Pittsburgh), Darold Knowles (Philadelphia)