1963 California League season

1963 California League season California League Baseball April 23 – September 8 140 8 Regular season Stockton Ports José Vidal, Reno Silver Sox Playoffs Stockton Ports Modesto Colts List of Carolina League seasons CALL 1962 California League season 1962 1964 California League season 1964 The 1963 California League was a Class A baseball season played between April 23 and September 8. Eight teams played a 140-game schedule, as the winner of each half of the season qualified for the California League championship round. The Stockton Ports won the California League championship, as they defeated the Modesto Colts in the final round of the playoffs. League changes A significant reorganization of the minor leagues took place in 1963, caused by the contraction of clubs and leagues during the 1950s and early 1960s. In 1949, the peak of the postwar minor league baseball boom, 448 teams in 59 leagues were members of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues, with the number of teams falling to 324 in 1952, and 243 in 1955.https://www.newspapers.com/clip/77050197/minors-are-taking-on-major-proportions/ Minors are taking on major proportions Bill Koenig Pensacola News Journal 53 June 30, 1985 May 4, 2021 newspapers.comhttps://www.newspapers.com/clip/77050299/new-breed-of-administrators-helping-turn/ New breed of administrators helping turn minor leagues around Bob Chick The Tampa Tribune 9 June 14, 1989 May 4, 2021 newspapers.com By the end of 1963, only 15 leagues above Rookie-level survived in the United States and Canada. As part of the reorganization of the minor leagues, the California League was designated as from a Class C league to a Class A league. Team changes The Visalia White Sox ended their affiliation with the Chicago White Sox and were relocated to Salinas, California. The club would be renamed to the Salinas Mets and begin an affiliation with the New York Mets. The Reno Silver Sox ended their affiliation with the Los Angeles Dodgers and began a new affiliation with the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Santa Barbara Rancheros ended their affiliation with the New York Mets and began a new affiliation with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Teams 1963 California League Team City MLB Affiliate Stadium Bakersfield Bears Bakersfield, California Philadelphia Phillies Sam Lynn Ballpark Fresno Giants Fresno, California San Francisco Giants John Euless Park Modesto Colts Modesto, California Houston Colt .45s Del Webb Field Reno Silver Sox Reno, Nevada Pittsburgh Pirates Moana Stadium Salinas Mets Salinas, California New York Mets Salinas Municipal Stadium San Jose Bees San Jose, California Los Angeles Angels San Jose Municipal Stadium Santa Barbara Rancheros Santa Barbara, California Los Angeles Dodgers Laguna Ball Park Stockton Ports Stockton, California Baltimore Orioles Billy Hebert Field Map of teams left 10px California League Teams 475 450 400 25 50 California 450 California 35.40 -119.02 Black pog.svg 80 bottom Bakersfield #ffe California 36.75 -119.77 Black pog.svg 80 right Fresno #ffe California 37.66 -120.99 Black pog.svg 80 right Modesto #ffe California 39.49 -119.80 Black pog.svg 80 top Reno #ffe California 36.69 -121.65 Black pog.svg 80 left Salinas #ffe California 37.32 -121.86 Black pog.svg 80 left San Jose #ffe California 34.42 -119.70 Black pog.svg 80 left Santa Barbara #ffe California 37.98 -121.29 Black pog.svg 80 left Stockton #ffe Regular season Summary The Stockton Ports finished with the best record in the regular season for the first time since 1947. Standings California League1963 California League (CL) Minor League Baseball Standings https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/standings/l-CALL/y-1963 live https://web.archive.org/web/20251030000558/https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/standings/l-CALL/y-1963 October 30, 2025 October 30, 2025 Stats Crew Team Win Loss % GB Stockton Ports 87 52 87 52 – Bakersfield Bears 78 62 78 62 9.5 Fresno Giants 73 67 73 67 14.5 Modesto Colts 72 68 70 68 15.5 Reno Silver Sox 71 69 71 69 16.5 Santa Barbara Rancheros 67 72 67 72 20 San Jose Bees 62 78 62 78 25.5 Salinas Mets 49 91 49 91 20 League Leaders Batting leaders Stat1963 California League Batting Leaders http://www.baseball-reference.com/register/leader.cgi?type=bat&id=0fea1385 live https://web.archive.org/web/20251030001434/https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/leader.cgi?type=bat&id=0fea1385 October 30, 2025 October 30, 2025 Baseball Reference Player Total AVG José Vidal, Reno Silver Sox .340 H Damaso Blanco, Fresno Giants 187 R Damaso Blanco, Fresno Giants 127 2B Don Bridges, Bakersfield Bears 38 3B Richard Yencha, Stockton Ports 15 HR José Vidal, Reno Silver Sox 40 RBI José Vidal, Reno Silver Sox 162 SB Sonny Jackson, Modesto Colts 61 Pitching leaders Stat1963 California League Pitching Leaders http://www.baseball-reference.com/register/leader.cgi?type=pitch&id=0fea1385 live https://web.archive.org/web/20251030001707/https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/leader.cgi?type=pitch&id=0fea1385 October 30, 2025 October 30, 2025 Baseball Reference Player Total W Bob Olson, Stockton Ports 19 ERA John Hogg, Stockton Ports 2.21 CG Bob Olson, Stockton Ports 17 SHO Danny Coombs, Modesto Colts Francisco Rivas, Fresno Giants Dick Selma, Salinas Mets 3 IP Bob Olson, Stockton Ports 218.0 SO Dick Selma, Salinas Mets 221 Playoffs The final round was shortened from a best-of-seven series to a best-of-three series. The Stockton Ports won their third California League championship, defeating the Modesto Colts in two games. Playoff bracket Finals 1 Modesto 0 2 Stockton 2 Awards California League awards Award name Recipient Most Valuable Player José Vidal, Reno Silver Sox See also 1963 Major League Baseball season References External links Minor League Baseball official website California League season Category:1963 in sports in California Category:1963 in sports in Nevada