1961 Major League Baseball expansion draft

Major League Baseball expansion draft August 2023 1961 Major League Baseball expansion draft Baseball October 10, 1961 Cincinnati, Ohiohttps://www.newspapers.com/article/red-bluff-tehama-county-daily-news-bress/186103522/ Bressoud and Landrith 1st Draft Picks UPI Daily News Red Bluff, California 4 October 10, 1961 December 2, 2025 newspapers.com National LeagueThis draft was limited to National League teams; while the National League and American League are commonly referred to collectively as Major League Baseball, across many decades, Major League Baseball has only existed as a legal entity since 2000.https://sabr.org/journal/article/did-mlb-exist-before-the-year-2000/ Did MLB Exist Before the Year 2000? Bill Nowlin Society for American Baseball Research December 2, 2025 Houston Colt .45sNew York Mets 1962 Eddie Bressoud (Houston Colt .45s) 45An additional three selections were made in a supplemental draft held in October 1963. 1960 1968 The 1961 Major League Baseball expansion draft was held by Major League Baseball on October 10, 1961, to fill the rosters of the New York Mets and the Houston Colt .45s.The Houston Colt .45s were renamed as the Houston Astros in 1965, and moved to the American League in 2013. These new franchises were set to enter the National League (NL) as part of the 1962 Major League Baseball expansion. Selections in the draft were limited to a pool of players designated by existing NL teams.Mets, Colts Pay $3,650,000 For 45 Players: New York Lands Hodges, Bouchee, Bell and Craig https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=H8VHAAAAIBAJ&sjid=J_8MAAAAIBAJ&pg=1146,4667739&dq=mets+expansion+draft&hl=en November 28, 2015 Associated Press (AP) Meriden Record October 11, 1961 Meriden-Wallingford, Connecticut 4 Due to the poor performance of the Mets and Colt .45s after two seasons, another draft was held for the teams on October 10, 1963. The other existing NL clubs made four players from their 40-man roster available at $30,000 apiece. A maximum of eight players could be selected between the two clubs. However, only three selections were made, two by New York and one by Houston.https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-boston-globe-mets-colts-pick-only-3/186103916/ Mets, Colts Pick Only 3 In Special Restock Draft UPI The Boston Globe 19 October 11, 1963 December 2, 2025 newspapers.com 1961 draft USA 400 1962 National League expansion teams USA 29.69 -95.41 Black pog.svg 80 top Colt .45s USA 40.83 -73.94 Black pog.svg 80 right Mets All-Star + Regular phase, $75,000 per playerPickPlayerPositionSelected byPrevious team1Eddie BressoudIFHouston Colt .45sSan Francisco Giants2Hobie LandrithCNew York MetsSan Francisco Giants3Bob AspromonteIFHouston Colt .45sLos Angeles Dodgers4Elio ChacónIFNew York MetsCincinnati Reds5Bob LillisIFHouston Colt .45sSt. Louis Cardinals6Roger CraigPNew York MetsLos Angeles Dodgers7Dick DrottPHouston Colt .45sChicago Cubs8Gus Bell*OFNew York MetsCincinnati Reds9Al HeistOFHouston Colt .45sChicago Cubs10Joe ChristopherOFNew York MetsPittsburgh Pirates11Román MejíasOFHouston Colt .45sPittsburgh Pirates12Félix MantillaIFNew York MetsMilwaukee Braves13George WilliamsIFHouston Colt .45sPhiladelphia Phillies14Gil Hodges*1BNew York MetsLos Angeles Dodgers15Jesse HickmanPHouston Colt .45sPhiladelphia Phillies16Craig AndersonPNew York MetsSt. Louis Cardinals17Merritt RanewCHouston Colt .45sMilwaukee Braves18Ray DaviaultPNew York MetsSan Francisco Giants19Don TaussigOFHouston Colt .45sSt. Louis Cardinals20John DeMeritOFNew York MetsMilwaukee Braves21Bobby Shantz*PHouston Colt .45sPittsburgh Pirates22Al JacksonPNew York MetsPittsburgh Pirates23Norm Larker*1BHouston Colt .45sLos Angeles Dodgers24Sammy DrakeIFNew York MetsChicago Cubs25Sam Jones*PHouston Colt .45sSan Francisco Giants26Chris CannizzaroCNew York MetsSt. Louis Cardinals27Paul RoofPHouston Colt .45sMilwaukee Braves28Choo-Choo ColemanCNew York MetsPhiladelphia Phillies29Ken JohnsonPHouston Colt .45sCincinnati Reds30Ed Bouchee1BNew York MetsChicago Cubs31Dick Gernert1BHouston Colt .45sCincinnati Reds32Bob SmithOFNew York MetsPhiladelphia Phillies +Regular phase, $50,000 per playerPickPlayerPositionSelected byPrevious team33Ed OlivaresIFHouston Colt .45sSt. Louis Cardinals34Sherman JonesPNew York MetsCincinnati Reds35Jim UmbrichtPHouston Colt .45sPittsburgh Pirates36Jim HickmanOFNew York MetsSt. Louis Cardinals37Jim GoldenPHouston Colt .45sLos Angeles Dodgers +Premium phase, $125,000 per playerPickPlayerPositionSelected byPrevious team38Joe AmalfitanoIFHouston Colt .45sSan Francisco Giants39Jay HookPNew York MetsCincinnati Reds40Turk FarrellPHouston Colt .45sLos Angeles Dodgers41Bob MillerPNew York MetsSt. Louis Cardinals42Hal SmithCHouston Colt .45sPittsburgh Pirates43Don Zimmer*IFNew York MetsChicago Cubs44Al SpanglerOFHouston Colt .45sMilwaukee Braves45Lee Walls*IF/OFNew York MetsPhiladelphia Phillies * All-Star only before 1961 expansion draft 1963 draft All-Star + Regular phase, $30,000 per playerPlayerPositionSelected byPrevious teamBill Haas1B/OFNew York MetsLos Angeles DodgersClaude RaymondPHouston Colt. 45sMilwaukee BravesJack FisherPNew York MetsSan Francisco Giants See also Continental League, a proposed third major league that had planned to begin play in the 1961 season Notes References 30em Further reading https://sabr.org/journal/article/the-colt-45s-and-the-1961-expansion-draft/ The Colt .45s and the 1961 Expansion Draft Eric Thompson Stephen D. Boren Society for American Baseball Research 2014 December 2, 2025 External links Major League Baseball Historical Expansion Drafts Starting Fresh – The Expansion of 1962 Category:Major League Baseball expansion drafts Expansion draft Category:History of the New York Mets Category:History of the Houston Astros Major League Baseball expansion draft