Tables Turning?

A thanks goes to Scott Jensen for suggesting this topic.  Nearly a full week into the month of May, and the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox make up the bottom of the American League East division.  Of course it is still very early in the season, and it is doubtful that the standings at the end of the year will be identical to how they are now.  Nevertheless, for many of us, it is nice to pretend that this could actually be the case.

So when was the last time this was the case?  Quite awhile, and long before the current AL East came to fruition.  In fact, it happened so long ago, there was no AL East division at all.  There was no need for an AL East because aside from the California Angels, no American League team played west of Kansas City.  The American League was simply a ten team league, no divisions.

Two current American League East teams, the Tampa Bay Rays and Toronto Blue Jays, in addition to the Seattle Mariners, Milwaukee Brewers, Kansas City Royals, plus five National League teams were not in existence yet.  The Texas Rangers were still known as the Washington Senators.  The Oakland Athletics were still the Kansas City Athletics.

Mickey Mantle was manning center field for the New York Yankees, and Carl Yastrzemski was playing left field for the Red Sox of Boston.  The Baltimore Orioles won the American League Pennant and ultimately the World Series, sweeping the Los Angeles Dodgers four games to none.  The Orioles would also take the top three spots in the MVP voting (Frank Robinson beating Brooks Robinson and Boog Powell).  Roberto Clemente won the NL MVP for the Pirates, and Sandy Koufax won the Cy Young for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Lyndon B. Johnson  was President of the United States, and man had yet to step foot on the moon.

The year was 1966, four-six years ago this season.