by Thom W. Conroy

Created on: August 09, 2010

Looking back in baseball history to the 1960's it would occur to most baseball fans that the National League had the overwhelming majority of the pitching talent - Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale, Bob Gibson, Juan Marichal and many more great pitchers. While the best pitchers in the American League in the 1960's may not have been the same household names as those in the NL, there were more than just a few that distinguished themselves as among the best in either league. American League pitchers in the 1960's just did not put up the same eye-popping statistics as National League pitchers for whatever reason, but the talent was certainly there just the same.

In no particular order, here are some of the best pitchers in the American League in the 1960's:

Jim Perry - Playing for some really awful Cleveland Indians and Minnesota Twins teams Perry stood out as a veteran war-horse. Jim Perry had 114 wins in the 1960's, with four seasons of over 200 strikeouts and four seasons with an earned run average under 3.00

Sam McDowell - Another great pitcher that suffered through his Cleveland experience, McDowell racked up 89 wins in the 1960's with five seasons with an earned run average under 3.00. The premier strikeout pitcher in the AL, McDowell had five seasons of 200 or more strikeouts and one with over 300.

Jim Kaat - One of the most consistent pitchers of any decade, Kaat won 142 games in the 1960's mostly for the Minnesota Twins. Kaat had eight seasons of 200 innings pitched with 3 seasons of an earned run average under 3.00 to go along with eight Gold Gloves.

Whitey Ford - This Yankee great amassed 115 wins in the 1960's despite playing little in 1966 and 1967 and retiring after the 1967 season. Ford had four seasons with an earned run average under 3.00, pitched over 200 innings five times and was the 1961 Cy Young Award winner.

Denny McClain - The last big-leaguer to win 30 games in a season, McClain won 114 games in the 1960's, pretty good when you consider he didn't become a full-time starter until 1965. McClain won 20 games in a season 3 times, twice pitched over 300 innings and had an amazing 93 complete games in the decade.

Dean Chance - While not receiving nearly the amount of recognition he deserves, Chance won 115 games in the 1960's, twice won 20 games, had an earned run average under 3.00 five times and was the 1964 Cy Young Award winner.

While there are other American League pitchers that had great runs of two or three seasons, the aforementioned pitchers were consistent over an extended period and were the best American League Pitchers of the 1960's.

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