1969 Seattle Pilots season
The 1969 Seattle Pilots season was the only season of the Seattle Pilots, a Major League Baseball team. As an expansion team in the American League, along with the Kansas City Royals, the Pilots were placed in the newly established West division. They finished last among the six teams with a record of 64–98 (), 33 games behind the division champion Minnesota Twins. Fewer than 678,000 fans came to see the Pilots, which ranked 20th of the 24 major league teams — a major reason why the team was forced into bankruptcy after only one season. Despite the  poor conditions at aging Sick's Stadium, the ticket prices were among the highest in the major leagues. The bankruptcy sale of the team was approved by a federal court in Seattle on March 31, and the team moved to Milwaukee at the end of spring training for the 1970 season and became the Milwaukee Brewers. Milwaukee had lost the Braves to Atlanta after the 1965 season. A book about the season exists called "The 1969 Seattle Pilots: Major League Baseball's One-Year Team." Part of the Pilots' season was also documented in the book "Ball Four" by Jim  Bouton. After the Pilots, there would not be another MLB team in Seattle until the birth of the Mariners in 1977. Offseason. Expansion draft. The MLB expansion draft for the Pilots and the Kansas City Royals was held on October 15, 1968. 1968 MLB June amateur draft and minor league affiliates. The Pilots and Kansas City Royals, along with the two National League expansion teams set to debut in 1969, the Montreal Expos and San Diego Padres, were allowed to participate in the June 1968 MLB first-year player draft, although the new teams were barred from the lottery's  first three rounds. The Pilots drafted 29 players in the 1968 June draft, including future major league manager Tom Kelly (eighth round) and starting pitcher Bill Parsons (seventh round). Seattle affiliated with one minor league club during 1968 to develop drafted players; the roster was filled out by professional and amateur free agents that had been signed and players loaned from other organizations. Regular season. The first game. April 8, Anaheim Stadium, Anaheim, California Player stats. Batting. Starters by position. "Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR  = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in" Other batters. "Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in" Pitching. Starting pitchers. "Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts" Other pitchers. "Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts" Relief pitchers. "Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched ; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts" Farm system. The Pilots' farm system consisted of four minor league affiliates in 1969. The Triple-A Vancouver Mounties were shared with the Montreal Expos. Awards and honors. 1969 Major League Baseball All-Star Game