1961 Columbus Jets Roster
Team Record: 92-62
Finished 1st in the IL
Manager: Larry Shepard (92-62)
Affiliation: Pittsburgh Pirates
Location: Columbus, Ohio
Ballpark: Harold Cooper Stadium
Attendance: 187,471, Avg. 2,435
Playoffs - Rochester Red Wings 4 games, Columbus Jets 1
The Columbus Jets of the International League ended the 1961 season with a record of 92 wins and 62 losses, finishing first in the IL.
The Jets scored 640 runs and surrendered 534 runs. Donn Clendenon led Columbus with 22 home runs, while Román Mejías, Larry Elliot and John Powers each walloped 15 or more also. Donn Clendenon accounted for 82 RBI and topped hitters with significant playing time with a .290 average. Bob Veale paced the team with 14 wins, and Diomedes Olivo registered a 2.01 earned run average, best among pitchers with enough qualifying appearances.
Don Williams, Johnny Schaive, Donn Clendenon, Buddy Pritchard, Earl Francis, Bob Lee, Tom Sturdivant, Jim Mahoney, Bob Smith, Tommie Sisk, Tom Cheney, Tom Parsons, Diomedes Olivo, John Powers, Al Jackson, Jack Lamabe, Whammy Douglas, Bob Veale, Bob Oldis, Larry Elliot, Dick Gray, Jim Umbricht, Al McBean, Don Rowe, Fred Green, Román Mejías, Don Leppert, Elmo Plaskett and Nino Escalera were all players from the 1961 Columbus Jets who played in the Major Leagues during their careers.
Larry Shepard served as manager.Click on column headings to sort.
| Player | Bats | Throws | Birth Date | Height | Weight | Hometown |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duncan Campbell | R | R | October 21, 1934 | 5'10" | 175 | Bluefields, NI |
| Tom Cheney | R | R | October 14, 1934 | 5'11" | 170 | Morgan, GA US |
| Donn Clendenon | R | R | July 15, 1935 | 6'4" | 209 | Neosho, MO US |
| Satch Davidson | L | R | January 18, 1935 | 6'2" | 215 | London, OH US |
| Whammy Douglas | R | R | February 17, 1935 | 6'2" | 185 | Carrboro, NC US |
| Larry Elliot | L | L | March 5, 1938 | 6'2" | 200 | San Diego, CA US |
| Nino Escalera | L | L | November 29, 1929 | 5'10" | 165 | Santurce, PR |
| Earl Francis | R | R | July 14, 1935 | 6'2" | 210 | Slab Fork, WV US |
| Dick Gray | R | R | July 11, 1931 | 5'11" | 165 | Jefferson, PA US |
| Fred Green | R | L | September 14, 1933 | 6'4" | 190 | Titusville, NJ US |
| Roberto Herrera | R | R | April 21, 1939 | 6'3" | 220 | La Habana, La Habana CU |
| Al Jackson | L | L | December 26, 1935 | 5'10" | 169 | Waco, TX US |
| Leonard Jackson | R | R | June 18, 1934 | 6'2" | 205 | Caroleen, NC US |
| Jack Lamabe | R | R | October 3, 1936 | 6'1" | 198 | Farmingdale, NY US |
| Bob Lee | R | R | November 26, 1937 | 6'3" | 225 | Ottumwa, IA US |
| Charlie Leonard | L | L | May 6, 1940 | 6'0" | 185 | Bullsgap, TN US |
| Don Leppert | R | R | October 19, 1931 | 6'2" | 220 | Indianapolis, IN US |
| Jim Mahoney | R | R | May 26, 1934 | 6'0" | 175 | Englewood, NJ US |
| Al McBean | R | R | May 15, 1938 | 5'11" | 165 | Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas VI |
| Román Mejías | R | R | August 9, 1925 | 6'0" | 175 | Abreus, CU |
| Henry Mitchell | R | R | December 17, 1936 | 5'11" | 169 | Panama, Panama PA |
| Bob Oldis | R | R | January 5, 1928 | 6'1" | 185 | Preston, IA US |
| Diomedes Olivo | L | L | January 22, 1919 | 6'1" | 195 | Guayubin, Monte Cristi DO |
| Tom Parsons | R | R | September 13, 1939 | 6'7" | 210 | Lakeville, CT US |
| Elmo Plaskett | R | R | June 27, 1938 | 5'10" | 195 | Frederiksted, St. Croix VI |
| John Powers | L | R | July 8, 1929 | 6'1" | 185 | Birmingham, AL US |
| Buddy Pritchard | R | R | January 25, 1936 | 6'1" | 195 | South Gate, CA US |
| Don Rowe | L | L | April 3, 1936 | 6'0" | 180 | Brawley, CA US |
| Edward Sada | R | R | July 1, 1938 | 6'2" | 180 | San Diego, CA US |
| Jim Saul | L | R | November 24, 1939 | 6'3" | 200 | Bristol, VA US |
| Johnny Schaive | R | R | February 25, 1934 | 5'8" | 175 | Springfield, IL US |
| Tommie Sisk | R | R | April 12, 1942 | 6'3" | 195 | Ardmore, OK US |
| Bob Smith | R | L | February 1, 1930 | 6'1" | 190 | Woodsville, NH US |
| Jim Stoll | R | R | November 12, 1937 | 6'0" | 180 | Stockton, CA US |
| Tom Sturdivant | L | R | April 28, 1930 | 6'0" | 170 | Gordon, KS US |
| Jim Umbricht | R | R | September 17, 1930 | 6'4" | 215 | Chicago, IL US |
| Bob Veale | S | L | October 28, 1935 | 6'6" | 212 | Birmingham, AL US |
| Don Williams | R | R | September 14, 1931 | 6'2" | 180 | Floyd, VA US |
Average attendance is based upon the number of actual home dates where known (most leagues from 1992 and later). Where the number of home dates is not known, the average is calculated using half the team's total games.
