Champions
Major League Baseball
World Series: Cincinnati Reds over New York Yankees (4-0); Johnny Bench, MVP
All-Star Game, July 13 at Veterans Stadium: National League, 7-1; George Foster, MVP
Other champions
Amateur World Series: Cuba
College World Series: Arizona
Japan Series: Hankyu Braves over Yomiuri Giants (4-3) Big League World Series: Taipei, Taiwan Little League World Series: Chofu, Tokyo, Japan Senior League World Series: Pingtung, Taiwan Winter Leagues 1976 Caribbean Series: Naranjeros de Hermosillo Dominican Republic League: Águilas Cibaeñas Mexican Pacific League: Naranjeros de Hermosillo Puerto Rican League: Vaqueros de Bayamón Venezuelan League: Tigres de Aragua
Awards and honors
Baseball Hall of Fame
Oscar Charleston
Roger Connor
Cal Hubbard
Bob Lemon
Freddie Lindstrom
Robin Roberts
Most Valuable Player
Thurman Munson, New York Yankees, C (AL) Joe Morgan, Cincinnati Reds, 2B (NL) Cy Young Award Jim Palmer, Baltimore Orioles (AL) Randy Jones, San Diego Padres (NL) Rookie of the Year Mark Fidrych, Detroit Tigers, P (AL) Butch Metzger, San Diego Padres, P and Pat Zachry, Cincinnati Reds, P (NL) Woman Executive of the Year (major or minor league): Alice Neighbors, Tulsa Oilers, American Association
Statistical leaders
Major league baseball final standings
Events
January–March
In January 1976, San Francisco Giants owner Horace Stoneham agreed to sell the team for $13.25 million to a Toronto group consisting of Labatt Brewing Company, Vulcan Assets Ltd., and Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce. The team would begin play with the 1976 season at Exhibition Stadium and be called the Giants. January 2 – Pitchers Robin Roberts and Bob Lemon are voted into the Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. January 14 – Ted Turner completes the purchase of 100 percent of the Atlanta Braves. January 15 – Seattle is awarded with the American League's 13th franchise, to begin play in . January 27 – The Pittsburgh Pirates sign undrafted free agent Pascual Perez. February 3 – The Special Veterans Committee selects players Roger Connor and Freddie Lindstrom, and umpire Cal Hubbard, for the Hall of Fame. Hubbard becomes the first man elected to both the Pro Football and Baseball Halls of Fame. February 9 – Oscar Charleston is selected for the Hall of Fame by the Special Committee on the Negro Leagues. February 17 – Mike Scott of Pepperdine pitches a perfect game against California Lutheran University. He will be selected in the 2nd round of the June draft. March 1 – The 1976 Major League Baseball lockout is instated, the second lockout in league history. March 17 – Major League Baseball's lockout ends as Commissioner of Baseball Bowie Kuhn orders team owners to open spring training camps to their players immediately. March 20 – Leo Durocher, hired to manage Japan's Yokohama Taiyō Whales of the Central League, is sick with hepatitis and asks for a five-week delay in reporting. Durocher receives a telegram from the Whales stating: "Since the championship starts in 20 days, it's better if you stay home and take care of yourself for the remainder of the season." March 26 – The American League approves the purchase of the new Toronto franchise by the Labatt Brewing Company for $7 million.