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Charlton's Baseball Chronology - 1979
January
| January 5 |
The Twins re-sign reentry free agent P Mike Marshall. |
| January 9 |
In the January draft's secondary phase‚ the Phils take Mark Davis with the top pick. Next the Toronto Blue Jays select Nattie George‚ who will go unsigned. The Reds will fail to sign the third pick‚ P Bill Bordley. |
| January 17 |
Danny O'Brien signs a contract as president and chief executive officer of the Mariners‚ 9 days after resigning as the Rangers GM. |
| January 23 |
Willie Mays receives 409 of 432 votes in the BBWAA election to earn enshrinement in the Hall of Fame. |
February
| February 3 |
Expecting to lose Rod Carew to free agency‚ the Twins trade the 7-time batting champion to the Angels for OF Ken Landreaux‚ 3B Dave Engle‚ and pitchers Paul Hartzell and Brad Havens. |
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The Yankees buy two players from the A's‚ P Greg Cochrane for $100‚000 and C Bruce Robinson for $400‚000. It proves to be expensive cups of coffee. |
| February 7 |
Minor league P Jesse Orosco becomes the "player to be named later‚" going to the Mets in compensation for P Jerry Koosman‚ who had been sent to the Twins. |
| February 11 |
Phillies P Larry Christenson falls during a charity bicycle caravan‚ fracturing his collarbone. |
March
| March 7 |
The Special Veterans Committee selects Warren Giles and slugger Hack Wilson for the Hall of Fame. |
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The exhibition season opens with semipro and amateur umpires in place of ML arbiters‚ who are staging a collective holdout. |
| March 9 |
Commissioner Kuhn issues a notice to all clubs urging that reporters‚ regardless of sex‚ be treated equally in the matter of access to locker rooms. |
| March 26 |
The Padres and Giants announce that the 1980 exhibition series between the 2 teams will be played in Tokyo. But Giants owner Bob Lurie leaves the decision up to his players and they reject the agreement. |
| March 30 |
Fifty of 52 ML umpires meet in Chicago and reject new offers from the AL and NL. |
April
| April 4 |
More than 20 umpires picket the ML season opener at Cincinnati. The game goes ahead anyway on the newly installed Astroturf and the Giants beat the Reds 11-5. San Francisco scores 8 runs in the 2nd to knock out Tom Seaver. Vida Blue is the winner with Mike Ivie hitting the game's only HR. Attendance is 52‚115. |
| April 5 |
At Yankee Stadium‚ 52‚719 see Milwaukee jump on Ron Guidry for 4 runs in the 6th inning and beat New York 5-1. It's the most runs the Cy Young winner has allowed since 1977. The Yanks get singles from their first three hitters‚ but manage to score just one run in the first off Mike Caldwell. |
| April 6 |
The Astros beat the Braves 2-1. Atlanta loses the services of Rookie of the Year 3B Bob Horner for the next 32 games due to an ankle injury. |
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At Baltimore‚ manager Earl Weaver wins his 1‚000th game as a skipper‚ as the O's open with a 5-3 win over the White Sox. Jim Palmer allows 3 hits to win. Rich Dauer‚ who ended the 1978 season by driving in a run in 10 straight games‚ adds another game to the streak with an infield out. |
| April 7 |
In the earliest no-hitter in ML history‚ the Astros Ken Forsch shuts downs the Braves 6-0. Together with Bob Forsch‚ who hurled a no-hitter in 1978‚ the brothers become the first to pitch no-hit games. |
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Clemson defeats North Carolina State 41-9‚ tying the NCAA record for scoring. |
| April 8 |
George Foster's grand slam helps the Reds to come back as they beat the Giants‚ 7-6‚ in 10 innings. |
| April 10 |
The White Sox lose their season opener 10-2 to the Blue Jays. Phil Huffman pitches 6 innings for the win in his ML debut. The Sox play is so pathetic that Chicago owner Bill Veeck offers every fan at the game free admission to the Sox' next contest. |
| April 17 |
At Oakland‚ only 653 fans show up to watch the A's beat the Mariners 6-5. |
| April 19 |
Following a 6-3 loss to the Orioles‚ Yankees Goose Gossage and Cliff Johnson brawl in the clubhouse. Gossage sustains a sprained ligament in his left thumb‚ and will be sidelined until July 12th. After the fight‚ Reggie Jackson predicts that Cliff Johnson's days as a Yankee are numbered. He is proved correct when Johnson is traded to Cleveland on June 15th for Don Hood. |
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Starter Vide Blue allows ten runs against the San Diego Padres but is still the winning pitcher in the 14-10 game. Nine of the runs are earned. It is the most runs allowed in a win since Bob Friend allowed 10 runs‚ all earned‚ in 1954. The next to match it will be another Giants, righthander Russ Ortiz, in 2000.
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| April 24 |
Substitute umpires consult 28 minutes over a decision‚ change their minds twice‚ and finally issue a compromise decision. Both the Mets and the Giants play the game under protest; the Mets win 10-3. |
| April 25 |
In a 4-1 Boston win‚ Butch Hobson of the Sox triples off a Seattle speaker in left. center. On June 5th‚ Willie Horton will get just a single with same thing |
| April 26 |
Against the Cubs‚ J.R. Richard homers in the 3rd and leaves the game after 5 innings with a back strain‚ but is the winner as Houston wins‚ 6-2. Lynn McGlothen is the starter and loser for Chicago. |
| April 29 |
Down 5-0 to the Braves at Atlanta‚ the Cubs load the bases with 2 out. Blackwell singles in 2‚ Biittner‚ singles in one‚ and Bobby Murcer hits a 3-run homer for a 6-5 Chicago win. |
| April 30 |
In a Carolina League game‚ Alexandria's Gary Pellant homers from each side of the plate in the same inning‚ leading a 20-7 assault over Salem. |
May
| May 1 |
Phil Niekro earns his 200th career win as the Braves beat the Pirates 5-2. Gary Mathews hits 2 homers including an IPHR to break a 2-2 tie in the 9th. The event is saddened by the collapse of Atlanta's popular GM‚ Bill Lucas‚ who will pass away tomorrow. |
| May 3 |
Bobby Bonds hits his 300th HR‚ against Moose Haas‚ in a 6-1 loss to Milwaukee. He has 413 SBs at the time and becomes the 2nd player‚ after Willie Mays‚ to have 300 SBs and 300 HRs. |
| May 6 |
The Reds light up J.R. Richards and whip the Astros‚ 17-5. Champ Summers has 5 RBIs for Cincy to win the opener. The Reds take the nitecap‚ 8-2. |
| May 8 |
During an 8-7 loss to Texas‚ Kansas City loses 2 regulars‚ both as a result of being hit by pitches from Ed Farmer. OF Al Cowens suffers a fractured jaw and will miss 21 games. 2B Frank White sustains a broken hand and will sit out 33 contests. Farmer will be traded 3 times in the next 12 months. On June 20‚ 1980‚ Cowens will hit a grounder off Farmer and charge the mound. |
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The Twins roll by the Toronto Blue Jays‚ 16-6. In the 7th‚ Twins Smalley‚ Kusick and Landreaux all homer off Toronto's Balor Moore. |
| May 9 |
Four bench-clearing brawls and 2 grand slams (Gary Mathews and John Milner) highlight the Pirates wild 17-9 victory over the Braves. Substitute umpires eject 5 players‚ 4 managers‚ and a coach. |
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Gary Roenicke spoils Mike Norris's no-hit bid by hitting a double in the 7th inning. It's the only hit Norris allows as Oakland tops the Orioles‚ 4-2. |
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The recently released Paul Blair‚ let go by New York‚ signs with the Reds. |
| May 12 |
Led by Jerry Remy's 5-for-5‚ the Red Sox use 16 hits to beat the A's‚ 8-2. Mike Torrez (4-1) goes all the way for the win. |
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Rick Anderson of Jackson (Texas League) pitches a 8-0 no-hitter against Shreveport. |
| May 13 |
The Padres Randy Jones steals 2B against the Mets in a 5-4 San Diego victory. He is the first pitcher in the team's 11-year history to do so. |
| May 16 |
NL owners approve the sale of the Astros from the Ford Motor Credit Company to John J. McMullen for a reported $19 million. |
| May 17 |
The wind is really blowing out at Wrigley as the Cubs (6) and the Phillies (5) combine for a ML-record-tying 11 HRs and 97 total bases during a wild 10-inning slugfest won 23-22 by the Phils. Dave Kingman has 3 HRs and 6 RBIs for the Cubs‚ while teammate Bill Buckner has a grand slam and 7 RBIs. Mike Schmidt's 2 HRs include the game-winner in the 10th off Cub relief ace Bruce Sutter. Bob Boone has 5 RBIs and Larry Bowa 5 hits. The Phils jump to a 7-0 lead in the 1st on 3 home runs‚ 3-run shots by Schmidt and Boone and one by P Randy Lerch. They lead 15-6 after 3 innings‚ and 21-9 going into the bottom of the 6th‚ but can't hold it. Rawly Eastwick shuts out the Cubs for 2 frames to win. The 2 teams combine to have 21 different players score runs and the 2-team total of 47 extra bases on long hits (24-Phi) sets a ML mark for an extra-inning game. It is the largest scoring game in the ML since August 25‚ 1922‚ when these same 2 teams met. At Wrigley Field. |
| May 18 |
Dale Murphy has 3 HRs in 3 at bats‚ knocking in 5 runs‚ to pace the Braves to a 6-4 victory over the Giants. |
| May 19 |
ML umpires return to work‚ 2 days after a labor agreement is reached in New York. |
| May 20 |
Houston moves to 1 1/2 games in back of the Reds with a doubleheader sweep of San Diego. In game 1‚ Terry Puhl hits a leadoff homer‚ off Gaylord Perry‚ for the only score in the game. Williams is the winner. Houston takes the nitecap‚ 6-3. |
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The Yankees trade pitchers with the Cubs‚ sending Dick Tidrow to Chicago for Ray Burris. Tidrow will regain his form in the Windy City‚ while Burris will be just 1-3 in pinstripes before being banished to the Mets. |
| May 24 |
Billy Martin issues a public apology to Reno sportswriter Ray Hagar‚ with whom he brawled last November. Hagar had filed suit for assault‚ leading to an out-of-court settlement. |
| May 25 |
Seven different Dodgers‚ including P Rick Sutcliffe‚ hit HRs as Los Angeles buries the visiting Reds 17-6. Sutcliffe poles his off Tom Seaver. The last homer for LA comes when Davey Lopes hits a 3-0 pitch in the 6th with the Dodgers up‚ 14-2. In his next at bat‚ Dave Tomlin decks Lopes 4 straight times inciting a brawl. |
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At Candlestick Park‚ the Braves take a 4-1 lead in the 4th with 2 HRs‚ and the Giants answer back with 3 HR in same inning to tie the ML mark. Jack Clark adds one in 8th for a 6-4 win. |
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The Braves ship Frank LaCorte (4-24 lifetime) to the Astros for Bo McLauglin (9-15 lifetime). LaCorte will turn it around‚ going 19-20 for the rest of his career‚ while McLauglin will win just one more game. |
| May 28 |
George Brett hits for the cycle and adds a 2nd game ending HR in the 16th to pace the Royals to a 5-4 win over the Orioles. Larry Gura is the winning pitcher. Brett is the last player this century to have 2 homers in a game where he cycles. Before Brett‚ Yaz in 1965 was the last to include a 2nd homer with his cycle. |
| May 29 |
Former Indian 1B Luke Easter‚ working as a bank guard in Cleveland‚ is shot to death in a holdup. |
| May 30 |
New York's Cliff Johnson crashes into home plate umpire Lou DiMuro in the 11th inning in a game against Milwaukee. DiMuro‚ unconscious for 32 minutes‚ is taken to the hospital. Johnson scores the 2nd of 3 runs for the Yanks in their 11-inning‚ 5-2 win. |
| May 31 |
Pat Underwood makes his ML debut for Detroit‚ pitching 8 1?3 innings in shutting out Toronto‚ 1-0. The losing pitcher is Pat's brother‚ Tom‚ who goes the distance allowing only Jerry Morales's 8th inning HR. |
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The Expos complete a series sweep over the Phillies‚ each win by a shutout. Scott Sanderson is the 1-0 winner today‚ following whitewashes by teammates Steve Rogers (9-0) and Bill Lee (2-0). Christensen allows just 2 hits in 7 innings but takes the loss. |
June
| June 1 |
In his first game in Cincinnati as a member of the Phillies‚ Pete Rose gets a standing ovation before lining out in his first at bat. Before the game‚ Rose is given a trophy as the Reds Most Valuable Player in 1978‚ the award voted on by the Cincy chapter of the BBWAA. Pete goes 0-for-4 as the Reds beat Steve Carlton‚ 4-2. Carlton‚ batting 8th ahead of Harrelson‚ is 0-for-3. |
| June 3 |
The Phils tops the Reds‚ 6-4‚ then lose 12-2 in the nitecap. George Foster has 3 homers for the Reds. |
| June 5 |
In Seattle‚ Willie Horton hits an apparent home run‚ his 300th‚ but the drive off John Hiller strikes a speaker in left centerfield and all Willie gets is a single. Butch Hobson hit the same speaker on April 25‚ but got a triple out of it. Jack Billingham and Hiller combine on a 4-hitter to beat Seattle‚ 3-1. Tomorrow‚ Horton belts his 300th‚ off Jack Morris‚ in Seattle's 4-3 win. |
| June 6 |
The Mariners make OF Al Chambers the number-one pick in the free-agent draft‚ but his big league career will last just 57 games. The Mets take UCLA P Tim Leary with the 2nd pick. The Blue Jays‚ picking 3rd‚ take high school C Jay Schroeder‚ who will play football for UCLA and will be drafted #1 in 1984 by the Colts‚ but will never catch in the ML. Kansas City picks football players on the 4th (Dan Marino) and the 17th (John Elway) rounds. Brad Komminsk (Braves) is the 4th pick‚ SS Juan Bustabad (A's) is 5th‚ with Andy Van Slyke (Cards) 6th. Bustabad is one of 13 of 16 picks who will not sign with the A's‚ but he does sign with the Red Sox‚ who will pick him #1 in the 1980 January draft. The Dodgers pick Orel Hershiser in the 17th round and the Yankees take Don Mattingly in the 19th round. The Blue Jays pick Jeff Kent on the 20th round. Bret Butler goes to the Braves in the 23rd. The Reds take prep infielder Daniel Lamar in round one‚ then get slightly better results in the second round with Bob Buchanan and Keefe Cato. |
| June 7 |
Texas slugger John Ellis drives in 6 runs to lead the Rangers to a 7-1 win over Milwaukee. Ellis has 2 homers and a double to back Fergie Jenkins win. John Grubb singles in the 9th to extend his hitting streak to 20 games. |
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Charlotte's Mike Boddicker sets a Southern League record with 18 strikeouts in an 8-2 win over Knoxville. |
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Tom Seaver fires a 3-hitter‚ retiring the last 24 batters‚ in the Reds 7-1 win over the Expos. As noted by Rhodes and Snyder in their Reds history‚ Dave Concepcion hits a red seat homer off Bill Lee. |
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Charlie Manuel‚ playing for the Kintetsu Buffaloes‚ is critically injured when a brushback pitch fractures his jaw in 7 places. Hitting .371 with 24 HRs and 60 RBI at the time‚ Manuel will earn the respect of the fans for his determined comeback effort. |
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The Reds score 5 runs in the 6th inning‚ but the Mets counter with 10 in the bottom of the frame to win‚ 12-6. The 15 runs in the 6th is a NL record. |
| June 14 |
For the 2nd straight day‚ Willie Aikens hits a grand slam‚ leading the Royals to a 10-2 win over the Blue Jays. He hit one in yesterday's nitecap. Aikens is just the 8th major league-the 7th this century-to slam in consecutive games. |
| June 15 |
Willie Wilson homers from both sides of the plate‚ including a 3-run inside-the-park job in the 9th inning‚ to lead Kansas City to a 14-11 victory over Milwaukee. |
| June 16 |
At Chicago‚ the Red Sox beat the White Sox 11-5 behind Rick Burleson's inside-the-park homer and Carl Yastrzemski's 1‚000th extra base hit. Yaz is the 15th player to reach that plateau. |
| June 19 |
In New York 36‚211 fans show up to witness the return of Billy Martin as Yankee manager‚ but the Yanks lose to the Blue Jays 5-4. Martin had been named to replace Bob Lemon (34-31) the previous day‚ and begins his 2nd stint as New York's skipper‚ a season earlier than previously announced. |
| June 24 |
Rickey Henderson makes his ML debut for Oakland in a 5-1 loss to Texas in the first game of a doubleheader. Henderson has a single and double in 4 at bats‚ and steals the first base of his ML career. |
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Redbirds Ted Simmons suffers a broken bone in his left wrist during a 6-2 loss to the Mets. He will miss 28 games. |
| June 26 |
The Yankees reacquire the popular Bobby Murcer from the Cubs in exchange for P Paul Semall and cash. Murcer will once again thrive in Yankee Stadium hitting .273 with 8 HRs. |
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It should've been five. At Honolulu‚ Hawaii (Pacific Coast League) tops Phoenix‚ 6-5‚ in 17 innings. Steve Brye of Hawaii is given a PCL-record four consecutive intentional walks before he drives in the winning run in the 17th inning. |
| June 30 |
The Mets overcome a pinch hit grand slam by the Cubs Mike Vail's in the 11th inning‚ and hang on to win‚ 9-8. The Mets break a 3-3 tie and score 6 runs in the top of the 11th at Wrigley to take a 9-3 lead. The big blows are 2-run homers by Lee Mazzilli‚ his second HR of the game‚ and Joel Youngblood. Chicago storms back with 5 runs in the bottom of the frame‚ but New York prevails. This is the first time since Cy Williams did it in 1925 that a team has hit a grand slam in an extra inning and lost. It is the 3rd time that a Cub has hit a pinch grand slam in extra innings. |
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In San Francisco‚ the Reds Tom Seaver fires a 3-hitter‚ beating the Giants‚ 2-0. Tom Terrific retires the last 21 straight batters and the Reds push over 2 runs in the 9th off Ed Whitson to win. |
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Less than halfway into its maiden season‚ the Inter-American League-planned as a new Triple-A circuit-folds. The Miami Amigos‚ with a 43-17 record‚ are declared the league champions. |
July
| July 1 |
New York hits 5 homers off Red Sox starter Dennis Eckersley to win‚ 6-5. Boston also loses speedster Jerry Remy‚ batting .304 on the season‚ when he injures a knee sliding home. Remy will appear in only 7 more games all year. Remy will never swipe more than 16 bases‚ after averaging 35 steals his first 4 seasons. |
| July 2 |
Indians manager Jeff Torborg announces his resignation effective at the end of the season. In three weeks he will be fired and replaced by Dave Garcia. |
| July 5 |
University of Hawaii lefty Derek Tatsuno‚ selected in the 2nd round of the June draft by the Padres‚ signs with a subsidiary of the Seibu Lions for $750‚000. Tatsuno‚ of Japanese-American descent‚ set an NCAA record of 20 wins (in 22 starts). He will finally sign with the Milwaukee Brewers‚ who select him in January of 1982 but he will be ineffective in the minors. |
| July 7 |
Mike Schmidt homers in his first 3 times up for the Phillies‚ to give him a ML-record-tying 4 straight over 2 games. Schmidt flies to the warning track in his next at bat‚ and the Phils lose 8-6 to the Giants. Schmidt will hit 3 more HRs in the next 3 games to tie the NL record of 7 HRs in 5 games. |
| July 8 |
Ben Oglivie has 3 HRs in 3 at bats as the Brewers beat the Tigers 5-4 in the first game of a doubleheader. Oglivie drives in the winning run in the 2nd game as the Brewers take it 3-1. |
| July 9 |
The fans elect three Red Sox to start in the AL outfield for the All-star game: Yaz‚ Rice and Lynn. |
| July 10 |
Philadelphia's Del Unser homers in his 3rd consecutive pinch-hit appearance (June 30th‚ July 5th) to tie the ML record set by Lee Lacy in 1978. The Phillies beat the Padres 6-5. |
| July 12 |
The Tigers win the first game of a scheduled doubleheader 4-1 on Disco Demolition Night at Comiskey Park. Thousands of fans swarm onto the field‚ littering and tearing it up‚ and causing the White Sox to forfeit the 2nd game. |
| July 13 |
California's Nolan Ryan and Boston's Steve Renko (with one-out help from Bill Campbell) each lose no-hitters in the 9th inning‚ and each settle for one-hit victories: 6-1 over New York‚ and 2-0 over Oakland‚ respectively. Rickey Henderson has the one-out hit off Renko while Reggie Jackson has the one-out hit off Ryan. The Yanks score in the 8th after Spencer hits a line drive that is called an error by scorer Dick Miller. Rick Miller misses a shoestring catch on the ball. LP Tiant had a one hitter in his last outing on July 8. |
| July 15 |
The Geneva Cubs score 15 runs in the 9th inning to cap a 29-4 romp over the Utica Blue Jays in a New York-Pennsylvania League game. Scott Fletcher paces the attack with 2 singles‚ 4 doubles‚ a HR‚ and 8 RBI. |
| July 17 |
The NL wins its 8th straight All-Star Game 7-6 at Seattle. Lee Mazzilli homers to tie the game in the 8th‚ and walks in the 9th to bring in the winning run. Dave Parker‚ with 2 outstanding throws‚ is named the game's MVP‚ and Pete Rose plays a record 5th All-Star position. The Red Sox provide the starting OF for the AL in Rice‚ Yaz‚ and Lynn‚ though Yaz has played 1B most of the season. |
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In pre-game ceremonies‚ Crystal Fields‚ 11‚ defeats a field of seven boys to become the first girl to win the National Pitch‚ Hit‚ and Run Championship. Crystal‚ an All-Star SS in her Little League in Cumberland Maryland‚ batted .529 this year. |
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New York Yankees president Al Rosen resigns after a year and a half on the job. Rosen continually found himself in disagreements with Billy Martin and George Steinbrenner.
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| July 20 |
At Los Angeles‚ Steve Garvey saves a defeat for the Dodgers by belting a 2-run homer in the 10th to tie‚ and another 2-run homer in the 11th by Bill Russell wins it‚ 6-5‚ over the Expos. Montreal takes the lead in the 11th when Rodney Scott drives in a run with his 5th straight hit. Dave Patterson wins his first ML game‚ while Manny Mota has a pinch single for the 139 pinch hit of his career. |
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Rusty Staub‚ a spring holdout who got off to a slow start‚ is traded by Detroit to his former team Montreal for a minor league player to be named later. |
| July 23 |
At Wrigley‚ the Reds and Cubs complete a game suspended on May 10th because the Cubs had to catch a plane. That contest was tied 7-7 after 9 innings. Both teams score in the 11th and the Cubs win in the 18th on a run scoring single by Steve Ontiveros. The Cubs then win the regularly scheduled game‚ 2-1‚ with Willie Hernandez getting the victory. Dave Kingman hits a 2-run homer in the bottom of the 9th for the win. |
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Phil Niekro throws a 2-hitter as Atlanta beats the Pirates 8-0. The score might've been higher but the Bucs pull off a triple play-Madlock to Garner to Stargell. It is the 500th triple play in ML history. |
| July 24 |
In Pittsburgh‚ a 4th-inning call results in a 34-minute rhubarb during the Pirates-Reds game. With Buc runners on 1st and 3rd‚ a 3-1 pitch to Omar Moreno is called a ball‚ but Johnny Bench throws to 2B ahead of the runner from 1B‚ Lee Lacy‚ who is attempting to steal. Lacy is called out by Dick Stello even though Moreno has just received a walk (therefore entitling Lacy to 2B)‚ and walks off the bag. He is then tagged out by Dave Concepcion‚ precipitating the argument. The subsequent protest is rejected by NL president Feeney‚ and the Pirates 6-5 loss is upheld. |
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In the first game of a doubleheader‚ Seattle C Bob Stinson ties a ML record by allowing 2 Baltimore batters to reach base on catcher's interference. The Birds win‚ 7-6‚ then complete the sweep‚ 11-3. |
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The Cubs top the Mets at Shea Stadium‚ 4-2‚ behind Dave Kingman's 2 home runs. |
| July 28 |
The Cubs Dave Kingman continues his slugging with a single and 3 consecutive HRs during a 6-4 loss to the Mets. It is Kingman's 2nd 3-HR game of the season (May 17th)‚ and enables him to tie the ML record with 5 HRs over 2 consecutive games. |
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The Red Sox edge Texas, 1-0, on a record triple play in the first inning when 2B Jack Brohamer snags Al Oliver's looper into RF. It is the 8th triple play in the AL this season, a ML record, and the 3rd by the Sox this season (July 23 and May 10), tying the record of Detroit (1911), the Red Sox (1924) and Oakland this year. It is also the 3rd triple play the Rangers have hit into this year, a ML record. Dennis Eckersley beats Fergie Jenkins. |
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Toronto's Dave Lemanczyk notches his 3rd shutout‚ beating his old team Detroit‚ 3-0. Bruce Robbins‚ making his ML debut‚ gives up 2 runs in the 6th to take the loss. At 19‚ Robbins is the youngest Tiger pitcher to debut the rest of the century. |
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Oakland rallies to beat Seattle as reliever Dave Hamilton allows 2 hits over the last 5 innings. The comeback saves Matt Keough (0-12) from losing his 17th straight. |
| July 29 |
Oakland's Mike Morgan wins his first ML game‚ beating Seattle‚ 2-1‚ on 3 hits. Morgan's record is now 1-9. Bannister is the hard-luck loser‚ allowing 4 hits and no earned runs. |
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Rick Manning hits a grand slam in the Indians 7-run 2nd inning‚ as they beat the White Sox‚ 9-6. It is the Tribe's 7th straight win. Rick Wise takes the victory‚ with Paul Reuschel notching the save. |
August
| August 1 |
Following the Yankees 9-1 win over the White Sox‚ members of the New York club create a minor scandal by autographing the bare behind of a young woman who boards the team bus outside Comiskey Park. |
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In an 8-player deal‚ the Rangers send OF Oscar Gamble‚ minor leaguer Amos Lewis‚ a former 1st pick in the 1978 draft‚ and 2 players to be named to the Yankees and finally acquire OF Mickey Rivers and 3 players to be named. Rivers had been traded to the Rangers in June but the deal fell through. Both of the players to be named with Gamble will make the majors: Gene Nelson and Ray Fontenot‚ something that can't be said for the 3 unnamed to Texas. |
| August 2 |
Yankees C Thurman Munson‚ 32‚ perishes at Canton‚ Ohio‚ in a crash of the plane he was piloting. A crowd of 51‚151 will attend the memorial tribute at Yankee Stadium tomorrow. |
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At Seattle‚ the Mariners edge the A's‚ 1-0 behind Floyd Bannister. During the game a foul ball hits a speaker and is caught by the A's pitcher for an out. On September 3 another richochet off a speaker will be caught by the M's 1B. In tomorrow's 5-3 loss to the A's‚ Rupert Jones hits a foul that sticks in speaker above the 1B dugout. |
| August 4 |
During a 6-2 loss to the Astros‚ Braves knuckleballer Phil Niekro sets modern ML records with 4 wild pitches in one inning (5th) and 6 in one game. |
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At the Kingdome‚ the Mariner's Ruppert Jones hits a foul ball that sticks in the speaker above the 1B dugout. But the Athletics amass 11 hits fair to beat the Mariners‚ 5-3. Dwayne Murphy is 3-for-3 with a triple and a homer. |
| August 5 |
The Phillies beat the Pirates 12-8 in the first game of a doubleheader. Philadelphia's Greg Luzinski and Pittsburgh's John Milner each hit a grand slam‚ and Rose collects his 2‚427th career single to break Honus Wagner's NL record. |
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The Red Sox demolish the Brewers in a doubleheader 7-2 and 19-5. The Sox amass 27 hits in the 2nd game‚ and are the first team in 30 years to score in 8 innings. The only inning in which they fail to score is the 4th‚ when the first two batters reach base. The scoring deluge makes it easy for manager Zimmer‚ who uses three relief pitchers‚ each tossing three innings. Dutch-born Win Remmerswaal‚ the middle pitcher‚ picks up his first ML win. |
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In pre-game ceremonies at Wrigley Field‚ announcer Jack Brickhouse is honored. Today's broadcast is his 5‚000th television broadcast of a game. |
| August 6 |
The Rangers blast the Padres 12-5 in the Hall of Fame game featuring a record 9 HRs. |
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In a night game following the funeral of Thurman Munson‚ Bobby Murcer drives in all 5 runs as the Yankees top Baltimore 5-4. Murcer has a 3-run HR and a 9th inning 2-run single. |
| August 8 |
Oakland's Matt Keough loses to California 8-1‚ running his season record to 0-14‚ and tying a dubious ML record. His 14 straight loses ties him for the 4th spot in the AL. |
| August 9 |
Longtime Dodgers owner Walter O'Malley dies at age 75. |
| August 11 |
The Pirates Ed Ott hits a grand slam off Phillie reliever Tug McGraw in the 8th inning as the Bucs win 14-11. It is the 4th grand slam that McGraw has yielded this year‚ setting a new NL mark and tying him for this questionable honor with Detroit's Ray Narleski (1959). |
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Against the Brewers at Fenway‚ Jim Rice belts his 30th homer‚ giving him three straight seasons with 30 or more homers. Only three Red Sox‚ Jimmy Foxx (5 straight years) and Williams (4 straight)‚ have done it. But Milwaukee wins‚ 9-6. |
| August 17 |
The Cubs sell vet Ted Sizemore to the Red Sox for a player (C Mike O'Berry) to be named later. |
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The Royals release George Scott‚ who will sign with the Yankees on the 26th. |
| August 18 |
After 6 straight wins‚ the 3rd place Brewers lose to Texas 7-3. But the 49‚172 fans give Milwaukee a new season record. They'll finish in 2nd place with a team record 1‚918‚ 343 in attendance. |
| August 21 |
The Mets win a protested game against the Astros 5-0. With 2 outs in the 9th inning‚ Houston's Jeff Leonard flies to CF to apparently end the game. Umpire Doug Harvey rules that time had been called‚ and orders Leonard back to the plate. He then singles to left. The Mets were without a 1B‚ however‚ so the umps order Leonard to bat once more. He flies to LF to end the game. |
| August 22 |
In a 7-2 win over the visiting Expos‚ Johnny Bench belts his 325th homer‚ the most ever by a player in a Reds uniform. The previous club record of 324 was held by Frank Robinson. |
| August 23 |
At Cleveland‚ the A's Rick Langford gives up 6 hits and 6 runs in the 1st inning‚ including a grand slam to Andre Thornton and a solo by Ron Hassey. He then allows just one hit over the next 8 innings‚ and the A's come back to win‚ 8-6. |
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Commissioner Kuhn slaps Padres owner Ray Kroc with a $100‚000 fine for tampering‚ following remarks Kroc made about potential free agents Joe Morgan and Graig Nettles. |
| August 25 |
Angel Don Baylor ties a club-record by knocking in 8 runs during a 24-2 slaughter of the Blue Jays. The 24 runs the 26 hits are both Angels record. After the first 3 Jays pitchers are cuffed around‚ 1B Craig Kusick takes the mound in his only ML pitching appearance. He does a creditable job‚ pitching 3 2.3 innings‚ allowing 3 hits and 2 runs. No walks or K's. |
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Willie Horton has 2 homers‚ including his 9th career grand slam‚ to pace Seattle to an 8-4 win over Detroit. Champ Summers has a pair of homers for the Tigers. |
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The Royals' Willie Wilson hits a leadoff homerun for the only score of the game as Kansas City beats the Red Sox‚ 1-0. Wilson's homer off Mike Torrez is inside-the-park. |
| August 26 |
At Shea Stadium‚ the Reds Tom Seaver shuts out the Mets‚ 8-0‚ for his 11th consecutive win. |
| August 29 |
Eddie Murray drives in all the Baltimore runs during a 7-4 win in the 2nd game of a doubleheader with the Twins. Murray belts 3 consecutive HRs-2 righthanded‚ one lefthanded. Scott McGregor gives the Birds a win in game 1‚ allowing 8 hits in winning‚ 4-0. |
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Kansas City blasts Milwaukee pitching for an 18-8 victory. Brett and Otis hit back-to-back HRs in the 8-run 4th‚ after LaCock hits a 3-run HR in the 5-run 3rd. Milwaukee finally uses 3B Sal Bando for 3 innings on the mound (2 runs)‚ 2B Jim Gantner for an inning (no runs)‚ and C Buck Martinez (1 run) in relief. |
| August 31 |
The Angels regain 1st place in the AL West by beating the Indians‚ 9-8. California scores 5 runs in the 8th on 3 homers‚ then watch as Cleveland scores 4 to tie. Downing's RBI single in the 9th is the winner. |
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The Phillies fire Danny Ozark‚ senior manager (since 1973) in the NL. Farm director Dallas Green takes over as interim manager. The Phils remove the "interim" on October 18th. |
September
| September 3 |
The Orioles win a pair from Toronto‚ 2-1 in 11 innings‚ and 5-1. Murray provides the game-winning hit in the bottom of the 11th. Martinez (9-2) is the winner. Mike Flanagan is the winner in the nitecap‚ the major's first 20-game winner this year. |
| September 5 |
Matt Keough of the A's beats the Brewers 6-1 for his first victory after 14 straight losses. He ended 1978 with 4 defeats and barely avoided tying the AL record of 19 consecutive losses. |
| September 8 |
In Oakland's 2-1 win over the White Sox‚ A's Rob Picciolo (.234 career) gets his only intentional walk as the Sox elect to pitch to rookie Rickey Henderson. Rickey walks in a run to beat the Sox. Picciolo will have just 25 career walks in 9 seasons (as noted by Dave Smith). |
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Greg Nettles hits an 8th inning HR to help the Yankees and Ron Guidry beat Detroit‚ 5-4. It is Guidry's 10th straight win. |
| September 9 |
The first place Orioles romp to their 7th win in a row‚ larruping the Red Sox‚ 16-4. Rick Dempsey hits a grand slam for the Birds in their 6-run 6th‚ and Bumbry adds a HR in the same frame. Jim Rice homers for the Bosox. Sox C Bob Montgomery is 1-for-2 in his last ML game. He is the last ML batter to wear a hard liner in his cap instead of a batting helmet. |
| September 11 |
In Cincinnati‚ the Reds edge the Astros‚ 9-8 to move into first place for good in the NL West. Dave Concepcion and George Foster hit back-to-back homers in the 7th‚ good for 3 runs and a Reds lead. |
| September 12 |
Boston's Carl Yastrzemski singles off New York's Jim Beattie for his 3‚000th career hit. The Sox win 9-2 and Yaz becomes the first AL player to collect both 3‚000 hits and 400 HRs. |
| September 15 |
Boston's Bob Watson hits for the cycle in a 10-2 win over the Orioles. Watson‚ hitting in order (2nd inning single; 4th inning double; 6th inning fielder's choice; 8th inning triple; 9th inning homer to LF)‚ becomes the first player to cycle in the both the AL and NL. |
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At Los Angeles‚ the Reds Dan Driessen hits a long drive to CF with 2 outs in the 9th that bounces off the glove off Derrell Thomas and over the wall for a home run. The Reds win it over the Dodgers‚ 2-1. |
| September 16 |
Willie Wilson hits his 5th inside-the-park homer this season in a 6-3 loss to Seattle at Kansas City. It is the most IPHR hit in a season since Kiki Cuyler hit 8 for the Pirates in 1925. |
| September 17 |
The Royals George Brett collects his 20th triple of the season in a 16-4 romp over the Angels. Brett becomes the 5th player ever, and the first since Willie Mays in 1957, to collect 20 doubles, 20 triples, and 20 HRs in the same season. He will finish with totals of 42, 20, and 23. |
| September 18 |
Yanks manager Billy Martin reportedly pays rookie P Bob Kammeyer $100 to hit former Yankee Cliff Johnson with a pitch in Cleveland's 16-3 rout of the Yankees. Johnson belts two homers as does Toby Harrah and the 2 combine for 9 RBIs. The loss goes to Paul Mirabella but Kammeyer gives up all 8 Tribe scores in the 4th inning without recording an out. |
| September 21 |
Royal infielder U. L. Washington homers from both sides of the plate during a 13-4 win over the A's. These are the first homers of Washington's 3-year career. |
| September 24 |
Pete Rose singles in the Phillies 7-2 loss to the Cardinals‚ giving him 200 hits in a season for the 10th time. He breaks the ML record of 9 formerly held by Ty Cobb. Rose hits safely in his 18th straight game‚ and will extend it to 23 by the end of the season. |
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With a week to go‚ Herman Franks resigns as Cubs manager‚ and is replaced by Preston Gomez‚ most recently a coach with the Dodgers. After resigning‚ Franks criticizes a number of Cubs players‚ including Foote‚ Vail‚ Buckner‚ and Sizemore. |
| September 25 |
Mickey and Rick Mahler hurl in the same game as the Braves fall to the Astros 8-0. It is the most recent instance of brothers pitching for the same team in the same game. |
| September 26 |
Atlanta's Phil Niekro notches his 20th win of the season by beating his brother Joe‚ the NL's only other 20-game winner in 1979‚ 9-4. The Niekro brothers are the second pair (the other was Jim and Gaylord Perry) to win 20 games in the same year‚ and Phil Niekro‚ who finishes at 21-20‚ is the first pitcher since Wilbur Wood in 1973 to win and lose 20 games the same year‚ and the first NL pitcher to do so since 1905. |
| September 28 |
Switch-hitting Cardinal SS Garry Templeton collects 3 hits against the Mets and becomes the first player to get 100 hits from each side of the plate. During the last 9 games‚ he batted exclusively righthanded to set the record. |
| September 29 |
The Astros J. R. Richard shuts out the Dodgers 3-0 and fans 11 batters to break his own modern NL record for strikeouts by a righthander. Richard finishes with 313 K's‚ 10 more than in 1978. One of 5 Dodgers hits is a single by Manny Mota‚ his 146th pinch hit‚ breaking the mark of 145 formerly held by Smoky Burgess. |
| September 30 |
Minnesota's Jerry Koosman defeats Milwaukee 5-0 on the final day of the season for his 20th win of the year. It is the only time the Brewers are shut out the entire year‚ as they fail to tie a record set by the Yankees in 1932. The Brew Crew scored in 213 straight games. |
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The Niekro brothers each win their 21st game and tie for the NL lead in wins. Phil wins for the Braves‚ 7-2‚ over the Reds‚ while Houston's Joe tops the Dodgers‚ 3-2. Phil Niekro (21-20) is the only pitcher this century to lead the league in wins and losses the same season. |
October
| October 2 |
In the opening game of the NL Championship Series‚ Willie Stargell hits a 3-run HR in the 11th inning to give the Pirates a 5-2 victory over the Reds. |
| October 3 |
John Lowenstein's 3-run HR in the bottom of the 10th inning gives the Orioles a 6-3 win over the Angels in the first game of the ALCS. |
| October 4 |
Baltimore takes a 9-1 lead in the LCS game‚ but the Angels score 7 runs in the last 4 innings only to fall short 9-8. Eddie Murray drives in 4 runs for the Orioles. |
| October 5 |
The Pirates complete a sweep of the LCS‚ beating the Reds 7-1. Stargell hits another HR and is named series MVP. |
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The Angels score 2 in the bottom of the 9th inning of the AL game to avert elimination 4-3. Larry Harlow doubles in the winning run. |
| October 6 |
Scott McGregor's 8-0 shutout gives the Orioles the AL pennant. Pat Kelly notches 3 RBI with a HR and a single. |
| October 10 |
The Orioles score 5 times in the first inning of the WS‚ hanging on to defeat the Pirates 5-4 in game 1. Dave Parker has 4 hits for the losers. |
| October 11 |
Manny Sanguillen's pinch-hit‚ 2-out single in the 9th scores Ed Ott and breaks a 2-2 tie as the Pirates win 3-2 and even the Series at one game apiece. |
| October 12 |
Kiko Garcia collects 4 hits and 4 RBI to lead the Orioles to an 8-4 triumph in game 3. |
| October 13 |
Baltimore scores 6 runs in the 8th inning en route to a 9-6 win‚ taking a 3-games-to-one advantage. Pinch-hit doubles by John Lowenstein and Terry Crowley drive in 4 runs. |
| October 17 |
In game 7‚ Stargell's 3rd WS homer propels Pittsburgh to its 3rd straight win 4-1‚ and the World Championship. Pops is named Series MVP. |
| October 23 |
Billy Martin is involved in a barroom altercation with Joseph Cooper‚ a Minnesota marshmallow salesman. Cooper requires 15 stitches to close a gash in his lip. |
| October 26 |
Commissioner Kuhn notifies Hall of Famer Willie Mays that if he accepts a position with Bally Manufacturing Corporation‚ owner of several gambling casinos‚ he must disassociate himself from ML baseball. Mays‚ a part-time coach and goodwill ambassador for the Mets‚ will relinquish his duties upon accepting Bally's job offer on October 29th. |
| October 28 |
George Steinbrenner announces that Billy Martin is fired again as a result of his recent barroom fight. Dick Howser is named to replace him. |
November
| November 1 |
Edward Bennett Williams buys the Orioles from Jerold Hoffberger for a reported $12.3 million. |
| November 2 |
Nolan Ryan and Joe Morgan are the top names available in the reentry draft held at New York's Plaza Hotel. |
| November 3 |
Teams of U.S. all-stars depart on an exhibition tour of Japan. The NL stars will win 4 of 7 games versus the AL‚ and the combined forces will split a pair of games with the Japanese all-stars. |
| November 7 |
Reliever Bruce Sutter‚ who had a 2.23 ERA and saved 37 of the Cubs' 80 victories‚ wins the NL Cy Young Award by a 72-66 margin over the Astros Joe Niekro. |
| November 8 |
The Yankees ink 1B-DH Bob Watson and P Rudy May‚ the first reentry free agents to sign long-term contracts with new teams. |
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Mets president Lorinda de Roulet announces the team is for sale‚ beginning a 2-month bidding war. |
| November 13 |
For the first time in history‚ 2 players share the MVP Award. The NL co-winners are Willie Stargell‚ the Pirates spiritual leader‚ who batted .281 with 32 HRs; and the Cardinals Keith Hernandez‚ who led the NL in runs (116)‚ doubles (48)‚ and batting (.344). |
| November 14 |
The Dodgers sign reentry free agent P Dave Goltz‚ formerly of the Twins‚ to a 6-year‚ $3 million pact. |
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California's Don Baylor‚ who led the AL in runs and RBI‚ is named the league's MVP. |
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The Yankees acquire 3B Eric Soderholm from Texas for 3 players (minor leaguers Rockey Burdette‚ Roger Slagle‚ Amos Lewis) to be named later. As noted in "Yankees Coming‚ Yankees Going" by Lyle Spatz‚ the Rangers release the players' names‚ a rules violation since they are still frozen on minor league rosters until December. The deal will be consummated on December 13‚ with Slagle's name omitted. Soderholm will hit .287 in 1980‚ then miss the 81 season because of illness‚ and retire. |
| November 17 |
On a flight to Austin‚ TX‚ Daniel Okrent sketches out the first draft of rules for what would become Rotisserie League Baseball. Had the friends he was seeing not ignored these rules‚ the Rotisserie League would have been called Pit League‚ after the Austin barbecue joint where Okrent first unveiled them. Two weeks later in New York‚ he pitches the idea to a more receptive group with whom Okrent lunched monthly at La Rotisserie Francaise. |
| November 19 |
The Astros sign reentry free agent Nolan Ryan‚ formerly of the Angels‚ to a 4-year‚ $4.5 million contract‚ making him the highest-paid player in the ML. |
| November 20 |
The Braves sign reliever Al Hrabosky‚ "the Mad Hungarian‚" a reentry free agent formerly with the Royals‚ to a 5-year pact worth $2.2 million. |
| November 26 |
3B John Castino‚ who batted .285 for the Twins‚ and SS Alfredo Griffin‚ who hit .287 for the Blue Jays‚ tie for the AL Rookie of the Year Award‚ each receiving 7 of the 28 votes. The two rookies share one other distinction: both of them hit their first ML homers inside-the-park. The deadlock precipitates a change in the voting system‚ effective in 1980. |
| November 29 |
Commissioner Bowie Kuhn lets Billy Martin off with a warning‚ following the October 23rd incident. |
December
| December 31 |
The Basic Agreement between players and owners expires‚ precipitating more than 19 months of bitter negotiations‚ culminating in the 1981 player strike. |
