BB On this Date ~ Events & Birthdays #2

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Ken Griffey Jr making a spectacular catch at Tigers Stadium.
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October 18 Baseball Birthdays
1942 Willie Horton (Detroit Tigers)


1949 Ed Farmer pitcher (MLB All Star 1980; Chicago White Sox) and radio broadcaster (Chicago White Sox, 1991-2005), born in Evergreen Park, Illinois (d. 2020)


1949 George Hendrick outfielder (4 × MLB All-Star; World Series 1972 Oakland A's, 1982 St. Louis Cardinals; Silver Slugger Award 1980, 83), born in Los Angeles, California


1952 Jerry Royster


1966 Alan Mills, pitcher (Baltimore Orioles), born in Lakeland, Florida


1970 Camille Spitaleri infielder (Silver Bullets)


1975 Alex Cora infielder, 1998-2011 (Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox, and 4 other teams), and manager, 2018-19 & 2021- (Boston Red Sox), born in Caguas, Puerto Rico

1985 Yoenis Cespedes born in Campechuela

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This Day in Baseball History October 18th​

1913 In Cincinnati, the Giants rout the White Sox, 11-2, beginning a five-month worldwide barnstorming trip that will include stops in Australia, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. The teams recruit top players from both leagues, including Tris Speaker, Buck Weaver, Christy Mathewson, and Sam Crawford, with former Olympian Jim Thorpe being the main attraction during the global tour.

1925 Two weeks after pitching his final game for the Reds, 34-year-old Army Reserve First Lieutenant pilot Marvin Goodwin's plane goes into a tailspin and crashes near Houston's Ellington Field. The right-hander, appearing in four games for Cincinnati, three as a starter, posted an 0-2 record, which included two complete games, will die in three days due to being severely injured, with two broken legs, a fractured skull, along with critical internal injuries.

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1950 After spending half a century managing in the major leagues, Connie Mack retires as skipper of the A's. The 87-year-old manager, who has the most wins and losses in the game's history, will be replaced by Jimmy Dykes, after compiling a 3731-3948 (.486) record during his 50 years in the dugout.

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1960 "Resigned, fired, quit, discharged, use whatever you damn please. I'll never make the mistake of being seventy again" - CASEY STENGEL, announcing his dismissal from the Yankees for being too old to manage. Five days after losing to the Pirates in Game 7 of the World Series, the Yankees fire Casey Stengel, believing he's too old to manage. During his twelve-year tenure with the Bronx Bombers, the 'Old Perfesser' compiled an 1149-696 (.623) record while capturing ten AL pennants and seven World Championships.

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1967 Avoiding a protracted legal battle, the American League awards a new franchise to Kansas City, replacing the team the city lost when the owners permitted Charlie Finley to move the A's to Oakland. Also, the AL announces a new team, soon known as the Pilots, will play in Seattle, an ill-advised decision given that new owners will prove to be under-financed.

 

1971 Dick Williams is named the Associated Press American League Manager of the Year after guiding the A's to their first playoff appearance since the franchise faced St. Louis in the 1931 Fall Classic. The 42-year-old skipper also copped the honor for piloting the Red Sox during the team's Impossible Dream season in 1967.

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1972 With runners on second and third base in Game 3 of the World Series, Johnny Bench strikes out looking with a full count when a trick play dupes him. After the A's manager visits the mound and catcher Gene Tenace returns to his position, the Reds' slugger, believing he is getting an intentional walk, is fooled when the A's backstop quickly crouches behind home to catch a called strike three from Rollie Fingers.

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1977 After homering in his last at-bat yesterday and drawing a walk in his first at-bat, Reggie Jackson hits three more on each first pitch he sees in the Yankees' 8-4 victory over the Dodgers in the Bronx, giving him three homers on three consecutive pitches. Mr. October's heroics in Game 6 of the Fall Classic assure the team of their twenty-first World Championship and first since 1962.

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1988 At Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, Mark McGwire goes deep off LA's Jay Howell with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning, giving the A's a 2-1 victory for its only win in the Series. Along with Kirk Gibson's heroics in Game 1, Big Mac's walk-off home run marks the first time two game-winning round-trippers occur in the same Fall Classic.

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1992 In the top of the ninth inning, Ed Sprague, pinch-hitting for the first time this season, takes Braves' closer Jeff Reardon deep for a two-run homer, giving the Blue Jays an eventual 5-4 comeback victory in Game 2 of the World Series. The corner infielder's second round-tripper of the year knots the Fall Classic at one game apiece, with the series shifting to Toronto.

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1992 The Canadian flag is inadvertently flown upside-down by a United States Marine Corps color guard at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium during the pregame ceremonies before Game 2 of the World Series between the Blue Jays and Braves. Although the international incident annoys the U.S.'s northern neighbors, most Toronto fans resist the call to fly the American Stars and Stripes similarly during Game 3 at the SkyDome but opt instead to wave Canada's L'Unifoli with the message "This end up" affixed to the top.

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1999 The Yankees win their record 36th pennant when the team beats the Red Sox, 6-1, in Game 5 of the ALCS. Orlando Hernandez blanks Boston into the eighth inning with Derek Jeter and Jorge Posada providing the offense punch with two-run round-trippers, respectively, in the first and ninth frames of the Fenway Park contest.

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2004 After 5 hours, 49 minutes, and 471 pitches, the Red Sox outlast the Yankees, 5-4, in Game 5 of the league championship. Boston's DH David Ortiz, who is the first player in baseball history to hit two walk-off home runs during the postseason, ends the longest game in ALCS history at 1:22 a.m. with a two-out single into center scoring Johnny Damon from second in the 14th inning at Fenway Park.

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2005 The Montreal Canadiens pay tribute to the departed Expos team by raising a commemorative banner to the rafters of Montreal's Bell Centre. Working in his first game for the NHL team, displaced mascot Youppi, and former players Gary Carter and Andre Dawson assist in the hoisting of the blue and orange banner that features their retired numbers, 8 and 10, respectively, as well as the numbers for Tim Raines (30) and Rusty Staub (10).

2008 The Red Sox, scoring in each of the last three innings, erase a seven-run deficit in the seventh to beat the Rays, 8-7, in Game 5 of the ALCS. The Philadelphia A's, who rallied after trailing 8-0 to beat the Cubs, 10-8, in Game 4 of the 1929 World Series, are the only team to have made a bigger comeback in the postseason.

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2010 The Mariners hire Eric Wedge to be the team's new manager, Seattle's seventh skipper since 2003. The former Cleveland field boss, out of baseball last season after spending seven seasons in the Tribe's dugout, replaces Daren Brown, filling in on an interim basis for Don Wakamatsu, dismissed in August.

 

2010 The Cardinals announce the signing of its long-time manager, keeping Tony La Russa in the Redbirds' dugout for at least one more season, the skipper's sixteenth with the club. The franchise has won eight division titles, two National League pennants, and a World Championship under their 66-year-old pilot; however, his heavily favored team collapses during the season's final two months, finishing five games behind Cincinnati.

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2012 At Comerica Park, the Tigers win their second American League pennant in seven years when they beat the punchless Yankees, 8-1, to complete a four-game sweep. The contest marks the first time the Bronx Bombers have failed to win a game in a best-of-seven series since they dropped four straight to the Reds in the 1976 Fall Classic.

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2013 The Cardinals advance to their second World Series in three seasons, routing the Dodgers, 9-0, in Game 6 of the NLCS. Behind the timely hitting of Carlos Beltran and the strong pitching performance of rookie right-hander Michael Wacha, St. Louis beats Clayton Kershaw (16-9, 1.83) for the fourth time this season, including a pair of victories in this round of the postseason.

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Today In 1989: World Series Game 3 between the Oakland A's and San Francisco Giants is postponed when a devastating earthquake hits the Bay Area during the televised pregame show!

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The time Mickey Mantle hit a HR 656 ft
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October 19 Baseball Birthdays​

1876 Mordecai "Three Finger" Brown, HOF pitcher (World Series 1907, 08; NL wins leader 1909; MLB ERA leader 1906; Chicago Cubs), born in Nyesville, Indiana (d. 1948)


1896 Bob O'Farrell catcher (World Series, NL MVP 1926, St. Louis Cardinals) and manager (St.L Cardinals, Cincinnati Reds), born in Waukegan, Illinois (d. 1988)


1961 Tim Belcher, Sparta Ohio pitcher (Dodgers, Detroit Tigers, KC Royals)


1972 Marc Newfield, outfielder (San Diego Padres), born in Sacramento, California

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This Day in Baseball History October 19th​

1932 Chuck Klein (.348, 38, 137), receiving all six first-place votes, is named the National League's Most Valuable Player. The 27-year outfielder, who is the first Phillies player to win the award, led the Senior Circuit in hits (226), runs (152), home runs (38), and stolen bases (20).

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1949 In one of their best trades in franchise history, the White Sox obtain future Hall of Famer Nellie Fox from the A's in exchange for catcher Joe Tipton. The hard-nosed second baseman will lead the league in hits four times, winning the 1959 American League MVP during his 14-year tenure with the team.

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1964 Two days after manager Johnny Keane announces he is joining the Yankees, Cardinals GM Bob Howsam makes public the resignation of Branch Rickey, stating he had no explanation for why the 83-year-old team consultant decided to leave the club. The move appears to continue the front office shakeup for the World Champs, including Eddie Stanky's resignation as the director of player development and the dismissal of former general manager Bing Devine.

1964 Fred Hutchinson, who compiled a 443-372 (.544) record and won the 1961 National League pennant during his six seasons with the team, resigns as the Reds manager. The 44-year-old much-respected skipper, after a courageous battle against lung cancer, will die three weeks later in Bradenton, Florida.

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1964 Harry Walker becomes the Pirates' skipper replacing Danny Murtaugh, who will return to the field as an interim manager during the 1967 season, replacing his fired successor. During his two-plus years in the Pittsburgh dugout, 'Harry the Hat' compiles a respectable 224-184 (.549) record but is let go after his team plays .500 ball after competing for the National League flag the previous two seasons.

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1969 Three days after capturing the world championship, the Mets appear on The Ed Sullivan Show and sing "You Gotta Have Heart ," an inspiring song from the Broadway play Damn Yankees. The show's host, concerned that some of the ball players imbibed too many mai tais following rehearsals at a nearby Chinese restaurant, brings in a choir to back up the performers, out of sight from the audience.

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1972 The A's score two runs in the bottom ninth to win Game 4 of the World Series, stunning the Reds at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, 3-2. Four straight singles, three delivered by pinch-hitters Gonzalo Marquez, Don Mincher, and Angel Manual, who provides the walk-off hit, fuel the comeback victory that gives Oakland a commanding 3-1 lead in the Fall Classic.

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1976 Jim Mason's solo home run in the seventh inning of Game 3 proves to be the Yankees' only round-tripper in the World Series en route to being swept by the Reds. Cincinnati designated hitter Dan Driessen has a single, double, and homer in the team's 6-2 victory at the Bronx ballpark.

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1978 The White Sox fire Larry Doby, who posted a 37-50 record for the fifth-place team as a midseason replacement for skipper Bob Lemon. Owner Bill Veeck names 35-year-old shortstop Don Kessinger, obtained from St. Louis at the end of the 1977 campaign, as the club's player-manager for next season.

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1981 Dodger outfielder Rick Monday dashes the first Canadian pennant hopes with a ninth-inning two-out dramatic home run to beat the Expos, 2-1, in the NLCS's deciding game. The series marks the first and last time in franchise history Montreal makes it into the postseason until 2012, when the Washington Nationals, the team's new name and home for the past seven seasons, finishes first in the National League East Division.

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1986 In Game 2 of the World Series, Steve Crawford gets the win in the Red Sox's 9-3 victory over the Mets at Shea Stadium. The right-handed reliever, 0-2 before the postseason, becomes the first hurler to win a Fall Classic contest after being winless during the regular season.

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1987 The Yankees name Billy Martin as their manager for the fifth and final time. The fiery skipper will stay at the helm until June 23 of next year, finishing his tumultuous tenure with the Bronx Bombers with a 556-385 (.591) record that produces two pennants and a World championship during his eight seasons with the team.

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1991 At the Metrodome, Lonnie Smith becomes the first player in baseball history to play in the World Series with four different teams when he leads off for the Braves in Game 1. The DH, scoring a run in the team's 5-2 loss to the Twins, also appeared in the Fall Classic with the Phillies (1980), Cardinals (1982), and Royals (1985).

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1993 The Dodgers trade future Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez to the Expos for second baseman Delino DeShields, who will hit .241 during his three seasons with Los Angeles. The 21-year-old Dominican right-hander will win 55 of 88 decisions in his four-year tenure with Montreal before being dealt to Boston before the 1998 campaign.

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1999 The Braves stroll into a World Series berth with their 10-9 walk-off victory against the Mets at Turner Field in Game 6 of the NLCS. Atlanta has their ticket punched to the Fall Classic when Kenny Rogers issues a base on balls to Andruw Jones with the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the 11th inning to force Gerald Williams in with the winning run.

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2000 Dusty Baker, who led the Giants to a National League West flag with baseball's best record (97-65), reaches an agreement with the Giants on a two-year contract extension. The pact makes the two-time National League Manager of the Year the second-highest-paid skipper in the majors.

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2002 Giants' designated hitter Tsuyoshi Shinjo becomes the first Japanese-born player to appear in the World Series. The Osaka native gets a hit in his three trips to the plate in the team's 4-3 victory over the Angels in Game 1 of the Fall Classic.

2002 At Edison International Field of Anaheim, the Giants edge the Angels in Game 1 of the Fall Classic, 4-3. The contest marks the first time two wild-card teams have faced one another in the World Series.

2004 In a pivotal play of Game 6 of the ALCS, the umpires rule Alex Rodriguez out for interference after slapping the ball from Red Sox pitcher Bronson Arroyo's glove. As a result, Derek Jeter, who had scored, is ordered back to first with two outs rather than one, killing a potential rally in New York's eventual 4-2 loss to Boston at Yankee Stadium.

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2004 In a contest that features two reversed calls by the umpires, the Red Sox, three outs from being swept in Game 4, become the first team in baseball history after trailing the series 0-3 to force a Game 7. Playing with a dislocated ankle tendon, Curt Schilling turns in an outstanding pitching performance in Boston's 4-2 victory over the Bombers in the Bronx ballpark, 4-2.

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