TODAY IN BASEBALL courtesy of National Pastime
1984 – Former Dodgers Don Drysdale and Pee Wee Reese, along with Twins slugger Harmon Killebrew, American League hurler Rick Ferrell and perennial All-Star shortstop Luis Aparicio, are inducted into the Hall of Fame.
1984 – When the first pitch of the game, thrown by Braves hurler Pascual Perez, hits Padres leadoff hitter Alan Wiggins, the stage is set for a literal ‘slugfest’. The benches empty for the first fight of the game in the second inning when Ed Whitson throws behind the Atlanta starter’s head, and the altercation will be followed by more brawls in the fifth, eighth, and ninth innings with San Diego continuing to use Perez for target practice every time the pitcher steps to the plate.
1987 – The Tigers obtain Doyle Alexander from the Braves for right-handed prospect John Smoltz. The exchange will be ideal in the short run for Detroit when their new hurler goes 9-0 with a 1.53 ERA down the stretch to help the team win the AL East, but the minor leaguer they trade away will compile 213 wins and 154 saves during a stellar 21-year Major League career.
And finally…in 1994, Baseball suffers its eighth, and worse, work stoppage in 22 years. The 232-day player strike will lead to the cancellation of the World Series and the delayed opening of next season.
PLAYERS BORN TODAY
Christy Mathewson (1880), Ray Schalk (1892), Bob Buhl (1928) and Matt Clement (1974)
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