Today In Baseball History: October (This Should Be A Fun Month)

October 18th:

1950: The A's Connie Mack, after managing for 50 years, retires. Mack is the all-time leader in managerial wins and losses.

1960: Five days after losing to the Pirates in Game 7 of the World Series, the Yankees fire manager Casey Stengel.

1967: A.L. owner grant Charley Finley permission to move the A's to Oakland. To avoid legal battles, the A.L. gives Kansas City a new team as well as Seattle.

1977: Reggie Jackson hits three home runs in Game 6, helping the Yankees win the World Series over the Dodgers.

2001: Larry Dierker resigns as Astros manager.

2004: In the longest game in ALCS history, the Red Sox outlast the Yankees 5-4 in 14 innings. The fifth game of the series took five hours and 49 minutes to play and ended at 1:22 AM.

2010: The Mariners name Eric Wedge as their new manager.

2012: The Tigers defeat the Yankees 8-1 to complete an ALCS sweep.
 
October 19th:

1932: The Phillies Chuck Klein is named N.L. MVP.

1949: The White Sox trade catcher Joe Tipton to the A's for future Hall of Fame second baseman Nellie Fox.

1964: Reds manager Fred Hutchinson resigns after six years. He died of lung cancer at age 44 three weeks later.

1972: The A's score twice in the ninth inning on four straight hits to win Game 4 of the World Series 3-2.

1981: The Dodgers defeat the Expos 2-1 to win the NLCS.

1987: The Yankees name Billy Martin manager for the fifth time.

2002: The Giants defeat the Angels 4-3 in the first World Series game featuring the two Wild Card teams.

2004: With a 4-2 win over the Yankees in Game 6 of the ALCS, the Red Sox become the first team in postseason history to tie a series after trailing three games to none.

2005: The Astros defeat the Cardinals 5-1 in Game 6 of the NLCS, advancing to the first World Series for the first time in their 43 year history.

2006: Yadier Molina hits a two run homer in the top of the ninth, giving the Cardinals a 3-1 lead in Game 7 of the NLCS. With the bases loaded in the bottom half, the Mets Carlos Beltran strikes out looking, giving St. Louis the pennant.

2007: Trey Hilliman is named new manager of the Royals.

2007: Joe Torre resigns as Yankees manager.

2008: The Rays defeat the Red Sox 3-1 in Game 7 to win the ALCS.
 
October 20th:

1931: Mickey Mantle is born in Spavinaw, Oklahoma.

1937: Hall of Famer Juan Marichal is born in Laguna Verde, Dominican Republic.

1964: Three days after resigning from the champion Cardinals, Johnny Keane is named the Yankees new manager. Red Schoendienst is named the Cardinals new manager.

1982: The Cardinals defeat the Brewers 6-3 in Game 7 to win the World Series for the first time since 1967.

1988: The Dodgers defeat the A's 5-1 in Game 5 to win the World Series. Orel Hershisher allows just four hits and is named World Series MVP.

1990: The Red defeat the heavily favored A's to finish a World Series sweep.

1996: The Braves Andruw Jones becomes the fourth rookie in World Series history to homer twice in a game.

2000: The Blue Jays sign first baseman Carlos Delgado to a four year deal worth $17 million.

2002: In the Angels 11-10 win in Game 2, Francisco Rodriguez, at age 22, becomes the youngest pitcher to win a World Series game.

2004: The Red Sox defeat the Yankees 10-3 in Game 7 of the ALCS, becoming the first team in baseball history to win a best of seven series after losing the first three games.

2012: The Red Sox name John Farrell manager, replacing Bobby Valentine who was fired after one season.
 
October 21st:

1928: Hall of Famer Whitey Ford is born in New York City.

1964: The Braves Board of Directors asks the National League for permission to move to Atlanta.

1973: The A's win their second straight World Series with a 5-2 win in Game 7 over the Mets.

1975: Carlton Fisk's 12th inning home run gives the Red Sox a 7-6 win in Game 6, sending the World Series against the Reds to a deciding Game 7.

1976: The Reds finish a World Series sweep with a 7-2 win over the Yankees, winning their second straight title.

1980: The Phillies beat the Royals 4-1 to win the first World Series in the team's 98-year history.

1998: The Yankees defeat the Padres 3-0 to finish a World Series sweep.

2004: The Cardinals defeat the Astros in Game 7 of the NLCS 5-2, advancing to their first World Series in 17 years.

2006: In the first World Series game with two rookies starting as pitchers, the Cardinals Anthony Reyes beats Justin Verlander and the Tigers 7-2.

2009: The Phillies beat the Dodgers 10-4 in Game 5, winning their second straight N.L. pennant.
 
October 22nd:

1845: The first known box score appears in the New York Morning News.

1967: Joe DiMaggio is named the A's executive vice president and consultant.

1974: The Yankees trade Bobby Murcer to the Giants for Bobby Bonds.

1975: The Reds defeat the Red Sox 4-3 in Game 7 to win the World Series.

1997: The Indians defeat the Marlins 10-3 in Game 4 of the World Series. The game time temperature was 35 degrees, making it the coldest in postseason history.

2000: The Yankees 6-5 win over the Mets in Game 2 of the World Series is overshadowed when pitcher Roger Clemens throws the barrel of a broken bat at Mets catcher Mike Piazza. It was the first time the two had faced each other since Clemens hit Piazza with a pitch back in July, which caused the benches to empty.

2002: At Game 3 of the World Series in San Francisco between the Angels and Giants, Renel Brooks-Moon becomes the first woman to be the P.A. announcer at any championship game.

2008: In the Phillies 3-2 win over the Rays in Game 1, the two starting pitchers were under the age of 25. It was the first time that had happened since 1970 and only the third time in World Series history. Both the Phillies Cole Hamels and the Rays Scott Kazmir were 24 years old.

2011: In the Cardinals 16-7 win over the Rangers in Game 3, Albert Pujols ties World Series records with five hits, six RBIs, and three home runs. He also set a series record with 14 total bases.
 
October 23rd:

1910: The A's beat the Cubs 7-1 in Game 5 to win the World Series.

1945: Dodgers President Branch Rickey announces he has signed two black players to the organization's AAA team in Montreal, Jackie Robinson and pitcher Johnny Wright.

1951: The Giants Leo Durocher is named Manager of the Year.

1958: In his first year, the Pirates Danny Murtaugh is named Manager of the Year.

1993: Joe Carter's three run home run in the bottom of the ninth lifts the Blue Jays to an 8-6 win over the Phillies in Game 6, winning their second straight World Series.

1998: Davey Johnson is named manager of the Dodgers.

2000: The Pirates name Lloyd McClendon manager.

2002: In the Giants 4-3 win over the Angels in Game 4, Barry Bonds is intentionally walked a World Series record three times.

2005: The White Sox Scott Podsednik hits a walk-off home run to give the White Sox to a 7-6 win over the Astros in Game 2 of the World Series.
 
October 24th:

1908: Bill Murray introduces "Take Me Out to the Ballgame".

1911: The World Series resumes after six days of rain. The A's beat the Giants 4-2 to take a 3-1 series lead.

1972: Jackie Robinson dies at age 53.

1992: The Blue Jays defeat the Braves 4-3 in 11 innings in Game 6 to win the World Series.

2000: Roger Clemens is fined $50,000 for throwing the jagged end of a broken bat in Mike Piazza's direction during Game 2 of the World Series.

2007: In a 13-1 win over the Rockies in Game 1, the Red Sox Dustin Pedoria becomes the second player and first rookie to leadoff the World Series opener with a home run. The only other to do so was the Orioles Don Buford in 1969.

2012: In an 8-3 win in Game 1 over the Tigers, the Giants Pablo Sandoval becomes the fourth player in World Series history to hit three home runs in one game.
 
October 25th:

1939: Joe DiMaggio wins his first A.L. MVP award.

1955: Branch Rickey resigns as Pirates general manager.

1955: The Indians trade Larry Doby to the White Sox for Chico Carrasquel and Jim Busby.

1956: Marty Marion resigns as White Sox manager and is replace by Al Lopez.

1978: The Padres Gaylord Perry is named N.L. Cy Young Award winner.

1986: One out away from losing the World Series to the Red Sox, the Mets tie the game in the tenth on a wild pitch. Then, Mookie Wilson hits a grounder that goes between the legs of Red Sox first baseman Bill Buckner, giving the Mets the win and forcing a Game 7.

1987: The Twins defeat the Cardinals 4-2 to win the franchise's first World Series title since 1924 as the Washington Senators. The home team won each game in the series.

2005: In the longest game in World Series history, Geoff Blum hits a 14th inning home run to give the White Sox a 7-5 win over the Astros and a 3-0 series lead. The game took five hours and 41 minutes to play.

2009: The Indians name Manny Acta manager.

2009: The Yankees beat the Angels 5-2 to win the A.L. pennant.

2010: The Blue Jays name John Farrell manager.
 
October 26th:

1911: The A's defeat the Giants 13-2 in Game 6 to win the World Series.

1940: Hank Greenberg is named A.L. MVP.

1950: Yankees shortstop Phil Rizutto is named A.L. MVP.

1950: Walter O'Malley succeeds Branch Rickey as Dodgers president.

1960: Senators President Calvin Griffith decides to move the team from Washington to Minneapolis/St. Paul, becoming the Twins for the next season. Washington will get a new expansion team for the 1961 season.

1980: Former Yankees and Tigers manager Ralph Houk comes out of retirement and is named the Red Sox new skipper.

1982: The Phillies Steve Carlton becomes the first pitcher to win the Cy Young Award four times.

1985: With the Cardinals leading 2-1 in the bottom of the ninth and one win away from the World Series title, the Royals Jorge Orta is incorrectly called safe at first base by umpire Don Denkinger. Replays clearly showed Cardinals first baseman Jack Clark had his foot on the base and the ball in his glove before Orta reached the base. Dane Iorg would hit a walk-off two run single to give the Royals a 3-2 win and force a Game 7.

1996: The Yankees defeat the Braves 3-2 in Game 6 to win the World Series.

1997: In the bottom of the 11th inning of Game 7, Edgar Renteria's RBI single scores Craig Counsell to give the Marlins a 3-2 win over the Indians and the World Series title. The five year old Marlins are the youngest expansion team to win the World Series.

1998: The Mets sign Mike Piazza to a seven year contract worth $91 million, the richest at that time in M.L. history.

2000: The Yankees defeat the Mets 4-2 in Game 5 to win the World Series. Derek Jeter becomes the first player to win the MVP of both the All-Star Game and World Series in the same season.

2002: After trailing 5-0 in the bottom of the seventh, the Angels rally and beat the Giants 6-5 in Game 6, forcing a seventh game of the World Series.

2004: The Red Sox Curt Schilling becomes the first pitcher to start a World Series game for three different team. He did so also for the Phillies in 1993 and Diamondbacks in 2001.

2005: A RBI single by series MVP Jermaine Dye, scoring Willie Harris in the eighth, leads the White Sox to a 1-0 win over the Astros to finish a World Series sweep. Ozzie Guillen becomes the first foreign-born manager to win the World Series. It was the White Sox first World Series win since 1917.

2013: In the bottom of the ninth in Game 3 and runners at second and third and game tied 4-4, the Cardinals Jon Jay hits a grounder to a diving Dustin Pedoria, who throws home for the second out. Catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia throws to third. The ball gets thrown into left field. The throw from the outfield to home beats the Cardinals Allen Craig for the apparent third out. However, Red Sox third baseman Will Middlebrooks collided with Craig, resulting in obstruction being called, allowing the winning run to score for the Cardinals.
 
October 27th:

1954: The marriage between Yankees great Joe DiMaggio and actress Marilyn Monroe ends in divorce.

1972: The Braves trade outfielder Rico Carty to the Rangers for pitcher Jim Panther.

1985: The Royals beat the Cardinals 11-0 in Game 7 to win the World Series. They become the first team to win the World Series after losing the first two games at home.

1986: The Mets defeat the Red Sox 8-5 in Game 7 to win the World Series.

1989: After being delayed ten days due to the earthquake, the World Series resumes with the A's beating the Giants 13-7 in Game 3 to take a 3-0 series lead.

1991: Jack Morris pitches ten shutout innings and Gene Larkin's RBI single in the tenth to score Dan Gladden to give the Twins a 1-0 victory over the Braves, winning Game 7 and the World Series.

1998: President Clinton signs into law legislation overriding part of a Supreme Court ruling in 1922 that exempted baseball from antitrust laws on the grounds that it was not considered interstate commerce. The exemption helped owners use the reserve clause, depriving players of bargaining rights.

1999: The Yankees defeat the Braves 4-1 to finish a World Series sweep.

2002: The Angels beat the Giants 4-1 in Game 7 to win the first World Series in the team's 42-year history.

2003: Based mainly on not removing Pedro Martinez during the seventh inning in Game 7 of the ALCS against the Yankees, the Red Sox fire manager Grady Little.

2004: The Red Sox beat the Cardinals 3-0 to finish a World Series sweep, winning the team's first championship since 1918.

2006: The Cardinals defeat the Tigers 4-2 in Game 5 to win the World Series.

2006: Bruce Bochy, after leading the Padres to back-to-back N.L. West titles, leaves the team to become the new manager of the Giants.

2008: With the Phillies and Rays tied 2-2 in the seventh inning, Game 5 of the World Series is suspended due to rain. It will resume from the point where the game was stopped the next day. It's the first game in World Series history not to be completed on the same day.

2013: With the tying run at the plate in the bottom of the ninth of Game 4, Cardinals pinch-runner Kolten Wong is picked off by Red Sox pitcher Koji Uehara to end the game. The Red Sox tied the series two games apiece with a 4-2 win.
 
October 28th:

1953: Red Barber resigns as Dodgers broadcaster and takes the play by play job with the rival Yankees.

1954: The sale of the Philadelphia A's to a local syndicate is rejected by the M.L. owners. The next week, the Mack family sells controlling interest of the team to Arnold Johnson, who will eventually move the club to Kansas City.

1958: Construction begins on Candlestick Park in San Francisco, the future home of the Giants.

1961: Ground is broken in Flushing Meadows on what will be the Mets home, Shea Stadium.

1979: Dick Howser replaces Billy Martin as Yankees manager.

1981: The Dodgers defeat the Yankees 9-2 in Game 6 to win the World Series.

1989: The A's defeat the Giants 9-6 to finish a World Series sweep.

1995: THE BRAVES DEFEAT THE INDIANS 1-0 IN GAME 6 TO WIN THE WORLD SERIES. TOM GLAVINE, WHO IS NAMED WORLD SERIES MVP, COMBINES WITH MARK WOHLERS TO ALLOW JUST ONE HIT TO THE INDIANS. DAVID JUSTICE'S HOME RUN IN THE SIXTH INNING TURNS OUT TO BE THE SERIES WINNING RUN FOR THE BRAVES.

2002: The Devil Rays name Lou Piniella manager.

2007: The Red Sox defeat the Rockies 4-3 to finish a World Series sweep. Terry Francona becomes the first manager in World Series history to win his first eight games.

2011: The Cardinals defeat the Rangers 6-2 in Game 7 to win the World Series.
 
October 29th:

1931: A's pitcher Lefty Grove is named A.L. MVP.

1942: Branch Rickey resigns as Cardinals vice president.

1959: The White Sox Early Wynn is named A.L. Cy Young Award winner.

1975: The Red Sox Fred Lynn is named A.L. Rookie of the Year.

1985: Cardinals pitcher Joaquin Andujar is suspended for the first ten games of the 1986 season after bumping umpire Don Denkinger during disputes in Game 7 of the World Series.

1991: Buck Showalter is named Yankees manager.

1991: The Braves Bobby Cox is the first to be named Manager of the Year in both leagues. He was named A.L. Manager of the Year with the Blue Jays in 1985.

2008: The Phillies win the World Series with a 4-3 win in Game 5 over the Rays in the completion of the first suspended game in World Series history.

2013: Jose Abreu, who defected from Cuba during the Summer, signs a six year deal worth $68 million with the White Sox.
 
October 30th:

1929: Gabby Street is named new manager of the Cardinals.

1963: Six days after winning the N.L. Cy Young, Sandy Koufax is named the league's MVP.

1974: The A's Catfish Hunter is named A.L. Cy Young Award winner.

1986: The Orioles trade Storm Davis to the Padres for catcher Terry Kennedy and minor leaguer Mark Williamson.

2000: The Diamondbacks name Bob Brenley manager.

2001: President George W. Bush throws out the ceremonial first pitch at Yankee Stadium before Game 3 of the World Series between the Diamondbacks and Yankees.

2007: Joe Girardi is named to replace Joe Torre as Yankees manager.

2008: The Brewers name Ken Macha manager.

2013: The Red Sox win the World Series with a 6-1 victory over the Cardinals in Game 6. It marked the first time the Red Sox clinched a World Series title at Fenway Park since 1918.
 
October 31st:

1967: The Red Sox Dick Williams is named A.L. Manager of the Year.

1972: The Indians Gaylord Perry is named A.L. Cy Young Award winner.

1979: The Orioles Mike Flanigan wins the A.L. Cy Young Award.

2001: In Game 4 of the World Series, the Yankees Tino Martinez ties the game in the bottom of the ninth with a two run homer off the Diamondbacks Byung-Hyun Kim. Then at the stroke of midnight, Derek Jeter wins the game in extras, giving the Yankees a 3-2 victory.

2006: The Astros announce that they will decline the option in Jeff Bagwell's contract.

2010: In the Giants 4-0 win in Game 4 over the Rangers, pitcher Madison Bumgarner and catcher Buster Posey become the first rookie battery mates to start a World Series game since the Yankees Spec Shea and Yogi Berra in 1947.

2011: Tony LaRussa announces his retirement after 16 years as Cardinals manager. He retires with 2,728 wins as manager of the White Sox, A's, and Cardinals, third most all-time.

2013: The Nationals name Matt Williams manager.
 
Just as a personal note, I hope everyone has enjoyed reading these threads on baseball history through the season. As a fan of the game, I enjoy learning about the past of this sport and learn a bit or two that I did not know before. Baseball is a great game with a history and tradition that I believe is unmatched in American sports. Part of what makes it a great game is remembering the past. And it's remembering that great past history of baseball is a main reason why I posted these threads on the Scout site and decided to do it here. Again, I hope you all have enjoyed taking a moment of your time and checking it out.

And if you all don't mind, I'll keep it going even through the months of the offseason.
 
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