March - The Cuban government, led by Fidel
Castro, abolishes professional baseball and ends the Cuban League which was started
in 1878.
April 11 - At New York's Yankee Stadium, the
Minnesota Twins, in their first game since their move from Washington, shut out the
Yankees 6-0. The Twins' Pedro Ramos was the winning pitcher. Ramos had a 2-run single and
allowed just 3 singles in beating the Yankee starting pitcher, Whitey Ford.
April 27 - The Los Angeles Angles drew a disappointing crowd of 11,931 for their home
opener against the Minnesota Twins at Los Angeles' Wrigley Field. Ty Cobb,
in his last appearance at a ball park, throws out the first ball. The Twins' Camilo
Pascual spoils the opener by winning, 4-2, sending the Angels to their 8th loss in 9 games.
July 11 - Strong winds at Candlestick Park dominate
the first All-Star Game of the season. A capacity crowd sees pitcher Stu Miller blown off the
mound in the ninth inning when a balk is called, and it enables the American League to
forge a 3–3 tie before losing 5–4 in 10 innings.
July 17 - Commissioner Ford Frick decrees that
Babe Ruth's record of 60 home runs in a 154-game schedule in 1927 "cannot be broken unless some batter hits 61 or more within his club's first 154 games." Two days
later, Frick, an old friend of Ruth, announces that should Ruth's record be beaten after 154 games, the record will carry an
asterisk. When asked about the ruling, Roger Maris replies, "A season is a season."
July 31 - At Fenway Park, the second All-Star Game of
the year ends in a 1–1 tie as heavy rain halted play. It is the first tie in All-Star history.
August 22 - Roger Maris becomes the first player to hit his 50th home run of the season in
the month of August as the Yankees lose to the Los Angeles Angels 4-3.
Angels' pitcher Ken McBride tees up the gopher ball in the 6th inning with one on.
August 23 - At Cincinnati's Crosley Field, the Giants hit five home runs in a 12-run ninth inning, beat the Cincinnati reds 14-0.
Roger Maris hits his major league record-tying 60th home run of the season, a 3rd inning solo shot against Jack Fisher of the Baltimore Orioles.
October 1 - Before a small crowd at Yankee
Stadium, New York Yankee Roger Maris smacks a 2-0 pitch into right field for his 61st home run of the season (a record
that would last until Mark McGwire broke it in 1998).
April 15 - Nick Cullop, 73, pitcher for
the Cleveland Naps, New York Yankees and St. Louis Browns, who also won 22 games for the 1915 Kansas City Packers in the outlaw
Federal League
April 23 - Jack Barry, 73, shortstop in the
Athletics' "$100,000 infield", coach since 1921 at Holy Cross, where he won the 1952 College World Series and posted the highest
career winning percentage (.806) in collegiate history
April 28 - Tommy Connolly, 90, Hall of Fame umpire
from 1898 to 1931 who worked the first American League game ever, as well as the first contests at Comiskey Park, Shibe Park,
Fenway Park, and Yankee Stadium
June 18 - Eddie Gaedel, 36, 3'7" player who made one
appearance for the 1951 Browns in a stunt promotion
July 17 - Ty Cobb, 74, Hall of Fame center fielder widely
recognized during his lifetime as the greatest player in the sport's history, and holder of more records than any other player
including highest lifetime batting average (.367) and most career hits (4,191), runs (2,245), steals (892), games (3,033) and at
bats (11,429)
July 17 - Ed Reulbach, 78, pitcher who starred for the
Cubs from 1905 to 1913, winning 182 career games
July 18 - Hod Eller, 67, pitcher for the Reds from
1917-1921, including a 1919 World Series game which saw him strike out 6 in a row
September 9 - Jesse Barnes, 69, pitcher who won
152 games for the Braves, Giants and Dodgers, including a no-hitter
September 9 - Rube Oldring, 77, outfielder who
played mainly for the Athletics, including 4 pennant winners
October 21 - Harry Gleason, 86,
infielder/outfielder who played from 1901 through 1905 for the Boston Americans and St. Louis Browns
December 15 - Dummy Hoy, 99, center fielder who
scored over 100 runs nine times, and the game's most accomplished deaf player; he threw out the first ball of the World Series'
third game on October 7
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
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