1968 – Bob Gibson pitches the Cardinals to a 2 – 0 win over the Phillies. Gibson strikes out Dick Allen four times, the 7th time this season the Phils’ slugger has K’ed four times. He will strike out a career-high 161 times this season.
Pitching for Hawaii (Pacific Coast League) Bo Belinsky twirls a no-hitter, defeating Tacoma, 1 – 0. Bo will fail the following year in a comeback attempt with the Cardinals.
In the opener of a doubleheader at Wrigley Field, umpire Chris Pelekoudas calls three illegal pitches on Cubs P Phil Regan, twice allowing a retired batter to hit again. Pete Rose singles after a called 3rd strike. Pelekoudas can’t find any evidence on Regan and bases his calls on “the flight of the ball.” The Cubs, who lose both games, 2 – 1 and 6 – 3, protest the ump’s calls. The next day Warren Giles meets with Cubs officials and orders Pelekoudas to apologize to the church-going Regan, whom he calls a “fine Christian gentleman.” However, at the major leagues Winter Meetings, the Rules Committee will further amend the spitball rule to allow an ump to call an illegal pitch based on the flight of the ball.
After four tries, the Mets still haven’t scored a run when Jim McAndrew starts a game with their 1-0 loss to Houston at Shea Stadium. In his first four major league appearances, the 24 year-old rookie right-hander has a puny 1.82 ERA, but is 0-4 due to the team dropping two 2-0 and two 1-0 decisions.
1968 – Jim Wynn homers off Tom Seaver with two outs in the ninth to tie New York, 1-1. Bob Aspromonte’s two-run opposite-field double in the 12th wins it for Houston. Tom Dukes, who fanned two with the bases full of Mets in the 11th, picks up the 3-1 victory.
Philadelphia’s Richie Allen ties a National League record by drawing five bases on balls in one game, but the Dodgers win, 7 – 5.
Denny McLain of the Detroit Tigers wins his 25th game
1968 – At Oakland, the Yanks edge the A’s, 4 – 3. Blue Moon Odom gives up a triple to Tom Tresh, a walk, then serves up a three-run homer to Mickey Mantle for the difference.
1968 – Montreal officially becomes a member of the National League when new owner Charles Bronfman meets all of the expansion club’s outstanding financial obligations.
1968 – Pitching 7 2/3 innings, Tom Hall gains his first major league win as the Twins beat the Senators, 8 – 4. Washington’s Jim Hannan (7-3) takes the loss and doesn’t help himself at bat, striking out for the 13th straight time since July 24th.
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