October 15, 1972. at Riverfront Stadium Jackie Robinson makes his final appearance at a ballpark prior to Game 2 of the World Series between Oakland A’s and Cincinnati Reds. He urges baseball to hire a black manager. The first African- American skipper will not be hired until 1975 when the Indians employed Frank Robinson…
On October 15, 1972, Before a record Cincinnati crowd of 53,224, at Riverfront Joe Rudi makes a game-saving catch of Denis Menke’s drive to help the Oakland A’s defeat the Cincinnati Reds in Game Two of the World Series. Rudi’s leaping grab against the left field wall preserves a 2-1 victory for Catfish…
On October 14, 1972, At Riverfront Stadium Gene Tenace hits home runs in his first two World Series at-bats to lead the Oakland A’s to a 3-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds in Game One. Tenace, who went 1-for-17 in the ALCS, becomes the first player in history to hit two home runs in his…
The day after Oakland wins the ALCS, Bowie Kuhn announces that A’s shortstop Burt Campaneris, suspended for the rest of the division playoff for throwing his bat at Tiger hurler Lerrin LaGrow in Game 2, will be allowed to participate in the World Series. The commissioner cites the precedent of Yankee shortstop Frank Crosetti, who had been suspended for 30 days due to an ugly late-season incident with an umpire, being permitted to play in the 1942 Fall Classic by AL president Will Harridge, who decided to carry the penalty into next season rather than diminish his circuit’s chances of winning a World Championship.
After clinching the pennant with a 2-1 victory in Game 5 of the ALCS, Blue Moon Odom and Vida Blue give new meaning to the term the Swingin’ A’s when the starting pitcher and the game’s closer begin to brawl in the clubhouse. Odom, who left after five innings having allowed a run on two hits, takes exception to the universal choke sign made by Vida Blue, when the reliever used the gesture to answer his own question, “How come you starters can’t finish what you begin.”
Oct 11, 1972 – The Detroit Tigers even the ALCS series with a 10th-inning 3-run rally to beat the A’s 4-3. Jim Northrup bats in the game-winner after Dave Hamilton walks home the tying run. For eight innings it was a tight pitching duel between Game 1 aces Catfish Hunter and Mickey Lolich. The only…
Bobby Winkles, former head baseball coach at Arizona State, becomes the first major league skipper taken from the collegiate ranks since Hugo Bezdek managed the Pirates in 1917. The Angel coach, who compiled a 524-173 record en route to three national championships with ASU, replaces the fired Del Rice, who spent one season with the fifth-place (75-80) Halos.
October 11, 1972 In one of the most dramatic games in franchise history, the Reds clinched the National League pennant with a 4-3 win over the Pirates in game five of the NLCS before 41,887 at Riverfront Stadium. Pittsburgh led 3-1 after four innings. From then on, Pedro Borbon, Clay Carroll and Tom Hall held…
October 9, 1972 – Johnny Bench is out at home after tagging up at third on Cesar Geronimo’s fly to left in the 4th inning of game 3 of the NLCS at Riverfront Stadium. Cincinnati’s Darrell Chaney and Bobby Tolan hit RBI singles in the bottom of the third to give the Reds a 2-0…
1972 – In Game 2 of the American League Championship Series, Bert Campaneris of the Oakland Athletics throws his bat at Detroit Tigers pitcher Lerrin LaGrow after being hit by a pitch. Both players are ejected and Campaneris is suspended for the rest of the series.
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