On January 24, 1973, Warren Spahn is elected to the Hall of Fame by the BBWAA. Spahn, in his first year of eligibility, is named on 316 out of a possible 380 ballots. Spahn won a total of 363 games during a 21-year major league career.
Nineteenth century players Mickey Welch and Mike Kelly are selected by the Hall of Fame Special Veterans Committee for enshrinement in Cooperstown. ‘Smiling Mickey’, who posted a 307-210 (.594) during his 13 years in the National League, and ‘King Kelly’, baseball’s first matinee idol, will be joined Billy Evans, nicknamed ‘The Boy Umpire’, who, at age 22, became the youngest arbitrator in major league history.
On January 18, 1973, the Boston Red Sox sign veteran slugger Orlando Cepeda to be their first designated hitter. The Red Sox become the first team to sign a player specifically for the role of DH, a new rule that will go into effect in 1973.
Steve Carlton becomes the highest paid pitcher when he signs a contract with the Phillies for a reported $165,000. The 28 year-old southpaw, last season’s unanimous Cy Young Award winner, will lose a league-leading 20 games this season after posting a 27-10 record in the previous campaign for the last place team.
Attorney Louis Nippert assumes control of the Cincinnati Reds when he purchases 51% of the stock from the Gamble and Williams families. Nippert was part of the group that bought the Reds in 1966.
Houston owner Judge Roy Hofheinz votes along with the rest of the National League to allow the American League to conduct a three-year experiment using the Designated Hitter. It will be the first time since the A.L. was formed in 1901 that the two major leagues would have a different set of rules. The gimmick has survived ever since and is now used by National League teams when involved in interleague play.
1973 – In the January amateur draft, the Philadelphia Phillies select P Dick Ruthven, the Texas Rangers take C Jim Sundberg, and the Chicago Cubs pick P Donnie Moore. The Cincinnati Reds pick Southern Mississippi punter Ray Guy in the third round, but he chooses the NFL instead.
On January 3, 1973, the New York Yankees are sold by the Columbia Broadcasting System to a group of 17 investors, “There is nothing in life quite so limited as being a limited partner of George Steinbrenner.” – Yankees minority owner John McMullen Heading a limited partnership that includes Lester Crown, John DeLorean, and Nelson Bunker…
Enjoy our free trial and start listening to games, interviews and shows! Ruth, Mantle, Aaron, and Seaver!