On March 26, 1974, the Boston Red Sox release two future Hall of Famers. Designated hitter Orlando Cepeda and shortstop Luis Aparicio are both given their unconditional releases. Aparicio, who elects to retire, finishes his career with 2,677 hits and 506 stolen bases and will enter the Hall of Fame in 1984. The sore-kneed Cepeda…
The New York Yankees purchase outfielder Elliott Maddox from the Texas Rangers for $60,000. Maddox will prove to be a great defensive outfielder as well as hitting .303 this year.
The Chicago Cubs send All-Star outfielder Jim Hickman to the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for pitcher Scipio Spinks.
On March 19, 1974, In a five-player, three-team deal involving the Cleveland Indians, Detroit Tigers, and New York Yankees, unites Gaylord Perry with his brother, Jim. As part of the deal, the Cleveland Indians surrender outfielder Walt “No Neck” Williams and pitcher Rick Sawyer in exchange for Jim Perry, who will win 17 games for the Tribe. The…
1974 – At Pompano Beach training camp, country singer Charley Pride plays for the Texas Rangers against pitcher Jim Palmer and the Baltimore Orioles. A former Negro League player, Pride grounds out and singles in two at-bats, as the Orioles coast, 14 – 2.
In Yuma, Arizona, Ron Bryant, a twenty-four game winner for the Giants last year, is hurt in a pool accident during spring training. The promising southpaw’s record will drop to 3-15 this season, and the Redlands, California native’s career will end in 1975 after a brief 0-1 stint with St. Louis.
On March 14, 1974, Alex Pompez, one of the most important figures in the history of the Negro leagues, dies in New York City. Pompez owned the Cuban Stars of the Eastern Colored League, and later the New York Cubans of the Negro National League. Following the demise of the Negro leagues, Pompez was hired…
On March 11, 1974, Commissioner Bowie Kuhn orders the Atlanta Braves to play Hank Aaron in at least two of the team’s season-opening three games on the road. The Braves had planned to bench Aaron on the road in order to increase his chances of hitting his record-breaking 715th home run at home.
1974 – Bob Abreu is born in Aragua, Venezuela. A product of the Astros’ baseball camp in his homeland, Abreu would play just 74 games for Houston before being lost in the 1997 expansion draft.
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