1974 – At Riverfront Stadium, Tony Perez caps a five-run Reds rally in the 9th by hitting a two out, two-strike home run. The Reds rally to top the Giants, 14 – 13.
Whitey Lockman becomes the team’s director of player development and will be replaced as the Cubs manager by third base coach Jim Marshall. During his three-year stint in the dugout, the Lowell, North Carolina native compiled a 157-162 (.492) record.
In a surprise statement released after the All-Star Game played in Pittsburgh, Hank Aaron, who had indicated on many occasions that he had no interest in the position, publicly declares he would accept a Braves’ offer to manage the team “simply because there are no black managers in baseball.” The superstar’s comments create an awkward situation the next day when Atlanta announces the organization has hired Clyde King to replace Eddie Mathews, dismissed three days ago.
At Three Rivers Stadium, Dodger first baseman Steve Garvey, a write-in All-Star starter, singles and doubles to help the National League beat the Junior circuit, 7-2. Mike Schmidt, also a write-in, plays in his first Midsummer Classic thanks to radio intern Howard Eskin’s on-air campaign which urged Phillies fans to stuff the ballot box for their young third baseman.
Trailing the A’s, 9-8, in the bottom of the ninth, the Indians get runners to second and third with nobody out. Rollie Fingers retires George Hendrick and Charlie Spikes, but with first base still open, manager Alvin Dark elects to pitch to John Ellis, who promptly lines a single to center to win the game.
On July 19, 1974, Dick Bosman of the Cleveland Indians hurls a no-hitter against the Oakland A’s and comes within one batter of pitching a perfect game. In winning the game, 4-0, Bosman commits a fielding error in the fourth inning, allowing the A’s their only baserunner of the game. Bosman struck out four and…
Cardinals pitching great Bob Gibson fans the Reds’ Cesar Geronimo to become the second hurler after Walter Johnson to strike out 3,000 batters. Geronimo will become Nolan Ryan’s 3,000th strikeout victim six years later. The Reds shrug it off, scoring six runs in the 1st inning and three in the 2nd on their way to a 12 – 7 win.
Milwaukee 3B Don Money commits a 1st-inning error in a 10 – 5 loss to Minnesota, ending his perfect defensive season after 86 games and 257 chances. At this point, Money holds both the National League and American League records for most consecutive chances without an error in a season.
1974 – Bob Gallagher drives in Milt May in the bottom of the 12th for a 7-6 win over the Cubs. It rains indoors! Workers forget to replace some tiles in the Astrodome roof and an evening downpour creates puddles in right and center fields while showering a few lucky outfield ticket-holders who are handed plastic trash bags for shelter.
In a split with the Milwaukee Brewers, the Texas Rangers’ Billy Martin is the first American League manager to be removed by umpires from two games in one day. Milwaukee wins 9 – 2 in game 1, with the Rangers winning the nitecap, 5 – 4.
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