On March 18, 1984, famed batting coach Charley Lau dies from cancer at the age of 50. Lau, whose major league career batting average was .255, earned his fame as the Kansas City Royals batting coach from 1971 to 1978, where his star pupil was George Brett. Lau had also served as a coach for the Baltimore Orioles, Oakland A’s, New York Yankees, and Chicago…
On March 17, 1984, – Ferguson Jenkins announces his retirement. In 1983, Jenkins struggled to a record of 6-9 with an ERA of 4.30. The 1971 National League Cy Young Award winner, Jenkins posted a record of 284-226 with 3192 strikeouts and a 3.34 ERA in 4500 innings pitched in a 19-season major career. He will…
1984 – Two outstanding defensive players, shortstop Pee Wee Reese and catcher Rick Ferrell, are elected to the Hall of Fame by the Special Veterans Committee. Reese hit .269 in 16 seasons with the Dodgers while Ferrell batted .281 with just 28 home runs in 18 seasons for the Browns, Red Sox, and Senators.
On March 3, 1984, Peter Ueberroth is elected commissioner of baseball, succeeding Bowie Kuhn starting on October 1, 1984. Ueberroth, the president of the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee, will become the game’s sixth commissioner. Ueberroth will serve a five-year term before giving way to A. Bartlett Giamatti. Peter Ueberroth will receive compensation of $450,000,…
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