The BBWAA elects former Red Sox and White Sox catcher Carlton Fisk and the ‘Big Red Machine’s first baseman Tony Perez to the Hall of Fame. ‘Pudge’ is selected in his second year of eligibility, and the Reds infielder from Ciego De Avila, Cuba makes it on his ninth try.
Bob Lemon dies at the age of 79. Lemon was a seven-time 20-game winner with the Cleveland Indians. He teamed with Bob Feller, Early Wynn and Mike Garcia to form one of the game’s greatest starting rotations. In 1954, Lemon went 23-7 and helped the Indians to a 111-win season. In 1970, Lemon became a major league manager for the first time when he assumed leadership of the Kansas City Royals. He later managed the Chicago White Sox before enjoying his greatest success with the New York Yankees. On July 25, 1978, Lemon replaced Billy Martin and helped the Yankees orchestrate a miraculous comeback. Under Lemon’s calming hand, the Yankees won their second straight World Championship that year. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1976.
Major League Baseball officials order Atlanta Braves reliever John Rocker is to undergo psychological testing following derogatory remarks he made in an interview with Sports Illustrated magazine. Commissioner Bud Selig says he will listen to what the doctors say before deciding what punishment – if any – will be handed down to the pitcher.
On January 4, 2000, former major leaguer John Milner dies from lung cancer at the age of 50. Nicknamed “The Hammer,” Milner slugged 131 home runs over a 12-year career with the New York Mets, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Montreal Expos. A member of the 1979 world champion Pirates, he batted .306 in 10…
The Dodgers sign free agent and former Dodger star P Orel Hershiser to a contract.
History of the World Series – 1999 By Michael Knisley The Sportng News By sweeping the Braves, the Yankees proved again there’s no team better. Here’s how they’ve accomplished what they’ve accomplished and why it should worry you. You follow baseball, so you already know these New York numbers. Two straight World Series sweeps. Three…
1999 – Texas Rangers catcher Ivan Rodriguez wins the American League MVP Award. Rodriguez was runner-up for team MVP to Rafael Palmeiro.
Cincinnati Reds reliever Scott Williamson is named Rookie of the Year in the National League. Williamson was not on the Reds’ roster at the beginning of the year, but ended with a 12-7 record, 19 saves, a 2.41 ERA, and 107 strikeouts in 93.1 innings pitched.
The U.S. House of Representatives passes a resolution calling for Shoeless Joe Jackson to be honored. The resolution stops short of calling for his induction into the Hall of Fame. “It is worthy for this body to take a few minutes to stand up for fairness and right an old wrong,” said Rep. Jim DeMint, the author of the resolution who represents Jackson’s hometown of Greenville, SC. Jackson was eligible for the Hall of Fame until 1991 but was never voted in either by the Baseball Writers Association of America or the Veterans Committee. In 1991, the Hall’s board adopted a resolution prohibiting players on the permanently banned list. The resolution will now go to the US Senate.
The Dodgers trade disgruntled outfielder Raúl Mondesi and pitcher Pedro Borbón, Jr. to Toronto for OF Shawn Green and IF Jorge Núñez. Green said he wanted to play in a metropolitan city with a large Jewish population, but apparently the California native didn’t include Toronto in that category.
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