On May 22, 1975, Hall of Fame pitcher Robert Moses “Lefty” Grove dies at the age of 75. Grove won 300 games over a 17-year career with the Philadelphia Athletics and Boston Red Sox. Grove was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1947.
5/16/1975 – Royals manager Jack McKeon made out several lineup cards before the game. The official one he gave to the home plate umpire had George Brett hitting second and Amos Otis batting third. The one shown on the scoreboard and the one the Royals followed had Otis second, Hal McRae third, and Brett down in the sixth spot. The Royals followed that order the entire game because the Red Sox never checked the one they had been given when the lineup cards were exchanged. In the top of the third, they could have had at least two runs erased had they been paying attention. With runners on first and third and one out, Otis came up in the number two spot and hit a single to left that resulted in two runs after an error. At that point, the Red Sox could have protested and Brett would have been called out with Otis batting again, this time with two outs. The Royals scored three in the inning and won the game 5-2.
Will McEnaney provides 3 1/3 innings of hitless relief to seal the Reds’ 7 – 1 win over the Mets. Clay Kirby gets the win.
On May 7, 1975, the Atlanta Braves trade holdout first baseman Dick Allen and catcher Johnny Oates to the Philadelphia Phillies for catcher Jim Essian, outfielder Barry Bonnell, and and cash. Allen had refused to report to the Braves after being acquired in an off-season deal with the Chicago White Sox.
On May 5, 1975, the Oakland A’s release designated runner Herb “Hurricane” Washington, ending his unusual major league career. Washington appeared as a pinch-runner in 105 games with the A’s over two seasons, but never came to bat or played an inning in the field. Washington leaves the game with 31 stolen bases and 33…
On May 4, 1975, At 12:32pm at Candlestick Park, Bob Watson of the Houston Astros scores the one millionth run in major league history. Watson scores the run on Milt May’s three-run homer, as part of the Astros’ 8-6 loss to the San Francisco Giants in the first game of a doubleheader. He…
On May 3, 1975, Cincinnati Reds manager Sparky Anderson decides to switch Pete Rose from left field to third base, making room for promising slugger George Foster in the outfield. Over the next four seasons, Foster will average 36 home runs, 117 RBI, and a .302 batting average the move will help the “Big Red…
On April 27, 1975, the New York Yankees make a fruitful trade with the Cleveland Indians, acquiring first baseman Chris Chambliss and pitchers Dick Tidrow and Cecil Upshaw for four players, including pitchers Fritz Peterson and Steve Kline. Chambliss and Tidrow will become key contributors to the Yankees’ pennant-winning teams from 1976 to 1978.
Andy Messersmith strokes three doubles in Dodgers win
The Astros retire Don Wilson’s number 40 posthumously in tribute to the right-hander, who was found dead of asphyxiation by carbon monoxide in the garage of his family’s home in January. The 29 year-old fireballer, the author of an 18 strikeout game that tied a major league record, spent nine seasons with Houston, compiling a record of 104-92 along with an ERA of 3.15.
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