At Wrigley Field, Ron Santo records his 2,000th career hit, a 3-run home run off Ron Bryant. Santo’s hit, driving in his 1,200th run, is the margin of victory as the Cubs top the Giants, 10 – 9.
1972 – In second place and desperate to catch up with the blazing Cincinnati Reds, the Astros fire manager Harry Walker, naming 67-year-old Leo “The Lip” Durocher as his replacement. Walker has a 355-353 record in Houston. In his final game with the Astros, Houston drops a 4-3 decision to the Montreal, featuring the 200th homer of Jim Wynn’s career . Coach Salty Parker is interim manager for one game before Leo takes the reigns. Durocher, who had earlier left the Cubs in mid-season, skippers a 16-15 finish to the season.
Chicago’s Dick Allen becomes the 4th major league player (Jimmie Foxx, Hank Greenberg, and Alex Johnson are the others) to hit one into the CF bleachers in Comiskey Park when he connects off New York’s Lindy McDaniel. The 2-run homer in the 7th ices the 5 – 2 win for the Sox. This year, all the Chicago Wednesday games are in the afternoon, and Harry Caray announces them while sitting in the CF bleachers. Allen’s drive misses Caray by just a few rows.
Pirate pitcher Nelson Briles one-hits the Giants, and outduels Juan Marichal, 1 – 0. Ken Henderson is the Giants’ only baserunner, singling in the 7th.
The Orioles trade C Elrod Hendricks to the Cubs for OF/1B Tommy Davis.
On his wife’s birthday, Steve Carlton extends his streak to 15 consecutive victories when he beats Cincinnati 9-4 to win his 20th game of the season. After the contest, ‘Lefty’ returns from the clubhouse and stands near home plate to acknowledge the deafening cheers from the sold-out crowd at Veterans Stadium.
On August 13, 1972, Detroit Tigers manager Billy Martin picks his team’s lineup out of a hat. The slow-footed Norm Cash is picked to bat leadoff while the weak-hitting Eddie Brinkman ends up batting cleanup. The new lineup produces a 3-2 win in the first game of a doubleheader. Later, Martin will use the unconventional…
On August 13, 1972, former major league executive George Weiss dies at the age of 78, one year after his induction to the Hall of Fame. Weiss worked for the New York Yankees from 1932 to 1960 before finishing his career with the rival New York Mets.
1972 – Eddie Mathews gets his first managerial win, 8-4, over Houston behind the pitching of Denny McLain. It’s Harry Walker, however, that acts like a rookie manager, listing Johnny Edwards twice in the batting order and leaving out Jesus Alou.
At Riverfront Stadium‚ the Reds beat the Dodgers‚ 2 – 1‚ in 19 innings. The Dodgers use five pitchers and the first four – Tommy John‚ Jim Brewer‚ Pete Richert and Ron Perranoski – strike out 22 batters to tie a National League record. The 5th‚ Pete Mikkelsen‚ fans no one in the defeat to Pedro Borbon. Joe Hague’s single drives in pinch runner Ted Uhlaender to end the marathon.
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