Jay Dahl is born in San Bernadino, CA. Signed at age 17 in June of 1963
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Jay Dahl is born in San Bernadino, CA. Signed at age 17 in June of 1963

ByThis Day in Baseball

1945 – Jay Dahl is born in San Bernadino, CA. Signed at age 17 in June of 1963, Dahl starts the “All-Rookie” game for the Colt .45s three months later, allowing seven runs in 2-2/3rds innings. It is to be his only big league game. The lefthander dies on June 20, 1965 in an automobile accident in Salisbury, NC where the Astros have a farm club. His teammate, Gary Marshall, is permanently blinded in the wreck. A female passenger also dies.

Joe Niekro is born in Martin’s Ferry, OH.
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Joe Niekro is born in Martin’s Ferry, OH.

ByThis Day in Baseball

1944 – Joe Niekro is born in Martin’s Ferry, OH. Much of his career is spent in the shadow of his Hall-of-Fame older brother but the younger sibling leaves Houston as the winningest pitcher in franchise history (144). The two combine to win 539 major league games in their careers, most of any brother duo in baseball history.

Jim Bouton is born in Newark, NJ. The righthander had a blazing fastball when he pitched in the World Series for the Yankees in 1964
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Jim Bouton is born in Newark, NJ. The righthander had a blazing fastball when he pitched in the World Series for the Yankees in 1964

ByTom

1939 – Jim Bouton is born in Newark, NJ. The righthander had a blazing fastball when he pitched in the World Series for the Yankees in 1964. By the time he gets to Houston in 1969, all he has left is a knuckleball and a manuscript.

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Hilario “Sandy” Valdespino is born in San Jose de las Lajas, Cuba. The reserve outfielder bats .244 for the Astros during the first five months of the 1969 season before being traded. He had been in the 1965 World Series during his rookie season with the Minnesota Twins.

ByTom

Hilario “Sandy” Valdespino is born in San Jose de las Lajas, Cuba. The reserve outfielder bats .244 for the Astros during the first five months of the 1969 season before being traded. He had been in the 1965 World Series during his rookie season with the Minnesota Twins.

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Joe Hoerner is born in Dubuque, IA. The lefthander makes his major league debut at the end of the 1963 season with the Colt .45s and gets into seven more games the next year. He resurfaces in St. Louis in 1966 and pitches in the bigs for another 12 seasons. He died on October 4th, 1996 at age 59 in Hermann, MO after a farming accident.

ByTom

1936 – Joe Hoerner is born in Dubuque, IA. The lefthander makes his major league debut at the end of the 1963 season with the Colt .45s and gets into seven more games the next year. He resurfaces in St. Louis in 1966 and pitches in the bigs for another 12 seasons. He died on October 4th, 1996 at age 59 in Hermann, MO after a farming accident.

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Gene Freese is born in Wheeling, WV. A former all-star third baseman, Freese bats .091 in 21 games for the Astros in 1966, the final stop in his big league career. 

ByTom

Gene Freese is born in Wheeling, WV. A former all-star third baseman, Freese bats .091 in 21 games for the Astros in 1966, the final stop in his big league career.