On August 18, 1983, In the continuation of the “Pine Tar Game”, Hal McRae strikes out for the last Kansas City Royals out and Dan Quisenberry retires the New York Yankees in order in the bottom of the 9th to preserve the Royals’ 5 – 4 victory. The conclusion takes just 12 minutes (and 16…
On July 24, 1983, the Kansas City Royals and New York Yankees play the famed “Pine Tar Game.” At Yankee Stadium, George Brett hits an apparent two-run home run off Rich Gossage to give the Kansas City Royals a 5 – 4 lead with two outs in the 9th inning, only to have the homer…
On July 19, 1975, New York Yankees catcher Thurman Munson is ruled out for using an illegal bat that has too much pine tar. The umpire’s ruling, which is based on the pine tar exceeding the 18-inch limit, negates Munson’s first inning RBI single against the Minnesota Twins. @ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF90YWdzIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiYmVmb3JlIjoiTGVhcm4gTW9yZSBhYm91dCB0aGUgdGVhbXMsIHBsYXllcnMsIGJhbGwgcGFya3MgYW5kIGV2ZW50cyB0aGF0IGhhcHBlbmVkIG9uIHRoaXMgZGF0ZSBpbiBoaXN0b3J5IC0gLSAtIC0gLSAtIC0gIiwiYWZ0ZXIiOiIiLCJsaW5rX3RvX3Rlcm1fcGFnZSI6Im9uIiwic2VwYXJhdG9yIjoiIHwgIiwiY2F0ZWdvcnlfdHlwZSI6InBvc3RfdGFnIn19@ Other Resources & Links…
On April 6, 1973, Ron Blomberg of the New York Yankees becomes the first designated hitter in major league history. In his first plate appearance, Blomberg walks with the bases loaded. He will end up with one hit in three at-bats as the Yankees lose to the Boston Red Sox, 15-5.
On March 29, 1973, The “Alert Orange Baseball” is used for the first time in major league history. The unique baseball, an invention of Oakland Athletics owner Charlie Finley, is used in an exhibition game between Oakland and the Cleveland Indians. The A’s lost 11-5 exhibition game. After Cleveland outfielder George Hendrick, who hit three…
Houston owner Judge Roy Hofheinz votes along with the rest of the National League to allow the American League to conduct a three-year experiment using the Designated Hitter. It will be the first time since the A.L. was formed in 1901 that the two major leagues would have a different set of rules. The gimmick has survived ever since and is now used by National League teams when involved in interleague play.
The DH Rule is passed in American League
On April 26, 1969, the Baseball Records Committee decides to give Babe Ruth credit for one more home run – for a total of 715 – during his career. The committee rules that one of Ruth’s home runs had been incorrectly ruled a triple. The committee will later reverse its decision, returning Ruth to a total of 714 home runs.
On April 7, 1969, Bill Singer of the Los Angeles Dodgers earns the first official save in history. Making his only relief appearance of the season, Singer finishes off Don Drysdale’s 3-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds. Thanks to the efforts of sportswriter Jerome Holtzman, the save had become an official statistic during the off-season…
The American and National leagues agree to try an experimental rule change in spring training using a designated pinch hitter, but they don’t agree on the implementation. The AL tells the teams to use the DPH when they are the home team; the NL gives the home manager the choice of which rules to use, but the visiting manager has to agree. The Mets, Giants, and Cardinals say that they will not use the rules, and the Astros and Reds follow suit.