Japan’s all-time home run hitter, Sadaharu Oh, retires from professional baseball. The Tokyo Yomiuri Giants’ first baseman hit a record 868 home runs in his 22-year playing career.
Ralph Houk, who managed the Yankees and Tigers for 16 years before retiring in 1978, is named manager of the Boston Red Sox.
In a shocking announcement, Houston Astros owner John McMullen fires President and General Manager Tal Smith, replacing him with Al Rosen, former GM of the Yankees. Smith will soon be named Major League Executive of the Year. The move prompts a rebellion among the Astros’ 20 limited owners (who together own over 60 percent of the club), and on November 24th, McMullen will give up his sole authority to run the club, accepting a position on the club’s newly-formed executive committee instead.
1980 – Al Rosen is named as General Manager. The former Cleveland slugger comes from the New York Yankees’ front office where owner John McMullen used to be a minority partner. Tal Smith is fired as President and General Manager, days before he is awarded Major League Executive of the Year for building the Astros in five seasons into their first pennant-winner. Angry HSA partners force a reorganization, reducing McMullen’s power to make executive decisions without their consent.
In Game 2 of the ALCS with the Yankees trailing 3-2 with two outs in the top of the eighth inning, George Steinbrenner is caught on live national television jumping out of his seat and shouting what appears to be profanities when Willie Randolph is tagged out at home on a relay throw by George Brett. The Yankees’ owner wants third base coach Mike Ferraro fired on the spot, but manager Dick Howser refuses, and the skipper will lose his job when the team is swept in three games by the Royals, despite a first-place finish in the American League East, compiling a 103-59 record.
In the 163rd game of the season, 35 year-old knuckleballer Joe Niekro earns his 20th victory, going the distance to defeat the Dodgers, 7-1, in the winner-take-all contest for the NL West. With the win, the Astros hold on to capture their first title in the 19-year history of the franchise after losing a season-ending three game series to LA, (3-2, 2-1, and 4-3) that forced the one-game playoff.
After the club finishes in last place in each of his first three seasons in the dugout; the Mets extend manager Joe Torre’s contract through the 1982 season. During his five seasons with the team, the future Hall of Fame skipper will compile a 286-420 (.405) record for the struggling franchise.
The Yankees break the American League regular season attendance record when 35,879 fans watch the team beat the Tigers, 2-1, in the season finale, bringing the final total 2,627,417. The 1948 Indians previously set the mark when 2,620,627 fans turned turnstiles to watch their Tribe capture the Junior Circuit’s pennant.
Reaching first on a fielder’s choice in the top of the seventh in the 4-0 win over the Twins, Royals’ leadoff hitter Willie Wilson establishes a major league record for the most at-bats in a season with 705. The Kansas City outfielder will collect 230 hits and score 133 runs for the division-winning club.
Brewers’ outfielder Ben Ogilvie becomes the first non-American born player to lead the American League in home runs. On the last day of the season, the 31 year-old Panamanian goes deep off Oakland’s Rick Langford for his 41st homer, which ties Reggie Jackson for the most round-trippers in the Junior Circuit.
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