1976 – The Illinois Legislature declares today “Rick Monday Day” to honor his patriotic gesture on April 25th of saving an American flag from being burned by two spectators at Dodger Stadium.

ByBaseball

1976 – The Illinois Legislature declares today “Rick Monday Day” to honor his patriotic gesture on April 25th of saving an American flag from being burned by two spectators at Dodger Stadium.

Jose Cardenal goes 6 for 7 with four RBI, including a double and a home run, as the Cubs defeat the Giants, 6 – 5, in the 14-inning first game of a doubleheader.

ByBaseball

Jose Cardenal goes 6 for 7 with four RBI, including a double and a home run, as the Cubs defeat the Giants, 6 – 5, in the 14-inning first game of a doubleheader.

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It takes two days to accomplish the feat, but Tim Foli becomes the first Expo to hit for the cycle

ByThis Day in Baseball

It takes two days to accomplish the feat, but Tim Foli becomes the first Expo to hit for the cycle when he homers in the eighth inning of a suspended game. Before the Wrigley Field contest was halted yesterday because of darkness, the Montreal shortstop had stroked a single, double, and triple in the club’s eventual 12-6 victory over Chicago, in that order, for a rare ‘natural cycle’.

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1976 – Ken Forsch has to save the Astros twice. Leading San Diego, 5-4 in the ninth, and the tying runner aboard, Forsch gets Ted Kubiak to ground to second for an apparent finish but catcher Cliff Johnson is ruled for interference. Kubiak is awarded first and Forsch must retire Merv Rettenmund, which he does on a fly to Greg Gross in right to seal the victory. 

ByTom

1976 – Ken Forsch has to save the Astros twice. Leading San Diego, 5-4 in the ninth, and the tying runner aboard, Forsch gets Ted Kubiak to ground to second for an apparent finish but catcher Cliff Johnson is ruled for interference. Kubiak is awarded first and Forsch must retire Merv Rettenmund, which he does on a fly to Greg Gross in right to seal the victory. 

Thurman Munson 1976 MVP

At Yankee owner’s George Steinbrenner’s insistence, Thurman Munson is named the team captain

ByTom

At Yankee owner’s George Steinbrenner’s insistence, Thurman Munson is named the team captain. The reluctant backstop is the first player to assume the role since the Bronx Bombers honored Lou Gehrig with the position in 1935.

The White Sox’s new owner Bill Veeck surprises the Opening Day crowd at Comiskey Park when he, Rudie Schaffer, and Paul Richards take the field wearing battered Continental Army uniforms to celebrate the nation’s bicentennial

The White Sox’s new owner Bill Veeck surprises the Opening Day crowd at Comiskey Park when he, Rudie Schaffer, and Paul Richards take the field wearing battered Continental Army uniforms to celebrate the nation’s bicentennial

ByTom

The White Sox’s new owner Bill Veeck, known for his promotional genius, surprises the Opening Day crowd at Comiskey Park when he, Rudie Schaffer, and Paul Richards take the field wearing battered Continental Army uniforms to celebrate the nation’s bicentennial. The trio, caring a fife, drum, and flag, strike a pose in their tattered garb, reminiscent of Archibald MacNeal Willard’s painting The Spirit of ’76, a popular piece of art depicting Revolutionary War veterans that was displayed at Philadelphia’s Centennial Exposition 100 years earlier.

seaver hall of fame January 7

Tom Seaver becomes first pitcher to earn $200,000 annually

ByBaseball

In a deal negotiated in the groundskeeper’s office under the third base stands at Fort Lauderdale Stadium, 31 year-old right-hander Tom Seaver agrees to a three-year contract with the Mets. The pact makes ‘Tom Terrific,’ who posted a 25-9 record last season while leading the league in strikeouts with 243, the first hurler in baseball history to earn $200,000 annually.

The American League votes to expand to Toronto, awarding a franchise to a group consisting of Labatt’s Breweries (45%), the Imperial Trust, Ltd (45%), and CIBC (10%), who will eventually purchase the rights for the team for $7 million. At first, the decision will appear in peril when President Gerald Ford attempts to put pressure on MLB to give the expansion franchise to Washington, D.C., which has been without a major league team since the Senators moved to Arlington, Texas to become the Rangers following the 1972 season.

ByTom

The American League votes to expand to Toronto, awarding a franchise to a group consisting of Labatt’s Breweries (45%), the Imperial Trust, Ltd (45%), and CIBC (10%), who will eventually purchase the rights for the team for $7 million. At first, the decision will appear in peril when President Gerald Ford attempts to put pressure on MLB to give the expansion franchise to Washington, D.C., which has been without a major league team since the Senators moved to Arlington, Texas to become the Rangers following the 1972 season.

Chicago White Sox owner Bill Veeck opens training camp in Sarasota, Florida, but participation is limited to non-roster players because of the ongoing lockout.

Chicago White Sox owner Bill Veeck opens training camp in Sarasota, Florida, but participation is limited to non-roster players because of the ongoing lockout.

ByTom

1976 – Chicago White Sox owner Bill Veeck opens training camp in Sarasota, Florida, but participation is limited to non-roster players because of the ongoing lockout.