Major League Season Recap 1977

World Series – New York Yankees AL over Los Angeles Dodgers NL 4 games to 2

World Series MVP – Reggie Jackson
Babe Ruth Award – Reggie Jackson

ALCS New York Yankees over Kansas City Royals 3 games to 2 ALCS MVP –
NLCS Los Angeles Dodgers over Philadelphia Phillies 3 games to 1 NLCS MVP – Dusty Baker

The American League expanded to 14 teams in 1977 with the addition of the Seattle Mariners and the Toronto Blue Jays. The Yankees, Phillies, and Royals all broke the 100-win barrier to win their respective divisions while the 98-win Dodgers rounded out the postseason contenders. New York bested the Dodgers in six games to become World Series champs thanks in large part to free-agent signee Reggie Jackson. “Mr. October” earned his moniker in 1977 by hitting five home runs in the World Series, including three round-trippers in Game 6 to close out the Dodgers. Yankee reliever Sparky Lyle was named the AL Cy Young award winner as he finished with 13 wins, 26 saves, and a 2.17 ERA. Minnesota’s Rod Carew led the league with a .388 average, 239 hits, 128 runs scored, and 16 triples to win the Most Valuable Player award. Cincinnati’s George Foster hit .320 with 52 home runs and 149 RBI to earn the NL MVP award, the fourth Reds hitter to be named MVP in the decade.\n\nMilestones and Moments from 1977:\nFuture Hall of Famers Andre Dawson and Eddie Murray were named Rookie of the Year in the NL and AL respectively…Dodger hitters Steve Garvey, Reggie Smith, Ron Cey, and Dusty Baker all hit 30 home runs for the NL pennant winners…Ernie Banks, Joe Sewell, and Amos Rusie became members of the Hall of Fame in 1977.

Awards –

Cy Young Award National League Steve Carlton
Cy Young Award American League Sparky Lyle

MVP Awards –
NL George Foster
AL Rod Carew

NL Rookie of The Year – Andre Dawson
AL Rookie of The Year – Eddie Murray

Roberto Clemente Award – Rod Carew

All-Star Game – July 19th 1977 – N.L. 7 over A.L. 5 , played at Yankee Stadium II (AL)
AL Starter J. Palmer NL Starter D. Sutton MVP D. Sutton

Sort bySearch Days, Events, Players Title (A - Z)Date (Newest)

January 1, 1977

Danny Frisella is killed in a dune buggy accident

January 2, 1977

MLB Commissioner Bowie Kuhn suspends Atlanta Braves owner Ted Turner for one year

January 3, 1977

Chicago White Sox hire Mary Shane the first woman to do television play-by-play in major league history

January 3, 1977

Kansas City Royals release veteran reliever Lindy McDaniel

January 4, 1977

Mary Shane is hired by the Chicago White Sox as the first woman TV play-by-play announcer.

January 6, 1977

1977 – California Angels reserve shortstop Mike Miley is killed in an auto crash in Baton Rouge, LA, at age 23. Miley had been a star football player for the LSU Tigers and was chosen twice in the first round of the June free agent draft.

January 8, 1977

David Matranga is born in Orange, CA. The injury call-up is 1-for-5 in his big league career but he is only the second Astro to homer in his first major league at bat. 

January 11, 1977

The Chicago Cubs trade outfielder Rick Monday to the Los Angeles Dodgers as part of a five-man deal that brings Bill Buckner and Ivan DeJesus to Chicago

January 12, 1977

Houston trades catcher Alfred Henry “Skip” Jutze to Seattle for a minor leaguer and cash. After being brought to Houston with high expectations in 1973, Jutze finds himself unable to hold the job and is quietly dispatched to an expansion team in the other league. He ends with a .215 career average. 

January 17, 1977

KANSAS CITY ROYALS RELEASE 18-YEAR VETERAN TOMMY DAVIS, ENDING HIS CAREER

January 19, 1977

Chicago Cub standout Ernie Banks is elected to the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility

January 20, 1977

1977 – The Yankees obtain outfielder Paul Blair from Baltimore for two prospects. Blair will prove a fine defensive addition to the Yankees.

January 27, 1977

Boston sports writers honor Luis Tiant as the Red Sox’s most valuable pitcher

January 30, 1977

1977 – Edward W. Stack is elected president of the Hall of Fame. He succeeds Paul Kerr, who is retiring.

January 31, 1977

Joe Sewell, Amos Rusie, and Al Lopez are elected to the Hall of Fame 

February 3, 1977

Special Committee on the Negro Leagues elects Martin Dihigo and John Lloyd to the Hall of Fame

February 11, 1977

Chicago Cubs trade two-time National League batting champion Bill Madlock 

February 19, 1977

1977 – The Oakland A’s sell P Paul Lindblad to the Texas Rangers for $400,000, calling into question Bowie Kuhn’s policy on player sales. Kuhn had previously voided an Oakland sale of players (on June 18, 1976) as “not being in the best interest of baseball,” but had not specified the maximum amount allowable in a player sale.

February 24, 1977

Oakland A’s trade Ron Fairly to the Toronto Blue Jays for minor leaguer Mike Weathers and cash

March 7, 1977

1977 – The Atlanta Braves file suit against Commissioner Bowie Kuhn, challenging the severity of the penalty for tampering charges stemming from their signing of free agent OF Gary Matthews.

March 15, 1977

In a nine-player spring training swap between Pittsburgh and the A’s net the Pirates Phil Garner

March 17, 1977

1977 – U.S. Federal Judge Frank McGarr rules in favor of Bowie Kuhn, saying that the baseball commissioner acted within his authority in voiding the 1976 player sales engineered by Oakland Athletics owner Charlie Finley.

March 19, 1977

1977 – The Oakland Athletics sell pitcher Paul Lindblad to the Texas Rangers for $400,000. Commissioner Bowie Kuhn, unlike his previous Oakland A’s decision (regarding Joe Rudi, Rollie Fingers and Vida Blue), does not void the deal as not being in the best interest of baseball.

March 21, 1977

Detroit Tigers pitching sensation Mark Fidrych tears cartilage in his left knee

March 26, 1977

Infielder Rico Petrocelli is released by the Boston Red Sox after a 13-season career for his only major league club

March 26, 1977

The Oakland Athletics trade All-Star outfielder Claudell Washington to the Texas Rangers for two prospects and cash considerations.

March 26, 1977

1977 – Astros obtain outfielder Willie Crawford and infielder Rob Sperring from San Francisco for infielder Rob Andrews. After the season, outfielder Art Gardner is sent to the Giants to complete the deal. 

March 28, 1977

Texas Rangers infielder Lenny Randle physically confronts manager Frank Lucchesi

March 28, 1977

The Cincinnati Reds send outfielder Joel Youngblood and pitcher Pat Darcy to the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for pitchers Bill Caudill and Mike Caldwell.

April 1, 1977

This Week in baseball premier

April 3, 1977

1977 – An exhibition game with the Texas Rangers in Tulsa, OK, is halted when a part of the stand collapses, injuring 17 people. Players helped carry victims to aid, some making stretchers out of wooden planks. 

April 4, 1977

Pirates acquire Mike Easler

April 4, 1977

Houston bombs the Rangers in a 16-6 exhibition win in Oklahoma City.

April 5, 1977

Bucky Dent acquired by Yankees

April 6, 1977

Despite a snowfall of 4 inches this morning‚ the Reds open against the Padres‚ winning 5 – 3. The snow‚ which stops falling at 11:30 is cleared out of the stadium a half hour before the game’s start.

April 6, 1977

1977 – For the second time in nine years, a new franchise makes its major league debut in Seattle, Washington. The Seattle Mariners lose their first regular season game at the Kingdome to Frank Tanana and the Angels, 7 – 0. Joe Rudi is 3 for 4 with a homer and 4 RBIs. The loser for the M’s is Diego Segui‚ who pitched in the Seattle Pilots’ Opener in 1969‚ a 4 – 3 loss at Anaheim. Segui is the only player to appear for both the Pilots and the Mariners.

April 7, 1977

Tommy Lasorda debuts for Dodgers as manager

April 7, 1977

The Toronto Blue Jays play their first game ever

April 8, 1977

The Seattle Mariners record their first win by defeating the California Angels, 7 – 6, at the Kingdome. Bob Stinson and Larry Milbourneeach hit run-scoring doubles in the 9th inning to seal the victory. Bill Laxton is the winning pitcher.

April 9, 1977

“I have never seen such stupid ballplaying in my life.” – RAY KROC, the Padres owner, addressing the fans on the PA system during the home opener at San Diego Stadium.During the home opener against Houston at San Diego Stadium, Ray Kroc, the Padres’ new owner, uses the ballpark’s public address system to thank the fans and berate the players for their poor play. At the start of the fast-food tycoon’s eighth-inning tirade, a streaker jumps over the railing of the stands in left field and runs haphazardly across the field.

April 10, 1977

1977 – At Fenway Park, the Cleveland Indians (13) and the Boston Red Sox (6) establish a major league record for the most runs scored by both teams in one inning. The 8th-inning barrage proves to be too much for Boston as Cleveland beats the home team, 19 – 9.

April 15, 1977

Aaron number retired by second team

April 16, 1977

Regulations force Oakland Athletics pitcher Vida Blue to discard his old, discolored lucky cap because it is no longer identical in color, trim and style to those of his teammates.

April 17, 1977

At Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, the umpires walk off the field in the fourth inning to protest the Braves showing a controversial play on the ballpark’s massive instant replay screen that involves Houston’s Bob Watson scoring on a close play at the plate. Team executive Bill Lucas persuades the crew, which includes Terry Tata, Ed Sudol, Dick Stello, and Bruce Froemming, to return the field, after assuring the arbitrators the incident would not occur again.

April 17, 1977

Mike Pazik posts his first and last major league win when hurls eight innings in the Twins’ 10-2 victory over Oakland at Metropolitan Stadium. The 27 year-old former Yankees farmhand’s career will come to a sudden end on April 25 when his van is hit head-on by a car driving the wrong way on a freeway entrance, resulting in the southpaw fracturing both legs.

April 17, 1977

In a decision seen as one of the most influential and precedent-setting cases in the history of American jurisprudence in regards to professional sports, a federal court rules in favor of Bowie Kuhn’s decision to void the 1976 sale of A’s players by Charlie Finley. The Oakland owner sued the commissioner for illegal restraint of trade when his deals to send Joe Rudi and Rollie Fingers to the Red Sox for $2 million and Vida Blue to the Yankees for $1.5 million were invalidated “in the best interests of baseball.”

April 17, 1977

Brooks Robinson hits walkoff for final homerun

April 18, 1977

Poza Rica Oilers hurler Ricardo Sandate works a Mexican League-record 19 innings but loses a 2 – 0 decision to the Puebla Angels.

April 20, 1977

4/20/1977: Tim McCarver of the Phillies homered off the Cubs’ Rick Reuschel to lead off the top of the second inning. The game was rained out after four and a half innings.

April 21, 1977

1977 Seattle Mariners

April 25, 1977

Cincinnati ties record with 12 runs in 5th

April 26, 1977

The Rangers trade Lenny Randle, who is still under suspension for his spring training altercation in which he fractured manager Frank Lucchesi’s cheekbone, to the Mets for a player to be named later (infielder Rick Auerbach) and cash. The 28 year-old second baseman will be shifted to third base by Joe Torre, the team’s new skipper who will replace Joe Frazier.

April 29, 1977

4/29/1977 – In a game in San Diego, the Mets batted out of order through the whole game. The lineup featured Roy Staiger batting sixth, John Stearns seventh and Bud Harrelson eighth. This was a change from recent games when Stearns was sixth and Staiger seventh and the two batted this way four times in a row. In the first inning, Stearns hit into an inning-ending double play. Staiger made an out and Harrelson singled in the second (both batting out of turn). Stearns led off the fourth with a home run but the Padres said nothing. Both Staiger and Harrelson made outs, again out of order. In the fifth, Stearns and Staiger were both out but Harrelson started the sixth by reaching on an infield error. With two out in the seventh, Stearns walked and Staiger singled him to third. However, the Padres finally spoke up and the umpires incorrectly declared Staiger out instead of Harrelson, who led off the eighth inning. Even with all the batting changes, the Mets won the game, 9-2.

April 29, 1977

In a 6-1 loss at Baltimore, Angel starter Nolan Ryan, who will finish the season fanning 341 batters, strikes out 11 Orioles to pass the 300 mark for the fifth time in his career. The future Hall of Fame right-hander will retire as baseball’s all-time leader with 5,714, averaging 9.5 K’s per nine innings.

April 30, 1977

Ron Cey sets MLB record with 29 RBIs in April

May 5, 1977

Fans at Yankee Stadium throw dozens of newly created “Reggie” bars onto the field

May 9, 1977

At Exhibition Stadium, the Blue Jays beat the Mariners, 10-4, when the two new American League’s teams meet for the first time. Toronto will win their inaugural season series with Seattle, taking six of the ten games against their West Coast rival.

May 10, 1977

The Braves lose a doubleheader to the Pirates, 3 – 0 and 2 – 1, to run their loss streak to 16. Jim Rooker is the winner in game 1, with Larry Demery the victor in game 2.

May 11, 1977

Atlanta Braves owner Ted Turner decides to take the managerial reigns of his team

May 14, 1977

The first no-hitter is thrown by a Kansas City pitcher at Royals Stadium when Jim Colborn blanks the Rangers, 6-0. California’s fireballer Nolan Ryan recorded the first no-hitter in the ballpark during its inaugural season in 1971.

May 17, 1977

The Chicago Cubs hit seven home runs in beating the San Diego Padres, 23 – 6, at Wrigley Field. Larry Biittner (two), Gene Clines, Steve Ontiveros, Dave Rosello, Jerry Morales and Bobby Murcer homer for the Cubs, with Biittner, Morales, and Murcer hitting consecutive shots in the 5th inning.

May 18, 1977

Andre Dawson hits first career homerun

May 21, 1977

The Reds trade P Santo Alcala, 11 – 4 in his rookie year last season, to the Expos for two minor leaguers, Shane Rawley and Angel Torres.

May 21, 1977

1977 – Ballboy Scotty Tarvin gloves Larry Bowa’s double down the right field line. Umpires allow Bowa to take third during the 7-4 Phillies win at the Dome. Bowa later scores. Greg Luzinski tags Bo McLaughlin for a titanic shot into the upper reserved seats to help Philadelphia. 

May 21, 1977

Merv Rettenmund hits a three-run homer in the 21st inning

May 22, 1977

The Red Sox split a doubleheader with the Brewers, winning the opener, 14 – 10. The two teams tie a major-league record in the game when they combine for 11 home runs, six by Boston. Dwight Evans clocks one of the homers over the new upper section of the CF wall, about 20 feet to the right of the flag pole. In the past three games, the two teams have hit 23 homers. Eduardo Rodriguez stops the slugging in the second game, allowing two Boston hits to win, 6 – 0.

May 24, 1977

Carlos May and Graig Nettles hit back-to-back homers in the 6th as the Yankees come from behind to defeat the Red Sox‚ 6 – 5.

May 25, 1977

1977 – Art Howe slams a Charlie Hough knuckler for his second homer of the day to upend the Dodgers, 7-6. Julio Gonzalez contributes four hits. Joaquin Andujar gets the win in relief. 

May 28, 1977

5/28/1977: Butch Hobson lost a homer off Marty Pattin because of a ruling by umpire Terry Cooney. Hobson’s hit in the seventh inning went into the screen over Fenway Park’s left field wall. Unfortunately, it bounced off a light tower and came back onto the field and was ruled in play.

May 29, 1977

Johnny Bench’s 1st-inning grand slam off Rick Rhoden jump starts the Reds to a 8 – 1 win over the Dodgers.

May 29, 1977

Larry Parrish is 5 for 5‚ including 3 homers‚ with 5 RBIs and 5 runs scored to lead the Expos to a 14 – 4 win over the Cardinals. Del Unser also homers for Montreal.

May 30, 1977

Dennis Eckersley pitches a no-hitter as the Cleveland Indians beat the California Angels, 1 – 0. Frank Tanana, with three shutouts in his last four games, is the loser.

May 30, 1977

The fans get the vote back

June 1, 1977

Ruppert Jones of the Seattle Mariners hits a home run off Dennis Eckersley in the fifth inning to snap Eckersley’s no-hit string of 22 1/3 innings

June 2, 1977

1977 – Bob Watson drills a three-run blast in the top of the ninth to tie the Reds at 3-3, then Art Howe scorches a two-run double in the eleventh for a 6-4 victory. Watson has four hits on the night. 

June 3, 1977

Indian right-hander Dennis Eckersley’s consecutive no-hit inning streak ends at 22.1 innings, two-third of a frame shy of Cy Young’s major league mark

June 3, 1977

Leading by two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning, the Orioles escape a no-out, bases-loaded jam when John Wathan hits into a run-scoring triple play to end the game, giving the team a 7-6 victory over Kansas City at Royals Stadium. The Kansas City pinch-hitter’s sac fly to right field (1) is deep enough to score Al Cowens from third base, but Freddie Patek, the runner on first, is caught in a run-down on the throw (2) and Dave Nelson, stranded off third base, is tagged out (3) by Mark Belanger, completing the 9-6-4-6 triple killing.

June 5, 1977

Dodgers honor Walter Alston by retiring uniform number 24

June 6, 1977

Mark the Bird Fidrych appears on SI Cover with Big Bird

June 7, 1977

The Chicago White Sox select Harold Baines with the number-one pick in the June draft

June 8, 1977

Nolan Ryan notches his fourth career 19-strikeout game

June 10, 1977

The A’s fire manager Jack McKeon‚ replacing him with Bobby Winkles.

June 10, 1977

Ron Guidry‚ with relief help‚ stops the Twins‚ to give New York a 4 – 1 win. Willie Randolph’s two-run double is the key blow.

June 10, 1977

Rick Reuschel scatters 4 hits and strikes out 7 to give the Cubs a 3 – 1 win over the Giants. Bob Knepper loses‚ his first decision of the year.

June 10, 1977

Tony Perez makes his first return to Cincinnati wearing an Expo uniform‚ but the Reds prevail over Montreal‚ 13 – 1. Fred Norman is the winner.

June 11, 1977

Phillies slugger Greg Luzinski smacks a grand slam and a 3-run double to drive in 7 runs at Atlanta. The Phils top the Braves, 13 – 10.

June 12, 1977

Tom Seaver makes his final appearance for New York Mets

June 15, 1977

New York Mets trade franchise pitcher Tom Seaver just moments before the trading deadline

June 15, 1977

Kingman traded to the Padres

June 18, 1977

Reggie Jackson and manager Billy Martin have dugout confrontation

June 19, 1977

Cleveland Indians fire Frank Robinson, major league baseball’s first black manager

June 19, 1977

Carl Yastrzemski (2), Bernie Carbo (2), and George Scott (1) of the Boston Red Sox hit five home runs in an 11 – 1 triumph over the New York Yankees at Fenway Park. The five home runs give the Red Sox a major league record 16 in three games. Boston hit six homers on June 17th and five on June 18th, also against the Yankees. The Yankees hit no homers in the three-game series.

June 19, 1977

Reggie Smith insites a fathers day brawl at Dodger Stadium

June 19, 1977

Lamar Johnson sang the National Anthem

June 20, 1977

The Red Sox set a major league record when the team hits their twenty-second home run in the past six games

June 21, 1977

George Scott changes Tippy Martinez

June 21, 1977

Cincinnati Reds pitcher Paul Moskau homers in his second major league at-bat, but gives up four runs in 4+ innings. The Reds prevail over the Philadelphia Phillies, 10 – 5, at Veterans Stadium.

June 22, 1977

Phillies beat the Reds in Grand Fashion

June 22, 1977

At Memorial Stadium The Boston Red Sox bang five homers (George Scott, Jim Rice, Carlton Fisk with 2, and Butch Hobson), all off Jim Palmer, to beat Baltimore, 5 – 4. The Sox have now won 12 of their last 13 games and set homer records for eight games (29), seven games (26), and six games (24). The Sox reach 100 homers, the earliest they ever have.

June 22, 1977

It’s not easy but the Yankees stop their five-game losing streak with a 12 – 11 win over Detroit. The Yankees are led by Graig Nettles, with a three-run homer, and Reggie Jackson, who belts a two-run triple.

June 22, 1977

It’s not a good year for Texas manager Frank Lucchesi, as Eddie Stanky takes over, leading the club to a 10 – 8 triumph over the Twins. In spring training, he had been assaulted by 2B Lenny Randle, who broke his jaw with a punch. Tomorrow, the “homesick” Stanky will resign.

June 22, 1977

In a 7-4 victory over the Orioles at Memorial Stadium, the Red Sox collect their 100th round-tripper of the season, the earliest the club has ever reached the milestone. Today’s homers, hit by George Scott, Jim Rice, Carlton Fisk (2), and Butch Hobson, all off Jim Palmer, contribute to a major league record of 29 home runs launched by one club in a span of eight consecutive games.

June 24, 1977

Bob Watson becomes the first player to complete a cycle in both leagues when he hits an eighth-inning RBI single, leading Houston to a 6-5 victory over San Francisco at the Astrodome. Joe Sambito picks up the win for the Astros. The 31 year-old first baseman, whose feat will be duplicated by John Olerud (Mets, 1997, and Mariners, 2001) and Michael Cuddyer (Twins, 2009, and Rockies, 2014), also collected a single, double, triple, and home run while wearing a Red Sox uniform in 1979.

June 24, 1977

Yankees walk it off vs Red Sox after Roy White launches a dramatic two-out two-run home run

June 24, 1977

Ralph Garr homers passes Jim Essian and losses a homerun

June 25, 1977

At Old-Timers Day in Chicago, the Cubs score four in the 9th inning to edge the Mets, 5 – 4. Larry Biittner doubles in two runs, and Bill Buckner’s wind-blown fly eludes two outfielders for a third double in the frame. With the sacks full, Manny Trillo hits a grounder to third base and beats out the attempted double play for the winner.

June 25, 1977

Mike Torrez outduels Luis Tiant to give the Yankees a 5 – 1 win over the Red Sox. Graig Nettles’ 3-run homer is the big blow. New York now trails the Sox by three games.

June 26, 1977

Pete Vukovich pitches the first shutout in Blue Jay history, blanking Baltimore at Memorial Stadium, 2-0. The victory also marks the 24 year-old’s first scoreless complete contest, a feat he will accomplish eight times during his 11-year career.

June 26, 1977

In a sweep of Texas, both by 4 – 3 scores, Angels 2B Jerry Remy has 26 chances, an American League record (4 putouts, 12 assists in 11-inning game 1; 5 putouts, 5 asists in game 2). This comes two days after 2B Don Money tied the AL mark with 12 assists.

June 26, 1977

On Jersey Day in Metropolitan Stadium, every fan receives a jersey with #29 on it, Rod Carew’s number. Carew responds by going 4 for 5, scoring four runs, and collecting 6 RBI’s, raising his average to .403. One of the hits is a grand slam and he will hit another slam on July 4th. Teammate Glenn Adams drives in eight as the Twins beat the White Sox, 19 – 12.

June 26, 1977

In front of 55,039 fans, the Yankees complete a 3-game sweep of the Red Sox, avenging the three losses last week to the Sox at Fenway Park. New York takes a 4 – 1 lead into the 9th, but the Sox tie the game. In the bottom of the 9th, Paul Blair bounces a bases-loaded ball over the head of Butch Hobson at third base to pin the loss on reliever Bill Campbell.

June 27, 1977

The Cubs edge the Expos, 4 – 3 as Bruce Sutter shuts down Montreal for two innings to earn his 20th save. Sutter’s ERA is now a minuscule 0.69.

June 27, 1977

The Rangers, after offering the job to Twins legend Harmon Killebrew, hire Billy Hunter as the team’s manager, making him the club’s fourth skipper in this week. Texas had replaced the fired Frank Lucchesi with Eddie Stanky, who left after one game due to homesickness, resulting in third base coach Connie Ryan, who refused to assume the position full-time, becoming the interim manager for six games.

June 27, 1977

Willie McCovey becomes first player to hit 2 homers an in inning twice

June 28, 1977

Ken Reitz knocks in eight runs – half on a grand slam – in a 13 – 3 St. Louis win over Pittsburgh.

June 28, 1977

Billy Hunter becomes the Rangers’ fourth manager in six days. Connie Ryan had filled in after Eddie Stanky’s abrupt departure.

June 29, 1977

Willie Stargell hits his 400th career home run

June 30, 1977

Cliff Johnson becomes the second player in three days to hit a pair of homers in an inning. He hits three consecutive home runs, including two in the 8th inning, as the Yankees rout the Blue Jays, 11 – 5. New York (42-33) is a half-game behind the Red Sox.

June 30, 1977

The host Reds beat the Giants, 11 – 5, as Joe Morgan paces the scoring with five runs and two stolen bases, despite going 0 for 2 at the plate.

July 2, 1977

Jim Spencer, for the second time this season, ties the club record established by Shoeless Joe Jackson in 1920, when he collects eight RBIs, duplicating a feat he first accomplished in May against the Indians. The White Sox first baseman’s two home runs help to beat the Twins at Comiskey Park, 13-8.

July 3, 1977

Ron Guidry scatters six hits and tosses his second consecutive shutout, a 2 – 0 Yankee win over Detroit. Roy White breaks the scoreless game with a double in the 8th inning.

July 3, 1977

In an 11 – 7 win over the Padres, Phillies 3B Mike Schmidt hits an inside-the-park homer, the second of his career. He’ll hit one more, in 1982.

July 3, 1977

On his 24th birthday, Angel left-hander Frank Tanana tosses his 14th consecutive complete game with his 6-4 victory over Oakland at Anaheim Stadium. The win improves the southpaw’s record to 12-5, but he will finish the season at only 15-9, due to a ‘tired’ arm.

July 4, 1977

The Boston Red Sox end their nine-game losing streak by walloping a major league-record – since topped – eight home runs, in beating Toronto, 9 – 6 at Fenway Park. Seven of the homers are solo shots, another record. Four home runs (by Fred Lynn, Jim Rice, Carl Yastrzemski and George Scott) come in the 8th inning. Only Scott’s is not consecutive. Lynn and Scott each hit two, while Rice, Yaz, Butch Hobson and Bernie Carbo have one apiece. The Sox’s previous high for homers was six and they won’t top that number until 1999.

July 4, 1977

In the first game of a doubleheader, Chicago outfielder Larry Biittner pitches the last 1 1/3 innings for the Cubs, striking out 3. That’s the good news. The bad news is he allows six earned runs on five hits and a walk as the Expos crush the Cubs, 19 – 3. Two of the three K’s are of the opposing pitcher, Jackie Brown, and the last is Larry Parrish, who had earlier homered on a 1-2 pitch from his former teammate. Biittner also serves up homers to Ellis Valentine and Andre Dawson, each of whom have five ribbies. Biittner is later fined $50 by the National League for throwing a “brush-back” pitch after surrendering the three home runs, but a collection is taken up to pay for his shave. Further bad news for the Cubs in the nitecap is that Bruce Sutter is knocked out for the first time this year, and a massive knot beneath his right shoulder will keep him out of the All-Star Game. The Cubs also lose that game, 7 – 6.

July 4, 1977

New York stays a game ahead of the Red Sox by edging Cleveland, 7 – 5. The Yankees get home runs from Chris Chambliss, Roy White, Lou Piniella and Graig Nettles.

July 4, 1977

After eight straight hits, Ron Cey is called out on strikes in the 9th in a 4 – 0 Dodgers win over San Francisco. Cey had five hits the day before and three straight today.

July 4, 1977

In the bottom of the sixth at Baltimore’s Memorial Stadium, 22 year-old Tiger phenom Mark Fidrych gets two quick ground ball outs, before giving up six runs on six consecutive hits and an intentional walk. ‘The Bird’, last year’s Rookie of the Year and Cy Young Award runner-up, who has already won 6 of 8 decisions this season, appears to lose all of his effectiveness after throwing a pitch with an unusual motion, and will win only four more games before retiring in 1980 after compiling a 25-11 record before this start.

July 6, 1977

In Atlanta, the Reds outlast the Braves, winning 15 – 13. The Braves spot the Reds six runs, then tie it up with a 6-run 4th inning. The Braves tie in the 7th at nine apiece, but the Reds score six in the 8th inning, four on a grand slam by Dave Concepcion. Atlanta scores one in the 8th and three in the 9th to complete a wild game.

July 6, 1977

After 1,887 plate appearances without a home run from the start of his career, Cubs outfielder Greg Gross finally goes deep when he homers off Don Stanhouse

July 6, 1977

1977 – After being called out on strikes by umpire Paul Pryor, Jose Cruz belts the game-winning homer in the 14th inning to give Houston a 2-1 triumph in Los Angeles. Cruz argues he has only two strikes on him and Pryor admits his mistake. Jose promptly sends the next pitch from Mike Garman into the right field stands. 

July 7, 1977

New York completes a three-game sweep of Cleveland behind the four-hit pitching of Catfish Hunter. New York wins, 8 – 2.

July 7, 1977

Chicago’s Rick Reuschel shuts out the Cardinals to run his record to 12-2. Reuschel has not given up an earned run, except a homer, since June 1st.

July 7, 1977

Mark Lemongello finally gets his first hit

July 8, 1977

The Yankees, led by home runs off the bats of Thurman Munson and Graig Nettles, beat the Orioles, 7 – 5. Don Gullett wins his 7th of the year.

July 8, 1977

Mike Schmidt charged Bruce Kison after getting hit in the back

July 9, 1977

Ralph García of Juarez (Mexican League) hurls his second no-hitter of the season in beating Durango, 3 – 1. He throttled Nuevo Laredo without a hit on April 16th.

July 10, 1977

In the first game of a twinbill with the Brewers, the Red Sox strand a major league-record tying 20 runners, but still win, 8 – 5.

July 11, 1977

The Angels fire manager Norm Sherry. Dave Garcia takes over.

July 12, 1977

Willie Randolph hits the game-winning homer and Don Gullett pitches the Yankees to a 5 – 2 win over the Brewers. The win stops the Yanks loss streak at three games.

July 12, 1977

Steve Henderson hits a game-winning home run off Bruce Sutter to give the Mets a 4 – 2 victory over the Cubs. After the game the Cubs relief ace admits his arm is bothering him, and asks to be excused from the All-Star Game. Bleeding will be found in Sutter’s arm and he will get the week off after the All-Star break to rest it.

July 13, 1977

Shea Stadium MLB game suspended due to a major black-out

July 14, 1977

In Cincinnati, George Foster cracks three home runs to drive in five runs in the Cincinnati Reds’ 7 – 1 whipping of the Atlanta Braves. Tom Seaver pitches a two-hitter for the win, and doesn’t give up a hit until the 7th inning when Willie Montanez doubles.

July 14, 1977

The Boston Red Sox beat the Cleveland Indians, 7 – 4. Carl Yastrzemski’s 5th-inning single gives him a career total of 2,655 hits, moving him ahead of Ted Williams as Boston’s all-time hit leader.

July 16, 1977

Snider, Mays and Snider 1977

July 17, 1977

The Yankees lose, 8 – 4, for their third straight loss to the Royals. New York has now lost seven of their last nine games and are three games back of the leading Orioles.

July 17, 1977

1977 – Mark Lemongello snaps a personal losing skid with a 3-1 victory over the Reds. Bob Watson and Enos Cabell swat solo homers for the winning margin. Joe Niekro hurls three innings in relief for the save.

July 19, 1977

While pursuing Hank Aaron’s home run record, Sadaharu Oh of the Yomiuri Giants breaks a record held by Babe Ruth when he draws his 2,057th base on balls.

July 19, 1977

At Yankee Stadium Don Sutton wins the All Star Game MVP as the NL prevails for the 14th time in 15 tries

July 19, 1977

Tom Seaver returns to New York

July 21, 1977

1977 – Catfish Hunter tosses a 7 – 0 shutout against the Brewers to snap the Yankees’ three-game loss streak. Milwaukee comes back in the nitecap to win, 5 – 4, in 10 innings.

July 21, 1977

7/21/1977: Butch Hobson lost his second of the season to an umpire’s call. In the seventh inning of game one, Hobson hit a ball to Fenway’s center field stands that was ruled off the wall by Ted Hendry. The Red Sox claimed that the ball caromed off a fan back onto the field. Neither of the two TV cameramen nearby had a definitive answer. Hobson ended with a double off Wayne Garland, which came with one man on base. Hobson batted a second time in the inning and homered and thus would have joined the short list of players with two home runs in one inning.

July 22, 1977

1977 – Rick Reuschel allows just four hits as the Cubs beat the Braves, 1 – 0.

July 23, 1977

1977 – Paul Blair hits a 9th inning three-run homer to give the Yankees’ Ron Guidry a 3 – 1 victory over the Brewers.

July 24, 1977

1977 – Seattle’s John Montague pitches 6 2/3 innings of perfect relief against California, giving him 33 consecutive batsmen retired over two games to tie the American League record. But California wins, 3 – 1.

July 24, 1977

After his two-out foul pop-up is dropped by Mets’ right fielder Bruce Boisclair, Davey Lopes responds with a game-ending three-run home run off Bob Apodaca. The L.A. second baseman’s ninth-inning dramatics provide the Dodgers with a 5-3 win and spoil the opportunity for a win for Nino Espinosa, who left the game needing just one more out for a complete-game victory.

July 25, 1977

Pete Rose becomes the all-time hit leader among switch-hitters when he collects his 2,881st career hit, a fourth-inning single off Pete Falcone in the Reds’ 9-8 loss to St. Louis at Busch Stadium. Frankie Frisch, an infielder dubbed the Fordham Flash, had established the record nearly a half-century ago playing with the Giants and the Cardinals.

July 26, 1977

The Yankees open their final series with Baltimore by tying the O’s at 4 – 4 on a Cliff Johnson two-run pinch homer in the 9th. Reggie Jackson then leads off the 10th with a solo home run to win.

July 26, 1977

Padres rookie Gene Richards ties the National League record with six hits in an extra-inning contest.

July 27, 1977

1977 – The Cubs’ Rick Reuschel tosses his second shutout in a row, beating the Reds, 3 – 0, on a five-hitter.

July 28, 1977

Toronto peppers Gaylord Perry for 11 hits, but the Texas hurler still shuts them out, 3 – 0.

July 28, 1977

In New York, a Thursday crowd of 40,918 cheer as New York unleashes a 15-hit attack to down the Orioles, 14 – 2. The Yankee barrage includes homers by Graig Nettles, Thurman Munson and Roy White.

July 28, 1977

In a wild one at Wrigley Field, the first-place Cubs (6) and Reds (5) combine for 11 home runs to tie the major league record. The Cubs come back four times to win, 16 – 15, in 13 innings in a contest that goes 4 hours and 50 minutes. The Reds lead 6 – 0 to start, beginning with Pete Rose’s leadoff home run, and lead, 15 – 14, near the finish, but Dave Rosello’s RBI single off Jack Billingham wins the game. Rick Reuschel wins his 15th game, and second in two days, pitching just 2/3 of an inning. Going deep are Bill Buckner (2), Bobby Murcer, George Mitterwald (2, including one in the 12th inning) and Jerry Morales for Chicago; Rose, Johnny Bench, Ken Griffey, Mike Lum and Cesar Geronimo homer for the Reds.

July 29, 1977

Phil Niekro picks up his 10th win of the year, beating the Pirates, 5 – 3, for the Braves. But he has to strike out four Bucs in the 6th inning to do it. He strikes out Dave Parker and Bill Robinson, but after Al Oliver doubles, Rennie Stennett whiffs and reaches first when the ball eludes the catcher. Omar Moreno then makes the 4th K in the inning.

July 30, 1977

1977 – Yankee pitcher Don Gullett picks up his 10th win of the year, a 9 – 3 victory over the A’s. But it will prove to be his final win of the year when he injures his shoulder in the 7th inning and leaves the game.

July 31, 1977

Graig Nettles scores three runs to lead the Yankees to a 9 – 2 win over the A’s, the 8th win in nine games for New York. The Yankees are a half game out of first.

July 31, 1977

Steve Stone goes 9+ in win vs Royals

August 1, 1977

Willie McCovey extends his own National League record when he hits his 18th career grand slam in the third inning of the Giants’ 9-2 victory over Montreal at Olympic Stadium. The 39 year-old first baseman adds another round-tripper in the seventh, bringing his total to 484 major league home runs.

August 1, 1977

1977 – Jose Cruz blasts an 11th-inning bomb off Rich “Goose” Gossage to sink the Pirates, 4-3. Mark Lemongello goes the distance for the victory in spite of 14 Pittsburgh hits, four walks and four Houston errors, escaping bases-loaded jams in the ninth and tenth innings. 

August 3, 1977

Dennis Leonard pitches the Royals to a 12 – 2 win over the White Sox. John Mayberry leads the offense by hitting for the cycle.

August 3, 1977

Baltimore rookie 1B Eddie Murray homers from both sides of the plate in a 10-inning, 8 – 6 win over Oakland.

August 3, 1977

The Cubs place P Bruce Sutter and his injured arm on the 21-day disabled list.

August 6, 1977

The Phils nip the Dodgers, 1 – 0, as Gene Garber picks up his second win in two days over the Dodgers.

August 7, 1977

Mike Torrez snaps a three-game Yankee losing streak with his third straight victory. The Yankees will win 20 of their next 23 games over Western Division opponents.

August 7, 1977

At Oakland, the Red Sox win their 9th straight on the road, beating the A’s, 5 – 2. It is Boston’s 10th win in a row.

August 8, 1977

Ernie Banks is inducted into the Hall of Fame

August 9, 1977

The White Sox hit six home runs against the Mariners to tie the club mark at Comiskey Park. Eric Soderholm has 2, with Chet Lemon, Oscar Gamble, Jim Essian, and Royle Stillman contributing.

August 9, 1977

Reds pitchers Doug Capilla and Pedro Borbon combine on a one-hitter, stopping the Dodgers, 4 – 0. The only Los Angeles hit is Ron Cey’s infield single to SS with two out in the 7th. Cey is called safe on a close and disputed play at first base. Capilla is lifted with two on in the 8th.

August 10, 1977

For the second time in two years, a doubleheader at the Vet goes past three a.m. The Phils top the Expos in the first game, 6 – 1, in a game that starts an hour late because of rain. A 2:27 delay in the 3rd takes its toll on the 46,664 fans in attendance. The second game gets underway at 11:50 p.m. and lasts until 3:23 a.m. with the same result as game one.

August 10, 1977

Billy Martin installs Reggie Jackson as the Yankees’ regular clean-up hitter

August 10, 1977

George Scott misses homerun on blown call

August 11, 1977

Two losses at Fenway Park today. The Red Sox lose to the Angels‚ 7 – 3‚ snapping their 11-game win streak‚ and the Bristol Red Sox lose‚ 5 – 3‚ to the Eastern League All-Stars.

August 12, 1977

For the second straight day‚ Oakland’s Manny Sanguillen foils a no-hit bid. Today’s single is off the Orioles’ Jim Palmer‚ who settles for a 2-hit, 6 – 0 victory. Yesterday’s hit was off the Yankees’ Mike Torrez‚ who finished with a 3 – 0 two-hitter.

August 12, 1977

The Pirates win twice over the Mets, 3 – 2 and 6 – 5. In the 2nd game‚ Mets 2B Felix Millan suffers a broken collarbone in a brawl with catcher Ed Ott‚ ending Millan’s 12-year big league career.

August 13, 1977

1977 – Against visiting Seattle, the Red Sox have two outs in the 6th inning, and then unload back-to-back-to-back homers by George Scott, Butch Hobson and Dwight Evans. The Red Sox win, 13 – 6.

August 14, 1977

The Yankees collect 15 hits, including homers by Mickey Rivers and Graig Nettles, to swamp the Angels, 15 – 3. Dick Tidrow allows just two hits in six innings for the win.

August 14, 1977

Milwaukee’s Bill Travers allows 14 runs It will be 21 years before another pitcher allows 14 runs

August 14, 1977

Carl Yastrzemski collects his 506th career double moving him past Babe Ruth on the all-time list

August 15, 1977

 Jim Rice  becomes the first Boston player since Ted Williams in 1939 to hit 20 homers, 20 doubles and 10 triples in a season

August 15, 1977

Mike Torrez throws his 5th straight complete game, a 6 – 2 win over the White Sox. New York is now just 4 1/2 games in back of Boston.

August 15, 1977

1977 – Art Howe’s first-inning grand slam keys a six-run first inning on Houston’s way to a 15-3 laugher in Atlanta. Rob Sperring and J.R. Richard also launch bombs before the Astros wait through a rain delay with a 15-0 lead. Sperring gets four hits. Dan Larsontosses four innings of relief for the “save”. 

August 16, 1977

At Yankee Stadium, New York blows a 9 – 4 lead in the top of the 9th when Chicago scores six runs, but a two-run homer by Chris Chambliss in the bottom of the inning gives the Yankees an 11 – 10 win.

August 16, 1977

At Montreal, the Phillies win their 13th straight, a 20th century club record, beating the Expos, 7 – 5. Warren Brusstar is the winner over Joe Kerrigan.

August 17, 1977

Montreal ends the Phillies’ 13-game win streak with a bang, winning 13 – 0. Stan Bahnsen is the winner over Steve Carlton. The 13 games is a club record for this century: three times in the 19th Century the club won 16 straight.

August 17, 1977

Records fall as the Mexican League concludes its season. Ironman hurler Aurelio Lopez of the Mexico City Reds racks up his 30th save to go with a record 19 victories in relief. Veteran Tampico 1B Hector Espino hits only 14 home runs, but raises his career total to 435, a new minor league record. Thirty-eight-year-old Vic Davalillo, the league’s top hitter at .384, is purchased by the Dodgers.

August 18, 1977

Dodger ace Don Sutton hurls a one-hit gem against the Giants

August 19, 1977

1977 – Backed by homers from Reggie Jackson and Bucky Dent, Mike Torrez hurls his 6th complete game in a row and New York beats Texas, 8 – 1. The Yanks are now 2 1/2 games back of Boston.

August 21, 1977

Pittsburgh’s Rennie Stennett, batting .336 for the season, breaks his right leg sliding into second base during a 5 – 4 loss to San Francisco. He will be out for the year, falling 12 plate appearances short of qualifying for the batting title, won by teammate Dave Parker at .338. Stennett will never again hit higher than .244.

August 21, 1977

Graig Nettles’ home run and double account for both Yankee runs in a 2 – 1 win over Texas. Ron Guidry picks up his 10th win of the year and the Yankees cut the Red Sox’s lead to one-half game.

August 21, 1977

Rick Dempsey returns to active duty for the Baltimore Orioles after breaking his finger, and Brooks Robinson goes on the voluntary retired list, ending his illustrious 23-year career, all with the Orioles.

August 21, 1977

Tom Seaver makes his first appearance in Shea Stadium as a member of the Reds

August 21, 1977

Brooks Robinson Retires

August 22, 1977

1977 – Both the Red Sox and Yankees lose today. The White Sox top the Yankees, 5 – 3, and snap the pinstripers’ 8-game win skein, while Minnesota tops the Sox, 5 – 4.

August 23, 1977

Behind Mickey Rivers’ 5 for 5 contributing to an 8 – 3 whipping of the White Sox, the Yanks take over first place in the American League East. With the Red Sox losing, the Yankees go ahead by a half game and will stay in first place to the end.

August 23, 1977

Dave Goltz one-hits the Red Sox to give the Twins a 7 – 0 win. Jim Rice hits a single in the 4th for the only safety.

August 24, 1977

1977 – Catfish Hunter notches his final win of the year, an 11 – 1 four-hit victory over the Twins. New York supports Hunter with homer outbursts by Roy White, Mickey Rivers, Chris Chambliss and Bucky Dent.

August 25, 1977

1977 – The Twins blow a 4 – 2 lead over the Yankees when Mickey Rivers hits a 2-run single in the 7th inning and Reggie Jackson drives home a run in the next inning.

August 26, 1977

1977 – New York wins its 12th in 13 games when Graig Nettles triples home two runs in the 9th inning to give the Bombers a 6 – 5 win over Texas. With the Red Sox losing, the Yankees move in front by two games.

August 27, 1977

Dan Driessen and Johnny Bench hit back-to-back homers in the 9th inning to give the Reds a 5 – 4 win over the Phils. Tug McGraw serves up both. Driessen’s homer is a line drive that hits the CF wall at Riverfront Stadiumand rebounds back over Jerry Martin’s head all the way to the infield for an inside-the-park home run. Bench follows with one over the LF wall.

August 27, 1977

Boston DH Tommy Helms and 3B Butch Hobson hit back-to-back home runs in a 7 – 5 win over the Twins. It is the 15th time this year that Sox hitters have homered consecutively, tying a major league record.

August 27, 1977

Toby Harrah and Bump Wills of the Texas Rangers hit back-to-back inside-the-park home runs

August 28, 1977

In a game the Orioles win, 6 – 1, Angel hurler Nolan Ryan strikes out 11 batters to reach the 300 strikeout season mark for the fifth time in his career.

August 28, 1977

On his 27th birthday, Ron Guidry of the Yankees fires his third shutout of the year, blanking the Texas Rangers, 1 – 0, at Yankee Stadium. Guidry faces just 28 batters, allowing two hits. Graig Nettles scores the winning run after belting as triple.

August 28, 1977

Steve Garvey of the Los Angeles Dodgers ties a major league record by collecting five extra-base hits in a single game

August 29, 1977

The Yankees top the Royals, 5 – 3, on a 3-run pinch homer in the 8th inning by Chris Chambliss.

August 29, 1977

After four seasons and 1,382 major league at-bats, Duane Kuiper hits his first and only homer. The Indians’ second baseman will come to bat 3,379 times in his 12-year career.

August 29, 1977

Jim Rice 3-Homer Game Fenway Classic Despite Bostons Loss

August 29, 1977

In a 6-1 loss at Baltimore, Angel starter Nolan Ryan, who will finish the season fanning 341 batters, strikes out 11 Orioles to pass the 300 mark for the fifth time in his career. The future Hall of Fame right-hander will retire as baseball’s all-time leader with 5,714, averaging 9.5 K’s per nine innings.

August 29, 1977

Lou Brock becomes the king of the stolen base

August 30, 1977

1977 – Against the Yankees, the Mariners tie the score, 5 – 5, in the 8th inning, then lose in the 11th, 6 – 5, when Mickey Rivers leads off the inning with a home run.

August 31, 1977

Yankee reliever Sparky Lyle records his third win in three games, all won on late-inning homers by New York. Graig Nettles’ second homer of the game gives New York a 5 – 4 win over Seattle.

August 31, 1977

Hank Aaron’s mark of 755 career home runs is tied by Sadaharu Oh of the Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Pro Baseball.

September 3, 1977

Sadaharu Oh of the Japan Central League surpasses Hank Aaron as the game’s all-time home run king

September 5, 1977

The Indians’ first “I Hate the Yankees Hankee” promotion proves to be quite successful when the team sweeps a twin bill from Bronx Bombers, 4-3 and 5-4, in front of 28,184 enthusiastic patrons at Cleveland Stadium. The Tribe had previously lost their previous six games with New York this season.

September 6, 1977

The Angels acquire slugger Dave Kingman from San Diego for cash consideration. Nine days later, the Yankees will buy Kingman, making him the first player to wear four uniforms in four divisions in the same year. Kingman, who started the season with the Mets, will hit 26 home runs to set the mark for the most by a player with more than two teams.

September 8, 1977

Cubs relief pitcher Bruce Sutter strikes out the first six batters he faces including three men in the 9th on nine pitches.

September 8, 1977

At Toronto, Red Sox sluggers Carlton Fisk and George Scott club back-to-back homers in the 2nd inning, setting a record. It is the 16th time this season that Sox hitters have hit back-to-back homers, breaking the record of 15 set by the 1964 Twins. Boston wins, 7 – 2.

September 9, 1977

Tiger rookies Lou Whitaker and Alan Trammell debut together

September 10, 1977

White Sox knuckleballer Wilbur Wood hits three batters in the 1st inning on the way to a 6 – 1 loss to the Angels. All of Wilbur’s plunks are consecutive, tying a record set by Dock Ellis three years ago.

September 10, 1977

Roy Howell of the Toronto Blue Jays drives in nine runs against the New York Yankees

September 11, 1977

1977 – In Atlanta, the Braves pull off a triple steal in beating the Padres, 7 – 3. The thieves are Gary Matthews, Biff Pocoroba, and Pat Rockett.

September 12, 1977

J.R. Richards whiffs eleven Reds for his 15th win and 3 Stros hit bombs

September 13, 1977

1977 – The Dodgers’ Dusty Baker drives in a team-record five runs in one inning, the 2nd, as Los Angeles whips the Padres, 18 – 4. Los Angeles leads the NL West by 13 1/2 games.

September 14, 1977

1977 – In an 8 – 5 Milwaukee win, veteran Ken McMullen hits a pinch homer for the Brewers in the 8th inning against Seattle’s Tom House. The homer, McMullen’s 156th, comes on his last major league at bat. He’ll be released in December and retire.

September 15, 1977

The Orioles forfeit to the Blue Jays when manager Earl Weaver pulls his team off the field

September 15, 1977

The Reds come back from an 8 – 3 deficit to beat the Dodgers, 9 – 8. Cincy scores four in the 8th and two more in the 9th on Ken Griffey’s homer.

September 15, 1977

Royals set club record of 16 straight wins

September 16, 1977

1977 – Seattle and Doc Medich beat Kansas City, 4 – 1, to end the Royals’ winning streak at 16 games – the longest in the majors in 24 years.

September 17, 1977

1977 – The Pirates top Montreal, 6 – 3, as Frank Taveras steals his 64th base of the season to become the Bucs’ all-time single-season base stealer. Max Carey had been the Pirates’ theft leader. Omar Moreno will break Frank’s record.

September 17, 1977

Yankees DH Dave Kingman, with a third-inning round-tripper off Jim Crawford at Tiger Stadium, becomes the first player to homer for four different teams in one season. The much-traveled veteran will hit a total of 26 home runs this year playing for the Mets (9), Padres (11), Angels (2), and the Bronx Bombers (4).

September 18, 1977

After losing five of his last six decisions, Chicago’s Rick Reuschel notches his 20th victory, beating the Mets, 6 – 5. Reuschel leaves after six innings because of a blister, but racks up two hits and three ribbies at the plate.

September 18, 1977

Ted Cox spoils ‘Thanks Brooks Robinson Day’

September 19, 1977

With two singles in his first two at bats, Ted Cox ties and then breaks Senators’ Cecil Travis’ 1933 record of five consecutive hits at the start of a career. The Red Sox rookie designated hitter had gone 4-for-4 in Baltimore yesterday and is 6-for-6 in his first six major league plate appearances.

September 19, 1977

Former catcher Paddy Livingston dies at age 97, in Cleveland, OH. He was the last surviving player from the American League’s first season (1901).

September 22, 1977

Bert Blyleven no-hits the Angels, 6-0

September 23, 1977

1977 – George Foster belts home run #50, off Buzz Capra, as the Reds beat the Braves, 5 – 1. Foster is the first Reds player to reach 50 homers; Ted Kluszewski held the Reds record with 49 homers in 1954.

September 24, 1977

 Jack Brohamer becomes the first White Sox player since Ray Schalk in 1922 to hit for the cycle

September 24, 1977

Gene Richards of the Padres and Pirates outfielder Omar Moreno both swipe their 50th base of the season to surpass Sonny Jackson’s rookie record set with the Astros in 1966. The Friars’ first baseman will establish a new freshman mark, ending the campaign with 56 thefts, three more than the Bucs’ flychaser.

September 25, 1977

1977 – Detroit pounds out 18 hits against Boston’s Reggie Cleveland, but they still lose, 12 – 5. Carlton Fisk, Butch Hobson and Carl Yastrzemski all homer for Boston, giving the Sox a total of 210 for the season.

September 26, 1977

1977 – In a 9 – 5 win at St. Louis, the Expos run in a record four pinch-runners in the 9th inning.

September 27, 1977

1977 – The Philadelphia Phillies clinch their second consecutive National League East Division title with a 15 – 9 win over the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Winning pitcher Larry Christenson hits a grand slam in the 7th inning.

September 27, 1977

Hal McRae vs Willie Randolph in 1977.

September 29, 1977

Win a 6-3 victory over the Angels at Royals Stadium, Kansas City reaches the 100-win mark for the first time in the nine-year history of the franchise. The eventual American League Western Division champions will finish the regular season with 102 victories.

October 2, 1977

When Dusty Baker hits his 30th homer of the season the Dodgers become the first team in major league history to have four players hit 30 or more home runs.

October 4, 1977

1977 – The Philadelphia Phillies score twice in the 9th inning on singles by Bake McBride, Larry Bowa and Mike Schmidt off Elias Sosa, to beat the Dodgers, 7 – 5, in the opening game of the NLCS. Ron Cey blasts a grand slam for the Dodgers, and Greg Luzinski homers for the Phillies.

October 5, 1977

Glenn Burke greets Dusty Baker on the dugout steps which consists of the two players extending their right arms above their heads and slapping their hands to make a resounding clap, is considered to be the first ‘high five’ in baseball history.

October 7, 1977

 Los Angeles Dodgers catch lightning in a bottle and score 3 in 9th to beat Philadelphia in NLCS

October 8, 1977

In Game 4 of the NLCS played at Philadelphia’s Veterans Stadium, Dodger hurler Tommy John goes the distance and beats Steve Carlton and the Phillies, 4-1. The LA southpaw considers this pennant-clinching performance the best game he has ever pitched in the major leagues.

October 9, 1977

New York Yankees stun Royals with three runs in the ninth inning to capture ALCS

October 12, 1977

1977 – The Dodgers beat the Yankees, 6 – 1, to even the World Series after two games. Catfish Hunter, who has not pitched in over a month, starts the game for the Yankees. Home runs by Ron Cey, Steve Yeager and Reggie Smith knock out Hunter in the 3rd inning.

October 15, 1977

1977 – The Yankees win, 4 – 2, to take a 3-1 World Series advantage over the Dodgers. Reggie Jackson doubles and homers, and pitcher Ron Guidry notches a four-hitter.

October 16, 1977

1977 – In the World Series, the Dodgers stay alive with a 10 – 4 victory in Game 5 against the Yankees. Steve Yeager and Reggie Smith hit home runs, and Don Sutton pitches a complete game.

October 17, 1977

Hall of Fame umpire Cal Hubbard dies at the age of 77

October 18, 1977

Reggie Jackson hits three home runs on three consecutive pitches

October 26, 1977

1977 – Sparky Lyle of the New York Yankees becomes the first American League reliever to win the Cy Young Award. Lyle led the league with 72 appearances, posting a 13-5 record with 26 saves and a 2.17 ERA.

October 27, 1977

Calvin Griffin confirms he has rejected skipper Gene Mauch’s request to leave the team to manage the Angels. Two days ago, the Twins owner informed Gene Autry, the owner of the Halos, of his decision, citing the three-year contract was Mauch’s idea and he didn’t want to lose a competent manager who is liked by the players and the Minnesota fans.

October 31, 1977

1977 – In a trade of pitchers, Cincinnati sends Woodie Fryman and Bill Caudill to the Cubs for Bill Bonham.

November 2, 1977

Steve Carlton wins his second National League Cy Young Award

November 4, 1977

1977 – The second free agent re-entry draft is held at the New York Plaza Hotel. Big names include Lyman Bostock, Goose Gossage, Larry Hisle, Mike Torrez and Oscar Gamble.

November 8, 1977

Hall of Fame manager Bucky Harris dies on his 81st birthday

November 8, 1977

George Foster is named the 1977 National League MVP

November 8, 1977

Free agent Richie Zisk, formerly of the Chicago White Sox, signs a 10-year $2.3 million contract with the Texas Rangers

November 16, 1977

Rod Carew wins the 1977 American League MVP Award

November 17, 1977

White Sox owner Bill Veeck gives Yankee free-agent Ron Blomberg, who has played in only one game during the last two seasons, a generous four-year contract worth $500,000 that includes an additional $80,000 signing bonus. The questionable deal will turn out to be a complete bust when ‘Boomer’ hits only .231 in 169 plate appearances in his one year with Chicago.

November 21, 1977

Eddie Murray is named American League Rookie of the Year

November 21, 1977

Maddox wins his first gold glove

November 21, 1977

Ron Willis dies in Memphis, TN at age 34 in an auto accident

November 22, 1977

Andre Dawson of the Montreal Expos wins the National League Rookie of the Year Award by one vote

November 22, 1977

Terry Forster, the American League saves leader in 1974 with the White Sox, signs a big contract with the Dodgers, becoming the team’s first free agent. Last season, the southpaw compiled a 6-4 record with a 4.43 ERA pitching for the Pirates and will post an 11-13 record during his five years in Los Angeles.

November 23, 1977

Free agent pitchers Mike Torrez and Dick Drago come to terms to play for the Boston Red Sox.

November 23, 1977

New York Yankees sign free agent relief pitcher Rich Gossage

November 24, 1977

Former major league manager Mayo Smith dies at the age of 62

November 25, 1977

1977 – Outfielder Jesus Alou is signed as a free agent. It is his second stint as an Astro. Out of the majors the past two years, the 36-year-old Dominican bats .308 over the next two seasons, primarily in pinch-hit duties. 

November 28, 1977

Bob Meusel dies at the age of 81

December 5, 1977

1977 – The White Sox trade C Brian Downing and pitchers Chris Knapp and Dave Frost to the Angels for outfielders Bobby Bonds and Thad Bosley, and minor league P Rich Dotson.

December 5, 1977

Outfielder Leon Roberts is traded to Seattle for infielder Jimmy Sexton. The versatile Sexton would bat .207 over the next two seasons as a reserve for the Astros. 

December 7, 1977

1977 – In a swap that helps both teams‚ the Orioles trade P Rudy May‚ Randy Miller‚ and Bryn Smith to the Expos for P Don Stanhouse‚ P Joe Kerrigan‚ and OF Gary Roenicke.

December 8, 1977

New York Mets, Texas Rangers, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Atlanta Braves complete an unusual four-team trade

December 9, 1977

The Brewers trade pitchers Jim Slaton and Rich Folkers to the Tigers for OF Ben Oglivie.

December 9, 1977

The A’s and Reds announce a deal that will send P Vida Blue to Cincinnati for minor league OF Dave Revering and $1.75 million cash

December 9, 1977

The Mariners trade outfielder Dave Collins to the Reds for rookie left-hander Shane Rawley.

December 14, 1977

Texas Rangers re-acquire future Hall of Famer Ferguson Jenkins from the Boston Red Sox

December 21, 1977

1977 – Free agent Orioles pitcher Ross Grimsley is signed by the Montreal Expos. Grimsley will reward Montreal with a 20-game winning season in 1978, the only one in franchise history.

December 29, 1977

1977 – Melissa Ludtke, female Sports Illustrated sports writer, files suit against Major League Baseball, the Yankees and New York City officials for denying her access to the locker room to interview players during the 1977 World Series.