Major League Season RecapMajor League Baseball Season Recap 1997

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Major League Season Recap 1997

World Series – Florida Marlins NL over Cleveland Indians AL 4 games to 3

World Series MVP – Livan Hernandez
Babe Ruth Award – Moises Alou

Championship Series
ALCS Cleveland Indians over Baltimore Orioles 4 games to 2 ALCS MVP – Marquis Grissom
NLCS Florida Marlins over Atlanta Braves 4 games to 2 NLCS MVP – Livan Hernandez

Divisional Series
ALDS1
Cleveland Indians over New York Yankees 3 games to 2

ALDS2
Baltimore Orioles over Seattle Mariners 3 games to 1

NLDS1
Florida Marlins over San Franciso Giants 3 games to 0

NLDS2
Atlanta Braves over Houston Astros 3 games to 0

WILD CARD GAMES
AWC over to
NWC over to

Awards –

Cy Young Award National League Pedro Martinez
Cy Young Award American League Roger Clemens

MVP Awards –
NL Larry Walker
AL Ken Griffey Jr

NL Rookie of The Year – Scott Rolen
AL Rookie of The Year – Nomar Garciaparra

Roberto Clemente Award – Eric Davis

All-Star Game – July 8th – A.L. over N.L. , played at Jacobs Field (AL)
AL Starter R. Johnson+ NL Starter G. Maddux+ MVP S. Alomar

1997,Seattle centerfielder Ken Griffey, Jr. was the unanimous selection as league MVP in 1997 after pacing the American League in home runs (56), runs scored (125), runs batted in (147), slugging percentage (.646), and total bases (393). Colorado RF Larry Walker had a similarly dominant year in the National League to become the first Canadian-born player to be named MVP. The native of British Columbia hit .366 with 49 homers, 130 RBI, and 33 stolen bases. The Florida Marlins defeated the Cleveland Indians in seven games to win the 1997 World Series. Florida tied up Game 7 with a run in the bottom of the ninth and won the game on Edgar Renteria’s 11th-inning RBI single.\n\nMilestones and Moments from 1997:\nBoston SS Nomar Garciaparra (.306, 30 HR, 98 RBI, 22 SB) and Philadelphia 3B Scott Rolen (.283, 21 HR, 92 RBI, 16 SB) were named Rookies of the Year…Phil Niekro, Nellie Fox, and Tommy Lasorda entered the Baseball Hall of Fame…Jackie Robinson’s number 42 was retired across baseball on April 15 to honor the 50th anniversary of racial integration in Major League Baseball.

1997 – The Texas Rangers sign free agent outfielder Mike Devereaux.

Boston Red Sox knuckleball pitcher Tim Wakefield escapes serious injury when he is hit by a car while out jogging

Boston Red Sox knuckleball pitcher Tim Wakefield escapes serious injury when he is hit by a car while out jogging

Former Atlanta Braves knuckleballer Phil Niekro is elected to the Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers Association of America

Former Atlanta Braves knuckleballer Phil Niekro is elected to the Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers Association of America

Los Angeles Dodgers owner Peter O’Malley announces plans to sell the team, which has been controlled by his family since 1950. The club is expected to command a record price.

1997 – Free agent outfielder Mark Whiten is signed by the New York Yankees.

1997 – Free agent pitcher Steve Avery is signed by the Boston Red Sox.

1997 – The San Diego Padres acquire the rights to 27-year-old Japanese hard-throwing pitcher Hideki Irabu from the Chiba Lotte Marines. Irabu says he only wants to play for the New York Yankees and will force a trade to the Bronx Bombers.

1997 – Free agent pitcher Doug Drabek is signed by the Chicago White Sox.

Ivan Rodriguez

Ivan Rodriguez, avoiding salary arbitration, agrees to a contract worth $6.65 million to catch for the Rangers. ‘Pudge’ set the record for most doubles by a catcher with 44 last season, and the All-Star receiver also set the major league mark for at-bats by a backstop, with 639, surpassing Johnny Bench’s 621, established in 1970.

Curt Flood 1968

Former outfielder Curt Flood dies of throat cancer at the age of 59

All-Star first baseman Don Mattingly officially announces his retirement

All-Star first baseman Don Mattingly officially announces his retirement

The Devil Rays sign Gregg Blosser, the organization’s first player with major league experience. The former Boston Red Sox outfielder, a Florida native, will never appear in a game for Tampa Bay.

jose canseco

Jose Canseco returns to his first major league team when Boston trades the slugger to the A’s

Astros avoid arbitration with pitcher Mike Hampton, agreeing to a $1.3 million dollar contract, halfway between what both sides wanted. Hampton responds with a 15-10 record and becomes a critical member of three division-winning Houston teams. 

jackie robinson wheaties

Wheaties breakfast cereals unveil three new Jackie Robinson boxes

Houston wins and loses their arbitration case with Darryl Kile.

1997 – Free agent outfielder Danny Tartabull is signed by the Philadelphia Phillies. Tartabull will break his foot on Opening Day and sit out for the year before retiring.

The interview that got Larry Doby leads to his election to the Hall of Fame

The interview that got Larry Doby leads to his election to the Hall of Fame

1997 – Larry Dierker’s managerial debut with the Astros is an 8-2 loss to the Cleveland Indians. Shane Reynolds delivers two shutout innings but the Tribe get to Mike Hampton, Jose Lima and Ramon Garcia for the decisive runs. 

1997 – The New York Yankees offer the San Diego Padres a choice of one from a list of players for the negotiating rights to Japanese pitcher Hideki Irabu. The list includes Brian Boehringer, David Weathers, Chris Cumberland, Andy Fox and Matt Luke. The Yankees also offer one player from a list of five minor leaguers, plus $3 million. The Padres are talking to several other teams beside the Yankees.

In an exhibition game, Chicago White Sox third baseman Robin Ventura dislocates his right ankle and suffers a compound fracture in his lower leg. He will be out of action until July 24th.

The pitching-poor Detroit Tigers release pitcher Jason Grimsley, who posted a 5-7 record with a 6.84 ERA with the California Angels last season, but was 0-3 this spring training.

At spring training, Cincinnati Reds catcher Joe Oliver tears a ligament in his thumb making a tag at home plate, and will need surgery to repair it. Oliver will be out of action until May.

The New York Mets, loaded with middle infielders, add two more, acquiring shortstop Manny Alexander and third baseman Scott McClain from the Baltimore Orioles. The Mets give up hard-throwing reliever Hector Ramirez in exchange.

In a trade reflecting current baseball economics, the Atlanta Braves send right fielder David Justice and center fielder Marquis Grissom to the Cleveland Indians for center fielder Kenny Lofton and relief pitcher Alan Embree. Atlanta and Cleveland faced each other in the 1995 World Series. The swap of the two Gold Glove center fielders and the three-time All-Star Justice reduces the Braves’ payroll by an estimated $6.8 million. Both players have several years left on their contracts, while Lofton, considered the best leadoff hitter in major league baseball, is in the last year of his.

The Kansas City Royals release Bob Hamelin, the 1994 American League Rookie of the Year. The 29-year-old Hamelin never lived up to his first year, when he smacked 24 home runs in a strike-shortened season. The Detroit Tigers will sign Hamelin to a minor-league contract.

1997 – The Florida Marlins acquire outfielder Cliff Floyd from the Montreal Expos in exchange for pitcher Dustin Hermanson and outfielder Joe Orsulak. The emergence of young super-prospect Vladimir Guerrero has made Floyd expendable.

New manager Larry Dierker finds out he doesn’t get the final say on his own roster

1997 – Malley’s Chocolates announces the introduction of the Chipper Jones Candy Bar. On a team full of marketable stars, the 24-year-old Atlanta Braves third baseman is the first member to get his own candy bar.

Setting a record for the most runs scored in one inning of an Opening Day contest this century, the Padres score 11 runs in the bottom of the sixth inning en route to a 12-5 rout of the Mets. Chris Gomez, Rickey Henderson, and Quilvio Veras lead the attack with back-to-back-to-back home runs.

Many considered Drayton McLane a fool for hiring broadcaster Larry Dierker as his manager, replacing Terry Collins. Dierker had never managed on any level. Dierker’s debut comes on April Fool’s Day, getting the last laugh on the Atlanta Braves, the defending league champs. Pat Listach drives in Brad Ausmus with a sacrifice fly in the third inning. Shane Reynolds and Billy Wagner make it stand up for a 2-1 victory. 

For the first time in Major League Baseball history, the salary of one player is more than the payroll of an entire team. The Chicago White Sox will pay Albert Belle $10 million for the season which is $928,333 more than the entire Pittsburgh Pirates payroll.

Tino Martinez leads the Yankees to a 16 – 2 romp over the Mariners at the Kingdome. The former M’s first baseman hits three home runs — a solo job, a two-run tater and a three-run shot. With the game out of reach and the crowd chanting his name, he has two opportunities to hit a grand slam, but fails to become the first player to hit home runs for the cycle. He ends the game going 4-for-6 with 7 RBI, a walk and 5 runs scored.

Gary Sheffield (.314, 42, 120) and the Marlins agree to a six-year, $61 million contract extension. The deal is the largest in total dollars in baseball history, but is only the third highest annual salary, behind Albert Belle’s (1996-2000 White Sox – $11 million) and Barry Bonds’ (1993-98 Giants – $11,131,157).

1997 – Pitcher Jimmy Key makes his debut with the Orioles, beating the Royals, 4 – 2, to run his opening day record to 7-0, the best ever. Previously, Key won three with the Yankees and three with the Blue Jays.

Just one day after Turner Field opens its doors for baseball, the stadium holds its first slumber party. Rain showers force Saturday night’s Cubs-Braves game to be suspended in the 7th inning late Saturday night, but because of the change to daylight savings time and a day game on Sunday, several players decide to spend the night in the clubhouse at the brand-new stadium. The Braves win the completion of the suspended game, 11 – 5, and then win the regularly-scheduled game, 4 – 0.

San Diego pitchers Sterling Hitchcock and Trevor Hoffman combine to one-hit the Phillies in posting a 4 – 1 victory. Hitchcock allows only a double to Rico Brogna in eight innings.

Brian Hunter has four hits and three stolen bases as Detroit outlasts the White Sox, 15 – 12.

At Olympic Stadium, the Rockies set a franchise record with seven home runs, including three by Larry Walker, who is pulled from the game in the eighth inning by Rockies manager Don Baylor. The Colorado skipper doesn’t want to run up the score against the Expos with his team ahead 15-1.

With a 3-2 loss to Houston at the Astrodome, the Cardinals remain winless after the first six games of the season. It is the Redbirds’ worst start in the 106-year history of the franchise.

Manny Ramirez hits Josias Manzanillo hit the groin with a 107 mph line drive

Manny Ramirez hits Josias Manzanillo hit the groin with a 107 mph line drive

A hearty but paltry gathering of 1,677 comes out to see the Toronto Blue Jays blank the Chicago White Sox, 5 – 0, at Comiskey Park. Roger Clemens is the winning pitcher over Wilson Alvarez. The game was originally scheduled at night, but was moved to daylight because of extreme cold. The only thing lower than the attendance (the paid take is just 746) is the temperature, which is 34 degrees at game time. It is the smallest crowd to see the White Sox in 27 years.

1997 – The Chicago Cubs fall to 0-8, the worst start in the club’s 122-year history, following a 1 – 0 loss to the Florida Marlins at frigid Wrigley Field. Florida pitcher Alex Fernandez, making his first appearance in Chicago since he left the White Sox over the winter as a free agent, is two outs away from a no-hitter when pinch-hitter Dave Hansen legs out an infield hit off the pitcher’s glove. Fernandez settles for the one-hitter.

1997 – To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the integration of baseball, Sharon Robinson, Jackie Robinson’s daughter, and Pumpsie Green each throw out the first pitch at Fenway Park. In 1959, Green became the first black player to appear in a Boston Red Sox uniform, making the Red Sox the last team to integrate in the major leagues.

Jackie Robinson number 42 retired across baseball

Jackie Robinson number 42 retired across baseball

4/15/1997: Scott Hatteberg of the Red Sox hit his first major league home run in Fenway Park but lost it to an umpire’s call. The ball was ruled in play by John Shulock and Hatteberg only got to second base on the play. The hit came off Don Wengert of Oakland in the sixth inning and hit off a TV camera in center field. (Two batters later, Nomar Garciaparra hit a ball that was ruled a homer even though a fan seemed to reach over the right field wall.)

The Chicago Cubs set the mark for worst start in National League history, making three more errors as they extend their losing streak to 12 with a 4 – 0 loss to the Colorado Rockies. Chicago broke the modern NL record of 0-10 set by the 1988 Atlanta Braves and the overall record of 0-11 by the 1884 Detroit Wolverines.

Roger Pavlik of the Rangers becomes the first starting pitcher in the American League to begin a game by walking the first four batters. The Blue Jays take advantage of the All-Star hurler’s wildness by scoring five runs in the frame en route to a 6-5 victory at the Ballpark in Arlington.

Aloha – Cards and Padres play first game in Hawaii

At Shea Stadium, the Cubs lose their 13th consecutive game to match the longest losing streak in the franchise’s 122-year history. Reliever Turk Wendell, wearing #13, is tagged with the loss when Chicago is defeated by New York, 6-3.

Cubs stop losing streak at 14 straight

Mark McGwire becomes the fourth major leaguer to hit a home run over the left field roof at Tiger Stadium

Mark McGwire becomes the fourth major leaguer to hit a home run over the left field roof at Tiger Stadium

Craig Biggio

Craig Biggio blasts two homers to topple Los Angeles

After four months of on-and-off negotiations, the New York Yankees acquire the rights to Japanese pitcher Hideki Irabu from the San Diego Padres for $3 million. Irabu’s team, the Chiba Lotte Marines, gave the Padres exclusive rights to the 27-year-old righthander, but Irabu refused to sign with them, saying he would only go to the Yankees.

Seven Astros have multi-hit performances in an 11-7 thrashing at San Diego. Bill Spiers, Jeff Bagwell, Thomas Howard and Brad Ausmus have three-hit games in the 18-hit attack. 

Indians and brewers tie mark by hitting 11 homeruns in 9 inning game

Indians and brewers tie mark by hitting 11 homeruns in 9 inning game

Ken Griffey sets record with 13th homerun in April

Ryne Sanberg breaks Joe morgan homerun record

Ryne Sanberg breaks Joe morgan homerun record

4/26/1997: Eric Karros of the Dodgers homered in Joe Robbie Stadium but should have had two. His other “homer” hit just above the left field scoreboard but was ruled in play; the call was that the ball hit the “teal tower” instead of above it. The blow came off Alex Fernandez.

Chili Davis of the Kansas City Royals becomes the 75th major leaguer to hit 300 home runs.

Each Angel outfielder throws out a runner in California’s 5-4 victory over Boston. Orlando Palmeiro (cf), Tim Salmon (rf), and Garret Anderson (lf) all get an assist in the Fenway Park contest.

Tino Martinez, who got off to a painfully slow start with the Yankees last season, finishes April with 34 RBI to set a major league record for the month.

The Atlanta Braves have no trouble getting used to their new stadium or their two new outfielders, Kenny Lofton and Michael Tucker, as they become the first team to ever finish April with 19 wins. Atlanta ends the month with a .760 winning percentage overall and a gaudy 12-2 record at Turner Field. Lofton ends with a .395 batting average and Tucker at .418, following a 12 – 3 pounding of the Cincinnati Reds to round out the month.

The Jacobs Field scoreboard is dented by a Mark McGwire blast. A scientist determines the ball hit by the A’s slugger would have traveled a distance of 533 feet if unimpeded.

Montreal scores 13 to set record for most runs in an inning

Jason Kendall’s three-run double leads Pittsburgh to an 8-run 4th inning as the Pirates outslug the Rockies, 10 – 8. Al Martin and Kevin Elster homer for the Bucs, who have scored 24 runs on 31 hits in their two games at Coors Field.

In Baltimore, the O’s stop Randy Johnson’s 16-game win streak with a decisive 13 – 3 pasting of the Mariners. Baltimore is led by Chris Hoiles, who collects six RBIs on two homers and a double. Johnson strikes out 10 in six innings, but gives up five runs on six hits and two walks as he attempts to become the first American League pitcher since Dave McNally (1968-1969) to win 17 straight.

Seattle tops Baltimore, 8 – 2, with the help of five hits, including a double and homer by 2B Joey Cora.

Prior to the team’s game with Atlanta, Pirates players stand inside the stadium gates to shake hands and pose for pictures. They then proceed to beat the Braves, 9 – 0.

Against the Royals in the 6th inning, the Yankees catch Jay Bell in a rundown when Bell is suddenly called out by umpire Dale Ford, who thinks he passed the preceding baserunner, Jose Offerman. Offerman, however, had been forced out at third base. Royals’ manager Bob Boone argues until the umps agree and put runners back at second and third and call for a resumption of play. Chili Davis then lines a two-run single off Kenny Rogers to tie the score. The Royals win, 7 – 5, in 12 innings, with the victory going to Randy Veres. The Yanks protest that the rundown play should not have been reversed. Gene Budig will dismiss the protest, stating that with the rundown there were several scenarios where Bell could have escaped a tag.

A streak of 19 straight steals by Twins baserunners is stopped when Denny Hocking is caught stealing. The Twins fall to the Blue Jays, 6 – 4.

After missing April due to a hand injury, Juan Gonzalez shows his old clout, hitting a grand slam and knocking in six runs in the Rangers’ 11 – 5 win over the Red Sox.

In San Francisco, the Cubs pull off the first triple play in the majors this year, taking advantage of the infield fly rule and the wind to turn an odd one against the Giants. With two on, Stan Javier lofts a fly ball into shallow center field and umpire Bob Davidson waits before calling an infield fly. Three Cubs lunge for the ball before it bounces off center fielder Brian McRae’s glove and hits the ground for the first out. Kirk Rueter tries for third, but McRae’s throw beats him. Darryl Hamilton tries for second, but 3B Jose Hernandez’s throw to Ryne Sandberg nabs him to complete the triple play. The Giants will win the game, however, 4 – 2.

In a Jet magazine article, Frank Thomas, “hurt” and “embarrassed” by the portions of his ESPN interview that ABC’s “Nightline” used in their segment about Jackie Robinson, says the piece misrepresented his remarks. The White Sox All-Star was shown saying that he rarely thinks about Robinson’s efforts in breaking down baseball’s color barrier.

At Three Rivers Stadium, Kevin Young’s two-run pinch double gives the Pittsburgh Pirates the lead and Al Martin finishes a nine-run 8th inning with a grand slam as the surprising first-place Pirates beat the Colorado Rockies, 15 – 10. Colorado pitching gives up 13 walks and blows leads of 6 – 3, 7 – 5 and 9 – 6.

The Chicago Cubs hit four triples – three in the same inning – to beat the visiting Padres, 8 – 2. The Cubs score four runs in the 7th off Tim Scott as Brian McRae, Doug Glanville and Sammy Sosa all triple.

Cubs erupt for 21 hits in clubbing the Padres, 16 - 7

Cubs erupt for 21 hits in clubbing the Padres, 16 – 7

Montreal spots the Giants an early 9-run lead, then stages the biggest rally in franchise history to win, 14 – 13. Barry Bonds and Glenallen Hill homer as the Giants take an 11 – 2 lead after three innings. Montreal responds with four runs in the 4th, three in the 5th and three more in the 6th for a 12 – 11 lead.

Michael Tucker’s two-out double in the 9th breaks up Alan Benes’ no-hitter. Benes, unfortunately, is matched against Greg Maddux, who holds the Cards scoreless for eight innings. The Braves finally push across a run in the 13th on Andruw Jones’ infield dribbler to beat Cardinals reliever John Frascatore, 1 – 0. The teams combine for 33 strikeouts, three shy of matching the National League record for an extra-inning game set by the Giantsand Mets in a 23-inning contest in 1964.

Roger Clemens fires Toronto past the Yankees, 4 – 1, for his 8th win of the year against no losses. The Rocket wins his 200th, the 94th pitcher to reach 200 wins.

Cleveland slugger Jim Thome, not known for his speed, steals his only base of the season. The Indians’ first baseman’s swipe of home plate in the top of the fourth inning will prove to be the game’s only run in the Tribe’s 1-0 victory over Kansas City at Kauffman Stadium

1997 – An intentional walk to Jeff Bagwell with the bases empty and two outs in the 14th backfires on the Reds. It is Jeff’s third free pass of the night but he steals second and scores on a single by Luis Gonzalez for a 4-3 triumph. Bill Spiers adds four hits. 

The visiting Red Sox collect 19 hits, but strand 16, in beating the Yankees, 8 – 2. Former Yankee Mike Stanley hits a three-run homer, and Wil Cordero adds five hits; Tim Naehring has four hits and Mo Vaughn belts his 10th homer of the season in the 8th.

San Diego pitcher Joey Hamilton homers and Tony Gwynn has three hits off Hideo Nomo as the San Diego Padres top the Dodgers, 4 – 1. It is the Pads’ seventh straight win over the Los Angeles Dodgers. Gwynn, whose wife Alicia is being sued by Nomo, goes 3 for 4 to raise his average to .387. Nomo sued Alicia Gwynn last week in Los Angeles Superior Court, claiming the unauthorized use of his name and picture in a jigsaw puzzle.

The Twins fall to Oakland‚ 8 – 4‚ despite getting 5 hits from Paul Molitor‚ including a double.

The Rockies sell Darnell Coles to the Hanshin Tigers of the Japanese Central League. Coles‚ who hit 29 homers and .302 for Chunichi last year‚ will replace Mike Greenwell‚ who suffered a broken leg after just 7 games with Hanshin.

Darryl Kile blanks the Rockies at Coors Field for seven innings during a 7-0 whitewash, allowing four hits

Sammy Sosa and Tony Womack hit inside-the-park home runs in the 6th inning It's the first time two inside-the-park homers had been hit in the same inning in 20 years.

Sammy Sosa and Tony Womack hit inside-the-park home runs in the 6th inning It’s the first time two inside-the-park homers had been hit in the same inning in 20 years.

Ken Griffey, Jr. of the Seattle Mariners breaks his own major league record for home runs hit through May by connecting for his 23rd of the season in an 11 – 10 loss to Minnesota. Griffey breaks the mark he set in 1994 with 22 homers. In the same game, Mariners second baseman Joey Cora extends his hitting streak to 22 games, to set a team record and tie the American League mark for switch-hitters.

In Florida‚ Rockies OF Ellis Burks hits a two-run double to cap a three-run rally in the 9th inning and help Colorado beat Florida‚ 6 – 5. Colorado trails, 4 – 0, in the 6th‚ before Larry Walker‚ Andres Galarraga‚ and Dante Bichette hit consecutive homers off Alex Fernandez.

In Toronto‚ Tino Martinez hits his 20th homer – his third in three games – and David Cone strikes out 12 to lead New York over Toronto‚ 4 – 0. Jeff Nelson strikes out 3 Jays in relief. Martinez raises his RBI total to 56 with a single in the 1st off Woody Williams (1-5) and a solo shot in the 3rd.

The Padres send Hideki Irabu to the Yankees to complete the April 22nd trade that dealt two players to be named later, Gordon Amerson (minors) and Homer Bush to New York, in exchange for Rafael Medina, Ruben Rivera, and $3,000,000. The 28 year-old Japanese right-hander, who was purchased by San Diego from the Chiba Lotte Marines in January but refused to sign with the team, insisting he would only play with the Bronx Bombers, will become a disappointment to George Steinbrenner, often incurring the owner’s wrath during his three years in the Big Apple, where he posts a mediocre 29-20 record.

Ila Borders becomes the first woman to play in a minor league game. The St. Paul Saints reliever gives up three runs to the Sioux Falls Canaries without recording an out, but will redeem herself the next day by striking out the side.

1997 – At Dolphin Stadium, Colorado Rockies rookie pitcher John Thomson bats his first four major league hits, collects three RBI, and earns his first win, 9 – 2, over the Florida Marlins.

6/2/1997 – The Tigers used two different lineups in their game in Oakland. Brian Hunter led off the game with a triple to right. Then Damion Easley grounded out to first with Hunter scoring on the play. However, Art Howe pointed out that Bobby Higginson was the proper second batter so he was called out and Hunter placed back at third base. In the press box it was announced that the ground out with the first baseman getting an assist and the pitcher getting the putout would stand as the play. However, according to rule 10.03(d) this is not correct. The complete play included the run scoring, which is why Howe objected. In this case, the play should have been an automatic putout for the catcher not the groundout that occurred. The lost run did not affect the Tigers as Hunter scored when the next batter, Melvin Nieves, drove him in with a sacrifice fly. The Tigers beat Oakland, 8-7.

1997 – Bill Spiers draws his sixth consecutive walk (over three games) setting a franchise record during a 6-5 loss at Cincinnati. He is one short of the major-league record. Spiers’ streak is broken later when he is hit by a pitch from Mike Remlinger. He walks in his next plate appearance four days afterwards. His consecutive on-base streak ends at 13 on June 11th, one shy of the NL mark in that category. 

1997 – At Fenway Park, Sandy Alomar of the Cleveland Indians hits four doubles in one game, tying a major league record.

Sandy Alomar ties the major league record when he hits four doubles in the Fenway Park contest. The Indians catcher’s quartet of two-baggers helps the first-place Tribe to beat Boston, 7-3.

In the International League, Syracuse and Pawtucket combine for 10 hits, eight of which are home runs. The other two are a single and double, as Syracuse wins, 7 – 3. Meanwhile, Toledo outfielder Kimera Bartee collects six stolen bases against Columbus. With the Detroit Tigers last season, Bartee stole 20.

On Dog Day (canine attendance 425) at Comiskey Park, it takes the Chicago White Sox 4 hours 19 minutes to finally edge the Baltimore Orioles, 1 – 0, in 11 innings on Harold Baines’ one-out single off Randy Myers.

Despite turning 5 double plays‚ and throwing three runners out at home – all by CF Damon Mashore‚ the A’s lose to the Tigers‚ 6 – 4.

At Candlestick Park Kevin Brown throws a no-hitter and misses a perfect game by hitting a batter in the 8th inning. The Florida Marlins beat the San Francisco Giants, 9 – 0. With two outs in the 8th‚ Brown’s 1-2 pitch nicks Marvin Benard on the right leg. Giant starter William Van Landingham also takes a no-hitter into the 7th‚ but Charles Johnson’s two-run homer with one out opens a 7-run deluge.

Jim Edmund’s makes a sensational catch

Jim Edmund’s makes a sensational catch

Boston IF-OF Wil Cordero is arrested and charged with assaulting his wife. Police say he slapped her‚ hit her on the head with a phone‚ and threatened to kill her.

After 11 straight wins starting on Opening Day, Roger Clemens gets beat for the first time wearing a Blue Jays uniform when the Mariners defeat Toronto at the Skydome, 5-1. The 34 year-old will lead the American League in victories with 21 en route to winning his fourth Cy Young Award.

After 126 years the first interleague game is played

After 126 years the first interleague game is played

1997 – Houston’s first official interleague game does not go well as the American League’s Minnesota Twins slap the Astros, 8-1. Brad Radke goes eight innings for the win and Houstonian Chuck Knoblauch gets four hits. Jeff Bagwell singles for Houston’s first interleague hit.

6/14/1997: Gary Sheffield lost a grand slam to rain in an Interleague game against the Yankees. The game was played in Florida and was rained out in the bottom of the third with the Marlins ahead 5-4. The hit came off David Wells.

1997 – In one of the more surprising developments of the first weekend of interleague play, the Baltimore Orioles complete a sweep of the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field, on Lenny Webster’s 10th-inning home run off Mark Wohlers. One byproduct of interleague play that isn’t a surprise is the increase at the turnstiles. Attendance is up nearly 10,000 per game for the weekend, and the Seattle Mariners average 52,074 for their four interleague games in the Kingdome.

In the first regular-season meeting between the two major league teams in Ohio, Reds’ rookie right-hander Brett Tomko tosses 7.1 shutout innings in Cincinnati’s 4-1 win over the Indians at Cleveland’s Jacobs Field. The victory will prove to be costly for Cincy when Barry Larkin ruptures his heel running out a double, putting their All-Star shortstop on the shelf for six weeks.

1997 – The Freeway Series hits the street in Los Angeles, CA, and the Dodgers drive home with the first victory in this interleague play on Todd Zeile’s second home run of the game. The Dodgers trail the Angels by one run in the 9th inning, but tie the game on a wild pitch and win it, 4 – 3, on Zeile’s homer.

1997 – For their game against the Cards, the Reds bring up Aaron Boone from Indianapolis. That’s the good news for the Boone clan. The bad news is they send brother Bret Boone (.205) down to make room for Aaron. Aaron has an RBI and a stolen base in his major league debut as the Reds win, 4 – 2. He also has his first ejection for throwing a helmet. Deion Sanders has a double and home run and his 31st stolen base, high in the majors.

Manny Ramirez has six RBIs, four on a grand slam, to lead the host Cleveland Indians to a 13 – 4 win over the New York Yankees and Andy Pettitte.

The Seattle Mariners ride a 9-run 7th inning to a 15 – 8 slugfest win over the Texas Rangers. Dan Wilson has a 3-run double and Jay Buhner has two RBIs – 5 overall – in the big inning to pace the M’s 13-hit barrage.

Six inches of rain fall in a few hours in Milwaukee, WI, flooding Milwaukee County Stadium to the third row. The dugouts are filled with water to the roof.

The host Detroit Tigers blast the Boston Red Sox, 15 – 4. The Sox, trailing by 12 runs, try OF Darren Bragg at 3B, and put IF Mike Benjamin on the mound for the 9th. Benjamin retires all three batters he faces, the only one of five Sox hurlers to do so.

at Veterans Stadium The Atlanta Braves power four homers in a 9-run 3rd inning to sink the Phils, 12 – 5, handing Philadelphia its 8th loss in a row. Chipper Jones, Fred McGriff, Michael Tucker and Jeff Blauserall homer in Atlanta’s biggest inning since 1989.

In Cleveland, Matt Lawton has four hits and Brad Radke wins his fourth straight start as the Twins top Cleveland, 7 – 2. Pat Meares has a two-run homer for the Twins. For Cleveland, Sandy Alomar Jr. extends his hitting streak to 22 games with a single and Jim Thome accounts for all the scoring with two solo homers.

In Detroit, Yankee righty David Cone strikes out 16, his highest total in six years, and Cecil Fielder hits a three-run homer as New York wins, 5 – 2. Cone, who had shoulder surgery to repair an aneurysm on May 10, 1996, allows four hits, including homers by Bob Hamelin and Damion Easley, in eight innings.

Steve Finley cracks three homers and Wally Joyner adds two more as the visiting Padres beat the San Francisco Giants, 11 – 6. Jim Bruske gets his first major league win allowing three hits in five scoreless innings of relief.

At Seattle, the Mariners fall to the Athletics, 4 – 1, despite a 19-strikeout performance by Randy Johnson. Johnson breaks Ron Guidry’s American League record of 18 strikeouts in a game by a left-hander. Mark McGwire turns one Johnson fastball into a homer that travels an estimated 538 feet.

1B Tino Martinez hits two singles, a double, and a pair of home runs while driving in four as the Yankees top Detroit, 12 – 9. Chad Curtis adds five ribbies for New York.

Randy Johnson breaks Ron Guidry’s American League record for strikeouts in a game by a left-hander. The Mariners southpaw whiffs 19 A’s, but still losses the Kingdome contest, 4-1.

1997 – Seattle beats Oakland, 9 – 4, with the help of homers by Paul Sorrento, Edgar Martinez and backup C John Marzano, his first since 1989.

1997 – In Detroit’s 10 – 6 walloping of the Red Sox, Tiger Brian Hunter swipes four bases. Detroit also gets a home run from Shane Mack to offset two Boston homers.

The White Sox defeat the Twins, 10 – 6, as OF Albert Belle goes 5 for 5, including a double and home run. C Jorge Fabregas drives in four runs for Chicago.

The Orioles acquire OF Geronimo Berroa from the Athletics in exchange for P Jimmy Haynes.

The left side of the Kansas City infield accounts for 10 runs as 3B Craig Paquette and SS Jay Bell each drive home five in the Royals’ 16 – 3 win over Milwaukee.

Yankees P David Wells starts the game against Cleveland wearing Babe Ruth’s autographed cap from the 1934 season. Manager Joe Torre makes him take it off after the 1st inning since it doesn’t conform to the team’s current uniform. Without the cap, Wells blows a 3 – 0 lead as the Indians go on to a 12 – 8 victory. The Indians mount a 19-hit attack, as CF Marquis Grissom accounts for five of the hits, while 3B Matt Williams gets four hits, including a pair of homers, and drives home six runs.

For the second time in three days, a Tiger steals four bases with Boston C Scott Hatteberg behind the plate. This time it is Damion Easley doing the stealing in Detroit’s 9 – 2 victory. Tomorrow, Hatteberg will start on the bench, but will come in when Bill Haselman breaks his finger.

John Olerud hits two homers and Butch Huskey, Matt Franco and Todd Hundley also homer during a nine-run Mets comeback over the last three innings as they edge the Pirates, 10 – 8. For Franco, his home run is his 6th straight successful pinch-hit. Kevin Young is 4 for 5, including a homer, for the Bucs. John Franco picks up his 19th save, and the 342nd of his career, putting him in 4th place on the all-time save list.

In New York, the Indians score seven runs off the usually stingy David Cone, but the Yankees outlast the Indians, 11 – 10. With his 9th-inning single, Sandy Alomar Jr. extends his hitting streak to 26 games, 6th longest in Tribe history.

In Atlanta, Keith Lockhart bangs a pinch grand slam as the Braves overcome a five-run deficit to beat the Phillies, 6 – 5. Phils starter Scott Ruffcorn does not give up a hit in 5 1/3 innings, but exits after walking four batters, hitting two, and tossing two wild pitches. Ron Blazier relieves with two on and a 5 – 0 lead, but gives up an RBI single and Lockhart’s slam. Fred McGriff’s tie-breaking triple in the 7th pins the loss on Billy Brewer.

Dodger pitcher Pedro Astacio wins for the first time in 11 starts and Eric Karros knocks in four runs as Los Angeles beats the San Diego Padres, 10 – 4. It is LA’s first win in 11 games with the Pads. Danny Jackson loses and is now 0-4 since the Padres acquired him for Fernando Valenzuela.

In the resumption of interleague play, the Cubs set the tone by edging the American League Royals, 8 – 7. Dave Clark’s three-run, pinch-hit home run with two outs in the 8th tops off a five-run inning. Jeff King hits his 5th homer against National League pitchers for the Royals.

In Baltimore, Cal Ripken’s second grand slam of the season is the big blow in a six-run 3rd inning as the Orioles beat the hapless Phillies, 8 – 1. Mike Mussina wins his 100th game to help Baltimore end its four-game losing streak. For the Phils, it is their 15th loss in 16 games.

Rangers hurler Bobby Witt becomes the first American League pitcher to hit a home run in a regular season game in nearly 25 years. His round tripper off Ismael Valdes helps Texas beat the Dodgers in interleague action, 3 – 2. Roric Harrison was the last AL pitcher to hit a home run, in 1972, before the introduction of the designated hitter the following year.

Bobby Higginson belts three home runs and drives in seven runs and Justin Thompson allows four hits in eight innings as Detroit kicks the Mets, 14 – 0. It is the most lopsided shutout in Mets history. Detroit hits more homers (6) than the Mets have hits (5), and it is the most home runs given up by Mets pitchers since April 29, 1978.

In the first regular-season game between Canada’s major league teams, the Expos emerge 2 – 1 winners over the Blue Jays. Pedro Martinez allows three hits, including a solo home run by Carlos Delgado, and strikes out 10 while Vladimir Guerrero hits a home run in his first interleague at-bat.

Seattle’s Ken Griffey Jr., who missed the last two All-Star Games with injuries, is elected for the 8th straight year. Griffey tops all players with 3,514,340 votes. Orioles 3B Cal Ripken, picked to play in his 15th All-Star Game, is second with 2,571,985 votes.

At Oakland, Tony Gwynn, Chris Jones and Greg Vaughn all hit three-run home runs as San Diego pounds Oakland, 15 – 6. Gwynn and Vaughn have four RBIs apiece as the Padres bat around twice. 1B Wally Joynerstrokes five hits for the Pods.

After hitting a bouncer down the Astrodome’s first base line, Tim Bogar comes all the way around to score when Manny Ramirez doesn’t play the ball after it comes to a stop under the bullpen bench. The Indians outfielder, unaware of the park’s ground rules, begins signaling to the umpire that the ball is out of play as the Astros infielder circles the bases for an easy inside-the-park home run.

Giants P Shawn Estes holds the Rockies to one hit in 8 2/3 innings as San Francisco shuts out Colorado, 4 – 0. Quinton McCracken’s single is Colorado’s only hit as Estes fans 11 and walks only 2. Rod Beck comes in to record the last out.

Montreal Expos retire Andre Dawson's uniform number 10

Montreal Expos retire Andre Dawson’s uniform number 10

At Anaheim, Chuck Finley allows four hits and strikes out 13 to lead the Angels to a 8 – 0 shutout over the Mariners. Dave Hollins’ fourth inning grand slam is the big blow, while Darin Erstad also homers, the first by a lefty off Jeff Fassero (8-5) in over three years. Tim Salmon also hits a solo homer in the third, his third in three games. Fassero leaves the game in the 3rd inning after spraining his right ankle fielding Craig Grebeck’s bunt single.

Roger Clemens becomes the American League’s first 13-game winner this season, pitching a four-hitter as the Toronto Blue Jays beat the New York Yankees, 2 – 0. Clemens has 10 strikeouts and one walk in his first shutout of the year. Ramiro Mendoza takes the loss.

In Detroit, the Tigers top the Orioles, 14 – 9, their 3rd straight win after 11 consecutive losses. Brian Johnson and Travis Fryman homer for the Tigers while teammate Bobby Higginson adds a two-run inside-the-park homer, his fifth round tripper this week. For Scott Erickson (11-4), it is the worst start of his career for Baltimore, allowing all 12 runs, 11 earned, and 10 hits in 4 1/3 innings. Willie Blair (6-4) takes the win in relief. The O’s are led by Rafael Palmeiro’s homer, triple and single and homers by Geronimo Berroa, Jeff Reboulet and Tony Tarasco.

Veteran catcher Mickey Tettleton announces his retirement. He was on the Rangers’ disabled list for more than two months.

Tony Eusebio singles home Derek Bell in the bottom of the ninth to upend Cincinnati, 6-5. 

Baseball’s realignment committee discusses a variety of plans including one that would have as many as 14 teams changing divisions and leagues next year. Kansas City would switch to the National League, and baseball’s eight Pacific and Mountain time zone teams could be grouped together if the sport switches back from six divisions to four in 1998. With the addition of Arizona to the National League next season and Tampa Bay to the American League, baseball’s current plan calls for two 15-team leagues in 1998 with three divisions in each. The Major Leagues have till August 1st to present next year’s schedule to the players’ association.

The American League defeats the National by a score of 3 – 1 in the annual All-Star Game, played in Cleveland. Indians C Sandy Alomar Jr. hits a two-run home run and is named the game’s Most Valuable Player. Alomar is the first hometown player to homer since Hank Aaron in Atlanta in 1972.

Helping to snap the National League’s three-game winning streak, Sandy Alomar, Jr., belts a seventh-inning two-run home run to lead the Junior Circuit to a 3-1 All-Star Game victory in front of an enthusiastic hometown crowd at Jacobs Field. The 31 year-old Indian catcher, in the midst of a 30-game hitting streak, is named the Midsummer Classic’s Most Valuable Player.

Bob Boone is fired as Royals manager and replaced by Tony Muser.

Hideki Irabu strikes out nine batters and gets the win in his major league debut as the Yankees defeat the Tigers, 10 – 3.

In Pittsburgh’s first non-Opening Day sellout since 1977, a crowd of 44,119 sees Francisco Cordova and Ricardo Rincon combine on a 10-inning no-hitter as the Pirates down the Astros, 3 – 0, on a 10th-inning pinch home run by Mark Smith. Cordova hurls the first nine innings while Rincon hurls the 10th and gets the win. The victory keeps the Pirates in a tie for 1st place with the Astros in the NL Central.

Pitching for the first time in Fenway Park not wearing a Red Sox uniform, Roger Clemens strikes out 16 as the Blue Jays defeat Boston, 3 - 1. During the game, it appears the "Rocket" is continually glaring up at Dan Duquette in the general manager's suite.

Pitching for the first time in Fenway Park not wearing a Red Sox uniform, Roger Clemens strikes out 16 as the Blue Jays defeat Boston, 3 – 1. During the game, it appears the “Rocket” is continually glaring up at Dan Duquette in the general manager’s suite.

In front of a full house at Three Rivers Stadium on Jackie Robinson Night, two Pirates pitchers throw the first extra inning combined no-hitter in big league history. Ricardo Rinon takes over in the tenth inning to preserve starter Francisco Cordova’s effort and gets the win when Mark Smith pinch-hits a three-run walk-off homer in the bottom of the inning.

1997 – Pittsburgh’s Francisco Cordova and Ricardo Rincon team to no-hit the Astros, 3-0, in ten innings. Cordova is flawless through the first nine, but Chris Holt and Billy Wagner shut down the Pirates. After a perfect 10th from Rincon, John Hudek walks two then surrenders a three-run blast to Mark Smith. 

With the temperature at 100 degrees, Pedro Martinez fires a one-hit shutout to beat the Reds, 2 – 0. The Expos’ ace gives up a single to Bret Boone in the 5th for the only hit. Mike Lansing triples twice for the Expos before leaving in the 5th inning with exhaustion.

Dennys Reyes, the first lefty in nearly five years to start a game for the Dodgers, throws six strong innings in beating the Giants, 9 – 3. The last lefty starter for Los Angeles was Bob Ojeda, on September 24, 1992, in a no-decision at Cincinnati.

The Marlins use an 8-run 4th inning to wallop the Phillies, 9 – 3. Gary Sheffield is the main man with two homers in the inning, hitting a solo shot and a three-run homer, before leaving with a pulled hamstring.

Seattle and Texas combine for a record 31 strikeouts in the Rangers’ 4 – 2 victory. Randy Johnson racks up 14 K’s in seven innings, and reliever Bobby Ayala adds 4, but gives up two runs in the 9th. The previous mark was 30 set by the Mariners and Athletics on April 30, 1986.

Casey Candaele flies out to left field in his last major league at-bat, ending his nine-year career with the Expos, Astros, and Indians with a .250 batting average. The utilityman’s mom, Helen Callaghan, a former star in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, finished her big league career with a .257 lifetime average playing for the Minneapolis Millerettes and Fort Wayne Daisies.

Atlanta hits two grand slams in a game for the first time since May 2, 1987, using homers by Tim Spehr and Ryan Klesko to rally from a 6 – 0 deficit for its eighth straight victory over the Philadelphia Phillies this season. The Braves win, 10 – 6.

In the longest night game at Wrigley Field, 5 hours, 19 minutes, Ricky Gutierrez singles home the go-ahead run in the 15th to give the Houston Astros a 9 – 7 win over the Chicago Cubs.

In the San Diego Padres’ 5 – 3 win over the San Francisco Giants, Tony Gwynn raises his average to .402 with a single, double and triple, driving in three runs, and extending his hitting streak to 19 games. Rickey Henderson, baseball’s career steals leader, swipes his 1,200th base in the 6th.

At Fenway Park, Wil Cordero, homers as the Boston Red Sox collect a season-high 21 hits to rout the Detroit Tigers, 18 – 4. Cordero is cheered after hitting a two-run homer in the 7th. Cordero, accused of assaulting his wife on June 11, has been booed on each of his previous 14 at-bats since he ended 11 games on the sidelines with a pinch-hit appearance last Thursday.

Eric Karros’s two-run homer off Steve Reed in the 10th gives the Los Angeles Dodgers a 14 – 12 slugfest win over the Colorado Rockies. Los Angeles has a season-high 22 hits, in winning its 10th of 11, while the Rockies lose for the 10th time in 11 games.

Cuba withdraws at the last minute from a series of baseball games against the United States, citing fears for the safety of players. One reason stated for the cancellation was the weekend bombing of two Havana hotels. The eight-game series was to start tomorrow.

The Montreal Expos announce the retirement of all-time saves leader Lee Smith.

In Cincinnati, Ray Lankford hits two upper-deck homers, a first for Cinergy Field, to lead the St. Louis Cardinals to a 7 – 4 win over the Cincinnati Reds.

The Kansas City Royals trade OF Jon Nunnally and IF-OF Chris Stynes to the Cincinnati Reds for pitchers Hector Carrasco and Scott Service.

Despite a sluggish performance, Hideki Irabu wins his second major league start, leading the New York Yankees over the Cleveland Indians, 12 – 6. Irabu gives up five runs and nine hits in five innings, allowing homers to Tony Fernandez, Marquis Grissom, and Matt Williams. Cecil Fielder, the Yank’s 270-pound DH, tries to score from first on a double and his head-first slide results in a broken right thumb. Fielder will miss eight weeks.

Visiting San Francisco scores 13 runs in the 7th inning – the most in the National League since the Dodgers scored 15 in the 1st inning against the Reds in 1952 – to coast to a 16 – 2 win over the Padres. The Giants send 19 men to the plate in the 7th and face 80 pitches in the 52-minute inning. They score seven runs before J.T. Snow grounds out for the first out. Five Giants score two runs each, including starting pitcher Kirk Rueter (6-4). The only player not to score is Snow, who Ks with the bases loaded for the second out.

1997 – Bill Spiers drills a pinch-hit three-run ninth-inning homer off Mel Rojas to stun the Cubs, 5-3. Darryl Kile wins his 12th of the season. The win puts Houston back at .500, a game behind Pittsburgh in the Central Division race. 

In Oakland, Mark McGwire hits his 33rd and 34th homers to lead the A’s to an 11 – 3 win over the hapless Royals. Jose Canseco strikes out in all five at-bats for the Athletics, tying an Oakland record. Combined with his three strikeouts on Monday, he ties a major league record with eight whiffs in two consecutive games.

Kevin Brown tosses his first career one-hitter, leading Florida over Los Angeles, 5 – 1. Brown, who no-hit San Francisco on June 10th, faces just two batters over the minimum, allowing a lead-off single to left by Raul Mondesi in the 5th. He strikes out eight and retires his final 15 batters to hand the loss to Hideo Nomo.

At Shea Stadium, RF Sammy Sosa’s running catch with the bases loaded in the 7th, and catcher Scott Servais’s pickoff in the 8th, key Chicago to a 6 – 5 win over the Mets. Before the game, New York reassigns general manager Joe McIlvaine and replaces him with his assistant, Steve Phillips.

1997 – The Mariners, seeking pitching help, trade Scott Sanders (3-6) and two minor leaguers (pitcher Dean Crow and 3B Carlos Villalobos) to the Detroit Tigers for right-handers Omar Olivares (5-6) and Felipe Lira (5-7). Lou Piniella practically begged for a trade after the M’s lost to Minnesota, 9 – 7 in 12 innings, cutting Seattle’s lead to over Anaheim in the American League West to one-half game.

1997 – The Cubs sweep two from the visiting Rockies, 7 – 0 and 6 – 5, to hand Colorado its 15th loss in 16 games. Steve Trachsel tosses seven shutout innings in the opener for the win, and the Cubs score the winning run in the nitecap on Mark Grace’s sacrifice fly. The Rocks have 13 hits in the nitecap, but strand 14 runners. Larry Walker is 0 for 9 for the afternoon, dropping his average 10 points to .392.

1997 – OF Luis Gonzalez bashes a double and two home runs, and drives in 6, as he leads Houston to a 9 – 0 white-washing of the Expos. The victory moves Houston two games ahead of Pittsburgh in the National League Central.

Luis Gonzalez clobbers two home runs, including a grand slam, and drives in six to pace a 9-0 drubbing in Montreal. He completes a series where he goes 9-for-11 at the plate. Darryl Kile gets two hits of his own during a complete game four-hit shutout that drops his ERA to 1.99. 

Four days after the birth of his second child, Yankees OF Mark Whiten is arrested in Milwaukee and charged with second-degree sexual assault on a 31-year-old woman.

Phillies ace Curt Schilling fans 15 in eight innings, the most in the National League this season, but loses, 3 – 2, to the visiting Pirates. Home runs by Al Martin and Kevin Polcovich are the difference. Polcovich homers in the 7th after missing a suicide squeeze bunt, resulting in a Buc runner being tagged out. Before the game, the Phillies trade veteran Darren Daulton to Florida for outfielder Billy McMillon.

Wilson Alvarez strikes out four Detroit batters in the 7th inning, with Phil Nevin fanning on a wild pitch, in leading the White Sox to a 3 – 0 win over Detroit. Alvarez is the first White Sox pitcher and 28th player to strike out four batters in an inning.

Henry Rodriguez, in a 7 for 76 slump, bangs a two-out, 9th-inning grand slam as the Montreal Expos beat the visiting Rockies, 8 – 4. For Colorado, it is the 16th loss in its last 18 games.

At Miami, Wally Joyner is 3 for 4 with two walks, to lead the Padres to a 10 – 2 gaffing of the Florida Marlins. Joyner singles, doubles, triples, scores twice, and swipes two bases, including home on the back end of a double steal. The Marlins finally turn to John Cangelosi, who becomes the first position player to pitch for the team. The outfielder walks one in a scoreless 9th inning and retires Joyner on a fly ball. Cangelosi also pitched two scoreless innings for Pittsburgh against Los Angeles in 1988 and one scoreless inning for Houston against Chicago in 1995. Tony Gwynn is 1 for 5 and finishes the four-game series 2-for-17, dropping his average to .385.

Angels pitcher Rich DeLucia has surgery to remove an aneurysm in his right shoulder and is out for the season.

In Montreal, Vinny Castilla has five hits, including two home runs, as the Rockies out-slug the Expos, 11 – 9. Castilla’s two-run shot off Dave Veres with two outs in the 12th gives Colorado just its third win in 19 games.

Major League Baseball names Toronto executive Paul Beeston as its first president and CEO. The 52-year-old Canadian has been president of the Toronto club since 1991.

Greg Maddux parcels out just 78 pitches as the Atlanta Braves defeat the Chicago Cubs, 4 – 1, in the opener of a doubleheader. It is the lowest pitch total for a 9-inning complete game since Bob Tewksbury threw 76 for the Cardinals against the Reds on August 29, 1990. Chicago takes the second game, 5 – 4.

The Cincinnati Reds release veteran IF and former MVP Terry Pendleton, who was signed as a free agent during the off-season.

7/23/1997: Troy O’Leary hit a ball to Fenway’s right field corner off Oakland’s Gary Haught to lead off the seventh inning. The ball was touched by a fan but called in play by first base umpire Ted Barrett. All replays showed that the ball was clearly over the wall and touched by a fan in the seats. O’Leary legged out a triple on the play.

1997 – Brad Radke allows the Athletics just five hits, striking out 10 and walking no one, in a 1 – 0 victory. The game is the gem of what has been a masterful stretch for Radke; he is tied for second in the American League in wins with 13 (Roger Clemens has 16) and his 149 1/3 innings are sixth most in the league.

Jesse Ibarra of the Jacksonville Suns hits grand slams from both sides of the plate in a 12 – 9 win over the Memphis Chicks. It is later concluded to be the first Organized Baseball game in which such a feat has occurred. The balls are flying out that day as Memphis’s Shane Monahan sets the Southern League record with his fourth grand slam of the season.

The Reds name Jack McKeon as their manager, replacing Ray Knight.

The Royals acquire 3B Dean Palmer, slated to become a free agent at the end of the season, from the Rangers in exchange for OF Tom Goodwin.

The Detroit Tigers retire Hal Newhouser’s uniform number 16. Newhouser pitched 15 seasons for the Bengals and is the only pitcher to win back-to-back MVP awards, in 1944 and 1945. Following the festivities, the Tigerslose to Milwaukee, 11 – 7, as the Brewers come up with five runs in the 9th inning.

The Braves defeat the Reds, 3 – 2, in Cincinnati, as the temperature on Cincinnati’s artificial surface reaches 152 degrees.

1997 – In the first game of a doubleheader, Milwaukee P Steve Woodard, recalled just that morning, hurls eight innings of one-hit ball to defeat the Blue Jays, 1 – 0. Mike Fetters tosses a hitless 9th for the Brewers. Toronto’s only hit is a double by CF Otis Nixon.

The Mariners and Randy Johnson knuckle under to Tim Wakefield and the Red Sox, 4 – 0. Mo Vaughn’s two-run homer is the big blow for Boston.

The Rangers ship Ken Hill, 16-10 last year, to the Angels for C Jim Leyritz and a player to be named later. Hill has struggled to a 5-8 record this season. Leyritz is insurance in case the Rangers can’t sign Ivan Rodriguez, but they will ink Pudge in two days to a five-year deal worth $42 million.

The Blue Jays pick up veteran Mariano Duncan from the Yankees for cash and a minor leaguer.

The Orioles purchase veteran Harold Baines from the White Sox. Baines is hitting .305 for Chicago.

Pedro Martinez strikes out 13 Rockies, including Andres Galarraga four times, in Montreal’s 3 – 0 win. Martinez gives up just three hits in going all the way.

David Wells fires a three-hitter as the Yankees beat the Royals, 7 – 0. Tino Martinez hits his 36th homer and Luis Sojo has four hits.

At Boston, the Red Sox beat the Mariners, 8 – 7, in 10 innings. Steve Avery grounds out as a pinch hitter in the 10th, the first Sox pitcher to hit since Tim Lollar in 1986.

The San Francisco Giants receive starting pitchers Wilson Alvarez and Danny Darwin, along with top reliever Roberto Hernández from the Chicago White Sox in what is dubbed the “White Flag Trade”. The White Sox, just 3 1/2 games behind Cleveland in the American League Central, receive minor league SS Mike Caruso, OF Brian Manning and Ps Lorenzo Barcelo, Keith Foulke, Bobby Howry and Ken Vining. In the house cleaning, the Sox have moved eight players with a combined 92 years of major league experience. Sox 3B Robin Ventura observes, “We didn’t realize August 1st was the end of the season.”

The White Sox jump out to a 9 – 0 lead over the Angels in the 2nd inning, then hold on to record a 14 – 12 victory. Rookie Mike Cameron leads Chicago with five RBIs, while Todd Greene gets four hits and drives home six runs for Anaheim in a losing cause.

In a deal that will have a major impact on the team’s future, the Red Sox obtain Jason Varitek and Derek Lowe when they trade Heathcliff Slocumb to the Mariners. Varitek, who will become Boston’s third captain in franchise history, will contribute to the club’s success in the next decade, including the world championships in 2004 and 2007.

The A’s trade Mark McGwire to the Cardinals for Eric Ludwick, T.J. Mathews, and Blake Stein, a trio of hurlers who will combine for just 30 victories with Oakland. The Redbirds’ new first baseman, whose accomplishments will be tainted by the speculation of his use of PEDs, hits an astounding 220 home runs in the 545 games he plays with St. Louis.

Houston C Brad Ausmus becomes the first catcher to wear the Fox Sports “Catcher-Cam”, a small camera on the top of his mask, in the Astros’ 6 – 0 win over the Mets.

Phil Niekro, Tommy Lasorda, Nellie Fox, and Willie Wells are inducted into Baseball's Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.

Phil Niekro, Tommy Lasorda, Nellie Fox, and Willie Wells are inducted into Baseball’s Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.

Jeromy Burnitz, coming off the bench in the Brewers’ 6-5 loss to Seattle at County Stadium, homers as a pinch hitter for the second consecutive time, tying an American League record. The major league mark for consecutive pinch-hit appearances with a home run is three, shared by Lee Lacy (Dodgers – May 2, 6, and 17, 1978) and Del Unser (Phillies – June 30, July 5 and 10, 1979).

8/3/1997: Sean Berry of the Astros hit a long drive to left field off Mets pitcher Brian Bohanon leading off the bottom of the fifth inning which hit a speaker attached to the Astrodome’s roof. The ball fell to the turf and Berry was able to get only a double on the drive that was ticketed to be a long home run.

At Anaheim, Jose Valentin, Dave Nilsson, and Jeromy Burnitz homer in the 4th inning, all off Ken Hill, as Milwaukee beats Anaheim, 5 – 2, for its 10th victory in 12 games. The loss drops Anaheim into a tie for first place in the AL West with the idle Seattle Mariners.

Manny Ramirez homers and drives in four runs, and Jim Thome hits his 30th homer as the Indians beat Detroit, 7 – 2. Charles Nagy improves to 12-4 lifetime against the Tigers, his most wins against any club. Thome is the first Cleveland lefthanded hitter to hit 30 homers in successive seasons since Hal Trosky in 1936-1937. Scott Sanders (3-9), making his fourth start since being traded to Detroit from Seattle, is the loser. He has lost all three of his decisions in a Tigers uniform.

Kevin Tapani finally makes his Cubs debut, limiting Atlanta to five hits over seven plus innings, as the Cubs win, 3 – 1. Tapani (1-0) signed to a three-year, $11 million deal with the Cubs after winning 13 games for the White Sox last season, had surgery April 4 to remove scar tissue in his right index finger.

At Shea Stadium, the Mets top the Cards, 4 – 2, in a rain-interupted game. Rick Reed (10-4) wins his 6th straight, beating Manny Aybar, making his major league debut. Lance Johnson has a pair of RBI triples. Completing an unusual major league-minor league sweep, the Pittsfield Mets top the New Jersey Cardinals (NY-Penn League), 8 – 4, in the earlier 9-inning game.

The Twins beat the Blue Jays, 9 – 3, as Brad Radke ties a team record with his 12th straight win. Greg Colbrunn’s pinch-hit grand slam off Chris Carpenter is the big blow. Radke is only the 3rd pitcher since 1950 to win 12 consecutive starts. Bob Gibson of St. Louis did it in 1968 and Pat Dobson did it with Baltimore in 1971.

The Red Sox pound out 24 hits, including four home runs, in defeating the Rangers, 17 – 1. Nomar Garciaparra is 4 for 7 with a homer and two doubles and Troy O’Leary homers twice into the upper deck.

In New York, Houston’s Darryl Kile cops his ninth straight decision despite allowing two home runs to John Olerud. Houston hangs on to win, 11 – 8. Kile (16-3) allows 8 runs and 10 hits in seven innings.

At Busch Stadium, recently acquired Mark McGwire hits his 364th career home run on a pitch thrown by Phillies’ right-hander Mark Leiter for his first National League round-tripper. The Cardinals slugging first baseman will hit a total of 220 homers in the Senior Circuit, all for the Redbirds.

Randy Johnson becomes the first pitcher to strike out 19 batters in a game twice in one season when he fans 19 Chicago White Sox in a 5 - 0 victory.

Randy Johnson becomes the first pitcher to strike out 19 batters in a game twice in one season when he fans 19 Chicago White Sox in a 5 – 0 victory.

Recently-acquired slugger Mark McGwire hits a home run for the St. Louis Cardinals, his first in the National League.

1997 – The Yankees beat the Twins’ Brad Radke, ending his win streak at 12 games. Luis Sojo snaps a 1 – 1 tie in the 8th with a 2-run home run. Since 1950, only three pitchers have won 12 straight games.

Angels IF-OF Tony Phillips is arrested after allegedly buying a small quantity of freebase cocaine at a motel in Anaheim.

Pitcher Greg Maddux signs a $57.5 million, five-year contract with the Braves to become baseball’s highest-paid player.

The Texas Rangers show off for former president George Bush by routing the Boston Red Sox for the second consecutive game‚ 12 – 2‚ scoring 10 runs in the first four innings. Bush, whose son‚ Texas Governor George W. Bush‚ owns the Rangers, sits next to the team’s dugout with acting Massachusetts Governor Paul Cellucci and a group of Secret Service agents.

Dean Palmer homers and drives in four runs as the Kansas City Royals end the New York Yankees’ three-game winning streak with a 6 – 4 victory. Palmer‚ who is 10-for-21 with runners in scoring position and has 16 RBIs in 18 games since coming over in a trade with Texas‚ singles home a run in the 4th‚ opens the 6th with his 17th homer‚ and hits a go-ahead‚ two-run double in the 7th. Mike Perez (2-0)‚ the second of five Royals’ pitchers‚ is the winner. Jeff Montgomery pitches the 9th for his eighth save‚ the 250th of his career. He retires 32 consecutive batters‚ one shy of the club record‚ before Bernie Williams singles with two outs in the 9th.

Rickey Henderson leads off the 7th with his 250th career homer and Greg Vaughn adds a two-run double in the inning as the San Diego Padres rally to beat the Montreal Expos‚ 6 – 4.

Matt Beech ends his string of 22 straight starts without a victory‚ pitching the Philadelphia Phillies past the Colorado Rockies‚ 5 – 0. Beech (1-7) had not won since beating Atlanta in his first major league start on August 8‚ 1996. He was winless in his first 15 starts this season.

In tribute to Rex Barney, who died of cancer today, the Orioles play their game against Oakland at Camden Yards without a public address announcer. The team’s beloved PA announcer, who became well-known for such phrases as “Give that fan a contract!” after a patron caught a foul ball on the fly and for saying “Thank youuuuu” to the fans at the end of the game, had entertained Baltimore patrons for 24 years.

The little guys bulk up as Chuckie Carr and Tim Bogar go deep in a 13-2 drilling of the Marlins. Carr adds a double to his three hits. Mike Hampton picks up the victory. 

The Indians best the Tigers, 12 – 1, in the 15,000th game in franchise history. The Tigers are the only other American League team to have played as many contests.

The Twins trade 1B Greg Colbrunn to the Braves in exchange for a player to be named later.

Mark McGwire cracks a two-run homer in the 9th to tie the game for St. Louis and Delino DeShields hits a leadoff homer in the 12th as the Cards edge the Braves, 3 – 2. For McGwire, who also walks four times, it is his 4th homer in four games.

The Orioles and Mariners split a day-night twinbill, the O’s taking the opener, 4 – 3 and the M’s the nitecap, 8 – 3. Randy Johnson drops the first game, despite striking out 13 batters; he has now struck out 32 in two games to tie Luis Tiant (1968), Nolan Ryan (1974) and Dwight Gooden (1984).

Los Angeles’s Mike Remlinger pitches six strong innings and belts a three-run double to beat the Reds, 5 – 3. Before the game, the Dodgers retire Tom Lasorda’s uniform number 2, the 9th number retired by the franchise.

1997 – Boston’s Nomar Garciaparra hits in his 20th straight game, tying Fred Lynn’s Boston rookie record. Boston wins, 10 – 5, sweeping four from the Twins. Minnesota has lost nine straight,

The Rangers defeat the Brewers, 2 – 0, behind a combined one-hitter by Rick Helling (8 innings) and John Wetteland (1 inning). Fernando Vina’s single is Milwaukee’s only hit.

Wade Boggs makes his pitching debut, throwing 16 knuckleballs and one fastball in a 12-4 loss to the Angels at Anaheim Stadium

Wade Boggs makes his pitching debut, throwing 16 knuckleballs and one fastball in a 12-4 loss to the Angels at Anaheim Stadium

The Twins trade OF Roberto Kelly to the Mariners for a player to be named.

The Red Sox sweep two from the A’s, winning 7 – 5 and 5 – 4 in 13 innings. In the nitecap the A’s collect one hit in the last 10 innings against five Sox pitchers. Nomar Garciaparra has hits in both games to set an American League rookie record of 22 straight games.

It’s an easy day at the office for the Reds as they record no assists in a 5 – 3 loss to the Rockies (14 flies, 12 Ks and one unassisted grounder). This has happened just once before in the National League, by the Metsagainst the Phillies on June 25, 1989.

8/20/1997: Both Bernard Gilkey and Raul Mondesi lost homers to the rain. With the Dodgers playing in New York, Mondesi hit his home run off Bobby Jones in the top of the first and Gilkey followed with one in the bottom of the inning off Ramon Martinez.

1997 – Six Astros have two-hit nights in a 10-4 rout of Colorado. One of them is pitcher Chris Holt who also drives in a run. Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell homer in the 15-hit assault. 

The Tigers pound the Brewers, 16 – 1, with the aid of 23 hits and an 11-run 7th inning. Bobby Higginson gets five hits for Detroit, while Travis Fryman and Tony Clark drive in four runs apiece.

In another slugfest, the Rangers score a 17 – 8 victory over the White Sox. Both starting left fielders (Rusty Greer and Albert Belle) hit two homers and drive in six runs for their team.

1997 – Darryl Kile improves his record to 17-3 with a 9-1 victory over the Rockies. His ERA shrinks to 2.28. Kile adds a run-scoring single to a six-run sixth inning. Tim Bogar’s two-run triple and Derek Bell’s two-run double also highlight the frame. In the ninth, Mike Magnante ties a major-league record by striking out the side on nine pitches. He’s the third Astro to accomplish this feat. 

1997 – For the second day in a row, Rangers LF Rusty Greer hits a pair of home runs and posts six ribbies, doing so in today’s 13 – 8 win over Chicago.

1997 – The Yankees pound out 22 hits in an 18 – 2 win over Oakland. Joe Girardi and Rey Sanchez lead the way with four hits apiece.

Oakland defeats the Yankees, 8 – 7, as DH Dave Magadan leads the way with five hits, including a home run.

The Dodgers best the Pirates, 9 – 5, with the help of five hits by OF Otis Nixon and six RBIs from C Mike Piazza. Los Angeles now leads the National League West by 1 1/2 games over the Giants.

In honor of first baseman Jim Thome’s birthday, the Indians begin pulling up their socks to just below the knees. The Tribe will win 17 of 27 games en route to clinching the American League Central flag while sporting this new look.

The White Sox trade OF Darren Lewis to the Dodgers in exchange for a player to be named.

Jeff Bagwell’s two-run bomb off Paul Byrd finishes a wild 6-4, 13-inning triumph in Atlanta. A ninth-inning triple by Bill Spiers and a homer by Chuckie Carr off Mark Wohlers send the game to overtime. The teams trade tallies in the 11th before Bagwell settles the issue. Jose Lima gets the save. 

After a catcher’s interference call extends the sixth inning, Javy Lopez hits Darryl Kile’s next pitch for a three-run home run that proves to be the difference in the Braves’ 4-2 victory over Astros at Turner Field. The frame appeared to be over when Ryan Klesco grounded out to short, but he was awarded first base when his bat hit backstop Tony Eusebio’s glove.

Behind Alex Fernandez, the Marlins solidify their hold on the National League wild card position with a 4 – 1 victory over the Blue Jays. OF Shawn Green has all three of Toronto’s hits.

Yankee P David Wells threatens to punch out owner George Steinbrenner during a clubhouse argument.

The Brewers acquire OF Darrin Jackson from the Twins in exchange for a player to be named.

Boston SS Nomar Garciaparra goes hitless as the Red Sox fall to the Braves, 15 – 2. The collar brings to an end his 30-game hitting streak (July 26-August 29: .383 : 54/141), the longest streak ever for an American Leaguerookie.

Andruw Jones’s grand slam is the Braves’ tenth of the season, breaking the National League mark for bases-full home runs for a team in single season. Ironically, the record is broken in an American League park as Atlanta defeats the Red Sox at Fenway.

In front of a crowd of 55,707, Don Mattingly's uniform number 23 is added to the list of retired numbers on the wall at Monument Park

In front of a crowd of 55,707, Don Mattingly’s uniform number 23 is added to the list of retired numbers on the wall at Monument Park

The Brewers obtain P Pete Harnisch from the Mets in exchange for OF Donny Moore.

The Cubs trade vet SS Shawon Dunston to the Pirates in exchange for a player to be named.

The Indians acquire IF-OF Bip Roberts from the Royals in exchange for P Roland de la Maza.

The Reds lose to the Royals‚ 7 – 4‚ as Pete Rose Jr.‚ son of the all-time hit leader‚ makes his major league debut. After striking out in his first time up‚ Rose singles in his next at bat and finishes with 1 hit in 3 trips to the plate. The debut prompts walk-up sales of 15‚000.

Before 50‚869 at the Vet‚ the Phillies defeat the Yankees‚ 5 – 1‚ behind Curt Schilling‚ who fans 16 batters in 8 innings of action‚ and does not walk a man. The Phils will win the next day to sweep the series with the defending World champs.

1997 – Trailing 12 – 7, the Rangers score six runs in the bottom of the 9th to pull out a 13 – 12 victory over the Dodgers. Juan Gonzalez and Lee Stevens each poke four hits for Texas.

2B Mike Lansing’s 3rd-inning home run is Montreal’s only hit, but it’s enough to give the Expos a 1 – 0 win over the Red Sox. Aaron Sele and Tom Gordon baffle the Expos the rest of the way, but Carlos Perez allows only two hits himself in blanking Boston.

A’s blue chip rookie Ben Grieve debuts with a club-record-tying three doubles for five RBIs in a 12 – 3 win over the Giants. Grieve had 136 ribbies in 127 minor league games. Brad Rigby wins his first major league game.

1997 – Rookie C Bobby Estalella cracks three home runs and drives home four as he leads the Phillies to a 6 – 4 win over Montreal. It is just his 10th major league game, the fewest for a player with a three-homer game.

9/4/1997: Cardinal Phil Plantier hit a solo homer at Coors Field in a game that was rained out in the bottom of the third inning.

1997 – OF Deion Sanders leaves the Reds to join the Dallas Cowboys for the remainder of the season. Sanders is leading the National League in stolen bases with 56, but will be overtaken by Pittsburgh’s Tony Womack.

1997 – The Rockies split a day-night doubleheader with the Cardinals‚ losing the first game‚ 10 – 7‚ before winning the nitecap‚ 7 – 6. In the first contest‚ OF Larry Walker’s home run makes him the most prolific Canadian home run hitter of all time with 195 career dingers. In the second game‚ Colorado’s streak of sellouts ends at 203‚ as an announced crowd of 44‚288 views the contest.

The major league mark for the most combined strikeouts in a game is tied when 33 players whiff during a 15-inning, 5 – 4, Angel victory over the Tigers.

Atlanta’s Denny Neagle wins his 20th game, shutting out the Padres, 4 – 0. He’s the first to win 20 in the National League.

Expo infielder Mark Grudzielanek breaks the National League mark for doubles for a shortstop, hitting his 49th in a 2-1 loss to Philadelphia. The previous record was set by Dick Bartell of the 1932 Phillies.

For only the twenty-second time in major league history, a player reaches the 50 home run plateau when Mariner outfielder Ken Griffey, Jr. goes deep off Bob Tewksbury in a 9-6 loss to Minnesota at the Metrodome. Junior will finish the season with a league-leading 56 round-trippers.

In a 15-inning contest, a total of 33 players whiff during the Angels’ 5-4 victory at Tiger Stadium. Players from both teams become visibly upset with home plate umpire Mike Everitt when 21 of the of 30 extra-inning outs are strikeouts, with 13 being the result of a called third strike.

Nomar Garciaparra 87 RBIs set a new major league record for leadoff men

Detroit P Scott Sanders hurls a one-hit, 4 – 0 shutout over the Rangers. 2B Domingo Cedeno’s single is the only Texas safety.

Hall of Famer and beloved Phillies announcer Richie Ashburnpasses away of an apparent heart attack in his New York hotel room

Hall of Famer and beloved Phillies announcer Richie Ashburnpasses away of an apparent heart attack in his New York hotel room

In a 7-6 loss to the Giants, Cardinal Mark McGwire becomes only the second player in major league history to hit 50 home runs in consecutive seasons

In a 7-6 loss to the Giants, Cardinal Mark McGwire becomes only the second player in major league history to hit 50 home runs in consecutive seasons

The American Association plays its final game tonight in Des Moines, IA with the Buffalo Bisons defeating the Iowa Cubs for the final league title. The Association’s existing teams will merge with the International Leagueand the perhaps “to-be-newly named” Pacific Coast League in 1998.

The Rangers overcome a 5-run deficit in the 9th inning to defeat the Dodgers, 13 – 12. Rusty Greer drives in the winner with a 2-out single, the 4th time this year he’s done it in the Rangers’ final at-bat.

SimLeague Baseball

John Olerud hits for the cycle

Florida C Charles Johnson sets a major league record by playing his 160th straight game without committing an error. The previous mark was set by Rick Cerone. The Marlins lose the game, however, 1 – 0 to the Giants.

The Mets tie the game in the 8th and use 23 players before losing to the Expos, 3 – 2, in 15 innings. The loss goes to Joe Crawford, the second time this season he has lost by allowing a run in the 15th.

In St. Louis, Tony Gwynn reaches 200 hits for the fifth time in his career in the Padres’ 8 – 3 win over the Cardinals. Greg Vaughn has a three-run double to lead the attack.

The Mets, down 6 – 0 with one strike to go in the bottom of the 9th, rally to tie the Expos. Carl Everett ties the game with a grand slam. Two innings later, Bernard Gilkey hits a three-run homer to end it, 9 – 6. Facing Dustin Hermanson, the Mets manage just one hit through the first eight innings, and that is a blooper by Carlos Mendoza, his first major league hit. Two singles and two relievers later the Mets tie it. John Franco is the winner over Steve Kline.

The Dodgers drop a 5 – 1 decision to the Astros as Tom Candiotti’s knuckleball does all sorts of tricks in the 1st inning. Candiotti hits three Houston batters in the frame, and another to lead off the 2nd, to tie a major league mark. C Mike Piazza also records two passed balls in the inning as the Astros score four of their five runs.

Sandy Alomar hits a bases-loaded single to key a bizarre seven-run 8th, and Cleveland defeats Chicago, 8 – 3. Jim Thome nails his 40th homer for the Indians. Chicago ties a major league record by using nine pitchers in the nine-inning game, including five in the 8th. The 4th in that inning, Keith Foulke, is called in without a warm-up by manager Terry Bevington to intentionally walk a batter. The Tribe increases its American League Central lead to 7 1/2 games over Chicago and Milwaukee. Before the game the Sox retire Carlton Fisk’s uniform number 72. Bitter over his 1993 release and not being allowed into the locker room during the playoffs that year, Fisk requests that Jerry Reinsdorf and GM Ron Schueler not be there for the ceremony.

Mark McGwire notches his 51st homer, and St. Louis scores seven runs in the eighth to win, 10 – 4. McGwire, the first player with consecutive 50-homer seasons since Babe Ruth in 1927-1928, connects off Joey Hamilton (11-6) in the sixth. He has 17 homers in 37 games since St. Louis acquired him from Oakland on July 31 and has 14 games remaining to chase Roger Maris’ season record of 61.

The Braves beat the Giants, 5 – 4 on Fred McGriff’s 2-out, 2-run homer off Rod Beck in the 9th inning. The homer caps a 4-run rally for the 1st-place Braves.

Ken Griffey, Jr powers homers #51 and #52 in Seattle’s 7 – 3 win over the Blue Jays. Junior has now hit 100 homers in a 2-year span, just the 6th major leaguer to do so.

Baltimore OF Eric Davis returns to action in the Orioles’ 6 – 5 win over Cleveland only two months after having a cancerous tumor removed from his colon. Davis goes hitless in the contest, but rips a long fly out to deep right-center in his first at bat.

The Mets, 1 – 0 winners yesterday on a home run by diminutive Luis Lopez, use the long ball today to tie the Phils. New York collects four home runs in the 7th and 8th to tie at 6 apiece, then stitch six straight singles in the 10th to score 5 and win, 10 – 5. In the nitecap, the Mets lose, 2 – 1 to Darrin Winston, a 31-year-old rookie released by the Mets in the spring.

Anaheim Stadium, the Big A, gets a new name: Edison International Field of Anaheim. Edison, a utility giant, will pay $50 million over 20 years for a package that includes the name of the stadium, home to the Angels.

The newly renovated Anaheim Stadium will now be known as Edison International Field. The 30 year-old Angels’ ballpark will once again be a baseball-only facility with the NFL Rams, who shared the facility from 1980-1994, having shifted their franchise from LA to St. Louis two years ago.

At Wrigley Field, Kevin Tapani pitches a one-hitter for his first National League shutout and Sammy Sosa breaks a scoreless tie with a two-run, 6th-inning homer as Chicago beats Cincinnati, 5 – 0. Bret Boone’s leadoff single in the 6th is the only Reds hit.

For the second straight day, the Giants lose on a home run, as the Braves win, 6 – 4. Eddie Perez’s grand slam in the 6th gives the Braves a major league record-tying 11 slams for the year.

In Miami, Florida’s Bobby Bonilla fouls off six two-strike pitches before blasting a grand slam with two outs in the 9th inning to give the Marlins a dramatic 9 – 6 win. For Bonilla, it is his 8th career slam. Larry Walker, Andres Galarraga, and Vinny Castilla homer for Colorado, which sets a National League record with 223 homers this year.

Jimmy Key, 0-7 in his last nine starts at Camden Yards, beats the Cleveland Indians, 7 – 2, to give the Orioles a split in a day-night doubleheader. Roberto Alomar has three hits and three RBIs and Brady Anderson and Rafael Palmeiro homer in the win. In the opener, Charles Nagy pitches five-hit ball into the 7th inning and Matt Williams drives home two runs to lead the Indians to a 4 – 2 victory.

Mark McGwire hits his 52nd home run hours after signing a three-year contract with the Cards for $28.5 million. But Cardinals closer Dennis Eckersley collapses in the 9th and the Dodgers come back to win, 7 – 6. McGwire’s 517-foot 1st-inning blast, the longest ever measured at Busch Stadium, ties him for the major league lead with Ken Griffey, Jr..

The Yankees sweep the Red Sox, winning 2 – 0 and 4 – 3. Andy Pettitte pitches eight innings in the opener, striking out a career-high 12. Willie Banks is the winner in the nitecap with 6 2/3 innings.

In a 3-2 victory at Veterans Stadium, Phillies hurler Curt Schilling whiffs nine Mets to become the thirteenth pitcher in major league history since 1900 to record 300 strikeouts in a season. The right-hander, who will finish the season with a career high of 319, will also reach the milestone next year with Philadelphia and in 2002 with the Diamondbacks.

1997 – Jeff Bagwell launches his 40th homer of the season in a 15-3 laugher over San Diego. Sean Bergman is the victim. Bagwell’s blast comes in a six-run fourth that extends the lead to 13-1. Ramon Garcia benefits from the offensive support for his seventh win.

Mark McGwire blasts his 53rd homer, the most since 1961, to pace the Cards to a 12 – 9 win over the Cubs. Rod Myers serves up the gopher ball.

Mo Vaughn responds to the boos of the crowd with a two-run home run in the 8th inning to lead Boston past Toronto, 4 – 3. Vaughn, who makes it 4 – 2 with the homer off Dan Plesac, is booed during introductions and during his first three at-bats in response to his earlier comments that he does not want to return to the Red Sox next season.

Ryan Klesko has four hits including a grand slam off Bobby Jones, to pace the Braves to a 10 – 2 win over the Mets. Jones faces eight batters, walking four and retiring none. Greg Maddux easily wins his 19th. Klesko’s slam gives the Braves 12 for the year, a new major league record. The Braves set another record as they become the first team to clinch six straight postseason appearances.

The Giants beat the Dodgers, 2 – 1, to move a game behind Los Angeles in the National League West.

1997 – At San Francisco, Brian Johnson homers in the 12th inning to give the Giants a 6 – 5 win over the Dodgers and a tie for the lead in the National League West. Rod Beck gives up three singles in the 10th, but strikes out Todd Zeile and gets Eddie Murray on a double play.

In a game in which the Braves become the first franchise to clinch six consecutive postseason berths, the team establishes a new major league record for grand slams. In the first inning of a 10-2 rout over New York, Ryan Klesko blasts the club’s twelfth four-run homer of the season, surpassing the mark set last year by both the Orioles and Mariners.

Marlins C Charles Johnson ties Buddy Rosar’s mark for consecutive games without an error (117), but does make his only passed ball of the year, as the Marlins defeat the Mets, 5 – 2, Johnson will finish the year with 124 games without an E.

Matt Williams pulls the hidden ball trick for the third time, nabbing rookie Jed Hansen

The White Sox tie Boston, 4 – 4, at Fenway Park on Albert Belle’s 9th-inning grand slam off Tom Gordon, then win in the 10th on Frank Thomas’s single. The Red Sox had tied the game in the bottom of the 9th on pinch homers by Curtis Pride and Scott Hatteberg. Boston wastes Butch Henry’s 7 2/3 shutout innings, while Mike Sirotka’s one run in eight innings goes unrewarded. Nomar Garciaparra has a pair of doubles to break Ted Williams’s Red Sox rookie record for total bases. His total is 348 on his way to 365. Tony Oliva set the American League rookie record in 1964 with 374.

Cardinal Mark McGwire becomes the first major leaguer to hit 20 home runs for two different teams in the same season. ‘Big Mac’ had hit 34 with the A’s before being traded to St. Louis.

At Kauffman Stadium, Indians starter John Smiley breaks his arm throwing a curveball warming up in the bullpen. The southpaw, obtained in a midseason trade from the Reds, had recently been placed on the disabled list due to tendinitis.

Brad Radke goes 10 innings to win his 20th as the Twins beat the Brewers, 2 – 1.

The 1st-place Giants top the Padres, 8 – 5 when Stan Javier snaps a 9th-inning tie with a 2-run triple. In the 4th, Barry Bonds legs out an inside-the-park homer when his fly ball in the sun bounces off Greg Vaughn’s knee.

The Cubs beat the Phils, 11 – 3, but Curt Schilling racks up eight strikeouts to match J.R. Richard for the most Ks by a National League righty (313). He’ll finish with 319 strikeouts. Ryne Sandberg, in his final game at Wrigley Field, is 2 for 3 before leaving for a pinch runner in the 5th. He makes a curtain call in the 7th when Harry Caray sings. Kevin Tapani wins his 6th straight start.

The Expos put a dent in Denny Neagle’s possible Cy Young Award as they twice unload back-to-back homers to beat the Braves, 7 – 1. Neagle retires the first 12 batters before giving up a single, then homers to Rondell White and Hensley Meulens. In the 6th David Segui and White hit consecutive homers.

Thanks to the Mets beating the Marlins, the Braves, prior to their 3-2 win over the Expos, capture the National League East title. The title is sixth straight division flag for Atlanta, which breaks the major league record.

Jeff Bagwell steals third base against Mike Remlinger of Cincinnati to become the first 30-30 (HRs, SBs) player in franchise history. Houston tops the Reds, 6-3. A four-run eighth is the difference, keyed by a two-run pinch single by Bill Spiers. 

The Marlins, with a 6-3 victory over the Expos at Montreal’s Olympic Stadium, clinch their first-ever postseason berth. Florida, which reaches the playoffs in just their fifth year in existence, will become the youngest franchise to ever win a World Championship.

In a warm-up for the playoffs, the Indians rally from a 9 – 2 deficit to shock the Yankees, 10 – 9. Tony Fernandez and Tino Martinez match two-run homers, while David Justice and Sandy Alomar also homer for the Tribe.

The Orioles score three runs in the first two innings off Roger Clemens (21-7), then hold on to beat the Blue Jays, 3 – 2.

The Mariners break the record for most home run by a major league team when Jay Buhner goes deep for the club’s 258th round-tripper of the season in the first inning of the 4-3 victory over Anaheim at the Kingdome. The eventual AL Division Champs, who will have six players hit at least 20 homers, break the record established last year by the Orioles, and will extend the mark to 264 round-trippers by season’s end.

With the Blue Jays in last place, Toronto fires manager Cito Gaston before today’s game with the Orioles. Gaston took the team to the World Series in 1992 and 1993. Coach Mel Queen is named as interim manager for the last five games. The O’s then beat the Jays, 9 – 3, to clinch the American League East title. Baltimore was never out of first place, just the 6th major league team to hold first place every day of the season.

Doug Million, the Colorado Rockies’ #1 draft pick in the 1994 amateur draft, dies of an asthma attack at age 21.

NBC’s hit TV show “ER” airs live and uses the Cubs telecast in the background in various scenes to authenticate the telecast’s claim of not being pre-recorded. The medical drama cuts to the game just as Brad Ausmus hits a three-run homer, much to the delight of the Astros’ catcher, who is taping his favorite program to watch later, not knowing he would be part of the cast.

Eleven years to the day that the club won their last title, the Astros clinch the NL Central Division

Joe Carter, donning uniform number 43 to honor recently fired manager Cito Gaston, becomes the Blue Jays career home run leader, hitting his 203rd round-tripper in a 4-3 victory over Baltimore. George Bell, who spent nine seasons in Toronto, had previously set the franchise mark in 1990.

Pedro Martinez records his final strikeout for the Expos, fanning Dale Daulton in the Montreal’s 3-2 victory over Florida at Olympic Stadium. The 25 year-old right-hander, who will be traded to the Red Sox in the off-season for Carl Pavano and Tony Armas, establishes a franchise record with his 305th strikeout of the season.

Four Yankees pitchers combine to one-hit the Tigers, winning by a score of 8 – 2. Andy Pettitte starts and allows a two-run single to Travis Fryman in the 3rd inning, giving Detroit a 2 – 1 lead. Pettitte leaves after four frames and is succeeded by Brian Boehringer (3 innings), Mariano Rivera (1 inning), and Jeff Nelson (1 inning). Rivera receives credit for the win when New York explodes for six runs in the 9th inning.

In the 7th at Shea Stadium, Atlanta SS Rafael Belliard hits his first homer in a decade, off Brian Bohanon, to tie the Mets at 6 apiece. His last came on May 5, 1987, off Eric Show of the Padres. Atlanta wins, 7 – 6, in 11 innings.

Dodger catcher Mike Piazza, in a 10-4 win over the Rockies, hits the longest home run in the history of Coors Field. The 28 year-old backstop’s sixth-inning blast travels 496 feet and hits the left-center field billboard between the scoreboard and the Rockpile.

1997 – The Mariners hand Randy Johnson his 20th win when the Big Unit pitches the 5th and 6th innings in relief of Omar Olivares and Seattle beats Oakland, 9 – 3. Johnson is the first 20-game winner in M’s history, The Mariners stake Olivares to a 7 – 2 lead, but Lou Piniella lifts the starter after four innings. Johnson was sidelined from August 20th to September 13th with a finger injury.

With his 40th home run, catcher Mike Piazza sets a single season Los Angeles Dodger record. Duke Snider holds the franchise record, slugging 43 round-trippers for Brooklyn in 1956.

Toronto’s Roger Clemens goes 8.1 innings against his former team, but doesn’t get a decision when the Blue Jays score two runs in the bottom of the ninth and beat Boston in a 3-2 come-from-behind victory. The right-hander will finish the season with a 21-7 record, the best winning percentage for a starting pitcher on a team that will finish last.

Tony Gwynn of the San Diego Padres ties Honus Wagner’s record by winning his eighth National League batting title

Atlanta scores single runs in the 1st and 2nd innings and Greg Maddux makes them stand up as the Braves hold off the Astros, 2 – 1, to take the lead in their playoff series.

Cleveland scores five runs in the 1st inning, but the Yankees come back to win with five of their own in the 6th to defeat the Indians in Game one of their playoff series, 8 – 6. Tim Raines, Derek Jeter, and Paul O’Neill hit consecutive home runs in the decisive inning, giving Ramiro Mendoza the victory.

SS Edgar Renteria’s 2-out single in the bottom of the 9th scores Charles Johnson with the winning run as the Marlins defeat the Giants, 2 – 1, in the opener of their playoff series.

Baltimore continues dominance over Randy Johnson

Atlanta clubs the Astros, 13-3, to take Game Two of the N.L.D.S. The Braves go up, 2-0, in the series. Eight walks from Mike Hampton does not help Houston’s cause. 

10/3/1997 1997 – The Atlanta Braves and Florida Marlins both sweep their respective NL division series. The Braves, behind a three-hitter by John Smoltz, complete the sweep of Houston with a 4 – 1 win. The Marlins ride a grand slam by Devon White to a 6 – 2 win and sweep of San Francisco.

Atlanta makes quick work of Houston’s post-season.

A solid pitching performance by Jeff Fassero keeps the Seattle Mariners alive in their ALDS with Baltimore, as Seattle wins by a score of 4 – 2.

The Yankees go a game up on Cleveland with a 6 – 1 victory behind a five-hitter by David Wells. Paul O’Neill hits a 4th-inning grand slam, driving in five of the Yankees runs.

1997 – Mike Mussina beats the Mariners and Randy Johnson for the second time and gives Baltimore their second straight trip to the American League Championship Series. Mussina pitches a two-hitter for seven innings to win the game, and the Series, by a 3-1 margin.

1997 – The Florida Marlins take Game 3 of the NLCS by defeating the Atlanta Braves by a score of 5 – 2. Charles Johnson drives home three of Florida’s runs, and Livan Hernandez gets the victory in relief.

Florida Marlins rookie Livan Hernandez matches Mike Mussina’s one-day old League Championship Series pitching record, with 15 strikeouts in a three-hit, 2 – 1 win in Game 5 of the NLCS. Hernandez, who would not have started if not for an injury to Alex Fernandez, wins his second game of the Series and will earn MVP honors.

The Cleveland Indians again score the winning run in their last at bat, coming back from a 4 – 2 deficit to defeat the Orioles, 8 – 7, for their third straight victory in the ALCS. Sandy Alomar, Jr. drives home the winning run with a single after hitting a two-run home run earlier in the contest. He also scores from second base on a wild pitch in the 5th inning. Brady Anderson, Harold Baines and Rafael Palmeiro hit home runs off Jaret Wright in the 5th while Manny Ramirez homers for the Tribe. Jose Mesa blows his second save in two days, but receives credit for the win.

Kevin Brown tosses an 11-hit complete game to capture the Marlins’ first National League pennant

1997 – In the ALCS, Mike Mussina pitches two-hit baseball for eight innings, but the Baltimore Orioles can’t score. Starter Charles Nagy and three relievers of the Cleveland Indians strand 14 Baltimore baserunners. Tony Fernandez hits a home run in the 11th inning off Armando Benitez for the only run of the game as the Indians win the American League pennant for the second time in three years. Anderson is the winning pitcher in relief and Jose Mesa has the save.

Major League Baseball approves a resolution creating a 16-team National League and a 14-team American League for the upcoming season. The plan puts the expansion Devil Ray in the AL Eastern Division, and the NL’s newest team, the Rockies, will play in the circuit’s Western Division.

1997 – For the second straight night‚ Rafael Palmeiro knocks in the winning run to beat the stumbling New Yorkers‚ as the Orioles whip the Yankees‚ 9 – 7. The Yanks had tied the game at 7 apiece on Charlie Hayes’ pinch grand slam. The O’s Chris Hoiles has two RBIs and Cal Ripken‚ showing no effects from signing (a major-league record?) 2200 copies of his new book after last night’s game‚ hits a homer. Ripken did not get through with the autographing until 3:01 a.m. The Orioles extend their winning streak to seven games and move 9 1/2 games ahead of the second-place Yankees in the AL East.

1997 – The first World Series game ever played in Florida belongs to the Marlins. Moises Alou and Charles Johnson hit back-to-back home runs against Cleveland’s Orel Hershiser to make a 7 – 4 winner of Livan Hernandez in Game 1.

1997 – The Cleveland Indians bounce back with a 6 – 1 victory over the Florida Marlins in Game 2 of the World Series. For the Indians, pitcher Chad Ogea gets the win, Sandy Alomar connects for a home run, and Marquis Grissom has three hits.

1997 – In a slugfest, the Florida Marlins plate seven runs in the 9th inning to outscore the Cleveland Indians, 14 – 11, and take Game 3 of the World Series. Gary Sheffield has five RBI for Florida on three hits, including a double and home run. Darren Daulton and Jim Eisenreich also homer for the Marlins, while Jim Thome connects for Cleveland.

the coldest start of any postseason game on record but Indians' bats come out smoking in Game 4 of the World Series

the coldest start of any postseason game on record but Indians’ bats come out smoking in Game 4 of the World Series

1997 – The Florida Marlins move within one win of their first World Series title as Moises Alou hits his second three-run home run of the Series against Cleveland Indians pitcher Orel Hershiser. Rookie Livan Hernandez pitches into the 9th inning of Game 5 and Florida holds off the Indians, 8 – 7.

Craig Biggio is named the winner of the sixth annual Branch Rickey Award for outstanding community service

1997 – In the World Series, pitcher Chad Ogea gets two hits with two RBI and scores one run while also earning the win as the Cleveland Indians force a seventh game with a 4 – 1 victory over the Florida Marlins.

Edgar Renteria singles home Craig Counsell, giving the Florida Marlins their first World Series title with a 3-2 win over the Indians

1997 – Five years to the day after officially acquiring the ballclub, owner Drayton McLane, Jr. is on hand for groundbreaking ceremonies on a new downtown stadium. It’s tentatively named the “Ballpark at Union Station” where the former train depot was located. The stadium is funded in a number of ways and the sale of naming rights will be part of the process. 

1997 - The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum opens in its new home in Kansas City, Missouri

1997 – The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum opens in its new home in Kansas City, Missouri

1997 – Boston Red Sox shortstop Nomar Garciaparra becomes the sixth player to be the unanimous choice for Rookie of the Year. Garciaparra, at age 24, led the American League in hits (209), triples (11), and multi-hit games (68), while also setting the AL rookie-record with a thirty-game hitting streak.

Becoming the fifth Red Sox player to receive the honor, Boston shortstop Nomar Garciaparra (.306, 30, 98) is unanimously selected as the American League Rookie of the Year by the BBWAA. The 23 year-old leadoff hitter led the league with 209 hits.

1997 – Third baseman Scott Rolen is the unanimous choice for the 1997 National League Rookie of the Year Award and becomes the first Philadelphia Phillies player to win the award since Dick Allen in 1964. Rolen led all NL rookies in batting average (.283), home runs (21), runs batted in (92), runs (93), hits (159), doubles (35), total bases (263), on-base percentage (.377) and slugging average (.469). He barely qualified as a rookie, logging exactly 130 at bats in 1996 before breaking his wrist on September 7th when he was hit by a pitch. One more at bat would have disqualified him for the award this year.

In what Bud Selig says is Phase One of a realignment of the major leagues, his Milwaukee Brewers move from the American League to the National League. Phase 2 will have to wait until 2013, however.

In an unprecedented move, Davey Johnson resigns the same day he is named American League Manager of the Year

In an unprecedented move, Davey Johnson resigns the same day he is named American League Manager of the Year

The Boston Red Sox trade pitchers Aaron Sele and Mark Brandenburg and catcher Bill Haselman to the Texas Rangers in exchange for C Jim Leyritz and outfielder Damon Buford.

Dusty Baker as the National League’s Manager of the Year

The New York Yankees trade pitcher Kenny Rogers to the Oakland Athletics for third baseman Scott Brosius 

The new Tampa Bay expansion team names Larry Rothschild as the franchise’s first manager

Roger Clemens becomes the first American League pitcher to win the Cy Young Award four times.

Roger Clemens becomes the first American League pitcher to win the Cy Young Award four times.

The Cincinnati Reds trade pitcher Jeff Brantley to the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for first baseman Dmitri Young.

Pedro Martinez wins the 1997 NL cy young award

Pedro Martinez of the Montreal Expos wins his first Cy Young

Mike Kelly becomes the first major leaguer obtained in a trade by the Rays when Reds deal the 27 year-old outfielder for a player to be named later. Next week, Tampa Bay will send Dmitri Young to the Reds to complete the trade.

Beginning to dismantle their World Champion team, the Marlins trade Moises Alou to the Astros for two pitchers, Oscar Henriquez and Manuel Barrios, and a player to be named later. The outfielder had helped lead Florida to the postseason, batting .292 with 23 home runs and 115 RBIs.

Outfielder Moises Alou is acquired for pitchers Oscar Henriquez, Manny Barrios and Mark Johnson. Alou’s four seasons in Houston are marked with superb play and controversy. In three of those years, he averages 31 homers, 115 RBIs and a .331 batting average. In the other year, he misses the entire season with a knee injury that leaves others questioning his commitment to the team. 

Ken Griffey, Jr. becomes the ninth unanimous pick for the American League MVP Award

Free agent infielder Dave Magadan is signed by the Oakland Athletics.

1997 – Larry Walker of the Colorado Rockies is named National League MVP, becoming the first Canadian in either league to win the honor. Walker, who hit .366 with 49 home runs and 130 RBI, caps off a big week for Canada. Earlier in the week, pitchers Roger Clemens of the Toronto Blue Jays and Pedro Martinez of the Montreal Expos each won the Cy Young Award.

After annually alternating the schedule of the League Championship Series between the divisions, with a 2-3 format in the best-of-five series (1969-84) and a 2-3-2 format in the best-of-seven matchups (1985-1997), the LCS home-field advantage will now be awarded to the team with the best record. In the series that features the wild-card winner, the divisional winner will receive home-field advantage, regardless of which team has the best record.

The Arizona Diamondbacks sign free agent shortstop Jay Bell to a five-year contract.

The Atlanta Braves sign free agent shortstop Walt Weiss to a three-year contract.

The expansion draft starts with several transactions.

National League Cy Young Award winner Pedro Martinez goes from the Expos to the Boston Red Sox 

National League Cy Young Award winner Pedro Martinez goes from the Expos to the Boston Red Sox 

Free agent first baseman Andres Galarraga signs a three-year $24.8 million contract with the Atlanta Braves, ending a five-year stint with the Colorado Rockies that helped put Colorado on the baseball map. Galarraga batted .316 with 172 home runs and 579 RBI with the Rockies, including a National League batting crown in 1993, consecutive RBI titles in 1996 and 1997, and a home run title in 1997.

Jeff Conine, another player who exploded after expansion in 1992, is dealt to the Kansas City Royals by the cost-cutting Florida Marlins.

1997 – The Royals acquire 1B Jeff Conine from the Marlins in exchange for P Blaine Mull.

1997 – Tim Johnson is hired as manager of the Toronto Blue Jays. He succeeds Cito Gaston, who was fired in September after having led the Blue Jays to World Series titles in 1992 and 1993. Johnson, a former bench coach with the Expos and Red Sox, managed the Triple-A Iowa Cubs in 1997, and beat out three others for the job: Buck Martinez, Larry Bowa, and American League Manager of the Year Davey Johnson, who interviewed in Toronto after leaving the Orioles.

land for a new downtown ballpark near the old Union Station terminal are acquired by the H.S.A

1997 – The Toronto Blue Jays sign free agent reliever Randy Myers to a three-year contract.

1997 – Pitcher Doug Henry is signed as a free agent. The reliever posts a three-year mark of 11-8 with five saves and a 3.88 ERA. 

The New York Mets sign pitcher Juei Ushiromatsu, the first Japanese player to sign directly with a major league team without playing professionally in Japan.

Buck_Leonard

Hall of Famer Buck Leonard dies at the age of 90

1997 – The Arizona Diamondbacks obtain 3B Matt Williams from the Cleveland Indians in exchange for 3B Travis Fryman, P Tom Martin, and $3 million.

1997 – The Tampa Bay Devil Rays agree to terms with free agents P Wilson Alvarez, to a five-year contract, and OF Dave Martinez to a two-year contract.

1997 – The Rockies sign free agent P Darryl Kile to a three-year contract.

The Devil Rays start selling individual tickets to the general public for the team’s inaugural season. The Opening Day game will sell out in 17 minutes.

1997 – Jeff Bagwell blasts the front office after pitcher and close friend Darryl Kile agrees to a contract with the Colorado Rockies. Bagwell disputes the numbers the Astros say they offered Kile to stay. General Manager Gerry Hunsicker says he’s disappointed with the reaction of his star player. 

The Indians sign free agent OF Kenny Lofton to a three-year contract, and free agent P Dwight Gooden to a two-year pact. They also trade OF Marquis Grissom and P Jeff Juden to the Brewers in exchange for P Ben McDonald, Ron Villone, and Mike Fetters. Fetters is then sent to the Athletics in exchange for P Steve Karsay.

The Blue Jays sign free agent C Mike Stanley to a two-year contract, and free agent IF Tony Fernandez to a one-year pact.

In other free agent signings, the Devil Rays sign 1B Paul Sorrento to a two-year contract, the Rangers sign SS Kevin Elster, the Diamondbacks ink P Willie Blair to a three-year deal and the Dodgers sign SS Jose Vizcaino to a three-year contract.

1997 – Free agent signings today include IF Jack Howell with the Astros, P Orel Hershiser with the Giants, P Tom Candiotti with the Athletics, OF Luis Gonzalez with the Tigers, SS Jeff Blauser with the Cubs, 3B Wade Boggs with the Devil Rays and P Dennis Eckersley who returns to Boston, after pitching there from 1978 to 1984.

The Yankees sign free agent DH Chili Davis to a two-year contract.

The White Sox sign free agent catchers Charlie O’Brien and Chad Kreuter.

The Orioles sign free agent P Doug Drabek and the Twins sign OF Otis Nixon.

The Braves trade P Chad Fox to the Brewers in exchange for OF Gerald Williams.

The Twins obtain OF Alex Ochoa from the Mets for OF Rich Becker.

The Orioles sign free agent OF Joe Carter.

The Cubs obtain OF Henry Rodriguez from the Expos in exchange for P Miguel Batista.

1997 – The Twins sign much-traveled free agent P Mike Morgan.

The Marlins trade ace Kevin Brown to the Padres for 1B Derrek Lee and pitchers Rafael Medina and Steve Hoff dismantling their championship team

The Marlins trade ace Kevin Brown to the Padres for 1B Derrek Lee and pitchers Rafael Medina and Steve Hoff dismantling their championship team

The New York Mets trade OF Carl Everett to the Houston Astros for P John Hudek.

The Kansas City Royals sign free agent 1B Hal Morris.

1997 – Reliever John Hudek is traded to the New York Mets for outfielder Carl Everett. The righthander comes from nowhere to make the All-Star team in 1994 but returns to reality, leaving Houston with a 5-7 record and 29 saves over four injury-plagued seasons.

The Cubs trade outfielder Doug Glanville to the Phillies for second baseman Mickey Morandini. Chicago’s new infielder will spend two years with the team, hitting a respectable .272 in 298 games, and Glanville, who will become a clubhouse leader, will play the next six seasons in Philadelphia, enjoying his most productive years in the majors as a fine defensive outfielder who can handle a bat and steal bases.

Houston City Council agrees to issue $234 million dollars in bonds for the construction of a new downtown ballpark. 

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