Major League Season Recap 1969

World Series – New York Mets NL over Baltimore Orioles AL 4 games to 1

World Series MVP – Don Clendenon
Babe Ruth Award – Al Weis

ALCS Baltimore over Minnesota 3 games to 0 ALCS MVP –
NLCS New York Mets over Atlanta Braves 3 games to 0 NLCS MVP –

Awards –

Cy Young Award National League Tom Seaver
Cy Young Award American League Mike Cuellar, Denny McLain

MVP Awards –
NL Willie McCovey
AL Harmon Killebrew

NL Rookie of The Year – Ted Sizemore
AL Rookie of The Year – Lou Piniella

Roberto Clemente Award –

All-Star Game – July 23rd 1969 – N.L. 9 over A.L. 3 , played at Robert F. Kennedy Stadium (AL)
AL Starter M. Stottlemyre NL Starter S. Carlton+ MVP W. McCovey+

Baseball expanded by four teams in 1969, adding the Seattle Pilots and Kansas City Royals to the American League and the Montreal Expos and San Diego Padres to the National League. Each league was also split into East and West divisions, bringing about the League Championship Series to decide the winner of each league pennant and the World Series participants. On the field, the story of 1969 was the Miracle Mets, who came from 9 1/2 games behind the Cubs in August to win the NL East. New York continued its hot streak in the playoffs, losing just one postseason game en route to the Series title. 1969 was the first time the Mets had finished above ninth in the National League in their brief nine-year history. New York was led by OF Cleon Jones (.340, 12 HR, 75 RBI) and starters Tom Seaver (25-7, 2.21 ERA) and Jerry Koosman (17-9, 2.28 ERA), and also had youngsters Tug McGraw and Nolan Ryan on the staff. In Earl Weaver’s first full season at the helm, Baltimore won 109 games in the regular season and took the AL pennant before running into the Mets in the World Series. Minnesota’s Harmon Killebrew led the league with 49 HR, 140 RBI, and 145 walks to win the AL MVP award. San Francisco 1B Willie McCovey (.320, 45 HR, 126 RBI) won the award for the Senior Circuit.

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January 4, 1969

Attorney Jack Reynolds says an economic agreement has been worked out between the American League and umpires that will avert a strike this year

January 6, 1969

Umpires Al Salerno and Bill Valentine file a grievance over their dismissal last year

January 11, 1969

Chicago Cubs acquire veteran reliever Ted Abernathy from the Cincinnati Reds

January 18, 1969

Washington Senators name Ted Williams as their new manager

January 18, 1969

The U.S. Congress approves renaming D.C. Stadium to Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium to honor the memory of the former Attorney General and N.Y. Senator, who was assassinated last June while campaigning to be president. The ballpark, which will become better known as RFK Stadium, will continue to host the ‘new’ Washington Senators franchise that replaced the original team that left after the 1960 season to play in Minnesota.

January 21, 1969

Roy Campanella and Stan Musial are elected into the Hall of Fame.

January 22, 1969

Houston Astros trade Rusty Staub to the Montreal Expos for Donn Clendenon and Jesus Alou

January 27, 1969

Phil Plantier is born in Manchester, NH.

January 31, 1969

The American and National leagues agree to try an experimental rule change in spring training using a designated pinch hitter

February 2, 1969

Stan Coveleski and Waite Hoyt are voted into the Hall of Fame by the Special Veterans Committee

February 4, 1969

Bowie Kuhn is named commissioner of Baseball

February 21, 1969

Hall of Famer Ted Williams makes a return to baseball by signing a five-year contract to manage the Washington Senator

February 25, 1969

A pension plan for Major League Baseball is agreed on, with players to receive $5.45 million per year.

February 26, 1969

Boston Red Sox star and American League batting champion Carl Yastrzemski becomes the highest paid player in league history

March 1, 1969

New York Yankees legend Mickey Mantle announces his retirement.

March 5, 1969

1969 – A prodigious pre-season poke promises great things from Pittsburgh’s Roberto Clemente, seemingly recovered from last season’s right shoulder injury. “Clemente, who didn’t put on a uniform until last Monday,” writes Bill Christine in the Pittsburgh Press, “hit a 400-foot home run on his second plate appearance in the final intrasquad game.” Clemente drives a 3-and-2 pitch over the left field wall to lead his team to a 2 – 1 victory. “I’m glad to see his shoulder isn’t bothering him this spring,’ says manager Larry Shepard of Clemente’s 400-foot drive.” But on March 14th, after his dramatic display of right shoulder recuperation, shoulder number two will fall prey to Clemente’s relentless pursuit of a Boston batter’s foul pop in a meaningless exhibition contest.

March 8, 1969

After Donn Clendenon “retires” and refuses to report to spring training, Commissioner Bowie Kuhn rules that Montreal can keep both Rusty Staub and Clendenon, insisting that Houston will have to settle for further compensation rather than voiding the trade. 

March 13, 1969

MLB lowered mound and tightened strike zone and tries an experimental ball 

March 13, 1969

McCovey Inks Contract Ends Holdout

March 14, 1969

Exactly nine days after his splashy spring debut on March 5th, indicative of a full recovery from last season’s right shoulder injury, Pittsburgh Pirates right fielder Roberto Clemente injures the other shoulder. “Clemente, who played last season with a bruised right shoulder,” writes Charley Feeney in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, “injured his left shoulder when he attempted a diving catch of a foul fly in Friday’s game against the Red Sox in Bradenton.” After waiting 10 days for the shoulder to improve with no results, Clemente will return to Puerto Rico to consult his private trainer/chiropractor, Arturo Garcia.

March 14, 1969

Former major leaguer Heinie Zimmerman dies in New York, NY at the age of 82

March 17, 1969

St. Louis Cardinals trade former National League MVP Orlando Cepeda to the Atlanta Braves for catcher/first baseman Joe Torre

March 26, 1969

1969 – An indemnity of $540,000 is paid to the Pacific Coast League for Major League Baseball’s invasion of San Diego and Seattle as a result of this year’s expansion.

March 28, 1969

1969 – The Chicago Cubs purchase Charley Smith from the San Francisco Giants, which had acquired the well-traveled third baseman last December 6th. Smith will reinjure his knee and retire after a few at bats.

March 31, 1969

1969 – Veteran utility player Chico Salmon is traded from the expansion Seattle Pilots to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for pitcher Gene Brabender and infielder Gordy Lund. Salmon will play for three consecutive pennant winners in Baltimore from 1969 to 1971, while Brabender will be the Pilots’ top winner in their only season in Seattle.

April 1, 1969

Lou Pinella Traded by Pilots to Kansas City Royals

April 3, 1969

The Phillies trade first baseman Bill White to the Cardinals for infielder Jerry Buchek and utility player Jim Hutto. White will retire after one season in St. Louis, eventually becoming the president of the National League, after a stint as a Yankee broadcaster.

April 3, 1969

Donn Clendenon ends his retirement and reports to the Montreal Expos

April 7, 1969

Bill Singer gets first official save

April 7, 1969

Ted Williams makes managerial debut for Washington Senators

April 7, 1969

Montreal holds a parade for the Expos

April 8, 1969

Montreal Expos defeat the New York Mets, 11 – 10 in their inaugural game

April 8, 1969

After a long recovery following a 1967 beaning, Tony Conigliaro starts his first game for the Boston Red Sox. His dramatic two-run 10th-inning home run gives the Red Sox a brief lead, and his 12th-inning run wins it, 5 – 4, over the Baltimore Orioles home team.

April 8, 1969

With 23,370 fans in attendance, the Padres dedicate Jack Murphy Stadium, which was formerly called San Diego Stadium, posthumously honoring the sports editor and columnist for the San Diego Union, who was responsible for garnering much of the support to bring an expansion team to the southern California city. Visiting Mets broadcaster Bob Murphy continued to refer to the ballpark using his older brother’s name when the multi-purpose venue became known Qualcomm Stadium after the corporation paid $18 million for the naming rights in 1997.

April 8, 1969

The Pilots make their major league debut, defeating the Angels at Anaheim Stadium, 4-3. Scoring all of their runs in the top of the first inning, Seattle’s leadoff hitter Tommy Harper starts the game with the franchise’s first hit, and then crosses the plate with its first run, when Mike Hegan, the next batter, hits the first homer in team history.

April 8, 1969

Lou Piniella was the first batter in Kansas City Royals history.

April 9, 1969

Billy Williams hits four consecutive doubles, helping the Cubs beat Philadelphia at Wrigley Field, 11-3. The Chicago outfielder’s quartet of two-baggers ties the major-league record for doubles, shared by 29 players and last accomplished by in 1963 by Detroit center fielder Billy Bruton.

April 10, 1969

Tommie Agee of the New York Mets hits a monster shot into the upper deck in left field making it the longest home run to reach the seats in Shea Stadium history.

April 11, 1969

Seattle Pilots Play First Home Game in Sicks Stadium

April 13, 1969

4/13/1969 – The White Sox were in Seattle playing the Pilots with the Pale Hose leading 11-1 after 3 ‘ innings. In the bottom of the fourth, the Pilots staged a rally, scoring four runs. During the inning, Sox manager Al Lopez replaced his battery but placed new hurler Wilbur Wood in the fifth spot in the order where the catcher had been and the new catcher, Duane Josephson, in the ninth spot. In the top of the fifth, the eighth-place hitter, Woody Held, reached second on an infield error. Then Wood mistakenly went to the plate instead of Josephson. Wood successfully sacrificed Held to third base and the lead-off hitter, Buddy Bradford, followed. The White Sox continued this error in the next inning when the fifth spot in the lineup came up. Josephson hit with a runner on first base and grounded into a double play. In the seventh, Josephson hit again in his proper ninth spot and they continued to bat in the correct order for the remainder of the game, which was won by the White Sox , 12-7.

April 14, 1969

Montreal Expos host their first game north of the border

April 15, 1969

1969 – Roberto Clemente’s first hit of the season easily escapes the friendly confines of Wrigley Field. “Clemente, who had been 0 for 12,” writes Bill Christine of the Pittsburgh Press, “attempted to add some adrenalin to the Pirate attack in the 1st inning when he blasted a Joe Niekro fastball out in the street beyond left field.” The first-frame bomb, however, yields but a short-lived lead. “Billy Williams,” writes Lee Jenkins of the Chicago Daily Defender, “showing off his recently acquired ability to go with the pitch, slammed one into the left field bleachers in the 1st and rookie Don Young performed the same feat good for 2 runs in the 2nd to more than counteract Clemente’s tremendous shot over the left-field stands.” Additional adrenalin – accounting for Pittsburgh’s remaining three runs – is supplied by Clemente’s 5th-inning, bases-loaded single, whereby he will significantly enhance Niekro’s understanding of the phrase “dangerous hitter.” Jenkins writes: “Clemente fired a shot through the middle that knocked Niekro down and raced to second base when Young tried for a one-handed scoop and the ball got through for a two-base error with three runs counting.” By the 7th inning, the Cubs have finally wised up. Jenkins continues: “Hank Aguirre knocked off five Pirates before pinch-hitter Jose Pagan lashed a single to lead off the 7th and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Clemente was given an intentional walk after he refused to bite at three Aguirre wide ones. But the crafty veteran fanned Willie Stargell to escape.”

April 17, 1969

Bill Stoneman of the Montreal Expos pitches a 7 – 0 no-hitter against the Philadelphia Phillies in only the ninth game of the Expos’ existence

April 19, 1969

Red Sox trade Ken Harrelson in multi player deal

April 22, 1969

Rollie Fingers wins first major league start, shuts out the Minnesota Twins, 7 – 0

April 23, 1969

Baltimore wins the ten-inning pitching duel that includes Detroit’s Denny McLain retiring 21 straight batters and Baltimore’s Mike Cuellar getting 20 consecutive hitters when Mark Belanger’s single plates Ellie Hendricks, who had doubled to start the final frame, snapping the Tigers’ right-hander’s streak. At season’s end, both starters will share the Cy Young Award when the writers’ choice for the prestigious honor results in a tie in the ballot box.

April 23, 1969

The Boston fans at Fenway Park warmly welcome back team legend Ted Williams when he emerges from the visitor’s dugout to exchange lineups with the umpires. At home plate, the new Washington manager shakes hands with Red Sox coach and dear friend Bobby Doerr, much to the delight of the crowd.

April 24, 1969

Reggie Jackson brawls with twins after he hits homers in his first two at bats

April 25, 1969

Jack Hiatt drives in seven runs in a 12-8 victory over the Houston Astros

April 26, 1969

Homerun added to Ruth total – then taken away

April 30, 1969

Jim Maloney fires second no hitter

May 1, 1969

Don Wilson of the Houston Astros pitches his second career no-hitter

May 2, 1969

Al Lopez resigns as manager of the Chicago White Sox due to health reasons

May 4, 1969

The Houston Astros set a National League record by turning seven double plays against the San Francisco Giants, with first baseman Curt Blefary taking part in all of them. The many twin killings help the Astros to win the game, 3 – 1.

May 6, 1969

Ted Williams and JOE DiMaggio May 6, 1969 – Oakland Coliseum.

May 7, 1969

Willie Davis gets last laugh with a game winning homerun after being hackled by Cubs Fans

May 8, 1969

1969 – Houston storms back from a 6-1 deficit with three runs in the eighth and three more in the ninth to upend the Phillies, 7-6, at Connie Mack Stadium. Jesus Alou has a big night, driving in two runs with a double then producing an RBI single in the two rallies. Johnny Edwards’ two-run single is the game-winner. Fred Gladding quells a Philadelphia threat to save the game for Jack Billingham.

May 12, 1969

Bob Gibson becomes the seventh pitcher in National League history to strike out the side on nine pitches.

May 13, 1969

Cubs rout Padres 19-0 as Ernie Banks drives in 7 and reaches 1500 RBI’s

May 13, 1969

Houston plays their first game outside the United States, a 10-3 pounding of the Montreal Expos at Parc Jarry

May 15, 1969

Willie Horton leaves the Detroit bench during a 2 – 1 win against Chicago and goes AWOL for four days.

May 16, 1969

In the highest-scoring 11th inning ever, Seattle scores six runs, then allows 5, but hangs on for a 10 – 9 win at Boston. Jim Bouton gets the win with three shutout innings. Wayne Comer has a pair of homers, including one in the 11th. John Kennedy adds a homer in the 11th and Rico Petrocelli goes deep in the same inning for the Sox.

May 16, 1969

Ted Williams declares Mike Esptien will hit 40 homeruns – Epstien hits 3 the same day

May 18, 1969

Rod Carew becomes the first player in 28 years to steals second, third, and home in sequence

May 20, 1969

At RFK Stadium, Pilots manager Joe Schultz is ejected for disputing Bernie Allen’s fourth inning ‘foul’ two-run home run that ties the score at 4 in a game his team will eventually lose to Washington, 6-5. According to Jim Bouton’s account in his book, Ball Four, the Seattle skipper is tossed after offering his glasses to the plate umpire Ed Runge.

May 21, 1969

The Mets are at .500 at the latest point of the season in team history. The 18-18 record is reached as Tom Seaver blanks the Braves at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, 5 – 0.

May 22, 1969

Atlanta Braves slugger Hank Aaron is lifted for a pinch-hitter for the first time in his major league career

May 23, 1969

Mickey Lolich sets a Detroit record with 16 strikeouts while defeating Andy Messersmith and the Angels, 6 – 3. Mickey Stanley’s grand slam is the difference. Lolich’s mark breaks the record of 15 set by Paul Foytack in 1956.

May 23, 1969

Pittsburgh’s rookie 1B Al Oliver ties the major league record with 3 errors in one inning‚ and the Bucs lose, 3 – 0, at San Francisco.

May 24, 1969

Padres rookie 2B John Sipin debuts with a pair of triples‚ only the 4th player to do so‚ in a 7 – 5 San Diego loss to the Cubs. They are the only triples of his 68-game career. Sipin bangs his three-baggers in the 1st and 4th innings‚ off Ken Holtzman.

May 24, 1969

Banks slams the Cub’s to a win as Kessingers streak of 41 games on base ends

May 26, 1969

Hank Aaron becomes 3rd player to reach 500 Doubles and Homeruns

May 27, 1969

1969 – Doug Rader belts a grand slam in the bottom of the ninth off Luis Peraza to beat the Phillies, 6-2. Don Wilson strikes out 13 and goes the distance for the victory. Denis Menke also homers. 

May 27, 1969

Harrelson out at home

May 28, 1969

5/28/1969 – For the second time in their new life, the Seattle Pilots were involved in a batting out of order situation. This time, the Pilots were the ones that were confused. The Orioles were in town and Pilots’ skipper Joe Schultz changed the lineup after submitting it to the umpires. The revised lineup had differences in the second through sixth spots, including one player substitution. When Dick Simpson went to center field in the top of the first inning, he was considered an unannounced substitution for Don Mincher according to Rule 3.08(a)(3) and legally in the game. Therefore, Simpson was placed into the fourth spot in the batting order (the umpire does not care about fielding positions). The Pilots batted in the revised, incorrect order into the fifth inning. In the bottom of the first, Dick Simpson walked and stole second but was left stranded there by Wayne Comer and Tommy Davis. In the second inning, Gus Gil struck out and Mike Hegan grounded out. Jerry McNertney singled and scored when Ray Oyler homered. McNertney was out of order but Oyler was not so the homer could not be protested and the score was now 4-2 Orioles. In the third, after Tommy Harper walked, the next three batters all made outs. In the fourth inning, the only damage was another single by McNertney. In the fifth, the Pilots had runners on first and second and no one out. It was time for the second place hitter to bat. Simpson (out of order) struck out and then Comer flew out (in the correct spot after Simpson). Davis, the third-place hitter now batting in the sixth spot following Comer, doubled in both runners and Earl Weaver protested that Davis was out of order. Baltimore was ahead 9-2 at the time. Gil was the proper batter at the time but the umpires declared Simpson the proper batter and called him out for the second time in the inning and the second time in three batters. The official order was followed to the end of the game, which was won by the Orioles, 9-5.

May 28, 1969

The day after he becomes a father, Randy Hundley hits a grand slam and a double, driving in five runs in Chicago’s 9-8 victory over San Francisco at Candlestick Park. The eight-pound, four-ounce baby boy named Todd will follow in his dad’s footsteps, becoming a major league catcher, receiving for the Mets, Dodgers, and the Cubs.

May 28, 1969

1969 – Doug Rader delivers the game-winner again in a 7-6, ten-inning triumph over the Phillies that ties a club-record ten-game winning streak. This time it’s a bases-loaded single off Gary Wagner that sends the crowd home happy. Afterwards, Rader apologizes for not slugging another grand slam.

May 28, 1969

Jerry Kidman sets the Mets strikeout record

May 29, 1969

With the Braves drubbing the Mets, 12 – 0‚ manager Lum Harris lifts Hank Aaron for another Lum – Mike Lum. Lum hits a pinch double off Al Jackson and takes over in LF as the Braves coast to a 15 – 3 win. It is the third time in his career that Aaron has been lifted for a pinch-hitter.

June 3, 1969

Hit No. 2,417 for Roberto Clemente? A game-tying three-run homer which pushes him past two Hall of Famers on Pittsburgh’s hit list. UPI reports: “Jim Merritt yielded all the Pirates’ runs in the 6th when Pittsburgh tied the game, 3 to 3, on Clemente’s homer following singles by Matty Alou and Willie Stargell. It was hit no. 2417 of his career, moving Clemente into third place on the all-time Pirate list ahead of Max Carey and Pie Traynor.” Phil Musick of the Pittsburgh Press speaks with Merritt: “‘I gambled with a little dew-drop on the first pitch to Clemente,’ he said. ‘But I got it too high.’ Clemente’s shot cleared the wall between the scoreboard and the foul pole.”

June 3, 1969

Tom Seaver strikes out 14 batters in eight innings en route to the Mets’ 5-2 win over L.A. at Shea Stadium. The victory, fueled by Ed Kranepool’s two home runs, improves the second-place team’s record to 24-23, the latest they have been above .500 in franchise history.

June 4, 1969

Rod Carew steals home on second triple steal of season for Twins

June 5, 1969

Joe Morgan goes 4-for-4, including a home run and four runs scored, to pace the Astros past St. Louis, 11-6, at the Astrodome. Dooley Womack, the last of six Houston pitchers, gets the victory. Houston wins off the field too, choosing pitcher James Rodney Richard of Ruston, LA with the second overall pick in the draft, behind Jeff Burroughs. Richard has a 21-0 mark in his three years at Ruston High School.

June 7, 1969

The Washington Senators name Jeff Burroughs the number one pick in the June draft. Houston chooses J.R. Richard as the second pick and Cincinnati picks Ken Griffey in the 29th round, while the Kansas City Royals, with a record 90 picks, take Al Cowens with their 84th choice.

June 7, 1969

The Bucs, behind Steve Blass, beat the Braves, 10 – 2, knocking out Atlanta starter Pat Jarvis in the 3rd inning. Pittsburgh’s offensive load is shared by veteran outfielder Roberto Clemente and his young acolyte, rookie catcher Manny Sanguillen, each with a home run and 3 RBIs. ‘Sangy’ also hits a double and his round-tripper is the first of his major league career. Clemente leads up to his homer with two singles and a triple, scoring three and driving in the final three runs of the game with his 9th-inning, 410-foot blast to dead center. As it passes over the 402-foot mark, centerfielder Mike Lum comes up just short in an attempted circus catch.

June 7, 1969

Washington’s D.C. Stadium is officially renamed Robert F. Kennedy Stadium during a memorial service at the ballpark for the slain U.S. senator. In attendance for the ceremony are former NFLer Roosevelt Grier and Olympian Rafer Johnson, both who helped to apprehend RFK’s assassin, Sirhan B. Sirhan, at the Ambassador Hotel.

June 8, 1969

Mickey Mantle Day at Yankee Stadium

June 8, 1969

1969 – Private Larry Dierker, on a 24-hour pass from the Army while fulfilling his military commitment in Louisiana, outduels Steve Carlton for a 2-1, eleven-inning triumph over the Cardinals at the Astrodome. Dierker allows just five hits and caps his night by driving in Julio Gotay with the game-winner. Dierker singled off Joe Hoerner to earn his eighth win of the year.

June 10, 1969

The Mets win their 11th consecutive game, a 9-4 victory over San Francisco Candlestick Park, to establish a franchise record. Later in the season, the Amazins will also a post a ten-game (Sept. 6-13) and a nine-game winning streak (Sept. 21-Oct. 1).

June 11, 1969

Los Angeles Dodgers reacquire former star Maury Wills in a four-player trade with the Montreal Expos

June 11, 1969

Roberto Clemente’s grand slam caps a sixth-run 6th inning propelling Pittsburgh to a 9-6 win 

June 11, 1969

Red Sox outfielder Joe Lahoud bangs out three homers to help beat Minnesota‚ 13 – 5. Lahoud’s efforts cure Tony Conigliaro’s neck ailment and Lahoud will be back on the bench for the game on the 13th against Oakland as Tony C returns to the lineup.

June 12, 1969

Roberto Clemente’s tape-measure two-run blast ties the game at 3-all after six, en route to a come-from-behind 4 – 3 Pirate win over Houston

June 14, 1969

Reggie Jackson of the Oakland Athletics collects 10 RBI  against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park

June 15, 1969

New York Mets acquire first baseman Donn Clendenon

June 15, 1969

En route to setting the National League record of playing in 1,117 consecutive games, Billy Williams, after fouling a pitch off his foot in yesterday’s contest, hobbles to the plate as a pinch hitter in the Cubs’ 7-6 loss to Cincinnati at Crosley Field. The contest marks the first time “Sweet Swingin’ Billy” has not been in the starting lineup during the 878 games of the streak.

June 16, 1969

Rod Carew and Tony Oliva complete two double steals on two consecutive pitches

June 20, 1969

6/20/1969: Yankee Joe Pepitone hit a grand slam off Mike Nagy at Fenway Park. It came in the first inning with no one out in a game called because of rain one batter later.

June 21, 1969

Minnesota scores a club-record 11 runs in an inning, the 10th inning at Oakland, and sets a major-league record for runs in the 10th, in winning 14 – 4. The Twins send 16 batters to the plate in the frame, garnering eight hits, four walks, and three errors. Harmon Killebrew’s 3-run homer is the big blow. Minnesota’s 11 runs match the New York Yankees’ 12th inning of July 26, 1928, for most runs for one club in extra innings, and shatters the previous high for the 10th inning of eight runs. The A’s add a run of their own in the 10th to set a record (12) for runs in the 10th by two clubs.

June 21, 1969

Willie Horton powers two homers, one a grand slam, and drives in six runs to lead the Tigers to a 9 – 5 win over the visiting Senators. Mickey Lolich (8-1) is the winner, allowing just four hits.

June 22, 1969

An American League record-tying, three straight, two-out home runs by Ted Kubiak, Reggie Jackson and Sal Bando in the 3rd inning power a 7 – 3 Oakland victory over Minnesota in the first of two games. Bando also homers in the 1st to back Chuck Dobson’s win over Jim Kaat. Kaat gets a save in the nitecap as Jim Perry squeezes home Tony Oliva with the winning run in the 13th. The Twins win, 4 – 3.

June 22, 1969

Bob Bailey becomes first Montreal Expo to hit 2 homeruns in one game

June 23, 1969

The Reds’ Jim Merritt allows two hits in shutting out the visiting Padres, 5 – 0.

June 23, 1969

At Washington’s RFK Stadium, the National League scores early and often to coast to an easy 9-3 victory over the AL in the 40th All-Star Game. Cardinals southpaw Steve Carlton, the starting and winning pitcher, hits a double in the third inning off Blue Moon Odom to become the last hurler to get an extra-base hit in a Mid-Summer Classic contest.

June 24, 1969

Dick Allen is fined $2,500 and suspended indefinitely when he fails to appear for the Phillies doubleheader game with the Mets

June 24, 1969

The White Sox sweep a pair from the Pilots, winning 6 – 4 and 7 – 6, with reliever Wilbur Wood winning both games, giving up a hit in 3 2/3 innings in the first game and a hit in two innings of the second. In the nitecap, Bill Melton hits three consecutive homers, in the 2nd, 4th and 6th innings, but it takes a homer by Ed Herrmann in the 9th to win it. Jim Bouton pitches in both games for Seattle without allowing a run in 3 2/3 innings.

June 25, 1969

The Mets (14) and Phillies (13) set a National League record for ineptitude by striking out 27 times in the first nine innings of a 10-inning game. The Phils win 6 – 5 when rookie Dave Watkins triples and scores in the 10th. Watkins, who replaces Cookie Rojas when he was thumbed in the 5th, hits his first major league homer as well. Lowell Palmer strikes out nine in 4 1/3 innings for Philadelphia, while Nolan Ryan K’s 10 in 6 1/3 innings.

June 25, 1969

Expos Execute Rare Triple Play – First in franchise history

June 27, 1969

Cubs southpaw Ken Holtzman retires the first 20 batters, before the Cards erupt for two runs in the 7th and one in the 8th to win, 3 – 1. Steve Carlton (8-5) strikes out 12.

June 27, 1969

Orlando “Marty” Martinez, a utility man picked up in an off-season trade with Atlanta, drives home Curt Blefary in the ninth inning for a 5-4 triumph over the Braves. It is the Astros’ tenth straight win, the second time they’ve reached that plateau that season.

June 28, 1969

San Diego suffers its second 19 – 0 shutout of the season, as the Dodgers, behind Don Drysdale, match the National League-record shutout margin

June 29, 1969

Billy Williams sets a new record for the most consecutive games played by a NL player

June 29, 1969

Tony Oliva collects eight straight hits in the Twins’ twinbill split with the Royals. Kansas City takes the opener, 7 – 2, behind homers by Mike Fiore and Bob Oliver. Oliva flies out his first time up, then strokes three singles. In the Twins’ 12 – 2 win in game two, Oliva hits two homers, a double and two singles, driving in five runs.

June 29, 1969

The Reds score three runs in the bottom of the 9th to tie the Giants at six apiece, then win in the 10th, 7 – 6, when Chico Ruiz hits a bases-loaded single.

June 29, 1969

Tom Seaver becomes the Mets’ all-time leader in victories, going the distance in the team’s 7-3 win over Pittsburgh at Shea Stadium. The 24 year-old right-hander surpasses the mark set by lefty Al Jackson, an original Met who won 43 games for the new New York franchise between 1962 and 1965.

June 30, 1969

6/30/1969: At Parc Jarry in Montreal, in the top of the second inning Ernie Banks of the Cubs hit a ball to right field that cleared the fence but was difficult to see in the bad lighting. Expos right fielder Rusty Staub kicked some dirt around and convinced the umpires that the ball went under the fence. Cubs manager Leo Durocher argued the call and was ejected. He then protested the game, won by the Expos, 5-2. This homer would have been #488 for Banks, who finished his career with 512 four-baggers.

July 2, 1969

Reds hurler Gerry Arrigo ties a National League record by hitting three Braves in the 2nd inning of a 9 – 4 Atlanta win. Reds hurlers plunk two more and the Braves set a post-19th century major-league record of five hit batters in one game. It won’t be matched till April 19, 2000.

July 2, 1969

Reggie Jackson Oakland A’s All Star hammers 3 Homeruns vs Seattle Pilots

July 3, 1969

At Los Angeles, Lee May hits a 2-run homer in the 11th and the Reds beat the Dodgers, 4 – 3. For May, second in the National League to Willie McCovey (27) in dingers, it is his 23rd homer, matching his birth date and uniform number (his younger brother Carlos May will also have his birth date as his uniform number). Wayne Granger, the third Red pitcher in the 11th, stops the Dodger rally.

July 4, 1969

The Dodgers take first place in the National League West by sweeping a doubleheader against the Braves in Los Angeles, winning 6 – 7 and 7 – 3.

July 4, 1969

At Kansas City’s Municipal Stadium, Bob Oliver becomes the first player in Royals history to hit a grand slam. The center fielder’s eighth-inning blast comes off Jim Bouton of the Pilots in an eventual 13-2 KC victory.

July 5, 1969

AL East leader Baltimore breaks a 3-game losing streak as Dave McNally (12-0) wins his 14th straight game, 9 – 3 at Detroit. Detroit OF Mickey Stanley plays his 220th straight errorless game and C Bill Freehan picks Paul Blair off third base unassisted. Blair, on third with a triple, strolls too slowly back to the bag after the bat flies out of the hands of Frank Robinson.

July 5, 1969

Minnesota regains the American League West lead behind the pitching of Jim Perry and a 13 – 1 rout of Oakland at Metropolitan Stadium.

July 8, 1969

Roberto Clemente’s final assault on 436. Roberto revisits the scene of the crime, as it were, recalling his overwhelming 1966 assaults on the once-seemingly-impregnable 436-foot Forbes Field barricade. “Clemente’s third hit of the game will provide conversation for at least the rest of the week,” reports Bill Christine of the Pittsburgh Press. “It went over the gate in right-center field, just to the right of the light standard and the 436-foot mark.” Charley Feeney of the Post Gazette elaborates: “Clemente’s drive, off Bill (No-Hit) Stoneman, carried well over the wall in centerfield. Few hitters have hit a ball out of the ballpark in this sector, which is to the right of dead center between the exit gate and the light stanchion.”

July 8, 1969

Ron Santo rips into CF Don Young for two misplays in the outfield

July 9, 1969

Tom Seaver’s near perfect game, immortalized as “The Imperfect Game,”

July 9, 1969

With the Twins hosting Kansas City, the Royals’ Bob Oliver attempts to steal second base with Ellie Rodriguez at bat. Catcher John Roseboro pushes Rodriguez’s bat out of the way and his throw to 2B nails Oliver. After huddling eight minutes with his umpire crew, home plate ump John Rice declares Rodriguez out for interference and orders Oliver back to first base, though the rule states that an out nullifies an interference call. The Royals win, 4 – 3. Harmon Killebrew accounts for all the Twins scoring with a homer.

July 9, 1969

President Richard Nixon watches the Senators for the 4th time this season, and they finally win one for him, beating the Indians, 3 – 0, behind Joe Coleman’s four-hitter.

July 9, 1969

Bob Elson and Red Rush, White Sox radio broadcasting team, have been forbidden to ride on the ball club’s chartered airplanes

July 10, 1969

The Cubs score five runs in the 5th inning to beat the Mets, 6 – 2, behind Bill Hands. The win halts the Mets’ seven-game win streak and leaves the New Yorkers in 2nd place by four games.

July 11, 1969

The Red Sox swat the Orioles twice, winning 7 – 4 and 12 – 3. Reggie Smith is 7 for 9 and stretches his hitting streak to 19 games. Carl Yastrzemski has a homer in each game as the Red Sox total 22 hits in the nitecap, including five by Mike Andrews.

July 11, 1969

Harmon Killebrew powers twins

July 11, 1969

Cincinnati manager Dave Bristol launches a tirade for the ages during a 13-2 massacre by Don Wilson and the Astros

July 13, 1969

Undefeated O’s ace Dave McNally wins his 13th but needs relief help in subduing the Red Sox, 6 – 3. Jim Lonborg, making his first start since breaking his toe on June 21st, takes the loss. Tony Conigliaro has a pair of homers and Reggie Smith stretches his hitting streak to 20 games.

July 13, 1969

In the third meeting between the two brothers, San Diego’s Joe Niekro defeats his brother Phil of the Braves, 1 – 0. Joe is 2-1 over his older sibling.

July 13, 1969

Cubs outfielder Willie Smith gives a boost to a fan who fell from the bleachers

July 14, 1969

At Wrigley Field, the Chicago Cubs top the New York Mets, 1 – 0, to give Bill Hands (11-7) the win over Tom Seaver (14-4). Billy Williams singles home the winner, boosting the Cubs lead to 5 1/2 games. After the last out, Ron Santo jumps up and clicks his heels, igniting a roar from the crowd. The Mets think it’s bush.

July 14, 1969

Joe Coleman posts his second straight shutout and drives in two runs to defeat the Detroit Tigers, 3 – 0, in Washington. A crowd of 23,831 pushes the Washington Senators’ attendance to 553,506, exceeding the club’s 1968 attendance of 542,042.

July 15, 1969

The New York Mets rough up Fergie Jenkins for three home runs, including Al Weis’s second in two days, to beat the Chicago Cubs, 9 – 5. The Cubs now lead New York by 3 1/2 games. At the end of the game Tom Seaver jumps out of the dugout and clicks his heels several times, mocking Ron Santo’s gesture of the day before. The Mets will win tomorrow as well.

July 15, 1969

With President Richard Nixon attending his fifth game of the season, the Washington Senators beat the Detroit Tigers again, 7 – 3. The Tigers pull off the first triple play of the year when Ed Brinkman grounds to 3B Don Wert. Tim Cullen, hitting .206, drives in four runs with a single, double and home run.

July 15, 1969

Reggie Smith collects five straight hits in the opener, stretching his hitting streak to 21, and leading the Boston Red Sox to a 7 – 6 win over the New York Yankees. He gets another hit in the nitecap, a 4 – 1 win by New York’s Stan Bahnsen (5-10), but his hit streak will stop tomorrow.

July 15, 1969

In a twin bill split with the Braves, Lee May hits two home runs in each contest as well as driving in five runs in both ends of the doubleheader. Despite the All-Star first baseman’s performance, the Reds drop the opener 9-8 but come back to win the nightcap, 10-4.

July 15, 1969

In the Braves’ first game after the All-Star break, Hank Aaron goes deep off Clay Carroll in the fifth inning of the team’s 9-8 comeback victory over Cincinnati at Crosley Field. The round-tripper, the 534th home run of his career, moves the ‘Hammer’ into fourth place on the all-time list, ahead of Jimmie Foxx and only two behind Mickey Mantle.

July 15, 1969

Jim Wynn walks during the five-run fourth, breaking a league mark with his 11th straight game with a base on balls

July 15, 1969

Lee May hits four home runs in a doubleheader against the Atlanta Braves

July 16, 1969

Willie Stargell splashes a pitch over the RF fence into the municipal swimming pool at Jarry Park.

July 16, 1969

Pittsburgh Pirates signed 22-year-old pitcher Kent Tekulve as an amateur free agent out of Marietta College

July 16, 1969

Rod Carew ties Pete Reiser record of 7 steals of home in a season

July 17, 1969

Gold Glove pitcher Jim Kaat commits three errors but still beats the Twins, 8 – 5.

July 17, 1969

Sal Bando is 5 for 5 and drives in the first four runs in the A’s 8 – 2 win over Seattle. Don Mincher drives in both runs off Catfish Hunter.

July 18, 1969

Tommy John scatters eight hits in the White Sox’s 6 – 1 win over the Royals. The Sox outfield records no putouts behind John.

July 18, 1969

At Crosley Field, the Astros take a 9 – 0 lead after batting in the 6th, only to lose, 10 – 9. The Reds score a run in the 6th, two in the 7th, and tie it with six in the 8th. Cincy wins it in the 11th when Ted Savage drives in a run off Jack Billingham.

July 18, 1969

Red Sox pitcher Ray Jarvis drives in two runs and beats the Orioles, 6 – 1

July 18, 1969

Back for the first time in over a month after an on-field collision with teammate Hector Torres put him in a hospital, Jesus Alou starts a four-run ninth-inning rally that topples the Reds, 7-4. Alou scores the tying run on a double by Sandy Valdespino then Joe Morgan plates Johnny Edwards with a squeeze bunt for the game-winner.

July 19, 1969

Phillie Dick Allen’s suspension ends, but he incurs a $12,000 fine.

July 19, 1969

The Twins and Pilots suspend an 16-inning game at 7 – 7.

July 19, 1969

At War Memorial Stadium in Buffalo, a knife-wielding gang takes over the clubhouse during batting practice. The International League game is postponed due to “threatening weather.”

July 19, 1969

Washington starter Joe Coleman throws his third consecutive shutout when he blanks the Bronx Bombers, 4-0. The 22 year-old right-hander, the Senators’ first-round pick (third overall) of the amateur draft in 1965, faces only 29 batters in his two-hit masterpiece in New York.

July 20, 1969

San Francisco’s Gaylord Perry connects for his first hit of the year, and his first major league homer, to beat the Dodgers, 7 – 3. The victim of Perry’s dinger is Claude Osteen. Last year, Alvin Dark had remarked to sports writer Harry Jupiter about Perry’s hitting, “They’ll put a man on the moon before he hits a home run.” Perry’s homer comes about 20 minutes after the club house receives word that Neil Armstrong has set foot on the moon.

July 20, 1969

Jim Perry does his brother one better by winning two games today in Minnesota’s sweep of the Pilots. Playing two more innings to complete yesterday’s suspended game, the Twins score four runs in the 18th to win, 11 – 7, then follow with a 4 – 0 win. Perry tosses 11 innings of shutout ball to win the pair. The loser in both games is John Gelnar. In the extra-inning game, the two teams strand a major-league record 44 runners, with the Twins contributing 23. The Mets and Cards will leave 45 runners on during a September 11, 1974 marathon. The two wins means the Twins go into the All-Star break with a four-game lead over the A’s in the American League West.

July 20, 1969

Atlanta blanks San Diego, 10 – 0, to grab a one-game lead over Los Angeles and San Francisco in the National League West.

July 20, 1969

At Connie Mack Stadium during the top of the third inning of the nightcap against the Cubs, play is halted with the two teams moving silently to their respective baselines to look skyward as the Phillies’ crowd is informed word has been sent from Neil Armstrong to Mission Control in Houston that the Eagle had landed on the moon. The game will resume after a recording of Kate Smith’s rendition of “God Bless America” is played, along with a prayer for the safety of the astronauts over the loudspeaker.

July 20, 1969

19-year-old left-hander Vida Blue makes his major league debut for the Oakland A’s

July 21, 1969

A gala All-Star Game banquet in Washington is one of baseball’s great events. An all-time team and all-time living team are announced. Babe Ruth is selected Greatest All-Time Player, and Joe DiMaggio, Greatest Living Player.

July 22, 1969

The All-Star Game, for the first time since its inception in 1939, is rained out due to the soggy conditions at RFK Stadium caused by a torrential rain storm that pelted the nation’s capital during the day. The postponement of the 40th Midsummer Classic, which will be played tomorrow at 12:45 pm, is a disappointment to President Nixon, who had been scheduled throw the ceremonial first pitch, but will be leaving Washington to greet the returning Apollo 11 crew, scheduled to splash somewhere in the Pacific Ocean during the next twenty-four hours after their historic trip to the moon.

July 23, 1969

The NL wins the 40th All Star Game 9-3

July 24, 1969

1969 – At Wrigley Field, Ken Holtzman tops Don Sutton for the 4th straight time – three this year – as Chicago beats the Dodgers, 5 – 3. For a frustrated Sutton, it is a Cubs-record 13th straight loss to Chicago stretching back to his rookie year.

July 25, 1969

1969 – Tony Conigliaro of the Red Sox suffers a wrenched back while hitting a home run against the Seattle Pilots. The injury forces him to walk slowly around the bases before being replaced. The Red Sox win, 7 – 6.

July 27, 1969

Seattle suffers another heartbreaker, losing 5 – 3 to Boston in 20 innings at Sicks Stadium. Joe Lahoud hits a two-run home run in the top of the 20th for Boston, and Tommy Harper matches him in the bottom of the inning for the losers. Jim Lonborg is the winner.

July 27, 1969

In the team’s biggest shutout victory ever, Baltimore routs the White Sox, 17 – 0, as Jim Hardin wins over Billy Wynne. Hardin allows just two hits while the Birds bang out 20, good for 39 total bases. Frank Robinson drives in five runs and hits a pair of homers.

July 28, 1969

Roy Campanella and Stan Musial join the legends of the Hall of Fame when they are inducted during a ceremony in Cooperstown

July 29, 1969

Willie McCovey hit his 300th career homer.

July 29, 1969

Yankee reliever Jack Aker’s string of 33 scoreless innings comes to an end as the A’s rally for three runs to top the Yankees, 6 – 5. Vida Blue, the A’s starter, receives credit for his first major league victory.

July 29, 1969

Major League Baseball proclaims Joe DiMaggio as its greatest living player

July 30, 1969

Bob Tillman, hitting .187, hits three homeruns in a row

July 30, 1969

Denis Menke and Jim Wynn launch grand slams in the same inning for the first time this century

August 1, 1969

Dick Williams pulls Carl Yastrzemski from the Boston lineup after one at-bat and fines him $500 for “dogging it.” Jim Lonborg allows just three hits over eight innings, but the A’s rally in the 9th for three runs and beat the Sox, 4 – 3.

August 2, 1969

In St. Louis, the Cards take a 7 – 1 lead over the Dodgers, and stagger to a 7 – 6 win. It’s the Redbirds’ 6th straight win and 13th in the last 15 games. Vada Pinson has a sacrifice fly but no hits for the Cards, ending his 22-game hitting streak.

August 3, 1969

The Reds win 19-17 after 10 run 5th.

August 3, 1969

Rich Reese’s pinch-hit grand slam in the seventh inning helps the Twins beat the Orioles and Dave McNally at Metropolitan Stadium, 5-2. The defeat is the southpaw’s first loss of the season, ending his fifteen-game winning streak.

August 4, 1969

The Reds win another squeaker, this time 1 – 0 over the Mets at Crosley Field. Jim Maloney (5-2) allows two hits and beats Jerry Koosman.

August 5, 1969

Consecutive home runs in the 5th by Dave Marshall, Ron Hunt, and Bobby Bonds highlight the first of two San Francisco wins at Philadelphia. SF wins the first, 6 – 2, and then the second game, 5 – 3, to regain first place in the National League West by one-half game.

August 5, 1969

Willie Stargell of the Pittsburgh Pirates becomes the first player to hit a home run completely out of Dodger Stadium

August 6, 1969

In an alley behind a Detroit bar, Twins’ manager Billy Martin, intervenes in a scuffle between his starting pitcher Dave Boswell and outfielder Bob Allison, resulting in the right-hander being knocked unconscious and in need of 20 stitches, after being pummeled by his skipper. Although he will miss several starts because of the incident, the 24 year-old Maryland native will finish the season 20-12 for the first-place Minnesota club.

August 6, 1969

Jim Merritt pitches the Reds back into first place in the National League West with a 3 – 2 win against the Mets.

August 7, 1969

At a hastily called news conference, Phillies’ manager Bob Skinner resigns, citing a lack of support from the front office in his efforts to discipline Dick Allen, the team’s temperamental superstar. The 37 year-old skipper will be replaced by his third-base coach, George Myatt, who inherits the fifth-place club with a 44-64 record.

August 8, 1969

Hot-hitting Manny Sanguillen collects a single‚ double‚ and triple to lead the Pirates to a 7 – 1 win over the Padres. Sanguillen is 13 for his last 26. Bob Veale allows 11 hits but strikes out 10 for the win.

August 8, 1969

Three-run homers by Tom Tresh and Willie Horton allow the Tigers to sweep a pair from the White Sox‚ 7 – 3 and 9 – 7. Tresh’s homer comes in the 8th inning of the nitecap. Rookie of the Year candidate Carlos May has two hits in the second game‚ his last before going on weekend Army reserve duty at Camp Pendleton‚ California. While there‚ May suffers a serious injury when a mortar misfires and blows off most of his right thumb. May‚ hitting .281 with 18 homers‚ will have extensive skin grafts and surgery and will return to play 150 games and hit .285 in 1970. His home run output will drop to 12.

August 9, 1969

1969 – The Giants purchase relief P Don McMahon from the Tigers. Tomorrow, he’ll give up four runs in the 9th as the Giants lose, 7 – 4, to the Cards.

August 10, 1969

Mike Cuellar of the Baltimore Orioles extends his streak of consecutive batters retired to 35

August 10, 1969

Don Sutton breaks his 13-game losing streak to the Cubs with a 4 – 2 win at Los Angeles, but needs relief help to do it. Sutton tops Ken Holtzman, who handed Sutton his last four losses to Chicago. It is one short of the most consecutive losses by any pitcher to one club in major league history, and is the National League record for straight losses to a team from the start of a career. Sutton will close out his career with a record of 18-20 versus the Cubs.

August 11, 1969

Los Angeles Dodgers great Don Drysdale announces his retirement

August 12, 1969

Citing “personal problems‚” Yankees 1B Joe Pepitone goes AWOL.

August 12, 1969

Pirate Jose Pagan’s second pinch-hit home run in consecutive appearances ties the major league record‚ but the Giants win, 6 – 3, at Candlestick Park.

August 12, 1969

8/12/1969: Hank Aaron hit a solo homer in the bottom of the first in Atlanta off Grant Jackson of the Phillies. The game was rained out after three innings. The blast would have been the 540th of the Hammer’s career.

August 12, 1969

1969 – Curt Blefary’s three-run bomb off Jerry Koosman leads Houston to an 8-7 victory over the Mets. Blefary drives in four while Doug Rader has a hand in four different rallies. Joe Morgan steals home for the game-winner which was actually a botched suicide squeeze play.

August 13, 1969

Bill Hands pitches a complete game, 4 – 2, win over San Diego. Chicago now has a seemingly comfortable 8 1/2 game lead; they’ll manage to blow it as the Miracle Mets will overtake them.

August 13, 1969

In a 6 – 4 defeat to the Reds, Bobby Bonds becomes the fourth player in major league history steal at least 30 bases and hit at least 30 home runs in the same season. The other members of the 30/30 club include Ken Williams (1922 Browns), Willie Mays (1956 & 1957 – Giants) and Hank Aaron (1963 Braves).

August 13, 1969

In stark contrast to his career-best but famously wasted performance of May 15, 1967, Roberto Clemente’s second career three-home run game brings the desired result, a lightly contested 10 – 5 decision over San Francisco. This time around, Clemente provides power-hitting of both the long-range and up-close-and-personal variety, terrorizing bleacher creature and opposing pitcher alike. Pittsburgh Press writer Phil Musick: “Clemente revealed that he had used four different bats to pound out three home runs and a single that nearly defrocked Giant reliever Frank Linzy.” A summary of the three blasts is provided by Giants beat writer Bob Stevens: “A resumé of the way he hit the homers proves how difficult it is to pitch to this man. He hit one high and away off Mike McCormick over the right field screen in the 1st, he hit one low and inside over the right field screen in the 3rd, also off McCormick, and then when Bobby Bolin challenged him with a high hard pitch down the middle, Roberto crashed it off the flagpole beyond the center field screen to come within one of tying the all-time record of home runs in a single game.”

August 13, 1969

Baltimore’s Jim Palmer leaves no doubt about his comeback with a 8 – 0 no-hitter against Oakland. Reggie Jackson, leading the American League with 42 home runs, walks three times, as the A’s drop two games behind the Twins in the West. Palmer, now 11-2, pushes the O’s lead to a comfortable 14 1/2 games.

August 13, 1969

One day after going AWOL, Joe Pepitone returns to the Yankees but does not play in their 5 – 2 loss to the Twins. Rich Reese is 4 for 4 with two homers and two singles to drive in four runs for the Twins as Jim Kaat is the winner over Mel Stottlemyre (16-9). Reese will have hits his first three at bats tomorrow before flying out.

August 13, 1969

Montreal reliever Elroy Face gives up the last of his record 21 extra-inning gopher balls, an 11th-inning grand slam to the Reds’ Johnny Bench. Cincinnati wins, 8 – 3, in Montreal.

August 13, 1969

After being swept in a three-game series by Houston at the Astrodome, the eventual World Champion Mets fall ten games behind the front-running Cubs in the first-ever NL East race. The third-place New York team will finish the season at a torrid 39-11 pace, finishing the season eight games in front of Chicago.

August 13, 1969

Bowie Kuhn is given a seven-year contract to serve as commissioner.

August 14, 1969

In a 3 – 2 win over the White Sox, the Yankees’ Horace Clarke triples with two on in the 9th, then scores the winning run on a passed ball. Wilbur Wood takes the loss while Jack Aker is the winner.

August 14, 1969

The eventual World Champ Mets drop to third place, nine and half games behind the front-running Cubs.

August 15, 1969

1969 – Don Sutton (15-11) opens a 9-game eastern swing for Los Angeles with a 9 – 2 win at Montreal. The Dodgers remain two games behind the first-place Reds. Montreal reliever Roy Face makes his final major league appearance, a record 657th consecutive relief effort.

August 16, 1969

The Phillies rack up their 4th straight shutout victory when Rick Wise pitches a four-hitter to defeat the Astros, 7 – 0. The Phils set a modern club record with the streak. Dick Allen hits a homer and Wise joins in with a homer and a single.

August 16, 1969

In an 8 – 1 win in Atlanta, St. Louis P Bob Gibson reaches 200 strikeouts (en route to 269) for the 7th season, a National League record.

August 16, 1969

Burly Baltimore Orioles slugger Boog Powell hits an inside park homerun

August 17, 1969

The Tigers tie a club record with six homers, and Denny McLain wins his 19th as he brawls with Charlie Finley

August 17, 1969

After the Pirates open with five runs in the first inning, the Reds answer with four tallies as Pete Rose and Bobby Tolan, the first two Reds hitters in the game, belt homers off Pittsburgh’s Steve Blass. It’s a record-setting second time this year that the duo has led off a game this way: Don Drysdale was greeted on April 7th with double dingers. It’s Pittsburgh day, however, as they win, 8 – 5.

August 17, 1969

The Phils’ streak of four shutouts and 39 consecutive scoreless innings ends when Astros OF Sandy Valdespino steals home in the 1st. Dick Allen and Doug Rader match homers as the Astros win, 3 – 2.

August 19, 1969

John Hollison dies in Chicago at age 99. He was the last surviving major league pitcher to throw from a mound 50 feet from home plate. He pitched in one game in 1892

August 19, 1969

At Wrigley Field, Ken Holtzman no-hits the Braves, 3-0, with Ron Santo’s first inning homer off Phil Niekro providing all of the Cubs’ runs. The no-hitter is the fifth of the season, and the first since 1923 in which no strikeouts are recorded, when Sad Sam Jones accomplished the feat with the Yankees.

August 20, 1969

1969 – With an 8 – 5 win at Philadelphia, the Dodgers take first place in the National League West by a half game.

August 20, 1969

1969 – Larry Dierker becomes the first Astro to record 17 wins in a 2-1 triumph over the Pirates. Dierker fans 14 while scattering seven hits. Houston manages just three of their own but are helped by nine free passes. The Astros are in uncharted waters, seven games over .500, four games out of first and yet in fifth place in the NL West.

August 21, 1969

1969 – Jim Merritt pitches Cincinnati back into the National League West lead with a 5 – 3 win at St. Louis.

August 22, 1969

1969 – Every player in the lineup gets a hit for the Astros in an 8-2 victory in Chicago. Houston worked eight walks to go with 14 hits – all singles. Doug Rader gets three base hits. Jesus Alou drives in three. Larry Dierker tosses a four-hit complete game for his 16th win.

August 24, 1969

Seattle Pilots trade knuckleballing pitcher Jim Bouton to the Houston Astros for pitchers Dooley Womack and Roric Harrison

August 24, 1969

At St. Louis, Hank Aaron belts a 14th inning 3-run homer to give the Braves a 4 – 1 win over the Cards. There are no stolen bases in the game, though Bob Didier and Tim McCarver throw out six would-be thieves between them.

August 25, 1969

Joe Niekro is traded by the Cubs, along with Gary Ross and Francisco Libran, in exchange for right-hander Dick Selma. The 22 year-old never became a favorite of Chicago skipper Leo Durocher, due to his insistence of throwing a knuckleball, the signature pitch that will result in 221 career victories.

August 26, 1969

1969 – Willie McCovey drives in six runs with homer #40, a grand slam, and a sac fly and a single, while Bobby Bonds drives in another five as the Giants bomb the Phils, 13 – 4. The win is the Giants’ 6th in a row and they keep their half-game lead in the NL West. McCovey’s slam – his 2nd of the year – is his career 10th and his six RBIs ups his season total to 106. Gaylord Perry (16-10) is the winner.

August 27, 1969

New York’s 4 – 1 win at San Diego, its 74th of the year, sets a club record.

August 27, 1969

Chicago loses for the 7th time in the last eight games, a 6 – 3 loss to the Reds’ Tony Cloninger. Ken Holtzman is the loser. Chicago is now just two games ahead of the Amazing Mets.

August 28, 1969

Jim Northrup goes 6 for 6 as the Tigers beat the A’s, 5 – 3

August 28, 1969

At a press conference, Commissioner Bowie Kuhn announces the publication of The Baseball Encyclopedia and holds up a copy of the 6 1/2 pound book.

August 28, 1969

Canadian reliever Claude Raymond gains his first win since joining the Expos as they come from behind to beat the Dodgers, 9 – 5. Willie Davis has a pair of singles for LA to stretch his hitting streak to 25 straight games.

August 29, 1969

Houston’s Jim Bouton makes his first National League start and toils 10 innings before losing to the Pirates, 4 – 2.

August 29, 1969

Joe Pepitone quits the Yankees after being fined $500 for leaving the bench during a game.

August 29, 1969

Bill Hands pitches the Cubs to a 2 – 1 win over Atlanta and is helped by two spectacular catches by Oscar Gamble in the 9th. The Cubs’ lead stands at 3 1/2 games.

August 30, 1969

Washington 2B Tim Cullen ties a major-league record with three consecutive errors in the 8th inning, but the Senators beat Oakland, 11 – 3. Frank Howard leads the offense with four hits, including his 41st home run, and his first stolen base in three years.

August 30, 1969

Merv Rettenmund drives in three runs to lead the Orioles to a 6 – 3 win over the Angels. The O’s score their last run on a single by Brooks Robinson in the 7th and three consecutive passed balls by Joe Azcue which ties the American League record. He is the first backstop on the 20th Century list not to be catching Hoyt Wilhelm, though Wilhelm comes in to relief Vern Geishert in the 8th.

August 31, 1969

Morganna, a well-endowed fan dressed in a mini dress, jumps onto the Atlanta Stadium field and kisses the batter Clete Boyer on the cheek. The Braves’ third baseman then promptly ends a 1-for-17 slump with an RBI single and goes on an 8-for-15 tear.

August 31, 1969

In their second trade with Seattle within a week, Houston acquires OF Tommy Davis for outfielders Sandy Valdespino and Danny Walton.

September 1, 1969

The Giants move past the Reds into first place in the NL West with a 12 – 2 win over Montreal.

September 1, 1969

Willie Davis ties the franchise record of hitting in 29 straight games

September 2, 1969

1969 – Ralph Houk signs a new 3-year contract with the Yankees at $65,000 a season, the highest managerial salary in either league, and Joe Pepitone is reinstated.

September 2, 1969

It’s September and the Astros are actually in a pennant race

September 3, 1969

Willie Davis hits a walkoff double in the 9th inning to stretch his hitting streak to 31 games

September 3, 1969

The Reds’ Jim Maloney stops the slumping Cubs on two hits to win, 2 – 0. Bill Hands takes the loss. It’s Maloney’s 9th career two-hitter; he’s thrown three no-hitters and five one-hitters. The Cubs’ lead slips to four games.

September 4, 1969

Down 4 – 1 in the 9th against the Tigers in Detroit, Baltimore gets consecutive home runs from Frank Robinson, Boog Powell, and Brooks Robinson off Earl Wilson to tie. Tom Timmermann then gives up the winning run on a double, sacrifice fly, and Baltimore chop as the O’s win, 5 – 4.

September 4, 1969

After thirty-one games, the third longest consecutive game hitting streak in National League history ends as Dodger Willie Davis is stopped by Dick Kelley and Gary Ross in a 3-0 loss to the Padres.

September 5, 1969

1969 – Billy Williams has all four of Chicago’s hits, as the Cubs lose a 9 – 2 decision to Steve Blass and the Pirates. There’s nothing cheap about Billy’s hits – two doubles and two homers – as he sets a National League record for most hits in a game with no other hits, tying the major-league record of Kid Elberfeld (August 1, 1903). Blass helps his own cause with his only major league homer, a 3-run blast, off Ken Holtzman, and three singles. The win is Pittsburgh’s first at Wrigley Field since July 5, 1968, a string of 13 losses. They’ll win the next two to sweep the series and drop the Cubs lead to 2 1/2 games.

September 5, 1969

Tom Seaver becomes the first pitcher in franchise history to win 20 games in one season when the Mets beat the Phillies at Shea Stadium, 5-1. ‘Tom Terrific’, who will finish the season with a 25-7 record for the world champs, tosses a five-hit, complete game to reach the milestone.

September 5, 1969

1969 – Denis Menke belts a two-run blast in the ninth off Gaylord Perry for a 2-0 shocker over the Giants. Larry Dierker scatters four hits for his 18th win and fans nine to pass 200 strikeouts for the season. 

September 7, 1969

Donald Dubois wins $27,000 when Fred Talbot, the Pilots’ starting pitcher who throws a three-hit shutout, hits a grand slam in the sixth inning of the team’s 8-0 victory over California at Sick’s Stadium. The Gladstone, Oregon native’s good fortune is the result of participating in the expansion team’s “Home Run for the Money” promotion.

September 8, 1969

At Shea Stadium, the Mets top the Cubs, 3 – 2, on Tommie Agee’s 2-run home run. Jerry Koosman beats Bill Hands and strikes out 13 Cub batters. Chicago has now lost five in a row and leads the Mets by 1 1/2 games.

September 8, 1969

The Braves acquire veteran pitchers [Hoyt Wilhelm]] and Bob Priddy from the Angels in exchange for minor league prospects Mickey Rivers and Clint Compton. Hoyt will only stay for a little while as the Braves will waive the knuckleballer to the Cubs in September 1970.

September 9, 1969

Atlanta’s Phil Niekro joins the 20-win circle for the first time with a 2 – 1 defeat of the Dodgers. The victory pulls the Braves into 3rd place, 1 1/2 games from the National League West lead.

September 9, 1969

With a 3 – 2 win, Tom Seaver hands Chicago its 6th straight loss, giving the Mets a sweep of two games. New York now trails the Cubs by one-half game.

September 10, 1969

At Shea Stadium, the Mets move into first place for the first time in their history. The Amazins, with their doubleheader sweep of Montreal, a 3-2 win in 12 innings in the opener and a 7-1 victory in the nightcap, take a one-game lead over the second-place Cubs, who dropped a 6-2 decision to the Phillies.

September 10, 1969

The Cubs drop a 6 – 2 decision to the Phils, and drop to 2nd place, one game back of New York. The Cubs are out of first place after 155 days atop the National League East.

September 10, 1969

Using a major-league record 27 players in one game, the Royals lose, 11 – 4, at California. Andy Messersmith faces 20 different batters in the complete game win, while Kansas City uses six pitchers. Bubba Morton plays just three innings but drives in five runs.

September 10, 1969

1969 – Jim Wynn’s homer and Denis Menke’s bases-loaded double spark an 8-1 win over the Dodgers. Denny Lemaster scatters six hits. The Astros are tied for fourth in the tight N.L. West, but are just two games out of first place.

September 11, 1969

1969 – The Cubs take a 1 – 0 lead into the 3rd inning against the Phils when, with a 3 – 2 count on Dick Allen and runners on first and second, pitcher Dick Selma unexpectedly throws to third base instead of to home. The throws sails over the head of a surprised Ron Santo and the Phils’ Tony Taylor scores the tying run. Selma and Santo had practiced the move in spring training, but had never used it during the season. The Phils go on to win again over Chicago.

September 11, 1969

Implementing an innovation he conceived, team owner Ewing Kauffman announces plans to start the Kansas City Royals Baseball Academy. Syd Thrift, presently a member of KC’s scouting department, will be named the director of the academy which will be designed to develop gifted athletes into major-league ready ballplayers for the organization.

September 11, 1969

Houston Astros vs Los Angeles Dodgers Radio Broadcast

September 12, 1969

Juan Marichal (18-10) pitches a one-hitter, as the Giants beat the Reds, 1 – 0, but Atlanta takes the National League West lead by beating Houston, 4 – 3. Tommy Helms’ 3rd-inning single is the only hit in what Marichal calls “my best game ever.”

September 12, 1969

Pitchers Jerry Koosman and Don Cardwell both hurl 1 – 0 wins and drive in the winning runs, as the hot Mets sweep the Pirates. The Cubs, meanwhile, win, snapping their 8-game losing streak, but now trail by 2 1/2 games.

September 13, 1969

Baltimore becomes the American League East champs when Tom Phoebus wins the clincher, 10 – 5, over Cleveland. Baltimore is 18 games ahead of Detroit with 17 to play.

September 13, 1969

Detroit is eliminated when they lose to the Senators, 11 – 6. The Nats score five in the 5th, three coming home on a Ken McMullen homer, one of his four hits in the game. Detroit rallies in the 6th on Willie Horton’s 3rd grand slam of the year, but McMullen knocks home another two runs to give Darold Knowles (7-3) the win over Tom Timmermann.

September 13, 1969

Bobby Bonds becomes the 4th member of the 30/30 club

September 13, 1969

1969 – Larry Dierker tosses 8-2/3rds no-hit innings against Atlanta in quest of his 20th win. An infield single by Felix Millan breaks up the no-hitter but the game is still tied, 0-0. Dierker leaves in the 13th with a 2-0 lead, only to see ex-Astros Sonny Jackson and Bob Aspromonte key a three-run Atlanta rally for a nightmarish 3-2 defeat. Houston drops to fifth place, 4-1/2 games out of the N.L. West lead. 

September 14, 1969

With more than two weeks left in the season, the Orioles clinch the first-ever American League East title when they beat Cleveland at Memorial Stadium, 7-3. The heavily-favored Birds will sweep Minnesota, the AL West Champs, to capture a pennant, but will lose the World Series in five games to the Amazin’ Mets.

September 15, 1969

Steve Carlton Sets strikeout record at 19 in loss to Mets

September 15, 1969

The Dodgers sweep a pair from the Reds, winning the nitecap in 12 innings. Jim Brewer wins both games with an inning of relief in the opener and four more in the second game.

September 15, 1969

Denny McLain records his 9th shutout, a Tiger record, beating New York, 2 – 0 at Yankee Stadium.

September 16, 1969

1969 – Juan Marichal blanks the Braves, 2 – 0, as the Giants regain first place.

September 16, 1969

Red Sox skipper Dick Williams, with one year left on his contract, is fired by the team as the result of a culmination of a number of things, including a lack of communications with the players, according to General Manager Dick O’Connell. During his rookie season as a manager, Williams led Boston to their Impossible Dream American League pennant in 1967.

September 17, 1969

1969 – The great race in the National League West finds San Francisco ahead in the morning, Los Angeles in front in the afternoon, and Atlanta atop the division at the end of the night. Houston nips the Giants, 2 – 1, while Atlanta takes the Dodgers, 6 – 5.

September 17, 1969

1969 – Larry Dierker becomes the first Houston pitcher to reach 20 wins in a 2-1 victory at San Francisco. Jim Wynn and Doug Rader homer off Gaylord Perry for the decisive runs. For Giant fans, the chance to see Willie Mays hit his 600th homer is the big attraction but Dierker and Jim Bouton limit him to a single and two walks. The Astros are five games over .500 and 5-1/2 games out of first.

September 19, 1969

1969 – Hank Bauer is fired as manager of the Athletics. John McNamara takes over.

September 19, 1969

1969 – Keith Lampard, a native of England, gets his first and last major league homer. It’s a two-run pinch-hit shot in the bottom of the ninth off Wayne Granger to shock the Reds, 3-2. So excited, the Brit almost runs past Jim Wynn on his way around the bases. Wynn had walked for the fourth time of the night. Houston sets an N.L. record for strikeouts with 1,125. Ironically, it’s a knuckleball from Jim Bouton that sets the mark on a squad full of flamethrowers. 

September 20, 1969

Bob Moose of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitches a 4 – 0 no-hitter against the New York Mets at Shea Stadium.

September 21, 1969

In a 3-3 tie in the bottom of the tenth inning at Candlestick Park, LA’s Pete Mikkelsen quickly retires the first two Giants batters, but then is ordered to intentionally walk Willie McCovey, who is 4-for-4 in the game. The Dodger reliever proceeds to issue free passes to the next two hitters unintentionally, loading the bases, and then loses the game when shortstop Maury Wills boots pinch-hitter Jim Davenport’s ground ball.

September 22, 1969

Willie Mays of the San Francisco Giants hits his 600th career home run

September 22, 1969

1969 – Third base coach Salty Parker sends Norm Miller home from third when he sees a white object fly away from Atlanta catcher Bob Didier after a pitch. The object turns out not to be the ball, but a finger cast the catcher was wearing on his glove hand. Miller is easily tagged out. The 5-3 loss creates an unhappy 23rd birthday for sore-armed Larry Dierker who broke in with the Colt .45s on his brithday five years earlier. 

September 23, 1969

In an 8-3 win over the Yankees at Fenway Park, Red Sox first baseman Carl Yastrzemski hits his 200th career home. Yaz, who will hit 452 homers during his 23-year tenure in the major leagues, blasts a third-inning pitch off starter Mel Stottlemyre to reach the milestone, and then adds #201 in the eighth off Lindy McDaniel.

September 23, 1969

John Miller homers and becomes the only player in history to have hit a home run in his first and last plate appearance in the major leagues

September 23, 1969

Dick Williams is fired as manager of the Red Sox

September 23, 1969

The Braves move into first place by pounding the Astros, 10 – 2. George Stone is the winner over Jim Bouton.

September 23, 1969

Umpires Bill Valentine and Al Salerno hit baseball with a $4 million antitrust suit.

September 23, 1969

Exactly one year after their manager suffered a heart attack in the dugout during a game against Atlanta, the Mets give Gil Hodges a reason to breathe a bit easier when the team clinches a tie for the NL East flag by beating the Cardinals, 3-2, on an 11th inning walk-off single stroked by Bud Harrelson off Bob Gibson. Prior to the Shea Stadium victory, Linton H. Bishop, Jr., the skipper’s cardiologist, had sent him a telegram that read, “Happy to see you’re No. 1. Hope your team does as well as your heart.”

September 24, 1969

New York Mets clinch their first post-season berth

September 25, 1969

1969 – John Allyn buys 50 percent of the White Sox from brother Arthur Allyn Jr., giving him complete control of the club.

September 26, 1969

The Senators’ 4-1 victory over Cleveland at RFK Stadium is the team’s 82nd of the season, guaranteeing the ‘expansion Senators’ their first-ever winning record. Ted Williams’ fourth-place team will finish the season with an 86-76 record, marking the first time Washington has had a winning campaign since the original Senators posted a 78-76 mark in 1952.

September 26, 1969

Pirates skipper Larry Shepard is fired with five games to play and is replaced on an interim basis by Alex Grammas. Danny Murtaugh, the team’s pilot next season, will win the National League Manager of the Year Award after his team finishes with 88 victories, just one more win than this year’s squad.

September 27, 1969

1969 – Jim Maloney fires a one-hitter in beating Houston, 3 – 0, at Crosley Field. Joe Morgan’s 3rd-inning single is the only safety.

September 29, 1969

Going deep off Senator hurler Jim Shellenback, Rico Petrocelli becomes the first shortstop in American League history to hit 40 home runs in a season. The Red Sox infielder’s record will stand until 1998, when Alex Rodriguez blasts 42 bombs with the Mariners.

September 30, 1969

The Braves clinch the first ever National League West division with their 3-2 win over the Reds at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. The Lum Harris led club will finish the season three games ahead of San Francisco, but will be swept by New York in the NLCS.

September 30, 1969

The Astros reach 81 wins and, for the first time in their history, experience a non-losing season. 

October 1, 1969

Harmon Killebrew slams his 49th home run of the season

October 2, 1969

Pete Rose, in the eighth inning of the Reds’ 8-3 win at Atlanta Stadium, clinches the National League batting title when he beats out a bunt to third base for a hit in his last at-bat of the season. The day starts with the Cincinnati right fielder tied with Pirates outfielder Roberto Clemente, who goes 3-for-4 against Montreal but finishes .005 of a point behind (.3447 to .3452) the eventual all-time hits leader.

October 2, 1969

In front of a meager crowd of 5,473 patrons, the Pilots play their final game in Seattle, dropping a 3-1 decision to the A’s for their 98th loss of the year. The American League’s newest AL franchise attracts only 677,944 fans to Sick’s Stadium for the season, prompting the last-place team to move to Milwaukee next season to play as the Brewers under new ownership.

October 4, 1969

American League and National League hold their first-ever Championship Series

October 4, 1969

The Mets beat the Braves 9-5 in the first-ever National League Championship Series playoff game. The eventual World Champions will sweep Atlanta in the best-of-five-game series, before confronting the Orioles in the Fall Classic.

October 5, 1969

The Orioles defeat Minnesota in Game 2 of the ALCS, 1-0, with the game’s lone run coming from a Mark Belanger single, two groundouts, and a bunt single by Paul Blair in the bottom of the 11th inning at Memorial Stadium. Dave McNally goes the distance in the longest complete-game shutout in postseason history.

October 5, 1969

Mets pound Braves in game 2 1969 NLCS – Hank Aaron hits his final homerun in playoff action

October 6, 1969

Nolan Ryan Pitches Mets to World Series

October 7, 1969

The Cardinals trade Curt Flood in 7 player deal and Flood refuses to report to Philadelphia starting a dramatic change to the game

October 8, 1969

Reds fire Dave Bristol

October 9, 1969

Cincinnati Reds name George “Sparky” Anderson their manager

October 11, 1969

Don Buford hits Tom Seaver’s second pitch for a homerun leading Orioles past Mets

October 12, 1969

Al Weis’s timely ninth-inning hit, combined with the two-hitter tossed by Jerry Koosman and Ron Taylor, enable the Mets to even the Fall Classic with the Orioles at one game apiece. New York will win the next three games, all played at Shea Stadium, to finish their amazing season with a World Championship.

October 14, 1969

Tommie Agee Saves the Mets in Game 3 of World Series

October 14, 1969

1969 Expansion Draft is held

October 15, 1969

In Game 4 of the Fall Classic at Shea Stadium, Tom Seaver and the Mets beat the Orioles in ten innings, 2-1

October 16, 1969

The New York Mets win their fourth straight game from the Baltimore Orioles to take the World Series in five games

October 22, 1969

1969 – Bill Rigney is named the new manager of the Minnesota Twins.

October 29, 1969

Tom Seaver wins the 1969 National League Cy Young Award

November 5, 1969

1969 – In a trade of pitchers, the Cincinnati Reds send George Culver to the St. Louis Cardinals for Ray Washburn.

November 6, 1969

Tiger Denny McLain and Oriole Mike Cuellar end in a tie for the 1969 Cy Young Award

November 12, 1969

Harmon Killebrew is voted 1969 AL Most Valuable Player

November 20, 1969

Joe Schultz is fired as manager of the Seattle Pilots.

November 20, 1969

In a trade of outfielders , the Cleveland Indians send Jose Cardenal to the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for Vada Pinson.

November 20, 1969

The BBWAA selects Willie McCovey as the National League’s Most Valuable Player

November 21, 1969

Future Hall of Famer Ken Griffey, Jr. is born in Donora, PA

November 24, 1969

1969 – Dave Bristol is named manager of the Seattle Pilots. They will move to Milwaukee, WI before the start of the 1970 season.

November 25, 1969

Lou Piniella of the Kansas City Royals wins the American League Rookie of the Year Award.

November 25, 1969

The Cincinnati Reds trade outfielder Alex Johnson and infielder Chico Ruiz to the California Angels for pitchers Pedro Borbón, Jim McGlothlin and Vern Geishert. The talented but troubled Johnson, who hit over .300 in his two seasons with the Reds, will win the American League batting title in 1970. Borbón and McGlothlin will be valuable additions to the “Big Red Machine” .

November 28, 1969

Second baseman Ted Sizemore becomes the seventh Dodgers player to win National League Rookie of the Year honors.

December 3, 1969

Outfielder Amos Otis is traded to the Royals for third baseman Joe Foy in one of the worst trades in Mets History

December 4, 1969

The Yankees send veteran P Al Downing and C Frank Fernandez to Oakland for 1B Danny Cater and C Ossie Chavarria. They also trade 1B Joe Pepitone to the Astros for 1B Curt Blefary.

December 4, 1969

The Cubs send OF Boots Day to the Cardinals for P Rich Nye.

December 4, 1969

1969 – First Baseman Curt Blefary is traded to the Yankees for first baseman Joe Pepitone. A year to the day since being acquired, Blefary is dealt and his career is never able to recapture the magic of his first three years in Baltimore. Pepitone turns out not to be the answer at first base either and spends less than a year in Houston. 

December 5, 1969

1969 – Chub Feeney succeeds Warren Giles as president of the National League. He is elected for a four-year term, beginning January 1, 1970.

December 7, 1969

“Lefty” O’Doul, one of the most popular figures in baseball history, dies at the age of 72

December 9, 1969

Ramon Garcia is born in Guanare, Venezuela

December 11, 1969

1969 – A Federal Court in New York City rules against the suit of umpires Bill Valentine and Al Salerno because baseball is exempt from antitrust laws.

December 12, 1969

The Mets pick up veteran P Ray Sadecki and OF Dave Marshall from the Giants for OF Jim Gosger and IF Bob Heise.

December 12, 1969

Cleveland trades pitchers Luis Tiant and Stan Williams to the Twins for 3B Graig Nettles and three others

December 13, 1969

1969 – The Red Sox send 1B Syd O’Brien and pitcher Billy Farmer and cash to the White Sox for P Gary Peters and C Don Pavletich. Boston also picks up 3B Tom Matchick from the Tigers for Dalton Jones. Farmer will announce his retirement and in March the White Sox will replace him with P Jerry Janeski.

December 13, 1969

Curt Flood seeks financial assistance against major league baseball

December 15, 1969

1969 – The National Labor Relations Board accepts the case of fired umpires Bill Valentine and Al Salerno, thereby issuing a challenge to baseball’s antitrust status.

December 16, 1969

Pitcher Pat House is traded to Cincinnati for outfielder Jim Beauchamp

December 18, 1969

1969 – The White Sox send veteran left-handed slugger Pete Ward to the Yankees for P Mickey Scott and cash.

December 24, 1969

Curt Flood refuses to accept a trade to the Philadelphia Phillies

December 29, 1969

Curt Flood will sue Major League Baseball over the reserve clause