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Mike Schmidt (.286, 48 HR, 121 RBI) had perhaps his finest season, leading the Philadelphia Phillies to their first ever World Series title in 1980. The Hall of Fame third baseman was named Most Valuable Player of the National League and the World Series. Phillies starter Steve Carlton won the NL Cy Young award, finishing a 24-9 record and a 2.34 ERA. Kansas City 3B George Brett captivated the baseball world with a long chase at an elusive .400 season. Brett was hitting over .400 as late as September 20th and finished the season at .390 as he led his Royals to the American League pennant and earned himself the AL MVP award. The Yankees won 103 games to capture the AL East, leaving the 100-win Baltimore Orioles home in October.\n\nMilestones and Moments from 1980:\nChuck Klein, Duke Snider, and Al Kaline entered the Hall of Fame in 1980…Pushed under new manager Billy Martin, the Oakland A’s had 94 complete games as a staff. Starters Rick Langford, Mike Norris, and Matt Keough all finished more than 20 games each.

World Series – Philadelphia Phillies NL over Kansas City Royals AL 4 games to 2

World Series MVP – Mike Schmidt
Babe Ruth Award – Tug McGraw

ALCS Kansas City Royals over New York Yankees 3 games to 0 ALCS MVP – Frank White
NLCS Philadelphia Phillies over Houston Astros 3 games to 2 NLCS MVP – Many Trillo

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Awards –

Cy Young Award National League Steve Carlton
Cy Young Award American League Steve Stone

MVP Awards –
NL Mike Schmidt
AL George Brett

NL Rookie of The Year – Steve Howe
AL Rookie of The Year – Joe Charboneau 

Roberto Clemente Award – Phil Niekro

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All-Star Game – July 8th 1980 – N.L. 4 over A.L. 2 , played at Dodger Stadium (NL)
AL Starter S. Stone NL Starter J. Richard MVP K. Griffey

National League All-Stars

American League All-Stars

All-Star Managers

All-Star Game Ball Park

Notable Events and Chronology for 1980 Season

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

January 9, 1980

Al Kaline and Duke Snider are elected to the Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers Association of America

January 24, 1980

Nelson Doubleday and Fred Wilpon head a group of investors who purchase the New York Mets from the DeRoulet family for a reported $21.1 million

January 25, 1980

The Mets’ new owners are formally introduced to the local media at Shea Stadium’s Diamond Club. Nelson Doubleday will be the new chairman of the board, replacing the outgoing Lorinda de Roulet, who will play no role in the future of the franchise, and Fred Wilpon is named the president and CEO of the club.

January 28, 1980

Hank Aaron refuses an award from Commissioner Bowie Kuhn honoring him for hitting his 715th home run

January 31, 1980

The Houston Astros sign free agent second baseman Joe Morgan

February 9, 1980

The late Yankee catcher Thurman Munson is inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame of Kent State University.

February 12, 1980

The plan of Marv Davis to buy the A’s from Charlie Finley is thwarted by the American League

February 15, 1980

San Diego Padres trade future Hall of Famer Gaylord Perry

February 16, 1980

Milwaukee Brewers coach Harvey Kuenn has his right leg amputated below the knee after four operations to remove a blood clot.

February 17, 1980

Giants coach Jim Lefebvre and Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda trade punches after a brief argument

February 20, 1980

Billy Ball is born in Oakland

March 5, 1980

Templetontown is born

March 6, 1980

Milwaukee Brewers manager George Bamberger suffers a heart attack at the team’s spring training camp

March 11, 1980

1980 – Chris Burke is born in Louisville, KY. The outfielder/infielder bats .249 during four seasons in Houston (2004-2007) but makes his mark with a home run that wins the 2005 N.L.D.S. over Atlanta in the 18th inning, the longest game in postseason history. 

March 12, 1980

Chuck Klein and former Boston Red Sox owner Tom Yawkey are elected to the Hall of Fame

March 15, 1980

An under the radar transaction would have a big impact on the NL East race. On March 15th, Montreal traded a player to be named later and cash to the San Francisco Giants for catcher John Tamargo

March 24, 1980

Kirk Gibson graces the cover of Sports Illustrated

March 31, 1980

The Montreal Expos trade 1B/OF Rusty Staub to the Texas Rangers in exchange for infielders Chris Smith and LaRue Washington.

April 9, 1980

Two days prior to the start of the season, the Durham Bulls uniforms are stolen. Atlanta Braves minor league director Hank Aaronsends the affiliate team a set of used Braves uniforms to wear on the road as the Bulls decide to wear its road uniforms at home.

April 10, 1980

Sixto Lezcano hits walkoff grand slam off Dick Drago 

April 10, 1980

Goose Gossage allows Mickey Rivers to score the game’s only run from third base when his first and only pitch is wild, giving the Rangers a 1-0 victory.

April 10, 1980

The largest Coliseum crowd in two years came out to witness Billy Martin’s first game

April 11, 1980

Craig Reynolds, homerless the year before, blasts a leadoff homer against Don Stanhouse to spark a five-run eighth-inning rally

April 12, 1980

Cecil Cooper and Don Money of the Milwaukee Brewers each hit 2nd-inning grand slams against the Boston Red Sox

April 12, 1980

Nolan Ryan homers in his debut with the Houston Astros

April 13, 1980

In his first major league start, Charlie Leibrandt of the Cincinnati Reds shuts out the Atlanta Braves, 5 – 0, at Riverfront Stadium

April 13, 1980

The first Q battery in major league history occurs, when Dan Quisenberry (pitcher) and Jamie Quirk (catcher) of the Kansas City Royals face the Detroit Tigers. Detroit wins, 3 – 2.

April 17, 1980

Astros get more steals than hits in a 6-4 loss to the Dodgers

April 19, 1980

J.R. Richard one-hits Los Angeles in a 12-strikeout performance, his 13th straight win over the Dodgers

April 22, 1980

Barry Foote drives in 8 and hits a walkoff grandslam in wild 16-12 Cubs win

April 22, 1980

4/22/1980 – In the bottom of the second inning, the Mariners’ Bill Stein and Joe Simpson batted out of order, both reached base and yet nothing was said. With one out, Simpson doubled to left and then Stein was hit by a pitch. Larry Cox singled to right filling the bases but pinch hitter Leon Roberts grounded into a double play to end the inning and the threat. Seattle scored two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to beat Oakland, 5-4.

April 22, 1980

Nolan Ryan ‘s first win as an Astro comes in an 8-0 victory over Cincinnati.

April 23, 1980

California Angels pitcher Bruce Kison losses no hitter with one out in the 9th for the second time this season

April 25, 1980

J.R. Richard notches his 100th victory, toppling the Mets, 7-4.

April 26, 1980

Steve Carlton “Lefty” fires 6th career one hitter

April 27, 1980

4/27/1980 – In the top of the first at Milwaukee’s County Stadium, there were two out and a runner on first when Roy Howell walked. However, Otto Velez had been the scheduled batter and when the Brewers objected, Velez was called out to end the inning. Toronto won the game, 8-2.

April 28, 1980

4/28/1980: Two players lost homers due to rain. Yankee Reggie Jackson hit a two run home run in the top of the third inning off Jim Palmer while Baltimore’s Ken Singleton led off the bottom of the fourth with a home run off Mike Griffin. The game was called with the Yankees ahead 4-1 after four innings.

May 1, 1980

Bill Madlock of the Pittsburgh Pirates receives a 15-game suspension and a $5,000 fine for hitting umpire Jerry Crawford

May 1, 1980

The Mets are fined by Commissioner Bowie Kuhn as the result of disparaging remarks made against the Yankees by Jerry Della Femina, the president of the team’s advertising agency. The high-powered ad man, who is being paid $400,000 to develop a campaign to bolster the sagging attendance at Shea Stadium, made sarcastic comments about cross-town rival players Reggie Jackson and Bucky Dent, and was quoted to say their Bronx ballpark was in an unsafe neighborhood.

May 1, 1980

Mets starter Pete Falcone sets a franchise record when he strikes out the first six batters he faces

May 3, 1980

Ferguson Jenkins of the Texas Rangers becomes the fourth pitcher in history to record 100 wins in each league

May 3, 1980

Willie McCovey ties Ted Williams with his final homerun

May 3, 1980

1980 – Bill Virdon picks up his 356th win as a Houston manager, setting a team record, as the Astros edge St. Louis, 4-2. Vern Ruhle is the hero, going 8-2/3rds innings for the win, producing two hits and driving in a run. Terry Puhl and Jose Cruz supply two hits apiece. Joe Sambito nails the final out for the save. 

May 4, 1980

Chicago White Sox first baseman Mike Squires catches the final inning of an 11 – 1 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers, becoming the first left-handed catcher to play in major league baseball since Dale Long in 1958.

May 4, 1980

Toronto Blue Jays designated hitter Otto Vélez hits four home runs in a doubleheader against the Cleveland Indians at Exhibition Stadium. In the first game, he hits a grand slamin the 1st inning, followed by a two-run homer in the 8th, and a game-winning solo shot in the 10th. In the following contest, he clubs a three-run home run in the 1st inning. Overall, he has 10 RBI for the day.

May 4, 1980

5/4/1980 – The Dodgers were visiting Philadelphia and the top of the first inning was not Dallas Green’s best day on the way to the World Series championship. Davey Lopes singled and Rudy Law reached on an infield error. After Reggie Smith popped out, Law stole second base. Steve Garvey reached on an infield single, scoring the first run of the game. Dusty Baker then hit into a force out leaving runners on first and third but had batted out of turn. Green came out and pointed out the fact that the proper batter had not hit. Thus Ron Cey was called out, the runners restored to their previous bases and Baker batted again. This time he hit a three-run homer to left. Green now was very upset saying that Baker should not have batted believing according to newspaper accounts that Baker’s force out should count and Cey should be ruled out . He was ejected from the game and protested the game. The protest was denied as the rules were followed correctly. The incorrect decision was Green’s when he did not take the out on Baker’s first trip to the plate. The Dodgers eventually won the game 12-10.

May 5, 1980

National League president Chub Feeney suspends Pittsburgh’s Bill Madlock for 15 days and fines him $5,000 for shoving his glove in the face of home plate umpire Jerry Crawford, after being called out on strikes with the bases loaded in a game a few days earlier.

May 6, 1980

1980 – Cold, damp Olympic Stadium is where the Astros must wait through a rain delay of three hours and 50 minutes to complete an 8-4 victory. Jose Cruz has four RBIs to lead the Astros while Joe Niekro survives the weather and the Expos for a complete-game win. 

May 11, 1980

39-year-old Pete Rose steals second base, third, and home in one inning for the Phillies

May 13, 1980

Ray Knight becomes 11th player in NL Histroy to hit two home runs in one inning

May 13, 1980

Fred Lynn becomes 13th Red sox to hit for the Cycle

May 23, 1980

Ferguson Jenkins of the Rangers wins his 250th career game‚ a 3 – 1 two-hitter versus Oakland.

May 23, 1980

Five hours after the midnight deadline, Major League players and owners avert a strike by announcing a new four-year basic agreement. The new deal raises the minimum salary from $21,000 to $30,000 and increases the clubs’ contributions to the players’ pension fund, but the major issue of free agent compensation remains unresolved.

May 24, 1980

The Reds’ Frank Pastore shuts out the Expos‚ 2 – 0‚ on 2 hits.

May 28, 1980

1980 – Enos Cabell singles home Jose Cruz in the second inning and Nolan Ryan makes it stand up for a 1-0 shutout over San Diego. Ryan fires a two-hitter, striking out seven. 

May 29, 1980

Dodger Bob Welch faces the minimum 27 batters in a 3 – 0 one-hitter against the Braves. The lone Atlanta baserunner is Larvell Blanks‚ who singles in the 4th inning and is erased on a double play.

May 29, 1980

Johnny Bench hits 3 home runs off Randy Jones in Cincinnati’s 5 – 3 win over San Diego. It is the third three-homer game of his career.

May 30, 1980

Detroit Tigers reliever John Hiller announces his retirement

May 31, 1980

Ken Landreaux’s 31-game hitting streak comes to an end when he goes hitless in four at-bats in Minnesota’s 11-1 loss to Baltimore at Metropolitan Stadium. The 33 year-old outfielder’s accomplishment, the longest span in the American League since Dom DiMaggio’s 34 for the Red Sox in 1949, establishes the record for the most consecutive games with a hit in Twins history.

June 3, 1980

New York Mets select heralded outfielder Darryl Strawberry

June 3, 1980

The Expos’ first-round selection in the amateur draft is University of Arizona standout Terry Francona, who will be signed by the team’s general manager John McHale for $100,000. In 1958, McHale, then the GM of the Tigers, had refused to give a $1000 raise to their top pick’s dad, Tito, who had asked for a salary increase to help support a new addition to his family, a son named Terry.

June 4, 1980

1980 – The Yankees‚ with no picks in rounds one and two‚ select 18-year-old Billy Cannon Jr. with their 3rd round pick in the draft. After protests from at least two other teams‚ Bowie Kuhn rules that all the teams but the Yankees had been misled by a telegram sent by Bill Cannon‚ Sr.‚ saying his son was going to play football. A special draft (excluding the Yanks) in August is won by the Indians‚ who offer the young gun $275‚000. But Cannon elects to play football at Texas A&M. Following in the footsteps of his Heisman dad‚ Cannon will be the number 1 pick of the Dallas Cowboys in 1984‚ but a neck injury curtails his career.

June 4, 1980

At Shea Stadium, Jim Kaat, recently traded from the Yankees, goes the distance when the Cardinal left-hander blanks the Mets in 10 innings, 1-0. The 41 year-old hurler, who didn’t start a game last season, gets the victory thanks to third baseman Ken Reitz’s extra inning solo home run.

June 10, 1980

George Brett tears ligaments in his ankle and misses a month

June 11, 1980

In a 7 – 4 win over the Phillies‚ San Francisco rookie Rich Murray hits his first major league home run‚ off Randy Lerch. Rich will hit 3 more and‚ combined with his brother Eddie’scareer total of 504‚ will place them number two on the list of brother combos. Five Murray brothers play pro ball.

June 11, 1980

1980 – J.R. Richard blanks the Chicago Cubs, 3-0, extending his shutout innings steak to 31-2/3rd innings.  He fans eight and walks three, allowing six hits yet says his arm doesn’t feel right. Jose Cruz and Denny Walling give Richard all the support he needs with RBI singles in the first inning. The win marks the first homestand sweep in Houston history, taking six from the Giants and Cubs. 

June 11, 1980

Mike Norris pitches 14 inning complete game, Tony Armas delivers walk off win in Grand style

June 13, 1980

Pete Rose of the Philadelphia Phillies goes 4 for 5 to move past Honus Wagner into fifth place on the all-time hit list with 3,431. Philadelphia starts the game with seven consecutive hits and beats the San Diego Padres, 9 – 6.

June 13, 1980

Vida Blue of the San Francisco Giants defeats the Mets, 3 – 1, as Milt May hits franchise home run #9,000 for the Giants. Monte Ward hit home run #1 for the Giants in 1883, and #8,000 was hit by Bobby Bonds on September 4, 1971.

June 15, 1980

1980 – Jorge Orta of the Cleveland Indians hits a double and five singles and scores four runs in a 14 – 5 triumph over the Minnesota Twins. Toby Harrah records seven RBI for Cleveland.

June 17, 1980

Indians’ GM Jim Campbell announces the team has temporarily closed a 10,500 seat area in the bleachers at Cleveland Stadium due to the behavior of some rowdy fans, who pelted Milwaukee’s outfielders Gorman Thomas and Sixto Lezcano with miscellaneous objects during yesterday’s 5-3 loss to the Brew Crew. The Tribe will reopen the section at the end of the month, after putting in place tighter security and limiting the sale of beer.

June 19, 1980

1980 – Nolan Ryan and Joe Sambito team up to one-hit St. Louis, 2-0. Struggling with the flu, Ryan lasts seven innings before bowing out. Garry Templeton’s third-inning double is the only Cardinal hit. Jose Cruz drives in both Astro runs with a single and sacrifice fly. 

June 20, 1980

Lyman Bostock’s killer Leonard Smith is released

June 20, 1980

White Sox reliever Ed Farmer swears he will take criminal action against Detroit’s Al Cowens following an on-field brawl in Chicago. Cowens hit a grounder to SS, and then charges the mound instead of running to first base. The action stems from an incident a year earlier when a Farmer pitch shattered Cowens’s jaw. American League President Lee MacPhail will suspend Cowens for seven games. The Tigers win, 5 – 3, in 11 innings.

June 20, 1980

Freddie Patek of the California Angels slugs three home runs in a game at Fenway Park

June 22, 1980

Claudell Washington hits his first three National League home runs to lead the Mets to a 9 – 6 win at Los Angeles and snap a seven-game losing streak.

June 24, 1980

1980 – Joe Beckwith makes a wild throw to third in the 12th inning, allowing Cesar Cedeno to score the winning run in a 5-4 triumph over Los Angeles. It caps a 5-for-5 night for Cesar who hits two doubles, steals two bases, drives in two and makes a sensational catch in center. Joe Morgan sends the game to extra innings with a solo shot in the bottom of the ninth. 

June 25, 1980

Five Cleveland pitchers issue 14 walks, including five with the bases loaded, in a 13 – 3 loss to Detroit.

June 26, 1980

1980 – Commissioner Bowie Kuhn voids the Yankees’ drafting of highly-touted high school shortstop Billy Cannon, Jr. Four teams had complained that Billy Cannon, Sr., college football’s Heisman Trophy winner in 1959, misled them with telegrams saying that his son would go to college, in the hopes that he would then be drafted by the Yankees. In a special draft, the Indians will pick Cannon but he chooses to attend Texas A & M instead. The young Cannon will be drafted number one by the National Football League’s Dallas Cowboys in 1984.

June 27, 1980

Jerry Reuss of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches a no-hitter against the rival San Francisco Giants

June 28, 1980

J.R. Richard again leaves after just 3 1/3 innings against Cincinnati in an 8 – 5 loss. In 16 starts, the Houston star has now left early three times with a sore back, three times with a sore shoulder, and three times with a weak forearm.

July 2, 1980

Chicago’s Ross Baumgarten allows only a 7th-inning single to Rod Carew en route to a one-hit 1 – 0 shutout of the Angels. Baumgarten will finish the season 2-12.

July 3, 1980

The major leagues’ largest crowd in seven years (73,096) watches Wayne Garland 2-hit the Yankees, 7 – 0, at Cleveland Stadium.

July 3, 1980

Ken Landreaux ties the modern major-league record with three triples in Minnesota’s 10 – 3 win over Texas. Doug Flynn will match it in a month.

July 3, 1980

The Tulsa Drillers score three runs on a fly out in a 7 – 1 win over the Jackson Mets. With the bases loaded, Ron Gooch flies out to Archie Amerson. Amerson’s throw home to get Mike Jirschele is off-target and the ball bounces away from C Stan Hough as Jirschele and George Wright score. Jackson pitcher Tom Thurberg recovers the ball but his throw is wild as well and hits on-deck batsman Phil Klimas. Mel Barrow charges home with the third run of the play, having legged it from first base.

July 4, 1980

Nolan Ryan strikes out Cesar Geronimo for his 3000th career strikeout

July 4, 1980

Reggie Smith belts the 7,000th home run in Dodgers history and Don Sutton sets a team record with his 52nd career shutout in the Dodgers’ 4 – 0 victory over the Giants.

July 5, 1980

Reds pitcher Bruce Berenyi makes his major league debut and the Astros welcome him with a 6-run first inning. Mario Soto relieves and pitches 8 2/3 inning of shutout ball, allowing just three hits. The Reds rally to win, 8 – 6.

July 6, 1980

Cub relief pitchers hold the Pirates hitless for 12 2/3 innings but it goes for naught in a 5 – 4, 20-inning loss. Cliff Johnson’s 2-out homer in the 9th off Bert Blyleven ties it for Chicago. Jim Bibby (11-1) takes the win.

July 6, 1980

Willie McCovey plays his last game

July 6, 1980

Greg Pryor hits walkoff vs A’s

July 6, 1980

Steve Carlton becomes the all time leader in strikeouts for lefthanded pitcher

July 8, 1980

the 51st All-Star Game features J.R. Richard (10-4) and Steve Stone (12-3) as the starters. Ken Griffey wins the MVP

July 11, 1980

The Dodgers sell knuckleballer Charlie Hough to the Rangers.

July 12, 1980

Jack Clark goes 5-9 with 2 homers and 4 RBI in a double header

July 14, 1980

After fanning the side in the 2nd inning, J.R. Richard leaves after retiring the first batter in the 4th. The Houston Astros pitcher complains of nausea, and the next day, Houston will place him on the 21-day disabled list. The Astros lose today, 2 – 0, to the Atlanta Braves’ Phil Niekro.

July 15, 1980

In an 11 – 7 Cincinnati Reds win over the Montreal Expos, Johnny Bench belts homer #314, establishing a new mark for home runs by a catcher, and #347 overall. The round tripper comes off David Palmer. Bench breaks Yogi Berra’s record and will hold the mark until surpassed by Mike Piazza.

July 15, 1980

Establishing a new mark for home runs by a catcher, Johnny Bench of the Reds breaks Yogi Berra’s record by hitting his 314th round-tripper as a backstop. The future Hall of Famer has also hit 33 dingers while playing other positions.

July 16, 1980

Houston Astros place pitcher J.R. Richard on the disabled list amidst rumors that he is malingering and feigning an arm injury

July 16, 1980

The California Supreme Court rules that Ted Giannoulas, better known as the man inside the San Diego Chicken suit, can appear publicly in chicken suits similar to the one that brought him fame, but not bearing the call letters of San Diego’s KGB radio station. The station had fired Giannoulas when he began appearing publicly in the suit without permission, and claimed it had all rights to the costume, which was first used as a promotional device in 1975.

July 17, 1980

White Sox third base coach Bobby Winkles, baserunner Mike Squires and manager Tony LaRussa go off on third base umpire Fredd Spenn and get ejected

July 18, 1980

The Mets play their 3,000th game in franchise history, dropping an 8-3 decision in the nightcap of a twin bill sweep by Cincinnati at Riverfront Stadium. The Amazins have compiled a 1300-1694 (.434) record along with six ties since playing their first game in 1962.

July 18, 1980

George Brett begins a 30-game hitting streak which boosts his average to .404

July 19, 1980

Roy Lee Jackson retires the last 19 batters he faces en route to a complete-game victory in the Mets’ 13-3 rout of the Reds at Riverfront Stadium. The 26 year-old right-hander benefits from his teammates’ 20-hit barrage in the Cincinnati contest.

July 22, 1980

1980 – Atlanta’s Bob Horner belts two home runs in a 7 – 5 win over the Expos, giving him 15 homers in his last 23 games and 13 in the month of July, just two short of the major-league record shared by Hank Greenberg, Joe DiMaggio and Joe Adcock. Horner will hit one more home run in July, and finish the season with a career-high 35.

July 24, 1980

1980 – Hours after signing a new five-year contract that will boost his salary to $1 million per year, Kansas City’s George Brett goes 2 for 4 in a 12 – 4 win over Chicago to raise his batting average to .379. The Royals lead 2nd-place Texas by 11 games in the American League West.

July 25, 1980

The Cubs fire manager Preston Gomez and replace him with Joey Amalfitano. Chicago is 38-52, last in the National League East.

July 25, 1980

Mike Schmidt becomes the all-time Phillies’ franchise home run leader passing Del Ennis

July 25, 1980

1980 – Astros shock Montreal with seven runs in the ninth inning for a 9-8 triumph. Terry Puhl starts the rally with a blast off Steve Rogers then Jose Cruz, Enos Cabell and Alan Ashby each deliver two-run hits to complete the comeback.  Ashby’s double is his third hit. Frank LaCorte is the surprise winner. 

July 26, 1980

Orioles ace Steve Stone tops Mike Caldwell and the Brewers, 4 – 1, for his 14th straight win.

July 28, 1980

Ron LeFlore steals his 62nd base, and reading the scoreboard stands off base and he is tagged out.

July 30, 1980

 J.R. Richard collapses from a stroke while working out at the Astrodome

July 31, 1980

The Rangers beat the Orioles 7 – 4, snapping pitcher Steve Stone’s 14-game winning streak. Stone is two shy of the American League record of 16 consecutive wins.

August 3, 1980

Al Kaline, Chuck Klein, Duke Snider, and Tom Yawkey are inducted into the Hall of Fame

August 3, 1980

In a 6 – 4 win over Texas, Boston’s Tom Burgmeier finishes the last inning in RF. He’s the first Red Sox pitcher to play a position since Mike Ryba caught in three games in 1942.

August 4, 1980

The Seattle Mariners fire manager Darrell Johnson and replace him with Maury Wills

August 4, 1980

The Reds score eight runs in the 7th en route to an 11 – 2 win over the San Diego Padres.

August 4, 1980

Dave Winfield squares off vs Nolan Ryan

August 5, 1980

 Expos manager Dick Williams wins his 1,000th career game, 11 – 5 over the Mets at Olympic Stadium. He is 3rd in wins among active managers behind Gene Mauch and Earl Weaver. The Expos overcome the offense of Doug Flynn, who ties the modern major-league record with three triples. It was last done in the National League by Ernie Banks, in 1966.

August 10, 1980

1980 – Steve McCatty becomes the 4th A’s starter to pitch a 14-inning complete game this season, losing 2 – 1 to Seattle despite pitching a 6-hitter. Teammates Matt Keough (on May 17th), Mike Norris (June 11th), and Rick Langford (July 20th) have also pitched 14-inning complete games for manager Billy Martin, who will later be widely criticized for ruining their arms through overwork.

August 11, 1980

In the third inning of a 3-1 Yankee victory over the White Sox, Reggie Jackson connects off of Britt Burns for his 400th career home run. Mr. October will finish his 21-year career with 563 dingers, placing him sixth on the all-time list when he retired in 1987.

August 12, 1980

Tiger Stadium is packed with 48‚361 fans to see Mark Fidrych’s return

August 13, 1980

1980 – The Yankees trade righty Ken Clay and a player to be named later to the Rangers for 41-year-old pitcher Gaylord Perry.

August 14, 1980

Mike Norris goes 11 to beat the twins

August 15, 1980

1980 – Oakland’s Rick Langford (13-9) defeats the Mariners, 11 – 3, for his 17th consecutive complete game, the most in the majors since Robin Roberts’ 20 in a row in 1953.

August 15, 1980

The Astros win in 20innings on rare error by the Wizard

August 17, 1980

Al Oliver collects 21 total bases in a double header for a MLB record

August 17, 1980

Al Kaline becomes the first player in franchise history to have his uniform number retired

August 17, 1980

George Brett extend his hitting streak to 29 games

August 18, 1980

Ted Simmonds leads the way going 4-4 supporting Ken Forsch

August 19, 1980

Jon Matlack holds George Brett hitless, snapping his hitting streak at 30 consecutive games, but Kansas City rallies for three runs in the 9th to beat Texas, 4 – 3. Brett batted .467 during the streak and knocked in 42 runs.

August 19, 1980

Baltimore’s Steve Stone becomes the first 20-game winner in the major leagues this season, holding the Angels hitless for 7 1/3 innings on the way to a 5 – 2 victory.

August 20, 1980

George Brett pushes his average to .406 with a 3 for 3 outing in a 5 – 3 win over Texas.

August 20, 1980

The Giants beat the Mets, 2 – 1, but lose Jack Clark for a month after a Mark Bomback pitch breaks a bone in his left hand.

August 20, 1980

Tom Brookens, the Tigers’ number 8 hitter, goes 5 for 5 with a triple and a home run and also starts a triple play in an 8 – 6 win over Milwaukee.

August 20, 1980

Pittsburgh’s Omar Moreno steals his 70th base of the season, becoming the first player this century with three consecutive 70-steal seasons

August 20, 1980

Dan Spilner’s bid for a no-hitter against the White Sox is spoiled by Leo Sutherland’s single with one out in the ninth inning

August 21, 1980

1980 – Rob Wilfong’s 1st-inning single is the only hit off Jack Morris. The Tiger ace beats the Twins, 4 – 2.

August 21, 1980

At a news conference, owner Charlie Finley announces he has sold his A’s to Walter A. Haas, Jr., the chairman of the board of the Levi Strauss clothing empire, Hass’s son Walter J Walter J., and son-in-law Roy Eisenhardt for $12.7 million. The sale to the San Francisco executives, which will become effective in November, keeps the team in Oakland, thwarting oilman Marvin Davis plan to move the team to Denver.

August 22, 1980

Bill Veeck agrees to sell the Chicago White Sox to Youngstown, OH shopping-mall magnate Eddie DeBartolo, Sr. for a reported $20 million

August 23, 1980

Charlie Finley sells the Oakland A’s to the Levi Strauss company for nearly $13 million

August 23, 1980

1980 – Joe Niekro comes on in relief to start the 16th inning of a scoreless tie with the Cubs at the Dome. He wins it himself an inning later when he drives home Enos Cabell for a 1-0 triumph in 17 frames.  Houston pitchers allow just seven hits to increase their lead in the NL West to three games over Los Angeles. 

August 24, 1980

Nolan Ryan holds the Cubs to two hits in nine innings to give the Astros their 10th straight victory, 2 – 1, winning over Bill Caudill. Jose Cruz homers. During the streak, the Houston bullpen has thrown 37 2/3 shutout innings.

August 24, 1980

Gene Mauch resigns as the manager of the Twins, leaving a team with a 54-71 record that is 26 games out of first place. The ‘Little General’ will be replaced by third base coach John Goryl, who will be given with a one-year contract, after he guides the club to 23 victories, including a 12-game winning streak, in the final 36 games of the season.

August 25, 1980

Rangers P Ferguson Jenkins is arrested for possession of illegal drugs

August 26, 1980

San Diego Padres set a major league record by issuing six intentional walks against the New York Mets

August 26, 1980

At Milwaukee’s County Stadium, George Brett strokes four singles and a double in 5 at-bats as the Royals edge the Brewers, 7 – 6. The Kansas City third baseman’s 5 for 5 performance raises his league-leading batting average to .407.

August 27, 1980

Phillies Steve Carlton (20-7) becomes the first National League pitcher to win 20 games this season, combining with Tug McGraw to beat the Dodgers, 4 – 3. Carlton will win an NL-high 24 games, while pitching 304 innings, the last major league pitcher to throw more than 300 innings in a season.

August 27, 1980

Pitcher and coach Hub Kittle becomes the oldest man to play in an organized baseball game when he starts for Springfield (American Association) against Iowa at the age of 63 years and six months. Kittle retires the side in the 1st inning, then tosses one pitch to retire a batter in the 2nd frame before exiting.

August 29, 1980

Behind George Foster’s six RBIs, the Reds overcome a 5 – 0 deficit to beat the Pirates, 8 – 7, in Pittsburgh.

August 29, 1980

The Cardinals promote manager Whitey Herzog to general manager, replacing John Claiborne, who was fired on August 18th. Red Schoendienst will serve as interim field manager, but on October 24th, the Cardinals will announce that Herzog will return as manager in 1981 while retaining his GM duties.

August 29, 1980

A head-first slide by Enos Cabell into first beats the throw of Ivan DeJesus allowing Rafael Landestoy to score the game-winner in a 6-5 triumph over the Cubs. Frank LaCorte comes in to fan Dave Kingman and nail down the save. Cesar Cedeno has two hits and two RBIs to pace the Houston attack. 

August 30, 1980

1980 – Houston veteran Vern Ruhle improves his record to 8 – 3 by shutting out the Cubs.

August 31, 1980

1980 – In Cleveland, reliever Ed Farmer picks up two saves as the White Sox sweep a doubleheader from the Indians. Chicago rallies for eight runs in the last two innings of the opener to win, 10 – 8, then does it again in the nitecap as it scores four in the last two innings to win, 8 – 7.

September 1, 1980

Tigers OF Al Cowens and White Sox reliever Ed Farmer publicly end their long-running feud

September 1, 1980

On the final day of the season, PawSox infielder Wade Boggs loses the International League batting title when he grounds out to first base in his final turn at-bat of the season. The plate appearance is necessitated when the Mud Hens, who are ahead 6-0, issue a two-out intentional walk in the ninth inning to light-hitting Ray Boyer, who makes every attempt to be put out to end the game, but is allowed to stroll around the bases and score on a deliberate error by the Toledo pitcher, forcing Boggs to make one last unnecessary plate appearance that will put him .007 of a percentage point behind Dave Engle, who plays in the outfield for the opponents.

September 5, 1980

George Bamberger (235-180, .556) announces he will step down as the Brewers skipper after tomorrow’s game after spending 2+ seasons with Milwaukee. ‘Bambi’, who will return to the club in 1985 after a two-year stint with the Mets, is replaced in the dugout by Buck Rodgers.

September 6, 1980

1980 – Houston sweeps two from the Cardinals‚ winning 9 – 5 and 6 – 4‚ to move 2 games behind Los Angeles‚ the NL West leaders. Jose Cruz wins the second game with a grand slam.

September 6, 1980

Art Howe ties a club record with his eighth consecutive hit

September 7, 1980

1980 – The Oakland A’s pitch their major league-record 78th complete game of the season as Steve McCatty beats the Orioles, 5 – 2.

September 8, 1980

Commissioner Bowie Kuhn suspends Ferguson Jenkins as a result of the drug arrest last month. The suspension will last only two weeks before an independent arbiter surprisingly reinstates the Cubs right-hander.

September 9, 1980

Reds fireballer Mario Soto strikes out 15 Braves in a 7 – 1 Reds win in Atlanta.

September 10, 1980

Bill Gullickson strikesout 18 batters, the most strikeouts ever recorded by a rookie in a major league game

September 10, 1980

Houston moves into a 1st place tie with the Dodgers in the NL West by beating Los Angeles, 6 – 5.

September 10, 1980

The Phillies’ Marty Bystrom makes his first major league start and beats the Mets, 5 – 0.

September 10, 1980

The Dodgers call up Fernando Valenzuela

September 10, 1980

1980 – Jose Cruz slams a 12th-inning homer off Rick Sutcliffe at the Dome to cap a furious 6-5 victory over Los Angeles to tie the Dodgers for the N.L. West lead. Two Astros were thrown out at the plate earlier trying to score the winning run. Cruz had ignited two rallies that forced a 3-3 tie in regulation. Cesar Cedeno contributes four hits. 

September 11, 1980

Houston takes over sole possession of 1st place from the Dodgers in the National League West by again beating Los Angeles, 6 – 5.

September 11, 1980

In a 6 – 5 win over the Cubs, Montreal’s Ron LeFlore steals his 91st base of the season and Rodney Scott steals his 58th, breaking the major-league record for stolen bases by teammates in one season. Lou Brock and Bake McBride set the record with the 1974 Cardinals.

September 14, 1980

In a 10 – 7 win over the Cubs, Lee Mazzilli homers to break a drought for Mets. It is the team’s first homer in 175 2/3 innings, going back to August 26 when Claudell Washingtonhomered. This will be the longest drought for the rest of the century.

September 14, 1980

Eddie Murray hits three home runs, but Baltimore loses to Toronto, 4 – 3 in 13 innings, to fall five games behind the first-place Yankees in the American League East.

September 16, 1980

Mike Norris, en route to a 22-9 record with the second-place A’s, gets his 20th victory of the season when Oakland beats Texas at Arlington Stadium, 4-2. The 25 year-old right-hander will compile a 58-59 career mark during his ten years in the major leagues with Oakland.

September 17, 1980

After surrendering a two-run home run to Rusty Staub, Rick Langford is removed with two outs in the 9th inning of Oakland’s 6 – 4 win over Texas, ending his consecutive complete game streak at 22.

September 17, 1980

The Reds’ Mario Soto stops Houston, 7 – 0, beating Joe Niekro, who gives up a grand slam to Ray Knight. Houston and Los Angeles are tied for 1st (82-62) with 17 games left on the schedule.

September 17, 1980

The Royals become the first team to clinch a division

September 18, 1980

Willie Wilson steals second and third base in the 2nd inning of Kansas City’s 5 – 2 win over the Angels, giving him an American League-record 28 consecutive stolen bases without being caught. Ron LeFlore had set the previous record in 1978.

September 18, 1980

Gary Ward, playing in only his 14th major league game, becomes the sixth Twins player to hit for the cycle in the team’s 9-8 loss against the Brewers at County Stadium. In 2004, the Minnesota left fielder’s son Daryle will also collect a single, double, triple, and a home run in the same game, making the pair the first father-son combination to accomplish the rare feat in major league history.

September 18, 1980

Joe Morgan victimizes his ex-teammates with a tie-breaking two-run homer as Houston puts a 10-2 hurt on Cincinnati 

September 19, 1980

In the Royals’ 13-3 victory over the visiting A’s, George Brett goes 2-for-4. The third baseman’s two singles keep his batting average at .400, the latest date in the season the plateau has been reached since the feat was last accomplished in 1941 by Ted Williams.

September 19, 1980

The Reds light up Jerry Reuss (17-6) for eight runs in two innings, en route to a 10 – 7 win over the Dodgers. Reuss serves up a grand slam to Johnny Bench, the 9th slam off him this year, a National League record. Steve Garvey and Ron Cey solo for the Dodgers.

September 20, 1980

George Brett of the Kansas City Royals goes 0 for 4 in a 9 – 0 loss to the Oakland Athletics, to drop his average below .400. He is now hitting .396 and will finish the season at .390.

September 20, 1980

In memory of Thurman Munson, a bronze plaque is dedicated to the deceased New York catcher in Yankee Stadium’s Memorial Park. The 32 year-old team captain Munson was killed last season attempting to land his Cessna Citation at Akron-Canton Airport.

September 20, 1980

Baltimore hurler Steve Stone ties a club record for the most wins in a season when he beats the Blue Jays for his 24th victory. The Orioles’ right-hander matches the 1970 totals of both Mike Cuellar and Dave McNally.

September 21, 1980

Steve Carlton of the Philadelphia Phillies sets a National League record by fanning his 3,118th batter, surpassing Bob Gibson on the all-time list.

September 21, 1980

Vern Ruhle hurls 7-2/3rds innings of no-hit ball and claims a 5-1 win in San Francisco that retakes the division lead from Los Angeles

September 24, 1980

1980 – The Braves, with 24,897 watching, beat the Astros, 4 – 2, at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, pushing the Braves over the one million attendance mark for the season. The 11 other National League teams have already reached that milestone, making this the first season ever in which all the teams in one league have done so.

September 25, 1980

The Padres become the first team in baseball history to have three players to steal more than 50 bases in a season when both Jerry Mumphrey and Ozzie Smith swipe their 50th sack in a 5-3 extra-inning loss to Cincinnati. Fellow Friar Gene Richard, who will lead the club with 61 stolen bases, reached the milestone at the end of last month.

September 25, 1980

Brian Kingman loses his 20th game and will become the last 20-game loser of this century, and the first to hurl for a winning team since Dolf Luque

September 26, 1980

Vern Ruhle tosses a four-hitter to blank Cincinnati, 2-0

September 30, 1980

A’s OF Rickey Henderson sets the American League single-season stolen base record with his 97th in a 5 – 1 win over the White Sox, breaking Ty Cobb’s record of 96 set in 1915. Henderson will finish the season with 100 stolen bases.

September 30, 1980

Dodger rookie Fernando Valenzuela wins his first ML game, beating the Giants, 4 – 1. Pedro Guerrero has a home run.

September 30, 1980

In a 12 – 9 Cleveland win over the Yankees, the Tribe’s Ron Hassey has a double and a home run in the 8-run 2nd inning. There are four homers in the game, including Reggie Jackson’s 38th.

September 30, 1980

In front of only 1,754 patrons, Mets southpaw Pete Falcone beats the Pirates in the season’s last game at Shea Stadium, 3-1. The crowd is the smallest ever to attend a game at the Flushing ballpark, 33 fewer fans than yesterday’s meager gathering.

October 1, 1980

Don Zimmer fired in Boston after 1980 campaign

October 1, 1980

1980 – A bases-loaded double by Terry Puhl keys a 5-2 victory over Atlanta. Vern Ruhle fires his third straight complete game to increase his record to 12-4. Houston leads the Dodgers by two games with four to play. 

October 4, 1980

The 17-1 trouncing of the of the Twins proves to be a very historic day for Willie Wilson. The Royals outfielder is the first big league player to be credited with 700 at-bats in one season, sets the American League record for singles in a season with 184, and joins Garry Templeton to become only the second switch-hitter in history to collect 100 hits from each side of the plate.

October 4, 1980

Mike Schmidt’s two-run home run off Stan Bahnsen in the top of the 11th inning gives Philadelphia a 6 – 4 win over Montreal and the NL East title. The home run is Schmidt’s 48th of the season, breaking Eddie Mathews’ single-season record for third basemen set in 1953.

October 4, 1980

The New York Yankees clinch their fourth AL East title in five seasons, beating Detroit, 5 – 2, in the first game of a doubleheader. Reggie Jackson hits his 41st home run of the season and will share the league home run crown with Ben Oglivie of the Milwaukee Brewers.

October 4, 1980

Minnie Minoso of the Chicago White Sox becomes the second player to play in five decades

October 4, 1980

Boston collects 22 hits but still loses to visiting Toronto‚ 7-6 in 17 innings

October 5, 1980

The Yankees break the American League regular season attendance record when 35,879 fans watch the team beat the Tigers, 2-1, in the season finale, bringing the final total 2,627,417. The 1948 Indians previously set the mark when 2,620,627 fans turned turnstiles to watch their Tribe capture the Junior Circuit’s pennant.

October 5, 1980

Reaching first on a fielder’s choice in the top of the seventh in the 4-0 win over the Twins, Royals’ leadoff hitter Willie Wilson establishes a major league record for the most at-bats in a season with 705. The Kansas City outfielder will collect 230 hits and score 133 runs for the division-winning club.

October 5, 1980

Brewers’ outfielder Ben Ogilvie becomes the first non-American born player to lead the American League in home runs. On the last day of the season, the 31 year-old Panamanian goes deep off Oakland’s Rick Langford for his 41st homer, which ties Reggie Jackson for the most round-trippers in the Junior Circuit.

October 5, 1980

In a duel between two 19-game winners on the last day of the season, Scott McGregor enters the 20-win circle for the first and only time when he bests Len Barker in the Orioles’ 7-1 victory over the Indians. The Cleveland right-hander, who gives up six runs in five innings to finish the campaign with a 19-12 record, will never again come close to being a 20-game winner.

October 5, 1980

1980 – Capping an improbable comeback, the Dodgers beat Houston for the third day in a row to force a one-game playoff for the NL West title. The Dodgers trailed Houston by three games with three games left in the season, and won each game by a single run.

October 6, 1980

In the 163rd game of the season Joe Niekro defeats the Dodgers, 7-1, in the winner-take-all contest for the NL West

October 6, 1980

After the club finishes in last place in each of his first three seasons in the dugout; the Mets extend manager Joe Torre’s contract through the 1982 season. During his five seasons with the team, the future Hall of Fame skipper will compile a 286-420 (.405) record for the struggling franchise.

October 7, 1980

The first post-season game in Astros history is a 3-1 loss in Philadelphia in Game One of the N.L.C.S.

October 8, 1980

Houston tastes their first post-season win, a 7-4 ten-inning victory in Philadelphia

October 9, 1980

In Game 2 of the ALCS with the Yankees trailing 3-2 with two outs in the top of the eighth inning, George Steinbrenner is caught on live national television jumping out of his seat and shouting what appears to be profanities when Willie Randolph is tagged out at home on a relay throw by George Brett. The Yankees’ owner wants third base coach Mike Ferraro fired on the spot, but manager Dick Howser refuses, and the skipper will lose his job when the team is swept in three games by the Royals, despite a first-place finish in the American League East, compiling a 103-59 record.

October 10, 1980

 George Brett hits an upper-deck three-run home run off relief ace Goose Gossage to give the Kansas City Royals a 4 – 2 victory and a three-game sweep of the New York Yankees in the American League Championship Series.

October 10, 1980

Denny Walling delivers Rafael Landestoy with a sacrifice fly as Houston wins their first post-season home game, 1-0, over Philadelphia

October 11, 1980

Pete Rose collides with Bochy and scores go ahead run

October 12, 1980

Phillies beat the Astros to clinch World Series Apperance

October 14, 1980

Bake McBride slams 3 run shot to give the Phillies a 1-0 series lead

October 17, 1980

Willie Aikens drives in the winning run in the 10th in game 2 1980 World Series

October 18, 1980

Dickie Noles flips Brett and the 1980 World Series on one pitch

October 19, 1980

Del Unser keys 2 run 9th inning rally

October 19, 1980

Kansas City Royals owner Ewing Kauffman freezes season tickets

October 21, 1980

Phillies win their first World Series ever in the 98-year history of the franchise

October 21, 1980

Pete Rose saves Bob Boone on a Frank White foul pop 1980 World Series

October 26, 1980

Former Yankee and Tiger skipper Ralph Houk comes out of retirement to manage the Red Sox

October 26, 1980

1980 – Al Rosen is named as General Manager. The former Cleveland slugger comes from the New York Yankees’ front office where owner John McMullen used to be a minority partner. Tal Smith is fired as President and General Manager, days before he is awarded Major League Executive of the Year for building the Astros in five seasons into their first pennant-winner. Angry HSA partners force a reorganization, reducing McMullen’s power to make executive decisions without their consent.

October 27, 1980

Ralph Houk, who managed the Yankees and Tigers for 16 years before retiring in 1978, is named manager of the Boston Red Sox.

October 27, 1980

In a shocking announcement, Houston Astros owner John McMullen fires President and General Manager Tal Smith, replacing him with Al Rosen, former GM of the Yankees. Smith will soon be named Major League Executive of the Year. The move prompts a rebellion among the Astros’ 20 limited owners (who together own over 60 percent of the club), and on November 24th, McMullen will give up his sole authority to run the club, accepting a position on the club’s newly-formed executive committee instead.

November 4, 1980

Steve Carlton of the Philadelphia Phillies joins Sandy Koufax, Tom Seaver and Jim Palmer, as pitchers with three Cy Young Awards. Carlton garners all but one of the 24 first-place votes to take National League honors. He posted a 24-9 record with a 2.34 ERA and a league-leading 286 strikeouts.

November 4, 1980

Japan’s all-time home run hitter, Sadaharu Oh, retires from professional baseball. The Tokyo Yomiuri Giants’ first baseman hit a record 868 home runs in his 22-year playing career.

November 6, 1980

1980 – Seattle Mariners general manager Lou Gorman, who had been with the club since its inception, resigns to become vice president of the New York Mets.

November 12, 1980

Baltimore Orioles pitcher Steve Stone wins the 1980 AL Cy Young Award

November 12, 1980

Don Zimmer is named manager of the Texas Rangers, becoming the 10th manager in the club’s nine-year history.

November 13, 1980

In the re-entry draft, Dave Winfield is selected by ten of the 26 teams

November 15, 1980

Braves sign Claudell Washington

November 18, 1980

Despite having missed 45 games with injuries, George Brett is named American League Most Valuable Player

November 21, 1980

New York Yankees fire manager Dick Howser, who led the club to a regular season record of 103 wins and 59 losses

November 25, 1980

1980 – Gene Michael becomes the 25th manager in New York Yankees history, replacing a resigning Dick Howser. Under Michael, the Yankees will finish first in the first half of the strike-shortened 1981, season, but Michael will already be gone by the time the postseason rolls around.

November 26, 1980

Outfielder Ron LeFlore, who hit .257 with 97 stolen bases for the Montreal Expos last season, signs as a free agent with the Chicago White Sox.

November 26, 1980

Philadelphia Phillies third baseman Mike Schmidt, who hit .286 with career highs of 48 home runs and 121 RBI, is a unanimous choice as National League Most Valuable Player.

December 1, 1980

1980 – Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Steve Howe wins the 1980 National League Rookie of the Year Award, edging Montreal Expos starter Bill Gullickson and outfielder Lonnie Smith of the Philadelphia Phillies. Howe posted a 7-9 record with a 2.65 ERA and 17 saves.

December 3, 1980

Don Sutton, the winningest pitcher in Los Angeles Dodgers history, signs a four-year contract with the Houston Astros. Sutton posted a 13-5 record in 1980 with a National League leading 2.21 ERA.

December 3, 1980

Cleveland Indians outfielder Joe Charboneau, who hit .289 with 23 home runs and collected 87 RBI, is named American League Rookie of the Year.

December 7, 1980

Darrell Porter signs with Cardinals

December 8, 1980

The Cardinals and Padres complete the first major trade at the annual winter meetings in Dallas, TX. Reliever Rollie Fingers, who won 11 games and saved 23 for San Diego in 1980, and 24-year-old catcher Terry Kennedy, who hit .254 for St. Louis, are the keys in the 11-player swap.

December 8, 1980

Enos Cabell is dealt to San Francisco for pitcher Bob Knepper.

December 9, 1980

The Pirates trade P Bert Blyleven and C Manny Sanguillen to the Indians for P Bob Owchinko, P Victor Cruz, C Gary Alexander, and minor league P Rafael Vasquez.

December 9, 1980

Giants manager Dave Bristol is fired.

December 9, 1980

The Cubs trade reliever Bruce Sutter, the 1979 National League Cy Young Award winner to the Cardinals for 3B Ken Reitz, OF-1B Leon Durham

December 10, 1980

The Red Sox trade SS Rick Burleson and 3B Butch Hobson to the Angels for 3B Carney Lansford, CF Rick Miller, and P Mark Clear.

December 12, 1980

St. Louis Cardinals send pitchers Rollie Fingers and Pete Vuckovich, and catcher Ted Simmons to the Milwaukee Brewers

December 12, 1980

In a ten player deal the Mariners receive Richie Zish and the Rangers receive Rick Honeycutt

December 13, 1980

1980 – The Cubs send Mike Vail to the Reds in exchange for Hector Cruz.

December 14, 1980

Elston Howard, the first black player to play for the New York Yankees, dies of heart failure at the age of 51

December 15, 1980

Dave Winfield becomes the highest-paid player in the history of sports, when he agrees to a ten-year free-agent deal with the Yankees worth a record $16 million.

December 18, 1980

Ferguson Jenkins is convicted on cocaine possession charges in a Canadian court

December 20, 1980

1980 – Unless contracts are tendered to certain veterans by today’s deadline, the Basic Agreement requires they be allowed to become free agents. In a major blunder, the Red Sox will miss the deadline, permitting All-Stars Fred Lynn and Carlton Fisk to be eligible for free agency.

December 22, 1980

The St. Louis Cardinals release outfielder Bobby Bonds. Despite his 326 home runs and 456 stolen bases in 13 seasons, Bonds hit just .203 with St. Louis in 1980. He will make one more stop, his sixth in the last four years, with the Chicago Cubs in 1981.

December 22, 1980

Boston Red Sox lose Fred Lynn and Carlton Fisk 

December 23, 1980

1980 – The Baltimore Orioles sign free agent outfielder Jim Dwyer.

October 3, 1990

George Brett becomes the only player to win three batting crowns in three different decades (1976-.333; 1980-.390)

August 2, 2019

Podcast – July 29 – August 4