Ron Blomberg becomes first DH
On April 6, 1973, At Fenway Park Ron Blomberg of the New York Yankees becomes the first designated hitter in major league history. In his first plate appearance, Blomberg walks with the bases loaded vs Luis Tiant. He will end up with one hit in three at-bats.
Orlando Cepeda, who was explicitly signed to fill the role of the newly created position of designated hitter, goes 0-for-6. The future Hall of Famer misses out on a place in baseball history after the top of the first inning is extended by a misjudged bloop hit and two walks, giving Ron Blomberg the opportunity to be the first player to come to the plate as the DH.
Carlton Fisk hits two home runs (one a grand slam) to lead the Boston Red Sox to a 15 – 5 victory over New York.
Also, the Yankees become the final American League team to abandon their flannel uniforms in favor of polyester. The team’s new look on the road features white piping around the words New York on the front as well as around the numbers on the back.
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