February 2, 1969 – Pitchers Stan Coveleski and Waite Hoyt are voted into the Hall of Fame by the Special Veterans Committee. Stan Coveleski learned control as a youngster by throwing rocks at tin cans that swung from a tree. Though he pitched a shutout in his first big league start with the Athletics in…
The American and National leagues agree to try an experimental rule change in spring training using a designated pinch hitter, but they don’t agree on the implementation. The AL tells the teams to use the DPH when they are the home team; the NL gives the home manager the choice of which rules to use, but the visiting manager has to agree. The Mets, Giants, and Cardinals say that they will not use the rules, and the Astros and Reds follow suit.
1969 – Phil Plantier is born in Manchester, NH. The powerful outfielder came to Houston in the mega-trade with San Diego but a broken hand limits him to 22 games as an Astro in 1995 before he is dealt back to the Padres.
On January 22, 1969, the Houston Astros trade Rusty Staub to the Montreal Expos for Donn Clendenon and Jesus Alou. But Clendenon refuses to report to Houston, because of a personality conflict with the team’s newly-hired skipper, Harry Walker, who had managed him in Pittsburgh. He eventually announces his retirement. The Astros petition Commissioner Bowie Kuhn…
1969 – Roy Campanella and Stan Musial are elected by the BBWAA to join the elite group of players enshrined in the Hall of Fame.
1969 – The last-place Washington Senators name former Boston Red Sox star Ted Williams as their new manager. Williams signs a five-year contract worth a reported salary of $75,000 per season. Under his leadership, the Senators will finish with a record of 86-76, the best mark in the franchise’s history in Washington.
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.
Special Memory or Event? Want to have some fun? Advertise your business? Dedicate this page On January 11, 1969, the Chicago Cubs acquire veteran reliever Ted Abernathy from the Cincinnati Reds for three minor league players. The trade marks the return of the side-arming Abernathy to Chicago, where he led the National League with…
1969 – Umpires Al Salerno and Bill Valentine file a grievance against the American League and its president, Joe Cronin, over their dismissal last year. The grievance is filed by the new umpires union with the National Labor Relations Board.
1969 – Attorney Jack Reynolds, administrator of the new umpires union, says an economic agreement has been worked out between the American League and umpires that will avert a strike this year.
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