On June 27, 1980, At Candlestick Park 31 year-old left-hander Jerry Reuss of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches a no-hitter against the rival San Francisco Giants. Reuss, who wins an 8-0 decision, narrowly misses a perfect game when shortstop Bill Russell commits a throwing error on Jack Clark’s two out routine grounder in the first…
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.
On June 25, 1980 Five Cleveland pitchers issue 14 walks, including five with the bases loaded, in a 13 – 3 loss to Detroit. Source Baseball Reference June 25
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.
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.
On June 20, 1980, five-foot, five-inch Freddie Patek known by the nickname of “Flea” of the California Angels slugs three home runs in a game at Fenway Park. The diminutive shortstop, who will finish his career with only 41 home runs, becomes the smallest player to hit three homers in a game. Patek also…
On June 20, Leonard Smith the man who confessed to killing California Angels star Lyman Bostock, is set free. Smith killed Bostock with a shotgun blast on September 23, 1978, Smith stating he intended to shoot his wife. He later went to trial for murder, after the first trial resulted in a hung jury, Smith…
On June 20, 1980, Chicago 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. While still playing with the Royals in 1979, on May 8, in…
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.
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.
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