1983 – Pinch-hitter Harry Spilman drills a three-run ninth-inning homer off Tom Hume to stun Cincinnati, 6-5. Shortstop Dickie Thon has four hits, including a home run. Bill Dawley earns his second win in relief. The Astros’ day does not start well as catcher John Mizerock suffers three passed balls in the first inning while the Reds jump on Joe Niekro for four runs.
1983 – Nolan Ryan fans seven Expos to pass 3,500 strikeouts for his career. He beats Montreal, 6-3, for his first win of the season. Ray Knight adds two hits, including a home run.
On April 16, 1983, Steve Garvey of the San Diego Padres sets a National League record for the most consecutive games played. Garvey plays in his 1,118th straight game, breaking the mark held by Hall of Famer Billy Williams. Garvey picks up two hits in an 8-5 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers, his former team.
1983 – Detroit Tigers pitcher Milt Wilcox is one out away from a perfect game when pinch-hitter Jerry Hairston singles, and Wilcox settles for a 6 – 0 one-hitter over the Chicago White Sox. This is only the third time in major league history a perfect game bid has been stopped with one out to go.
4/14/1983: Two Rangers lost homers off Rick Sutcliffe to the rain in Cleveland. Mike Richardt homered in the first with one out and no one on. (This would have increased his career total to 5.) Jim Sundberg homered with 1 on in the fourth and no one out.
The Phillies, trailing by five runs entering the final frame, beat the Mets, 10-9, when Bo Diaz hits a walk-off bases-loaded home run. The Philadelphia catcher’s ‘ultimate grand slam’, a home run which wins a game when a team is down by three runs in the bottom of the final inning, is tossed by Neil Allen, who faces only the final batter.
1983 – Major League Baseball, ABC, and NBC agree to terms on a six-year television package worth $1.2 billion. The two TV networks will continue to alternate coverage of the playoffs, World Series, and All-Star Game through the 1989 season with each of the 26 clubs receiving $7 million per year in return. The last package gave each club $1.9 million per annum.
On April 5, 1983, Tom Seaver makes his first appearance for the Mets since 1977. Seaver defeats the Philadelphia Phillies, 2-0, on Opening Day at Shea Stadium. For Seaver, it’s his 14th Opening Day assignment, tying the record set by Walter Johnson…
1983 – While some clubs are concerned about low attendance at the start of the season, the Los Angeles Dodgers become the first team in major league history to cut off season ticket sales before the start of the season. The Dodgers, with 27,000 season tickets already sold, implement the cutoff so that group sales won’t be impeded and fans will be able to buy tickets for individual games.
1983 – The Executive Board of the International Olympic Committee agrees to stage a six-team exhibition baseball tournament as part of the 1984 Olympics to be held in Los Angeles, California.
Enjoy our free trial and start listening to games, interviews and shows! Ruth, Mantle, Aaron, and Seaver!