Dave Henderson hits dramatic homerun to tie game 5 of ALCS
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Dave Henderson hits dramatic homerun to tie game 5 of ALCS

  On October 12, 1986, the Boston Red Sox stave off elimination with a dramatic win against the California Angels in Game Five of the American League playoffs. The Angels are one strike away from playing in the World Series, when Dave Henderson, who had earlier watched Bobby Grich’s fly ball bounce over the center field…

high-priced free agent Andy Messersmith separates his shoulder in an exhibition game for the New York Yankees

high-priced free agent Andy Messersmith separates his shoulder in an exhibition game for the New York Yankees

    On March 16, 1978, high-priced free agent Andy Messersmith separates his shoulder in an exhibition game for the New York Yankees.  A 20-game winner both for the Angels and Dodgers, Messersmith will never win a game for the Yankees. He will pitch one more season in 1979 before retiring. Messersmith will however leave…

California Angels sign free agent second baseman Bobby Grich

California Angels sign free agent second baseman Bobby Grich

    On November 24, 1976, the California Angels sign free agent second baseman Bobby Grich. The slick-fielding Grich is the first of three free agents that owner Gene Autry will sign during the off-season. Don Baylor and Joe Rudi will eventually join Grich in California. @ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF90YWdzIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiYmVmb3JlIjoiTGVhcm4gTW9yZSBhYm91dCB0aGUgdGVhbXMsIHBsYXllcnMsIGJhbGwgcGFya3MgYW5kIGV2ZW50cyB0aGF0IGhhcHBlbmVkIG9uIHRoaXMgZGF0ZSBpbiBoaXN0b3J5IC0gLSAtIC0gLSAtIC0gIiwiYWZ0ZXIiOiIiLCJsaW5rX3RvX3Rlcm1fcGFnZSI6Im9uIiwic2VwYXJhdG9yIjoiIHwgIiwiY2F0ZWdvcnlfdHlwZSI6InBvc3RfdGFnIn19@ Play by Play, Box Scores, News Paper Reports…

Three Future Hall of Famers are featured in The first mass-market free agent re-entry draft is held at the New York Plaza Hotel.

Three Future Hall of Famers are featured in The first mass-market free agent re-entry draft is held at the New York Plaza Hotel.

1976 – The first mass-market free agent re-entry draft is held at the New York Plaza Hotel. Among those available are Reggie Jackson, Willie McCovey, Joe Rudi, Don Gullett, Gene Tenace, Nate Colbert, Rollie Fingers, Don Baylor and Bobby Grich. McCovey and Colbert are the only two players not selected, but McCovey will catch on with the Giants in spring training and have a banner year at his old first base position.

The last-place New York Yankees have the first pick in the free-agent draft and use it to take Ron Blomberg 11 of first 20 picks will make the show

The last-place New York Yankees have the first pick in the free-agent draft and use it to take Ron Blomberg 11 of first 20 picks will make the show

The last-place New York Yankees have the first pick in the free-agent draft and use it to take Ron Blomberg. Blomberg will be the first designated hitter in major league history. In the secondary phase, the Orioles select pitcher Mike Adamson, who will leap directly to the big leagues, debuting on July 1, becoming the first player in draft history to bypass the minors.