1957 – The Redlegs land their 5th pitcher of the month when they acquire Harvey Haddix from the Phillies for OF Wally Post. A week ago they swapped pitchers with the Pirates, picking up veteran Bob Purkey for Don Gross.
St. Louis Cardinals make one of their best trades ever, acquiring Curt Flood
On June 28, 1957, Commissioner Ford Frick replaces three Cincinnati Reds on the National League’s All-Star team. Frick names Stan Musial, Willie Mays and Hank Aaron to replace Cincinnati’s Gus Bell, George Crowe and Wally Post in the starting lineup. Cincinnati fans had stuffed the ballot box, electing eight Reds to the All-Star Game starting…
On April 25, 1957, the major leagues adopt a new rule that prohibits baserunners from interfering with batted balls in the field of play. The rule is adopted in reaction to recent actions by several Cincinnati Reds baserunners. Earlier in the week, Don Hoak and Johnny Temple had intentionally interfered with batted balls as a way of preventing double plays.
On April 24, 1957, the Chicago Cubs set a National League record by walking nine batters in the fifth inning of a 9-5 loss to the Cincinnati Reds. Moe Drabowsky walks four batters, Jackie Collum issues three free passes, and Jim Brosnan walks two during the wild inning.
On April 21, 1957, Don Hoak of the Cincinnati Red Legs unwittingly brings about a change in the rules. Leading off second base, Hoak intentionally interferes with an apparent double play grounder. Hoak is called out, but the batter is safe. A new rule will result: if a runner willfully interferes with a batted ball, both the runner and the batter will be called out.
On April 20 1957 – Cincinnati Reds secondbaseman Johnny Temple in a game against the Braves allows a groundball by Gus Bell hit him to prevent a double play. The next day the Reds pulled off the same play. A new rule will come into play immediately calling for runners interference and umpires can award a double play if a batter intentionally interfers with a ball.
Outfielder Frank Robinson of the Cincinnati Redlegs is unanimously voted the National League Rookie of the Year. In the American League, Chicago White Sox shortstop Luis Aparicio is voted Rookie of the Year with 22 points, beating out Baltimore’s Tito Francona and Rocky Colavito of the Indians.
Frank Robinson ties Wally Berger’s 1930 National League record for home runs by a rookie for home runs with his 38th in the Reds’ 11-5 victory over the Giants at Polo Grounds. A’s first baseman Mark McGwire will established the major league mark for freshman homers with 49 round-trippers in 1989.
August 20, 1956 – Red’s manager Birdie Tebbetts proclaimed that Lew Burdette violates “every rule in the book. . . .He spits on the ball, he spits on his glove, he spits on his hand, he rubs resin on his glove, and he rubs the ball on his uniform.” Then he added, “Mind you, I’m…
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