1976 – With the overall first pick in the baseball draft, Houston chooses lefthanded pitcher Floyd Bannister of Arizona State University. Rushed to the majors the next year, Bannister is 11-18 in two seasons with the Astros. On the field, Larry Dierker blanks St. Louis on a five-hitter, 2-0.
The Red Sox draft Dixie High School (St. George, UT) standout southpaw Bruce Hurst in the first round of the amateur draft, the twenty-second of 24 picks overall. Four of the first five selections, including top pick ASU’s Floyd Bannister, are also left-handed hurlers, and of the dozen hurlers selected, the southpaw from Utah will retire with the most career victories (145).
June 8, 1971 – Danny Goodwin is chosen as the first player in the June draft and turns down a reported $50‚000 offer from the White Sox to attend Southern University. He will be chosen number one again in 1975. The Sox fail to sign 10 of their 14 picks. The Padres select P Jay…
At Municipal Stadium, Paul Splittorff earns his first major league victory when Kansas City defeats the visiting Senators, 4-2. In 1969, the 23 year-old left-hander became the first player signed by the Royals to appear on the expansion team’s major-league roster.
1969 – Private Larry Dierker, on a 24-hour pass from the Army while fulfilling his military commitment in Louisiana, outduels Steve Carlton for a 2-1, eleven-inning triumph over the Cardinals at the Astrodome. Dierker allows just five hits and caps his night by driving in Julio Gotay with the game-winner. Dierker singled off Joe Hoerner to earn his eighth win of the year.
On June 8, 1969, the New York Yankees retire the uniform number of one of their greatest players on “Mickey Mantle Day” at Yankee Stadium. Mantle’s No. 7 is retired before a crowd of 60,096 fans, who stay on to watch the Yankees sweep a doubleheader against the Chicago White Sox.
On June 8, 1968, Don Drysdale’s major league record streak of consecutive scoreless innings comes to an end. Howie Bedell of the Philadelphia Phillies delivers a sacrifice fly against Drysdale, ending his streak at 58 2/3 innings. Drysdale’s Los Angeles Dodgers will go on to win the game, 5-3. @ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF90YWdzIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiYmVmb3JlIjoiTGVhcm4gTW9yZSBhYm91dCB0aGUgdGVhbXMsIHBsYXllcnMsIGJhbGwgcGFya3MgYW5kIGV2ZW50cyB0aGF0IGhhcHBlbmVkIG9uIHRoaXMgZGF0ZSBpbiBoaXN0b3J5IGp1c3QgY2xpY2sgdGhlIHRhZ3MhICAiLCJhZnRlciI6IiIsImxpbmtfdG9fdGVybV9wYWdlIjoib24iLCJzZXBhcmF0b3IiOiIgfCAiLCJjYXRlZ29yeV90eXBlIjoicG9zdF90YWcifX0=@
On June 8, 1968, three major league games in New York, San Francisco, and Washington are postponed after the assassination of New York Senator Robert F. Kennedy. New York Mets players had asked for postponement of their game in San Francisco. Commissioner Spike Eckert orders the other two postponements and instructs all other teams to…
Bat Day at Candlestick Park is postponed when the Mets refuse to play their scheduled game in San Francisco, out of respect for recently assassinated New York Senator Robert F. Kennedy, whose funeral is being held today. Prompted by baseball commissioner William Eckert’s edict to cancel games only taking place in New York and Washington, the team, led by first baseman Ed Kranepool, had voted to take this action, even under the threat of forfeiting the contest, a decision that is fully supported by manager Gil Hodges and the organization.
On June 8, 1965, the Kansas City A’s select collegiate star Rick Monday with the initial pick of the first-ever amateur free agent draft. Picking second, the Mets take pitcher Les Rohr. Future Hall of Famer Johnny Bench is taken by the Cincinnati Reds in the second round. Another Hall of Famer, Nolan Ryan, is…
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