On September 19, 1973, Dave Johnson of the Atlanta Braves sets a single-season record for most home runs by a second baseman. Playing in a 4-1 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers, Johnson hits his 43rd of the year, (42nd as a second baseman) tying the record held by Rogers Hornsby…
The Reds, 11 games behind the Dodgers at the beginning of the day, stage two dramatic comebacks to snatch a doubleheader win from Los Angeles. Hal King’s clutch 3-run pinch home run with two outs wins the first game, 4 – 3, against Don Sutton, while Tony Perez’s 10th-inning hit wins the second, 3 – 2. This day will be looked upon as the turning point of the National League’s Western Division race.
Newly-acquired Fred Norman almost picks up his third shutout in three starts for the Reds, but gives up a two-out 9th inning homer to Ron Cey. The Reds still beat the Dodgers, 4 – 1.
On June 19, 1973 At Dodger Stadium Los Angeles outffielder Willie Davis collects his 2,000th career hit. Known as 3-Dog, reaches the plateau in front of the home crowd with a two-run home run off future hall of Famer, Phil Niekro in the team’s 3-0 victory over Atlanta. His shot chases Niekro from the game….
On June 13 1973, The Los Angeles Dodgers infield of Steve Garvey (1B), Davey Lopes (2B), Ron Cey (3B) and Bill Russell (SS) plays together for the first time in a 16 – 3 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies at Veterans Stadium. The infield quartet will set a major league record for longevity by playing 8 1/2 years together.
The New York Mets defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers, 7 – 3, in 19 innings at Dodger Stadium. The Mets’ Rusty Staub gets five hits, including the game-winning double, and George Stone pitches six shutout innings in relief for the win. The Dodgers get 19 hits, all singles, six of them by Willie Davis. The game ends at 1:42 AM Pacific Time (4:42 AM Eastern Time) the next morning.
For the second time in his career, Pirate Willie Stargell poles one out of Dodger Stadium. His blast off Andy Messersmith hits the right field pavilion roof 470 feet away. His first home run, a 506-foot shot, came off Alan Foster on August 5, 1969. No other player has hit a fair ball out of the stadium. Los Angeles wins, 7 – 4.
1972 – In a blockbuster interstate trade good for both teams, the Los Angeles Dodgers send Frank Robinson, Bill Singer, Mike Strahler, Bobby Valentine and Bill Grabarkewitz to the California Angels in exchange for Andy Messersmith and Ken McMullen, who returns to the team that signed him. Next season, Robinson will play 147 games, hitting 30 home runs with 97 RBI and Singer will combine with Nolan Ryan to strike out 674 batters, a 20th Century major league record for two teammates. Messersmith will win 39 games in the next two seasons for the Dodgers and finish second in the Cy Young Award voting in 1974.
On July 21, 1972, the Los Angeles Dodgers release longtime major league pitcher Hoyt Wilhelm, ending the career of the 48-year-old right-hander, two days before his 49th birthday. A 21-year veteran, Wilhelm retires with 1070 appearances the most of any major league pitcher to that point. 227 saves and 143 victories. He is also the…
Interested in exploring FRANCHISING? We will help you through your journey visit us @ www.franchisingconnection.com On June 19, 1972 With a double, home run and 3 RBI, Roberto Clemente passes Hall of Fame third baseman Pie Traynor on the Pittsburgh Pirates’ all-time RBI list, bringing his career total to 1,275, still 200 shy of all-time leader Honus Wagner. Clemente’s 5th-inning RBI double off Don Sutton ties Traynor’s…
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