Going deep off A’s hurler Mike Morgan at Fenway Park, Red Sox first baseman Carl Yastrzemski becomes the 18th major leaguer and seventh in the American League to hit 400 home runs. ‘Captain Carl’ will end his 23-year career with 452 homers.
On June 24, 1979, 20-year-old future Hall of Famer, Rickey Henderson makes his major league debut for the Oakland A’s in the first game of a doubleheader, a 5-1 loss to Texas. Henderson picks up a single, a double, and his first stolen base in four at-bats against the Texas Rangers. Later in the season,…
Oakland A’s trade veteran slugger Willie Horton to the Toronto Blue Jays for another aging hitting star, Rico Carty
On May 23, 1978, Oakland A’s manager Bobby Winkles quits his position, despite the team’s first-place standing in the American League West. Former Kansas City Royals manager Jack McKeon will take over the reigns. The A’s will end up last in the division.
1978 – The U.S. Court of Appeals upholds an earlier court decision in support of Commissioner Bowie Kuhn’s voiding of attempted player sales by Oakland Athletics owner Charlie Finley in June 1976. Finley’s appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court will be rejected on October 2nd.
On March 28, 1978, The Oakland A’s release veteran first baseman Dick Allen, ending his 15-year career. The Wampum, Pennsylvania native finishes his stormy relationship with major league baseball with 351 HRs, 1,192 RBIs, and a .292 batting average. The highlight of Allen’s career occurred in 1972, when he earned the MVP Award with the…
On March 15, 1978, the Oakland A’s trade star pitcher Vida Blue to the San Francisco Giants for seven players and nearly $400,000 in cash. In exchange for Blue, the A’s acquire catcher Gary Alexander, infielder Mario Guerrero, outfielder Gary Thomasson, and pitchers Dave Heaverlo, Phil Huffman, John Henry Johnson, and Alan Wirth….
On January 30, 1978, Commissioner Bowie Kuhn cancels the recent trade that sent Vida Blue from the Oakland A’s to the Cincinnati Reds for first baseman Dave Revering and $1.75 million in cash. Believing that the A’s did not receive adequate compensation, Kuhn recommends that the trade be restructured. On February 25, the A’s will…
The A’s and Reds announce a deal that will send P Vida Blue to Cincinnati for minor league OF Dave Revering and $1.75 million cash. Commissioner Bowie Kuhn will invalidate the deal on January 30th, contending that too much money is involved and there would be a competitive imbalance created. He later sets a limit of $400,000 as the maximum that can be exchanged between teams. The A’s will later acquire Revering in another deal and trade Blue to the Giants for seven players on March 15, 1978.
1977 – Baltimore Orioles first baseman Eddie Murray is named American League Rookie of the Year. Murray garners 12 1/2 points to beat out runner-up Mitchell Page of the Oakland Athletics, who polled 9 1/2 votes. Murray will go on to a Hall of Fame career, while Page will never come close to matching his rookie numbers.
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