Padres’ rookie Ozzie Smith, a future Hall of Famer due to his defensive prowess at short, makes what he will rate as his best play ever when he dives to his left to field a grounder hit by Jeff Burroughs of Atlanta. Although the ball takes a bad hop and scoots behind the ‘Wizard’s’ head, he promptly sticks out his bare right hand, snagging the ball before popping to his feet to get the out at first base.
1978 – The San Diego Padres fire manager Alvin Dark, replacing him with pitching coach Roger Craig. Dark becomes the second manager ever fired during spring training. Phil Cavarretta, fired by the Chicago Cubs in 1954, was the other.
On January 25, 1978, the San Diego Padres acquire well-traveled pitcher Gaylord Perry from the Texas Rangers. The Padres surrender pitcher Dave Tomlin and $125,000 in cash. Perry will win 21 games for the Padres in 1978 and capture the Cy Young Award.
1977 – The Angels acquire slugger Dave Kingman from San Diego for cash consideration. Nine days later, the Yankees will buy Kingman, making him the first player to wear four uniforms in four divisions in the same year. Kingman, who started the season with the Mets, will hit 26 home runs to set the mark for the most by a player with more than two teams.
Lou Brock becomes the king of the stolen base On August 29, 1977 — At Jack Murphy Stadium, 39-year-old Cardinals outfielder Lou Brock swipes his 893rd bag, breaking Ty Cobb‘s 49-year-old major league career record for stolen bases. The Georgia Peach had established the mark in 1928 as a member of the Philadelphia A’s at…
On June 15, 1977 forgotten on this sad day in Mets history, Dave Kingman, their exciting slugger is traded to the Padres for Bobby Valentine and LHP Paul Siebert. Lost in the news because “Franchise” Tom Seaver is traded to Cincinnati. Kingman only played a few weeks in San Diego before sent packing to the…
On May 21, 1977, journeyman outfielder Merv Rettenmund hits a three-run homer in the 21st inning to lift the San Diego Padres to an 11-8 win over the Montreal Expos. The home run is one of only four that Rettenmund will hit during the season. The two teams combine for a major league-record nine intentional walks (5…
San Diego Padres sign veteran free agents Rollie Fingers and Gene Tenace
San Diego left-hander Randy Jones (22-14, 2.74) captures the National League’s Cy Young Award, capturing 15 of the 24 first-place votes cast by the writers. Two seasons ago, the 26 year-old southpaw had lost 22 games for the last-place Padres.
On July 8, 1976, At Wrigley Field, Randy Jones of the San Diego Padres sets a National League record for most wins by the All-Star break when he posts his 16th victory of the season. The soft-tossing left-hander, who defeats the Chicago Cubs, 6-3, the 26 year-old southpaw’s good fortune runs out when he will…
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