The history of sports is both vast and rich, thanks to the existence of so many different events and the longevity associated with them. With so much history to cull through, We offer the opportunity to look back and see what memorable things happened or milestones were reached on November 14 in baseball history.
Notable events!
- On November 14, 1946 — Ted Williams of the Boston Red Sox wins his first American League Most Valuable Player Award. Williams had hit .406 and led the league in home runs in 1941, but had lost the MVP race to Joe DiMaggio of the New York Yankees. He won the Triple Crown a year later, but lost the MVP to Joe Gordon of the New York Yankees. This time, Williams (.342, 38, 123) beats out Detroit Tigers ace pitcher Hal Newhouser, a two-time winner of the MVP award who finishes second in the balloting. The Red Sox outfielder missed the last three seasons due to serving in the military during World War II.
- On November 14, 1957 — The BBWAA selects Hank Aaron as the National League’s Most Valuable Player. The Milwaukee Braves outfielder, with 239 points from the writers, narrowly edges out Stan Musial and his Cardinal former teammate, Giants infielder Red Schoendienst, who collect 230 and 221, respectively.
- On November 14, 1979 — Don Baylor of the California Angels wins the MVP Award in the American League. The league leader in both runs scored (120) and runs batted in (139), Baylor also hit .296 with 36 home runs, helping the Angels win the AL West Division and reach the postseason for the first time in franchise history.
- On November 14, 1973 — Baltimore Orioles right-hander Jim Palmer, runner-up for the AL MVP honors, is named as the 1973 American League’s Cy Young Award winner. The 28 year-old future Hall of Famer compiled a 22-9 along with an ERA 2.40 for the first-place Birds this season.
- Born on this day Jimmy Piersall broke in as a centerfielder but switched to shortstop at the major league level in 1952 after posting .346 and .339 averages for Boston’s minor league affiliate at Birmingham. His season was curtailed by a nervous breakdown, recounted in Piersall’s book, Fear Strikes Out, which was later made into a movie.Piersall’s comeback with Boston in 1953 was marked by a 6-for-6 performance on June 10, 1953 and a new philosophy for dealing with fans who taunted him about his well-publicized illness: “Give ’em their money’s worth.” His career was characterized by numerous zany stunts, including hiding behind the monuments at Yankee Stadium while with the Indians and running backward around the bases after hitting his 100th career homer as a Met in 1963.Piersall became the Red Sox’ regular centerfielder in 1954, taking over for Dom DiMaggio. Playing the shallowest centerfield in the majors, he won two Gold Gloves. Piersall’s best years at the plate included a league-leading 40 doubles, 91 runs, 87 RBI, and .293 average for the 1956 Red Sox; 19 HR and 103 runs for the Red Sox in 1957; 18 HR, 66 RBI, and a .282 average for Cleveland in 1960, with a career-high 18 steals, fifth in the league; and a .322 average, fourth in the league, for the 1961 Indians.
- Piersall joined Cleveland in exchange for Vic Wertz and Gary Geiger after the 1958 season, and the Senators gave up three players to get him two years later. Waived to the Mets in 1963, Piersall averaged .194, irked manager Casey Stengel, and was released. He hit .314 for the Angels in 1964 as a part-timer before retiring in 1967. He became an outspoken and controversial broadcaster with the White Sox and was ultimately fired for criticizing their management.
Notable Events and Chronology for November 14
