This Day In Baseball October 28

Debuts, Milestones, No Hitters, Rule Changes, Events, Birthdays, Deaths, and more on This Day In Baseball.  

Events for October 28

Lou_Boudreau

Lou Boudreau Day held to honor the world champion Cleveland Indians

The Red Sox trade catcher Les Moss and Tom Wright for Gus Niarhos and outfielder Ken Wood

The Red Sox trade catcher Les Moss and Tom Wright for Gus Niarhos and outfielder Ken Wood

Red Barber resigns as a Brooklyn Dodger broadcaster and will take the 'catbird' seat with the rival New York Yankees

Red Barber resigns as a Brooklyn Dodger broadcaster and will take the ‘catbird’ seat with the rival New York Yankees

Kid Gleason, Connie Mack, Philadelphia a’s, Connie mack

Major league owners vote down the sale of the Philadelphia A’s to a hometown syndicate

Warren Spahn undergoes surgery

Warren Spahn undergoes surgery

On Candlestick Point, an area in which the rocks resembled candlesticks, construction begins on the Giants' new ballpark in San Francisco. The transplanted team will play their games at Seals Stadium until a new ballpark on the eastern shore of the San Francisco Bay is ready.

On Candlestick Point, an area in which the rocks resembled candlesticks, construction begins on the Giants’ new ballpark in San Francisco. The transplanted team will play their games at Seals Stadium until a new ballpark on the eastern shore of the San Francisco Bay is ready.

Three thousand spectators witnessed the ground-breaking ceremony for the $18,000,000 Municipal Stadium in the Queen’s Flushing Meadow Park. The future home of the Mets, as well as the NFL’s Titans, is expected to ready for Opening Day in 1963, will be known as Shea Stadium in honor of Bill Shea, the lawyer who helped to bring back the National League to the Big Apple.

Bob Gibson of the St. Louis Cardinals wins his first Cy Young Award

Bob Gibson of the St. Louis Cardinals wins his first Cy Young Award

The New York Yankees replace fired manager Billy Martin with Dick Howser

The Dodgers win 4 straight to win 1981 World Series

The Dodgers win 4 straight to win 1981 World Series

The Padres trade Keith Moreland and Chris Brown to the Tigers for pitcher Walt Terrell

The Padres trade Keith Moreland and Chris Brown to the Tigers for pitcher Walt Terrell

The Oakland Athletics complete a sweep in the World Series with a 9 - 6 win over the San Francisco Giants

The Oakland Athletics complete a sweep in the World Series with a 9 – 6 win over the San Francisco Giants

The first-ever Branch Rickey Award recipient is Blue Jay outfielder/DH Dave Winfield, selected from 28 nominees, one player from each major league club. The honor, bestowed by representatives from the media and Rotary Club, will be given annually to the major leaguer who makes significant contributions to the community, exemplifying the service club’s motto, “Service Above Self.”

Tom Glavine Pitches the Braves to their first title in Atlanta with a 1-0 win

Curt Flood-the reserve clause

The Curt Flood Act

Randy Johnson fires 3 hitter and Matt Williams becomes the first player in World Series history to hit home runs with three different teams

Randy Johnson fires 3 hitter and Matt Williams becomes the first player in World Series history to hit home runs with three different teams

Curt Schilling, who named his son Gehrig, receives the Roberto Clemente Award for his contributions to numerous charities, including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, which is better known as “Lou Gehrig’s Disease”. The Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher, who won the World Series opener yesterday, was selected due his outstanding baseball skills combined with devoted work within the community.

Mets unable to sign Pinella make Art Howe there manager

Mets unable to sign Pinella make Art Howe there manager

The Florida Marlins do not renew the contract of John Routh, the 43-year-old man who has been known as mascot “Billy the Marlin”, since Florida’s first game in 1993. Although Billy will return next season, a new person will be hired to wear the 35-pound costume as the team seeks to increase the mascot’s visibility by changing the overall role of the character.

2Thousands attend a victory rally near City Hall to celebrate the Astros’ first pennant in their 43-year history

Jon Lester

The Red Sox win their second Championship of the decade, with their sweep of the Rockies in the 2007 World Series. Colorado had won 21 of 22 games entering the Series before falling flat. They lose Game 4 by a 4 – 3 score, thanks to 5 2/3 scoreless innings from Jon Lester. Mike Lowell is named World Series MVP.

During the middle of Game 4 of the World Series between the Red Sox and the Rockies, si.com reports Alex Rodriguez has decided to opt out of his contract with the Yankees. The timing of the announcement and being a no-show at the game to receive the Hank Aaron Award, which honors the most outstanding offensive performer in each league, are severely criticized by fans and the media.

2009 – The Philadelphia Phillies win Game 1 of the 2009 World Series, 6 – 1, over the New York Yankees, as Cliff Lee outpitches CC Sabathia in a duel of former Cy Young Award winners. Chase Utley hits a pair of homers. It is the latest starting date in the history of the Fall Classic.

In Game 1, Chase Utley, en route to a record-tying five World Series homers, becomes the first left-handed batter in 81 years to hit two round-trippers off a southpaw in a Fall Classic game. The Philadelphia second baseman, who also set a postseason record by reaching base in 26 straight games with his first-inning walk, goes deep twice off Yankee southpaw CC Sabathia in the Phillies’ 6-1 victory in New York, to match Babe Ruth’s performance in the fourth and final game of the 1928 series.

In Game 2 of the 2010 World Series, the Giants rout the Rangers, 9 – 0, but the score is only 1 – 0 in the 7th when Texas starter C.J. Wilson leaves with a blister on his finger. Matt Cain and two relievers combine on a four-hit shutout. Texas has allowed 20 runs in the first two World Series games in franchise history, setting a major league record.

The St. Louis Cardinals win the 11th title of their history by defeating the Texas Rangers, 6 – 2, in Game 7 of the World Series. Texas takes a two-run lead in the top of the 1st, but Series MVP David Freese ties the score with a two-run double in the bottom of the inning. Chris Carpenter then keeps the Rangers from adding to their score, while Allen Craig hits a 3rd-inning homer off Matt Harrison. The Cards add two runs without getting a hit in the 5th and, typically, St. Louis manager Tony LaRussa uses four relievers to get the last 9 outs. It is an unlikely title for a team that was 10 1/2 games out on August 25th and twice was down to its last strike in Game 6.

After being down by 10.5 games on August 25 for the NL Central Division lead, the Cardinals beat the Rangers at Busch Stadium, 6-2, in Game 7 of the Fall Classic to win their eleventh world championship in franchise history. In Game 6, the Redbirds had been down to their last strike in both the ninth and the 10th inning but rallied to tie the score and eventually win the game on David Freese’s lead-off, walk-off home run to centerfield in the 11th.

The Giants complete a sweep of the Tigers in the World Series with a 4 – 3, 10-inning win in Game 4. Miguel Cabrera, Delmon Young and Buster Posey all homer as the two teams are tied, 3 – 3, after 9, then Marco Scutaro drives in Ryan Theriot for the winning run in the top of the 10th. Sergio Romo ends the game by striking out Cabrera, picking up his third save. It is the Giants’ second Championship in three years. Pablo Sandoval, author of a three-homer performance in Game 1, is named World Series MVP.

At a press conference held before Game 4 at Detroit’s Comerica Park, Clayton Kershaw is named the recipient of the 2012 Roberto Clemente Award, an honor given to a major leaguer who demonstrates the value of helping others by his action off the field. The Dodger right-hander and his wife, Ellen, founded the Kershaw Challenge, which includes its cornerstone charity, “Arise Africa,” that helps the couple to build and sustain an orphanage in Lusaka, Zambia known as “Hope’s Home.”

At a press conference held before Game 4 at Detroit’s Comerica Park, Clayton Kershaw is named the recipient of the 2012 Roberto Clemente Award, an honor given to a major leaguer who demonstrates the value of helping others by his action off the field. The Dodger right-hander and his wife, Ellen, founded the Kershaw Challenge, which includes its cornerstone charity, “Arise Africa,” that helps the couple to build and sustain an orphanage in Lusaka, Zambia known as “Hope’s Home.”

The Red Sox take a 3 games to 2 lead in the World Series with a 3 – 1 win over the Cardinals. David Ortiz continues to be unstoppable at the plate, getting three more hits to increase his average for the Series to .733, while back-up C David Ross has the big blow, a tie-breaking ground rule double in the 7th. Jon Lester prevails over Adam Wainwright for the second time.

2014 – The Royals force a seventh game in the World Series by routing the Giants, 10 – 0, behind the pitching of rookie Yordano Ventura in Game 6. The Royals score 7 runs in the 2nd inning to chase starter Jake Peavy as every starting position player gets at least a hit and either scores or drives in a run.

In the fifth game of the World Series, Red Sox first baseman David Ortiz ties Billy Hatcher’s 1990 World Series record, reaching base in his ninth consecutive plate appearance. ‘Big Papi,’ the Fall Classic MVP, extends the streak that began in Game 3 with a fourth-inning single in the team’s 3-1 victory over the Cardinals at Busch Stadium.

The Royals take Game 2 of the World Series, 7 – 1 over the Mets, behind an outstanding performance by Johnny Cueto, who pitches a two-hitter. Eric Hosmer drives in two runs to put Kansas City ahead in the 5th and Alcides Escobar adds a run-scoring triple. It’s the first complete game by an American League pitcher in a World Series game since Jack Morris’s masterful performance in Game 7 of the 1991 World Series.

Major League Baseball honors its top relief pitchers as Mark Melancon of the Pirates wins the Trevor Hoffman Award as the outstanding reliever in the National League while Andrew Miller of the Yankees wins the Mariano Rivera Award, its equivalent in the American League.

2016 – In the first World Series game played at Wrigley Field in 71 years, the Indians eke out a 1 – 0 victory over the Cubs in Game 3 of the 2016 World Series. Pinch-runner Michael Martinez scores the only run in the 7th when he is driven in from third base by pinch-hitter Coco Crisp’s single. Cody Allen ends the game by striking out Ben Zobrist with two runners in scoring position.

Kenley Jansen of the Dodgers becomes the first repeat winner of the Trevor Hoffman Award, given to the best relief pitcher in the National League, while Craig Kimbrel of the Red Sox wins the equivalent award in the American League, the Mariano Rivera Award. With this win, Kimbrel becomes the first pitcher to have won both awards.

Having worn the dreaded Golden Sombrero the day before, Cody Bellinger breaks out of his slump by leading the Dodgers to a 6 – 2 win over the Astros in Game 4 of the 2017 World Series. His double in the 7th leads to the tying run and another in the 9th drives in the go-ahead run as Los Angeles scores 5 times. Houston is limited to two hits, both solo homers, by George Springer and Alex Bregman, while Joc Pederson hits a three-run shot in the Dodgers’ big inning.

Los Angeles blows open a tight 1-1 duel to score five times in the ninth, dropping the Astros, 6-2. Joc Pederson’s three-run homer off Joe Musgrove was the big blow. The World Series is tied at two games each. 

The Red Sox win their 9th Championship and 4th since 2004 by defeating the Dodgers, 5 – 1, in Game 5 of the World Series. David Price pitches 7 strong innings after allowing a lead-off homer to David Freese, but not before Boston had taken a 2 – 0 lead on a homer by Steve Pearce off Clayton Kershaw. Mookie Betts, J.D. Martinez and Pearce all hit solo shots later in the game to put the score out of reach, while Joe Kelly and Chris Sale combine to strike out the last six Dodgers batters in order. Pearce is named winner of the World Series Most Valuable Player Award.

2004 – Houston agrees to pick up the contract option on outfielder Craig Biggio, assuring him an 18th season in an Astros uniform. Biggio owns franchise records in several categories and is coming off a season where he hits .281 with 24 home runs. 

2000 – Andujar Cedeno dies in an automobile accident in his hometown of La Romana, DR, at age 31. The shortstop arrives with high expectations and hits .250 with 31 homers during five seasons but he has trouble fulfilling his potential and is included in the mega-trade with San Diego, eventually returning from Detroit for three final big league games in 1996. 

1966 – Tim Bogar is born in Indianapolis, IN. He provides steady infield help for three division champions in Houston but bats just .207 when he gets a chance to start regularly in 2000.

Birthdays

Death