Category: ARCHIVE

NOV 3: Holy cow!

NOVEMBER 3, 1968 | ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI – Harry Caray came close to packing it in long before he became the colorful play-by-play man for the Chicago Cubs. He was seriously injured when he was struck by a car while trying to cross a St. Louis street on this date in 1968. Caray was the Cardinals play-by-play man at the time. Both his legs were broken, his shoulder was dislocated and he suffered facial lacerations.

While Caray was in serious condition for a time he recuperated in time for the 1969 baseball season. That would be his 25th and final year with the Cardinals. He was abruptly fired after the season, the reasons were never officially disclosed.

Caray did play-by-play for the Oakland A’s before heading to Chicago in 1971 for an almost 3 decades long love affair with Chicago baseball and the city’s night life. He did White Sox games for 11 years – his tradition of singing “Take me out to the ballgame” started at Comiskey Park. He jumped to the Cubs in 1981 where he remained at the mic until his death in 1998.

Contributing sources: 
Chicago Tribune, “Card ‘Voice’ Seriously Hurt by Car,” November 4, 1968
Harry Caray

Nov 2: CBS buys Yankees

NOVEMBER 2, 1964 | NEW YORK, NEW YORK – CBS, the broadcasting company, became principle owner of the New York Yankees on this date in 1964. It paid $11.2 million for the privilege. That much wouldn’t pay for the restrooms in today’s Yankee Stadium.

According to Forbes magazine, as of March 2016, the Yankee franchise is worth $3.4 Billion (that’s Billion with a “B”), an increase of over 300-fold from what CBS paid for the team in 1964 [it’s worth more today — 2020

According to Forbes valuations of MLB teams, 17 of them are, as of March 2016, worth more than a Billion dollars:

      Team—————–Value
1   New York Yankees…..$3.4 Billion
2   Los Angeles Dodgers…..$2.5 Billion
3   Boston Red Sox…..$2.3 Billion
4   San Francisco Giants…..$2.25 Billion
5   Chicago Cubs…..$2.2 Billion
6   New York Mets…..$1.65 Billion
7   St. Louis Cardinals…..$1.6 Billion
8   Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim…..$1.34 Billion
9   Washington Nationals…..$1.3 Billion
10 Philadelphia Phillies…..$1.24 Billion
11 Texas Rangers…..$1.23 Billion
12 Seattle Mariners…..$1.2 Billion
13 Atlanta Braves…..$1.75 Billion
14 Detroit Tigers…..$1.5 Billion
15 Houston Astros…..$1.1 Billion
16 Chicago White Sox…..$1.05 Billion
17 Baltimore Orioles…..$1 Billion
18 Pittsburgh Pirates…..$975 million
19 Arizona Diamondbacks…..$925 million
20 Minnesota Twins…..$910 million
21 Cincinnati Reds…..$905 million
22 Toronto Blue Jays…..$900 million
23 San Diego Padres…..$890 million
24 Milwaukee Brewers…..$875 million
25 Kansas City Royals…..$865 million
26 Colorado Rockies…..$860 million
27 Cleveland Indians…..$800 million
28 Oakland Athletics…..$725 million
29 Florida Marlins…..$675 million
30 Tampa Bay Rays…..$650 million

Here is a facinating interactive graphic published by Bloomberg in 2013 which shows, among other things, which teams got the most for their money and how valuable TV and radio contracts are, especially in big cities.

CONTRIBUTING SOURCES:
The New York Times, November 3, 1964, by Leonard Koppett
Forbes, “Baseball’s Most valuable Teams,” March 23, 2016

Nov 1: Most MVPs

NOVEMBER 1, 2016 | NEW YORK, NEW YORK – Most Valuable Player awards have been awarded by the Baseball Writers Association of America (BWAA) since 1931.

The players who’ve won the award the most in the American League were Mickey Mantle, Jimmie Foxx, Joe DiMaggio, Yogi Berra and Alex Rodriquez. All were 3-time MVP winners. And all, except Foxx, wore Yankee pinstripes.

In the National League, Stan Musial, Roy Campanella, Mike Schmidt and Albert Pujols were 3-time MVP’s. Barry Bonds won the award 7 times – pretty phenomenal even for someone who apparently took PED’s (performance enhancing drugs), but then again, Bonds apparently took PED’s.

MVP Winners
Year – National League — American League
2015 Bryce Harper, Was — Josh Donaldson, Tor
2014 Clayton Kershaw, LA — Mike Trout, Ana
2013 Andrew McCutchen, Pit — Miguel Cabrera, Det
2012 Buster Posey, SF — Miguel Cabrara, Det
2011 Ryan Braun, Mil — Justin Verlander, Det
2010 Joey Votto, Cin — Josh Hamilton, Tex
2009 Albert Pujols, StL — Joe Mauer, Min
2008 Albert Pujols, StL — Dustin Pedroia, Boston
2007 Jimmy Rollins, Phi — Alex Rodriguez, NY
2006 Ryan Howard, Phi — Justin Morneau, Min
2005 Albert Pujols, StL — Alex Rodriguez, NY
2004 Barry Bonds, SF — Vladimir Guerrero, Ana
2003 Barry Bonds, SF — Alex Rodriguez, Tex
2002 Barry Bonds, SF — Miguel Tejada, Oak
2001 Barry Bonds, SF — Ichiro Suzuki, Sea
2000 Jeff Kent, SF — Jason Giambi, Oak
1999 Chipper Jones, Atl — Ivan Rodriguez, Tex
1998 Sammy Sosa, Chi — Juan Gonzalez, Tex
1997 Larry Walker, Col — Ken Griffey, Sea
1996 Ken Caminiti, SD — Juan Gonzalez, Tex
1995 Barry Larkin, Cin — Mo Vaughn, Bos
1994 Jeff Bagwell, Hou — Frank Thomas, Chi
1993 Barry Bonds, SF — Frank Thomas, Chi
1992 Barry Bonds, SF — Dennis Eckersley, Oak
1991 Terry Pendleton, Atl — Cal Ripken, Bal
1990 Barry Bonds, SF — Rickey Henderson, Oak
1989 Kevin Mitchell, SF — Robin Yount, Mil
1988 Kirk Gibson, LA — Jose Canseco, Oak
1987 Andre Dawson, Chi — George Bell, Tor
1986 Mike Schmidt, Phi — Roger Clemens, Bos
1985 Willie McGee, StL — Don Mattingly, NY
1984 Ryne Sandberg, Chi — Willie Hernandez, Det
1983 Dale Murphy, Atl — Cal Ripken, Bal
1982 Dale Murphy, Atl — Robin Yount, Mil
1981 Mike Schmidt, Phi — Rollie Fingers, Mil
1980 Mike Schmidt, Phi — George Brett, KC
1979 Keith Hernandez, StL Willie Stargell, Pit (tie) — Don Baylor, Cal
1978 Dave Parker, Pit — Jim Rice, Bos
1977 George Foster, Cin — Rod Carew, Min
1976 Joe Morgan, Cin — Thurman Munson, NY
1975 Joe Morgan, Cin —  Fred Lynn, Bos
1974 Steve Garvey, LA — Jeff Burroughs, Tex
1973 Pete Rose, Cin — Reggie Jackson, Oak
1972 Johnny Bench, Cin — Dick Allen, Chi
1971 Joe Torre, StL — Vida Blue, Oak
1970 Johnny Bench, Cin —  Boog Powell, Bal
1969 Willie McCovey, SF — Harmon Killebrew, Min
1968 Bob Gibson, StL — Denny McLain, Det
1967 Orlando Cepeda, StL — Carl Yastrzemski, Bos
1966 Roberto Clemente, Pit — Frank Robinson, Bal
1965 Willie Mays, SF — Zoilo Versalles, Min
1964 Ken Boyer, StL  — Brooks Robinson, Bal
1963 Sandy Koufax, LA — Elston Howard, NY
1962 Maury Wills, LA — Mickey Mantle, NY
1961 Frank Robinson, — Cin Roger Maris, NY
1960 Dick Groat, Pit —  Roger Maris, NY
1959 Ernie Banks, Chi — Nellie Fox, Chi
1958 Ernie Banks, Chi  — Jackie Jensen, Bos
1957 Hank Aaron, Mil — Mickey Mantle, NY
1956 Don Newcombe, Bro —  Mickey Mantle, NY
1955 Roy Campanella, Bro — Yogi Berra, NY
1954 Willie Mays, NY —  Yogi Berra, NY
1953 Roy Campanella, —  Bro Al Rosen*, Cle
1952 Hank Sauer, Chi — Bobby Shantz, Phi
1951 Roy Campanella, — Yogi Berra, NY
1950 Jim Konstanty, Phi — Phil Rizzuto, NY
1949 Jackie Robinson, Bro — Ted Williams, Bos
1948 Stan Musial, StL — Lou Boudreau, Cle
1945 Phil Cavarretta, Chi — Hal Newhouser, Det
1944 Marty Marion, StL — Hal Newhouser, Det
1943 Stan Musial, StL — Spud Chandler, NY
1942 Mort Cooper,  — StL Joe Gordon, NY
1941 Dolph Camilli, Bro, — Joe DiMaggio, NY,
1940 Frank McCormick, Cin Hank Greenberg, Det
1939 Bucky Walters, — Cin Joe DiMaggio, NY
1938 Ernie Lombardi, trans action comes.  Jimmie Foxx, Bos
1937 Joe Medwick, StL — Charlie Gehringer, Det
1936 Carl Hubbell*, NY — Lou Gehrig, NY
1935 Gabby Hartnett, Chi — Hank Greenberg*, Det
1934 Dizzy Dean, StL — Mickey Cochrane, Det
1933 Carl Hubbell, NY — Jimmie Foxx, Phi
1932 Chuck Klein, Phi — Jimmie Foxx, Ph
1931 Frankie Frisch, StL — Lefty Grove, Phi

CONTRIBUTING SOURCES:
Baseball Writers Association of America (BWAA) 
MVP Award – wikipedia   

OCT 29: “You’re out!”

OCTOBER 29, 1979 | ATLANTIC CITY, NEW JERSEY | Hall of Fame outfielder Willie Mays began work as a greeter for an Atlantic City Casino on this date in 1979, and Commissioner Bowie Kuhn suspended him from the game.

Kuhn had given the former New York and San Francisco Giant’s star an ultimatum; if he took the casino job he’d have to sever all ties with Major League Baseball.

It created a dilemma for the game. On the one hand Mays made a good living during his career, but it didn’t set him up to be a retired multi-millionaire like it does today’s stars. He needed an income to continue his comfortable lifestyle. On the other hand Major League Baseball has been paranoid about gambling since long before the Black Sox Scandal of 1919. Baseball players and gamblers liked each others’ company in the game’s early days, and major league baseball was very uncomfortable about that.

The “Say Hey” kid however, was a hero to every red-blooded American baseball fan. He had just been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame that summer. Mays was not only one of the best ever, he was fun to watch.

Many fans gave him the benefit of the doubt a lesser star wouldn’t enjoy. They thought the Commissioner’s suspension was heavy-handed. It didn’t matter to Kuhn, Mays was unwelcome around pro baseball.

His suspension wasn’t lifted until 1985 by Peter Ueberroth, who succeeded Kuhn as Commissioner. Today Willie Mays is a special assistant to the San Francisco Giants.

CONTRIBUTING SOURCE:
Willie Mays: A Biography, by Mary Kay Linge, 2005

Oct 25: Through the legs

OCTOBER 25, 1986 | NEW YORK, NEW YORK – Today is the day in 1986 a seemingly routine grounder went through Bill Buckner‘s legs prolonging the Boston Red Sox agony of not winning a World Series since they sold Babe Ruth to the Yankees in 1919.

It wasn’t all Buckner’s fault though. When the day started the Red Sox had a 3 games to 2 lead over the New York Mets. It was the tenth inning of game 6. Boston had a 5-3 lead with 2 outs and nobody on base for the Mets.

The Mets started a rally, scored two runs to make the score 5-5. If Buckner had made the play it would have been the third out with the game still tied. Instead the Mets scored the winning run on that play, and won the Series in the next game.

Did you notice Buckner had high-top cleats on that night because he had a sore ankle? He’s the first player I ever saw wearing high-tops. It’s surprising they became so popular. Does anyone wear low-cut cleats anymore?

CONTRIBUTING SOURCE:
1986 World Series Game 6 box score & play-by-play

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