MARCH 19, 1965 | MESA, ARIZONA – Tragedy struck the Chicago Cubs on this date in 1965. Cubs’ play-by-play announcer Jack Quinlan, shown here with Cubs star Ernie Banks, was killed in a car accident on the outskirts of Mesa, Arizona where the Cubs were training.
The accident occurred late in the evening when Quinlan’s car struck a parked truck. He was returning to Chandler, Arizona after playing golf in Mesa.
Quinlan was a broadcasting boy wonder after graduating from the University of Notre Dame in 1948. He started doing Cubs games in 1952 at the age of 25. Hall of Fame Cubs’ broadcaster Jack Brickhouse wrote in his book A Voice for all Seasons, “He was dynamic and authoritative, and with his sense of humor they added up to a superb announcer. Sometimes I thought you could actually hear his smile on the air.”
Jack Quinlan was 38 when he died.
Contributing sources: “Thanks for Listening,” by Jack Brickhouse, 1996 The Chicago Tribune, March 20, 1965
WINTER HAVEN, FLORIDA,MARCH 26, 1974.All good things must come to an end, and on this date in 1974 it was the 18-year Hall of Fame career of shortstop Luis Aparicio. “Little Louie” – 5’9″, 160 lb. – was given his walking papers by Boston Red Sox manager Darrell Johnson right after they beat the Montreal Expos in an exhibition game. Aparicio was still in uniform.
Aparicio would be 40 in a few weeks and be able to spend his birthday at home in Maracaibo, Venezuela for the first time in 21 years.
Being let go was a disappointment, but Aparicio took it in stride, “The first thing I thought about when I walked out of the office was about my five kids.” Aparicio would be 40 in a few weeks and be able to spend his birthday at home in Maracaibo, Venezuela for the first time in 21 years.
Aparicio had been with the Boston Red Sox for three years, but played most of his career for the Chicago White Sox and Baltimore Orioles. He was an 11-time all-star with 9 Gold Gloves and a prototype lead-off man with 506 career stolen bases.
Aparicio was on two World Series teams. He put the “go” in the 1959 “go-go” White Sox, which lost the Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers. He got some revenge playing for the Orioles in 1966 when they swept the Dodgers in 4 straight. But on this date in 1974, Aparicio’s HOF career ended.
Contributing sources: United Press International (UPI), by Milton Richman, March 27, 1974 More on Aparicio
MARCH 21, 1977, LAKELAND, FLORIDA – When Detroit Tiger pitcher Mark “The Bird” Fidrych twisted his knee shagging fly balls on this date in 1977 it seemed a minor bump in the road for the 1976 rookie of the year. He was expected to miss his next start. Unfortunately, what initially seemed like a minor injury had major consequences for Fidrych. He had torn cartilage in his knee and would need surgery.
Fidrych was never the same. He was out of baseball three years later.
But 1976 was magical.
Twenty-one year old Mark Fidrych wasn’t even expected to make the team out of spring training. He made his first start in May only because the scheduled starter had the flu. But Fidrych went on to win 19 games while losing 9.
He led the league with a 2.34 ERA and completed 24 games, also the league leader. He won Rookie of the Year honors and was second in voting for the Cy Young award.
Fidrych created a national sensation not only because he pitched well, but also because of his personality and antics. He was “a little out of left field,” but seemed to really have fun playing the game.
Fidrych was called “The Bird” because he resembled Big Bird from the Sesame Street children’s TV show. When he pitched he’d talk to the baseball. He’d stoop down and carefully manicure the mound. He’d throw balls back to the umpire because he said they still had hits in them. Detroit drew huge crowds every time he pitched even though the team was never in the pennant race. Opposing teams tried to get the Tigers to change their pitching rotation so he’d pitch in their park.
Fidrych took it all in stride. The name of his autobiography was “No Big Deal.”
He returned to his native Massachusetts after his baseball career was cut short by what seemed like a minor that had major consequences. Tragically, on April 13, 2009 Fidrych was found dead under the truck he was apparently working on. He was 54.
MARCH 16, 2006 | ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – In a shocker, Mexico eliminated the United States from the first World Baseball Classic on this date in 2006. With the likes of Alex Rodriquez, Roger Clemens, Johnny Damon and Vernon Wells on the U-S team Mexico beat the Americans 2-1 in Anaheim.
Clemens took the loss for the USA. The winning pitcher was Culiacan, Mexico native Oliver Perez, at the time a 5-year major league veteran, but certainly no Roger Clemens.
The United States’ mediocre record was 3 wins and 3 losses. The team had an impressive .337 team batting average and 3.13 ERA in the first round, but slipped in both categories in round two – .242 batting average and 4.32 ERA.
Japan ended up beating Cuba to win the Classic in 2006.
FRENCH LICK, INDIANA, MARCH 15, 1945. Several spring training camps opened on this date in 1945, but not in the hot-spots you’d expect. The country was still in the midst of World War II. Travel restrictions forced teams to train close to home. Indiana became a hot-spot:
New York Yankees – Atlantic City, NJ Cleveland Indians – LaFayette, IN Chicago White Sox – Terre Haute, IN Boston Red Sox – Pleasantville, NJ The Detroit Tigers in – Evansville, IN The St. Louis Cardinals – Cairo, IL The Chicago Cubs – French Lick, IN The Pittsburgh Pirates – Muncie, IN
… Just to name a few.
Major League Baseball also drastically limited exhibition games at the urging of The United States Office of Defense Transportation. Teams could only play games with other teams if they were on a direct route to their home city. Side trips were not allowed. Some teams played very few exhibition games against other teams that spring. But there is always Indiana.
Contributing sources: Spring Training Notes, Los Angeles Times, March 15, 1945 United Press, March 16, 1945 The Baseball Guru
MARCH 16, 2006