Categories: April

April 11th

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Happy ’80s Birthday to Bret Saberhagen who went 2-0 with two complete games and an ERA of 0.50 in the 1985 World Series for the Royals and looked resplendent in powder blue. 

He’s also a helluva rapper. 

Happy ’80s Birthday to John Martin, a 27th-round draft pick who spent four years in the bigs with the Cardinals and Tigers and is a member of the Eastern Michigan University Hall of Fame.

Happy ’80s Birthday to Sid Monge, who spent 10 years in the bigs and enjoyed his best season in 1979 when he won 12 and saved 19 more for the Indians. He threw 131 innings out of the bullpen that year.

Happy ’80s Birthday to Jeff Calhoun, a lefty specialist who spent five years in the big leagues with the Astros and the Phillies. He won a career-high 3 games for the Phillies in 1987. 

Happy ’80s Birthday to Wally Whitehurst, who made his debut with the Mets in 1989 and won 20 games over seven seasons with the Mets, Padres, and Yankees. 

4/11/80

Super Joe makes his big league debut for the and goes 1 for 4 with a homer off Angels pitcher Dave Frost.

He’d finish the year with 23 homers and a Rookie of the Year Award.

4/11/80

Steve Howe makes his big league debut for the Dodgers and allows one run in two-thirds of an inning against the Astros.

He’d finish the year with 7 wins, 17 saves and a Rookie of the Year Award.

4/11/84

Alvin Davis homers off Eck in his big league debut en route to winning the Rookie of the Year Award. 

Davis hits .284 with 27 homers and 116 RBI. 

4/11/85

Roger McDowell throws a scoreless top of the 11th inning and the Mets win in the bottom of the inning on a Danny Heep walk-off walk to give McDowell the win in his big league debut. 

4/11/86

Dan Plesac throws 2 1/3 scoreless in his big league debut for the Brewers. 

He finishes his rookie campaign with 10 wins and 14 saves. 

4/11/86

Bob Tewksbury goes 7 1/3 and gets the win in his big league debut for the Yankees. 

Over his first eight career starts, he walks a total of 7. 

4/11/80

A rough day for Giants’ third baseman Darrel Evans, who ties a major league record by committing three errors in the 7th inning of a 5-3 loss to the Padres. 

At the end of the game, his fielding percentage is .333.

4/11/84

Pete Rose marries Carol Woliung in the Cincinnati courthouse prior to the getaway game against the Reds.

The pair had been dating for six years but team rules forbade girlfriends from flying on the team charter, so they got married and she flew back to Montreal with Pete.  

via Danny Gallagher

Big Days

4/11/80

Coming off a 1979 season in which he lost his first 14 decisions, Matt Keough goes the distance in a 1-0 A’s win over the Twins.

It’s one of 20 CGs Keough will throw and one of 94 the A’s will throw as a team.

4/11/85

Stormin Gorman hits 3 bombs, including a slam, and drives in 6 for the Mariners in a 14-6 win over the A’s.

4/11/88

Rickey goes 5 for 5 with 4 stolen bases because Rickey.

4/11/88

Kelly Gruber’s 4 for 6 day highlights a 20-hit attack as the Blue Jays hammer the Yankees 17-9. Toronto scores 17 runs AND leaves 15 men on base.

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J. Daniel

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