Happy ’80s Birthday to Frank Viola, the winning pitcher in Game 7 of the 1987 World Series who backed that up with a 24-7 record in 1988 and a Cy Young award.
Happy ’80s Birthday to Ed Hodge, who was a 4th-round pick of the Twins in the 1979 January Draft.
Ed spent one season in the big leagues, making 15 start and 25 appearances in 1984.
Happy ’80s Birthday to Rick Miller, who spent 15 years in the bigs with the Red Sox and the Angels and made the playoffs with each team.
He also married Carlton Fisk’s sister
Happy ’80s Birthday to Spike Owen, a 1st round draft pick of the Mariners and member of the 1986 Red Sox.
Happy ’80s Birthday to R.J. Reynolds, who spent eight years in the big leagues before playing in Japan and Mexico.
4/19/80
J.R. Richard throws a one-hitter against the Dodgers and strikes out 12.
Through his first three starts, he’s 2-0 with a 0.82 E.R.A. and 32 strikeouts. Unfortunately, his career would come to an end after suffering a stroke in July.
4/19/80
The Cubs beat the Mets 12-9 and Kong drives in half the Cubs runs because Kong.
It’s his second 2-homer game of April and he finishes the month batting .346 with 6 homers and 16 RBI.
4/19/81
The A’s beat the Mariners 6-1 in the first game of a doubleheader to set a modern-day record for the most consecutive wins to start a season with 11.
The record lasts all of one year. The Atlanta Braves opened the 1982 season with 13 consecutive victories.
4/19/81
At age 40(ish) Luis Tiant throws a 7-inning no-hitter against the Triple-A Spokane Indians, striking out 10 and throwing just 88 pitches. He gets called up later in the year and wins two games for the Pirates.
4/19/82
Terry Kennedy goes 4 for 5 to lead a 24-hit attack as the Padres beat the Giants 13-6 at The Murph.
Bonus points for Drakes Big Hitters Card
4/19/83
Greg Luzinski homers twice and drives in 5 as the White Sox beat the Yankees 13-3.
4/19/84
A 20-year-old Royals rookie named Bret Saberhagen earns his first career victory.
The 5-2 KC win also snaps the Tigers string of nine straight victories to open the season.
“He’s one of the best young pitchers I’ve seen.”
-Roger Craig
4/19/86
Pirates OF R.J. Reynolds drives in 5 for the only time in his career. It happens to be one of his biggest days and it occurs on his birthday.
4/19/86
Jose Rijo sets an A’s record with 16 strikeouts in eight innings as Oakland beats the Mariners, 7 – 2.
4/19/87
Dale Sveum and Rob Deer both homer in a 5-run 9th inning as the Brewers beat the Rangers 6-4 and set an American League record by going 12-0 to start the season.
4/19/89
Steve Carlton officially announces his retirement. He finishes his Hall of Fame career with 329 wins, four Cy Young Awards, 4,136 strikeouts, and two rings.
4/19/81
In the first game of a doubleheader, Mike Norris dusts Lenny Randle, who tells Oakland catcher Jeff Newman that if it happens again he’s going to the mound. Newman and Randle end up going toe-to-toe and the benches empty.
Randle was involved in another bench-clearing brawl in the second game of the doubleheader as well.
4/19/85
Jeff Leonard and Dan Gladden are involved in a pre-game fight by the batting cage prior to the Giants’ game against Cincinnati.
Leonard took responsibility, and went into manager Jim Davenport’s office after the game and resigned as team captain.
4/19/87
Jack Clark lifts a foul ball and Mets catcher Barry Lyons falls into the Cardinals’ dugout attempting to make the catch.
When he does, he lands on St. Louis pitcher John Tudor and breaks his leg. The injury sidelines Todor for three months and limits him to just 16 starts on the year.
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