Happy ’80s Birthday to Tom Dixon, who made his debut with the Astros in 1977 and wrapped up his big league career with the Expos in 1983. In four major league seasons, he won 9 games.
Happy ’80s Birthday to Darryl Cias, who was a 6th-round pick in 1975 and was released in 1977 at age 20. He thought his career was over but he hooked on with the A’s in 1979 and made it to the big leagues in 1983 where he went 6 for 18 in 19 games.
4/23/82
Four years to the day after being signed by the Phillies as a amateur free agent, Julio Franco makes his big league debut. I’m pretty sure he’s still playing somewhere.
4/23/85
On the same day New Coke is released, a much more successful debut takes place in Chicago when Teddy Higuera makes his first appearance in the big leagues. He’d finish 2nd in the Rookie of the Year balloting and win 20 the following season.
4/23/80
Ken Landreaux begins 1980’s longest hitting streak.
4/23/81
Bill Almon goes 4 for 7 and the White Sox beat the Orioles 18-5 in the first game of a doubleheader by banging out 26 hits.
Chicago scores 18 runs with just one homer. The game was different then.
4/23/82
Ryne Sandberg takes Eddie Solomon deep in the bottom of the fourth inning for his first big league home run. He’d finish with 282.
4/23/85
Don Baylor collects his 999th and 1000th RBIs when he hits a two-run home run off Oil Can Boyd.
He finishes his career with 1,276 RBI.
4/23/89
Nolan Ryan comes within two outs of a 6th no hitter when Nelson Liriano triples in the 9th. Ryan is so upset he throws two more no-hitters.
4/23/89
Murph homers and drives in 6 because that’s just what Murph does. The Braves beat the Padres 9-4.
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