Happy ‘80s Birthday to Bobby Bonner, who was pegged as the heir apparent to Mark Belanger for the Orioles but it never happened.
Happy ‘80s Birthday to Rusty McNealy, who appeared in 15 games for the 1984 A’s, mostly as a pinch-runner. He never got a start and went 0 for 5 at the plate.
Happy ‘80s Birthday to Urbano Lugo, who won six games over six seasons with the Angels, Expos, and Tigers.
Happy ‘80s Birthday to Kent Anderson, who spent two seasons with the Angels and hit .260. His older brother, Mike, was a first-round pick of the Phillies in 1969.
8/12/87
The Tigers trade a kid with a 4-10 record in AA named Smoltz to the Braves for Doyle Alexander. No one seemed to care at the time, especially when Alexander goes 9-0 with a 1.53 ERA down the stretch for Detroit.
8/12/86
The White Sox sign Steve Carlton as a free agent. Lefty goes 4-3 in 10 starts and signs with Cleveland for 1987.
8/12/81
Terry Leach allows a two-run homer to Mike Lum in one inning of work in his big league debut. He finishes his rookie season at 1-1 with a 2.55 ERA and pitches in the major until 1993.
8/12/85
Lance McCullers throws 2 2/3 scoreless innings against the Reds in his big league debut. He wins ten games for the Padres in 1986 and 28 over the course of his career.
8/12/80
In front of a sellout crowd at Tiger Stadium, Mark Fidrych makes his triumphant return to a big league pitcher’s mound after more than a year.
He goes 8 innings and gives up 5 runs (3 earned) on 11 hits against the Boston Red Sox in a 5-4 loss.
“I understand now,” said Tigers manager Sparky Anderson. “I wasn’t here in 1976 to see him pitch, but I know now what they’re talking about with this young man. He’s just the opposite of what he appears. He’s all business. I just hope some of the other guys on our staff were watching. I hope what he showed rubs off.”
8/12/81
The Red Sox hit 6 homers in an 8-1 win over the White Sox. Joe Rudi hits two to lead the way.
8/12/84
Harmon Killebrew‚ Rick Ferrell‚ Don Drysdale‚ Pee Wee Reese‚ and Luis Aparicio are inducted into the Hall of Fame.
8/12/84
Joe Carter homers twice and drives in all six Cleveland runs in a 6-0 win over the Yankees.
8/12/85
Thad Bosley enters the Cubs/Expos game as a pinch-hitter in the bottom of the 6th inning and hits a three-run bomb. Then in the 8th, he hits a two-run homer, making him 2-for-2 with 2 dingers and 5 RBI in a 8-7 win because he’s Thad Bosley and that’s what Thad Bosley does.
8/12/85
Sid Fernandez punches out 13 in a 4-3 win over the Phillies. In his first full season as a starter, he strikes out 180 in 170 1/3 innings.
8/12/86
Don Baylor sets an A.L. record when he is hit by a pitch for the 25th time that season. The ball shattered.
8/12/86
The Angels retire Rod Carew’s No 29. He’s the first Angel to receive the honor.
8/12/87
Von Hayes goes 3 for 5 with a double, triple, homer, and 5 RBI in a 13-7 win over the Mets. It’s not often that someone misses a cycle because they didn’t get a single.
8/12/88
Joe Magrane throws a one-hit shutout on just 111 pitches and beats the Cubs 4-0. He finishes the year with a 5-9 record but he leads the NL with a 2.18 ERA.
8/12/89
Shawon Dunston goes 3 for 4 and drives in 5 in a 9-7 Cubs win over the Phillies.
8/12/89
The Red Sox leave 19 men on base and still beat the Orioles 10-8 in 13 innings. Marty Barrett goes 4 for 7 and the Sox draw 10 walks.
8/12/85
The White Sox release Oscar Gamble and his career is over. A nation mourns.
8/12/85
The Cubs release Larry Bowa. He signs with the Mets to finish the season and manages the Padres Triple-A team to a league championship in 1986.
8/12/84
The Braves and Padres go toe to toe at The Launching Pad
8/12/80
Barry Bonnell suffers a broken jaw when he’s hit in the face by a Lary Sorenson pitch. He returns to action on September 1 seemingly none the worse for wear and hits .282 the rest of the way.
8/12/81
Rick Auerbach breaks his thumb when he’s hit by a Dave Frost pitch. He never plays again.
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