Happy ’80s Birthday to Julio Cruz, who was a light-hitting 2B, but stole 40 or more bases six times in a row. He was also a standout point guard in high school where he played with future Super Bowl winning coach Brian Billick.
Happy ’80s Birthday to Chip Hale, who spent seven years in the bigs with the Twins and Dodgers and later went into coaching. He managed the Diamondbacks in 2015 and 2016.
Adrian Devine was born OTD in 1951. He spent seven years in the bigs with Atlanta and Texas and won 26 games. He passed away in 2020 after battling cancer.
12/2/80
The Angels sign Geoff Zahn as a free agent. He finishes his career with five years in Cali, winning 52 games.
12/2/83
The White Sox sign Jerry Koosman as a free agent. Three days later, the Sox trade a PTBL to the Phillies for Ron Reed, and Koosman is the PTBNL. The deal is finished in February of 1984.
12/2/81
Fernando Valenzuela wins the NL Rookie of the Year Award, as well he should have. He went 13-7 in the strike-shortened season and led the N.L. in starts, IP, CG, shutouts, ERA, and strikeouts.
12/2/81
Billy Martin & Dick Butkus shoot a Miller Lite commercial.
12/2/85
Willie McCovey and Minnie Minoso are among the notable players in their first year of Hall of Fame eligibility. McCovey is the only player elected.
12/2/86
Steve Garvey announces he is trying to raise money to buy the Padres and, “Put us on top.” Joan Kroc is asking $50 million for the team.
12/2/82
The Mets turn down four different trade offers from the Reds as the two teams try to work a deal for Tom Seaver.
Cincinnati is interested in Jesse Orosco, Ron Darling, and Rick Owenby but the Mets don’t want to part with them.
The two teams finally work out a deal later in the month.
12/2/88
Naked Gun hits theaters. Reggie tries to kill the Queen.
12/2/86
The Mets renegotiate the contract of manager Davey Johnson after he threatened to quit if he didn’t get more money.
We lost Ron Santo OTD in 2010
Powered by BlueHost
Monetize your website with Monumetric!
An excerpt from Patrick Montgomery's new book, Baseball's Great Expectations: Candid Stories of Ballplayers Who…
An excerpt from Eric Vickrey's new book about the 1982 St. Louis Cardinals
An open letter to MLB Network and YOUTUBE TV about their stubbornness.
Nearly half of the players in MLB history to reach 3,000 hits played in the…
A breakdown of the men who managed the Cincinnati Reds in the 1980s