Happy ’80s Birthday to Jim Wohlford, who spent 15 years in the bigs mostly as a reserve outfielder.
Happy ’80s Birthday to Dallas Williams, who was a 1st round draft pick of the Orioles in 1976 and recorded his first hit off of Goose Gossage in 1981. He also played in Japan and has served as a coach in multiple organizations.
Rufino Linares was born OTD in 1951.
He spent parts of four seasons in the big leagues with the Braves and Angels and was part of the 1982 Braves NL West Championship team.
He passed away in 1998.
Bob Howsam was born OTD in 1918.
He served two stints as the GM of the Reds and one as GM of the Cardinals.
He passed away in 2008.
Former umpire Bill Haller was born OTD in 1935 and provided us with one of the greatest NSFW moments of the 1980s.
2/28/81
The Cubs trade Dave Kingman to the Mets for Steve Henderson and cash. Kong will hit .207 with 22 homers for the Mets during the strike-shortened season.
2/28/80
The Red Sox sign Luis Aponte as a free agent.
He pitches in Double-A, Triple-A, and the big leagues in 1980 and plays until 1984.
2/28/81
The Royals sign Don Hood as a free agent.
He spends the season in the minor leagues, but returns to the bigs in 1982.
2/28/83
The Yankees sign Rowland Office, who appears in all of two games for them on the major league level. He does hit .297 for the Columbus Clippers and then retires.
2/28/83
The Padres sign Jerry Turner as a free agent.
He plays his final season back in San Diego and retires.
2/28/85
The Pirates sign Rick Reuschel as a free agent. He spends the first two months of the season at AAA Hawaii, gets called up in May, and wins 14 games, a Gold Glove, and the Comeback Player of the Year Award.
2/28/86
The Braves sign Omar Moreno as a free agent.
He appears in 118 games and retires after the season with 487 career stolen bases.
2/28/88
The Indians sign Terry Francona.
He hits .323 in Colorado, gets called up in July, and hits .311 in his lone season in Cleveland before finishing up with two seasons in Milwaukee.
2/28/89
The Twins signed Carlos Pulido as an amateur free agent.
Pulido is just 17 and makes his debt in 1994. He pitches in three seasons in the big leagues but also pitches in China, Japan, Mexico, and Venezuela.
2/28/84
Graig Nettles requests a trade after Yankees manager Yogi Berra informs him that he will platoon with the newly acquired Toby Harrah at third base.
“It’s a slap in the face, a stab in the back. I told them if they can make the right deal to do it,” he says.
A month later, the Yankees send him to San Diego.
2/28/85
Giants owner Bob Lurie says he is taking the team off the market for the 1985 season after failing to find a buyer who would keep the team in San Francisco.
Luris wants a new ballpark and rejected a plan to put a dome over Candlestick Park.
2/28/86
Peter Ueberroth gives Joaquin Andújar, Dale Berra, Enos Cabell, Keith Hernandez, Jeffrey Leonard, Dave Parker, and Lonnie Smith a choice of a year’s suspension without pay or heavy fines and career-long drug testing, along with 100 hours of drug-related community service.
2/28/89
The Veterans Committee elects Red Schoendienst and Al Barlick to the Hall of Fame.
2/28/83
Reds pitcher Charlie Liebrandt is bitten by a dog for the second time in a few months.
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