80sbaseball.com logo

March 12th

Share This Page

Darryl Strawberry 1989 baseball card

Happy ’80s Birthday to Darryl Strawberry, the overall #1 selection in the 1980 draft. Strawberry’s Crenshaw High team was defeated in the city championship by the team from Granada Hills. Strawberry pitched in the game but was outdueled by Granada star John Elway.

Dale Murphy 1983 baseball card

Happy ’80s Birthday to Murph! NL MVP in 1982 and 1983 and one of the classiest dudes ever. From 1982 through 1985, Murph hit .293 and led the bigs in games played (648) and homers (145).

Ruppert Jones Book

Happy ’80s Birthday to Ruppert Jones, the Seattle Mariners’ first pick in the 1976 expansion draft. 

Ruppert has overcome a lot in his life and he’s written a memoir to tell the story. 

Larry Rothschild minor league baseball card

Happy ’80s Birthday to Larry Rothschild, who was signed by the Reds in 1975. The Tigers selected him in the Rule 5 draft and he made his debut in 1981 with Detroit.

He later served as a pitching coach for the Reds, Braves, Marlins, Padres, and Cubs and also was the first manager for the Tampa Bay Rays.

Steve Finley 1989 Donruss Baseball Card

Happy ’80s Birthday to Steve Finley, who made his debut in 1989 and spent 19 years in the bigs, winning a World Series with the Diamondbacks in 2001.

Jerry Howarth Book

Happy ’80s Birthday to long-time Blue Jays broadcaster Jerry Howarth.

Lonnie Smith 1988 minor league baseball card

3/12/88

The Braves sign Lonnie Smith as a free agent.

He spends five years in Atlanta and hits a combined .291 with 46 homers and 52 stolen bases. It’s his longest tenure with any team. 

3/12/82

Dodgers SS Bill Russell commits five errors in a spring training game against the Tigers but also pulls off a squeeze bunt to drive in the winning run. 

“I’ve seen better hands on a clock,” writes sportswriter Mel Durslag.

Big Days

Chuck Klein 1983 Galasso 1933 Goudey Reprint

3/12/80

The Veterans Committee elects Tom Yawkey and Chuck Klein to the Hall of Fame

3/12/81

Steve Garvey wins the Roberto Clemente Award

Injuries

3/12/82

Padres pitcher Chris Welsh suffers a broken foot when Don Baylor steps on him during a spring training game. 

But he hung in there are struck out Brian Downing with the bases loaded to get out of the inning. 

Deaths

Mitchell Page

We lost Mitchell Page OTD in 2011. He was just 59 years old

Powered by BlueHost 

Monetize your website with Monumetric.

Verified by ExactMetrics