Happy ’80s Birthday to Mike Squires who, in 1980, became the first lefty to play catcher since Dale Long in 1958.
Happy ’80s Birthday to Doug Bird, who served as the Royals closer early in his career and spent 11 seasons in the bigs before a 1982 shoulder injury led to an early end to his career.
Happy ’80s Birthday to Kent Tekulve, who spent 16 years in the bigs and saved 184 games. From 1978 through 1983, Teke won 50 games and saved another 124 while putting up a 2.58 E.R.A. and a WHIP of 1.24. He led the league in appearances and games finished three times. Dude was rock solid.
Happy ’80s Birthday to Jerry Ujdur, who won 10 games for the 1982 Tigers and spent five years in the big leagues.
Happy ’80s Birthday to Andy Rincon, who was 3-1 with a 1.77 ERA for the 1981 Cardinals when a Phil Garner line drive hit his pitching arm and broke it. A case could be made that he never recovered. He threw just 40 innings at the big league level after the injury.
Happy ’80s Birthday to Steve Ontiveros, who made his debut in 1985 and pitched in the big leagues for 10 years. He was also the pitching coach for the Chinese national team.
Eleven-time All-Star Del Crandall was born OTD in 1930.
He later managed the Brewers and the Mariners.
3/5/82
The Brewers trade Thad Bosley to the Mariners for pitcher Mike Parrott, who took a comeback to the mound to a very sensitive area in 1980 and missed a month. Ouch
3/5/86
The Braves acquire Ted Simmons from Brewers in exchange for Rick Cerone and a pair of minor leaguers. Simmons spends the final three years of his career in Atlanta and retires after the 1988 season. Dude could hit,
3/5/80
The Phillies sign Bill Johnson as an amateur free agent.
Three years later, they send him to Chicago along with Dick Ruthven in exchange for Willie Hernandez. Johnson appears in 14 games for the Cubs in 1983 and ’84.
3/5/82
The Mariners sign Gaylord Perry as a free agent. In his age-43 season, his 21st in the big leagues, Perry wins 10 games, including the 300th of his career. He pitches one more season before retiring
3/5/88
The Expos sign Otis Nixon as a free agent.
He steals 133 bases over the next three seasons before being dealt to the Braves in April of 1991.
3/5/89
Bo
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