Happy ’80s Birthday to Cecil Fielder, who hit .311 as a Blue Jays rookie in 1985. He also posted an averaged OPS of .849 from 1990 through 1996 for the Tigers.
Senior Smoke was born OTD in 1948. He posted three double-digit win seasons out of the bullpen, including winning 10 for the 1984 Tigers while also notching 14 saves.
He threw 137 2/3 innings in relief in 1984.
Happy ’80s Birthday to Danny Cox, who is third in wins among pitchers born in the U.K. and went 18-5 for the Cardinals in 1985.
Happy ’80s Birthday to Rick Rodriguez, who won three games over four seasons for Oakland, Cleveland, and San Francisco and served as a pitching coach for nearly 30 years.
Happy ’80s Birthday to Troy Afenir, who played in four seasons in the bigs from 1987 until 1992 and later became a scout. On of the players he signed was a big outfielder named Judge who hits lots of homers.
9/21/84
Jim Traber goes 1-for-4 in his major league debut. He also sings the National Anthem before the game.
9/21/86
Jimmy Jones throws a one-hitter against the Astros in his big-league debut. The lone hit he surrenders is a 3rd-inning triple off the bat of Bob Knepper. Jones was called up from AAA Las Vegas after going 9-10 with a 4.40 E.R.A. and a 1.52 WHIP so it only stands to reason he’d throw a one-hitter.
9/21/89
With the (then) WWF in town, Reds broadcaster Marty Brennaman invites former Cincinnati farmhand Randy Poffo into the broadcast booth during the game. Once Reds players notice, they respond by flexing and pointing to Macho Man. Marge Schott is not amused and calls Brennaman on the carpet after the game.
9/21/80
Rickey goes 1-for-4 with four bags in a 9-3 win over the Royals. He finishes the season with 100 stolen bases, one of eleven seasons in which he leads the American League.
9/21/80
Steve Kemp goes 3-for-5 with two doubles and four RBI in a 13-1 win over Cleveland. The four RBI gives him 10 in his last two games and 15 over a five-game span.
9/21/81
Steve Carlton and Ray Burris each throw ten scoreless innings and allow a total of six hits. The Expos finally win the game 1-0 in 17 innings on an Andre Dawson RBI single.
9/21/81
Lefty strikes out 12 Expos in 10 innings to break Bob Gibson’s National League strikeout record. Lefty was kind of a badass.
9/21/82
We saw it on the open to This Week in Baseball for years after.
9/21/82
Steve Carlton throws a CG and strikes out 14 in a 5-2 win over the Cardinals.
9/21/84
Bill Buckner goes 5-for-5 and drives in three in an 8-0 Red Sox win over Baltimore. The man could just hit.
9/21/85
Wade Boggs ties Tris Speaker’s team record of 222 hits with a single in the 2nd inning.
Three innings later he sets a new American League record for singles with 185. He finishes the year with 187, a mark that will stand until 2001.
9/21/86
It’s Tony Perez Day in Cincinnati. Fans pay their respects to Doggie and his teammates deliver an 8-4 win over the Dodgers at the Baseball Cathedral known as Riverfront Stadium.
9/21/89
Sid Fernandez throws a 2-hitter and strikes out 13 as the Mets beat the Cardinals 6-1.
9/21/89
Tim Raines swipes four bags in a 6-5 Expos win over Pittsburgh. He finishes the season with 41 stolen bases in 50 attempts.
9/21/87
Mets pitcher Bob Ojeda has surgery on his left index finger after he nearly severed the digit with a hedge-trimmer at his house. He returns in 1988 and wins ten games.
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