TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY

April 22 , 1974 — Cesar Cedeno drills two homers and drives in five to pace Houston past Atlanta, 7-0 . Claude Osteen, who was dealt by the Dodgers over the winter, scatters seven hits.

Cesar Cedeno burst into the major leagues in 1970 as a supremely talented 19-year-old whom everyone thought was going to take the league by storm. By 1972, he was arguably the best player in the National League and seemed on track to become one of the all-time greats.

When Leo Durocher took over as manager in 1972, he dubbed Cedeno as "the next Willie Mays." (while the Cubs' manager, Durocher had similarly touted Adolfo Phillips) This was high praise indeed, and the expectations for Cedeno turned out to be higher than even his amazing physical abilities could take him. He suffered through some personal problems, never developed the home run power that was expected, and eventually left the game as an example of unfulfilled potential.

This is an incorrect evaluation of Cedeno. While it is true that he didn't become the next Willie Mays, nobody else has managed to do that either. Like so many other excellent hitters in Houston (Wynn, Morgan, Watson, Cruz), Cedeno's offensive numbers were suppressed in the pitcher-friendly Astrodome.

This article was written by John Wilson and appeared in the August 19, 1972 edition of The Sporting News. It was written just as Cedeno was establishing himself as a star and is an excellent read on the details of Cedeno's rise to prominence.

His best season, 1972 Or 1973 - take your pick, these two seasons are nearly identical. In 1972 he scored more runs, which was more a reflection of his station in the lineup. In both seasons he hit .320 with a slugging percentage of .537. He swiped 50 bases each year, and in 1974 he added 50+ again, to make it three straight years with 20 homers and 50 steals, something no other player has ever accomplished.

On the evening of December 11, 1973, Cedeno was with his mistress, 19-year old Altragracia de la Cruz, in the Dominican Republic, when a squabble resulted in her death by gunshot to the head. The gun belonged to Cedeno. Confronted with the evidence, Cedeno pleaded innocent and claimed the gun had gone off by accident while he and de la Cruz were fighting. Cedeno was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter and was fined 100 pesos. He was back in the United States in time for spring training, this event would haunt him for many years. César's star almost immediately began to dim. He never reached the lofty heights to which he had seemed destined. He continued to steal bases, but in eight more seasons with the Astros, he only once hit over .300 and only once hit more than 20 home runs. He did make the All-Star team two more times and won two more Gold Gloves. Part of the perception that he regressed as a player is because he missed half of the 1978 season with an injury, and his offensive numbers were depressed by playing in the Astrodome.

He made something of a comeback in 1980 (.309, 10 HR, 73 RBI), helping Houston win its first division title and earning his fourth selection to TSN's NL All-Star Team. Traded to the Reds after the 1981 season, he improved his play after he took a stress relief course during the winter of 1983-84. On August 29, 1985, he was traded to the Cardinals, who were seeking a replacement for injured Jack Clark. He helped push St. Louis to the pennant with a remarkable stretch drive: .434, 6 HR, 19 RBI in 28 games.

Cedeno led the NL in doubles twice, stole over 50 bases six times, batted .320 twice, hit for the cycle twice, and won five Gold Glove awards. Baseball historian and sabremetrician Bill James ranks him as the 21st-best centerfielder of all time. That's a fine ranking for any player, even someone who was supposed to be the next Willie Mays.

Features over 58 starts for the Astros, including the Three All Star Games, 1980 & 1981 NLCS, several games from the 1985 stretch, and 1985 playoffs and World Series.

His interview vault includes:

Over 20 Game Highlights during his time with the Astros

April 22, 1915, the New York Yankees wear their famed pinstripes for the first time. Although they are not the first club to use the vertical stripes, the Yankees become so associated with them that writers will commonly refer to the team as the “Pinstripers.” Harry Wolverton Highlander manager dons the Yankee pinstripes, the first time they appeared on the New York uniform.

April 22, 1931 — Babe Ruth of the New York Yankees collides with Charlie Berry, Boston Red Sox catcher and former pro football player, while trying to score on a sacrifice fly. Ruth is carried off the field at Fenway Park and taken to a hospital after the collision.

April 22, 1947 — The Phillies players, inspired by their Alabama-born racist skipper Ben Chapman, repeatedly shout racial epitaphs, throw beanballs, and intentionally spike Brooklyn’s rookie first baseman, Jackie Robinson the first African-American to play major league baseball in the 20th century. The incident is so severe that Philadelphia’s that infielder Lee “Jeep” Handley will later publicly apologize, and baseball commissioner Happy Chandler will chastise team’s manager for his bigoted leadership.

April 22, 1957 — John Kennedy becomes the first black to play for the Philadelphia Phillies, making them the last National League team to integrate. Kennedy pinch runs for Solly Hemus in the 5 – 1 loss to the Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets Field. He will play only briefly in five games, two at third base, and will go hitless.

April 22, 1965 at Dodger Stadium Jack Fisher and Sandy Koufax battle to a 1-1 tie, until John Roseboro delivers a walk off hit giving Koufax the win. (Listen below)

April 22, 1970, New York Mets ace Tom Seaver ties a major league record by striking out 19 batters in a 2-1 victory over the San Diego Padres. Seaver also strikes out the last 10 batters he faces, setting another big-league mark. (Game of the day)

April 22 , 1980 — Nolan Ryan ‘s first win as an Houston Astro comes in an 8-0 victory over Cincinnati Red’s, It’s the initial dividend from baseball’s first million-dollar-per-year contract. Ryan fans seven and walks six in seven innings. Jose Cruz is the star with three hits and five RBIs, including a bases-loaded triple in the first inning.

April 22, 1981 — Los Angeles Dodgers rookie Fernando Valenzuela pitches his third shutout in four starts, strikes out 11, and has the game’s only RBI with a single in a 1 – 0 win against the Houston Astros. (Listen below)

April 22, 2007, At Fenway Park four consecutive Boston batters hit home runs off Yankee pitcher Chase Wright at Fenway Park. The consecutive homers tie a major league mark, which has been accomplished just five times. The Red Sox batters are Manny Ramirez, J.D. Drew, Mike Lowell, and Jason Varitek. The victim for all four gopher balls is Chase Wright, who ties the major league record for home runs allowed in an inning. Paul Foytack in 1963 had been the only prior pitcher to allow four straight homers in an inning.

April 22, 2008 — John Smoltz becomes the 16th major league pitcher to strike out 3,000 batters. The 40-year-old Braves hurler gets Felipe Lopez swinging on a 2-2 offering in the 3rd for his 3,000th K. He is the 6th-quickest to the mark in terms of innings pitched (3,386). Smoltz fans 10 in 7 innings in this win, showing that age has not yet caught up to him.

April 22, 2014 — Albert Pujols becomes the 26th member of the 500 Home Run Club as he goes deep twice against Taylor Jordan of the Washington Nationals, in the 1st and 5th innings. He is the first member of the fraternity to hit #499 and 500 in the same game. The Angels win, 7 – 2.

TRIVIA

TRIVIA: Who was the first pitcher to strike out six consecutive batters in a World Series game?

Hint: #1 He surrendered Stan Musial’s three thousandth career hit and took the loss in Early Wynn’s three hundredth and final career win.

Hint: #2 Once, while sitting in the Orioles’ bullpen in Cleveland, he gave an Indians fan a hotfoot.

Hint: #3 Using the bullpen phone in Baltimore, he ordered take-out from a restaurant in Hong Kong.

IF you think you know the answer and bonus points for how many respond with details and if you are right I will give you a shut out! No Googling!

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 ANSWER TO YESTERDAY’S TRIVIA

YESTERDAY'S TRIVIA:  Who is the most recent pitcher to win twenty-five games in a season and not win the Cy Young Award that year?

Hint: #1 He was the last American League pitcher to be included in a game’s batting order and get a hit.

Hint: #2 He is the only pitcher in the majors to retire in the twentieth century with more than three thousand strikeouts and fewer than 1,000 bases on balls.

A. FERGIE JENKINS  [SABR Bio]

- Ans. In 1974, Jenkins & Catfish Hunter had 25 pitching victories in the AL. Jenkins had a better WAR, 7.7 to 6.9, but Hunter’s wins were for a first-place team, the WS champion Oakland A’s.

- #1 On 02-Oct-1974, TEX played the game without a DH, starting Jenkins in the 9^th spot in the batting order. He was 1 for 3 with a single in the 6^th. He also pitched 7 innings was the winning pitcher.

- #2 He pitched from 1965 to 1983 and ended with a record of 3,192 K & 997 BB. Six other pitchers have achieved those numbers, finishing in the 21^st century.

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