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April 4
TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY
Hey Folks!
April 4 is not a light day in baseball history. It carries the kind of weight that reminds you the game has never existed in isolation from the world around it.
In 1968 the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. forced baseball to make a decision — play ball or pause in respect. Most teams paused. The Dodgers initially did not. The Phillies said they would forfeit rather than take the field on a national day of mourning. The Dodgers reversed course. It was the right call and it didn't need to be complicated.
In 1974 Hank Aaron stood in the batter's box carrying the weight of death threats, hate mail, and the scrutiny of an entire nation and hit his 714th home run to tie Babe Ruth's all time record. He did it with a dignity and grace that the moment demanded and that lesser men could not have summoned.
In 1982 J.R. Richard walked to the mound in an exhibition game for one inning. No runs. No hits. Two years after a stroke that nearly took his life and ended a career that was on a trajectory toward Cooperstown.
In 1988 George Bell — the reigning AL MVP who had spent spring training fighting a suspension for refusing to DH — hit three home runs on Opening Day against Bret Saberhagen at Kauffman Stadium. The first player in major league history to do it. George Bell made his argument with his bat and the argument was unambiguous.
And in 1994 Jacobs Field opened in Cleveland and despite being no-hit for seven innings in the very first game nobody in that ballpark cared because something new and exciting had clearly arrived. What followed over the next decade was one of the most successful sustained runs of regular season baseball any franchise had produced in the modern era.
And somewhere in the middle of all of that April 4 1948 gave us an 84 year old Connie Mack challenging a 78 year old Clark Griffith to a foot race from third base to home plate — because baseball has always understood that the game is also supposed to make you smile.
April 4 gave us all of that and as always every story has audio waiting for you in the Classic Baseball Broadcasts archive.
Story of the Day: Early Wynn
April 4, 1999, The man they called "Gus", Hall of Famer Early Wynn dies at the age of 79 from complications caused by a stroke.
The vanishing breed of scowling, intimidating pitchers is best typified by Hall of Famer and 300-game-winner Early Wynn. He walked into a Senators tryout camp and signed a pro contract at age 17. After three starts in 1939, he made the majors to stay in 1941. Armed with a blazing fastball and little else, Wynn gave scant evidence of his future in his 191 appearances with Washington. Seasons of 18 and 17 wins were offset by a league-high 17 losses in 1944 and 19 defeats, with a 5.82 ERA, in 1948.
On September 15, 1946, Early Wynn pinch-hit for the pitcher and slugged a grand slam in the Senators' seven-run fifth inning against the Tigers in Detroit. It was the third homer of Wynn's career, and his first grand slam.
Indians owner Bill Veeck obtained Wynn on December 14, 1948 with Mickey Vernon for Joe Haynes, Ed Klieman, and Eddie Robinson, one of the best deals in Indians' history. Wynn came under the tutelage of Cleveland pitching coach Mel Harder, who taught the portly righthander a curve, knuckleball, slider, and changeup. Wynn threw all his pitches with an easy, effortless motion. After a year of adjustment in 1949, he led the AL with a 3.20 ERA in 1950. He had the first of his 20-win seasons in 1951. With Bob Lemon, Mike Garcia, and, first, aging Bob Feller and then Herb Score, Wynn was in one of baseball's all-time great pitching rotations. In 1952 he won 23 games, Lemon and Garcia won 22 each, and the three were named Cleveland's Men of the Year. They made the Indians a close second to the Yankees in 1952 and 1953. In 1954 Wynn and Lemon tied for the AL lead with 23 wins and the Indians won a league-record 111 games before suffering a stunning World Series sweep to the Giants. Wynn allowed an RBI single and a home run to Series star Dusty Rhodes in losing Game Two.
Though he led the AL in strikeouts, Wynn suffered his first losing season with Cleveland in 1957 (14-17). That December, he and Al Smith went to the White Sox for Minnie Minoso and Fred Hatfield. In 1958, Wynn became the first ML pitcher to lead his league in strikeouts in consecutive years with different teams, but still posted a 14-16 record. But at the age of 39 in 1959 he led the White Sox to the AL pennant, leading the AL in wins (22-10), starts, and innings. On May 1, 1959, Wynn hit a solo homer off Boston's Tom Brewer to provide the only run in his 1-0 victory over the Red Sox.. He won Game One of the WS over the Dodgers 11-0, but was hit hard in his two other starts and lost Game Seven.
In the 1950s, Wynn was 188-119 with more strikeouts, 1,544, than any other pitcher. He led the league with four shutouts in 1960 and pitched well in his illness-curtailed 1961 season (8-2), but struggled to a 7-15 record in 1962 as his 300th win proved elusive. He was released that November and was cut during spring training in 1963, needing just one more victory for the landmark plateau. Signed by Cleveland, Wynn reached the milestone on July 13, 1963, going five innings to defeat the Athletics. Four shutout innings of relief by Jerry Walker earned Wynn his milestone victory.
He spent most of the year in the bullpen and retired after the season. He pitched more seasons (23) than any pitcher to that time, despite battling gout from 1951 on. Wynn believed in running and kept his legs in great shape. He also walked a record 1,775 batters.
Wynn's distinct personality led him to call the pitching mound his "office." He worked with a grim, fierce appearance, and might be best remembered for saying he would knock down his grandmother if she dug in against him. Feared on the field, Wynn was an easygoing, fun-loving practical joker off the field. A dangerous batter who is among the all-time pitchers' leaders in hits, he was used as a pinch hitter 90 times during his career and hit .270 or better five times.
In 1984, a malfunctioning woodstove exploded in the home of 64-year old former pitcher. Wynn received second and third-degree burns to his face and upper body. Luckily he was wearing glasses, which probably saved his eyesight
More on Early Wynn!
Here are links to check out!
Check out his SABR Bioproject here written by by David Fleitz
His Baseball Reference Page for Early Wynn here all the stats you will ever need
Visit him in Cooperstown
Strapped for time? We also have a podcast you can take with you!
Quote of the day:
“I could throw the ball when I came here [to Cleveland],” recalled Wynn years later in The Sporting News, “but Mel Harder made a pitcher out of me.”
Game of The Day:
Game of the Day — October 1, 1959 World Series Game 1 Los Angeles Dodgers vs
Chicago White Sox
Early Wynn takes the mound!
Historic Comiskey Park hosted a crowd of 48,103 that included Hollywood's Joan Crawford and Orson Welles and former Illinois governor Adlai Stevenson, the 1952 and 1956 Democratic presidential candidate for president.
Game 1 was the first championship game in 40 years for the White Sox as well as the first postseason game in Chicago in 14 years, when the Chicago Cubs lost to the Detroit Tigers in Game 7 of 1945 World Series.
On the pitching mound, Early Wynn of the White Sox faced Roger Craig of the Dodgers.
April 4 highlights and Historic Days!
April 4, 1948 - A’s manager Connie Mack, who is 84 years old, challenges Clark Griffith, the 78 year-old owner of the Senators, to a foot race from third base to home plate.
April 4, 1968 — Due to today’s assassination of civil rights leader Martin Luther King, most of the major league teams will decide to postpone their Opening Day games until the reverend’s funeral takes place in five days. Surprisingly, the Dodgers, at first, are the notable exception, even though the Phillies, their opponents on April 9th, say they will forfeit rather than play on the national day of mourning.
April 4, 1974 Hank Aaron ties Babe Ruth for All Time Homerun Record against the Reds.
April 4 , 1982 — J.R. Richard tosses one inning in an exhibition game against Toronto. It would be his last appearance as an Astro after suffering a stroke in 1980. Richard gives up no runs and no hits but walks the bases full in the 3-2 victory.
April 4, 1988, At Kauffman Stadium, George Bell of the Toronto Blue Jays becomes the first major leaguer to hit three home runs on Opening Day. Bell’s home runs, all coming against Kansas City Royals ace Bret Saberhagen, help the Jays to a 5-3 win. Bell the reigning AL MVP was initially suspended because he refused to move from Leftfield to DH.
April 4, 1994 The Jake opened and despite the first 7 innings when they were no hit, a new era was born and the Indians will go on to be one of the most successful regular season teams the last 20+ seasons.
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TRIVIA
TRIVIA: Three pitchers have won 300 games but never had 200 strikeouts in a season, who are they?
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!
Answer in tomorrows newsletter
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ANSWER TO YESTERDAY’S TRIVIA
YESTERDAY'S TRIVIA: On August 4, 1985, Seaver notched his 300th victory, beating the Yankees 4-1, at Yankee Stadium. On the same day, what other hall of famer achieved a milestone?
Answer: August 4, 1985, Rod Carew collected his 3,000th career hit against his former team, the Minnesota Twins.
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