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January 17
Daily Rewind - January 17 - Say Hey dominates 60s
January 17, 1970, Willie Mays wins player of the decade. To an entire generation of fans, Willie Mays was the greatest ballplayer they had ever seen. The sculpted right-handed slugger combined power and speed in ways unseen on the diamond before his time. As a young player, Mays was fun-loving and gregarious, earning the nickname "Say Hey" for his catch-phrase at the ballpark. He was known to frequent the streets of New York, playing stickball with children and handing out his autograph. When he retired he ranked third all-time in home runs and he was the first man to hit 50 home runs and steal 20 bases in a single season. he became an icon both in New York and San Francisco, where he starred for the Giants.
From 1960 to 1969, Mays appeared in 12 All star Games (there were 2 in 60 & 61), won 9 Gold Gloves, 2 AS Game MVPs, 1965 MVP, and if you believe in WAR, he could have won 6 MVP’s, he had the highest WAR in 6 seasons including 4 straight 10+ WAR seasons.
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Best,
Tom
TODAY ON THE DAILY HIGHLIGHT
CLICK HERE to go today’s Daily Highlight Page where you can see all of today’s happenings in Baseball History and listen to the original audio
Today’s Highlighted Reel:
Jackie Robinson Radio Show Episode 128 Tom Dorwin
Home run Derby Episode Ten: Hank Aaron vs Al Kaline
Trivia:
Lou Brock was the premier base stealer before Rickey Henderson, and he was one of two men to steal 100 in a single season, Maury Wills 104 in 62 was the other. Brock lead the league in steals in all but one year from 1966 to 1974? Which year and who beat him?
Joe Morgan
Bobby Tolan
Bobby Bonds
Maury Wills
Hint: The answer is below
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January 17, 1934, the New York Giants come to contract terms with National League Most Valuable Player Carl Hubbell. “The King,” who won league honors unanimously in 1933, will earn $18,000 for the upcoming season.
January 17, 1962 – Warren Spahn, the highest-paid pitcher in baseball, met briefly at County Stadium with general manager John McHale before signing his 1962 contract. Terms of the contract were not released, but reportedly Spahn was in the $65,000 range.
January 17 1970 — The Sporting News names San Francisco Giants outfielder Willie Mays as its “Player of the Decade” for the 1960s. Mays beats out the likes of Hank Aaron and Roberto Clemente in the voting.
January 17 1977 — The Kansas City Royals released veteran outfielder Tommy Davis, ending his 18-year career. In 1962, Davis led the National League in batting average with a .346 mark, and in RBI with 153. In 1963, Davis again won the batting crown, helping the Los Angeles Dodgers to capture the World Series. Two years later, he fractured an ankle, curtailing his production for the rest of his career
Birthday boy . . . Signed out of high school as the #4 overall pick of the Brewers in the 1970 amateur draft, husky Darrell Porter developed into one of the grittiest catchers in baseball. Originally thought of as a can’t-miss hitter, Porter became a solid big league catcher and a valuable member of five division-winning teams. After failing to live up to expectations in Milwaukee, Porter was dealt to the Royals, where he blossomed. Later, he overcame alcoholism to become the heart-and-soul of the Cardinals, earning honors in both the 1982 NLCS and World Series.
HIGHLIGHTED GAME OF THE DAY:
St Louis Cardinals World Series Game 4 - Harry Brecheen starts for the Cardinals.
Browns starter Sig Jakucki had been away from baseball for five years, but returned to win 13 games in 1944. He lasted only three innings giving up four runs. Stan Musial hit a two-run homer in the first, and the Browns never recovered. Harry Brecheen went the distance for the win despite giving up nine hits and four walks.
MILESTONES
Birthday Boys!
Darrell Porter, Denny Doyle, Dick Brown, don Zimmer, Hank Leiber, Lum Harris, Mayo Smith and Pete LaCock
Passings.
Harry Brecheen, John McHale, Marv Breuer and Seth Morehead
Quote of the day:
"During my 18 year career I came to bat nearly 10,000 times. I struck out 1700 times and walked 1800 times. You figure a ball player will average about 100 at bats a season. That means I played for seven years in the major leagues without even hitting the ball."
Hall of Famer - Mickey Mantle
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Trivia Answer: Bobby Tolan 1970
