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March 26
⚾ The Toy Cannon Jim Wynn March 26
TODAY ON THE DAILY HIGHLIGHT
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Passed away James Sherman Wynn was born on March 26, 2020.
Originally a shortstop, Jimmy Wynn was drafted by his hometown Cincinnati Reds, but was swiped from their organization in the free agent draft by the Houston Colt .45s in 1962. In virtual obscurity, Wynn was switched to center field, played 11 seasons for Houston, and had several tremendous seasons. The cavernous dimensions of the Astrodome masked his raw power, and the immense value of his patience at the plate (he drew as many as 90 walks in eight different seasons), excellent defense, and stellar baserunning ability was somewhat lost as he played for mediocre teams most of his career. Dubbed the "Toy Cannon" because of his powerful swing from a small frame, Wynn clubbed nearly 300 homers in his career.
NotesAfter swiping 43 bases (in 47 tries) in 1965, Houston GM Spec Richardson told Wynn that the team appreciated his baserunning ability, but that they preferred he work on his power.
Best Strength as a PlayerPower. Wynn was a power-hitter with few peers - he could really launch it. There are thousands of Astros' fans who can tell stories of seeing Wynn hit baseballs all into far away corners of the Astrodome. Wynn once socked a Phil Niekro knuckler almost 500 feet. He hit three homers...in the Astrodome. It's not a stretch to imagine that Wynn might have hit 450 homers had he played in a friendly park like Atlanta or Wrigley Field.
Game of the DayOctober 1, 1967 Minnesota Twins vs Boston Red Sox
Did you know?
March 26, 1951 —– In an exhibition game at the University of Southern California, Mickey Mantle propels a home run estimated at 654 to 660 feet. The shot clears Bovard Field and then goes the width of a practice football field before landing. Mantle has two homers, a bases-loaded triple, and drives in seven runs as the Yankees flunk the Trojans, 15 – 1.
🎙️ Classic Baseball Moment of the Day! 🎙️
Don Larsen(1956), Sandy Koufax(1965), Bob Gibson (64,67 and 68), Mantle, DiMaggio, Williams (1941), Clemente 1971, Brooks 1970, Oakland Three Peat and so many others!
With Classic Baseball Broadcasts, you can relive these legendary moments through the actual radio calls that made history!
Relive baseball history, one play at a time. Dive into the archives and feel the magic of baseball’s golden era.
Trivia:
In 1969 Jim Wynn set the NL record for base on balls with 148, who’s record did he break? Then who broke his and in what year?
Hint: The answer is below
TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY
March 26, 1936 — Hank Greenberg signs with the Detroit Tigers to a $20,000 contract, and Red Ruffing accepts $12,000 from the New York Yankees.
March 26, 1963 - On an all-or-nothing day for the Dodgers' Sandy Koufax, he gives up long balls to Roberto Clemente and Donn Clendenon, but strikes out 9 Pirates batters in 7 innings, and also gives up six runs. Sandy's performance probably looks pretty good to Pirate skipper Danny Murtaugh, whose own staff gives up 19 runs, but it doesn't prepare fans for the four-year run on which Brooklyn's late-blooming bonus baby is about to embark.
March 25, 1965 - In spring training, Bill Mazeroski of the Pittsburgh Pirates suffers a broken bone in his right foot. The injury will sideline the Gold Glove second baseman until May, allowing him to play in only 130 games during the regular season.
March 26, 1974, the Boston Red Sox release two future Hall of Famers. Designated hitter Orlando Cepeda and shortstop Luis Aparicio are both given their unconditional releases. Aparicio, who elects to retire, finishes his career with 2,677 hits and 506 stolen bases and will enter the Hall of Fame in 1984. The sore-kneed Cepeda will eventually with the Kansas City Royals, where he will complete his major league career in 1974. Cepeda will win election to the Hall of Fame in 1999.
March 26, 1976, the American League approves the sale of the Toronto Blue Jays to the Labatts Brewing Company. Labatts agreed to buy the team for $7 million.
March 26, 1977 -- Infielder Rico Petrocelli is released by the Boston Red Sox after a 13-season career for his only major league club. Petrocelli retires with 210 home runs and two All-Star appearances.
March 26, 1984 -- Jackie Robinson, who broke baseball's color line playing for the Dodgers in 1947, is awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously by President Reagan. Rachel Robinson, on behalf of her late husband, accepts the award, the highest civilian honor given in the United States.
March 26, 2000 - In just 17.6 seconds, the Kingdome is demolished into a mound of rubble over 65 feet high thanks to 21.6 miles of detonation cord and 5,800 holes filled with gelatin dynamite.
March 26 , 1991 -- State Senators pass a bill to rename a part of State Highway 288 the "Nolan Ryan Expressway". The highway passes near the Astrodome on its way through Ryan's boyhood hometown of Alvin.
Quote of the day:
“My father made me the kind of hitter I am,” said Wynn in midcareer. “I was a shortstop when I was a boy growing up in Cincinnati and my father saw me as an Ernie Banks type – a good fielder who could hit home runs. He threw baseball after baseball at me, and when he got tired he took me out to a place near the airport where they had pitching machines. I developed the timing and the strong hands and wrists you need to hit homers.”
MILESTONES
Birthday Boys
Gene Elson and Harry Kalas
Debuts
Final Games
None Today
Passings
George Sisler, Jerry Moses, Jim Wynn and Marious Russo
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Trivia Answer:
Wynn broke Jimmy Sheckard’s record of 147 set in 1911. In 1999 Mark McGwire broke his record with 162. The only players to pass Wynn in the NL have been Jeff Bagwell, McGwire and Barry Bonds.
