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March 30
⚾ Dennis Eckersley March 30
TODAY ON THE DAILY HIGHLIGHT
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March 30, 1978 Boston Red Sox acquire pitcher Dennis Eckersley and catcher Fred Kendall from the Cleveland Indians. He will win 20 games and was the team's ace, although the task of pitching the decisive one-game playoff against the New York Yankees on October 2nd fell to his teammate Mike Torrez, since Eckersley had earned a key win in a start 48 hours earlier. He remained a mainstay in the Boston rotation until 1984, getting the start in the 1982 All-Star Game.
From his rookie season in 1975, through his last year in Chicago (1986), Eckersley was a fine starting pitcher. In 1978 he was 20-8 and completed 16 games for the Red Sox, in his rookie season he won 13 games and had a nifty 2.60 ERA. In 1976 he struck out 200 batters. His career record as a starter was 149-130, with a 3.71 ERA and 1,609 K's. Then, in 1987, at age 32, Tony LaRussa made him a closer, and he rocketed to stardom. As a relief pitcher, Eckersley saved 390 games, had a 2.84 ERA, and posted a 48-41 record. From the point that LaRussa made him the closer, until the end of his career, at age 43, Eckersely walked just 113 batters in 779 2/3 innings (1.3 per nine IP).
FactoidsOn May 15, 1991, Dennis Eckersley nailed down a 6-3 win for the A's over the Orioles in Baltimore, pitching the last 1 1/3 innings for the save. In the crowd that day was President George Bush and Queen Elizabeth II of England.
Major League DebutApril 12, 1975 ... Eckersley made his debut in relief against the Brewers in Milwaukee. His first strikeout victim was Robin Yount.
FeatsOn May 30, 1977, Eckersely hurled a no-hitter against the Angels, striking out 12 batters... On September 3, 1988, Eckersely set an AL record with his 37th save of the season... On September 26, 1998, Eckersely set a major league record by appearing in his 1,071st game, breaking Hoyt Wilhelm's mark. It was his final game.
He is the only pitcher in baseball history to have both made 1000 pitching appearances and thrown 100 complete games (a number that Eckersley reached exactly)
Eck coined the term "walk-off home run", using it in a postgame interview after Kirk Gibson took him deep in the '88 World Series.
Game of the DayMay 30, 1977 Cleveland Indians vs California Angels
Eck fires a gem!
Did you know?
March 30, 1948, Murry Dickson of the St. Louis Cardinals achieves a rarity: a spring training no-hitter. Dickson shackles the New York Yankees, becoming the first pitcher to throw a nine-inning no-hitter in spring training. Prior to Dickson, two no-hitters had taken place in the spring, but both were shared by more than one pitcher.
🎙️ 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:
Eck saved 390 games, 57 of them were for one pitcher, the two had the all time record until Mo Rivera and Andy Pettitte topped it. Who was it?
Dave Stewart?
Bob Welch?
Mike Moore?
Storm Davis?
Hint: The answer is below
TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY
March 30, 1966 — Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale’s refusal to report to spring training ends when the hurlers agree to the Dodgers’ offer of $235,000, signing for $130,000 and $105,000, respectively. The LA starters’ joint holdout lasts for 32 days, threatening retirement in an effort to acquire pay raises. The pair had begun movie and TV show production during the hiatus.
This move ultimately paved the way paving for other players to be more aggressive when negotiating with owners. The owners also hurt themselves by adding collusion verabage in the next CBA which has cost them dearly.
March 30, 1972 — – Marvin Miller executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association Thursday said on the eve of a critical vote on whether to call a strike against the game “It’s all up to the players now” Miller concluded his poll taking among the 34 big league clubs Thursday with the Milwaukee Brewers The final count. Shows 663 players in favor of calling a strike unless their demands for an improved pension are met and only 10 were against with two abstentions “Obviously we have an overwhelming sentiment for a strike” Miller said “Now it’s up to the players and they have the right to do what they think best.”
March 30, 1978 Boston Red Sox acquire pitcher Dennis Eckersley and catcher Fred Kendall from the Cleveland Indians. He will win 20 games and was the team's ace, although the task of pitching the decisive one-game playoff against the New York Yankees on October 2nd fell to his teammate Mike Torrez, since Eckersley had earned a key win in a start 48 hours earlier. He remained a mainstay in the Boston rotation until 1984, getting the start in the 1982 All-Star Game
March 30, 1981 Chicago White Sox purchase Greg Luzinski from the Philadelphia Phillies. Luzinski returned to his hometown when his contract was sold to the Chicago White Sox. As the team's designated hitter, he hit 21 home runs in his first year with the club, one less than the American League-leading total of 22, shared by four players. The following summer, 1982, he hit .292 with 18 home runs and 102 RBI. He was a team leader on the division-winning White Sox in 1983, clubbing 32 homers, 3 of which cleared the Comiskey Park roof.
March 30, 1991 A sold-out Joe Robbie Stadium plays host to the Yankees and the Orioles exhibition game, which draws 67,654 fans, a spring training attendance record
March 30 , 2000 — Enron Field officially opens with a 6-5 exhibition win over the A.L. Champion New York Yankees, paralleling the feat that occurred when the Astrodome opened in 1965. Daryle Ward’s two-run homer caps a four-run eighth-inning rally to open up the Astros’ new home in style.
Quote of the day:
"I had a good run. I had some magic that was with me for a long time, so I know that I was real lucky to not have my arm fall off for one thing, and to make it this long physically is tough enough. But to me it's like you're being rescued too when your career's over. It's like, 'Whew, the pressure's off.'" - Dennis Eckersley
MILESTONES
Birthday Boys
Dave Baldwin, Dick Woodson, Ed Sicking and Ripper Collins
Debuts
Final Games
None Today
Passings
Billy Cox, Bob Turley, Chuck Schilling, Davy Jones and Herman Franks
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Trivia Answer:
Eckersley saved 57 Bob Welch wins in his career, a record for a pitcher combination until Mariano Rivera and Andy Pettitte broke it in 2009
