TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY

March 9, 1942 in Pueblo Nuevo, Cuba, Bert Campaneris as a quick, pesky little player with a fiery temper, and he lasted 19 years in the big leagues. He was a daredevil on the base paths and a key member of the 1972-1974 World Champion Oakland A's. He retired with more than 2,200 hits and 600 stolen bases. Campaneris made His memorable debut with the Kansas City A’s (July 23, 1964) included two home runs, one off the first major league pitch ever thrown to him. Bert became only the third player in big league history to hit two homers in his first game. He made headlines in one of club owner Charlie Finley’s publicity stunts in 1965. On September 9, Campaneris played every position in a nine inning game.

Best Season: 1970
There must have been something in the water (or his bat). Campy blasted 22 homers, which was 14 more than he would ever hit in a single season. He led the AL in steals for the fifth time, with 42. He scored 97 runs and was 10th in MVP tallying.

Factoids
In 1965, Bert Campaneris broke Luis Aparicio's nine-year streak of leading the American League in stolen bases.

From 1965 to 1972, Bert Campaneris stole 410 bases, leading the AL six times in that eight-year span. The next highest total of stolen bases during that time was 187, by Don Buford.

The Bat Throwing Incident
In Game Two of the 1972 ALCS against the Tigers, Campy was a demon. He banged out three hits, had two steals and two runs scored. Late in the contest he faced Detroit hurler Lerrin LaGrow. When LaGrow's pitch hit Campaneris in the ankle, Bert flung his bat at the hurler. A near-riot ensued as Detroit manager Billy Martin charged Campaneris. The batter and pitcher were both ejected. Bert was suspended for the remainder of the playoffs but reinstated for the World Series win over the Reds. Campaneris had good reason to throw that bat at Detroit's LaGrow in the 1972 playoffs. He had a hard time getting on base in the Fall. In 37 post-season games he had a .273 OBP.

Old Man and Billy Ball
After three seasons with the Angels, Campaneris retired after the 1981 season at the age of 39. It was an involuntary retirement. He spent 1982 in the Mexican League and was back in the Majors in 1982 with the A's. Billy Martin used Campy as a pinch-hitter and utility infielder (and as a pinch-runner at the age of 41). The veteran responded by hitting .322 in 60 games. He retired in the off-season.

Campy talks to Ken Harrelson about playing all 9 positions . . .

Todays highlights and Historic Days!

March 9, 1912, future Hall of Famer Joseph “Arky” Vaughan is born in Clifty, Arkansas. Vaughan, a hard-hitting shortstop, will make his major league debut in 1932 and will go on to hit .318 during a 14-year career with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Brooklyn Dodgers. Vaughan will be elected to the Hall of Fame by the Special Veterans Committee in 1985.

Listen to Vaughn in his pinch hitting role in 1947 World Series

March 9, 1942 in Pueblo Nuevo, Cuba, Surrounded by superstars, Bert Campaneris was a key contributor to the great Oakland teams with his competitive spirit and superb play. His memorable debut with the Kansas City A’s (July 23, 1964) included two home runs, one off the first major league pitch ever thrown to him. Bert became only the third player in big league history to hit two homers in his first game. He made headlines in one of club owner Charlie Finley‘s publicity stunts in 1965. On September 9, Campaneris played every position in a nine inning game.

March 9, 1962 - Casey Stengel (1962) 1st Interview as a Mets Manager

March 9, 1963 — Songwriters Ruth Roberts and Bill Katz introduced the official Met theme song, Meet the Mets, to the public. The tune will be modernized in 1984, adding Long Island, New Jersey, Brooklyn, Queens, Uptown and Down, to the team’s East side, West side geographical realm.

Listen to over 500+ Mets Games with this jingle

March 9, 1967 Cincinnati Reds pitcher Ted Davidson was shot by his estranged wife Mary in an alley alongside the Chicken Delight Restaurant in Tampa, Florida. Davidson was shot twice in the right shoulder and the left side of the abdomen with a .22-caliber automatic. The incident happened after the two had an argument inside the restaurant. Davidson was on the critical list for days, but recovered and returned to the playing field in June.

Spring Training Game: March 9, 1974 Los Angeles Angels at Oakland Athletics

March 9, 1981, the Chicago White Sox sign prized free agent catcher Carlton Fisk. The future Hall of Fame receiver was declared a free agent in February after the Boston Red Sox had failed to mail him a contract by the deadline imposed under the Basic Agreement. Fisk batted .289 with 18 home runs for the Red Sox in 1980.

Listen to Fisk’s return home and his pre game interview.

March 9, 1995 — Major League Baseball owners unanimously approve two expansion teams: the Arizona Diamondbacks and Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Each of the new clubs will pay a $130 million franchise fee and will begin play in 1998.

March 9, 2010 -- Former Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Willie Davis dies at age 69 in Burbank, CA. Davis was the fastest man in baseball in the 1960s, patrolling center field for the Los Angeles Dodgers, stealing 20 or more bases 11 straight seasons, and playing on three pennant-winning teams. In 1969 he enjoyed a 31-game hitting streak, the longest in baseball in almost a quarter-century. He retired with 2,561 hits, 398 steals, 182 homers, and a .279 average.

Roy Firestone interviews Willie Davis

TRIVIA

TRIVIA: Campy hit a homerun on the first pitch he ever saw in the big leagues off the Minnesota Twins in 1965. Who did he take deep?

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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A Couple of Birthday Boys!

 ANSWER TO YESTERDAY’S TRIVIA

YESTERDAY'S TRIVIA: Jim Bouton was blackballed after writing Ball Four and he came back to pitch for one season for the Atlanta Braves in 1978. It was a maverick owner that brought him back, some would say to antagonize Bowie Kuhn. Who was the franchise owner?

Ted Turner, on November 17, 1976, the Braves signed another big-money free agent, San Francisco Giants outfielder Gary Matthews. Unfortunately for Turner, he had made a comment to Giants’ owner Bob Lurie about recruiting Matthews during the 1976 World Series, which constituted tampering. Commissioner Bowie Kuhn fined Turner $10,000, suspended him for one year, and forced the Braves to forfeit their first pick in the January 1977 draft. Turner protested, saying, “I am a rookie in this business. I should be allowed a few errors.” It may have been the only time in his life that Turner, whose arrogance and oft-outrageous statements had earned him the unflattering nickname “The Mouth of the South,” admitted that he did not know everything. It did not end there, Turner appealed the decision and also inserted himself as the manager of the team on May 11, 1977. Which was shot down due to the Connie Mack rule after one game.

Bringing in Bouton, was a jab at Kuhn.

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