1976 in baseball

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The following are the baseball events of the year 1976 throughout the world.  

This year in baseball

2000s

2009 • 2008 • 2007 • 2006 • 2005
2004 • 2003 • 2002 • 2001 • 2000

1990s

1999 • 1998 • 1997 • 1996 • 1995
1994 • 1993 • 1992 • 1991 • 1990

1980s

1989 • 1988 • 1987 • 1986 • 1985
1984 • 1983 • 1982 • 1981 • 1980

1970s

1979 • 1978 • 1977 • 1976 • 1975
1974 • 1973 • 1972 • 1971 • 1970

1960s

1969 • 1968 • 1967 • 1966 • 1965
1964 • 1963 • 1962 • 1961 • 1960

1950s

1959 • 1958 • 1957 • 1956 • 1955
1954 • 1953 • 1952 • 1951 • 1950

1940s

1949 • 1948 • 1947 • 1946 • 1945
1944 • 1943 • 1942 • 1941 • 1940

1930s

1939 • 1938 • 1937 • 1936 • 1935
1934 • 1933 • 1932 • 1931 • 1930

1920s

1929 • 1928 • 1927 • 1926 • 1925
1924 • 1923 • 1922 • 1921 • 1920

1910s

1919 • 1918 • 1917 • 1916 • 1915
1914 • 1913 • 1912 • 1911 • 1910

1900s

1909 • 1908 • 1907 • 1906 • 1905
1904 • 1903 • 1902 • 1901 • 1900

1890s

1899 • 1898 • 1897 • 1896 • 1895
1894 • 1893 • 1892 • 1891 • 1890

1880s

1889 • 1888 • 1887 • 1886 • 1885
1884 • 1883 • 1882 • 1881 • 1880

1870s

1879 • 1878 • 1877 • 1876 • 1875
1874 • 1873 • 1872 • 1871 • 1870

Early Years

1845-1868 • 1869

See also
Sources

Contents

[edit] Champions

[edit] Major League Baseball

  League Championship Series
ABC
World Series
NBC
                 
East  New York Yankees 3  
West  Kansas City Royals 2  
    AL  New York Yankees 0
  NL  Cincinnati Reds 4
East  Philadelphia Phillies 0
West  Cincinnati Reds 3  

[edit] Other champions

[edit] Awards and honors

[edit] Statistical Leaders

American League National League
AVG George Brett KCR .333 Bill Madlock CHC .339
HR Graig Nettles NYY 32 Mike Schmidt PHI 38
RBI Lee May BAL 109 George Foster CIN 121
Wins Jim Palmer BAL 22 Randy Jones SDP 22
ERA Mark Fidrych DET 2.34   John Denny STL 2.52  
Ks Nolan Ryan CAL 327 Tom Seaver NYM 235

[edit] Major League Baseball final standings

American League
Rank Club Wins Losses Win % GB
East Division
1st New York Yankees   97   62 .610    --
2nd Baltimore Orioles   88   74 .543 10.5
3rd Boston Red Sox   83   79 .512 15.5
4th Cleveland Indians   81   78 .509 16.0
5th Detroit Tigers   74   87 .460 24.0
6th Milwaukee Brewers   66   95 .410 32.0
West Division
1st Kansas City Royals   90   72 .556    --
2nd Oakland Athletics   87   74 .540   2.5
3rd Minnesota Twins   85   77 .525   5.0
4th Texas Rangers   76   86 .469 14.0
4th California Angels   76   86 .469 14.0
6th Chicago White Sox   64   97 .398 25.5
National League
Rank Club Wins Losses Win %   GB
East Division
1st Philadelphia Phillies 101   61 .623    --
2nd Pittsburgh Pirates   92   70 .568   9.0
3rd New York Mets   86   76 .531 15.0
4th Chicago Cubs   75   87 .463 26.0
5th St. Louis Cardinals   72   90 .444 29.0
6th Montreal Expos   55 107 .340 46.0
West Division
1st Cincinnati Reds 102   60 .630    --
2nd Los Angeles Dodgers   92   70 .568 10.0
3rd Houston Astros   80   82 .494 22.0
4th San Francisco Giants   74   88 .457 28.0
5th San Diego Padres   73   89 .451 29.0
6th Atlanta Braves   70   92 .432 32.0

[edit] Events

[edit] January-March

  • March 20 - Leo Durocher, hired to manage Japan's Yokohama Taiyō Whales of the Central League, is sick with hepatitis and asks for a five-week delay in reporting. Durocher receives a telegram from the Whales stating: "Since the championship starts in 20 days, it's better if you stay home and take care of yourself for the remainder of the season."
  • March 26 - The American League approves the purchase of the new Toronto franchise by the LaBatt's Brewing Company for $7 million.

[edit] April-June

  • April 21 - At Wrigley Field, Tim Foli of the Montreal Expos hits for the cycle, but it takes him two days to do it. Foli has a single, double and triple against the Cubs, but with the Expos ahead 11–3, the game is suspended on account of darkness. When play resumes the next day, Foli will add a home run in the 8th inning.
  • May 1 - In the first game of a double-header, Mike Schmidt hits a home-run, number 12 for the season. It was the Phillies 15th game of the season, setting a record for the most homers in a teams first 15 games.
  • May 15 - Mark Fidrych wins his first major league start, a complete game two-hit 2–1 victory over the Cleveland Indians. Fidrych holds the Indians hitless for six innings, talks to the ball, and tamps down the mound before toeing the rubber each inning.
  • June 25 - The Texas Rangers' Toby Harrah becomes the only shortstop in major league history to go through an entire doubleheader without a fielding chance. At bat, Harrah makes up for the inactivity, collecting six hits including a grand slam in the opener, and another home run in game 2. The Rangers beat the Chicago White Sox in the first game 8–4, but lose the nightcap 14–9.

[edit] July-September

  • August 8 - The first game of today's Royals-White Sox double header at Comiskey Park sees the White Sox appear on the field in shorts. The Sox return to long pants for the second game, after stealing five bases and defeating the Royals, 5-2.
  • September 6 - Dodgers catcher Steve Yeager is seriously injured when the jagged end of a broken bat strikes him in the throat while he is waiting in the on-deck circle.
  • September 18 - Player-Manager Frank Robinson of the Cleveland Indians inserts himself into the lineup as a pinch hitter in the eight inning of a game agasint the Baltimore Orioles. He singles in what will be his final at-bat as a player. His influence as a manager and executive will continue for decades to come.

[edit] October-December

  • October 14 - In Game 5 of the American League Championship Series, the New York Yankees take a 6-3 lead before Kansas City's George Brett connects for a 3-run home run. In the bottom of the 9th, New York's Chris Chambliss smashes the first pitch off Kansas City's Mark Littell into the right field stands for a 7-6 win, and the Yankees' first World Series appearance since 1964.
  • October 21 - In the World Series, the Cincinnati Reds beat the New York Yankees 7-2, completing a four-game sweep. Series MVP Johnny Bench has two home runs and five RBI in the Series, and demolishes the Yankees with .533 hitting. Opposing catcher Thurman Munson had six straight singles to tie a World Series mark. The Reds become the first team since the 1969 playoff expansion to go through an entire postseason without a defeat. It is the last World Series to end in a sweep until 1989.

[edit] Movies

[edit] Births

[edit] January-March

[edit] April-June

[edit] July-September

[edit] October-December

[edit] Deaths

[edit] January-March

[edit] April-June

  • April 15 - George Scales, 75, second baseman in the Negro Leagues, also a manager in the Puerto Rican winter league
  • April 26 - Alex Ferguson, 79, pitcher for the Yankees, Red Sox, Senators, Phillies and Robins from 1918 to 1929
  • April 27 - Ed Durham, 72, pitcher for the Boston Red Sox and Chicago White Sox between 1929 and 1933
  • May 2 - Dan Bankhead, 55, first black pitcher in major league history (Brooklyn Dodgers, 1947, 1950-51); also homered in first major league at-bat
  • May 3 - Ernie Nevers, 73, who excelled in several sports, including American football, basketball and baseball
  • May 30 - Max Carey, 86, Hall of Fame center fielder, mainly with the Pittsburgh Pirates, who led NL in steals ten times, holding league career record of 738 until 1974; set NL records for career games, putouts, chances and double plays in outfield, and batted .458 in 1925 World Series
  • June 11 - Jim Konstanty, 59, All-Star pitcher who became the first reliever to win the MVP award, with the 1950 "Whiz Kid" Phillies
  • June 15 - Jimmy Dykes, 79, All-Star third baseman for the Athletics and White Sox who went on to become the winningest manager in White Sox history; also managed five other teams
  • June 16 - George Dickey, 60, catcher for the Boston Red Sox and Chicago White Sox between 1935 and 1947
  • June 23 - Lon Warneke, 67, 5-time All-Star pitcher had three 20-win seasons for Cubs, led NL in wins and ERA in 1932; later an NL umpire for seven years
  • June 30 - Firpo Marberry, 77, pitcher for the Washington Senators who established single-season and career records for both saves and relief appearances, led majors in saves a record five times; also 94-52 as a starter

[edit] July-September

  • July 9 - Tom Yawkey, 73, owner and president of the Boston Red Sox since 1933, and vice president of the American League from 1956 to 1973
  • July 21 - Earle Combs, 77, Hall of Fame center fielder for the New York Yankees who batted .325 lifetime and led the AL in triples three times; batting leadoff, he had eight seasons of 100 runs, and batted .350 over four World Series
  • August 3 - Homer Ezzell, 80, third baseman for the St. Louis Browns and Boston Red Sox between 1923 and 1925
  • August 15 - Jim Henry, 66, pitched from 1936 through 1939 for the Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies
  • September 1 - Mike Meola, 70, pitcher for the Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Browns between 1933 and 1936, who posted one of the best seasons ever for a pitcher in minor league history going 20-5 with 2.90 ERA for the PCL Los Angeles Angels in 1934
  • September 10 - Blackie Carter, 73, outfielder for the New York Giants from 1925 to 1926
  • September 25 - Red Faber, 88, Hall of Fame pitcher who played his entire 20-year career with the Chicago White Sox, winning 254 games and leading AL in ERA twice; his four 20-win seasons included a 25-win campaign for the scandal-decimated 1921 team, which finished 62-92

[edit] October-December

  • October 9 - Bob Moose, 29, pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1967-76, who threw a no-hitter in the 1969 season against the Mets, died in an automobile accident on his birthday date
  • October 20 - Freddie Muller, 65, infielder who played from 1933 to 1934 for the Boston Red Sox
  • November 2 - Regis Leheny, 68, pitcher for the 1932 Boston Red Sox
  • November 2 - Dee Miles, 67, outfielder who played from 1935 to 1943 for the Washington Senators, Philadlphia Athletics and Boston Red Sox
  • November 19 - Frank Kellert, 52, first baseman for the St. Louis Browns, Baltimore Orioles, Brooklyn Dodgers and Chicago Cubs from 1953 to 1956
  • December 1 - George Earnshaw, 76, pitcher who had three 20-win seasons for 1929-30-31 AL champion Athletics; later a scout and coach
  • December 2 - Danny Murtaugh, 59, manager who in four stints with the Pittsburgh Pirates won two World Series (1960, 1971) and three division titles; led NL in steals as rookie in 1941
  • December 7 - Duke Maas, 47, pitcher who won 45 games for the Tigers, Athletics and Yankees
  • December 9 - Wes Ferrell, 68, All-Star pitcher who had six 20-win seasons for the Indians and Red Sox, 193 career wins included a no-hitter; also a career .280 hitter, and caught by brother Rick for five seasons
  • December 10 - Danny Thompson, 29, infielder, mainly with the Minnesota Twins, who played four seasons after being diagnosed with leukemia
  • December 26 - Walt Lynch, 79, catcher for the 1922 Boston Red Sox