Baseball History Today: October 16th

Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

If you’ve marveled at the performances Justin Verlander has delivered this postseason, here’s another from last year.

The Tigers take a 3-0 lead in the ALCS and Verlander delivers another gem. He allows only one run, a lead-off homer to Eduardo Nunez in the 9th, . Verlander is relieved by Phil Coke, who gets the last two outs in the Tigers 2 – 1 win over the New York Yankees.

In his 8.1 innings of work, Verlander throws 132 pitches, 86 for strikes, yet only strikes out three Yankee batters.

The Tigers offense comes from a Delmon Young 4th inning home run and a 5th inning double by Miguel Cabrera in the 5th.

1992 – Groundbreaking is performed in Denver for Coors Field, which will be the home for the Colorado Rockies.

1983 – After dropping the opener to the Philadelphia Phillies, the Baltimore Orioles win their fourth consecutive game to clinch the World Series. Eddie Murray smacks a pair of home runs and Scott McGregor goes the distance hurling a five-hitter for the win.

This is the last World Series in which the Orioles have played.

1973 – The Oakland A’s defeat the New York Mets in Game 3 of the World Series by a score of 3-2 in 11 innings. Bert Campanaris drives home the winning run, which is unearned. Campy got to bat in the inning due to a passed ball by Mets catcher Jerry Grote after pitcher Harry Parker had struck out Angel Mangual.

The bigger story is that after the game, manager Dick Williams privately tells the team that he will retire after the series.

1960 – The National Leagues votes to admit Houston and New York into the league. The teams will begin play in 1962.

1910 – AL President Ban Johnson declares that Ty CObb is the league’s batting champ. Johnson makes his decision due to the suspicious nature of Nap Lajoie‘s eight-hit performance during a double-header.

Notable Birthdays:

Goose Goslin (1900, d. 1971)
Tim McCarver (1941)
Bryce Harper (1992)