February 27 – One hundred forty-nine players file for salary arbitration. Of the 21 who have a hearing, the players win ten and lose eleven. New York Mets pitcher David Cone receives a record $4.25 million award.
March
March 2 – Chicago Cubssecond basemanRyne Sandberg becomes the highest-paid player in major league history when he agrees to a four-year contract extension worth $28.4 million.
March 15 – Dwight Evans is released by the Baltimore Orioles, ending his 20-year career.
April 2 – In what would turn out to be a one sided trade, the Philadelphia Phillies acquire Curt Schilling from the Houston Astros for relief pitcher Jason Grimsley. Schilling plays a role in the Phillies World Series run, whereas Grimsley never appears in a single game for the Astros.
April 5 – Less than a month after he is released by the Kansas City Royals, Kevin Seitzer signs a free agent contract with the Milwaukee Brewers.
The Texas Rangers overcome an 8–3 deficit to defeat the Seattle Mariners 12–10. The Rangers score nine runs in the eight inning as a stunned Kingdome crowd watched on.
April 10 – Dave Eiland makes it into the record books in an unusual way. He hits a home run in his first at bat, thus becoming the first pitcher who gave up a home run to the first batter he ever faced (Paul Molitor) and hit a home run in his very own first plate appear. Eiland gave up the homer to Molitor as a member of the New York Yankees in 1988.[1]
May
May 5 – The Pittsburgh Pirates release Kirk Gibson.
May 8 – Butch Henry, a pitcher for the Houston Astros, hits an inside the park home run for his first career hit. He connects off Pirates pitcher Doug Drabek and Pirates outfielder Barry Bonds fails to field the ball. It would be the only home run of Henry's career.
May 21 – The California Angels team bus is involved in a crash on the New Jersey Turnpike. Eleven people are injured, the most serious being Buck Rogers, the Angels manager. he would miss the next 90 games of the season.
May 27 – The Atlanta Braves, at the time in last place, defeat the Philadelphia Phillies 9–3. The upset win sparks the Braves, who go on a 78–37 run and win the NL East.
June 5 – Eddie Murray of the New York Mets drives in two runs in a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. This allows Murray to tie Mickey Mantle as the all-time RBI leader among switch hitters. Murray would break the record the following day.
June 8 – Steve Howe of the New York Yankees is banned from baseball for life by Commissioner Fay Vincent. Howe was arrested earlier in the year for striking a light pole with his vehicle and leaving the scene of an accident. The trial was postponed to May and Howe took a plea deal on a charge of attempted drug possession.
June 20 – Kelly Saunders fills in for Rex Barney, the Public Address announcer for the Baltimore Orioles. This makes Sanders the second woman to fill that role, joining Joy Hawkins McCabe, who filled in for one game for the Washington Senators in 1966.
July
July 6–8 – The Montreal Expos and Los Angeles Dodgers play a series of three doubleheaders at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers sweep the first doubleheader, the Expos sweep the second, and the two teams split the third. The doubleheaders are part of a series that had been postponed because of the Los Angeles Riots.
July 7 – Andy Van Slyke of the Pittsburgh Pirates becomes the first outfielder in nearly 18 years to record an unassisted double play, in the Pirates' 5–3 win over the Houston Astros. Van Slyke races in from center field to catch a fly ball, then continues in to double up Ken Caminiti, who was running from second base on the play.
July 14 – The American League pounds out a record 19 hits in defeating the National League by a score of 13–6 in the All-Star Game. It is the AL's fifth straight win. Seattle Mariners outfielder Ken Griffey Jr., who hit a single, a double and a home run, is named the MVP, 12 years after his father Ken Sr. won the same honor.
July 15 – One day after signing free agent catcher Jerry Willard, who'd been released by the Atlanta Braves, the Montreal Expos release catcher Rick Cerone.
July 17 – Three years removed from hitting 30 home runs for the Boston Red Sox, Nick Esasky is released by the Atlanta Braves, Esasky was suffering from vertigo, which essentially ended his career.
July 26 – In a 6–2 win over the Baltimore Orioles, Nolan Ryan of the Texas Rangers gets his 319th win all-time, passing Phil Niekro to move into 12th on the all-time list. In the same game, Ryan recorded his 100th strike out of the season, setting a new MLB record of 23 straight seasons with 100 or more strike outs.
July 30 – Juan Samuel's tenure with the Los Angeles Dodgers comes to an end. Samuel, who'd been acquired as part of a much ballyhooed trade, fails to live up to expectations.
August
August 1 – As was the case last season, Deion Sanders leaves the Atlanta Braves to report for Atlanta Falcons training camp. However, he was able to rework his NFL contract and reported back to the Braves for the postseason.
August 8 - The Milwaukee Brewers officially retire the number 34 in honor of pitcher Rollie Fingers.
August 28 – The Milwaukee Brewers lash 31 hits in a 22-2 drubbing of the Toronto Blue Jays, setting a record for the most hits by a team in a single nine-inning game. Darryl Hamilton leads the way for the Brewers, going 4-for-7 with 5 RBI.
September 7 – After receiving an 18–9 no-confidence vote from the owners, Commissioner Fay Vincent resigns under pressure. Vincent is soon replaced by Milwaukee Brewers president Bud Selig on what is meant to be an interim basis. The commissioner's power transfers to baseball's Executive Council, made up of the two league presidents and eight owners, with Selig as the chair. Besides, Jerry Reinsdorf, Chicago White Sox chairman explains: “When we go to war with the union, I want [the commissioner] to have an obligation only to the owners.”
October 24 – The Toronto Blue Jays clinch their first World Series championship with a 4–3 win over the Atlanta Braves in Game 6. Dave Winfield's 2–out, 2–run double in the top of the 11th gives Toronto a 4–2 lead. The Braves score one run in the bottom half of the inning and have the tying run on the 3rd when the final out is made. Jimmy Key wins the game in relief, and Candy Maldonado homers for Toronto. Blue Jays catcher Pat Borders, with a .450 batting average, is named the Series MVP. The Toronto Blue Jays finish the season without being swept in any series. It is the first team from outside the United States to win the World Series.
November 10 – The National League fails to approve the sale of the San Francisco Giants to Vince Naimoli, blocking a move to St. Petersburg, Florida. The 9–4 vote falls short of the 10 required for approval.[3]
November 12 – Arbitrator George Nicolau overturns the lifetime ban of New York Yankees pitcher Steve Howe for substance abuse, considering it too severe. After that, Howe is re-signed by the team.
November 16 – The Colorado Rockies sign free agent first baseman Andrés Galarraga, who rejoins Don Baylor, his hitting coach with the St. Louis Cardinals. Galarraga is coming off his second injury-plagued year, having missed 44 days of the season after being hit on the wrist by a Wally Whitehurst pitch in the third game of the season.
November 22 – Milwaukee Brewers shortstop Pat Listach is named American League Rookie of the Year. Listach, who was recalled on April 7 to replace the injured Bill Spiers, hit a .290 average and also became the first Brewers player to steal 50 bases in a season.
November 29 – Cincinnati Reds owner Marge Schott is quoted in The New York Times as saying that Adolf Hitler was initially good for Germany, that her references to "niggers" were in jest, and she couldn't understand why the word "Jap" was offensive. MLB appoints a four-man committee to investigate the controversial Schott.
December
December 1 – During the Major League Baseball Players Association annual executive board meeting, its executive director Donald Fehr tells the membership that the union needs “to save the owners from themselves.”
December 7 – At the winter meetings in Louisville, the MLB owners vote 15–13 to reopen the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) one year early, as they have the right to do. Two days later, MLBPA director Donald Fehr calls a 1993 lockout a “foregone conclusion.”
January 1 – Buck Stanton, 85, outfielder for the 1931 St. Louis Browns.
January 3 – George Meyer, 82, second baseman for the 1938 Chicago White Sox.
January 11 – Orville Jorgens, 83, pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies from 1935 to 1937.
January 15 – Charlie Gassaway, 73, pitcher who spent three seasons with the Chicago Cubs (1944), Philadelphia Athletics (1945) and Cleveland Indians (1946).
January 17 – Red Durrett, 70, outfielder for the 1944–1945 Brooklyn Dodgers.
January 18 – Philomena Gianfrancisco, 68, outfielder who played from 1945 through 1948 in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League.
January 21 – Chuck Rowland, 92, backup catcher for the 1923 Philadelphia Athletics.
January 30 – Eddie Taylor, 90, third baseman and shortstop for the 1926 Boston Braves.
January 30 – Coaker Triplett, 80, left fielder for the Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals and Philadelphia Phillies from 1938 to 1945, who later posted four .300 seasons with the Buffalo Bisons of the International League, including the 1950 batting title.
February
February 8 – Fabian Gaffke, 78, outfielder for the Boston Red Sox and the Cleveland Indians between 1936 and 1942.
February 8 – Wally Shannon, 59, middle infielder for the St Louis Cardinals from 1959 to 1960.
February 13 – Byron Humphrey, 80, pitcher for the 1938 Boston Red Sox.
February 13 – Earl Rapp, 70, outfielder who played with the Detroit Tigers, Chicago White Sox, New York Giants, St. Louis Browns and Washington Senators in all or parts of three seasons spanning 1949–1952.
February 24 – Betty McKenna, 60, All-American Girls Professional Baseball League infielder in three seasons from 1951 to 1953.
February 26 – Jean R. Yawkey, 83, majority owner of the Boston Red Sox since 1976.
March
March 4 – Larry Rosenthal, 81, backup outfielder for the Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Indians, New York Yankees and Philadelphia Athletics in part of eight seasons spanning 1936–1945.
March 8 – Sherman Edwards, 82, relief pitcher for the 1934 Cincinnati Reds.
March 14 – Glenn Liebhardt, 81, pitcher for the Philadelphia Athletics and the St. Louis Browns in three seasons between 1930 and 1938.
March 31 – Ken Silvestri, 75, backup catcher who played with three different teams between 1941 and 1951, most prominently for the World Champion 1941 Yankees and the 1950 ′′Whiz Kids′′ Phillies; later, a longtime coach and, briefly, interim manager of 1967 Atlanta Braves.
April
April 2 – Dib Williams, 82, middle infielder for the Philadelphia Athletics and Boston Red Sox from 1930 through 1935, and a member of the 1931 Athletics American League champion team.
April 12 – Betty Bays, 61, All-American Girls Professional Baseball League outfielder and catcher.
April 13 – Steve Shemo, 77, backup infielder for the Boston Braves from 1944 to 1945.
April 15 – Ralph Weigel, 70, catcher/outfielder who played in part of three seasons with the Cleveland Indians (1946), Chicago White Sox (1948) and Washington Senators (1949).
April 20 – Pat Creeden, 85, second baseman for the 1931 Boston Red Sox.
April 20 – Orval Grove, 72, All-Star pitcher who posted a 63–73 record and a 3.78 ERA for the Chicago White Sox from 1940 to 1949, while setting a team-record by winning his first nine decisions in 1943.
April 23 – Deron Johnson, 53, first and third baseman who spent 16 seasons in the majors, while hitting .287 with 32 home runs and a National League-best 130 RBIs for the 1965 Cincinnati Reds, and also a member of the World Series champion Oakland Athletics in 1973.
April 24 – Elio Chacón, 55, Venezuelan middle infielder who led the New York Mets in stolen bases in their 1962 inaugural season.
April 25 – Bob Hazle, 61, right fielder for the Cincinnati Reds, Milwaukee Braves and Detroit Tigers in part of three seasons spanning 1955–1958, and a member of the 1957 World Series champion Braves.
April 27 – Harlond Clift, 79, All-Star third baseman for the St. Louis Browns (1934–1942) and Washington Senators (1942–1945); the first man at his position to hit at least 30 home runs (34, in 1938), who also scored 100 runs seven times, set a record with 405 assists in 1937, and compiled a career-mark of 309 double plays which ranks him 23rd in the MLB all-time list.
May
May 1 – Celerino Sánchez, 48, Mexican third baseman for the Yankees from 1972 to 1973, who won the 1966 Triple Crown in the Mexican League, also a member of the Mexican and Caribbean Baseball Halls of Fame.
May 1 – Justin Stein, 80, backup infielder who played for the Philadelphia Phillies and the Cincinnati Reds during the 1938 season.
May 8 – Joyce Ricketts, 59, two-time All-Star outfielder in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League.
May 10 – Tom Seats, 81, pitcher for the Detroit Tigers (1940) and the Brooklyn Dodgers (1945).
May 12 – Joe Burke, 68, front-office executive; general manager of the Texas Rangers (1972–1973) and Kansas City Royals (1974–1981); president of the Royals from 1981 until his death; named Executive of the Year by The Sporting News in 1976.
May 25 – Otto Denning, 79, catcher who played from 1942 through 1943 for the Cleveland Indians, later a minor league manager.
May 28 – Fumio Fujimura, 75, Hall of Fame Japanese Baseball League and NPB pitcher, infielder and manager for the Hanshin/Osaka Tigers.
May 28 – Charley Schanz, 72, hard-throwing pitcher whose career extended for 17 seasons (1938–1954), including stints with the Philadelphia Phillies (1944–1947) and Boston Red Sox (1950).
May 31 – Karl Schnell, 92, relief pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds in the 1922 and 1923 seasons.
June
June 4 – Carl Stotz, 82, founder of Little League Baseball in 1939 who left the organization in 1955 in a litigious leadership dispute, shortly after serving as a pallbearer at Cy Young's funeral.
June 12 – Randy Moore, 85, right fielder for the Chicago White Sox (1927–28), Boston Braves (1930–35), Brooklyn Dodgers (1936–37) and St. Louis Cardinals (1937).
June 13 – Len Rice, 73, backup catcher for the Cincinnati Reds (1944) and the Chicago Cubs (1945).
June 15 – Eddie Lopat, 73, All-Star pitcher who combined with Allie Reynolds and Vic Raschi to form the heart of the New York Yankees rotation through five World Series championships from 1949 through 1953, while also leading the American League in both earned run average (2.42) and won-lost percentage (.800) in 1953; manager of the Kansas City Athletics from 1963 to June 10, 1964.
June 16 – Rita Meyer, 65, shortstop and pitcher who played in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League.
June 24 – Vern Curtis, 72, pitcher in parts of three seasons for the Washington Senators between 1943 and 1946.
June 27 – Sandy Amorós, 62, Cuban left fielder for the Brooklyn Dodgers, best remembered for a spectacular catch in Game 7 of the 1955 World Series.
June 27 – Frank Jelincich, 74, outfielder who played briefly for the Chicago Cubs in the 1941 season.
June 27 – Woody Main, 70, pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates in parts of four seasons spanning 1948–1953.
July
July 3 – George Staller, 76, backup outfielder for the 1943 Philadelphia Athletics, who later developed a distinguished career as a scout, also serving as first base coach on Earl Weaver's Baltimore Orioles staff from 1968 to 1975, while working on the Orioles' three consecutive American League championship teams (1969–1971) and the 1970 World Series champion.
July 10 – Walt Masters, 85, Canadian pitcher who played for the Washington Senators (1931), Philadelphia Phillies (1937) and Philadelphia Athletics (1939), and also an American football halfback and quarterback in the National Football League during three seasons between 1936 and 1944.
July 27 – Salty Parker, 80, backup infielder for the 1936 Detroit Tigers, who later posted a 20-year minor league managing record of 920–858 (.517), and also coached for the San Francisco Giants, Cleveland Indians, Los Angeles/California Angels, New York Mets and Houston Astros between 1958 and 1979, while serving brief stints as manager of the Mets (1967) and the Astros (1972).
August
August 5 – Jim Marquis, 91, pitcher who played briefly for the New York Yankees during the 1925 season.
August 5 – Lefty Wilkie, 77, Canadian pitcher who appeared in 68 games for the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1941 to 1942 and again in 1946.
August 29 – Andy Gilbert, 78, outfielder for the Boston Red Sox in 1942 and 1946; successful minor league manager, posting a record of 2,055–1,959 (.512) with five league titles during 29 seasons spanning 1950–1982; coach for San Francisco Giants, 1972–1975.
September
September 5 – Ron Davis, 50, outfielder who played from 1962 through 1969 for the Houston Colt .45s/Astros, St. Louis Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates, while collecting a .233 average with 10 home runs and 79 RBIs in 295 games.
September 5 – Billy Herman, 83, Hall of Fame second baseman and a 10-time All-Star for the Chicago Cubs, Brooklyn Dodgers, Boston Braves and Pittsburgh Pirates between 1931 and 1947; batted .304 lifetime, scored 100 runs five times, and led the National League in hits, doubles and triples once each and in putouts seven times; manager of the Pirates in 1947 and the Boston Red Sox from October 3, 1964, through September 7, 1966; longtime coach.
September 22 – Aurelio López, 44, All-Star Mexican relief pitcher who posted a 62–36 record with a 3.56 ERA and 93 saves in 11 seasons for the Kansas City Royals, St. Louis Cardinals, Detroit Tigers and Houston Astros, which included two seasons of 21 saves for the Tigers from 1979 to 1980 and was also a member of the 1984 World Series champion Tigers.
September 23 – Bernice Gera, 61, who became the first female umpire to officiate a professional baseball game, which took place on June 24, 1972, in the New York–Penn League in Geneva, New York.
September 27 – Hal Smith, 90, middle-relief pitcher who posted a 12–11 record and a 3.77 ERA in 51 games for the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1932 to 1935.
October
October 4 – Augie Prudhomme, 89, pitcher for the 1929 Detroit Tigers.
October 9 – Mike Guerra, 79, Cuban catcher who played for the Washington Senators, Philadelphia Athletics and Boston Red Sox during 10 seasons spanning 1937–1951, and also a manager in the minors and the Mexican and Venezuelan winter leagues.
October 15 – Jackie Sullivan, 74, second baseman who played in one game for the Detroit Tigers in 1944.
October 17 – John O'Connell, 88, backup catcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1928 and 1929.
October 19 – Atley Donald, 82, New York Yankees pitcher who had a lifetime record of 65-33 for a winning percentage of .663, and also was a member of the 1941 World Series champion Yankees.
October 20 – Spider Wilhelm, 63, shortstop for the 1953 Philadelphia Athletics.
October 21 – Joe Dwyer, 89, pinch-hitter in 12 games for the 1937 Cincinnati Reds; outfielder who played in minor leagues for 21 seasons.
October 22 – Red Barber, 84, broadcaster for the Cincinnati Reds, Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Yankees from 1934 to 1966 who, along with pal Mel Allen, earned the Ford Frick Award honors in its first class from the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.
October 23 – Lou Rochelli, 73, second baseman in five games for the 1944 Brooklyn Dodgers; one of many ballplayers who only appeared in the major leagues during World War II.
November 3 – Boze Berger, 82, infielder for the Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox and Boston Red Sox during six seasons between 1932 and 1939.
November 3 – Chris Van Cuyk, 65, pitcher who played from 1950 through 1952 for the Brooklyn Dodgers.
November 4 – Andy Varga, 61, pitcher for the Chicago Cubs during the 1950–1952 seasons.
November 5 – Dick Hahn, 76, backup catcher for the 1940 Washington Senators.
November 5 – Rod Scurry, 36, middle relief pitcher who posted a 19–32 record with a 3.24 ERA and 39 saves for three teams between 1980 and 1988, mostly with the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1980 to 1985.
November 10 – Chuck Connors, 71, first baseman for the 1951 Chicago Cubs who gained stardom as an actor on the television series The Rifleman.
November 13 – Johnny Ostrowski, 75, utility outfielder/third baseman who played for the Chicago Cubs, Boston Red Sox, Chicago White Sox and Washington Senators from 1943 to 1950.
November 13 – Wally Shaner, 92, left fielder who played from 1923 to 1929 for the Cleveland Indians, Boston Red Sox and Cincinnati Reds.
November 13 – Claude Wilborn, 80, right fielder for the 1940 Boston Bees.
November 16 – Louis Nippert, 88, Cincinnati attorney who was co-owner of the Reds from 1967 to 1973 and majority owner from 1973 to 1981; during this period, the "Big Red Machine" captured four National League pennants and two World Series titles.
November 16 – Gene Schott, 79, pitcher who played from 1935 through 1939 with the Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Phillies and Brooklyn Dodgers.
November 20 – Stan Wasiak, 72, former catcher who managed in minor league baseball for 37 straight seasons (1950–1986), setting records for most games managed and games won.
November 27 – Walt Tauscher, 90, pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1928 and the Washington Senators in 1931, who also won 263 games in the minor leagues and managed at that level for five seasons.
November 29 – Tuck Stainback, 81, backup outfielder for seven different major league teams from 1934 to 1946, who single-handedly prevented Carl Hubbell from pitching a perfect game in 1938.
December
December 1 – Chile Gómez, 91, Mexican infielder for the Philadelphia Phillies between 1935 and 1942.
December 1 – Sam Lowry, 72, pitcher who played for the Philadelphia Athletics during the 1942 and 1943 seasons.
December 9 – Carl Barger, 62, attorney and executive; first club president of the expansion Florida Marlins, from July 8, 1991, until his death; previously, president of the Pirates from 1987 to 1991.
December 10 – Babe Phelps, 84, catcher for the Washington Senators, Chicago Cubs, Brooklyn Dodgers and Pittsburgh Pirates in a span of 11 seasons from 1931 to 1942, whose .367 batting average in 1936 remains the highest for any major league catcher in the modern era (1901–present).
December 12 – Rube Walker, 66, backup catcher for the Chicago Cubs and the Dodgers in Brooklyn and Los Angeles, later a longtime pitching coach for the Washington Senators, New York Mets and Atlanta Braves, who developed and nurtured the five-man rotation, including the pitching staff of the 1969 Amazin' Mets.
December 15 – Dick Mulligan, 74, pitcher who played in parts of three seasons with the Washington Senators (1941), Philadelphia Phillies (1946) and Boston Braves (1946–1947).
December 25 – Ed Donnelly, 60, relief pitcher for the 1959 Chicago Cubs, appearing in nine games.
December 26 – Tom Gorman, 67, relief pitcher who played from 1952 to 1959 for the New York Yankees and the Kansas City Athletics.
December 28 – Sal Maglie, 75, All-Star pitcher for all three New York teams during the 1950s, whose hardnosed style personified the rivalry between the Big Apple Franchises, while posting a 119–62 record and a 3.15 ERA in 303 career appearances, including National League's top marks in wins (1951) and ERA (1950).
