Top stories of the decade

Two controversial owners dominated the spotlight-one who had bought his team in 1960, the other in 1973. One of baseballs most revered records was broken. One league got a new position. The players got their freedom. The greatest franchise returned to glory. And the decade ended with a team that had been there at the beginning finally winning its first title. Finally, an icon met with a tragic death.



1. 1974-A new king-For almost 40 years, 714 had been the standard all sluggers were measured by. Babe Ruth had retired in 1935 with nobody even able to dream of breaking his homerun record. But on a Monday night in Atlanta, someone finally did. Hank Aaron had ended the 1973 season with 713. On opening day in Cincinnati,he tied the Babe. Then On April 8, 1974, he hit a pitch off Al Downing of the Dodgers into the Left field bullpen and there was a new homerun king.

2. 1973-A new position-The pitcher had always been known as a weak hitter. In close games, managers often pinch hit for the pitcher to add some offense. The American League decided to allow for teams to insert another player into the starting lineup in lieu of the pitcher without the pitcher having to leave the game. Ron Blomberg of the Yankees was the first Designated Hitter. A number of careers were extended by the player not having to play in the field. The National League chose not to follow suit.

3. 1973-George steps in-At the time CBS bought the Yankees in 1965, the team had strung together 44 years in which it dominated baseball. But then the dynasty fell apart. Then a syndicate headed by Cleveland shipbuilder George Steinbrenner bought the club. From the beginning King George was controversial, making sure his club was on the front page of the sports section constantly. But he built the team into winners again within three years.

4.1978-Comeback-The Boston Red Sox got off to a hot start, while the Yankees struggled in the beginning of the season. The Yanks trailed their rivals by 14 games in July. Then they got hot and chipped away at the lead. In an early September 4 game series at Fenway Park they caught the Red Sox, thanks to a drubbing where they outscored the Sox 42-9 in the sweep that was dubbed the Boston Massacre. Boston had to win their last 8 games to finish in a tie, forcing a one game playoff in Fenway. Bucky Dent homered in the 7th inning to give the Yanks the lead and the pennant. In the ALCS and the World Series, the Yanks overcame 0-2 deficits to win both, giving them a 22nd World Series title that seemed improbable just 3 months earlier.

5. 1975-Freedom-For years players were bound to one team by the Reserve clause. Curt Flood challenged it unsuccessfully in the late 60s. Then Andy Messersmith and Dave McNally tested the clause again in 1975. This time the players won and were granted free agency. Other players soon took advantage of this new freedom, including Catfish Hunter and Reggie Jackson. One of the end results was the skyrocketing salaries we have today.

6.1977-Reggie-Reggie Jackson had been signed by the A's out of Arizona State in the 60s and made an immediate impact, hitting 49 homers in 1968 and then leading the As to 3 straight titles in the 70s. After spending a year in Baltimore, he signed as a free agent with the Yankees, saying he wanted to come to New York so he could have a candy bar named after him. (a reference to the mistaken notion that the Baby Ruth bar was named after the Babe.) His impact in New York was tremendous, as he helped the team win the AL pennant. In the Series against the Dodgers, he helped the team to a 3-2 edge going into game 6 at Yankee Stadium. That final game was all Reggie as he hit 3 homers in 3 at bats, giving him a record 5 for the Series. As a side note, the Reggie bar came out in the off season and were distributed to all fans coming to the Opening day game at Yankee Stadium in 1978. Reggie hit a homer that day and was showered with the candy bars from the stands.

7. 1975-The game-The Boston Red Sox and the Cincinnati Reds met in the World Series after the Reds had dominated the NL and the Red Sox had dethroned the 3 time champion A's. Going into Game 6, the Reds had a 3-2 lead. The game was a seesaw battle with the Reds leading 6-3 when Bernie Carbo hit a pinch hit homer to tie it. Dwight Evans made a spectacular catch in the 11th to preserve the tie. In the 12th, Carlton Fisk led off with a game winning homer over the left field wall just fair, seemingly waving it fair as he left the batter's box. The Reds won the next game and the Series. But game 6 is still considered the greatest game of all time.

8. 1972-A lost hero-Roberto Clemente was to the Hispanic players what Jackie Robinson was to the African Americans. Playing his entire career with the Pirates, he was a consistent .300 hitter with a great glove and arm in right field. He was the star of the 1971 Series against Baltimore. On the final day of the 1972 season, he collected his 300th hit. What nobody expected at the time was that it would be his last. On New Year's Eve, carrying supplies to earthquake victims in Nicaraugua, his plane crashed in the Atlantic and his body was never found.

9.1972-4-Angry champions-Charlie Finley bought the A's in 1960. In his first 10 years as owner the controversial Finley had more managers than the team had had in its first 60 years. But he slowly built a winner, signing young players like Rick Monday, Sal Bando, Bert Campanaris, Vida Blue, Reggie Jackson, and Catfish Hunter. His meddlesome ways did not endear him to his players or his managers. But in 1972, with Jackson out with an injury, Gene Tenace hit four homers leading the team to a World Series win against the Reds. They repeated against the Mets the following year, led by Jackson. After the 1973 series, manager Dick Williams finally tired of Finley and quit. New Manager Alvin Dark led the team to the 74 title over the Dodgers. The A's became the only team other than the Yankees to win 3 straight World Series.

10. 1979-Family-The Pittsburgh Pirates were inspired by the Sister Sledge song "We are family" and their captain Willie Stargell. They powered past the 3 time division champion Phillies and beat the Reds in the NLCS. In the World Series against the Orioles, they fell behind 3-1, but battled back to win the last 3 games and the Series. It was only the 4th time that a team on the brink of elimination after 4 games had won the Series.

I really enjoyed reading this. Sweet post Dennis.