1993 In Baseball

The following are the baseball events of the year 1993 throughout the world.

Champions

Major League Baseball

• World Series: Toronto Blue Jays over Philadelphia Phillies (4-2); Paul Molitor, MVP

• American League Championship Series MVP: Dave Stewart
• National League Championship Series MVP: Curt Schilling
• All-Star Game, July 13 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards: American League, 9-3; Kirby Puckett, MVP

Other champions

• Caribbean World Series: Cangrejeros de Santurce (Puerto Rico)
• College World Series: LSU
• Cuban National Series: Villa Clara over Pinar del Río
• Japan Series: Yakult Swallows over Seibu Lions (4-3)
• Little League World Series: Long Beach, California

Awards and honors

• Most Valuable Player
  • Frank Thomas, Chicago White Sox (AL)
  • Barry Bonds, San Francisco Giants (NL)
• Cy Young Award
  • Jack McDowell, Chicago White Sox (AL)
  • Greg Maddux, Atlanta Braves (NL)
• Rookie of the Year
  • Tim Salmon, California Angels (AL)
  • Mike Piazza, Los Angeles Dodgers (NL)
• Manager of the Year Award
  • Gene Lamont, Chicago White Sox (AL)
  • Dusty Baker, San Francisco Giants (NL)^[1]
• Woman Executive of the Year (major or minor league): Shereen Samonds, Orlando Cubs, Southern League

MLB statistical leaders

Major league baseball final standings

Managers

American League

National League

Events

January - March

• January - Reggie Jackson is elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers Association of America, receiving 94% of the vote.
• March 22 - On an off-day during spring training, Cleveland Indians pitchers Bob Ojeda, Tim Crews, and Steve Olin are fishing on a rented 18-foot bass boat when the vessel strikes a dock at high speed, killing Olin and Crews. They are the first active major leaguers to die since Thurman Munson in 1979. Ojeda is seriously injured but survives.

April - June

• April 6 - Against the Atlanta Braves at Wrigley Field, Chicago Cubs pitcher José Guzmán has a no-hitter broken up with two out in the ninth by an Otis Nixon single. The hit is the only one Guzmán allows in a 1-0 victory. The no-hitter would have been first by a Cubs pitcher since Milt Pappas in 1972.
• April 8 - Against the New York Yankees at Cleveland Stadium, Carlos Baerga of the Cleveland Indians becomes the first player to hit a home run from both sides of the plate in the same inning. In the Indians' nine-run seventh inning, Baerga begins the scoring with a two-run home run against left-hander Steve Howe. He concludes the scoring by homering again, this time against right-hander Steve Farr. The Indians defeat the Yankees, 15-5.
• April 22 - At the Kingdome, Chris Bosio of the Seattle Mariners no-hits the Boston Red Sox 7-0. He walks the first two batters of the game, Ernest Riles and Carlos Quintana, and after the latter is retired on Mike Greenwell's double play grounder, no other Red Sox reaches base. Mariners shortstop Omar Vizquel makes the last dramatic out by bare-handing Riles' high-chopper over the mound.
• May 20 - With the Mets at 13-25, New York Mets and replaced by Dallas Green.
• May 27 - Two home runs shy of 400 for his career, long time Atlanta Brave and current Colorado Rockie Dale Murphy retires.
• June 3 - With the first pick in the 1993 Major League Baseball Draft, the Seattle Mariners select Alex Rodriguez. A-Rod signs with the team August 30, 1993. Other notable selections include Trot Nixon (#7, Boston Red Sox), Billy Wagner (#12, Houston Astros), Derrek Lee (#14, San Diego Padres), Torii Hunter (#20, Minnesota Twins), Scott Rolen (second round, Philadelphia Phillies), Kevin Millwood (11th round, Atlanta Braves), Gary Matthews, Jr. (13th round, Padres), Jermaine Dye (17th round, Braves), John Rocker (18th round, Braves) and Kirk Presley, whom the New York Mets select number eight overall. Presley never plays in the majors; he is, however, the third cousin of Elvis Presley.
• June 28 - Just six days after breaking Bob Boone's Major League record for games caught, the Chicago White Sox controversially release Carlton Fisk.

July - August

• July 8 - Barry Bonds hits 200th career home run.
• July 13 - The American League defeats the National League 9-3 in the All-Star Game. Kirby Puckett, Roberto Alomar and Gary Sheffield hit home runs, while the victory goes to Jack McDowell. Craig Biggio is at second base for the NL; an All-Star one year earlier as a catcher, he is the first player ever to make the team at those two positions. A highlight of the game is Randy Johnson firing a 95-MPH fastball over John Kruk's head. Kruk bails out on the next two pitches, then says, "He's going to kill somebody."
• July 20 - At Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium, a fire breaks out in the skybox/press box area, delaying the start of the scheduled game between the Braves and the St. Louis Cardinals. Ironically, the Braves' trade for Fred McGriff is completed a few days earlier and McGriff arrives at the stadium that night. After an hour delay, the game is played and McGriff pinch-hits a home run late, helping the Braves rally from a 5-0 deficit to win 7-5. The Braves trail the San Francisco Giants in the National League West Division by 9 ¹⁄₂ games at that point, and this game is seen as the game that sparks their run to the division title.
• July 28 - Pitcher Anthony Young sees his New York Mets come back to defeat the Florida Marlins, ending his 27-game losing streak; a Major League record.
• July 28 - Ken Griffey, Jr. of the Seattle Mariners homers in his eighth consecutive game, tying the record held by Dale Long and Don Mattingly.
• August 4 - Tony Gwynn of the San Diego Padres collects six hits against the San Francisco Giants. This is the fourth game this season in which Gwynn collects at least five hits, tying the Major League record held by Ty Cobb and Stan Musial.
• August 14 - Reggie Jackson has his number 44 retired by the New York Yankees.

September

• September 3 - MLB owners vote to split the leagues into three divisions and add a wild card round to the playoffs for 1994.
• September 4 - Jim Abbott of the New York Yankees no-hits the Cleveland Indians at Yankee Stadium, 4-0. Abbott, who is born without a right hand, becomes the first Yankee in a decade to throw a no-hitter.
• September 4 - The Philadelphia Phillies lose to the Cincinnati Reds by a score of 6-5. In doing so, they set a new National League record by not being shut out in 151 consecutive games. The major league mark of 308 is held by the Yankees.
• September 7 - Mark Whiten of the St. Louis Cardinals homers four times and collects twelve RBI, tying the Major League record, in a 15-2 win over the Cincinnati Reds at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati. He is the twelfth player in Major League history to hit four home runs in one game.
• September 8 - Darryl Kile of the Houston Astros throws a no-hitter against the New York Mets.
• September 16 - Dave Winfield of the Minnesota Twins records his 3000th career hit; a single off of Oakland Athletics closer Dennis Eckersley.
• September 18 - In yet another twist to the Yankees–Red Sox rivalry, the Red Sox hold a 3-1 lead in the ninth inning. With two outs, the Yankees' Mike Stanley pops out to end the game, however the play is called a no play when home plate umpire Tim Welke is forced to call time when a fan runs out onto the field just as the pitch is delivered. The Yankees then push three runs across the plate to win the game (4-3 final).
• September 19 - Tom Glavine wins his 20th game of the season for the Atlanta Braves, and becomes the first National League pitcher since Ferguson Jenkins in 1973 to win 20 games in three consecutive seasons.
• September 20 - The Pittsburgh Pirates defeat the New York Mets 6-2 at Three Rivers Stadium, giving the Mets their first 100 loss season since 1967.
• September 22 - Pitcher Nolan Ryan of the Texas Rangers faces just six Seattle Mariners batters before hurting his right elbow. Ryan, who announces his retirement at season's end, finishes his career with 324 wins, 5,714 strikeouts and seven no-hitters.
• September 22 - The Colorado Rockies play the final home game of their inaugural season and finish with a major league home attendance record of 4,483,350 fans.
• September 27 - The Toronto Blue Jays win their third consecutive American League East title with a 2-0 victory over the Brewers in Milwaukee.
• September 27 - The Chicago White Sox secure the American League West championship with a 4-2 win against the Seattle Mariners.
• September 27 - Randy Myers of the Chicago Cubs becomes the first National League pitcher to record fifty saves for a season by securing a 7-3 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers.
• September 28 - The Philadelphia Phillies clinch their first National League East championship in a decade with a 10-7 win in Pittsburgh. the win gives the Phillies their sixth division championship, trailing only rival Pirates for most NL East championships during the two-division era.

October - December

• October 3 - The National League West pennant race is decided on the last day of the season, as the Atlanta Braves triumph over the Colorado Rockies 5-3, while the San Francisco Giants are steamrolled by rival Los Angeles Dodgers 12-1. The 103-win Giants are denied a spot in the playoffs, as the Braves take the division by a single game.
• October 4 - The Chicago Cubs, with an 84-78 win-loss record, gain their first winning-season in a non-title year since 1972. From 1973 through 1992 the Cubs have a non-winning record except for their NL Eastern division title years of 1984 and 1989.
• October 4 - The Cleveland Indians fall to the Chicago White Sox 4-0 in the final game ever played at Cleveland Stadium.
• October 4 - The Texas Rangers fall to the Kansas City Royals 4-1 in the final game ever played at Arlington Stadium.
• October 23 - In a dramatic finish, Joe Carter of the Toronto Blue Jays homers off reliever Mitch Williams with two runners on base in the bottom of the 9th inning to give Toronto an 8-6 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies and the 1993 World Series championship. Lenny Dykstra hits his fourth homer of the Series for the Phillies. Paul Molitor is named the World Series MVP.
• November 22:
  • The Texas Rangers sign free agent first baseman Will Clark to a multi-year contract. Clark, who bats .283 with 73 RBI for the San Francisco Giants, raises his average to .329 with the Rangers in 1994.
  • The Baltimore Orioles sign free agent pitcher Sid Fernandez to a three-year contract.

Movies

• Cooperstown (TV)
• Man From Left Field, The
• Sandlot, The
• Rookie of the Year

Births

February

• February 20 - Jurickson Profar

April

• April 14 - Brandon Finnegan
• April 25 - Daniel Norris

May

• May 16 - Luis Sardiñas

July

• July   5 - Jorge Polanco

Deaths

January–March

• January 21 - Charlie Gehringer, 89, Hall of Fame second baseman who played his entire career for the Detroit Tigers, batting .320 lifetime, scoring 100 runs twelve times, and collecting 200 hits seven times; 1937 MVP had seven 100-RBI seasons, led AL in hits and doubles twice each and in steals and triples once each, retired with 7th most doubles in history and record for career double plays
• January 28 - Vern Kennedy, 85, twice All-Star pitcher for seven teams between 1934 and 1945, who threw a no-hitter against the Cleveland Indians in 1935
• February 10 - Rip Repulski, 65, All-Star outfielder, mainly with the Cardinals and Phillies
• March 6 - George Stumpf, 82, outfielder who played in the early 1930s for the Boston Red Sox and Chicago White Sox
• March 22 - Steve Olin, 27, relief pitcher for the Cleveland Indians since 1989 whose 48 saves ranked third in club history
• March 23 - Tim Crews, 31, relief pitcher newly acquired by the Indians who had 15 saves in 281 appearances for the Dodgers

April–June

• April 21 - Hal Schumacher, 82, All-Star pitcher who won 158 games for the New York Giants; pitched 10-inning victory in 1936 World Series
• April 22 - Mark Koenig, 88, shortstop who was the last survivor from the 1927 New York Yankees "Murderers' Row" team; batted .319 the next year
• June 2 - Johnny Mize, 80, Hall of Fame first baseman, primarily for the Cardinals and New York Giants, who won four NL home run titles and retired with the sixth most HRs in history; MVP runnerup in 1939 and 1940 batted .312 in his career and led NL in RBI and total bases three times each and in runs, doubles and triples once each; hit three home runs in a game six times
• June 4 - Bobby Reeves, 93, utilitity-man who played all-positions except catcher for the Washington Senators and Boston Red Sox from 1926 to 1931
• June 8 - Roy Henshaw, 81, left-handed pitcher for the Cubs, Dodgers, Cardinals and Tigers from 1933–44
• June 26 - Roy Campanella, 71, Hall of Fame catcher for the Brooklyn Dodgers who won three MVP awards (1951-53-55) after several standout years in the Negro Leagues; posted a career .500 slugging percentage, highest of any catcher; in 1953, led NL in RBI and became first catcher to hit 40 home runs; career was ended by an automobile accident that left him paralyzed

July–September

• July 3 - Don Drysdale, 56, Hall of Fame pitcher for the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers who won 1962 Cy Young Award and set record with 58 ²⁄₃ consecutive scoreless innings in 1968; led NL in strikeouts three times and hit batsmen five times
• July 4 - Walter Stephenson, 82, backup catcher for the Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies from 1935 to 1938
• July 5 - Charlie Bishop, 64, pitcher for the Philadelphia & Kansas City Athletics from 1952 to 1955
• July 7 - Ben Chapman, 84, All-Star outfielder who batted .300 six times and led AL in steals four times; as manager of the Phillies, vociferously opposed Jackie Robinson's entry into major leagues
• July 7 - Larry Napp, 77, American League umpire from 1951 to 1974 who worked in four World Series and four All-Star Games
• July 17 - Harold Greiner, 86, All-American Girls Professional Baseball League manager
• July 18 - Ted Sadowski, 57, a relief pitcher for the Washington Senators and Minnesota Twins and one of three major league brothers
• August 1 - Ewing Kauffman, 76, Owner of the Kansas City Royals
• August 12 - Quincy Trouppe, 80, Negro League catcher who was a 39-year-old rookie with the Cleveland Indians in 1952; with pitcher "Toothpick Sam" Jones, formed the first black battery in American League history on May 3, 1952
• August 21 - Felix Evans, 82, Negro league baseball pitcher from 1934 to 1949
• September 12 - Granny Hamner, 66, All-Star shortstop for the Phillies who batted .429 in the World Series with the 1950 "Whiz Kids" team
• September 15 - George H. W. Bush
• September 19 - Frank Wurm, 79, pitcher for the 1944 Brooklyn Dodgers

October–December

• October 21 - Bob Hunter, 80, sportswriter for several Los Angeles newspapers
• October 23 - Steve Wylie, 82, Negro league baseball pitcher from 1944 to 1947
• November 6 - Ed Sadowski, 62, a catcher for the original Angels who also played with the Braves and Red Sox
• November 8 - Hank Leiber, 82, Cubs and Giants All-Star outfielder who hit .288 with 101 home runs and 518 RBI from 1933–42, including a three-home run game in 1939
• November 12 - Bill Dickey, 86, Hall of Fame catcher for the Yankees who batted .313 lifetime, had four 100-RBI seasons, and was the first AL catcher to hit 200 home runs; 11-time All-Star batted .362 in 1936, caught 38 World Series games, and was later a coach
• November 25 - Burgess Whitehead, 83, last surviving member of the St. Louis Cardinals Gashouse Gang team that won the 1934 World Series
• November 4 - Doris Satterfield, 67, three-time All-Star outfielder and member of two AAGPBL champion teams
• December 29 - Shirley Jameson, 75, AAGPBL All-Star center fielder
• December 30 - Tom Alston, 67, first black player in St. Louis Cardinals history

References