January 7 - Outfielder Lou Brock and knuckleballer Hoyt Wilhelm are elected to the Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers Association of America, with Wilhelm becoming the first relief pitcher ever selected. Second baseman Nellie Fox is named on 295 of the 395 ballots (74.7%), but the BBWAA and the Hall of Fame committee decline to round Fox's percentage to the necessary 75%.
April 28 - Only hours after being swept by the Chicago White Sox in a three-game series at Comiskey Park, the New York Yankees fire Yogi Berra as manager 16 games into the season. Yankee owner George Steinbrenner does not fire Berra personally, but instead dispatches general manager Clyde King to deliver the news for him. Berra will be replaced by Billy Martin, whom he had replaced as manager after the 1983 season; this will be the fourth of Martin's five stints as Yankee skipper. Berra vows after the slight to never again set foot in Yankee Stadium as long as Steinbrenner owns the team.
June 11 - In a 26-7 romp over the New York Mets, Von Hayes of the Philadelphia Phillies becomes the first player in MLB history to hit two home runs in the first inning of a game. Hayes led off the bottom of the first with a homer, then hit a grand slam later in the frame. Those were the only two home runs hit in the high-scoring affair.
July 4-5 - In a bizarre game at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, the New York Mets beat the Atlanta Braves 16-13 in a 19-inning game that featured Keith Hernandez hitting for the cycle, and the Braves coming back to tie the game twice in extra innings, most notably in the bottom of the 18th. Pitcher Rick Camp, a career .074 hitter batting only because the Braves had no position players left, shockingly hit a solo home run in the 18th to re-tie the game at 11-11. At the end of the game, even though it was July 5, 3:15 am, the Braves went ahead and shot off their scheduled Fourth of July post-game fireworks for the fans who endured to the end.
September 8 - Pete Rose inserts himself into the Cincinnati Reds' lineup as a late addition, and picks up two singles, the second of which gives him 4,191 hits in his career, tying him with Ty Cobb for the career record. Being that the game is at Wrigley Field, the game is eventually called because of darkness after nine innings, resulting in a rare 5-5 tie.
September 11 - Eric Show of the San Diego Padres goes down in history for pitching Pete Rose's historic 4,192nd career hit; a line drive single to center field. It breaks the tie for the career record which Rose had shared with Ty Cobb since September 8.
January 16 - Ken Chase, 71, pitcher for the Washington Senators, Boston Red Sox and New York Giants between 1936 and 1943
February 12 - Van Lingle Mungo, 73, All-Star pitcher whose antics delighted Brooklyn Dodgers fans; led NL in strikeouts, shutouts and innings once each
February 26 - George Uhle, 86, pitcher for the Indians and Tigers who won 200 games and is credited with having developed the slider pitch in the 1920s; also batted .289, one of the highest averages for a pitcher
March 8 - Al Todd, 83, catcher for the Phillies, Pirates, Dodgers and Cubs between 1932 and 1943
March 10 - Bob Nieman, 58, left fielder for six teams who batted .300 twice for the Orioles; first player to hit home runs in his first two major league at-bats, later a scout
March 25 - Joe Wood, 65, infielder who played briefly for the 1943 Detroit Tigers
May 4 - Bill Kunkel, 48, AL umpire since 1968 who worked two World Series and four ALCS; previously a relief pitcher for the Athletics and Yankees, and father of Rangers shortstop Jeff
May 5 - Joe Glenn, 76, catcher for the New York Yankees, St. Louis Browns and Boston Red Sox, who caught Babe Ruth during his last pitching game in 1933, and also catched Ted Williams in a rare relief appearance in 1940
May 6 - Kirby Higbe, 70, All-Star pitcher for five NL teams who won 22 games for the 1941 Brooklyn Dodgers
May 21 - Archie McKain, 74, left-handed reliever who posted a 26-21 record with a 4.26 ERA and 16 saves for the Red Sox, Tigers and Browns from 1937-43
June 10 - Bob Prince, 68, broadcaster for the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1948 to 1975
July-December
July 2 - Guy Bush, 83, pitcher who won 176 games, most with the Chicago Cubs, but was best remembered for having given up Babe Ruth's last home run
July 27 - Smoky Joe Wood, 95, pitcher for the Red Sox who posted a 34-5 record with an 1.91 ERA in 1912, and went on to win three games in the World Series against the New York Giants; after wearing out his arm by age 26 with a record of 117-57, returned as an outfielder with the Indians and batted .366 while platooning in 1921; later coached at Yale for 20 years
July 27 - Carl Yowell, 82, pitcher for the Cleveland Indians in the 1920s
August 25 - Dick Wakefield, 64, All-Star left fielder who played for the Detroit Tigers, New Yankees and New York Giants between 1941 and 1952
October 14 - Ossie Bluege, 84, All-Star third baseman who played his entire 18-year career for the Washington Senators; later the team's manager, coach and farm director
November 15 - Riggs Stephenson, 87, left fielder who batted .336 lifetime while usually platooning, mainly with the Cubs
November 23 - Sam West, 81, All-Star center fielder for the Washington Senators and St. Louis Browns who batted .300 eight times
November 25 - Ray Jablonski, 58, All-Star third baseman, mainly with the Cardinals, Reds and Giants, who had 100 RBI in his first two seasons
December 6 - Burleigh Grimes, 92, Hall of Fame pitcher, most notably for the Dodgers, who won 270 games with five 20-win seasons using the spitball, of which he was the last permitted practitioner; later a manager and coach
December 14 - Roger Maris, 51, All-Star right fielder who hit 61 home runs in 1961 to break Babe Ruth's long-standing record, earning his second consecutive MVP award, but whose career faltered under the public stress accompanying the accomplishment
