More 1973 Baseball Season Highlights
Below are more highlights of the 1973 baseball season, including the year's big trades and Hall of Fame inductees.
- Tom Seaver leads National League in ERA (2.08) and strikeouts (251), and ties for lead in CGs(18).
- The two leagues steal more than 2,000 bases combined for the first time since the dead-ball era.
- The Hall of Fame inducts Warren Spahn, Billy Evans, George Kelly, Mickey Welch, Monte Irvin, and Roberto Clemente.
- George Sisler dies.
- Frankie Frisch dies.
- Chick Hafey dies.
- Cubs deal Fergie Jenkins to Texas for Bill Madlock and Vic Harris.
- Cubs send Ron Santo to ChiSox for four prospects.
- LA sends Willie Davis to Montreal for Mike Marshall.
- Davis, while still with LA, goes 6-for-9 in 19 innings on May 24.
- Brewer Johnny Briggs goes 6-for-6 on August 4.
- Paul Lindblad's record streak of 385 consecutive errorless games at pitcher ends.
- Willie Mays retires holding the record for most career chances by a National League outfielder (7,290).
- Luis Aparicio retires with the major league record for most career games at shortstop (2,581).
- California's Frank Robinson homers in a record 32nd major league park in use during his career.
- Seven of the 24 regular major league shortstops go homerless for the entire season.
- Bobby Bonds hits a season record 11 homers leading off a game.
- After going 19-8 in 1972, Pirate Steve Blass goes 3-9 with a 9.85 ERA and 84 walks in 89 innings; he never regains his form.
- Royals Stadium opens April 10, Texas vs. Kansas City.
- The Mets are first team in history to win pennant without a 20-game winner, .300 hitter, or 100-RBI man.
- Milwaukee's Pedro Garcia and Oakland's Sal Bando tie for American League lead in doubles with 32 -- an American League record for fewest in a season by leader.
- Nolan Ryan and Bill Singer of Angels fan 624 between them -- a post-1893 major league teammate record.
- KC's John Mayberry tops American League in walks (122) and OBP (.420).
- Houston's Roger Metzger leads major league with 14 triples.
- Montreal's Ken Singleton leads National League in OBP (.429).
- Lou Brock tops majors with 70 steals.
- Boston's Tommy Harper tops American League in steals (54).
- Catfish Hunter leads the majors with an .808 win pct.
- Wilbur Wood leads major league in innings (359).
- Steve Carlton ties Cincinnati's Jack Billingham for National League lead in innings (293).
- Minnesota's Bert Blyleven leads major league with nine shutouts; Billingham leads National League with seven.
- Marshall leads National League in saves with 31 and sets a new major league record with 92 mound appearances.
- Cleveland's Gaylord Perry tops the major league with 29 CGs.
- The American League, in first year of the DH rule, has 167 more CGs than the National League but only seven more shutouts.
- Jim Palmer heads the American League in ERA (2.40).
- The American League outhits the National League .259 to .254 -- first time since 1963 that the American League has done this.
- A year after winning the American League East, Billy Martin is let go as Tigers manager in September, and is immediately hired by Texas.
- Rookie manager Whitey Herzog is fired by Texas after Rangers go 47-91 under him and finish last in American League.
- Mets win National League East flag in which five teams finish within 5 games of first place.
- Last-place Phillies finish just 11-1/2 games out of first.
