More 1996 Baseball Season Highlights

See below for more highlights of the 1996 baseball season, including several records set by catchers and Roberto Alomar's near-suspension for spitting -- at an umpire.

  • Cleveland's Kenny Lofton tops the American League in steals (75) for the fifth straight season.

  • Baltimore's Eddie Murray becomes only the third major leaguer ever to collect both 500 home runs and 3,000 hits.

  • The Mets' Todd Hundley sets an major league record for homers by a catcher (41).

  • The Rangers' Ivan Rodriguez sets a new major league record for the most doubles in a season by a catcher (47).

  • Lance Johnson sets a new Mets franchise record as he leads the majors in hits with 227.

  • Johnson paces the major league with 21 triples, the most by an National Leagueer since 1949.

  • John Wetteland of the Yankees tops the American League with 43 saves.

  • The major league leaders in saves are Jeff Brantley of Cincinnati and Todd Worrell of LA with 44 each.

  • Cincinnati owner Marge Schott is suspended by her fellow owners for her insensitive racial remarks.

  • Umpire John McSherry suffers a fatal heart attack on Opening Day at Cincinnati's Riverfront Stadium.

  • Brady Anderson of Baltimore is the first leadoff man in major league history to compile 50 home runs in a season.

  • Helped by Anderson, Baltimore rips a major league record 257 home runs.

  • Two other American League teams, Seattle (245) and Oakland (243), also shatter the 1961 Yankees' old major league season mark of 240 home runs.

  • Colorado ties the National League record for home runs in a season with 221.

  • Baltimore sets a new major league record for the highest team ERA (5.14) by a postseason qualifier.

  • Roberto Alomar is almost suspended for the postseason when he spits in the face of umpire John Hirschbeck near the end of the regular season.

  • Major league umpires threaten not to work postseason games when American League president Gene Budig delays acting against Alomar after the spitting incident.

  • Smoltz leads the majors with 24 wins.

  • The Yankees' Andy Pettitte tops the American League in wins (21).

  • Detroit loses a franchise-record 109 games.

  • Detroit batters collect a major league record 1,268 strikeouts, led by Melvin Nieves with 158.

  • Detroit's 6.38 staff ERA sets a new mark for the highest in American League history.

  • The Mariners have three players who tally 120 or more runs -- Rodriguez (141), Ken Griffey Jr. (125), and Edgar Martinez (121) -- as Seattle scores 993 runs, most in the majors since 1950.

  • Cleveland leads the majors in batting (.293).

  • Smoltz tops all major league hurlers with 276 strikeouts.

  • Boston's Roger Clemens leads American League hurlers in Ks with 257.

  • Kevin Brown of Florida registers the finest ERA in the majors by far when he finishes at 1.89.

  • After rebounding from throat cancer to return to action in September, LA's Brett Butler suffers a season-ending injury within days of his return.

  • Hentgen tops the majors in both innings pitched (266) and CGs (ten).

  • Twins star Kirby Puckett is forced to retire when he learns he has glaucoma.

  • Joe Torre sees his record for the most games as either a player or a manager without making a World Series appearance come to a halt when his Yankees win the American League flag.

  • Frank Thomas hits the first-ever regular-season home run in March during the White Sox-Mariners opener at the Kingdome on March 31.

  • On August 16, 1996, in Monterrey, Mexico, San Diego beats the Mets 15-10 in the first major league game ever played outside the U.S. or Canada.

  • Al Leiter notches the first no-hitter in Florida Marlins' history when he beats Colorado 11-0 on May 11.

  • Following a heart attack, Tom Lasorda steps down as Dodgers pilot after 20 years at the helm.

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