More 1988 Baseball Season Highlights
Below are more highlights of the 1988 baseball season, including new records and year-end awards.
- Bob Boone and Carlton Fisk are first major league catchers to play regularly behind the plate at age 40.
- The Hall of Fame inducts Willie Stargell.
- White Sox Jerry Reuss becomes the second pitcher in baseball history to win 200 career games without ever having a 20-win season.
- Baltimore's .335 win pct. is franchise's worst since 1939, as they finish last in the American League for the first time since the move to Baltimore.
- Carl Hubbell dies.
- Harvey Kuenn dies.
- Edd Roush, last surviving participant of 1919 World Series, dies at 94.
- Braves finish last in National League with .338 win pct., the franchise's worst since 1935.
- Minnesota trades Tom Brunansky to Cards for Tommy Herr.
- Royals trade Danny Jackson and Argenis Salazar to Reds for Kurt Stillwell and Ted Power.
- Baseball films Bull Durham and Eight Men Out are released.
- Doug Jones sets a new Cleveland record when he posts 37 saves.
- Jones sets a major league record when he registers saves in 15 consecutive relief appearances.
- Toronto's Fred McGriff is runner-up in the American League in homers (34) and also has the second-highest SA in majors (.552).
- Andres Galarraga tops National League with just 184 hits, the fewest ever by a National League leader on a 162-game schedule.
- Pittsburgh's Andy Van Slyke tops majors in triples (15) and is second in the National League in runs produced (176).
- Cincinnati's Kal Daniels has the only .400 OBP in the National League -- .400 on the nose.
- SF's Will Clark leads National League in RBI (109), runs produced (182), and walks (100).
- Robin Yount, Willie Wilson, and Seattle's Harold Reynolds tie for American League lead in triples (11).
- Rickey Henderson returns to top of the American League in steals (93).
- Vince Coleman again leads National League in steals with 81, his lowest total to this juncture.
- Giants' Brett Butler leads National League in runs (109).
- Orel Hershiser and the Reds' Jackson tie for National League lead with 23 wins and 15 CGs.
- Hershiser tops National League in innings with just 267 and in shutouts with eight.
- Cardinal Joe Magrane has best ERA in the majors (2.18).
- Twins' Allan Anderson leads American League in ERA at 2.45 -- one point better than Milwaukee's Teddy Higuera.
- Oakland's Dave Stewart wins 21 and leads the majors in innings with 276.
- Roger Clemens tops the majors in strikeouts (291) and ties Stewart for the American League lead in CGs (14).
- Cincinnati's John Franco leads National League with 39 saves.
- Oakland veteran Dennis Eckersley blossoms into a relief ace, leading the majors with 45 saves.
- Royal Mark Gubicza wins 20, is second in American League in innings (270) and fourth in ERA (2.70).
- Nolan Ryan again tops National League in Ks (228).
- Cubs lead National League in hitting at just .261.
- National League hits a composite .248, falling below .250 for first time since 1972.
- Boston avoids the cellar for an American League record 57th straight year.
- The fifth-place Yankees finish only 3½ back of American League East winner Boston, as all but Cleveland and Baltimore stay in race till the final few days.
- The shift in power has switched from the American League East to the American League West; Oakland (104) and Minnesota (91) are the only 90-game winners in the league.
