1944 – Hal Newhouser is named Most Valuable Player in the American League, gathering four more votes than teammate Dizzy Trout. Newhouser’s 29 wins contrast his 34 combined wins the previous four years. His 2.22 ERA is bettered by Trout (2.12), who also has 27 wins.
1950 – Having already ousted Branch Rickey, Walter O’Malley fires Burt Shotton as manager. Chuck Dressen, manager of Oakland in the Pacific Coast League, is named as his replacement.
1957 – Warren Spahn of the Braves wins the Cy Young Award as the major league’s top pitcher almost unanimously. The only competition for the 21-game winner is White Sox hurler Dick Donovan, who receives one vote.
1958 – The American League announces that its Opening Day game in 1959 will be the earliest ever, April 9.
1969 – Los Angeles second baseman Ted Sizemore (.271) becomes the seventh Dodgers player to win National League Rookie of the Year honors.
1973 – Al Bumbry beats out five other vote-getters to win American League Rookie of the Year honors. The Orioles outfielder played just 110 games, but tied for the league lead in triples (11) and batted .337.
1978 – The Reds fire manager Sparky Anderson after nine years, during which the club averaged 96 wins per season and won five divisional titles, four National League pennants, and two World Championships.
1979 – Pitcher Rick Sutcliffe, who went 17-10 for the sub-.500 Dodgers, receives 20 of 24 votes to earn the National League Rookie of the Year honors.
