On October 21 in Baseball History... 1957 - With major league baseball coming to the Bay Area, the Giants buy the single A minor league team in Arizona for the purpose of moving the San Francisco Seals to the nearby desert. Their new farm team will be known as the Phoenix Giants.
1964 - After just 11 years in Milwaukee, the Braves Board of Directors votes to ask the NL for permission to move to Atlanta. Milwaukee County officials sue to block the move.
1972 - The Reds send the World Series to its seventh game with an 8-1 victory in Game Six, the only one of the Series decided by more than one run. Johnny Bench has a home run and Bobby Tolan and Cesar Geronimo each drive in two.
1973 - Bert Campaneris and Reggie Jackson hit two-run homers in the third inning as the Oakland A's defeated the New York Mets 5-2 in Game 7 of the World Series.
1973 - In Game Seven, the hometown A's capture their second consecutive World Championship defeating the Mets, 5-2, when Darold Knowles, coming out of the bullpen with two outs and two on in the ninth, gets Wayne Garrett to pop out. The 31 year-old southpaw reliever, who hurls 6.1 Fall Classic innings without giving up an earned run en route to recording two saves, is the first pitcher to appear in all seven games of a World Series.
1975 - In the bottom of the 12th inning of Game Six at Fenway Park, Red Sox backstop Carlton Fisk hits one of the most dramatic home runs in major league history forcing a seventh game with the Reds. This event was chosen as one of baseball's most memorable moments in 2002.
1976 - The Cincinnati Reds won the World Series in four games with a 7-2 victory over the New York Yankees. Johnny Bench had two home runs for five RBIs. It was the Reds' second straight championship and marked the first time a team had swept the playoffs and World Series.
1980 - In Game 6 in front of 65,838 fans at Veterans Stadium, the Phillies win their first World Series ever in the 98-year history of the franchise by defeating the Royals, 4-1. Winning pitcher Steve Carlton limits Kansas City to 4 hits in seven innings and Tug McGraw hurls the last two frames to pick up the save.
1982 - An estimated 150,000 people line Wisconsin Avenue on a chilly day in Milwaukee to cheer for their Brewers, who suffered a crushing defeat in Game 7 of the World Series last night. Following the parade, the fans continue to show their support for the team at County Stadium by chanting “M-V-P! M-V-P!” when shortstop Robin Yount appears in the left field corner of the ballpark on his motorcycle and rides around the warning track acknowledging the admiration.
1986 - After losing the first two World Series games at home, the Mets beat the Red Sox at Fenway Park, 7-1. Lenny Dykstra's first inning home run marks the third time in history in which the Mets lead off hitter has homered in the initial inning of Game 3 of the Fall Classic. The feat was also accomplished by Tommy Agee (1969) and Wayne Garrett (1973).
1987 - With the help of a three-run home run by Tom Lawless, St. Louis evens the World Series with a 7-2 win.
1993 - The night after Toronto wins a 15-14 slugfest, Philadelphia's Curt Schilling outduels Juan Guzman 2-0 in Game Five to send the Series back to Toronto.
1996 - It's vintage Greg Maddux. The Atlanta hurler holds the Yankees to six hits in eight innings and Fred McGriff drives in three runs in a 4-0 win in Game Two.
1996 - After being awarded one of the two expansion franchises for Triple-A by the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues, Durham officially becomes the home of the Devil Rays' top farm club beginning in 1998. Tampa Bay and Capitol Broadcasting Co., Inc. jointly own the new North Carolina franchise, but the team will continue to be called the Bulls.
1998 - The New York Yankees closed out their historic season with 3-0 victory at San Diego, sweeping the Padres in four games to win their record 24th World Series championship. The Game 4 victory gave the Yankees 125 wins against 50 losses - for a .714 winning percentage, the best in the majors since their Murderers' Row club of 1927. Their AL-record 114 regular-season victories were the most ever for a champion.
2000 - In the longest World Series game ever played, the Yankees take Game 1 of the Subway Series, thanks to Jose Vizcaino's 12th inning two-out single, defeating the Mets, 4-3 in four hours and fifty-one minutes. The victory surpasses the streak established by the Murderers' Row clubs as the present Bronx Bombers win their 13th consecutive World Series game.
2002 - Florida team president David Samson, in an effort to get fans "falling back in love with the Marlins,'' announces plans which includes free hot dogs and a cozier atmosphere at Pro Player Stadium. The average crowd of 10,038 per home game, more than a third less than the previous season, was next-to-last in the major leagues in attendance this year.
2004 - At Busch Stadium, the Cardinals advance to the World Series for the first time in 17 years. The Redbirds capture the National League pennant beating Roger Clemens and the Astros in Game 7 of an exciting NLCS, 5-2.
2005 - On the eve of the World Series beginning in Chicago, Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) and Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) sponsor a resolution in the U.S. Senate calling for ‘Shoeless’ Joe Jackson to be ``appropriately honored for his outstanding baseball accomplishments.'' The former White Sox outfielder, considered to be one of the greatest players in the history of the game, was banned from baseball for life by commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis for his role in 1919 ‘Black Sox’ Fall Classic fix. 2006 - In the first match up of rookies to start Game 1 of the World Series, Anthony Reyes bests Justin Verlander as the visiting Cardinals beat the Tigers at Comerica Park, 7-2. The 25-year old right-hander allows 2 runs and 4 hits striking out 5 Redbirds in eight innings of work.
2006 - After hosting Super Bowl XL at Ford Field in February, Detroit becomes just the second city to host both a Super Bowl and a World Series in the same calendar year. San Diego was the site of the NFL Championship game and Fall Classic in 1998.
2009 - In Game 5 of the NLCS the Phillies defeat the Dodgers capturing their second straight pennant. Philadelphia, with their 10-4 victory at Citizens Bank Park, becomes the first National League team to repeat the feat since the Braves won consecutive flags in 1995-96.
2009 - When he is issued a first-inning walk by L.A.'s starter Vicente Padilla in Game 5 of the NLCS, Chase Utley ties a postseason record by reaching base in 25 consecutive contests. The slugging second baseman, who has reached base in every postseason game in which he has participated except for his first in 2007, equals Boog Powell's mark established from 1966-1971 playing for the Orioles.
2009 - The Chicago White Sox claimed Alejandro de Aza from the Florida Marlins on waivers. 2010 - Pleased to be staying in Detroit, Brandon Inge signs an $11.5 million, two-year deal to remain with the Tigers. The 33-year old infielder, prone to striking out, is better known for his defensive prowess at third base than for his hitting.
2012 - The Toronto Blue Jays traded David Carpenter and manager John Farrell to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for Mike Aviles.
2014 - During Game 1 of the World Series at Kauffman Stadium, Laurence Leavy, better known as the Marlin Man, is approach by a Royals representative, who informs him the Kansas City owner is upset with his bright orange Miami jersey that is diverting attention from the home team on national television. Although he is offered a variety of inducements, including autographed memorabilia and an opportunity to sit in the luxury boxes, the workers comp attorney refuses to remove his colorful garb, choosing to remain in his $8,000 seat behind home plate.
Baseball Birthdays on October 21... 1863 - Rooks, George
1864 - Lohman, Pete
1877 - Harris, Charlie
1880 - Hayden, Jack
1884 - Lelivelt, Bill
1885 - Fisher, Gus
1887 - Quinlan, Finners
1887 - Corhan, Roy
1888 - Scheer, Al
1909 - Lee, Bill
1913 - Christman, Mark
1916 - Bevens, Bill
1916 - Carnett, Eddie
1917 - Prichard, Bob
1917 - Papish, Frank
1918 - McCabe, Ralph
1922 - Partenheimer, Stan
1928 - Ford, Whitey
1928 - Thomas, Valmy
1933 - Goryl, Johnny
1940 - Uhlaender, Ted
1941 - Davis, Ron
1948 - Russell, Bill
1949 - James, Skip
1951 - Pruitt, Ron
1953 - Eichelberger, Juan
1954 - Drumright, Keith
1955 - Garvin, Jerry
1959 - Bell, George 1960 - Stubbs, Franklin
1966 - Batiste, Kevin
1967 - Flaherty, John
1969 - Smith, Chuck
1970 - Wilkins, Marc
1973 - Corey, Bryan
1975 - Hall, Toby 1978 - Gonzalez, Dicky
1979 - Greene, Khalil
1979 - Gross, Gabe
1979 - Holm, Steve
1979 - Spooneybarger, Tim
1980 - Cate, Troy
1980 - Coutlangus, Jon
1981 - Perez, Beltran
1982 - Henderson, Jim
1983 - Fien, Casey
1983 - Greinke, Zack
1984 - Herrera, Danny Ray
1984 - Lobaton, Jose
1986 - Lee, Chen
1987 - De Fratus, Justin
1989 - Barnes, Dan
1994 - Ruiz, Jose
Baseball Deaths on October 21... 1891 - Daily, Ed
1912 - Waitt, Charlie
1918 - Chapman, Harry
1923 - Sheehan, Biff
1925 - Goodwin, Marv
1936 - Mason, Charlie
1954 - Gardiner, Art
1958 - Long, Lep
1959 - Rieger, Elmer
1960 - Tuero, Oscar
1961 - Gleason, Harry
1965 - Nagelsen, Lou
1968 - Killilay, Jack
1969 - Richmond, Ray
1981 - Robertson, Gene
1984 - Rigney, Johnny 1988 - Otero, Reggie
1990 - Waddey, Frank
1991 - Hamby, Jim
1991 - Coombs, Bobby
1992 - Dwyer, Double Joe
1993 - Belardi, Wayne
1995 - Pinson, Vada
1997 - Camilli, Dolph
1998 - Haugstad, Phil
2004 - Bucher, Jim
2008 - Crawford, Jake
2015 - Robertson, Jim
2017 - Churn, Chuck