January 28 - The Hall of Fame Special Veterans Committee selects 19th-century pitcher Mickey Welch and Giants first baseman George Kelly , plus umpire Billy Evans , for enshrinement.
February 27 - Chicago White Sox slugger Dick Allen signs a three-year contract for an estimated $250,000 per year, making him the highest-paid player in major league history.
March 20 - In a special election held by the Baseball Writers Association of America, the late Roberto Clemente receives 393 of 424 votes to earn entry into the Hall of Fame. The Hall's Board of Directors had earlier waived the five-year-wait rule for Clemente.
---In a 9–7 losing effort against the San Francisco Giants , St. Louis Cardinals ace Bob Gibson makes his 242nd consecutive start. It is a new 20th-century record, passing that of Red Ruffing who never pitched in relief the last 10 years of his career.
June 7 - Dave Winfield , the fourth pick in the June draft, will go straight to the major leagues with the San Diego Padres . Winfield was also taken in the NBA and NFL drafts.
June 9 - After the Old Timers' Game at Shea Stadium , Willie Mays puts on his own show with a home run and a circus catch, and the New York Mets top the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-2. For Mays, older than a half dozen of the old Mets, it is the 655th homer of his career. Rusty Staub drives in two runs to back Jon Matlack . In the Old Timers' Game, the Brooklyn Dodgers/ New York Yankees team loses to the Mets 1-0 in two innings.
--- Cy Acosta of the Chicago White Sox becomes the first American League pitcher to bat since the DH Rule went into effect. Acosta strikes out in the eighth inning, but is credited with an 8-3 victory over the California Angels .
--- Bobby Bonds leads off with a home run, but the Giants lose 7-5 to Cincinnati . It is Bonds' 22nd leadoff home run, breaking Lou Brock 's National League record.
June 23 - Pitcher Ken Brett of the Philadelphia Phillies tops the Montreal Expos 7-2, and hits a home run for his fourth consecutive game, setting a major league record. Previously, Brett hit home runs on June 9, 13, and 18. He will total 10 for his career.
---Brothers Gaylord Perry ( Indians ) and Jim Perry ( Tigers ) pitch against each other for the only time in their careers. Neither finishes the game, but Gaylord is charged with the 5–4 loss. Two Norm Cash home runs help the Tigers.
July 5 - Dave Concepción collects a triple, double and three singles to lead the Cincinnati Reds to a 4-3 win over the Giants . His third single drives in the winning run in the ninth inning.
July 9 - In a record-setting walkathon between the Cincinnati Reds and Montreal Expos , 25 bases on balls are handed out as Montreal strolls to an 11–6 win. Well off the American League 's two-team mark of 30, this tops the National League record of 23, last reached on July 7, 1911 . Six Montreal pitchers walk 16, one short of the record for an NL team, while two Reds pitchers walk nine. Hal King pinch hits a Grand Slam for the Reds in the 6th inning, his second pinch homer in nine days.
July 21 - Hank Aaron of the Atlanta Braves hits a Ken Brett fastball into the left-center field stands for a two-run home run during an 8–4 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies . It is career home run #700 for Aaron, only the second player to reach that milestone. Babe Ruth , with 714, is the other.
July 24 - The National League wins the All-Star Game at Kansas City , 7-1. A record 54 players are used, including Willie Mays , who strikes out in his final All-Star appearance, and Catfish Hunter , who sustains a fractured thumb that will sideline him for four weeks. Hunter has a 15-3 record at the time.
August 6 - An exhibition game between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Atlanta Braves held at Milwaukee draws 33,337. The Brewers win, 7-5, in the fourth and last exhibition between the two teams. But the big thrill is provided by Hank Aaron , who hits a home run.
August 11 - Chicago White Sox rookie Brian Downing cracks his first major league hit, a home run off Detroit's Mickey Lolich . Downing's debut dinger is a first in the majors since at least 1945 – an inside-the-park homer. It'll be matched in two years by the Giants Johnnie LeMaster , who will do it in his first at bat.
August 17 - The New York Mets ' Willie Mays hits the 660th (and last) home run of his career off Don Gullett of Cincinnati, but the Reds win 2-1 in 10 innings at Shea Stadium , after pinch hitter Hal King bats a walk-off home run, his third pinch homer of the year.
September 19 - Chicago Cubs teammates Ron Santo and Billy Williams celebrate their long association together by each hitting their 20th home run of the season in an 8-6 win over Montreal . It is number 325 for Santo and 376 for Williams in more than 2,000 games together.
October-December
October 8 - In Game 3 of the National League Championship Series, the New York Mets' Rusty Staub homers in the first and second innings as the Mets crush the Cincinnati Reds 9-2 at New York's Shea Stadium , in a game featuring a bench-clearing brawl involving Pete Rose and Bud Harrelson .
October 10 - Like 1969 , no one thought the Mets would win the National League pennant, but they amazingly did as New York's Tom Seaver hurls the Mets into the World Series with a 7-2 victory over the Reds in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series. New York has 13 hits in the contest.
October 23 - Athletics owner Charlie Finley reveals that he will not release manager Dick Williams from his contract unless he receives adequate compensation from the team that signs him. Williams had resigned following the World Series victory two days earlier.
January 9 - Lyn Lary , 66, shortstop for seven teams who led AL in steals in 1936
February 28 - Syl Simon , 75, infielder and pinch hitter for the Browns who played in the minor leagues after losing much of his left hand in an accident
March 12 - Frankie Frisch , 74, Hall of Fame second baseman for the Giants and Cardinals who scored 100 runs seven times, led the NL in steals three times, and was the 1931 MVP; a lifetime .316 hitter, he twice batted .400 in the World Series, and also managed the Cardinals to the 1934 World Series title
March 26 - George Sisler , 80, Hall of Fame first baseman for the St. Louis Browns widely recognized as the best defensive player ever at that position, he twice batted over .400 and hit .340 lifetime; the AL's 1922 MVP, he had a record 257 hits in 1920 and also led the league in steals four times
June 11 - Bill Burwell , 78, pitcher for the St. Louis Browns in 1920-21, later a scout
July 2 - Chick Hafey , 70, Hall of Fame left fielder for the St. Louis Cardinals and Cincinnati Reds, a career .316 hitter who made the first hit in All-Star history and was the first batting champion to wear eyeglasses
July 2 - George McBride , 92, shortstop for the Washington Senators known for his defense
August 7 - Wilbur Cooper , 81, pitcher who won over 200 games for the Pittsburgh Pirates, he was the first NL lefthander to reach that milestone
August 22 - George Cutshaw , 86, shortstop for the Dodgers, Pirates and Tigers who excelled on defense
September 5 - Jack Fournier , 83, first baseman for five teams who hit .313 lifetime, led NL in homers in 1924
September 10 - Roy Johnson , 70, outfielder who batted .300 four times and led AL in doubles and triples once each
September 11 - Del Baker , 81, member of the Detroit Tigers organization for 28 years as a catcher, coach and manager, he led the team to the 1940 pennant
October 24 - Al Brazle , 60, pitcher who won 97 games for the St. Louis Cardinals, also leading the NL in saves twice
November 2 - Greasy Neale , 81, outfielder for the Cincinnati Reds who batted .357 in the 1919 World Series, but began coaching football to fill the time between baseball seasons
