October 18 In Baseball

1900S - 1960S

1910 - The Philadelphia Athletics pounded the Chicago Cubs 9–3 for a 2-0 lead in the World Series . Eddie Collins collected three Hits , including two Doubles and two Stolen Bases .

1950 - Connie Mack , at age 87, retired as Manager of the Philadelphia Athletics after 50 years, and Jimmy Dykes was named to replace him. Mack, together with Ben Shibe , founded the Athletics in 1901 .

1955 - Ralph Kiner announces his retirement. The future Hall Of Famer , who slumped to 18 Home Run s and a .243 Average this year, leaves the game with 369 home runs in 10 seasons.

1960 - Instituting a mandatory retirement age of 65, New York Yankees co-owners Dan Topping and Del Webb relieve Manager Casey Stengel . He posted a 1,149-696 record for the Yankees, including 10 American League pennants and seven World Championships .

1967 - The American League owners grant Charlie Finley permission to move the Kansas City Athletics to Oakland, California , in time for the start of the 1968 season. Kansas City is promised a new team by 1971 , but when Senator Stuart Symington and Kansas City Mayor Ilus Davis threaten action against the move, AL President Joe Cronin reopens talks, the expansion deadline is moved forward to 1969 , and awards new franchises to Kansas City and Seattle .

1970S - 1990S

1972 - The Cincinnati Reds defeat the Oakland Athletics , 1–0, in Game Three of the World Series . Cincinnati win despite some successful strategy by the Athletics. In the eighth inning, with runners at Second and Third , Oakland Manager Dick Williams apparently calls for Rollie Fingers to intentionally Walk Johnny Bench , only to have Fingers whistle a third strike past the confused Reds Catcher . Pitcher Blue Moon Odom strikes out 11 Reds, but Jack Billingham is the winner as the Reds win their first game of the Series.

1973 - New York Mets Jerry Koosman and Tug McGraw combined to Pitch a three-hit 2–0 Shutout against the Oakland Athletics and take 3-2 lead in the World Series .

1977 - Reggie Jackson became known as “Mr. October” when he hit three consecutive Home Run s in Game Six of the World Series . Jackson led the Yankees to an 8–4 victory and the World Championship over the Los Angeles Dodgers . Jackson's three shots came on the first pitch off Burt Hooton , Elías Sosa and Charlie Hough . He Drove In five runs and earned Series MVP honors.

1988 - Mark McGwire 's Home Run off Jay Howell in the bottom of the ninth inning gives Oakland a 2–1 victory over the Dodgers in Game Three of the World Series .

1992 - Ed Sprague 's two-run Home Run in the ninth inning off Jeff Reardon in Game Two gives Toronto a 5–4 win over Atlanta and evens the World Series .

1997 - The first World Series game ever played in Florida belongs to the Marlins . Moisés Alou and Charles Johnson hit back-to-back Home Run s against Cleveland 's Orel Hershiser to make a 7–4 winner of Liván Hernández in Game One.

2000S

2001 - Larry Dierker , who left the Houston Astros ' Broadcast booth to take over the dugout duties as the team's Manager in 1997 , resigns despite tying the Cardinals for the best record in the National League (93-69) and winning the Central Division . The team failed to win a playoff series in his five-year tenure going 2-12 in post season action. Ovverall, Dierker posted a 448-362 record for a .553 WP and won four NL Divisional Titles .

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