1975 was a very good year for baseball

The Mets' Tom Seaver went 22-9 with a 2.38 ERA... — The Mets' Tom Seaver went 22-9 with a 2.38 ERA in 1975. Credit: AP/David Durochik

March 25, 2025 10:29 am

Smashing debut

Frank Robinson’s debut April 8 as MLB’s first black manager was certainly memorable. On Opening Day against the Yankees, Robinson was in the Cleveland lineup as DH, and the story goes that Cleveland GM Phil Seghi said to him before the game, "Why don't you hit a homer the first time you go to the plate?" Said Robinson, "You've got to be kidding!" But in the first inning, Robinson blasted a 2-2 fastball from Doc Medich over the left-field wall and the crowd of 56,204 in Municipal Stadium went wild. Robinson was also the NL's first black manager (1981 with the Giants), and is the only player to win the MVP in both leagues.

Tom was Terrific

On Sept. 1 against Pittsburgh, the Mets’ Tom Seaver struck out Manny Sanguillen in the seventh inning to become the first pitcher with 200 or more strikeouts in eight consecutive years. Seaver won his third Cy Young Award in 1975, leading the NL with 22 victories and posting a 2.38 ERA with 243 strikeouts.

Lynnsanity

As much as any player, 1975 belonged to Red Sox center fielder Fred Lynn, who had perhaps the greatest rookie season in MLB history. He was the AL Rookie of the Year and MVP, won a Gold Glove and helped to lead the underdog Red Sox to the World Series. On June 18 against the Tigers, Lynn drove in 10 runs with three home runs, a triple and a single to equal an AL record with 16 total bases.

In the NL …

In addition to Seaver’s Cy Young Award, Reds second baseman Joe Morgan was the MVP and Giants pitcher John Montefusco was Rookie of the Year.

World Series Drama

Cincinnati’s Big Red Machine held off the gritty Red Sox in one of the most exciting series to date, highlighted by Boston’s 7-6 win in Game 6. After a travel day and three days of heavy rain, Game 6 turned into a 12-inning nail-biter in Fenway Park. Carlton Fisk hit a walk-off homer that deflected off of the left field foul pole (thanks to a little body language). The Reds won Game 7, 4-3, on Joe Morgan’s single in the ninth inning.

Notably . . .

On May 1, the Brewers’ Hank Aaron drove in two runs in a 17-3 win over the Tigers to become the all-time leader in RBIs with 2,211. Fifty years later, he remains the career leader with 2,297 RBIs.
On July 21, the Mets surpassed the one million mark in home attendance, but there was nothing to celebrate at Shea Stadium as Joe Torre tied a record by hitting into four consecutive double plays during a 6-2 loss to the Astros.
On Sept. 16, Rennie Stennett of the Pirates became the first modern player to get seven hits in a nine-inning game. Stennett collected a triple, two doubles, four singles and scored five times during the 22-0 rout of the Cubs.
On Sept. 22, a near impossible statistical oddity occurred when brothers Gaylord Perry of the Rangers and Jim Perry of the A’s matched identical career win-loss records of 215-174.

No-Hit Alert

On June 1, Nolan Ryan of the Angels tossed his fourth career no-no, beating the Orioles, 1-0. Ryan had seven no-hitters in his career.
On Aug. 24, Ed Halicki of the Giants no-hit the Mets, 6-0.
On Sept. 28, four Oakland A’s combined on the first multi-pitcher no-hitter in beating the Angels, 5-0. Vida Blue worked five innings, Rollie Fingers two and Glenn Abbott and Paul Lindblad one each for the A’s.

Sad ending

On Jan. 5, Houston righthander Don Wilson died of carbon monoxide poisoning in the garage of his Houston home, an apparent suicide victim at age 29.

Farewell Casey

On Sept. 29, Casey Stengel, died of cancer at age 85. Stengel managed the Yankees for 12 seasons, winning 10 pennants and seven World Series titles. He was the first manager of the Mets, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1966.