YEAR IN REVIEW : 1978 National League

Off the field...

On November 18th, nine-hundred twelve followers of American cult leader Jim Jones and his "Peoples Temple" died in a remote South American jungle compound called "Jonestown". Some members were shot, others were forced to drink poison, but most willingly participated in what Jones said was an act of "revolutionary suicide." More than two-hundred eighty children were killed and Jones himself was found fatally wounded by a gunshot to the head.

San Francisco California Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk, the first acknowledged homosexual elected to office, were assassinated in their chambers at City Hall by former Supervisor Dan White. In 1985, White committed suicide in the garage of this Excelsior District home after a failed attempt to return to a normal life upon his release from prison.

U.S. President Jimmy Carter negotiated two controversial treaties with Panama's dictator General Omar Torrijos to return the Panama Canal to Panama. Many felt that both agreements were invalid as the Panama Canal was purchased from Panama by the 1903 Hay-Bunau-Varilla treaty "in perpetuity," which meant that it was to remain in U.S. hands forever.

In the American League...

On June 4th, the Baltimore Orioles selected a young eighteen-year old from Aberdeen Maryland named Cal Ripken, Jr. The high school senior played both pitcher and outfielder while hitting .492 and posting a 7-2 record on the mound with an astounding 0.70 ERA.

Ron Guidry, of the New York Yankees, set an American League record by becoming the first left-hander to strike out eighteen batters in a single game during a 4-0 win over the Anaheim Angels.

After going two-for-four against the Chicago White Sox earlier in the day, Angels' outfielder Lyman Bostock was killed in a bizarre shooting accident. During a domestic dispute on September 23rd, the twenty-seven year old was hit in the head with a .410 gauge shotgun blast by his uncle who was en-route to shooting his aunt. Bostock was a .311 hitter in his fourth season in the Major Leagues and his father; Lyman Sr. had been a star player in the Negro Leagues.

In the National League...

On May 20th, Pittsburgh Pirate captain Willie Stargell launched a 535-foot rocket off the Montreal Expos' Wayne Twitchell for his four-hundred seventh career home run at Olympic Stadium. It was the longest ball ever hit in the ballpark and put "Pops" on the all-time homer list beside Duke Snider.

Chicago Cubs manager Herman Franks and Montreal Expos skipper Dick Williams combined to use forty-five players in a nine inning game setting the all-time record. They also tied another Major League mark by utilizing fourteen different pitchers en route to a 10-8 Canadian victory.

On June 30th, during the first game of a 10-9, 10-5 doubleheader loss to the Atlanta Braves, San Francisco Giants slugger Willie McCovey hit his five-hundredth career home run off Jamie Easterly to become the twelfth member of the "500-HR" club.

Around the League...

The New York Times reported that the renovations on "The House That Ruth Built" were up to a staggering $95.6 million dollars and that it would have cost only $48.8 million to build a brand new Yankee Stadium.

Don Sutton threatened to sue umpire Doug Harvey after the official claimed to find three "doctored" balls belonging to the Dodger righty during a game against the St. Louis Cardinals. After an investigation, Sutton was issued a warning from National League president Charles Feeney.

In what was a sign of things to come, major league umpires went on strike in August attempting to get better benefits. Amateur officiating crews were brought in to call thirteen games before a judge issued a formal restraining order sending the disgruntled picketers back to work.

U.S. District Court Judge Constance Baker Motley ruled that women reporters could no longer be banned from the locker rooms of all New York City sports teams. The decision was ultimately initiated after Sports Illustrated magazine sued the Yankees on the behalf of Melissa Ludtke after she was denied equal access during the 1977 post-season.

Baseball Almanac Top Quote

"A good professional athlete must have the love of a little boy and the good players feel the kind of love for the game that they did when they were Little Leaguers." - New York Mets ace Tom Seaver

1978 National League Player Review

1977 | 1978 Hitting Statistics League Leaders | 1979

Base on Balls Jeff Burroughs Atlanta 117 Top 25
Batting Average Dave Parker Pittsburgh .334 Top 25
Doubles Pete Rose Cincinnati 51 Top 25
Hits Steve Garvey Los Angeles 202 Top 25
Home Runs George Foster Cincinnati 40 Top 25
On Base Percentage Jeff Burroughs Atlanta .432 Top 25
RBI George Foster Cincinnati 120 Top 25
Runs Ivan DeJesus Chicago 104 Top 25
Slugging Average Dave Parker Pittsburgh .585 Top 25
Stolen Bases Omar Moreno Pittsburgh 71 Top 25
Total Bases Dave Parker Pittsburgh 340 Top 25
Triples Garry Templeton St. Louis 13 Top 25
1978 N.L. History | 1978 A.L. History | Year-by-Year History

1978 National League Pitcher Review

1977 | 1978 Pitching Statistics League Leaders | 1979

Complete Games Phil Niekro Atlanta 22 Top 25
ERA Craig Swan New York 2.43 Top 25
Games Kent Tekulve Pittsburgh 91 Top 25
Saves Rollie Fingers San Diego 37 Top 25
Shutouts Bob Knepper San Francisco 6 Top 25
Strikeouts J.R. Richard Houston 303 Top 25
Winning Percentage Gaylord Perry San Diego .778 Top 25
Wins Gaylord Perry San Diego 21 Top 25
1978 N.L. History | 1978 A.L. History | Year-by-Year History

1978 National League Team Standings

1978 All-Star Game | 1978 Team Standings | 1978 World Series

Philadelphia Phillies 90 72 .556 0
Pittsburgh Pirates 88 73 .547
Chicago Cubs 79 83 .488 11
Montreal Expos 76 86 .469 14
St. Louis Cardinals 69 93 .426 21
New York Mets 66 96 .407 24
Los Angeles Dodgers 95 67 .586 0
Cincinnati Reds 92 69 .571
San Francisco Giants 89 73 .549 6
San Diego Padres 84 78 .519 11
Houston Astros 74 88 .457 21
Atlanta Braves 69 93 .426 26
National League Team Standings

1978 National League Team Review

Hitting Statistics League Leaderboard

Base on Balls Cincinnati 636
Batting Average Los Angeles .264
Doubles Cincinnati 270
Hits Chicago 1,461
Home Runs Los Angeles 149
On Base Percentage Los Angeles .340
Runs Los Angeles 727
Slugging Average Los Angeles .402
Stolen Bases Pittsburgh 213
Triples Pittsburgh 54

1978 National League Team Review

Pitching Statistics League Leaderboard

Complete Games Houston 48
ERA Los Angeles 3.12
Fewest Hits Allowed St. Louis 1,300
Fewest Home Runs Allowed San Diego 74
Fewest Walks Allowed Philadelphia 393
Saves San Diego 55
Shutouts Houston 17
San Diego
Strikeouts Houston 930
baseball almanac flat baseball

baseball almanac fast facts

On May 5, 1978, Pete Rose, the all-time hit king, singled to left field off Steve Rogers of the Montreal Expos and became the 13th member of the 3,000 Hits Club.

Did you know that Lee Lacy of the Los Angeles Dodgers was the first Major League player to hit pinch-hit home runs in three (the third came on May 17, 1978) consecutive at-bats?

Can you name the first player to collect at least 200 home runs and 500 stolen bases? It was none other than Joe Morgan who "started" the club on August 27, 1978, when he connected for his 200th career long ball.