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.
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.
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.
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.
"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 |
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Statistic | Name(s) | Team(s) | # | Top 25 |
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 |
Statistic | Name(s) | Team(s) | # | Top 25 |
1978 N.L. History | 1978 A.L. History | Year-by-Year History |
1978 National League Pitcher Review |
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Statistic | Name(s) | Team(s) | # | Top 25 |
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 |
Statistic | Name(s) | Team(s) | # | Top 25 |
1978 N.L. History | 1978 A.L. History | Year-by-Year History |
1978 National League Team Standings1978 All-Star Game | 1978 Team Standings | 1978 World Series |
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East | Team [Click for roster] | Wins | Losses | WP | GB |
Philadelphia Phillies | 90 | 72 | .556 | 0 | |
Pittsburgh Pirates | 88 | 73 | .547 | 1½ | |
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 | |
West | Team [Click for roster] | Wins | Losses | WP | GB |
Los Angeles Dodgers | 95 | 67 | .586 | 0 | |
Cincinnati Reds | 92 | 69 | .571 | 2½ | |
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 | |
N.L. | Team [Click for roster] | Wins | Losses | WP | GB |
National League Team Standings |
1978 National League Team ReviewHitting Statistics League Leaderboard |
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Statistic | Team | # |
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 ReviewPitching Statistics League Leaderboard |
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Statistic | Team | # |
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 |
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.