[GrimmyDee]

What happens when reality as we know it is changed?

The following posts will transcribe what happens when a comet passes too close to the earth causing a split in the fabric of reality. There is the Major League Baseball history that we all know and love, and then there is this untold version...the alternate universe caused by the comet known as "Babe".

(NOTE: Feel free to post similarities/differences between the two universes. I am mearly running a career league and monitoring/chronicling the events that take place and making notations of the things I see.)

January
Jan 1 - Brewers P Danny Frisella, 30, is killed in a dune buggy accident near Phoenix, Arizona.

Jan 2 - Commissioner Bowie Kuhn suspends Braves owner Ted Turner for one year as a result of tampering charges in the Gary Matthews free-agency signing, but the Braves are permitted to keep the outfielder.

Jan 3 - The Royals release P Lindy McDaniel, ending his 21-year career. He appeared in 987 games, 2nd only to Hoyt Wilhelm's 1,070.

Jan 4 - Mary Shane is hired by the Chicago White Sox as the first woman TV play-by-play announcer.

Jan 6 - Angels reserve SS Mike Miley, 23, is killed in an automobile crash in Baton Rouge, LA. Miley had been a star football player at LSU and was chosen twice in the first round of the June free-agent draft.

Jan 7 - Astronomer Philip Dukower discovers what appears to be a huge comet approximately 7 miles in diameter heading towards Earth. He predicts that the comet is not on a collision course with Earth but could be visible to the naked eye in late March as it passes the Earth. Being a huge baseball fan, Dukower called the comet, "Babe".

Jan 11 - In a five-player swap, the Cubs send OF Rick Monday (.272, 32 HR, 77 RBI in 1976) to the Dodgers for 1B-OF Bill Buckner (.301, 7 HR, 60 RBI) and SS Ivan DeJesus (.171, 2 RBI in 41 AB in '76).

Jan 17 - Kansas City releases Tommy Davis, ending an 18-year career spent with 10 different teams.

Jan 19 - The BBWAA elects Ernie Banks to the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.

Jan 20 - The Yankees obtain outfielder Paul Blair (.197, 3 HR, 16) from Baltimore for outfielders Elliott Maddox and Rick Bladt.

Jan 27 - Boston sports writers honor Luis Tiant as the Red Sox most valuable pitcher. This is the fifth year in a row that El Tiante has won, a record streak for this honor which was first awarded in 1952.

Jan 30 - Edward W. Stack is elected president of the Hall of Fame succeeding the retiring Paul Kerr.

Jan 31 - The Special Veterans Committee selects Joe Sewell, Amos Rusie and Al Lopez for the Hall of Fame.


February
Feb 3 - The Hall of Fame's Special Committee on the Negro Leagues picks Martin Dihigo, the versatile Cuban star, and John Lloyd for induction. The committee then dissolves, its fuctions being taken over by the veterans committee.

Feb 11 - The Cubs trade 3B Bill Madlock (.339, 15 HR, 84 RBI), the NL batting champ the past two seasons, and 2B Rod Sperring to the Giants for OF Bobby Mercer (.259, 23 HR, 90 RBI), IF Steve Ontiveros (.176, 0 HR, 5 RBI in 74 AB) and a minor league pitcher. Madlock leaves Chicago having hit .336 for them, which ties him with Riggs Stephenson for the top Cub career average.

Feb 19 - The A's sell P Paul Lindblad (6-5, 5 Sv, 3.06 ERA) to the Rangers for $400,000, calling into question Bowie Kuhn's policy on player sales. Kuhn had previously voided an Oakland sale of players (6/18/76) as "not being in the best interest of baseball," but had not specified the amount allowable in a player sale.

Feb 22 - "Babe", the seven-mile wide comet discovered by astronomer Philip Dukower, continues to increase in popularity. Scientists believe that the comet will be visible for millions (weather permitting) on the evening of March 25th.


March
Mar 7 - The Braves file suit against Commissioner Kuhn, challenging the severity of the penalty for tampering charges.

Mar 15 - The Pirates trade outfielders Tony Armas (.333, 1 RBI in 6 AB), OF Mitchell Page and four pitchers, including Rick Langford (0-1, 6.26 ERA in 23 IP), to the A's for 2B Phil Garner (.261, 8 HR, 74 RBI), IF Tommy Helms (.276, 1 HR, 13 RBI in 87 AB) and P Chris Batton.

Mar 17 - Federal Judge Frank McGarr rules in favor of Commissioner Kuhn, saying that the Kuhn acted within his authority in voiding the 1976 player sales engineered by A's owner Charlie Finley.

Mar 21 - Mark Fidrych (19-9, 2.34 ERA), the 1976 Rookie of the Year, rips the cartilage in his left knee and will undergo surgery in ten days.

Mar 25 - In a spectacular display, the comet affectionately called "Babe" by it's many supporters, streaks through the night sky - much closer to the earth than any comet has come before. The resulting magnetic disturbance knocks out power and disrupts controllers across North America.

Mar 26 - The Athletics trade former All-Star OF Claudell Washington (.257, 5 HR, 53 RBI, 37 SB) to the Rangers for P Jim Umbarger (10-12, 3.15 ERA), infielder Rodney Scott (.400 in 10 AB) and cash.

Mar 28 - The Rangers Lenny Randle, angry for having been benched during spring training, attacks 50-year old manager Frank Lucchesi, sending him to the hospital with a shattered cheekbone. Lucchesi helped precipitate the incident by calling the good-natured Randle "a punk."

The Reds swap Joel Youngblood (.193, 1 RBI in 57 AB) to the Cardinals for P Bill Caudill. Tomorrow they'll send Pat Darcy (2-3, 2 Sv, 6.23 ERA in 39 IP) to the Cards for Mike Caldwell (1-7, 2 SV, 4.86 ERA). Darcy will retire before the season starts.

April will be posted tomorrow.