The 1984 Major League Baseball season started with a 9-game winning streak by the eventual World Series champions Detroit Tigers who started the season with 35 wins and 5 losses and never relinquished the first place lead.
New commissioner On March 3, 1984, Peter Ueberroth was elected by the owners as the sixth commissioner of baseball (replacing retiring commissioner Bowie Kuhn) and officially took office on October 1 of that year. As a condition of his hiring, Ueberroth increased the commissioner's fining ability from US$5,000 to $250,000. His salary was raised to a reported $450,000, nearly twice what Kuhn was paid.
Just as Ueberroth was taking office, the Major League Umpires Union was threatening to strike the postseason. Ueberroth managed to arbitrate the disagreement and had the umpires back to work before the League Championship Series were over.
Awards and honors Baseball Hall of Fame Luis Aparicio Don Drysdale Rick Ferrell Harmon Killebrew Pee Wee Reese
+Baseball Writers' Association of America AwardsBBWAA AwardNational LeagueAmerican LeagueRookie of the YearDwight Gooden (NYM)Alvin Davis (SEA)Cy Young AwardRick Sutcliffe (CHC)Willie Hernández (DET)Manager of the YearJim Frey (CHC)Sparky Anderson (DET)Most Valuable PlayerRyne Sandberg (CHC)Willie Hernández (DET)Gold Glove AwardsPositionNational LeagueAmerican LeaguePitcherJoaquín Andújar (STL)Ron Guidry (NYY)CatcherTony Peña (PIT)Lance Parrish (DET)First BasemanKeith Hernandez (NYM)Eddie Murray (BAL)Second BasemanRyne Sandberg (CHC)Lou Whitaker (DET)Third BasemanMike Schmidt (PHI)Buddy Bell (TEX)ShortstopOzzie Smith (STL)Alan Trammell (DET)OutfieldersAndre Dawson (MON)Dwight Evans (BOS)Bob Dernier (CHC)Dwayne Murphy (OAK)Dale Murphy (ATL)Dave Winfield (NYY)Silver Slugger AwardsPitcher/Designated HitterRick Rhoden (PIT)Andre Thornton (CLE)CatcherGary Carter (MON)Lance Parrish (DET)First BasemanKeith Hernandez (NYM)Eddie Murray (BAL)Second BasemanRyne Sandberg (CHC)Lou Whitaker (DET)Third BasemanMike Schmidt (PHI)Buddy Bell (TEX)ShortstopGarry Templeton (SD)Cal Ripken Jr. (BAL)OutfieldersJosé Cruz (HOU)Tony Armas (BOS)Tony Gwynn (SD)Jim Rice (BOS)Dale Murphy (ATL)Dave Winfield (NYY)
Other awards Outstanding Designated Hitter Award: Dave Kingman (OAK) Roberto Clemente Award (Humanitarian): Ron Guidry (NYY) Rolaids Relief Man Award: Dan Quisenberry (KC, American); Bruce Sutter (STL, National).
Player of the Month Month American League National League April Alan Trammell Tony Gwynn May Eddie Murray Leon Durham June Tony Armas Ryne Sandberg July Kent Hrbek José Cruz August Gary Ward Keith Moreland September Greg Walker Dale Murphy
Pitcher of the Month Month American League National League April Jack Morris Rick Honeycutt May Mike Boddicker Nolan Ryan June Charlie Hough Ron Darling July Willie Hernández Orel Hershiser August Roger Clemens Rick Sutcliffe September Doyle Alexander Dwight Gooden
Statistical leaders Statistic American League National League AVG Don Mattingly NYY .343 Tony Gwynn SD .351 HR Tony Armas BOS 43 Dale Murphy ATLMike Schmidt PHI 36 RBIs Tony Armas BOS 123 Gary Carter MONMike Schmidt PHI 106 Wins Mike Boddicker BAL 20 Joaquín Andújar STL 20 ERA Mike Boddicker BAL 2.79 Alejandro Peña LAD 2.48 SO Mark Langston SEA 204 Dwight Gooden NYM 276 SV Dan Quisenberry KC 44 Bruce Sutter STL 45 SB Rickey Henderson OAK 66 Tim Raines MON 75
Standings
American League
National League
Postseason
Bracket
All-Star game All-Star Game, July 10 at Candlestick Park: National League, 3–1; Gary Carter, MVP
Milestones Batters Cycles
Cal Ripken Jr. (BAL): Ripkin hit for his first cycle and seventh in franchise history, on May 6 against the Texas Rangers. Carlton Fisk (CWS): Fisk hit for his first cycle and third in franchise history, on May 16 against the Kansas City Royals. Willie McGee (STL): McGee hit for his first cycle and 16th in franchise history, on June 23 against the Chicago Cubs. Dwight Evans (BOS): Evans hit for his first cycle and 16th in franchise history, on June 28 against the Seattle Mariners.
Other batting accomplishments Pete Rose (CIN/): Recorded his 4,000th career hit as a member of the Montreal Expos with a double against the Philadelphia Phillies on April 13. He became the second player to reach this mark. Reggie Jackson (CAL): Became the 13th player in Major League history to hit 500 home runs in game one of a doubleheader on June 30 against the Atlanta Braves.
Pitchers Perfect games
Mike Witt (CAL): Pitched the 11th perfect game in major league history and the first in franchise history on September 30 against the Texas Rangers. Witt threw 94 pitches and struck out 10 in the 1–0 victory.
No-hitters
Jack Morris (DET): Morris threw his first career no-hitter and fifth no-hitter in franchise history, by defeating the Chicago White Sox 4–0 on April 7. Morris walked six and struck out eight.
Other pitching accomplishments Phil Niekro (NYY): Recorded his 3,000th career strikeout on July 4 by striking out Larry Parrish of the Texas Rangers in the fourth inning. Niekro became the ninth player to reach this mark.
Miscellaneous Chicago White Sox: Tied a major league record set in for most runs scored in the 25th inning, by scoring one run against the Milwaukee Brewers in a game that began on May 8 and ended in game one of a doubleheader on May 9.
Home field attendance Team nameWinsHome attendanceLos Angeles Dodgers79 −13.2%3,134,824 −10.7%38,702Detroit Tigers10413.0%2,704,79447.8%32,985California Angels8115.7%2,402,997 −5.9%29,667Chicago White Sox74 −25.3%2,136,9880.2%26,383Toronto Blue Jays890.0%2,110,0099.3%26,049Chicago Cubs9635.2%2,107,65542.4%26,346Philadelphia Phillies81 −10.0%2,062,693 −3.1%25,465Baltimore Orioles85 −13.3%2,045,7840.2%25,257St. Louis Cardinals846.3%2,037,448 −12.1%25,154San Diego Padres9213.6%1,983,90428.8%24,493New York Mets9032.4%1,842,69565.6%22,749New York Yankees87 −4.4%1,821,815 −19.3%22,492Kansas City Royals846.3%1,810,018 −7.8%22,346Atlanta Braves80 −9.1%1,724,892 −18.6%21,295Boston Red Sox8610.3%1,661,618 −6.8%20,514Milwaukee Brewers67 −23.0%1,608,509 −32.9%19,858Montreal Expos78 −4.9%1,606,531 −30.8%19,834Minnesota Twins8115.7%1,598,69286.1%19,737Oakland Athletics774.1%1,353,2814.5%16,707Cincinnati Reds70 −5.4%1,275,8877.2%15,752Houston Astros80 −5.9%1,229,862 −9.0%15,183Texas Rangers69 −10.4%1,102,471 −19.1%13,781San Francisco Giants66 −16.5%1,001,545 −20.0%12,365Seattle Mariners7423.3%870,3727.0%10,745Pittsburgh Pirates75 −10.7%773,500 −36.9%9,549Cleveland Indians757.1%734,079 −4.5%9,063
Television coverage Network Day of week Announcers ABC Monday nightsSunday afternoons Al Michaels, Jim Palmer, Howard Cosell, Don Drysdale, Tim McCarver, Earl Weaver, Reggie Jackson NBC Saturday afternoons Vin Scully, Joe Garagiola, Bob Costas, Tony Kubek
References
External links 1984 Major League Baseball season at ESPN 1984 Major League Baseball season schedule at Baseball Reference