BOSTON, Mass. — On this date in 1973, Ron Blomberg became the first designated hitter in the history of baseball. Batting sixth in the New York Yankees lineup, Blomberg coaxed an RBI-walk during the first frame against Luis Tiant.
Designated walker? Sounds sexy.
Blomberg, who would amass 52 homers across his career, also collected a hit on his 1-for-3 day.
Conversely, Boston Red Sox DH Orlando Cepeda went 0-for-6.
Yet, the Bosox didn’t appear to need a DH to boost their offense, as the Yankees fell 15-5 at Fenway Park.