This Date in Baseball

1942 — For the second straight year Boston's Ted Williams finished second in the MVP voting to a New York Yankee. Williams, despite hitting for the Triple Crown with 36 home runs, 137 RBIs and a .356 average, lost out to Joe Gordon. Gordon batted .322 with 18 homers and 103 RBIs. The previous year Williams batted .406 and finished second to Joe DiMaggio.

1959 — Ernie Banks of Chicago is the first player to win consecutive National League MVP awards.

1975 — Baltimore's Jim Palmer, the AL leader in wins (23), shutouts (10) and ERA (2.09), won his second Cy Young award.

1976 — The first mass-market free agent draft was held. Reggie Jackson, Joe Rudi, Don Gullet, Rollie Fingers, Don Baylor, Bobby Grich were among those available.

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1980 — Steve Carlton won his third National League Cy Young award. Carlton was 24-9 with 2.34 ERA for Philadelphia.

2001 — Luis Gonzalez hit an RBI single to cap a two-run rally off Mariano Rivera in the bottom of the ninth, and the Arizona Diamondbacks won their first championship by beating the New York Yankees 3-2 in Game 7 — one of the greatest comebacks in World Series history. Curt Schilling and Randy Johnson were named co-MVPs.

2009 — The New York Yankees won the World Series, beating the defending champion Philadelphia Phillies 7-3 in Game 6 behind Hideki Matsui's record-tying six RBIs. Andy Pettitte won the clincher, pitching the Yankees to their 27th championship and first since 2000. Matsui homered, doubled and singled, and tied Bobby Richardson's 49-year-old record for RBIs in a Series game. His two-run homer off Pedro Martinez in the second inning started the Yankees on their way.