Baseball Hall of Fame
Most Valuable Player
Cy Young Award
Rookie of the Year
Woman Executive of the Year (major or minor league): Alice Neighbors, , American Association
Tulsa Oilers
In January 1976, owner Horace Stoneham agreed to sell the team for $13.25 million to a Toronto group consisting of Labatt Brewing Company, Vulcan Assets Ltd., and Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce. The team would begin play with the 1976 season at Exhibition Stadium and be called the Giants.[1]
San Francisco Giants
January 2 – Pitchers and Bob Lemon are voted into the Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers' Association of America.
Robin Roberts
January 27 – The Pittsburgh Pirates sign undrafted free agent .
Pascual Perez
February 3 – The Special Veterans Committee selects players and Freddie Lindstrom, and umpire Cal Hubbard, for the Hall of Fame. Hubbard becomes the first man elected to both the Pro Football and Baseball Halls of Fame.
Roger Connor
February 9 – is selected for the Hall of Fame by the Special Committee on the Negro Leagues.
Oscar Charleston
February 17 – of Pepperdine pitches a perfect game against California Lutheran University. He will be selected in the 2nd round of the June draft.
Mike Scott
March 17 – Major League Baseball's lockout ends as Bowie Kuhn orders team owners to open spring training camps to their players immediately.
Commissioner of Baseball
March 20 – , hired to manage Japan's Yokohama Taiyō Whales of the Central League, is sick with hepatitis and asks for a five-week delay in reporting. Durocher receives a telegram from the Whales stating: "Since the championship starts in 20 days, it's better if you stay home and take care of yourself for the remainder of the season."
Leo Durocher
March 26 – The American League approves the purchase of the new franchise by the Labatt Brewing Company for $7 million.
Toronto
The Bad News Bears
The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings
January 4 –
Ted Lilly
January 5 –
Kevin Witt
January 7 –
Éric Gagné
January 7 –
Alfonso Soriano
January 8 –
Carl Pavano
January 10 –
Jason Jiménez
January 10 –
Adam Kennedy
January 14 –
Pat Daneker
January 21 –
Jason Ryan
January 21 –
Ron Wright
January 22 –
Jimmy Anderson
January 23 –
Brandon Duckworth
January 28 –
Rod Lindsey
January 2 – , 57, left-handed pitcher who appeared in 70 career games for the Philadelphia Phillies (1943 and 1945) and New York Giants (1946)
Jack Kraus
January 5 – , 86, outfielder who played in five 1911 games for the New York Highlanders
Gene Elliott
January 5 – , 80, outfielder/pinch-runner who appeared in six contests for the 1924–1925 Boston Braves
Ed Sperber
January 9 – , 70, outfielder for four Negro leagues clubs between 1932 and 1938
Bert Johnson
January 16 – , 91, utility first baseman/outfielder who appeared in 81 National League games for Cincinnati (1907 and 1909) and Boston (1909)
Chick Autry
January 17 – , 96, pitcher who appeared in 13 games as a member of the 1905 Pittsburgh Pirates and 1910 St. Louis Browns
Ed Kinsella
January 19 – , 82, catcher who appeared for four Negro National League teams between 1920 and 1924
Otto Ray
January 20 – , 75, National League umpire from 1939 to 1946; home-plate umpire for 1943 All-Star Game, and worked 1944 World Series and 1,151 league games
Tom Dunn
January 29 – , 68, backup outfielder who played in 248 games for the 1933–1936 Cleveland Indians and in three contests for the 1939 Cincinnati Reds
Milt Galatzer
January 29 – , 89, left-handed pitcher (nicknamed "Cannonball") who appeared in five games for the 1909 Cleveland Naps