Aug. 18, 1967

The promising career of Boston Red Sox right-fielder Tony Conigliaro is short-circuited when he's beaned by a fastball from the California Angels' Jack Hamilton. The pitch strikes him just below his left temple, knocking him unconscious.

The 22-year-old Conigliaro is hospitalized with a fractured cheekbone, severe concussion, scalp cuts and a badly bruised eye.

"There was no way I could get out of the way of it," Tony C. says after regaining consciousness in the Red Sox clubhouse. "But I know Hamilton wasn't throwing at me."

Newspaper stories the next day say that the outfielder will be sidelined at least three weeks. But it will be a lot longer than three weeks before he returns - Conigliaro will miss the rest of the season and all of 1968 before coming back in 1969.