Baseball fans might argue about the biggest trades in MLB history, but nothing comes close to the 1972 trade between former New York Yankees players Fritz Peterson and Mike Kekich. No, these men weren’t being traded to another team (although they were traded later), they announced they were trading lives — wives, pets, and all.
Like a permanent “Wife Swap,” ESPN reported that, on March 4, 1973, the men held press conferences to make the shocking announcement. In an interview with The Palm Beach Post, Peterson called the trade “a love story” and added, “it wasn’t anything dirty.” The men also agreed that their children should stay with their mothers. Unfortunately, Kekich and Peterson’s wife, Marilyn, split soon after the swap, but Peterson and Susanne Kekich are still together as of this writing.
Talking about his successful marriage to his former teammate’s wife, Peterson said, “I could not be happier with anybody in the world. ‘Mama’ and I go out and party every night. We’re still on the honeymoon and it has been a real blessing.” The former baseball star shared that he hasn’t spoken to Kekich for years, stating, “We just went our own ways. I don’t have anything against him and I don’t think he has anything against me.” In 2013, it was announced that a movie titled “The Trade” about the two athletes was in development, with Ben Affleck and Matt Damon producing. As of this writing, it has yet to be released.
Nicki
