Baseball History

[67RedSox]

“Son, if I'd only gotten to be a doctor for five minutes... now that would have been a tragedy.”

The line was delivered, in Field of Dreams, by Moonlight Graham, who appeared as a right fielder in a single ML game for the NY Giants in 1905. That line could have also been spoken by John Lee Richmond of the Worcestor Ruby Legs who pitched the first Perfect Game in Major League history on this date in 1880. Less than a week later, on June 16, 1880 Richmond, who would eventually become a medical doctor, was awarded his degree from Brown University. The "spot" where he stood when he tossed this perfect game is now marked by a plaque located on the campus of Becker College in Worcester, Massachusetts. The inscription reads…

"ON JUNE 12, 1880, THE FIRST PERFECT GAME IN PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL HISTORY WAS PITCHED ON THIS SITE (THE FORMER WORCESTER AGRICULTURAL FAIRGROUNDS) BY J. LEE RICHMOND OF WORCESTER AGAINST CLEVELAND IN A NATIONAL LEAGUE GAME."

WORCESTER AGRICULTURAL FAIRGROUNDS - Google Search

WORCESTER AGRICULTURAL FAIRGROUNDS - Google Search

Lee Richmond - BR Bullpen

It was on this date in 1916 Babe Ruth hits the 6th HR of his ML career. It’s a 3-run shot in the 7th inning of a game against the Browns in St. Louis to knot the score, 3-3. It was the only HR of the 714 he hit that he hit as a pinch-hitter.

June 12, 1916 Boston Red Sox at St. Louis Browns Play by Play and Box Score | Baseball-Reference.com

Well, so far we spoken about a ballplayer turned doctor and Babe Ruth. Now, let’s do a blurb combining both of those things. Hub “Shucks” Pruett was a left-handed pitcher in the Majors for 7 seasons between 1922 and 1932. He acquired the nickname "Shucks" because that was the strongest word in his vocabulary. He played for the St. Louis Browns, Phillies, NY Giants, and Boston Braves and didn’t enjoy a lot of success except when he pitched to Babe Ruth. Over his 7 seasons he had but one winning season and his overall ML record was 29-48 with an ERA of 4.68. How hard did he throw…well, I guess most of his pitches would have trouble breaking a pane of glass. On this date in 1922 as a rookie with the Brown’s Pruett K's Babe Ruth 3 times on route to a 7-1 win over the Yankees. Ruth had nothing but fits against him striking out 13 of the first 16 times he faced him and had a lifetime batting average of .095 against him. Pruett knew he needed to find a new line of work and used his baseball salary to pay for his medical studies. One of the reasons the Browns kept him for 3 seasons was because of his success against the Babe. Years later after became a physician in St. Louis Pruett personally thanked Ruth for role he played extending his baseball career by his futility in hitting against him.

Hub Pruett Statistics and History | Baseball-Reference.com

There have been 23 Perfect Games tossed in MLB history. Three of those have been thrown by NY Yankees, Don Larsen, David Wells and David Cone. In the U.S. there are 37,100 High Schools and just so you know the average cost to educate one HS student is $7,079.00 per year. Don Larsen, the first Yankee to toss a Perfect Game did so in the 1956 World Series, attended Point Loma High School in San Diego. His battery mate in the game was Yogi Berra. The second Perfect Game in Yankees history was thrown by Wells in 1998, 42 years after Larsen’s Perfecto. Guess where David Wells went to High School…yes, the same one Larsen went to…Point Loma High School in San Diego. What’s the odds of that. David Cone who threw the 3rd Perfect Game in Yankee history can’t say he went Point Loma HS but interestingly the day he threw his Perfect Game guess who threw out the first pitch of the game…Don Larsen. Guess who he threw that first pitch to…Yogi Berra.

List of Major League Baseball perfect games - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

It was on this date in 1939 the greatest gathering of members and future inductees of the Baseball Hall of Fame assembles in Cooperstown‚ NY‚ for the dedication of the museum. A 6-inning game at Doubleday Field showcases lineups studded with players who will be elected in the future. Honus Wagner's lineup defeats Eddie Collins' squad‚ 4-2. Babe Ruth‚ Ty Cobb‚ Honus Wagner‚ Walter Johnson‚ Grover Alexander‚ Nap Lajoie‚ George Sisler‚ Eddie Collins‚ Tris Speaker‚ Cy Young‚ and Connie Mack accept their plaques. Cobb‚ angry at Commissioner Landis‚ shows up after the ceremony and photo taking to accept his plaque. Other inductees‚ all deceased‚ include Cap Anson‚ Charles Comiskey‚ Candy Cummings‚ Buck Ewing‚ Hoss Radbourn‚ Al Spalding and Wee Willie Keeler.

1939 cooperstown - Google Search

1,200 miles away from Cooperstown, in front of a record crowd of 23,864 fans at Ruppert Stadium, Lou Gehrig plays his last game as a Yankee during an exhibition game against the Kansas City Blues, their AA farm team. Playing only three innings and batting eighth, the 'Iron Horse' grounds out weakly to second base in his only at-bat.

The Fort Scott Tribune - Google News Archive Search

Giancarlo Stanton has struck out 82 times in 2015 to lead the NL. His strikeout rate in his career is among the highest at about 33% of his at-bats. Chris Carter of the Astros leads the AL, also with 82 Ks and his career strikeout rate is even higher than Stanton’s. Well, although the hitters of yesteryear did not strike out at near the prolific rate that hitters do today even Stanton and Carter have to move over for Dave Nicholson who played for the White Sox in the 1960s and who struck out in 40.3 % of his at-bats. The fact he played in only 538 ML games with 1,419 at-bats doesn’t qualify him to be included with the others, nevertheless, his numbers indicate just how often he struck out. It was on this date in 1963 Nicholson ties the ML record for the most strikeouts in a doubleheader with 7. That year he would establish a new ML record for the most strikeouts in one season with 175. The record would stand until Bobby Bonds whiffed 187 times in 1969. Part of Nicholson’s strikeout rate could be attributed to his batting stance…holding the bat almost over his head as he'd look out at the pitcher from underneath his arms.

Dave Nicholson Statistics and History | Baseball-Reference.com

It was on this date in 1979 Sparky Anderson is appointed as the Manager of the Detroit Tigers, a gig that would last 17 seasons with only 1 Pennant and World Series victory, in 1984. He would win as many as 104 games with the Tigers (1984) and lose as many as 103 (1989). Anderson replaced Les Moss in Detroit who had served as a Manager in the Tigers Minor League chain before getting promoted to the big job. When Sparky Anderson was fired by Cincinnati despite the Reds winning 92 games in 1978 and was poised to accept a long-term deal with the Cubs the Tigers abruptly fired Moss to snag Anderson. Something akin to what happened to Rick Renteria with the Cubs when they just had to have Joe Maddon.

Faithful soldier Moss stepped aside for Sparky in 79

It was on this date in 1997, after 126 years of play , the first interleague game in history is played when the Giants defeat the Rangers, 4-3, at the Ballpark in Texas.

June 12, 1997 San Francisco Giants at Texas Rangers Box Score and Play by Play | Baseball-Reference.com


Baseball Trivia: ( Answer Tomorrow )

Other than Denny McLain with 31 can you name the 2 pitchers to win at least 25 games in a season in the AL during the 1960s. One with 236 career Wins is in the HOF and the other with 283 career Wins is not.

The answer to yesterday’s question… Garry Templeton (Starlin Castro, Jose Reyes and Rich Aurillia are all Shortstops who have led the NL in base hits in a single season since 2000. Can you name the only NL Shortstop to do so 1920-1980. He is also the only player in NL history to lead the League in Triples in back-to-back-to back seasons. He is not in the Hall of Fame…but one-time teammates Roberto Alomar and Lou Brock are.)

 

[67RedSox]

Anytime you build anything in a flood-plain, including a baseball field, you have to understand it’s subject to flooding. The birthplace of Baseball in Pittsburgh was Exposition Park built on the flood-plain of the Allegheny River. Exposition Park stood on the north shore of the Allegheny River across from downtown Pittsburgh, facing what has become the Point. The park was located about two blocks west of where PNC Park stands today. Three rebuilt versions of Exposition Park housed various Pittsburgh baseball teams from 1882 until 1915 when Forbes Field was built, a three-tiered stadium out of steel and concrete to increase longevity—the first of its kind in the nation. The stories of the Alleghenys and Pirates, both playing in their flooded ballpark, are legendary with fly balls hit to waist high water considered ground-rule doubles. The first of those floods happened on this date in 1883. I can’t find photos of that day but here are some other ballparks that experienced a little water. Incidentally, Pittsburgh’s ML team originally played in Allegheny then a separate city to Pittsburgh. In 1887 the Allegheny team switched from the American Association to the National League ( the AA being the rival Major League rival of the NL ) and became known as the Pittsburgh Alleghenys. In 1891 they took the name of the Pirates…almost as a joke. The Alleghenys signed several players from American Association teams. One of them was highly regarded second baseman Lou Bierbauer, who had previously played with the A.A.'s Philadelphia Athletics. The Athletics failed to include him on their reserve list, and the Alleghenys picked him up. This led to loud protests by the Athletics, and in an official complaint, an AA official claimed the Alleghenys' were behaving like pirates. This incident quickly accelerated into a schism between the Leagues that contributed to the demise of the AA. Although the Alleghenys were never found guilty of wrongdoing, they made sport of being denounced for being "piratical" by renaming themselves "the Pirates" for the 1891 season.

In the pictures below the before and after of the Harrisburg, PA. ballfield and then Crosley Field in Cincinnati in the great flood of 1937 when Home Plate was 21 feet underwater.

City of Harrisburg | Metro Bank Park Stadium Renovations | Quandel Enterprises

https://baseballsociologist.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/090811harrisburg.jpg

crosley field flood 1937 - Google Search

Here’s a shot of old League Park the home of the Cleveland Indians, off and on, from 1901 to 1946. Marty Kavanagh, who was born on this date in 1891, was a 2B who played 5 seasons in the Majors during the Dead-Ball Era, the WWI years. He played 2 ½ seasons in Cleveland and while there hit one HR but it was significant one as it was the first pinch-hit Grand Slam HR hit in American League play. Looking at the photo below one can imagine a lofty fly-ball landing in those stands somewhere beyond the left of center field wall. Nope! Reportedly, the ball instead squirted through a hole in the fence never to been seen again.

league park - Google Search

Marty Kavanagh Statistics and History | Baseball-Reference.com

Mel Parnell was born on this date in 1922. Parnell devoted a full decade to the Boston Red Sox, from 1947 through 1956, winning 123 games while losing just 75. He ranks first among left-handed Red Sox pitchers in wins, number of games started (232), and number of innings pitched (1,752 2/3). The New Orleans native performed exceptionally well in Fenway Park, a ballpark thought to be unkind to southpaws, compiling a 71-30 mark there. In his final season, 1956, he threw a midseason no-hitter against the White Sox, also at Fenway. Apparently, he could throw a snowball as well as a baseball.

mel parnell - Google Search

Mel Parnell Statistics and History | Baseball-Reference.com


On this date in 1930, for the first time baseball history, former Batting Champs are exchanged for one another when the Senators trade future HOF'er Goose Goslin to the Browns for future HOF'er Heinie Manush. Both Hall of Fame outfielders won their titles in the American League, with Manush hitting .387 playing for the Tigers in 1926, and Goslin leading the circuit two years later with a .378 batting average for Washington.

Goose Goslin - BR Bullpen

Heinie Manush - BR Bullpen

It was on this date in 1948 with the crowd of 49,641 singing 'Auld Lang Syne' to the Babe, the Yankees celebrate the silver anniversary of Yankee Stadium by holding 'Babe Ruth Day'. With members of the 1923 team (the first team to play in the stadium) looking on, the dying superstar's uniform number 3 is retired and sent to Cooperstown.

June 13, 1948 - The Babe's number is retired | Watch the video - Yahoo Yahoo Canada

It was on this date in 1973 the Dodgers infield, which will be together eight and a half years, setting a ML record for longevity, play together the first time. 1B Steve Garvey, 2B Davey Lopes, 3B Ron Cey and SS Bill Russell are in the line-up in the 16-3 defeat to the Phillies.


It was on this date in 1984 the Cleveland Indians, with a record of 22-35 found themselves struggling and in last place. The Ace of their pitching staff, Rick Sutcliffe, who had won 17 games the previous season was struggling with a record of 4-5 and an ERA of 5.15. A trade was finalized with the Chicago Cubs who were leading their Division in the NL but felt they needed pitching help. Sutcliffe came to Cubs and went 16-1, 2.69 for the rest of the season and wins the NL Cy Young Award ahead of runner-up Dwight Gooden.

Rick Sutcliffe 1984 Game by Game Pitching Logs


Baseball Trivia: ( Answer Tomorrow )

In the 14 seasons, 1918 and 1931 Babe Ruth won 12 of the 14 American League HR Crowns. In 1922 he lost the HR Crown to Ken Williams of the St. Louis Browns, 39-35, when Ruth was suspended for the first 33 games of the season by Judge Landis for violating MLB’s rule about off-season barnstorming. The only other year in that span that he did not win the HR Crown a Yankee teammate did. Who was that Yankee teammate?

The answer to yesterday’s question…Whitey Ford, 25-4 in 1961, Jim Kaat 25-13 in 1966 (Other than Denny McLain with 31 can you name the 2 pitchers to win at least 25 games in a season in the AL during the 1960s. One with 236 career Wins is in the HOF and the other with 283 career Wins is not.)

 

[67RedSox]

There’s been a number of players mentioned in these Posts who have served in the military and made contributions both on the battle field and the ball field. I will sometimes cite the following website to assist me. I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned a Civil War soldier however as that conflict existed before any of what we now call the Major Leagues came into existence. I’ll mention one now…Dick McBride who played for the Philadelphia Athletics of the National Association in the 1870s was born on this date in 1847. He was a 40 game Winner in 1875 and a 2-time 30 game Winner. In 1864, while serving in the Union Army during the Civil War, he was allowed to take a 3 day furlough to participate in a series of baseball exhibitions between clubs from Brooklyn and the local Philadelphia clubs.

Baseball in Wartime - Dedicated to Baseball Players Who Served with the Military During World War II

Dick McBride - BR Bullpen

The Toronto Blue Jays won their 11th straight today to tie the Mets for the longest winning streak of the season. On this date in 1870 at the Capitoline Grounds in Brooklyn, the Cincinnati Red Stockings see their 130 game consecutive winning streak (81 official games and 49 exhibitions) come to an end, losing to the Atlantics in extra innings, 8-7.

Cincinnati Red Stockings - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

It was on this date in 1876 Philadelphia Athletic George Hall becomes first ML player to hit for the cycle. The Englishman will also become the first player to be banned along with others for throwing a 3 1/2 game lead with 12 games to go in 1877.

George Hall - BR Bullpen

Don Newcombe, the first winner of the Cy Young Award when it was introduced in 1956, was born on this date in 1926. He played in his last ML game in 1960, 55 years ago and is still going strong, now at 89. You might think he would be one of the oldest living Players still alive and I suppose he is but he barely makes the Top 100 list of oldest living ballplayers coming in at the 93rd oldest.

List of oldest living Major League Baseball players - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dodgers Clubhouse | TWC SportsNet LA

It was on this date in 1963 Duke Snider hits his 400th Major League HR. I suppose it doesn’t sound like as big a deal as it really was since today Snider’s 407 lifetime HRs ranks 51st on the all-time list but back then, only eight other players had connected for at least that many round trippers, all of them Hall of Famers. Though it took a few years, Snider would join that club in 1980. I should add Snider wasn’t just about hitting HRs. Like his contemporaries in New York…Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays… if the ball stayed in the ballpark…he caught it.

June 14, 1963 New York Mets at Cincinnati Reds Box Score and Play by Play | Baseball-Reference.com


Baseball Trivia: ( Answer Tomorrow )

Among active ML pitchers who is the best strikeout pitcher with 9.6 strikeouts per 9 innings, slightly higher than Clayton Kershaw’s mark. (Minimum 1,000 Innings Pitched ).

The answer to yesterday’s question…Bob Meusel, 1925 – 33 HRs (In the 14 seasons, 1918 and 1931 Babe Ruth won 12 of the 14 American League HR Crowns. In 1922 he lost the HR Crown to Ken Williams of the St. Louis Browns, 39-35, when Ruth was suspended for the first 33 games of the season by Judge Landis for violating MLB’s rule about off-season barnstorming. The only other year in that span that he did not win the HR Crown a Yankee teammate did. Who was that Yankee teammate?)

Bob Meusel - BR Bullpen

 

[67RedSox]

Mike Tiernan, nicknamed “Silent Mike” was, first and foremost, an outstanding ballplayer. During the final decade of the 19th century, the RF post on the NY Giants was manned by Tiernan. Tiernan was well liked by teammates, fans, and the baseball press. On a team where sporting a prominent moustache was virtually the rule, Tiernan remained resolutely clean-shaven. In an era when verbal abuse of opponents and noisy disagreement with umpires were ballpark norms, Tiernan was a gentleman, a player who spoke so infrequently on the field that he was dubbed Silent Mike. And at a time when discontent with management ran so deep that the players formed their own league, Tiernan was one of the few to spurn the movement and remain with his old team. Indeed, Mike Tiernan was one of only a handful of 19th century players to spend his entire ML career in a single city. It was on this date in 1887 the Giants and Phillies hook up for a game in New York. The result, Giants winning 29-1, is a game setting records for runs scored in a single game by the Giants and allowed by the Phillies that still stand. Tiernan, a rookie that season, scores 6 runs‚ still untopped in the Majors. Incidentally, talking about the Giants…here’s an oddity. Willie Mays holds the team record for most HRs in a single game with 4, Bill Joyce holds the record for most triples in a single game with 4, however no Giant has hit 4 doubles in a game…the record is 3, by several players.

Mike Tiernan - BR Bullpen

While right-handed throwers can be found at any of the nine positions on a baseball field, left-handers are, in practice, restricted to five of them. You won’t find a lefty at catcher, second base, shortstop or third base. That is usually the case but, of course, there are exceptions to every rule. It was on this date in 1890 Bill Greenwood plays SS for the Rochester Broncos and becomes the only left-handed throwing SS in the Majors to participate in a triple play. In 1986 current Dodger Manager, lefty Don Mattingly, who won the Gold Glove at 1B that season which was 1 of 9 in a row he won played 3 games as a left-handed fielding 3B totalling 18 innings and one of those games was the full 9 innings. Mattingly is also the last left-handed thrower to play second base in a ML game who was on the field when the Yankees and Royals resumed the famed “pine-tar” game in 1983. Playing behind him in CF was none other than Gold Glover ( P ) that year and 21 game Winner, Ron Guidry. Bert Campaneris had been the Yankees’ 2B during the original game on July 24, but he was on the disabled list when the game resumed on August 18. Guidry was the Yankees’ CF’er when the game resumed; Jerry Mumphrey, who was the CF’er when the original game concluded, had been traded in the interim.

Bill Greenwood (baseball) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

August 31, 1986 New York Yankees at Seattle Mariners Play by Play and Box Score | Baseball-Reference.com

Here’s an even stranger left-hander playing 2B. Sam McDowell played there in a game in 1970. Yes, the same Sam McDowell who struck out 300 batters that season. The Indians were hosting the Washington Senators. McDowell took an 11-4 record to the mound in that game. The Senators scored two runs in the first inning and two more in the third to jump on top 4-0, but Cleveland rallied and took a 6-4 lead into the visitors’ half of the 8th inning. The Senators got singles from Ed Stroud and Eddie Brinkman, and a wild pitch by McDowell moved the runners to second and third with one out. McDowell struck out Tom Grieve for the second out, but that brought the dangerous Frank Howard to the plate as the potential go-ahead run. Hondo had hit 44 home runs in 1968, 48 in 1969, and had already hit 21 in his first 79 games of the 1970 season (he would finish the year with 44).
McDowell had already faced 38 batters and had allowed 11 hits and walked five. He’d also struck out 12, and while pitch counts weren’t in box scores in those days and were rarely reported in the press, he must have thrown a lot of pitches by then. With Howard and the next four hitters after him all right-handed hitters, it would seem to be a good time for Cleveland manager Al Dark to bring in a fresh right-handed pitcher. Which he did, summoning Dean Chance to the mound. But Dark didn’t take McDowell out of the game. He put Chance in the lineup in place of third baseman Graig Nettles, who had made the Indians’ last out in the seventh; he moved Eddie Leon from second base to third; and he left McDowell in the game–as the second baseman, giving him the option of returning McDowell to the mound. Chance intentionally walked Howard to load the bases and set up a force at any base. That brought Rick Reichardt to the plate. “Nobody had to tell me, but you can be sure I was keeping the ball inside to Rick,” Chance said. “If he’s going to hit it, he’s going to pull it. There’s no way he’s going to hit it to Sam’s side of the infield.” Chance’s mission was accomplished when the right-handed-hitting Reichardt pulled a ground ball to Leon at third base. Leon tossed to McDowell at 2B for the 3rd out of the inning. Of course, McDowell went back to the mound for the 9th inning, struck out the side and Won the game, 6-4, and Saved the Win for himself although he didn’t officially earn a Save. A pretty good performance, 15 strikeouts.

July 6, 1970 Washington Senators at Cleveland Indians Play by Play and Box Score | Baseball-Reference.com

Jack Ryan pitched in the Majors briefly over three seasons, 1908, 1909 and 1911 where he had a record of 4-5 over the 24 games he pitched in. He acquired some colorful nicknames in baseball: “Gulfport” was one, but he was also known as “Coffee Grounds” and “Mud Artist.” The Red Sox once traded Cy Young to get him. Later in his career, he was the pitching coach of the Red Sox, from 1923 through 1927. As a pitcher, he blossomed after his career in the Majors ended. The 5 years, 1913-1917 saw him pitching in the Pacific Coast League for the Los Angeles where he averaged 22 Wins a season including a 29-10 season in 1916. It was on this date in 1917 he hits two grand slams to help himself in a 12-4 victory over the Portland Beavers.

Jack Ryan Statistics and History | Baseball-Reference.com

It was on this date in 1938 that the Reds Johnny Vander Meer throws his second No-Hitter in a row, a 6-0 victory over the Dodgers in the first night game played in New York.

June 15, 1938 Cincinnati Reds at Brooklyn Dodgers Play by Play and Box Score | Baseball-Reference.com

MLB Network Remembers: 1938 | MLB.com

On this date in 1963 Juan Marichal the first No-Hitter by a Giants pitcher since their move to San Francisco, the first Giant to hurl a No-Hitter since Carl Hubbell in 1929‚ and the first Latin American to toss one in the Majors. 8th-inning doubles by Jim Davenport and Chuck Hiller provide the only score in the Giants 1-0 win at Candlestick. The game was played in 1 hr, 41 minutes.

June 15, 1963 Houston Colt .45's at San Francisco Giants Box Score and Play by Play | Baseball-Reference.com

It was on this date in 1964 the Cardinals trade pitcher Ernie Broglio to the Cubs for some guy by the name of Lou Brock ( other lesser players involved ). Broglio goes 7-19 over the next 3 seasons for the Cubs while Brock goes to the HOF.

Remembering 1964: Lou Brock and The Trade - Viva El Birdos

Who is the last ML pitcher to win 30 games in a season? On this date in 1965 what relief pitcher sets a ML record by striking out the first 7 batters he comes in to face? Yes, the answer is Denny McLain to both.

June 15, 1965 Boston Red Sox at Detroit Tigers Box Score and Play by Play | Baseball-Reference.com

Happy 57th to HOF’er Wade Boggs who was born on this date in 1958 and Happy 77th to another HOF’er Billy Williams born on this date in 1938. Stan Lopata was a catcher in the Majors, mostly for the Phillies, from 1948 to 1960. He was a 2-time All-Star and 1956, when he hit 32 HRs, was probably his best season. He died on this date in 2013 and will likely be remembered by many as having the strangest batting stance they ever saw.

stan lopata batting stance - Google Search

Baseball Trivia: ( The Answer Tomorrow )

Can you name 2 of the 3 ML players who were caught stealing at least 250 times in their career. Ty Cobb and Maury Wills are over 200 but not among the Top 3. The tough one of the 3 turns 58 today and played in CF almost his entire 17 year MLB career.

The answer to yesterday’s question…Max Scherzer (Among active ML pitchers who is the best strikeout pitcher with 9.6 strikeouts per 9 innings, slightly higher than Clayton Kershaw’s mark. (Minimum 1,000 Innings Pitched ).

 

[67RedSox]

Lon Knight was born on this date in 1853. Yes that Lon Knight who both pitched and played right-field in the Majors. He threw the first pitch in the first game played in the National League on April 22, 1876.

Lon Knight - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Detroit Tigers have been spring training in Lakeland Florida since 1934 extending the longest-lasting relationship between a Major League Baseball team and a current Spring Training host city. Wish Egan, who pitched for 3 seasons in the Majors with the Tigers and Cardinals was born on this date in 1881 in Evart, in Northern Michigan. Evart is a town of about 1,900 residents today. Since it’s been mentioned I’ll add that the first American soldier killed in action in World War I, Joseph William Guyton, was also from Evart. Back to baseball, why mention Wish Egan and Lakeland in the same breath…because it was Egan who is credited with selecting Lakeland as the Tigers Spring Training site in the days when he was a scout with the Tigers and spent a lot of time roaming Florida looking for talent. Not only did he find talent but also the spring home for the Tigers.

Wish Egan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

joker marchant stadium - Google Search

What came first…the Hot Dog or Ladies Day. As far as Baseball is concerned Ladies Day by about 18 years but it didn’t have the staying power of the Hot Dog. It was on this date in 1883 (not 1893 as some report) at the Polo Grounds in New York, the Gothams, a team will that eventually be known as the Giants, offer free admission to both escorted and unescorted women, making the promotion the first 'Ladies Day' in baseball history. The promotion caught on in every MLB ballpark and one form or another of Ladies Day existed for about 100 years. The Hot Dog didn’t really arrive until one cold spring day at the Polo Grounds in 1901. Ice cream was not selling so Harry M. Stevens went out for sausages, boiled them, slipped them lengthwise into rolls, and sent his hawkers through the stands shouting ‘Get ‘em while they’re hot!’ Although Ladies Day has gone the way of the Doubleheader the Hot Dog has survived. Last season it was estimated that more than 21,000,000 Hot Dogs and more than 5,000,000 sausages were consumed in MLB parks in 2014.

baseball ladies day - Google Search

Hot Dogs Remain Top Dog For Major League Baseball Fans | NHDSC

42 HRS - 140 RBIs - .336 BA

The above is a pretty good hitting line for anyone. Most ML players can only dream of having a season with those numbers and a few actually see that dream come true. The numbers above are what Jimmie Foxx averaged for the entire decade of the 1930’s. It’s no wonder then that on this date in 1938 he became the only Post-1900 batter to receive 6 Walks in a 9 inning game. One was intentional and the other five were semi-intentional. Seems like a reasonable thing to do against a guy who’s heading for a 50 HR, 175 RBI season with the Batting Crown thrown in to boot.

June 16, 1938 Boston Red Sox at St. Louis Browns Play by Play and Box Score | Baseball-Reference.com

In the Outfield he could turn a double play with the best of them but if he could do anything better than most it was hit and anytime I get a chance to mention Jigger Statz I try to and today is one of those days. It was on this date in 1939 at Wrigley Field, West in Los Angeles Jigger hits 2 HRs in the first inning as the Los Angeles Angels cruise to a 14-5 win over the San Diego Padres in a Pacific Coast League tilt. It’s a bit out of character for Jigger to put on such a power display given his 5’7”, 150 lb frame but he did so. Jigger is one of only 7 players (along with Pete Rose, Ty Cobb, Julio Franco, Hank Aaron, Ichiro Suzuki, and Stan Musial) known to have amassed at least 4,000 combined hits in the Major and Minor Leagues. Jake Beckley and Sam Crawford may also have hit 4,000, but data for some of their Minor League seasons is missing.
Statz had a distinguished career in the Pacific Coast League. He holds the PCL records for games played (2790), hits (3356), doubles (597), triples (136), and runs scored (1996). His career PCL batting average was .315. The year after his playing career ended, he was a member of the first group of players elected to the Pacific Coast League Hall of Fame. In 1923 he had the most productive of his 8 Major League seasons when he hit .319 on 209 basehits, for the Cubs, 2nd in the NL to only Frankie Frisch.

Jigger Statz | SABR

Although he moved West with the Dodgers to Los Angeles from Brooklyn Don Newcombe’s days of wearing Dodger blue in the City of Angels was brief as he was traded to the Cincinnati Reds on this date in 1958. Newcombe never won a game as a West Coast Dodger going 0-6 with an ERA of 7.86 before being traded. On August 26th of that season Newcombe finally won in Los Angeles, beating the Dodgers 6-4 in front of 19,698 at the Memorial Coliseum.

don newcombe cincinnati reds - Google Search

Lew Krausse, when called up to the Majors in 1931 by the Athletics, was the youngest player in the American League. On September 2, 1932 he tosses a 6-hit Shutout against the Red Sox. It would be his last appearance in the Majors, or would it? 29 years later…on this date in 1961 the Athletics roll out Lew Krausse to pitch against the Angels. Krausse throws a 3-hit Shutout and Lew Krausse is still the youngest player in the American League. Yes, we are talking father and son here. After being signed out of High School just one week earlier Lew Krausse, Jr. is given a $125,000.00 bonus. That Shutout in 1932 against the Red Sox was, in fact, the last game Lew Krausse, Sr. pitched in the Majors. He stayed in the game first as a Minor League manager and then as a scout and did sign his son to a contract in 1961 as a High Schooler and saw him go right to the Majors and in his debut tossed the Shutout against the Angels. Consecutive games pitched by father and son were Shutouts and both while they were the youngest player in the League.

Lew Krausse Statistics and History | Baseball-Reference.com

Lew Krausse Statistics and History | Baseball-Reference.com


Baseball Trivia: ( Answer Tomorrow )

Since Mickey Mantle in 1960 can you name the only NY Yankee batter to lead the AL in strikeouts in a season. He won an MVP Award…but not with the Yankees.

The answer to yesterday’s question… Rickey Henderson, Lou Brock, Brett Butler (Can you name 2 of the 3 ML players who were caught stealing at least 250 times in their career. Ty Cobb and Maury Wills are over 200 but not among the Top 3. The tough one of the 3 turns 58 today and played in CF almost his entire 17 year MLB career.)

 

[67RedSox]

It was on this date in 1880 HOF'er John Montgomery “Monte” Ward pitches a Perfect Game in Providence against Buffalo‚ winning 5-0. This is the 2nd perfect game in the NL in 6 days. The next Perfect Game in the NL will not be pitched for another 84 years…until 1964‚ when Jim Bunning turns the trick.

John Ward - BR Bullpen

Of the 18,000 or so players who have played in the Majors Zip Zabel must be one of few if not the only player with the initials, Z.Z.. He is, for sure, the pitcher who has the longest relief stint in ML history. The highlight of Zabel’s brief 3 year ML career occurred on this date in 1915. He came into the game in relief for Bert Humphries with two out in the 1st inning, and pitched the final 18⅓ innings to earn the 4-3 win over Brooklyn and opposing pitcher Jeff Pfeffer, who pitched a complete game. Following is an article by L. Robert Davids touching on some of his favourite relief appearances. The article was written some time ago and undoubtedly we’ve seen some memorable relief appearances since but his are an interesting read.

The Best Games Pitched in Relief

June 17, 1915 Brooklyn Robins at Chicago Cubs Box Score and Play by Play | Baseball-Reference.com

Bennie Daniels, starting pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Washington Senators over his 9 year ML career, was born on this date in 1932 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, turning 83 today. Daniels made his ML debut on September 24, 1957 and has the distinction of starting the last ML game played in Ebbets Field. Daniels, pitching for the Pirates, was defeated by Danny McDevitt of the Brooklyn Dodgers, 2-0.

Bennie Daniels - BR Bullpen

September 24, 1957 Pittsburgh Pirates at Brooklyn Dodgers Box Score and Play by Play | Baseball-Reference.com

It was on this date in 1960 Ted Williams hits HR # 500, a shot to left-centre in Cleveland Stadium, off of rookie Indians hurler, Wynn Hawkins.

Boston Red Sox: 9 times legend Ted Williams was an evil hitting genius | FOX Sports

June 17, 1960 Boston Red Sox at Cleveland Indians Play by Play and Box Score | Baseball-Reference.com

In 1962 the two worst teams in the National League were the NY Mets and the Chicago Cubs ( the expansion Colt .45s won 5 more games than the Cubs ). On this date in 1962 the 16-42 Mets meet up with the 23-42 Cubs for a doubleheader at the Polo Grounds. A little more than 13,000 fans made it to the ballpark that day and although they may not have seen Baseball at its finest that day they were treated at least three things worthy of mention. First, if you lose 120 ballgames in a season I guess you better know how to laugh. Well, in 1962 the Mets lost 120 games and I bet there were a few smiles on the faces of even some Mets players when one of their own was fodder for one of the most humorous base-running stories of all time. There are different versions of this story but the main theme remains the same in each…The Mets are playing the Cubs in the 1st game of a Sunday double-header at the Polo Grounds. In the bottom of the first inning with Gene Woodling on 2nd Base and Frank Thomas on 1st Base “Marvelous” Marv Throneberry lines a triple, or what appears to be a triple, up the gap and chugs into 3rd Base. The Cubs appeal saying Throneberry didn’t touch 2nd Base on the way by and the umpire calls him out. Casey Stengel, the Manager of the Mets, comes out to argue but the 1st Base Coach tells him…”Don’t bother arguing Casey, he didn’t touch 1st Base either. After the game when talking to reporters Casey doesn’t blame Throneberry for the blunder saying…”it’s not his fault, he’s been on base so little this year he doesn’t know where the bases are”.

Second, the 13,128 fans in attendance at that game were treated to something very special, thanks to Lou Brock who was playing with the Cubs in his pre- Cardinal days. Something was repeated that had only happened once before in the then 40 year history of the final version of the Polo Grounds. It will help if you can picture “The Catch” Willie Mays made in the 1954 World Series immediately in front of the right-centerfield bleachers…if not see the picture below. Brock hits a HR into those right-centerfield bleachers at the Polo Grounds‚ 460-470 feet from home plate becoming just the 2nd player to reach those bleacher seats; Joe Adcock was the first. It would be done only once more, by Hank Aaron.

Third, the Yankees leftfielder from their 5 consecutive World Series winning teams, 1949-1953, Gene Woodling played in leftfield for the Mets that day becoming the second of so far 125 players who played for both the Yankees and Mets. The first was the aforementioned Throneberry who also won a Ring with the Yankees, in 1958.

the catch - Google Search

Marv Throneberry - BR Bullpen

Gene Woodling - BR Bullpen

Dusty Rhodes, one of the heroes for the World Series winning New York Giants in 1954, died on this date in 2009. Everyone is familiar with Willie Mays’ “The Catch” in the 8th inning of Game 1 of that Series but mosr forget it was Dusty Rhodes’ walk-off HR in the 9th inning that won that game over the Indians and his hitting heroics in Game 2 that gave the Giants a huge leg-up in the Series. Ironically, the Indians catcher in that Series and one of the Game’s greatest defensive catchers of all-time, Jim Hegan, also died on this date in 1984.

Giants' World Series hero hits high notes - NY Daily News

1954 World Series - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Baseball Trivia: ( Answer Tomorrow )

Since the 2000 season can you name the only pitcher in the Majors to throw at least 200 Innings each and every season and is on a pace to toss 208 Innings this season.

The answer to yesterday’s question…Jason Giambi, 2003 (Since Mickey Mantle in 1960 can you name the only NY Yankee batter to lead the AL in strikeouts in a season. He won an MVP Award…but not with the Yankees.)

 

[67RedSox]

It was on this date in 1883 in Philadelphia‚ "the umpire‚ it is alleged‚ gave the visitors considerable assistance by his unfair manner of calling balls and strikes" and Buffalo wins‚ 11-2. Over 130 years later it appears nothing has changed…sub-standard umpiring is affecting the outcomes of games…or so say some.

baseball bad umpire cartoons - Google Search

This blurb is going to begin with George “The Miracle Man” Stallings and end with the 1914 Boston Braves, better known as the “Miracle Braves”. When Augusta, Georgia is mentioned most people will first think of the Augusta National golf course, The Masters, Bobby Jones and perhaps little else. George Stallings was born in Augusta in 1867 and died in 1929 which was 4 years before the famed golf course was constructed and opened in 1933 and began playing host to the Masters in 1934. Baseball, not golf, is what flowed through Stallings veins. If Stallings' reputation in baseball depended solely on his playing career, no one would remember him. It consisted of 7 games, 20 At-bats and 2 basehits. It was his time as a ML Manager that Stallings is remembered. He managed 4 ML teams over 13 seasons, the Phillies, Tigers, Yankees (then known as the Highlanders) and the Braves.
A dignified, fastidious Southerner who managed in street clothes and nervously slid up and down the bench so much that he frequently wore out his trousers, George Stallings compiled an 879-898 record and won only one pennant in 13 seasons, yet that single gonfalon was enough to ensure his undying fame as "The Miracle Man." Before getting to the miracle season of 1914 we’ll dispense with the bad first. It was on this date in 1898, after the players mutiny and refuse to play‚ Philadelphia fired the 29 year-old Stallings from his first ML managerial gig. After stints with the Tigers and Yankees/Highlanders he was hired in Boston to manage the Braves starting in 1913. It was not a plum job. The Braves had finished last in the NL in each of the four previous seasons and hadn’t seen .500 in ten years. 1913 would see the Stallings led Braves finish with a record of only 69-82 but there was rejoicing in the streets because the Braves had climbed all the way up to 5th place in the 8 team League…a feat of outstanding proportions and the best was yet to come…1914. On July 4, 1914 the Braves were 26-40 and 15 games behind the Giants and sitting in last place. The cross-town Red Sox would debut Babe Ruth a week later but the Braves would go on a 68-19 run (.782) and not only win the NL Pennant but by 10 ½ games and then sweep the favourite Philadelphia Athletics in the World Series using Ruth’s and the Red Sox’ Fenway Park as their home field in Games 3 and 4 so 35,000 fans could see each of the games.

Stallings would not see such success again but his mark had been made.

George Stallings - BR Bullpen

Baseball History in 1914: The Miracle Braves

The Sacramento Solons were a charter member of the Pacific Coast League in 1903 but struggled both on the field and at the gate and as a result moved first to Tacoma, then Fresno and San Francisco before settling in Salt Lake City as the Bees in 1915. Although a success in Salt Lake City other teams in the League complained about travelling costs to Utah and in 1926 they re-located and became the Hollywood Stars. It was in Salt Lake City that Lefty O’Doul morphed into the superb hitter he’s remembered as. During the 1924 and 1925 seasons he hit .392 and .375 in Salt lake City, collecting 309 hits in 1925. No wonder his hit count was so high as on this date in 1925 he sets a Pacific Coast League record for most hits in a three game series (16-for-17) and for a four-game series (19-for-21). He would carry that robust hitting to the Majors and win National League Batting Crowns in 1929 (.398) and in 1932 (.368). If anyone should be in the Hall of Fame for his contributions to the Game it is Lefty O’Doul. Sadly, I’m in the great minority on that belief.

Lefty O'Doul | The National Pastime Museum

What is the last MLB uniform Babe Ruth wore in the Majors. Most realize it wasn’t the Yankee uniform. Many feel it was the Boston Braves uniform since his playing days ended with him playing for them in 1935 after his playing days with the Yankees ended. However, it was a Dodger uniform. It was on this date in 1938 that Ruth signs on as a coach with the Brooklyn Dodgers and becomes their 3rd Base coach.

babe ruth dodger coach - Google Search

Lou Brock was born on this date in 1939. That makes him 76 years of age and it was 51 years ago this season he came over from the Cubs to help lead the Cardinals first to the NL Pennant and then a 7 game World Series win over the Yankees. HOF’ers Joe DiMaggio and Hank Greenberg celebrated his birth by hitting HRs in a game at Yankee Stadium that day. If you remember the 1964 season you remember one of the best. If you don’t, David Halberstam’s, October 1964, is a must read.

Lou Brock - BR Bullpen

Robin Roberts who would become one of the Game’s most dominating pitchers in the 1950s makes his ML debut on this date in 1948. In the first 6 seasons of the 1950s Roberts averaged 23 Wins and 306 Innings Pitched per season.

June 18, 1948 Pittsburgh Pirates at Philadelphia Phillies Play by Play and Box Score | Baseball-Reference.com

His ability to frame a pitch was outstanding as evidenced by this quote from Casey Stengel. “He steals more strikes from umpires than anyone else,” Stengel would tell anyone who would listen. “I’m not being critical,” Stengel would add, “I’m just bowing to his skill.” Stengel was talking about Sammy White the Boston Red Sox’ regular catcher for almost all of the 1950s. It was on this date in 1953 the Red Sox host the St. Louis Browns in a game at Fenway Park and Sammy White scores 3 runs…wait – that’s not in game but just the 7th of the game. He’s the only player score 3 runs in a single inning since Tom Burns and Ned Williamson did it in the same inning in a game in 1883. In the 7th inning of the game the Red Sox send 23 batters to the plate, score 17 runs and leave the bases loaded. By the way, White collected 2 hits and a walk in that inning but his teammate Gene Stephens collects 3 hits to become the only AL’er to ever do so.

Sammy White Statistics and History | Baseball-Reference.com

June 18, 1953 Detroit Tigers at Boston Red Sox Box Score and Play by Play | Baseball-Reference.com

It was on this date in 1986 Don Sutton becomes the 19th ML pitcher to earn his 300th victory when the Alabama native three-hits the Rangers, 4-1. He will not get that victory pitching in Dodger Stadium wearing a Dodger’s uniform but 31 miles to the southwest of Dodger Stadium in Angel Stadium and wearing an Angels uniform. The 43 year-old right-hander will finish with a total of 324 victories during his 23-year playing career…233 of those Wins with the Dodgers.

June 18, 1986 Texas Rangers at California Angels Play by Play and Box Score | Baseball-Reference.com

Baseball Trivia: ( Answer Tomorrow )

1962 was the first year the NL and AL Batting Champions played in cities that are on different oceans. The two oceans should be easy enough to get so give me the Batting Champs instead.

The answer to yesterday’s question…Mark Buehrle (Since the 2000 season can you name the only pitcher in the Majors to throw at least 200 Innings each and every season and is on a pace to toss 208 Innings this season.)

 

[67RedSox]

It was on this date in 1846 the first officially recorded Baseball match, played under Cartwright’s rules, takes place on the Elysian Fields in Hoboken, NJ with the New York Club defeating the Knickerbockers 23–1. Alexander Cartwright serves as ump and hands out a fine of six cents to Wall Street broker James Whyte Davis for swearing after a disputed call. There's a copy of the famous Currier & Ives print of Elysian Fields below. Elysian Fields was the place that inspired pioneering journalist and HOF’er, Henry Chadwick, then a cricket writer for The New York Times, to develop the idea that Baseball could be America's National Pastime. As Chadwick relates:

"I chanced to go through Elysian Fields during the progress of a contest between the noted Eagle and Gotham Clubs. The game was being sharply played on both sides, and I watched it with deeper interest that any previous ball match between clubs I had seen. It was not long before I was struck with the idea that base ball was just the game for a national sport for Americans."

Chadwick who gained the nickname “The Father of Baseball” went on to become the game's pre-eminent reporter developing baseball's statistics and scoring system.

Henry Chadwick (writer) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

elysian fields, baseball - Google Search

Though he didn’t invent the pitch, Eddie “Knuckles” Cicotte, who was born on this date in 1884, was perhaps the first ML pitcher to master the knuckleball. Although 75% of the pitches he threw were knuckleballs he had perhaps the largest repertoire of any pitcher who played in the Majors. He also threw the fadeaway ( later re-named the screwball ), slider, spitter, emery ball, shine ball, and a pitch he called the “sailor,” a rising fastball. Of course, that’s not what Cicotte is remembered for…he was one of eight players Judge Landis ruled permanently ineligible for professional baseball for his participation in the Black Sox scandal in the 1919 World Series. He lived to be 84, the oldest living of those banned from the Game.

Eddie Cicotte - BR Bullpen

It was on this date in 1906 NL Directors pass a resolution urging all clubs to provide dressing rooms for visiting teams because the spiked shoes were causing damage and upsetting hotel managers.. Even those teams that do comply‚ however‚ offer such primitive facilities that most teams on the road continue to dress at their hotels.

It was on this date in 1916 John Dodge, who played in the NL in 1912 and 1913, is hit in the face by a pitch, from Nashville's Shotgun Rogers, playing for Mobile (Southern League) and dies from his injuries.

John Dodge (baseball) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

List of baseball players who died during their careers - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

It was on this date in 1927 at Cincinnati‚ Phils pitcher Jack Scott pitches two complete games in a doubleheader‚ beating the Reds 3-1 before losing‚ 3-0 becoming the last ML pitcher to toss 2 complete games in one day. Scott allows 6 hits in the opener and 9 in the nightcap.

June 19, 1927 Philadelphia Phillies at Cincinnati Reds Box Score and Play by Play | Baseball-Reference.com

June 19, 1927 Philadelphia Phillies at Cincinnati Reds Box Score and Play by Play | Baseball-Reference.com

Bob Aspromonte, an original Houston Colt .45 ( Astro ) was the team's Opening Day third baseman in 1962, getting the first hit and scoring the first run in franchise history, was born on this date in 1938. He and Sandy Koufax went to the same High School in Brooklyn and are 2 of the 11 ( I believe ) surviving players who played for the Dodgers in both Brooklyn and Los Angeles. Aspromonte at 77 and Koufax at 79 are the youngest surviving former Brooklyn Dodgers.

Bob Aspromonte - BR Bullpen

It was on this date in 1942 the 3,000 hit club in the NL is increased to 3 when Paul Waner, with the Boston Braves strokes a single off Rip Sewell of the Pirates at Forbes Field joining Cap Anson and Honus Wagner. Two days earlier‚ Waner's grounder bounced off an infielder's glove and had been ruled a hit. Waner‚ who did not want his 3,000th hit to be a tainted one‚ signaled to the scorekeeper that it was an error‚ and the ruling was changed.

Paul Waner Statistics and History | Baseball-Reference.com

June 19, 1942 Pittsburgh Pirates at Boston Braves Play by Play and Box Score | Baseball-Reference.com

Mel Harder pitched in the Majors for 20 seasons from 1928-1947 and all with the Cleveland Indians winning 223 games. When he retired he held the team record for most Wins, Games Started and Innings Pitched but now ranks 2nd to Bob Feller. He was not a strikeout pitcher and recorded 100 strikeouts in a season only once. Despite that it was on this date in 1942 that Joe DiMaggio struck out 3 times in a single game, the only time in his career he did so and it was against Harder who gave DiMaggio fits. DiMaggio’s lifetime Batting Average was .325 and .180 against Harder.

Mel Harder - BR Bullpen

Yin and Yang birthdays today. Duane Kuiper who somehow managed to hit 1 HR in his 12 year ML career with the Indians and Giants was born on this date in 1950 and Lou Gehrig who hit 492 more HRs than Kuiper did was born on this date in 1903. Jerry Reuss a Yin and Yang pitcher all by himself was born on this date in 1949. In the good half of his 22 year ML career he went 173-122 and in the not-so-good half he went 47-69.


Baseball Trivia: ( Answer Tomorrow )

Babe Ruth (1929), Jimmie Foxx (1940) and mel ott (1945) were the first three players to reach the 500 HR plateau. Can you name the first player, Post WWII, to reach that mark.

The answer to yesterday’s question…Tommy Davis, LA Dodgers, Pete Runnels, Boston Red Sox (1962 was the first year the NL and AL Batting Champions played in cities that are on different oceans. The two oceans should be easy enough to get so give me the Batting Champs in

 

[67RedSox]

Traverse City is a city in Northern Michigan at the head of Grand Traverse Bay which juts off of Lake Michigan. The city’s population has never exceeded 18,000 and it has a rich Baseball history that exists to this day. The Traverse City Beach Bums operate as a team in the Frontier League, the country’s oldest operating professional independent League which operates mostly in cities not served by Major or Minor League Baseball teams and is not affiliated with either. On this date in 1912 the following announcement appeared in the Traverse City Record-Eagle newspaper. It was directed to those attending baseball games…imagine if the same announcement was necessary today for fans attending a ML game:

There is one thing that owners of automobiles, attending the games will have to be careful of, and that is running across the outfield while games are in progress. It not only cuts up the field, but should a ball be hit into the outfield when a car is going across the field ten or fifteen miles per hour, there is a great danger of players running into it. There is a good half mile track around the field, that is just right for those who wish to get on the east side of the grounds.

https://www.google.ca/search?q=wuerfel+park&espv=2&biw=1366&bih=643&tbm=isch&imgil=bvHQGvdOHgVWoM%253A%253BmkQeU045BkPNbM%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.traversecitybeachbums.com%25252Ftickets%25252Fdirections.php&source=iu&pf=m&fir=bvHQGvdOHgVWoM%253A%252CmkQeU045BkPNbM%252C_&usg=__hmtp7RwhnrBi5r7BQ6xMVcz_NVc%3D&ved=0CCYQyjc&ei=6oeFVaqlMsKyggT8sZnABA#imgrc=fLMEH77vVGyTLM%253A%3BA0_V7s6LUtFL-M%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252F1.bp.blogspot.com%252F_ltvjO1nK7zw%252FTIaDptHmmSI%252FAAAAAAAAA2U%252FASWBuPdKNMY%252Fs1600%252FWuerfelparkfull1.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwildthingsblog.blogspot.com%252F2010_09_01_archive.html%3B1600%3B1071&usg=__hmtp7RwhnrBi5r7BQ6xMVcz_NVc%3D

The same day the above announcement appeared in the Traverse City Record-Eagle something interesting was going on between the Giants and the Braves in a game in Boston. It was a game in which Ernie Shore of “Perfect Game” fame would make his ML debut for the Giants, his only game in a Giants uniform…perhaps the 8 hits and 10 runs gave up ( 3 earned ) in the single inning he pitched had something to do with it. Shore's baseball career was intertwined with Babe Ruth's. They went to the Red Sox together from Baltimore. When starter Ruth was ejected from a June 23, 1917 game for protesting a walk to the first batter he faced, Shore relieved, and, after the runner was caught stealing, pitched a perfect game. The two later were roommates with the Yankees. Anyway, back to the rather hum-drum game in Boston on this date in 1912. The Giants were having their way with the Braves coasting to a 14-2 lead after 8 innings. The two teams must have felt bad for the fans attending the lop-sided game and wanted to give them something special, so they did…a still standing Post-1900 MLB record for the most runs scored in the 9th inning, both teams…17 – the Giants scored 7 to take a 21-2 lead and the Braves answered with 10 to make the final score, 21-12.

Events of Thursday, June 20, 1912

On September 27, 1963 the Houston Colt .45s, in a game against the NY Mets, would feature an all-rookie starting lineup. The starting lineup for Houston read like this: (1) Sonny Jackson, SS; (2) Joe Morgan, 2B; (3) Jimmy Wynn, CF; (4) Rusty Staub, 1B; (5) Aaron Pointer, RF; (6) Brock Davis, (LF); (7) Glen Vaughan, 3B; (8) Jerry Grote, C; & (9) Jay Dahl, P.

It would be the only ML game the starting pitcher, Jay Dahl‚ would pitch in. His MLB career would begin and end at the age of 17 as he pitched 2 and 2/3 innings before being replaced. It would be on this date in 1965 while Dahl was working his way back to the Majors he is killed in a car crash.He was the winning pitcher the day before for Salisbury (Western Carolina League) to up his record to 5-0. At 19‚ he is the youngest ex-ML’er to die.

http://www.astroland.net/dahl.html

http://bill37mccurdy.com/2010/11/18/the-1963-all-rookie-colt-45-lineup-game/

It was on this date in 1976 Carlos Lee was born. A leftfielder who played 14 seasons in the Majors, primarily with the White Sox and Astros, runs one of the most consistent run producers ( runs scored or driven in ) in the history of the Game. Scoring or driving in 100 runs in a season was a regular occurrence for him. He is the only player in ML history to drive in at least 75 runs each and every season of his career.

Carlos Lee Statistics and History | Baseball-Reference.com

Johnny Mize set the record for the most 3-HR games in a career when he did it 6 times. That mark has been tied by 3 players but not exceeded. Of all the players who have hit 3 HRs in a single game the most unlikely to do so would have to be Freddie Patek…all 5’ 5” and 148 lbs of him hits 3 home runs and a double in California's 20-2 rout of the Red Sox at Fenway Park on this date in 1980.

June 20, 1980 California Angels at Boston Red Sox Play by Play and Box Score | Baseball-Reference.com

Multiple Home Run Games Records by Baseball Almanac

It was on this date in 1982 that Pete Rose played in his 3,000 ML game becoming the 5th of just 8 Major Leaguers to do so.

June 20, 1982 Philadelphia Phillies at Pittsburgh Pirates Play by Play and Box Score | Baseball-Reference.com

Career Leaders &amp Records for Games Played | Baseball-Reference.com

On this date in 1985 Reggie Jackson, playing for the Angels, hits his 512th HR to move ahead of Ernie Banks and Eddie Mathews and moves into 10th on the all-time HR list.

June 20, 1985 California Angels at Cleveland Indians Box Score and Play by Play | Baseball-Reference.com

The ML record for most basehits in a 9 inning game, which is 7, is shared by two players…HOF’er Wilbert “Uncle Robbie” Robinson who turned the trick in 1892 and Rennie Stennet of the Pirates in 1975. Both are NL’ers. There has not been a player in the AL accomplish the feat. There have been 36 AL’ers get as many as 6 basehits in a game but only 1 of those has done it more than once. It was on this date in 1932 Doc Cramer of the A's has 6 hits in consecutive times at bat as Philadelphia outslugs the White Sox‚ 18-11. Cramer will do this again in 1935‚ the only AL player to repeat the feat.

Cramer was an excellent baseball player but always played in the shadows of superstar teammates so is largely forgotten today. He played 20 years in the Majors, 1929-1948 first with the Philadelphia Athletics behind such greats as Mickey Cochrane, Jimmie Foxx, Al Simmons, then with the Red Sox behind Foxx and Grove again but also Joe Cronin, Bobby Doerr and Ted Williams and in Detroit with Hank Greenberg and Hal Newhouser. In all he played with 16 players who ended up in the Hall of Fame. Cramer made his mark though…a mainstay at the top of his team's lineup for many years, Cramer led the AL in at-bats a record seven times and in singles five times. He hit over .300 eight times and retired among the League's career leaders in hits (10th, 2,705), games played (10th, 2,239) and at-bats (5th, 9,140). One of the few ML’ers to play regularly in centerfield after turning 40, he also ended his career among the ML's all-time leaders in games in center field (3rd, 2,031) and outfield putouts (4th, 5,412), and ranked seventh in AL history in total games in the outfield (2,142).

Doc Cramer - BR Bullpen


Baseball Trivia:

Who is the only player to win either multiple MVP or Cy Young Awards in both the 1970s and 1980s.

The answer to yesterday’s question…Ted Williams, 1960 (Babe Ruth (1929), Jimmie Foxx (1940) and Mel Ott (1945) were the first three players to reach the 500 HR plateau. Can you name the first player, Post WWII, to reach that mark.)

 

[67RedSox]

The answer to yesterday's trivia question...Steve Carlton, Cy Youngs - 1972, 1977 and 1980, 1982 (Who is the only player to win either multiple MVP or Cy Young Awards in both the 1970s and 1980s.)

 

[67RedSox]

HOF’er Carl Hubbell was born on this date in 1903. He was the dominating pitcher in the NL during the 1930s when he won 20 games on 5 occasions and 2 MVP Crowns. He is commonly considered to have been the pitcher to throw the best screwball in the history of the Grand Old Game. Like his teammate and fellow HOF’er, Mel Ott, Hubbell played his entire career with the Giants and Ott. Ironically, both Ott and Hubbell died as a result of injuries sustained in car accidents on the same day of the year, November 21st, albeit 30 years apart…Ott in 1958, Hubbell in 1988.

Carl Hubbell - BR Bullpen

One of the most unique features of old Ebbets Field in Brooklyn was the hand-operated scoreboard in right-center field which was an important part of the famous ballpark's legend and notoriety. You can still obtain replicas of it if you are looking for an ornament or desk clock. The scoreboard, which jutted 5 feet out into the field of play, was in considered to be in play and about the only thing I can compare it to is the Green Monster in Boston, also with its hand-operated scoreboard. It was on this date in 1936 Ival Goodman hits an unusual home run when his fifth-inning fly ball lands and stays on top of the scoreboard. With the perched ball considered in play, the three Dodger outfielders watch the Reds' right fielder round the bases for an easy inside-the park round-tripper…about as easy an inside-the-parker as one could hit.

ebbets field scoreboard - Google Search

Charlie Hemphill died on this date in 1953. With very good reason you might ask just who is he… and when I tell you that he was a ML outfielder for 11 seasons, 1899-1911, and In 1901 became the first Opening Day right fielder in the Boston Red Sox' franchise history you might still say, rightly so… big deal. What is unique about Hemphill is that he is the only player along with player/manager Harry Wolverton in MLB history who had a teammate die 100 seasons after his ML career began. Hemphill’s final season in the Majors came with New York in 1911, where he was a teammate of Chet “Red” Hoff, in what would be Hoff's only Big-League campaign. Hoff wound up being the longest-lived player in MLB history, finally passing away at age 107 in 1998.

Charlie Hemphill - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Red Hoff - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sandy Koufax’s complete domination over hitters may not have cranked up to full throttle until 1962 but from the onset of his ML career in 1955 he could always strikeout batters. On this date in 1959 in a game against Philadelphia at the Memorial Coliseum he whiffs 16 Phillies to establish a new record for most strikeouts in a night game.

June 22, 1959 Philadelphia Phillies at Los Angeles Dodgers Box Score and Play by Play | Baseball-Reference.com

It was on this date in 1993 that 45 year-old White Sox backstop Carlton Fisk plays in his final MLB game as he catches his 2,226th game to surpass Bob Boone as the all-time leader. Ivan Rodriguez would pass Fisk as the all-time leader in 2009.

June 22, 1993 Texas Rangers at Chicago White Sox Box Score and Play by Play | Baseball-Reference.com

Career Leaders &amp Records for Def. Games as C | Baseball-Reference.com


Baseball Trivia: ( Answer Tomorrow )

Among all players to have played in the American League Post WWII can you name the two best at getting on base. Their career On-Base-Percentages are .482 and .424 respectively and both won back-to-back Batting Crowns. One you should snap…the second might need some pondering…

 

[67RedSox]

It was on this date in 1879 Dan Brouthers makes his ML debut. Brouthers was the Game’s first great slugger but pretty much long forgotten in the Baseball community. By the late 1880s he was the ML leader in career HRs but was much more than that winning 5 Batting Crowns and ending his career with a lifetime batting average of .342 and tied for 9th best all-time with Babe Ruth.

Dan Brouthers Statistics and History | Baseball-Reference.com

Brouthers, Dan | Baseball Hall of Fame

It was on this date in 1917 Ernie Shore is credited with the 5th Perfect Game in MLB history. That Perfect Game would hold up for over 70 years until Baseball re-defined a Perfect Game. Babe Ruth, then pitching for the Boston Red Sox, walked the Washington Senators' first batter, Ray Morgan, on four straight pitches. Ruth, who had already been shouting at umpire Brick Owens about the quality of his calls, became even angrier and, in short order, was ejected. Enraged, Ruth charged Owens, swung at him, and had to be led off the field by a policeman. Ernie Shore came in to replace Ruth, while catcher Sam Agnew took over behind the plate for Pinch Thomas. Morgan was caught stealing by Agnew on the first pitch by Shore, who proceeded to retire the next 26 batters. All 27 outs were made while Shore was on the mound.

June 23, 1917 Washington Senators at Boston Red Sox Box Score and Play by Play | Baseball-Reference.com

It was on this date in 1927 Lou Gehrig becomes the first player to hit 3 HRs in one game at Fenway Park.

June 23, 1927 New York Yankees at Boston Red Sox Box Score and Play by Play | Baseball-Reference.com

1931 was a very good for Baseball players being born…a few from that year made it to the Hall of Fame…Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Eddie Mathews, Ernie Banks, Jim Bunning and Whitey Herzog. Karl Spooner was born on this date in 1931 and although he didn’t make it to the Hall of Fame his ML career began better than any other pitcher in the history of the Game. On September 22, 1954 Spooner makes his ML debut for the Brooklyn Dodgers against the NY Giants, the NL’s Pennant winner that season. Not only does he toss a 3-hit Shutout he establishes two new ML records in the process…he became the first pitcher to strike out 15 batters in his first ML game breaking the record of 13 set by the Giants’ Cliff Melton on April 25, 1937 and he strikes out six consecutive batters. Spooner’s next outing four days later was against the Pirates and he tosses a 4-hit Shutout this time striking out 12 Pirates giving him 27 strikeouts in two successive games. This was a NL record (not just for rookies) and was second only to Bob Feller’s 28 on the ML list. So 2 games into his ML career he’s 2-0 with 18 Innings Pitched, 7 hits allowed, 0 runs and 27 strikeouts. The anticipation for his 1955 season was great but it started to unravel for him in a Spring Training game when he tried to warm up too quickly to go into a game to replace Johnny Podres. He felt a “pull” in his shoulder. He made his first start of the season in the middle of May and left in the 3rd inning. In June he made a second start and it was also brief. Thereafter for the rest of the season he both started and relieved and pitched only a total of 98 innings for the year. His last ML Win was on September 8th when he beat the Braves in relief in the game that clinched the NL Pennant for the Dodgers. The Dodgers went on to win the 1955 against the Yankees, their only World Series win in Brooklyn. He pitched in 2 games in the World Series but when the Series ended so did his ML career. At least he won a Ring and went out a champion.

Karl Spooner Statistics and History | Baseball-Reference.com

Karl Spooner | SABR

On this date in 1974 Mike Marshall is the winning pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers as they defeat the San Francisco Giants, 4-3, in a game played at Dodger Stadium to complete a 3-game sweep of the Giants. Marshall was also the winner in Games 1 and 2 of the series and there are few pitchers who can claim winning a game on three consecutive days.

June 21, 1974 San Francisco Giants at Los Angeles Dodgers Play by Play and Box Score | Baseball-Reference.com

June 22, 1974 San Francisco Giants at Los Angeles Dodgers Play by Play and Box Score | Baseball-Reference.com

June 23, 1974 San Francisco Giants at Los Angeles Dodgers Play by Play and Box Score | Baseball-Reference.com

For those who recall the 1932 World Series it was made memorable by Babe Ruth’s “Called Shot” if, in fact, he did so. The Yankees played the Cubs in that Series and because of the “Called Shot” Cub’s pitcher, Charlie Root, has been immortalized. However, the mainstay of the Cubs pitching staff that year and for those very good Cubs teams of the 1930s was Lon Waneke who died on this date in 1976. In 1932 Warneke went 22-6 to lead the Cubs into the World Series and was narrowly edged out in the MVP Award voting by Chuck Klein. Warneke would win 192 games in his career and follow that up by becoming a NL umpire for several years and become the only ML’er to both play and umpire in the All-Star Game and World Series.

Lon Warneke - BR Bullpen


Baseball Trivia: ( Answer Tomorrow )

Craig Biggio, Jeff Bagwell and this player rank # 1, 2 and 3 all-time for the Asros in Games, At-Bats and Basehits. He is the only Astro to lead the NL in Basehits in a season when he did so in 1983. If you have the urge to say either Cesar Cedeno or Lance Berkman…don’t.

The answer to yesterday’s question…Ted Williams and Ferris Fain (Among all players to have played in the American League Post WWII can you name the two best at getting on base. Their career On-Base-Percentages are .482 and .424 respectively and both won back-to-back Batting Crowns. One you should snap…the second might need some pondering…)

 

[67RedSox]

It was on this date in 1936 Joe DiMaggio hits 2 HRs in one inning. You would think that would be a rare feat but he was the 8th player to do so and it’s been done 50 times since. Andre Dawson, Jeff King and Willie McCovey have all done it twice.

Rare Feats | MLB.com: History

Jack ‘Lucky’ Lohrke was a member of that 1951 Giant team that Bobby Thomson propelled into the World Series with “the shot heard ‘round the world”. He played 7 seasons in the Majors, 1947-1953 and lived to the ripe old age of 85 before passing away in 2009. Ever wonder how players get their nicknames…Lohrke didn’t have to wonder. Before reaching the Majors Lohrke had to first survive WWII, and he did. As a combat soldier he survived a troop train crash that killed three and injured dozens more, as well as the Normandy landings, the Battle of the Bulge and extensive combat throughout Europe, including having the soldier next to him killed on four occasions. Lohrke's good fortune continued when he returned from the War to the United States. Having to concede his plane seat to higher-ranked military personnel, he was bumped at the last moment from the passenger list of a military transport plane scheduled to fly from Camp Kilmer, New Jersey to his home in Los Angeles - the plane crashed, killing everyone on board. However, it was on this date in 1946 the nickname was hung on him. After the War Lohrke resumed his baseball career. The summer of 1946 found him playing for the Class B Spokane Indians of the Western International League. On June 24, 1946, Lohrke was a passenger on the team bus carrying the team as it traveled toward Bremerton, Washington, to begin a road trip. At the time, Lohrke was the team's third baseman and was batting .345 in 229 at bats. His performance had earned him a promotion to the AAA Pacific Coast League's San Diego Padres but the team was unable to contact him as he was in transit between cities. The Indians’ business manager contacted the police along the route and asked that they relay the message to Lohrke, which they did when the team stopped for dinner. Lohrke, under orders to report immediately to the Padres, removed his gear from the bus, said goodbye to his teammates, and hitched rides back to Spokane. Later the team bus broke through a guard rail on a mountain pass, plunged down a hill, and crashed. Of the 15 players on it, nine were killed, including player/manager Mel Cole. The six survivors were badly injured. He was known as ‘Lucky’ Lohrke thereafter.

Wayback Machine: Luckiest Man In Baseball | Sportspress Northwest

Jack Lohrke Statistics and History | Baseball-Reference.com

It was on this date in 1946 in a 13-inning 6-5 loss to the Reds‚ Brooklyn's Pete Reiser grounds into a double play ending a streak of 887 At-bats without hitting into one. He went almost 5 years without grounding into a double play aided by the fact 3 of those years were spent in the military during WWII. The record began on July 21‚ 1941. Reiser's mark will last more than a half-century until the Pirates' Tony Womack breaks it on July 27‚ 1998…Womack goes 219 games and 915 At-bats without grounding into one. If that isn’t enough to satisfy your thirst for obscure double play records here’s some more:

Grounding Into Double Plays Records by Baseball Almanac


It was on this date in 1955 19 year old Harmon Killebrew belts his first of 573 Major League HRs. Playing for the Washington Senators, a club that would go 53-101 that season and finish 43 games out of 1st place, Killebrew came to the plate in the 5th inning in a game against the Tigers down 13-0. Despite all of that it still must have been sweet.

June 24, 1955 Detroit Tigers at Washington Senators Box Score and Play by Play | Baseball-Reference.com

On this date in 1970 before 28‚027‚ the Reds play their final game at Cincinnati's Crosley Field‚ beating the Giants 5-4. Johnny Bench and Lee May hit back-to-back homers off Juan Marichal in the 8th for the win. No more games there where the LF'er had to run up an incline to get to the fence.

June 24, 1970 San Francisco Giants at Cincinnati Reds Play by Play and Box Score | Baseball-Reference.com

crosley field - Google Search

It all started on this date in 1979 for Rickey Henderson when he plays in his first ML game and steals his first base.

June 24, 1979 Texas Rangers at Oakland Athletics Box Score and Play by Play | Baseball-Reference.com

For the longest time… 51 years Walter Johnson was the only pitcher in the 3,000 strikeout Club until Bob Gibson finally joined him in 1974. In 1978 Gaylord Perry became the third member of the Club followed by Nolan Ryan in 1980. Tom Seaver and Steve Carlton would join the Club in 1981 and Ferguson Jenkins in 1982. Then, on this date in 1983, Don Sutton becomes the 8th member of the rather exclusive Club. Phil Niekro in 1984 and Bert Blyleven in 1986 round out the first 10 members of the Club. Today there are 16 pitchers who have reached the milestone…all but two are in the HOF. Rogers Clemens and Curt Schilling are the two not yet enshrined.

3,000 strikeout club - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Baseball Trivia: ( Answer Tomorrow )

We all know the big HR hitters but do you know who the last NL player to lead the League in Singles in 3 consecutive seasons is. He did it in 2008, 2009, 2010. He won a World Series Ring with the Cardinals in 2011 and the Giants in 2012.

2011

2012

The answer to yesterday’s question…Jose Cruz (Craig Biggio, Jeff Bagwell and this player rank # 1, 2 and 3 all-time for the Asros in Games, At-Bats and Basehits. He is the only Astro to lead the NL in Basehits in a season when he did so in 1983. If you have the urge to say either Cesar Cedeno or Lance Berkman…don’t.)

 

[67RedSox]

Hall of Famer Jake Beckley died on this date in 1918. Beckley is one of the least known of the HOF’ers. When he was elected to the Hall of Fame by the Veteran’s Committee in 1971, 53 years after his death, he was as anonymous then as he is now. During his playing career, 1888-1907, he was far from that. He was a premier hitter finishing with 2,934 basehits, second all-time to Cap Anson, and a .308 batting average. He was a 1st baseman and his 2,380 games played at 1B is 2nd all-time to Eddie Murray’s 2,418.

Jake Beckley Statistics and History | Baseball-Reference.com

MLB History: 10 Things You Never Knew about Jake Beckley | Bleacher Report

Bucky Walters first four seasons in the Majors, 1931-1934, were as a 3rd Basemen first for the Boston Braves then for the cross-town Red Sox. Parts of those seasons were also spent in the Minors where he honed his hitting skills. In 1933 he blossomed as a hitter while playing 3B in the Pacific Coast League for the Mission Reds in San Francisco. On this date in 1933 he clubbed 5 doubles in a game against Joe DiMaggio and the San Francisco Seals. The Boston Red Sox had seen enough and bought his contract and brought him to Boston to play 3B for them and he hit .256 for them over the rest of that season. In June of the following season, 1934, the Philadelphia Phillies liked what they saw in Walters and acquired him and he played the rest of that season as the Phillies 3B and hit a respectable .260.

Fast forward 5 years and in 1939 Walters was the runaway MVP winner in the National League… not as a 3rd Baseman but as a pitcher. That season he was all-everything leading not just the NL but the Majors in Wins (27), ERA (2.29), Innings Pitched (319), Complete Games (31 in 36 Starts) and was the NL’s Strikeout king. He wasn’t just a one season wonder, in the 6 seasons starting in 1939 he would average 20 Wins a season, three times leading the NL in Wins. That success would come with Cincinnati as in 1938 the cast-strapped Phillies would be forced to sell deal him to the Reds.

Bucky Walters Statistics and History | Baseball-Reference.com

bucky walters, baseball - Google Search

Ferris Fain was one part of the answer to a trivia question here a couple of days ago. He was an On-Base machine, second only to Ted Williams in that category in all of Post WWII players. In his career his On-Base % slipped below .400 only once, in 1954, and barely to .399. He was a 1st Baseman Ferris Fain and won consecutive AL Batting Crowns in 1951 and 1952 for the Philadelphia Athletics hitting .344 and .327. That was good enough to get him traded to the Chicago White Sox. The 1953 White Sox were a pretty good team winning 89 games. Unfortunately, for the White Sox the Indians won 92 games and the Yankees won 99. On this date in 1953 the White Sox played the Yankees in a game at Yankee Stadium and won the 9-inning game, 4-2. Ferris Fain started the game for the White Sox at 1st Base but he didn’t finish the game playing there. During the game the White Sox used 5 different 1st Basemen…Fain, Sam Mele, Sherm Lollar, Billy Pierce and Fred Marsh. Five 1st Basemen in one game, still the ML record.

Ferris Fain Statistics and History | Baseball-Reference.com

June 25, 1953 Chicago White Sox at New York Yankees Box Score and Play by Play | Baseball-Reference.com

On this date in 1961 the Orioles and Angels hook up for a game at Wrigley Field, West in Los Angeles. The fans get their money’s worth as the game takes 4:42 to play in 14 innings. The two teams set a ML record 16 pitchers in the game…a record since broken. ( Rays / Orioles used 21 pitchers in an 18 inning game in 2013 )

June 25, 1961 Baltimore Orioles at Los Angeles Angels Box Score and Play by Play | Baseball-Reference.com

September 20, 2013 Baltimore Orioles at Tampa Bay Rays Box Score and Play by Play | Baseball-Reference.com

You would think this couldn’t happen but on this date in 1976 Texas Ranger, Toby Harrah, becomes the only SS in ML history to go through an entire doubleheader without a fielding chance. At the plate‚ Harrah makes up for the inactivity‚ collecting 6 hits‚ including a grand slam in the opener and another round-tripper in game 2. The Rangers beat the White Sox in the first game 8-4‚ but lose the nightcap 14-9. Harrah is one of the few players in MLB history if you write his name backwards you still spell it correctly.

Toby Harrah He Could Have Left His Glove in the Dugout

I’ve always thought the Chicago Cubs and the KC (Philadelphia) Athletics were the worst ML teams of the 1950s so I was surprised to learn it was neither. In fact, the ML team with the worst record during the 1950s was the Pittsburgh Pirates with a record for the decade of 616-923…the Athletics were 624-915 and the Cubs a whopping 672-866 even better than the Browns/Orioles and Senators. Makes the Pirates beating the Yankees in the 1960 World Series even more of an accomplishment.

Baseball History in 1960: A-Maz-ing!


Baseball Trivia: ( Answer Tomorrow )

There were two NY Yankees other than Joe DiMaggio who won MVP Crowns in the 1940s. Can you name them. If the 1940s isn’t your thing how about the two Braves to win the MVP Crown during the 19990s.

The answer to yesterday’s question…Ryan Theriot - are you as surprised as I am (We all know the big HR hitters but do you know who the last NL player to lead the League in Singles in 3 consecutive seasons is. He did it in 2008, 2009, 2010. He won a World Series Ring with the Cardinals in 2011 and the Giants in 2012.)

 

[67RedSox]

It was on this date in 1906 Herbert M. Whitney, a catcher for the Burlington Pathfinders, becomes the first professional baseball player to die as a result of being hit by a pitch. The beaning occurred two days previously in an Iowa State League contest against the Waterloo Microbes.

Death at the Ballpark

The Iowa State League was a short-lived Class D loop that played from 1904 through 1907. In 1908 it was renamed the Central Association and lasted for a decade before completing its life with the 1917 campaign. During the Central Association’s ten year run there were 22 cities represented in the League. Fourteen hailed from Iowa, six from Illinois, one from Wisconsin and the remaining team called Missouri home. What I find particularly interesting about the League is the names of some of the teams…some of which wouldn’t pass the smell test for nicknames today and others you’d have to be quite creative in coming up with a logo for: Burlington Pathfinders, Cedar Rapids Rabbits, Charles City Tractorites, Clear Lake Rabbits, Clinton Pilots, Dubuque Dubs, Fort Dodge Dodgers, Galesburg Pavers, Hannibal Cannibals, Jacksonville Lunatics, Keokuk Indians, Kewanee Boilermakers, LaCrosse Infants, Marshalltown Ansons, Mason City Claydiggers, Monmouth Browns, Muscatine Camels (Wallopers, Buttonmakers, Muskies – they seemed to change their nickname every year), Oskaloosa Quakers, Ottumwa Packers (Speedboys), Quincy Gems (Vets), Rock Island Islanders, Waterloo Lulus (Jays, Shamrocks, Loons)

Central Association - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

On this date in 1916 Brooklyn and the NY Giants split a doubleheader at the Polo Grounds. Brooklyn wins the first game, a slugfest, 11-8 but the Giants come back and win the second game, 2-1 that is noteworthy for two reasons. First, HOF’er Christy Mathewson wins his 372nd and last game in his 16 seasons as a NY Giant and, second, the police arrest three fans for not throwing back baseballs hit into the stands.

June 26, 1916 New York Giants at Brooklyn Robins Play by Play and Box Score | Baseball-Reference.com

Baseball : The Golden Age: The Golden Age - Harold Seymour, Dorothy Seymour Mills - Google Books


It was on this date in 1924 the first pitching matchup of brothers in MLB history takes place. Jesse Barnes of the Boston Braves opposes his younger brother Zeke ( Virgil ) of the New York Giants at the Polo Grounds. Zeke receives a no decision while Jesse takes the loss as the Giants win‚ 8-1.

Zeke was a well weathered WWI veteran before he ever pitched in the Majors and he was lucky to have survived the War and its effects to ever play baseball at the ML level. After enlisting he found himself in France as part of the U.S Army’s 35th Division. In September 1918, the 35th was one of the first to go “over the top” in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive—a battle that has since been characterized as the deadliest in U.S. military history. He became a communications runner, tasked with delivering messages from one command post to another, often over long distances. It was dangerous and close to the front, often dodging machine gun fire and stray shells. He literally wore out his shoe leather and tattered boots contributed to frostbite on his feet, which in turn created circulation problems that stayed with him the rest of his life. On the third day of the Meuse-Argonne battle, September 28, his Regiment advanced into an area known as Montrebeau Wood against a barrage of stiff German resistance. Not only did the Germans deliver heavy machine gun and artillery fire, they also, as one historian put it, “drenched the place” with gas. Barnes was one of those exposed, and he was hospitalized as a result. The incident qualified Barnes for the wound chevron, a decoration awarded to soldiers injured in battle. World War I soldiers who earned a wound chevron were later entitled to exchange it for its current equivalent, the Purple Heart. The war ended shortly after Barnes’ injury, but his division remained in France until April 1919. Once back, then 22 he pursued his professional baseball career and ended up pitching in the Big Leagues for 9 seasons.

Jesse, on the other hand was the more accomplished ML pitcher of the two. He had an impressive array of highlights and dramatic moments over his 13 year ML career… in 1919, he led the National League in wins with 25 and was the winning pitcher in the fastest nine-inning game ever played in the Major Leagues. His Giants won back-to-back World Series titles over the Yankees in 1921 and 1922. In 1921, he was acclaimed as a World Series hero. In 1922, he pitched a no-hitter. In 1924, he logged 267 2/3 innings without throwing a wild pitch or hitting a batter, still a National League record.

June 26, 1924 Boston Braves at New York Giants Play by Play and Box Score | Baseball-Reference.com

Jesse Barnes Statistics and History | Baseball-Reference.com

Virgil Barnes Statistics and History | Baseball-Reference.com

On this date in 1960 the Hall of Fame, hoping to speed up the election process‚ changes its voting procedures. The new rules allow the Special Veterans Committee to vote annually‚ rather than every other year‚ and to induct up to 2 players a year. Ironically, making his ML debut that same day is Ron Santo who would have to wait 37 years after his playing career ended while the Baseball writers and Veterans Committee mulled over his worthiness before he would gain entrance to the hallowed Hall and of course by that time he was dead. Incidentally, in his debut the Cubs played a doubleheader against the first place Pirates. Santo is 3-for-7 and drives in 5 runs as the Cubs sweep the Pirates, 7-5 and 7-6.

June 26, 1960 Chicago Cubs at Pittsburgh Pirates Play by Play and Box Score | Baseball-Reference.com

June 26, 1960 Chicago Cubs at Pittsburgh Pirates Play by Play and Box Score | Baseball-Reference.com

Ron Santo - BR Bullpen

Steve Kealey is not a household name when it comes to ML pitchers. He pitched a total of 214 innings in the Majors over 139 games, all but 4 of them as a reliever. He finished with a lifetime record of 8-5 but he accomplished something in the Majors that no pitcher in the Hall of Fame came close to doing. On this date in 1970 Kealey begins a 2 game stretch that sees him make 1 pitch, record 4 outs and pick up a Win. In the June 26th game against the Royals in Kansas City’s Municipal Stadium he comes in to relieve the Angels starter, Rudy May, in the 4th inning with Royals leading 2-1 and with runners on 1st and 2nd, none out and Amos Otis at the plate. Otis promptly grounds into an around-the-horn- triple play. One pitch, three outs and done for the day. The Angels score 4 runs in their next at-bat and go on to win the game, 5-4 and Kealey picks up the W. The next time he comes into a game is 2 days later, still in Kansas City. He relieves Greg Garrett in the 6th inning with 2 out and Pat Kelly on 1st Base. Before he even tosses a pitch to the batter Kealey picks Kelly off trying to steal 2nd. Two games, 1 pitch, 4 outs and a Win. Too bad it wasn’t a Save situation or he would have picked up both a Win and a Save on 1 pitch.

Steve Kealey Statistics and History | Baseball-Reference.com

It was on this date in 1982 the Midwest League’s Appleton Foxes sweep a doubleheader from the Wisconsin Rapids. Now that’s not so unique but what is unusual is that the Foxes collected only I hit in each game and won both by scores of 2-1 and 1-0. The chances of that ever happening again are about as great as there ever being a day game played in the World Series.


Hall of Famer Roy Campanella died on this date in 1993.

Roy Campanella | SABR


Baseball Trivia: ( Answer Tomorrow )

In the past 20 years there have been 3 different players lead the NL in Stolen Bases in back-to-back-to-back seasons…1997/1998/1999 - 2005/2006/2007 - 2009/2010/2011. Name any 1 of those 3 players.

The answer to yesterday’s question…1940s Yankees - Joe Gordon, 1942 and Spud Chandler, 1943, 1990s Braves – Terry Pendleton, 1991 and Chipper Jones, 1999 (There were two NY Yankees other than Joe DiMaggio who won MVP Crowns in the 1940s. Can you name them. If the 1940s isn’t your thing how about the two Braves to win the MVP Crown during the 19990s.)

 

[67RedSox]

Rube Benton was born on this date in 1890. His pitching career spanned both the Dead-Ball and Live-Ball Eras, 1910-1925 in which he won 150 games.He was a fast-living left-hander who had a reputation for drinking, gambling, and driving too fast, all three of which combined in various ways to interrupt his ML career. He eventually died at age 47 from injuries suffered in a car crash.

On September 24, 1920, before a Chicago grand jury that was investigating baseball gambling. Rube testified that the only game-fixing incident he knew of was an offer from Giant teammate Buck Herzog and Cincinnati's Hal Chase to throw a game against the Cubs in 1917, but he had refused their bribe and won the contest. Herzog, though, didn't appreciate Benton's bringing up his name before the grand jury. Claiming that Rube had carried a grudge against him since 1915. Herzog counter-charged that Rube won $3,800 betting on Cincinnati in the 1919 World Series. The grand jury subpoenaed Benton a second time, and this time he admitted knowing that the 1919 World Series was fixed. Though he denied betting on the Series himself, Rube testified that Chase won $40,000 on the Reds, and he also named four of the Chicago players who were in on the fix. Benton's testimony was a vital link in a chain of events that led several of the Black Sox to admit their guilt.

Rube pitched well at the beginning of the 1921 season, compiling a 5-2 record and 2.88 ERA, but the Giants suddenly released him. There was no official explanation for his release or the failure of any other Big-League club to claim him, but Benton was now considered an undesirable character. Both the Browns and Reds expressed interest in Benton for 1923 and his fate was in the hands of Commissioner Landis. To everyone's surprise, Landis ruled on March 8, 1923, that "Benton is eligible to play with the Cincinnati club and no one is going to keep him from doing so if that club wants him." This seemed to be a direct contradiction to his decisions in the cases of Buck Weaver and Joe Gedeon, both of whom were banned for life for having "guilty knowledge" of the fix, but Benton spent three more seasons with the Reds, winning 30 games and losing 29. He then returned to the American Association, pitching the next eight years for the Minneapolis Millers, a team often referred to as "the Old Men's Home of Baseball."

Rube Benton - BR Bullpen

Venerable Wrigley Field, the area around it and the area around it underground is undergoing some pretty significant renovations which will move the ballpark built in 1914 into the modern age. Wrigley Field began life as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales. When the Whales and Federal league folded after a 2-year run Weeghman became part owner of the Cubs. In November 1918, Charles Weeghman resigned as team president. Chewing gum magnate William Wrigley, Jr. acquired complete control of the Cubs by 1921. It was called Cubs Park from 1920 through 1926, before officially becoming Wrigley Field for the 1927 season.It’s interesting the renovations will be spread over a now 5 year period ( originally 4 years ) and a cost of $575M while the original construction of the ballpark took a mere 6 weeks and cost $250,000.00. The present seating capacity of Wrigley Field is about 41,160 while the original field had a capacity of 14,000. In 1947 capacity was 38,396. Nevertheless, when Jackie Robinson made his ML debut in Chicago that season on May 18th the stands were packed with the largest single-game paid attendance at Wrigley Field ever…46,572 by some accounts or 47,101 by other accounts. However, that’s paid attendance and doesn’t represent the single most attended game in Cubs history…that happened on this date in 1930. A Ladies Day crowd swells the Wrigley Field attendance to a record 51‚556 (just 19‚748 paid) to watch the Cubs 7-5 win over Brooklyn. In 1930 Wrigley Field hadn’t yet undergone the major renovations it would in 1937 to give it the present day look it has with the ivy covered outfield brick wall, the bleachers and eventually the huge CF scoreboard. Whether you’re a Cubs fan or not following are some photos you may find interesting. First, a series of vintage photos from the earliest days to one taken immediately before the 1937 renovations and the next immediately afterwards and finally one as it looks today.

http://galleries.apps.chicagotribune.com/chi-vintage-wrigley-field-photos-20140325/

http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/209041/WF36.jpg

http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/209045/WF38.jpg

new wrigley field - Google Search

Phoenix and Arizona, may be known as the Bowels of Hell because of the scorching heat but St. Louis can have its days and on this date in 1934 the temperature reaches 115 degrees at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis. The game takes 2 hrs and 18 minutes to play…yikes!

115 degrees on a thermometer - Google Search

Maybe they weren’t as famous a writing duo as McCartney and Lennon but Jack Norworth‚ who wrote the lyrics to "Take Me Out To The Ball Game" and Albert Von Tilzer‚ who wrote the music will always have the gratitude of baseball fans for their contribution to the Grand Old Game. Funny thing about the two is that neither one had been to a ballgame before they wrote the song in 1908. In fact, it took Von Tilzer about 20 years after they penned the song to attend his first game and it wasn’t until this date in 1942 Norworth attended his first game when the Dodgers honoured Norworth at a game in Ebbets Field.

Jack Norworth, while riding a subway train, was inspired by a sign that said "Baseball Today – Polo Grounds". In the song, Katie's (and later Nelly's) beau calls to ask her out to see a show. She accepts the date, but only if her date will take her out to the baseball game. The song was first sung by Norworth's then-wife Nora Bayes and popularized by many other vaudeville acts. It was played at a ballpark for the first known time in 1934, at a high-school game in Los Angeles, and researchers think it made its debut at a Major League park later that year.


Many of the few who saw it call it the greatest catch they’ve ever seen, maybe the best ever made in the history of Fenway Park. It happened on this date in 1963 by Al Luplow, an outfielder with the Cleveland Indians and a defensive specialist. The visiting Indians were up leading the Red Sox 6-3 when the Red Sox came up to bat in the bottom of the 8th inning. Back-to-back singles put runners on 1st and 3rd with one out and brought the future Manager of the Red Sox but then their 3B to the plate with one out. Luplow had come into the game earlier as a defensive replacement for the Indians RF’er Gene Green. Both the home and visitor’s bullpens in Fenway Park are behind a 5’ high wall that stretches from RF - Right CF. Williams hits a drive destined to land in the Red Sox bullpen and it and Luplow both did…Cleveland Plain Dealer sportswriter Bob Dolgan tells what happened next: “Luplow flashed toward the fence. Going full speed he leaped high at the fence. He jumped so high that his knees cracked the top of the five-foot barrier. The spring carried Luplow over the fence and as he flew through the air he stuck up his glove and the ball went in it. The force of Luplow’s momentum carried him over the fence. He landed on his shoulder in the Boston bullpen.”

Writing about the catch for Sports Illustrated 22 years later, Jay Feldman noted that first base umpire Joe Paparella made the call: “Luplow’s feet were still in the playing territory when he caught the ball. He had possession of the ball after he fell into the bullpen, and he came back up with it. It was an out. There was no question about it.”

Voci | Words

Al Luplow - BR Bullpen

1962 Topps All-Star Rookie Team - BR Bullpen

Baseball Trivia: ( Answer Tomorrow )

The World Series MVP Award was initiated in 1955 and since then only two players have win the Award more than once. Who are those two players…hint, both are pitchers. If you prefer…name the 1969 WS MVP for the Miracle Mets.

The answer to yesterday’s question… Tony Womack, Jose Reyes, Michael Bourne (In the past 20 years there have been 3 different players lead the NL in Stolen Bases in back-to-back-to-back seasons…1997/1998/1999 - 2005/2006/2007 - 2009/2010/2011. Name any 1 of those 3 players.)

 

[67RedSox]

Ken Williams the closest thing to Babe Ruth, as a HR hitter in the American League during the 1920s, was born on this date in 1890. Williams did not play his first full season in the Majors until he was 30 years old in 1920, the first year of the Live-Ball Era, and he didn’t waste any time in making up for lost time. He played in LF mostly for the St. Louis Browns during his career. In 1922 he led the AL with 39 HRs and 155 RBIs to become the only non-Yankee to win an AL HR Crown during the 1920s. Ruth led the League every year between the 1917 and 1932 seasons except in 1922 and 1925 when teammate Bob Meusel did. Williams was the first 30-30 player in the Majors during that 1922 season when he had the 39 HRs and 37 SBs. He also became the first player to hit more home runs in a season (39) than he had strikeouts (31). On August 7, 1922 he became the first American Leaguer to hit two home runs in one inning.

Ken Williams Statistics and History | Baseball-Reference.com

3030 club - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Just have to give a tip of the hat to the 1916 Chicago Cubs catcher, Bill Fischer, today. On June 26, 1916 he catches both ends of a doubleheader against the Pirates. Because doubleheaders are rare today, unless precipitated by weather, it’s unlikely you’d see a catcher do that today. Even if there was a doubleheader played it’s likely a team today would split the games between their starting and back-up catchers. However there’s more to the story…the day after Fischer catches both ends of the doubleheader, on this date in 1916 the Cubs and Pirates play another doubleheader with the second game going 18 innings. Yes, Fischer catches every inning of both games and sets the still standing ML record for most innings caught in one day…27. That’s 45 innings caught over 2 days. He catches a break the next day and only has to play 9 innings as the Cubs play a single game.

June 28, 1916 Pittsburgh Pirates at Chicago Cubs Play by Play and Box Score | Baseball-Reference.com

June 28, 1916 Pittsburgh Pirates at Chicago Cubs Play by Play and Box Score | Baseball-Reference.com

Hall of Famer Mickey Cochrane died on this date in 1962. The catcher, who was a two-time AL MVP Award winner, is who Mickey Mantle was named after. After his playing and managing days were over he enlisted and served with the Navy as a Lieutenant during WWII but because he was then in his early 40s was stationed at a training base stateside. His son Gordon had enlisted in the Army and was on front lines. Mickey felt guilty about that and asked to get more involved but was stationed instead to a reoccupied island in the Pacific. In March of 1944 he learned that his son had been killed on the beach in Normandy on D-Day. Mickey Cochrane was never the same after that. Here’s how Cochrane’s teammate, Elden Auker, wrote about the death of Cochrane’s son… “The bullet that killed him [Gordon, Jr] had some kind of range. It traveled all the way across the Atlantic, lodged itself into the spirit of Gordon's father, the great Mickey Cochrane, and slowly killed him. Mickey's gravestone shows he died June 28, 1962, but he started dying June 6, 1944. Consider his another life claimed by World War II.”

Mickey Cochrane - BR Bullpen

Baseball in Wartime - Mickey Cochrane

Hall of Famer Home Run Baker died on this date in 1963. One of the Deadball Era's greatest sluggers, Baker led the American League or tied for the lead in home runs every year from 1911 to 1914, and earned his famous nickname with two timely round-trippers against the New York Giants in the 1911 World Series.

Frank Baker - BR Bullpen

You can count on one hand the number of ML pitchers who won more games in their career than Warren Spahn and his 363. He is the winningest lefthander in the Game. He’s a Hall of Famer. Between 1948 and 1963 he was a 20-game Winner 11 times. However, all that greatness couldn’t buy him a Win against the Dodgers when he was pitching against them in their home ballpark from August 21, 1948 until this date in 1963 and that was even tough as he had to toss a 3-hit, 1-0 Win over Don Drysdale to end his cold spell…15 years long. He'd lost 14 straight: 9 at Ebbets Field; 4 at Memorial Coliseum; and one at Chavez Ravine.

Incidentally, and I don’t know why, that same 1963 season saw Spahn and Braves have a crazy schedule. Between July 18th and August 20th they played 31 games but only 3 were on the Road…19 straight at Home, 3 in Pittsburgh and then 9 more at Home.

June 28, 1963 Milwaukee Braves at Los Angeles Dodgers Box Score and Play by Play | Baseball-Reference.com

It was on this date in 1970 the final games played at Forbes Field as the Pirates sweep a doubleheader from the Cubs, 3-2 and 4-1 in front of 40,198 fans. Following is a fantastic Baseball picture…Pitt students watching the 1960 World Series.

forbes field 1960 world series pictures - Google Search

Forbes Field - history, photos and more of the Pittsburgh Pirates
former ballpark

Who’s taking out the Line-Up card today. It was on this date in 1977 Billy Hunter becomes the Rangers' 4th manager in 6 days. On June 21st Frank Lucchesi was fired as the Manager with a record of 31-31 for the season. Eddie Stanky was signed to replace him. He won his first game on June 22, but had second thoughts about leaving his adopted state of Alabama and resigned after a mere 18 hours on the job (one of the shortest managerial stints in MLB history) and went back to college coaching at South Alabama. According to Leo Durocher's autobiography, Stanky quit because he couldn't adapt to the attitudes of modern baseball players. Connie Ryan replaced Stanky for the next few days on an interim basis until Billy Hunter was signed as the Rangers new full-time Manager.

Texas Rangers Managers (1972 - 2015) by Baseball Almanac


Baseball Trivia: ( Answer Tomorrow )

I am the last Cincinnati Reds player to lead the NL in RBIs in a season when I drove in 125 in 1985. I was a pretty good RF’er in my time winning 3 consecutive Gold Gloves. Between the bat and glove I enjoyed a pretty good career winning a couple of Batting Crowns and an MVP Award along the way. I didn’t quite get to 3,000 hits finishing with 2,712.

The answer to yesterday’s question…Sandy Koufax & Bob Gibson – Donn Clendenon, 1969 Mets (The World Series MVP Award was initiated in 1955 and since then only two players have won the Award more than once. Who are those two players…hint, both are pitchers. If you prefer…name the 1969 WS MVP for the Miracle Mets.)

 

[67RedSox]

Hall of Famer Wilbert ( Uncle Robbie ) Robinson was born on this date in 1864. Although he was an outstanding catcher for the Baltimore Orioles during the 1890s, Wilbert Robinson is remembered today primarily as the jovial, rotund "Uncle Robbie" who managed the Brooklyn Robins to two National League pennants and a 1,399-1,398 record from 1914 to 1931. His congenial nature and happy-go-lucky attitude made him one of the most beloved characters in baseball, but on the diamond he was a never-say-die competitor. He was held in such high esteem that during his tenure as Brooklyn’s manager the team was named after him…the Brooklyn Robins. They did not adopt the nickname of the Dodgers until after he left.

Wilbert Robinson - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

It was on this date in 1897 the Chicago Colts (Cubs) of the National League score in every inning and establish the MLB record for the most runs scored in a game by one team when they clobber the Louisville Colonels, 36-7. The Post 1900 Modern Day records are held by the Cardinals in the NL when they beat the Phillies 28-6 at Philadelphia's Baker Bowl in 1929 while the Texas Rangers hold the AL mark by defeating the Orioles 30-3 in 2007.

1897 Chicago Colts Roster by Baseball Almanac

July 6, 1929 St. Louis Cardinals at Philadelphia Phillies Box Score and Play by Play | Baseball-Reference.com

August 22, 2007 Texas Rangers at Baltimore Orioles Box Score and Play by Play | Baseball-Reference.com

It was on this date in 1905 one of the most famous ML players to never have a ML at-bat makes his ML debut and plays in his only ML game. With the NY Giants leading the Brooklyn Superbas, 11-1, Archibald ‘Moonlight’ Graham goes into the game in the bottom of the 8th inning as a defensive replacement in RF at Brooklyn’s Washington Park. The career Minor Leaguer will become immortalized by W.P. Kinsella’s book "Shoeless Joe" and the movie based on the author’s work, "Field of Dreams."

archibald moonlight graham - Google Search


It was on this date in 1909 the Pirates play their last game at Exposition Park, defeating the Cubs, 8-1, in front of 5,545 fans. The next day will be the dawn of MLB playing in “modern” stadiums when the steel and concrete constructed Forbes Field opens.

exposition park pittsburgh - Google Search

Can a batter who gets thrown out trying to stretch a single into a double get an assist on the putout. On this date in 1915 in the 7th inning of Game 1 of a doubleheader the Cards LF’er, Cozy Dolan singles to left field and the ball hits his own glove left in the grass behind third as was the custom in those days. Buc LF Max Carey hustles in and throws Dolan out trying for a double. (As a Giants' coach in 1924, Cozy Dolan was implicated in a botched bribery attempt. Giants' outfielder Jimmy O'Connell attempted to convince Brooklyn Robins' second baseman Heinie Sand to throw a game in a close pennant race. Kenesaw Mountain Landis, commissioner of the high court of baseball, banned Dolan (and O'Connell) from Baseball for the rest of their lives.)

Cozy Dolan (dolanco02) - BR Bullpen

Hall of Famer Harmon Killebrew was born on this date in 1936. He hit his first ML HR in 1955 and his final in 1975. His 573 HRs puts him in 10th place on the all-time list.

Harmon Killebrew - BR Bullpen

It was on this date in 1941 in a doubleheader against the Washington Senators Joe DiMaggio first ties George Sisler’s American League consecutive games hitting streak (40) and then breaks it (41) on his way to 56.

June 29, 1941 New York Yankees at Washington Senators Box Score and Play by Play | Baseball-Reference.com

June 29, 1941 New York Yankees at Washington Senators Box Score and Play by Play | Baseball-Reference.com

In 1951 Tommy Holmes takes over as the Manager of the floundering Boston Braves and goes 48-47 as their Manager over the balance of that season. When the Braves open the 1952 season with a record of 13-22 Holmes becomes a convenient scapegoat for GM John Quinn and is fired. Because Holmes was a superb hitter during his playing career ( a lifetime .300 hitter, twice led the NL in hits in 1945 and 1947 and was also the HR Champ in 1945 ) the Brooklyn Dodgers sign him to play and on this date in 1952 just a month after getting the boot by the Braves hits a pinch single in the 7th against his old club‚ to help Brooklyn to a 6-5 win over the Braves.

Tommy Holmes - BR Bullpen

It was on this date in 1972 that for the first time former MVP Award winners were traded for each other when the A's send Denny McLain to the Braves for future Hall of Famer Orlando Cepeda. Due to knee problems, 'Cha Cha' will come to bat only three times with Oakland, and the former 31-game winner will post a 3-5 record with Atlanta.

The Dispatch - Google News Archive Search

There are 481 ML pitchers who have notched 1,000 career strikeouts…Jorge De La Rosa with 995 will soon join the group. The number of pitchers with 2,000 strikeouts shrinks to 73. The rather exclusive club of pitchers with 3,000 strikeouts is whittled down to 12. It was on this date in 2004 Randy Johnson records career strikeout 4,000, a mark restricted to 4 pitchers. Johnson will finish his career with 4,875 second on the all-time list to Nolan Ryan’s 5,714.

June 29, 2004 San Diego Padres at Arizona Diamondbacks Play by Play and Box Score | Baseball-Reference.com


Baseball Trivia: ( Answer Tomorrow )

This player must hold the record for the most pitches fouled off in a single at-bat when in 1940 he fouled off 24 pitches before drawing a walk. Since it may take more to identify this player I’ll tell you he won AL Batting Crowns in 1936 and 1943 and played over 2,200 ML games at the Shortstop position. Can you name this Hall of Famer.

The answer to yesterday’s question…Dave Parker ( I am the last Cincinnati Reds player to lead the NL in RBIs in a season when I drove in 125 in 1985. I was a pretty good RF’er in my time winning 3 consecutive Gold Gloves. Between the bat and glove I enjoyed a pretty good career winning a couple of Batting Crowns and an MVP Award along the way. I didn’t quite get to 3,000 hits finishing with 2,712. )

 

[67RedSox]

In his 22 season career Cy Young will win at least 20 games in a season on 15 different occasions. The last such season was 1908 and on this date in 1908 Young and the Red Sox defeat the NY Highlanders (Yankees) 8-0 in New York. Young contributes to the victory by driving in 4 of the Red Sox runs, and oh yes, tosses a no-hitter to boot. I love the newspaper coverage in the Salt Lake Tribune the following day...not much more than a mention, I guess no-hitters were no big deal.

The Salt Lake tribune. (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, July 01, 1908, Page 14, Image 14 Chronicling America Library of Congress

On this date in 1918 the Boston Red Sox defeat HOF’er Walter Johnson and the Washington Senators 3-1 on a 10th inning HR by Babe Ruth. A couple of things about that HR. First, it was the 11th and final HR that Ruth hit that season and still it will be good enough to share the ML lead with the A's Tilly Walker. Second, it would be the last HR hit off of Walter Johnson for almost 2 years. The next HR that Johnson would serve up would be on May 31, 1920 and yes…Ruth hit that one as well. Getting a HR off of Walter Johnson was about as tough as jumping in the ocean and not getting wet. In three different seasons…1908, 1916 and 1919 he gave up 0 HRs and he averaged 300+ innings pitched in each of those seasons. In four other seasons he coughed up only 1 long-ball. Dead-Ball Era or not that’s pretty impressive.

June 30, 1918 Boston Red Sox at Washington Senators Play by Play and Box Score | Baseball-Reference.com

Below is the boxscore of a game played on this date in 1922 when the Boston Braves play host to Brooklyn. Before you read the rest of this blurb have a look at the boxscore and see if you can see anything unusual that occurred in that game…how often this has happened in a MLB game I don’t know but I suspect it’s a very rare thing indeed:

June 30, 1922 Brooklyn Robins at Boston Braves Play by Play and Box Score | Baseball-Reference.com



(There was neither a strikeout nor walk by either team in the game…pretty unusual.)


It was on this date in 1932 the Cubs take the field at Wrigley wearing numbers on their uniforms‚ the last team in the Majors to do so. The numbers follow the lineup positions.

1932 Cubs Uniform Numbers

RIP…it was on this date in 1938 the Phillies play their final game at the 51 year old The Baker Bowl. They will play future games in the Athletic’s-owned Shibe Park, later to be known as Connie Mack Stadium. The Baker Bowl was almost Fenway Park, in reverse. The most notable feature of The Baker Bowl was the right field wall, which was only some 280 feet from home plate, with right-center only 300 feet away, and with a wall-and-screen barrier that in its final form was 60 feet high. By comparison, the Green Monster at Fenway Park is 37 feet high and 310 feet away. The Baker Bowl wall was a rather difficult task to surmount.

Baker Bowl Philly Sports History

Clem's Baseball ~ Baker Bowl

On this date in 1962, with the aid of 13 strikeouts and a Frank Howard HR‚ Sandy Koufax no-hits Bob Miller and the Mets 5-0 in Los Angeles. Koufax starts off the game by fanning the side on 9 pitches in the 1st inning‚ the first NL pitcher to strike out the side on 9 pitches since Brooklyn's Dazzy Vance‚ in 1924.

June 30, 1962 New York Mets at Los Angeles Dodgers Play by Play and Box Score | Baseball-Reference.com

On this date in 1995 at the Metrodome, Indians' designated-hitter Eddie Murray collects his 3000th hit off Twins' right-hander Mike Trombley to become the 20th player to accomplish the feat. 'Steady Eddie' joins Pete Rose as only the second switch-hitter to reach the milestone.


Pete Gray died on this date in 2002. One of the greatest inspirational stories in baseball history is the story of Peter James Wyshner. He would change his name to Pete Gray while playing in the Minor Leagues to avoid ethnic prejudices. Peter lost his arm as a child and grew up to play one year of ML baseball during World War II, at a time when most major league rosters were depleted and ticket sales were low. More of an entertainment attraction to bring fans in, Peter also became a role model for children and people with disabilities, and also became a great inspiration and hero for wounded Veterans returning home from the war.



Baseball Trivia: ( Answer Tomorrow )

He was as good a CF’er as the Game has seen since Willie Mays did his thing out there… this guy won 5 consecutive Gold Gloves and 3 World Series Rings in the 1990s. It isn’t Bernie Williams if you thinking along those lines, nor Kirby Puckett, nor Ken Griffey Jr. If you’d rather take a shot at the CF’er who did the same thing in 1970s feel free…I’d take either one of them in a heartbeat to play CF.

The answer to yesterday’s question…Luke Appling (This player must hold the record for the most pitches fouled off in a single at-bat when in 1940 he fouled off 24 pitches before drawing a walk. Since it may take more to identify this player I’ll tell you he won AL Batting Crowns in 1936 and 1943 and played over 2,200 ML games at the Shortstop position. Can you name this Hall of Famer.)

 

[67RedSox]

HOF’er Roger Connor was born on this date in 1857. Underappreciated in his late-19th-century heyday and largely forgotten for decades thereafter, Roger Connor was baseball’s first great slugger, the game’s career home-run leader prior to the arrival of Babe Ruth. A fastball-loving left-handed batter, Connor spent virtually every season between 1880 and 1894 among league leaders in a wide array of offensive categories. Once his playing career was over, the memory of Roger Connor did not linger in the game’s consciousness. Nor was Connor recognized when the Hall of Fame began to open its doors to the greats of his era. It took Hank Aaron’s breaking Babe Ruth’s career HR record to bring Connor’s name back to the consciousness of the Baseball world. If Aaron broke Ruth’s record then whose record did Ruth break. Two years thereafter, long-deserved recognition was finally accorded him by the Veterans Committee. At the August 9, 1976, induction ceremony, Connor was enshrined in the Hall of Fame, a mere 79 years after his final game. His grandson, Francis Colwell, accepted on his behalf.

Roger Connor - BR Bullpen

It was on this date in 1859 the first intercollegiate baseball game was played in Worcester, Massachusetts between Amherst and Williams Colleges. Amherst, Williams and Wesleyan comprise the “The Little Three” or “The Little Ivies” Conference in contrast to the ‘Big Three’, Harvard, Yale and Princeton. The Amherst squad wins the 4-hour‚ 26-round game by a score of 73-32. The game is played under the rules of the "Massachusetts Game." The Massachusetts Game is remembered as a rival of the New York Game of baseball, which was based on Knickerbocker Rules. In the end it was the New York style of play which was adopted as the "National Game" and was the fore-runner of modern baseball. The Massachusetts Game was more wide-open than modern "New York" baseball, with more scoring and, its proponents claimed, more excitement.

July 1, 1859: Baseball goes to college | SABR

Comiskey Park opened in Chicago on this date in 1910. It was known as White Sox Park for the first 3 years before the name was changed to Comiskey Park and played host to over 6,000 ballgames over its 80 years. The stadium is baseball's biggest and costs $750‚000 to build. 24‚900 attend the game‚ 1‚100 less than its capacity of 26,000.

comiskey park 1910 - Google Search

It was on this date in 1920 Walter Johnson throws the first and only no-hitter of his ML career whwn he no-hits the Red Sox in Fenway Park. Ironically, it would be the last Win of the season for The Big Train. Shortly after tossing the no-hitter, Johnson sustained an arm injury that would derail the rest of his season. After 10 consecutive 20 Win seasons 1920 would prove his most trying in the Majors.

Walter Johnson throws only career no-hitter | Baseball Hall of Fame

July 1, 1920 Washington Senators at Boston Red Sox Play by Play and Box Score | Baseball-Reference.com


Also on this date in 1920, 1,200 miles to the west of Boston, the Cardinals play their first game at Sportsman's Park, re-named Busch Stadium in 1953 when the team was purchased by Anheuser-Busch that year. In that first game the visiting Pirates defeat the Cardinals 6-2. On May 8, 1966 the SF Giants defeat the Cardinals 10-5 in the Park’s final contest. Willie Mays hits a 9th inning HR, the last one hit in the ballpark.

http://deadballbaseball.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/sportsmanpark1.jpg

There were a couple of early MLB parks that had a running track as part of their original construction…Yankee Stadium and Cleveland’s Municipal Stadium. If you look at the photos below…Yankee Stadium in 1923 and Municipal Stadium in 1931 when they opened you can see the running tracks. These were nit Warning Tracks as we know them today. Warning Tracks are a rather recent addition to MLB stadiums. It was on this date in 1935 Yankees OF George Selkirk suggests a cinder path‚ 6 feet wide‚ be installed in the outfield so a player knows when he is nearing the wall. Not much was done at the time and it wouldn’t be until the 1950s that Waring Tracks would start sprouting up around MLB parks.

Ballpark Prints

Getty Images

HOF’er Jim Palmer pitched 19 seasons in the Majors going 268-152 in 558 games and gave up a total of 303 HRs. However, in the Majors he never gave up either a Grand Slam HR or back-to-back HRs. Johnny Bench did tag him for a Grand Slam on this date in 1967. After winning 15 games and a WS Ring in 1966 he was sent to Rochester (International League) to rehabilitate from back problems. Then Rochester manager, Earl Weaver, starts the 21-year-old against Buffalo‚ in a game moved to Niagara Falls because of racial disturbances on Buffalo's east side. Palmer is given a 7-0 lead‚ but the Bisons score 5 runs in the 3rd‚ four coming home on a grand slam by Johnny Bench. Rochester hangs on to win‚ 10-8.

Jim Palmer Career Home Runs Allowed | Baseball-Reference.com


Baseball Trivia: ( Answer Tomorrow )

In 1965 Willie Mays was the NL’s MVP winner thanks to a season in which he smashed 52 HRs and drove in 112 runs. This guy had a pretty solid season himself banging 32 HRs and leading all of MLB with 130 RBIs and finishing 4th in the MVP Award voting. Can you name this Cincinnati Reds player who came to the Majors with the NY Yankees in 1960, 1961 as the next Mickey Mantle but was traded to Kansas City. He clocked 19 homers, 81 RBI, and 14 doubles as the primary designated hitter for Charlie Finley's Athletics 1973 Oakland A’s after coming over in a trade from the Phillies. The switch got him into the post-season, and a World Series ring as the A's bested the Mets in the 1973 Fall Classic. He also entered Baseball’s history book as the first player to hit 20 home runs in a season divided between the two Leagues.

The answer to yesterday’s question…Devon White ( He was as good a CF’er as the Game has seen since Willie Mays did his thing out there… this guy won 5 consecutive Gold Gloves and 3 World Series Rings in the 1990s. It isn’t Bernie Williams if you thinking along those lines, nor Kirby Puckett, nor Ken Griffey Jr. If you’d rather take a shot at the CF’er who did the same thing in 1970s feel free…I’d take either one of them in a heartbeat to play CF.)