Baseball History

[67RedSox]

It was on this date in 1930 the Chicago White Sox are in New York to play the Yankees in a doubleheader. Carl Reynolds is playing in LF for the White Sox and as he stands in left field in the 4th inning watching his pitcher, Pat Caraway face the Yankee line-up he must feel pretty good as his White Sox lead 12-4 and he’s already hit 3 HRs in the game. Reynolds. a pretty good hitter ( .302 career average in 13 seasons ), with HRs in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd innings becomes only the second player in ML history to hit home runs in 3 consecutive innings. Two of the three HRs were inside-the-parkers.

Carl Reynolds Statistics and History | Baseball-Reference.com

July 2, 1930 Chicago White Sox at New York Yankees Play by Play and Box Score | Baseball-Reference.com

Christy Mathewson was the first pitcher of note to throw the screwball although in his day it was called the fadeaway. Another HOF’er, Carl Hubbell of the NY Giants, forged a career with it and on this date in 1933 he tosses an 18 inning complete game 1-0 Win over the Cardinals to tie Walter Johnson's ML record for the longest 1-0 victory. He strikes out 12 and walks none‚ allowing only 6 hits. In 12 of the 18 innings it’s 3 up and 3 down. Not a bad day’s work.

July 2, 1933 St. Louis Cardinals at New York Giants Box Score and Play by Play | Baseball-Reference.com

It was on this date in 1941 Joe DiMaggio breaks Wee Willie Keeler’s ML record by hitting in his 45th straight game on his way to 56.

July 2, 1941 Boston Red Sox at New York Yankees Box Score and Play by Play | Baseball-Reference.com

It was on this date in 1963 one of Baseball’s classic pitching duels takes place in San Francisco between Hall of Famers‚ Warren Spahn of the Braves and Juan Marichal. It’s called by some…the greatest game ever pitched. Spahn gives up 9 hits in 15 1/3 innings‚ while Marichal allows 8 hits in 16 innings, striking out 10. With the score tied at the end of 15‚ the Giants manager Alvin Dark asks Marichal if he could go another inning, Marichal said‚ "If that old guy in the Braves dugout can do it‚ so can I." Willie Mays's round-tripper off Spahn at 12:31 A.M. in the bottom of the 16th gives Marichal a 1-0 win‚ the NL's longest win ended by a HR. Both pitchers go the distance.

The Greatest Pitching Duel in Human History

July 2, 1963 Milwaukee Braves at San Francisco Giants Box Score and Play by Play | Baseball-Reference.com

In 1994 Phil Rizzuto was inducted into Baseball’s Hall of Fame. The 76 year old Rizzuto gave one of the longest, rambling speeches ever. It lasted 30 minutes and a number got up and left before it was over including a few HOF’ers on the stage who found one reason or another to duck out. If Rizzuto’s numbing speech was the longest in Hall of Fame history then it should be mentioned that Chick Hafey’s speech was the shortest. Hafey who played in the 1920s and 1930s died on this date in 1973 at the age of 70. He’s remembered for three things…if remembered at all. First, he won the NL Batting Crown in 1931. Second, his election to the HOF is tainted is one of those seen as an act of cronyism, that their selection is owing to having been teammates of Veterans Committee members like Frankie Frisch and Bill Terry rather than being based on merit and third, his HOF induction speech was the exact opposite of Rizzuto’s lasting less than 20 seconds and comprised of the words… “First, I’d like to thank Mr. Kuhn, the Veterans Committee, and all the officials and men who put me in. This is the greatest thing that ever happened to me in baseball. I really appreciate it. I’m awful happy, and all the people who came out to see us and thank you very much. I’ll come back next year. Thank you very much.”

Chick Hafey Statistics and History | Baseball-Reference.com

Cardinals HOF: Chick Hafey | MLB.com

There were a couple of other Hall of Famers who died on this date. Hank O’Day died on this date in 1935. O’Day remains the only person ever to serve full seasons in the NL as a player (7), manager (2) and umpire (30). A loner with no family life and little interest in anything but baseball. He was the last umpire you would want to argue with…Christy Mathewson said that arguing with O'Day was like "using a lit match to see how much gasoline was in a fuel tank."


Ed Delahanty, died on this date in 1903 under uncertain circumstances in Niagara Falls after being kicked off of a train while intoxicated. The conductor said Delahanty was brandishing a straight razor and threatening passengers after he consumed five whiskies. After being kicked off the train, Delahanty started his way across the International Bridge connecting the US and Canada. It was eithera drunken accident, suicide or even possibly a robbery-murder.

The Fast Life and Strange Death of Big Ed Delahanty Philly Sports History


Baseball Trivia: ( Answer Tomorrow )

Who is the last “Jim” to lead the NL in HRs in a single season and likewise the last “Jim” to lead the AL in HRs in a single season.

The answer to yesterday’s question…Deron Johnson (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.)

 

[67RedSox]

Of course, no one has hit 5 HRs in a single Major League game although there have been 16 players manage to hit 4 out in a game. Dick Lane of the Central League’s Muskegon Clippers hit 5 HRs in a game against the Fort Wayne Generals on this date in 1948 to become the last professional baseball player to hit 5 HRs in a single game. The Central League was a Minor League Baseball league that operated sporadically from 1903 to 1951. Before the current Minor League Baseball classification system was introduced in 1963, Minor Leagues/teams were classified from Class D up to Class Triple-A. In 1948 the Central League was classified as an “A” so it was a few rungs up the ladder. Lane’s performance went a long way toward his call-up to the White Sox. The odd thing about Lane’s HR outburst is that he was not a power hitter, hitting only 18 round-trippers in his professional baseball career.

Dick Lane - BR Bullpen

In Joe DiMaggio’s ML career he played a total of 1,722 games. 1,721 of those games were played in the outfield, almost all in CF. The one game he played in the Majors that was not in the outfield was on this date in 1950. With rookie Joe Collins not hitting and Tommy Henrich still injured‚ Casey Stengel asks Joe DiMaggio to play 1B in an experiment. In the 7-2 loss he handles 13 cleanly but is clearly not happy with the move. Stengel and DiMaggio’s relationship was iffy at best and Stengel going too far.

July 3, 1950 New York Yankees at Washington Senators Play by Play and Box Score | Baseball-Reference.com

New York Yankees: Casey Stengel Humiliated Joe DiMaggio | Bleacher Report

It happens…MLB players committing suicide. It has happened 87 times in the history of the Majors. It was on this date in 1951 that former Dodger pitcher, Hugh Casey, distraught over a few issues kills himself with a shotgun blast to the neck.

Rome News-Tribune - Google News Archive Search

Baseball Suicides

Jim O’Toole, who was the starting pitcher for the NL in the 1963 All-Star Game, was also a pretty good pitcher for the Reds and averaged 16 Wins a season for the first five seasons of the 1960s. He starts for the Reds against the Cubs on this date in 1960 a day after his wedding in Chicago. O'Toole takes the Loss as the Cubs pound him for 7 runs and 9 hits in less than 5 innings and win‚ 7-5. An unsympathetic Manager Hutchinson says‚ "It was his turn to pitch. I didn't tell him to get married."

Jim O'Toole Statistics and History | Baseball-Reference.com

In 1965 Tony Cloninger proved he was a pretty good pitcher when he won 24 games for the Milwaukee Braves, their last year in the brewery city before relocating to Atlanta. On June 16, 1966 he proved he was a pretty good hitter when he hit 2 HRs in a start against the Mets and drives in 5 runs to tie the NL record for most RBIs in a single game by a pitcher. I guess hitting 2 HRs and tying the RBI record just isn’t enough for Cloninger as on this date in 1966 he hits 2 grand slams and drives in 9 runs‚ as the Braves rout the Giants at Candlestick Park 17-3. Cloninger is the first NL player to slam two in a game‚ and the first pitcher ever‚ and his 9 RBIs are a ML record for pitchers‚ breaking Vic Raschi's mark of 7.

July 3, 1966 Atlanta Braves at San Francisco Giants Play by Play and Box Score | Baseball-Reference.com

List of Major League Baseball hitters with two grand slams in one game - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Gaylord Perry spent 22 seasons in the Majors and started 690 games. His Brother, Jim, spent 17 seasons in the Majors and started 447 games. With a combined 1,137 starts you would think they would have matched up every once in a while but they started against each other only once and it was on this date in 1973…Gaylord for the Indians and Jim for the Tigers. Despite the number of seasons and starts they played in the same League for only 4 seasons 1972-1975 with Gaylord spending 13 of his 22 seasons in the NL and Jim spending his entire career in the AL.

July 3, 1973 Detroit Tigers at Cleveland Indians Box Score and Play by Play | Baseball-Reference.com

HOF’er Don Drysdale, the NL’s CY Young Award winner in 1962, dies on this date in 1993 after suffering a heart attack in Sheraton Hotel in Montreal. Radio station employees were sent to look for him when he failed to make the bus for Olympic Stadium where the Dodgers were to play the Montreal Expos. Hotel staff entered his room and found him face down, near his bed. The coroner estimated that he had been dead for 18 hours.

Drysdale's broadcasting colleague Vin Scully, who was instructed not to say anything on the air until Drysdale's family was notified, announced the news of his death by saying "Never have I been asked to make an announcement that hurts me as much as this one. And I say it to you as best I can with a broken heart."

Among the personal belongings found in Drysdale's hotel room was a cassette tape of Robert F. Kennedy's victory speech after the 1968 California Democratic presidential primary, a speech given only moments before Senator Kennedy's assassination. In the speech, Kennedy had noted, to the cheers of the crowd, that Drysdale had pitched his sixth straight shutout that evening. Drysdale had apparently carried the tape with him wherever he went since Kennedy's murder.

Don Drysdale Statistics and History | Baseball-Reference.com



Baseball Trivia: ( Answer Tomorrow )

Who is the only ML pitcher to collect 80 Wins in 3 consecutive seasons since Dizzy Dean’s 82 Wins in 1934-35-36. Although averaging only about 21% of the vote by the Baseball Writers over 12 years the Veterans Committee put him in.

The answer to yesterday’s question… NL - Jim Thome, 2003 AL – Jim Rice, 1983 (Who is the last “Jim” to lead the NL in HRs in a single season and likewise the last “Jim” to lead the AL in HRs in a single season.)

 

[67RedSox]

The Polo Grounds, as most modern Baseball fans remember it, was demolished a half century ago, in 1964. This last version of the Polo Grounds was the third and most famous of the three versions

The first version was on the northeast corner of Central Park, opened in 1880 and the first MLB game was played there in 1883. The City of New York’s street expansion trumped the needs of providing a site to play baseball so a new home had to be found and it ended up being where we remember it, just across the Harlem River from both the original and current Yankee Stadiums. It was on this date in 1889 the New York Giants finally open the second version of the Polo Grounds with a 7-5 victory over Pittsburgh. The 3rd and final version was built soon after adjacent to the second. On Friday, April 14, 1911, a fire of unknown origin swept through the stadium's horseshoe-shaped grandstand, consuming wood and leaving only steel uprights in place. Giants owner John T. Brush decided to rebuild the Polo Grounds with concrete and steel. It was the ninth concrete-and-steel stadium in the Majors and fourth in the National League. Unfinished seating areas were rebuilt during the season while the games went on. The new structure stretched in roughly the same semicircle from the left field corner around home plate to the right field corner as prior but was extended into deep right-center field and opened in June 1911 which many consider the birth date of the Polo Grounds as we remember it. It was during the 1923 season when the permanent double-deck was extended around most of the rest of the field and new bleachers and clubhouse were constructed across center field. This construction gave the stadium its familiar shape, as well as a new nickname, "The Bathtub".

Polo Grounds - history, photos and more of the New York Giants former ballpark

Which league has the most beautiful stadiums? - Page 10 - SkyscraperCity

It was on this date in 1911 that New York's Rube Marquard hits his only career HR. Yes, he was a pitcher in the then Dead-Ball Era but still a good lead in to yak about one of Baseball’s more colourful characters. HOF’er Rube Marquard’s ML career spanned both the Dead-Ball and Live-Ball Eras, all in the NL, from 1908 to 1925. He won 20 games only 3 times and but 201 in his career but had quite a ride for a while. Tall and gangly, with a cannon for a left arm, Rube Marquard made headlines around the country in 1908 when the New York Giants purchased his contract for the unprecedented price of $11,000, by far the largest amount of money ever paid for a ballplayer. Initially the New York reporters called him the "$11,000 Beauty" or "$11,000 Peach," but two years later, when he was still in search of his 10th major-league victory, they derided him as the "$11,000 Lemon." Just when John McGraw was about to give up on him, Marquard won a total of 73 games from 1911 to 1913, including a 19-game winning streak in 1912 that remains the ML record for most consecutive Wins in a season. That streak was stopped on this date in 1912 in Chicago when the Cubs beat the Giants ace 7-2. Rube's record fell to 19-1. Suddenly McGraw was calling him the "best left-handed pitcher in baseball." With a wicked curveball to compliment his blazing fastball, and a fine screwball learned from his friend and roommate Christy Mathewson, the 6'3", 180 lb. southpaw finally lived up to New York's high expectations. However, it wasn’t until 1966 when a New York University economics and finance professor named Larry Ritter traveled the country, collecting oral histories from old-time ballplayers, including Rube that the HOF took notice. Ritter's resulting book, The Glory of Their Times, become an instant classic. Rube's recollection of some of the events of his life was circumspect; he shaved three years off his life, unnecessarily romanticized some aspects of his life and downplayed his scandalous affair with New York showgirl, Blossom Seeley. Despite a few inaccuracies, his story seemed to capture the essence of the early days of baseball, and it was prominently featured as the first chapter of Glory. A whole new audience came to know Rube and his exploits, and Cooperstown took notice, too. In 1971 he was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, along with Satchel Paige and his old friend Harry Hooper.

Rube Marquard Statistics and History | Baseball-Reference.com

Whos the worst pitcher in the Hall of Fame? | HardballTalk

It was on this date in 1921 an order is issued that allows fans to keep balls hit into the stands in Pittsburgh. Robert Alderdice‚ Director of Public safety makes the ruling following threatened damage suits against three policemen who placed three fans under arrest for refusing to throw balls back on the diamond.

A Game of Inches: The Stories Behind the Innovations that Shaped Baseball ... - Peter Morris - Google Books

1962 was a season to remember in the NL especially for the LA Dodgers and SF Giants who would go to a 3 game playoff to determine the Pennant (Giants). It was on this date in 1962 the Dodgers take 1st place as Don Drysdale, yes Don Drysdale saves Sandy Koufax's 13th win 2-0 against San Francisco. Los Angeles will remain in first until the final day of the season. Sounds strange doesn’t it…Drysdale earning a Save in a Koufax Win but Drysdale was merely returning the favour as Koufax saved a game for Drysdale a month earlier.

July 8, 1962 Los Angeles Dodgers at San Francisco Giants Play by Play and Box Score | Baseball-Reference.com

June 5, 1962 Los Angeles Dodgers at Pittsburgh Pirates Play by Play and Box Score | Baseball-Reference.com

If defense didn’t matter Bill James would rank Jim Ray Hart among the Top 20 3rd Basemen who ever played in the Majors. However, defense does count so he falls to 74th overall. That says it all…real good hitter but crummy fielder. It was on this date in 1970 Hart hits for the cycle and ties a then modern ML record with 6 RBIs in one inning with a 3-run homer and 3-run triple. My favourite story about him is not one of his favourites. Hart made his debut in the Majors in July of 1963. It was a doubleheader day at Candlestick Park against the Cardinals and the Giants Manager, Alvin Dark, had Hart subbing for regular 3rd Baseman, Jim Davenport. He collected a couple of hits in his debut and in the second game got to face Bob Gibson. Between games of the doubleheader Willie Mays tried to warn Hart about Gibson…“Between games, Willie Mays came over to me and said, ‘Now, in the second game, you’re going up against Bob Gibson.’ I only half-listened to what he was saying, figuring it didn’t make much difference. So I walked up to the plate the first time and started digging a little hole with my back foot…No sooner did I start digging that hole than I hear Willie screaming from the dugout: ‘Noooooo!’ Well, the first pitch came inside. No harm done, though. So I dug in again. The next thing I knew, there was a loud crack and my left shoulder was broken. I should have listened to Willie.”

Dusty Baker, as a Braves rookie a few years later and in the midst of a long hitting streak, did listen to Hank Aaron, who was perhaps a little more detailed in his warning…‘Don’t dig in against Bob Gibson, he’ll knock you down. He’d knock down his own grandmother if she dared to challenge him. Don’t stare at him, don’t smile at him, don’t talk to him. He doesn’t like it. If you happen to hit a home run, don’t run too slow, don’t run too fast. If you happen to want to celebrate, get in the tunnel first. And if he hits you, don’t charge the mound, because he’s a Gold Glove boxer.’ I’m like, ‘Damn, what about my 17-game hitting streak?’ That was the night it ended.”

Jim Ray Hart - BR Bullpen


Baseball Trivia: ( Answer Tomorrow )

Can you name 3 of the 4 NY Yankees to win a Post WWII Batting Crown.

The answer to Friday’s question…Hal Newhouser 1944-45-46 with 29,25,26 Wins (Who is the only ML pitcher to collect 80 Wins in 3 consecutive seasons since Dizzy Dean’s 82 Wins in 1934-35-36. Although averaging only about 21% of the vote by the Baseball Writers over 12 years the Veterans Committee put him in.)

 

[67RedSox]

Over the course of his 17 year ML career which ended in 1932 he won 4 AL Batting Crowns with batting averages of .403, .398, .394, .393. His lifetime BA was .342 (tied for 3rd highest among RH batters). He’s a Hall of Famer but largely unknown outside of Detroit. Harry Heilmann died on this date in 1951.

Harry Heilmann Statistics and History | Baseball-Reference.com

There was no better pitcher in the Majors during the first six years of the 1950’s than the Phillies Robin Roberts. He was a 20 game winner each season, averaging 23 Wins, 327 Innings and 27 Complete Games. There was no Cy Young Award in those days otherwise his name would be inscribed 2 or 3 times on it. On this date in 1953 Roberts is lifted in the 8th inning of a game at Connie Mack Stadium after giving up 2 runs to Brooklyn‚ the first time in 29 games he has failed to go the distance. Bob Miller relieves Roberts and picks up a win‚ 6-5‚ for the Phils. Roberts completed his last 8 starts in 1952 and his first 20 in 1953.

July 9, 1953 Brooklyn Dodgers at Philadelphia Phillies Box Score and Play by Play | Baseball-Reference.com

Robin Roberts Statistics and History | Baseball-Reference.com

It was on this date in 1958 ( not July 8th ) Yankee Manager Casey Stengel along with Mickey Mantle testify in front of the Senate Subcommittee on Anti-Trust and Monopoly. It’s a real treat for the Senators as Casey treats them to classic Stengelese in a rambling 45 minute, barely comprehensible discourse on Baseball and America. When Stengel completes his testimony, the Senators ask Mickey Mantle about his feelings, and the Yankee centerfielder deadpans, "My views are just about the same as Casey's."



On this date in 1965 Frank Howard ties a ML record by striking out 7 times in doubleheader against the Red Sox. Despite his inability to make contact there is still no batter before or since I would rather see come to the plate if I was pitching.

July 9, 1965 Boston Red Sox at Washington Senators Box Score and Play by Play | Baseball-Reference.com

July 9, 1965 Boston Red Sox at Washington Senators Box Score and Play by Play | Baseball-Reference.com

It was on this date in 1966 Felipe Alou hits 2 HRs off Sandy Koufax‚ the 3rd and last time that Sandy gives up 2 homers to one batter in a game. Atlanta beat the Dodgers‚ 5-2.

July 9, 1966 Atlanta Braves at Los Angeles Dodgers Play by Play and Box Score | Baseball-Reference.com

It was on this date in 1976 that Red Sox owner, Tom Yawkey, dies. He was the sole owner of the team for 44 seasons, longer than anyone else in Baseball history.

Tom Yawkey | SABR

Ossee Freeman Schreckengost (also played under name of Ossee Schreck, born Schrecongost) died on this date in 1914 at the age of 39 of kidney failure. For 11 seasons, 1897-1908, he was a Major League Baseball catcher and sometime 1st Basemanfirst baseman. He made his MLB debut with the Louisville Colonels on September 8, 1897, and appeared in his final game on October 2, 1908, which was a Perfect Game pitched by Addie Joss. He was also on the wrong side of Cy Young's Perfect Game, pitched four years earlier. He may be best remembered for being Rube Waddell's primary catcher and roommate for the duration of Waddell's Philadelphia Athletic years. Waddell's unpredictable and bizarre nature famously led to Ossee insisting on a "no crackers in bed" clause added to Waddell's contract. Players at the time would bunk together while on the road, and while Ossee was one of the few who could generally handle Rube's antics, even he couldn't get past having to sleep with food in the bed.

Ossee Schrecongost Statistics and History | Baseball-Reference.com


Baseball Trivia: ( Answer Tomorrow )

In 2005, at the age of 23, I led the Majors with 22 Wins. Over the next 6 years he would win just 26 more games and pitch in his last MLB game before he was 30.

The answer to yesterday’s question… Mickey Mantle, Don Mattingly, Paul O’Neill, Bernie Williams (Can you name 3 of the 4 NY Yankees to win a Post WWII Batting Crown.)

 

[67RedSox]

Several days ago Jon Lester celebrated getting his first ML basehit. He is now hitting a robost .015, 1 for 68, in his career. Over Wes Ferrell’s 15 year ML career, 1927-1941, he would win 20 games on six different occasions and 193 in his career yet when his name is recalled the first thing that generally comes up is his HRs. He is the leader among pitchers with 38 lifetime dingers. It was on this date in 1929 he hits his first. His single season high was 9 in 1931.

Wes Ferrell - BR Bullpen

Three years later to the day, on this date in 1932 the same Wes Ferrell is the losing pitcher in one of the most extraordinary games played in ML history. The 18-inning game, in Cleveland, is finally won by the Athletics‚ 18-17. To save train fare for the single-date appearance in Cleveland‚ Connie Mack takes along just 2 pitchers. Lew Krausse‚ Sr. the A's starting pitcher‚ gives up 4 hits in the 1st inning and his replacement‚ Eddie Rommel then pitches 17 innings in relief‚ giving up a record 29 hits. Amazingly‚ he wins. Cleveland's Johnny Burnett sets a ML record by collecting 9 hits in 11 at bats. Wes Ferrell (16-6) is the hard luck loser‚ pitching 11+ innings of relief two days after pitching a complete-game win over Washington. Cleveland sets an AL record for stranded runners with 24.

July 10, 1932 Philadelphia Athletics at Cleveland Indians Play by Play and Box Score | Baseball-Reference.com

It was on this date in 1934 during the 2nd annual All-Star Game Carl Hubbell's amazing feat of striking out 5 future Hall of Famers in a row occurs. Off to a shaky start with 2 on base in the 1st inning‚ Hubbell uses his screwball to fan Ruth‚ Gehrig‚ and Foxx. He adds Al Simmons and Joe Cronin to start the 2nd.

Carl Hubbell performance in the 1934 All-Star Game is one of the best Midsummer Classic moments of all time | MLB.com

It was on this date in 1935 at Cincinnati‚ the Reds Babe Herman, who once tripled into a double play, hits the first night homer in MLB history‚ off Dutch Leonard‚ to lead the Reds to a 15-2 win over Brooklyn. There were 3 previous night games‚ all of which went homerless.

http://www.crosley-field.com/answer.html

On this date in 1936 Philadelphia's Chuck Klein hits four HRs in a 10-inning game at Forbes Field. At 36‚ Klein is the oldest player ever to hit 4 homers in a game‚ and the first National Leaguer in the 20th century to do so.

July 10, 1936 Philadelphia Phillies at Pittsburgh Pirates Play by Play and Box Score | Baseball-Reference.com

Chuck Klein - BR Bullpen

On this date in 1947 James "Stormy" Davis‚ 20-year-old outfielder for Ballinger (Longhorn League)‚ dies as a result of being hit in the head by a pitched ball in a game against Sweetwater on July 3. He was hitting .333 with 19 HR in 48 games.

http://www.diamondsinthedusk.com/uploads/articles/169-img2-JULY101947TradegyinSweetwater.pdf

Woody Woodward is the definition of a 1960s Shortstop…”Good-field, No-hit”. He played 9 seasons in the Majors, 1963-1971, primarily as a SS but also at 2B. He may better be remembered for his post-playing days as he served as the GM for the NY Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies and Seattle Mariners during the 1980s and 1990s. He certainly couldn’t relate to Chuck Klein’s hitting 4 HRs in one game because on this date in 1970 he goes deep for the first and only time in his almost 900 game MLB career when he smacks a HR to CF mind you off Ron Reed of the Atlanta Braves. As far as I know the ball is not on display at Cooperstown.

July 10, 1970 Cincinnati Reds at Atlanta Braves Play by Play and Box Score | Baseball-Reference.com

Woody Woodward - BR Bullpen


Baseball Trivia: ( Answer Tomorrow )

In this Century Yadier Molina (7), Mike Matheny (4) and Brad Ausmus (3) have won 14 of the 15 Gold Gloves awarded to NL Catchers. Molina has won the last 7 consecutive Awards. Can you name the only other NL Catcher to win the Award since 1999. He’s a member of the American League’s 2015 team.

The answer to yesterday’s question… Dontrelle Willis (In 2005, at the age of 23, I led the Majors with 22 Wins. Over the next 6 years he would win just 26 more games and pitch in his last MLB game before he was 30.)

 

[67RedSox]

Well, there’s only one history story to lead with today. Do you remember what you were doing 101 years ago today. Can’t remember or go back that far…well it was on this date in 1914 Babe Ruth made his ML debut. Earlier that year the 19 year old Ruth was signed to play Minor-League baseball for the Baltimore Orioles straight out of St. Mary’s Industrial (Reformatory) School, on the outskirts of Baltimore where he spent the majority of his youth. His stay in Baltimore was short-lived as the owner of the Orioles needed cash and sold Ruth to the Red Sox. A scant 5 months after leaving St. Mary’s Babe made his debut at Fenway Park: he pitched seven innings against Cleveland and received credit for a 4-3 win. After being hit hard by Detroit in his second outing, Ruth rode the bench until he was demoted to the Minors in mid-August, where he helped the Providence Grays capture the International League pennant. Ruth returned to Boston for the final week of the 1914 season. On October 2, he pitched a complete game victory over the Yankees and doubled for his first major league hit. The rest, as they say, is history and has been as well documented as any monarch who has graced a throne in Europe.

July 11, 1914 Cleveland Naps at Boston Red Sox Play by Play and Box Score | Baseball-Reference.com

On this date in 1903 Jimmy Collins collects 5 hits‚ including a triple and homer‚ to pace the Americans (Red Sox) to a 8-5 win over the Chicago White Sox. Collins, 33 was the Americans 3rd Baseman and Playing Manager who would lead the Americans to a victory over the Pirates in the first modern day World Series later that year. I use this reference to Collins not because collecting 5 basehits is terribly rare but merely to introduce you to this little known HOF’er who is revered in Boston although it took about 100 years for that to happen. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame by the Old Timers Committee as a player in 1945 however no induction ceremony in Cooperstown was held until 2013. This Post is also just an excuse to sneak in a song…the Celtic punk band, Dropkick Murphy’s has written one of the best Baseball songs about Collins and I think it’s worth a listen…but that’s just me.


It was on this date in 1911 the Federal Express of the New York‚ New Haven‚ and Hartford Railroad‚ carrying the St. Louis Cardinals to Boston‚ plunges down an 18-foot embankment outside Bridgeport‚ CT‚ killing 14 passengers. The team's Pullmans were originally just behind the baggage coaches near the front. When noise prevented the players from sleeping‚ manager Bresnahan requested the car be changed. The day coach that replaced the players' car was crushed and splintered. The players help remove bodies and rescue the injured‚ then board a special train to Boston‚ where the day's game is postponed. The railroad pays each player $25 for his rescue work and for lost belongings.

The Federal Express Train wreck occurred around 3:15 that summer morning. The train, which had been running late, was run by a crew trying to make up time. A crossover switch was missed, and the train jumped the track and tumbled down a 20 foot embankment, near the intersection of Fairfield Avenue bridge near State street. The scene was one of immediate horror. The dawn brought to light the twisted metal of the train, with bodies strewn throughout the rubble. 14 people were found dead in the wreck; many more were seriously injured. Pieces of the train were strewn in the back yards. The locomotive and five train cars were destroyed. The site of the train wreck was recorded in photographs, with local citizens poised in front of the debris. Many of the photographs were made into postcards and sent throughout the country.

http://www3.gendisasters.com/files/newphotos/ct-bridgeport-11jul1911-3r_2.jpg

bridgeport train wreck 1911 - Google Search

86 years ago today, on this date in 1929 the longest tape-measure HR was arguably hit not by Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Jimmie Foxx or any other ML’er but by Roy Carlyle, former Red Sox and Yankee but then of the Pacific Coast League’s Oakland Oaks. Their old ballpark in Emeryville, a city that sits near the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, was known for being tough on left-handed hitters. Its proximity to the Bay brought frequent breezes off the water, typically blowing in from right field. But in the afternoon game of a doubleheader vs. the San Francisco Missions, Carlyle hit a gargantuan home run that sailed well past the outfield fence. Known for using a heavy bat — 36 inches long and close to 40 ounces — he swatted a fastball from Ernie Nevers, a football star and member of the College and NFL Hall of Fames, into the horizon.

“He used a big bat and he had a smooth swing,” …. “His wrists and arms were so strong. He could hit the ball a long way. He struck out a lot because he swung so hard. But when he hit one, he really hit it.”

This one climbed high and far, passing the parked cars behind the outfield fence with ease. It eclipsed two buildings before crashing into the gutter of a house, leaving a big mark on the metal.

A teammate saw the landing, prompting a measurement three days later. From home plate to the landing spot was 618 feet, far enough to be the longest tape-measured homer in baseball history. Newspapers across the country told of Carlyle’s feat, the most noteworthy of his 119 career homers.

The Oaks’ ballpark is long gone, but a plaque in Emeryville telling of the feat remains. The Guinness Book of World Records and the National Baseball Hall of Fame’s records room still list the shot as the longest tape-measured homer in baseball history. The homer was no fluke. A week later in Salt Lake City, Carlyle hit a 605-foot bullet that nearly topped his previous effort. The significance of Carlyle’s home run is that it was actually measured. Many others, hit by the likes of Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle, were estimated to have traveled long distances, but none were tape measured.

roy carlyle home run - Google Search

Roy Carlyle Statistics and History | Baseball-Reference.com

Roy Carlyle | SABR

It was on this date in 1968 37 year old Earl Weaver appears in his first MLB game wearing a uniform but not as a player. He replaces Hank Bauer as Manager of the Orioles. 17 years and 2,540 games later he would manage his last ML game and await his election to the Hall of Fame which would happen in 1996.

Earl Weaver Managerial Record | Baseball-Reference.com

Earl Weaver | SABR



Baseball Trivia: ( Answer Tomorrow )

Who is the only San Diego Padre to win a NL Home Run Crown…he had earlier won an AL Home Run Crown.

The answer to yesterday’s question…Russell Martin (In this Century Yadier Molina (7), Mike Matheny (4) and Brad Ausmus (3) have won 14 of the 15 Gold Gloves awarded to NL Catchers. Molina has won the last 7 consecutive Awards. Can you name the only other NL Catcher to win the Award since 1999. He’s a member of the American League’s 2015 team.)

 

[67RedSox]

It was on this date in 1946 a pitching legend begins his ascent on becoming one of the greatest pitchers of all-time and maybe the best left-hander in the history of the Grand Old Game when Warren Spahn wins his first ML game, a complete game 4-1 Win over the Pirates at Forbes Field. Control and deception ( the big leg kick ) were Spahn’s weapons. He was also as durable as they come. Spahn lost three prime seasons to WWII otherwise he is likely to have Won 400 games instead of the 363 he ended up with and even that total is more than any other pitcher in the Live-Ball Era, Post 1920. Discounting Spahn’s rookie numbers and his last two seasons when he was 43 and pitching into retirement leaves the 17 consecutive seasons, 1947-1963. Over that period he had a seasonal average of 268 IP, 2.98 ERA and a W-L record of 20-12. In those 17 consecutive seasons he never pitched fewer than 245 innings and Won 20 games 13 different times. For all of this Spahn was paid an average of $900.00 per Start. The reigning NL Cy Young Award winner, Clayton Kershaw, will average about $563,000.00 per Start.

Warren Spahn Statistics and History | Baseball-Reference.com

Also, on this date in 1946, as Warren Spahn was winning his first ML game in Pittsburgh the fans in Boston were being treated to an offensive treat at Fenway Park. Future HOF’er the Playing-Manager of the Cleveland Indians, SS Lou Boudreau, banged out 5 extra-base hits and drove in 4 of the Indians 10 runs but it wasn’t enough. Another future HOF'er, Ted Williams, topped him with 8 RBIs on 4 base-hits including 3 HRs, the last of which was a 3-run shot in the bottom of the 8th inning to give the Red Sox an 11-10 win.

July 14, 1946 Cleveland Indians at Boston Red Sox Play by Play and Box Score | Baseball-Reference.com

WWII either interrupted or delayed the start of many ML careers. In the case of Mel Parnell it delayed his career until 1947. Once it began it was a good ride. He played a full decade for 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 1949 he racked up 25 Wins to lead the AL. He continued to pitch well and in 1953 he had 21 Wins including 4 Shutouts of the Yankees. 1954 was the beginning of the end. During a game against the Senators he was hit in the left arm by his former roommate Maury McDermott. They were pitching against each other and planned to have dinner together after the game, but one of McDermott’s pitches sailed in and Parnell threw up his arm to protect himself. It hit him in the wrist and broke the ulna bone. Parnell’s record in 1954 was a disappointing 3-7, though his ERA wasn’t all that bad at 3.70. He pitched only 46 innings in 1955 (2-3, 7.83) but seemed to bounce back in 1956 and on this date in 1956 he threw his 4-0 No-Hitter against the White Sox, the first Red Sox No-Hitter since Howard Ehmke’s in 1923. From the seventh inning on, every out that was made, the fans are jumping up and yelling. My right fielder, Jackie Jensen, comes to me in the seventh inning, he says, ‘Look, fellow, you’re going on a no-hitter. Don’t let them hit the ball to me in right field. I don’t want to be the guy to mess it up for you.’ I said, ‘Jackie, forget it. All I’m looking for is a win.’ The final out was hit back to me. Walt Dropo was with Chicago, an ex-teammate. Dropo hit this ball to the first base side of the mound. I came down off the mound, caught the ball, ran to first base, and made the play unassisted. When I get to first base, Mickey Vernon, our first baseman, says to me, ‘What’s the matter, fellow? You don’t have confidence in me?’ I said, ‘I’ve got all the confidence in the world in you but I was afraid if I threw it I might throw it away.’ Despite that outing he was only a few starts away from his last when surgery was required for nerve damage in his elbow. Had Tommy John surgery been available then he might have been able to pitch a few more seasons but at 34 his playing career was over.

July 14, 1956 Chicago White Sox at Boston Red Sox Play by Play and Box Score | Baseball-Reference.com

mel parnell no-hitter - Google Search

According to Ty Cobb, who knew a little something about hitting, Eddie Mathews had a ‘perfect swing’. It was on this date in 1967 he becomes just the 7th member of the 500-HR club‚ connecting off loser Juan Marichal as the Astros beat the Giants‚ 8-6.

Big Days in Astros History - July 14, 1967 - Eddie Mathews' 500th homer


Exactly one year to the day of Mathews hitting his 500th it was on this date in 1968 Hank Aaron becomes the 8th member of the 500-HR club as he whacks his 500th HR off the reigning NL CY Young Award winner, Mike McCormick, as the Braves defeat the Giants 4-2 in Atlanta.

July 14, 1968 San Francisco Giants at Atlanta Braves Play by Play and Box Score | Baseball-Reference.com

It was on this date in 1970 Pete Rose bowls over Ray Fosse at the plate in the All-Star game. Fosse claims his shoulder is sore to this day.


The place where Ray Fosse and Pete Rose collide | abc7news.com


Baseball Trivia: ( Answer Tomorrow )

What is the only AL team to have 3 consecutive Cy Young Awards won by its pitchers and who were the pitchers to win those three Cy Youngs.

The answer to Saturday’s question… Fred McGriff (Who is the only San Diego Padre to win a NL Home Run Crown…he had earlier won an AL Home Run Crown.)

 

[67RedSox]

Quick…who won the 1926 NL Batting Crown with a Batting Average of .353. It’s a tough question so here’s a couple of hints…he was the first Catcher to win the Crown and he played for the Cincinnati Reds. Right away your thinking Ernie Lombardi who did win two Batting Crowns but in 1938 and 1942. No, the guy you’re looking for Bubbles Hargrave who was born on this date in 1892. He got his nickname because he stuttered when saying "B" sounds. He had a brother who played in the Majors…Pinky Hargrave who in 1929 rattled off a Batting Average of .330 himself.

Bubbles Hargrave - BR Bullpen

Pinky Hargrave - BR Bullpen

It was on this date in 1901 Christy Mathewson 22-years-old‚ of the Giants pitches a no-hitter‚ blanking St. Louis 5-0 at League Park. It was the first of his two career no-hitters. It was the second no-hitter tossed by a Giant pitcher and to date Giant pitchers rank 4th overall with 17 no-no’s. The Dodgers with 25 and the Red Sox and White Sox with 18 each are the only teams with more.

No-hitters by Major League Baseball franchise | Baseball no-hitters at NoNoHitters.com

It was on this date in 1928 the Hollywood Stars (Pacific Coast League) become the first professional team to travel by air when they fly from Seattle to Portland‚ where they catch a train for L.A. The first MLB team to travel by air was the Cincinnati Reds in 1934 when 19 players flew to Chicago for a series with the Cubs. It would be 1946 when the Yankees became the first team to regularly fly.

The Hollywood Stars

Baseball History in 1946 American League by Baseball Almanac

In 1938 Johnny Vander Meer, as we all know, becomes the first and still the only ML pitcher to back-to-back no-hiiters. Although his ML career was over Vander Meer was still going strong in the Minors when on this date in 1952 while pitching for Beaumont (Texas League) he tosses another a no-hitter.

Johnny Vander Meer's Third No-Hitter | SABR

It was on this date in 1973 before 41‚411 in Detroit‚ Angel ace Nolan Ryan hurls his 2nd no-hitter of the season in taming the Tigers 6-0. Ryan fans 17 batters-the most ever in a 9-inning no-hitter-including 8 straight. With 2 outs in the 9th‚ Norm Cash‚ who had struck out his 3 other times at bat‚ comes to bat wielding a piano leg. Umpire Ron Luciano points out the illegality and Cash then pops out using a regulation bat.

Nolan Ryans second no hitter-Detroit, July 15, 1973 ~ Los Angeles Angels Blog | AngelsWin.com

July 15, 1973 California Angels at Detroit Tigers Box Score and Play by Play | Baseball-Reference.com

Mike Trout winning his second All-Star Game MVP Award last night joins a relatively short list of players who have won the Award multiple times. Although the All-Star Game goes back to the mid-1930s the Award goes back to only 1962 when Maury Wills became the first to win it. Gary Carter, Willie Mays, Steve Garvey and Cal Ripken are the other multiple winners.

Major League Baseball All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Stan Musial had a pretty good run in the 15 seasons he played between 1943-1958 ( he missed the 1945 to Military Service ). He won 7 Batting Crowns and was MVP 3 times and runner-up three years in a row. He could do it all with the bat and better than anyone else in the 1940s and 1950s. So, how did NL pitchers throw to him. A couple of Brooklyn Dodgers share their secret for pitching to Musial:

Carl Erskine…I’ve had pretty good success with Stan by throwing him my best pitch and backing up third.

Preacher Roe…I throw him four wide ones and try to pick him off first base.


Baseball Trivia: ( Answer Tomorrow )

There are five MVP Award winners from the 1950s who are still living…3 from the NL and 2 from the AL. How many can you name.

The answer to yesterday’s question… Toronto Blue Jays, 1996-Pat Hentgen, 1997-Roger Clemens, 1998-Roger Clemens. (What is the only AL team to have 3 consecutive Cy Young Awards won by its pitchers and who were the pitchers to win those three Cy Youngs.)

 

[67RedSox]

Birthday Greetings to Shoeless Joe Jackson who was born on this date in 1887.

"I copied Jackson's style because I thought he was the greatest hitter I had ever seen, the greatest natural hitter I ever saw. He's the guy who made me a hitter."

-- Babe Ruth

Joe Jackson - BR Bullpen

It was on this date in 1909 the Washington Senators and Detroit Tigers play two games in one, still can’t score and play the longest scoreless game in AL history-18 innings. The game is called after 18 innings and goes in the books as a tie. At season’s end the Tigers win the AL Pennant with a record of 98-54 and the Senators finish in last place 56 games behind the Tigers but for those 18 innings the Tigers couldn’t do a thing against them.

Nothing to Nothing in Overtime

Larry Jansen was born on this date in 1920. As a rookie with the NY Giants in 1947 he won 21 games which most seasons would have won him Rookie of the Year honours but he finished second to Jackie Robinson in a very close vote. In 1951 he would lead the NL with 23 Wins and the Giants to the World Series. The Yankees won that Series in 6 games and beat Jansen twice. His ML career was delayed thanks to WWII and he spent 9 seasons in the Majors…that number is 1 smaller than the 10 kids he had.

Larry Jansen Statistics and History | Baseball-Reference.com

Arthur Irwin was a MLB player for 13 seasons during the 1880s and 1890s. He also managed 8 seasons in the Majors and is best remembered for being the first to take the field with a fielder’s glove. In 1883, Irwin broke the third and fourth fingers of his left hand. Not wanting to miss any games, he obtained an oversized buckskin driving glove, padded it and sewed the third and fourth fingers together to allow space for bandages. He used the glove even after his fingers healed. John Montgomery Ward of New York soon took the field with a similar glove. By the following season, almost every professional player was using the "Irwin glove." He died on this date in 1921 by jumping to his death from a ship in the Atlantic Ocean while travelling from New York City to Boston. It was suicide after he learned he had stomach cancer and only a short time to live. The story didn’t end there for it was discovered he was survived by two wives and families...in separate cities. He first married Elizabeth, in Boston, in 1883. Together they had three children, including a son who was 37 at the time of Irwin's death, and nine grandchildren. In the 1890s he married again, this time in Philadelphia to May, a woman he met while coaching baseball at the University of Pennsylvania. They settled in New York and had a son who was 24 when Irwin died.

arthur irwin, baseball - Google Search

Arthur Irwin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Si Johnson was a ML pitcher for mostly bad teams over 17 seasons, 1928-1947. He was the last pitcher to strike out Babe Ruth 3 times in a game. On May 26, 1935 Babe Ruth and the Boston Braves came to Cincinnati for a series. Ruth, had just smashed three home runs in a game at Pittsburgh, his last HRs in the Majors. Johnson got the starting assignment in the first game of the series. He fanned the Sultan of Swat the first three times he batted and got him on a popup as the Reds won, 4-3. Ruth retired a week later. Recalling the game in a 1993 interview with Sports Illustrated, Johnson said, “Babe was on his way out by then. He was practically washed up, the poor guy. Those pitches were all fastballs down the middle. People came to see the Babe hit the ball, but he was late on every swing. Don’t tell anybody, but I was hoping the Babe would hit one out. He was a hell of a swell fella.”

Bucky Walters was also a ML pitcher who enjoyed much more success than Si Johnson did. Three times he led the NL in Wins, in 1939 he was the NL’s MVP and won a WS Ring in 1940. On this date in 1937 Johnson and Walters hook up not once, but twice in both ends of a doubleheader with Johnson picking up Wins in both games while Walters got hung with the Loss in both games. In the 1st game Johnson, pitching for the Cardinals, beats Phils' starter Walters, 10-3. Both pitchers relieve in the nitecap and Johnson again tops Walters as the Cards win 18-10‚ scoring 8 runs in the 10th inning.

July 16, 1937 St. Louis Cardinals at Philadelphia Phillies Box Score and Play by Play | Baseball-Reference.com

July 16, 1937 St. Louis Cardinals at Philadelphia Phillies Box Score and Play by Play | Baseball-Reference.com

Mickey Mantle made his ML debut on April 17, 1951…Opening Day in a game against the Boston Red Sox in front of almost 45,000 in Yankee Stadium. Those in attendance were treated to seeing 8 future Hall of Famers in the game…9 if you include jerry Coleman who is in the Broadcaster’s Wing. ( Ted Williams, Bobby Doerr, Lou Boudreau, Mantle, Joe DiMaggio, Johnny Mize, Phil Rizzuto and Yogi Berra). The 19 year old didn’t get the ball out of the infield in his first 2 ABs against Bill Wight grounding out to 2B and then popping out to 3B. He lined a single to leftfield in the 6th off of Wight driving in a run and later scoring. However, Mantle wasn’t in the Majors to stay. On this date in 1951 the Yanks option him to the Kansas City Blues (AA). Mantle‚ plagued with strikeouts and in a slump‚ will go 0-for-22 in his start with the Blues‚ before ending with a tear at .361. The Yankees will recall him August 20th.

Mickey Mantle: America's Prodigal Son - Tony Castro - Google Books

Royal Heritage: Mickey Mantle & the 1951 Kansas City Blues

Baseball History in 1952: The Education of Mickey Mantle

Dave Righetti is the Pitching Coach for the SF Giants and has been since 2000 making him the longest tenured Pitching Coach in the Majors. He’s also the first pitcher to ML history to both throw a no-hitter and to lead his League in Saves…Dennis Eckersley and Derek Lowe would later duplicate that feat. 1981 was not one of MLB’s most cherished seasons thanks to a 2-month player strike but for Dave Righetti it was memorable as he won the AL’s Rookie of the Year Award. Righetti paved his way to the Majors with games like the one he had on this date in 1978 when, pitching for Tulsa, he struck out 21 Midland batters in 9 innings to set a Texas League record…game-time temperature was a mild 98 degrees.

Former New York Yankees All-Star Dave Righetti roped one of the most incredible pitching displays in Texas League | MiLB.com News | The Official Site of Minor League Baseball


Baseball Trivia: ( Answer Tomorrow )

Can you name the last NL pitcher to lead the League in Strikeouts in 4 consecutive seasons. Can you name the last AL pitcher to do the same.

The answer to yesterday’s question…NL - Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Don Newcombe, AL - Bobby Shantz, Yogi Berra (There are five MVP Award winners from the 1950s who are still living…3 from the NL and 2 from the AL. How many can you name.)

 

[67RedSox]

Harry Stovey was a HR hitter in the Dead-Ball Era of the 1880s and 1890s. He was as fast afoot as he was powerful. Before Hank Aaron there was Babe Ruth. Before Ruth was Roger Connor and before Connor was Harry Stovey as the Major Leagues leader in career HRs. He won 5 HR titles and was the first ML’er to smack 100 career HRs. It was on this date in 1880 he hits the first of his 122 career HRs. Twice he led the League in Steals with a career high of 97 in 1890 when the definition of a Stolen Base was different than it is today. He was the first to wear sliding pads and among the first to slide feet first. Gentlemanly and articulate in an age when few ballplayers were, he played as Stovey rather than Stowe (his real name) so that his mother would not see his name in box scores.

An Overlooked 19th-Century Legend: Harry Stovey | SABR

Stats LLC began tracking pitch counts in 1988, and MLB keeps official data since 1999. The highest pitch count since 1990 is 172, by Tim Wakefield for the Pittsburgh Pirates against the Atlanta Braves on April 27, 1993; however, it should be known that Wakefield's primary pitch was the knuckleball, an off-speed pitch which are less strenuous on a pitcher's arm compared to a fastball. Pitch counts above 125 are increasingly rare these days. One of the most unique games in MLB history was played on this date in 1914, 101 years ago exactly. At Forbes Field, Rube Marquard and Babe Adams each go a marathon 21 innings before Larry Doyle’s 2-run HR gives the Giants a 3–1 win over the Pirates. Adams yields no walks and 12 hits, the longest non-walk game in ML history. Marquard walks 2 (one intentional) and yields 15 hits. It’s estimated 600 pitches were tossed in the game by the two pitchers.

July 17, 1914 New York Giants at Pittsburgh Pirates Play by Play and Box Score | Baseball-Reference.com

It was on this date in 1941 in front of more than 60‚000 fans at Cleveland's League Park‚ Joe DiMaggio's hitting streak is ended at 56 games (94 hits). Indian pitchers Al Smith and Jim Bagby‚ plus sensational plays by 3B Ken Keltner‚ stop the Yankee Clipper.

July 17, 1941 New York Yankees at Cleveland Indians Box Score and Play by Play | Baseball-Reference.com

Kostya Kennedy: End of DiMaggio's 56-game hitting streak changed lives forever - More Sports - SI.com

It was on this date in 1950 Yankee rookie Whitey Ford wins his first ML game‚ beating the visiting White Sox‚ 4-3. He would go on to win another 235 games. His best season was 1961 when he goes 25-4 and wins the Cy Young Award.

Whitey Ford - BR Bullpen

Ty Cobb dies in Atlanta on this date in 1961 of cancer at the age of 74.

Ty Cobb - BR Bullpen

Five myths about Ty Cobb


It was on this date in 1974 Tommy John, with a record of 13-3, blows out his elbow in the 3rd inning of a game against the Expos at Dodger Stadium. Willie Davis leads off the 3rd inning against John with a single to CF and then John walks Bob Bailey and that’s it. He leaves the game and on September 25, 1974 he undergoes the first “Tommy John” surgery as performed by Dr. Frank Jobe. It would be April 16, 1976 before John would again pitch in the Majors but pitch again he did becoming a 20 Game winner in 3 of the next 5 seasons and finishing as the runner-up in Cy Young voting twice.

July 17, 1974 Montreal Expos at Los Angeles Dodgers Play by Play and Box Score | Baseball-Reference.com

Tommy John surgery - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The same day as Tommy John blows out his elbow another pitcher hits a milestone. It was also on this date in 1974 Cardinals right-hander Bob Gibson becomes the second pitcher in ML to record 3,000 career strikeouts when he fans Cesar Geronimo of the Reds. 1n 1923, Walter Johnson of the Washington Senators became the first ML’er to reach the milestone so he held the distinction of being the Game’s only 3,000 strikeout pitcher for over 50 years. Incidentally, Cesar Geronimo was also the victim of Nolan Ryan’s 3,000th strikeout. The first batter Gibson struck out in his career was Puddin’ Head Jones, the Phillies 3rd Baseman during the 1950s and Willie Stargell was his most often victim…41 times. The Gibson/Stargell match-ups would be the stuff you buy a ticket to see.

July 17, 1974 Cincinnati Reds at St. Louis Cardinals Play by Play and Box Score | Baseball-Reference.com

3,000 strikeout club - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

On this date in 1990 the Minnesota Twins become the first ML team to turn 2 triple plays in the same game. Both are started on grounders to 3B Gary Gaetti. Despite the ML record‚ the Red Sox win anyway‚ 1-0.

July 17, 1990 Minnesota Twins at Boston Red Sox Play by Play and Box Score | Baseball-Reference.com



Baseball Trivia: ( Answer Tomorrow )

Who are the only three players to collect at least 2,000 base hits while wearing a Giants uniform…be it in San Fran or New York.

The answer to yesterday’s question…Randy Johnson…in both cases (Can you name the last NL pitcher to lead the League in Strikeouts in 4 consecutive seasons. Can you name the last AL pitcher to do the same.)

Yearly League Leaders &amp Records for Strikeouts | Baseball-Reference.com

 

[67RedSox]

Larry McLean was born on this date in 1881. Fredericton, New Brunswick and played in the Majors for 13 seasons as a catcher, mostly with the Cincinnati Reds but did play with the Giants and went to the 1913 World Series with them and led them in base hits in the Series against the Athletics. Nothing remarkable so far but what makes him stand out are two things. At 6’6” he is the tallest catcher to ever play in the majors to this day even though it’s been 100 years since he played and second he was shot to death in a barroom brawl and that has to be pretty unique among baseball players.

barroom brawl - Google Search

Larry McLean Statistics and History | Baseball-Reference.com

The Toronto World - Google News Archive Search

It was on this date in 1921 the “Black Sox Trial” begins. Some lovely photos follow.

http://galleries.apps.chicagotribune.com/chi-130808-1919-black-sox-scandal-pictures/

It was also on this date in 1921 at Navin Field in Detroit, Babe Ruth becomes the all-time home run leader when he hits his 139th career blast as a major leaguer. The Yankee slugger’s 36th homer of the season, a mammoth shot that travels over 500 feet, puts him ahead of Roger Connor, who connected for 138 round-trippers during his 18 years in the National League.

navin field - Google Search

July 18, 1921 New York Yankees at Detroit Tigers Box Score and Play by Play | Baseball-Reference.com

Any opportunity I get to rant about Lefty O’Doul not being in the Hall of Fame I take.It’s a shame he isn’t there. The main argument ( the only one really ) for Lefty O’Doul not being in the HOF is a lack of playing time in the Majors. Sorry, I don’t buy it and his body of work in Grand Old Game is greater than at least 75% of those enshrined. It was on this date in 1925 playing for Salt Lake City, Lefty O’Doul sets a Pacific Coast League record for hits in a three game series (16-for-17) and for a four-game series (19-for-21). What a treat it must have been to watch him operate with a bat in his hands.

Lefty O'Doul | SABR

Lefty O'Doul | The National Pastime Museum

It was on this date in 1927 at the Polo Grounds‚ 18-year-old Mel Ott hits his first ML homer in a 6-4 10-inning win over the Cubs. Ott hits a line drive which CF Hack Wilson attempts a shoe string catch. The ball bounds all the way to the CF club house and Ott easily circles the bases. He's the youngest player in the 20th Century to hit an inside-the-park homer: Pat Callahan‚ in 1884‚ was not 18 when he hit his. Ott will hit one more IPHR in his career‚ in 1929. Meanwhile 481 miles to the West in Detroit‚ Ty Cobb, now playing for the Philadelphia Athletics collects his 4‚000th hit‚ a double that glances off the glove of Harry Heilmann. The hit is off Sam Gibson of Detroit. Detroit wins 5-3 over Lefty Grove.


No SportsHoopla when Ty Cobb got his 4,000th hit


It was a Major League Ballpark for all of one season, 1961 yet in that singular season it gave up more HRs, 248, than any other ballpark in history and it would be another 35 years before that record of dingers would be broken. Yes, we’re talking about Wrigley Field…the Los Angeles version. The characteristics of Wrigley Field that made it a home run hitter's paradise are somewhat well known. The power alleys were approximately 345 feet from home plate, a very short distance. The distances to the foul poles were respectable, 338.5 feet to right and 340 feet to left. Straight away center field was 412 feet. However the fences were angled toward the infield 9.2 degrees in right and 9.5 degrees in left. Thus, the distance from the plate to the wall actually decreased slightly as you moved away from the foul lines. The minimum distance to the wall was 334.1 feet in right field and 335.4 feet in left. The fence height was 9 feet in right field and 14.5 feet in left field. In addition, there was very little foul territory. It was only 56 feet from home plate to the stands and the stands did not bow away from the field. The foul poles were near the seats. Another unique feature of Wrigley Field was that the light tower in center field was inside the field of play. The tower was screened to the top of the fence and a ball hit off the screening was in play.

wrigley field los angeles 1961 - Google Search

Los Angeles' Wrigley Field: "The Finest Edifice in the United States" | SABR

It was on this date in 1970, in his 2,639th ML game, Willie Mays singles off of Expos right-hander Mike Wegener for his 3000th hit. The 'Say Hey Kid' reaches the milestone in the second inning of San Francisco's 10-1 rout of Montreal at Candlestick Park.



Baseball Trivia: ( Answer Tomorrow )

Take your choice…Who won 3 MVP Awards in the 1980s or name the Red Sox player to win an MVP Crown during the 1990s.

The answer to yesterday’s question…Willie Mays, Mel Ott, Bill Terry (Who are the only three players to collect at least 2,000 base hits while wearing a Giants uniform…be it in San Fran or New York.)

 

[67RedSox]

It was on this date in 1897 the greatest Shortstop of all time, Johannes “Honus” Wagner made his ML debut with the Louisville Colonels. He’ll always be remembered as a Pirate though spending the last 18 years of his career playing for them. The “Flying Dutchman” won 8 NL Batting Crowns between 1900-1911. Although Ty Cobb is frequently cited as the greatest player of the Dead-Ball era, some contemporaries regarded Wagner as the better all-around player. Either way they were both among the Group of 5 first elected to the Hall of Fame when its doors opened in 1936 (technically the actual building housing the Hall of Fame didn’t open until 1939)

Honus Wagner - BR Bullpen


It was on this date in 1910 Cy Young picks up the 500th Win of his career as the Red Sex defeat Washington 5-4 in 11 innings.

Cy Young Statistics and History | Baseball-Reference.com

Vernon, is the smallest incorporated city in the State of California. It’s located 5 miles south of downtown Los Angeles. The estimated population today is 114. In 1911 it was huge by comparison with a population of 772. Yet…it was home to the Vernon Tigers of the Pacific Coast League from 1909-1925. It’s important to note that the Pacific Coast league was the “Major Leagues” for Baseball fans on the West Coast. Those Vernon Tigers won back-to-back Pacific Coast League pennants in 1919 and 1920. The Tigers, together with the Sacramento Solons, joined the PCL as a new team in 1909 when the League expanded from four teams to six. The Tigers effectively were a second team in Los Angeles, rivals of the existing Los Angeles Angels. Vernon fielded a Pacific Coast League team because it was one of only two cities in Los Angeles County where the sale and consumption of alcohol was legal. Vernon used its "wet" distinction to its advantage. The largest enterprise in the town at the time was Doyle's bar, advertised as the "longest bar in the world" with 37 bartenders. Doyle was also a sports promoter, building an arena where world championship boxing matches were held. Tigers owner Edward Maier built Maier Park next to Doyle's bar, which had its own entrance to the park. O’K. enough about Vernon. Now let’s talk about Walter Carlisle, an Englishman born in Yorkshire. His Major League career… May 8-11, 1908 spanned 4 days, 3 games, 10 at-bats and 1 hit. He was an outfielder and on this date in 1911 while playing for the Vernon Tigers in a game against the Los Angeles Angels and the score tied at 3–3 in the sixth inning, and runners on first and second bases, Carlisle made a diving catch in shallow CF of a short fly batted by Roy Akin; stepped on second to retire Charlie Moore, and tagged George Metzger coming from first. The Tigers won the game, 5–4. With his heroic feat, Carlisle entered the records books as the only outfielder ever to make an unassisted triple play in organized baseball.

Walter Carlisle Statistics and History | Baseball-Reference.com

Walter Carlisle | SABR

It was on this date in 1920 Babe Ruth hits his 30th and 31st HRs of the season to establish a new single season record breaking his own record of 29 he had set the previous year. He would finish the 1920 season with 54 HRs.

July 19, 1920 Chicago White Sox at New York Yankees Play by Play and Box Score | Baseball-Reference.com

It was on this date in 1936 a 17-year old Bob Feller makes his ML pitching debut in a game against the Washington Senators in the second game of a doubleheader. The Indians are down by 4 runs in the bottom of the 8th inning when manager Steve O’Neill sends Feller in. He gets through the inning without giving up any runs or hits but does walk two batters including the first batter he faces, the opposing team’s pitcher, Monte Weaver.

July 19, 1936 Cleveland Indians at Washington Senators Play by Play and Box Score | Baseball-Reference.com

If you think today’s umpires have a short fuse it was on this date in 1946 HP umpire Red Jones tosses 14 Chicago White Sox players from a game against the Red Sox in a game at Fenway Park.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/06/sports/baseball/06eject.html?pagewanted=print&_r=0

It was on this date in 1958 that Sandy Koufax starts back-to-back games for the Los Angeles Dodgers. To the best of my knowledge it’s the only time in his career that he started back-to-back games. It was the Dodgers first year in Los Angeles and they were struggling and in last place. The day before, Friday – July 18th Koufax started against the Phillies but had trouble with his control. After 29 pitchers and just 2/3 rds of an inning he walked his 4th batter of the inning forcing in a run and Walter Alston had seen enough and removed him from the game. The next day he started again against the same Phillies and fared better lasting into the 8th inning despite losing the game.

July 18, 1958 Philadelphia Phillies at Los Angeles Dodgers Play by Play and Box Score | Baseball-Reference.com

July 19, 1958 Philadelphia Phillies at Los Angeles Dodgers Play by Play and Box Score | Baseball-Reference.com

It was on this date in 1960 Juan Marichal makes his ML debut and what a debut it was as he one-hits the Phillies at Candlestick Park, 2-0. Philadelphia's lone hit is a two out eighth-inning single by pinch hitter Clay Dalrymple.

July 19, 1960 Philadelphia Phillies at San Francisco Giants Play by Play and Box Score | Baseball-Reference.com

Happy 75th…HOF’er Joe Torre was born on this day in 1940 in Brooklyn.

Joe Torre - BR Bullpen



Baseball Trivia: ( Answer Tomorrow )

Clayton Kershaw has done it and so has Sandy Koufax…who is the only American League pitcher to lead the League in ERA for 4 consecutive seasons. Here’s a few clues…he led the League in Strikeouts his first 7 seasons in the Majors, he won an MVP Award, he won 300 games and of course is in the Hall of Fame.

The answer to yesterday’s question…Mike Schmidt 1980, 1981, 1986 - Mo Vaughn 1995 (Take your choice…Who won 3 MVP Awards in the 1980s or name the Red Sox player to win an MVP Crown during the 1990s.)

 

[67RedSox]

John Tyler was born in 1790 and served as the 10th President of the U.S., 1841-1845. That was a long time ago and even before the first recorded game of Baseball was played in 1846. Just so you know…President Tyler has two living grandchildren. This has nothing to do with Baseball…I threw in the bit about Baseball just to give some reference to time. The idea that a President of the U.S. born in the 1700s still has living grandchildren just blows my little mind.

It took 24 years but on this date in 1944 Browns' hurler Nels Potter is banned for ten days, becoming the first pitcher ever to be suspended for throwing a spitball. The spitball, shineball, and emeryball were outlawed by the Major’s Joint Rules Committee in 1920, which allowed the seventeen pitchers using the doctored pitches at the time to keep throwing the banned pitches legally until they retired. That suspension likely cost Potter, the ace of the Brown’s pitching staff, a 20-Win season as he finished 19-7.

Nels Potter | SABR

On his way to Cooperstown Jim Bunning tosses his first no-hitter on this date in 1958 when Bunning and the Tigers defeat the Red Sox 3-0 at Fenway park. Bunning strikes out 12.

http://storage.thewhig.com/v1/dynam...L.jpg?quality=80&size=650x&stmp=1404348493008

July 20, 1958 Detroit Tigers at Boston Red Sox Play by Play and Box Score | Baseball-Reference.com

On this date in 1965 Mel Stottlemyre was beginning his ascent to stardom even though the Yankees’ dynasty was starting to crumble and it was thanks to his bat as he becomes the first pitcher to hit an inside-the-park grand slam since Deacon Phillippe did it for the Pirates in 1910. Stottlemyre's bases-loaded drive in the 5th at Yankee Stadium‚ off Bill Monbouquette‚ assures him a 6-3 victory over the Red Sox his 10th Win of the season which would end with him at 20-9, an ERA of 2.63 and 291 Innings Pitched.

July 20, 1965 Boston Red Sox at New York Yankees Box Score and Play by Play | Baseball-Reference.com

In his 7 ML seasons Tommie Aaron wasn’t quite as prolific in hitting HRs as was his brother Hank. Hank knocked out 755, Tommie hit 13 but on this date in 1970 Tommie hit the most memorable HR of his career. The Cubs were playing the Braves in Atlanta and the game was tied 1-1 in the bottom of the 9th inning. The Cubs had 2 out but Hank Aaron came to the plate. The Cubs walked him and instead faced his brother looking for the 3rd out.. Tommie hit a Ken Holtzman pitch over the LF wall for a walk-off 2-run homer and the Braves win 3-1. It was the last HR Tommie Aaron hit in the Majors. Exactly, six years to the day, on this date in 1976, Hank Aaron hit the 755th and last HR of his career.

July 20, 1970 Chicago Cubs at Atlanta Braves Play by Play and Box Score | Baseball-Reference.com

July 20, 1976 California Angels at Milwaukee Brewers Play by Play and Box Score | Baseball-Reference.com

Tony Oliva, one of the best natural hitters the game has ever saw, was born on this date in 1938. He was a gifted 5-tool player however, like Mickey Mantle, his knees prevented him from achieving greater success than he enjoyed although a Rookie –of-the-Year Award, 3 Batting Crowns, 2 MVP runner-ups, 8 time All-Star and a lifetime .300 BA ain’t bad.

Tony Oliva - BR Bullpen


Baseball Trivia: ( Answer Tomorrow )

There have been two pitchers win 20 Games in a season for both the Dodgers and Angels. Can you name either pitcher. Both pitchers accomplished this feat before Fred Lynn won the AL’s MVP Award.

The answer to yesterday’s question…Lefty Grove, 1929-1932 (Clayton Kershaw has done it and so has Sandy Koufax…who is the only American League pitcher to lead the League in ERA for 4 consecutive seasons. Here’s a few clues…he led the League in Strikeouts his first 7 seasons in the Majors, he won an MVP Award, he won 300 games and of course is in the Hall of Fame.)

 

[67RedSox]

The Dead-Ball Era was in full swing in 1908 and featured a lot of high profile names in the NL… Honus Wagner, Christy Mathewson, Iron Man McGinnity, Joe Tinker and Johnny Evers, all HOF’ers to name a few. The most popular though, as selected by a Chicago newspaper survey on this date in 1908, was none of the above but Mike Donlin of the NY Giants. He was known as "Turkey Mike" for his unique strut – his entertaining personality, flamboyant style of dress, and prodigious talent as a hitter caused him to be lionized as "the baseball idol of Manhattan." He was a flamboyant playboy and partygoer who dressed impeccably and always had a quip and a handshake for everyone he met. Donlin was "one of the most picturesque, most written-about, most likeable athletes that ever cut his mark on the big circuit." Donlin could also hit as well as anyone in baseball during the Dead-Ball Era. Though he rarely walked, the powerfully built 5' 9" left-hander was a masterful curveball hitter with power to all fields. His career slugging percentage of .468 compares favorably to better-known contemporary power hitters like Honus Wagner (.467) and Sam Crawford (.452), and his .333 lifetime batting average might have earned him a spot in the Hall of Fame had he sustained it over a full career. But Donlin was "not serious about the game," and his love of the bottle and frequent stints in Vaudeville limited him to the equivalent of only seven full seasons.

Mike Donlin - BR Bullpen


Shibe Park, known later as Connie Mack Stadium, was home to the Philadelphia Athletics of the American League (AL) and the Philadelphia Phillies of the National League (NL). When it opened April 12, 1909, it became baseball's first steel-and-concrete stadium. Phillies Hall of Fame centerfielder, Richie Ashburn, remembered Shibe Park: "It looked like a ballpark. It smelled like a ballpark. It had a feeling and a heartbeat, a personality that was all baseball."

The ballpark was the site of some notable HR feats. On May 29, 1909, Frank "Home Run" Baker used his 52-ounce bat to hit the first home run in Shibe Park: 340 feet over the right field fence. Montreal Expos catcher John Bateman hit the last home run there on September 29, 1970, in the antepenultimate game played at the stadium. There’s an argument as to the longest HR hit there. Some say it was by Babe Ruth on May 21, 1930 when he hit one to right field over the 12-foot wall that landed in Opal Street, the alley behind the second row of houses, over 500 feet distant. Others say it was the one hit on this date in 1932 when Jimmie Foxx hit one of his 58 that year over the top deck in leftfield...a 550 footer. Ruth (1929) and Foxx (1940) were the first 2 sluggers to slam 500 career HRs so it’s it seems fitting it was one of them to hit the longest at Shibe Park. Foxx died on this date in 1967.

New York Yankees: History

Shibe Park



He may not have bet on Baseball but he could teach Pete Rose a thing or two about gambling. It was on this date in 1937 Rogers Hornsby was fired as the Manager of the St. Louis Browns for “just cause” in other words for betting on the ponies. It would be 16 years before he lands another job in the Majors but after being fired from the Browns Hornsby was unable to retire because he had lost so much money gambling over the years so he worked in the Minor Leagues wherever there was a job.

The Victoria Advocate - Google News Archive Search

The Baseball Historian: The Troubled Life of Rogers Hornsby: Part I

The Baseball Historian: The Troubled Life of Rogers Hornsby: Part II

In 1943 and 1944 Lew Flick managed to play 20 games in the Majors and collect a total of 7 base hits in 40 at-bats. Otherwise his professional Baseball career from 1934 to 1951 was spent in the Minors where he had a career Batting Average of .344. On this date in 1946 Flick playing for Little Rock (Southern Association) gets 9 straight hits in a 19-inning game to set a Professional Baseball record. Flick gets 3 more hits in the 2nd game of the doubleheader. 1 day, 12 hits…not a bad day’s work.

Lew Flick - BR Bullpen

It was on this date in 1970 Clay Kirby has a no-hitter going for 8 innings‚ but with 2 outs in the 8th and trailing 1-0‚ Padres manager Preston Gomez lifts him for a pinch hitter Cito Gaston. Gaston fails to get a hit off Mets' starter Jim McAndrew‚ and reliever Jack Baldschun gives up 2 runs in the 9th. The Padres lose 3-0.

July 21, 1970 New York Mets at San Diego Padres Play by Play and Box Score | Baseball-Reference.com

Moe Drawbowsky was born on this date in 1935. Moe who? Starting in 1956 he pitched 17 seasons in the Majors, mostly as a reliever. His performance in Game 1 of the 1966 World Series against the Dodgers in relief of Dave McNally is the single greatest relief performance I have ever seen. Apologies to any Dodger fan who might read this.

moe drabowsky 1966 world series - Google Search

October 5, 1966 World Series Game 1, Orioles at Dodgers | Baseball-Reference.com


Baseball Trivia: ( Answer Tomorrow )

In Baseball’s Live-Ball Era (1920-Present) there have been only two players score as many as 160 in a season and they both did so twice. Can you name these Hall of Famers.

The answer to yesterday’s question…Bill Singer-Dodgers 1969, Angels 1973 and Andy Messersmith- Angels 1971, Dodgers 1974 (There have been two pitchers win 20 Games in a season for both the Dodgers and Angels. Can you name either pitcher. Both pitchers accomplished this feat before Fred Lynn won the AL’s MVP Award.)

 

[67RedSox]

I can tell you that on this date in 1923 Washington's Walter Johnson notches his 3‚000th strikeout on the way to 3‚508. He fans 5 in beating Cleveland 3-1. He is the first to reach that milestone and it would be 51 years before Bob Gibson becomes the second member of the Club. The group now is at 16 and Johnson ranks 9th on the list.

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

His MLB career was brief, all of 6 days in 1910 but Albert “Soldier” Carson did make it to the Majors with the Cubs. In 2 games he tossed 6 2/3 innings. In 1909 he won 29 games for the Portland Beavers and his efforts that season led to the Cubs turning their attention to him. It was on this date in 1909 he made history in the Pacific Coast League when he tossed a 10-inning No-Hitter over the Los Angeles Angels at Lucky Beaver Stadium in Portland…the first extra-inning No-Hitter in Pacific Coast League history. His nickname was “Soldier” and when we talk about players who have seen been to War we don’t often think of the Spanish American War but Carson did so serve.

Al Carson Statistics and History | Baseball-Reference.com

It was on this date in 1950 the Athletics and White Sox hook up for a game at Philadelphia’s Shibe Park. It’s former AL MVP’er Bobby Shantz pitching for the Athletics against former AL Strikeout king Billy Pierce for the White Sox. The White Sox win the game 6-1 in front of a sparse crowd of 4,700 but what’s interesting about the game is that the combined weight of both of those diminutive starters ( 299 lbs. ) is less than that of the Dodgers Jonathan Broxton ( 305 lbs. )

July 22, 1950 Chicago White Sox at Philadelphia Athletics Play by Play and Box Score | Baseball-Reference.com

What are the chances of making it to Cooperstown as a player. I don’t know if anyone can give the precise odds of that happening but when you consider about 1 in 200 of all High School players get drafted and only 1 out of 10 who play professional baseball ever make it to the Majors and about 1 of every 88 Major Leaguers makes it to the Hall of Fame the chances are pretty slim. Suffice to say just making it to the Majors is a huge accomplishment. Having said all of that let me introduce you to Jesse Haines, a Hall of Famer, who was born on this date in 1893. Haines pitched for those great Cardinal teams of the 1920s and 1930s and who, it must be pointed out, was a teammate of Frankie Frisch’s, the Cardinal’s 2B, captain and Playing Manager on some of those great Cardinal teams. Frisch was able to honour the memories of some of his teammates when he joined the Hall of Fame's Veterans Committee in 1967. The outspoken, persuasive Frisch became a leader on the Committee, and sponsored six old Giants and Cardinals into the Hall. The analyst Bill James called them "simply appalling selections." They included Frisch's double-play partner Dave Bancroft, Giants first baseman George Kelly, and St. Louis pitcher Jesse Haines. Later historians judged them to be among the least deserving players ever elected. Indeed, among all players who played Post 1900 and who are in the HOF Jesse Haines is described as being the least deserving. In Hall of Fame voting between 1947 and 1962 the highest vote count he recorded was 8.3% when a vote of 75% is required for election. Suddenly, after Frisch comes to the Veterans Committee, Haines finds himself in the Hall of Fame in 1970. Here’s how Haines is described…Haines was a good--but not great--pitcher whose Hall of Fame status is a bit of a mystery. Haines managed to rack up 210 wins for his career, getting at least 20 three times, but that was mostly a product of the talented St. Louis Cardinals teams on which he played. Over the eleven seasons in which Haines started at least twenty games, he had an ERA under 3.00 only twice. The most number of batters he ever struck out in a season was 120, and his lowest WHIP was 1.270 (his career number was 1.350, among the worst in the Hall). He was a merely fine pitcher in an era with many a better pitcher.

The point of this rambling is not to discredit Haines as a MLB player…he was quite accomplished in that regard…but to address, with him as the example, a rather dark period in Cooperstown history of cronyism or as others called it…welcome to the Old Boys’ club.

Jesse Haines Statistics and History | Baseball-Reference.com


Baseball Trivia: ( Answer Tomorrow )

In 1973 Willie Stargell led the NL with 44 HRs. Who is the only Pirate to lead the NL in HRs in the 40+ years since Stargell. The year he did so Clayton Kershaw and Max Scherzer won the Cy Young Awards.

The answer to yesterday’s question…Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig (In Baseball’s Live-Ball Era (1920-Present) there have been only two players score as many as 160 in a season and they both did so twice. Can you name these Hall of Famers.)

 

[67RedSox]

There have been 694 different Managers in the history of MLB. Connie Mack, unique among Managers spent 53 seasons at the helm of the Athletics (50 seasons) and the Pirates (3 seasons) and won 3,731 games. Aside from Mack the Manager to win the most games in the Majors was John McGraw who won 2,763 games over 33 seasons. Between 1904-1924 his Giants won 10 NL Pennants. It was on this date in 1902 he won his 1st game managing the Giants, a 4-1 win over Brooklyn.

John McGraw Managerial Record | Baseball-Reference.com

John McGraw | SABR

Of Ray Grimes 6 ML seasons between 1920-1926 he played as a regular only two of those…the Chicago Cubs 1B in 1921 and 1922. Suffering a slipped disc while playing in 1923 limited his career thereafter. Too bad because he was a very good hitter…a .329 career Batting Average. On this date in 1922 he homers in Chicago's 4-1 win over the Dodgers‚ giving him at least one RBI per game for 17 in a row‚ a ML record that stands until this day. During the streak, Grimes drove in 27 runs and had 29 hits in 67 at-bats for a .433 batting average. He finished the 1922 season with 99 RBI, 99 runs, 45 doubles, 12 triples, 14 home runs, and hit .354, finishing as the runner-up in the National League batting title behind Rogers Hornsby’s .401.

Ray Grimes Statistics and History | Baseball-Reference.com

Pistol Pete Reiser, the toughest player to ever don a ML uniform, makes his ML debut at age 21 on this date in 1940 playing RF for the Brooklyn Dodgers. The following season he would win the NL Batting Crown with a Batting Average of .343.

Pete Reiser Statistics and History | Baseball-Reference.com

Pete Reiser

Dodger Hall of Famer Pee Wee Reese was born on this date in 1918. Teammate and fellow Hall of Famer Don Drysdale was born exactly 18 years later, on this date in 1936. Drysdale died in 1993, Reese in 1999.

Pee Wee Reese - BR Bullpen

Don Drysdale - BR Bullpen


Baseball Trivia: ( Answer Tomorrow )

Justin Verlander is the last AL pitcher to be named Rookie of the Year and later win a Cy Young Award. Can you name the last NL pitcher to do the same.

The answer to yesterday’s question…Pedro Alvarez, 2013 (In 1973 Willie Stargell led the NL with 44 HRs. Who is the only Pirate to lead the NL in HRs in the 40+ years since Stargell. The year he did so Clayton Kershaw and Max Scherzer won the Cy Young Awards.)

 

[HammerDown]

Trevor Hoffman is the greatest closer of all time.

 

[calsnowskier]

Trevor Hoffman is the greatest closer of all time.

Rivera got his saves on a great team. Hoffman accumulated his while playing for one of the bottom-feeder organizations. Not sure he wasn't the best...

 

[HammerDown]

Rivera got his saves on a great team. Hoffman accumulated his while playing for one of the bottom-feeder organizations. Not sure he wasn't the best...

He also had a normal performance curve.

Mariano? Not so much.

 

[Omar 382]

Of course, no one has hit 5 HRs in a single Major League game although there have been 16 players manage to hit 4 out in a game. Dick Lane of the Central League’s Muskegon Clippers hit 5 HRs in a game against the Fort Wayne Generals on this date in 1948 to become the last professional baseball player to hit 5 HRs in a single game. The Central League was a Minor League Baseball league that operated sporadically from 1903 to 1951. Before the current Minor League Baseball classification system was introduced in 1963, Minor Leagues/teams were classified from Class D up to Class Triple-A. In 1948 the Central League was classified as an “A” so it was a few rungs up the ladder. Lane’s performance went a long way toward his call-up to the White Sox. The odd thing about Lane’s HR outburst is that he was not a power hitter, hitting only 18 round-trippers in his professional baseball career.

Dick Lane - BR Bullpen

In Joe DiMaggio’s ML career he played a total of 1,722 games. 1,721 of those games were played in the outfield, almost all in CF. The one game he played in the Majors that was not in the outfield was on this date in 1950. With rookie Joe Collins not hitting and Tommy Henrich still injured‚ Casey Stengel asks Joe DiMaggio to play 1B in an experiment. In the 7-2 loss he handles 13 cleanly but is clearly not happy with the move. Stengel and DiMaggio’s relationship was iffy at best and Stengel going too far.

July 3, 1950 New York Yankees at Washington Senators Play by Play and Box Score | Baseball-Reference.com

New York Yankees: Casey Stengel Humiliated Joe DiMaggio | Bleacher Report

It happens…MLB players committing suicide. It has happened 87 times in the history of the Majors. It was on this date in 1951 that former Dodger pitcher, Hugh Casey, distraught over a few issues kills himself with a shotgun blast to the neck.

Rome News-Tribune - Google News Archive Search

Baseball Suicides

Jim O’Toole, who was the starting pitcher for the NL in the 1963 All-Star Game, was also a pretty good pitcher for the Reds and averaged 16 Wins a season for the first five seasons of the 1960s. He starts for the Reds against the Cubs on this date in 1960 a day after his wedding in Chicago. O'Toole takes the Loss as the Cubs pound him for 7 runs and 9 hits in less than 5 innings and win‚ 7-5. An unsympathetic Manager Hutchinson says‚ "It was his turn to pitch. I didn't tell him to get married."

Jim O'Toole Statistics and History | Baseball-Reference.com

In 1965 Tony Cloninger proved he was a pretty good pitcher when he won 24 games for the Milwaukee Braves, their last year in the brewery city before relocating to Atlanta. On June 16, 1966 he proved he was a pretty good hitter when he hit 2 HRs in a start against the Mets and drives in 5 runs to tie the NL record for most RBIs in a single game by a pitcher. I guess hitting 2 HRs and tying the RBI record just isn’t enough for Cloninger as on this date in 1966 he hits 2 grand slams and drives in 9 runs‚ as the Braves rout the Giants at Candlestick Park 17-3. Cloninger is the first NL player to slam two in a game‚ and the first pitcher ever‚ and his 9 RBIs are a ML record for pitchers‚ breaking Vic Raschi's mark of 7.

July 3, 1966 Atlanta Braves at San Francisco Giants Play by Play and Box Score | Baseball-Reference.com

List of Major League Baseball hitters with two grand slams in one game - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Gaylord Perry spent 22 seasons in the Majors and started 690 games. His Brother, Jim, spent 17 seasons in the Majors and started 447 games. With a combined 1,137 starts you would think they would have matched up every once in a while but they started against each other only once and it was on this date in 1973…Gaylord for the Indians and Jim for the Tigers. Despite the number of seasons and starts they played in the same League for only 4 seasons 1972-1975 with Gaylord spending 13 of his 22 seasons in the NL and Jim spending his entire career in the AL.

July 3, 1973 Detroit Tigers at Cleveland Indians Box Score and Play by Play | Baseball-Reference.com

HOF’er Don Drysdale, the NL’s CY Young Award winner in 1962, dies on this date in 1993 after suffering a heart attack in Sheraton Hotel in Montreal. Radio station employees were sent to look for him when he failed to make the bus for Olympic Stadium where the Dodgers were to play the Montreal Expos. Hotel staff entered his room and found him face down, near his bed. The coroner estimated that he had been dead for 18 hours.

Drysdale's broadcasting colleague Vin Scully, who was instructed not to say anything on the air until Drysdale's family was notified, announced the news of his death by saying "Never have I been asked to make an announcement that hurts me as much as this one. And I say it to you as best I can with a broken heart."

Among the personal belongings found in Drysdale's hotel room was a cassette tape of Robert F. Kennedy's victory speech after the 1968 California Democratic presidential primary, a speech given only moments before Senator Kennedy's assassination. In the speech, Kennedy had noted, to the cheers of the crowd, that Drysdale had pitched his sixth straight shutout that evening. Drysdale had apparently carried the tape with him wherever he went since Kennedy's murder.

Don Drysdale Statistics and History | Baseball-Reference.com



Baseball Trivia: ( Answer Tomorrow )

Who is the only ML pitcher to collect 80 Wins in 3 consecutive seasons since Dizzy Dean’s 82 Wins in 1934-35-36. Although averaging only about 21% of the vote by the Baseball Writers over 12 years the Veterans Committee put him in.

The answer to yesterday’s question… NL - Jim Thome, 2003 AL – Jim Rice, 1983 (Who is the last “Jim” to lead the NL in HRs in a single season and likewise the last “Jim” to lead the AL in HRs in a single season.)

Is that Drysdale video Paulie Walnuts?