TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY

1908       Rube Waddell fans sixteen of his former teammates when the Browns defeat the A’s at Sportsman’s Park, 5-4. During the off-season, a frustrated Connie Mack, Philadelphia’s owner and manager, traded his talented but free-spirit hurler to St. Louis.

1911       In the first game of a twin bill at Huntington Avenue Baseball Grounds, Red Sox right-hander Joe Wood whiffs twelve Browns en route to a 5-0 no-hitter. ‘Smokey,’ a nickname coined due to his blazing fastball, throws the fifth hitless game in franchise history, and last to be accomplished in the Boston ballpark.

1911       The Giants establish a franchise mark with nine stolen bases in the team’s 8-0 rout of the Redbirds at Robison Field in St. Louis. Eight different New York players contribute to the record, with seven of the nine bags pilfered off Cardinals backstop Jack Bliss.

1915       Pirates third baseman Honus Wagner reaches Robins hurler Jeff Pfeffer for a grand slam in the eighth inning, helping Pittsburgh beat Brooklyn at Forbes Field, 8-2. The inside-the-park round-tripper makes the 41 year-old infielder the oldest player ever to hit a home run with the bases full, a record which will last until 1985.

1919       At Navin Field, Dutch Leonard decides to pitch around Bob Roth with two outs in the ninth inning to face Babe Ruth. Although the Boston slugger, who has already reached the Detroit southpaw with two doubles, responds by tying an American League record with his ninth homer of the month and sixteenth of the season, the Tigers prevail, 10-8.

1928       The Indians follow-up their eight-run first inning with nine more tallies in the next frame in their 24-6 rout of the Yankees at Dunn Field. The Tribe’s third baseman Johnny Hodapp collects two singles in both the second and sixth frames.

1938       On the WGN’s White Sox pregame radio show, Yankee outfielder Jake Powel, in response to a Bob Elson question concerning his offseason employment as a Dayton, Ohio policeman, quips “I crack n*****s on the head.” Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis downplays the incident, describing the ballplayer’s comments as acting not “intentionally, but carelessly,” and will suspend the reserve flychaser for ten days.

1944       Annabelle Lee, the aunt of future major leaguer Bill Lee, pitches the first of five perfect games in the 12-year history of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. The Minneapolis Millerettes southpaw knuckleballer, who will toss a no-hitter for the Fort Wayne Daisies precisely one year from this date, doesn’t allow any batters to reach first base in the 18-0 rout of the Kenosha (WI) Comets.

1955       Smoky Burgess hits three home runs and drives in nine runs in the Reds’ 16-5 rout of Pittsburgh at Crosley Field. In addition to his grand slam and pair of two-run round-trippers, the Cincinnati catcher also collects a run-scoring single.

1968       At Connie Mack Stadium, Reds right-hander George Culver, facing 34 batters, throws a no-hitter, beating the Phillies, 6-1. Philadelphia tallies an unearned run in the second inning when Dick Allen reaches base on a throwing error by the third baseman, goes to second on another miscue on the same play, gets to third base on a groundout, and then scores on a sacrifice fly.

1969       Major League Baseball proclaims Joe DiMaggio as its greatest living player, a title the Yankee Clipper will proudly embrace until he died in 1999. Sportswriters made the determination in a poll conducted to coincide with the centennial of professional baseball.

1978       The Yankee Stadium crowd is pleasantly surprised as recently resigned manager Billy Martin returns to join in on the Old Timers’ Day festivities. Much to their delight, the fans respond with a seven-minute standing ovation when informed ‘Billy the Kid’ will return as the team’s skipper in 1980.

1983       Due to a dislocated thumb suffered in a collision at home plate in an attempt to score in the first game of the Padres’ doubleheader against Atlanta, first baseman Steve Garvey’s consecutive game streak ends in the nightcap at 1,207. At the time, the span is the third-longest in major league history without missing a game.

1986       Sparky Anderson, the first skipper to win the World Series in each league, also becomes the first manager to win 600 games in both the National and American Leagues when the Tigers beat the Brewers, 9-5.

1988       The Orioles trade pitcher Mike Boddicker to the Red Sox in return for Brady Anderson and Curt Schilling. Boddicker will have two successful years with Boston, and Anderson will become a productive leadoff hitter for Baltimore, with Schilling becoming one of baseball’s most dominant pitchers of his era.

1988       After home plate umpire Mike Reilly doesn’t grant his request for a time-out, Bo Jackson recovers in time to hit a home run despite not being set in the batter box when the pitch is delivered. The Royals left fielder’s fourth-inning three-run poke off Jeff Ballard contributes to Kansas City’s 6-3 victory over Baltimore at Memorial Stadium.

1989       The White Sox trade Harold Baines, their all-time home run leader, and left-fielder Fred Manrique to the Rangers for outfielders Scott Fletcher and Sammy Sosa, along with southpaw Wilson Alvarez. Three seasons later, the Pale Hose will send Slammin’ Sammy to the Cubs, where the Dominican slugger will hit 545 home runs during his 13-year stay with their crosstown rivals.

1989       Rickey Henderson steals five bases and scores four runs without getting an official time at-bat. The improbable offensive output occurs when the A’s leadoff hitter is issued four bases-on-balls by Randy Johnson, the winner in the M’s 14-6 victory at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.

1996       After a mild heart attack last month, Tommy Lasorda, 68 year-old Dodger manager of twenty years, announces his retirement due to his health. The future Hall of Fame skipper, named the National League Manager of the Year in 1983 and ’88, led Los Angeles to four pennants and two World Series championships during his 21 seasons at the helm.

1996       Chris Sabo will be suspended for seven games, losing approximately $70,000 in salary, and the Reds will be fined $25,000 as the result of his use of a doctored bat in today’s 2-1 loss to Houston at Cinergy Field. The Cincinnati third baseman will claim the bat, which was hollowed out and filled with pieces of rubber balls, wasn’t his, but one of three offered to him by the batboy after he had broken his bat during a plate appearance in the second inning.

1996       The Mets deal Jeff Kent along with Jose Vizcaino to the Indians for Carlos Baerga and Alvaro Espinoza. The trade, one of the worst in franchise history, will be a bust when Baerga hits only .267 in three non-productive seasons in the Big Apple, and Kent goes on to win an MVP award and posts Hall of Fame numbers for a second baseman during his 17-year tenure in the major leagues.

1998       Jon Garland, the Cubs’ first-round draft pick last season, is traded in a deadline deal for White Sox reliever Matt Karchner, who will struggle with a 5.14 ERA in 29 appearances for the crosstown rivals. The Pale Hose’s rookie right-hander will spend the first eight seasons of his career with the South Siders, compiling a 92-81 (.532) record and an ERA of 4.41 for his new team.

2000       The Brewers hold Bob Wickman All-Star Poster Night a day after the team trades their reliable reliever along with Jason Bere and Steve Woodard to the Indians for a player to be named later (Marco Scutaro), Kane Davis, Paul Rigdon, and Richie Sexson. The Brew Crew gives away 30,000 pictures of their former closer, who played for the team for the past five seasons, on a night they are routed by the Rockies, 10-2, with Rigdon, one of the players in the trade, allowing four runs on seven hits over five innings in his Milwaukee debut.

2000       Recently acquired from Baltimore, the new Mets make a good first impressions. Mike Bordick, goes 2-for-3, including a home run on the first pitch he sees with the team, Rick White pitches a scoreless inning to get the win, and the other newcomer, Bubba Trammell, will homer in his first at-bat in his Met debut tomorrow.

2000       The White Sox trade catcher Brook Fordyce and three minor league pitchers to the Orioles for catcher Charles Johnson and designated hitter Harold Baines. The deal brings Baines, who will retire after playing a very part-time role with the team for two seasons, back to Chicago, where he played a dozen of the most productive years of his 22-year tenure in the major leagues.

2000       With two outs in the ninth inning at Olympic Stadium, Eddie Taubensee knots the score at 3-3 with his game-tying home run off Expos starting pitcher Javier Vazquez. The Reds catcher then homers again in the 11th off Julio Santana for the game-winner in Cincinnati’s 4-3 win over Montreal.

2001       Texas rookie Craig Monroe homers in his first major league game, going deep in his second at-bat off Joe Kennedy. The 24 year-old right fielder’s fifth-inning blast contributes to the Rangers’ 2-0 victory over the Devil Rays at The Ballpark in Arlington.

2002       “To protect the game we all love and have given so much to, we suggest you agree to a qualified mediator that will allow you to find the common ground necessary to avoid a work stoppage.” – TEXT FROM 40 HALL OF FAMERS, sent to Bud Selig and Donald Fehr.

The text of the letter signed by 40 Hall of Famers and sent to baseball commissioner Bud Selig and union head Donald Fehr urges all sides ‘to protect the game we all love and have given so much to, we suggest you agree to a qualified mediator that will allow you to find the common ground necessary to avoid a work stoppage” is released. The former outstanding players, which include Reggie Jackson, Willie Mays, and Warren Spahn, believe another work stoppage in baseball would be a terrible mistake.

2002       After playing the annual Hall of Fame exhibition game in Cooperstown, the White Sox and Rockies announce a trade that sends veteran catcher Sandy Alomar Jr. to Colorado, with right-hander class A minor-league pitcher Enemencio Pacheco going to Chicago.

2002       The Phillies trade 27 year-old third baseman, Scott Rolen, along with minor league reliever Doug Nickle, to the Cardinals in exchange for infielder Placido Polanco, southpaw Bud Smith, and reliever Mike Timlin. Reportedly, the former Philadelphia third sacker rejected a ten-year pact estimated to be worth $140 million, due to his feud with manager Larry Bowa.

2003       Bill Mueller becomes the first switch-hitter, batting both left and right-handed, to blast two grand slams in the same game. Not known for his power, the Red Sox third baseman, batting eighth in the Boston lineup, also goes deep in the third inning, collecting 9 RBIs in the team’s 14-7 victory the Rangers at The Ballpark in Arlington.

2004       In a 10-1 victory over the Expos, Eric Valent becomes the eighth player in franchise history to hit for the cycle. After singling in the second, doubling in the third, and homering in the fifth, the Mets’ utility player triples in the seventh to join Phillies David Bell, Pirates Daryle Ward, and Chad Moeller of the Brewers to accomplish the feat this season.

2006       With a 19-6 rout of the Yankees at the Stadium, the Devil Rays tie a franchise record for runs. Batting last, Tampa Bay third baseman Tomas Perez adds to the barrage with four doubles, equaling the major league mark for two-baggers hit in one game.

2006       Julio Franco becomes the oldest player to pinch run when he takes Carlos Delgado’s place on the basepaths after a pitch hits the Mets’ infielder in the fourth inning. The 47 year-old pinch-runner, who will stay in the game to play first, steals second base and will advance to third on the catcher’s error in the Mets’ 11-4 win over Atlanta at Turner Field.

2008       With a tip of his helmet for the ovation from the Rangers fans, Ichiro Suzuki acknowledges his achievement of reaching 3,000 hits in professional baseball. The 34 year-old Mariners outfielder had collected 1,278 hits with the Orix Blue Wave in Japan’s Pacific League, and his first-inning single off Texas right-hander Luis Mendoza was his 1,722nd hit with Seattle during eight seasons with the team.

2008       In a 4-1 win over the Marlins at Dolphin Stadium, Mets third baseman David Wright scores in his 13th consecutive game, establishing a new franchise record. Teammate Carlos Beltran had set the previous team mark in 2006.

2008       In a surprising pre-deadline trade, the banged-up Braves, and the first-place Angels exchange first basemen, with switch-hitting slugger Mark Teixeira sent to Los Angeles with Casey Kotchman and minor league pitching prospect Steve Marek going to Atlanta. Teixeira, acquired from Texas last July in a seven-player deal, including Jarrod Saltalamacchia, is eligible for free agency at the end of the season.

2009       In an attempt to upgrade their starting rotation, the first-place Phillies obtain Cliff Lee from the Indians. The defending World champs also get outfielder Ben Francisco in the deal, trade pitching prospects Carlos Carrasco and Jason Knapp, infielder Jason Donald, and catcher Lou Marson to get last season’s AL Cy Young Award Winner.

2009       The Pirates spend a busy day on the trading block, sending 2006 batting champ Freddy Sanchez to the Giants for 20 year-old former first-round draft pick Tim Alderson, a right-hander with excellent control. The Bucs also deal shortstop Jack Wilson and pitcher Ian Snell to the Mariners for shortstop Ronny Cedeno and four minor leaguers, including triple-A catcher-first baseman Jeff Clement.

2009       The Royals play an entire game without registering a single defensive assist for the first time in franchise history in their 7-3 loss to Baltimore at Camden Yards. During Kansas City’s eight innings in the field, the team records 24 outs via nine strikeouts, 13 fly outs, and two unassisted groundouts handled by first baseman Billy Butler.

2010       After Roy Oswalt gives his approval to a trade from the Astros to the Phillies, Philadelphia sends J.A. Happ, outfielder Anthony Gose, and shortstop Jonathan Villar to Houston for the three-time All-Star hurler and a considerable amount of cash. The 32 year-old right-hander compiled a respectable 3.24 ERA, but posted only a 6-12 record, due to a severe lack of run support.

2010       The front-running Padres trade Double-A right-hander Wynn Pelzer to the Orioles to obtain veteran infielder Miguel Tejada. San Diego is hoping the 36 year-old former American League Most Valuable Player can help the potential playoff team, both in the field and at the plate, with his 14 years of experience in the major leagues.

2010       The Orioles hire 54 year-old Buck Showalter to become the club’s 19th skipper. The two-time American League Manager of the Year (1994 Yankees and 2004 Rangers) takes over a team with the worst record in the major leagues at 31-70 but guides Baltimore to play 11 games over .500 in the remaining 57 games of the season, after taking the reins on August 2nd.

2010       The Twins acquire Matt Capps (3-3, 2.74 ERA, 26/30 saves) and $500,000 from the Nationals for highly touted catching prospect Wilson Ramos and southpaw minor leaguer Joe Testa. Minnesota will use Washington’s only All-Star as its closer, filling a void created during spring training when Joe Nathan underwent Tommy John surgery.

2011       The Phillies acquire Hunter Pence from the last-place Astros for a trio of highly-touted minor leaguers, Jarred Cosart, Jon Singleton, and Josh Zeid. The 28 year-old right-fielder joins Philadelphia with a .309 average, 11 homers, and 62 RBIs.

2013       Jason Giambi (42 years, six months, 22 days) becomes the oldest major leaguer to stroke a walk-off homer, pinch-hitting a two-run blast off Ramon Troncoso in the Indians’ 3-2 come-from-behind victory over the White Sox at Progressive Field. Hank Aaron (42 years, five months, seven days) previously held the distinction with his game-winning round-tripper against Texas on July 11th, 1976.

2014       In the longest game (by time) in Cubs’ history, John Baker becomes the first position player to earn a victory since Oriole first baseman Chris Davis accomplished the feat in 2012. In the six-hour and 27-minute marathon played at Wrigley Field, the backup catcher tosses a scoreless 16th inning and then scores the winning run in the bottom of the frame, giving Chicago a 4-3 victory over Colorado.

2016       The Nationals accomplish the first 3-3-5 triple play in major league history when, with the bases loaded, Giants cleanup hitter Brandon Crawford lines out to first baseman Ryan Zimmerman, who steps on the bag for the second out before throwing to third baseman Anthony Rendon to catch Denard Span for the third out. Washington’s eighth-inning triple killing, the team’s first since moving from Montreal twelve years ago, contributes to the first-place club’s 4-2 victory over San Francisco at AT&T Park.

1963 WORLD SERIES

The National League champion Los Angeles Dodgers had rebounded from a late-season collapse in 1962 and went on to win the National League pennant with a six game lead over the St. Louis Cardinals. The biggest factor in the team’s comeback was an all-star pitching combination featuring a young lefty named Sandy Koufax and a right-hander named Don Drysdale. Koufax had struck out a staggering three-hundred six batters in three-hundred eleven innings and his counterpart had won nineteen games with a 2.63 ERA. Veteran Johnny Podres had added fourteen wins of his own (five of them shutouts) and ace reliever Ron Perranoski made sixty-nine appearances while going 16-3 with a 1.67 ERA. Their opponents, to no surprise, were their long-time rivals the New York Yankees, who in classic “Bomber style”, boasted four sluggers with twenty or more home runs and an equally qualified pitching rotation. Whitey Ford had twenty-four victories and Jim Bouton, Ralph Terry and Al Downing prospered as well winning the American League pennant by 10½ games. It was the seventh meeting in the Fall Classic between the two ball clubs with the American Leaguers leading the marathon 6-1.

Koufax went against Ford in the opener and quickly set the pace by striking out his first five batters including Tony Kubek, Bobby Richardson, Tom Tresh, Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris. Before the Yankees had a single hit off the rising left-hander, his team was up 4-0. Former Yankee Bill Skowron (who had been obtained after the ’62 Series) singled home a Dodger run in the top of the second and John Roseboro cracked a three run homer later that inning. He added another run in the third and Koufax continued to dominate at the mound. After four innings, the Yankees were still waiting for their first base runner and things would not get much better. After sitting down Mantle, the Dodger ace forced Maris to foul out, but allowed the “Pinstripes” to load the bases on consecutive singles by Elston Howard, Joe Pepitone and Clete Boyer. The threat quickly disappeared though as Hector Lopez (batting for Ford) became the eleventh K victim. After striking out pinch-hitter Phil Linz in the eighth, Koufax had moved one K within Carl Erskine’s single Series game strikeout record of fourteen. The record would have to wait though as a late-inning homer by Tresh stalled the impending celebration, but it was only a matter of time. The first three of New York’s final four outs in Koufax’s 5-2 triumph came on a grounder, a liner and a fly ball. The last out of the game was record-breaking strikeout No. 15, with pinch-hitter Harry Bright submitting the score.

Podres attempted to keep Los Angele’s momentum alive in Game 2 and combined with two out relief from Perranoski to beat the Yankees, 4-1. Willie Davis set the pace at the plate with a two run double in the first and was followed by Skowron’s homer in the fourth. Adding to the Yankees frustration was the Series-ending injury to outfielder Roger Maris who was hurt running into a rail in pursuit of a Tommy Davis triple. With a two-games-to-none lead, the Dodgers returned to their newly christened west coast palace known as Dodger Stadium. Don Drysdale made the homecoming even sweeter with a three hit, 1-0 victory that ended with nine more strikeouts for the Yankees. Bouton had completed the outing while holding his own, but surrendered the critical game-winning run in the first on Jim Gilliam’s walk, a wild pitch and a single by Tommy Davis, who had just captured his second straight National League batting championship.

In a classic rematch of the Series opener, Ford and Koufax went at it again as one pitcher tried to complete a sweep and the other attempted to keep his team alive. Both adversaries held each other scoreless until the fifth inning when the Dodger’s Frank Howard launched a rocket homer to left. Mantle evened the score with a blast of his own in the seventh after going a miserable one for thirteen in Series at bats. Maury Wills, known primarily for his speed (one-hundred four steals in ’62) regained the lead for the Dodgers in the bottom of the inning and from there on it was all Los Angeles. First, Gilliam led off the eighth with a high-bouncer that resulted in a critical Yankees infield error between Pepitone and Boyer who had missed to connect on the throw. Then, Willie Davis came in with a sacrifice fly to deep center field that scored his leadoff man. Finally, Koufax stayed in to finish the job and went on for the six hit, eight K, 2-1 triumph that not only swept the Yankees, but also ended their latest consecutive Series winning streak at two.