TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY

September 15, 1977, During the 1970s, four American League games ended in forfeit. Three came from fan chaos: the Senators’ farewell in Washington (1971), Cleveland’s infamous 10-cent beer night (1974), and Chicago’s Disco Demolition Night (1979). The fourth, however, came for a very different reason — Orioles manager Earl Weaver refusing to risk player safety in Toronto on September 15, 1977.

Baltimore entered the series in Toronto chasing the Yankees for the AL East crown. Riding a four-game streak, the Orioles swept a Wednesday doubleheader to jump ahead of Boston. A Thursday win would have kept their hopes alive. The Blue Jays, meanwhile, were enduring a 107-loss expansion season.

Rookie Jim Clancy started for Toronto against Baltimore’s Ross Grimsley. After a scoreless early stretch, the Blue Jays struck for four runs in the fourth, keyed by Rick Cerone’s RBI double and solid support hitting. With Toronto leading 4-0, steady rain made the playing surface increasingly treacherous.

The dispute began when Toronto’s grounds crew covered the bullpen mounds down the left-field line with a tarp. Weaver argued the tarp was a hazard, citing left fielder Andrés Mora’s stumble the day before. For 20 minutes he pressed umpire Marty Springstead to remove it, but the crew only folded the tarp in half. Blue Jays manager Roy Hartsfield wanted it left in place to keep relievers from warming up “in a quagmire.”

Unmoved, Weaver pulled his team off the field. The Orioles voted unanimously not to continue under those conditions. When the umpires refused further action, the game was declared a 9-0 forfeit in favor of Toronto.

Weaver defended his decision bluntly: “I’ll take the loss rather than have someone hurt. Maybe Hartsfield doesn’t give a damn about his players, but I do.” Baltimore’s GM Hank Peters backed him, though opinions in the press were split — some praising Weaver’s stand, others calling it a tantrum.

AL President Lee MacPhail upheld the forfeit. The Orioles won 10 of their final 15 games but couldn’t catch New York. Weaver stayed in charge another six seasons, capturing the 1979 pennant. His stance in Toronto remains one of baseball’s rare forfeits — a stand for safety in the middle of a pennant race.

TRIVIA Sponsored by Classic Baseball Broadcasts — Start you free trial here.

Game of The Day:

Game of the Day — September 15, 1978 Boston Red Sox vs New York Yankees

Todays Podcast

September 15 highlights and Historic Days!

September 15, 1960 – Giants superstar Willie Mays ties a major league mark by hitting three triples in an 8-6 victory over the Phillies.

September 15, 1961: The Yankees set a new American League record for most homers in a season as they split a doubleheader in Detroit, winning 11 – 1 and losing 4 -2. Round Trippers by Bill Skowron and Yogi Berra in the opener help Whitey Ford win his 24th and increase New York’s homer total to 222.

September 15, 1990: Despite solo homers in the 5th by brothers Billy Ripken and Cal Ripken, both off David Wells, the Orioles lose 4 – 3 to Toronto. The brothers would homer together once more in 1996, again in the same inning. The Ripken Brothers joint stint in Baltimore, while managed by their father Cal Sr. from 1987 to 1988, marked the first time a father has managed two of his sons on the same team in the bigs.

September 15, 2003 Rafael Palmeiro joins Jimmie Foxx as the only players to hit 35 homers and drive in 100 runs in nine consecutive seasons. The Hall of Fame member Foxx accomplished the feat playing for the A’s and Red Sox from 1932 to 1940.

September 15, 2003: With his 2,063rd career base on balls, Barry Bonds passes Babe Ruth on the all-time walks list. The Giant left fielder now only trails Rickey Henderson, who has 2,190 free passes.

Milestones September 15

 ANSWER TO TODAY’S TRIVIA

TRIVIA ANSWER: MOE DRABOWSKY

• Ans. on 06-Oct-1966, Drabowsky’s name and photo were in every newspaper in the country, a day after winning Game 1 of the 1966 World Series and striking out 11 Dodgers including 6: Jim Barbieri, Maury Wills, Willie Davis, Lou Johnson, Tommy Davis & Jim Lefebvre, in a row!

• #1 Musial’s 3,000th: 13-May-1958. Wynn’s 300th victory: 13-Jul-1963(2).

• #2 He became famous for easing the boredom sometimes felt by fellow relief pitchers in the bullpen.

• #3 The food never arrived.

Thank you Horsehide Trivia

JOIN CLASSIC BASEBALL BROADCASTS TODAY

TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY

September 14, 1968, Detroit’s Denny McLain started the morning with his usual routine—eggs, sausage, and a Pepsi. By afternoon, he was chasing history. No pitcher had reached 30 wins since Dizzy Dean in 1934, and the entire nation was watching on NBC’s “Game of the Week.”

Tiger Stadium was packed with 33,688 fans, including Dean himself, cowboy hat and all. McLain, already 29–5, joked with reporters before the game. He knew the stakes. Oakland, a middle-of-the-pack team, was in town, but they had a budding star in 22-year-old Reggie Jackson.

Jackson quickly made sure the day wouldn’t be easy. He homered in the fourth and again in the sixth, driving in three runs. By the ninth, McLain’s Tigers trailed 4–3. Win No. 30 looked out of reach.

Then came the comeback. Al Kaline worked a leadoff walk. Mickey Stanley singled him to third. Jim Northrup chopped a slow roller to first, and a wild throw home allowed Kaline to score the tying run. The old ballpark shook.

Willie Horton then ended it. With the outfield drawn in, he ripped a line drive over left fielder Jim Gosger’s head. Stanley crossed the plate with the winning run, and Tiger Stadium erupted in bedlam. One writer compared it to “V-J Day all over again.”

McLain finished with nine innings pitched, six hits allowed, four runs, and 10 strikeouts. Jackson, despite his two homers, was left fuming. “All for nothing,” he said. Dizzy Dean, by contrast, was thrilled. “One of the greatest games I ever saw.”

As fans roared, McLain stood in awe. “Look at those people! I can’t believe it!” he shouted. When asked how he’d celebrate, his answer was classic McLain: “Drink more Pepsi. A whole lot of Pepsi.”

TRIVIA Sponsored by Classic Baseball Broadcasts — Start you free trial here.

Game of The Day:

Game of the Day — September 14, 1968 Oakland Athletics at Detroit Tigers

Todays Podcast

September 14 highlights and Historic Days!

September 14, 1923: Red Sox first baseman George Burns completes an unassisted triple play against the Indians as he gathers in a Frank Brower line drive, tags Rube Lutzke coming from first, and beats Riggs Stephenson back to second.

September 14, 1980, in a 10 – 7 win over the Cubs, Lee Mazzilli homers to break a drought
for Mets. It is the team’s first homer in 175 2/3 innings, going back to August 26 when Claudell Washington homered. This would be the longest drought for the rest of the century.

September 14, 1990 Seattle’s Ken Griffey and his son, Ken Griffey Jr., become the first father and son to hit homers in the same major league game. Angels pitcher Kirk McCaskill gives up the back-to-back homers in the first inning in California’s eventual 7-5 win over the Mariners. When Griffey Sr. signed with the Mariners (Griffey Jr.’s team at the time), no father and son had ever even played together on the same team. The exceptionally talented family pair played together for just 2 seasons, in 1990 and 1991, as Senior’s career was winding down and Junior’s path to the Hall of Fame was beginning. The Angels Dave Winfield told The Sporting News, ““I don’t like seeing it done against us, but it was nice to see. It’s like keeping up with the Joneses, but now it’s keeping up with Griffeys. It’s great for baseball and great for Seattle.” At the time of the game, Griffey Jr., 20 years old, was the youngest player in the majors while Griffey Sr., 40 years old, was the 7th oldest

September 14, 1994 – The remainder of the baseball season is canceled by acting commissioner Bud Selig after 34 days of the players’ strike. The last 50 games of the season and post season were cancelled due to the strike called by the Players Association and their leader Don Fehr. The World Series would not be played for the first time in 90 years. The strike was finally ended by a ruling from future Chief Justice Sonia Sotomayor.

September 14, 2002, Derek Lowe wins his 20th game as the Red Sox beat the Orioles, 6 – 4.
Lowe becomes the first pitcher in history to win 20 games the season after saving 20. He is also the first to record at least 40 saves and later win 20 games. Dennis Eckersley and John Smoltz did it the other way around.

Milestones September 14

 ANSWER TO TODAY’S TRIVIA

TRIVIA ANSWER: BILL FREEHAN

• Ans. Freehan played 1961, 1963-1976 for DET.

• #1 Freehan started and finished the 15-inning 1967 MLB ASG even through Andy Etchebarren & Paul Casanova were available. It was Casanova’s sole ASG selection, Etchebarren’s 1 of 2 (1966) but neither man ever saw All-Star action.

• #2 Behind the mic for SEA 1979-1980 alongside Mariner favorites Dave Niehaus and Ken Wilson.

Thank you Horsehide Trivia

JOIN CLASSIC BASEBALL BROADCASTS TODAY

TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY

September 13, 1965 - At the Astrodome facing Don Nottebart, Giant outfielder Willie Mays becomes the fifth player in major league history to hit 500 career home runs. Mays stands and watches as the ball lands deep in the tunnel beyond centerfield at the Astrodome - an estimated 430-footer.

The "Say Hey Kid" will hit a league-leading and career-high 52 home runs en route to his second MVP season. Juan Marichal gets his 22nd victory, a 5 - 1 decision over Houston. It is the 11th straight win for San Francisco, which now has a 2 1/2 game lead in the National League pennant race. Mays also become the first African-American and first former Negro Leaguer to reach the 500 home run plateau. Mays would pass Mel Ott on both the All-Time National League home run list on May 4, 1966. Mays would remain the National League All-Time hit list until he was passed by Hank Aaron on June 10, 1972.

At the time the other players with 500 homeruns were:

Babe Ruth August 11, 1929
Jimmie Foxx September 24, 1940
Mel Ott August 1, 1945
Ted Williams June 17, 1960

After Mays: Mickey Mantle, Harmon Killebrew, Hank Aaron, Ernie Banks and Eddie Mathews all joined the club. Some folks in the press called it an assault on the records!

Exactly six years later . . . .

On September 13, 1971, At Memorial Stadium, Frank Robinson of the Baltimore Orioles rips home runs in each game of a doubleheader against the Detroit Tigers to become the 11th man to enter the 500-home run club. Robinson's 500th was a ninth-inning three-run homer off Fred Scherman, who pitches 8 2/3 innings in relief of Joe Niekro in the Orioles' 10-5 loss to the Tigers, the Tigers amassed 17 hits in the blow out.

The Baltimore right fielder connected off Mike Kilkenny for #499 in Game 1 of the doubleheader, a 9-1 Birds' victory, it was Baltimore starter Dave McNally's 13th consecutive win.

Robinson’s 28 home runs in 1971 will help the Orioles win the American League pennant.

YouTube video by ThisDayInBaseball
Frank Robinson 11th man to enter into 500 Homerun Club

TRIVIA Sponsored by Classic Baseball Broadcasts — Start you free trial here.

Game of The Day:

Game of the Day — September 13, 1979 Pittsburgh vs Montreal

Todays Podcast

September 13 highlights and Historic Days!

September 13, 1902 -- Johnny Evers, acquired to replace second baseman Bobby Lowe, who broke his ankle, joins shortstop Joe Tinker and first baseman Frank Chance on the Chicago infield, marking the first time the three Cubs' infielders have played together. The legendary double play trio will be immortalized in Franklin Pierce Adams' baseball poem, "Baseball's Sad Lexicon," better known as "Tinker to Evers to Chance". Germany Schaefer is at 3B as Chicago clips St. Louis, 12 - 0.

September 13, 1909 - Ty Cobb clinches the American League home run title with his 9th round-tripper. It is an inside-the-park drive against the Browns. In fact, all his nine home runs this season are inside-the-park, including two on July 15th. Only Sam Crawford (12 in 1901) has hit more inside-the-park homers in a year than Cobb. The Georgia Peach will hit 117 round-trippers during his 24-year career, but this is the only season he will lead the league.

September 13, 1931 -- At Wrigley Field, the Cubs win 11 - 7 over the Braves when player-manager Rogers Hornsby cracks an 11th-inning pinch grand slam. This is the first extra-inning pinch grand slam in major league history. The Cubs take the second game, 8 - 1, behind Guy Bush's one-hitter, his second of the year. His first was against the Cards on August 9th.

September 13, 1946, Ted Williams stroked an inside-the-park home run in the first inning to lead the Boston Red Sox to a 1-0 victory over the Cleveland Indians. Cleveland player-manager Lou Boudreau executed a shift against the left-handed-hitting Williams, LF Fat Pat Seerey pulls in behind the SS position which left a large expanse of left field open—and Williams jumped on a pitch from Cleveland right-hander Red Embree and drilled it into left field for the only inside-the-park homer of his career. It not only gave the Red Sox the win, it clinched the American League pennant when the New York Yankees defeated the second-place Detroit Tigers a short time later. The Boston margin at the season's end will be 12 games. Boston's first American League pennant since 1918.

1951 Pennant!
September 13, 1951 -- The St Louis Cardinals play a rare doubleheader. The first in the 20th century, with two different teams, defeating the New York Giants, 6 - 4, in the first game in the afternoon when they score six runs against Sal Maglie in the 2nd inning. In the nightcap, against the Boston Braves, the Cardinals managed just one hit - by pitcher Al Brazle - in losing to Warren Spahn, 2 - 0. The Cardinals' total attendance is 8,865 - 4,160 for the Giants and 4,705 for the Braves. It is the first time since 1883 that a three-team twin bill has been played.

The Giants will go 14 - 2 after this game. Sweeping the Cubs, Pirates, Phillies, and the Braves twice.

September 13, 1958 -- At County Stadium the Milwaukee Braves' Warren Spahn becomes the first lefty to win 20 or more games nine times, as he beats St. Louis, 8 - 2. Eddie Plank and Lefty Grove each won 20 games eight times. Spahn helps his own cause with 3 hits and 2 RBI's, he only gives up 2 hits in his complete game effort.

September 13, 1962 -- Washington OF Jim Piersall is arrested for going into the stands after a heckling fan prior to a game against Baltimore. He is charged with disorderly conduct but later cleared. Joe Hicks replaces Jimmy in the 7 - 1 loss to the Orioles. O's winning pitcher Chuck Estrada clouts one of the three Orioles homers.

September 13, 1967 -- At Comiskey Park Cleveland and Chicago play a marathon 17-inning game, the White Sox ultimately winning, 1 - 0, on a game-ending RBI single by Rocky Colavito against his former squad. The contest features excellent starting pitching by Sonny Siebert and Gary Peters. Siebert goes 11 innings, allowing just 4 hits and 0 walks to Chicago batters. Peters also pitches 11 innings, yielding only 1 hit while walking 10 Indians.

The White Sox have fallen 3 games off the lead, the Twins & Red Sox are tied at the top with the Tigers a game behind.

September 13, 1969 -- Bobby Bonds, with his first-inning two-run homer off Jim Maloney in the Giants' 6-4 defeat of the Cincinnati Reds at Candlestick Park, becomes the fourth player in major league history to steal at least 30 bases and hit at least thirty home runs in the same season. The other members of the 30/30 club are Ken Williams (1922-Browns), Willie Mays (1956 & 1957-Giants), and Hank Aaron (1963-Braves). Bonds will have four more 30-30 seasons during his career.

September 13, 1978 -- At Tiger Stadium, the visiting Yankees defeat Detroit, 7-3, to take sole possession of first place for the first time this season. On July 19, the Bronx Bombers trailed the Red Sox by 14 games in the American East Division.

September 13, 1983 -- Oakland's Rickey Henderson steals three bases in a 6 - 5 win over Texas to give him 101 for the season and a modern era major record three consecutive seasons with 100 or more.

Vince Coleman will match Henderson’s feat 1985-1987.

September 13, 1986 - at Yankee Stadium Boston Red Sox left fielder Jim Rice charged into the stands Saturday after a spectator snatched his cap and then used what Rice later said were racial slurs.

September 13, 2002 -- The U.S. Senate passes S. Res. 327, a resolution honoring Tiger broadcaster Ernie Harwell, who is retiring at end of the season. The 84 year-old has been a major league baseball announcer for 55 years.

Milestones September 13

 ANSWER TO TODAY’S TRIVIA

TRIVIA ANSWER: FRANK ROBINSON

• Expos mgr 2002-04; Nationals mgr 2005-06

• 1966 AL TC

Thank you Horsehide Trivia

JOIN CLASSIC BASEBALL BROADCASTS TODAY

TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY

September 12, 1979, future Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski of the Boston Red Sox collects his 3,000th hit against Jim Beattie during a 9-2 win over the rival New York Yankees. Yaz becomes the first American League player to reach 3,000 hits and 400 home runs.

October 1, 1967: All That Yaz
The Red Sox survived a wild, free-for-all pennant race by defeating Minnesota 5-3 on the season’s final day to grab the AL flag by a game each over the Twins and Detroit, and three over the Chicago White Sox—all of whom had entered the final weekend with a shot at first place. The Boston stars shined on this day; starting pitcher Jim Lonborg went the distance, bending but not breaking and collecting his 22nd win of the year, while Carl Yastrzemski—white hot through late September and crucially aiding the Sox’ pennant surge—was a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate, singling in the first of five runs in the sixth-inning rally that gave Boston all the offense it would need for the day. Double plays turned by the Red Sox in each of the last two innings helped Lonborg secure the win and the pennant, the team’s first in 21 years. (From this great game)

In one of the greatest single-season performances in history, Yaz led the Sox to their "Impossible Dream" pennant. In the final 12 games, Yaz had 23 hits in 44 at-bats (.523), with five home runs, 14 runs scored and 16 RBI. The Red Sox needed to win the last two games against the Twins to avoid a three-way tie with Minnesota and Detroit. Yaz went 7-for-8 with five RBI in the doubleheader, including a three-run homer in the first game. He also snuffed out a Twin rally by throwing out Bob Allison at second base on what looked like a sure double. He won the Triple Crown, and was honored as AL MVP. He missed out on a unanimous MVP by one vote (Cesar Tovar received one first-place vote).

More Yaz? We have over 120 Games and 16 Interviews, including 1967, 1975 World Series and many games from the dynamic 1978 season that you can stream here. 

TRIVIA Sponsored by Classic Baseball Broadcasts — Start you free trial here.

Game of The Day:

Game of the Day — September 12, 1981 Boston Red Sox vs New York Yankees

Todays Podcast

September 12 highlights and Historic Days!

September 12, 1930 -- The last major league bounced home run is hit by Dodger catcher Al Lopez at Ebbets Field as the NL joins the American League, which had enacted the rule change in 1929. The player who hits the ball over the wall on a bounce will now be awarded a ground-rule double.

With two on in the fourth inning, Robins catcher Al López – who was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame as a manager in 1977 – roped the pitch of Cincinnati Reds pitcher Ray Kolp deep into the Ebbets Field alley. The ball hit the outfield grass and climbed over the left field wall. But instead of being awarded two bases, López’s modern day “ground-rule double” was correctly called a home run.

September 12, 1932 -- In the bottom of the 9th, Johnny Frederick hits his major league record-setting sixth pinch-homer of the season off Burleigh Grimes, giving the Dodgers a 4 - 3 victory over the Cubs. Frederick's six pinch-hit home runs doubles the previous record of three held by Ham Hyatt in 1913, Cy Williams in 1928, and Pat Crawford in 1929. With just nine pinch-hits altogether, his home run percentage is a major league record. The Brooklyn outfielder’s major league mark will not be broken for 68 years until another Dodger, Dave Hansen, strokes seven round-trippers coming off the bench in 2000.

September 12, 1947 Babe Ruth Returns to Fenway for the Final Time. Managers and future Hall of Famers Joe Cronin of the Red Sox and Lou Boudreau of The Cleveland Indians look on as The Babe suggests that he may have hit 80 home runs in a season instead of 60 under present paying conditions. Ruth would die of cancer the following August.

September 12, 1952 -- At Forbes Field, the Pirates become the first team to use protective headgear, a precursor to the batting helmet, that protects the players' temples. Branch Rickey's innovation, worn both at the plate and in the field in the Bucs' twin bill split with Boston, is a plastic hat with a foam layer attached to the hat band.

Braves pitcher Ernie Johnson is given 16 runs by his Boston teammates‚ as he coasts to a 16-0 nitecap win against the Pirates. The Bucs win the opener‚ 8-1‚ behind Bob Friend and Ralph Kiner. Kiner blasts his 35th and 36th homers‚ each with a man on‚ to stay one back of Sauer of the Cubs.

September 12, 1954, the five-time defending world champion New York Yankees are eliminated from the pennant race.

A standing-room-only crowd of 84,587 at Cleveland's Municipal Stadium, which establishes the record for the largest crowd to have ever watched a major-league baseball game, witness the pennant-bound Indians sweep a doubleheader from the Yankees, 4 - 1 and 3 - 2.

September 12, 1959 -- En route to a 21-15 season with the Giants, 33-year-old Toothpick Sam Jones throws a four-hitter beating the Philadelphia Phillies 9-1 to become the second black major leaguer to win twenty games. The win puts the Giants back in first place by a game.

September 12, 1965 -- Mets rookie Dick Selma, in his second major league start, establishes a franchise mark when he strikes out 13 batters. The 21 year-old right-hander goes the distance in New York's ten-inning, 1-0 victory over Milwaukee at Shea Stadium.

September 12, 1966 - Ron Perranoski of the Dodgers fans the first six batters he faces and earns a 3 - 2 win over the Mets and Tug McGraw. With the help of 2B Ron Hunt, Mets rookie SS Bud Harrelson picks off Lou Johnson with the hidden ball trick in the 6th.

September 12, 1974, the New York Mets and St. Louis Cardinals conclude one of the longest games in history. In the early morning hours, the Cardinals win the 25-inning marathon-which began the previous night-when Bake McBride scores on pitcher Hank Webb’s throwing error. The Cards win the game, 4-3.

The game takes seven hours and four minutes to complete

September 12, 1984 -- At Shea Stadium Striking out Marvell Wynne in the sixth inning, Dwight Gooden breaks the season strikeout record for a rookie. Doc punched out 16 Pirates raising his total of 251 is six more than Herb Score's 1955 mark. This was is 14th game of the season with more than 10 strikeouts and 4th straight topping both franchise records set by Tom Seaver in 1971. His 2 straight shutouts are the first for the Mets since Pat Zachary in 1980.

September 12, 1991 - Texas Ranger Nolan Ryan wins his 10th game, beating the Twins, 4 - 3, and becoming just the second pitcher ever to reach double figures in wins in 20 different seasons. Don Sutton did it in 21 seasons. The win, Ryan's 312th of his career moves him past Tom Seaver into 14th place on the career list. Jack Morris is the complete game loser.

September 12, 1996 - Rockies OF Ellis Burks steals his 30th base of the season, making him the 19th player in history to join the 30-30 club. He hits his 37th homer of the season and drives in five runs in Colorado's 16 - 8 win over Atlanta.

In the thin air of Colorado, Burks thrived, batting .344 with 40 homers and 128 RBI in his first healthy season for the Rockies.

September 12, 1998 -- Cubs OF Sammy Sosa becomes the 4th player in history to reach the 60-home run mark for a season when he slugs number 60 off Valerio de los Santos of the Brewers in the 7th inning of the 15 - 12 Chicago win. The Chicago right-fielder joins Babe Ruth (1927 Yankees), Roger Maris (1961 Yankees), and Mark McGwire (1998 Cardinals) in reaching one of baseball’s most cherished milestones.

September 12 2021 Los Angeles Dodgers Max Scherzer Nearly throws perfect game (8 IP, 1 hit, no walks). Becomes 19th pitcher to reach 3,000 strikeouts, Ties Dodgers great Sandy Koufax (and Chris Sale) with a record 3rd immaculate inning.

Milestones September 12

 ANSWER TO TODAY’S TRIVIA

TRIVIA ANSWER: DWIGHT EVANS

• Ans. 1st P HR = 07-Apr-1986 off Jack Morris. Evans ended his career w/BAL in 1991 after his 20-year stint with BOS.

• #1 From 1980 thru 1989 he had 605 XBH (306 2B, 43 3B & 256 HR).

• #2 Played in 162 G in 1982 & 1984,tying for the lead in the majors both times.

Thank you Horsehide Trivia

JOIN CLASSIC BASEBALL BROADCASTS TODAY

TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY

Kansas City Royals Baseball Academy

September 11, 1969 -- Implementing an innovation he conceived, team owner Ewing Kauffman announces plans to start the Kansas City Royals Baseball Academy. Syd Thrift, presently a member of KC's scouting department, will be named the director of the academy which will be designed to develop gifted athletes into major-league ready ballplayers for the organization.

All seven of the academy's instructors had playing experience in Major League Baseball. They were Bill Fischer, Joe Gordon, Tommy Henrich, Steve Korcheck, Jim Lemon, Johnny Neun and Chuck Stobbs.

The first graduating class from the Royals Baseball Academy included Frank White, a marvelous defensive shortstop who was switched to second base in his second season with Kansas City. White had attended Longview Community College in the Kansas City suburbs, but wasn’t considered a top baseball prospect. But his range was still that of a shortstop and his arm was as strong as any in the game. He learned to play second base on the fast astroturf in Kansas City. He developed techniques to quicken his throws and to use the turf to bounce the ball on one hop to first. He played deep…very deep…which allowed him to get to fast-traveling balls and also gather in popups hit into the outfield. He won eight Gold Gloves and played his entire 18-year career as a Royal.

Kauffman let his crusty baseball men talk him out of funding the Academy after a few years, and he regretted that for the remainder of his life. It yielded U.L. Washington and a few others, but the crown jewel of the experiment was Frank White, one of the best fielding second baseman in baseball history and a key member of the 1985 World Champion Royals.

If you are a member you can visit Frank White’s Audio Vault here that features 88+ games he played in a Royal’s uniform.

TRIVIA Sponsored by Classic Baseball Broadcasts — Start you free trial here.

Game of The Day:

Game of the Day — September 11, 1966 Atlanta Braves vs New York Mets (Nolan Ryan debut)

Todays Podcast

September 11 highlights and Historic Days!

September 11, 1886 -- At Washington's Swampoodle Grounds, backstop Connie Mack makes his major league debut when the Nationals, in a rare victory, edge the Philadelphia Quakers, 4-3. The journeyman catcher will post the most big league wins and losses as a manager, compiling a 3731-3948 (.486) record with the Pirates and A's during his 53-year managerial career.

September 11, 1915 — Eddie Plank of the Federal League’s St. Louis Terriers records his 300th victory when he defeats the Newark Peppers 12-5. The future Hall of Famer (1946) is the ninth player and first southpaw to reach this milestone.

Gettysburg Eddie’s is a must stop if you are in Gettysburg.

September 11, 1918 -- In the earliest conclusion of the Fall Classic, The Red Sox win the World Series in Game six, on Carl Mays's 2nd victory, a 2 - 1 three-hitter. With two on and two out in the 3rd, utility OF George Whiteman lines a hard drive to RF. Max Flack drops it, allowing the only runs off Lefty Tyler. Righty Claude Hendrix, 20 - 7 during the year, finally makes an appearance, tossing a final inning for the Cubs. Cubs pitchers compile a 1.04 ERA, while Boston's .186 BA is the lowest ever for a World Series winner, but they compensate by making just one error, a record not beaten this century in a 6-game World Series. The Red Sox will realize $1,102 each, the Cubs $671, the smallest winner's share ever earned. The inning by inning results of the game are relayed to Fort Devans, 58 miles away, via nine homing pigeons.

The regular season was shortened by a month to meet the obligation of many major leaguers to leave their team, after being drafted into the military to serve in World War I. They had to wait a LONG time after this one.

September 11, 1947 -- At Forbes Field, Ralph Kiner hits 3 successive home runs for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Kiner hits one in the first & third off Bill Voiselle and in the 5th off Walt Lanfranconi. Kiner now has 47 on the season. Pittsburgh beats the Braves 10-8.

1951 Pennant Chase!

September 11, 1951 -- Clem Labine blanks the Reds on two hits as the visiting Dodgers win, 7 - 0. Andy Pafko drives in three runs on three singles.

In St. Louis, New York's Dave Koslo wins the opener of a twinbill, 10 - 5, ending the Cards' 7-game win streak. Bobby Thomson has three hits and Monte Irvin has a double and his 5th steal of home this year. He has 13 steals overall. Leading 6 - 4 in the 9th, Wes Westrum breaks an 0 for 20 skein and delivers a grand slam. The Cards win the nitecap, 4 - 3, behind Cliff Chambers to leave the Giants six games in back of the Dodgers.

September 11, 1956 -- Frank Robinson ties Wally Berger's 1930 National League record for home runs by a rookie for home runs with his 38th in the Reds' 11-5 victory over the Giants at Polo Grounds. A's first baseman Mark McGwire will establish the major league mark for freshman homers with 49 round-trippers in 1989.

September 11, 1970 -- Twenty-one-year-old Vida Blue, recalled from the minors just eight days earlier, hurls a one-hit shutout as the A's beat the Royals, 3 - 0. Pat Kelly's 8th-inning single is the only hit off the fireballing lefty.

September 11, 1972 -- Dick Allen's club record 34th home run gives the White Sox their only two runs as they beat Kansas City, 2 - 1. He will finish with 37 homeruns and capture the AL MVP collecting 21 of 24 first place votes.

September 11, 1976– After not playing in a Major League Baseball game for 12 years, 53 year old Minnie Minoso will have 3 plate appearances as a DH for the Chicago White Sox vs. the California Angels at Comiskey Park, Frank Tanana held him hitless but it will make him one of only a handful of players to appear in four decades, he will appear again in the decade of the 80’s in 1980 to tie him with only former White Sox player Nick Altrock as a five decade player.

September 11 , 1979 -- Cincinnati overtakes Houston for the N.L. West lead during a tense 9-8 loss at Riverfront Stadium. It is the Astros' first true pennant-race showdown. Both aces, Tom Seaver and J.R. Richard, start. They are long gone by the time Dave Concepcion and George Foster homer off Joe Sambito for the decisive runs. Rafael Landestoy goes 5-for-5 to pace Houston.

September 11, 1980 -- In a 6 - 5 win over the Chicago Cubs, Montreal's Ron LeFlore steals his 91st base of the season and Rodney Scott steals his 58th, breaking the major-league record for stolen bases by teammates in one season. Lou Brock and Bake McBride set the record with the 1974 Cardinals.

September 11, 1985, At Riverfront Stadium in front of 47,237 hometown fans, Reds' player-manager Pete Rose collects his 4,192nd career hit to pass Ty Cobb, who had his last at bat on this date 57 years ago, to become the all-time major league hit leader. In the first inning of a 2-0 win over the San Diego Padres, Rose singles to left field against San Diego starter Eric Show. Rose had tied the record at Wrigley Field on September 8 with a single off the Cubs' Reggie Patterson in a game that was later suspended due to darkness, enabling Rose to break the record at home.

September 11, 1987 --In the opening game of a critical series against the Mets, Terry Pendleton, with two outs and two strikes, hits a ninth-inning game-tying home run in the Cardinals' eventual 6-4 overtime victory at Shea Stadium. The Redbirds third basemen's dramatic long ball smashes the windshield of New York starter Ron Darling, who had pitched one-hit ball before being forced to leave the game in the top of the seventh when he tears ligaments in his thumb while fielding a Vince Coleman bunt during the game and will miss the rest of the season.

With his 30th stolen base, Mets third baseman Howard Johnson becomes the first National League infielder to become a member of the 30-30 club. The other players in the Senior Circuit to have 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases in the same season are outfielders Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Bobby Bonds, Dale Murphy, and Eric Davis.

Milestones September 10

 ANSWER TO TODAY’S TRIVIA

TRIVIA ANSWER: 1980 KANSAS CITY ROYALS

• Amos Otis, George Howard Brett, Frank White and Dan Raymond Quisenberry

• John David Wathan

• Willie James Wilson or Willie Mays Aikens

Thank you Horsehide Trivia

JOIN CLASSIC BASEBALL BROADCASTS TODAY

TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY

September 10, 1974 On July 21, 1974, Sports Illustrated captured Lou Brock in his element: flying around the basepaths. The cover headline said it all — Brock was a “Thief at Work.”

That summer, the St. Louis speedster wasn’t just chasing another stolen-base crown. He was eyeing Maury Wills’ single-season record of 104 steals, set in 1962. By September, Brock had swiped 94 bags, well ahead of his closest rival, Davey Lopes of the Dodgers.

On September 10, with the Phillies in town, history arrived. Brock led off the seventh inning with a single, then broke for second. Phillies catcher Bob Boone’s throw bounced into the dirt. Safe! St. Louis erupted as Brock claimed his 105th stolen base, passing Wills. Play stopped for ten minutes as fans cheered and a ceremony honored his achievement.

Brock was 35 years old that season, but his legs carried him to a staggering 118 stolen bases by year’s end — a record that stood until Rickey Henderson shattered it in 1982.

Though the Cardinals fell just short of a division title, Brock’s brilliance earned him second place in the MVP race and cemented his legacy as one of baseball’s greatest baserunners. He retired in 1979 with 938 career steals, a mark that made him the all-time leader until Henderson’s arrival.

Elected to the Hall of Fame in 1985 on his first ballot, Lou Brock remains a symbol of daring speed, relentless determination, and the electric thrill of a stolen base. Fans in St. Louis — and across the game — still remember the summer of ’74 as the season Brock ran himself into baseball history.

Lou Brock is featured in 76 Games and 5 Interviews in our streaming library join us below and find your favorite Brock memories.

Lou Brock steals 105th base, Jack Buck/Mike Shannon on KMOX, 9/10/1974

TRIVIA Sponsored by Classic Baseball Broadcasts — Start you free trial here.

Game of The Day:

Game of the Day — September 10, 1974 Philadelphia Phillies vs St Louis Cardinals (Brock breaks record)

Todays Podcast

September 10 highlights and Historic Days!

September 10, 1915 -- Rogers Hornsby, brought up a week earlier from Class D Denison (Western Association), makes his major league debut for the Cardinals. With the Cards trailing the Reds, 7 - 0, after six innings, Hornsby plays SS and goes hitless in two appearances against Cincinnati rookie King Lear, who wins, 7 - 1.

September 10, 1921 -- Walter Johnson, pitching in his 594th game strikes out Shano Collins of the Boston Red Sox in the 4th inning. The strikeout is the 2804th of his career surpass Cy Young's major league mark of 2,803 career strikeouts. The Senators will win the game 5-3 improving Johnsons record to 13-13.

In 1927, the 'Big Train' will finish his 21-year tenure with the Senators with 3,509 punch outs, a record which will last for 62 seasons when it is broken by Nolan Ryan in 1983.

Newspaper accounts have this as happening on September 5, 1921. However using baseball-reference I calculated that he needed 112 strikeouts to pass 2,803 entering the 1921 Season and after the game on September 5 he had 109. Thus I have updated this information accordingly

September 10, 1950, In New York's 8-1 victory over the Senators Joe DiMaggio of the New York Yankees hits three 400-foot home runs against the Washington Senators. DiMaggio becomes the first major leaguer to hit three home runs in the 39-year history of the ballpark. It is the third time that Joltin' Joe has hit a trio of round-trippers in a game, but he has never accomplished the feat at Yankee Stadium.

September 10, 1961 -- At Yankee Stadium the New York Yankees sweep the Indians, 7 - 6 and 9 - 3, their 12th win in a row at home, and the Indians' 20th loss in a row at Yankee Stadium. Mickey Mantle hits home run number 53 in the nightcap, while Roger Maris, homerless, stays at 56.

September 10, 1963 -- In the first inning of an 8-0 rout of the Cubs at Sportsman's Park, Cardinals left fielder Stan Musial becomes the first grandfather in big league history to hit a home run. The 42 year-old new grandpa accomplishes the feat in his first at-bat since the birth of his grandson earlier in the day. His 2 run shot in the first inning was his 11th of the season and 474th of his career. Dick Groat scored in front of Musial.

September 10, 1964 -- With his office being responsible for all of the costs for teams not making it into the postseason, Baseball commissioner Ford Frick authorizes the Phillies, Yankees, White Sox, and Orioles to print tickets for the World Series. Due to a historic late-season collapse by Philadelphia, the surging Cardinals win the National League pennant on the last day of the season, and will play the Bronx Bombers in the Fall Classic.

September 10 1967, the four team race for the pennant. 4 teams are within 1.5 games of first place. Minnesota holds the slim half game lead. Boston Red sox in second and Detroit and Chicago tied for 3rd.

In the first game of a doubleheader, White Sox Joe Horlen no-hits the Tigers, 6 - 0. Cisco Carlos, Hoyt Wilhelm, and Bob Locker combine to shut out Detroit in the second game.
Minnesota edges the Orioles, 4 – 2
Boston beats New York 9-1

September 10, 1968 -- Don Wilson, who struck out 18 Reds on July 14, fans 16 Reds today while pitching the Astros to a 3 - 2 win in game 1. The Reds win the nitecap, 4 - 3.

September 10, 1980 -- Montreal Expos Rookie Bill Gullickson whiffs 18 batters, the most strikeouts ever recorded by a rookie in a major league game. The Expos right-hander throws a complete-game four-hitter, beating Chicago Cubs at Olympic Stadium, 4-2.

September 10, 1980 The Dodgers call up a young lefty from their Double-A San Antonio farm club. Fernando Valenzuela. He appears in 10 games and allows a total of none runs. He will go onto historic fame in 1981 leading the Dodgers to a World Series title.

September 10, 1985, the California Angels acquire future Hall of Famer Don Sutton from the Oakland A’s for two players to be named later, Bob Sharpnack (minors) (September 25, 1985) and Jerome Nelson (minors) (September 25, 1985). The 40-year-old right-hander will win two games for California down the stretch, but the Angels will fall one game short in the American League’s Western Division

September 10, 1997 -- At San Francisco, Pac Bell Park in a 7-6 extra inning loss to the San Francisco Giants, St Louis Cardinal Mark McGwire becomes only the second player in major league history to hit 50 home runs in consecutive seasons. Babe Ruth accomplished the feat twice, in the 1920-21 and 1927-28 seasons.

McGwire joined Ruth as the only players in major league his­tory with consecutive 50-homer seasons by hitting a 446-foot shot Wednesday in his St. Louis Cardi­nals’ 7-6, 10-inning loss to the San Francisco Giants.

September 10, 1999 -- The Red Sox trip the Yankees, 3 - 1, as Pedro Martinez hurls an impressive one-hitter for his 21st victory of the year. Martinez strikes out 17 batters, the most Yankees ever fanned in a single game. DH Chili Davis' 2nd-inning home run is New York's only safety. Chuck Knoblauch, leading off the game, gives the Yankees their only other baserunner; he is caught stealing, so Martinez faces just one over the minimum.

The Red Sox right-hander extends his own record to 40 consecutive innings with at least one strikeout per frame.

Milestones September 10

 ANSWER TO TODAY’S TRIVIA

TRIVIA ANSWER: LOU BROCK

Ceremony prayer 30-Jul-2006. Brock Ministry.

Lou Brock is featured in 76 Games and 5 Interviews in our streaming library join us and find your favorite Brock memories.

Thank you Horsehide Trivia

JOIN CLASSIC BASEBALL BROADCASTS TODAY

TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY

September 9 1965, Sandy Koufax etched his name into history by becoming the first major-league pitcher to throw four no-hitters. His masterpiece was a 1-0 perfect game against the Chicago Cubs at Dodger Stadium before 29,139 fans.

Matched against lefty Bob Hendley, Koufax was at his sharpest. Hendley, recently recalled from the minors, allowed only one hit, but an unearned run in the fifth inning proved decisive. Lou Johnson walked, advanced on a bunt, stole third, and scored when catcher Chris Krug’s throw sailed into left field. It was the game’s only run—and Hendley’s only blemish.

From the outset, Koufax’s command was nearly flawless. He struck out at least one batter in every inning, fanning 14 in total—a record for a perfect game. Future Hall of Famer Ernie Banks went down three times swinging. The Cubs’ lone brush with opportunity came in the sixth when Maury Wills’ errant throw was saved by Wes Parker at first base, preserving perfection.

Both pitchers carried no-hitters into the seventh, when Johnson doubled to break up Hendley’s bid. Koufax, meanwhile, was untouchable. In the eighth, he struck out Ron Santo, Banks, and Byron Browne in order. As the ninth began, Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully told his crew, “Let’s make a recording.” What followed became one of baseball’s most iconic calls: after two strikeouts, Koufax fanned pinch-hitter Harvey Kuenn, and Scully declared, “Swung on and missed, a perfect game!”

The duel lasted just one hour and 43 minutes. Hendley faced only 26 batters in his own gem, a performance that would have headlined any other night. Remarkably, he beat Koufax 2-1 in a rematch five days later.

Koufax’s perfect game was just the eighth in major-league history and remains the only one by a Dodgers pitcher. He finished the season 26-8 with a 2.04 ERA, 382 strikeouts, and a unanimous Cy Young Award. His record of four career no-hitters stood until Nolan Ryan broke it in 1981, but many still consider Koufax’s 1965 masterpiece the finest game ever pitched. (Read much more at SABR Great Games)

You can also learn more about the 9th inning broadcast and how it was found. Here on NPR.

TRIVIA Sponsored by Classic Baseball Broadcasts — Start you free trial here.

Game of The Day:

Game of the Day — September 9, 1992 Cleveland Indians vs Milwaukee Brewers (Yount 3000 hit)

September 9, 1992 -- In front of a sellout crowd at County Stadium, Robin Yount becomes the 17th and third youngest player to reach the 3000 hits milestone when he singles off of Indian reliever Jose Mesa in a 5-4 defeat to Cleveland. Only Hank Aaron and Ty Cobb reached the exclusive mark at younger ages. The 36 year-old Milwaukee center fielder also reached 1,000 and 2,000 hit plateaus against the Indians.

He also becomes only the 2nd player in history to record 200 home runs, 200 stolen bases and 100 triples, duplicating Willie Mays' feat.

👇 Members Click HERE

🎧 CLASSIC BROADCASTS — MEMBERSHIP UPDATE

⚾ Games +10 this week | 2585 total

🧑 Player Pages +100 this week | 4450 total

📰 News Reels +3 this week | 3,369 total

This week we added 10 new games (including 2003 ALDS & NLDS games), bringing our total library to 2,585 also added 100+ new player pages (4,450 total) one of the new players: Hall of Famer Tom Glavine.

Todays Podcast

September 9 highlights and Historic Days!

September 9, 1907 -- At Huntington Avenue Baseball Grounds, Boston Red Sox Ace Cy Young and the Philadelphia Athletic'’ Rube Waddell battle to a 13-inning scoreless tie. Neither pitcher walks a batter, both pitchers gave up only 6 hits and the game lasted just one hour and fifty three minutes. Here is the box score.

September 9, 1931 -- To raise funds to help the unemployed in the Depression, the Yankees, Giants, and Robins agree to a series of benefit games. Sixty thousand fans, paying regular prices, raise $59,000 in the first match-up, as Babe Ruth homers and the Yankees beat the Giants, 7 - 2.

September 9, 1933, Joe Hauser of the American Association’s Minneapolis Millers sets a professional record by hitting his 68th and 69th home runs. Hauser, who had hit 63 home runs with the minor league Baltimore Orioles in 1930, will never make the major leagues

September 9, 1950 -- At Fenway Park The Boston Red Sox advance to within a half-game of the second-place New York Yankees by walloping the Philadelphia A's, 8 - 3 and 11 - 3. All the Boston runs in the opener are unearned. In game two, a 7-run second inning allows Walt Masterson to win.

During game two, Dom DiMaggio, after leading off the first with a single, swipes second base, advances to third on an error, and then scores the first run of the game on a groundout. The stolen base is the final one the 'Little Perfesser' will get this season, but he will finish leading the American League with 15, the lowest total that has ever led either league.

September 9, 1953 -- Mickey Mantle's 2-run home run off Chicago's Billy Pierce caps a 7-run 5th inning, as New York wins, 9 - 3, at Yankee Stadium. Returning to CF after the 5th, Mantle is photographed blowing a huge bubble with a wad of gum. Manager Stengel will publicly rebuke the Mick, who will apologize for the indiscretion. However, Mantle does get an endorsement fee from the Bowman Gum company

September 9, 1960 — Red Sox outfielder Ted Williams hits career homer 511, tying him with Mel Ott for third on the all-time home run list behind Babe Ruth (714) and Jimmie Foxx (534). The historic homer, a two-out game-tying solo shot to deep right field, comes off Jim Perry in the fifth inning of a 6-3 loss to the Tribe at Cleveland Stadium.

September 8, 1962 In Game 2 of a twin bill Houston Colt 45's walk off in the 10th inning on a wild pitch by Roger Craig.

In an inning that would not make Bill James defiles happy, Bob Lills leads off with a bunt, is sacrificed to second, advances to third on a ground ball and scores the winning run on a wild pitch. Members can listen to the Sept 8th Game

September 9 , 1967 -- Jim Wynn smashes two home runs, his 34th and 35th of the year, to drop the Los Angeles Dodgers, 5-3. Wynn becomes the first in franchise history to reach 100 RBIs. Mike Cuellar wins his 14th of the year.

September 9, 1970, Commissioner Bowie Kuhn suspends Detroit Tigers pitcher Denny McLain for the third time on the season. McLain’s latest ban, which results from him carrying a gun, along with other unspecified charges, will sideline him for the rest of the season.

September 9, 1977 -- At Fenway Park, Allan Trammel and Lou Whitaker, playing shortstop and second base, respectively, both make their major league debut for Detroit. The Tigers' new double-play combination will be teammates for the next 19 seasons, a major league record. Boston prevails today, 5 - 1 and 8 - 6, however, both players collect their first hits.

September 9, 1978 - Ron Guidry (21-2) gives up two singles in the 1st inning and that's it. New York sends 12 runners to the plate and scores seven runs in the 4th inning to win, 7 - 0, against Dennis Eckersley and cut the Boston lead to a single game. For Guidry, it is his 7th shutout of the year, and the first lefty shutout in Fenway Park since Ken Holtzman fired one on August 5, 1974. Members can listen to the Sept 9th Game

September 9, 1979 -- The first-place Baltimore Orioles romp to their 7th win in a row, larruping the Boston Red Sox, 16 - 4. Rick Dempsey hits a grand slam for the Birds in their 6-run 6th, and Al Bumbry adds a home run in the same frame. Jim Rice homers for the Red Sox. Sox Catcher Bob Montgomery is 1 for 2 in his last major league game. in his final at-bat, he becomes the last player to step into the batter's box without wearing a helmet. The Red Sox's backup catcher, who is required to wear a protective plastic liner within his cap, is allowed to be helmetless due to a grandfather clause in Major League Baseball's edict enacted eight years ago, making the use of helmets mandatory for all batters.

September 9, 1989 -- At Anaheim Stadium, California's Devon White steals four bases including second base, third base, and home in the same inning off the battery off Rich Gedman and Joe Price during the Angels' 8 - 5 win over Boston. The Angels score three in the 8th to break a tie.

The eighth inning was a strange one - Rob Murphy came in to pitch for Boston Max Venable singled to right and then on a bunt Claudell Washington hit into a double play on a bunt attemp. Then White singled to left and stole second, Chili Davis was walked intentionally and Wally Joyner's infield singled to shortstop loaded the bases Mark McLemore then singled to right White scored, Davis scored, Joyner scored on an error by Carlos Quintana.

The Angels win improves there record to 81-61 while the Red Sox fall to 70-72.

Milestones September 9

 ANSWER TO TODAY’S TRIVIA

TRIVIA ANSWER: SANDY KOUFAX

• Ans. Koufax struck out at least 15 in a G 8 X in the regular season &, historically, once in a WS G. With 29 such games, Randy Johnson is now the all-time leader.

• #1 His season ERA was the best in the NL in each of his last 5 seasons, 3 of those years also leading the majors: 1962-66 (2.54, 1.88, 1.74, 2.04, 1.73). No AL pitcher has ever strung together five consecutive ERA crowns.

• #2 Koufax played basketball for the University of Cincinnati Bearcats… and baseball.

Thank you Horsehide Trivia

JOIN CLASSIC BASEBALL BROADCASTS TODAY

TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY

September 8, 1998, Mark McGwire of the St. Louis Cardinals breaks what is arguably the game’s most prestigious single-season record: Roger Maris’ mark of 61 home runs. McGwire hits his 62nd home run against Steve Trachsel in the fourth inning of a 6-3 win over the Chicago Cubs. After the game, McGwire presents his uniform, along with the bat and ball from the 62nd home run, to the Hall of Fame.

The Home Run Race of 1998
The chase was hardly a chase at all as late as May. On May 24, 1998, Mark McGwire had 24 home runs, while Sammy Sosa was at nine. But soon, Sammy made his move and the race was on. From May 25-June 23, Sosa belted 21 home runs in 30 days. He set a record with 20 home runs in June, which was also the most homers ever hit in any month. It became clear that both McGwire and Sosa were drawing a bead on roger Maris's single-season home run record. The question was: who would get there first?

On August 19, Sosa hit his 48th home run and passed McGwire for the first time. But later in that game, McGwire answered with a pair of homers and reclaimed the lead. "Big Mac" would stay relinquish the lead just once more.

Over Labor Day weekend the Cardinals and Cubs played each other in St. Louis and the media circus surrounding the home run chase collided in one location. The two sluggers embraced the publicity, helping put baseball back on the front pages and in the news. On September 8, McGwire finally passed Maris, lining a shot over the left field wall at Busch Stadium. Sosa watched from right field and applauded. McGwire made an emotional trip around the bases, pointing to the sky as he crossed home plate to honor Maris, whose sons were in attendance. Soon, Sosa arrived and hugged McGwire, who lifted Sammy off his feet. Baseball had a golden moment. But three weeks still remained in the season and the chase was still far from over.

Five days later, Sosa hit two home runs in Wrigley Field to tie McGwire at 62. Adding to the tension of the McGwire/Sosa race was the fact that the Cubs were in a fight for a playoff spot. On September 25 in Houston, Sosa hit #66, creeping ahead of McGwire for the final time. McGwire responded by hitting a homer of his own a few innings later in St. Louis to bring the chase to a tie once more. Sosa failed to any more homers, while McGwire belted four in his final two games to finish with an astonishing 70 for the new single-season record.

Three years later, Barry Bonds broke McGwire's record, which many thought would last longer than Maris's had. Bonds blasted 73 homers to establish the new standard, in 2001.

The 1998 Homerun Chase was a shared moment in time for millions, a beautifully raw nerve ending that kept getting hit, kept releasing endorphins, kept thrilling an entire hemisphere. It was tremendous fun, even if it didn’t age perfectly. Here is a detailed article & opinion piece you may find interesting.

TRIVIA Sponsored by Classic Baseball Broadcasts — Start you free trial here.

Game of The Day:

Game of the Day — September 8, 1957 New York Giants vs Brooklyn Dodgers (The last game the two rivals will play at Ebbets Field)

Todays Podcast

September 8 highlights and Historic Days!

September 8, 1916 - In front the smallest crowd in American League history, A's catcher/outfielder Wally Schang, with 23 fans attending the game, becomes the first switch-hitter in major league history to homer from both sides of the plate in the same game.

September 8, 1939 -- Bob Feller, with his 12-1 victory over the Browns in St. Louis, becomes the youngest modern-era player to win 20 games. The 20 year-old Indians' fireballer finishes the season 24-9 while posting a 2.85 ERA.

September 8, 1940 -- St Louis Cardinal Johnny Mize hits homers #'s 38, 39, and 40 in the first game of a doubleheader, becoming the first player to hit three homers in one game four times in his career. Despite the 'Big Cat's' heroics, the Cardinals drop a pair to the Pittsburgh Pirates, 16-14 and 9-4.

September 8, 1953, the Chicago Cubs make one of the best transactions in franchise history, purchasing infielder Ernie Banks from the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro Leagues. The Cubs surrender a mere $10,000 for Banks, who will hit 512 home runs over a 19-year major league career

September 8, 1955 the Brooklyn Dodgers, who won their first 10 games and started the season 22-2, record the earliest clinching date in National League history with a 10-2 victory over the Milwaukee Braves. However, in terms of games played, the Dodgers, in clinching in their 138th game, fail to break the record of the 1904 New York Giants, who clinched in their 137th. The Dodgers finish with a 98-55 record, 13½ games ahead of the 2nd-place Braves, in gaining their 5th pennant in 9 years. Duke Snider leads the hitters with 42 homers and a league-leading 136 runs batted in, and Don Newcombe is the ace of the pitching staff with a 20-5 record and 3.20 earned-run average. In October, Brooklyn will win its first World Series, beating the New York Yankees in 7 games. Take a look back as the Dodgers celebrate winning the pennant with Happy Felton on The Ed Sullivan Show. Felton introduces the Dodgers and interviews Roy Campanella, Duke Snider, Pee Wee Reese and Walter Alston.

September 8, 1962 In Game 2 of a twin bill Houston Colt 45's walk off in the 10th inning on a wild pitch by Roger Craig.

In an inning that would not make Bill James defiles happy, Bob Lills leads off with a bunt, is sacrificed to second, advances to third on a ground ball and scores the winning run on a wild pitch. Members can listen to the Sept 8th Game

September 8, 1963 -- At Connie Mack Stadium, Braves left-hander Warren Spahn tosses a complete game, edging Philadelphia, 3-2. The triumph is the southpaw's 20th victory and ties Christy Mathewson's record of thirteen seasons of twenty or more wins.

September 8, 1965, Bert Campaneris of the Kansas City A’s becomes the first major leaguer to play all nine positions in a game. Campy accomplishes the unusual feat, which was prompted by A’s’ owner Charlie Finley, during a 5-3 loss to the California Angels. Usually a shortstop, Campy catches the ninth inning and is knocked from the game after a collision with Ed Kirkpatrick.

September 8, 1977 -- Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Bruce Sutter strikes out the first six Montreal Expo batters he faces including three men in the 9th on nine pitches. Included are three hall of famers - Tony Perez, Gary Carter and Andre Dawson. His immaculate inning was the first in five seasons. Here is a list of all the immaculate innings.

Sutter will pitch 3 innings and get the win at Wrigley Field when Bill Buckner hits a sacrifice fly with 1 out in the 10th.

September 8, 1978 -- New York continues its rampage of Boston by scoring two runs in the 1st inning and six more in the 2nd inning. Boston makes seven errors to ease the Yankees to a 13 - 2 romp. Reggie Jackson hits a 3-run homer and Lou Piniella adds a double, triple and homer to back Jim Beattie's pitching. Dwight Evans and Carlton Fisk both make a pair of errors. New York is now two games back. Members can listen to the Sept 8th Game

September 8, 1980 -- Commissioner Bowie Kuhn suspends Ferguson Jenkins as a result of the drug arrest last month. The suspension will last only two weeks before an independent arbiter surprisingly reinstates the Cubs right-hander.

September 8, 1988 - National League president Bart Giamatti is unanimously elected baseball's 7th commissioner, and will succeed Peter Ueberroth next season.

September 8, 1985, At Wrigley Field, Pete Rose gets two hits off Chicago hurler Reggie Patterson, including his historic single that ties Ty Cobb's career record of 4,191 hits. The game will be suspended due to darkness, enabling the Reds' player-manager to break the Georgia Peach's record at home. Which he will do three days later.

Milestones September 8

 ANSWER TO TODAY’S TRIVIA

TRIVIA ANSWER: MARK MCGWIRE

-  Ans.  In 1999, McGwire produced 147 RBI w/only 145 H playing for STL.  Max Muncy jad had a similar year too.  In 2023, he had 105 RBIs w/102 H.

-  #1  Quote from Marlins coach Rich Donnelly, about McGwire.

-  #2  4,618 days after his triple off Teddy Higuera on 20-Jun-1988, McGwire next made it to 3rd in 1 AB on 02‑Aug‑1999 off Trevor Hoffman.  It was his 6th & final 3-bagger.

-  #3  McGwire’s hit the 500th of his career 583 HR on 05-Aug-1999.  Gwynn collected the 3,000th of his 3,141 H in Montreal on 06-Aug-1999.  [Coincidence?  You be the judge!]

Thank you Horsehide Trivia

JOIN CLASSIC BASEBALL BROADCASTS TODAY

TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY

September 7, 1982, 7 time All Star, 1964 World Series Hero, NL MVP and 5 time Gold Glover winner Ken Boyer passes away.

This quiet but dominant All-Star third baseman was a splendid fielder and consistently productive and clutch hitter. Signed as a pitcher by the Cardinals for $6,000, his poor pitching and strong hitting prompted his move to third base. He played brilliantly there for most of his 11 years in St. Louis. He won five Gold Gloves and led third basemen in double plays a record-tying five times. In eight different seasons, he hit over 20 homers, and combined with brother Clete for 444 HR. (Only the Aarons and DiMaggios hit more homers than the Boyers.) Ken's 255 as a Cardinal put him second only to Stan Musial.
After solid rookie and sophomore years, to Boyer's dismay he was sent to centerfield for most of the 1957 season, and GM Frank Lane criticized the soft-spoken Cardinal as an "unaggressive player." The arrival of Curt Flood in 1958 allowed Boyer to return to third base. It was during Solly Hemus's tenure as Cardinal manager that Boyer was named team captain. Hemus said, "Boyer is the guy everybody walks up to in the clubhouse and talks to." He led by example and through subtle prodding.

In 1959, Boyer went on a 29-game hitting streak, the longest in the majors since Stan Musial's 30-game string in 1950. In 1960 and '61, he led the Cardinals in batting, HR, and RBI, hitting a career-high 32 homers in 1960. He twice hit for the cycle, once in 1961, and again in 1964. His 1964 MVP season (.295, 24 HR, 119 RBI) was climaxed by his clutch performance in the World Series against the Yankees. In Game Four, he stroked a grand slam off Al Downing to give the Cardinals a 4-3 win, and his seventh-inning shot in Game Seven off Steve Hamilton catapulted the Cardinals to a 7-5 win and the world championship.

Boyer slumped in 1965 and was traded to the Mets for third baseman Charlie Smith and pitcher Al Jackson. His glittering career ended four years later with the Dodgers. He was a Cardinal coach in 1971-72, and took over as manager early in 1978. In 1979, he led the Redbirds to a third-place finish, but after winning only 18 of 51 in 1980, he was replaced by Whitey Herzog. Boyer died of lung cancer in 1982, and his uniform number 14 was retired by the Cardinals in 1984.

TRIVIA Sponsored by Classic Baseball Broadcasts — Start you free trial here.

Game of The Day:

Game of the Day — September 7, 1993 St Louis Cardinals vs Cincinnati Reds

Todays Podcast

September 7 highlights and Historic Days!

September 7, 1911 — At Boston’s South End Grounds 24-yer-old Pete Alexander, winning a rookie-record 28 games, pitches the Philadelphia Phillies to a 1 – 0 win over Boston’s 44-year-old Cy Young. Alexander gives up just one hit. Alexander’s 31 complete games, 367 innings pitched, and 7 shutouts lead the National League. The American League has its own rookie sensation, lefty Vean Gregg, who breaks in for Cleveland with a 23-7 record and miserly 1.81 ERA. Gregg will win 20 his first three years, then win just 28 in the next 12 years.

Next month, the 44 year-old veteran Braves hurler will end his career after 22 seasons with an astonishing 511 victories, a major league record unlikely to be broken.

September 7, 1916 — At the Polo Grounds the New York Giants defeat the Brooklyn Dodgers and Nap Rucker, 4-1 to start their major league record 26-game winning streak. The ‘Jints’ start the span two games under .500 and make up nine games in the standings, but remain in fourth place during the entire streak.

September 7, 1927 – After blasting three home runs in a doubleheader split with the Red Sox the day before, Babe Ruth hits two more in a 12-10 win, giving him a record-tying 5 in 3 games. He leads Lou Gehrig 49 homers to 45.

September 7, 1945, Washington’s Joe Kuhel hits the season’s first and only home run by a Senators’ player at Griffith Stadium. Even Kuhel’s shot fails to clear the fences.

September 7, 1955 – – Whitey Ford continues his mastery with his second consecutive one-hitter, beating the A’s, 2 – 1. Jim Finigan hits a 2-out single in the 7th for the A’s only hit. Ford is the 5th major league pitcher to throw consecutive one-hitters. In his last start, ‘Slick’ held the Senators hitless, with the exception of a seventh inning bloop by Carlos Paula.

September 7, 1961 — Roger Maris lays down a bunt and also belts his 55th homer of the year in the 3rd inning as New York beats the Senators, 7 – 3. All of Washington’s scores come in the 6th on an inside-the-park homer by Tito Francona, off Bill Terry. When asked by writers after the game why he bunted, a testy Maris replies, “Trying to win the game, you stupid cocksucker. Why do you think.”

September 7, 1974 — Graig Nettles will be suspended for ten days after stuffing his bat with six superballs, that are collected by Tigers catcher Bill Freehan when the piece of lumber is shattered on a disallowed infield hit. The Yankee third baseman, who said the doctored bat was given to him by a fan in Chicago, hit a home run in his first at-bat for the game’s only run in Larry Gura’s’ 1-0 Yankee victory over Detroit at Shea Stadium.

September 1978, the Boston Red Sox lead was just four games over a charging Yankee team who arrive in Boston for a crucial 4-game series, which would become known as the “Boston Massacre”. The Yanks dominate game one with a 15 – 3 rout as Willie Randolph accounts for five of the runs. On July 24, the Red Sox held a 14 game lead in the AL East but played only 25 – 24 ball leading up to this series. The Yankees, in that same time frame had won 35 of 49. When the bloodshed was over on September 9th, the Yankees pounded out 42 runs and 67 hits. Boston managed just nine runs and 21 hits. The Sox also committed a dozen errors. The Yankees won all four games by an average margin of over eight runs.

September 7, 1978 — In a 9-4 victory over the Montreal Expos, New York Mets backstop John Stearns establishes a new mark for National League catchers with his 25th stolen base. Johnny Kling swiped 24 bases catching for the Cubs in 1902.

September 7, 1998 – In the first inning at Busch Stadium, Cardinal first baseman Mark McGwire ties Roger Maris’ single-season home run mark hitting his 61st in a nationally-televised Labor Day game against the Cubs. Big Mac hits his historic homer on his dad’s 61st birthday.

September 7, 2007, Curtis Granderson of the Detroit Tigers became just the sixth player in baseball history to hit at least 20 doubles, triples, and home runs in the same season. Granderson slugged his 20th homer in the seventh inning against the Mariners at Comerica Park. He will be joined by the Phillies’ Jimmy Rollins in a few days.

The Tiger leadoff man joined Frank Schulte, Jim Bottomley, Jeff Heath, Willie Mays, and George Brett in the exclusive club.

News Reels September 7

Milestones September 7

 ANSWER TO TODAY’S TRIVIA

TRIVIA ANSWER: BOB ELLIOTT

• Ans. Elliott was instrumental in the Boston Braves securing the NL pennant for only the 2nd time in the 20th century—3rd time overall. NL MVP 3rd basemen since Elliott have been:

Ken Boyer 1964

Joe Torre 1971

Mike Schmidt 1980, 1981, 1986

Terry Pendleton 1991

Ken Caminiti 1996

Chipper Jones 1999

Kris Bryant 2016

• #1 Receiving NL MVP votes in 1947 were:

Player 1st-PlaceVotes Team Share

Bob Elliott................. 9......... BSN............ 61%

Ewell Blackwell.......... 2......... CIN............. 52%

Johnny Mize............... 2......... NYG........... 43%

Bruce Edwards.......... 3......... BRO........... 42%

Jackie Robinson........ 1......... BRO........... 32%

Larry Jansen.............. 1......... NYG........... 27%

Pee Wee Reese......... 2......... BRO........... 24%

Dutch Leonard........... 1......... BRO........... 10%

Willard Marshall......... 1......... NYG............. 6%

Dixie Walker............... 1......... BRO............. 4%

Thank you Horsehide Trivia

JOIN CLASSIC BASEBALL BROADCASTS TODAY

TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY

Hall of Famer, 1917 World Champion and 2 time ERA Champion Red Faber was born on September 6, 1888 in Cascade, IA.

Faber was a steady, even-tempered spitballer whose long life in the second division probably kept him from the select 300-win club, or possibly his late debut at age 25. With Chicago's lineup decimated by the loss of the Black Sox stars, Faber endured 13 seasons in or below fifth place, and only three at .500 or above. His lifetime winning percentage of .545 was achieved mostly with teams below .500.

Faber acquired his spitter in 1911, after a sore arm ruined early tryouts with the Pirates. Sold to Des Moines (Western League), he had two sterling seasons, and was purchased by the White Sox for $3,500. The Sox and Giants scheduled a world tour after the 1913 season. Faber, who had not yet pitched an inning of major league ball, was loaned to the Giants when Christy Mathewson declined to take the trip. Faber won four exhibitions against his future teammates, after his performance John Mcgraw tried to pry him away from the White Sox but they would not trade him away. He made his debut in 1914 and became a main stay with the White Sox beganing his 20-year, one-team career in 1914.

He was the pitching star of the 1917 Series win over the Giants, and probably would have won the World Series MVP award had it been given at the time. He threw a complete game victory in Game 2 and lost when the Sox were shut out in Game 4. He came on in relief on just one day of rest in Game 5, threw two scoreless innings, and was credited with the victory. He topped it off by pitching a series-clinching complete game victory in Game 6, again on just one day's rest. It wasn't all good, he is also famous for a baserunning blunder in Game 2, when he tried to steal third base even though it was already occupied by teammate Buck Weaver.

He missed most of 1918 to Military service in the Navy, and returned to help win the 1919 pennant with 11 victories. He was on the bench for the scandalous Series, however, with recurring arm trouble and the flu (the notorious Spanish Flu which killed millions around the globe). Faber's unavailability may have indirectly contributed to the Black Sox Scandal. Without Faber, White Sox manager Kid Gleason had little choice but to leave conspirators Eddie Cicotte and Lefty Williams in his starting rotation even after he suspected them of throwing games. Had Faber been healthy, Gleason could have shifted to a rotation of Faber, rookie Dickie Kerr, and one of the conspirators (or even a two-man rotation of Faber and Kerr) as a way of minimizing the Black Sox's ability to throw games.

Faber's peak years were 1921 and 1922, when he won 25 and 21 games while the Sox were finishing seventh and fifth. He led the league in ERA and complete games both years. From 1914 through 1923, he had ten consecutive winning seasons.

But he was not overpowering. His 1,471 strikeouts are far down the all-time list, yet he always claimed success against Ruth and Cobb. Like many spitballers, he threw the spitter sparingly, for contrast, and with a variety of motions. Always poised, the excellent control pitcher became increasingly sager. In his 4,087 innings, he allowed only 110 HR (one every 37 innings), and hit only 104 batters (one every 39).

His oddest statistical feats came as a batter. A .134 switch hitter, in 1915 he walked seven times in a row. Twice, he made the most of his rare on-base appearances by stealing home.

Faber served several seasons as a White Sox coach. Inducted into the Hall of Fame as Player in 1964. (Voted by Veterans Committee).

Listen to his interview below

TRIVIA Sponsored by Classic Baseball Broadcasts — Start you free trial here.

Game of The Day:

Game of the Day — September 6, 1995 California Angels vs Baltimore Orioles

Todays Podcast

September 6 highlights and Historic Days!

September 6, 1912 — In a game that purposely matches the superstars, Boston hurler Smokey Joe Wood bests Senators’ legend Walter Johnson, 1-0, for his 30th (14th consecutive) victory in a season in which he will win 34. The Red Sox’ only run is a result of back-to-back doubles by Tris Speaker and Duffy Lewis; the first two-bagger should have been an easy fly out, but the ball lands into an area cordoned off by a rope to section off the overflow Fenway Park crowd.

September 6, 1943 — Carl Scheib became the youngest player to appear in an American League game when he tosses two-thirds of an inning in the A’s 11-4 loss to New York, giving up two hits and an earned run in the ninth inning of the Shibe Park contest. He was 16 years and eight months. He was a good-hitting right-hander will post a 45-65 win-loss record, along with a .250 batting average during his 11 seasons in the major leagues.

September 6, 1948 — The Boston Braves increase their lead to 4 games as Warren Spahn lasts 14 innings to beat Da Bums‚ 2 – 1. Spahn twice picks off Jackie Robinson in his 5-hitter. In the 7-inning nitecap‚ Johnny Sain wins‚ 4 – 0. Bill Salkeldand Mike McCormick bat out of turn 3 times in game 2 and not till the latter’s single in the 5th is the irregularity noticed. The umps then rule he’s out of turn and he loses his hit; Salkeld’s two earlier hits stand. The crowd of 40‚000 pushes the Braves attendance over the 1.3 million mark‚ a new high. Spahn and Sain will start 11 of the next 16 games.

September 6, 1953 — The Brooklyn Dodgers beat the New York Giants, 6 – 3, but lose Carl Furillo‚ the National League’s leading hitter at .344‚ for the rest of the regular season. Furillo is hit on the wrist by a Ruben Gomez pitch in the 2nd and is restrained from charging the mound. after hearing Giants manager Leo Durocher yelling “stick it in his ear”.

September 6, 1962 — Commissioner Ford Frick announces that any transfer of Bo Belinsky to the Athletics as part of the Dan Osinski deal will be voided due to a technicality in the rules.

September 6, 1963, the Cleveland Indians and Washington Senators play the 100,000th game in major league history, according to Hall of Fame historian Lee Allen. Bennie Daniels pitches the Senators to a 7-2 victory over the Indians.

September 6, 1976 Dodgers catcher Steve Yeager is seriously injured when the jagged end of teammate Bill Russell’s broken bat strikes him in the throat while he is waiting in the on-deck circle. He had nine pieces of wood taken out of his neck during a 98 minute surgery. Yeager later invented a throat protector that hangs from every catcher's mask today.

September 6, 1977 The Angels acquire slugger Dave Kingman from San Diego for cash consideration. Nine days later, the Yankees will buy Kingman, making him the first player to wear four uniforms in four divisions in the same year. Kingman, who started the season with the Mets, will hit twenty-six home runs to set the mark for the most by a player with more than two teams.

Here is a previous email on Kingman

September 6, 1995 - Cal Ripken, Jr. of the Baltimore Orioles plays in his 2,131st consecutive Major League game to surpass Lou Gehrig's 56-year record. When the game becomes official in the middle of the fifth inning, Ripken takes a victory lap around Camden Yards during the 22-minute standing ovation from the sell-out crowd. Ripken went 2 for 4, including a home run, in Baltimore's 4 - 2 win over California.

Here is an email we did on the streak

September 6, 2001 During the Diamondbacks – Giants game, Barry Bonds becomes the fifth player in major league history to hit 60 home runs in a season. He joins Babe Ruth, Roger Maris, Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa. Bonds, the oldest to join this elite group, reaches the historic plateau the quickest, needing only 141 games to reach the milestone.

News Reels September 6

Milestones September 6

 ANSWER TO TODAY’S TRIVIA

TRIVIA ANSWER: RED FABER

• Ans. Faber didn’t play in the 1919 Fall Classic because he had sprained his ankle right aftrer of a severe bout of influenza. This story, among, no doubt, others, ranks his absence as one of the reasons the Series was vulnerable to be rigged.

• #1 Hall of Famers Eddie Collins, Ray Schalk & Faber were all on that 1919 White Sox team.

• #2 On 22-July-1928, Faber came up to bat with 2 runners on base in the 8th inning of a tied game with the NYY. After swinging at & missing the 1st pitch batting right-handed against Yanks’ ace right-handed reliever Wilcy Moore, Faber switched batter’s boxes and proceeded to knock in the go-ahead runs with a single batting lefty.

Thank you Horsehide Trivia

JOIN CLASSIC BASEBALL BROADCASTS TODAY

TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY

September 5, 1936 William Stanley Mazeroski is born in Wheeling, West Virgina.

Almost every kid who has ever played baseball fantasizes coming up in the bottom of the ninth inning during the seventh game of the World Series and hitting a home run to win it.

As of the 2010 World Series, only one person has ever accomplished this. It occurred on October 13, 1960, at 3:36 p.m. That was when the Pittsburgh Pirates’ second baseman, Bill Mazeroski, deposited New York Yankees pitcher Ralph Terry’s slider over the brick wall at Forbes Field to bring a World Series championship to Pittsburgh for the first time in 35 years. It was perhaps the most notable moment of a career that led to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

When Bill Mazeroski was elected to the Hall of Fame nearly 20 years after he retired, he was choked with emotion. He used the few words he said to make a case for "defense in the Hall of Fame." He was one of the more controversial players to earn entry to Cooperstown, despite his amazing fielding numbers. He gained notoriety for his cat-like reflexes around the bag. He earned eight Gold Gloves and set numerous records for his fielding at second.

Bill Mazeroski: The Gold Standard of Second Base

At just 19 years old, Bill Mazeroski debuted for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1956, collecting his first hit off John Antonelli and turning the first of a remarkable 1,706 double plays. While his early batting struggled, his glove quickly set him apart. By 1957 he had secured the starting second base job, and under the guidance of Hall of Famer George Sisler, improved at the plate with a .283 average, eight home runs, and 54 RBIs.

Mazeroski’s true breakout came in 1958, when he earned his first All-Star selection and the first of eight Gold Gloves. His reputation as the game’s finest defensive second baseman grew as he routinely led the league in assists and double plays. Partnering with shortstops like Dick Groat and later Gene Alley, Mazeroski helped anchor the Pirates’ infield for more than a decade.

Of course, his most famous moment came in 1960. In Game Seven of the World Series, Mazeroski stepped to the plate in the bottom of the ninth against the mighty Yankees. His swing sent a high fly ball over the left-field wall, sealing a 10–9 victory and the Pirates’ first championship in 35 years. It remains the only walk-off home run to win a World Series Game Seven.

Though best remembered for that blast, Mazeroski himself took greater pride in his defense. Teammates and opponents alike marveled at his quick feet, sure hands, and fearless style around the bag. By the time he retired in 1972, he had collected over 2,000 hits, eight Gold Gloves, and a reputation as the finest double-play man of his era.

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2001, Mazeroski summed up his career simply: “I think defense belongs in the Hall of Fame. Defense deserves as much credit as pitching.” Few players ever embodied that belief more.

Notable Achievements
7-time NL All-Star (1958-1960, 1962-1964 & 1967)

8-time NL Gold Glove Winner (1958, 1960, 1961 & 1963-1967)

Won two World Series with the Pittsburgh Pirates (1960 & 1971)

Baseball Hall of Fame: Class of 2001

Records Held
Double plays, second baseman, career, 1706

Double plays, second baseman, season, 161, 1966

TRIVIA Sponsored by Classic Baseball Broadcasts — Start you free trial here.

Game of The Day:

Game of the Day — World Series Game 7 October 13, 1960 New York Yankees vs Pittsburgh Pirates

Todays Podcast

September 5 highlights and Historic Days!

September 5, 1905 --- When Boston Americans beat the Philadelphia Athletics, 3 - 2, in 13 innings, they score the first runs off Rube Waddell in 44 innings in the bottom of the 9th on error. Waddell strikes out 17. including Hobe Ferris and Jesse Burkett 3 times and Boston starter George Winter 5 times.

September 5, 1914, While tossing a one hit 9-0 shutout against the Toronto Maple Leafs, 19 year-old Babe Ruth of the AAA Providence Grays (International league) hits the first home run in his professional career, a 3-run blast off Ellis Johnson. It will be his only homerun in minor league play. The site of the 'Sultan of Swat's' only minor-league homer, Hanlan's Point Stadium, which was located on Lake Ontario's Toronto Islands near the city's mainland, is being promoted as a historical landmark by Jerry Amernic, author of Gift of the Bambino.

Ruth will only play in the Minors for one season going 22-9 on the mound and in 131 at bats he hit 10 triples to go along with his 1 home run.

September 5, 1950 -- Philadelphia Phillies lefty Curt Simmons is the first player inducted into the Army as a result of the Korean conflict. He will get one more start before reporting and will miss the World Series. The 21 year old Simmons was 17-8 at the time with a 3.40 ERA. He will return in 1952 and go to the All Star Game in 52 & 53. He will only top the 17 wins once in his career winning 18 for the World Champion Cardinals.

September 5, 1954, future Hall of Famer Hank Aaron experiences both sides of baseball fortune. Aaron goes 4-for-4 in the first game of a doubleheader, helping the Milwaukee Braves to a 9-7 triumph over the Chicago Cubs. In the second game, Aaron breaks his ankle, sliding into third base in the 8th inning ending his season. Aaron, was batting .280 with 13 home runs and 69 RBIs. Ironically, the 20 year-old rookie became a starting outfielder for the team when Bobby Thomson’s sustained a broken ankle in a spring training game in March.

September 5, 1955 -- In an 11-4 win over the Philadelphia Phillies, Brooklyn Dodger pitcher Don Newcombe hits his seventh homer of the season, was a three run shot in the 4th inning off Murry Dickson breaking a 1-1 tie, establishing a National League record for home runs by a pitcher in a season. The Dodgers break open victory is Newk's 20th of the season, improving his record to 20-4. Dropping the Dodgers magic number to 2.

September 5, 1964 -- Blue Moon Odom makes his major league debut, and Mickey Mantle greets him with a 3-run opposite-field homer in the 1st inning. New York hangs on to win, again by a 9 - 7 score.

September 5, 1969 -- Tom Seaver becomes the first pitcher in franchise history to win 20 games in one season when the Mets beat the Phillies at Shea Stadium, 5-1. 'Tom Terrific', who will finish the season with a 25-7 record for the world champs, tosses a five-hit, complete game to reach the milestone. - - Members can listen to the Sept 5th 1969 game

September 5, 1971 -- In his major league debut, J.R. Richard throws a complete game in the Astros' 5-3 victory over San Francisco at Candlestick Park. The 21 year-old right-handed fireballer strikes out a major-league rookie record 15 batters in his first major league appearance.

The performance ties Richard with Brooklyn Dodgers pitcher Karl Spooner, for the most strikeouts in a MLB debut. Spooner also faced the Giants in his debut in 1954. . Jack Billingham whiffs 11 Giants in the opener, a 1-0 shutout. The combined 26 strikeouts sets a major league mark by one team in a twinbill.

Interestingly enough, Willie Mays plays in both games. He doesn't strike out against Spooner, but Richard gets him three times.

September 5, 1977 -- The Indians' first “I Hate the Yankees Hankee” promotion proves to be quite successful when the team sweeps a twin bill from Bronx Bombers, 4-3 and 5-4, in front of 28,184 enthusiastic patrons at Cleveland Stadium.

Game one was tied in the 7th, and Andre Thornton triples in Daune Kuiper off Catfish Hunter and future manager Bruce Bochte drove in his 3rd run of the game to give the tribe a 4-2 lead. Reggie Jackson will hit a solo shot in 8th but in won’t be enough.

In game game two after the Yankees roar back to score 4 in the 8th to take a 4-3 lead, John Lowenstein homers off Mike Torrez to tie and game and Andre Thornton gave them a 5-4 lead with a two out double and they will hold on to win 5-4. When Jim Bibby shuts the door.

The Tribe had previously lost their previous six games with New York this season and eighteen overall.

September 5, 1989 -- Deion Sanders, the fifth player selected overall in the 1989 NFL Draft, hits a home run as the Bronx Bombers rout the Mariners at the Kingdome, 12-2. Five days later in his NFL debut with the Atlanta Falcons, the Yankee rookie returns a punt 68 yards for a touchdown.

September 5, 1995, When the game becomes official in the bottom of the fifth inning, Cal Ripken receives a standing ovation for over five minutes from the sellout crowd at Oriole Park at Camden Yards as he ties Yankee legend Lou Gehrig’s record of 2,130 consecutive games. Oriole fans shower Ripken with a five-minute standing ovation… The Orioles shut out the Angels behind Scott Erickson by a score of 8 – 0.

September 5, 1998 -- Mark McGwire becomes the third and quickest player in major league history to hit 60 home runs in a season. 'Big Mac' accomplishes the feat in 141 games, as compared to Babe Ruth (154) and Roger Maris (159).

The 1st-inning blast off lefty Dennys Reyes helps the Cards on their way to a 7 - 0 blanking of the Reds.

September 5, 2001 -- Curt Shilling tosses eight innings of five-hit ball at Pac Bell Park to beat San Francisco, 7-2. The 34 year-old right-hander, who attended high school in Arizona, becomes the first 20-game winner in the three year history of the franchise.

News Reels September 5

Milestones September 5

 ANSWER TO TODAY’S TRIVIA

TRIVIA ANSWER: ROY FACE

-Face’s record in 1959 was 18-1, .947.

• #1 Face had 775 relief appearances for the PIT from 1953-68. Hoffman ended with 1,035 for SDP, passing Face in 2006.

• #2 He was head carpenter at the Mayview State Hospital in South Fayette Township, Pennsylvania, not far from Pittsburgh.

Thank you Horsehide Trivia

JOIN CLASSIC BASEBALL BROADCASTS TODAY

TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY

September 4 , 1974 -- At the Astrodome, Don Wilson is taken out after eight innings of no-hit ball. He is behind, 2-1. Two walks and an error have put Cincinnati ahead. Wilson's spot was to lead off the inning, Wilson had been hitting at a .206 clip the best of his career, The 15,840 persons in the Astrodome, watching their team going nowhere again this season, booed lustily when Tommy Helms was announced as an eighth‐inning pinch‐hitter for Wilson. Helms was retired on an infield grounder. Ironicly, the Astros next two hitters stroke singles and with first and third, and Gomez's questionable managing comes into play again as the Astros end the frame with a strikeout/thrown out stealing double play to end the inning, Cesar Cedeno strikeouts, and Roger Metzger gets caught stealing to end the inning.

Ironies abound. Wilson is approaching a rare third career no-hitter. The man who hit into the error is Pete Rose, who hit into the run-scoring error that made Ken Johnson a no-hit loser in 1964.

They booed again in the ninth when Tony Perez, after fouling off several pitches, got the only hit, off Mike Cosgrove in the 9th and Houston loses, 2 - 1. It's the second time Gomez has pinch-hit for his pitcher late in a game while he is throwing a no-no; Clay Kirby was the victim on July 21, 1970. Gomez hears the boos.

Wilson, with a 10–11 won lost record this season, had walked five batters, struck out three and hit one through his eight innings.

TRIVIA Sponsored by Classic Baseball Broadcasts — Start you free trial here.

Game of The Day:

Game of the Day — September 4, 1993 New York Mets vs Cleveland Indians

Todays Podcast

September 4 highlights and Historic Days!

September 4, 1916 — Cincinnati Reds player-manager Christy Mathewson, pitching his only game not in a Giant uniform, beats his long-time nemesis Mordecai “Three Finger” Brown and the Cubs, 10 – 8. In the 25 contests in which the two legends have faced one another, Matty, by winning the last decision, takes a 13-12 advantage in their final meeting.

September 4, 1924, The Brooklyn Robins take a twin bill from the Braves, sweeping their forth doubleheader in four consecutive days. Dazzy Vance chalks up his 12th straight win, and 24th on the year. Dutch Ruether then wins the nitecap, 9 - 1. Four years later on September 4th 1928 the Boston Braves would begin a run of 9 consecutive doubleheaders establishing a Major League record that still stands. Unfortunately for the Beantown 9, they would drop 14 of the 18 contests during their twin bill marathon.

September 4, 1941, the New York Yankees become the earliest pennant-clinching team in major league history. The Yankees double up the Boston Red Sox, 6-3, to improve to 91-45 and guarantee another American League title. The Yankees will coast to a final ledger of 101-53.

September 4, 1960, the playing streak of future Hall of Famer Nellie Fox comes to an end at 798 games. The slick-fielding Chicago White Sox’ second baseman is hospitalized with a virus and is replaced in the lineup by Billy Goodman. Fox would have gone 1,072 straight games had manager Marty Marion not rested him on August 5, 1955. Goodman helps the Sox split a doubleheader with the Tigers, losing, 6 - 4, before winning, 5 - 4.

September 4, 1961 -- Mickey Mantle misses the Labor Day doubleheader with a painful and swollen forearm, but the Yanks don't need him as they sweep a pair from the Senators, 5 - 3 and 3 - 2. The sweep moves the Yanks six games up on the slumping Tigers, who lose, 6 - 3, to the Orioles and trail, 4 - 1, in a game that is suspended. Mantle's replacement, Johnny Blanchard, breaks a 3 - 3 tie in the opener with an 8th-inning homer. Members can listen to the Sept 4th 1961 game between the Yankees and Senators here

September 4, 1966 -- Philadelphia Phillies starter Chris Short shuts out the Mets, 5 - 0, the 5th complete game win in a row for the Phillies' pitchers. Members can listen to the Sept 4th game

September 4, 1969 -- After thirty-one games, the third longest consecutive game hitting streak in National League history (the longest since 1900) ends as Dodger Willie Davis is stopped by Dick Kelley and Gary Ross in a 3-0 loss to the Padres. Members can listen to this game.

September 4, 1985, Gary Carter of the New York Mets hits two home runs giving him a record-tying five over the last two games. Carter, who had hit three home runs in an 8-3 win over the San Diego Padres the previous day, becomes the 13th player to hit five long balls in two games. The future Hall of Fame catcher's offensive output, which also includes a run-producing single, contributes to the Mets 9-2 victory over the Padres at Jack Murphy Stadium.

In six games in California in the last week, he had 14 hits in 25 times at bat for a .560 average, he whacked eight home runs and drove in 13 runs. And he now has 25 home runs in his first season since the Mets traded four young players to the Montreal Expos to get him.

''I've always been a streaky kind of home-run hitter,'' Carter said, ''but this is some kind of streak. Since I hurt my knee this summer, I have shortened my stance a little, made some adjustments, compensated, and I feel a great sense of confidence now.''

September 4 - After more than three decades, the infamous asterisk next to Roger Maris’ 61 home runs could finally disappear. Commissioner Fay Vincent has recommended that Babe Ruth’s 60-homer mark no longer overshadow Maris’ achievement, and an eight-member committee on statistical accuracy will consider the proposal next month.

The panel, chaired by Vincent, includes baseball officials, statisticians, reporters, and professors. “To the extent there is a single record, I am inclined to support the single-record thesis,” Vincent said. “Maris hit more home runs in a season than anyone else.”

The controversy dates back to 1961, when Commissioner Ford Frick ruled that Maris’ record, set in a 162-game season, should be noted separately from Ruth’s 154-game total. While the “asterisk” never actually appeared in record books, it became a symbol of debate, with some feeling it diminished Maris’ accomplishment.

Maris hit his 61st home run in the Yankees’ final game of the season, and even his son, Roger Maris Jr., acknowledges the stigma. “We know what it is. It’s something someone put up there to diminish what he did,” he said.

Longtime baseball officials and historians now see the potential change as long overdue. Charlie Segar, who served as secretary-treasurer under Frick, believes the original ruling would likely have been different today. “Things have changed so much. I don’t think he would have felt so strongly,” Segar said.

Members of the committee include Seymour Siwoff of the Elias Sports Bureau, Jack Lang of the Baseball Writers Association, and professors George Kirsch and David Voigt. Siwoff publishes one of baseball’s two official record books and says the committee’s review reflects the sport’s evolving perspective.

Vincent credits a recent article in The New Yorker by Roger Angell for inspiring the proposal. If approved, Maris’ record will finally stand alone, giving full recognition to a legendary season long overshadowed by technicalities.

September 4, 1993, Jim Abbott of the New York Yankees throws a 4-0 no-hitter against the Cleveland Indians. Abbott, a one-handed pitcher, becomes the first Yankee to throw a no-hitter since Dave Righetti in 1983. In the ninth inning, leadoff hitter Kenny Lofton is loudly booed by the fans after he fouls off a bunt in an attempt to make the one-handed pitcher field a ball.

September 4, 1998 -- Defeating the White Sox, 11-6, the Yankees win their 100th game on the earliest date in major league history, besting the 1906 Chicago Cubs and 1954 Cleveland Indians by five days. The 1906 Cubs set the major league record for fewest contests to reach 100 victories, accomplishing the milestone in 132 games. Members can listen to the Sept 4th game

News Reels September 4

Milestones September 4

 ANSWER TO TODAY’S TRIVIA

TRIVIA ANSWER: Roger Maris

IIn the 3rd inning on 03-Aug-1958, Maris hit a IPHR off WSH’s Russ Kemmerer. Maris hit Kemmerer’s last pitch that day out of the park with 3 men on in the 6th. (Data originally provided by David Vincent.)

#1 Can’t believe he couldn’t even manage a single. Maris’ feat of 4 extra-base hits in 1 G for KCA was matched only by Gino Cimoli & Elmer Valo.

#2 Maris was the Yankees’ primary right-fielder between 1960-1964. His teammate and CF Mickey Mantle lauded Maris by claiming, "Roger Maris was the best all-around baseball player I ever saw. He was a Golden Glove right fielder with a howitzer arm and was an extremely fast runner.” Cardinal teammate Orlando Cepeda had similar comments about Maris.

#3 Maris is a native of Hibbing, Minnesota with just fewer than 16,000 souls when he was born. Bob Dylan (Rock and Roll HOF) & Kevin McHale (Basketball HOF) were also born there.

#4 Maris played for (not in thus order) NYY, STL, CLEL & KCA.

Thank you Horsehide Trivia

JOIN CLASSIC BASEBALL BROADCASTS TODAY

TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY

September 3, 1969 — At Dodger Stadium, Collared his first four times up by Nolan Ryan, Willie Davis hits a double off Jack DiLauro in the 9th inning to stretch his hitting streak to 31 games. The double drives in Maury Wills, the winning run as Los Angeles tops the Mets, 5 – 4. The Mets had tied the game in the 8th when Tommie Agee and Donn Clendenon each homered with a man on.

His batting streak in 1969, using a bat borrowed from veteran infielder Ken Boyer, began after a frustrating 0-for-6 night in Pittsburgh when the Dodgers lost to the Pirates, 2–1, in 15 innings on July 31.

From the start of August to the end of his hitting streak in early September, Davis batted .435 (54-for-124) to surpass Hall of Famer Zack Wheat, who recorded a hit in 29 consecutive games for Brooklyn in 1916. The 81-year-old Wheat sent Davis a congratulatory telegram from his Missouri home when Davis broke the franchise record with a double against the Mets’ Gary Gentry on Sept. 2, extending the streak to 30 games.

Davis’ double on Sept. 3 would be the last hit of the streak. The only Dodger to come close to the mark since was Andre Ethier, who put together a 30-game hit streak in 2011, but Davis’ streak stayed intact.

Davis, who passed away at age 69 in 2010, also remains the Los Angeles franchise leader in hits (2,091), extra-base hits (585), at-bats (7,495), runs (1,004), triples (110) and total bases (3,094). Davis was a member of the National League All-Star team in 1971 and 1973 and won three Gold Glove Awards between 1971 and 1973.

TRIVIA Sponsored by Classic Baseball Broadcasts — Start you free trial here.

Game of The Day:

Game of the Day — September 3, 1969 New York Mets vs Los Angeles Dodgers

Todays Podcast

September 3 highlights and Historic Days!

September 3, 1917 -- Grover Cleveland Alexander goes the distance in both games of the Phillies' doubleheader sweep of Brooklyn at Ebbets Field. In his 18 innings of work, the Philadelphia right-hander limits the Dodgers to seven hits en route to posting 5-0 and 9-3 victories in the twin bill.

September 3, 1927, the “Murderers’ Row” New York Yankees are shut out for the first and only time on the season. Lefty Grove, the ace of the Philadelphia A’s, allows three hits in blanking the Yankees, 1-0. Grove’s masterpiece represents his only shutout of the season

September 3, 1936 -- Luke Appling's 27-game hitting streak is snapped by Wes Ferrell when the Red Sox right-hander goes the distance, holding the White Sox shortstop hitless in four plate appearances, that includes two bases-on-balls, in Chicago's 3-2 victory at Fenway Park. The 29 year-old infielder, who establishes a franchise record for consecutive games with a hit, will lead the American League with a .388 batting average this season.

September 3, 1957 -- Milwaukee Braves ace Warren Spahn tossed a six-hitter and blanked the Chicago Cubs, 8-0, to set a new National League record for shutouts by a southpaw. It was the Hall of Fame left-hander’s 41st career shutout, breaking the record held by Larry French, who was a mainstay of the Pittsburgh Pirates and Cubs in the 1930s. Hank Aaron added a three-run shot in the eighth. On the day, he fanned five Cubs and walked just one.

September 3, 1961 --At Yankee Stadium, after taking the first two games against Detroit, Mickey Mantle goes deep twice, including a round-tripper in the ninth to tie the score. Elston Howard wins it with a 3-run walk off homerun drive into the LF stands and Detroit leaves town 4 1/2 games in back of New York.

Roger Maris, who also blasted a pair of homers against the Tigers yesterday, has hit 53 homers in his pursuit of Babe Ruth's single-season mark of 60. Mantle is now at 50 home runs, with Roger Maris at 53, the first teammates in history to hit 50. Members can listen to this game

September 3, 1963 -- Ron Santo ties the National League record by a third baseman for errors committed in an inning. The Cub infielder's three miscues in the second frame lead to a seven-run outburst and an eventual 16-3 victory for San Francisco at Candlestick Park

September 3, 1965 — The Mets top the Cards, 6 – 3, behind the slugging of Jim Hickman, who cranks three home runs off Birds pitcher Ray Sadecki. Hickman is the first Mets player to hit three home runs in a game. Members can listen to this game

September 3, 1974 —  The Giants’ John Montefusco making his major league debut, homers in his first official time at bat, off Charlie Hough, and pitches nine innings of relief to earn a 9 – 5 victory over the Dodgers. He is one of only a handful of pitchers to do so, and is one of two players to both hit a home run in his first at bat and win the Rookie of the Year Award. The other is Wally Moon

September 3, 1977, Sadaharu Oh of the Japan Central League surpasses Hank Aaron as the game’s all-time home run king. Oh hits his 756th career home run, helping the Yomiuri Giants to an 8-1 victory over the Yakult Swallows. The Japanese superstar, a 1994 inductee into his country’s Hall of Fame, will hit a total of 868 homers during his 22 seasons with the Yomiuri Giants.

September 3, 1984 — Bruce Sutter breaks the National League record for saves in a season with his 38th in the Cardinals’ 7 – 3 win over the Mets.

September 3, 1984 -- In the Cubs' 5-4 victory over Philadelphia at Veterans Stadium, Rick Sutcliffe strikes out 15 batters, tying a franchise record shared by Dick Drott (1957) and Burt Hooton (1971). The trio's individual accomplishment will remain the club standard for a nine-inning game until Kerry Wood fans 20 Astros in 1998. Members can listen to this game

September 3, 1985 -- Future Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson, with his 525th career round-tripper, becomes the first major leaguer to collect one hundred home runs for three different teams. The California outfielder, who hit 269 during his ten seasons with Oakland, and 144 in five years with the Yankees, hits two homers to go over the century mark playing for the Angels in the team's 14-8 loss to Detroit.

September 3, 1988 - Dennis Eckersley sets an A's record with his 37th save of the season in Oakland's 5 - 4 win over New York. Eckersley will save 45 games this season, one shy of Dave Righetti's major league record.

September 3, 1990, Bobby Thigpen of the Chicago White Sox, breaks the mark established by Dave Righetti with the Yankees in 1986, sets a major league record with his 47th save when he pitches a scoreless ninth inning in Chicago's 4-2 defeat of Kansas City at Comiskey Park. The White Sox reliever will save another ten games before the season ends, extending the record to 57.

September 3, 2007 -- New York Mets right-hander Pedro Martinez, making his first start of the season, strikes out Cincinnati Red Aaron Harang in the 2nd inning to give him 3,000 strikeouts in the major leagues, the 15th player to reach that level. The three-time Cy Young winner has missed most of the season recovering from rotator cuff surgery.

News Reels September 3

Milestones September 3

 ANSWER TO TODAY’S TRIVIA

TRIVIA ANSWER: WILLIE DAVIS

In addition to MON & TEX, Davis began and ended his time in the majors with 2 Los Angeles teams, LAD & CAL.  He also played for STL, SDP as well as the Lions and Dragons in Japan and the Red Eagles in Mexico.

#1  Davis won MVP honors in 1959 in the C-level California League (Later A) w/the Reno Silver Sox.  Moving up to the AAA Spokane Indians in 1960, he was named MVP of the PCL and debuted in the majors.

#2  Mays playing first base for the first time in his major league career is shown tagging out Davis on a 3rd-inning pick-off on 01-May-1964.

Thank you Horsehide Trivia

JOIN CLASSIC BASEBALL BROADCASTS TODAY

TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY

September 2, 1990 - Few pitchers ever endured heartbreak like Toronto’s ace Dave Stieb. Three times in 1988–89, he stood one out away from history, only to see it slip away – Julio Franco’s bad hop single, Jim Traber’s bloop, and Roberto Kelly’s double with two outs in the ninth of a perfect game bid. Stieb became the face of near-misses.

On September 2, 1990, at Cleveland Stadium, his luck finally changed. The Blue Jays, chasing the AL East, handed the ball to their workhorse right-hander. Though Stieb admitted afterward he didn’t feel sharp, his command grew as the game went on. Pat Borders twice gunned down would-be base stealers early, and by the sixth inning Stieb was in full control, striking out the side for the second time.

Fred McGriff gave him run support with two home runs, one in the fourth and another in the ninth, and Kenny Williams and Manny Lee chipped in doubles. By the late innings, Stieb had retired 15 straight hitters and the Toronto bench grew tense, careful not to break the unspoken code of talking to a pitcher working on a no-hitter.

In the ninth, two quick outs brought the crowd – and nervous teammates – to their feet. Fittingly, it came down to Alex Cole, the same leadoff man Stieb had walked in the first. Cole worked a walk again, bringing up Jerry Browne, who lined Stieb’s 123rd pitch into right field. Junior Felix camped under it, shielding his eyes from the Cleveland sun, and squeezed it for the final out.

At last, Stieb had done it – the first no-hitter in Blue Jays history. After years of cruel fate, the ace who wrote a book called Tomorrow I’ll Be Perfect finally found perfection in the form of a no-hit gem.

“I can hardly believe what I did today,” Stieb said afterward. “I wasn’t nervous. Maybe being there so many times before helped. But really, there’s so much luck in a no-hitter. That’s what today was – all luck.”

For Toronto fans, it was much more than luck. It was redemption for one of the best pitchers of the 1980s, a star who never quit chasing the dream.

Parts of this article came from: This article was published in SABR’s “No-Hitters” (2017), edited by Bill Nowlin. To read more Games Project stories from this book, click here.

TRIVIA Sponsored by Classic Baseball Broadcasts — Start you free trial here.

Game of The Day:

Game of the Day — September 2, 1990 Toronto Blue Jays vs Cleveland Indians

Todays Podcast

September 2 highlights and Historic Days!

September 2, 1912 -- In a rainy doubleheader at the Polo Grounds, Boston Red Sox ace Joe Wood tops the New York Highlanders in the nightcap, 1 - 0, for his 30th win and his 13th straight victory. It is Wood's 8th shutout and second in a row. Boston takes the opening squeaker, 2 - 1 to finish the year in New York with 10 wins in 10 tries. With three wins last year, and five wins in their first five road games with New York in 1913, Boston ties the major league record for most consecutive wins on the road against one team (18). (Still one of my favorite interviews below)

September 2, 1939 — When Babe Dahlgren strikes out while being given an intentional walk and George Selkirk and Joe Gordon try to steal home on successive pitches by trotting to the plate, Red Sox fans throw a barrage of garbage onto the playing field at Fenway Park to protest the Yankees making deliberate outs to take advantage of the 6:30 Sunday curfew. Umpire Cal Hubbard rules the Boston crowd’s action makes it impossible to continue the game and awards the game as a forfeit to the Yankees with a 9 – 0 ‘official’ score.

September 2, 1955, In the second inning of the Chicago Cubs' 12-2 rout of St. Louis at Wrigley Field, Ernie Banks sets the record for home runs hit by a shortstop when he hits a two-run, two-out shot off Redbird southpaw Paul LaPalme for his 40th round-tripper. 'Mr. Cub' will extend the mark to 44 homers this season and will boost the total to 48 in 1958.

Banks’ home run surpasses the mark of 39 homers established by Vern Stephens of the Boston Red Sox.

Ten years later . . . . .

September 2, 1965 -- At Wrigley Field, the Chicago Cubs beat St. Louis Cardinals, 5 - 3, as Ernie Banks hits his 400th home run, a three-run shot off Curt Simmons in the 3rd. Simmons teed up the 400th home run of Willie Mays in 1963. Banks will end the season with 28 home runs and 106 RBI. Ron Santo and Billy Williams will also knock in over 100 runs, the only team with three such sluggers, but the Cubs will finish 8th.

'Mr. Cub' will finish his 19-year career with 512 home runs, including 277 home runs stroked as a shortstop, the record at the time of his retirement.

September 2, 1960 -- Boston Red Sox legend Ted Williams homers off Washington Senator right-hander Don Lee in the eighth inning of the Red Sox's 5-1 victory over Washington at Fenway Park. As a rookie in 1939, the Boston outfielder also went deep off Lee's dad, Thornton.

September 2, 1960 -- Milt Pappas stops New York on three hits - 2 by Tony Kubek - to give Baltimore a 5 - 0 lead in the first of a 3-game showdown. The Orioles now trail New York by .003.

September 2, 1967 -- Minnesota takes the American League lead by a half game on Dave Boswell's 5 - 0 victory over Denny McLain and Detroit.

September 2, 1971,  At the Astrodome, trailing 3-2 to Los Angeles, and with the bases full, Houston Astros outfielder Cesar Cedeno bloops a pitch off Claude Osteen into shallow right field. Bill Buckner and Jim Lefebvre collide while trying to catch the ball and it trickles into the corner. By the time the ball is retrieved, Cedeno has a 170-ft. inside-the-park grand slam to highlight a 9-3 victory.

September 2, 1972 -- In his major league debut, Doug Rau throws a three-hitter, beating St. Louis at Busch Stadium, 5-1. In his first big-league at-bat, the 23 year-old Dodger southpaw helps his cause with an RBI-triple in the second inning. Listen to the game here.

September 2, 1975 -- Johnny LeMaster becomes the second player to hit an inside-the-park home run in his first major league at-bat, dashing around the bases on a fourth-inning pitch thrown by Don Sutton in the Giants' 7-3 win over LA at Candlestick Park. The San Francisco shortstop joins Luke Stuart, who accomplished the feat at the Polo Grounds while playing for the 1921 Browns.

In 12 years and 3,191 at bats, LeMaster will hit only 22 home runs.

September 2, 1986 -- The Houston Astros and Chicago Cubs use a major league record 53 players in the game. Billy Hatcher's home run off Greg Maddux in the top of the 18th inning is the difference in Houston's 8-7 victory at Wrigley Field. (listen to his HR & Final out)

September 2, 1996, Mike Greenwell of the Boston Red Sox sets a major league record by driving in all of his team’s runs in a 9-8 win over the Seattle Mariners. The Boston right fielder, who has already collected a double, home run, and a grand slam, knocks in the decisive run with a 10th-inning single in the Kingdome contest. No other player at the time had ever driven in nine or more runs for his team's total score.

On September 2, 1999 — Cal Ripken, Jr. sets off a very enthusiastic ovation at Camden Yards when he becomes the 29th major leaguer to hit 400 career home runs. The Oriole third baseman connects for a three-run blast with two outs off right-hander Rolando Arrojo in the third inning of the Birds’ 11-6 victory over Tampa Bay.

September 2, 2001 — A pitching duel between former Yankee teammates David Cone and Mike Mussina saw New York's Mike Mussina came within one strike of pitching the first perfect game in the 89-year history of Fenway Park. Over eight innings Mussina did not allow a single Red Sox baserunner. Red Sox pitcher David Cone kept pace keeping the Yankees scoreless till the top of the 9th when the Yanks would push one across the dish. Mussina's bid was broken up by a clean single from pinch hitter Carl Everett. Prior to this, Everett was 1 for 8 with seven strikeouts against Mussina. The Yankees would hold on to win 1-0.

News Reels September 2

Milestones September 2

 ANSWER TO TODAY’S TRIVIA

TRIVIA ANSWER: OMAR MORENO

- Ans. In 1978-80, Moreno safely stole 71, 77 & 96* bases respectively.

- #1 In 1980-82, he was caught 33, 13 & 36 X.

- #2 For PIT in 1980, Moreno made 560 outs, breaking the record of 545 set just the year before b erstwhile teammate Frank Taveras. [Note how many leaders for this stat are BB.]

MON’s Ron LeFlore stole 97 that year for the NL lead. The redoubtable Rickey Henderson stole 100 for OAK to lead MLB.

Thank you Horsehide Trivia

JOIN CLASSIC BASEBALL BROADCASTS TODAY

TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY

September 1, 2007 - “Doesn’t matter if he throws a no-hitter, he’s going back down.” That’s what Red Sox manager Terry Francona said before rookie Clay Buchholz’s major-league debut in August 2007. The 23-year-old right-hander won that first start but was quickly returned to Triple-A Pawtucket, as planned.

Less than two weeks later, Buchholz got a surprise call-up. On September 1, with just one big-league start under his belt, he was asked to face the Baltimore Orioles at Fenway Park. What followed was one of the most remarkable nights in Red Sox history.

Boston, looking to snap a four-game skid, gave Buchholz early support. Kevin Youkilis scored in the second, then David Ortiz’s double highlighted a three-run fourth. In the sixth, Youkilis launched a three-run homer to stretch the lead to 8-0. Meanwhile, Buchholz settled in. By the seventh inning, the Fenway crowd of 36,819 began to buzz, aware they were watching history.

The rookie showed poise beyond his years. He retired hitters with a dazzling changeup and leaned on catcher Jason Varitek’s veteran game-calling. Dustin Pedroia’s diving stop in the seventh preserved the no-hitter, and by the eighth Buchholz was at 102 pitches – already a career high. General manager Theo Epstein admitted later he worried about the count, but Francona let his young pitcher finish.

In the ninth, Buchholz needed just 13 pitches. He struck out Brian Roberts, got Corey Patterson on a liner to center, and froze Nick Markakis with a curveball for the final out. Fenway erupted – a rookie had thrown a no-hitter, the first in Red Sox history.

“This is what you dream about growing up,” Buchholz said afterward. “You dream about perfect games and no-hitters … it’s unreal.”

It was the third no-hitter Varitek had caught, adding to Hideo Nomo’s in 2001 and Derek Lowe’s in 2002. He later added Jon Lester’s in 2008, tying Carlos Ruiz for most no-hitters caught by an AL/NL backstop.

For Buchholz, the night cemented his place in baseball lore. He became only the third pitcher in modern MLB history to throw a no-hitter in one of his first two career starts – a feat no other Red Sox rookie had accomplished.

On a September night in 2007, the kid who was supposed to be just a fill-in delivered one of the greatest debuts Fenway had ever seen.

Parts of this article came from: September 1, 2007: Red Sox rookie Clay Buchholz no-hits Orioles in his second big-league start That was written by Bill Nowlin

TRIVIA Sponsored by Classic Baseball Broadcasts — Start you free trial here.

Game of The Day:

Game of the Day — September 1, 2007 Baltimore Orioles vs Boston Red Sox

Todays Podcast

September 1 highlights and Historic Days!

September 1, 1918 -- The St Louis Browns and Tigers finish the season with a doubleheader split in St. Louis as the Cleveland Indians refuse to make the trip for the Labor Day doubleheader. In Game 2‚ Ty Cobb pitches 2 innings against the Browns while the Browns' George Sisler pitches one scoreless inning. The Browns win‚ 6 - 2‚ and Sisler hits a double off Cobb. Detroit wins the opener‚ 7 - 2.

September1, 1919 in the first of two Labor Day games‚ Babe Ruth allows 10 Washington hits but wins 2–1. Helping his own cause, Ruth drives home one run with a triple. The win is his last as a pitcher in a Red Sox uniform.

September 1, 1936 -- Detroit's Schoolboy Rowe fires his second two-hit game in 8 days‚ beating the A's‚ 4 - 1. Rowe beat the Red Sox on August 25th by a 5 - 0 score. Philadelphia is saved from a shutout when Bob Johnson blasts his 22nd home run in the 9th inning. All of Detroit's runs come in a hitless 4th when they use 5 walks‚ a fielder's choice and error.

September 1, 1941 -- At Fenway Park‚ the Boston Red Sox sweep two from the Washington Senators‚ 13 - 9 and 10 - 3. Ted Williams has only 5 official at bats‚ but has 3 hits - all homers - to take over the American League lead from Charlie Keller. Ted walks 4 times.

September 1, 1954 - - At Crosley Field‚ the Redlegs' Ted Kluszewski hits 2 home runs to break his own club mark of 40 homers. He will wind up with 49 for the season. Despite the Klu clouts‚ Cincinnati loses to Philadelphia‚ 9 - 3. In a pre-game stunt‚ Reds catcher Hobie Landrith catches a ball dropped out of a helicopter hovering some 500-600 feet over the field.

September 1, 1971, the Pittsburgh Pirates field the first all-black lineup in major league history. The lineup, which includes future Hall of Famers Roberto Clemente and Willie Stargell, helps the Pirates defeat the Philadelphia Phillies, 10-7, at Three Rivers Stadium. Rennie Stennett (2B), Gene Clines (CF), Roberto Clemente (RF), Willie Stargell (LF), Manny Sanguillen (C), Dave Cash (3B), Al Oliver (1B), Jackie Hernandez (SS), Dock Ellis (SP).

September 1, 1975, Tom Seaver strikes out Manny Sanguillen in the seventh inning to become the first pitcher to strike out at least 200 batters in eight consecutive seasons. Seaver recorded ten strikeouts in the Mets' 3-0 triumph over Pittsburgh.

September 1, 1975 -- It is "Bob Gibson Day" in St. Louis‚ as dignitaries‚ including August Busch and Bowie Kuhn‚ honor the 39-year-old pitcher. The Cards‚ led by Lou Brock‚ then drill the Cubs‚ 6 - 3. Brock has 3 singles‚ 3 stolen bases‚ and scores 3 times.

September 1, 1983 -- Entering the game with 286 strikeouts, Lynchburg right-hander Dwight Gooden strikes out a dozen batters in the first six frames of a scheduled seven-inning against Hagerstown, needing two more in the last frame to record 300 for the season. After the leadoff batter grounds out, the 18 year-old phenom whiffs the next two Suns hitters to secure to the 1-0 victory, reaching the lofty plateau in 191 innings.

September 1, 1989, Commissioner Bart Giamatti dies from a heart attack at the age of 51. Giamatti’s death occurs only eight days after he made headlines by banning Cincinnati Reds manager Pete Rose from baseball for gambling. Giamatti had been elected commissioner in 1988.

September 1, 1998 -- St Louis Cardinal firstbaseman Mark McGwire, in a 7-1 victory over Florida, hits his 56th and 57th home runs of the season‚to break Hack Wilson's National League single season home run record of 56. Big Mac's seventh inning shot ties the 1930 mark set by the Hall of Fame Cubs' outfielder, and he establishes a new record in the ninth, hitting a Don Pall pitch 472 feet over the center field wall at Miami's Pro Player Stadium. McGwire also eclipses Babe Ruth’s record of 114 homers in consecutive seasons set in 1927-1928.

News Reels September 1

Milestones September 1

 ANSWER TO TODAY’S TRIVIA

TRIVIA ANSWER: MIKE TROUT

Ans. From years 2012 through 2018, Trout placed 2nd in AL MVP voting in 2012, 2013, 2015 & 2018.

#1 He won the AL MVP in 2013, 2016 & 2019.

#2 Trout’s 1,489 G since the 2019 Draft easily tops 2nd-highest Randall Grichuk’s 1,141.

Thank you Horsehide Trivia

JOIN CLASSIC BASEBALL BROADCASTS TODAY

TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY

August 31, 1990 the Houston Astros make one of their best trades ever, acquiring minor league infielder Jeff Bagwell from the Boston Red Sox for pitcher Larry Andersen. Refusing to part with Triple-A third baseman Scott Cooper to get Larry Andersen from the Astros for the stretch run, Red Sox general manager Lou Gorman trades the Eastern League’s MVP Jeff Bagwell for the right-handed relief pitcher.The University of Hartford standout will go on to win the National League Rookie of the Year Award in 1991 and we will win the National League’s MVP Award in 1994 and become one of the greatest players in Astros franchise history. Anderson was a key member of the Red Sox bullpen down the stretch and helped Boston capture the the AL East Title. What is also lost is the Red Sox had a future MVP themselves in Mo Vaughn at firstbase who became on of the top offensive players in team history.

More on Bagwell -

One of the game's most consistent sluggers, Jeff Bagwell hit at least 30 homers and drove in at least 100 runs in six consecutive seasons from 1996-2001, and eight times overall. The big run producer in the Astros famous "Killer B's" offense, Bagwell helped the team to four division titles in the 1990s, and won the 1994 National League Most Valuable Player Award. A fan favorite, Bagwell's dismal post-season performances have been forgive by admiring Houston fans. His .750 slugging percentage in 1994 was the second-highest in NL history.

Best Season, 1994
In the strike-shortened season, Bagwell drove in 116 runs in 110, scoring 104, both league-highs. He also slugged .750 and paced the league in total bases and extra-base hits, while batting .368, which ranked second behind Tony Gwynn. He was voted MVP and had 100 RBI by the end of July, the fourth highest total in NL history at the end of that month.

Factoid
Jeff Bagwell and Frank Thomas were born on the same day: May 27, 1968. Each of them won the Most Valuable Player Award in 1994, Bagwell in the NL, and Thomas in the AL. Through the 2004 season, Bagwell had hit 446 homers, and Thomas had 436.

Post-Season Notes
Entering 2004, Bagwell had been one of the biggest post-season disappointments in baseball history. In 14 playoff games he had batted .174 (8-for-46) with no extra-base hits. Bagwell had driven in just four runs and was largely responsible for the Astros dreadful 2-12 record in playoff games during his career. His longtime teammate and partner in Houston's "Killer B's," Craig Biggio, had similar struggles in the post-season. The two had combined to hit .150 (15-for-100) with one extra-base hit and five RBI in the playoffs for Houston through 2003.

In 2004, Bagwell finally broke through in the playoffs, slugging a pair of homers in Houston's five-game NLDS victory over the Braves. He also stroked a pair of doubles in the NLCS gainst the Cardinals. He lifted his overall post-season average to .232, with 12 RBI in 26 games.

Bagwell will be inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2017.

TRIVIA Sponsored by Classic Baseball Broadcasts — Start you free trial here.

Game of The Day:

Game of the Day — August 31, 1957 New York Giants at Brooklyn Dodgers

Todays Podcast

August 31 highlights and Historic Days!

August 31, 1917, 22-year old Red Sox lefty Babe Ruth won his 20th game of the season, defeating the Athletics, 5-3. Ruth won 24 games that season, the second straight year he had reached the 20-win mark. Ruth posted a career 94-46 mark as a pitcher, but earned his fame as a slugger.

August 31, 1937 — Rudy York belts his 17th and 18th homers of the month, to eclipse Babe Ruth’s mark set in September 1927. Establishing a major league record that will not be broken until 1998, when Sammy Sosa hits 19 in June. The rookie catcher’s round-trippers and seven RBI’s against Pete Appleton help the Detroit Tigers maul the Washington Senators at Navin Field, 12-3.

August 31, 1950, Gil Hodges of the Brooklyn Dodgers ties a major league record by piling up 17 total bases in a game against the Boston Braves. Hodges hits four home runs and a single in leading the Dodgers to a 19-3 win at Ebbets Field.

August 31, 1959 — At L.A. Memorial Coliseum Sandy Koufax fans 18 Giants to set a National League mark in a 5 – 2 Dodger win. The game is witnessed by a crowd of 82,974 spectators (60,194 of whom have paid admission), the largest ever for a regular-season game. Koufax ties Bob Feller’s mark set in 1938 during a 4-1 loss to Detroit. He breaks Dizzy Deans previous NL Mark.

August 31, 1968 — Elroy Face ties Senators’ legend Walter Johnson’s major league mark for appearances with one team when he enters a game for the 802nd time for the Pirates, replacing Steve Blass, who remains in the contest in left field. After the reliever retires one batter to equal the record, Blass returns to the mound, and an announcement will be made before the final out is recorded in Pittsburgh’s 8-0 victory over Atlanta that the Bucs’ right-handed veteran has been sold to the Tigers.

August 31, 1979 — The Phillies fire Danny Ozark, senior manager (since 1973) in the National League. Farm director Dallas Green takes over as interim manager. The Phils will remove the “interim” on October 18 and Green will lead the team to its first World Championship in 1980.

August 31, 1990, Ken Griffey Jr. and Ken Griffey Sr. become the first father and son combination to play together in a major league game. The elder Griffey plays left field and bats second, while the younger Griffey bats third and plays center field. They each pick up one hit in four at-bats.

August 31, 1992, the Oakland A’s and Texas Rangers announce a blockbuster trade. The A’s send outfielder Jose Canseco, an MVP and two-time home run champion, to the Rangers for outfielder Ruben Sierra and pitchers Jeff Russell and Bobby Witt and an undisclosed amount of money. Baseball’s bad boy will hit 45 home runs and bat .269 during his three-year tenure in Texas.

News Reels August 31

Milestones August 31

 ANSWER TO TODAY’S TRIVIA

TRIVIA ANSWER:  DAN FORD 

- Ans. Ford, the venue’s 2^nd batter ever, homered in Yankee Stadium II, as it come to be called, on 15-Apr-1976. That put the visiting Twins up 2-0 before the first out of the game had been made.

- #1 He was called Disco Dan. The Disco Era was began to peak as he entered the majors in 1975.

- #2 Although Ford never made an All-Star team he transferred to Fremont HS ( not to be confused with Fremont HS in Sunnyvale, California, 350 miles to the north) because he admired the baseball players that he knew some recent Fremont graduates Bobby Tolan, Willie Crawford & Bob Watson who had made the majors. For 60 years, Fremont had been a source a talented baseball recruits.

Thank you Horsehide Trivia

JOIN CLASSIC BASEBALL BROADCASTS TODAY

TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY

August 30, 1952, Floyd Ellis “Arky” Vaughan, One of the greatest Shortstops of all time, Arky Vaughan played 14 years in the majors with a slash stat line of .318/.406/.453/136. The only shortstop with a higher Batting Average and at least 5000 At Bats is Honus Wagner, drowns with a friend when their boat capsized while fishing in a volcanic lake near Eagleville, CA.

Arky Vaughan was a perennial All-Star named to the National League team nine successive years. In 1941 he hit two All-Star home runs. His best years were spent in Pittsburgh, where his mentor, Honus Wagner, roomed with Vaughan while a Pirate coach. Vaughan's 1935 marks, a .385 batting average and .607 slugging average, remain team records. In addition to those league-leading numbers, his performance that year included 19 HR, 99 RBI, 108 runs, and only 18 strikeouts in 499 at-bats plus a league-high 97 walks. Unsurprisingly, he also led in on-base average (.491); from 1934 to 1936 he led in both walks and on-base average. His 1935 season earned him third place in the MVP voting, and he won TSN NL Player of the Year honors, at the time as prestigious as the more recently-introduced MVP award.

Vaughan led NL shortstops in errors in his first two seasons (46 each year) but exhibited good range. He settled down to become one of the league's better-fielding shortstops and led in putouts in 1936. By 1938 he may have been the best; from 1938 through 1940 he led three times in assists, twice in putouts, and once each in total chances per game, double plays, and errors.

Playing in spacious Forbes Field, Vaughan was in double figures in triples in all but one of his first nine seasons, and he led the league three times; he reached the 40-double plateau twice. He led in runs three times and topped 100 runs five times. First-place Brooklyn traded four players after the 1941 season to acquire Vaughan. After an off-year (.277, 82 runs) in 1942 while playing third base, he rebounded in 1943 to lead the NL with a career-high 20 stolen bases (at the age of thirty-one) and with 112 runs. He also had the best of his many excellent strikeout ratios, fanning just 13 times in 610 at-bats plus 60 walks, and hit .305.

Named for his home state of Arkansas, Arky Vaughan was a quiet, gentlemanly ballplayer whose demeanor was only twice disturbed; once by Dick Bartell and then by Leo Durocher. After Bartell had been hit in the head by a throw on a double-play attempt by Vaughan, he was quoted in the press as seeking revenge when the two teams played again. He backed down when a steely-eyed Vaughan walked up to him before the game and proposed they settle their differences under the stands.

Durocher pushed the reserved Vaughan too far. An argument between the Dodger manager and Bobo Newsome raged through the Dodger club house. Finally, Vaughan presented his rolled-up uniform to his manager with a suggestion he dispose of it in an impossible manner. Vaughan stalked out and the rest of the team was ready to follow. Relations were strained the rest of the 1943 season and, in 1944, Vaughan stayed on his California ranch, refusing to give as the reason his obvious loathing for Durocher or his wish to support the war effort by farming.

He remained away from baseball until 1947, the year of Durocher's suspension. Then, after three years of idleness, he hit .325 as a part-time outfielder, third baseman, and pinch hitter (10-for-26). Vaughan drowned in 1952, just forty years old, when a boat from which he was fishing capsized. The Veterans Committee selected him for the Hall of Fame in 1985.

TRIVIA Sponsored by Classic Baseball Broadcasts — Start you free trial here.

Game of The Day:

Game of the Day — October 4, 1947 World Series game 5 New York Yankees vs Brooklyn Dodgers

Todays Podcast

August 30 highlights and Historic Days!

August 30, 1918, future Hall of Famer Ted Williams is born in San Diego, California. “The Splendid Splinter” will make his major league debut in 1939, marking the start of a 19-year career with the Boston Red Sox. Williams will win election to Cooperstown in 1966.

August 30, 1965, one of the game’s most legendary figures, New York Mets manager Casey Stengel, announces his retirement. Doctors had advised Stengel to step down after suffering a broken hip in a bathroom fall on July 25. Stengel will gain induction to the Hall of Fame the next year. Stengel made his big league debut as an outfielder with John McGraw’s New York Giants in 1912. His greatest moment as a player came in the 1923 World Series with the Giants. With two outs in the ninth inning, Stengel won Game 1 with an inside-the-park home run. After his playing career he managed the Dodgers, Braves and in 1949 took over the Yankees, His record of 1149 wins versus 696 losses with the Yankees over the next 12 seasons was among the greatest in managerial history, and included 10 American League pennants and seven World Series victories. He finished his career with Mets and in 1962 posted the single worst record in baseball history as the amazing mets went 40 – 120. The year following his retirement, Stengel will gain induction to the Hall of Fame.

August 30, 1966 — Sandy Koufax, in his final decision facing the Mets, lasts only two innings, losing to Bob Friend at Shea Stadium, 10-4. The Dodgers Hall of Fame southpaw has compiled a 17-2 record against the lowly expansion team since their inception in 1962.

August 30, 1972- In Pittsburgh, announcer Bob Prince turns the mic over to Harold Arlin. On August 5, 1921, Arlin was the first announcer to broadcast a live play-by-play game, on KDKA. Today he calls a few innings while his grandson, Steve, is on the mound for San Diego against the Pirates.

August 30, 1973 — Billy Martin orders his pitchers to throw spitballs, in an effort to show the umpiring crew that they don’t consistently enforce the rules when Indians right-hander Gaylord Perry is on the mound. The Tiger manager, suspended for three days by American League president Joe Cronin, doesn’t understand being punished for telling the truth about asking his pitchers to throw illegal pitches.

August 30, 1978, Sadaharu Oh of the Tokyo Giants hits the 800th home run of his career. Oh, the world’s all-time home run king, had previously broken Hank Aaron’s record of 755 home runs. He went on to hit 868 for his career. Aaron, six years Oh’s senior, out-homered him in home run hitting contests held in 1974 and 1984.

August 30, 1986 — Roger Clemens becomes the major leagues’ first 20-game winner this season, striking out 11 Indians in a 7 – 3 victory to raise his record to 20-4.

August 30, 1990 — Boston’s Roger Clemens reaches 20 wins for the third time in five years by beating Cleveland, 9 – 2. Rocket strikes out nine and walks none.

August 30, 2006, Boston right-hander Curt Schilling fans Oakland slugger Nick Swisher with his trademark splitter to record the 3,000th strikeout of his career. Schilling becomes the 14th pitcher to reach the milestone. Schilling ranks 2nd all time with 4.38 strikeouts for every walk allowed. Third on the all time list is 2004 team mate Pedro Martinez with a 4.15 ratio. After recording the strikeout Schilling said, “Earlier in my career, the two guys I wanted to emulate were Clemens and Maddux. I wanted Clemens’ power with Maddux’s control. I never quite got to either one of them, but I felt like I was kind of a mishmash of the two in some cases.”

News Reels August 30

Milestones August 30

 ANSWER TO TODAY’S TRIVIA

TRIVIA ANSWER:  ARKY VAUGHN

- Wore #21 1932-39

- 2 AS HR 08-Jul-1941, 7^th & 8^th innings off Sid Hudson & Eddie Smith. Vaughn has since been joined by Ted Williams (1946), Al Rosen (1954), Willie McCovey (1969), Gary Carter (1981).

- Fullerton Union High School, class of 1930

- Glenn “Sparky” Vaughn played with HOU in 1963.

Thank you Horsehide Trivia

JOIN CLASSIC BASEBALL BROADCASTS TODAY

TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY

Nicknamed "Big Poison," Paul Waner passed away on August 29, 1965.

Waner was a hard-hitting outfielder who spent most of his career with the Pittsburgh Pirates, winning three batting titles and finishing in the top five in MVP voting four times, despite a serious drinking problem. He compiled a lifetime .333 batting average over twenty seasons, and he and brother/teammate Lloyd Waner hold the career record for hits by siblings.

Waner was a legendary drinker. According to his brother Lloyd, "Paul thought you played best when you relaxed, and drinking was a good way to relax." When Pirates management asked Waner to give up drinking in 1938 because Pittsburgh considered themselves contenders for the pennant, he agreed and hit only .280. This marked the only year in his Pirates career that he failed to hit .300. One of the methods Waner would use to sober up before a game was to perform several back-flips on the infield.

Waner collected his 3,000th hit by singling off his old teammate, Pirate hurler Rip Sewell, on June 19, 1942. Waner became the first National Leaguer since Honus Wagner, 28 years before, to reach the milestone.

The Bums of '44
Based on age, the 1944 Brooklyn Dodgers were one of the most peculiar teams in baseball history. On their roster, the Dodgers had 17-year old Eddie Miksis, and 18-year olds Ralph Branca, Gene Mauch, and Cal McLish. But the club also had 43-year old veteran Johnny Cooney, and 41-year old Paul Waner.

Best Season, 1927
In just his second season in the major leagues, Waner emerged as the top left-handed batter in the loop. He led the circuit with a .380 batting average, 237 hits, 342 total bases, 18 triples, and 131 RBI. Many of his hits drove in brother Lloyd, who batted .355 and scored 133 runs. Waner won the MVP Award and led Pittsburgh to the World Series, where they were crushed by the Yankees in four straight. Paul hit .333 in the loss - his only post-season appearance.

Most Career Hits, Brothers
The 5,611 hits by Paul and Lloyd Waner exceed those of the five Delahanty brothers and the three DiMaggio brothers.

1. Paul and Lloyd Waner... 5611

2. Felipe, Matty and Jesus Alou... 5094

3. Joe, Dom and Vince DiMaggio... 4853

4. Ed, Jim, Frank, Joe and Tom Delahanty... 4211

5. Hank and Tommy Aaron... 3987

6. Cal Jr. and Billy Ripken... 3858

7. Roberto and Sandy Jr. Alomar... 3627

8. Joe and Luke Sewell... 3619

9. Ken, Clete and Cloyd Boyer... 3559

10. Honus and Butts Wagner... 3489

11. Bob and Roy Johnson... 3343

12. Eddie and Rich Murray... 3299

Notable Achievements
4-time NL All-Star (1933-1935 & 1937)
NL MVP (1927)
3-time NL Batting Average Leader (1927, 1934 & 1936)
2-time NL Runs Scored Leader (1928 & 1934)
2-time NL Hits Leader (1927 & 1934)
NL Total Bases Leader (1927)
NL Singles Leader (1937)
2-time NL Doubles Leader (1928 & 1932)
2-time NL Triples Leader (1926 & 1927)
NL RBI Leader (1927)
100 RBI Seasons: 2 (1927 & 1929)
100 Runs Scored Seasons: 9 (1926-1930, 1932-1934 & 1936)
200 Hits Seasons: 8 (1927-1930, 1932, 1934, 1936 & 1937)
Baseball Hall of Fame: Class of 1952

TRIVIA Sponsored by Classic Baseball Broadcasts — Start you free trial here.

Game of The Day:

Game of the Day — August 29, 1965 San Francisco Giants vs New York Mets

Todays Podcast

August 29 highlights and Historic Days!

August 29, 1915 — George Sisler again pitches against Walter Johnson and this time wins, 2 – 1. He will be 4-4 for the Browns and 1-2 next year before moving permanently to 1B. Sisler is helped in the 8th inning when Brownie 2B Del Pratt nabs pinch runner Horace Milan, in his major league debut, with a hidden ball trick. Horace is the brother of teammate Clyde Milan.

August 29, 1925 – After a night on the town, Babe Ruth shows up late for batting practice. Miller Huggins suspends Ruth and slaps a $5,000 fine on him for disobeying orders on the field and team rules off the field. Ruth is forced to apologize before he’s reinstated nine days later. The day after his return to the lineup, Ruth hits career home run number 300. A few days later, Ruth will take his case to Yankee owner Jacob Ruppert, who sides with Huggins.

August 29, 1948 — Jackie Robinson hits for the backward cycle when he homers in the first inning, triples in the fourth, doubles in the sixth, and completes the rare event with a single in the eighth. In addition to his ten total bases, the Brooklyn Dodger second baseman drives in two runs, scores three times, and steals a base, helping Brooklyn beat the St Louis Cardinals at Sportsman’s Park, 12-7.

August 29, 1966 — Robin Roberts, getting the Cubs’ 4-2 win in relief, becomes the first and only pitcher to beat the Boston, Milwaukee, and Atlanta Braves. On Independence Day in 1948, the future Hall of Famer went the distance to notch his third career big league victory, beating the Boston Braves at Shibe Park in his rookie year with the Phillies.

George Altman delivers a 2 run pinch hit single, Roberts pitched 2 scoreless innings in relief. This will be Robert’s last career victory and finish the season with a 5-8 record and 286 career wins. He will be inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1976.

August 29, 1966 — Detroit’s Denny McLain tosses 229 pitches, gives up eight hits, walks nine and strikes out 11 in a 6-3 win vs the Orioles his 16th victory on the season.

August 29, 1972 – During a 3-0 win over St. Louis, San Francisco’s Jim Barr retires the first 20 batters to face him, his no hit bid was broken up by a pinch hit double by Bernie Carbo. Six days earlier, Barr had gotten out the last 21 Pittsburgh Pirates to face him in a 8-0 Giants victory, the only Pirates to reach in the game were second inning singles by Willie Stargell and Milt May and a walk to pitcher bob Moose in the third inning. This gave Barr a major league-record of 41 consecutive batsmen retired, which stood until Mark Buehrle broke it 36 years later in 2009 retiring 45 straight.

August 29, 1977 — After four seasons and 1,382 major league at-bats, Duane Kuiper hits his first and only homer. The Indians’ second baseman will come to bat 3,379 times in his 12-year career.

August 29, 1977 – St Louis Cardinals outfielder Lou Brock steals second base in a 4-3 loss to the Padres. It is career steal 893 for Brock, breaking Ty Cobb’s modern record. Brock wasted no time, leading the game off with a walk, he stole second base off the battery of Danny Freisleben and Dave Roberts, he advanced to third and scored on Jerry Mumphries single. Brock would steal another base in the seventh after a force out and was left stranded in the 7th at third in the Cardinal loss.

August 29, 1993 — Joining Hall of Famers Willie Mays and Hank Aaron, George Brett becomes only the third player in baseball history to swipe his 200th stolen base as well as collecting 3,000 hits and 300 home runs. The Royals’ third baseman’s historic heist takes place during a 5-4, 12-inning victory over the Red Sox at Kauffman Stadium.

News Reels August 29

Milestones August 29

 ANSWER TO TODAY’S TRIVIA

TRIVIA ANSWER:  LEFTY O’DOUL

- Ans. O'Doul's New York team stints were…

    1. (1919, 1920), NYY

    2. (1922), NYY

    3. (1923, BOS

    4. (1928), NYG

    5. (1929, 1930) PHI

    6. (1931-1933) BRO

    7. (1933, 1934) NYG

PCL: 1917, 1921, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1927. (& 19 G in Des Moines)

* The auditors felt it was fitting and proper to correct the number.

- #1 He had 254 hits and batted .398 playing for PHI in 1930.

- #2 His pitching record for BOS in 1923 was 1-1.

Thank you Horsehide Trivia

JOIN CLASSIC BASEBALL BROADCASTS TODAY

TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY

August 28, 1969 At a press conference, Commissioner Bowie Kuhn announces the publication of The Baseball Encyclopedia the wondrous thud of this 2,337-page bound publication, weighing more than six pounds and mass produced by computer software on onion-skin-thin paper, was as revelatory as it was roomy.

For the first time, the public had up-to-date and accurate access to the complete statistics of more than 10,000 professional baseball players going back to 1876. Think beyond the back-of-bubble-gum-card material.

The expanded columns had 17 stats for hitters and 19 for pitchers. It mined the archives of newspapers, scoresheets and loose-leaf binders collecting dust at the Baseball Hall of Fame to confirm and even recalculate categories such as RBIs, which were not recorded before 1920, and earned runs charged to pitchers, which weren’t computed until 1911.

Famed sportswriter Jimmy Breslin wrote in the New York Times: “The book figures to be of untold value to bartenders who have to settle arguments with customers.”

The first Major League Baseball-endorsed book of historical accuracy was not just a must-have for public libraries, team record-keepers and newspaper sports reference desks; it kick-started the creation of the Society for American Baseball Research a year later in 1970.

Just prior to the book’s Sept. 10, 1969, release, then-Baseball Commissioner Bowie Kuhn hosted an unprecedented news conference in a New York restaurant, trying to explain to the media why this was a significant, collaborative achievement.

David Neft, the book’s first-edition editor in chief, says he’s over the moon to be here today at age 82 and witness the marking of this milestone.

“I realized two things from the start — one, I better damn well get it right, and two, whatever else I did professionally in my life, I figured that 50 years later, when I’m dead and buried, if anyone remembers me for anything, it’ll be for this book,” said Neft, who holds a doctorate in statistics and was the director of research for Information Concepts, the company hired for this undertaking.

MLB official historian John Thorn, who moderated the June 2019 SABR event, said RetroSheet.org, founded in 1989, has so far digitized the play-by-play and box scores of nearly 175,000 games — 98% of all played over the last century. Baseball-Reference.com, launched in 2000 and expanded to basketball, the NFL, hockey, college football and soccer, says its primary aim is to be the “easiest to use, fastest and most complete sports statistics (site) anywhere. If we have some fun in the process, that’s good too.”

“You are all descendants of The Baseball Encyclopedia, and we all owe David our deep appreciation and applause on this 50th anniversary,” Thorn told the gathering. “All of us on this stage stand, in our past and our continuing work, on the shoulders of The Baseball Encyclopedia and its principal architect.”

Smith even brought along the copy given to him in 1969 with the inscription: “To David: This should answer some questions you hadn’t even thought of. Mother and Dad.”

Neft remains most proud of the fact his work eventually helped Baseball Hall of Fame voters comprehend the impact of someone such as pitcher Addie Joss (1902-10, elected in 1978 with a 1.89 lifetime ERA, second all-time) and outfielder Sam Thompson (1885-1898, elected in 1974 with 1,300 RBIs in 1,407 games over 15 years).

“For so long, there was a lack of information that could help define their accomplishments,” Neft said. “This fueled an appetite for people getting involved on their own, like SABR, but also working with like-minded colleagues to mine new information, discuss its importance, and open it up to everyone.”

For the record, it was likely the first time many stumbled across a player such as Archibald “Moonlight” Graham, who played one game with the 1905 New York Giants. He’s on page 902 of the first edition, and he inspired the Burt Lancaster character in the 1989 movie “Field of Dreams.”

Here is a deeper dive.

**My Dad bought this version, it sat on his book shelf for the next 33 years. It moved often from 1977-1984 as his son learned to love statistics and researching baseball history.

I learned about the great Cubs teams, Ty Cobb, Al Simmions, the Athletic’s of the late 1920’s. It spurred many Willie Mays vs Babe ruth converstions. We bought every new version but that original was pure baseball gold.

The book disappeared after he passed away, I was never sure what happened to it.

While browsing an Antique store I found the original 1969 version, in its case. Which I scooped up immediately. It sits next to his 1955 Grundig Radio in my office and keeps us connected.**

TRIVIA Sponsored by Classic Baseball Broadcasts — Start you free trial here.

Game of The Day:

Game of the Day — August 28, 1957 Chicago White Sox vs New York Yankees

Todays Podcast

August 28 highlights and Historic Days!

August 28, 1921 — Despite three doubles by Babe Ruth, the Tigers drop the Yankees, 7 – 3. Ruth starts a record streak in which he gets at least one extra-base hit in nine straight games. Into the record books go his 119 extra-base hits, 177 runs, and 457 total bases. His .846 slugging average is one point behind that of a year ago.

August 28, 1940 — Homestead Grays (Negro League) P Ray Brown earns his 27th consecutive victory over a 2-year span when he shuts out the Baltimore Elite Giants 5 – 0 on a 3-hitter. The win raises his record to 12-0 for the season.

August 28, 1951 – The Braves sell pitcher Johnny Sain to the Yankees for $50,000 and a young pitcher named Lew Burdette. It is another late-season insurance measure for the New Yorkers. Burdette would later be the key pitcher when the Braves beat the Yankees in the 1957 World Series. He won games 2,5 and 7 including back to back shutouts in game 5 and 7. Sain did pitch for 3 championship teams for New York but only pitched 13.2 innings over those years and went 1-1 in the World Series. Burdette pitched more innings and won more games in 1957 series alone.

August 28, 1967, the Boston Red Sox sign free agent first baseman/outfielder Ken “Hawk” Harrelson, who had been fired by the Kansas City A’s for making critical remarks about owner Charlie Finley. Harrelson reportedly receives a $75,000 bonus and salary package for 1967 and 1968. Harrelson will homer in his first Boston at bat but will hit just .200 for the Red Sox in 1967, he did hit 3 homeruns and drive in 14 however. The next year, however, he will become an All-Star and lead the American League with 109 RBI. Harrelson has become a colorful out spoken announcer since his retirment for baseball.

August 28, 1983 — Greg Luzinski becomes the first player to park three home runs onto the roof at Comiskey Park, connecting off Boston’s Oil Can Boyd in a 6 – 2 Chicago victory. Jimmie Foxx and Ted Williams each accomplished the feat twice.

Luzinski’s 25th homer on top of the left-field upper deck followed Harold Basines’ 12th home run and gave Chicago a 2-0 lead in the first inning.

Luzinski, who went 4-for-4, drove his second homer into the left-field upper deck after Baines doubled.

August 28, 1990, Ryne Sandberg of the Chicago Cubs becomes the first second baseman in history to notch consecutive 30-home run seasons. Sandberg hits his milestone 30th home run against the Houston Astros, helping the Cubs to a 5-2 win. Sandberg went onto hit 40 homeruns, he is 1 of 9 men to hit 40 homeruns in a season and the cubs ar the only team to have 40+ homerun hitters at shortstop and secondbase.

August 28, 2001 — Seattle OF Ichiro Suzuki reaches 200 hits for the season as the Mariners fall to the Devil Rays, 6 – 0. By going 2 for 3, Suzuki becomes only the third American League rookie to reach 200 hits since 1964.

News Reels August 28

Milestones August 24

 ANSWER TO TODAY’S TRIVIA

TRIVIA ANSWER: CHICK HAFEY 

- Ans. Hafey was hitting clean-up for the NL team in the 1^st ASG. He was the 1^st batter in the top of the 2^nd inning & hit a soft liner over the infield off NYY’s Lefty Gomez, but was erased on a double play. It was Hafey’s only ASG.

- #1   Hafey’s MLB career didn’t start with glasses, but two years in, he developed a condition that made them necessary.

- #2 In the opener in Philadelphia, on 28-Jul-1928(1), Hafey had a 2B in the 5^th, a 2B in the 8^th & a HR in the 12^th. All 3 hits were off the same pitcher, PHI’s Bob McGraw.  In the 2^nd game, 28-Jul-1928(2), Hafey again had two 2Bs & a homer in addition to a walk and a single. All but the 1^st double were off PHI’s reliever, Claude Willoughby. Several players have since tied this record.

Thank you Horsehide Trivia

JOIN CLASSIC BASEBALL BROADCASTS TODAY

TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY

August 27, 1982 Rickey Henderson of the Oakland A’s breaks Lou Brock’s single-season stolen base record. Henderson steals his 119th base, surpassing Brock’s total of 118 thefts. Henderson stole the base in the 3rd inning off the battery of Doc Medith and Ted Simmions. Henderson, would steal three more bases in a 5-4 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers.

Henderson set several major league standards during his 25-season career; he is the all-time leader in runs (2295), stolen bases (1406), and times caught stealing (335). He was also the leader in walks at the time of his final major-league game (2190). He also holds the single season records for steals (130), times caught stealing (42), and steal attempts (172), all in 1982. He hads hit more home runs to lead-off a game than anyone in history by a wide margin, with 81. Finally, he led the American League in steals a record 12 times.

He showed his promise during his very first season as a rookie in 1979 when he became the youngest player in major league history to steal three bases in one game, doing so on August 23rd. That record held for almost 40 years, as it was broken by 19-year-old Juan Soto late in the 2018 season.

May 26, 1979 he stole 7 bases in one game for the Modesto A's no player has matched that since.

He made his debut in late June in 1979, Rickey stole 33 bases, putting him in the top ten in the AL for the first of a remarkable 22 times.

When Rickey first played for Manager Tony La Russa after being traded back to the A's in 1989, he was repeating "Rickey's a team player" in defense to local writers accusing him of being selfish. La Russa was happy to hear it and they began discussing signs. La Russa said Rickey didn't have to worry about signs, he had the green light. Rickey asked if anybody else had the green light, and La Russa said no. Rickey said he didn't want the green light because "Rickey's a team player". He and La Russa went through the signs which included a swipe of the arms which meant take off all other signs. In Henderson's fourth game, in the 5th inning Rickey singled to right field. The Toronto Blue Jays had a two-run lead and Jimmy Key on the mound. Key was death to baserunners, so La Russa ordered the third base coach to go through all the motions with an arm swipe at the end. Rickey stole the base anyway, so Tony assumed he had missed the sign. A bit later Rickey singled to give the A's a four-run lead. David Wells entered the game, and like Key he was death to baserunners. Again, the third base coach went through the motions and swiped his arms. Once again, the Man of Steal robbed second. La Russa was angry now. "Hey Rickey, all that stuff about being a team player, what gives?" Rickey looked at La Russa as if he had no idea what he was talking about. "We gave you a sign, did you not see it?" "Yeah, I saw it. You said if you swipe the arm, that means take off. And so Rickey took off."

TRIVIA Sponsored by Classic Baseball Broadcasts — Start you free trial here.

Game of The Day:

Game of the Day — August 27, 1977 Philadelphia Phillies vs Cincinnati Reds

Todays Podcast

August 27 highlights and Historic Days!

August 27, 1929 — Rogers Hornsby has four hits and Sheriff Blake allows six to lead the Cubs to a 4 – 1 win over the Reds. Chicago now leads by 14 1/2 games, the greatest lead a National League team has enjoyed at this stage since the 1906 Cubs.

August 27, 1938, The Yankees‚ playing their 6th successive doubleheader‚ increase their AL lead to 12 games. 40‚959 fans filled Yankee Stadium‚ Joe DiMaggio has 3 triples in the first game of a doubleheader with Cleveland‚ an 8-7 Yankee win. New York scores 4 in the 9th‚ the last 2 coming around on DiMaggio’s 3rd successive triple‚ to win it. In the 2nd game‚ Yankee Monte Pearson tosses a no-hitter-the first at Yankee Stadium-winning his 10th straight game‚ 13-0. He faces just 27 batters‚ striking out 7.

August 27, 1946 — At the Owners’ Meeting, a committee formed to study integration, which includes Red Sox owner Tom Yawkey, delivers its secretive report defending the covert color barrier which exists in professional baseball. The absurd reasons given why blacks shouldn’t be allowed to play in the big leagues include an absence of skills due to inferior training and lack of fundamentals as well as the need to respect existing Negro League contracts, but another lesser known motivation may have been profit, as revealed later in the report: “The Negro leagues rent their parks in many cities from clubs in Organized Baseball (and) Club owners in the major leagues are reluctant to give up revenues amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars every year” and the fear white fans would be driven away if black players attracted more minorities to the ballpark.

The Red Sox, became the last club to integrate despite the wealth of talent available to sign the club ultimately waited for Pumpsie Green and Earl Wilson, signed in 1953, to work their way through the farm system. Green debuted twelve years after Jackie Robinson’s rookie season with the Brooklyn Dodgers and two-and-a-half years after Robinson’s retirement. Robinson would later call Yawkey “one of the most bigoted guys in baseball”.

Red Sox inaction in this area cost them dearly on the field – as so many black stars entered the game in this period –and the taint of their delay haunted them for decades after.

August 27, 1955 — Sandy Koufax, in his second big league start, two-hits the Reds at Ebbets Field, 7-0. The 19 year-old bonus baby, displaying the dominance that he will feature during the 1960’s, goes the distance, striking out 14 Cincinnati batters. The 2-team total of 23 strikeouts ties a record.

Said Cincinnati outfielder Gus Bell, “the lad had as much stuff as any pitcher I’ve faced in quite a spell.”

August 27, 1958 — Owner Clark Griffith says that the Senators will probably accept a good offer from Minneapolis/St. Paul, if one is made. President Dwight D. Eisenhower says that the Senators should improve the team and stay in Washington, DC.

August 27, 1977, Toby Harrah and Bump Wills of the Texas Rangers hit back-to-back inside-the-park home runs against the New York Yankees. Harrah and Wills connect on consecutive pitches in the Rangers’ 8-2 win at Yankee Stadium. This is the only time in MLB history players have hit back to back inside the park homeruns.

August 27, 1978, In the 3rd inning at Riverfront Stadium, Joe Morgan hits his 9th homerun of the year, off Mike Krukow. The two-out solo shot gives Morgan his 200th career home run. The future Hall of Fame second baseman becomes the first major league player to reach the 200-home run and 500-stolen base milestones. The Reds lose the game 7-1 to the Chicago Cubs.

August 27, 2000 Bobby Abreu of the Philadelphia Phillies hits a pair of solo homers‚ including a game-winning inside-the-park shot off San Francisco Giant reliever Aaron Fultz in the 10th inning to win 2-1. Abreu’s homer‚ his 20th‚ is the 5th inside-the-park home run game-ender in Phillies history and the first since Bob Dernier did it in 1989‚ also against the Giants. He’s the 29th major-leaguer since 1900 to end a game with an inside-the-park Home Run and the 38th extra-inning inside-the-park homerun (according to David Vincent). Ed Vosberg (1-0) picks up his 1st win since 1997.

News Reels August 27

Milestones August 24

 ANSWER TO TODAY’S TRIVIA

TRIVIA ANSWER: PAUL KONERKO 

Playing for the White Sox, Konerko homered with 3 men on base in the 7^th inning of Game 2, of the in 2005 WS, off the 1^st pitch thrown by Astros reliever Chad Qualls. Scoring ahead of him sere Juan Uribe, Tadahito Iguchi & Jermaine Dye.

- #1 MVP of the 2005 ALCS.

Thank you Horsehide Trivia

JOIN CLASSIC BASEBALL BROADCASTS TODAY