This Day in Baseball History

[Old School]

Today in Baseball History
August 17th

Baseball History September 2nd - National Pastime - Baseball History

nationalpastime.com

1966
After tying Jimmie Foxx yesterday for most career home runs hit by a right-handed batter, Giants slugger Willie Mays passes 'Double X' with his 535th homer. The San Francisco center fielder now takes second place on the all-time list, trailing only Babe Ruth's 714.


1973
At Shea Stadium, 42-year-old Willie Mays hits the 660th and final home run of his career off Cincinnati southpaw Don Gullett. The Mets first baseman, who played 21 seasons roaming the outfield for the Giants before coming home to New York last season, is third on the all-time home run career list behind Babe Ruth (714) and Hank Aaron (703).


1980
George Brett reaches the .400 mark when he goes 4-for-4 in the Royals' 8-3 victory over Toronto. The Kansas City third baseman receives a standing ovation from the Royals Stadium crowd of 30,693 fans after blasting a bases-clearing double in the eighth inning.
* Brett averaged .390 for the season

1980
Detroit retires Al Kaline's uniform #6, making Mr. Tiger the first player in franchise history to receive the honor. The Hall of Famer, who joined the team as an 18-year-old, roamed the outfield for the Tigers from 1953 to 1974, becoming the team's leader in home runs (399) and games played (2,834) during his 22-year career in the Motor City.

1984
Pete Rose returns to the Cincinnati lineup for the first time in six years, going 2-for-4, including a single in his first at-bat, in the team's 6-4 victory over Chicago at Riverfront Stadium. Charlie Hustle, who was traded by the Expos yesterday for infielder Tom Lawless, also replaces Vern Rapp in the dugout in his new role as the club's player-manager.


2003
Good grief, Peanuts character Charlie Brown joins the late broadcaster Bob Prince, Negro League star Josh Gibson, former catcher Manny Sanguillen, and current shortstop Jack Wilson honored by the Pirates with a bobblehead doll giveaway day. Almost ten percent of the nearly 18,000 Peanuts strips created by Charles Schulz focused on baseball.

2013
Baseball suspends Miguel Tejada for 105 games, one of the longest in baseball history, after he tested positive on multiple occasions this season for Adderall, an amphetamine used to treat attention-deficit disorder. The 39-year-old Royals infielder, a six-time All-Star, apologizes to the organization, his teammates, and the Kansas City fans, explaining his medical condition requires medication but that he was wrong to take it while re-applying for a Therapeutic Use Exemption.

 

[Old School]

Today in Baseball History
August 18th

1967
A Jack Hamilton fastball shatters Tony Conigliaro's left cheekbone. The 22-year-old Red Sox slugger will miss the rest of 1967 and all next year, never coming close to the Hall of Fame potential displayed during his first three seasons.


1983
Two and a half hours after Justice Joseph P. Sullivan of the Supreme Court's Appellate Division overruled Justice Maresca's earlier decision in the day to issue an injunction against a resumption of the scheduled 6 P.M. protested game, the Yankees and Royals complete the July 24 Pine Tar contest in less than ten minutes in front of only 1,245 fans. Kansas City beats the Bronx Bombers, 5-4, thanks to the reinstated ninth-inning home run hit by George Brett 25 days ago, in the game that features an unusual defensive alignment for the one out that New York needs in the top of the frame when left-handed throwing first baseman Don Mattingly plays second, replacing the disabled Bert Campaneris, and southpaw starter, Ron Guidry, a gifted athlete, roams center field, in place of Jerry Mumphrey, who was traded to the Astros last week.


1998
Braves right-hander Greg Maddux wins his 200th career game, beating the Giants at Turner Field, 8-4, in a contest where all of Atlanta's nine hits are doubles. The 33-year-old All-Star hurler will finish his 23-year Hall of Fame career with a 355-227 (.610) won-loss record.


2006
Alfonso Soriano becomes the third player in big-league history to compile four seasons of 30 homers and 30 stolen bases. With his second-inning swipe of second base in a 6-4 victory over the Phillies, the Nationals outfielder joins Barry and Bobby Bonds in accomplishing the feat for the fourth time.

 

[yanno]

Mickey Mantle once said that if he had known that homers + stolen bases were going to be such a big deal, he would have stolen more bases.

 

[Old School]

Today in Baseball History
August 19th

1941
"All my players are going to get pneumonia because of you Jocko – you haven’t got the guts to call this game!" - FRANKIE FRISCH, manager of the Pirates, shouting his displeasure from the dugout.

During the second game of a doubleheader at Ebbets Field, Jocko Conlan ejects Frankie Frisch when the Pirates manager appears on the field with an umbrella, protesting the playing conditions at the Brooklyn ballpark. Ebbets Field. The rainy-day incident inspired Norman Rockwell's famous oil painting, Bottom of the Sixth.

1957
Citing poor attendance as the reason, Giants' president Horace Stoneham, ignoring baseball's edict of banning announcements about the relocation of franchises until after the World Series, informs the press the club has signed a lease to play in San Francisco next season. The club's Board of Directors voted 8-1, approving the shift to the West Coast, with the only dissenting vote cast by M. Donald Grant, future chairman of the expansion Mets, a team created to fill the National League void in New York

I had to know
1957 NY Giants 653,923
1958 SF Giants 1,272,625

San Francisco Giants Team History & Encyclopedia | Baseball-Reference.com

Get information about San Francisco Giants history, past franchise names, retired numbers, top players and more on Baseball-Reference.com

www.baseball-reference.com

1982
Pascual Perez misses his start for the Braves when he gets lost on Interstate 285, trying to find Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. The 25-year-old right-hander, who will be called I-285 by his Atlanta teammates, finally gets to the ballpark ten minutes after the game starts.


1992
When Bret Boone takes the field at Camden Yards against Baltimore, the Mariner second baseman becomes part of the first three-generation family to play in the major leagues. The 23-year-old Seattle rookie is the grandson of Ray Boone (1948-60) and son of Bob Boone (1972-90).


1997
Wade Boggs makes his pitching debut, throwing 16 knuckleballs and one fastball in a 12-4 loss to the Angels at Anaheim Stadium. The Yankee third baseman, a future Hall of Famer, hurls a scoreless eighth inning, giving up no hits, walking one batter, and striking out Todd Greene swinging to end the frame.

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[Old School]

Today in Baseball History
August 20th

Baseball History September 2nd - National Pastime - Baseball History

nationalpastime.com

1974
Nolan Ryan whiffs 19 batters in a game for the second time in eight days and the third time this season. The Angels' right-hander's stellar performance isn't enough when he loses to Detroit's Mickey Lolich in an 11-inning complete-game duel, 1-0.


1985
Dwight Gooden, going the distance in the Mets' 3-0 victory over San Francisco at Shea Stadium en route to his 13th consecutive win, whiffs 16 batters to become the first National League pitcher to strike out 200 or more batters in each of his first two seasons. After improving his record to 19-3 with his sixth shutout, the 20-year-old sophomore matches Herb Score's accomplishment in the American League in 1955 and 1956 with the Indians.


2008
Umpires sign an agreement allowing major league baseball to use instant replay to help determine boundary calls, such as fair or foul fly balls and difficult home run rulings. With the equipment already installed in ballparks, baseball plans to use the technology later this month


2017
The Pirates host the Cardinals in the inaugural Little League Classic at BB&T Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field, the home of the New York-Penn League's Williamsport Crosscutters. In front of a crowd mostly of Little Leaguers and their families, Pittsburg's first baseman Josh Bell homers and drives in four runs in the Bucs' 6-3 victory over the Redbirds.

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[Old School]

Today in Baseball History
August 21st

Baseball History September 2nd - National Pastime - Baseball History

nationalpastime.com

1931 Babe Ruth becomes the first major leaguer to hit 600 career home runs when the Yankees defeat the Browns, 11-7. The 36-year-old slugger hit the milestone round-tripper off right-hander George Blaeholder.


1972
In a complete-game effort at Veterans Stadium, Steve Carlton's consecutive victory streak ends at 15 when the Phillies drop a 2-1 decision to Atlanta and Phil Niekro, who also goes the distance. Dusty Baker, who started the 11th-inning rally with a two-out double, scores the eventual winning run on Mike Lum's broken-bat flare over the shortstop's head.


1977
Orioles' third baseman Brooks Robinson, retaining his coaching duties with the team, announces his retirement as an active player before the game against the Twins to make room on the roster for catcher Rick Dempsey, returning from the disabled list. The 40-year-old future Hall of Famer, nicknamed the Human Vacuum Cleaner due to his outstanding defensive prowess, won 16 consecutive Gold Glove Awards, playing his 23-year career with Baltimore.


1982
Rollie Fingers becomes the first player in major league history to record 300 career saves. The Brewers' right-handed reliever reaches the milestone, pitching the final two innings of the team's 3-2 victory over the Mariners at the Kingdome.


2002
In the longest game ever played in Little League World Series history, Louisville (KY) beats Fort Worth (TX) in the US semifinal in 11 innings, 2-1. A record-setting 49 batters strike out when Fort Worth's Walker Kelly whiffs 21 in nine two-hit innings, and Louisville's Aaron Alvey fans 19 opponents over nine no-hit innings.


2013 Ichiro Suzuki collects his 4,000th career hit, joining Ty Cobb and Pete Rose as the third professional baseball player to accomplish the feat. The Yankee right fielder, who has compiled more hits during his 13 seasons in the major leagues than any other player within the same amount of playing time, started his career with the Orix BlueWave in Japan, where he had a total of 1,278 hits before joining the Mariners in 2001.

 

[Old School]

Today in Baseball History
August 22nd

Baseball History September 2nd - National Pastime - Baseball History

nationalpastime.com

1965
In one of the ugliest moments in baseball history, Juan Marichal, believing Johnny Roseboro threw too close to his head while returning the ball to Sandy Koufax, attacks the Dodger catcher with his bat, precipitating a 14-minute brawl. The Los Angeles backstop will need to leave the game, requiring 14 stitches to close the gash on his head, and the National League will suspend the Giants' right-hander for eight days (10 games) and fined him a record $1,750.


1968
After walking on a 3-2 count, which included pitches sailing over his head to the backstop and a ball thrown behind him, Dick McAuliffe charges the mound, driving his knee into White Sox hurler Tommy John causing the pitcher's shoulder to separate. The Tigers' shortstop is suspended for five games and fined $250 by AL president Joe Cronin due to the bench-clearing incident that ended Tommy John's (10-5, 1.98) season.


1982
The Cubs pay tribute to Ernie Banks, who played his last game in 1971 when the team retires his uniform number #14 that he wore for 19 seasons. The Hall of Famer becomes the first player in the franchise's 106-year history to be honored in this manner.


1989
On a 96-mph fastball, A's Rickey Henderson swings and misses, making Nolan Ryan the first and only major league pitcher to strike out 5000 batters. The 'Ryan Express' strikes out 13, giving up only five hits, but loses the game to Oakland, 2-0.




2012
Baseball suspends Oakland right-hander Bartolo Colon for 50 games after testing positive for testosterone. The infraction will end the 2005 Cy Young Award winner's season with a 10-9 record (.526) and an ERA of 3.43 for the playoff-bound A's.

 

[Old School]

Today in Baseball History
August 23rd

1942
Between games of a doubleheader between New York and Washington, Babe Ruth appears in pinstripes for the first time in seven years to face former Senator fireballer Walter Johnson, helping to raise over $80,000 for the Army-Navy Relief Fund. To the delight of nearly 70,000 enthusiastic fans at Yankee Stadium, the 47-year-old Bambino goes deep on the 54-year-old hurler's fifth pitch. Then, after hitting a barely foul upper-deck blast on the 15th and final pitch of the at-bat, he rounds the bases tipping his cap before leaving the field with the Big Train to a thunderous standing ovation.

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2001
Arizona left-hander Randy Johnson becomes the first pitcher to strike out 300 batters in four consecutive seasons. The Big Unit's 16-strikeout performance isn't enough as the Pirates beat the Diamondbacks, 5-1, ending the southpaw's eight-game winning streak.


2013
At a Dodger Stadium press conference, LA announces Vin Scully will continue broadcasting Dodgers' games for his 65th consecutive season. Some of the historic moments the Hall of Fame broadcaster has called include Don Larsen's perfect game in the 1956 World Series, 19 no-hitters, four by Sandy Koufax, Hank Aaron's 715th home run, and Kirk Gibson's dramatic walk-off in the 1988 Fall Classic.

 

[Old School]

Today in Baseball History
August 24th

1963
ABC's Wide World of Sports airs the first telecast of the Little League World Series. The network provides ‘the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat’ when Grenada Hills (CA) beats Stratford (CT) in the championship game, 2-1.


1973
Sitting in the top row of the bleachers at Cleveland Stadium, 21-year-old John Adams begins a tradition that will continue until he dies in 2023 when he starts to bang on his drum to cheer on the hometown Indians. Over the years, the team will celebrate their #1 fan by giving two complimentary season tickets for him and his drum, having him participate in several ceremonial first pitches, creating a bobblehead in his likeness, and, upon his passing, inducting him into the franchise's Distinguished Hall of Fame, placing a bronze sculpture in Heritage Park at Progressive Field as a tribute, and renaming the bleachers in his honor.


1975
Ed Halicki, in the second game of a doubleheader sweep, no-hits the Mets, 6-0. The Candlestick Park masterpiece includes ten strikeouts by the Giants right-hander, who will never have a winning season in San Francisco and will post a 55-66 record during his seven-year career.

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1989
"In the absence of a hearing and therefore in the absence of any evidence to the contrary, I am confronted by the factual record of the Dowd report, and on the basis of that, yes, I have concluded that he bet on baseball." - A. BARTLETT GIAMATTI, commissioner commenting on Pete Rose's lifetime banishment.


"Regardless of what the commissioner said today, I did not bet on baseball." - PETE ROSE, defending himself at Riverfront Stadium news conference.

Commissioner A. Bartlett Giamatti, stating he believed that Pete Rose had bet on games, including those of the team he managed, announces an agreement that bans Mr. Rose permanently from baseball. The five-page agreement, signed by the commissioner and the Reds manager, does not indicate the suspension is specifically for betting on baseball games and does not include language that Rose wagered bets on specific contests.

2004 Confession:
Rose publicly admitted his gambling on baseball in an interview with ABC News and in his autobiography published that same year.

The admission came 15 years after he was banned for life from MLB in 1989, a decision that also made him ineligible for the Hall of Fame.

 

[Old School]

Today in Baseball History
August 25th
1968
Rocky Colavito, giving up just one hit in 2⅓ innings of relief, gets credit for the win when the Yankees beat the Tigers, 6-5. The Bronx Bomber outfielder, who also homers in the game, will be the last position player to notch a major league victory until Rockies' catcher Brent Mayne accomplishes the feat in 2000


1985
At the age of 20 years, nine months, nine days, Dwight Gooden becomes the youngest 20-game winner ever when the Mets beat San Diego at Shea Stadium, 9-3. Doc is 27 days younger than Bob Feller, who accomplished the feat in 1939 with the Indians.


1996
The Yankees dedicate a centerfield monument to Mickey Mantle, who died of liver cancer last year. The commemorative structure, the first erected by the team in 47 years, joins three other monuments in the Bronx ballpark that honor the legacies of Miller Huggins, Babe Ruth, and Lou Gehrig.

 

[Old School]

Today in Baseball History
August 26th

Baseball History September 2nd - National Pastime - Baseball History

nationalpastime.com

1939
At Brooklyn's Ebbets Field, NBC televises the first major league game on experimental station W2XBS, covering a doubleheader where the Reds win the first game, 5-2, and the Dodgers take a 6-1 victory in the nightcap. The network employs two cameras, one behind home plate, showing an expansive view of the field, and the other on the third-base line to capture the plays at first base.


1980
George Brett strokes four singles and a double in five at-bats when the Royals edge Milwaukee at County Stadium, 7-6. The Kansas City third baseman's 5-for-5 performance raises his league-leading batting average to .407.
*Brett hit .390 that season and won the AL MVP
21 seasons w/the Royals


1989
The Trumbull (CT) All-Stars become the first American team to win the Little League World Series since 1983, snapping Asia's six-year hold on the title. The U.S. National team defeated Chinese Taipei, 5-2, behind the five-hitter thrown by 12-year-old Chris Drury, who in 2001, will go on to win the NHL's Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche.


1990
Returning from the disabled list after dislocating his shoulder, Bo Jackson homers in his first plate appearance back in the Royals' lineup. The round-tripper gives the slugging outfielder home runs in four consecutive at-bats forty days apart, having gone deep three straight times before getting injured attempting to catch a Deion Sanders fly ball in July.

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1991
The Yankees reluctantly agree to a $1.55 million contract with 19-year-old high school southpaw Brien Taylor, the overall number one pick from the June amateur draft. George Steinbrenner is outraged by the record deal, but the suspended owner had driven up the price when he publicly made his wishes known to Newsday two days before the signing by saying, "If they (Gene Michael) let him go, they ought to be shot."
* The No. 1 pick in the 2025 MLB Draft was shortstop Eli Willits, selected by the Washington Nationals from Fort Cobb-Broxton High School in Oklahoma. Willits reclassified from the 2026 class and made the goal of being the top pick in the draft. The Nationals signed Willits, agreeing to an $8.2 million signing bonus.


1993
The Mets announce that Vince Coleman will remain on paid administrative leave until the end of the season, effectively ending his playing career with the team. Fred Wilpon's decision that the outfielder, who signed a four-year $11.95 million deal before the 1991 season, will never put on a Mets uniform again results from Coleman's admission of tossing an M-100 leaving a Dodger Stadium parking lot last month that injured three people.


1999
Achieving the mark in his 29th start, Diamondback southpaw Randy Johnson reaches the 300-strikeout milestone in record time, surpassing Pedro Martinez, who accomplished the milestone in 31 starts in 1997. The 'Big Unit' reaches the plateau when he whiffs Kevin Millar to end the fifth inning in the team's 12-2 victory over the Marlins en route to finishing the season with 364 strikeouts.

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2007
Warner Robins (GA) captures the Little League World Series when 12-year-old Dalton Carriker's extra-inning (8th) walk-off home run beats Tokyo, 3-2. The victory is the third consecutive LLWS championship for the United States, its longest streak since winning eight straight titles from 1959-1966.

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[Old School]

Today in Baseball History
August 27th

1946
A committee formed to study integration, Red Sox owner Tom Yawkey delivers its secretive report during an Owners' Meeting, defending the covert color barrier in professional baseball. The reasons cited include the black's lack of fundamentals and skills, the respect of Negro League contracts, the reluctance to lose rental revenues from the Negro League teams, and the fear of white fans not attending games if black players attracted more minorities to the ballpark.


1960
Ernie Banks knocks in his 100th run of the season when he grounds out in the first inning of the Cubs' 5-4 victory over Philadelphia at Wrigley Field. The Chicago infielder, finishing the season with 117 RBIs, will be the last National League shortstop to reach the milestone until 1985, when Hubie Brooks accomplishes the feat with the Expos.


1978
Joe Morgan hits his 200th home run when he goes deep off Mike Krukow in the third inning of the Reds' 5-1 loss to the Cubs at Riverfront Stadium. The Cincinnati second baseman becomes the first major leaguer to reach the milestone, having also stolen 500 bases.
*Joe Morgan 268 Home Runs /689 Stolen bases


1982
Rickey Henderson breaks Lou Brock's 1974 single-season record of 118 stolen bases in the team's 5-4 loss to the Brewers. The A's outfielder, who will finish the season with 130, ends the day with 122 after swiping four bases in today's County Stadium contest.

There isn't an active player in the TOP 100 ALL TIME

 

[Old School]

Today in Baseball History
August 28th

Baseball History September 2nd - National Pastime - Baseball History

nationalpastime.com

1945
A moment in American history occurs in Brooklyn when Branch Rickey meets with Jackie Robinson to share his plans to integrate the major leagues. During the three-hour meeting, the Dodgers' president will shout racial epithets to 'test' the 26-year-old ballplayer's mettle to withstand the abuse that will come with being the first player to cross the color line this century.


1971
In his first at-bat in the Little League World Series finale, Lloyd McClendon blasts a three-run homer, prompting the Chinese Taipei manager to order his pitchers to walk the 12-year-old for the rest of the game intentionally. The Gary (IN) Little Leaguer, the future manager of the Pirates and Mariners, hit five home runs in five at-bats, all on the first pitch, and walked in his other five plate appearances in the three games he played in the tournament

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2005
Down three runs in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, Hawaii ties Curacao, 6-6, sending the Little League championship game into extra innings for the first time since 1971. The Ewa Beach bunch beats the Caribbean champs, 7-6, when Michael Memea hits a walk-off homer in the bottom of the seventh inning.

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2022
A news release from Heritage Auctions reports a 1952 Mickey Mantle baseball card sold for $12,600,000, making the collectible the most valuable piece of sports memorabilia in the world. The winning bid for the Yankees superstar Topps item nearly doubles the previous record paid for a baseball card when a rare Honus Wagner fetched $7.25 million earlier this month.

 

[Old School]

Today in Baseball History
August 29th

1951
The Yankees send rookie hurler Lew Burdette and $50,000 to the Braves for 33-year-old right-hander Johnny Sain. The trade will come back to haunt the Bronx Bombers when the right-hander throws three complete-game victories in the 1957 World Series, won by Milwaukee in seven games.


1966
On a typically cool night at Candlestick Park, the home of the San Francisco Giants, the Beatles play their final concert, ending their half-hour set with Little Richard's "Long Tall Sally." The 'Fab Four's performance on a five-foot stage, located just behind second base surrounded by a six-foot-high wire fence, is less than stellar due to the ballpark's inadequate lighting, poor acoustics, and the group's growing disdain for doing live shows.

Obviously not a 5 foot stage

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1977
After four seasons and 1,382 major league at-bats, Duane Kuiper hits his first and only homer when he goes deep off Steve Stone in the Indians' 9-2 victory over the White Sox at Cleveland Stadium. The 27-year-old second baseman will come to bat 3,379 times during his 12-year career, establishing the modern major league record for most career at-bats with exactly one home run.


1977
At Jack Murphy Stadium, 39-year-old Cardinals outfielder Lou Brock swipes his 893rd bag, breaking Ty Cobb's 49-year-old major league career record for stolen bases. The Georgia Peach had established the mark in 1928 as a member of the Philadelphia A's at the age of 41.

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1986
Let's Go Mets Go!, a music video that features players, coaches, and fans, and a cameo appearance by Joe Piscopo, Howard Stern, and film critic Gene Shalit debuts on the Shea Stadium Diamondvision. Shelton Leigh Palmer, best known for writing the Meow Mix jingle, composed and produced the team's official theme song, which will become a Gold Record, and directed the accompanying triple-platinum four-minute video.

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2010
After initially ruling Brian McCann's drive a double, the umpires take only 86 seconds to overturn the call, making it the first time in baseball history a game ends with a walk-off home run thanks to a video review of a play. The backstop's ninth-inning round-tripper, which bounced off the top of the outfield wall and struck a second barrier, gave the Braves a 7-6 comeback victory over Florida.

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[Old School]

Today in Baseball History
August 30th
1973
Billy Martin orders his pitchers to throw spitballs 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.


2002
After marathon negotiation sessions to avoid a players' strike just hours away, Bud Selig announces the players' union and owners have agreed on a new four-year CBA without a work stoppage. The settlement, described as 'historic' by the commissioner, provides the owners with the economic restraints they sought, with the players assured of no contraction of teams until the 2007 season and the gradual implementation of a revenue-sharing plan during the contract.

 

[Old School]

Today in Baseball History
August 31st

1959
Sandy Koufax fans 18 batters to establish a new National League record for a nine-inning game in the Dodgers' 5-2 win over San Francisco at the LA Memorial Coliseum. The left-hander's performance equals the major league mark established in 1938 by Indians fireballer Bob Feller during a 4-1 loss to Detroit.


1969
Morgann, a well-endowed fan dressed in a mini dress, jumps onto the Atlanta Stadium field and kisses Clete Boyer on the cheek while standing in the batter's box. The Braves' third baseman then promptly ends a 1-for-17 slump with an RBI single and goes on an 8-for-15 tear.


1985
After completing the first frame in a 6-0 loss to the Mariners at Memorial Stadium, Cal Ripken, Jr. plays his 5,153rd consecutive inning, one more than George Pinkney, who set the previous mark over six seasons from 1885 to 1890, appearing mostly in American Association contests. After being replaced by a pinch-hitter on June 4, 1982, the Baltimore shortstop played every inning to finish the season, extending the record to 8,264 by playing every inning until September 14, 1987.


1990
Ken Griffey and Ken Griffey Jr. appear in the same major league lineup, becoming the first father and son to accomplish the feat. The 40-year-old left fielder and his 20-year-old offspring score a run in the Mariners' 5-2 victory over the Royals at the Kingdome.


1997
New York adds Don Mattingly's uniform number 23 to the list of retired numbers on the wall at Monument Park in front of a crowd of 55,707 fans. The former Bronx Bomber first baseman, who served as team captain from 1991 to 1995, is the first Yankee to have his uniform number retired without playing in a World Series.


2001
Upon learning that Danny Almonte, star pitcher of the LLWS, is 14 years old, not 12 as required by the organization's rules, the Little League strips the Rolando Paulino All-Stars of all its wins. The team, which had captured the heart of the community, finished third in Williamsport, was given a parade in New York, and a pregame ceremony honored the squad at Yankee Stadium.


2005
On the third pitch he sees in the bigs, Jeremy Hermida becomes only the second player to hit a grand slam in his first major league at-bat. The Marlin rookie pinch-hitter joins Phillies hurler Bill Duggleby, who accomplished the same feat in 1898.

 

[Old School]

Today in Baseball History
September 1st

Baseball History September 2nd - National Pastime - Baseball History

nationalpastime.com

1964
🇯🇵 At Shea Stadium, Masanori Murakami becomes the first native-born Japanese player to appear in the U.S. major leagues when he throws a scoreless eighth inning that includes striking out Charlie Smith and Ed Kranepool in the Giants' 4-1 loss to the Mets. The 20-year-old southpaw, scheduled to play only minor league ball until June as an 'exchange player,' will be allowed to stay and play in one full season with San Francisco before returning to the Nankai Hawks, ending his brief American stint with a 5-1 record and an ERA of 3.75.


1971
In a 10-7 victory against the Phillies at Pittsburgh's Three Rivers Stadium, the Pirates become the first major league team to start an all-black/Latino squad. The lineup includes infielders Al Oliver (1b), Rennie Stennett (2b), Jackie Hernandez (ss), Dave Cash (3b), and outfielders Willie Stargell (lf), Gene Clines (cf), Roberto Clemente (right field), with Dock Ellis (p) and Manny Sanguillen (c) making up the battery.


1980
Ed Farmer, who had been accosted on the mound in June by Al Cowens, agrees to drop the assault charges brought against the Tiger center fielder by the Illinois authorities in exchange for a handshake and an apology from his attacker. Before the Comiskey Park contest, the two former combatants bring out the lineup cards, smile, and shake hands. The White Sox fans continue to boo the Detroit player, and a "Coward Cowens" banner will express the Southsiders' sentiments.


1999
Due to the union chief Richie Phillips' ill-advised ploy to use mass resignations to force the owners into a new collective bargaining agreement, twenty-two of baseball's regular 68 umpires find themselves unemployed. In an understanding mediated by U.S. District Judge J. Curtis Joyner, the Umpires Association agrees to a deal, costing those members their jobs, but allows for an arbitration proceeding that could permit displaced umps to return to the game at some point.


2005
The first busload of Hurricane Katrina refugees, formerly housed at the Superdome in New Orleans, arrive at the Houston Astrodome. The Astros' former home will allow the displaced storm victims to escape the horrendous unhealthy conditions of their former shelter by supplying air conditioning, cots, food, and showers for 25,000 people expected to arrive from Louisiana.


2010
"This is the major leagues. This is not college any more. You're not on scholarship. You're being paid to do the job and guys depend on you, and I think it's unfortunate that the Nationals and the team are in a situation here where this kid now, he feels any kind of arm pain, he's gonna call you out?... You give these guys (today's players) $15 million bucks, please. Get your butt out there and play every fifth day." - ROB DIBBLE, commenting as a Sirius XM Radio show host.

The Nationals announce Rob Dibble will no longer serve as a TV analyst for the team's games on MASN, which telecasts the Washington games. As a Sirius XM Radio host, the former major league reliever severely chastised Stephen Strasburg for not pitching through pain before the rookie phenom's diagnosis of a torn elbow ligament.

 

[Old School]

Today in Baseball History
September 2nd

Baseball History September 2nd - National Pastime - Baseball History

nationalpastime.com

1965
Cubs' first baseman Ernie Banks hits his 400th career home run, a three-run round-tripper off Cardinal hurler Curt Simmons in the third inning, helping Chicago defeat St. Louis at Wrigley Field, 5-3. 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.


1972
With his 2,971st hit in a Pirates uniform, Roberto Clemente breaks Honus Wagner's record for the most hits in the franchise's history. The historic blow is a three-run homer off San Francisco hurler Sam McDowell in the bottom of the fourth inning in an eventual 6-3 victory for the Bucs at Three Rivers Stadium.


1972
After retiring twenty-six consecutive batters, Cubs starter Milt Pappas walks pinch-hitter Larry Stahl on a 3-2 pitch, losing a bid for a perfect game. 'Gimpy' retires the next batter, Gary Jestadt, to preserve his 8-0 no-hitter against the Padres at Wrigley Field.

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1973
After three stormy seasons with the team, the Tigers fire Billy Martin on the last day of his three-day suspension for ordering pitchers to throw spitballs. Jim Campbell, the team's general manager, announces the dismissal was made "for the good of the organization," citing the recent incident as a contributing factor but not the sole reason for releasing his manager.


1986
The Astros and 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.


2006
At Tropicana Field, the Devil Rays' second triple play in franchise history is the first time the ball never touches the bat. The 2-6-2 triple killing against the Mariners occurs when Raul Ibanez strikes out on a full count (1), with Adrian Beltre tagged out attempting to steal second (2) and shortstop Ben Zobrist returning the ball to catcher Dioner Navarro, nailing Jose Lopez trying to score from third (3).

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2006
Joining Jeremy Hermida (Marlins, 2005) and Bill Duggleby (Phillies, 1898), Kevin Kouzmanoff becomes the third player in major league history to hit a grand slam in his first career at-bat. The Indians' 25-year-old DH, filling in for the injured Travis Hafner, who hit six bases-juiced homers this season, tying a major league record, is the first person to accomplish the feat on the first pitch he ever sees in the big leagues.

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[Old School]

Today in Baseball History
September 3rd

1957
Braves left-hander Warren Spahn, with his 8-0 whitewashing of the Cubs at Wrigley Field sets a National League mark for shutouts thrown by a southpaw. The future Hall of Famer has held his opponents scoreless 41 times, breaking the record previously shared by Eppa Rixey and Larry French.

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

Career SHO Leaders:1.Walter Johnson+/110/2534, 2.Grover Alexander+/90/1982, 3.Christy Mathewson+/79/1900, 4.Cy Young+/76/3104, 5.Eddie Plank+/69/1783, 6.Warren Spahn+/63/2056, 7.Nolan Ryan+/61/957, Tom Seaver+/61/1552, 9.Bert Blyleven+/60/514, 10.Don Sutton+/58/1559,

www.baseball-reference.com

1961
Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris become the first teammates to each hit fifty home runs in the same season when 'the Mick' goes deep twice, including a round-tripper in the ninth to tie the score, in the Yankees' 8-5 walk-off victory over Detroit at the Bronx ballpark. 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.


1967
The Reds intentionally walk Willie McCovey during his first three plate appearances in the Crosley Field contest. Although Cincinnati's two-out strategy works every time, the Giants prevail when Ray Sadecki hurls a three-hit shutout en route to the team's 4-0 victory.


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 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 surpass the century mark playing for the Angels in the team's 14-8 loss to Detroit.