Yankee freshman Atley Donald, who will win 12 straight games to set an AL record for the most consecutive victories thrown by a rookie, throws a recorded pitch at 139 feet per second (94.7 mph) to establish a new record for a fastball. The velocity of ‘Swampy’s’ throw was measured by a speed meter owned by the Indians and the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

Wheaties sponsors the first telecast of a baseball game when their ads air during the Ebbets Field contest between the Reds and the Dodgers. The commercial broadcast is available only in New York City, where an estimated 500 people own television sets.

1939 – Cleveland OF Jeff Heath punches a taunting fan leaning over the railing, but the umpires miss the incident and he goes unpunished.

1939 – Red Rolfe scores for the Yankees in his 18th consecutive game, giving him a total of 30 runs.

At Comiskey Park in front of 50,000 fans, the Yankees win their first night game in franchise history, defeating the hometown White Sox, 14-5. The Bronx Bombers bang out 14 hits in the evening tilt, nine of which are for extra bases.

After dropping the opener to Chicago, 9-5, the Pirates snap a twelve game losing streak with a 5-0 victory in the nightcap. Max Butcher goes the distance in the shortened six-inning game, limiting the visitors to just two hits in the Forbes Field contest.

1939 – The Giants suspend 2B Burgess Whitehead, who will show up the next day in full uniform at Yankee Stadium and ask to work out. Yankee manager Joe McCarthy refuses. Whitehead rejoins the Giants a few days later, but he will be suspended again in mid-September after leaving the team.