The Browns acquire Cliff Mapes from the Yankees, sending Bobby Hogue, Kermit Wahl, Tom Upton and Lou Sleater to New York. The trade frees up an outfield spot for Mickey Mantle’s return as well as Mapes’s #7 uniform.
In an 8 – 6 Red Sox loss to the Browns, Clyde Vollmer doubles to finish the month with 13 homers, four doubles and a triple among his 31 hits. “Big Un” knocks in 40 runs with his outburst.
The Dodgers win their 10th in a row, defeating the host Pirates, 8 – 3. Don Newcombe earns his 15th win and 9th in a row. Newk also collects three of the Flatbushers’ 16 hits.
Retired Hall of Famer Ty Cobb testifies in front of Emanuel Celler’s Congressional committee in Washington, D.C. The ‘Georgia Peach’ denies the reserve clause makes ‘peons’ out of baseball players and says that it is necessary to keep the competitive balance in the game.
Joe DiMaggio makes a rare mental error against Detroit, catching a Steve Souchock fly ball in deep CF and, thinking it’s the third out, begins trotting in. It’s only the second out, and George Kell scores from second base to make the score 4 – 2 in the 8th. Despite the lapse, the Yanks win, 5 – 4, with DiMag redeeming himself by knocking in the winning run in the 9th.
In game one at Cincinnati, Willie Mays steals the first of 338 bases. Then pitcher Willie Ramsdell picks him off second base. But the Giants win, 3 – 1, behind Sal Maglie. New York takes the nitecap as well, 6 – 4, as Monte Irvin (2) and Mays both swipe bases.
Against the Phillies, Cubs player-manager Phil Cavarretta earns his money by driving home three runs in a first-game win, 5 – 4, snapping the Cubs’ 10-game home losing streak. His triple in the 6th off Robin Roberts ends the Cubs’ scoreless inning skein of 31 innings, and the consecutive scoreless innings by Phils pitchers at 41. Cavarretta takes the bench in the second game but inserts himself as a pinch-hitter in the 7th when Roberts relieves, and hits a grand slam home run as the Cubs sweep, winning the nitecap, 8 – 6. The nitecap loss goes to Bubba Church, who put two runners on before giving way to Roberts. It is Church’s first and only career loss to Chicago after nine straight wins.
Before a Yankee Stadium crowd of 70,972, the Yankees sweep the White Sox, 8 – 3 and 2 – 0. Joe DiMaggio powers two homers off Lou Kretlow in the opener, and ex-Sox Bob Kuzava outduels Saul Rogovin to win the nitecap. With yesterday’s game rained out, the Sox are now 6 1/2 out of first place.
Clyde Vollmer, who started the month on the bench, continues his explosive fireworks against the Indians. He singles in the tying run in the 15th and then in the 16th hits a grand slam off reliever Bob Feller for an 8 – 4 Red Sox win. The grand slam is the latest to be hit in a game in major league history. Mickey McDermott pitches all 16 innings for the Sox, striking out 15 and walking one.
Charlie Gehringer succeeds Billy Evans as General Manager of the Detroit Tigers.
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