On April 30, 1952, Ted Williams plays his final game before leaving for military duty in Korea. In his last at-bat on âTed Williams Dayâ at Fenway Park, the âSplendid Splinterâ blasts a game-winning, two-run home run against Dizzy Trout of the Detroit Tigers. The home run gives the Red Sox a 5-3 winâŠ
Cleveland OF âBig Jimâ Fridley goes a (20th c) record-tying 6-for-6 in a 21-9 romp over the host Philadelphia Aâs. Al Rosen chips in with 3 HRs and 7 RBIâ as both teams total 43 hitsâ 2 hits short of the AL mark. The Indian outfield collects 12 hits to tie the AL recordâ last tied in 1917. The Indians had been shut out in 3 out of their past 4 gamesâ and held to a single hit in 2 of them.
Cleveland left fielder Jim Fridley is 6-for-6 as the Indians soundly beat the Philadelphia Aâs, 21-9. âBig Jimâ, who will play briefly for Cleveland, Baltimore, and Cincinnati, respectively, in 1952, 1954, and 1958, collects six singles in the Shibe Park contest.
1952 â The St. Louis Browns become the first major league organization to loan or sell players to a team outside of the United States when they âlendâ two African-American minor league players, infielder John Britton and pitcher Jimmy Newberry, to the Hankyu Braves of the Japanese Pacific League. Abe Saperstein, owner and coach of the world-famous Harlem Globetrotters, negotiated this special example in lend-lease for both sides.
Art Houtteman, needing to retire just one more batter to author a no-hitter, throws a fastball to Harry Simpson, who rips the pitch for a single, spoiling the right-handerâs chance for immortality. The Tigersâ 13-1 triumph over the Tribe at Briggs Stadium marks the teamâs first victory of the season, after dropping eight decisions to start the campaign.
Giant reliever Hoyt Wilhelm homers in his first major league at-bat, a fourth-inning blast off Dick Hoover in the teamâs 9-5 victory over Boston at the Polo Grounds. During the next 21 years, covering 1070 games and 432 official at-bats, the knuckle-balling future Hall of Fame hurler will never homer again.
Bob Cain of the St. Louis Browns and Bob Feller of the Cleveland Indians each pitch one-hitters, with the Browns prevailing, 1 â 0. This ties a major league record for the fewest hits by two teams in a game (since broken). Bobby Young hits a triple in the 1st inning and scores on an Al Rosen error as the Browns move into first place. The Indiansâ only hit is a single by Luke Easter. For Feller, it is the fourth time heâs tossed a one-hitter against the Browns.
Apr 19, 1952 â At Shibe Park, 20 year old Eddie Mathews of the Boston Braves hits his first homerunâ off Ken Heintzelman of the Phillies, Mathews shot was a 3 run homerun in the 8th inning. It shrunk the Philliesâ lead to 7-6, the Braves will score 3 in the 9th to win 9-7âŠ.
Joe DiMaggio ends his legendary Yankees career in 1951 â âDiMag Quits as Player for TV Postâ The 37-year-old outfielder, who plans to remain with the Yankee organization as a TV broadcaster, said: âI honestly believe night ball cut short my days by about two years. You donât get to bed until two in theâŠ
 Apr 18, 1952 â In their home Opener before 29â874 at Forbes Fieldâ Pittsburghâs Bob Friend shuts out the Redsâ 5-0â on 5 hits. It is the 2nd win in a row for the Piratesâ and they wonât have a winning streak longer than two games all seasonâ a 20th century ML record lowâŠ.
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