August 27, 1953 – Three Braves minor leaguers from the Toledo Sox were named to the American Association All-Star team. They were pitcher Gene Conley, leading the Association with 21 wins; infielder Billy Klaus (#2); and outfielder Sam Jethroe (shown here scoring run).
1953 – Giants OF Dusty Rhodes, hitting just .167, connects for three home runs in a row at the Polo Grounds in a 13 – 4 win over the Cardinals. Teammate Al Dark goes 5 for 5 with his own home run.
August 23, 1953 – Don Grate, a former Milwaukee Brewer and Braves farm hand, threw a baseball 443 feet, three-and-one-half inches, breaking his own record by nine inches. Grate was also a former pro basketball player with the Sheboygan Indians of the NBL.
Phil Paine, a former Boston Braves pitcher on military service with the U.S. Air Force in Japan, becomes the first ex-major league player to play in Japan. He pitches in nine games for the Nishitetsu Lions: four wins, three losses, ERA 1.77.
Chattanooga OF Don Grate betters his 1952 record by throwing a baseball 443 feet 3 ½ inches. Glen Gorbous will beat it in 1957.
8/21/1953 – The Cardinals hit out of turn for the second time in less than a month. Playing at home against Cincinnati, the Redbirds went down in order in the first inning. Ray Jablonski was due up to start the second but Steve Bilko batted one slot early in the order. After Bilko grounded out, the Cardinals discovered the error and told the umpires who declared Jablonski out. Then Bilko hit again in his proper place and homered for the game’s first run. The Cards won, 4-0.
1953 – Major league player representatives Ralph Kiner (National League) and Allie Reynolds (American League) hire labor leader John Norman Lewis at $15,000 per annum to give legal advice to players in their negotiations with the owners.
The Browns beat the Baltimore Orioles, the city’s AAA minor league team, 8-2, in an exhibition game played in front of a small crowd of 10,861 at Municipal Stadium. Undaunted by the low turnout of fans for the contest against the International League team, St. Louis owner Bill Veeck will seek and be given permission to shift his franchise to the Charm City, a move denied by the American League owners last year.
1953 – Bob Kuzava of the Yanks shuts out the Athletics, 9 – 0, allowing 11 hits along the way.
1953 – 3B Ransom Jackson of the Cubs grounds into 3 double plays against the Braves as the Cubs lose, 2 – 0. Jackson ties a National League record, later eclipsed by Joe Torre.
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