At Los Angeles, the Aaron brothers lead the Braves to a 10 – 5 pounding of the Dodgers, and cutt the Dodgers’ lead over the idle Giants to 3 1/2 games. Hank Aaron hits his 40th homer and Tommie Aaron accounts for three RBIs with three hits.
On September 17, 1962, Warren Spahn of the Milwaukee Braves becomes the winningest left-handed pitcher in major league history. The future Hall of Famer defeats the Los Angeles Dodgers, 2-1, for his 324th career win.
1962 – Willie Mays celebrates his return to the lineup by cracking a three-run home run in the 8th inning, his 44th of the year, to tie the Pirates, 4 – 4. Pittsburgh tops the Giants in the 10th inning when Smoky Burgess hits a two-run home run.
At Cleveland, 22-year-old Sudden Sam McDowell pitches six scoreless innings, striking out 7. He leaves after one out in the 7th after his hard throwing causes him to breaks two ribs. With two outs in the 9th, the Twins score three to win, 3 – 2. Lee Stange, in relief, gains his first ML win. McDowell, just recalled from Portland (Pacific Coast League), where he compiled an 8-0 record, including a one-hitter and no-hitter in consecutive starts, will go 11-4 this year.
The Pirates beat Jack Sanford 5 – 1, the first loss by the Giant hurler after 16 straight wins.
The Phillies top St. Louis 2 – 1 on Johnny Callison’s 9th-inning home run. Callison also hit a game-winning home run in last night’s 2 – 1 win over Milwaukee.
Jim Piersall is knocked unconscious by a revolving door in his hotel in Baltimore, shortly after the hearing on his arrest.
Washington OF Jim Piersall is arrested for going into the stands after a heckling fan prior to a game against Baltimore. He is charged with disorderly conduct, but later cleared. Joe Hicksreplaces Jimmy in the 7 – 1 loss to the Orioles. O’s winning pitcher Chuck Estrada clouts one of the three Birds homers.
In Kansas City’s 5 – 4 win over the Angels, 17-year-old Ed Kirkpatrick pinch hits in the 9th for Los Angeles. He is the youngest player in the American League since Jim Derrington, in 1956, and no one younger will debut this century in the AL.
One game behind the front running Dodgers, the Giants lose Willie Mays, their All-Star center fielder, when he is hospitalized for nervous exhaustion. The ‘City by the Bay’ will drop six games in a row, but will recover along with ‘Say Hey Kid’ in time to beat Los Angeles in a playoff to win the National league pennant.
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