1965 – Five days after pitching against each other, the Cubs’ Bob Hendley and LA’s Sandy Koufax hook up again. No no-no this time as Hendley allows four hits and wins, 2 – 1.
1965 – At the Astrodome facing Don Nottebart, Giant outfielder Willie Mays becomes the fifth player in major league history to hit 500 career home runs. The “Say Hey Kid” will hit a league-leading and career-high 52 home runs en route to his second MVP season. Juan Marichal gets his 22nd victory, a 5 – 1 decision over Houston. It is the 11th straight win for San Francisco, which now has a 2 1/2 game lead in the National League pennant race.
Mets rookie Dick Selma, in his second major league start, establishes a franchise mark when he strikes out 13 batters. The 21 year-old right-hander goes the distance in New York’s ten-inning, 1-0 victory over Milwaukee at Shea Stadium.
1965 – Washington’s Brant Alyea debuts with a pinch-hit home run on the first pitch from Rudy May in his first major league at bat. Yes, a major-league first. In Washington, 840 fans watch the Senators beat the Angels, 7 – 1.
1965 – Tony Cloninger’s one-hit, 9 – 0 win is Milwaukee’s second straight one-hitter against the Mets, tying a major league mark set 48 years ago. Wade Blasingame, Billy O’Dell, and Phil Niekro combined the day before for a 3 – 1 win. In today’s win, Hank Aaron has two hits, a stolen base, RBI, and run scored before leaving for pinch hitter Johnny Blanchard.
The Orioles sweep a pair from Kansas City, 5 – 2 and 10 – 5. In game 2, the O’s get consecutive home runs by in 8th from Brooks Robinson, Curt Blefary, and Jerry Adair.
Phils rookie Ferguson Jenkins debuts with 4 1/3 innings of relief against the Cardinals and picks up his first victory. Philadelphia wins, 5 – 4, in 12 innings. It is the Phillies’ 10,000th game decision since 1900.
“And there’s 29,000 people in the ballpark and a million butterflies.” – Vin Scully’s description Of Koufax’s gem. Sandy Koufax’s perfect game against the Cubs bests Bob Hendley’s one hit effort, 1-0. The Dodger Stadium gem is the southpaw’s record fourth no-hitter.
The Angels waive Lou Clinton and both the Indians and the Athletics claim him. Since the rule on waivers is that the team lowest in the standings gets first dibs, Clinton joins the Athletics. He arrives in mid-game and appears as a pinch-hitter, striking out, as California beats the A’s, 7 – 2. He and the Athletics then learn after the game that Clinton has been awarded to the Indians because the Athletics’ claim was filed after the 24-hour claiming period had expired. Charlie Finley knew this before Clinton reported to the Athletics, but manager Haywood Sullivan, fed up with Finley’s second-guessing, didn’t answer the telephone during the game, and therefore didn’t find out.
In a promotion to increase Kansas City’s poor attendance, Bert Campaneris becomes the first major leaguer to play all nine positions in a single game. After being involved in a collision at home plate in the ninth inning, Campy is replaced by Rene Lachemann as the team’s catcher in the A’s eventual 5-3, 13-inning victory over California.
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