On June 28, 1971, this clip was Originally aired of Vida Blue of the Oakland A’s was in the midst of setting the baseball world on its ear when this story aired. Interviews with Blue’s mother is included as are clips of him pitching against the Kansas City Royals. Royals manager Bob Lemon and first…
On June 27, 1971 Roberto Clemente’s 1,200th RBI comes in the form of a tie-breaking, 8th-inning, pinch-hit homer off Joe Hoerner, culminating Pittsburgh’s come-from-behind 10 – 9 victory over Philadelphia in the second game of a doubleheader. Clemente is the first of only six players in the 33-year history of Veterans Stadium to reach the…
On June 26, 1971, the California Angels suspend starting outfielder and defending American League batting champion Alex Johnson. Earlier in the season, Johnson had been benched five times and fined 29 times for failing to hustle. Some of these incidents include – During an exhibition game, Johnson leaned against the left-field fence, trying to stay…
The Brewers’ Marty Pattin gives up 11 hits to Minnesota, but still shuts them out, 5 – 0.
On June 25, 1971 – Willie Stargell hits the longest home run in the history of Veterans Stadium in the second inning off starter Jim Bunning during a 14-4 Pirates rout of Philadelphia. The spot in Section 601 where the ball landed will be eventually commemorated with a black “S” inscribed within a yellow star…
On June 25, 1971, actor Kurt Russell makes his professional baseball debut by collecting a double, single, and two stolen bases for the Bend Rainbows of the Northwest League California Angels minor league affiliate. Russell was a switch-hitting a second baseman and shortstop, he will move up to the Walla Walla Islanders (1972) in the…
On June 23, 1971, Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Rick Wise puts on an awesome one-man display in pitching a 4-0 victory. At Riverfront Stadium, Wise no-hits a powerful Cincinnati Reds’ lineup, he faces only 28 batters on 95 pitches. Pete Rose is retired as the final out. Wise also becomes the first man to hit two…
On June 20, 1971 – Four grand slams are hit in the majors, by the Braves’ Earl Williams, the Phillies’ Deron Johnson, the White Sox’s Rick Reichardt, and the Pirates’ Willie Stargell. Williams’ slam comes in a 5 – 4 loss, and the Braves drop a 2nd game, 2 – 0 to the Reds. The Pirates whip Montreal, 7 – 1, and the Sox pummel the Twins, 18 –…
On June 16, 1971, The Oakland Athletics hit five solo home runs in a 5 – 1 victory over the Washington Senators. Powerful first baseman Mike Epstein bangs out home runs in his first two at-bats, giving him homers in four straight at-bats over two games. Joe Rudi also adds a pair and Dave Duncan…
One night after beating the Astros with his glove, Roberto Clemente does it with his bat. The Pittsburgh superstar blasts a two-run homer to right field in the 7th inning, snapping a 4 – 4 deadlock and lifting the National League East leaders to a 6 – 4 triumph. The late splurge enables Dock Ellis to make it through the night, surviving a four-run 6th, into which he’d carried a no-hitter. Roberto’s blast, off one of his old favorite bats, comes against Wade Blasingame after Gene Clines’ one-out single; it takes the shape of a line drive to right that keeps rising past Cesar Cedeno, who had first thought he could make the catch before helplessly watching it sail way over his outstretched glove.
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