Hank Greenberg

Hank Greenberg of the Detroit Tigers makes a dramatic return after serving in World War II

ByThis Day in Baseball

On July 1, 1945, Away from the game for four years, Hank Greenberg makes a dramatic return in front of an emotional crowd of 47,700 at Briggs Stadium when he homers in his first game back, against Charlie Gassaway, from the Armed Forces. ‘Hammerin Hank’s round-tripper helps the first-place Tigers beat the Philadelphia A’s, 9-5. @ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF90YWdzIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiYmVmb3JlIjoiTGVhcm4gTW9yZSBhYm91dCB0aGUgdGVhbXMsIHBsYXllcnMsIGJhbGwgcGFya3MgYW5kIGV2ZW50cyB0aGF0IGhhcHBlbmVkIG9uIHRoaXMgZGF0ZSBpbiBoaXN0b3J5IGp1c3QgY2xpY2sgdGhlIHRhZ3MhICAiLCJhZnRlciI6IiIsImxpbmtfdG9fdGVybV9wYWdlIjoib24iLCJzZXBhcmF0b3IiOiIgfCAiLCJjYXRlZ29yeV90eXBlIjoicG9zdF90YWcifX0=@

1945 – Dave Ferriss of the Boston Red Sox loses to the New York Yankees, 3 – 2, after starting his career with eight victories, four of them shutouts.

ByTom

1945 – Dave Ferriss of the Boston Red Sox loses to the New York Yankees, 3 – 2, after starting his career with eight victories, four of them shutouts.

Durocher is arrested after ambushing a fan
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Durocher is arrested after ambushing a fan

ByThis Day in Baseball

Leo “The Lip” Durocher, manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers from 1939-1946 (as well as a brief stint in 1948), was known as a man who did not easily accept defeat. Throughout his career, Durocher had countless run-ins with his team, opposing players, management, commissioners, umpires, and fans. On June 8, 1945, while hosting the Philadelphia…

The visiting Giants beat the Reds, 7 – 6, on a pinch homer by colorful Danny Gardella. Gardella had started the day by leaving a suicide note in his hotel room for his roommate Nap Reyes. When Reyes returned to the room a few minutes later‚ he noticed the open window and read the note. Horrified‚ he rushed to the window only to see the grinning face of Gardella‚ who had been hanging from the window ledge several stories over the street.

ByThis Day in Baseball

The visiting Giants beat the Reds, 7 – 6, on a pinch homer by colorful Danny Gardella. Gardella had started the day by leaving a suicide note in his hotel room for his roommate Nap Reyes. When Reyes returned to the room a few minutes later‚ he noticed the open window and read the note. Horrified‚ he rushed to the window only to see the grinning face of Gardella‚ who had been hanging from the window ledge several stories over the street.

The Tigers lose Al Benton‚ who has 5 wins and 3 shutouts‚ when he is hit on the ankle in the 4th frame by a line drive off the bat of Bobby Estalella. The A’s score 4 in the 5th to win‚ 7 – 2. There is great confusion in the 2nd inning, when Irv Hall and George Kell bat out of turn for the A’s: Kell, batting 6th in the lineup card handed to umpire Eddie Rommel, comes up in place of Hall, who is batting 5th. He strikes out, so Tigers manager Steve O’Neill does not point out the mistake, validating Kell’s at-bat. But Hall then steps to the plate when the 7th hitter, 1B Dick Siebert, should have followed Kell. Hall singles, O’Neill appeals, and Rommel calls him out to end the inning. However, no one can then agree on who is to lead off the 3rd (if the rule had been properly applied, Siebert would have been the one called out to end the 2nd and number 8 hitter Frankie Hayes should have been next up). Rommel decides that Kell should be next. Both managers protest the decision, although no one seems to be sure who should have been the proper batter. When American League President Will Harridgerules on the protest filed by O’Neill (who claims, wrongly, that Siebert should have led off the 3rd), he dismisses the protest – but for the wrong reasons – indicating that he is just as confused as everyone else. The perplexing rule will be clarified in 1957.

ByBaseball

The Tigers lose Al Benton‚ who has 5 wins and 3 shutouts‚ when he is hit on the ankle in the 4th frame by a line drive off the bat of Bobby Estalella. The A’s score 4 in the 5th to win‚ 7 – 2. There is great confusion in the 2nd inning, when Irv Hall and George Kell bat out of turn for the A’s: Kell, batting 6th in the lineup card handed to umpire Eddie Rommel, comes up in place of Hall, who is batting 5th. He strikes out, so Tigers manager Steve O’Neill does not point out the mistake, validating Kell’s at-bat. But Hall then steps to the plate when the 7th hitter, 1B Dick Siebert, should have followed Kell. Hall singles, O’Neill appeals, and Rommel calls him out to end the inning. However, no one can then agree on who is to lead off the 3rd (if the rule had been properly applied, Siebert would have been the one called out to end the 2nd and number 8 hitter Frankie Hayes should have been next up). Rommel decides that Kell should be next. Both managers protest the decision, although no one seems to be sure who should have been the proper batter. When American League President Will Harridgerules on the protest filed by O’Neill (who claims, wrongly, that Siebert should have led off the 3rd), he dismisses the protest – but for the wrong reasons – indicating that he is just as confused as everyone else. The perplexing rule will be clarified in 1957.

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5/24/1945 – The Athletics beat the Tigers, 7-2, in a wild game. In the fourth inning, pitcher Al Benton of the Tigers was hit by a line drive by Bobby Estalella. Benton suffered a fractured bone just above the right ankle and was carried off the field. The Philadelphia batting order turned in to umpire Eddie Rommel had Joe Burns batting fourth, Irv Hall fifth and George Kell sixth. However, on the scoreboard Hall and Kell were reversed. Burns struck out to open the bottom of the second inning. Kell, batting out of turn, also struck out. Hall then batted and, when he singled, the Tigers protested that he was out of order. Rommel declared Hall out, which was incorrect according to the rules. The proper batter in this case was Dick Siebert, who followed Kell in the lineup in the seventh spot, and he should have been declared out, not Hall. Rommel further declared that Kell should lead off the third inning, which is also incorrect. Since Siebert was the proper batter, Frankie Hayes (in the eighth spot) should have led off the third inning. Since Rommel had Kell lead off the third inning, it looks as if only five batters made six outs in the first two frames. One result of the confusion is that Kell’s strikeout disappeared from the official records. The confusion continued when the Tigers’ protest of the game based on Kell was not being the proper lead off batter was denied incorrectly by the AL president.

ByTom

5/24/1945 – The Athletics beat the Tigers, 7-2, in a wild game. In the fourth inning, pitcher Al Benton of the Tigers was hit by a line drive by Bobby Estalella. Benton suffered a fractured bone just above the right ankle and was carried off the field. The Philadelphia batting order turned in to umpire Eddie Rommel had Joe Burns batting fourth, Irv Hall fifth and George Kell sixth. However, on the scoreboard Hall and Kell were reversed. Burns struck out to open the bottom of the second inning. Kell, batting out of turn, also struck out. Hall then batted and, when he singled, the Tigers protested that he was out of order. Rommel declared Hall out, which was incorrect according to the rules. The proper batter in this case was Dick Siebert, who followed Kell in the lineup in the seventh spot, and he should have been declared out, not Hall. Rommel further declared that Kell should lead off the third inning, which is also incorrect. Since Siebert was the proper batter, Frankie Hayes (in the eighth spot) should have led off the third inning. Since Rommel had Kell lead off the third inning, it looks as if only five batters made six outs in the first two frames. One result of the confusion is that Kell’s strikeout disappeared from the official records. The confusion continued when the Tigers’ protest of the game based on Kell was not being the proper lead off batter was denied incorrectly by the AL president.

one-armed outfielder Pete Gray of the St. Louis Browns enjoys an incredible day against the New York Yankees

one-armed outfielder Pete Gray of the St. Louis Browns enjoys an incredible day against the New York Yankees

ByThis Day in Baseball

On May 20, 1945, At Sportsman Park one-armed outfielder Pete Gray of the St. Louis Browns enjoys an incredible day against the New York Yankees. Gray makes three outstanding catches, collects four hits, drives in two runs, and scores the game-winning run during a doubleheader sweep of the Yankees.

Luis Olmo of the Brooklyn Dodgers hits a triple and home run, each with the bases loaded, in the Dodgers’ 15 – 12 victory over the Chicago Cubs. No major league player has done that since. Olmo adds a double for good measure.

ByBaseball

Luis Olmo of the Brooklyn Dodgers hits a triple and home run, each with the bases loaded, in the Dodgers’ 15 – 12 victory over the Chicago Cubs. No major league player has done that since. Olmo adds a double for good measure.