1954 – Giants OF Dusty Rhodes hits three consecutive home runs at the Polo Grounds to back Johnny Antonelli’s 10 – 0 whipping of St. Louis. It is Antonelli’s 10th consecutive win. Willie Mays smacks his 36th homer, a 447-foot clout to left field.
Brooklyn defeats Giant stalwart Sal Maglie in Ebbets Field, roughing him up for six runs on 11 hits. Since coming into the National League in 1945, the “Barber” had recorded 10 straight victories in the Brooklyn ballpark.
Montreal Royals rookie outfielder Roberto Clemente hits his first North American home run “Hollywood style” (as per Montreal sportswriter Lloyd McGowan, who also highlights the prodigious nature of this blast, launched “over the left field fence,” a feat “[f]ew players have achieved […] at Delorimier Stadium”). The 10th-inning, walk-off bomb off Havana reliever Bubba Harris guarantees Montreal at least a split of today’s twin bill; it also represents a distinct turning point in Clemente’s frustrating, increasingly bench-warming tenure with Brooklyn’s International League affiliate. It comes on Clemente’s first at-bat after having entered the game as a defensive replacement, and his first plate appearance in more than two weeks; in fact, prior to today’s action, Clemente had not played at all in 14 of the last 15 games, his sole appearance coming as a pinch-runner. From this point forward, he will be back in the starting lineup but strictly on a platoon basis: he will start every remaining game against southpaw starters and none against righties, raising his average from .207 at the start of today’s action to .257 by season’s end. In today’s nightcap, Clemente makes his first start since July 7th, helping Montreal secure a sweep with an RBI double.
White Sox pitcher Jack Harshman sets a team record by striking out 16 in a 5 – 2 win over Boston.
July 24, 1954 – At Yankee Stadium, After Casey Stengel pulls Phil Rizzuto in the 8th for a pinch-hitter, he brings in Mickey Mantle again at SS. Mantle plays SS with Willie Miranda at 2B against left-handed hitters. Against righties, Miranda and Mantle switch positions. Cleveland wins, 5 – 4, to go 2 1/2 games…
1954 – After Casey Stengel pulls Phil Rizzuto in the 8th for a pinch-hitter, he brings in Mickey Mantle again at SS. Mantle plays SS with Willie Miranda at 2B against left-handed hitters. Against righties, Miranda and Mantle switch positions. Cleveland wins, 5 – 4, to go 2 1/2 games up on New York.
On July 22, 1954, At Yankee Stadium, during the first game of a double header New York Yankees skipper Casey Stengel makes some unusual changes in order to get more power into the lineup in the top of the ninth inning. Stengel puts Phil Rizzuto at second base and installs Mickey Mantle as his…
The National League awards a forfeit victory over the Cards to the Phils for a stall that follows a 1st-inning brawl featuring Phils manager Terry Moore and 1B Earl Torgeson, and Cards C Sal Yvars. The Cardinals are under the impression that local ordinances prevent lights being turned on to continue a game. Down 8 – 1 in the 5th inning of game two, St. Louis begins stalling.
After winning 13 in a row, the Yankees lose the second game of a doubleheader to Detroit, 8 – 6. They now trail Cleveland by half a game.
In the fifth inning at Sportsman’s Park, Babe Pinelli forfeits the second game of the twin bill to the visiting Phillies. The umpire makes the rare call when the Cardinals, trailing 8-1 in the not-yet-official contest and darkness approaching, delay the game by bringing in three new pitchers during the inning.
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