On May 18, 1956, Mickey Mantle hits home runs from both sides of the plate for the third time in his career, setting a major league record. Mantle’s day includes four hits in four at-bats, helping the New York Yankees to an 8-7 win over the Chicago White Sox.
May 17, 1956 – In New York’s Polo Grounds, Warren Spahn outpitched Ruben Gomez for a 7-3 Braves victory. Spahn helped his cause by singling twice, scoring a run, and even stealing a base against a surprised Ruben Gomez.
Due to his slow start in his sophomore season, the Cardinals trade Bill Virdon, last year’s Rookie of the Year, to the Pirates in exchange for Bobby Del Greco and Dick Littlefield. The 25 year-old outfielder will finish the season hitting .334 in 133 games for the Bucs and will play a vital role in the team’s World Championship in 1960.
On a blustery day in Cleveland, the Yankees top the Indians, 4 – 1. Mickey Mantle hits a homer off Bud Daley, while his pal Billy Martin is benched for the first time. Bobby Richardson takes his place at 2B.
In Jersey City, Cards RF Wally Moon hits his first major league home run, but St. Louis loses, 5 – 3, to the Dodgers. The Dodgers score five unearned runs in the 4th.
Scoreboard at Shibe Park – May 15th, 1956 Third base players don’t like the glare from the new electric scoreboard. @ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF90YWdzIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiYmVmb3JlIjoiIiwiYWZ0ZXIiOiIiLCJsaW5rX3RvX3Rlcm1fcGFnZSI6Im9uIiwic2VwYXJhdG9yIjoiIHwgIiwiY2F0ZWdvcnlfdHlwZSI6InBvc3RfdGFnIn19@ Game ticket & learn more about the players, teams, stadiums and dates in history [jetpack_subscription_form title=”Join the Community” subscribe_text=”We bring you cool stories about the game, players, ballparks and the people that shaped…
The Dodgers buy P Sal Maglie from the Indians, who are eager to unload the veteran.
On May 12, 1956, Carl Erskine of the Brooklyn Dodgers hurls a no-hitter against the New York Giants. Erskine strikes out three and walks two. Erskine’s 3-0 masterpiece at Ebbets Field is the second no-hitter of his career. His first came in 1952 against the Chicago Cubs.
Rookie Danny Kravitz will accumulate 10 home runs during his five-year major league career, but he’ll never top this, his first – a walk-off grand slam. It transforms a 3-run deficit into a 6 – 5 victory over Philly for Pittsburgh. It also launches the perennial cellar dwellers on a 16 and 6 tear that will land them, briefly, in first place before the bubble bursts and they revert to type, gradually wending their way back down to the cellar by season’s end.
1956 – At Yankee Stadium, Bob Lemon gives Cleveland a 7 – 2 win over the Yankees. Mickey Mantle has a solo homer in the 6th for New York. By the end of the month, Mantle will have hit his 20th homer and will be batting .425 with 50 RBIs.
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