In the wake of the Ted Williams spitting incident, the Massachusetts State Legislature passes a bill to fine fans for profanity during a game. The bill is later killed.
Dodger right-hander Sal Maglie no-hits the Phillies at Ebbets Field, 5-0. The ‘Barber’s’ gem helps second-place Brooklyn to keep pace in the pennant race with Milwaukee and Cincinnati.
1956 – National League President Warren Giles waives the 12:50 a.m. curfew for games that may affect the outcome of the pennant race. Brooklyn wins the postponed game, but loses the regular game to Pittsburgh, 6 – 5.
Ozzie Virgil becomes the first Dominican to reach the majors. The 23 year-old Monte Cristi native, who will also see his son Ozzie catch in the big leagues, plays third base for the Giants.
Due to the enforcement of a curfew, the Sunday contest between the Dodgers and Pirates is postponed with two outs in the top of the ninth inning, sending the 44,932 fans, the largest crowd in Forbes Field’s history, home. The game will be completed tomorrow with Brooklyn maintaining their 8-3 advantage over Pittsburgh.
1956 – 1B Bill Skowron has 5 hits, but the Yankees strand a record 20 base runners in losing to the Red Sox in Boston, 13 – 9. Mickey Mantle sends a 480-foot home run into the center field bleachers that lands a foot from the top. His 3 hits raise his average to .352, 4 points behind Ted Williams.
Orioles catcher Tom Gastall dies as the plane he is piloting crashes into the Chesapeake Bay. The 24 year-old backup backstop, who signed a $40,000 contract as a “bonus baby” with Baltimore after being drafted by the NFL’s Detroit Lions, was the captain of the Boston University’s basketball and baseball teams in his senior year and played quarterback for the Terriers’ football team.
1956 – For the third time in his career, P Don Newcombe hits two home runs in one game, in a 17 – 2 laugher. The win puts the Dodgers a half game in front of the Braves.
Cleveland sweeps a doubleheader from Washington behind Herb Score and Mike Garcia, 1 – 0 and 6 – 0.
Mickey Mantle hits his 50th home run, only the 8th to do so, in the 11th off Chicago’s Billy Pierce, as New York wins, 3 – 2, to clinch another pennant.