1958 – The Red Sox close out their home schedule with a 7 – 5 loss to the Yankees. Mickey Mantle cracks his 42nd homer of the year to put him three ahead of Rocky Colavito, who will finish at 42 home runs.

1958 – The Red Sox close out their home schedule with a 7 – 5 loss to the Yankees. Mickey Mantle cracks his 42nd homer of the year to put him three ahead of Rocky Colavito, who will finish at 42 home runs.

Ted Williams, after striking out looking with two aboard to end the 3rd inning flings his bat aside in a fit of anger

Ted Williams, after striking out looking with two aboard to end the 3rd inning flings his bat aside in a fit of anger

At Fenway Park, the Red Sox complete a three-game sweep of the Senators, all by 2 – 0 shutouts pitched, respectively, by Tom Brewer, Frank Sullivan and Ike Delock. Today’s win, however, is marred when Ted Williams, after striking out looking with two aboard to end the 3rd inning (and less than 2 months after having incurred his second spitting-related fine in less than 2 years), flings his bat aside in a fit of anger. Unfortunately, the intended flip along the ground gains some unwanted elevation, flying into the stands and striking, of all people, Boston GM Joe Cronin’s 69-year-old housekeeper, Gladys Heffernan, in the head. “I didn’t mean to throw the bat that way,” explains the distraught Williams. “I started to flip it along the ground but the sticky stuff on my hands stuck to it and it left my hands on the fly instead. I was sick.” Mercifully Heffernan is not badly hurt, but Williams is greeted with a thunderous chorus of catcalls when he takes the field in the 4th. Cronin, for his part, hastily announces a 1-year contract extension for manager Mike Higgins in what is widely regarded as an attempt to distract attention from Ted’s near-tragic tantrum. Nonetheless, American League President Will Harridge will impose a modest $50-dollar fine for the incident.

The Cubs’ 1B Dale Long, a lefty, catches in the 9th inning in a 2 – 1 loss to the Dodgers. This time he wears a lefty catcher’s mitt, not a first baseman’s glove. The Cubs strand 15 runners as Sandy Koufax tops Bob Anderson; each pitch seven innings before being relieved.

The Cubs’ 1B Dale Long, a lefty, catches in the 9th inning in a 2 – 1 loss to the Dodgers. This time he wears a lefty catcher’s mitt, not a first baseman’s glove. The Cubs strand 15 runners as Sandy Koufax tops Bob Anderson; each pitch seven innings before being relieved.

Hoyt Wilhelm no hits Yankees pitching his first complete game

Hoyt Wilhelm no hits Yankees pitching his first complete game

  On September 20, 1958, At Memorial Stadium Baltimore Orioles right-hander Hoyt Wilhelm, sporting a 2-10 record, no-hits the New York Yankees. Wilhelm’s 1-0 win is his first career complete game. The only run coming on a home run by battery mate Gus Triandos. It will be the last time in the 20th century the…

1958 – For the second time in a month, the first two leadoff hitters homer. This time it is Kansas City’s Bill Tuttle and Roger Maris connecting off Boston’s Ted Bowsfield as the A’s win, 4 – 1. Bob Cerv hits #37 for the A’s and Pete Daley homers off winner Bud Daley for Boston’s score.

1958 – For the second time in a month, the first two leadoff hitters homer. This time it is Kansas City’s Bill Tuttle and Roger Maris connecting off Boston’s Ted Bowsfield as the A’s win, 4 – 1. Bob Cerv hits #37 for the A’s and Pete Daley homers off winner Bud Daley for Boston’s score.

The Pirates keep their slim pennant hopes alive as they win a suspended game from the Cards, 2 – 1, then take the regular game, 3 – 1, behind Ron Kline. In the opener, young George Witt (9-2) picks up where he left off when the game was suspended six weeks ago, winning his 8th straight game. For Witt, plagued with arm troubles all year, it is his last appearance of the year, as he leaves on the 24th to finish his senior year at Long Beach State. Witt’s 1.61 ERA in 106 innings is the National League’s best. Alas, he’ll go 0-7 next season with a 6.96 ERA.

The Pirates keep their slim pennant hopes alive as they win a suspended game from the Cards, 2 – 1, then take the regular game, 3 – 1, behind Ron Kline. In the opener, young George Witt (9-2) picks up where he left off when the game was suspended six weeks ago, winning his 8th straight game. For Witt, plagued with arm troubles all year, it is his last appearance of the year, as he leaves on the 24th to finish his senior year at Long Beach State. Witt’s 1.61 ERA in 106 innings is the National League’s best. Alas, he’ll go 0-7 next season with a 6.96 ERA.

Yankee killer Frank Lary is the third pitcher to beat them seven times in the same season, as the Tiger star defeats them, 4 – 2. Ed Walsh (9-1 in 1908) and Ed Cicotte (7-1 in 1916) were the others.

Yankee killer Frank Lary is the third pitcher to beat them seven times in the same season, as the Tiger star defeats them, 4 – 2. Ed Walsh (9-1 in 1908) and Ed Cicotte (7-1 in 1916) were the others.