The Giants win the Western division title by one game over the Dodgers, beating the Pirates, 5 – 1. Juan Marichal allow five hits in the win. The Dodgers’ 2 – 1 win over the Padres leaves them short.

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The Giants win the Western division title by one game over the Dodgers, beating the Pirates, 5 – 1. Juan Marichal allow five hits in the win. The Dodgers’ 2 – 1 win over the Padres leaves them short.

The Senators draw 14,000 for their final game in Washington and with two outs in the 9th, fans swarm onto the field, causing the game to be forfeited 

The Senators draw 14,000 for their final game in Washington and with two outs in the 9th, fans swarm onto the field, causing the game to be forfeited 

ByThis Day in Baseball

The Senators draw 14,000 for their final game in Washington, with another 4,000 crashing. Dick Bosman gives up homers to Bobby Murcer, Roy White, and Rusty Torres and the Nats are down 5 – 1 in the 6th. Mike Kekich then grooves a fastball for Frank Howard, who parks his 26th homer, and thanks Thurman Munson as he crosses the plate. The Senators take a 7 – 5 lead, and after Murcer makes the 2nd out in the 9th, fans swarm onto the field, causing the game to be forfeited to the Yanks, 9 – 0. All records stand but reliever Paul Lindblad losses the win by not recording the third out, batter Horace Clarke. Of the Senators, Jeff Burroughs will be the last to retire, finishing up in 1985.

run hunt hit by pitch

Expos second baseman Ron Hunt is plunked by a pitch for the 50th time of the season, establishing a big league record. By comparison, the runner-up in the league, teammate Rusty Staub, will be hit by a pitch only nine times.

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Expos second baseman Ron Hunt is plunked by a pitch for the 50th time of the season, establishing a big league record. By comparison, the runner-up in the league, teammate Rusty Staub, will be hit by a pitch only nine times.

Willie Mays hits his 646th and last home run as a member of the San Francisco Giants. It comes off Steve Blateric in the 6th inning of the Giants’ 12 – 5 win over the Cincinnati Reds at Riverfront Stadium.

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Willie Mays hits his 646th and last home run as a member of the San Francisco Giants. It comes off Steve Blateric in the 6th inning of the Giants’ 12 – 5 win over the Cincinnati Reds at Riverfront Stadium.

Ernie Banks

Ernie Banks of the Chicago Cubs plays in his final major league game

ByThis Day in Baseball

On September 26, 1971, Ernie Banks of the Chicago Cubs plays in his final major league game. The future Hall of Famer picks up his final hit-an infield single against Ken Reynolds of the Philadelphia Phillies. Fans at Wrigley Field give Banks a standing ovation in his final at-bat…

On September 26, 1971, Baltimore Orioles pitcher Jim Palmer (left) won his 20th game of the year, becoming the fourth Orioles pitcher to win 20 games in the 1971 season, and making the 1971 Orioles pitching staff the first since that of the 1920 [Chicago](https://www.history.com/topics/chicago) White Sox to have four 20-game winners. Photo courtesy The Baltimore Sun.

Jim Palmer becomes the fourth member of the Baltimore Orioles to register 20 wins

ByThis Day in Baseball

test On September 26, 1971, At Cleveland Stadium, Jim Palmer fires a three-hitter to win his 20th game, a 5-0 victory over the Cleveland Indians. Palmer’s record now 20-9 joins Mike Cuellar, Dave McNally, and Pat Dobson as 20-game winners, the only one other team in major league history (the 1920 White Sox) boasted four 20-game…

1971 – With rookie C Tim Hosley hitting two homers and driving in five runs, the Tigers trip the Yankees, 10 – 7. Les Cain pitches six innings for the win. Cain finishes with a 10-9 record with 145 innings, but contends he was forced to pitch by Manager Billy Martin while he had a sore arm. Cain later claims that it did permanent damage to his arm and he sues the Tigers. In a landmark decision, the Michigan Bureau of Workman’s Compensation will order the Tigers to pay Cain $111 a month for the rest of his life. A lump sum payment is later agreed upon.

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1971 – With rookie C Tim Hosley hitting two homers and driving in five runs, the Tigers trip the Yankees, 10 – 7. Les Cain pitches six innings for the win. Cain finishes with a 10-9 record with 145 innings, but contends he was forced to pitch by Manager Billy Martin while he had a sore arm. Cain later claims that it did permanent damage to his arm and he sues the Tigers. In a landmark decision, the Michigan Bureau of Workman’s Compensation will order the Tigers to pay Cain $111 a month for the rest of his life. A lump sum payment is later agreed upon.

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1971 – Gary Ross of the Padres balks home Jesus Alou in the 21st inning as Houston outlasts San Diego, 2-1. But wait. That’s just the opener of the scheduled twinbill. After the 5-1/2-hour first game, the California fog rolls in before the second game ends. The Padres win the “nightcap”, 5-4 in the ninth when Ollie Brown, batting after a 14-minute fog delay, sends a shot to right that Jim Wynn can’t find in the mist.

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1971 – Gary Ross of the Padres balks home Jesus Alou in the 21st inning as Houston outlasts San Diego, 2-1. But wait. That’s just the opener of the scheduled twinbill. After the 5-1/2-hour first game, the California fog rolls in before the second game ends. The Padres win the “nightcap”, 5-4 in the ninth when Ollie Brown, batting after a 14-minute fog delay, sends a shot to right that Jim Wynn can’t find in the mist.

Al Downing becomes a 20-game winner when he blanks the Braves at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, 2-0. The Dodger left-hander, best remembered for giving up Hank Aaron’s historic 715th home run, will compile a 123-107 record during his 17-year major league career.

ByThis Day in Baseball

Al Downing becomes a 20-game winner when he blanks the Braves at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, 2-0. The Dodger left-hander, best remembered for giving up Hank Aaron’s historic 715th home run, will compile a 123-107 record during his 17-year major league career.