In the first of two at Riverfront Stadium, the Reds beat the Braves, 5 – 3. Despite a homer and four singles by Pete Rose in the nitecap, the Reds lose, 6 – 4.
1973 – Although not selected, Willie Mays appears in the All-Star Game thanks to Commissioner Bowie Kuhn increasing the player limit so the “Say Hey Kid” can participate in the Mid-summer classic. Mays strikes out in his final All-Star appearance. The National League wins, 7 – 1. A record 54 players are used, including Catfish Hunter, who sustains a fractured thumb that will sideline him for four weeks. The A’s ace has a 15-3 record at the time.
Reds shortstop Dave Concepcion will miss the rest of the season after fracturing the fibula of his left leg sliding into third base two days before the Midsummer Classic. The All-Star infielder hit .287 in the 89 games he played for the eventual National League Western Division winners.
On July 21, 1973, At Atlanta Fulton County Stadium, Hank Aaron of the Atlanta Braves hits his 700th career home run in the 3rd inning against Ken Brett of the Philadelphia Phillies, but the Braves lose the game, 8-4. The 39 year old is only the second player to reach that milestone, Babe Ruth reached…
On July 20, 1973, Wilbur Wood of the Chicago White Sox starts – and loses – both ends of a doubleheader against the New York Yankees. The knuckleballing left-hander, who loses 12-2 and 7-0 decisions, will finish the season with 359 innings pitched and a record of 24-20. Wood, to date is the last pitcher…
To quell a controversy over deserving players not being selected for the All-Star Game, Commissioner Bowie Kuhn grants permission to both leagues to increase their roster size to 29 players for next week’s contest in Kansas City’s Royals Stadium. The National League selects fading superstar Willie Mays, with the Junior Circuit adding Nolan Ryan, who was not originally picked by American League manager Dick Williams although the Angel right-hander was the first pitcher since Johnny Vander Meer, the starter in the 1938 Midsummer Classic, to have two no-hitters before the break.
Before 41,411 in Detroit, California Angels ace Nolan Ryan hurls his second no-hitter of the season in taming the Detroit Tigers, 6 – 0. Ryan fans 17 batters, the most ever in a 9-inning no-hitter, including eight straight, but only one over the last two innings. Nolan’s arm stiffens while watching his team rally for five runs in the top of the 8th. With two outs in the 9th, Norm Cash, who struck out his three other times at bat, comes to bat wielding a piano leg. Umpire Ron Luciano points out the illegality and Cash then pops out using a regulation bat. Ryan’s eight strikeouts in a row ties the American League record he set last year.
On July 15, 1973, Nolan Ryan pitches his second no-hitter of the season, as the California Angels defeat the Detroit Tigers, 6-0. In the sixth inning, Tigers slugger Norm Cash comes to the plate with a piano leg, instead of a bat. Cash, who had struck out his first two times up, will pop out…
The Minnesota Twins connect for three consecutive home runs in the 8th against the Cleveland Indians, and all are needed in the 7 – 6 win. George Mitterwald, Joe Lis and Jim Holthomer, all off Gaylord Perry.
On July 13, 1973, Bobby Murcer of the New York Yankees hits three home runs against the Kansas City Royals starter Gene Garder. The Yankees’ center fielder drives in all of New York’s runs in a 5-0 win over the Royals. Mel Stottlemyre scatters six hits in racking up his 39th shutout. Murcer will not hit another…
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