On July 11, 1976, the Atlanta Braves stage an unusual promotion at Atlanta’s Fulton County Stadium. In a pre-game ceremony dubbed “Headlocks and Wedlocks,” 34 couples are married at home plate, followed by the staging of championship wrestling matches. The Braves then defeat the New York Mets, 9-8, to complete the evening’s festivities.
Hank Aaron becomes the oldest major leaguer (42 years, 5 months, 7 days) to hit a walk-off homer when he goes deep in the bottom of the tenth inning off Steve Foucault in the Brewers’ 5-4 victory over Texas at County Stadium. The ‘Hammer’ will hold the elderly distinction until Cleveland’s Jason Giambi, who will be a month and 15 days older than Henry, at the time, accomplishes the feat with a pinch-hit game-winning round-tripper in 2013.
In Boston’s 6 – 4 win over the Twins at Fenway Park, Minnesota CF Lyman Bostock drops Carl Yastrzemski’s long fly ball to deep center after a bucket of popcorn falls in his eyes.
In a pre-game promotion at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, 34 couples are married at home plate. The nuptials are then followed by Championship Wrestling in an evening billed as “Headlocks and Wedlocks.” The Braves then pin a 9 – 8 loss on the Mets.
1976 – Larry Dierker tosses the fifth no-hitter in franchise history, a 6-0 gem over Montreal . He supports his own cause with a sacrifice fly while batterymate Ed Herrmann drives in two, one on his first National League homer . Dierker fans Pepe Mangual and Jim Lyttle before Mike Jorgensen taps out to first for the final out.
Before 53,328 in Cincinnati, the Pirates score two runs in the 10th on a Richie Zisk homer and take an 11 – 9 lead, only to lose to the Reds, 12 – 11. George Foster’s single scores the tying and winning runs.
Boston Red Sox owner and president Tom Yawkey dies.
On July 8, 1976, At Wrigley Field, Randy Jones of the San Diego Padres sets a National League record for most wins by the All-Star break when he posts his 16th victory of the season. The soft-tossing left-hander, who defeats the Chicago Cubs, 6-3, the 26 year-old southpaw’s good fortune runs out when he will…
At Fenway Park, the Red Sox beat the Twins, 8 – 4, as their attendance reaches 1,007,491. It’s the earliest date in club history they’ve topped the million mark.
The Reds come back from a three-run deficit to beat the Expos, 4 – 3. Cincy scores three in the 9th, with two scoring on Cesar Geronimo’s triple.
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