In the first of three games with the Dodgers at Candlestick Park, Billy O’Dell coasts to an 11 – 2 win over Johnny Podres. The loss cuts the Dodger lead to four games.

1961 – Roberto Clemente utilizes the entire “toolbox,” but can’t quite keep the Cardinals from beating the Pirates, 3 – 2. Clemente’s 9th-inning leadoff laser over the right field screen pulls Pittsburgh to within one, but that’s how it ends. Earlier in the game, Clemente crushed the ball a couple of times with nothing to show for it. Les Biederman of the Pittsburgh Press writes: “Clemente twice tried to handle things with his bat but he hit the ball too hard. He hit a vicious line drive to Bill White in the 1st inning but the Card first baseman turned it into a double play. The same thing happened in the 3rd but this time his smash went straight to Julian Javier.” While drawing blanks at the plate, Clemente keeps the game close with his arm, doubling Ken Boyer off first in the 4th and cutting down Curt Flood trying to stretch a 5th-inning single. But he’s not done there, reports United Press International: “St. Louis threatened to break the game wide open in the 6th by loading the bases. But Clemente made a running over-the-head catch of [starting pitcher] Ray Sadecki’s liner to deep right to quelch the uprising.”

1960 – Ted Williams hits a pair of homers and a double to pace the Red Sox to a 6 – 1 win over the Indians. Ted has 21 homers for the season. The first of the two today, #512, moves Ted past Mel Ott into 4th place on the all-time list. After the game, Williams announces that he will retire at the end of the season.

1958 – In the nightcap of a doubleheader against the Reds, Pirates CF Bill Virdon records two assists in the seventh, tying a major-league mark. The Reds win, 4 – 3.

Mickey Mantle becomes the first player to clear the center field-hedge at Memorial Stadium with his 460-foot homer in the Yankees’ 6-3 victory over the Orioles. Baltimore’s Boog Powell (1962) and Twins’ slugger Harmon Killebrew (1964) will also accomplish the feat.

1956 – Cincinnati C Ed Bailey hits a grand slam as the Redlegs win, 8 – 1, over Milwaukee, to move into second place, a half game behind the Braves and a half game ahead of the Dodgers.

1953 – Bob Porterfield of the Senators has his second one-hitter of the season, as he masters the Red Sox, 2 – 0.

1951 – Ramón Bragaña, manager of the Azules de Veracruz, intentionally walks René González (Tuneros de San Luis) with the bases loaded, the only such occurrence in Mexican League history. The order is given by Jorge Pasquel, owner of the club.