This Week we cover August 26 – Sept 1 . . . We are going to talk Tom Yawkey, Jackie Robinson, Jeff Bagwell, The First Televised Game, Rob Dibble, The Rat and Lou Whitaker and Alan Trammell. TRIVIA – Who was the first black/African American player in Major League Baseball History? On August 26, 1939…
Josh Donaldson has the first three-homer game of his career to lead the Blue Jays to a 9 – 6 win over Minnesota. His second shot, off Pat Light in the 7th, puts Toronto ahead to stay, while after his third, off Alex Wimmers in the 8th, fans at Rogers Centre deluge the field with hats, hockey-style. The Jays maintain a hold on first place in the AL East with the win, but for the Twins, it’s a tenth straight loss.
2015 – The Mariners fire General Manager Jack Zduriencik after 8 seasons during which the team failed to reach the postseason. He is replaced on an interim basis by his assistant, Jeff Kingston.
After seven unproductive seasons, the Mariners, suffering through the second-longest postseason drought in baseball, fire general manager Jack Zduriencik. The former much-touted Milwaukee scouting director, named by Baseball America in 2007 as the first non-GM to receive its Major League Executive of the Year Award, was given a contract extension a year ago when Seattle would finish the season with 87 victories.
Team executive Magic Johnson, appearing on the Dodger Stadium video board, introduces Jimmy Kimmel to report “big, breaking news.” The ABC late-night television host, who waves to the fans without saying a word, displays a succession of cue cards, informing the Chavez Ravine crowd the 87 year-old Vin Scully will be returning to broadcast Dodgers games in 2016 for his 67th season. “Vin will be back for one more year (at least). God bless us, everyone” – JIMMY KIMMEL’s cue card message to the crowd.
“Vin will be back for one more year (at least). God bless us, everyone” – JIMMY KIMMEL’s cue card message to the crowd. Team executive Magic Johnson, appearing on the Dodger Stadium video board, introduces Jimmy Kimmel to report “big, breaking news.” The ABC late-night television host, who waves to the fans without saying a word, displays a succession of cue cards, informing the Chavez Ravine crowd the 87 year-old Vin Scully will be returning to broadcast Dodgers games in 2016 for his 67th season.
Yusmeiro Petit, best known for losing his bid for a perfect game against Arizona with two outs and two strikes last September, sets a major league record when he retires his 46th consecutive batter, fanning Charlie Culberson in the third inning of San Francisco’s 4-1 victory over Colorado at AT&T Park. The Giants right-hander, both as a starter and reliever, breaks the 2009 mark established by Mark Buehrle, who made 45 batters in row make an out while pitching for the White Sox.
2014 – Journeyman pitcher Yusmeiro Petit of the Giants sets a new major league mark when he begins a spot start against the Rockies by retiring the first 8 batters of the game. He had entered the contest having retired the last 38 batters he had faced over 7 appearances, dating back to July 22nd. His third out of the day ties the National League mark of 41 held by Jim Barr, and each out after that increases it. When he strikes out Jackson Williams to lead off the 3rd, he ties the major league record of 45 set by Mark Buehrle in 2009; he then sets a new record of 46 when he strikes out Charlie Culberson. The next batter, P Jordan Lyles end the streak with a double to left. Petit ends up giving up a single run in 6 innings and gets credit for the 4 – 1 win.
In his first game as a member of the Pirates, OF Marlon Byrd hits a three-run homer to lead his new team to a 7 – 1 win over the Brewers. Charlie Morton is the winner over Tom Gorzelanny as the Bucs pull back within a half game of the Cardinals in the NL Central.
The Athletics collect a season-high 21 hits as they defeat the Tigers, 14 – 4. Brandon Moss hits a pair of homers and drives in 6. Dan Straily is the winner and Brett Anderson picks up his first career save.