1916 – The National League turns down a request from Brooklyn Robins owner Charles Ebbets, who had wanted to impose a limit of 2,000 seats that clubs can sell for 25 cents. The Boston Braves have 10,000 such seats, the St. Louis Cardinals 9,000, the Philadelphia Phillies 6,500, and the Cincinnati Reds 4,000.
Cubs right-hander reliever George Washington Zabel, called into the game with two outs in the bottom of the first inning, throws 18 and 1/3 innings of the Cubs’ 4-3 victory over the Robins at Chicago’s West Side Park. ‘Zip,’ establishing the major league record for the longest relief stint in one game, beats Brooklyn starter Jeff Pfeffer, who tosses a 19-inning complete-game.
In the eighth, Robins reliever Pat Ragan throws an immaculate inning when he strikes out the first three batters he faces on nine pitches. Unfortunately the right-handed will give up five runs in the next frame, taking the loss in the team’s 9-5 defeat to the Braves at Brooklyn’s Ebbets Field.
Wilbert Robinson is named the Dodgers’ new manager, replacing Bill Dahlen. ‘Uncle Robbie’ will compile a 1375-1341 (.506) record during his 18-year Hall of Fame tenure as the Brooklyn skipper, capturing the National League pennant in 1916 and 1920.
1912 – Charlie—aka Casey—Stengel makes an impressive major league debut, leading seventh-place Brooklyn to a surprising 7 – 3 win over the streaking Pirates. The likable outfielder from Kansas City collects four hits, a walk, a pair of stolen bases and two tie-breaking RBI (the second putting Brooklyn ahead to stay and saddling 24-game winner Claude Hendrix with his ninth and final defeat of 1912).
On May 29, 1905, Brooklyn Robins right-hander Elmer Stricklett throws a “mystery pitch” – believed to be a spitball – in a game against the New York Giants. Some historians regard the five-foot, six-inch Stricklett as the first pitcher to throw a spitball in a major league game.
1899 – Hughie Jennings will not go south with the Brooklyn team but will get in shape as baseball coach for Cornell University.
1891 – Clarence Arthur “Dazzy” Vance is born in Orient, Iowa. At age 31, Vance will become the dominant National League pitcher of the 1920s. After a decade in the minors, Vance will join the Brooklyn Robins in 1922. Named National League MVP in 1924, he will pitch a no-hitter the next year, lead the NL in wins twice, in earned run average three times, and be the only pitcher to top the NL in strikeouts seven consecutive seasons. Vance will be elected to the Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers Association of America in 1955, with 205 votes out of 251 ballots.
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