Willie Mays

Willie Mays Bare handed grab

ByThis Day in Baseball

1951 – Ouch!! Willie Mays’s oft-recalled bare-handed grab of left-handed Rocky Nelson’s screaming opposite field line drive takes place in Forbes Field in the 1st inning of a 5 – 4 Giant loss to Pittsburgh. Mays runs to the left-center corner of the bullpen (also known as Greenberg Gardens, or Kiner’s Corner), about 410 feet from the plate. At the last minute, the wind gets a hold of Nelson’s slicing shot and starts pushing it back towards right. Mays looks up and locates the ball but too late to adjust. As he will recall on June 3, 1957, after robbing Roberto Clemente on a shot to almost the same spot, “I couldn’t get my glove around. So I just stuck my bare hand up and the ball stuck.”

Phillies pitchers Bubba Church and Robin Roberts shut out the Cubs, 7 – 0 and 1 – 0, in a doubleheader sweep. The wins put the Phils in first place by a half-game over St. Louis.

ByBaseball

Phillies pitchers Bubba Church and Robin Roberts shut out the Cubs, 7 – 0 and 1 – 0, in a doubleheader sweep. The wins put the Phils in first place by a half-game over St. Louis.

In the tight four-team American League race, Joe DiMaggio leads the Yanks to a sweep over the White Sox, 5 – 3 and 7 – 3. Joe D is 3 for 3 in the first game to back Ed Lopat, then adds a triple and two doubles in the nitecap. His three RBIs in game two gives him an AL-high 86.

In the tight four-team American League race, Joe DiMaggio leads the Yanks to a sweep over the White Sox, 5 – 3 and 7 – 3. Joe D is 3 for 3 in the first game to back Ed Lopat, then adds a triple and two doubles in the nitecap. His three RBIs in game two gives him an AL-high 86.

ByBaseball

In the tight four-team American League race, Joe DiMaggio leads the Yanks to a sweep over the White Sox, 5 – 3 and 7 – 3. Joe D is 3 for 3 in the first game to back Ed Lopat, then adds a triple and two doubles in the nitecap. His three RBIs in game two gives him an AL-high 86.

In Boston, the other DiMaggio, Dom, makes two spectacular catches against the Indians as well as homering off Satchel Paige. The Red Sox beat Cleveland, 3 – 0, for their 15th win in 16 games. Joe Dobson tops Steve Gromek to leave the Sox percentage points ahead of the 2nd-place A’s. Cleveland and New York are each 1 1/2 games back. With the Braves in 1st place, it is the first time since 1916 that both Boston teams are at the top spot.

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In Boston, the other DiMaggio, Dom, makes two spectacular catches against the Indians as well as homering off Satchel Paige. The Red Sox beat Cleveland, 3 – 0, for their 15th win in 16 games. Joe Dobson tops Steve Gromek to leave the Sox percentage points ahead of the 2nd-place A’s. Cleveland and New York are each 1 1/2 games back. With the Braves in 1st place, it is the first time since 1916 that both Boston teams are at the top spot.

Salisbury’s (Eastern Shore League) Count Henri S. “Hank” Bertrand de la Vigne, known as the only titled pitcher in history, wins his 11th of the year, beating Milford, 8 – 0, and striking out 11. The Count will be 14-9 for the year, but he will never make it to the majors.

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Salisbury’s (Eastern Shore League) Count Henri S. “Hank” Bertrand de la Vigne, known as the only titled pitcher in history, wins his 11th of the year, beating Milford, 8 – 0, and striking out 11. The Count will be 14-9 for the year, but he will never make it to the majors.

New York freshman Atley Donald sets the American League rookie record for consecutive wins when he goes the distance, beating the Browns at Yankee Stadium, 5-1. The 28 year-old right-hander, who is known as ‘Swampy’ to his teammates, limits St. Louis to five hits for his twelfth straight victory.

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New York freshman Atley Donald sets the American League rookie record for consecutive wins when he goes the distance, beating the Browns at Yankee Stadium, 5-1. The 28 year-old right-hander, who is known as ‘Swampy’ to his teammates, limits St. Louis to five hits for his twelfth straight victory.