On June 24, 1972 Culminating a long battle to reach pro baseball, Bernice Gera umpires the first game of a doubleheader between Auburn and Geneva (New York-Penn League). Several disputes take place and she ejects the Auburn manager, Nolan Campbell. Gera resigns before the second game, leaving in tears, saying resentment from the other umps was a factor in her decision. She will later work…
The Mets’ Tom Seaver smashes an 8th-inning homer off Montreal’s Bill Stoneman to win his own game, 2 – 1.
June 24, 1970 In the Yankees’ fifth, with a runner at second base, New York pitcher Stan Bahnsen tried to bunt the baserunner to third but missed the ball. Fosse threw the baseball back to Indian pitcher Mike Paul. As Fosse stood behind home plate, waiting for Paul to go to the pitcher’s mound, a cherry bomb…
On June 24, 1970, ay Yankee Stadium, New York Yankees outfielder Bobby Murcer ties a major league record by hitting home runs in four straight at-bats of a doubleheader against the Cleveland Indians. Murcer ties Lou Gehrig’s record of four straight homers. The Yanks lose the opener, 7 – 2, despite Murcer’s 9th-inning home…
On June 24 1970 – At Yankee Stadium, Cleveland Indians first baseman Tony Horton calls for Steve Hamilton’s “Folly Floater” after fouling it off the previous pitch. The Indians first baseman crawls back to the dugout when his second foul ball is caught by catcher Thurman Munson. Cleveland, however, would win the game 7-2. The…
In the last game ever played at Crosley Field, Lee May and Johnny Bench hit back-to-back home runs in the 8th off Juan Marichal to give the Reds a 5 – 4 win. After the game, home plate is presented to Mayor Eugene Ruehlman and is flown by helicopter to the Reds’ new home, Riverfront Stadium.
Richie Allen is fined $2,500 and suspended indefinitely when he fails to appear for the Phillies twi-night doubleheader game with the Mets. Allen had gone to New Jersey in the morning to see a horse race and got caught in traffic trying to return. He will stay suspended until July 20th. Allen picked up a $1000 fine in May when, for two straight days, he reportedly arrived at the ballpark after the game had started. Without Allen, the Phils drop a pair, 2 – 1 and 5 – 0. Larry Hisle’s homer in the opener off Tom Seaver is the only Phils score. Jim McAndrew is the winner in the nitecap, allowing two hits in eight innings.
The White Sox sweep a pair from the Pilots, winning 6 – 4 and 7 – 6, with reliever Wilbur Wood winning both games, giving up a hit in 3 2/3 innings in the first game and a hit in two innings of the second. In the nitecap, Bill Melton hits three consecutive homers, in the 2nd, 4th and 6th innings, but it takes a homer by Ed Herrmann in the 9th to win it. Jim Bouton pitches in both games for Seattle without allowing a run in 3 2/3 innings.
At Cleveland Stadium Detroit RF Jim Northrup becomes the 6th American League player to hit two grand slams in one game, connecting in the 5th inning off Eddie Fisher and in the 6th off Billy Rohr, as the Tigers bomb Cleveland, 14 – 3. Denny McLain is the victor. First baseman Willie Smith pitches the last three innings, walking just one and allowing one hit and no runs. Detroit’s Don Wert is taken to the hospital following a 6th inning beaning which shatters his batting helmet. He will miss just a few games.
Jim Northrup, who had struck out with the bases loaded in the first inning, becomes the sixth big leaguer to hit two grand slams in the same game. The ‘Slammer’s’ power surge in the fifth (off Eddie Fisher) and sixth (off Billy Rohr) frames enables the Tigers to rout the Indians at Cleveland Stadium, 14-3.
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