The Chicago Cubs hit seven home runs in beating the San Diego Padres, 23 – 6, at Wrigley Field. Larry Biittner (two), Gene Clines, Steve Ontiveros, Dave Rosello, Jerry Morales and Bobby Murcer homer for the Cubs, with Biittner, Morales, and Murcer hitting consecutive shots in the 5th inning.

ByBaseball

The Chicago Cubs hit seven home runs in beating the San Diego Padres, 23 – 6, at Wrigley Field. Larry Biittner (two), Gene Clines, Steve Ontiveros, Dave Rosello, Jerry Morales and Bobby Murcer homer for the Cubs, with Biittner, Morales, and Murcer hitting consecutive shots in the 5th inning.

Bobby Valentin injured leg climbing wall

Bobby Valentine breaks his leg climbing a wall – the injury will curtail his career

ByThis Day in Baseball

  On May 17, 1973, At Anaheim Stadium promising California Angels outfielder Bobby Valentine catches his spikes in the wall (chain link fence) and suffers compound fractures of his leg while trying to climb the wall in an effort to catch Dick Green home run during a 5 – 4 loss to the Oakland Athletics…

Tom McCraw of the Washington Senators hits one of the shortest home runs in history

Tom McCraw of the Washington Senators hits one of the shortest home runs in history

ByThis Day in Baseball

On May 17, 1971, Tom McCraw of the Washington Senators hits one of the shortest home runs in history. McCraw’s 140-foot pop fly falls in between three Cleveland Indians, shortstop Jack Heidemann, and outfielders Vada Pinson and John Lowenstein. When the three players collide, McCraw circles the bases for an inside-the-park home run.

Roberto Clemente’s two-out, two-run, walk-off triple transforms a frustrating 5 – 4 loss to fifth-place Montreal into a sudden-death 6 – 5 decision, pulling Pittsburgh to within one game of the New York Mets. After failing twice in crucial spots earlier in the game, Clemente clubs Mike Marshall’s 1-1 pitch high off the wall near the 410-foot mark.

ByBaseball

Roberto Clemente’s two-out, two-run, walk-off triple transforms a frustrating 5 – 4 loss to fifth-place Montreal into a sudden-death 6 – 5 decision, pulling Pittsburgh to within one game of the New York Mets. After failing twice in crucial spots earlier in the game, Clemente clubs Mike Marshall’s 1-1 pitch high off the wall near the 410-foot mark.

Hank Aaron becomes the first major league player to reach 3000 hits and 500 homeruns
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Hank Aaron becomes the first major league player to reach 3000 hits and 500 homeruns

ByThis Day in Baseball

On May 17, 1970, At Crosley Field Hank Aaron of the Atlanta Braves reaches the 3,000-hit club with an infield single against the Cincinnati Reds Wayne Simpson. Aaron, who later hits his 570th career home run, becomes the first major leaguer to reach 500 home runs and 3,000 hits. the Reds will previal 7-6 in…

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1968 – First baseman Rusty Staub visits Larry Dierker at the mound during a 6-0 loss in Los Angeles. Absent-mindedly, he spits on the ball while standing on the hill. Zoilo Versalles has a three-ball count and Staub’s miscue becomes an automatic ball four. Versalles eventually scores. 

ByTom

1968 – First baseman Rusty Staub visits Larry Dierker at the mound during a 6-0 loss in Los Angeles. Absent-mindedly, he spits on the ball while standing on the hill. Zoilo Versalles has a three-ball count and Staub’s miscue becomes an automatic ball four. Versalles eventually scores. 

Roberto Clemente puts on quite a show but can’t prevent Pittsburgh’s 3 – 2 loss to Sandy Koufax and the Dodgers. Frank Finch of the Los Angeles Times reports: “Pittsburgh’s exciting right fielder, Roberto Clemente, waged a one-man war against Los Angeles with a spectacular display of throwing and batting. The fiery Puerto Rican smacked a triple, double and single to keep Koufax in hot water, but it was his arm that captured the fans’ fancy and left two baserunners for dead. Dick Tracewski ended a promising scoring spree in the 2nd inning when Clemente’s strike to Ducky Schofield nailed him as he tried to scramble back to second base. When Ron Fairly’s triple eluded Clemente in the 7th, he retrieved the ball and threw it on the fly from the warning track to home plate. And then Roberto took John Roseboro’s game-winning sacrifice fly and pegged another shot to the plate that nearly nipped Fairly. The next batter, Willie Davis, challenged Clemente’s arm by trying to stretch a single. He was out at second by a couple of lengths. Not since their own Carl Furillo was in his prime have the Dodgers seen such a display of throwing as Clemente’s.”

ByBaseball

Roberto Clemente puts on quite a show but can’t prevent Pittsburgh’s 3 – 2 loss to Sandy Koufax and the Dodgers. Frank Finch of the Los Angeles Times reports: “Pittsburgh’s exciting right fielder, Roberto Clemente, waged a one-man war against Los Angeles with a spectacular display of throwing and batting. The fiery Puerto Rican smacked a triple, double and single to keep Koufax in hot water, but it was his arm that captured the fans’ fancy and left two baserunners for dead. Dick Tracewski ended a promising scoring spree in the 2nd inning when Clemente’s strike to Ducky Schofield nailed him as he tried to scramble back to second base. When Ron Fairly’s triple eluded Clemente in the 7th, he retrieved the ball and threw it on the fly from the warning track to home plate. And then Roberto took John Roseboro’s game-winning sacrifice fly and pegged another shot to the plate that nearly nipped Fairly. The next batter, Willie Davis, challenged Clemente’s arm by trying to stretch a single. He was out at second by a couple of lengths. Not since their own Carl Furillo was in his prime have the Dodgers seen such a display of throwing as Clemente’s.”

Giants win fog delayed game on 11th inning Walk off by John Almafitano
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Giants win fog delayed game on 11th inning Walk off by John Almafitano

ByThis Day in Baseball

Sponsor this Page   May 17, 1963, at Candlestick Park swirling wins of up to 40 MPH and Fog delay the start of the Giants Mets game. Once it starts Willie Mays and Willie McCovey hit first-inning home runs. The game goes into extra innings and John Almafitano who goes 3-4, and collects half the…

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5/17/1963: A doubleheader between the Tigers and Senators in Washington was cancelled in the second inning of the first game after a 1 hour and 12 minute rain delay. In the first inning, the Senators’ Bobo Osborne hit a grand slam off Don Mossi over the right field fence. In the top of the second, Al Kaline hit a solo homer off Bennie Daniels into the Washington bullpen. Those two blasts accounted for all the runs in the game when the rains came to wash it all away. Like the one he lost on 6/1/58, this one could have given Kaline 400 for his career.

ByTom

5/17/1963: A doubleheader between the Tigers and Senators in Washington was cancelled in the second inning of the first game after a 1 hour and 12 minute rain delay. In the first inning, the Senators’ Bobo Osborne hit a grand slam off Don Mossi over the right field fence. In the top of the second, Al Kaline hit a solo homer off Bennie Daniels into the Washington bullpen. Those two blasts accounted for all the runs in the game when the rains came to wash it all away. Like the one he lost on 6/1/58, this one could have given Kaline 400 for his career.