Ernie Lombardi of the Giants slams the ball 483 feet under the stairway in right-center of the Polo Grounds, but barely makes third base. It is the 3rd triple in 7 years for Schnozz and the last of his career.
On June 23, 1946, Eddie Waitkus and Marv Rickert of the Chicago Cubs hit consecutive inside-the-park home runs in the fourth inning against the New York Giants. The dual inside-the-parkers, which occur at the spacious Polo Grounds, don’t prevent the Cubs from losing the game, 15-10.
On Opening Day, Mel Ott hits his 511th and final home run of his career in the Giants’ 8-4 victory over Philadelphia at the Polo Grounds, a ballpark in which he has hit 63% of his round-trippers. The 37 year-old player-manager, who has two hundred more homers than any other National Leaguer, will retire third on the all-time list, trailing only Babe Ruth (714) and Jimmie Foxx (534).
On April 15, 1946, Mel Ott hits the 511th – and final – home run of his career. The 37-year-old slugger connects against Oscar Judd of the Philadelphia Phillies. Ott’s milestone blast lifts the New York Giants to an 8-4 victory at the Polo Grounds…
1942 – Powered by first-inning home runs by Indians shortstop Lou Boudreau and Tigers first baseman Rudy York, the American League All-Stars defeats the National League at the Polo Grounds, 3 – 1. Mickey Owen also homers for the third run. He will not hit a single home run during the regular schedule. The game features the first and only starting sibling battery in All-Star history as losing pitcher Mort Cooper throws to backstop Walker Cooper, his brother.
May 17, 1941, Play is halted in the seventh inning of the Braves-Giants game at the Polo Grounds so the crowd of 17,009 and players can listen to President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s radio address over the stadium’s P.A. system. After FDR announces the Proclamation of an Unlimited National Emergency, the tied 1-1 contest is resumed…
August 8, 1940. After a Daily News story reported that the New York Giants’ bullpen had an awning, the Dodgers decided to bring their own awning to the Polo Grounds; it was supplied by Leffert’s Bar and Grill. Pictured are pitcher Hugh Casey, catcher Gus Mancuso and coach Charley Dressen.
A crowd of 53,997, a National League record for a night game, watches the Dodgers beat the Giants, 8 – 4, on Mel Ott Night at the Polo Grounds.
In the first night game played at the Polo Grounds, the hometown Giants beat Boston, 8-1. The Manhattan ballpark’s $125,000 lighting system works well, allowing the 22,260 patrons attending the game to follow the nocturnal contest without any difficulties.
At the Polo Grounds, Mel Ott singles home a run in the Giants’ 3-2 victory over Boston in the season finale at the Polo Grounds. The 29 year-old Giants’ right fielder, who will celebrate a birthday in the offseason, establishes the record for the most games played before a 30th birthday with 1,739, more than Robin Yount’s 1,671 (Brewers, 1974-85) and Andruw Jones’s 1,625 (Braves, 1996-2007)
Enjoy our free trial and start listening to games, interviews and shows! Ruth, Mantle, Aaron, and Seaver!