Willie Mays 500th Homerun

Willie Mays 5th Player to 500 Homeruns

ByThis Day in Baseball

1965 – At the Astrodome facing Don Nottebart, Giant outfielder Willie Mays becomes the fifth player in major league history to hit 500 career home runs. The “Say Hey Kid” will hit a league-leading and career-high 52 home runs en route to his second MVP season. Juan Marichal gets his 22nd victory, a 5 – 1 decision over Houston. It is the 11th straight win for San Francisco, which now has a 2 1/2 game lead in the National League pennant race.

Giants center fielder Willie Mays breaks Ralph Kiner’s record for home runs in a month with 17, Kiner ironically calls the shot on the radio

Giants center fielder Willie Mays breaks Ralph Kiner’s record for home runs in a month with 17, Kiner ironically calls the shot on the radio

ByThis Day in Baseball

Giants center fielder Willie Mays breaks Ralph Kiner’s record for home runs in a month when the ‘Say Hey Kid’ hits a moon shot off Jack Fischer for his 17th round-tripper in an 8-3 victory over New York. The former Pirates outfielder, now a broadcaster for the Mets on WHN radio and WOR-TV, calls the four-bagger which breaks the monthly mark he established with 16 round-trippers in 1949 during September.

In the first inning of a 5-2 loss to San Francisco, Jimmy Wynn is unable to catch Jim Ray Hart’s two-out routine fly ball when he loses the ball in the glare of diffused Texas sunlight streaming through plastic panes of the newly-opened Astrodome. The play, now a base-clearing inside-the-park three-run home run instead of an easy third out, results in the painting of the ballpark’s ceiling the next day and will lead to the use of Astroturf next season because the grass will be unable to be grown due to the reduced amount of sunlight.

In the first inning of a 5-2 loss to San Francisco, Jimmy Wynn is unable to catch Jim Ray Hart’s two-out routine fly ball when he loses the ball in the glare of diffused Texas sunlight streaming through plastic panes of the newly-opened Astrodome. The play, now a base-clearing inside-the-park three-run home run instead of an easy third out, results in the painting of the ballpark’s ceiling the next day and will lead to the use of Astroturf next season because the grass will be unable to be grown due to the reduced amount of sunlight.

ByTom

In the first inning of a 5-2 loss to San Francisco, Jimmy Wynn is unable to catch Jim Ray Hart’s two-out routine fly ball when he loses the ball in the glare of diffused Texas sunlight streaming through plastic panes of the newly-opened Astrodome. The play, now a base-clearing inside-the-park three-run home run instead of an easy third out, results in the painting of the ballpark’s ceiling the next day and will lead to the use of Astroturf next season because the grass will be unable to be grown due to the reduced amount of sunlight.

Commissioner Ford Frick suspends U.S.-Japan baseball relations until the Yomiuri Giants-San Francisco Giants dispute over Masanori Murakami’s contract is resolved.

Commissioner Ford Frick suspends U.S.-Japan baseball relations until the Yomiuri Giants-San Francisco Giants dispute over Masanori Murakami’s contract is resolved.

ByThis Day in Baseball

1965 – Commissioner Ford Frick suspends U.S.-Japan baseball relations until the Yomiuri Giants-San Francisco Giants dispute over Masanori Murakami’s contract is resolved.

Dierker_Larry_major league debut

Larry Dierkerbecomes the last rookie to make his major league debut as a Colt .45. On his 18th birthday

ByThis Day in Baseball

Larry Dierker, who will have a long relationship with the franchise, including stints as a broadcaster and manager, becomes the last rookie to make his major league debut as a Colt .45. On his 18th birthday, the right-hander is the starting pitcher and takes the loss when San Francisco defeats Houston, 7-3.