1905 – The Highlanders sell workhorse pitcher Jack Powell (8-13) to the Browns. Powell won 23 games in 1904, pitching 390 1/3 innings.
A new National Agreement signed by the National Association of minor league clubs officially organizes professional baseball under one comprehensive set of rules.
The Cardinals’ Kid Nichols beats the Reds 4 – 2 in the first of two games. Encouraged, Nichols pitches the nitecap as well, but the Reds reach him for 14 hits to win, 8 – 5. As manager, Nichols keeps himself in the game rather than waste another pitcher.
John Malarkey, leading off in the bottom of the 11th inning, hits a game-ending homer off St. Louis right-hander Mike O’Neill to give the Beaneaters a 4-3 victory in the first game of a twin bill at Boston’s South End Grounds. Malarkey becomes the first pitcher in baseball history to earn a victory by hitting his own walk-off home run.
1900 – The Giants batter P Nixey Callahan for 23 hits in a 14 – 3 win over the Chicago Orphans. In the 2nd game, a 3 – 3 tie called because of darkness after nine innings, Chicago rookie C Johnny Kling debuts with 3 for 4 at the plate.
1889 – Rain prevents every scheduled game in both major leagues. For the season the National League will have 62 rainouts and the American Association 73.
1886 – At Washington’s Capitol Park, backstop Connie Mack makes his major league debut as the Nationals edge Philadelphia, 4 – 3.
Roger Connor becomes the first and only player to hit a ball out of the original Polo Grounds (110th Street and Fifth Avenue). The Giants’ first baseman receives a $500 gold watch from stockbrokers and others to honor his accomplishment.
Between 500 and 800 spectators‚ the smallest crowd of the year on the Athletics grounds‚ see an exhibition game between Cleveland and Philadelphia. Listless play shows why exhibition games are losing favor as the visitors win 14-1 behind the 6-hit pitching of Al Pratt.
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