That old black magic works for Gary Nolan as he outpitches Juan Marichal to beat the Giants, 2 – 0. Before the game Reds teammate Angel Bravo gives Nolan a rubber ball to carry during the game, assuring him that he’ll pitch a low-hit game as a result. Nolan allows three hits.

ByThis Day in Baseball

That old black magic works for Gary Nolan as he outpitches Juan Marichal to beat the Giants, 2 – 0. Before the game Reds teammate Angel Bravo gives Nolan a rubber ball to carry during the game, assuring him that he’ll pitch a low-hit game as a result. Nolan allows three hits.

|

It’s September and the Astros are actually in a pennant race

ByTom

1969 – Amazing. It’s September and the Astros are actually in a pennant race. They rally to drop the Cardinals in eleven, 7-6, when Jesus Alou’s base hit plates Johnny Edwards. Joe Morgan and Doug Rader play long ball to overcome a 6-1 deficit. Houston sits in fifth place but just five games behind the front-running Giants and six games over the .500 mark.

1969 – Ralph Houk signs a new 3-year contract with the Yankees at $65,000 a season, the highest managerial salary in either league, and Joe Pepitone is reinstated.

ByBaseball

1969 – Ralph Houk signs a new 3-year contract with the Yankees at $65,000 a season, the highest managerial salary in either league, and Joe Pepitone is reinstated.

With Julian Javier hitting a homer in the 10th, the Cardinals defeat the Reds, 1 – 0. Bob Gibson picks up his 12th shutout and 20th win. Gary Nolan pitches the first nine innings for the Reds, with Ted Abernathy taking the loss in relief.

ByBaseball

With Julian Javier hitting a homer in the 10th, the Cardinals defeat the Reds, 1 – 0. Bob Gibson picks up his 12th shutout and 20th win. Gary Nolan pitches the first nine innings for the Reds, with Ted Abernathy taking the loss in relief.

Washington’s Bob Priddy loses his 1 – 0 lead to the Yankees when Mickey Mantle clouts a 2-run pinch homer in the 8th and New York wins, 2 – 1. Mel Stottlemyre is the winner, allowing six hits and no walks. For Mantle, it is his 14th game-winning hit of the year, eight of them home runs.

ByBaseball

Washington’s Bob Priddy loses his 1 – 0 lead to the Yankees when Mickey Mantle clouts a 2-run pinch homer in the 8th and New York wins, 2 – 1. Mel Stottlemyre is the winner, allowing six hits and no walks. For Mantle, it is his 14th game-winning hit of the year, eight of them home runs.

Phillies ace Jim Bunning continues his whammy over the Mets by shutting them out, 6 – 0. It’s Bunning’s 8th complete game in as many starts against them, and his 5th shutout. The Mets have scored a total of four runs off Bunning.

ByThis Day in Baseball

Phillies ace Jim Bunning continues his whammy over the Mets by shutting them out, 6 – 0. It’s Bunning’s 8th complete game in as many starts against them, and his 5th shutout. The Mets have scored a total of four runs off Bunning.

The Pirates behind Bob Veale take over 1st place by topping Fergie Jenkins and the Cubs, 7 – 5, on Roberto Clemente’s opposite-field upper deck home run. Besides being his 2000th career hit, Clemente’s homer is his 23rd this season, tying his career high (he’ll end with 29), and gives him 101 RBI for the year, the first time he’s topped 100. “Like his first hit in the big leagues and also Hit 1,000,” writes Les Biederman in The Sporting News, “this one came at Forbes Field… In the 5th inning, Clemente batted with runners on first and second, one out and the Pirates leading, 1 – 0. Jenkins threw a fastball and Clemente blasted it on a line into the upper deck in right field.”

ByThis Day in Baseball

The Pirates behind Bob Veale take over 1st place by topping Fergie Jenkins and the Cubs, 7 – 5, on Roberto Clemente’s opposite-field upper deck home run. Besides being his 2000th career hit, Clemente’s homer is his 23rd this season, tying his career high (he’ll end with 29), and gives him 101 RBI for the year, the first time he’s topped 100. “Like his first hit in the big leagues and also Hit 1,000,” writes Les Biederman in The Sporting News, “this one came at Forbes Field… In the 5th inning, Clemente batted with runners on first and second, one out and the Pirates leading, 1 – 0. Jenkins threw a fastball and Clemente blasted it on a line into the upper deck in right field.”

During a pregame ceremony at Shea Stadium, the Mets retire Casey Stengel’s uniform number 37. The team’s first manager, who decided to retire shortly after fracturing his hip at the end of July, compiled a 175-404 record with the expansion team, never finishing higher than in last place.

ByTom

During a pregame ceremony at Shea Stadium, the Mets retire Casey Stengel’s uniform number 37. The team’s first manager, who decided to retire shortly after fracturing his hip at the end of July, compiled a 175-404 record with the expansion team, never finishing higher than in last place.