Wally Berger Essentials Positions: Bats: R Throws: R Height: 74 Weight: 198 Born: Tuesday, October 10, 1905 in Chicago, IL USA Died: 11 30 1988 in Redondo Beach, CA USA Debut: 4/15/1930 Last Game: 7/4/1940 Full Name: Walter Anton Berger “I never thought of records, I just liked to hit.” – Wally Berger Had there…
In the Cardinals’ 8-2 victory over Milwaukee at Busch Stadium, Albert Pujols drives in three runs in his first two at-bats with a first-inning groundout and a two-run double in the fourth, breaking the National League rookie-record with his 120th run batted in this season. The 21 year-old first baseman, who will finish the year with 130 RBIs, surpasses the mark established in 1930 by Wally Berger, who played for the Boston Braves.
On August 14, 1987, Mark McGwire of the Oakland A’s hits his 39th home run, setting a record for the most home runs by a major league rookie off future hall of farmer Don Sutton. McGwire’s two-run shot in the sixth inning gives the A’s a 5-3 lead over the California Angels. The A’s eventually…
On July 5, 1987, Mark McGwire of the Oakland A’s becomes the first rookie to hit 30 home runs before the All-Star break. McGwire’s latest long ball helps the A’s to a 6-2 win over the Boston Red Sox. McGwire’s teammate, Jose Canseco, adds a pair of home runs. The Oakland infielder will finish the…
Outfielder Frank Robinson of the Cincinnati Redlegs is unanimously voted the National League Rookie of the Year. In the American League, Chicago White Sox shortstop Luis Aparicio is voted Rookie of the Year with 22 points, beating out Baltimore’s Tito Francona and Rocky Colavito of the Indians.
On July 7 1936 – The National League, having lost the first three All-Star Games, wins the 1936 All-Star Game, 4 – 3 at Braves Field, Boston’s National League Park with four different Cub players (Augie Galan, Billy Herman, Gabby Hartnett and Frank Demaree) scoring runs. After Dizzy Dean and Carl Hubbell each pitch scoreless…
Pittsburgh reliever Mace Brown pitches five innings of shutout relief to beat Boston, 5 – 3. Wally Berger’s third double of the game in the 9th is the only hit he allows. The Bucs’ Gus Suhr plays 1B in the last inning to run his streak of consecutive games played to 619, a new National League record. The old mark was set by Eddie Brown from 1924 to 1928.
The Cards score four in the 8th, then Dizzy Dean picks up a save in the 9th to beat the Braves, 5 – 3. Jesse Haines, who fails for the 11th time to win his 200th game, is lifted after seven for Bill Walker who promptly tees up Wally Berger’s 30th homer of the year. Walker gives up two hits but is the winning pitcher.
Wally Berger hits a home run‚ 2 doubles‚ and a triple‚ to tie the modern major league record for extra-base hits in a game‚ but his Braves lose to the Dodgers‚ 7 – 5. Berger drives in all of Boston’s runs and his homer‚ his 25th of the year‚ puts him one ahead of Mel Ott in the home run race.
Grover Cleveland Alexander of the Philadelphia Phillies makes his last major league appearance, giving up two hits and two runs in relief in the Boston Braves’ 5 – 1 victory. The Phillies release the 43-year-old veteran a few hours after the game. In a 20-season career, Alexander posted a 373-208 record with 2,198 strikeouts and a 2.56 ERA. He will be inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1938.