This Day In Baseball April 12 Debuts, Milestones, No Hitters, Rule Changes, Events, Birthdays, Deaths, and more on This Day In Baseball. Events for April 12 Sort bySearch Days, Events, Players Title (A - Z)Date (Newest) April 12, 1906 1906 – Johnny Bates of the Boston Beaneaters becomes the first modern player to hit a home run in his first major league at-bat, when he connects in the 2nd inning against Brooklyn Superbas pitcher Harry McIntire. Pitcher Irv Young allows only one hit, a double by Harry Lumley, as Boston beats Brooklyn, 2 – 0. April 12, 1909 1909 – With Christy Mathewson sidelined with diphtheria, Red Ames pitches the opener for the New York Giants, a 3 – 2 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies at the Baker Bowl. April 12, 1912 1912 – The Chicago Cubs’ famed double play combination of Tinker-to-Evers-to-Chance makes its final appearance together in an Opening Day game. The triumvirate of shortstop Joe Tinker, second baseman Johnny Evers and first baseman Frank Chance will be broken up at the end of the season. April 12, 1912 Chicago Cubs’ famed double play combination of “Tinker to Evers to Chance” makes its final appearance together in a major league game April 12, 1916 1916 – The Cleveland Indians acquire outfielder Tris Speaker from the Boston Red Sox for pitcher Sad Sam Jones, minor league infielder Fred Thomas, and $55,000 cash. This season, Speaker will lead the American League in batting (.386), slugging (.502), on-base percentage (.470), hits (211), doubles (41), and total bases (287). April 12, 1916 Cleveland Indians acquire Tris Speaker April 12, 1917 4/12/1917 – In the top of the fourth, Lew McCarty pinch hit for the pitcher in the number nine spot in the order and tripled to drive in two runs as part of a six-run inning. In the bottom of the inning, he stayed in the game as the catcher replacing Bill Rariden who was hitting in the eighth spot. This was not a real “double switch,” so the new pitcher should have batted in the number eight slot. In the sixth, McCarty hit out-of- order in the number eight position and singled. Boston pointed this out to the home plate umpire, and Slim Sallee, the new pitcher who should have been batting was called out. April 12, 1922 1922 – There are no playing managers in the National League for the first time since 1900. Long considered an economic necessity, the dual role is no longer essential. It will be 1930 before the American League has a year with all bench managers. April 12, 1928 1928 – St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Grover Cleveland Alexander opens his 18th season by shutting out the Pittsburgh Pirates, 5 – 0. April 12, 1955 In a 4 – 2 win over the Reds, Milwaukee Braves rookie Chuck Tanner hits an 8th-inning pinch-homer in his first major league at-bat. April 12, 1955 After a big civic parade, the transplanted Athletics open their first season in Kansas City with a victory over the Tigers, 6 – 2, at Municipal Stadium. The standing-room crowd of 32,147 is the largest paid crowd for any event in Kansas City. April 12, 1960 With 42,269 fans in attendance, the San Francisco Giants edge the St. Louis Cardinals, 3 – 1, in the first game played at Candlestick Park. Giants pitcher Sam Jones throws a three-hitter, and Cardinals outfielder Leon Wagner hits the first home run in the $15-million stadium. In the 3rd inning, the umpires protest that the foul poles are several inches in fair territory, rather than on the foul lines; the Giants will make the correction after the season. Birthdays Coming Soon Death Coming Soon [best_selling_products per_page="0" orderby="menu_order" columns="4" order="ASC"]
