This Day In Baseball April 13

Pete Rose

The history of sports is both vast and rich, thanks to the existence of so many different events and the longevity associated with them. With so much history to cull through, We offer the opportunity to look back and see what memorable things happened or milestones were reached on April 13 in baseball history.

Notable Events and Chronology for April 13

“Good ballplayers make good citizens.” – Chester A. Arthur, 21st President of the United States.Chester A. Arthur brings the Forest Cities ball club, a recently defunct franchise of the National Association, to the White House, making it the first professional team to visit with a president in Washington, D.C. Later in the season, the country’s Commander-in-Chief will also host the new National League’s New York Gothams, who will become better known as the Giants in 1885.

Tim_Hurst

National League bans umpire Tim Hurst, considered the most colorful cantankerous ump

walter johnson

Walter Johnson starts a 56 inning scoreless streak

Major league baseball returns to Baltimore as the first Federal League game is played with approximately 27,000 patrons on hand to watch the Terrapins beat the Buffalo Blues at Terrapin Park, 3-2. After the hometown Orioles were eliminated from the National League at the end of the 1899 season, first-year player/manager John McGraw’s club joins the new rival American League, beginning in 1901, but the newly formed team stayed in the Charm City for only two seasons before being moved to New York, becoming the Yankees after briefly known as the Highlanders.

Babe Adams, the Pirates bellwether, pitches a one-hit 4 - 0 shutout against the Cardinals

Babe Adams, the Pirates bellwether, pitches a one-hit 4 – 0 shutout against the Cardinals

With new U.S. President Warren G. Harding, former president Woodrow Wilson, and VP Calvin Coolidge watching, the Washington Senators lose their home opener, 6 - 3, to the Boston Red Sox. Senators pitcher Walter Johnson leaves after four innings, the first time he has failed to finish an Opening Game.

With new U.S. President Warren G. Harding, former president Woodrow Wilson, and VP Calvin Coolidge watching, the Washington Senators lose their home opener, 6 – 3, to the Boston Red Sox. Senators pitcher Walter Johnson leaves after four innings, the first time he has failed to finish an Opening Game.

In the season opener for the New York Yankees, Babe Ruth goes 5 for 5, as New York and Carl Mays beat the Philadelphia Athletics, 11 - 1.

In the season opener for the New York Yankees, Babe Ruth goes 5 for 5, as New York and Carl Mays beat the Philadelphia Athletics, 11 – 1.

Pete Alexander wins the opener for the Cubs

Pete Alexander wins the opener for the Cubs

Dazzy Vance

At age 31 Dazzy Vance makes his Brooklyn Robins debut

Stuffy McInnis is released by the Boston Braves. He will sign with the Pirates, bat .368 in 59 games, and get into his fifth World Series.

More than 45,000 fans at the Polo Grounds watch Jess Petty of the Brooklyn Robins post an Opening Day, 3 – 0, one-hitter over the New York Giants. The Giants will win seven in a row after the opener, only to be beaten again by Petty, 2 – 1, on April 24th.

The greatest pitchers duel in opening day history

The greatest pitchers duel in opening day history

Sammy West of the St. Louis Browns goes 6 for 6 in an 11-inning victory over the Chicago White Sox. West collects five singles and a double off Ted Lyons.

Dick Bartell of the Phillies with Glenn Wright of the Dodgers. Opening day at the Baker Bowl - 1933.

Dick Bartell of the Phillies with Glenn Wright of the Dodgers. Opening day at the Baker Bowl – 1933.

Eddie Klepp barred from birmingham

Eddie Klepp barred from birmingham

For the first time in half a century, a new city is represented in the American or National league. The Braves who moved from Boston to Milwaukee over the winter, open in Cincinnati, where pitcher Max Surkont sets down the Reds, 2 – 0.

Ty Cobb, Al Simmons, Dizzy Dean, Cy Young. Connie Mack, Big Ed Walsh, and Rogers Hornsby–1953

Ty Cobb, Al Simmons, Dizzy Dean, Cy Young. Connie Mack, Big Ed Walsh, and Rogers Hornsby

In Boston, Braves Field is renamed “BU Field” by its new owners, Boston University.

The brand new Baltimore Orioles open in Detroit and lose, 3 - 0. Don Larsen takes the loss against Steve Gromek. The Tigers start fast and will win 12 of their first 18 games.

The brand new Baltimore Orioles open in Detroit and lose, 3 – 0. Don Larsen takes the loss against Steve Gromek. The Tigers start fast and will win 12 of their first 18 games.

Curt Roberts, the Pirates' first black player, hits a triple against Robin Roberts in the 1st inning

Curt Roberts, the Pirates’ first black player, hits a triple against Robin Roberts in the 1st inning

Cincinnati, in an effort to not be associated with Communists, plays its first game as the Redlegs. The new moniker, which is widely accepted, will be employed for six seasons, before the club reverts back to being known as the Reds, which was a shortened version of the Red Stockings, the team’s original name from 1882 to 1899.

20-year-old Willie Mays sits in the Minneapolis Millers clubhouse after receiving news that he was being called up to the New York Giants. Mays hit .477 with eight home runs and 30 RBI in 35 games with Minneapolis.

Willie Mays homers in his first game back

Tom Alston becomes the first black player to appear in a Cardinals uniform

Tom Alston becomes the first black player to appear in a Cardinals uniform

wally Moon homers in debut

Wally Moon hits a home run in his first major league at-bat & om Alston becomes the first black player to wear a Cardinals uniform.

Hank Aaron makes his major league debut for the Milwaukee Braves

Hank Aaron makes his major league debut for the Milwaukee Braves

casey stengel new york mets first game

new york mets first home game

At Wrigley Field, Stan Musial scores his 1,869th run to set a new National League record as the Cardinals beat the Cubs, 8 – 5, in 15 innings.

On Opening Day, Detroit’s starting pitcher Frank Lary pulls a muscle legging out a seventh-inning triple in the team’s 5-3 victory over New York at Tiger Stadium. ‘The Yankee Killer’s’ career will be shortened when the righty suffers subsequent arm problems as a result of compensating for the injury.

Pete Rose

Pete Rose hits first triple

Boston Red Sox rookie Dave Morehead shuts out the Washington Senators, 3 – 0, in his first major league appearance. Morehead is the first Red Sox pitcher to debut with a shutout since Boo Ferriss in 1945.

After beating the Reds, 6-3, in the traditional Opening Day game in Cincinnati, Houston is in first place for the first and only time as the Colt .45’s. Next season, the team will be renamed the Astros, reflecting Houston’s role in the nation’s space program.

for the first time in their three-year history that the Colts have sole possession of first place

At Fenway Park, Frank Robinson and Brooks Robinson hit back-to-back home runs in the 1st inning off Dave Morehead, to lead the Baltimore Orioles to an 8 – 1 victory over the Boston Red Sox. Jim Palmer pitches a five-hit complete game and helps himself by hitting a homer in the 2nd.

Tom Seaver debut

Tom Seaver makes his major league debut for the New York Mets

Looking back on his career some 30 years later, Willie Mays will recall being gunned down going from first to third exactly once by Roberto Clemente 

Looking back on his career some 30 years later, Willie Mays will recall being gunned down going from first to third exactly once by Roberto Clemente 

4/13/1969 – The White Sox were in Seattle playing the Pilots with the Pale Hose leading 11-1 after 3 ‘ innings. In the bottom of the fourth, the Pilots staged a rally, scoring four runs. During the inning, Sox manager Al Lopez replaced his battery but placed new hurler Wilbur Wood in the fifth spot in the order where the catcher had been and the new catcher, Duane Josephson, in the ninth spot. In the top of the fifth, the eighth-place hitter, Woody Held, reached second on an infield error. Then Wood mistakenly went to the plate instead of Josephson. Wood successfully sacrificed Held to third base and the lead-off hitter, Buddy Bradford, followed. The White Sox continued this error in the next inning when the fifth spot in the lineup came up. Josephson hit with a runner on first base and grounded into a double play. In the seventh, Josephson hit again in his proper ninth spot and they continued to bat in the correct order for the remainder of the game, which was won by the White Sox , 12-7.

In their home opener at the Oakland Coliseum, a 2-1 victory over Milwaukee, the A’s use gold-colored bases. This colorful innovation introduced by team owner Charlie O. Finley will quickly be banned by the MLB’s Rules Committee.

Twins and Royals set record for hit batters

Aparicio-Smith-Yaz-Petrocelli-Scott-Josephson-Billy Conigilaro-Griffin-Culp....1971

Aparicio-Smith-Yaz-Petrocelli-Scott-Josephson-Billy Conigilaro-Griffin-Culp….1971

April 13, 1971 - Thurman Munson addresses the crowd after receiving his "Rookie of the Year" award.

April 13, 1971 – Thurman Munson addresses the crowd after receiving his “Rookie of the Year” award.

The first player strike in Major League Baseball history ends, with an abbreviated schedule to start two days later.

The Astros retire Don Wilson's number 40

The Astros retire Don Wilson’s number 40

In New York’s Opening Day 4-2 victory over Chicago, Reggie Jackson hits a three-run homer in the first inning, his fourth consecutive round-tripper at Yankee Stadium, after going deep three times in last year’s Fall Classic finale. The game is delayed as the crowd celebrates by showering the field with Reggie! Bars, a chocolate and peanut candy bar with a picture of the slugger swinging a bat, that was given to every fan entering the game.

Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle

On Opening Day, Roger Maris returns to Yankee Stadium for the first time since being traded to the Cardinals in 1966. The prodigal son, who has shunned many previous invitations, returns to help Mickey Mantle hoist the club’s World Champion flag due to the promise of team owner George Steinbrenner to install sod and lights for the baseball field at his children’s school in Gainesville, Florida.

In his first major league start, Charlie Leibrandt of the Cincinnati Reds shuts out the Atlanta Braves, 5 - 0, at Riverfront Stadium

In his first major league start, Charlie Leibrandt of the Cincinnati Reds shuts out the Atlanta Braves, 5 – 0, at Riverfront Stadium

The first Q battery in major league history occurs, when Dan Quisenberry (pitcher) and Jamie Quirk (catcher) of the Kansas City Royals face the Detroit Tigers. Detroit wins, 3 - 2.

The first Q battery in major league history occurs, when Dan Quisenberry (pitcher) and Jamie Quirk (catcher) of the Kansas City Royals face the Detroit Tigers. Detroit wins, 3 – 2.

George Brett and Mike Schmidt on cover of SI

George Brett and Mike Schmidt on cover of SI

The Phillies, trailing by five runs entering the final frame, beat the Mets, 10-9, when Bo Diaz hits a walk-off bases-loaded home run. The Philadelphia catcher’s ‘ultimate grand slam’, a home run which wins a game when a team is down by three runs in the bottom of the final inning, is tossed by Neil Allen, who faces only the final batter.

4,000 Hits and Counting: Pete Rose's Historic Milestone in Baseball

4,000 Hits and Counting: Pete Rose’s Historic Milestone in Baseball

Rollie Fingers sets all time saves record

Rollie Fingers sets all time saves record

At Jack Murphy Stadium, the San Diego Padres set a major league record when the first three batters in the bottom of the 1st inning hit home runs off San Francisco Giants starter Roger Mason in their home opener. The Padres, trailing 2 – 0, get homers from Marvell Wynne, Tony Gwynn and John Kruk. The feat will be matched by Rafael Furcal, Mark DeRosa, and Gary Sheffield of the Atlanta Braves against Jeff Austin of the Cincinnati Reds on May 28, 2003.

Rick Honeycutt of the Oakland Athletics becomes the second pitcher in as many days to tie the American League’s 28-year-old balk record by committing four balks in four innings while saving a 12 – 7 win over Seattle. A major league record 924 balks will be called this season after umpires are instructed to interpret the complete stop rule more strictly.

Lee Smith becomes the all-time saves leader in the major leagues as the Cardinals beat the Dodgers, 9 – 7. Smith picks up his 358th save, surpassing Jeff Reardon.

Ken Griffey, Jr. hits his 300th career home run to become the second-youngest player to reach the milestone

Ken Griffey, Jr. hits his 300th career home run to become the second-youngest player to reach the milestone

Prior to tonight’s game against the Angels, a 500-pound concrete and steel beam falls into the empty loge boxes between third base and left field at Yankee Stadium. The next two games scheduled to played at the Bronx ballpark will be postponed with the team scheduling one of the games to be played across the river at Shea Stadium.

Texas Rangers catcher Ivan Rodriguez drives in nine runs in the Rangers’ 15 – 6 victory at Seattle. Rodriguez hits a three-run home run in the 1st inning, a two-run single in the 2nd, and his first career grand slam in the 3rd as Texas takes a 13 – 0 lead.

ken griffey strikesout vs mike morgan

Mike Morgan Spans 19 years between wins

Stanley “Frenchy” Bordagaray dies at the age of 90 - known for showing up with mustache and ordered to shave

Stanley “Frenchy” Bordagaray dies at the age of 90 – known for showing up with mustache and ordered to shave

After striking out three batters on nine pitches in the top of the ninth inning, Cardinal closer Jason Isringhausen gets the win when the Redbirds score a run in the bottom of the frame for a 2-1 walk-off victory over Houston. The right-handed reliever’s victims during his immaculate inning include Daryle Ward, Jose Vizcaino, and Julio Lugo, who all go down swinging.

Pitchers Dennis Eckersley and Bruce Hurst, catcher-manager Bill Carrigan and infielders Wade Boggs, Billy Goodman and Pete Runnels are selected for induction into the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame. The club’s Hall of Fame selection committee conducted its voting at a meeting the previous fall.

barry bonds contract

Barry Bonds hits his 661st home run, passing Willie Mays to take sole possession of third place on the major league career list

A near-by pedestrian saves eight year-old Patrick McCarthy from getting run down by a truck when the boy starts to run into Boston’s Newbury Street traffic. The hero, who prevents the tragic accident by putting out his arm and saying `Whoa, watch out, buddy,’ turns out to be the boy’s favorite player, Yankee superstar Alex Rodriguez.

Craig Biggio takes over eighth place on the All-Time doubles list with 641, passing Honus Wagner. 

In Los Angeles, Orlando Hudson hits for the cycle and Andre Ethier belts two home runs and drives in four runs as the Dodgers defeat the Giants, 11 – 1. Randy Johnson gives up 7 runs in 3 2/3 innings for the losers.

San Diego beats the Mets, 6 – 5, in the first game to be played at Citi Field in New York. The first batter of the game, Jody Gerut, hits a home run off Mike Pelfrey as the Padres jump to an early 5 – 1 lead. New York ties it on a three-run home run by David Wright, but the winning run scores when Luis Rodríguez reaches on a three-base error by RF Ryan Church and crosses the plate when Pedro Feliciano commits a balk.

1976 American League Rookie of the Year Mark “The Bird” Fidrych dies at 54 from an accident while fixing a truck on his farm in Northborough, MA.

The White Sox top the Tigers, 10 – 6. Jermaine Dye and Paul Konerko hit back-to-back homers in the 2nd for the Sox, each of them reaching 300 career home runs with their blows. No teammates had ever reached 300, 400 or 500 in the same game, let alone the same inning.

Nick Swisher, who throws 22 pitches, allowing just one hit and one walk before retiring the next three consecutive batters, including a swinging strikeout of Gabe Kapler, becomes the first position player to pitch for the Yankees since Wade Boggs took the mound in 1997. During the 15-5 rout by the Rays at Tampa’s Tropicana Field, the fun-loving first baseman volunteered to pitch the eighth inning to help save the bullpen after starter Chien-Ming Wang lasts only one inning.

In the LA home opener, Orlando Hudson completes his cycle with a sixth-inning triple down the right-field line in the team’s 11-1 rout of the Giants. The second baseman becomes the first Dodger to hit for the cycle at Dodger Stadium, and the first franchise player to accomplish the feat in a nine-inning game since Gil Hodges did it in 1949.

Ricky Romero pitches a gem for the Blue Jays. He allows only one hit to the White Sox, a two-run homer by former teammate Alex Rios with none out in the 8th, in 8 innings of work, while striking out a career-high 12 batters. Kevin Gregg completes the one-hitter with a perfect 9th inning, earning his 3rd save in sealing the 4 – 2 win.

The Pirates pull out a couple of brilliant defensive plays in beating the Giants, 6 – 5. With Pittsburgh leading 3 – 1 and a runner on first base, Aubrey Huff knocks a ball that appears headed past the mound for an infield single. But pitcher Paul Maholm dives to the ground, stops the ball, and in one motion flips it with his glove to 1B Jeff Clement to retire Huff while completing a backwards somersault. Then, in the bottom of the 9th, Garrett Jones, now playing 1B, makes a lunging grab of Pablo Sandoval’s line drive to end the game.

Jorge Cantu of the Marlins becomes the first player in 89 years to collect at least one hit and one RBI in his team’s first eight games of the season, thanks to an RBI single against Bronson Arroyo of the Cincinnati Reds. George “Highpockets” Kelly was the last player to accomplish the feat, in 1921. Cantu now has 13 RBI for the year and his streak has reached 13 consecutive games, dating back to 2009. However, the Reds win the game, 10 – 8, in 11 innings. Cantu will extend his season-opening streak to 10 games with a home run tomorrow and a double the next day.

The Yankees receive their 2009 World Series rings in a ceremony before their home opener at New Yankee Stadium. Hideki Matsui, the Series MVP, gets to join his former teammates for the ceremony, as he now plays for todays’ visitors, the Los Angeles Angels. The Yankees bang out 13 hits for a 7 – 5 win. Andy Pettitte picks up the victory with six scoreless innings.

The ‘Bring Back Orbit’ Facebook group is created with the hopes of convincing the Astros to reinstate the mascot, who was replaced with Junction Jack beginning in the 2000 season, coinciding with the team’s move from the Astrodome to Enron Field. The social media effort pays off when the franchise reveals the lovable lime-green outer-space creature with antennae extending into baseballs, after a 12-year absence, will be returning to continue his role in 2013, the team’s first season in the American League.

After four days of deliberation, the jury in the Trial of Barry Bonds returns a guilty verdict on the charge of obstruction of justice, while failing to reach a decision on the three charges of perjury the slugger was also facing. Barry Bonds faces up to 10 years in jail for the felony conviction, although probation is a more likely; Judge Susan Illston may however decide to re-try the three charges which resulted in a hung jury.

Chipper Jones spoils Florida’s bid for a shutout when he homers in the bottom of the ninth inning of the Braves’ 5-1 loss at Turner Field. The Atlanta third baseman joins Eddie Murray (1,917) and Mickey Mantle (1,509) in becoming only the third switch hitter in major league history to compile 1,500 RBIs.

The Cubs spoil the Cardinals’ home opener and P Adam Wainwright’s return to St. Louis with a 9 – 5 win. After the Cards receive their World Series rings before the game, Ian Stewarthits a three-run homer in the 1st, and Bryan LaHair adds his first career grand slam in the 3rd. Jeff Samardzija is the winner.

The Giants’ Matt Cain comes one batter shy of a perfect game in beating the Pirates, 5 – 0, in the team’s home opener. He settles for a one-hitter, with mound rival James McDonald’s 6th-inning single representing the only baserunner.

Aaron Harang sets a Dodgers record with 9 consecutive strikeouts after giving up a lead-off single to San Diego’s Cameron Maybin; Will Venable then homers to lead off the 4th. Johnny Podres had struck out 8 consecutive batters on July 2, 1962 for the franchise record and Harang falls one short of Tom Seaver’s all-time record. He finishes with 13 Ks in 6 1/3 innings and leaves with an 8 – 3 lead, but the bullpen then gets to work to sabotage that lead, with the Padres tying the score with 2 runs in the top of the 9th. Andrew Cashner retires the first two Los Angeles batters in the bottom of the 9th, before he walks the bases loaded; Joe Thatcher replaces him and walks Andre Ethier, forcing in the winning run and providing an anticlimactic ending to the game, with the final score 9 – 8.

The Nationals top the Reds, 2 – 1, in 13 innings. Jayson Werth drives in Danny Espinosa with the winner. He becomes the first player to drive in the winner in a 13-inning game on Friday the 13th since 1963. In an odd note, the scorer of the winning run in the 1963 game was none other than Werth’s grandfather, Dick Schofield Sr.

Josh Thole’s bizarre base running blunder leads to a very odd double play in the second inning of the Mets’ 5-2 victory at Citizens Bank Park. After successfully reaching second base on R.A. Dickey’s sacrifice bunt, the 25 year-old Mets’ catcher shocks everyone, including the Philadelphia defense, by trying to return to first base, where he is tagged out to complete the unusual 3-1-6-4 twin killing.

Matt Harvey takes a no-hitter into the 7th inning, until the Twins’ Justin Morneau hits a homer that clanks against the right field foul pole at Target Field with two outs. Harvey has the longest outing of his career, giving up only two hits in 8 innings in the Mets’ 4 – 2 win. The Mets have seven consecutive hits in the 5th to score all their runs.

The Brewers are the hottest team in baseball, completing their third straight series sweep with a 4 -1 win over the Pirates. Kyle Lohse fans 9 over 8 2/3 innings to get the win; Will Smith then gets the last out by striking out Pedro Alvarez on three pitches.

Braves OF Hector Olivera is arrested in Arlington, VA after a woman with visible bruises complains to police that the ballplayer assaulted her at the team’s hotel while in the Washington, DC area to play the Nationals. Olivera is immediately placed on paid leave by Major League Baseball under its new domestic violence policy and will remain there for the length of the investigation while also facing a possible suspension. He will be traded and released before the end of the suspension and will not return to the majors.

In the longest game yet played at Marlins Park, the Mets defeat Miami, 9 – 8, on a homer by Travis d’Arnaud in the 16th inning. Mets starter Robert Gsellman gives up 8 runs in 4 2/3 innings, but seven relievers combine to pitch 10 1/3 scoreless innings. Yoenis Cespedes hits a pair of homers, while d’Arnaud has four hits, including a bases-loaded triple and his game-winning homer off Adam Conley, who had been scheduled to start the next day. For the Marlins, Marcell Ozuna hits a grand slam in the 1st

Derek Dietrich leads the Reds to a 5 – 2 win over the Cardinals in the first of two games played at Estadio Monterrey in Mexico. He homers off Adam Wainwright to lead off the 7th inning and break a 1 – 1 tie, then adds a two-run triple in the 8th.

 

Todays Major League Birthdays On April 13

Todays Major League Debuts On  April 13

Todays Major League Final Games April 13

 

Major League Baseball Deaths On April 13

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