This Day In Baseball August 16

Babe Ruth Ban Johnson (2)

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 August 16 in baseball history.

Things you don’t want to miss:

  • “The Babe”, George Herman Ruth, was the first sports superstar. He had the potential to be baseball’s greatest left-handed pitcher. Instead, he moved to the outfield and became its greatest hitter. Until Ruth arrived in New York in 1918, the Yankees had never won a pennant. Babe Ruth dies of throat cancer at age 53 in New York on August 16th 1948. He lied in state at Yankee Stadium and St. Patrick’s Cathedral more than 100,000 mourners would show their respects.
  • August 16th, 2010 New York Giant Great, Bobby Thomson passes away. On October 3rd 1951, dubbed the “Shot Heard ‘Round the World,” Thomson hit a game-deciding, three-run home run the final game of a three-game playoff between the Giants and Brooklyn Dodgers. It is considered by many to be one of the most memorable and dramatic homers in baseball history.
  • August 16th 1940- Jimmie Foxx smashes two homers to help the Red Sox beat the Senators. The two round trippers move him ahead of Lou Gehrig on the all-time list with a total of 495. 2
  • August 16th, 1966 – Willie Mays hits his 534th home run, matching Jimmie Foxx’s record for right-handed batters, as Gaylord Perry beats the Cardinals, 3 – 1.
  • August 16th 2002 The Twins down the Red Sox, 5 – 0, in the process ending Pedro Martinez’s scoreless inning streak at 35. It is the longest such streak in the majors since 2000. Pedro’s 2000 season is considered by many to be the best season ever pitched in the history of the game.

 

Notable Events and Chronology for August 16

Young pitcher Fred Goldsmith demonstrates at a public exhibition at the Capitoline Grounds in Brooklyn, NY that the curve ball is a real pitch and not simply an optical illusion

Young pitcher Fred Goldsmith demonstrates at a public exhibition at the Capitoline Grounds in Brooklyn, NY that the curve ball is a real pitch and not simply an optical illusion

Bill Phillips becomes the first pitcher to allow two grand slams in the same inning

Rube Waddell beats the Whitesox 2-1 leading the A's into first place

Rube Waddell beats the Whitesox 2-1 leading the A’s into first place

Toledo native George Mullin, pitching for the Tigers, helps the attendance today (6,000) as the Tigers take on New York in a Sunday game in Toledo

Toledo native George Mullin, pitching for the Tigers, helps the attendance today (6,000) as the Tigers take on New York in a Sunday game in Toledo

The Bucs jump on Christy Mathewson for five runs in two innings of the opener in game 1 of a double header

The Bucs jump on Christy Mathewson for five runs in two innings of the opener in game 1 of a double header

The Washington Post reports that Browns SS Bobby Wallace is the highest-paid player in either league at a salary of $6,500.

The Washington Post reports that Browns SS Bobby Wallace is the highest-paid player in either league at a salary of $6,500.

1908 – The Cardinals deal a blow to the Giants’ pennant hopes by defeating them twice in St. Louis. With Christy Mathewson refusing to pitch on Sundays, Red Ames and Joe McGinnity take the losses.

Red Murray's spectacular grab of Dots Miller's long drive becomes a truly electrifying catch

Red Murray’s spectacular grab of Dots Miller’s long drive becomes a truly electrifying catch

The A’s jump on Walter Johnson, scoring six runs in five innings, before relief comes in. Before exiting, Johnson hits his first major league homer, off Harry Krause, who will lead the AL in ERA with a sparkling 1.39.

ty cobb hitting streak

The Tigers top the Senators, 8 – 3, with Ty Cobb stealing home for the second time in his career. It comes in the 4th inning with Bob Groom on the mound.

8/16/1910 – In the bottom of the seventh in Boston, Harry Smith pinch hit for pitcher Buster Brown and singled. Rube Sellers pinch ran for Smith and scored two batters later. These changes took place in the ninth slot in the batting order. When Doc Miller’s turn to hit came up later in the inning, Bud Sharpe was substituted for Miller in the fourth spot in the lineup. At the end of the inning, Sellers remained in the game as the new right fielder, thus hitting ninth, and Chick Evens entered the contest as the new hurler in the fourth spot in the lineup. With two out in the bottom of the eighth, the nine spot in the order came up but Evans batted and made the third out of the frame. He was out of order but accepted by St. Louis. This should have reset the batting order, making Ed Abbaticchio the next proper batter (in the fifth spot in the lineup). However, Bill Collins batted and made an out in the first spot in the order. Three batters later, it came around to Evans’s spot again but Sellers hit in the fourth place instead. Sellers ended the game with an out. None of these instances of batting out of turn were protested by the St. Louis manager, Roger Bresnahan. It could have been since no one reached base batting out of turn or it could have been that no one on the Cardinals side of the field noticed.

At Brooklyn, Honus Wagner suffers a serious ankle injury rounding first in the 1st inning. He will miss 13 games, play one at first base, then miss another 12. With Wagner out, the Pirates will lose eight of 13 and drop out of the race.

In the 4th inning, Wildfire Schulte busts his record 4th grand slam of the season to help the Cubs maul the Boston Rustlers, 13 – 6. Pitching, it’s Brown over Brown as Mordecaitops Buster.

Philadelphia OF Sherry Magee is reinstated, following his suspension for attacking umpire Bill Finneran several weeks earlier.

At the Polo Grounds, it takes Christy Mathewson just 92 pitches to top the Reds, 6 – 1. Big Six allows just two Cincy hits in beating George Suggs. It is Matty’s 22nd straight win over the Ohioans.

Behind Earl Hamilton’s seven-hitter, the lowly Browns beat the front-running Red Sox, 3 – 2. Hamilton gives up six hits to beat O’Brien.

In Chicago, the Giants score twice in the opening frame off Jimmy Lavender to knock out the would-be Giant-killer and go on to win, 7 – 4. Fred Merkle and Larry Doyle pull off a double steal in the inning, with Doyle on the front end. Jeff Tesreau puzzles the locals and the Cubs drop six games behind the Giants.

Walter Johnson and Joe Wood are in pursuit of Rube Marquard’s 19-game win streak. Johnson picks on the White Sox for his 14th straight, a two-hitter, tying Jack Chesbro’s 1904 mark. The Washingtonians win, 2 – 0, beating “our meatball expert” (Chicago Record-Herald) Joe Benz with eight hits. A week later Joe Wood will win number 13 in a row.

Bob Fisher hits 2 inside the park homeruns, he is 2nd Dodger in two weeks to do it

Bob Fisher hits 2 inside the park homeruns, he is 2nd Dodger in two weeks to do it

In the second game of a doubleheader, Tiger rookie Bernie Boland no-hits Cleveland through 26 batters before Ben Paschal singles, his first and only hit of the year. Boland wins, 3 – 1.

In the Federal League, Alex Main of Kansas City pitches a 5 – 0 no-hitter versus Buffalo.

At Boston, Smoky Joe Wood fires a 1 - 0 shutout over Washington. The Nationals have lost all 11 games at Fenway Park this year.

At Boston, Smoky Joe Wood fires a 1 – 0 shutout over Washington. The Nationals have lost all 11 games at Fenway Park this year.

George sisler

The Browns set an American League record with 53 total chances against the A’s, but lose, 7 – 4

Ray Chapman is beaned by Carl Mays

Ray Chapman is beaned by Carl Mays

The Braves’ Walton Cruise connects off the Cubs’ Pete Alexander for the second home run hit out of mammoth Braves Field

In Pittsburgh, trailing, 7 - 6, the Pirates load the bases with two outs before Walter Schmidt drives a ball to deep left center. Giants LF Casey Stengel makes a dramatic catch on the dead run to preserve the New York win.

In Pittsburgh, trailing, 7 – 6, the Pirates load the bases with two outs before Walter Schmidt drives a ball to deep left center. Giants LF Casey Stengel makes a dramatic catch on the dead run to preserve the New York win.

The Browns beat Walter Johnson and the Senators again, 11 - 2. Brownie star George Sisler is 1 for 5 with a run scored.

The Browns beat Walter Johnson and the Senators again, 11 – 2. Brownie star George Sisler is 1 for 5 with a run scored.

Babe Ruth, teeing off on a Tommy Thomas pitch, becomes the first player to homer over the roof of Comiskey Park

Babe Ruth, teeing off on a Tommy Thomas pitch, becomes the first player to homer over the roof of Comiskey Park

Lefty Grove (20-4) wins his 6th in a row, beating the Browns in Philadelphia, 4 – 2. Grove drives in the first two runs in the 2nd off Dick Coffman, who gives up nine hits in the loss. The Browns net 10 hits off Grove.

At Wrigley Field, the league-leading Cubs nip the Phillies, 10 – 9, in the first game of a doubleheader, then play to a 3 – 3 tie in 11 innings before darkness intervenes. In the first game, the Phils score eight runs in the 7th to take a 9 – 8 lead, but Gabby Hartnett’s drive wins the game for Chicago. Hack Wilson hits his 41st homer in the opener. The Phils manage just two hits in the nitecap, but take a 3 – 0 lead into the 9th. Chicago comes back when Riggs Stephenson scores on a balk, then Woody English cracks a two-run homer to tie. Meanwhile, 2nd place Brooklyn splits with the Pirates, 7 – 5 and 2 – 6.

1939 – The Giants suspend 2B Burgess Whitehead, who will show up the next day in full uniform at Yankee Stadium and ask to work out. Yankee manager Joe McCarthy refuses. Whitehead rejoins the Giants a few days later, but he will be suspended again in mid-September after leaving the team.

Jimmie Foxx hits two round trippers moves him ahead of Lou Gehrig on the all-time list with a total of 495.

Jimmie Foxx hits two round trippers moves him ahead of Lou Gehrig on the all-time list with a total of 495.

1942 – In the first 1942 East-West Game, the East wins yet again, 5 – 2. Leon Day retires all seven batters he faces, five of them by strikeout for the East, while Satchel Paige bombs for the West.

 Ralph Kiner hits three consecutive homeruns in a 12-7 win

 Ralph Kiner hits three consecutive homeruns in a 12-7 win

1939 Babe Ruth & Lou Gehrig Type II Photo Lou Gehrig Day, Tony Cuccinello Est.

Babe Ruth succumbs to throat cancer at the age of 53

Branch Rickey of the Brooklyn Dodgers denies news reports that Jackie Robinson, last year’s MVP, will be traded. The latest tempest was started by the second baseman’s comments after he was removed from the lineup on August 12th by Burt Shotton after making an error. “I wouldn’t be surprised if I was traded,” Jackie was quoted as saying.

The Phils polish off the second place Braves, 5 – 1, on Robin Roberts’ three-hitter. The Phils score four in the 4th off Vern Bickford, concluding the scoring with Del Ennis’ 26th homer.

At the Polo Grounds, Hank Thompson’s two inside-the-park home runs off Don Bankhead and Carl Erskine contribute to the Giants’ 16-7 drubbing of the Dodgers. The 24 year-old third baseman will hit 129 round-trippers in his 9-year career, three of which will be of the IPHR variety.

The Cards score six runs in the 7th inning to defeat the Pirates, 9 – 6. Murry Dickson, trying for his 17th win, takes the loss. Stan Musial hits a three-run homer in the 6th to start the scoring for St. Louis. His inside-the-park homer is his first hit in 13 at bats, and his second one in four days.

The Browns end the Indians’ win streak at 13 when Tommy Byrne pitches and bats St. Louis to a 4 – 0 win. Byrne allows two hits in seven innings and drives in all the runs before retiring with back spasms. Mike Garcia loses to drop the Indians’ lead to 1 1/2 games over the Yankees.

Sal Maglie outpitches Don Newcombe, 2 – 1, to cut the Dodger lead over the Giants to 9 1/2 games. Maglie allows four hits, including Billy Cox’s 300-foot homer, in winning his 17th. The Giants score the winner in the 7th when Bobby Thomson scores on a wild pitch. Pee Wee Reese goes hitless, ending his 22-game streak.

At Elmira, NY, minor leaguer Don Zimmer marries Jean Carol Bauerle at home plate. Teammate Ed Roebuck is supposed to make it a double wedding, but opts for a church instead.

1954 – In a throwing contest between Jimmy Piersall and Willie Mays before a Red Sox-Giants charity game in Boston, Piersall hurts his arm. He starts the game but leaves midway. He wakes up the following morning with a sore arm that stays with him a year, and he will never throw quite as well again.

The first issue of Sports Illustrated is available at the newsstands. The inaugural cover of the innovative new magazine features a Mark Kauffman photo of Braves slugger Eddie Mathews at bat, Giants catcher Wes Westrum behind the plate, and umpire Augie Donatelli calling balls and strikes in Milwaukee County Stadium.

Pirate Frank Thomas clouts three consecutive home runs in a 13 - 4 pasting of the Redlegs

Pirate Frank Thomas clouts three consecutive home runs in a 13 – 4 pasting of the Redlegs

1960 – Following three straight bunt singles by Pittsburgh to start off the 9th, a visibly rattled Robin Roberts administers an utterly unintentional four-pitch free pass to Roberto Clemente, who, despite his free-swinging and prideful reputation, is evidently not entirely inflexible in his determination to accept no handouts. Thus is broken the 3 – 3 tie produced by Clemente’s 6th-inning RBI single. Making his 50th appearance of the year, reliever Elroy Face makes the one-run lead stand up, retiring Philly in order in the 9th.

Cincinnati takes the National League lead for good with a shutout sweep, 6 – 0 and 8 – 0, at Los Angeles before 72,140, a record crowd for a NL doubleheader. Bob Purkey gives up four hits and Jim O’Toole just two in handing the Dodgers their first twinbill whitewash since July 18, 1935.

1947-1966 Exhibits Roger Maris New York Yankees PSA EX 5

Roger Maris ties an American League record with his 7th home run in his 6th straight game, as New York beats Chicago, 5 – 4, in the 9th inning. His two blasts off Billy Pierce give him 48, three more than Mickey Mantle.

Just five outs shy of career shutout No. 53, Milwaukee starter Warren Spahn is denied when Dick Stuart delivers an RBI single, thus bringing home the bullet Spahn has just dodged. That bullet came off the bat of Roberto Clemente, a loud double just a few feet shy of clearing Milwaukee County Stadium’s left centerfield fence. Disappointed but undaunted, Spahn will settle for career win No. 301 – a complete-game 2 – 1 decision over the Pittsburgh Pirates.

1962 – For the second night in a row, Frank Robinson clouts two homers to power the Reds to a 7 – 1 win over the Braves. Robby now has nine homers in eight games, and 11 in the last 12. Lee Maye’s home run off Jim Maloney is the only Braves score.

koufax hitting

Sandy Koufax pitches a 3 – 0 shutout win against St. Louis, but he will miss the rest of the season because of an elbow injury suffered when he slid into second base

St. Louis outfielder Curt Flood collects eight consecutive hits during a doubleheader against Dodgers pitching. The Cardinals split the twin bill in Los Angeles, losing the opener to Sandy Koufax, 3-0, but take the nightcap when Curt Simmons tosses a six hitter to give the Redbirds a 4-0 victory.

1965 – At Fenway Park, Earl Wilson is all the Boston offense as he bangs a pair of two-run home runs. But the righty still takes the loss to the White Sox, 5 – 4.

Willie Mays hits his 534th career home run ties him with Jimmie Foxx for most career home runs hit by a right-handed batter

After retiring the first 19 Pirates he faces, Reds’ starter Jim Maloney is forced to leave the game when he hurts his ankle stepping in a hole in the Forbes Field turf. Billy McCool finishes the contest, giving up two hits in Cincinnati’s 4-0 victory over the Pirates.

Denny McLain

Denny McLain of the Detroit Tigers wins his 25th game

Philadelphia’s Richie Allen ties a National League record by drawing five bases on balls in one game, but the Dodgers win, 7 – 5.

Jim Wynn homers off Tom Seaver with two outs in the ninth to tie New York, 1-1. Bob Aspromonte’s two-run opposite-field double in the 12th wins it for Houston. Tom Dukes, who fanned two with the bases full of Mets in the 11th, picks up the 3-1 victory.

The Phillies rack up their 4th straight shutout victory when Rick Wise pitches a four-hitter to defeat the Astros, 7 – 0. The Phils set a modern club record with the streak. Dick Allen hits a homer and Wise joins in with a homer and a single.

In an 8 – 1 win in Atlanta, St. Louis P Bob Gibson reaches 200 strikeouts (en route to 269) for the 7th season, a National League record.

Boog Powell

Burly Baltimore Orioles slugger Boog Powell hits an inside park homerun

In a 5 - 3 Montreal win over the Astros, Bob Bailey hits one of the longest home runs in Astrodome history.

In a 5 – 3 Montreal win over the Astros, Bob Bailey hits one of the longest home runs in Astrodome history.

Bernie Brewer leaves his perch for the first time in 40 days

1971 – Harmon Killebrew, who has a higher percentage of his hits (28.6%) go for home runs than any other player, collects his annual triple in a 11 – 2 win over the Indians. It marks his 8th season when he will hit exactly one three-bagger.

At the major league’s annual summer meetings in Milwaukee, all of the American League owners vote “yes”, and all of the National League owners vote “no” on a proposal introducing interleague play for next season. Commissioner Bowie Kuhn, who favors a limited number of interleague contests, does not cast a vote of his own that could have potentially broken the impasse, citing the possibility of doing so at later date when the legality of his ballot, which is being challenged by the Senior Circuit, is resolved.

After a frustrating 9-1 loss in Minnesota, Indians manager Frank Robinson chews out his 52-65 team. The fiery skipper appears to have gotten the players’ attention when the Tribe wins 27 of the remaining 42 contests, finishing season just one game under .500.

With the help of three picked-off Oakland runners at first base, the first such occurrence in the American League since 1910, the Brewers beat Oakland, 4 – 3. Another oddity happens when Oakland’s Billy Williams is called out on strikes after refusing to enter the batter’s box. He is then thrown out of the game.

Lou Brock collects five hits in a losing cause as the Cardinals fall to the Padres, 11 – 7.

At Yankee Stadium, New York blows a 9 – 4 lead in the top of the 9th when Chicago scores six runs, but a two-run homer by Chris Chambliss in the bottom of the inning gives the Yankees an 11 – 10 win.

At Montreal, the Phillies win their 13th straight, a 20th century club record, beating the Expos, 7 – 5. Warren Brusstar is the winner over Joe Kerrigan.

 Luis Tiant wins his 200th game league game

 Luis Tiant wins his 200th game league game

Joe Niekro and Dave Smith combine on a two-hitter to blank San Diego, 3-0

1982 – Richie Hebner returns to the Pirates, who buy the veteran from the Tigers.

John Mizerock doubles, homers and drives in four to pace an 8-5 triumph over the Reds

1986 – Dale Holman, of the International League’s Richmond Braves becomes the first professional player ever to play for two teams in one game. The game was suspended because of rain on June 16th when he was in the lineup for Syracuse. By the time the game is completed today, Holman had been traded to Richmond and is in the lineup for the other side.

The wind is blowing out at Wrigley Field as the Mets pound the Cubs, 23 – 10, setting a club record for runs scored in a game.

Moseby runs 270 feet to go 90 feet

Moseby runs 270 feet to go 90 feet

Tim Raines hits for the cycle spearheads a 10-7 win for the Expos

Tim Raines hits for the cycle spearheads a 10-7 win for the Expos

1988 – The Dodgers trade Pedro Guerrero to the Cardinals for pitcher John Tudor, whose 2.29 ERA is leading the National League.

Yankees OF Luis Polonia is arrested in his hotel room for having sex with a 15-year-old girl. He will be sentenced to 60 days in jail after the season.

Lefty Tom Drees, 26, pitches his third no-hitter of the season for AAA Vancouver, beating Las Vegas, 5 – 0, in the 7-inning opener of a doubleheader. He fired consecutive 1 – 0 no-hitters, beating Calgary in nine innings (May 23rd) and Edmonton in seven (May 28th). Drees, now 12-11, will pitch 7+ innings for the White Sox in 1991 for his only major league action.

1990 – In a 7 – 5 loss to the Indians, the Twins’ Kirby Puckett starts off in RF and then moves to SS, 3B, and 2B in the 8th inning. Al Newman switches from 3B to SS back to 3B in the frame. Cleveland fails to score.

The Red Sox obtain P Dan Petry from the Braves 

1992 – Greg Maddux allows four hits as the Cubs beat Houston, 1 – 0. Maddux goes the route, winning his 15th, beating Brian Williams.

Trailing, 2 – 0, the Orioles score 14 runs over the final three innings to defeat the Athletics, 14 – 3, in the first game of a doubleheader. Rafael Palmeiro drives home six runs for Baltimore, and each member of the starting lineup, with the exception of leadoff man Roberto Alomar, gets at least two hits. The Orioles stroke 19 hits for the second day in a row off Oakland pitching. Baltimore also takes the nightcap, 5 – 4 in 10 innings.

Playing for his 7th team in six years, Mark Whiten hits a pinch hit homer in his first at bat for Seattle to help beat the Yanks. In his last at-bat for the Braves before being traded for farmhand Roger Blanco, Whiten belted a three-run pinch homer to beat the Phils, 5 – 2. Whiten is the 45th player used by Seattle this season.

Due to a conflict with the Republican National Convention being staged in San Diego, the first major league game ever played outside of the United States or Canada takes place in Monterrey, Mexico, with the ‘home team’ Padres out-slugging the Mets at Estadio de Beisbol, 15-10. Fernando Valenzuela, a native of the Mexican city of Navojoa, opens the three-game series and goes six innings to get the victory for the first-place Friars.

The Padres defeat the Brewers, 4 – 0, in the first game of a doubleheader behind Kevin Brown’s one-hitter. Brown fans 11 and allows only a single to OF Jeromy Burnitz. The Brewers bounce back to take the nightcap, 4 – 2.

Baltimore OF Eric Davis has his 30-game hitting streak snapped in a 5 – 3 loss to the Indians.

The Indians obtain 2B Carlos Baerga from the Padres in exchange for a player to be named later.

The Reds’ Juan Guzman has to leave his start in Pittsburgh after seven innings because his shoes are too small. After he was traded to the Reds, he arrived with only his size 10 1/2 orange and black Orioles shoes. Puma sent him a size 9 1/2 in red which he wears today until blisters develop. The Reds still win, 9 – 2.

Alex Rodriguez homers for the 5th straight game to pace the Mariners to a 7 – 5 win over Toronto. He’ll go homerless tomorrow.

The Rangers shut out the Yankees, 5 – 0, as P Brian Sikorski hurls scoreless ball into the 8th inning in his major league debut. Texas OF Gabe Kapler goes hitless in the game, ending his 28-game hitting streak. During the streak, Kapler batted .375 (42 for 112) and his average jumped from .241 to .289. The outfielder’s streak is the 10th of at least 28 games in the American League since 1950.

Six different Astros belt home runs and they’ll need all of them to outlast Pittsburgh, 11-10.

After piloting the team to 13 games above .500 in spite of numerous injuries to key players, manager Jimy Williams is fired by the Red Sox. The ousted skipper is replaced by the club’s well-respected pitching coach, Joe Kerrigan, but will fade completely down the stretch.

Barry Bonds’ second home run of the game and 53rd of the season breaks the franchise record established by his godfather, Willie Mays. With his first homer, the left fielder eclipses the National League record for home runs by a left-handed batter established in 1947 by another Giant, Johnny Mize.

The Padres defeat the Mets, 6 – 5. San Diego rookie P Jeremy Fikac gets the win in his major league debut as he strikes out the side in his only inning. In 2004, he will also get a win his final major league appearance in an otherwise unremarkable career.

The Twins down the Red Sox, 5 – 0, in the process ending Pedro Martinez’s scoreless inning streak at 35. It is the longest such streak in the majors since 2000.

After four days of delaying the decision, the executive board of the Major League Baseball Players Association votes 57-0 to set an August 30th strike date. All eight previous negotiations since 1972 have resulted in work stoppages in the national pastime.

Curt Schilling wins his 20th game of the season, striking out 12 Cubs in the Diamondbacks’ 2-1 victory at Wrigley Field. The 35 year-old right-hander, who will finish the season with a 23-5 record, reaches the milestone for the second consecutive year, a feat that teammate Randy Johnson will also accomplish next month.

The 1955 Little League team from Charleston, S.C., is honored when fourteen players from the Cannon Street YMCA Little League, 47 years after being banned from their own state’s postseason tournament due to the color of their skin, are invited to Williamsport to be recognized at the opening ceremonies of the Little League Baseball World Series at Volunteer Stadium. At the time of their banishment, Little League officials informed the other 61 all-white S.C. leagues that the winner of their state finals would not be permitted to participate in the tournament because of their refusal to play a duly franchised league.

8/16/2003 – The Yankees were playing at Camden Yards in Baltimore. In the bottom of the first inning, the Orioles had runners on second and third with one out. It was Jay Gibbons turn to bat but Tony Batista came to the plate and hit a sacrifice fly. Gibbons then grounded out to end the inning. Since the Yankees said nothing about the batting out of turn, the second inning should have started with Batista hitting again. However, Brook Fordyce popped out to start the inning. The Orioles batted correctly for the rest of the game. With that run in the first, the teams ended the ninth inning tied and the Yankees won in 12 innings, 5-4.

Anaheim rookie outfielder Adam Riggs takes the field at home against the Detroit Tigers wearing a jersey that reads “ANGEES”

As skipper of the Fort Worth Cats of the Central League, Bobby Bragan becomes the oldest person to ever manage a professional baseball game. The 87 year-old, whose one day of employment is shortened by being ejected in the third inning for arguing balls and strikes, is eight days older than Connie Mack, who managed his last game for the 1950 Philadelphia A’s.

Prior to the Red Sox and Tigers game, Bruce Froemming is honored during an on-field ceremony at Fenway Park. The 66 year-old home plate umpire works his 5,000th major league game of his 36 year career, second only to Bill Klem, who arbitrated 5,374 games from 1905-40.

Trevor Hoffman saves his 30th game of the season for the Padres. It gives him a record 12 consecutive 30-save campaigns.

Jose Reyes becomes the first infielder, and tenth player overall, in the modern era (post-1898) to steal sixty bases in three consecutive seasons. The Mets shortstop, who will swipe 78 sacks this season, steals second base in the second inning for the second time in a 10-7 loss to the Pirates at PNC Park.

Jose Reyes becomes the first infielder, and tenth player overall, in the modern era (post-1898) to steal sixty bases in three consecutive seasons. The Mets shortstop, who will swipe 78 sacks this season, steals second base in the second inning for the second time in a 10-7 loss to the Pirates at PNC Park.

With nine minutes left to the signing deadline, the Orioles and their top draft choice, fifth overall, come to terms, as Georgia Tech standout Matt Wieters agrees to a minor league contract which includes a $6 million signing bonus. The switch hitting catcher’s deal ranks second only behind Justin Upton, who received $6.1 million in 2005 to play with the Diamondbacks.

For the first time in Arizona Diamondbacks history, the team gets two grand slams in a game. Both Miguel Montero and Chris Young hit the first grand slams of their careers in the 11 – 5 win over the Astros.

Francisco Rodriguez ties his own team record when he picks up his 47th save in the Angels’ 4-3 win over Cleveland. After yielding a single to Jhonny Peralta, the right-handed closer records three quick outs–two with strikeouts–to match the mark he established in 2006.

The Angels score 9 runs in the 13th inning against Baltimore, in a 17 – 8 victory marking Torii Hunter’s return after more than a month spent on the disabled list. Hunter lines into a bases-loaded double play in the 11th, but redeems himself in the 13th with a dribbler up the middle in the same situation which opens the floodgates. Juan Rivera hits a three-run home to cap the onslaught.

One day after being hit in the head by a pitch, the Rangers’ Ian Kinsler homers and drives in two runs in Texas’s 4 – 3 win over Boston. Dustin Nippert is the winner and Frank Francisco records the save in a game that pushes Texas a half-game ahead of Boston in the American League wild card race.

Derek Jeter, with his 3-for-4 performance in the Yankees’ 10-3 loss in Seattle, passes Luis Aparicio for the most hits ever compiled by a major league shortstop. The New York infielder, collecting career hits #2,673 and #2,674 his first two at-bats, surpasses the Hall of Famer’s total, who spent his 18-year career, ending in 1973, with the White Sox, Orioles, and Red Sox.

On the final deadline for signing players selected in this year’s amateur draft, the Nationals agree to a last-minute major league contract worth $9.9 million with first overall pick Bryce Harper. A number of other top draftees sign as well, leaving only 3 of the top 32 picks unsigned.

Shaun Marcum only allows a 7th-inning homer to Conor Jackson in beating the Oakland Athletics, 3 – 1, pitching a one-hitter for the first complete game of his career. He joins Blue Jays teammate Brandon Morrow who pitched a one-hitter on August 8th. All the Jays’ runs come on homers: a solo shot by José Bautista that is originally ruled an inside-the-park homer before the umpires state that it had in fact hit the foul pole, and a two-run shot by Edwin Encarnacion.

Jonathan Albaladejo earns his 39th save of the season for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees in a 7 – 4 win over Toledo, breaking the International League single-season mark held by Matt Whiteside since 2004.

Bobby Thomson, who hit what is arguably the most famous home run in baseball history – the Shot Heard ‘Round the World – dies at home in Savannah, GA. The memorable walk-off homer off Brooklyn’s Ralph Branca on October 3, 1951, sent the New York Giants to the 1951 World Series. Thomson was a star outfielder mostly with the Giants and Milwaukee Braves during the 1950s.

Rangers president Nolan Ryan announces a bronze artwork depicting Shannon Stone and his six year-old son attending a game will most likely be placed outside the home plate entrance to the Arlington ballpark at the start of next season. The 39 year-old firefighter died after falling more than 20 feet while attempting to catch a ball tossed by Texas outfielder Josh Hamilton during a game in July.

Brian Bogusevic belts a walk-off grand slam that stuns Chicago, 6-5, to snap a seven-game losing skid

Major League Baseball approves the sale of the San Diego Padres from John Moores to a group headed by local businessman Ron Fowler, which also includes former Los Angeles Dodgers owner Peter O’Malley and pro golfer Phil Mickelson. The sale is for $800 million. In the game that follows, the Padres are shut out by Kris Medlen of the Braves, 6 – 0, as Chipper Jones hits a pair of homers.

Garrett Jones homers twice, both three-run shots, to lead Pittsburgh to a 10 – 6 win over the Dodgers. A.J. Burnett wins his 15th game, over Joe Blanton, who is ejected in the 5th inning. Also being shown the door for Los Angeles are Matt Kemp tossed in the 2nd inning by Angel Campos for uttering words while teammate Andre Ethier is at bat, and manager Don Mattingly, who gets the thumb from crew chief Tim Tschida for coming to his star centerfielder’s defense. For his part, Blanton is already on his way out of the game after giving up 8 runs in 4 1/3 inning when Campos throws him out too.

Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. announces Ryne Sandberg has been named as the interim manager of the team, replacing Charlie Manuel, who won more games than any other skipper in franchise history. During his nine seasons in the Philadelphia dugout, the 69 year-old, who had never been selected as the NL Manager of the Year, led the club to five consecutive division titles and a world championship in 2008.

2015 – Madison Bumgarner does it all as he throws a three-hit shutout to defeat the Nationals, 5 – 0. The Giants ace has 14 strikeouts, matching a career best, and also doubles and homers, his fourth long ball of the season, to improve to 14-6. For the Nats, it is a 6th straight loss, and they fall below .500 for the first time since May 6th, when they were 14-15.

Playing his first game in Philadelphia after being traded by the Phillies almost a year ago, Chase Utley has one of the best games of his career, homering twice including a grand slam in leading the Dodgers to a 15 – 5 win.

The Blue Jays score 8 runs in the 8th to mount a come-from-behind 12 – 6 win over the Yankees and take over first place from Baltimore in a tightly-fought AL East race. C Russell Martin’s second homer of the contest puts the Jays ahead to stay. His counterpart for New York, Gary Sanchez, also homers twice, making it the first time in American League history that both starting catchers have done so. Troy Tulowitzki has four hits and also homers for Toronto, while Scott Feldman earns his first win since being acquired in a mid-season trade.

2017 – Short of infielders because of injuries, the Mets start catcher Travis d’Arnaud at third base in their game against the Yankees. However, as d’Arnaud has never played the position professionally, manager Terry Collinsdecides to switch him and starting second baseman Asdrubal Cabrera every time a right-handed batter comes up, in order to minimize the chance of a ball actually being hit towards the improvized infielder. The two end up exchanging positions 18 times as the Yankees prevail, 5 – 3, making for an unusual boxscore that reads “Cabrera 2b-3b-2b-3b-2b-3b-2b-3b-2b-3b-2b-3b-2b-3b-2b-3b-2b-3b-2b” and “d’Arnaud 3b-2b-3b-2b-3b-2b-3b-2b-3b-2b-3b-2b-3b-2b-3b-2b-3b-2b-3b”.

Just two weeks after suffering a 25 – 4 loss, the worst in team history, the Mets turn around and defeat the Phillies, 24 – 4, in the first game of a doubleheader, setting team records for runs and hits (25). Coming on the back of a 16 – 5 win over the Orioles the day before, the win also marks the first time they score at least 15 runs in back-to-back games. Jose Bautista, who does not even start the game, leads the offense with a grand slam and 7 RBIs. However, the Mets return to form in the nitecap, losing 9 – 6.

The Rangers turn an extremely rare triple play in their 8 – 6 win over the Angels. It goes 5-4, i.e. from 3B Jurickson Profar to 2B Rougned Odor, and all three outs are baserunners – not the batter – something not seen since 1912. With the bases loaded, David Fletcher smokes a liner to Profar, who fields it on a short hop, steps on the bag then tags Taylor Ward, who is returning to the bag, thinking the ball has been caught on the fly. Profar then throws to Odor to force Kole Calhoun and complete the triple killing.

Curt Flood-the reserve clause

Curt Flood Goes to Washington – Podcast Season 3, Episode 3

Mike Yastrzemski has his first career 3-HR game

Mike Yastrzemski has his first career 3-HR game

Major League Baseball Birthdays on August 16

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Major League Baseball Deaths August 16 

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