This Day In Baseball May 11

Ted Turner

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 May 11 in baseball history.

 

Notable Events and Chronology for May 11

In National League action, Washington Senators catcher Duke Farrell picks up 8 assists in a game against the Baltimore Orioles. For many years, record books will credit him with 8 runners caught stealing, but that is incorrect. Only 5 of the assists were on stolen base attempts; one came on a pick-off and the last two on other fielding plays. In spite of Farrell’s efforts, the Senators lose anyway, 6 – 3.

Tommy O'Brien rightfielder completes unassisted double play

Tommy O’Brien rightfielder completes unassisted double play

Cy Young's 23-inning no-hit string ends

Cy Young’s 23-inning no-hit string ends

Walter Johnson of the Washington Senators pitches 12 scoreless innings in a duel with Jack Quinn of the New York Yankees

Walter Johnson of the Washington Senators pitches 12 scoreless innings in a duel with Jack Quinn of the New York Yankees

Hod_Eller

Hod Eller throws a no-hitter, defeating St. Louis, 6-0

Setting several Pacific Coast League records, Pete Schneider of the Vernon Tigers hits five home runs and a double with 14 RBI in a 35 – 11 romp over Salt Lake City.

Moses Fleetwood Walker first black player passes away

Moses Fleetwood Walker first black player passes away

Ray Schalk holds on to a ball dropped 460 feet from the top of the Tribune Tower in Chicago.

Ray Schalk holds on to a ball dropped 460 feet from the top of the Tribune Tower in Chicago.

Bill Hallahan

Wild Bill Hallahan uncorks three wild pitches in one inning

Eighth-grader Joe Schultz Jr. singles, steals second base and third base, and scores a run as a pinch-hitter in a Texas League game. The fourteen-year old, who is the son of former big leaguer Joe (Germany) Schultz, will become a catcher and manager in the major leagues.

Hal Trosky

Hal Trosky, not known for his basestealing ability steals home in 16th

In front of the largest crowd in 13 years, the New York Giants defeat the Boston Braves, 5 - 1, in the first night game played at Braves Field

In front of the largest crowd in 13 years, the New York Giants defeat the Boston Braves, 5 – 1, in the first night game played at Braves Field

The Red Sox' early season winning streak comes to an end at 15 consecutive victories

The Red Sox’ early season winning streak comes to an end at 15 consecutive victories

During a rain delay of a Richmond Roses-Marion Cubs game, Marion catcher Bob Osgood has a heart attack in the dugout. He dies at age 19. Osgood had a history of heart problems.

The Chicago White Sox beat the Boston Red Sox, 12 - 8, Scoring in every inning it has only occurred five times in American League history

The Chicago White Sox beat the Boston Red Sox, 12 – 8, Scoring in every inning it has only occurred five times in American League history

Connecticut Senator Abe Ribicoff introduces legislation for the observance of a National Baseball Day.

A train strike forces many teams to fly to their next scheduled games. Traveling by air is still a rarity in the major leagues at this time.

A deadly hurricane destroys the city of Waco, TX, killing over 100 persons and destroying Katy Park, home of the Waco Pirates of the Big State League. The team will relocate to Longview, TX for the remainder of the season.

Jim Command gets his first major league hit, a grand slam and drives in 6 runs that will account for all of his major league RBIs.

Jim Command gets his first major league hit, a grand slam and drives in 6 runs that will account for all of his major league RBIs.

Ernie Banks hits a grand slam - the first of five on the year

Ernie Banks hits a grand slam – the first of five on the year

Rookie Danny Kravitz hits his first career homerun - a walk-off grand slam

Rookie Danny Kravitz hits his first career homerun – a walk-off grand slam

Even though the game is practically over before the Pirates come to bat, having given up 6 runs runs to the Phillies in the top of the 1st inning, the first Pirate at-bat provides the most memorable moment of the game, Roberto Clemente’s 440-plus-foot inside-the-park home run. Les Biederman of The Pittsburgh Press writes: “Clemente greeted Harvey Haddix with a line drive that gathered momentum as it approached Richie Ashburn and took off over his head and ricocheted off the wall toward the batting cage. By the time Ashburn picked up the ball, Clemente was at third base and he made it to the plate without trouble. The hit provoked an argument between the Phillies and the umpires because the ball rolled under the batting cage but the Phils were told there was no ground rule to cover the situation.”

During batting practice, a little boy in the right-field stands was hit in the arm by a line drive. He then hid among the seats to have his little cry. Clemente retrieved the ball and gave it away, his thanks coming in a puddle of tears."

During batting practice, a little boy in the right-field stands was hit in the arm by a line drive. He then hid among the seats to have his little cry. Clemente retrieved the ball and gave it away, his thanks coming in a puddle of tears.”

Minnie Minoso suffers a fractured skull and breaks his wrist when he runs into the left field wall chasing Duke Snider's triple in the Cardinals' 8-5 loss to L.A

Minnie Minoso suffers a fractured skull and breaks his wrist when he runs into the left field wall chasing Duke Snider’s triple in the Cardinals’ 8-5 loss to L.A

Sandy Koufax notches his second career no-hitter, as the Los Angeles Dodgers throttle the San Francisco Giants, 8-0

Sandy Koufax notches his second career no-hitter, as the Los Angeles Dodgers throttle the San Francisco Giants, 8-0

Cleveland Indians pitcher Steve Dunning becomes first AL pitcher to hit a grandslam after the DH (it will be 37 years until the next one)

Cleveland Indians pitcher Steve Dunning becomes first AL pitcher to hit a grandslam after the DH (it will be 37 years until the next one)

New York Mets acquire Willie Mays from the San Francisco Giants for pitcher Charlie Williams and $50,000

seaver hall of fame January 7

Tom Seaver wins his 100th game in a 2 – 1 New York Mets victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Manager Leo Durocher returns from a three-week hospital stay to watch Don Wilson toss a three-hitter over Cincinnati, 5-1

Atlanta Braves owner Ted Turner decides to take the managerial reigns of his team

Atlanta Braves owner Ted Turner decides to take the managerial reigns of his team

39-year-old Pete Rose steals second base, third, and home in one inning for the Phillies

39-year-old Pete Rose steals second base, third, and home in one inning for the Phillies

The Detroit Tigers improve their record to 26-4 establish a new record for the best 30-game start in major league history

The Detroit Tigers improve their record to 26-4 establish a new record for the best 30-game start in major league history

Astros rebound from a 5-0 deficit to take a 10-7 victory in Cincinnati.

5/11/1988: The Mets were playing at the Astrodome in Houston. In the top of the ninth, Tim Teufel hit a line drive that cleared the fence in left center for an apparent grand slam off Dave Smith to put the Mets ahead. However, it struck the concrete outer wall and came back on the field. The blast was eventually ruled a three-run double, which tied the game and sent it into extra innings. The Mets eventually won it in the tenth, 9-8.

Dave Winfield rejects a trade that would have sent him from the New York Yankees to California

Dave Winfield rejects a trade that would have sent him from the New York Yankees to California

In the top of the seventh of a tied game at Philadelphia’s Veterans Stadium, Jay Bell leads off the inning by grounding out to Phillies’ shortstop Juan Bell. The Pirate infielder is rung up by, none other than, first base umpire Wally Bell.

En route to a two-inning save in Montreal’s 4-3 victory over New York, Expo right-hander Mel Rojas strikes out the side in the top of the ninth, needing just nine pitches to end the game. The 28 year-old reliever fans David Segui, Todd Hundley, and Jeff McKnight, with each swinging at strike three, to complete his immaculate inning.

Al Leiter No Hitter

Al Leiter of the Florida Marlins pitches the first no-hitter in franchise history

On ‘John Franco Day,’ the New York veteran reliever is ejected from the game, along with eight other players, as the result of participating in a fifth-inning bench-clearing brawl at Shea Stadium. Prior to the game the Mets celebrated their closer’s recent 300th career save, but his unavailability in the ninth leads to three hurlers combining to give up the tying runs in the team’s eventual 7-6 walk-off victory over Chicago.

Al Leiter No Hitter

Al Leiter pitches the first no-hitter in the Marlins’ brief existence, beating the Rockies, 11-0

Kerry Wood of the Chicago Cubs sets the major league record for strikeouts in consecutive games (33) by fanning 13 Arizona Diamondbacks in a 4 – 2 victory. The record for strikeouts in two starts had been 32, set by Luis Tiant in 1968 and matched by Nolan Ryan (1974), Dwight Gooden (1984) and Randy Johnson (1997).

For the first time in the 20th century, two starting pitchers in major league baseball share the same name as the Colorado Rockies’ lefthander Bobby M. Jones faces righthander Bobby J. Jones and the New York Mets at Coors Field. B.M. defeats B.J. and the Mets, 8 – 5.

Houston ties a club record for runs scored during a 19-8 demolition of the Pirates at the Astrodome

The Milwaukee Brewers beat the Chicago Cubs, 14 – 8, in the longest nine-inning game in National League history: 4 hours, 22 minutes. The teams tie the major league record set in the American League by Baltimore and the Yankees on September 5, 1997.

At the age of 37, Florida Marlins pitcher Joe Strong becomes the oldest player to make his major league debut since pitcher Diomedes Olivo debuted with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1960 as a 41-year-old.

Manny Ramirez hits a 1st-inning grand slam and adds a two-run home run to lead the Cleveland Indians to a 16 - 0 rout of the Kansas City Royals

Manny Ramirez hits a 1st-inning grand slam and adds a two-run home run to lead the Cleveland Indians to a 16 – 0 rout of the Kansas City Royals

Aaron and Bret Boone, sons of former major league catcher Bob and the grandsons of Ray, also a former big leaguer, hit home runs in the same game for the second time in their careers. Bret’s pair of two-run homers, a shot in the top of the first and an inside-the-parker in the sixth, is offset by his younger sibling’s walk-off round-tripper in the bottom of the ninth, giving the Reds an 11-9 victory over the Padres at Cinergy Field.

After another dreadful appearance yesterday in which he threw five wild pitches, the Cardinals send promising young fireballer Rick Ankiel to Triple-A Memphis to work on overcoming his unexplainable lack of control. The left-hander has walked 25 batters in 24 innings this season.

The Devil Rays snap their 15-game losing streak, a franchise record, thanks to Randy Winn’s three-run walk-off homer. The right fielder’s ninth-inning two-out blast comes off Jorge Julio, giving Tampa Bay a 6-4 victory over Baltimore at Tropicana Field. (Our thanks to Adam Sanford for suggesting this entry.)

Rafael Palmeiro of the Texas Rangers becomes the 19th player to join the 500 home run club. In a 17 – 10 win, Palmeiro hits a full-count fastball into the right field stands off Cleveland Indians righthander Dave Elder.

Amidst criticism of his handling of pitchers due the rash of recent injuries to the team’s young arms, the Florida Marlins fire manager Jeff Torborg. Jack McKeon, who has previously managed four other clubs, becomes the franchise’s sixth skipper, taking over a 16-22 team that will catch fire under his calm leadership.

5/11/2003: The Cardinals were at Wrigley Field and a 23-MPH wind was blowing out to right field. In the bottom of the first, Moises Alou of the Cubs hit a 2-run homer off Brett Tomko to centerfield. In the top of the second, Albert Pujols hit a grand slam to leftfield off Matt Clement. Corey Patterson led off the bottom of the second with a homer to rightfield. In the top of the third, Tino Martinez hit a solo homer to leftfield. Troy O’Leary hit a 2-run homer to leftfield in the bottom of the third. In the top of the fourth, Martinez homered for the second time in the game. This time it went to rightfield and scored 3 runs. In the bottom half of the fourth, Alex Gonzalez hit a 2-run homer to leftfield. He was the last batter faced by Tomko. The game was rained out in the top of the fifth inning. The final count in this day’s barrage: seven home runs and a score of 11-9 St. Louis ahead all lost to the weather.

Due to the rash of recent injuries to the team’s young arms, the Marlins fire manager Jeff Torborg, who has been criticized for his handling of the pitching staff. Jack McKeon, who has previously managed in Kansas City, Oakland, San Diego, and Cincinnati, will take over the 16-22 team, becoming the franchise’s sixth skipper.

In Massachusetts, Pittsfield city officials and historians release a bylaw dating back to 1791 which they believe is the earliest written reference to baseball. The 213-year-old document, used to protect the windows in the town’s new meeting house by prohibiting anyone from playing baseball within 80 yards of the building, was uncovered by baseball historian John Thorn while doing research on the origins of baseball.

At Fenway Park, Manny Ramirez of the Boston Red Sox leads his teammates out of the dugout waving an American flag to celebrate his first day as a citizen of the United States. As the 31-year native of the Dominican Republic comes to bat, the song America by Neil Diamond is played over the public address system.

The Red Sox end a game for the second consecutive day by hitting a walk-off home run off the same pitcher, a feat accomplished only five previous times in major league history. A’s closer Octavio Dotel, who also gave up Kevin Millar’s decisive blast yesterday, is victimized today by BoSox backstop Jason Varitek, who goes deep in the ninth to beat Oakland, 6-5.

Hideki Matsui’s streak of playing in every game since starting his MLB career with the Yankees in 2003 ends at 518 games as the left fielder breaks his left wrist attempting to make a diving catch. The 31 year-old Japanese star established the big league record for consecutive games to start a career, surpassing Hall of Fame infielder Ernie Banks, who played in 424 contests at the start of his playing days with Cubs from 1953-56.

The Colorado Springs SkySox top the Albuquerque Isotopes, 5 – 1. The game is historic in that it is the first no-hitter ever thrown at home by the SkySox. Franklin Morales walks six in five hitless innings and is relieved in turn by Chris George (1 2/3 IP, 2 BB), Matt Daley (1 1/3 IP, 1 BB) and Steven Register (1 IP, no BB) as the Isotopes get nine walks but no hits.

5/11/2008 – In the top of the ninth, after a double switch, the Reds batted out of order when David Ross hit in Corey Patterson’s spot. Ross flew out to right and then Mets Manager Willie Randolph told the umpires about the issue. Patterson was called out instead of Ross and Ross batted again and singled. Randolph should have taken the out and kept quiet.

At Shea Stadium, a 13-minute delay occurs in the beginning of the ninth of the Mets’ 8-3 victory over the Reds, when David Ross bats out of order, making an out in Corey Patterson’s place in the lineup. The very confused umpires eventually make the correct call, telling Ross to bat again, now with one out, without his teammate having an opportunity to come to the plate.

Hunter Pence breaks up a no-hit bid in Los Angeles with a single after two outs in the seventh.

Ryan Zimmerman goes 4 for 5 with two home runs to extend his hitting streak to 29 games, but San Francisco beats Washington, 11 – 7. Randy Johnson strikes out nine for career win number 298. The game features the tallest pitching match-up in history, with the 6′ 10″ Johnson facing Daniel Cabrera, who stands 6′ 9″.

Johnny Cueto comes within about a foot of a no-hitter when SS Paul Janish dives to stop Ronny Cedeno’s ground ball in the 3rd inning, only to see it deflect off his glove for a single. That’s the only base hit for the Pirates, as the Reds hurler records a 9 – 0 one-hitter. Chris Heisey gets his first three major league hits in the game, including a home run.

The Mariners’ key acquisition during the off-season, left-handed pitcher Cliff Lee, finally wins a game for his new team. After spending all of April on the disabled list with a strained abdominal muscle, and pitching well in his first two starts but being let down by an anemic offense, he pitches 7 1/3 strong innings in a 5 – 1 win over the Orioles. Brandon League then relieves Lee and finishes the game to earn his first save of the year, while Ryan Langerhans homers off loser David Hernandez, who is now 0-5.

In their first game since Dallas Braden’s perfect game, the A’s have to use 6 relievers to grind out a 7 – 6 win over the Rangers in 13 innings. Daric Barton drives in Landon Powell, who had just stolen his first major league base on a busted hit-and-run play, for the winning run. Barton had earlier homered in the 11th, only to see Texas come back against Tyson Ross for the third blown save by an A’s reliever on the night. Ross then strikes out when forced to bat in the 12th because of an empty Oakland bench, and later gets credit for his first major league win.

The Indians’ 14-game home winning streak comes to an end at the hands of the Rays’ David Price, who shuts them down in an 8 – 2 win. The Indians have vaulted to the top of the AL Central standings on the strength of their success at home; logically, the team that finally beats them – the Rays – sports the best road record in the majors at 12-5.

Tim Wakefield takes the mound for the Red Sox at age 44 years and 282 days. He breaks Deacon McGuire’s record as the oldest performer in Boston Red Sox history – McGuire was 44 years and 280 days old on August 24, 1908, his last game for the franchise.

5/11/2011: After a two hour and 14 minute wait, the Oakland at Texas game was postponed with the Rangers ahead 7-0 after three and a half innings had been played. Texas scored all of its runs in the third, with four of them coming on Mitch Moreland’s grand slam, which would have been the first of his career, off of Gio Gonzalez.

The Rays and Orioles face each other in Baltimore tied with the best record in the AL East at 20-12. The Orioles continue their surprising start when they come out on top, 4 – 3, on Nick Johnson’s first homer of the season, off Joel Peralta in the 7th, after not playing in the majors in 2011.

Brandon Inge drives in four runs as the A’s romp past the Tigers, 11 – 4. Detroit released Inge earlier this season, but he is now on a tear, becoming the first major leaguer since Lou Gehrig in 1931 to drive in four or more runs four times in a five-game span.

The Royals’ Greg Holland, on a rehabilitation assignment in the AA Texas League, pitches a perfect 1st inning to start the game for the Northwest Arkansas Naturals, on his way to returning to Kansas City. Chris Dwyersucceeds him, and keeps Springfield hitless for 6 2/3 innings. Brendan Lafferty gets the last out in the 8th, and Kendal Volz completes the 2 – 0 no-hitter, the second in team history. Wil Myers extends his hitting streak to 16 games by singling in the Naturals’ first run.

The Mets play their 8,000th game in franchise history, dropping a 6-5 decision in Miami when closer Frank Francisco allows the tying and winning runs to score in the bottom of the ninth inning. During the thousand game span, the Amazins have compiled a 515-485 record, with third baseman David Wright being the team’s top home run hitter and run producer with 143 round-trippers and 595 RBIs.

Adam Wainwright of the Cardinals retires the first 13 batters in his start against the Rockies. Combined with Shelby Miller’s 27 straight outs to end yesterday’s game, the Cardinals tie a record for most consecutive outs by one team against another at 40; the Texas Rangers had also performed the feat on May 3-4, 1996. A one-out walk to Todd Helton in the 5th inning ends the streak, but Wainwright keeps the no-hitter going until the 7th and ends up with a two-hit shutout, 3 – 0.

Aroldis Chapman, in his first appearance of the season, strikes out three consecutive batters after issuing a leadoff walk, recording a save in Cincinnati’s 4-1 victory over Colorado. During a spring training game in March against Kansas City, the Reds All-Star closer was struck in the head by a line drive that resulted in surgery to repair fractures near his nose and left eye.

Today’s game between the Reds and Pirates features six hit batsmen, four ejections and four solo homers by Pittsburgh, which wins, 5 – 4, on a 9th-inning single by Jordy Mercer. Bucs OF Starling Marte and manager Clint Hurdle both get the heave-ho for arguing a caught stealing call in the 6th, but Marte’s replacement, Josh Harrison, later hits one of his team’s homers. For the Reds, P Ross Ohlendorf and manager Bryan Price are thumbed after Ohlendorf plunks David Freese following Mercer’s single.

Max Scherzer ties the major league record by striking out 20 batters in a nine-inning game

Max Scherzer ties the major league record by striking out 20 batters in a nine-inning game

Todays Major League Birthdays On May 11 

Todays Major League Debuts On  May 11

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Todays Major League Final Games May 11

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Major League Baseball Deaths On May 11

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