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This Day in Baseball History
August 1st

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45 Fact(s) Found
1899 Louisville infielder Honus Wagner steals second, third, and home plate during the fourth inning of the Colonels' 7-1 victory over the Giants at Eclipse Park. The 25-year-old 'Flying Dutchman' will accomplish the stolen base cycle four times, establishing a major league record he shares with Ty Cobb.
1906 After pitching 10.2 innings of no-hit ball, Harry McIntire yields a single to Pirates second baseman Claude Ritchey. The Dodgers and McIntire lose the game in the 13th on an unearned run, 1-0.
1918 The Pirates break the longest scoreless tie in baseball history when the team tallies two runs in the top of the twenty-first inning for an eventual 2-0 victory at Braves Field. The Giants and Reds will match the mark in 1967 when each team is held scoreless for twenty innings until the decisive run scores in the next frame on a bases-loaded walk to Dick Groat.
1923 Red Sox owner Harry Frazee sells the team to a syndicate led by J. A. Robert Quinn, the Browns' business manager. The Broadway producer will always be remembered and cursed in New England for selling Babe Ruth to the Yankees in 1920.
1924 Dazzy Vance strikes out seven consecutive batters to establish a major league record when the Brooklyn Robins defeat the Cubs at Ebbets Field, 4-0. The future Hall of Famer will compile a 28-6 record for the Brooks this season, leading the National League in strikeouts with 262.
1933 Carl Hubbell's 45.1 consecutive scoreless innings streak ends when Randy Moore strokes a two-run single in the sixth inning of the Giants' 3-1 loss to Boston at the Polo Grounds. By blanking Boston for the first five frames, the future Hall of Fame southpaw surpasses Ed Ruelbach's National League mark of 44 innings established in 1908 with the Cubs.
1941 On Ladies' Day at Yankee Stadium, Lefty Gomez breaks the major league mark for walks in a shutout by issuing 11 free passes in the 9-0 victory over St. Louis. The New York southpaw extends the team's streak of holding the opponents scoreless to 21 consecutive innings, tossing a five-hitter, improving his record to 10-3.
1945 At the Polo Grounds, Mel Ott hits his 500th career home run off Johnny Hutchings in the Giants' 9-2 victory over the Braves. 'Master Melvin' becomes the third major leaguer to accomplish the historic feat, joining Babe Ruth and Jimmie Foxx in reaching the career milestone.
1945 Irwin Hall is credited with a single after his line drive winds up inside Dutch Leonard's pants after it hits the Senators right-hander in the stomach. The Washington starter may have lost the shortstop's batted ball but wins when he goes the distance in the team's 2-1 victory over Philadelphia at Griffith Stadium.
1952 Boston starter Max Surkont matches goose eggs with the Reds' Ken Raffenberger during the first eight innings in a scoreless duel at Braves Field. The hard-luck right-hander will lose the game when he uncorks two wild pitches in the ninth inning, allowing two unearned runs to score.
1957 Gil Hodges, in a 12-3 win over the Cubs, hits his 13th and last career grand slam in Brooklyn Dodger history. The first baseman's bases-loaded shot off Dick Littlefield establishes a new National League record, previously shared by Rogers Hornsby and Ralph Kiner.
1962 At White Sox Park, Bill Monbouquette, facing 28 batters, beats Chicago, 1-0, becoming the second Red Sox hurler this season to throw a no-hitter. The only blemish to the right-hander's gem is a second-inning base-on-balls with two outs to Al Smith.

(Ed. Note: Five weeks ago, Earl Wilson also threw a no-no, beating the Angels at Fenway Park, 2-0. - LP)

1968 Stan Bahnsen, who will be named the AL Rookie of the Year, sets the Yankee freshman record for strikeouts in a game, whiffing 12 batters en route to hurling a 1-0 masterpiece over Boston at Fenway Park. The 23-year-old right-hander's mark will last 30 years until Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez strikes out one more in a 1998 game against Texas.
1970 At Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, Pittsburgh left fielder Willie Stargell accumulates 14 total bases with three doubles and two home runs. The outfielder's five extra-base hits power the Pirates past the Braves, 20-10.
1972 Nate Colbert becomes the second player to hit five home runs in a doubleheader, a feat he witnessed as an eight-year-old Cardinal fan at Sportsman's Park when Stan Musial first accomplished it in 1954. The Padres slugger also breaks Stan the Man'sNL mark for RBIs in a twin bill when he drives in 13 runs, and his 22 total bases set a major league record.
1972 In the nightcap, the Phillies salvage a split of the twin bill when Steve Carlton, who sees his 30 consecutive scoreless innings streak snapped in the fourth, beats the Mets at Shea Stadium, 4-1. New York outlasted Philadelphia in the opener, scoring a run in the bottom of the 18th inning for a 3-2 victory.
1975 Replacing Bill Virdon, who never won a game at Yankee Stadium, the Bronx Bombers named Billy Martin their skipper, the first of his five hirings to run the team. During the two-year tenure of their former manager, a span covering the 1974 and 1975 seasons, the club played its home games at Shea Stadium during the remodeling of the Bronx ballpark.
1977 Willie McCovey extends his own National League record when he hits his 18th career grand slam in the third inning of the Giants' 9-2 victory over Montreal at Olympic Stadium. The 39-year-old first baseman adds another round-tripper in the seventh, bringing his total to 484 major league home runs.
1978 Pete Rose, making the last out when he strikes out on a Gene Garber change-up, goes 0-for-4, ending his 44-game hitting streak, one contest shy of breaking the National League record. The Reds' third baseman tied Willie Keeler's 1897 National League record last night with a hit off future Hall of Famer Phil Niekro.
1982 The Hall of Fame inducts Hank Aaron, the career leader in home runs (755) and RBIs (2,297), Frank Robinson, the first MVP in both leagues and first black manager in the majors, and Travis Jackson, an outstanding shortstop in the 1920s. Happy Chandler, the commissioner when baseball broke the color line, is also an inductee of this year's Cooperstown class.

1986 In a game featuring Kirby Puckett hitting for the cycle and Bert Blyleven becoming the tenth major leaguer to record his 3,000th strikeout, the Twins celebrate their 25th anniversary. The Minnesota right-hander, who tosses a two-hitter, reaches the historic milestone by whiffing Mike Davis in the fifth inning, his eighth of the game, en route to a career-high of 15 in the team's 10-1 victory over Oakland at the Metrodome.
1994 En route to setting the major league mark with 2,632, Cal Ripken joins Lou Gehrig as the second major leaguer to play in 2,000 consecutive games in the Orioles' 1-0 victory over Minnesota at the Metrodome. Jeff Conine has the second-longest streak held by a current player, with 267 straight contests for Florida.
1998

The Angels retire Jim Fregosi uniform no. 11, honoring its first star and his role as skipper (237-248, during his nearly four seasons), winning the first title (1979 AL West Division) in the Halos' 19-year existence. Acquired from the Red Sox in the 1960 expansion draft, the 18-year-old shortstop played 11 productive seasons with the club, establishing franchise marks for games (1,429) and hits (1,408) before being traded to the Mets for Nolan Ryan.

1998 Garret Anderson goes hitless in four at-bats in an 11-3 defeat to Boston, ending the longest hitting streak in Angel history at 28 games. During the historic stretch of contests, the 26-year-old outfielder has collected at least one hit in every game Anaheim played in July, batting .405 (47 hits in 116 at-bats).
1998 The Braves, donning 1940 Atlanta Black-Crackers-styled uniforms, beat the Cardinals, wearing throwback uniforms of the 1928 St. Louis Stars, 3-1, at Turner Field. Players wearing replica uniforms to honor the history of Negro League clubs have become common at major league games.

1998 Tony Clark sets an American League record by homering from both sides of the plate for the third time this season. The Tiger switch-hitter's offensive output, including a first-inning two-run blast batting right-handed and a solo shot in the seventh as a southpaw swinger, contributes to the team's 8-0 victory over the Devil Rays at Tropicana Field.
1998 The Royals steal eight bases, including four swipes by infielder Jose Offerman, to tie a team record for swipes during a 9-5 victory over the Orioles. Johnny Damon, Larry Sutton, Jeff King, and Mendy Lopez also contribute to the thievery on the basepaths.
2000 In a 10-0 victory, Orioles' right-hander Mike Mussina strikes out a club-record 15 batters when he keeps the Twins hitless through six innings. 'Moose' finishes the Camden Yards contest with his third career one-hitter.
2000 Craig Biggio tears the anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in his knee during a collision with Marlin outfielder Preston Wilson and will miss the rest of the season. The injury puts the Astros' 34-year-old second baseman on the disabled list for the first time during his 13-year career.
2001 For the thirty-third time in the team's history, the Tigers turn a triple play when Mariner Mark McLemore lines out to second baseman Damion Easley, who throws to shortstop Deivi Cruz to double up Tom Lampkin. Cruz then relays the ball to Shane Halter, catching Ichiro Suzuki off first base to complete Detroit's first triple killing since July 3rd, 1992, when the victim was also Seattle.

2002 The Expos trade recently acquired outfielder Cliff Floyd (.275, 21, 61) to the Red Sox for two minor league right-handed pitchers from South Korea, Seung Song and Sun-Woo Kim. Although denied by all involved, Yankees owner George Steinbrenner suspects the Expos, owned by major league baseball, made the trade to help his club's top rival.
2005 After denying taking any banned substances knowingly, Rafael Palmeiro becomes the highest-profile player suspended for violating the MLB steroids policy. The Orioles' first baseman told the House Government Reform Committee this spring that published allegations by Jose Canseco of his steroids use was "absolutely false" and had considered suing his former teammate over the accusation.
2005 Joe Garagiola Jr., the first and only general manager in Diamondback history, will leave Arizona to work with the commissioner's office. The son of the former Cardinal catcher and national broadcaster will become MLB's senior VP of baseball operations beginning on August 15th.
2005 During an interview on MLB.com, Barry Bonds admits his injured right knee will most likely keep him from playing this season. The 41-year-old Giants slugger needs 12 home runs to pass Babe Ruth (714) and 54 to pass Hank Aaron (755) to become the all-time home run leader.
2006 At Turner Field in a game against the Braves, Miguel Tejada plays in his 1,000th consecutive game, the seventh longest in major league history. The Oriole shortstop's streak began on June 2nd, 2000, as a member of the Oakland A's.
2006 Carlos Guillen, needing a two-bagger to complete the cycle, stretches a single into a double, much to the delight of the Tampa Bay fans. The Detroit shortstop is the tenth Tiger to accomplish the feat, but it is the first time it has occurred during a Devil Ray game.

2007 Before tonight's 5-3 extra-inning victory against the Twins, Buddy Bell announces that he will leave his post as the Royals' manager at the end of the season. The 54-year-old skipper will join the organization's front office next season as a senior adviser to Kansas City's GM Dayton Moore.
2007 The Twins, rather than send 25,000 fans back out onto crowded highways, decide to play tonight's game against the Royals after observing a moment of silence in memory of the victims of the nearby bridge collapse. Minnesota will postpone tomorrow's game at the Metrodome.

2010 The Mets induct four new members, all of whom played an instrumental role in the 1986 World Championship, to the team's Hall of Fame. Former GM Frank Cashen, previous skipper Davey Johnson, and two former All-Stars, slugger Darryl Strawberry and right-hander Dwight Gooden, join 21 other persons to be recognized by the club since the inception of the honor in 1981.
2011 After popping out in a pinch-hitting appearance, Craig Counsell remains without a hit in his last 45 at-bats, tying the longest single-season hitless streak by a position player in history, established by Brooklyn backstop Bill Bergen in 1909. The major league record is 0-for-70, established in 1970 by Bob Buhl, a pitcher who toiled with the Braves and Cubs that season.
2013 The Red Sox score six times in the ninth inning, overcoming a 7-2 deficit en route to their 11th walk-off victory this season. Daniel Nava's one-out walk-off single seals the deal in Boston's 8-7 amazing comeback victory over the Mariners at Fenway Park.

2015 Clayton Kershaw strikes out Mike Trout looking with a wicked curveball, marking the first time the reigning MVPs have faced one another in a major league game. The interleague contest between the two LA teams ends with the Dodger southpaw keeping the Angel outfielder 0-for-3 while hurling eight innings in the team's 3-1 victory over the Halos at Chavez Ravine.
2016 Royals starter Danny Duffy sets a franchise record when he strikes out 16 batters in the team's 3-0 victory over the Rays at Tropicana Field. The 27-year-old southpaw surpasses the mark established by Zack Greinke, who whiffed hitters 15 in a 2009 contest against the Indians.
2022 Braves outfielder Austin Riley, 25, signs the most lucrative contract in franchise history, agreeing to a 10-year, $212 million extension. The agreement continues the club's long-term commitment to their talented young players, including Ronald Acuña, Matt Olson, and Ozzie Albies.
2023 The Mets end their tumultuous day, which sees the team continuing to dismantle the underperforming high-payroll roster with future Hall of Famer Justin Verlander traded to the Astros for prospects, losing to the Royals on a tenth-inning walk-off balk. Without throwing a pitch in his appearance, Josh Walker commits the bases-loaded miscue while trying to communicate with his batterymate, Francisco Alvarez, allowing M.J. Melendez to score the winning run in Kansas City's 7-6 victory at Kauffman Stadium.
45 Fact(s) Found