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49 Fact(s) Found
| 1905 | Giants hurler Christy Mathewson, who, in 1901, became the first rookie in the modern era to throw a no-no, pitches his second career no-hitter, beating the Orphans at Chicago's West Side Grounds, 1-0. Matty and Mordecai Brown match hitless innings until the top of the ninth when New York reaches the future Hall of Famer for two hits. |
| 1912 | In the top of the ninth inning with no outs at New York's Polo Grounds, Christy Mathewson strands a runner on third base to record his 300th victory when the Giants edge the Cubs, 3-2. During his 17-year major league career, 'Big Six' will compile a 373-188 record. |
| 1921 | Babe Ruth pitches the first five innings and hits two home runs in the Yankees' 11-8 victory over the Tigers at the Polo Grounds. The 'Bambino' will break his major league record this year, going deep 59 times, but this is the only time he will be the starting pitcher for the Bronx Bombers this season. |
| 1930 | For the first time in baseball history, former batting champions are exchanged for one another when the Senators trade Goose Goslin to the Browns for Heinie Manush. Each Hall of Fame outfielder won his titles in the American League, with Manush hitting .387 for the Tigers in 1926 and Goslin leading the circuit two years later with a .378 batting average for Washington. |
| 1938 | The Reds acquire Bucky Walters from the Phillies in exchange for catcher Spud Davis, southpaw Al Hollingsworth, and $50,000. Cincinnati's new right-hander will play a major role in the team's two consecutive National League pennants, winning 27 games in 1939 and another 22 victories the following season. |
| 1940 | In the inaugural Hall of Fame game, the Red Sox beat the Cubs at Doubleday Field, 10-9. Future Hall of Famer Ted Williams hits two home runs during the six-inning rain-shortened exhibition. |
| 1947 | The Red Sox score all their runs in the fifth inning to beat the White Sox, 5-3, in the first night game played at Fenway Park. The contest is not the first major league game played under the lights in Boston, with the crosstown NL rivals having played an evening tilt last season against the Giants at Braves Field. |
| 1948 | With a crowd of 49,641 singing 'Auld Lang Syne' to the Babe, the Yankees celebrate the silver anniversary of Yankee Stadium by holding 'Babe Ruth Day.' With members of the 1923 team (the first club to play in the Bronx ballpark) looking on, the dying superstar's uniform number 3 is retired and sent to Cooperstown. |
| 1957 | At Comiskey Park, an ugly brawl, precipitated by an Art Ditmar pitch behind Larry Doby's head, breaks out when the White Sox infielder takes exception of being the target of the beanball and punches the Yankee hurler. Billy Martin, Walt Dropo, Bill Skowron, and Enos Slaughter actively participate in the melee. |
| 1957 | Having accomplished the feat against the White Sox on May 8, Red Sox outfielder Ted Williams becomes the first American Leaguer to have two three-homer games in one season. The 'Splendid Splinter,' hitting his trio of round-trippers off Early Wynn and Bob Lemon, two future Hall of Famers, drives in five runs, helping Boston defeat the Indians at Cleveland Stadium, 9-3. |
| 1957 | In a game that features the ejection of Johnny Logan and Don Drysdale, Clem Labine loses for the first time in ten months and 38 relief appearances when the Braves beat Brooklyn, 8-5. The Milwaukee shortstop charged the mound after getting drilled in the ribs by the Dodger right-hander, resulting in banishment for both players. |
| 1957 | The Indians, to get more power from their outfielders, send Jim Busby to the Orioles in exchange for 28-year-old Dick Williams, who plays only 67 games with the Tribe before being dealt back to Baltimore. As a result of the trade, Roger Maris will move from left to become Cleveland's full-time center fielder. |
| 1962 | Warren Spahn's record drops to 6-7 when the Braves southpaw suffers his fifth one-run decision of the young season, losing a 2-1 decision to the Dodgers at Milwaukee's County Stadium. Sandy Koufax's fifth-inning home run, the first of only two round-trippers he collects during his 12-year career, proves to be the difference. |
| 1965 | Ron Swoboda, who finishes the season with 19, breaks the franchise record for homers hit by a rookie when he goes deep off Dick Ellsworth in the first-inning three-run homer, providing all the runs the Mets need in their 3-2 victory over Chicago at Shea Stadium. Jim Hickman had established the mark with 13 round-trippers in 1962, the club's inaugural season. |
| 1966 | After he demands more playing time, the Orioles trade Jerry Adair and minor leaguer John Riddle to the White Sox for right-hander Eddie Fisher. The former Baltimore infielder will miss an opportunity to play in the World Series this season with the Birds but will participate in the Fall Classic with Boston in 1967. |
| 1971 | Alex Johnson accuses his Angel teammate Chico Ruiz of waving a gun at him in the clubhouse during the game, an eventual 5-2 loss to Washington at Anaheim Stadium. Although Ruiz denies the incident and the club finds no evidence of a gun, Johnson, not known for his diplomacy, adamantly claims he was threatened with a firearm by the infielder during an argument they had after being used as pinch-hitters in the contest. |
| 1973 | The Dodgers infield, a quartet that will be together for eight and a half years, setting a major league record for longevity, plays together for the first time. First baseman Steve Garvey, second baseman Davey Lopes, third baseman Ron Cey, and shortstop Bill Russell are in the lineup in the 16-3 defeat to the Phillies. |
| 1973 | Dock Ellis walks a batter without ever throwing a pitch to him. After he goes 2-0 on the Atlanta left fielder Sonny Jackson, Ramon Hernandez replaces the Pirates right-hander, who throws two more balls to Dick Dietz, a pinch-hitter for Jackson, to complete the base-on-balls. |
| 1975 | The Indians deal right-hander Gaylord Perry to the Rangers for three pitchers, Jim Bibby, Jackie Brown, and Rick Waits, and approximately $100,000. In his three-plus years with Texas, the future Hall of Famer compiles a 48-43 record, posting an ERA of 3.26. |
| 1976 | The Mets sweep the Giants in a twin bill at Candlestick Park, 4-2 and 4-1. The victories mark the first time in 17 tries that the team has won two games on the same day, losing nine and splitting seven of the previous 16 twin bills. |
| 1980 | Pete Rose passes Pirate legend Honus Wagner, going 4-for-5 to move into fifth place on the all-time hit list with 3,431. The Phillies first baseman’s offensive performance, which includes four singles, helps propel Philadelphia to a 9-6 victory over the Padres at Veterans Stadium. |
| 1984 | The Indians trade Rick Sutcliffe, George Frazier, and Ron Hassey to the Cubs for Joe Carter, Mel Hall, Don Schulze, and minor league hurler Darryl Banks. After the midseason trade, the 28-year-old right-hander, who will go on to win the NL Cy Young award, posts a 16-1 record for Chicago, leading the team to the NL East flag. |
| 1994 |
 During a pregame ceremony at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, the Braves retire Dale Murphy jersey #3. The two-time National League MVP (1982-83) played 15 seasons with the team, batting .268 and driving in 1,143 runs while playing on teams mostly with losing records.
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| 1994 | At age 34, Cubs' second baseman Ryne Sandberg suddenly retires, walking away from $16 million. 'Ryno' will return to the Chicago lineup in 1996 to play for two more seasons before completing his 16-year Hall of Fame career. |
| 1994 | Don Mattingly surpasses fellow first baseman Wally Pipp for consecutive games played in a Yankees uniform. Donnie Baseball's 1,469th game is second to only another Bronx Bomber first-sacker named Lou Gehrig, who played in 2,130 straight contests. |
| 1998 |
Darren Dreifort (p), Eric Young (2b), Jose Vizcaino (ss), and Bobby Bonilla (3b) turn the triple play ever completed at Dodger Stadium. With Colorado runners on first and second base, the 1-6-4 double play becomes a triple killing when Jamey Wright is thrown out at third base by the LA second baseman, who covered first base for the second out.
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| 1998 | For the fourth time in major league history, teammates hit back-to-back homers in consecutive innings. Javy Lopez and Andruw Jones accomplish the feat in the second and third frames of the Braves' 9-7 victory over Montreal at Turner Field. |
| 1998 | The Angels stroke a franchise-record eight doubles in their 18-6 victory in Texas. Jim Edmonds leads the Halos' attack with three two-baggers, with Gary Disarcina (2), Darin Erstad, Matt Walbeck, and Garret Anderson contributing to the club's new mark. |
| 1999 | In a 22-1 interleague rout of the Braves, Cal Ripken becomes the first Oriole to go 6-for-6 as Baltimore scores the most runs in their franchise history. As the St. Louis Browns, the team had set the previous mark on Aug. 18, 1951, tallying twenty times. |
| 1999 | When Houston manager Larry Dierker, unable to speak, falls and begins shaking violently due to a grand mal seizure, the umpires suspend the Astros game against the visiting Padres. After four weeks of recovery, the skipper will return, leading the team to a third consecutive National League Central Division title. |
| 1999 | Omar Olivares ties a major league record by hitting four Diamondbacks. The Angels' hurler becomes the 19th pitcher to hit four batters in a game but the second Anaheim moundsman in three weeks to tie the dubious mark, matching teammate Steve Sparks, who also plunked four hitters on May 22. |
| 2001 | After losing to the Expos in 12 innings on Mark Smith's home run, which is foul when viewed with video replays, the Yankees restore the missing screen on the bottom three feet to the fair side of the left-field foul pole. The team removed the section so fans sitting there would have an unobstructed view of the game. |
| 2001 | The Pirates exchange infielder Enrique Wilson (.186, 8, 1 in 46 games) to the Yankees for Double-A Norwich relief pitcher Damaso Marte (3-1, 3.50 in 23 appearances). |
| 2001 | Van Meter, Iowa, best known for being the home of Bob Feller, and St. Marys (Martensdale) tie a national high school record established in 1928 by hitting 16 home runs in one game. Twelve individual players go deep in the 17-15 contest, which Van Meter won, thanks to the wind blowing out in a small ballpark. |
| 2003 | On his fourth attempt, 40-year-old Roger Clemens becomes the 21st pitcher, the first since 1990, to record his 300th victory, tossing 6.2 innings in the Yankees' 5-2 interleague victory over the Cardinals. In the second inning, when Edgar Renteria swings through a full-count fastball, the 'Rocket' also joins Nolan Ryan (5,714) and Steve Carlton (4,136) as just the third hurler to record his 4000th career strikeout. |
| 2005 |
Before the interleague series begins against the Reds, who have not played at Fenway Park since the 1975 World Series, the Red Sox pay tribute to Carlton Fisk and his Game 6 walk-off homer by naming the bright yellow stanchion in left field, where the ball landed, the Fisk Foul Pole. Sitting in Monster Seats, the hometown hero enjoys the festivities as the crowd cheers when the team replays the home run on the scoreboard to Handel's Hallelujah Chorus.
Fisk Foul Pole by Jim Harper on Flickr licensed under CC BY NC-ND 2.0 |
| 2006 | For the first time in major league history, a wireless bullpen communication system places a call to the bullpen. In the third inning from the Wrigley Field dugout, Cubs pitching coach Larry Rothschild uses a cell phone, destined for the Hall of Fame, to call the pen to start warming up reliever Angel Guzman. |
| 2008 |
Omar Vizquel becomes the first Giant to steal home in a quarter-century. The infrequent swipe of the plate, last accomplished by Max Venable in 1983, comes in the second inning of a 5-1 interleague loss to the A's.
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| 2010 | Against their crosstown rivals at Wrigley Field, the Cubs get out of a bases-loaded jam in the final frame for a 1-0 victory over the White Sox. Juan Pierre's leadoff single in the top of the ninth spoils Ted Lilly's bid for a no-hitter, a feat that hasn't been accomplished at the 'Friendly Confines' since Milt Pappas threw a no-no in 1972. |
| 2010 | The Angels, with their first sweep at Dodger Stadium, complete their 14-game road journey with 11 victories, the most for the team on a single trip since 1962. In the 6-5 decision over their crosstown rivals, Halo hurler Jered Weaver strikes out his older brother, Jeff, who came into the game as a long reliever in the third inning, for the first time since they were kids. |
| 2010 | Jorge Posada's fifth-inning grand slam, his second in the past two games, proves to be the difference in the Yankees' 9-5 victory over Houston at the Stadium. The Bronx Bomber backstop joins Bill Dickey (1937) and Babe Ruth (1927, 1929) as the only players in franchise history to hit home runs with the bases loaded in consecutive contests. |
| 2012 |
Matt Cain tosses the fifth no-hitter and second perfect game of the season when he retires 27 consecutive batters in the Giants' 10-0 rout of the Astros at AT&T Park. The San Francisco right-hander, with the help of two great defensive plays from outfielders Melky Cabrera and Gregor Blanco, becomes the first pitcher in the 129-year history of the franchise and the 22nd in major league history to accomplish the feat.
(Ed. Note: Matt Cain whiffs 14 batters, including at least one in every inning except the ninth, to match Sandy Koufax record for strikeouts in a perfect game.- LP) |
| 2012 | Ted Barrett becomes the first major league home plate ump for two perfect games. In addition to calling balls and strikes for today's gem thrown by the Giants' Matt Cain, the 18-year veteran arbitrator was also the home-plate umpire when David Cone threw his perfecto against the Expos at Yankee Stadium in 1999. |
| 2012 | R.A. Dickey, who gives up only a first-inning infield single for his second career one-hitter in the Mets' 9-1 victory over the Rays, breaks the franchise record for consecutive scoreless innings. The 37-year-old knuckleballer, surpassing the previous club mark of 31.2 scoreless innings in a row set by Jerry Koosman in 1973, extends it to 32.2 frames before an unearned run in the ninth inning snaps his string. |
| 2013 |
After going deep 445 times as a Cardinal, Angels' first baseman Albert Pulos becomes the sixth player to hit at least 200 round-trippers with two different teams when he homers off Rays starter Ryan Yarbrough at Tropicana Field. The 33-year-old slugger joins:
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| 2014 |
The Northwest League's Spokane Indians, the short-season single-A affiliate of the Rangers, introduce a new home alternate uniform that features the name "S'q'n'i" in lettering across the front of the jersey, along with a character not in the English language. The word, which translates to Spokane in the Salish's native language, will be in addition to a logo created in 2006 that uses local native imagery.
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| 2015 | With his sixth-inning two-run home run off Bud Norris in the Yankees' 9-4 loss to the Orioles at Camden Yards, Alex Rodriguez becomes the third major leaguer in the modern era to surpass the 2,000 RBI mark. The New York designated hitter trails only Hank Aaron (2,297) and Babe Ruth (2,213) on the all-time RBI list. |
| 2019 | In his sophomore season, Angel sensation Shohei Otani becomes the first Japanese player to hit for the cycle in the major leagues, the eighth in franchise history, with a seventh-inning single off Rays reliever Hunter Wood in the team's 5-3 win over at Tropicana Field. The 24-year-old DH, who collected four of the club's six hits, also had a three-run homer in the first frame, a third-inning double, and a triple in the fifth inning. |
| 2019 | A day before the College World Series opening ceremonies, the Royals beat the Tigers, 7-3, at TD Ameritrade Park in Nebraska's first-ever major league game. The nationally televised contest, resulting from an agreement between MLB, the NCAA, Minor League Baseball, the Omaha Storm Chasers, and the Metropolitan Entertainment and Convention Authority, continues the sport's effort to showcase the solidarity that links each level of the national pastime. |
49 Fact(s) Found