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This Day in Baseball History
August 20th

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37 Fact(s) Found
1912 In the nightcap of a doubleheader, Carl Cashion tosses a six-inning no-hitter to give the Senators a 2-0 victory over the Indians and a sweep of the twin bill at Griffith Stadium. The 21-year-old right-hander, who will not get credit for his accomplishment due to the game's shortened nature, has an outstanding fastball, but a lack of control will limit his career to just 43 games over four seasons.
1919 The longest hitting streak in professional baseball ends at 69 games when Joe Wilhoit is held hitless by the Tulsa Oilers in Western League action. The 33-year-old minor leaguer's phenomenal stretch, which started on June 14th and included fifty games with two or more hits, ends with the Wichita Jobbers' outfielder compiling a .512 batting average (153-for-299).
1938 First baseman Lou Gehrig hits the final grand slam of his career in the Yankees' 11-3 rout of the A's at Shibe Park. The first-inning blast, given up by Philadelphia's right-hander Buck Ross, extends the 'Iron Horse's major league record for bases-loaded home runs to 23, a mark that will be surpassed in 2013 by fellow Bronx Bomber Alex Rodriguez.
1938 In front of about 10,000 people attending a Saturday morning publicity stunt organized by the Come to Cleveland Committee, five members of the Indians attempt to set a record by catching a baseball thrown from the top of the 708-foot Terminal Tower. Rookie reserve catcher Henry Helf catches a ball from the 52-story structure, estimated to be traveling at 138 mph, breaking Gabby Street's 1908 mark for a vertical catch established when the Senator backstop snagged a sphere dropped 555 feet from the top of the Washington Monument.
1939 After dropping the opener to Chicago, 9-5, the Pirates snap a twelve-game losing streak with a 5-0 victory in the nightcap. Max Butcher goes the distance in the shortened six-inning contest, limiting the visitors to just two hits in the Forbes Field contest.
1945 Dodger shortstop Tommy Brown becomes the youngest player (17 years, eight months, and 14 days) in major league history to hit a home run. The round-tripper by 'Buckshot,' who started his career as a 16-year-old high school student, will be the only run Brooklyn scores off 30-year-old Pirates southpaw Preacher Roe, who goes the distance in the 11-1 rout of the home team at Ebbets Field.
1946 Before the start of the Indians' game against the Senators at Griffith Stadium, Bob Feller's fastball is clocked at 98.6 miles per hour using the U.S. Army's Sky Screen Chronographer. The speed of the right-hander's ball breaks Atley Donald's record of 94.7 mph, established by the Yankee hurler in 1939.
1948 The largest crowd (78,382) to attend a night game sees Satchel Paige become the fourth consecutive Indian to throw a shutout when he blanks the last-place White Sox, 1-0, at Cleveland's Municipal Stadium. The ageless wonder, joining Gene Bearden, Sam Zoldak, and Bob Lemon, helps the team establish a major league record with his one-hour and fifty-minute gem.
1953 The Browns beat the Baltimore Orioles, the city's AAA minor league team, 8-2, in an exhibition game in front of a small crowd of 10,861 at Municipal Stadium. Undaunted by the low turnout of fans for the contest against the International League team, St. Louis owner Bill Veeck seeks and will receive permission to shift his franchise to the Charm City, a move denied by the American League owners last year.
1957 In the nightcap of a doubleheader, Robert Keegen throws the White Sox's first no-hitter in twenty years, beating the Senators, 6-0. The Comiskey Park no-no is the first one thrown at night in franchise history.
1961 In the second game of a doubleheader, the Phillies snap a 23-game losing streak when the team beat the Braves at Milwaukee's County Stadium, 7-4. The winning pitcher, John Buzhardt, who wears jersey #23, throws a complete game, ending Philadelphia's skid, a major league mark for the most consecutive defeats by a team.
1963 In his first major league start, Grover Powell blanks the Phillies in the Mets' 4-0 victory at Connie Mack Stadium. The shutout will be the only big league win for the 21-year-old right-hander, who, after pitching five more scoreless innings in his next start will lose his effectiveness when he is struck in the face by a fifth-inning line drive hit by Pittsburgh first baseman Donn Clendenon.
1963 A's right-hander Moe Drabowsky tosses a one-hitter against the Senators, going the distance in the team's 9–0 victory in Kansas City's Municipal Stadium. Washington's lone hit is a fourth-inning bunt single by Don Blasingame, marking the third time the infielder spoils a no-hitter by getting the only safety in a game.

(Ed. Note: The middle infielder will get the only hit for his team four times during his 12-year career, one shy of the major league record shared by Cesar Tovar and Eddie Milner. - LP)

1964 Due to a misunderstanding caused by Mickey Mantle misinforming his teammate that their manager Yogi Berra had asked for the harmonica to be played louder, a confrontation occurs on the back of the team bus between the skipper, who had actually requested for the music to stop, and utility player Phil Linz. Some believe the well-publicized incident fired up the third-place team to a successful pennant run but may have reinforced the perception Berra had lost control of the club, leading to his dismissal after Game 7 of the World Series.
1967 In the first game of a twin bill in Boston, switch-hitter Reggie Smith, in a 12-2 rout of the Angels, becomes the first Red Sox player to blast a home run from each side of the plate. Until today, no Fenway Park batter had accomplished the feat.
1967 In the nightcap of a doubleheader at Fenway Park, the Red Sox rally from an eight-run deficit to beat the Angels, 9-8. The big blow is Carl Yastrzemski's fifth-inning three-run homer, his second of the day, having gone deep with two men on in the first game.
1974 In an 18-8 rout of the Cubs, the Dodgers collect 24 hits and set a club record with 48 total bases, including Davey Lopes' three home runs, double, and single. The Dodger second baseman's 15 total bases are the most ever for a leadoff hitter.
1974 At Anaheim Stadium, Angel hurler Nolan Ryan throws a ball "officially" clocked at 100.9 miles per hour by the Guinness Book of World Records. The right-hander's pitch, tossed in a losing effort against Detroit, is the fastest ever thrown in major league baseball.
1974 Nolan Ryan whiffs 19 batters in a game for the second time in eight days and the third time this season. The Angels' right-hander's stellar performance isn't enough when he loses to Detroit's Mickey Lolich in an 11-inning complete-game duel, 1-0.
1978 In the visitors' clubhouse at Shea Stadium, Dodger Blue becomes black and blue when Steve Garvey confronts teammate Don Sutton about a Washington Post story in which the pitcher was critical of him. After the right-hander confirms he made the comments, the argument becomes physical when he makes an inappropriate remark about the first baseman's wife.
1980 Leo Sutherland's single with one out in the ninth inning spoils Dan Spilner's bid for a no-hitter against the White Sox. The 28-year-old Indian right-hander will get the next two outs and settle for a one-hit, 3-0 victory over Chicago at Comiskey Park.
1985 Dwight Gooden, going the distance in the Mets' 3-0 victory over San Francisco at Shea Stadium en route to his 13th consecutive win, whiffs 16 batters to become the first National League pitcher to strike out 200 or more batters in each of his first two seasons. After improving his record to 19-3 with his sixth shutout, the 20-year-old sophomore matches Herb Score's accomplishment in the American League in 1955 and 1956 with the Indians.
1989 The Mets have a busy day on the trading block when they send popular outfielder Mookie Wilson to the Blue Jays for pitcher Jeff Musselman and minor leaguer Michael Brady. New York also gets Frank Viola from the Twins for pitchers Rick Aguilera, David West, Kevin Tapani, and two minor leaguers.
1989 For the second time in his career, New York third baseman Howard Johnson hits 30 home runs and steals 30 bases in one season when he goes deep off Ramón Martínez in the Mets' 5-4 loss to the Dodgers at Shea Stadium. The 28-year-old HoJo joins Bobby Bonds and Willie Mays as the only players to have joined the 30-30 club on multiple occasions. 
1995 Indians closer Jose Mesa picks up his 37th save in as many opportunities to set a major league record. The right-handed reliever pitches a scoreless ninth inning to preserve the Tribe's 8-5 win over Milwaukee at Jacobs Field.
1998 At Shea Stadium, Cardinal first baseman Mark McGwire becomes the first player in major league history to hit fifty home runs in three consecutive seasons. Mac's seventh-inning solo shot, the second of back-to-back round-trippers off Willie Blair, helps to defeat the Mets, 2-0.

2000 The Yankees honor Whitey Ford, their winningest pitcher in franchise history, during ceremonies on his day at Yankee Stadium. The crafty lefty holds the team record for victories (236), innings pitched (3,170 1/3), strikeouts (1,956), and shutouts (45).
2001 Ken Griffey Jr. hits an inside-the-park home run against the Cardinals, giving the Reds a 5-4 walk-off victory at Cinergy Field. The Cincinnati slugger, who missed half the season due to a pulled hamstring, circles the bases after the ball rebounds off the centerfield fence, eluding outfielders Kerry Robinson and Jim Edmunds.

2002 A judge issues a temporary restraining order preventing the sale of Barry Bonds' 600th career home run ball hit into the Pacific Bell Park stands on August 9th. Jay Arsenault, who allegedly promised friends after being given a game ticket to split any monetary gains if he caught the historic baseball, has been ordered to appear in court for a hearing on September 5th along with the prized souvenir.
2005 Using the equivalent of a 98-miles-per-hour major league fastball, 12-year-old Kalen Pimentel ties a Little League World Series record for strikeouts in a six-inning game. The preteen from Rancho Buena Vista strikes out 18 Owensboro batters (all of the recorded outs) when his team coasts to a 7-2 victory in the tournament pool.
2005 The Royals snap their 19-game losing streak, beating the A's in Oakland, 2-1. The skid ends two games shy of the American League record of 21 straight defeats established by the Orioles in 1988.
2008 Umpires sign an agreement allowing major league baseball to use instant replay to help determine boundary calls, such as fair or foul fly balls and difficult home run rulings. With the equipment already installed in ballparks, baseball plans to use the technology later this month
2008 After the Angels score the potential winning run in the top of the inning of an eventual 5-4 victory over the Rays, Francisco Rodriguez pitches a perfect ninth to record his 48th save, establishing a new franchise record. The right-handed closer had set the previous team mark with 47 saves in 2006.
2012 The official first-day-of-issue dedication ceremony for the Major League Baseball All-Stars Forever stamps occurs at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown (NY). The popular philatelic series based on historic photographs honors Yankee Joe DiMaggio, Larry Doby of the Indians, Willie Stargell of the Pirates, and Red Sox legend Ted Williams.

All-Stars Forever stamps

2017 The Pirates host the Cardinals in the inaugural Little League Classic at BB&T Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field, the home of the New York-Penn League's Williamsport Crosscutters. In front of a crowd mostly of Little Leaguers and their families, Pittsburg's first baseman Josh Bell homers and drives in four runs in the Bucs' 6-3 victory over the Redbirds.

2020 The Yankees, the first major league team to wear digits, assign right-hander Miguel Yajure #89, the only number from 0 to 99 never worn by a big-leaguer. The season also started with 86 and 92 never appearing on the back of a uniform until the Cardinals gave the numerals to relievers Jesus Cruz and GĂ©nesis Cabrera, respectively.
2020 The Padres set the major league mark for the most consecutive games with a grand slam when Eric Hosmer connects with the bases full, making' Slam Diego' the first team to hit a four-base home run in four consecutive contests. Fernando Tatis Jr., Wil Myers, and Manny Machado contributed to the historic accomplishment during the team's four-game home-and-away series sweep against the Rangers.
37 Fact(s) Found