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This Day in Baseball History
April 30th

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45 Fact(s) Found
1887 In the first game played at their new ballpark, which will become known as the Baker Bowl, the Quakers beat the Giants, 19-10. The Philadelphia venue at the corner of Broad and Huntingdon Street Park replaces Recreation Park, the team's only home since the franchise started four seasons ago.
1887 In front of nearly 10,000 at Pittsburgh's Recreation Park, the Alleghenys play their first game in the National League, defeating the defending league champion Chicago White Stockings, 6-2. The former American Association team renamed the Pirates in 1891, will post a 55-69 record, finishing in sixth place in the eight-team circuit.
1903 The Highlanders (to be renamed the Yankees) beat Washington, 6-2, in the first game ever played at Hilltop Park. The fourth-place club will compile a remarkable 41-26 record at home in their inaugural season in New York.
1922 In only his fourth career start, Charlie Robertson becomes the third modern pitcher to throw a perfect no-hit, no-run game when he beats the Tigers at Navin Field, 2-0. Thanks to Johnny Mostil's two outstanding catches in the outfield, the White Sox hurler is also the fourth modern-era rookie to throw a no-hitter.
1938 Ending his holdout and benched for a week upon his return, Joe DiMaggio plays his first game but leaves in the seventh inning after colliding with second baseman Joe Gordon, resulting in the non-seriously hurt players going to the hospital. Tomorrow, the Yankee Clipper is back at the Griffith Stadium, en route to collecting 19 hits, ten for extra bases, in his first 40 at-bats.
1939 At Yankee Stadium, Lou Gehrig's streak and career ends when the 'Iron Horse' plays his final game, going 0-for-4 in a 3-2 loss to the Senators. The ailing Yankees first baseman, who has only four hits this season, played in 2,130 consecutive games and compiled a .340 batting average with 490 home runs during his 17 Hall of Fame seasons with the Yankees.
1940 The Dodgers tie the major league mark for consecutive wins from the beginning of the season with style when their right-hander Tex Carleton no-hits the Reds, 3-0, for the team's ninth straight victory since Opening Day. The 33-year-old Texan from Fort Worth faces 30 batters, striking out four, in his one-hour and forty-seven-minute masterpiece against reigning World Series champion Reds at Cincinnati's Crosley Field.
1944 In the first game of a doubleheader split, first baseman Phil Weintraub gets 11 RBIs, and player-manager Mel Ott scores six runs, drawing five walks in the Giants' 26-8 rout of the Dodgers. Brooklyn wins the nightcap 5-4 in a game shortened due to darkness.
1946 In the game he considers his biggest thrill in baseball, Indians' right-hander Bob Feller throws his second career no-hitter, edging the Yankees at the Stadium, 1-0. Frankie Hayes' home run in the top of the ninth inning proves to be the difference.

Indians' Right-hander Bob Feller
1936 Goudey Wide Pen

1951 The Indians deal Minnie Minoso to the White Sox as part of a three-team trade involving the A's. Dave Philley, Gus Zernial, Paul Lehner, Lou Brissie, Ray Murray, and Sam Zoldak will change uniforms in the seven-player deal.
1952 In his final at-bat before leaving to fight in the Korean War, Ted Williams hits a game-winning, two-run home run to beat Dizzy Trout and the Tigers, 5-3. Fittingly, the Fenway faithful was there to celebrate Ted Williams Day.
1958 Ted Williams collects his 1,000th extra-base hit when he homers off Ned Garver in the ninth inning in Boston's 11-4 loss to Kansas City at Fenway Park. The 'Splendid Splinter' is the tenth major leaguer to accomplish the feat.
1961 At Milwaukee's County Stadium, Willie Mays slams four homers in one game, with each round-tripper traveling over 400 feet. The San Francisco slugger is on deck when the third out ends the Giants' ninth inning in their eventual 14-4 win over the Braves.

1966 Rick Reichardt hits two eighth-inning home runs in the Angels' 16-9 victory over the Red Sox at Fenway Park. The California rookie outfielder will be sidelined later in the season with a kidney ailment, with the 23-year-old needing to remove the organ. 
1967 The Tigers are no-hit by Oriole pitchers Steve Barber and Stu Miller but still manage to win the game, 2-1. An error by Baltimore's shortstop Mark Belanger allows the eventual winning run to score in the top of the ninth inning.
1969 Jim Maloney strikes out 13 batters en route to no-hitting the Astros at Crosley Field. The 10-0 victory is the Reds hurler's third career no-hitter.
1970 Billy Williams becomes the first National Leaguer to play in 1000 consecutive games. The Cubs' outfielder streak, which started in 1962, will end in two seasons after the future Hall of Famer plays in 1,117 straight contests, setting a National League record.
1974 After trying to lay down a bunt, Red Sox second baseman Doug Griffin is knocked unconscious by a Nolan Ryan fastball, resulting in him missing two months of the season with a concussion and suffering temporary hearing loss. The beaning, which most likely led to the premature end of the Boston infielder's career, makes the Angel right-hander rethink his role as an intimidator on the mound.
1983 The Diablos beat the Beaumont Golden Gators, 35-21, accounting for the most runs scored ever in a single game in Texas League history. El Paso outfielder Mike Felder, collecting only two hits, contributes to the victory when he drives in nine runs with a grand slam, a three-run home run, a sacrifice fly, and a sacrifice bunt.
1988 Dave Winfield ties the major league RBI record for April, established by Dodger infielder Ron Cey in 1977 and matched by Dale Murphy of the Braves in 1985. The right fielder, who reached base at least once in every game, drives in his 28th and 29th runs of the month when the Yankees' 15-3 rout Texas in New York.
1988 Furious about Dave Pallone's delayed call yesterday allowing the eventual winning run, Pete Rose becomes the first manager suspended for an on-field incident when National League president Bart Giamatti issues a 30-day suspension for his shoving of the first base ump. The ugly argument resulted in the fans throwing trash onto the field, temporarily delaying the game and making it necessary for the arbitrator to be removed from the game to calm tempers.

1989 The Blue Jays trade Jesse Barfield to the Yankees for southpaw Al Leiter. The slugging right fielder, who led the league with 40 homers in 1986, will bat only .231 with 62 dingers in his four years with New York, and Toronto's new left-hander will compile a 26-24 record during his seven years north of the border.
1990 Mark Lemke hits a grounder to second baseman Gregg Jefferies, who lobs the ball to David Cone, the pitcher covering first base. The Mets right-hander completely meltdowns and begins vehemently arguing the call, oblivious of the two Braves' runners crossing the plate to score, after the umpire, Charlie Williams, gives the safe sign.

1993 With a 7-6 victory in Los Angeles, the Phillies complete their best April in franchise history, finishing the month with a 17-5 record. Philadelphia, which won eight of its first nine decisions, will collect 97 wins en route to their first National League East title since 1982.
1996 In the Pirates' 10-7 victory over Cincinnati at Riverfront Stadium, Jeff King hit two homers in one inning for the second time in his career. The Pittsburgh first baseman joins Andre Dawson and Willie McCovey as the only major leaguers to have accomplished the rare feat twice.
1997 Mark McGwire's third-inning two-run blast dents the Jacobs Field scoreboard in the team's 11-9 victory over the Indians. A scientist determines the ball hit by the A's slugger would have traveled a distance of 533 feet if unimpeded by the Budweiser sign in left field.

1997 The Braves win their 19th game of the month with a 12-3 rout of the Reds at Cinergy Field. Atlanta's victory establishes a new major league mark for the most wins in April.
1999 During a game against the Yankees, a group of Kansas City Royals fans, frustrated with the economic disparity in baseball, throw fake dollar bills onto the field and turn their backs each time the opponents take their at-bats. The Kauffman Stadium faithful, carrying signs that specifically blame the Bronx Bombers' problem, walk out en masse after the fifth inning.
2000 Diamondback southpaw Randy Johnson beats the Cubs, 6-0, becoming only the third pitcher in baseball history to win six games in April. The "Big Unit' joins A's hurlers Vida Blue (1971) and Dave Stewart (1988) as the only other pitchers to accomplish the feat.
2000 Cardinals Mark McGwire and Jim Edmonds go deep, helping St. Louis finish the month of April with 55 home runs, tying the National League mark for homers hit by a team in a month. The Redbirds share the record with the 1947 New York Giants, whose sluggers included Johnny Mize, Willard Marshall, and Walker Cooper.
2002 Al Leiter becomes the first pitcher in baseball history to record wins over all thirty big-league franchises. The Mets southpaw earns the distinction when New York routs the Diamondbacks at Bank One Ballpark, 10-1.
2003 With a 6-1 decision over the Reds, Roger Clemens becomes the first Astros pitcher to win five games in April. The Rocket will be named National League pitcher of the month and will win his seventh Cy Young Award this season.
2005 Bud Selig asks the players to agree to a 50-game suspension for the first offense, a 100-game suspension for the second offense, and a lifelong ban after the third offense for using steroids. In addition to the harsher three-strike rule, the commissioner also is seeking a ban on amphetamines.
2005 With an enthusiastic RFK crowd chanting, "Let's go, ground crew," the inexperienced group shows incredible ineptitude when they struggle to put the tarp on a very soggy field during the second rain delay of the shortened 5-3 victory over the Mets. New York files a protest after the game is called off at the bottom of the eighth, claiming the field became unplayable due to Washington's inability to cover the ground during the 37-minute stoppage.
2008 The Phillies shatter their team home run mark for April when Chase Utley hits the team's 39th dinger of the month in the team's 4-2 loss to San Diego at Citizens Bank Park. The eventual World Champions established the previous record of 29 in 2006.
2008 The Cardinals and Cubs set a franchise record for the most victories in April. The Redbirds beat the Reds, 5-2, for their 18th win of the month, and Chicago takes their 17th game, routing the Brewers, 19-5, at Wrigley Field.
2008 On the first pitch he sees from Astros reliever Dave Borkowski, Micah Owings pinch-hits a two-out, two-run home run in the sixth inning, tying the game at 7. The Arizona hurler, who is 4-0 with a 3.68 ERA, becomes the first pitcher to hit a homer as a pinch-hitter since 2004 when Brooks Kieschnick of the Brewers went deep off Diamondback right-hander Matt Mantei.
2008 Julio Franco, the oldest player to homer in the major leagues, announces his retirement from professional baseball, leaving the Quintana Roo Tigres of the Mexican League. The 49-year-old Dominican compiled a .298 average, collected 2,586 hits, and hit 173 homers during his 23-year tenure with eight big-league teams, including the Phillies, Indians, Rangers, White Sox, Brewers, Rays, Braves, and Mets.
2009 In their 8-6 victory over the Blue Jays at Kauffman Stadium, the Royals turn six double plays to tie a 1972 team record. Last week in Cleveland against the Indians, the team batted into six twin killings.
2010 With more than twenty-five percent of its membership born outside of the United States, the MLB players' union condemns Arizona's new law that requires proof of identity for any state or local official to inspect who is suspicious of a person's immigration status. Michael Weiner, the head of the MLBPA, said the organization would consider "additional steps" if the mandate remains as stated without modifications.
2010 Mariano Rivera ties Eric Gagne's major league mark when he gets his 51st consecutive save at home, working a perfect ninth inning in the Yankees' 6-4 victory over Chicago. The Panamanian closer also fans two batters to move ahead of Roger Clemens for 10th on the team's all-time strikeout list with 1,015.
2011 The Indians pay tribute to John Adams, renowned for revving the Cleveland crowd by banging his bass drum in centerfield. A few days ago, to celebrate his 3000th game in attendance, their long-time fan swung at the ceremonial first pitch with his drum, dribbling a foul ball down the first baseline, much to the large crowd's delight.
2012 When Brett Myers faces his first batter in the ninth inning, the Houston closer becomes the seventh different pitcher to face seven consecutive Mets, a major league first. After taking out Bud Norris, the team's starting pitcher, Astro manager Brad Mills summons Wilton Lopez, Wesley Wright, Brandon Lyon, Fernando Abad, and Fernando Rodriguez to face one batter each in the team's 4-3 victory at Citi Field.
2012 After drilling three home runs, Ryan Braun strokes a triple in his final at-bat in the Brewers' 8-3 victory over San Diego at Petco Park. The Milwaukee left fielder, whose 15 total bases drive in six runs, is the first player to homer three times and hit a three-bagger in the same game since Fred Lynn accomplished the feat in 1975 with the Red Sox.
2019 Thirty-eight-year-old Yankee southpaw CC Sabathia becomes the 17th major league hurler to record his 3,000th strikeout when he whiffs John Ryan Murphy, swinging on an 84-mph changeup to end the second inning of the team's 3-1 loss to the Diamondbacks. The Chase Field crowd gives the 19-year veteran a standing ovation for reaching the milestone as his teammates come out of the dugout to congratulate him.

45 Fact(s) Found