May 24

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Stats of players who were born this day
Stats of players who died on this day
Standings on this day
Permanent link to Today's Entry
Sources
Baseball Library Chronology
Today in Baseball History

Events, births and deaths that occurred on May 24.

Events

• 1879 - Providence scores ten runs in the 1st inning and routs the Cincinnati team‚ 17 - 1. Two Providence runners are thrown out trying to steal in the big inning.
• 1880:
  • Troy City rookie Roger Connor hits his first major league home run‚ off Boston's Tommy Bond. He adds a triple and two singles as the Trojans beat the Red Caps‚ 8 - 1. When Connor retires in 1897, he will have 136 homers‚ a record that will stand until Babe Ruth breaks it in 1921.
  • The last-place Reds trim Buffalo‚ 17 - 4. Buffalo centerfielder Bill Crowley has four assists in the game to tie the major league record. He'll do it again on August 27th.
• 1884
  • Against Pittsburgh‚ Philadelphia Athletics P Al Atkinson hits the leadoff batter‚ Ed Swartwood‚ who steals second base‚ takes third base on a putout‚ and scores on a passed ball. But Atkinson sets down the next 27 Alleghenies for a near-perfect‚ no-hit, 10 - 1 win.
  • After 20 consecutive wins St. Louis of the Union Association finally falls, 8 - 1, to Boston. The Maroons will finish the season with a .832 winning percentage‚ the highest in major league history, although this comes with an asterisk given the very uneven quality of play in the fledgling circuit.
  • With RF Mike Dorgan committing five errors‚ New York loses to Providence‚ 19 - 5‚ at the Polo Grounds. The New York Times reports that the game is so bad that "the Siamese Embassy [staff] occupied the stockholder box and showed their knowledge by leaving in the middle of the game." Charlie Sweeney (8-1) has four hits‚ three doubles and scores four times.
  • Boston P Jim Whitney blanks Philadelphia for the second time in five days‚ and helps power the Beaneaters to their 13 - 0 win with four hits.
• 1887 - Indianapolis 3B Jerry Denny saves a run by holding King Kelly by the belt as Kelly tries to tag up on a fly ball. The umpire misses the play and does not penalize Denny. But the ploy does not save the Hoosiers from an 8 - 7‚ ten-inning defeat in Boston.
• 1889 - Willie Kuehne sets a new record by accepting 13 chances at 3B. Kuehne makes three putouts and ten assists without an error. His brilliant work enables Pittsburgh to best Washington‚ 9 - 7.
• 1890 - Amos Alonzo Stagg‚ later a longtime football coach‚ brings his Yale nine to Princeton and loses a 1 - 0 battle.
• 1892 - Brooklyn makes good use of its 14 hits in a 24 - 4 rout of the Washington Senators. Oyster Burns typifies his club's attack by scoring four runs without the benefit of a hit.
• 1893 - Catcher Connie Mack "misses" a short pop-up in front of home plate and starts a triple play in the 4th inning. He also drives in the winning run in the bottom of the 8th to lead Pittsburgh to an 8 - 7 win over St. Louis.
• 1895 - Philadelphia makes 13 errors and allows the Reds to score six runs in the 9th inning‚ but nonetheless wins, 14 - 13, in ten innings.
• 1898 - The highest run total of the season is scored in a 15 - 13 Oriole defeat of the Orphans in Chicago. The pitchers yield 36 hits‚ ten walks‚ two wild pitches‚ and three hit batsmen. Pitcher Clark Griffith of Chicago‚ ejected from the game‚ spews obscene language at umpire Tom Lynch‚ who threatens him with the Board of Discipline. Sporting Life notes "the only witness appears to be catcher Frank Bowerman of Baltimore‚ who is hardly likely to testify against Griffith."
• 1899 - In Cincinnati‚ Giants pitcher Cy Seymour hits two doubles and two singles‚ but his wildness costs him a win against the Reds. With the bases loaded in the 10th and score tied 6 - 6‚ Seymour hands out his 13th walk of the game to force in the winning run. Cy strikes out none.
• 1901:
  • At the Polo Grounds‚ Christy Mathewson wins his eighth straight‚ beating Cincinnati's Bill Phillips‚ 1 - 0. Matty gives up just three hits.
  • Reversing the previous day's 9th-inning rally‚ the Washington Nationals‚ down 5 - 0 at the end of eight innings‚ score five runs to tie the Blues. When Cleveland fails to score in the 9th‚ the game ends at 5 - 5.
• 1902 - Cleveland third baseman Bill Bradley becomes the first player in the American League to hit a home run in each of four consecutive games, a record not matched until Babe Ruth does it on June 25, 1918.
• 1903 - The Tigers avoid Detroit's Sunday ban on baseball by playing Washington at Grand Rapids‚ in a game that draws 6‚000. Detroit wins‚ 5 - 4‚ behind George Mullin‚ with John Deering in relief.
• 1904 - At Brooklyn‚ the Superbas jump on Joe McGinnity for a 3 - 0 lead after two innings‚ but the Giants tie it in the 3rd and go on to a 5 - 3 win. Iron Joe is now 11-0.
• 1906 - The Cubs overcome a 5 - 2 Giants lead to tie the game at 5 - 5‚ but a Johnny Evers error in the 8th gives New York a 6 - 5 win. Christy Mathewson‚ who pitches just 2 1/3 innings is credited with the win‚ since he left the game with the Giants ahead. Hooks Wiltse pitches the last 7 1/3 innings. By taking three out of four in Chicago‚ the Giants increase their hold on first place.
• 1907 - At the Polo Grounds‚ Boston pitcher Pat Flaherty clubs the first grand slam by a National League pitcher when he connects in the 2nd inning off Hooks Wiltse of the Giants. Boston wins‚ 7 - 5.
• 1909:
  • Under new manager Roger Bresnahan‚ the Cardinals finally beat Christy Mathewson after losing to the Giants' ace 24 consecutive times. Matty allows just six hits to his former battery mate's squad‚ but the Giants score once off John Lush to lose‚ 3 - 1.
  • At Brooklyn‚ the Cubs beat the Superbas‚ 4 - 3‚ on Solly Hofman's inside-the-park homer in the 11th inning. Brooklyn CF Tom Catterson attempts a shoestring catch on the liner but misses.
• 1911 - An abdominal ailment sidelines Nap Lajoie. He will get into only 90 games for the year and bat .365.
• 1912 - New York's Rube Marquard beats Brooklyn‚ 6 - 3‚ for his ninth straight victory.
• 1916 - Boston shuts out Detroit‚ 4 - 0‚ as Babe Ruth allows just four singles. Ruth adds two hits but Harry Hooper's fielding heroics - four great catches - make him the day's star.
• 1917 - Reb Russell goes 12 innings for the White Sox‚ giving up 11 hits‚ as he shuts out Washington‚ 1 - 0.
• 1918 - Stan Coveleski of the Cleveland Indians pitches a 19-inning complete game to defeat the New York Yankees, 3 - 2. Former P Joe Wood hits a home run in the 19th inning - his second of the game - to end the 3:45 marathon. For New York‚ Home Run Baker's 11 assists tie the American League record for a third baseman in an extra-inning game.
• 1924:
  • At Salt Lake City, San Francisco (Pacific Coast League) outslugs the Bees, 30 – 14. The Seals outhit the Bees 37-17 with Paul Waner‚ Bert Ellison and Joe Kelly recording six hits apiece. Three of Ellison's hits are homers and he will have two more tomorrow. He will set PCL marks for homers in two games (5), homers in three games (8), homers in a seven-game series (10) and most hits in a seven-game series (25) going 25 for 37. Pete Kilduff and Sam Agnew‚ with three doubles and two triples, each have five hits.
  • The Reds trade George Harper to the Phils for Curt Walker.
• 1928 - In the first game of a doubleheader in Philadelphia, a record 12 future Hall of Famers play in the Yankees' 9 - 7 victory over the Athletics. This number does not include non-playing Hall of Famers Herb Pennock and Stan Coveleski, managers Miller Huggins and Connie Mack, nor umpire Tom Connolly.
• 1929 - Chicago's Ted Lyons and Detroit's George Uhle go 21 innings before the Tigers get a run to win, 6 - 5, in the longest game - 3 hours and 31 minutes - ever seen to date at Comiskey Park. Uhle is the winner‚ tossing 20 innings‚ with Vic Sorrell pitching the bottom of the 21st. Lyons‚ the loser‚ goes the distance and gives up 24 hits. Charlie Gehringer drives in Roy Johnson with a sacrifice fly for the final run. No pitcher has matched either Lyons' or Uhle's marathon effort since. Les Mueller‚ in 1945‚ will come the closest.
• 1930 - Babe Ruth hits home runs in both games of a doubleheader, giving him nine homers in one week. New York sweeps‚ 10 - 6 and 11 - 1. Newly-acquired Red Ruffing is the easy winner in the nitecap.
• 1932 - Lefty Gomez allows three hits and strikes out 13 as the Yankees stop the A's‚ 3 - 1.
• 1933 - Detroit's Tommy Bridges tosses a one-hitter in topping the Senators‚ 3 - 1. Joe Kuhel's homer is the only Washington safety. It is the first time in the American League that a pitcher has allowed a home run in a one-hitter.
• 1935 - The Cincinnati Reds host the Philadelphia Phillies in the first major league night game, winning, 2 - 1, before 25,000 fans. On the initiative of Larry MacPhail, US President Franklin D. Roosevelt throws the switch at the White House to turn on the lights. The Reds will play seven night games, one against each of the other National League teams. The Phils' Lou Chiozza is the first batter as the Reds' Paul Derringer outduels Joe Bowman‚ though the Reds are outhit‚ 6 to 4.
• 1936:
  • Tony Lazzeri, batting eighth for the New York Yankees, posts an American League record with 11 RBI while hitting three home runs - two of them grand slams - and a triple in a 25 - 2 rout of the Philadelphia Athletics. Another major league record is tied when Ben Chapman draws five walks as the Yanks are handed 16 bases on balls. Lou Gehrig exits early and is replaced by his favorite sub‚ Jack Saltzgaver. Monte Pearson is the winner over George Turbeville in the laugher.
  • The Giants whip the Phillies‚ 13 - 5, as Sam Leslie goes 5 for 5 and hits for the cycle for New York.
• 1940:
  • The Cleveland Indians beat the St. Louis Browns, 3 - 2, in the first night game played at Sportsman's Park before 24,827. Bob Feller beats Elden Auker and adds a home run as well.
  • Before 22‚260‚ the New York Giants rip the Boston Bees, 8 - 1 in the first night game at the Polo Grounds. Harry Gumbert is the winner.
• 1941 - Selma Cloverleafs (Southeastern League) pitcher Hal Toenes relieves in the top of the 9th inning against the Jackson Mississippians with a runner on first base and two out. Without throwing a pitch‚ he picks the runner off first. Selma‚ four runs down‚ scores six runs to give Toenes the pitchless win.
• 1942 - At Korakuen Stadium in Tokyo‚ one of the most memorable games in Japanese League history takes place‚ a 28-inning marathon that ends in a 4 - 4 tie between Nagoya and Taiyo. It takes 3 hours and 47 minutes and both starters‚ Michio Nishizawa of Nagoya and Jiro Noguchi of Taiyo‚ go all the way: Nishizawa throws 311 pitches and Noguchi, 344. Games are not normally allowed to end in a tie because the teams have to show off their fighting spirit‚ according to historian Yoichi Nagata. Because this is the last day of the spring schedule in the three-part season (spring‚ summer and fall)‚ closing ceremonies and awards are scheduled‚ so officials order the umpire to end the game. Nagoya uses only nine players‚ and Taiyo‚ ten. Despite the war‚ the game is noted in The Sporting News.
• 1943 - After his release from the Braves‚ Lefty Gomez signs with the Senators. He will pitch in only one game‚ which he loses‚ then retire.
• 1944 - Frankie Hayes of the Athletics hits his second grand slam in ten days. This one comes against the Tigers in an 8 - 4 win at Detroit and ties Hayes for the major league lead in homers with Pat Seerey of Cleveland and Howie Schultz of the Dodgers.
• 1945:
  • The visiting Giants beat the Reds, 7 - 6, on a pinch homer by colorful Danny Gardella. Gardella had started the day by leaving a suicide note in his hotel room for his roommate Nap Reyes. When Reyes returned to the room a few minutes later‚ he noticed the open window and read the note. Horrified‚ he rushed to the window only to see the grinning face of Gardella‚ who had been hanging from the window ledge several stories over the street.
  • The Tigers lose Al Benton‚ who has five wins and three shutouts‚ when he is hit on the ankle in the 4th frame by a line drive off the bat of Bobby Estalella. The A's score four in the 5th to win‚ 7 - 2. There is great confusion in the 2nd inning, when Irv Hall and George Kell bat out of turn for the A's: Kell, batting sixth on the lineup card handed to umpire Eddie Rommel, comes up in place of Hall, who is batting fifth. He strikes out, so Tigers manager Steve O'Neill does not point out the mistake, validating Kell's at-bat. But Hall then steps to the plate when the seventh hitter, 1B Dick Siebert, should have followed Kell. Hall singles, O'Neill appeals, and Rommel calls him out to end the inning. However, no one can then agree on who is to lead off the 3rd (if the rule had been properly applied, Siebert would have been the one called out to end the 2nd and number eight hitter Frankie Hayes should have been next up). Rommel decides that Kell should be next. Both managers protest the decision, although no one seems to be sure who should have been the proper batter. When American League President Will Harridge rules on the protest filed by O'Neill (who claims, wrongly, that Siebert should have led off the 3rd), he dismisses the protest - but for the wrong reasons - indicating that he is just as confused as everyone else. The perplexing rule will be clarified in 1957.
• 1946:
  • The New York Yankees announce the resignation of manager Joe McCarthy. He is replaced by Bill Dickey. McCarthy resigns because of reported gall bladder trouble. During his 15-year run with the Yankees, he guided them to eight American League pennants and seven World Series titles.
  • Ted Lyons‚ 45 years old‚ gives up the mound to replace Jimmie Dykes as Chicago White Sox skipper. He is 1-4 but has an ERA of 2.32. The last 28 games he pitched‚ dating back to 1941‚ have been complete games.
• 1947:
  • Matching Allie Reynolds' game the day before‚ Spud Chandler gives the Yankees a 5 - 0 win over Boston‚ allowing two hits.
  • At Brooklyn‚ Carl Furillo pinch-hits for LF Gene Hermanski - in the 1st inning - and clouts a three-run homer to give the Brooks the lead over the Phillies. Skeeter Newsome's third career homer in five years ties the game in the 8th and the Phils win it in ten innings‚ 4 - 3. Freddy Schmidt wins over Hugh Casey. Furillo's pinch homer sets a major league record: it is the only pinch home run to come in the 1st inning. Phils manager Ben Chapman started righty Al Jurisich just to pitch to Brooklyn's first two hitters: Pee Wee Reese and Jackie Robinson. Lefty Oscar Judd‚ warming up from the start‚ then comes in to pitch to the next three lefty hitters: Pete Reiser‚ Dixie Walker‚ and Hermanski. Reiser and Walker bat and then Furillo hits for Hermanski‚ though he is not listed in the box score as a pinch-hitter.
• 1949 - Striking out the last six St. Paul batters‚ Mickey McDermott of Louisville (American Association) fans a total of 20 for a new league record. McDermott wins‚ 3 - 1‚ striking out the side in the 3rd‚ 5th‚ 6th‚ 8th‚ and 9th innings.
• 1951:
  • Cleveland whips the Senators, 16 - 0‚ with Bob Feller pitching a two-hitter. Larry Doby has a homer and four RBIs to lead the Tribe.
  • Mickey Mantle is 0 for 5 but reaches base twice after striking out on a wild pitch. The second time‚ in the 6th inning‚ he reaches second base before Detroit C Joe Ginsberg can retrieve the ball‚ and Joe DiMaggio follows with a homer to deep left field. New York wins‚ 11 - 1‚ behind Joe Ostrowski.
• 1952:
  • Jimmy Piersall and New York's Billy Martin first exchange insults before a game in Boston‚ then exchange punches in the tunnel under the stands. It takes coaches Bill Dickey and Oscar Melillo‚ along with starter Ellis Kinder‚ to break up the fight. Piersall goes to the clubhouse to change his bloody shirt and gets into another brawl with teammate Mickey McDermott. He sits as Kinder stops the Yanks‚ 5 - 2.
  • At Crosley Field‚ Reds catcher Andy Seminick drives in six runs with two homers‚ one a grand slam‚ in an 11 - 5 win over St. Louis.
• 1953 - A year and three days after scoring 15 runs in an inning‚ the Dodgers explode again. Against the Phillies they score 12 runs in the 8th inning before making an out. Their two bases-loaded triples in the 8th tie a major league record for a game and set it for an inning. The half inning takes 44 minutes to play. The final score is 16 - 2.
• 1955 - After losing 11 straight games‚ the Pirates rout the Dodgers, 15 - 1‚ their highest score in 172 games. Tomorrow, they will sink to the cellar. Bob Friend‚ who pitches the last 4 1/3 innings in relief of starter Vern Law‚ is the winner. Preston Ward has a single‚ triple and home run to pace the Corsairs. Pittsburgh's highly touted Rule 5 acquisition, rookie outfielder Roberto Clemente, debuts his new uniform number, 21. Originally assigned number 13, he replaces the previous 21, outfielder Earl Smith, who was optioned to New Orleans of the Southern Association on May 3rd. Clemente is the 15th and final Pirate to wear number 21, which will be retired in 1973, following his fatal airplane crash on New Year's Eve, 1972.
• 1956 - Mickey Mantle goes 5 for 5 with an intentional walk in an 11 - 4 win against the Tigers. Mantle is hitting .421. He combines with Joe Collins for back-to-back homers‚ off Duke Maas.
• 1957 - In his first two major league at-bats‚ Cubs rookie Frank Ernaga hits a solo home run in the 2nd inning and follows with a run-scoring triple in the 4th‚ both against Warren Spahn. The Cubs beat the Braves, 5 - 1, at Wrigley Field. Ernaga is the second National League rookie to debut with a triple and homer; he will add just one more homer to his major league career total.
• 1958:
  • The Tigers buy Bob "Hurricane" Hazle from the Braves. Hazle, hitting .179, became expendable when Billy Bruton returned to action today. Bruton, who last played on July 11th of last year, appears in the 9th inning of the Braves' 6 - 3 win over the Cardinals.
  • The Detroit Tigers snap a nine-game losing streak and break the New York Yankees' ten-game win streak with a 3 - 2 win behind Frank Lary. Lary is now 11-4 against the Bronx Bombers.
  • In Cincinnati, National League umpire Jocko Conlan criticizes batting helmets, saying, "In my opinion helmets are an inviting target for pitchers to throw at. Last season at least seven helmets were cracked in our league by bean ball pitches, intentional or not."
• 1962 - The Tigers score their first four runs on homers‚ then score the winner on a passed ball in the 11th to beat the Orioles‚ 5 - 4. Charlie Lau misses a Hoyt Wilhelm knuckler to allow Dick McAuliffe to score. Jim Bunning pitches the first nine innings for Detroit and is accused by O's manager Billy Hitchcock of notching the ball with his belt buckle.
• 1964:
  • Harmon Killebrew of the Minnesota Twins hits the longest home run in Baltimore's Memorial Stadium, a 471-foot shot to left-center off right-hander Milt Pappas.
  • Seven shutouts in both leagues tie the major league record for blankings in one day.
  • Cubs speedster Lou Brock steals home for the first time‚ combining with Billy Williams on a double steal in the 1st inning of the first game of a doubleheader at Cincinnati. But the Reds win both games‚ 6 - 5 and 12 - 4.
  • Mickey Mantle hits his second homer in two days‚ off Fred Newman‚ to start the scoring for New York. The Yanks top the Angels‚ 8 - 5.
• 1967:
  • Tom McCraw of the Chicago White Sox hits three home runs and collects eight RBI in a 14 - 1 victory over the Minnesota Twins. McCraw, not known for his power, will finish the season with only 11 home runs - a career high.
  • The Yankees top Baltimore‚ 2 - 0. Mickey Mantle's 3rd-inning drive to the wall is caught by Frank Robinson but the ball pops out and over the fence for a home run.
• 1969 - Padres rookie 2B John Sipin debuts with a pair of triples‚ only the fourth player to do so‚ in a 7 - 5 San Diego loss to the Cubs. They are the only triples of his 68-game career. Sipin bangs his three-baggers in the 1st and 4th innings‚ off Ken Holtzman.
• 1970:
  • With the wind blowing out at Wrigley Field‚ the Pirates come from four runs down to defeat the Cubs‚ 13 - 6. Willie Stargell has three homers and just misses a fourth when his drive bounces off the bleacher railing for a double. Willie adds a single for 15 total bases as he drives in seven runs.
  • Cleveland's Tony Horton hits three home runs versus New York‚ but the Yankees win anyway, 8 - 7, in 11 innings.
• 1971 - In Philadelphia‚ the Reds' Gary Nolan loses a one-hitter to the Phils‚ 2 - 1. The only hit is Denny Doyle's two-run homer in the 2nd inning.
• 1972 - California Angels pitcher Don Rose hits a home run in his first major league at-bat. Rose connects against Vida Blue of the Oakland Athletics, helping himself and the Angels to a 6 - 5 victory. Rose will never win another game or hit another home run in the major leagues.
• 1973:
  • The New York Mets defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers, 7 - 3, in 19 innings at Dodger Stadium. The Mets' Rusty Staub gets five hits, including the game-winning double, and George Stone pitches six shutout innings in relief for the win. The Dodgers get 19 hits, all singles, six of them by Willie Davis. The game ends at 1:42 AM Pacific Time (4:42 AM Eastern Time) the next morning.
  • The Twins' Bert Blyleven one-hits the Royals to win‚ 2 - 0. Ed Kirkpatrick's bunt single in the 5th is the only hit.
• 1974 - With the game scoreless in the 9th‚ the Cards put runners on first and third base with one out. Tim McCarver grounds to Cubs 1B Billy Williams who fires home to C Tom Lundstedt to snag Ted Simmons in a rundown. But as soon as Lundstedt throws to 3B Matt Alexander‚ Simmons races home to an uncovered plate. The Cards win‚ 1 - 0.
• 1976:
  • Dennis Eckersley and Stan Thomas combine on a one-hitter as Cleveland stops the Orioles‚ 4 - 0.
  • Bert Campaneris of the Oakland Athletics collects five stolen bases in an 8 - 7 victory over the Cleveland Indians. The Oakland shortstop will steal 54 bases this season. As a team, the Athletics will pile up a record 341 stolen bases on the year.
• 1977 - Carlos May and Graig Nettles hit back-to-back homers in the 6th as the Yankees come from behind to defeat the Red Sox‚ 6 - 5.
• 1978:
  • The Cubs take over first place with a 6 - 4, come-from-behind win over the Phillies. Dave Rader's two-run triple ties the game in the 8th and Manny Trillo's two-run homer in the 10th wins it.
  • In a Florida State League game‚ the Tampa Tarpons push 18 runs across the plate in the 4th inning of a 20 - 2 win over Daytona Beach. The bizarre frame‚ which lasts over an hour‚ features nine hits‚ six walks‚ three errors‚ three wild pitches‚ two passed balls‚ and an obstruction call. Fifteen runs score before the inning's first out is recorded.
• 1979 - Billy Martin issues a public apology to Reno sportswriter Ray Hagar‚ with whom he brawled last November. Hagar had filed suit for assault‚ leading to an out-of-court settlement.
• 1980 - The Reds' Frank Pastore shuts out the Expos‚ 2 - 0‚ on two hits.
• 1982:
  • Pittsburgh tops the Dodgers, 9 - 3. Jay Johnstone breaks an 0 for 21 slump by lining a pinch double for Los Angeles‚ but when he returns to the dugout, manager Tommy Lasorda tells him he's been released. He'll sign with the Cubs but return to L.A. in 1985.
  • LaMarr Hoyt picks up his 14th straight win and runs his season's record to 9-0 by beating the Royals, 3 - 1, in Chicago.
• 1984:
  • Jack Morris leads the Detroit Tigers to their 17th straight road win, setting an American League record. Morris allows four hits and Detroit beats the California Angels, 5 - 1. Morris allows four hits in nine innings to win‚ and he is backed by homers from Lance Parrish and Alan Trammell. The Tigers will finally lose tomorrow in Seattle‚ 7 - 3.
  • An hour after beating Baltimore, 3 - 2‚ Oakland fires manager Steve Boros and replaces him with coach Jackie Moore. Boros‚ who was criticized as being "too nice‚" led the A's to a 20-24 start‚ just 2 1/2 games off the pace in the weak AL West.
• 1988: The Chicago Cubs play a daytime doubleheader at Wrigley Field. The Chicago White Sox play a night game at Comiskey Park marking a rare opportunity to see three non-overlapping major league games in Chicago on the same day.
• 1989 - New York Yankees relief pitcher Lee Guetterman gives up five runs in the 9th inning of a New York 11 - 4 loss to the California Angels, ending his consecutive scoreless innings streak at 30 2/3. It is the longest season-opening streak in the majors since Harry Brecheen's in 1948, and the longest season-opening streak ever by a reliever.
• 1992 - The Braves' John Smoltz sets a franchise record by striking out 15 batters in a 2 - 1 win over the Expos. He walks two in beating Mark Gardner.
• 1993:
  • Indian rookie P Tom Kramer hurls a one-hitter in his second major league start‚ defeating Texas‚ 4 - 1. Julio Franco's 4th-inning homer is the only Ranger safety.
  • The Mariners defeat the Angels‚ 4 - 3‚ in 14 innings. In the course of the game‚ California OF Luis Polonia ties an American League record by being caught stealing three times‚ twice on pitchouts.
  • Davey Johnson replaces Tony Perez as manager of the Reds.
  • Only 15 fans are in the stands‚ including two scouts and a mascot‚ at the start of the day when the Quad City River Bandits meet the Rockford Royals in a Class A Midwest League doubleheader.
• 1994 - The St. Louis Cardinals set a major league record by stranding 16 runners without scoring, losing to starting pitcher David West and three Philadelphia Phillies relievers, 4 - 0. The Cards collect nine hits and eight walks to strand runners in every inning but the 1st. At the end of eight innings, the game is scoreless‚ but new Cards reliever Mike Perez gives up two hits and a walk‚ then a three-run homer to Pete Incaviglia. The old record of 15 baserunners in a shutout had been done four times‚ the last on May 12‚ 1975. The Mariners in 1998 will match the Cards' futility and set the American League record.
• 1995:
  • Dennis Eckersley of the Oakland Athletics becomes the sixth pitcher in major league history with 300 saves in a 5 - 2 win over the Baltimore Orioles.
  • The Chicago White Sox and Texas Rangers play the longest doubleheader by time in major league history as the teams split the twinbill, which lasts 7 hours and 39 minutes. By the end of the second game, only a few hundred spectators remain at Comiskey Park. Chicago wins the opener‚ 10 - 8‚ while the Rangers take the nightcap‚ 13 - 6.
  • Seattle 3B Mike Blowers drives in eight runs in the Mariners' 15 - 6 victory over the Red Sox. He strokes four extra-base hits in the contest - two doubles‚ a triple‚ and a homer. The hits raise Blowers' average 61 points - from .118 to .179.
  • The Expos trade OF Roberto Kelly and P Joey Eischen to the Dodgers in exchange for OF Henry Rodriguez and IF Jeff Treadway.
• 1996 - In Seattle‚ Ken Griffey‚ Jr sinks the Yankees with three home runs‚ scoring five runs and driving in six as the Mariners win‚ 10 - 4. It is the first three-homer game for Griffey. Scott Kamieniecki takes the loss‚ his last game with the Yankees. His season will end in a month when he goes on the AAA disabled list.
• 1998:
  • Freshman Matt Diaz hits four home runs, tying a school and regional record, and drives in seven runs as Florida State University routs Oklahoma, 12 - 2, to advance to the NCAA Atlantic II Regional final.
  • The Giants score three runs in the 17th inning to take a 9 - 6 decision from the Cardinals. Willie McGee gets four hits for St. Louis and Mark McGwire hits his 24th homer.
• 1999
  • Toronto scores ten runs in the 7th inning and goes on to outlast Detroit‚ 12 - 6.
  • The Brewers light up Tom Glavine for nine runs‚ the first time in his career the Atlanta ace has allowed that many. Milwaukee wins‚ 10 - 9.
• 2000:
  • For the third time in major league history a team blows a seven-run lead twice in a week. The Houston Astros lose a 7 - 0 advantage at home against Philadelphia after blowing a 9 - 2 lead in the 9th inning at Milwaukee two days earlier. The Astros also lose CF Roger Cedeno who breaks two bones in his right hand and will miss two months.
  • The Giants defeat the Expos‚ 18 - 0‚ as pitcher Shawn Estes hits one grand slam and narrowly misses another as he collects five RBIs. The game is the Giants' largest shutout win in modern times, breaking their previous record‚ 16 - 0‚ set on July 3‚ 1949‚ against the Dodgers; the previous San Francisco record was 14 - 0‚ against the Reds‚ on August 23‚ 1961. Their all-time record is a 24 - 0 win against the Buffalo Bisons‚ on May 27‚ 1885. On the other side‚ the game is also the worst shutout loss in Expos history‚ breaking the record of 16 - 0‚ set against the Cardinals‚ on August 11‚ 1980.
  • The Reds defeat the Dodgers‚ 10 - 3‚ with OF Dante Bichette leading the way going 5 for 6‚ with a double and four RBIs.
  • The Cardinals gaff the Marlins‚ 5 - 1‚ as Mark McGwire hits his 20th homer of the year. He becomes the fastest player ever to reach 20 homers‚ doing so in his 35th game‚ six fewer than Mickey Mantle in 1956 and McGwire himself in 1988.
  • The Angels defeat the Twins‚ 6 - 5‚ in ten innings. 1B Mo Vaughn goes 5 for 5 for Anaheim‚ with two doubles and two RBIs.
  • Sixteen Dodger players and three coaches are handed suspensions for going into the stands during a fight with fans at Wrigley Field on May 16th. The 19 suspensions are believed to be the most ever stemming from one incident. The suspensions total 60 games for the players and 24 games for the coaches. All 19 individuals are also assessed fines.
• 2001 - Jon Lieber of the Chicago Cubs throws a 79-pitch, one-hit shutout in a 3 - 0 blanking of the Cincinnati Reds. It is the first shutout of the Reds in a National League-record 208 games.
• 2002
  • The Dodgers lose to the Diamondbacks‚ 14 - 3‚ despite Shawn Green's fifth home run in two games‚ tying a major league record. Green also hits two singles to tie another mark with 25 total bases in the two games.
  • The pilot of a small plane carrying the remains of an avid Mariners fan attempts to drop the ashes above Safeco Field‚ but the canister bounces off the stadium roof and lands on the street. Fear of an attack brings police and firemen rushing to the stadium.
• 2003 - At Arizona‚ San Diego's Brian Lawrence allows two hits in beating the Diamondbacks‚ 5 - 1. Rondell White clubs a homer off Curt Schilling‚ and a frustrated Schilling clubs to death a Questec camera near the D-Backs' dugout.
• 2006:
  • Quit now, Adam! In the Cardinals' 10 - 4 win over the Giants, rookie Adam Wainwright pitches three innings in relief for the victory, and homers in his first major league at bat, on the first pitch.
  • The Devil Rays beat the Blue Jays, 10 - 8. Carl Crawford goes 5 for 5 for Tampa Bay, including a home run, four stolen bases and five runs.
• 2007 - John Smoltz throws seven shutout innings in a duel against Tom Glavine, his teammate from 1988 to 2002, to help the Braves top the Mets, 2 - 1. Smoltz becomes the first pitcher in major league history with 200 career victories and 150 saves. He also becomes the first seven-game winner in the 2007 NL.
• 2008 - In the German Bundesliga, Enorbel Márquez of the Solingen Alligators throws a 16-strikeout perfect game in a 9 - 0 rout of the Bonn Capitals. Márquez, a star of the German national team, is paired once again with backstop Kai Gronauer. Gronauer signed with the New York Mets earlier in the season but visa issues have kept him in Germany longer than anticipated.
• 2010:
  • Omar Vizquel, who already owns the record for most games played at shortstop, reaches another mark, tying Luis Aparicio's total for second-most hits at the position, 2,764. This year, Vizquel is wearing Aparicio's uniform number 11, even though it has been officially retired by the White Sox, in tribute to his idol and countryman. The Yankees' Derek Jeter is first in hits, having himself passed Aparicio earlier this year, and he is steadily adding to his total. The day is doubly sweet for the Sox as they defeat the Indians, 7 - 2, handing Justin Masterson his 11th straight loss dating back to last season.
  • The Angels are shut out for the first time this season, falling 6 - 0 to Brett Cecil. Cecil is the latest Toronto starter to throw a low-hit gem, allowing only two hits; he follows Shaun Marcum, Brandon Morrow and Ricky Romero, who have all flirted with no-hitters for the Jays, who are now 27-20 and are surprisingly managing to keep pace with the three juggernauts in the AL East.
  • For once, über-prospect Stephen Strasburg is merely human in a AAA start, giving up five hits and two runs in five innings for Syracuse against Toledo. Before that, he had allowed four hits and no runs in his first 18 1/3 innings at the level; even now, he is 3-0, 0.99 with well over a strikeout per inning as he awaits the inevitable call to Washington.
• 2011:
  • Carlos Quentin hits three homers for the White Sox in an 8 - 6 win over the Rangers. The game is delayed three hours in the 4th inning by heavy rain and hail that forces the evacuation of the upper deck at the Ballpark in Arlington.
  • The Yankees end an American League record run of 341 games without a complete game when CC Sabathia goes the distance in a 5 - 4 victory over Toronto.
  • Just after midnight, the Jupiter Hammerheads pull out a 2 - 1, 23-inning win over the Clearwater Threshers. After failing to score against two Clearwater position players, Jupiter gets a run in the 23rd off Clearwater closer Justin Friend, who entered the game with a 0.86 ERA and a minor league-leading 16 saves. Backup OF Jose Duarte singles in the winner. Jiwan James reaches base five times and falls a homer shy of the cycle in a losing cause, while SS Jeff Dominguez goes 0 for 9 for Jupiter. The teams finish six innings shy of the Florida State League record, set 45 years earlier.
• 2012 - Dan Haren tosses a shutout and strikes out 14 as the Angels defeat the Mariners, 3 - 0. Albert Pujols hits a two-run homer off Jason Vargas in the 1st inning, the 450th of his career.
• 2013:
  • Anibal Sanchez throws no-hit ball until the 9th inning, when Joe Mauer breaks up his bid for a no-no with a one-out single to center. He strikes out the final two hitters but has to settle for a one-hit shutout as Detroit beats Minnesota, 6 - 0, the Twins' tenth straight loss. Miguel Cabrera's streak of four straight games with a homer ends, but he has two more RBI as he pursues his bid for another Triple Crown.
  • Just ten days after coming back from a broken arm sustained in spring training, Yankees OF Curtis Granderson breaks a bone in his hand when hit by a pitch by Tampa Bay's Cesar Ramos in the 5th inning. He will be out for another month. The Yankees still win the game, 9 - 4.
  • The Rangers pull a fast one in the 2nd inning of their 9 - 5 win over the Mariners. In his first major league at-bat, Jesus Sucre hits a ground ball to first. 1B Mitch Moreland relays to SS Elvis Andrus to retire Justin Smoak for one out, and Andrus throws back to first, but P Justin Grimm crosses in front of Moreland and catches the ball, well away from first base, and walks away as if nothing particular has taken place. The umpires are fooled though, and call Sucre out for a double play. Umpire Jeff Nelson will later admit his mistake, explaining that "the pitcher came out of nowhere" to make the catch. He's not the only one fooled by Grimm's great acting job, as on-deck hitter Brendan Ryan says he also missed it, and Mariners manager Eric Wedge comes out to argue - but only that Moreland's foot was off the bag!
• 2015 - On the day they retire Bernie Williams' number 51 and unveil a plaque in his honor in Monument Park, the Yankees suffer their tenth loss in 11 games to fall to .500. The Rangers' 5 - 2 win completes a three-game sweep, as a two-run homer by Adam Rosales off Chris Capuano, and two RBIs by Prince Fielder, account for the bulk of the damage.
• 2019 - Trevor Story of the Rockies becomes the fastest shortstop to the 100-homer mark when he connects off Shawn Armstrong of the Orioles in the 7th inning. It comes in his 448th game, whereas Alex Rodriguez had needed 470. Story isn't done, though, as in the 9th, he comes up against Mychal Givens with a runner on base and hits a walk-off shot to give Colorado an 8 - 6 win.
• 2020 - Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Nationals decide to hold a virtual ceremony to unveil their 2019 World Series rings. The date is selected because it marked the start of the team's remarkable turnaround in 2019, as they were 19-31 that day, but began to reverse course with a 12 - 10 win over the Marlins. The ceremony was to be broadcast on social media and cable television, but is postponed at the last minute as players object, preferring that the ceremony be held when the team can be physically reunited.
• 2022 - The Giants defeat the Mets, 13 - 12, in a wild and crazy game. Behind two homers by Joc Pederson, the Giants take an early 8 - 2 lead, but the Mets come back to make the score 11 - 8 after a seven-run 8th inning against reliever Tyler Rogers. But Pederson becomes only the second Giants player to have a three-homer game at Oracle Park with a game-tying three-run blast in the bottom of the 8th. Undeterred, New York takes the lead again in the 9th when Dominic Smith triples and scores on a sacrifice fly, but Edwin Díaz cannot close the win: with two outs, Pederson ties the score with his eighth RBI of the game, and Brandon Crawford follows with an RBI single that clinches the win.

Births

• 1858 - Sam Barkley, infielder, manager (d. 1912)
• 1862 - Billy Otterson, infielder (d. 1940)
• 1864 - Joe Fogarty, outfielder (d. 1918)
• 1871 - George Flynn, outfielder (d. 1901)
• 1876 - Fred Jacklitsch, catcher (d. 1937)
• 1877 - Odie Porter, pitcher (d. 1903)
• 1878 - Jack Pfiester, pitcher (d. 1953)
• 1886 - Hi Jasper, pitcher (d. 1937)
• 1887 - Jack Killilay, pitcher (d. 1968)
• 1891 - Pete Sims, pitcher (d. 1968)
• 1892 - Oscar Harstad, pitcher (d. 1985)
• 1892 - Joe Oeschger, pitcher (d. 1986)
• 1893 - Otis Stucker, minor league infielder and manager (d. 1958)
• 1895 - Gus Felix, outfielder (d. 1960)
• 1896 - Leo Mangum, pitcher (d. 1974)
• 1898 - Dennis Burns, pitcher (d. 1969)
• 1900 - Wally Shaner, outfielder (d. 1992)
• 1900 - Clay Van Alstyne, pitcher (d. 1960)
• 1903 - Jack Berly, pitcher (d. 1977)
• 1913 - Joe Abreu, infielder (d. 1993)
• 1915 - Ed Wheeler, infielder (d. 1983)
• 1919 - Jack Phillips, pitcher (d. 1958)
• 1920 - Vern Curtis, pitcher (d. 1992)
• 1921 - Clancy Smyres, pinch hitter (d. 2007)
• 1922 - Howie Dallmar, college coach (d. 1991)
• 1924 - Hiroki Komatsubara, NPB outfielder-pitcher (d. 1965)
• 1926 - Willy Miranda, infielder (d. 1996)
• 1927 - Milt Jordan, pitcher (d. 1993)
• 1929 - Donna Cook, AAGPBL pitcher/outfielder (d. 2006)
• 1934 - Jack Evens, college coach
• 1935 - Simon Heemskerk, Hoofdklasse infielder and manager (d. 2021)
• 1938 - Felix Maldonado minor league outfielder and manager (d. 2010)
• 1939 - Jim Duckworth, pitcher
• 1939 - Masuho Maeda, NPB infielder
• 1941 - Bill Wakefield, pitcher
• 1946 - Dick Meader, college coach (d. 2022)
• 1946 - Ellie Rodriguez, catcher; All-Star
• 1948 - Hideji Kato, NPB infielder and coach
• 1951 - Dave Machemer, infielder
• 1954 - Bobby Brown, outfielder
• 1954 - Spanky McFarland, college coach
• 1958 - Dong-won Choi, KBO pitcher (d. 2011)
• 1958 - Mike Richardt, infielder
• 1958 - Steve Turco, minor league player and manager
• 1962 - Rudi Brouwers, First Division infielder
• 1964 - Óscar Gil, Cuban league pitcher (d. 2014)
• 1964 - Jeff Mays, minor league pitcher
• 1965 - Jay Bluthardt, minor league outfielder
• 1965 - Greg Briley, outfielder
• 1965 - Rob Ducey, outfielder
• 1966 - Wei-Cheng Chen, CPBL outfielder and manager
• 1966 - Kang-Chul Lee, KBO pitcher
• 1966 - Vadim Kulakov, USSR national team catcher
• 1966 - Jeff Livesey, coach
• 1967 - Carlos Hernandez, catcher
• 1968 - Jerry Dipoto, pitcher
• 1968 - Julian Vasquez, minor league pitcher
• 1969 - Rob Drake, umpire
• 1971 - Todd Rizzo, pitcher
• 1972 - Danny Bautista, outfielder
• 1972 - Gabe Gonzalez, pitcher
• 1973 - Matteo Baldacci, Serie A1 catcher
• 1973 - Richard Bell, minor league pitcher
• 1973 - Bartolo Colon, pitcher; All-Star
• 1973 - Jong-ho Kim, KBO pitcher
• 1974 - Bobby Brown, minor league player and manager
• 1974 - Masahide Kobayashi, pitcher
• 1976 - Carlos Febles, infielder
• 1976 - Jason Grabowski, outfielder
• 1976 - Brandon Larson, infielder
• 1977 - Ryan Gaston, minor league pitcher (d. 2011)
• 1977 - Jae Weong Seo, pitcher
• 1978 - Dave Pember, pitcher
• 1978 - Brad Penny, pitcher; All-Star
• 1979 - David Arrieta, umpire
• 1979 - Joe Kennedy, pitcher (d. 2007)
• 1979 - Tracy McGrady, signed pitcher
• 1980 - Justin Hampson, pitcher
• 1980 - Robert Kovačević, Croatian national team pitcher-outfielder
• 1980 - D.J. Mattox, minor league pitcher
• 1982 - Kevin Frandsen, infielder
• 1982 - Hiroyasu Tanaka, NPB infielder
• 1983 - Manuel Rodriguez, minor league player
• 1983 - Si-Yo Wu, NPB pitcher
• 1984 - Hector Ambriz, pitcher
• 1985 - Ryan Blakney, umpire
• 1985 - John Dobkowski, Bundesliga pitcher
• 1986 - Shota Kimura, NPB pitcher
• 1986 - Edson Piovan, Serie A1 infielder
• 1987 - Blake Tekotte, outfielder
• 1987 - Henry Villar, pitcher
• 1988 - Vladimir García, Cuban league pitcher
• 1989 - Aaron Wilkerson, pitcher
• 1990 - Kyle Anderson, minor league pitcher
• 1990 - Adam Conley, pitcher
• 1990 - Wilmer Font, pitcher
• 1990 - Taylor Garrison, minor league pitcher
• 1990 - Mel Rojas Jr., KBO outfielder
• 1991 - Luis Báez, minor league infielder
• 1991 - Chad Green, pitcher
• 1991 - Damien Magnifico, pitcher
• 1991 - Mitch Nilsson, minor league catcher
• 1992 - Carlos Duran, minor league infielder
• 1992 - Dan Slania, pitcher
• 1992 - Andrew Toles, outfielder
• 1993 - Raphael Parra, Brazilian national team catcher-outfielder
• 1994 - Théo Brelle, Division Elite catcher
• 1994 - Victor Diaz, minor league pitcher
• 1994 - Cam Hill, pitcher
• 1996 - Jean Cosme, minor league pitcher
• 1996 - David Noworyta, minor league catcher
• 1996 - Johan Verastegui, Peruvian national team catcher
• 1997 - Marten Gasparini, minor league infielder
• 1997 - Kam-To Michael Yu, Hong Kong national team catcher
• 1998 - Aaron Ashby, pitcher
• 1998 - Vojtěch Menšík, minor league infielder
• 2001 - Jun-Yi Wu, CPBL pitcher
• 2003 - Kawan de Araújo, signed pitcher
• 2003 - Yu-Chia Chang, CPBL outfielder

Deaths

• 1905 - Bill Goodenough, outfielder (b. 1863)
• 1908 - Pete Hasney, outfielder (b. 1864)
• 1918 - Chris McFarland, outfielder (b. 1861)
• 1918 - Ralph Sharman, outfielder (b. 1895)
• 1922 - Charlie Frank, outfielder (b. 1870)
• 1923 - R.F. Cook, umpire (b. 1848)
• 1933 - Phonney Martin, outfielder (b. 1845)
• 1939 - Barney Pelty, pitcher (b. 1880)
• 1949 - Joe Callahan, pitcher (b. 1916)
• 1954 - Charlie Biggs, pitcher (b. 1906)
• 1955 - Bob Cone, pitcher (b. 1894)
• 1962 - Barney Morris, pitcher; All-Star (b. 1910)
• 1962 - Rabbit Nill, infielder (b. 1881)
• 1968 - Lloyd Russell, pinch-runner (b. 1913)
• 1970 - Bill Lamar, outfielder (b. 1897)
• 1971 - Charlie Grover, pitcher (b. 1890)
• 1971 - Tommy Thompson, outfielder (b. 1910)
• 1972 - Bill Moore, catcher (b. 1901)
• 1974 - Cliff Markle, pitcher (b. 1894)
• 1981 - Don Richmond, infielder (b. 1919)
• 1983 - Oscar Levis, pitcher (b. 1898)
• 1985 - Dave Brown, pitcher (b. 1897)
• 1990 - Augie Donatelli, umpire (b. 1914)
• 1991 - Pat Scantlebury, pitcher; All-Star (b. 1917)
• 1996 - Charley Hall, outfielder (b. 1923)
• 2002 - Jim McCurine, outfielder (d. 1921)
• 2004 - Carlos González, announcer (b. 1932)
• 2010 - Rogelio Martinez, pitcher (b. 1918)
• 2013 - John Miles, outfielder (b. 1922)
• 2019 - Piet Tromp, international executive (b. 1937)
• 2020 - Biff Pocoroba, catcher; All-Star (b. 1953)
• 2022 - Bob Miller, pitcher (b. 1935)