This day in baseball: Mets win the Series
Posted: October 27, 2020 Filed under: 20th Century, This day in baseball | Tags: Baseball, Boston Red Sox, Major League Baseball, MLB, New York Mets, Ray Knight, sports, World Series Leave a commentOn October 27, 1986, the New York Mets became World Series champions for the second time in team history as they defeated the Red Sox, 8-5, to win Game 7 of the Fall Classic. Third baseman Ray Knight, who is named the Fall Classic’s MVP, hit a home run in the seventh inning, which put the Mets ahead for good.
FLUSHING, NY – 1985: Ray Knight #22 of the New York Mets swings at the pitch during a 1985 season game at Shea Stadium in Flushing, New York. (Photo by Rich Pilling/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
This day in baseball: Cy Young’s final game
Posted: October 6, 2020 Filed under: 20th Century, This day in baseball | Tags: Baseball, Boston Braves, Brooklyn Dodgers, Cy Young, history, Major League Baseball, MLB, sports Leave a commentCy Young pitched his final game on October 6, 1911 at the age of 44 years, 191 days. Unfortunately, Young’s final appearance did not prove fitting in light of the rest of his illustrious career. Young and the Braves lost to the Brooklyn Dodgers, 13-3. The game was the 906th of Cy Young’s career.
This day in baseball: Multiple position players pitching
Posted: September 28, 2020 Filed under: 20th Century, This day in baseball | Tags: Baltimore Orioles, Baseball, Boston Red Sox, Chicago White Sox, Chris Davis, Darnell McDonald, history, Jesse Burkett, Major League Baseball, MLB, Sam Mertes, sports, Sportsman's Park, St. Louis Browns 1 CommentSeptember 28th was the last day of the season in 1902, and in apparent celebration, the Browns and the White Sox decided to use an assortment of seven infielders and outfielders on the mound, rather than relying on their pitching staffs. Chicago outfielder Sam Mertes earned the victory, and the Browns’ left fielder Jesse Burkett suffered the loss in the Sox’s 10-4 victory at Sportsman’s Park. This was the last time the winning and losing pitchers were both position players in the same game until 2012, when Chris Davis of the Orioles and Darnell McDonald of the Red Sox also accomplished the feat in Baltimore’s 17-inning victory at Fenway Park.
ballparksofbaseball.com
This day in baseball: Connie Mack to the Brewers
Posted: September 21, 2020 Filed under: 19th Century, This day in baseball | Tags: Baseball, Connie Mack, history, Major League Baseball, Milwaukee Brewers, Minor League Baseball, MLB, Pittsburgh Pirates, Western League Leave a commentOn September 21, 1896, Connie Mack announced his intention to leave the Pirates in order to manage the minor-league Milwaukee Brewers of the Western League. Mack thus retired as a full-time player to accept his new role, which included a $3,000 a year salary and 25% ownership of the club. He managed the Brewers for four seasons from 1897 to 1900, their best year coming in 1900, when they finished second.
Connie Mack baseball card, 1887 (Wikimedia Commons)
This day in baseball: Burns’s triple play
Posted: September 14, 2020 Filed under: 20th Century, This day in baseball | Tags: Baseball, Boston Red Sox, Cleveland Indians, Frank Brower, George Burns, history, Major League Baseball, MLB, Riggs Stephenson, Rube Lutzke, sports Leave a commentRed Sox first baseman George Burns completed an unassisted triple play against the Indians on September 14, 1923. To accomplish the feat, Burns snared Frank Brower’s line drive, he then tagged Rube Lutzke coming from first, and and finally beat Riggs Stephenson in a sprint back to second.
George Burns in 1921 (Wikipedia)
This day in baseball: AL marathon
Posted: September 1, 2020 Filed under: 20th Century, This day in baseball | Tags: American League, Baseball, Boston Red Sox, Huntington Avenue Grounds, Jack Coombs, Joe Harris, Major League Baseball, MLB, Philadelphia Athletics, sports Leave a commentThe longest game in American League history (up to that point) took place on September 1, 1906. The Philadelphia Athletics defeated the Boston Red Sox in 24 innings, 4-1. The starter for both teams went the distance, as A’s hurler Jack Coombs beat Boston’s Joe Harris at Huntington Avenue Baseball Grounds.
Huntington Avenue Grounds (Wikipedia)
This day in baseball: The first Finn
Posted: August 28, 2020 Filed under: 20th Century, This day in baseball | Tags: Baseball, Chicago White Sox, Finland, history, John Michaelson, Major League Baseball, MLB, sports 3 CommentsOn August 28, 1921, John Michaelson became the first person born in Finland to play in a major league game. The 27-year-old White Sox right-hander from Taivalkoski would only appear in two games, however. Michaelson posted an ERA of 10.12 in his two appearances for the Chicago team.
John Michaelson in 1921 (sabr.org)
This day in baseball: Youngest home run
Posted: August 20, 2020 Filed under: 20th Century, This day in baseball | Tags: Baseball, Brooklyn Dodgers, Ebbets Field, Major League Baseball, MLB, Pittsburgh Pirates, Preacher Roe, sports, Tommy Brown Leave a commentThe youngest player in MLB history to hit a home run was Tommy Brown of the Dodgers, who accomplished the feat on August 20, 1945. Brown was 17 years, eight months, and 14 days old on the day of the blast. The Brooklyn shortstop started his career as a 16-year-old high school student, and his homer proved to be the only run Brooklyn would score that day off the Pirates lefty, Preacher Roe. Roe pitched a complete game in the 11-1 rout of the Dodgers at Ebbets Field.
This day in baseball: Connor’s switch-hit debut
Posted: August 7, 2020 Filed under: 19th Century, This day in baseball | Tags: Baseball, Brooklyn Bridegrooms, history, Major League Baseball, MLB, New York Giants, Roger Connor, sports Leave a commentThough he had been hitting as a lefty throughout his career, on August 7, 1893, New York Giants first baseman Roger Connor stepped up to the plate right-handed for the first time against a left-handed Brooklyn Bridegrooms pitcher. The right side of the plate turned out to be lucky for Connor that day, as he belted two homers and a single en route to a 10-3 win.
I did a small bit of poking around regarding Connor’s switch-hitting, and while specific details seem hard to find, I notice that some sites have him listed as a left-handed hitter while others list him as a switch-hitter. A case can be made either way, it seems.
Roger Connor (sabr.org)
This day in baseball: Yellow baseballs
Posted: August 2, 2020 Filed under: 20th Century, This day in baseball | Tags: Baseball, Baseball equipment, Brooklyn Dodgers, Ebbets Field, Frederic H. Rahr, history, Larry MacPhail, Major League Baseball, Mickey Cochrane, MLB, sports, St. Louis Cardinals Leave a commentFor the first game of a doubleheader played on August 2, 1938, Larry MacPhail had official baseballs dyed dandelion yellow, and the balls were used in the matchup between the Dodgers and Cardinals at Ebbets Field. The inspiration for this yellow ball came from a New York color engineer named Frederic H. Rahr, who developed it after Mickey Cochrane was severely beaned at the plate the previous year.
“My primary object is to give the hitter more safety and there’s no question that this will be achieved,” said Rahr. “That’s simply because the batter will be striking at a ball he can see instead of at a white object that blurs with the background.”
The Dodgers won that opening game with the yellow baseballs by a score of 6-2. The Dodgers went on to use up their yellow balls in three more games in 1939, but the yellow balls would not get used again after that season.
National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
