This day in baseball: First White Sox game
Posted: April 21, 2021 Filed under: 20th Century, This day in baseball | Tags: Baseball, Chicago White Sox, history, Major League Baseball, Minor League Baseball, MLB, Schorling's Park, South Side Park Leave a commentAt Schorling’s Park on Chicago’s south side, the minor league White Sox played their first game in franchise history on April 21, 1900. The Sox ended up losing the contest to Milwaukee, 5-4. The small wooden ballpark, located at 39th and Princeton, was also known as South Side Park, and would continue to be the home stadium for the team when they joined the American League the following season.
South Side Park, 1907 (Chicago Daily News)
This day in baseball: Harding’s first pitch
Posted: April 13, 2021 Filed under: 20th Century, This day in baseball | Tags: Baseball, Boston Red Sox, Griffith Stadium, Major League Baseball, MLB, Opening Day, POTUS, President of the United States, sports, Warren G. Harding, Washington Senators 2 CommentsPresident Warren G. Harding threw out the ceremonial first pitch before a Washington Senators game held on April 13, 1921, at Griffith Stadium in Washington, D.C. Washington ended up losing to the Red Sox, 6-3, making this the first time in six Opening Days contests the Senators have lost with the President of the United States throwing out the first pitch.
Library of Congress
This day in baseball: Garbey’s debut
Posted: April 3, 2021 Filed under: 20th Century, This day in baseball | Tags: Barbaro Garbey, Baseball, Cuba, Detroit Tigers, Major League Baseball, Minnesota Twins, MLB, Serie Nacional, sports 3 CommentsOn Opening Day in 1984, Tiger rookie Barbaro Garbey became the first Cuban refugee to play in Major League Baseball, having played in the Serie Nacional prior to defecting to the United States. Garbey grounded out in the seventh inning as a pinch-hitter for Dave Bergman, then would stay in the game. Garbey played first base in Detroit’s 8-1 defeat of Minnesota in the Metrodome.
sabr.org
This day in baseball: Ruth’s first start
Posted: March 25, 2021 Filed under: 20th Century, This day in baseball | Tags: Babe Ruth, Baseball, Boston Red Sox, history, Major League Baseball, MLB, Philadelphia Athletics, sports Leave a commentBabe Ruth made his first career start on the mound on March 25, 1914 for the Boston Red Sox. The 19-year-old pitcher defeated the world champion Philadelphia Athletics, 6-2, in an exhibition game played in Wilmington, North Carolina. Prior to this game, Ruth had faced 29 batters in relief, allowing just six hits, thus earning his spot in the starting rotation.
Babe Ruth pitching (Bleacher Report)
This day in baseball: McLain indicted
Posted: March 19, 2021 Filed under: 20th Century, This day in baseball | Tags: Baseball, Denny McLain, Major League Baseball, MLB, sports Leave a commentOn March 19, 1984, former MLB pitcher Denny McLain was indicted on various charges of racketeering, loan-sharking, extortion, and cocaine possession. In 1985, McLain was sentenced to 23 years in prison after refusing to admit his crimes and accept his conviction. McLain had participated in a scheme that imposed exorbitant interest rates on those who bet on sports and coerced them to pay the illegal debts. After 29 months of the sentence, McLain appealed on the grounds of an unfair judgment, and he was released. He then agreed to a five-year probation deal.
Denny McLain was the last Major League pitcher to win 30 or more games in a season, having finished the 1968 season with a record of 31-6.
McLain in 1966 (Wikipedia)
This day in baseball: Ruth takes a pay cut
Posted: March 16, 2021 Filed under: 20th Century, This day in baseball | Tags: Babe Ruth, Baseball, Great Depression, history, Jacob Ruppert, Major League Baseball, MLB, New York Yankees, sports 2 CommentsOn March 16, 1932, Babe Ruth signed a deal for $75,000, a five-thousand dollar pay cut from the previous season and 25 percent of the Yankees net receipts from exhibition games. The pay cut came in large part as a result of the Great Depression. Legend has it the Bambino signed a blank contract, with the amount filled in later by Yankee owner Jacob Ruppert.
This day in baseball: First Cactus League game
Posted: March 8, 2021 Filed under: 20th Century, This day in baseball | Tags: Baseball, Cactus League, Cleveland Indians, Hi Corbett Field, Major League Baseball, MLB, New York Giants, sports, Spring Training Leave a commentThe first-ever spring training game played in Arizona took place on March 8, 1946 at Tucson’s Hi Corbett Field. Bob Lemon led the Indians to victory over the Giants, 3-1, in the inaugural Cactus League contest.
This day in baseball: The Clemens face off
Posted: February 27, 2021 Filed under: 21st Century, This day in baseball | Tags: Baseball, Houston Astros, Koby Clemens, Lexington Legends, Major League Baseball, Minor League Baseball, MLB, Roger Clemens, South Atlantic League, sports 1 CommentIn a minor league exhibition game held on February 27, 2006, 19-year-old Koby Clemens of the Lexington Legends of the South Atlantic League hit a home run off his 43-year-old father, Roger Clemens. In Koby’s next at bat, Roger threw a brushback pitch at Koby in retaliation. The father-son duo would later play another game together in 2006, as the elder Clemens was making his comeback with the Astros and pitched a game for Lexington.
Roger and Koby Clemens (sbnation.com)
This day in baseball: Mathewson and Fuchs purchase the Braves
Posted: February 20, 2021 Filed under: 20th Century, This day in baseball | Tags: Baseball, Boston Braves, Christy Mathewson, Emil Fuchs, history, John McGraw, Major League Baseball, MLB, sports Leave a commentOn February 20, 1923, Christy Mathewson and Giants attorney Emil Fuchs put together a syndicate to buy the Boston Braves for $300,000. Mathewson would become the principal owner and team president. However, the future Hall of Famer’s deteriorating health reduced him little more than a figurehead, and the presidency would be turned over to Fuchs at the end of the season.
Fuchs, John McGraw, and Mathewson (fenwayparkdiaries.com)
This day in baseball: Ken Hubbs passes
Posted: February 13, 2021 Filed under: 20th Century, This day in baseball | Tags: Baseball, Chicago Cubs, history, Ken Hubbs, Major League Baseball, MLB, National League, Rookie of the Year, sports 2 CommentsOn February 13, 1964, Cubs second baseman Ken Hubbs died at the age of 22 when the red and white Cessna 172 plane he was piloting crashed a quarter-mile south of Bird Island in Utah Lake in the midst of a winter storm. Hubbs had taken flying lessons for the previous two off-seasons to overcome his fear of flying, obtaining his license just the previous month. Ken Hubbs had been the1962 NL Rookie of the Year.
Ken Hubbs in 1964 (Wikipedia)
