This day in baseball: Connie Mack retires
Posted: October 18, 2021 Filed under: 20th Century, This day in baseball | Tags: Baseball, Connie Mack, history, Major League Baseball, MLB, Philadelphia Athletics, sports Leave a commentHaving spent over five decades managing in the major leagues, Connie Mack retired as skipper of the Athletics on October 18, 1950. At the age of 87 years old , Mack left the game with the most wins and losses in the game’s history, compiling a 3731-3948 (.486) record during his 50+ years as a manager. At the time of his retirement, Mack stated, “I’m not quitting because I’m getting old, I’m quitting because I think people want me to.”
National Baseball Hall of Fame Library/Major League Baseball/Getty Images
This day in baseball: Mathewson wins Game 1
Posted: October 9, 2021 Filed under: 20th Century, This day in baseball | Tags: Baseball, Christy Mathewson, history, Major League Baseball, MLB, New York Giants, Philadelphia Athletics, sports, World Series Leave a commentChristy Mathewson threw a shutout against Philadelphia in Game 1 of the World Series on October 9, 1905, leading New York to a 3-0 victory. The Giants hurler went on to shutout the Athletics twice more during the Series that year.
ESPN.com
This day in baseball: Reilly hits for the cycle
Posted: September 12, 2021 Filed under: 19th Century, This day in baseball | Tags: American Association, Bank Street Grounds, Baseball, Cincinnati Red Stockings, history, John Reilly, Major League Baseball, MLB, Philadelphia Athletics, Pittsburgh Alleghenys, sports 2 CommentsAt the Bank Street Grounds on September 12, 1883, John Reilly of the Red Stockings hit for the cycle, collecting three singles, a double, a triple, and a home run in Cincinnati’s 27-5 victory over the visiting Pittsburgh Alleghenys. The following week, the 24 year-old first baseman accomplished the feat once again at the same ballpark when the Red Stockings defeated the first-place Philadelphia Athletics, 12-3.
John Reilly (Library of Congress)
This day in baseball: Simmons’s consecutive games record
Posted: July 20, 2021 Filed under: 20th Century, This day in baseball | Tags: Al Simmons, Baseball, Hideki Matsui, history, Major League Baseball, MLB, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Athletics, sports Leave a commentOn July 20, 1926, outfielder Al Simmons of the A’s established an American League record by playing in 394 consecutive games to start his career. The record held until Hideki Matsui played in 518 straight games after signing as a Japanese free agent with the Yankees, surpassing Simmons’s mark in 2005.
Al Simmons, 1937 (Wikipedia)
This day in baseball: Haas walks too many
Posted: June 23, 2021 Filed under: 20th Century, This day in baseball | Tags: Baseball, Bruno Haas, history, Major League Baseball, MLB, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Athletics, sports 4 CommentsOn June 23, 1915, Bruno Haas of the Philadelphia Athletics pitched a complete game against the Yankees at Shibe Park. Haas lost the contest 15-7, however, giving up 16 walks over those 9 innings. It is a post-1900 record for a 9-inning game that stands to this day.
Records for most walks in a game are shown below, courtesy of Baseball Almanac.
This day in baseball: Dinneen’s no-hitters
Posted: May 12, 2021 Filed under: 20th Century, This day in baseball | Tags: Baseball, Bill Dinneen, Boston Pilgrims, Boston Red Sox, Chicago White Sox, Chief Bender, Cleveland Indians, Cleveland Naps, history, Major League Baseball, MLB, Philadelphia Athletics, Shibe Park, sports 2 CommentsOn May 12, 1910, Athletics right-hander Chief Bender threw a 4-0 no-hitter at Shibe Park against the Cleveland Naps (Indians). Bender issued just one walk, spoiling his shot at a perfect game.
The home plate umpire for the game was Bill Dinneen, who tossed a no-hit game of his own against the White Sox while playing with the Pilgrims (Red Sox) on September 27, 1905. This performance by Chief Bender made Dinneen the only person in big league history to both throw a no-hitter and call one as an umpire. Dinneen served as home plate umpire for five total no-hitters in his career as an umpire.
Bill Dinneen (The Sporting News)
This day in baseball: Philadelphia A’s debut in the AL
Posted: April 26, 2021 Filed under: 20th Century, This day in baseball | Tags: American League, Ban Johnson, Baseball, Columbia Park, Connie Mack, Major League Baseball, MLB, Philadelphia Athletics, Washington Senators Leave a commentOn April 26, 1901 at Philadelphia’s Columbia Park, 10,547 fans witnessed Connie Mack’s Philadelphia Athletics making their American League debut, losing to the Senators, 5-1. The Western League had been renamed the American League in 1900 by league president Ban Johnson and declared itself the second major league in 1901. Philadelphia’s new franchise, led by Mack, had been created to compete with the National League’s Philadelphia Phillies.
National Baseball Hall of Fame Library/Major League Baseball/Getty Images
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: 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: Thompson’s MLB debut
Posted: July 17, 2020 Filed under: 20th Century, This day in baseball | Tags: American League, Baseball, Hank Thompson, history, Major League Baseball, MLB, Philadelphia Athletics, sports, St. Louis Browns Leave a commentLess than two weeks after Larry Doby’s debut with the Indians, Hank Thompson became the second black player to debut in the American League on July 17, 1947. In the game, Thompson went 0-for-4 as the Browns suffered a 16-2 loss to Philadelphia at Sportsman’s Park. Thompson would play in only 27 games for St. Louis because his presence did not significantly raise attendance.
Hank Thompson (nlbm.mlbblogs.com)
