Tag: sports

This day in baseball: Walter Johnson and Lefty Williams go 18 innings

May 15, 2026

On May 15, 1918, the Washington Senators defeated the Chicago White Sox, 1–0, at Griffith Stadium in Washington, D.C. in an undeniably impressive pitching duel. Despite recording eighteen innings, the contest only lasted 2 hours and 47 minutes as Walter Johnson and Lefty Williams both went the distance in this game. Washington won the game in the bottom of the 18th, when Eddie Ainsworth scored the winning run on a wild pitch.

Walter Johnson, 1910 (Charles Conlon/public domain)

Quote of the day

May 6, 2026

I know what my job is. I know what I’ve got to do. I’ve got to keep getting better.

~Andruw Jones

Andruw Jones’s number 25 was retired by the Atlanta Braves in 2023 (public domain)

This day in baseball: Monday saves the U.S. flag

April 25, 2026

On April 25, 1976, in a moment that remains iconic to this day, Cubs center fielder Rick Monday rescued the American flag from two protestors who tried to set it on fire in the outfield at Dodger Stadium.  In the bottom of the fourth inning, Monday dashed over and seized the flag from the pair while the crowd cheered. Monday ran through the outfield with the flag and, while walking towards the Dodgers dugout, he handed the flag over to Dodgers pitcher Doug Rau. When Monday came to bat in the top half of the fifth inning, he received a standing ovation and the scoreboard flashed the message, “Rick Monday… You Made A Great Play…”

Rick Monday, 1976 (National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum)