July 24

From BR Bullpen


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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 July 24.

[edit] Events

1901:
- In a baseball rarity, the Pittsburgh Pirates score in every inning, a major-league record of course, defeating the Reds 11-2. Deacon Phillippe is the winner over Jesse Tannehill, who will be his teammate next year.
- Milwaukee's Pink Hawley beats Boston, 4-3, and beans C Lou Criger with a pitch. Criger is unconscious for five minutes before being taken away. Ossee Schreckengost moves from 1B to C and Tommy Dowd moves to 1B.
1905 - Giant LF Sam Mertes makes an unassisted double play to help New York stop the Reds, 4-3, at the Polo Grounds. In the 2nd inning, the Reds have one out and a runner on 3rd, outfielder Cy Seymour, once a pitcher for the Giants. Mertes catches a short fly off the bat of George Schlei and continues running to double off Cy.
1911:
- Rochester and Newark of the Eastern League play a doubleheader in two hours, 32 minutes.
- An AL All-Star team plays the Naps in Cleveland, raising $12,914 for the late Addie Joss's family. The All-Stars win 5-3. Joe Wood and Walter Johnson pitch for the All-Stars, while Cy Young twirls for the Naps.
- At Pittsburgh, Owen Wilson legs out three triples against Brooklyn.
1915 - In the 9th inning of game two of a twinbill with Cleveland, the A's Nap Lajoie lines into a triple play against Sam Jones to end the game.
1916 - In Toronto, the Red Sox play a 5-5 exhibition tie with the Toronto Maple Leafs. With Canada at war in Europe, two Sox players of German extraction react to possible fan reaction; 1B Dick Hoblitzel sits out the game while Heinie Wagner plays under the name Richardson.
1926 - Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth demonstrate that power hitting is not the only thing they can do when Lou scores on a double steal with the Babe in a victory over the White Sox. They had pulled the same double steal against the Red Sox on April 13th.
1929 - The Cubs regain the NL lead; a 9-game winning streak gives them a four 1/2 game lead.
1930 - The Phillies' Chuck Klein objects sharply to an eighth-inning strike call by umpire Lou Jorda and is banished for the first time in his career. Also ejected are manager Burt Shotton, captain Fresco Thompson and 1B Don Hurst. It is necessary to use 42-year-old Cy Williams in RF in the ninth, the only inning of play Klein will miss in 1930.
1931 - For the second time in ten days, Babe Herman hits the cycle. The Dodger outfielder is one of only three men to hit for the cycle three times. The Robins still lose to Pittsburgh, 8-7.
1933 - Frank Frisch is appointed manager of the St. Louis Cardinals, replacing Gabby Street.
1934 - Yankee CF Earle Combs crashes into the wall at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis and suffers a fractured skull. New York calls up George Selkirk but learns he broke his arm the same day playing for Newark.
1939 - The Detroit Tigers release oft-injured Dixie Walker. He signs with Brooklyn, with whom he will have his most productive year.
1948:
- Five members of the Duluth club in the Northern League are killed, and 13 are injured in a bus-truck crash near St. Paul. The injured include Mel McGaha, future National League manager, and Elmer Schoendienst, brother of the Cardinal infielder, Red Schoendienst.
- Six days after hitting four home runs in one game, White Sox outfielder Pat Seerey again makes the record book, becoming the first major leaguer to strike out seven times in a doubleheader.
1949 - The Cards trounce the Dodgers 14-1. This win gives St. Louis 3 straight victories at Ebbets Field, as they take over the lead Brooklyn has held through most of the season.
1950 - At the annual Hall of Fame Game in Cooperstown, the Red Sox beat the Giants, 8-5. Dick Littlefield goes all the way for Boston.
1953 - The Red Sox sweep the Browns as both Boston pitchers, Mickey McDermott and Bill Henry, hurl shutouts.
1954 - After Casey Stengel pulls Phil Rizzuto in the eighth for a pinch-hitter, he brings in Mickey Mantle again at SS. Mantle plays SS with Willie Miranda at 2B against left-handed hitters. Against righties, Miranda and Mantle switch positions. Cleveland wins 5-4 to go 2 1/2 games up on New York.
1956 - New York City Mayor Robert Wagner appoints Charles J. Mylod as chairman and R. E. Blum and C. A. Allen as members of the newly created Brooklyn Sports Center Authority. He reveals plans for a 50,000-seat stadium bounded by Warren Street and Fourth, Flatbush and Fifth Avenues. Robert Moses prefers a different Brooklyn site.
1958 - Ted Williams is fined $250 for spitting at the Boston fans again.
1959 - As a prelude to the IL game between the Havana Sugar Kings and visiting Rochester Red Wings, Fidel Castro pitches two innings for his pickup team Los Barbudos against a Military Police squad. Castro pitches both innings, strikes out two batters with the aid of some friendly calls, and ground outs to short. This well-photographed event is El Jefe's only mound appearance outside of intramural college baseball, according to Cuban baseball expert Peter Bjarkman.
1960 - Chicago's 3rd straight win at Yankee Stadium and 8th straight overall, 6-3, behind Billy Pierce, gives the Sox a 2-game lead atop the American League. Eli Grba beats Herb Score 8-2 in the 2nd game to give New York a twin-bill split.
1961:
- In an unusual mid-season exhibition match at Yankee Stadium, the San Francisco Giants beat their former cross-town rivals, 4-1. Mickey Mantle's homer accounts for the only Bronx Bombers run and Willie Mays has two RBIs for the visiting "Jints". 50,000 fans are on hand.
- Boston OF Jackie Jensen's fear of flying gets the best of him and he refuses to fly to Los Angeles. The Sox say they will not pay him for games he misses because of the flying fear.
- At Kansas City, Detroit P Frank Lary collides with rookie 3B Steve Boros, and both players leave the game with injuries. Lary does not miss a start but Boros's collarbone is broken and he will not return. He has 53 RBIs to date.
1963 - The A's sweep a pair at Fenway, winning 5-2 and 7-6. Ken Harrelson homers over the Red Sox bullpen in right CF, a rare feat for RH hitter.
1964 - Hank Aguirre gives up five runs on three homers to New York in the first four innings, but the Tigers overcome a 5-2 deficit to win 10-5.
1965 - At the Astrodome, Reds pitcher Joe Nuxhall loses his no-hitter when Bob Lillis singles in the 8th inning. Nuxhall finishes with a 2-0 one-hitter.
1966 - The Yankees beat the Angels, 9-1, in game one, and Mickey Mantle hits his 2nd homer in two days. The round-tripper, his 493rd, ties him with Lou Gehrig for 6th place on the all-time list.
1967 - Chicago's 3-1 win at St. Louis puts the Cards and Cubs even atop the National League.
1968:
- Hoyt Wilhelm's 907th game breaks Cy Young's record for ML pitching appearances, but he loses a 2-1 decision to Oakland.
- Don Drysdale walks two batters in the 5th, hits Ron Brand with a pitch and then plunks opposing pitcher Don Wilson with an off-speed pitch to force in a run. Houston wins, 1-0.
1969 - At Wrigley, Ken Holtzman tops Don Sutton for the 4th straight time - three this year - as Chicago beats the Dodgers, 5-3. For a frustrated Sutton, it is a Cubs-record 13th straight loss to Chicago stretching back to his rookie year.
1970:
- For the 4th time in his career, Billy Williams has the only hit(s) for the Cubs, as he connects safely twice against the Braves' Phil Niekro. Each time previously, Williams also had multiple hit games to spoil no-hitters. Niekro coasts to a 9-0 victory over Fergie Jenkins.
- At Pittsburgh on Roberto Clemente night, Roberto Clemente gets a pair of hits but leaves after suffering a cut left knee making a sliding catch on the gravel warning track. Dock Ellis goes all the way allowing four hits as the Pirates trounce the Astros, 11-0.
- Hall beats Hall as the Orioles reliever Dick Hall tops the Twins' Tom Hall, 6 - 5. Dick singles in the 8th for his first hit of the year and Don Buford follows with a game-winning home run.
- Chicago's Bill Melton ties the major-league record by striking out seven times in a doubleheader split with Detroit. Melton will strike out his first three times up in his next game, in Baltimore on the 28th, before flying out in the 9th. The Sox win the opener today, 5-2 with six straight singles and five runs in the 9th. The Tigers win the nitecap, 5 - 4, in the 9th when Don Wert draws a walk from Wilbur Wood with the sacks full.
- In a surprise move, the Mets' Tommie Agee steals home with the bases loaded in the 10th to give the Mets a 2-1 win over the visiting Dodgers. Agee bunted and reached base on an error, stole 2B with two outs and went to 3B on the throw. After two walks he took home to pin the loss on Jim Brewer.
1973 - Although not selected, Willie Mays appears in the All-Star game thanks to Commissioner Bowie Kuhn increasing the player limit so the 'Say Hey Kid' could participate in the Mid-summer classic. Mays strikes out in his final All-Star appearance. The National League wins, 7-1. A record 54 players are used, including Catfish Hunter, who sustains a fractured thumb that will sideline him for four weeks. The A's ace has a 15-3 record at the time.
1974 - Cubs manager Whitey Lockman steps aside to become director of player development and is replaced by 3B coach Jim Marshall. The Cubs will still finish last.
1975 - The Royals fire manager Jack McKeon, hiring Whitey Herzog to replace him.
1976 - At Comiskey, the Twins roll over the White Sox, 17-2. Lyman Bostock is 4-for-4, hitting for the cycle.
1977 - Seattle's John Montague pitches six 2/3 innings of perfect relief against California, giving him 33 consecutive batsmen retired over two games to tie the American League record. But California wins, 3-1.
1978:
- Pete Rose Sr. singles twice, the first time off Pat Zachry, during the Reds' 5-3 win over the Mets, extending his hitting streak to 37 games to tie the modern major-league record held by Tommy Holmes. Zachry kicks the dugout steps in anger, breaking his foot and ending his season.
- In Kansas City, a sobbing Billy Martin reads a prepared statement in which he resigns as the Yankee manager. Dick Howser will fill in that night as the Yanks lose 5-2.
1979:
- Going deep off A's hurler Mike Morgan at Fenway Park, Red Sox first baseman Carl Yastrzemski becomes the 18th major leaguer and seventh in the American League to hit 400 home runs. 'Captain Carl' will end his 23-year career with 452 homers.
- In the first game of a doubleheader, Seattle C Bob Stinson ties a major-league record by allowing two Baltimore batters to reach base on catcher's interference. The Birds win, 7-6, then complete the sweep, 11-3.
- In Pittsburgh, a 4th-inning call results in a 34-minute rhubarb during the Pirates-Reds game. With Buc runners on 1st and 3rd, a 3-1 pitch to Omar Moreno is called a ball, but Johnny Bench throws to 2B ahead of the runner from 1B, Lee Lacy, who is attempting to steal. Lacy is called out by Dick Stello even though Moreno has just received a walk (therefore entitling Lacy to 2B), and walks off the bag. He is then tagged out by Dave Concepcion, precipitating the argument. The subsequent protest is rejected by National League president Feeney, and the Pirates' 6-5 loss is upheld.
1980 - Hours after signing a new 5-year contract that will boost his salary to $1 million per year, Kansas City's George Brett goes 2-for-4 in a 12-4 win over Chicago to raise his batting average to .379. The Royals lead 2nd-place Texas by 11 games in the American League West.
1983 - In the memorable "Pine Tar Game" at Yankee Stadium, George Brett hits an apparent 2-run home run off Rich Gossage to give the Kansas City Royals a 5 - 4 lead with two outs in the 9th inning, only to have it taken away when Yankees manager Billy Martin, at the urging of coach Don Zimmer, points out that the pine tar on Brett's bat handle exceeds the 17 inches allowed in the rules. As a result, Brett is called out for illegally batting the ball, giving New York a 4 - 3 victory. Brett goes ballistic and the Royals immediately protest, and American League President Lee MacPhail overrules his umpires for the first time saying that, while the rules should certainly be rewritten and clarified, the home run will stand and the game will be resumed from that point on August 18th.
1988 - The New York Mets retire number 41 for pitcher Tom Seaver in pre-game ceremonies at Shea Stadium. The Mets lose to the Braves, 4-2.
1990 - Who needs a pickoff motion? Atlanta pitcher Charlie Leibrandt picks off Craig Biggio by beating him back to 1B. Hough wins the game, 9-3. Atlanta takes the nitecap from Houston scoring in the 8th and 9th to win, 9-8.
1991:
- Recently recalled 1B Brian Hunter of the Braves hits a home run in Atlanta's 7-4 loss to Pittsburgh while his former minor league team, the Richmond Braves, is finishing a suspended game against Pawtucket. Hunter had homered in that game before it was called, giving him round-trippers in the major and minor leagues on the same day.
- In a game against the Mariners, the Yankees score three runs on a ground ball hit back to the pitcher. With runners on 2nd and 3rd and one out in the 4th, Pat Kelly hits a comebacker to Erik Hanson. The Seattle hurler traps Kevin Maas in a rundown between 3rd and home, but Maas scores when 3B Edgar Martinez's throw hits him in the back. The ball rolls up the 1st base line in foul territory where it is recovered by C Dave Cochrane. Cochrane throws home to head off Alvaro Espinoza who is also attempting to score. The throw goes into the Mariners' dugout allowing Espinoza and Kelly to cross the plate with the 2nd and 3rd runs.
1992:
- Minnesota P Scott Erickson hurls a 1-hit, 5-0 victory over the Red Sox in the 1st game of a DH. Tom Brunansky's single is the only hit. Roger Clemens takes the loss. Boston wins the nitecap, 5-4, scoring a run with one out in the 9th.
- Commissioner Fay Vincent announces that George Steinbrenner can resume active control of the Yankees on March 1, 1993.
1993 - The Mets are defeated by the Dodgers, 5-4, as Anthony Young loses his major league record 27th straight decision by walking in the winning run in the 10th inning. Following the game, Mets OF Vince Coleman tosses a firecracker from his car, injuring two youngsters and a woman. Coleman will be charged with a felony.
1994 - The Expos defeat the Dodgers, 7-4, as OF Rondell White drives home all seven runs for Montreal. White strokes two singles, a double, and a home run in five ABs, as the Expos maintain their one 1/2 game lead over Atlanta in the National League East.
1995:
- Colorado defeats Philadelphia by a score of 11-3. Two of the Phillies' runs score on a pinch-hitter home run by P Omar Olivares in the 5th inning. Olivares is the 1st pitcher to hit a pinch homer since 1990.
- The Red Sox obtain IF Dave Hollins from the Phillies for the well-traveled Mark Whiten.
1997 - Brad Radke (13-5, 3.68 ERA) allows the Athletics\\ just five hits Sunday, striking out 10 and walking no one in a 1-0 victory. That was the gem of what has been a masterful stretch. Radke is tied for second in the American League in wins (Roger Clemens]] has 16) and his 149 1/3 innings are sixth most in the league.
1998:
- Trailing Florida, 3-1, in the bottom half of the 9th, the Phillies get a 2-outs, 2-run, pinch-hit home run from Mark Lewis to send the game into extra innings. Each team scores a single run in the 10th, then again in the 11th. The Marlins plate another in the top of the 12th to take a 6 - 5 lead, but the Phils get two in their half to finally win, 7 - 6.
- The Indians trade P Eric Plunk to the Brewers in exchange for P Doug Jones.
1999:
- The Yankees pound the Indians, 21-1. The Bronx Bombers are led by DH Chili Davis, who bangs out five hits, including a double and homer, while driving home six runs.
- The Giants obtain P Livan Hernandez from the Marlins in exchange for minor league Ps Jason Grilli and Nate Bump.
- The Red Sox defeat the Tigers, 11-4, as OF Trot Nixon blasts three home runs and drives home five runs. Boston collects seven home runs, one shy of the club record.
2000 - The Angels defeat the Rangers, 6-5, in 12 innings. Texas also loses C Ivan Rodriguez (.347, 27 HR), who breaks his thumb on Mo Vaughn's bat while attempting to throw out a runner. He will miss the remainder of the season. Angels OF Darin Erstad ties the AL mark for extra-inning game with 12 putouts by a left fielder, last tied by Rickey Henderson, in 1988.
2001:
- The Rangers send 1B Andres Galarraga to the Giants for minor leaguer OF Chris Magruder, P Erasmo Ramirez and P Todd Ozias.
- The Brewers lose their 11th in a row as the Dodgers whip them, 7 - 2. Shawn Green and Gary Sheffield homer in the 6-run 5th inning.
- The Yankees edge the Tigers, 6-5, despite an 8th inning moon shot by Detroit's Juan Encarnacion, off Ramiro Mendoza, that lands in the 2nd row of the empty blue bleacher seats in left CF. It is believed to be the first ball hit into that area since Yankee Stadium was remodeled in 1976.
- David Cone runs his record to 6-1 as the Red Sox get past the visiting Blue Jays, 6-4. The Sox have won the last 10 games that Cone has started.
- In a 3-way deal, the A's obtain OF Jermaine Dye from the Royals, the Royals get SS Neifi Perez from the Rockies, and the Rockies get 2B Jose Ortiz, OF Mario Encarnacion and P Todd Belitz from the A's.
2002:
- Damian Moss allows only a single safety in seven innings as the Braves hold the Marlins to that one hit in a 10-0 victory. Derrek Lee's leadoff single in the 5th inning is Florida's only hit.
- The Tigers shut out the Royals, 3-0, in one hour and 41 minutes -- the fastest 9-inning game in the major leagues since 1984.
- Blue Jays veteran catcher Darrin Fletcher retires. Tom Wilson, with 68 ML games, is now the Jays' most experienced backstop.
- Oakland defeats Anaheim, 5-1, as Miguel Tejada hits his 22nd home run of the season. It is the 117th round-tripper of his career, breaking Eddie Joost's career record for an Athletic SS.
2004 - Another saga is added to the Red Sox-Yankee rivalry as a bench-clearing brawl breaks out after Red Sox starter Bronson Arroyo hits Alex Rodriguez, who hit last night's game-winning home run, with a pitch. As A-Rod stares out at the mound on his way to first, Boston's catcher Jason Varitek, after a verbal exchange, pushes the All-Star third baseman in the face causing a series of fights with players in both team's dugouts and bull pens involved.
2007 - Astros legend Craig Biggio announces that he will retire at the end of the season. Biggio, who finishes his career as the modern day record-holder for most times hit by a pitch, is Houston's career leader in several categories, including games played, hits and runs scored.
2008 - The Brewers set a franchise record with home runs in 20 consecutive games when Ryan Braun hits a 2-run shot in the 9th to complete a rally for a 4-3 win over the Cardinals. Braun has now reached in nine straight plate appearances.