BB On this Date ~ Events & Birthdays #2

7/1
BIRTHDAYS
1857 Roger Connor Hall of Fame 1st baseman (career HR record 138 stood for 23 years; NL batting champion 1885; NL RBI leader 1889; NY Giants), born in Waterbury, Connecticut (d. 1931)


1861 John Clarkson HOF pitcher (Triple Crown 1889; no-hitter 1885; 3 × NL wins leader; 3 × NL strikeout leader; Chicago White Stockings, Boston Beaneaters), born in Cambridge, Massachusetts (d. 1909)


1888 Ben Taylor Hall of Fame 1st baseman (Indianapolis ABCs) and manager (Washington Potomacs, Baltimore Black Sox), born in Anderson, South Carolina (d. 1953)


1916 Bob Prince sportscaster (Pittsburgh Pirates), born in Los Angeles, California (d. 1985)


1956 Brian Sabean MLB executive (San Francisco Giants World Series 2010, 2012, 2014), born in Concord, New Hampshire

1985 Chris Perez reliever (All Star 2011-12), born in Bradenton, Florida


1986 Charlie Blackmon outfielder (NL Batting champion 2017), born in Dallas, Texas
1991 Michael Wacha pitcher (All Star 2015), born in Iowa City, Iowa
1992 Aaron Sanchez pitcher (All Star 2016), born in Barstow, California

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FROM MLB's This Day in Baseball History+​

1859 In the first college baseball game ever played, Amherst defeats their archrival, Williams College, 73-32 (66-32 by some reports). The game, played under Massachusetts rules (a square field with no foul territory), takes place near the corner of North Street and Maplewood Avenue in Pittsfield, Massachusetts.

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1902 En route to a 2-0 victory over Baltimore, left-handed hurler Rube Wadell, playing in his first game for Connie Mack's A's, faces the minimum 27 batters, striking out 13 in the Oriole Park contest. In the sixth frame, the 25-year-old Philadelphia southpaw becomes the first American League pitcher to toss an immaculate inning when he fans Billy Gilbert, Harry Howell, and Jack Cronin on nine consecutive pitches.

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1903 At Chicago's South Side Park, Cy Young drives in the contest's lone run with a tenth-inning double, scoring Hobe Ferris. The shutout, his fourth consecutive complete game without allowing a run, is the Boston American right-hander's third 1-0 victory in nine days.

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1910 In front of a full house, the Browns spoil the White Sox debut at Comiskey Park when Barney Pelty beats Ed Walsh and the hometown team, 2-0. The new ballpark, initially called White Sox Park for three years and later renamed for White Sox founder and owner Charles Comiskey, replaces an obsolete wooden South Side Park that had served as the home for the Pale Hose since 1901.

1914 Henry Kingman becomes the first person born in China to play in a major league game when he pinch-hits in the Yankees' 7-4 loss to the Senators at Griffith Stadium. The 22-year-old first baseman, born in Tientsin to missionary parents, will appear in four games, playing the field in only one contest.

1916 The 42-year and four-month-old Pirates shortstop Honus Wagner becomes the oldest player to hit an inside-the-park home when he goes deep in the fourth inning off Reds' right-hander Elmer Knetzer in the team's 2-1 victory at Cincinnati's Redland Field. The round-tripper will be the Flying Dutchman's last four-bagger of his storied career, finishing with a total of 101, including 41 inside-the-parkers, hit during his 21-year tenure in the major leagues.

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1920 Leaving Robison Field in midseason, the Cardinals play their first game as the home team at Sportsman's Park, which serves as the American League's St. Louis Browns' ballpark, bowing to the Pirates, 6-2. After signing a ten-year lease for $20,000 annually with Browns' president Phil Ball, the team moves six blocks to play its home games in a modern ballpark.

1920 At Fenway Park, Walter Johnson pitches the season's only no-hitter, defeating the Red Sox, 1-0. In the seventh inning, Bucky Harris boots Harry Hooper's grounder for an error, ruining the Big Train's bid for a perfect game, but it's the Senators' second baseman's two-out single in the bottom of the frame which drives in the game's lone run.

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1920 At Cincinnati's Redland Field, Reds' right-hander Fred Toney goes the distance in both ends of a twin bill, defeating the Pirates 4-1 and 5-1. The 28-year-old Nashville native's two three-hitters set the mark for the fewest hits given up in a doubleheader by a pitcher.

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1934 Bill Terry leads all vote-getters in All-Star balloting, with Babe Ruth of the Yankees getting the most votes in the American League. The Giants' first baseman will also be the skipper of the National League team.

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1934 St. Louis defeats Cincinnati, 8-6, in an 18-inning game that features both starting pitchers, Redbird right-hander Dizzy Dean and Reds southpaw Tony Freitas, throwing the first 17 frames for their teams in the Crosley Field contest. After the Cardinals tally two runs on three hits off Paul Derringer in the top of the final frame, the home team fails to score with the bases loaded, ending the four-hour and twenty-eight-minute marathon.

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1941 The WNBT broadcast of the Dodgers' 6-4 loss to the Phillies at Ebbets Field features television's first commercial. The station, formerly known as W2XBS, airs a one-minute spot before the first pitch promoting Bulova that consists of a static image of a watch with the company's name.

1941 In a rain-shortened nightcap against the Red Sox, Joe DiMaggio ties Wee Willie Keeler's 1897 major league record consecutive game hit streak of 44 with the help of a difficult decision by the official scorer. Red Sox third baseman Jim Tabor makes a poor throw, but the 'Yankee Clipper' is given a hit by Dan Daniel of the New York World-Telegram.

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1943 Although the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League will not have an All-Star Game until 1946, two teams, one composed of South Bend Blue Sox and Rockford Peaches, and the other from the Kenosha Comets and Racine Belles, put on an exhibition game. The AAGPBL contest is the first night game ever played in the historic Chicago ballpark at Wrigley Field.

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1943 To save newsprint, the Sporting News begins using a tabloid format. "The Bible of Baseball," established in 1886, became the dominant voice and major source of information for serious fans of the national pastime.

1945 Absent from the game for the longest tenure by any major leaguer, Hank Greenberg, the first player in the American League to register for the peacetime draft in 1940 in the U.S. Army, makes a dramatic return after forty-seven months, homering in his first game back from the Armed Forces. 'Hammerin Hank's round-tripper helps the first-place Tigers beat the A's at Briggs Stadium, 9-5, in front of an emotional crowd of 47,700 fans.

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1950 Eddye Ford's Yankee debut is less than impressive when he gives up five runs on seven hits and walks six in 4.2 innings of relief against the Red Sox at Fenway Park. The 21-year-old lefty Queens' native, better known as Whitey, becomes the winningest pitcher in franchise history, posting a 236-106 record during his 16 seasons with the team.

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1951 Joining Larry Corcoran and Cy Young, Indian right-hander Bob Feller becomes the third pitcher in major league history to pitch three career no-hitters when he defeats the Tigers, 2-1. Detroit scores its run in the fourth frame on an error, a stolen base, an errant pick-off throw, and a sac fly.

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1953 Mel Parnell wins his 100th career game when Boston blanks the Bronx Bombers at Yankee Stadium, 4-0. Joining Cy Young, Joe Wood, Lefty Grove, and Joe Dobson, the southpaw from New Orleans becomes the fifth Red Sox hurler in franchise history to reach the milestone.

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1957 At Memorial Stadium, Orioles' pitcher George Zuverink and catcher Frank Zupo form the first 'Z' battery in major league history. Both Zees enter the Yankee Stadium contest in the tenth and final inning of the Bronx Bombers' 3-2 victory over Baltimore.

1958 At Wrigley Field, Cubs relievers trick San Francisco's outfielder Leon Wagner into looking under the bullpen bench for Tony Taylor's ball, which is in play, instead of a rain gutter 45 feet away from where the ball landed. In the meantime, the batter scurries around the bases for an inside-the-park home run when the rookie cannot find the ball.

 

1960 H. Gabriel Murphy's option of first refusal to buy the Senators from current owner Calvin Griffith expires. The chief minority stockholder, to stop the club from moving to the Minneapolis/St. Paul area to become the Twins will lose two court decisions, preventing him from keeping the team in Washington, D.C.

1962 In the second game of a doubleheader sweep of the Indians, the White Sox become the first team in major league history to record three run-scoring sacrifice flies in one inning. Three fly balls hit by Juan Pizarro, Nellie Fox, and Al Smith to Gene Green, two of which are dropped by the Cleveland right fielder, set up the unprecedented occurrence.

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1964 Five thousand cabbies and their families are at Yankee Stadium to celebrate 'Taxi Day' at the Bronx ballpark. Billy Bryan's 11th-inning solo home run is the decisive blow in Kansas City's 5-4 Wednesday afternoon victory.

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1966 Woody Fryman faces the minimum 27 batters in the Pirates' 12-0 rout of the Mets at Shea Stadium. New York leadoff hitter Ron Hunt singled to center to start the bottom of the first inning but was tagged out trying to swipe second base.

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1968 Bob Gibson's scoreless inning streak ends abruptly at 47 when a wild pitch allows Len Gabrielson to score in the first inning of the Cardinals' 5-1 victory over the Dodgers at Chavez Ravine. The Redbird right-hander, who will blank San Francisco in his next start, would have been within three innings of breaking the mark of 58 scoreless frames established in June by Don Drysdale, tonight's losing pitcher.

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1982 With their 6-2 victory over the Orioles at Memorial Stadium, the Indians complete their first series sweep of the Birds in Baltimore in 14 years. Von Hayes' first-inning three-run homer paces the Tribe's attack, with Len Barker (9-3) picking up the victory.

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1982 Mark Fidrych, attempting to return to the majors, and Dave Righetti, the AL Rookie of the Year, sent down by the Yankees to Triple-A Columbus after a slow start in his sophomore season, match up in one of the most memorable minor league games ever played. The chanting and cheering overflow crowd at McCoy Stadium, of 9,389, packed into the ballpark designed to accommodate 5,800 fans, vocally displays their support for the 'Bird' throughout the game and becomes delirious when he strikes out Butch Hobson for the final out in his improbable complete-game 7-5 victory.

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1982 Considered a questionable decision due to his height, Cal Ripken is moved from third base to shortstop by Oriole manager Earl Weaver. The 6'4" future Hall of Famer takes over the job from veteran 6'1" infielder Mark Belanger, an eight-time Gold Glover.

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1984 Paul Splittorff announces his retirement from baseball. The 37-year-old southpaw, who be an analyst on pregame and postgame shows for KMBZ radio, leaves the Royals as the all-time leader in victories/losses (166/144), innings (2,554.2), and games started (392).

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1990 As Comiskey Park celebrates its 80th birthday, Yankee hurler Andy Hawkins throws a no-hitter against the White Sox but loses the game, 4-0. The right-hander is not credited with an official no-hitter because the home team doesn't need to bat in the bottom of the ninth.

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1991 During a 14-7 Orioles rout of the Angels, the teams tie a major league record, slugging 11 home runs during the Memorial Stadium contest. O's starter Mike Mussina gives up all Halos' round-trippers, tying Jim Palmer's club record of giving up five gophers in an outing.

1997 Collecting his 26th save in 27 chances this season, Randy Myers records the 300th save of his career when he strikes out the side in the Orioles' 4-1 win over Philadelphia at Camden Yards. The 34-year-old closer, finishing with 347 saves during his 19 years in the major leagues with six different teams, is the ninth reliever and the second southpaw in the game's history to reach the milestone.

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1997 After hitting a bouncer down the Astrodome's first-base line, Tim Bogar comes all the way around to score when Manny Ramirez doesn't play the ball after it comes to a stop under the bullpen bench. The Indians outfielder, unaware of the park's ground rules, begins signaling to the umpire that the ball is out of play as the Astros infielder circles the bases for an easy inside-the-park home run.

 

2000 On the country's 133rd birthday, a Canada Day pitching matchup features a pair of Canadian starters. At Montreal's Olympic Stadium, Marlins right-hander Ryan Dempster, a native of British Columbia, defeats Mike Johnson of Edmonton and the Expos, 6-5.

2000 Whitey Herzog, the winningest manager in the franchise's history with 410 victories during his five years at the helm, and Willie Wilson, a speedy outfielder who was an offensive spark plug for the team, become members of the Kansas City Royals Hall of Fame. They are the 17th and 18th individuals to be honored by the club since inductions began in 1986.

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2000 BARK, Baseball Aquatic Retrieval Korps, debuts at Pac Bell. Six Portuguese water dogs will be used to retrieve Splashdown home runs hit by the Giants and their opponents, which land in McCovey's Cove.

2003 After spending a disappointing season and a half in New York, the Mets trade Roberto Alomar with cash to the White Sox for prospect Andrew Salvo, right-hander Edwin Almonte, and southpaw Royce Ring. The 12-time Gold Glove second baseman's funk continues in the American League when the former All-Star infielder hits just .253 with Chicago.

2003 After being activated from the disabled list by the Dodgers, first baseman Fred McGriff bats cleanup and goes 2-for-4, including a double, in the team's 7-1 loss to the Padres at Chavez Ravine. The Crime Dog's trip to the DL was his first during 18 years in the big leagues.

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2003 Just a few hours after obtaining Roberto Alomar from the Mets, the White Sox acquire outfielder Carl Everett (.274, 18, 51) from the Rangers. Texas will pick two or three players from a Chicago minor league pool, and the team will also give money to help pay part of the former outfielder's $9.15 million deal.

2003 The Marlins set a franchise mark for runs scored and tie a team record with 25 hits, with Miguel Cabrera, Ivan Rodriguez, and Luis Castillo collecting four each. The celebration of Florida's 20-1 victory over the Braves is subdued when a photographer needs to be airlifted to a hospital due to an injury caused by Darren Bragg's bat flying into the stands.

2005 After walking 2,100 miles from Camp Verde (AZ) to reach Wrigley Field, Bill Holden throws the ceremonial first pitch at the Nationals-Cubs game and leads the crowd in singing Take Me Out to the Ballgame during the seventh-inning stretch. Inspired by the documentary, This Old Cub, about Ron Santo, who lost his legs to diabetes, the 56-year-old school teacher, with two bad knees, pounded the pavement for 172 days during his Walk the Walk campaign raising $250,000 for juvenile diabetes research.

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2007 During a seven-game winning streak, Mariners' manager Mike Hargrove unexpectedly resigns. A personality difference between the skipper of the second-place Seattle club and the team's superstar Ichiro Suzuki appears to be the actual reason for the sudden departure.

2008 In the shortest nine-inning game in the history of Coors Field, Aaron Cook throws only 79 pitches in the one-hour, 58-minute contest. The right-hander's five-hitter snaps the Rockies' eight-game losing streak with the 4-0 victory over the visiting Padres.

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2009 Jonathan Papelbon, in the Red Sox' 6-5 victory at Camden Yards, retires the Baltimore batters in order in the 11th inning to become the franchise's all-time leader in saves. The 28-year-old closer, surpassing Bob Stanley for the club record, has compiled 133 saves during his four years with the club.

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2010 The first-place Rangers acquire catcher Bengie Molina and cash from the Giants for reliever Chris Ray and a minor league right-hander, Michael Main. Texas' acquisition of the veteran backstop fills the void created by the off-season loss of Pudge Rodriguez to Washington and the inconsistent play of Jarrod Saltalamacchia.

2010 On an interim basis, Kirk Gibson, the team's bench coach, is promoted to be the Diamondbacks' manager, replacing A.J. Hinch, who piloted the team to an 89-123 record in a little more than a full season in the dugout. In addition to letting go of their manager, the last-place team also fires general manager Josh Byrnes.

2011 In the seventh inning of a 5-0 interleague victory of the Angels in Anaheim, Dee Gordon steals second and third base and then completes the stolen base cycle by swiping home. The Dodger shortstop becomes the 40th major leaguer to accomplish the trifecta in the same frame.

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2011 The Mets pay Bobby Bonilla $1,193,248.20 and will do so every July 1st through 2035 when the former player will turn 72. The team's management agreed to buy out the remaining $5.9 million on the contract, opting to make annual payments of nearly $1.2 million for 25 years, including 8% interest, believing significant funds were available due to their investments with Bernie Madoff, that turned out to be a Ponzi scheme.

2013 With a moment of silence before the game at Citi Field, the Mets and Diamondbacks honor the 19 firefighters who died battling a wildfire in Yarnell, Arizona. Additionally, each team hangs a jersey with the word Yarnell stitched on the back above the number 19 in their respective dugouts.

2014 Rick Porcello becomes the fourth pitcher in Tiger history, and the first since Dizzy Trout in 1944, to throw a shutout without issuing a walk or registering a strikeout when he blanks Oakland, 3-0. The Detroit right-hander, who records 17 groundball outs and 10 in the air in his 95-pitch outing, is the first major league hurler to accomplish the rare feat since Jeff Ballard's August 21, 1989 performance for Baltimore.

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2016 The Indians win their 14th consecutive game, establishing the team's longest winning streak in franchise history when they beat the Blue Jays, 2-1, in a 19-inning marathon played at Toronto's Rogers Centre. Next season, the Tribe will shatter their club mark and set an American League record with 22 consecutive victories.

2016 The first co-ed pro team in nearly 20 years takes the field when 17-year-old outfielder Kelsie Whitmore and 25-year-old pitcher Stacy Piagno play for the Sonoma Stompers against the San Rafael Pacifics in front of an enthusiastic and supportive sellout crowd at Arnold Field. The two former members of the USA women's baseball squad are the first females to play in a professional game since Ila Borders pitched for the St. Paul Saints in the independent Northern League in 1997.

2019 MLB cancels tonight's scheduled Angels' game against the Rangers after police officers find Tyler Skaggs unresponsive in the team's hotel. Authorities do not suspect suicide or foul play as the cause of the 27-year-old's left-hander death.
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7/2
BIRTHDAYS
1927 Charlie White catcher (Philadelphia Stars; Milwaukee Braves), born in Kinston, North Carolina (d. 1998)


1937 Dick Berardino


1953 Tony Armas

1964 Joe Magrane nicknamed "Maddog" (St. Louis Cardinals), born in Des Moines, Iowa


1964 José Canseco Cuban-American MLB outfielder and designated hitter (AL MVP 1988), born in Havana, Cuba


1964 Ozzie Canseco

1974 Sean Casey

1981 Angel Pagán

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FROM MLB's This Day in Baseball History+​

1869 In front of 2,000 spectators at Case Commons, the Forest Citys, a team including unpaid amateur players who do not want compensation to remain 'pure,' play the first professional baseball game in Cleveland, losing to the Cincinnati Red Stockings, 25-6. The club will continue to play next season, becoming a charter member of the National Association of Professional Baseball Players in 1871.

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1903 Hall-Of-Famer Ed Delahanty, who once hit four homers in one game, goes over a Niagara Falls railroad bridge and drowns. The circumstances of the Senator outfielder's death will remain a mystery, but rumors persist he was kicked off a train by a conductor for being drunk and disorderly.

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1930 Carl Reynolds becomes only the second player in big-league history to homer in three consecutive innings when he goes deep in the first three frames of the 15-4 White Sox victory over the hometown Yankees. The Chicago outfielder's power surge includes two inside-the-park round-trippers.

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1934 At Wrigley Field, with two out in the bottom of the seventh inning, veteran ump Bill Klem's delayed call of the infield fly rule leads to the Cardinals, trailing by four runs, successfully protesting their game against the Cubs with the Redbirds. The contest resumes from the point-of-the-protest, on July 31, with St. Louis losing 7-1.

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1941 On a sweltering day in front of 52,832 fans at Yankee Stadium, Joe DiMaggio hits a three-run homer off Red Sox hurler Dick Newsome to extend his consecutive game hitting streak to 45 games. The 'Yankee Clipper' surpasses Wee Willie Keeler's 1897 major league mark of 44 straight games with a hit accomplished when the diminutive outfielder played with the Orioles.

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1962 Johnny Podres ties a major league mark record, striking out eight consecutive batters in LA's 5-1 victory over Philadelphia. The 29-year-old southpaw's streak begins with the third out in the top of the fourth frame and ends after the first out in the seventh inning of the Dodger Stadium contest.

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1963 In one of baseball's most memorable pitching duels, Giants' right-hander Juan Marichal and Braves' lefty Warren Spahn hurl 15 scoreless innings before Willie Mays ends the marathon, homering off Spahnie in the bottom of the 16th to give Francisco a 1-0 win.

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1967 After the Cubs' 4-1 victory over the Reds, many of the 40,464 patrons stay at Wrigley Field, awaiting the outcome of the Cards/Mets game, hoping for a New York victory, putting the Cubs in first place by half of a game. The enthusiastic fans refuse to leave the 'Friendly Confines' until the flags above the scoreboard reflect the home team's current position at the top of the standings, a task usually done the next day.

1969 Reds' pitcher Gerry Arrigo ties a major league mark when he hits his third Braves' batter in the second inning of a 9-4 victory. The Braves also match the big league mark by plunking five batters in one game.

 

1970 Joe Niekro keeps the Yankees hitless until Horace Clarke legs out an infield single with one out in the ninth inning of the team’s 5-0 victory at Tiger Stadium. The hit marks the third time the Bronx Bomber second baseman has broken up a no-hitter in the past four weeks, having spoiled no-no bids by Royals left-hander Jim Rooker (June 4th) and Red Sox righty Sonny Siebert (June 19th).

1970 Tony Horton hits for the cycle against Baltimore in the Indians' 10-9 victory at Memorial Stadium. The Cleveland first baseman completes the feat with a leadoff home run in the top of the ninth inning off Pete Richert.

1972 At Montreal's Jarry Park, the Expos walk away with a 4-3 victory when Mets right-hander Bob Rauch issues his fourth free pass of the inning, forcing Carl Morton in with the winning run. The frustrating loss will be the 23-year-old rookie's only decision during a brief 19-game major league career.

1975 Don Baylor goes deep in his first three plate appearances in the Orioles' 13-5 victory over Detroit at Tiger Stadium. Today's trio of home runs gives the Baltimore left fielder four consecutive round-trippers, hitting one off Reggie Cleveland in his last at-bat yesterday in the team's 10-6 loss to the Red Sox at Fenway Park.

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1976 The Astros tie a franchise record, banging out 25 hits in a 10-8 victory over Cincinnati at Riverfront Stadium. Two months earlier, Houston established the mark in a 16-5 rout of the Braves at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium.

1977 For the second time this season, White Sox's first baseman Jim Spencer ties the club record set by Shoeless Joe Jackson in 1920, when he collects eight RBIs, duplicating a feat he first accomplished in May against the Indians. The 29-year-old infielder's two home runs help beat the Twins at Comiskey Park, 13-8.

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1977 The Cubs commit five errors in one inning, a feat that will not occur again until 2017 when the Mariners accomplish the dubious deed. Chicago's first-frame woes, which include two misplays each by second baseman Manny Trillo and pitcher Bill Bonham, and one by left fielder Gene Clines, lead to four Cardinals runs en route to a 10–3 loss to the Cardinals before a packed house at Busch Stadium.

1978 Ron Guidry improves his record to 13-0 with a 3-2 Yankee victory over the Tigers at the Bronx ballpark. The 27-year-old southpaw, known as Louisiana Lightning, establishes the best start in franchise history en route to finishing the season with a 25-3 record.

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1979 The White Sox fire player-manager Don Kessinger (46-60), replacing him with rookie skipper Tony La Russa, who had been managing the club's Triple-A Iowa Oaks in the American Association. During his eight-year tenure with Chicago, La Russa compiles a 522-510 record, with his team winning the AL West title in 1983.