BB On this Date ~ Events & Birthdays #2

5/17
OTD
BIRTHDAYS
1903 James "Cool Papa" Bell, American baseball center fielder in Negro league baseball, considered by many to have been one of the fastest men ever to play the game, born in Starkville, Mississippi (d. 1991)

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1957 Pascual Pérez, Dominican baseball pitcher (MLB All Star 1983; Atlanta Braves), born in San Cristóbal, Dominican Republic (d. 2012)

1974 Wiki González, Venezuelan baseball player
1978 Carlos Pena, Dominican baseball player

1983 Jeremy Sowers, American baseball player

 

FROM MLB's This Day in Baseball History+​

1893 Phillies outfielder Sliding Billy Hamilton becomes the first player to have hit both a leadoff and walk-off home run in the same game when he blasts a two-run round-tripper off Al Maul, giving the team an 11-9 victory over Washington at the Philadelphia Baseball Grounds. In 74 years, Vic Power becomes the first modern player to duplicate the 27-year-old Hall of Famer's performance, accomplishing the rare feat for the 1957 A's with a tenth-inning walk-off round-tripper against the Orioles in a game played at Kansas City's Municipal Stadium.

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1903 Due to Sunday restrictions in Cleveland, a major league game takes place in Columbus (OH), with the 'hometown' Indians defeating the New York Highlanders, 9-2. Neil Park, the home field of several minor league teams, will host four big-league contests, including two Tigers game against the Red Sox in 1905 due to the opening in Detroit of a Grand Circuit Trotting Meet, a harness horse-racing series in the United States.
1906 At Philadelphia's Columbia Park, Ty Cobb breaks up Rube Waddell's no-hitter. The Georgia Peach spoils the southpaw's no-no with a bunt single in the Tigers' 5-0 loss to the A's.

1925 In a 2-1 loss to the Senators, Indians' outfielder Tris Speaker singles off pitcher Tom Zachary to collect his career 3000th hit. 'The Grey Eagle' becomes the fifth major leaguer to reach the milestone, joining Cap Anson (1897), Honus Wagner (1914), Nap Lajoie (1914), and Ty Cobb (1921).

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1939 In the first-ever televised baseball game, Princeton beats Columbia, 2-1, at Columbia's Baker Field. W2XBS, an experimental station in New York City, airs the telecast.

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1941 A sold-out crowd, including representatives from each of the other 15 major league clubs, attends Connie Mack Day in Philadelphia to honor the 78-year-old president-manager of the A's. The celebration includes renaming the team's home field from Shibe Park to Connie Mack Stadium, a change that doesn't officially take hold until 1953.

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1945 Rain postpones every game on the American League schedule for the fourth consecutive day. The cry of 'play ball' will not be heard today in Chicago, St. Louis, Detroit, and Cleveland as the White Sox, Browns, Tigers, and Indians call off their games, respectively, with the Yankees, Red Sox, A's, and Senators.

 

1947 At Forbes Field, Hank Greenberg asks Jackie Robinson if the Dodger infielder was hurt in a collision with him at first base earlier in the game and then tells the embattled Brooklyn rookie, "Stick in there. You're doing fine. Keep your chin up." Jackie remarks to the writers a few days later that Hank Greenberg is his "diamond hero," knowing the Pirates' first baseman, who endured bigotry as a Jew, can appreciate the difficulties of being the first black player in the major leagues this century.

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1956 The Cardinals trade 25-year-old outfielder Bill Virdon, due to his slow start in his sophomore season, to the Pirates in exchange for Bobby Del Greco and Dick Littlefield. Last year's Rookie of the Year will finish the season hitting .334 in 133 games for the Bucs and will play a vital role in the team's World Championship in 1960.

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1961 Roger Maris, en route to his record-breaking season of 61 home runs, hit his first round-tripper of the year at Yankee Stadium. The eighth-inning homer off Pete Burnside, his fourth overall, doesn't help when the Senators beat the Bronx Bombers, 8-7.

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1963 At Colt Stadium, Houston's right-hander Don Nottebart no-hits the Phillies, 4-1, giving up a fifth-inning run on a two-base error, a sac bunt, and a sacrifice fly. The hitless gem is the franchise's first no-hitter in the team's history, coming in the 197th game since the club's inaugural season last year.

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1968 In the bottom of the ninth inning, Jim Northrop hits a walk-off grand slam off Steve Jones to beat the Senators at Tiger Stadium, 7-3. The Detroit center fielder will hit five grand slams this season, four in the regular campaign, and one in Game 6 of the Fall Classic, contributing to the team’s 13-1 rout of the Cardinals.

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1970 At Crosley Field, Braves' outfielder Hank Aaron collects his 3000th hit when he scratches an infield single off of Reds' pitcher Wayne Simpson. 'Hammering Hank' becomes the ninth player in major league history and the first with 500 home runs to reach this milestone.

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Today in Baseball History
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On May 17 in Baseball History...

• • 1905 - Waseda University of Tokyo defeats Los Angeles High School 5-3 in the first game of an American tour. It is the first baseball game ever played by Japanese outside Japan. Waseda starts a powerhouse tradition at Japan's Big Six universities that continues today.
  • 1915 - George "Zip" Zabel comes out of the Cubs bullpen with two outs in the first and winds up with a 4-3 19-inning win over Brooklyn in the longest relief job ever.
  • 1925 - Washington lefty Tom Zachary throws the pitch that Tris Speaker socks for his 3,000th hit.
  • 1939 - The first baseball game ever televised � Princeton against Columbia at Baker Field, Columbia's home field � is seen by a handful of viewers via W2XBS in New York City. Bill Stern announces Princeton's 2-1, ten inning win. Reviewing the game the next day, the New York Times sniffs, "it is difficult to see how this sort of thing can catch the public fancy."
  • 1941 - The city of Philadelphia and the state of Pennsylvania declare a legal holiday to honor the A's manager on Connie Mack Day at Shibe Park.
  • 1970 - During a 7-6 Atlanta loss to Cincinnati in the second game of a doubleheader, Hank Aaron collects his 3,000th career hit and his 570th home run. Aaron, the ninth man to amass 3,000 hits, is the first to also have 500 home runs.
  • 1973 - Angels outfielder Bobby Valentine tries to scale a wall to prevent a Dick Green home run during a 5-4 loss to the A's. He catches his spikes in the wall and breaks his leg. The injury will ruin his career.
  • 1978 - Lee Lacy hits a pinch-hit home run as the Dodgers beat the Pirates 10-1. It is Lacy's third consecutive home run in a pinch-hitting role, setting a major league record. His previous blasts were on May 2 and May 6.
  • 1979 - The wind is really blowing out at Wrigley as the Cubs and Phillies join in a wild ten-inning slugfest won 23-22 by the Phillies. Dave Kingman has three home runs and six RBI for the Cubs while teammate Bill Buckner has a grand slam and seven RBI. Mike Schmidt's two home runs include the game-winner in the tenth inning. The eleven home runs between the two teams ties a major league record.
  • 1992 - Gary Carter, back with the Expos, joins Bob Boone and Carlton Fisk in the exclusive 2,000 games caught club.
  • 1998 - David Wells pitches the 13th perfect game in modern major league history as the Yankees beat the Twins 4-0. Wells, whose perfecto is the first by a Yankee since Don Larsen in the 1956 World Series, also sets an A.L. record by retiring 37 batters in a row, dating back to his start May 12 against the Royals. Twins shortstop Pat Meares flies out to Paul O'Neill in right field to complete the perfect afternoon at Yankee Stadium.
    
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Baseball Birthdays on May 17...

• • 1852 - King, Sam
  • 1857 - Reid, Billy
  • 1858 - Oberbeck, Henry
  • 1860 - Mountain, Frank
  • 1865 - Mays, Al
  • 1868 - Woodcock, Fred
  • 1878 - Vickers, Rube
  • 1879 - Needham, Tom
  • 1886 - Steele, Elmer
  • 1888 - Porter, Irv
  • 1892 - Carlson, Hal
  • 1894 - Woodward, Frank
  • 1906 - Eckert, Al
  • 1908 - Norris, Leo
  • 1910 - Chiozza, Lou
  • 1910 - Balas, Mike
  • 1912 - Parker, Ace
  • 1927 - McDonald, Jim
  • 1932 - Hoeft, Billy
  • 1933 - Virgil, Ozzie
  • 1939 - Smith, Dick
  • 1946 - Monzon, Dan
  • 1948 - May, Carlos
  • 1952 - Altamirano, Porfi
  • 1957 - Perez, Pascual
  • 1962 - Mathews, Greg
  • 1963 - Newell, Tom
  • 1964 - Nelson, Rob
  • 1966 - Voigt, Jack
  • 1969 - Huisman, Rick
  • 1974 - Gonzalez, Wiki
  • 1975 - Seabol, Scott
  • 1976 - Guillen, Jose
  • 1978 - Pena, Carlos

Copyright � 2001-2007. All Rights Reserved.
Part of the Baseball Almanac family: 755 Home Runs | Around the Horn | Baseball Box Scores | Baseball Fever | Today in Baseball History.​

 

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5/18
OTD
BIRTHDAYS
1882 Charles "Babe" Adams, American MLB baseball pitcher, 1906-26 (1 game with St. Louis Cardinals; Pittsburgh Pirates), born in Tipton, Indiana (d. 1968)
1937 Brooks Robinson, American Baseball Hall of Fame third baseman (18 x MLB All Star; World Series 1966, 70 [MVP]; 16 × Gold Glove Award; Baltimore Orioles), born in Little Rock, Arkansas

1946 Reggie Jackson, American Baseball Hall of Fame right fielder (14-time All Star)), born in Wyncote, Pennsylvania

1951 Jim Sundberg, American baseball player (Kansas City Royals), born in Galesburg, Illinois

1965 Erik Hanson, American MLB pitcher (Toronto Blue Jays), born in Kinnelon, New Jersey
1971 Rich Garces, Venezuelan MLB pitcher (Boston Red Sox), born in Maracay Venezuela
1974 Nelson Figueroa, American baseball player and analyst, born in Brooklyn, New York

1978 Marcus Giles, American baseball player, born in San Diego, California

1984 Joakim Soria, Mexican baseball pitcher (MLB All Star 2008, 10; Kansas City Royals), born in Monclova, Mexico

 

FROM MLB's This Day in Baseball History+​

1875 In front of a record crowd of 10,000 fans at the Hartford Ball Club Grounds, the visiting Boston Red Stockings (16-0) beat the Dark Blues (12-0), 10-5, in a match-up of undefeated teams. Mark Twain attends the National Association contest and offers a five-dollar reward for returning his English-made brown silk umbrella pilfered at the game by a small boy when the famous writer stood up to cheer for the hometown team.
1912 As a replacement player, Allan Travers, a St. Joseph's College pitcher, takes the mound for the Tigers, who are fielding an amateur team to avoid a $5,000 fine due to the team's refusal to play the A's in support of suspended teammate Ty Cobb. In what will be his only major league appearance, the collegiate hurler goes the distance, giving up 24 runs, 14 earned runs, 26 hits, and seven walks, but does strike out one as Philadelphia routs Detroit at Shibe Park, 24-2.
1929 In a doubleheader played at Philadelphia's Baker Bowl, the Dodgers and Phillies teams combine to score a record fifty runs when the visitors outlast the home team, 20-16, before dropping an 8-6 decision in the nightcap. In the opener, Brooklyn's Johnny Frederick crosses the plate five times, giving him the major league mark of scoring eight runs in two consecutive games. After two consecutive slugfests, Philadelphia beats Brooklyn, 8-6, at the Baker Bowl. The Phillies and Dodgers combined to score 88 runs in a four-game series, establishing a record that will last until 2019, when the Rockies and Padres tally 92 times in gravity-friendly Coors Field.
May 16: PHI 7, BRO 4
May 17: BRO 14, PHI 13
May 18: BRO 20, PHI 16
May 18: PHI 8, BRO 6
1931 Robins' right fielder Babe Herman hits for the cycle for the first of two times this season in the team's 14-4 rout of the Reds at Ebbets Field. In 1933, as a member of the Cubs, the Glendale (CA) native will again collect a single, double, triple, and home run in the same game, joining Bob Meusel as the only major leaguers to have accomplished the rare feat three times since 1900.

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1942 Night games in New York are banned for the duration of WW II, leaving fans in the dark about the status of the All-Star Game scheduled for the Polo Grounds on the evening of Monday, July 6. The prohibition of nighttime tilts, announced by NYC Police Commissioner Lewis J. Valentine, will change the starting times for 28 contests involving the Dodgers and Giants.

 

1956 Mickey Mantle becomes the all-time home run leader for switch hitters when he belts his 136th career round-tripper, a two-out homer in the top of the ninth, tying the score in the Yankees' eventual extra-inning 8-7 victory over Chicago at Comiskey Park. 'The Mick' will nearly quadruple the mark, extending the record to 536 before he retires before the 1969 season.

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1958 On his 25th birthday, Carroll Hardy, pinch-hitting for Roger Maris, blasts a three-run home run, giving the Indians a 7-4 walk-off victory. The 11th inning round-tripper off Chicago's Billy Pierce is the Cleveland rookie's first major league homer.
1960 The Indians trade southpaw Herb Score to the White Sox for Barry Latman, a right-hander who will post a 35-37 record during his four seasons with Cleveland. The southpaw, whose promising career was shattered three seasons after being struck by Gil McDougald's line drive, will return to Cleveland in 1964 to begin a 34-year stint as the team's beloved television and radio play-by-play announcer.

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1969 Cesar Tovar and Rod Carew combine to set a major league record for most steals by teammates in one inning, swiping five bases against the Tigers' battery of Mickey Lolich and Bill Freehan. During the third inning, Tovar, the Twins' leadoff hitter, steals third base and home, followed by Carew, who pilfers second and third base and home plate in the 8-2 loss at Metropolitan Stadium.

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1973 Bill North's bat sails onto the infield when he swings and misses the first pitch thrown by Royals rookie reliever Doug Bird, who will be shocked when the A's center fielder, retrieving his bat, unexpectedly goes to the mound and begins to pummel him. The Oakland outfielder, who will be ejected, suspended for three days, and receives a $100 fine for initiating the brawl, was retaliating against the 23-year-old KC right-hander for an incident that occurred in a Class A game played in Waterloo (IA) three seasons earlier.
1976 In a 5-3 victory at Tiger Stadium, Carl Yastrzemski plays in his 2,293rd game wearing a Red Sox uniform, surpassing Ted Williams' team record. The Boston legend will extend the franchise mark to 3,308 contests before he retires in 1983.

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1986 In the bottom of the tenth inning at Fenway Park, the Red Sox score two runs on an unusual play to beat the Rangers, 6-5, thanks to George Wright's errant throw. The right fielder throws the ball away fielding Marty Barrett's double, after becoming confused when two Boston baserunners, both who will score on the error, slide into second at the same time, the batter and Steve Lyons from third base.
1988 In the 'Year of the Balk,' Dave Stewart breaks a major league record, committing his twelfth balk of the season. The A's right-hander will extend the single-season mark to 16 thanks to the strict interpretation of umpires on a minor rule change.
1990 The Orioles, en route to a 13-1 victory over the Rangers, tie an American League record when the team collects eight consecutive singles in the seven-run first inning at Memorial Stadium. Baltimore consecutive one-baggers off right-hander Bobby Witt equals the mark shared by the 1951 Senators and 1981 A's.
1990 At the Astrodome, Cubs' second baseman Ryan Sandberg's errorless game streak comes to an end after 123 games and 582 chances when his errant throw to first base trying to rob Eric Anthony of an infield single allows Ken Caminiti to advanced to third. The seven-time Gold Glove second baseman surpasses the marks for the position previously established Joe Morgan (91 games) and Manny Trillo (479 errorless plays).

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1992 WQAM becomes the voice of the Marlins, signing a four-year deal as the flagship radio station of the team. In Miami and southern Florida, listeners will be able to pick up the play-by-play action of the new National League expansion team at 560 am on their radio dial.
1998 Due to drastic payroll cuts reducing the World Champions' effectiveness, two class-action lawsuits are filed against the Marlins - one for breach of contract and the other accusing the team of false advertising. Florida will finish last in the NL East with a 54-108 record (.333.), 52 games behind the division-leading Braves.
1998 With a 6-3 victory over the Orioles, the Devil Rays become only the second expansion team in major league history to sweep an away four-game series. The 1993 Colorado Rockies, who did it against the Dodgers, is the other club to accomplish this feat.
1999 After missing the team's first 36 games, Joe Torre returns to the Yankee dugout, two months after undergoing successful surgery for prostate cancer. Before the 6-3 loss to the Red Sox, the 58-year-old skipper receives a two-minute standing ovation from the Fenway Park crowd when the scoreboard welcomes him back.

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1999 Diamondbacks' outfielder Luis Gonzalez homers in his first at-bat, extending his hitting streak to 30 games, tying three other players for the longest streak in the decade.

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2000 In a 6-2 loss to the Padres, the Marlins steal ten bases, one shy of the National League record. Luis Castillo (3), Cliff Floyd (3), Preston Wilson (2), and Mark Kotsay (2), the top four batters in the Fish lineup, are responsible for the grand theft.
2000 Mark McGwire passes Mickey Mantle on the all-time home run list when he goes deep in the first inning when he hits a three-run drive off Curt Schilling for No.537, placing him in front of the Yankee legendary slugger in eighth place. 'Big Mac' adds to his total with two more round-trippers Cardinals' 7-2 victory over the Phillies at Veterans Stadium.

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2002 At Fenway Park, Pedro Martinez becomes the 11th pitcher in American League history to record an immaculate inning when he strikes out the side on nine pitches in the first frame. The Red Sox right-hander fans Ichiro Suzuki, Mark McLemore, and Ruben Sierra to begin Boston's eventual 4-1 victory over Seattle.

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2004 At the age of 40, southpaw Randy Johnson becomes the oldest pitcher to throw a perfect game when the Diamondbacks beat the Braves, 2-0. The 'Big Unit' joins Cy Young, Jim Bunning, Hideo Nomo, and Nolan Ryan as the only hurlers to throw no-hitters in both leagues and creates the most extended span between no-no's, having first accomplished the feat against the Tigers in June of 1990.

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2008 Marlins' second baseman Luis Castillo, who has stolen seven bases in his last two games, is one theft shy of tying a National League mark. Walt Wilmont set the record of eight pilfered bags in consecutive contests playing for the Chicago Colts (Cubs) in 1894.
2008 A pitchout and a perfect throw by Brewers catcher Jason Kendall finally catches Jacoby Ellsbury attempting to steal a bag, snapping the 24-year-old rookie's string of 25 consecutive stolen bases to start his big league career. The Red Sox outfielder is second all-time to Tim Raines, who recorded 27 straight thefts with the Expos before being caught in 1981.

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2009 Jason Kendall collects his 2000th career hit when he singles in the Brewers' 8-4 victory over the Cardinals at Busch Stadium. The 34 year-old backstop becomes the 254th player, but only the eighth to be primarily a catcher to reach that milestone.

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2012 Tigers right-hander Justin Verlander misses pitching his third career no-hitter when he allows a single to Josh Harrison with one out in the top of the ninth inning. The reigning MVP and Cy Young winner completes the one-hitter, beating Pittsburgh, 6-0, in front of a wildly enthusiastic Friday night crowd at Detroit's Comerica Park.

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2012 Kerry Wood ends his major league career on his terms when he strikes out the one batter he faces before walking off the mound into an embrace from his six-year-old son in front of the Wrigley Field dugout. The 35 year-old much-injured Cubs' right-hander, an All-Star as both a starter and closer, believes today's final strikeout to be the most significant and the most memorable moment of his 14-year career.

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Today in Baseball History
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Search archives: Historical Events Baseball Birthdays Baseball Deaths
On May 18 in Baseball History...

• • 1912 - Detroit players went on strike to protest Ty Cobb's suspension. To avoid a forfeit and fine, manager Hughie Jennings recruited college players and others who played and lost to the Philadelphia A's 24-2. Joe Travers gave up all 24 runs.
  • 1929 - The Brooklyn Dodgers outslugged the Philadelphia Phillies for a 16-0 victory in the first game of a doubleheader. Babe Herman and Johnny Frederick had five hits apiece for Brooklyn. Frederick scored five times to give him a major league record eight runs in two games.
  • 1957 - Dick Williams of the Orioles hit a ninth-inning, game-tying solo home run against Chicago's Paul LaPalme seconds before 10:20 p.m. � a time set as a curfew so the White Sox could catch a train out of Baltimore. If Williams had done anything else, Chicago would have won. The game was replayed from the beginning and Baltimore won.
  • 1962 - Bob Allison and Harmon Killebrew hit a grand slams in the first inning to lead the Minnesota Twins to a 14-3 victory over the Cleveland Indians.
  • 1968 - Frank Howard hit his 10th home run in a six-game span to power the Washington Senators to an 8-4 victory over Detroit at Tiger Stadium.
  • 1990 - The Baltimore Orioles tied an American League record with eight consecutive singles in a seven-run first inning against Bobby Witt to beat the Texas Rangers 13-1.
  • 1999 - Edgar Martinez hit three home runs, tying a major league record with five homers in two games, to give the Seattle Mariners a 10-1 win over the Minnesota Twins. Martinez homered twice in the opener of the series against Minnesota.
  • 1999 - Arizona's Luis Gonzalez extended his hitting streak to 30 games with a two-run, first-inning homer in a 7-3 victory over San Francisco. Gonzalez, whose streak matches the longest this decade, became the 37th player in major league history to reach 30.

Baseball Birthdays on May 18...

• • 1862 - Herr, Ed
  • 1862 - Gillen, Tom
  • 1864 - O'Rourke, Tim
  • 1882 - Adams, Babe
  • 1885 - Barger, Cy
  • 1892 - Batsch, Bill
  • 1896 - Edmondson, George
  • 1898 - MacDonald, Harvey
  • 1901 - Happenny, John
  • 1904 - Smith, Red
  • 1905 - Jorgens, Art
  • 1911 - Niemiec, Al
  • 1918 - Gentry, Rufe
  • 1921 - Fick, John
  • 1922 - Modak, Mike
  • 1922 - Coan, Gil
  • 1922 - File, Sam
  • 1923 - Lund, Don
  • 1929 - Sanford, Jack
  • 1933 - Hardy, Carroll
  • 1935 - Hamlin, Ken
  • 1937 - Robinson, Brooks
  • 1940 - Hicks, Jim
  • 1946 - Jackson, Reggie
  • 1949 - Ward, Chris
  • 1951 - Sundberg, Jim
  • 1956 - Farr, Jim
  • 1958 - David, Andre
  • 1965 - Hanson, Erik
  • 1967 - Young, Eric
  • 1968 - Alvarez, Clemente
  • 1969 - Woodson, Kerry
  • 1970 - Baker, Scott
  • 1971 - Garces, Rich
  • 1972 - Jerzembeck, Mike
  • 1972 - Bluma, Jaime
  • 1974 - Figueroa, Nelson
  • 1974 - Martinez, Felix
  • 1976 - Smith, Roy
  • 1978 - Giles, Marcus

Copyright � 2001-2007. All Rights Reserved.
Part of the Baseball Almanac family: 755 Home Runs | Around the Horn | Baseball Box Scores | Baseball Fever | Today in Baseball History.​

 

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