BB On this Date ~ Events & Birthdays #2

1974 The American League suspends Graig Nettles for ten days when his bat shatters on a disallowed infield hit, releasing six super balls collected by catcher Bill Freehan. The Yankee third baseman, who said the piece of lumber was given to him by a fan in Chicago, hit a home run in his first at-bat for the game's only run in the Yankees' 1-0 victory over Detroit at Shea Stadium.

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1975 With an 8-4 victory over the Giants at Riverfront Stadium, the Reds clinch the National League West in their 142nd game of the season. The 'Big Red Machine' captured a title earlier than any other club since the inception of divisional play in 1969.

1978 In a 9-4 victory over the Expos, Mets backstop John Stearns establishes a new mark for National League catchers with his 25th stolen base. Johnny Kling swiped 24 bases catching for the Cubs in 1902.

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1979 Carl Yastrzemski of the Red Sox gets three hits to pass Ted Williams on the all-time total base list. 'Teddy Ballgame' collected 2,654 hits during his 19 seasons with Boston.

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1984 On his way to hurling a one-hitter, Dwight 'Doc' Gooden fans Cub Ron Cey for his 228th strikeout, setting a National League rookie record. The Mets phenom passes Grover Cleveland Alexander, who established the mark in 1911 with 227.

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1974 The American League suspends Graig Nettles for ten days when his bat shatters on a disallowed infield hit, releasing six super balls collected by catcher Bill Freehan. The Yankee third baseman, who said the piece of lumber was given to him by a fan in Chicago, hit a home run in his first at-bat for the game's only run in the Yankees' 1-0 victory over Detroit at Shea Stadium.

1975 With an 8-4 victory over the Giants at Riverfront Stadium, the Reds clinch the National League West in their 142nd game of the season. The 'Big Red Machine' captured a title earlier than any other club since the inception of divisional play in 1969.

1978 In a 9-4 victory over the Expos, Mets backstop John Stearns establishes a new mark for National League catchers with his 25th stolen base. Johnny Kling swiped 24 bases catching for the Cubs in 1902.


1979 Carl Yastrzemski of the Red Sox gets three hits to pass Ted Williams on the all-time total base list. 'Teddy Ballgame' collected 2,654 hits during his 19 seasons with Boston.

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1984 On his way to hurling a one-hitter, Dwight 'Doc' Gooden fans Cub Ron Cey for his 228th strikeout, setting a National League rookie record. The Mets phenom passes Grover Cleveland Alexander, who established the mark in 1911 with 227.

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1993 In the nightcap of a doubleheader at Cincinnati, Cardinal outfielder Mark Whiten becomes the 12th player to hit four home runs in one game, helping to tie two established RBI records. With 12 RBIs in the second game, he equals the single-game mark set by Jim Bottomley in 1924, and with his ribbie in the opener, he ties a 21-year-old record established by Nate Colbert for the most RBIs (13) in a twin bill.

1996 In a pregame ceremony in front of a sellout crowd at the Metrodome, the Twins bid farewell to Kirby Puckett, one of the team's most popular players in recent years. After a remarkable 12-year Hall of Fame career, blindness in his right eye caused by glaucoma forced the talented and personable outfielder to retire in July.
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1996 With 129 at-bats and a mediocre .254 batting average at the start of his major league career, Scott Rolen suffers a broken arm when hit by a pitch thrown by Cubs' right-hander Steve Trachsel, causing him to miss the remainder of the season. The hit-by-pitch will be a lucky break (pun intended) when the Phillies' third baseman, technically still a freshman due to having one less at-bat last season, wins the National League Rookie of the Year award.

 

1997 Expo infielder Mark Grudzielanek breaks the National League mark for doubles for a shortstop, hitting his 49th in a 2-1 loss to Philadelphia. Dick Bartell of the 1932 Phillies set the previous record.


1997 For only the twenty-second time in major league history, a player reaches the 50 home run plateau when Mariner outfielder Ken Griffey, Jr. goes deep off Bob Tewksbury in a 9-6 loss to Minnesota at the Metrodome. Junior will finish the season with a league-leading 56 round-trippers.

1997 In a 15-inning contest, 33 players whiff during the Angels' 5-4 victory at Tiger Stadium. Players from both teams become visibly upset with home plate umpire Mike Everitt when 21 of the 30 extra-inning outs are strikeouts, with 13 resulting from a called third strike.

1998 In the first inning at Busch Stadium, Cardinal first baseman Mark McGwire ties Yankee outfielder Roger Maris' single-season home run mark established in 1961, hitting his 61st in a nationally televised Labor Day game against the Cubs. Big Mac hits his historic homer on his dad's 61st birthday.

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2001 At Busch Stadium, right-fielder Shawn Green breaks the Dodgers' record for homers in a season with his 44th home run, the first of his two dingers he hits off Dustin Hermanson in the team's 7-1 victory over the Cardinals. Duke Snider (1956) and Gary Sheffield (2000) shared the previous mark.

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2001 Ranger infielder Alex Rodriguez breaks his American League record (42 in 1998 and 1999 for the Mariners) for home runs by a shortstop with his 43rd long ball of the season. In 1958, Cub Hall of Famer Ernie Banks established the major league record for homers for that position with 47.

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2005 Dontrelle Willis becomes the first pitcher in the thirteen-year history of the Marlins to win 20 games in a season when the team routs Washington at RFK Stadium, 12-1. The high-kicking southpaw had established a franchise record for victories in his last start with his 19th win.

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2006 The Cubs are honored by the Commission on Chicago Landmarks for their preservation efforts at Wrigley Field. The venerable old ballpark received the Chicago Landmark Award for Excellence for the bleacher expansion project, which improved circulation in the seating section, increased the number of bathrooms, and dramatically improved access for fans with disabilities.

2007 At Coors Field, nine relievers follow Rockies' starter Elmer Dessens after he leaves the game with a strained left hamstring in the third inning of the team's 10-4 win over the Padres. The ten Colorado pitchers establish a National League record for a nine-inning game, including eight hurlers who toss a frame or less.

2008 The Pirates lose their 82nd game, an 11-6 defeat to the Giants at AT&T Park, ensuring the club will endure their 16th consecutive losing season. The streak equals the mark established by the 1933-1948 Philadelphia Phillies for the longest skid in the history of professional sports.

2009 The Pirates become the first baseball franchise in history to post a losing record for 17 consecutive seasons when the team drops a 4-2 decision to the Cubs at PNC Park. The dubious streak, which dates back to 1993, surpasses the Phillies' skid from 1933 to 1948.

2010 At Petco Park, Padres' starter Mat Latos establishes a major league record when he limits L.A. to one run over seven innings, extending his streak to 15 straight starts of five or more innings, allowing two or fewer runs. The 22-year-old right-hander breaks the mark previously shared by Greg Maddux (1993-94) and Mike Scott (1986).


2010 A statue of Billy Williams, who played 16 seasons with the club from 1959-74, is dedicated by the Cubs on the corner of Sheffield Avenue and Addison Street outside Wrigley Field. His wife, Shirley, former teammates Ernie Banks, Ferguson Jenkins, Ron Santo, Glenn Beckert, and the Reverend Jesse Jackson are on hand for the unveiling of the sculpture that portrays the Hall of Famer outfielder finishing his sweet left-handed swing.

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2010 Trevor Hoffman becomes the first closer to save 600 games when he induces pinch-hitter Aaron Miles to hit a grounder for the final out in the Brewers' 4-2 victory over St. Louis at Miller Park. The 42-year-old reliever has converted 600 of his 676 opportunities (89%) during his 18-year career with Florida, San Diego, and Milwaukee.

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2011 Alex Liddi becomes the first player born and raised in Italy to play in the major leagues. The Mariners' third baseman, who goes 0-for-2 in the loss to L.A., is the first MLB European Academy alumnus to make the show.

2015 In the last game of the season, Pensacola Blue Wahoos shortstop Ray Chang plays all nine positions, fielding a different one in each inning, including tossing a clean ninth frame. The 32-year-old popular infielder also enjoys a 3-for-4 day at the plate, scoring a run and stealing a base in the Reds Double-A affiliate's 4-2 loss against the Mobile BayBears.

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2017 The Indians break a franchise record set last season with their 15th consecutive win, beating the White Sox at Chicago's Guaranteed Rate Field, 11-2. The victory is costly for a local business when Universal Windows Direct pays out $1.7 million, honoring a promotion that promised customers full rebates for any purchase made in July if the Tribe won 15 straight games after August 1.

2020 After not allowing more than three earned runs through his first 23 big league starts, Diamondback right-hander Zac Gallen gives up four runs in five innings of work, taking the loss in the team's 4-2 to the Giants at Oracle Park. The 25-year-old former Tar Heel hurler's accomplishment establishes the longest streak ever for a pitcher at the start of their career.

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2021 At Fenway Park, Nelson Cruz becomes the oldest player in major league history to hit 30 home runs in a season when he homers twice in the Rays' 12-7 victory over the Red Sox. The 41 -year-old designated hitter blasts a two-run round-tripper in the third inning and a solo shot in the fifth, joining David Ortiz (38, Red Sox - 2016) and Darrell Evans (34, Tigers - 1987), who both reached the milestone at 40 years of age.

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St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Mark Whiten hits 4 home runs vs. the Cincinnati Reds and ties the major league record with 12 RBI in one game!
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1955 Mickey
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They Played In Color Galleries The core pitching staff for the 1949 Baltimore Elite Giants in front of their scoreboard at East Baltimore's Bugle Field! It is great for us when we discover actual artifacts like this Arrow Beer Bottle to give us such solid referencesr ​

 

Howard Easterling, third baseman mostly for the Homestead Grays, died #OTD in 1993. A 5-time All-Star, he led the league in triples twice and in RBI in 1940. A .316 career hitter, he averaged 120 runs and 118 RBI per 162-games in his career.
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Today In 1995: Baltimore #Orioles legend Cal Ripken Jr. plays in his 2,131st consecutive game, breaking the seemingly impossible record of New York #Yankees legend Lou Gehrig!

 

SEPTEMBER 8 BASEBALL BIRTHDAYS
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1907 Buck Leonard HOF first baseman (Negro League World Series 1943, 44, 48 Homestead Grays; 13 x NL All Star),


1946 Ken Forsch pitcher, 1970-1986, 2X All-Star (Houston Astros, California Angels)


1966 Mike Dyer pitcher (Montreal Expos, Dodgers,


1978 Gil Meche Pitcher,Royals,Seatle,Yankees


1990 Gerrit Cole (NY Yankees)

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Today in Baseball History
September 8th
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1885 George H. Rawlings patents a close-fitting baseball glove that features padding made of felt and rubber in the fingers, thumb, and palm. The owner of a St. Louis sporting goods store invented the padded equipment to prevent players from bruising their hands when catching a ball.


1896 Baltimore sweeps a twin bill from 12th-place Louisville, beating their National League opponents at Oriole Park, 10-9 and 3-1. The Birds, who won all three games against the Colonels in yesterday's tripleheader, established the mark for the most victories in two consecutive days with their five wins.

1916 Twenty-three fans attending the game against the Yankees at soaked Shibe Park, the smallest crowd in American League history, witness A's switch-hitter Wally Schang become the first player in major league history to homer from both sides of the plate in the same game. The feat, which was not well-publicized because reporters thought the heavy rain would postpone the game and did not attend the contest, will not be accomplished again in the Junior Circuit until 1940.

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1925 In the seventh inning of the nightcap of a doubleheader sweep, Babe Ruth belts his 300th career home run, the Sultan of Swat's 16th of the season. Southpaw Buster Ross allows the milestone solo blast in the Yankees' 7-4 win over the Red Sox at Fenway Park.

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1933 In the second game of a doubleheader against Detroit, Red Sox outfielder Mel Almada makes his major league debut at Fenway Park. The 20-year-old Huatabampo native becomes the first Mexican to play in the major leagues.

1939 Bob Feller, with his 12-1 victory over the Browns in St. Louis, becomes the youngest modern-era player to win 20 games. The 20-year-old Indians' fireballer finishes the season 24-9 while posting a 2.85 ERA.

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1940 Johnny Mize connects for his 38th, 39th, and 40th homers in the first game of a doubleheader, becoming the first player to hit three homers in one game four times in his career. Despite the Big Cat's heroics, the Cardinals drop a pair to the Pirates, 16-14 and 9-4.

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1942 The first exhibition game between two Negro League teams is finally played in Boston when the Philadelphia Stars edge the Baltimore Elite Giants in a rain-shortened seven-inning game at Fenway Park, 8-7. Unlike many metropolitan areas in the East and South, the Cradle of Liberty did not have a Black team represent the city, nor did the community embrace the concept of hosting Negro League contests.

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1945 Receiving an enthusiastic ovation from the near-capacity crowd, President Harry Truman, sworn in after FDR's death in April, becomes the first left-hander and oldest president to throw the ceremonial first pitch at a major league game. The Missourian shows no signs of favoritism when the St. Louis Browns, a teamfrom his home state, drops a 4-1 decision to the Senators.

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1949 Red Schoendienst steals the team’s last stolen base of the season when he takes second base in the Cardinals’ 8-0 victory over the Cubs at Sportsman's Park. The Redbird third baseman will lead the club with eight pilfered bags, accounting for more than half of the all-time National League low of 17 the entire club will swipe this season.

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1954 "It's not a record, but being traded four times when there are only eight teams in the league tells you something. I thought I was modeling uniforms for the National League." - JOE GARAGIOLA,former major leaguer and television personality, reflecting on his nine-year baseball career.
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The pennant-bound Giants select catcher Joe Garagiola, known more for his glove than his bat, off waivers from the second-division Cubs. The 28-year-old backstop will play only five games for New York before retiring at the end of the season, becoming a baseball broadcaster and colorful television personality that includes stints on The Today Show, Saturday Game of the Week for NBC, and The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.


1955 The Dodgers clinch their eighth National League pennant with a 10-2 victory over the Braves at Milwaukee's County Stadium. Brooklyn's 17-game lead marks the earliest date a team has captured a flag in baseball history.

1957 Before their departure to play on the West Coast next season, the Dodgers and Giants face one another for the final time in New York. The Jints beat the Bums at the Polo Grounds, 3-2, to finish the intense 68-year-old storied rivalry with a 656-606 advantage over Brooklyn in the battle between the boroughs.

1958 At spacious Forbes Field, Roberto Clemente blasts three triples in the Pirates' 4-1 victory over the Redlegs. The 'Great One' becomes the first Pittsburgh player to accomplish the feat since 1952 when center fielder Carlos Bernier, batting leadoff, collected a trio of three-baggers in the same Cincinnati ballpark.
Pittsburgh picked up its fourth run in the eighth. With two outs, Clemente hit his third triple, to right-center.
Of his triples, Clemente said after the game, “[The] first two I hit, they [were] fast balls. Then I hit (a) curve.He was the 32nd player to hit three triples in a game. Danny O’Connell of the Milwaukee Braves had been the last to accomplish this feat, on June 13, 1956,

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1963 At Connie Mack Stadium, Braves left-hander Warren Spahn tosses a complete game, edging Philadelphia, 3-2. The triumph is the southpaw's 20th victory and ties Christy Mathewson's record of thirteen seasons of twenty or more wins.

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1964 The Mets announce the signing of 18-year-old right-hander Bill Denehy. The recent high school graduate, who struck out 151 batters in 81 innings, posted a 10-1 record for Woodrow Wilson High School in Middletown (CT) and won three tournament games en route to leading his team to the state championship.

1965 In a promotion to increase Kansas City's low attendance, Bert Campaneris becomes the first major leaguer to play all nine positions in a single game. After being involved in a collision at home plate in the ninth inning, Rene Lachemann replaces Campy as the team's catcher in the A's eventual 5-3, 13-inning victory over California.

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1967 At the urging of their fans, the Mets honor former Dodger pitcher Sandy Koufax, who retired last season when arthritis prematurely ended his career. The 31-year-old Brooklyn-born southpaw, who threw a no-hitter against New York in 1962, started twenty times against the Amazins, compiling a 17-2 record with 14 complete games and five shutouts.

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1968 Ralph Garr steals the first of his 172 stolen bases, swiping home as a pinch-runner for Joe Torre in the Braves' 4-1 victory over Houston. In 1973, the 'Road Runner' will break Atlanta's record for stolen bases with 35, surpassing the franchise mark of 30 he established in 1971 during his sophomore season.

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