Today In Baseball History: May

[CrimsonCowboy]

May 1st:

1879: In a 15-4 loss to the Providence Grays, 23-year old Jim McCormick makes his managerial debut for the Cleveland Blues. He's the youngest manager in M.L. history.

1883: The Gothams, who later became the Giants, defeat the Boston Beaneaters 7-5 in their first game.

1884: Playing against the Louisville Eclipse in an American Association game, Moses Fleetwood Walker of the Toledo Blue Stockings becomes the first black player in the major leagues.

1901: Against the Tigers, Herm McFarland hits the first grand slam in A.L. history. In that same game, the Tigers commit 12 errors.

1906: The Phillies John Lush pitches a no-hitter in a 1-0 win over the Dodgers.

1920: Babe Ruth hits his first home run as a Yankee.

1925: At the age of 17, the A's Jimmie Foxx singles in his first M.L. at bat.

1926: Satchel Paige makes his pitching debut in the Negro Southern League.

1951: In an 8-3 win over the White Sox, Mickey Mantle hits his first home run.

1980: Commissioner Kuhn fines the Mets because of disparaging remarks against the Yankees made by Jerry Della Femina, who was their advertising agency's president.

1991: The Rangers Nolan Ryan pitches his seventh no-hitter in a 3-0 win over the Blue Jays. At age 44, he becomes the oldest in M.L. history to pitch a no-hitter.

1991: Rickey Henderson collects his 939th career stolen base, breaking Lou Brock's M.L. record.

2000: The Braves beat the Dodgers 2-1 to extend their franchise record winning streak to 14 games.

2002: Trevor Hoffman records his 321st save with the Padres, setting the M.L. record for the most with one team.

2012: With an Orioles victory over the Yankees, Buck Showalter collects his 1,000th managerial win.

[CrimsonCowboy]

May 2nd:

1876: Chicago's Ross Barnes hits the first home run in National League history.

1887: Hall of Famer Eddie Collins is born in Millerton, New York.

1923: The Senators Walter Johnson records his 100th career shutout in a 3-0 win over the Yankees.

1930: A Western League game in Des Moines, Iowa against Wichita is the first pro baseball game played at night with permanent lights.

1939: Before a game against the Tigers, Lou Gehrig benches himself, telling Yankees manager John McGraw that it's "for the good of the team". His streak of 2,130 consecutive games played comes to an end.

1944: Ted Williams receives his pilot wings and is commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps.

1972: Vida Blue ends his holdout, signing a $63,000 deal with the A's.

2000: The Braves win their 15th straight game, defeating the Dodgers 5-3.

2001: At the Metrodome, 40 Twins fans are ejected and the game against the Yankees is delayed for 12 minutes as trash is thrown at former Minnesota 2nd baseman Chuck Knoblauch. Coins, golf balls, and plastic beer bottles were thrown at him. Twins manager Tom Kelly tried to calm fans down on the field.

2002: In a 15-4 win over the White Sox, the Mariners Mike Cameron becomes the 13th player in M.L. history to hit four home runs in a game.

2003: The Players Association agrees to a two year experiment to give home field advantage in the World Series to the winning league in the All-Star Game.

[CrimsonCowboy]

May 3rd:

1936: Joe DiMaggio makes his M.L. debut. He collects three hits, including a triple, and scores three times in the Yankees 14-5 win over the Browns.

1979: Bobby Bonds joins Willie Mays as the only players in M.L. history to record 300 home runs and 300 stolen bases.

1980: With a 3-2 win over the Orioles, the Rangers Fergie Jenkins joins Cy Young, Jim Bunning, and Gaylord Perry as the only pitchers in M.L. history to win 100 games in both leagues.

2001: Johnny Oates resigns as Rangers manager and is replaced by third base coach Jerry Narron.

2005: The White Sox set a M.L. record by having a lead in all 28 games played up to that point in a season.

2006: Major League Baseball sells the Nationals to real estate developed Theodore Lerner for $450 million.

2008: The Mets Carlos Delgado his his 435th career home run, passing Juan Gonzalez for the most among Puerto Rico born players.

2011: The Twins Francisco Liriano pitches a no-hitter in a 1-0 win over the White Sox.

[CrimsonCowboy]

May 4th:

1931: To put less strain on his legs, Babe Ruth plays first base, moving Lou Gehrig to right field. Gehrig commits an error that helps the Senators beat the Yankees 7-3.

1954: The Phillies and Cardinals set a M.L. record by using 42 players. The Phillies win the game in 14-10 in eleven innings.

1963: In a 7-5 loss to the Cubs, Braves pitcher Bob Shaw sets a M.L. record by committing five balks.

1966: Willie Mays sets the N.L. record with his 512th career home run.

1969: In a 3-1 win over the Giants, the Astros set a N.L. record by turning seven double plays. First baseman Curt Blefary takes part in all seven.

1975: The Astros Bob Watson scores the one millionth run in M.L history.

1981: The Yankees Ron Davis sets a M.L. record by striking out eight straight Angels batters in a 4-2 win.

1999: After 6,136 career at bats, Mark Grace hits his first career grand slam in the Cubs 12-11 win over the Rockies.

2005: In the fifth matchup of 300 game winners, Greg Maddux and the Cubs defeat Roger Clemens and the Astros 3-2.

2007: In the second inning, 49 year old Mets first baseman Julio Franco faces off against 43-year old Diamondbacks hurler Randy Johnson in the oldest pitcher-hitter matchup in M.L. history. Franco homered off Johnson, extending his M.L. record of the oldest player to hit a home run.

2010: Hall of Fame broadcaster Ernie Harwell dies at age 92.

[CrimsonCowboy]

May 5th:

1904: Cy Young pitches the first perfect game in A.L. history in the Red Sox 3-0 win over the A's.

1917: The Browns Ernie Koob pitches a no-hitter in a 1-0 win over the White Sox.

1953: In the Braves 10-3 win over the Reds, Max Surkont sets a M.L. record with eight consecutive strikeouts.

1962: The Angels Bo Belinsky pitches a no-hitter in a 2-0 win over the Orioles.

1978: Pete Rose records his 3,000th hit.

1999: In a 13-6 win over the Cubs, the Rockies join the Giants in 1923 and the Cardinals in 1964 as the only teams to score in every inning of a game in the century.

2000: Tommy Lasorda is named the manager of the U.S. Olympic Baseball team.

2004: The Mets Mike Piazza sets a M.L. record for catchers with 352 career home runs.

[CrimsonCowboy]

May 6th:

1906: Exposition Park in Pittsburgh becomes the first ballpark to use a protective tarp to cover the infield, keeping it dry during a storm. The tarp is used to keep a dry infield for the next day's Pirates game against the Cubs.

1915: Red Sox pitcher Babe Ruth hits the first two home runs of his career.

1917: The Browns Bob Groom pitches a no-hitter in a doubleheader nightcap against the White Sox, It's the second straight day a Browns pitcher has tossed a no-hitter.

1929: The American League announces it will discontinue the MVP Award. It will resume two years later.

1931: Hall of Famer Willie Mays is born in Westfield, Alabama.

1951: The Pirates Cliff Chambers pitches a no-hitter in a 3-0 win over the Braves.

1953: In his first M.L. start, the Browns Alva Lee Holloman pitches a no-hitter in a 6-0 win over the A's. He would never pitch another complete game and won three games in his one year in the majors.

1978: The Dodgers Lee Lacy becomes the first player in M.L. history to hit home runs in consecutive pinch-hit appearances.

1981: The Mariners fire manager Maury Wills and replace him with Rene Lachemann.

1982: The Mariners Gaylord Perry records his 300th win in an 8-2 victory over the Yankees.

1994: With the Cubs 10-1 win over the Pirates, Anthony Young's 27-game losing streak as a starter ends.

1998: In a 2-0 win over the Astros, Cubs rookie pitcher Kerry Wood ties the M.L. record with 20 strikeouts.

2005: In a 6-5 win over the Cardinals, the Padres Trevor Hoffman joins Lee Smith and John Franco as the only pitchers with 400 saves.

2007: Roger Clemens announces from the owners box that he is returning to pitch for the Yankees.

2008: 42 year old Tim Wakefield and 41 year old Mike Timlin combine to shutout the Tigers 5-0. It's the first time since 1900 that two pitchers over 40 years old had combined for a shutout.

2012: In a 4-3 Blue Jays loss to the Angels, 45 year old Omar Vizquel becomes the oldest to play shortstop in M.L. history.