Today In Baseball History: August

[CrimsonCowboy]

August 21st:

1926: The White Sox Ted Lyons pitches a no-hitter in a 6-0 win over the Red Sox.

1931: Babe Ruth hits his 600th career home run.

1932: The Indians Wes Feller becomes the first pitcher in the 20th Century to record 20 or more wins in each of his first four seasons.

1947: The Maynard Midgets win the first Little League World Series held in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

1951: The owners vote to name Major General Emmett O'Donnell as commissioner. However, President Harry Truman overrules the vote, saying he is needed in Korea in his post as commander of bombers.

1962: After being released by the Yankees earlier in the day, Robin Roberts signs a free agent deal with the Orioles.

1975: In the first shutout pitched by brothers, Rick Reuschel pitches 6.1 innings with Paul finishing the rest to lead the Cubs in a 6-0 win over the Dodgers.

1980: Charley Finley announces he has sold the Oakland A's to Levi Strauss Chairman of the Board Walter A. Hass, Jr.

1982: The Brewers Rollie Fingers becomes the first pitcher in M.L. history to record 300 saves.

2002: In the longest game in Little League World Series history, Louisville, KY defeats Fort Worth, TX 2-1 in 11 innings in the U.S. Semifinal.

2010: Matt Stairs sets a M.L. record with his 21st career pinch-home run.

[CrimsonCowboy]

August 21st:

1886: Louisville's Chicken Wolf hits a walk-off home run when a stray dog grabs the pant leg of the Reds Abner Powell, causing him to miss the ball in center field.

1917: In a 22 inning game against the Dodgers, the Pirates Carson Bigbee sets a M.L. record with 11 at bats. For the Pirates, it was their fourth straight extra innings game, a N.L. record.

1939: Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski is born in Southampton, New York.

1961: Roger Maris becomes the first player in M.L. history to hit his 50th home run of the season in the month of August.

1965: The Giants Juan Marichal attacks Dodgers catcher Johnny Roseboro because he think's his return throws to Sandy Koufax are too close to his head. Marichal hits him with his bat, causing Roseboro to have cuts on his head and starting a 14-minute brawl between the two rival teams.

1982: Two out and two strikes in the 12th inning, the Cardinals Glenn Brummer steals home to give St Louis a 5-4 walk-off win over the Giants.

1989: Nolan Ryan becomes the first, and only, pitcher in M.L. history to record 5,000 strikeouts.

1999: Mark McGwire becomes the first player in M.L. history to record four straight seasons of 50 home runs.

2007: The Rangers become the first post-1900 team to score 30 runs in a game, doing so in a 30-3 thrashing over the Orioles.

2011: The Cardinals Matt Holliday is forced to leave the game when a moth gets stuck deep into his ear. He is treated in the trainer's room, where the moth is extracted, still alive.

2012: The A's Bartolo Colon is suspended 50 games after a positive test for testosterone.

[CrimsonCowboy]

August 23rd:

1906: With a 4-1 win over the Senators, the White Sox set an A.L. record with their 19th straight victory.

1907: In a doubleheader nightcap, the Pirates Howie Camnitz pitches a five inning no-hitter in a 1-0 win over the Giants.

1936: Bob Feller makes his first M.L. start. He strikes out the first eight batters he faces, finishing with 15 strikeouts in the Indians 4-1 win over the Browns.

1958: In the Dodgers 10-1 win over the Braves, Gil Hodges sets a N.L. record with his 14th career grand slam.

1982: The Mariners Gaylord Perry is ejected after being caught applying a foreign substance to a ball.

1989: Pete Rose agrees to a lifetime ban from baseball due to allegations that he bet on games.

1998: Barry Bonds becomes the first player in M.L. history to record 400 home runs with 400 stolen bases.

2001: The Diamondbacks Randy Johnson becomes the first pitcher in M.L. history to record 300 strikeouts for four straight seasons.

2002: Hall of Famer Hoyt Wilhelm dies at age 80.

[CrimsonCowboy]

August 24th:

1919: Indians right fielder Ray Caldwell, with two outs in the top of the ninth inning, is knocked unconscious by a lightning strike. Caldwell refuses to leave the game and records the final out in the 2-1 win over the A's.

1951: In another idea by Bill Veeck, a thousand fans behind the Browns dugout are given yes and no cards to vote on ideas by the coaching staff. The idea seems to work as the Browns defeat the A's 5-3.

1957: In a game against the Braves, the Dodgers tie a M.L. record by using eight pitchers.

1960: Cal Ripken, Jr. is born in Havre De Grace, Maryland.

1963: The Little League World Series is televised for the first time. ABC's Wide World Of Sports provides the coverage of the championship game in which Grenada Hills, CA defeats Stratford, CT 2-1.

1971: Ernie Banks hits the last of his 512 career home runs.

1975: The Giants Ed Halicki pitches a no-hitter in a 6-0 win over the Mets.

1975: In a 5-3, 14 inning loss to the Expos, the Dodgers Davey Lopes sets a M.L. record with his 38th straight stolen base. In the 12th inning, the streak ends when Gary Carter throws him out trying to steal second.

1982: The Royals John Wathan steals his 31st base, setting a M.L. record for catchers.

1985: The Yankees Don Baylor is hit by a pitch for the 189th time, tying a M.L. record.

1989: Commissioner Bart Giamatti bans Pete Rose for life from baseball for his alleged betting on games. Rose signs a five page agreement with the ban, but does not admit to gambling on baseball games.

2000: In his fifth rehab start, Devil Rays pitcher Tony Saunders breaks his left arm again throwing a wild pitch. He first broke the arm during a Devil Rays game against the Rangers on May 26, 1999.

2006: The Tigers Sean Casey, thinking he was robbed of a hit by the White Sox Joe Crede, starts to walk back to the dugout, not realizing the ground ball only glanced off his glove, made it into left field. Casey starts to run to first, but Pablo Ozuna throws him out from the outfield. The play was scored as a 5-7-3 putout.

2007: In a 14-3 Padres win over the Phillies, Greg Maddux becomes the first pitcher in M.L. history to record 20 straight seasons of ten or more wins.

2013: For the first time, the two All-Star Game starters meet each other in a game later that season and Max Scherzer and the Tigers defeat Matt Harvey and the Mets 3-0. Scherzer joined Rube Marquard of the 1912 Giants and Roger Clemens of the 2001 Yankees to start a season 19-1. Meanwhile, Harvey, after giving up 13 hits in 6.2 innings, would go on the DL for season ending surgery.

[CrimsonCowboy]

August 25th:

1913: In the Browns 3-0 loss to the A's, pitcher Carl Weilman becomes the first player in M.L. history to strike out six straight times in a single game.

1929: The Giants become the first team to use a public address system when they place a microphone inside the mask of home plate umpire Charles Rigler.

1936: In a 20-3 win over the Cardinals, the Braves set a new M.L. record for doubles in one inning. The Braves hit seven doubles in the first inning.

1946: The Yankees become the first team in M.L. history to draw two million fans in one season.

1952: The Tigers Virgil Trucks pitches a no-hitter in a 1-0 win over the Yankees.

1965: Archibald "Moonlight" Graham dies at age 85. Graham was the inspiration for the character played by Burt Lancaster in the movie Field of Dreams.

1967: The Twins Dean Chance pitches a no-hitter in a 2-1 win over the Indians.

1983: The Louisville Redbirds become the first team in minor league history to draw one million fans.

1985: At 20 years, 9 months, and 9 days old, the Mets Dwight Gooden becomes the youngest pitcher to win 20 games in a season. He was 27 days younger when Bob Feller did it in 1939.

2005: With the Cardinals 6-3 victory over the Pirates, Tony LaRussa records his 2,195th managerial win, passing Sparky Anderson for third on the all time list.

2011: In a 22-9 rout over the A's, the Yankees become the first team in M.L. history to hit three grand slams in one game. Robinson Cano, Russell Martin, and Curtis Granderson hit the slams.

2012: The Red Sox and Dodgers pull off a nine-player trade. In the blockbuster, the Red Sox send Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford, Josh Beckett, Nick Punto, and cash to the Dodgers for James Loney, Allen Webster, Ivan De Jesus, and two players to be named later (Jerry Sands and Rubby De La Rosa).

[CrimsonCowboy]

August 26th:

1916: The A's Joe Bush pitches a no-hitter in a 5-0 win over the Indians.

1939: A doubleheader between the Reds and Dodgers at Brooklyn's Ebbets Field are the first baseball games televised in M.L. history. NBC broadcasts the games on an experimental station W2XBS. They placed a camera behind home plate and another on the third base line. The Reds won the first game 5-2 with the Dodgers taking the nightcap 6-1.

1962: The Twins Jack Kralick pitches a no-hitter in a 1-0 win over the A's.

1989: The team from Trumbull, CT defeats Chinese Taipei 5-2 tom become the first American team to win the Little League World Series since 1983.

1991: The Royals Bret Saberhagen pitches a no-hitter in a 7-0 win over the White Sox.

1996: The Mets replace manager Dallas Green with Bobby Valentine.

2002: For the first time ever, a live baseball game is streamed on the internet. 30,000 fans log on to MLB.com to see the Yankees defeat the Rangers 10-3.

2003: The Padres trade Oliver Perez and minor league prospect Jason Bay to the Pirates for Brian Giles.

2004: Ichiro Suzuki become the first and only player in M.L. history to record 200 hits in each of his first four seasons.

2007: A walk-off home run by Dalton Carriker in the eighth inning helps Warner Robins, GA defeat Tokyo, Japan 3-2 in the championship of The Little League World Series.

[CrimsonCowboy]

August 27th:

1911: The White Sox Ed Welsh pitches a no-hitter in a 5-0 win over the Red Sox.

1938: The Yankees Monte Pearson pitches a no-hitter in a 13-0 win over the Indians.

1952: In a 10-5 loss to the Cubs, the Dodgers set a N.L. record by turning a double play in 23 straight games.

1978: Joe Morgan becomes the first player in M.L. history with 200 home runs and 500 stolen bases.

1982: In a 5-4 loss to the Brewers, the A's Rickey Henderson breaks Lou Brock's single season record of 118 stolen bases.

2007: The Astros fire manager Phil Garner and GM Tim Purpura. Cecil Cooper takes over as manager.

2013: The Mets trade Marlon Byrd, John Buck, and cash to the Pirates for minor leaguer Dilson Herrera and a player to be named later (Vic Black).

[CrimsonCowboy]

August 28th:

1884: Mickey Welch of the New York Gothams strikes out the first nine Cleveland Blues batters he faces, setting a M.L. record.

1926: The Indinas sweep a doubleheader from the Red Sox by scores of 6-1 and 5-1. Emil "Dutch" Levsen becomes the last pitcher in M.L. history to win two complete games in one day.

1945: Branch Rickey meets with Jackie Robinson and shares his plan to integrate the major leagues.

1990: The Cubs Ryne Sandberg becomes the first second baseman in M.L. history to hit 30 home runs in a season.

1992: In a 22-2 win over the Blue Jays, the Brewers set an A.L. record with 31 hits.

2003: In a 3-1 Mets win over the Braves, 20-year Jose Reyes becomes the youngest player in M.L. history to homer from both sides of the plate.

2003: The Dodgers Eric Gagne sets a M.L. record with his 44th straight save.

2008: The Phillies/Cubs game at Wrigley Field becomes the first in M.L. history with video replay available for umpires on fair/foul calls, balls in or out of the ballpark, and determination of fan interference.

2012: The Cubs and Starlin Castro agree to a new seven year contract extension.

[CrimsonCowboy]

August 29th:

1918: The Cubs defeat the Reds 1-0 to clinch the N.L. Pennant.

1934: Schoolboy Rowe's 16-game winning streak, tied for the A.L. record, ends as the A's lost 13-5 to the Tigers.

1951: The Yankees trade rookie pitcher Lew Burdette and $50,000 to the Braves for Johnny Sain.

1966: The Beatles perform their last concert together in San Francisco's Candlestick Park.

1966: The Cubs Robin Roberts gets the victory in a 4-2 win over the Braves. Roberts becomes the only pitcher to record wins against the Boston, Milwaukee, and Atlanta Braves.

1971: Hank Aaron becomes the first player in N.L. history to have 100 RBIs in 11 different seasons.

1985: The Yankees Don Baylor is hit by a pitch for the 190th time, setting a new M.L. record.

1989: In the first game in M.L. history started by the Cy Young Award winners of the prior season, Frank Viola and the Mets defeat Orel Hershisher and the Dodgers 1-0.

1996: Bobby Bonilla hits his 20th home run of the season, making the Orioles the first team in M.L. history to have seven players do that in one year. Joining Bonilla as 20 home run hitters that season for the Orioles were Rafael Palmerio, Roberto Alomar, Cal Ripken, Jr., B.J. Surhoff, Brady Anderson, and Chris Hoiles.

2000: In the bottom of the ninth with the Braves trailing the Reds 4-2, a power spike causes many of the Turner Field lights to go out, delaying the game for 12 minutes. During the delay, the song "The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia" is played.

2002: The Cubs Mark Bellhorn becomes the first player in N.L. history to homer from both sides of the plate in the same inning. The only other player to do so in M.L. history is Carlos Baerga.

2006: The Astros and Roy Oswalt agree to a five year extension worth $73 million.

2008: With a 14-3 victory over the Orioles, the Rays assure themselves of their first winning season in the franchise's 11 year history.

2010: After being initially ruled a double, the umpires after replay review correctly rule the Braves Brian McCann hit a walk-off home run, giving them a 7-6 win over the Marlins. It marked the first game to end on a walk-off home run review on replay.

[CrimsonCowboy]

August 30th:

1905: In the first inning of the Tigers 5-3 win over the Highlanders, Ty Cobb doubles off Jack Chesbro to collect the first of his 4,191 career hits.

1912: The Browns Earl Hamilton pitches a no-hitter in a 5-1 win over the Tigers. The Tigers only run comes in the fourth after a Ty Cobb walk, a two base error, and a fielder's choice.

1916: The Red Sox Dutch Leonard pitches a no-hitter in a 4-0 win over the Browns.

1918: Ted Williams is born in San Diego, California.

1928: Tris Speaker strikes out in his final career at bat. He finishes his Hall of Fame career with a .345 batting average, sixth best in M.L. history.

1953: During the first of a doubleheader in which the Braves beat the Pirates 19-4, they set a M.L. record with eight home runs. In the nightcap, in which they won 11-5, the Braves hit four more homers, marking the most home runs hit in a doubleheader in M.L. history.

1965: While recovering from a broken hip, Casey Stengel announces his official retirement as Mets manager. The announcement ends his 56 year career in baseball as a player, coach, and manager.

1975: The Braves name Connie Ryan as their new manager, replacing Clyde King.

1984: The Red Sox Jim Rice sets a new M.L. record by grounding into his 33rd double play of the season.

1984: The Expos fire manager Bill Virdon and replace him with Jim Fanning.

1986: 43-year old Tommy John and 41-year old Joe Niekro of the Yankees become the first 40+ year old pitchers to start both games of a doubleheader in M.L. history. Against the Mariners, John and the Yankees lose the opener 1-0, but Niekro goes five innings and leads the team to a 3-0 win in the nightcap.

1998: With a 7-5 defeat to the Reds, the Marlins record their 89th loss of the season, the most for any defending World Series champion in M.L. history.

1998: Toms River, NJ defeats Kashima, Japan 12-9 to become the first American team to win the Little League World Series since 1993.

2000: With a 5-2 Braves victory over the Reds, Bobby Cox records his 1,600th managerial win, passing Tommy Lasorda for 14th on the all time list.

2002: After a marathon negotiating session and with just hours before the deadline, Commissioner Bud Selig announces the players and owners have agreed to a new collective bargaining agreement, cancelling a possible strike. The new agreement gave the owners economic restraints and the players are assured no teams would be contracted until at least the 2007 season. Also, a new revenue sharing plan would be gradually implemented during the span of the four year deal.

2004: Braves third baseman Chipper Jones and his wife Sharon welcome their second child, who they named "Shea". They named the boy Shea after the ballpark name for the New York Mets, who Jones had tremendous success against in his career.

2006: The Padres acquire David Wells from the Red Sox for a player to be named later.

2006: The Red Sox Curt Schilling records his 3,000th strikeout.

[CrimsonCowboy]

August 31st:

1915: The Cubs Jimmy Lavender pitches a no-hitter in a 2-0 win over the Giants.

1935: The White Sox Vern Kennedy pitches a no-hitter in a 5-0 win over the Indians. Kennedy also had a three run triple.

1950: In a 19-3 Dodgers win over the Braves, Gil Hodges hits four home runs and ties a M.L. record with 17 total bases.

1957: In an Appalachian League game Steve Dalkowski of Orioles affiliate Kingsport strikes out 24 batters, but walks 18, hits four batters, and throws six nwild pitches. His wildness causes Kingsport to lose 9-8 to Bluefield.

1990: In the Mariners 5-2 win over the Royals, Ken Griffey, Sr. and Ken Griffey, Jr. become the first father and son to play on the same team in M.L. history. Both scored a run in the win.

1990: The Red Sox acquire relief pitcher Larry Andersen from the Astros for minor league first baseman Jeff Bagwell.

1992: The A's trade Jose Canseco to the Rangers for Ruben Sierra, Jeff Russell, Bobby Witt, and cash.

1997: The Braves Andruw Jones hits the team's tenth grand slam of the season, setting a new N.L. record.

2000: The Reds trade Dante Bichette to the Red Sox for two minor leaguers.

2001: Former M.L. player Crash Davis, who was the inspiration for the main character in the hit 1988 movie Bull Durham, dies at age 82. Davis was portrayed in the movie by Kevin Costner.

2004: Equaling the largest shutout in M.L. history, the Indians rout the Yankees by a 22-0 score.

2005: The Marlins Jeremy Hermida becomes the second player in M.L. history to hit a grand slam in his first at bat. He joins the Phillies Bill Duggleby (1898) as the only players to do so.

2008: The Blue Jays trade David Eckstein to the Diamondbacks for minor league pitcher Chad Beck.

2010: The Mets trade Jeff Francoeur to the Rangers for Joaquin Arias.

2010: Reds reliever Aroldis Chapman makes his M.L. debut, pitching a perfect inning in an 8-4 win over the Brewers. Chapman threw four pitches at 100 MPH or faster.

2011: In a 3-1 Braves win over the Nationals, Craig Kimbrel breaks the M.L. rookie record by recording his 41st save of the season.

2014: The White Sox trade Adam Dunn to the A's for minor league pitcher Nolan Sanburn.