Today In Baseball History: June

CrimsonCowboy

CrimsonCowboy

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June 1st:

1917: Hank Gowdy becomes the first M.L. player to enlist during World War I.

1918: Trailing the Yankees 5-4 in the ninth, the White Sox load the bases with nobody out. Chick Gandil lines to third baseman Frank Baker, who turns that into a triple play, ending the game.

1941: Mel Ott hits a two run homer for the 400th of his career and also his 1,499th and 1,500th career RBI.

1959: The two time champions from Monterrey, Mexico is banned from Little League competition for the 1959 season after failing to comply with rules stating they can only use players from a predetermined geographical area.
 
June 2nd:

1935: At age 40, Babe Ruth announces his retirement.

1941: Lou Gehrig dies at age 37 of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. After that point, ALS would become known as Lou Gehrig's Disease.

1942: Ted Williams enlists as a Navy aviator. He will finish the season with the Red Sox.

1958: The Yankees Whitey Ford ties an A.L. record by striking out six White Sox in a row.

1987: With the first overall pick in the draft, the Mariners select Cincinnati high school star Ken Griffey, Jr.

1990: The Mariners Randy Johnson pitches a no-hitter in a 2-0 win over the Tigers.

1995: In a 6-3 win over the Twins, the Red Sox John Valentin homers three times and has five hits, collecting a season high 15 total bases.
 
June 3rd:

1925: The White Sox Eddie Collins collects his 3,000th career hit.

1930: The Phillies released Grover Alexander. At that time, he had 373 wins, one more than Christy Mathewson for the N.L. record. However in 1946, a win that was disallowed for Mathewson back in 1902 is restored, meaning the two became tied.

1932: In a Yankees 20-13 win over the A's, Lou Gehrig hits four home runs, Tony Lazzeri hits for the cycle, and the two teams set a record with 41 extra base hits.

1937: Negro League star Josh Gibson hits a line drive that falls just two feet below the rim of Yankee Stadium, which was 580 feet from home plate. If the ball was not impeded, it is estimated the ball might have traveled 700 feet.

1953: Congress cites the research from New York librarian Robert Henderson's proof that Alexander Cartwright, not Abner Doubleday, founded baseball. His book Bat, Ball, and Bishop was the source of Henderson's claims.

1955: The Cardinals Stan Musial hits his 300th career home run.

1958: By just 24,293 votes, the Dodger referendum passes in Los Angeles, allowing the city to sell 300 acres in Chavez Ravine to the team for the building of their new stadium.

1971: The Cubs Ken Holtzman pitches his second career no-hitter in a 1-0 win over the Reds and also scored the game's only run.

1980: With the first pick in the draft, the Mets select Darryl Strawberry.

1985: With the first pick in the draft, the Brewers select North Carolina catcher B.J. Surhoff. The next three picks are Mississippi State's Will Clark (Giants), Oklahoma's Bobby Witt (Rangers) and Michian's Barry Larkin (Reds).

1989: Nolan Ryan pitches his second one-hitter of the season and the 11th of his career in the Rangers 6-1 win over the Mariners. Ryan struck out 11, to tie Don Sutton's record of 21 seasons with 100 strikeouts.

1997: The White Sox Albert Belle makes his return to Cleveland after signing a 5 year/$55 million deal with Chicago. In the White Sox 9-5 win, Belle collects three hits (home run included) and asked the fans for more when they were throwing debris at him. At the end of the game, Belle shows the fans an obscene gesture.
 
June 4th:

1943: The Cardinals Mort Cooper pitches the second of back to back one-hitters against the Phillies. He also pitched a one-hitter on May 31st against the Dodgers.

1953: The Pirates trade outfielder Ralph Kiner, catcher Joe Garagiola, pitcher Howie Pollet, and outfielder Catfish Metkovich to the Cubs for catcher Toby Atwell, pitcher Bob Schultz, 1st baseman Preston Ward, 3rd baseman George Freese, outfielders Bob Addis and Gene Hermanski. The Pirates also received $150,000.

1964: Sandy Koufax pitches a no-hitter in a 3-0 win over the Phillies. He becomes the fourth to pitch three career no-hitters.

1967: The Cardinals Curt Flood sees his streak of 568 chances without an error and his N.L. record streak of 227 errorless games end when he drops a fly ball against the Cubs.

1972: Eight shutouts are pitched in Major League Baseball, setting a record. Five of them are pitched in the A.L.

1974: Unruly fans take the field in Cleveland during the ninth inning of the Rangers/Indians game, tied 5-5 at the time. The Indians held a ten-cent beer night promotion at the game. The Indians are forced to forfeit the game.

1989: After trailing the Red Sox 10-0 after six innings, the Blue Jays rally back to win 13-11 in 12 innings. It was the biggest lead the Red Sox had ever blown and also their 12th straight loss to the Jays at Fenway Park.

1990: At age 22, the Dodgers Ramon Martinez ties Sandy Koufax's franchise record with 18 strikeouts in a 2-0 win over the Braves. He fell just one short of the N.L. record.
 
June 5th:

1948: The Phillies Richie Ashburn sets a rookie record for the century by hitting in his 23rd straight game in a 6-5 win over the Cubs.

1974: The A's Reggie Jackson and Billy North fight in the clubhouse in Detroit. Jackson injures his shoulder. Ray Fosse, in an attempt to stop the fight, suffers a crushed disk in his neck, virtually ending his season.

1981: The Astros Nolan Ryan walks two against the Mets, raising his career total to 1,777. That passes Early Wynn for the most all time.

1987: The Mets Dwight Gooden, returning from drug rehab, allows one run in 6 2/3 innings in a 5-1 win over the Pirates.

1989: The Blue Jays lose to the Brewers 5-3 in the first game at Toronto's SkyDome.

1997: The Mariners Alex Rodriguez hits for the cycle in a 14-6 win over the Tigers.
 
June 6th:

1941; The Giants, while losing both games of a double to the Pirates, use plastic batting helmets for the first time. In the second game, Pirates pitcher Rip Sewell sets a N.L. record with 11 assists.

1944: As the country's focus is on Europe as Allied forces invade occupied France, all M.L. games are postponed.

1971: Willie Mays his the last of his M.L. record 22 extra-inning home runs.

1990: The Tigers Cecil Fielder becomes the fourth player in A.L. history to have two three-homer games in a season.

1991: The Indians Albert Belle is sent to the minor leagues for not running out a ground ball in a 2-1 loss to the White Sox.

1992: The Mets Eddie Murray collects his 1,510th RBI, passing Mickey Mantle's record for switch-hitters.
 
June 7th:

1932: At 47 years old, Dodgers pitcher John Quinn becomes the oldest player in M.L. history to record an extra base hit.

1966: With the first pick in the draft, the Mets select catcher Steve Chilcott, who would retire after six years in the minors and would become the first #1 pick to never play in the Major Leagues. With the second pick, the A's take Reggie Jackson.

1969: The Senators select Jeff Burroughs with the first pick in the draft.

1973: Texas high school pitcher David Clyde is selected first overall by the Rangers. He would make his M.L. debut later in the month. With the fourth pick, the Padres selected Dave Winfield, who would also go straight to the majors.

1977: With the first pick in the draft, the White Sox select Harold Baines. The Expos use the second pick on pitcher Bill Gullickson while with the third pick, the Brewers select Minnesota infielder Paul Molitor. Future NBA star Danny Ainge is selected in the 15th round.

1982: In a 4-3 loss to the Braves, the Dodgers Steve Garvey plays in his 1,000th straight game, the fifth longest in M.L. history.

1986: The Pirates select Jeff King with the first pick in the draft. In the fourth round, the Royals select Bo Jackson.

1994: The A's Rickey Henderson collects his 1,100th career stolen base.
 
June 8th:

1920: During a long argument in the infield, Reds outfielder Edd Rousch falls asleep. He is ejected for delay of game.

1921: Babe Ruth is arrested and fined $100 for speeding and held in jail until 4:00, not allowing him to make the start of the 3:15 Yankees game. His uniform is sent to the jail, he changes there, and gets a police escort to the game.

1933: The A's Jimmie Foxx homers in his first three at bats in a 14-10 win over the Yankees. The prior day, he homered in his last at bat, giving him home runs in four straight times at the plate.

1955: The Dodgers sent Tommy Lasorda to Montreal to allow Sandy Koufax on the roster, returning from the injured list.

1961: The Braves set a M.L. by hitting four straight homers against the Reds. Eddie Mathews, Hank Aaron, Joe Adcock, and Frank Thomas are the record setters. Even with all that, the Braves lose 10-8.

1965: With the first pick of the draft, the A's select Arizona's Rick Monday. The Reds select Johnny Bench in the second round while the Mets take Nolan Ryan in the tenth.

1968: The Dodgers Don Drysdale pitches four scoreless innings before allowing a run, ending his then M.L. streak at 58 2/3 scoreless innings.

1969: 60.096 fans show up at Yankee Stadium for Mickey Mantle Day, as his #7 is retired and plaques honoring him and Joe DiMaggio hang in centerfield.

1977: For the fourth time in his career, Nolan Ryan strikes out 19 batters. He does it in ten innings against the Blue Jays.

1978: The Braves select College Player of the Year Bob Horner with the first pick in the draft.

1981: With the first pick, the Mariners select Oral Roberts pitcher Mike Moore while the Cubs pick Joe Carter from Wichita State with the second selection. With their first round pick, the Yankees take Stanford quarterback John Elway.

1989: After taking a 10-0 lead after the top of the first, the Pirates lose to the Phillies 15-11. Pirates broadcaster Jim Rooker promised on-air that he would walk from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh if the Pirates blew the lead. After the season, Rooker did the walk for charity.
 
June 8th:

1906: The Boston Beaneaters defeat the Cardinals 6-3 to snap a 19-game losing streak.

1933: Walter Johnson takes over as Indians manager.

1961: In a 5-1 win over the Red Sox, the Angels Ryne Duren sets an A.L. record with seven straight strikeouts.

1963: The Houston Colt 45s defeat the Giants 3-0 in the first Sunday night game. Houston's oppressive daytime heat allows the exception for the Sunday night games.

1966: In a 9-4 win over Kansas City, the Twins become the first team in A.L. history to hit five home runs in one inning. In the seventh inning, Rich Rollins, Zoilo Versalles, Tony Oliva, Don Mincher, and Harmon Killebrew all homer.

1990: In a 5-4, 11-inning win over the Padres, the Dodgers Eddie Murray homers from both sides of the plate for the tenth time in his career. That ties Mickey Mantle's M.L. record.
 
June 10th:

1944: At 15 years, ten months old, the Red Joe Nuxhall becomes the youngest player in M.L. history. He pitches one third of an inning, walking five and allowing two hits in an 18-0 loss to the Cardinals.

1959: In an 11-8 win over the Orioles, the Indians Rocky Colavito hits four consecutive home runs, joining Lou Gehirg and Bobby Lowe as the only players in M.L. history to do so.

1966: The Indians Sonny Siebert pitches a no-hitter in a 2-0 win against the Senators.

1968: After the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy, A.L. games in Baltimore and Chicago are postponed. The Astros Rusty Staub and Bob Aspromote as well as the Pirates Maury Wills refuse to play and receive punishments.

1972: Hank Aaron ties Gil Hodges' N.L. record with his 14th career grand slam. It was also his 649th career home run, passing Willie Mays for second on the all-time list.

1974: In a 12-0 win over the Astros, the Phillies Mike Schmidt hits a ball off a speaker hanging from the roof in the Astrodome. The speaker was 117 feet high and 300 feet from home plate. Schmidt had to settle for a single.

1975: At their temporary home in Shea Stadium, the Yankees sponsor Army Day. During a 21-gun salute, glass is splintered, the stadium gets filled with smoke, one part of the fence is blown away while another part catches fire.

1981: The Phillies Pete Rose collects his 3,630th career hit, tying Stan Musial's N.L. record.

1986: The N.L. announces that following the retirement of Chub Feeney in December, Yale President A. Bartlett Giamatti will be its next president.

1995: The Orioles Jeff Manto, who had a total of four home runs in his first three M.L. seasons, homers in four straight at bats.
 
June 11th:

1927: During the ninth inning of their game, the Philadelphia A's had seven future Hall of Famers playing. Outfielders Ty Cobb, Al Simmons, and Zach Wheat, Jimmie Foxx at first base, Eddie Collins at second, Lefty Grove pitching in relief, and Mickey Cochrane as a pinch-hitter.

1974: Yankees pitcher Mel Stottlemyre sets an A.L. record with his 272nd straight start.

1985: In a 26-7 rout over the Mets, the Phillies Von Hayes becomes the first player in M.L. history to homer twice in the same inning, hitting a leadoff homer to start the game, and then hitting a grand slam later in the first. The Mets 26 runs are a franchise record and the most scored in the N.L. since 1944.

1988: In an 8-6 win over the Orioles, the Yankees Rick Rhoden becomes the first pitcher to start a game as the Designated Hitter since the A.L. adopted the rule in 1973. He had a sacrifice fly in the win.

1990: The Rangers Nolan Ryan pitches his sixth career no-hitter in a 5-0 win over the A's. He's the first to both pitch no-hitters for three different teams and in three different decades.

1995: In a 10-8, 13-inning win over the Giants, the Expos Rondell White has six hits, scores five runs, and hit for the cycle.

1997: The Marlins Kevin Brown pitches a no-hitter in a 9-0 win over the Giants.
 
June 12th:

1939: The Baseball Hall of Fame is dedicated in Cooperstown, New York. Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Honus Wagner, Walter Johnson, Grover Alexander, Nap Lajoie, George Sisler, Eddie, Collins, Tris Speaker, Cy Young, and Connie Mack accept their plaques as the first Hall of Fame inductees.

1950: Connie Mack is named the honorary manager of the American League for the All-Star Game.

1957: Stan Musial plays in his 823rd straight game, setting a new N.L. record.

1970: The Pirates Dock Ellis pitches a no-hitter in a 2-0 win over the Padres.

1979: Sparky Anderson takes over as manager of the Tigers after Les Moss is fired.

1981: At 12:30, after union chief Marvin Miller announces a meeting the prior day accomplishes nothing, the players go on strike.

Happy Birthday Ryan Klesko, born in 1971
 
June 13th:

1905: The Giants Christy Mathewson pitches his second career no-hitter in a 1-0 win over the Cubs.

1913: Eight years after pitching a no-hitter against the Cubs, Christy Mathewson wins his 300th game. The milestone win came against the Cubs.

1924: The Yankees Bob Meusel gets hit with a pitch in the back from the Tigers Bert Cole. Meusel then throws his bat at Cole, resulting in a fight involving players, fans, and police. About 30 minutes later and not able to clear the field, umpire Billy Evans forfeits the game to the Yankees in a 10-6 win.

1948: In front of 49,641 fans at Yankee Stadium, Babe Ruth's #3 is retired. The ailing Ruth is joined in the ceremony by the 1923 Yankees team.

1950: In a 10-9 Tigers win over the Yankees, the two teams combine for a M.L. record 11 home runs. The Yankees hit six with the Tigers hitting the other five.

2003: On his fourth try to do so, the Yankees Roger Clemens gets his 300th win in a 5-2 victory over the Cardinals.
 
June 14th:

1933: Lou Gehrig and Yankees manager Joe McCarthy are thrown out of a game. McCarthy would be suspended three games. Gehrig is not suspended, thus keeping his consecutive games played streak alive.

1952: In a 15-inning, 3-1 loss to the Cubs, the Braves Warren Spahn ties the N.L. record with 18 strikeouts. Also, Braves scout Dewey Griggs signs Hank Aaron to a contract.

1966: In a Florida State League game, Miami defeats St. Petersburg, managed by Sparky Anderson, 4-3 in 29 innings. It's the longest uninterrupted game in professional baseball history.

1979: The Giants Willie McCovey hits his 513th career home run, the most among N.L. left handed hitters.

1985: Earl Weaver, who managed the Orioles to six A.L. pennants from 1968-1982 returns to the team after manager Joe Altobelli was fired.

1990: The National League announces it will expand from 12 to 14 teams for the 1993 season. The price set for the expansion teams was placed at $95 million.

1992: Ozzie Smith takes part in his 1,305th double play, setting a N.L. record.
 
June 15th:

1928: At 41 years old, Ty Cobb steals home for the 50th and final time in his career.

1931: Roster cuts for the A's force retirements of Eddie Collins and Harry Heilmann. Collins would become a coach for the A's while Heilmann made a brief comeback with the Reds in 1932.

1938: In a 6-0 win over the Dodgers, the Reds Johnny Vander Meer pitches a no-hitter in his second straight start.

1948: In front of 54,480 fans, the Tigers beat the A's 4-1 in the first night game at Briggs Stadium. The Tigers are the last A.L. team to install lights.

1953: The Browns defeat the Yankees 3-1, ending their team record 14-game losing streak while ending New York's win streak at 18 games. During the game, the Yankees Johnny Mize becomes the 93rd player in M.L. history to record 2,000 hits.

1961: A win makes the Senators 30-30, marking the latest an expansion team had a record at .500 during a season. They would then lose the next ten games.

1976: The scheduled game at Houston's Astrodome is called off when heavy rains cause flooding that makes it difficult for the visiting team and umpires to get to the stadium.

1977: The Mets trade ace pitcher Tom Seaver to the Reds in exchange for pitcher Pat Zachry, infielder Doug Flynn, and minor leaguers Steve Henderson and Dan Norman. The Mets also traded slugger Dave Kingman to the Padres for infielder Bobby Valentine and a minor league player.

1983: The Cardinals trade first baseman Keith Hernandez to the Mets for pitchers Neil Allen and Rick Ownbey.

1992: In a 1-0 win over the Yankees, the Red Sox Jeff Reardon records his 342nd save, breaking Rollie Fingers' all time record.
 
June 16th:

1909: Jim Thorpe makes his debut for Rocky Mount of the Eastern Carolina League in a 4-2 win over Raleigh. Playing professionally in this season will cause him to lose the medals he won in the 1912 Olympics.

1938: In a 12-8 win over the Browns, the Red Sox Jimmie Foxx is walked a record six straight times.

1945: The Red Sox Dave Ferriss, after starting his career with eight wins (four by shutouts) loses to the Yankees 3-2.

1978: The Reds Tom Seaver pitches a no-hitter in a 4-0 win over the Cardinals.

1993: Ken Griffey Jr., at age 23, becomes the fourth youngest in M.L. history to hit 100 home runs. Only Mel Ott, Eddie Mathews, and Tony Conigliaro did it faster.

1995: In a 2-1 win over the Phillies, the Marlins Andre Dawson hits his 400th home run in the N.L. and 429th overall in his career.
 
June 17th:

1941: Joe DiMaggio's hitting streak extends to 30 games after an easy ground ball that bounces up and hits the White Sox Luke Appling on the shoulder gets credited for a hit.

1960: Ted Williams becomes the fourth player in M.L. history to hit 500 home runs.

1967: It takes nine hours and five minutes for the Tigers and A's to play a doubleheader. A rain delay in the first game is followed by the nightcap going 19 innings. The Tigers won the opener 7-6 with the A's winning the second 6-5.

1978: In an 11-0 win over the Angels, Ron Guidry set an A.L. record for left-handers with 18 strikeouts. His season record improves to 11-0.

1987: Dick Howser, who managed the Royals to their only world championship, dies at age 51. A brain tumor forces him to give up managing during the 1986 season. The Royals retire his #10 on July 3rd.
 
June 18th:

1938: The Dodgers sign Babe Ruth as a coach for the rest of the season.

1953: In the seventh inning of a 23-3 win over the Tigers, Red Sox rookie Gene Stephens becomes the first player in A.L. history to record three hits in the same inning. In that inning, Boston sent 23 runners to the plate, getting 14 hits and six walks.

1960: The Giants replace manager Bill Ringey with Tom Sheehan. The 66-year old Sheehan becomes the oldest rookie manager in M.L. history.

1962: In a 7=1 win over the Mets, the Braves Hank Aaron becomes the second player in two days and only the third overall to hit a home run in the left-center field bleachers at the Polo Grounds.

1972: The U.S. Supreme Court, in a 5-3 ruling, confirms the lower court ruling in the Curt Flood case, upholding baseball's exemption from antitrust laws and the legitimacy of the reserve clause.

1975: In a 15-1 win over the Tigers, Red Sox rookie Fred Lynn hits three homers, a triple, and drove in ten runs. The 16 total bases is an A.L. record.

1977: The Yankees Reggie Jackson is taken out of the game by manager Billy Martin against the Red Sox for loafing after a fly ball. TV cameras catch the two almost coming to blows in the dugout.

1986: In a 3-1 victory over the Rangers, the Angels Don Sutton becomes the 19th pitcher in M.L. history to win 300 games.

1995: Tigers manager Sparky Anderson wins his 2,158th game, moving into third on the all-time list.

2003: Larry Doby, the first African-American player in the American League, dies at age 79.
 
June 19th:

1938: The Reds Johnny Vander Meer's hitless innings streak ends at 21 2/3 innings.

1961: The A's fire manager Joe Gordon and hire Hank Bauer.

1974: The Royals Steve Busby pitches a no-hitter in a 2-0 win over the Brewers. Busby becomes the first pitcher in M.L. history to pitch a no-hitter in his first two season.

1977: Frank Robinson is fired as Indians manager and his replaced by Jeff Torborg.

1979: Billy Martin begins his second stint as Yankees manager with a 5-4 loss to the Blue Jays. He replaced the fired Bob Lemon.

1989: The Mets Dwight Gooden wins his 100th game in a 5-3 victory over the Expos.

1990: Gary Carter breaks Al Lopez's N.L. record by catching his 1.862nd game.

1994: The Tigers homer in their 25th straight game.
 
June 20th:

1932: The A's Roger Cramer collects six straight hits in a nine-inning game. He becomes the only A.L. player to repeat that feat when he does it again in 1935.

1948: The Indians set a M.L. attendance record when 82,781 show up for a doubleheader. The Indians would break that record in 1954.

1973: The Giants Bobby Bonds hits his 22nd career leadoff home run, breaking Lou Brock's N.L. record.

1973: The White Sox Cy Acosta strikes out in the eighth inning of an 8-3 win over the Angels, becomes the first pitcher to hit since the American League adopted the D.H. rule. Acosta was the game's winning pitcher.

1982: Pete Rose joins Ty Cobb, Stan Musial, Hank Aaron, and Carl Yastrzemski as the only players in M.L. to collect 3,000 hits.

1986: With a 26-38 record for the season, the White Sox fire manager Tony LaRussa and is replaced by Jim Fregosi. Early the next month, LaRussa would be named the A's new manager.

1991: Red pitcher Jose Rijo, MVP of the 1990 World Series, is lost for the season when he breaks his ankle trying to steal in a 1-0 loss to the Expos.
 
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