Today In Baseball History: September

September 23rd:

1908: On an apparent game winning hit that would have given the Giants a 2-1 win over the Cubs, Fred Merkle fails to touch second base. Merkle is called out and the game is ruled a tie. The infamous play known as "Merkle's Boner" would eventually cost the Giants the pennant.

1955: The Yankees clinch the AL pennant with a 3-2 win over the Red Sox in a doubleheader nightcap.

1957: Hank Aaron's 11th inning home run gives the Braves a 4-2 win over the Cardinals and the NL pennant.

1973: With a 10-5 win over the White Sox, the A's clinch their third straight AL West title.

1979: Lou Brock steals the last of his 938 bases.

1983: With a 6-2 win over his former Cardinals team, the Phillies Steve Carlton wins his 300th game.

1984: With the Tigers 4-1 victory over the Yankees, Sparky Anderson becomes the first manager to win 100 games in a season in both leagues. His Reds won 108 in 1975 and 102 the next season.

1988: With two steals, Jose Canseco becomes the first player with 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases in a season.

1996: The Braves clinch the NL East with an 8-2 win over the Expos, becoming the first team in NL history to win five straight division titles.

1997: The Marlins clinch their first postseason berth with a 6-3 win over the Expos.

1998: Craig Biggio becomes the first player since Tris Speaker in 1912 with 50 steals and 50 doubles in a season.

2000: Fred McGriff joins Frank Robinson as the only players with 200 home runs in both leagues.

2001: Alex Rodriguez hits his 48th home run, breaking Ernie Banks' record for shortstops.

2006: Barry Bonds hits his 734th home run, breaking Hank Aaron's NL record.

2006: Orioles outfielder Jay Gibbons hits a foul ball over the screen that hits a fan in the rib cage, who turns out to be his wife Laura.

2007: The Nationals beat the Phillies 5-3 in the final game at RFK Stadium.

2008: The Red Sox clinch a postseason berth which also eliminates the Yankees, whose run of 13 straight playoff appearances comes to an end.

2009: Braves manager Bobby Cox announces he will retire following the 2010 season.

2010: Ichiro Suzuki becomes the first player in ML history to record ten straight seasons of 200 hits.

2011: The Brewers clinch the NL Central with a 4-1 win over the Marlins.

2011: The Rangers clinch the AL West with a win over the Mariners and an Angels loss.

2011: The Diamondbacks clinch the NL West with a 3-1 win over the Giants.

2013: The Pirates clinch their first postseason berth since 1992.
 
September 24th:

1916: In the Indians 5-3 win over the Red Sox, Marty Kavanugh hits the first pinch grand slam in ML history.

1925: With a doubleheader sweep over the Indians, the Senators clinch their second straight AL pennant.

1926: The Cardinals clinch the NL pennant with a 6-4 victory over the Giants.

1940: Jimmie Foxx hits his 500th home run.

1968: Mets manager Gil Hodges's suffers a mild heart attack during a game against the Braves. He would be hospitalized until October 20th.

1969: The Mets clinch their first NL East title with a 6-4 win over the Cardinals.

1974: The Tigers Al Kaline records his 3,000th hit.

1975: With a 13-2 win over the White Sox, the A's clinch their fifth straight AL West title.

1984: With a 4-2 win over the Pirates, the Cubs clinch the NL East title.

1993: With a 9-2 win over the Reds, the Rockies record their 65th win, a new record for expansion teams.

1998: In the Red Sox 9-6 win over the Orioles, Tom Gordon records his 42nd straight save, breaking the ML record.

2004: With an 8-7 win over the Marlins, the Braves win the NL East, their 13th straight division title.
 
September 25th:

1917: Hall of Famer Phil Rizzuto is born in Brooklyn, New York.

1929: During the fifth inning at Fenway Park, players from the Yankees and Red Sox are informed of the death of New York manager Miller Huggins. A moment of silence is observed and flag lowered.

1930: Cubs manager Joe McCarthy resigns and is replaced by Rogers Hornsby.

1941: With a win over the Braves and a Cardinals loss, the Dodgers clinch the NL pennant.

1956: The Dodgers Sal Maglie pitches a no-hitter in a 5-0 win over the Phillies.

1960: The Yankees clinch the AL pennant with a 4-3 win over the Red Sox.

1965: at the alleged age of 60, Satchel Paige becomes the oldest player to appear in a ML game, pitching three shutout innings in a 5-2 A's win over the Red Sox.

1974: In a first of its kind operation, Dr. Frank Jobe transplants a tendon from Tommy John's right wrist to his left elbow. The UCL replacement surgery, which would become known as "Tommy John Surgery" allows him to win an additional 164 games.

1979: The Angels defeat the Tigers 4-1 to clinch their first AL West title.

1980: Jerry Mumphrey and Ozzie Smith steal their 50th base of the season, making the Padres the first team to have three players do that in the same year. Gene Richard had already done so.

1986: The Astros Mike Scott pitches a no-hitter in a 2-0 win over the Giants that also clinches the NL West for Houston.

1989: Wade Boggs extends his own ML record with his seventh consecutive season of 200 hits.

1997: The Astros clinch the NL Central with a 9-1 win over the Cubs.

2003: The Cubs Sammy Sosa becomes the first player in NL history to have nine straight seasons of 100 RBI.

2003: Carlos Delgado hits four home runs in the Blue Jays win over the Devil Rays.

2008: The Dodgers clinch the NL West with a 12-3 win over the Diamondbacks.

2010: With the Braves 5-0 victory over the Nationals, Bobby Cox records his 2,500th managerial win.

2014: In his final game at Yankee Stadium, Derek Jeter hits a walk-off RBI single to give the Yankees a 6-5 win over the Orioles.

2016: Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez is killed along with two others in a boating accident off Miami Beach. Fernandez was 24 years old.
 
September 26th:

1906: In a 5-3 loss to the Cleveland Naps, the A's break their ML record streak of being shutout for 48 consecutive innings.

1961: Roger Maris hits his 60th home run of the season to tie Babe Ruth's record, though not recognized by commissioner Ford Frick due to the fact it was in the Yankees 159th game while the Bambino's Mark was in 154.

1961: The Reds clinch the NL pennant with an 8-3 win over the Cubs.

1965: The Twins clinch the AL pennant with a 2-1 win over the Senators.

1969: The Pirates fire manager Larry Shepard and replace him on an interim basis with Alex Grammas.

1976: In the first of a doubleheader, the Phillies defeat the Expos 4-1 to win the NL East. The Expos win the nightcap 2-1 in the final game played at Parc Jarry.

1981: Nolan Ryan pitches his fifth no-hitter in the Astros 5-0 win over the Dodgers.

1983: The Cardinals Bob Forsch pitches his second no-hitter in a 3-0 win over the Expos.

1987: The Padres Benito Santiago extends his hitting streak to 28 games, breaking the ML rookie record.

1998: In his final ML appearance , Dennis Eckersley pitches in his 1,071st career game, breaking Hoyt Wilhelm's ML record.

2000: The Braves beat the Mets 7-1 to win the NL East, their ninth consecutive division title.

2008: Thanks to a Red Sox loss to the Yankees, the Rays clinch their first AL East title.

2013: Derek Jeter and Andy Pettitte walk to the mound with two out in the ninth inning to go get their longtime Yankee teammate Mariano Rivera in his final game in front of the home crowd in the Bronx. An emotional Rivera hugs both teammates before leaving the game to a standing ovation from the Yankees Stadium fans.
[video]https://youtu.be/vG_Gtp5DUls[/video]

2014: With a 3-1 win over the White Sox, the Royals clinch their first postseason berth since 1985.

2015: The Blue Jays find out they technically clinched a postseason berth the prior day, ending a 22 year drought.

2015: The Mets clinch the NL East with a 10-2 win over the Reds.
 
September 27th:

1905: Bill Dinneen of the Boston Pilgrims pitches a no-hitter in a 2-0 win over the White Sox.

1914: Nap Lajoie of Cleveland records his 3,000th hit.

1935: The Cubs clinch the NL pennant with a win over the Cardinals while also extending their winning streak to 21 games.

1938: Lou Gehrig, 15 years to the date after hitting his first, hits the last of his 493 career home runs.

1940: The Tigers defeat the Indians 2-0 to clinch the AL pennant.

1942: The Cardinals defeat the Cubs 9-2, clinching the NL pennant.

1949: Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt is born in Dayton, Ohio.

1952: In the Braves 11-3 win over the Dodgers, Eddie Mathews becomes the first rookie in ML history to hit three home runs in a game. For the Braves, it also was their final win before the team moved to Milwaukee the next season from Boston.

1954: Willie Mays appears as one of the guests for the first airing of The Tonight Show, hosted by Steve Allen.

1964: In 12 innings, The Colt .45s defeat the Dodgers 1-0 in the final game at Colt Stadium.

1989: Both Bay Area teams clinch division titles. The A's win the AL West with a 5-0 win over the Rangers while the Giants defeat the Reds 2-1 to take the NL West.

1993: The Blue Jays clinch their third straight AL East title with a 2-0 win over the Brewers.

1996: Roberto Alomar spits in the face of umpire John Hirschbeck, earning a five game suspension. He appeals the suspension, allowing him to play the next day when the Orioles win the AL Wild Card.

1998: Mark McGwire ends his historic season by hitting home runs #69 and 70 against the Expos.

1999: The Tigers defeat the Royals 8-2 in the final game at Tiger Stadium.

2000: Led by manager Tommy Lasorda, the United States stuns favored Cuba 4-0 to win the gold medal at the Sydney Olympics.

2002: In the Braves 3-1 win over the Mets, John Smoltz records his 54th save, breaking the NL record.

2003: The Braves Javy Lopez hits his 43rd home run, breaking the ML record for catchers.

2005: The Braves clinch the NL East, their 14th straight division title.

2010: With a 8-0 win over the Nationals, the Phillies clinch their fourth straight NL Even title.

2012: During the Tigers 5-4 win over the Royals, Doug Fister sets an AL record with nine straight strikeouts.
 
September 28th:

1919: It takes the Giants 51 minutes to beat the Phillies 6-1, the shortest nine inning game in ML history.

1920: In what becomes known as the "Black Sox Scandal", eight White Sox players are indicted by a grand jury on charges they threw last year's World Series against the Reds.

1923: The Yankees set an AL record with 30 hits in a 24-4 win over the Red Sox.

1930: The Cubs Hack Wilson sets a ML record with his 189th and 190th RBI of the season. The total would be revised in to 191 in 1991 after a missing RBI is found by baseball historian Jerome Holtzman.

1939: The Reds defeat the Cardinals 5-3 to win their first pennant in 20 years.

1941: Going into a doubleheader against the A's, Ted Williams has a batting average of .399955, meaning it would have been rounded up to .400. Williams still decides to play, instead of sitting on that average. He goes 6-8 and finishes the season with a .406 average.

1951: In the first of a doubleheader against the Red Sox, Allie Reynolds pitches a no-hitter in an 8-0 Yankees win. They would clinch the AL pennant by winning the nightcap.

1952: At Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, in their last game representing Boston, the Braves play the Dodgers to a 5-5 tie with the game ending after 12 innings due to darkness.

1953: Changing their decision from last year, the AL owners unanimously vote to allow the Browns move to Baltimore, where they become the Orioles.

1960: In his final at bat, Ted Williams homers off the Orioles Jack Fischer.

1974: Recording 15 strikeouts, Nolan Ryan pitches his third no-hitter in the Angels 4-0 win over the Twins.

1975: The A's Vida Blue, Glenn Abbott, Paul Lindblad, and Rollie Fingers combine to pitch a no-hitter, the first time four pitchers had done so.

1976: The Giants John Montefusco pitches a no-hitter in a 9-0 win over the Braves.

1983: The Phillies defeat the Cubs 13-6 to win the NL East.

1988: The Dodgers Orel Hershisher pitches ten shutout innings, extending his scoreless streak to 59 innings, breaking Don Drysdale's ML record.

1997: Tony Gwynn wins his eighth batting title, tying Honus Wagner's record.

1998: The Cubs defeat the Giants 5-3 in a one game playoff for the NL Wild Card.

2000: The Brewers lose to the Reds 8-1 in the final game at County Stadium.

2003: The Phillies lose to the Braves 5-2 In the final game at Veterans Stadium.

2008: The Mets lose to the Marlins 4-2 in the final game at Shea Stadium. Combined with the Brewers win over the Cubs, the Mets lose the NL Wild Card berth to Milwaukee.

2009: The Angels win the AL West with an 11-0 win over the Rangers.

2011: The Cardinals win the NL Wild Card with an 8-0 win over Astros while the Braves lose to the Phillies 4-3 in 13 innings. On August 26th, the Cardinals were ten games behind the Braves in the Wild Card standings. (Geez, that hurt to type)

2011: In the bottom of the ninth, the Red Sox blow a 3-2 lead to the Orioles and lose 4-3. A few minutes later, the Rays, who trailed the Yankees 7-0 going into the eighth inning, take a dramatic victory in the 12th inning on Evan Longoria's walk-off home run. The Rays, who trailed the Red Sox by nine games in the beginning of the month, win the AL Wild Card.

2011: Before their final game at Dolphin Stadium, the Marlins introduce Ozzie Guillen as their new manager.
 
September 29th:

1915: The Phillies clinch the NL pennant with a 5-0 win over the Braves.

1934: Babe Ruth hits the last of the 659 home runs he hit with the Yankees.

1943: The Browns Vern Stephens becomes the first player in ML history to hit two extra inning home runs, doing so in the 11th and 13th, helping St. Louis to a 4-3 win in Fenway over the Red Sox.

1954: In Game 1 of the World Series, Willie Mays makes his famous over the shoulder catch to rob the Indians Vic Wertz of an extra base hit. The Giants win the game 5-2 on a walk off three run homer by Dusty Rhodes.

1959: In the second of a best of three playoff, the Dodgers rally to beat the Braves 6-5, taking the NL pennant.

1963: In his final game, Stan Musial collects two hits in the Cardinals 3-2 win over the Reds. Stan the Man finishes his career with 3,630 hits.

1968: Carl Yastrzemski wins his second straight batting title.

1968: After the final game of the season, Bob Kennedy is fired as A's manager. Hank Bauer, who managed the team in Kansas City from 1961-62, is rehired by owner Charley Finley.

1973: Hank Aaron hits his 40th home run of the season in the Braves 7-0 win over the Astros. He joins Darrell Evans and Davey Johnson as the first trio of teammates to hit 40 home runs in a season.

1975: Hall of Fame manager Casey Stengel dies at age 85.

1976: The Dodgers name Tommy Lasorda to succeed Walter Alston as manager.

1983: The A's Mike Warren pitches a no-hitter in a 3-0 win over the White Sox.

1986: Mike and Greg Maddux become the first brothers to start against each other in a ML game. The younger Greg leads the Cubs to a 6-3 win over his older brother and the Phillies.

1993: George Brett plays the final game of his Hall of Fame career and gets honored by the Royals afterwards.

2001: The Mariners Ichiro Suzuki records his 234th hit of the season, breaking the rookie record set by "Shoeless" Joe Jackson in 1911.

2004: With the Braves 6-3 win over the Mets, Bobby Cox becomes the ninth manager in ML history to win 2,000 games.

2004: MLB announces the Montreal Expos will move to Washington DC for the 2005 season. Hours later, the team plays their final game in Montreal, losing 9-1 to the Marlins in front of 31,395 fans.

2005: The White Sox hang on to clinch the AL Central with a 4-2 win over the Tigers. A 15 game lead over the Indians on August 1st had been cut to a game and a half.

2013: On the last day of the season, the Rays and Rangers both win, forcing a one game playoff for the AL Wild Card to be played in Arlington.
 
September 30th:

1927: Babe Ruth hits his 60th home run of the season.

1945: The Tigers defeat the Senators 6-3 to clinch the AL pennant.

1951: The Dodgers and Giants win their games, forcing a best of three playoff for the NL pennant.

1962: The expansion Mets lose 5-1 to the Cubs, setting a ML record with 120 losses for the season.

1969: The Braves defeat the Reds 3-2 to clinch the first NL West title.

1972: In what turned out to be his final game, Robert Clemente records his 3,000th hit.

1973: The Red Sox fire manager Eddie Kasko.

1978: the Phillies defeat the Pirates 10-8 to clinch their third straight NL East title.

1984: The Angels Mike Witt pitches a perfect game in a 1-0 win over the Rangers.

1989: After a 43 year run, NBC airs its final Saturday Game of the Week, a Blue Jays 4-3 victory over the Orioles that clinched them the AL East.

1990: The White Sox defeat the Mariners 2-1 in the final game at old Comiskey Park.

1992: George Brett records his 3,000th hit.

1999: The Mets Rey Ordonez plays his 96th straight game at shortstop without committing an error, breaking Cal Ripken Jr.'s ML record.

1999: The Giants lose to the Dodgers 9-4 in the final game at Candlestick Park.

2004: The Yankees defeat the Twins 6-4 to clinch the AL East title for the seventh straight season.

2009: With a 10-3 win over the Astros, the Phillies win their third straight NL East title.

2011: Two days after the completion of their collapse that knocked them out of the postseason, the Red Sox do not exercise the option on manager Terry Francona.

2013: The Rays defeat the Rangers 5-2 in a one game playoff to clinch a spot in the AL Wild Card Game.
 
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