Today in Baseball History

[Dead Simmons]

1940....When Reds catcher Williard Hershberger fails to appear for batting practice several teammates go to his hotel room and find him dead in the bathtub, throat slashed. Murder was ruled out when first baseman Bill Werber tells the police that Willard had told him the previous day My old man killed himself and I'm going to do it too.

 

He had been a standout player in the minors and a very good back-up for Ernie Lombardi who was out with an injury. The Reds were embroiled in a tight pennant race and Willard was slumping and blamed himself. In anguish, he told his mates that if Lombardi was playing the team would still be winning.

 

Talking for hours after the game, Cincinnati skipper Bill McKechnie thought he had consoled the fragile backstop, who was utterly distraught about leaving runners on base in every at bat with his 0-for-5 performance at the plate. But something in his mind that had been bending since his father's death finally snapped.

 

Devastated, the team vowed they would win it all and give Willard's widow what would have been Ernie's $5K share out of their own pockets. They did, and they did.

 

http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/board/attachments/ootp-mods-rosters-photos-quick-starts/321233d1389509278-krantzbucks-pics-colorize-willard-hershberger-reds-next-2.1.jpg

 

The last photo ever taken of the tragic catcher

[Dead Simmons]

1983....Another reason that makes me wonder if Canadians are crazy: Dave Winfield kills a seagull at Exhibition Stadium with a warmup throw prior to the home fifth inning. After the 3-1 victory over the Blue Jays, the Yankees outfielder is arrested by the Ontario police and charged with animal cruelty.

 

http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/sBY3DLr5sYOZ8Jt2yzRfCA--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7cT04NQ--/http://mit.zenfs.com/277/2013/08/sunpic.png

 

2008.... During a Brewers' 6-3 loss to the Reds at Great American Ball Park, first baseman Prince Fielder confronts starting pitcher Manny Parra in the dugout, shoving the hurler twice in the dugout after an angry exchange of words. The Milwaukee hurler had taken a no-hitter into the fifth, but gave up six runs on four hits and four walks before leaving the game for a pinch hitter in the seventh inning.

 

http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2008/0805/mlb_a_prince_300.jpg

[Dead Simmons]

1969.... With a titanic blast that clears the right-field pavilion, Willie Stargell becomes the first player to hit a home run completely out of Dodger Stadium. The 506-foot round-tripper helps the Pirates defeat LA, 11-3.

 

http://www.ccsabathia52.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/STARGELL.jpg

 

I have to wonder who's done it since.

[Dead Simmons]

1969.... In an alley behind a Detroit bar, Twins' manager Billy Martin, intervenes in a scuffle between his starting pitcher Dave Boswell and outfielder Bob Allison, resulting in the right-hander being knocked unconscious, and in need of 20 stitches, after being pummeled by his skipper. Although he will miss several starts because of the incident, the 24 year-old Maryland native will finish the season 20-12 for the first-place Minnesota club.

 

http://www.mmf.umn.edu/neuro/baarc/images/Bob-Allison-portrait.jpg _

[Dead Simmons]

1950.... Three white players of the Chicago American Giants are barred by police from participating in a Negro American League doubleheader against the Birmingham Black Barons. I wonder if they had cops outside of the ballpark yanking the white folks out of line as well.

 

http://www.birminghamprosports.com/birminghamblackbarons/picture06.jpg

[Dead Simmons]

1982.... Tagged with the loss in the Twins' 6-3 defeat to California‚ Terry Felton's career record drops to 0-14. The 24-year old right hander, who will not win a game in 55 major league appearances, establishes a new mark for the worst individual start in baseball history, surpassing Guy Morton's 1914 record of 13 consecutive losses from the beginning of a career. Terry had a very respectable 7.5 K's per 9 rate to go with his 6 BB per 9.

 

 

In his last ever start in his 0-16 career the Twins had an early 7-1 lead against the Royals, Felton left the game with the Twins still ahead, Ron Davis came in and blew everything up. The final score: Kansas City 18, Minnesota 7. Davis’ response to a reporter after the game was over: “Drop dead”....his final baseball quote.

 

After baseball he became the night supervisor on the East Baton Rouge P.D. and happily served as the sniper for the S.W.A.T. team. (no joke)

[igor67]

I love this thread.

[Dead Simmons]

2010.... Milwaukee's Casey McGehee's last hit, a seventh-inning single, during his 4-for-4 performance in the team's 8-4 victory over Arizona at Miller Park establishes a franchise record. The Brewer infielder's ninth consecutive hit breaks the club mark set by Braun in 2008, but is three shy of the major league record of 12 accomplished by Pinky Higgins (1938) and Walt Dropo (1952).

 

 

1984....Is it Kirk Douglas' voice heard at the start of this amusing video of an ugly moment?

[adamb100]

You're also forgetting a rather ugly piece of history. 20 years ago today, the strike started that ended up canceling the 1994 World Series.

[Dead Simmons]

You're also forgetting a rather ugly piece of history. 20 years ago today, the strike started that ended up canceling the 1994 World Series.

Thanks for adding that sad fact. For today's entry I will first ask one of my favorite barroom trivia questions, guaranteed to win a round: Who was the first black HOF player to hit a home run in the American League? The obvious answer would have to be Larry Doby, but in

 

1947.... At Sportsman's Park, in his final big league AB pinch-hitter Willard Brown of the Browns becomes the first black player to a hit home run in the American League. The historic homer, an inside-the-park job off future Hall of Fame hurler Hal Newhouser, helps the Browns beat the Tigers, 6-5. Who was Willard Brown?

 

Brown was picked up in the last weeks of the season after being spotted by a Browns scout at a KC Monarch's game . The 32 year old Willard must have had one helluva game as he was picked over several younger and better players to integrate the Browns.

 

 

But his play was unremarkable and he was benched. Not expecting to play, Brown didn't bring his bats to the season finale and had to borrow one. He returned to the Negro Leagues, where he knocked around for 3 more years.

 

It was on the strength of that single AB that a committy headed by Buck O'Neil got him enshrined in the HOF. Larry Doby hit a ton of homers in his long career, but none in his '47 rookie year.

 

[Dead Simmons]

8-15-1989...In a sick event that no one in attendance will ever forget: In his second start after coming back from cancer surgery, Giants' Dave Dravecky's arm snaps as he delivers a pitch. The Youngstown, Ohio native collapses to the ground and clutches his left arm in severe pain after throwing a wild pitch to Tim Raines.

 

It was his last pitch ever as he ended up losing that left arm.

 

http://nbcpresspass.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/screen-shot-2013-08-15-at-11-34-02-am.png?w=320

 

http://www.spiritwatch.org/davearm2.jpg

 

http://usatthebiglead.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/dravecky.jpg

[Dead Simmons]

8/16/1920

 

http://miscbaseball.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/chapman.jpg

 

Shortly after this late edition headline appeared, Ray Chapman drew his last breath. Yankees pitcher Carl Mays' submarine spitball in the twilight was apparently not seen by Ray as he made no attempt to duck. The ball carromed to the mound and was fielded by Mays. The crack off of his skull sounded like a bat on a ball.

 

He took a couple of steps to 1B and crumpled, mumbling in a semi-conscience state, and died 12 hours later. He remains the only Major League Baseball player to have died from an injury received at a major league baseball game.

 

His death led to Major League Baseball establishing a rule requiring umpires to replace the ball whenever it became dirty, and it was partially the reason the spitball was banned after the 1920 season.

 

 

In a tragic footnote, it was to have been Ray's last baseball season as he planned to begin work in his new wife's father's business.

[Dead Simmons]

He would have been 80 today

 

http://assets.espn.go.com/i/eticket/20121213/photos/otl_clemente-14_876.jpg

[Dead Simmons]

8/19/2012.... In Washington, D.C., play comes to a stop in the bottom of the sixth inning of the National game against the Mets when a praying mantis is discovered in the outfield at Nationals Park. The contest continues after New York outfielder Andres Torres carefully picks up the beneficial insect and gently hands it over to a member of the Nats ground crew.

 

http://lastangryfan.com/wp-content/uploads/prayingmantis.jpg

[Dead Simmons]

This seems impossible, but in 1935 at Braves Field, Cardinals' first baseman Ripper Collins doesn't make a single putout during the 13-3 nine-inning loss to Boston. The infielder, who will also not make a putout playing first for the Cubs in a game two years later against Brooklyn, is the only player to have accomplished the very rare feat twice in a career.

 

1982...1982 Brewers' reliever Rollie Fingers becomes the first player in major league history to record 300 career saves when Milwaukee defeats the Mariners, 3-2.

 

http://media.jrn.com/images/rollie21912a.jpg

 

1990....By the 9th inning Tommy Lasorda had switched out all of his regulars as the Dodgers enjoyed an 11-3 lead over the visiting Phillies..... then this:

 

[Patrick425]

Is that the actual picture in the 8/16/20 post? Looks more recent than 1920. Did teams actually have trainers on hand for each game back then...seems like more of a rub some dirt on it and get to 1st base type of era.

[Dead Simmons]

Is that the actual picture in the 8/16/20 post? Looks more recent than 1920. Did teams actually have trainers on hand for each game back then...seems like more of a rub some dirt on it and get to 1st base type of era.

I don't think it is. I found an authentic photo taken from the stands but it was from quite a distance and you couldn't make out anything. Face, uni both indescernable.

 

So I went with this one. And no, I think in those days they would just holler out "Is there a doctor in the house"?

[Dead Simmons]

1965... Dodgers mild mannered Koufax could not bring himself to retaliate for an earlier drilling by Giants' pitcher Juan Marichal to one of his hitters, so catcher Roseboro took it upon himself to buzz a return throw past Marichal's ear.

 

The Giants bench had been teasing Juan that Roseboro was gonna get him, so he was tense and wary when he stepped up to the plate. But nobody would have expected him to go crazy and konk Johnny with his bat. If the Brooklyn/NY teams' rivalry had been cooling off in California, it was certainly renewed by this incident.

 

The profuse bleeding made the blow seem worse than it was. Mays, the peacemaker cradled the enemy catchers head and steered him off the field telling him in a frightened voice "Come on Rosie...your eye is hanging out"

 

 

Forty-some years later the two men met up and buried the hatchet.

 

 

I saw a film on the reunion and Marichal's English had not improved.

[Dead Simmons]

2013....When he goes deep off KC's Ervin Santana, Bryce Harper becomes the third player in baseball history to hit 40 homers before his 21st birthday. The Washington outfielder joins Mel Ott and Tony Conigliaro, who hit 61 and 56 round-trippers, respectively, for the Giants and Red Sox, before reaching their age of majority.

 

http://www.baseballlibrary.com/pics/Ott_Mel.gif

 

High leg kicking Ott founded the NL 500 HR club and was the inspiration for Leo Durocher's "Nice guys finish last" statement to the press when he took Ott's Giants' managing job. Mel was pretty easy going in the dugout, but a pitchers nightmare at the plate. Not just for the power he generated in leading the league in HR's 8 times, but also for his skill in working walks.

 

His baseball reference page is well worth visiting.

[Dead Simmons]

1992.... In a 22-2 rout, the Blue Jays pitching staff yields 31 hits, of which 22 are singles, to help the Brewers set an American League record. The 'Brew Crew' scores in every inning except the fifth inning in the SkyDome contest.

 

 

I'd like to see the box score from that game.

[logan82]

1992.... In a 22-2 rout, the Blue Jays pitching staff yields 31 hits, of which 22 are singles, to help the Brewers set an American League record. The 'Brew Crew' scores in every inning except the fifth inning in the SkyDome contest.

 

 

I'd like to see the box score from that game.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/TOR/TOR199208280.shtml

[Dead Simmons]

1992.... In a 22-2 rout, the Blue Jays pitching staff yields 31 hits, of which 22 are singles, to help the Brewers set an American League record. The 'Brew Crew' scores in every inning except the fifth inning in the SkyDome contest.

 

 

I'd like to see the box score from that game.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/TOR/TOR199208280.shtml

Thanks Logan.

1951...The Yankees trade rookie hurler Lew Burdette along with $50,000 to the Braves for right-hander Johnny Sain. The right-hander will come back to haunt the Bronx Bombers, pitching three complete-game victories in the 1957 World Series won by Milwaukee in seven games.

 

http://bigmouthsports.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/lew-burdette.jpg

 

1966....In San Francisco, the Beatles play their last concert ever at the Giants' home, Candlestick Park. The 'Fab Four' will never perform in public again, unless you count the rooftop jam on the Apple Records building in '69.

 

http://cdn.collectorsmusicreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/beatles-shea-candlestick-300x294.jpg

Also today in 1966 came this nice trivia question: Getting the Cubs’ 4-2 win in relief, who becomes the first and only pitcher to beat the Boston, Milwaukee and Atlanta Braves? (answer at the bottom)

 

2010....Nationals manager Jim Riggleman benches Nyjer Morgan for the his 'unprofessional' play during the previous day's 14-5 victory over St. Louis. The center fielder had bowled over and severely injured Bryan Anderson at home plate in the bottom of the eighth inning, even though the Cardinal catcher didn't have the ball. Morgan was so hot to put a hurting on Anderson that he didn't bother to touch the plate and was called out on the play.

 

http://media.cleveland.com/tribe_impact/photo/nyjer-morganjpg-bec8863f910f42a1_large.jpg

 

 

The three city Brave beater was:

 

 

 

http://img4.fold3.com/img/thumbnail/306982094/400/400/0_0_666_571.jpg

 

_________________Robin Roberts_________________

[logan82]

1992.... In a 22-2 rout, the Blue Jays pitching staff yields 31 hits, of which 22 are singles, to help the Brewers set an American League record. The 'Brew Crew' scores in every inning except the fifth inning in the SkyDome contest.

 

 

I'd like to see the box score from that game.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/TOR/TOR199208280.shtml

Four 2B. One HR. One SB. One error.

[Dead Simmons]

1992.... In a 22-2 rout, the Blue Jays pitching staff yields 31 hits, of which 22 are singles, to help the Brewers set an American League record. The 'Brew Crew' scores in every inning except the fifth inning in the SkyDome contest.

 

 

I'd like to see the box score from that game.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/TOR/TOR199208280.shtml

Four 2B. One HR. One SB. One error.

That's a lotta singles!

[Dead Simmons]

1957....If you were an Orioles scout, what would you recommend if you had just seen minor league fireballer Steve Dalkowski issue 18 walks, hit four batters and uncork six wild pitches and who knows how many diving stops by his catcher? The New Britain, Connecticut native's wildness costs him the game when Kingsport loses in an Appalachian League contest, 9-8. By the way, Steve also struck out 24.

 

http://seattletimes.com/ABPub/2009/07/22/2009519797.jpg

 

- In high school, he had an 18-strikeout, 18-walk no-hitter.

 

- In one Northern League game, Dalkowski threw a one-hitter, striking out 15, but walked 17 and lost 8-4.

 

- In the California League, he threw a four-hitter, striking out 19, but lost 8-3.

 

- In one extra-inning game in the Eastern League, Dalkowski struck out 27 batters and walked 16 while throwing 283 pitches.

 

- One time he was pulled in the second inning after throwing 120 pitches.

 

- A Dalkowski pitch once tore off part of a batter’s ear.

 

- A Dalkowski pitch once struck a batter on the helmet and the ball rebounded to second base.

 

- In one game, Dalkowski threw three pitches that penetrated the backstop screen, sending fans scattering.

 

For more on the amazing pitcher, check out this article. Included's the time when Ted Williams stepped in to face him....briefly.

 

http://www.hardballtimes.com/delving-into-the-dalkowski-depths/