1. materials characteristic of baseball and the culture of baseball; 2. collectible baseball Americana
1978
Pete Rose singles off Phil Niekro to extend his streak to forty-four games, as the Reds edge the Braves 3-2. Rose ties Willie Keeler’s 81-year-old National League record, achieved when foul balls didn’t count as strikes. His consecutive game hit streak would end at this incredible 44-game mark.
Continue readingOn This Day: July 31
1959
Willie McCovey had four hits in four at-bats in his Major League debut with the San Francisco Giants. He had two triples in a 7-2 win over Philadelphia. The big man would hit 46 triples in his 22 seasons.
Continue readingOn This Day: July 30
1915
At age 41, Honus Wagner becomes the oldest player in this century to hit a grand slam. It is inside the park against Jeff Pfeffer of Brooklyn in an 8-2 win. The record stood until May 13, 1985, when Tony Perez hit a grand slam just one day short of his 43rd birthday.
Continue readingOn This Day: July 29
1993
Hall of Fame slugger Ken Griffey, Jr. tied a Major League record by homering in his eighth consecutive game, but it wasn’t enough for the Seattle Mariners in a 5-1 loss to Minnesota.
1983
While picking up his first win as a member of the Royals, Gaylord Perry joins Nolan Ryan and Steve Carlton as the third pitcher this season to reach 3,500 career strikeouts, fanning four Indians in a 5-4 victory to raise his total to 3,501.
Continue readingOn This Day: July 27
1992
The amazing Nolan Ryan strikes out his 100th batter of the season for a Major League record twenty-third consecutive year. He will finish the season with 157 k’s in 157.1 innings. Ryan also gets a 6-2 win over the Orioles to pass Phil Niekro for 12th place on the all-time win list with 319, and will finish his career with…
Continue readingOn This Day: July 26
As a baseball junkie I have been privileged to accomplish several things on my “bucket list” (that’s a Gatorade bucket from the dugout, of course). Earlier this year we crossed off the Spring Training in Arizona item, and we would like to make the AZ Fall League as well. And, to be honest, nothing has compared with any of the trips to the Hall…
Continue readingOn the Bump: Throwing Out a First Pitch at a Professional Game
1961
Roger Maris hits four home runs, tying the American League record for a doubleheader (at least one in each game), as New York beats Chicago, 5-1, and 12-0. Mickey Mantle also homers off Frank Baumann in the first game. He ends the day with thirty-eight home runs to forty for Maris as the great home run race begins to heat…
Continue readingOn This Day: July 25
1968
Hall of Fame pitcher Hoyt Wilhelm’s 907th game breaks Cy Young’s record for Major League pitching appearances, but he loses a 2-1 decision to Oakland. He will pitch through the 1972 season, and wind up his career appearing in 1,070 games.
Continue readingOn This Day: July 24
1964
Kansas City A’s rookie Bert “Campy” Campaneris sends Minnesota to defeat 4-3 with two home runs in his Major League debut. The first comes on the first pitch thrown to him by Jim Kaat. The 21-year-old Cuban and Bob Nieman at the time were the only players since 1900 with two home runs in their first Major League game.
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Continue readingOn This Day: July 23