What is the story about?
Free of charge for the discerning reader.
Happy birthday to Kurt Miller, and a mighty host of others.
Today in baseball history, in 1945 – Cleveland ace Bob Feller returns from the Navy and attracts a home crowd of 46,477, who watch him strike out 12 and yield only four hits in a 4-2 win over Detroit’s Hal Newhouser. He will get nine starts during the remainder of the year, and his five wins will include a one-hitter and two four-hitters. With the war now over, fans are clamoring for entertainment
and it is clear Feller is still baseball’s number one ticket seller, and other stories as well.
Today in baseball history:
- 1916 – Babe Ruth fires his seventh shutout of the year, stopping Detroit on three hits as Boston wins, 3-0.
- 1940 – In the Tigers’ 12-1 victory at Fenway Park, Red Sox outfielder Ted Williams pitches the last two innings against Detroit, allowing one run on three hits, in what will be the only pitching appearance of his career.
- 1945 – Cleveland ace Bob Feller returns from the Navy and attracts a home crowd of 46,477, who watch him strike out 12 and yield only four hits in a 4-2 win over Detroit’s Hal Newhouser. He will get nine starts during the remainder of the year, and his five wins will include a one-hitter and two four-hitters. With the war now over, fans are clamoring for entertainment and it is clear Feller is still baseball’s number one ticket seller
- 1965 – In the first inning against Pittsburgh, the Giants’ Willie Mays scoops up a double from Donn Clendenon at the base of the 406-foot sign, whirls and fires with the ball reaching catcher Tom Haller on one bounce. Haller then tags out the astonished Willie Stargell. What is described as the greatest throw ever made in ancient Forbes Field is a costly one as Mays hurt himself and leaves the game in the sixth with a pulled groin muscle.
- 1967 – While pushing a car, Philadelphia’s Richie Allen suffers a severe injury when he pushes his hand through the headlight. It will sideline him for the remainder of the season. The Phils will go 14-21 without him.
- 1975 – Lou Brock steals the 800th base of his career as the Cardinals beat the visiting Braves 6-2. Carl Morton is on the mound and Biff Pocoroba behind the plate when Lou swipes second base.
- 1980 – Nolan Ryan holds the Cubs to two hits in nine innings to give the Astros their tenth straight victory, 2-1, winning over Bill Caudill.
- 1982 – Royals catcher John Wathan steals his 31st base, breaking Ray Schalk‘s 1916 record for stolen bases by a catcher. The backstop will wind up with 36 for the season.
- 1996 – Atlanta defeats Chicago, 6-5, led by 1B Fred McGriff, who strokes five hits, including a double and two homers, and drives in four runs.
- 1999 – Mariner Ken Griffey, Jr. becomes only the seventh player to hit 40 homers in four consecutive seasons.
- 2012 – Matt Harrison has a no-hitter until Trevor Plouffe singles with two outs in the seventh, but it’s Adrian Beltre who ends up with a feat, hitting for the cycle for the second time of his career in the Rangers’ 8-0 demolition of the Twins.
Today in Cubs history:
- 1903 – The Cubs split with the Giants at the Polo Grounds, beating Joe McGinnity, 7-3, in the opener. Iron Joe is not helped by eight Giant errors, including five by SS Charlie Babb. The nightcap is called after Chicago’s at-bats in the seventh with the score 8-1. Christy Mathewson picks up the victory for New York over Jock Menefee.
- 1904 – In Chicago, Christy Mathewson blanks the Cubs on three hits and the Giants defeat Buttons Briggs, 3-0. The second game is called after 10 innings with the score 2-2. Chicago fans show their feelings towards the Giants by tossing bottles onto the field. RF George Browne is hit on the leg and is almost hit in the head while chasing a fly ball. John McGraw tells ump Bob Emslie that he will not allow his team to continue play until all the broken glass is cleared, and by the time that occurs it is too dark to continue play.
- 1905 – In Philadelphia, the Cubs defeat the Phillies in 20 innings, 2-1, with Ed Reulbach going the distance for Chicago.
- 1911 – The Cubs lose to Brooklyn, 6-5, in 10 innings to lose sole possession of first place. Doc Scanlan bests Mordecai Brown.
- 1914 – At Chicago, the Cubs trounce the Braves, 9 5, putting Boston back in second place.
- 1930 – New York’s Fred Lindstrom has his 24-game hitting streak stopped as the Giants lose to the Cubs, 3-2. The game is tied 2-all in the bottom of the ninth, when the Cubs load the bases with two out. With the count 0 and 2, Danny Taylor the runner on third, races safely home as surprised Giant reliever Joe Heving watches and then completes his deliberate windup with a wide pitch.
- 1947 – The Giants break the National League record for homers in a season, held by the Cubs, with their 172nd in a 4-0 shutout by Larry Jansen. Chicago’s Hank Borowy takes the loss. The Cubs take the nightcap, 8-3, led by Eddie Waitkus‘ inside-the-park grand slam. This is the third such slam this season and that won’t be matched till 1990.
Cubs Birthdays: Kurt Miller*, Dean Wilkins, Butch Benton, Frank Secory, Beryl Richmond, Jimmy Cooney, Art Williams, Frank Quinn, Lou Hardie. Also notable: Cal Ripken Jr. HOF. Harry Hooper HOF.
Today in history:
- 79 – Believed until 2018 to be the date of the massive eruption of Mt. Vesuvius which buried the cities of Pompeii, Herculaneum, Oplontis and Stabiae, killing untold thousands, latest evidence suggests the eruption occurred after 17 October.
- 1853 – First potato chips are prepared by chef George Crum at Moon’s Lake House near Saratoga Springs, New York.
- 1891 – Thomas Edison patents the motion picture camera.
- 1912 -Ticker-tape parade held in NYC for Jim Thorpe and victorious US Olympians.
- 1919 – Frank King’s daily comic strip “Gasoline Alley” is distributed nationwide by the Chicago Tribune Syndicate, appearing in The New York Daily News among other newspapers.
- 1979 – Rock band “The Cars” plays a concert at Wollman Rink in NYC’s Central Park.
- 2004 – Future 8-time Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt of Jamaica finishes 5th in his 200 m heat in 21.05 seconds, failing to qualify for the second round at the Athens Olympics.
- 2011– Steve Jobs resigns as CEO of Apple Inc. and is succeeded by Tim Cook due to his illness
*pictured.
