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Happy birthday to Hall of Famer Billy Williams, and a mighty host of others.
Today in baseball history, in 1938 – Johnny Vander Meer of the Cincinnati Reds stuns the baseball world by pitching his second successive no-hitter in five days, defeating the Brooklyn Dodgers, 6-0, as Brooklyn plays the first night game ever at Ebbets Field. In front of 38,748 fans, including spectator Babe Ruth, Vander Meer strikes out seven and walks eight, including three one-out
walks in the 9th inning, and other stories as well.
Today in baseball history:
- 1928 – Ty Cobb of the Philadelphia Athletics steals home for the 54th and final time in his 24-year career to extend his major league record. It comes in the eighth inning against the Cleveland Indians.
- 1962 – Hank Aaron and Roberto Clemente trade grand slams in a wild battle between the Braves and Pirates, but it is Clemente’s that ignites a seven-run rally in the eighth for a 9-8 Pirate victory.
- 1964 – The St. Louis Cardinals make one of their best trades ever, acquiring outfielder Lou Brock from the Chicago Cubs for pitchers Ernie Broglio and Bobby Shantz and outfielder Doug Clemens. As a member of the Cardinals, Brock will set the all-time stolen base record and reach the 3,000-hit mark. Broglio will soon be felled by arm injuries and will only win seven more games in the majors, while Shantz and Clemens will only make marginal contributions.
- 1969 – En route to setting the National League record of playing in 1,117 consecutive games, Billy Williams, after fouling a pitch off his foot in yesterday’s contest, hobbles to the plate as a pinch-hitter in the Cubs’ 7-6 loss to Cincinnati at Crosley Field. The contest marks the first time “Sweet Swingin’ Billy” has not been in the starting lineup during the 878 games of the streak.
- 1977 – In an unpopular move, the New York Mets trade franchise pitcher Tom Seaver just moments before the trading deadline. The Mets send Seaver to the Cincinnati Reds for four lesser players: infielder Doug Flynn, outfielders Steve Henderson and Dan Norman, and pitcher Pat Zachry. Seaver will go on to win 75 games for the Reds in five and a half seasons.
- 1983 – In one of the worst trades in franchise history, the St. Louis Cardinals send first baseman Keith Hernandez to the New York Mets in exchange for pitchers Neil Allen and Rick Ownbey. The deal is motivated by Hernandez’s penchant for cocaine, which he will overcome in New York.
Cubs Birthdays: Ken Henderson, Champ Summers, Ty Cline, Gene Baker, Babe Dahlgren, Charlie Dexter. Also Notable: Billy Williams* HOF, Wade Boggs HOF.
Today in history:
- 1215 – King John of England signs the Magna Carta at Runnymede near Windsor in Surrey, limiting royal authority and establishing the principle that the king and his government are not above the law.
- 1775 – George Washington is appointed commander-in-chief of the Continental Army a day after Congress establishes the force.
- 1842 – John C. Frémont sets off from Kansas River on his first expedition of the Oregon Trail with frontierman Kit Carson as his guide.
- 1844 – Charles Goodyear patents the vulcanization of rubber.
- 1869 – World’s first plastic celluloid is patented by John Wesley Hyatt in Albany, NY.
- 1878 – World’s first moving pictures captured on camera using 12 cameras, each taking one picture, to determine if all four of a horse’s hooves leave the ground.
- 1921 – Bessie Coleman earns her pilot license in France becoming the 1st African-American woman and Native American to hold one.
- 1951 – Joe Louis scored his last knock out victory.
- 1980 – US Open Men’s Golf, Baltusrol GC: Jack Nicklaus sets new tournament scoring record 272 (-8) to win his 4th Open title, 2 strokes ahead of Isao Aoki of Japan.
- 1984 – American boxer Thomas Hearns retains WBC light middleweight title with 2 round KO of Roberto Durán of Panama at Caesar’s Palace, Las Vegas; marks first time in his illustrious career Durán knocked out.
- 2012 – Apple I computer sells for a record $374,500.
- 2015 – Stanley Cup Final, United Center, Chicago, IL: Chicago Blackhawks defeat Tampa Bay Lightning, 2-0 for a 4-2 series victory; Blackhawks’ 6th Championship.
Today in music history:
- 1965 – Bob Dylan records the single “Like a Rolling Stone” (#1 in Rolling Stone magazine’s “500 Greatest Songs of All Time”).
- 1973 – “Let’s Get It On” single released by Marvin Gaye (Billboard R&B Song of the Year, 1973; No. 4 overall).
- 1974 – “Back Home Again”, the 8th studio album by John Denver, is released (Billboard Album of the Year, 1975).
- 1974 – Novelty song “The Streak” by Ray Stevens hits #1 on UK pop chart.
*pictured.
