This Weekend in Baseball History

Aug. 7th, 1999: Wade Boggs homers off the Indians' Chris Haney in the bottom of the 6th to become the 23rd member of the 3000 hit club -- but the first to reach that milestone with a home run. After circling the bases, Boggs kissed home plate at Tropicana Field. It was the future Hall of Famer's third hit of the game -- a great day for Boggs, not so much for the Devil Rays, who lose a 15-10 slugfest to Cleveland.

Aug. 7th, 1983: The Yankees stage Bobby Murcer Day at Yankee Stadium, honoring the longtime outfielder as he's about to begin a new career as a broadcaster for the team.

Aug. 7th, 1983: The Phillies cap a three-game weekend sweep at Busch Stadium with a 5-2 victory over the division rival Cardinals. Ivan DeJesus puts the Phils on top with a 7th inning infield single that scores Joe Lefebvre.

Aug. 7th, 1978: Mel Allen and Red Barber are the first recipients of the Ford C. Frick Award, as the Baseball Hall of Fame begins honoring legendary broadcasters.

Aug. 7th, 1964: The Phillies add some punch for the stretch drive, trading a pair of prospects to the Mets for veteran power hitter Frank Thomas.

Aug. 7th, 1963: Jim Hickman becomes the first Met to hit for the cycle -- doing it in natural order: a leadoff single in the first inning, double in the 2nd, triple in the 4th, and a 6th-inning solo homer in a 7-3 Polo Grounds victory over the Cardinals.

Aug. 7th, 1962: Tony Kubek makes a splash in his first game back after serving in the military. His three-run home run off Camilo Pasqual caps a five-run first inning, as the Yankees roll to a 14-1 over the Twins.

Aug. 7th, 1960: The Cardinals pay a 30th anniversary tribute to their 1930 pennant winners. Between games of a Busch Stadium doubleheader, a ceremony is held with Frankie Frisch, Charley Gelbert, George Fischer and Chick Hafey among those on hand.

Aug. 7th, 1922: Kenny Williams of the St. Louis Browns becomes the first major leaguer of the 20th century to hit two home runs in an inning. He does it in the 6th inning of a 16-1 demolition of the Washington Senators.

Aug. 7th, 1907: Walter Johnson wins his first major league game, leading the Senators past the Indians, 7-2. The 19 year-old right-hander (who'd taken the loss five days earlier in his first game) will go onto post a 417-279 career record, with a sparkling ERA of 2.17.

Aug. 8th, 2000: Trailing 3-2 going into the bottom of the 9th inning, Bernie Williams and David Justice hit home runs on the first (and only) two pitches thrown by Jason Isringhausen to give the Yanks a come-from-behind for a 4-3 victory over Oakland.

Aug. 8th, 1988: After being the last holdout to install stadium lights, the Cubs play their first night game at Wrigley Field -- or at least try to. Rain halts the action between the Cubs and Phillies in the 4th inning (around 8:14pm local time), so the Cubs-Mets battle the next evening became Wrigley's first "official" night game. 

Among the historic feats erased by the rainout: Rick Sutcliffe threw the first pitch to Phillies' Phil Bradley; three pitches later Bradley homered onto Waveland Avenue. Ryne Sandberg also homered (off Philadelphia's Kevin Gross).

Aug. 8th, 1985: John Tudor fires his sixth shutout of the season, an 8-0 victory over the Cubs.

Only a Leon Durham single in the 5th inning stood between the Cardinal lefty and a no-hitter.

Aug 8th, 1982: The Yankees trade 1978 playoff hero Bucky Dent to the Rangers for Lee Mazzilli. 

Aug. 8th, 1972: Ending years of debate about the future of the aging ballpark, the Yankees sign a 30-year lease with the city of New York for Yankee Stadium to be renovated. After completing the Stadium's 50th anniversary season in 1973, the Yankees will play two seasons at Shea Stadium, while their home park was almost completely demolished and then rebuilt. 

Aug. 8th, 1954: Mickey Mantle belts the 5000th home run in Yankee history. It comes off the Tigers' Billy Hoeft in a 10-8 loss at Briggs Stadium in Detroit.

Aug. 9th, 1998: Dennis Martinez, tosses a scoreless 8th inning and earns the win -- thanks to Chipper Jones' 2-run homer -- in the Braves 7-5 victory over the  Giants. The 244th W of his career moves him past Juan Marichal as the winningest Latin American pitcher in baseball history.

Aug. 9th, 1988: The Cubs beat the Mets 6-4 in the first "official" night game at Wrigley Field. After a rainout the day before, the teams make it through nine innings -- Chicago rallies from behind with four runs in the 7th, driven in by Jody Davis, Ryne Sandberg, Mark Grace and Andre Dawson.

Aug. 9th, 1981: Baseball returns with the All-Star Game in Cleveland. Before more than 72,000 fans, Gary Carter of the Expos hits two home runs to lead the National League to a 5-4 victory. Vida Blue becomes the first pitcher to win an All-Star game in both leagues (he'd earned the W in 1971 for the American League at Detroit). 

Aug. 9th, 1976: John Candelaria became the first Pirate pitcher in 69 years to throw a no-hitter in Pittsburgh by blanking the Dodgers 2-0. Candelaria's masterpiece came at Three Rivers Stadium. No Pirate ever threw a no-hitter in their long tenure at Forbes Field.

Aug. 9th, 1965: Call it Robbie's revenge... in his first start since joining the Astros, Robin Roberts shuts out the Phillies 8-0 at the Astrodome. The future Hall of Fame holds his longtime club to four hits and a walk, while striking out six.

Aug. 9th, 1946: For the first time ever, every major league game is played at night -- four in the American League, four in the National. The best pitching performance of the night is at Shibe Park, where Kirby Higbe outpitches the Phillies' Oscar Judd. Pete Reiser drives in the only on an 8th inning single, as Brooklyn wins 1-0.

Comments

Bryan Nazario said…
Later on, Jerry Coleman very deservedly won the Ford C. Frick award. Fine Yankee broadcasters.
August 7, 2020 at 11:37 AM
Steve B. said…
Yes, I agree. I was fortunate to hear Mel, Red, and The Scooter as a kid in the late 50 s and early 60s...
August 9, 2020 at 10:20 PM
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