August 1st

[Panzram]

2002
» The Rangers clobber the Red Sox, 19–7, as Texas OF Carl Everett hits a pair of home runs and drives home seven runs against his former teammates.

A.J. Burnett (11–7) fires his 4th shutout of the year, beating the Cardinals, 4–0, on four hits. The high point for St. Louis is a 6th inning triple play (9–6–3), just the 11th in history started by a right fielder. With runners on 1st and 2B, J.D. Drew snags Eric Owens' line drive and throws to SS Edgar Renteria who steps on 2B and relays to first baseman Tino Martinez. Jay Buhner was the last right fielder to start a triple play, accomplishing the feat for the 1992 Mariners.

2001
» The Mets defeat the Astros, 8–2 in 10 innings. NY scores six runs in the 10th, the most ever in that frame for a Mets club, with Edgardo Alfonzo's 3–run home run the big blow. It is the first 3–run homer for NY since June 21.

2000
» The Astros defeat the Marlins, 4-3. Houston 2B Craig Biggio suffers torn ligaments in his left knee while completing a double play, and will miss the rest of the season.

The Orioles defeat the Twins, 10-0, as Mike Mussina hurls the 3rd 1-hitter of his career, while striking out 15 batters. Ron Coomer's single with two outs in the 7th inning is Minnesota's only hit.

The Mariners defeat the Red Sox, 5-4 in 19 innings. OF Mike Cameron's home run leading off the 19th is the deciding score.

1999
» The Rangers score eight runs in the 3rd inning and go on to defeat the Royals, 12-5. The Texas attack is led by C Ivan Rodriguez, who strokes five hits, including a home run, and drives in four runs.

1998
» Paced by Jose Canseco's 7th homer in 11 games, the Blue Jays edge the Twins, 10–9. Walker is 3–for–4 to raise his average to .350. Pat Hentgen gives up four runs in six innings, but it is good enough to win his 11th in 12 decisions with Minnesota. The Twins nipped him, 2–1, on May 15, 1996, his only loss.

In a 5–4 loss to the Diamondbacks, Brewers RHP Bronswell Patrick hits a 5th inning home run, off Felix Rodriguez. It's the first homer by a Milwaukee pitcher since Skip Lockwood connected off Detroit's Joe Niekro on August 11, 1971.

1996
» The Red Sox put Jose Canseco on the DL for back surgery. With Kevin Mitchell and Canseco gone from the outfield, the Sox defense will improve and so will their record. But they lose today, 9–4, to the Royals, as Roger Clemens (4-11) is tagged for seven runs in six innings.

The Mets make a team-record seven errors in handing a 13–9 win to the Pirates. The Bucs get seven unearned runs.

In the Olympics, Japan stuns the U.S. team, 11–2 to qualify to play Cuba for the gold. Japan pounds Kris Benson for eight hits and five runs in four innings. Starter Masanori Sugiera scatters six hits in five 2/3 innings for the win. Takeo Kawamura allows no hits in finishing.

1994
» Baltimore's Cal Ripken becomes the 2nd player in history to appear in 2,000 consecutive games, as the Orioles shut out the Twins, 1-0, behind Arthur Rhodes, who was recalled from Triple-A Rochester just yesterday. Ripken goes hitless in four at bats. Cal's streak will go on hold at 2009 when the strike commences.

Hostilities between the owners and players heat up. The owners withhold $7.8 million they are obligated to pay the players' pension and benefit plans.

1993
» During the Orioles' 2-1 loss to the Red Sox, Baltimore's Glenn Davis is knocked unconscious by a foul ball lined off the bat of Jeffrey Hammonds into the Orioles' dugout. Davis, who is recovering from a broken jaw, did not sustain any further damage.

Reggie Jackson is inducted into baseball's Hall of Fame.

Royals owner Ewing Kauffman dies at age 76 of bone cancer.

The Memphis Chicks of the Southern League rout the Nashville Xpress, 25-5, setting league records for runs and hits (32) in a game. Jeff Garber is 5-for-6 with a league record eight RBIs.

The Stockton Ports of the California League defeat the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, 25-7, setting league records in the process for hits (29) and team at bats (56).

1989
» Behind the pitching of Sid Fernandez, the Mets blank the Cardinals, 11–0. Kevin McReynolds paces the offense by hitting for the cycle.

The Mets trade popular OF Mookie Wilson to the Blue Jays for P Jeff Musselman and minor leaguer Mike Brady.

1987
» Andre Dawson hits three home runs, his 29th, 30th and 31st, and drives in all five Chicago runs as the Cubs beat the Phillies 5–3.

1986
» Minnesota's Bert Blyleven fires a 2-hitter and strikes out a club-record 15 batters to become the 10th pitcher with 3,000 career strikeouts. Kirby Puckett hits for the cycle to lead the Twins to a romp 10–1 over the A's.

1985
» Vince Coleman steals two bases in the first inning of the Cardinals' 9–8 loss to the Cubs to run his season total to 74, breaking the ML rookie record of 72 set last season by Juan Samuel. A squeeze bunt by Larry Bowa with the bases full in the 14th scores the winning run. Bowa had earlier tripled with the sacks full. The game takes five hours and three minutes to end.

The Indians trade veteran P Bert Blyleven to the Twins for OF Jim Weaver, P Curt Wardle, and SS Jay Bell.

1984
» Cleveland's Steve Farr wins his 2nd game against seven losses, allowing two Tiger hits in six 1/3 innings, as the Indians win, 4–2. John Vukovich clubs two homers for Cleveland.

1983
» Minnesota pitcher Rick Lysander gives up 11 hits to Oakland, but still shuts out the A's, 7–0.

1982
» Hank Aaron, Frank Robinson, Travis Jackson, and Happy Chandler are inducted into the baseball Hall of Fame at Cooperstown, New York.

[Panzram]

1979
» Following the Yankees 9-1 win over the White Sox, members of the New York club create a minor scandal by autographing the bare behind of a young woman who boards the team bus outside Comiskey Park.

In an 8-player deal, the Rangers send OF Oscar Gamble, minor leaguer Amos Lewis, a former 1st pick in the 1978 draft, and two players to be named to the Yankees and finally acquire OF Mickey Rivers and three players to be named. Rivers had been traded to the Rangers in June but the deal fell through. Both of the players to be named with Gamble will make the majors: Gene Nelson and Ray Fontenot, something that can't be said for the three unnamed to Texas.

1978
» The Braves trounce the Reds 16–4 and stop Pete Rose's record hitting streak at 44 games. Larry McWilliams and Gene Garber are the Atlanta pitchers. Rose goes 0-for-4 striking out in the 9th inning to end the game. Rose's streak is the 2nd longest in ML history. He goes 70-for-182 during the skein, an average of .385.

1977
» Willie McCovey hits two home runs, including his 18th career grand slam, as the Giants beat Montreal, 9–2.

1974
» Detroit's Woodie Fryman stops Milwaukee 2–0, giving up just one hit, a 7th-inning single to Bobby Mitchell.

With the Cards (54-50) toppling the Pirates, 5–2, in 11 innings, the Phils beat the visiting Expos to remain tied for 1st in the East. Del Unser's 3-run homer is the big blow in support of Wayne Twitchell's 6th win in nine decisions. Ron Fairly has a homer, his 11th, for the Expos.

1973
» Thurman Munson and Carlton Fisk brawl at Fenway. With a 2–2 score in the top of the 9th, Munson, attempting to score from 3rd on a missed bunt by Gene Michael, crashes into Fisk and they both come up swinging. Boston wins 3–2 in the bottom of the inning.

1972
» Nate Colbert ties one major-league record with five home runs, and sets another with 13 RBI, as the Padres take a doubleheader from the Braves 9–0 and 11–7. At age 8, on May 2, 1954, Colbert had been at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis to witness Stan Musial hitting five home runs in a doubleheader.

Trailing by several runs in a game threatened by rain, Billy Martin has his Detroit Tigers employ stalling tactics while the opposing Milwaukee Brewers try to speed the game up. The game lasts six innings, with Del Crandall's Brewers winning 6–0. Umpire Frank Umont recommends a fine of $1,000 for both managers.

1971
» After homering yesterday off Dave Giusti, rookie Dave Kingman, in his 2nd ML game, clouts two homers for the Giants to help sweep a pair from the first-place Pirates, 11–7 and 8–3. Willie McCovey adds a 3-run homer and Willie Mays a bases-loaded double. Willie Stargell has a pair of homers for the Pirates to go over the 100 RBI mark.

With have two runners on base after scoring three times in the 12th, the Cards file a protest against the Phillies for failing to get the field in playing condition after two rain delays, one 31 minutes and the other 49 minutes. The Phils say their Zamboni broke down and the score reverts a 3–3, 11 inning tie.

1970
» Pittsburgh's Willie Stargell smashes three doubles and two homers, which ties the ML mark for extra-base hits in a game, and scores five runs while driving in 6. Teammate Bob Robertson also collects five hits as the Pirates outslug the Braves 20–10. In the 7th, Robertson and Stargell combine with Jose Pagan for three consecutive homers.

After trailing 4–2, the Reds score four in the 8th to defeat the Cubs, 6–4. Johnny Bench and Ty Cline each drive in two runs in the 8th.

1969
» Dick Williams pulls Carl Yastrzemski from the Boston lineup after one at bat and fines him $500 for "dogging it." Jim Lonborg allows just three hits over eight innings, but the A's rally in the 9th for three runs and beat the Sox, 4–3.

1968
» Against the Red Sox, Stan Bahnsen strikes out 12 batters, the most ever by a Yankee rookie, in posting his first ML shutout, 1–0. His mark will last 30 years until "El Duque" Hernandez K's 13 batters. A safe bunt by Tom Tresh, a steal, and a single by Bill Robinson accounts for the only run off Dave Morehead.

1966
» Houston's Jim Wynn suffers a fractured left wrist, hand, and elbow slamming into the CF fence at Philadelphia. Done for the season, the Toy Cannon will still lead the Astros with 18 home runs. Houston also loses, 6–5.

1963
» Ellis Burton becomes the 8th player to hit home runs left- and righthanded in the same game, helping the Cubs bury the Braves 10–2.

1962
» Nothing less than Bill Monbouquette's no-hitter is necessary to defeat Early Wynn and the White Sox 1–0. The Red Sox pitcher improves his record to 9-10.

Drawing a combined 32 bases on balls in a doubleheader, the Tigers (20) and A's (12) tie an American League record. The Tigers sweep, winning the opener, 6–5, with three runs in the 9th, then taking the nitecap, 9–1 behind Howie Koplitz's (1–0) complete game effort.

[Panzram]

1959
» P Bob Purkey of the Reds hits a grand slam off Johnny Buzhardt of the Cubs and wins 12–3. Purkey allows six hits. Glen Hobbie takes the loss.

1957
» Gil Hodges hits his 13th career grand slam to establish a new NL record. This is the last grand slam in the history of the Brooklyn Dodgers franchise.

Former major-league OF Glen Gorbous of Omaha breaks Don Grate's record toss with a heave of 445 feet 10 inches before a home game.

1954
» Dodgers Clem Labine beans Joe Adcock in the fourth. Though he is wearing a batting helmet, Adcock is taken out of the game as a precautionary measure. His helmet apparently saves him from a serious injury. He will appear in the starting line-up the next day. Gene Conley reciprocates by knocking down Jackie Robinson in the sixth. Robinson ends up scrapping with Eddie Mathews. The Braves win 10-5, their 10th win in a row, as Conley runs his record to 10-5.

The 55-game hitting streak of Waco (Big State) OF Roman Mejias ends. He batted .435 during the streak (97 for 223).

1953
» Ben Flowers of the Boston Red Sox sets a major-league record with eight consecutive games pitched in relief, a mark that will later be surpassed.

Warren Spahn of the Braves allows just an infield hit to Richie Ashburn in the fourth in beating Philadelphia 5-0. It is Spahn's 31st career shutout.

1951
» Congressman Celler denies the accusation that his committee wants a 3rd ML. He states that some changes with regard to territorial rights will have to be made.

The Cubs' Eddie Miksis lines a ball to Willie Mays in CF, which caroms off his head for a double, as the Cubs nip the Giants, 3–2. Cal McLish wins over Larry Jansen. The Giants come back in game two behind the shut out pitching of Al Corwin to top the Cubs, 2–0. Bob Kelly is the losing pitcher, while Al Corwin wins his first ML game.

At Pittsburgh, the Dodgers take a 7–2 lead against Murry Dickson, then make two hits off four relievers and lose, 12–9. The Pirates score four in the 4th and four more in the 8th, including Ralph Kiner's 27th homer, to win and snap the Dodgers victory streak at 10 games.

1950
» The Dodgers complete a suspended game of June 24th with the Pirates, by scoring 2 more runs in the eighth to post a 21–12 win, outhitting the Pirates 25 to 8. Roe is the winner over Bill Werle. 12 extra base hits are made by the 2 teams, including 5 HRs. Jackie Robinson hits his second career grand slam as the Dodgers score 7 runs in both the third and eighth innings. In the regular contest, Erv Palica gives the Brooks a 3–1 win.

Acting on the suggestion of Florida International League President Johnny Burroughs, the last-place St. Petersburg Saints players elect their own manager. Their choice, by a near unanimous vote to succeed Jim Pruitt, who resigned, is recently acquired RF Roxie Huberson. He is the team’s fourth manager this season.

1948
» At Cleveland, the Tribe sweep a pair from the Red Sox, 12–2 and 6–1, to move into 2nd place in the American League. Bob Lemon coasts to his 14th win in the opener, beating Ellis Kinder. Larry Doby drives in four runs. Cleveland RF Edwards dislocates his shoulder crashing into the fence making a spectacular catch of Spence's home run bid. Sam Zoldak wins the nitecap. The Sox drop from 1st to 4th place with the double loss: Cleveland, New York and Boston are each a game back of the A's.

1945
» Mel Ott hits the 500th home run of his career, a total exceeded only by Babe Ruth and Jimmie Foxx. He will hit 10 more this season and one on Opening Day of 1946 to finish with 511. Ott leads the Giants to a 9–2 win over the Braves at the Polo Grounds.

1943
» Players losses to the military have taken some of the competition out of Cards-Brooklyn confrontations, but the brawling doesn't stop. A duster aimed at Stan Musial by Dodger P Les Webber clears both benches.

1942
» The Dodgers (71-29) top Johnny Schmitz of the Cubs, 9–6, to stretch their lead to nine games over St. Louis.

1941
» Lefty Gomez of the New York Yankees pitches a 9-0 shutout over the St. Louis Browns despite walking 11 batters, the most ever issued in a shutout. Fifteen base runners are left stranded by the Browns.

1938
» Al Munro Elias, founder of the Elias Sports Bureau and for many years the official statistician of the NL and IL, dies in New York City at age 67.

1937
» Lou Gehrig hits for the cycle against the Browns, as the Yankees win 14-5. It is the second time he has performed this feat in his career.

Hank Leiber pinch-hits for the Giants, his first appearance since early May, following his hospitalization as a result of the Feller beaning in spring training.

1933
» Carl Hubbell breaks Ed Reulbach's 1908 NL record for consecutive scoreless innings, with four 1/3, although the Giants lose to Boston 3-1.

1932
» The Indians drop another 1-0 game to the A's at Municipal Stadium, as Rube Walberg beats Wes Ferrell.

1929
» Grover Cleveland Alexander wins his 372 game to tie Christy Mathewson's National League record for wins [the record has since been amended to 373 wins]. The Cards top the Robins, 5–2.

1928
» Babe Ruth hits HR No. 42 and is four weeks ahead of his 1927 pace.

1925
» The Yankees buy Tony Lazzeri from the Pacific Coast League for spring delivery. Lazzeri will hit 60 HRs with 222 RBI at Salt Lake City and earn the nickname "Poosh-em-up" from his legion of Italian admirers.

1924
» Dazzy Vance strikes out seven Cubs in a row in a 4-0 win for the Dodgers. Vance will lead NL pitchers with 28 wins, a 2.16 ERA, 30 complete games, and 262 strikeouts, as rare a triple crown for a pitcher as the batting version. With Burleigh Grimes's 22-13, Zack Wheat's .375, and Jack Fournier's league-leading 27 HR, the Dodgers will nip at the Giants' heels all season and finish just 1 1/2 games back.

1923
» Stepping in against the Indians Sherrod Smith in the ninth inning, Babe Ruth starts off batting righthanded. After taking a strike, he switches to LH and hits his 25th HR of the season. The Indians still win 5-3. The Babe will bat righty four days later.

1921
» At Boston, Red Sox pitcher Joe Bush fires a one-hitter, beating the Browns, 2–0. George Sisler's single is the lone Brownie hit.

1918
» Pittsburgh and Boston play a record 20 scoreless innings; the Pirates win 2-0 in 21. Art Nehf goes all the way for Boston.

1917
» The Reds purchase Sherry Magee from the Boston Braves.

1915
» The Cubs beat the Phillies, 2–1, when OF Possum Whited misses a shoestring catch on a line drive by Heinie Zimmerman, Zim circles the bases for a homer to beat Alexander.

1914
» The Braves edge the Cardinals, 4–3, in 10 innings to reach the .500 mark (45-45) for the first time this year.

1913
» At Chicago, the Giants win, 5–2, on a controversial call in the 8th inning. Art Fletcher is called safe at 2B on an steal attempt by ump Bill Byron, prompting a shower of abuse from the crowd. Moments later, Fletcher scores the go-ahead run on a triple by Chief Meyers off Bert Humphries. The beneficiary of the offense is Christy Mathewson, who wins his 20th game, the 11th straight season he's topped the mark.

1912
» Rube Marquard is fined $25 by the National Commission for pitching an inning in a semipro game in Port Chester, NY, on a day off.

Heinie Zimmerman has two hits in the Cubs win over Brooklyn to raise his average over .400. Bill Sweeney will briefly pass Zim in mid-august before the Cubs star regains the batting lead for good.

1911
» The Giants sell Turkey Mike Donlin to the Braves. Boston will swap him in February.

1907
» The Red Sox collect 23 hits in defeating Cleveland, 14-1.

1906
» Brooklyn's Harry McIntire tosses a no-hitter through nine innings before Claude Ritchey singles in the 10th. McIntire allows no more hits through 12 innings, but he is matched by Pirates P Lefty Leifield, who scatters nine hits through 12 innings. McIntire, who faced 31 batters through the first ten innings, finally weakens in the 13th and allows three hits and a run to lose, 1-0.

1905
» The Giants win their 12th in a row, and 11th straight against Cincinnati 10–5. The Pirates will end the streak at 13 on August 3rd, but the Giants will win the pennant easily, nine games ahead of Pittsburgh.

Cubs manager Frank Selee resigns and is replaced by Frank Chance, who is elected manager in a narrow vote among the players. Selee, suffering from tuberculosis, had not been making road trips, and Chance has been serving as road manager. Selee, who fashioned the team that will dominate the second half of the decade, retires to Colorado. The visiting Phillies overcome a 5–0 deficit to down Chicago, 7–6, in 11 innings.

Cleveland "loans" catcher Nig Clarke to Detroit. He'll be returned to Cleveland, August 11. He's the 3rd catcher this year to be sold, then returned to his original team.

1904
» Pittsburgh Pirate hurler Charlie Case gives up 11 hits but shuts out Chicago, 4–0.

1903
» Rube Waddell no-hits the Highlanders, except for Kid Elberfeld, who has four singles. These, plus a lavish six walks, down the A's 3-2. Waddell observes afterward, "If I would have walked him four times, I would have pitched a no-hitter."

The Giants, losers of 11 of 13 games, get a big boost today as Iron Joe McGinnity asks to pitch both ends of a doubleheader. He lives up to his name, winning both from Boston, 4-1 and 5-2, giving up just six hits in each game. Five Giants (TSN says eight: SABR says 5) were nicked by pitches in the two games, while the two teams combined to plunk six (TSN lists 11).

1902
» At the Polo Grounds, the Cards and Giants split a pair, St. Louis topping Joe McGinnity in the opener to win, 4-3, then losing 4-2. Christy Mathewson scatters 11 hits in beating Alex Pearson.

1901
» Kid Nichols, in relief, and Christy Mathewson face each other for the 2nd time in three days, with Matty winning this outing. Nichols relieves in the 7th with the score, 5-5, but New York scores four runs to take a 9-5 lead. Boston retaliates with three runs to put Matty on the ropes, but he escapes with a 9-8 win.