July 1, 1941 | NEW YORK, NEW YORK – New York Yankee outfielder Joe DiMaggio got hits in his 43rd and 44th consecutive games on this date in 1941. This tied him with Wee Willie Keeler who held the 44 consecutive game hit streak since 1897.
To add to the DiMaggio drama, some think he got a little help from the official scorer in his first hit in game one of a doubleheader that day. It was a grounder fielded by Boston Red Sox third baseman Jim Tabor who made a poor throw to first. Official scorer Dan Daniel of the New York World Telegram ruled it a hit. DiMaggio ended up getting a solid hit to center later in the game, which, according to Associated Press sportswriter Gayle Talbot, brought a “tremendous cheer from the crowd.”
Many thought Wee Willie Keeler’s 44-game record would never be broken, and it may not have been if Joe DiMaggio hadn’t come along. “Joltin Joe” set a new record of 56 consecutive games with at least one hit a couple weeks later, and he remains the only player to hit in more than 44 consecutive games.
This note: When Wee Willie Keeler set his record in 1897 foul balls were not counted as strikes. Contributing source:
Associated Press (AP), Gayle Talbot, July 2, 1941
Category: July
July 3 – Pitcher power
JULY 3, 1966 | SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – On this date in baseball history Tony Cloninger of the Atlanta Braves became the first National Leaguer to hit two grand slam home runs in one game. Remarkable as that feat was, the display of power stands out mainly because Cloninger was the Braves’ pitcher. He drove in 9 runs, while pitching a 7-hit complete game as the Braves beat the San Francisco Giants 17-3.
Speaking of home run hitting pitchers, the best, most would agree, was Babe Ruth. In the four full seasons before he became an every day outfielder he hit 20 home runs. One of the home run leaders of the day, Gavvy Cravath hit 55 over the same time period, but being an everyday player, Cravath had about 1200 more at bats than Ruth.
Ruth was really a slugger who happened to pitch a few years. Let’s look at ballplayers who were pitchers their entire careers. The home run king was Wes Ferrell. He hit 9 in 1931 alone, a record for pitchers which stands today.
Top 10 career home run hitter who were primarily pitchers:
Wes Ferrell 38
Bob Lemon 37
Redd Ruffing 36
Warren Spahn 35
Jack Stivetts 35
Earl Wilson 35
Don Drysdale 29
John Clarkson 24
Bob Gibson 24
Walter Johnson 23
For the record, Tony Cloninger hit 11 career home runs.
Contributing Source:
Best hitting pitchers
July 25th in baseball history: Baseball and Castro
July 25, 1959 | HAVANA, CUBA – Playing minor league baseball in Cuba after Fidel Castro took over became a risky venture. On this date in 1959 a game between Rochester, New York from the International League and the Sugar Kings, an independent team from Havana, was abruptly halted by the sound of gunfire in and around the ball park.
It spilled into the stands. With the game tied in the 12th inning shots rang out in the direction of the field as Rochester mounted a rally. Havana shortstop Leo Cardenas, who later had a 16-year major league career, was grazed in the shoulder. Rochester third base coach Frank Verdi, was struck in the head. Fortunately, he had head-gear on because he’d been in the lineup earlier in the game. Neither was seriously hurt.
After this frightening display of fire power, the players and umpires quickly left the field. After things calmed down the league president said the game would be continued later that Sunday afternoon. The Rochester Red Wings wanted no part of that. After one more tense night in a Havana hotel, the team left Cuba for Miami. The Havana Sugar Kings played one more season in Cuba, before being relocated to New Jersey.
CONTRIBUTING SOURCES:
“Gunfire in the Ballpark,” BASEBALL-ALMANAC”
The Baltimore Sun, July 27, 1959, “Game is called: Rain of bullets”
July 24 in baseball history: The famous pine tar incident
July 24, 1983 | NEW YORK, NEW YORK • Had you ever seen anyone so angry as George Brett when a home run of his was disallowed? The famous pine tar incident took place at Yankee Stadium on this date in 1983. You knew Yankee manager Billy Martin had to be involved.
Brett’s outburst was the culmination of a dramatic moment:
Two outs, top of the ninth, Kansas City Royals down 4-3 to the New York Yankees. Brett is facing Yankee closer Rich “Goose” Gossage. He hits a 2-run homer to give the Royals the lead.
After Brett circles the bases, Billy Martin marches out to home plate to ask the umpires to examine the bat. Turns out the pine tar, what batters use on the bat handle to improve the grip, extended more than the rules allowed (see below). Home plate umpire Tim McClelland places the bat on the ground next to home plate. When he sees that the pine tar is spread over more than 20 inches of the bat he signals, “Batter’s out!” Incensed, George Brett charges from the dugout to home plate. If Brett had been a fullback and it was 3rd and 9, he would have made the first down.
Brett, his manager, Dick Howser, and a couple other players were thrown out of the game. The Royals protested. The game was suspended. A few weeks later, American League President Lee MacPhail, former president of the Yankees, I might add, overruled the umpires. The home run was reinstated. Play was resumed on August 18th with two outs in the 9th, Royals up 5-4, and that’s how the game ended.
Years later, Brett said he was so furious that day because a home run off Hall of Famer Goose Gossage was so rare, he couldn’t handle it being taken away.
Note the “note” from MLB Official Rules:
Rule 1.10 (c) The bat handle, for not more than 18 inches from its end, may be covered or treated with any material or substance to improve the grip. Any such material or substance, which extends past the 18-inch limitation, shall cause the bat to be removed from the game. NOTE: If the umpire discovers that the bat does not conform to (c) above until a time during or after which the bat has been used in play, it shall not be grounds for declaring the batter out, or ejected from the game.
CONTRIBUTING SOURCES:
MLB Official rules
July 24, 1983 Royals-Yankees box score
July 23 in baseball history: MLB’s 18th Perfect Game
JULY 23, 2009 | CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – MLB’s 18th perfect game was thrown by Mark Buerhle on this date in 2009. To take nothing away from the Chicago White Sox southpaw, another left-hander positioned about 250 feet behind Buerhle’s right shoulder did the unbelievable.
Dewayne Wise had just been put in as a defensive replacement in centerfield in the 9th inning. Defend, he did. Tampa Bay Rays’ right fielder Gabe Kapler hit a 2-2 pitch from Buerhle to the farthest point of left-center field. It was on its way out. The perfect game would be lost. The no-hitter would be lost. The shutout would be lost.
Dewayne Wise would not have it. He ran to the wall like he was the 4th leg of a relay race. Jumped at just the right time to pull the ball back into the field of play. Then the ball slipped out of his glove, but he managed to regain control, holding on to the perfect game as he fell the ground.
The 26th hitter struck out.
The 27th hitter grounded out to short.
Mark Buerhle had MLB’s 18th perfect game. How could he possibly thank Dewayne Wise enough?
Contributing sources:
July 23, 2009 box score, stats, play-by-play
Dewayne Wise