Category: May

June 12 – A RECORD THAT WILL NEVER BE BROKEN

*2010 | BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTES – Boston Red Sox outfielder Daniel Nava did something today in baseball history – JUNE 12, 2010 – that had only been done once before – hit a grand slam on the first pitch he saw in the major leagues.

Kevin Kouzmanoff is the only other player to accomplish what Nava did. Kouzmanoff hit a grand slam on the first major league pitch he saw for the Cleveland Indians on September 2, 2006.

It’s a fete that will never be topped – tied, yes – but never topped, because there’s only one first pitch, and four is the most runs that can be driven in with one swing of the bat.

Ironically, Daniel Nava, was never a home-run hitter. He played in 60 games for the Red Sox in 2010, had 188 at-bats and that first pitch slam was his only home-run that year. In his, as of today, seven year major league career, he’s hit a total of 27 home runs.

CONTRIBUTING SOURCES:
June 12,2010 box score/stats/play-by-play
Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9BLMdRRZ-s
Nava takes historic swing, Ian Browne, MLB.com, June 12, 2010

 

June 11-Vander Meer out-hits Boston

*1938 | CINCINNATI, OHIO – Cincinnati Red Legs pitcher Johnny Vander Meer got more hits than the entire Boston **Bees (today’s Atlanta Braves) team on this date in baseball history – one. Vander Meer no-hit the Braves 3-0 in the first of his two consecutive no-hitters.

There are records in baseball many believe will never be broken; Joe DiMaggio‘s 56 game hitting streak, Cy Young‘s 511 career wins, Don Larsen‘s World Series perfect game (it may be tied, but broken? Unlikely). What about this one? What are the odds someone will throw THREE no-hitters in a row? It’s highly unlikely the record will ever be tied.

Vander Meer walked three and struck out four in his first no-hitter. He was down right wild in the second consecutive no-hitter, walking eight and striking out seven. Vander Meer created some drama in the 9th by walking the bases loaded before inducing the Dodgers’ Leo Durocher to fly out to center.

CONTRIBUTING SOURCES:
June 11, 1938 Cincinnati/Boston box score/stats
June 15, 1938 Cincinnati/Brooklyn 2nd no-hitter box score/stats
The Image of Their Greatness, by Lawrence Ritter & Donald Honig, 1979
Consecutive no-hitters

**The Boston Braves were known as the “Bees” for 5 seasons from 1936 to 1940.

June 10-Colavito muscles 4 out of the park

*1959 | BALTIMORE, MARYLAND – Rocky Colavito hit four home runs against the Baltimore Orioles today in baseball history – June 10, 1969. He became the eighth major leaguer to jack four in a 9-inning game. His Cleveland Indians beat the Orioles 11 to 4.

“Rocky Colavito” was born Rocco Domenico Colavito in New York City in 1933. What a name. He could have been a prize fighter if he wasn’t a ball player. He was signed by the Indians in 1951.

Colavito hit 374 home runs in his relatively short 13 year major league career, which, as of June 10, 2017, puts him 77th on the all-time career home run list.

He was never a threat to the record, but in one eleven year span Colavito averaged 33 home runs, which is the same number career leader Henry Aaron averaged per season, and on par with the other career home run leaders; Barry Bonds (2nd-34), Babe Ruth (3rd-34), Willie Mays (4th-30) and Sammy Sosa (5th-35)

The 6-time all-star bounced around the majors a bit. Besides Cleveland, he played for the Detroit Tigers, and had short stints with the Kansas City A’s, Chicago White Sox, New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers. His best year was 1961 with the Tigers when he hit .290 with 45 home runs and 113 RBI.

CONTRIBUTING SOURCES:
Career HR leaders

 

JUNE 8-Let’s play 2… sports that is

*1979 | NEW YORK, NEW YORK – Two future NFL Hall of Fame quarterbacks were drafted right out of high school by major league baseball teams on this date in 1979. Dan Marino was selected in the 4th round by the Kansas City Royals. John Elway was drafted in the 18th round, also by the Royals. They both chose college instead; Marino – Pittsburgh and Elway – Stanford.

Elway was drafted again by the Yankees in 1981. He played 42 games for the Yankees Oneonta, NY farm team in ‘82, and showed promise. He hit .318 with 4 home runs and 25 RBI. He was also trying to get the Baltimore Colts of the NFL, who drafted him #1 in 1983, to trade him. They did. That’s how Elway ended up in Denver. Dan Marino did not play any professional baseball.

There have been a bunch of other two-sport stars. Here are a few of them:

Michael Jordan – The basketball icon, made a flight of fancy to the White Sox minor leagues in the mid-90’s. Getting back into basketball was a better use of his talents.

Bo Jackson – Played football for the Oakland Raiders and major league baseball for the Royals and White Sox. A hip injury cut short his involvement in both sports.

Danny Ainge – The future NBA star ( and current Boston Celtics general manager) played 211 games as an infielder for the Toronto blue Jays from 1979 to ’81, finishing with a .220 average.

Deion Sanders – Deion was probably the most successful two-sport pro athlete. He played parts of 9 seasons for the Yankees, Braves, Reds and Giants, hitting .273 and stealing 56 bases for Cincinnati in 1997. Much of this overlapped with his 14 years in the NFL, 8 as a Pro Bowler, around the same time. He is the only athlete to play in a Super Bowl and World Series.

Brian Jordan – Played defensive back (with Deion Sanders) for the Atlanta Falcons in the early 90’s. Jordan settled on baseball after that.

Dave DeBussshere – Pitched 102 innings for the White Sox in 1962 & 63 with an impressive ERA of 2.90 before settling full time on an NBA career with the New York Knicks.

Chuck Connors – Played baseball for the Dodgers and Cubs and basketball for the Boston Celtics in the late 40’s and early 50’s. He’s probably best known, however, for his lead role in an old TV show, “The Rifleman.”

George Halas – Played 12 games for the Yankees in 1919 before focusing on football and helping found the National Football League and the Chicago Bears.

 

JUNE 7-From the school yard to “The Show”

*1973 | NEW YORK, NEW YORK – This doesn’t happen very often. Three players chosen in the first round of the major league draft on this date in 1973 went straight to the major leagues. Number one pick David Clyde went from high school to the Texas Rangers. Outfielder Dave Winfield went from the University of Minnesota campus to the San Diego Padres. And Eddie Bane went from Arizona State University to the Minnesota Twins as a pitcher.

Another player from that draft became a regular major leaguer at 18 – Robin Yount – though he technically did not go straight from high school. He became the regular Milwaukee Brewer shortstop the following spring.

The results of these “can’t miss” draftees were mixed.

David Clyde started and won his first major league start June 27, 1973. His career was not a memorable one though. Clyde developed arm problems and his major league career was over before he was 25.
Dave Winfield was a highly sought-after athlete. The same year he was drafted by MLB, he was also drafted by the National Basketball Association and the National Football League. He never played professional football or basketball, deciding to stick with baseball. His major league career was spent mostly with the San Diego Padres and New York Yankees. He made his MLB debut June 19, 1973

Eddie Bane had an impressive major league debut July 4th 1973. He gave up one earned run over 7 innings, but got a no-decision. He finished the year 0-5 in 1973. He never quite got it together in “the show,” and was out of baseball by 1976.

CONTRIBUTING SOURCES:
MLB Draft: The 1970’s
David Clyde  
Robin Yount
Dave Winfield