Johnny Sain from the Chronology

May 11, 1955 - The A's continue to wheel and deal as they purchase OF Harry Simpson from the Indians and P Ray Herbert from the Tigers. They give cash and P John "Sonny" Dixon to the Yankees in exchange for RF Enos Slaughter and P Johnny Sain.

Aug 5, 1954 - In front of a Ladies Day crowd of 49‚483 in Cleveland‚ New York beats the front runners‚ 5-2 behind Bob Grim. Mantle starts the scoring with a 4th inning solo shot off Early Wynn‚ then follows an 8th inning homer by Joe Collins by connecting on the next pitch with his 23rd homer of the year. Both are served up by Ray Narleski. Larry Doby's 2-run homer off Johnny Sain in the 8th is his 24th HR of the year‚ putting him back in the AL lead. New York trails the Indians by 1 1/2 games.

Jun 17, 1954 - Yankee rookie Bob Grim relieves in the 5th inning and holds the White Sox to 3 hits in 4 innings. He also belts his first ML HR and a single to drive in 3 runs in the 7-6 win. Phil Cavarretta's pinch HR in the 9th and a double by Sawatski brings in Johnny Sain to preserve the win. The Yankees are now tied for 2nd place with Chicago.

Jul 6, 1953 - In Philadelphia‚ the Yankees break out of their slump (4-11) by sweeping the A's. New York wins the opener‚ 10-5‚ when Mantle follows walks to Martin‚ Rizzuto‚ and Johnny Sain with a pinch grand slam in the 6th. The ball clears the roof in left-center field of Connie Mack Stadium (Shibe Park) and is never found. Lefty Frank Fanovich serves up what proves to be Mickey's only career pinch slam.

Sep 26, 1952 - The Yanks clinch their 4th straight pennant with an 11-inning 5-2 win at Philadelphia behind Ed Lopat and Johnny Sain. Billy Martin's two out‚ two run single in the 11th clinches it. The loser is starter Harry Byrd‚ who gives up early solo homers to Mantle and Irv Noren. Gus Zernial's 2-run homer is all the A's offense.

Sep 24, 1952 - At Fenway‚ New York's Johnny Sain relieves in the 10th for a 3-2 win in the opener‚ then relieves in the nightcap to preserve an 8-6 win. Mantle leads the way with a homer‚ triple‚ 2 doubles and a single on the afternoon‚ driving in 6 runs. His triple in the 10th wins the opener‚ and his 4th inning homer in the nightcap‚ off Mel Parnell‚ gives New York a 7-0 lead. Boston comes back to cut the lead to one run in the 8th inning when they score two runs off Bob Kuzava. In the 9th‚ Mantle misses on a sac bunt attempt‚ then doubles home Rizzuto with another run. New York now leads Cleveland by 2 games with 4 to play.

Aug 10, 1952 - The Red Sox cut the Yankee lead in the A.L. to 1 1/2 games with a 3-1 victory at Yankee Stadium. Dick Gernert and Dom Dimaggio hit 10th inning homers off reliever Johnny Sain‚ and 41-year-old Al Benton picks up the win with 1 2/3 innings of relief. Benton comes in Mel Parnell with one out in the 9th and the sacks full and stops the threat. Mantle‚ leading off the 10th‚ is retired on drag bunt attempt by Benton‚ who is the only hurler to pitch to both Mantle and Babe Ruth.

May 20, 1952 - Playing center field and batting third‚ Mickey Mantle displays his switch-hitting skills by collecting two singles from each side of the plate. His first two hits are against righty Ken Holcombe‚ while the last two come off lefty Chuck Stobbs. Johnny Sain scatters six White Sox hits to win‚ 3-1.

Sep 3, 1951 - Newly acquired pitcher Johnny Sain tosses a 5-hitter to beat the A's‚ 3-1. The A's top the Yankees in the nitecap‚ 3-2.

Aug 28, 1951 - The Braves sell P Johnny Sain to the Yankees for $50‚000 and a young pitcher named Lew Burdette. It is another late-season insurance measure for the New Yorkers.

Aug 12, 1951 - Campanella breaks up a pitching duel between Newcombe and Boston's Johnny Sain with a 3-run homer‚ his 2nd of the game‚ and the 3rd time in 9 games he's collected a pair of homers. Campy's 5 ribbies give the Dodgers a 7-2 win. Don Newcombe wins his 16th‚ while Sain goes 4-13.

Sep 23, 1950 - The Braves' Johnny Sain fails in his attempt to win his 20th game‚ but hits his first ML HR‚ off Larry Jansen in the 8th‚ in a 4-3 loss to the visiting Giants. With two outs in the 10th‚ Sam Jethroe loses Don Mueller's fly ball in the sun and Mueller legs out a triple. Hank Thompson's single wins it for Larry Jansen. A Saturday crowd of 5‚535 watch the Tribe drop out of 2nd place‚ while the Giants move to within three games of the Phils.

Jun 3, 1950 - The Braves Sid Gordon slugs his 3rd grand slam of the season‚ plus a 2nd HR‚ to account for 7 Braves runs in a 10-6 whipping of Pittsburgh. Gordon now leads the NL in homers with 11. Westlake hits a pair of homers‚ and Hank Schenz hits his 1st (and 2nd career) homer of the year. Johnny Sain gives up a HR to Jethroe in winning his 8th‚ tops in the majors.

Apr 23, 1950 - In the second of two games‚ the Braves and Phillies start the match in daylight and finish under the lights‚ a first in the majors. Phils win‚ 6-5. Johnny Sain hurls the Braves to a 4-3 win over the visiting Phils in the opener.

Apr 19, 1950 - Sid Gordon of the Braves hits the first NL grand slam of the season‚ as Boston beats the Giants 10-6 at the Polo Grounds. There will be 35 grand slams in the league this year‚ a NL single-season record‚ later topped. Giants first sacker Jack Harshman hits his first homer‚ off Johnny Sain‚ but it's not enough.

Jun 25, 1949 - The Cards drop a 10-6 nite game to the visiting Braves‚ as Johnny Sain wins his 5th game. Sibby Sisti homers‚ one of 18 Boston hits.

Apr 26, 1949 - With the help of a triple play‚ Preacher Roe pitches the Dodgers into 1st place with a 5-2 win over the Braves and Johnny Sain. LF Gene Hermanski homers in the 1st and starts the 7-4-3 TP in the 3rd after catching Al Dark's short fly.

Oct 9, 1948 - Before a record WS 81‚897‚ the Indians take a 3-1 Series lead‚ as Steve Gromek outpitches Johnny Sain. The first HR of the Series‚ by Larry Doby‚ is decisive. Merv Rickert also homers for the Braves.

Oct 6, 1948 - In the WS opener in Boston‚ Phil Masi is called safe at 2B on a disputed call by umpire Bill Stewart on a pickoff attempt in the 8th. Masi then scores on a single by Tommy Holmes as Johnny Sain and the Boston Braves top the Cleveland Indians and Bob Feller 1-0.

Sep 29, 1948 - Johnny Sain picks up his 23rd victory in the Braves 4-3 win over the Dodgers‚ but Boston loses star Jeff Heath‚ who snaps a bone 2 inches above the ankle sliding home. He is hitting .319 with 20 homers and will miss the Series. By special permission of commissioner Happy Chandler‚ the Braves add Marv Rickert as Heath's replacement on the WS roster. Rickert spent the 1948 season at Milwaukee hitting .302 with 27 HRs.

Sep 17, 1948 - Six Braves‚ including winning pitcher Johnny Sain‚ drive in runs to beating the 2nd-place Pirates‚ 6-2. For Sain‚ it is his 5th win of the month and 21st of the year.

Sep 14, 1948 - Johnny Sain wins his 20th game of the year‚ beating the Cubs 10-3. It is the 3rd year in a row the Boston Braves ace has won 20 games. The Braves now lead the NL by 5 games. As noted by Dixie Tourangeau‚ the Boston Post runs a poem this Tuesday by sports editor Gerry Hern:
First we'll use Spahn‚ then we'll use Sain‚
Then an off day‚ followed by rain.
Back will come Spahn‚ followed by Sain.
And followed‚ we hope‚ by two days of rain.
The poem will shortened in the public memory to "Spahn and Sain and pray for rain."

Sep 11, 1948 - The Braves sweep a pair from the Phils‚ winning 3-1 and 13-2. Johnny Sain wins the opener over Schoolboy Rowe‚ with Bob Elliott providing the offense with a 3-run homer. Spahn wins the nitecap‚ hitting his first ML homer‚ off Charles Bicknell. Robin Roberts is the losing pitcher. Both Boston teams now lead their leagues by three games.

Sep 6, 1948 - The Boston Braves increase its lead to 4 games as Warren Spahn lasts 14 innings to beat Da Bums‚ 2-1. Spahn twice picks off Jackie Robinson in his 5-hitter. In the 7-inning nitecap‚ Johnny Sain wins‚ 4-0. Salkeld and McCormick bat out of turn 3 times in game 2 and not till the latter's single in the 5th is the irregularity noticed. The umps then rule he's out of turn and he loses his hit; Salkeld's 2 earlier hits stand. The crowd of 40‚000 pushes the Braves attendance over the 1.3 million mark‚ a new high. Spahn and Sain will start 11 of the next 16 games.

Sep 3, 1948 - Jeff Heath hits a 2-run HR in the 4th inning and the Braves hold on to beat the Phillies 3-1. Johnny Sain allows just three hits in winning his 17th. With the Dodgers dropping a doubleheader to the Giants‚ 7-5 and 6-3‚ the Braves move back into 1st place.

Aug 27, 1948 - Johnny Schmitz leads the Cubs to a 1-0 win over the first-place Braves at Wrigley Field. Schmitz allows just 6 hits‚ including two triples‚ but doubles and scores the games only run in the bottom of the 9th. Johnny Sain takes the loss.

Jul 15, 1948 - The Braves stop the host Cubs‚ 2-1‚ behind Johnny Sain‚ then battle to a 1-1 tie in 13 innings in the nitecap. Dark's hitting streak of 23 games is stopped in the opener‚ but he has 2 hits and scores the run in game 2. Bob Rush pitches all 13 innings for the Bruins.

Jul 9, 1948 - At Boston‚ Johnny Sain becomes the NL's 1st 11-game winner‚ beating Robin Roberts and the Phils‚ 13-2. Alvin Dark has 3 hits running his hit streak to 21 games. In the 4th inning Dark triples off the reliever Ken Heintzelman‚ then steals home.

Jun 15, 1948 - Behind Johnny Sain‚ the Braves beat the Cubs 6-3 to take a one-game NL lead. It is the first game to be telecast in the Boston area; the Red Sox will follow a week later after they return from a road trip.

Sep 12, 1947 - Ralph Kiner hits his record 8th HR in 4 games to pass Johnny Mize in the HR race as Pittsburgh tops the Boston Braves 4-3. The rain of HRs exceeds the 7 in 4 games hit by Tony Lazzeri in 1936. Kiner has now hit 20 home runs in the past 30 days-from August 14 through today-to set a record: Maris will tie the mark in 1961‚ and Sosa will top it in 1998. On the 18th Kiner will again pass Mize in the homer derby by belting his 50th of the season. Mize will get his 50th two days later. Kiner will get number 51 on September 23 against Jim Hearn of the Cards‚ and Mize will tie it up 2 days later off Johnny Sain of Boston. Both players have until the season finales on September 28 to break the tie‚ but neither will succeed.

Jul 8, 1947 - Clutch pinch hits by Luke Appling and Stan Spence lead the AL to a 2-1 win over the NL in the All-Star Game at Wrigley Field. Schoolboy Rowe pinch-hits for Johnny Sain‚ becoming the first player to appear for each side. Rowe pitched 3 innings for the AL in 1936. The wining pitcher is Spec Shea‚ the first rookie ever to win an All-Star game.

Apr 24, 1947 - Johnny Mize of the New York Giants hits 3 successive HRs in a 14-5 loss in Boston. It is a ML-record 5th time in his career that Mize has hit 3 HRs in one game; he will do it a 6th time with the Yankees in 1950. But the Braves collect 22 hits‚ with Danny Litwhiler having a HR‚ triple and 2 singles in the attack. Winning hurler Johnny Sain is 2-for-4 with 3 RBI‚ as he strings together a hitting streak of 17 games as a pitcher. Sain will hit .346 this season.

Apr 15, 1947 - Facing Johnny Sain‚ Jackie Robinson goes hitless in 3 trips in his debut but handles 11 chances at 1B‚ a new position for him‚ in a 5-3 Brooklyn win over the Braves. Coach Clyde Sukeforth‚ interim manager and the man credited with first scouting Robinson‚ guides the team to 2 wins and a loss before he steps down. The Dodgers also announce the release of Ed Head‚ who threw a no-hitter last year‚ to Ft. Worth.

Sep 28, 1946 - Brooklyn shells Braves' 20-game winner Johnny Sain and wins 7-4. Meanwhile‚ Cardinal P Harry Brecheen quiets the Cubs‚ 4-1‚ to leave St. Louis tied for 1st place with a game to play.

Jul 25, 1946 - The Reds score an unearned run in the 8th to beat Boston's Johnny Sain‚ 1-0. Johnny Vander Meer wins his 6th straight.

Jul 12, 1946 - Johnny Sain just misses a perfect no-hitter when Grady Hatton's 1st inning pop ?y drops among three Braves behind 3B for a double. No one else gets on as the Braves win 1-0 in Cincinnati. Ewell Blackwell takes the loss.

Jul 28, 1943 - In a charity game for the Red Cross at Yankee Stadium‚ Babe Ruth heads a team of former Yankees against Ted Williams' team‚ which consists of the University of North Carolina Cloudbusters. Johnny Sain walks the Babe in his one plate appearance‚ as the old time Yanks lose‚ 8-5.

Apr 12, 1942 - Before 8‚700 at Fenway‚ the Red Sox lose to the Braves‚ 7-5‚ as Johnny Pesky makes 4 errors. Johnny Sain is the winning pitcher.

Jan 14, 1940 - Commissioner Kenesaw Landis gives free agency to 91 Detroit players and farm hands. Citing cover-ups in its organization‚ Landis hands freedom to Roy Cullenbine‚ Benny McCoy‚ Lloyd Dietz‚ and Steve Rachunok from the parent roster and orders $47‚250 paid as compensation to 14 players. Johnny Sain is one of 23 players who will later make it to the ML. Landis's edict nullifies a deal that would have brought Wally Moses to the Tigers for Benny McCoy and George Coffman. McCoy is considered the plum of the emancipation‚ and several clubs bid for the 2B. Connie Mack keeps Moses and signs McCoy for a $45‚000 bonus and 2-season contract at $10‚000 a year.