Ralph Kiner from the Chronology

Jun 9, 1999 - Houston defeats the White Sox‚ 13-4‚ as 1B Jeff Bagwell hits 3 HRs and drives home 6 runs for the Astros. In doing so‚ Bagwell joins Johnny Mize and Ralph Kiner as the only players in history to hit 3 homers in a game twice in the same city in the same season. Bagwell is the 1st to perform the feat in a city on the road.

Sep 13, 1998 - Sammy Sosa hits his 61st and 62nd HRs of the season against the Milwaukee Brewers to tie the NL record of 10 multi-HR games in a single season set by Ralph Kiner in 1947. The 2 HRs pace the Cubs to an 11-10 win‚ and tie Sosa with Mark McGwire for the HR lead.

Jun 11, 1995 - Oakland's Mark McGwire hits 3 consecutive HRs in an 8-1 win over the Red Sox. McGwire hit 2 HRs yesterday‚ giving him a ML record-tying 5 HRs in 2 consecutive games. He is the 15th player to hit 5 homers in 2 games‚ and only the 2nd to do so twice in his career. He also hit 5 homers on June 27 and 28‚ 1987. Ralph Kiner performed the feat twice in 1947.

Jun 10, 1992 - At Milwaukee‚ Mark McGwire hits his 22nd homer of the year and his career 200th. It comes in his 2‚852nd at bat‚ and he is the 5th quickest to reach 200. The fastest was Ralph Kiner (2‚537)‚ then Ruth (2‚580) Killebrew (2‚584) and Eddie Mathews (2‚811). Winning for first-place Oakland is Ron Darling (6-3).

Jan 23, 1975 - Ralph Kiner earns Hall of Fame membership by a single vote.

Jul 11, 1973 - In San Diego‚ the Pirates drub the Pads 10-2. Willie Stargell contributes the 302nd HR of his career to pass Ralph Kiner as the all-time Pirate HR leader.

Jan 20, 1970 - Lou Boudreau achieves the Hall of Fame‚ receiving 232 of a possible 300 votes in the BBWAA election. Ralph Kiner finishes 2nd with 167‚ 58 votes short.

Aug 29, 1965 - Willie Mays sets a NL record for HRs in one month with his 17th of August‚ 41st overall‚ as San Francisco beats the Mets‚ 8-3. Mays tops Ralph Kiner‚ who slugged 16 for Pittsburgh in September‚ 1949.

Jan 31, 1962 - Willie Mays signs the biggest contract in baseball‚ a reported $90‚000 for 1962. They also sing another slugger-Ralph Kiner joins Lindsey Nelson and Bob Murphy in the announcing booth.

Jun 22, 1961 - Roger Maris leads the Yankees on an 8-3 thrashing of the A's by belting his 27th homer of the year. He adds two doubles and a single. Maris has now hit 20 homers in the past 30 days (May 24 - June 22) to tie the mark set by Ralph Kiner in 1947.

Jun 30, 1960 - Dick Stuart blasts 3 consecutive HRs‚ as the Pirates split with the Giants. Stuart drives in 7 runs and joins Ralph Kiner as the 2nd Pirate to hit 3 HRs in a game at Forbes Field. Jack Sanford pitches a 3-hit shutout to give the Giants an 11-0 first-game win. With the 11-6 nitecap victory‚ Pittsburgh is 3 ahead of the 2nd-place Braves.

Sep 22, 1957 - Duke Snider's 39th and 40th HRs are the last that will be hit at Ebbets Field. The Duke of Flatbush ties Ralph Kiner's NL mark of hitting at least 40 HRs in 5 consecutive seasons and is the first major leaguer to reach the 40-homer mark without driving in 100 runs: he'll finish with 94‚ Phillie Robin Roberts‚ who has a penchant for throwing HR balls‚ is the loser‚ 7-3.

Jul 18, 1957 - Dodger slugger Gil Hodges hits his 12th career grand slam to tie the NL record of Rogers Hornsby and Ralph Kiner‚ as the Dodgers edge the Cards‚ 10-9. St. Louis remains a game behind the Phils. The slam comes against the Cardinals Wilmer Mizell.

Oct 18, 1955 - Home run slugger and future Hall of Famer Ralph Kiner calls it quits. Kiner hit just 18 homers for the Indians in 1955.

Mar 20, 1955 - While the Cubs are in Arizona beating their LA farm team‚ 7-0‚ major league baseball is played at Chicago's Wrigley Field. In a rematch of last year's World Series‚ the Giants beat the Indians again‚ 7-3. Mays and Rhodes hit homers for New York‚ while Ralph Kiner's 9th inning homer is the first score for Cleveland. A crowd of 24‚434 is on hand.

Nov 17, 1954 - The Cubs trade Ralph Kiner to the Indians for $60‚000 plus OF Gale Wade and P Sam Jones. Kiner's HR total fell to 22 in 1954‚ though he hit .285.

Sep 6, 1953 - The Chicago Cubs win a doubleheader from the Cincinnati Reds, by scores of 7-6 and 7-2. In the first game, Cubs first baseman Dee Fondy hits one of his team's four homers and then scores the game-winning run with a two-out, two-strike steal of home in the 9th inning. Fondy's teammates Ransom Jackson, Ralph Kiner, and Hank Sauer also homer, Kiner and Sauer back-to-back.

Sep 6, 1953 - The Chicago Cubs win a doubleheader from the Cincinnati Reds, by scores of 7-6 and 7-2. In the first game, Cubs first baseman Dee Fondy hits one of his team's four homers and then scores the game-winning run with a two-out, two-strike steal of home in the 9th inning. Fondy's teammates Ransom Jackson, Ralph Kiner, and Hank Sauer also homer, Kiner and Sauer back-to-back.

Sep 6, 1953 - The Chicago Cubs win a doubleheader from the Cincinnati Reds, by scores of 7-6 and 7-2. In the first game, Cubs first baseman Dee Fondy hits one of his team's four homers and then scores the game-winning run with a two-out, two-strike steal of home in the 9th inning. Fondy's teammates Ransom Jackson, Ralph Kiner, and Hank Sauer also homer, Kiner and Sauer back-to-back.

Sep 6, 1953 - The Chicago Cubs win a doubleheader from the Cincinnati Reds, by scores of 7-6 and 7-2. In the first game, Cubs first baseman Dee Fondy hits one of his team's four homers and then scores the game-winning run with a two-out, two-strike steal of home in the 9th inning. Cubs Ransom Jackson, Ralph Kiner, and Hank Sauer also homer, Kiner and Sauer back-to-back.

Aug 21, 1953 - ML player reps Ralph Kiner (NL) and Allie Reynolds (AL) hire labor leader John Norman Lewis at $15‚000 per annum to give legal advice to players in their negotiations with the owners. NL prexy Warren Giles intones‚ "The players can do more for themselves than any outside representative‚ no matter how able that outsider may be."

Jul 5, 1953 - The Cubs win the opener with the Reds‚ 8-4‚ then lose a slugfest‚ 8-6. Bubba Church wins the opener‚ allowing two hits through 8 innings. The Cubs hit 4 homers in the nitecap‚ including two by Ralph Kiner‚ and one by Bill Serena and Hank Sauer. Andy Seminick answers for the Reds in the 5-run 7th inning. Clyde King wins over Johnny Klippstein. Dutch Leonard‚ who relieves in both games‚ is honored in between games and receives a Cadillac and other gifts.

Jun 14, 1953 - At Brooklyn‚ the Cubs Ralph Kiner belts a 2-out 9th inning grand slam to tie the Brooks‚ 6-6. The game is called after 9 because of darkness. The Dodgers win the opener‚ 6-3‚ but the tie drops them out a deadlock for 1st place with the Braves. Kiner's slam is his 12th‚ tying him with Hornsby for the NL record.

Jun 9, 1953 - The refusal of the NL owners to allow the Pirates to remove Greenberg Gardens after the trade of Ralph Kiner proves a boon to the Bucs in their 7-4 win over the Cards. Eddie Pellagrini belts a 3-run pinch HR into the shortened gardens in the 8th‚ and P Dick Hall lofts a solo shot in the 4th into the same spot.

Jun 4, 1953 - After batting practice at Forbes Field the Pirates and Cubs announce a shocking trade. Pittsburgh sends slugger Ralph Kiner‚ along with C Joe Garagiola‚ P Howie Pollet‚ and OF Catfish Metkovich to Chicago for C Toby Atwell‚ P Bob Schultz‚ 1B Preston Ward‚ 3B George Freese‚ OF Bob Addis‚ OF Gene Hermanski‚ and $150‚000. The Pirates defeat the Cubs‚ 6-1‚ with Kiner getting a double in four at bats for the Cubs.

May 25, 1953 - Ralph Kiner becomes just the 12th player to hit 300 HRs with a blast at Forbes Field against the Giants. He has played only 7 1?3 seasons. The Giants win anyway‚ 6-3.

Sep 12, 1952 - Braves pitcher Ernie Johnson is given 16 runs by his Boston teammates‚ as he coasts to a 16-0 nitecap win against the Pirates. The Bucs win the opener‚ 8-1‚ behind Bob Friend and Ralph Kiner. Kiner blasts his 35th and 36th homers‚ each with a man on‚ to stay one back of Sauer of the Cubs.

Sep 10, 1952 - Although errors by Smalley and Jackson account for 7 unearned runs‚ the Cubs loose a 15-hit attack to beat the Dodgers‚ 11-7. Bob Rush wins his 4th against Brooklyn with no defeats. The Brooks margin is now 3 1/2 games over the Giants. Hank Sauer drives in 3 runs with 3 hits‚ including his 37th homer of the year. Hammerin' Hank is leading the NL‚ but his homer today is his last. Ralph Kiner will tie Sauer for the NL homer title.

Aug 2, 1952 - In Brooklyn, the Cubs Hank Sauer hits a three-run homer in the third inning off Ben Wade. The game is rained out in the fifth inning and Sauer will end the season tied for the home run lead with Ralph Kiner with 37.

Sep 30, 1951 - At Pittsburgh‚ Ralph Kiner hits a 425-foot grand slam in the 11th inning to give the Pirates an 8-4 win over the Reds.

Aug 30, 1951 - The Giants move to an 8-1 lead after 5 inning over the Pirates behind two homers by Willie Mays. But George Spencer wilts in the heat and gives up homers to Frank Thomas-his first in the majors-and pinch hitter Gus Bell. After Pete Castiglione and Bill Rigney match homers‚ Ralph Kiner powers one in the 9th inning to give Pittsburgh a 10-9 victory. For Kiner‚ it is his 37th.

Aug 29, 1951 - At Ebbets Field‚ the Dodgers roll to a 13-1 win over the Reds behind Don Newcombe. Gil Hodges drives in 7 runs and hits his 35th and 36th homers to tie Ralph Kiner for the homer lead. He also sets a Dodger club record. Reese has 3 RBIs to run his total to 77.

Aug 1, 1951 - At Pittsburgh‚ the Dodgers take a 7-2 lead against Murry Dickson‚ then make 2 hits off 4 relievers and lose‚ 12-9. The Pirates score 4 in the 4th and 4 more in the 8th‚ including Ralph Kiner's 27th homer‚ to win and snap the Dodgers victory streak at 10 games.

Jul 18, 1951 - The Pirates Ralph Kiner drives in 7 runs hitting 3 HRs‚ including his 10th grand slam‚ in a 13-12 slugfest win over the Dodgers. His final homer‚ a solo shot of Erv Palica in the 8th‚ breaks a 12-12 tie. Manager Chuck Dressen berates Palica‚ publicly questioning the pitcher's courage by clutching his throat in a choke signal. In Kiner's final at bat‚ in the 9th‚ Carl Furillo pulls down the sluggers long drive near the CF gate. Garagiola and Bell also homer for the Bucs‚ while Campanella and Robinson homer for Brooklyn.

Jul 10, 1951 - Exploding for a record 4 HRs‚ the NL trounces the AL 8-3 at the annual All-Star Game‚ at Briggs Stadium in Detroit. Pittsburgh slugger Ralph Kiner hits a HR for the 3rd year in a row.

Jun 23, 1951 - Don Newcombe gives up a first-inning single to Ralph Kiner in beating the Bucs on a one-hitter‚ 13-1. The Dodgers jump on Bill Werle (3-1) and successors for 16 hits‚ including homers by Carl Furillo and Rocky Bridges.

Aug 19, 1950 - The Pirates outslug the Cubs‚ 13-9‚ for their 6th win in 7 games. Ralph Kiner slugs two homers to put him seven days and nine games ahead of last year‚ when he hit 54. He has rapped 8 this month and 4 in the last 5 games. Clyde McCullough adds a bases loaded triple‚ sac fly‚ and two-run double‚ while Johnny Hopp homers. The Cubs answer with homers by Hank Sauer‚ Mickey Owen‚ and Roy Smalley‚ but its not enough. Reliever Bob Rush loses to Murry Dickson.

Jul 11, 1950 - Making a leaping‚ off-the-wall catch of a Ralph Kiner drive in the first inning‚ Ted Williams fractures his left elbow in the All-Star game at Chicago. Remaining in the game‚ he puts the AL ahead‚ 3-2‚ with an RBI single. Kiner's 9th-inning HR ties the game‚ and Red Schoendienst's blast in the 14th wins it. Williams later states he was never the same after this injury.

Jun 25, 1950 - Ralph Kiner leads the Pirates to a 16-11 win at Brooklyn by hitting for the cycle‚ adding a 2nd HR‚ and driving in 8 runs. Gil Hodges had 2 homers last year while cycling‚ but it'll be another 15 years before anyone (Yaz) does it.

Jun 2, 1950 - Behind the 5-hit pitching of bonus baby Bill MacDonald (2-0)‚ the Pirates beat the Braves‚ 5-4 to stop a 9-game hitting streak. Gene Mauch homers and drives in 3 runs for Boston‚ while Ralph Kiner hits his 10th of the year‚ off Warren Spahn.

May 9, 1950 - Ralph Kiner of the Pirates hits his 2nd grand slam in 3 days-and the 8th of his career-and adds a 3-run homer to drives in 7 runs as the Pirates beat Brooklyn 10-5.

Sep 30, 1949 - Ralph Kiner hits his 54th homer and 16th in September‚ as the Pirates beat Herm Wehmeier and the Reds‚ 3-2. The monthly total eclipses Cy Williams' 1923 NL mark. Kiner's blow is a tremendous drive over the scoreboard in LF at Pittsburgh.

Sep 19, 1949 - At Forbes Field‚ Ralph Kiner hits his 50th homer‚ off Kirby Higbe‚ but the Giants beat the Pirates‚ 6-4. Davey Williams two-run homer in the 10th off Randy Gumbert is the winner. Sheldon Jones picks up the win.

Sep 13, 1949 - For the 2nd time in his career‚ Ralph Kiner hits HRs in 4 consecutive at bats‚ over 2 games. He performed the same feat in 1947. The 2 HRs today are numbers 33 and 34‚ and the first is a grand slam in the Pirates 6-run first. He has 4 hits altogether‚ good for 6 RBIs as Cliff Chambers beats the Phils‚ 11-6. Kiner's 1949 total will include 25 on the road‚ 29 at Forbes Field‚ 14 of them in the bullpen enclosure still known as Greenberg Gardens. Today's grand slam‚ his 4th of the year‚ ties a ML mark held by 6 players.

Sep 9, 1949 - The Cubs crush the host Pirates‚ 8-1‚ behind Walt Dubiel's three-hitter. Andy Pafko's grand slam climaxes a 7-run 5th inning‚ while Ralph Kiner's 44th homer in the 9th is the Bucs' only score.

Aug 27, 1949 - At Philadelphia‚ the Pirates use 5 Blue Jay errors and Ralph Kiner's 8th homer in his last 14 games to beat the Phils‚ 8-2. Ernie Bonham is the complete game winner in his last appearance in the ML. Bonham will die September 15th of complications from an emergency appendectomy.

Aug 22, 1949 - The second-division Giants sell veteran Johnny Mize to the Yankees for $40‚000. Mize has tied Ralph Kiner for the NL lead in homers the past two seasons. At a train stopover in Albany‚ a shocked Stengel replies‚ "this is the first I've heard of it. Do with him? I don't know what I'll do with him." The Yanks lead Boston by 2 1/2 games.

Jul 3, 1949 - Ralph Kiner's 21st homer‚ off Warren Hacker‚ helps the Pirates down the host Cubs‚ 7-3. Vic Lombardi goes the rout for his 3rd win.

Jun 29, 1949 - Ralph Kiner‚ featured on the cover of the Saturday Evening Post out today‚ drives in 5 runs with a grand slam and a double to lead the Bucs to a 7-3 win over the Reds. Lombardi gets the win. Virgil Stallcup's 3-run homer is the scoring for Cincy.

Apr 22, 1949 - The Pirates win their home opener‚ beating the Reds‚ 5-4. Ralph Kiner's 3rd-inning grand slam‚ off Howie Fox‚ and Clyde McCullough's 4th-inning triple account for the scoring.

Dec 2, 1948 - Stan Musial is picked MVP in the NL. Musial led the NL in batting at .365‚ runs (135)‚ RBI (131)‚ and in doubles and triples. His 39 HRs were one short of Johnny Mize and Ralph Kiner. According to research Bill Deane‚ Musial is the last NL player in the 20th C to bat .400 on the road (minimum 80 hits). He went 132-for-318 away from home‚ good for a .415 average. Other National Leaguers to top .400 on the road include Rogers Hornsby (.405 in 1920‚ .419 in 1921‚ .401 in 1928) and Bill Terry (.404 in 1930).

Oct 3, 1948 - Johnny Mize hits his 40th HR of the year to again tie Ralph Kiner for the NL lead‚ as was the case in 1947. Kiner had hit his final 1948 HR on September 26. In 1946 rookie Kiner led with 23 to the 22 of Mize‚ who missed 50 games because of injury.

Sep 11, 1948 - Ralph Kiner‚ benched by a stomach disorder‚ poles an 8th inning pinch grand slam to give the Pirates a 13-12 win over Chicago. It is the Bucco belter's 39th homer. Pafko has a homer and 2 doubles‚ good for 5 ribbies‚ to pace the Bruins.

Jul 17, 1948 - At Pittsburgh‚ a Bobby Thomson pinch single drives home the winning run in the Giants' managerial debut of Leo Durocher. The Giants win‚ 6-5‚ overcoming a three-run homer by Ralph Kiner.

Jul 5, 1948 - Ralph Kiner hits 3 HRs for the Pittsburgh Pirates against the visiting Reds‚ while teammate Stan Rojek hits the first of his 2 ML homers‚ connecting off rookie Herm Wehmeier. Kiner teams up with Johnny Hopp and Wally Westlake in the outfield for a record 19 putouts in the 10-3 first game win. The Reds score 3 in the 9th to take the nitecap‚ 6-4.

Jun 20, 1948 - After being shut out‚ 9-0‚ by the Phillies Dutch Leonard‚ the Pirates come back to win the nitecap‚ 7-5‚ behind Ralph Kiner's 18th and 19th homers. Kiner will hit HRs every Sunday for 8 successive weeks in May and June. For the year he will hit 17 round trippers in 38 Sunday games. The Phils are paced in the opener by Miller‚ who drives in 5 runs on 3 singles‚ and Ashburn‚ who makes 4 hits‚ then adds 3 more in the nitecap.

May 20, 1948 - The Pirates batter the Braves‚ 13-0 behind Elmer Riddle's 4-hitter. The Bucs tally 8 runs in the 4th inning‚ with the scoring started by Ralph Kiner's 9th HR of the season. He adds a double in the inning.

May 9, 1948 - In the 2nd game of the Sunday doubleheader between the Pirates and the Dodgers‚ the umpire continues the game through a 7 P.M. curfew because he believes Pittsburgh to be stalling with a 5-4 lead. The Dodgers pass the Pirates for a 7-5 score‚ but Ralph Kiner hits a 3-run HR to carry Pittsburgh to a 10-8 victory. The Pirates are fined $100 for violating the curfew and Kiner will end up tying Mize with 40 home runs.

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.

Sep 11, 1947 - Ralph Kiner hits 3 successive solo HRs for the Pittsburgh Pirates in game 1 and 4 on the afternoon to lead the Pirates to a double win over Boston‚ 4-3 in 13 innings‚ and 10-8. Despite Kiner's 3 homers‚ it is pitcher Kirby Higbe's game-ending homer in the 13th that wins it. Kiner hit 2 on the 9th against the Giants Larry Jansen‚ as the Pirates lose‚ giving him a ML record tying 6 in 3 days. His slugging today gives him 47 and a tie with Mize.

Sep 3, 1947 - Ewell Blackwell hangs up his 21st win‚ defeating the Pirates‚ 13-6 before an overflow crowd of 37‚299 at Forbes Field. Blackwell K's 7 of the first 12 batters‚ and 12 overall‚ and is not scored upon till the Reds build a 7-0 lead. He allows just two hits‚ including Ralph Kiner's 41st homer. Eddie Miller and Benny Zientara homer for Cincy.

Aug 31, 1947 - The Cubs overcome Ralph Kiner's 39th homer of the season to defeat the Pirates‚ 6-3‚ in Chicago. Doyle Lade goes the distance. Kiner's homer‚ with one aboard‚ gives him 101 RBIs for the year.

Aug 16, 1947 - Ralph Kiner hits 3 successive HRs for the host Pittsburgh Pirates‚ in a 12-7 win over the Cardinals in a game in which the 2 clubs bang out ML record (since topped) 10 homers. Two other Bucs‚ Hank Greenberg and Billy Cox‚ and one Cardinal (Whitey Kurowski) each contribute 2 HRs to set a ML record for most players with 2+ homers in a game. Kiner matches the ML mark of seven HRs in 4 games‚ six in 3 games‚ five in 2 games‚ and 4 in consecutive at bats. By the end of the month‚ Big Ralph will still trail Mize 39 to 43 in a head-to-head HR competition that will only be matched by Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle in 1961. Starters Roger Wolff and the Cards Ken Burkhart exit in the first inning.

Jul 23, 1947 - Ralph Kiner hits HRs 24 and 25‚ breaking the Pirate record of 23 by Johnny Rizzo in 1938 and tied by rookie Kiner last year. Behind HR king Johnny Mize 14 to 3 at the end of May‚ Kiner will have 25 to Mize's 31 by the end of July. The Pirates defeat the Phils‚ 6-2.

May 15, 1947 - Behind Ralph Kiner's two home runs‚ the Pirates beat the Dodgers‚ 7-3‚ handing Brooklyn its 8th loss in 9 games. Billy Cox also homers for the Pirates.

May 1, 1947 - For the first time Cleveland will play all its games at Municipal Stadium‚ abandoning League Park‚ where most weekday games have been played. New owner Bill Veeck installs an inner fence to cut power alleys from 435 to 365 feet. A more celebrated attempt to fuel HRs is at Pittsburgh where the 30-foot reduction of the LF wall is dubbed Greenberg Gardens‚ for the Pirates' famous acquisition. Hank will hit only 25 HRs for the season‚ however‚ but sophomore Ralph Kiner will find the shortened distance more advantageous.

Jan 18, 1947 - The Pirates buy first baseman Hank Greenberg from the Tigers for a reported $25‚000 to $35‚000 (The Baseball Encyclopedia lists $75‚000). The veteran Greenberg led the AL in homers with 44 in 1946 and the Pirates will pair him with young slugger Ralph Kiner‚ the NL home run leader.

Apr 18, 1946 - At St. Louis‚ Stan Musial has a double and homer to drive in 2 runs as the Cards beat the Pirates‚ 4-2. A bright spot for the Bucs is Ralph Kiner's first ML homer‚ off Howie Pollet‚ in the 8th. It is the first run Pollet has allowed after 35.2 consecutive scoreless innings: he finished 1943 with 3 shutouts and 28 scoreless innings. The Cards go from white to red at 3B‚ as Schoendienst‚ a left fielder last season‚ replaces Whitey Kurowski‚ rusty after his holdout.