The National League grew out of the first professional league, the National Association. Depending on which source (or which motive) one chooses to believe, William Hulbert, the owner of the Chicago franchise in the Association, founded the new league because the disorganized, undisciplined NA was a hotbed of rowdyism, drunkenness, and gambling, or because he had just stolen the four best players of the championship Boston club for his own use the following season and wanted to preempt any move to expel him from the NA. What matters is that the league Hulbert founded, whether from high-mindedness or necessity, has lasted to the present day and is largely responsible for baseball's having retained its integrity and popularity through its early troubled history.

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Hulbert did have the diplomacy to make Morgan Bulkeley, the owner of the Hartford team in the Association, the president. The new league consisted of four western teams (Chicago, Cincinnati, St. Louis, and Louisville) and four eastern teams (Hartford, New York, Boston, and Philadelphia). The inaugural year featured such innovations as a set number of franchises limited to cities big enough to fiscally support a team (populations not less than 75,000), regular schedules arranged in advance (70 games, 10 against each team), teams that actually played all the games on those schedules, and enforceable contracts; the first pennant was won by Hulbert's Chicago White Stockings (now known as the Cubs), who were led by Hulbert's confidant and co-conspirator Al Spalding, one of the league's best pitchers (and one of players taken from Boston). The league met over the winter and elected Hulbert president (Bulkeley didn't come to the meeting). He proceeded to expel the New York Mutuals and the Philadelphia Athletics for not having honored their entire schedules when doing so would have been financially difficult; the NL played with six teams in 1877 (and a 60-game schedule). A gambling scandal involving second-place Louisville, which had looked like a pennant-bound team until it began losing in unlikely ways in the second half of the season, led to the banning for life of four players, showing the new league was serious about its integrity. The most powerful teams were Boston, Providence (which joined in 1877), and Chicago (soon managed by Cap Anson, as Spalding went into the business end of the game and started his famous sporting goods company).

Hulbert continued as a strong president until his death in 1882. The league had remained unprofitable for most of that time, and various austerity measures were adopted by the teams, most notably lower salaries and greater use of the reserve clause (first thought of by Boston owner Arthur Soden in 1879). But the nation experienced an economic boom centered in urban areas, and the effects boosted pro ball's popularity and profitability, allowing the annual schedule to be lengthened over the course of the century. The advent of a second major league in 1883, the American Association, provided a popular two-league format. Beginning in 1884, that format included loosely-organized postseason series between the two league winners, the precursor of the World Series. The NL and the AA between them crushed the fledgling Union Association, which lasted for just one year, 1884. Following that season, the short reign of A.G. Mills as NL president ended and the strong-willed Nick Young took over through 1902. As business picked up, Chicago remained a league power under Anson, and the New York Giants joined them at the top of the standings.

The NL and the AA continued to work together until the fateful 1890 season, when the Players' League revolt turned the baseball world upside down. In the 1884 "war" with the UA, relations between the NL and the AA had been strained by such NL actions as persuading the AA to expand to counter the new league (a move which was a financial disaster for the AA) and the purchase of the champion New York Mets of the AA by the NL New York Giants, who annexed much of the Mets' roster in the following year. But the NL reached new heights of ruthlessness in the Players' Revolt by persuading the AA's two best franchises, Brooklyn and Cincinnati, to move to the NL. Of the three leagues operating in 1890, the AA suffered the most, and collapsed after the 1891 season. The NL took in four AA franchises and spent the rest of the century with an unwieldy 12-team format in which most teams spent the majority of the season out of contention and post-season play was meaningless (and unprofitable).

The 1890s were dominated by Boston, led by Frank Selee and starring Hugh Duffy, Billy Hamilton, Jimmy Collins, and Kid Nichols, and the famous Baltimore Orioles, managed by Ned Hanlon and featuring John McGraw, Hughie Jennings, Willie Keeler, and Wilbert Robinson. Cleveland often finished a strong second under player-manager Patsy Tebeau, thanks to the strong arm of Cy Young. But the controversial result of the 12-team structure was the concept of syndicatism, used in 1899, wherein two teams could be owned by the same people. In a farcical pennant race, Brooklyn freely plundered sister team Baltimore's roster and won. A similar move by the St. Louis club, which picked the best players off the Cleveland roster, resulted in only a fifth-place finish, and a disastrous 20-134 last place finish for the hapless Spiders. The NL returned to the eight-team format for the 1900 season, paring down both for maximum profitability and in preparation for another baseball war.

The American League, which was the old Western League with a name change, spent the 1900 season gearing up for battle and declared war in 1901, raiding NL rosters for stars. The AL proved to be a better-organized, better-financed, and more determined foe than previous rivals, and the NL gave up the fight after two seasons. The two leagues began cooperating in 1903 as the NL acquired a new president, Harry Pulliam. The return to a two-league format allowed the resumption of postseason play with the World Series of 1903, and after a one-year hiatus due to McGraw's continuing feud with AL president Ban Johnson, the Series resumed in 1905 and has continued to the present day.

By this point baseball had come to closely resemble the current-day game. Foul balls were strikes, the pitcher threw overhand from a mound 60' 6" away from home plate, gloves were in universal use, and the franchises were all in familiar cities. The situation at the top of the league was also stable, with the Pirates, Giants, and Cubs dominating. Fred Clarke and Honus Wagner led Pittsburgh to consecutive pennants in 1901-03, and slipped in another title in 1909. John McGraw's Giants then won in 1904-05 on the strong arm of Christy Mathewson. Frank Chance's Cubs, celebrated in "Tinker to Evers to Chance," then set the major league victory record in 1906, winning 116 games in the first of three straight pennants. They won again in 1910, and then the Giants took over again for three years. The "Miracle Braves" surprised in 1914, the year the Federal League presented a new challenge. The American and National leagues outwaited the upstart, with the help of Judge Landis in the courts. But the subsequent realignment of rosters and salaries evened competition, and from 1914 through 1920 no team repeated. John McGraw had rebuilt the Giants by the beginning of the 1920s (also winning in 1917) and won four straight pennants, 1921-24. The Pirates won in 1925 and 1927, but a new era in team development was previewed by the Cardinals, who won their first pennant in 1926 and upset the Yankees in the World Series. Rather than relying exclusively on trades and purchases to build his team, GM Branch Rickey began putting together the "farm system" as we have come to know it, featuring exclusive working agreements with minor league teams. The concept was resisted at first by some minor league owners and by organized baseball; Commissioner Landis several times released minor league players from their contracts and criticized the new structure as being anti-competitive. But it worked, as the Cardinals became the next NL dynasty, and success as usual brought imitation. But the Cardinals had not only gotten there first, they also carried the concept to its broadest use, with the most far-flung organizational structure in the history of baseball. The Cardinals won additional pennants in 1928, 1930-31, and '34 and later became known as the "Gas House Gang" for the players' brash, all-out style of play. Although the stars included such untutored personalities as Dizzy Dean and Pepper Martin, they were led by the educated Frankie Frisch, the "Fordham Flash."

The Cubs, with Gabby Hartnett behind the plate, won in 1929, 1932, 1935, and 1938, while the Giants, now led by Bill Terry and featuring the slugging of Mel Ott and the screwball of Carl Hubbell, won in 1933 and 1936-37. The Reds closed out what many consider the Golden Era of baseball with consecutive flags in 1939-40. However, the AL had dominated the past two decades in the World Series and philosophically by developing the home-run-dominated game that the fans liked best. The NL tried to join in by juicing up the ball to unprecedented levels in 1930, producing a season in which the league average was .303 and Terry led with a .401 average, the last National Leaguer to hit .400. But despite such stars as Rogers Hornsby, Chuck Klein, Mel Ott, and Ernie Lombardi, it was the AL that featured the big boppers who stood out above their peers. But the balance of power would shortly begin a slow but steady shift.

First came World War Two. World War One had led to a shortened season in 1918, but President Roosevelt felt that baseball was good for the nation and the restrictions this time were largely travel-related. However, the rosters were weakened to a much greater extent by the length of United States involvement as players were drafted or volunteered. The years 1941-45 featured increasingly weaker teams, although certainly not at first as Branch Rickey and Larry McPhail worked their respective magic on the laughingstock Dodgers to bring the "Bums" their first pennant since 1920. The 1941 Dodgers were largely McPhail's creation, but Rickey was responsible for the future success of the franchise. Unlike many owners, he signed players regardless of their draft status (Pee Wee Reese being the best example) and once again built a formidable farm system. By the end of the war the Dodgers were poised on domination. Meanwhile, the Cardinals' system at first ensured them a steadier supply of replacements for lost regulars, as St. Louis won three straight pennants, 1942-44. The Cubs had their last gasp in 1945. The team with the longest record of success in the league would thereafter win nothing but a pair of divisional titles 40 years later.

St. Louis won again in 1946, beating the Dodgers in a three-game playoff, but that year Branch Rickey had taken the most significant step of the century when he signed Negro Leaguer Jackie Robinson to the Dodgers' minor league Montreal club, opening up a vast new source of talent. NL president Ford Frick, who reigned from 1934 to 1951, was instrumental in quashing player protests against Robinson's move to the majors in 1947. Robinson immediately led Brooklyn to a pennant. He was soon followed to Ebbets Field by Roy Campanella, Don Newcombe, and others, and the Dodgers won in 1949, 1952-53, and 1955-56, never finishing lower than third place in the other seasons. Not only the Dodgers, but the NL in general signed black ballplayers more willingly than AL clubs, and although the Yankees continued AL superiority in the World Series, the NL caught up in the All-Star game. The Giants signed Willie Mays and Monte Irvin and became instant winners, beating the Dodgers in the spectacular 1951 playoff. New York won again in 1954 in Mays's first full season after losing much of 1952-53 in the military.

Former Reds GM Warren Giles became NL president in 1951 and reigned until 1969, overseeing major changes in the league. The Boston Braves became the Milwaukee Braves in 1953, the league's first franchise shift of the 20th century but hardly the last. New York's two NL clubs moved to the West Coast after the 1957 season, when Milwaukee won the first of two straight pennants on the strength of Hank Aaron's youthful talents. And the Yankees finally lost some World Series, to Brooklyn in 1955 and to Milwaukee in 1957. The Dodgers won in 1959, finally taking a playoff series (from Milwaukee). They signaled another shift, to a more varied offense that relied less on home runs. This change was aided by a move away from the old bandbox ballparks into newer and larger stadiums. Sluggers such as the Dodgers' Gil Hodges and Duke Snider found that this hastened the ends of their careers, and soon the Dodgers' stars were pitchers Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale and speedsters Maury Wills and Willie Davis.

The two leagues expanded to undercut a proposed third circuit, Branch Rickey's Continental League. The NL added the New York Mets and the Houston Astros in 1962. The Pirates in 1960 and the Reds in 1961 won one-shot pennants, and then it was back to the Dodgers, Giants, and Cardinals. The Giants beat the Dodgers in a playoff yet again in 1962, but Los Angeles won in 1963 and 1965-66. St. Louis, led by Bob Gibson and Lou Brock, won in 1964 and administered the coup de grace to the Yankee dynasty in the World Series. They put together back-to-back titles in 1967-68, and then came something completely different.

The 1969 expansion, in which the NL and AL both became 12-team leagues, resulted in a new structure in which the leagues were divided into divisions. It prevented the problem of earlier 12-team leagues, where too many teams suffered bad attendance after being eliminated from the pennant race early on. The once-lowly Mets beat the Braves in the first League Championship Series, and the new franchises, the Montreal Expos and the San Diego Padres, both finished last in the new format. Expansion mirrored the growing popularity of the game.

The 1970s were largely dominated by the Reds and the Dodgers in the Western Division, and by the Pirates and the Phillies in the Eastern Division. The "Big Red Machine" won six division titles, with Los Angeles taking the rest of the Western crowns; Pittsburgh also won six division titles, with Philadelphia winning three and the Mets sneaking in at .509 in 1973, the lowest winning percentage ever for a division winner. The big winners based their strength on imposing offenses. The Reds featured Johnny Bench, George Foster, Tony Perez, and Pete Rose, while Pittsburgh had Willie Stargell, Dave Parker, Bill Madlock, and, at the beginning of the decade, Roberto Clemente. The Dodgers and Phillies mixed in pitching, with Philadelphia led by Mike Schmidt and Steve Carlton while Los Angeles had Don Sutton, Tommy John, and the longest-lasting infield ever: Steve Garvey, Davey Lopes, Bill Russell, and Ron Cey. The Mets got by on pitching, and were eliminated from contention by the 1977 trade of Tom Seaver to the Reds. Free agency in general had less of an influence in the NL, perhaps because the Reds eschewed it.

The NL by this point had settled in as the more traditional of the two leagues, choosing not to adopt the designated hitter rule and not expanding in 1977. However, Astroturf became much more common in the NL, with seven teams installing fake grass (although San Francisco later returned to the real thing). This and more big parks increased the NL's reputation as the speed league. Manager Whitey Herzog relied on speed to make the Cardinals an oddly-dominant team in 1980s. They won the NL flag in 1982, 1985, and 1987, but finished out of contention (and usually below .500) in all other years except 1981, when they had the best record in the division but did not win either half of the strike-split season. A similar fate befell the Reds that season, their last good effort until four straight second-place finishes, 1985-88, under manager Pete Rose.

No NL team repeated, even as division titlists, in the 1980s. Houston finally won in 1980, beating the Dodgers in a playoff, but lost to the Phillies in the LCS. Philadelphia went on to finally capture its first World Championship that year, and won the pennant in 1983, but have declined ever since. Houston also won a division title in 1986 on the strong right arm of Mike Scott. The Dodgers won division titles in 1981, 1983, 1985, and 1988, winning the pennant and World Championship in 1981 and 1988. They still relied on pitching above all; the new stars were Fernando Valenzuela and Orel Hershiser. The hapless Mets were rebuilt completely and established something of a dynasty in the second half of the decade. They were World Champions in 1986, won the East in 1988, and finished second in 1984, 1985, and 1987. But stars such as Darryl Strawberry and Kevin McReynolds, and the team in general, were accused of playing below their potential. Dwight Gooden anchored their pitching staff starting in 1984, when he had one of the greatest rookie pitching seasons ever. The 1969 expansion teams finally won, the Expos in 1981 and the Padres in 1984. San Diego upset the Cubs, who won another surprising division title in 1989. And split-finger fastball guru Roger Craig led the Giants to a division titles in 1987 and 1989 despite a perpetually injured pitching staff.

Bart Giamatti became NL president in 1987 and immediately faced controversies ranging from brawls and knockdown pitches to Pete Rose pushing an umpire to redefinitions of the balk and the strike zone. Perhaps the biggest issue arose early in the season, when Dodger GM Al Campanis gave an interview on nationwide TV in which he impugned the qualifications of blacks to manage or otherwise take part in the business end of baseball. When Giamatti moved up to become Commissioner in 1989, he was replaced by Bill White, the first black to hold that high an office and also the first ex-major leaguer to be NL president. (SH)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » February 5, 1880: Worcester is voted into the National League. » April 14, 1880: The new Cincinnati ballpark on Bank Street is opened with an exhibition game between the Reds and the Washington Nationals. The park seats 3,490 and will serve professional teams in three leagues: National League in 1880, AA in 1882–83, and UA in 1884. » May 1, 1880: Opening Day in the National League. In Cincinnati, the Chicagos spoil the official opening of the new park by beating the Reds 4–3 with two runs in the bottom of the 9th. This is the first pro game ended in "sudden death," as the old rules required that the full inning be played out even if the team batting last was already ahead. » May 7, 1880: George Gore of Chicago goes 6-for-6—all singles—with five runs scored as the White Stockings trounce Cincinnati 20–7. Gore will lead the National League in batting with a .360 average. » May 27, 1880: Fred Goldsmith and Chicago shut out Buffalo on two hits. The 11–0 win extends the Whites' streak to 13 games, a new National League record. » June 17, 1880: John Montgomery Ward pitches a perfect game in Providence against Buffalo, winning 5–0. Losing P Pud Galvin makes the last out. This is the 2nd perfect game in the National League in six days. The 3rd will not be pitched until 1964, when Jim Bunning turns the trick. » June 29, 1880: Cleveland beats Boston 6–5 with Sid Gardner pitching his first league game for the season. Jim McCormick had pitched complete games in all of Cleveland's 31 previous National League games. » December 8, 1880: At the annual National League meeting, the league rejects the Nationals' bid for admission, electing Detroit instead, although there is no established club there. The Michigan city is chosen for geographic reasons, since its 1880 population (116,340) is smaller than both Washington's (147,293) and Cincinnati's (255,139), the city being replaced. » December 9, 1880: The National League reelects William Hulbert as president. » November 3, 1881: The AA elects H.D. McKnight as its president. It votes to honor the National League blacklist in the case of drunkenness but not to abide by the NL reserve clause. The new league will rely on home gate receipts, visiting teams getting just a $65 guarantee on the road, as opposed to the NL's policy of giving 15¢ from each admission to the visitors. The AA will allow Sunday games, liquor sales, and 25¢ tickets, all prohibited by the NL. » December 7, 1881: At the National League annual meeting the owners reject the applications of Phil Baker and Charley Jones for reinstatement. » December 8, 1881: The National League adopts a few new playing rules: the 3-foot line along 1B is adopted for the first time; runners can no longer be put out returning to their bases after foul ball not caught; the fine for pitchers hitting batters with pitches is repealed; the "block ball" rule allowing runners to take as many bases as possible on balls going into the crowd, the fielding team being able to put them out only after returning the ball to the pitcher in his box. » January 7, 1882: The National League will continue the practice of using different color patterns on uniforms for the different positions. Third basemen will wear gray and white uniforms, as the blue and white uniforms originally sought were "impossible to obtain." » February 4, 1882: National League players are now responsible for carrying their own bats and uniforms on road trips. They are also required to purchase and keep clean two complete uniforms, including the white linen ties to be worn on the field at all times. » November 22, 1882: New York owner John Day proposes a resolution to prohibit a team from signing a player who has broken the reserve clause of his contract. This resolution, eventually adopted by both the AA and National League, effectively changes the reserve clause from a device to protect owners from their own greediness to a weapon to be used against uncooperative players. » December 6, 1882: At the National League meeting, Troy and Worcester are officially replaced by New York and Philadelphia. A.G. Mills is elected president. Starting in 1883, pitchers will be charged with an error after a walk, balk, wild pitch, or HBP. Catchers will be charged with an error after a passed ball. » December 14, 1882: At its first annual convention, the AA establishes the first permanent staff of umpires in ML history. Previously, the National League and AA umpires were local men hired on game day by the home club. » February 17, 1883: At a meeting between the AA and the National League, the Tripartite Agreement (or the National Agreement) is drafted. In it the two leagues, along with the Northwestern League, agree to respect each other's contracts, ending a brief period of player raids. Also, the reserve rule is amended to allow each team to reserve 11 players, an increase of 6. The National Agreement will usher in a period of peaceful coexistence, lasting until the Players' League war of 1890. » November 22, 1883: New York owner John B. Day proposes a resolution to prohibit a team from signing a player who has broken the reserve clause in his contract. This resolution, eventually adopted by both the AA and the National League, effectively changes the reserve rule from a device designed to protect owners from their own greediness to a vindictive weapon to be used against uncooperative players. » January 10, 1884: At the annual meeting of the minor-league Northwest League, 1st-place Toledo is declared the league champion for 1883. But because Toledo has moved from the NWL to the major league AA for 1884, the NWL pennant is awarded to 2nd-place Saginaw, MI. The NWL also rescinds its prohibition of Sunday base ball and the sale of beer at its ball parks, thereby aligning itself with AA policy and against the National League policy. » November 19, 1884: National League president Abraham G. Mills resigns and is replaced by former league secretary Nick Young. » November 20, 1884: The National League agrees to allow overhand pitching, but rules that pitchers must keep both feet on the ground throughout their pitching motion in order to reduce the velocity of their pitches. They still must throw the ball at the height requested by the batter. In addition, teams are now required to supply a separate bench for each club at their park to limit inter-team fraternization. » January 3, 1885: The recently disbanded Cleveland team (National League) release their players. » January 6, 1885: Millionaire Henry V. Lucas purchases the Cleveland club and plans to fill the vacancy in the National League with his own St. Louis Maroons. » January 10, 1885: At an National League meeting, St. Louis is admitted to the League, Cleveland's registration is formally accepted, and Detroit has its request to remain in the NL granted, leaving only one opening for 1885. » November 19, 1885: At an National League meeting, it is decided that Buffalo's "Big Four" (Brouthers, Richardson, Rowe, and White) can play in Detroit next season. » December 18, 1885: The Washington Nationals are admitted to the National League, in place of Providence. The Washington club was displaced in the AA by the court's decision that the Mets' franchise could not be revoked. » January 16, 1886: Washington is admitted to the National League, bringing the membership up to seven teams. » February 9, 1886: Kansas City is admitted to the National League on a one-year trial basis. » November 6, 1886: The Sporting News publishes the official National League averages, which show King Kelly as the batting champ with a .388 average, 17 points ahead of Cap Anson. The paper previously had printed its own stats showing Anson ahead, .374 to .366. » January 18, 1887: A new Kansas City club is founded to play in the Western League. It vows to compete with the local National League team. » February 8, 1887: Mike "King" Kelly meets with Chicago owner Albert Spalding for contract talks. Kelly, who won the National League batting championship for the pennant-winning White Stockings, wants the bonus of $375 that Spalding promised for good behavior last year. Spalding refuses to give him the bonus or to rescind the additional $225 withheld from Kelly's salary as fines for drinking. » February 14, 1887: James B. Billings, one of the Boston (National League) club owners, agrees to pay Kelly a $2,000 salary and a $3,000 signing bonus if Boston can buy his reserve rights from Chicago. » November 17, 1887: The National League meets and officially recognizes the Brotherhood by meeting with a committee of three players, John Ward, Ned Hanlon, and Dan Brouthers. » November 18, 1887: The National League adopts a new contract that spells out reserve provisions for the first time. The NL refuses to accept the players' demand that the salary be written out on all contracts, however. » January 23, 1888: Harry Spence is hired to manage the Indianapolis (National League) team. » November 21, 1888: Cleveland is formally admitted to the National League to replace Detroit, creating a vacancy in the AA. » November 22, 1888: The National League adopts a salary classification plan that puts all players into five categories with a standard salary for each ranging from $1,500 to $2,500. The scheme is vehemently opposed by the players' Brotherhood. » December 6, 1888: The AA votes against adopting the National League's salary classification system, to the surprise of the press and the delight of the Brotherhood. » January 22, 1889: Facing over $30,000 in debts, the Indianapolis team goes bankrupt and surrenders its franchise to the National League. » February 2, 1889: A new Indianapolis group, headed by John T. Brush, is granted an National League franchise. » March 5, 1889: Both the National League and AA hold their spring meetings to adopt their schedules. The NL also hires a 5th umpire at a salary of $200 per month. The AA, to the surprise of many, does not adopt the NL's salary classification system. » September 3, 1889: Indianapolis (National League) gets a last-second reprieve in the 9th inning when the ump calls time just before Con Daily apparently makes the last out of the game. Batting again, Daily singles home two runs to cap a 6-run rally to beat Boston, 8–7. » September 11, 1889: Rain prevents every scheduled game in both ML leagues. For the season the National League will have 62 rainouts and the AA 73. » September 26, 1889: After Buck Ewing hurts his thumb, Giants sub catcher Willard Brown makes a critical throwing error as New York loses to Chicago, 4–3. New York is now tied with Boston for the National League lead. » September 27, 1889: The Philadelphia National League club releases union activists George Wood and Dan Casey. Meanwhile, the Boston club announces the purchase of the entire WA champion Omaha team for 1890. This latter deal would not actually take place. » September 30, 1889: Boston (National League) beats Cleveland 6–3 in seven innings, while New York ties Pittsburgh 3–3 in six innings. This leaves Boston trailing by .002 with a record of 80-43 compared to New York's 79-42. Each club has five games left. » November 4, 1889: After a formal meeting of reps from all National League chapters, the Brotherhood issues a "Manifesto" in which it claims that "players have been bought, sold and exchanged as though they were sheep instead of American citizens." This bold statement constitutes a declaration of war between the Brotherhood and ML officials which will soon explode. » November 11, 1889: The Joint Rules Committee of the National League and AA makes only minor changes in the playing rules, the most important of which is to allow two substitutes per team, up from one in 1889. » November 14, 1889: Disgusted by the conduct of the Association and especially the perceived dominance of St. Louis president Von der Ahe, Brooklyn president Charles Byrne and Cincinnati owner Aaron Stern withdraw from the AA and join the National League. Indianapolis and Washington refuse to resign from the league, and that organization decides to go as a 10-club circuit. » November 21, 1889: The National League issues its reply to the PL manifesto. Claiming that the League saved baseball in 1876 and that under the reserve rules players' salaries had "more than trebled," the NL denounces the Brotherhood movement as "the efforts of certain overpaid players to again control [baseball] for their own aggrandizement. . . to its ultimate dishonor and disintegration." » November 25, 1889: Jack Glasscock, claiming that his pledge to the Brotherhood does not constitute a binding contract, signs with the Indianapolis National League club, thus becoming the first "double jumper." » November 28, 1889: On Thanksgiving Day, Boston (National League) opens a California tour with a 8–3 win over San Francisco before a crowd of 7,000. » December 18, 1889: The Brotherhood meets and expels members who have signed National League contracts, including Jack Glasscock, John Clarkson, Kid Gleason, and George Miller. Among those expelled, Jake Beckley, Joe Mulvey, and Ed Delahanty would eventually jump back to the PL and be reinstated. » December 20, 1889: Papers are served on Charles Buffinton and Billy Hallman for allegedly breaking their contracts with Philadelphia (National League). This will be the first of many battles between the PL and NL. » December 31, 1889: Three players purchased from the disbanded Kansas City AA franchise by the National League are divided by lot among the bidding NL clubs. Billy Hamilton is assigned to Philadelphia, while Boston is lucky enough to get both Herman Long and Dan Stearns in the drawing. » January 28, 1890: In the first of many lawsuits filed against PL players by their former teams, the judge refuses to grant an injunction against John Ward, president of the Brotherhood. His decision, echoed frequently by other judges, states that the "want of fairness and mutuality" in the standard National League contract, specifically the clauses relating to the reserve rule, "[is] apparent." » February 17, 1890: New York National League officials fail in an effort to woo star player and Brotherhood officer Buck Ewing to rejoin the Giants. Although he has rejected an offer reported at $33,000 for three years, Ewing is later accused by some players of spying for the NL. » December 29, 1890: After the New York and Pittsburgh PL clubs combine with their National League rivals, Spalding buys out Chicago's PL backer Addison for $18,000, some of which goes to pay off unpaid salaries and reimburse players half of their investments. Spalding gets the club's grandstand, equipment, and player contracts. » January 14, 1891: The National League votes to allow the AA to place a team in Boston, despite the vehement opposition of the owners of the Boston NL club. » January 16, 1891: The National League, AA, and Western Association sign a new National Agreement calling for the creation of a 3-man Board of Control to settle disputes between clubs and leagues. » February 14, 1891: The National Board of Control "reluctantly" awards three disputed players (Lou Bierbauer, Harry Stovey, and Connie Mack) to the National League clubs that signed them despite the prior claims of the AA. Philadelphia (AA), assumed that with the disbanding of the Players League, Bierbauer would return to play with them. They call the signing of the 2B by Pittsburgh a Piratical" move, and the nickname "Pirates" will stick. » February 17, 1891: The AA meets and indignantly unseats President Thurman, then withdraws from the National Agreement. This means "war," and the AA's first move is to switch its franchise from Chicago to Cincinnati to compete with the National League in the Queen City. » November 11, 1891: The National League meets and dismisses the charges of collusion and game throwing against the eastern clubs brought by Chicago, thereby formally giving Boston the pennant. The league also plans its strategy for conquering the association by consolidating the four strongest AA clubs into a 12-team league for next year. » December 17, 1891: The American Association passes out of existence after ten years as a settlement is finally reached. Four AA clubs (St. Louis, Louisville, Washington, and Baltimore) join with the National League eight in a 12-club league formally styled "The National League and American Association of Professional Base Ball Clubs." The other four AA clubs are bought out for about $130,000. The NL will allow Sunday games for the first time but will retain its 50 cent minimum admission price. » May 21, 1892: George "Hub" Collins, 28-year-old Brooklyn OF and leadoff batter, dies of typhoid fever after a brief illness. He had led the AA in doubles in 1888 and the National League in runs in 1890. » November 17, 1892: National League magnates conclude a 4-day meeting in Chicago where they agree to shorten the 1893 schedule to 132 games and drop the double championship concept. They also pledge to continue to reduce player salaries and other team expenses. » January 12, 1893: National League owners, led by Pittsburgh's A.C. Buckenberger, form the National Cycling Association. They hope to build bicycle tracks in at least eight of the 12 NL parks. » May 7, 1894: Baltimore (National League) routs the Washington Senators 17–0 for Baltimore's only shutout of the season. Tony Mullane is the winner over Al Maul, the 2nd time Al has been on the short end of a lopsided mauling (August 29, 1890). » June 24, 1894: The Chicago Colts score five runs in the top of the 9th to take the lead over Baltimore, but the National League leaders respond with three runs in the bottom of the inning to claim an 11–10 win. » November 16, 1894: Managers Al Buckenberger (Pittsburgh) and William Barnie (Louisville) and Louisville star Fred Pfeffer are expelled from the National League for planning with officials of the proposed American Association (previously called the National Association). The two managers are reinstated before the end of the year, but Pfeffer must wait until the end of February 1895 before he is welcomed back into the fold. » February 27, 1895: Responding to the complaints of senior citizens like Cap Anson, the National League restricts the size of gloves for all fielders, save catchers and 1B, to 10 ounces, with a maximum circumference of 14 inches around the palm -- in other words, less than 4 1/2 inches across. The NL also rescinds the rule forbidding "intentional discoloring" of the ball, thus allowing players to dirty the baseball to their satisfaction. » May 10, 1895: During the course of a 14–4 win over St. Louis, Philadelphia slugger Sam Thompson becomes the 3rd man in National League history to hit 100 home runs in a career. » January 18, 1896: John Ward, who has not played or managed for the last two seasons, objects to being reserved by New York. At the National League meeting in February his appeal is upheld, and Ward is a free agent. » February 1, 1896: National League umpires oppose the proposed rule giving them the authority to eject "obstreperous players." They claim that the imposition of fines is a more effective form of discipline. » February 24, 1896: The National League adopts changes in the National Agreement. The minor leagues are divided into six classifications based on population, and new draft fees are instituted. » May 9, 1896: Washington defeats Pittsburgh 14–9 in a beanball battle. Senators pitcher Win Mercer hits three Pittsburgh batters while Pirate "Pink" Hawley plunks three Washington batters in a disastrous 11-run 7th inning, tying a mark he set on July 4, 1894. Hawley retires in 1900 after only nine seasons with a still-standing National League record of 195 hit batters. All told, eight batters are plunked in the contest, an NL-record five by Hawley. The five Washington batters hit by pitches ties the NL mark and won't be matched till July 2, 1969. » May 27, 1896: Cleveland takes advantage of Jouett Meekin's 13 walks and three wild pitches to beat the New York Giants 11–5. However, the Spiders fall to 2nd in the National League race behind Cincinnati, which whips Washington 10–6. » May 29, 1896: Baltimore leaps past Cincinnati in the National League race with a 4–1 defeat of the Reds. » May 10, 1897: Nap Lajoie slugs two home runs and a double to lead Philadelphia (National League) to a 13–1 rout of St. Louis. Lajoie continues the hit streak he started on May 8th and will not go hitless until May 31st, a string of twenty games. » November 13, 1897: At the National League meetings, President Young announces that the Temple Cup Series has been discontinued, and that there will be two umpires per game next year. » January 8, 1898: National League president Nick Young says he will have the more experienced umpires such as Tom Lynch, Bob Emslie, and Hank O'Day stay behind the plate when he institutes the new 2-umpire system. Previously, the single umpire would move behind the pitcher only with men on base. » January 10, 1899: Tim Hurst, former National League umpire and St. Louis manager, referees the Tom Sharkey knockout of Kid McCoy in 10 rounds at the Lenox Athletic Club in New York. » January 25, 1899: Chicago veteran Bill Dahlen is traded to Baltimore (National League) for Gene DeMontreville. Like many Baltimore players, Dahlen will end up in Brooklyn when the season starts. » November 18, 1899: Ban Johnson, president of the new American League, contemplates exchanging players of equal ability with the National League and EL with a view to giving the public new attractions. » November 25, 1899: Sporting Life reports that President Freedman of the Giants wants to reduce the National League to eight clubs and purify the game by eliminating "certain parties who have been unduly prominent in the sport for cheap notoriety and the money there is in it." » January 12, 1900: John McGraw threatens that if the National League drops Baltimore, which is controlled by the owners of the Brooklyn Superbas, he will form an American League team. Two weeks later the NL Circuit Committee recommends buying out Baltimore, Washington, Cleveland, and Louisville and going to an 8-team league. McGraw then organizes a Baltimore club in the AL. » February 3, 1900: Rival forces fight for control of the Union Park ball grounds in Baltimore. John McGraw's men camp around a fire at 3B. Ned Hanlon, his former manager in Baltimore in the 1890s, now manager of Brooklyn and still president of the Baltimore club in the National League, has forces camped around 1B. » February 15, 1900: Unable to get backers in Philadelphia, John McGraw withdraws Baltimore from American League, ending prospects for the league as a rival to the National League. Two weeks later McGraw will sign to manage Baltimore (NL). » March 8, 1900: At the Fifth Avenue Hotel in New York, the National League meets and votes to go with eight teams. They pay the Baltimore owners $30,000 for their franchise, with Charles Ebbets and Ned Hanlon reserving the right to sell the players. Cleveland, Louisville, and Washington receive $10,000 each, and Louisville owner Barney Dreyfuss sends most of his players to his Pittsburgh team. The circuit will remain the same for 53 years, until the Boston Braves move to Milwaukee in 1953. » March 9, 1900: The National League votes the following rule changes: a single umpire will work a game, reverting back after an experiment with 2; a balk rule allows only a base runner to advance, not the batter; a change in the shape of home plate to 5-sided to eliminate the corners of the old one-foot by one-foot plate. There had been arguments with pitchers who wanted strikes called when balls went over the corners. With no corners to kick about, owners figure there will be no further arguments over strike calls. » March 16, 1900: At an American League meeting in Chicago Ban Johnson announces that an AL team will be placed in the Windy City, ensuring the stability of the league. Other franchises are in Kansas City, Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Indianapolis, Detroit, Cleveland, and Buffalo. In an agreement with Chicago National League officials, the AL club will be situated on the south side of the city and will be permitted to use the nickname "White Stockings," formerly used by the NL team. However, the White Stockings will not be able to use the word "Chicago" in their official name. » July 15, 1900: Billie Barnie, veteran manager in the AA and the National League, dies at the age of 47. He last managed Brooklyn, in 1898. » July 29, 1900: With all the National League teams in the East, and no Sunday games allowed, 100 players gather in New York City. Their demands are: release of players who are not going to be used rather than farming them out, and players to share in the purchase price when they are sold. Says veteran Hughie Jennings, "We are not out to fight the owners, but to resolve injustices in the contracts." » August 25, 1900: Criticism of administration in the National League continues. The Sporting News offers the new American League some editorial encouragement: "An organization opposed to the National League will be welcome because it will mean the elevation of the game if it is successful." » November 14, 1900: The National League rejects the American League as an equal, declaring it an outlaw league outside of the National Agreement, thus inaugurating a state of war. This follows the AL's announcement two days ago tht it has made arrangements to go into Washington, Baltimore and Philadelphia. Two weeks later the AA makes it a 3-way battle. » November 19, 1900: At an American League meeting at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Chicago, Ban Johnson says the AL chose not to renew the National Agreement with the National League, but sees no need for friction between the two. » November 21, 1900: Given a 10-year contract to control the Baltimore franchise, John McGraw says he intends to be in baseball a long time, and wants to lease grounds in Baltimore where he can stay. He'll be in baseball 32 more years, but not in Baltimore. Nick Young says the National League wishes success to the American League, but does not consider it a major league. » December 10, 1900: At the National League meetings at the Fifth Avenue Hotel in New York, rumors fly. Ban Johnson says the American League has signed a lease on a park in Detroit. The Players Protective Association says its members will not sign with the NL. » December 11, 1900: A rumor that the PPA leaders have gone to Philadelphia to meet with Ban Johnson causes National League owners to "have something closely resembling a fit," says the New York Times. Players later admit the meeting took place. » December 12, 1900: The National League considers going back to 12 teams to counter American League moves into some cities. They invite Ban Johnson to come to the NL meeting, but change their mind about compromise and leave the AL head outside the meeting room. The NL awards the AL's Minnesota and Kansas City territories to the new Western League, even before the AL officially abandons them. The NL agrees to hear the players in a public meeting, but rejects all their demands. » December 14, 1900: Suffering from a drop in attendance in 1900, National League owners vote to cut costs with a 16-player limit after May 1. The PPA claims the move is aimed at pressuring players into signing by shrinking the number of jobs. » February 8, 1901: News leaks out that Napoleon Lajoie, the Phillies star 2B and leading National League hitter, has jumped to the new Philadelphia American League club, along with pitchers Chick Fraser and Bill Bernhard. » February 26, 1901: National League officials meet with Charles "Chief" Zimmer, Pittsburgh catcher and the president of the PPA, and agree to contract concessions granted by the American League for NL players who will agree not to sign with AL clubs. Zimmer promises suspensions for PPA jumpers to the AL. » March 2, 1901: Jimmy Collins, Connie Mack's choice for the all-time best third baseman, leaves the Boston National League club to manage the American League's new Boston Somersets. The Beaneaters also lose OF Hugh Duffy, who will manage Milwaukee (AL), and C Billy Sullivan, who signs with the Chicago White Stockings. More than half the AL rosters—a total of 185—will be filled by NL players. » December 14, 1901: Suffering from too much infighting and no leadership, four National League clubs elect A.G. Spalding as president. Two days later, a court voids the election and enjoins him from serving, and he will eventually quit. » January 4, 1902: Bill Dinneen, winner of 36 games for the Beaneaters (National League) in the past two years, signs with the rival Boston Somersets (American League), for whom he will win 20 or more for the next three years. » February 20, 1902: Nick Young remains as National League president when A.G. Spalding bows out of the battle, but the league will have no effective leadership until 1903. » July 8, 1902: John McGraw, accused by Ban Johnson of trying to wreck the Baltimore and Washington clubs, negotiates his release from the Orioles and officially signs to manage the Giants at $11,000 a year, although he'd already secretly signed a contract several days earlier brought to Baltimore by Giants secretary Fred M. Knowles. McGraw says, "I wish to state that I shall not tamper with any of the Baltimore club's players." But conspiring with National League owners Brush and Andrew Freedman, McGraw swings the sale of the Orioles their way, enabling them to release Orioles Dan McGann, Roger Bresnahan, Joe McGinnity, and Jack Cronin for signing by the Giants. Joe Kelley and Cy Seymour go to Brush's Cincinnati Reds. » July 22, 1902: Jack Pfiester beats Doc Scanlan to give Chicago (National League) a 6–3 win over Brooklyn. » December 9, 1902: The American League announces purchase of grounds for a stadium in NY, and the next day the National League declares its readiness to make peace. » December 12, 1902: Harry Pulliam is elected president of the National League. » January 10, 1903: At Cincinnati peace talks, the National League proposes a consolidated 12-team league, which the American League rejects. An agreement is reached to coexist peacefully if the AL promises to stay out of Pittsburgh. In the awarding of disputed contracts, the most hotly contested case is that of Sam Crawford, Reds OF who batted .333 and led the NL with 23 triples in 1902. The future Hall of Famer, signed for 1903 by both Detroit and the Reds, is awarded to the Tigers, having signed with them first. He will lead the AL in triples this year with 25. » April 21, 1903: At Brooklyn's home opener at Washington Park, Mrs. Charles Ebbets throws out the first ball and then Henry Schmidt and the Giants' Christy Mathewson keep the ball low as a National League-record 43 total chances are taken by two clubs. The Superbas have 23 assists, including eight by Schmidt in his ML debut; the Giants have 21. Catcher Jack Warner drives home the winning run for a 2–1 New York victory. The total chance record will be tied by the Giants and Reds May 15, 1909. » April 22, 1903: At Washington, before 11,950, the New York Highlanders play their first game, losing 3–1. Washington elects to bat first, but the New Yorkers score in the bottom of the opening inning to take a 1–0 lead. Each starter gives up six hits with Jack Chesbro, the National League's top winner last year (28-6) taking the loss. Al Orth, in his second season with Washington, is the winner. » December 12, 1903: Continuing efforts to build a winner in New York, John McGraw acquires 34-year-old SS Bill Dahlen from Brooklyn in exchange for pitcher Jack Cronin and iron-fingered SS Charlie Babb. McGraw says this is the trade that makes the Giants into winners. In 1904, Dahlen will top the National League with 80 RBI. When he retires in 1911, he will have fielded more chances than any other SS. » December 18, 1903: At the league meeting, Ban Johnson is reelected American League president and given a raise to $10,000. Also, the AL votes to allow coaches at 3B and 1B at all times: till now, only one coach was permitted except if there were two or more base runners. The AL also institutes the "foul strike" rule, used by the National League since 1901: a foul will be counted as a strike unless there are already two strikes. » July 5, 1904: At Philadelphia's Huntington Park, the Giants 18-game winning streak ends when the Phillies prevail 6–5 in 10 innings. Rookie Bob Hall's bloop single off reliever Dummy Taylor scores Red Dooin. The Giants record is now 53–18, effectively ending the National League race. By September 1, they will lead the Cubs by 15 games. » July 27, 1904: John McGraw and John T. Brush say they have no intention of playing a post-season series with the American League champions. "The Giants will not play a post season series with the American League champions. Ban Johnson has not been on the level with me personally, and the American League management has been crooked more than once." says McGraw. "When we clinch the National League pennant, we'll be champions of the only real major league," Ban Johnson fires back, "No thoughtful patron of baseball can weigh seriously the wild vaporings of this discredited player who was canned from the American League." As the New York Highlanders battle for the AL pennant, local pressure mounts, but Brush, still angry over the inter-league peace treaty, and McGraw, who despises Ban Johnson, are adamant. » August 31, 1904: In a rowdy 3–2, 11-inning Giants win in Cincinnati, ump Charley Zimmer tosses McGann and Dahlen for arguing a safe call for the Reds. The high point comes in the 6th when New York catcher Frank Bowerman slugs a fan, a music teacher named Albert Hartzell, who has been heckling him. Police escort the catcher from the field. Bowerman will be released from custody tomorrow when the fan drops the charges. The Giants win the 2nd game as well, 4–1, in seven innings, with the game shortened to allow the Giants to catch a train for New York. The Giants leave Cincinnati with a 15-game lead over Chicago in the National League. » December 14, 1904: The Phillies send RHP Chick Fraser and 3B Harry Wolverton to Boston (National League) for RHP Togie Pittinger. » August 8, 1905: Pittsburgh C Dave Brain, who hit three triples in a game for St. Louis against Pittsburgh on May 29th, repeats the performance for Pittsburgh against Boston, this time in a 10-inning game. He is the only National League player to perform the feat twice in one season. » December 15, 1905: After losing a record 29 games this year, veteran righthander Vic Willis is traded by 7th-place Boston National League to Pittsburgh for three players: Del Howard, infielder Dave Brain, and Vive Lindaman. Willis will rebound with four straight 20-win seasons. » December 16, 1905: The Cubs trade OF Jack McCarthy and Billy Maloney, 3B Doc Casey, and pitcher Buttons Briggs to Brooklyn for Jimmy Sheckard, who will take over LF for the National League champions of the next three years. » January 25, 1906: The Reds trade SS Al Bridwell to Boston (National League) for OF Jim Delahanty. » December 11, 1906: Harry Pulliam is reelected president of the National League at a salary of $10,000. » December 26, 1906: National League umpire Hank O'Day suggests that the batter's box be outlined with white rubber strips rather than chalk, making it impossible for hitters to obliterate the lines with their spikes. » July 15, 1908: The Pirates tie the Braves in the 9th and win in the 10th, 3–2, when Fred Clarke is hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. The Bucs take the National League lead by a half-game. » July 21, 1908: According to a Chicago newspaper contest, the Giants' Mike Donlin, the National League's leading hitter, is baseball's most popular player. Turkey Mike tops Honus Wagner by a wide margin and will be awarded a trophy cup. Donlin was involved in a car accident on the 18th when the car he was riding in on Michigan Avenue, collided with another vehicle driven by Chicago Mayor Busse. » October 1, 1908: Ed Reulbach shuts out the Reds for a 6–0 Cubs win, and Reulbach's 4th straight shutout, tying a mark set by Three Finger Brown earlier in the year. Big Ed will complete 44 consecutive scoreless innings, an National League record until Carl Hubbell's 46 in 1933, and the four straight shutouts will not be tied until another Cub, Bill Lee, does it in 1938. » October 3, 1908: At a hearing on the September 23rd incident, Pulliam does not call Merkle or any other players as witnesses, saying he was at the game and saw the events himself. He affirms his earlier decision. Two days later, National League directors meet in Cincinnati and order the game replayed on October 8th. » October 5, 1908: Boston's King Brady makes his only AL appearance a good one, shutting out the Highlanders. 4–0. King had fashioned 1–1 records for both the Phillies and Pirates in the National League, and will go back to the NL with Boston over the winter. » October 6, 1908: Detroit OF Sam Crawford leads the American League with seven home runs. Having led the National League with 16 in 1901, he becomes the first player to lead both leagues in that department. The Cardinals have scored 372 runs, the lowest season's total ever. » February 17, 1909: The National League deprives umpires of the power to fine players and decrees that relief pitchers must retire at least one batter before being relieved. » February 18, 1909: National League president Harry Pulliam, in ill health, is granted a leave of absence. The league secretary, John Heydler, assumes his duties. The NL abolishes Ladies Days, and sets a 25-player limit from May 15 to August 20. » June 22, 1909: The National League postpones its games for today because of the funeral of George Dovey, co-owner of the Boston Nationals with his brother John. Pittsburgh owner Barney Dreyfuss is one of the honorary pall bearers for the funeral in Philadelphia. » July 5, 1909: The Giants sweep the Phillies, winning 3–0 and 3–2 in 15 innings. The nitecap is the longest game in the National League this year. Bugs Raymond wins the marathon, relieving Christy Mathewson with the score 2–2 in the 9th. » July 7, 1909: In the Giants 3–1 win over the Phils, New York collects six straight walks in 6th. This is a a major-league record since tied in National League, but will be broken in the American League next month. » July 22, 1909: Brooklyn ace Nap Rucker strikes out 16 Cardinals in a 1–0 win. Rucker will fan 201 batters this year, just four behind Orval Overall, the National League leader. » July 29, 1909: National League president Harry Pulliam, despondent over his inability to handle the problems and controversies of the league, dies after shooting himself in his room at the New York Athletic Club yesterday. Pulliam had been suffering from a nervous breakdown. » February 1, 1910: Chicago (National League) acquires OF Ginger Beaumont from the Boston Braves for OF Fred Liese. » February 15, 1910: Both major leagues adopt resolutions banning syndicate baseball, which allowed owners to have financial interests in more than one team. The National League votes for a 154-game schedule to open on April 12th, which the American League has already adopted. Other rules: umpires must announce all team changes to spectators; batting orders must be delivered to the umpire at home plate before the game; a batter is out if he crosses the plate from one batter's box to the other while the pitcher is in position to pitch; a base runner is out if he passes another runner before the latter has been put out. » October 12, 1910: With the AL season ending a week earlier than the NL, the champion A's tune up with a 5-game series against an AL all-star team, which includes Ty Cobb, Tris Speaker, Doc White, Ed Walsh, and Walter Johnson. The A's drop four out of five to the all-stars, but Connie Mack will later state, "Those games, more than anything else, put the Athletics in a condition to outclass the National League champions." » December 17, 1910: John Harris sells the Boston National League team to a syndicate headed by William Hepburn Russell, a New York lawyer and city official, for $100,000. The team will be nicknamed the Rustlers after their new owner. » February 14, 1911: At the National League's annual meeting, the Giants and Phils get an okay for new home uniforms: white flannel with a fine stripe, an innovation that predates the famed Yankee pinstripes by four years. Reach introduces a cork centered ball and the number of .300 hitters will jump from eight in 1910 to 27 in 1911 in the American League. The ERA will go from from 2.53 to 3.34. » May 13, 1911: At Hilltop Park, Fred Merkle has six RBIs in one inning—on a double and a Fred Merkle inside-the-park home run—as the Giants tee off on three St. Louis pitchers for 13 runs in the first inning, including seven before an out is recorded. Merkle adds a 3-run double in the inning and then scores the last run on the front end of a successful double steal. The spree ties a first inning major-league record enjoyed by the Boston Beaneaters against the St. Louis Cardinals in 1900, and it remains a Giants club record through the 20th century. John McGraw decides to save starter Christy Mathewson for another day and lifts him after one inning, but the official scorer credits Matty with the win. McGraw wants to give Marquard some experience in pitching without pressure and brings in Rube to finish. He works the last eight innings and strikes out 14, setting a 20th century National League record, and a since broken ML record, for strikeouts by a reliever: Walter Johnson will K 15 batters in 1913 and Randy Johnson will match it in 2001, while Denny McLain will rack up 14 in 1965. The Giants roll, 19–5, pinning the loss on Harry Sallee. » May 22, 1911: Boston (National League) hurler Cliff Curtis sets a ML mark by losing his 23rd consecutive game. The streak began on June 13, 1910. » May 30, 1911: New York takes the National League lead, winning two from Brooklyn. Giants C Art Wilson makes the first nine putouts in the morning game as four Superbas fan, three foul out, and two are thrown out at home trying to score on base hits. The Giants win, 4–1, before 8,000. Before a turnaway crowd of 25,000 in the nitecap, Bugs Raymond gives up just a single in five innings before leaving with acute stomach pain "just southwest of the fourth rib" (NY Times) caused by eating a strawberry sundae between games. Red Ames allows two hits the rest of the way as the Giants whip the Dodgers Nap Rucker, 3–0. » September 7, 1911: The Cubs' Frank Schulte hits his 21st home run and brings in RBI No. 121 as the Cubs sweep the Reds, 3–0 and 4–2; he will lead the National League in both home runs and ribbies. He is the first player to have more than 20 doubles, triples, and home runs in one season. In the American League, Frank Baker's nine home runs will be tops. Ty Cobb hits eight home runs but leads in BA, RBI, hits, doubles, triples, total bases, and stolen bases. » December 13, 1911: At the National League meetings at the Waldorf-Astoria, The Sporting Life reports that "For the first time in history a woman sat in at a major league meeting. Mrs. H.H. Britton, owner of the St. Louis Cardinals, remained throughout the entire session of the National League on the second day. Mrs. Britton took no voice in the meeting. She allowed President Steininger to do all the voting." » December 14, 1911: Pirates owner Barney Dreyfuss proposes that each team in the World Series be required to turn over one-fourth of its share of the gate to the league, to be divided among the other teams. Until now, 10 percent of the gross has gone to the National Commission, 60 percent to the players, and the rest to the two pennant-winning clubs. The National League will pass the resolution and send it to the American League. It marks the beginning of changes that ultimately give players of the first four clubs a percentage of the World Series money. » September 26, 1912: The Giants clinch the National League flag with a sweep of the Braves, winning 8–3 and 4–0. Christy Mathewson coasts to his 23rd win in the opener and Al Demaree, recently called up from Mobile where he was 25–10, shuts out the Braves on seven hits in the nitecap. Demaree strikes out nine in his first major-league start. » November 9, 1912: Frank Chance is sold to the Cincinnati Reds by the Cubs; when all National League clubs waive claims to him in December, the Reds free him to manage the Yankees. » December 9, 1913: John K. Tener, one-time pitcher and congressman, now governor of Pennsylvania, is elected National League president for four years. John Heydler is elected secretary. » July 14, 1914: The Cubs pound Giants reliever Christy Mathewson for six runs in six innings, but New York does worse damage to Larry Cheney and Jimmy Lavender, and wins 12–8. Bob Bescher has a home run, the 1,000th Giant home run. New York leads the National League by four 1/2 games. » September 2, 1914: The National League lead seesaws. Beaten by Brooklyn 6–2 while the Braves win twice, the Giants drop out of first place for the first time since May 30. Tomorrow they sweep two from Brooklyn and retake the top spot. » September 23, 1914: After losing Game One to Boston, 3–2, the last-place Reds come back in game two to break the longest losing streak in the club's history (and 3rd longest in the National League and tying the 20th C. mark of the 1906 Bston Nationals) at 19 straight. Charles "King" Lear wins his only game of the year and pitches his only shutout ever, 3–0. The Reds wait till the 9th to score their three runs. » November 1, 1914: Connie Mack begins cleaning house, asks waivers on Jack Coombs, Eddie Plank, and Chief Bender. Colby Jack goes to Brooklyn (National League). Plank and Bender escape Mack's maneuvering by jumping tfo the Federal League. Although all have some life left in their soupbones, they are near their careers' end, and departure is more sentimental than serious. Mack's excuse: retrenchment. Despite the pennant, Philadelphia fans did not support the A's and the club lost $50,000. » December 8, 1914: The National League votes to hold the 1915 player limit to 21 per team. They also create the disabled list (DL) which allows a player to be kept out of play for 10 days and another players substituted for him. » December 26, 1914: The Phillies trade their star and captain Sherry Magee to the Braves for cash and two players to be named later. The two turn out to be Possum Whited and INF Oscar Dugey. Magee led the National League in hits, doubles, RBIs, and slugging percentage, while hitting .314. On the first day of spring training, 1915, in Macon, Georgia, Magee will step in a hole while shagging flies and break his collarbone. He'll hit just .280 with two homers. » January 4, 1915: Hans Lobert, "fastest man" in the National League, is traded by the Phils to the Giants for righthander Al Demaree, infielder Milt Stock, and C Bert Adams. The speedster will injure his knee in a preseason game at West Point. » July 17, 1915: The Cubs end Grover Cleveland Alexander's 9-game win streak 4–0. Chicago and Philadelphia are deadlocked for the National League lead. In the American League, the White Sox spend their last day on top. The Tigers will challenge Boston down the stretch. » July 19, 1915: The Nationals come out running, stealing a major-league record eight bases (tied in the National League in 1919) against the Cleveland Indians in the first inning. Sore-armed catcher Steve O'Neill is the victim of three SBs by Danny Moeller including 2B, 3B and home, two each by Clyde Milan and Ed Ainsmith, and one by George McBride in the 11–4 Washington win. Walter Johnson (15-8) allows just two hits in six innings before taking the afternoon off. Reliever Nick Altrock gives up the Cleveland scores. » August 17, 1915: Lefty Rube Benton pitches a 3–2 win for Pittsburgh over Chicago, but both the Cubs and Giants protest the win, claiming Rube belongs to New York. A week later, National League directors agree with them, upholding his purchase by the Giants from the Reds. » December 22, 1915: Organized baseball and the Federal League sign a peace treaty at Cincinnati, ending their 2-year war. Feds agree to go out of existence, but the ML pay an enormous price: $600,000 for distribution to FL owners; amalgamation of two Fed franchises, one each into National League and American League; recognition of Fed players' eligibility, and agreement to bid for them in a Fed-controlled auction. Baltimore, hoping to get the Cardinals, balks, but conferees, eager for settlement, defer its claims—a decision they will repent at leisure. » January 5, 1916: The National League, happy to be rid of fractious Cubs owner Charles W. Murphy, allows Charles H. Weeghman, owner of a restaurant chain and president of the Federal League Chicago Whales, to buy the Cubs for $500,000. By putting up $50,000, William Wrigley, Jr. becomes a minority stock holder. Whales manager Joe Tinker succeeds Roger Bresnahan, and the Cubs will play in the FL's newly built park on the North Side, soon to become Wrigley Field. » January 8, 1916: The Giants pick up Jesse Barnes, last year's National League leader in losses (21), along with Larry Doyle from the Boston Braves. Boston receives veteran Buck Herzog. Barnes will go 6–1 this year and then win a league high 25 games in 1917. » February 8, 1916: The National League votes down a proposal by Charlie Ebbets of Brooklyn to limit the number of 25-cent seats clubs can sell to 2,000. Boston has 10,000 such seats; St. Louis, 9,000, Philadelphia, 6,500, and Cincinnati, 4,000. » February 9, 1916: The National League votes down a proposal by the Giants, Braves, and Cubs to increase club player limit from 21 to 22. (The Reds want a decrease to 20.) » February 13, 1917: Tim Murnane, 64, 1B on the original Boston National League team of 1876 and later a leading Boston baseball writer, dies in Boston. » January 4, 1918: The Cubs acquire Braves crossfiring ace Lefty Tyler, sending vets Larry Doyle, Art Wilson and $15,000 to Boston (National League). Tyler will win 19 games for the Cubs this year. » December 10, 1918: National League secretary John Heydler is formally elected president of the league. He had been acting president since John Tener stepped down last August. » February 5, 1919: Charges brought in 1918 by Reds owner Garry Herrmann and manager Christy Mathewson against Hal Chase for betting against his team and throwing games in collusion with gamblers are dismissed by National League president John Heydler. Heydler decides Chase's sometimes indifferent play was due to "carelessness." Two weeks later John McGraw trades 1B Walter Holke and C Bill Rariden to the Reds for Chase, but the Giants will also have their problems with him. In September, McGraw will send Chase and Heinie Zimmerman home without explanation; during the investigation of the Black Sox scandal in 1920, McGraw will testify that the dismissal was because both players had thrown games and tried to enlist Fred Toney and Benny Kauff in their scheme. » December 10, 1919: The National League votes to ban the spitball's use by all new pitchers. The ban will be formally worked out by the Rules Committee in February. » February 9, 1920: The Joint Rules Committee bans all foreign substances or other alterations to the ball by pitchers, including saliva, resin, talcum powder, paraffin, and the shine and emery ball. A pitcher caught cheating will be suspended for 10 days. The American League allows each club to name just two pitchers who will be allowed to use the pitch for one more season. The National League allows each club to name all its spitball pitchers. No pitchers other than those designated will be permitted to use it, and none at all after 1920. Other rules changes: the adoption of writer Fred Lieb's proposal that a game-winning home run with men on base be counted as a home run even if its run is not needed to win the game. Also, the intentional walk is banned, and everything that happens in a protested game will go in the records. » February 10, 1920: At a joint meeting in Chicago, all bleacher prices are raised to 50 cents, pavilion to 75 cents, and grandstand to $1.00. Clubs may set aside bleacher space for kids under 14 at 15 and 25 cents if they wish. The May 15th–August 30th player limits are raised from 21 to 25. The American League prohibits player transfers after July 1st; the National League, after August 20th. » February 12, 1920: In a defeat for American League president Johnson, Carl Mays is reinstated, and the Yankees' 3rd place finish is recognized. Furthermore, a two man committee is appointed to review all fines over $100 and suspensions of more than 10 days. Dissatisfaction with the National Commission system comes to a head. The National League votes 6–2 for a one-man commission; the AL votes 6–2 for the status quo. Chairman Garry Herrmann resigns, stating his belief that no club owner should serve on the governing board. When the two leagues cannot agree on a chairman, it is left to the league presidents to decide disputes. » September 1, 1920: Grover Alexander outlasts Jesse Haines as both go 17 innings in the Cubs, 3–2, win over St. Louis. For Haines, it is his 20th loss of the year. It is Alexander's 27th win of the year, tops in the National League. » September 17, 1920: The Cards set a National League record by cracking out 12 consecutive hits in the 4th and 5th innings against the Braves. Ten of the hits occur in the 4th inning when St. Louis scores eight runs. The last two outs come as Milt Stock tries to stretch a single and Austin McHenry tries the same on a double. Both are thrown out. In the 5th inning, Doc Lavan opens with a double and Cliff Heathcote singles before a Redbird finally makes an out. St. Louis wins 9–4. » September 18, 1920: National League directors meet in New York, joined by Jacob Ruppert, Cap Huston, Charles Comiskey, and Harry Frazee of the American League. They name a committee to draw up an agreement along the lines of Albert Lasker's proposal, and give the five AL clubs still backing Ban Johnson an ultimatum: come in by November 1st or the Yankees, White Sox, and Red Sox will pull out of the AL and join a 12-team NL (with a team in Detroit to complete the roster). The AL five turns it down, and bluff and counterbluff blow through the autumn air. » November 8, 1920: At a meeting to depose Ban Johnson, a new 12-team National League, made up of the dissenting 11 teams plus one of the five teams loyal to Johnson, is agreed to. John Heydler will be its president and Judge Landis the proposed chairman of the new commission. With no stomach for another war, four of the five American League clubs still backing Johnson agree to a joint meeting November 12th in Chicago. » December 15, 1920: The National League reveals a most telling statistic, pointing out the changes in the game: the use of 27,924 baseballs during the season, an increase of 10,248 over 1919. » December 17, 1920: The American League votes to allow pitchers who used the spitball in 1920 to continue using it as long as they are in the league. The National League will do the same. There will be 17 designated spitters in all, eight in the NL and nine in the AL. For the NL: Bill Doak, Phil Douglas, Dana Fillingim, Ray Fisher, Marvin Goodwin, Burleigh Grimes, Clarence Mitchell, and Dick Rudolph. For the AL: A.W. Ayers, Slim Caldwell, Stan Coveleski, Red Faber, H.B. Leonard, Jack Quinn, Allan Russell, Urban Shocker, and Allen Sothoron. » February 22, 1921: The Reds trade P Jimmy Ring and OF Greasy Neale to the Phils for lefty Eppa Rixey, who led the National League with 22 losses in 1920. Rixey will pitch his way into the Hall of Fame over the next 13 years. Neale is also a future Hall of Famer—for football. He will play just 22 games in Philley before returning to the Reds. » September 29, 1921: The Bucs drop a doubleheader to the Cardinals allowing the idle Giants to clinch the National League pennant, their 7th under manager McGraw. » September 30, 1921: It is Rogers Hornsby Day at Sportsman's Park, and the Cardinal star celebrates by pounding out a home run and two doubles against Pittsburgh to lead the third-place Cardinals to a 12–4 win. Hornsby will go hitless in the last two games, dropping his final average to .397 for the year, still the best in the N.L. Teammates Austin McHenry and Jack Fournier will be 2nd and 3rd in hitting in the National League. » December 20, 1921: At the ML meetings, the American League votes to return to the best-of-7 World Series; the National League votes to keep the 5-of-9. Judge Landis casts the deciding vote, and the 4-of-7 format is reinstated. » March 9, 1922: Rogers Hornsby signs a three-year contract with Cards owner Sam Breadon calling for $18,500 per season. This makes the young star the highest paid player in National League history. » April 12, 1922: There are no playing managers in the National League for the first time since 1900. Long considered an economic necessity, the dual role is no longer essential. It will be 1930 before the American League has a year with all bench managers. » May 30, 1922: George Burns, now a member of the Reds, steals home against the Pirates in the 3rd on the front end of a double steal with Greasy Neale,. It is his 28th career steal of home and gives him a new National League record formerly held by Honus Wagner. The Reds win the opener, 9–3, then lose game 2, 7–3, to Johnny Morrison. » July 20, 1922: At Sportsman's Park, Rogers Hornsby belts a 2-out 9th inning home run with two men on the give the Cards a 7–6 win over Boston. It is the Rajah's 25th home run of the year, breaking Gavvy Cravath's National League home run mark (post-1900). In two weeks, Hornsby will break the record of 27 homers set in 1884 by Chicago's Ned Williamson. » September 15, 1922: C Butch Henline is the first National League player to hit three homers in a game since 1897, as the Phils beat the Cards 10–9. Henline's 3rd home run tied the game in the 9th inning and Cliff Lee then hit the game-winning home run. Lee ends the year with 17 homers—all at Baker Bowl. Only Gavvy Cravath, in 1914, and Mel Ott will have more homers in a season this century coming all at home. » September 21, 1922: The American League reinstates the MVP award, last given in 1914, appointing a committee of one writer from each city, headed by I.E. Sanborn of the Chicago Tribune. As a player-manager, Ty Cobb is not eligible, and the trophy goes to George Sisler. The National League will pick up the idea two years later. » September 25, 1922: The Giants beat St. Louis, 5-4 in 10 innings, to clinch John McGraw's 8th pennant and the Giants' 10th in 41 years in the National League. » November 7, 1922: Morgan G. Bulkeley, first president of the National League and later governor of Connecticut and U.S. senator, dies. As president of the Hartford club, he presided over the NL's first meeting and headed the league for one year. » December 13, 1922: Alarmed at the increase in home run hitting (1,054 in the major leagues, up from 936), some American League owners back a zoning system setting a minimum of 300 feet for a ball to be called a home run. The motion dies. In another action, the league requires each club to furnish two home uniforms per player, plus extra caps and stockings on the road, to improve the players' appearance. In National League meetings, Charles Ebbets proposes putting numbers on players' sleeves or caps. It's left to each club to do as it wishes. » December 14, 1922: In a joint meeting, the ban on nonwaiver trades after June 15th is approved. The National League favors a 50-player limit until June 15th, the American League votes for 40. Judge Landis breaks the deadlock in favor of 40. Compensation of World Series umpires is changed from a percentage of the players' pool to a flat $2,000. » February 11, 1923: With rookie Jim Bottomley in the wings, the Cards send 1B Jack Fournier to the Brooklyn Robins in a trade for C Hy Myers. The veteran Fournier says he'll quit if he has to move, but gives in and plays another five years. Fournier, with 22 homers in 1923, will finish 2nd in the National League, but his 20 steals in 43 attempts, the century's worst percentage for anyone with 20 steals, will barely qualify him for the 20-20 club. » May 20, 1923: With the Polo Grounds newly expanded, the Giants set a National League attendance record with 42,000+ fans on hand. The Giants clip the Cardinals, 14–4, on 20 hits. » May 22, 1923: In a Negro League National League game at St. Louis' Stars Park, Chicago American Giants CF Cristobal Torriente hits for the cycle, scoring three and batting in seven runs, He finishes his offensive outburst with a homer in the top of the 9th to give the American Giants an 11-10 lead. In the bottom of the ninth, Jack Marshall gets into a jam and Torriente comes in with two out and runners on 2B and 3B. With Cool Papa Bell at the plate, Torriente promptly goes from hero to goat in the space of two pitches, both of them wild, allowing the tying and winning runs to score easily. » May 30, 1923: After playing before the National League's biggest crowd (41,000) in the P.M. game of the holiday twin bill against Brooklyn, the Giants head west with a 4-game lead over the Pirates. Five regulars will bat over .300, and three will top 100 RBI, led by NL leader Irish Meusel's 125. At 3B, rookie Travis Jackson takes over for gimpy Heinie Groh. With five future Hall of Famers in the lineup and eight on the roster during the season, the Giants will be the first team to hold first place from opening to closing day and the only NL team to have done it. With average pitching, they win just 95 games, but it's enough for a four 1/2 game margin over the Reds. » September 14, 1923: The Cubs Vic Keen stops the Giants, 7–1, cutting the National League leaders lead down to 1/2 game. The lone Giants score is a George Kelly homer. » September 28, 1923: The Giants beat Brooklyn 3–0 behind Art Nehf to clinch the National League flag. » October 6, 1923: Braves rookie SS Ernie Padgett, playing in his 2nd game, pulls an unassisted triple play against the Phils, the first in the National League since 1878. Walter Holke lines out, Cotton Tierney is forced, and Cliff Lee is tagged out. It is the first unassisted TP in the NL since 1878. The Braves win the 5-inning nitecap, 4–1, to sweep the twinbill. Joe Batchelder picks up the W over Lefty Weinert. » October 19, 1923: Citing the unsavory characters associated with the sport, American League president Ban Johnson persuades AL owners to prohibit boxing matches in their parks. The National League declines to go along with it. » February 12, 1924: The National League decides to go along with the American League in offering a $1,000 prize to the player named MVP by a committee of writers. » September 1, 1924: In the second twinbill whitewash in the National League in two weeks, the Reds shut out the Cardinals, 5–0 and 9–0. Carl Mays submarines the Birds in the opener and Rube Benton coasts in the nitecap. » September 4, 1924: Dazzy Vance chalks up his 12th straight win, and 24th on the year, beating the Braves, 4–1. it's also the Robins' 12th straight win. Dutch Ruether then wins the nitecap, 9–1, giving Brooklyn a National League-record four doubleheader sweeps in four days. The Phils were swept for six straight on September 1, 2, and 3. » September 27, 1924: Rookie Pedro Dibut (3–0) hurls the Reds to a 10–1 win over the Cardinals. Except for a brief relief appearance next year, that's it in the majors for the chunky Cuban, who played in the Negro Leagues for the Cuban Giants (West) before the Reds. He sets a oft-tied National League record for most wins without a loss in a career, a mark that will be eclipsed by Ben Shields (4–0 in two leagues). » September 28, 1924: Dazzy Vance fires a 5-hitter at the Phillies, beating them 5–1, for his 28th win. He strikes out 9, including five in a row, to run his season total to 277. Vance will win the MVP over Rogers Hornsby and his .424 average. One sportswriter, Jack Ryder, will leave the cranky Hornsby off all 10 spots on his ballot. Vance also wins a preseason bet with Brooklyn teammate Jack Fournier. He bet that he would win more games than Fournier would hit home runs; the first sacker tops the National League in round trippers with 27. » December 10, 1924: The two leagues agree on a permanent rotation for World Series play proposed by Charles Ebbets: first two games at one league's park, next three at the other leagues park, last two if needed back at the first league's park, with openers to alternate between leagues. Next year's World Series will commence at the National League city. » February 2, 1925: The National League inaugurates its Golden Jubilee Year by holding its spring meeting in the same room in New York's Broadway Central Hotel where the league was organized on February 2, 1876. » May 8, 1925: Every National League city will have a Golden Jubilee Day. The first, between two of the original teams left from the 1876 season, at Boston, sees former Boston players from 1876 on hand. The Braves beat Chicago 5–2. » May 30, 1925: Between games today, Rogers Hornsby is named manager of the Cardinals by Sam Breadon, replacing Branch Rickey, who remains as general manager. An angry Rickey will sell his shares in the team to Hornsby. St. Louis, in last place, drops two games to Pittsburgh, losing 4–1 in the morning and 15–5 in the P.M. contest, despite two homers by the new manager. Playing in front of an overflow crowd at spacious Forbes Field, the Pirates sets a modern National League record by stroking eight triples in the 2nd game; the Cards tally one for a combined record-tying nine triples. The normal rules about balls hit into the crowds being ground-rule doubles is expanded to make them triples today: eight of the three-baggers are ground-rule triples. » September 19, 1925: In St. Louis, the Cardinals rollover Brooklyn, 15–3, behind Wee Willie Sherdel. In the 7th inning, the Red Birds rub it in with two steals of home, tying a ML record. It's the last time it's been done in the National League. Oakland stole home twice in the 1st inning in May 28, 1980. » September 21, 1925: Pittsburgh OF Kiki Cuyler ties the National League record by getting his 10th consecutive hit, singling in his first two at bats, off Decatur and Ulrich, before he fouls out in his 3rd at bat, against the Phils' Art Decatur. The Pirates win the opener, 9–7. In the nitecap, a 14–4 Pirates win, Cuyler has his 3rd 4-for-4 game in his last four outings. He clouts two homers to back Kremer's pitching. Phils utility player Barney Friberg catches the 8th inning in the game, thus playing every position during the year; he will be featured in a Ripley's Believe it or Not cartoon. » September 23, 1925: The Pirates clinch the National League pennant, making six double plays in beating the Phils 2–1. Cuyler is 1-for-2. » September 25, 1925: For the first time in history and the only time in the National League, teammates hit bases-loaded triples in the same game. Reds catcher Walker, in the 3rd, and Bressler in the 5th connect at home in the 18–7 win over Brooklyn. Jakie May is the winning pitcher before just 534 fans at Redlands Field. The A's will accomplish the feat next season. » September 27, 1925: In a doubleheader split with the Braves in St. Louis, the Cards player-manager Rogers Hornsby hits his 38th and 39th home runs of the year, along with a single, double, and triple to push his average to .403. In batting practice tomorrow, Hornsby will foul a ball off his foot splitting his toenail, and will sit the last three games. The Rajah calls reporters into the club house to view his bloody toe, "because some of those in the East may say I'm stallin' because I want to save my .400 average." Hornsby will be the only player-manager to win the triple crown, which he does by topping .400 for the 3rd time in four years, while his 39 home runs and 143 RBI are National League highs. His .756 slugging average is still the NL's best. The Cards take the opener 6–5 and lose the nitecap 7–6. » October 4, 1925: In the nitecap following an 8–1 loss, the Phils Dutch Ulrich shuts out the Giants, 3–0. The National League tallies a National League record low of 49 shutouts this year. » December 9, 1925: Cards' player-manager Rogers Hornsby is named the MVP in the National League, gathering 73 out of a possible 80 votes. Hornsby was runnerup in 1924 to Dazzy Vance. Other strong contenders are Kiki Cuyler, the Pirates top hitter at .357; the Giants' George Kelly; Pirates' SS Glenn Wright; Brooklyn's Dazzy Vance; and Dave Bancroft, who hit .319 and topped NL shortstops in fielding average while managing the 5th-place Braves. » February 2, 1926: The National League holds its Golden Jubilee Banquet in New York. Among nearly 1,000 invited guests are 10 players from the 1876 season and two umpires, including Billy McLean, who was the umpire for the first NL game. » May 15, 1926: Behind Pete Donohue, the Reds whip the Giants, 11–6, and move into first place. Led by the National League's two top hitters—C Bubbles Hargrave at .353 and OF Cuckoo Christensen at .350—and the pitching of Pete Donohue, Carl Mays, and Eppa Rixey, they'll stay in 1st until mid-July. » May 28, 1926: In a 12–4 Reds win over the Cardinals, Hughie Critz is walked five times, tying the National League record (20th C.) » September 3, 1926: In a 17–3 Giants cakewalk over the Braves, the Giants unload for a National League record 12 runs in the 5th inning. Young Mel Ott plays five innings and goes 3-for-3. He also steals a base. The 17-year-old star will hit .383 in 35 games this year. The Giants blow it open in the 5th inning, scoring 12 runs. » September 9, 1926: Trailing 6–3 at the end of eight innings, Brooklyn then makes nine hits and adds two walks to win going away, 12–6. A National League record five Brooklyn pinch hitters all deliver, including pinch hitter Dick Cox, who gets two hits, scores twice, and has two RBI in a 9-run 9th inning. Pinch hitter Moose Clabaugh bats twice in the 9th, collecting a hit: the six pinch hits sets a major-league record and the three pinch runners scoring ties a ML mark set in 1900. The Phils use a record-tying five pitchers in the 9th with Waylon Dean taking the loss. The Phils are again paced by Cy Williams, who clubs two homers in his first two at-bats (three in a row), before striking out in his next. » September 14, 1926: The Reds take the National League lead with a 5–1 win over the Dodgers. Cincy is now up by a half game. » September 17, 1926: The Cardinals regain the National League lead in a 10–1 win over the Phils. Light-hitting Tommy Thevenow bangs his first ML homer, an inside the park liner off Jack Knight. The Reds continue to nose-dive, dropping a 5–4 decision to the Giants on Frankie Frisch's 10th inning home run. The Reds will lose seven of the final 9. » September 25, 1926: The Yankees take two from the Browns to nail down the American League flag, winning the opener 10–2 behind Herb Pennock. Ruth's grand slam is the big blow. In the nitecap, Lou Gehrig homers in the 3rd inning, off Milt Gaston, while Ruth matches him with a 2-run home run in the 6th off Win Ballou. Ruth adds a solo shot in the 9th, his 46th, off Joe Giard to seal the Waite Hoyt 10–4 victory. Despite the score, the game is played in a new AL record 55 minutes. The National League record is 51 minutes, on September 28, 1919. » December 28, 1926: The National League's 1926 MVP Bob O'Farrell is named to replace Hornsby as Cards manager. The job was reportedly first offered to Bill Killefer who, out of loyalty to Hornsby turned it down, and quit. Killefer will sign on as a coach of the Browns. » May 14, 1927: Cubs pitcher Guy Bush must feel his name as he and Braves starter Charlie Robertson battle for 18 innings before Robertson tires and the Cubs win 7–2. Jimmy Cooney drives in the winning run and Sparky Adams contributes four hits. Bush goes 18 innings and Robertson 17 1/3. Two National League pitchers -- Carl Hubbell in 1933 and Vern Law in 1955 -- will match Bush's marathon effort. » May 21, 1927: The Cubs move into first place in the National League when a 9-run 9th inning gives them an 11–6 win and doubleheader sweep at Brooklyn. Chicago takes the opener, 6–4. For the second day in a row, a disputed call -- this one by Frank Wilson -- causes fans to stop the game. Meanwhile, the Pirates are beating New York for the 3rd straight game, 5–3. » June 3, 1927: Paul Waner of Pittsburgh homers off Claude Willoughby of the Phils in a 11–1 rout at Forbes Field. Wright and Grantham also homer as Vic Aldridge allows the visitors just one hit till the 9th inning. For Waner, his homer is the start of a National League record 14 straight games in which he'll have at least one long hit (12 doubles, five triples, three home run). » June 18, 1927: It's Charles Lindbergh Day in St. Louis as the transatlantic flyer helps raise the Cardinals National League pennant before a 6–4 win over the Giants. Rogers Hornsby makes his first appearance in St. Louis since the big trade of last fall and Cards owner Sam Breadon picks today to raise the pennant and hand out Series rings. The Rajah has a double in the game, off Pete Alexander, but Jim Bottomley's 3-run homer for the Cards offsets that. » June 21, 1927: A day after his extra-base hit streak is stopped at 14 straight games, a National League record, Pirates OF Paul Waner's 23-game hitting streak ends. Waner, in his 2nd season, will lead the NL with a .380 BA, 237 hits, and 131 RBI. His brother Lloyd will gather 223 hits for a .355 BA in this, rookie year. They pace the 1927 Pirates to a team BA of .305. Today the Reds win 7–6, in 10 innings. Barnhart has a hit to run his streak to 21 straight games. » December 12, 1927: The National League reports more than five million attendance for the league in 1927, a new high. Veteran umpire Hank O'Day is named "player and umpire scout" for the league. » February 3, 1928: The National League appoints two former players as umpires: OF Sherry Magee and SS Albert "Dolly" Stark. It is a type of vindication for Magee, who was suspended for hitting an umpire in 1911. » February 11, 1928: The Giants and Pirates swap pitchers: Burleigh Grimes for Vic Aldridge. Grimes, 19–8 with the Giants, will lead the National League in wins in 1928 with 25 after his return to Pittsburgh. Aldridge holds out till May 3, and then will win just four games for New York. » May 13, 1928: The Reds move into briefly first place in the National League with a 11–4 win over the Phils. Carl Mays is the winner, allowing 11 hits. » May 31, 1928: At Philadelphia, the Braves beat the Phils 9–4 behind Bob Smith. Boston is led by Hornsby's three hits and George Sisler's three, including his first National League homer. » September 9, 1928: The Cards blow a 7–3 lead and lose to Pittsburgh, 8–7. Their lead is cut to two 1/2 games. Pete Alexander blows the lead, but the loss goes to reliever Art Reinhart. Hafey and Bottomley homer for the Cards, but the Bucs answer with the seven hits from the Waners. Paul, leading the National League with .381, has four of them. » September 11, 1928: At the Polo Grounds, the Giants take two games from the Braves, 11–6 and 7–6. Freddie Lindstrom goes 8-for-10 to pull New York into 2nd place, two 1/2 games behind St. Louis. The Giants will continue to feast on Braves pitching, winning doubleheaders from Boston on the 13th and the 14th to tie the National League record for twinbills won on consecutive days. » September 18, 1928: The Braves and Cubs combine for National League-record eight double plays between them, but the Cubs win the game, 8–3. Sheriff Blake is the winner over Johnny Cooney. » September 20, 1928: A crowd of 50,000 at the Polo Grounds sees the Giants and Cardinals split a doubleheader. The Cards take the first game 8–5 behind pitcher Willie Sherdel plus three homers by former Giant George Harper. The Giants salvage the nightcap 7–4 when they score five runs in the 8th inning to give rookie Carl Hubbell the win over Grover Cleveland Alexander. Shanty Hogan's grand slam off Alexander is the big blow. New York remains two games behind the National League-leading Cardinals. » September 28, 1928: Sparked by Frankie Frisch's steal of home, the Cards score a major-league record seven runs in the 15th inning to beat the Braves at Boston, 10–3. For Frisch, it is his 2nd extra-inning steal of home (his first came against the Dodgers in the 2nd game on July 20, 1927), a major league first and still the National League record. The Cards tied the game in the 9th on Andy High's 2-out single. » September 29, 1928: Behind Bill Sherdel and Flint Rhem, the Cardinals win the National League pennant with a 3–1 win at Boston while the Cubs are beating New York, 6–2. The final margin is two games over the Giants, four over the Cubs. » November 28, 1928: The National League buys George Magerkurth from the PCL for $2,000. This is the highest price paid for a new ump. » December 11, 1928: At the National League meeting, President John Heydler proposes the designated hitter for pitchers to improve and speed up the game. He contends fans are tired of seeing weak-hitting pitchers come to bat. Heydler refers to his idea as "the tenth regular." » January 22, 1929: The Yankees announce they will put numbers on the backs of their uniforms, becoming the first baseball team to start continuous use of the numbers. The first numbers are based on positions in the batting order; thus, Babe Ruth will wear number three and Lou Gehrig 4. In a few weeks, the Indians announce that they, too, will put numbers on the uniforms and by 1931 all American League teams will use them; it will be 1933 before all National League players are numbered. » May 6, 1929: The American League announces that it will discontinue the MVP award. The National League will abandon it after this year; in 1931 the Baseball Writers Association will pick it up and conduct the balloting from then on. » May 8, 1929: At Pittsburgh's Schenley Park, the Giants Carl Hubbell pitches an 11–0 no-hitter against the Pirates, allowing just one walk. In the 9th, the 1st two batters reached on errors before Hubbell records a strikeout and starts the game-ending DP. It's the first no-hitter by a lefthander since Hub Leonard in 1918. Chick Fullis starts the scoring with a home run in the 2nd, his 3rd in three days, and Mel Ott adds two home runs to take the National League lead. » August 1, 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. » August 10, 1929: Pitching for the visiting Cards, Grover Alexander beats the Phils 7–1 for his 373rd and last National League victory. It is noted at the time that he ties Christy Mathewson for NL wins. Relieving after eight innings, he pitches four scoreless relief innings to win 11–9 in 12 innings of the nitecap. The Phils take the opener, 7–1. Alexander will be sent back to St. Louis on the August 20th after one too many curfew violations and finish the season at 9–8. » August 12, 1929: At Boston, Guy Bush, the National League's leading pitcher, loses his 2nd game, bowing as a reliever, 4–2, in 10 innings. Bush has won 16. The Cubs maintain their 8-game lead as the Pirates lose to Brooklyn. » August 26, 1929: Albert G. Mills, National League president 1883–84, author of the National Agreement and original reserve rule that governed baseball's early years, dies at 84. » August 27, 1929: Hornsby has four hits and Sheriff Blake allows six to lead the Cubs to a 4–1 win over the Reds. Chicago now leads by 14 1/2 games, the greatest lead a National League team has enjoyed at this stage since the 1906 version of the Cubs. » October 5, 1929: Mel Ott and Chuck Klein go into today's Giant-Phils doubleheader tied at 42 home runs apiece. In the opener, a 5–4 Phils victory, Ott manages a single, but Klein homers off Carl Hubbell in his first at bat to take the home run lead. In game 2, Ott singles in his first at bat. After that, manager Burt Shotton orders the Phillies pitchers, rather than give Ott a chance to tie Klein, to semi-intentionally walk him five times. The last (semi) intentional walk comes on a 3-2 count with the bases loaded as the Giants win, 12–3. Phillie Lefty O'Doul gets six hits in the two games for an National League record of 254 hits for the season. In the 5th inning of game 1, Lefty's 3rd hit of the game, a 5th inning home run, is his 251st of the year. He has a 4th hit in game one, then two more in the nitecap. Chuck Klein follows O'Doul's home run with one of his own, his 43rd. For Rogers Hornsby, it was a tough inning, as the two home runs eclipse two of his NL season records: most hits (250) and most home runs (42). » October 6, 1929: At Boston, the Giants close the season by beating the Braves, 9–4. In the 9th, the Braves put in two coaches, Johnny Evers at 2B and Hank Gowdy at catcher, Gowdy's 10th game of the year. Roy Parmelee is the winner with Red Lucas pitching the last four innings. Lucas leads the National League in complete games (28) and pinch hits: Lucas hits .293 in 140 at bats. » May 9, 1930: The Yankees and the Tigers outfielders make only two putouts for an American League record which has never been equaled. The National League record for OF idleness is one chance (Pittsburgh versus Brooklyn, August 26, 1910). Detroit's George Uhle strikes out eight in winning, 5–4, and dropping the Yanks to 7th place. Henry Johnson (7 innings) and George Pipgras are the New York hurlers. » August 19, 1930: In the first of two, Chicago's Hack Wilson connects off Phils P Sugar Sweetland for his 43rd home run, tying Chuck Klein's National League record set last year. In RF, Klein waves to Wilson as he circles the bases. The Phils hold on for a 9–8 win with Claude Willoughby the winner over rookie Bud Teachout. The second game ends in a 6–6 tie after 16 innings. » August 26, 1930: Hack Wilson has four RBIs to lead the Cubs over the Pirates 7–5. Wilson cracks a 2-run single in the 5th, but then allows a Lloyd Waner liner to skip by him for an inside-the-park-HR, and vows to atone. He hits his 44th home run, off young Larry French, breaking Chuck Klein's one-year-old National League record. » August 31, 1930: Bill Hallahan, on the way to becoming the National League strikeout leader, fans 12 as the Cards beat the Cubs 8–3. » November 25, 1930: The Sporting News, also acting to fill the MVP void, announces its selection of Bill Terry as the Most Valuable Player in the National League, and Joe Cronin in the American League. » December 12, 1930: The Rules Committee of baseball issues a greatly revised code, reducing the number of rules by combining many. Not only is the sacrifice rule abolished but also the rule awarding home runs when the ball bounces into the stands. "Bounce homers" will not be doubles. This had already been in effect in the American League but not the National League. » January 26, 1931: The Boston Braves release veteran pitcher Johnny Cooney. He had held out in 1930, insisting he could bat well enough to stay in baseball. After several years in the minors, he will return to the National League as a Braves OF and be runner-up to NL batting champ Pete Reiser in 1940. » May 2, 1931: Hack Wilson hits his first home run of 1931 as the Cards beat the Cubs 6–3 at St. Louis. After hitting 56 homers last year, Wilson will hit only 13 with the deader National League ball. The MVP will end up as an alternate in the Cubs outfield. » May 31, 1931: At St. Louis, the Cards take the first game from the Reds, 7–5, then drop the nitecap, 7–2, ending a streak of 25 straight home victories over Cincinnati. The streak, which started in the 2nd game on April 27, 1929, is an National League record. » August 3, 1931: At Wrigley Field, Bob Smith shuts down the Reds, 8–0, to hand Cincinnati its 4th straight shutout. The four shut out losses in a row ties the National League mark for the century. The Reds lost on July 30 (0–5), August 1(0–1, and August two (0–3) to the Pirates. Si Johnson takes the loss today. » December 9, 1931: Baseball owners, fearful of the effects of the Depression, vote to cut squads from 25 players to 23. Both leagues will stop awarding MVP trophies. The National League continues to prohibit uniform numbers. As noted by historian Doug Pappas, the NL loans the Phillies $35,000 and loans Judge Emil Fuchs, owner of the Braves, $20,000 secured by his stock. Fuchs' finances are such that he won't even pay the interest from 1935-37, and will file for bankruptcy in 1938, three years after retiring from the Braves. » January 11, 1932: Bill Terry sends his contract back to the Giants, telling writers he is "thoroughly disgusted." Terry, who just missed the National League batting title, was offered a $9,000 cut from his 1931 contract of $22,500. The Giants counter by saying that the combined salaries of Hafey and Bottomley, the two Cardinals who finished ahead of Terry in hitting, is only $24,000. » January 23, 1932: The Dodgers acquire Hack Wilson from the Cardinals, which had acquired him in December. The 1930 home run king of the National League costs only $45,000 and a minor league pitcher, and he will sign for $16,500, half his previous year's salary. » May 19, 1932: The National League rescinds its unpopular rule prohibiting players from talking to fans. » May 20, 1932: Paul Waner ties the major-league record with four doubles in five at bats in the Pirates 5–0 win over the Cards. He will break Chuck Klein's National League season doubles record with 62. Rip Collins' double in the 7th is the first of only two hits off Larry French. » December 14, 1932: William A. Heydler is elected to another 4-year term as president of the National League. » December 15, 1932: A joint meeting of American League and National League owners approves the concept of "chain store" baseball, developed as the St. Louis Cardinal farm system, despite strenuous objections by Judge Landis. » June 6, 1933: The Cards and Reds battle to a 6–2 St. Louis decision, with Dizzy Dean beating Paul Derringer. The pre-game fight between the two pitchers, who exchanged words then fists during batting practice, goes to the Reds pitcher, who landed the first blow. Reds manager Jewel Ens was tossed during the game, and several bottles were tossed as well. One bottle strikes Burgess Whitehead on the shoulder. Pepper Martin, the National League's top hitter at .386, has four hits, as does Ducky Medwick. » June 23, 1933: In a doubleheader split with the Braves, Tex Carlton pitches the Cards to a 12–0 win in game 1. The Braves Bob Brown ties the National League balk mark with 2: Zabala will top in '49. Boston wins the nitecap, 2–1. » June 25, 1933: At the Polo Grounds, 25,000 see the Giants win twice over the Reds and increase their National League lead to three games. Hal Schumacher, the June graduate of St. Lawrence, wins the opener, 7–1, giving up a run on an error. New York scores five runs in two innings to knock out Ray Kolp. The Giants take the 2nd game, 6–3, as Johnny Vergez drives in four runs. Fred Fitzsimmons is the winner over Benton, in relief of Benny Frey. » June 28, 1933: 2B Billy Herman sets National League fielding records with 11 putouts in the first game and 16 for the twin bill, as the Cubs take a pair from the Phillies, 9–5 and 8–3. » September 1, 1933: In the first of two games with the Braves, Carl Hubbell pitches 10 innings and drives in the winning run for a 2–0 win. He doesn't walk a batter and never goes as deep as a 3-2 count on any hitter, holding the Braves to four hits. It is his 20th win and his 10th shutout of the year. Five of the shutouts are 1–0, a National League record. Frankhouse is the hard-luck loser, when his mates make two errors in the 10th. » September 23, 1933: The Phils and Braves, split a twinbill, each winning 5–4. Chuck Klein has three hits in each game, including his National League-high 28th homer in the opener. Boston's Wally Berger, 2nd in homers with 26, is out of action and doesn't play today. » September 24, 1933: Lefty Grove wins his 24th game, replacing starter Emmett McKeithan after four innings and the A's leading 8–3. The final score is 11–4, with General Crowder taking the loss. But Grove's win is tainted. The Athletics "contrived" to give Grove the sure win, so that he could finish the season with more wins than National League star Carl Hubbell, who will finish with 23. American League President Harridge will reverse the official scorer's decision next week and gives the win to McKeithan, but the league eventually returns the win to Grove. » September 25, 1933: In a closed practice, the Series-bound Senators test the less-lively National League ball. Joe Cronin finds it "rides plenty," hitting three of the first four pitches into the stands. "I'm in the wrong league," he says. » November 21, 1933: Chuck Klein, who won the Triple Crown with the Phillies, is sold to the Chicago Cubs for $125,000 and veterans Mark Koenig, Harvey Hendrick, and rookie Ted Kleinhans. Hendrick will play one year in Philley, while the other two quickly go to the Reds. Klein, who also led the National League in total bases, hits, slugging, doubles, was second in runs, and 4th in steals, is the only player to be traded after a Triple Crown season. He will have two solid years at Wrigley before returning to the Phils. » December 15, 1933: The major leagues agree on a uniform ball to be livelier than the National League ball of recent seasons, to match the American League balls. Owners also agree to ban Sunday doubleheaders until after June 15th. » February 6, 1934: Ford Frick, New York newspaperman and sports broadcaster, is named PR director for the National League. » February 13, 1934: In an item discovered by historian Doug Pappas, the National League loans the Cincinnati Reds $50,000 at 4.5% interest. Powel Crosley, who bought the team 10 days ago, will repay the Reds' debt in full by 1938. » February 25, 1934: John McGraw, in ill health since his retirement as Giants manager early in the 1932 season, dies of uremia at his home in New Rochelle, NY, at age 60. His last public appearance had been the 1933 All-Star Game as the National League manager. McGraw managed for 33 years. » May 2, 1934: The Giants beat the Dodgers, 6–5, for a series sweep and takes over first place in the National League. Lefty O'Doul, pinch hitting for Travis Jackson in the 8th, homers with two on off reliever Van Lingle Mungo. Charlie Perkins takes the loss against Hal Schumacher. Mel Ott hits his 6th homer of the year in the 3rd with Ott on base. » November 2, 1934: William Heydler resigns as National League president due to poor health. » November 8, 1934: Ford Frick, National League publicity director, is named league president. He will eventually become commissioner. » December 11, 1934: The National League votes to permit night baseball, authorizing a maximum of seven games by any team installing lights. The American League does not grant permission for night games until 1937. » May 9, 1935: The Braves Rabbit Maranville sets a new record for National League service by appearing in his 23rd season. It is his first appearance since breaking his ankle in last year's spring training. The Rabbit has a single but Tex Carleton is too much for the Braves and the Cubs win, 8–1. » May 19, 1935: Pittsburgh 1B Gus Suhr injures his hand and leaves the game with the Dodgers. He plays in the OF one inning the next day to continue his consecutive-game streak, which eventually reaches a National League record 822. » May 24, 1935: After a day's delay because of rain, the Cincinnati Reds host the Philadelphia Phillies in the first ML night game, winning 2–1 before a crowd of 24,422. On the initiative of Larry MacPhail, FDR throws the switch at the White House to turn on the lights. the Phils Mike Chiozza is the first batter as the Reds Paul Derringer outduels Joe Bowan, though the Reds are outhit, six to 4. The Reds will play seven night games in all, one each against the other National League teams. » May 27, 1935: The Red Sox get Oscar Melillo, star 2B, from the Browns, for Moose Solters and $35,000. Solters will make the trade look good, hitting .330 on the year with 104 RBI and become the first American Leaguer to collect 200 hits while playing for two teams. Only Irish Meusel, in the National League, has done it. » May 30, 1935: The Memorial Day twin bill at the Polo Grounds breaks all National League attendance records when 63,943 see the Giants take a pair from the Dodgers, 8–3 and 6–0. Thousands are turned away and the gates are closed 40 minutes before game time. Roy Parmelee coasts in the opener after Mel Ott hits a grand slam in the first inning. In his first appearance at the Polo Grounds as a Giant, Al Cuccinello also homers in the same inning. Fred Fitzsimmons twirls a 2-hitter in the nitecap. » September 4, 1935: Babe Ruth receives a lifetime pass for all National League games from NL prexy Ford Frick. » November 26, 1935: The National League takes over the bankrupt, last-place Boston Braves franchise after several failed attempts to buy the club. The league takes over only temporarily, until matters can be straightened out. » December 10, 1935: The National League accepts Bob Quinn, who had been GM of the Brooklyn Dodgers, as president of the new ownership of the Braves. » July 7, 1936: The National League, having lost the first three All-Star Games, wins 4–3 at Boston's National League Park with four different Cub players (Galan, Herman, Hartnett, and Demaree) scoring runs. After Dizzy Dean and Carl Hubbell each pitch scoreless 3-inning stints, Curt Davis is hammered by the American League, including Lou Gehrig's home run, but Lon Warneke shuts the door. Meanwhile, the NL is helped by Joe DiMaggio's loose fielding and error and Augie Galan's home run. DiMag is the first rookie to play in an All-Star game. NL plays its starting lineup except for two late-inning pinch hitters. Local favorite and 3-time starter Wally Berger doesn't appear. Missing from the NL roster are Dolph Camilli and Buck Jordan, co-leaders at .348, as well as the eventual batting champ Paul Waner. » July 17, 1936: Carl Hubbell starts his winning streak, beating Pittsburgh 6–0. The Giants hit a National League record tying four triples in the first inning: Joe Moore, Mel Ott, and Hank Leiber hit them in succession, and Eddie Mayo adds one later in the inning to equal the ML record. » July 21, 1936: Cardinals slugger Joe Medwick has 10 hits in succession to equal the National League record. He had seven hits in his last seven times at bat in a doubleheader on the 19th, and he hits safely in his first three today. He is finally stopped by the Giants Carl Hubbell. The Giants break a 1–1 tie on Dick Bartell's homer in the 10th off Dizzy Dean to win, 2–1. » July 26, 1936: Before a paid attendance of 41,596 in Boston—the largest crowd in the National League since 1930—the Cards and Bees split. The Bees take the opener, 4–3, on Wally Berger's two run homer in the 8th inning off Jess Haines. The nitecap is knotted at 2–2 in the 7th, when the Cards unload five runs. Joe Medwick leads off the frame with a homer, Johnny Mize doubles, and Virgil Davis homers to knock out Ben Cantwell. After two more reach base, Dizzy Dean drives them both home to ensure his 16th win of the year. Dean a run-scoring triple in the 3rd as well. » December 9, 1936: The American League okays seven night baseball games for St. Louis. The National League adopts a new design for home plate. It will have beveled edges, the first change in 50 years. The AL adopts a rule stating that no batter can be batting champion unless he has 400 or more at bats. » May 13, 1937: Carl Hubbell wins his 5th straight, and 21st over two seasons, stopping the National League-leading Pirates, 5–2. Arky Vaughan's two homers account for all the Pittsburgh scoring. Leading off, Dick Bartell hits his 4th homer in five days to continue his 12-game hitting streak, as the Giants hand reliever Waite Hoyt the loss. » May 31, 1937: A Memorial Day crowd of 61,756, the 2nd-largest crowd in Polo Grounds history, sees the Dodgers end Carl Hubbell's consecutive-game winning streak at 24 over two seasons. Babe Phelps leads the way, going 5-for-6, as Brooklyn routs King Carl in the 4th inning and wins 10–3. Although Hubbell loses the first game of the doubleheader, he is honored in between games when Babe Ruth makes the presentation of the National League's 1936 MVP Award. The Giants take the nitecap, 5–4. » December 6, 1937: It is announced that Ford Frick has been reelected president of the National League for three years. » December 7, 1937: The National League extends permission for night baseball but the American League refuses to permit arc light games. » January 10, 1938: Before a gathering of writers, players and executives in Baltimore, Jimmie Foxx, Chuck Klein, and Charlie Keller (representing the American League, National League, and IL) try out the balls to be used in the new season. The Sporting News reports (as noted by Dick Thompson) that ". . . regarding the dead ball, as adopted by the National League, and the lively ball, as retained by the American and International Leagues . . .the NL ball has a distinctly 'dead' sound coming off the bat, compared to the livelier AL ball." » May 5, 1938: Hal Kelleher of the Phillies faces 16 batters in the 8th inning, as the Cubs score 12 runs. Both marks are National League records off one hurler in a single inning. The Cubs win 21–2 with Joe Marty tallying four runs, four RBI, and four hits and Augie Galan adding a homer and triple and another four ribbies. The loss goes to Wayne LeMaster who throws just three pitches to leadoff batter Stan Hack before leaving the game with a pain in his throwing arm. Tommy Reis relieved and allows four runs to score, but the first is charged to LeMaster. Al Epperly wins the laugher. » November 1, 1938: National League batting champ Ernie Lombardi is named MVP by the BBWAA. Chicago P Bill Lee is runner-up. » December 14, 1938: The major leagues agree on a standard ball but disagree on increasing rosters from 23 to 25 players. Judge Landis will decide on 25. The National League grants Cincinnati its season opener a day before the rest of the league in recognition of baseball's 100th anniversary and the 1869 Red Stockings being the first professional team. The American League permits Cleveland and Philadelphia to play night games. Will Harridge is elected to a 10-year-term as AL president. » December 29, 1938: Al Simmons moves to the National League when Boston buys him for $3,000 from Washington. » May 10, 1939: Bill Klem, behind the plate at the Reds game in Cincinnati, celebrates his 35th anniversary as a National League umpire. He then calls the 10–5 Reds loss to Brooklyn. » May 30, 1939: In an attempt to spruce up their appearance, National League umpires wear white gabardine trousers with blue jackets. » December 8, 1939: At the December meeting of both leagues in Cincinnati, Judge Landis votes against all amendments favorable to farm systems. The Rules committee, with an eye towards raising declining batting averages, votes to restore the sacrifice fly for 1940. Seven American League owners push through a new rule barring the American League champion from making any trades within the league. Clearly aimed at the Yankees, winners of the last four world series, the National League owners decline to vote it for their league. » May 7, 1940: The Dodgers are drubbed by the Cardinals 18–2 when St. Louis totals 49 bases on 20 hits. The Cards have 13 extra base hits, seven of them home runs to set a National League mark for extra bases on long hits (29). Eddie Lake and Johnny Mize each have a pair. Brooklyn then becomes the first NL team to fly, going from St. Louis to Chicago on two planes. The Red Sox flew the same route July 30, 1936, but for reasons of cost and risk, no other teams try the airlines. The Dodgers will fly from New York from Chicago. » May 13, 1940: In a replay of their washed-out game of April 23rd called on account of darkness, the Reds and the Cards neglect to inform the league office, and no umpires are assigned to Crosley Field. Coach Jimmy Wilson and P Lon Warneke are pressed into service as umpires before umpire Larry Goetz, at home in Cincinnati on a day off, arrives to officiate. Warneke will later become a full-time umpire, while Wilson will return to active duty at the end of the year and star in the World Series. Johnny Mize of the St. Louis Cardinals hits three home runs, and the Reds Bill Werber has five hits and collects four doubles in a 14-inning, 8–8 tie with the Reds. Mize's is his 3rd 3-homer game, breaking the tie for the National League record he shared with George Kelly. After 1910, there will be only five games this century in which active players umpire: Besides today these are: 1912: Ham Hyatt (Pit-N) and Ed Phelps (Bro-N); 1935: Jocko Conlan (Chi-A); 1941: Johnny Cooney (Bos-N) and Freddie Fitzsimmons (Bro-N); and 1978: Don Leppert (coach, Tor-A) and Jerry Zimmerman (coach, Min-A). (as noted by historian Wayne McElreavy) » May 18, 1940: The Cards collect just seven hits off Hot Potato Luke Hamlin, but all are for extra bases to tie an National League record. The Dodgers lose, 6–2. Five of the hits are home runs -- 2 each by Johnny Mize and Terry Moore. Pee Wee Reese steals his 17th base in 26 games; the Cards have just five stolen bases. » June 8, 1940: At Cincinnati, reliever Carl Doyle of the Dodgers gives up 16 hits and 14 runs in just four innings, as the Reds pound out 27 hits in a 23–2 win, regaining 1st place. Cincy is paced by Harry Craft, who hits for the cycle and adds a single and scores four runs. Teammate Frank McCormick scores five runs. Doyle also manages to throw two wild pitches and hit four Cincinnati batters in the game to help set a bitter tone to the Cincinnati-Dodgers rivalry, which will continue through the decade. Doyle, however, won't be around as Brooklyn ships him to the Cards in four days. His four hit batsmen ties an National League record. » August 7, 1940: A crowd of 53,997, an National League record for a night game, watches the Dodgers beat the Giants 8–4 on Mel Ott Night at the Polo Grounds. Only Chicago and Boston are without lights in the NL. New York's large turnout is due to its being Mel Ott Night. » October 2, 1940: The Series opens in Cincinnati, and the Reds lose 7–2, the 10th straight World Series loss for a National League team. The Tigers bunch five singles, a walk, and an error in the 2nd off Paul Derringer to score five runs. Bruce Campbell adds a 2-run home run, and Bobo Newsom rations eight hits and only one walk. Bobo's father, visiting from South Carolina, dies in a Cincinnati hotel the next morning. » October 3, 1940: Bucky Walters gives the National League its first Series game victory since Carl Hubbell beat the Yankees in 1937. Jimmy Ripple's 2-run home run in the 3rd provides the margin. Walters gives up only three hits, but is lucky to escape a jittery first inning. » October 23, 1940: The MVP in the National League goes to the Reds Frank McCormick, with Reds teammates Bucky Walters and Paul Derringer finishing 3rd and 4th. Cards slugger John Mize is 2nd. » December 10, 1940: Umpire Bill Klem retires and is appointed National League chief of staff. » December 11, 1941: The Giants acquire Johnny Mize from the Cardinals for three players -- Bill Lohrman, Ken O'Dea, and Johnny McCarthy -- and $50,000. Because of injuries, Mize's home run production had fallen from 43 to 16 in 1941, but he will bounce back to lead the National League in 1947-48. » August 4, 1942: The Giants-Dodgers game ends in a 1–1 tie as Pee Wee Reese's grand slam in the top of the 9th is wiped out. As was the case the day before, the game is called because of the government's 9:14 curfew on lights. It is the last twilight game played at the Polo Grounds. The Dodgers have held the National League lead for 144 days. The margin over the Cardinals is 10 games. Until the season's end, Brooklyn will win 17, lose 18. » August 15, 1942: With two outs and two strikes in the last of the 9th, Dolf Camilli hits a 2-run homer to give the Dodgers a 5–4 win over the Braves. With the homer, his 20th, Camilli takes over the National League lead. » February 9, 1943: The National League is looking for a buyer for the Phillies, whose owner, Gerry Nugent, has fallen in arrears on rent and bank loans. The league pays $10 a share for 4,685 out of 5,000 outstanding shares in club. » February 18, 1943: The National League finds a buyer for the Philadelphia club. He is William D. Cox, a New York lumber man. » December 21, 1944: National League averages show Brooklyn's Dixie Walker at the top of the hitters with a .357 mark, ahead of Stan Musial at .347. In an even closer vote than occurred in the American League, the NL MVP award goes to fielding wizard Marty Marion, who tallies one more vote than Cubs slugger Bill Nicholson (189). The Cardinals erred only 112 times and averaged .982, both better than previous records held by the 1940 Reds. Marion is the 3rd different Cardinal in three years to win the honor. » February 22, 1945: At the ML meetings, the owners cancel the 1945 All-Star Game scheduled to be played at Boston's Fenway Park on Tuesday, July 10. Even after the cancellation, schedule-makers leave the dates of July 9, 10 and 11 in case circumstances might change, permitting the game. In place of the All-star game, eight simultaneous games pitting the National League vs. the American League are to be played. Seven are played, with the 8th being cancelled. Also approved is a rule change stating that a player needs 400 at bats to qualify for a batting title. » April 24, 1945: At a meeting of owners in Cleveland a list of possible successors to Judge Landis is cut to 6: Ford Frick, president of the National League, and five politicians, Jim Farley, Carl Vinson, Robert Patterson, Bob Hannegan, and Frank Lausche. Larry MacPhail suggests adding the name of Albert "Happy" Chandler, a Kentucky senator. The list then narrows to Chandler and Hannegan. On the first ballot Chandler leads 11-5, short of the required three-fourths. One vote switches over, and the owners unanimously approve the selection. Also approved is the Malaney Plan for interleague play, first brought up at the February meeting. Besides the same-city games, Cincinnati will play at Cleveland, Brooklyn at Washington, and Detroit at Pittsburgh. The latter contest will later be scrapped when the ODT refused to grant the Tigers permission to detour 62 miles to get to Pittsburgh. The seven benefit games will held on July nine and 10. » May 20, 1945: Before 51,340 fans at the Polo Grounds, the Giants and Pirates split a doubleheader. Bill Voiselle wins his 8th straight to give the Giants a 5–1 win in the opener. New York ends the day atop the National League by three 1/2 games. » May 30, 1945: Before the biggest Wrigley crowd—42,565 paid—in seven years, the Giants top the host Cubs, 8–6 in the opener, and Mel Ott passes Honus Wagner's career total of 4,888 total bases to set an National League record. Wagner's has since been adjusted to 4868 and both players' totals have been passed. Slim Emmerich is the winner over Ray Prim. The Cubs take the nitecap, 11–2 behind Bob Chipman's 3-hit win over Bill Voiselle. Andy Pafko clouts a 3-run homer in the 3rd. It's Voiselle's 2nd straight pounding after winning his first eight games. » May 5, 1946: The Giants and Reds split a pair with New York taking the opener, 3–2. In the 7–4 Reds win, Cincinnati fans boo the substitution of Ray Mueller for C Ray Lamanno, who had three hits in four trips to the plate. Sent in for the final inning to preserve a National League record consecutive-game catching streak of 233 contests, Mueller sits out the next day. Mueller missed only 81 innings during the streak, which began July 31, 1943, and included Army service through 1945. » May 20, 1946: Claude Passeau of the Chicago Cubs makes his first error since September 21, 1941, ending his streak with an all-time pitcher's fielding record of 273 consecutive errorless chances. Passeau set the mark using the small glove in the National League. He received permission from the commissioner to use a modified glove because the fingers on his left hand were affected by a gunshot wound incurred as a youngster. He wins the game, however, beating Boston's Mort Cooper, 6–4. » May 23, 1946: The Cardinals, the pre-season favorites to win the National League pennant, suffer a blow when pitchers Max Lanier and Fred Martin, and infielder Lou Klein jump to the Mexican League. Lanier was 6–0 in six starts this season. The 2nd-place Cards win today at the Polo Grounds behind Johnny Beazley's 4-hitter, but will lose three of their next four starts and drop into 2nd place. » October 1, 1946: In the first ever National League playoff before 26,012 at Ebbets Field the Dodgers manage just three hits off Howie Pollet and lose 4–2. Joe Garagiola's three hits pace the Cardinals as they beat Ralph Branca. » October 3, 1946: The St. Louis Cardinals wallop the Brooklyn Dodgers 8–4 at Ebbets Field to win the National League playoffs 2-0 and advance to the World Series. Erv Dusak and Enos Slaughter lead the attack, while winning pitcher Murry Dickson adds a triple. Dickson allows just two hits till the last inning, before the Dodgers score three runs off him. Harry Brecheen strikes out two batters with the bases full to end it. Joe Hatten is the loser. » January 18, 1947: The Pirates buy 1B Hank Greenberg from the Tigers for a reported $25,000 to $35,000 (The Baseball Encyclopedia lists $75,000). The veteran Greenberg led the American League in home runs with 44 in 1946 and the Pirates will pair him with young slugger Ralph Kiner, the National League home run leader. » April 15, 1947: In his National League debut, Hank Greenberg doubles home the only run in the 6th as the Pirates Rip Sewell wins the opener in Chicago 1–0. Hank Borowy takes the loss. » April 27, 1947: Today is Babe Ruth Day at all ML parks. A crowd of 58,339 at Yankee Stadium honors the ailing slugger, A frail Babe, choking back tears, tells the "kids of America" that, "the only real game in the world is baseball. In this game you have to come up from youth. You've got to start way down at the bottom, if you're going to be successful like those boys over there." pointing to the Yankee dugout. "There's so many lovely things said about me, I'm glad I had the opportunity to thank everybody." The program was broadcast nationwide and piped into all the ball parks. Ruth receives a bronze plaque with his image on it from the American League: the National League's gift is a leather book with signatures of all the players in the league. The Yankees lose to Sid Hudson and the Washington Senators 1–0, but move into first place as the White Sox lose two. Hudson scores the only run after singling. » May 12, 1947: At Ebbets Field, Brooklyn snaps its losing streak, beating Boston, 8–3. Robinson has a hit and two stolen bases and is leading the National League in scoring with 20 runs. » May 16, 1947: New York's Johnny Mize scores a run in his 16th straight game, helping his team beat the Cubs 5–3. Mize, who will lead the National League in runs, eclipses the NL mark of Max Carey and Fred Lindstrom. Ted Kluszewski will better the league mark seven years later. » May 20, 1947: Athletics C Buddy Rosar drops a pop-up off Walt Judnich's bat for his first error in 147 games and 756 chances. Yogi Berra will extend the record to 148 and 950 in 1957-59, but Rosar's 1946 single-season record of 115 games and 605 errorless chances will not be surpassed until 1997, by the Marlins' (National League) Charles Johnson. The Browns win, 11–1, behind Red Muncrief. » May 25, 1947: In the Giants 9–3 win over the Braves, Giant Buddy Kerr bungles a hard grounder from Bob Elliott for his first error in 384 chances and 69 games, the National League record to date for SS. » May 30, 1947: In the first of two, Earl Torgeson of the Braves does not record a single putout at 1B, a record of idleness shared in the National League by Rip Collins (twice) and Dolf Camilli of the Phillies in 1937. Later Gary Thomasson and Len Matuszek will have zero putouts in a full game at 1B. Torgy does have one chance, but muffs a popup. Torgeson scores a pair as Warren Spahn wins his 8th in a row, 6–3. Red Barrett then shuts out the Dodgers in game 2, 3–0, dropping Brooklyn to 4th place. The Braves pull off a double steal in each game, and each time it is Stanky's high throw to the plate that allows it. Boston is now in 3rd place, a game behind the Giants. » August 24, 1947: The Giants break the National League record for homers in a season, held by the Cubs, with their 172nd in a 4–0 shutout by Larry Jansen. Chicago's Hank Borowy takes the loss. The Cubs take the nitecap, 8–3, led by Eddie Waitkus' inside-the-park grand slam. This is the 3rd IPH slam this season and that won't be matched till 1990. » May 19, 1948: The first-place Cards blast Dodger pitchers for a 14–7 victory. Stan Musial leads the way with five hits including a triple and double. The two teams combine to set a since-tied National League record (for night games) of 28 runners left on base, 14 each. » July 9, 1948: At Boston, Johnny Sain becomes the National League's 1st 11-game winner, beating Robin Roberts and the Phils, 13–2. Alvin Dark has three hits running his hit streak to 21 games. In the 4th inning Dark triples off the reliever Ken Heintzelman, then steals home. » July 13, 1948: Vic Raschi of the Yankees drives in the winning runs with a bases-loaded single in the 4th inning and is the winning pitcher as the American League again tops the National League 5–2 in the All-Star Game at Sportsman's Park. Ted Williams, Joe DiMaggio, George Kell, and Hal Newhouser miss places in the lineup due to injuries. » July 17, 1948: The Dodgers down the Reds, 8–4 and 10–4 for their 12th win in 14 games. Ralph Branca wins the opener as Jackie Robinson clouts a 3-run homer in the 8th. Paul Minner wins his first ML game in the nitecap with six innings of relief. During an argument with Frank Dascoli, Reds catcher Dewey Williams grabs the ump. Willliams will be fined $100 and suspended for five games. However, with catcher Ray Mueller on the disabled list with a broken ankle, the Reds appeal the suspension, stating they have only one catcher, Ray Lamanno. Ford Frick, National League prexy, will rule that Williams will serve the suspension in the Reds clubhouse, while dressed in full uniform. If anything happens to Lamanno, Williams can substitute, and a game will added to the suspension. » July 24, 1948: Five members of the Duluth club in the Northern League are killed, and 13 are injured in a bus-truck crash near St. Paul. The injured include Mel McGabe, future National League manager, and Elmer Schoendienst, brother of the Cardinal infielder, Red Schoendienst. » July 31, 1948: With a 7–6 win over the Cards, the Braves lengthen their lead over the Pirates and the Dodgers in the National League. » October 3, 1948: Luke Easter's grand slam highlights the Homestead Grays' 19-hit assault on the Birmingham Black Barons in the 4th game of the Negro World Series. The Grays will win the Championship in 5 games. This will be the final Negro WS, as the Negro National League becomes a casualty of integration and folds during the winter. » December 2, 1948: Stan Musial is picked MVP in the National League. Musial led the NL in batting at .365, runs (135), RBI (131), and in doubles and triples. His 39 home runs were one short of Mize and Kiner. » December 14, 1948: The Cubs send Eddie Waitkus and Hank Borowy to the Phillies in exchange for pitcher Monk Dubiel and Dutch Leonard. Leonard, the veteran knuckleballer, led the National League in losses this past season with 18. » May 22, 1949: Brooklyn's Don Newcombe makes his first ML start a dandy, shutting out the Reds, 3–0 in Cincinnati. It's the first shut out in a National League debut in eleven years and extends Brooklyn's win streak at Cincinnati to 19 games going back to June 1947. Newk gives up hits to the first two batters, then allows just three more hits while walking none. He drives in two runs as well. Ken Raffensberger then matches Newk by firing a one-hitter to beat Brooklyn, 2–0, tossing only 83 pitches. The only hit is a leadoff single by Gil Hodges in the 8th. Raffensberger pitched two one-hitters against the Dodgers in 1948. » April 19, 1950: Sid Gordon of the Braves hits the first National League 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 pitcher Jack Harshman hits his first homer, off Johnny Sain, but it's not enough. » May 6, 1950: The Boston Braves hit five home runs in a 15–11 trouncing of the Reds. This gives them a National League record 13 home runs in three consecutive games, breaking the Giants mark of 12 set in July 1, 2, 3, 1947. Luis Olmo, Earl Torgeson, Bob Elliott, Willard Marshall, and Sid Gordon hit the five today. » May 17, 1950: After 11 straight losses to Max Lanier, the Dodgers finally top the Cardinal lefty 6–2 for the first time since 1943. Don Newcombe is the winning pitcher. Lanier helps his downfall with three balks, to tie the National League-record. » November 2, 1950: The baseball writers select Phillies relief P Jim Konstanty as the National League's MVP. » May 12, 1951: In the 2nd game of a double header, Stan Musial, on the Cards bench because he has flu, pinch hits in the 8th inning and blasts a 3-run homer into the RF stands at Crosley Field. Teammate Bill Howerton had earlier hit a 2-run pinch homer, only the 3rd time in National League history that two pinch hitters have hit four-baggers (it will happen four more times in the 1950s). The Cards win 8–6, after dropping the opener, 7–2. » May 13, 1951: The Dodgers spot the Braves six runs, then roar back to win, 12–6 and take over the National League lead. Erv Palica gives up just two hits over the last seven innings for his first win. Brooklyn scores five runs off Max Surkont in the 3rd and 4th innings, and Carl Furillo adds a three-run homer in the 5th off Dave Cole. » May 15, 1951: At Crosley Field, Braves P Vern Bickford pitches a 2-hitter, but Ewell Blackwell bests him by allowing one hit, as the Reds win, 1–0. Connie Ryan's 6th inning hit is the 1st off Bickford, and Johnny Pramesa's homer in the 7th is the other. The only Boston hit is a 5th inning double by Bob Elliott. The Reds tie the National League record (set in 1911) for nine innings by going to bat just 24 times. » August 9, 1951: With possible baseball commissioner Douglas MacArthur looking on, the Dodgers top the Giants again, 6–5, for their 12th win in 15 games between the two rivals. The two teams combine for a National League record 24 walks. Campanella hits two homers, but sustains an injury the 9th inning when Whitey Lockman crashes into him: "The hardest I've ever been hit in a ball game." Campy will miss four days but the bone chips will hamper him the rest of the season. Clyde King wins his 2nd win in two days and shortstops Pee Wee Reese (19) and Alvin Dark (17) keep their hitting streaks alive. The Dodgers lead by 12 1/2 games. » August 11, 1951: The Dodgers take the 1st of two games against the Braves, winning 8–1 behind Ralph Branca. Brooklyn now leads the National League by 13 1/2 games with 49 games to play. The Braves take the nitecap, 8–4, behind Max Surkont and a home run by Sid Gordon. With Red Barber and Connie Desmond making the calls, the doubleheader is the first ML game to be telecast in color. » August 12, 1951: The Yankees, tied for first place with Cleveland, lose a pair to the A's. The A's use 17 hits to win the opener, 9–5. then use Pennsylvania's Sunday Blue Law at 6:59 (American League Rule is 7:00 with no inning starting after 6:44) to win the nitecap, 7–4. The Yanks start an 8th inning 5-run rally at 6:37 and take a 9–7 lead, but the curfew wipes it out before Pete Suder can hit. Beginning next year, the AL will adopt the 40-year-old suspended game policy of the National League. » August 28, 1951: At the Polo Grounds, the Pirates Howie Pollet (5-14) shuts out the Giants 2–0 on six hits—3 by Thomson—to end New York's 16-game winning streak, best in the National League since 1935. Errors in the 8th by Stanky and Mueller do in Sheldon Jones. » September 5, 1951: After a day off, the Giants sweep two games in Boston, winning 3–2 and 9–1. In the opener, Sheldon Jones scatters six hits to beat Warren Spahn. Spahn allows just five hits in his attempt to become the National League's first 19-game winner. The Giants tally 13 hits in the second game to help Sal Maglie win his first-ever victory against Boston. » September 7, 1951: In an 18-inning game with the Cubs, the Reds Lloyd Merriman records 12 putouts in CF, tying the National League mark. The Reds prevail, 7–6. The game is tied at 3–3 after regulation, but both teams score three runs in the 15th inning. Dixie Howell's sac fly with the sacks full drives in the winner. » September 9, 1951: The Yanks hit five homers—4 off the Nats' Dick Starr—to win, 7–5. Mickey Mantle's leadoff homer on the first pitch, which starts the scoring, slams against the bottom of the flag holder on the top of the right field stands. Vic Raschi then wins the nitecap, 2–0, in a game called after the 6th inning because of "darkness." Though Yankee Stadium has lights, unlike the National League, these cannot be used on Sunday. The Yankees (88-49) remain virtually tied with the Indians (88-51). » September 12, 1951: The last Giant game of the season in St. Louis is rained out, and the National League reschedules it for tomorrow afternoon as part of a doubleheader with two teams. » September 18, 1951: Cleveland beats Boston, 6–4, as Mike Garcia wins his 20th. With the Yanks losing to Billy Pierce and Chicago, 7–1, the Indians and Yankees are tied for first place. This is the 10th time the two teams have been in a tie for first place, surpassing the major-league record of nine set in the National League race of 1889 and the Fed League race of 1914. » October 1, 1951: In the National League's first best-of-three play-off since 1946, Ralph Branca of the Dodgers loses to Jim Hearn and the Giants 3–1. Branca serves up home runs to Bobby Thomson and Monte Irvin. It is the first game ever to be broadcast live coast-to-coast. With both the Dodgers and Giants tied 96–58 at the end of regulation, Brooklyn wins the coin toss and elects to play the first game of the playoffs at home. The next two games will be played at the Polo Grounds. » November 1, 1951: The National League votes Brooklyn C Roy Campanella the league's MVP for what will be the first of three such awards. » December 8, 1951: The American League alters its restrictions on night games, adopting the National League's suspended game rule and lifting its ban on lights for Sunday games. » May 6, 1953: The NY Giants tie the National League record for the fewest number of assists in a 9-inning game with just one, in a 8–5 win over Chicago. Al Corwin takes the win over Bob Kelly. » May 18, 1953: Redlegs P Bud Podbielan walks 13 batters in 10 innings against Brooklyn, but holds on to win 2–1 on a Ted Kluszewski homer off starter Preacher Roe. No one has walked 13 in the National League since 1918. The Dodgers strand 18 against the former Dodger pitcher, tying the NL mark. » November 27, 1953: Indians 3B Al Rosen is unanimously named the American League's MVP with a record 336 votes. In the National League, Dodger C Roy Campanella is named MVP. » February 5, 1954: In a swap of vets, the Orioles trade OF Johnny Groth and SS Johnny Lipon to the White Sox for OF Sam Mele and SS Neil Berry. Lipon will go to the Reds on April 18th for Grady Hatton and then retire after one National League at bat. » April 15, 1954: Vic Raschi makes his National League debut but the host Braves knock the Cardinal vet out of the game. Harvey Haddix, in relief, takes the loss, 7–6, with Warren Spahn the winner for the Braves. Hank Aaron has his first hit as he goes 2-for-5. » April 17, 1954: The wind is blowing out at Wrigley, as the Cards lose 23–13 to the Cubs in a National League record three hour and 43 minute game. The two teams combine for 35 hits, including five homers. Bruce Edwards walks twice in the 5th, when the Cubs score 10 runs. Cubs 3B Randy Jackson has four hits, including a home run that hits an apartment building on Waveland Avenue. Jim Brosnan is the winner over Gerry Staley in the highest scoring game ever between these two rivals. » May 2, 1954: At Chicago, the Cubs and Pirates split. Chicago's Paul Minner outguns Vern Law in the opener, 5–3, and the Pirates outhit Chicago to win the nitecap, 18–10 in eight innings. Frank Thomas has seven straight hits on the afternoon for Pittsburgh, before fanning. Hank Sauer hits three homers for Chicago, two in the nitecap, when he goes 4-for-4: Hammerin' Hank will belt 13 homers this year against the Pirates—a major-league record (set by Jimmie Foxx and since tied by Joe Adcock, in 1956) for home runs against one team. Bob Skinner has three hits to drive in five runs for the Bucs in game 2, as they score 15 runs in the first four innings. Winning pitcher Bob Friend also drives in three runs to win his first of the year. With homers in both games today, the Cubs set an National League mark of 13 straight games in which they've homered since the start of the season. » May 25, 1954: At New York, the Giants explode for 11 runs in the 8th inning to overwhelm the Pirates, 21–4. The Buccos score three in the top of the 8th for a National League record for the frame. Led by Whitey Lockman's grand slam, the Giants score five in the 7th, then collect eight hits in the 8th, including two homers. Johnny Antonelli has his 6th win and hits his first ML home run. Davey Williams has a single and home run in the 8th. » February 28, 1955: The National League fines the Braves $500 for opening their spring training camp before the official March 1st date. » May 26, 1955: Dodgers P Don Newcombe becomes the only National League pitcher of the decade to steal home when he hits a triple and swipes home in the 9th inning in Pittsburgh. Newk has two RBIs as he wins 6–2 over Ron Kline (2-6). » December 9, 1955: The Phils purchase veteran Frankie Baumholtz from the Cubs. Frankie will play in 76 games next year without an extra base hit, a National League record that will be topped. Red Sox Mike McNally, in 1916, played in 87 games without an long hit, a record Luis Gomez will break in 1989 (as noted by Lee Sinins). » May 2, 1956: Twenty-five Giants and 23 Cubs appear —a ML record—in a 17-inning marathon finally won by the visiting Giants 6–5. The two teams combined to intentionally walk 11 batters, a record, with the Cubs contributing seven of the free passes. Losing pitcher Jim Brosnan chipped in with four walks, all intentional. Cub 3B Don Hoak was not one of the strollers, whiffing a National League record six times—all against different pitches, while Ernie Banks, Willie Mays and Wes Westrum were twice walked intentionally. Whitey Lockman starts in LF, goes to 1B, returns to LF, and finishes at 1B. Ex-Giants Monte Irvin is 0-for-5 against five pitchers. The game is six minutes shy of the 5:19 record set by the Dodgers-Braves in 20 innings in 1940. » May 7, 1956: The future National League president, Bill White of the NY Giants, homers, off Ben Flowers, in his first time up in the ML. But the Giants lose to St. Louis, 6–3 at the Polo Grounds. » May 9, 1956: Tom Poholsky allows four hits and the Cardinals beat the Phils and Herm Wehmeier, 3–0. It is a club-record 14th win in a row for the Cardinals over Wehmeier stretching back to July 3, 1949. It is also a National League record for consecutive losses from the start a career. » May 5, 1957: In the 2nd game of a 3–1 and 4–1 doubleheader sweep of the Phils, the Cardinals Wally Moon begins a 24-game hitting streak, the longest of the season in the National League. » May 12, 1957: The Reds win their 12th straight on the road, defeating the Cubs, 7–1 as Don Gross fires a 4-hitter. The win streak, all on the road, has taken Cincinnati from 6th place to the top of the National League. » May 28, 1957: The National League approves the proposed moves of the Dodgers and the Giants to the West Coast, provided both clubs make their request before October 1st and move at the same time. » November 22, 1957: National League umpire Larry Goetz is unwillingly "retired" after 36 seasons in the ML. » January 29, 1958: Stan Musial signs with the Cardinals for an National League record $100,000. » May 2, 1958: In what nearly turns into a TV war, the Yankees threaten to broadcast their games nationwide if the National League goes ahead with its plans to allow other broadcasts, especially those of the Dodgers and Giants, into New York territory. » May 11, 1958: Despite 14 walks by Cards pitchers in game 1, the Cubs lose 8–7, then drop a 6–5 decision. Stan Musial has a home run and four singles to come with two hits of 3,000. The Cards use a National League record 10 pinch hitters in the regulation DH: they will tie the record in a DH on July 13 vs. Pittsburgh. » June 3, 1958: The Dodger referendum passes by a slim margin 24,293 votes. The proposition allows the city to sell 300 acres of Chavez Ravine to the Dodgers for their stadium. The National League president had stated that the Dodgers should vacate Los Angeles if the bill failed. » September 16, 1958: The Pirates keep their slim pennant hopes alive as they win a suspended game from the Cards, 2-1, then take the regular game, 3–1, behind Ron Kline. In the opener, young George Witt (9-2) picks up where he left off when the game was suspended six weeks ago, winning his 8th straight game. For Witt, plagued with arm troubles all year, it is his last appearance of the year, as he leaves on the 24th to finish his senior year at Long Beach State. Witt's 1.61 ERA in 106 innings is the National League's best. Alas, he'll go 0-7 next season with a 6.96. » September 29, 1958: In a race that goes down to the last game, Richie Ashburn wins the National League batting title with a 3-for-4 day that raises him to .350, three percentage points ahead of Willie Mays, despite Willie's three hits in the Giant's 7–2 win over St. Louis yesterday. In a 10-inning 6–4 Phillies win in Pittsburgh, the Phils Dave Philley sets a major-league record by getting his 8th consecutive pinch hit. » November 13, 1958: Mayor Robert Wagner of New York announces preliminary plans for a 3rd ML. Chairman William Shea, of what will become the Continental League, says it is apparent that the National League is going to ignore New York City. He implies that the new league will be free to raid ML rosters. » December 3, 1958: The National League reelects Warren Giles to a new 5-year term. » April 26, 1959: Was it something I said? Reds pitcher Willard Schmidt is twice hit by pitches in the 3rd inning in an 11–10 win over the Braves. Braves pitchers Bob Rush and Lew Burdette do the plunking. It is a first in the major leagues, but the ML mark will be tied in three years by Frank Thomas. While on the mound in the 4th inning, Schmidt is hit again when a Johnny Logan line drive strikes him on the right hand and he has to leave the game. The two teams use 14 pitchers between them to tie a National League record, with the eight pitchers by the Reds tying another NL record. Warren Spahn is tagged for the loss, his 2nd in two days to the Reds. » May 13, 1959: Milwaukee's Warren Spahn becomes the 3rd National League lefty to win 250 games, beating the Cards 3–2. » May 26, 1959: In a singular performance, Harvey Haddix of the Pirates pitches a perfect game against Milwaukee for 12 innings, only to lose in the 13th. Felix Mantilla opens the last inning by reaching base on an error. A sacrifice and an intentional walk to Hank Aaron brings up Joe Adcock, who hits one out of the park in right-CF for an apparent 3–0 victory. Aaron pulls a "Merkle," leaving the field, and Adcock passes him on the basepaths. Both are called out as Mantilla scores. Lew Burdette goes all 13 innings for his 8th win, scattering 12 hits. As a consequence of the baserunning in the 13th, the Braves leave an National League-record one runner on base. Haddix's gem makes him the 9th pitcher to lose a no-hitter in extra innings; A combined effort of three Reds pitcher, on May 26, 1956, was the last. Making Haddix's effort even more remarkable is the fact that the Braves hitter knew what was coming. In 1993, Bob Buhl admitted that the Braves pitchers were stealing the signs from Smoky Burgess, who could not crouch down all the way. They would place a towel on the bullpen fence in such a way to signal fastball or breaking ball. » May 31, 1959: Seven pitchers record 23 strikeouts in the Cards-Dodgers game tying the National League mark. Sandy Koufax is high with nine as Los Angeles wins 5–3. » June 30, 1959: At Wrigley, a bizarre play occurs in the 4th inning when two balls are put into play. On a 3–1 count, Bob Anderson's pitch to Stan Musial is wild and bounces back to the screen. Catcher Sammy Taylor ignores the ball, assuming it ticked off Musial's bat, but Cubs 3B Alvin Dark rushes in to retrieve the wild pitch/foul tip. The bat boy tosses the ball to field announcer Pat Piper, and Dark finally retrieves it from him. Meanwhile home plate ump Vic Delmore has handed a second ball to Anderson. Through all this, Musial reaches first with what he thinks is ball four, and then streaks for 2B. Simultaneously, Dark and Anderson fire to the bag. Anderson's throw goes into CF, but Dark's to Banks catches the sliding Musial. Stan ignores the tag and rambles to 3B as play is stopped. Delmore then rules Musial is out at 2B, while Al Barlick rules Stan safe at 1B. Both managers play the game under protest, but the Cards drop theirs after dropping the Cubs, 4–1. The National League will drop Vic Delmore at the end of the season. » July 7, 1959: The National League defeats the American League 5–4 in the All-Star Game at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh. Willie Mays knocks in Henry Aaron with the deciding run. Don Drysdale pitches perfect ball the first three innings. » August 2, 1959: Billy Bruton of the Braves hits three triples in an 11–5 win over the Cardinals. Two of the triples are with the bases loaded, the only time it has happened in the National League in the 20th C. » August 31, 1959: Sandy Koufax breaks Dizzy Dean's National League mark and ties Bob Feller's major-league record of 18 strikeouts in a game against the Giants as 82,974 fans watch. He also totals 31 Ks for two consecutive games to set a new ML mark. Wally Moon's 3-run, 9th-inning home run wins it 5–2 for the Dodgers. » April 8, 1960: The Cubs get infielder Don Zimmer from the Dodgers in return for infielder John Goryl, OF Lee Handley, minor league P Ron Perranoski, and cash. Perranoski, 11–10 at Ft. Worth, will develop into the top reliever in the National League. » April 18, 1960: In the American League opener at Washington, a week later than the National League start, President Dwight D. Eisenhower throws out the first ball, then watches Camilo Pascual strike out 15 batters to tie Walter Johnson's record. Boston's only run in a 10–1 loss is a Ted Williams home run. » May 7, 1960: Eddie Bressoud's 3-run home run -- a 397-foot, inside-the-park shot off Harvey Haddix -- highlights a 6-run rally as the Giants edge Pittsburgh 6–5 at Candlestick Park. San Francisco ties a major-league record and sets a National League record by having left just two men on base in two consecutive games (16 innings), while winning both. » May 10, 1960: Grand slams by Red Sox teammates Vic Wertz and Rip Repulski at Fenway Park give Boston a 9–7 win over Chicago. The National League-vet Repulski's 8th-inning shot off Don Ferrarese comes on his first AL at bat. » May 13, 1960: Pirate Dick Groat becomes the first National League player since Connie Ryan in 1953 to go 6-for-6 as Pittsburgh beats Milwaukee, 8–2. » May 20, 1960: The Pirates stretch their National League lead to one 1/2 games by edging the Giants, 5–4, on Roberto Clemente's single in the 12th inning. Clemente has three hits to raise his average to .378. Willie McCovey's homer in the 9th tied it for San Francisco, and a score in the 12th puts them ahead. But Don Hoak's single and a run-scoring double by Dick Groat sets the stage for Clemente. » July 11, 1960: One-hit shutout pitching by Bob Friend and home runs by Ernie Banks and Del Crandall pace the National League to a 5–4 win over the American League at Kansas City's Municipal Stadium in the first of two All-Star Games. Friend has notched two of the NL's last three All-Star wins. » July 13, 1960: Vern Law becomes the 2nd Pirate to win a 1960 All-Star Game, working two scoreless innings. Stan Musial comes off the National League bench and hits his record 6th and last All-Star Game home run. Willie Mays, Ken Boyer, and Eddie Mathews also homer in the 6–0 NL win, the 3rd shutout in All-Star Game history. » July 18, 1960: The National League votes to expand to 10 clubs if the Continental League does not join organized baseball. The new NL clubs would invade CL territories. » July 19, 1960: In a spectacular ML debut, Giant Juan Marichal pitches no-hit ball until Clay Dalrymple pinch-hit singles with two out in the 7th. Marichal winds up with 12 strikeouts and a one-hit 2–0 win against the Phillies. Marichal is the first National League hurler since 1900 to debut with a one-hitter. » July 25, 1960: The Bucs return to first place as Bob Friend defeats the Cardinals 4–2 in St. Louis. Pittsburgh will remain atop the National League for the rest of the season. » August 2, 1960: In an agreement with the major leagues, the Continental League abandons plans to join the American League and National League. Walter O'Malley, chairman of the NL Expansion Committee, says, "We immediately will recommend expansion and that we would like to do it in 1961." Braves owner Lou Perini proposes a compromise that four of the CL territories be admitted to the current majors in orderly expansion. Branch Rickey's group quickly accepts. The Continental League ends without playing a game. » August 14, 1960: The Pirates sweep a doubleheader from 2nd-place St. Louis to take a 6-game lead in the National League pennant race. Don Hoak's RBI single in the 11th inning gives Pittsburgh a 3–2 win in the nightcap, following a 9–4 win in the opener. The Cards Bill White connects for the cycle in the opener. » September 27, 1960: Pancho Herrera's 135th strikeout sets an National League record, even though the Phils beat the Braves 5–3. » October 17, 1960: The National League votes to admit Houston and New York to the league in 1962, the first structural change since 1900, and to go to a 10-team league. » October 27, 1960: Trying to jump ahead of the National League, the American League admits Los Angeles and Minneapolis to the league with plans to have the new clubs begin competition in 1961 in the new 10-team league. Calvin Griffith is given permission to move the existing Washington Senators franchise to Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN. League president Joe Cronin says the AL will play a 162-game schedule, with 18 games against each opponent. The National League will balk, saying the two expansions are not analogous and that the AL was not invited to move into LA. » November 16, 1960: National League batting champion Dick Groat is named league MVP, outpolling Pirate teammate Don Hoak 276-162. » November 22, 1960: The American League proposes that both leagues expand to nine teams in 1961 and begin inter-league play. It will delay entering the Los Angeles market if the National League agrees. » December 5, 1960: President Joe Cronin suggests that if the National League starts its new New York franchise in 1961, the American League will stay out of Los Angeles until 1962. The NL turned down the suggested compromise of November 22nd because Houston will not be ready in 1961. » April 11, 1961: Robin Roberts ties Grover Cleveland Alexander's National League record with a 12th-straight Opening Day start, but Philadelphia loses 6–2 to Don Drysdale and the Dodgers. Roberts is 5–6 on Opening Day. » April 15, 1961: The Dodgers and Pirates tie a major-league record by turning nine DPs (Los Angeles 5, Pittsburgh 4) in a 9-inning 4–1 Buc home win. It is the only the 2nd time (July 3, 1929) that nine DPs have been turned in a National League game. » April 26, 1961: Cincinnati's Jerry Lynch becomes the 6th player in National League history to hit two consecutive pinch-hit home runs. This one today is not enough as Chicago wins 3–2. » April 30, 1961: Philadelphia and St. Louis tie a ML record, and set a National League mark, by using eight pinch hitters in the 8th inning. The Phils finally win in 10 innings, 11–7. » May 8, 1961: The new National League entry is New York is officially named the "Mets." Not Metropolitans, just Mets. At a ceremony at the Savoy Hilton, owner Joan Payson swings a bottle of champagne and after three unsuccessful whacks turns the job over to a waiter who uses a bottle opener. The "Mets" was the choice among the 10 finalists: Continentals, Burros, Mets, Skyliners, Skyscrapers, Bees, Rebels, NYBs, Avengers, and Jets. The original list was 644 names from 9,613 suggestions. » May 28, 1961: After losing the first game 14–9 at home to Chicago, the Yankees take the nightcap 5–3 with the help of a Roger Maris home run. Maris's 9th home run of the season is one of 27 hit in today's seven American League games—a record. Twelve more in four National League games make a total of 39, a one-day major-league record for 11 games in the two leagues. » June 10, 1961: The Braves tie the National League record with 14 home runs in three straight games (at least one in each game) as they outscore the Cubs at Wrigley 9–5. » July 13, 1961: Mack Jones of the Braves ties the National League record with four hits—3 singles and a double—in his ML debut, a 6–5 triumph over St. Louis. » August 3, 1961: A 19–0 rout of St. Louis by Pittsburgh matches the most lopsided shutout in modern National League history. The first had been achieved by the Cubs against the Giants on June 7, 1906. Harvey Haddix is the easy winner over Al Cicotte. » August 6, 1961: Maury Wills' first home run in 1,167 ML at bats and a double, triple, and home run by Frank Howard give the Dodgers an 11–4 win against Chicago and first place by a half game in the National League. Wills has three hits and scores four runs, while Podres gives up ten hits, but goes the distance to win. Wally Moon drives in three runs with three hits. » August 16, 1961: Cincinnati takes the National League lead for good with a shutout sweep 6–0 and 8–0 at Los Angeles before 72,140, a record crowd for a NL doubleheader. Bob Purkey gives up four hits and Jim O'Toole just two in handing the Dodgers their 1st twinbill whitewash since July 18, 1935. » August 19, 1961: The Reds surge to a 3-game lead in the National League by topping the Cards, 3–1, behind Joey Jay. They now lead by three games. The Reds get on the board in the 6th on Wally Post's homer, his 16th. He has now homered this year in every NL park. » August 20, 1961: Philadelphia's modern National League-record 23-game losing streak ends when John Buzhardt beats Milwaukee 7–4 in the 2nd of two games. The win snaps Milwaukee's 10-game win streak. The Phils lost the game 5-2. Seventeen of the losses came on the road. » August 22, 1961: The hot Giants sweep a pair from the National League-leading Reds, winning 12–2 and 5–3. Visiting SF features 20 hits in the opener to back Mike McCormick. Orlando Cepeda's 35th home run, NL high, starts the scoring in the nitecap, as Sam Jones and Stu Miller combine. Mays has his 32nd and 33rd homers in the twinbill. » August 27, 1961: With first place on the line after the Dodgers have won two games from them, Cincinnati rallies from a 5–1 deficit to a 6–5 first-game win over Los Angeles. Gene Freese hits a 3-run homer in the 7th and Wally Post adds a 2-run double in the 8th. Rookie Ken Johnson is an 8–3 winner in the nightcap as the Reds pummel Don Drysdale. The sweep gives the Reds a three 1/2 game lead in the National League. » September 1, 1961: Paul Richards (38-57) resigns as manager of the Orioles to become GM of the new Houston National League club. Coach Lum Harris takes over. » September 14, 1961: The Cardinals and Cubs set a National League record by using 72 players in a doubleheader (more than 18 innings). St. Louis leads the way with 37 players and wins twice 8–7 and then 6–5 in 11 innings. Ken Boyer climaxes a 7-for-11 day by cycling in the nitecap, completing it by belting his 22nd home run of the year in the 11th inning. The Cards have won all 11 games with the Cubs at Busch this year. » September 15, 1961: With 10 strikeouts in an 11–2 win against the Braves, Sandy Koufax has 243 strikeouts, most ever for a National League lefty. » September 24, 1961: At Cincinnati, the Giants stage a 9-run 4th to rip the Reds, 12–5. Orlando Cepeda hits his 45th homer of the year, a grand slam, to climax the frame. Cepeda will hit one more home run this year and finish with 39 walks, the first National League player with more than 40 homers and fewer than 40 walks. Hal Trosky has done it in the American League. » September 26, 1961: Cincinnati clinches its first National League pennant since 1940. Homers by Frank Robinson and pinch hitter Jerry Lynch, a tie breaker in the 8th, give the Reds a 6–3 win at Chicago. » September 27, 1961: Sandy Koufax (18-13)fans seven Phils in the course of a 2–1 loss to set a National League record for strikeouts in a season: 269. This surpasses Christy Mathewson's 267 in 1903, which was accomplished in 367 innings pitched, as opposed to Koufax's remarkable 255. Both runs off Sandy are unearned. » September 29, 1961: Casey Stengel, 71, agrees to come out of retirement to manage the National League expansion New York Mets next year. Stengel mulled the offer over for two months before accepting. » October 1, 1961: Setting another ML record, the Cubs and Dodgers use 11 pinch hitters in one 9-inning game, seven of which are used by the Cubs. Stan Williams continues his Wrigley dominance, winning 8–2, with nine strikeouts. Williams has 207 K's, 2nd to Sandy Koufax in the National League. He also has three of the Dodgers' 15 hits. » October 10, 1961: An expansion draft to stock the new National League clubs takes place in Cincinnati. Selecting 1st, Houston takes Giants SS Eddie Bressoud; the Mets take 31-year-old Giant C Hobie Landrith. Second choices are Bob Aspromonte (45s) and Elio Chacon. Other Houston selections include Bobby Shantz, Ken Johnson, Dick Farrell, and Bob Lillis. New York takes Roger Craig, Gil Hodges, Don Zimmer, Gus Bell, Jay Hook, among others. Also, Cards C Chris Cannizzaro, out much of this year due to an appendectomy. » November 26, 1961: The Professional Baseball Rules Committee votes 8-1 against legalizing the spitball. Only National League supervisor of umpires Cal Hubbard votes in favor. » February 1, 1962: The National League releases its first 162-game schedule. » April 13, 1962: Just 12,447 Mets' fans welcome the return of National League baseball to New York. Sherman Jones drops a 4–3 decision to the Pirates at the Polo Grounds, which sparkles after a $350,000 face-lift. » April 17, 1962: The Cubs use five pitchers in the 8th inning of a 10–6 loss to Pittsburgh, tying an National League mark. » April 22, 1962: The Pirates win their 10th straight game, edging the Mets 4–3, and matching the major-league record to start a season, while the Mets tie a National League record by opening 0–9. » May 19, 1962: Stan Musial gets hit number 3,431, to break Honus Wagner's recognized National League record of 3,430 (since revised to 3,418), as St. Louis downs the Dodgers 8–1. Musial's 9th-inning single comes off Ron Perranoski. » June 8, 1962: The Cardinals Bob Gibson tops the Giants 8–4, dropping San Francisco to 2nd place in the National League. » June 22, 1962: Playing four hours and two minutes, the Braves outscore the Giants 11–9 in the National League's longest 9-inning night game. » June 30, 1962: With the aid of 13 strikeouts and a Frank Howard home run, Sandy Koufax no-hits Bob Miller and the Mets 5–0 in Los Angeles. Sandy starts off the game by fanning the side on nine pitches in the first inning, the first National League pitcher to strike out the side on nine pitches since Brooklyn's Dazzy Vance, in 1924. » July 2, 1962: In the first game of a doubleheader, P Johnny Podres of the Dodgers ties the modern National League record with eight consecutive strikeouts in a 5–1 win. Stan Williams also wins 4–0, as the Dodgers sweep Philadelphia and move into first place. » July 8, 1962: Cincinnati uses nine pitchers to win the 13-inning 2nd game against the Houston Colt 45s 12–11. This sets an National League record and ties the ML mark. Houston scores once in the 13th and Cincy scores twice to win. The Reds also win the first game 12–8, battling back from an 8–3 deficit. » July 10, 1962: Roberto Clemente has three hits as the National League wins 3–1 in the first All-Star Game of 1962, at D.C. Stadium. » July 25, 1962: Stan Musial becomes the National League's all-time leader in runs batted in with 1,862, driving in both of the Cardinal runs in a 5–2 loss to the Dodgers. » July 26, 1962: Warren Spahn hits his 31st career homer, off Craig Anderson, setting an National League record for pitchers, in a 6–1 win over the Mets. The Mets suffer their 11th straight loss. » July 30, 1962: Homers by Leon Wagner, Pete Runnels, and Rocky Colavito power the American League past the National League 9–4 in the 2nd All-Star Game of 1962. » July 31, 1962: The National League rejects Commissioner Ford Frick's proposal for inter-league play in 1963. » August 3, 1962: With a pair of home runs for the 3rd straight game, the Mets Frank Thomas becomes the 2nd player in National League history with six home runs in three consecutive games. Cincy ace Joey Jay tees up the two solos for Thomas today, as the Reds win, 8–6. » August 26, 1962: At Chicago, Dick Ellsworth stops the Braves 4–1 and stops Hank Aaron's hitting streak of 25 games. The Cubs tie a major-league record and set an National League mark with three straight sacrifice bunts in the 6th inning following a bunt single by Ellsworth. Hubbs lays down the first sac bunt, and is safe on a fielder's choice. » September 7, 1962: Four steals bring Maury Wills' season total to 82, one better than Bob Bescher's 1911 mark and a modern National League record. But Pittsburgh beats Los Angeles 10–1, cutting the Dodger lead to one-half game. In a streak of six games, from September 6th to the 11th, Maury will swipe 13 bases. » September 18, 1962: The Mets drop a pair to the visiting Colts 45s, 6–2 and 8–6, and also break the major-league record for homers allowed. Ranew and Roberts connect for the Colts, the 188th and 189th homers allowed, breaking the A's mark set in 1956. Bob Aspromonte of the Colt sets an National League record for 3B with his 57th straight errorless game. » September 26, 1962: Pittsburgh's Earl Francis (9-8) gives up two hits in 10 innings in beating the Reds, 1–0. Jim Maloney matches him for nine innings. Bob Friend pitches the 11th to earn his 1st save of the year after Mazeroski and Stargell double home the winning run. Bucs vet Bill Virdon steals his 5th base to go along with his 13 caught steals, tying him for National League high with Maury Wills. » September 28, 1962: The Giants are rained out and the Dodgers are reined in by the Cardinals 3–2. Larry Jackson gives up 12 hits but pitches a complete game win. The loss shrinks the Dodgers lead to one 1/2 games. Maury Wills' swipes second in the 3rd for his major-league record 104th of the year. He also ties for the National League lead with Bill Virdon for times caught stealing (13). » September 30, 1962: Gene Oliver's dramatic 9th-inning home run off Johnny Podres gives Curt Simmons and St. Louis a 1–0 win against the Dodgers and a three-game sweep at Chavez Ravine. The heartbreaking loss for LA forces the 4th playoff in National League history. The Giants won five of their last seven games, but only seven of their last 17, while the Dodgers manage just three wins in their last 13 games. » October 1, 1962: San Francisco wins the first of the best-of-3 National League playoff games as Billy Pierce takes his 12th straight at Candlestick Park, a three-hit, 8–0 victory. Willie Mays hits two home runs, giving him 49 in 1962, one more than American League leader Harmon Killebrew. Sandy Koufax, making just his 3rd start since returning from his hand injury, is the loser. » October 2, 1962: Just 25,321 fans are on hand at Dodger Stadium to see Don Drysdale (25–9) and Jack Sanford (24–7) square off. After 35 straight scoreless innings, the Dodgers break through for seven runs in the 6th to lead San Francisco by 2. The Giants score twice in the 8th, but a 9th-inning sacrifice fly by Ron Fairly sends Maury Wills home with the winning run 8–7. The Giants tie an National League record by using eight hurlers in a 9-inning game. At four hours and 18 minutes, the game is the longest 9-inning affair in NL history. » October 3, 1962: A crowd of 45,693, giving the Dodgers a ML-record season attendance of 2,755,184, attends the deciding game of the National League season. In the 7th, Maury Wills collects his 4th single of the day, and his 103rd and 104th steals of the year. But the Giants score four in the 9th to win 6–4 and put themselves in the World Series. » November 23, 1962: Dodgers SS Maury Wills is named the National League's Most Valuable Player. » April 21, 1963: Cincinnati P Jim Owens sets a National League record as the first hurler in NL history charged with three balks in one inning (the 2nd) in a 7–0 loss at Los Angeles. » May 9, 1963: Ernie Banks becomes the first National League 1B to register 22 putouts (and 23 chances) in a game, as the Cubs beat Pittsburgh 3–1 on Dick Ellsworth's 2-hitter. Singles in the 2nd and 9th are the only Buc safeties, as they pound Ellsworth's slider into the ground. » May 14, 1963: The crackdown on balks by National League pitchers ends with a directive that umpires need not enforce the one-second stop from the stretch position. » July 3, 1963: In the classic pitching matchup between the two Hall of Famers, the Braves Warren Spahn gives up nine hits in 15 1/3 innings, while Juan Marichal allows eight hits in 16 innings while striking out 10. At 12:31 A.M. in San Francisco, Willie Mays's round-tripper off Spahn in the bottom of the 16th gives Marichal a 1–0 win, the National League's longest win ended by a home run. Both pitchers go the distance in one of the greatest matchups ever. » July 9, 1963: Willie Mays is held to a single, but dominates a 5–3 National League win in the All-Star Game. He also walks, steals twice, scores twice, bats in a pair, and makes a great catch. It is Stan Musial's 24th All-Star appearance, a record. Musial's teammates comprise the starting infield for the NL: 1B Bill White, 2B Julian Javier, SS Dick Groat, and 3B Ken Boyer. Javier was chosen as the replacement for Pittsburgh's injured 2B, Bill Mazeroski. » August 9, 1963: Roger Craig's National League record-tying 18-game losing streak (broken by teammate Craig Anderson) ends thanks to Jim Hickman's 9th-inning grand slam off Lindy McDaniel. New York beats the Cubs 7–3. Craig will be on the wrong end of a shutout nine times this year: only Bugs Raymond (11 in 1908) and Walter Johnson (10 in 1909) have had more shutouts thrown at them in a year. » August 23, 1963: Warren Spahn's 601st start is a modern National League record. Grover Alexander had the previous record of 600. The Braves beat the Dodgers, 6–1. » September 1, 1963: Yankees CF Tom Tresh joins teammate Mickey Mantle among four American League and five National League players to hit home runs left- and righthanded in one game. The Yanks beat Baltimore 5–4. A tired Mantle, who had partied the night before, adds a pinch homer in the 8th, jumping on the first pitch from Moose McCormick. » September 3, 1963: Cubs 3B Ron Santo ties the modern National League record for errors in an inning at 3B with three to help the Giants beat Chicago 16–3. » September 8, 1963: Braves P Warren Spahn (20-5) ties Christy Mathewson's National League record with his 13th 20-win season by notching a 3–2 victory in Philadelphia. Gene Oliver's 2-run home run in the 8th, off Dallas Green, is the deciding blow. At 42, Spahn becomes the oldest 20-game winner. » September 11, 1963: Angel's pitcher Aubrey Gatewood beats the Red Sox 4–1 for his first ML win. Gatewood was drafted by the Angel in the 1960 American League expansion draft, then drafted by the Mets a year later in the National League draft. » September 17, 1963: Sandy Koufax gets his 11th shutout, a modern ML season record for a lefty. His eight strikeouts give him 306, an National League record, as the Dodgers top the Cards 4–0. » September 29, 1963: On Stan Musial Day in St. Louis, The Man has two hits, giving him an National League career total of 3,630. His 1st hit is a 4th inning single past 2B Pete Rose. After his 2nd hit off Jim Maloney, driving in his 1,951st run, Musial retires for a pinch runner as 27,576 roar their approval. Rose has three hits in the game but the Cards beat the Reds in 14 innings 3–2. » October 1, 1963: The season ends, and there are no full-schedule players in the American League for the first time since 1910. Brooks Robinson played in the most games, 161, missing only 1. Ron Santo, Vada Pinson, and Bill White play the full schedule in the National League. » October 12, 1963: In the first (and last) Hispanic American major league all-star game, the National League team beats the American League 5–2 at the Polo Grounds. The game features such names as Minnie Minoso, Tony Oliva, Roberto Clemente, Orlando Cepeda, Julian Javier, Felipe Alou, Luis Aparicio, and Zoilo Versalles. Vic Power receives a pregame award as the number-one Latin player. NL starter Juan Marichal strikes out six in four innings, though reliever Al McBean is the winner. Pinch hitter Manny Mota drives in two against loser Pedro Ramos. » November 4, 1963: The Cards acquire P Roger Craig from the Mets for OF George Altman and P Bill Wakefield. Craig was the National League's top loser the past two seasons with the lowly Mets, dropping 24 and 22 games. » April 18, 1964: Jim Maloney tosses six innings of no-hit ball against the Dodgers, before leaving with a pulled muscle. John Tsitouris relieves and pitches hitless ball until two are out in the 9th inning when Frank Howard beats out an infield single. Sandy Koufax fans the side on nine pitches in the 3rd inning, becoming the first National League pitcher to do it twice (and matching Lefty Grove), but Cincinnati wins, 3–0, on Deron Johnson's 3-run homer. » May 29, 1964: The Reds and Dodgers play 17th innings before the game is a called at 2–2. All four runs come in the 12th inning. National League rules state that no inning may start after 12:50 a.m. » June 4, 1964: Sandy Koufax becomes the 4th pitcher to hurl three no-hitters by blanking the National League-leading Phillies 3–0 at Connie Mack Stadium. Koufax strikes out 12 and walks one. » June 21, 1964: On Father's Day at Shea Stadium, Jim Bunning fans 10, drives in two runs, and pitches the first perfect game (excluding Don Larsen's 1956 World Series effort and Harvey Haddix's 1959 overtime loss) since Charlie Robertson's on April 30, 1922. Philadelphia beats the Mets 6–0. He also becomes the first pitcher to win no-hitters in both leagues, and Gus Triandos becomes the first C to catch a no-hitter in each league. Bunning throws just 90 pitches in winning his 2nd no-hitter. The next time Bunning faces the Mets he will shut them out, the first no-hit pitcher this century to do that. The Mets don't fare much better in the nitecap as 18-year-old rookie Rick Wise wins his 1st game and gives up just three hits for an 8–2 win. Johnny Klippstein comes on in the 9th. The Phils increase their National League lead to two games over the Giants. » July 6, 1964: The National League and its umpires settle on a contract lasting until December 1969. The league provides increased pension and insurance payments. » July 7, 1964: Johnny Callison's 9th-inning 3-run home run off Dick Radatz caps a 4-run rally and gives the National League a 7–4 win in the All-Star Game at Shea Stadium. This evens the series at 17. » August 7, 1964: The 10th-place Mets send 1B Frank Thomas to the National League-leading Phils (1 1/2 games ahead of the Giants) for P Gary Kroll, OF Wayne Graham, and cash. Thomas, seemingly the answer to the Phils' 1st base problem, rode the Mets' team bus to Philadelphia, then found out he was traded. He then drives in two runs as the Phils top the Mets 9–4. The Phils will take the next two games with Thomas collecting five RBIs in the sweep. » September 10, 1964: The Phils split a 2-game series with the Cards and build a 6-game lead in the National League on Chris Short's 5–1 win. Short strikes out 12 throwing no curves to win his 16th. A pivotal play is 3B Dick Allen's stop and throw out of Javier's sharp grounder with two men on in the 2nd. » September 13, 1964: St. Louis becomes the first National League club to score in each inning since the Giants did it on June 1, 1923. They coast, 15–2, at Wrigley Field with Curt Simmons improving his record to 15–9. Dick Ellsworth goes to 14-15 for Chicago. Julian Javier, Lou Brock, and Mike Shannon homer for the Birds. » September 19, 1964: The Dodger-Phils matchup in Los Angeles goes 15 innings, when with two outs in the bottom of the 16th, Willie Davis singles, steals 2nd, and takes 3rd on a wild pitch. With rookie reliever Morrie Steevens making his first ML appearance, Davis swipes home to give the Dodgers the 4–3 win. His steal of home is the latest in any game in the National League and ties Hal Trosky's 16th-inning swipe of home in a 1944 game. The Phils now lead by five 1/2. » September 20, 1964: Jim Bunning, in relief, strikes out Johnny Roseboro in the 9th to preserve the Phils 3–2 win in Los Angeles. The win comes after two straight losses and leaves the 1st place Phils in front of the National League by six 1/2 games with 12 to play. When they return to Philley in the early morning, 2,000 fans including Mayor James Tate are on hand to greet the team. » September 26, 1964: At Shibe Park, the Braves and Phillies set a major-league record by using 43 players in a 9-inning game. The Braves' 25 match the 9-inning high mark for National League clubs. Eight of the 25 are pitchers, tying a league mark, but still the stumbling Phils drop their 6th in a row 6–4. The topper is Rico Carty's 3-run triple in the top of the 9th against reliever Bobby Shantz, in for starter Art Mahaffey. Torre again has three hits for Milwaukee, which shaves the Phils' lead to a half-game. » September 30, 1964: A total of 36 strikeouts, 19 by Pittsburgh batters, ties the National League record for whiffs in the Pirates' 1–0 squeaker against the Reds in 16 innings. Jerry Mays's squeeze bunt scores the lone run. The loss drops the Reds out of 1st place with three games left. » October 21, 1964: After just 11 years in Milwaukee, the Braves Board of Directors votes to ask the National League for permission to move to Atlanta. Milwaukee County officials sue to block the move. » November 7, 1964: With their home attendance below 800,000 for the past two seasons, the National League orders the Braves to stay in Milwaukee in 1965, but permits a move to Atlanta in 1966. » February 1, 1965: The National League clubs adopt an emergency team replacement plan to restock any club struck by disaster. » June 14, 1965: No-hit pitching and 18 strikeouts, tying the National League extra-inning record, net Cincinnati's Jim Maloney a 0–0 tie with the last-place Mets through 10 innings. Johnny Lewis's 11th-inning lead off home run gives New York and Larry Bearnarth, in relief of Frank Lary, a 1–0 win and a heartbreaking loss for Maloney. Maloney allows one other hit and is the 10th pitcher to lose a no-hitter in extra innings; Harvey Haddix was the last, in 1959. Maloney walks one to go with his 18 strikeouts. » June 15, 1965: Tigers P Denny McLain makes a first-inning relief appearance and fans the first seven batters he faces, setting a ML record. He has a remarkable 14 strikeouts in 62/3 innings, tying the National League relief record (Marquard, 1911, eight innings) and one shy of Walter Johnson's major-league record (15 in 11 1/3 innings, 1913). Detroit rallies to beat Boston 6–5 as Bill Freehan records a record-tying 19 putouts at catcher. » August 8, 1965: The Reds show no mercy in pasting the Dodgers, 18–0 in the National League's most lopsided shutout in twenty years. Jim Maloney coasts to the win, while Don Drysdale takes the loss. » August 12, 1965: Milwaukee Brewers Baseball Club, Inc. applies for a National League franchise. The nonprofit group has been formed to find a replacement team for the soon-to-be-departing Braves. » August 22, 1965: San Francisco's Juan Marichal, batting against LA's Sandy Koufax, complains that C John Roseboro's return throws are too close. He then turns and attacks Roseboro with his bat. A 14-minute brawl ensues before Koufax, Willie Mays, and other peacemakers can restore order. Roseboro suffers a considerable cut on the head. Marichal is suspended eight playing days and levied a National League-record $1,750 fine. » August 29, 1965: Willie Mays sets a National League record for home runs 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. » September 16, 1965: Bob Bolin's 5–1 win at Houston gives the Giants 14 straight wins, the longest National League streak since 1951. » September 22, 1965: Willie Mays hits his 50th home run, as the first-place Giants beat the Reds 7–5. Mays joins Ralph Kiner as the only players in National League history with multiple 50-HR seasons. » September 26, 1965: The Braves overcome Juan Marichal to beat the Giants 3–2. Drysdale shuts out the Cards, 1–0, topping the 200 mark in strikeouts for a National League record 6th straight season. The Giants and Dodgers are now deadlocked with seven games to play. » October 2, 1965: Sandy Koufax's 2–1 win against the Braves clinches the National League pennant for the Dodgers. With 13 strikeouts, Koufax ups his modern ML single season record to 382. He leads the NL in wins (26), ERA (2.04), complete games (27), and innings pitched (335 2/3). » December 1, 1965: The Giants send Matty Alou, coming off a .231 season, to the Pirates for P Joe Gibbon and infielder Ossie Virgil. Alou will rebound to lead the National League in hitting and have four straight seasons over .331. » December 15, 1965: Detroit trades P Phil Regan to the Dodgers for IF Dick Tracewski. Regan will lead the National League in saves in 1966 while winning 14 of 15 decisions. » January 27, 1966: Wisconsin State Circuit Court Judge Elmer W. Roller rules that the Braves must stay in Milwaukee, or the National League must promise Wisconsin an expansion team for the 1966 season. » April 24, 1966: Atlanta's 5–2 win at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium in the first game of a doubleheader is an National League-record 18th straight home win against the Mets. "Home" for 17 of those wins was Milwaukee. » May 4, 1966: Willie Mays hits a National League record 512th home run -- topping another Giant, Mel Ott -- and the Giants beat the Dodgers 6–1. » May 7, 1966: San Francisco sets a modern National League record (for the inning) by scoring 13 runs in the 3rd inning en route to a 15–2 win at St. Louis. The 13 runs are also the most scored in the 3rd inning by two teams. » May 31, 1966: Chicago's Ron Santo sets a National League record by appearing in his 364th straight game at 3B, as the Cubs win 2–1 at Pittsburgh. » July 3, 1966: Pitcher Tony Cloninger hits two grand slams and drives in nine runs, as the Braves rout the Giants at Candlestick Park 17–3. Cloninger is the first National League player to slam two in a game, and the first pitcher ever, and his nine RBIs are a major-league record for pitchers, breaking Vic Raschi's mark of 7. The National League record for pitchers was 5, held by several: the last hurler to collect five RBIs in a game is Cloninger, who had five on June 16th against the Mets (as noted by Tom Zocco). » July 12, 1966: St. Louis hosts a hot midsummer All-Star classic. Maury Wills' 10th-inning single scores Tim McCarver, as the National League wins 2–1 in 105-degree heat. Brooks Robinson's stellar game (3 hits, eight chances) earns him the game MVP. Asked about the new ball park, Casey Stengel remarks, "it holds the heat well." On field temperature is 113 degrees. » July 17, 1966: Pittsburgh regains the National League lead by sweeping a doubleheader 7–4 and 7–1 from the Giants. » July 19, 1966: At Chicago, Cubs Byron Browne strikes out five times against Reds starter Jim Maloney. The Reds finally win, 3–2, in 18 innings, with Joe Nuxhall victorious over Fergie Jenkins. Don Pavletich belts a homer in the 18th inning off Jenkins. In tomorrow's Reds win over the Cubs, Browne will K another three times to set a National League record for two games on his way to leading the NL in strikeouts with 143. » August 7, 1966: Lee Bales gets off to a shaky ML start, striking out four times, as the Braves beat the Phillies 3–0. Bales equals the National League record first set by Billy Sunday (May 22, 1883) for most initial-game K's. » August 12, 1966: At Crosley Field, long-ball lovers enjoy 11 home runs in one game, tying the most in any contest and setting a major-league record for an extra-inning contest. Art Shamsky hits three for Cincinnati, including two in extra innings. But Pittsburgh prevails 13–11, scoring three in the 13th inning. Shamsky, who did not enter the game until the 8th, when he hits a 2-run homer to put the Reds up 8–7. His solo homer in the 9th ties the score at 9-9, as does his 2-run homer in the 11th. Shamsky's pair of extra-inning homers is a first in the National League, and just the 3rd time ever in the Majors (Vern Stephens, 1943: Willie Kirkland, 1963). Also going deep are Rose, Deron Johnson, Bob Bailey (2), Clemente, Jesse Gonder, and Jerry Lynch. For Lynch, it is his 18th pinch-hit home run, a ML record. » August 18, 1966: Pittsburgh 3B Jose Pagan ties the modern National League record for errors in an inning with 3, but Pittsburgh coasts to a 9–3 win over the Mets. » September 20, 1966: Vern Law shuts out the Giants 6–0 to keep the Pirates one 1/2 games behind the Dodgers. Pittsburgh turns four double plays in the game and will end the year with an National League-record 215. » October 2, 1966: With the Pirates ahead of the Giants by two runs at the end of eight innings, ex-Buc Ozzie Virgil ties the score with his last major league hit. The Giants bullpen holds and Willie McCovey's pinch homer in the 11th wins it, 7–4. The Giants use every player except Gaylord Perry, held out in case he is needed to pitch against the Reds. With the Dodgers winning, the Giants finish one 1/2 behind, and a San Francisco rainout will not need to be rescheduled. Matty Alou of the Pirates ends the season with a .342 average to lead the National League, but drives in just 27 runs. This is a record low for a batting leader. » November 16, 1966: Pirate OF Roberto Clemente is named MVP in the National League. He edges Sandy Koufax by 10 votes. » May 16, 1967: On the field, the Phillies tie a National League record with their 11th straight errorless game. But they still lose 4–3 to St. Louis. » May 17, 1967: Philadelphia defenders record just one assist in a 7–1 victory over the Reds. This ties the National League record for fewest assists in a 9-inning game. Jim Bunning is the winning P. » June 4, 1967: Curt Flood's record string of 568 straight chances without an error ends when he drops a fly ball during a 4–3 win over the Cubs at St. Louis. The Cardinals CF had played a National League-record 227 straight games without an error beginning September 3, 1965. » June 11, 1967: Adolfo Phillips blasts four home runs in a doubleheader, three of them in consecutive at-bats in the 2nd game, as the Cubs sweep the Mets at Wrigley Field 5–3 and 18–10. The total of eleven home runs in the 2nd game sets a National League record for two clubs in nine innings and the two teams tie a NL mark when they total 40 extra bases on long hits (Chi-26, NY-14). The mark was set on July 31, 1954. Adolpho has six hits and eight RBIs on the day. » June 18, 1967: A 4–1 St. Louis win at San Francisco gives the Cards a lead in the National League they will not relinquish. » July 12, 1967: Reds 3B Tony Perez ends the longest All-Star Game (15 innings, three hours and 41 minutes) with a home run off Catfish Hunter. home runs by National League 3B Richie Allen and American League 3B Brooks Robinson account for the other runs in a 2–1 NL triumph. » July 24, 1967: Chicago's 3–1 win at St. Louis puts the Cards and Cubs even atop the National League. » July 26, 1967: With a National League-record-tying, 4-run-scoring sacrifice flies in one game, New York wins an 11–5 decision at San Francisco. » September 7, 1967: The Giants tie their own National League record by using 25 players in a 15-inning 3–2 win over the Astros. » September 8, 1967: Despite a brilliant relief effort by Dick Kelley, the Braves lose a 4–1 decision at Philadelphia. Kelley ties the National League record for relievers with six consecutive strikeouts. » September 11, 1967: Houston ties the National League record by using eight pitchers in one 9-inning game, defeating Chicago 11–10 at the Astrodome. » September 30, 1967: Jim Davenport sets an National League record with his 64th straight errorless game—137 chances—at 3B for the Giants. » November 13, 1967: Following a meeting of National League owners, President Warren Giles says the league will not stand in the way of American League expansion to Seattle and Kansas City. » April 14, 1968: Jim Bunning's first win with Pittsburgh, 3–0 at Los Angeles, is his 40th career shutout and includes his 1,000th National League strikeout, making him the first pitcher since Cy Young with 1,000 in each league. » April 15, 1968: Three records are smashed when the Astros score an unearned run in the 24th inning to squeeze by the Mets 1–0 after six hours and six minutes. It is the longest National League game played to completion, the longest ML night game, and the first 23 innings are the longest ML scoreless game. Oddly, the records erased for longest night and scoreless games are less than a year old (June 12 and September 1, 1967). The game ties the American League's longest complete game: A's 4, Red Sox 1, on September 1, 1906. » April 19, 1968: The National League owners approve expansion, pending unanimous approval of two new teams. » May 6, 1968: In a 10–2 loss to Houston, Giants reliever Lindy McDaniel sets a National League record with his 225th consecutive errorless game. The veteran hurler has handled 108 chances consecutively since June 16, 1964. » May 18, 1968: Pirate Bill Mazeroski plays his 392nd straight game, a record for National League 2B, in an 8–3 loss to the Reds. » May 26, 1968: Los Angeles downs Houston 5–0 behind Don Drysdale's 4th straight shutout, tying the National League record. It's Drysdale's 5th win of the year—all shutouts. Drysdale drives in the 1st run of the game with a single. » May 27, 1968: Montreal and San Diego are awarded National League franchises after a 10-hour meeting of league owners. » June 1, 1968: The Cards edge the Mets, 6–5, with the win going to reliever Joe Hoerner. Hoerner ties the National League record for relievers with six consecutive strikeouts. » June 2, 1968: Sweeping a doubleheader 6–3 and 3–2 at New York's Shea Stadium, the Cardinals take first place. They will remain atop the National League the rest of the season. » June 4, 1968: With his 6th consecutive shutout, 5–0 over the Pirates at Los Angeles, Don Drysdale establishes two new ML records. He tops Doc White's 64-year-old mark of five shutouts, and with 54 scoreless innings he breaks Carl Hubbell's National League string by 4 1/3, set in 1933. » June 26, 1968: The ML Executive Council decides that both the American League and National League will play 162-game schedules in 1969 and operate two 6-team divisions. » July 7, 1968: Phil Regan picks up two wins in relief for the second time this season as the Cubs sweep the Pirates, 5–4 and 4–3, edging Bob Veale and Elroy Face. Regan won a pair on April 21st for the Dodgers, and no reliever has ever won a pair twice in a season. The Vulture will the top the National League with 12 relief wins and 25 saves. » July 10, 1968: The National League breaks down its two divisions for 1969 thus: Eastern: New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Montreal, Chicago, St. Louis; Western: Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston, Cincinnati, San Diego, Atlanta. » August 14, 1968: Montreal officially becomes a member of the National League. » August 16, 1968: Philadelphia's Richie Allen ties an National League record by drawing five bases on balls in one game, but the Dodgers win 7–5. » August 31, 1968: Steve Blass gets the first out against the Braves, and then moves to LF as Roy Face relieves. Face retires Felix Millan and ties Walter Johnson's major-league record of 802 pitching appearances with one club. Blass comes back to pitch and the Pirates go on to win 8–0. Blass will not get credit for the shutout but will still lead the National League in shutouts with 7. Late in the game, the Pirates announce the sale of Elroy Face to the Detroit Tigers. » October 14, 1968: In the National League expansion draft, the Expos choose 30 players, including Maury Wills, Jim Grant, Donn Clendenon, and Manny Mota. San Diego's 30 selections include Dave Giusti, Nate Colbert, Zoilo Versalles, Al McBean, and Clarence Gaston. » January 31, 1969: The two major leagues agree to try an experimental rule change in spring training using a designated pinch hitter, but they don't agree on the implementation (as noted by John Lewis) The American League tells the teams to use the designated pinch-hitter when they are the home team; the National League gives the home manager the choice of which rules to use, but the visiting manager has to agree. The National League had three rules: Rule A allows for a pinch-hitter to bat for the pitcher twice in a game with the pitcher remaining in the game. The pitcher could be used to bat for himself at anytime. An example is a pinch-hitter batting for the pitcher the first time and fourth time; the pitcher could bat the second at bat; another pinch-hitter could bat the third time. A pinch-hitter could play defensively, if he took the field the next half-inning after batting. The pitcher would bat in the replaced player's spot. Rule B is the DH rule that will eventually be the standard in the American League, except the player could not go in defensively later. Rule C allows for a pinch-runner only twice in a game for the pitcher or pinch-hitter in rule A or DPH in rule B. The PR can enter defensively at any time, even though he appeared twice as a runner. The Mets, Giants, and Cardinals say that they will not use the rules, and the Astros and Reds follow suit. » May 1, 1969: Houston, no-hit the day before by Cincinnati, answers back, as Don Wilson pitches a 4–0 no-hitter, with 13 strikeouts over the Reds. Houston ties an National League record with just one assist. In Wilson's previous start against Cincinnati, on April 22, he gave up six runs in five innings in a 14–0 loss. » May 12, 1969: Cardinal Bob Gibson becomes the 7th National League pitcher to strike out the side on nine pitches. He does it in the 7th inning of a 6–2 St. Louis win over the Dodgers. » May 13, 1969: Cubs 1B Ernie Banks has seven RBI—including his 1,500th—on two 3-run homers and a double in Chicago's 19–0 blowout against San Diego, matching the biggest shutout margin in modern National League history. Cubs pitcher Dick Selma is the recipient, allowing just three hits, while Dick Kelley takes the loss. The Pads swapped Selma earlier in the season and he gives the Cubs their 3rd shutout in a row. Banks, Billy Williams and Randy Hundley leave after Oliver's home run in the 6th makes it 14–0, and Don Young caps a 5-run 7th with a 3-run homer. Selma's shutout follows consecutive shutouts by Ferguson Jenkins and Ken Holtzman. » May 25, 1969: The Cardinals tie a National League record with just one assist in Bob Gibson's 4–0 win at Los Angeles. » May 28, 1969: In a 7–6 win over Pittsburgh, National League home run leader Lee May of the Reds hits a pair, garnering a ML-record-tying six in three straight games (at least one in each). He hit a pair in both the games against the Expos on the 24th and 25th. » June 15, 1969: Cubs SS Don Kessinger sets a National League record with his 54th straight errorless game to start a season, but Chicago loses 7–6 to start a doubleheader split at Cincinnati. » June 25, 1969: The Mets (14) and Phillies (13) set a National League record for ineptitude by striking out 27 times in the first nine innings of a 10-inning game. The Phils win 6–5 when rookie Dave Watkins triples and scores in the 10th. Watkins, who replaced Cookie Rojas when he was thumbed in the 5th, hits his first ML homer as well. Palmer strikes out nine in four 1/3 innings for Philley, while Nolan Ryan K's 10 in six 1/3 innings. » June 28, 1969: After ending their 11-game losing streak yesterday, San Diego suffers its second 19–0 shutout of the season, as the Dodgers, behind Don Drysdale, match the National League-record shutout margin. The Dodgers score 10 in the 3rd to make it easy. Steve Arlin is the loser. Seven batters have two ribbies for the Dodgers, with no one topping that. » June 29, 1969: On Billy Williams Day in Chicago, the Cubs outfielder passes Stan Musial's National League record for consecutive games played (896). The Cubs sweep the Cardinals 3–1 and 12–1 before 41,060. » July 2, 1969: Reds hurler Jerry Arrigo ties a National League record by hitting three Braves in the 2nd inning of a 9–4 Atlanta win. Reds hurlers plunk two more and the Braves set a post-19th century major-league record of five hit batters in one game. It won't be matched till April 19, 2000. » July 3, 1969: At Los Angeles, Lee May hits a 2-run homer in the 11th and the Reds beat the Dodgers, 4–3. For May, second in the National League to Willie McCovey (27) in dingers, it is his 23rd homer, matching his birth date and uniform number (his younger brother Carlos May will also have his birth date as his uniform number). Wayne Granger, the 3rd Red pitcher in the 11th, stops the Dodger rally. » July 23, 1969: Willie McCovey hits two home runs as the National League beats the American League 9–3 for its 7th straight All-Star Game win. Mel Stottlemyre starts for the AL when Denny McLain is late arriving from a dental appointment. » July 30, 1969: Its a bad day for the Mets at Shea. In the 1st of two games, Houston scores 11 runs in the 9th inning, eight coming home on grand slams by Jimmy Wynn and Denis Menke, to trounce the Mets 16–3. This is the first time this century in the National League that two grand slams have come in the same inning, with Mets pitchers Cal Koonce and Ron Taylor teeing up the honors. (The last time in the American League was July 18, 1962.) Taylor also serves up a single to Houston relief P Fred Gladding, the only hit of Gladding's career in 63 ML at bats and 450 games. Game two is no different as the Astros tally 10 runs in the 3rd inning to thrash the Mets, 11–5. Curt Blefary triples with the sacks full and pitcher Larry Dierker (13-8) homers with a man on. » August 10, 1969: Don Sutton breaks his 13-game losing streak to the Cubs with a 4–2 win at Los Angeles, but needs relief help to do it. Sutton tops Ken Holtzman, who handed Sutton his last four losses to Chicago. It was one short of the most consecutive losses by any pitcher to one club in ML history, and is the National League record for straight losses to a team from the start of a career. Sutton will close out his career with a record of 18-20 versus the Cubs. » August 16, 1969: In an 8–1 win in Atlanta, St. Louis P Bob Gibson reaches 200 strikeouts (en route to 269) for the 7th season, a National League record. » August 29, 1969: Houston's Jim Bouton makes his first National League start and toils 10 innings before losing to the Pirates, 4–2. » September 4, 1969: After hitting in 31 straight games, the 3rd-best streak (since 1900) in National League history, the Dodgers Willie Davis is stopped in a 3–0 loss to San Diego. Al Ferrara drives in all three runs. » September 5, 1969: Billy Williams has all four of Chicago's hits, as the Cubs lose a 9–2 decision to Steve Blass and the Pirates. There's nothing cheap about Billy's hits -- two doubles and two homers -- as he sets an National League record for most hits in a game with no other hits, tying the major-league record of Norm Elberfeld (August 1, 1903). Blass helps his own cause with his only ML homer, a 3-run blast, off Ken Holtzman, and three singles. The win is Pittsburgh's first at Wrigley since July 5, 1968, a string of 13 losses. They'll win the next two to sweep the series and drop the Cubs lead to two 1/2 games. » September 20, 1969: Bob Moose stops the pennant-bound Mets 4–0 with the National League's record 5th no-hitter of the season. Moose is now 12-3. But the Mets will win their next nine games. » December 5, 1969: Chub Feeney succeeds Warren Giles as president of the National League. He is elected for a 4-year term, beginning January 1, 1970. » June 7, 1970: Pinch hitter Vic Davalillo of the Cardinals, in for Bob Gibson, gets a record-tying two hits in the 7th inning of a 10–7 win over the Padres. The Birds score seven in the frame after the Padres had built a 7–1 lead against Gibson. Ron Herbel, the 2nd of four pitchers in the 7th, is the loser. Davilillo assumes he receives credit for two pinch hits, and that his 23rd pinch hit on August 31st ties the record of Dave Philley. He will finish the year with 24 pinch safeties but a rule difference between the American League and National League will cost him a pinch hit today. » July 2, 1970: The Reds hand the Braves their 9th loss in 10 games, as Cincy wins, 2–1. Jim Merritt becomes the National League's 1st 13-game winner and his batterymate Johnny Bench drives in both runs. » July 8, 1970: Jim Ray Hart ties a modern major-league record with six RBIs in one inning (5th) with a 3-run homer and 3-run triple. The Giants score 11 in the frame. Hart also hits for the cycle as the Giants rout the Braves 13–0. Gaylord Perry is the easy winner, posting SF's first shutout of the year. Perry will throw four more to lead the National League. » July 14, 1970: At Riverfront Stadium, the National League wins its 8th straight All-Star Game, a thrilling 12-inning 5–4 victory in Cincinnati. Pete Rose crashes into Cleveland catcher Ray Fosse to score the controversial winning run on Jim Hickman's single. Fosse, who never had the ball, hurts his right shoulder and is taken to the hospital. The game is scoreless until the 6th, with the NL limited to three hits in the first eight innings. In the 9th, the NL tees off on Catfish Hunter, driving in three runs to tie. Dick Dietz hits a leadoff home run in the inning. Claude Osteen pitches the 10th for the win. » July 23, 1970: At Wrigley, Milt Pappas shuts out the Reds in a Cubs, 1–0 win. It is the only shutout of the year against the Reds, tying the National League record. Jim McGlothin takes the loss. » August 11, 1970: Jim Bunning notches his 100th National League victory, a 6–5 Phillies win over the Astros. Bunning is the first pitcher since Cy Young to win 100 games in each league. » August 19, 1970: Fergie Jenkins homers and his teammates add another six as Chicago coasts over San Diego, 12–2. Jim Hickman (2), Glenn Beckert, Johnny Callison, Joe Pepitone, and Billy Williams also round trip for Chicago. Six of the Cub homers are solo shots and San Diego adds a solo homer: the seven solo homers by two teams sets a National League record and ties the ML mark set on April 29, 1962. » September 3, 1970: After an National League record 1,117 consecutive games, Billy Williams asks to sit one out. Without Williams, the Cubs beat the Phillies 7–2. » September 13, 1970: Kansas City sweeps a pair from Oakland, winning both by 8–7 scores. In the 11-inning opener, A's SS Bert Campaneris sets an American League record by participating in six DPs. It will be tied in the National League. » October 1, 1970: In a 9–5 loss to Pittsburgh, Dal Maxvill of the Cardinals completes the most impotent offensive season (minimum 150 games) in National League history, setting records for fewest at bats (399), hits (80), doubles (5), long hits (7), and lowest batting (.201) and slugging (.223) averages. » June 25, 1971: Cleon Jones ties an National League record by drawing six walks, helping the Mets to a doubleheader sweep of the Expos, 4–1 and 4–2. Jerry Grote has three doubles in the opener, and Bud Harrelson knocks in three runs in the nite cap. Nolan Ryan (7-4) and Danny Frisella (4–1) are winners. » August 21, 1971: Pitching in relief, the Reds Jim Merritt (1-11) records his only win of the year. A 20-game winner last season, Merritt, started the year with 11 straight losses, one short of the National League record. » September 7, 1971: In the resumption of the August one protested game, the Cards and Phils resume play with the Cards leading in the 12th, 6–3, with two runners. Stranding the runners, the Phils then rally for three runs to tie, but St. Louis scores another three in the 13th to win, 9–6. Stan Williams wins his 1st National League game since 1962. The Cards then take the regularly scheduled game, 7–5, in 10 innings. » October 26, 1971: Ferguson Jenkins wins the Cy Young Award in the National League. » June 3, 1972: The Reds spot the host Phils a 5–0 lead, then score three runs in the 7th, and one each in the 9th, 9th, and 10th to win, 6–5. Julian Javier starts the Reds scoring with a 2-run homer and ends it with an RBI single. Johnny Bench also homers, his 7th in the last five games to tie an National League record. » June 4, 1972: A major league record eight shutouts are pitched in 16 ML games—5 in the American League, three in the National League. Two are recorded by the Oakland A's, who sweep a pair from the Orioles by identical 2–0 scores. » June 10, 1972: Hank Aaron hits his 14th career grand slam, tying Gil Hodges's National League record, as the Braves defeat the Phillies 15–3. It is career home run 649 for Aaron, enabling him to pass Willie Mays for 2nd place on the all-time list. » July 4, 1972: Denny McLain makes his National League debut in the 2nd game of a twinbill with the Cubs, called in the 8th inning because of rain. McLain gets no decision in the 3–3 tie, but gets a standing ovation at the end from the crowd of 50,597. Atlanta wins the opener, 5–1, as Ron Reed beats Juan Pizarro. Paul Casanova's first NL homer and Lum's 3-run homer in the 7th account for four runs. » July 25, 1972: The National League wins the All-Star Game 4–3 at Atlanta behind hometown hero Hank Aaron's 2-run home run and Joe Morgan's 10th-inning RBI single. It is the 7th time the classic has gone into extra innings. » August 25, 1972: Phillie Ken Reynolds ties a dubious National League record with his 12th straight losing decision from the start of the season after dropping a 6–1 decision to the Reds. Reynolds is knocked out in the 4th and loses to Don Gullett. » August 26, 1972: Leo Durocher, formerly of the Cubs, replaces Harry Walker as manager of the Astros. It is only the 2nd time someone has managed two National League teams in the same season. The first was in 1948, when Durocher piloted the Dodgers and the Giants. » September 16, 1972: At Wrigley, Glenn Beckert sets a dubious major-league record by stranding 12 base runners but his Cubs beat the Mets, 18–5. The Cubs jump first, knocking out Tom Seaver in just two 1/3 innings. After Seaver loads the bases on walks in the 3rd, pitcher Burt Hooton homers. Chicago garners 15 walks, with Elrod Hendricks walking five straight times, a National League record. Cubs 2B Glenn Beckert sets a dubious major-league record when he strands 12 baserunners. » September 27, 1972: The Dodgers Don Sutton shuts out San Diego, 2–0, handing Steve Arlin his National League-high 21st loss of the year. Arlin also led the NL in losses last year with 19. It's Sutton's 9th shutout of the year to tie Nolan Ryan for the most in the ML. » December 10, 1972: The American League votes unanimously to adopt the designated-hitter rule for a 3-year experimental basis. The DH will replace the pitcher in the lineup unless otherwise noted before the start of the game. In the December 1975 meeting the AL will vote to permanently adopt the DH. The National League declines to go along with the AL. » June 20, 1973: Bobby Bonds leads off with a home run, but the Giants lose 7–5 to the Reds. It is Bonds's 22nd leadoff home run, breaking Lou Brock's National League record. » July 1, 1973: The Reds, 11 games behind the Dodgers at the beginning of the day, stage two dramatic comebacks to snatch a doubleheader win from LA. Hal King's clutch 3-run pinch hit home run with two outs wins the first game 4–3 against Don Sutton, while Tony Perez's 10th-inning hit wins the 2nd 3–2. This day will be looked upon as the turning point of the National League's Western Division race. » July 9, 1973: In a record-setting walkathon between the Reds and Expos, 25 base on balls are handed out as Montreal strolls to an 11–6 win. Well off the American League's two-team mark of 30, this tops the National League record of 23, last reached on July 7, 1911. Six Montreal pitchers walk 16, one short of the record for an NL team, while Reds pitchers Clay Carroll and Tom Hall walk 9. Hal King pinch hits a grand slam for the Reds in the 6th inning, his 2nd pinch dinger in nine days. » July 24, 1973: The National League wins the All-Star Game at Kansas City 7–1. A record 54 players are used, including Willie Mays, who strikes out in his final All-Star appearance, and Catfish Hunter, who sustains a fractured thumb that will sideline him for four weeks. The A's ace has a 15-3 record at the time. » October 6, 1973: Jim Palmer fans 12 in shutting out the A's 6–0 in the opening game of the American League Championship Series. Meanwhile, Tom Seaver fans 13 and takes a 1–0 lead into the 8th inning of the National League opener, only to be beaten by home runs by Pete Rose and Johnny Bench. The Reds top the Mets 2–1. » June 15, 1974: Baltimore beats the White Sox, 4–3, in 11 innings. Don Baylor enters the game in the 9th as a pinch runner and makes the record books with a steal and twice getting caught stealing, thanks to misplays by the Sox. Bobby Grich opens with a single and Tommy Davis singles him to 3B. Davis is then picked off, but an error by Dick Allen at 1B allows both runners to move up. After an out, Ellie Hendricks singles Davis home and Baylor pinch runs. Baylor gets caught stealing second but 2B Ron Santo drops the throw from Ed Herrmann. Baylor then swipes 3B and, following a intentional walk to Brooks Robinson, he is caught stealing home, Herrmann unassisted. Andy Etchebarren strikes out to end the unique frame. Baylor's mark is a ML record, but will be matched four times in the National League between 1987 and 1992. » July 7, 1974: In the opener of a doubleheader, Don Money sets a major-league record for consecutive errorless games at 3B with 78. The Brewers beat the Twins 8–5, then lose 5–3. Money will end the season with just five errors, breaking George Kell's record set in 1950. Money also holds the National League record with just 10 errors, set with the Phils in 1972. » July 17, 1974: Milwaukee 3B Don Money commits a first-inning error in a 10–5 loss to Minnesota, ending his perfect defensive season after 86 games and 257 chances. Money holds both the National League and American League records for most consecutive chances without an error in a season. » July 23, 1974: The National League triumphs in the All-Star Game at Pittsburgh, winning 7–2. Write-in choice Dodger 1B Steve Garvey is the game's MVP. » August 17, 1974: Cleveland purchases former National League batting champ Rico Carty from Cordoba of the Mexican League. He will hit .363 for the rest of the season. » August 27, 1974: New York's Benny Ayala homers in his first ML at bat as the Mets top the Astros 4–2. He's the first National League rookie in 13 years to go deep on his 1st at bat. » September 1, 1974: The Major League Scouting Bureau is instituted as a way to cut costs by centralizing scouting. Membership is not mandatory until 1984, and only 17 of 24 teams initially agree to the $118,000 fee for joining. All American League clubs except the White Sox and Toronto join: in the National League, the Cubs, Montreal, Pirates, Braves, Houston and the Reds join. Brewers GM Jim Wilson is put in charge. » September 10, 1974: The Cardinals lose to the Phillies 8–2, but Lou Brock breaks Maury Wills' major-league record by stealing his 104th and 105th bases of the season. It also gives him 740 career SBs, breaking Max Carey's National League record of 738. » September 12, 1974: The Reds sweep a pair from the Braves and the two teams combine for a major-league record three grand slams. Cesar Geronimo hits one in the 2nd inning of game 1, as does the Braves Darrell Evans. The Braves hang on for a 9–6 win, then take game two by a 6–2 score. Johnny Bench hits the 3rd grand slam of the day in game 2. Bench will finish the year with 129 RBIs to top the National League, and his 315 total bases will lead the league. He is the only catcher in ML history to lead a league in TB [Bench caught 137 games; 3B in 36 games; 1B in 5]. » September 13, 1974: The Phillies set an National League record by using 27 players during a 17-inning 7–3 loss to the Cardinals. The Cards had set the record two days earlier. » October 2, 1974: During a 13–0 win over Reds, the Braves Hank Aaron homers off Rawly Eastwick. It is Aaron's 733rd career clout and comes in his last National League at bat. » October 8, 1974: The Pirates stay alive with a 7–0 win in the National League game as Bruce Kison gets the win. Richie Hebner and Willie Stargell drive in six runs between them. » July 15, 1975: The National League rallies for three runs in the 9th inning to win the All-Star Game at Milwaukee 6–3. The Cubs Bill Madlock and the Mets Jon Matlack share the game's MVP award. » August 25, 1975: Astro Cliff Johnson hits a home run in the top of the 11th for his 6th in six consecutive games, pushing his team to a 4–3 lead. Unfortunately, the game is called due to rain in the bottom half of the inning, and the score reverts to what it was in the 10th, thus erasing Johnson's home run. It deprives Johnson of becoming only the 2nd National League player to hit six home runs in six consecutive games. » September 3, 1975: After missing two games because of the flu, Dodger Steve Garvey returns to the lineup in a 13–2 loss to the Reds, launching a National League record streak of 1,207 consecutive games. The Reds score 10 runs in the 4th inning to ice the game: on the 2nd, they scored seven in the 5th to beat the Padres, 10–4. » November 12, 1975: The Mets Tom Seaver wins his 3rd Cy Young Award. He led the National League with 22 wins, notched 243 strikeouts, and had a 2.38 ERA. » June 22, 1976: Randy Jones pitches the Padres to a 4–2 win over the Giants, and ties Christy Mathewson's 63-year-old National League record by going 68 innings without a base on balls. He receives a standing ovation from the home crowd after striking out Darrell Evans to end the 7th. His streak ends when he walks C Marc Hill leading off the 8th. It is Jones's 13th win of the year. » June 29, 1976: In San Diego, the Reds drop seven runs on the Padres in the top of the 14th to win, 12–5. Mike Lum starts the scoring with a pinch homer. The seven runs in the 14th is one shy of the National League mark, and has never been topped in the American League. » July 8, 1976: At Wrigley Field, Randy Jones wins his 16th game of the year for the Padres, an National League record for wins at the All-Star break. He beats the Cubs 6–3. In the 2nd half of the season, the Padres lefty will lose seven games by one run, two of them by 1–0 scores. » July 13, 1976: The National League emerges victorious in the annual All-Star Game by a score of 7–1. George Foster, one of seven Reds position players on the squad, homers, drives in three runs, is named the game's MVP. Rookie Mark Fidrych gives up two runs and takes the loss. It is the NL's 13th win in the last 14 games. » September 28, 1976: Cincy's Big Red Machine notches its 100th win, a 5–4 victory over the San Diego Padres. Jack Billingham (12–10) is the winner. Randy Jones takes the loss but sets a National League record with 112 errorless chances. The major-league record is held Frank Owen of the 1904 White Sox, who did not commit an error in 151 chances (121 assists, 30 PO). Jones finishes the year with 12 DPs, tying the NL record. He also finishes with the NL lead in wins (22), games started (40) and completed (25), IP (315.1) and hits allowed. » June 27, 1977: The Giants Willie McCovey smashes two home runs, one a grand slam, in the 6th inning to pace a 14–9 victory over the Reds. McCovey becomes the first player to twice hit two home runs in one inning (4/12/73), and also becomes the all-time National League leader with 17 career grand slams. Andre Dawson, in 1978 and 1986, will clout two round trippers in an inning. Reliever Joe Hoerner helps as he enters the 6th with two outs, the sacks full, and the Reds holding a 7–6 lead. He hits two batters, then serves up the slam to McCovey. » July 4, 1977: In the first game of a doubleheader, Chicago outfielder Larry Biittner pitches the last one 1/3 innings for the Cubs, striking out 3. That's the good news. The bad news is he allows six earned runs on five hits and a walk as the Expos crush the Cubs, 19–3. Two of the three K's are of the opposing pitcher, Jackie Brown, and the last is Larry Parrish, who had homered on a 1–2 pitch from Biittner. Biittner also serves up homers to Valentine and Dawson, each of whom have five ribbies. Biittner is later fined $50 by the National League for throwing a "brush-back" pitch after surrendering the three home runs, but a collection is taken up to pay for his shave. Further bad news for the Cubs is that Bruce Sutter is knocked out for the first time this year, and a massive knot beneath his right shoulder will keep him out of the All-star game. The Cubs lose game 2, 7–6. » July 19, 1977: At Yankee Stadium, the National League scores four times in the opening inning off Jim Palmer, en route to a 7–5 All-Star Game victory. Don Sutton, hurling three scoreless innings, is named the game's MVP. » July 26, 1977: Padres rookie Gene Richards ties the National League record with six hits in an extra-inning contest. » August 18, 1977: Dodger P Don Sutton throws his 5th one-hitter, tying the National League record, as he blanks the Giants, 7–0. The lone hit is Marc Hill's two-out single in the 8th. » October 8, 1977: The Dodgers clinch the National League flag with a 4–1 win in front of an LCS-record crowd of 64,924 at Philadelphia. Dusty Baker, the playoff's MVP, hits a 2-run homer and scores twice as Tommy John allows seven hits in nine innings of work. » November 2, 1977: The Phillies Steve Carlton outpoints the Dodgers Tommy John to win his 2nd Cy Young Award. Carlton led the National League with 23 wins, losing 10, and posting a 2.64 ERA. » July 11, 1978: At San Diego, the National League wins another All-Star Game 7–3. Steve Garvey singles and triples to earn the game's MVP trophy. Vida Blue starts for the NL, the first pitcher to start for both leagues. Blue also started in 1971 and 1975 for the American League. » July 30, 1978: The Expos crush the Braves 19–0, collecting 28 hits and an National League-record-tying eight home runs. Andre Dawson, Larry Parrish, Dave Cash, and Dawson again homer in the 4th inning; Parrish has a single and three consecutive home runs in the game, only the 3rd major leaguer to do it. Not till Andres Galarraga in 1995 will a hitter bang homers in three consecutive innings. The 58 bases breaks an 85-year-old record held by the Reds. Woodie Fryman conducts the win over Mickey Mahler. » July 31, 1978: Pete Rose singles off Phil Niekro to extend his streak to 44 games, as the Reds edge the Braves 3–2. Rose ties Willie Keeler's 81-year-old National League record, achieved when foul balls didn't count as strikes. » September 8, 1978: In a 5–3 win at Wrigley Field, Phillies RF Bake McBride handles 11 chances, tying the National League mark for right fielders. It was last matched by the Cubs Swish Nicholson, in 1945, in the same park. » September 15, 1978: Phil Garner hits his 2nd grand slam in two days as the Pirates beat the Expos 6–1. Garner is the first National League player to have slams in consecutive games since Jimmy Sheckard (9/23, 24/01) and the first major leaguer since Brooks Robinson, in 1962. Garner will end the season with 12 dingers. » September 21, 1978: The Cubs tie an National League record by using 27 players during a 14-inning 3–2 loss to the Pirates. Pittsburgh's margin comes when Rennie Stennett walks in the 14th and pinch runner Matt Alexander steals 2nd. When C Doug Rader's throw goes into CF, Alexander heads for 3rd where the center fielder's throw hits him in the back, allowing him to score. The Pirates are now one 1/2 games behind the Phils. » October 1, 1978: With an 8–3 lead over the Braves, Reds manager Sparky Anderson pulls Pete Rose in the 8th inning. Atlanta scores five runs in the 9th to tie and the Reds finally win in 14 innings, 10–8. Rose thus ends the season with 198 hits, and Sparky's move deprives him of reaching his annual 200 hit total. Johnny Bench has a grand slam and the Braves hand out an National League record 16 walks in the game. Reds pitchers strike out 19. » October 6, 1978: The Phillies stay alive with a 9–4 win in the National League game, led by the pitching and hitting (HR, single, four RBI) of Steve Carlton. » October 25, 1978: The Padres Gaylord Perry becomes the first pitcher to win the Cy Young Award in each league. Perry copped the National League honors with a 21-6 record and a 2.72 ERA. his is the 13th straight season that Perry has won 15 or more games. » June 12, 1979: The Reds score five runs in the 6th inning, but the Mets counter with 10 in the bottom of the frame to win, 12–6. The 15 runs in the 6th is a National League record. » June 14, 1979: The Giants lose to the Cubs 8–6, but Willie McCovey hits his 513rd career home run, off Dennis Lamp. McCovey becomes the all-time lefthanded home run hitter in National League history. » July 7, 1979: Mike Schmidt homers in his first three times up for the Phillies, to give him a ML-record-tying four straight over two games. Schmidt flies to the warning track in his next at bat, and the Phils lose 8–6 to the Giants. Schmidt will hit three more home runs in the next three games to tie the National League record of seven home runs in five games. » July 17, 1979: The National League wins its 8th straight All-Star Game 7–6 at Seattle. Lee Mazzilli homers to tie the game in the 8th, and walks in the 9th to bring in the winning run. Dave Parker, with two outstanding throws, is named the game's MVP, and Pete Rose plays a record 5th All-Star position. The Red Sox provide the starting OF for the American League in Rice, Yaz, and Lynn, though Yaz has played 1B most of the season. » July 22, 1979: In the first of two at Wrigley Field, the Reds roll over the Cubs 12–1, behind Bill Bonham. Johnny Bench ties the National League record by collecting five walks and Dave Concepcion hits an 8th inning grand slam, off Willie Hernandez to put the score in double digits. The Cubs come back in game two to win, 8–4. » July 24, 1979: In Pittsburgh, a 4th-inning call results in a 34-minute rhubarb during the Pirates-Reds game. With Buc runners on 1st and 3rd, a 3–1 pitch to Omar Moreno is called a ball, but Johnny Bench throws to 2B ahead of the runner from 1B, Lee Lacy, who is attempting to steal. Lacy is called out by Dick Stello even though Moreno has just received a walk (therefore entitling Lacy to 2B), and walks off the bag. He is then tagged out by Dave Concepcion, precipitating the argument. The subsequent protest is rejected by National League president Feeney, and the Pirates 6–5 loss is upheld. » September 15, 1979: Boston's Bob Watson hits for the cycle in a 10–2 win over the Orioles. Watson, hitting in order (2nd inning single; 4th inning double; 6th inning fielder's choice; 8th inning triple; 9th inning homer to LF), becomes the first player to cycle in the both the American League and National League. » September 26, 1979: Atlanta's Phil Niekro notches his 20th win of the season by beating his brother Joe, the National League's only other 20-game winner in 1979, 9–4. The Niekro brothers are the second pair (the other was Jim Perry and Gaylord Perry) to win 20 games in the same year, and Phil Niekro, who finishes at 21-20, is the first pitcher since Wilbur Wood in 1973 to win and lose 20 games the same year, and the first NL pitcher to do so since 1905. » September 29, 1979: The Astros J.R. Richard shuts out the Dodgers 3–0 and fans 11 batters to break his own modern National League record for strikeouts by a righthander. Richard finishes with 313 K's, 10 more than in 1978. One of five Dodgers hits is a single by Manny Mota, his 146th pinch hit, breaking the mark of 145 formerly held by Smoky Burgess. » September 30, 1979: The Niekro brothers each win their 21st game and tie for the National League lead in wins. Phil Niekro wins for the Braves, 7–2, over the Reds, while Houston's Joe Niekro tops the Dodgers, 3–2. » March 10, 1980: The National Labor Relations Board rules in favor of the umpires' union in its dispute with the National League. The union had demanded that the National League release its umpire evaluations, particularly those of the "scabs" who were retained after filling in for striking umpires in 1979. » April 11, 1980: Giants 3B Darrell Evans makes three errors in the 7th inning of a 5–3 loss to the Padres. This ties the National League record for errors by a 3B in one inning. » April 12, 1980: In his first game in the National League since 1971, Astros pitcher Nolan Ryan hits his first career home run, a 3-run shot off the Dodgers Don Sutton. Ryan leaves the game with a 5–4 lead, but Los Angeles wins 6–5 in 17 innings. » April 26, 1980: Steve Carlton of the Phillies sets the modern National League record with his 6th career one-hitter, a 7–0 shutout of former team the Cardinals. Carlton will go 6–0 against St. Louis this year, the last pitcher this century to win six games in a season against one team. » May 1, 1980: Pittsburgh's Bill "Mad Dog" Madlock is fined $5,000 and suspended 15 games by National League president Chub Feeney for poking umpire Jerry Crawford in the face with his glove after being called out on strikes with the bases loaded. Madlock appeals and remains in uniform, but finally withdraws the appeal and begins serving the suspension on June 6th, after disgruntled NL umpires threaten to eject him from every game he tries to play in. » May 28, 1980: In Oakland's 6–3 win over Kansas City, Dwayne Murphy and Rickey Henderson steal home in the first inning, tying a ML record. It was last done in the American League by Minnesota, May 18, 1969: In the National League the last time was the Cardinals, September 19, 1925. » June 22, 1980: Claudell Washington hits his first three National League home runs to lead the Mets to a 9–6 win at Los Angeles and snap a 7-game losing streak. » July 8, 1980: At Dodger Stadium, the 51st All-Star Game features J.R. Richard (10–4) and Steve Stone (12–3) are starters, with Richard going just two innings because of various back and shoulder problems he's been having. The National League battles back to wins its 9th consecutive All-Star Game 4–2, pinning the loss on Dodger defector Tommie John. Reds outfielder Ken Griffey goes 2-for-3 with a solo home run to win the game's MVP Award. » August 5, 1980: Expos manager Dick Williams wins his 1,000th career game 11–5 over the Mets, at Olympic Stadium. He is 3rd in wins among active managers behind Gene Mauch and Earl Weaver. The Expos overcome the offense of Doug Flynn, who ties the modern major-league record with three triples. It was last done in the National League by Ernie Banks, in 1966. » August 27, 1980: Phillies Steve Carlton (20-7) becomes the first National League pitcher to win 20 games this season, combining with Tug McGraw to beat the Dodgers, 4–3. Carlton will win an NL-high 24 games, while pitching 304 innings, the last ML pitcher to throw more than 300 innings in a season. » September 19, 1980: The Reds light up Jerry Reuss (17-6) for eight runs in two innings, en route to a 10–7 win over the Dodgers. Reuss serves up a grand slam to Johnny Bench, the 9th slam off him this year, a National League record. Steve Garvey and Ron Cey solo for the Dodgers. » September 24, 1980: The Braves, with 24,897 watching, beat the Astros 4–2 at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, pushing the Braves over the one million attendance mark for the season. The 11 other National League teams have already reached that milestone, making this the first season ever in which all the teams in one league have done so. » November 4, 1980: Steve Carlton joins Sandy Koufax, Tom Seaver, and Jim Palmer as the only pitchers to win three Cy Young Awards, garnering 23 of 24 first-place votes to take National League honors. Carlton was 24-9 with a 2.34 ERA and led the NL with 286 strikeouts. » June 10, 1981: Phillies 1B Pete Rose singles off Nolan Ryan in the first inning to tie Stan Musial as the National League's all-time hit leader with 3,630, then strikes out in his next three at bats. Rose's single is the only hit off Ryan until the 8th inning, when Philadelphia scores five times for a 5–4 win over Houston. » August 6, 1981: National League owners agree to the $20.5 million sale of the Cubs to the Tribune Company. In three weeks, Cubs stockholders—led by Bill Wrigley's with 81 percent—will approve the sale. » August 9, 1981: Expos C Gary Carter hits a pair of solo home runs and Phillies 3B Mike Schmidt adds a 2-run shot in the 8th off Rollie Fingers to give the National League a 5–4 win in the All-Star Game. It is the NL's 10th win in a row and 17th in the last 18 games. » August 10, 1981: After a 2-month wait, Pete Rose finally breaks Stan Musial's National League hit record, singling off Mark Littell in Philadelphia's 7–3 loss to St. Louis. Rose now has 3,631 career hits. A crowd of 60,561 cheers his 8th inning hit. » September 6, 1981: The Dodgers Fernando Valenzuela shuts out the Cardinals, 5–0, to tie a record of seven shutouts by a National League rookie. He shares the record with Irv "Cy the Second" Young (1905), Grover Alexander (1911), and Jerry Koosman (1968). » September 8, 1981: Citing his "lack of communication" with the players, the Expos fire manager Dick Williams and replace him with Jim Fanning, who has been an executive with the club since it joined the National League in 1969. » September 17, 1981: Fernando Valenzuela sets the National League rookie record with his 8th shutout of the season, a 2–0 three-hitter versus the Braves. He ties the ML mark of Russ Ford (1910) and Reb Russell (1913). » September 21, 1981: Steve Carlton fans 12 Expos in 10 innings to break Bob Gibson's National League strikeout record (Carlton now has 3,128), but the Phillies lose to the Expos 1–0 in 17 innings. Montreal's Bryn Smith retires just one batter, but picks up his first ML victory. » October 29, 1981: Bill Giles, the Phillies vice president for the past 11 years, heads a group of investors which purchases the club for just over $30 million, the highest price paid to date for a ML club. Giles is the son of longtime National League president Warren C. Giles. » November 11, 1981: Fernando Valenzuela becomes the first rookie ever to win a Cy Young Award, edging the Reds Tom Seaver 70-67 for National League honors. He was the first rookie since Herb Score in 1955 to lead his league in strikeouts with 180. » April 2, 1982: In an exhibition game against the Padres, A's pitcher Steve McCatty steps to the plate wielding a 15-inch toy bat on the instructions of manager Billy Martin, who was upset that his club was not allowed to use a DH in spring training games at National League parks. Home plate umpire Jim Quick refuses to let McCatty use the bat, and McCatty takes three called strikes. » April 28, 1982: Bob Bailor's sacrifice fly in the top of the 15th inning scores Mookie Wilson with the winning run as the Mets beat the Padres 5–4, ending San Diego's winning streak at 11 games. It is the 3rd winning streak of 10 or more games in the National League this year. » August 10, 1982: Bob Lillis replaces Bill Virdon as manager of the Houston Astros. Virdon was the senior manager in the National League, having managed the Astros since 1975. » August 27, 1982: Dodger pinch hitters Rick Monday and Mike Marshall hit homers against Cubs in a 9–4 LA win. The last time two pinch hitters connected for round trippers in the National League was August 23, 1975 when Monday combined with then-Cub teammate Champ Summers to do it. » October 10, 1982: St. Louis wins its first National League pennant since 1968 by defeating the Braves 6–2 to complete a 3-game sweep of the NLCS. Catcher Darrell Porter, who hit .556, is named series MVP. » November 1, 1982: At a meeting in Chicago, the ML owners vote not to renew Commissioner Bowie Kuhn's contract, which will expire next August. The American League owners voted in favor of Kuhn 11-3, the National League 7-5. But his 18 votes left him two shy of the three-fourths majority required for reelection. Kuhn will remain on the job until a successor is found. » April 16, 1983: Padres 1B Steve Garvey plays in his 1,118th consecutive game, breaking Billy Williams' National League record. Garvey goes 2-for-4 in an 8–5 Padres loss at Los Angeles. » May 31, 1983: American League President Lee MacPhail suspends Yankees owner George Steinbrenner for one week, citing "repeated problems" with the outspoken owner's public criticism of umpires. Steinbrenner, who had been fined $50,000 by Commissioner Kuhn during spring training for berating some National League umpires, cannot attend games or be in his Yankee Stadium office during the suspension. » July 6, 1983: In the 50th anniversary All-Star Game at Chicago's Comiskey Park, the American League routs the National League 13–3 for its first win since 1971. The AL breaks the game open with seven runs in the 4th inning, highlighted by Fred Lynn's grand slam—the first ever in All-Star competition. It is Lynn's 4th All-Star homer, tying him with Ted Williams for the AL record. » October 7, 1983: The Orioles waltz in game 3, beating the Sox 11–1. In the National League game, rookie Charlie Hudson goes the distance for Philadelphia, winning 7–2, aided by Gary Matthews's 3-for-3 with four RBI. » March 27, 1984: The Phillies trade outfielders Gary Matthews and Bob Dernier and pitcher Porfi Altamirano to the Cubs for reliever Bill Campbell and catcher Mike Diaz. Matthews was the MVP of the NLCS last season, while Campbell led the National League with 82 appearances. Dernier will win a Gold Glove in CF for Chicago and help them reach the playoffs. His 45 steals will be the most by a Cub since 1907. » April 7, 1984: Dwight Gooden allows one run in five innings in his ML debut, earning the win in the Mets' 3–2 victory over Houston. At 19, he is the youngest National League player. » May 19, 1984: The Cards score six in the 1st inning in an easy 9–1 win over the Reds. Joaquin Andujar wins his 7th complete game and leads the National League in wins, CG, and IP. In his ML debut, Reds Eric Davis pinch hits wearing no number. Like Joe Horlen in 1961, the Reds only available road uniform has no number. » May 31, 1984: Mario Soto is suspended for five days by National League president Chub Feeney for his role in a 32-minute melee that marred the Reds-Cubs game on May 27th. After shoving 3B umpire Steve Rippley, who had signaled that Ron Cey's long fly ball was a 3-run home run (it was later ruled foul), a bat-wielding Soto then tried to attack a park vendor who had thrown a bag of ice at him. Soto will be suspended again for five more days later in the season for his June 16th fight with Claudell Washington. » July 10, 1984: On the 50th anniversary of Carl Hubbell's legendary five consecutive strikeouts in the 1934 All-Star Game, National League pitchers Fernando Valenzuela and Dwight Gooden combine to fan six batters in a row for a new All-Star Game record in the NL's 3–1 triumph. After Valenzuela whiffs Dave Winfield, Reggie Jackson, and George Brett in the 4th inning, Gooden, the youngest All-Star ever at age 19, fans Lance Parrish, Chet Lemon, and Alvin Davis in the 5th. » July 26, 1984: San Diego's Tony Gwynn goes 3-for-4 in an 8–2 win over Cincinnati to raise his batting average to .362, best in the majors. Gwynn will finish the season at .351 to win his first National League batting title. » September 3, 1984: Bruce Sutter breaks the National League record for saves in a season with his 38th in the Cardinals' 7–3 win over the Mets. » September 7, 1984: Dwight Gooden pitches a one-hitter and strikes out 11 in a 10–0 rout of the Cubs. The only hit is Keith Moreland's slow roller in the 5th inning, which 3B Ray Knight fields but can't get out of his glove. Gooden's 11 strikeouts give him 236 for the season, breaking the National League rookie record set by Grover Alexander in 1911. For Gooden, he will win another nine straight over the Cubs, lose, then win 12 straight. » October 2, 1984: In the first LCS game played with replacement umpires, the Cubs clobber the Padres 13-0 to take a 1–0 lead in the National League series. Chicago hits five home runs at Wrigley Field, including one by starting pitcher Rick Sutcliffe, and another by Bob Dernier to lead off the game. » December 12, 1984: St. Louis sends slugger George Hendrick and a minor leaguer to the Pirates for P John Tudor and Brian Harper. Tudor, at 12–11, was the ace of the Bucs' staff, which set a record by having the National League's best ERA, though the team finished last. The 35-year-old Hendrick will play just a half season in the Iron City before going to California. » June 11, 1985: Von Hayes becomes the first ML player ever to hit two home runs in the first inning, leading off with a home run, off Tom Gorman, and capping a 9-run outburst with a grand slam, as the Phillies go on to rout the Mets 26–7. Mets relievers Joe Sambito (3 innings) and Calvin Schiraldi (1.1 innings) both give up 10 runs apiece. The 26 runs in one game is a club record and the most in the National League since 1944. » July 16, 1985: The National League beats the American League 6–1 at Minnesota's Metrodome for its 13th win in the last 14 All-Star Games. San Diego's LaMarr Hoyt allows one unearned run in three innings and is named MVP. » July 26, 1985: In a 10–0 blanking of the Cubs, LA's Pedro Guerrero is 2-for-2 to complete an on-base streak of 14, setting a National League record. The streak, which began on the 23rd includes two singles, three doubles, two homers, six walks, and a hit by pitch. He'll be 1-for-3 tomorrow. Jerry Reuss scatters seven hits in the shutout and is backed by three homers, including a grand slam by Mike Marshall, a 3-run shot by Brock and a 2-run homer by Guerrero. » August 10, 1985: Willie McGee goes 7-for-10 in the Cardinals' doubleheader sweep of the Phillies, 5–4 and 13–4, to raise his batting average to .351. McGee will lead the National League with a .353 mark this season. » August 23, 1985: Joaquin Andujar becomes baseball's first 20-game winner this season, beating Atlanta 6–2 for the Cardinals. Andujar is the first National League pitcher to post consecutive 20-win seasons since Joe Niekro in 1979-80. » September 1, 1985: The visiting New York Mets edge San Francisco, 4–3 with Keith Hernandez's 2-run homer climaxing a 3-run 9th inning. Siske, in relief of Ed Lynch, is the winning pitcher. In the 5th, Lynch lines to right field and is thrown out 9–3 by RF Joel Youngblood. It's the National League's 2nd 9–3 putout in two months. » October 6, 1985: Hubie Brooks drives in his 100th run of the season in Montreal's season-ending 2–1 win over the Mets, becoming the first National League shortstop with 100 RBI since Ernie Banks in 1960. » June 10, 1986: The National League announces that Yale University president A. Bartlett Giamatti will be its next president, after Chub Feeney's retirement in December. » June 23, 1986: The Braves tie the National League record for a 9-inning game by leaving 18 runners on base in a 6–5 win over the Dodgers. » July 22, 1986: The Cubs fire their ball girl Marla Collins when it is revealed that she posed nude for Playboy magazine. The photos will appear in the October issue and accompany shots of Marla in her Cubs uniform and one of Harry Caray pointing to a tattoo on her right thigh. The Cubs win today 6–4 behind Ed Lynch, who ties a National League record in the 1st inning by making three putouts. The record was set in 1975 by another Cub Rick Reuschel. » August 6, 1986: The Mets release outfielder George Foster, the last National League player to hit 50 home runs in one season. Foster will play 15 games for the White Sox before retiring for good. » September 20, 1986: San Diego's Tony Gwynn steals five bases in a 10–6 loss to the Astros, tying the modern National League record for steals in one game. » September 21, 1986: In his ML debut, San Diego's Jimmy Jones pitches a one-hitter against the Astros, allowing only a 3rd-inning triple to opposing pitcher Bob Knepper on the way to a 5–0 win. He's the first National League pitcher to debut with a one-hitter since Juan Marichal. » September 22, 1986: Dodgers ace Fernando Valenzuela becomes the National League's first 20-game winner this season, beating the Astros 9–2 on two hits. He's the first Mexican to win 20 games in a season. » October 2, 1986: Mike Scott strikes out eight Giants in a 2–1 Astros victory to run his season total to 306, joining Sandy Koufax and J.R. Richard as the only National League pitchers to fan 300 batters in one season. Scott loses his bid for a 2nd consecutive no-hitter when Will Clark doubles in the 7th inning. » November 24, 1986: Cardinals reliever Todd Worrell, who led the National League with 36 saves, is named NL Rookie of the Year. Worrell had helped St. Louis to the 1985 World Series as a late-season call-up but was still a rookie as defined by the BBWAA. » March 27, 1987: In what will turn out to be an extremely lopsided trade, the Mets send C Ed Hearn and minor leaguers Rick Anderson and Mauro Gozzo to the Royals in exchange for David Cone and minor leaguer Chris Jelic. Cone will blossom into one of the National League's better starters, posting a 20-3 record for the Mets in 1988. » April 7, 1987: Atlanta's Rick Mahler ties the National League record with his 3rd Opening Day shutout, a 6–0 three-hitter over the Phillies. » May 3, 1987: Eric Davis belts three consecutive home runs, including a grand slam, to lead Cincinnati to a 9–6 win at Philadelphia. Davis was the last National League player to clock three homers in a game—September 10th of last year, also on the road. » June 27, 1987: Tony Gwynn goes 3-for-4 in San Diego's 8–4 win over Atlanta to raise his batting average to .387. Gwynn will finish the season at .370 to win his 2nd National League batting title. » July 14, 1987: Tim Raines caps a 3-for-3 performance in the All-Star Game with a 2-run triple in the top of the 13th inning, giving the National League a 2–0 victory. » August 10, 1987: Cardinals 1B Jack Clark sets an National League record by drawing a walk in his 16th consecutive game, a 6–0 win over Pittsburgh. » September 1, 1987: In a 3–2 loss to the Cubs, Houston's Billy Hatcher becomes the first player this season to be ejected for using an illegal corked bat, and will eventually be suspended for 10 games by National League president Bart Giamatti. Hatcher claims he borrowed the bat from P Dave Smith and only used it in batting practice. Baseball has seen a rash of protests regarding allegedly doctored bats this season, partly in response to the record number of home runs being hit. » October 7, 1987: San Francisco's Dave Dravecky shuts out St. Louis 5–0 to even the National League series. » November 18, 1987: Cubs OF Andre Dawson becomes the first player from a last-place club ever to win an MVP Award, taking National League honors for his .287-49-137 season. » April 17, 1988: After 10 consecutive losses the Braves win their first game of the season 3–1 over the Dodgers. Zane Smith is the winner. Atlanta's 0-10 start is the worst in National League history but not the worst in the major leagues this year. » May 2, 1988: Reds manager Pete Rose is suspended for 30 days by National League president Bart Giamatti, the stiffest suspension ever levied against a manager for an on-field incident. On April 30th Rose shoved umpire Dave Pallone in the 9th inning of a 6–5 loss to the Mets, inciting a near riot among Cincinnati fans. » May 22, 1988: Pedro Guerrero throws his bat at David Cone after being hit by a pitch in the Dodgers' 5–2 loss to the Mets and will be suspended for four games by National League president Bart Giamatti. » July 4, 1988: National League umpire Lee Weyer, 51, dies of a heart attack after working the Cubs 3–2 win over San Francisco. » August 16, 1988: The Dodgers trade Pedro Guerrero to the Cardinals for pitcher John Tudor, whose 2.29 ERA is leading the National League. » September 4, 1988: Cincinnati's Danny Jackson becomes the National League's first 20-game winner by shutting out the Cubs on six hits as the Reds romp 17–0. Calvin Schiraldi is the loser. » September 8, 1988: National League president Bart Giamatti is unanimously elected baseball's 7th commissioner, and will succeed Peter Ueberroth next season. » October 8, 1988: Dodgers ace reliever Jay Howell is ejected in the 8th inning of game three of the NLCS for having pine tar on his glove, and the Mets go on to score five times in the inning on the way to an 8–4 win. Howell will be suspended for three days by the National League. » February 2, 1989: Bill White, a 6-time All-Star and longtime Yankees broadcaster, is elected president of the National League. He becomes the highest-ranking black official in American professional sports. » April 10, 1989: Eddie Murray hits his first National League home run, a grand slam in the top of the 9th inning that leads the Dodgers to a 7–4 win over the Giants. It is Murray's 15th career grand slam. » June 25, 1989: In a first in the National League, the Mets' defense does not record a single assist in a 5–1 win over Philadelphia, tying the major-league record set by the Yanks in July 4, 1945. New York pitchers retire the Phillies on 13 strikeouts, 12 fly outs, and two ground balls to 1B. Sid Fernandez is the winner, with Rick Aguilera tossing an inning of relief. » July 6, 1989: Despite having retired on May 29th, Mike Schmidt is elected to start at 3B for the National League in the All-Star Game. A's OF Jose Canseco, who has not played all season because of a wrist injury, is picked to start for the American League, but neither will play in the game. » August 3, 1989: The Reds score 14 runs in the first inning of an 18–2 demolition of the Astros. ML records set during the onslaught include most hits in an inning (16), most players with two hits in an inning (7), and most singles in an inning (12). Mariano Duncan and Luis Quinones each tie the major-league record by batting three times and the team ties the National League and ML mark with most players scoring twice (6). Tom Browning is the easy complete game winner while Jim Clancy, who gives up seven runs while recording no outs, is the loser. Bob Forsch, allows 10 runs on 18 hits in seven innings, and Juan Agosto, one run in one inning. » September 19, 1989: San Diego's Mark Davis becomes the 7th pitcher ever to save 40 games in a season by nailing down the Padres' 5–1 win over the Reds. He will finish the season with 44 saves, one shy of Bruce Sutter's National League record. » October 4, 1989: Will Clark goes 4-for-4 with two home runs, including the first NLCS grand slam since 1977, to lead the Giants to a 11–3 win over the Cubs in Game One of the National League playoffs. Clark's six RBI tie Bobby Richardson's single-game post season record set in the 1960 World Series. » October 9, 1989: The Giants win their first National League pennant since 1962 by defeating the Cubs 3–2 in game five of the NLCS. Will Clark bats .650 in the series with eight RBI to win MVP honors. » November 16, 1989: The National League champion Giants sign free-agent OF Kevin Bass, who hit .300 for Houston last season. » April 27, 1990: Wally Backman goes 6-for-6 in Pittsburgh's 9–4 win over San Diego to become the first National League player in 15 years to get six hits in a game. » April 29, 1990: The Cubs Greg Maddux sets a major-league record for pitchers when he records seven putouts in a 4–0 win over the Dodgers. Maddux will record 39 putouts for the year to tie Vic Willis's National League mark for the century set in 1904. Greg will then match it again in 1991 and 1993. » June 4, 1990: The Dodgers Ramon Martinez, 22, strikes out 18 Braves in a 2–0 win. He ties Sandy Koufax's club record and is one short of the National League mark. Martinez whiffed none in the 9th inning. » June 14, 1990: The National League announces plans to expand from 12 to 14 teams for the 1993 season. The price of admission is 95 million dollars. » June 19, 1990: Gary Carter catches his 1,862nd career game to break Al Lopez's National League mark. He goes 0-for-3 in the Giants' 4–3 loss to San Diego. Batting for Ed Vosberg in the bottom of the 5th, Giants Don Robinson becomes the first pitcher to hit a pinch home run since 1971. San Diego's Bruce Hurst serves up the gopher. His job done, Robinson does not pitch. » July 10, 1990: Six American League pitchers combine for a 2-hitter and a 2–0 victory over the National League in a rain-delayed All Star game at Wrigley Field. Rangers 2B Julio Franco drives in both runs in the 7th inning and is named MVP. » August 29, 1990: The defending World Champion A's seemingly lock up another pennant by acquiring slugger Harold Baines from the Rangers for a pair of minor leaguers (P Scott Chiamparino and P Joe Bitker) and OF Willie McGee from the Cardinals for Felix Jose and two more minor leaguers (3B Stan Royer and P Daryle Green). McGee, who will be a free agent at the end of the year, is hitting (.335), which will lead the National League in hitting. » October 3, 1990: George Brett pinch hits a single in Kansas City's finale, a 5–2 loss to Cleveland, to end the season at .329 and win the AL batting crown, his 3rd in three decades. Willie McGee's .335 wins the National League batting title despite having been traded out of the league in August. He hits .324 overall. » December 3, 1990: National League batting champion Willie McGee signs as a free agent with the Giants, ending his 3-month stint across the bay with Oakland. » December 5, 1990: Free-agent OF Vince Coleman signs a 4-year contract with the Mets. He has led the National League in stolen bases each of the last six seasons, and this year (June 3rd) copped his 500th theft in his 804th game, the quickest player to reach that plateau. » December 18, 1990: The National League announces the six finalist cities for the two expansion clubs that will join the league in 1993: Buffalo, Denver, Miami, Orlando, Tampa-St. Petersburg, and Washington, DC. » April 23, 1991: Rob Dibble of the Reds fans six consecutive Astros to tie the National League record for most Ks in a row by a relief pitcher. Dibble records his 2nd save of the year as the Reds defeat the Astros, 3-1. » May 1, 1991: Dodger OF Darryl Strawberry ties an National League record by striking out five times in a game against the Expos. "I really can't figure it out," he says, "because I feel so good up there." Strawberry also drops a fly ball for a 3-base error in the 9-3 loss. » May 3, 1991: The Pirates defeat the Astros 1-0 in a 1-hour, 45-minute contest, the National League's shortest 9-inning game since September 1, 1981. » May 4, 1991: Mackey Sasser and Mark Carreon stroke consecutive pinch home runs in the Mets' 6-4, 12-inning win over the Giants. It is the first time the feat has been performed in the National League since 1975. » June 12, 1991: In a straw vote held at the owner's meetings in California, National League owners voted unanimously to admit Denver and Miami to the league beginning in 1993. » June 16, 1991: In a 7-6 loss to Montreal, the Braves' Otis Nixon steals six bases to set a new National League mark, and tie the major league record of Eddie Collins, who did it twice in 1912. Nixon singles to lead off the 9th and steals 2nd. After two are out, he steals 3B uncontested. Told afterwards he had tied the record, a surprised Nixon remarks, "I thought the record was held by Rickey Henderson or Vince Coleman. I don't know who this guy (Collins) is." » July 5, 1991: Denver and Miami are approved by National League owners as expansion franchises scheduled to begin play in 1993. » July 9, 1991: Cal Ripken Jr.'s 3-run home run lifts the American League to a 4-2 win over the National League in the annual All-Star Game. Andre Dawson homers for the NLers who lose for the 4th straight year. Ripken, who also won the pre-All-Star Game Home Run Derby, is named the game's MVP. » August 18, 1991: Toronto's first two hitters -- Devon White and Roberto Alomar -- hit home runs off Detroit's Bill Gullickson in the Blue Jays' 4-2 win. Gullickson teed up leadoff homers once before, in the National League. » August 25, 1991: Cubs OF Doug Dascenzo commits an error in Chicago's 12-9 loss to San Diego, ending his National League-record streak of 242 consecutive games without a miscue (442 chances). The streak, which began in 1988, is two games short of the American League record. » September 16, 1991: It's a day for suspensions. Atlanta OF Otis Nixon is suspended for 60 days (the remainder of the season) for violating baseball's drug policy. Nixon, who had been arrested on charges of cocaine possession in 1987, is currently leading the National League with 72 SBs. He will miss the NL playoffs due to the suspension. Cincinnati P Norm Charlton is suspended for seven days and fined an undisclosed amount for admitting he intentionally threw at Dodgers C Mike Piazza in a game played on September 9th. » September 24, 1991: Howard Johnson of the Mets strokes his 37th home run of the season to set a new National League record for switch-hitters, in NY's 10-8 loss to Pittsburgh. Johnson himself had set the previous mark in 1987. He will finish the year with 38 homers and 117 RBIs, becoming the 1st switch-hitter to lead the NL in driving home runs. » September 28, 1991: The Cards Lee Smith ties the National League record for saves with his 45th, as St. Louis beats the Cubs, 3–2. Smith pitches a scoreless 9th to tie the mark of another Cardinal ex-Cub, Bruce Sutter, who racked up 45 in 1984. » October 1, 1991: Lee Smith of the Cardinals sets an National League record with his 46th save of the year in a 3-1 victory over the Expos. He'll finish the year with 47. » October 6, 1991: It's Fan Appreciation Day as David Cone of the Mets ties an National League record by striking out 19 Phillies in a 7–0 Mets win. The total gives Cone 241 for the year, as he leads the league for the 2nd straight season. Teammate Howard Johnson ends the season with 117 RBIs to lead the NL, the first Mets player to do so. He's also the first NL switch-hitter to lead in ribbies. » July 6, 1992: Commissioner Fay Vincent orders realignment of the National League for the 1993 season, forcing the Cubs and Cardinals into the Western Division. » July 14, 1992: The American League pounds out a record 19 hits in defeating the National League by a score of 13–6 in the All-Star Game. It's the AL's 5th straight win. Seattle's Ken Griffey Jr., who stroked a single, double, and home run is named the game's MVP, 12 years after his dad wins the same honor. » September 23, 1992: Cincinnati OF Bip Roberts ties an National League record with his 10th consecutive hit, in a 3–0 win over the Dodgers. He becomes the 8th player to achieve the feat. He finishes the day 1-for-4. Tim Pugh, with an inning from Rob Dibble, is the winner. » September 24, 1992: Baseball's executive council rescinds the National League realignment announced by Fay Vincent earlier this year. Vincent has since resigned from his post. » September 30, 1992: Greg Maddux blanks the Pirates, 6–0, to become the Cubs first 20–game winner in 15 years. He will tie Tom Glavine for the National League lead in wins. » October 9, 1992: Rookie Tim Wakefield hurls Pittsburgh to a 3–2 victory over the Braves, giving the Pirates their 1st win in the NLCS. He is the 1st rookie to start an National League playoff game since Philadelphia's Charles Hudson in 1983. Ron Gant homers for the Braves, but Andy Van Slyke's sac fly in the 7th provides the margin of victory. » October 10, 1992: The Braves take a 3–1 lead in the NLCS, defeating the Pirates, 6–4, behind the hitting, baserunning and pitching of John Smoltz. Smoltz, who had two singles and a SB, becomes the 1st National League pitcher to win his 1st four playoff starts. » October 11, 1992: Pittsburgh P Bob Walk stops the Braves on three hits to give the Pirates a 7–1 win in Game five of the NLCS. Braves P Steve Avery fails to make it past the 1st inning, marking the quickest exit by a hurler in the National League playoffs since Pittsburgh's Bob Moose in 1972. » November 17, 1992: Baseball holds the expansion draft to stock the rosters of the National League's two new teams, the Florida Marlins and Colorado Rockies. A total of 72 players are chosen. P David Nied is the 1st pick of the Rockies, while OF Nigel Wilson is selected 1st by the Marlins. The Fish take Jose Martinez with #2, while the Rocks pick vet Charlie Hayes. The best picks for Florida are #4 Trevor Hoffman, eventually packaged for Gary Sheffield; #11 Jeff Conine, who will hit 81 homers in four years; and #18 Cris Carpenter, later dealt to Texas for Robb Nen. For Colorado, they will find gold with #6 Eric Young, #10 Joe Girardi, #16 Vinny Castilla, and #18 Armando Reynoso. Picks #13 and 14 are good ones -- Andy Ashby, Brad Ausmus and Doug Bochtler -— but they'll all go to the Padres in 1993 in an ill-fated deal for pricey vet pitchers Bruce Hurst and Greg Harris. » November 19, 1992: Eric Karros is named the National League's Rookie of the Year. The Dodger 1B hit .257 with 20 homers, and was the first Dodger rookie to reach 20 home runs since Frank Howard in 1960. » March 31, 1993: National League president Bill White announces his resignation, which will take place in March of next year. » April 5, 1993: At Joe Robbie Stadium, the Florida Marlins make their National League debut with a 6-3 win over the Dodgers. Jeff Conine goes 4-for-4 while Charlie Hough gets the win. » April 6, 1993: In his National League debut, Cubs P Jose Guzman takes a perfect game into the 8th inning against Atlanta, finally settling for a 1-hit, 1-0 victory. Otis Nixon's single with two outs in the 9th is the Braves' only hit. » July 2, 1993: Chicago OF Sammy Sosa gets six hits, one short of the National League record, in the Cubs' 11-8 win over the Rockies. » July 14, 1993: The American League defeats the National League, 9-3, in the All-Star Game. Kirby Puckett, Roberto Alomar, and Gary Sheffield hit home runs, while the win goes to Jack McDowell. Craig Biggio is at 2B for the NL: last year he was on the team as a catcher, the first player ever to make it at those two positions. A highlight of the game is Randy Johnson firing a 95-MPH fastball over John Kruk's head. Kruk bails out on the next two pitches, saying afterwards, he's going to kill somebody." » July 22, 1993: During Colorado's 7-6 win over St. Louis, Cardinal P Bob Tewksbury surrenders a walk to Eric Young in the 7th inning, ending his streak of 55 1/3 innings without issuing a free pass. The National League record is 68. » September 1, 1993: Terry Mulholland beats the Cubs, 4–1, the 149th game in a row the Phils have scored, one short of National League record set by Pittsburgh 1924-5. » September 4, 1993: The Phillies lose to the Reds by a score of 6-5. In doing so, they set a new National League record by not being shut out in 151 consecutive games. The major league mark of 308 is held by the Yankees. » September 5, 1993: Philadelphia 1B John Kruk walks in his 1st at bat in the Phils 5-3 win over Cincinnati, giving him 100 free passes for the season. He is the 3rd Phillie to reach the mark this year, making them the 1st National League team ever to have such a trio. » September 15, 1993: The National League announces realignment of its teams into three divisions, with Pittsburgh agreeing to move into the Central Division. » September 24, 1993: The Rockies defeat the Reds, 9-2, setting a new National League record for wins by an expansion team with 65. » September 28, 1993: After three unsuccessful attempts, Dennis Martinez of the Expos picks up his 100th National League victory, defeating the Marlins, 3-2. He becomes the 7th pitcher in history to win 100 games in each league, joining Cy Young, Nolan Ryan, Gaylord Perry, Ferguson Jenkins, Jim Bunning. and Al Orth. » September 30, 1993: The Phillies lose to the Pirates, 5-0, suffering their 1st shutout in 174 games to set a new modern National League record. » October 2, 1993: At Atlanta, Greg Maddux limits the Rockies to four hits, winning 10–1. One of the hits is by Andres Galarraga, and it comes on his 502nd trip to the plate, just qualifying him for the National League batting title at .370. » October 3, 1993: Tommy Glavine outpitches David Nied and the Braves defeat the Rockies, 5–3, thus becoming the first National League team this century to sweep a season series from another team. Atlanta won all 13 contests between the two clubs and has won 104 overall. The Giants just miss a one-game playoff, finishing with 103 wins. » October 25, 1993: The American League matches the National League by making Tim Salmon the unanimous choice for Rookie of the Year. The Angels outfielder hit .283 with 31 homers and 95 RBIs. » March 1, 1994: Leonard Coleman, executive director of Major League Baseball's market development department, is elected president of the National League, succeeding Bill White. » April 4, 1994: Cubs OF Tuffy Rhodes becomes 1st National League player to hit three home runs on opening day when he connects off Dwight Gooden at Wrigley Field, but the Mets beat the Cubs 12-8, with Gooden getting the win over Mike Morgan. Tuffy's three home runs are consecutive and he adds a single. » April 29, 1994: Colorado 1B Andres Galarraga sets a new National League record by driving in his 30th run of the month in the Rockies' 6-5 victory over Chicago. The previous league mark of 29 was held by Dale Murphy and Ron Cey. » May 12, 1994: The Pirates lose to the Phillies, 6-4. In the process, they strand 17 runners on base, just one shy of the National League record for a 9-inning game. » May 17, 1994: Six St. Louis Cardinals pitchers combine to shut out the Pirates on two hits, 2-0. It is only the 3rd time in National League history, and the 2nd time in three days, that six hurlers have combined to blank another team. Tom Urbani gets the win, allowing one hit in seven 1/3 innings. » June 16, 1994: The Pirates defeat the Cardinals, 7-5 in 10 innings, in a game which sees St. Louis turn an National League-record-tying seven double plays. » June 28, 1994: Before a crowd of 55,021, the Rockies split a pair with the visiting Padres. The Rocks outslug the Pads to win the opener, 10–9, as the two teams combine for six homers. No balls leave the park in game 2, an 11–3 Padre win. San Diego scores a National League record nine runs in the 11th, and the 10 runs in the inning by two teams is one short of the NL mark. » June 29, 1994: The Dodgers defeat the Giants, 6-2, as SF 3B Matt Williams homers off Ramon Martinez in the 4th inning. It is Williams' 29th home run of the season, breaking Willie Stargell's National League mark for homers before July. » July 12, 1994: Moises Alou's double in the 10th inning gives the National League an 8-7 victory over the American League in the All-Star Game. The NL is now a perfect 9-0 in extra-inning contests. Houston P John Hudek becomes the 1st P in history to appear in an All-Star Game before recording a major league victory. Fred McGriff, whose 2-run homer in the 9th inning tied the score, takes MVP honors. » July 18, 1994: The Houston Astros spot the visiting St. Louis Cardinals an 11-run lead after three innings, but rally to win 15–12. The Astros score 11 runs in the 6th on the way to matching the largest comeback in National League history. » July 31, 1994: The Giants beat the Rockies, 9-4, as 3B Matt Williams hits his 39th and 40th home runs of the year. This gives him a new National League mark for homers through July. The previous standard was 36. The all-time record of 41 was set by Babe Ruth in 1928, and tied by Jimmie Foxx four years later. » January 1, 1995: Major league owners lock out the 64 American League and National League umpires. » March 7, 1995: The Veterans Committee elects former major leaguers Richie Ashburn, and Vic Willis, former National League president William Hulbert, and former Negro League player Leon Day to the Hall of Fame. Day will die of a heart attack six days from now. » April 7, 1995: The Marlins sign free agent IF Terry Pendleton, the National League's MVP in 1991. » May 6, 1995: In seven National League games, the 14 teams score a total of 118 runs to tie a record as the highest-scoring day in NL history. Seven of the teams score at least 10 runs, led by the Dodgers who plate 17 in their 17-11 win over Colorado. In the 2nd inning of that game, Colorado RF throws out Dodger Tom Candiotti at 1B for a 9–3 putout. » May 12, 1995: The Dodgers defeat the Cardinals, 8-4, in a sloppy game marked by an even dozen errors. Third basemen Scott Cooper of St. Louis and Garey Ingram of LA each make three miscues. It is the most errors made in an National League game since June 11, 1959. » May 16, 1995: Just 10 days after the record for the highest-scoring day in National League history is tied, four shutouts are tossed, by the Cubs, Mets, Padres, and Pirates. It is the 1st time this has happened since 1991. » May 28, 1995: The Padres defeat the Phillies, 13-5 in 10 innings. The nine runs they score in the 10th ties the National League mark for runs scored in a 10th inning. The 1947 Reds also accomplished the feat. » June 11, 1995: Cincinnati defeats Houston, 3-2, in 10 innings on Ron Gant's home run. It is Gant's 4th extra-inning homer of the season, tying him with Willie Mays for the National League record. Charlie Maxwell hit five for the Tigers in 1960. » June 22, 1995: The Reds defeat the Braves, 9-8, as Cincinnati's Eric Anthony and Eddie Taubensee both hit pinch-hitter home runs in the 8th inning. It is only the 2nd time that a club has hit two pinch homers in the same frame in the National League since 1975. » July 11, 1995: The National League defeats the American League in the All-Star Game, 3-2, on an 8th inning pinch-hitter home run by Jeff Conine. Conine becomes the 10th player to homer in his 1st All-Star at bat, and is named the Game's MVP. Frank Thomas, Craig Biggio, and Mike Piazza also connect for home runs. » July 30, 1995: Mike Schmidt, Richie Ashburn, Negro League star Leon Day, former National League president William A. Hulbert, and Vic Willis are inducted into the Hall of Fame. » August 2, 1995: The Padres score all 11 of their runs in the 8th inning of their 11-3 win over SF. It is the most runs scored in an inning in the National League this year. San Diego also had the highest-scoring inning in the league in 1994 and 1993. » August 18, 1995: In a slugfest at new Coors Field, the Cubs defeat the Rockies by a score of 26-7. A two 1/2 hour rain delay interrupted the contest which takes more than six hours to play. OF Luis Gonzalez drives home six runs for Chicago while Sammy Sosa goes 4-for-4, with four RBIs and four runs scored. Several ML records are tied by the Cubs: nine teammates each score two or more runs (Scott Servais and Sosa score 4, while Mark Grace plates 3); 14 Cubs hit safely, and 26 RBIs (ties the National League mark) are collected. The Cubs now have scored 20 or more runs 39 times, extending their ML record. Kevin Foster pitches the first three innings for Chicago, allowing only a Andres Galarraga homer before departing to rest with the Cubs up 9–1. Anthony Young picks up an easy win with one 1/3 innings of relief. » August 25, 1995: Rounding 2B in a 17–4 blowout over the Dodgers,, the Phils Darren Daulton tears the ACL in his right knee and will be out the remaining season. He'll play just five games in 1996. Gregg Jefferies becomes the first Phillie in 32 years to hit for the cycle, and hurler Jeff Juden goes the distance for the win, and also hits a grand slam. It is the 3rd grand slam hit by a pitcher in the National League this season, setting a league record. Florida's Chris Hammond and Pittsburgh's Denny Neagle hit the others. » September 11, 1995: At Jacobs Field, the Yankees record a rarity in their 4–0 win over the Indians—no assists. Jack McDowell allows four hits, walks four and strikes out eight in the nine innings as the Yanks register the 3rd no-assist game in the American League this century. Black Jack retires the side in the 9th on three pitches. The outfield makes eight of the 27 putouts. It last happened in the ML in a Mets-Phils game on June 25, 1989, the only time in the National League. » March 31, 1996: In the earliest Opening Day ever, the Mariners sail past the White Sox in 12 innings, 3–2 in Seattle. Randy Johnson sticks out 14 Sox in seven innings, but serving up a 2-run homer to Frank Thomas. Five M's pitchers strike out 21 batters, including Ron Karkovice five times, while the Sox use seven pitchers in the loss. The American League unveiled its new colorful red polo shirts for the umpires, part of the "What a Game" campaign to lure fans back to the parks. The last sartorial change was in the 1970s when AL umps wore red blazers for several years. Al umps will wear red and blue polo shirts for the season; National League umps will stick with traditional blue. » April 8, 1996: The National League announces that 325-pound umpire Eric Gregg has been granted a leave of absence so he can enter a weight loss program. » May 11, 1996: At John Franco Day at Shea Stadium, the veteran reliever celebrates by being ejected in the 5th inning following a vicious benches-clearing brawl between the Mets and the Cubs. The brawl, which lasts 18 minutes, starts when Mets' P Pete Harnisch reaches around ump Greg Bonin to punch Cubs' C Scott Servais. There are nine ejections, including Servais and Harnisch, who will receive an eight game suspension and a $1,000 fine for his punch. Mets bullpen coach Steve Swisher, also ejected, will get a 2-game suspension. Fortunately for the Mets, Rico Brogna was only punched, and he hits back with his 2nd homer, to win, 7–6 in the 9th inning. Brogna adds a triple and double on the afternoon. In 1996, National League umps will toss 101 players, a decrease of 11 tosses from 1995; American League umps will eject 75 during the year, down from 93 in 1995. » May 21, 1996: Larry Walker powers the Rockies to a 12–10 win over the Pirates by driving in six runs and scoring 4. Walker connects for two home runs, a triple and a double as Colorado tallies 20 hits. Tomorrow, Walker will get a double, triple, and triple to set a new National League record by getting extra-base hits in six straight plate appearances (i.e., with no intervening bases on balls, hit-by-pitch, or sacrifice bunts). Earlier today, before the double/triple/homer, but not consecutive to them, he had already hit a home run. By doing so, he will tie the major league record for most extra-base hits (seven) in two consecutive games. » May 29, 1996: John Smoltz (11–1) allows four hits in topping the Cubs, 2–0, in Atlanta. Smoltz strikes out 13 to raise his National League-lead to 97. » June 24, 1996: On Oh! Henry candy bar day in Montreal, Henry Rodriguez bangs two homers to tie for the National League lead at 25. His Expos beat the Pirates, 11–3, nine of the runs coming in the 2nd inning. Rodriguez adds a single and 2-run double. » June 30, 1996: Rockies 2B Eric Young steals six bases in Colorado's 16-15 win over the Dodgers to tie a major league record. Three steals come in the 3rd inning when he steals 2B, 3B, and home. The two teams score in 14 of their 18 turns at bat, tying another big league mark. There are seven lead changes in the contest, which is marked by 38 hits, 10 home runs and 10 stolen bases—9 steals when Hideo Nomo is on the mound. Three of the homers come on consecutive pitches as Mike Piazza, Eric Karros, and Raul Mondesi homer off Mark Thompson. The 4-hour and 20-minute game is the longest 9-inning contest in National League history. Mondesi drives home six runs for LA, while Dante Bichette gets five hits and four ribbies for Colorado. » July 9, 1996: The National League defeats the American League, 6-0, in the All-Star Game. Ken Caminiti and Mike Piazza homer for the winners. The game is the first All-Star contest in which no walks are issued by either team. Cal Ripken Jr. starts the game, despite suffering a broken nose when he accidentally catches a forearm from Chicago P Roberto Hernandez. Hernandez slipped on the tarp during the AL team photo shoot. » July 13, 1996: The Indians score four runs in the 4th, five runs in the 5th, and six runs in the 6th as they defeat the Twins, 19-11. The Tribe counts 12 doubles and three home runs among its 22 hits. The 12 doubles ties an American League reocrd set in 1990, and the two teams combine for 18 doubles, a new AL record (the National League mark is 23). Of Rich Becker gets four hits, including a double and two homers, and drives home six runs for Minnesota. » July 26, 1996: The Cubs defeat the Rockies, 17–4, as C Tyler Houston leads the way with a single, double, homer, and six RBIs. Sammy Sosa has his National League-leading 34th homer. » August 10, 1996: The Rockies jump to a 7–0 lead over the Braves, then need back to back homers in the 10th to win, 9–7. Andres Galarraga, with his 2nd homer, and Vinny Castilla homer off Mark Wohlers for the victory. Galarraga now leads the National League in RBIs with 107. » September 25, 1996: In a 7–5 win over the Dodgers, Barry Bonds goes 1–1 and receives an intentional walk, giving him a new National League record of 149 walks in a season. He also swipes two bases giving him 39. The Dodgers get a homer from Eric Karros, his 34th, and a 2-run pinch homer from Billy Ashby. Of Ashby's nine homers, five have been pinch hits, one short of Johnny Frederick's record. The Giants win clinches a tie for the NL West. » October 17, 1996: The Braves complete their comeback, winning their 3rd in a row, 15-0, to defeat the Cardinals and win the National League pennant. Homers by Fred McGriff, Javy Lopez, and Andruw Jones support the shutout pitching of Tom Glavine. » November 11, 1996: The Cy Young Award stays in Atlanta with the expected announcement of John Smoltz as the 1996 National League winner. Since 1991, five of the six Cy Young winners have been Braves. Smoltz is named first on 26 of 28 ballots, with Kevin Brown finishing second in the voting. » November 13, 1996: San Diego 3B Ken Caminiti is named the MVP of the National League. After the All-Star break, Caminiti led all NL players with a.360 average, 28 homers, and 81 RBI. He sealed the Padres NL West title by going 4-for-4 on September 27 against the Dodgers Ismael Valdes. » December 10, 1996: The Tigers make their biggest trade since 1957, sending four players to Houston in exchange for five Astros. Detroit C Brad Ausmus, P Jose Lima, lefties C.J. Nitkowski and Trever Miller, and IF Daryle Ward go to the National League for starters Brian Hunter and Orlando Miller, Doug Brocail and Todd Jones, and a player to come later. Brocail, also involved in the 1994 12-player swap between San Diego and Houston, will be Detroit's Opening Day pitcher in April. » May 7, 1997: The Expos score a National League-record 13 runs in the 6th inning of their game against the Giants on the way to a 19-3 win. The Expos send 17 batters to the plate. Mike Lansing homers twice in the inning to drive in five runs, becoming the 3rd Expo to perform the feat, and the 1st NL second baseman to do so since Bobby Lowe in 1894. Henry Rodriguez hits a grand slam in the 5-run 5th. » May 16, 1997: Michael Tucker's 2-out double in the 9th breaks up Alan Benes' no-hitter. Benes, unfortunately, is matched against Greg Maddux, who holds the Cards scoreless for eight innings. The Braves finally push across a run in the 13th on Andruw Jones' infield dribbler to beat Cardinals reliever John Frascatore, 1–0. The teams combine for 33 strikeouts, three shy of matching the National League record for an extra-inning game set by the Giants and Mets in 23-innings in 1964. » May 26, 1997: In the Cubs' 2–1 win in Pittsburgh, Chicago's Sammy Sosa and Pittsburgh's Tony Womack both hit inside-the-park homers in the sixth inning. It is the first time two inside-the-park homers are hit in the same National League game since Lou Brock and Hector Cruz of St. Louis did it against San Diego on June 18, 1976. Greg Gagne of the Twins had two for Minnesota on October 4, 1986. » June 9, 1997: The Mets Bobby Jones singles in a run and cops his eighth straight win, beating the host Reds, 4–2. Jones has won 11 games faster than any pitcher in Mets history and is the first National League pitcher to win 11 this season. » June 16, 1997: The Twins lose their first game to a National League team in the Metrodome as the Pirates win, 8–6. The Twins swept eight home games from St. Louis (1987) and Atlanta (1991) in their two World Series championships. Bucs' DH Mark Smith homers and Kevin Polcovich adds his first ML homer. » June 17, 1997: Ramon Garcia allows one hit in five innings and Luis Gonzalez's bases-loaded single helps the Astros to a six-run fifth inning, as Houston beats the host Royals, 10–2. Gonzalez stretches his hitting streak to 21 games, the longest of the season in the National League. » June 30, 1997: In the resumption of interleague play, the Cubs set the tone by edging the American League Royals, 8–7. Dave Clark's three-run, pinch-hit home run with two outs in the eighth tops off a five-run inning. Jeff King hit his 5th homer against National League pitchers for the Royals. » July 8, 1997: Baseball's realignment committee discusses a variety of plans including one that would have as many as 14 teams changing divisions and leagues next year. Kansas City would switch to the National League, and baseball's eight Pacific and Mountain time zone teams could be grouped together if the sport switches back from six divisions to four in 1997. With the addition of Arizona to the National League next season and Tampa Bay to the American League, baseball's current plan calls for two 15-team leagues in 1998 with three divisions in each. The Major Leagues have till August 1st to present next year's schedule to the players' association. » July 15, 1997: Visiting San Francisco scores 13 runs in the 7th inning—the most in the National League since the Dodgers scored 15 in the 1st inning against the Reds in 1952—to coast to a 16–2 win over the Padres. The Giants send 19 men to the plate in the 7th and face 80 pitches in the 52-minute inning. They score seven runs before J.T. Snow grounds out for the first out. Five Giants score two runs each, including starting pitcher Kirk Rueter (6-4). The only player not to score is Snow, who Ks with the bases loaded for the second out. » July 21, 1997: Phillies ace Curt Schilling fans 15 in eight innings, the most in the National League this season, but loses 3–2 to the visiting Pirates. Home runs by Al Martin and Kevin Polcovich are the difference. Polcovich homers in the seventh after he missing a suicide-squeeze bunt, resulting in a Buc' runner being tagged out. Before the game, the Phillies trade veteran Darren Daulton to Florida for outfielder Billy McMillon. » August 20, 1997: It's an easy day at the office for the Reds as they record no assists in a 5–3 loss to the Rockies (14 flies, 12 Ks, one unass, grounder). This has happened just once before in the National League, by the Mets against the Phillies on June 25, 1989. » September 5, 1997: OF Deion Sanders leaves the Reds to join the Dallas Cowboys for the remainder of the season. Sanders is leading the National League is stolen bases with 56, but will be overtaken by Pittsburgh's Tony Womack. » September 7, 1997: Atlanta's Denny Neagle wins his 20th game, shutting out the Padres, 4–0. He's the first to win 20 in the National League. » September 16, 1997: In Philadelphia, Curt Schilling retires the first 22 Mets batters to lead the Phils to a 3–2 win. He also passes the 300-strikeout mark when he strikes out Edgardo Alfonzo in the 4th inning, just the 13th pitcher to reach it and the first in the National League since Mike Scott in 1986. Pinch-hitter Luis Lopez breaks up Schilling's bid for a no hitter with a one-out, single to center in the eighth. » September 21, 1997: The Cubs beat the Phils, 11–3, but Curt Schilling racks up eight K's to match J.R. Richard for the most strikeouts by a National League righty (313). He'll finish with 319 strikeouts. Ryne Sandberg, in his final game at Wrigley, is 2-for-3 before leaving for a pinch runner in the 5th. He makes a curtain call in the 7th when Harry Caray sings. Kevin Tapani wins his 6th straight start. » September 29, 1997: The Pirates trip the playoff-bound Astros, 5–4 in 11 innings. Jose Guillen is the star, hitting a home run, driving in three and scoring the winning run. Craig Biggio, playing in his National League-best 381st straight game, is lifted for a pinch runner in the 4th. He ends the season of 162 games without grounding into a DP, tying Dick McAuliffe's major-league record set in 1968. » October 14, 1997: The Marlins win their 1st National League pennant by defeating the Braves, 7-4, and winning the NLCS, four games to 2. Kevin Brown goes the distance for the clincher, while Bobby Bonilla gets three RBIs to lead Florida. Keith Lockhart has four hits for the Braves. » November 5, 1997: In what Bud Selig says is Phase one of a realignment of the major leagues, his Milwaukee Brewers move from the American League to the National League. » November 11, 1997: Pedro Martinez is named National League Cy Young Award winner. » March 31, 1998: The Mets and Phillies tie the National League mark for the longest opening day game, with NY coming out on top with a 1–0 win in 14 innings on pinch-hitter Alberto Castillo's single. Curt Schilling shuts out the Mets for the first eight innings on only two hits, while fanning 9. » April 2, 1998: Jeromy Burnitz hits two home runs, including an 11th inning grand slam, as the Brewers hold on to beat the Braves, 8–6. It is the Brewers first win in the National League. » April 4, 1998: Cardinals 1B Mark McGwire homers in his 4th straight game to tie the National League record set by Willie Mays in 1971 for home runs in consecutive games at the beginning of the season. The Cardinals defeat the Padres by an 8–6 score. » April 10, 1998: The Dodgers Mike Piazza becomes the 5th National League player in history to hit grand slams in consecutive games by homering in the Dodgers 7–2 win over the Astros. Piazza also homered with the bags full, while driving in six runs, in last night's 7–2 win over Arizona. He'll hit another on April 24th to tie the major-league record for slams in a month. » April 15, 1998: The Yankees defeat the Angels, 6–3, in an afternoon game played at Shea Stadium. The Mets defeat the Cubs, 2–1, in a night game, marking the first time in history that American and National League games are played in the same park on the same day. » May 13, 1998: The Atlanta Braves set an National League record by homering in their 25th straight game, a 10–2 win over the Cardinals. This ties the major league mark held by the 1941 Yankees and the 1994 Tigers. The streak will be stopped by the Cardinals tomorrow. » June 14, 1998: Carlton Loewer pitches an impressive complete game 5–hitter in his ML debut to lead the Phils to a 4–2 win over the visiting Cubs. Loewer walks none and strikes out eight and at one stretch retires 14 straight. Mark Clark goes five innings for the Cubs to take the loss. The last complete game debut was by Boston's Nate Minchey, who beat the Indians 11–1 on September 12, 1993. The last National League complete–game debut was by Pittsburgh's Tim Wakefield, who beat the Cards, 3–2, on July 31, 1992. » July 7, 1998: The American League defeats the National League, 13–8, in the 69th All–Star Game. Baltimore's Roberto Alomar is named the game's MVP, going 3–for–4 with a home run, RBI, SB and two runs scored. » August 4, 1998: OF Darryl Strawberry's pinch-hitter grand slam is the big blow in NY's 9–run 9th inning, as the Yankees come from behind to defeat the A's 10–5 in the 2nd game of a DH. It is his 2nd pinch-hitter slam of the season, setting a new American League record, and tying the National League mark held by his former manager, Davey Johnson, and Mike Ivie, both set in 1978. New York also wins the 1st game of the twinbill, 10–4. » August 18, 1998: Greg Maddux wins his 200th game as the Braves double up the Giants, 8–4. Maddux allows one earned run to lower his National League best ERA to 1.65. In a rarity, the Braves collect nine hits—all doubles. Gerald Williams, Danny Bautista and Walt Weiss have two apiece, while Eddie Perez drives in three runs with another. » August 30, 1998: Curt Schilling throws his ML-leading 13th CG, stopping the Giabnts, 5–4. Schilling is helped by a triple play as he raises his strikeout total to an National League-high 258. Bonds hits homers #29 and #30, the 7th straight year he's had 30 homers and the 8th year he's reached 100 RBIs. » September 1, 1998: Mark McGwire hits his 56th and 57th home runs of the season, in a 7–1 Cardinals' win over Florida, to break Hack Wilson's National League standard for home runs in a season. McGwire also eclipses Babe Ruth's record of 114 home runs in consecutive seasons set in 1927–28. » September 4, 1998: With his Giants down 6–0, Barry Bonds, with 23 stolen bases so far, attempts to steal 2B but is thrown out. Ellis Burks then hits a home run and the Giants end up losing, 8–5. Bonds ends the game with a National League record of 15 straight times reaching base. » September 5, 1998: Giants OF Barry Bonds strikes out in the 1st inning of the game against the Dodgers to snap his National League record streak of reaching base safely 15 consecutive times. Bonds went 9–for–9 in the streak, which surpassed the old mark set by Pedro Guerrero in 1985. The Dodgers take the game by a score of 6–3. » September 12, 1998: Mark McGwire draws his 152nd walk of the season, to break the National League mark set by Barry Bonds, as the Astros defeat the Cardinals, 3–2. » September 13, 1998: Sammy Sosa hits his 61st and 62nd home runs of the season against the Milwaukee Brewers to tie the National League record of 10 multi–HR games in a single season set by Ralph Kiner in 1947. The two home runs pace the Cubs to an 11–10 win, and tie Sosa with Mark McGwire for the home run lead. » September 18, 1998: Houston's Randy Johnson loses his no-hit bid in the 7th but improves his National League record to 9–1, beating the Pirates, 5–2. The Big Unit allows four hits. » September 21, 1998: Pittsburgh C Jason Kendall steals his 26th base of the season to set a new National League record for catchers. The previous mark was set by John Stearns in 1978. The Pirates lose to the Giants, however, 8–1. » September 25, 1998: The fading Mets (88–72) lose another to the Braves, 6–5, as Dennis Martinez, the 3rd of seven pitchers, is the winner. Meanwhile, the rampaging Giants (88–72) top the Rockies to move into a tie for the National League wild–card. » September 28, 1998: The Giants score three runs in top of the 9th inning, but come up short as the Cubs defeat San Francisco, 5–3, in a one–game playoff to win the National League wild card spot in the playoffs. » October 21, 1998: The Yankees close out an incredible year by shutting out the Padres, 3–0, and sweeping the National League champs to win the World Series. Andy Pettitte gets the victory, and Scott Brosius is named Series MVP. » November 8, 1998: Cubs slugger Sammy Sosa is named the National League MVP. Sosa hits 66 homers and led the National League in RBIs while carrying the Cubs to the playoff. » March 30, 1999: The Players Association releases the results of a survey rating major league umpires in both leagues. Tim McClelland (American League) and Jerry Crawford (National League) receive the highest grades, while Ken Kaiser (AL) and Charlie Williams (NL) receive the lowest. » April 5, 1999: The Giants defeat the Reds, 11–8, on 3B Charlie Hayes' go–ahead 3–run home run in the 8th inning. Hayes replaced starter Bill Mueller, who broke his toe after being hit by a Brett Tomko pitch as the second batter up in the game. SF OF Bobby Bonds sets an National League record by receiving his 290th intentional walk in the 4th inning. The old record was held by Hank Aaron. » April 8, 1999: Philadelphia defeats Atlanta, 6–3, and the Phils tie an National League record by using five pitchers in the 8th inning. Only one run scores in the frame as the Braves leave the bases loaded. » April 21, 1999: The Braves defeat the Dodgers, 11–4, by scoring seven runs in the 12th inning, two short of the National League record for the frame. » April 23, 1999: The Brewers sink the Pirates, 9–1, as P Steve Woodard hurls the complete game victory. The win ends Milwaukee's National League record streak of 113 games without a complete game. 3B Jeff Cirillo leads the Brewer attack with three hits, including a double and home run, and four RBIs. » May 15, 1999: When SS Alex Arias of the Philadelphia Phillies snags Mike Piazza's line drive in the sixth inning he starts the Phillies' 30th franchise triple play and their 10th against a team from New York City. It was just the second triple play turned in Veterans Stadium and the 237th in the National League since 1901. Arias has participated in two triple plays for the Phils, he initiated one last season against the San Francisco Giants. The Mets still win, 9–7. » June 19, 1999: The Padres defeat the Pirates, 5-4, as San Diego P Trevor Hoffman records the save. He becomes just the 2nd P in National League history to post 200 saves with one team (John Franco has done so with the Mets). » June 30, 1999: President Bill Clinton shows up in time to see Sammy Sosa blast his National League-leading 30th homer as the Cubs edge the Brewers, 5–4. Sosa has nine homers in his last 13 hits. » July 1, 1999: The Brewers defeat the Cubs, 19-12, as SS Jose Valentin hits 2-run home runs from each side of the plate. 2B Ron Belliard and C Dave Nilsson each get four hits for Milwaukee, while Belliard drives home five runs. The Brewer light up Steve Trachsel for 10 runs in 3.2 innings pitched, hanging his National League high 11th loss on him. The Brew Crew collects 21 hits for the 2nd times in three nights. There are eight homers in the game, including a pair by Cubs Mickey Morandini. Not homering after four straight games in which he went deep is Sammy Sosa, who singles twice. » July 2, 1999: Umpire Tom Hallion is suspended for three games for his actions during an argument with Colorado catcher Jeff Reed and pitching coach Milt May on June 26th. The dispute began when Rockies pitcher Mike DeJean, while walking to his dugout complained to third base umpire Terry Tata about a check-swing call, and home plate ump Hallion, told DeJean to get in the dugout. Officials couldn't recall another suspension of an umpire for an on-field dispute. In 1990, National League president Bill White was prepared to suspend umpire Joe West for slamming Philadelphia pitcher Dennis Cook to the field, but commissioner Fay Vincent intervened and no discipline was imposed. » July 5, 1999: The Cardinals defeat the Diamondbacks, 1-0, as Jose Jimenez hurls a 2-hitter to defeat Randy Johnson. Jimenez no-hit the Diamondbacks in his last appearance against them. Johnson loses his 3rd game in a row, during which Arizona has not scored a run and only made three hits. He K's 12 Cardinals to tie Dwight Gooden's National League mark of 43 strikeouts over three starts. He also reaches 200 strikeouts for the year and ends St. Louis rookie Joe McEwing's 25-game hitting streak, the 5th longest ever for a rookie. » July 13, 1999: The American League defeats the National League, 4-1, to win the All-Star Game at Fenway Park in Boston. Red Sox P Pedro Martinez is named the game's MVP as he strikes out the 1st four hitters to bat against him, and five of the six he faces in his two innings of work. The game begins 15 minutes late as Hall of Fame OF Ted Williams rides out in a cart for the first-pitch ceremony. Players from both teams surround the former Red Sox star in a spontaneous display of homage. » July 29, 1999: Thirteen National League umpires lose their jobs as the resignations they tendered on July 14 are accepted. » August 3, 1999: The major league baseball umpires union files unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations board to block the American League and National League from using minor league replacements. » September 4, 1999: Cincinnati scores nine runs in the 5th inning on the way to a 22-3 blowout over Philadelphia. The Reds tie an National League record by hitting nine home runs in the contest -- 2 by C Eddie Taubensee and one apiece by Aaron Boone, Dmitri Young, Jeffrey Hammonds, Greg Vaughn, Pokey Reese, Brian Johnson, and Mark Lewis. Chad Ogea, in two 2/3 innings, allows three dingers; he has now served up a league high 35. Stan Belinda of the Reds earns a save for Pete Harnisch (14-8); he benefits from the rule that mandates a save be awarded if a pitcher works three innings in relief. » September 11, 1999: The Astros defeat the Cubs, 5-3, as Jose Lima becomes the 1st 20-game winner in the National League. » October 3, 1999: The Braves belt 21 hits in defeating the Marlins, 18-0, a Braves franchise record for their largest shutout win in 114 years. Fifteen players score for the Braves, a new National League record and ML record. » October 4, 1999: The Mets whitewashes the Reds, 5-0, to become the National League's wild card team. Al Leiter hurls a complete game 2-hitter for the win. NY SS Rey Ordonez plays his 100th consecutive game without an error, setting a new major league mark. » October 6, 1999: The Diamondbacks defeat the Mets, 7-1, to even their National League division series at one game each. Todd Stottlemyre gets the win for Arizona, while OF Steve Finley drives home five of his team's runs. » October 11, 1999: The National League announces Mets coach Cookie Rojas is suspended for five games for pushing umpire Charlie Williams during Saturday's win over the Diamondbacks. » November 15, 1999: Arizona Diamondback P Randy Johnson is named the National League Cy Young Award winner. He is the 2nd pitcher to win the award in both leagues. » November 16, 1999: Surprise! Boston Red Sox P Pedro Martinez is named the unanimous winner of the American League Cy Young Award. He led the AL in wins, strikeouts and ERA. Martinez also won the award in the National League, just the 3rd pitcher to do so. » April 22, 2000: The Rockies clip the Cardinals, 7-6. Mark McGwire and Fernando Tatis homer for St. Louis as the Cards set an National League mark for most home runs in the month of April (42). » April 30, 2000: The Cardinals defeat the Phillies, 4-3, as Mark McGwire and Jim Edmonds hit home runs. St. Louis finishes the month with 55 homers, a new record for April. It also ties the National League mark for homers in any month. » July 11, 2000: The American League wins its 4th consecutive All-Star Game, beating the National League, 6-3. Derek Jeter of the Yankees and Chipper Jones of the Braves each go 3-for-3 in the contest. Jeter takes MVP honors, while Chicago's James Baldwin gets the victory. » May 23, 2002: At Miller Park, Dodger OF Shawn Green becomes the second player this year to hit four home runs in a game, doing so in LA's 16–3 shellacking of the Brewers. Green goes 6–6 in the contest, scores six runs (both Dodgers records), drives home seven runs, and sets a major league record with 19 total bases. This breaks Joe Adcock's former mark of 18 set in 1954. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, six players have produced 17 or more total bases in a game with the last being Mike Schmidt in 1976. Green is the first player to collect six hits while hitting four homers, and his four homers plus a double ties the National League mark for extra base hits. The Dodgers hit eight homers in the game, another franchise record. Before today's power display, Green had gone 0-for-15, and been benched May 18. » June 16, 2002: Barry Zito wins his 8th straight game as Oakland beats their rivals, the SF Giants, 2–1. The win gives the A's a 58-37 record against the National League, the best inter-league record of any team. The A's will finish the season 16–2 against the National League. » July 2, 2002: At Cincinnati, the Astros and Reds play the first inning with non–regulation baseballs, the result of a mix–up by an attendant in the umpires' locker room. The attendant did not notice the word "practice" stenciled on the 144 balls he rubbed up for the game; the practice balls generally have defects such as irregular stitching or weight deviations. Astros pitcher Wade Miller notices the practice ball when warming up and informs ump Mark Hirschbeck, who rules that the practice balls must be used in the bottom of the 1st before switching. Reds starter Wade Miller served up a homer in the 1st to Lance Berkman, who hits another in his next at bat, good for five RBIs. He leads the National League with 74 ribbies. The Astros win in the 10th, 6–5. Austin Kearns has four hits, and Adam Dunn a homer for the Reds. » August 12, 2002: The Astros down the Cubs, 9–6, despite Sammy Sosa's 5th home run in the last three games. Sosa's blast makes him only the 3rd player in National League history with five straight 40–HR seasons. » August 29, 2002: 1B Mark Bellhorn becomes the 1st player in National League history to homer from both sides of the plate in the same inning, doing so in the Cubs' 10–run 4th inning in Chicago's 13–10 win over the Brewers. He also ties a team record with five RBIs in the inning. » August 31, 2002: The Mets are shut out by the Phillies, 1–0, to mark their 13th consecutive home defeat. In doing so, they become the first National League team to lose all their home games over the course of a month. » September 2, 2002: Braden Looper (1–5) in his 66th relief appearance of the year, extends the Mets home losing streak to 15 in the 12–inning first game of a doubleheader. Florida wins 3–2. Preston Wilson ties the game in the 9th with a home run, and Juan Encarnacion wins it with an RBI double. The Mets take the nitecap, 11–5, overcoming back-to-back home runs in the 2nd by Derrek Lee and Mike Lowell. Mike Piazza drills a pinch 3-run home run. The win snaps the Mets home loss streak at 15 games, a National League record set the 1911 Braves. They last won at home on July 31. » September 3, 2002: The Mets lose the 1st game of their doubleheader against the Marlins, 3–2, but bounce back to take the nightcap, 11–5. The loss in the opener sets a new National League record for consecutive home losses with 15. » September 11, 2002: The Mets and Braves split a doubleheader, with Atlanta winning the 1st game, 8–5, and New York taking the nightcap, 5–0. John Smoltz gets the save in the opener, making him the 7th pitcher in history to record 50 saves in a season. Smoltz will set the National League season saves record with 55, topping the old mark of 53 shared by Randy Myers and Trevor Hoffman. Chicago's Bobby Thigpen set the major league record of 57 in 1990. » September 15, 2002: The Cubs shut out the Reds, 6–0, as OF Sammy Sosa drives in his 100th run of the season on a 3–run home run in the 8th inning. In doing so, he joins Mel Ott and Willie Mays as the only National League players to post eight consecutive 100–RBI seasons. » September 26, 2002: Livan Hernandez (12–16) pitches a masterful 2–hitter as the Giants beat the Padres, 6–0. Hernandez is tied with Ben Sheets for most losses in the National League. The Giants stay three games ahead of LA for the wild card spot. Reggie Sanders connects twice for homers, and Barry Bonds walks in his 16th straight game to tie Jack Clark's NL record set in 1987. He's walked 194 times; he'll end the year with 198 passes, a new major-league record topping Ruth's mark of 1923. Bonds will finish with a .582 on–base percentage, easily topping the old mark of .553 that Ted Williams had set in 1941. » September 28, 2002: At San Francisco, the Giants clinch the National League wild card over LA by defeating the Astros, 5–2. The two clubs set a major-league record by using 16 pitchers in the game. Barry Bonds has two RBIs, including a splash homer, his 46th of the year. It's the 20th he's plopped in the bay; only 26 have been hit there. Jeff Bagwell and Lane homer for the Astros. » September 29, 2002: The Cardinals win their 97th, beating the Brewers, 4–0. Andy Benes pitches five innings before leaving with a back twinge. Wayne Franklin pitches seven innings for the Brewers. Edgar Renteria knocks in the game's 1st run in the 8th with the 1st of two RBIs. He finishes with 82 RBIs, the highest for a Bird SS since Doc Lavan's 82 in 1921. Albert Pujols has no RBIs, but finishes with 127, one behind National League leader Lance Berkman. Pujols is the first batter since Ted Williams in 1939–40 to drive in more than 250 runs in his first two seasons in the majors. Pujols drove in 257 runs in his first two campaigns. Just four big–leaguers have posted 250 or more RBIs in their first two years in the majors. Joe DiMaggio holds the record with 292 ribbies in his first two; Dale Alexander with 272, is in 2nd place. » November 4, 2002: Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Eric Hinske is named Rookie of the Year in the American League, and Rockies pitcher Jason Jennings is named the National League's top rookie. Hinske, 25, was acquired from Oakland in the Billy Koch deal, and hit .279 with 24 homers. He had 122 points to finish ahead of Orioles pitcher Rodrigo Lopez (15–9) with 97 points. Jennings had 150 points to runner–up Brad Wilkerson with 59 points. Jennings was 4–1 in 2001, and posted a 16–8 record this season, including 9–4 at Coors Field. He is the first Rockie to win the award. » November 6, 2002: Anaheim's Mike Scioscia wins the AL Manager of the Year award while St. Louis' Tony LaRussa takes National League honors. » November 14, 2002: The National League Gold Glove winners are announced. Braves P Greg Maddux wins his 13th straight award. » December 15, 2002: A four-way trade is announced at the winter meetings in Nashville. The A's get 1B Erubiel Durazo from the Diamondbacks. The Diamondbacks get P Elmer Dessens, who sported the 5th best ERA (3.03) in the National League, from the Reds. The Reds get SS Felipe Lopez from the Blue Jays. The Blue Jays get Jason Arnold from Oakland.