IN THE NEWS: In the 9th inning at Philadelphia, 1B Don Hurst cracks his 6th home run in as many games, a major-league record up to this time. In the six games, Hurst had no other hits. The Phils win 2–0 over Pittsburgh, with Les Sweetland allowing 11 hits in the shutout to beat Larry French.
At St. Louis, the Cards bomb Dazzy Vance for 18 hits and 13 runs in his six inning stint, before Uncle Robby mercifully removes him. As the Dazzler leaves, the band plays, "the old grey mare ain't what she used to be." Six of the blows are for extra bases, including Jim Bottomley's 24th homer, as Sunny Jim knocks in five runs. Mitchell coasts home with the win for the Cards.
The A's spot the Tigers six runs in the first inning, then rally to win, 11–10. Harry Heilmann had four hits, including two homers, for the losers, as did McManus and Alexander. The Tigers outhit the A's 13–10. The A's victory increases their American League lead to 11 1/2 games over the Yankees, losers today to the Indians, 9–8.
After being shut out four straight times by Giants hurler Fred Fitzsimmons, the Reds score off him in the first inning, add two unearned runs in the 3rd to win, 3–2. Freddie allows just four hits in losing to Pete Donohue. Before the game, John McGraw issues a vehement denial that he has hurt morale by browbeating his players and issuing fines for errors. He says he has only fined Hubbell $25 for failing to touch second base in a game, and Frank Hogan $50 for failing to show up at the team hotel in Boston one night. "These, plus a fine of $100 assessed against Jack Cummings for being absent without leave for ten days—during which I had no idea where he was and could not even notify him of his transfer to the Braves—constitutes the total fines I have ordered." He also states that he hasn't even been in the clubhouse since July 18th.
IN THE NEWS: The Cubs complain about the ragged shirt sleeve on Dodger Dazzy Vance's pitching arm, an age-old trick to distract a batter. A rule will be passed enforcing neater dressing habits by pitchers. For the second day in a row, Vance has not much more than a sleeve as the Cubs pound Brooklyn, 12–2, behind Hal Carlson.
IN THE NEWS: The Yankees take the opening game of two from the visiting Cleveland Indians, winning 12–0. Tom Zachary wins his 7th straight. In the 2nd game, after trailing 6–5 with two out in the top of the 9th, Cleveland scores an American League record-tying nine runs, to win 14–6.
IN THE NEWS: Despite three triples by Charlie Gehringer, the Senators overwhelm the Tigers, 21–5, collecting 21 hits. Sam Rice and Buddy Myers each have four hits and four runs as every hitter in the lineup hits a safety. Winning pitcher Lloyd Brown scores three runs.
IN THE NEWS: In a Ladies Day game at Wrigley that draws 29,000 women and 11,000 men, the Cubs have their 5-game win streak stopped by Brooklyn, 5–4, despite Hornsby's 23rd home run of the year. Brooklyn's Jughead Johnny Morrison is the winner over Chicago ace Pat Malone. But Chicago will win their next three.
After the visiting Senators outslug the Yankees 13–11, New York earns a split, 8–0, on two homers by Babe Ruth. The first is a grand slam in the 5th, his 26th homer of the year. Heimach scatters three hits to earn the nitecap win. Buddy Myers four hits, including three doubles in the opener, paces a 14-hit Nat attack. Durst, Cronin, and West homer for Washington.
IN THE NEWS: For the 2nd game in a row, Babe Ruth hits a grand slam home run as the Yanks roll to a 13–1 win over the A's in the lidlifter. Cochrane homers in his one at bat for the A's only run as the Yankees score 10 runs in the first two innings. George Pipgras is the winner. The A's take the nitecap, 4–2, as George Earnshaw goes eight innings for the win.
IN THE NEWS: Rogers Hornsby cracks a 4th inning homer—one of his four hits—as Chicago edges the Reds 1–0 at Wrigley. Charlie Root allows seven hits in beating rookie Benny Frey.
IN THE NEWS: 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.
IN THE NEWS: Babe Ruth hits home run No. 500, in the 2nd inning off Willis Hudlin of Cleveland, but the Yankees lose, 6–5. Ruth has gone deep six times in his last seven games.
A 3-run homer by Bubbles Hargrave and another run on a throwing error by Joe Cronin allows the Tigers to tie the A's, 8–8 in the 9th. Bengal OF Roy Johnson wins it in the 11th by stroking a 2-out inside the park homer, off Orwell.
IN THE NEWS: 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.
OF George Quellich of the Reading Keys (IL) hits a grand slam against Montreal for his 15th consecutive hit over a 4-day period.
IN THE NEWS: It is Charlie Gehringer Day in Detroit, and the popular 2B handles 10 chances in the field, hits three singles and a home run, and steals home in a 17–13 win over the Yankees.
The Pirates reduce the idle Cubs lead by a game by defeating the Pirates, 1–0, behind lefty Petty. Jones allows just three hits and the Pirates score without the aid of a hit.
IN THE NEWS: The second largest crowd ever to pack the Reds' ballpark—35,432—watches their team split a pair with the pennant-bound Cubs. The Reds win the opener, 6–3, behind Red Lucas' 17th victory, while Guy Bush wins his 18th in the nitecap, 10–1.
At the Polo Grounds, fans are able to hear the calls of home plate ump Cy Rigler, who is wired for sound, a first in ML history. Wearing a mike, wearing metal-plated shoes, and standing on a flat metal sheet, Cy's calls are broadcast over speakers. The Giants top the Pirates, 10–5.
After three straight shutouts by Browns hurlers—Gray, Blaeholder, and Crowder—the Yankees break their 32-inning scoreless streak with a 4th-inning homer by Babe Ruth. St. Louis still wins, 3–2.
IN THE NEWS: In the 8th inning of a 5–5 game at Wrigley Field, Cubs 3B Norm McMillan hits a line drive down the LF line with the bases loaded. Reds LF Evar Swanson, shaded toward center, can't find the ball, which he sees bounce off a gutter in foul territory. McMillan circles the bases and four runs score. Later, Cubs relief P Ken Penner picks up his jacket in the bullpen and discovers the ball in his right sleeve. It is Chicago's 8th grand slam of the year.
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.
IN THE NEWS: 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.
IN THE NEWS: At Pittsburgh Pie Traynor is 5-for-5 to lead a 21-hit Corsair attack that sinks the Cubs, 15–0. It is the Pirates 4th win over the Cubs in three days. Heine Meine applies the whitewash.
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