IN THE NEWS: When the train carrying the Indians pulls out of the El Paso station, a 22-caliber bullet shatters the compartment window of Al Simmons and Oscar Melillo. Neither coach is hurt.
IN THE NEWS: Based on his 22 wins for Baltimore (IL) in 1949, St. Louis Browns P Al Widmar quits the team. He threatens a suit against baseball unless the team grants him a pay raise. He will sign within the week.
IN THE NEWS: The Texas League opener between Dallas and Tulsa is staged in the Cotton Bowl. The Dallas starters taking the field include Ty Cobb, Mickey Cochrane, Tris Speaker, Dizzy Dean, Travis Jackson, Frank Baker, Charlie Gehringer as well as Duffy Lewis and Dallas manager, Charlie Grimm, the two non-Hall of Famers. After Dean throws one pitch, the squad is replaced by the regular Dallas Eagles team. 53,578 fans, the largest paid crowd (since surpassed) in minor-league history, cheer.
IN THE NEWS: The first night Opening-Day game in history is played in St. Louis with the Cardinals defeating the Pirates 42, behind the 6-hit pitching of Gerry Staley. Stan Musial and Schoendienst contribute home runs.
President Harry Truman throws out two balls at the Washington openerone left-handed and the other right-handedthen watches the Senators beat the A's 87. When rain starts falling in the 6th, he puts on a raincoat and remains to the end.
At the Polo Grounds, Sam Jethroe becomes the first black to play for the Boston Braves. In his ML debut, he goes 2-for-4, including a home run to lead the Braves to an 14 beating of the Giants. Spahn is the winner. Jethroe will go on to become National League Rookie of the Year.
The Indians release veteran Ken Keltner. He signs with the Red Sox the same day but is released on June 6th.
At Fenway, Happy Chandler gives Ted Williams his MVP Award, and then Governor Paul Dever tosses out the first ball. To the delight of 31,822 fans, Boston rips starter Allie Reynolds with a five-run 4th inning to drive the Chief from the game and take a 90 over the Yankees. But the Yanks score four in the 6th off Mel Parnell and then, down 104, New York unloads for nine runs in the 8th. 2B Billy Martin (2-for-2) becomes the first player in history to get two base hits in one inning in his first ML game. He doubles against Mel Parnell on his first at bat in the 8th inning, and singles off Al Papai. Walt Masterson gives up Tommy Henrich's 2nd triple of the game before giving way to four more Sox hurlers. Boo Ferriss, pitching in his last game, allows the last two runs in the 9th inning as the Yanks chalk up a 1510 win, the biggest blown lead the Sox have ever had at Fenway (June 4, 1989, they'll blow a 10-run lad at home). DiMaggio, Berra, Vern Stephens, and Doerr each have three hits. Don Johnson is the winner, his last one for New York, with Joe Page pitching a perfect 8th and 9th in relief.
IN THE NEWS: 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.
At Wichita, Pueblo beats Wichita (Western L), 135. Winning pitcher Daniel Stupur of Pueblo sets a league record by issuing 15 walks.
IN THE NEWS: Boston's Vern Stephens slugs a 9th-inning grand slam off the A's Harry Byrd to lead the Red Sox to an 82 romp. It was the first of 33 American League grand slams in 1950. The ML season total of 68 is a record up to this point. In 1995, the number will exceed 100 slams for the first time.
In Boston, Sam Jethroe makes his home debut, the first black man to play for the Braves. He goes 1-for-3 in a 22 tie with the Phillies. The game is called when a thunderstorm hits.
In Cleveland, before 79,570 fans, the 4th largest paid attendance to date, the Yankees take two from the Indians, winners of nine out of their last 11. In the opener, DiMaggio drives in six runs on two homers, one a grand slam, and the Yankees roll 145. New York collects 19 hits in the nitecap to win easily, 124. Eddie Lopat and Allie Reynolds each win their 4th of the year, as the Yankees now pace the AL by two 1/2 games.
IN THE NEWS: In the second of two games, the Braves and Phillies start the match in daylight and finish under the lights, a first in the majors. Phils win, 65. Johnny Sain hurls the Braves to a 43 win over the visiting Phils in the opener.
IN THE NEWS: Joe Hatten gives the Dodgers (5-1) their fifth straight win, stopping the Braves 30 on two hits. Vern Bickford loses to Brooklyn for the first time after three wins. Jackie Robinson is 3-for-3 with a walk, to pace an 8-hit attack.
IN THE NEWS: The Yankees sell OF Dick Wakefield to the White Sox for OF John Ostrowski and cash. Wakefield, a hot hitter in 1943 who has since lost his sparkle, refuses to report unless the Sox restore a $5,500 salary cut inflicted by the Yankees. Wakefield says the Yankees talked him into signing for $17,500 with the "guarantee" that he'd earn $5,000 as a World Series share. New York refuses to return Ostrowski and the Sox refuse Wakefield's request. Happy Chandler rules in favor of the Sox and Ostrowski and Wakefield return to their teams.
The Reds Herm Wehmeier pitches a 2-hitter, stopping the Cubs, 31.
Catcher Jim Martin of Pampa (West Texas-NM League) is struck by lightning in the second inning of a game at Abilene. The blast knocks the field lights and Martin out and hurls his mask 85 feet, but he is back in the game the next day.
The Red Sox option P Boo Ferriss to Birmingham. The former ace pitched one inning, allowing two runs in his last ML appearance.
IN THE NEWS: The A's are pummeled by the Red Sox in a doubleheader, 190 and 65. First-game highlights are an 11-run 4th inning and a 17-hit barrage, which includes home runs by Ted Williams (2), Vern Stephens, and Bobby Doerr. A's pitcher Bobby Shantz ends the slaughter with 4-plus innings of relief, as Joe Dobson is the winner for Boston.
At St. Louis, the Cards Del Rice belts a home run in the bottom of the 13th to break up a pitching duel between the Cubs Johnny Schmitz and Harry Brecheen. The Cards win, 10. Rice also has a double as Schmitz gives up just four hits and retires 20 batters in a row.
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