. . THIS DATE IN BASEBALL HISTORY
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2002
2001
2000
1999
1998
1997
1996
1995
1993
1992
1991
1989
1988
1987
1986
1985
1984
1983
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1971
1969
1967
1966
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1963
1962
1961
1960
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1957
1954
1948
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1933
1931
1928
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1919
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1908
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1901
1900
. August 20th

2002
» The Pirates shut out the Cardinals, 8–0, on a combined one–hitter hurled by Kris Benson (7 innings), Brian Boehringer (1), and Al Reyes (1). Kerry Robinson's one–out single in the 1st inning is St. Louis' only safety.

2001
» The Reds defeat the Cardinals, 5–4, on Ken Griffey Jr.'s 11th–inning inside–the–park home run. The run-off home run breaks the Cardinals 11–game winning streak. The Cards, who also won 10 in a row in May, are the 1st team since the 1978 Pirates to post a pair of double–digit win streaks in the same season.

Kerry Wood has an MRI that comes out clean, but the Cubs ace will miss a month with tendinitis in his shoulder.

2000
» The Indians defeat the Mariners, 12-4 in a game delayed by a rogue squirrel. The loss is the 7th in a row in which Seattle has surrendered at least nine runs, tying a 99-year-old major-league record set by the New York Giants on September 3-6, 1901. The Giants lost seven in a row allowing 10+ runs in each.

1999
» This'll give managers grey hairs. Houston defeats Florida, 6-4, in 16 innings, despite blowing a 4–0 lead, striking out 17 times, and stranding 20 runners. Astros 1B Jeff Bagwell walks six times to tie a major league mark held by Jimmie Foxx and Andre Thornton.

The Giants defeat the Brewers, 10-3 as Ramon Martinez, Barry Bonds, and Ellis Burks hit homers.

Diamondback's P Todd Stottlemyre makes his first start since tearing the rotary cuff in his right arm on May 17. Stottlemyre, who eschewed surgery in favor of a strengthening program, gives up seven hits to the Pirates in four 2/3 innings, including a pair of homers by Brian Giles. He will go 2–1 the rest of the year.

Colorado GM Bob Gebhard announces his resignation.

1998
» The Phillies split a doubleheader with the Diamondbacks, winning the 1st game, 11–1, and losing the 2nd, 12–9. Philadelphia 3B Scott Rolen drives in nine runs in the twinbill.

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.

The Twins trade OF Roberto Kelly to the Mariners for a player to be named.

The Red Sox sweep two from the A's, winning 7–5 and 5–4 in 13 innings. In the nitecap the A's collect one hit in the last 10 innings against five Sox pitchers. Garciaparra has hits in both games to set a ML rookie record of 22 straight games.

1996
» Ken Caminiti has a grand slam and six RBIs to lead the Padres to a 7–4 win over the Expos. Starter Scott Sanders (6-4) pitches six 2/3 innings of no hit ball before Darren Fletcher singles.

In the Cubs 8–1 win over Florida, Sammy Sosa picks up his 100th RBI the hard way when he is hit by a Mark Hutton pitch with the bases loaded in the first inning. The pitch breaks Sosa's wrist and the slugger will miss 4-6 weeks, stopping his consecutive games played of 304.

Rangers SS Kevin Elster drops a throw, ending Texas's errorless streak at an American League-record-tying 15 games. The Indians defeat the Rangers, 10-4, behind their powerful middle lineup: Manny Ramirez hits a grand slam, Albert Belle has a homer and two triples, and Jim Thome homers.

1995
» Cleveland P Jose Mesa records his 37th save in 37 opportunities to set a major league mark. The Tribe defeats the Brewers, 8-5. Mesa's streak will be stopped at 38 on August 25.

1993
» The Indians trade OF Glenallen Hill to the Cubs for OF Candy Maldonado.

1992
» Blue Jays P David Wells allows 13 runs, all earned, in four 1/3 innings in Toronto’s 16-3 loss to Milwaukee.

1991
» Dickie Thon's 2-out, two-run homer in the 9th gives the Phils a 6–5 win over the Pirates. The Phillies had gone 346 games since winning in the 9th: tomorrow, they'll win again in the 9th, and on the following nite, win in the 10th.

1989
» Howard Johnson hits his 30th home run of the season in the Mets 5–4 loss to the Dodgers and joins Barry Bonds and Willie Mays as the only players to achieve 30 home runs and 30 SBs in two different seasons.

For the 3rd time in his career, Kevin Bass homers from each side of the plate in a game, as the Astros double the Cubs, 8–4, winning again in the 9th. Bass's second homer of the game is a grand slam with one out in the 9th off Mitch Williams, with the loss going to Lancaster. Danny Darwin (11–3) is the winner.

1988
» Forty-year-old Dave Concepcion steals home to help the Reds defeat the Cardinals 6–2.

1987
» Pittsburgh unloads another veteran pitcher, trading Rick Reuschel to the Giants for pitchers Jeff Robinson and Scott Medvin.

1986
» Tigers Walt Terrell is one out away from a no-hitter when Wally Joyner doubles. Terrell settles for a one-hit 3–0 win over the Angels. Trammell has a double and homer for Detroit.

Philadelphia's Don Carman pitches a perfect game until Bob Brenly doubles leading off the 9th, and Carman ends up combining with Steve Bedrosian for a 10-inning 1–0 win over the Giants. Juan Samuel's home run in the top of the 10th provides the game's only run, the 2nd time in Phils' history that an extra inning homer has won a 1–0 game (Northey, 1944).

Dave Winfield hits his 300th homer in a losing cause as the Yanks fall to Seattle, 5–2. Mike Trujillo wins his first game for Seattle.

1985
» Dwight Gooden fans 16 batters on the way to his 13th consecutive victory 5–0 over the Giants, raising his season strikeout total to 208. Gooden (19-3) joins Herb Score as the only pitchers this century to strike out 200 batters in each of their first two seasons.

1984
» The Giants trade veteran 1B Al Oliver, whom they acquired from Montreal in February, and pitcher Renie Martin to the Phillies for P George Riley and minor leaguer Kelly Downs.

1983
» Pittsburgh's Jose DeLeon takes a no-hitter into the 7th inning for the 3rd time this season, but Cincinnati's Dan Driessen doubles with two out to spoil the gem. DeLeon finishes with 13 strikeouts in a 4–0 two-hitter.

1982
» In Atlanta, the Braves top the Mets 6–4 as Brett Butler makes his debut for the Braves. Butler has a single and RBI.

Padres rookie Alan Wiggins is suspended for one month by Commissioner Bowie Kuhn as a result of his July 21st arrest for cocaine possession.

1980
» Cleveland's Dan Spillner, who entered the game with a 5.45 ERA, is two outs from a no-hitter when White Sox rookie Leo Sutherland singles. Spillner settles for a 3–0 one-hitter.

Pittsburgh's Omar Moreno steals his 70th base of the season, becoming the first player this century with three consecutive 70-steal seasons. The fleet outfielder swiped 71 in 1978, 77 in 1979, and will finish 1980 with a career-high 96. Pittsburgh loses to Houston, 5–1.

George Brett pushes his average to .406 with a 3-for-3 outing in a 5–3 win over Texas.

Tom Brookens, the Tigers' number-8 hitter, goes 5-for-5 with a triple and a home run and also starts a triple play in an 8–6 win over Milwaukee.

The Giants beat the Mets, 2–1, but lose Jack Clark for a month after a Mark Bomback pitch breaks a bone in his left hand.

1978
» Los Angeles beats New York 5–4 at Shea Stadium, but the real hitting occurs before the game when Dodgers Don Sutton and Steve Garvey engage in a clubhouse wrestling match. The two had been feuding for a long time, but newspaper remarks by Sutton about Garvey's All-American image sparked the brawl.

1976
» Winning 8–1 over the Pirates, the Dodgers reach two million in attendance. The Phils will match that tomorrow and the Reds will hit the mark on the 22nd.

1974
» Nolan Ryan strikes out 19 in 11 innings, but loses to the Tigers 1–0 at Anaheim Stadium. Mickey Lolich goes the distance for the win.

Davey Lopes sets an LA Dodger record when he totals 15 bases against the Cubs in an 18–8 drubbing of the Cubs at Wrigley. Lopes has three home runs, a double and single in the Dodgers' 24-hit attack. The Dodgers totaled 48 bases in the game, a team record.

1973
» In New York, the Reds score five runs in the 16th to beat the Mets, 8–3. Each team scores in the 13th.

1972
» Striking out 14, Don Wilson pitches the Astros to a 3–1 win over the Phils. Greg Luzinski accounts for the lone Quaker run with a homer. Still without a win this year, Ken Reynolds absorbs his 11th loss.

The Angels score nine runs in the 4th inning but Detroit counters with eight runs in the 6th to win the wild affair, 11–9. Aurelio Rodriguez touches off the comeback with a double and ends the scoring with another extra base hit, a 3-run homer. In between are six singles and a sac fly.

1971
» Ferguson Jenkins wins his 20th, beating Houston 3–2. The win pulls the Cubs to four 1/2 behind Pittsburgh. But following two losses to Houston, Leo Durocher and the players will square off in a clubhouse meeting on the 23rd. Durocher accuses Ron Santo of demanding that the team give him a day, and the third sacker has to be restrained from going after Leo. Leo will finally lip an "I quit," but stay on through the season in a frosty relationship with the team.

1969
» With an 8–5 win at Philadelphia, the Dodgers take first place in the National League West by a half game.

1967
» Within 24 hours, Alvin Dark (52-69) is fired, rehired, and fired again as manager of the A's. Luke Appling becomes interim manager.

At Fenway, Red Sox Reggie Smith joins the ranks of Mickey Mantle, Pete Rose, and others by hitting home runs left- and righthanded in a game with California. Yaz adds two three-run homers, one in each game of the doubleheader. The Sox win the nitecap, 9–8 after trailing 8–0.

1966
» Gaylord Perry is the first 20-game winner of 1966, pitching the Giants into first place with a 6–1 win against the Braves.

Birdie Tebbetts (66-57) resigns as manager of the Indians. George Strickland is named interim boss.

1965
» Eddie Mathews hits his 28th home run as the Braves win 4–3 at Pittsburgh. The duo of Mathews and Hank Aaron, 1954-65, becomes the top home run tandem in ML history, passing the Babe Ruth-Lou Gehrig total of 772 home runs while playing together.

Detroit All-Star SS Dick McAuliffe is lost for the season with a broken bone in his left hand suffered diving into 1B, as the 3rd-place Tigers sweep a doubleheader at Boston. The Tigers win, 2–0 and 3–2.

1964
» On the New York team bus following a 5–0 White Sox win, Phil Linz begins to play "Mary Had a Little Lamb" on his harmonica. Manager Yogi Berra orders Linz to stop, then slaps the instrument out of his hands when he continues playing. The incident is reported as indicating dissension on the club and Berra's lack of control, as well as the level of Linz's humor.

Orioles LF Boog Powell fractures his right wrist in a collision with the outfield fence in Baltimore's loss at Boston. He will be sidelined until September 5th.

1963
» Mets 22-year-old rookie Grover Powell beats the Phils with a 4–0 shutout in his first ML start. In his next start he'll be hit on the cheek by a line drive off the bat of Pittsburgh's Donn Clendenon and never win another game.

For the second time in two weeks, Don Blasingame is the only thing between the Senators and a no-hitter. Blasingame's single off the A's Moe Drabowsky is the only hit for the Nats in a 9–0 Game One loss. The A's complete the sweep with a 7–5 victory in game 2. Dave Wickersham is the winner.

1962
» At Crosley Field, Frank Robinson connects for a grand slam in the 10th inning as the Reds defeat the Dodgers, 7–3.

Roger Maris hits his 49th and Mickey Mantle his 46th as the Yankees sweep a pair from the Indians, 6–0 and 5–2. Both come in Game One as Terry pitches a 4-hitter. Skowron homers in the nitecap and Mantle notches an RBI with his 101st walk, following a single and two HPBs load the bases.

The Tigers remain three games behind New York by sweeping a pair from the visiting Red Sox, 6–1 and 7–6. Lary wins his 18th in the opener, with the help of five DPs. Boston pulls off three DPs of their own. Fox, in relief of Bunning, is the game two winner.

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.

The Cubs and Pirates tie an NL record by playing their 3rd straight extra-inning game. The Cubs take this one 1–0. Chicago wins two of the three 11-inning games.

At Cleveland's Municipal Stadium, both Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris homer in the twinbill sweep. Mantle's first inning three run homer, and Maris ' 9th in the 3rd inning to make it easy for Ralph Terry. In the nitecap, Bill Skowron hits his 21st in the 2nd inning and the Yanks win 5–2. In the 6th, after Bell allows a single and then hits Gardner and Maris, Mantle collects his 101st walk to force home a run.

1960
» Ted Williams draws the 2,000th walk of his career in the Red Sox' split of a twi-night doubleheader with Baltimore. Williams joins Ruth as the only batters to collect 2,000 walks. The Splendid Splinter also clouts home runs 514 and 515 in game 1, an 8–6 Boston win. The O's win the nitecap, 6–0, behind Brown, but drop into 3rd place, two games behind the 1st-place Yankees.

1959
» The A's Bob Cerv hits three home runs in an 11–10 loss to Boston. The Sox out hit the A's 16–13. Reliever Earl Wilson drives in three runs and earns his first ML victory.

1957
» Using a new slow delivery, 35-year-old Bob Keegan of the White Sox pitches a 6-0 no-hitter over Washington, walking just 2. Chuck Stobbs loses his 16th game en route to a league-leading 20 losses. The Sox lose the first game 5-4, but pick up a half game on New York.

Yankee Bob Turley pitches a 2-hitter against Kansas City, but loses 1-0.

1954
» The Cards hit into six DPs against the Redlegs to tie the NL record. The Redlegs win 3-2.

OF Gene Woodling of the Yanks crashes into the wall, breaking a thumb. He is lost for the season.

1948
» The Indians draw record 78,382 for the largest crowd to attend a night game. The Indians go on to beat the Chicago White Sox, 1–0, at Memorial Stadium as Satchel Paige blanks the opposition on three hits for the 4th consecutive shutout by Cleveland hurlers. Bill Wight is the hard-luck loser. Besides Paige, Gene Bearden, Sam Zoldak, and Bob Lemon fired shutouts.

1947
» The Boston Braves hit a million attendance for the first time in their history and the fans get their money's worth in the 34-hit slugfest. The Pirates notch 20 to outslug the Braves, 16–10. Jim Russell with a triple, double and three singles and Jimmy Bloodworth with four singles lead the Buc shots.

1946
» The Pirates vote on whether to accept the Guild as their bargaining agent. The vote is 15-3 against, with 10 abstentions.

1945
» At the age of 17, SS Tommy Brown of the Brooklyn Dodgers is the youngest player to hit a ML home run. Brown belts his homer off Pirates southpaw Preacher Roe into the upper LF section at Ebbets Field. Seven Dodger errors make it easy for Pittsburgh to win, 11-1.

Detroit's Hal Newhouser shuts out the A's 4–0 for his 20th win of the year. Greenberg has his 15 game hitting streak stopped, but Roy Cullenbine and Doc Cramer add home runs.

Washington stops Cleveland twice as Marino Pieretti wins 7–0 and Alex Carrasquel follows with a 6–0 shut out.

1941
» Larry MacPhail stages a fashion show before a Ladies Day crowd at Ebbets Field. Such promotions, as well as the Dodgers pennant race, will push the home gate to over one million fans.

1940
» In the second of two games, Wally Moses steals home in the 10th inning to give the A's the victory over the White Sox.

The Reds score three runs in the 9th -- 2 coming home on a single by Frank McCormick -- to defeat the Giants, 3–2.

1938
» Lou Gehrig hits a first-inning grand slam, the 23rd and last of his career for a still-standing record. It comes off Buck Ross in an 11-3 victory over the A's.

Indians C Frank Pytlak and C Hank Helf break the all-time altitude mark by catching baseballs dropped from the 706-foot Cleveland Terminal Tower.

1934
» Judge Landis rules against Dizzy Dean. The Cards end his suspension, and Dean returns to the team to avoid further loss in salary.

1933
» Powered by Turkey Stearnes' 41st HR, the Chicago American Giants (Negro League) defeat the Nashville Elite Giants in a twin bill for their 28th consecutive victory.

1931
» At St. Louis, Lou Gehrig hits his 33rd homer in the 4th to tie Ruth for the ML lead, but the Babe answers in the 9th with his 34th, a grand slam over RF roof, to give the Yanks a 7–3 win over the Browns. Lefty Gomez almost has New York's first shutout of the season, but he weakens in the 9th.

Tony Freitas, who will win 342 minor league games, is let out of jail to pitch for Sacramento (PCL) against the Missions. He wins, and then returns to finish a 5-day sentence for speeding.

1928
» Art Shires of the White Sox strokes four hits, including a triple, in his major-league debut.

1926
» The Giants lose their fifth in six games 6-2 in St. Louis. Frankie Frisch misses a sign that costs a run. After the game, berated by John McGraw in front of the team, Frisch buys a ticket to New York and leaves the team. Fined $500, McGraw's favorite, and heir apparent, is through with the Giants.

1923
» A 4-piece bat used by Ruth is banned by AL president Ban Johnson because of the glue used on it. A protest is made against the Browns' Ken Williams for using a bat with a wooden plug in it. Johnson rules that all bats must be one piece with nothing added except tape extending to 18 inches up the handle.

1922
» The A's jump to a 5–0 lead over the Browns, and hold on for a 7–6 win. The idle Yankees lead by a full game.

1919
» Wichita OF Joe Wilhoit (Western League) fails to get a hit, ending a 69-game streak in which he collected 155 hits in 299 at bats for a .505 batting average. The previous record was 49 by Oakland's Jack Ness (Pacific Coast League) in 1915.

1916
» Giants 1B Fred Merkle is traded to Brooklyn for C Lew McCarty. Brooklyn needs help because regular 1B Jake Daubert is hurt.

1915
» The White Sox obtain Joe Jackson from Cleveland in exchange for OF Braggo Roth, OF Larry Chappell, P Ed Klepfer, and $31,500. Roth will lead the American League in homers this year with 7.

The Giants purchase the contract of George "High Pockets" Kelly from Victoria for $1200. Kelly is the nephew of Bill Lange, 1890s star of the Chicago Nationals.

1912
» In Washington, Walter Johnson wins his AL record 15th straight, downing Cleveland 4–2. Big Train is topped in the nitecap when Washington hurler Carl Cashion tosses a 6-inning no-hitter, winning 2–0. The only baserunners reach on two errors by SS George McBride. Johnson's effort takes one hour: 55 minutes, while Cashion's six innings finish in just 65 minutes: the game is called to allow Cleveland to catch a train to Boston. Cashion will win only 11 other games in his ML career.

1908
» Brooklyn collects 15 safeties off three Pirates pitcher and Harry McIntire allows just four Buc hits for the win. his follows Kaiser Wilhelm's 4-hitter against the Buccaneers yesterday. Pittsburgh is now tied for first with New York.

New York tops the Reds, 2-0, as Christy Mathewson hurls an 8-hit shutout. Reds Andy Coakley allows just four Giant safeties in the loss. For Matty, it is his 25th win. The Giants will sweep three games from the Reds, with the only negative being Fred Snodgrass sustaining a broken thumb. The rookie catcher, who played just six games, will return next year to play mostly in the outfield.

1904
» In a rain-shortened game in Pittsburgh, the Giants win 3–0, s Christy Mathewson allows just three hits.

1903
» The NL-leading Pirates set an NL mark for inept fielding, making six errors in the first inning, giving the Giants seven runs toward a 13-7 win in the first of two games. Christy Mathewson, with relief in the 6th inning, coasts to his 23rd win. Deacon Phillippe wins the nitecap, 4-1, for the Pirates to keep the Giants five games in back.

At Chicago, Boston's Buck Freeman is the first to hit a ball over the RF score board, but the Pilgrims lose to the White Sox, 9-5.

1901
» Umpire Bob Emslie becomes ill before the 2nd game of the Superbas-Phils twin bill and Phils P Al Orth and Superbas C Jim McGuire fill in for him. However, it is a close game, and Orth is needed as a PH in the 9th. Doc White then becomes the 2nd umpire as Orth hits a single and scores a run. Brooklyn holds on for a 3-2 win.

At Boston, Cy Young pitches a 6-0 shutout over visiting Milwaukee. Boston (59-40) is a game behind the White Sox (60-39), but will lose 12 out of their next 17 to drop out of contention.

1900
» In the Reds 15–7 pasting of St. Louis, Cy Young is knocked out of the box for the 2nd consecutive game. This is a first in his career. Young will finish 32 of his 35 starts in compiling a 19–19 record.