. . THIS DATE IN BASEBALL HISTORY
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2002
2001
2000
1998
1997
1996
1995
1994
1993
1992
1985
1980
1978
1975
1971
1970
1969
1968
1967
1964
1961
1959
1958
1956
1953
1952
1951
1950
1948
1944
1939
1936
1933
1924
1922
1921
1920
1916
1915
1914
1909
1908
1907
1905
1904
1903
1902
1901
. July 16th

2002
» The Red Sox defeat the Tigers, 9–4, as OF Manny Ramirez gets a career–high five hits, including a 2B and home run. Detroit 2B Damion Easley ties a major league record by being hit by pitches three times.

2001
» Ichiro Suzuki and Kazuhiro Sasaki call off their boycott of the Japanese press.

2000
» Dodgers manager Davey Johnson is hospitalized after experiencing dizziness as a result of an irregular heartbeat.

The Rockies obtain OF Butch Huskey and 2B Todd Walker from the Twins for IF Todd Sears and cash.

1998
» Randy Johnson tosses a 1–hitter as he leads Seattle to a 3–0 win over Minnesota. Johnson fans 11 and gives up only a single to 3B Brent Gates.

Red Sox SS Nomar Garciaparra goes 4–for–4, with two doubles and a home run, driving in five runs and scoring three as he leads Boston to a 15–5 win over the Indians. The Sox ice the game with seven runs in the 8th inning.

1997
» Kevin Brown tosses his first career one-hitter, leading Florida over Los Angeles, 5-1. Brown, who no-hit San Francisco on June 10, faces just two batters over the minimum, allowing a lead-off single to left by Raul Mondesi in the fifth. He strikes out eight and retires his final 15 batters to hand the loss to Hideo Nomo.

At Shea, RF Sammy Sosa's running catch with the bases loaded in the seventh, and catcher Scott Servais's pickoff in the eighth, key Chicago to a 6–5 win over the Mets. Before the game, New York reassigns general manager Joe McIlvaine and replaces him with his assistant, Steve Phillips.

In Oakland, Mark McGwire hits his 33rd and 34th homers to lead the A's to an 11–3 win over the hapless Royals. Jose Canseco strikes out in all five at-bats for the Athletics, tying an Oakland record. Combined with his three strikeouts on Monday, he ties a major league record with eight whiffs in two consecutive games.

1996
» After failing to score in their first two at bats, the Brewers proceed to score in each of their remaining turns at the plate to punch out Detroit by a score of 20-7. Greg Vaughn drives home five runs for Milwaukee, and now leads the American League with 88, while Jose Valentin knocks out four hits.

1995
» Cleveland defeats Oakland, 5-4 in 12 innings, as Indians' 2B Carlos Baerga lashes out five hits, including a double. The win opens up Cleveland's lead in the American League Central to 14 1/2 games.

1994
» At Comiskey Park, the Indians win their 2nd straight game, 2-0, behind Dennis Martinez. Tomorrow, Chicago will hammer Jack Morris, 5–2, to move back into first place by two percentage points.

Detroit defeats KC, 13-7, despite five hits, all singles, by Royals' 1B Wally Joyner. Travis Fryman's grand slam powers the Tigers.

1993
» Giants OF Darren Lewis sets a major league record by playing his 267th consecutive game without an error. He snaps Don Demeter's record. The Giants defeat the Mets, 4-2.

1992
» At a press conference in Pittsburgh, Greg Maddux announces that he has broken off negotiations with the Cubs management and would become a free agent after the season. Maddux is playing on a one–year contract. "I've given them two opportunities to sign me. I really think it should have been taken care of." Tomorrow, Maddux will beat the first–place Pirates.

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.

1980
» Despite much speculation that he is simply malingering, the Astros place star pitcher J.R. Richard on the 21-day disabled list with a mystery arm problem. The six foot eight inch righthander is 10-4 with a 1.89 ERA and 119 strikeouts in 114 innings, but has removed himself from 10 games this year complaining of fatigue and a "dead arm." On July 23rd, Richard will check into a hospital for a series of physical and psychological tests to determine the cause of his "erratic" behavior.

The California Supreme Court rules that Ted Giannoulas, better known as the man inside the San Diego Chicken suit, can appear publicly in chicken suits similar to the one that brought him fame, but not bearing the call letters of San Diego's KGB radio station. The station had fired Giannoulas when he began appearing publicly in the suit without permission, and claimed it had all rights to the costume, which was first used as a promotional device in 1975.

1978
» After the Mariners tie the game at three apiece in top of the 8th, Fred Lynn hits a 2-out double to drive in two runs and the Red Sox hold on for a 6–3 win, their 8th in a row at Fenway and 27-4 in their last 31 games. The M's lose their 9th in a row with the loss going to former Hubman Dick Pole.

Tulsa's Dave Righetti strikes out 21 Midland batters in nine innings to set a Texas League record. A Tulsa reliever loses the game 4–2 in extra innings.

1975
» Commissioner Bowie Kuhn is reelected for a 7-year term.

1971
» Vida Blue boosts his record to 18–3 with a one-hit 4–0 victory over Detroit. Tony Taylor's single in the 4th is the only hit.

Until today, only three balls have been hit into the 70-foot high RF upper deck at Three Rivers Stadium, and Willie Stargell hit all of them (he'll hit another on May 31, 1973). Today Bob Robertson joins Stargell when he connects with a cannon shot off Padres P Steve Arlin in a Bucs victory.

1970
» The Reds spoil the Pirates debut in Pittsburgh's Three Rivers Stadium 3–2. Cincinnati's Tony Perez hits the park's first homer, offsetting a later one by hometown Willie Stargell. The Pirates parade their new uniforms of stretchable cotton and nylon.

Chicago's Ken Holtzman gives up two hits and two Astro runs—both unearned—and drops a 2–1 decision at Houston. Billy Williams makes a bid for a game-tying homer in the 9th but his long fly hits an Astrodome speaker and drops foul.

1969
» After White Sox lefty Jerry Nyman walks in a run with the bases loaded, Rod Carew steals home for the 7th time, as the American League-West leading Twins sweep a twin bill, winning 9–8 and 6–3 from the White Sox. Carew ties Pete Reiser's major-league record for steals of home in a season, a record since given back to Ty Cobb (8 steals in 1912) in 1991 after further research.

Despite four homers by Montreal, the Pirates beat the Expos, 8–7, scoring three in the 8th and three in the 9th. The Pirates only homer comes in the 8th innings with Matty Alou on 2B and Dan McGinn pitching, when Willie Stargell splashes a pitch over the RF fence into the municipal swimming pool at Jarry Park.

1968
» Cleveland CF Jose Cardenal becomes the 4th OF in ML history with two unassisted DPs in one season as he helps the Tribe to a 2–1 win over the Angels. He also pulled one off on June 8th versus the Tigers.

1967
» At Yankee Stadium, Baltimore outlasts the Yankees to win, 2–1, in 14 innings. New York manages just four hits, including a solo homer by Mickey Mantle, off Bill Dillman.

1964
» Steve Barber regains first place for the Orioles with a successful 6–1 outing against the Yankees and Jim Bouton.

1961
» Detroit regains 1st place with two complete game victories from Phil Regan and Don Mossi.

New York edges 3rd place Baltimore, beating Steve Barber 2–1. Mickey Mantle drives home both runs.

1959
» After beating the Indians, yesterday, the Yanks sweep a doubleheader today to knock the Tribe out of first. New York wins the opener when Berra ties the game in the 9th with a homer, and Mickey Mantle wins it, 7–5, in the 10th with a 2-run shot off Gary Bell. Bobby Shantz wins the nitecap, 4–0. New York is five 1/2 games out of first.

1958
» P Jack Harshman of the Orioles hits two HRs in a 6-5 win against the Sox in the nitecap of a doubleheader.

1956
» A group headed by Fred Knorr and John Fetzer buys the Detroit Tigers and Briggs Stadium for a record $5.5 million.

1953
» The Browns tie a record with three successive HRs -- by Clint Courtney, Dick Kryhoski, and Jim Dyck -- in the first inning. Their five bases-empty HRs in three innings establishes a new mark. It's enough to beat the Yankees 8-6.

1952
» Walt Dropo gets two more hits, giving him 15 in four games, which ties the AL record.

1951
» While in Detroit, the Yanks option rookie Mickey Mantle to Kansas City (AA). Mantle, plagued with strikeouts—3 on the 13th—and in a slump, will go 0-for-22 in his start with the Blues, before ending with a tear at .361. The Yankees will recall him August 20th. Art Schallock takes Mickey's place on the Yankee roster and gives up 7 hits in 2.3 innings in today's 8–6 win.

1950
» ML players connect for 37 home runs today for a new record. Leading the offense today is Cincinnati with two wins over the Giants, 16–4 and 11–10. In the AL, the Red Sox and Indians hit seven home runs in their doubleheader split: Moose Dropo collects three homers.

The Cubs knock the Phillies out of a tie for first place, sweeping 8–0 and 10–3. The Cubs lose Phil Cavarretta when he is hit by a Ken Johnson pitch in game 1, fracturing his forearm. Hank Sauer takes over 1B. Walt Dubiel fires the shutout and Doyle Lade is the CG winner in game 2. The loss goes to Bob Miller in game 2, the first defeat for the rookie after eight straight wins. Ex-Bruin Russ Meyer loses the first game after defeating the Cubs five straight times (as noted by Ed Hartig). The Mad Monk, the greatest ever Cubs killer, will win his next 17 decisions against Chicago before losing on May 11, 1955.

1948
» There are three managerial changes today. Ben Chapman is fired by the Phillies (though owner Carpenter insists he was "not fired" saying "I'd like to make it clear that there is a difference between not firing a man and concluding business with him.") and Dusty Cooke takes over on an interim basis. Eddie Sawyer, with no ML experience as player or manager, will get the job after Cooke goes 8–6. But the big news is from New York. The Giants remove Mel Ott and replace him with Leo Durocher, who obtains his release from Brooklyn. The Dodgers bring back mild-mannered Burt Shotton who replaced Durocher once before. In a newspaper poll over the winter, an overwhelming majority voted for the gentlemanly Shotton to replace The Lip. The changes today portend those at the end of the season: Bucky Harris of the Yankees, Ted Lyons of the White Sox, and Steve O'Neill of the Tigers will be released.

The Browns frustrate the third-place Yanks, whipping Allie Reynolds, 10–4. Bob Dillinger leads the way with a bases loaded triple, three singles, two stolen bases and five RBI. Cliff Fannin holds the Yanks scoreless until Phil Rizzuto's homer in the 8th.

Ordered by Bill Veeck to pass up the All-Star game, a well-rested Bob Feller is shelled from the mound with only one out in the first inning by the A's. The A's score first when Feller absent-mindedly goes into a windup with two on, and Coleman and McCosky pull a double steal. The Mackmen then jump on Bob Muncrief and roll to a 10–5 win over the American League-leading Indians. Lou Brissie wins his 4th straight. Joe Coleman will shut out the Tribe, 5–0, tomorrow to split the series.

Rookie Granny Hamner drives in seven runs to lead the Phils to an 11–10 squeaker over the Cardinals. Hamner has a pair of doubles and a single to go along with spectacular fielding, starting DPs in the 8th and 9th. Ken Heintzelman, who relieves Blix Donnelly after Stan Musial's grand slam in the 2nd, is the winner.

1944
» The Dodgers score eight unearned runs against the Braves to win 8-5 and break their 16-game losing streak. They will lose another five in a row.

1939
» Bees All-Star SS Eddie Miller collides with teammate OF Al Simmons and fractures a bone in his ankle. He will be out for the season.

1936
» Braves C Al Lopez reaches first three times on errors, the 3rd player to do so. It is little help though as the Cubs edge the Braves, 1–0, in 10 innings. Lon Warneke is the winner over hard luck Ben Cantwell.

The Reds call of their game with the Dodgers because of intense heat.

1933
» Red Lucas of the Reds pitches a 15-inning 1-0 win over Roy Parmelee and the Giants in the opener of a doubleheader.

1924
» Giants 1B George Kelly hits his seventh HR and becomes the first to hit HRs in six consecutive games. He will finish with 21.

1922
» George Sisler drives in the first run with a sac fly against Walter Johnson and the Browns top the Senators, 2–0.

1921
» At age 63, Arthur Irwin, pioneer player, manager, and executive who began in the NL in 1880, jumps to his death from a ship in the Atlantic Ocean.

1920
» The Pirates' Earl Hamilton runs out of steam after pitching 16 scoreless innings against the Giants, and loses 7-0 in 17.

1916
» At Chicago, the Cubs and Brooklyn play a 16-inning 7–7 tie, called on account of darkness. In the 10th inning, the Cubs George Cutshaw swipes home to knot the score.

1915
» Flashing his old form, Christy Mathewson pitches a 5-hit shutout over the Cubs to win, 2–0. He walks none in beating George Zabel.

1914
» The Tigers, minus Ty Cobb who is nursing a sore thumb, knock out rookie Babe Ruth in the 4th inning and trip the Red Sox, 5–2. It is Ruth's first loss.

The Red Sox acquire 1B Dick Hoblitzell from Cincinnati.

1909
» At Bennett Field, Detroit and Washington play the longest scoreless game in American League history—18 innings. Ed Summers pitches the complete game, holding the Nationals to seven hits, two walks (one intentional), while fanning 10. The Nationals' 30-year-old rookie, Bill "Dolly" Gray, allows only one hit before leaving with an injury after eight innings. He is replaced by Bob Groom. Gray will put another entry in the record books next month when he walks seven straight batters.

The Giants sweep the Reds, winning the last game 2–1 behind Christy Mathewson. Jack Rowan takes the loss for Cincy.

The Phillies send righthanded pitchers Buster Brown and Lew Richie and 2B Dave Shean to the Boston Nationals for OF Johnny Bates and INF Charlie Starr.

1908
» At Chicago, manager Frank Chance figures to rattle Giants rookie Otis "Doc" Crandall and elects to bat the Cubs first (this option rule for the home team was changed in 1951). But Crandall is a rock and nurses a 4-1 lead into the last of the 9th. After one out, Christy Mathewson, warming in the bullpen, decides the game is well in hand and goes into the clubhouse to shower. Crandall promptly walks three straight, wherein John McGraw looks in vain for Matty. The Giants ace quickly dries off, throws on a uniform, and puts his street shoes on. By the time he arrives on the mound, reliever Joe McGinnity has walked in a run. Matty gets a ground out, then a strikeout, and the Giants win, 4-3. Ed Reulbach takes the loss for Chicago.

1907
» Ed Walsh sets another major-league record for fielding chances for pitchers, handling 12 assists and three putouts in a 13-inning game.

1905
» The Pirates edge the Giants, 2-1, overcoming the pitching of Christy Mathewson, who is knocked over by Fred Clarke in a play at 1B. Six Giants are tossed out of the coaching box during the game. Pittsburgh now trails New York by six games.

1904
» At New York, Highlanders P Jack Chesbro swipes home in the bottom of the 10th to win his own game, 9–8.

1903
» Roger Bresnahan, playing center field for the Giants, starts a triple play against the Pirates with the bases loaded. The future Hall of Fame catcher snags a line drive and his throw to home holds the runner at 3B. Catcher John Warner throws to 2B to get the runner advancing and the return home nabs the runner from 3rd. Pittsburgh gets two inside-the park-homers from Ginger Beaumont but New York wins.

The Pilgrims score seven runs in the first inning, four coming after a 3rd out is disallowed because the umpire had turned to the bench to ask for new baseballs. Boston rolls to an 11-4 win over Cleveland.

1902
» Giants owner Andrew Freedman announces he has purchased controlling interest in the Baltimore club and releases Dan McGann, Roger Bresnahan, Joe McGinnity, and Jack Cronin to sign with New York. Mike Donlin, Joe Kelley and Cy Seymour go to the Reds, where Kelley will take over as manager.

1901
» In Cleveland, Boston's Cy Young notches his 12th straight win, staggering to a 10-8 victory over the Blues. Buck Freeman has three hits including a triple off losing pitcher Moore.