Today in Yankee History

[Mattingly]

I'm trying to revive this idea. Hopefully, it'll catch on. If anything of good value, please post it here.

Thanks.

May 16, 1957

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/packages/images/sports/year_in_sports/photos/05.16.jpg

Associated Press
Hank Bauer, second from right, with his wife and
teammate Mickey Mantle, left, and ex-teammate
Billy Martin a month after the Copacabana row.
A New York grand jury had just cleared Bauer of
possible charges.

Yanks Play the Copa (http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/sports/year_in_sports/05.16.html)

[Unsigned, The New York Times]

May 16, 1957 NEW YORK-Six members of the world champion New York Yankees were involved in a postmidnight disturbance tonight during a party at the Copacabana nightclub in Manhattan. The Yankees, who were at the club to celebrate Billy Martin's 29th birthday, included Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, Hank Bauer, Whitey Ford, Johnny Kucks and Martin. The disturbance stemmed from an argument between the players and members of a bowling club who also were celebrating at the club.

The party, at which all the players except Martin were accompanied by their wives, was planned long in advance. It was not immediately clear how the disturbance occurred or whether the police were called to the club, which is at 10 East 60th Street. Words apparently were exchanged between the players and members of a bowling club who also were celebrating at the Copacabana. One of the members of the bowling club, Edwin Jones, accused Bauer of striking him.

On June 4, The Times carried the following unsigned article about fines levied against the players.

Mantle, Berra, Bauer, Ford and Martin were fined $1,000 each and Kucks, a young pitcher in a lower salary bracket than the others, was fined $500. The fines were deducted from the checks the players received at the Yankee Stadium two days ago.

There were published statements yesterday that the disciplinary action had caused a rift between Casey Stengel, the manager of the team, and George M. Weiss, the general manager of the Yankees. Weiss issued this statement denying that a rift existed: "As for the reported friction between Casey Stengel and myself, this is wholly untrue. We have always consulted and agreed on all moves involving the team on and off the field, with the complete approval of Dan Topping and Del Webb (the co-owner of the Yanks).

Stengel appeared in a bitter mood when he was interviewed at Grand Central Station, where the Yankees departed for a trip to Cleveland and a three-game series with the Indians. Said Stengel: "I know of no rift between me and Mr. Weiss. Mr. Weiss hasn't lost a game all year. I have, me, the manager. Can't understand the big fuss. This [the nightclub incident] all happened three weeks ago. They're trying to make a big scandal over this because we're the Yanks."

Berra, Bauer and Kucks confirmed the fines. Ford insisted, "I wasn't fined." When pressed, he said: "I was told what to say. They haven't announced it, so why should I?"

As for the Bauer incident, the police refused to take action in the matter and Jones had Bauer taken into custody by a citizen's arrest on May 21. Bauer, 34, faces a hearing on charges of felonious assault. In the case of a citizen's arrest, the way is open for a suit for false arrest should Bauer be found not guilty. Bauer denied that he struck Jones. He was supported in this contention by other members of the party. However, the story was published and the fines were a result.

The Yankees went on to win the American League pennant by eight games and lose the World Series to the Milwaukee Braves in seven. Four weeks later, Billy Martin was traded to the Kansas City A's in an eight-player deal generally acknowledged to have stemmed from the brawl.

[Chisox73]

I'll help you out on this one Mattingly. :D

1961- Roger Maris hit his 1st Yankee Stadium homer of the season in an 8-7 loss to the Washington Senators.His homer was his 4th of then year,on his way to 61.

1998- David Wells pitched the 13th perfect game (baseball-almanac.com/box-scores/boxscore.php?boxid=199805170NYA) in history as the Yankees defeated the Minnesota Twins 4-0 at Yankee Stadium.

[MetsFan11368]

May 21st.

1963
At Kansas City, Mickey Mantle homers in the first inning off Orlando Pena, then adds another in the 5th. Roger Maris follows with another homer and New York wins, 7–4.

1957
For his part in the Copacabana incident, Yankee OF Hank Bauer is arraigned. He is eventually cleared and threatens to sue the alleged victim, Edward Jones, who suffered a concussion and a broken jaw. In today's game, Yogi Berra, Billy Martin and Whitey Ford are benched, while Bauer bats 8th. Mickey Mantle has a single, two walks, and a homer to back Bob Turley’s 4-hit 3–0 shutout over the A's. Turley helps his cause by starting a triple play. The Yanks now trail the White Sox by a half game.

1956
At Kansas City, Mickey Mantle clouts a drive over the 2nd and more distance fence in RF to help the Yankees win, 8–5. The drive, off Moe Burtschy, matches homers to that spot by Larry Doby and Suitcase Simpson.

1938
The power-laden Yankees give little support to P Spud Chandler, but he hits a home run in the 8th to gain a 1–0 victory over Thornton Lee and the White Sox. :clapping

1932
Before 60,000 at Yankee Stadium, the Bronx Bombers roll over Washington, 14–2 and 8–0. Washington collects just 11 hits off Herb Pennock and Johnny Allen. In the opener, Ruth homers in the 5th off Lloyd Brown and he and Lou Gehrig connect in the 6th off Frank Ragland. Tony Lazzeri is 6-for-7 on the afternoon, including a HR, two doubles and a triple.

1930
Babe Ruth hits three consecutive home runs in the first game of a doubleheader against the A's, then batting against Jack Quinn in the 9th, Ruth decides to hit right handed. After two strikes, he switches to lefty but strikes out. This is the first of two career 3-homer games for the Babe. Max Bishop draws five walks for the 2nd time in his career (he is the only player to do this twice), and Jimmie Foxx homers to help the A's to a 15–7 victory. Ruth is homerless in the 2nd game, a 4–1 Yankee loss, but Bishop has three more walks. Bishop will walk eight times in a doubleheader in 1934, the only player to collect more than six walks in an afternoon.

[Mattingly]

Thanks, folks, always good to get some help on this one! :D

May 22nd (http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/chronology/today/MAY22.stm):

1999
The Yankees defeat the White Sox, 10-2, in the 1st game of a DH. Roger Clemens gets the win for NY, giving him an AL record 18 consecutive victories over the course of two seasons. The White Sox come back to take the 2nd game by a score of 2-1.

1981
With Rick Waits on the mound in the 6th, the Yankees Bucky Dent hits into a triple play. But the Yankees win, 3–2, with the margin a 2-run home run by Dave Winfield. The win goes to Dave Righetti (1-0).

1977
Ron Guidry stops a 3-game Yankee losing streak with a 4-hitter to defeat the Orioles, 8–2.

1963
At Yankee Stadium, New York blows a 7–0 lead and allows Kansas City to tie the game and send it into extra innings. Mickey Mantle, leading off the 11th, is fooled by Bill Fischer on a slow curve, then cannons a 2–2 pitch that almost clears the RF roof. "The hardest ball I ever hit," Mantle later comments, a ball that, by some accounts, was still rising when it struck a foot below the top. It is conservatively estimated by Dr. James McDonald, a physicist who studies long-ball trajectories, that the ball would have traveled 620 feet if it had not struck the facade. "That was the only homer I ever hit that the bat actually bent in my hands," Mantle tells Dale Long, from whom he borrowed the bat.

1962
Roger Maris, who went all of 1961 without receiving an intentional walk, gets four in a 12-inning 2–1 win against the Angels to set an American League record. Maris receives five walks in all. Four Yankee pitchers (Whitey Ford, Jim Coates, Bud Daley, and Bob Turley) combine to give up just one hit in 12 innings. Ford leaves after seven innings because of back spasms, and Coates gives up the lone hit, a one-out 9th-inning single to Bob Rodgers.

1954
At Yankee Stadium, Allie Reynolds tosses a 7-hit shutout over the Red Sox to win 7–0. Mickey Mantle is the offense, going 4-for-5 with four RBIs. Mick will knock in 10 runs in the 3-game series against the Red Sox.

1947
The Yankees beat Boston, 9–0, as Allie Reynolds fires his 2nd two-hit shutout over the Red Sox in a month. Harry Dorish is the loser.

1933
Joe Sewell of the Yankees fans for the first time this season, a 3–0 win behind Lefty Gomez over Cleveland. Sewell will strike out only three more times in 524 at bats.

1930
In Philadelphia, the Yankees and the Athletics continue the home run barrage as the Yankees take both games of a 2nd straight doubleheader, 10–1 and 20–13. Babe Ruth hits a pair of home runs in the opener, as does Ben Chapman and winning pitcher George Pipgras. The Yanks score nine runs in the 1st two innings of the 2nd second game, but the A's come back to tie it at 12 apiece. The Yanks win the assault 20–13 as Tony Lazzeri is 4-for-4 scores five runs, and knocks in 4. Ruth hits another in the 2nd game, while Lou Gehrig powers three round trippers to drive in eight runs. On the A's side, Jimmie Foxx has two homers to drive in six runs. For the afternoon, the teams combine to hit 14 round trippers, a then-record 10 in game 2.

1922
Down 3–0 to the Browns' Vangilder, Babe Ruth finally puts the Yankees on the board with a homer in the 8th. The Yankees win in the 13th when Ev Scott's single off Hub Pruett scores Bob Meusel.

[zman]

May 23, 1962: Yankee rookie Joe Pepitone becomes the 6th player in American League history to hit two home runs in one inning. New York's 9-run 8th sinks Kansas City 13–7.

http://www.ultimateyankees.com/joe_P_Photo_1.jpg

[zman]

May 24, 1946: Co-owner and GM Larry MacPhail fired Joe McCarthy as Yankee manager, and Bill Dickey replaced him. As proof that McCarthy had lost control of his players, MacPhail cited a confrontation between the manager and Joe Page during a May 21st flight from Cleveland to Detroit. McCarthy, whose health was ailing, left the team with a 22–13 record. Bill Dickey guided the Yankees to a 57-48 mark, but resigned right after the season.

http://photo.ucr.edu/projects/sports/pics/ku97856.jpg



May 24, 1956: Mickey Mantle goes 5-for-5 with an intentional walk in an 11–4 win against the Tigers. Mantle is hitting .421. He combines with Joe Collins for back-to-back homers, off Duke Maas.

http://www.theswearingens.com/mick/images/swing.gif

[MetsFan11368]

May 25th.

1974
» The Yankees send C Duke Sims to the Rangers for P Larry Gura. Gura will go 5–1 with New York but because of reported differences with Billy Martin, Gura will be peddled to KC.

1966
» At Yankee Stadium, the Yanks maul the Angels 11–6. Mickey Mantle has two homers, one off Dean Chance and the other coming off reliever Lew Burdette..

1937
» After hitting a solo home run against the Yankees in his third-inning at-bat off Bump Hadley to break a 1–1 tie, player-manager Mickey Cochrane is hit by a 3–1 pitch from Hadley in the 5th inning and suffers a skull fracture in three places. Coach Del Baker will run the team for the hospitalized Detroit leader, who will never return to active play. Cochrane's homer is his last at bat. In the hospital, Cochrane will exonerate Hadley saying, "I lost the ball." The Yanks win the game, 4–3, beating Schoolboy Rowe, who makes his first appearance of the season following a suspension for lack of conditioning.

1922 ~ The Bambino goes crazy :grouchy
» Babe Ruth is suspended one day and fined $200 for throwing dirt on ump George Hildebrand after being called out at 2B while trying to stretch a single in the 3rd. Babe then goes into the stands after a heckler and is restrained by GM Ed Barrow. On his way to the CF clubhouse Ruth gestures to another heckler in RF. Babe gets stripped of his title as team captain as a result. New York beats the visiting Nationals, 6–4.

[zman]

May 26 1959 The Yankees trade pitchers Tom Sturdivant Johnny Kucks, and infielder Jerry Lumpe to Kansas City for Ralph Terry and Hector Lopez. It was Terry's second tour with The Yankees. He was part of the trade that sent Billy Martin to Kansas City in 1957. Terry might be best known for giving up Bill Mazeroski's game winning homer in the 1960 World Series but he was a fine pitcher who won 23 games in 1962 and was the winning pitcher in game 7 of the series that year. He was also a fine golfer who would later play on the senior PGA Tour.

http://i9.ebayimg.com/01/i/02/8d/22/84_1.JPG


Hector "What a Pair of Hands" Lopez was a particular favorite of mine. For anyone unfamiliar with Hector's fielding prowess I've cut and pasted the following thread from another web board.

http://i2.ebayimg.com/01/i/03/d2/fd/ed_1_b.JPG


Hector Lopez was pretty good with the bat, and it is
a damned good thing he was too, because his fielding
was...I mean, at third base he...well, let me let others
tell you...

Bill James, in his "...Abstract" book, says of Hector, that
he was "...as bad a defensive player as you would ever
want to see."

My favorite book about baseball is "The Great American
Baseball Card Flipping Trading And Bubble Gum Book",
by Brandan Boyd and Fred Harris. In it, they say of
Hector Lopez:

"His range was about one step to either side, his hands
seemed to be made of concrete (and he) did not simply
field a ground ball, he attacked it. Like a farmer trying to
kill a snake with a stick. And his mishandling of routine
infield flies was the sort of which legends are made."

Hector came up with the Kansas City Athletics in 1955,
and in his rookie year hit for a .290 average, with 15
home runs. In his time with the Athletics, he mostly
played third base, but would play some second base.

He played for Kansas City until the 1959 season, when
he was traded to the Yankees in May. His totals for
1959 would put him 10th in the league in hits, doubles,
and slugging percentage, and 7th in RBIs.

Casey and the Yankees were still trying to use him at
third base when he got there in '59, but figured out that
he could do less damage defensively in the outfield, so
he ended up playing almost all of his games there in 1960.
Starting in 1960, Hector would be with the Yankees for
five straight pennants.

In 1961, the year of this card, Ralph Houk took over
the helm of the Yankees. Hector got less playing time
and his average suffered, dropping to .222 in 93 games.
In the 1961 World Series against the Reds, Hector
drove in 5 runs in the final game.

Hector would play in over 100 games for the Yankees
through the 1965 season. In 1966 he would only be in
54 games before being released.

Hector had a lifetime batting average of .269.
------------------------------------------------------------ --------------------------
John Wade
ovis [at] triad.rr.com

Steve Grant wrote:

> How in heaven's name did you manage to get through
> this entire (interesting) post without once using the phrase
> "what a pair of hands"?
------------------------------------------------------------ -----------------------
Because there is some debate as to whether Hector
actually owned a pair of hands!!
------------------------------------------------------------ -----------------------
John Wade
ovis [at] triad.rr.com

[MetsFan11368]

May 27th.

2001» Is this an omen?
The Yankees defeat the Red Sox, 7-3 as SS Derek Jeter gets five hits, including a double and home run. David Cone (0-1) takes the loss, going five innings and giving up three runs. Andy Pettitte is the winner.

1962
» Yankee rookie Joe Pepitone becomes the 6th player in American League history to hit two home runs in one inning. New York's 9-run 8th sinks Kansas City 13–7.

1957
» At Ebbets Field, the Yanks top the Dodgers, 10–7, in the Mayor's Trophy game. Al Cicotte allows two hits in six innings, and smacks two himself. Mickey Mantle is 4-for-5.

1948
» Joe DiMaggio hits three consecutive home runs for the New York Yankees in a 6–5, first-game win against the Indians.

1947» Yet another omen?
Matching the Chief's game yesterday, Spud Chandler gives the Yankees a 5–0 win over Boston, allowing two hits.

1936
Tony Lazzeri hits three home runs, two in the nitecap, good for four RBI as the visiting Yankees pound the Athletics, 12-6 and 15–1. The crowd of 24,240, one of the largest in several seasons, pelts the field with cushions, bottles and other articles, making play difficult. Dickey, Chapman, Rolfe, and Crosetti also homer for NY.

[zman]

Yep. Sounds like an omen to me.

[MetsFan11368]

There's more...

2000
Forbes magazine reports the New York Yankees are worth $540 million, making them the most valuable team in baseball for the 3rd straight year.

1976
» Yankees Ed Figueroa and Tippy Martinez beat the Tigers 9–5 and hold Ron LeFlore hitless for the first time since April 17th. LeFlore had hit safely in 30 straight games, tying the 3rd longest streak in club history.

1968
» The American League owners agree to the following divisional alignment for
1969: Eastern: Boston, New York, Cleveland, Baltimore, Washington, Detroit; Western: Chicago, Kansas City, Minnesota, Seattle, Oakland, California.

1967
» New York beats Cleveland, 5–0, and Mickey Mantle hits his 2nd homer in two days, and his 11th of the season.

1960
» Casey Stengel is hospitalized with a virus and high fever and will miss 13 games. New York goes 7-6 under interim manager Ralph Houk. Today the Yanks top the Senators, 5–1, behind Jim Coates’ 5th straight win. The game is scoreless until Mickey Mantle cracks a 5th inning opposite field homer off Jim (Kitty) Kaat, who then walks three, hits two batters, and a serves up a Gil McDougald 2-run triple good for three runs. Later Mantle homers again, and Roger Maris, leading the American League, also homers, the first time the two have hit round trippers together in a game.

1954
At Boston, Joe Collins 9th inning walk—the 20th of the game—turns into the winning run in the 9th as New York beats the Red Sox, 10–9. The Yanks overcome a grand slam by Jackie Jensen.

1939
» Robert Joyce, who gave up two home runs to New York's George Selkirk yesterday, relieves for the A's. Selkirk hits two more home runs off Joyce, giving him four home runs in four at bats against the same pitcher in two successive games. Yankees win, 9–5. The Yanks release vet Wes Ferrell, who never came back after arm surgery over the winter. Ferrell will appear with the Dodgers in '40 and the Braves in 1941.

1934
» In St. Louis, Lou Gehrig hits a 6th inning homer, off Paul Andrews, then follows Babe Ruth's 7th inning homer with another round tripper. The back-to-back homers, off jack Knott, are the last the pair will combine on. New York gets homers from Jack Saltzgaver and Tony Lazzeri to rumble to a 13–9 victory.

1927
» Lou Gehrig is spiked at 1B by Bucky Harris as Firpo Marberry scores the winning run. The Yanks win the opener, 8–2, as Ruth corks his 12th homer of the year, a 3-run shot. Tris Speaker plays most of Game One despite fracturing his left thumb in batting practice.

[Mattingly]

May 29, 1995

A 20-year-old SS is called up from the farm, briefly takes over for an injured Tony Fernandez, playing 15 games that season.

Ahhhhhhh, the making of a true leader. :D :gt

[MetsFan11368]

Well, I think this event pretty much overshadows all others on this day in Yankee history. What a great 10 years these have been for him and his fans.

Thanks, Derek.......and thanks, Stick. :clapping

[zman]

1958 - Yankee P Whitey Ford fans six in a row to tie an American League record as he shuts out the White Sox 3–0. Sox pitcher Jim Wilson allows just six hits but three -- 2 by Hank Bauer and one by Mickey Mantle -- are out of the Stadium.

http://www.lasgrandesligas.com/historia/0e4a5e30.jpg

[zman]

1941 - New York Yankees 1B Lou Gehrig dies of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis at age 37 in New York. From that time on, the illness is known primarily as Lou Gehrig's Disease.

http://www.alshope.org/images/lou.jpg

[MetsFan11368]

June 4th.

2001
» The Yankees defeat the Red Sox, 7-3 as SS Derek Jeter gets five hits, including a double and home run. David Cone (0-1) takes the loss, going five innings and giving up three runs. Andy Pettitte is the winner

1962»
Yankee rookie Joe Pepitone becomes the 6th player in American League history to hit two home runs in one inning. New York's 9-run 8th sinks Kansas City 13–7.

1957
» At Ebbets Field, the Yanks top the Dodgers, 10–7, in the Mayor's Trophy game. Al Cicotte allows two hits in six innings, and smacks two himself. Mickey mantle is 4-for-5.

1948
» Joe DiMaggio hits three consecutive home runs for the New York Yankees in a 6–5, first-game win against the Indians.

1946
The Yankees deflate Virgil Trucks with home runs in the 5th inning by DiMaggio and Nick Etten. Joe Gordon then greets reliever Hal White with the Yankees 3rd consecutive home run, and the Bombers drive over Detroit 12–6.

1936
Tony Lazzeri hits three home runs, two in the nitecap, good for four RBI as the visiting Yankees pound the Athletics, 12-6 and 15–1. The crowd of 24,240, one of the largest in several seasons, pelts the field with cushions, bottles and other articles, making play difficult. Dickey, Chapman, Rolfe, and Crosetti also homer for NY.

[MetsFan11368]

June 8th.

1969
Mickey Mantle Day in New York. With 60,096 fans on hand, Mantle's number seven is retired and plaques he exchanges with Joe DiMaggio will hang on the CF wall at Yankee Stadium. DiMaggio's plaque comes as a surprise to the Yankee Clipper. The Yankees then sweep the White Sox 3–1 and 11–2.

1960
» Bob Turley tosses a 3-hit shutout against the White Sox, and Mickey Mantle adds his 9th and 10th homers of the season. His 2nd homer, in the 8th, is followed by Roger Maris' 16th of the year, matching his season total last year with KC. It is the first time the M Boys have hit back-to-back homers.

1951
Before 53,940 at Comiskey Park, Vic Raschi and the Yankees edge the Sox, 4–2. Mantle, leading the Yankees with 33 RBIs, ties the game with a single and throws out Nellie Fox, who tries to score from 3B on Minoso's fly to right.

1950
The Yankees score seven runs in the 6th to beat the Tigers, 11–4. Phil Rizzuto's record string of 238 errorless chances ends when he fumbles a grounder in the 5th.

1935
» In the lidlifter in Boston, Lou Gehrig is 3-for-3 with four RBIs to lead New York to a 13–6 win. Gehrig collides with Carl Reynolds on a play at 1B and leaves the game with arm and shoulder injuries.

[MetsFan11368]

June 12th.

1967
» Mickey Mantle breaks a scoreless tie with a long drive off Washington's Frank Bertania in the 6th, and visiting New York wins, 2–0.
June 12th.

1943
» Roy Weatherly of the Yankees, who caught 10 fly balls in a game April 28, does it again. He is the first OF to have 10 putouts in a game twice in one season.

1938
» The Yankees spot the Indians six runs, then score seven runs in the 6th inning to win, 7–6.

1927
» It is Joe Hornung Day at the Stadium, as the veteran from the 1880s celebrates his 72nd birthday. He receives a testimonial and money from his friends.

[MetsFan11368]

June 13th.

1962
» The Yankees trade INF Jake Jones to the Red Sox for Tommy Umphlett and cash.

1959
» The Yanks top Jim Bunning and Detroit, 6–4, to give Casey Stengel his 1,000th win as the Yankee skipper. Don Larsen picks up the win.

[MetsFan11368]

June 18th.

1997
» At a packed Yankee Stadium, the Yankees edge the Mets, 3–2 on a 10th-inning RBI single by Tino Martinez. Solo home runs by Chad Curtis and Cecil Fielder off Rick Reed gives the Yankees their lead and Yankee starter David Cone dominates his former team and does not allow a hit until John Olerud's leadoff double in the seventh. The three games at Yankee Stadium draw 168,719.

1996
The Yanks manage just three hits off Brad Radke, but one is a 2-run home run by Tino Martinez, as the Yanks beat Minnesota, 2–0. Radke had retired the first 20 batters. Kenny Rogers pitches eight shutout innings for the win.

1976
» Commissioner Kuhn voids the A's sales, totaling $3.5 million, of Joe Rudi and Rollie Fingers to the Red Sox, and Vida Blue to the Yankees, saying they are "not in the best interest of baseball." A's owner Charlie Finley files a $10 million damage suit against Kuhn, and will refuse to use any of the three players until June 27th.

1965
» The Yankees rout the first-place Twins 10–2 on four homers. Mickey Mantle cracks a grand slam in the first inning, and his replacement Ross Moschitto adds his first and only ML home run. New York is still 10 back in 7th place.

1960
» New York continues the fireworks in Chicago with long home runs by Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris and Skowron to win 12–5 and sweep the 4-game series in Chicago. The Mantle home run is over the CF fence and is followed by Maris's clout to the upper deck in right.

1953
» Ed Lopat and Jim McDonald of the Yanks shut out the hapless St. Louis Browns 5-0 and 30 in both ends of a doubleheader.

1938
» Babe Ruth is signed as a Dodgers coach for the rest of the season. He is in uniform for batting demonstrations the following day.

1927
» At New York, Lou Gehrig belts #16 and #17 to drive in five runs to lead the Yanks over the Browns, 8–3. Lou scores three runs. Myles Thomas gives up a homer to Wally Schang in winning his 6th in seven starts.

1916
» The Yankees roll over the Indians 19–3, as they score in every inning but the 8th.

[MetsFan11368]

June 25th.

1999
» In Baltimore's 9–8 loss to the Yankees, O's Jesse Orosco makes his 1,051th relief appearance to break Kent Tekulve's major league record. He's succeeded by Mike Tomlin, who takes the loss when he serves up a 9th inning home run to Shane Spencer. Baines has a pair of homers for the O's, while Tino Martinez has four hits for NY.

1984
» At Yankee Stadium, Dave Winfield hits five singles and drives in four runs to lead New York to a 7–3 win over Detroit. Ron Guidry (6-5) is the beneficiary of Winfield's hitting. Dave is now hitting .750 against Detroit this year. Winfield has three five-hit games this month, tying a record set by Ty Cobb.

1977
» Mike Torrez outduels Luis Tiant to give the Yankees a 5–1 win over the Red Sox. Greg Nettles 3-run homer is the big blow. New York now trails the Sox by three games.

1967
» Heavyweight contender Joe Frazier wants to hold a clinic to teach baseball players how to fight. "All they do is hurt themselves instead of the other guy," he said from his training camp. "Look at Joe Pepitone. He banged up his hands without getting a punch across. Baseball players should know about combinations as well as double plays." Frazier said he would hold a clinic on a day when the Yankees are off.

1934
» Johnlly Boarca, Yankee P, fans five times in a row while beating the White Sox 13–2. Not until Bernie Williams, on August 21, 1991, will another Yankee fan five times (by Bret Saberhagen). Gehrig hits for the cycle for the first time in his career, and the Yankees regain first place from the Tigers, losers 13–11 in Philadelphia.

1904
» In Boston, the Highlanders Jack Chersbro wins his 12th straight, besting Cy Young, 5-3. Patsy Dougherty has three hits against his former teammates.

[zman]

1907
» The last place Washington Nationals steal a record 13 bases off C Branch Rickey in a 16-5 win over New York. Rickey, acquired last February from the Browns, is pressed into service despite a bad shoulder because of the injury to starter Red Kleinow. Rickey's first throw to 2B ends up in right field and the subsequent tosses are not much better. He almost nips Jim Delahanty on a steal of 3B. In his eight innings, relief pitcher Lew Brockett helps Washington with a deliberate windup. Only pitcher Tom Hughes and 2B Nig Perrine are steal-less, while Hal Chase swipes one for New York.

http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/photos/headshots/Rickey_Branch.gif

Yep. That Branch Rickey.

[Mattingly]

On July 4th, 1939, the greatest speech ever in Yankee history was delivered by the immortal Henry Louis Gehrig. That was his Farewell Speech, in which he declared himself the "Luckiest Man on Earth", re having played with such a group of fine teammates.

http://lougehrig.com/images/farewell.jpg

"Fans, for the past two weeks you have been reading about the bad break I got. Yet today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of this earth. I have been in ballparks for seventeen years and have never received anything but kindness and encouragement from you fans.

"Look at these grand men. Which of you wouldn’t consider it the highlight of his career just to associate with them for even one day? Sure, I’m lucky. Who wouldn’t consider it an honor to have known Jacob Ruppert? Also, the builder of baseball’s greatest empire, Ed Barrow? To have spent six years with that wonderful little fellow, Miller Huggins? Then to have spent the next nine years with that outstanding leader, that smart student of psychology, the best manager in baseball today, Joe McCarthy? Sure, I’m lucky.

"When the New York Giants, a team you would give your right arm to beat, and vice versa, sends you a gift - that’s something. When everybody down to the groundskeepers and those boys in white coats remember you with trophies - that’s something. When you have a wonderful mother-in-law who takes sides with you in squabbles with her own daughter - that’s something. When you have a father and a mother who work all their lives so you can have an education and build your body - it’s a blessing. When you have a wife who has been a tower of strength and shown more courage than you dreamed existed - that’s the finest I know.

"So I close in saying that I may have had a tough break, but I have an awful lot to live for."

[JACKIE42]

July 9, 1932,
Yanks' Ben Chapman hits 2 inside-the-park HRs, tying record.

[MetsFan11368]

July 31st.

1999
» The Yankees bring back C Jim Leyritz from the Padres for P Geraldo Padua. Padua was 25–4 in three seasons in Class A, including a run of 20 straight wins. Mysteriously, Padua will lose 14 straight in the minors in 2000 and earn a release from Altoona (AA) in May, 2001, after serving up three straight homers.

1996
» At the trading deadline, Detroit trades 1B-DH Cecil Fielder, 32, to the Yankees for OF-DH Ruben Sierra and minor league P Matt Drews. The Yankees also obtain P David Weathers from the Marlins for P Mark Hutton, but will send him to the minors in three weeks.

1978
» The Yankees stop Texas, 6–1, to move to seven 1/2 games behind Boston in the American League East.

1977
» Graig Nettles scores three runs to lead the Yankees to a 9–2 win over the A's, the 8th win in nine games for New York. The Yankees are a half game out of first.

1963
» Ralph Terry of the Yankees, uses just 75 pitches in a five-hitter, winning 3–2 over the Kansas City A's. Terry has no walks and five strikeouts.

1962
» At D.C. Stadium, Mickey Mantle is on the bench with a wrenched knee, but Skowron supplies the power with a grand slam. New York wins, 9–5.

1955
» Don Larsen wins 5-2, as the Yanks and Athletics collaborate for nine DPs, with the New Yorkers turning 6. Cloyd Boyer, who had 3 of his first 8 pitches hit for HRs -- by Bauer, Mantle, and Berra -- takes the loss.

1936
» Led by Lou Gehrig, who clouts his 33rd homer, the Yankees down the Indians, 11–7, at League Park. The loss snaps the Tribe's five-game win streak, and leaves the Yankees eight 1/2 games ahead of Cleveland. Gehrig and Red Rolfe clout homers in the 5th to chase Mel Harder, but the Indians answer with three doubles by Earl Averill and a homer by Hal Trosky. Hadley, with relief from Johnny Murphy, hangs on for his 9th win.

1929
» Babe Ruth hits a fungo 447 feet in an unofficial test, beating all trial competition records.

[MetsFan11368]

August 28th.

1999
» The Yankees score six runs in the 1st inning on their way to a 21-3 victory over the Rangers. 3B Scott Brosius (6) and C Joe Girardi (7)—the 8th and 9th batters in the NY lineup—drive in 13 of the Yankee runs. Jeter scores his 100th run of the year, the 1st Yank to string together four straight seasons of 100+ runs since Mickey Mantle did it in nine straight seasons (1953-61).

1996
» The Yankees obtain P Graeme Lloyd and former Rookie of the Year Pat Listach from the Brewers in exchange for OF Gerald Williams and knuckler Bob Wickman. Lloyd is put to work and provides late inning relief as the first-place Yankees beat the A's, 5–3. The Yanks will officially complain to the American League that the Brewers sent damaged goods in the two players, but the complaint is ignored. However, the Brewers will take back Listach and send Ricky Bones to the Yanks on the 29th. The Yanks will file a grievance over Lloyd's injury next month.

1977
» Behind Mickey Rivers’' 5-for-5 and Torrez's 7th straight CG contributing to an 8–3 whipping of the White Sox, the Yanks take over first place in the American League East. With the Red Sox losing, the Yankees go ahead by a half game and will stay in first place to the end.

1968
» Stan Bahnsen outpitches Earl Wilson to give the host Yankees a 2–1 win over Detroit. The two teams then battle for 19 innings, before the 2nd game is suspended by curfew with the score 3–3. The game will be finished tomorrow. In the long tie, Lindy McDaniel retires 21 straight Tiger batters, six on strikeouts. In his last three relief appearances, he has retired 30 batters in a row.

1942
» Walter Johnson pitching to babe Ruth is the pregame attraction that draws 69,000 for the New York-Washington game at Yankee Stadium that provides $80,000 for Army-Navy relief. Ruth hits the fifth pitch into the right-field stands, and then adds one more shot before circling the bases. Sixteen relief games contribute $523,000 during the season. In the doubleheader between the Senators and the Yankees, the Senators win the opener, 7–6 and New York cops the nitecap, 3–0, in five 1/2 innings.

1930
» The Yankees buy Frank Crosetti from the San Francisco Seals but allow him to play another season in the PCL before reporting. The Yankees will make a similar arrangement for Joe DiMaggio, buying him from the Seals but waiting a year before acquiring him in 1936.

1928
» The Yankees pick up lefty Tom Zachary on waivers from Washington.

[Mattingly]

August 2nd, 1979--Yankee catcher and ex-farmhand Thurman Munson is killed on an airplane taking test runs at an airport. May he forever rest in peace.

I'd meant to post that awhile ago, but kept forgetting. At least it's still August, albeit at the opposite end of the month.

#15's locker is the only untouched one at Yankee Stadium, left exactly the way it was long before.

[MetsFan11368]

#15's locker is the only untouched one at Yankee Stadium, left exactly the way it was long before.

I wonder what they intend to do with Thurm’s locker once the new YS is completed.

If it’s not going to be located somewhere in the clubhouse where I think it belongs, it’d be nice if they could find a place for it like the Yankee lobby area where fans can view it on a regular basis.

Whatever they do, I just hope it stays within the Yankee organization and doesn’t wind up on eBay.

[Mattingly]

Interesting question about the locker. I'll post elsewhere and see what happens.

I'd think they'd put it right in its same spot among the other lockers and let everyone know not to touch it or its contents.

Derek Jeter's locker is right next to his, so in addition to his getting #2, he must've been thought of highly when he was brought up from the farm. I think he was wearing #14 in the minors.

[Mattingly]

Unstickeying. If anyone has anything to add, please do so. :)