September 1
1890: In the first Triple Header ever played, the Brooklyn Bridegrooms take all 3 from the Pittsburgh Allegheny’s, 10-9, 3-2 and 8-4.
1902: The most famous DP combination ever, Joe Tinker, Johnny Evers and Frank Chance, play together for the very first time.
1912: In a highly publicized pitching duel, Smokey Joe Wood of Boston defeats Walter Johnson of Washington, 1-0.
1958: Cards pitcher Vinegar Bend Mizell walks 9, but still manages a shut-out, defeating the Reds, 1-0.
1964: Masanori Murakami becomes the 1st Japanese player to play in the majors. Pitching for the Giants, he loses to the Mets, 4-1.
1971: At Jarry Park in Montreal, the Pirates becomes the 1st team in history to field 9 minorities. The infield consists of Al Oliver, Rennie Stennet, Jackie Hernandez and Dave Cash. The outfield consists of Willie Stargell, Gene Clines and Roberto Clemente. The battery is Manny Sanguillen and Dock Ellis.
1975: With a strikeout of Manny Sanguillen, Tom Seaver becomes the 1st pitcher to reach 200 K’s in 8 straight seasons.
1989: The baseball world is shocked when much loved and much respected commissioner Bart Giamatti dies suddenly of a heart attack at age 51, just 8 days after handing down a lifetime ban to Pete Rose.
1998: With his 57th HR, Mark McGwire sets the NL record, breaking the mark set by Hack Wilson.
September 2:
1955: With his 40th HR of the year, Ernie Banks sets the single season record for most HR’s by a SS.
1969: Ralph Houk signs a 3 year contract to manage the Yankees. His $65,000 is the highest annual salary ever paid to a manager.
1972: Facing the Padres, Milt Pappas of the Cubs loses a Perfect Game after 8 2/3 innings when he walks pinch hitter Larry Stahl on a 3-2 pitch.
1972: Trailing 8-0 after 7 innings, the Mets erupt for 7 in the 8th and 4 more in the 9th to beat Houston, 11-8. It’s the Mets biggest come from behind victory.
1972: Roberto Clemente hits a HR off the Giants Sam McDowell. It’s Clemente’s 2971st hit as a Pirate, making him the teams all time leader, passing Honus Wagner.
1975: Johnnie LeMaster of the Giants becomes the 1st player to ever hit an inside the park HR in his 1st ML at-bat.
1993: The Colorado Rockies, in their 1st year of existence, set the NL record for attendance with 3,617,863 fans. And they still have 19 home games remaining.
1999: With a blast off of Rolando Arrojo, Cal Ripken reaches 400 HR’s
September 3:
1894: Connie Mack wins his 1st game as manager as his Pirates crush the Senators, 22-1.
1917: Grover Cleveland Alexander pitches both ends of a double header–and tosses complete games–as the Phillies beat the Dodgers, 5-0 and 9-3.
1928: In his very last hit, the 4189th of his career, Ty Cobb comes off the bench and doubles against Bump Hadley.
1932: Jimmie Foxx joins Babe Ruth and Hack Wilson as the only players to hit 50 Homers in a single season.
1947: The Yankees get 18 hits, all singles, and defeat Boston, 11-2.
1947: William McCahan no-hits the Senators, 3-0. He is only the 7th pitcher in history to toss a no hitter in his rookie season. After the season, however, McCahan injures his arm while lifting barrels of oil while working at his winter job and his career is effectively over.
1961: Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle become the 1st teammates to each hit 50 HR’s
1965: In preparation of their move to Anaheim, the Los Angeles Angels change their name to the California Angels.
1975: On the final pitch of an illustrious career, Bob Gibson gives up a Grand Slam to Pete La Cock. It is the only Grand Slam La Cock will ever hit.
1978: Going deep against Tommy John in the 1st and Charlie Hough in the 7th, Lee Mazzilli becomes the 1st Mets player to hit a HR from each side of the plate in the same game.
1990: Bobby Thigpen records his 47th save, a ML record.
2002: Losing their 15th straight game at Shea, the Mets break a record for most consecutive losses at home set by the 1911 Boston Braves.
2007: Ichiro Suzuki reaches 200 hits for his 7th consecutive season. Only Wade Boggs and ‘Wee’ Willie Keeler have done this.
September 4:
1906: The New York Highlanders, later to become the Yankees, play their 5th double-header in 6 days. They won all the games, going 10-0.
1966: The LA Dodgers become the 1st team to draw 2 million fans at home AND on the road.
1969: Willie Davis of the Dodgers has his consecutive game hitting streak stopped at 31. It’s the 3rd longest streak in NL history at the time.
1974: Although he is pitching a no-hitter, Astros manager Preston Gomez elects to pinch-hit for Don Wilson in the 8th. The Reds score against his replacement in the 9th and win the game, 2-1.
1985: With 2 solo Home Runs, the Mets Gary Carter becomes just the 11th player in history to hit 5 HR’s in 2 games.
1991: The MLB Statistical Accuracy Committee decides to officially remove the asterisk from Roger Maris’ mark of 61 home runs in 1961. It was commissioner Faye Vincent who pushed to have the change made.
1993: Jim Abbott, born with no right hand, no-hits the Indians in New York, 4-0.
1998: The Yankees win their 100th game, the earliest any team has reached the century mark.
2000: Carlton Fisk is honored when he becomes only the 5th Red Sox player to have his # retired. Fisk (27) now joins Bobby Doerr, Joe Cronin, Carl Yastremski and Ted Williams.
