This Week In Yankees History

September 7th - September 13th

September 7th

1889 - Former Yankees OF William “Bill” Holden (1913-1914) was born. Bill hit .242 in 68 games for the Yankees, before moving on to the Reds in 1914.

1894 - Former Yankees OF Joseph “Shags” Horan (1924) was born. Joe hit .290 in 22 games for the Yankees in 1924.

1908 - On Labor Day, Senators Manager Joe Cantillon starts the Big Train in place of one pitcher who is sick, and another who returned to Washington to be with his sick wife. Only 3 Senators' pitchers made the trip to NYC. Ace starter Walter Johnson shuts out the Highlanders for the 3rd time in 4 days, by the score of 4-0, topping Yankees veteran starter Jack Chesbro. The Big Train allows just 2-hits with no walks. In the 3 games, Walter allows 12 hits, walks one, and strikes out 12. Johnson will pitch 130 shutouts during his career, 23 more than runner-up Grover Alexander. This is one of a record (topped in 1972) 7 shutouts tossed today, out of 16 games.

1925 - After apologizing to his Yankee teammates yesterday, Babe Ruth makes his 1st appearance in a week, collecting one hit in a 5-1 loss to the Red Sox.

1926 - The Red Sox lose their 17th game in a row, losing by the score of 4- 2 to the Yankees.

1927 - After blasting 3-HRs in a doubleheader split with the Red Sox the day before, Babe Ruth hits 2 more HRs in a 12-10 Yankees win, giving him a record-tying 5 HRs in 3 games. He leads his Yankees teammate Lou Gehrig, with 49 HRs to 45 HRs.

1928 - The stumbling Yankees drop a pair to the Senators, losing by scores of 11-0 and 6-1. Bump Hadley tosses the shutout and adds 3 singles. Fred Marberry wins the 2nd game over Waite Hoyt, for his 2nd win over the Yankees in 5 days. The Yankees, which led the AL by 13 1/2 games on July 1st, are now tied with the A's.

1931 - In the morning game of a doubleheader in Philadelphia at Shibe Park, the Yankees begin with 8 walks and score 8 times in the 1st inning on only 2 hits. Rommel, the 4th A’s hurler in the inning, retires Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and Ben Chapman on strikes. The Yankees win the game by a score of 15-3. In the 2nd game, Ruth and Gehrig bang 6th-inning HRs off of former Yankees P Waite Hoyt. Babe Ruth adds another Hoyt blow in the 9th inning, his 40th HR for the 1931 AL season. The Yankees roll to a 9-4 victory over the 1st-place A's.

1932 - Yankees OF Babe Ruth is hospitalized with pains in his side. The slugger will be out of action for 5 days.

1934 - Yankees 1B Lou Gehrig and the A’s OF Jimmie Foxx, heirs to Babe Ruth's AL HR championship role, are in battle for the HR title. Lou Gehrig hits his 44th HR in Chicago, while Jimmy Foxx hits his 41st HR in Detroit.

1952 - At Griffith Stadium in Washington, D.C., Johnny “The Big Cat” Mize pinch-hit a grand slam HR giving the Yankees, a 5-1 victory over the Senators. Mize has now homered in all 15 MLB ballparks presently in use (Sportsman Park in St. Louis is used by both the Cardinals and the Browns).

1955 - Whitey Ford continues his mastery with his 2nd consecutive 1-hitter, by beating the A's, by the score of 2-1. The A’s OF Jim Finigan hits a 2-out single in the 7th inning for the A' s only hit the game. Whitey Ford is the 5th MLB pitcher to throw consecutive 1-hitters.

1961 - Yankees All Star RF Roger Maris lays down a bunt and also belts his 55th HR of the year in the 3rd inning as Yankees beats the Senators, by the score of 7-3. All of Senator’s scores come in the 6th inning on an inside-the-park HR by Tito Francona, off of Yankees starter Ralph Terry. When asked by sports writers after the game, why he bunted, a testy Maris replies, "Trying to win the game, you stupid cocksucker. Why do you think."

1963 - With a 3 game lead, the Yankees purchased some pennant insurance by acquiring veteran righty pitcher Hal “Skinny” Brown from the Orioles. Hal would go 0-1 in 2 games for the Yankees. In April 1963, the Yankees will sell him to the Houston Colt 45s.

1969 - Former Yankees OF/DH Darren Bragg (2001) was born. On June 12, 2001, Darren was selected off waivers by the Yankees from the Mets. He appeared in only 5 games, hitting .250 for the Yankees.

1972 - Tommy Harper and Rico Petrocelli club 3-run HRs to lead the Red Sox to a 10-4 win over the Yankees and move into 1st place in the AL East ahead of the Tigers. Red Sox hurler Sonny Siebert adds a HR as he wins his 12th game of the season.

1974 - In a game with the Tigers, Graig Nettles loses a single when it is discovered he is using a corked bat. The Yankees win 1-0 on Graig Nettles' earlier HR.

1976 - The Yankees beat the Red Sox by the score of 4-2, as Yankees starter Dock Ellis picks up his 15th victory with Richard “Dirt” Tidrow gets his 8th save of the season. Yankees Oscar Gamble’s 2-run HR is the difference in the game, as Yaz and Fisk each hit solo HR’s for the Red Sox off of Yankees starter Dock Ellis.

1977 - The Yankees edge the Indians at Cleveland, by the score of 4-3 in 10th inning. Yankees starter Ron Guidry pitches 10 innings, giving up 3 runs, 10 hits, 4 walks, and 5 strikeouts, picking up his 13 victory of the season.

1978 - The Yankees 4 games behind the Red Sox in the AL East, arrive in Boston for a crucial 4-game series. The Yankees begin the "Boston Massacre" at Fenway Park, with a 15-3 rout as Willie Randolph drives in 5 of the 15 runs. The Yankees collect 21 hits off 4 Red Sox pitchers, including 3 hits apiece by Willie Randolph, Thurman Munson and Roy White. Former Yankee now Red Sox starter Mike Torrez, with one inning of work, takes the loss. Ken Clay, in relief of starter Catfish Hunter, is the winner for the Yankees.

1985 - Dave Winfield steals home with the winning run in the Yankees 3-2 win over the A's. Following a pitchout in the 7th inning, Winfield gets hung up in a rundown but escapes to score.

1996 - Former Yankees INF Willy Miranda (1953-54) passes away (1926-1996). Willy was the classic good fielder, no-hit infielder. Willy was purchased by the Yankees from the Browns in 1953. He appeared in 140 games for the Yankees, hitting .237. He was traded to the Orioles in the big 17-man trade after the 1954 AL season.

2001 - Yankees beat the Red Sox by a score of 3-2 as starter Orlando “El Duque” Hernandez goes 7 innings for his 2nd win, as Yankees Closer Mo Rivera picks up save #45 of the 2001 AL season. Red Sox starter Pedro Martinez goes only 3 innings in his start for the Red Sox.

2004 - At Kansas City, the Yankees score 7 runs in the 9th inning to beat the Royals by the score of 7-3. Yankees starter Danny Neagle picks up his 6th victory, going 8 innings as Closer Mo Rivera picks up his 33rd save of the year. David Justice leads the Yankee hitting attack in the 9th inning with a 2-run HR.

2004 - Former Yankees relief pitcher Hal Reniff (1961-1966) passes away (1938-2004). Hal was signed as a free agent in 1956 by the Yankees. Althought he was a starter in the minors with the Yankees, he would be in the bullpen. He went 18-20 in 247 games with 41 saves. His best season was in 1963, when Hal had 18 saves for the Yankees. Hal appeared in the 1962-1963 World Series with the Yankees with no record. In June of 1967, Hal was purchased by the Mets. He went 3-3 and with 4 saves. He pitched in the minors for the Yankees AAA team until 1972 before retiring from baseball.

2002 - The Tigers defeat the Yankees, by the score of 2-1. Tigers 1B Eric Munson hits a HR in his 1st MLB at bat.

September 8th

1916 - In front the smallest crowd in AL history, A's C/OF Wally Schang, with 23 fans attending the game, becomes the 1st switch-hitter in MLB history to HR from both sides of the plate in the same game against the Yankees.

1917 - The Yankees trade shutouts with the Senators, winning 2-0 before losing, 5-0. Doc Ayers wins the nightcap, his 2nd shut out in a row over the Yankees and the 3rd time he's beaten them in 8 days. Nick Cullop takes the loss for New York. In the opening game, Yankees pitcher Ray Caldwell fires his only shut out of the 1917 AL season.

1919 - Babe Ruth hits HR #26 off of Yankees hurler Jack Quinn in New York, breaking Buck Freeman's 1899 MLB HR mark of 25.

1920 - On their way to Cleveland, the Yankees play an exhibition game against the Pirates and suffer injuries to their starters, Muddy Ruel (split finger) and Ping Bodie (sprained ankle). With pitcher Carl Mays skipping the Indians series to avoid any scenes, New York is short handed. Earlier in the season, Carl Mays had beaned Indians shortstop Ray Chapman in the head at the Polo Grounds, who would later die from his head injury the next day.

1922 - The Yankees go back on top of the AL, this time to stay, beating the Senators, by a score of 8-1, behind starter Carl Mays, while the Browns lose to the Tigers, by the score of 8-3. New York's win is triggered by Wally Pipp's 6th inning 3-run HR off of Walter Johnson, the 2nd HR Wally has dinged off the Senator's ace in 9-days.

1925 - In the nightcap of a doubleheader at Fenway Park, Babe Ruth hits his 300th MLB career HR off of southpaw Buster Ross as the Yankees defeat the Red Sox, by the score of 7-4.

1928 - Behind Babe Ruth's 3-run HR, the Yankees take the Senators by the score of 6-3, but it is not enough as the Yankees drop to 2nd place in AL.

1932 - The Yankees and Tigers replay protested August 1st game as the nightcap of a doubleheader, but end in a 7-7 tie. After the game, Babe Ruth experiences abdominal pains he believes are an appendicitis attack. He will be out of the lineup indefinitely. Sammy Byrd, subbing for Babe Ruth in the opener, collects 5 hits for the Yankees, including 2-HRs in a 5-4 win.

1937 - Trailing the Red Sox by the score of 6-1 in the 9th inning, the Yankees rally for 8 runs with 2 outs and down Boston 9-6, in a second game of a doubleheader. The rally started when Don Heffner tripled home 2 runs. PH Billy Dickey doubled Don Heffner home, and Jack Saltzgaver (pinch running for Dickey) came home when Red Sox shortstop Joe Cronin bobbled Frank Crosetti’s ground ball. Red Rolfe walked, and Joe DiMaggio singled home Crosetti to kayo pitcher Jack Wilson. Reliever Al Thomas threw 1-pitch to Lou Gehrig and watched it sail over the wall for a game-winning HR. In the 1st game, Myril Hoag’s 9th inning single scored the winning run in a 3-2 victory.

1939 - In another wild adventure with the Red Sox, the Yankees take 4-1 lead into 7th inning, and they are declared the winners, when a terrible thunderstorm causes the umpires to declare the field unsafe. Contemporary sources said the lightning show was the best they’d ever seen.

1951 - At Oldtimer's Day at Yankee Stadium, former longtime Yankees Manager Joe McCarthy (1931-1946) is honored. With the game scoreless in the 7th inning, Mickey Mantle belts a Bob Porterfield pitch into the last row of the RF bleachers, some 460 feet away to break the scoreless tie. Bob Porterfield had started the 1951 with the Yankees before being traded to the Senators. Ed Lopat shuts out the Senators for a 4-0 Yankee win.

1952 - Former Yankees P Larry McCall (1977-78) was born. Larry went 1-2 in 7 games for the Yankees before being traded to the Rangers.

1961 - The Yankees rout the Indians by a score of 9-1 as Mickey Mantle hits HR #52, off of Gary Bell. The Yankees win for their 9th straight game, while the Tigers lose their 8th game in a row to drop 10 games in back. The Tigers purchased veteran 1B Vic Wertz from the Red Sox to shore up their offense.

1963 - Former Yankees INF William “Bill” Knickerbocker (1938-1940) passed away (1911 - 1963). On February 15, 1938, Bill was traded by the Browns to the Yankees for INF Don Heffner and $10,000. Bill appeared in 97 games hitting .222 as a reserve INF for the Yankees. On December 31, 1940, Bill was traded by the Yankees to the White Sox for C Ken Silvestri.

1973 - Light hitting reserve INF Fred Stanley hits the final grand slam HR in Old Yankee Stadium. A left field foul pole shot off of Brewers hurler Kevin Kobel during a 15-1 Yankees win.

1977 - Chris Chambliss’ 5th inning sacrifice fly provides the margin of victory as the Yankees edge the Indians by the score of 4-3 behind starting pitcher Ed Figueroa. The victory opened a 3 1/2 game lead over the Red Sox in the AL East

1978 - Yankees continues its rampage of the Red Sox by scoring 2 runs in the 1st inning and 6 more in the 2nd inning. Boston makes 7 errors to ease the Yankees to a 13-2 romp. Reggie Jackson hits a 3-run HR and Lou Piniella adds a double, triple and HR to back Jim Beattie's pitching. Dwight Evans and Carlton Fisk both make a pair of errors. Yankees are now 2 games in back of the Red Sox in AL East.

1979 - Yankees 3B Greg Nettles hits an 8th inning HR to help the Yankees and Ron Guidry beat the Tigers, by a score of 5-4. It is Guidry's 10th straight win of the 1979 AL season.

1983 - Yankees OF Steve Kemp will miss the rest of the 1983 AL season with a fractured cheekbone after being struck in the face by an Omar Moreno line drive during batting practice at Country Stadium in Milwaukee. Kemp hit just .242 with 12 HRs and 49 RBI in the 1st year of his 5-year, $5.45 million contract. Yankees win the game, defeating the Brewers by a score of 6-5.

1984 - The Yankees break a 4-4 tie with 2 runs in the 6th inning to roll over the Red Sox, by the score of 12-6. Yankees 3B Toby Harrah paces the 15-hit attack with 4 hits, and Dave Winfield one of the game's 12 doubles to extend his hitting streak to 20 games, which is and will be a MLB career high. Joe Cowley is the winner for the Yankees.

1992 - Yankees OF Danny Tartabull goes 5 for 5 with 2-HRs and a double, and drives in 9 runs as the Bronx Bombers defeat the Orioles, by the score of 16-4. Scott Sanderson is the winner for the Yankees.

2000 - The Yankees defeat the Red Sox, by the score of 4-0, behind Roger Clemens. A scary moment occurs in the 9th inning when Red Sox hurler Bryce Florie is hit in the face with a line drive off the bat off of Yankees reserve OF Ryan Thompson. The Red Sox hurler never loses consciousness and leaves the field with blood streaming down his face. Florie suffers a fractured cheekbone and a fracture of the orbital socket, the bone that surrounds the eye, and retinal damage. He will undergo surgery.

September 9th

1899 - Former HOF Yankees P Waite “School Boy” Hoyt (1921-1930) was born (1899-1984). He was with the Yankees from 1921-1930, winning 157 games. His best Yankees season was in 1927, he went 22-7, being the only 20 game winner on the 1927 World Championship team. He would appear in 5 World Series going 6-1 with the Yankees. After retiring as a ctive MLB player, Hoyt would become a long time HOF broadcaster for the Reds.

1928 - A total of 85,265 fans jam Yankee Stadium to watch the Yankees sweep 2 games from the A's, by the scores of 3-0 and 7-3, to move back into 1st place to stay. George Pipgras is the winner in the 1st game, while the Yankee star of the nightcap is Bob Meusel, who takes an Ed Rommel knuckleball out of the park for a Grand Slam HR in the 8th inning. Waite Hoyt is the winner for the Yankees.

1928 - At the age of 38, veteran Yankees Pitcher Urban Shocker dies of pneumonia in Denver, Co, where he had gone for his health. Only now does it become known that he had suffered from an enlarged heart and was unable to sleep lying down for 2 years. Shocker, who never had a losing season on his MLB career, was 18-6 in 1927, but appeared in only 1 game in 1928.

1931 -To raise funds to help the unemployed in the Depression, the Yankees, Giants, and Robins (aka the Dodgers) agree to a series of benefit games. 60,000 fans, paying regular prices, raise $59,000 in the 1st match-up, as Babe Ruth HRs and the Yankees beat the Giants by the score of 7-2.

1932 -The Tigers beat the Yankees by the score of 14-13 in a 14-inning game in which Lou Gehrig hits a grand slam HR and drives in 8-runs. He has reached this RBI feat twice before. Frankie Crosetti strikes out 4 times in the game, including twice in one inning. The Tigers also tops the Yankees, by the score of 4-1, in 5 innings to finally complete the protested game of August 1st, and the tie of yesterday. The Yankees score their lone run in the 3rd inning off of Buck Marrow with their only 2 hits of the game.

1936 - With a doubleheader sweep over the Indians, the Yankees clinch their 8th AL pennant. The Bronx Bombers will finish the 1936 AL season 19.5 games ahead of the 2nd place Tigers.

1938 - Lou Gehrig plays his 2,100th consecutive MLB game and has 4 hits to bring his batting average over .300.

1951 - The Yankees hit 5 HRS, 4 off the Nats' hurler Richard Starr to win the game, by a score of 7-5. Mickey Mantle's leadoff HR on the 1st pitch, which starts the scoring, slams against the bottom of the flag holder on the top of the RF stands. Vic Raschi, then wins the nightcap, by the score of 2 -0, in a game called after the 6th inning because of "darkness." Though Yankee Stadium has lights, unlike the NL, these cannot be used on Sunday. The Yankees (88-49) remain virtually tied with the Indians (88-51).

1953 - Mickey Mantle's 2-run HR off of White Sox starter Billy Pierce caps a 7-run 5th inning, as the Yankees win by the score of 9-3 at Yankee Stadium. Returning to CF after the 5th inning, Mantle is photographed blowing a huge bubble with a wad of gum. Yankees Manager Casey Stengel will publicly rebuke the Mick, who will apologize for the indiscretion. However, Mantle does get an endorsement fee from the Bowman Gum Company.

1961 - On “Whitey Ford Day” at Yankee Stadium, Roger Maris hits his 56th HR, off of Indians' Jim “Mudcat” Grant, as the Yankees come from behind to win the game, by a score of 8-7. Yankees score 4 runs in the 9th inning to enable closer Luis Arroyo to pick up his 12th relief win in a row.

1962 - Red Sox OF Lou Clinton makes 4 stellar grabs in the outfield and adds a HR, triple and single as the Red Sox trip the Yankees, by the score of 9-3 in 16 innings at Yankee Stadium. Richard “The Monster” Radatz takes over for Red Sox starter Hal Kolstad and pitches 9 innings of relief before leaving in the 16th inning for a pinch hitter.

1965 - Former Yankees DH/INF Todd Zeile (2003) was born. Todd hit .210 in 66 games before being released by the Yankees.

1970 - Former Yankees P Dan Micelli (2003) was born. On June 25, 2003, Dan was sent to the Yankees by the Indians, as part of a conditional deal. Dan went 0-0 in 7 games with 1 save before being sent to the Astros.

1970 - Yankees placed veteran relief P Steve Hamilton (1963-1970) on waivers; he is claimed by the White Sox. Steve joined the Yankees in 1963, coming from the Senators for Yankees P Jim Coates. He went 34-20 as a Yankees reliever.

1974 - At Fenway Park, the Yankees beat the Red Sox, by the score of 6-3, for their 1st win in Boston since July 31,1973. The Yankees have won 2 of 24 games at Fenway Park since 1972.

1977 - Yankees starter Mike Torrez notches a 3-hitter, 2-0, victory over the Blue Jays. Cliff Johnson hits a HR for the Yankees, who maintain a 3 game lead over the Red Sox in the AL East.

1978 - Ron Guidry (21-2) gives up 2 singles in the 1st inning and that's it. New York sends 12 runners to the plate and scores 7 runs in the 4th inning to win the game by a score of 7-0 against starter Dennis Eckersley cutting the Red Sox lead to a single game. For Ron Guidry, it is his 7th shutout of the 1978 AL season, and the 1st lefty shutout in Fenway Park since 1974 (Ken Holtzman of the A’s, August 5th). With the Brewers' victory over the Twins, the Brewers trail by just 4 1/2 games.

1990 - The A’s beat the Yankees by the score of 7-3 to complete a 12-game sweep of the Yankees this year. The season sweep is a 1st for the Yankees.

1997 - The Red Sox lose to the Yankees, by the score of 8-6, despite 2 RBIs for Nomar Garciaparra. The RBI’s give Garciaparra' 87 on the year, for a new MLB record for leadoff men. Former AL batting champion Harvey Kuenn held the old AL mark with 85 in 1956 with the Tigers.

1998 - By defeating the Red Sox, by a score of 7-5, the Yankees move 20.5 games ahead of 2nd-place Red Sox and clinch the AL East title. It is the earliest date in AL history in which a division title has been captured.

1999 - Yankees HOF P James “Catfish” Hunter (1975-1975) passes away (1946-1999). Jim was signed by the Yankees as a free agent in 1974. His best Yankee season was in 1975, going 23-14 with 30 complete games and 7 shutouts. From 1975-1979, Jim went 63-33 as a Yankees pitcher. He was elected to the Baseball Hall Of Fame in 1987.

September 10th

1919 - The Indians P Ray "Slim" Caldwell struck by lightning 2 weeks earlier, no-hits his former Yankees teammates by the score of 3-0 at the Polo Grounds.

1921 - Catcher Wally Schang has 5 of the Yankees' 21 hits as the Bronx Bombers wallop the A's by the score of 19-3. A MLB record-tying 5 Yankees collect 2 hits in the 9th inning: Schang, Mays, Miller, Peckinpaugh, and Ruth. Babe Ruth's 2nd hit, a single, hits Peck for the 3rd out. Yankees starter Carl Mays gives up 13 hits to the A’s in winning his 16th straight game over them.

1922 - The Yankees play their farewell home game in the Polo Grounds, an estimated 40,000 fans overflow the stadium with another 25,000 fans are turned away. Joe Bush beats the A's, by the score of 10-3 in the opener, while Waite Hoyt edges the A's in the 2nd game, by the score of 2-1. Plans are in the works to expand the ballpark to 56,000 seat capacity, but this is the last regular season AL game at the Polo Grounds. The Yankees will play their next 18 games on the road, and then open in Yankee Stadium in April of 1923.

1925 - Yankee sluggers Bob Meusel, Babe Ruth, and Lou Gehrig hit successive HRs in the 4th inning of Game 1 versus the A's, all off of P Sammy Gray, as New York wins by the score of 7-3. Then Babe Ruth and Ben Paschal hit back-to-back HRs in the 4th inning in game 2, but the Yankees still lose the game to the A’s, by the score of 5-4.

1934 - Former All Star and MVP OF Roger Maris (1960-1966) was born (1934-1985). Roger Maris was originally signed by the Indians, and then he was traded to the A’s in 1958. Roger was obtained by the Yankees in December of 1959 in a trade with the A’s. The Yankees sent OF Norm Seibern, P Don Larsen, 1B/OFMarv Throneberry and OF Hank Bauer for OF Roger Maris, INF Joe De Mastri and 1B Kent Hadley. In 1960-1961, he won the AL MVP Award, as well establishing a new HR record for AL in 1961 with 61 HRs. Roger would appeared with the Yankees in 5 World Series from 1960-1964. He was traded to the Cardinals in winter of 1966 for 3B Charley Smith. Roger would appear in the 1967-68 World Series with the Cardinals, before retiring as a MLB player. The Yankees retired his No. 9 uniform number. Roger passed away in 1985 from cancer.

1939 - In the 1st game of a doubleheader with Cleveland, Indians starter Ray Caldwell no-hits the Yankees, winning by the game by score of 3-0.

1950 - Joe DiMaggio becomes the 1st player to hit 3 HRs in one game at spacious Griffith Stadium in Washington, D.C., as the Yankees beat the Senators by the score of 8-1. Also Joe adds an RBI double, to pass the 100-RBI mark for the 9th time in his MLB career. The Senators lead the 2nd game by the score of 6-2, when rain washes it out in the 4th inning. Yankees are now a half-game in back of the leaders with the Red Sox a half game behind the Yankees.

1955 - Yankees OF Hank Bauer, pressed into emergency service as a catcher, permits a passed ball, setting up the winning run in a 9-8 loss to the White Sox. It would be the only time Hank Bauer appeared behind the plate for the Yankees.

1957 - Yankees obtained OF Bobby Del Greco (1957-58) from the Cubs for the waiver price. Bobby hit .429 for the remainder of the 1957 AL season. He hit .200 in 12 games in 1958 for the Yankees. On April 13, 1959, Bobby was purchased by the Phillies from the Yankees.

1958 - At Cleveland, 50,021 fans turn out for "Back the Indians" night. It is Cleveland's largest crowd since the 1955 AL season, but the Yankees dampen the Indian fans enthusiasm with an 8-3 win over the Tribe.

1959 - Yankees All Star CF Mickey Mantle goes 5-for-6, including a HR in a 12-1 romp over the A’s.

1960 - In Detroit, Mickey Mantle unloads a HR cannon shot for 3 runs in the 6th inning, the ball clearing the RF roof and landing in the Brooks Lumber Yard across Trumbull Avenue. Yankees pin a 5-1 loss on Tigers starter Paul Foytack that moves them a half game in 1st place ahead of the Orioles, losers today. In June of 1985, Mickey Mantle's HR was retroactively measured at 643 feet, and will be listed in The Guinness Book of World Records at that distance.

1961 - The Yankees sweep the Indians by scores of 7-6 and 9-3, their 12th win in a row at home and the Indians, their 20th loss in a row at Yankee Stadium. Mickey Mantle gets HR # 53 in the nightcap, while Roger Maris, homerless, stays at the 56 HR mark. The official scorecard credits Mantle with 2 runs scored: it will be discovered in 1995 that 1 of the 2 runs should go to Bill Skowron. In the 2nd game, Clete Boyer sends a Jim Perry pitch into the LF corner that hits the lower deck of the grand stand and bounces back into play. While home plate Umpire Joe Linsalata calls it a HR, the other two umps agree with Tribe CF Jimmy Piersall who contends the ball is in play. Boyer's HR is interrupted at 3B with a tag out. Jimmy Piersall's contribution in Game 1 is fighting with a fan, who had climbed onto the Yankee Stadium playing field.

1962 - Against Tigers hurler Hank Aguirre, Mickey Mantle clouts a 4th inning HR, the 400th of his MLB career, to tie the game at 1-1. The Yankees score 2 runs in the 9th inning off of Hank Aguirre to beat the Tigers by the score of 3-1. The victory, combined with a Twins loss, gives the Yankees a 3 1/2 game lead over the Twins. The surprising Angels are in 3rd place in the AL, just 4 games back.

1963 - Former Yankees P Randy “The Big Unit” Johnson (2005-06) was born. Randy was traded by the Diamondbacks in 2004 to the Yankees for hurlers Javier Vazquez and Brad Halsey, C Dioner Navarro, and cash. Randy went 34-19 in 67 games for the Yankees before returning to D-Backs.

1966 - Yankees obtained P Thad Tillotson and cash from the Dodgers for veteran shortstop Richard “Ducky” Schofield. Thad Tillotson went 4-9 in 2 seasons with the Yankees.

1974 - Former AL batting champion Alex Johnson, purchased by the Yankees from the Rangers yesterday, arrives in Boston during the Red Sox-Yankees game. With the score tied at 1 -1 in the 12th inning, Johnson socks a pinch-HR to win it for the Yankees by the score of 2-1.

1977 - Blue Jays 3B Roy Howell leads the way with 13 total bases (2 home runs, 2 doubles and a single) and 9 RBIs as the Blue Jays rout the Yankees, by the score of 19-3. Yankees starter Catfish Hunter takes the loss to finish the 1977 AL season at 9-9. He will not pitch again for the Yankees untill the 1977 World Series against the Dodgers.

1978 - The Red Sox throw 22-year-old rookie hurler Bobby Sprague at the Yankees and the lefty last just two-thirds of an inning walking 3 and allowing 1 hit. The Yankees take the lead and top the Red Sox by the score of 7-4 behind the pitching of starter Ed Figueroa and closer Rich Gossage. The Red Sox collects just 5 hits, including Fred Lynn's 21st HR. The Yankees out-hit the Red Sox 67-21, and outscore them 42-9, in a sweep that leaves the teams in a tie for 1st place, and caps a remarkable march to the top from 4th place, 14 games out.

1978 - Former Yankees reserve INF Nick Green (2006) was born. Nick hit .240 in 46 games as a back-up INF for the Yankees in 2006.

1999 -The Red Sox trip the Yankees, by the score of 3-1, as Pedro Martinez hurls an impressive 1-hitter for his 21st victory of the 1999 AL season. Martinez strikes out 17 Yankee batters, the most Yankees ever fanned in a single game. DH Chili Davis' 2nd inning HR is NY's only score. Chuck Knoblauch leading off the game gave the Yankees their only other base runner, he was caught stealing, so Martinez faces just one over the minimum of 27 batters.

September 11th

1905 - The Highlanders sell workhorse P Jack Powell (8-13) to the Browns. Powell won 23 games in 1904, pitching 390 1/3 innings.

1912 - In St. Louis, Browns starter Jack Powell leaves after 7 innings, losing by the score of 3-0 to his former team, the Highlanders. Reliever George Baumgartner gives up 2 more runs in the 8th inning, but the Browns score 4 runs in the bottom of the 8th inning to cut the losing margin to 5-4. The New York Times reports the loss to Baumgartner, who pitched poorly.

1923 - After Yankees leadoff hitter Whitey Witt reaches 1st base on a controversial infield hit that is ruled a single, Red Sox P Howard Ehmke retires the next 27 batters for a 3-0 win, his 20th of the season. The Yankees crowd exhorts the scorer Fred Lieb to reverse his call on the hard grounder that 3B Howard Shanks booted, but the 1 hit stood. Ehmke has now given up just 1 hit in his last 2 games.

1926 - Bob Meusel ties a MLB record for sacrifice flies in 1 game when he hits 3 during a 6-4 win at Cleveland. In the same game, Yankees Shortstop Mark Koenig handles 16 chances without an error, 1 short of the record set by the Browns shortstop Bob Wallace in 1902.

1927 - After losing 21 games in a row to the Yankees, the Browns win their last meeting of the 1927 AL season, winning by the score of 6-2, behind Milt Gaston's 5-hitter. No team has ever swept a 22-game season series. One NL team, the 1909 Cubs, went 21-1 against the Braves.

1928 - In the Yankees 5-3 win at the Stadium, veteran Ty Cobb makes his last appearance as a MLB batter, popping out against Yankees P Hank Johnson to shortstop Mark Koenig as a pinch hitter in the 9th inning. Babe Ruth's 2 run HR clout, off of A’s starter Lefty Grove in the 8th inning, seals the win for the Yankees. The Yankees seal the fate of the A's with their 4th straight win over the Quakers, leaving them in 2nd place, in the AL, 2 1/2 games back.

1932 - The Yankees clinch the 1932 AL pennant with their 100th victory, as Yankees starter George Pipgras defeats the Indians by the score of 9-3.

1940 - In a doubleheader, the Yankees' 1st-game win at Cleveland puts them in 1st place, the only time they reach that spot. A 2nd game loss drops them out of 1st place.

1950 - The Yankees move back in 1st place with a twin bill win over the Senators, by scores of 5-1 and 6-2. Yankee rookies starter Whitey Ford and OF Jackie Jensen lead the way in the opener as Whitey wins his 6th straight game. Jensen has 3 hits including his first MLB HR. Yankees starter Eddie Lopat wins his 16th game of the 1950 AL season in the 2nd game.

1955 - Red Sox OF Ted Williams collects his 2000th MLB career hit in a 5-3 loss to the Yankees.

1955 - In a move to shore up their pitching down the stretch, the Yankees buy relief pitcher Gerry Staley from the Reds for the waiver price. He went 0-0 in 3 games (1955-56) before being sent to the White Sox on waivers.

1956 - Yankees Yogi Berra ties the MLB career record for HRs by a catcher in the Yankees' 9-5 victory over the A’s. It was his 236th HR and the Yankees' 177th HR of the 1956 AL season to tie him with Cubs great Gabby Hartnett.

1958 - Former Yankees Catcher Don “Sluggo” Slaught (1988-89) was born. November 2, 1987, Don was traded by the Rangers to the Yankees for a player to be named later. The Yankees would send P Brad Arnsberg on November 10, 1987 to the Rangers to complete the trade. Don hit .286 and .261 for the Yankees before being traded to the Pirates for hurlers Jeff Robinson and Willie Smith.

1960 - The Yankees sweep the Indians in a double-header by scores of 5-0 and 3-2. In the 1st game, Yankee starter Ralph Terry throws a complete game, shutout winning by the score of 5-0. Yankees RF Roger Maris hits his 38th HR of the 1960 AL season. Hector Lopez hits a triple and HR. In the 2nd game Mickey Mantle’s HR in the 11th inning gave the Yankees a 3-2 victory. Eli Grba is the winner, while Yankees closer Ryne Duren picks up his 8th save of the 1960 AL season.

1963 - Yankees starter Whitey Ford tops the host the A's, by the score of 8-2, as Mickey Mantle's HR in the 1st inning provides all the scoring Whitey needs. Mantle is 3-for-4 at the plate for the Yankees with 4 RBIs.

1966 - Rookie John Miller becomes the 1st Yankee to ever hit a HR in his 1st MLB at bat. He contributes 2-runs in a 4 -2 defeat of the Red Sox at Fenway Park. It will be Miller's only HR in pinstripes, but as a Dodger in 1969, he will hit a HR in his last MLB at-bat.

1978 - Former Yankees INF Mike Gazella (1923-1928) passed away (1895-1978). Mike appeared in 160 games for the Yankees hitting .241 as a backup infielder from 1923-1928.

1985 - The Brewers beats the Yankees by a score of 4-3 to end the Yankees' winning streak at 11 games. New York, now trails the 1st-place Blue Jays by 2 1/2 games in the AL East.

1988 - The Yankees edge the Tigers, by the score of 5-4 in 18 innings. Steve Shields gets the win in relief. Rickey Henderson ties a 1948 AL record for extra innings with 12 putouts in LF.

1990 - The Yankees beat the Rangers by a score of 5-4 to snap Texas starter Bobby Witt's personal 12-game winning streak. The Yankees score 2 runs in both the 7th and 8th innings to come from behind. Yankees closer Dave Righetti saves his 31st game of the 1990 AL season.

1995 - At Jacobs Field in Cleveland, the Yankees record a rarity in their 4-0 win over the Indians with no assists. Jack McDowell allows 4 hits, walks 4 and strikes out 8 in the 9 innings as the Yankees register the 3rd no-assist game in the AL this century. “Black Jack” retires the side in the 9th inning on 3 pitches. The outfield makes 8 of the 27 putouts. It last happened in the MLB in a Mets-Phillies game on June 25, 1989, the only time in the NL.

2001 - In the wake of terrorist attacks on New York City's World Trade Center, Flight 93 and the Pentagon Building, MLB cancels all games for security reasons and for the deep mourning for all the lives that have been lost. Yankee Stadium is evacuated as a precautionary measure. MLB Games will not resume until Monday September 17.

2002 - At Yankee Stadium, in a 50-minute pre-game ceremony. Yankee legends Whitey Ford and Phil Rizzzuto unveil a monument dedicated to the victims of the September 11th terrorist attacks. The team also has a ceremonial tree planting in Monument Park in honor of the heroes and victims of horrific events of a year ago. The Orioles wear 5-sided patches honoring the victims of the attack on the Pentagon. The game goes 11 innings, before Yankees Nick Johnson ends with an RBI single. The Yankees win the game, by the score of 5-4, despite striking out 14 times. Orlando Hernandez issues a walk in the 8th inning, when he goes to his mouth on a 3-2 count while standing on the mound. It was the 1st walk in 6 full games (65 innings) by a Yankees pitcher, the longest steak since WWII, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Yankees reliever Steve Karsay, later hands out another walk.

September 12th

1907 - In a 2-0 win against the Yankees at Hilltop Park, Senators starter Walter Johnson strikes out 5 batters, though it'll be recorded as 4 K's. Researcher John Schwartz, in the 1990s, will find the extra K, resulting in Johnson's lifetime total of 3,509. The issue crops up again on Opening Day, 2001, when Roger Clemens ties (or beats) the mark.

1907 - Former Yankees P Spud Chandler (1937-1947) was born (1907-1990). Spud Chandler pitched for the Yankees from 1937 to 1947, with a MLB pitching career record of 109-43 (.717). His best season was in 1943, when he went 20-1 (.833) with a 1.64 ERA. He was named to the AL All Star team and was the winner of the AL MVP and ML MVP awards. He appeared in the 1941-43 and 1947 World Series with the Yankees going 2-2 with 1.62 ERA. At the age of 38 in 1946, he went 20-8 for the Yankees. He retired after the 1947 AL season.

1914 - Yankees Shortstop Roger Peckinpaugh, 23, replaces fired Manager Frank Chance and becomes the all-time youngest manager and the 7th in the club's 12-year existence. He will win 9 of 17 games and will manage next at Cleveland in 1928.

1916 - Former Yankees OF and Coach Charlie “King Kong” Keller (1939-1949, 1952) was born (1916-1990). Charlie was signed as a free agent by the Yankees in 1937. Charlie came up to the Yankees in 1939, at the age of 22; he hit .334 in 111 games with 11 HRs and 83 RBI’s. Charlie finished his Yankee career with a .285 BA, 184 HRs, 723 RBI’s and 69 Triples. Charlie appeared in 4 World Series for the Yankees (1939, 1941-43) hitting .306. He had a good career despite being troubled by back problems.

1932 - With their 100th victory of the year, the Yankees clinch the 1932 AL pennant as George Pipqras beating the Indians at Cleveland Stadium, by the score of 8-3. Yankees Manager Joe McCarthy, who capture a NL flag with 1929 Cubs, becomes the 1st MLB manager to win pennants in both leagues.

1950 - The Yankees blow a 6-run lead as the Indians scores 4 runs in the 9th inning off of Allie Reynolds to win the game, by a score of 8-7. Luke Easter's 3-run HR his 2nd of the game is the big blow, as the Yankees skid to 2nd place, a half game behind the Tigers and a half game ahead of Red Sox.

1954 - A standing-room-only crowd of 84,587 fans at Cleveland's Municipal Stadium, which establishes the record for the largest crowd to have ever watch a MLB game, witness the pennant-bound Indians sweep a doubleheader from the Yankees, by scores of 4-1 and 3-2. On this bright sunny day, over 12,000 fans are without seats and stand 10-11 rows deep behind the outfield fences as well as 3-5 rows deep in walkways. The Yankees would finish in 2nd place in the AL with a 103-51 record, 8 games behind the Indians, who finished 1st with a 111-53 record.

1961 - In a rain shorten game; the Yankees edge the White Sox in Chicago. Yankees starter Ralph Terry picks up his 14th victory of the season, as the Yankees pick up their 100 victory of the 1961 AL season

1962 - In Cleveland, Whitey Ford and Mickey Mantle lead the way to a Yankee 5-2 win. Mickey Mantle hits a 3-run HR in the 5th inning off of Pedro Ramos, his 2nd favorite all-time cousin (12 HRs allowed).

1963 - Former Yankees reserve OF Keith Hughes (1987) was born. On June 30, 1984, he was traded by the Phillies along with P Marty Bystrom to the Yankees for P Shane Rawley. Keith would appear in 4 games with no hits in 1987, before being traded on June 10, 1987 along with OF Shane Turner to the Phillies for OF Mike Easler.

1979 - Red Sox OF Carl Yastrzemski reaches the 3,000 MLB hits milestone when he singles off of Yankees P Jim Beattie during a 9-2 Red Sox victory.

1981 - Red Sox rookie P Bob Ojeda no-hits the Yankees for 8-innings at Yankee Stadium, before Rick Cerone and Dave Winfield lead off the 9th inning with back-to-back doubles. Reliever Mark Clear preserves a 2-1 win for the Red Sox.

1982 - For the 2nd time this season, the Brewers get 3 consecutive HRs from Cecil Cooper, Ted Simmons, and Ben Oglivie in a losing cause, as the Yankees win by the score of 9-8. Six HRs are hit in the game. Rookie starter Curt Kaufman wins his 1st MLB decision and his only win as a Yankee.

1990 - Yankees starter Steve Adkins doesn't allow a hit in his MLB debut, but he walks 8 batters in just 1 1/3 innings, as the Rangers win the game by the score of 5-4. Adkins walks the 1st 3 batters, then he retires the side. After a fly out in the 2nd inning, he walks the next 5 batters before being lifted, 2 shy of Dolly Gray's consecutive walk record.

1996 - Yankees CF Bernie Williams drives home 8 runs in New York's 12-3 win over the Tigers. Bernie Williams hits 2 HR’s and a single.

1999 - Before a crowd of 50,027 fans, the Red Sox finish their 3-game series at Yankee Stadium with a 4-1 win for a sweep. It is the first 3-game sweep at Yankee Stadium for the Red Sox since the 1986 AL season.

2000 - The Yankees pound the Blue Jays by the score of 10-2 at Yankee Stadium as starter Danny Neagle picks up his 7th victory. Jose Canseco hits a HR for the Yankees to lead the Yankees hitting attack.

2002 - At Yankee Stadium, the Yankees beat the Orioles by the score of 7-3 behind starter David Wells 17th victory of the season. Yankees 1B Nick Johnson leads the Bombers hitting attack with a 3-run HR.

September 13th

1893 - Former Yankees P Walter “Dutch” Ruether (1926-27) was born. (1893-1970). Dutch went 15-9 for the Yankees (1926-27), winning 13 games in 1927.

1893 - Former Yankees INF/OF Mike McNally (1921-24) was born. (1893-1965.) Mike was obtained from the Red Sox in the Waite Hoyt trade in December of 1920. He was traded back to the Red Sox in 1925.

1893 - Former Yankees C Pat Collins (1926-28) was born (1893-1966). In 1925, Pat was traded by the St. Paul (American Association) to the Yankees. He shared catching duties with Benny Bengough. In winter of 1928, he was sold to the Braves.

1920 - Carl Mays, who started yesterday, he starts today for the Yankees in Detroit. This time he is more effective, stopping Detroit on 2 runs. Babe Ruth hits his 49th HR and Carl Mays drives in the final run of a 4-2 win.

1927 - Babe Ruth hits 2-HRs, and the Yankees win a pair from the Indians to clinch the 1927 AL pennant with a 98-41 record with a 17-game lead. It is Miller Huggins' 5th AL pennant, tying him with A’s Manager Connie Mack.

1931 - Yankees 2B Tony Lazzeri steals 2B, reaches 3B, and then steals home in the 12th inning to give Lefty Gomez, a 2-1 win over the Tigers in the opener. Yankees edges the Tigers, by the score of 4-3, in nightcap although Earl Whitehill holds them to just 6 hits. One of the 6 Yankees hits is a 2-run HR by Lou Gehrig in the 6th inning.

1932 -The Yankees clinched their 7th AL pennant by defeating the Indians by the score of 9-3 behind starter George Pipgras.

1934 - Yankees starter Lefty Gomez pitches a 3-hitter against the Indians for his 25th win of the 1934 AL season.

1949 - Former Yankees reserve C Rick Dempsey (1973-1976) was born. Rick was the back up catcher for Thurman Munson before he traded to the Orioles on June 15, 1976. The Yankees had obtained him from the Twins for OF Danny Walton in 1972.

1951 -Yankees leadoff hitter Mickey Mantle drives a Virgil Truck's pitch deep into the RF upper deck to start the Yankee scoring. Witnesses say that if Mantle had hit it more to CF, the ball would've traveled 600 feet. Mantle then K's 3-times in the game, as Trucks drives over the Yankees for a 9-2 Tigers victory

1955 - Former Yankees INF Mike Fischlin (1986) was born. Mike was part of a trade with the Astros that bought OF/1B/DH Cliff Johnson to the Yankees. He was originally a 7th draft round pick in 1975 by the Yankees. He returned to the Yankees in 1986 from the Indians.

1959 - The Yankees sweep a pair from the Indians at Yankee Stadium. In 1st game, Yankees starter Bob Turley goes 10 innings, but doesn’t get the decision as the Yankees win the game in the 11th inning on a Mickey Mantle HR. Eli Grba picks up the victory for the Yankees. In the 2nd game, the Yankees win by the score of 1-0, as Hank Bauer drives in Yogi Berra for the only run of the game. Yankees starter Duke Maas pitches a 6-hit shutout for his 13th win of the 1959 AL season. Jim Perry is the losing pitcher for the Indians; he is now at the 11-8 mark.

1963 - Yankees starter Jim Bouton's 20th win of the season, a 2-0 victory at Minnesota, clinches the Yankees 28th AL pennant.

1968 - Former Yankees P Danny Neagle (2000) was born. Danny was obtained from the Reds along with OF Mike Frank for Yankees minor leaguers P Ed Yarnall, 3B Drew Henson, Brian Reeth and OF Jackson Melian. Danny went 7-7 for the Yankees before leaving the team for free agency in the fall of 2000, signing with the Rockies.

1968 - Former Yankees All Star OF/DH Bernie Williams (1991-2006) was born. Bernie was signed a free agent in 1985. His 1st year with the Yankees was in 1991. As a Yankee centerfielder, Bernie has been a 5-time AL All Star team member, won 4 Golden Gloves, a 2002 Silver Slugger Award winner. In 1998, he won the AL batting crown with a .339 BA. Bernie finished his Yankee career with a lifetime BA of .297 in 2,026 games.

1969 - Former Yankees INF Russ Davis (1994-1995) was born. Russ was traded to the Mariners after the 1995 AL season along with P Sterling Hitchcock for 1B Tino Martinez, pitchers Jeff Nelson and Jim Mecir.

1977 - Mickey Rivers 2-run HR in the 5th inning is the game winner, as starter Ron Guidry throws a 5-hitter as the Yankees defeat the Red Sox at Yankee Stadium before a crowd of 55,269 fans.

1978 - The Yankees defeat the Tigers by the score of 7-3 and move into 1st place, 1/2 game ahead of the Red Sox in the AL East.

1980 - The Yankees score 4 runs in the 4th inning to beat the Red Sox by the score of 4-3. Yankees starter Tommy John picks up his 21st victory of the 1980 AL season, his 288 MLB career win.

1996 - Blue Jays Charlie O'Brien unveils a hockey-style catcher's mask in the game against the Yankees. The mask is a success, but the Blue Jays lose to the Yankees, by a score of 4-1. Yankees starter Andy Pettitte wins his 21st game of the 1996 AL season.

2000 - Yankees edge the Blue Jays by the score of 3-2 at Yankee Stadium as Yankees starter Roger Clemens picks up his 13th win as closer Mo Rivera gets his 34th save of the 2000 AL season. Esteban Loaiza takes the loss for the Blue Jays.

previous week

(As always I'd like to thank Fw57Clipper51 for his great contribution.)