This Week in Yankees History (8/2-8/8)

This Week in Yankees History

August 2nd - August 8th

August 2nd

1893 - Former Yankees OF Angel Aragon (1914, 1916-1917) was born. He appeared in 32 games for the Yankees, hitting just .118. He is the father of MLB player Jack Aragon (1941).

1929 - The A's 11-10 victory over the Tigers increases their AL lead to 11 1/2 games over the Yankees, who are losers today to the Indians, by the score of 9-8.

1931 - The Red Sox and the 3rd-place Yankees split a Sunday doubleheader before a record 40,000 fans, played at Braves Field because of religious restrictions involving Fenway Park. Former Red Sox hurler Red Ruffing wins the 1st game by score of 4-1, and ex-Yankees reliever Wilcy Moore blanks his former teammates by the score of 1-0 in the nightcap. Moore allows just 3 singles in topping George Pipgras. The Yankees will go 308 games before being shut out again.

1961 - The Yankees beat the A’s by a score of 12-5 with Mickey Mantle walloping a 1st inning HR off of their former Yankees teammate A’s starter Art Ditmar. Yankees All Star sluggers Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris are now both at 40 HRs mark.

1975 - Former 1950’s Yankees player Billy Martin becomes the new Yankee manager replacing Bill Virdon. Bill Vidron was saddled with an injury-plagued team (Elliot Maddox, Mel Stottlemyre and Bobby Bonds) in 1975. Bill had been named TSN Manager of the year for his work with the Yankees in 1974, bringing the Yankees to 2nd place finish in the AL East. The 1975 Yankees were 53-51 under Bill Vidron. Under Billy Martin, the Yankees went 30-26 for the remainder of the 1975 AL season, finishing in 3rd place with an 83-77 record in the AL East.

1978 - The Yankees take a 5-0 lead over the Red Sox, but Boston ties it in the 8th inning on 3-wild pitches, 2 bases-loaded walks, and a collection of bloop hits. The game ends in a 14-inning tie at 5-5.

1979 - The Yankees Captain and AL All Star C Thurman Munson, 32, perishes at Canton, Ohio, in a crash of the plane, he was piloting. A crowd of 51,151 fans will attend the memorial tribute for Thurman Munson at Yankee Stadium tomorrow.

1985 - Ozzie Guillen scores from 2B on an infield hit in the 11th inning to give the White Sox a 6-5 victory over the Yankees. Salazar's slow roller down the 1B line is fielded by P Mike Bordi, and with no play at 1B, Guillen keeps running. In the 7th inning when White Sox C Carlton Fisk tags out 2 Yankee runners at home plate during the same play. The unusual 8-6-2-2 double play results as both Bobby Meacham and Dale Berra try to score on Rickey Henderson's double in the gap.

1990 - Yankees rookie 1B Kevin Maas hits his 10th HR in just 77 at bats, the fastest any player has ever reached that mark. But the Yankees lose to the Tigers by a score of 6-5 in 11 innings.

2005 - Former Yankees minor league INF Milt Graf passed away. Milt was traded to the A’s in February of 1957 in the Bobby Shantz trade. He never appeared with the Yankees at the MLB level. He would work for the Pirates as MLB infield coach and in the front office after retiring as an active player. Also he was a MLB scout for the Giants and Reds.

August 3rd

1914 - Yankees C Les Nunamaker throws out 3 consecutive Tiger base runners in 1st inning of Yankee 4-1 lost to Detroit. Each Tiger base runner had singled and was thrown out at 2nd base caught trying to steal.

1920 - Former Yankees Bullpen Coach Jim Hegan (1964-1973) was born. Jim was a MLB catcher from 1941-1960, mainly with the Indians. His son, Mike Hegan played for the Yankees (1964, 1966-67,1973-74). They were the 1st Father-Son combination to appear in a World Series together in 1964 with the Yankees against the Cardinals.

1933 - The Yankees 308-game scoring streak comes to an end when the A’s HOF starter Lefty Grove hangs a 5-hit, 7-0 shutout win over the Yankees. The Yankees responded by scoring at least 1 run in every game they played for the rest of the 1933 AL season.

1937 - A Tuesday crowd of 66,767 fans watches at Yankee Stadium as Yankees 1B Lou Gehrig plays his 1,900th consecutive game.

1940 - Former Yankees OF Roger Repoz (1964-1966) was born. Before the 1960 AL Season, the Yankees signed Roger as an MLB amateur free agent. Roger hit .232 and .220 for the Yankees during the 1964-65 AL seasons. At the time of his trade by the Yankees, he was hitting .349, but the team knew that he wasn’t in their future plans. On June 10, 1966, Roger was traded by the Yankees along with pitchers Gil Blanco and Bill Stafford to the A’s for P Fred Talbot and C Billy Bryan. Clippers Note: The Yankees should have held on to Bill Stafford, Fred Talbot was a major disappointment for the Yankees going 14-22 before being sent to the Seattle Pilots.

1951 - Former Yankees P Guy Cooper (1914) passed away. Guy appeared in 1 game with no record for the Yankees during the 1914 AL season. On August 11,1913, Guy was purchased by the Yankees from Petersburg (Virginia) for $1,500. On May 27,1914, Guy was purchased by the Red Sox from the Yankees.

1964 - Former Yankees INF Kevin Elster (1994-1995) was born. Kevin appeared in only 17 games with the Yankees hitting just .054.

1967 - The Yankees obtained hurlers Ron Klimkowski and Pete Margini from the Red Sox for veteran AL MVP and All Star C Elston Howard. He could no longer hit the fastball. Ellie was at the end of the line of his fine MLB career, he helped the Red Sox win the AL flag in 1967. Howard stayed on with the Red Sox until 1968 AL season ended. He would return to the Yankees, becoming their 1st black MLB coach in 1969. Ron Klimkowski and Pete Margini never did anything for the Yankees.

1978- In the continuation of the previous evening’s suspended game the Red Sox score twice in the 17th inning to defeat the Yankees by a score of 7-5. Former Yankees starter Mike Torrez defeats the Yankees by the score of 8-1 in a rain shorten regularly scheduled game. The double loss dropped the Yankees to 8 ½ games behind the Red Sox in the AL East.

1979 - The Yankees purchased veteran INF Lenny Randle from the Pirates and bring up C Brad Gulden and OF Bobby Brown from Columbus (AAA). Brad Gulden would share catching duties with Jerry Narron.

1982 - The White Sox sweep a doubleheader at Yankee Stadium 1-0 and 14 -2, prompting Yankees owner George Steinbrenner to fire Yankees manager Gene Michael and replace him with pitching coach Clyde King. King is the Yankees' 3rd manager of the 1982 AL season.

1986 - At Cleveland, the Yankees set a MLB record by scoring 10 runs in the 5th inning. They have 5 walks, a HBP, and 6 hits including 2 HRs to score. The Yankees win the game by the score of 10-6.

1987 - Tom Candiotti tosses a 1-hitter as the Indians beat the Yankees by the score of 2-0. Mike Easler's leadoff single in the 8th is the only Yankee hit of the game.

1990 - The Indian's Tom Candiotti has his no hitter spoiled in the 8th inning when Yankees Oscar Azocar singles. Candy leaves the game then and takes the loss as the Tribe drops a 6-4 decision to the Yankees.

1995 - Former Yankees minor league manager and MLB player/Manager Harry Craft passed away. After his playing career ended, he became a manager in the Yankees minor league system, managing Mickey Mantle in his 1st years of pro ball. Craft managed the Independence Yankees (1949), Joplin Miners (1950), Beaumont Roughnecks (1951-1952), and Kansas City Blues (1953-1954). He is credited in helping Mickey Mantle becoming a better outfielder after being moved from his shortstop position. Harry Craft joined the A’s MLB coaching staff in 1955 and replaced Lou Boudreau as the team's manager in 1957. He remained with the team through the 1959 AL season and became a Cubs MLB coach the next year. He managed the Cubs in 1961 as a member of the club's College of Coaches. He left the Cubs the next season to manage the NL expansion Houston Colt .45s. Craft was fired as skipper near the end of the 1964 NL season. He remained in the game as a scout and farm system official for the Orioles and the Yankees, before retiring in 1991

1998 - Leading off for the Yankees, 2B Chuck Knoblauch lines a hit off Mike Oquist's ribs, and the Yankees continue to connect off the A’s pitcher for 15 more hits, including 4 HRs, in 5 innings. The Yankees win the game by a score of 14-1, scoring all 14 earned runs off of Oquist, the most runs allowed since Bill Travers in August of 1977. Orlando Hernandez of the Yankees picks up the win.

August 4th

1905 - The Highlanders field a unique battery: Doc Newton pitching and Mike "Doc" Powers catching, but only Powers is a physician. The Highlanders beat the Browns by a score of 7-3.

1910 - Former Yankees OF George “Tuck” Stainback (1942-45) was born. (1910-1992)
George was purchased on December 4,1941 by the Yankees from the Tigers. His best Yankees season was in 1943, hitting .260 in 71 games. He was sold to the A’s in 1946, where he finished his 13-year MLB career.

1925 - Every player in each team's lineup has at least 1 putout in the Indians-Yankees game.

1928 - Yankees purchased P Fred Heimach from St. Paul (American Association) for cash and other considerations. Fred went 13-9 with the Yankees in 2 seasons before going to the Dodgers.

1929 - The Yankees take the opening game of 2 from the visiting Indians, winning by a score of 12-0. Yankees starter Tom Zachary wins his 7th straight game. In the 2nd game, after trailing 6-5 with 2 outs in the top of the 9th inning, Cleveland scores an AL record-tying 9 runs, to win the game by a score of 14-6.

1932 - Former Yankees P Jim “Mummy” Coates (1956, 1959-62) was born. Before the 1951 AL Season, the Yankees signed Jim as an MLB amateur free agent. Jim was All Star team member on the 1960-61 AL teams. His best season as a Yankees pitcher was in 1960, going 13-4 with a .813 WP to lead the AL. Jim appeared in 3 World Series for the Yankees in 1960-1962. On April 21,1963, Jim was traded by the Yankees to the Senators for P Steve Hamilton, when the team needed a lefty reliever to replace the injured Louis Arroyo in the bullpen. Jim would play for the Reds and Angels before retiring from the MLB in 1967. Jim was nick named “The Mummy” because he slept with his eyes open.

1932 - Yankees C Bill Dickey returns to the Yankees lineup after his month's suspension for fighting at home plate in a game. Bill had punched a base runner in the face, breaking the player’s jaw. Bill hits a grand slam HR and 3 singles, as Yankees beat the White Sox by a score of 15-3.

1934 - Former Yankees Manager and MLB player Dallas Green (1989) was born. The Yankees were 56-65 in 5th place in the AL East, when he was fired.

1939 - Former Yankees P Robert “Bob” Meyer (1964) was born. Before the 1960 AL Season, Bob was signed by the Yankees as an MLB amateur free agent. Bob went 0-3 in 7 games for the Yankees in 1964. On June 12, 1964, Bob was purchased by the Angels from the Yankees.

1947 - The Yankees sell P Al Lyons to the Pirates. Al went 1-1 in 19 games for the Yankees (1944-46) before being sent to the Pirates.

1952 - The Yankees sell P Bob Hogue to Browns for cash. On July 31, 1951, Bob was purchased by the Yankees from the Browns. He went 4-5 in 34 games with the Yankees before being sent back to the Browns during the 1952 AL season.

1953 - Yankees starter Vic Raschi sets a MLB record by driving in 7 runs in a Yankees 15-0 victory over the Tigers, still the record for most runs battled in by a pitcher in 1 game. Raschi singled in 2 runs in 2nd inning, doubled home 3 more runs in the 3rd inning and then capped it off with 2-run single in the 8th inning. His Yankee teammates responded to his hitting feat by filling up his locker to the roof with bats after the game.

1962 - Former Yankees P Roger “The Rocket” Clemens (1998-2003, 2007) was born. On February 18, 1999, Roger was traded by the Blue Jays to the Yankees for INF Homer Bush, Pitchers Graeme Lloyd, and David Wells. Roger posted an 83-39 mark in 175 games with the Yankees. He was 5-5 in World Series play. His best Yankees season was in 2000, when Roger went 20-3 for the Yankees. After the 2003 MLB season, Roger left the Yankees signing with his hometown Astros along with Yankees free agent starter Andy Pettite.

1963- After missing 61 games, Mickey Mantle returns to the Yankees lineup as a pinch hitter for reliever Steve Hamilton. The Orioles are leading 10-9 in the 7th inning, when the stiff-legged Mantle golfs a line drive to tie the game at 10. The emotional Yankees win it, by a score of 11-10, after the Orioles had taken the opener, by a score of 7-2.

1964 - A's starter John O'Donoghue gives up his 3rd HR to Mickey Mantle this year, but that's all he allows, as the A’s tops the visiting Yankees, by a score of 5-1.

1966 - Former Yankees P Jeff Johnson (1991-93) was born. Jeff was drafted by the Yankees in the 6th round of the 1988 MLB amateur player draft. Jeff went 8-16 in 38 games for the Yankees during the 1991-1993 AL seasons.

1972 - Yankees CF Bobby Murcer's grand slam HR in the 7th inning clinches the Yankees 9-4 win over the Brewers. Bobby Murcer also scores twice on walks.

1973 - Yankees relief ace Lindy McDaniel hurls 13 innings of near perfect relief, and comes out a winner, when 2B Horace Clarke’s 13th inning HR gives the Yankees a 3-2 victory over the Tigers. Yankees hurler Fritz Peterson had started the game but departed in the 1st inning with a muscle pull.

1975 - Former Yankees Minor League P Eric Milton was born. While a minor leaguer in the Yankee's system, Eric Milton got a tattoo of the New York Yankees logo on his pitching shoulder. He never got into a MLB game with the Yankees, after being traded with three other players (including Cristian Guzman, Brain Buchanan, Danny Mota) to the Twins for 2B Chuck Knoblauch.

1978 - Orioles starter Mike Flanagan hands Ron Guidry his 2nd loss of the 1978 AL season, by stopping the Yankees by a score of 2-1.

1983 - While warming up before the 5th inning of the Yankees 3-1 win over the Blue Jays game at Toronto's Exhibition Stadium, OF Dave Winfield accidentally kills a seagull with a thrown ball. After the game, Winfield is brought to the Ontario Provincial Police station on charges of cruelty to animals and is forced to post a $500 bond before being released. The charges will be dropped the following day.

1985 - Tom Seaver becomes the 17th MLB pitcher to win 300 games. Seaver pitches the White Sox to a 4-1, 6-hit victory over the Yankees on “Phil Rizzuto Day” at Yankee Stadium as a crowd of 54,032 New Yorkers cheer him on.

1989 - Hard-luck pitcher Blue Jays P Dave Stieb loses a perfect game when Yankees OF Roberto Kelly doubles with 2 outs in the 9th inning. Stieb finishes the game with a 2-1 victory, a 2-hitter. It is the 3rd time that Dave Stieb has lost a no-hitter with 2 outs in the 9th inning.

1998 - Yankees OF Darryl Strawberry's pinch-hitter grand slam HR is the big blow in Yankees 9-run rally in the 9th inning, as the Yankees come from behind to defeat the A's by a score of 10-5 in the 2nd game of a double header. It is his 2nd pinch-hitter slam HR of the 1998 AL season, setting a new AL record, and tying the NL mark held by his former Mets manager, Davey Johnson, and Mike Ivie, both set the mark in 1978. New York also wins the 1st game of the twin-bill, by a score of 10-4.

2007 - Yankees All Star 3B Alex Rodriguez hits his 500 MLB Career HR. He becomes the youngest player in MLB history to reach the 500 HR mark. His 3-run HR shot leads the Yankees to a 16-8 pounding of the Royals at Yankee Stadium.

August 5th

1872 - Former Yankees P Merle “Doc” Adkins (1903) was born. Doc went 0-0 in 2 games for the 1903 Yankees.

1899 - Former Yankees P Sam Gibson (1930) was born. Sam went 0-1 in 2 games with the 1930 Yankees.

1904 - The Highlanders beat Indians by a score of 5-0, to send the AL into a virtual 3-way tie. New York is 1st (.614) with Chicago (.613) and Cleveland (.611) close behind.

1905 - Highlanders 1B Hal Chase has a MLB record 38 putouts in a doubleheader sweep versus the visiting Browns. The Highlanders win the games by scores of 3-1 and 6-5.

1923 - Against the Browns, Babe Ruth again bats right-handed. After the Babe hits his 26th and 27th HRs off of Ray Kolp, relief P Elam Vangilder takes no chances with Ruth and walks him intentionally in the 11thinning and again in the 13th inning. Ruth bats righty against Vangilder. Bob Meusel's single wins the game for the Yankees by the score of 9-8.

1934 - While 3 Yankees teammates stand watching, a fly ball by Jimmie Foxx drops in for a double, the only hit given up by Lefty Gomez in the 3-1 win by the Yankees over the A's.

1935 - In a rain-soaked game between the Yankees and the Red Sox, 1B Lou Gehrig leaves in the 4th inning with another lumbago attack. The teams engage in stalling and hurry-up tactics, and AL President Heydler fines both team managers, Red Sox Joe Cronin and Yankees Joe McCarthy $100 each.

1959 - At Yankee Stadium, Mickey Mantle breaks up a scoreless pitching duel between the Tigers Don Mossi and Yankees Bobby Shantz by belting an 8th inning HR with 1 on. The Yankees win the game, by a score of 3-0.

1966 - Former Yankees P Jerry Nielsen (1992) was born. Jerry was drafted by the Yankees in the 18th round of the 1988 MLB amateur player draft. Jerry went 1-0 in 20 games for the Yankees. On December 6, 1992, Jerry was traded by the Yankees along with minor league 1B J.T. Snow and P Russ Springer to the Angels for starter Jim Abbott.

1968 - Former Yankees 1B/DH John Olerud (2004) was born. John hit .280 in 49 games before being injured in the AL Playoffs against the Red Sox.

1977 - Current Yankees INF/OF Eric Hinske was born.

1983 - AL President Lee MacPhail suspends Yankees Manager Billy Martin for the 2nd time in the 1983 AL season because of continuing abuse of AL umpires. Martin is suspended for 2 games for calling umpire Dale Ford, "a stone liar" after a July 31st game with the White Sox. He earned a 3-game suspension earlier this season for kicking dirt on AL umpires Drew Coble.

2001 - Former Yankees OF Dave Winfield, Twins Kirby Puckett, Pirates Bill Mazeroski, and Negro League star Hilton Smith are inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY.

August 6th

1903 - Former Yankees pitcher (1942-45) and long time MLB pitching coach Jim “Milkman” Turner for Yankees Manager Casey Stengel was born. Jim went 11-9 in 88 games with 19 saves. He led the AL in 1945 with 10 saves. He would be Casey Stengel’s pitching coach during the 1950’s champion teams. Eddie Lopat replaced Jim after the 1959 AL Season. He would return to the Yankees in 1966, after spending time with the Reds, being a MLB pitching coach until 1973, under Yankees Manager Ralph Houk.

1929 - After the visiting Senators out-slug the Yankees by a score of 13-11, New York earns a split, 8-0, on 2 HRs by Babe Ruth. The 1st is a grand slam in the 5th inning, his 26th HR of the year. Heimach scatters 3 hits to earn the nightcap win. Buddy Myers 4 hits, including 3 doubles in the opener, paces a 14-hit Nats attack. Durst, Cronin and West homer for the Senators.

1937 - In a 10-inning game Indians outfielders have no chances against the Yankees. In the 10th inning, Joe DiMaggio hits a drive which 3B Odell Hale deflects into foul territory. One umpire calls it foul, so the Indians LF fails to chase after the ball. But the other umpire overrules the first, allowing the winning run to score because of the OF's idleness. The AL league office will uphold the Indians protest of the game.

1938 - Former Yankees P George Pipgras joins the AL umpiring staff.

1943 - Former Yankees P Jim Hardin (1971) was born. (1943-1991) On May 28, 1971, Jim was traded by the Orioles to the Yankees for P Bill Burbach. Jim went 0-2 in 12 games for the Yankees.

1945 - Former Yankees P Andy Messersmith (1978) was born. On December 7, 1977, Andy was purchased by the Yankees from the Braves. Andy went 0-3 in 6 games. He had suffered a shoulder injury while running into 1B Cliff Johnson during a spring training game. In fall of 1978, he signed with the Dodgers.

1946 - Former Yankees HOF 2B Tony Lazzeri (1926-1937) passed away. Tony Lazzeri was epileptic; his untimely death in 1946 resulted from a fatal fall down the stairs, likely caused by an epileptic seizure. Tony Lazzeri set what were then organized baseball records with 60 HRs and 222 RBIs for the Salt Lake City Bees in 1925, not to mention a .355 batting average. On August 1, 1925, Tony was traded by the Salt Lake City Bees (PCL) to the Yankees for players to be named later and $50,000. The Yankees sent Mack Hillis in March 1926, Frank Zoellers (minors) in March 1926, and Curt Fullerton on March 23, 1926 to the Salt Lake City (PCL) to complete the trade. Tony had a lifetime BA of .293 with Yankees. He appeared in 7 World series hitting .262 with 4 HRs with 19 RBIs. His best Yankee season was in 1929, when he hit.354 with 18 HRs and 106 RBIs. Tony had seven 100 RBI Seasons: (1926, 1927, 1929, 1930, 1932, 1933 & 1936) He was on the 1st AL All Star team in 1933. On October 15, 1937, Tony was released by the Yankees, upon his request to retire from MLB. Tony was elected to Baseball Hall Of Fame in 1991. Quote: "(Tony) not only was a great ballplayer, he was a great man. He was a leader. He was like a manager on the field." Former Yankees player and long time 3B Coach Frankie Crosetti.

1949 - Yankees sell 1B Jack Phillips to the Pirates for cash. He was hitting .302 for the Yankees at the time of the trade to the Pirates.

1954 - Former Yankees 1B/DH Ken Phelps (1988-1989) was born. On July 21, 1988, Ken was traded by the Mariners to the Yankees for a player to be named later, OF Jay Buhner and minor league P Rich Balabon. The Yankees would send minor league P Troy Evers on October 12, 1988 to the Mariners to complete the trade. The Yankees had drafted Ken in 1974, but he did not sign with the team. Ken hit .224 and .249 with 14 HRs for the Yankees during the 1988-89 AL Seasons On August 30, 1989, Ken was traded by the Yankees to the A’s for minor league P Scott Holcomb.

1955 - Former Yankees reliever Ron Davis (1978-1982) was born. On June 12, 1978, Ron was sent by the Cubs to the Yankees to complete an earlier deal made on June 10, 1978. The Cubs sent a player to be named later to the Yankees for P Ken Holtzman. The Cubs sent Ron Davis on June 12, 1978 to the Yankees to complete the trade. Ron went 27-10 in 154 games with 27 saves. Rich Gossage and Ron Davis team up to give the Yankees a power bullpen 1-2 duo for several seasons. On April 10, 1982, Ron was traded by the Yankees along with 2 minor league players: P Paul Boris and INF Greg Gagne to the Twins for shortstop Roy Smalley.

1961 - Mickey Mantle leads the Yankees to a doubleheader sweep of the Twins, going 5-for-9 with 3 HRs and a double. His 4 RBIs gives him an even 100 for the season and his HR total is now at 43. In the opener, Mantle's had 2 HRs off his favorite pitcher Pedro Ramos, but it is Johnny Blanchard's HR in the 10th inning that ties the game at 6-6. In the 15th inning, Yogi Berra hits a bases loaded grounder and just beat the throw at 1st to give the Yankees the win. The Yankees win the nightcap by a run as well, when Clete Boyer drives in Mantle in the 9th inning to break a 2-2 tie. The Yankees now lead the Tigers by 2 1/2 games.

1963 - Yankees veteran starter Stan Williams 1-hits the Senators beating them by a score of 1-0, giving up a double to Don Blasingame. He strikes out 11 Senators batters, while only issuing 1 walk. Shortstop Tony Kubek’s triple scores the Yankees lone run in the game.

1965 - Former Yankees reserve C Johnny Ramos (1991) was born. John appeared in 10 games for the Yankees hitting .308 during the 1991 AL season.

1965 - After hitting 7-for-11 against the White Sox, Mickey Mantle loops a HR off of Mickey Lolich but the Tigers still top the visiting Yankees, by a score of 5-4. The Yankees will win tomorrow and Mickey will add another HR.

1971 - The Yankees kayo Orioles starter Pat Dobson in the 4th inning, beating the Birds by a score of 12-3. The loss ends Pat Dobson's winning streak of 12 games, his 9 consecutive complete games, and his consecutive scoreless innings streak of 23.

1974 - Former Yankees reliever Luis Vizcaino (2007) was born. On January 9, 2007, he was traded by the Diamondbacks along with Steven Jackson (minors), INF Alberto Gonzalez and P Ross Ohlendorf to the Yankees for All Star P Randy Johnson and cash. Luis went 8-2 in 77 games for the Yankees in 2007 before leaving the team for free agency.

1979 - After delivering a eulogy at Thurman Munson's funeral in Ohio, Bobby Murcer, a teammate and close friend of the deceased Yankees captain and catcher, drives in all the runs in the Yankee 5-4 comeback victory over the Orioles at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees outfielder hits a 3-run HR and wins the game with 2-run single in 9th inning.

1981 - As a result of the nearly 2-month interruption in play because of the strike the MLB owners elect to split the 1981 season into 2 halves, with the 1st-place teams from each half in each division (or a wild-card team if the same club wins both halves) meeting in a best-of-5 divisional playoff series. The last time the MLB played a split season was 1892. The A's, Yankees, Phillies, and Dodgers suddenly find themselves guaranteed playoff spots as 1st-half division champions in their leagues.

1982 - The Yankees trade their 1978 AL Playoff hero Bucky Dent to the Rangers for OF Lee Mazzilli. Dent was hitting only .169 and had lost his starting shortstop job to Roy Smalley, who had been acquired from the Twins.

1996 - Darryl Strawberry strokes 3 HRs off of P Kevin Tapani in the Yankees 9-2 victory over the White Sox. In doing so, he becomes just the 8th player to hit 3 HRs in a game in both leagues. The others to do it were Babe Ruth, Johnny Mize, Dave Kingman, Cory Snyder, Darnell Coles, Claudell Washington, and Larry Parrish.

2000 - The Mariners defeat the Yankees by the score of 11-1. Former Yankees OF Stan Javier goes 5-for-6 for the Mariners, including a double.

2003 - Three weeks after trading for Armando Benitez with the cross-town Mets, the Yankees trade the much-maligned reliever to the Mariners. In return, the Yankees get back 36-year-old relief pitcher Jeff Nelson for his 2nd tour with the Bombers.

August 7th

1886 - Former Yankees INF and HOF MLB Manager James “Bill” McKechnie (1913) was born. Bill hit only .134 for the Yankees in 1913. He would have a long successful career as a MLB Manager (Pirates, Cardinals, Braves and the Reds) in the NL appearing in 4 World Series (1925, 1928 and 1939-40). Bill faced his old team the Yankees in 1928 and 1939 World Series. He was elected to Baseball’s Hall Of Fame in 1962.

1915 - Another Hall of Famer player takes a turn on the mound, as George Sisler pitches to 2 Yankees in the 6th inning, hitting one and walking the other. The Browns-Yankees game is called at the end of 10 innings with the score tied at 4-4.

1918 - Former Yankees P Marlin Stuart (1954) was born. He never pitched for the Yankees at MLB level and would be traded to Orioles in 1954.

1929 - Former Yankees P Don Larsen (1955-1956) was born. Don went 45-24 in 121 games with the Yankees from 1955-1959 after coming to the Yankees in the big 17-player trade with the Orioles in the winter of 1954. His greatest moment as a Yankees pitcher was his Perfect Game against the Brooklyn Dodgers in the 1956 World Series. After the 1959 AL season, Don was traded to the A’s along with OF Hank Bauer, 1B/OF Marv Throneberry and OF Norm Siebern for the A’s OF Roger Maris, INF Joe DeMasteri and 1B Kent Hadley. Don would appear in one more World Series in 1962, as a member of the Giants, working out of their bullpen against his former Yankee teammates.

1929 - For the 2nd game in a row, Babe Ruth hits a grand slam HR as the Yankees roll to a 13-1 win over the A's in the opener. Mickey Cochrane’s HR in his one at bat for the A's only run as the Yankees score 10 runs in the 1st two innings. George Pipgras is the winner for the Yankees. The A's take the nightcap, by a score of 4-2, as starter George Earnshaw goes 8 innings for the A’s victory.

1938- Yankees starter Red Ruffing’s no-hit bid ends in the 9th inning, when Indians OF Roy Weathery doubles with 1-out, but the Yankees still win the game by a score of 7-0.

1943 - Former Yankees P Jim Hardin (1971) was born. (1943-1991) On May 28, 1971, Jim was traded by the Orioles to the Yankees for P Bill Burbach. Jim was recovering from arm injuries, when he joined the Yankees in 1971. He never was an effective pitcher for the Yankees, like he was with the Orioles during the mid 1960’s. Jim went 0-2 in 12 games for the Yankees in 1971. On April 3,1972, Jim was released by the Yankees. He would sign with the Braves as a free agent, finishing his MLB career with them.

1945 - Former Yankee OF Bobby Veach (1925) passed away. On May 5, 1925, Bobby was traded by the Red Sox along with Alex Ferguson to the Yankees for Ray Francis and $9,000. He appeared in 56 games, hitting .353 for the Yankees. On August 17, 1925, Bobby was selected off waivers by the Senators from the Yankees.

1948 - Before a crowd of 66,000 fans, Yankees starter Vic Raschi (14-4) allows 4 singles while stopping the Indians by a score of 5-0. Joe DiMaggio has a pair of doubles, drives in 3-runs, and swipes home on the front end of a double steal.

1949 - Lineup juggling is a Casey Stengel manager’s forte as his Yankees suffer injury after injury. Against the Browns, 13 different Yankees score a run in the 1st game of a doubleheader, which Yankees win by a score of 20-2, the 2nd game ends in 2-2 tie.

1954 - Yankees waived veteran P Bob Kuzava (1951-1954) to the Orioles. Bob went 23-20 in 88 games with 13 saves for the Yankees. His best Yankees season was in 1951, going 8-4 with 5 saves. He appeared in 3 World Series with the Yankees with 2 saves.

1954 - Former Yankees DH/OF Steve Kemp (1983-84) was born. The Yankees signed Steve as free agent in winter of 1982. He hit .266 in 203 games for the Yankees. On December 20, 1984, Steve was traded by the Yankees along with INF Tim Foli and cash to the Pirates for INF Dale Berra, P Alfonso Pulido, and minor league OF Jay Buhner.

1955 - After a 12-17 record in July, the Yankees are in a 4-team race. Tiger’s starter Frank Lary beats the Yankees, by a score of 4-2 in game 1, and the Yankees then earn a critical 3-2 10th-inning win on a Mickey Mantle HR off of pitcher Babe Birrer in the 2nd game.

1956 - The Red Sox fine Ted Williams $5,000 for spitting at Boston fans, as the Red Sox edge the Yankees in 11 innings on Williams's bases-loaded walk. It is Williams's 3rd spitting incident in 3 weeks. The spitting started after the crowd of 36,350, a record for night games at Fenway Park, started booing the Splendid Splinter for muffing Mickey Mantle's windblown fly in the 11th inning. Before the game, former Yankee, now Red Sox RF Jackie Jensen had to be restrained by teammates from going into the stands after a heckler. The previous year Jackie Jensen had challenged a fan to come out of the stands.

1957 - Hank Bauer of the Yankees hits his 2nd consecutive leadoff HR against the Senators, as the 1st-place Yankees lose by a score of 3-2.

1962 - Yankees Shortstop Tony Kubek, in his 1st at bat after returning from active duty in the Army, homers in a 14-1 Yankees win over the Twins at Yankee Stadium.

1964 - Oriole pitchers Steve Barber and Harvey Haddix beat the Yankees by a score of 2-0 to boost the Orioles back into 1st place in the AL.

1967 - Former Yankees P Jason Grimsley (1999-2000) was born. The Yankees signed Jason as a free agent in 1999. He went 10-4 in 118 games with 2 saves before being released by the Yankees.

1968 - The A's Joe Keough makes his MLB debut with a 1st-at bat, HR in a 2nd-game 4-3 win over the Yankees. The Yankees win the opener by a score of 3-0.

1972 - Ron Allen hits 3-HRS as the Yankees beat the Dodgers 8-3 in the annual Hall of Fame game at Doubleday field in Cooperstown, NY. The contest is preceded by inductions of 8 new Hall Of Fame members.

1973 - Yankees obtained P Wayne Granger from the Cardinals for future considerations and cash. The Yankees will send minor league P Ken Crosby to the Cardinals to complete the deal. Wayne would go 0-1 in 7 games for the Yankees.

1977 - Mike Torrez snaps a 3-game Yankee losing streak with his 3rd straight victory. The Yankees will win 20 of their next 23 games over Western Division AL opponents.

1983 - The Yankees honor longtime All Star OF Bobby Mercer by giving him a day at the Yankee Stadium.

1984 - The White Sox and Yankees split a doubleheader with Chicago's 6-3 triumph in Game 1 stopping New York's 8-game winning streak. Former Yankees minor league hurler LaMarr Hoyt is the winner for the White Sox. Ron Guidry strikes out 13 to win the nightcap by a score of 7-0. The Gator finishes with a flourish, striking out the side on 9 pitches in the 9th inning.

1998 - Yankees Rookie OF Shane Spencer gets 5 hits, including 2 doubles and 2 HRs, while driving home 3 runs and scoring 4 in the Yankees 14-2 pasting of Royals, in the 2nd game of a doubleheader. The Yankees also took the 1st contest by a score of 8-2.

2000 - The Yankees obtained veteran OF/DH Jose Canseco from the Devil Rays. The move, which mystifies even Yankees Manager Joe Torre, is presumably designed to keep the high priced slugger away from other AL East rivals.

2003 - Former Yankees P Mickey McDermott (1956) passed away (1923-2003). Mickey came to the Yankees in a mid season trade with the Senators in 1956. He went 2-6 in 23 games for the Yankees. He was sent to the A’s in February of 1957 as part of the Bobby Shantz trade.

August 8th

1897 - Former Yankees P Ken Holloway (1930) was born. Ken went 0-0 in 16 games with the Yankees in 1930.

1913 - The Yankees obtained 3B Fritz Maisel (1913-17) from Baltimore Orioles (IL) for 3B Ezra Midkiff and OF Bert Daniels.

1920 - The Yankees lose shortest game in AL history, 1-0 in just 1 hour and 13 minutes to Tigers behind starter Howard Ehmke. Yankees CF Ping Bodie added to embarrassment by falling for the hidden ball trick, when Yankees had runners on 1st and 2nd with no outs in 5th inning.

1936 - Former Yankees MLB Coach and Minor League Manager Frank Howard was born. Frank briefly managed in the Yankees farm system during the 2002 season at Columbus (AAA).

1952 - Former Yankees minor league player and baseball executive Doug Melvin was born. Doug Melvin pitched in the minor leagues for 6 seasons, going 29-19 with a 3.43 ERA. He spent 1972 and 1973 in the Pirates farm system; he missed the 1974 season due to injury. Then Doug played in the Yankees organization from 1975 to 1978. Melvin worked with the Yankees as a Baseball Operations Assistant from 1983 to 1984 and as the Yankees Director of Scouting in 1985. He moved to the Orioles as the Special Assistant to former GM Roland Hemond in 1987 before being named the Orioles Assistant GM and Director of Player Personnel which he held from 1988 to 1993. Melvin was then GM of the Rangers from 1994 to 2001. He worked as a consultant in the Red Sox Minor League Operations department before being hired by the Brewers in 2002. Melvin has been GM of the Brewers since 2002.

1957 - Former Yankees P Ray Fontenot (1983-84) was born. On October 8, 1979, Ray was sent by the Rangers to the Yankees to complete an earlier deal made on August 1, 1979. The Rangers sent players to be named later, OF Oscar Gamble, and Amos Lewis (minors) to the Yankees for players to be named later and OF Mickey Rivers. The Rangers sent P Ray Fontenot and Gene Nelson on October 8, 1979 to the Yankees to complete the trade. The Yankees sent on October 8, 1979, were minor league players P Bob Polinsky, Neal Mersch and Mark Softy to the Rangers to complete the trade. Ray went 16-11 in 50 games for the Yankees during the 1983-84 AL seasons. On December 4, 1984, Ray was traded by the Yankees along with OF Brian Dayett to the Cubs for P Porfi Altamirano, P Rich Bordi, OF Henry Cotto, and C Ron Hassey.

1967 - The Yankees purchased C Bob Tillman (1967) from Red Sox for cash. He will hit .254 for the season for the Yankees, before he was traded to Braves after the 1967 AL season for 3B Bobby Cox.

1970 - The New York Yankees honor former HOF Manager Casey Stengel at Old-Timers Day in Yankee Stadium. Stengel's Yankees uniform number 37 is retired, and then the Orioles beat the Yankees by a score of 4-2.

1972 - The Yankees signed a 30-year lease to play in city owned Yankee Stadium to commence in 1976. The plans called for 24 million dollar remodeling for 2 years. The actual cost ends up being close to 55 million dollars. The Yankees will play at Shea Stadium during the remodeling of Yankee Stadium.

1982 - Former Yankees P Ross Ohlendorf (2007-08) was born. On January 9, 2007, Ross was traded by the D-backs along with Steven Jackson (minors), INF Alberto Gonzalez, and P Luis Vizcaino to the Yankees for All Star starter Randy Johnson and cash. Ross went 1-1 in 31 games for the Yankees. On July 26, 2008, Ross Ohlendorf was traded along with minor league OF prospect Jose Tabata and P Jeff Karstens were dealt to the Pirates in exchange for OF Xavier Nady and P Damaso Marte. Ross had played college baseball at Princeton University under former Yankees catcher Scott Bradley.

2005 - Former Yankees minor league player, MLB player and manager Gene Mauch passed away. Gene was an infielder originally signed by the Dodgers during the mid-1940’s. On November 19,1951, Gene was drafted by the Yankees from the Braves in the 1951 MLB Rule 5 player draft. Gene never appeared with the Yankees at the MLB level. On March 26, 1952, Gene was selected off waivers by the Cardinals from the Yankees. Gene was MLB manager for the Phillies, Expos, Twins and the Angels during his MLB manager career. He was the brother-in-law of MLB player Roy Smalley Jr. and Uncle of former Yankees shortstop Roy Smalley III.

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