This Week in Yankees History (9/20-9/26)

This Week in Yankees History

September 20th - September 26th

September 20th

1911 - The Yankees commit 7 errors in the 1st game of a double header with the Indians (a 12-9 loss), and then commit 5 more in the nightcap (a 5-4 win). The 12 errors in one day is still the Yankees club record for errors.

1931 - Yankees 1B Lou Gehrig drives in 4 runs to break his old AL RBI mark of 175, set in 1927. By the end of 1931 AL season's end, Lou will have a total of 184 RBI’s.

1938 - Former Yankees INF/OF Tom Tresh (1961-1969) was born (1938-2009). The Yankees signed Tom as a free agent in 1958. He was the son of former White Sox C Mike Tresh. Tom was the only rookie player called up to the Yankees in 1961. In 1962, he won the AL ROY Award. Tom took over the starting shortstop position, when Tony Kubek was serving Army Reserve active duty. Tom had beaten out Phil Linz for the starting position. He was an AL All Star team member in 1962-1963. Tommy played in 3 World Series for the Yankees hitting .277. He won an AL OF Golden Glove in 1965. After the 1965 AL season, the Red Sox offered Yaz for Tresh in a trade, but then they changed their minds. During the 1966 AL season, Tom injured his knees, when newly acquired Yankees shortstop Ruben Amaro Sr. ran into him. The injury ruined Tom’s MLB career. In June of 1969, Tom was traded away to the Tigers for OF Ron Woods. Tom’s son Mike played in the Yankees and Tigers minor league systems.

1945 - Former Yankees P Mike Jurewicz (1965) was born. Mike appeared in 2 games with the Yankees having no decisions in 1965. An arm injury cut his MLB baseball career short.

1954 - Former Yankees reserve INF Mickey Klutts (1976-1978) was born. Mickey was a 4th round draft choice by the Yankees 1972. He appeared in 8 games for the Yankees before being traded to the A’s along with OF Dell Alston for OF/DH Gary Thomasson in June of 1978.

1958 - Thanks to a Gus Triandos HR, recently acquired Orioles knuckleball hurler Hoyt Wilhelm no-hits Yankees by the score of 1-0. It will be the last time in this century the Yankees will fail to get a hit in a game.

1961 - The 155th Yankees game of the season (including a tie) is Roger Maris' last chance to beat the 60 HR mark set by Babe Ruth. In compliance with MLB Commissioner Ford Frick's statement, for the record to be broken Maris must do it in the same number of games as Ruth. Maris' 59th HR of the year, off of O’s hurler Jack Fisher, is short of the HR record, but helps the Yankees beat Orioles by a score of 4-2 to clinch their 26th AL pennant.

1968 - Yankees All Star slugger Mickey Mantle hit his 536th and final HR of his 18-year MLB career. Red Sox hurler Jim Lonborg in a 4-3 loss gives up his last MLB HR to the Red Sox at the Yankee Stadium.

1978 - The Yankees split a doubleheader with the Blue Jays, losing the opener by the score of 8-1 as Ron Guidry lost his 3rd game of the 1978 AL season. In the nightcap, the Yankees bounced back with a 3-2 win with bullpen help from Goose Gossage and 3-run rally in the 9th inning. The big hits were run-scoring singles by Lou Piniella, Chris Chambliss and Graig Nettles. Their lead is at 1 1/2 games, until news comes in from the Motor City, the Red Sox are mauled by the Tigers by the score of 12-2, the Yankees lead in the AL East now goes back to 2 games.

1980 - In memory of their former team captain and All Star C Thurman Munson, a bronze plaque in Memorial Park is dedicated to the deceased Yankee catcher, who died in an airplane crash in August of 1979.

1998 - At Camden Yards, the Yankees hang on to beat the Orioles by the score of 5-4. Yankees Closer Mo Rivera gives up a HR to Robby Alomar in 9th inning, but he still gets his 36th save as Yankees starter Orlando “El Duque” Hernandez picks-up his 11th win.

2005 - Yankees All Star 3B Alex Rodriguez hits his 42nd HR and 2B Robinson Cano erases a 4-run deficit with a Grand Slam HR, helping Yankees starter Aaron Small and the 7-time defending division winners rally to beat the Devil Rays by the score of 9-5. Aaron Small pitching record goes to 8-0, becoming the 1st pitcher to win his 1st 8 decisions with the Yankees since Doug Bird in 1980 and 1981, and the Yankees 4th straight win continues its strong push in the AL East and wild-card races

September 21st

1875 - Former Yankees reserve C Frank McManus (1903) was born. He appeared in only 4 games in 1903 with the Yankees with no BA.

1892 - Former Yankees OF Elmer Smith (1922-23) was born. Elmer was obtained from the Red Sox along with veteran INF Joe Dugan. After hitting .306 in 1923, he was traded by the Yankees in 1924 to Louisville for future HOF CF Earl Combs.

1906 - At Chicago, the White Sox lose a pair to the Yankees before 20,000 fans, their largest Friday afternoon crowd. Yankees 1B Hal Chase has 22 putouts at 1B in the 1st game, tying the MLB record.

1908 - Indians takes the AL lead beating the Yankees, while the Tigers take 2 from the Browns. With two weeks to go, three 1/2 games separate four teams.

1923 - Yankees OF Babe Ruth is the unanimous choice of the AL committee of baseball writers for the MVP award. His selection will not allow him to win another MVP under the current 1920 AL rules.

1932 - Jimmie Foxx slugs his HR #54 of the 1932 AL season to lead the A's to an 8-4 win over the visiting Yankees. His A’s teammates, Al Simmons and Eric McNair also hit HRs off of Yankees starter Red Ruffing as A’s starter Sugar Cain is able to win.

1933 - With lefty Walter Stewart pitching, the Senators eliminate the Yankees from the 1933 AL pennant race by clinching the AL flag in a 2-1 home win over the Browns.

1935 - The Tigers clinch the 1935 AL pennant with a double win over the Browns, winning by the scores of 6-2 and 2-0. The Tigers will coast the rest of the way of the 1935 AL season, going just 1-6, while the Yankees go 6-1, finishing in 2nd place in the AL with an 89-60 record.

1942 - Former Yankees P “Sudden” Sam Mc Dowell (1973-74) was born. Sam was a major disappointment for the Yankees after coming from the Giants in 1973. He went 5-8 and 1-6, before being released by the Yankees during the 1974 AL season. His drinking problems with ruined his MLB pitching career.

1954 - Rookie starter Bob Grim wins his 20th game of the 1954 AL season as the Yankees defeat the Senators by the score of 3-1. Bob had previously spent the last 2 years in the Army, before making the Yankees pitching staff in spring training.

1956 - Bronx Bombers 1B Bill “Moose” Skowron has 5 hits, but the Yankees strand a record 20 base runners in losing to the Red Sox at Fenway Park, by the score of 13-9. Mickey Mantle sends a 480-foot HR into the CF bleachers that lands a foot from the top. His 3 hits raise his BA to .352, four points behind the Red Sox slugger Ted Williams.

1961 - At Yankee Stadium, Roger Maris is held hitless in 4 at bats, as the A’s win by the score of 5-3, behind Bill Fischer's 3-hitter. All of the Yankee runs scored off him are unearned. Roger Maris is the only Yankees regular to play the entire game.

1961 - Former Yankees reserve C and MLB Manager Bob Geren (1988-1991) was born. On November 7, 1985, Bob was signed as a MLB free agent with the Yankees. Bob hit .205 in 249 games for the Yankees. His best Yankees season was in 1989, when he hit .288. On December 2, 1991, Bob was selected off waivers by the Reds from the Yankees. Bob is the current MLB manager of the A’s.

1963 - The A’s beat the Yankees by a score of 5-3, despite HRs by Yogi Berra and Mickey Mantle. For Yogi Berra, it is his 358th MLB career and last HR as a Yankees player.

1963 - Former Yankees DH/1B Cecil Fielder (1996-1997) was born. On July 31, 1996, Cecil was traded by the Tigers to the Yankees for OF/DH Ruben Sierra and minor league P Matt Drews. Cecil hit .260 in both of his seasons with the Yankees with 28 HRs, 96 RBIs with the Bombers, before leaving the team for free agency in 1997.

1968 - At Yankee Stadium, Red Sox starter Ray Culp fires his 3rd successive shutout, stopping the Yankees on 1-hit shutout, winning by the score of 2-0. Roy White's single in the 7th inning is the only Yankees hit. It's Ray Culp's 15th win of the year for the Red Sox.

1971 - For the 4th consecutive AL season, Orioles starter Dave McNally wins his 20th game, as he shuts out the Yankees by the score of 5-0.

1989 - Former Yankees P Murry Dickinson (1958) passed away. (1916-1989). He went 1-2 in 6 games during the 1958 AL season, before being returned to the A’s during the 1959 AL season.

2000 - The Blue Jays defeat the Yankees by the score of 3-1, as former Yankees P David Wells becomes the MLB's 1st 20-game winner for the 2000 AL season.

2001 - Yankees closer Mariano Rivera blows a save giving up a 2-run single to Jerry Hairston as the Orioles prevail over the Yankees by the score of 6-5.

2002 - The Yankees beat the Tigers by the score 3-2, to clinch the AL East for the 5th straight year.

September 22nd

1875 - Former Yankees reserve C/1B Mike Powers (1905) was born. Mike hit .182 in 11 games for Yankees before being sent to the A’s.

1892 - Former Yankees reserve OF/INF Jimmy Walsh (1914) was born.Jimmy hit .191 in 43 games for the Yankees.

1915 - In the1st of 2 games, the Yankees top the Browns by the score of 7-0. George Sisler pitches 1 perfect inning of relief for the Browns.

1920 - Former Hall of Fame MLB OF/P, Scout, MLB Manager, Coach and Yankees Manager (1978-1979,1981) Robert “Bob” Lemon was born (1920-2000). Bob Lemon was brought in by Yankees President/GM Al Rosen during the 1978 AL season to replace Billy Martin. Under his leadership the Yankees caught the Red Sox, after being 14 1/2 games behind and won the AL East. He won the 1978 World Series against the Dodgers. Bob was a MLB, who player switched from the OF to pitching for the Indians during the late 1940’s and 1950’s. He would go 207-128 with a .618 WP, with a 3.23 ERA in 13 seasons (1946-1958). Bob had seven 20-game win seasons for the Indians. He managed in MLB with the Royals, White Sox and the Yankees.

1925 - Yankees OF Ben Paschal hits 2-inside–the-park HRs during a Yankees 11-6 win against the White Sox at Yankee Stadium in the 1st game of a doubleheader. The Yankees lost the 2nd game by a score of 4-2.

1927 - Yankees CF Earl Combs connects for 3-triples during the Yankees 8-7 win over the Tigers. Also in that game, Yankees slugger Babe Ruth hits HR #56 for the 1927 AL season.

1929 - Former Yankees reserve INF Harry Bright (1963-1964) was born (1929-2000). The Yankees acquired Harry to back up their INF off the bench. His addition to the Yankee 40 man roster cost the Yankees, a young minor league OF named Curt Belfry, who was at Greensboro (AA), who was immediately claimed by the Orioles. Harry Bright was a good field, no-hit player who could play a lot of positions, including catcher. The Yankees originally signed Harry in 1946. He came up to the MLB with the Pirates in 1958. Then he played for the new AL expansion team, the Senators, then the Reds, before joining the Yankees in 1963. He appeared in 60 games hitting .236 in 1963. He was Sandy Koufax’s 15th strikeout victim in 1963 World Series. In 1964, he appeared in only 4 games for the Yankees because of injuries. He finished his MLB career in 1965 with the Cubs. After retiring from the MLB as an active player, Harry became a MLB baseball scout.

1952 - Former Yankees reserve OF Del Alston (1977-1978) was born. Del was traded in June of 1978, along with reserve INF Mickey Klutts to the A’s for OF/DH Gary Thomasson, who helped the Yankees by hitting .276 in 51 games for the injured CF Mickey Rivers during the 1978 AL pennant race.

1959 - At Griffith Stadium in Washington, D.C., the Yankees beat the Senators by the score of 12-6 behind the complete game performance by Art Ditmar, who gains his 13th victory of the 1959 AL season, The Senators starter Pedro Ramos is chased by the Yankees for 7 runs in 4 innings.

1963 - At Yankee Stadium, the Yankees edge the A’s by the score of 4-3 on Joe Pepitone’s 2-run HR in the 6th inning. Yankees starter Al Downing picks up his 13th win of the 1963 AL season going the distance allowing only 9 hits, 3-runs, while striking out 6 A’s batters. Mickey Mantle picks up his 2nd stolen base of the 1963 AL season.

1964 - Yankees rookie starter Mel Stottlemyre picks up his 8th victory of the 1964 AL season, as he goes 8 innings, allowing 8 hits, 3-runs in a 5-3 win over the Indians. Yankees new closer Pedro Ramos picks up his 3rd save of September of 1964.

1979 - The Yankees defeat the Blue Jays by the score of 7-4 behind the pitching of starter Luis Tiant and closer Goose Gossage 3-inning relief performance. Tiant picks up his 12th win, as Gossage gets his 16th save. He relieved Jim Kaat, who had gave up a 2-run HR to Rico Carty in the 6th inning. The Yankees had HR’s by Oscar Gamble-2 HRs, Jerry Narron, a 2-run HR and Reggie Jackson had a solo HR shot.

1980 - At Yankee Stadium, the Yankees edge the Indians by the score of 4-3. Yankees starter Tommy John beats Tribe starter Len Barker. Tommy John goes 8 innings, as he gets his 22 win of the 1980 AL season. Yankees closer Goose Gossage works the 9th inning for his 31st save of the season.

1998 - The Yankees sweep a double header from the Indians at Yankee Stadium by scores of 10-4 and 5-1. In the 1st game, a 10-4 victory with Yankees starter Ramiro Mendoza picks up his 10th win of the season. The Yankees hitting attack is led by HRs from Tino Martinez, a 2-run HR shot, rookie OF Shane Spencer’s 2-solo HRs and another solo HR by Scott Brosius. In the 2nd game, a 5-1 victory, when Yankees starter Hideki Irabu goes 8 innings to get his 13th victory of the season. The Yankees only get 7-hits in the game, but no HRs are hit, but they score 5 runs. The doubleheader sweep gives the team victories #108 and #109 for the 1998 AL season.

2003 - Hitting his 13th leadoff HR of the 2003 AL season, Yankees 2B Alfonso Soriano establishes a new MLB record. The Yankees 2B had been tied with Brady Anderson who hit 12 HRs in 1996 for the Orioles.

September 23rd

1898 - Former Yankees P George “Smiler” Murray (1922) was born (1898-1955). As a 24-year old rookie, George went 4-2 in 22 games with the Yankees in 1922. He was traded to the Red Sox for starter Herb Pennock in January of 1923.

1908 - The Naps win its 10th straight game, defeating the Yankees starter Jack Chesbro by a score of 9-3. The Naps score 5 runs in the 7th inning, while Rhoades pitches strong ball until the 9th inning, when he allows 2 Yankee runs. Nap Lajoie has no official at bats, getting hit by pitched balls 3 times, tying an AL record, and walking his other time up.

1910 - Yankees Manager George Stallings, convinced that 1B Hal Chase tried to throw a game, but unable to make the charge stick, is replaced by his charismatic 1B as manager of the 2nd-place Highlanders for the season's final 11 games. On his own, Prince Hal will lead the Yankees downhill to 6th place in 1911. Chase will be banned during the 1920’s from professional baseball for his gambling activities.

1915 - In the 1st of 2 games, the Yankees top the Browns by the score of 7-0. George Sisler pitches 1 perfect inning of relief for the Browns.

1921 - Trailing by 2 percentage points, the Indians come to Yankee Stadium for a 4-game showdown. Waite Hoyt's arm and Babe Ruth's 3 doubles beat them by a score of 4-2.

1933 - The Yankees make 7 errors, including 3 by INF Frank Crosetti, but have enough firepower to out-slug the Red Sox by the score of 16-12. Including in New York's 23 hits are HRs by Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, HR number #31 for each; Lou adds 2 doubles and a single. Sammy Byrd, Ben Chapman, and Frankie Crosetti have 3 hits apiece, and reliever Wilcy Moore drives in the last run with his 1st hit of the season. The Red Sox chased winning starter Herb Pennock in the 6th inning and make the score 12-9, but fall short at the end.

1937 - The Yankees lose their game by a score of 9-5, but clinch the 1937 AL pennant when the Red Sox beat the Tigers.

1950 - The Yankees, tied for 1st place with the Tigers and 2 games ahead of the Red Sox. Open a crucial series with the Red Sox at Yankee Stadium. Joe DiMaggio's 1st inning HR off of starter Mel Parnell is all the scoring needed, as the Bombers win by a score of 8-0. Yankees starter Eddie Lopat gives up only 5 hits, including a leadoff triple to Dom DiMaggio.

1955 - The Yankees clinched the 1955 AL pennant by beating the Red Sox by the score of 3-2.

1960 - The Yankees win their 7th straight game in row by downing the Red Sox by the score of 5-1 at Fenway Park. Yankees starter Bob Turley goes 7 innings, allowing only 3 hits, 1-run and striking out 7 batters. Reliever Bobby Shantz picks up his 11th save of the season. The Yankees would finish the 1960 AL season with 15 straight wins, ending with a 97-51-1 record.

1961 - An ailing Mickey Mantle's career-high 54th HR, his last of the regular AL season, helps Yankees beat Red Sox by a score of 8-3. Yankee starter Whitey Ford leaves the game in the 5th inning, but wins his 25th game of the season.

1964 - The sizzling Yankees win their 9th game in a row, defeating the Tribe, by the score of 4-3 in 11 innings in the opener and 6-4 in the 2nd game. Elston Howard's HR off of P Luis Tiant, snaps a tie game in the opener. Indians C Johnny Romano hits HRs in both games. While recently acquired closer Pedro Ramos finishes up both games for the Yankees. Ramos, however, will not be eligible to play for the Yankees in the 1964 World Series against the Cardinals.

1977 - Graig Nettles’ 9th inning 2-run HR puts Yankees fans fears to rest as the Yankees rebound from a 2 game sweep at Fenway Park by downing season-long nemesis Blue Jays by a score of 5-3, behind starter Don Gullett’s 5-hitter.

1978 - The Yankees lead over the Red Sox is trimmed to 1 game, when the Indians scalp New York by the score of 10-1.

1980 - At Yankee Stadium, the Yankees score 4 runs in the 9th inning to beat the Indians by a score of 5-4. The Yankee hitting attack in the game was led by Aurelio Rodriguez’s triple, doubles by Reggie Jackson and Oscar Gamble. Yankees reliever Ron Davis is the winner picking up his 9th win, while Indians reliever Mike Stanton took the loss for the Tribe.

1981 - The Yankees beat the Indians by the score of 6-1 behind starter Rick Reuschel’s complete game as he picks up his 4th win of the season at Yankee Stadium. Reggie Jackson’s 2-run HR leads the Yankee hitting attack.

1984 - The Tigers defeat the Yankees by the score of 4-1, making Sparky Anderson the 1st MLB manager ever to win 100 games in a season in each major league. As skipper of the 'Big Red Machine', his team won 108 games in 1975 and 102 games in 1976

1997 - In a warm-up for the playoffs, the Indians rally from a 9-2 deficit to shock the Yankees, by the score of 10-9. Yankees Tony Fernandez and Tino Martinez match 2-run HRs, while David Justice and Robby Alomar, also HR for the Indians.

1998 - With an 8-4 victory over the Indians, the 1998 Yankees tie the 1927 Yankees World Championship team for the most wins in franchise history. The Bombers' 110 victories pull them within 1 game of the AL record of 111 victories set by the 1954 Indians.

1999 - By drawing 27,549 fans to today's game, the Yankees break the New York City's MLB team season attendance record with a total of 3,072,009 fans. The Mets had previously had held the NYC MLB team attendance record, when 3,047,724 fans turned the turnstiles at Shea Stadium in 1988.

2000 - Former Yankees reserve INF Aurelio Rodriguez (1980-1981) died after being struck by a car that jumped the sidewalk in Detroit. (1947-2000)

2001 - By saving New York's 5-4 10-inning win over the Orioles at Camden Yards, Yankees closer Marino Rivera establishes a franchise single-season record with his 47th save. The previous club record was held by Dave Righetti, who had 46 saves in 1986.

September 24th

1910 - Former Yankees OF Dixie Walker (1931, 1933-1936) was born (1910-1982). Dixie started his MLB career with the Yankees, but couldn’t break in Yankees starting outfield later he was picked up on waivers by the White Sox in May of 1936. He would become a MLB star playing for the Dodgers during the 1940’s. He was the brother of MLB star Harry Walker.

1910 - Yankees 1B Hal “Prince” Chase is named manager of the Yankees following the resignation of Manager George Stallings in the day before. The Yankees finish in 2nd place at 88-63, Hal would lead the Yankees to a 6th place finish in 1911, going 76-76. As player-manager, he would stay with the Yankees until 1913, when he was traded by the Yankees.

1919 - Red Sox starter Waite Hoyt pitches 9 perfect innings against the Yankees, but they come in between the 4th and the 13th innings in which he gives up hits. He loses the game by a score of 2-1 in the 13th inning.

1920 - In the 1st game of a twin bill, Yankees slugger Babe Ruth hits his 50th HR in the 1st inning, off of the Senators P Jose Acosta. Then he adds HR# 51 in a 4-for-4 performance in the 2nd game, a 2-1 win, to give the Yankees, a sweep. The other 3 hits off Nats loser Shaw are by Phelps.

1923 - The Tigers P Ray Francis, with a 3-0 lead over the Yankees, issues a bases loaded walk to Babe Ruth, but hangs on for the victory.

1927 - The Yankees win their 106th game of the 1927 AL season, a 6-0 victory over the Tigers, for a new AL season record high. They will win 110 games, a record held until the 1954, when Indians won 111 games.

1929 - The Yankees starter Tom Zachary wins his 12th game without a loss by the score of 5-3 over Red Sox. His 12-0 season record will not be equaled.

1931 - The round-robin playoff among New York City's 3 MLB teams, to raise money for the unemployed, concludes with Dodgers losing to both the Giants and the Yankees at the Polo Grounds. Again, a near capacity crowd turns out and adds $48,000 to bring the fund to $108,000. In field events held between games, Babe Ruth, normally a left-handed hitter, bats right-handed and wins the fungo hitting contest. He breaks the old distance record held by Big Ed Walsh. Babe Ruth's drive lands in deep center field, 421 FT away. The old record, set 20 years earlier, was 419 1/2 FT.

1932 - In a battle of Boston collegians, Harvard beats Boston College. Charlie Devens, former Harvard hurler, makes his MLB debut for the Yankees and beats the Red Sox, by the score of 8-2. The loss goes to Eddie Gallagher, former Boston College pitcher who exits in the 5th inning. Yankees slugger Babe Ruth swats his 41st HR of the year in the 9th inning; Lou Gehrig belts his 34th HR of the season in the 5th inning.

1934 - The idle Tigers win the 1934 AL pennant, as the Red Sox beat the Yankees by the score of 5-0 in the season's finale at Yankee Stadium. Babe Ruth walks in the 1st inning, limps to 1B, and leaves for a pinch runner in his last home game was a Yankee. A crowd of only 2,500 fans see the final home game for the 1934 AL season. The Yankees finish in 2nd place in the AL with a 94-60 record.

1946 - Disappointing on the field, the 1946 Yankees (87-67,3rd Place) nevertheless finished their 1946 home season with a 2,309,029 attendance. The best MLB previous draw was the 1929 Cubs at 1,485,166. Total MLB attendance was 18.5 million, 80 percent more than 1945.

1948 - Former Yankees DH/INF Eric Soderholm (1980) was born. On November 14, 1979, Eric was traded by the Rangers to the Yankees for players to be named later and cash. The Yankees sent minor league players Amos Lewis and Ricky Burdette on December 13, 1979 to the Rangers to complete the trade. Eric hit .280 for the Yankees in 1980. He was bothered by bad knees from a off season job injury, as a construction worker.

1949 - Red Sox starter Ellis Kinder (15-1 at Fenway Park) pitches a 6-hitter, as Ted Williams lines his 42nd HR to beat the Yankees by the score of 2-0 and pull the Red Sox 1 game behind the Yankees.

1950 - In the 2nd game of a key series with the Red Sox, 66,924 fans are on hand for “Johnny Mize Day” at Yankee Stadium, as the Yankees top the fading Red Sox by the score of 9-5 to go 4 games up on the Red Sox and 2 1/2 games ahead of the Tigers. Yankees Shortstop Phil Rizzuto contributes a single, double, and HR, while Yogi Berra, adds 4 hits including a triple. Joe DiMaggio's hitting streak reaches 15 games. The Yankees will win 5 of their next 7 games, while the Tigers will manage to go 4-3.

1954 - The Yankees tie a MLB record, when 3 consecutive Yankees pinch hitters strike out in 1-inning. The 9th inning Yankee victims of A’s hurler Arnold Portocarrero were Lou Berbert, Gus Triandos, and Frank Leja. The Yankees would strike out 11 times in the game, which they lost by a score of 5-1 to the A’s.

1957 - The Yankees clinch their 23rd AL pennant and 8th under Manager Casey Stengel, as the A’s tips the White Sox by the score of 6-5.

1958 - The Red Sox closeout their 1958 AL home schedule with a 7-5 loss to the Yankees. All Star slugger Mickey Mantle cracks his 42nd HR of the 1958 AL season to put him 3 HRs, ahead of Indians slugger Rocky Colavito, who will finish the 1959 AL season with 42 HRs.

1960 - Yankees slugger Mickey Mantle's 11th inning HR off of Ted Wilks gives Bronx Bombers, a 6-5 victory over the Red Sox at Fenway Park. Mantle had driven in the games 1st run with a drag bunt in the 1st inning. The Yankees win their 8th straight game and they would finish the 1960 AL season with 15 game winning streak as they clinched the AL Flag.

1967 - The Twins crunch the Yankees by the score of 9-2 as Twins starter Dean Chance scatters 9 hits for his 20th victory of the 1967 AL season.

1972 - In the nightcap of a twin-bill sweep over the Tribe, Yankees closer Sparky Lyle sets an AL record and tying the MLB mark by saving his 35th game. The Yankees win the game, by the score of 8-3, after gaining a 5-4 win in the opener when they score 2 unearned runs on 5 Indian errors in the 11th inning. Thurman Munson steals 2B by kicking the ball out of Frank Duffy's glove and going to 3B on the error. Duffy then boots a grounder and throws wildly for 2 more errors. Catcher Gerry Moses then picks up a squibber and fires over 1B and RF Del Unser’s return throw to the plate is over Moses' head for error #5.

1973 - The Yankees acquired veteran C Duke Simms on waivers from the Tigers. Duke would make Yankee Stadium history by hitting the last Yankees HR at the old Yankee Stadium in 1973.

1977 - Former Yankees C Sherman Lollar (1947-1948) passes away. Sherman played in 33 games as a backup catcher to Yogi Berra. He appeared in the 1947 World Series with the Yankees. He would be traded to the Browns after the 1948 AL season as part of the Fred Sanford trade. He would later become an AL All Star catcher for the White Sox during the 1950’s. He was the starting catcher for the 1959 AL champions White Sox.

1978 - Yankees starter Ron Guidry (23-3) gains his 3rd 2-hit shutout of the month, 4-0 over the Indians. The 2 Indian hits are by Duane Kuiper, the 2nd time this year that he has recorded the only hits in a game. The Yankees ace, also threw a 2-hit against the Red Sox on September 9th (7-0) and 15th (4-0). It is Guidry's 9th shut out of the 1978 AL season, a Yankees record, and just 1 short of the AL record for southpaws set by Red Sox lefty Babe Ruth in 1916. The Red Sox stay 1 game in back of Yankees by topping Blue Jays by the score of 7-6.

1980 - The Yankees beat the Indians by the score of 7-3 at Yankee Stadium behind the pitching of starter Luis Tiant and reliever Tommy Underwood. Tiant gets his 8th win, while Tommy Underwood picks up his 2nd save of the 1980 AL season. The Yankees hitting attack is led by 1B Bob Watson, who goes 3 for 5 with 3 RBI’s.

1996 - Former Yankees P Red Embree (1948) passed away (1917-1996). On December 11, 1947, Red was traded by the Indians to the Yankees for OF Allie Clark. Red went 5-3 in 20 games for the Yankees in 1948. On December 13, 1948, Red was traded by the Yankees along with C Sherman Lollar, 1B Richard Starr, and $100,000 to the Browns for C Roy Partee and P Fred Sanford.

1998 - The Yankees win by the score of 5-2, over the Devil Rays and post their 111th win of the year, surpassing the club record 110, set by the 1927 World Championship team. They tie the AL record of 111 victories in 1954 held by the Indians. Yankees Rookie OF Shane Spencer pounds a Grand Slam HR, his 8th HR in 57 at bats.

2002 - Thanks to 1B Jason Giambi's 2-HRs in the Yankees 6-0 whitewash of the Devil Rays, the Giambi brothers (Jason 40, Jeremy 20) pass the DiMaggio siblings for the highest single-season total for HRs with 60. The DiMaggio brothers (Joe 46 in AL, Vince 13 in NL)) went yard 59 times in 1937.

2005 - Averaging more than 50,000 fans per game, the Yankees become the 3rd franchise in MLB history, and the 1st since the 1994 MLB baseball strike, to pass the 4-million attendance mark. The 1993 Rockies and the 1991-1993 Blue Jays are the other MLB teams, which have reached the attendance milestone.

September 25th

1902 - Former Yankees P Pat Malone (1935-1937) was born. Pat went 19-13 as a Yankees hurler. The 1936 AL season was his best as Yankee pitcher, posting a 12-4 mark.

1917 - Former Yankees HOF Shortstop and Broadcaster Phil “Scooter” Rizzuto (1941-42, 1946-1956) was born (1917-2007). The Yankees signed Phil as an MLB amateur free agent in 1937. He won the Minor League player of the Year Award in 1940 with the Kansas City Blues (American Association, AAA). In 1941 he played his 1st season as a Yankee appearing in 133 games and hitting .307. Phil would miss the 1943-45 AL seasons, while serving with the US Navy during WWII. His lifetime MLB BA was .279. Phil would appear in 9 World Series for the Yankees, hitting .242 in 52 games. He was named to the AL All Star squad 5 times. He led the AL shortstops in fielding in 1949-1950. In 1950, Phil had his best Yankee career season, as he won the AL MVP Award, hitting .325 in 155 games with 200 hits, and scoring 100 runs. Also in 1950, he won the MLB best player award. In 1951, Phil won the Babe Ruth Award hitting .320 against the Giants in the 1951 World Series. During the 1955-1956 AL seasons, Phil was slowed down by injuries; he was no longer the Yankees starting shortstop. On August 25,1956, Phil was released by the Yankees. In 1957, Phil started his long-time broadcasting career with the Yankees joining Mel Allen and Red Barber in the booth. In 1994, he was voted into Baseball’s HOF by the Veteran’s Committee. Phil passed away in August of 2007.

1917 - Former Yankees P (1951-1955) and MLB Pitching Coach (1961-1963) Johnny Sain was born (1917-2007). John was obtained from the Braves in August of 1951 for Yankees rookie P Lou Burdette and $50,000. John was 20-20, with 67 saves for the Yankees coming out of the bullpen. His best season was 1953, 14-7 with 19 saves. He led the AL in saves in 22 in 1954, while going 6-6. He was traded in 1955 to the A’s along with OF Enos Slaughter for A’s P Sonny Dixon. John would later become a very successful MLB pitching coach with the Tigers, Yankees, Twins and Braves. He was the Yankees pitching coach from 1961-1963 for Manager Ralph Houk. Whitey Ford won 25 games during Johnny Sain’s 1st year as Yankees MLB pitching coach in 1961. Johnny Sain passed away in 2007.

1921 - At the Polo Grounds, the Yankees thrash the 2nd place Indians by the score of 21-7 to move a full game ahead of the Tribe. The Yankees knock out Tribe starter Ray Caldwell in the 2nd inning and dust Mails for 10 runs in his 2 innings. Yankees starter Carl Mays goes the distance for the win.

1926 - The Yankees take 2 games from the Browns to nail down the 1926 AL flag, winning the opener by the score of 10-2 behind starter Herb Pennock. Babe Ruth's Grand Slam HR is the big blow. In the nightcap, Lou Gehrig HRs in the 3rd inning off of Milt Gaston, while Babe Ruth matches him with a 2-run HR in the 6th inning off of Win Ballou. Babe Ruth adds a solo HR in the 9th inning, his 46th HR, off of Joe Giard to seal the Waite Hoyt 10-4 victory. Despite the score, the game is played in a new AL record of 55 minutes. The NL quickest game on record is 51 minutes, played on September 28, 1919.

1929 - At Fenway Park in Boston the game is halted during in the 5th inning as the umpires called time-out and have players from the Yankees and Red Sox to gather at home plate. Bill McGowan, a respected umpire, informs the teams that Bronx Bomber manager Miller Huggins has just died in New York City, he asks the crowd stands for 1 minute of silence as the flag in center field is lowered to half-staff.

1929 - Three days after turning the team over to coach Art Fletcher, Yankee manager Miller Huggins dies from blood poisoning at New York City’s St. Vincent Hospital. He was only 49 years old. On the day of his funeral in Cincinnati, the AL will cancel all games. "Hug” won 6 pennants and 3 World Series in his 12 years as skipper of the Bronx Bombers. Miller Huggins will be elected to the Hall of Fame in 1964.

1931 - Nats OF Sam Rice drops a fly ball and the Yankees rally for 5 runs in the 8th inning to beat the Senators by the score of 8-3. Babe Ruth has 2-solo HRs to help in the win. The 3rd place Yankees; now trail the Senators by a 1/2 game.

1934 - Yankees 1st baseman Lou Gehrig plays his 1,500th consecutive MLB game. His 48th HR of the season is a personal career high.

1949 - Despite 71 injuries that kept players out of games, Casey Stengel and his Yankees have been in 1st place all season. But today the Red Sox move into a tie for 1st place with a 4-1 victory over Allie Reynolds. Ted Williams hits his 43rd HR, as Mel Parnell wins his 25th game of the 1949 AL season. The lefty is 16-3 at Fenway Park this season. Yankees CF Joe DiMaggio listens to the game on the radio from a hospital, bedridden with pneumonia. The Yankees return to New York City and are greeted at Grand Central Station by a huge crowd of fans, including Mrs. Babe Ruth, who predicts, "Whoever wins tomorrow should go all the way."

1959 - At Yankee Stadium, lefty Ace Whitey Ford defeats the Orioles by the score of 5-2 with a complete game, allowing only 8-hits, 2-runs, with 4-strikeouts. Yankees hitters Hector Lopez (2), Yogi Berra (1) and Norm Siebern (1) drive in runs. It would be the last Yankees victory of the 1959 AL season, as they would drop the last 2 games of 1959 AL season to the Orioles. The Yankees would finish in 3rd place in the AL with a 79-75-1 record behind the Indians (2nd Place) and 1959 AL Champs White Sox.

1960 - Yankees starter Ralph Terry clinches the Yankees' 25th pennant with a 4-3 win over the Red Sox. Luis Arroyo saves the win. It is Casey Stengel's 10th pennant in 12 years at New York. The Yankees are in the middle of a 15 game winning streak, with Ralph Terry picking up his 9th victory to end to the 1960 AL season.

1962 - Yankees ace lefty starter Whitey Ford beats the Senators by the score of 8-3, as the Yankees clinch their 26th AL pennant. Yankees manager Ralph Houk becomes the 5th manager in MLB to capture pennants in each of his 1st two MLB seasons.

1966 - The smallest crowd in Yankee Stadium history, only 413 fans see the Yankees lose to the White Sox by a score of 4-1.

1968 - In Mickey Mantle's last appearance at Yankee Stadium; he slices a 2-out 1st inning single off of Tribe starter Luis Tiant, for the only hit for the Yankees. Tiant tosses his 9th shutout of the season, tops in the AL, to win, by a score of 3-0. El Tiante's ERA drops to 1.60; the previous low for an Indians pitcher was HOF hurler Stan Coveleski's 1.87 in 1917.

1969 - Former Yankees reserve INF/OF Tony Womack (2005) was born.

1969 - Former Yankees P Dave Weathers (1996-97) was born. Dave went 0-3 was a Yankee. He was obtained from Marlins for P Mark Hutton. In June of 1997, he was traded to the Indians for OF Chad Curtis.

1971 - With rookie C Tim Hosley hitting 2 HRs and driving in 5 runs, the Tigers trip the Yankees, by the score of 10-7. Les Cain pitches 6 innings for the win. Cain finishes with a 10-9 record with 145 innings, but contends he is forced to pitch by Tiger’s Manager Billy Martin, while Cain has a sore arm. Later, Cain claims that it did permanent damage to his arm and he sues the Tigers. In a landmark decision, the Michigan Bureau of Workman's Compensation will order the Tigers to pay Cain $111 a month for the rest of his life. A lump sum payment was later agreed upon.

1977 - Yankees Cliff Johnson continues his personal assault on the Blue Jays by slamming 2 HRs in the 2nd game of doubleheader to lead the Yankees to a 2-0 win. Yankees starter Ron Guidry won the opener, 15-0, as the Yankees boosted their lead over the Red Sox to 3 games. The double shut out win was the 1st by the Yankees since July 21, 1972. Cliff Johnson hit 6 of his 12 HRs off of the Blue Jays and batted .381 against them, compared to .296 against the rest of AL.

1977 - Former Yankees reserve C Wil Nieves (2005-2007) was born. On March 29, 2005, Wil was traded by the Angels to the Yankees for P Bret Prinz. Wil only appeared in 35 games for the Yankees, hitting .165.

1985 -Yankees LF Rickey Henderson steals his 75th base of the 1985 season in the Yankees 10- 2 win over the Tigers, breaking the Yankees club record of 74 set by Fritz Maisel in 1914.

1989 - Red Sox 3B Wade Boggs extends his own modern MLB record, when he collects his 200th hit for the 7th MLB consecutive season. The Red Sox 3B goes 4-for-5 as the Red Sox beat the Yankees by the score of 7-4.

1990 - The Yankees tie a MLB record, when their 1st 8 batters all hit safely in a 15-3 rout of the Orioles. O's starter Anthony Telford allows the first 6 hits to take the loss. The Yankees hit six home runs in the game.

1996 - The Yankees clinch the AL East title by pounding out 20 hits in a 19-2 win over the Brewers in the opening game of a doubleheader. The Yankees score 10 runs in the 2nd inning after plating 4 in the opening frame. Yankees 1B Tino Martinez leads with 5 RBIs. Yankees starter David Cone (7-2) is the easy winner. The Yankees take the nightcap, by a score of 6-2.

1998 - With a 6-1 victory over the Devil Rays, the Bronx Bombers set an new AL win record with their 112th win of the 1998 AL season. Yankees starter Orlando Hernandez improves his 1998 season record to 12-4. The 1906 Cubs, who went 116-36, are the only MLB team with more victories than the 1998 Yankees. The 1998 Yankees broke the AL victory record of 111 games set by the 1954 Indians.

2002 - At Yankee Stadium, the Yankees defeated the Devil Rays by the score of 4-3. Yankees starter Roger Clements goes 5 innings, leaving the game with a 3-3 tie. Reliever Jeff Weaver picks up the win for his 11th victory of the 2002 AL season with Yankees closer Mo Rivera getting his 28th save of the 2002 AL season. The losing pitcher for the D-Rays was future Yankee hurler Tanyon Sturtze, who was now at 4-18 mark with the D-Rays.

September 26th

1921 - Babe Ruth hits HRs # 57 and # 58 plus a double and a walk to beat the Indians by the score of 8-7, as the Yankees take a 2 game lead. George Burns adds a triple and 3 singles for the Yankees in the come-from-behind win. The Indians load the bases in the 9th inning, but Steve Neill strikes out on a Carl Mays fastball in the dirt to end it.

1925 - Former Yankees P Bobby Shantz (1957-1960) was born. Bobby was obtained from the A’s in February of 1957. He was a starter who injured his arm and later became a very successful relief pitcher. He originally came up with the A’s. His best season with the A’s was in 1952, going 24-7, winning the 1952 AL MVP award and The Sporting News Pitcher of the Year. Then he injured his pitching arm. As a Yankee, Bobby went 30-18 with 19 saves. In 1957, he was the 1st Yankee player to win an AL Golden Glove Award. Bobby would win it again for AL pitchers during the 1958-59-60 AL seasons. Also in 1957, Bobby led the AL pitchers in ERA with a 2.45 mark. Bobby appeared in the 1957 and 1960 World Series for the Yankees going 0-1. In 1960, his brother Billy Shantz, a catcher appeared with the Yankees for 1 game. The A’s had signed him. The Yankees lost Bobby in the 1960 AL Expansion draft being selected by the new Senators, who then traded him to the Pirates for 3 players.

1926 - The Browns beat the Yankees twice, by the scores of 6-1 and 6-2, in a total time of 2 hours, 7 minutes, a MLB record for a twin bill. The 2nd game is the fastest in AL history: 55 minutes. The Yankees total 19 hits, while the Browns collect 26 hits in the 2 games. Babe Ruth has one at bat, then sits, and misses reliever George Sisler, who tosses 2 scoreless innings to finish for the Browns in game 2 and, when the Browns score 4 runs in the 8th inning, picks up the victory. Ruth has 47 homers twice the runner-up, and also leads the AL with 139 runs, 155 RBI, and 144 bases on balls. Babe Ruth is batting .372, 2nd to Detroit's Heinie Manush, who will go 6-for-9 on the last day to end at .378. Browns coach Jimmie Austin, 46 years old, participates in the nightcap and contributes to the win by knocking in a run with a double and then stealing home. He is not the oldest to steal a base (Arlie Latham, was 50 in 1909), but he is the oldest to steal home. The Yankees use Fred Merkle in his MLB final game. Merkle replaces Lou Gehrig at 1B in the 6th inning.

1949 - Before 67,434 fans at Yankee Stadium, the Red Sox survive a rhubarb-filled, 7-6 win, when Johnny Pesky scores on a disputed squeeze play. Leading by 1 game in the standings the Red Sox move on to Washington for a 3-game series with the Senators before the last 2 games of the year against the Yankees.

1952 - The Yankees clinch their 4th AL straight pennant, an 11-inning 5-2 win at Philadelphia, beating the A’s behind the pitching of veteran starter Ed Lopat and reliever Johnny Sain.

1954 - Future Yankees hurler Art Ditmar of the A’s defeats the Yankees by the score of 8-6 in the last game the A’s franchise will play at Connie Mack Stadium in Philadelphia, before moving to Kansas City in 1955. Yankees C Yogi Berra plays his only game at 3B in his MLB career. Mickey Mantle plays shortstop again in Yankees Manager Casey Stengel's "power line-up."

1955 - The Red Sox beat the Yankees by the score of 8-1 as Ted Williams goes 1-for-20. Williams finishes the season at .356, well ahead of Tigers Al Kaline's .340, but does not have enough at bats to win the AL batting title.

1956 - Rookie hurler Charlie Beamon of the Orioles throws a 1-0 shutout against the Yankees in his 1st MLB start.

1960 - The Yankees winning streak reaches 10-game mark, as they defeat the Senators by the score of 4-2 by scoring 2 runs in the 9th inning. Yankees rookie starter Bill Stafford goes 8-innings, with reliever Duke Maas picks up the win going to 3-1 for the1960 AL season. Yankees 1B Dale Long hits a 2-run HR off of Senators starter Pedro Ramos, who goes to 11-17 mark with the loss. The Yankees would go 15-0 in their last 15 games of the 1960 AL season.

1961 - In the Yankees 159th game of the 1961 AL season, Roger Maris rips a Jack Fisher fastball into the RF seats at Yankee Stadium for his 60th HR. Bronx Bombers beat the Orioles by a score of 3-2. Yankees OF Roger Maris ties Babe Ruth's 34-year-old single season AL HR record. There are fewer than 8,000 fans on hand at Yankee Stadium to view this historic event.

1964 - Behind their rookie starter Mel Stottlemyre's 2-hitter, the Yankees roll over the Senators, by the score of 7-0 for their 11th win in a row. The Yankees rookie leads the offense with an MLB-record-tying 5 hits, the last pitcher to collect that many and just the 8th pitcher in the 20th century to do so (Jim Callahan of the White Sox did it twice). With a single in his last at bat in his last game, he's had 6 hits in a row.

1978 - Yankees starter Ed Figueroa earns his 19th win of the 1978 AL season; while Rich Gossage picks up his 28th save as the Yankees beat the Blue Jays by the score of 4-1. Mickey Rivers’ 2-out, 2-run double in the 2nd inning opens an early lead for the Yankees.

1980 - At Detroit, Yankee starter Ron Guidry gives up 5 runs in 6-innings, but still wins his 16 victory with Ron Davis getting his 7th save as the Yankees win the game by a score of 7-5. The Yankees hitting attack is led by Eric Soderholm’s 3-run HR and a solo HR by Willie Randolph.

1997 - Four Yankees pitchers combine to 1-hit the Tigers, winning by a score of 8-2. Andy Pettitte starts and allows a 2-run single to Travis Fryman in the 3rd inning, giving the Tigers, a 2-1 lead. Pettitte leaves after 4 innings and is succeeded by Brian Boehringer (3 innings), Mariano Rivera (1 inning), and Jeff Nelson (1 inning). Mo Rivera receives credit for the win, when Yankees offense explodes for 6 runs in the 9th inning.

1998 - The Yankees defeat the Devil Rays by the score of 3-1 for David Cone's 20th win of the year. Cone sets a record for the most years (10) between 20-win seasons, having won 20 for the Mets in 1988. Jim Kaat held the previous record at 9. Yankees rookie OF Shane Spencer homers, his 6th HR in 9 days and his 7th HR in the month of September, a Yankees rookie record.

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