This Week in Yankee History
May 31st - June 6th
May 31st - June 6th
May 31st
1913 - Yankees obtained INF Rollie Zeider and 1B Bill Borton from the White Sox for 1B Hal “Prince” Chase. Yankees Manager Frank Chance had Chase traded because he thought that Hal Chase was betting on Highlander games. Chance would later be banned from MLB for gambling on games, costing him his MLB career and a chance to be elected to Baseball’s Hall of Fame.
1932 - The Yankees obtained P Dan Mac Fayen from the Red Sox for undisclosed amount of cash and other considerations.
1933 - The Yankees sign free agent P Johnny Broaca (1934-1937). Johnny went 40-27 in 4 seasons with the Yankees.
1938 - Lou Gehrig played in his 2000th consecutive MLB game. Lou collected a RBI single helping the Yankees defeated the Red Sox, by a score of 12-5.
1938 - Yankees P Joe Beggs gives up the 1st of 3- grand Slam HR’s to Red Sox slugger Jimmy Foxx would hit off of him during the 1938 AL season.
1950 - Former Yankees P Tippy Martinez (1974-76) was born. Originally signed by the Yankees, he spent most of his MLB career with the Orioles. His Yankee career record was 8-3 in 83 games with 10 saves. Tippy and Yankees Manager Billy Martin didn’t get along. On June 15, 1976, Tippy was traded by the Yankees along with reserve C Rick Dempsey, pitchers Rudy May, Scott McGregor, and Dave Pagan to the Orioles for pitchers Ken Holtzman, Doyle Alexander, Grant Jackson, C Ellie Hendricks, and OF Jimmy Freeman. This was a classic Yankees trade of “trade for now and forget about the future.” Tippy Martinez and Scott McGregor would have good MLB careers with the Orioles; they were players that the Yankees could have use.
1956 - Yankees CF Mickey Mantle unleashes the 1st of several “space shots” in “attempt” to clear the roof in RF at Yankee Stadium. This shot, a 3-run HR off of a Senators hurler Pedro Ramos change-up palm ball, struck the Yankee Stadium façade in RF, less than 18” inches from the top.
1983 - AL President Lee MacPhail suspended Yankees owner George Steinbrenner for 1 week, citing "repeated problems" with the outspoken owner's public criticism of AL umpires. Steinbrenner, who had been fined $50,000 by MLB Commissioner Bowie Kuhn during spring training for berating some NL umpires, cannot attend games or be in his Yankee Stadium office during the suspension.
June 1st
1891 - Former Yankees reserve C Hank Severeid (1926) was born. On July 22, 1926, Hank was selected off waivers by the Yankees from the Senators. He hit .268 in 41 games for the 1926 Yankees.
1914 - The Yankees purchased OF Charles Meara (1914) from Reading (IL) for cash. Charles went 2 for 7 for the Yankees before being released.
1915 - Former Yankees reserve OF Art Metheny (1943-46) was born. Art hit .247 in 376 games for the Yankees.
1918 - Losing by the score of 5-4 against the Yankees, the White Sox loaded the bases in the 9th inning with no outs. Chick Gandil lined a shot to 3rd baseman Frank Baker, who turned it into a game ending triple play.
1925 - Lou Gehrig of the Yankees pinch-hit for Pee Wee Wanninger, beginning his streak of playing in 2,130 consecutive MLB games. The next day, 1B Wally Pipp showed up with a headache, Lou Gehrig took over at 1B for the Yankees.
1931 - Former Yankees P Marshall Bridges (1962-63) was born (1931-1990). Marshall was obtained from the Reds in 1961 for reserve C Jesse Gonder. He went 10-4 in 75 games with 19 saves before being purchased by the Senators in the fall of 1963.
1932 - Former Yankees OF Louis “The Nervous Greek” Skizas (1956) was born. Lou appeared in 6 games with the Yankees hitting .167, before being sent to the A’s on June 15, 1957 in the Billy Martin trade.
1933 - Former Yankees INF Jerry Lumpe (1956-59) was born. Jerry Lumpe was one of many young Yankee infielders, who couldn’t break into the regular Yankee starting infield lineup of Manager Casey Stengel. He did appear in the 1957-58 World Series against the Braves. Jerry was blocked at 2B by Bobby Richardson. He was one of the young Yankee players along with Norm Siebern, Marv Throneberry, who were openly criticized by Casey Stengel in the media, as he stopped being a supporter of the Yankee youth movement, relying on veteran players instead. Casey on Lumpe told the media “ Jerry Lumpe looks like the best hitter in the world until you put him in the lineup.” Also Jerry also had some contract money problems dealing with Yankees General Manager George Weiss, which Jerry commented, “They really know how to make you feel not wanted.” Mickey Mantle helped him out one season by loaning him free use of his house in New Jersey for the season. On May 26, 1959, Jerry has able to leave the Yankees, when he was traded along with pitchers Johnny Kucks and Tom Sturdivant to the A’s for P Ralph Terry and INF/OF Hector Lopez. With the A’s, he became their regular 2B. His best MLB season would be with the Tigers in 1962, hitting. 302. He would later become a MLB coach for the A’s, when Reggie, Rudi and others teased about his MLB career, Jerry just showed them his 1956 Yankees World Championship ring and the joking immediately stopped.
1934 - The Yankees released veteran P George Uhle (1933-34). George came to the Yankees at the end of his long MLB career. He appeared in 22 games, going 8-5 before finishing out with the Indians in 1936.
1935 - In a rare display of solo HR’s, the Yankees hit 6-solo HR’s against the Red Sox at Yankee Stadium in a 7-2 victory. Yankee HR sluggers were Bill Dickey (2), while Frank Crosetti, Ben Chapman, George Selkirk and Red Rolfe. The two Red Sox runs were scored on a 2-run HR by Mel Almeda in the 8th inning.
1936 - The Yankees score 7 runs in the bottom of the 1st inning, but wind up on the short end of 11-9 score, against the White Sox at Yankee Stadium.
1938 - Former Yankees player, coach, Manager, General Manager and Special Advisor Gene “Stick” Michael (Player 1968-73, MLB Coach 1975-78, Manager (1981-82). Gene was obtained in the fall of 1967 from the Dodgers for cash. He would hit .272 in 1969. He remained the Yankees shortstop through the 1973 AL season. In 1974, he was sharing the shortstop position with Jim Mason. Gene was traded to the Tigers in 1975. His favorite trick as a Yankee shortstop was the hidden ball trick, which caught quite a few AL base runners. After his active playing days were over, he rejoined the Yankees organization as coach and managed in their farm system. Currently Gene is a special advisor to the Yankees front office.
1940 - Former Yankees INF Horace Clarke (1965-1973) was born. Horace was signed as a free agent in 1958. Mislabel by the media as a symbol of failure during the Yankee decline years (1965-1975). Fellow Yankees teammate Bobby Mercer describes him as “A 100% player. He wanted to play every day.” Horace led the AL 2B in assists for 6 straight seasons (1967-1972). In 1967, he led the AL 2B in fielding. Horace led the AL in bats in 1969 and 1970 seasons. His best Yankees season was in 1969, when he hit .285. Although, he only hit 27 HR’s in his MLB career, his 1st 2-HR were Grand Slams. During the 1970 AL season, he ruined 3 no-hit game bids in one month by pitchers Joe Niekro, Sonny Siebert and Jim Rooker. As Yankee, Horace appeared in 1,820 games from 1965 to 1974. He finished his MLB career in 1974 with the Padres with a lifetime MLB BA of .256
2001 - At Yankee Stadium, Indians defeated Yankees, just in 5 ½ innings, when the game was called because of rain with Tribe ahead, by the score of 7-2. In a rarity, Indians starter C.C. Sabathia earned a win despite pitching only 4 innings. Reliever Ricardo Rincón got the save retiring the side in the 5th inning. The baseball rules state that in a five-inning game, a starter need not go the full five to earn a victory. Baseball historian David W. Smith noted that there are just 5 other cases since 1978 to match the Sabathia feat.
2003 - Former Yankees OF/INF Johnny Hopp (1950-1952) passed away (1916-2003). John was purchased from the Pirates in September 1950. Johnny hit .333 down the stretch to help the Yankees in 1950. In 1952, he started off poorly and was sold to the Tigers; Johnny retired from MLB at the end of the 1952 AL season.
June 2nd
1915 - At the Polo Grounds, Babe Ruth and the well-traveled Red Sox beat the Yankees, by a score of 7-1. It was the last stop on a 29-day road trip for the Red Sox. Ruth allowed 5 hits and hits his 2nd MLB career HR, a 3-run shot off of Yankees starter Jack Warhop in the 2nd inning. After his HR, Ruth received 2 intentional walks. He ended up kicking the bench and breaking his toe, sidelining him for 2 weeks.
1925 - A 21-year-old rookie named Lou Gehrig started a game for the Yankees, when regular 1B Wally Pipp was hit in the head during batting practice and complained of a headache. Rookie 1B Lou Gehrig collected 3 hits in 5 at-bats, helping the Yankees to an 8-5 victory over the Senators. Lou Gehrig will go on to play in a MLB record of 2,130 consecutive games. Pipp would never start another game at 1B for the Yankees. Wally would be sold to the Reds after the 1925 AL season. He gave the Yankees 10 strong seasons (1915-1925) after being obtained from the Tigers.
1926 - Former Yankees INF and long time Yankees Minor League Manager Frank Verdi (1953) was born. Frank Verdi made his only MLB appearance in a game against the Red Sox on May 10, 1953. He entered the game playing shortstop in the bottom of the 6th inning. With 2 outs and the bases loaded in the top of the 7th inning, the Yankees were up 5 to 3. Red Sox P Ken Holcombe entered the game to relieve Ellis Kinder; Yankees Manager Casey Stengel replaced Verdi with Bill Renna. Verdi never appeared in a MLB game again. After his playing career was over, he became a Minor League Manager. He was with the Yankees organization from 1963 to 1972. He returned to the Yankees farm system to manage the Columbus Clippers in 1981-82. He won the IL Championship with the Clippers in 1981.
1941 - Former Yankees 1B Lou Gehrig died of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) at the age of 37 in New York City. From that time on, the illness was known primarily as Lou Gehrig's disease. Gehrig had seen his MLB record of 2,130 consecutive games end in 1939 because of the disease. It was on this day exactly 16 years ago he broke into the Yankees starting line-up.
1958 - All Star starter Whitey Ford of the Yankees struck out 6 in a row to tie an AL record as he shut out the White Sox, by a score of 3-0. Meanwhile White Sox starter Jim Wilson allowed just 6 hits, but 3 of them were HRs by Hank Bauer (2) and Mickey Mantle (1). On a botched hit-and-run attempt, Luis Aparicio was thrown out at 2nd base, ending his streak of 26 consecutive stolen bases.
1967 - Former Yankees reliever Mike Stanton (1997-2002, 2005) was born. Mike went 30-12 in 428 games with 12 saves. He was one of the bullpen bridges to Yankees Closer Mo Rivera from 1997-2002.
1993 - Former Yankees HOF 1B/PH Johnny “Big Cat” Mize (1949-1953) passed away. (1916-1993). Johnny finished his MLB career with a lifetime BA of .312. He hit 356 MLB career HR’s. He had the 8th best slugging percentage in MLB history .562. Johnny had 9 consecutive .300 plus seasons. Johnny was one of the greatest pinch hitters in MLB history, including 3 AL league leading seasons with the Yankees, finishing with a lifetime mark of .283.
2001 - Former Yankees OF Gene Woodling (1949-1954) passed away (1922-2001). Gene was purchased from the San Francisco Seals (PCL) in 1948. He would hit the following during his Yankee career starting in 1949, .270, .283, .281, .309, .306, before dropping off to .250 in 1954. Yankees Manager Casey Stengel would often platoon Gene Woodling and Hank Bauer in OF. The Yankees sent him to the Orioles in the big 17-man trade in the winter of 1954, thinking he was washed up at the age of 31. But he wasn’t, Gene would go on to hit .300, three more times in the AL. Gene would finish up his MLB playing career with Casey Stengel and the Mets in 1962. After being released in March of 1963, he became a MLB 1B coach for the Mets.
2005 - The Yankees were swept by the team with the worst record in MLB (16-37), falling 5-2 to the Royals for their 1st 5-game losing streak in more than 2 years. The Royals pitchers allowed just 6 runs in the series. It was the 3rd time in their storied history the Yankees had been swept in 3 games by the team with the worst record in MLB. The other times were in 2000, by the Tigers, and 1937 by the A’s. The Royals had gone 78 series without sweeping anyone, the longest drought in the MLB since the Phillies went 79 series without a sweep from 1996-97.
June 3rd
1929 - The Yankees released veteran 1B George “Tioga” Burns (1928-29). George played briefly with the Yankees in 1928, before finishing his long MLB career with the A’s in 1929.
1932 - Lou Gehrig hit 4 consecutive HRs in a game and narrowly missed a 5th HR, Yankees teammate Tony Lazzeri hits for the cycle as the Yankees beat the A’s by a score of 20-13. The Yankees set a MLB record for total bases with 50; both teams set a still-standing record for extra bases with 41.
1933 - After giving up 11 runs to the A’s in the 2nd inning, the Yankees rebound in the 5th inning with 10 runs, as they out slug the A’s by the score of 17-11. In the 8th inning, Babe Ruth will cap off the Yankees comeback with a 3-run HR.
1968 - The Yankees turn their 21st triple play in their team’s history, but lose to the Twins by the score of 4-3. With the bases loaded and the go-ahead run already across the plate, Yankees P Dooley Womack catches a lined shot by Twins C Johnny Roseboro, who threw to Bobby Cox at 3B and then watched in awe as when Cox’s throw to Mickey Mantle at 1B was in time to complete the triple-play.
1971 - Former Yankees OF minor leaguer Carl Everett was born. Carl was drafted by the Marlins from the Yankees in 1992 MLB expansion player draft. He was a former No. 1 round free agent draft pick by the Yankees in 1990. Carl was label as a troublemaker in the Yankees farm system. Carl was left unprotected by the Yankees in the MLB expansion team player draft.
1972 - The Yankees score 8 runs in the 13th inning, 6 of which scored on 3-run HR by Thurman Munson and Bobby Mercer to down the White Sox by a score of 18-10. Bobby Mercer had 4 hits, scored 5 runs and 3 runs battered in. There was one other unusual happening; Yankee reliever Sparky Lyle actually hit a double.
2003 - Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter is named the 11th team captain in club’s history.
June 4th
1885 - Former Yankees INF Bobby Vaughn (1909) was born. Bobby played in 5 games for the Yankees, just hitting .143.
1889 - Former Yankees INF/OF Leo “Lee” Magee (1916-17) was born. Lee hit .238 in 182 games with the Yankees.
1928 - Former Yankees reserve INF Billy Hunter (1955-56) was born. Billy was acquired from the Orioles in the big 17-man trade of December 1954. He was a back up INF for the Yankees. In February of 1957, he was traded to the A’s in the Bobby Shantz trade. In 1977-78, Billy was the manager of the Rangers finishing 2nd place in AL West twice.
1933 - Yankees starting P Johnny Allen’s no-hit bid is spoiled in the 1st inning on Ed Coleman’s single. Allen will not allow another hit, as he wins by a score of 6-0, against the A’s.
1939 - Former Yankees INF Phil “Super Sub” Linz (1962-1965) was born. The Yankees signed Phil Linz in 1958 as a free agent. He made the team in 1962, along other Yankee rookies who were known as the Amarillo Gang (Joe Pepitone, Linz and Jim Bouton). Phil was beaten out for the Yankees starting shortstop job in 1962 by Tom Tresh. Tony Kubek was away from the Yankees for Army reserve active duty. Phil became the Yankees utility man, he could play the OF and INF. Phil is most known for the 1964 harmonica incident on the team bus in Chicago, with Manager Yogi Berra following a tough Yankee loss. The bus incident sparked the Yankees to regain the AL championship. With the retirement of Tony Kubek at the end of the 1965 AL season due to back injuries. The Yankees GM Ralph Houk traded Phil on November 29, 1965, to the Phillies for Ruben Amaro Sr.. The Yankees should have kept Linz because Amaro was a complete disaster for the Yankees including a collision with Tom Tresh in the outfield that ruined Tresh’s knees and his MLB career.
1957 - Yankees Current MLB Coach Tony Pena (2006-08) was born.
1977 - Reggie Jackson hits a pair of run-scoring doubles to highlight a 7-run 2nd inning in Yankees 8-6 victory over the White Sox. Yankees starter Don Gullet was the winner, while Yankees closer Sparky Lyle notched his 10th save of the 1977 AL season.
2007 - Former Yankees 3B and MLB Coach Clete Boyer (1959-1966) passed away. (1937 - 2007) Clete Boyer took over the regular Yankees 3B job from Andy Carey and Hector Lopez in 1960. He would become, one of finest 3B to play for the Yankees from 1960-66. He was over shadowed by the presence of Orioles All Star 3B Brooks Robinson. Clete appeared in 5 World Series with the Yankees (1960-1964). In the winter of 1966, Clete was traded by the Yankees to the Braves for rookie OF Bill Robinson and a minor league pitcher. The 3B position would not be solid again until the arrival of Graig Nettles in winter of 1972 from the Indians. Clete passed away in 2007. He was the younger brother of former MLB player’s Ken and Cloyd Boyer.
June 5th
1874 - Former Yankees P Jack “Happy Jack” Chesbro (1903-1909) was born. Jack Chesbro holds the MLB and Yankees team record for most wins in a season with 41 wins (1904). From 1903-1909, Jack won 129 games as a Yankee, in 269 games with 169 complete games, 1,953 innings, a .577 WP, with a 2.58 ERA, with 16 shutouts and 913 strikeouts.
1878 - Former Yankees C Fred Mitchell (1910) was born.
1891 - Former Yankees C/1B James ‘Truck” Hannah (1918-20) was born. Truck hit .235 in 244 games with the Yankees.
1926 - The Indians add insult to injury by turning a triple play against the Yankees in 15-3 win.
1932 - Yankees obtained P Dan Mac Fayden from the Red Sox for pitchers Ivy Andrews and Henry Johnson and $50,000. Dan went 14-11 in 62 games for the Yankees (1932-1935).
1936 - Lou Gehrig plays in his 1,700th consecutive game, as the Yankees beat the Indians, by the score of 4-3.
1941 - Former Yankees reserve C/DH Duane “Duke” Sims (1973-74) was born. Duke hit the last Yankees HR at the original Yankee Stadium in 1973. Duke only appeared in 9 games for the Yankees hitting just .208.
1955 - Yankees slugger Mickey Mantle hits a HR off of White Sox hurlerr Billy Pierce that traveled an estimated 550 Feet. The ball cleared the Left Field upper deck at Chicago’s Comiskey Park.
1958 - At Yankee Stadium, Yankees rout the White Sox starter Early Wynn for a 12-5 victory. In the 3rd inning, Mickey Mantle legs out his 3rd inside-the-park HR in a month.
1963 - At Baltimore's Memorial Stadium, Yankees CF Mickey Mantle fractures a bone in his left foot and suffers ligament and cartilage damage to the left knee running into the chain link fence chasing down a Brooks Robinson drive. Mantle will be out of the Yankees lineup for 61 games. Whitey Ford beats Milt Pappas and the Orioles, by the score of 4-3, as the Yankees return to 1st place. Roger Maris would take over the regular CF position while Mantle is on the DL.
1977 - Carlos May, Bucky Dent, Thurman Munson, Reggie Jackson, Craig Nettles and rookie INF George Zeber, each hit a HR during the Yankees 8-6 win over the White Sox. The 6 HRs were the most the Yankees hit in one game in 3 years. George Zeber’s HR shot was the game winner.
2006 - Yankees Jason Giambi and Andy Phillips, each hit a 3-run HR in a 7-run 2nd inning, as the host Yankees roughed up old nemesis starter Josh Beckett in a 13-5 rout of the Red Sox. New York had 11 hits for its 12th consecutive game with at least 10, breaking the franchise record of 11 straight games set in May 1937.
June 6th
1887 - Former Yankees INF/OF Delmar “Del” Paddock (1912) was born. Del hit .288 in 46 games with the Yankees in 1912.
1907 - Former Yankees HOF Catcher, Coach and Manager Bill Dickey (1928-1946) was born (1907-1993). Bill was the first great Yankees catcher. He was a tough as nails player. Bill had a lifetime BA of .313 for the Yanks. He hit .300, or better 10 times during his 13 years as player. His best season was in 1936, when he hit .362. Bill topped the 100 RBI’s mark for 4 years (1936-39.) He was AL All Star catcher (1933-1943, 1946.) Bill led the AL in fielding as a catcher (1931, 35, 37, 39, 41.) During the 1946 season, he managed the Yankees to a 57-48 record, after longtime Manager Joe McCarthy had resigned. He served as a coach for Yankee Manager’s Bucky Harris and Casey Stengel. HOF Yogi Berra credits Bill with teaching him the fundamentals of catching. He also taught Elston Howard and Johnny Blanchard in the 1950’s as well. Later he would come to the Yankees spring training camp as a special advisor and work with the team’s organizational catchers.
1913 - The Yankees were defeated for the 13th consecutive time in the 2-1 loss to the Naps (Indians).
1931 - The Yankees turn a triple play, but lose to the Indians by a score of 7-5.
1934 - Yankees OF Myril Hoag hit a MLB record of 6 singles in the Yankees' 15-3 rout of the Red Sox.
1937 - Red Ruffing’s pinch-hit HR leads the Yankees to a 6-5 win over the Tigers. Ruffing, who was the ace pitcher on Yankee pitching staff, was also a dangerous hitter and frequently got the call by Yankees Manager Joe McCarthy, when the Yankees need an extra bat off the bench. He hit .269 lifetime, including .254 as a pinch hitter (58 pinch hits in 228 pinch hit bats.) Ruffing, also hit 36 MLB career HRs.
1944 - All MLB games were canceled as the country's focus is turned toward Europe, while allied forces invaded German occupied France. (Normandy Beach Invasion, D-Day.
1949 - Former Yankees C Jim Deidel (1974) was born. Jim Deidel was drafted by the Yankees in the 15th round of the 1967 MLB amateur player draft. He appeared in only 2 games for the team during the 1974 AL season.
1954 - Former Yankees OF/1B Dave Bergman (1975, 1977) was born. Dave was drafted by the Yankees in the 2nd round of the 1974 MLB amateur player draft. The Yankees would send Dave to the Houston as part of 3 minor league players involved in the Cliff Johnson trade with the Astros on June 15, 1977.
1965 - In the 2nd game of a doubleheader, Yankees switch-hitter Tom Tresh connected for 3 consecutive HRs in the 12-0 rout of the White Sox. Tresh hit his 1st HR right-handed off of starter Juan Pizarro in the 1st inning, then went to the other side of the plate and hit 2 HRs against reliever Bruce Howard in the 3rd and 5th innings. The Yankees won the 1st game of the doubleheader by a score of 6-1.
1965 - The Yankees claimed shortstop Bill Betha on waivers from the Twins. He never plays for the Yankees at the MLB Level.
1972 - The Yankees obtained P Wade Blasingame from the Astros for a player to be named later. Wade’s claim to fame as Yankee was during a start against the Tigers, when he walked the 1st batter and then surrendered 3 consecutive HR’s, with the last HR being a shot over the roof in left center field at Tiger Stadium.
1977 - Veteran Yankees starter Catfish Hunter comes off the DL, pitches a 6-hit, complete game win over the Rangers 9-2. Yankees slugger Reggie Jackson hits his 10th and 11th HR’s of the 1977 AL season.
1990 - Longtime Yankees minor league system manager Stump Merrill replaces Bucky Dent as the Yankees manager. The Yankees are in 7th place in the AL East with a dismal 18-31 record. Bucky Dent’s Yankees Managing career record was 36-53 (1989-90).
(As always I'd like to thank Fw57Clipper51 for his great contribution.)
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