This Week in Yankees History (6/21-6/27)

This Week in New York Yankees History

June 21st - June 27th

June 21st

1897- Former Yankees reserve INF Spencer Adams (1926) was born. Spencer hit .120 in 28 games for the Yankees.

1906 - Former Yankees P Russell (Russ) “Sheriff” Van Atta (1933-35) was born. Russ went 15-9 for the Yankees from 1933-1935.

1916 - Rube Foster of the Red Sox no-hits the Yankees by the score of 2-0, for the 1st no-hitter in Fenway Park, beating Yankees starter Bob Shawkey. Harry Hooper leads the Red Sox offense with 3 hits.

1930 - Babe Ruth hits 3-HR’s in one game for the 1st time in his regular MLB season career, but the Yankees still lose to A’s by a score of 15-7. The Yankees had been leading the game by a score of 6-0, when the A’s scored 9 runs in the 7th inning. Ruth’s 3rd HR of the game went out of Shibe Park over the RF wall landing 1 block away. In the second game of the doubleheader, the A’s win again beating the Yankees by a score of 4-1.

1939 - The Yankees announced 1B Lou Gehrig's retirement from MLB, based on the medical report that he has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The 36-year-old star will remain with the team as captain. He will stay with the team in uniform until after the 1939 World Series.

1958 - Tigers starter Frank Lary pitches his 3rd straight shutout, beating the Yankees starter Duke Maas, 1-0. Tigers RF Al Kaline throws out Duke Maas at home plate and hits his 7th HR to extend his hitting streak to 18 games.

1960 - Yankees starter Whitey Ford out-duels Tigers “Yankee Killer” Frank Lary to give New York a 6-0 win at Briggs Stadium. Leading the Yankees hitting offense was Mickey Mantle, who was 3-for-5 with 2 HRs off of Tigers starter Frank Lary.

1964 - The Yankees move into 1st place by 8 percentage points over the Orioles, as they out pitch the White Sox to win a doubleheader by scores of 2-0 and 2-1. Mickey Mantle and Elston Howard solo HRs win it, 2-0 for Jim Bouton in the opener against White Sox pitcher Juan Pizarro, and an error wins the nightcap 2-1 in the 17th inning. The Yankees sweep 4 games, giving up just 1 run in 41 innings, and take 9 games from White Sox in 11 days.
1966 - In the 1st game of a twin bill, there are 2 Yankee runners on base with 2 outs in the 9th inning when Orioles RF Frank Robinson makes a spectacular catch against Yankees Roy White, diving into the stands over the short RF fence and disappearing from view. He emerges with the ball and it is ruled a catch, preserving a 7-5 Orioles victory, rather than 8-7 defeat to the Yankees.

1966 - Minor League Note: Satchel Paige makes his final pro pitching appearance, going the 1st 2 innings for the Peninsula Grays (Carolina League) against the Greensboro Yankees. Satchel gives up 2 runs. As noted by historian Bill Deane, Peninsula's regular catcher, Johnny Bench, took the night off.

1967 - In a weird doubleheader spit between Yankees and Red Sox at Fenway Park. In the 1st game the Yankees had a 5-2 lead in the 11th inning, only to lose the game by a score of 6-5. In the 2nd game, The Yankees trailing in the 9th inning by 3-2, score 4 runs to win the game by a score of 6-3.

1988 - With 2 outs in the 9th inning, Tigers shortstop Alan Trammell blasts a grand slam to give the Tigers, a 7-6 win over the Yankees.

1989 - White Sox veteran backstop Carlton Fisk surpasses Yankees HOF catcher Yogi Berra as the AL leader for career HRs by a catcher as his 307th HR helps to beat the Yankees, by a score of 7-3.

2002 - Minor League Note: During the New York-Penn League game between New Jersey Cardinals and Staten Island Yankees, a fan hops a fence goes and goes onto the field to argue an umpire's call at first base. The 38-year old woman is at the game with her 8-year-old daughter's Brownie troop.

2005 - After building 10-2 lead at Yankee Stadium, the Devil Rays lose to the Yankees by a score of 20-11 making it the 2nd time in the Devil Rays franchise history the team is ahead by 8 or more runs and lose by 9 or more tallies. No other club history has ever achieved this dubious distinction as the D-Rays with their 1999 defeat to the Indians now have accomplished the feat twice.

June 22nd

1890 - Former Yankees reserve OF Mickey Fitzgerald (1911) was born. Mike hit .270 in 19 games during the 1911 season.

1912 - The Red Sox beat the Yankees by a score of 10-3, to complete a 5-game sweep, in which they score 55 runs against the Yankees during the series.

1916 - Red Sox starter Babe Ruth almost duplicates teammate Rube Foster's no-hitter, allowing just 3 singles, 2 by Frank Gilhooley, in beating the Yankees, in a 1-0 victory. The game takes only 1 hour, 18 minutes.

1928 - Journeyman hurler Hank Johnson of the Yankees blanks the star-studded A’s by the score of 4-0. In the game for Connie Mack's team are Ty Cobb, Mickey Cochrane, Al Simmons, Jimmie Foxx, Eddie Collins, Tris Speaker and Lefty Grove, who were future Hall of Fame players.

1930 - Babe Ruth ties a MLB record by hitting 5 HRs in 2 games and 6-HRs in 3 games. The Yankees outfielder hits 3 HRs in the 2nd game of the doubleheader yesterday, 2 HRs in today's opener and 1 more in the nightcap.

1930 - Yankees 1B Lou Gehrig hits 3 HRs in the 2nd game of doubleheader against the A’s. The Yankees sweep the doubleheader beating the A’s by scores of 10-1 and 20-13.

1934 - The Tigers takes over 1st place in the AL, beating the Senators by a score of 11-3, dislodging the Yankees, who lose by a score of 4-1 to the Indians.

1936 - Former Yankees P Jim Bronstad (1959) was born. Jim went 0-3 in 16 games with 2 saves with the Yankees in 1959. In 1963, Jim was purchased by the Senators from the Yankees. Jim was pitching at Richmond (AAA) at the time of the trade.

1959 - At Kansas City, Mickey Mantle drives in 6 runs with a triple and 2 HRs to lead the Yankees to a 13-6 victory. Bill “Moose” Skowron adds his 4th HR in 4 days to move Yankees to 3 games out of 1st place in the AL.

1961 - Yankees RF Roger Maris leads the Yankees on an 8-3 thrashing of the A's by belting his 27th HR of the 1961 AL season. He adds 2 doubles and a single. Maris has now, has hit 20 HRs in the past 30 days (May 24th -June 22nd) to tie the MLB mark set by NL slugger Ralph Kiner in 1947.

1965 - Ray Barker's MLB-record-tying 2nd consecutive pinch-hit HR is wasted in a 1st-game, a 6-2 Yankees loss to the A's. Mickey Mantle adds an HR in the opener, but in the 4-2 nightcap win, he tries to score from 2nd on a wild pitch and snaps a upper-thigh hamstring. He will be out for 3 weeks. The June 21st Sports Illustrated cover features Mickey Mantle with the prescient title "New York Yankees: End of an Era?"

1977 - Yankees 3B Graig Nettles 3-run HR and Reggie Jackson’s 2-run triple snap the Yankees 5-game losing streak and create a come from behind 12-11 victory at Detroit.

1996 - In Cleveland, Ruben Sierra HRs from both sides of the plate as the Yankees beat the Indians, by a score of 11- 9. One of Sierra's HRs comes in the 9-run, 6th inning by the Yankees. Albert Belle, back from a 2-game suspension, is 3-for-5 with a HR, while Eddie Murray adds his 488th MLB career HR for the Tribe. The game takes 4-hours, 10 minutes to play.

1996 - The Yankees acquired LHP Billy Brewer. Brewer went 1-0 in 4 games for the Yankees, after his trade on June 22, 1996 by the Dodgers to the Yankees for P Mike Judd.

June 23rd

1907 - Former Yankees reserve OF Allen “Dusty” Cooke (1930-32) was born. Dusty hit .294 in 122 games for the Yankees.

1915 - Former Yankees C Aaron Robinson (1943, 1945-47) was born. Aaron was the Yankees catcher from 1945-47, sharing duties with Yogi Berra (1947) and Sherman Lollar (1947) before being traded for White Sox starter Eddie Lopat in February of 1948.

1915 - The Yankees a draw a record 16 walks in 1-9-inning game against A’s pitcher Bruno P. Haas. It was Haas 1st MLB game; he added 3 wild pitches to the fire, which lead to a 15-0 defeat of the A’s.

1917 - The Yankees purchased shortstop Aaron Ward and OF Howie Camp from Louisville (Southern League). Aaron Ward would play shortstop for the Yankees for 10 seasons, while Camp hit .286 and was released by the team in 1917.

1924 - Former Yankees P Harry “Lefty” Schaeffer (1952) was born. Harry went 0-1 in 5 games for the Yankees during the 1952 AL season.

1927 - At Boston, Lou Gehrig leads the Yankees to an 11-4 victory by hitting 3 HRs, a 1st at Fenway Park. Gehrig hits a 2-run HR in the 2nd inning, adding solo HR shots in the 6th and 8th innings, off of Red Sox P Danny Mac Fayden. He adds a single to his total as Yankees starter Dutch Ruether coasts to the win.

1932 - Yankees 1B Lou Gehrig plays his 1,103rd successive game in a New York Yankees uniform, equaling Joe Sewell's record with one team (Cleveland Indians).

1935 - The league-leading Yankees (37-22) lose their 3rd game in a row, dropping a 6-5 decision to the 2nd-place Indians. Yankees 3B Red Rolfe's error in the 8th inning allows the Tribe to tie and Yankees starter Lefty Gomez losses 2 wild pitches in a row in the 9th inning to allow Joe Vosmik to get to 3B. Abe Wright's single brings home the winner. Mel Harder, in relief in the 9th inning, wins his 11th game of the 1935 AL season.

1950 - Eleven HRs, an MLB record drive in all the runs scored in a 10-9, Tiger win over the Yankees before a crowd of 51,000 Tiger fans at Briggs Stadium. Detroit has 4 HRs in the 4th inning as Dizzy Trout, Gerry Priddy, Vic Wertz, and Hoot Evers connected. Pitcher Dizzy Trout's HR, off of Yankees P Tommy Byrne, is his 2nd career grand slam HR. Hoot Evers hits another HR, an inside-the-park 2-run game winner in the 9th inning off of Yankees closer Joe Page to win it. For Yankees, Hank Bauer connects for 2 HRs, including 1 in the 4th inning. Joe DiMaggio, Jerry Coleman, Yogi Berra, and PH Tommy Henrich also belt round trippers. It is the 1st time that 9 different players connected for HRs in a game.

1957 - Japanese Prime Minister Kishi wearing a Yankees baseball cap, is one of 63,787 fans at Yankee Stadium to see Yankees split a doubleheader with the White Sox, winning the 1st game by a score of 9-2, then dropping the 2nd game by a score of 4-3. AL All Star CF Mickey Mantle goes 6-for-9 as the Yankees maintained their 1½ game lead over the White Sox. Mantle is leading the AL in hitting; HR’s and is 1 run behind the Senators' 1B Roy Sievers in RBIs.

1959 - The Yankees ride on 2-run HRs from Mickey Mantle, Hank Bauer and Gil McDougald to a 10-2 win over the A’s. Yankees starter Whitey Ford throws a complete game victory, giving up only 5 hits, allowing only 2 runs with 5 strikeouts for his 7th victory of the 1959 AL season.

1960 - Former Yankees P Jim Deshaies (1984) was born. On June 7, 1982, Jim was drafted by the Yankees in the 21st round of the 1982 MLB amateur player draft. Jim went 0-1 in 2 games for the Yankees in 1984. On September 15, 1985, Jim was traded by the Yankees along with minor league players to be named later to the Astros for veteran starter Joe Niekro. The Yankees would send Neder Horta on September 24, 1985 and Dody Rather on January 11,1986 to the Astros to complete the trade.

1962 - All Star CF Mickey Mantle returns to the Yankees regular lineup and HRs against the Tigers starter Paul Foytack. But it is not enough as Detroit wins the game by a score of 5-4.

1963 - A MLB fielding record is set by Red Sox 1B Richard Stuart, better known as "Dr. Strange Glove" handles 3 1st-inning grounders and tosses to P Bob Heffner for putouts. Stuart's teammates and Fenway Park fans give him a standing ovation. The Yankees beat the Red Sox by the score of 8-0, behind Jim Bouton’s complete game victory. Bouton wins his 10th game of the 1963 AL season. While Yankees RF Roger Maris hits his 14th HR of the season to lead the Yankees hitting attack.

1964 - Charlie Lau ties a MLB record with 2 pinch hits in the 8th inning of Orioles 9-8 win over the Yankees. The O's, losing score 7 runs in the inning after 2 outs. Yankees manager Yogi Berra is criticized by some of his players for lifting starter Roland Sheldon, who was leading by the score of 7-2, having allowed just 2-solo HRs by Boog Powell. The Yankees rookie reliever Pete Mikkelson cannot hold the Yankees 7-2 lead as the Orioles move into 1st place.

1966 - At Yankees Stadium, Orioles hurler Jim Palmer beats the Yankees, for a 5-2 victory. Yankees starter Al Downing takes the loss dropping his 5th decision of the 1966 AL season. Mickey Mantle and Joe Pepitone, each hit solo HRs off of Orioles starter Jim Palmer for the only Yankee runs scored in the game.

1967 - Former Yankees INF/OF Hensley “Bam-Bam” Meulens (1989-1993) was born. Hensley was signed by the Yankees as an amateur free agent in 1985. He really didn’t live up to his hype as power hitter. In 1991, he won the James P. Dawson award for best Yankee rookie in spring training camp. Hensley was released by the Yankees, after the 1993 AL season.

1988 - Yankees Owner George Steinbrenner fires Manager Billy Martin for the 5th time, replacing him with former manager Lou Piniella. In 1985, Piniella was fired and replaced by Martin. In 1985, Martin was fired and replaced by Lou Piniella. New York's 40-28 record is the 4th best in the MLB, but the Yankees had just completed a 2-7 road trip.

1989 - Former Yankees P Rick Anderson (1979) passed away (1955-1989). Jim was 0-0 in 1 game with the Yankees in 1979. He was unable to crack into the Yankees bullpen of Gossage, Davis and others. On January 12, 1972, he was drafted by the Yankees in the 1st round (5th pick) of the 1972 MLB amateur player draft (Secondary Phase). On November 1, 1979, Rick was traded by the Yankees along with P Jim Beattie, OF Juan Beniquez, and C Jerry Narron to the Mariners for OF Ruppert Jones and P Jim Lewis.

1995 - Former Yankees 1B/OF ‘Marvelous Marv' Marvin Throneberry (1955, 1958-59), known best by his playing antics with the Mets, dies from cancer at age 60. After unable to beat out Bill Skowron at 1B, Marv was part of the Roger Maris trade with A’s in December of 1959. He will become the 1st ex-Yankee MLB player to play for the Mets in 1962. During his MLB career, Marv played for the Yankees, the A’s, Orioles and finishing with the Mets in 1963. His brother Faye also played in AL, as an OF during the 1950’s. He will later become a minor league team radio announcer. During the 1980’s, Marv did appear in the Miller Beer commercials with other former star MLB players, with a line, “I don’t know, why I am doing here.”

1996 - The Yankees completed a 4-game sweep of the Indians in Cleveland for the 1st time since the 1964 AL season.

1997 - At Detroit, Yankees starter David Cone strikes out 16 Tiger batters, his highest game total in 6 years, as Cecil Fielder hits a 3-run HR as New York wins, by a score of 5-2. Cone, who had shoulder surgery to repair an aneurysm on May 10, 1996, allows only 4 Tiger hits, including HRs by Bob Hamelin and Damion Easley, in 8 innings of work.

2000 - Former Yankees reserve C Bob Tillman (1967) passed away (1937-2000). Bob hit .254 in 22 games for the Yankees after coming from the Red Sox during the 1967 AL season. In the winter of 1967, Bob was traded to the Braves along with minor league P Dale Roberts for Braves INF Bobby Cox.

2001 - The Yankees attempt to shore up their bullpen by getting reliever Jay Witasick from the Padres for minor league INF prospect D'Angelo Jimenez. The Yankees 1st choice, Montreal Expos closer Ugueth Urbina, failed to pass a physical and will end up with their eastern division rivals, the Red Sox. Jay Witasick was a major disappointment for the Yankees, going 3-0 in 32 games. On December 13,2001, Jay was traded by the Yankees to the Giants for OF/1B John Vander Wal.

June 24th

1908 - Charging the Highlander owners with refusing to spend money to build a winning team, Manager Clark Griffith resigns; Kid Elberfeld replaces him following today's 6-6 tie game with the A's. The Highlanders fade fast and finished last in the AL with a club record of 103 losses.

1930 - The Yankees sweep their 2nd consecutive doubleheader from the A’s by scores of 10-6 and 11-1, as Yankees slugger Babe Ruth hits 2 more HRs and sets an MLB record with 8 HRs in 6 games.

1933 - Yankees signed veteran hurler George Uhle (1933-34) after his release by the Giants. George would go 8-5 in 22 games with Yankees.

1934 - After being hitless in his last 21 at bats, Yankees slugger Babe Ruth hits a grand slam HR in a 5-0 Yankee win over the White Sox.

1936 - Rookie CF Joe DiMaggio ties 3 MLB records in the Yankees 10-run, 5th inning against the White Sox, hitting 2 HRs for 8 total bases. With 2 doubles, he equals the modern MLB record of 4 long hits in a game.

1950 - Art Houtteman pitches the Tigers to a 4-1 win over the Yankees. Yogi Berra's HR is the only Yankees score, as they lose their 4th straight game and 8th game in 12 games. The Tigers now lead the AL by 3 games.

1958 - The Yankees erupt for 5 runs in the 4th inning off of starter Early Wynn to beat the White Sox, by a score of 6-2 at Comiskey Park. Mickey Mantle's clout into the CF bleachers leads off the 4th inning, followed by a single, walk and Jerry Lumpe's 1st MLB career HR, and an HR by Norm Siebern. Yankees closer Ryne Duren strikeouts 6 of the last 9 White Sox batters to preserve Yankees starter Bob Turley's win.

1962 - A marathon game between the Tigers and Yankees ends in the 22nd inning at Tiger Stadium, when Jack Reed's HR, his only MLB HR career gives Yankees rookie reliever Jim Bouton, a 9-7 victory. Jack Reed had replaced Joe Pepitone in the 13th inning. For the Tigers, Phil Regan takes the loss while Tigers OF Rocky Colavito has 7 hits. Yankees 2B Bobby Richardson ties a mark by going to the plate 11 times. At an even 7 hours, the game is the slowest extra-inning contest in AL history and it is the longest game in innings in Yankees history.

1967 - Yankees All Star Slugger Mickey Mantle breaks a 3-3 tie in the 9th inning with a HR off of Tiger's reliever Fred Gladding to give the 9th place Yankees, a 4-3 victory.

1970 - In a doubleheader with the Indians at Yankee Stadium, Bobby Murcer ties Lou Gehrig's record of 4 straight HRs. The Yankees lose the opener by a score of 7-2, despite Murcer's 9th-inning HR off of hurler Sam McDowell. Bobby Murcer, next connects off of game 2 Tribe starter Mike Paul, hitting a solo shot in the 1st inning. He then drew a walk in the 4th, hit a 2-run HR off of Mike Paul in the 5th inning, and then a game-tying HR in the 8th inning off of reliever Fred Lasher. The Yankees score in the bottom of the 9th inning to salvage a 5-4 win. Indians 1B Tony Horton literally crawls back to the dugout after fanning on 2 of Yankees hurler Steve Hamilton's "folly floaters." Sensitive to fans' booing during the 1970 AL season, Horton will be hospitalized, and at 25, this will be his last MLB season.

1977 - Before an crowd of 54,940 fans at Yankee Stadium, Roy White launches a dramatic 2-out, 2-run HR in the bottom of the 9th inning to give the Yankees, a 5-5 tie with the Red Sox. The Yankees score in the 10th inning on Reggie Jackson bases-loaded single to win the game by the score of 6-5. Roy White's key hit comes after Red Sox closer Bill Campbell retires the 1st two Yankees in the 9th inning, then Willie Randolph triples to bring up Bobby Murcer. Sparky Lyle picks up the win for the Yankees, handing the Red Sox their 1st loss in 8 games. With HRs from Yaz, Butch Hobson and George Scott, the Red Sox set a MLB record of 33 HRs in 10 games.

1986 - Current Yankees P Philip Hughes was born. Phil was drafted by the Yankees in the 1st round (23rd pick) of the 2004 MLB amateur player draft. He currently has a lifetime pitching record of 9-10 in 36 games for the Yankees.

1992 - Yankees veteran reliever Steve Howe is permanently banned from MLB by Commissioner Fay Vincent after having pled guilty to a misdemeanor charge of attempting to purchase a gram of cocaine. It is Howe's 7th ban from the game, as he becomes the 1st player ever permanently banned from baseball because of drugs.

1996 - Former Yankees reliever Steve Howe, released by the team just 2 days ago, is arrested at Kennedy International Airport for carrying a loaded gun in his luggage. He will plead guilty to a misdemeanor and receive 3 years probation and 150 hours of community service.

1997 - Yankees 1B Tino Martinez hits 2 singles, a double, and a pair of HRs, while driving in 4 runs as the Yankees top Tigers, by a score of 12-9. Chad Curtis adds 5 RBI’s for the Yankees.

2005 - Thanks to Yankees CF Bernie Williams dropping a ball in CF, the Mets become the 1st NL team to hit 3 sacrifice flies in 1 inning. Catcher Ramon Castro's sac fly to right ties the game at 1-1 as David Wright advances to 3B; then the Yankee's CF then drops Jose Reyes deep fly ball allowing Wright to score; then Mike Cameron skies to right scoring runner Doug Mientkiewicz, who had advanced to 3B on an errant pick off throw.

June 25th

1904 - In Boston, the Highlanders starter Jack Chesbro wins his 12th straight game, beating veteran Red Sox starter Cy Young, by an score of 5-3. Patsy Dougherty has 3 hits against his former Red Sox teammates.

1934 - In an 11-2 victory over the White Sox, Yankees 1B Lou Gehrig hits for the cycle. Although pitcher John Broaca ties a MLB record by striking out 5 consecutive times, he gets the 'W' for the Yankees. Not until Bernie Williams, on August 21, 1991, will another Yankee fan 5 times (by Bret Saberhagen).

1947 - The Yankees purchased reserve INF Lonnie Frey (1947-48) from the Cubs. Lonnie appeared in 25 games with the Yankees before being released in May of 1948.

1954 - Former Yankees P Bob Shirley (1983-1987) was born. Bob signed as a free agent. Bob went 14-20 with 5 saves in 145 games for the Yankees.

1953 - White Sox Manager Paul Richards uses five 1B in beating the Yankees by the score of 4-2. He brings in Harry Dorish to face 2 batters, moving pitcher Billy Pierce to 1B. The Sox 3-game sweep still leaves the Yankees 9 games up on the Indians and 9 ½ games on the White Sox.

1963 - Former Yankees Catcher/DH/1B Mike Stanley (1992-95, 1997) was born. Mike was signed as a free agent in 1992. He was the Yankees regular catcher until the arrival of new Yankees Manager Joe Torre. Mike was brought back to the Yankees in on August 13, 1997, he was traded by the Red Sox along with Randy Brown to the Yankees for a player to be named later and minor league hurler Tony Armas Jr. The Yankees would later sent P Jim Mecir to the Red Sox to complete the trade.

1964 - Orioles starter Steve Barber's 3-hit, 3-0 win gives the Orioles a 3-game sweep of the Yankees and 1st place in the AL.

1971 - The Expos traded veteran OF Ron Swoboda to Yankees, the Expos received OF Ron Woods from the Yankees.

1977 - Yankees starter Mike Torrez beats Red Sox rival Luis Tiant to give the Yankees a 5-1 win over the Red Sox. Yankees 3B Greg Nettles 3-run HR is the big blow of the game. The Yankees, now trail the Red Sox by 3 games in the AL Eastern division race.

1984 - At Yankee Stadium, Dave Winfield hits 5 singles and drives in 4 runs to lead the Yankees to a 7-3 win over the Tigers. Yankees starter Ron Guidry (6-5) is the beneficiary of Winfield's hitting. Dave is now hitting .750 against the Tigers this season. Winfield has three 5-hit games this month, tying an AL record set by HOF Ty Cobb.

1985 - Due to a Yankees batboy being hit by a line drive foul ball by Yankees C Butch Wynegar. The Yankees officials enact a new rule mandating the team's batboys will wear protective helmets during all games.

1999 - During the Orioles's 9-8 loss to the Yankees, O's reliever Jesse Orosco makes his 1,051th MLB relief appearance to break Kent Tekulve's MLB record. He is succeeded by Mike Tomlin, who takes the loss, when he serves up a 9th inning HR to Yankees OF Shane Spencer. Harold Baines has a pair of HRs for the O's, while Tino Martinez has 4 hits for the Yankees.

June 26th

1912 - The Yankees send future star hurler Hippo Vaughn (2-8), winner of last year's opener, to the Senators for the waiver price.

1929 - Former Yankees reserve OF Richard “Tut” Tettelbach (1955) was born. He was signed by the Yankees as MLB an amateur free agent in 1951. Richard appeared in 2 games with the Yankees in September of 1955, with no BA. On February 8, 1956, he was traded by the Yankees along with a player to be named later, C Lou Berberet, INF Herb Plews and P Bob Wiesler to the Senators for a player to be named later, Pitchers Bobby Kline and Mickey McDermott. The Yankees would send minor league OF Whitey Herzog on April 2, 1956 to the Senators to complete the trade.

1939 - At Shibe Park in Philadelphia, the Yankees play their 1st night game in their franchise history losing to Connie Mack's A's, by a score of 3-2.

1941 - Yankees southpaw ace Marius Russo throws no-hit ball for 6 1/3 innings before future Yankee George Mc Quinn spoils the bid with a HR. It was the only Browns hit in a 4-1 Yankee win.

1943 - Former Yankees OF Bill Robinson (1967-69) was born (1943-2007). Bill was brought to the Yankees from the Braves in the Clete Boyer trade in the winter of 1966. Bill Robinson struggled in New York, being labeled as the “black “Mickey Mantle. He would later have a successful career in NL with the Pirates and Phillies. After retiring as a active player, Bill would later become a successful MLB batting Coach. Bill passed away last year.

1944 - At the Polo Grounds with over 50,000 fans looking on, the three New York MLB teams played against each other in a 6 inning 3-team game (a team played consecutive innings against the other 2 teams then sat out an inning). The contest, which was played to raise money for war bonds ended with the final score of Dodgers 5, Yankees 1, and the Giants 0.

1961 - The Yankees beat the expansion Angels, by a score of 8-6, as Yogi Berra collects his 2000th MLB career hit, all as a Bronx Bomber. To celebrate the achievement a huge cake is rolled out in Wrigley Field in Los Angeles. Angels’ reliever Art Fowler, who has allowed just 1 hit in his last 12 innings, serves up a 9th inning HR to Bill Skowron as Yankees wins the game by a score of 8-6. Mickey Mantle adds an earlier HR, off of Angels’ starter Ken McBride, as Yankees Ace Whitey Ford wins his 13th game of the 1961 AL season.

1962 - The Yankees sell veteran reserve OF Bob Cerv to the new NL expansion team, the Houston Colt 45.’s. Bob was at the end of his fine MLB career, which included 3 separate tours with the Yankees. He would be reunited with his old Yankees minor league manager and A's Manager Harry Craft.

1969 - Former Yankees reliever Mike Meyers (2007-08) was born. Mike went 4-2 in 117 games with the Yankees before being released on August 13, 2008. He would finish the 2008 AL season with the White Sox.

1974 - Current Yankees All Star Shortstop and Captain Derek Jeter was born. Derek was drafted by the Yankees in the 1st round (6th pick) of the 1992 MLB amateur player draft. Derek currently has a Yankee lifetime BA of .316.

1977 - In front of 55,039 fans at Yankee Stadium, the Yankees complete a 3-game sweep of the Red Sox, avenging the 3 losses last week to the Sox at Fenway Park. The Yankees takes a 4-1 lead into the 9th inning, but the Red Sox tie the game. In the bottom of the 9th inning, Paul Blair bounces a bases-loaded ball over the head of Butch Hobson at 3B to pin the loss on Red Sox reliever Bill Campbell.

1979 - The Yankees reacquired the popular OF Bobby Murcer from the Cubs in exchange for minor league P Paul Semall and cash. Bobby Murcer will once again thrive playing in Yankee Stadium, hitting .273 with 8 HRs for the Yankees.

1980 - MLB Commissioner Bowie Kuhn voids the Yankees' drafting of highly touted high school shortstop Billy Cannon, Jr. Four MLB teams had complained that Billy Cannon, Sr., college football's Heisman Trophy winner in 1959, had misled them with telegrams saying that his son would go to college, in the hopes that he would then he would be drafted by the Yankees. In a special draft, the Indians will pick Cannon but he chooses to attend Texas A & M instead. The young Cannon will be drafted number #1 by the NFL Dallas Cowboys in 1984.

1987 - Although the Red Sox have a 9-0, 2nd inning lead over the Yankees, starter Roger Clemens is unable to hold the lead with the Yankees winning by the score of 12-11 in 10 innings. Red Sox 3B Wade Boggs sees his 25-game hitting streak come to an end.

1999 - Former Yankees minor league P Tim Layana passed away (1964-1999). On June 2, 1986, Tim was drafted by the Yankees in the 3rd round of the 1986 MLB amateur player draft. On December 4, 1989, he was drafted by the Reds from the Yankees in the 1989 MLB Rule 5 player draft from Columbus (AAA). Tim was killed in auto accident in 1999.

June 27th

1904 - Patsy Dougherty has another 3 hits as the Highlanders beat their old teammate starter Jesse Tannehill and the Red Sox, by a score of 8-4. The Red Sox leads the AL by just a half game. Long Tom Hughes will win tomorrow to stretch their lead to 1 1/2 games.

1963 - White Sox starter Ray Herbert allows only 5 Yankee singles to beat the Yankees, by a score of 6-0, and to give the White Sox a virtual tie for 1st place. The White Sox assaulted Yankees young pitching star Jim Bouton (10-3) for all their runs in the 1st five innings.

1964 - The Yankees edge the Tigers by the score of 5-4, beating starter Denny McLain. Yankees CF Mickey Mantle's HR in the 4th inning makes it, a 4-1 game.

1972 - Making his last MLB career start, Wade Blasingame's AL debut for the Yankees is an inauspicious one, as the Tigers go deep 3 consecutive times in the 1st inning. The opening inning HRs are hit by Aurelio Rodriguez, Al Kaline and Willie Horton power Tigers over Yankees, by a score of 5-2.

1978 - Yankees 3B Graig Nettles belts a 2-run HR in the 14th inning to give the Yankees, a 6-4 win over the Red Sox. Richard Drago serves up Nettles' 13th HR of the year. Yankees closer Sparky Lyle, now 6-1 wins the game in relief. Yankees Ron Guidry (13-0) starts for the Yankees and gives up 8 hits in 6 innings.

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