This Week in Yankees History
June 20th- June 26th
June 20th
1908 - Former Yankees INF Billy Werber (1930-1933) was born (1908-2009). Billy hit .272 in 118 games for the Yankees. With 1933 being his best Yankees season hitting .258 in 111 games. In May of 1933, he was sold to the Boston Red Sox. Billy Werber passed away in 2009; he was the last living teammate of Babe Ruth.
1911 - In a New York 3-2 win against the Washington Senators, Highlanders 1B Hal Chase makes a MLB record of 21 putouts.
1913 - After New York wins the opener, by the score of 9-3, Washington Senators starter Bert Gallia hits 3 of the 1st 4 batters he faces in the 1st inning of the nightcap. Three more Yankee batters are plunked, by relievers Joe Engel (2) and Tom Hughes (1), for a record 6. The outcome is the same as the 1st game; New York wins again, by the score of 9-3. Yankees leadoff hitter Bert Daniels puts his name in the AL record book, when he gets hit 3 times.
1916 - Tilly Walker's HR over the LF wall is the only HR the Boston Red Sox will hit at Fenway Park this 1916 AL season, but it is the lone Boston score today as the Yankees win the game by a score of 4-1. Inserted as a defensive replacement late in the game, Red Sox shortstop Everett Scott starts a string of 1,307 consecutive games, all played at that position. He will complete the streak as a Yankee player on May 6,1925. It will be the best in MLB history until Lou Gehrig's 2,130 games in 1939.
1918 - The New York Yankees buy P John Robinson from the St. Louis Browns for cash. He went 2-4 before being released by the team.
1918 - Former Yankees P and Coach Ed “Steady Eddie” Lopat (1948-1955) was born (1918-1992). The Yankees obtained Eddie from the Chicago White Sox in February of 1948 for C Aaron Robinson, P Fred Bradley and Bill Wight. From 1948 to 1954, Eddie won 113 games for the Yankees as part of the Allie Reynolds, Vic Raschi, Whitey Ford (1950, 53, 54) starting rotation that won 5 straight World Championships (1949-1953). Ed helped Whitey Ford with his MLB development, using a 8MM camera to study the pitcher’s movements.
Eddie known, as “The Junkman” would be started by Manager Casey Stengel in-between fastball starters Allie Reynolds and Vic Raschi to throw off the opposition club’s hitters. Some Eddie’s Yankee career highlights are 113 wins with a .657 WP, 20 career shutouts, with 91 complete games. His Yankee career ERA was 3.21. In 1951, he was 21-9 for the Yankees. He was the Yankee pitching coach in 1960. He would later work for the Kansas City A’s as a Manager and General Manager, later work with the Montreal Expos in the front office.
1928 - Former Yankees Pinch Runner Arthur “Dutch” Schult (1953) was born. He appeared in only 7 games as a Yankee, all of them as a pinch runner, but he scored 3 runs.
1929 - Former Yankees minor league P Wally Burnette was born. Before the 1948 AL Season, Wally was signed by the New York Yankees as an MLB amateur free agent. He never appears with the Yankees at the MLB level. On July 11, 1956, Wally was traded by the New York Yankees to the Kansas City Athletics for P Tom Lasorda. The Yankees sent Tommy Lasorda to the Denver Bears (AAA). Wally pitched for the A’s (1956-1959) posting a 14-21 record in 68 games.
1934 - The AL-leading Yankees trip the Cleveland Indians twice, by scores of 3-2 and 3-0, at Yankee Stadium. New York ties the 1st game onFrank Crosetti's solo HR in the 8th inning off of P Bob Weiland, then wins it on Gehrig's 18th HR in the 9th inning. Lefty Gomez, in relief of starterJohnny Broaca, is the winner. In 2nd game, Hal Trosky Sr.'s single is the only hit off of Yankees starter Red Ruffing, who also knocks in a run.
1939 - The New York Yankees re-obtained veteran hurler Jim DeShong on waivers from the Washington Senators. Jim went 10-8 for the Yankees in 1934-1935. He didn’t appear in any games for the Yankees in 1939, spending the 1939 season at AAA.
1940 - The Yankees lose to the Chicago White Sox 1-0 in 11 innings, their 6th straight loss, then protest a "catch" by Sox LF Moose Solters, contending he dropped the ball in the 2nd inning when he was reaching for his cap. Umpire George Quinn apparently missed the error and the protest is upheld. The game will be replayed September 18th, but, for several years, all of today's records count including Monte Pearson's loss and Johnny Rigney's win, will count. It is the 1st time since 1919 that the Yankees have been shut out in extra innings by one pitcher: they lost onMay 19, 1935 in extra innings to 2 pitchers, Stewart and Brown.
1946 - A Fortune Magazine story gives some rare details of MLB finances, showing the 1945 Yankees revenue of $1.6 million and profit of $306,000, cut to $201,000 after minor league team losses. Of the gross income, $896,000 is from home ticket sales.
1946 -The New York Yankees purchased OF Hal Peck from the Philadelphia A’s for an undisclosed amount of cash. He doesn’t play for the Yankees in 1946. On December 6, 1946, Hal was traded by the Yankees along with hurlers Gene Bearden and Al Gettel to the Cleveland Indians for C Sherm Lollar and INF Ray Mack.
1956 - At Detroit's Briggs Stadium, Mickey Mantle poles 2-Billy Hoeft pitches into the right CF bleachers, something no other player had done since the bleachers were built in the late 1930s. The Yankees win the game by a score of 7-4.
1963 - In the 1st annual Mayor’s Trophy Game between the New York Yankees and New York Mets. The Mets down the Yankees by the score of 6-2, before 52,430 fans at Yankee Stadium. The profits of the game are annually turned over to the sandlot programs of the City of New York.
1983 - AL All Star Yankee outfielder Bobby Murcer retires from Major League Baseball (Yankees: 1965-1966, 1969-1974, 1979-1983). Bobby was groomed to be the next Mickey Mantle, but it didn’t work out that way, he still had a very good MLB career with the Yankees. He made the AL All Star team in 1971-1974. He won AL Golden Glove in 1972. His best Yankees season with the bat was in 1971, when he hit .331. In the winter of 1974 he was traded to the San Francisco Giants for NL All Star OF Bobby Bonds. Bobby would return to the Yankees in a trade with the Chicago Cubs during the 1979 AL season. After finishing out his Yankees playing career in 1983, Bobby became a Yankees broadcast announcer.
1984 - At Detroit, Yankees rookie reliever Jose Rijo falls to 1-7 when he serves up a 2-out 3-run HR to Howard Johnson in the 13th inning. Detroitwins the game by a score of 9-6. Alan Trammell, Lance Parrish and Chet Lemon also hit HRs for the Tigers, who draw their 3rd straight 40,000 plus crowd.
1989 - The New York Yankees traded AL All Star OF Rickey Henderson back to the Oakland A's for journeymen pitchers Eric Plunk and Greg Cadaret and OF/DH Luis Polonia.
2001 - Former Yankees minor league P Bob Keegan passed away (1920-2001). Before the 1946 AL Season, Bob Keegan was signed by the New York Yankees as an MLB amateur free agent. The Yankees assigned him to the Binghamton Triplets (A) in Eastern League, where he posted a 5-6 record with a 3.87 ERA his first year out.
Bob would struggle while in the New York Yankee system (1946-1951) and have only 2 seasons above .500 in those years, going 8-6 in 1948 in a split year with the Kansas City Blues and the Newark Bears and 14-9 in 1951 with Kansas City Blues again and the Syracuse Chiefs. It appears that the Syracuse club knew a good thing when they saw it. On April 3, 1952, they purchased Keegan from the Yankees. Bob went 20-11 with a 2.64 ERA. The season was hardly over when Syracuse sold Bob to the Chicago White Sox for an unknown amount. Bob pitched for the White Sox 1953-1958, posting a 40-36 record in 135 games. In 1957, Bob pitched a no-hitter against the Washington Senators.
June 21st
1897 - Former Yankees reserve INF Spencer Adams (1926) was born. Spencer hit .120 in 28 games for the 1926 Yankees.
1906 - Former Yankees P Russell (Russ) “Sheriff” Van Atta (1933-1935) was born. Russ went 15-9 for the Yankees from 1933-1935.
1916 - Rube Foster of the Boston Red Sox no-hits the Yankees for the 1st no-hitter in Fenway Park, beating Yankees starter Bob Shawkey by a score of 2-0. 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 the Philadelphia 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 New York Yankees announced 1B Lou Gehrig's retirement from MLB, based on the report that he has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The 36-year-old star will remain with the team for the rest of 1939 AL season as team captain.
1950 - Joe DiMaggio gets his 2,000th MLB career hit, a 7th-inning single off of Cleveland Indians' Marino Pieretti, as the Yankees win by a score of 8-2. Joe DiMaggio joins Luke Appling and Wally Moses as the only active MLB players with 2,000 or more hits. Eddie Lopat is the winning pitcher for the Yankees, running his AL career record against the Indians to 25-6.
1951 - Former Yankees minor league P Bob Polinsky was born. Bob was drafted in 1st round of the January 1973 MLB amateur draft (secondary phase) by the New York Yankees. Polinsky moved up in the Yankees farm system rather quickly - AA in 1974-1975 and AAA in 1976. On April 5, 1977, he was traded by the Yankees along with OF/DHOscar Gamble, minor league P LaMarr Hoyt, and $200,000 to the Chicago White Sox for INF Bucky Dent. Bob Polinsky never pitched in the majors.
1958 - Detroit Tigers starter Frank Lary pitches his 3rd straight shutout, beating the Yankees starter Duke Maas, by a score of 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 - New York Yankees starter Whitey Ford out-duels Detroit Tigers “Yankee Killer” Frank Lary to give New York a 6-0 win in Detroit. Mickey Mantle is 3-for-5 with 2 HRs off of Frank Lary.
1964 - The Yankees move into 1st place by 8 percentage points over the Baltimore Orioles, as they out pitch the Chicago 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 hurler 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 on and 2 outs in the 9th inning when Baltimore Orioles RF Frank Robinson makes a spectacular catch against New York's 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.
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 the New York Yankees and Boston 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 are trailing in the 9th inning by the score of 3-2; they score 4 runs to win the game by a score of 6-3.
1988 - With 2 outs in the 9th inning, Detroit Tigers shortstop Alan Trammell blasts a grand slam to give the Tigers, a 7-6 win over the New YorkYankees.
1989 - Chicago White Sox 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.
1996 - The Yankees acquired P Billy Brewer, while giving veteran reliever Steve Howe his release. 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.
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 1B. 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 Tampa Bay Devil Rays lose to the New York Yankees by a score of 20-11, making it the 2nd time in 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 AL season for the Yankees.
1912 - The Boston Red Sox beat the New York 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 - Boston Red Sox starter Babe Ruth almost duplicates teammate Rube Foster's no-hitter, allowing just 3 singles, 2 by Frank Gilhooley, in beating the New York 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 Philadelphia 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 player’s.
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 Philadelphia A’s. The Yankees sweep the doubleheader beating the A’s by scores of 10-1 and 20-13.
1934 - The Detroit Tigers take over 1st place in the AL, beating the Washington Senators by a score of 11-3, dislodging the Yankees, who lose by a score of 4-1 to the Cleveland Indians.
1934 - Former Yankees minor league OF Russ Snyder was born. Before the 1953 AL season, Russ Snyder signed as an MLB amateur free agent with the New York Yankees. A left hand hitter who attended theUniversity of Nebraska, he began pro ball in the Yankees organization in 1953 hitting an astounding .432 for the McAlester Rockets of the Sooner State League with 240 base hits in 556 at-bats. One would think that this opening performance would get Russ a quick look at the "Show" but it took 6 more years in the minors before he got inside a MLB park. On April 12,1959, Yankees traded Russ along with INF Tommy Carroll to theKansas City A’s for INF Mike Baxes and OF Bob Martyn. After hitting .336 for the Portland Beavers (PCL), Russ was promoted to the A’s, where he hit .313 in 73 games.
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, Washington Senators purchased Jim 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 Kansas City 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 sluggerRalph 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 Kansas City 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 - The 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 - At 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.
June 23rd
1907 - Former Yankees reserve OF Allen “Dusty” Cooke (1930-1932) was born. Dusty hit .294 in 122 games for the New York Yankees.
1915 - Former Yankees C Aaron Robinson (1943, 1945 - 1947) was born. Aaron was the Yankees catcher from 1945-1947, sharing duties with Yogi Berra (1947) and Sherman Lollar (1947) before being traded for Chicago White Sox starter Eddie Lopat in February of 1948.
1915 - The New York Yankees a draw a record 16 walks in 1-9-inning game against Philadelphia 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 New York 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 2ndinning, 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 Cleveland 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, Detroit Tiger win over the New York 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 Chicago White Sox, winning the 1st game by a score of 9-2, and then dropping the nightcap 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 Washington Senators' 1B Roy Sievers in RBIs.
1959 - The New York Yankees ride on 2-run HRs from Mickey Mantle, Hank Bauer and Gil McDougald to a 10-2 win over the Kansas City 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 New York 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 HoustonAstros for veteran starter Joe Niekro. The Yankees would send minor league players; 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 three 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 Baltimore 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 Mikkelsen cannot hold the Yankees 7-2 lead as the Orioles move into 1st place.
1966 - At Yankees Stadium, Baltimore 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. In 1985, Hensley Meulens was signed by the New York Yankees as a MLB amateur free agent. He really didn’t live up to his hype as power hitter. In spring of 1991, he won the James P. Dawson award for best Yankee rookie in spring training camp. After the 1993 AL season, the Yankees released Hensley.
1988 - New York Yankees Owner George Steinbrenner fires Manager Billy Martin for the 5th time, replacing him with former manager Lou Piniella. In 1985, Lou Piniella was fired and replaced by Billy Martin. 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 one game with the 1979 Yankees. 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 Seattle Mariners for OF Ruppert Jones and P Jim Lewis.
1995 - Former Yankees 1B/OF ‘Marvelous Marv' Marvin Throneberry (1955, 1958-1959), known best by his playing antics with the New York Mets, dies from cancer at age 60. After unable to beat out Bill Skowron at 1B, Marv was part of the Yankees player package in the Roger Maris trade with Kansas City 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 older 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 the game 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 Atlanta 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 Boston 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 San Francisco Giants for OF/1B John Vander Wal.
June 24th
1907 - Former Yankees reserve C Rollie Hemsley (1942-1944) was born. On July 19, 1942, Rollie was signed as a MLB free agent with the New York Yankees. He appeared in 174 games as a reserve catcher for the Yankees, hitting .262. On March 25, 1946, Rollie was purchased by the Philadelphia Phillies from the New York Yankees.
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 Philadelphia A's. The Highlanders fade fast and finished last in the AL with a club record of 103 losses.
1930 - The New York Yankees sweep their 2nd consecutive doubleheader from the Philadelphia 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 - The New York Yankees signed veteran hurler George Uhle (1933-1934) after his release by the New York Giants. George would go 8-5 in 22 games with the 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 Chicago White Sox.
1936 - Rookie CF Joe DiMaggio ties 3 MLB records in the Yankees 10-run, 5th inning against the Chicago 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 - Starter Art Houtteman pitches the Detroit 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.
1957 - Former Yankees P Mike Griffin (1979-1981) was born. On November 10, 1978, Mike was traded by the Texas Rangers along with minor league player Greg Jemison, OF Juan Beniquez, pitchers Paul Mirabella and Dave Righetti to the New York Yankees for C Mike Heath, pitchers Sparky Lyle, Larry McCall and Dave Rajsich, INF Domingo Ramos and cash. Mike went 2-4 in 18 games for the Yankees. On August 5, 1981, Mike was sent by the New York Yankees to the Chicago Cubsto complete an earlier deal made on June 12, 1981. The New York Yankees sent a player to be named later, P Doug Bird and $400,000 to theChicago Cubs for veteran starter Rick Reuschel.
1958 - The Yankees erupt for 5 runs in the 4th inning off of starter Early Wynn to beat the Chicago 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. Veteran Yankees catcher Yogi Berra caught the whole game. 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 New York Yankees history.
1967 - New York Yankees All Star Slugger Mickey Mantle breaks a 3-3 tie in the 9th inning with a HR off of Detroit Tiger's reliever Fred Gladding to give the 9th place Yankees, a 4-3 victory.
1970 - In a doubleheader with the Cleveland 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. Then, after a walk in the 4th, he 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 scored in the bottom of the 9th inning to salvage a 5-4 win. Indians 1B Tony Horton hears a boo and 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, Tony 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 Boston 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, and 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 Hughes was drafted by the New York Yankees in the 1st round (23rd pick) of the 2004 MLB amateur player draft. He currently has a lifetime pitching record of 20-11 in 82 games with 3 saves for the Yankees.
1988- Cleveland's Doug Jones celebrates his 31st birthday by saving his 14th game in 14 appearances, breaking the major-league record for consecutive saves set last season by Steve Bedrosian. Jones retires all 7 batters he faces to close out the Indians' 7-5 win over the New York Yankees.
1991 - The Minnesota Twins' Scott Erickson wins his 12th consecutive decision, tops in MLB, stopping the New York Yankees, by the score of 5-0, on 2 hits. He retires 24 of the final 25 Yankee batters.
1992 - New York 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 P 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 - New York Yankees 1B Tino Martinez hits 2 singles, a double, and a pair of HRs, while driving in 4 runs as the Yankees top the Detroit Tigers by a score of 12-9. Chad Curtis adds 5 RBI’s for the Yankees.
2005 - Thanks to Yankees 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.
2007 - Roger Clemens makes his first relief appearance in 22 years, 341 days, a new MLB record. Steve Carlton (15 years, 343 days) had held the record previously. Clemens had not pitched in relief since his rookie season with the Boston Red Sox. He volunteered to fill in when the Yankees had worn out their bullpen in 13 innings a day previously.
2008 - For the first time since game 7 of the 1960 World Series, the New York Yankees visit Pittsburgh, PA. After Bill Mazeroski, the hero of that game 7 throws out the 1st pitch and the home team pulls off a reenactment of 1960, upsetting New York. The Pirates top the Yankees, by the score of 12-5, with 6 Pirates batters getting multiple hits. Ryan Doumit goes 3 for 5 with a HR, 2 runs and 2 RBI’s and Freddy Sanchez scores 3e times while Yankee batters Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez and Jason Giambi go a combined 1 for 12.
June 25th
1904 - In Boston, the Highlanders starter Jack Chesbro wins his 12th straight game, beating veteran Red Sox starter Cy Young by a score of 5-3. Patsy Dougherty has 3 hits against his former Boston Red Sox teammates.
1915 - In Boston, Babe Ruth blasts his 3rd homer of the season, off of Yankees starter Ray Caldwell, and is the 2nd player to hit a ball into the RF seats at Fenway Park. Ruth strikes out eight Yankee batters in pitching a complete game, 9-5 victory. He adds a single off of reliever Bill Donovan, Yankees skipper and his former manager.
1934 - In an 11-2 victory over the Chicago 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 New York Yankees purchased reserve INF Lonnie Frey (1947-1948) from the Chicago 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 MLB agent. Bob went 14-20 with 5 saves in 145 games for the Yankees.
1953 - Chicago 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 - 1995, 1997) was born. Mike Stanley was signed as a MLB free agent in 1992. He was the Yankees regular catcher until the arrival of new Yankees Manager Joe Torre, who replaced him with Joe Girardi. Mike was brought back to the Yankees in on August 13,1997, he was traded by the Boston 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 - Baltimore 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 Montreal Expos traded veteran OF Ron Swoboda to New York Yankees, the Expos received OF Ron Woods from the Yankees.
1977 - New York Yankees starter Mike Torrez beats Boston 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 Detroit 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 Hall Of Fame player Ty Cobb.
1985 - Due to a Yankees batboy being hit by a line drive foul ball by Yankees C Butch Wynegar. The New York Yankees officials enact a new rule mandating the team’s batboys will wear protective helmets during all games.
1999 - During the Baltimore Orioles' 9-8 loss to the Yankees, Orioles 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 New York Yankees send future star hurler Hippo Vaughn (2-8), winner of last year's opener, to the Washington Senators for the waiver price.
1929 - Former Yankees reserve OF Richard “Tut” Tettelbach (1955) was born. In 1951, Richard Tettlebach was signed by the New York Yankees as an MLB amateur free agent. 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 Washington 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 - New York Yankees southpaw ace Marius Russo throws no-hit ball for 6 1/3 innings before future Yankees George Mc Quinn spoils the bid with a HR. It was the only St. Louis Browns hit in a 4-1 Yankee win.
1943 - Former Yankees OF Bill Robinson (1967-1969) was born (1943-2007). Bill was brought to the New York Yankees from the Atlanta 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 Pittsburgh Pirates and Philadelphia Phillies. After retiring as a MLB active player, Bill would later become a successful MLB batting Coach. Bill passed away in 2007.
1944 - At the Polo Grounds with over 50,000 fans looking on, the 3 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 win 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 New York 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 New York Yankees.
1969 - Former Yankees reliever Mike Meyers (2007-2008) 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 Chicago White Sox.
1974 - Current Yankees All Star Shortstop and Team Captain Derek Jeter (1996-Present) was born. Derek Jeter was drafted by the New York Yankees in the 1st round (6th pick) of the 1992 MLB amateur player draft. His current Yankees career BA is .317 with 230 HRs and 1,101 RBI’s. Jeter is a AL Shortstop Golden Glove winner in 2004-2006 and 2009. He was a Silver Slugger winner in 2006-2009. Jeter won the 1996 AL Rookie of the Year Award winner. He has been named to the AL All Star team member 10 times. Derek Jeter has appeared in 7 World Series for the Yankees, hitting .321 in 28 games with 3 HRs and 9 RBI’s. Jeter has appeared in 8 ALS, hitting .262 with 7 HRs with 23 RBI’s. In 13 ALDS, Jeter has hit .356 with 10 HRs with 23 RBI’s.
1977 - In front of 55,039 fans at Yankee Stadium, the Yankees complete a 3-game sweep of the Boston Red Sox, avenging the 3 losses last week to the Red Sox at Fenway Park. 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 New York Yankees reacquired the popular OF Bobby Murcer from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for minor league P Paul Small 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 New York Yankees. In a special draft, the Cleveland Indians will pick Cannon but he chooses to attend Texas A & M instead. The young Cannon will be drafted number 1 by the Dallas Cowboys in 1984.
1987 - Although the Boston Red Sox have a 9-0, 2nd inning lead over the New York 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.
1991 - Former Yankees P Johnny Johnson (1944) passed away. In March of 1940, Johnny was signed as a MLB free agent with the New York Yankees. John went 0-2 in 22 games for the 1944 Yankees. On December 15, 1944, John was traded by the New York Yankees to the Chicago White Sox for P Jake Wade.
1999 - Former Yankees minor league P Tim Layana passed away (1964-1999). On June 2, 1986, Tim was drafted by the New York Yankees in the 3rd round of the 1986 MLB amateur player draft. On December 4, 1989, he was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds from the Yankees in the 1989 MLB Rule 5 player draft from Columbus (AAA). Tim was killed in auto accident in 1999.
2006 - Former Yankees minor league P Jack Urban passed away. Before 1949 AL Season, Jack was signed by the New York Yankees as an MLB amateur free agent. Jack never appeared with the Yankees at the MLB level. He pitched in the Yankees minor league system until 1956. He spent 2 years in the service (1952-1953).
On April 5, 1957, Jack was sent by the New York Yankees to the Kansas City A’s to complete an earlier deal made on February 19, 1957. The New York Yankees sent a player to be named later, P Rip Coleman, INF Milt Graff, INF Billy Hunter, P Mickey McDermott, P Tom Morgan and OF Irv Noren to the Kansas City A’s for players to be named later, INF Wayne Belardi, pitchers Bobby Shantz and Art Ditmar, INF Jack McMahan.
In 1957, Jack went 7-4 for the A’s. On April 8, 1959, Jack was traded by the Kansas City A’s to the New York Yankees for P Mark Freeman. Mark Freeman returned to original team on May 8, 1959. On May 12,1959, Jack was purchased by the St. Louis Cardinals from the New York Yankees, at the time of the trade, Jack was with the Yankees AAA club in Richmond.
2009 - Yankees rookie OF Brett Gardner collects 5 hits, including a triple and a HR, as the Yankees beat the Mets by the score of 9-1 before a record-breaking crowd at Citi Field. Alex Rodriguez hits HR # 564 of his MLB career, passing Reggie Jackson on the all-time list; Jackson was 6th at the time of his retirement in 1987, but he falls to 12th now. Three errors by the Mets' infield in the 2nd inning lead to 4 runs.
(As always I'd like to thank Fw57Clipper51 for his great contribution.)
