On August 20 in Baseball History...

1910 - Washington's Carl Cashion pitched a six-inning no-hitter to give the Senators a 2-0 victory over the Cleveland Indians in the second game of a doubleheader.

1915 - The White Sox obtain Joe Jackson from Cleveland in exchange for outfielder Braggo Roth, outfielder Larry Chappell, pitcher Ed Klepfer, and $31,500.

1919 - Wichita outfielder Joe Wilhoit (Western League) fails to get a hit, ending a 69-game streak in which he collected 155 hits in 299 at bats for a .505 batting average. The previous record was 49 by Oakland's Jack Ness (Pacific Coast League) in 1915.

1938 - At Cleveland’s Union Terminal Tower, a record is establish for catching baseballs thrown from a high altitude as Indians’ backstops Frankie Pytlak and Hank Hel catch balls dropped an estimated 708 feet. The spheres, dropped from the 52nd floor of second-tallest building in the world, is said to travel at an average speed of 140 mph during its descent.

1938 - In the Yankees' 11-3 rout of the A’s at Shibe Park, first baseman Lou Gehrig hits the final grand slam of his career. The first inning blast, given up by Philadelphia’s right-hander Buck Ross, extends the ‘Iron Horse’s major league record for bases-loaded home runs to 23.

1939 - After dropping the opener to Chicago, 9-5, the Pirates snap a twelve game losing streak with a 5-0 victory in the nightcap. Max Butcher goes the distance in the shortened six-inning game, limiting the visitors to just two hits in the Forbes Field contest.

1945 - Dodger shortstop Tommy Brown becomes the youngest player (17 years, 8 months and 14 days) in major league history to hit a home run. The round-tripper by 'Buckshot', who started his career as a 16 year-old high school student, will be the only run Brooklyn scores off 30-year old Pirates' southpaw Preacher Roe, who goes the distance in the 11-1 rout of the home team at Ebbets Field.

1946 - Prior to the start of the game against the Senators in Washington, using the U.S. Army's Sky Screen Chronograph, Bob Feller's fastball is clocked at 98.6 miles-per-hour breaking Yankees' hurler Atley Donald's 1939 speed record of 94.7 mph.

1947 - The Boston Braves hit a million attendance for the first time.

1948 - The Indians draw 78,382 at Municipal Stadium as Satchel Paige blanks the White Sox for the fourth consecutive shutout by Cleveland hurlers. Besides Paige, Gene Bearden, Sam Zoldak, and Bob Lemon had shutouts.

1953 - The Browns beat the Baltimore Orioles, the city's AAA minor league team, 8-2, in an exhibition game played in front of small crowd of 10,861 at Municipal Stadium. Undaunted by low turnout of fans for the contest against the International League team, St. Louis owner Bill Veeck will seek and be given permission to shift his franchise to the Charm City, a move denied by the American League owners last year.

1957 - In the nightcap of a doubleheader, Robert Keegen throws the White Sox's first no-hitter in twenty years beating the Senators, 6-0. The Comiskey Park no-no is the first one thrown at night in franchise history.

1958 - Out of catchers, the Cubs put left-handed first baseman Dale Long behind the plate in the opener against the Pirates. He is the first lefty backstop since 1906. The Cubs lose 4-2, then win the nightcap 5-1 with Long back at first base.

1961 - In the second game of a doubleheader, the Phillies snap a 23-game losing streak by beating the Braves, 7-4. The victory establishes a new record for most consecutive losses by a major league team.

1964 - On the New York team bus following a 5-0 White Sox win, Phil Linz begins to play Mary Had a Little Lamb on his harmonica. Manager Yogi Berra orders Linz to stop, then slaps the instrument out of his hands when he continues playing. The incident is reported as indicating dissension on the club and Berra's lack of control, as well as the level of Linz's humor.

1965 - Eddie Mathews hits his 28th home run as the Braves win 4-3 at Pittsburgh. The duo of Mathews and Hank Aaron, 1954-1965, becomes the top home run tandem in major league history, passing the Babe Ruth-Lou Gehrig total of 772 home runs while playing together.

1967 - In the first game of a twin bill in Boston, switch-hitter Reggie Smith, in an 12-2 rout of the Angels, becomes the first Red Sox player to blast a home run from each side of the plate. Until today, the feat had never been accomplish by any Fenway Park batter.

1967 - In the night cap of a doubleheader at Fenway Park, the Red Sox rally from an eight-run deficit to beat the Angels, 9-8. The big blow is Carl Yastrzemski's fifth inning three-run homer, his second of the day, having gone deep with two men on in the first game.

1974 - In an 18-8 rout of the Cubs, the Dodgers collect 24 hits and set a club record with 48 total bases including Davey Lopes' three home runs, double and single. The Dodger second baseman's 15 total bases is the most ever for a leadoff hitter.

1974 - At Anaheim Stadium, Angel hurler Nolan Ryan throws a ball that is "officially" clocked at 100.9 miles per hour by the Guinness Book of World Records. The right-hander's pitch, thrown in a losing effort against Detroit, is listed as fastest pitch ever thrown in major league baseball.

1974 - Nolan Ryan of the California Angels struck out 19 in a 1-0, 11-inning loss to the Detroit Tigers, marking the third time during the season Ryan struck out 19 in a game.

1978 - In the visitors' clubhouse at Shea Stadium, Dodger Blue becomes black and blue when Steve Garvey confronts teammate Don Sutton about Washington Post story in which the pitcher is critical of of him. After right-hander confirms he had made the comments, the argument becomes physical when an inappropriate remark is made about the first baseman's wife.

1980 - Dan Spilner's bid for a no-hitter against the White Sox is spoiled by Leo Sutherland's single with one out in the ninth inning. The 28-year old Indian right-hander will get the next two outs and settle for a one-hit, 3-0 victory over Chicago at Comiskey Park.

1980 - Pittsburgh's Omar Moreno steals his 70th base of the season, becoming the first player this century with three consecutive 70-steal seasons. The fleet outfielder swiped 71 in 1978, 77 in 1979, and will finish 1980 with a career-high 96.

1985 - Dwight Gooden fans 16 batters on the way to his 13th consecutive victory, 5-0 over the Giants, raising his season strikeout total to 208. Gooden (19-3) and Herb Score are the only pitchers this century to strike out 200 batters in each of their first two seasons.

1989 - Howard Johnson hits his 30th home run of the season in the Mets' 5-4 loss to the Dodgers. Ho Jo joins Bobby Bonds and Willie Mays as the only players to achieve 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases in two different seasons.

1989 - It's a busy day on the trading block for the Mets as they send popular outfielder Mookie Wilson to the Blue Jays for pitcher Jeff Musselman and minor leaguer Michael Brady. New York also gets Frank Viola from the Twins for pitchers Rick Aguilera, David West, and Kevin Tapani and two minor leaguers.

1995 - Jose Mesa of the Cleveland Indians picked up his 37th save in 37 opportunities, setting a major league record as the Indians beat the Milwaukee Brewers 8-5.

1998 - Mark McGwire becomes the first player in major league history to hit 50 home runs in three consecutive years. His home run off Willie Blair helps the Cardinals to a 2-0 win over the Mets. He adds No. 51 in the second game of the doubleheader at Shea Stadium, but the Mets prevail 5-4.

2000 - The winningest pitcher in franchise history is honored by the Yankees during Whitey Ford Day ceremonies at Yankee Stadium. The crafty lefty holds the team record for victories (236), innings pitched (3,170 1/3), strikeouts (1,956) and shutouts (45).

2002 - A judge issues a temporary restraining order preventing the sale of Barry Bonds' 600th career home run ball hit into the Pacific Bell Park stands on August 9. Jay Arsenault, who allegedly promised friends after being given a game ticket to split any monetary gains if he caught the historic baseball, has been ordered to appear in court for hearing on September 5 along with the prized souvenir.

2004 - The Seattle Mariners signed Bill Simas as a free agent.

2005 - Using the equivalent of a 98-miles-per-hour major league fastball, 12-year old Kalen Pimentel ties a Little League World Series record for strikeouts in a six-inning game. The 12-year old from Rancho Buena Vista strikes out 18 Owensboro batters (all of the recorded outs) as his team coasts to 7-2 victory in the pool play of the tournament.

2005 - The Royals snap their 19-game losing streak beating the A's in Oakland, 2-1. The skid ends two games shy of the of the American League record of 21 straight defeats established by the Orioles in 1988.

2007 - The Chicago White Sox signed Mike Myers as a free agent.

2008 - Umpires sign an agreement which will allow major league baseball to start using instant replay to help determine boundary calls, such as determining fair or foul fly balls and difficult home run rulings. No exact date has been set for the start of using replays, but installation of the necessary equipment has been taking place in ballparks, with the hope of starting later this month.

2008 - After the Angels score the potential winning run in the top of the inning of an eventual 5-4 victory over the Rays, Francisco Rodriguez pitches a perfect ninth to record his 48th save, establishing a new franchise record. The right-hander closer had set the previous team mark with 47 saves in 2006.

2010 - The New York Yankees traded Zach McAllister to the Cleveland Indians completing trade in which the Cleveland Indians traded Austin Kearns to the New York Yankees in exchange for a player to be named later (July 30, 2010).

2012 - The official first-day-of-issue dedication ceremony for the Major League Baseball All-Stars Forever stamps take place at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, NY. The very popular philatelic series based on historic photographs honors Yankee Joe DiMaggio; Larry Doby of the Indians; Pirate Willie Stargell of the Pirates and Red Sox legend Ted Williams.

2013 - The Cleveland Indians released Daisuke Matsuzaka.

2014 - The Chicago White Sox released Charlie Leesman.




Baseball Birthdays on August 20...

1855 - Pierson, Dave
1869 - Gibson, Robert
1869 - Bonner, Frank
1880 - Smith, Bull
1881 - McLane, Ed
1882 - McCloskey, John
1886 - Woodburn, Gene
1887 - Reynolds, Ross
1891 - Hovlik, Ed
1895 - Schneider, Pete
1906 - Crowley, Ed
1906 - Riley, Lee
1907 - Bell, Beau
1907 - Garibaldi, Art
1908 - Lopez, Al
1909 - Jakucki, Sig
1910 - Crouch, Bill
1919 - Harrist, Earl
1924 - Zuverink, George
1925 - Miggins, Larry
1936 - Cook, Cliff
1942 - Norman, Fred
1943 - Kurtz, Hal
1944 - Nettles, Graig
1952 - Rautzhan, Lance
1952 - Cuellar, Bobby
1953 - Dumoulin, Dan
1956 - Finch, Joel
1957 - Buice, De Wayne
1960 - Langston, Mark
1960 - Wojna, Ed
1960 - Brunansky, Tom
1963 - Sanchez, Israel
1963 - Daniels, Kal
1963 - Cecena, Jose
1963 - Arnsberg, Brad
1967 - Benes, Andy
1968 - Rogers, Kevin
1969 - Holzemer, Mark
1971 - Clapinski, Chris
1972 - Porzio, Mike
1973 - Helton, Todd
1973 - Paniagua, Jose
1976 - Kingsale, Gene
1977 - Pearce, Josh
1977 - Taylor, Aaron
1978 - Schroder, Chris
1978 - Tucker, T.J.
1979 - Gracesqui, Franklyn
1979 - Sullivan, Cory
1983 - Broadway, Lance
1984 - Hoffmann, Jamie
1985 - DeWitt, Blake
1985 - Hague, Matt
1989 - Cole, Taylor



Baseball Deaths on August 20...

1886 - Blaisdell, Dick
1908 - Honan, Marty
1916 - Stafford, Bob
1926 - McVey, Cal
1948 - Blair, Walter
1950 - Zmich, Ed
1952 - Owens, Red
1952 - Pettigrew, Ned
1960 - Perring, George
1975 - Miller, Jake
1980 - Hermann, Al
1982 - Johnson, Hank
1985 - Fieber, Clarence
1995 - Kennedy, Bill
1995 - McDaniel, Von
1998 - Sington, Fred
1998 - Host, Gene