On September 5 in Baseball History...

    1908 - Brooklyn's Nap Rucker pitched a 6-0 no-hitter against the Boston Braves at Washington Park. Rucker struck out fourteen and walked none. The Dodgers made three errors.

    1914 - En route to tossing a 9-0 shutout against the Toronto Maple Leafs, 19-year old Babe Ruth of the AAA Providence Grays hits the first home run in his professional career. The site of the ‘Sultan of Swat’s’ only minor-league homer, Hanlan's Point Stadium which was located on Lake Ontario’s Toronto Islands near the city's mainland, is being promoted as a historical landmark by Jerry Amernic, author of Gift of the Bambino

    1918 - The Cubs switch their home games to Comiskey Park with its larger seating capacity for the World Series. Babe Ruth, having completed thirteen scoreless innings in his first World Series two years ago, adds nine more in edging Hippo Vaughn 1-0 in the opener. During the seventh-inning stretch, a military band plays "The Star Spangled Banner." From then on, it is played at every World Series game, every season opener, and whenever a band is present to play it, though it is not yet adopted as the national anthem. The custom of playing it before every game will begin during World War II, after the installation of public address systems.

    1921 - In an 11-inning complete-game losing effort against Philadelphia, Walter Johnson fans seven A's batters to break Cy Young's major league record for career strikeouts. In 1927, the 'Big Train' will finish his 21-year tenure with the Senators with 3,509 punch outs, a record which will last for 62 seasons until it is broken by Steve Carlton.

    1921 - Elmer Smith establishes a major league record collecting seven straight extra base hits over a two day span. The 28-year old Indian outfielder from Sandusky, Ohio bangs out four home runs and three doubles during the streak.

    1938 - For the third time this season, Dodger catcher Babe Phelps breaks a bone in his throwing hand. Although the injuries will limit his playing time to only 66 games and 208 at-bats this season, the southpaw-swinging backstop will hit .308 and was named to the National League All-Star team, the first of three consecutive games he'll play in the Mid-summer classic.

    1954 - Playing in the Class C Longhorn League, Joe Bauman of the Roswell Rockets hits three home runs to give him 72 for the season. Although the 32-year old slugging minor league first baseman never made it to the majors, his home run total stood as a record in professional baseball until it was broken with 73 dingers by Giants outfielder Barry Bonds in 2001.

    1955 - Reds' slugger Ted Kluszewski goes deep off Warren Spahn in an eventual 9-7 victory over the Braves in the nightcap of a twin bill. The homer, the first baseman's 44th overall, is the 34th round-tripper he has hit at Crosley Field, making it the most ever hit in one season by one man in the same ballpark, an accomplishment which will stand until Sammy Sosa eclipses the mark in 1998 at Wrigley Field.

    1955 - In an 11-4 win over the Phillies, Dodger pitcher Don Newcombe hits his seventh homer establishing a National League record for home runs by a pitcher in a season. The victory is Newk's 20th of the season.

    1960 - At the age of 41, Diomedes Olivo makes his major league debut, pitching in relief for the Pirates. The oldest rookie in National League history hurls two scoreless innings against Milwaukee at Forbes Field.

    1969 - Tom Seaver becomes the first pitcher in franchise history to win 20 games in one season when the Mets beat the Phillies at Shea Stadium, 5-1. 'Tom Terrific', who will finish the season with a 25-7 record for the world champs, tosses a five-hit, complete game to reach the milestone.

    1971 - In his major league debut, J.R. Richard throws a complete game in the Astros’ 5-3 victory over San Francisco at Candlestick Park. The 21-year old right-handed fireballer strikes out a major-league rookie record 15 batters in his first major league appearance.

    1976 - Reds' infielder Joe Morgan becomes the first second baseman in 26 years to drive in 100 runs when his third-inning single off Dick Ruthven plates Pete Rose and Ken Grifffey in the team's 6-4 victory in Atlanta. The last second sacker to reach the plateau was Bobby Doerr, who accomplished the feat in 1950 with the Red Sox.

    1979 - Just one defeat shy of the American League record, A's starting pitcher Matt Keough snaps his eighteen-game consecutive losing streak, which includes four losses at the end of of last season. The 24-year old right-hander tosses a 6-1 complete-game victory over the Brewers at the Oakland Coliseum to avoid the dubious distinction.

    1980 - George Bamberger (235-180, .556) announces he will step down as Brewers skipper after tomorrow's game after spending 2+ seasons with Milwaukee. 'Bambi', who will return to the club in 1985 after a two-year stint with the Mets, is replaced in the dugout by Buck Rodgers.

    1982 - Roy Smalley hit a pair of three-run homers, one from each side of the plate, as the Yankees beat the Kansas City Royals 18-7.

    1989 - Deion Sanders, the fifth player selected overall in the 1989 NFL Draft, hits a home run as the Bronx Bombers rout the Mariners at the Kingdome, 12-2. Five days later in his NFL debut with the Atlanta Falcons, the Yankee rookie returns a punt 68 yards for a touchdown.

    1995 - When the game becomes official in the bottom of the fifth inning, Cal Ripken receives a standing ovation for over five minutes from the sellout crowd at Oriole Park at Camden Yards as he ties Yankee legend Lou Gehrig's record of 2,130 consecutive games.

    1998 - Giant rookie Armando Rios hits home runs for his first two major league hits. Expos third baseman Shane Andrews accomplished the same feat on April 27 and 28 in 1995.

    1998 - Mark McGwire becomes the third and quickest player in major league history to hit 60 home runs in a season. 'Big Mac' accomplishes the feat in 141 games as compared to Babe Ruth (154) and Roger Maris (159).

    1998 - Giants outfielder Barry Bonds sets a new National League mark reaching base in 15 consecutive plate appearances. His five singles, two doubles, two homers and six walks during the streak breaks Dodger Pedro Guerrero's mark of 14 established in 1983.

    1999 - The Reds, by hitting five home runs in a 9-7 victory over the Phillies, establish a major league record homering 14 times in two games. Yesterday, Cincinnati set a National League record by hitting nine homers in their 22-3 rout of the Phillies.

    1999 - In the 6000th regular season game in franchise history, the Mets score all their runs in the fifth inning to beat Colorado at Shea Stadium, 6-2. The victory brings New York's overall record to 2826-3166 (.472) with 8 ties, but the team falls just one game shy of breaking even in their last 1000 games.

    2000 - The Chicago Cubs released Matt Karchner.

    2001 - At PacBell Park, Curt Shilling tosses eight innings of five-hit ball to beat San Francisco, 7-2. The 34-year old right-hander, who attended high school in Arizona, becomes the first 20-game winner in the three year history of the franchise.

    2003 - Mike Maroth becomes the first hurler since 1980 to lose 20 games in a season when the Tigers blow a 5-2 lead in an 8-6 Blue Jays victory at the Skydome. Former A's pitcher Brian Kingman, who accomplished the infamous feat 23 years ago, is in attendance in the 19th row at the Skydome with a voodoo doll in an effort to remain the last 20-game loser.

    2003 - Todd Zeile extends his major league record when he homers for his eleventh team in the Expos' 6-2 victory over Florida at Puerto Rico's Hiram Bithorn stadium. The third baseman's first round-tripper with the club is a three-run shot off Mark Redman that puts Montreal ahead in the bottom of the sixth inning, 3-1.

    2006 - In Pittsfield, a Park Square ceremony celebrates the anniversary of the signing of an ordinance which banned baseball from being played in the park. The 1791 bylaw, passed to protect the windows of the Massachusetts town's new meeting house, is believed to be the earliest written reference to baseball.

    2007 - In a 10-2 rout of the Mariners at the Stadium, Alex Rodriguez becomes the fourth player in Yankees history to homer twice in one inning. Prior to the game, the limping third baseman had gone to a hospital to have his sore right ankle examined and needed to talk his way into the lineup upon his return to ballpark.

    2007 - Reds’ infielder Brandon Phillips goes deep for the 28th time this season surpassing Joe Morgan's team record for home runs by a second baseman. The Big Red Machine second sacker hit 27 homers in 1976, the season the Hall of Famer wins his second consecutive MVP award.

    2007 - Due to his outstanding contribution in rebuilding the historic fields of West Tampa Little League, Carl Crawford is named the Devil Rays recipient of the 2007 Roberto Clemente Award. The Tampa Bay outfielder is one of 30 Major League Club nominees for the national award presented by Chevrolet, which is given to the person who has outstanding skills as a ballplayer, and who has a passion for community involvement.

    2007 - Unknown at the time, Bob Sheppard works his last game at Yankee Stadium, a task he has performed over 4,500 times since becoming the team's P.A. announcer in 1951. The 96-year old 'Voice of God' is replaced by his longtime sub Jim Hall and Paul Olden, who will fill the position when the team moves to the new ballpark in 2009.

    2009 - In the seventh inning of the Pirates' 2-1 loss to St. Louis at PNC Park, Ross Ohlendorf strikes out the side on nine pitches becoming only the 41st pitcher in major league history to accomplish the feat. The 27-year old right-hander's victims during his immaculate inning include Redbirds Kevin Greene, Julio Lugo, and Jason LaRue, all who are retired at first base after swinging at pitches in the dirt.

    2010 - Bill Mazeroski looks on as four of his Pirates teammates unveil a 14-foot, 2,000-pound statue commemorating his walk-off home run in Game 7 of the 1960 World Series. The work includes an actual section of the left-center field wall which the second baseman homered over at the 406 mark off Yankee hurler Ralph Terry in the Pirates’ 10-9 victory.


    2010 - Sixty-three year-old Bill Lee allows only two runs and five hits in 5.1 innings in his start for Brockton against Worcester in a Can-Am League contest played at Campanelli Stadium. In his first game in pro ball since being released by the Expos in 1982, the former Red Sox southpaw, known as the Spaceman, becomes the oldest pitcher to earn a victory in professional baseball when the Rox beat Tornadoes, 7-3.

    2010 - The game’s final out in the Twins' 6-5 victory over the Rangers is the result of third base coach Dave Anderson being called for interfering with runner Michael Young. Umpire Alfonso Marquez rules that the runner tapped hands with his coach before stopping and scrambling back to the bag.

    2011 - Craig Counsell pinch hits a ninth-inning single against Houston reliever Enerio Del Rosario to snap an 0-for-45 hitless streak. The Brewers' veteran infielder's first hit since June 10 leaves him tied with Bill Bergen (1909) and Dave Campbell (1973) for the longest drought by a position player without a hit.

    2014 - Masahiro Yamamoto, in his first and only start of the season, becomes Japan's oldest winning pitcher when he tosses five scoreless innings in the Chunichi Dragons’ 6-0 victory over Hanshin at the Nagoya Dome. At the age 49 years, 25 days, the southpaw screwballer surpasses Shinji Hamazak’s mark, who was credited with a win with Hankyu in 1950 when he was of 48 years and 4 months old, but is 125 days younger than Jamie Moyer, the oldest professional player to win a game, accomplishing the feat with the Rockies in 2012.

    2014 - The Rangers, declining to comment on the nature of the matter, announce that Ron Washington has resigned as the team's manager to attend a personal and off-field matters. The 62 year-old skipper, who will be replaced by Tim Bogar through the end of the season on an interim basis, ends his eight-season tenure with Texas with a 664-611 win-loss record, leading the club three playoff appearances, and two trips to the World Series.

    2014 - The Kansas City Royals released Bruce Chen.

    2014 - The Anaheim Angels sold J.B. Shuck to the Cleveland Indians.

    2015 - The Chicago White Sox claimed Mike Olt from the Chicago Cubs on waivers.

    2015 - Bartolo Colon, extending his streak to the 22nd consecutive scoreless innings, shuts out Miami at Marlins Park, 6-0. The 42 year-old right-hander’s performance will be best remembered for his behind-the-back flip, throwing out Justin Bour in the sixth inning of the Marlins Park contest.


    2017 - The Chicago White Sox released Derek Holland.



    Baseball Birthdays on September 5...

    1861 - Davis, Jumbo
    1869 - Stein, Ed
    1872 - Orth, Al
    1873 - Carrick, Bill
    1874 - Boswell, Andy
    1874 - Lajoie, Nap
    1876 - LePine, Pete
    1882 - Kustus, Jul
    1883 - Leifield, Lefty
    1888 - Abbott, Ody
    1892 - Crowell, Cap
    1893 - Rader, Don
    1895 - Jourdan, Ted
    1896 - Gallagher, Gil
    1899 - Bishop, Max
    1900 - Shea, Merv
    1900 - Kamp, Ike
    1905 - McGhee, Bill
    1905 - Musser, Danny
    1911 - Hassett, Buddy
    1915 - Maier, Bob
    1916 - White, Ernie
    1919 - Jordan, Tom
    1919 - Goolsby, Ray
    1920 - Bearden, Gene
    1921 - Shupe, Vince
    1930 - Belardi, Wayne
    1935 - Patton, Tom
    1936 - Mazeroski, Bill
    1942 - Morehead, Dave
    1955 - Patterson, Gil
    1959 - Nelson, Jamie
    1960 - Birtsas, Tim
    1960 - Green, Chris
    1960 - Maldonado, Candy
    1960 - Christensen, John
    1961 - Dozier, Tom
    1963 - Brantley, Jeff
    1964 - Rightnowar, Ron
    1965 - Baldwin, Jeff
    1965 - Richie, Rob
    1970 - Potts, Mike
    1971 - Bevil, Brian
    1972 - Haynes, Jimmy
    1973 - Atchley, Justin
    1974 - Barkett, Andy
    1974 - Maduro, Calvin
    1975 - Barajas, Rod
    1975 - Choate, Randy
    1977 - Hart, Jason
    1978 - Watson, Matt
    1979 - Bartosh, Cliff
    1979 - Spilborghs, Ryan
    1983 - Stevens, Jeff
    1983 - Young, Chris
    1985 - Colvin, Tyler
    1987 - Barnes, Scott
    1989 - Maronde, Nick
    1989 - Walters, Zach
    1993 - Reyes, Pablo



    Baseball Deaths on September 5...

    1909 - Popp, Bill
    1912 - Arundel, Tug
    1920 - Turbidy, Jerry
    1923 - Miller, Dots
    1925 - Huhn, Emil
    1943 - Ferguson, George
    1947 - Ludwig, Bill
    1951 - Keesey, Jim
    1954 - Archdeacon, Maurice
    1962 - Potts, John
    1964 - Stem, Fred
    1966 - Withrow, Frank
    1967 - Tising, Jack
    1969 - O'Neill, Harry
    1973 - Fournier, Jack
    1973 - Davies, Chick
    1976 - O'Neill, Jim
    1982 - Hurd, Tom
    1991 - Christopher, Loyd
    1992 - Herman, Billy
    1992 - Davis, Ron
    1994 - Aguirre, Hank
    2005 - Grossman, Harley
    2017 - Wright, Tom