On October 14 in Baseball History...

    1905 - Christy Mathewson blanked the Philadelphia Athletics 2-0 to give the New York Giants the World Series in five games. All were shutouts, with Mathewson getting three, Joe McGinnity one, and Chief Bender of Philadelphia one.

    1906 - The White Sox, known as baseball's 'hitless wonders' complete their unbelievable World Series upset of their powerful crosstown rivals beating the Cubs, 8-3 at South Side Park. The Cubs had won a record 116 regular season games. The White Sox jump on Three Finger Brown for seven runs in the first two innings and coast behind Doc White to a Series-ending victory. The losers share of $439.50 for the Cubs is the lowest ever.

    1908 - In front of the smallest crowd in World Series history, Chicago, behind the strong pitching of Orval Overall, beat the Tigers in just 85 minutes to capture the Fall Classic. The 6,210 fans, witnessing the fifth and final World Series game at Detroit's Bennett Park, have no idea it will be the last time the Cubs will win a World Championship in the next 100+ years.

    1909 - George Mullin outlasts three Pirates pitchers for a 5-4 win that sends the World Series to a seventh game in Detroit. This is the first World Series to go the limit.

    1929 - The Philadelphia A's rallied for three runs in the ninth inning to beat the Chicago Cubs 3-2 and take the World Series in five games. Mule Haas' two-run homer tied the game and Bing Miller's RBI double won the game.

    1952 - The Reds obtain outfielder Gus Bell from the Pirates in exchange for Cal Abrams, Gail Henley and Joe Rossi. The newest Cincinnati flychaser, considered one of general manager Gabe Paul's best acquisitions for the team, will become a fan favorite and will hit .288 during his nine-year tenure in the Queen City.

    1964 - Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle hit home runs on back-to-back pitches from Curt Simmons, and Joe Pepitone belts a grand slam in Game Six. New York wins 8-3 at St. Louis and evens the World Series.

    1965 - Sandy Koufax tossed his second shutout to give the Los Angeles Dodgers a 2-0 victory over the Minnesota Twins and the World Series in seven games.

    1968 - In the NL expansion draft, the Expos choose 30 players, including Maury Wills, Jim Grant, Donn Clendenon and Manny Mota. San Diego's 30 selections include Dave Giusti, Nate Colbert, Zoilo Versalles, Al McBean and Cito Gaston.

    1969 - Thanks to two great catches by Tommy Agee at Shea Stadium, the Mets beat the Orioles to take a 2-1 game lead in the World Series. The center fielder's outfield heroics save the team at least five runs in the 5-0 victory over Baltimore.

    1971 - Pittsburgh's Nelson Briles threw a two-hitter against the Orioles for a 4-0 victory which gave the Pirates a 3-2 edge in the World Series.

    1972 - In Game 1 of the World Series, Gene Tenace, who went 1-for-17 in the ALCS, becomes the first player in history to hit two home runs in his first two at-bats in the Fall Classic. His second and fifth inning homers account for all of the A’s runs in the team’s 3-2 victory over the Reds at Riverfront Stadium, and earn the Oakland catcher a $5,000 bonus from the usually tight-fisted owner of the club, Charlie O. Finley.

    1973 - The Mets win Game Two of the World Series, 10-7, scoring four runs in an 11th inning that features the last major league hit by Willie Mays and two errors by Oakland second baseman Mike Andrews. Finley subsequently puts Andrews on the disabled list in a move that will be questioned and then reversed.

    1975 - The Reds took a 2-1 lead in the World Series with a controversial 6-5, 10-inning victory over the Boston Red Sox in Cincinnati. In the 10th, Reds pinch-hitter Ed Armbrister attempted a sacrifice bunt and bounced the ball in front of the plate. Catcher Carlton Fisk, in an attempt to field the ball, collided with Armbrister and threw the ball into center in an attempt to force Cesar Geronimo at second. Geronimo went to third -- and later scored the game-winner -- and Armbrister moved to second. Home plate umpire Larry Barnett ruled there was no interference despite heated protests by the Red Sox.

    1976 - The Yankees dramatically win their 30th pennant on Chris Chambliss' home run in the bottom of the ninth inning. The first baseman's walk-off solo shot beats the Royals in Game Five and the deciding contest of the ALCS, 7-6.

    1983 - At Veterans Stadium, Jim Palmer pitches two innings of scoreless relief and gets the win as the Orioles beat the Phillies in Game 3 of the World Series, 3-2. The Hall of Famer becomes the only pitcher in baseball history to win a Fall Classic game in the three different decades.

    1984 - With the Tigers leading 5-4 in the eighth inning of Game 5 of the World Series, Kirk Gibson hits his second home run of the game, a three-run blast to the upper deck in right field, putting the game out of reach to give the Motor City its fourth World Championship in franchise history. Padres manager Dick Williams had ordered his pitcher to intentionally walk the Detroit right fielder, but Goose Gossage, after ignoring the walk sign at first, convinces his skipper he can get the slugger out, only to be proven wrong two pitches later.

    1984 - The Tigers' 8-4 clinching victory over the Padres marks the last time the World Series is played outdoors in sunlight. A single day Fall Classic game is scheduled in 1987, but the contest is played indoors at Metrodome in Minnesota.

    1985 - Ozzie Smith provides one of the most memorable moments in Cardinals history by hitting a dramatic homer to win Game 5 of the NLCS. The round-tripper was the first left handed home run of the Wizard's career which spans 3009 major league at-bats.

    1986 - Riding the momentum from their dramatic come-from-behind 7-6 extra inning win to stave off elimination in California, the Red Sox cruise to a 10-4 win over the Angels. The Fenway Park victory evens the ALCS at 3-3.

    1992 - In Game 7 of the NLCS, Francisco Cabrera's ninth inning, two-out pinch hit single tallies two runs giving the Braves a stunning comeback victory, 3-2 over the Pirates. The backup catcher had only three hits during the regular season. 

    1992 - The Toronto Blue Jays became the first Canadian team to reach the Series with a 9-2 win over the Oakland Athletics in Game 6 of the American League championship series.

    1997 - At Turner Field, Kevin Brown tosses an 11-hit complete game to capture the Marlins' first National League pennant. The flag, captured in only the fifth year of the team’s existence, is clinched in Game 6 of the NLCS when Florida beats Tom Glavine and the Braves, 7-4.

    1998 - The San Diego Padres reached the World Series for the first time since 1984, shutting down the Atlanta Braves' comeback bid behind MVP Sterling Hitchc0ck for a 5-0 victory in Game 6 of the NL championship series.

    2000 - Giving the Yankees a 3-1 lead in the ALCS, Roger Clemens strikes out a record-setting 15 batters and one-hits the Mariners, 5-0.

    2002 - Light-hitting second baseman Adam Kennedy becomes the fifth player to hit three homers in a postseason game helping the Angels to secure their first World Series berth in the team's 42-year history. Using a ten-run seventh inning, Anaheim beats the Twins 13-5 to capture the ALCS in five games.

    2002 - Ending the regular season with a record of 90-46-1, Japan's Seibu Lions post the Pacific League's highest win total in 46 years. Alex Cabrera fails to hit a home run in the team's last five games and has to settle with tying the single season home run record with 55 along with Sadaharu Oh (1964) and Tuffy Rhodes (2001).

    2003 - Holding a 3-0 lead and needing only five more outs to go the World Series for the first time since 1945, the Cubs give up eight runs, on five hits, three walks and an error to the Marlins. The team appears to come apart after a fan, later identified as Steve Bartman, sitting along the left-field line at Wrigley Field, tries to catch a foul ball that was about to be caught by Chicago outfielder Moises Alou for the second out of the inning.

    2003 - The Giants announced that Pac Bell will be renamed SBC Park. The new name will change once again after the 2005 season as the result of the SBC merger with AT&T.

    2005 - The White Sox take a two games to one lead over the Angels in the ALCS behind a complete game 5-2 win by Jon Garland.  Paul Konerko leads the way with three RBI and three hits including a 2-run first inning homer.

    2005 - After negotiations have broken down with their skipper, the A’s line up five candidates to replace outgoing manager Ken Macha, who appears to be the top choice for many other teams. A week later, GM Billy Beane and his former field boss agree to a surprising new three-year deal.

    2006 - With a 6-3 victory in Game 4 of the ALCS, Jim Leyland's Tigers sweep the A's to win the American League pennant for the first time since 1984. Magglio Ordonez's dramatic walk-off three-run homer sets off a wild celebration at Comerica Park by the fans, who suffered through an historic 119 loss season just three years ago.

    2006 - Silas Simmons, the oldest former professional baseball player of all time, celebrates his 111th birthday. The 17th-oldest person in the country, born the same year as Babe Ruth, is joined by former players of the Negro Leagues and receives a 1913 Homestead Grays jersey with No. 111 stitched beneath his name from Steve Henderson of the Devil Rays at his home in the Westminster Suncoast retirement community in St. Petersburg.

    2010 - In a widely anticipated hiring, the Braves sign Fredi Gonzalez to replace their long-time legendary manager Bobby Cox, who retired at the end of the season. Atlanta's new skipper, who served as the team’s third-base coach from 2003-06, was unexpectedly fired in June by the Marlins, a move which may have been prompted by the benching of shortstop Hanley Ramirez for not hustling.

    2015 - In a game that includes the benches clearing twice, the Blue Jays advance to the ALCS, defeating the Rangers, 6-3, in the decisive game 5. Toronto overcomes a one-run deficit, thanks to three straight errors by Texas to start the bottom of the seventh inning, followed by a three-run homer hit Jose Bautista, who irks the opponents with an exaggerated bat flip while admiring his third-deck shot at the Rogers Centre.




    Baseball Birthdays on October 14...

    1842 - Start, Joe
    1853 - Waitt, Charlie
    1857 - Poorman, Tom
    1858 - Andrus, Wiman
    1861 - Radford, Paul
    1863 - Baker, Norm
    1864 - Chatterton, Jim
    1866 - Abbey, Charlie
    1868 - Underwood, Fred
    1871 - Eiteljorge, Ed
    1872 - Sullivan, Suter
    1882 - Jackson, George
    1883 - Huston, Harry
    1884 - Davidson, Homer
    1885 - Leard, Bill
    1885 - Olson, Ivy
    1886 - Walsh, Joe
    1886 - Dodd, Ona
    1888 - Becker, Charlie
    1891 - Gallia, Bert
    1897 - McIlree, Vance
    1909 - Ripple, Jimmy
    1913 - Casey, Hugh
    1914 - Brecheen, Harry
    1915 - Macon, Max
    1915 - Heintzelman, Ken
    1924 - Jolly, Dave
    1924 - Renna, Bill
    1934 - Cheney, Tom
    1940 - Harper, Tommy
    1940 - Sorrell, Bill
    1941 - Shamsky, Art
    1944 - Robertson, Rich
    1945 - Silverio, Tom
    1946 - Oliver, Al
    1946 - Duffy, Frank
    1948 - Figueroa, Ed
    1948 - Strom, Brent
    1953 - Garcia, Kiko
    1954 - Aikens, Willie
    1955 - Vega, Jesus
    1960 - Bathe, Bill
    1962 - Nichols, Carl
    1964 - Girardi, Joe
    1967 - Kelly, Pat
    1967 - Hajek, Dave
    1968 - Shinall, Zak
    1969 - Ortiz, Hector
    1971 - Cummings, Midre
    1974 - Sabel, Erik
    1976 - Mateo, Henry
    1978 - Church, Ryan
    1981 - Bonser, Boof
    1982 - Gil, Jerry
    1982 - Marmol, Carlos
    1983 - Arias, Alberto
    1984 - Johnson, Kris
    1987 - Calhoun, Kole
    1988 - Maness, Seth
    1990 - Cuevas, William



    Baseball Deaths on October 14...

    1890 - Williams, Gus
    1891 - Corcoran, Larry
    1915 - Reidy, Bill
    1919 - Blake, Harry
    1922 - Wright, Rasty
    1927 - Hughes, Ed
    1928 - Milligan, Billy
    1928 - Stuart, Bill
    1929 - Borden, Joe
    1931 - Niehaus, Al
    1934 - Cox, Les
    1944 - Hartsel, Topsy
    1945 - Tyler, Fred
    1949 - Westervelt, Huyler
    1950 - Fields, Jocko
    1952 - Banning, Jim
    1954 - Swanson, Bill
    1961 - Southwick, Clyde
    1968 - Brenton, Lynn
    1971 - Prothro, Doc
    1985 - Bluege, Ossie
    1988 - Raschi, Vic
    1988 - Hood, Abie
    1998 - Galehouse, Denny
    2001 - Sankey, Ben
    2003 - Culmer, Wil
    2007 - Bruckbauer, Fred
    2007 - Friend, Owen
    2008 - Tresh, Tom
    2013 - Bell, Wally
    2017 - Webb, Daniel