On July 24 in Baseball History...1882 - Chicago sets a National League record for runs by beating Cleveland 35-4. Seven Chicago players get four or more hits, and six score four or more runs. The record will last until June 29, 1897, when Chicago will pile up thirty-six runs against Louisville.
1909 - At Washington Park, the Superbas sweep a twin bill from the visiting Cardinals with identical 1-0 scores. Brooklyn’s southpaw Nap Rucker, who will finish second in the NL with 200 strikeouts, whiffs out 16 Redbirds in one of the contests.
1911 - At the Palace of the Fans in Cincinnati, the Giants establish a club mark hitting four triples in one game. The plethora of three-baggers, including two legged out by Hall of Fame hurler Rube Marquard as well as one each from Larry Doyle and Chief Meyers, and nine other hits enable New York to beat the Reds, 8-3.
1926 - For the second time this season, Lou Gehrig swipes home on the front end of a double steal with Babe Ruth as the trailing runner. The Yankee first baseman will steal 102 bases during his career with 15 of the thefts being of home plate.
1931 - For the second time in ten days, Babe Herman hits for the cycle. The Dodger outfielder joins "Long John" Reilly and Bob Meusel as one of only three 'tricyclists' to have accomplished the feat of collecting a single, double, triple, and home run in one game three times.
1933 - After leading the team to the National League pennant in 1930 and 1931, skipper Gabby Street is fired mid-season by the Cardinals. Frank Frisch, the Redbirds second baseman, is named as player-manager of the fifth-place club.
1948 - During a Northern League road trip, five teammates of the Duluth minor league club are killed and 19 others are hurt in a bus-truck crash near St. Paul. The injured include future major league manager Mel McGaha and Elmer Schoendienst, brother of Cardinals’ infielder, Red.
1948 - Six days after hitting four homers in one game, White Sox outfielder Pat Seerey again makes the record book becoming the first major leaguer to strike out seven times in a doubleheader.1949 - In the opener of a twin bill at Griffith Stadium, Indians’ hurler Bob Lemon helps his cause by hitting two home runs in a 7-5 victory over the Senators. Cleveland completes the sweep when Gene Beardon gets the victory in the Tribe's 5-2 win in the nightcap.
1951 - At cavernous Forbes Field, Giants' outfielder Willie Mays, unable to reach across his body to make a catch with his glove of Rocky Nelson's sinking 457-foot blast to deep center, sticks out his bare right hand and grabs the ball on a full gallop to make the incredible final out of the inning. Venerable Branch Rickey, Pittsburgh's general manager, sends a note to the New York dugout during the game to tell the 20-year rookie, "That was the finest catch I have ever seen, and the finest I ever expect to see".
1956 - Under cloudy skies, former first baseman/outfielder Hank Greenberg and infielder Joe Cronin, currently serving as general managers for the Tigers and Red Sox respectively, are inducted into the Hall of Fame as more than 8,500 fans witness the impressive ceremony. The former Detroit slugger becomes the first Jewish player to be enshrined in Cooperstown.
1961 - In a mid-season exhibition match at Yankee Stadium, the San Francisco Giants beat their former cross-town rivals, 4-1. Mickey Mantle’s homer accounts for the only Bronx Bombers run and Willie Mays has two RBIs for the visiting ‘Jints’.
1962 - With the score tied 4-4, Cookie Lavagetto, filling in for manager Casey Stengel, who is attending his brother’s funeral, brings in Bob G. Miller, not to be confused with Bob L. Miller also on the team, to face Braves backstop Del Crandall to start the bottom of the 12th inning. The first and only ball the southpaw reliever, convinced by the struggling team to come out of retirement because he needed only 18 more days of major league service to qualify for the players' pension plan, throws is hit over the left field wall at County Stadium resulting in one pitch, one hit, one run, and one loss.
1968 - In a 2-1 loss to the A's, White Sox hurler Hoyt Wilhelm breaks Cy Young's record as he makes his 907th career appearance. The knuckleballer will retire in 1972 after pitching in 1,070 games. 1970 - At Shea Stadium, Tommy Agee steals home with two outs in the bottom of the tenth inning giving New York a 2-1 walk-off victory over the Dodgers. After reaching on a fielder's choice, the Mets center fielder stole second, advanced to third on a wild pitch, before scoring the winning run with his swipe of the plate.
1973 - Although not selected, Willie Mays appears in his last All-Star game thanks to Commissioner Bowie Kuhn increasing the player limit so the 'Say Hey Kid' could participate in the Midsummer Classic. Bobby Bonds, a Giants teammate of Mays, homers and doubles in the National League's 7-1 victory over the AL at Royals Stadium in Kansas City.
1974 - Whitey Lockman becomes the team’s director of player development, and will be replaced as the Cubs manager by third base coach Jim Marshall. During his three-year stint in the dugout, the Lowell, North Carolina native compiled a 157-162 (.492) record.
1977 - Seattle's John Montague pitches 6 1/3 innings of perfect relief against California, giving him thirty-three consecutive batsmen retired over two games to tie the American League record.
1977 - After his two-out foul pop-up is dropped by Mets' right fielder Bruce Boisclair, Davey Lopes responds with game-ending three-run home run off Bob Apodaca. The L.A. second baseman's ninth inning dramatics provide the Dodgers with a 5-3 win, and spoils the opportunity for a victory for Nino Espinosa, who left the game needing just one more out for a complete-game victory.
1978 - Pete Rose singles twice during the Reds' 5-3 win over the Mets, extending his hitting streak to thirty-seven games to tie the modern Major League record held by Tommy Holmes. Mets pitcher Pat Zachry, after allowing Rose's first hit, kicks the dugout steps in anger, breaking his foot and ending his season.
1978 - Billy Martin resigns as Yankee manager and is replaced by Bob Lemon. The Bronx Bombers will win a World Championship with their new skipper this season.
1979 - Going deep off A's hurler Mike Morgan at Fenway Park, Red Sox first baseman Carl Yastrzemski becomes the 18th major leaguer and seventh in the American League to hit 400 home runs. 'Captain Carl' will end his 23-year career with 452 homers.
1983 - In the memorable Pine Tar Game at Yankee Stadium, George Brett hits an apparent 2-run home run off Rich Gossage to give the Royals a 5-4 lead with two outs in the ninth inning. But Yankees manager Billy Martin points out that the pine tar on Brett's bat handle exceeds the seventeen inches allowed in the rules. As a result, Brett is called out for illegally batting the ball, giving New York a 4-3 victory. The Royals immediately protest, and American League President Lee MacPhail overrules his umpires for the first time saying that, while the rules should certainly be rewritten and clarified, the home run will stand and the game will be resumed from that point on August 18.
1993 - In a 5-4 loss to the Dodgers at Chavez Ravine, Mets right-hander Anthony Young extends his record losing streak to 27 games. The latest defeat is the result of the hard-luck hurler walking Dave Hansen in with the winning run with two outs in the 10th inning.
1993 - Mets outfielder Vince Coleman throws an explosive device - the equivalent of a quarter stick of dynamite - at fans after a game at Dodger Stadium. Amanda Santos, 2, suffers injuries to her cheek, finger and eye, and two others complain of injuries as well. Prosecutors decide to charge Coleman with a felony rather than a misdemeanor because of the explosive's strength and the amount of damage. The Mets later announce the high-priced Coleman will never again play for the team; he doesn't.
1999 - The Yankees rout the Indians 21-1 for their team’s largest margin of victory in 46 years. The Bronx Bombers' designated hitter Chili Davis goes 5-for-6 along with six RBIs in the late Saturday afternoon contest played at the ballpark in the Bronx.
1999 - The Red Sox blast seven home runs‚ one shy of the club record, in an 11-4 rout of Detroit at Tiger Stadium. Boston right fielder Trot Nixon contributes to the offensive onslaught with three home runs and five RBIs.
2000 - Ivan Rodriguez (.347, 27, 83) breaks his thumb when it is struck by Mo Vaughn's bat swinging on a third strike as the American League MVP attempts to throw out a runner stealing second base. The Texas Rangers' all-star catcher will miss the rest of the season.
2004 - Another saga is added to the Red Sox-Yankee rivalry after Red Sox starter Bronson Arroyo hits Alex Rodriguez, last night’s hero with a game-winning homer, with a pitch. As A-Rod stares out at the mound on his way to first, Boston’s catcher Jason Varitek, after a verbal exchange, pushes his glove into the All-star third baseman's face initiating a bench-clearing brawl between the divisional foes.
2004 - During the third inning at Warner Park, the approximately 5000 fans attending the minor league contest between the Wisconsin Woodchucks and the home town Madison Mallards set an American record for most people brushing their teeth at the same time. Next season, in another Northern League promotion, Winnipeg sets the Canadian record for the most fans simultaneous tooth brushing in a game against Calgary.
2006 - The Kansas City Royals traded Mike MacDougal to the Chicago White Sox in exchange for Tyler Lumsden and Dan Cortes.2007 - At a press conference, an emotional Craig Biggio announces he will retire after this season bringing his 20-year career as the longest tenured player in Astro history to an end. The newest member of the 3,000 hit club, the only player in All-Star history to appear in the game as a catcher and a second baseman, played a major role in Houston’s four division titles and the team's only National League pennant.
2009 - The Phillies trade outfielder Mark Whiten to the Red Sox for first baseman Dave Hollins, who will play only five games for Boston. 'Hard Hittin' Mike Whiten will hit .254 appearing in 120 contests over two seasons for the 'Fightin' Phils'.
2009 - On the day he is traded by the A’s to the Cardinals for prospects Brett Wallace, Clayton Mortensen, and Shane Peterson, Matt Holliday collects four hits, drives in a run, and steals a base in his debut with St. Louis. Having hurried from New York, where his former team was continuing a series with the Yankees, the outfielder had to borrow a glove and shoes from his new teammates prior to the Redbirds’ 8-1 victory at Citizens Bank Park.
2010 - After 18 consecutive losses in Cleveland, the Rays finally beat the hometown Indians for the the first time in nearly five years. With the 6-3 victory over the Tribe, Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon snaps an 0-21 personal losing streak as the visiting manager that began when he was California’s interim skipper in 1996.
2011 - Former Blue Jays, Orioles, Mariners and Phillies general manager Pat Gillick, life-time .300 hitter Roberto Alomar, and Burt Blyleven, ninth on the all-time list with 60 shutouts, are inducted into the Hall of Fame. Gillick won two World Series rings (1992-93) in Toronto with Alomar as his second baseman, and Blyleven helped the Twins win the 1987 Fall Classic as well as playing for the Pirates team that won it all in 1979.
2011 - Losing 12-8 in Boston, the Mariners establish a new team-worst losing streak with their 15th straight defeat. The Fenway contest features a milestone for BoSox starter Tim Wakefield when catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia holds on to Mike Carp's foul tip to end the sixth inning for the knuckleballer's 2,000th strikeout, a mark accomplished only once previously in franchise history by Roger Clemens.
2012 - The Boston Red Sox traded Brent Lillibridge to the Cleveland Indians in exchange for Jose de la Torre.
2012 - Jordany Valdespin sets a new Mets single-season record when he hits his fifth pinch-hit home run of the season in the team's 5-2 loss to Washington at Citi Field. The 24 year-old's accomplishment also ties Cliff Johnson (Astros, 1974) for the second-highest single-season total ever recorded by a rookie, trailing only Craig Wilson, who was a freshman with the Pirates in 2001 when he tied Dave Hansen’s major-league mark for pinch-homers with seven.
2014 - While singing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame ” during the seventh-inning stretch, Andy Milovich, the 45 year-old vice president and general manager of the Class-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans, is given a prostate exam in the TicketReturn.com Field press box. The first 1,000 men attending the Carolina League contest against the Winston-Salem Dash received a promotional foam rubber finger.
2014 - The Minnesota Twins traded Kendrys Morales to the Seattle Mariners in exchange for Stephen Pryor.
2015 - Michael Conforto becomes the 1,000th player in Mets history when he makes his major league debut, going 0-3 in the team’s 7-2 loss to the Dodgers at Citi Field. Tomorrow, the 24 year-old rookie left fielder will enjoy a 4-for-4 day at the plate when he will collect three singles and a double en route scoring four runs.
2015 - The Chicago White Sox sold Conor Gillaspie to the Anaheim Angels.
2017 - The Chicago White Sox signed Danny Farquhar as a free agent.Baseball Birthdays on July 24...1850 - Miller, Joe
1863 - McCarthy, Tommy
1864 - Clements, Jack
1871 - Smith, Harvey
1873 - Wall, Joe
1875 - Stovall, Jesse
1878 - Lindsay, Chris
1893 - Schultz, Joe
1900 - Lyle, Jim
1901 - Adams, Bob
1905 - Montague, Ed
1912 - Carrasquel, Alex (Chico's uncle)1916 - Hahn, Dick
1916 - Flair, Al
1921 - Conatser, Clint
1922 - Pillette, Duane
1924 - Davis, Tod
1927 - Ward, Preston
1940 - Blackaby, Ethan
1942 - Nash, Cotton1948 - Adams, Mike
1952 - Augustine, Jerry
1960 - Kaiser, Jeff
1964 - Bonds, Barry
1965 - Oliver, Joe
1968 - Lukachyk, Rob
1972 - Wooten, Shawn
1973 - Larkin, Stephen
1973 - Nakamura, Norihiro
1975 - Ortega, Bill
1976 - Bump, Nate
1977 - Smith, Jason
1979 - Speier, Ryan
1979 - Valverde, Jose
1983 - Rodriguez, Guilder
1986 - Socolvich , Miguel
1986 - Van Slyke, Scott
Baseball Deaths on July 24...1887 - McKinnon, Alex
1889 - McElroy, Jim
1899 - Korwan, Jim
1900 - Zahner, Fred
1919 - Begley, Ed
1921 - Dugan, Bill
1929 - Miller, George
1932 - Quinn, Tom
1935 - Crowell, Billy
1951 - Fisher, Ed
1958 - Barnes, Virgil
1963 - Roy, Luther
1970 - Green, Harvey
1971 - Suter, Harry1978 - Hunt, Joel
1982 - Storti, Lin
1985 - Kleinhans, Ted
1988 - Lane, Jerry
1988 - Orengo, Joe1989 - Kimmick, Wally
1990 - Woehr, Andy
1991 - Carter, Howie
1993 - Armstrong, George
2002 - Coscarart, Pete
2002 - Silvera, Al
2002 - White, Barney
2011 - Palm, Mike
2016 - Nagy, Steve