Posted Under: This Day in History
Contributed by Ryan Campbell
Events
1880 – George Wright turns down his contract offer from the Providence Grays, sitting out the entire season except for one game, becoming the first victim of the reserve clause.
1957 – Don Hoak of Cincinnati purposely interferes with a groundball hit to the shortstop. He is called out, while the batter is safe. This lead to the rule we know today where both the runner and batter are called out in the event of baserunner interference.
1994 – Eddie Murray hits a home run from both sides of the plate in the same game for the 11th time, breaking Mickey Mantle’s record.
1996 – Brady Anderson hits a home run to lead-off the first inning for the fourth consecutive game. He would finish the season with 50 home runs.
2000 – Anaheim Angels teammates Mo Vaughn, Tim Salmon and Troy Glaus each hit home runs in the 4th and 9th innings, marking the first time in Major League history that the same three teammates hit home runs in two separate innings.
Births
1957 – Relief pitcher Jesse Orosco, whose career started in 1979, included All-Star appearances in ’83 and ’84, and ended in 2003. He holds the record for most career pitching appearances with 1252.
1963 – Ken Kaminiti, the 1996 NL MVP who would later admit to steroid use and died at the age of 41.
Deaths
1993 – Hal Schumacher, a two-time All-Star who won 158 for the New York Giants.
