Hey everyone, welcome to the weekly show where we look back and forward at some of the biggest news stories affecting the sport we love. Whether it's a broken home run record, a famous player’s birth, or a significant franchise trade, we'll have it covered.
If you’re accessing this podcast, you’ve already listened to our main show, Rounders: A History of Baseball in America. Thanks so much for continuing to support both of these projects.
So let’s get the show going and recap this week's memorable historical moments.
This Week’s Memorable Moments
June 18, 1977: Yankees OF Reggie Jackson Almost Punches His Coach on Live TV
The Red Sox were facing off against the Yankees at Fenway Park, with Boston up 7-3 in the 6th inning. Reggie Jackson, the Yankees' right fielder, made a half-hearted attempt to field a ball hit by Jim Rice of the Red Sox, turning what should have been a single into a double.
This incident led to a heated confrontation between Jackson and Yankees' manager Billy Martin, who was so upset that he replaced Jackson with Paul Blair on the field, leading to a near-physical altercation.
Bench coach Elston Howard separated the two. As Jackson headed towards the visitor's clubhouse, Martin attempted to follow him but was held back by his coaches again. The incident was captured on national television, contributing to the Yankees' reputation for out-of-control behavior, dubbed by the media as the "Bronx Zoo". The Yankees went on to lose the game 10-4.
June 19, 1884: Eddie Cicotte, the First Great Knuckleballer, Was Born
Edward Victor Cicotte, known as "Knuckles," was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball, most notably with the Chicago White Sox. Born on June 19, 1884, in Springwells, Michigan, Cicotte had a successful career with 208 wins and 149 losses over 14 years.
However, he is best remembered for his alleged involvement in the Black Sox scandal during the 1919 World Series, which led to his permanent ineligibility from professional baseball. After his baseball career, Cicotte returned to Michigan, where he worked for the Ford Motor Company until his retirement in 1944. He passed away on May 5, 1969, in Detroit, Michigan.
June 20, 1973: Bobby Bonds Breaks the Record For Lead-off HRs
Bobby Bonds, an all-star outfielder for the Pittsburgh Pirates and father of Barry Bonds, made history on this day. In a game against the Reds, Bonds led off with a home run off Don Gullett, marking his 22nd career leadoff home run.
This achievement broke Lou Brock's National League record for the most leadoff long balls. Despite this personal accomplishment, the Giants lost the game to the Reds with a score of 7-5. In the 1973 season, Bonds hit a career-high 39 home runs and led the league with 341 total bases and 131 runs scored, finishing third in the NL MVP Awards race.
June 21, 1950: Joltin’ Joe Gets His 2,000th Hit
During a game against the Indians, Joe DiMaggio secured his 2,000th career hit with a 7th-inning single off pitcher Marino Pieretti. This accomplishment contributed to the Yankees' 8-2 victory in that game.
With this achievement, DiMaggio joined the ranks of Luke Appling and Wally Moses, becoming one of the only active players at the time with 2,000 or more hits. This record further solidified DiMaggio's status as one of the greats in baseball history.
June 22, 1932: The National League Approves Numbers on Uniforms.
At a meeting of club presidents, the National League finally approved players wearing numbers on jerseys. The American League had started back in 1929 when the Cleveland Indians featured numbers on the back of their jerseys.
This innovation was introduced to help scorekeepers, broadcasters, and fans more easily identify players. By the 1937 season, every MLB team had adopted the practice of displaying numbers on the backs of jerseys.
The Chicago White Sox were the first team to add names on the back of their jerseys in 1960, while the Yankees still remain the only team to adopt the practice.
Note: The Red Sox and Giants also do not display names on the backs of jerseys for homes games, but do so on their away jerseys.
June 23, 1917: Babe Ruth Punches an Umpire During a Game
In a baseball match between Boston and Washington, Babe Ruth, the starting pitcher for Boston, thought the plate umpire, Brick Owens, wasn’t calling strikes correctly.
The situation escalated when, after a fourth-called ball was issued to the hitter, Ruth rushed the umpire and landed a punch right on Owens' jaw. This led to Ruth's ejection from the game, and teammate Ernie Shore replaced him.
Shore retired all the remaining 26 batters he faced and led Boston to a 4-0 victory.
June 24, 1979: Rickey Henderson Makes His Major League Debut
The King of the Steal, Rickey Henderson, started his first game for the Oakland Athletics. He hit a single and a double in four at-bats and stole the first base of his big-league career. Unfortunately, the A’s ended up losing the game 5-1.
June 25, 1995: The Big Cat Hits 3 Homers in 3 Straight Innings
Rockies first baseman Andres Galarraga becomes the fourth player to homer in three consecutive innings in an 11-3 win over the Padres. Galarraga, who had seven RBI in the game, went deep in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings and was on deck when the Rockies were retired in the ninth.
Thanks for Being a Subscriber to Rounders
That's all for this edition of This Week in Baseball History. Be sure to check back next week for more memorable moments and from baseball’s rich past.
This Week in Baseball History: June 18-25