Intro:
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So let’s get the show going, starting with memorable historical moments that happened this week.
This Week’s Memorable Moments:
June 26, 1944: Three Teams Compete in a Tri-Cornered Baseball Game
The Tri-Cornered Baseball Game was a unique and memorable event that took place on June 26, 1944. The game was played at the Polo Grounds in New York City, and it featured the three major league teams: the Brooklyn Dodgers, the New York Giants, and the New York Yankees.
The game was a round-robin format, with each team batting and fielding during six innings, and then resting for the other three innings. The Dodgers won, scoring five runs to the Yankees' one run and the Giants' zero runs.
The event was a success on both a financial and a popular level. The game raised nearly $4.5 million in war bonds, and over 50,000 fans attended it. The game is considered one of the most unique and memorable baseball games ever played, and it is a testament to the ingenuity and patriotism of the people of New York City during World War II.
June 27, 1986: Robby Thompson Gets Caught Stealing FOUR TIMES in One Game
On June 27, 1986, Robby Thompson of the San Francisco Giants set a major league record when he was caught stealing four times in a single game. Despite Thompson's baserunning blunders, the Giants won 7-6 in 12 innings.
Thompson's feat is even more remarkable, considering he was a rookie then. He showed great hustle and determination, even when he was getting caught stealing.
He never gave up on a play and always tried to make the best of a bad situation. Thompson's four caught stealings are still a major league record, and it is unlikely that anyone will ever break that record.
June 28, 1986: Two 300-Game Winners Get Locked in a Pitching Duel
Phil Niekro of the Cleveland Indians and Don Sutton of the California Angels became the first 300-game winners to start against each other in this century. Neither Niekro nor Sutton got a decision as the Angels scored six runs in the bottom of the eighth to win, 9-3.
Phil Niekro was a knuckleball pitcher who played 24 seasons for the Braves, New York Yankees, Cleveland Indians, and Toronto Blue Jays. He won 318 games, the most by a knuckleballer in MLB history. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1997.
Don Sutton was a right-handed pitcher who played 23 seasons for the Dodgers, Houston Astros, Milwaukee Brewers, Oakland Athletics, and California Angels. He won 324 games, the most by any pitcher in Los Angeles Dodgers history. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1998.
June 29, 1995: Hideo Nomo No-No’s 50 Batters in Four Games
On June 29, 1995, Hideo Nomo of the Los Angeles Dodgers struck out 13 Colorado Rockies in a 3-0 victory. This gave him 50 strikeouts in 4 games, breaking the Los Angeles record of 49 set by Sandy Koufax 30 years earlier.
Nomo was a dominant force on the mound that day. He allowed just 4 hits and 0 walks and faced 29 batters. He threw 126 pitches, 80 of which were strikes. This was his second consecutive start with 13 strikeouts. He had also struck out 13 batters in a win over the San Diego Padres on June 24.
Nomo's performance on June 29 showed his growing dominance in the major leagues. He had come to the Dodgers in 1995 after a successful career in Japan, and he was quickly becoming one of the best pitchers in baseball.
Nomo would win the National League Rookie of the Year Award in 1995 and be named to the All-Star team in 1995 and 1996. He would also pitch a no-hitter in 1996.
June 30, 1908: Cy Young Becomes the Oldest Pitcher to Throw a No-Hitter
On June 30, 1908, Cy Young of the Boston Red Sox pitched his third career no-hitter, an 8-0 victory over the New York Highlanders. Young was 41 years and 3 months old at the time, making him the oldest pitcher to throw a no-hitter. Nolan Ryan would break the record in 1990 at the age of 43.
Young was a dominant force on the mound that day. He allowed just 1 walk and faced just 27 batters. He threw 108 pitches, 72 of which were strikes.
The Red Sox offense also contributed to the victory. They scored 8 runs on 11 hits, including a 3-run home run by Harry Hooper.
Young's no-hitter was a highlight of his Hall of Fame career. He won 511 games in his career, the most by any pitcher in MLB history. He also pitched 749 complete games and 7,356 innings.
July 1, 1945: The First of Baseball’s Superstars Returns from Service in WW2
Hank Greenberg was one of the most feared hitters in baseball before he was drafted into the Army Air Corps in 1941. He had been a 2-time MVP and had led the American League in home runs 4 times.
Greenberg was released from the Army in June 1945, and he returned to the Detroit Tigers on July 1. He was greeted by a sellout crowd of 47,700 at Briggs Stadium, and he homered in his first at-bat against Charlie Gassaway of the Philadelphia Athletics.
Greenberg's home run helped the Tigers to a 9-5 victory, and it was a sign of things to come. He went on to hit 25 home runs and drive in 74 runs in the second half of the season, helping the Tigers to win the American League pennant.
Greenberg's return to baseball was a major boost for the game. He was a national hero, and his return helped to boost attendance and interest in baseball. He also helped to inspire other players who were serving in the military, and his return showed that baseball was still going strong even during wartime.
July 2, 1963: The National League’s Longest Game Ends 31 Minutes Past Midnight
This game between the San Francisco Giants and the Milwaukee Braves on July 2, 1963, was a classic pitchers' duel that went down to the wire.
Pitchers Juan Marichal and Warren Spahn went the distance, and Willie Mays scored the only game run in the bottom of the 16th inning. Mays' home run off Spahn was the longest game-ending home run in National League history at the time.
The game was originally scheduled to start at 8:30 PM, but a power outage delayed it for 2 hours and 14 minutes. The game lasted 3 hours and 31 minutes, making it the longest game in National League history at the time.
The game was attended by 32,178 fans, who were treated to a thrilling contest. Marichal allowed just 2 hits and 1 walk, while Spahn allowed just 3 hits and 1 walk. Both pitchers were masterful, and the game came down to a single bat swing.
Conclusion
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 26 - July 2