April 13

From BR Bullpen

Events, births and deaths that occurred on April 13.

[edit] Events

• 1900 - At the request of club owners in Cincinnati and New York, the National League bans umpire Tim Hurst, considered the most colorful, cantankerous ump, from working in cities whose club owners "object to having a man of that type associated with their grounds, where ladies and gentlemen watch the games."
• 1914 - The Baltimore Terrapins host the very first game in Federal League history, defeating the Buffalo Buffeds, 3 - 2, behind the strong pitching of Jack Quinn. A crowd estimated at 27,000 stands 15 rows deep in the outfield to witness the return of big league baseball to Baltimore.
• 1916 - Babe Adams, the Pirates bellwether, pitches a one-hit 4 - 0 shutout against the Cardinals, the only safety coming when a ball squirts out of second baseman Joe Schultz's glove. Adams will win only one more game this season, and the Pirates will release him in August. They will then re-sign him during the 1918 season.
• 1921:
  • With new U.S. President Warren G. Harding, former president Woodrow Wilson, and VP Calvin Coolidge watching, the Washington Senators lose their home opener, 6 - 3, to the Boston Red Sox. Senators pitcher Walter Johnson leaves after four innings, the first time he has failed to finish an Opening Game.
  • In the season opener for the New York Yankees, Babe Ruth goes 5 for 5, as New York and Carl Mays beat the Philadelphia Athletics, 11 - 1.
• 1922 - At age 31, pitcher Dazzy Vance makes his Brooklyn Robins debut and loses to Phil Douglas and the New York Giants, 4 - 3. In 1915, when Vance made one start for the Pirates, it was Douglas who beat him. Since then Vance has been in the minor leagues. Despite his late start, Vance will win 197 games in a 16-season career and a place in the Hall of Fame in 1955.
• 1925 - Stuffy McInnis is released by the Boston Braves. He will sign with the Pirates, bat .368 in 59 games, and get into his fifth World Series.
• 1926:
  • In one of the greatest Opening Day pitchers' duels ever, Walter Johnson of the Washington Senators defeats Eddie Rommel and the Philadelphia Athletics, 1 - 0, in a 15-inning battle.
  • More than 45,000 fans at the Polo Grounds watch Jess Petty of the Brooklyn Robins post an Opening Day, 3 - 0, one-hitter over the New York Giants. The Giants will win seven in a row after the opener, only to be beaten again by Petty, 2 - 1, on April 24.
• 1933 - Sammy West of the St. Louis Browns goes 6 for 6 in an 11-inning victory over the Chicago White Sox. West collects five singles and a double off Ted Lyons.
• 1946 - Eddie Klepp, a white pitcher signed by the defending Negro American League champion Cleveland Buckeyes, is barred from the field in Birmingham, Alabama.
• 1953 - For the first time in half a century, a new city is represented in the American or National league. The Braves who moved from Boston to Milwaukee over the winter, open in Cincinnati, where pitcher Max Surkont sets down the Reds, 2 - 0.
• 1954:
  • The brand new Baltimore Orioles open in Detroit and lose, 3 - 0. Don Larsen takes the loss against Steve Gromek. The Tigers start fast and will win 12 of their first 18 games.
  • Hank Aaron makes his major league debut in left field for the Milwaukee Braves and goes 0 for 5 in a 9 - 8 loss to the Cincinnati Redlegs. Jim Greengrass of Cincinnati hits four doubles in his debut to tie an Opening Day record.
  • At Sportsman's Park, St. Louis Cardinals rookie Wally Moon hits a home run in his first major league at-bat off Chicago Cubs pitcher Paul Minner. But Minner homers to back his own pitching, as the Cubs win, 13 - 4. Tom Alston becomes the first black player to wear a Cardinals uniform.
  • The Pittsburgh Pirates open at home for the first time in 61 years and defeat the Philadelphia Phillies, 4 - 2, before 32,294 spectators. Curt Roberts, the Pirates' first black player, hits a triple against Robin Roberts in the first inning.
  • In Boston, Braves Field is renamed "BU Field" by its new owners, Boston University.
• 1962:
  • At the Polo Grounds, just 12,447 Mets fans welcome the return of National League baseball to New York. The Pirates defeat the Mets, 4 - 3, behind seven solid innings of two-run pitching from Tom Sturdivant. Sherman Jones is the loser.
  • At Wrigley Field, Stan Musial scores his 1,869th run to set a new National League record as the Cardinals beat the Cubs, 8 - 5, in 15 innings.
• 1963:
  • After eleven hitless at-bats, Cincinnati Reds second baseman Pete Rose records his first major league hit, a triple off the Pittsburgh Pirates' Bob Friend. Increased enforcement of the balk rule produces a major-league record seven in the Pirates' 12 - 4 trouncing at Cincinnati. Friend is called for four balks.
  • Boston Red Sox rookie Dave Morehead shuts out the Washington Senators, 3 - 0, in his first major league appearance. Morehead is the first Red Sox pitcher to debut with a shutout since Boo Ferriss in 1945.
• 1966 - At Fenway Park, Frank Robinson and Brooks Robinson hit back-to-back home runs in the first inning off Dave Morehead, to lead the Baltimore Orioles to an 8 - 1 victory over the Boston Red Sox. Jim Palmer pitches a five-hit complete game and helps himself by hitting a homer in the second.
• 1968 - Looking back on his career some 30 years later, Willie Mays will recall being gunned down going from first to third exactly once: "Roberto Clemente threw me out on a bang-bang play at third. I should have remembered what a tremendous arm he had." If Willie's memory is correct, this was the play, as witnessed by James K. McGee of the San Francisco Chronicle: "Willie Mays, leading off the seventh, lined a single into left for the Giants' first hit. When Willie McCovey, the next hitter, bounced a single over Donn Clendenon's outstretched glove into right field, it appeared the dam had been broken and runs would flow. Then came the key play of the game. Mays rounded second base and slowed down to draw a throw from right fielder Roberto Clemente. Mays, either overestimating his own speed or underestimating the power and accuracy of Clemente's arm, was thrown out trying to reach third. Maury Wills tagged him as he slid by."
• 1970 - The Oakland Athletics use gold-colored bases during the club's home opener. The Rules Committee subsequently bans this innovation.
• 1972 - The first player strike in Major League Baseball history ends, with an abbreviated schedule to start two days later.
• 1980:
  • In his first major league start, Charlie Leibrandt of the Cincinnati Reds shuts out the Atlanta Braves, 5 - 0, at Riverfront Stadium.
  • The first Q battery in major league history occurs, when Dan Quisenberry (pitcher) and Jamie Quirk (catcher) of the Kansas City Royals face the Detroit Tigers. Detroit wins, 3 - 2.
• 1984 - Pete Rose of the Montreal Expos gets his 4,000th hit, a double off Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Jerry Koosman, to join Ty Cobb as the only major leaguers to reach 4,000 career hits. The hit comes exactly 21 years after Rose delivered his first hit.
• 1985 - Rollie Fingers records his 217th American League save in the Milwaukee Brewers' 6 - 5 win over Texas, breaking Sparky Lyle's record.
• 1987 - At Jack Murphy Stadium, the San Diego Padres set a major league record when the first three batters in the bottom of the first inning hit home runs off San Francisco Giants starter Roger Mason in their home opener. The Padres, trailing 2 - 0, get homers from Marvell Wynne, Tony Gwynn and John Kruk. The feat will be matched by Rafael Furcal, Mark DeRosa, and Gary Sheffield of the Atlanta Braves against Jeff Austin of the Cincinnati Reds on May 28, 2003.
• 1988 - Rick Honeycutt of the Oakland Athletics becomes the second pitcher in as many days to tie the American League's 28-year-old balk record by committing four balks in four innings while saving a 12 - 7 win over Seattle. A major league record 924 balks will be called this season after umpires are instructed to interpret the complete stop rule more strictly.
• 1993 - Lee Smith becomes the all-time saves leader in the major leagues as the Cardinals beat the Dodgers, 9 - 7. Smith picks up his 358th save, surpassing Jeff Reardon.
• 1998 - Ken Griffey, Jr. of the Seattle Mariners hits his 300th career home run to become the second-youngest player to reach the milestone. Griffey's 300th, a two-run shot to right off the Cleveland Indians' Jose Mesa, is his second homer of the game and sixth of the season. At 28 years, 143 days old, Griffey is second only to Jimmie Foxx, who hit his 300th at 27 years, 328 days. Foxx hit 534 homers during his Hall of Fame career.
• 1999 - Texas Rangers catcher Ivan Rodriguez drives in nine runs in the Rangers' 15 - 6 victory at Seattle. Rodriguez hits a three-run home run in the first inning, a two-run single in the second, and his first career grand slam in the third as Texas takes a 13 - 0 lead.
• 2004:
  • Pitchers Dennis Eckersley and Bruce Hurst, catcher-manager Bill Carrigan and infielders Wade Boggs, Billy Goodman and Pete Runnels are selected for induction into the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame. The club's Hall of Fame selection committee conducted its voting at a meeting the previous fall.
  • San Francisco Giants outfielder Barry Bonds hits his 661st home run, passing Willie Mays to take sole possession of third place on the major league career list.
• 2009:
  • In Los Angeles, Orlando Hudson hits for the cycle and Andre Ethier belts two home runs and drives in four runs as the Dodgers defeat the Giants, 11 - 1. Randy Johnson gives up 7 runs in 3 2/3 innings for the losers.
  • San Diego beats the Mets, 6 - 5, in the first game to be played at Citi Field in New York. The first batter of the game, Jody Gerut, hits a home run off Mike Pelfrey as the Padres jump to an early 5 - 1 lead. New York ties it on a three-run home run by David Wright, but the winning run scores when Luis Rodríguez reaches on a three-base error by RF Ryan Church and crosses the plate when Pedro Feliciano commits a balk.
  • 1976 American league Rookie of the Year Mark "The Bird" Fidrych dies at 54 from an accident while fixing a truck on his farm in Northborough, MA.
  • The White Sox top the Tigers 10 - 6. Jermaine Dye and Paul Konerko hit back-to-back homers in the 2nd for the Sox, each of them reaching 300 career home runs with their blows. No teammates had ever reached 300, 400 or 500 in the same game, let alone the same inning.
• 2010:
  • Ricky Romero pitches a gem for the Blue Jays. He allows only one hit to the White Sox, a two-run homer by former teammate Alex Rios with none out in the 8th, in 8 innings of work, while striking out a career-high 12 batters. Kevin Gregg completes the one-hitter with a perfect 9th inning, earning his 3rd save in sealing the 4 - 2 win.
  • The Pirates pull out a couple of brilliant defensive plays in beating the Giants, 6 - 5. With Pittsburgh leading 3 - 1 and a runner on first base, Aubrey Huff knocks a ball that appears headed past the mound for an infield single. But pitcher Paul Maholm dives to the ground, stops the ball, and in one motion flips it with his glove to 1B Jeff Clement to retire Huff while completing a backwards somersault. Then, in the bottom of the 9th, Garrett Jones, now playing 1B, makes a lunging grab of Pablo Sandoval's line drive to end the game.
  • Jorge Cantu of the Marlins becomes the first player in 89 years to collect at least one hit and one RBI in his team's first eight games of the season, thanks to an RBI single against Bronson Arroyo of the Cincinnati Reds. George "Highpockets" Kelly was the last player to accomplish the feat, in 1921. Cantu now has 13 RBI for the year and his streak has reached 13 consecutive games, dating back to 2009. However, the Reds win the game, 10 - 8 in 11 innings. Cantu will extend his season-opening streak to 10 games with a home run tomorrow and a double the next day.
  • The Yankees receive their 2009 World Series rings in a ceremony before their home opener at New Yankee Stadium. Hideki Matsui, the Series MVP, gets to join his former teammates for the ceremony, as he now plays for todays' visitors, the Los Angeles Angels. The Yankees bang out 13 hits for a 7 - 5 win. Andy Pettitte picks up the victory with six scoreless innings.
• 2011:
  • After four days of deliberation, the jury in the Trial of Barry Bonds returns a guilty verdict on the charge of obstruction of justice, while failing to reach a decision on the three charges of perjury the slugger was also facing. Barry Bonds faces up to 10 years in jail for the felony conviction, although probation is a more likely; Judge Susan Illston may however decide to re-try the three charges which resulted in a hung jury.
  • Chipper Jones homers off Randy Choate in the 9th inning of a 5 - 1 Braves loss. He reaches 1,500 career RBI, becoming the third switch-hitter to do so after Mickey Mantle and Eddie Murray.

[edit] Births

• 1858 - Bill Barnes, outfielder (d. 1945)
• 1863 - Charlie Sweeney, pitcher (d. 1902)
• 1864 - Billy Murray, manager (d. 1937)
• 1866 - Herman Long, infielder (d. 1909)
• 1870 - Abel Lizotte, infielder (d. 1926)
• 1875 - Pete Cregan, outfielder (d. 1945)
• 1875 - Kid Elberfeld, infielder, manager (d. 1944)
• 1879 - Jake Stahl, infielder, manager (d. 1922)
• 1881 - Patsy O'Rourke, infielder (d. 1956)
• 1883 - Mike Simon, catcher (d. 1963)
• 1884 - Phil Ketter, catcher (d. 1965)
• 1885 - Vean Gregg, pitcher (d. 1964)
• 1885 - Red Killefer, outfielder (d. 1958)
• 1889 - Claude Hendrix, pitcher (d. 1944)
• 1890 - Al Platte, outfielder (d. 1976)
• 1890 - George Shears, pitcher (d. 1978)
• 1891 - Charlie Meara, outfielder (d. 1962)
• 1892 - Pat Martin, pitcher (d. 1949)
• 1893 - Roy Walker, pitcher (d. 1962)
• 1894 - Squiz Pillion, pitcher (d. 1962)
• 1900 - Rufe Clarke, pitcher (d. 1983)
• 1902 - Ben Cantwell, pitcher (d. 1962)
• 1903 - Ken Jones, pitcher (d. 1991)
• 1904 - Pete Quesada, owner (d. 1933)
• 1905 - Biff Wysong, pitcher (d. 1951)
• 1906 - Roxie Lawson, pitcher (d. 1977)
• 1911 - Woody Upchurch, pitcher (d. 1971)
• 1913 - Jake Mooty, pitcher (d. 1970)
• 1915 - Oscar Grimes, infielder; All-Star (d. 1993)
• 1916 - Minoru Kasamatsu, NPB pitcher (d. 1970)
• 1916 - Al Mazur, minor league infielder, manager (d. 2008)
• 1917 - Jim Schelle, pitcher (d. 1990)
• 1935 - Bill Deegan, umpire
• 1941 - John Stephenson, catcher
• 1942 - Ike Brown, infielder (d. 2001)
• 1947 - Bill Kirkpatrick, minor league pitcher
• 1959 - Ed Amelung, outfielder
• 1961 - Kazuhiko Ushijima, NPB pitcher and manager
• 1961 - Ted Milner, minor league outfielder
• 1962 - Jeff Bittiger, pitcher
• 1963 - Mark Leiter, pitcher
• 1963 - Matthew Sheldon-Collins, Olympic infielder
• 1964 - Yukihiro Nishizaki, NPB pitcher
• 1964 - Doug Strange, infielder
• 1965 - Jeff DeWillis, catcher
• 1965 - David Esquer, college coach
• 1966 - Wes Chamberlain, outfielder
• 1968 - Ferdinand Recto, Philippines national team outfielder
• 1970 - Ricardo Rincon, pitcher
• 1971 - Kevin Ohme, pitcher
• 1975 - Reutilio Hurtado, Cuban league outfielder
• 1975 - Frank Pericolosi, college coach
• 1978 - Christian Canlas, Philippines national team infielder
• 1979 - J.J. Jurries, minor league infielder
• 1980 - Jose Diaz, pitcher
• 1981 - Oscar Rivera, minor league pitcher
• 1981 - Jason Stumm, minor league pitcher
• 1983 - Steve Pearce, outfielder
• 1983 - Hunter Pence, outfielder; All-Star
• 1985 - Shigeru Kaga, NPB pitcher
• 1986 - Lorenzo Cain, outfielder
• 1988 - Tubasa Aizawa, NPB catcher
• 1989 - Marco Sabbatani, Italian Baseball League catcher

[edit] Deaths

• 1897 - Charles Yingling, infielder (b. 1865)
• 1898 - Charlie McCullough, pitcher (b. 1866)
• 1908 - John Kelly, catcher, manager (b. 1859)
• 1909 - Fred Cone, outfielder (b. 1848)
• 1923 - Gene Krapp, pitcher (b. 1887)
• 1927 - Kirtley Baker, pitcher (b. 1869)
• 1927 - Tommy Johns, outfielder (b. 1851)
• 1929 - John Castle, outfielder (b. 1883)
• 1929 - John Kelty, outfielder (b. 1871)
• 1933 - Ody Abbott, outfielder (b. 1888)
• 1941 - Joe Schultz, outfielder (b. 1893)
• 1945 - Joe Kutina, infielder (b. 1885)
• 1946 - Billy Gumbert, pitcher (b. 1865)
• 1951 - Wish Egan, pitcher (b. 1881)
• 1952 - Cliff Bell, Negro League pitcher (b. 1896)
• 1962 - Bill Akers, infielder (b. 1904)
• 1964 - Ed Pipgras, pitcher (b. 1904)
• 1967 - Tommy Griffith, outfielder (b. 1889)
• 1967 - Herb Welch, infielder (b. 1900)
• 1971 - Troy Puckett, pitcher (b. 1889)
• 1971 - Bill Yancey, scout (b. 1904)
• 1976 - Mike McCormick, outfielder (b. 1917)
• 1979 - Frankie Kelleher, outfielder (b. 1916)
• 1982 - Ray Knode, infielder (b. 1901)
• 1992 - Steve Shemo, infielder (b. 1915)
• 1995 - Hal Peck, outfielder (b. 1917)
• 1997 - Harry Rosenberg, outfielder (b. 1909)
• 1998 - Jack Bolling, infielder (b. 1917)
• 1998 - Randy Brown, catcher (b. 1943)
• 2001 - Frenchy Bordagaray, outfielder (b. 1910)
• 2005 - Don Blasingame, infielder; All-Star (b. 1932)
• 2005 - Hiroaki Fukushi, NPB and KBO pitcher (b. 1950)
• 2006 - Bill Baker, catcher (b. 1911)
• 2006 - Dutch Fehring, catcher (b. 1912)
• 2009 - Harry Kalas, announcer (b. 1936)
• 2009 - Mark Fidrych, pitcher (b. 1954)
• 2009 - Paul Nix, college coach/minor league player (b. 1932)
• 2009 - Eugene Gartland, minor league pitcher (b. 1927)