April 15

Events, births and deaths that occurred on April 15.

[edit] Events

• 1876 - The Alleghenies bring professional baseball to what is now Pittsburgh playing their first game at Union Park. Next year, the team will be accepted into the minor-league International Association but will disband in 1878.
• 1909 - Before an Opening Day crowd of 30,000 at the Polo Grounds, Red Ames of the New York Giants pitches a no-hitter for nine innings against the Brooklyn Superbas, but surrenders a hit with one out in the 10th, then loses the game, 3 - 0, in the 13th. The Giants' outfield has no putouts.
• 1915 - Rube Marquard of the New York Giants no-hits the Brooklyn Robins, winning, 2 - 0.
• 1918 - The American League season opens with Babe Ruth pitching a four-hit, 7 - 1, victory over the Philadelphia Athletics. Boston Red Sox manager Ed Barrow will start Ruth's conversion to slugger later that season by working him into 72 games in the outfield and at first base.
• 1942 - At Sportsman's Park in St. Louis, Hiram "Hi" Bithorn becomes the first Puerto Rican to play in major league baseball. The Cubs right-handed pitcher from Santurce makes a relief appearance in the 4 - 2 loss to the Cardinals.
• 1947 - 28-year-old Jackie Robinson makes a historic debut for the Brooklyn Dodgers, becoming the first African-American to play major league baseball in the 20th century. Robinson goes 0 for 3 in his debut, but scores the deciding run in a 5 - 3 victory over the Boston Braves at Ebbets Field. He handles 11 chances at first base, a new position for him. Coach Clyde Sukeforth, interim manager and the man credited with first scouting Robinson, guides the Dodgers to two victories before stepping down. Robinson is the first black player to appear in the majors since 1884.
• 1954:
  • After a 51-year absence, big league ball returns to Baltimore as a crowd of 46,354 watch the Orioles beat the White Sox, 3 - 1, in the first game played at Memorial Stadium. Clint Courtney of the Orioles hits the first major league home run in the ballpark. A Baltimore ownership group, which includes Clarence Mills, Jim Keelty, Jerry Hoffberger and Zanvyl Krieger, bought the former St. Louis Browns and brought the franchise to the Charm City.
  • Hank Aaron collects the first hit of his major league career. The Milwaukee Braves' rookie goes 2 for 5 in a 7 - 6 win over the St. Louis Cardinals.
• 1957 - U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower officially opens the season by tossing out the first ball at Griffith Stadium in Washington, D.C. The ball is the 10 millionth Spalding baseball to be used in major league play.
• 1958 - Major League Baseball comes to California as the transplanted Giants and Dodgers play the first game on the Pacific Coast. The Californian contest at San Francisco's Seals Stadium sees Ruben Gómez blanking Los Angeles and Don Drysdale. Daryl Spencer hits the first home run and Orlando Cepeda also homers in the Giants' 8 - 0 victory in front of 23,448 fans.
• 1968 - At the Astrodome, the New York Mets and Houston Astros play the longest game in National League history. The six-hour and six-minute contest, in which each team has 79 at-bats and 11 hits, ends in the 24th inning when Bob Aspromonte's grounder goes through the legs of shortstop Al Weis as the Astros win, 1 - 0. It sets the mark as the longest NL game played to completion, the longest major league night game, and the first 23 innings are the longest major league scoreless game. The game ties the American League's longest complete game (Philadelphia Athletics 4, Boston Americans 1, in 24 innings on September 1, 1906).
• 1969 - Roberto Clemente's first hit of the season easily escapes the friendly confines of Wrigley Field. "Clemente, who had been 0 for 12," writes Bill Christine of the Pittsburgh Press, "attempted to add some adrenalin to the Pirate attack in the 1st inning when he blasted a Joe Niekro fastball out in the street beyond left field." The first-frame bomb, however, yields but a short-lived lead. "Billy Williams," writes Lee Jenkins of the Chicago Daily Defender, "showing off his recently acquired ability to go with the pitch, slammed one into the left field bleachers in the 1st and rookie Don Young performed the same feat good for 2 runs in the 2nd to more than counteract Clemente's tremendous shot over the left-field stands." Additional adrenalin – accounting for Pittsburgh's remaining three runs – is supplied by Clemente's 5th-inning, bases-loaded single, whereby he will significantly enhance Niekro's understanding of the phrase "dangerous hitter." Jenkins writes: "Clemente fired a shot through the middle that knocked Niekro down and raced to second base when Young tried for a one-handed scoop and the ball got through for a two-base error with three runs counting." By the 7th inning, the Cubs have finally wised up. Jenkins continues: "Hank Aguirre knocked off five Pirates before pinch-hitter Jose Pagan lashed a single to lead off the 7th and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Clemente was given an intentional walk after he refused to bite at three Aguirre wide ones. But the crafty veteran fanned Willie Stargell to escape."
• 1972 - Reggie Jackson sports a mustache as the Oakland Athletics top the Minnesota Twins, 4 - 3, in 11 innings. Jackson is the first major league player with facial hair since Frenchy Bordagaray in 1936. Jackson starts a trend with Oakland, as owner Charlie Finley eventually encourages all of his players to grow mustaches. By the end of the season, the Athletics will become known as the "Mustache Gang".
• 1976 - The New York Yankees defeat the Minnesota Twins, 11 - 4, in the first game at the newly-renovated Yankee Stadium. Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Whitey Ford, and the widows of Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth take part in pre-game ceremonies at the Stadium, which had been closed for the 1974 and 1975 seasons.
• 1977 - Hank Aaron becomes the first player to have his uniform number retired by two teams. The Atlanta Braves retire his No. 44 during a pre-game ceremony. The Milwaukee Brewers had previously retired Aaron's number.
• 1983 - Detroit Tigers pitcher Milt Wilcox is one out away from a perfect game when pinch-hitter Jerry Hairston singles, and Wilcox settles for a 6 - 0 one-hitter over the Chicago White Sox. This is only the third time in major league history a perfect game bid has been stopped with one out to go.
• 1987 - Juan Nieves throws the first no-hitter in Milwaukee Brewers history, winning 7 - 0 against the Baltimore Orioles. Nieves strikes out seven and Glenn Braggs, Greg Brock, and Dale Sveum support him with home runs.
• 1993:
  • Sparky Anderson earns his 2,000th victory as a manager as the Detroit Tigers rally to beat the Oakland Athletics, 3 - 2.
  • Andre Dawson becomes the 25th player to hit 400 home runs as the Boston Red Sox beat the Cleveland Indians, 4 - 3.
• 1997 - The 50th anniversary of Jackie Robinson's breaking the color barrier in major league baseball is celebrated before 54,047 at Shea Stadium during a game between the Mets and the Dodgers. U.S. President Bill Clinton and Jackie's widow, Rachel Robinson, both speak during the 35-minute presentation, but the surprise of the evening occurs when acting Commissioner Bud Selig announces that Robinson's number 42 will be retired in perpetuity for every team. On the field, the Mets beat the Dodgers, 5 - 0.
• 1998 - The first-ever American League-National League doubleheader ends up a good day for New York. The Yankees are forced to come to Shea Stadium after a beam fell into the stands at Yankee Stadium on April 13th. They earn their first victory in Queens in 22 years as they defeat the Angels, 6 - 3. Former Mets star Darryl Strawberry, the all-time home run leader at Shea, adds to his total with a shot into the left field bleachers. In the regularly-scheduled night game, the Mets beat the Cubs, 2 - 1. The Yankees, who played at Shea in 1974 and 1975 while Yankee Stadium was renovated, draw a crowd of 40,743, a dramatic contrast to the gathering of 16,012 who show up for the Mets game at night.
• 2000 - In the 2,800th game of his career, Baltimore Orioles infielder Cal Ripken, Jr. lines a base hit off Minnesota Twins pitcher Hector Carrasco to become the 24th major leaguer to reach the 3,000 career hit milestone. The single also makes Ripken only the seventh player to get 3,000 hits and 400 home runs in major league history.
• 2004 - Fifty-seven years after the historic event, major league baseball begins the tradition of Jackie Robinson Day, an annual celebration marking the day the color line was broken. At big league parks across the country there are ceremonies honoring the ground-breaking Brooklyn Dodgers second baseman, including Commissioner Bud Selig joining his widow, Rachel Robinson, for a Shea Stadium tribute.
• 2005 - To commemorate the 58th anniversary of Jackie Robinson's first game in the big leagues, the Los Angeles Dodgers wear replicas of the old road uniforms worn by the 1947 team which played in Brooklyn. Derek Lowe throws a three-hitter blanking the host San Diego Padres, 4 - 0.
• 2006 - Rookie Tomoya Yagi, just 15 days after his pro debut, throws 10 no-hit innings for the Nippon Ham Fighters against the Softbank Hawks. Micheal Nakamura and Hisashi Takeda each follow with a no-hit inning for the first combined no-hitter in Nippon Pro Baseball in 65 years. It is also the longest no-hitter in NPB history. The Fighters finally score off the Hawks in the 12th to win it.
• 2008 - José López makes history by hitting three sacrifice flies in a 11 - 6 Mariners win over Kansas City. He is the 12th player in major league history to accomplish that feat. He drives in Willie Bloomquist twice and Kenji Johjima once.
• 2009:
  • Every player in Major League Baseball wears number 42 today, in honor of the anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking the color line. The practice will be repeated in future years.
  • Ian Kinsler of the Texas Rangers goes 6 for 6 and hits for the cycle in a 19 - 6 win over the Baltimore Orioles. Kinsler scores 5 times, Marlon Byrd goes 5 for 6 and Nelson Cruz hits a grand slam off Radhames Liz in the rout. It had been 119 years since Farmer Weaver had been the last big leaguer to go 6 for 6 and hit for the cycle in a 9-inning game.
  • On a night of milestones in Seattle, Ken Griffey hits his 400th home run as a Mariner - the 613th long ball of his career - and Ichiro Suzuki hits a grand slam off Jason Bulger for his 3085th hit as a professional, tying the Japanese record held by Isao Harimoto. Seattle defeats the Angels, 11 - 3, as Jarrod Washburn picks up the 100th win of his career. Harimoto is present at Safeco Field to witness Ichiro's historic hit.
• 2010:
  • The Astros are the last team to record a win in the majors this year. After losing their first eight contests, they defeat the Cardinals, 5 - 1 at Busch Stadium. Pitcher Bud Norris helps his own cause by driving in the game's first run in the 3rd inning, followed by an RBI double by Jeff Keppinger, who drives in two more in the 8th. It is also Brad Mills' first win as a major league manager.
  • The Red Sox suffer a costly defeat to the Twins, losing 8 - 0 after learning that CF Mike Cameron has an abdominal strain. Bill Hall replaces him for the game, as Tim Wakefield is scorched for 10 hits and 6 runs in 5 1/3 innings while his opponent Francisco Liriano flashes some of his old form that made him an All-Star as a rookie in 2006. LF Jacoby Ellsbury also misses the game with sore ribs, and Boston is worried that both starting outfielders may need to go on the disabled list.
  • The Blue Jays acquire OF Fred Lewis from the Giants for future considerations. The Jays will install Lewis as their lead-off hitter, allowing them to slide Jose Bautista to the middle of the order, where he will emerge as the American League's top slugger.
• 2011:
  • Luis Salazar returns to the dugout as manager of the Lynchburg Hillcats of the Carolina League. Salazar lost an eye when struck by a foul ball during a Braves spring training game on March 9th, but has impressed everyone by his good spirits and quick recovery from what could have been a fatal injury.
  • Jim Leyland savors his 1,500th win as a manager when the Tigers defeat the Athletics, 8 - 4, with a wild 10th inning. Oakland is cruising to a 1 - 0 victory after a solid start by Brandon McCarthy when Miguel Cabrera homers off Brian Fuentes to tie the game in the 9th. In the 10th, the A's commit three errors and the Tigers score 7 runs, two on a bases-loaded double by Brennan Boesch that breaks the tie. The A's then rally for 3 runs on their own in the bottom of the frame, but it is not enough to cancel Detroit's outburst. Leyland is the 19th manager in history to reach the 1,500-win milestone.
  • Matt Harrison is helped by some clutch defense as the Rangers defeat the Yankees, 5 - 3, in New York. Harrison's teammates tie an American League record by turning six double plays behind him, to move his record to 3-0 on the year; the pitcher starts two of the twin killings himself.
  • Jhoulys Chacin hurls a 6-hit shutout as the Rockies defeat the Cubs, 5 - 0, to extend their winning streak to seven games. Chris Iannetta hits a bases-loaded triple and trots home on Starlin Castro's wild relay throw on the play in support of Chacin's gem.
  • The Cardinals rout the Dodgers, 11 - 2, with a 19-hit attack. It is the first time in 81 years that the Cardinals have gotten 14 or more hits in five straight games. Lance Berkman homers twice.
  • Tomoaki Kanemoto's streak of 1,766 consecutive games played (dating back to 1998) ends in an odd manner. In a 5 - 4 win for his Hanshin Tigers over the Chunichi Dragons, he pinch-hits for Tomoyuki Kubota in the 8th inning against Junichi Kawahara. Baserunner Shunsuke Fujikawa is caught stealing to end the inning; as Kanemoto does not remain in the game as a fielder, his streak is considered to have stopped even as he is credited with a game played as he was announced into the game.
• 2012:
  • The Marlins defeat the Astros, 5 - 4, in 11 innings in a game featuring a couple of milestones in the history of newly-inaugurated Marlins Park. Omar Infante is the first Marlins player to set off the gaudy mechanical flamigoes sculpture in the outfield when he homers off J.A. Happ in the 2nd, and P Anibal Sanchez, sporting a career .087 average with no extra-base hits, hits the first triple in park annals in the 5th. Hanley Ramirez drives in pinch-runner Brett Hayes with a single off David Carpenter to give the Marlins a walk-off win.
  • Vin Scully is back in the broadcast booth for a record 63rd season after missing a week with a bad cold, as the Dodgers improve their major league-best record to 9-1 with a 5 - 4 win over the Padres. The Dodgers turn a strange triple play in the top of the 9th, when C A.J. Ellis picks up Jesus Guzman's short bunt with runners on first and second base. Somehow, the Padres think that home plate umpire Dale Scott called the ball foul and do not run, being easy picking for Ellis, who relays to Juan Uribe at third base to start the triple killing. San Diego manager Bud Black comes out to argue vehemently, but only succeeds in getting himself tossed from the game. In the bottom of the inning, Dee Gordon hits a bases-loaded single off Brad Brach to give Los Angeles the walk-off win.
  • Masahiro Yamamoto becomes the oldest pitcher to win a start in Nippon Pro Baseball. At age 46 years, 8 months and 4 days, he breaks Shinji Hamazaki's 54-year-old record by just four days. Yamamoto tosses eight shutout innings in a 3 - 0 win over the Hanshin Tigers and Minoru Iwata before Hitoki Iwase completes the shutout in the 9th.
• 2013 - The Red Sox defeat the Rays, 3 -2, in the traditional late-morning game played on Patriots Day. Trailing 2 - 1 after being shut down on two hits through 8 innings by Ryan Dempster and Koji Uehara, the Rays tie the game in the top of the 9th against Andrew Bailey, deputizing for ineffective closer Joel Hanrahan. The Red Sox come back immediately, as Dustin Pedroia draws a two-out walk off Joel Peralta and Mike Napoli lines a double off the Green Monster to end the game. Shortly after the game ends, twin explosions rock downtown Boston, MA, causing numerous casualties near the finish line of the annual Boston Marathon.

[edit] Births

• 1841 - Jim Creighton, pre-MLB pitcher (d. 1862)
• 1862 - Sy Sutcliffe, catcher (d. 1893)
• 1864 - Hub Collins, infielder (d. 1892)
• 1865 - Mike Lehane, infielder (d. 1903)
• 1867 - Darby O'Brien, pitcher (d. 1892)
• 1871 - Bill Gray, infielder (d. 1932)
• 1877 - Ed Abbaticchio, infielder (d. 1957)
• 1886 - King Cole, pitcher (d. 1916)
• 1890 - Buck Sweeney, outfielder (d. 1955)
• 1893 - Vern Hughes, pitcher (d. 1961)
• 1893 - Jack Sheehan, infielder (d. 1987)
• 1894 - Red Gunkel, pitcher (d. 1954)
• 1894 - Chaney White, Negro League outfielder (d. 1967)
• 1895 - Kenzo Hirose, author; Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame (d. 1970)
• 1896 - Dutch Distel, infielder (d. 1967)
• 1897 - Walt Lynch, catcher (d. 1976)
• 1905 - Red Lindsay, Negro League infielder (d. 2006)
• 1910 - Eddie Mayo, infielder; All-Star (d. 2006)
• 1915 - Joe Hoover, infielder (d. 1965)
• 1917 - Elmer Gedeon, outfielder (d. 1944)
• 1918 - Katsumi Shiraishi, NPB infielder and manager; Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame (d. 2000)
• 1924 - Duke Henderson, minor league and Negro League outfielder (d. 1984)
• 1925 - Mayes Dobbins, minor league infielder (d. 2003)
• 1926 - Bill Pierro, pitcher (d. 2006)
• 1928 - Bill Stewart, outfielder
• 1931 - Ed Bailey, catcher; All-Star (d. 2007)
• 1933 - Ernest Beheler, infielder (d. 2011)
• 1934 - J.C. Hartman, infielder
• 1936 - Leo Posada, outfielder
• 1940 - Eiji Bando, NPB pitcher
• 1940 - Willie Davis, outfielder; All-Star (d. 2010)
• 1940 - Woodie Fryman, pitcher; All-Star (d. 2011)
• 1942 - Benjamín Cerda, minor league infielder and manager; Salon de la Fama
• 1944 - Pat Doyle, college coach
• 1945 - Ted Sizemore, infielder
• 1949 - Ray Bare, pitcher (d. 1994)
• 1950 - Dick Sharon, outfielder
• 1956 - Barry Cort, pitcher
• 1958 - Ryuzo Yamasaki, NPB outfielder
• 1960 - Mike Diaz, infielder
• 1963 - Didi Gregorius, Hoofdklasse pitcher
• 1963 - Doug Robertson, minor league pitcher
• 1967 - Michael Hensley, minor league pitcher
• 1967 - Tom McNamara, scout
• 1968 - Billy Brewer, pitcher
• 1968 - Daryl Green, minor league pitcher
• 1969 - Jeromy Burnitz, outfielder; All-Star
• 1970 - Akira Eto, NPB infielder
• 1970 - Sherard Clinkscales, minor league pitcher
• 1970 - Steve Whitaker, minor league pitcher
• 1972 - Takuya Kimura, NPB utility man
• 1972 - Ricky Otero, outfielder
• 1973 - Pedro Luis Lazo, Cuban National League pitcher
• 1974 - Reynaldo Garcia, pitcher
• 1976 - Mark Fischer, minor league outfielder
• 1977 - Abel Martínez, minor league infielder
• 1977 - Paul Phillips, catcher
• 1978 - Juan Alcala, minor league catcher
• 1978 - Milton Bradley, outfielder; All-Star
• 1978 - Tim Corcoran, pitcher
• 1979 - Victor Mercedes, minor league infielder
• 1979 - Hsin-Min Wang, CPBL catcher
• 1980 - Yoel Hernandez, pitcher
• 1982 - Michael Aubrey, infielder
• 1982 - Carlos Morla, minor league pitcher
• 1982 - Kuan-Jen Chen, CPBL outfielder
• 1982 - Corey Smith, minor league infielder
• 1984 - Jesús Yépez, minor league pitcher
• 1985 - John Danks, pitcher
• 1985 - Aaron Laffey, pitcher
• 1986 - Jack Mikel, minor league infelder
• 1986 - Federico Tanco, minor league pitcher
• 1987 - Sharlon Schoop, minor league infielder
• 1988 - Chris Tillman, pitcher
• 1989 - Solmarys Brito, Venezuelan womens' national team infielder
• 1989 - Deolis Guerra, minor league pitcher
• 1989 - Adeiny Hechavarria, infielder
• 1990 - Yoshinori Yamarin, minor league pitcher
• 1991 - Zhenhong Lu, China Baseball League outfielder
• 1992 - Matthew Lipka, minor league infielder

[edit] Deaths

• 1915 - Frank Figgemeier, pitcher (b. 1874)
• 1937 - Emmett McCann, infielder (b. 1902)
• 1954 - Chick Holmes, pitcher (b. 1896)
• 1957 - Jack Coombs, pitcher, manager (b. 1882)
• 1957 - Ernie Padgett, infielder (b. 1899)
• 1957 - Rube Schauer, pitcher (b. 1891)
• 1959 - Win Clark, infielder (b. 1875)
• 1961 - Nick Cullop, pitcher (b. 1887)
• 1961 - Jess Doyle, pitcher (b. 1898)
• 1970 - Ripper Collins, infielder; All-Star (b. 1904)
• 1971 - Mickey Harris, pitcher; All-Star (b. 1917)
• 1975 - Dutch Schliebner, infielder (b. 1891)
• 1976 - Floyd Newkirk, pitcher (b. 1908)
• 1976 - Tubby Scales, Negro League infielder (b. 1900)
• 1983 - Bill Sarni, catcher (b. 1927)
• 1992 - Ralph Weigel, catcher (b. 1921)
• 1997 - Bob Friedrichs, pitcher (b. 1906)
• 1997 - Jim Holloway, pitcher (b. 1908)
• 1999 - Bernie Snyder, infielder (b. 1913)
• 2002 - Walter Youse, scout (b. 1913)
• 2003 - Sherwood Brewer, Negro League infielder (b. 1923)
• 2007 - Charlie Marshall, catcher (b. 1919)
• 2009 - Ed Blake, pitcher (b. 1925)
• 2009 - Merle Harmon, announcer (b. 1926)
• 2011 - Reno Bertoia, infielder (b. 1935)
• 2011 - Stanley Glenn, Negro League catcher (b. 1926)
• 2011 - Bobo Osborne, infielder (b. 1935)
• 2012 - Jim Campbell, college coach (b. 1935)
• 2012 - Lenny Hornsby, minor league pitcher (b. 1921)
• 2012 - Ron Plaza, coach (b. 1934)