April 5

Events, births and deaths that occurred on April 5.

[edit] Events

• 1913 - In an exhibition game, 25,000 fans watch the Brooklyn Superbas play their first game in Ebbets Field. Brooklyn beats the Yankees, 3 - 2, with Dodgers outfielder Casey Stengel hitting the park's first home run, an inside-the-parker.
• 1915 - In the final match of a three-game series against the Memphis Chicks (Southern Association), the Boston Red Sox win 10 - 5 to sweep. Babe Ruth pitches the final five innings in relief. The Sox are traveling north from their spring training camp in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
• 1925 - At spring training, the New York Yankees whip the Brooklyn Robins, 16 - 9, but the headlines are about Babe Ruth. The Bambino collapses in the railroad station in Asheville, NC, and winds up in a New York City hospital. Ruth will undergo an operation for an ulcer on April 17th and will be in bed until May 26th.
• 1934 - Babe Ruth, sponsored by Quaker Oats, agrees to do three 15-minute broadcasts a week over NBC. The total of $39,000 for 13 weeks is $4,000 more than his New York Yankees contract. Of equal weight, WSAL hires Red Barber to broadcast Cincinnati Reds games.
• 1942- The major league season starts with three new managers: Lou Boudreau (Cleveland Indians), Mel Ott (New York Giants) and Hans Lobert (Philadelphia Phillies).
• 1953 - Minor league outfielder Herb Gorman suffers a heart attack during a Pacific Coast League game and dies while being transported to the hospital. Gorman, a member of the San Diego Padres, is stricken during the 6th inning of a game against the Hollywood Stars. In 1952 he played briefly in the major leagues for the Cardinals.
• 1958 - Shigeo Nagashima, a rookie phenom, makes his professional debut with the Yomiuri Giants. He is fanned four times, but will go on to win the Central League batting title and have one of the most distinguished careers in Nippon Pro Baseball history.
• 1966 - Pitcher Don Larsen, who is the last active major leaguer who played for the St. Louis Browns, is released by the Orioles. As a rookie in 1953, Larsen posted a 7-12 record for the hapless franchise which lost 100 games in its final season in St. Louis.
• 1971:
  • At RFK Stadium, 45,000 fans watch the last Opening Day game to be played in Washington, DC until 2005. Dick Bosman pitches a six-hit shutout as the Washington Senators beat the Oakland Athletics, 8 - 0. After the season, owner Bob Short will move the Senators to Arlington, Texas, where they will play under the name "Texas Rangers" .
  • In 45 degree weather, the Cincinnati Reds play their first opener at Riverfront Stadium, dropping a 7 - 4 decision to the Braves.
  • Decked out in their bright new uniforms, predominantly orange, the Astros open at home with a 5 - 2 win over the Dodgers. Larry Dierker is the winning pitcher over Bill Singer. Astros outfielders Cesar Gerónimo and Jimmy Wynn make great throws to cut down Dodgers rallies.
• 1972:
  • For the first time in Major League Baseball history, the regular season fails to open due to the player strike which started on April 1st. 86 games will be lost before the labor dispute is settled.
  • The New York Mets acquire OF Rusty Staub from the Montreal Expos for a package of three young players: OF Ken Singleton, SS Tim Foli, and 1B Mike Jorgensen. Staub will help the Mets to the National League pennant in 1973.
• 1975 - The Pittsburgh Pirates acquire outfielder Bill Robinson from the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for pitcher Wayne Simpson. Robinson, a disappointment during his early years with the New York Yankees, will develop into a key player for the Pirates and will help them win the World Championship in 1979.
• 1977 - The New York Yankees acquire shortstop Bucky Dent from the Chicago White Sox for outfielder Oscar Gamble, pitchers LaMarr Hoyt and Bob Polinsky and an estimated $200,000. Dent will solidify New York's middle infield and help the Yankees reach the World Series in 1977 and 1978. Gamble will have a fine season in Chicago and Hoyt - who is still known as Dewey Hoyt at the time - will blossom into the ace of the White Sox staff in the early 1980s.
• 1979:
  • Baltimore Orioles manager Earl Weaver wins his 1,000th game as a skipper.
  • At Yankee Stadium, 52,719 fans see Milwaukee jump on Ron Guidry for four runs in the 6th inning and beat New York, 5 - 1. It's the most runs the Cy Young Award winner has allowed in a game since 1977. New York gets singles from their first three hitters, but manage to score just one run in the 1st inning off Mike Caldwell.
• 1982 - Jim Kaat, at age 43, pitches one inning of relief for the Cardinals in a season-opening 14 - 3 defeat of the Astros, setting a well-earned but short-lived major league record for pitchers by playing in his 24th consecutive season. Nolan Ryan and Tommy John will later surpass Kaat in the pitching longevity department.
• 1983 - On Opening Day at Shea Stadium, pitcher Tom Seaver makes his first appearance for the Mets since his trade to Cincinnati in 1977, as he combines with Doug Sisk to shut out the Phillies, 2 - 0, on five hits. For Seaver, it's his 14th Opening Day assignment, tying the record set by Walter Johnson with the Washington Senators.
• 1993:
  • The expansion Colorado Rockies and Florida Marlins play their first games ever. After Hall of Famer Joe DiMaggio throws out the first ball at Joe Robbie Stadium, the Marlins defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers, 6 - 3. Jeff Conine goes 4 for 4 while Charlie Hough gets the win. In the meantime, the Rockies lose to Dwight Gooden and the Mets, 3 - 0, at Shea Stadium.
  • On Opening Day, Greg Maddux, who was signed as a free agent, allows no runs and scatters five hits to his former team over 8 1/3 innings as the Braves edge the Cubs, 1 - 0.
• 1995 - The New York Yankees acquire closer John Wetteland from the Montreal Expos for Fernando Seguignol and cash, as the Expos are in full fire sale mode following the settlement of the strike. Wetteland will help the Yankees to the World Championship in 1996.
• 1997:
  • Just one day after Turner Field opens its doors for baseball, the stadium holds its first slumber party. Rain showers force Saturday night's Cubs-Braves game to be suspended in the 7th inning late Saturday night, but because of the change to daylight savings time and a day game on Sunday, several players decide to spend the night in the clubhouse at the brand-new stadium. The Braves win the completion of the suspended game, 11 - 5, and then win the regularly-scheduled game, 4 - 0.
  • San Diego pitchers Sterling Hitchcock and Trevor Hoffman combine to one-hit the Phillies in posting a 4 - 1 victory. Hitchcock allows only a double to Rico Brogna in eight innings.
  • Larry Walker leads Colorado to a 15 - 3 victory over Montreal. Walker strokes four hits, including three home runs with five RBI.
  • Brian Hunter has four hits and three stolen bases as Detroit outlasts the White Sox, 15 - 12.
• 1998 - The Arizona Diamondbacks get in the victory column for the first time in team history with a 3 - 2 victory over the San Francisco Giants. Andy Benes, who lost the club's first game in his Opening Day start, bounces back with seven strong innings to outpitch Shawn Estes. Felix Rodriguez earns the save to end the second-worst start ever (0-5) by an expansion team.
• 2003:
  • The Kansas City Royals become the first major league team to begin the season 5-0 after losing 100 games the previous year. Runelvys Hernandez, the Opening Day starter, wins his second game as allows two hits in seven innings beating the Cleveland Indians, 2 - 1.
  • To show support for the U.S. troops in Iraq, the Chicago White Sox announce all active military members showing a military ID will be given free admission to home games at U.S. Cellular Field. Tickets will not be available for the Cubs series in June, however.
• 2004 - Atlanta Braves general manager John Schuerholz announces the team has exercised the option to retain Bobby Cox as the team's manager through the 2005 season. The 62-year old skipper, who is ninth in all-time in managerial wins with 1,906, has won a record 12 consecutive National League division titles. He will manage the team until 2010.
• 2005 - The Washington Nationals franchise, formerly the Montreal Expos, lose their inaugural season opener bowing to the Philadelphia Phillies, 8 - 4. The franchise, which played its initial 36 years in Canada, becomes the first team to represent the nation's capital since the Washington Senators left to become the Texas Rangers after the 1971 season.
• 2008 - In a 23 - 12 rout, Santiago de Cuba scores a Cuban playoff record 15 runs in the 2nd inning against Villa Clara. Villa Clara tries seven pitchers, four of whom fail to retire a batter. Alexei Bell collects a record three hits in the inning, including a home run.
• 2009 - The major league season opens with the Braves topping the defending World Series champion Phillies, 4 - 1. Derek Lowe tosses a two-hit shutout over 8 innings. Offensive support comes on homers by Brian McCann (a two-run shot in the 1st off Brett Myers), Jeff Francoeur and Jordan Schafer. Schafer's home run comes in his first major league at-bat.
• 2010:
  • Albert Pujols, the 2009 National League MVP, starts off the year where he left off last season, banging two homers to lead the Cardinals to an 11 - 6 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.
  • In his first start for the Phillies, Roy Halladay throws seven strong innings to lead the defending National League champions to an easy 11 - 1 win over Washington in front of President Barack Obama, who throws out the ceremonial first pitch. Placido Polanco drives in six runs in his return to Philadelphia, while Ryan Howard homers.
  • Jason Heyward, the Minor League Player of the Year last year, starts his major league career with fireworks, connecting for a three-run home run off Carlos Zambrano in the 1st inning in front of 60 friends and family members at Turner Field as Atlanta cruises to a 16 - 5 win over the Cubs.
  • The Blue Jays' Shaun Marcum, getting the opening day starting nod after missing all of 2009 recovering from Tommy John surgery, holds the Texas Rangers hitless into the 7th inning as the Jays stake an early lead on homers by Vernon Wells and Adam Lind. Nelson Cruz ties the game with a three-run homer in the 7th, but after the Jays retake the lead, new Toronto closer Jason Frasor blows the save opportunity, giving up two runs in the 9th for a 5 - 4 Texas win. Jarrod Saltalamacchia hits the game-winning single.
  • Matt Stairs appears for the San Diego Padres, his 12th different club. This breaks Deacon McGuire's 98-year-old record for teams played for by a position player.
• 2011:
  • Two pitchers making their first major league start show good form as the Rangers defeat the Mariners, 3 - 2, to remain unbeaten this year. Converted reliever Alexi Ogando pitches six scoreless innings for Texas to earn the win, while Michael Pineda, making his major league debut, allows three runs on five hits in six innings to take the loss, but keeps the homer-happy Rangers in the yard and strikes out four.
  • Panic is starting to set in for Red Sox Nation as the winless team loses its fourth straight game, 3 - 1, to the Indians. Josh Tomlin tames the Sox's bats for the win. It is Boston's worst start since 1996.
  • Chris Young becomes the first pitcher in New York Mets history to collect two hits in an inning as he defeats the Phillies, 7 - 1, in his first start for his new team. His hitting binge comes in the 3rd inning, which he leads off with a single; he scores the game's first run, then has a two-out RBI single to bring the score to 6 - 0 and chase losing pitcher Cole Hamels. For good measure, he adds a third single in the 5th. David Wright also partakes in the fun with 4 hits, 2 runs scored and 2 RBI.
  • Chin-Feng Chen of the Lamigo Monkeys hits his 100th home run in the CPBL, doing so in his 453rd game. He breaks Luis Iglesias's record in being the fastest to 100; Iglesias had taken 478 contests.
• 2012:
  • The Indians and Blue Jays set a record by playing 16 innings on Opening Day before Toronto wins the game, 7 - 4, on a three-run homer by J.P. Arencibia off Jairo Asencio. The Indians take a 4 - 0 lead in the 2nd as Jack Hannahan hits a three-run homer off Ricky Romero, but do not score again over the next 14 frames. The Jays rally for 3 runs in the 9th off closer Chris Perez to negate a great start by Justin Masterson and send the game into extra innings.
  • Roy Halladay is his masterful self as he throws 8 shutout innings, allowing only 2 hits, in leading the Phillies to a 1 - 0 Opening Day victory over the Pirates. Jonathan Papelbon records his first save in the National League, while Erik Bedard is the hard-luck loser in his debut for the Bucs. Carlos Ruiz drives in the only run with a sacrifice fly in the 7th.
  • The 2012 Hoofdklasse season kicks off. 2011 Holland Series MVP Wesley Connor hits the season's first homer, as the defending champion Amsterdam Pirates start off with a win. DOOR Neptunus begins even hotter, crushing Sparta/Feyenoord by a 20 - 0 margin as Diegomar Markwell, Jorian van Acker and Dushan Ruzic combine on a shutout and Jeffrey Arends drives in four.
• 2013:
  • Chris Davis becomes the fourth player to homer in his team's first four games of the season, joining Willie Mays, Mark McGwire and Nelson Cruz in elite company. His 8th-inning grand slam off Tyler Robertson propels the Orioles to a 9 - 5 win in their home opener. With a sacrifice fly earlier in the game, Davis drives in 5 runs to bring his RBI total to 16 on the season, obliterating the old record of 12 after four games held by three players.
  • The Giants celebrate their victory in the 2012 World Series by raising the World Championship banner before their home opener at AT&T Park, then celebrate some more by defeating the Cardinals, 1 - 0, behind a great performance by Barry Zito, who gives up only 3 hits over 7 innings. It is the 15th straight time that the Giants have won a game started by Zito, dating back to last season and including the postseason.
  • Cincinnati drills 6 homers to offer the Nationals their fist defeat of the season, 15 - 0. Zack Cozart and Todd Frazier both go deep twice, and Shin-Soo Choo and Xavier Paul, with a pinch-hit grand slam hit the other two. Homer Bailey is the winner over Dan Haren, whose debut for the Nats is one to forget.
  • On Opening Day in the Italian Baseball League, Rimini routs the Godo Knights, 12-1; Andrew Baldwin and Enorbel Marquez pitch well for Rimini, while newcomer Alex Romero drives in four and Mario Chiarini has 3 runs and 3 RBI.

[edit] Births

• 1859 - Ed Andrews, outfielder (d. 1934)
• 1861 - Ed Kennedy, infielder (d. 1912)
• 1864 - Ted Scheffler, outfielder (d. 1949)
• 1875 - Charlie Emig, pitcher (d. 1975)
• 1876 - Bill Dineen, pitcher (d. 1955)
• 1877 - Wid Conroy, infielder (d. 1959)
• 1889 - Tom Phillips, pitcher (d. 1929)
• 1891 - Otto Briggs, Negro League outfielder (d. 1943)
• 1894 - Jim Sullivan, pitcher (d. 1972)
• 1899 - Tony Welzer, pitcher (d. 1971)
• 1907 - Sugar Cain, pitcher (d. 1975)
• 1907 - John Goodell, pitcher (d. 1993)
• 1921 - Bobby Hogue, pitcher (d. 1987)
• 1922 - Gene Crumling, catcher (d. 2012)
• 1925 - Paul Bain, minor league pitcher (d. 2008)
• 1927 - Marilyn Jones, AAGPBL pitcher
• 1931 - Fred Besana, pitcher
• 1931 - Lewis Hull, minor league outfielder (d. 2011)
• 1934 - Bill Lachemann, coach; minor league manager
• 1934 - Hideshi Miyake, NPB infielder
• 1936 - Jimmie Schaffer, catcher
• 1937 - Roger Marquis, outfielder (d. 2004)
• 1938 - Ron Hansen, infielder; All-Star
• 1938 - Don Prince, pitcher
• 1940 - Ron Campbell, infielder
• 1951 - Rennie Stennett, infielder
• 1953 - Kim Allen, infielder
• 1953 - Andy MacPhail, General Manager
• 1960 - Jim Scranton, infielder
• 1962 - Jong-doo Lee, KBO outfielder
• 1964 - Mike Westbrook, minor league outfielder
• 1965 - Cris Carpenter, pitcher
• 1967 - Greg Smith, infielder
• 1968 - Kyung-ki Kim, KBO infielder
• 1968 - Tom Riginos, college coach
• 1969 - Greg Haeger, minor league pitcher
• 1970 - Brett Jenkins, minor league infielder
• 1970 - Ryan Karp, pitcher
• 1971 - Andres Berumen, pitcher
• 1971 - Mark Charbonnet, minor league outfielder
• 1971 - Berti Richardson, Hoofdklasse infielder
• 1973 - Sung-min Cho, NPB and KBO pitcher
• 1975 - Domingo Guzman, pitcher
• 1975 - Carlos Villalobos, minor league infielder
• 1976 - Matt Blank, pitcher
• 1976 - Ryan Drese, pitcher
• 1976 - Ross Gload, infielder
• 1977 - Winston Abreu, pitcher
• 1978 - Brandon Backe, pitcher
• 1978 - Goran Šupraha, Croatian national team outfielder
• 1979 - Greg Runser, minor league pitcher
• 1981 - Jorge de la Rosa, pitcher
• 1982 - Robert Gruber, Bundesliga infielder-outfielder
• 1983 - Giuseppe Mazzanti, minor league infielder
• 1984 - Jason Rees, Hoofdklasse outfielder
• 1985 - Ryan Hill, minor league outfielder
• 1985 - Brent Lysander, minor league pitcher
• 1985 - Lastings Milledge, outfielder
• 1985 - Héctor Olivera Jr., Cuban National League infielder
• 1985 - Ian Stewart, infielder
• 1986 - Steve Clevenger, catcher
• 1987 - Jung-ho Kang, KBO infielder
• 1987 - Jahdiel Santamaria, minor league outfielder
• 1988 - Tobias Streich, minor league catcher
• 1990 - Matěj Hejma, minor league outfielder
• 1994 - Melinda Latimer, Australian womens' national team player
• 1994 - Lucas Rojo, minor league infielder

[edit] Deaths

• 1902 - Dave Eggler, outfielder (b. 1849)
• 1911 - Frank Hankinson, infielder (b. 1856)
• 1917 - Frank McLaughlin, infielder (b. 1857)
• 1929 - Tom Crooke, infielder (b. 1884)
• 1930 - Frederick Fass, pitcher (b. 1859)
• 1930 - Jack McGeachy, outfielder (b. 1864)
• 1932 - Harry Koons, infielder (b. 1862)
• 1939 - Fred Curtis, infielder (b. 1880)
• 1946 - Wally Rehg, outfielder (b. 1888)
• 1951 - Roy Moore, pitcher (b. 1898)
• 1952 - Ray Jacobs, pinch hitter (b. 1902)
• 1953 - Tex Erwin, catcher (b. 1885)
• 1953 - Herb Gorman, pinch hitter (b. 1924)
• 1953 - Connie Walsh, pitcher (b. 1882)
• 1956 - Tommy Taylor, infielder (b. 1892)
• 1957 - Art Bader, outfielder (b. 1886)
• 1957 - Jack Harris, minor league player (b. 1875)
• 1959 - Frank Bruggy, catcher (b. 1891)
• 1962 - Vince Shupe, infielder (b. 1921)
• 1964 - Bob Clemens, outfielder (b. 1886)
• 1965 - Mike Pasquella, infielder (b. 1898)
• 1965 - Kelly Swift, minor league pitcher (b. 1920)
• 1966 - Sam Dodge, pitcher (b. 1889)
• 1973 - Tex Jeanes, outfielder (b. 1900)
• 1974 - Fred Snodgrass, outfielder (b. 1887)
• 1984 - Chet Kehn, pitcher (b. 1921)
• 1988 - Dutch Dorman, minor league infielder and manager (b. 1902)
• 1988 - Tom Earley, pitcher (b. 1917)
• 1993 - Joe Coscarart, infielder (b. 1909)
• 1994 - Bobby Hofman, infielder (b. 1925)
• 1994 - Frank Gravino, minor league star (b. 1923)
• 1999 - Gene Benson, Negro League outfielder (b. 1913)
• 2002 - Paul Erickson, pitcher (b. 1915)
• 2002 - Sheriff Robinson, coach (b. 1921)
• 2008 - Walt Masterson, pitcher; All-Star (b. 1920)
• 2011 - Larry Shepard, manager (b. 1919)