October 15
From BR Bullpen
| Stats of players who were born this day | |
| Stats of players who died on this day | |
| Standings on this day | |
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| Today in Baseball History | |
Events, births and deaths that occurred on October 15.
[edit] Events
- 1892 - On the last day the season, Cincinnati Reds pitcher Bumpus Jones, in his first major league appearance, throws a no-hitter against the Pittsburgh Pirates. This will turn out to be the latest date in the season that a no-hitter is ever pitched in the major leagues. After that, Jones will pitch only one more season, in 1893, leading to a 2-4 career record with 10 strikeouts and a 7.99 ERA in 41 2/3 innings of labor.
- 1912 - At Fenway Park, the New York Giants defeat Joe Wood and the Boston Red Sox, 11 - 4, in Game Six of the World Series. Boston center fielder Tris Speaker turns an unassisted double play in the eighth inning, the only one by an outfielder in Series history.
- 1917 - The Chicago White Sox capture the World Series when the New York Giants leave home plate uncovered, allowing Eddie Collins to score the winning run.
- 1923 - The New York Yankees score five runs in the eighth inning to post a comeback victory in the sixth and final game of the World Series. Babe Ruth hits a first-inning home run in the Yankees' 6 - 4 victory over the rivals New York Giants.
- 1925 - Capping a comeback from a 3 - 1 deficit, Kiki Cuyler hits a bases-loaded double in the eighth inning to give the Pittsburgh Pirates a 9 - 7 victory over Walter Johnson and the Washington Senators in Game Seven of the World Series.
- 1946 - In Game Seven of the World Series, Enos Slaughter scores all the way from first base on Harry Walker's single in the eighth inning, to lead the St. Louis Cardinals to a 4 - 3 victory and the World Championship over the Boston Red Sox. The play surprises everyone, including cut-off man shortstop Johnny Pesky who, as legend has it, hesitates throwing the ball home.
- 1964 - Bob Gibson of the St. Louis Cardinals allows three home runs but still manages to win the seventh and final game of the World Series against the New York Yankees. Mickey Mantle, Phil Linz and Clete Boyer homer for the Yankees, who drop a 7 - 5 decision. St. Louis takes an early lead after a fifth-inning home run by Lou Brock that triggers a second three-run frame and a 6 - 0 lead for Gibson, who is named Series MVP.
- 1968 - In the American League expansion draft, pitcher Roger Nelson is selected by the Kansas City Royals and first baseman Don Mincher is the first choice of the Seattle Pilots. The National League held its draft yesterday.
- 1969 - Ron Swoboda makes one of the greatest catches in World Series history. Swoboda's sliding grab of Brooks Robinson's sinking liner helps the New York Mets defeat the Baltimore Orioles, 2 - 1, in ten innings, in Game Four of the Series at Shea Stadium.
- 1970 - For the third time, the Baltimore Orioles overcome a 3 - 0 deficit to bury the Cincinnati Reds, 9 - 3, and win the World Series in five games. Brooks Robinson easily wins the World Series MVP Award for his hitting and unbelievable fielding.
- 1972 - The Oakland Athletics win 2 - 1 over the Cincinnati Reds as Joe Rudi clouts a home run and makes a game-saving catch to back up a great work by pitcher Catfish Hunter. Before a record Cincinnati crowd of 53,224, the Athletics take a 2-0 World Series advantage as the scene shifts to Oakland.
- 1974 - In Game Three of the World Series, Al Downing is the surprise starter for the Dodgers, but Catfish Hunter pitches Oakland to a 3 - 2 win.
- 1975 - Boston Red Sox Luis Tiant throws 163 pitches in winning his second game of the World Series against Cincinnati, 5 - 4, to even the Series after four games.
- 1977 - The Yankees win 4 - 2 to take a 3-1 World Series advantage over the Dodgers. Reggie Jackson doubles and homers, and pitcher Ron Guidry notches a four-hitter.
- 1978 - In Game Five of the World Series, the Yankees pummel the Dodgers with 18 hits to win 12 - 2. Bucky Dent, Mickey Rivers and Brian Doyle have three hits each.
- 1981 - Pitchers Dave Righetti, Ron Davis and Goose Gossage combine on a 4 - 0 shutout of the Oakland Athletics in Game 3 of the ALCS to give the New York Yankees their 33rd American League pennant.
- 1982 - Willie McGee has two home runs to drive in four runs and makes a great catch to save another run, as the St. Louis Cardinals win 6 - 2 over the Milwaukee Brewers in Game Three of the World Series. Joaquin Andújar is the winning pitcher despite having to leave the game after being hit by a line drive.
- 1986:
- The Boston Red Sox cap one of the greatest comebacks in major league history by defeating the California Angels, 8 - 1, to win the American League pennant after trailing three games to one in the ALCS.
- In the longest postseason game ever played - 4 hours and 42 minutes, the New York Mets clinch their third National League crown, beating the Houston Astros at the Astrodome, 7 - 6, in 16 innings. Trailing 3 - 0 in the ninth inning, Lenny Dykstra and Ray Knight spark a rally which sends the game into extra innings, where the Mets win after Jesse Orosco records the final strikeout. The record will be broken in the 2005 season, when Houston defeats the Atlanta Braves in Game Four of the NLDS in a 5 hours, 50 minutes in an 18-inning marathon, to win their Division Series.
- 1988 - With two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, Kirk Gibson hits a two-run, pinch-home run off Dennis Eckersley to give the Los Angeles Dodgers a 5 - 4 victory over the Oakland Athletics in Game One of the World Series. In his only plate appearance in the Series, Gibson, who did not start because of a strained left knee, limps around the bases as the Dodgers win one of the most dramatic games in Series history.
- 1997 - In the ALCS, Mike Mussina pitches two-hit baseball for eight innings, but the Baltimore Orioles can't score. Starter Charles Nagy and three relievers of the Cleveland Indians strand 14 Baltimore baserunners. Tony Fernandez hits a home run in the 11th inning off Armando Benitez for the only run of the game as the Indians win the American League pennant for the second time in three years. Anderson is the winning pitcher in relief and Jose Mesa has the save.
- 2001:
- The New York Yankees beat the Oakland Athletics, 5 - 3, to win the American League Division Series. New York becomes the first team ever to win a best-of-five series after losing the first two games at home.
- In only their fourth year of existence, the Arizona Diamondbacks win their National League Division Series beating the St. Louis Cardinals, 2 - 1, thanks to Tony Womack's two-out game-winning hit in the deciding fifth game. Arizona had lost their first playoff appearance to the Mets in 1999.
- 2002 - Kirk Gibson signs a three-year deal to become the bench coach of the Detroit Tigers. The aggressive former outfielder joins the staff of his former 1984 teammate on the World Champion Tigers, newly-hired Detroit manager Alan Trammell.
- 2003 - Steve Bartman, the Cubs fan who deflected a foul ball in Game Six of the NLCS, releases a statement explaining his actions. During a weepy apology, the 26-year old human resources company worker asks Cubs fans to redirect their negative energy into positive support for the team during Game Seven of the series.
- 2005:
- Roger Clemens pitches six innings of two-hit baseball and Mike Lamb hits a two-run homer as the Houston Astros take a two-games-to-one lead in the NLCS with a 4 - 3 win over the St. Louis Cardinals.
- In the ALCS, Freddy Garcia continues the powerful pitching parade that has guided the Chicago White Sox to a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series by tossing a complete game as the Angels are defeated, 8 - 2. Paul Konerko hits a three-run home run off Ervin Santana in the first inning, the second straight game in which he has gone deep in the first. Garcia joins Jon Garland and Mark Buehrle to give the White Sox a formidable streak of three consecutive complete games.
- 2008 - The Philadelphia Phillies defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers, 5 - 1, in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series to clinch the National League pennant. Cole Hamels wins his second game of the series and is named NLCS Most Valuable Player.
- 2009 - Philadelphia wins Game 1 of the NLCS, 8 - 6 over Los Angeles, thanks to three-run homers by Carlos Ruiz and Raul Ibanez. James Loney and Manny Ramirez go deep off Cole Hamels for the Dodgers, but their efforts are only worth three runs. Brad Lidge saves his 3rd straight posteseason win for the Phillies.
[edit] Births
- 1852 - Thorny Hawkes, infielder (d. 1929)
- 1860 - Edgar (AE) Smith, outfielder
- 1863 - Con Murphy, pitcher (d. 1914)
- 1866 - Pat Callahan, infielder (d. 1940)
- 1869 - Jack McMahon, infielder (d. 1894)
- 1874 - Emil Frisk, outfielder (d. 1922)
- 1876 - Percy Coleman, pitcher (d. 1948)
- 1882 - Charley O'Leary, infielder (d. 1941)
- 1887 - Bob Harmon, pitcher (d. 1961)
- 1888 - Bert Hall, pitcher (d. 1948)
- 1889 - Chick Evans, pitcher (d. 1916)
- 1893 - John Karst, infielder (d. 1976)
- 1893 - Gil Whitehouse, outfielder (d. 1926)
- 1896 - Mule Watson, pitcher (d. 1949)
- 1897 - Dinty Gearin, pitcher (d. 1959)
- 1897 - Dolly Gray, pitcher (d. 1953)
- 1899 - John Chapman, infielder (d. 1953)
- 1902 - Evar Swanson, outfielder (d. 1973)
- 1903 - Mule Haas, outfielder (d. 1974)
- 1904 - Bill Lewis, catcher (d. 1977)
- 1907 - Sammy Byrd, outfielder (d. 1981)
- 1908 - Hugo Klaerner, pitcher (d. 1982)
- 1909 - Mel Harder, pitcher, manager; All-Star (d. 2002)
- 1912 - Nick Tremark, outfielder (d. 2000)
- 1918 - Austin Knickerbocker, outfielder (d. 1997)
- 1926 - Don Carlsen, pitcher (d. 2002)
- 1927 - Bill Henry, pitcher; All-Star
- 1928 - Jim Command, infielder
- 1928 - Gail Henley, outfielder
- 1930 - Don Robertson, outfielder
- 1931 - Gail Harris, infielder
- 1936 - Red Swanson, pitcher
- 1939 - Lou Klimchock, infielder
- 1944 - Dick Such, pitcher
- 1945 - Jim Palmer, pitcher; All-Star, Hall of Famer
- 1946 - Scott Northey, outfielder
- 1951 - Mitchell Page, designated hitter
- 1951 - Tommy Toms, pitcher
- 1954 - Glenn Gulliver, infielder
- 1964 - John Barfield, pitcher
- 1964 - Jim Richardson, minor league infielder
- 1967 - Carlos Garcia, infielder; All-Star
- 1967 - John Lorms, minor league player
- 1968 - Matt Dunbar, pitcher
- 1971 - Chad Mottola, outfielder
- 1973 - David Cortes, pitcher
- 1973 - Mendy Lopez, infielder
- 1973 - Tim Young, pitcher
- 1977 - Mitch Jones, infielder
- 1978 - Juan Cruz, pitcher
- 1984 - Eduardo Arredondo, minor league outfielder
- 1984 - Adam Davis, minor league player
- 1988 - Bo Greenwell, minor league player
[edit] Deaths
- 1931 - Oscar Graham, pitcher (b. 1878)
- 1943 - Joe Rickert, outfielder (b. 1876)
- 1947 - Pol Perritt, pitcher (b. 1892)
- 1957 - Neal Ball, infielder (b. 1881)
- 1960 - Jack Wallace, catcher (b. 1890)
- 1962 - Possum Whitted, outfielder (b. 1890)
- 1965 - Fritz Brickell, infielder (b. 1935)
- 1971 - Dave Coble, catcher (b. 1912)
- 1975 - Mickey Grasso, catcher (b. 1920)
- 1984 - Red Cox, pitcher (b. 1895)
- 1986 - Larry Kopf, infielder (b. 1890)
- 1989 - Lou Guisto, infielder (b. 1895)
- 1992 - Jackie Sullivan, infielder (b. 1918)
- 1996 - Mike Balas, pitcher (b. 1910)
- 1996 - Tom Ferrick, pitcher (b. 1915)
- 2005 - Don Rowe, pitcher (b. 1936)
- 2005 - Al Widmar, pitcher (b. 1925)
