Welcome to the Baseball-Reference.com Bullpen. We will be updating our look. The old look is still available to registered users. Visit "my preferences" and select the "MonoBook" skin.
October 26
From BR Bullpen
| Stats of players who were born this day | |
| Stats of players who died on this day | |
| Standings on this day | |
| Permanent link to Today's Entry | |
| Sources | |
| Baseball Library Chronology | |
| Today in Baseball History | |
Events, births and deaths that occurred on October 26.
[edit] Events
- 1911 - Danny Murphy of the Philadelphia Athletics has four hits as the A's beat the New York Giants, 13 - 2, to win the World Series in six games. Philadelphia puts the game out of reach with a seven-run seventh inning.
- 1931 - Charles Comiskey dies at age 72. The Chicago White Sox owner and pioneer player never recovered from the betrayal of the 1919 World Series
- 1934 - The Boston Red Sox acquire shortstop Joe Cronin from the Washington Senators for his counterpart Lyn Lary and an estimated $250,000. Cronin will hit .295 with 95 RBI in 1935, the first of his 11 seasons as a Boston player.
- 1940 - Detroit Tigers outfielder Hank Greenberg is named the American League MVP with Cleveland Indians pitcher Bob Feller finishing second. Greenberg hit .340 with 41 home runs and 150 RBI, while Feller posted a 27-11 record with a 2.61 ERA. Having won the award in 1935 as a first baseman, Greenberg becomes the first player to win the MVP again playing a different position.
- 1949 - The San Francisco Seals of the Pacific Coast League complete an Asian tour which includes five games in Japan. One of the Japanese games draws over 100,000 fans to watch the visiting team managed by Lefty O'Doul.
- 1950:
- The Baseball Writers Association of America selects New York Yankees shortstop Phil Rizzuto as the American League MVP. He posted a .324 batting average with 200 hits and 125 runs, but drove in just 66 runs. Rizzuto, who receives 16 of 23 first-place votes, easily outpoints runner-ups Billy Goodman of the Boston Red Sox and teammate Yogi Berra.
- Walter O'Malley succeeds Branch Rickey as president of the Brooklyn Dodgers.
- 1960 - After operating the team in the nation's capital ever since Clark Griffith took over as manager of the club in 1912, Calvin Griffith, president of the Washington Senators, makes the decision to move his club to the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. In a move designed to get a jump on the National League in the expansion race, the American League announces that it will expand by two teams and approves the move of the Senators. The new AL teams will play in Los Angeles and in Washington, DC, as all teams will play a 162-game schedule, with 18 games against each opponent.
- 1971 - Vida Blue of the Oakland Athletics wins the American League Cy Young Award by a 98-85 margin over Mickey Lolich of the Detroit Tigers. Blue was 24-8 for Oakland, posting 301 strikeouts, eight shutouts and a 1.82 ERA, becoming the youngest pitcher to win the Award. In the National League, Ferguson Jenkins of the Chicago Cubs receives the honor.
- 1977 - Sparky Lyle of the New York Yankees becomes the first American League reliever to win the Cy Young Award. Lyle led the league with 72 appearances, posting a 13-5 record with 26 saves and a 2.17 ERA.
- 1979 - Commissioner Bowie Kuhn notifies Hall of Famer Willie Mays that if he accepts a position with Bally Manufacturing Corporation, owner of several gambling casinos, he must disassociate himself from major league baseball. Mays, a part-time coach and goodwill ambassador for the Mets, will relinquish his duties upon accepting Bally's job offer.
- 1982 - Steve Carlton of the Philadelphia Phillies becomes the first pitcher to win four Cy Young Awards. The 37-year-old lefthander, who led the National League in wins (23), innings pitched (295.2), strikeouts (286) and shutouts (6), was a previous winner in 1972, 1977 and 1980.
- 1985 - The Kansas City Royals beat the St. Louis Cardinals in Game Six of the World Series, thanks in part to a controversial ninth inning call by Don Denkinger. The umpire rules the Royals' Jorge Orta safe at first base, when replays show he was out. The Royals will go on to score two runs to win 2 - 1, forcing a seventh game.
- 1991 - Outfielder Kirby Puckett prevents two Atlanta runs with a leaping catch in the third inning and then lofts a sacrifice fly in the fifth to give the Twins the lead in Game Six of the World Series. The Braves tie it in the seventh, but Puckett turns out the lights in the 10th with a home run to force a seventh game.
- 1995 - In the World Series, pitcher Orel Hershiser allows just two runs over eight innings and reliever Jose Mesa survives a two-run home run by Ryan Klesko in the ninth inning to give the Indians a 5 - 4 win over the Braves in Game Five.
- 1996 - The New York Yankees clinch their 23rd World Series by defeating the Atlanta Braves, 3 - 2, in Game Six. Joe Girardi's RBI triple keys a three-run rally against Greg Maddux. John Wetteland is named Series MVP after posting his fourth save.
- 1997 - Edgar Renteria ends one of the most thrilling Game 7 in World Series history, singling with two outs in the bottom of the 11th inning to give the Florida Marlins their first World championship with a 3 - 2 victory over the Cleveland Indians. The five-year-old Marlins become the youngest expansion team to win the Fall classic. Pitcher Livan Hernandez wins the Series MVP award.
- 1998 - Potential free agent All-Star catcher Mike Piazza signs the most lucrative contract in major league history when he agrees to terms with the New York Mets. The seven-year deal is worth over $91 million and includes having a suite on road trips and a luxury box for home games at Shea Stadium.
- 2000:
- In Game Five at Shea Stadium, the Yankees win their third consecutive World Series, their fourth title in five years, and record their 26th World championship, by defeating the Mets, 4 - 2. Luis Sojo's ninth inning two-out, tie-breaking single off starter Al Leiter is the decisive hit. Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter becomes the first player to win the All-Star Game MVP and the Series MVP honors in the same season. Joe Torre becomes only the fifth manager to win four WS championships, joining Hall of Famers Joe McCarthy (7), Casey Stengel (7), Connie Mack (5) and Walter Alston (4) .
- 2002 - The Giants appear destined to win their first World Series since 1954, when pitcher Russ Ortiz, tossing a 5 - 0 shutout, strikes out Garret Anderson to begin the seventh inning. But scoring six times in the 7th and 8th innings of Game Six, the Angels rally to stage the biggest comeback in Series history for a team facing elimination and beat the Giants, 6 - 5, forcing a Game Seven.
- 2004:
- In Game Three of the World Series at Busch Stadium, Manny Ramirez hits a two-run home run as the Boston Red Sox defeat the St. Louis Cardinals, 4 - 1, for their third consecutive victory. Pedro Martinez is the winning pitcher, helped by relievers Mike Timlin and Keith Foulke as Jeff Suppan is the loser.
- Prior to Game 3 of the World Series, Edgar Martinez receives the Roberto Clemente Award, an honor is given to the player who best exemplifies the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community involvement and the individual's contribution to his team. A native of Puerto Rico, the Mariners designated hitter, like the award's namesake, is involved in anumber of charitable causes.
- 2005 - In the World Series, the Chicago White Sox complete a sweep of the Houston Astros with a 1 - 0 victory in Game Four. Freddy Garcia pitches seven solid shutout innings. Series MVP Jermaine Dye connects for an RBI single off Brad Lidge in the eighth for the only run of the game, as Juan Uribe adds strong defensive support at shortstop. Garcia becomes the first Venezuelan starter to win a World Series game. He also accomplishes the feat with good friend and fellow countryman Ozzie Guillen at the helm, who manages the White Sox to earn the franchise's first World Championship since 1917.
- 2008 - The Phillies top the Rays 10 - 2 in Game Four of the 2008 World Series to take a 3 games to 1 lead. Joe Blanton homers, the first pitcher to go deep in a World Series game since Ken Holtzman in 1974.
[edit] Births
- 1859 - Frank Selee, , manager; Hall of Famer (d. 1909)
- 1866 - Kid Gleason, infielder, manager (d. 1933)
- 1866 - Andy Sommers, catcher (d. 1908)
- 1867 - Bill Garfield, pitcher (d. 1941)
- 1867 - Parke Wilson, catcher (d. 1934)
- 1869 - John Gilroy, pitcher (d. 1897)
- 1873 - Ed High, pitcher (d. 1926)
- 1877 - Doc Newton, pitcher (d. 1931)
- 1878 - Charlie Swindells, catcher (d. 1940)
- 1880 - Lee Tannehill, infielder (d. 1938)
- 1882 - Jock Somerlott, infielder (d. 1965)
- 1884 - Harry Camnitz, pitcher (d. 1951)
- 1885 - Harry Chapman, catcher (d. 1918)
- 1886 - Swede Carlstrom, infielder (d. 1935)
- 1888 - Dick Hoblitzel, infielder (d. 1962)
- 1889 - Tommy Griffith, outfielder (d. 1967)
- 1890 - Bill Hopper, pitcher (d. 1965)
- 1897 - Skipper Friday, pitcher (d. 1962)
- 1897 - George Winn, pitcher (d. 1969)
- 1898 - Roy Moore, pitcher (d. 1951)
- 1899 - Otto Vogel, outfielder (d. 1969)
- 1904 - Monk Sherlock, infielder (d. 1985)
- 1910 - Hugh Shelley, outfielder (d. 1978)
- 1913 - Herb Bremer, catcher (d. 1979)
- 1918 - Snuffy Stirnweiss, infielder; All-Star (d. 1958)
- 1919 - Jack Cassini, pinch runner
- 1920 - Francisco Alcaraz, minor league pitcher/infielder and umpire; Salon de la Fama (d. 1996)
- 1920 - Bud Byerly, pitcher
- 1923 - Tommy Glaviano, infielder (d. 2004)
- 1926 - Dick Bokelmann, pitcher
- 1936 - Elio Chacon, infielder (d. 1992)
- 1947 - Bill Gogolewski, pitcher
- 1948 - Toby Harrah, infielder, manager; All-Star
- 1949 - Mike Hargrove, infielder, manager; All-Star
- 1949 - Steve Rogers, pitcher; All-Star
- 1950 - Dave Coleman, outfielder
- 1950 - Wayne Garland, pitcher
- 1951 - Steve Ontiveros, infielder
- 1957 - Harry Chappas, infielder
- 1958 - Ed Vande Berg, pitcher
- 1958 - Frank Wills, pitcher
- 1961 - Gus Polidor, infielder (d. 1995)
- 1964 - Steve Adkins, pitcher
- 1965 - Zach Crouch, pitcher
- 1965 - Gil Heredia, pitcher
- 1966 - Mac Seibert, minor league pitcher
- 1967 - Rafael Novoa, pitcher
- 1968 - Scott Lydy, outfielder
- 1969 - Mark Sweeney, outfielder
- 1972 - Armando Almanza, pitcher
- 1974 - Marty McLeary, pitcher
- 1975 - Ryan Bradley, pitcher
- 1977 - Scott Sobkowiak, pitcher
- 1978 - Jaime Cerda, pitcher
- 1979 - Jorge Moreno, minor league player
- 1983 - Francisco Liriano, pitcher; All-Star
- 1983 - Corey Wimberly, minor league infielder
- 1984 - Jesus Flores, catcher
- 1987 - Mike Pontius, minor league player
[edit] Deaths
- 1893 - Dan Sullivan, catcher (b. 1857)
- 1909 - Frank Siffell, catcher (b. 1860)
- 1918 - Charlie Rhodes, pitcher (b. 1885)
- 1923 - Jimmy Ryan, outfielder (b. 1863)
- 1931 - Charlie Comiskey, infielder, manager; Hall of Famer (b. 1859)
- 1939 - Ed Lennox, infielder (b. 1885)
- 1945 - Ernie Gust, infielder (b. 1888)
- 1949 - Lou Mahaffey, pitcher (b. 1874)
- 1952 - Tom Angley, catcher (b. 1904)
- 1952 - Mike Murphy, catcher (b. 1888)
- 1955 - Jack Bushelman, pitcher (b. 1885)
- 1956 - Red Nelson, pitcher (b. 1886)
- 1957 - Erwin Renfer, pitcher (b. 1891)
- 1963 - Newt Hunter, infielder (b. 1880)
- 1966 - Bill Cronin, catcher (b. 1902)
- 1969 - Jim Blackburn, pitcher (b. 1924)
- 1970 - Willie Underhill, pitcher (b. 1904)
- 1973 - Eddie Yount, outfielder (b. 1915)
- 1976 - Eddie Silber, outfielder (b. 1914)
- 1981 - Harry Hoch, pitcher (b. 1887)
- 1982 - Bud Podbielan, pitcher (b. 1924)
- 1984 - Gus Mancuso, catcher; All-Star (b. 1905)
- 1985 - Bob Scheffing, catcher, manager (b. 1913)
- 1986 - Ed Holley, pitcher (b. 1899)
- 1991 - Bill Bevens, pitcher (b. 1916)
- 2004 - Bobby Avila, infielder; All-Star (b. 1924)
- 2004 - Russ Derry, outfielder (b. 1916)
- 2006 - Bill Graham, pitcher (b. 1937)
- 2006 - Fred Marsh, infielder (b. 1924)
- 2009 - Bill Kirk, pitcher (b. 1934)
