TODAY IN BASEBALL: April 24

april 24

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TODAY IN BASEBALL
courtesy of National Pastime

1923 – President Warren G. Harding, an avid baseball fan who likes to keep a scorecard at games, witnesses the first shutout ever thrown at Yankee Stadium. The chain-smoking Chief Executive is delighted to see Babe Ruth homer during the contest, but is disappointed the Senators drop the contest, 4-0.

1989 – Joining Reggie Jackson and the Reggie bar, Ken Griffey Jr. becomes the second player in history to have a candy bar named after him when he signs a contract with Pacific Trading Cards Company. Unfortunately, the Mariners’ center fielder can’t enjoy the popular confectionary, more than one million will be sold, because the 19 year-old rookie is allergic to chocolate.

2003 – Chase Utley gets his first major league hit, blasting a third inning grand slam off Rockies starter Dennis Cook. The rookie second baseman’s big fly to right field contributes to the Phillies’ 9-1 victory at Veterans Stadium.

And finally…in 2008, the David Ortiz jersey, which was secretly buried in cement at the new Yankee Stadium in an attempt to curse the team, is acquired in a Jimmy Fund charity auction for $175,100. The winning bidder from the 282 who vied for the tattered Red Sox jersey is Kevin Meehan, the owner of Imperialcars.com, located in Mendon, Mass.

PLAYERS BORN TODAY

Bob Ewing (1873), Omar Vizquel (1968), Todd Jones (1968), Chipper Jones (1972) and Carlos Beltran (1977)

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