TODAY IN BASEBALL: July 30

july 30

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TODAY IN BASEBALL courtesy of National Pastime

1968 – In a 10-1 loss to the Indians, Senator shortstop Ron Hansen becomes the eighth major leaguer, and the first since 1927, to execute an unassisted triple play. All five American League unassisted triple killings have included a Cleveland player.

1973 – Jim Bibby, a 28 year-old Vietnam veteran, becomes the 14th rookie to throw a no-hitter and becomes the first hurler in franchise history to accomplish the feat. The Rangers right-hander holds the World Champions A’s hitless in a 3-0 Texas victory at the Oakland Coliseum.

1980 – During a workout at the Astrodome, Houston hurler J.R. Richard, who had complained on several occasions about a dead feeling in his arm, suffers a stroke attempting to throw for the first time since being hospitalized for tests. Emergency surgery is performed to remove a blood clot behind his right collarbone, but the Astros’ fireballer will never pitch in the Major Leagues again.

And finally…in 2007, in front of a record crowd of an estimated 75,000 fans and unprecedented number of 53 members of the Hall of Fame, Cal Ripken and Tony Gwynn are inducted into the shrine at Cooperstown. Joining the ballplayers on the dais are Denny Matthews, the longtime radio voice of the Royals, the recipient of the Ford C. Frick Award given to outstanding broadcasters, and Rick Hummel, beat writer for the Post-Dispatch, the J.G. Taylor Spink Award honoree for his outstanding coverage of the Cardinals.

PLAYERS BORN TODAY

Casey Stengel (1890), Joe Nuxhall (1928), Ellis Valentine (1954) and Clint Hurdle (1957)

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