HOVG REWIND: July 21, 2016

TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY courtesy of National Pastime

1988 – The Yankees trade Jay Buhner, minor league prospect Rich Balabon, and a player to be named later (Troy Evers) to the Mariners in exchange for 33 year-old Ken Phelps. The one-sided deal will be immortalized on Seinfield by Frank Costanza, George’s dad, when he laments the Bronx Bombers’ poor judgment, “How could you have traded Buhner for Ken Phelps?”.

2006 – Going deep in the third inning, 30 year-old Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez collects his 2,000th career hit and at the same time becomes the youngest player to reach the 450 home run plateau. Later in the day, Padres catcher Mike Piazza also becomes a member of the 2000 hit club with a second inning double to left at San Francisco’s AT&T Park.

2006 – In the opening game of a weekend series against Chicago, George Washington wins the first Presidents Race ever held at Nationals Park. Mascots Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln will also chalk up wins in the next two days, but Teddy Roosevelt’s will not, thus beginning his infamous streak over more than 500 attempts before finally crossing the finish line first on the final day of the 2012 season.

And finally…in 2008, Diamondbacks left-hander Randy Johnson becomes the first major leaguer to collect 2,000 strikeouts for two different teams. The Arizona southpaw, who fanned 2,162 batters pitching for the Mariners from 1989-98, whiffs Cubs third baseman Aramis Ramirez to earn the distinction.

PLAYERS BORN TODAY

Johnny Evers (1881), Al Hrabosky (1949), Dave Henderson (1958) and CC Sabathia (1980)