TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY courtesy of National Pastime
1960 – At a night game against Cleveland, the White Sox unveil the ‘Monster’, their new exploding scoreboard at the Comiskey Park. The $300,000 brainchild of Chicago owner Bill Veeck will produce fireworks and accompanying sound effects whenever a home run is hit by a hometown player.
1961 – Five days past his 40th birthday, Warren Spahn becomes the second oldest pitcher, only behind Cy Young’s performance at the age of 41 years and three months, to throw a no-hitter. Henry Aaron knocks in the game’s only run when the Braves beat the Giants at County Stadium, 1-0.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSb8I4QUKW4]2010 – Luke Hughes becomes the fifth player in Twins’ history to homer in his first at-bat in the major leagues when he goes deep off Detroit’s Max Scherzer in Minnesota’s 11-6 loss at Comerica Park. The Australian-born rookie third baseman joins Rick Renick (1968), Dave McKay (1975), Gary Gaetti (1981) and Andre David (1984) in accomplishing the feat.
And finally…in 2012, Bryce Harper makes his much-anticipated debut in the Nationals’ 4-3 loss to Los Angeles at Chavez Ravine. The 19 year-old rookie center fielder, who drives in the potential go-ahead run in the ninth inning with a sacrifice fly, doubles in the top of the seventh off Chad Billingsley for his first major league hit.
STAT OF THE DAY provided by @HighHeatStats
Five years ago today, Ben Zobrist set the Rays’ single-game RBI record with eight in the first game of a double header. Zobrist hasn’t had more than five RBI in any other game of his career.
PLAYERS BORN TODAY
Tom Browning (1960), Barry Larkin (1964), David Freese (1983) and Dillon Gee (1986)
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