HOVG REWIND: July 5, 2016

TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY courtesy of National Pastime

1947 – Larry Doby of the Indians becomes the first black to appear in the American League, when he strikes out as a pinch hitter against Chicago hurler Earl Harrist. The 23 year-old former Newark Eagle standout will play in the major leagues for 13 years, amassing 1,515 hits, just three less than Jackie Robinson.

1987 – The A’s first baseman Mark McGwire becomes the first rookie to hit 30 homers before the All-Star Game as Oakland defeats the Red Sox, 6-2. The Oakland infielder will finish the season with 49 round-trippers, establishing a new freshman mark previously shared by Wally Berger and Frank Robinson with 39.

2002 – Baseball legend Ted Williams, considered by many the greatest hitter in the history of the game, dies of cardiac arrest at the age of 83. The first-ballot Hall of Famer, who was a lifetime .344 hitter, won the MVP award and Triple Crown twice, led the American League in batting for six seasons, and hit .406 in 1941 during his 19-year career with the Red Sox.

And finally…in 2005, Manny Ramirez hits his 20th career grand slam, passing Eddie Murray on the all-time list, for the second-most four-run homers in major league history. The Red Sox left fielder trails only Yankee legend Lou Gehrig, who holds the major league record with 23, a mark which will be eventually surpassed by Alex Rodriguez.

STAT OF THE DAY provided by @HighHeatStats

July 5th is the day for signing namesakes of good Major League players. Today in 1996, the Indians signed Luis Gonzalez as an amateur free agent, but not the good one. Today in 1989, the Expos signed Nelson Cruz as an amateur free agent, but not the good one.

PLAYERS BORN TODAY

Bump Hadley (1904), Gary Matthews (1950), Goose Gossage (1951) and Tim Worrell (1967)