TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY courtesy of National Pastime
1941 – Joe DiMaggio begins his 56-game hitting streak with a hit against White Sox pitcher Edgar Smith. The Yankee outfielder will collect at least one hit in every game until July 17, when his unrivaled accomplishment, which captures the attention of a nation, is stopped in Cleveland with the help of outstanding defensive plays by third baseman Ken Keltner.
1973 – Nolan Ryan, who lasted just one-third of an inning in his previous start, throws the first of his seven career no-hitters, including another one in two months. The ‘Ryan Express’s 3-0 gem is the first no-hit game to be played in Kansas City’s Royals Stadium.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvnkj8sbpVg]1981 – At Cleveland’s Municipal Stadium, Indians’ Len Barker pitches the 11th perfect game in major league history, defeating the Blue Jays, 3-0. Catfish Hunter was the last pitcher to accomplish the feat, hurling a perfecto for the A’s in 1968.
And finally…in 2015, Mariner right-hander Felix Hernandez becomes the fourth-youngest hurler to record his 2,000th career strikeout when he whiffs Sam Fuld in fifth inning of the team’s 4-3 victory against Oakland at Safeco Field. Bert Blyleven, Walter Johnson, and Sam McDowell are the only three pitchers to reach milestone faster than King Felix.
STAT OF THE DAY provided by @HighHeatStats
40 years ago today, Mark Fidrych made and won his first career major-league start. After losing his next start, The Bird won his next eight in a row on his way to winning the AL Rookie of the Year award.
PLAYERS BORN TODAY
George Brett (1953), John Smoltz (1967), Josh Beckett (1980) and Justin Morneau (1981)
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