TODAY IN BASEBALL courtesy of National Pastime
1979 – At the age of 32, Thurman Munson is killed when the Cessna Citation I/SP jet he is learning to fly clips a tree and crashes 1,000 feet short of the runway at Akron-Canton Regional Airport. The Yankee catcher had been taking lessons for over two years so he could get home more easily on off-days to be with his family in Ohio.
1982 – During a ceremony held in Cooperstown, NY, the United States Postal Service unveils a 20-cent stamp commemorating baseball great Jackie Robinson as part of its annual Black Heritage series. The Dodger infielder becomes the first individual baseball player to be depicted on a U.S postage stamp.
2010 – Washington backstop Ivan Rodriguez becomes the fifth player to collect 300 home runs while catching when he goes deep off Rodrigo Lopez leading off the second inning of the Nationals’ 3-1 victory in Arizona. Pudge joins Hall of Famers Mike Piazza, Carlton Fisk, Johnny Bench, and Yogi Berra as the only catchers in baseball history to reach the plateau while playing behind the dish.
And finally…in 2013, two days after his 21st birthday, Jose Fernandez establishes a franchise rookie record, striking out 14 batters in the Miami 10-0 victory over Cleveland in Marlins Park. The Miami right-hander becomes the first pitcher with at least 13 strikeouts in consecutive games since Randy Johnson accomplished the feat in 2004.
PLAYERS BORN TODAY
Red Ames (1882), Tim Wakefield (1966), Grady Sizemore (1982) and Huston Street (1983)
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
