TODAY IN BASEBALL courtesy of National Pastime
1892 – At Washington, D.C.’s Swampoodle Grounds, Benjamin Harrison becomes the first U.S. president to attend a major league baseball game. The Commander-in-Chief watches Cincinnati defeat the hometown Senators in 11 innings, 7-4.
1968 – The day after democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy is assassinated in Los Angeles, Maury Wills refuses to play in a 4-2 loss to the Dodgers, his former team. The 35 year-old shortstop stays in the Chavez Ravine training room, reading RFK’s book, To Seek a New World.
1994 – Mike Piazza hits the longest home run recorded in the history of Joe Robbie Stadium when his first career grand slam is estimated to travel 477 feet. The catcher’s Ruthian blast, one of four Dodger round-trippers during the Miami contest, isn’t enough to thwart the Marlins’ 11-10 come-from-behind victory.
And finally…in 2007, at Petco Park, Trevor Hoffman becomes the first reliever to save 500 games. It takes the all-time saves leader 10 ninth inning pitches, including an 87 mph fastball thrown past Russell Martin for the final out, to reach the milestone in the Padres’ 5-3 victory over the Dodgers.
PLAYERS BORN TODAY
Bill Dickey (1907), Brooks Kieschnick (1972), Mark Ellis (1977) and Jeremy Affeldt (1979)
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