6688 Followers
1518 Following
Digging through old newspapers to deliver the freshest, latest breaking baseball news from decades ago.
If you like current baseball too, I wrote @dingerbot.bsky.social to post every time there's a home run. Also developed everybaseballscore.com
3000 days ago (June 10, 2017), Aaron Judge clobbers one of the hardest-hit balls of the statcast era, mashing a Chris Tillman pitch for a HR. It has an almost unfathomable exit velocity of 121.1 miles per hour.
Tillman was in his late-career Charlie Brown Pitching phase at this point, but 121 MPH!
YouTube video by MLB
3000 days ago (June 10, 2017), the Rays host Oakland in a super-rare scheduled doubleheader, just the fourth time this century that a doubleheader was planned and not just an ad hoc makeup thing made necessary by a rainout.
8000 days ago (Oct 2, 2003), after losing game one of the ALDS at home to the Twins, the Yankees right the ship in game two. Andy Pettitte strikes out 10 in 7 innings, then turns the ball over to Mariano Rivera, who throws two perfect innings because it’s October and he’s Mariano Freaking Rivera.
YouTube video by caps mvp
8000 days ago (October 2, 2003), one day after his team won a nerve racking extra inning ALDS game decided by a surprise two out bunt, Oakland’s Barry Zito doesn’t leave much room for drama. Zito shuts down the Red Sox in a 5-1 win, giving Oakland a seemingly commanding 2-0 series lead.
YouTube video by gibomber
14000 days ago (April 29, 1987), newly-signed free agent OF Andre Dawson goes 5-for-5 for the Cubs, hits for the cycle, and leads the team to an 8-4 home win over San Francisco. As it turns out, signing Dawson was a terrific idea.
15000 days ago (August 2, 1984), Montreal pinch hitter Pete Rose smokes a line drive up the middle. It hits pitcher Lee Smith’s glove, shoulder, and hip, then bounces to Cubs SS Dave Owen, who starts a game-ending double play.
YouTube video by CourtsideTweets
23000 days ago (September 7, 1962), Dodgers speedster Maury Wills steals four bases. He’s now up to 82 steals on the season, a modern NL record at the time. Wills is in the middle of a six-game stretch in which he swipes 13 bases.
38000 days ago (August 13, 1921), George Sisler, who had eight hits in two days earlier in the week, goes 5-for-5, hits for the cycle, and adds an extra double just because he can. The guy could flat-out hit.
Not bad for a former pitcher.
Apologies to any Kiwis who may follow me. Rest assured I was also crushed when this happened.
As an American cricket fan, you don't expect to see your country win anything, you just have to find joy in the little things, like England collapsing. Which they didn't do that day. Sigh.
41000 days ago (May 27, 1913), the Braves win the first game of a doubleheader against the Giants 1-0.
The only run is scored when New York CF George Burns makes a nearly perfect throw home for a play at the plate, but it hits the bat and bounces away.
I'm picturing the Ben Stokes CWC incident.
YouTube video by ICC