This Week in Yankees History
June 24th - June 30th
June 24th
1907 - Former Yankees C Rollie Hemsley (1942-1944) was born (1907-1942). On July 19, 1942, veteran MLB Catcher Rollie Hemsley was signed as a MLB free agent with the New York Yankees. He appeared in 174 games for the Yankees, hitting .262. In 1944, he was named to the AL All Star team. In 1944, he went into the military service. On March 25, 1946, he was purchased by the Philadelphia Phillies from the New York Yankees.
1908 - Charging the New York Highlander owners with refusing to spend money to build a winning team, Manager Clark Griffith resigns; Shortstop Kid Elberfeld replaces him following today's 6-6 tie game with the Philadelphia A's. The Highlanders fade fast and finished last in the American League with a club record of 103 losses.
1930 - The New York Yankees sweep their 2nd consecutive doubleheader from the Philadelphia A’s by scores of 10-6 and 11-1, as Yankees slugger Babe Ruth hits 2 more HRs and sets an MLB record with 8 HRs in 6 games.
1933 - New York Yankees signed veteran hurler George Uhle (1933-1934) after his release by the Giants. George would go 8-5 in 22 games with Yankees.
1934 - After being hitless in his last 21 at bats, New York slugger Babe Ruth hits a grand slam HR in a 5-0 Yankee win over the Chicago White Sox.
1936 - New York Rookie CF Joe DiMaggio ties 3 MLB records in the Yankees 10-run, 5th inning against the Chicago White Sox, hitting 2 HRs for 8 total bases. With 2 doubles, he equals the modern MLB record of 4 long hits in a game.
1950 - Detroit starter Art Houtteman pitches the Tigers to a 4-1 win over the New York Yankees. Yogi Berra's HR is the only Yankees score, as they lose their 4th straight game and 8th game in 12 games. The Tigers now lead the American League by 3 games.
1958 - The New York Yankees erupt for 5 runs in the 4th inning off of Chicago starter Early Wynn to beat the White Sox by a score of 6-2 at Comiskey Park. Mickey Mantle's clout into the CF bleachers leads off the 4th inning, followed by a single, walk and Jerry Lumpe's 1st MLB career HR, and an HR by Norm Siebern. Yankees closer Ryne Duren strikeouts 6 of the last 9 White Sox batters to preserve Yankees starter Bob Turley's win.
1962 - A marathon game between the Tigers and Yankees ends in the 22nd inning at Tiger Stadium, when Jack Reed's HR, his only MLB HR career gives Yankees rookie reliever Jim Bouton, a 9-7 victory. Reserve OF Jack Reed had replaced Joe Pepitone in the 13th inning. For the Tigers, Closer Phil Regan takes the loss, while Tigers OF Rocky Colavito has 7 hits. Yankees 2B Bobby Richardson ties a mark by going to the plate 11 times. At an even 7 hours, the game is the slowest extra-inning contest in AL history and it is the longest game in innings in Yankees history. Veteran Yankees AL All Star catcher Yogi Berra, who is now 37 years old, catches all 22 innings of the game. Yankees Manager Ralph Houk had used his other catchers Elston Howard and Johnny Howard in the game.
1967 - New York Yankees All Star Slugger Mickey Mantle breaks a 3-3 tie in the 9th inning with a HR off of Detroit Tiger's reliever Fred Gladding to give the 9th place Yankees, a 4-3 victory.
1970 - During a doubleheader with the Cleveland Indians at Yankee Stadium, Bobby Murcer ties Lou Gehrig's record of 4 straight HRs. The Yankees lose the opener by a score of 7-2, despite Murcer's 9th-inning HR off of Tribe hurler Sam McDowell. Bobby Murcer next connects off of game 2 Tribe starter Mike Paul, hitting a solo HR in the 1st inning. A walk in the 4th, then a 2-run HR off of Mike Paul in the 5th inning, and then a game-tying HR in the 8th inning, off of reliever Fred Lasher. Yankees scores in the bottom of the 9th inning to salvage a 5-4 win. Indians 1B Tony Horton hears a boo and literally crawls back to the dugout after fanning on two of Yankees hurler Steve Hamilton's "folly floaters." Sensitive to fans' booing during the 1970 AL season, Horton will be hospitalized, and at 25, this will be his last MLB season.
1977 - At Yankee Stadium before a crowd of 54,940 fans, Roy White launches a dramatic 2-out, two-run HR in the bottom of the 9th inning to give the Bronx Bombers, a 5-5 tie with the Boston Red Sox. The Yankees score in the 10th inning on Reggie Jackson bases-loaded single to win the game by the score of 6-5. Roy White's key hit comes after Red Sox closer Bill Campbell retires the 1st two Yankee batters in the 9th inning, then Willie Randolph triples to bring up Bobby Murcer. Sparky Lyle picks up the win for the Yankees, handing the Red Sox their 1st loss in 8 games. With HRs from Yaz, Butch Hobson and George Scott, the Red Sox set a MLB record of 33 HRs in 10 games.
1986 - Current Yankees P Philip Hughes (2007-2012) was born. Phil Hughes was drafted by the New York Yankees in the 1st round (23rd pick) of the 2004 MLB amateur player draft. Philip Hughes was 9-1 with a 0.69 ERA as a HS senior walking only 3 and striking out 83 in 61 innings. He was chosen to Baseball America's All-American high school team. The New York Yankees took him with the 23rd pick in the 1st round of the 2004 amateur draft and signed him for $1.4 million. He pitched 3 starts for the GCL Yankees that year, only throwing a total of 5 innings, striking out 8 batters with no walks.
Hughes' 1st year as a full-time professional player came in 2005, when the right-hander went 2-0 with a 3.06 ERA for the Tampa Yankees (FSL), holding opponents to a 1.40 average, and he was 7-1 with a 1.97 ERA for the Charleston RiverDogs, allowing only a .192 average, 2.10 BB/9 and striking out 9.44 batters per 9 innings. Hampered by tendonitis and a tired arm, he didn't even reach 100 innings, but Baseball America still named him the Yankee minor league player of the year. The publication also rated him the #6 prospect in the SAL.
In 2006, Phil was 2-3 with a 1.80 ERA for Tampa and 10-3 with a 2.25 ERA for the Trenton Thunder (EL). He pitched in the 2006 Futures Game, but was bombed for 3 runs in one inning of work, giving up a RBI double to Wladimir Balentien followed by a 2-run HR to George Kottaras. Hughes tied for the 10th lowest ERA (2.16) in the US-based minors that year. He tied Matt Garza for the 2nd-lowest average allowed by a minor league starter (.179). Baseball America rated him the best pitching prospect, the most exciting player in the Eastern League and as possessing the best breaking pitch. Hughes started 2007 in AAA, with a 2-1, 3.94 record for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees with 17 K and a .200 opposing batting average in 16 IP.
Hughes made his MLB debut on April 26, 2007, in a losing effort against the Toronto Blue Jays at a time when the Yankee starting rotation was decimated by injuries. Hughes was the youngest player in the 2007 AL at the time of his debut, in which he allowed 7 hits and 4 runs in 4 1/3 IP. He was the 3rd Yankees starting pitcher to make his MLB debut in the season's 1st 20 games, following Kei Igawa and Chase Wright; it had been 52 years since another team had done that - the 1955 Cardinals with Larry Jackson, Luis Arroyo and Floyd Wooldridge. In his 2nd start, against the Texas Rangers on May 1st, he pitched 6 1/3 hitless innings, but he was forced to leave the game because of a pulled groin muscle. Hughes was placed on the DL after the game. He did earn his 1st MLB victory though, as the Yankees finished with a 2-hit 10-1 victory. He came back in July with the Tampa Yankees. In his 1st rehab stint, he allowed 1 unearned run in 2 innings, walking 2, allowing no hits and striking out 3. He was back in the AL shortly afterwards. He finished his 1st season with a 5-3 record and a 4.46 ERA in 13 starts. He also made 2 relief appearances in the ALDS, pitching 5 2/3 innings, allowing only 1 run and earning a win as the Yankees bowed out to the Cleveland Indians.
In 2008, he fought health problems all season, making only 8 starts in the MLB, going 0-4 with a 6.62 ERA. He was back in the Yankees' starting rotation to begin the 2009 AL season, but after 7 starts was moved to the Yankees bullpen because the team's relievers were regularly taking a beating. Hughes had trouble adjusting to the hitter-friendly New Yankee Stadium.
After a few solid outings, he was installed as the 8th-inning bullpen set-up man for Yankees Closer Mariano Rivera, he thrived in the role. Hughes was 8-3 with a 3.03 ERA and 3 saves, pitching 86 innings and striking out 96 batters while walking 28. He did not fare so well in the postseason, being hit hard in both the ALDS and World Series, and pitching better but still being charged with a loss in the ALCS against the Los Angeles Angels. Still, the Yankees defeated the Philadelphia Phillies in the Fall Classic. After the 2009 Championship season, there was uncertainty about what Hughes's role would be in 2010 - starter or reliever. Manager Joe Girardi decided to return him to the starting rotation and the move paid dividends. With A.J. Burnett struggling, Hughes became the Yanks' 3rd starter behind veterans CC Sabathia and Andy Pettitte. Hughes was a big winner, going 18-8 in 29 starts with a 4.18 ERA. He had a great first half, going 11-2, 3.65 and was named to the AL All-Star team, but slowed down noticeably in the 2nd half (7-6, 4.90). He won 1st postseason start of his MLB career with 7 scoreless innings against the Minnesota Twins in the ALDS, but he was hit hard by the Texas Rangers in the ALCS: he lost both of his starts to the Rangers, giving up 11 runs in 8 2/3 innings.
1988 - Cleveland's Doug Jones celebrates his 31st birthday by saving his 14th game in 14 appearances, breaking the MLB record for consecutive saves set last season by Steve Bedrosian. Jones retires all 7 Yankee batters, he faces to close out the Indians' 7-5 win over New York.
1991 - Minnesota Twins' Scott Erickson wins his 12th consecutive decision, tops in the MLB, stopping the Yankees by the score of 5-0, on 2 hits. He retires 24 of the final 25 Yankee batters.
1992 - Commissioner Fay Vincent permanently bans Yankees veteran reliever Steve Howe from MLB after having pled guilty to a misdemeanor charge of attempting to purchase a gram of cocaine. It is Howe's 7th ban from the game, as he becomes the 1st player ever permanently banned from baseball because of drugs, the ban will later be rescinded.
1996 - Former Yankees P Steve Howe, released by the team just 2 days ago, is arrested at Kennedy International Airport for carrying a loaded gun in his luggage. He will plead guilty to a misdemeanor and receive 3 years probation and 150 hours of community service.
1997 - Yankees 1B Tino Martinez hits 2 singles, a double, and a pair of HRs, while driving in 4 runs as the Bronx Bombers top the Detroit Tigers by a score of 12-9. Chad Curtis adds 5 RBI’s for the Yankees.
2005 - Thanks to Yankees Bernie Williams dropping a ball in centerfield; the New York Mets become the 1st National League team to hit 3 sacrifice flies in one inning. Catcher Ramon Castro's sac fly to right ties the game at 1-1 as David Wright advances to 3B; then the Yankee's CF then drops Jose Reyes deep fly ball allowing Wright to score; then Mike Cameron skies to right scoring runner Doug Mientkiewicz, who had advanced to 3B on an errant pick off throw.
2007 - Veteran starter Roger Clemens makes his 1st relief appearance in 22 years, 341 days, a new MLB record. Steve Carlton (15 years, 343 days) had held the record previously. Clemens had not pitched in relief since his rookie season with the Boston Red Sox. He volunteered to fill in when the Yankees had worn out their bullpen in 13 innings yesterday.
2008 - For the first time since Game 7 of the 1960 World Series, the New York Yankees visit Pittsburgh, PA. After Bill Mazeroski, the hero of that Game 7, throws out the 1st pitch, the home team pulls off a reenactment of their last meeting, upsetting New York. The Pirates top the Yanks, 12-5, with six Pirate players getting multiple hits. Ryan Doumit goes 3 for 5 with a HR, 2 runs and two RBI and Freddy Sanchez scores 3 times while Yankees hitters Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter and Jason Giambi go a combined 1 for 12.
June 25th
1878 - Former Yankees P John Deering (1903) was born (1878-1943). On July 16, 1903, John Deering was traded by the Detroit Tigers to the New York Highlanders for INF Paddy Greene. John posted a 4-3 record in 9 games with a 3.75 ERA.
1897 - Former Yankees Reserve OF Elisha “Camp” Skinner (1922) was born (1897-1944). Reserve OF Elisha “Camp” Skinner played in 27 games for the 1922 Yankees, hitting just .182. On January 30,1923, Skinner was traded by the New York Yankees along with OF Norm McMillan, P George Murray and $50,000 to the Boston Red Sox for P Herb Pennock.
1903 - At Chicago, the White Sox bat first against the New York Highlanders. The two teams battle to an 18-inning tie at six apiece. The two teams total 30 hits, but neither score in the overtime.
1904 - In Boston, New York Highlanders starter Jack Chesbro wins his 12th straight game beating veteran Red Sox starter Cy Young by a score of 5-3. Patsy Dougherty has 3 hits against his former Boston Red Sox teammates.
1915 - In Boston, Babe Ruth blasts his 3rd HR of the 1915 AL season, off of Yankees P Ray Caldwell. He is the 2nd player to hit a ball into the RF seats at Fenway Park. Ruth strikes out eight Yankee batters in pitching a complete game, a 9-5 win, he adds a single off of reliever Bill Donovan, Yankees skipper and his former manager.
1934 - In an 11-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox, Yankees 1B Lou Gehrig hits for the cycle. Although pitcher John Broaca ties a MLB record by striking out 5 consecutive times, he gets the 'W' for the Yankees. Not until Bernie Williams on August 21, 1991, will another Yankee fan 5 times (by Bret Saberhagen).
1947 - The New York Yankees purchased reserve INF Lonnie Frey (1947-1948) from the Chicago Cubs. Lonnie appeared in 25 games with the Yankees before being released in May of 1948.
1953 - Chicago White Sox Manager Paul Richards uses five 1st Basemen in beating the New York Yankees by the score of 4-2. He brings in Harry Dorish to face 2 batters, moving pitcher Billy Pierce to 1B. The Sox three-game sweep still leaves the Yankees 9 games up on the Cleveland Indians and 9 ½ games on the Chicago White Sox.
1954 - Former Yankees P Bob Shirley (1983-1987) was born. The New York Yankees signed veteran NL hurler Bob Shirley as a MLB free agent. Bob went 14-20 with 5 saves in 145 games for the Yankees.
1963 - Former Yankees Catcher/DH/1B Mike Stanley (1992-1995, 1997) was born. Mike Stanley was signed as a MLB free agent in 1992. He originally was signed by the Texas Rangers organization. In 1993, he won AL Sliver Slugger Award. Mike was named to the 1995 AL All Star team. His final Yankees career totals were a .285 BA with 72 HRs and 263 RBIs in 426 games. He was the Yankees regular catcher until the arrival of new Yankees Manager Joe Torre, who replaced him with Joe Girardi. Mike was brought back to the Yankees in on August 13, 1997, when he was traded by the Boston Red Sox along with minor league player Randy Brown to the Yankees for a player to be named later and minor league hurler Tony Armas Jr. The Yankees would later sent P Jim Mecir to the Red Sox to complete the trade.
1964 - Baltimore Orioles starter Steve Barber's three-hit, 3-0 win gives the Orioles a 3-game sweep of the New York Yankees and 1st place in the American League.
1971 - The Montreal Expos traded veteran OF Ron Swoboda to New York Yankees, the Expos received OF Ron Woods from the Yankees.
1977 - New York Yankees starter Mike Torrez beats Boston Red Sox rival Luis Tiant to give the Yankees a 5-1 win over the Red Sox. Yankees 3B Greg Nettles 3-run HR is the big blow of the game. The Yankees, now trail the Red Sox by 3 games in the AL Eastern division race.
1984 - At Yankee Stadium, Dave Winfield hits 5 singles and drives in 4 runs to lead the Yankees to a 7-3 win over the Detroit Tigers. Yankees starter Ron Guidry (6-5) is the beneficiary of Winfield's hitting. Dave is now hitting .750 against the Tigers this season. Winfield has three 5-hit games this month, tying an AL record set by HOF Ty Cobb.
1985 - Due to a New York Yankees batboy being hit by a line drive foul ball by Yankees player Butch Wynegar. The New York officials enact a new rule mandating the team’s batboys will wear protective helmets during all games.
1999 - During the Baltimore Orioles' 9-8 losses to the New York Yankees, O's reliever Jesse Orosco makes his 1,051th MLB relief appearance to break Kent Tekulve's MLB record. Reliever Mike Tomlin, who takes the loss, succeeds him; when he serves up a 9th inning HR to Yankees OF Shane Spencer. Harold Baines has a pair of HRs for the Orioles, while Tino Martinez has 4 hits for the Yankees.
2011 - Both leagues get their first 10-game winners of the 2011 MLB season today. CC Sabathia reaches the magic number with the New York Yankees in an 8-3 win over the Colorado Rockies, he is joined by the Tigers' Justin Verlander, who strikes out a career-best 14 over 8 innings in beating Arizona, 6-0, and the Braves' Jair Jurrjens, a 10-1 winner over the Padres.
June 26th
1912 - The New York Yankees send future star hurler Hippo Vaughn (2-8), winner of last year's AL season opener to the Washington Senators for the waiver price.
1929 - Former Yankees Reserve OF Richard “Tut” Tettelbach (1955) was born. In 1951, Richard “Tut” Tettlebach was signed by the New York Yankees as MLB an amateur free agent. Richard appeared in 2 games with the Yankees in September of 1955, with no BA. On February 8, 1956, he was traded by the Yankees along with a player to be named later, C Lou Berberet, INF Herb Plews and P Bob Wiesler to the Senators for a player to be named later, Pitchers Bobby Kline and Mickey McDermott. The Yankees would send minor league OF Whitey Herzog on April 2,1956 to the Senators to complete the trade.
1939 - At Shibe Park in Philadelphia, the New York Yankees play their 1st night game in their franchise history losing to Connie Mack's A's by a score of 3-2.
1941 - New York Yankees southpaw ace Marius Russo throws no-hit ball for 6 1/3 innings before future Yankee George Mc Quinn spoils the bid with a HR. It was the only St. Louis Browns hit in a 4-1 Yankees win.
1943 - Former Yankees OF Bill Robinson (1967-1969) was born (1943-2007). Rookie OF Bill Robinson was brought to the New York Yankees from the Atlanta Braves in the Clete Boyer trade in the winter of 1966. Bill Robinson struggled in New York, being labeled as the “black “ Mickey Mantle. Bill couldn’t not relax with the Yankees, despite Mantle’s encouragement as a teammate. He was sent down to the Yankees AAA team at Syracuse (IL). Later Bill would have a successful career in NL with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Philadelphia Phillies. After retiring as an active player, Bill would later become a successful MLB batting Coach. Bill passed away in 2007.
1944 - At the Polo Grounds with over 50,000 fans looking on, the three New York MLB teams played against each other in a 6 inning 3-team game (a team played consecutive innings against the other 2 teams then sat out an inning). The contest, which was played to raise money for war bonds ended with the final score of Dodgers 5, Yankees 1, and the Giants 0.
1957 - Former Yankees P Mike Griffin (1979-1981) was born. On June 8, 1976, Mike Griffin was drafted by the Texas Rangers in the 3rd round of the 1976 MLB amateur player draft. On November 10, 1978, Mike was traded by the Texas Rangers along with Greg Jemison (minors), OF Juan Beniquez, pitchers Paul Mirabella and Dave Righetti to the New York Yankees for C Mike Heath, pitchers Sparky Lyle, Larry McCall, Dave Rajsich, INF Domingo Ramos and cash. Mike went 2-4 in 18 games with 1 save for the Yankees. On August 5,1981, the New York Yankees sent P Mike Griffin to the Chicago Cubs to complete an earlier deal made on June 12,1981. On June 12,1981, The New York Yankees sent a player to be named later, P Doug Bird and $400,000 to the Chicago Cubs for veteran starter Rick Reuschel.
1961 - The Yankees beat the expansion Angels by a score of 8-6, as Yogi Berra collects his 2000th MLB career hit, all as a Bronx Bomber. To celebrate the achievement a huge cake is rolled out in Wrigley Field in Los Angeles. Angels reliever Art Fowler, who has allowed just 1 hit in his last 12 innings, serves up a 9th inning HR to Bill Skowron as Yankees wins the game by a score of 8-6. Mickey Mantle adds an earlier HR, off of veteran Angels starter Ken McBride, as Yankees Ace Whitey Ford wins his 13th game of the 1961 AL season.
1962 - The New York Yankees sell veteran reserve OF Bob Cerv to the new NL expansion team, the Houston Colt 45.’s. Bob was at the end of his fine MLB career, which included 3 separate tours with the Yankees. His final Yankees career totals were a .266 BA in 379 games with 26 HRs with 118 RBIs. Bob appeared in 3 World Series with the Yankees hitting .258 with1 HR and 1 RBI.
1969 - Former Yankees reliever Mike Meyers (2007-2008) was born. Veteran MLB reliever Mike Myers went 4-2 in 117 games with the Yankees before being released on August 13, 2008. He would finish the 2008 AL season with the Chicago White Sox.
1974 - Current Yankees All Star Shortstop and Captain Derek Jeter was born. Derek Jeter was drafted by the New York Yankees in the 1st round (6th pick) of the 1992 MLB amateur player draft. Derek currently has a Yankee lifetime BA of .313 with 247 HRs and 1,221 RBI’s. Jeter was an AL Shortstop Golden Glove winner in 2004-2006 and in 2009-2010. He was a Silver Slugger winner in 2006-2009. Jeter won the 1996 AL Rookie of the Year Award winner. He has been named to the AL All Star team member 12 times. Derek Jeter has appeared in 7 World Series for the Yankees, hitting .321 in 28 games with 3 HRs and 9 RBI’s. Jeter has appeared in 9 ALS, hitting .258 with 7 HRs with 24 RBI’s. In 15 ALDS, Jeter has hit .341 with 10 HRs with 26 RBI’s. On July 9, 2011, Derek Jeter reached the 3,000 hit mark for the Yankees. He became the first Yankees player in club history to reach that MLB milestone.
1977 - In front of 55,039 fans at Yankee Stadium, the Yankees complete a 3-game sweep of the Red Sox, avenging the 3 losses last week to the Sox at Fenway Park. Yankees takes a 4-1 lead into the 9th inning, but the Red Sox tie the game. In the bottom of the 9th inning, Paul Blair bounces a bases-loaded ball over the head of 3B Butch Hobson to pin the loss on Red Sox reliever Bill Campbell.
1979 - The New York Yankees reacquired the popular OF Bobby Murcer from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for minor league P Paul Semall and cash. Bobby Murcer will once again thrive playing in Yankee Stadium, hitting .273 with 8 HRs for the 1979 Yankees.
1980 - MLB Commissioner Bowie Kuhn voids the Yankees' drafting of highly touted high school shortstop Billy Cannon, Jr. Four MLB teams had complained that Billy Cannon, Sr., college football's Heisman Trophy winner in 1959, had misled them with telegrams saying that his son would go to college, in the hopes that the Yankees would then draft him. In a special draft, the Indians will pick Cannon but he chooses to attend Texas A & M instead. The young Cannon will be drafted number 1 by the Dallas Cowboys in 1984.
1987 - Although the Boston Red Sox have a 9-0, 2nd inning lead over the Yankees, starter Roger Clemens is unable to hold the lead with the Yankees winning the game by the score of 12-11 in 10 innings. Red Sox 3B Wade Boggs sees his 25-game hitting streak come to an end.
1991 - Former Yankees P Johnny “Swede” Johnson passed away (1914-1991). In March of 1940, Johnny Johnson was signed as a MLB free agent with the New York Yankees. He had originally signed with the Detroit Tigers organization in 1935. In 1944, Johnny appeared in 22 games for the Yankees posting a 0-2 record as a reliever with 3 saves. On December 15,1944, Johnny was traded by the New York Yankees to the Chicago White Sox for P Jake Wade. He would pitch in relief for the 1945 White Sox, before returning to the minor leagues.
1999 - Former Yankees minor league P Tim Layana passed away (1964-1999). On June 2, 1986, Tim Layana was drafted by the New York Yankees in the 3rd round of the 1986 MLB amateur player draft. On December 4, 1989, he was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds from the Yankees in the 1989 MLB Rule 5 player draft from the Columbus Clippers (AAA). Tim was killed in auto accident in 1999.
2006 - Former Yankees minor league P Jack Urban passed away (1928-2006). In 1949, the New York Yankees signed Jack Urban as an MLB amateur free agent. He never appeared with the Yankees at the MLB level. On April 5,1957, Jack was sent by the New York Yankees to the Kansas City A’s to complete an earlier deal made on February 19,1957. The Yankees sent a player to be named later, along with OF Irv Noren, INF Milt Graff, P Mickey McDermott, P Tom Morgan, P Rip Coleman, and INF Billy Hunter to the A’s for players to be named later, along with P Art Ditmar, P Bobby Shantz, P Jack McMahan, and INF Wayne Belardi. The Yankees would send P Jack Urban on April 5,1957 to the A’s to complete the trade. The Athletics would send INF Curt Roberts on April 4,1957. The A’s would send INF Clete Boyer on June 4,1957 to the Yankees to complete the trade. On April 8,1959, Jack was traded by the A’s back to the Yankees for P Mark Freeman. On May 12,1959, Jack was purchased by the St. Louis Cardinals from the Yankees. Despite of all of this MLB trade activity, Jack managed to have MLB career record of 15-15 in 69 games with the A’s and the Cardinals. His best MLB season was in 1957, posting a 7-4 record with the Kansas City A’s.
2009 - Yankees OF Brett Gardner collects 5 hits, including a triple and a HR, as the Yankees beat the Mets by the score of 9-1, before a record-breaking crowd at Citi Field. Alex Rodriguez hits HR # 564 of his MLB career, passing HOF Reggie Jackson on the all-time list; Jackson was 6th at the time of his retirement in 1987, but falls to 12th place now. Three errors by the Mets' infield in the 2nd inning lead to 4 runs.
June 27th
1904 - Patsy Dougherty has another 3 hits as the Highlanders beat their old teammate starter Jesse Tannehill and the Boston Red Sox by a score of 8-4. The Red Sox leads the AL by just a half game. Long Tom Hughes will win tomorrow to stretch their lead to 1 1/2 games.
1925 - Former Yankees minor league INF and Manager Wayne Terwilliger was born. Wayne Terwilliger came to the New York Yankees from the Kansas City A’s during the 1960 AL season. He was assigned to the Richmond Virginians (AAA), where he hit .206 in 93 games. In 1961, Wayne became a minor league manager for the Yankees organization at Greensboro in Carolina League. Then he would manage in the Washington Senators-Texas Rangers minor league system for many seasons.
1963 - Chicago White Sox veteran starter Ray Herbert allows 5 New York singles to beat the Yankees by a score of 6-0, to give the White Sox a virtual tie for 1st place. The White Sox assaulted Yankees young pitching star Jim Bouton (10-3) for all their 10 runs in the 1st five innings.
1964 - The New York Yankees edge the Detroit Tigers by the score of 5-4, beating starter Denny McLain. Yankees CF Mickey Mantle's HR in the 4th inning makes it, a 4-1 game.
1972 - Making his last MLB career start, Wade Blasingame's AL debut for the New York Yankees is an inauspicious one, as the Detroit Tigers go deep 3 consecutive times in the 1st inning. The opening inning HRs are hit by Aurelio Rodriguez, Al Kaline and Willie Horton power Tigers over Yankees by a score of 5-2.
1978 - New York's 3B Graig Nettles belts a 2-run HR in the 14th inning to give the Yankees, a 6-4 win over the Boston Red Sox. Dick Drago serves up Nettles' 13th HR of the 1978 AL season. Yankees closer Sparky Lyle, now 6-1 wins the game in relief. Yankees Ron Guidry (13-0) starts for the Yankees, giving up 8 Red Sox hits in 6 innings.
1979 - Former Yankees CF Pat Maloney (1912) passed away (1888-1979). Pat Maloney appeared in 25 games for the 1912 Yankees, hitting just .215.
2008 - In a 15-6 Mets win in the 1st game of a doubleheader with the Yankees; Carlos Delgado drives in 9 runs, setting a franchise record. Delgado hits a grand slam HR (the 12th of his MLB career), a 3-run homer and a 2-run double.
2010 - Trailing 6-2 in the 9th inning, the New York Yankees rally for 4 runs against Dodger closer Jonathan Broxton to tie the game, then win it with a 2-run HR by Robinson Cano against George Sherrill in the 10th inning. In the 4-run rally, Cano drives in the 1st of the runs with a one-out double, and Chad Huffman sends 2 more runs home on his 1st MLB hit. Curtis Granderson slides home ahead of James Loney's throw on Colin Curtis's grounder to 1st to tie the game.
June 28th
1907 - The last place Washington Nationals steal a record 13 bases off of catcher Branch Rickey in a 16-5 win over the Yankees. Rickey, acquired last February from the St. Louis Browns, is pressed into service despite having a bad shoulder because of the injury to starting C Red Kleinow. Rickey's 1st throw to 2B ends up in RF and the subsequent tosses are not much better. He almost nips Jim Delahanty on a steal of 3B. In his 8 innings, reliever Lew Brockett helps the Nats with a deliberate windup. Only P Tom Hughes and 2B Nig Perrine are steal-less, while Hal Chase swipes one for the Yankees.
1915 - The New York Yankees purchased P Bob Shawkey from the Philadelphia A’s for $85,00. Bob would pitch for the Yankees from 1915-1927. Bob would win 168 games for the Yankees, appearing in 415 games with 1,163 strikeouts in 2,489 innings. He would complete 161 games and have 26 shutouts. His Yankees pitching career ERA was 3.10.Bob became the Yankees MLB pitching coach in 1928. He would manage the Yankees in 1930 finishing in 3rd place in the AL with an 86-68 record. Former Chicago Cubs Manager Joe McCarthy would succeed him in 1931.
1916 - New York Yankees OF Lee Magee collects a record-tying four assists.
1919 - Boston Red Sox submariner starter Carl Mays hurls 2 complete games beating the Yankees by a score of 2-0, in the 1st game and losing the nightcap by the score of 4-1.
1922 - Washington Senators Ace Walter Johnson wins another 1-0 battle, this one over the Yankees, for his 3rd straight shutout and 97th in his MLB career. Johnson strikes out 9 Yankee batters. Waite Hoyt loses a tough one for the Yankees, just allowing just 2 Senator hits in the 1st 8 innings. Earl Smith's double in the 9th inning drives home the winning run.
1927 - The New York Yankees build a 9-0 lead against the Philadelphia A's; withstand an 8-run rally by the Mackmen in the 9th inning to win the game by the score of 9-8. New York now leads the AL by 10 games. Lou Gehrig collects his 100th hit of the 1927 AL season, belting his 23rd HR with one on. Yankees slugger Babe Ruth, nursing a sore right knee, sits out his 3rd straight game.
1928 - New York Yankees OF Babe Ruth slugs 2-HRs to lead the Yankees to a 10-4 victory over the Philadelphia A’s, as the veteran OF Ty Cobb appears in his 3,000th MLB career game.
1939 - The New York Yankees hit 8 HRs in the 1st game of a doubleheader with the Philadelphia A's, and 5 more HRs in the nightcap. Both are MLB records, as is the 53 total bases in a doubleheader. Joe DiMaggio, Babe Dahlgren, and Joe Gordon each hit 3 HRs in the doubleheader. Other Yankee HRs were hit by Billy Dickey, George Selkirk, Tommy Henrich and Frank Crosetti. The Yankees win the opener by a score of 23-2 and take the nightcap by a score of 10-0.
1941 - Former Yankees P Al Downing (1961-1969) was born. Al Downing was the 1st black New York Yankees starter. In 1964, he led the AL in strikeouts with 217. His best Yankees season was in 1967, going 14-10, making the AL All Star team. In 1968, he suffered an arm injury, just going 3-3. His last Yankees season was in 1969, he went 7-5. On December 5,1969, Al was traded by the Yankees along with reserve C Frank Fernandez to the Oakland A’s for INF Danny Cater and C Ossie Chavarria.
1941 - Former Yankees P Fred Talbot (1966-1969) was born. Fred Talbot went 14-24 for the Yankees after coming from the Kansas City A’s during the 1966 AL season, before being unloaded to the Seattle Pilots in 1968. Former Yankee P Jim Bouton wrote about him in his book “Ball Four.”
1941 - Former Yankees reserve OF Len Boehmer (1969,1971) was born. In September of 1967, the Yankees purchased Len Boehmer from the Cincinnati Reds for cash. Len Boehmer’s best showing with the New York Yankees was in 1969, hitting .179.
1949 - Former Yankees 1B/DH Don Baylor (1983-1985) was born. On December 1, 1982, Don Baylor was signed as a MLB Free Agent by the New York Yankees. He appeared in 420 games for the New York Yankees hitting .267 with 71 HRs with 265 RBI’s. On March 28,1986, Don was traded by the New York Yankees to the Boston Red Sox for OF/DH/1B Mike Easler.
1949 - After missing the first 69 games of the 1949 AL season because of an ailing heel, Joe DiMaggio wakes to find the pain has disappeared. He returns to the New York Yankees starting lineup with a single and a HR that help the Bombers beat the Boston Red Sox by the score of 6-4 in a night game at Fenway Park. He will hit 4 HRs in a 3-game sweep of the Boston Red Sox.
1958 - Former Yankees P Clay Christiansen (1984) was born. On June 3, 1980, Clay Christiansen was drafted by the New York Yankees in the 15th round of the 1980 MLB amateur player draft. In 1984, Clay went 2-4 in 24 games for the Yankees.
1960 - Former Yankees minor league OF John Elway and HOF NFL quarterback was born. John Elway was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the 1979 MLB amateur draft but did not sign with the club. He was again selected in the 1981 MLB amateur draft by the New York Yankees. He signed with the club and played right field for the Oneonta Yankees in 1982. He hit .318 in 42 games before giving up baseball for NFL pro football.
1961 - Angels starter Ryne Duren goes 8 innings and strikes out 12 former Yankee teammates to give the Angels, a 5-3 victory over New York. Mickey Mantle drives in all 3 Yankee runs, including 2 runs on a HR.
1962 - New York sluggers Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle break a 0-0 tie in the 4th inning with back-to-back HRs to lead the Yankees to a 4-2 win over the Minnesota Twins.
1963 - Former Yankees Hall Of Fame 3B Frank “Homerun” Baker (1916-1919, 1921-1922) passes away (1886-1963). On February 15, 1916, Frank Baker was purchased by the New York Yankees from the Philadelphia A’s for $37,500. He would play 3B for the Yankees. After his wife’s death, Frank had stayed home for during the 1920 AL season to care for his family. He came out of retirement in 1921 to help solidified the Yankee infield until the arrival of veteran INF Joe Dugan. Frank would lead the Yankees in hitting in 1917-1918 (.282 and .306). He would also lead the Yankees in hits from 1917-1919. He was originally signed with Connie Mack’s Philadelphia A’s.
1966 - At Fenway Park, the last place Boston Red Sox cash in 5 Yankee errors to top the visitors, by a score of 5-3. All of New York's scoring comes from AL All Star slugger Mickey Mantle, who blasts a 2-run HR in the 1st inning and an opposite field HR on the LF screen in the 8th inning.
1976 - Detroit Tigers' rookie starting pitcher Mark 'the Bird' Fidrych amuses a national “Game of the Week” NBC-TV audience talking to the baseball, as he one-hits the Yankees, in an 5-1 Tigers victory.
1978 - Former Yankees long time MLB Coach and MLB Player Johnny Schulte (1934-1948) passed away (1896-1978). The former NL catcher/pinch-hitter joined the New York Yankees as MLB Coach in 1934, staying until the team until 1948. John had played in the NL for the Cardinals, Phillies, Cubs and Braves. He spent the last 2 years of his long time MLB coaching career with the Boston Red Sox (1949-1950).
1987 - Boston Red Sox DH Don Baylor moves ahead of Ron Hunt on the all-time hit-by-pitch list when the Yankees' hurler Rick Rhoden plunks him during a 6-2 loss. It is the 244th time that Baylor has been hit by the pitch. He'll end with 267, putting him 3rd on the MLB career list behind turn-of-the-century star Hughie Jennings
1996 - Darryl Strawberry's 300th MLB career HR is a dramatic 9th inning, 2-run shot, which gives the Yankees a come-from-behind 3-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals.
1997 - New York Yankees hurler David Wells starts the game against the Cleveland Indians wearing Babe Ruth's autographed cap from the 1934 AL season. Yankees Manager Joe Torre makes him take it off after the 1st inning, since it doesn't conform to the team's current uniform. Without the cap, Wells blows a 3-0 lead as the Indians go on to a 12-8 victory. The Indians mount a 19-hit attack, as CF Marquis Grissom accounts for 5 of the hits, while 3B Matt Williams gets 4 hits, including a pair of HRs, and drives home 6 runs.
2009 - Yankees Closer Mariano Rivera earns his 500th MLB career save as the New York Yankees complete a 3-game sweep of the New York Mets with a 4-2 win at Citi Field. Rivera, who is the 2nd MLB pitcher to reach the milestone after Trevor Hoffman, also draws a bases-loaded walk in the 9th for his first MLB career RBI.
June 29th
1899 - Former Yankees OF Bobby Veach (1925) was born (1899-1945). On May 5,1925, Bobby Veach was traded by the Boston Red Sox along with P Alex Ferguson to the Yankees for P Ray Francis and $9,000. As a Yankee, Bobby appeared in 56 games hitting .353. On August 17,1925, Bobby was selected off waivers by the Washington Senators from the Yankees.
1909 - While Pitching against the Highlanders, Washington Senators starter Walter Johnson gives up a solo HR to Ray Demmitt in the 7th inning, the 1st HR, he's allowed since his debut in 1907. Demmitt's HR shot is the only score for New York, as Johnson beats them for the 2nd time in 10 days.
1912 - At Fenway Park, the Boston Red Sox sweep 2 games from the Yankees, winning by the scores of 13-6 and 6-0. Smoky Joe Wood wins the nightcap, his 2nd shutout in a row, allowing just 1 hit, in winning 6-0 in 7 innings. Dutch Sterrett’s single is the lone hit. In the nightcap, Hick Cady makes 2 hits in one at bat. His single scores Jake Stahl from 3B, but umpire Silk O'Loughlin rules that Stahl was balked home. In Cady's 2nd chance, he doubles.
1915 - Led by Tris Speaker's 5-for-5, the Boston Red Sox trip the New York Yankees by the score of 4-3, in 10 innings. Red Sox starter Babe Ruth gets the win, going all the way before Sheriff Gainer hits for him in the 10th inning.
1928 - Former Yankees Batting Practice Pitcher Nick Testa was born. Catcher Nick Testa appeared in one MLB game with the 1958 San Francisco Giants.
1932 - New York Yankees sign hurler Charles Devens straight out of Harvard University. Charles Devens went 5-2 in 16 games for the New York Yankees (1932-1934).
1934 - New York Yankees 1B Lou Gehrig is beaned in an exhibition game played in Norfolk, Virginia, and suffers a concussion.
1941 - Former Yankees reserve C/OF/DH John Boccabella was born. On December 2,1967, John Boccabella was purchased by the New York Yankees from the Chicago Cubs. In April of 1968, John was returned to the Chicago Cubs by the New York Yankees.
1941 - In a doubleheader with the Washington Senators, Joe DiMaggio ties and then breaks the AL consecutive game-hitting streak of 41 established by George Sisler. In the opener, he knots the record with a double off of Nats hurler Dutch Leonard, and in the nightcap the 'Yankee Clipper' tops the record with a 7th inning single against the Nats Walt Masterson.
1947 - The New York Yankees began a 19-game winning streak by beating the Washington Senators by a score of 3-1.
1950 - New York Yankees rookie P Whitey Ford is called up by the team from Kansas City Blues (AAA). He will go 9-1 with 1 save in 20 games with a 2.81 ERA, including a Game 4 of the 1950 World Series start against the Phillies. Ford will throw pitching 8 2/3 innings of shutout ball until a dropped fly ball by Gene Woodling allows 2 Phillies runs to score. Allie Reynolds comes in and strikes out the next batter for the save and complete the 4 game World Series sweep of the Philadelphia Phillies.
1951 - Former Yankees minor league P Jimmy Freeman was born. Jimmy Freeman was originally signed by the Atlanta Braves, later he was traded to the Baltimore Orioles organization. On June 15,1976, he was part of the trade that sent Doyle Alexander to the Yankees. He did not appear with the Yankees at the MLB level.
1958 - Former New York Yankees hurler Ralph Terry gets 12 run support from his Kansas City A’s teammates to top the Yankees by a score of 12-6. Mickey Mantle gets his 1st hit in his last 17 at bats against the A's, a 3rd inning HR.
1965 - The New York Yankees lose All Star RF Roger Maris for 49 games with bone chips in the heel of his right hand. The hand injury will affect Roger’s hitting for the rest of his MLB career.
1966 - At Fenway Park, Mickey Mantle opens the scoring in the 1st inning with a 3-run HR shot, then sandwiches a HR between round trippers by Yankee teammates Bobby Richardson and Joe Pepitone in the 3rd inning in New York's 6-5 win over the Boston Red Sox. The consecutive trifecta was last done for the Yankees in 1947, when Charlie Keller, Joe DiMaggio, and Johnny Lindell connected for HRs. Yankees 2B Bobby Richardson is 5 for 5 in the game. Mantle's 2 HRs today, are his 37th and 38th at Fenway Park, will be his last HR hit in Boston, it ties him with Babe Ruth for most homers hit by a Red Sox opponent.
1968 - In the 1st game of a doubleheader at Yankee Stadium, Mickey Mantle ties the score with a 2-run HR in the 6th inning, but Kansas City A’s rookie OF Reggie Jackson breaks the tie in the 8th inning with his 9th HR of the 1968 AL season. The A's win the game by a score of 5-2.
1972 - Jim Palmer's 8-game winning streak ends as the New York Yankees chase the Baltimore Orioles ace in the 2nd inning of a 4-3 win. Mel Stottlemyre, with relief help from Yankees closer Sparky Lyle, gains his 7th win of the 1972 AL season.
1987 - Eight HRs are hit in Toronto as the New York Yankees outlast the Toronto Blue Jays, by a score of 15-14. Don Mattingly leads the Bronx Bombers power outage with a pair, while Dave Righetti gets the win.
1991 - The visiting New York Yankees score 3 runs in the 9th inning off of Milwaukee Brewers closer Dan Plesac to beat Brewers in a 9-8 victory. Kevin Maas and Jesse Barfield hit HR for the Bombers. Teddy Higuera (3-2), in the 1st year of a $13 million, 4-year contract pitches 7 innings, allowing 3 runs. Higuera, who started the season on the DL, will go on the DL again, when a significant tear to his rotary cuff is discovered. This is his last MLB career appearance.
1997 - At Yankee Stadium, the Indians score 7 runs off the usually stingy David Cone, but the Yankees outlast the Cleveland Indians by a score of 11-10. With his 9th-inning single, Sandy Alomar extends his hitting streak to 26 games, 6th longest in Tribe club history.
2000 - In a prescient move, the New York Yankees obtained OF David Justice from the Cleveland Indians for OF Ricky Ledee and 2 minor league players to be named. They were minor league pitchers Zach Day and Jake Westbrook. When Shane Spencer goes down with leg injury at Shea Stadium in 10 days, David Justice will take over LF. The trade occurs minutes before the start of the game against the Detroit Tigers, an 8-0 Yankees victory. Ricky Ledee is scratched from the Yankees starting lineup. The Yankees tie a MLB record with 3 sac flies in one inning.
June 30th
1905 - At Hill Top Park in New York City, Eddie Plank is removed with no outs in the 9th inning and the Philadelphia A's leading the Highlanders by the score of 7-4. Rube Waddell comes in and retires the Highlanders to preserve the A's victory.
1908 - At New York's Hilltop Park, Boston Red Sox pitching legend Cy Young no-hits the Highlanders by a score of 8-0. It the 3rd time that the 41-year old Cy Young has accomplished this feat in his long MLB career.
1924 - At Yankee Stadium, 2B Max Bishop and 3B Sammy Hale, the first 2 men in the A's batting order, draw 8 of the 9 walks issued by Yankee pitchers in the Philadelphia A's 10-3 win. A .271 hitter for 12 years, "Camera Eye" Bishop will draw 1,153 bases on balls, giving him a walk percentage of .204, which is higher than Babe Ruth's and just behind Ted Williams's .207.
1927 - A crowd of 3,000 fans at Yankee Stadium sees the Yankees hand the Boston Red Sox their 12th straight loss beating the visitors, 13-6 on 19 safeties. Lou Gehrig takes over the HR lead when he clouts his 25th HR in the 1st inning, a bounce HR off of Slim Harriss, but Babe Ruth, back in the lineup, golf’s his 25th HR of the 1927 AL season in the 4th inning, also off of Slim. Lou Gehrig has 3 hits and also swipes home. New York (49-20) wins its 5th straight game, while Red Sox loses its 12th straight game.
1928 - The Yankees win 2 from the Boston Red Sox and close out the month of June 1928 having an 11 1/2 game lead in front of the Philadelphia A's. Yankees game attendance lags, as the 1928 AL race appears to be over. The 1928 Yankees will finish the AL season with a 101-53 record.
1934 - Yankees 1B Lou Gehrig plays and hits 3 triples at Washington. However, the game is rained out after 4 1/2 innings, depriving Lou Gehrig of a record.
1937 - New York Yankees starter Lefty Gomez has another no-hit bid foiled this time in the 5th inning with a HR by Philadelphia A’s Ron Johnson, as Gomez settles for a 1-hitter in an 5-1 win.
1944 - Former Yankees OF/1B/DH Ron “Rocky” Swoboda (1971-1973) was born. On June 25, 1971, Ron Swoboda was traded by the Montreal Expos to the Yankees for OF Ron Woods. Ron hit .208 in 152 games for the Yankees. He retired from MLB after the 1973 AL season.
1945 - Former Yankees INF Jerry Kenney (1967,1969-1972) was born. Before the start of the 1964 AL Season, Jerry Kenney was signed by the New York Yankees as an MLB amateur free agent. He played in 460 games for the Yankees, finishing with a .237 BA with 7 HRs and 101 RBIs, appearing in 460 games. Jerry missed the 1968 AL season due to military service. On November 27,1972, Jerry was traded by the New York Yankees along with C John Ellis, Outfielders Charlie Spikes and Rusty Torres to the Cleveland Indians for C Jerry Moses and 3B Graig Nettles. On May 4,1973, Jerry was released by the Cleveland Indians. He had only appeared in 5 games with the Tribe, playing 2B and hitting .250. On July 30,1973, he was signed as a MLB free agent by the New York Yankees. He was assigned to the Yankees AAA club at Syracuse (IL). He never appears with the Yankees at the MLB level.
1950 - Joe and Dom DiMaggio, both hit HR’s in the 10-2, Boston Red Sox victory over Yankees in the nightcap of a doubleheader. It has been 15 years since the 2 brothers homered in the same game.
1954 - Tom Morgan of the New York Yankees hits 3 Boston Red Sox batters in the 3rd inning of a 6-1 loss. Mickey Mantle's HR against Red Sox hurler Willard Nixon is the only Yankee run. Also the game was the last MLB game that INF Bobby Brown played as a Yankee, going 2 for 4, then retiring from baseball to practice medicine. He would become a heart specialist.
1960 - The New York Yankees beat up on their cousins from Kansas City by banging out 5 HRs to win the game by a score of 10-5. Yankees 1B Bill Skowron leads the Bronx Bombers attack with 2 HRs, with 1 each from Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris and Tony Kubek.
1961 - Whitey Ford (14-2) tops the expansion Washington Senators by the score of 5-1 to give the 2nd place Yankees their 22nd win of the month. Roger Maris drives in 3 runs, teammate Mickey Mantle lines shot over CF Willie Tasby's that rebounds for an inside-the-park HR. Whitey Ford becomes the 1st pitcher in American League history to win 8 games in 1 month.
1962 - Former Yankees shortstop Tony Fernandez (1995) was born. The New York Yankees signed veteran AL All Star shortstop Tony Fernandez as a MLB free agent. He played in 108 games batting .245 in 1995.
1973 - Former Yankees P Chan Ho Park (2010) was born. In February of 2010, MLB veteran hurler Chan Ho Park was signed by a MLB free agent by the Yankees. Park went 2-1 in 27 games working out of the bullpen for the 2010 Yankees. On August 4,2010, Park was selected off of waivers by the Pittsburgh Pirates from the New York Yankees
1975 - Former Yankees minor league P Mike Judd was born. Mike Judd was drafted by the New York Yankees in the 9th round of the 1995 MLB amateur player draft. He never appeared with the Yankees at the MLB Level. On June 22, 1996, he was traded by the Yankees to the Dodgers for P Billy Brewer.
1975 - The Milwaukee Brewers trip the New York Yankees by the score of 5-4 by scoring 2 runs in the bottom of the 9th inning. Bobby Darwin's 8th HR of the year is the big blow. Bill Travers (4-0) takes the win. The Brewers, winners of 15 out of their last 21, are in 3rd place in the AL East.
1977 - New York Yankees batter Cliff Johnson becomes the 2nd player in 3 days to hit a pair of HRs in an inning. He hits 3 consecutive HRs, including 2 HRs in the 8th inning, as the Yankees rout the Toronto Blue Jays by the score of 11-5. New York (42-33) is a half-game behind the Boston Red Sox in the AL East Division race. That season, Cliff Johnson would hit .381 with 6 HRs against the Blue Jays pitching staff.
1985 - Current Yankees minor league P Pat Venditte was born. As of 2012, Pat Venditte is professional baseball's only ambidextrous pitcher. A natural right-hander, Venditte threw with both arms since he was a child, and his father encouraged it. After attending Creighton University, he was selected by the New York Yankees in the 20th round of the 2008 MLB amateur draft. Pat made his pro debut that summer with the Staten Island Yankees. With Staten Island, he allowed just 3 earned runs in 30 appearances, posting a 0.83 ERA, and led the New York-Penn League with 23 saves. Following the season, he was named MiLB.com Short-Season Relief Pitcher of the Year. He began 2009 with the Charleston Riverdogs; he saved 13 games and gave up only 2 earned runs in his 1st 18 outings. Venditte uses a 6-fingered glove with 2 thumbs. In 2008, the Professional Baseball Umpire Corporation created a new rule pertaining the ambidextrous pitchers stating that a "pitcher must visually indicate to the umpire, batter and runner(s) which way he will begin pitching to the batter" because of Venditte.
1986 - The New York Yankees traded veteran OF/1B Ken Griffey Sr. to the Atlanta Braves for OF Claudell Washington and minor league shortstop Paul Zuvella. Ken Griffey had spent the 1982-1986 AL seasons with the Yankees appearing 551 games, hitting .285 with 49 HRs and 251 RBIs. Claude Washington would play for the Yankees from 1986 to 1988, before leaving the team for MLB free agency. Paul Zuvella only appeared in 35 games for the 1986-1987 Yankees as a reserve INF, hitting just .122.
2000 -The Yankees tie a MLB record when 3 players (Bernie Williams, Tino Martinez and Jose Vizcaino) each hit sacrifice flies in the 4th inning against the Detroit Tigers. The MLB record was set by the Chicago White Sox on July 1,1962, in the second game of a doubleheader against the Indians.
2009 - The Pittsburgh Pirates send veteran 3B/1B Eric Hinske and cash to the New York Yankees for 2 minor league players: Casey Erickson and Eric Fryer. Hinske played for part of 2009 with the Pittsburgh Pirates, hitting .255 in 54 games with 106 at bats. He would then join the Yankees in June for the other part of the season, hitting .226 in 39 games with 84 AB. Hinske was dropped from the Yankees' October roster for the 1st two rounds of the 2009 postseason, as they opted to go with a faster runner (Freddy Guzman) instead, but he was reinstated in time for the World Series, where he once again faced the Philadelphia Phillies, making his 3rd Fall classic appearance in 4 seasons, with his 3rd different MLB team ( previously with the Red Sox and Rays). This time, he ended up on the right side of the ledger as the New York Yankees prevailed in 6 games. Eric drew a walk and scored a run in his only 2009 World Series plate appearance. He would leave the Yankees for MLB free agency, signing with the Atlanta Braves.
2010 - For the second straight night in a row, the New York Yankees' bats are stymied by a Seattle Mariners hurler. One day after Cliff Lee's complete game win, Felix Hernandez pitches a 2-hitter and strikes out 11 Yankee batters in a 7-0 win. Michael Saunders hits 2 HRs for the winners.
