TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY

On August 3, 1948, Cleveland Stadium drew a stunning 72,434 fans for a Tuesday night game against Washington — not just because the Indians were locked in a tight AL pennant race, but because of who was taking the mound. Satchel Paige, the legendary Negro Leagues star signed by owner Bill Veeck just weeks earlier amid plenty of public skepticism, was making his first American League start.

Paige's age was a running mystery he never fully cleared up — his own line was that "life starts at 40 in the big leagues, or somewhere thereabouts." But after a private tryout in front of manager Lou Boudreau, coach Bill McKechnie, and Hall of Famer Tris Speaker, the Indians brass came away convinced he still had plenty left. Paige became the fourth Black player in major league history, following Jackie Robinson, Larry Doby, and Roy Campanella — and the first Black pitcher to start a big-league game.

The outing itself was shaky early. Washington scored single runs in the first and fifth off a couple of walks, building a 3-1 lead. But Cleveland clawed back behind Larry Doby and Ken Keltner, tying it at 3-3, before Jim Hegan's solo homer put the Tribe ahead for good in the sixth. Paige worked into a jam in the sixth but escaped it with a slick defensive play from Allie Clark and a pickoff at first. He went seven innings, striking out six and walking four, before handing things to the bullpen in a 5-3 Cleveland win.

Paige credited a sore leg for some of his control trouble that night, but brushed off any concern about handling a normal starter's routine — after years of pitching every other day in the Negro Leagues, a once-every-four-days schedule sounded to him more like a vacation.

The 1948 season would set Cleveland Stadium's all-time attendance record, and the Indians went on to win the World Series that October — still, as of recent years, the last championship in franchise history.

Here is the complete article on Paige.

Todays Podcast

August 3, 1894 – Harry Heilmann, outfielder; Hall of Famer – One of the best right-handed hitters in baseball history, Harry Heilmann won four batting titles on his way to the Hall of Fame. Some attributed his batting improvement after 1920 to a “lively ball”, but the more plausible reasons were the tutelage of teammate Ty Cobb, and maturity. Heilmann played fifteen seasons with Detroit as part of one of the best hitting teams in history, and later served as a popular announcer for the franchise.

August 3, 1914 — In the seventh inning of the 4-1 loss to Detroit at the Polo Grounds, Yankees’ catcher Les Nunamaker is has three assists to become the first catcher to accomplish the feat since 1887. The 25 year-old guns down Sam Crawford and Bobby Veach trying to steal, and picks off Hugh High leading off second base in the frame, marking the only time this century a backstop will be credited with three assists.

August 3, 1937 — Cardinals C Mickey Owen becomes the third National League backstop ever to make an unassisted double play, as the Cards beat the Bees, 5 – 2.

August 3, 1960, the Cleveland Indians and Detroit Tigers make an unusual trade when they announce the swap of their managers. Cleveland’s colorful general manager, Frank “Trader” Lane, sends Joe Gordon (49-46) is dealt to the Tigers for Jimmy Dykes (44-52).

August 2, 1973, At Cleveland Stadium, Cleveland Indian’s Ace Gaylord Perry pitches a 5 hit shutout vs the Baltimore Orioles and becomes the 24th pitcher to record his 2,000 strikeout when he fans Boog Powell. Perry improves to 10-15 on the season.

Chris Chambliss collects 3 hits and George Hendrick added 2 hits for the tribe in their 6-0 win.

August 3, 1979 — At Yankee Stadium, over 51,000 mourners attend a memorial service for Thurman Munson. The Bronx Bombers’ captain was killed yesterday piloting a plane that crashed 1,000 feet short of the runway at Akron-Canton Airport.

August 3, 1980, Al Kaline, Chuck Klein, Duke Snider, and Tom Yawkey are inducted into the Hall of Fame. Kaline collected 3,007 hits and hit 399 homers in his career spent with the Detroit Tigers. Snider belted 407 homers and batted .295 in an 18-year career, spent mostly with the Dodgers. Klein starred in the 1930s, when he won an MVP Award, the Triple Crown, and a batting title for the Phillies. Yawkey was the popular longtime owner of the Boston Red Sox.

August 3, 1987 — The Twins’ Joe Niekro is caught with a file on the mound and is ejected by Home plate umpire Tim Tschida during the 4th inning of Minnesota’s 11 – 3 win over California. He will be suspended for 10 games by American League president Bobby Brown, who doesn’t buy Niekro’s story that he had been filing his nails on the bench and stuck the file in his back pocket when the inning started.

August 3, 1989 — The Cincinnati Reds set a major league record for the most hits in the first inning of a game with 16 as they score 14 runs at Riverfront Stadium off woeful Astro pitching. The half of an inning lasts 38 minutes, and every batter including pitcher Tom Browning gets a hit with the Reds eventually winning the game, 18-2.

August 3, 1990 — The Braves trade 2-time MVP OF Dale Murphy to the Phillies for reliever Jeff Parrett and a pair of players to be named later.

August 3, 1997 – Phil Niekro, Tommy Lasorda, Nellie Fox, and Willie Wells are inducted into Baseball’s Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.

August 3, 2006, Phillies’ infielder Chase Utley goes 3-for-6 against the Cardinals to extend his hitting streak to 35 games. The streak will be stopped the next day against the Mets. Utley hit in every game during the month of July, and raised his batting average 40 points during the streak.

 ANSWER TO TODAY’S TRIVIA

TRIVIA ANSWER:  CARL YASTRZEMSKI  

Yaz had 11,988 AB. Only BB Rose & BR Aaron had more.

#1 In 1963, not only did he warn a GG & hit .321, but he also led in hits (183), doubles (40), walks (95), OBP (.418) & made the first of his 18 All-Star appearances.

#2 On 25-Sep-1965, with both teams the only serious candidates for last place in the AL, Paige was brought in to open for KCA against BOS. Paige pitched 3 shutout innings, a double by Yaz in the 1^st was the only hit. Read here.

Thank you Horsehide Trivia

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