TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY

July 31, 1972, At Metropolitan Stadium, Dick Allen of the Chicago White Sox becomes only the seventh player in major league history to hit two inside-the-park home runs in a game and the first since 1939. Allen’s two circuit clouts, which come against Bert Blyleven of the Minnesota Twins, in the first and fifth innings to help lift the White Sox to an 8-1 victory.

The performance had manager Chuck Tanner singing the praises of the player who has been traded three times in three years. “I believe Dick Allen is the best player in the major leagues. He not only hits for power but also for average. He knocks in runs for us about 80 percent of the time when he comes up with men on base. He’s my Swiss watch.” Tanner said. Allen’s first inside-the-park homer scored Pat Kelly and Luis Alvarado for a 3-0 first-inning lead. Allen circled the bases after his line drive bounced away from centerfielder Bobby Darwin, who slipped trying to field the ball. Allen’s second blast also bounced away from Darwin, who tried to make a shoestring catch in the fifth inning.

Allen’s hits were his 12th and 13th homers in July and boosted his major league-leading total to 27. They enabled Stan Bahnsen to coast to his 13th win on a six-hitter. Tanner said. “I sympathize with Darwin. Allen hits the ball so hard it often acts like a knuckleball. Balls broke sharply away from Darwin and earlier this year he hit a drive at Mickey Stanley that broke about 10 feet.”

Allen, naturally, took it all in stride. “The balls I hit today aren’t anything new. I’ve hit balls like this in the National League for years and I’m not the only one who’s done it. Mickey Mantle used to crush the ball. Too. I’m not even thinking about leading the majors in homers. I just want tn win 95 games because I think that’ll put us on top of the division.” The White Sox are curently 5 and a half games behind Oakland.

Todays Podcast

July 31, 1891, Giants’ hurler Amos Rusie hurls a no-hitter against the Brooklyn Grooms. Rusie, known as “The Hoosier Thunderbolt,” was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1977.

July 31, 1912 — Ty Cobb goes 1-for-4 in Detroit’s 4-1 victory over Washington at Navin Field. The Tiger outfielder’s single is his 68th hit in 137 at-bats (.535) during July, the most ever collected in a single month by a major leaguer.

July 31, 1932 — In front of a major league record crowd of 80,184 (paid attendance of 76,979), the Indians play their first game at Lakefront Stadium, Mel Harder faces tough luck losing to Philadelphia and Lefty Grove, 1-0. Mickey Cochran’s drove in the only run. Except for the 1933 season, the Tribe, who prefer League Park, will not play a full schedule at their new colossal horseshoe home until 1947, when the ballpark will become known as Cleveland Municipal Stadium.

July 31, 1936 — Behind Lefty Grove and Jimmie Foxx, the visiting Red Sox top the White Sox, 7 – 3. Grove wins his 13th on seven hits, while Double X bangs his 30th homer, a triple and double. Boston sub Moe Berg adds a triple, double, and single off Ted Lyons.

July 31, 1954, At Ebbets Field, using a borrowed bat, Milwaukee Braves slugger Joe Adcock sets a major league record by accumulating 18 total bases in a single game. Adcock hits four home runs and a double in the Braves’ 15-7 win over the Brooklyn Dodgers. Adcock, missed his 5th homerun by inches. The Milwaukee first baseman’s 18 total bases, collected on just seven pitches, set a major league record, surpassing the mark established in 1950 by Brooklyn’s Gil Hodges. The 18 total bases is a major-league mark and, combined with the seven total bases from the day before, gives him a two-day tally of 25. The two-game total ties him with Ty Cobb for the all-time record.

In 2002, Dodgers outfielder Shawn Green will break Adcock’s mark for total bases, racking up 19, also in Milwaukee.

July 31, 1961 — Due to heavy rain, the second 1961 All-Star Game ends in a 1-1 tie at Fenway Park with Rocky Colavito’s home run accounting for the American League’s only run. Jim Bunning, the American League starter, pitches three perfect innings again (he also did it in 1957), making him the only All-Star hurler to accomplish the feat twice.

July 31, 1972, Dick Allen of the Chicago White Sox becomes only the seventh player in major league history to hit two inside-the-park home runs in a game. Allen’s two circuit clouts, which come against Bert Blyleven of the Minnesota Twins, help lift the White Sox to an 8-1 victory

July 31, 1978 Pete Rose singles off Phil Niekro to extend his hitting streak to 44 games, as the Reds edge the Braves 3 – 2. Rose ties Willie Keeler‘s 81-year-old National League record, achieved when foul balls didn’t count as strikes.

July 31, 1981 — The fifty-day long baseball strike, wiping out a third of the regular season, is settled when the owners and players agree on a pooling system for the compensation of free agents. The All-Star Game will mark the end of baseball’s first-ever midseason work stoppage.

July 31, 1983, Juan Marichal, Brooks Robinson, George Kell, and manager Walter Alston are inducted into the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. Marichal becomes the first Latin-born pitcher to gain enshrinement in the Hall of Fame.

Known as The Human Vacuum Cleaner, Brooks Robinson established a standard of excellence for modern-day third basemen. He played 23 seasons for the Orioles, setting Major League career records for games, putouts, assists, chances, double plays and fielding percentage. A clutch hitter, Robinson totaled 268 career home runs, at one time an American League record for third basemen. Robinson earned the league’s MVP Award in 1964 and the World Series MVP in 1970, when he hit .429 and made a collection of defensive gems.

George Kell worked diligently at all facets of the game, relying on constant practice to become a solid hitter and a sure-handed fielder. He batted over .300 nine times and topped American League third basemen in fielding percentage five times. Utilizing a strong and accurate throwing arm, Kell led the league in double plays six times, assists four times and in putouts twice. In 1949, Kell dramatically captured the American League batting title when he edged out Ted Williams by less than two ten-thousandths of a point, .34291 to .34276.

The pride of both the Dominican Republic and the Giants, Juan Antonio Marichal Sanchez won 243 games and lost only 142 over 16 marvelous seasons. The high-kicking right-hander enjoyed six 20-win seasons, hurled a no-hitter in 1963 and was named to nine All-Star teams. The Dominican Dandy twice led the National League in complete games and shutouts, finishing 244 contests during his career, while fanning 2,303 and compiling a 2.89 ERA. After his playing days, Marichal became minister of sports in his homeland.

July 31, 1990, Nolan Ryan of the Texas Rangers wins the 300th game of his career. After failing to reach the milestone in his previous start, the 43-year-old Ryan defeats the Milwaukee Brewers, 11-3. Ryan allows only one earned run in seven and two-thirds innings against a lineup that includes Paul Molitor, Robin Yount, Gary Sheffield, and Dave Parker.

July 31, 2004 – The long-anticipated trade of Nomar Garciaparra is finally accomplished as the Red Sox shortstop is traded to the Cubs in a four-team deal which includes the Twins and Expos. Chicago first acquires shortstop Orlando Cabrera from the Expos for shortstop Alex Gonzalez, relief pitcher Francis Beltran and minor leaguer Brendan Harris. They then pry 1B Doug Mientkiewicz from the Twins for minor league southpaw Justin Jones. Chicago then flips its two new acquisitions to the Bosox for Garciaparra , prospect Matt Murton and cash.

 ANSWER TO TODAY’S TRIVIA

TRIVIA ANSWER: EDDIE MURRAY 

- Ans. Murray switch-hit HRs on 08-, 09-May-1987, off White Sox pitchers Jose DeLeon (RHP), Ray Searage (LHP), Joel McKeon (LHP) & Bob James (RHP).

- #1 AL ROY in 1977. Got some MVP votes 1978-1985, including five Top 5 finishes.

- #2 The quote is from Baltimore sportswriter David Ginsburg. Those closest to Murray, notably Cal Ripken Jr. claimed to know a whole other personality.

Thank you Horsehide Trivia

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