June 25
TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY
Today's Daily Highlights
Actor Kurt Russell made his professional baseball debut on this day in 1971 — a real minor-league second baseman before a shoulder injury ended his career and sent him back to acting. Also: Hall of Famer Al Kaline's MLB debut, Lou Gehrig hitting for the cycle, 8 classic broadcasts, and today's Vintage Commercial: Pepsodent.
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June 25, 1971 – Willie Stargell hits the longest home run in the history of Veterans Stadium in the second inning off starter Jim Bunning during a 14-4 Pirates rout of Philadelphia. The spot in Section 601 where the ball landed will be eventually commemorated with a black “S” inscribed within a yellow star inside a white circle, later to be painted black when the Hall of Famer dies in 2001. The star remained in place until the stadium’s 2004 demolition.
Remarkably, the longest home run ever hit at Veterans Stadium came just 3 months into its 33 year history. Others came close (Thome missed it by a few feet), but no-one ever went further at the Vet than Willie Stargell did on June 25th, 1971.
Said Bunning, who served up the meatball:
“The Stargell Star was a high slider that I used to get Stargell out on, only I didn’t throw it hard enough and didn’t get it in. It got over the fat part of the plate. He couldn’t hit it any further.”
Bunning probably would agree with Don Sutton, who once said of “Pops”, “He doesn’t just hit pitchers. He takes away their dignity.”
Said Larry Bowa:
“That ball was still going up. As an infielder, when a guy hits one that you know is a home run, you give it a casual look. When he swung, you didn’t take your eyes off it because you wanted to see where it was going. It was majestic.
“I couldn’t believe how far that ball went. It would take me three swings to get one up there — from second base.”
More historic blasts . . .
July 16, 1969 Despite four homers by Montreal, the Pirates beat the Expos, 8 – 7, scoring three in the 8th and three in the 9th. The Pirates’ only homer comes in the 8th inning with Matty Alou on second base and Dan McGinn pitching, when Willie Stargell splashes a pitch over the RF fence into the municipal swimming pool at Jarry Park.
When he retired in 1982, the Expos presented him with a life-preserver in tribute to the homers he hit into what came to be called “Willie’s pool” or, per the French broadcasters, la piscine de Willie.
August 5, 1969, Willie Stargell of the Pittsburgh Pirates becomes the first player to hit a home run completely out of Dodger Stadium. Stargell’s titanic blast off Alan Foster came on a 1-2 count, it travels over 512-feet, 7th-inning, bases-empty blast breaks a 3 – 3 tie. There was no flirting with any part of the playing field, and no bouncing off the top of any bleachers. This ball cleared every part of the stadium, and then part of the parking lot.
”I wasn’t thinking of a home run,” Stargell said. “I was just trying to keep from over-swinging. Distance doesn’t excite me that much/’ the 28-year-old batting star admitted. ”I am thrill just to hit home runs.”
April 25 1970, For the 7th time in his career (and the second time this week), Willie Stargell homers over Forbes Field’s right field roof, a two-out, two-run blast which erases a one-run deficit off future hall of famers Hoyt Wilhelm and provides the final margin of victory as the Bucs beat Atlanta, 8 – 7.
On August 9, 1970 — At Three Rivers Stadium, Willie Stargell hits an 8th-inning homer into the 70-foot high right field upper deck, the first player to hit one up there. The pitch is served up by Mets reliever Ron Taylor. The next two hit up there will also be by Stargell, who will hit four of the first 7; Bob Robertson, Phillie Greg Luzinski, and Bobby Bonilla, in 1987, will also reach the seats.
May 8, 1973 — For the second time in his career, Pirate Willie Stargell hits one out of Dodger Stadium. His blast off Andy Messersmith hits the right field pavilion roof 470 feet away. His first home run, a 506-foot shot, came off Alan Foster on August 5, 1969. No other player had hit a fair ball out of the stadium. Mike Piazza in 1997 would be the next player to do it, 6 have now done it but only Stargell has done it twice.
May 20, 1978 — Willie Stargell of the Pittsburgh Pirates hits a 535-foot home run into the 300 club deck level in right field off Montreal Expos pitcher Wayne Twitchell to highlight a 6 – 0 victory at Stade Olympic. The expos replaced the red seat with a yellow seat to commemorate the blast. It is now on display in the Canadian baseball hall of fame.
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Todays Trivia . . .
Which Texan holds the record for the most career hits at Wrigley Field?
Hint: #1 He was the first National League first baseman to record twenty-two putouts in a game.
Hint: #2 This fourteen-time All-Star was the first player at his position to twice homer thrice in a game.
Answer in a bit!
Quote of the day:
”I wasn’t thinking of a home run,” Stargell said. “I was just trying to keep from over-swinging. Distance doesn’t excite me that much’ the 28-year-old batting star admitted. ”I am thrill just to hit home runs.”
Game of The Day:
Game of the Day — June 25, 1989 Toronto Blue Jays vs Oakland Athletics
Toronto Blue Jays vs Oakland Athletics
Played at:
Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
Todays starting pitchers:
Storm Davis vs Jimmy Key
👇 Listen to the full game right here
🎙️ Did you know? Al Kaline made his MLB debut on this day at just 18 years old — and has 70 broadcasts in our library.
[Explore the Full Library →]
June 25 highlights and Historic Days!
June 25, 1934, Lou Gehrig hits for the cycle as the New York Yankees pound the Chicago White Sox, 11-2. Pitcher John Broaca ties a major league record by striking out five consecutive times at the plate, but still picks up the win for New York. Broaca will hit .091 over his five-year career…
June 25, 1937, Augie Galan of the Chicago Cubs becomes the first player in National League history to switch-hit home runs in the same game. The switch-hitter’s pair of round-trippers, a homer from the left side off Freddie Fitzsimmons in the fourth frame and from the right side in the eighth against Ralph Birkofer, helps the Cubs beat Brooklyn at Wrigley Field, 11-2. James “Tex” Carleton pitches a five-hitter for Chicago
June 25, 1953, future Hall of Famer Al Kaline makes his major league debut for the Detroit Tigers. The 18-year-old outfielder comes in for defense, replacing Jim Delsing in center field. Kaline will fly to center field in his first at-bat in the 9th inning off Harry Bryd. Kaline will remain in the major leagues through the end of the 1974 season and be elected into the Hall of Fame in 1980.
June 25, 1968 At Candlestick Park – San Francisco Giant, Bobby Bonds, a 22-year old outfielder just called up by the San Francisco Giants, announced his arrival in grand fashion, clearing the bases in the sixth inning with a homer off Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Jack Purdin. The hit came in Bonds’ third career at-bat and made him the first player in 70 years to hit a grand slam in his first major-league game. The only other player to hit a grand slam in his first major league game was Bill Duggleby of the Philadelphia Phillies, who achieved the feat in 1898.
June 25, 1971, actor Kurt Russell makes his professional baseball debut by collecting a double, single, and two stolen bases for the Bend Rainbows of the Northwest League California Angels minor league affiliate. Russell was a switch-hitting a second baseman and shortstop, he will move up to the Walla Walla Islanders (1972) in the short-season Class A-Short Season Northwest League, then moved up to Class AA in 1973 with the El Paso Sun Kings of the Texas League.
While in the field turning the pivot of a double play early in the 1973 season, the incoming runner at second base collided with him and tore the rotator cuff in Russell’s right (throwing) shoulder. He did not return to El Paso, but was a designated hitter for the independent Portland Mavericks back in the Northwest League late in their short season. The team was owned by his father, Bing Russell (A former baseball player) and he had been doing promotional work for them in the interim. The injury forced his retirement from baseball in 1973 and led to his return to acting. His sister, Jill, is the mother of baseball player Matt Franco
June 25, 1976 At Arlington Stadium Ranger Toby Harrah becomes the only shortstop in major league history to go through an entire doubleheader without a fielding chance. At the plate, Harrah makes up for the inactivity, collecting six hits, including a grand slam in the opener and another round-tripper in game 2. The Rangers beat the White Sox in the first game 8 – 4, but lose the nightcap, 14 – 9.
June 25, 1984 Dodger infielder Bill Russell plays his 1,953rd game to become the team’s leader in games played. The shortstop, who will extend the mark to 2181 during his 18-year tenure with the club, is hitless in three trips to the plate but will walk twice in LA’s 9-4 loss to San Diego at Chavez Ravine.
June 25, 2000, After starting in the bottom of the first with leadoff home run, Darin Erstad ends the game in the bottom of the 11th inning with a walk-off home run, giving the Angels a 7-6 victory over Minnesota at Edison Field. Erstad homers off Mark Redman in the first and Eddie Guardado in the 11th.
The Anaheim leadoff DH joins Billy Hamilton (1893 Phillies) and Vic Power (1957 A’s) as only the third major leaguer to have hit both a leadoff and walk-off home run in the same game.
New From Around the League!
ANSWER TO TODAY’S TRIVIA
TRIVIA ANSWER: ERNIE BANKS
- Ans. Banks totaled 1,372 (Not 290 as originally reported) H in home games. He was born & raised in Dallas.
- #1 Playing first base, he had 22 PO on 09-My-1963 vs. PIT. Banks played 1,269 of his 2,476 games at 1B.
- #2 Banks had 3-HR games 4 X, the first two coming on 04-Aug-1955 & 14-Sep-1957(2). The others were on 29-May-1963 & 09-Jun-1963.
Thank you Horsehide Trivia
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