TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY

May 11, 1984 -- The Detroit Tigers improve their record to 26-4 with an 8 - 2 victory over the California Angels and establish a new record for the best 30-game start in major league history, eclipsing the 25-5 mark set by the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1955.

Milt Wilcox pitches 6 scoreless and Willie Hernandez picks up the save tossing the final three innings. Mike Witt lasted just three and two thirds, allowing 5 earned took the loss.

In typical Tiger fashion, Dave Bregman lead six Tigers who had two hits each driving in three. Kirk Gibson hit the only ball to leave the yard in the 7th.

By mid-May 1984, the Detroit Tigers had dominated baseball, starting the season with a blistering 35–5 record — one of the greatest opening stretches in MLB history.

Highlights from the run:

Jack Morris threw a no-hitter on April 7 vs. the White Sox and he started 9-1 with a 1.97 ERA and Dan Petry started 7-1 with 2.81 EAR

Sparked by stars like Alan Trammell (5 HR 36 runs scored, 340/429/958) , Lou Whitaker (4HR, 31 runs, 317/427/811), Kirk Gibson (5 HR, 281/361/500) and Lance Parrish (7 HR 286/317/466)

Willie Hernández dominated late innings already had 35 IP in 40 games and 7 saves — he'd win both the AL Cy Young and MVP

Sparky Anderson, who boldly promised, "You’re gonna like this team."

The Tigers scored 236 runs, averaging nearly 6 runs a game while allowing just 3.

They never looked back — finishing 104–58 and rolling to a World Series title over the Padres.

Features over 16 games broadcasted

Interview vault includes:

10+ highlights and interviews

May 11, 1925 - Chicago White Sox Catcher Ray Schalk holds on to a ball dropped 460 feet from the top of the Tribune Tower in Chicago.

May 11, 1949 -- Scoring in every inning, the Chicago White Sox beat the Boston Red Sox, 12 - 8, at Comiskey Park. A team tallying in every inning has only occurred five times in American League history. Cass Michaels goes 3-4 with 3 RBI's. Overall the White Sox bang-out 15 hits,

May 11, 1955 --At Wrigley Field, with the help of an Ernie Banks grand slam in the first off Russ Myers, Chicago snaps Brooklyn's 11-game winning streak, 10-8. The bases-filled homer will be Mr. Cub's first of five on the year.​

May 11, 1959 -- At Seals Stadium Bob Stevens of the San Francisco Chronicle writes about an incident before today's game between the Pirates and Giants: "The shivering fans in the stands took their hands out of their pockets to applaud Roberto Clemente for a small, but at the same time very large, sympathetic act. During batting practice, a little boy in the right-field stands was hit in the arm by a line drive. He then hid among the seats to have his little cry. Clemente retrieved the ball and gave it away, his thanks coming in a puddle of tears."

May 11, 1963, future Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax notches his second career no-hitter, as the Los Angeles Dodgers throttle the San Francisco Giants, 8-0. Koufax will pitch two more no-hitters, for a record of four, before retiring. Nolan Ryan will eventually break Koufax’s record by compiling seven no-hitters. Koufax faced three future hofamers for SF. Mays Cepeda McCovey. The Losing pitcher another pitching hall of famer Juan Marichal. Last out Harvey Kuenn.

May 11, 1971, A Space crown of 2,992 at Cleveland Stadium, see's what will become a rare feat as Cleveland Indians pitcher Steve Dunning becomes the last American League hurler to hit a grand slam. Dunning connects against Diego Segui of the Oakland A’s, helping the Indians to a 7-5 win. In 1973, the AL will adopt the designated hitter rule, which results in pitchers almost never coming to bat.

May 11, 1977, Atlanta Braves owner Ted Turner decides to take the managerial reigns of his team, which has lost 16 straight games. The Braves lose their 17th in a row in Turner’s debut, as coach Vern Benson makes most of the strategic decisions.

May 11, 1990, future Hall of Famer Dave Winfield rejects a trade that would have sent him from the New York Yankees to the California Angels for pitcher Mike Witt. A no-trade clause in Winfield’s contract gives him the right to turn down the deal. Five days later, Winfield will reach an agreement with the Yankees and give his permission for the trade to take place.

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TRIVIA

TRIVIA: In December 1983, to bolster their offense, the Tigers signed which player as the first major free agent in their history?

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