MLB On This Day

Baseball’s biggest moments on today’s date.

** I do not claim to own any of the images or media **

[MLB On This Day @OTDMLB]

June 1st, 1938

Safety First!

Batters wore protective helmets for the first time in a major league game.

Helmets have come a long way in their evolution and abilities since then!

#mlb @mlb #baseball

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May 29th, 2010

Roy Halladay’s Perfect Game

One of the most dominant pitching performances ever.

Philadelphia Phillies ace Roy Halladay threw the 20th perfect game in MLB history, blanking the Florida Marlins 1-0 at Sun Life Stadium.

He retired all 27 batters on just 115 pitches (72 strikes), striking out 11 while allowing zero hits, walks, or errors.

It was the second perfect game in Phillies history (after Jim Bunning) and came in a pitchers’ duel against Josh Johnson.

Halladay’s gem was part of an incredible 2010 season that included a postseason no-hitter too.

#ringthebell @Phillies #Ace #perfectgame #mlb

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May 26, 1993

The Canseco Head Homer

In a game between the Cleveland Indians and Texas Rangers, Carlos Martínez hit a fly ball that glanced off Jose Canseco’s glove, then bounced off his head and over the fence for a home run.

It became one of the most infamous and replayed blunders in baseball.

#guardsball #allfortx @CleGuardians @Rangers

[MLB On This Day @OTDMLB]

MEMORIAL DAY

Memorial Day has long been a big baseball day, often featuring many games (sometimes 15+), doubleheaders in the past, and special tributes. MLB has observed a National Moment of Remembrance at 3 p.m. local time for years with a pause in games for silence plus special camo or poppy-themed uniforms and pregame ceremonies honoring veterans

Events:

One of the coolest individual feats on Memorial Day was Dennis Eckersley’s no-hitter on May 30, 1977. #guardsball

Willie Mays hit his first career MLB home run on Memorial Day (May 28), 1951. #sfgiants

George Brett hit for the cycle (and then walked it off with a homer in the 16th inning) on May 28, 1979, in a marathon Royals win. #fountainsup

Derek Jeter’s MLB debut on Memorial Day 1995. #repbx

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May 22nd, 1963

“The hardest ball I ever hit” - Mickey Mantle.

Mickey Mantle’s legendary walk-off home run at Yankee Stadium.

In a game against the Kansas City Athletics (an 8-7 Yankees win), Mantle CRUSHED a pitch from Bill Fischer that struck the upper facade of the right-field roof at the old Yankee Stadium.

Many consider it one of the hardest-hit balls in MLB history. Mantle famously called it the "hardest ball I ever hit," and physicists estimated it would have traveled up to 620 feet if unimpeded

Its said the ball was still rising when it hit and was ruled a home run to win the game.

#repbx #fountainsup @Yankees @Jomboy_ @JomboyMedia

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May 21st, 1996

At 26 years old “The Kid”, Ken Griffey Jr. hit his 200th career home run.

Becoming one of the youngest players ever to reach that milestone.

Jr would go on to hit 630 home runs during his career. Ranking him 7th all time.

His swing is still know as one of the most beautiful things in baseball.

#tridentsup @Mariners #KenGriffeyJr

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May 19th, 1910

‼️Unbreakable Alert ‼️

Cy Young earned his 500th career win.

The only pitcher in MLB history to achieve this milestone. He was 43 years old.

Next closest is Walter Johnson with 417.

In this game the Cleveland Naps defeated the Washington Senators 5-4 in 11 innings.

Cy would go on to finish his career with 511 wins.

This record will never be beat.

#guardsball #natitude @Nationals @CleGuardians #mlb #otd @MLB

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May 18th, 2004

Randy Johnson threw a perfect game for the Arizona Diamondbacks against the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field.

A 2-0 gem that still stands as one of the most impressive feats in MLB history.

At 40 years and 251 days old, “The Big Unit” became the oldest pitcher ever to throw a perfect game (and still holds that record).

He dominated with 13 strikeouts on just 117 pitches facing a strong 96-win Braves team on the road.

Catcher Robby Hammock was behind the plate, and the D-backs scored both runs without a hit leaving the infield in the top of the 8th (one on a sacrifice fly, one on an error).

Johnson retired all 27 batters in order.

This was the 17th perfect game in modern MLB history and Johnson’s second no-hitter (he had a 9-inning no-no in 1990, plus a combined one in 1998).

#dbacks #bravescountry @Dbacks @Braves

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May 17th, 1939

The first ever baseball game broadcasted on TV.

NBC broadcast the first-ever televised baseball game (and first U.S. televised sporting event), with Princeton beating Columbia 2-1 at Baker Field in New York.

Only a few hundred viewers saw it.

It aired on experimental station W2XBS.

The New York Times was skeptical it would catch on, and doubted it would become a viable way to view the sport.

@nbc @MLB @NBCSports #baseball

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May 16th, 2012

Age is just a number right?

At 49 years and 180 days old, Jamie Moyer, Colorado Rockies pitcher drove in two runs with a single. Making him, the oldest MLB player ever to record an RBI.

He had already set the record for oldest winning pitcher earlier that year and extended it here.

Moyer tossed 6⅓ innings, allowing one run, in a 6-1 victory.

Moyer’s longevity (playing into his late 40s across four decades) made him a remarkable story of craft over power.

#rockies @Rockies #dbacks @Dbacks @jmo50Moyer

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May 15, 1941

The unbreakable……

Joe DiMaggio went 1 for 4 against the @WhiteSox. It was a single and an rbi against LHP #EddieSmith in the first inning at Yankee Stadium. This started his streak of hitting in 56 consecutive games until July 16, breaking Willie Keeler’s “official” 44 consecutive game hitting streak (though some sources say 45).

During this 56 game streak, he had 91 hits (22 multi-hit games), 56 runs, 15 homeruns, 55 rbi, 21 walks, 5 strikeouts, 0.408 avg, and 1.181 ops.

The @Yankees started the season 14-14 (5.5 games behind Cleveland). During DiMaggio’s streak, they won 41 games and launched their record to 55-27 (a 6 game lead over @CleGuardians).

He ended the season with a 0.357 avg, led the league with 125 rbi, beat out #TedWilliams to become the American League MVP, and helped the Yankees win their 5th World Series.

The closest attempt since is Pete Rose’s 44 consecutive game hitting streak in 1978.

This record still stands as one of the greatest sports achievements of all time and continues to be considered unbreakable.

1. #JoeDiMaggio (1941) - 56
2. #WillieKeeler (1897) - 44
3. #PeteRose (1978) - 44
4. #PaulMolitor (1987) - 39
5. #ChaseUtley (2006) - 35

* #JimmyRollins (2005-2006) - 38

#repbx #whitesox #birdland #atobttr #thisismycrew #ringthebell

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@stefmalarkey 🤷‍♂️ 😭

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May 14th, 1967

New York Yankees legend Mickey Mantle hit his 500th career home run off Stu Miller of the Baltimore Orioles at Yankee Stadium. It helped power the Yankees to a win and cemented Mantle’s place among the game’s elite sluggers.

Then in 1986 on May 14th…..

California Angels slugger Reggie Jackson belted his 537th career home run, moving him past Mickey Mantle into fourth place on the all-time list at the time.

May 14th certainly has its history.

#repbx @Yankees #repthehalo @Angels

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May 14th, 1998

Orioles ace Mike Mussina was pitching against the Cleveland Indians when Sandy Alomar Jr. lined a ball straight into his face in the sixth inning.

It broke Mussina’s nose, caused a cut above his right eye requiring stitches, and gave him a mild concussion.

He left the game (Indians won 5-4), went on the DL, but remarkably returned later that season and still posted solid numbers (13-10, 3.49 ERA)

#birdland @Orioles #guardsball @CleGuardians

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@relishdaddy https://t.co/PCg6034fpc

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May 13th, 1993

George Brett hit his 300th career home run in the sixth inning off Cleveland Indians pitcher Mark Clark.

This milestone made Brett just the sixth player in MLB history to reach both 3,000 hits and 300 home runs.

Later that year (August 29), he stole his 200th base, becoming only the third player (with Aaron and Mays) to combine 3,000 hits, 300 HR, and 200 steals.

No active players are close to joining soon (e.g., next potential candidates like Freddie Freeman or Jose Altuve are still hundreds of hits and/or HR short).

They don’t make em’ like George anymore.

#fountainsup @Royals
#guardsball @CleGuardians

[MLB On This Day @OTDMLB]

May 12th, 1955

Chicago Cubs pitcher Sam “Toothpick” Jones threw the first no-hitter by a Black pitcher in MLB history.

Beating the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-0 at Wrigley Field.

He walked the bases loaded in the 9th but struck out Dick Groat, Roberto Clemente, and Frank Thomas in succession to preserve it.

It was also the first no-hitter at Wrigley in 38 years

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May 11th, 1996

The first no-hitter in Marlins history.

In just the team’s fourth season, Al Leiter threw the first no-hitter for the Marlins. Shutting out the Colorado Rockies 11-0.

#fightinfish @Marlins

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@rev_rue4072 @Brewers Romantic

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Mothers Day Edition 💐

Mother’s Day - 2006

This was the first year MLB widely used pink gear to celebrate Mother’s Day.

Milwaukee Brewers infielder Bill Hall had a pink bat engraved with his mother’s name - Vergie.

Vergie drove 10 hours from Mississippi to be in attendance.

So naturally, Bill Hall hit a game ending walk-off home run with his pink “Vergie” bat.

Happy Mothers Day to all the woman who make baseball possible for their children.

[MLB On This Day @OTDMLB]

May 11th, 1972

The San Francisco Giants traded 41-year-old Willie Mays to the New York Mets for minor-league pitcher Charlie Williams and cash (reported as $50,000).

His first game in a Mets uniform was against his former Giants teammates at Shea Stadium. He delivered a game-winning home run in the 5th inning, sending the crowd into a frenzy. It was a storybook return.

#sfgiants #LGM @SFGiants @Mets