Can't Predict Baseball: A First in Major League History w/ Just 23 Fans in Attendance to Tell About it

When you think of the greatest games in Major League history and all the greatest feats in the game you think of jam packed stadiums and crowds rocking and the stadium going wild, right? Not so much on this day in 1916 when the Philadelphia Athletic's switch hitter Wally Schang became the first player in major league history to hit a home run from both sides of the plate in the same game. This feat would not be accomplished again until 1940.

What made this especially special was there was only 23 fans attending the game due to rain. This was the smallest crowd in American League history and for such a historic feat to happen really goes to show you, you just cannot predict baseball Suzyn.

Can't Predict Baseball: A First in Major League History w/ Just 23 Fans in Attendance to Tell About it

When you think of the greatest games in Major League history and all the greatest feats in the game you think of jam packed stadiums and crowds rocking and the stadium going wild, right? Not so much on this day in 1916 when the Philadelphia Athletic's switch hitter Wally Schang became the first player in major league history to hit a home run from both sides of the plate in the same game. This feat would not be accomplished again until 1940.

What made this especially special was there was only 23 fans attending the game due to rain. This was the smallest crowd in American League history and for such a historic feat to happen really goes to show you, you just cannot predict baseball Suzyn.

This Day in New York Yankees History 6/17: Stand & Clap w/ Two Strikes!

On this day in 1978 Louisiana Lightning and Yankees pitcher Ron Guidry started a new tradition at Yankee Stadium. Guidry would strike out 15 Angels in six innings and finish the game with 18 K's to establish a new American League record for southpaws in the game. The Yankee Stadium crows would begin to clap each time Guidry got two strikes on a batter. This is also where Guidry got his nickname Louisiana Lightning from when called that by television announcer Phil Rizzuto.


Also on this day in 1962 Gene Woodling becomes the first major league player to play for both of New York's teams, the Yankees and the Mets. The 38 year old outfielder would go 2-4 scoring two runs for New York's National League expansion team in an 8-7 loss to the Chicago Cubs at the Polo Grounds.

Speaking of the Yankees and this day in history in 1962 the Yankees would lose their third and fourth games of the series in a double header with the Cleveland Indians to get swept by the Tribe. In the second inning of Game 1 the Indians Jerry Kindall, Bubba Phillips, and Jim Mahoney hit three consecutive home runs to give Dick Donovan his 10th win of the season. The Cleveland crowd, the largest Indians crows in eight seasons, would enjoy watching the Indians sweep the Bronx Bombers.



Finally on this day in 1941 Joe DiMaggio extends his hitting streak to 30 consecutive games with a little help from a bad hop off Luke Appling's shoulder. DiMaggio would break the team's record for hits in consecutive games with the bit of luck passing Roger Peckinpaugh in 1919 and Earle Combs in 1931. The Yankees would lose the game 8-7 to the Chicago White Sox.

This Day In New York Yankees History 6/7: Damon Goes 6-6

On this day in 2008 Johnny Damon went off at the plate going 6-6 including a walk off single in a 12-11 Yankees comeback victory. Damon lit up his old team in the Kansas City Royals and became the first Yankee and the second player in Major League history to collect six hits at Yankee Stadium.



Also on this day in 2007 the New York Yankees would beat the Chicago White Sox 10-3 for Joe Torre's 2,000th victory as a manager. Torre won 257 games with the Braves, 286 games with the Mets, 351 games with the Cardinals, and 1,106 with the Yankees. Torre would also become the first manager to reach 2,000 wins and have 2,000 hits as a player.



Finally on this day in 1936 the New York Yankees and the Indians had a pretty uncommon anomaly happen in their 16 inning game. The Yankees would beat the Indians on this day 5-4 in extra innings at Yankee Stadium. What made this game special was that no pitcher in the game recorded a single strikeout in the game.

You can't predict baseball...

Can't Predict Baseball: A First in Major League History w/ Just 23 Fans in Attendance to Tell About it

When you think of the greatest games in Major League history and all the greatest feats in the game you think of jam packed stadiums and crowds rocking and the stadium going wild, right? Not so much on this day in 1916 when the Philadelphia Athletic's switch hitter Wally Schang became the first player in major league history to hit a home run from both sides of the plate in the same game. This feat would not be accomplished again until 1940.

What made this especially special was there was only 23 fans attending the game due to rain. This was the smallest crowd in American League history and for such a historic feat to happen really goes to show you, you just cannot predict baseball Suzyn.

This Day in New York Yankees History 6/17: Stand & Clap w/ Two Strikes!

On this day in 1978 Louisiana Lightning and Yankees pitcher Ron Guidry started a new tradition at Yankee Stadium. Guidry would strike out 15 Angels in six innings and finish the game with 18 K's to establish a new American League record for southpaws in the game. The Yankee Stadium crows would begin to clap each time Guidry got two strikes on a batter. This is also where Guidry got his nickname Louisiana Lightning from when called that by television announcer Phil Rizzuto.


Also on this day in 1962 Gene Woodling becomes the first major league player to play for both of New York's teams, the Yankees and the Mets. The 38 year old outfielder would go 2-4 scoring two runs for New York's National League expansion team in an 8-7 loss to the Chicago Cubs at the Polo Grounds.

Speaking of the Yankees and this day in history in 1962 the Yankees would lose their third and fourth games of the series in a double header with the Cleveland Indians to get swept by the Tribe. In the second inning of Game 1 the Indians Jerry Kindall, Bubba Phillips, and Jim Mahoney hit three consecutive home runs to give Dick Donovan his 10th win of the season. The Cleveland crowd, the largest Indians crows in eight seasons, would enjoy watching the Indians sweep the Bronx Bombers.



Finally on this day in 1941 Joe DiMaggio extends his hitting streak to 30 consecutive games with a little help from a bad hop off Luke Appling's shoulder. DiMaggio would break the team's record for hits in consecutive games with the bit of luck passing Roger Peckinpaugh in 1919 and Earle Combs in 1931. The Yankees would lose the game 8-7 to the Chicago White Sox.

This Day In New York Yankees History 6/7: Damon Goes 6-6

On this day in 2008 Johnny Damon went off at the plate going 6-6 including a walk off single in a 12-11 Yankees comeback victory. Damon lit up his old team in the Kansas City Royals and became the first Yankee and the second player in Major League history to collect six hits at Yankee Stadium.



Also on this day in 2007 the New York Yankees would beat the Chicago White Sox 10-3 for Joe Torre's 2,000th victory as a manager. Torre won 257 games with the Braves, 286 games with the Mets, 351 games with the Cardinals, and 1,106 with the Yankees. Torre would also become the first manager to reach 2,000 wins and have 2,000 hits as a player.



Finally on this day in 1936 the New York Yankees and the Indians had a pretty uncommon anomaly happen in their 16 inning game. The Yankees would beat the Indians on this day 5-4 in extra innings at Yankee Stadium. What made this game special was that no pitcher in the game recorded a single strikeout in the game.

You can't predict baseball...

Jason Stark's Strange But True Feats from 2015

Every season Jason Stark of ESPN releases a set of "Strange But True" feats from the previous season and also releases the same post just for the postseason. Unfortunately the Yankees, despite making the postseason, were not involved in the postseason strange but true posts but they were mentioned more than once in the regular season feats. Head on over to ESPN and check out Jason's article SEEN HERE and I am going to sample some of the Yankees related material here to garner interest. Be sure to check out his post for the entire post and all the Yankees related material, plus he deserves a click or two for his awesome work. Enjoy.

-- The Yankees faced four position players as pitchers this season. Chris Young, the former Yankees fourth outfielder, hit a home run off of Atlanta Braves (at the time) outfielder Jonny Gomes but struck out in the same season against Adam Rosales, a Texas Rangers infielder. The Yankees didn't just face positional players as pitchers though they also threw out some of their own including Brendan Ryan who pitched two scoreless innings for the team. The last position player to get six outs as a pitcher for the Yankees was Gene Michael in 1968.

-- Mark Buehrle beat the Yankees this season, this was the first time he did so in 11 seasons. Who could blame him if he retired this offseason? Buehrle went 148 games against the club without winning a game, that has to be some sort of record.

-- Didi Gregorius did something that his predecessor never did, he drove in six runs in a single game. I find that pretty hard to believe but Derek Jeter never drove in six runs in a single game, wow. Gregorius did it in his 120th MLB game while Jeter, including the postseason, played in 2,505 games and never did it. No Suzyn, you can't predict baseball.

-- The final bit of Yankees related news relates to the powerful offense led by Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira. The Yankees eclipsed the 20 run plateau not once but twice in a single game in 2015 , both times on the road to boot.

Can't Predict Baseball:a First in Major League History w/ Just 23 Fans in Attendance to tell About it

When you think of the greatest games in Major League history and all the greatest feats in the game you think of jam packed stadiums and crowds rocking and the stadium going wild, right? Not so much on this day in 1916 when the Philadelphia Athletic's switch hitter Wally Schang became the first player in major league history to hit a home run from both sides of the plate in the same game. This feat would not be accomplished again until 1940.

What made this especially special was there was only 23 fans attending the game due to rain. This was the smallest crowd in American League history and for such a historic feat to happen really goes to show you, you just cannot predict baseball Suzyn.

You Can’t Predict Baseball: Two Grand Slams to Begin a Career

The Yankees have become well known over the course of Major League history for their grand slams. For the longest time the man with the most grand slams in Major League history was Lou Gehrig with 23 before another Yankee, Alex Rodriguez, passed the mark in 2013. While the Yankees Horace Clarke never approached crooked numbers like that in the grand slam department he did have a noteworthy mark in grand slam history.

Clarke would hit a grand slam on this day in 1966 in the tenth inning to beat the Kansas City A's 9-5 giving the Yankees a victory. This was Clarke's second career home run and second career grand slam. The Yankees shortstop's first career home run was also a grand slam that he hit in 1965.

I'm not sure if that's a record or even really significant but it's still a pretty incredible stat and it goes to show you that you really cannot predict baseball. Right Suzyn?

This Day in New York Yankees History 6/17: Stand & Clap w/ Two Strikes!

On this day in 1978 Louisiana Lightning and Yankees pitcher Ron Guidry started a new tradition at Yankee Stadium. Guidry would strike out 15 Angels in six innings and finish the game with 18 K's to establish a new American League record for southpaws in the game. The Yankee Stadium crows would begin to clap each time Guidry got two strikes on a batter. This is also where Guidry got his nickname Louisiana Lightning from when called that by television announcer Phil Rizzuto.

Also on this day in 1962 Gene Woodling becomes the first major league player to play for both of New York's teams, the Yankees and the Mets. The 38 year old outfielder would go 2-4 scoring two runs for New York's National League expansion team in an 8-7 loss to the Chicago Cubs at the Polo Grounds.

Speaking of the Yankees and this day in history in 1962 the Yankees would lose their third and fourth games of the series in a double header with the Cleveland Indians to get swept by the Tribe. In the second inning of Game 1 the Indians Jerry Kindall, Bubba Phillips, and Jim Mahoney hit three consecutive home runs to give Dick Donovan his 10th win of the season. The Cleveland crowd, the largest Indians crows in eight seasons, would enjoy watching the Indians sweep the Bronx Bombers.

Finally on this day in 1941 Joe DiMaggio extends his hitting streak to 30 consecutive games with a little help from a bad hop off Luke Appling's shoulder. DiMaggio would break the team's record for hits in consecutive games with the bit of luck passing Roger Peckinpaugh in 1919 and Earle Combs in 1931. The Yankees would lose the game 8-7 to the Chicago White Sox.

This Day In New York Yankees History 6/7: Damon Goes 6-6

On this day in 2008 Johnny Damon went off at the plate going 6-6 including a walk off single in a 12-11 Yankees comeback victory. Damon lit up his old team in the Kansas City Royals and became the first Yankee and the second player in Major League history to collect six hits at Yankee Stadium.



Also on this day in 2007 the New York Yankees would beat the Chicago White Sox 10-3 for Joe Torre's 2,000th victory as a manager. Torre won 257 games with the Braves, 286 games with the Mets, 351 games with the Cardinals, and 1,106 with the Yankees. Torre would also become the first manager to reach 2,000 wins and have 2,000 hits as a player.



Finally on this day in 1936 the New York Yankees and the Indians had a pretty uncommon anomaly happen in their 16 inning game. The Yankees would beat the Indians on this day 5-4 in extra innings at Yankee Stadium. What made this game special was that no pitcher in the game recorded a single strikeout in the game.

You can't predict baseball...

Can’t Predict Baseball: Can’t Strike out Joe Sewell

On this day in 1933 the Yankees third basemen Joe Sewell is struck out for the first time of the season. Cleveland's Wes Ferrell was the man to strike out Sewell and Sewell would only strike out three more times the entire season, his final season, in 524 at bats. That's insane by today's standards.

Also on this day in 1977 the Boston Red Sox (6) and the Milwaukee Brewers (5) combined for 11 home runs to tie a major league record. The 11th home run matched the Yankees and Tigers in 1950 and the Cubs and the Mets in 1967 who also had 11 round trippers.

Finally on this day in 1990 Andre Dawson for the Cubs was walked intentionally five times in one game to set a new major league record. The previous mark of four was held by the Yankees Roger Maris in 1962 and by the Padres Gerry Templeton in 1985.

You know what they say Suzyn, you cannot predict baseball. 

Can't Predict Baseball: First Major League Feat w/ 23 Fans in Attendance

When you think of the greatest games in Major League history and all the greatest feats in the game you think of jam packed stadiums and crowds rocking and the stadium going wild, right? Not so much on this day in 1916 when the Philadelphia Athletic's switch hitter Wally Schang became the first player in major league history to hit a home run from both sides of the plate in the same game. This feat would not be accomplished again until 1940.

What made this especially special was there was only 23 fans attending the game due to rain. This was the smallest crowd in American League history and for such a historic feat to happen really goes to show you, you cannot predict baseball.

Can't Predict Baseball: No Hits, No K's, No Runs, No Days Off

You know it's true what they say Suzyn, you really can't predict baseball. Take for instance the 1906 Chicago Cubs who were surpassed today by the New York Yankees, seen in the "This Day In Yankees History post", as the quickest team to ever reach 100 wins. New York did it five days earlier than the Cubs on the calendar but the Cubs had a staggering 100-32 record when they accomplished the feat.

Also take for instance when the Philadelphia Phillies set a National League record for consecutive games without being shutout with the teams 151st straight game. This comes nowhere near the American League record held by the New York Yankees with 308 straight games scoring at least one run.

Also keep in mind the time that Sam Jones no hit the Athletics in 1923 on this day at Shibe Park. Jones did not strike out a single Philadelphia batter in the game, a feat that would not be matched again until 1969 when Ken Holtzman accomplished it.

We mentioned this earlier but on this day in 1993 a guy with one arm threw a no hitter in Major League Baseball in Jim Abbott. Enough said Yankees fans.

Finally on this day in 1906 the New York Highlanders, formerly the Baltimore Orioles and soon to be the New York Yankees, beat the Boston Americans 1-0 to finally earn a day off. The Highlanders completed a grueling five consecutive double headers in six days trip and swept them all going 10-0 during the streak.

Can't Predict Baseball: Back to Back Inside The Park Home Runs

Only once in the long and storied history of Major League Baseball has two players hit consecutive back to back home runs in a single game. The only time this happened in history was on this day way back in 1977 inside Yankee Stadium with the Texas Rangers in town for a series.

Toby Harrah and Bump Wills would hit the consecutive inside the park home runs back to back on consecutive pitches in an 8-2 Rangers victory over the Yankees. You really can't predict baseball Suzyn.

Can't Predict Baseball: All Star Game Rematch In 2013

Major League Baseball has been around for over 100 years now but only once in the history of the games have we seen an All Star Game rematch, but we were all treated to this in 2013. The All Star Game was played in Citi Field in 2013 and on this day in 2013 the Mets were back home in Citi Field to host the Detroit Tigers.

Both the All Star Game and this game were played at Citi Field with the Mets Matt Harvey on the mound for the home team and facing off with the Tigers Max Scherzer. 

Detroit would win the game 3-0 while Harvey gave up 13 hits in 6.2 innings. After the game Harvey would end up on the disabled list and would ultimately have to go under the knife with Tommy John surgery. Scherzer in the same game would become the third pitcher in the history of baseball to start a season 19-1. 

The other two pitchers to start a season  19-1 were Rube Marquard in 1912 with the New York Giants and Roger Clemens with the 2001 New York Yankees. You know what they say Suzyn, you really can't predict baseball. 

Yankees Lose A Game They Were Winning When It Ended.... Say What?

This has not happened very often in the history of Major League Baseball and it wouldn't happen again after this day in 1978. The Yankees somehow found a way to lose a game that they were winning when the game was called, sounds a lot like the 2014 version of the Yankees. Conveniently the Yankees and the Orioles were playing on this day in 1978 as well.

The Yankees were losing 3-0 heading into the top of the 7th inning in Baltimore when the rains came. The Yankees had scored five runs in the top of the inning and were actually winning the game when the umpires called the game and called the game rained out. The old rules reverted back to the last completed inning to end the game once it's official which had the Yankees trailing by that 3-0 score.

This rule would eventually be changed in 1980 to the rules we know today and in this case would have seen the game suspended. Talk about finding a creative way to lose. You really can't predict baseball Suzyn.

Remember When Dave Winfield Killed A Seagull?

This could have easily been a "Can't Predict Baseball" kind of post because this was as likely as the time when Randy Johnson killed a bird with a pitch. On this day in 1983 Dave Winfield accidentally killed a seagull at Exhibition Stadium in Toronto while throwing a warm up pitch prior to the fifth inning. The Yankees would ultimately win the game but the celebration would be short lived as Winfield would be arrested by the Ontario police and was charged with animal cruelty.

That sure was a fowl ball that Winfield will never forget. Winfield was charged and allowed out on bail for $500. The bat boy in Toronto insisted that this was done on purpose and obviously Winfield denied purposely hurting the animal. Winfield faced up to six months in jail but thankfully for the Yankees outfielder the charges were dropped the very next day.

What would a bizarre incident like this be without a quote from the great Yankee manager Billy Martin?

"They say he hit the gull on purpose? They wouldn't say that if they'd seen the throws he'd been making all year. It's the first time he's hit the cutoff man." 

Nine years later Winfield would join the Blue Jays to complete the full circle.

Can't Predict Baseball: Two Grand Slams To Start Career

The Yankees have become well known over the course of Major League history for their grand slams. For the longest time the man with the most grand slams in Major League history was Lou Gehrig with 23 before another Yankee, Alex Rodriguez, passed the mark in 2013. While the Yankees Horace Clarke never approached crooked numbers like that in the grand slam department he did have a noteworthy mark in grand slam history.

Clarke would hit a grand slam on this day in 1966 in the tenth inning to beat the Kansas City A's 9-5 and give the Yankees a victory. This was Clarke's second career home run and second career grand slam. The Yankees shortstop's first career home run was also a grand slam that he hit in 1965.

I'm not sure if that's a record or even really significant but it's still a pretty incredible stat and it goes to show you that you really cannot predict baseball. Right Suzyn?