May 31st

On this day in Yankee history... 


1938: Lou Gehrig plays in his 2,000th consecutive game and collects a RBI single, helping the Yankees defeat the Red Sox 12-5.  

                        http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1938/B05310NYA1938.htm  





1983: AL  President Lee MacPhail suspends George Steinbrenner for one week, citing 'repeated problems' with the outspoken owner's public criticism of umpires. Steinbrenner, who was fined $50,000 by Commissioner Bowie Kuhn during spring training for berating some NL umpires, cannot attend games or be in his Yankee Stadium office during the suspension.  

1989: At the Stadium, Deion Sanders makes an impression his Yankee debut. He collects an outfield assist and an RBI, and sparks a five-run rally in the seventh with a single. The Bombers beat the Mariners 9-5. 

 
                        
                http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1989/B05310NYA1989.htm




2010: Alex Rodriguez may be something less than his usual superhuman self this season, but it's still a bad idea to issue an intentional walk to face him with the bases loaded. The Indians find this out the hard way, as A-Rod connects for a grand slam in the 7th inning, helping to turn a 2-1 Yankee lead into an 11-2 rout. The slam is the 20th of his career, placing him third on the all-time list, behind Lou Gehrig (23) and Manny Ramirez (21).  

                      
                         http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/2010/B05310NYA2010.htm  

May 30th

On this day in Yankee history... 


1932: The Yankees dedicate a monument to late manager Miller Huggins, placing it in front of the flagpole in center field at the Stadium. 

1956: Mickey Mantle hits a home run that comes within a foot-and-a-half of leaving Yankee Stadium. It hits the face of the upper deck in right field, 370 feet from home plate and 117 feet in the air. Mantle also becomes the first player in major league history to hit 20 home runs by the end of May as the Yankees beat the Washington Senators 4-3. 

                      http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1956/B05301NYA1956.htm  

1961: Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris and Bill Skowron each hit two home runs to lead the Yankees to a 12-3 rout of the Red Sox at Fenway Park. Yogi Berra also homers for New York. Ralph Terry is the winning pitcher, Gene Conley the loser.

                     
    http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1961/B05300BOS1961.htm 



 
1967: Whitey Ford announces his retirement from baseball because of an elbow injury. His final appearance was a start in Detroit on May 21st, but he lasted just one inning for the Yankees. He finishes his major league career with a 236-106 record. 

2011: Bartolo Colón pitches his first shutout since 2006 in blanking the Athletics 5-0. The 38-year-old Yankees pitcher has made a remarkable comeback after being out of the majors all of last year. 

 
                          http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/2011/B05300OAK2011.htm 

May 29th

On this day in Yankee history... 


1922: In action against Philadelphia, the Yankees plate 7 runs in the 7th to beat the Athletics 7-4. Carl Mays is the winner‚ notching his 20th straight victory over the A's. 

                   
                           http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1922/B05290NYA1922.htm 




1927: In a loosely played game at the Stadium, the Yanks swamp the Red Sox 15-7, scoring 7 runs in the 8th inning. Babe Ruth launches his 13th homer‚ off Danny MacFayden, while Johnny Grabowski goes 4 for 4 with a walk. Dutch Ruether is ineffective‚ serving up gopher balls to Boston's Grover Hartley in the 2nd and Fred Haney in the 3rd. The Sox give it back in the 4th with 3 walks‚ 2 errors‚ a single by Bob Meusel and a double by Mark Koenig‚ to make 4 runs. Ted Wingfield, pitching two-thirds of the 4th‚ takes the loss. 

                        http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1927/B05290NYA1927.htm   




1928: At the Stadium, the Yankees sweep a pair from the Washington Senators 3-2 and 12-3. Leo Durocher's bases-loaded triple in the opener gives George Pipgras (8-1) the win. Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth both slug a pair of homers in the nitecap: Lou hits his 9th in the 3rd‚ off Washington starter Milt Gaston, then Ruth and Gehrig hit back-to-back dingers in the 4th off Lloyd Brown. Ruth adds his 18th off Brown in the 7th. Earle Combs also homers. 

                        http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1928/B05291NYA1928.htm  

                         http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1928/B05292NYA1928.htm   




1942: Lefty Gomez, self-described as the worst-hitting pitcher in baseball‚ bangs out 4 singles in pitching a four-hit‚ 16-1 blowout against Washington. They are his last major league hits. Buddy Hassett adds 4 hits as well.  

                        http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1942/B05290NYA1942.htm   






1982: At Minnesota‚ the Yanks put runners on first (Graig Nettles) and second (Bobby Murcer) with no outs. When Roy Smalley strikes out on a wide 3-2 pitch from Terry Felton,  Murcer attempts to steal third base. But Sal Butera's throw beats him so badly that he retreats to second, only to find Nettles there. Gary Gaetti tags Murcer who is standing safely alone on the base‚ then fires to Kent Hrbek to catch Nettles heading back to first. Murcer then tries for third and Hrbek's throw to Felton, covering the bag, completes the triple play. Unfortunately, Felton‚ 0-8 coming into the game, gets a no-decision‚ and will lose another 5 to finish his career with an 0-16 record. 

 

http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1982/B05290MIN1982.htm  

  

1995: Derek Jeter plays his first Major League game, going hitless in 5 ABs in an 8-7 extra innings loss to the Mariners. 

https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1995/B05290SEA1995.htm 

1997: The Yankees finally agree to terms with Japanese pitcher Hideki Irabu‚ signing the fireballer to a four-year contract worth $12.8 million. The deal includes a signing bonus of $8.5 million. 

     
     Meanwhile, in Toronto‚ Tino Martinez hits his 20th homer ~ his third in three games ~ and David Cone strikes out 12 to lead New York over Toronto 4-0. Jeff Nelson strikes out 3 Jays in relief. Martinez raises his RBI total to 56 with a single in the 1st off Woody Williams (1-5) and a solo shot in the 3rd. 

  
                          http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1997/B05290TOR1997.htm 

May 28th

On this day in Yankee history... 


1923: Bob Kuzava is born. 

                          https://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Bob_Kuzava




1927:  In his first starting assignment for the Yankees, Wilcy Moore loses a heartbreaker to the Senators 3-2 in the nitecap of a doubleheader. Lou Gehrig is spiked at first base by Bucky Harris as Firpo Marberry scores the winning run. The Yankees win the opener 8-2 as Babe Ruth hits his 12th home run of the year, a three-run shot. Tris Speaker plays most of game one for the Senators despite fracturing his left thumb in batting practice.  

              
                   http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1927/B05281NYA1927.htm 

                            http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1927/B05282NYA1927.htm   





1941: The Yankees defeat the Washington Senators 6-5 in the first night game ever played at Griffith Stadium. 


                   http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1941/B05280WS11941.htm 


1946: The Senators return the favour by beating the Yanks 2-1 in the first night game ever played at Yankee Stadium.  

 
                         
http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1946/B05280NYA1946.htm 






2004: Mariano Rivera posts his 300th career save in a 7-5 victory over Tampa Bay. He also becomes the first Yankee and 17th reliever in major league history to reach the milestone.  


                       http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/2004/B05280TBA2004.htm  



2013: The Mets honor Mariano, who has announced his retirement at the end of the year, by having him throw the ceremonial first pitch before the game between the two teams at Citi Field, with retired Mets closer John Franco. Daniel Murphy leads off the bottom of the 9th with a double and David Wright and Lucas Duda follow with RBI singles to turn a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 win. It is the first time in Rivera's career that he blows a save without retiring a single batter; it is also his first blown save of the year. 

                       http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/2013/B05280NYN2013.htm  

May 27th

On this day in Yankee history... 


1918: Frank 'Home Run' Baker contributes to a 9-3 Yankee win over the Indians with 4 hits, but fails to live up to his nickname, as none of them leave the park.  

                    

                     http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1918/B05260CLE1918.htm 




1933: At the Stadium, the Yankees trail the White Sox 11-3 going into the 8th inning. With a barrage of singles capped by a Bill Dickey 3-run homer, they plate 12 runs in the frame to come away with a 15-11 win. 

  

                               
                             http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1933/B05270NYA1933.htm  






1987: Phil Niekro becomes the third pitcher in major league history (after Cy Young and Don Sutton) to make his 700th start. 

May 26th

On this day in Yankee history... 


2006: Derek Jeter collects his 2,000th career hit in a 7-6 loss to the Royals at the Stadium, becoming the eighth player in Yankees history to reach the milestone. 

                             http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/2006/B05260NYA2006.htm   






2010: The Yankees take two from the Twins at Target Field. First, in a resumption of yesterday's game which was suspended by rain with no score, they win 1-0 on a homer by Derek Jeter. They then win the regularly-scheduled game 3-2 on a long ball by Nick Swisher against Jon Rauch in the 9th that gives Andy Pettite the win. Mariano Rivera saves both wins. 

  
                        http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/2010/B05260MIN2010.htm

May 25th

On this day in Yankee history... 


1922:  After being thrown out at second base trying to stretch a single, Babe Ruth throws dirt in the face of umpire George Hildebrand, and then goes after a heckler in the stands. Ruth is ejected and eventually fined $500 and suspended one game by AL president Ban Johnson. 

2011: In a 7-3 win over the Blue Jays, Mariano Rivera makes his 1000th appearance for the Yankees; he is the 15th to reach the mark, and the first pitcher to do it with only one team. 

May 24th

On this day in Yankee history... 


1918: Stan Coveleski of the Indians pitches a 19-inning complete game to defeat the Yankees 3-2. Former pitcher Joe Wood Former hits a home run in the 19th ~ his second of the game ~ to end the 3:45 contest, a marathon by the standards of the era. For New York‚ Home Run Baker's 11 assists tie the AL record for a third baseman in an extra-inning game. 

                      
                       http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1918/B05240NYA1918.htm  






1928: In the first game of a doubleheader in Philadelphia, a record 12 future Hall of Famers play in the 9-7 Yankee victory over the A's. This number does not include non-playing Hall of Famers Herb Pennock and Stan Coveleski, managers Miller Huggins and Connie Mack , nor umpire Tom Connolly.   

                           http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1928/B05241PHA1928.htm 






1930: Babe Ruth hits home runs in both games of a doubleheader in the Bronx, giving him nine homers in one week. The Yankees sweep the A's 10-6 and 11-1. Newly-acquired Red Ruffing is the easy winner in the nitecap.

                      http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1930/B05241NYA1930.htm  

                                  http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1930/B05242NYA1930.htm  





1932: Lefty Gomez strikes out 13 on the way to pitching a 3-hitter in beating the Philadelphia A's 3-1.  

 
                      http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1932/B05240NYA1932.htm  






1936: Tony Lazzeri, batting eighth in the Yankee lineup posts an AL record with 11 RBI while hitting three home runs ~ two of them grand slams ~ and a triple in a 25-2 rout of the A's.  Another major league record is tied when Ben Chapman draws 5 walks as the Yanks are handed 16 bases on balls. Lou Gehrig exits early and is replaced by his favorite sub‚ Jack Saltzgaver. Monte Pearson is the winner over George Turbeville in the laugher.  

               
                        http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1936/B05240PHA1936.htm 





1946: The Yankees announce the resignation of manager Joe McCarthy. He is replaced by Bill Dickey. McCarthy reportedly quits because of gall bladder trouble. During his 15-year run in New York, he guided them to eight AL pennants and seven World Series titles. 

1952: Jimmy Piersall and Billy Martin first exchange insults before a game at Fenway Park, then exchange punches in the tunnel under the stands. It takes coaches Bill Dickey and Oscar Melillo, along with Boston starter Ellis Kinder, to break up the fight. Piersall goes to the clubhouse to change his bloody shirt and gets into another brawl with teammate Mickey McDermott. He sits as Kinder stops the Yankees 5-2. 

  

                       http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1952/B05240BOS1952.htm      





1956: Mickey Mantle goes 5 for 5 with an intentional walk in an 11-4 win against the Tigers. Mantle is hitting .421. He combines with Joe Collins for back-to-back homers off Duke Maas. 

                         http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1956/B05240DET1956.htm     




1973: Bartolo Colón is born. 

1989: Yankee reliever Lee Guetterman gives up five runs in the 9th inning of a New York 11-4 loss to the California Angels, ending his consecutive scoreless innings streak at 30 2/3. It is the longest season-opening streak in the majors since Harry Brecheen's in 1948, and the longest season-opening streak ever by a reliever. 

                       http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1989/B05240NYA1989.htm  






2011: The Yankees end an AL record run of 341 games without a complete game when CC Sabathia goes the distance in a 5-4 victory over Toronto.  

                         http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/2011/B05240NYA2011.htm 






2015: On the day they retire Bernie Williams' № 51  and unveil a plaque in his honor in Monument Park, the Yankees suffer their 10th loss in 11 games to fall to .500. The Rangers' 5-2 win completes a three-game sweep, as a two-run homer by Adam Rosales off Chris Capuano and two RBI by Prince Fielder account for the bulk of the damage.   

                          http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/2015/B05240NYA2015.htm

May 23rd

On this day in Yankee history...


1948: Joe DiMaggio hits three consecutive home runs in a 6-5 win over the Indians. Two of his round trippers come off Bob Feller. 

 

http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1948/B05231CLE1948.htm 

  

1956: Buck Showalter is born  

1962: Rookie phenom Joe Pepitone  hits two home runs in the nine-run 8th-inning of the Yankees' 13-7 triumph over the Kansas City A's.  

 http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1962/B05230NYA1962.htm

1964: At the Stadium, the Angels score 4 in the 1st‚ and the Yankees counter with 5 in the bottom of the inning off Bo Belinsky. That's all the scoring for the pinstripers as the Angels win 9-5. This is only the second time this season that the injury-plagued Yanks have started their regular outfield of Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris and Tom Tresh. Mantle will pull a muscle on the 26th‚ keeping him out of the lineup for two weeks. 

                           http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1964/B05230NYA1964.htm   





2001: Derek Jeter collects 5 hits, including a double and a home run, as the Yankees beat the Red Sox 7-3. David Cone takes the loss‚ going 5 innings and giving up 3 runs. Andy Pettitte is the winner. 

 

http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/2001/B05230NYA2001.htm 

May 22nd

On this day in Yankee history... 


1922: The Yankees, who have been sharing the Polo Grounds with the Giants since 1913, break ground for construction of their own stadium in the Bronx. 

1923: Babe Ruth breaks a 1-1 tie between the Yanks and the White Sox by clouting a two-run homer in the 15th inning. The blow breaks up a tense pitching duel between little Mike Cvengros and Herb Pennock, who goes all the way giving up just four hits. The Yanks have now won 12 of 13 contests in their western swing. 

                    http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1923/B05220CHA1923.htm  



 
1930: In Philadelphia, the Yankees and the A's launch a home run barrage as the Yankees take both games of a doubleheader, 10-1 and 20-13. Babe Ruth hits a pair of home runs in the opener, as does Ben Chapman and winning pitcher George Pipgras. The Yanks score nine runs in the first two innings of the second game, but the A's come back to tie it at 12 apiece. The Yanks win the assault, 20-13, as Tony Lazzeri goes 4 for 4, scores five runs, and knocks in 4. Ruth hits another in the second game, while Lou Gehrig powers three round trippers to drive in eight runs. On the A's side, Jimmie Foxx has two homers to drive in six runs. For the afternoon, the teams combine to hit 14 round trippers, a then-record 10 in the nitecap. 

                       http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1930/B05221PHA1930.htm  

                       http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1930/B05222PHA1930.htm  




1933: Joe Sewell strikes out for the first time this season in a 3-0 Yankee win behind Lefty Gomez over Cleveland. Sewell will fan only three more times in 524 at bats this year. 

               http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1933/B05220NYA1933.htm   






1934: Though the Yankees lose to the Indians 5-1, the lone New York run is driven in by Lou Gehrig, who for the second time in his career has collected at least 1 RBI in 10 straight games. 

                            http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1934/B05220CLE1934.htm 






1943: Tommy John is born. 

 
                     
                      http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/J/Pjohnt001.htm




1954: At the Stadium, Allie Reynolds tosses a seven-hit shutout of the Red Sox for a 7-0 win. Mickey Mantle provides the offense, going 4 for 5 with four RBIs. The Mick will knock in 10 runs in the three-game series against Boston. 

 
                                   https://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/May_22   






1962: Roger Maris, who went all of 1961 without receiving an intentional walk, gets four in a 12-inning, 2-1 win against the Angels to set an AL record. Maris receives five walks in all. Four Yankee pitchers (Whitey Ford, Jim Coates. Bud Daley and Bob Turley) combine to give up just one hit in 12 innings. Ford leaves after seven innings because of back spasms, and Coates gives up the lone hit, a one-out 9th-inning single to Buck Rodgers. 

                http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1962/B05220NYA1962.htm  




1963: At the Stadium, the Yankees blow a 7-0 lead and allow the Kansas City A's to tie the game and send it into extra innings. Mickey Mantle leading off the 11th, is fooled by a Bill Fischer slow curve, then cannons the next offering to right, almost clearing the roof. "The hardest ball I ever hit," Mantle later comments, a ball that, by some accounts, is still rising when it strikes a foot below the top. It is conservatively estimated by Dr. James McDonald, a physicist who studies long-ball trajectories, that the ball would have traveled 620 feet if it had not struck the façade. "That was the only homer I ever hit that the bat actually bent in my hands," Mantle tells Dale Long, from whom he borrowed the cudgel. 

 
                           http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1963/B05220NYA1963.htm  




1999: The Yankees defeat the White Sox 10-2, Roger Clemens getting the win. The Rocket sets an AL record with 19 consecutive victories over the course of two seasons; he will extend the streak by one before losing. This win was delayed by a rainout and a stint on the DL. 

                        http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1999/B05221CHA1999.htm