April 10th

On this day in Yankee history...



1913: In a game which features U.S. President Woodrow Wilson throwing out the first pitch, the New York Highlanders become the Yankees.  In their first outing under their new name, the Yankees lose to the Washington Senators 2-1, as future Hall of Famer Walter Johnson picks up the win for the home team. 

                        http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1913/B04100WS11913.htm   


 

1946: Bob Watson is born. 

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



 

1982: The Yankees trade hard-throwing reliever Ron Davis and minor leaguers Greg Gagne and Paul Boris to the Minnesota Twins for infielder Roy Smalley. The trade breaks up the Yankees' devastating bullpen combination of Davis and Goose Gossage. 

1998: The Yankees draw the largest regular-season crowd ever at the renovated Yankee Stadium, as 56,717 attend the home opener against the A's. The Bombers then crush the club scoring mark by winning the 17-13 slugfest. Surprisingly enough, Tino Martinez' home run in the 3rd is the only roundtripper of the game.  

 
                          http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1998/B04100NYA1998.htm  





2010: CC Sabathia flirts with a no-hit bid, before giving up a two-out single to the Rays' Kelly Shoppach in the 8th inning. Having reached his pitch count limit, he then exits the game, but is credited with the Yanks' 10-0 win. 

                      http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/2010/B04100TBA2010.htm      





2014:  As usual, sparks fly in the first meeting of the season between the Yankees and Red Sox. New York defeat Boston 4-1 behind the pitching of Michael Pineda, but Boston's broadcasters claim they have detected pine tar Pineda's pitching hand. The Yankee hurler dismisses the claim, saying it is just sweat mixed with dirt, while umpire Brian O'Nora states that nothing of concern was brought to his attention. 

    


                     http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/2014/B04100NYA2014.htm 




2015: The Yankees and Red Sox lock horns in a 19-inning marathon, the game ending with the Red Sox coming out on top 6-5 at 2:13 AM. The game is further lengthened by a 16-minute delay caused by a power outage in the 12th inning at Yankee Stadium. Chase Headley forces extra innings with a homer off Edward Mujica with two outs in the bottom of the 9th, then David Ortiz and Mark Teixeira exchange solo homers in the 16th, and both teams score once in the 18th as well to further extend the game. Xander Bogaerts scores the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly by Mookie Betts, and this time Steven Wright in his fifth inning of relief work, keeps the Yankees from replying. 

                       http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/2015/B04100NYA2015.htm 

April 9th

On this day in Yankee history... 


1965:  U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson joins 47,878 fans for the opening of Harris County Domed Stadium (AKA the Astrodome). The Houston Astros win an exhibition game against the Yankees, 2-1 in 12 innings. Mickey Mantle hits the first-ever indoor home run in the new park. 

1967: Graeme Lloyd is born. 

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






1971: The A's trade 1B/OF Felipe Alou to the Yankees in exchange for prospects Rob Gardner and Ron Klimkowski. Next year, Alou's younger brother Matty will join him in New York pinstripes after another deal with Oakland.

1985: David Robertson is born. 

1989: Rickey Henderson collects his his 800th career stolen base in a 4-3 Yankees loss to the Indians.  

                                             http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1989/B04090NYA1989.htm  






2004:  The Yankees and Joe Torre agree to a three-year contract extension. The contract also includes an additional six-year deal in which the 62-year old manager will serve as a team advisor through the 2013 season. That adjunct to the deal will never be implemented. 

2013: The Yankees go on a home run binge,  as they bang out five in crushing the Indians 14-1. Cleveland starter Carlos Carrasco gives up seven runs before being ejected by home plate umpire Jordan Baker for throwing at Kevin Youkilis in the 4th. Ironically, Carrasco had just finished a five-game suspension incurred in 2011, but only served at the start of the season as he had undergone Tommy John surgery and been out of the big leagues in the meantime. He claims that he slipped on the pitch to Youkilis, which comes just after a home run by Robinson Cano; he will receive an eight-game suspension this time. Andy Pettitte is the winner for the Yankees. 

                                           http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/2013/B04090CLE2013.htm

April 8th

On this day in Yankee history... 



1909: While at Highlanders' spring training, Hal Chase is diagnosed with smallpox. The entire team will be vaccinated, and quarantined while traveling north. 

1946: Jim 'Catfish' Hunter is born.  

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





1975: The Yankees take the field on Opening Day at Cleveland Stadium, as Frank Robinson makes his debut for the Indians as the first black manager in the major leagues. Rachel Robinson, Jackie's widow, throws out the ceremonial first pitch before a crowd of 56,204. The new skipper, also a player, homer on his way to leading his team to a 5-3 victory. 

                      http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1975/B04080CLE1975.htm  





1985: At Fenway Park, 46-year-old Phil Niekro starts for the Yankees, becoming the second oldest pitcher ever to start on Opening Day. Only Jack Quinn, for the Brooklyn Robins in 1931, was older, at age 47. The Red Sox chase Niekro after four innings and, behind the pitching of Oil Can Boyd, coast to a 9 - 2 win.  

              
                http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1985/B04080BOS1985.htm  





1993: Yankee relievers Steve Howe and Steve Farr are the victims as Carlos Baerga of the Indians becomes the first man in major league history to switch hit home runs in the same inning, in the 7th frame of a game at Cleveland Stadium. Baerga achieves the feat on the way to a 15-5 Tribe win. 

                        http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1993/B04080CLE1993.htm  






2003:  At the Yankees' opener in the Bronx, with the fans chanting his name, Hideki Matsui hits his first major league home run,a grand slam, against the Twins. The shot leads the Bombers to a 7-3 victory, Andy Pettitte getting his second win of the year. 

                       http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/2003/B04080NYA2003.htm 

April 7th

On this day in Yankee history... 



1873: John McGraw, who was the manager of the 1901  Baltimore Orioles (the franchise which would become the New York Highlanders) before going on to a Hall of Fame career with the New York Giants, is born. 

1969: The Yankees beat the Washington Senators  8-4 as Ted Williams makes his managerial debut for the D.C. homesiders. 

2010: New arrival in center field Curtis Granderson quickly makes his presence felt with the Yankees. Already having homered in his first at-bat for the team on Opening Day, he hits a game-winning long ball off Boston closer Jonathan Papelbon in the 10th inning of today's contest, which started as a pitching duel between Andy Pettitte and John Lackey, giving the Yankees a 3-1 victory. Chan Ho Park redeems his poor opening day performance with three innings of one-hit ball in relief to earn his first win in pinstripes, while Mariano Rivera picks up his second save in as many days. 

                       http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/2010/B04070BOS2010.htm  

April 6th

On this day in Yankee history... 



1973: At Fenway Park, Ron Blomberg becomes the first designated hitter in major league history. In his first plate appearance, Blomberg walks with the bases loaded against Luis Tiant. He will end up with one hit in three at-bats. Meanwhile, Carlton Fisk hits two home runs (one a grand slam) to lead the Red Sox to a 15-5 victory over the Yankees.  

                     http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1973/B04060BOS1973.htm





1974: The Yankees defeat the Indians 6 - 1 at Shea Stadium. This is the Bombers' first game of a two-year period at Shea while Yankee Stadium is being rebuilt. 12-year-old Teddy Kennedy‚ Jr.‚ flanked by his father and Mayor Abe Beame‚ tosses out the first ball. Missing from the ceremony is George Steinbrenner, indicted two days earlier for illegal contributions to Richard Nixon's 1972 presidential re-election campaign. Graig Nettles' two-run homer in the 4th off Gaylord Perry opens the scoring and the Yanks tally 4 more times to win. Charlie Spikes scores the only Cleveland run in the 9th following a triple off starter and winner Mel Stottlemyre. Perry‚ who is warned once for an illegal pitch,  is the loser today‚ but he will win his next 15 decisions.  

                  http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1974/B04060NYA1974.htm 





2017: Bob Cerv dies at the age of 91. 

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

April 5th

On this day in Yankee history... 



1925:  At spring training, the Yankees whip the Brooklyn Robins 16-9, but the headlines are about Babe Ruth. The Bambino collapses in the railroad station in Asheville, NC, and winds up in a New York City hospital.  Ruth will undergo an operation for an ulcer on April 17th and will be bedridden until May 26th.  

1934: Babe Ruth, sponsored by Quaker Oats, agrees to do three 15-minute broadcasts a week over NBC. The total of $39,000 for 13 weeks is $4,000 more than his Yankees contract. 

1977:  The Yankees acquire shortstop Bucky Dent from the White Sox for outfielder Oscar Gamble, pitchers LaMarr Hoyt and Bob Polinsky, and an estimated $200,000. Dent will solidify New York's middle infield and help the Yankees reach the World Series in 1977 and 1978. 

1979: At Yankee Stadium, 52,719 fans see the Brewer jump on Ron Guidry for four runs in the 6th inning and beat New York 5-1. It's the most runs the Cy Young Award winner has allowed in a game since 1977. New York get singles from their first three hitters, but manage to score just one run in the 1st inning off Mike Caldwell. 

                     http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1979/B04050NYA1979.htm 


 

1995: The Yankees acquire closer John Wetteland from the Montreal Expos for Fernando Seguignol and cash, as the Expos are in full fire sale mode following the settlement of the strike. Wetteland will help his new club to their first World Championship in 18 years in 1996.  

April 4th

On this day in Yankee history... 



1971: Former Yankee pitcher Carl Mays dies at the age of 79. 

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

     

1989: On Opening Day, Tommy John ties a major league record by playing in his 26th season. John beats the Twins 4-2 for his 287th win, putting him 19th overall in career victories. 

                        
                        http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1989/B04040MIN1989.htm 



 

1994:  A total of 56,706 fans attend Opening Day in the Bronx, making it the largest crowd since Yankee Stadium was renovated. 

 

                                           http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1994/B04040NYA1994.htm  

2010: The Yankees and the Red Sox stage a classic battle to open the major league season at Fenway Park, with the home side winning 9-7 after trailing 5-1 and 7-5. Jorge Posada and Curtis Granderson hit back-to-back homers in the 2nd and Brett Gardner steals home as the Yanks build an early lead against Josh Beckett, but a homer by Dustin Pedroia and three extra-base hits by Kevin Youkilis highlight the Sox's comeback. Chan Ho Park takes the loss in his Yankee debut, while Hideki Okajima is the winner. 

                                            http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/2010/B04040BOS2010.htm 

2013: The Yankees record their first win of the season by turning to their storied past. Andy Pettitte picks up the win and Mariano Rivera gets the save in his first appearance following a serious knee injury that almost ended his career as they defeat the Red Sox 4-2. It is Rivera's record 19th season as a Yankee, although Derek Jeter will join him when he is activated from the disabled list later this season. 

                         http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/2013/B04040NYA2013.htm    

 

 

2014: Masahiro Tanaka makes his much anticipated debut for the Yankees, defeating Toronto 7-3 in front of dozens of Japanese journalists on hand for the occasion. Tanaka gives up a homer to the first batter he faces, Melky Cabrera, but then settles down to pitch 7 solid innings. Mark Teixeira has to leave the game in the 2nd inning with a hamstring injury, a flashback to last year's plague of pinstriped injuries. 

                         http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/2014/B04040TOR2014.htm