April 26

⚾ Ryno passes Little Joe Morgan

April 26, 2025

TODAY ON THE DAILY HIGHLIGHT

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April 26, 1997, At Wrigley Field, Ryne Sandberg of the Chicago Cubs breaks Hall of Famer Joe Morgan’s major league record for most home runs by a second baseman, Morgan played from 1965 – 1984. Sandberg’s 267th career home run at the position helps the Cubs to a 7-6 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Sandberg hit the first five home runs of his career as a third baseman before moving over to second. The mark will not be broken again until 2004, when Jeff Kent of the Astros records his 268th dinger as a second sacker.

Sandberg shocked Chicago fans when he retired following the 1994 season due to personal problems before returning two years later.

This wasn’t the first time he broke one of Morgan’s records, in 1989, Sandberg eclipsed Morgan's record for most consecutive games at second base without an error and in 1990, he stretched the streak to 123 games before making a miscue... Sandberg hit 277 homers as a second baseman, the most in baseball history at the time of his retirement... Sandberg hit 40 homers in 1990, joining Rogers Hornsby and Davey Johnson as the only second basemen to reach that level, up to that time.

How did he become a Cub - a steal of the century. He was originally drafted on June 6, 1978 by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 20th round of the 1978 amateur draft. A few years later on January 27, 1982: He will be traded by the Philadelphia Phillies with Larry Bowa to the Chicago Cubs for Ivan DeJesus.It wasn't a short-term loss for the Phillies, who won the 1983 NL pennant, but in the long-run it was a terrible deal for Philadelphia. Former Phillies manager Dallas Green, the Cubs' GM, used his inside information to nab Sandberg.

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Game of the Day

April 26, 1997 Pittsburgh Pirates vs Chicago Cubs

Sandberg sets the mark

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Today’s line up: Click to Listen

April 26, 1972 Montreal Expos at Los Angeles Dodgers

April 26, 1972 Oakland Athletics at New York Yankees

April 26, 1963 New York Mets at Pittsburgh Pirates

Did you know?

April 26, 1945, Pete Gray, one-armed outfielder of the St. Louis Browns lost his arm in the Battle of Hürtgen Forest last December. Gray goes 2-for-5 at the plate and scored a run as the Browns edged the Indians by a score of 4-3 at Cleveland’s League Park.

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Trivia:

Who was Ryne Sandberg name after?

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TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY

April 26, 1941, Wrigley Field becomes the first ballpark to install an organ to entertain fans, with Roy Nelson manning the keyboard. But Nelson’s successful pregame serenade doesn’t help the Chicago Cubs as they fall to pitcher Max Lanier and the rival St. Louis Cardinals, 6 – 2.

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April 26, 1952 — Art Houtteman, needing to retire just one more batter to author a no-hitter, throws a fastball to Harry Simpson, who rips the pitch for a single, spoiling the right-hander’s chance for immortality. The Tigers’ 13-0 triumph over the Tribe at Briggs Stadium marks the team’s first victory of the season, after dropping eight decisions to start the campaign. Bob Lemon took the loss and the tigers were lead by George Kell with 3 hits.

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April 26, 1957 — Don Bessent’s quick pitch vs. Roberto Clemente’s quick wrists? No contest. The Bucs’ 7 – 1 trouncing of Brooklyn knocks the “Bums” out of first place and pulls Pittsburgh out of the cellar while Clemente’s 7th-inning double, which drives the final nail in the 7 – 1 coffin, results from Bessent’s ill-advised attempt to quick-pitch the whippet-wristed Roberto, as he will later recall.

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April 26 , 1963 — Houston Astro Bob Bruce tosses the first one-hitter in franchise history, a 2-0 blanking of the Reds. A harmless single by Vada Pinson is the only blemish. Bruce needs just 96 pitches to accomplish the feat.

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April 26, 1973 — After six tries, the defending world champion A’s finally win their first series of the season when they beat Cleveland, 3-2. Although Darold Knowles blows the save, costing Catfish Hunter his first win of the year, Oakland, who had split the first two games with the Tribe, tallies in the bottom of the ninth for a walk-off victory on a Bert Campaneris single scoring pinch-running Blue Moon Odom.

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April 26, 1982, Boston Red Sox rookie Wade Boggs collects his first major league hit. Boggs singles against Rich Dotson of the Chicago White Sox in Boston’s 3-2 win. Boggs will go on to win five American League batting championships

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April 26, 1989 — After overrunning Cardinal shortstop Ozzie Smith‘s fly ball down in the left-field corner, Giants outfielder Kevin Mitchell recovers by reaching back and catching the ball in foul territory with his bare right hand. The National League’s eventual MVP’s amazing play occurs in the first inning of the Giants’ 3-1 loss to the Redbirds at Busch Stadium.

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April 26, 1990, Texas Rangers Nolan Ryan ties Bob Feller’s major league record by hurling his 12th career one-hitter. The 43-year-old Ryan strikes out 16 batters in shutting down the Chicago White Sox, 1-0. The only hit allowed is Ron Kittle’s 2nd-inning check-swing single to right field. The victory is the 293rd in Ryan’s career.

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Quote of the day:

Opposing manager Whitey Herzog said, "One day I think he's one of the best players in the NL. The next day I think he's one of the best players I've ever seen."