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- ⚾ Clemente’s Wild Walk-Off: A Grand Slam
⚾ Clemente’s Wild Walk-Off: A Grand Slam
A feat never accomplished before and not matched until 2025
July 25, 1956 –"Clemente’s Wild Walk-Off: A Grand Slam Like No Other"
On July 25, 1956, 20-year-old Roberto Clemente delivered one of the most jaw-dropping moments in baseball history—a walk-off, inside-the-park grand slam, a feat never seen before and was .
The Pirates and Cubs, two struggling teams that season, had turned a quiet night into a late-game slugfest. Pittsburgh led 4–0 into the eighth behind ace Bob Friend, but a six-run Chicago rally flipped the game. Entering the bottom of the ninth, the Pirates trailed 8–5 with just three outs to spare.
After two walks and a single loaded the bases, Cubs reliever Jim Brosnan came in to face Clemente, a notorious “bad-ball hitter” who rarely walked and often swung at anything near the plate. Brosnan’s first pitch was high and inside—Clemente didn’t hesitate.
He launched a shot over left fielder Jim King’s head, the ball bouncing off a light standard and rolling down the cinder warning track toward center field. All three runners scored easily. Clemente, flying around the bases, ignored manager Bobby Bragan’s stop sign at third and dashed home. The relay from center to Ernie Banks to catcher Hobie Landrith arrived just late. Clemente missed the plate on his slide but coolly reached back and tapped it—game over, 9–8 Pirates.
It wasn’t just a thrilling finish. It was theater, myth, and defiance wrapped into one iconic moment. Bragan, known for fining players for ignoring signs, didn’t fine Clemente this time.
The term “walk-off” hadn’t even been coined yet (that would come 32 years later), but Clemente's daring dash lives on as perhaps the most electric walk-off in baseball lore.
As reported in the Post Gazette the crowd of 12,431 “went goofy with excitement,” Clemente etched his legend into Pirates history—with flair, audacity, and pure joy.
Parts of this article came from: Moments of Joy and Heartbreak: 66 Significant Episodes in the History of the Pittsburgh Pirates
Todays featured Podcast:
Did you know?
July 25, 1910 -- Connie Mack trades Joe Jackson to Cleveland for Bris Lord, a former A's outfielder.
In 1908 Connie Mack, owner of the Philadelphia Athletics (A’s), bought Jackson’s contract with the Greenville Spinners for $325, but the 19-year-old Shoeless Joe, homesick for his 15-year-old wife, Katie, and embarrassed by his hayseed illiteracy, got off the train at Richmond, Virginia, to catch the first train back to Greenville.
The following season Mack sent Jackson to Savannah, Georgia, where he hit a league-leading .358. When recalled to the A’s in Philadelphia, he was humiliated by the relentless hazing of veteran teammates. Mack offered to hire a tutor to teach him to read and write, but Shoeless Joe wanted none of it. In 1910 he was traded to the Cleveland Naps (later the Indians), where he hit an astonishing .407 in his first full season as a big league player.
TRIVIA
Who has the highest lifetime WAR rating of any left-handed pitcher?
Hint: #1 No one won more season ERA titles than he did.
Hint: #2 He is the most recent lefty to win thirty games in a season.
July 25, 1980 -- Mike Schmidt becomes the all-time Phillies' franchise home run leader when he hits the first of his two round-trippers in the team's 6-5 extra-inning victory over Atlanta at Veterans Stadium. The future Hall of Fame third baseman, who will retire with 548 homers, passes Del Ennis' mark of 259 that the outfielder established playing with Philadelphia from 1945-56.
July 25, 1978 -- Pete Rose's third inning Shea Stadium single to left off Mets righty Craig Swan establishes a National League record for hits in consecutive games. The Reds infielder has hit safely in 38 games, breaking Tommy Holmes' mark set as a member of the Boston Braves in 1945.
The Reds lose to the Mets, 9 - 2, Rose collects three hits on the day. Holmes is in attendance at Shea Stadium and shakes Rose's hand after his 3rd-inning single off Craig Swan.
July 25, 1978, the New York Yankees name Bob Lemon as manager, jettisoning Billy Martin. Under Lemon’s leadership, the Yankees will erase a nine-and-a-half-game deficit and win the American League East on their way to the World Championship.
July 25, 1972 -- The National League wins the All-Star Game, 4 - 3, at Atlanta behind hometown hero Hank Aaron's two-run home run and, Reds second baseman Joe Morgan's single scores Nate Colbert of the Padres in the bottom of the tenth inning to give the National League a 4-3 walk-off All-Star Game victory over the Junior Circuit. The NL has won all seven of the extra-inning Mid-Summer Classics contests.
Listen the featured broadcast above
July 25, 1968 -- At Busch Stadium, St. Louis starter Bob Gibson blanks the Phillies, 5-0, recording his 11th straight victory to break the franchise record established in 1944 by Ted Wilks. The Cardinal right-hander, who has tossed twelve consecutive complete games, also surpasses William Doak's mark when he shut outs his opponents for 33rd time in his career with the Redbirds.
July 25, 1966, Casey Stengel and Ted Williams are inducted into the Hall of Fame. Both men make memorable speeches in Cooperstown. Williams calls for the election of former Negro leagues stars to the Hall of Fame. Five years later, Satchel Paige will become the first Negro Leagues standout to take his place in Cooperstown. Stengel amazes the crowd with his recollections of his nearly six decades in baseball.
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July 25, 1962 -- At Sportsman's Park, Stan Musial surpasses Giants' legend Mel Ott as the National League's all-time RBI leader. 'Stan the Man's' two-run home run off Don Drysdale in a 5-2 loss to the Dodgers gives the Cardinals' right fielder 1,862 career runs batted in with the Redbirds.
July 25, 1961, Roger Maris of the New York Yankees hits four home runs during a doubleheader sweep of the Chicago White Sox, giving him 40 for the season. Maris moves 25 games ahead of Babe Ruth's 1927 pace and he also ties the American League record for most home runs in a twinbill. Maris will eventually break Babe Ruth’s single-season home run record by hitting 61 homeruns. Mickey Mantle also homers off Frank Baumann in the first game. He ends the day with 38 home runs.
July 25, 1955, the largest contingent of living Hall of Famers to date congregate in Cooperstown for the Induction Ceremony. The new members include: third baseman Home Run Baker, center fielder Joe DiMaggio, catcher Gabby Hartnett, pitcher Ted Lyons, catcher Ray Schalk, and pitcher Dazzy Vance. A record crowd attends the ceremony, many coming to cheer on DiMaggio, one of the most popular players of his era.
July 25, 1941, At Fenway Park, 16,000 fans came out to see Boston Red Sox future hall of farmer Lefty Grove try for his 300th win for the 3rd time. Grove finally wins his 300th game, a 10-6 decision over the Cleveland Indians. Grove becomes the sixth pitcher in major league history since 1901 to earn his 300th victory. The 41 year-old Red Sox southpaw joins Cy Young, Walter Johnson, Christy Mathewson, Grover Cleveland Alexander, and Eddie Plank in reaching the milestone this will be his last victory in the big leagues. Grove gives up 12 hits and all 6 runs, he will make 6 more starts before retiring after the 1941 season.
July 25 feature nearly 20 broadcasts from, 50s 60’s, 70’s and 80’s. Join below to listen!
Quote of the day:
Bragan put it, “A manager can get into serious trouble by letting the little things go unnoticed. They soon grow into big things, so let’s put a stop to the little things now.”
Milestones
Birthdays:Notable: Billy Wagner | Debuts:Notable: Carl Erskine |
Final Games:Highlights: Eddie Stanky | Passings:Notable: Ted Lyons |
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