September 21

TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY

Vida Blue’s No-Hitter Spoils Twins’ Celebration Plans

On September 21, 1970, the Minnesota Twins arrived in Oakland with champagne on ice, ready to clinch the American League West. All they needed was one win over the A’s, who trailed them by 8½ games. But instead of a party, the Twins ran into a 21-year-old left-hander named Vida Blue.

Blue, making just his fourth start of the season, was still battling a head cold. That didn’t stop him from putting on one of the most electric pitching performances of the year. From the opening inning, when he struck out César Tovar and Harmon Killebrew, Blue had complete command.

Minnesota’s Jim Perry was also sharp, but an early run off a Bert Campaneris triple held up as the only offense needed. The A’s added five more runs late, capped by Campaneris’s three-run homer in the eighth. Still, the story was Blue’s dominance: he allowed only one baserunner, a fourth-inning walk to Killebrew, and struck out nine.

Defensive gems by Campaneris, Sal Bando, and Gene Tenace helped preserve the no-hitter, but it was Blue’s blazing fastball that carried the night. On his 114th pitch, he induced Tovar into a foul pop that Don Mincher secured at first base. The young pitcher had completed his masterpiece—a 6-0 Oakland victory and a no-hit gem.

The crowd of just 4,284 poured onto the field, and A’s owner Charlie Finley rewarded Blue with a $2,000 bonus. Later, Blue found a bottle of champagne waiting for him in the clubhouse—sent over by the Twins, whose own celebration was delayed until the next night.

That magical evening foreshadowed greatness. Blue became the AL MVP and Cy Young winner in 1971, and a cornerstone of Oakland’s three straight World Series titles.

Recreated broadcast - let us know what you think:

Historic Days!

September 21, 1934, the Dean brothers enjoy an incredible day against the Brooklyn Dodgers. In the first game of a twinbill, Dizzy Dean spins a three-hit shutout. In the nightcap winning 13-0, Daffy Dean pitches a 3-0 no-hitter for the St. Louis Cardinals. The Deans set a record for the fewest hits allowed in a doubleheader.

Dizzy Dean says: "If'n Paul had told me he was gonna pitch a no-hitter, I'd of throwed one, too."

September 21, 1952 -- In front of the second largest crowd this season, with many of the 8,822 fans rooting for the Dodgers, the Braves play their final home game in Boston. Brooklyn catcher Roy Campanella hits the last home run at Braves Field in an 8-2 victory over the Milwaukee-bound club.

Brooklyn's Joe Black picks up the win as the Dodgers clinch a tie for the pennant.

September 22, 1953, Ebbets Field, only 2,365 fans see Jackie Robinson’s only career appearance at shortstop, at his request (1st SS start since Negro Leagues).

Jackie had 3 assists and 2 putouts as Brooklyn wrapped up a 60-17 home record in ‘53 with a 5-4 win over Pittsburgh Pirates

Robinson, walked in all four plate appearances, scored a run, and stole a base.

September 21, 1958 -- At Fenway Park, the Red Sox complete a three-game sweep of the Senators, all by 2 - 0 shutouts pitched, respectively, by Tom Brewer, Frank Sullivan and Ike Delock. Today's win, however, is marred when Ted Williams, after striking out looking with two aboard to end the 3rd inning (and less than 2 months after having incurred his second spitting-related fine in less than 2 years), flings his bat aside in a fit of anger. Unfortunately, the intended flip along the ground gains some unwanted elevation, flying into the stands and striking, of all people, Boston GM Joe Cronin's 69-year-old housekeeper, Gladys Heffernan, in the head. "I didn't mean to throw the bat that way," explains the distraught Williams. "I started to flip it along the ground but the sticky stuff on my hands stuck to it and it left my hands on the fly instead. I was sick." Mercifully Heffernan is not badly hurt, but Williams is greeted with a thunderous chorus of catcalls when he takes the field in the 4th. Cronin, for his part, hastily announces a 1-year contract extension for manager Mike Higgins in what is widely regarded as an attempt to distract attention from Ted's near-tragic tantrum. Nonetheless, American League President Will Harridge will impose a modest $50-dollar fine for the incident.

September 21, 1963 -- Minnesota's Harmon Killebrew ties an American League record with four home runs in a doubleheader, a split with the Red Sox. Minnesota loses, 11 - 2, after winning the opener 13 - 4. The Killer has three homers in the lid lifter.

September 21, 1972 -- The American League East is in a virtual tie as Detroit's Joe Coleman posts his 18th win, a critical 10 - 3 defeat of first-place Boston. Coleman strikes out 10 and knocks in three runs.

Game of the day - click to listen:

September 21, 1975 -- Jim Rice suffers a broken bone in his hand after being hit by a Vern Ruhle pitch in the first inning of the team's 6-5 victory over the Tigers in Detroit. The injury will cause the 22 year-old Red Sox rookie sensation to miss the remainder of the season, including the World Series. The Red Sox maintain their 3 1/2 game lead over the Orioles.

September 21, 1981 -- - Philadelphia Phillies southpaw Steve Carlton becomes the all-time National League strikeout leader when he fans Andre Dawson in the third frame of the team's 1-0 loss in 17 innings at Montreal. Lefty, who tosses ten shutout innings and fans a dozen batters in the Olympic Stadium contest, surpasses Cardinal legend Bob Gibson with his 3,118th career strikeout, taking over the top spot in the Senior Circuit. Montreal's Bryn Smith retires just one batter, but picks up his first major league victory.

September 21, 1987 -- Howard Johnson breaks a 53 year-old National League record when he strokes his 36th home run as a switch hitter, Johnson's 3 run blast in the 8th inning helps the New York Mets' to a 7-1 victory over Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. The New York third baseman's historic homer, the team's franchise-high seventh grand slam of the season, surpasses the mark established by Cardinals' first baseman Ripper Collins in 1934 but is far less than the major league record of 54 set in 1961 by Yankees slugger Mickey Mantle.

In the same inning Darryl Strawberry how scores on Johnson's homerun, stole secondbase after being walked and joins Johnson as a member of the 30/30 club. It is the first time in major league history players on the same team have hit 30 homers and have stolen 30 bases in the same year. The winning pitcher is Doc Gooden, who had his 10-game win streak over Chicago snapped in August; however, today's win will start him on another 12-game win streak over the Cubs.

Quote of the day:

“I started thinking no-hitter in the fifth inning. After that, I just told myself, ‘Keep throwing it.’” – Vida Blue

TRIVIA

Which American League pitcher is the only one to win more than twenty-five game in a year since Denny McLain won 31 in 1968?

Hint: #1  He had the honor of surrendering Mike Schmidt’s four hundredth home run.

Hint: #2  He was the pitching coach for a expansion team the year they won their first World Series.

Answer in tomorrow’s newsletter

 ANSWER TO YESTERDAY’S TRIVIA

JEFF REARDON 

-  Ans.  In 1985-1989, pitching for MON & MIN, Reardon was a model of consistency, saving 41, 35, 31, 42 & 31 games.  Reardon Finished his 16-year major league career w/NYY in 1994.

-  #1  He saved 20+ from 26 in 1982 to 27 in 1992.  In 1992, Reardon racked up his 342^nd save passing the record set by Rollie Fingers.  Reardon’s final saves total is 367.  The current leader in career saves in Mariano Rivera w/652.

-  #2  He remained in relief roles throughout his entire career—no spot starts, no filler innings—truly a bullpen lifer.

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