8/15 in Yankee History

1912: Highlander outfielder Guy Zinn steals home twice in a 5-4 win at Detroit; this will
add to last-place New York’s still standing Major League record of 18 steals of home for the
year. The neighbouring Giants will set the NL record this season with 17 swipes of
the dish. The soon-to-be Yankees will win tomorrow‚ 9-8‚ when Zinn hits a 9th inning
double.

On other 15ths of August…

2008: Brett Gardner makes his Yankee debut in a 4-3 loss to the Royals at the Stadium.

2006: The morning before his scheduled rehab start for the Columbus (IL) Yankees, embattled pitcher Carl Pavano is injured when his Porsche collides with a truck. Pavano, out since
June with various ailments, doesn’t say anything about the accident but
pitches with discomfort before seeking medical help. An exam reveals two
fractured ribs. Pavano is in the 2nd year of a 4-year contract.

2003: Joe Torre and staff fail to catch two Orioles (Tony Batista and Jay Gibbons) batting out of order in the first inning. The Yankees rally after the bullpen fail to win‚ 6-4‚ on Aaron Boone’s 3-run homer inside the RF foul pole.

http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/2003/B08150BAL2003.htm

2002: Bernie Williams goes 5 for 5, including a double, to help propel the Yankees to a 7-5 victory over the Royals.

1991: Don Mattingly is benched and fined $250 for refusing to cut his shoulder-length hair‚
but the Yankees still beat Kansas City‚ 5-1. He will get a trim two days
later‚ and the hair will eventually be auctioned off for $3‚000 to
benefit a children’s charity. Mattingly is not alone – Steve Farr, Matt Nokes and Pascual Perez have all been told their hair length violates club policy. Mel Hall, who wears his hair in a small ponytail before and after games‚ is warned his appearance is ‘borderline.’

1977: Mike Torrez throws his 5th straight complete game‚ a 6-2 win over the White Sox. the Yankees are now just 4 1/2 games in back of Boston.

1968: At Oakland‚ the Yanks trail the A’s 3-1 in the 6th. Blue Moon Odom gives up a triple to Tom Tresh – the play is vehemently disputed by the A’s who maintain that Tresh failed to touch first base. After his team lose the argument, Odom walks Yankee catcher jake Gibbs, then serves up a 3-run homer to Mickey Mantle. the blast will be the difference in the game, as the visitors prevail 4-3. 

1966: Scott Brosius is born. Happy 44th, Scotty!

http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1961/B08150NYA1961.htm

1955: Mickey Mantle homers from both sides of the plate in the same game for the second 
time in his career‚ tying the ML mark. The Yanks beat the Orioles 12-6 in game 2 and sweep the doubleheader (taking the opener 5-4) to move back into first. 

http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1955/B08152BAL1955.htm

1954: At the Stadium‚ Mickey Mantle takes Boston hurler Hal Brown downtown‚ hitting his 11th homer against the Red Sox this year‚ to pace the Yanks to a 14-9 win. Harry Agganis hits his first ML grand slam for Boston.

1948: Before 72‚468 – the largest crowd of the season at the Stadium – the A’s
sweep a pair from the Yanks by matching 5-3 scores and regain second place in the
AL. The A’s win the opener in 10 innings after Joe DiMaggio ties the score with his 20th homer of the year. Joe D also triples home a run in the extra frame but Lou Brissie preserves the win for Carl Scheib  The A’s total 20 hits in the two games‚ including a triple

1934: The Yankees knock  Tommy Bridges out of the box and defeat the Tigers 8-2‚ ending the Bengals 14-game streak. Johnny Broaca is the winner.