7/04 in Yankee History

The red-letter days -

1983: In action against the Red Sox at the Stadium, Dave Righetti throws the first Yankee no-hitter since Don Larsen’s World Series perfect game in 1956, and the first by a Yankee lefty since George Mogridge threw the Bombers’ first-ever (from either side) in 1917. Righetti strikes out Yankee nemesis Wade Boggs (who will eventually earn a ring in the Bronx in 1996), to end the game (final score 4-0).

http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1983/B07040NYA1983.htm

1939: Lou Gehrig makes the ‘Luckiest man on the face of the earth’ speech.

For the complete text and audio, see:

http://www.maniacworld.com/Lou_Gehrig.htm

In the doubleheader that follows, the Yankees gain a split, falling in the opener 3-2, but rebounding strongly in the nitecap with an 11-1 win.

http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1939/B07042NYA1939.htm

On other 4ths of July…

2009: The Blue Jays are in town for the Independence Day game at the Stadium. Adam Lind’s sixth inning home run keys a three-run rally that gives Roy ‘Doc’ Halladay the lead over Chien-Ming Wang, and then Johnny Damon’s two-run, seventh-inning blast ties it at 5-5. Phil Hughes, Mariano and Phil Coke hold the visitors at bay for five frames, and veteran Brett Tomko (below) gets the victory when Jorge Posada singles in A-Rod for the 6-5 walkoff win in the bottom of the 12th.

http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/2009/B07040NYA2009.htm

1996: The Yankees sign Darryl Strawberry

1988: Texas knuckleballer Charlie Hough strikes out four Yankees in the opening frame, but the Bombers shrug it off and go on to rout the Rangers 13-2.

http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1988/B07040TEX1988.htm

1984: Yankee veteran Phil Niekro (below) gets his 3,000th strikeout when he fans Billy Sample in a 5-0 blanking of the Rangers. The knuckleballer goes 8 innings, and Jay Howell finishes up.

http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1984/B07040TEX1984.htm

1977: The Yanks maintain a one-game lead over the Red Sox, riding home runs by Chris Chambliss, Roy White, Lou Piniella and Graig Nettles to a 7-5 victory at home over the Indians.

http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1977/B07040NYA1977.htm

1964: Mickey Mantle’s three-run eighth-inning blast off Minnesota’s Al Worthington resulted in a come from behind 7-5 win in the opening game of doubleheader. The Bombers will take the nitecap as well, 2-1.

http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1964/B07041NYA1964.htm

1962: After falling to the Kansas City Athletics 11-1 in the first of two, the Yanks recover to win the nightcap as Mickey Mantle homers
his last two times up in the 7-3 win. After a day off on the 5th, the Mick will
homer his first two times to the plate in the next game, giving him his third
and fourth dingers in succession as the Yanks do battle in Minnesota.

http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1962/B07042NYA1962.htm

1960: Mickey Mantle hits the 300th
home run of his career, a three-run shot off Hal Woodeshick in the
first inning of a game with the Senators. The Yanks will come up short,
however, losing 9-8.

http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1960/B07040WS11960.htm

1959: Bob Turley tosses a one-hitter for a 7-0 shutout in the opener of a doubleheader with the Senators. The Yanks will also take the nitecap 10-6. The star of the day, though, is Tony Kubek, who goes 8-for-10 in the
twinbill, including 2 doubles and 3 RBI

http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1959/B07041NYA1959.htm

1954: Jim Beattie, Yankee pitcher in 1978-79 and winner of the pivotal 5th game of the 1978 World Series, is born. Happy 58th, Jim!

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/beattji01.shtml

1948: John Sterling, the radio voice of the Yankees, is born. Happy 64th to Mr ‘It is high, it is far, it is… caught’ !

1932: The Yanks drop a doubleheader to the Senators, 5-3 and 12-6. In the second game, Washington’s Carl Reynolds bowls over Bill Dickey on a successful squeeze play. After rising from the dust, the Yankee backstop breaks Reynolds’ jaw with one punch. Dickey is suspended for 30 days – supposedly the length of his target’s recuperation – and assessed a $1‚000 fine. Reynolds is hitting over .360
but will end the season at .305.

http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1932/B07042WS11932.htm

1930: George Steinbrenner is born.

1925: In the first game of a doubleheader at the Stadium, Herb Pennock (below) duels Lefty Grove of the A’s for 15 innings, and outlasts him for the 1-0 win. The A’s take the nitecap 8-5.