8/22 in Yankee History

1996: The Yankees claim Luis Sojo off waivers.

1968: Jim Merritt loses his shut out in the 9th inning when Mickey Mantle parks a pinch homer in Minneapolis. The Twins win‚ 3-1. The Mick’s homer ties him with Jimmie Foxx for third place on the all-time list.

http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1968/B08220MIN1968.htm

1964: In a doubleheader with the Red Sox, the Yankees lose the opener 5-3‚ extending their losing streak to 6 games. Boston score 3 runs in the 8th inning to win it. In the nitecap‚ New York win 8-0‚ as Mickey Mantle and John Blanchard both homer‚ and Roger Maris
drives in 3 runs. Mel Stottlemyre wins his third game in a row since being recalled from Richmond. The Yanks end the day 5 1/2 games behind the Orioles, with the White Sox in second place‚ 1 1/2 games back.

http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1964/B08222BOS1964.htm

1961: Roger Maris becomes the first player to hit his 50th homer in the month of August‚ as the Yankees lose to the Angels 4-3 (Babe Ruth and Jimmie Foxx both hit no. 50 on September 4th). Ken McBride serves up the gopher ball in the 6th inning with Billy Gardner aboard.

http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1961/B08220LAA1961.htm

1958: The pipeline continues to flow… Kansas City‚ in 5th place, ship pitcher Murry Dickson, their second biggest winner‚ to the Yankees for a player to be named later: it turns out to be minor leaguer Zeke Bella Dickson will provide unneeded pennant insurance for the Yankees, and, to no one’s surprise, will return to KC next May. The Yanks win today‚ topping Chicago‚ 8-5.

http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1958/B08220NYA1958.htm

1954: The Yankees pick up relief pitcher Jim Konstanty from the Phillies for cash. The former MVP will be a valuable contributor in 1955.

1949: The second-division Giants sell veteran Johnny Mize to the Yankees for $40‚000. Mize has tied Ralph Kiner for the NL lead in homers the past two seasons. Asked about the acquisition at a train stopover in Albany‚ an astonished Casey Stengel replies‚ “This is the first I’ve heard of it. Do with him? I don’t know what I’ll do with him.” The Yanks lead Boston by 2 1/2 games.

1927: The Yankees lose their fourth straight for the first time this year‚ 9-4‚ to the Indians‚ despite Babe Ruth’s 40th home run of the campaign. Righty Urban Shocker, on in relief‚ breaks a finger on his left hand when he is hit by Joe Sewell’s line drive. Sewell has 4 of the Tribe’s 19 hits.