6 August in Sports History

In this edition of the Sports Break we cover the top events in sports history along with the players and athletes that were a part of them for August 6. As a bonus we place the jersey number worn at the time with the athlete as well.

Sports history is made every day of the year. We will preserve at least a small sampling from some great athletes every day based on the uniform number they wore.

19 - 4 - 29 - 32 - 5 - 44 - 8 - 21 - 20 - 14 - 11 - 18 - 9 - 22

August 6, 1890 - Future Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young throws 3-hit ball in his MLB debut for the Cleveland Spiders in 8-1 win vs Chicago Colts

August 6, 1908 - St Louis Cardinals Johnny Lush pitches 2nd career no-hitter vs Brooklyn Superbas; wins, 2-0 (1st no-hitter 1906)

August 6, 1941 - Detroit Tigers pitcher Al Benton, Number 19 collects 2 sacrifices in an inning, a MLB record; wins 11-2 vs Cleveland Indians

August 6, 1949 - Future Hall of Famer Number 4, Luke Appling appears in a MLB record 2,154th (en route to 2,218) game at shortstop for the Chicago White Sox

August 6, 1952 - Somethings get better with age, a fine wine, a good story a professional baseball pitcher. A PITCHER WHAT??  Yes, St. Louis Browns veteran pitcher Satchel Paige, Number 29, at the ripe age of 46 years old, became the oldest pitcher to win a complete shutout, in 1-0 tilt versus the Detroit Tigers in 12 innings mind you!

August 6, 1963 - Philadelphia NBA franchise changes name from 'Nationals' to the '76ers', based on US Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia in 1776

August 6, 1967 - Minnesota Twins pitcher Dean Chance, wearing Number 32 throws a perfect no-hit game against the Boston Red Sox. Final score in the contest was 2-0 in 5 innings before game is called because of weather

August 6, 1967 - Future Baseball Hall of Fame 3rd baseman Brooks Robinson, Number 5 of the Baltimore Orioles hit into a baseball record fourth career triple play. Bad timing, time and time again for a great player.

August 6, 1972 - Hank Aaron, wearing Number 44 hits 660th & 661st HRs for the Atlanta Braves, breaking Babe Ruth's MLB record of homers for one team

August 6, 1973 - Roberto Clemente (Number 21), Warren Spahn (Number 21), Billy Evans, Monte Irvin (Number 20), Mickey Welch and Number 14, George "High Pockets" Kelly are inducted into Baseball Hall of Fame, Cooperstown, NY

August 6, 1986 - Baltimore's Jim Dwyer (Number 9) along with teammate Larry Sheets (Number 18), and the opposition Rangers Toby Harrah (Number 11) hit MLB single game record of 3 grand slams in Texas' 13-11 win

August 6, 1988 - Rich Gossage, Number 54 became only the second player in MLB history to record 300 career saves when he and the Chicago Cubs knocked off Phillies, 7-4

August 6, 1989 - Boston Red Sox retire Baseball Hall of Fame left fielder, 1st baseman Carl Yastrezemski's Number 8 jersey digit

August 6, 1990 - Jim Palmer (Number 22) and Joe Morgan (Number 8) were inducted into Baseball Hall of Fame, Cooperstown, NY

A Very Special thanks to information obtained from the following brilliant internet sites: On This Day Sports, the Sports Reference's family of website databases & Stathead.com.

Banner photo is courtesy of Wikimedia Commons of the John Lush, St. Louis Cardinals, baseball card portrait of the American Tobacco Company, sponsor