25 July in Sports History

In this episode of the Sports Daily Digits we discuss Jersey numbers for players that made history on the date of July 25.

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.

28 - 10 - 6 - 9 - 14 - 5 

July 25, 1913 - Pittsburgh Pirates future Baseball Hall of Fame outfielder Max Carey scores 5 runs without a hit, reaching first base on an error and 4 walks, as the Bucs beat Philadelphia Phillies, 12-2

July 25, 1939 - New York Yankees starting pitcher Atley Donald, Number 28 set an American League rookie record for consecutive victories when he and the Yanks defeated the St. Louis Browns 5-1 for his 12th straight victory.

July 25, 1941 - A 41-year-old Lefty Grove wearing Number 10, won his 300th and final MLB career game as the Boston Red Sox defeated the Cleveland Indians, 10-6 at Fenway Park

July 25, 1949 - St Louis Cardinals player Number 6, Stan Musial hit for the cycle as the Cardinals overcame the Brooklyn Dodgers 14-1.

July 25, 1961 - Roger Maris, Number 9 of the New York Yankees, hit home runs 37, 38, 39 & 40 in a doubleheader

July 25, 1978 - Cincinnati Reds Number 14, Pete Rose set a National League hitting record as he reached base safely in 38 consecutive games with the use of his bat. A we will see in a little over a week from now that streak reach 44 games to reset the record books.

July 25, 1990 - Kansas City Royals thirdbaseman George Brett wearing his Number 5 jersey, hit for the cycle in Toronto. It seemed like everyone knew when Brett enetered the batter's box in the seventh inning needing a home run to complete the hitting circuit for the game, that he would accomplish the mission. Facing Blue Jays pitcher Frank Wills, destiny would not be denied as Brett pounded an 0-2 pitch into the bleachers in right-center field. Royals hitting coach John Mayberry commented, " When the Great ones want it, you can see it in their eyes." Ole Number 5 indeed wanted hit and to many there was not a question to as whether he would or not.

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 1918 photo of Max Carey, Pittsburgh NL (baseball) from the Bain News Service, publisher