23 June in Sports History

Here is what happened in Sports Jersey History on June 23: Listen in to learn more about sports history along with me from the uniforms and jerseys the players wore. 

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.

4 - 34

June 23, 1915 - The New York Yankees were gifted an MLB record. The Philadelhia Athletic's pitching staff surrendered an MLB record 16 walks to go along with 3 wild pitches in just one game against their rivals from the Bronx. Oh and did I mention the 3 errors by the Athletics in the field that day? The Yanks defeated the A's 15-7 that day as Pitcher Bruno Haas, was on the mound for Philadelphia for the duration.

June 23, 1917 - It was at the near begining of a game and Boston Red Sox pitcher Babe Ruth was ejected for throwing punch at an umpire! According to a story on ProSportsOutlook.com, the Great Bambino was a bit awnry on this day. Babe if you remember early in his MLB career was quite a fine pitcher for the Boston franchise. On a day when the Red Sox were hosting the Washington Senators his temper got the best of him. batting lead off for the Senators was second-basemen Ray Morgan. He took four pitches from the Babe, each called ball by umpire Clarence “Brick” Owens. The young arm on the mound getting more and more riled up with each non-strike called, and after a slew of insults, Owens threatened to boot the Babe from the game! This really infuriated Ruth, who soon yelled back, “Throw me out and I’ll punch ya right in the jaw!” Both men kept their word. Owens tossed Ruth, and Ruth apparently charged at Owens and fed him a knuckle-sandwich. After the ejection, Boston sent Ernie Shore in to continue pitching the game. Covering well for Ruth and probably giving the legend much satisfaction, Shore retired all 26 batters he faced to provide the Sox with a 4-0 victory pver Washington Senators. The pitching performance of the Ruth/Shore combo was tabbed as a combined no-hitter in the record books.

June 23, 1927 - New York Yankees future Baseball Hall of Fame first baseman Lou Gehrig, who would soon wear Number 4 for the Pinstripes, hit three Home Runs in a Yankees' 11-4 victory over the rival Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park

June 23, 1963 - New York Mets hitter Jim Piersall, wearing Number 34 hits his 100th Home Run of his career. In celebration he ran the bases bases backwards, third through home.

24 Jun 1963, Mon Press and Sun-Bulletin (Binghamton, New York) Newspapers.com

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 Ball player Bruno Haas from 1915, taken by an unknown.