Happy Birthday - Mike Witt
Todays debut - Jim Bunning
July 20, 1976, future Hall of Famer Hank Aaron blasts the final home run of his legendary career. The Milwaukee Brewers’ designated hitter connects for No. 755 against Dick Drago of the California Angels. Aaron’s home run helps the Brewers to a 6-2 victory.
July 20, 1944, Nelson Potter of the St. Louis Browns becomes the first major league pitcher to be suspended for throwing a spitball. Potter is forced to the sidelines for 10 days, but will still win 19 games on the season.
1916: The Reds acquire three future Hall of Famers when Christy Mathewson is traded to Cincinnati with Giants CF Edd Roush and 3B Bill McKechnie for former Giants Buck Herzog and Red Killefer. McKechnie will make it to Cooperstown as a manager, not as a player, but the 23-year-old Roush is a steal for the Reds. A longtime nemesis of the Reds, Mathewson will pitch one game and then manage, and a new team nickname will be coined: "Matties." The Reds lose today, managing just two hits off Pete Alexander, who contributes two doubles himself to the Phils offense.
1859 - At a racetrack on Long Island, about 1,500 fans become the first ever to pay to see a baseball game. The spectators spend fifty cents to watch New York defeat Brooklyn, 22 - 18.
Born on this day: 1901 - Hall of Famer - Heinie Manush, the Alabama-native was a dead-ball era hitter who came to the big leagues as the home run was gaining favor in the 1920s. Despite his unfortunate timing, he was very successful – posting a .330 career batting average. He won a batting title on the final day of the season, and lost a batting title on the final day of the season. Manush's line-drive swing benefited from the teachings of Ty Cobb, who was his first manager in the big leagues.
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