Baseball History -- October 9

Complete entry for October 9 at BaseballLibrary.com is HERE.

Here are two pictures of something that happened on October 9, 1996:

Bernie Williams' 11th-inning home run gives the Yankees a 5-4 win over Baltimore in the opening game of the ALCS. Williams' home run was made possible when 12-year-old Jeffrey Maier reaches over the [right] field fence in the 8th inning, interfering with a ball hit by Derek Jeter. It is ruled a home run which ties the game, 4-4.

For some reason, BaseballLibrary.com has that play happening in left field. That is the reason for the [bracket] above.

1989

The Giants win their first National League pennant since 1962 by defeating the Cubs 3–2 in game five of the NLCS. Will Clark bats .650 in the series with eight RBI to win MVP honors.

I still can't believe that I skipped a Business Law class that was a study period for an upcoming test on this day in 1989 to watch that stupid game.

1957

With Warren Spahn stricken by the flu, Lew Burdette pitches with 2 days rest, achieves his 3rd complete game and 2nd shutout to beat New York 5-0. The Braves win their first WS championship since the "Miracle Braves" of 1914 beat Connie Mack's Athletics.

Here is a great picture celebrating that Braves win:

How many ties do you think you will see in a picture of fans celebrating their team winning the 2006 World series?

How hated was Ty Cobb?

1910

The battle for the AL batting title is decided on the final day, when Detroit's Ty Cobb edges Cleveland's Nap Lajoie .3850687 to .3840947. Neither man covers himself with glory. Lajoie goes 8-for-8 in a doubleheader with the Browns, accepting six "gift" hits on bunt singles on which Browns rookie 3B Red Corriden is apparently purposely stationed at the edge of the OF grass. The prejudiced St. Louis scorer also credits popular Nap with a "hit" on the Brownie SS Bobby Wallace's wild throw to 1B.

In Lajoie's last at bat, he is safe at first on an error call, but is credited with a sac bunt since a man was on. The St. Louis Post is just one of the papers to be openly critical of the move against Cobb. "All St. Louis is up in arms over the deplorable spectacle, conceived in stupidity and executed in jealousy." The Browns win the opener, 5–4, and Cleveland takes the nitecap, 3–0 with both managers, Jack O'Connor and Deacon McGuire catching. O'Connor is behind the plate for just an inning, but [McGuire] goes all the way.

Cobb, meanwhile, rather than risk his average, sits out the last two games, the Tigers beating the White Sox in the finale, 2–1. Ban Johnson investigates and clears everyone concerned, enabling Ty Cobb to win the 3rd of nine straight batting crowns. The embarrassed Chalmers Auto Company awards cars to both Ty and Nap. In 1981 The Sporting News uncovers an error—crediting a 2-for-3 game twice to Cobb—that, if corrected, would give the championship to Nap Lajoie. But the commissioner's committee votes unanimously to leave history unchanged.

"Conceived in stupidity and exectued in jealousy". Sounds like a few things that I have done.

Photo Credits:
Jeff Maier (Wikipedia and mlb.com)
Bushville (jsonline.com)