4/23/2007

Baseball History -- April 23

Complete entry for April 23 is at BaseballLibrary.com HERE.

Highlighted entries:
1999
The Cardinals defeat the Dodgers‚ 12-5‚ as 3B Fernando Tatis sets a major league record by hitting 2 grand slams in a single inning. His 2 homers came in St. Louis' 11-run 3rd inning. He also sets a record with 8 RBIs in the inning‚ while LA P Chan Ho Park becomes the 1st pitcher this century-and only the 2nd ever-to surrender 2 grand slams in a single frame. Bill Phillips of the Pirates did so in 1890. Park became the 36th major-leaguer to serve up two slams to the same player in his career.

Two of anything in one inning is impressive. Two grand slams is just...just...wow.
1999
Wichita State University P Ben Christensen hits Evansville leadoff hitter Anthony Molina with a warm-up pitch while Molina is about 30 feet from the plate. Molina receives 23 stitches to close a gash. Christensen explains that he thought Molina was trying to time his pitches‚ and says pitching coach Brent Kemnitz has instructed pitchers to brush back the on-deck hitter if he's standing too close to the plate. The Missouri Valley Conference suspends Christensen‚ and Kenmitz‚ for the rest of the season. Molina will file assault charges against the pitcher‚ which will result in an out-of-court settlement in 2002.

What was the deal with April 23, 1999?
1952
Future Hall of Famer Hoyt Wilhelm of the New York Giants wins his first ML game pitching 5 1/3 innings in relief in a 9-5 win. In his first at bat he cleans a pitch from the Braves' Dick Hoover for a homer. It will be Wilhelm's only ML HR in 1‚070 games. The loser is rookie Gene Conley.

Never homered again. But, he got one.

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