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June 26, 1969: ‘Gentleman’ Jim Hickman breaks out the tape measure and broom to keep Cubs in first place
The Chicago Cubs “maintained … their strange mastery,”…
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June 28, 1969: Dodgers teach Padres pitcher that spring training does matter
It was June 28, 1969. The San Diego Padres were about halfway…
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June 29, 1969: Fergie Jenkins outduels Bob Gibson on Billy Williams Day as Cubs star ties NL consecutive-games mark
On a day “ball players dream about,” wrote Bill Gleason of…
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June 29, 1969: Tony Oliva’s 5-for-5 and two home runs lead Twins to doubleheader split
“There is no prettier sight in baseball than watching Oliva,…
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July 4, 1969: Fergie Jenkins tosses extra-inning gem to beat Bob Gibson, Cardinals
“You won’t see two better pitchers in your whole life than…
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July 4, 1969: Early fireworks doom A’s in big series opener vs. Twins
It was a hot, humid Independence Day in Bloomington, Minnesota.…
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July 6, 1969: Harmon Killebrew does it again with game-winning homer to defeat A’s, 7-6
Harmon “Killer” Killebrew lived up to his name on this Fourth…
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July 6, 1969: Don’t blink: Gary Waslewski’s 1-hitter sets record for shortest Expos game
The Montreal Expos achieved all kinds of distinctions in their…
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July 9, 1969: Tom Seaver’s near-perfect game
The atmosphere was positively electric at Shea Stadium on the…
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July 11, 1969: Royals come back three times to defeat White Sox
Two teams with losing records and subpar pitching staffs slugged…
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July 14, 1969: Private First Class Bill Stoneman shuts out Pirates at Jarry Park
At 6:30 A.M. on July 14, 1969, Bill Stoneman was a private first…
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July 14, 1969: ‘What a Baseball Manager Does’: Nats’ Joe Coleman shuts out Tigers
The summer of 1969 was a loud summer, but the loudest blast was…
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July 15, 1969: May Day: Lee May hits four home runs in doubleheader
There was bad blood between the second-place Atlanta Braves (51-39)…
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July 16, 1969: Willie Stargell’s 495-foot blast triggers Pirates’ comeback, christens ‘La Piscine de Willie’
On the morning of July 16, 1969, the Apollo 11 spacecraft was…
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July 19, 1969: Ain’t no mountain high enough: Reds overcome 9-run deficit to beat Astros
Of the Cincinnati Reds’ 18 extra-inning games in 1969, none…
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July 19, 1969: Jim Bouton ‘creamed’ in only start for the Seattle Pilots, as Minnesota Twins win in 18 innings
As the saying goes, the squeaky wheel gets the grease. Jim Bouton…
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July 20, 1969: Yankees win an ordinary game on an ordinary day on Planet Earth
Astronaut Neil Armstrong sets foot on the surface of the moon…
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July 23, 1969: Willie McCovey’s two homers power National League to All-Star win
“But the first time Howard came to bat … he hit a ball that…
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July 25, 1969: Maine gets a glimpse of Mets’ ‘miracle’
It was an unusual news story in a summer full of them. In the…
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July 27, 1969: Orioles blast White Sox, setting team hits, total bases, and runs records
Frank Robinson’s solo home run in the first inning was all…
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July 27, 1969: Eighteen pitchers see duty during 20-inning Red Sox-Pilots battle
In their one-season history (1969) as an American League expansion…
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July 28, 1969: Cubs earn improbable victory over Juan Marichal and Giants
A small crowd headed to Wrigley Field in Chicago on Monday, July…
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July 30, 1969: Astros’ Menke, Wynn hit grand slams in same inning
A paid crowd1 of 28,922 settled in to watch a scheduled doubleheader…
August 3, 1969: Reese pinch-hit slam ends McNally’s streak
Rich Reese had a .322 batting average in 1969 for the Minnesota…