This Date in Baseball

"The only thing that's certain is that they'll play the National Anthem before
every game." -RICK MONDAY, major league outfielder (1966-84)

1964 Reds' Fred Hutchinson resigns as manager after compiling an 60-49 record.
1964 Harry 'the Hat' Walker is named as manager of the Pirates.
1972 Using four straight singles (three by pinch-hitters), the A's score twice in the ninth to win Game 4 of the World Series defeating the Reds, 3-2.

1981 The first Canadian pennant hopes are dashed when Dodger Rick Monday's ninth inning two-out dramatic home run beats the Expos, 2-1, in the deciding game of the NLCS.
1987 The Yankees name Billy Martin as manager for the fifth time. This time the fiery skipper will stay at the team's helm until June 23,1988.
2000 Dusty Baker, who led the Giants to a National League West flag with baseball's best record (97-65), reaches agreement with the Giants on a two-year contract extension. The pact makes, the two-time National League Manager of the Year the second highest-paid skipper in the majors.
2002 In Game 1, Tsuyoshi Shinjo becomes the Japanese-born player to appear in the World Series. The Giant designated hitter goes 1-for-3 in the 4-3 victory over the Angels.
2004 In an ALCS game which features two reversed calls by the umpires, the Red Sox become the first team in baseball history after trailing the series 0-3 to force a Game 7. Boston, who was three outs from being swept in Game 4, gets an outstanding pitching performance from Curt Schilling, playing with a dislocated ankle tendon, to beat the Yankees at the stadium, 4-2.

2005 The Astros, one of six teams to never to have appear in the World Series, break the franchise’s 43-year drought and advance to the Fall Classic beating the Cardinals in the NLCS, 5-1. Houston had been close before, coming up short five times in their history in a game with NL flag on the line, including being one strike away in Game 5 before Albert Pujols dashed the hometown dreams by hitting a two-strike, two out three-run ninth-inning homer forcing a Game 6 in St. Louis.
2006 For a new generation of fans, the term "the Catch" may conjure up memories of Endy Chavez's NLCS Game 7 leaping catch at Shea's left field fence with his outstretched glove grabbing a ball destined to be a Scott Rolen two-run home run and starting an unbelievable double play. The heroics are overshadowed in the ninth inning as Yadier Molina hits a two-run homer and Carlos Beltran, who has the best HR ratio (11/81) in postseason history looks at a third strike with the bases loaded with Mets giving the Cardinals a 3-1 victory and the pennant.