Every July 4th, American citizens celebrate their Independence Day with various patriotic activities, and baseball holds a special place in these festivities. MLB is known for scheduling games from the morning, allowing fans to enjoy this national pastime throughout the day. July 4th games become a family event where the excitement of baseball is combined with pride and patriotic spirit, creating a unique atmosphere in stadiums and on television broadcasts. Players often wear commemorative uniforms with details referencing the flag and national colors, further enhancing the significance of the date.
Throughout history, there have been games on this date that remain in the memory of every baseball fan:
- 1905: The Philadelphia Athletics and the Boston Red Sox played a 20-inning game.
- 1908: NY Giants player George “Hooks” Wiltse pitched a no-hitter against the Philadelphia Phillies, winning 1-0 in 10 innings.
- 1911: Ed Walsh of the White Sox stopped Ty Cobb’s 40-game hitting streak. Ty Cobb went 0-for-4.
- 1912: George Mullen of the Detroit Tigers pitched a no-hitter against the St. Louis Browns, winning 7-0.
- 1919: The Cincinnati Reds were 10½ games back in the National League and won the World Series.
- 1925: Lefty Grove of the Yankees beat Herb Pennock of the A’s 1-0 in 15 innings.
- 1938: The first game at Shibe Park, Philadelphia. The Braves beat the Phillies 10-5.
- 1939: This was a memorable year. The Yankees retired their first uniform (Lou Gehrig’s No. 4), held the first Old Timers’ Day on July 4th, and it marked the 70th anniversary of Lou Gehrig’s farewell speech, which still brings tears to my eyes. On that same day, Red Sox player Jim Tabor hit two grand slams in one game.
- 1950: Sid Gordon of the Braves tied the season record for grand slams with four.
- 1960: Mickey Mantle became the 18th player to hit 300 home runs.
- 1967: Clay Dalrymple of the Phillies tied the National League record with six walks in a doubleheader.
- 1977: The Cubs used outfielder Larry Bittner as a pitcher, and the Red Sox hit a major league record eight home runs, beating Toronto 9-6.
- 1982: The Yankees batted out of order against the Indians in the first inning.
- 1983: Dave Righetti of the Yankees pitched a no-hitter against the Red Sox.
- 1984: Phil Niekro of the Yankees became the ninth player to strike out 3,000 batters.
- 1989: Tom Browning of the Reds was three outs away from his second perfect game when Phillie Dickie Thon doubled.
Baseball enthusiasts can enjoy a full day of games. Happy Independence Day to everyone in the United States!
