Today in Jewish baseball history
1915 — Erskine Mayer of the Philadelphia Phillies shuts out the Brooklyn Dodgers 3-0. Game summary
1925 — Sy Rosenthal of the San Antonio Bears hits two home runs and two triples against the Beaumont Exporters in the Texas League.
1931 — Jimmie Reese of the Yankees goes 3-for-4 with an inside-the-park home run but is ejected in the seventh inning for arguing a called third strike as New York and the Washington Senators play to a 14-inning 7-7 tie. Game summary
1932 — Max Rosenfeld of the Brooklyn Dodgers hits his first of two career homers, a three-run shot off Hal “Jumbo” Elliott in the eighth inning of an 11-5 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies. Game summary
1946 — A day after the Dodgers sell his contract to the Giants, Goody Rosen is the hitting star as New York sweeps Brooklyn 7-3 and 10-4. He has three hits and scores two runs in the first game and adds two hits including a homer, three RBIs and two runs in the nightcap. Game 1 summary Game 2 summary
1946 — In his first start since being sent down by the New York Yankees, Herb Karpel pitches a five-hitter as the Newark Bears beat the Rochester Red Wings 5-0 in the seven-inning second game of an International League doubleheader. Two of Rochester’s hits are infield singles.
1948 — Elmira catcher Stu Komer’s solo home run gives the Pioneers a 6-5 victory over the Williamsport Tigers on the Eastern League’s opening day.
1970 — With one out in the sixth inning and a Jacksonville Dolphins runner on third, Sheldon Andrens goes in as a defensive replacement in left field for Asheville. Andrens makes a diving catch on a ball hit by Terry Humphreys and then throws out runner Pete Koegel at home to preserve the Tourists’ 3-2 Southern League victory.
1974 — Ron Blomberg hits a double, a three-run homer and a sacrifice fly as the New York Yankees beat the Texas Rangers 11-2 in the first game of a doubleheader. He also hits a double and a solo homer in the second game, won by Texas 8-5. Game 1 summary Game 2 summary
1981 — Steve Ratzer pitches a perfect fifth inning in relief and gets his only major-league victory as the Montreal Expos beat the Philadelphia Phillies 6-3. Game summary
2016 — The Wareham Gatemen of the Cape Cod League name Jerry Weinstein manager.
2018 — Joc Pederson of the Dodgers goes 4-for-5 with a double and triple and four RBIs as Los Angeles beats the San Francisco Giants 15-6 in the first game of a doubleheader. Game summary
2023 — C.J. Stubbs hits two home runs and pitcher Colton Gordon earns his first Double-A victory by striking out 10 batters in five innings as the Corpus Christi Hooks defeat the Midland RockHounds 4-3 in the Texas League.
Birthday
Bill Hurst, 1970 — Selected in the 20th round by St. Louis in the 1989 draft. In 1995, the pitcher signed as a free agent with the Florida Marlins. His big-league career was limited to two innings in two relief appearances.
MLB debut
Saul Rogovin, 1949 — Allows four hits and three earned runs in 1 1/3 innings of relief, and is charged with the loss as the Tigers fall 9-6 to the Browns. He walks one and strikes out one.
Final MLB game
Mike Epstein, 1974 — First baseman goes 0-for-4 against Gaylord Perry in Angels’ 10-2 loss to Indians. Flies out to right field in final at-bat.
In memoriam
Barry Latman, pitcher, 2019 (age 82)
Recent transactions (2024)
Chicago White Sox designated LF Kevin Pillar for assignment.
Oakland A’s placed 2B Zack Gelof on the 10-day injured list retroactive to April 24 with a strained left oblique.
Items based on the author’s “Day by Day in Jewish Sports History” (KTAV 2008)