SPOTLIGHT STORIES

Read exclusive stories from the Jewish Baseball Museum. Noted Jewish baseball writers Ed Sherman and Dan Epstein reconnect with players from the past and get the inside perspective from today's stars.
Spotlight Stories

Today in Jewish baseball history

1871 — Lipman Pike of the Troy (N.Y.) Haymakers becomes the first major-league home run champion when he hits his league-leading fourth of the season in a 15-13 loss to the Washington Olympics. Boxscore

1902 — New York Giants owner Andrew Freedman sells his interest in the team, but retains the title of team president for a few more months.

1934 — Syd Cohen of the Washington Senators gives up Babe Ruth’s final American League home run but also is the last to strike out the slugger in a New York Yankees uniform. Cohen goes 2-for-4 with an RBI and Fred Sington adds two hits and an RBI as the Senators win 8-5. Game summary

1946 — Emil Moscowitz pitches a three-hitter as the semi-pro Bushwicks of Brooklyn defeat the Minor-League All-Stars 3-2 at Dexter Park in Queens. Herb Karpel of the Newark Bears is the losing pitcher.

1963 — Sandy Koufax gives up an inside-the-park home run to a horse during batting practice in the TV episode “Leo Durocher Meets Mr. Ed.” 

1965 — Sandy Koufax picks up his 25th victory of the season, stopping the Cincinnati Reds 5-0 on two hits and 13 strikeouts. Game summary

1966 — Sandy Koufax beats the St. Louis Cardinals 2-1 on four hits. He becomes the first major-league pitcher to strike out 300 in a season three years in a row since Amos Rusie in 1890-92. Game summary

1979 — Elliott Maddox ties a Mets single-game record with three doubles as New York beats the St. Louis Cardinals 8-7. Game summary

1980 — Steve Stone pitches six innings of the Baltimore Orioles’ 4-3 victory over the Boston Red Sox and finishes his Cy Young Award-winning season with a 25-7 record. Game summary

1999 — Shawn Green goes 4-for-4 with two doubles as the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Tampa Bay Devil Rays 6-2. Game summary

2007 — The Florida Marlins promote general manager Larry Beinfest to president of baseball operations.

2023 — The San Francisco Giants fire manager Gabe Kapler after four seasons. Kapler joined the Giants in November 2019 and led them to a 295-248 record, highlighted by a 107-win 2021 season that earned him the NL Manager of the Year award.

Birthdays

Sol Mishkin, 1905 — Minor-league player and manager. 

Eddie Feinberg, 1917 — The middle infielder appeared in 16 games for the Phillies during the 1938 and 1939 seasons. He tied a major-league record for shortstops on May 19, 1939 when he had no fielding chances in a 12-inning game against the Reds.

MLB debut

Monte Pfeiffer, 1913 — Starting shortstop for Philadelphia Athletics, went 0-for-3 and was hit by a pitch by Walter Johnson (36-7) in the A’s 1-0 loss to the Washington Senators. Pfeiffer also committed one of Philadelphia’s five errors.

Final MLB games

Monte Pfeiffer, 1913 — See above.

Sam Mayer, 1915 — Singles in lone at-bat and stays in to play first base in Senators’ 20-5 win over A’s.

Duke Markell, 1951 — Allows to runs on two hits with one strikeout in ninth inning of Browns’ 8-3 loss to White Sox.

Steve Stone, 1981 — Relieves with two out in first and goes 4 1/3 innings, allowing three runs on three hits including two home runs, four walks and one strikeout in Orioles’ 14-0 loss to Tigers.

Mike Milchin, 1996 — Relieves in seventh and goes two-thirds of an inning, allowing one run with one walk and one strikeout in Orioles’ 4-1 loss to Blue Jays. Walks Shawn Green, who later score.

Shawn Green, 2007 — Plays first base for final two innings but doesn’t bat in Mets’ 13-0 win over Marlins.

Recent transactions (2025)

Philadelphia Phillies optioned RHP Max Lazar to the Florida Complex League Phillies.

3B Noah Mendlinger assigned to Double-A Springfield Cardinals from Triple-A Memphis Redbirds.

Athletics placed 2B Zack Gelof on the 10-day injured list with a left shoulder dislocation.

SHARE THIS POST
TEST YOUR TRIVIA

THINK YOU KNOW JEWISH BASEBALL HISTORY?

Then test your knowledge with our trivia game which will truly separate the scholars from the yutzes.

BASEBALL STORIES

TELL US A STORY. WE'D LOVE TO HEAR IT!

What does Jewish baseball mean to you? Did you have a brush with greatness? A family story that connects your religion and your love of the game?