June 24 1970 – At Yankee Stadium, Cleveland Indians first baseman Tony Horton calls for Steve Hamilton’s “Folly Floater” after fouling it off the previous pitch. The Indians first baseman crawls back to the dugout when his second foul ball is caught by catcher Thurman Munson. Cleveland, however, would win the game 7-2. The reason Horton crawled into dugout was he heard a boo Sensitive to fans’ booing during the season, Horton will be hospitalized, and at 25, this is his last season. In the same doubleheader, Bobby Murcer ties Lou Gehrig’s record of four straight homers. The Yanks lose the opener, 7 – 2, despite Murcer’s 9th-inning home run off Sam McDowell. Murcer next connects off the second game’s starter, Mike Paul, hitting a solo shot in the 1st inning. A walk in the 4th, then a two-run homer off Paul in the 5th, and a game-tying homer in the 8th, off Fred Lasher. New York scores in the bottom of the 9th to salvage a 5 – 4 win.
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Last Game Ever Played at Crosley Field
June 24, 1970 In the last game ever played at Crosley Field, Lee May and Johnny Bench hit back-to-back home runs in the 8th off Juan Marichal to give the Reds a 5 – 4 win. After the game, home plate is presented to Mayor Eugene Ruehlman after the pick and shovel boys dug up home plate and it was transported by helicopter to Cincinnati’s new 51,000-seat stadium, which the Reds opened on June 30 against Atlanta.
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Jim Northrup Hits Two Grand Slams in One Game
June 24, 1968 At Cleveland Stadium Detroit RF Jim Northrup becomes the 6th American League player to hit two grand slams in one game, connecting in the 5th inning off Eddie Fisher and in the 6th off Billy Rohr, as the Tigers bomb Cleveland, 14 – 3. Denny McLain is the victor. First baseman Willie Smith pitches the last three innings, walking just one and allowing one hit and no runs. Detroit’s Don Wert is taken to the hospital following a 6th inning beaning which shatters his batting helmet. He will miss just a few games.
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Rick Reichardt Becomes Biggest Bonus Baby
June 24, 1964, collegiate star Rick Reichardt becomes the biggest “bonus baby” in major league history when he signs a contract with the Los Angeles Angels. Reichardt, whose bonus totals $200,000, will make his major league debut later in the season, batting .162 in 37 at-bats.
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Mickey Mantle Signs His First Yankees Contract
On June 24, 1949, future Hall of Famer Mickey Mantle signs his first contract – a $1,000 deal with the New York Yankees. Yankee scout Tom Greenwade reels in the 17-year-old high school star, who will make his major league debut two years later.
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Bus Crash Kills Spokane Indians Players, Lucky Lohrke Survives
June 24, 1946 A bus Traveling at dusk in a light rain on Washington’s Highway 10 en route to Bremerton, careens off a Cascade Mountain pass road, to avoid an oncoming car approximately sixty miles east of Seattle. The crash kill’s eight members of the Spokane (Western International League) club and their manager Mel Cole. Jack Lohrke, a young infielder, had gotten off the bus 15 minutes earlier at its last stop in at Snoqualmie Pass, before the accident, on orders to report to San Diego. The future Giant and Phil will be known ever after as “Lucky”. Ben Geraghty is also among the survivors.
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Joe DiMaggio Ties Three Records in Rookie Year
June 24, 1936 At Comiskey Park, 21 year-old rookie Rookie Joe DiMaggio ties three major-league records in New York’s 10-run 5th inning against the White Sox, hitting 2 home runs for 8 total bases. With 2 doubles, he equals the modern record of four long hits in a game. New York beats St. Louis, 18 – 4. He becomes the first Yankee and fifth player in major league history to hit two home runs in one inning.