August 20 in Yankee History

  • The fact that Cleveland was building a stellar starting rotation in 2015 came as a surprise to many MLB observers, but not to the Yankees, who would lose three of four to the visiting Indians in mid-August, the first a 3-2 defeat on August 20. Righty Josh Tomlin allowed just two hits through seven, one of them an Alex Rodriguez home run in the fourth. Ivan Nova allowed single runs in the second, third, and fourth, enough to withstand a one-run, bottom-of-the-ninth rally, started again by a Rodriguez single. Honoring one-time Yankee President/CEO Al Rosen, a career third baseman with Cleveland who had passed away earlier in the year, Al’s brother Robert Rosen threw out the ceremonial first pitch. Continue reading
  • August 19 in Yankee History

  • A trip to see the Staten Island Yankees is usually a hoot, as attending most minor league games is, and the round trip to the game on the Staten Island Ferry is always fun. But we got a real treat on August 19, 2016, when 2016 second-round pick and second baseman Nick Solak had two hits, scored a run, and drove one in. On a fast track to the majors, Solak played in Staten Island the full year, started in Tampa in ’17, and jumped to AA Trenton as August of that year arrived. Shortstop Angel Aguilar led the offense with a double and home run in a 4-1 victory over the rival Brooklyn Cyclones. And the fun of the evening was highlighted by it being Pat Venditte Bobblehead Night. The former Yankee draftee is famous for being an ambidextrous pitcher, a feature displayed in the giveaway. Continue reading
  • August 18 in Yankee History

  • Those of us of a certain age generally agree that Roy White was a better player than he was perhaps given credit for, mostly on a bad ballclub, but the Yanks had improved by 1976, and on August 18 of that year the switch-hitting outfielder homered from each side of the plate in an 8-6 win over the Rangers. Unlike later Yankee hero Don Mattingly, White would play a long frustrating career in Pinstripes, but last long enough to earn a couple of rings. Continue reading
  • August 16 in Yankee History

  • Just the other day we commemorated the death of the great teammate and Yankee, Mickey Mantle. On August 16, 1948, the legendary Babe Ruth, the greatest to ever play the game and the true Athlete of the Century in any clear-eyed vote, passed away, succumbing to throat cancer at the age of 53. The Bambino’s body was made available for viewing at Yankee Stadium where more than 100,000 fans paid their respects. Continue reading
  • August 15 in Yankee History

  • Gerrit Cole was the unfortunate, hard-luck loser when the only run through eight innings of a Tampa/Yankees tilt in the Stadium on August 15, 2022, scored after under-pressure left fielder Aaron Hicks badly misplayed what was ruled a triple by David Peralta in the top of the fourth. The Rays won this one 4-0 as both Wandy Peralta and Lou Trivino struggled in the ninth. Continue reading
  • August 14 in Yankee History

  • The Yankees battered the Bosox 10-3 in the Stadium on August 14, 2020, with plaudits aplenty to go around. Gerrit Cole allowed one run while going seven, Gleyber Torres went 4-for-4 with two runs scored and two rbi’s, Mike Tauchman knocked in four with three hits while scoring two, and Gary Sanchez homered for two. Continue reading
  • August 13 in Yankee History

  • If you took a pathway to Yankee and baseball fanhood similar to mine, then share my grief on this worst day on the baseball calendar. Mickey Mantle passed away on August 13, 1995. We’ll go into numbers and detail how incredibly bad a day on the Yankee front this is in that respect where we list player deaths below. Continue reading