I thought the “bummer” highlight from 1990 a few paragraphs down would remain the lead-off July 1 item, but the Yankee Captain and gang proved me wrong in 2004. Tony Clark and Jorge Posada home runs propelled Brad Halsey and the Yankees into a 3-0 lead over Pedro Martinez and the Red Sox in a Thursday night classic in Yankee Stadium, but Boston tied it on a two-run Manny Ramirez home run and a David McCarty double that heartbreakingly glanced off Bernie Williams‘s glove in the seventh. Onto bonus play, the Sox loaded the bases with no outs on two singles and a walk against Mariano Rivera in the 11th, but Alex Rodriguez turned a miraculous 5-UA, 5-2 double play that would have been a triple play on a 2-5, but the latter throw retired Ramirez coming from second for the second time on the play, a twist you won’t find in the rule book. A second-and-third, two-out threat against Tanyon Sturtze the following frame was averted when Derek Jeter dove face first into the left-field boxes after snaring Trot Nixon‘s flair into no man’s land. Was it all for naught when Ramirez homered deep to left leading off the top on the 13th? Of course not. After two quick outs, Ruben Sierra, Miguel Cairo, and John Flaherty delivered hits in succession, and the Yanks and their fans celebrated a 5-4 victory in the darnedest game you could ever see.

Yet another dominating Luis Severino performance highlighted an 11-1 thrashing of the Red Sox in Yankee Stadium on July 1, 2018, but sharing the spotlight is center fielder Aaron Hicks, who homered three times and drove in four. Aaron Judge and Gleyber Torres taters in the first sent David Price on his way to yet another humiliating defeat against the Bombers; Judge scored three times and Torres knocked in three. Backup catcher Kyle Higashioka also went yard, for his first ever major league hit.

And two games that took place in Yankee Stadium on July 1, 2012, allow me to put off the next item even longer. First, on a beautiful hot sunny Sunday in the Bronx, 49 old timers and five widows of Yankee heroes all too long gone got together to accept our thanks and worship. In the three-inning game that followed, the Clippers ran away with a 6-2 victory on rbi hits from Pat Kelly, Bernie Williams, Jesse Barfield, and Charlie Hayes. The game that followed threatened to be a bad Phil Hughes start, as the Chisox jumped him for two runs in the top of the first. Two-run homers from Robinson Cano and Eric Chavez took care of the offense, and Hughes allowed but two more hits through the eighth inning, in a 4-2 win. In between games it was announced that Cano, Derek Jeter and Curtis Granderson would be All Star Game starters, and that CC Sabathia was a member of the pitching staff.

The bummer I warned you about involved Yankee starting pitcher Andy Hawkins, and his frustrating day’s work on July 1, 1990. He had held the White Sox hitless through seven when Yankee third baseman Mike Blowers made an error on a Sammy Sosa (playing in the AL Chicago city at the time) grounder leading off the bottom of the eighth. Two walks followed, and then back-to-back Jim Leyritz and Jesse Barfield errors on wind-blown outfield flies, and the Sox were up, 4-0, the final score of the game despite the fact that Hawkins succeeded in finishing the no-hitter.

A James Loney home run in the sixth inning was the difference maker in Hiroki Kuroda‘s 2-1 loss to David Price and the Tampa Rays in Yankee Stadium on July 1, 2014. The visitors had taken an early lead in the fourth only to be tied that same frame when Derek Jeter led off with a double that tied him for first on the all-time Yankee list of two-base hits with Lou Gehrig.

CC Sabathia went eight innings in beating Ryan Rowland-Smith and the Seattle Mariners on July 1, 2011, 4-2. A Mark Teixeira fielder’s choice grounder and Robinson Cano‘s fourth-inning home run gave CC a 2-0 lead, but the M’s bunched three hits in the top of the eighth to tie it. But Tex singled with one down in the bottom half and Alex Rodriguez‘s following home run won the game, though it wasn’t official until Mariano Rivera retired three straight visitors in the ninth for the save.

Jimmy Key outdueled Roger Clemens on July 1, 1996, 2-0. Mike Aldrete‘s seventh-inning home run was the initial score.

Robbie Cano and Wilson Betemit rbi’s in the home fourth and sixth innings saved young Joba Chamberlain, who allowed only two runs in four innings but threw 90 pitches in that time, from the 3-2 loss to the Rangers on July 1, 2008. It was yet another puzzling day, as Mariano Rivera, who had a great year for saves, took yet another loss when he entered a tie game in the ninth and allowed a run.

Two Joe DiMaggio July 1, 1941 highlights: First, he led the Yanks to a doubleheader sweep of the Red Sox, 7-2 and 9-2. And, by reaching safely in both games, Joe tied Wee Willie Keeler‘s major league record batting streak at 44 games.

Andy Pettitte got the 6-1 win over Tanyon Sturtze (later to serve in the Yankee pen) and the Devil Rays on July 1, 2001. Derek Jeter doubled, singled, and scored twice, Paul O’Neill had three hits, and Tino Martinez went yard in the Tampa loss in Yankee Stadium.

But the shoe was on the other pitching foot on July 1, 2007, when Andy Pettitte allowed four singles, a sac fly, a double and two home runs in the seven-run second inning the A’s posted in a 12-5 win in Yankee Stadium. Curiously, lefty batters Jack Cust and Dan Johnson hit the homers. Dan Haren collected the win.

Once Clay Parker‘s 4-1 defeat of Randy Veres and the Brewers on July 1, 1989, was a final, the umpires altered the score to 5-1 when they decided among themselves that Roberto Kelly had, indeed, crossed the plate with an earlier run before a non-forced double play ended an inning.

On the night he returned from a suspension, the Yanks knocked Denny McLain out of the box in the sixth inning of a July 1, 1970 start in front of a huge crowd in Detroit, but the Tigers rallied to whip the visitors 6-5 in 11 innings.

Fans watching Whitey Ford throw in relief in his initial big-league outing on July 1, 1950, would be forgiven for predicting not much of a future for the young lefty who allowed seven hits, six walks, and five earned runs, as Boston slapped him and starter Tommy Byrne around in a 13-4 Red Sox win.

Angels reliever (and future Yankee, et al, pitching coach with Billy Martin) Art Fowler earned the win in the second of two vs. the Yankees on July 1, 1962, with his throwing and with his bat. Fowler drove in four runs with two singles in the 12-5 nightcap after the Yanks won the opener 6-3. Angels outfielder Albie Pearson became the first player in baseball history to go hitless in 11 at bats in a double dip consisting of two nine-inning games. Fowler passed away more than a year ago.

The Senators had a 5-4 lead over the Yanks late in the July 1, 1961 game despite Mickey Mantle‘s 465-foot singleton homer and his three-run blast, but Roger Maris‘s two-run shot in the ninth carried the day, 7-6.

Mickey Mantle and Joe Pepitone homers led the way over Phil Ortega and the Senators on July 1, 1966, 8-6.

And Mickey Mantle, again, homered from each side of the plate exactly 10 years earlier in another win over the Senators, by that same 8-6 score, on July 1, 1956.

On July 1, 2023, the Yankees recalled lefthander Matt Krook from the AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders.

On July 1. 2022, the Yankees activated lefthander Aroldis Chapman, and placed righthander Miguel Castro on the paternity list.

On July 1, 2021, the Yankees signed four free agents to minor league contracts: lefthanders Edwar Polimir and Michael Perez; center fielder Juan Rosa; and righthander Brian Arias.

On July 1, 2019, the Yankees optioned infielder Thairo Estrada to the AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders.

On July 1, 2018, the Yankees optioned righthander Giovanny Gallegos to the AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, and selected the contract of righty David Hale from Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

In a true head-scratcher, the Yankees optioned third baseman Miguel Andujar, who had burst upon the pinstriped scene with a big offensive game, to the AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders on July 1, 2017. The club also transferred center fielder Dustin Fowler from the 10-day disabled list to the 60-day disabled list, with a ruptured right patellar tendon; and selected the contract of outfielder Clint Frazier from Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. And finally, the team signed righthander Glenn Otto.

On July 1, 2015, the Yankees sent righthander Esmil Rogers outright to the AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, and selected the contract of outfielder Taylor Dugas from the AA Trenton Thunder. The club also signed righthander Alex Bisacca, then signed free agent catcher Manny Argomaniz to a minor league contract.

Pitching concerns were the subject on July 1, 2014, as the Yankees transferred lefty CC Sabathia from the 15-day disabled list to the 60-day disabled list, with fluid in his right knee. The club also optioned righthander Jose Ramirez to the AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, and filled the spot by selecting the contract of righty Jim Miller from Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The team also signed free agent righthander Deshorn Lake to a minor league contract.

Clearing roster space, the Yankees designated second baseman Matt Antonelli for assignment and outrighted pitcher Danny Farquhar to the AA Trenton Thunder on July 1, 2012. Then they traded with Phillies for righthanded pitcher Chad Qualls in a cash transaction. The Yankees also signed free agent lefty Omar Luis.

The Yankees optioned infielder Ramiro Pena back to AAA Scranton-Wilkes Barre on July 1, 2009.

On July 1, draftee Joaquin Hinojosa was assigned to the Yankee minors.

On this day in 2005, the decimated Yankee squad had another retooling day, purchasing the contract of lefty Wayne Franklin from AAA Columbus; they recalled outfielder Bubba Crosby as well.

The contract of righty reliever Edwar Ramirez, who was all the buzz in Scranton, was purchased on July 1, 2007, and he was brought to New York. Infielder Chris Basak was optioned out to create room, and injured righty Jeff Karstens was shifted to the 60-day disabled list.

The Kansas City A’s beat the Yankees 5-4 in the Stadium on this day in 1964. It was “Taxi Day,” with nearly 5,000 cab drivers and their families in attendance.

The Yanks topped the Red Sox 5-2 behind Eddie Lopat‘s six hitter on July 1, 1951.

Meanwhile, Cleveland’s Bob Feller was pitching the third no-hitter of his career in a 2-1 win over Detroit on that same 1951 day. Walter Johnson also threw a no-hitter this day, 2-0 over the Red Sox in 1920.

It was Yankee outfielder George Selkirk who originally suggested that a six-foot-wide cinder path be installed in front of the outfield fences to alert fielders when they were approaching the wall, on this day in 1935. It’s called “the warning track” today.

When Baltimore’s George Zuvernick pitched to catcher Frank Zupo in a game against the Yankees on July 1, 1957, they became the first “Z-battery” in history. But the 26th-letter mojo wasn’t enough, and the Yanks prevailed 3-2.

The Baltimore Orioles franchise that would be relocated to New York as the Highlanders in 1903 fell 2-0 to the Philadelphia Athletics 2-0 on July 1, 1902, with Rube Waddell earning his first Philly win on a two-hitter.

Righty reliever Lindy McDaniel was still eight years removed from a successful Yankee stint in a very good career when he had a stinker on July 1, 1960, dropping both ends of a doubleheader, 8-7 and 7-5, pitching for the Braves against the Cardinals.

The original Comiskey Park, closed and replaced in 1990, opened for business on July 1, 1910.

Reds pitcher Fred Toney pitched a complete doubleheader on this day in 1917, beating the Pirates, 4-1 and 5-1. The three hits he allowed in each game established a record for fewest hits by any pitcher winning two the same day.

One of two more July 1 items featuring future or former Yankee players involves one-time Yankee hurler and recently retired YES broadcaster Jim Kaat, who tossed a one-hitter in the Twins’ 2-1 win over California this day in 1973. Frank Robinson‘s second-inning homer was the only hit.

And player-manager Frank Chance, who had also served in those roles in New York, left a Cubs game on July 1, 1911, suffering from a brain clot. Except for a smattering of appearances, it ended his playing days.

Pittsburgh (Federal League) scored in every inning in a 13-5 win at Baltimore on July 1, 1915.

 
Players Who Have Died This Day

Four different ex-Yankees have died on July 1. Two righthanded pitchers have passed most recently: Bill Miller (2003) debuted by pitching 36 games (17 starts) for New York from 1952-1954 to a 6-8-1 record. A short stint with the 1955 Baltimore Orioles added one loss and one save to those numbers. Ray Scarborough (1982), a Miller teammate in New York, went 7-3 with no saves in 34 games (five starts) in 1952-1953. He spent much of his 1942-1953 career pitching with Washington to an overall 80-85 mark with 12 saves. The two position players that follow both played only for the Yankees (or Highlanders): Lefty-hitting third baseman Curt Coleman (1980) played 12 games in New York in 1912; he had nine hits in 37 at bats and drove in four runs. Finally, catcher Jay Rogers (1964) went hitless in eight at bats during five games with the 1914 Yankees. On defense he had 10 putouts, two assists, and one error.

There had been no significant nonYankee players to have passed away on July 1 until outfielder Mike Hershberger died on this day in 2012. Playing mostly with the White Sox, and the Kansas City and Oakland A’s, from 1961 through 1971, Mike hit 26 home runs and drove in 344 runs. But more tragically, lefthander Tyler Skaggs (2019) was lost to a substance abuse overdose during the season. He pitched in the Angels’ rotation from 2014 through 2019 after debuting in the big leagues with Arizona in 2012-2013. In 95 games, all starts, he posted a 28-38 record.

 
Players Born This Day

In a tight contest, lefty-hitting outfielder Kerry Dineen (1952) wins the game seniority competition among three July 1 Yankee birthdays, or at least he did until 2022. Dineen was drafted by New York in the fourth round of the 1973 amateur draft, and shipped to the Philadelphia Phillies for Sergio Ferrer in March 1977. Kerry managed two rbi’s while playing 11 games for the 1975 and 1976 Yankees, but he made [one of] them count, as the Yankees beat the Red Sox 6-5 at Yankee Stadium on May 21, 1976 when Dineen singled to drive in Carlos May in the 12th inning.

And Fred Holmes (1878) played in two major league games, the first of them as a first baseman for the 1903 Highlanders. He notched five putouts, but also committed an error. Holmes played one game with the 1904 Cubs at catcher, stroked a double in three at bats, and scored a run. Lefthanded-hitting outfielder Howie Camp (1893) played all five of his games in the bigs with the 1917 Yankees. He had 21 at bats and scored three runs.

Righthander Ron Marinaccio (1995), a 19th round pick of the Yankees in the 2017 draft, had gone 5-5 with two saves in 85 games in the Bronx in ’22 and ’23, and has won one more, as of this writing, in 13 games since being recalled during the 2024 season.

The two July 1 Hall of Fame birthdays belong to old-timers: Boston Braves pitcher Jim Clarkson (1861), and New York Giants first baseman Roger Connor (1857). Clarkson posted 150 more wins than losses (328-178) pitching in Chicago, Cleveland, and Boston from 1882-1894; Conor’s offensive numbers from 1880-1897: 138 home runs and 1,322 rbi’s. Other birthdays: southpaw first sacker Babe Young (1915), who posted most of his 79 dingers and 415 rbi’s for the Giants; lefty Frank Baumann (1933), with a 45-38 mark with the Reds and White Sox from 1955-1965; Red Sox starter Billy Rohr (1945), whose fast-fading big-league career started with an almost no-hitter and a shutout against the Yanks in his first two starts; Jim Otten (1951); Jamie Walker (1971); Nelson Cruz (1980); Matt Carson (1981); Justin Huber (1982); Rich Thompson (1984); Chris Perez (1985); Charlie Blackmon (1986); Mike Montgomery (1989), Brett Oberholtzer (1989); Colin Rea (1990); Michael Wacha (1991); Tyler Smith (1999); Aaron Sanchez (1992); Thyago Vieira (1993); Chris Flexen (1994); and Jaylin Davis (1994).