August 16, 1873 - At Baltimore's Newington Park, Baltimore Canaries outfielder Lip Pike races against a horse. Pike has a short lead after 75 yards when the trotter breaks into a run. Pike holds on to win in 10 seconds flat.
August 16, 1890 - It's a bad day for Pittsburgh's Bill Phillips as he becomes the only pitcher in major league history to give up two grand slams in one inning. Tom Burns and Malachi Kittridge each hit one in the fifth inning en route to an 18-5 victory at Chicago's West Side Park.
August 16, 1920 - At the Polo Grounds Cleveland shortstop Ray Chapman, 29, is beaned by a Carl Mays pitch. A right-handed batter who crowds the plate, Chapman freezes and fails to get out of the way of the submarine delivery. He is carried from the field and he dies the next day from a fractured skull.
August 16, 1927 - Babe Ruth inaugurates the newly-constructed Comiskey Park grandstand roof by cranking a Tommy Thomas pitch over the addition.
August 16, 1947 - Ralph Kiner hits three successive home runs for the Pittsburgh Pirates, for a 12-7 win over the Cardinals in a game in which the two clubs bang out 10 homers. Kiner matches the major league marks of seven home runs in four games, six in three games, five in two games, and four in consecutive at bats.
August 16, 1950 - Hank Thompson hit two inside-the-park home runs in the Giants' 16-7 rout of the Brooklyn Dodgers at the Polo Grounds.
August 16, 1954 - In a throwing contest between Jim Piersall and Willie Mays before a Red Sox-Giants charity game in Boston, Piersall hurts his arm. He starts the game but leaves midway. He wakes up the following morning with a sore arm that stays with him a year, and he will never throw quite as well again.
August 16, 1964 - Curt Flood of the St. Louis Cardinals had eight straight hits in a doubleheader against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Dodgers won the first game 3-0 and the Cardinals took the second, 4-0.
August 16, 1964 - Sandy Koufax (19-5) hurts his elbow sliding into second base in a 3-0 win against St. Louis. He will miss the rest of the season. In the nightcap, Curt Simmons matches Sandy Koufax with a 4-0 shutout of the Dodgers. Cards center fielder Curt Flood has eight straight hits in the doubleheader split.
August 16, 1966 - Willie Mays hits his 534th home run, matching Jimmie Foxx's record for right-handed batters, as Gaylord Perry beats the Cardinals 3-1.
August 16, 1967 - Jim Maloney of Cincinnati retired 19 consecutive Pirates but had to leave the game after he injured his ankle by stepping in a hole at Forbes Field. Billy McCool allowed two hits over the final 2 2/3 innings to complete a 4-0 victory over Pittsburgh.
August 16, 1976 - With the help of three picked-off Oakland runners at first base, the first such occurrence in the American League since 1910, the Brewers beat Oakland 4-3. Another oddity happens when Oakland's Billy Williams is called out on strikes after refusing to enter the batter's box. He is then thrown out of the game.
August 16, 1984 - After nearly six years, Pete Rose is reunited with his hometown Cincinnati Reds when the Expos trade him for infielder Tom Lawless. The Reds immediately name him player-manager, replacing Vern Rapp.
August 16, 1996 - The Padres and Mets play the first regular season major league game ever played in Mexico, and it isn't pretty. The Padres take a big lead in support of Mexican native and starting pitcher Fernando Valenzuela, but the Mets close the gap with seven runs in the ninth inning in a 15-10 Padres triumph. The series is moved from San Diego because of a perceived conflict with the Republican National Convention. The Padres take two of three games in "La Primera Serie" in Monterrey, Mexico.
August 16, 2000- With six homers for the second time in four days, the Astros set a National League record 18 home runs in the last four games as they edge the Pirates, 11-10 at home run friendly Enron Field.
August 16, 2001- After piloting the team 13 games above .500 in spite of numerous injuries to key players, manager Jimy Williams is fired by the Red Sox. The ousted skipper is replaced by the club's well respected pitching coach, Joe Kerrigan.
August 16, 2001- Barry Bonds' second home run of the game and 53rd of the season breaks the franchise record established by his godfather, Willie Mays. With his first homer, the left fielder eclipses the National League record for home runs by a left handed batter established in 1947 by another Giant, Johnny Mize.
August 16, 2006- Prior to the Red Sox and Tigers game, Bruce Froemming is honored during an on-field ceremony at Fenway Park. The 66-year old home plate umpire works his 5,000th major league game of his 36 year career, second only to Bill Klem who arbitrated 5,374 games from 1905-40.
August 16, 2007- Jose Reyes becomes the first infielder, and 10th player overall, in the modern era (post-1898) to steal sixty bases in three consecutive seasons. The Mets shortstop, who will swipe 78 sacks this season, steals second base in the second inning for second time in a 10-7 loss to the Pirates at PNC Park.
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