Aug 15, 2022 2 min read

ON THIS DATE

Aug. 16

1920 – Cleveland shortstop Ray Chapman is hit in the head with a pitch by the New York Yankees’ Carl Mays. Chapman suffers a fractured skull and dies the next day. It’s the only field fatality in major league history.

1947 – Ralph Kiner hits three consecutive home runs to become the first Pirates player to ever accomplish the feat as Pittsburgh beats the St. Louis Cardinals 12-7 at Forbes Field.

1954 – The first Sports Illustrated magazine is issued with a 25-cent price tag. The scene on the cover was a game at Milwaukee’s County Stadium. Eddie Mathews of Braves was pitching with Wes Westrum catching and Augie Donatelli umpiring.

1954 – Stan Daley, former head coach at Lock Haven, is hired as head basketball and assistant football coach at Washington & Jefferson College. Daley replaces Adam Sanders as basketball coach.

1963 – The United States Trotting Association issues the first speed rating for The Meadows and declares it the fastest five-eighths of a mile track in harness racing.

1974 – Canonsburg’s Tom Dettore gets his first major-league win, tossing 6 1/3 scoreless innings of relief in the Chicago Cubs’ 4-1 victory over the San Diego Padres at Wrigley Field.

1975 – Pittsburgh pitcher Dock Ellis is suspended indefinitely without pay for what the Pirates termed “insubordination.” Ellis refused to warm up in the bullpen twice during a series against Cincinnati and during a team meeting lashed out against manager Danny Murtaugh.

1981 – Landslide, with driver Eddie Lohmeyer, sweeps both heats to win the $155,000 Adios at The Meadows.

1982 – Mark Lee, a pitcher with the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Triple-A affiliate in Portland, quits in the middle of a game against Vancouver. After striking out Vancouver’s Bob Skube, Lee calls manager Tom Trebelhorn to the mound, then walks down the right-field line, throws the baseball back to the infield, then his cap and finally removes his jersey, heaving it high into the air.

1985 – Tim Morgan strikes out 14 and allows only a leadoff double in the seventh inning as Washington defeats Oak Park-River Forest, Ill., 1-0, in the Pony League World Series. Washington scores its run in the third inning on a sacrifice fly by Dan Adams.