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Happy birthday to Chris Denorfia, and a mighty host of others.
Today in baseball history, in 1973, California Angels ace Nolan Ryan hurls his second no-hitter of the season in taming the Detroit Tigers, 6-0. Ryan fans 17 batters, the most ever in a nine-inning no-hitter, including eight straight, but only one over the last two innings. Nolan’s arm stiffens while watching his team rally for five runs in the top of the eighth. With two outs in the ninth, Norm Cash, who struck out his three other times at bat, comes to bat wielding a piano leg. Umpire Ron Luciano points out the illegality and Cash then pops out using a regulation bat. Ryan’s eight strikeouts in a row ties the American League record he set last year, and other stories as well.
Today in baseball history:
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1921 – NY Yankees slugger Babe Ruth ties MLB record of 138 career home runs (held by Roger Connor since 1895) in a 7-2 win over St. Louis Browns at Sportsman’s Park, St. Louis.
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2022 – In his last start before the All-Star break, veteran Clayton Kershaw is better than ever, taking a perfect game into the eighth inning against the Angels before Luis Rengifo breaks up the bid with a lead-off double. It is already the second time this season that the Dodgers’ ace has been perfect through seven innings, the other coming in his first start on April 13th. Kershaw completes the 8th inning without allowing another hit to earn his seventh win, 9-1, after Reyes Moronta allows a meaningless run in the 9th.
Cubs Birthdays: Chris Denorfia*, Bob Will, Bruce Edwards, Bubbles Hargrave.
Today in history:
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1501 – Portuguese explorer Pedro Cabral arrives back in Lisbon from his voyage to India, having lost six ships, during which he accidently discovered Brazil.
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1869 – Margarine is patented by Hippolyte Mège-Mouriès for use by the French Navy.
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1912 – American athlete Jim Thorpe places in the top 4 in all 10 events, achieving an Olympic record of 8,413 points to win the Decathlon gold medal at the Stockholm Olympics; his medal is stripped in 1913 (played pro baseball) and reinstated in 1982.
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1933 – Wiley Post begins the first solo flight around the world, completing the journey in 7 days and 19 hours.
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1941 – Howard Florey and Norman Heatley present freeze-dried mold cultures of penicillin.
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2018 – Filipino boxing legend Manny Pacquiao stops WBA welterweight champion Lucas Matthysse in the seventh round in Kuala Lumpur for his first knockout in 9 years and 60th career victory.
Today in music history:
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1960 – Chubby Checker releases his version of “The Twist” in the US (date approximate).
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1972 – “Honky Chateau” becomes Elton John‘s first No. 1 album in the US, includes hit “Rocket Man”.
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1973 – Ray Davies announces his retirement from The Kinks, then attempts suicide; neither effort successful.
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1987 – Boy George is barred from a British TV show because he may be a bad influence.
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2012 – Korean pop singer Psy releases single “Gangnam Style,” it becomes a worldwide hit, topping the charts in over 36 countries.
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2022 – Elton John kicks off the North American leg of his “Farewell Yellow Brick Road: The Final Tour” at Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
*pictured.
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