MLB
Most Significant Sports History on August 21st
Learn something new about August 21st most significant sports history including Babe Ruth making history, a legendary benchmark, and more!
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Sports history on August 21st is represented by some notable MLB events and milestones. Most significantly, a name very few are unfamiliar with became the first player in professional baseball history to record 600 career home runs. In addition, the first player to ever reach 300 career saves did so today many decades ago. The plethora of MLB milestones that were achieved on this day make it a day to be remembered.
#Yankees Babe Ruth founded the 600 Home Run Club 86 years ago today on August 21, 1931.
— Ryan M. Spaeder (@theaceofspaeder) August 21, 2017
YEAR: 1931
SIGNIFICANCE: Babe Ruth became the 1st player to hit 600 career Home Runs
On this day in 1931, Yankees OF Babe Ruth became the first player in Major League history to reach the 600-HR mark. The Sultan of Swat absolutely clobbered his monumental 600th Home Run which cleared the bleachers and landed on the street across Sportman’s Park in St. Louis. Ruth made a trade with the kid who caught the Home Run ball and gave him $10 and a new baseball. Since Ruth originally founded the 600-HR club, only eight other players in the history of baseball have joined: Barry Bonds (762), Hank Aaron (755), Alex Rodriguez (696), Willie Mays (660), Albert Pujols (656), Ken Griffey Jr. (630), Jim Thome (612), and Sammy Sosa (609).
#OTD in 1982, @Brewers closer Rollie Fingers becomes the first reliever to reach the 300-save mark. 📷Doug McWilliams https://t.co/QuEmcNklq6 pic.twitter.com/Y8g7CC2O6K
— National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum ⚾ (@baseballhall) August 21, 2018
YEAR: 1982
SIGNIFICANCE: Rollie Fingers recorded his 300th career save
Rollie Fingers became the very 1st player to reach the 300-saves plateau on this day in 1982. Fingers, the 1981 AL Cy Young and MVP, is considered one of the pioneers of the bullpen becoming so important when constructing a Major League roster nowadays. For his 300th career save, Fingers was called upon to get a six-out save at the Seattle Kingdome. Though he allowed three hits and two earned runs, he managed to close out the 3-2 win for the Brewers.
Fingers and his iconic mustache changed the way relievers are used, how often they are used, and shifted the perception of how valuable relief pitchers actually are. 28 other closers have since gotten to 300 career saves, with Kenley Jansen, Fernando Rodney, and Craig Kimbrel as the only active members of the club.
Lemon Loses Game in Ninth; White Sox 3, Indians 2 - August 21, 1948 Fans at Saturday’s game were treated to Lad... https://t.co/bLCGv0PSbd
— The Sports Fix (@TheSportsFixCle) February 10, 2016
YEAR: 1948
SIGNIFICANCE: A 9th inning 3-run HR ended the Indians’ shutout (4) and scoreless inning (47) streaks
72 years ago, White Sox C Aaron Robinson hit a 3-run HR off Indians SP Bob Lemon to break Cleveland’s 47 scoreless innings streak. Entering this game, the Sox had thrown four straight shutouts, two against the White Sox and the other two versus the St. Louis Browns. Lemon, Gene Bearden, Satchel Paige, and Sam Zoldak were responsible for the 47 shutout innings thrown. In 1948, which was Cleveland’s last championship-winning year, the Indians had the best pitching staff in the sport. Their 3.22 team ERA was the lowest in baseball.
The Baltimore Orioles have tied the single season record for most home runs allowed (258 HR).
— CBS Sports HQ (@CBSSportsHQ) August 22, 2019
They still have 34 games left to play. pic.twitter.com/YuuhMbtoLa
YEAR: 2019
SIGNIFICANCE: Orioles allowed their 258th HR of the season, tying the all-time MLB record
Baseball is seeing more Home Runs than ever before, and the 2019 Baltimore Orioles pitching staff was the primary victim. The previous record for most Home Runs given up by a single pitching staff was 258, set by the 2016 Cincinnati Reds. The Orioles tied this record on August 21st in 2019 when the Royals’ Whit Merrifield hit a Home Run off pitcher Aaron Brooks. With more than a month to spare, the O’s would give up 47 more Home Runs to set the new record at 305.
Wes Ferrell, an oft overlooked star of the '30s, led the AL w 25 W as a #RedSox in '35. He won 20+ 6X in 8 yrs (2X w #Boston and 4X w #Cleveland). His @sabr bio https://t.co/KalH1582t7 #MLB @pgammo pic.twitter.com/VQx2YFvcuB
— SABR BioProject (@SABRbioproject) February 2, 2018
YEAR: 1932 & 1936
SIGNIFICANCE: Wes Ferrell became the 1st 1900s pitcher with 20 wins in 1st 4 seasons & 4 years later, pulled himself from the game
88 years ago, Cleveland Indians SP Wes Ferrell became the first pitcher in the 20th century to win 20 games in his first four seasons. Ferrell won 21 games in his rookie year, followed by 25, 22, and 23-win seasons. During those first four seasons, Ferrell went 91-48, pitched 1103.1 innings, and had a 3.57 ERA.
Four years later, now as a member of the Boston Red Sox, Ferrell walked off the mound mid-game, disgusted by his team’s defensive mishaps. Ferrel was fined $1,000 and suspended for more than a week. His reaction was punching his manager on the nose. Historically, Ferrell had problems with his temper. Back in 1934, he actually refused to come out of a game despite giving up six runs in an inning. After he was convinced to go back to the dugout, Ferrell punched himself in the jaw and mashed his head against a concrete wall.
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