Most Significant Sports History on July 24th

52 years ago on July 24th, one CHW pitcher passed Cy Young for the most career appearances in MLB history. Two and a half decades later, one New York Met tossed an explosive device from his car, injuring three unsuspecting people. These are some of the unforgettable events that took place on this date and have heavily shaped the sports community today.

New All-Time Record

On July 24, 1968 Chicago White Sox pitcher Hoyt Wilhelm appeared in his 907th game, breaking Cy Young’s long standing all-time record. pic.twitter.com/gmWUr20tIA
— Tminus50 (@Tminus50yrs) July 24, 2018

YEAR: 1968

SIGNIFICANCE: Hoyt Wilhelm broke the all-time record for most career pitching appearances with No. 907

There are many factors to consider when discussing the greatest hurlers ever to toe the rubber. Just to name a few: effectiveness, efficiency, consistency, and endurance are all variables that allow a pitcher to be productive in both the short and long-term. Cy Young with his 511 wins over 7,356 innings is the epitome of what every major leaguer dreams of accomplishing: sustained success.

On this day 52 years ago, P Hoyt Wilhelm threw a clean ninth inning performance, giving his White Sox offense the chance to break out of their funk (only four hits through first eight innings). Even though Wilhelm and the Sox wound up losing to the A’s, his ninth-inning outing had more weight than the defeat itself. The appearance was the 907th of his long-lasting career, breaking the all-time record previously set by Cy Young. While Wilhelm (143 victories) did not receive nearly as many W’s as the legends who come to mind, each and every time he was on the mound, he was giving his team the opportunity to take control of the game.

Mets OF Injures 3 Fans

July 24, 1993: Following a game at Dodger Stadium, @Mets OF Vince Coleman tosses an M-80 from a car, injuring three fans in the parking lot, including an 11 year-old boy and a two year-old girl: https://t.co/Fs79ubVAfl #MetsRewind pic.twitter.com/61jK4W9sNu
— Mets Rewind (@metsrewind) July 24, 2019

YEAR: 1993

SIGNIFICANCE: NYM’s Vince Coleman injured three people following the game in Los Angeles

23-year-old Vince Coleman made his MLB debut with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1985. He may not have been an elite hitter or slugger, but he was a superior base-stealer. In each of his first three seasons (with STL), Coleman posted 100+ SBs, instantly joining the ranks of the best and fastest baserunners (currently sixth all-time). However, the public’s perspective of him did a complete 180, exactly 27 years ago today.

After going 1-for-5 in the Mets’ victory over the Dodgers, Coleman was caught throwing an M-80 firecracker from his car in the stadium’s parking lot. The explosion directly injured three people, including a 2-year-old girl named Amanda Santos. The device was said to be “equivalent of more than one-quarter of a stick of dynamite“, resulting in a felony charge for the NYM outfielder. Coleman served the max-sentence of three years in jail.

STL Acquires Holliday

#TraditionMeetsToday
July 24, 2009
Cardinals acquire Matt Holliday from the A’s
He gets 4 hits, a RBI, & steals a base in his debut with STL pic.twitter.com/6QJkmiRu3q
— #TeamSTL (@Team_STL) July 24, 2017

YEAR: 2009

SIGNIFICANCE: The Cardinals acquired OF Matt Holliday, who’d play a big role in the team’s 2011 World Series victory

Another All-Star who was selected out of an MLB June Amateur Draft was OF Matt Holliday. It took him six years to reach the Show, but he took the time to improve his contact swing and enhance his plate discipline. By his third season in 2006, Holliday developed into a premier, middle-of-the-order slugger with the Rockies, collecting 196 hits, 34 HRs, 114 RBIs, and 47 walks with a .326 batting average. He also won the NLCS MVP award in the following campaign.

Two years later, Holliday found himself moving to St. Louis. In exchange for three Oakland prospects that never panned out, the Cardinals acquired the future 4x Silver Slugger, who would play a substantial part in the team’s WS run in 2011. To perfectly wrap up a respectable career, Holliday signed back with Colorado on a 1y/$545K deal for the 2018 season.

Cavs Extend Kevin Love

YEAR: 2018

SIGNIFICANCE: The Cavaliers extended PF Kevin Love to a 4-year deal

The 2008 NBA Draft brought many new future studs into the Association. Following his UCLA teammate PG Russell Westbrook who was drafted fourth overall by the Sonics/Thunder, PF Kevin Love was taken fifth by the Memphis Grizzlies. Immediately after the draft’s conclusion, the Grizzlies agreed to send Love (and three players) to the Timberwolves in return for O.J. Mayo (third overall), Marko Jaric, and Greg Buckner.

Fast-forward six years later, the Wolves opted to send Love to the Cavs for Andrew Wiggins (first overall pick in 2014). Love, who has always been a double-double threat every time he stepped onto the court, perfectly rounded out the starting-five that already featured LeBron James and Kyrie Irving. Now as the leader of the Cleveland franchise, Love made the Cavaliers his home by signing a 4y/$120M extension two years ago today, that now looks like one of the worst contracts in the league. However, because he can be a trade asset, the Cavs can still squander value from the nine-figure investment instead of letting him walk for nothing like LeBron did just three weeks before this.

NYY Land Zack Britton

YEAR: 2018

SIGNIFICANCE: The Orioles sent RP Zack Britton to the Yankees for 3 pitching prospects

Drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 2006 MLB June Amateur Draft, third-rounder Zack Britton entered the league as a starting pitcher (11-11, 4.61 ERA over 154 IPs in his rookie campaign). By 2014, Britton became Baltimore’s brightest bullpen piece, logging 37 saves that year. He was on his way to recording his fourth consecutive season with 30+ saves but was sidelined for the second half of 2017 due to a forearm injury.

Two years ago, the Orioles front office decided to trade the 2x All-Star to the Yankees for three prospects: RP Dillon Tate, SP Josh Rogers, and RP Cody Carroll. Since Britton first donned the NYY uniform, he’s been a remarkable asset to New York’s relief corps. After compiling 74 Ks over 86.1 IPs with a 2.19 ERA in his first two campaigns, Britton will look to continue his success this season as a member of the heavily-favored World Series contender.