Most Significant Sports History on July 4th

On this day about eight decades ago, one Yankee legend gave his iconic “Luckiest Man” speech days after his announced retirement. 41 years later, the most decorated pitcher in MLB history officially reached the 3,000 strikeout milestone. These two significant events are just a preview into some of the many memorable moments to transpire on this day in pro sports history.

Gehrig's Famous Speech

YEAR: 1939

SIGNIFICANCE: Lou Gehrig gave his “Luckiest Man” speech while the Yankees retired the 1st jersey number (4) in team history

On American Independence Day, fans also recognize the anniversary of Lou Gehrig’s iconic “Luckiest Man” speech. After learning that he will be suffering from ALS shortly, Gehrig announced that he wouldn’t have traded his MLB career or baseball experiences for anything in the world. Meanwhile, the New York Yankees retired the first jersey number in franchise history, Gehrig’s No. 4. In December of 1939, the Iron Horse was unanimously voted into Cooperstown before passing away two years later in 1941.

Nolan Ryan's 3000th K

YEAR: 1980

SIGNIFICANCE: Nolan Ryan became just the 4th pitcher ever to reach the 3,000 strikeout milestone

The most spectacular strikeout artist in MLB history officially joined the 3,000 K club on this day four decades ago against the Cincinnati Reds. Even though the Ryan Express only delivered 4.1 innings in the losing effort, his six strikeouts were enough to place him into one of the most exclusive clubs dedicated to dominating pitchers. Over his incredible 27-year career spent with four franchises, the 8x All-Star’s 324 career wins (14th all-time), 5,714 career Ks (most all-time), and seven no-hitters (most all-time) were more than enough to enshrine him in the Hall of Fame during his first year of eligibility in 1999.

Phil Niekro's 3000th K

YEAR: 1984

SIGNIFICANCE: Phil Niekro became the 9th pitcher in MLB history to strike out 3,000 batters

Just four years after Nolan Ryan accomplished the feat, SP Phil Niekro became the ninth pitcher in big league history to record 3,000 career strikeouts. It was on this day 36 years ago that the New York Yankees defeated the Texas Rangers 5-0 with Niekro’s strong, 8-inning performance. His five strikeouts were enough to allow him to unite with Nolan Ryan, Tom Seaver, Steve Carlton, and five others in the special 3,000 K club. Niekro completed the final chapter of his illustrious career by entering the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1997, 10 years after his last season.

20-Inning Duel of 1905

DID YOU KNOW? ON THIS DATE – July 4, 1905 Baseball Hall of Fame pitchers Rube Waddell (A’s) and Cy Young (Boston) matchup in 20-inning classic, A’s win 4-2 pic.twitter.com/REC6IJZ7lD
— @sailorsam56 (@Sailorsam56) July 4, 2019

YEAR: 1905

SIGNIFICANCE: The Athletics and Americans competed in 1 game that lasted 28 innings

Exactly 115 years ago today, the Philadelphia Athletics and Boston Americans played in the second game of a double-header, which ended up being one of the longest MLB games of all-time. SPs Rube Waddell (PHI) and Cy Young (BOS) each pitched for 20 innings and combined for 20 strikeouts in the A’s 4-2 victory. The Athletics’ catcher, Ossee Schreckongost also created an all-time MLB record by catching for 28 innings in a single day. Waddell and Cy Young were inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1946 and 1937, respectively.

Dave Righetti's No-Hitter

YEAR: 1983

SIGNIFICANCE: Dave Righetti pitched the 6th no-hitter in Yankee history

There have been 11 no-hitters in the history of the New York Yankees franchise. The sixth pitcher to join the list was Dave Righetti, when he destroyed the arch-rival Boston Red Sox on this date 37 years ago. In the 4-0 win, Righetti fanned nine hitters as he collected his 10th victory of the season. The most recent event to make the prestigious Yankee record book was David Cone’s perfect game against the Montreal Expos just over two decades ago in 1999.