S-O-M 1961

Just a few random notes from Osteen's no-no of 4/20/65: -The no-hitter would've fallen between Sandy Koufax's 3rd and 4th no-hitters, the 4th coming later in 1965. -Osteen's opponent this night on the Mets knew a little something about no-hitters himself: Warren Spahn. -According to baseball-reference.com, Dick Tracewski was the starting shortstop for the Dodgers that night, not Maury Wills. Tracewski led off the game with a triple, scoring on Wes Parker's sac fly, the first of 2 RBI's that night. irl, "Trixie" had no triples in 1965. - The no-no came on the actual night of the Dodger home opener.  -He may have gotten a congratulatory phone call from a well-known celeb that night, the celeb of whom he got the nickname "Gomer" from: Jim Nabors. GOLL-EE!!!  

AL: BOS 5-5-0 WSH 0-3-0 Dave Morehead 9 IP, 0 runs, 3 hits, "15" strikeouts.   NL: LAD 2-9-0 NYM 0-0-1 WP-Osteen (2-0) LP-Spahn (0-1) PHI 11-16-0 HOU 1-8-1 WP-Herbert (1-0) LP-Johnson (0-1) Dick Allen 2 singles, 2 doubles, Dick Stuart 3-run homer. PIT 7-8-1 SFG 4-8-1 WP-Friend (1-1) LP-Bolin (0-2) Clemente 3-run homer.

Vin Scully: "You can cut the tension with a knife, Claude Osteen 3 outs away from a no-hitter, three obstacles remaining in Chris Cannizzaro, a pinch-hitter for (Larry)Bearnarth   and Cleon Jones. Here's Cannizzaro, lined to 2nd, popped to short. The lone blemish for Osteen, a lead-off walk to Bobby Klaus in the 3rd, 17 in a row since retired. The wind and the pitch to Cannizzaro, ground ball to Lefebvre at 2nd, routine throw to Parker, one out, 2 to go. If you were to go inside the mind of Osteen for one moment, you would see that he is probably having a hard time trying to grasp the importance of this very moment, a moment which also belongs right now to pinch-hitter Ron Swoboda, batting for Bearnarth." "One out, nobody on, 18 in a row retired by Osteen with nary a hit off a Met bat. 2-0 Dodgers, 36,161 fans nervously viewing these proceedings. A very loud 36,161 you can find only in this moment, 2 outs from no-hit glory. Osteen at the wind, the pitch to Swoboda, g...

Three games in each league on this day: AL: CWS 5-8-0 BAL 0-3-1 WP-John (1-0, also hit a solo homer) LP-Pappas (1-1) John 9 strikeouts. NYY 11-14-0 KCA 3-9-2 WP-Ford (2-0) LP-Segui (0-2) Bobby Richardson, 3 singles, 4 RBI. LAA 4-8-1 DET 1-5-0 WP-Lopez (2-0) LP-Lolich (1-1) Lopez CG. NL: CIN 5-8-1 MIL 1-4-1 WP-Maloney (1-0) LP-Blasingame (1-1) Maloney CG. HOU 8-12-0 PHI 4-10-1 (10 INNINGS) WP-Farrell (1-1) LP-Baldschun (0-1) SV-Woodeshick (2) Jimmy Wynn 3-4, 4 RBI, Joe Morgan lead-off homer. CHC 3-15-3 STL 2-3-0 WP-Ellsworth (2-0) LP-Sadecki (0-2) SV-Abernathy (2) Billy Williams homer, double  ,   3 RBI. 

But they're still "Amazin" G1: SFG 4-10-2 NYM 2-7-0 WP-Linzy (1-0) LP-Jackson (1-1) Willie Mays, go-ahead homer in top of the 8th. G2: SFG 6-8-3 NYM 4-7-0 WP-Perry (1-1) LP-Kroll (0-1) SV-Shaw (1) Ed Bailey, 3-run homer in top of the 3rd. Mets' record: 4-2. Pops is Tops: G1: PIT 2-8-0 HOU 1-6-0 WP-Law (1-1) LP-Bruce (0-1) Willie Stargell, solo homer in 4th. G2: PIT 7-11-1 HOU 2-5-2 WP-Cardwell (1-0) LP-Larsen (0-1) Stargell, Clemente, back-to-back solo homers in 4th. Jimmy Wynn, 2 solo homers for Astros. Koufax Kollapse: PHI 5-10-1 LAD 4-8-1(10 innings) WP-Roebuck (1-1) Koufax (0-1) Alex Johnson, GW 2-run homer in bottom of 10th. Sandy Koufax, 9+ IP, 7 strikeouts, intentional walk, 2 HBP. Bo Belinsky, 7 IP, 8 strikeouts, 3 walks. Braves Batter Bruins: MIL 17-20-1 CHC 1-5-2 WP-Lemaster (1-1) LP-Buhl (0-2) Joe Torre, Mack Jones 4 hits apiece, Jones 2 HR's. Braves lead NL with 4-1 record. CIN 5-10-3 STL 1-7-0 WP-Ellis (2-0) LP-Simmons (1-1) Pete Rose, Frank Robinson ...

FLUSHING, NEW YORK (AP)-April 18 The New York Mets unbeaten string to start the season ended this afternoon when Willie Mays' 2-run homer in the top of the 8th gave the San Francisco   Giants a 3-2 lead en route to a 4-2 victory in the 1st game of a double-header at Shea Stadium. Mays' homer came after Hal Lanier tripled home pinch-runner Matty Alou with the Giants first run off starter Al Jackson. With first base open, manager Casey Stengel chose to pitch to Mays rather than walk him, because he said "I think if you have to lose your first game, you lose to the best there is. Infield was in, you take your chance, we still had 2 more after this, then you can start a new streak. I'm still proud of my boys."  Ed Kranepool, the hero of the 13-inning win on Saturday, went 4-4 with a 2-run homer, but the Mets could not muster a late rally against Giant reliever Frank Linzy, who got the win in relief of starter Jack Sanford. (AP)-April 18 Giants win nightcap from the Me...

  A Mighty Fine "Brew" MIN 7-11-0 CLE 6-11-2 WP-Boswell (1-0) LP-Terry (1-1) SV-Worthington (1) Killebrew 3 homers, 6 RBI's. Overall, 4 homers, 11 RBI's. Cleveland pitcher Ralph Terry has homered in his first 2 starts. Blair-ed in Boston: BAL 8-12-1 BOS 5-11-2 WP-Bunker (1-0) LP-Wilson (0-2) SV-Miller (1) Paul Blair, 2 solo homers, including lead-off homer. Brooks Robinson HBP, out 10 games for Birds. G1: WSH 6-12-1 CWS 4-7-2 WP-Kruetzer (1-0) LP-Peters (1-1) SV-Kline (1) Hamlin 4-for-4 for Sens, scored 3 runs in 1st, 3 more in 2nd. G2: The Moose was Loose! CWS 2-3-0 WSH 1-5-0 WP-Horlen (1-0) LP-Richert (0-1) Moose Skowron, 2-run homer in 6th.  KCA 5-7-2 NYY 2-3-1 WP-Talbot (1-1) LP-Bouton (0-2) Bert Campaneris, single, double, sac fly, 3 RBI DET 4-13-0 LAA 2-6-0(12 INNINGS) WP-Gladding (1-0) LP-Sukla (0-1) SV-Fox (1) Dick McAuliffe, go-ahead single in top of the 12th. Denny McLain, 12 K's in 9 IP.

  "Bring the kiddies, bring the wife": NYM 5-10-1 SFG 4-12-1(13 innings) WP-Lary (1-0) LP-Bolin (0-1) Ed Kranepool's 2nd homer of the game in the 13th extends the Mets red-hot streak to 4-0. Ron Swoboda forced extra innings with a solo homer off Juan Marichal with 1 out in the 9th. Yes, I said the Mets are 4-0. Meanwhile, in St. Louis: STL 3-7-0 CIN 2-6-1 WP-Gibson (1-1) LP-O'Toole (0-2) Bill White hit his 4th and 5th home runs accounting for all 3 Redbird runs, while Bob Gibson struck out 11 Redlegs and sweated out a one-out throw home from Lou Brock to tag out Chico Ruiz with 2 out in the 9th. White is currently batting .632(12/19) with 5 home runs and 10 RBI.  Astros Wynn in 10: HOU 4-11-1 PIT 3-11-1(10 innings WP-Woodeshick (1-0) LP-McBean (0-2) SV-Raymond (1) Jimmy Wynn's go-ahead single scores John Bateman with go-ahead/winning run in the top of the 10th. Denis, anyone? MIL 7-10-3 CHC 4-8-0 WP-Cloninger (2-0) LP-Jackson (1-1) Braves shortstop Menke slugged h...

Thriller at Fenway: BOS 6-8-1 BAL 5-12-1 WP-Radatz   (1-0) LP-Roberts (0-1) Sox rally from 5-2 with late barrage of homers. Tillman 2-run homer in 6th, Green solo homer in 7th, Tony Horton go-ahead homer off Roberts in 8th. Not Brooks, Not Frank: CWS 7-9-1 WSH 1-4-1 WP-Howard (1-0) LP-Ortega (0-1) Floyd Robinson, 2 homers/4 RBI to pace ChiSox. The Mark of Zoilo: MIN 6-7-0 CLE 2-7-2 WP-Kaat (1-0) LP-Tiant (0-1) Zoilo Versalles, lead-off homer, double/single, 2 RBI. Harmon Killebrew 3-run homer. First win for the mule: KCA 7-7-2 NYY 3-8-2 WP-Pena (1-0) LP-Downing (0-1) SV-Aker (1) Mathews, Causey 3-run homers to pace A's. What, me homer? LAA 7-11-2 DET 3-8-0 WP-Newman (1-1) LP-Regan (0-1) SV-Lee (1) Fred Newman 2-run homer, 8-1/3 IP/2 ER. Bobby Knoop, Willie Smith 2-run triples. HR TRACKER: Floyd Robinson led all sluggers with 2 homers, while KC got their message across with 2 3-run bombs by Nelson Mathews and Wayne Causey to score their 1st victory of the season. The Red Sox slugged...

Floyd Robinson, through 15 at bats and 4 games: 6-for-15, 4 home runs, 7 runs batted in. Top that, Brooks and Frank!  

NL: NYM 2-6-1 HOU 1-7-1 WP-Fisher LP-Johnson Mets rally for 2 runs in 8th, Christopher with go-ahead double. The Mets lead the NL with 3-0 record.  MIL 7-13-0 CHC 1-10-2 WP-Sadowski LP-Koonce Mathews, Jones slug 2-run homers in 1st. Braves are 2-1. CIN 9-16-1 STL 3-7-1 WP-Tsitouris LP-Purkey SV-Arrigo Pete Rose goes 4-6, Pinson, Robinson slug homers for Reds. Pinson drove in 4 runs.  HR TRACKER: Bill White hit his 2nd and 3rd home runs for the Cards and is batting .667 (10-15) Joe Torre and Mack Jones both hit their 2nd home runs for Milwaukee.  AL: DET 8-15-1 MIN 6-11-2 WP-Wickersham LP-Pascual SV-Sherry (2) Don Wert 4-5, homer/5 RBI's. Dick McAuliffe, lead-off homer for Detroit.   CWS 4-9-1 WSH 3-9-3 WP-Wilhelm LP-Kline Johnny Romano walk-off single for Chisox in 9th.  CLE 5-9-1 KCA 1-2-3 WP-McDowell LP-O'Donoghue McDowell 14 strikeouts, no-hitter for 7.2 innings before Ken Harrelson broke it up in 8th. LAA 3-13-1 NYY 0-8-1 WP-M. Lopez LP-Stottlemyre Lopez CG,...

  AL: WSH 7-6-0 BOS 3-8-1 WP-Narum LP-Wilson Howard/Lock/Kirkland HR's BAL 3-8-0 CWS 1-7-0 WP-Pappas LP-Horlen Jerry Adair 3-3 with a double. NYY 3-9-0 LAA 0-4-1 WP-Ford LP-Chance Ford CG 4-hitter, 6 K's. AL HR Tracker: Howard, Kirkland, Lock (WSH), Mantilla (BOS), Fl. Robinson (CWS)  Dis-honorable Mention: Yankees with 2 certain players whose last names start with "M" on the IL. NL: NYM 4-12-2 HOU 3-10-"6" WP-McGraw LP-Owens Mets score 2 in the 9th to tie, 1 in the 10th to win. (Chuck Hiller double with none out scoring Charley Smith).  CHC 6-11-0 STL 5-6-0 WP-Ellsworth LP-Sadecki SV-Abernathy Cubs score 5 in the 5th, 2 on Doug Clemens's double. The "Stunning" part of 4/14: PHI 7-13-0 SFG 2-4-0 WP-Bunning LP-Perry Jim Bunning, CG 4-hitter, 9 strikeouts, 3-4 with a solo homer. Dick Stuart, 2 solo homers. PIT 8-12-0 LAD 2-10-0 WP-Gibbon LP-Osteen Jim Pagliaroni 3-run homer. NL HR Tracker: Dick Stuart (2) Cookie Rojas, Tony Gonzalez, Jim Bunning ...