On September 28, 1941, the last day of Major League Baseball’s
regular season, the Boston Red Sox’s Ted Williams got six hits
in eight at-bats during a doubleheader in Philadelphia, boosting
his average to .406. He becomes the first player since 1930 to hit
.400. "I guess I’ll be satisfied with that thrill out there today," he
tells the Boston Globe about hitting .400. "… I never wanted
anything harder in my life."
ROSS SIMPSON
On this day in 1871, The Great Chicago Fire began in southwest
Chicago, possibly in a barn owned by Patrick and Katherine O’Leary,
was fanned by strong southwesterly winds, the flames rage for more
than 24 hours, eventually leveling three and a half square miles and
wiping out one-third of the city. Approximately 250 people were
killed in the fire; 98,500 people are left homeless; 17,450 buildings
were destroyed. Parts of the upper Midwest were also scorched.
Donald James Larsen (New York Yankees) pitched the first perfect
game in the history of the World Series on this day in 1956.
New York Yankees catcher Yogi Berra leaping into the
arms of pitcher Don Larsen after the completion of his
perfect game.
Don James Larsen turned 89 August 7.
New York Yankees’ Don Larsen (above) sits in the dugout at the
Yankees Old Timers’ Day baseball game Sunday, June 17, 2018,
at Yankee Stadium in New York.
Koufax’s total of 18 strikeouts in the game broke Dizzy Dean’s 26-
year-old National League record, and tied the major league record
held by Cleveland Indian ace Bob Feller.
SANDY KOZEL
Martin Luther (Michael) King Jr. (January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968)
William Henry Harrison Sr. (February 9, 1773 – April 4, 1841)
Harrison died of complications from pneumonia 31 days into his term,
serving the shortest tenure in United States presidential history. He
was the first president to die in office.
It was on this day in 1974.
Henry Louis "Hank" Aaron turned 83 in February.
Charles Linwood "Buck" Williams was born
in Rocky Mount, North Carolina.
On June 24, 1989, the Nets traded Buck Williams to
the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for Sam Bowie
and a draft pick. During his stay with the Blazers, Buck
became an assistant coach. He spent seven seasons
with the Trail Blazers where he remains the franchise
leader in field goal percentage (55.0%). He then went
to the New York Knicks in 1996 and announced his
retirement from the NBA in 1999.
