Tom Zachary's Spotless Summer
A pitcher who never lost, an organist who said goodbye, a lead that almost wasn't enough, and three outs on a single swing.
Ed. 09.24.26
Tom Zachary's Spotless Summer (1929)
Tom Zachary is best remembered for one pitch in 1927, the one that became the most famous 60th home run ever hit. Two years later he was pitching for the Yankees, and on this day he beat the Red Sox 5-3 to run his record to 12-0. He never lost a decision all season. No American or National League pitcher has won more games in an unbeaten year. The trivia answer deserves a better question.
Last Call at Ebbets Field (1957)
The Brooklyn Dodgers played their final game at Ebbets Field on this night, and lefty Danny McDevitt sent them out winners with a 2-0 shutout of the Pirates. The move to Los Angeles wasn't official yet, so the goodbye was left to organist Gladys Goodding. After the Dodgers' second run she played "Don't Ask Me Why I'm Leaving," and as fans filed out she closed with "Auld Lang Syne." Two weeks later, the team made it official.
The Hawk Takes Flight at Wrigley (1985)
Before he ever wore a Cubs uniform, Andre Dawson did serious damage at Wrigley Field. He hit three home runs, two of them in a 12-run Expos fifth, the second two-homer inning of his career. It looked like a laugher. The Cubs kept coming, and Montreal had to hang on for a 17-15 win. The Expos needed every one of those homers.
Three Outs, One Swing (2024)
The Padres led 4-1 in the ninth at Dodger Stadium before three straight singles made it 4-2 and put the tying runs on base with nobody out. Shohei Ohtani waited on deck. Miguel Rojas, who had squared to bunt earlier in the at-bat, smashed a grounder to Manny Machado, who stepped on third and fired around the horn to Jake Cronenworth and Donovan Solano. Game over, and San Diego became the first team ever to clinch a playoff spot with a game-ending triple play. Sixty-seven years after Brooklyn's quiet goodbye, it was the visitors celebrating in the Dodgers' house.
