Here’s part two of the 1st week of July series. It just seems that so many interesting things happen to the Reds during this time. Once again, research taken from “Day by Day in Reds History†by Floyd Conner and John Snyder and “Redleg Journal†by Greg Rhodes and John Snyder.
July 3…1967…a brawl erupts between the Cardinals as Bob Gibson brushes back Tony Perez with a pitch. Perez flied out and said something to Gibson on the way back to the dugout. Both benches emptied, and just as peace was restored, Reds’ reliever Bob Lee (6-3, 230 lbs) came flying into action and vicious fights broke out all over the field. Lee’s nicknames were “Moose” and “Horse.” St. Louis policemen armed with billy clubs had to stop the onfield battle. More than a dozen Reds players had to be treated for cuts and bruises.
July 4…..1929….Yet another Reds fight, this time between Reds pitcher Ray Kolp and all-time single season RBI record holder Cub Hack Wilson. Kolp, nicknamed “Jockey†for his ability to insult opponents, had been mercilessly riding the ill-shaped, heavy drinking Wilson. Wilson snapped after a single and punched Kolp in the jaw. Wilson had not called time out and Reds’ third baseman Chuck Dressen tagged Wilson out during the fight. Later that evening, Wilson battled Reds’ star pitcher Pete Donohue at the train station after Donohue commented on Wilson’s in game behavior.
July 4, 1998…The Reds trade reliever Jeff Shaw to the Dodgers for Dennys Reyes and Paul Konerko. Shaw was the only Red selected to the all-star game and made his debut appearance as a Dodger in the all-star game. The Reds’ did get all-star representation when Bret Boone was selected to replace an injured Sammy Sosa.
July 5, 1892…Reds star pitcher Tony Mullane, leading the National League with 20 victories at the time, sulks through a 7-1 loss to Philadelphia a day after getting a pay cut. He is suspended for his performance and quits the team and exiles himself to the the Montana State League to finish the season. Having fought off the Players’ League that surved only one year, the nine American Association teams and eight National League teams merged in the offseason, to form a 12-team National League. This led to a glut of available players and nearly destroyed the offenses as pitchers dominated. This glut of available players made it a buyer’s market and teams began slashing payrolls. Mullane is the only major league pitcher to win 200 or more games (202) in major leagues outside of the National and American Leagues. He won 284 games major league games overall.
July 5….1915…Heinie Groh hits for the cycle in a 12-7 win over the Cubs in Chicago.
July 5….1955…Reds’ manager Birdie Tebbets gets into a fist fight with Cardinal manager Harry Walker after an argument at homeplate. Tebbets was complaining about Walker’s stall tactics when Walker came to homeplate to join the discussion. Tebbets stepped around the umpire and began punching Walker, with both managers wrestling each other to the ground. Both benches emptied and both managers were ejected. The Reds won on a Johnny Temple single, 5-4. I’m not really certain who’s nickname was better….Harry the Hat Walker or George “Birdie” Tebbets.
July 5….1970…Reds rookie sensation Wayne Simpson wins his 10th straight decision. The win gives him (and his career) a 13-1 record. However, Simpson, only 21, has pitched so much in the minors in 1969, winter ball, and in 1970, he blows out his arm. He finished 1970 with a 14-3 record, and leads the league only allowing 6.4 hits per 9 innings. He completes 10 games, including two shutouts. He finishes his career with 36 wins in six seasons.
July 5…1980…Bruce Berenyi starts his first big league game and promptly allows six first inning runs, getting only one out. Mario Soto saves the day by pitching 8 2/3 shut out, three-hit baseball as the Reds came back to beat the Astros, 8-6.
July 5….1989….Rightfielder Paul O’Neill punts the baseball to 1st baseman Todd Benzinger after bobbling the ball several times with the winning run on base. Phillies runner Steve Jeltz was so startled that held up at third base, but later scored the winning run on a passed ball.
Additional information was taken from “This Day in Baseball” by David Nemec and Scott Flatow, and “The Great Encyclopedia of 19th Century Major League Baseball” by David Nemec.