Part three of early July history…this will get the Reds up through July 10th….thanks again to the books “Day by Day in Reds History†by Floyd Conner and John Snyder and “Redleg Journal†by Greg Rhodes and John Snyder.
July 6…1883….The Reds crush Baltimore, 23-0 as Will White hurls a four-hitter. White goes 43-22 with a 2.09 ERA, including six shutouts, 577 innings, and 64 complete games in 64 starts.
July 6…1918…Reds’ pitcher Pete Schneider walks 13, but only allows one hit in eight plus innings in a 10-9 win over the Phillies. Schneider had a 10-0 lead entering the ninth inning before walking the first six batters of the inning forcing in three runs. Relievers allowed six more runs before the Reds hung on to win.
July 6….1949….Reds’ catcher Walker Cooper has the greatest offensive game in Reds’ history in a 23-4 win over the Cubs. Walker had 10 RBI, five runs scored, and 15 total bases on three home runs and three singles. Perennial all-star catcher Cooper only played 97 games for the Reds, who traded him early in 1950 for second baseman Connie Ryan. Cooper had only been with the Reds for about a month before unloading on the Cubs.
July 7….1914…In one of the worst Reds’ scouting and player decisions of all-time, the Reds purchased outfielder George Twombly and shortstop Claud Derrick from Baltimore of the International League. The Reds had an agreement with the Baltimore team to choose any two players from their team, and they somehow overlooked the greatest baseball player of all time, Babe Ruth. Ruth was purchased later that year by the Red Sox and made his big league debut. So, the Reds passed on both Ruth and Christy Mathewson within a 13 year period. Derrick had 87 previous games of major league experience as a middle infielder. He played three games for the Reds. Twombly played 150 major league games for his career, finishing with a .211 batting average and precisely 714 home runs fewer than the Babe. Twombly had none.
July 7…1974….Light hitting shortstop Darrel Chaney hits a grand slam home run in an 11-2 win over the Cardinals. Chaney was so thrilled, he wired a tape recording of Marty Brennaman’s home run call to his doorbell.
July 7….1993….Reds starting pitcher Tom Browning leaves the dugout in uniform and makes a rooftop visit across the street from Chicago’s Wrigley Field. He’s captured on camera by Chicago’s WGN television crew.
July 8…1985…Marge Schott becomes president and CEO of the Cincinnati Reds. Marge and her eccentric ways come under fire in future seasons.
July 8…1989…Yet another brawl story, this time with the Mets at Shea Stadium. Reds reliever Rob Dibble drilled Tim Teufel in the back and Teufel charged the mound. After being separated, they continued with the insults and started fighting again. Meanwhile, reliever Norm Charlton started battling Juan Samuel, who nearly came to blows again after the game in the hallway between the clubhouses.
July 9….2000…Ken Griffey, Jr., has one of his greatest days as a Red, driving in eight runs on two homers, a double, and a single as the Reds beat the Indians, 14-5.
July 10….1970….One more light hitting shortstop moment: Woody Woodward hit his only career home run in a 11-9 win over the Braves. Woodward’s homer came in his 684th major league game. Woodward played 880 major league games. It was a big day for light hitting Reds….reserve catcher Pat Corrales also homered in the game, slamming a two-run shot that went over the fence after glancing off Hall of Famer Hank Aaron’s glove. Corrales hit four career home runs. For the record…this will be one of the precious few places you will see Woodward’s and Corrales’s names listed in a paragraph about home runs alongside of home run king, Hank Aaron.