The history of baseball goes back around 180 years. From the early days of Major League Baseball (MLB) to the present time, baseball has had many memorable moments, legendary games, and fantastic players. We’d like to walk you through some remarkable events and records to honor the players who made them possible. So sit back and join our journey through the best moments in MLB history.
The Color Barrier is Broken by Jackie Robinson
Branch Rickey is known for helping to introduce the batting helmet and developing the first farm system. But what made him famous is his co-venture with Jackie Robinson, a young Negro League infielder. After playing in the minor leagues, Jackie joined the Brooklyn Dodgers and entered the major leagues in 1947. As one of his first acts as the Dodgers’ president, Rickey signed Robinson as an infielder.
In this regard, the Giants manager, Chuck Dressen, said: “Give me five players like Jackie Robinson and a pitcher and I’ll beat any nine-man team in baseball.”
The Most Remarkable Shot
Probably, the most unforgettable highlight is the Shot Heard ‘Round the World. After all, something must be quite outstanding to deserve such a moniker. We are referring to Game 3 of a three-game playoff for the pennant between the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants in the tie-breaker series of 1951.
The score was 4-1 in favor of the Dodgers during the bottom of the ninth inning. Their pitcher, Ralph Branca, faced Giants’ third baseman Bobby Thomson with one out down 4-2. Bobby Thomson hit a three-run homer that sealed the win in Game 3. The Giants won.
No wonder that this Dodgers-Giants game has been considered one of the most fabulous in MLB history. While it’s impossible to accurately predict such a scenario, https://gg.bet/sports/tournament/mlb offers hundreds of other outcomes to benefit from during this MLB season.
The Called Shot
Game 3 of the 1932 World Series between the Cubs and Yankees was held in Chicago. The score was 4-4. Insults were pouring from the Cubs’ dugout. Yankees’ slugger George Herman Ruth Jr., also known as Babe Ruth, heard them. When Charlie Root’s pitch set the count at 2-2, Babe Ruth made an emotional gesture. He held out two fingers. Nobody knows what he wanted to say. Then Babe Ruth hit Root’s next pitch out of the park. The ball swooshed past the centerfield scoreboard, giving birth to the story of the Called Shot. Even 80 years later, fans and sports historians still debate what Ruth did. Did Bambino call his shot?
How Babe Ruth’s Record was broken
Babe Ruth hit his last 714th home run on May 25, 1935. Many in the sports world were sure this record would never be broken. Babe still was considered the home run king of all time after four decades.
It happened on April 8, 1974. The Braves played against the Dodgers in Atlanta. Hank Aaron’s opposing starter was Al Downing. Aaron drew a base on balls leading off the bottom of the 2nd inning. Over 50,000 people at Fulton County Stadium were agitated. Hank scored on a 2B by Dusty Baker. It gave the Braves a one-point advantage. The Dodgers led 3-1 in the top of the third inning.
In the fourth inning, Darrell Evans reached first base due to a defensive error by the shortstop Bill Russell. He was out due to the error. Aaron hit a 1-0 pitch from Downing over the left-centerfield wall to tie the game, surpassing Ruth’s record.
Baseball’s Greatest Streak
86 years ago, on April 30, Lou Gehrig played his 2,130th consecutive game for the Yankees in the major leagues. Two days later, he was benched due to the slump caused by his mysterious neuromuscular disease. Even though his body was weak, he kept playing. Why? Because he was “the Iron Horse.” The US Postal Service even issued a stamp in honor of Lou Gehrig.
Cal Ripken’s Consecutive Games Record
Cal Ripken Jr. surpassed the record of Lou Gehrig. His 2,131st consecutive game was played on September 6, 1995. Ripken even earned the nickname “Iron Man” due to this achievement.
That night, Ripken not only eclipsed the record of Lou Gehrig but also provided a powerful message to the baseball world: nothing is impossible. Cal “Iron Man” Ripken kept playing until 1998. His record is 2,632 games.