This Date in Baseball

[Benjamin Grimm]

The Daily News devoted about seven inches of column space today to their THIS DATE IN BASEBALL feature.

This one item was a little intriguing:

1946 - In a reverse integration role, Edward Klep became the first white to play in the Negro leagues in a game played in Grand Rapids. Klep pitched seven innings for the Cleveland Buckeyes against the American Giants in his debut with the Negro American League team.

Also, in 1916 Christy Mathewson beats the Braves as the Giants get their 17th consecutive road win. In 1922, the U. S. Supreme Court rules that baseball is a spot and not a business (hah!). 1928, Bill Terry becomes the first player to hit for the cycle and hit a grand slam in the same game. 1956, Dale Long goes hitless, ending a streak of eight games in a row with a home run. 1976, Joe Niekro hits his only big-league home run, and it comes off his brother Phil as the Astros beat the Braves. 1990, Rickey Henderson breaks Ty Cobb's AL stolen base record. 2010, Roy Halliday throws a perfect game for the Phillies.

[Edgy MD]

Pioneer executive Rube Foster was planning on bringing white players into the Negro National League at the time of his untimely demise in 1930. I think that would have been brilliant.