TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY JULY 31

2005  Bengi and Jose Melina each hit a HR off Randy Johnson

2005  Ryne Sandberg and Wade Boggs inducted into the Hall of Fame

2004  Ichuro Suzuki gets his 50^th hit of the month – 1^st player since Joe Medwick (1936) to have two 50 hits months in the same season – 1^st player since Pete Rose to have three 50 hit months in a career

2004  The Red Sox trade Nomar Garciaparra to the Cubs

1999  Barry Bonds hits a HR in his first two at bats for the second day in a row

1998  Chicago’s Albert Belle hits his 16^th HR of the month – MLB record for July

1998  Losing by 9 runs to Oakland in the 8^th, Cleveland sends outfielder Mark Whiten in to pitch – gave up a double, hit by a pitch, and 2 walks, but struck out 3 batters – only player in MLB history with at least one inning pitched to get every out with a strike

1997  Oakland trades Mark McGwire to St. Louis

1997  Red Sox trade for Jason Vatriek and Derek Lowe

1994  Giants Matt Williams hits his 40^th HR of the year – NL mark for HRs through July – MLB record is 41 (Ruth in 1928 and Jimmie Foxx in 1932)

1994  Steve Carlton, Leo Durocher, and Phil Rizzuto inducted into the Hall of Fame

1988  Jose Canseco becomes the first player to have 30 or more HRs in his first three seasons in the league

1987  Eddie Murray hits his 300^th HR – ends with 504

1983  Brooks Robinson, Juan Marichal, and Walter Alston are inducted into the Hall of Fame

1981  50 days after the strike began, MLB players and owners reach an agreement

1978  Pete Rose ties Willie Keeler’s 81 year old record of hitting in 44 consecutive games

1972  Chicago’s Dick Allen hits 2 inside the park HRs in the game – 1^st since 1950 and only the 7^th in MLB history