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Even though the unofficial start to summer is Memorial Day Weekend, it always feels like summer doesn’t really begin until we get to enjoy Fourth of July celebrations. Well, Independence Day is upon us, which means that millions of people across the country will be celebrating with barbeques, parties, trips to the beach and much more.
Others will enjoy fireworks following baseball games on Friday and Saturday night across this great nation. Notice we lumped fireworks and baseball together in that last sentence. We have celebrated Independence Day for years by watching beautiful fireworks displays from coast to coast, some of which come after professional baseball games.
Independence Day and baseball are the staples of America, which is why they have always seemed to go hand-in-hand since the game first began.
Every year for the past couple of years, all 30 Major League teams have worn special caps during their 4th of July games, called the Stars & Stripes Collection. The hats feature a different design each year with the respective team’s logo in the middle. Teams host groups of Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and National Guard veterans each year to sing the National Anthem, present the colors and enjoy the games.
So many people forget what the 4th of July is all about; celebrating the birth of our great nation, while also honoring those who have sacrificed everything for our country and still do today.
Baseball has become somewhat of a catharsis for this country in trying times. In recent memory, baseball stopped for a prolonged period as the country recovered from the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. When baseball returned, shows of patriotism were everywhere. Flags donned every fans’ shirt or hat and stadiums full of thousands of people chanted USA, USA, USA during National Anthem and God Bless America performances.
Baseball helped Boston heal following the bombing of the Boston Marathon in 2013 and the sport will continue to help this country heal in difficult times. It will also always be there when we want to celebrate this great nation and enjoy time with family and friends.
Independence Day and baseball really do go hand-in-hand with each other and one cannot help but wonder what this year’s games will have in store for the millions of fans across the country. We know there will be fireworks in the sky, but what type of fireworks will be on the fields?
As part of this column, we will look back at some of the best moments in baseball from games played on July 4.
Post-Game Fireworks Display Occurs at 4a.m.
In a game played on July 4, 1985, the Mets and Braves played 19 innings to finish a 16-13 Mets victory. Some 10,000 fans stayed for the entirety of the game who then got to watch the fireworks at 4a.m. the next morning. Keith Hernandez hit for the cycle, even though it took 10 at-bats for him to do so.
Dave Righetti Throws a No-No
On July 4, 1983, Yankees pitcher Dave Righetti no-hit the rival Boston Red Sox. It was the first no-hitter thrown by a Yankees pitcher since the perfect game thrown by Don Larsen in the 1956 World Series.
Jim Tabor Hits Two Grand Slams
On July 4, 1939, Red Sox player Jim Tabor hit two grand slams in one day. You will see that date a little later in this post. Tabor hit his grand slams in the 4th and 6th innings of the nightcap of a doubleheader against the Philadelphia Athletics. The second grand slam was an inside-the-park home run.
35 Runs on 43 Hits at Coors Field
On July 4, 2008, the Colorado Rockies beat the then-Florida Marlins by a score of 18-17 at Coors Field. The two teams combined for 35 runs on 43 hits. At one point, Colorado trailed by nine runs, but mounted a furious comeback to win the game. The two teams also hit eight home runs, with six of them coming from the bats of the Rockies.
Lou Gehrig Gracefully Walks Away from Baseball
On July 4, 1939 (we said you would see that date again), Yankees great Lou Gehrig ‘officially’ announced his retirement from the game of baseball. His speech came on the field in between games of a doubleheader with the Washington Senators. Gehrig actually retired two weeks prior to his speech, but many fans of the sport view his speech as his official retirement from the sport. If you ever wondered where “The Luckiest Man” comment comes from, Gehrig labeled himself as such in the speech.
So, as you can see, baseball has had some amazing moments on July 4 in its history. What does this July 4 have in store for us? As you prepare to light up the grill, head to the beach, or head to the stadium, just remember what today is all about. It is a chance to celebrate our country’s birth and honor those who have sacrificed everything to keep us free.
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Jim is the creator and editor of At the Dish, Cinn City Sports, Life with Tony and Enzo and owner of JAVFreelancing. He coached baseball for five years, three at his former high school (Holy Cross in Delran, NJ) and two at prominent Division III program Rowan University in Glassboro, NJ as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. He has worked for the Courier-Post in Cherry Hill, NJ; Metro Networks in Bala Cynwyd, PA; and was the play-by-play announcer for the Camden Riversharks of the Independent Atlantic League of Professional Baseball for two seasons (2007-2008) on Rowan Radio 89.7 WGLS-FM, the student-run radio station at Rowan University. Jim earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications and minor in Journalism from Rowan University in 2008. While in school he was the Assistant Sports Director at WGLS for two years and the Sports Director for one year. He also covered the football, baseball, softball and both basketball teams for the school newspaper 'The Whit.' Jim lives in New Jersey with his wife Nicole, sons Tony and Enzo and dog Phoebe. He can be reached at jimvassallo@mlbdrafts.com.
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