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This Day in Yankee History: Babe Ruth hits three home runs

Babe Ruth becomes first player to hit three home runs in the World Series; Phil Niekro becomes oldest player to throw shutout en route to joining 300-win club; Bernie Williams homers from both sides of the plate.

By John Griffin
New York’s Babe Ruth Photo by MPI/Getty Images

Welcome to the relaunched This Day in Yankees History. Even with the 2020 season playoffs well underway, the Pinstripe Alley team has decided to continue the revived program in its new format. These daily posts will highlight two or three key moments in Yankees history on a given date, as well as recognize players born on the day. Hope you enjoy this trip down memory lane with us!

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This Day in Yankees History (October 6)

94 Years Ago

Babe Ruth becomes the first-ever player to hit three home runs in a World Series game, as the Yankees win 10-5 over St. Louis. The third home run was a behemoth, landing in the never-before-reached centerfield bleachers, a distance estimated at 530 feet. It is widely considered the longest home run in World Series history.

35 Years Ago

Yankees starter Phil Niekro becomes the 18th pitcher to win 300 games in baseball history, throwing a complete game shutout to beat the Toronto Blue Jays, 8-0. At 46 years old, he also becomes the oldest player to throw a shutout, not passed until May 7, 2010, by Jamie Moyer.

25 Years Ago

Bernie Williams becomes the first player to hit a home run from both sides of the plate in a postseason game. Unfortunately, the effort comes in a Game Three loss to the Mariners, sparking Seattle’s comeback from down 2-0 in the ALDS.

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Birthdays

Happy 55th birthday to former OF/DH Rubén Sierra. Making his major league debut with the Texas Rangers on June 1, 1986, Sierra played 20 seasons, including two stints with the Yankees. In 1995, the Yankees acquired him from the A’s in exchange for Danny Tartabull; the following season, he was traded to the Tigers, along with Matt Drews, for Cecil Fielder. Needing a bat off the bench in the 2003 season, the Yankees traded for him again, this time from the Rangers. He would play 107 games for the 2004 Yankees, including 56 games as the designated hitter, before being released during an injury-plagued 2005 season.

Today is also the 44th birthday of former Yankees pitcher Freddy García. Signed to a minor league deal on January 31, 2011, García won a job in the starting rotation out of spring training. He spent two years with the Yankees, posting a 4.29 ERA in 56 games (42 starts).

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We thank Baseball-Reference, Nationalpastime.com, and FanGraphs for providing background information for these posts.

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