This Day in Yankees History: Mr. October starts a little early

Welcome to This Day in Yankees History. The season may be underway, but that doesn’t mean we can’t take a trip into the past. 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!

★ ★ ★

63 Years Ago

Mickey Mantle hits one of his trademark tape-measure shots, with a ball travelling 460 feet off the bat to clear the center-field hedge at Baltimore’s Memorial Stadium. The Mick is the first player to accomplish that feat, and finished his career with 50 HR and a .933 OPS against the Orioles, which is actually below his career OPS - I wonder how Gary Thorne would have reacted to performance like that over 20 years.

43 Years Ago

Manager Billy Martin finally settles on a cleanup hitter, penciling first-year Yankee Reggie Jackson into the lineup spot. Mr. October takes to the role immediately, hitting 13 home runs over the remaining 53 games, leading the Yankees to a 40-13 record down the stretch en route to a World Series.

★ ★ ★

Happy birthday to onetime Yankee Chance Adams. Adams was considered a potential rotation piece for a while over the past three years, and made appearances in minor-league bullpens as well. The Yankees ended up designating him for assignment in December, and dealing him to Kansas City not long after. Have a great birthday, Chance.

★ ★ ★

We thank Baseball-Reference, the New York Times, and Nationalpastime.com for providing background information for these posts.