This Day in Yankees History: Don Mattingly hits sixth grand slam of the ‘87 season

October baseball is almost here! As the 2020 postseason gets underway, the Pinstripe Alley team will continue highlighting special moments and milestones in Yankees history through our daily posts. Let’s take a trip down memory lane.

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This Day in Yankees History (September 29)

33 Years Ago

Yankee captain Don Mattingly sets a major league record when he hits his sixth grand slam of the season off Red Sox pitcher Bruce Hurst. The home run—Mattingly’s 29th of the season—gives the Yankees a 4-0 lead over the Sox in the third inning. Interestingly, the Yankees first baseman will go on to never hit another grand slam in his entire 14-year career. His record still stands, though he now shares it with Travis Hafner, another left-handed first baseman, who hit six grand slams with Cleveland in 2006.

86 Years Ago

Babe Ruth hits his final home run (No. 659) as a Yankee. It’s the Babe’s 708th career homer, as he had hit 49 home runs with the Red Sox before being traded to New York. He will go on to hit six additional round-trippers with the Braves before retiring the subsequent season.

45 Years Ago

Former Yankees manager Casey Stengel passes away at age 85. Stengel’s career in baseball lasted more than five decades. During his 12-year tenure in the Bronx, Stengel won the World Series five consecutive times (1949–1953), the only time that feat has been achieved, and would win seven rings and ten American League pennants in all. In addition to managing Yankee greats like Yogi Berra, Joe DiMaggio, and Mickey Mantle, Stengel holds the unique distinction of being the only person in history to wear the uniforms of all four New York baseball teams.

59 Years Ago

Whitey Ford wins his 25th game of the season in the Yankees’ 2-1 victory over the Red Sox, finishing the 1961 season with a 25-4 record — and a Cy Young Award. It is arguably the best season of Ford’s career.

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Birthdays

Former Yankee outfielder Shelley Duncan was born on this day in 1979. Duncan, who spent three seasons in New York (2007 - 2009), might be best remembered for the home run spree he enjoyed shortly after making his MLB debut in 2007. Happy 41st birthday to Shelley!

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