Because Mondays aren't always what they're cracked up to be.
Each of the following was retrieved from BaseballReference.com.
* 1909 - Umpire Tim Hurst instigates a riot by spitting in the face of Athletics 2B Eddie Collins, who had questioned a call. Under police guard, Hurst is ushered off the field. This incident eventually leads to Hurst's banishment from baseball two weeks later.
* 1948 - Ernie Harwell begins as an announcer for the Dodgers calling a 5 - 4 win over the Cubs. The Dodgers had to trade a player, Cliff Dapper, to the Atlanta Crackers to acquire Harwell. Brooklyn scores a pair in the 1st, one on a steal of home by Jackie Robinson.
* 1960 - Believing that Chicago's Jim Brewer is throwing at him, the Reds 2B Billy Martin throws his bat toward the mound. Then, advancing to retrieve it from Brewer, who has picked it up. The two exchange words and Martin launches a hard overhand right that fractures the orbital bone of Brewer's right eye. Both benches empty and Martin continues swinging, decking Frank Thomas. Brewer requires surgery and will be out of action for a month. The Cubs win, 5 - 3, on Ernie Banks' homer. Martin will be fined $500 for the punch and Brewer and the Cubs will sue the combative infielder on August 22 for $1,000,000. Years later, when the courts award Brewer $100,000, Martin's comment will be, "How can they ever collect it? I haven't got that kind of money,"
* 1963 - In his first at-bat in two months after breaking his left foot, Mickey Mantle slams a pinch-hit home run in the ninth inning to beat the Orioles, 11-10.
* 1967 - John Fetzer, president of the ML television committee, announces a $50 million, 3-year deal with NBC to televise the World Series, All-Star Game, and 28 weekly telecasts.
* 1982 - After driving in the winning run in a Met 7-4 victory over the Cubs, Joel Youngblood is traded and later in the day flies to Philadelphia and singles for the Expos becoming the first player to have a hit for two different teams in the same day in different cities.
* 1983 - While warming up before the 5th inning of the Yankees 3 - 1 win over the Blue Jays game at Toronto's Exhibition Stadium, New York OF Dave Winfield accidentally kills a seagull with a thrown ball. After the game, Winfield is brought to the Ontario Provincial Police station on charges of cruelty to animals and is forced to post a $500 bond before being released. The charges will be dropped the following day.
* 1985 - In a day of milestones, Tom Seaver becomes the 17th pitcher to win 300 games and Rod Carew becomes the 16th player ever to collect 3,000 career hits. Seaver pitches the Chicago White Sox to a 4 - 1 six-hit victory at Yankee Stadium as 54,032 New Yorkers cheer him on. Carew hits a single to left off Frank Viola in the 3rd inning of the California Angels' 6 - 5 win over the Minnesota Twins.
* 1993 - White Sox 3B Robin Ventura charges Nolan Ryan after a pitch hits him in the 3rd inning. Ryan gets Ventura in a headlock and throws six punches. Ventura is suspended two games for his actions, while Ryan is not disciplined.
* 1997 - The Twins beat the Blue Jays, 9 - 3, as Brad Radke ties a team record with his 12th straight win. Greg Colbrunn's pinch-hit grand slam off Chris Carpenter is the big blow. Radke is only the 3rd pitcher since 1950 to win 12 consecutive starts. Bob Gibson of St. Louis did it in 1968 and Pat Dobson did it with Baltimore in 1971.
* 1999 - Prior to a game with the Royals, with his team in the midst of a slump, Angels' batting coach Rod Carew suggests the club use a single bat through the starting lineup as a way of loosening up the players. When leadoff hitter Orlando Palmeiro strikes out in bottom half of the first inning, he drops the bat for the next hitter to use. Umpire Tim Tschida sees this as an act of defiance and ejects Palmeiro from the game. Anaheim manager Terry Collins eventually convinces Tschida that Palmeiro wasn't trying to show him up, and the umpire changes his decision and allows him to stay in the game. The Angels go on to defeat the Royals, 4-3.
My favorite, without a doubt, is Nolan Ryan laying the smack down on Robin Ventura. Seriously, Robin...what were you thinking?