On This Date in Sports August 4, 1985: Milestone Day

In collaboration with the Sportsecyclopedia.com

It is milestones coast-to-coast as Tom Seaver of the Chicago White Sox earns his 300th win, while Rod Carew of the California Angels gets career hit 3,000. Seaver goes the distance in a 4-1 win over the New York Yankees in the Bronx. Carew gets his 3,000th hit off Frank Viola of the Minnesota Twins in the third inning of a 6-5 win in Anaheim.

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It was a special Sunday in the Bronx, as the New York Yankees retired #10 in honor of Phil Rizzuto. The one-time shortstop who won the 1950 American League MVP had been the Yankees announcer since retiring in 1956. As part of the celebration, Rizzuto was given a cow with a hallo for his trademarked “Holy Cow” call. It was a sellout at Yankee Stadium, but many of the fans were actually Mets fans there to cheer for Tom Seaver as he was seeking his 300th win with the Chicago White Sox. Most of Seaver’s wins came as a member of the Mets, where he was the franchise, winning 198 games in two stints with the Amazins. Tom Seaver joined the White Sox in 1984, due to an oversight by the Mets as he was claimed in baseball’s free agency compensation pool. The Mets incorrectly assumed that nobody would claim Tom Seaver coming off two subpar seasons. 

The White Sox managed by Tony LaRussa had a record of 51-49 entering the game, while the Yankees managed by Billy Martin IV were 56-46 with Joe Cowley on the mound. Cowley got off to a strong start as the Yankees grabbed a 1-0 lead in the third inning when Ken Griffey Sr. singled home Mike Pagliarulo. The Yankees held a 1-0 after five innings, in the sixth inning, Joe Cowley ran out of gas. He walked Greg Walker to lead off the inning after Carlton Fisk hit into a fielder’s choice Oscar Gamble singled to set up runners at first and third as. Billy Martin decided to make a change and called on Brian Fisher in relief.  

Brian Fisher was greeted by Tim Hulett, who tied the game with a double. Ozzie Guillen followed with a single that gave Chicago a 2-1 lead. After Luis Salazar hit into a fielder’s choice, Rudy Law was walked to load the bases. Bryan Little took full advantage with a two-run single that gave the White Sox a 4-1 lead. Harold Baines also singled, but Law was thrown at home by Dave Winfield to end the inning. 

Given a 4-1 lead, Tom Seaver seemed stronger as the game got longer, retiring 12 straight batters from the fourth inning until the eighth. Seaver took the mound in the ninth inning with history in his grasp. Dan Pasqua led the inning off with a single. The next batter Ron Hassey would go down on strikes, it was Tom Seaver’s seventh strikeout of the game. Willie Randolph flew out to right for the second out. After a walk to Pagliarulo, Don Baylor made the final out as Reid Nicholas made the catch in left field. Tom Sever would finish his career with the Boston Red Sox, posting a record of 311-205.

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While Tom Seaver was finishing off the Yankees, Rod Carew was listed second in the California Angels batting order, needing one hit to get to 3,000. The Angels managed by Gene Mauch had a record of 59-44, while the Minnesota Twins led by Ray Miller came into the game at 46-55. John Candelaria, acquired two days earlier from the Pittsburgh Pirates made the start for the Angels, and Frank Viola made the start for Minnesota. Carew was facing his former team, having starred with the Twins for 12 years, winning eight batting titles. 

After bouncing back to the pitcher in his first at-bat, Rod Carew came up in the third inning with the game tied 1-1 as each team scored in the third inning as Tim Teufel scored on a sac-fly by Kirby Puckett, while Dick Schofield homered for the Angels. Rod Carew stroked the ball to left field to reach 3,000 as many of his teammates came out to greet him. Career would go 1-for-5 in the game as the Angels won 6-5 with Brian Downing driving home the winning run in the eighth. 

The 1985 season would be the final season for Rod Carew as he went unsigned in the offseason. It was the only year in his 19-year career that Carew did not play in the All-Star Game. He would finish his career with 3,053 hits, posting an average of .328.