On This Day

Baltimore Orioles knuckleball pitcher Hoyt Wilhelm no-hits the New York Yankees 1-0

James Hoyt Wilhelm (July 26, 1922 – August 23, 2002), nicknamed "Old Sarge", was an American professional baseball pitcher in Major League Baseball with the New York Giants, St.

James Hoyt Wilhelm (July 26, 1922 – August 23, 2002), nicknamed "Old Sarge", was an American professional baseball pitcher in Major League Baseball with the New York Giants, St. Louis Cardinals, Cleveland Indians, Baltimore Orioles, Chicago White Sox, California Angels, Atlanta Braves, Chicago Cubs, and Los Angeles Dodgers between 1952 and 1972. Wilhelm was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1985.

Wilhelm grew up in North Carolina, fought in World War II, and then spent several years in the minor leagues before starting his major league career at the age of 29. He was best known for his knuckleball, which enabled him to have great longevity. He appeared occasionally as a starting pitcher, but pitched mainly as a reliever.

Historical Significance

James Hoyt Wilhelm (July 26, 1922 – August 23, 2002), nicknamed "Old Sarge", was an American professional baseball pitcher in Major League Baseball with the New York Giants, St.

Key People

Hoyt Wilhelm

Athlete

American baseball player

Events Before

  1. Sputnik 1 Launch

    The Soviet Union launches Sputnik 1, the world's first artificial satellite, igniting the Space Age and the US-Soviet Space Race.

  2. An Irish Republican Army (IRA) unit attacks Brookeborough Royal Ulster Constabulary barracks in one of the most famous i

    An Irish Republican Army (IRA) unit attacks Brookeborough Royal Ulster Constabulary barracks in one of the most famous incidents of the IRA's Operation Harvest

  3. Aviator Howard Hughes marries 2nd wife actress Jean Peters

    Aviator Howard Hughes marries 2nd wife actress Jean Peters

  4. South African golfer Gary Player (21) weds childhood sweetheart Vivienne Verwey, until her death in 2021

    South African golfer Gary Player (21) weds childhood sweetheart Vivienne Verwey, until her death in 2021

  5. English-American actress Elizabeth Taylor's 2nd divorce from English actor Michael Wilding, after almost 5 years of marr

    English-American actress Elizabeth Taylor's 2nd divorce from English actor Michael Wilding, after almost 5 years of marriage

Events After

  1. Johnny Cash performs the first of many free concerts behind bars at San Quentin State Prison in California

    Johnny Cash performs the first of many free concerts behind bars at San Quentin State Prison in California

  2. Chad becomes an autonomous republic in the French Community

    The French Community (French: Communauté française) was the constitutional organization set up in October 1958 between France and its remaining African colonies, then in the process of…

  3. USSR's Luna 1 becomes the first spacecraft to escape Earth's gravity

    A gravity assist, gravity assist maneuver, swing-by, or generally a gravitational slingshot in orbital mechanics, is a type of spaceflight flyby which makes use of the relative movement (e.g.

  4. TV western "Rawhide," starring Clint Eastwood, premieres on CBS

    TV western "Rawhide," starring Clint Eastwood, premieres on CBS

  5. Plane crash known as "The Day the Music Died" kills musicians Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, J. P. Richardson (aka The Big

    Plane crash known as "The Day the Music Died" kills musicians Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, J. P. Richardson (aka The Big Bopper), and the pilot near Clear Lake, Iowa

More from the 1950s

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on September 20, 1958?
James Hoyt Wilhelm (July 26, 1922 – August 23, 2002), nicknamed "Old Sarge", was an American professional baseball pitcher in Major League Baseball with the New York Giants, St. Louis Cardinals, Cleveland Indians, Baltimore Orioles, Chicago White Sox, California Angels, Atlanta Braves, Chicago Cubs, and Los Angeles Dodgers between 1952 and 1972. Wilhelm was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1985.
Why is Baltimore Orioles knuckleball pitcher Hoyt Wilhelm no-hits the New York Yanke... significant?
James Hoyt Wilhelm (July 26, 1922 – August 23, 2002), nicknamed "Old Sarge", was an American professional baseball pitcher in Major League Baseball with the New York Giants, St.
Who was involved in Baltimore Orioles knuckleball pitcher Hoyt Wilhelm no-hits the New York Yanke...?
Key figures include Hoyt Wilhelm (Athlete).

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