Today in Baseball History: April 24th

1976 On April 24, 1976, Bert Campaneris of the Oakland A's steals five bases in an 8-7 victory over the Cleveland Indians. The Oakland shortstop will steal 54 bases in 1976. As a team, the A's will pile up a record 341 stolen bases on the year.

1966 On April 24, 1966, the Atlanta Braves establish a major league record by winning their 18th consecutive game at home. The first 17 wins of the streak had actually occurred in Milwaukee, the Braves' home in 1965.

1962 On April 24, 1962, Sandy Koufax of the Los Angeles Dodgers strikes out 18 Chicago Cubs in a 10-2 win. The hard-throwing future Hall of Famer ties the record of 18 strikeouts in a single game, matching the mark of former Cleveland Indians great Bob Feller.

1957 On April 24, 1957, the Chicago Cubs set a National League record by walking nine batters in the fifth inning of a 9-5 loss to the Cincinnati Reds. Moe Drabowsky walks four batters, Jackie Collum issues three free passes, and Jim Brosnan walks two during the wild inning.

1956 On April 24, 1956, Frank Umont becomes the first major league umpire to wear glasses in a regular season game. Umont, a former tackle in the National Football League, makes history by umpiring a game between the Detroit Tigers and Kansas City Athletics.

1947 On April 24, 1947, Johnny Mize of the New York Giants becomes the first major leaguer to hit three home runs in a game on five different occasions. The "Big Cat" hits his most recent trio against Johnny Sain of the Boston Braves. In spite of Mize's barrage, the Giants lose the game, 14-5.

1945 On April 24, 1945, A.B. "Happy" Chandler becomes baseball's second commissioner. The major league owners unanimously elect the former governor of Kentucky on the first ballot and reward him with a seven-year contract. Chandler succeeds Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis, the game's first commissioner, who died in 1944.

1917 On April 24, 1917, George Mogridge of the New York Yankees pitches a no-hitter against the Boston Red Sox. Mogridge strikes out three batters and walks three in the 2-1 victory. He becomes the first Yankee pitcher to actually win a no-hit game.

1901 On April 24, 1901, the Chicago White Stockings and Cleveland Blues play the first game in the history of the American League. A crowd of over 10,000 fans attends the game in Chicago, where the White Stockings rout the Blues, 8-2.

1898 On April 24, 1898, Andy Cooper is born in Waco, Texas. One of the greatest southpaws in Negro league history, Cooper used a variety of pitches and speeds to confound batters. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2006.