July 17, 1914

Posted on July 17, 2020 by Joel Byers

On July 17, 1914, the New York Giants were playing the Pittsburgh Pirates and neither team could put the other away. Finally after almost four hours, in the 21st inning, the Giants scored two runs to go up 3 to 1. In the bottom of the 21st, the Pirates failed to put any runners on base and Centerfielder Joe Kelly was up at bat. This game had been going on for almost four hours and everyone was tired and ready for it to end. Kelly launched a long fly ball to centerfield and Giants outfielder Red Murray ran up and caught the ball for the final out. Then lightning struck him and knocked him out. Cold. But the ball never left his glove, so the game was ended. The first and only time that happened in a Major League baseball game. It was like Thor, the God of Thunder, had said ‘time to go home’.

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About Joel Byers

Born in North Georgia and educated at some very fine public institutions. Real education started after graduating from college and then getting married and raising two boys. Has the ability to see the funny and absurd in most things and will always remark on it, even if it means getting the stink-eye from his victims.
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