September 4 has been a stage for some of baseball's most memorable moments, with achievements that stretch across more than a century of play.
Early 20th‑Century Milestones
In 1916, Hall‑of‑Famers Christy Mathewson and Mordecai Brown ended their careers in the same game, with Mathewson emerging victorious 10‑8, marking a rare double retirement on a single September 4.
A decade later, the New York Yankees saw Sam Jones deliver a pristine 2‑0 no‑hitter against the Philadelphia Athletics in 1923, the only batter to be retired being Babe Ruth.
The Waner brothers, Lloyd and Paul, made history in 1927 when they each launched a home run in the fifth inning off Dolf Luque, becoming the first brothers to homer in the same game.
The Boston Braves further etched the day into record books in 1928 by playing nine consecutive doubleheaders, a feat that still stands as a major‑league benchmark.
Mid‑Century Breakthroughs
In 1941 the Yankees secured the American League pennant early, clinching it with a 6‑3 win over Boston, the earliest date ever recorded for a pennant clinch.
Fast forward to 1966, when the Los Angeles Dodgers attracted more than two million fans across home and road games, beating Cincinnati 8‑6 and setting a new attendance milestone.
The 1974 season saw Don Wilson dominate eight innings of a no‑hit effort before being replaced by pinch hitter Mike Cosgrove, who allowed a single that handed the Reds a 2‑1 victory.
Modern Era Power and Pitching Feats
Gary Carter burst onto the scene in 1985, hitting two solo homers and a single to join an elite group of players with five home runs in two games.
A decade later, Jim Abbott delivered a no‑hitter for the Yankees in 1993, ending a ten‑year drought for the franchise.
In 1995, Robin Ventura’s two grand slams powered the Chicago White Sox to a 14‑3 triumph over Texas, the first such performance in a quarter‑century.
The Yankees reached the 100‑win mark earliest in 1998, achieving it five days before the 1906 Cubs and the 1954 Indians, after an 11‑6 victory.
The Oakland Athletics set a new American League record in 2002 by winning their 20th straight game, tying the 1906 White Sox and 1947 Yankees.
Most recently, J.D. Martinez’s four‑home‑run outburst in 2017 matched a major‑league record while propelling the Arizona Diamondbacks to their 11th consecutive win.