May 22 in Baseball History — Milestones, Debuts, Births & Deaths | Sports History Archive

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This day in baseball ● On this day

May 22

The record for May 22 in baseball history — 5 milestones, 15 debuts, 12 final games, 53 births, 33 deaths and 1,286 games played.

Featured event · 2009

Michael Cuddyer Hits for the Cycle, 2009

Michael Cuddyer hit for the cycle for the Minnesota Twins against the Milwaukee Brewers on May 22, 2009.

May 22, 2009Milwaukee Brewers @ Minnesota Twins

Milestones · May 22

1930

Lou Gehrig's Three-Home-Run Game, 1930

Lou Gehrig hit three home runs for the New York Yankees against the Philadelphia Athletics on May 22, 1930.

1968

Willie Stargell's Three-Home-Run Game, 1968

Willie Stargell hit three home runs for the Pittsburgh Pirates against the Chicago Cubs on May 22, 1968.

1976

Reggie Smith's Three-Home-Run Game, 1976

Reggie Smith hit three home runs for the St. Louis Cardinals against the Philadelphia Phillies on May 22, 1976.

1996

Gerónimo Berroa's Three-Home-Run Game, 1996

Gerónimo Berroa hit three home runs for the Oakland Athletics against the New York Yankees on May 22, 1996.

2009

Michael Cuddyer Hits for the Cycle, 2009

Michael Cuddyer hit for the cycle for the Minnesota Twins against the Milwaukee Brewers on May 22, 2009.

Major-league debuts · May 22

1875

Pud Galvin

Pud Galvin made a major-league debut on May 22, 1875.

1884

Danny Richardson

Danny Richardson made a major-league debut on May 22, 1884.

1888

Ed Delahanty

Ed Delahanty made a major-league debut on May 22, 1888.

1914

Ben Tincup

Ben Tincup made a major-league debut on May 22, 1914.

1926

Johnny Welch

Johnny Welch made a major-league debut on May 22, 1926.

1936

Eddie Mayo

Eddie Mayo made a major-league debut on May 22, 1936.

1979

Dickie Thon

Dickie Thon made a major-league debut on May 22, 1979.

1980

Ernie Camacho

Ernie Camacho made a major-league debut on May 22, 1980.

2002

Mark Prior

Mark Prior made a major-league debut on May 22, 2002.

2004

Justin Germano

Justin Germano made a major-league debut on May 22, 2004.

2004

Zack Greinke

Zack Greinke made a major-league debut on May 22, 2004.

2005

Brandon McCarthy

Brandon McCarthy made a major-league debut on May 22, 2005.

2012

Kole Calhoun

Kole Calhoun made a major-league debut on May 22, 2012.

2014

Matt Duffy

Matt Duffy made a major-league debut on May 22, 2014.

2014

Joe Panik

Joe Panik made a major-league debut on May 22, 2014.

Final major-league games · May 22

1884

Will Foley

Will Foley played a final major-league game on May 22, 1884.

1924

Walton Cruise

Walton Cruise played a final major-league game on May 22, 1924.

1926

Lew Wendell

Lew Wendell played a final major-league game on May 22, 1926.

1930

Howard Ehmke

Howard Ehmke played a final major-league game on May 22, 1930.

1935

Willie Kamm

Willie Kamm played a final major-league game on May 22, 1935.

1939

Heinie Manush

Heinie Manush played a final major-league game on May 22, 1939.

1946

Blas Monaco

Blas Monaco played a final major-league game on May 22, 1946.

1971

Mike McCormick

Mike McCormick played a final major-league game on May 22, 1971.

1996

John Farrell

John Farrell played a final major-league game on May 22, 1996.

1997

Darnell Coles

Darnell Coles played a final major-league game on May 22, 1997.

2005

Jeffrey Hammonds

Jeffrey Hammonds played a final major-league game on May 22, 2005.

2021

Will Harris

Will Harris played a final major-league game on May 22, 2021.

1,286 regular-season games played on May 22

2024

Chicago White Sox at Toronto Blue Jays

Chicago White Sox 2, Toronto Blue Jays 9.

2024

Boston Red Sox at Tampa Bay Rays

Boston Red Sox 8, Tampa Bay Rays 5.

2024

Colorado Rockies at Oakland Athletics

Colorado Rockies 4, Oakland Athletics 3.

2024

Seattle Mariners at New York Yankees

Seattle Mariners 3, New York Yankees 7.

2025

San Diego Padres at Toronto Blue Jays

San Diego Padres 6, Toronto Blue Jays 7.

2025

Texas Rangers at New York Yankees

Texas Rangers 0, New York Yankees 1.

2025

Seattle Mariners at Houston Astros

Seattle Mariners 2, Houston Astros 9.

2025

Cleveland Guardians at Detroit Tigers

Cleveland Guardians 7, Detroit Tigers 0.

2025

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at Athletics

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 10, Athletics 5.

2025

Atlanta Braves at Washington Nationals

Atlanta Braves 7, Washington Nationals 8.

2025

Milwaukee Brewers at Pittsburgh Pirates

Milwaukee Brewers 8, Pittsburgh Pirates 5.

2025

Philadelphia Phillies at Colorado Rockies

Philadelphia Phillies 2, Colorado Rockies 0.

These are the 12 most recent of 1,286 games played on this date. The sections above lead with what made the day matter.

Born on this day

b. May 22, 1860 · Center fielder across three clubs, 1882 to 1884.

b. May 22, 1873 · Catcher across four clubs, 1901 to 1909.

Charlie Maloney

b. May 22, 1886 · Pitcher for the Boston Doves, 1908 to 1908.

b. May 22, 1890 · Left fielder for the Philadelphia Phillies, 1912 to 1912.

b. May 22, 1891 · Pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds, 1912 to 1912.

b. May 22, 1901 · Center fielder for the Washington Senators, 1927 to 1928.

b. May 22, 1902 · Bucketfoot Al strode toward third base with his front foot and drove in 100 runs in each of his first eleven seasons anyway.

b. May 22, 1902 · Pitcher for the Washington Senators, 1926 to 1927.

b. May 22, 1904 · First baseman who batted .313 across two clubs, 1928 to 1934.

b. May 22, 1913 · Pitcher across five clubs, 1934 to 1944.

b. May 22, 1943 · Won 288 games over twenty-six seasons, and 164 of them came after the operation named for him.

b. May 22, 1944 · Second baseman across two clubs, 1967 to 1972.

b. May 22, 1946 · Left fielder for the San Diego Padres, 1970 to 1971.

b. May 22, 1966 · Saved 46 games without blowing one in 1995, then blew the save in the seventh game of the World Series two years later.

b. May 22, 1968 · Pitcher across seven clubs, 1996 to 2005.

Julián Tavárez

b. May 22, 1973 · Pitched 828 games over seventeen seasons for eleven clubs and won two World Series.

b. May 22, 1980 · Third baseman who batted .274 across four clubs, 2004 to 2013.

b. May 22, 1986 · Left fielder who batted .234 across five clubs, 2011 to 2016.

b. May 22, 1986 · Second baseman who batted .246 across five clubs, 2010 to 2021.

Corey Dickerson

b. May 22, 1989 · Left fielder who batted .280 across eight clubs, 2013 to 2023.

b. May 22, 1989 · Pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, 2013 to 2014.

b. May 22, 1998 · Third baseman for the Detroit Tigers, 2023 to 2023.

Carson McCusker

b. May 22, 1998 · Right fielder for the Minnesota Twins, 2025 to 2025.

b. May 22, 1999 · Third baseman who batted .251 for the Texas Rangers, 2022 to 2025.

53 players were born on May 22; these are the 24 best known.

Died on this day

George Zettlein

d. May 22, 1905 · Pitcher who won 129 games with a 2.55 ERA across five clubs, 1871 to 1876.

d. May 22, 1933 · Catcher for the Cincinnati Reds, 1908 to 1909.

d. May 22, 1936 · Threw 33 complete games with a 1.87 earned run average for Brooklyn in 1908, yet finished that season 16-22.

d. May 22, 1938 · Right fielder who batted .274 for the Brooklyn Superbas, 1904 to 1910.

d. May 22, 1939 · Pitcher across two clubs, 1910 to 1910.

d. May 22, 1943 · Catcher who batted .281 across four clubs, 1898 to 1905.

d. May 22, 1945 · Second baseman who batted .218 across two clubs, 1902 to 1909.

d. May 22, 1946 · Pitcher across two clubs, 1903 to 1913.

d. May 22, 1954 · Connie Mack's pick for any game that had to be won: 212-127, a 2.46 earned run average, and 40 shutouts across sixteen seasons.

d. May 22, 1956 · Pitcher who won 131 games with a 2.74 ERA across five clubs, 1898 to 1910.

d. May 22, 1959 · Pitcher for the St. Louis Browns, 1942 to 1948.

d. May 22, 1963 · Shortstop who batted .228 across seven clubs, 1906 to 1919.

d. May 22, 1966 · Shortstop who batted .238 across two clubs, 1910 to 1915.

d. May 22, 1972 · Pitcher for the Philadelphia Athletics, 1941 to 1952.

d. May 22, 1974 · Pitcher across two clubs, 1940 to 1948.

d. May 22, 1975 · Won exactly 300 games against 141 losses, the best mark of any 300-game winner, and led his league in strikeouts seven years running.

d. May 22, 1981 · Pitcher across three clubs, 1919 to 1930.

d. May 22, 1998 · Third baseman who batted .242 across five clubs, 1950 to 1958.

d. May 22, 2002 · Pitcher for the Chicago White Sox, 1963 to 1964.

d. May 22, 2002 · Pitcher across four clubs, 1934 to 1938.

d. May 22, 2015 · Pitcher across two clubs, 1963 to 1964.

d. May 22, 2021 · Pitcher across two clubs, 1979 to 1986.

d. May 22, 2022 · Pitcher across two clubs, 1977 to 1980.

d. May 22, 2024 · Pitcher for the Chicago Cubs, 1967 to 1968.

33 players died on May 22; these are the 24 best known.