On May 11, 1996, the celebration of John Franco becoming the first left-handed pitcher to record 300 career saves seemed destined for a routine happy ending. Instead, a fifth-inning brawl emptied both dugouts, Franco was ejected before ever throwing a pitch, and the Mets somehow still found a dramatic way to win a game that suddenly had no closer.
🕵️ Inside The Original Newspaper Coverage you’ll learn:
The unlikely hero who rescued the Mets after the ejections.
Why nine people were thrown out in one inning.
Two of the instigators shared an unexpected past as teammates.
🕵️ Replay Today: July 8, 1966
Travel back 60 years ago to the day, and experience baseball as fans saw it that day with one original newspaper page featuring:
complete rosters for the upcoming All-Star game
a 15-year streak of All-Star selections comes to an end
grumbling in the Chicago press about White Sox representation
The Full Story Is In The Original Coverage
The headlines, box scores, league leaders, and details modern recaps often leave behind are waiting below.
See The Full Sports PageSubscribers enjoy:
- Full access to preserved newspaper coverage
- Daily Replay Today newspaper pages