Early agate
ON THIS DATE
Aug. 7
1942 – Bob Scheible of the Washington Redbirds pitches both ends of a doubleheader, beating Oil City 2-1 in the opening game but losing 5-4 on a 10th-inning home run in the nightcap.
1947 – Wayne Moore of Washington sets a world record in rifle shooting as he retains his national title at Camp Perry, Ohio. Moore shoots 3,194 out of a possible 3,200 score.
1957 – Gus Brickner, a 45-year-old steelworker from Charleroi, gives up his attempt to swim the English Channel because of leg cramps after swimming five hours and 38 minutes out of Cap Griz Nez, France.
1965 – The Pennsylvania Mustangs make their debut in the new North American Football League and defeat the Wilmington Comets 28-26 in an exhibition game. Bob Stock and Charley Leigh each score two touchdowns for the Mustangs. The game draws an estimated crowd of 5,500 to Charleroi Stadium.
1971 – The West All-Stars roll to a 34-20 victory over the East in the Big 33 Football Classic in Hershey. John Reihner of Washington boots a 34-yard field goal and a pair of extra points for the West.
1985 – A two-day strike by major league baseball players ends with the announcement of a new five-year labor agreement between the players union and team owners.
1987 – The Pittsburgh Pirates retire Bill Mazeroski’s uniform No. 9 during a ceremony prior to a game against the Montreal Expos at Three River Stadium.
2005 – Dan Marino is one of four inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The others are Steve Young, Fritz Pollard and Bed Friedman.
2007 – San Francisco’s Barry Bonds hits home run No. 756 to break Hank Aaron’s storied record. Noticeably absent are commissioner Bud Selig and Aaron.
Aug. 8
1964 – The mutual handle and attendance records are set at The Meadows as the local harness racing track holds its final card of the 1964 season. The turnstiles record 13,070 patrons, who spend $555,777 at the betting windows.
1987 – “Mean” Joe Greene becomes the first player from the 1970s Pittsburgh Steelers teams to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Also inducted is former Steelers running back John Henry Johnson.
1988 – Pittsburgh’s Rick Reed, who began the season in Class A, blanks the New York Mets on three hits over eight innings in his major-league debut as the Pirates win, 1-0, at Three Rivers Stadium.
1990 – The Pittsburgh Pirates acquire pitcher Zane Smith in a trade with the Montreal Expos in exchange for pitcher Scott Ruskin, infielder Willie Greene and outfielder Moises Alou.
2001 – Brandon Dittmar scores on Rich Adkins’ sacrifice fly in the eighth inning to give Canonsburg a 3-2 victory over Greene County in the Host Area Tournament championship game and a berth in the Pony League World Series.
2006 – Washington & Jefferson College graduate Roger Goodell is chosen as the NFL’s new commissioner. Favored for months to get the job, he is unanimously elected by the league’s 32 owners on the fifth ballot.