The Catbird Seat

Almanac Edition · every May 3 at once · from the makers of Tearing Up the Pea Patch

MAY 3 · 1,224 GAMES ON THE RECORD · 1872–2025

On this date in 1920, The Boston Braves beat Brooklyn 2–1 in 18 innings.

The Committee has looked at all 1,224 major-league games played on May 3, from 1872 to 2025, and this is the one that does not behave.

Also on this date

1895-05-03	WSN at the Boston Braves	11–27
2009-05-03	Oakland at Seattle	7–8	14.5	302 min
1875-05-03	PH1 at WS6	21–0		by 21
1942-05-03	The White Sox at the Yankees	1–3	8.5	68,394 paid

Unfair afternoons — won while out-hit

1912-05-03	Philadelphia at the New York Giants	8–6	10.0	hits 7-16
1970-05-03	Detroit at the White Sox	6–5	9.0	hits 6-15
1953-05-03	The Boston Red Sox at the St. Louis Browns	5–6	8.5	hits 14-6

The Mirror Game — a line score this date shares with another day

1898-05-03	St. Louis at CL4	2–3	8.5	000000002 / 30000000x
1901-05-03	The New York Giants at the Boston Braves	2–1	9.0	001001000 / 000010000
1902-05-03	Cincinnati at the Cubs	1–6	8.5	000100000 / 10014000x

By the decades

1870s 10 · 1880s 60 · 1890s 43 · 1900s 60 · 1910s 68 · 1920s 57 · 1930s 57 · 1940s 56 · 1950s 72 · 1960s 91 · 1970s 81 · 1980s 118 · 1990s 122 · 2000s 131 · 2010s 131 · 2020s 67

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THE CATBIRD SEAT is set by the Committee on Playing Rules of Tearing Up the Pea Patch, a Macguffin Co. game, Commissioner F. McCoy presiding. Almanac editions are compiled from the record by the Committee’s engine and read by no one before you; a surprising fact in them is a lead, not a verdict. The information used here was obtained free of charge from and is copyrighted by Retrosheet. Interested parties may contact Retrosheet at www.retrosheet.org. Wire service (RSS)