The Catbird Seat

Almanac Edition · every May 4 at once · from the makers of Tearing Up the Pea Patch

MAY 4 · 1,276 GAMES ON THE RECORD · 1871–2025

On this date in 1973, Philadelphia beat Atlanta 5–4 in 19 innings while being out-hit 17 to 9. It took 5 hours and 16 minutes.

The Committee has looked at all 1,276 major-league games played on May 4, from 1871 to 2025, and this is the one that does not behave.

Also on this date

1874-05-04	BL1 at PH2	8–24	9.0
2019-05-04	The Mets at Milwaukee	3–4	17.7	322 min
1875-05-04	PH1 at WS6	21–3		by 18
1930-05-04	The White Sox at the Yankees	4–7	8.5	60,000 paid

Unfair afternoons — won while out-hit

1973-05-04	Atlanta at Philadelphia	4–5	19.7	hits 17-9
1956-05-04	Cleveland at Baltimore	3–4	8.5	hits 10-3
1984-05-04	San Diego at the Cubs	6–7	8.8	hits 13-6

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

1902-05-04	Cleveland at Detroit	2–1	9.0	001000010 / 000000001
1903-05-04	The Philadelphia Athletics at the Yankees	3–4	8.5	100000200 / 30000100x
1903-05-04	St. Louis at Cincinnati	1–4	8.5	100000000 / 00022000x

By the decades

1870s 14 · 1880s 47 · 1890s 51 · 1900s 60 · 1910s 65 · 1920s 60 · 1930s 65 · 1940s 60 · 1950s 80 · 1960s 91 · 1970s 89 · 1980s 119 · 1990s 117 · 2000s 143 · 2010s 141 · 2020s 74

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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)