The Catbird Seat

Almanac Edition · every May 16 at once · from the makers of Tearing Up the Pea Patch

MAY 16 · 1,259 GAMES ON THE RECORD · 1871–2025

On this date in 1871, TRO beat BS1 29–14.

The Committee has looked at all 1,259 major-league games played on May 16, from 1871 to 2025, and this is the one that does not behave.

Also on this date

1871-05-16	TRO at BS1	29–14	9.0
2000-05-16	Houston at Milwaukee	5–6	15.7	339 min
2011-05-16	Cleveland at Kansas City	19–1	9.0	by 18
1959-05-16	The Milwaukee Braves at the Dodgers	6–0	9.0	59,839 paid

Unfair afternoons — won while out-hit

2025-05-16	Washington at Baltimore	4–3	9.0	hits 5-14
2001-05-16	Detroit at Baltimore	2–3	8.5	hits 10-3
2004-05-16	The Mets at Houston	3–2	13.0	hits 7-14

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

1894-05-16	The Cubs at Pittsburgh	0–2		000000000 / 00200000x
1902-05-16	The Philadelphia Athletics at the Boston Red Sox	2–4	8.5	200000000 / 10002100x
1902-05-16	The St. Louis Browns at the White Sox	1–2	8.5	000000001 / 00200000x

By the decades

1870s 13 · 1880s 56 · 1890s 53 · 1900s 63 · 1910s 66 · 1920s 53 · 1930s 58 · 1940s 62 · 1950s 78 · 1960s 87 · 1970s 111 · 1980s 110 · 1990s 118 · 2000s 139 · 2010s 129 · 2020s 63

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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)