The Catbird Seat

Almanac Edition · every May 17 at once · from the makers of Tearing Up the Pea Patch

MAY 17 · 1,294 GAMES ON THE RECORD · 1871–2025

On this date in 1972, Texas beat Kansas City 4–3 in 18 innings while being out-hit 16 to 9. It took 4 hours and 56 minutes.

The Committee has looked at all 1,294 major-league games played on May 17, from 1871 to 2025, and this is the one that does not behave.

Also on this date

1979-05-17	Philadelphia at the Cubs	23–22	10.0
2002-05-17	Minnesota at the Yankees	12–13	13.7	345 min
1887-05-17	IN3 at the New York Giants	6–26		by 20
1949-05-17	Cleveland at the Yankees	3–4	8.5	73,150 paid

Unfair afternoons — won while out-hit

1998-05-17	The Anaheim Angels at Detroit	3–4	8.5	hits 14-4
1936-05-17	Cincinnati at Brooklyn	3–2	9.0	hits 4-12
1947-05-17	Brooklyn at Pittsburgh	0–4	8.5	hits 12-4

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

1900-05-17	Brooklyn at Cincinnati	4–2	9.0	400000000 / 100001000
1901-05-17	The Cubs at the New York Giants	4–0	9.0	000110200 / 000000000
1902-05-17	The Boston Braves at the Cubs	3–1	9.0	003000000 / 010000000

By the decades

1870s 15 · 1880s 59 · 1890s 48 · 1900s 57 · 1910s 60 · 1920s 69 · 1930s 70 · 1940s 68 · 1950s 71 · 1960s 87 · 1970s 107 · 1980s 114 · 1990s 124 · 2000s 135 · 2010s 138 · 2020s 72

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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)