The Catbird Seat

Almanac Edition · every May 19 at once · from the makers of Tearing Up the Pea Patch

MAY 19 · 1,268 GAMES ON THE RECORD · 1871–2025

On this date in 1911, Detroit beat the Philadelphia Athletics 9–8 while being out-hit 19 to 8.

The Committee has looked at all 1,268 major-league games played on May 19, from 1871 to 2025, and this is the one that does not behave.

Also on this date

1999-05-19	Cincinnati at Colorado	24–12	9.0
2014-05-19	Cincinnati at Washington	4–3	15.0	298 min
1890-05-19	Pittsburgh at Brooklyn	2–18		by 16
1946-05-19	The Boston Red Sox at Detroit	1–3	8.5	57,130 paid

Unfair afternoons — won while out-hit

1911-05-19	The Philadelphia Athletics at Detroit	8–9	8.5	hits 19-8
1921-05-19	St. Louis at Philadelphia	3–2	11.0	hits 5-12
1943-05-19	Cincinnati at the New York Giants	2–3	8.5	hits 12-5

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

1898-05-19	Brooklyn at LS3	1–4	8.5	000000100 / 22000000x
1902-05-19	The White Sox at Detroit	1–0	9.0	100000000 / 000000000
1902-05-19	Philadelphia at Pittsburgh	1–2	8.7	001000000 / 100000001

By the decades

1870s 12 · 1880s 57 · 1890s 56 · 1900s 51 · 1910s 73 · 1920s 62 · 1930s 61 · 1940s 73 · 1950s 52 · 1960s 93 · 1970s 123 · 1980s 102 · 1990s 124 · 2000s 127 · 2010s 137 · 2020s 65

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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)