The Catbird Seat

Almanac Edition · every May 21 at once · from the makers of Tearing Up the Pea Patch

MAY 21 · 1,299 GAMES ON THE RECORD · 1872–2025

On this date in 1977, San Diego beat Montreal 11–8 in 21 innings while being out-hit 25 to 13. It took 5 hours and 33 minutes.

The Committee has looked at all 1,299 major-league games played on May 21, from 1872 to 2025, and this is the one that does not behave.

Also on this date

1872-05-21	PH1 at WS3	15–13	9.0
1977-05-21	San Diego at Montreal	11–8	21.0	333 min
2009-05-21	Minnesota at the White Sox	20–1	9.0	by 19
1950-05-21	The Yankees at Cleveland	12–4	9.0	79,570 paid

Unfair afternoons — won while out-hit

1977-05-21	San Diego at Montreal	11–8	21.0	hits 13-25
1955-05-21	Philadelphia at Brooklyn	4–6	8.5	hits 12-4
2014-05-21	Oakland at Tampa Bay	3–2	9.0	hits 1-9

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

1894-05-21	The New York Giants at the Boston Braves	0–3		000000000 / 00010200x
1898-05-21	Philadelphia at CL4	0–3	8.5	000000000 / 00200010x
1900-05-21	Philadelphia at the Cubs	2–1	9.0	000000020 / 000100000

By the decades

1870s 10 · 1880s 49 · 1890s 52 · 1900s 59 · 1910s 62 · 1920s 67 · 1930s 78 · 1940s 61 · 1950s 67 · 1960s 101 · 1970s 116 · 1980s 103 · 1990s 127 · 2000s 133 · 2010s 139 · 2020s 75

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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)