The Catbird Seat

Almanac Edition · every May 23 at once · from the makers of Tearing Up the Pea Patch

MAY 23 · 1,259 GAMES ON THE RECORD · 1871–2025

On this date in 1970, San Diego beat San Francisco 17–16 in 15 innings while being out-hit 23 to 21. It took 5 hours and 29 minutes.

The Committee has looked at all 1,259 major-league games played on May 23, from 1871 to 2025, and this is the one that does not behave.

Also on this date

1889-05-23	The Cubs at the New York Giants	18–17
1970-05-23	San Diego at San Francisco	17–16	15.0	329 min
2023-05-23	Toronto at Tampa Bay	20–1	9.0	by 19
1948-05-23	The Yankees at Cleveland	1–5	8.5	78,431 paid

Unfair afternoons — won while out-hit

1943-05-23	The Cubs at the Boston Braves	2–1	9.0	hits 3-11
2025-05-23	Miami at the Anaheim Angels	4–7	8.5	hits 14-6
1980-05-23	Montreal at Cincinnati	7–4	9.0	hits 4-11

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

1894-05-23	BLN at Brooklyn	1–5		000010000 / 01012100x
1898-05-23	Philadelphia at Pittsburgh	1–3	8.5	100000000 / 21000000x
1900-05-23	The Boston Braves at St. Louis	3–2	9.0	001200000 / 000200000

By the decades

1870s 12 · 1880s 43 · 1890s 61 · 1900s 68 · 1910s 60 · 1920s 67 · 1930s 71 · 1940s 71 · 1950s 58 · 1960s 74 · 1970s 111 · 1980s 115 · 1990s 120 · 2000s 136 · 2010s 127 · 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)