The Catbird Seat

Almanac Edition · every May 31 at once · from the makers of Tearing Up the Pea Patch

MAY 31 · 1,343 GAMES ON THE RECORD · 1873–2025

On this date in 1964, San Francisco beat the Mets 8–6 in 23 innings while being out-hit 20 to 17. It took 7 hours and 23 minutes.

The Committee has looked at all 1,343 major-league games played on May 31, from 1873 to 2025, and this is the one that does not behave.

Also on this date

1970-05-31	The White Sox at the Boston Red Sox	22–13	9.0
1964-05-31	San Francisco at the Mets	8–6	23.0	443 min
1890-05-31	PTP at NYP	3–23		by 20
1948-05-31	The Washington Senators at the Yankees	4–5	8.5	62,626 paid

Unfair afternoons — won while out-hit

1944-05-31	The Washington Senators at the St. Louis Browns	3–4	10.7	hits 14-7
2000-05-31	Florida at Pittsburgh	2–5	8.5	hits 12-5
1985-05-31	Seattle at the Yankees	3–8	8.5	hits 13-7

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

1898-05-31	CL4 at the New York Giants	3–1	9.0	000000012 / 100000000
1898-05-31	LS3 at Philadelphia	1–4	8.5	100000000 / 20101000x
1900-05-31	Cincinnati at the Boston Braves	1–2	10.8	01000000000 / 10000000001

By the decades

1870s 11 · 1880s 44 · 1890s 55 · 1900s 67 · 1910s 81 · 1920s 84 · 1930s 64 · 1940s 72 · 1950s 59 · 1960s 106 · 1970s 117 · 1980s 123 · 1990s 124 · 2000s 133 · 2010s 130 · 2020s 73

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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)