The Catbird Seat

Almanac Edition · every June 3 at once · from the makers of Tearing Up the Pea Patch

JUNE 3 · 1,293 GAMES ON THE RECORD · 1871–2025

On this date in 1989, Houston beat the Dodgers 5–4 in 21 innings. It took 7 hours and 14 minutes.

The Committee has looked at all 1,293 major-league games played on June 3, from 1871 to 2025, and this is the one that does not behave.

Also on this date

1932-06-03	The Yankees at the Philadelphia Athletics	20–13	9.0
1989-06-03	The Dodgers at Houston	4–5	21.8	434 min
1875-06-03	NH1 at PH2	2–18		by 16
1951-06-03	The Yankees at Cleveland	1–4	8.5	75,163 paid

Unfair afternoons — won while out-hit

1930-06-03	St. Louis at Philadelphia	11–10	9.0	hits 16-23
1954-06-03	Cleveland at the Yankees	1–2	8.5	hits 11-4
1986-06-03	San Diego at the Mets	5–4	9.0	hits 6-13

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

1898-06-03	The Cubs at Brooklyn	1–2	8.5	000000001 / 20000000x
1901-06-03	The Philadelphia Athletics at Detroit	2–1	9.0	020000000 / 000000100
1901-06-03	The Boston Red Sox at MLA	2–4	8.5	000000002 / 00300001x

By the decades

1870s 16 · 1880s 41 · 1890s 57 · 1900s 63 · 1910s 74 · 1920s 66 · 1930s 70 · 1940s 82 · 1950s 85 · 1960s 86 · 1970s 101 · 1980s 116 · 1990s 105 · 2000s 138 · 2010s 127 · 2020s 66

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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)