The Catbird Seat

Almanac Edition · every July 4 at once · from the makers of Tearing Up the Pea Patch

JULY 4 · 2,059 GAMES ON THE RECORD · 1871–2025

On this date in 1985, The Mets beat Atlanta 16–13 in 19 innings. It took 6 hours and 10 minutes.

The Committee has looked at all 2,059 major-league games played on July 4, from 1871 to 2025, and this is the one that does not behave.

Also on this date

1872-07-04	BS1 at MID	25–12	8.0
1985-07-04	The Mets at Atlanta	16–13	19.0	370 min
1873-07-04	ELI at BS1	3–32		by 29
1933-07-04	The Washington Senators at the Yankees	3–2	9.0	75,000 paid

Unfair afternoons — won while out-hit

1973-07-04	Kansas City at Minnesota	5–4	9.0	hits 6-15
1921-07-04	The Boston Braves at Philadelphia	3–2	10.0	hits 4-12
2004-07-04	The Yankees at the Mets	5–6	8.5	hits 16-8

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

1894-07-04	BLN at LS3	3–2		000100002 / 000000002
1899-07-04	The Boston Braves at BLN	1–2	8.5	000100000 / 00001100x
1899-07-04	WSN at the New York Giants	2–0	9.0	000010100 / 000000000

By the decades

1870s 30 · 1880s 118 · 1890s 122 · 1900s 135 · 1910s 158 · 1920s 140 · 1930s 152 · 1940s 146 · 1950s 141 · 1960s 145 · 1970s 140 · 1980s 122 · 1990s 140 · 2000s 150 · 2010s 145 · 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)