The Catbird Seat

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

AUGUST 3 · 1,382 GAMES ON THE RECORD · 1871–2025

On this date in 1996, Atlanta beat the Dodgers 5–3 in 18 innings. It took 5 hours and 5 minutes.

The Committee has looked at all 1,382 major-league games played on August 3, from 1871 to 2025, and this is the one that does not behave.

Also on this date

1969-08-03	Cincinnati at Philadelphia	19–17	9.0
1996-08-03	Atlanta at the Dodgers	5–3	18.0	305 min
1961-08-03	Pittsburgh at St. Louis	19–0	9.0	by 19
1948-08-03	The Washington Senators at Cleveland	3–5	8.5	72,434 paid

Unfair afternoons — won while out-hit

1965-08-03	San Francisco at Cincinnati	6–3	11.0	hits 7-15
1956-08-03	St. Louis at Brooklyn	11–8	12.0	hits 12-19
1983-08-03	The California Angels at Minnesota	7–5	10.0	hits 8-14

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

1899-08-03	St. Louis at the Cubs	0–1	8.5	000000000 / 00000001x
1899-08-03	CL4 at Philadelphia	0–4	8.5	000000000 / 01000201x
1901-08-03	St. Louis at the Cubs	5–2	9.0	500000000 / 001010000

By the decades

1870s 10 · 1880s 46 · 1890s 54 · 1900s 71 · 1910s 81 · 1920s 68 · 1930s 71 · 1940s 76 · 1950s 80 · 1960s 91 · 1970s 125 · 1980s 122 · 1990s 130 · 2000s 135 · 2010s 144 · 2020s 78

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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)