The Catbird Seat

Almanac Edition · every August 16 at once · from the makers of Tearing Up the Pea Patch

AUGUST 16 · 1,355 GAMES ON THE RECORD · 1871–2025

On this date in 1916, The Boston Red Sox beat the White Sox 5–4 in 15 innings while being out-hit 16 to 12.

The Committee has looked at all 1,355 major-league games played on August 16, from 1871 to 2025, and this is the one that does not behave.

Also on this date

1987-08-16	The Mets at the Cubs	23–10	9.0
2011-08-16	Cleveland at the White Sox	7–8	13.7	321 min
2018-08-16	The Mets at Philadelphia	24–4	9.0	by 20
1961-08-16	Cincinnati at the Dodgers	8–0	9.0	72,140 paid

Unfair afternoons — won while out-hit

1915-08-16	The White Sox at the St. Louis Browns	8–4	9.0	hits 8-16
1912-08-16	The Boston Braves at St. Louis	5–7	8.5	hits 13-6
1917-08-16	Pittsburgh at Philadelphia	3–5	8.5	hits 11-4

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

1894-08-16	The Cubs at Brooklyn	3–1		000002010 / 001000000
1898-08-16	Cincinnati at the New York Giants	0–4	8.5	000000000 / 20010010x
1899-08-16	LS3 at the Boston Braves	3–0	9.0	110010000 / 000000000

By the decades

1870s 6 · 1880s 44 · 1890s 58 · 1900s 64 · 1910s 77 · 1920s 71 · 1930s 86 · 1940s 75 · 1950s 80 · 1960s 99 · 1970s 103 · 1980s 123 · 1990s 113 · 2000s 138 · 2010s 135 · 2020s 83

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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)