The Catbird Seat

Almanac Edition · every August 21 at once · from the makers of Tearing Up the Pea Patch

AUGUST 21 · 1,378 GAMES ON THE RECORD · 1871–2025

On this date in 1883, PRO beat Philadelphia 28–0.

The Committee has looked at all 1,378 major-league games played on August 21, from 1871 to 2025, and this is the one that does not behave.

Also on this date

1894-08-21	Cincinnati at the Boston Braves	8–25
1980-08-21	San Diego at Philadelphia	8–9	16.7	313 min
1883-08-21	Philadelphia at PRO	0–28		by 28
1949-08-21	The Philadelphia Athletics at the Yankees	8–7	9.0	64,323 paid

Unfair afternoons — won while out-hit

1934-08-21	Cleveland at the Philadelphia Athletics	12–11	9.0	hits 9-18
1953-08-21	The New York Giants at Philadelphia	6–7	8.5	hits 15-7
1919-08-21	Pittsburgh at Brooklyn	2–3	8.5	hits 12-5

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

1898-08-21	Brooklyn at the Cubs	3–4	8.5	300000000 / 00210100x
1898-08-21	Brooklyn at the Cubs	0–2	8.5	000000000 / 00020000x
1899-08-21	Philadelphia at the New York Giants	2–1	9.0	001010000 / 000000010

By the decades

1870s 13 · 1880s 48 · 1890s 60 · 1900s 77 · 1910s 82 · 1920s 69 · 1930s 72 · 1940s 92 · 1950s 71 · 1960s 86 · 1970s 110 · 1980s 122 · 1990s 125 · 2000s 137 · 2010s 138 · 2020s 76

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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)