The Catbird Seat

Almanac Edition · every August 26 at once · from the makers of Tearing Up the Pea Patch

AUGUST 26 · 1,394 GAMES ON THE RECORD · 1871–2025

On this date in 1980, San Diego beat the Mets 8–6 in 18 innings. It took 5 hours and 1 minutes.

The Committee has looked at all 1,394 major-league games played on August 26, from 1871 to 2025, and this is the one that does not behave.

Also on this date

1887-08-26	BL2 at CN2	19–11
2008-08-26	The Mets at Philadelphia	7–8	12.7	317 min
1874-08-26	BR2 at PH2	1–23	9.0	by 22
1951-08-26	The Boston Red Sox at Cleveland	1–2	8.5	75,997 paid

Unfair afternoons — won while out-hit

1970-08-26	Pittsburgh at San Diego	1–2	8.5	hits 12-4
1919-08-26	The Cubs at the Boston Braves	0–1	8.5	hits 10-3
1975-08-26	Houston at St. Louis	9–10	11.7	hits 20-13

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

1898-08-26	The Boston Braves at the Cubs	2–3	8.5	000000101 / 00300000x
1899-08-26	BLN at LS3	1–5	8.5	000100000 / 20000003x
1900-08-26	Pittsburgh at Cincinnati	0–1	8.5	000000000 / 10000000x

By the decades

1870s 15 · 1880s 50 · 1890s 60 · 1900s 65 · 1910s 88 · 1920s 69 · 1930s 87 · 1940s 88 · 1950s 86 · 1960s 106 · 1970s 105 · 1980s 117 · 1990s 107 · 2000s 141 · 2010s 130 · 2020s 80

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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)