The Catbird Seat

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

SEPTEMBER 26 · 1,279 GAMES ON THE RECORD · 1872–2025

On this date in 1956, The Cubs beat St. Louis 3–2 in 12 innings while being out-hit 15 to 5.

The Committee has looked at all 1,279 major-league games played on September 26, from 1872 to 2025, and this is the one that does not behave.

Also on this date

1912-09-26	The Yankees at the Boston Red Sox	12–15	8.0
1992-09-26	The Boston Red Sox at Baltimore	7–3	14.0	273 min
1883-09-26	PT1 at SL4	3–20		by 17
1993-09-26	Cincinnati at Colorado	7–12	8.5	70,069 paid

Unfair afternoons — won while out-hit

1956-09-26	St. Louis at the Cubs	2–3	12.8	hits 15-5
1900-09-26	The New York Giants at the Boston Braves	7–8	8.5	hits 13-6
1984-09-26	Oakland at Texas	7–5	9.0	hits 8-15

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

1899-09-26	Pittsburgh at the Cubs	5–0	9.0	200200100 / 000000000
1902-09-26	Cleveland at Detroit	2–4	8.5	000002000 / 01300000x
1904-09-26	The Philadelphia Athletics at the White Sox	2–1	9.0	000000200 / 000100000

By the decades

1870s 10 · 1880s 45 · 1890s 55 · 1900s 76 · 1910s 77 · 1920s 59 · 1930s 50 · 1940s 73 · 1950s 61 · 1960s 76 · 1970s 110 · 1980s 114 · 1990s 121 · 2000s 140 · 2010s 137 · 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)