On this date in baseball history, many events took place on May 1.

• On this day in 1920, Babe Ruth hit his first Home Run as a Yankee against the Boston Red Sox.

• On this day in 1925, Jimmie Foxx made his major league debut.

• On this day in 1975, Hank Aaron passed Babe Ruth as the game’s new all-time RBI career leader.

• On this day in 1991, Rickey Henderson passed Lou Brock as the new all-time career Stolen Base leader.

• On this day in 1991, Nolan Ryan tossed his seventh career No-Hitter.

Babe Ruth hits his first Home Run as a Yankee:

In 1920, Babe Ruth arrived in New York to be the face of the franchise. However, it initially started on the wrong foot. On May 1, he was hitting .226 with no Home Runs to start the year; he was playing with a nagging knee injury. At one point, he almost got physical with a heckling fan who called him “a big piece of cheese.” But that day against his old team, the Boston Red Sox, he silenced anyone who doubted him and Doubled in the fourth inning and hit his first Yankees home run to right field in the sixth inning. The Yankees would win the game 6-0, and Ruth would go on 54 home runs that year.

Jimmie Foxx MLB debut:

In 1925, at 17, Jimmie Foxx made his MLB debut for the Philadelphia Athletics. He was a senior in high school when he left in the winter to join the Athletics in Spring Training. But he pinched hit that game for the pitcher and singled in his first at-bat. He only played ten games that year; Connie Mack sent him to Providence in the Eastern League for more playing time. It wouldn’t be until 1928, at the age of 20, that he would finally get more playing time and find his way to being one of the all-time great first basemen.

Hank Aaron, the new all-time RBI leader:

In 1975, Hank Aaron was back in Milwaukee with the Brewers. He had broken the all-time HR record with the Atlanta Braves the year prior. He was 41 and looking to end his career on a high note in the city where he spent most of his career and was beloved, and he wanted to DH and focus solely on hitting. But entering the game, he was only hitting .157. But in the third inning, hitting a single driving in Sixto Lexcano. The ball was given to Aaron, and after examining the ball he hit, he tossed it to GM Jim Baumer and gave it to the Baseball Hall of Fame. To this date, Hank Aaron still holds the all-time RBI record.

Rickey Henderson becomes all-time leader in Stolen Bases:

Entering the 1991 season, Rickey Henderson had stolen 936 bases in his career, only two short of Lou Brock’s record at 938. Everyone knew he would break the record; he stole #937 on Opening Day, on April 9. He would land on the DL for the better part of a few weeks but then steal #938 on April 27. On May 1, against the Yankees, he attempted to steal second but got thrown out by Matt Nokes. But in the fourth inning, he stole third base giving him the record at #939. The game would stop briefly as Henderson lifted the base and embraced his family and Lou Brock. Growing up idolizing Lou Brock, Henderson and Bfrock formed a relationship leading to his breaking the record.

Nolan Ryan tosses his seventh No-Hitter:

In 1991, the exact date in which Rickey Henderson broke the all-time Stolen Base record, Nolan Ryan struck out 16 batters and tossed his seventh career No-No. Despite being 44 and throwing well over 5,000 Innings, Ryan still had the arm to pitch. While he lost his bid for a perfect game in the first inning, walking Kelly Gruber, he retired the side and would retire the following 18 batters. The only other Walk he allowed was to Joe Carter in the seventh, but he would escape that inning, and thanks to the defense behind him fielding two hard-hit balls, the No-Hitter was still alive. Bottom of the ninth, 2-2 count to Roberto Alomar, Ryan threw his 122nd pitch and struck him out, giving him his 16th of the night and his seventh career No-Hitter as the Rangers would beat the Blue Jays 3-0.

References:

1. Ferenchick, Matt. The story of Babe Ruth’s first month with the Yankees via Pinstripe Alley Published March 7, 2019: https://www.pinstripealley.com/2019/3/7/18253685/yankees-history-babe-ruth-1920-red-sox-first-home-run

2. Bennett, John. Jimmie Foxx via SABR: https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/jimmie-foxx/

3. King, Norm. May 1, 1975: Hank Aaron breaks the Babe’s RBI record via SABR: https://sabr.org/gamesproj/game/may-1-1975-hank-aaron-breaks-the-babes-rbi-record/

4. Hickey, John. On This Day in 1991, the A’s Rickey Henderson Moved Past Lou Brock With Steal No. 939 via Inside The A’s: Published May 1, 2020 https://www.si.com/mlb/athletics/news/on-this-day-in-1991-the-as-rickey-henderson-moved-past-lou-brock-with-steal-no-939

5. Halicke, Chris. This Day in Texas Rangers History: Nolan Ryan Throws MLB-Record Seventh No-Hitter via Inside the Rangers: Published May 1, 2020 https://www.si.com/mlb/rangers/news/rangers-history-nolan-ryan-seventh-no-hitter