September 15, 1959: Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev arrives in the U.S., the 1st visit to America by a Russian or Soviet leader, ever. He brought his wife Nina and their adult children, including his lookalike son Sergei – who, in defiance of his father’s previous proclamation, "We will bury you," became an American citizen and a professor at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island.
"Mr. K" visited New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, a farm in Iowa, Pittsburgh and Washington, including meeting with President Dwight D. Eisenhower for a summit at Camp David (named for Ike's grandson). His New York visit included a meeting with Eleanor Roosevelt at Hyde Park.
On his visit to Los Angeles, he wanted to visit Disneyland, but it was canceled due to security concerns. He didn't like that. So he asked to see the filming of a real Hollywood movie. The one he watched was Can-Can, based on the play by Abe Burrows, music by Cole Porter, and starring Frank Sinatra and Shirley MacLaine. When he got back to Moscow, he called the film "depraved" and "pornographic."
San Francisco Examiner columnist Frank Conniff wrote of his hometown, syndicated throughout the country via the conservative Hearst media company, "This is the damndest city: They cheer Khrushchev and boo Willie Mays!"
Time magazine had named Khruschchev its Man of the Year for 1957. For 1959, it gave the award to Eisenhower.
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September 15, 1959 was a Tuesday. These baseball games were played:
* The New York Yankees lost to the Chicago White Sox, 4-3 at Yankee Stadium. The South Siders scored 2 runs in the 8th and 1 in the 9th to come from behind, while the Yankees could only muster 1 run in the bottom of the 9th. Billy Pierce was the winning pitcher, while Whitey Ford blew a save in relief of Ralph Terry. Nellie Fox, soon to be named the American League's Most Valuable Player, went 3-for-4 with a walk. Mickey Mantle hit 2 home runs, but it wasn't enough.
One week later, the White Sox would clinch the American League Pennant. Only 2 AL Pennants between 1949 and 1964 were won by teams other than the Yankees: This one, and in 1954, by the Cleveland Indians. Both the '54 Indians and the '59 ChiSox had Al Lopez as their manager.
* The Boston Red Sox beat the Cleveland Indians, 1-0 at Fenway Park in Boston. Tom Brewer pitched a 6-hit shutout. Ted Williams singled as a pinch-hitter.
* The Baltimore Orioles beat the Detroit Tigers, 2-1 at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore. An error by Tiger catcher Lou Berberet on a grounder by his opposite number, Gus Triandos, let the winning run score in the bottom of the 11th inning. Brooks Robinson went 1-for-4. Al Kaline went 2-for-4 with a walk and an RBI.
* A doubleheader was split at Griffith Stadium in Washington. The Washington Senators won the opener, 1-0. Camilo Pascual pitched a 3-hit shutout. The Kansas City Athletics won the nightcap, 6-2. Over the 2 games, Roger Maris went 2-for-7 with a walk and an RBI for the A's. Harmon Killebrew went 1-for-7 with a walk for the Senators.
* The St. Louis Cardinals beat the Philadelphia Phillies, 6-4 at the 1st Busch Stadium (formerly the last Sportsman's Park) in St. Louis. Stan Musial did not play.
* The Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Milwaukee Braves, 8-7 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The Braves scored a run in the top of the 10th inning, but in the bottom half, the Dodgers tied it, and then Don McMahon walked Joe Pignatano with the bases loaded to give the former Brooklyn team the win.
Duke Snider left the game with an injury after going 0-for-1, but his replacement in center field, Ron Fairly, went 2-for-4 with a walk and an RBI. Hank Aaron went 4-for-6 with 3 RBIs, but this did not include any of his 755 home runs.
* The San Francisco Giants beat the Cincinnati Reds, 13-6 at Seals Stadium in San Francisco. Khrushchev did not attend. Willie Mays, who was not booed, went 2-for-3 with 2 walks and an RBI. Willie McCovey, about to be named the National League Rookie of the Year, went 3-for-5 with a home run and 2 RBIs. Frank Robinson went 0-for-1 before leaving the game with an injury.
* And the game between the Chicago Cubs and the Pittsburgh Pirates at Wrigley Field in Chicago was postponed -- not due to rain, but due to cold weather. It was made up as part of a doubleheader the next day. The Pirates won the 1st game, 3-2. The Cubs won the 2nd game, 4-2. They scored a run in the 8th and 2 in the 9th, on a home run by Sammy Taylor, to come from behind.
Over the 2 games, Ernie Banks, soon to be named the NL's Most Valuable Player, went 4-for-8 with 2 RBIs, and Roberto Clemente went 5-for-8 with an RBI.
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