September 16, 1953: “The Robe” Premiere

September 16, 1953: The Robe premieres, directed by Henry Koster, and based on Lloyd Douglas' 1942 novel of early Christianity, starring Richard Burton and Jean Simmons. No, not the guy from Kiss. Yes, she played a woman named Lady Diana.

It was one of the first truly splashy color Hollywood epics set in ancient times. It also had Victor Mature, who starred in a lot of "sword and sandal" pictures; and Michael Rennie, star of The Day the Earth Stood Still.

Burton plays Marcellus, a Roman official in Judea, who comes into possession of the robe that Jesus wore to his Crucifixion. He rivals the Emperor Caligula, played by Jay Robinson (who specialized in playing smarmy characters, especially in films like this) for the love of Diana. In the end, he sides with the early Christians, winning Diana over. Caligula orders them executed, but the final scene shows Marcellus and Diana walking into a bright light, presumed to be Heaven.

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September 16, 1953 was a Wednesday. Soccer player and manager Manuel Pellegrini, hockey player Eric Vail, golfer Jerry Pate and actor Christopher Rich were all born on that day.

And these baseball games were played:

* The New York Yankees split a doubleheader with the St. Louis Browns at Yankee Stadium. The Browns won the opener, 5-3. Duane Pillette outpitched Eddie Lopat. Satchel Paige got the save, not that anybody knew what a save was yet. Billy Hunter went 3-for-4 with a walk and an RBI. Mickey Mantle singled home a run as a pinch-hitter. Yogi Berra also pinch-hit, unsuccessfully.

The Yankees won the nightcap, 3-2. Allie Reynolds outpitched future Yankee Bob Turley. Mantle went 0-for-1... with 3 walks. Berra sat this one out.

The Browns would win only 2 more games before the season ended, and they were then moved to become the Baltimore Orioles.

* The New York Giants beat the Cincinnati Redlegs at Crosley Field in Cincinnati. Alvin Dark hit a home run. Willie Mays was unavailable, due to serving in the Korean War. This was the 1st of 6 seasons that the Reds were known as the Redlegs, because they caved in to stupid fears about Communism taking over baseball if they kept the name.

* The Brooklyn Dodgers lost to the St. Louis Cardinals, 5-4 at Busch Stadium (formerly Sportsman's Park) in St. Louis. Gerry Staley outpitched Preacher Roe. Stan Musial went 1-for-4 with an RBI. Roy Campanella hit a home run. Duke Snider went 2-for-4. Jackie Robinson did not play.

* The Detroit Tigers beat the Boston Red Sox, 8-3 at Fenway Park in Boston. Rookie Al Kaline went 3-for-5 with an RBI. Ted Williams did not play.

* The Cleveland Indians beat the Philadelphia Athletics, 7-2 at Connie Mack Stadium (formerly Shibe Park) in Philadelphia. Bob Feller went the distance for the win.

* The Washington Senators beat the Chicago White Sox, 4-2 at Griffith Stadium in Washington.

* The Chicago Cubs beat the Philadelphia Phillies, 7-4 at Wrigley Field in Chicago. The next day, the Cubs introduced their 1st black player: Ernie Banks.

* And the Milwaukee Braves beat the Pittsburgh Pirates, 7-3 at Milwaukee County Stadium.