On This Day, May 5th

1. 1904: Cy Young throws the first perfect game of the modern era.

Photo: mlb

Photo: sabr

It was on this day back in 1904 that famous Boston Red Sox pitcher, Cy Young, threw a perfect game and the second of three career no-hitters. The difference between a no-hitter and perfect game is that in a perfect game there are no base runners at all, no walks, no hits, no runs. The perfect game is something every pitcher dreams of but very few actually achieve. Young was facing the Detroit Lions on the day he got his perfect game. The previous perfect game was thrown 24 years prior in 1880 by Montgomery Ward. Young would go on to retire in 1912 pitching in a record 906 games throughout his 22 year career. He is still considered the winningest pitcher in MLB history.

2. 2004: Suitcase full of body parts found near the Chesapeake Bridge in Virginia

Photo: nydailynews

Attorney consoles Melanie after being sentenced to over 30 years in prison
Photo: nydailynews

On this day back in 2004, a suitcase washes up on shore near the Chesapeake Bridge near Virginia Beach. It was later determined that the suitcase contained the partial remains of computer analyst and Navy veteran, William McGuire. The last time he was seen alive was late April after he had closed on a home in New Jersey and according to his late wife, Melanie McGuire, he had just packed his bags and left after they had a huge fight. They had two young sons together and Melanie claimed he had left her to fend for herself and the two boys so she felt she needed to get a restraining order and file for divorce. Less than a week after the first suitcase was found, a second case washed up close to the location of the first also containing body parts. Then 4 days later a third case with the same contents. A throughout investigation took place and it was determined that Melanie had been having an affair and according to her internet searches she had been looking into ” undetectable poisons” as well as “murder and suicide” and reportedly purchased a .38 caliber handgun just two days before her husbands murder. Interestingly .38 caliber bullets were found in the remains of he husbands body. Melanie was placed under arrest in June of 2005 and later would be convicted of killing her husband by first poisoning her husbands wine, shooting him, then chopping up the body in a shower stall, stuffing it into the couples luggage with a few weight plates and then dropping them into the Chesapeake Bay hoping to never be found again. Allegedly she did it so that she could have a relationship with her boss and didn’t want to risk losing her children in the divorce. I don’t know about you, but that is some scary business. She now faces up to 30 years in prison, which if you ask me is not nearly enough.

On This Day, May 5th

1. 1904: Cy Young throws the first perfect game of the modern era.

2. 2004: Suitcase full of body parts found near the Chesapeake Bridge in Virginia

3. 1961: The first American is sent into space