Donovan steals show in Colts’ old-timers touch football game

Former Oriole Steve Pearce and the Red Sox host the Phillies tonight.

AUG. 4, 1988: “We’ve stepped it up a notch or two,” manager Frank Robinson says as the lowly Orioles defeat the Cleveland Indians, 5-0, for their third straight win before an announced 21,543 at Memorial Stadium. Dave Schmidt, the 11th pitcher to start a game this year, gets the win as Baltimore improves to 35-71, worst in the major leagues.

AUG. 1, 1984: Danny Andrews, 20, arrives at Baltimore-Washington International Airport from Los Angeles, displaying the Olympic gold medal given to him by his sister, Theresa, of Annapolis, after her victory in the 100-meter backstroke at the Summer Games. He’d been paralyzed in a car accident two years before.

JULY 30, 1976: Jockey Bill Passmore rides five winners at Timonium Race Track, all of them saddled by King Leatherbury.

AUG. 3, 1969: A pinch-hit grand slam home run by Minnesota’s Rich Reese leads the host Twins past the Orioles, 5-2, and ends Dave McNally’s17-game winning streak over two seasons.

AUG. 4, 1964: Before their annual intrasquad game at Memorial Stadium, the Colts stage an old-timers touch football contest for the announced crowd of 30,372. Art Donovan — all 300 pounds of him — steals the show, catching a 50-yard touchdown pass from Bert Rechichar.

AUG. 2,1958: A60-yard touchdown run by Cotton Davidson, the Colts’ backup quarterback, highlights the team’s first scrimmage of training camp in Westminster before more than 2,500 fans. Fullback Alan Ameche also scores for the soon-tobe NFL champions.

AUG. 3, 1922: Jack “Needles” Bentley pitches a two-hitter and strikes out 13 as the first-place Orioles defeat the Aces, 3-0, in Reading. Bentley, of Sandy Spring in Montgomery County, will go 13-2 with a 1.73 ERA for the International League champs before going to New York to help the Giants win National League titles in 1923 and 1924.

AUG. 4, 1914: Orioles pitcher Davey Davidson allows three hits but walks 20 batters — four of them with the bases loaded — in a 7-4 International League loss to the Bisons in Buffalo.

Birthday

JULY 30,1944: Pat Kelly, outfielder who batted .266 in four years with the Orioles (1977-80). The brother of Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Leroy Kelly (Morgan State), he turned to ministry in retirement and died in 2005.