1.3.25 BIRTHDAYS *********** 1928 Chico Carrasquel 1970 Alan Embree pitcher (Cleveland Indians,Athletics) 1970 Mark Wohlers pitcher (Atlanta Braves) 1970 Sherman Obando outfielder (Montreal Expos) 1972 Tanya Harding, Australian softball pitcher (Olympic bronze 1996) 1974 Yosvani Pérez 1979 Juan Rincón 1982 Wily Mo Peña ***********
FROM MLB's This Day in Baseball History+1958 The Red Sox trade outfielder Albie Pearson and first baseman Norm Zauchin to the Senators for shortstop Pete Runnels. En route to capturing the American League's batting crown in 1960 and 1962, Boston's newest infielder will compile a .320 batting during his five years with the team. 1962 The BBWAA elects Dodger infielder Jackie Robinson (77.5%) and Indians right-hander Bob Feller (93.8%) to the Baseball Hall of Fame, marking the first time in MLB history that the writers select two players in their first year on the ballot. The Veterans Committee previously chose center fielder Edd Roush, a lifetime .323 hitter during his 18 years as a major leaguer, and manager Bill McKechnie, who compiled an 1896-1723 (.524) record in his 25-year tenure with five teams, to also be inducted into the Cooperstown shrine this summer. 1967 The Cardinals named their former standout Stan Musial, four years removed from the playing field, as the team's general manager, replacing Bob Howsam, who resigned to take a similar post with Cincinnati. Although his tenure will last only ten months, 'The Man,' who turned down the position shortly after he retired in 1963, will become the first GM to win a world championship in his first season on the job. 1968 Outfielder Joe Medwick, who captured the National League triple crown in 1937, is selected by the BBWAA to be enshrined in the Hall of Fame. 'Ducky,' best known for his years with the Cardinals as a member of the Gashouse Gang, ended his 17-year career with a .324 batting average.
1973 The Hall of Fame Special Veterans Committee select nineteenth-century players Mickey Welch and Mike Kelly for enshrinement in Cooperstown. 'Smiling Mickey,' who posted a 307-210 (.594) during his 13 years in the National League, and 'King Kelly,' baseball's first matinee idol, will be joined Billy Evans, nicknamed 'The Boy Umpire,' who, at age 22, became the youngest arbitrator in major league history. 1975 By the slimmest of margins, Ralph Kiner is elected into the Hall of Fame by the BBWAA, receiving 273 votes on the 362 ballots cast by the writers, just enough to reach the 75% needed to be selected. During his brief ten-year major league career, the former Pirates slugger led the National League in home runs for seven consecutive seasons, starting with his rookie campaign in 1946. 1979 In his first year of eligibility, Willie Mays is selected by the BBWAA as a member of the Hall of Fame, receiving 409 of the 432 (94.7%) ballots cast. The center fielder, a five-tool player, known mostly for his 21-year tenure with the Giants, is the only player elected by the writers for induction this summer, but 23 scribes inexplicably leave the 'Say-Hey Kid' off their ballots. 1981 The Red Sox, due to a front office mistake, are forced to trade Fred Lynn, along with Steve Renko, to the Angels, for Jim Dorsey, Joe Rudi, and Frank Tanana. Boston had failed to mail their outfielder a new contract by the deadline, allowing the former Rookie of the Year to become a free agent.
2002 The Rangers avoid salary arbitration with 29-year-old Jeff Zimmerman, who saved 28 games for the team last season after replacing an injured Tim Crabtree when their closer agrees to a $10 million, three-year contract. Unfortunately, the right-hander will never throw another pitch in a major league game, suffering an injury in spring training that leads to three major surgeries on his elbow, including a pair of Tommy John surgeries. 2006 The Reds, in a surprising move, fire Dan O'Brien with spring training scheduled to begin in a few weeks. Cincinnati's new owner Bob Castellini makes it clear the team's former GM's performance is not the reason for dismissal but that he wanted to place his 'own person' in the position. 2008 The Indians, avoiding salary arbitration, sign Rafael Betancourt (5-1, 1.47) to a $5.4 million, two-year deal. The 32-year-old right-handed reliever was used primarily last season as an eighth-inning set-up man for Cleveland's closer, Joe Borowski. 2008 Kevin Towers, the longest-tenured active major league general manager, gets a two-year contract extension from the Padres, which goes through the 2010 season. Although the club would not reveal financial details, the deal reportedly makes the 46-year-old one of the top five or six highest-paid G.M.s in the game. 2008 Troy Tulowitzki (.291, 24, 99 ) and the Rockies agree on a six-year, $31 million deal, including a club option for 2014. The National League champs' second baseman was the runner-up for the Rookie of the Year award, narrowly outpointed (128-126) for the BBWAA honor by Milwaukee's Ryan Braun. 2008 To add experience for an unseasoned rotation, the Marlins sign 33-year-old southpaw Mark Hendrickson (4-8, 5.21) to a one-year, $1.5 million deal, which includes an additional $500,000 in performance bonuses. The 6-foot-9 former NBA player pitched for the Blue Jays, Devil Rays, and the Dodgers.
2010 Major League Baseball announces the Dodgers, who in 1993 became the first big league club to play in Taiwan, will return to the island in March to play a pair of exhibition games against a Chinese Professional Baseball League team. During their first trip, L.A. played a squad of Chinese All-Stars. 2010 Arbitration-eligible Hunter Pence (.282, 25, 72) signs a $3.5 million, one-year deal with the Astros. The 26-year-old All-Star outfielder with the rifle arm earned only $464,000 last year, his third season with Houston. *********** 53,509
Dusty Baker has played, coached or managed in almost 3% of all games in Major League Baseball history.
1/24/25 Baseball BIRTHDAYS ********************** 1898 Cliff Heathcote 1909 Jean R. Yawkey baseball executive (owner Boston Red Sox 1976-92) 1916 Walter Haas Jr sports team owner (Levi Strauss & Co, Oakland A's) 1958 Neil Allen Pitcher,Coach 1964 Rob Dibble pitcher (Cincinnati Reds 1968 Ross Powell pitcher (Cincinnati Reds, Houston Astros 1984 Scott Kazmir ***************************
Today in Baseball History January 24th 1931 After being released by the Indians four days ago, Alabama native Joe Sewell, who spent the first 11 years of his career with Cleveland, signs as a free agent with the Yankees for $10,000. The 33-year-old future Hall of Fame infielder, the record holder for consecutive games without recording a strikeout at 115, will hit .282 during his three seasons with New York. 1939 Needing an additional player to reach the initial goal of having at least ten inductees before the dedication ceremonies this summer, members of the BBWAA elect 'Wee' Willie Keeler, George Sisler, and Eddie Collins to be in the inaugural class of the Hall of Fame. The three players chosen are joining the 1936 selection of Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner, Christy Mathewson, and Walter Johnson, along with Nap Lajoie, Tris Speaker, and Cy Young, selected by the writers a year later. 1955 Cubs business manager Jim Gallagher, chairman of the nine-man rules committee, announces the two leagues will implement an existing rule during spring training that requires a hurler to throw the ball when the bases are empty within 20 seconds after taking a pitching position. The mandate, which results in the umpire calling a ball when the tosses are tardy, will not be in effect during the season.
1961 The A's trade Whitey Herzog and Russ Snyder to the Orioles for Wayne Causey, Jim Archer, Bob Boyd, and Al Pilarcik. The deal will not improve either club when both teams finish in the second division next season. 1962 The Southern Association, established in 1901, suspends operation due to decreasing yearly attendance. Except for 27-year-old outfielder Nat Peeples, who became the only black player in the league's history when he appeared in two games with the 1954 Atlanta Crackers, the circuit remained racially segregated until the end of its existence. 1973 Warren Spahn becomes only the sixth player elected to the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, receiving 316 of the 380 (83.2%) votes cast by the BBWAA scribes. The Buffalo (NY) native, who recorded thirteen 20-win seasons with the Braves, retired as the winningest left-handed pitcher in big-league history with 363 victories, a remarkable feat given he recorded his first victory as a 26-year-old. 1980 The Payson family sells the controlling interest of the Mets to book publisher Doubleday and Company, with Fred Wilpon of Sterling Equities and a group from City Investing becoming minority owners. The estimated $21.1 million price tag, twice as much as the sale of the Yankees to George Steinbrenner seven years ago, is the highest amount ever paid for a baseball franchise, far surpassing the $12 million needed to purchase the Orioles and Astros last season.
2001 Sixty-eight major league umpires participate in a preseason session, believed to be a historical first, to practice calling strikes as defined by the rule book. With the help of minor leaguers wearing tapes nine inches above their belts, the men in blue get a good look at pitches, commonly called balls, but are strikes when the proper enforcement of the zone is put into place this upcoming season. 2006 Jay Gibbons (.277, 26, 79) and the Orioles agree to a $21.1 million, four-year deal. The 28-year-old outfielder, who is getting married this weekend, could have taken his chances on the free-agent market next season. 2007 Coming off an injured Achilles tendon, Cliff Floyd signs a flexible deal with the Cubs, beginning with a one-year guaranteed contract for $3 million, increasing to as much as $17.5 million over two years. The Chicago native will platoon with Matt Murton, giving the Northsiders left-handed power off the bench. 2008 The Braves, avoiding arbitration, sign Rafael Soriano (3-3, 3.00) to a two-year deal worth $9 million. Atlanta plans to use the 29-year-old right-handed reliever, who recorded nine saves last year, as the team's closer this season. 2023 Receiving votes on 297 of 389 ballots (76.3%), the BBWAA narrowly elects Scott Rolen to the Hall of Fame in his sixth year of eligibility. The 17-year veteran, only the 18th third baseman to become a Hall of Famer, never appeared as a designated hitter, playing for the Phillies, Cardinals, Blue Jays, and the Reds. *******************************
