Baseball Birthdays February 6, 2024 ********************************* 1894 -Pelham Ballenger 1895 -Babe Ruth 1899 -Walt Huntzinger 1901 -Glenn Wright 1918 -Ernie Kish 1926 -Dale Long 1926 -Sam Calderone 1927 -Smoky Burgess 1928 -Charlie Gorin 1932 -Bill Koski 1948 -Doug Howard 1949 -Richie Zisk 1958 -Bill Dawley 1975 -Chad Allen ****************************************
This Day in Baseball History February 6th 1921 The New York American League franchise purchases a ten-acre plot of land for $675,000 from William Waldorf Astor's estate as the future Yankee Stadium site. The club's new ballpark, located on the west side of the Bronx, will sit directly across the Harlem River from the Polo Grounds, the team's current home for the past ten years as tenants of the Giants. 1934 New York news reporter and broadcaster Ford Frick is named the National League's public relations director. In November, the DePauw University graduate will be elected as the president of the Senior Circuit, succeeding John A. Heydler, who resigned due to poor health. 1935 Cardinal right-hander Dizzy Dean, who posted a 30-7 record last season for the Gashouse Gang, becomes a holdout when the team refuses to meet his demand for a yearly salary of $25,000. The 23-year-old future Hall of Famer, the NL's reigning MVP, quickly comes to terms with the Redbirds the following day, signing for $18,500, including a thousand-dollar bonus.
1956 Dodger owner Walter O'Malley, showing his support for the Wagner-Cashmore plan to build a $30-million downtown Brooklyn sports center, promises to buy four million dollars worth of bonds for the project. The proposed legislation, which will be passed and signed by New York Governor Averill Harriman in April, becomes irrelevant due to a lack of funding from the city's Board of Estimates. 1958 The Red Sox sign Ted Williams for reportedly $135,000, making him the highest-paid player in major league history, surpassing his annual salary of a hundred grand he's collected since 1949. The 39-year-old outfielder, starting his 18th season with the club, led the major leagues with a .388 batting average last year. The Pirates agreed to give Hank Greenberg a six-figure contract after being traded from the Tigers in 1946, and Joe DiMaggio also signed $100,000 contracts with the Yankees in 1949 and 1950. TED Hank& Joe 1962 The Phillies announce the team will retire Robin Roberts' uniform number 36 when his new club, the Yankees, visits Clearwater to play Philadelphia in a March spring exhibition game. The team's tribute to future Hall of Famer marks the first time a uniform number has been retired in the franchise's 79-year history.
1986 The Yankees sign well-traveled free-agent Al Holland, who saved a total of five games for three different teams last season. The one-year contract has a clause that requires the 33-year-old southpaw reliever, one of the players granted immunity in exchange for their testimony in last year's Pittsburgh cocaine trials, to submit to drug tests. 1992 Jeff Innis (0-2, 2.66, 84 IP) loses his arbitration bid against the Mets, awarded the team's offer of $355,000 (more than double his 1991 salary) rather than the $650,000 he sought. During the season, the 29-year-old middle-reliever with a submarine delivery became the first major league pitcher to appear in 60 or more games without recording a win or a save, a stat that worked against winning his case.
2008 The Rangers hire Nolan Ryan as team president during a pivotal point in club history, according to club president Tom Hicks. The 61-year-old Hall of Fame hurler, who retired with the Rangers in 1993 after playing a record 27 major league seasons, is introduced at The Ballpark in Arlington with much fanfare, including a video highlight package featuring many of the right-hander's milestones. 2010 After Seattle declined to offer him salary arbitration, oft-injured free agent Erik Bedard agrees to stay a part of the Mariners' pitching rotation, inking a one-year deal with a mutual option for 2011. The 30-year-old southpaw, who is rehabilitating after surgery on his pitching shoulder last August, will not have to continue his disappointing role as the team's ace with the off-season trade for Cliff Lee and the emergence of Felix Hernandez. 2012 An arbitration panel rules in favor of 27-year-old Anibal Sanchez (8-9, 3.67), awarding the Marlin right-hander with a record-breaking $8 million salary this season. The decision, which puts aside the team's counteroffer of $6.9 million, represents the most substantial amount ever given to a starting pitcher who went to arbitration. ********************************************
2023: Pete Alonso turns down $158M extension with Mets 2025: Pete Alonso signs $54M contract with Mets
Baseball Birthdays February 7, 2025 ********************************* 1885 -Reilly Barney White Sox second baseman 1893 -Charlie Jamieson helped Cleveland win the 1920 American League pennant, batting .319 with 69 runs 1894 Charlie Jackson, 1900 -Earl Whitehill Senators mound ace 1928 - Al Smith Indians,White Sox 1930 -Felipe Montemayor Monterey 1937 -Juan Pizarro 1947 -Ted Ford Indians, Rangers 1950 -Burt Hooton 1953 -Dan Quisenberry 1957 -Carney Lansford 1977 -Dave Borkowski 1978 -Endy Chavez 1979 -Humberto Cota ****************************************
This Day in Baseball History February 7th 1898 Chris Von der Ahe is taken into custody to face charges in Pittsburgh after being kidnapped by detective Nicholas Bendel in a St. Louis hotel. The Brown Stockings (AA) owner faces jail time in Pennsylvania if he doesn't pay the $2,500 awarded to right-hander Mark E. Baldwin, who brought suit against the baseball magnate for malicious prosecution after being acquitted in a dispute between the National League and the American Association. 1942 Reds general manager Warren Giles announces the team has traded veteran catcher Ernie Lombardi to the Braves for two players to be named later. The 33-year-old future Hall of Famer will hit .330 during his one season with his new team, capturing the batting crown, a feat that a catcher will not repeat until 2006 when Twins' backstop Joe Mauer leads the American League .with a .347 batting average. 1949 Yankee outfielder Joe DiMaggio becomes the first American Leaguer to make $100,000 in one season. In 1947, the Pirates paid the recently-waived Hank Greenberg six figures, making the former Junior Circuit superstar the first major leaguer to reach the plateau, albeit for his skills with Detroit.
1979 Jesse Orosco becomes 'the player to be named later' in the Mets' trade of Jerry Koosman to the Twins. The left-handed reliever will spend 24 seasons in the major leagues, setting the record for appearances with 1,252. 1983 The Mariners select Reds minor leaguer Danny Tartabull as compensation for the loss of Floyd Bannister to the White Sox. The outfielder will hit .270 and receive consideration for the Rookie of the Year Award in 1986 but will be traded away in the off-season with Rick Luecken to the Royals for Scott Bankhead, Mike Kingery, and Steve Shields. 1987 For only the second time since Major League Baseball implemented the rule, a player takes less pay due to salary arbitration when Orel Hershiser signs for $800,000, taking a twenty-percent pay cut. The Dodger right-hander will become the highest-paid player in the major leagues after winning the Cy Young Award and leading the team to a World Series championship next year. Cy Young winners (MLB combined: 1956-1966)1956: Don Newcombe, Brooklyn Dodgers 1957: Warren Spahn, Milwaukee Brewers 1958: Bob Turley, New York Yankees 1959: Early Wynn, Chicago White Sox 1960: Vern Law, Pittsburgh Pirates 1961: Whitney Ford, New York Yankees 1962: Don Drysdale, Los Angeles Dodgers 1963: Sandy Koufax, Los Angeles Dodgers 1964: Dean Chance, Los Angeles Angels 1965: Sandy Koufax (2), Los Angeles Dodgers 1966: Sandy Koufax (3), Los Angeles Dodgers
