Before Joe DiMaggio came along, Willie Keeler held the major league record with a 44-game hitting streak in 1897. His .424 average that year was the highest for a left-handed hitter.
MARCH 4 BASEBALL BIRTHDAYS ************************************** 1884 Red Murray 1888 Jeff Pfeffer pitcher no-hitter Boston Doves v Cincinnati Reds 1907 1891 (Charles) "Dazzy" Vance HOF pitcher (7 x NL strike-out leader; World Series ,1934 St Louis Cardinals; NL MVP & Triple Crown of Pitching, 1924 Brooklyn Robins), 1897 Lefty O'Doul HOF left fielder (MLB All-Star, World Series 1933; NL batting champion 1929, 32 NY YankeesHOF left fielder 1933; NL batting champion 1948 Leron Lee outfielder (NPB All-Star 1977, 79, 80, 81; Best Nine Award 1977, 80, 84, 85; Lotte Orions) 1964 Tom Lampkin catcher (SF Giants) 1968 Dionna Harris softball (Olympic gold 1996 1968 Giovanni Carrara 1970 Dave Stevens pitcher, 1994-2000 (Minnesota Twins, and 3 other teams 1974 Tommy Phelps 1976 Hiram Bocachica 1980 Jack Hannahan 1992 Nick Castellanos, (MLB All-Star 2021, 2023; Philadelphia Phillies, Cincinnati Reds; AL triples leader 2017 Detroit Tigers), *************************************
This Day in Baseball History March 4th1912 With the shanties torn down and the garbage pits filled in the Pigtown section in Brooklyn, Charles Ebbets breaks ground for his team's new Bedford Avenue ballpark. The Dodgers' Flatbush facility, which will serve as the team's beloved home for 44 years, will be named for its owner after a reporter at the ceremony suggested the idea to Charley. 1913 The Yankees become the first team to train outside of the United States when they start spring training in Bermuda, playing nine games against the International League’s New Jersey Skeeters. The minor league team had trained on the island nation in 1912, playing on a converted cricket field in Hamilton, known Bernard Park today. 1919 Giants' manager John McGraw sells Slim Sallee to the Reds, but the team will purchase the southpaw back next year. During his five seasons with New York, 'Scatter' compiles a 42-23 (.646) record along with an ERA of 2.26. 1921 After spending the first 12 years of his career with the Red Sox, the team trades veteran outfielder Harry Hooper to the White Sox for Nemo Leibold and Shano Collins. 'Hoop' will finish his playing days in Chicago, hitting .302 during his five seasons in the Windy City, thirty points higher than his average in Boston. 1948 Cardinals outfielder Stan Musial ends his holdout, signing for $31,000, the same salary he made last season after new owners Robert Hannegan and Fred Saigh assure him that his salary will increase based on his performance. 'Stan the Man' gets a pay raise of $5,000 when he is hitting .403 at the All-Star break, en route to being named the National League's MVP. 1976 The Giants, due to the intervention of San Francisco mayor George Moscone, will stay in the City by the Bay. In a last-minute deal, the Stoneham family sells the team to Bob Lurie and Bud Herseth for $8 million instead of the Labatt's Brewery, which had planned to move the Giants to Canada.
1984 The Special Veterans Committee selects two outstanding defensive players, shortstop Pee Wee Reese and catcher Rick Ferrell, to be members of Baseball's Hall of Fame. Cooperstown's newest infielder batted .269 during his 16-year career, all with the Dodgers, and the former Browns, Senators, and Red Sox's backstop hit .281 in his 18-year major league tenure. 2004 Commissioner Bud Selig announces major league baseball will celebrate "Jackie Robinson Day" in every ballpark on April 15, the anniversary of the debut of the first black player in the major leagues. Jackie's number (42) was retired for all time in a ceremony at Shea Stadium in April of 1997 to mark the 50th anniversary of Robinson's achievement. 2006 "We are sorry that certain players will not be present for portions of spring training. These players have elected to participate in the World Baseball Classic. The World Baseball Classic is an event sanctioned by the commissioner of Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association. The New York Yankees did not vote to support this event."- LEGENDS FIELD SIGN, apologizing for the absence of star players. Before the scheduled exhibition game at Legends Field in Tampa, the Yankees, using a sign outside the park, apologize to the fans for Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Johnny Damon, and Bernie Williams not playing due to their participation in the World Baseball Classic. Bronx Bombers boss George Steinbrenner had abstained when the owners approved the World Cup type tournament at the urging of baseball commissioner Bud Selig. 2008 Brad Hawpe and the Rockies agree to $17,425,000 for three years, replacing the $3,925,000, one-year contract signed in January. Joining right-hander Aaron Cook, shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, and closer Manny Corpas, the Colorado right fielder becomes the fourth young player of the National League champs to receive a long-term deal. 2012 A swarm of bees that moved down the right-field line and settled near the Giants' dugout behind first base causes the evacuation of two sections of fans, delaying the split-squad game against the Diamondbacks for 41 minutes. The Salt River Fields grounds crew uses a combination of lemonade and cotton candy obtained from the concession stand to lure the buzzing insects away from fans and players. ************************************************ 172,858
Babe Ruth’s earnings throughout his career. The year Mickey Mantle hit 54 home runs, he made $70k, the same amount Ruth made in 1930-32.
MARCH 5 BASEBALL BIRTHDAYS ************************************** 1860 Sam Thompson HOF right fielder (NL batting champion 1887 Detroit Wolverines; NL HR leader 1889, 1895 Philadelphia Quakers), born in Danville, Indiana (d. 1922) 1921 Elmer Valo outfielder (one of only 4, four-decade MLB players 1939-61; Philadelphia, KC Athletics Dodgers), 1930 Del Crandall catcher (11 × MLB All-Star; World Series 1957; 4 × Gold Glove Award; Boston/Milwaukee Braves) and manager (Milwaukee Brewers, Seattle Mariners) 1947 Kent Tekulve relief pitcher, 1980 All-Star (Pittsburgh Pirates, 1974-85 1971 Brian Hunter outfielder, 1994-2003, AL stolen base leader (99) - 1997 (Houston Astros, Detroit Tigers, and 4 other teams), born in Portland, Oregon 1971 Chad Fonville infielder, 1995-99 (LA Dodgers and 3 other teams) 1971 José Mercedes pitcher, 1994-2003 (Milwaukee Brewers, and 2 other teams) 1976 Paul Konerko 1977 Mike MacDougal 1978 Mike Hessman 1993 Kyle Schwarber ***********************************************
This Day in Baseball History March 5th 1922 Babe Ruth and the Yankees agree to a three-year contract worth $52,000 annually, breaking down to $1,000 for each of the 156 weeks of the deal, more than three times as much as teammate Home Run Baker, the second-best paid major leaguer. The 'Sultan of Swat' will prove worthy of his contract, hitting 122 home runs and earning MVP honors in the team's first World Championship season in 1923. In November, Yankees owner Colonel Jacob Ruppert has the 'Bambino' agree to a contract addendum, limiting the slugger's outrageous off-field behavior that includes the excessive consumption of alcohol and late-night carousing. 1936 Without the holdout Dean brothers, Dizzy and Daffy, available, the Cardinals lose an exhibition game to Habana at Havana's Tropical Park. Luis Tiant Sr., the dad of a future major league pitcher, is the starting pitcher for the Cuban winter league team. 1958 Duke Snider, Johnny Podres, and Don Zimmer, trying to beat a 12:30 am curfew, suffer minor injuries in an auto mishap in Vero Beach. With prior crashes involving Roy Campanella and Jim Gilliam, the car accident involves Dodger players for the third time within the last two months. 1962 Gene Freese suffers a severely fractured ankle in the team's first intrasquad game, keeping the Reds' third baseman out of action until mid-August. The 28-year-old infielder, who played an essential role in Cincinnati's National League championship last season, will never regain the form he displayed during the pennant drive. 1964 Atlanta's Mayor Ivan Allen, Jr. claims to have a verbal agreement with a major league team that promises to move to the Peach State if a stadium is ready by next year. The next day the Board of Alderman approves a $15-million stadium. 1966 Marvin Miller, an assistant to the President of United Steelworkers, is elected as the first full-time executive director of the Major League Players' Association by the player representatives. The skilled negotiator, who will lead the MLBPA from 1966 to 1982, transforms the organization into one of the country's strongest unions. 1972 Jim Fregosi, obtained by the Mets from the Angels in the off-season for future Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan, breaks his right thumb during a spring training workout. The All-Star infielder will suffer through an agonizing season, batting only .232 in 101 games after being touted as the team's solution to its revolving door at third base. 1973 "We may have to call off family day." - LEE McPHAIL, Yankees GM jesting about two players swapping their wives and children. Yankee southpaws Fritz Peterson and Mike Kekich announce that they have traded families, including their wives, kids, and dogs. The teammates' swap that began last Fall will work better for Peterson, who will become married to his best friend's former wife with whom he will have four children than it does for Kekich, whose relationship with Marilyn Peterson is short-lived. 1982 Gaylord Perry signs a one-year deal with Seattle, needing three wins to reach 300 career victories. The 43-year-old 'Ancient Mariner' will reach the milestone in May when he goes the distance to beat New York at the Kingdome, 7-3, en route to finishing his 22-year career next season with a 314-265 (.542) won-loss record. 1986 The Braves and Brewers swap backstops with Atlanta acquiring Ted Simmons from Milwaukee in exchange for Rick Cerone and a pair of minor leaguers, David Clay and Flavio Alfaro. The offensively talented Simmons will spend three years with his new club before retiring after the 1988 season with a lifetime .285 batting average. 2002 When dismissed by the Red Sox, Joe Kerrigan becomes the fourth manager fired during spring training. The team's former pitching coach, who led the club to a 17-26 record after taking over for Jimy Williams last August, had signed a multi-year contract to be Boston's field boss with then-GM Dan Duquette but was not favored by the new ownership that took control last month. 2003 Although not agreeing to ban ephedra, a memo is sent to all major leaguers by the players' union strongly recommending players "be extremely reluctant to use any products" containing the substance. The diet supplement, available without a prescription, has been linked to Orioles' pitcher Steve Belcher's death during spring training. 2005 A new ownership group, headed by real estate tycoon Lewis N. Wolff and businessman John J. Fisher, takes control of the A's after purchasing the franchise from Steve Schott and Ken Hoffman. Oakland's four-year playoff streak, fueled by Billy Beane's "Moneyball" approach, had come to an end in 2004, and the former owners were anxious to sell the club they bought from the estate of Walter A. Haas, Jr. in 1995. ***********************************************
"Luis Tiant didn't join the Red Sox until mid-career, but he became one of the most popular players in club history. A balding, overweight starter whose age was often estimated at several years higher that its 'official' listing, Tiant spoke with a thick Cuban accent, would smoke cigars anywhere, including the clubhouse whirlpool and shower. He was a renowned locker-room prankster, but was serious on the mound, winning 20 games three times for Boston. He baffled hitters with a rocking, twisting windup and an assortment of release points that ranged from over-the-top to nearly underhand." Steve Holtje Tiant with his parents, Isabel & Luis Sr.
