BB On this Date ~ Events & Birthdays #2

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BIRTHDAYS
Tim Keefe Hall of Fame pitcher (Triple Crown 1888; MLB record 0.86 ERA, single season 1880; NY Giants), born in Cambridge, Massachusetts


1904 Ethan Allen center fielder (inventor Cadaco-Ellis board game All Star Baseball; Yale University), born in Cincinnati, Ohio (d. 1993)


1911 Hank Greenberg (1911-1986) Hall of Fame first baseman (5 × MLB All-Star; World Series 1935, 45; AL MVP 1935, 40; Detroit Tigers), born in NYC, NY


1927 Carl Scheib pitcher (at the time [1943] youngest player in MLB history at 16; Philadelphia A’s), born in Gratz, Pennsylvania (d. 2018)


1940 Ruly Carpenter baseball executive (principal owner and president Philadelphia Phillies 1972-81), born in Wilmington, Delaware (d. 2021)

1955 LaMarr Hoyt pitcher (AL Cy Young Award 1983; AL wins leader 1982-83; Chicago White Sox), born in Columbia, South Carolina (d. 2021)


1975 Fernando Tatís Sr., third baseman (MLB record 8 RBI in one inning, 1999; St. Louis Cardinals), born in San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic

 

FROM MLB's This Day in Baseball History+​

1923 Having promised his fans and former teammates he'd live to see 1923, Wee Willie Keeler dies on New Year's Day of that year due to heart failure. The diminutive fine-hitting Hall of Fame outfielder, who played for the National League's Superbas (Dodgers), Orioles, and Giants and the Highlanders (Yankees) of the American League, is credited with the baseball axiom, "Keep your eyes clear, and hit 'em where they ain't."

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1927 The Robins announce outfielder Zack Wheat, after 18 consecutive seasons with the club, has been released. The future Hall of Famer, who led the National League in hitting in 1918 with a .335 batting average, will hit .324 in 88 games for Connie Mack's Philadelphia A's this season, finishing his career with a lifetime mark of .311.

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1929 "He could turn off a light switch and jump into bed before the room got dark." - SATCHEL PAIGE, quipping about the quickness of Cool Papa Bell. Cienfuegos's third baseman Cool Papa Bell becomes the first player to hit three home runs in a professional game in Cuba, accomplishing the feat in a 15-11 victory over Havana at the spacious Alda Park. The speedy infielder hits the trio of homers, all inside-the-park round-trippers, off Oscar Levis, Cliff "Campanita" Bell, and Martin Dihigo.

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1940 In a decision that foreshadows a significant blow to Detroit's farm system, Kenesaw Mountain Landis voids the last month's trade, which would have sent Tiger hurler George Coffman and second baseman Benny McCoy to the A's for outfielder Wally Moses. The commissioner declares McCoy a free agent because the team hid the infielder from other clubs, and baseball's first czar will also grant free agency to another 87 of the club's farmhands due to their concealment in the minor leagues.

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1941 Babe Ruth spends $50,000 on defense bonds to support of the U.S. mobilization effort, the maximum allowed by law for one person. After the start of World War II, the retired Yankee legend will continue to support the military, making charity appearances promoting the purchase of U.S bonds.

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1943 Josh Gibson, known as the 'Black Babe Ruth,' is admitted to St. Francis Hospital for a brief time after suffering a mental breakdown, being released to participate in spring training with the Homestead Grays in Hot Springs (AR). The power-hitting catcher is diagnosed with a brain tumor but elects not to have it removed, and as a consequence, suffers from headaches until his death in 1947 at the age of 35 years old.

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1961 Tiger Stadium is the official new name for the Detroit ballpark at the corner of Michigan and Trumbull Avenues. The facility, which opened in 1912, was initially known as Navin Field, named for team owner Frank Navin, before becoming Briggs Stadium in 1938, reflecting the expansion efforts of Walter Briggs, who increased the yard's capacity to 53,000 under his ownership by double-decking the stands in left field.

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1970 One-time New York batboy Chub Feeney begins his 16-year presidency of the National League, taking over for Warren Giles, who held the position for 18 years. The Dartmouth College graduate was Charles Stoneham's grandson, the Giants' late owner.

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1974 Lee MacPhail takes over as American League president, succeeding the retiring Joe Cronin, serving in the role until 1984. MacPhail will join his dad, Larry, as a member of the Hall of Fame in 1998, becoming the only father-and-son pair to be enshrined in Cooperstown.

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1977 At the age of 30, Milwaukee reliever Danny Frisella tragically dies in a dune buggy accident in Arizona. The right-hander, best known for his first six seasons with the Mets, compiled a 34-40 won-loss record, recorded 57 saves, and had an ERA of 3.37 during his ten-year major league tenure, including stints with the Braves, Padres, Cardinals, and the Brewers.

1979 Lorinda de Roulet replaces the very unpopular M. Donald Grant as the Mets' Chairman of the Board. The daughter of franchise founder Joan Payson became the first woman to direct the day-to-day operations of an MLB club when elected as the team president and named to its board of directors following her mother's death in 1975.

1982 Civic Center Busch Memorial Stadium, which replaced Sportsman's Park as the Cardinals' home in 1966, will now be known as Busch Stadium. The new moniker for the ballpark honors the Busch family of Anheuser-Busch, the team's owner, who championed the construction of a new stadium in St. Louis.

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2008 The Dodgers celebrate their 50th year in Los Angeles by participating in the 119th annual Tournament of Roses Parade. The team's float features current and former players, organist Nancy Bea Hefley and Vin Scully, the club's broadcaster since 1950.

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2021 The Brewers' home ballpark will now be known as American Family Field, reflecting the insurance company's name as the venue's title sponsor. The County Stadium replacement, completed in 1971, was called Miller Park for twenty years after the team signed a $40 million deal for the naming rights with the Milwauk
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Today in Baseball History
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Search archives: Historical Events Baseball Birthdays Baseball Deaths
On January 1 in Baseball History...

• • 1927 - The Dodgers announce the release of future Hall of Fame outfielder Zack Wheat. He will bat .324 with the Philadelphia A's in his final major league season in 1927.
  • 1943 - Negro League star Josh Gibson suffers a nervous breakdown and is admitted to St. Francis hospital for rest and treatment. He will be released in time to go to Hot Springs, Arkansas, to get in shape for the baseball season.
  • 1961 - Briggs Stadium is renamed Tiger Stadium.
  • 1970 - Chub Feeney begins his 16-year career as president of the N.L. He takes over for Warren Giles, who retires after 18 years.
  • 1974 - Lee MacPhail takes over as A.L. president, succeeding Joe Cronin, who retires. MacPhail will serve in this role until 1984.

Baseball Birthdays on January 1...

• • 1844 - Berthrong, Harry
  • 1855 - Mansell, Tom
  • 1855 - McGunnigle, Bill
  • 1857 - Keefe, Tim
  • 1858 - Nicol, Hugh
  • 1865 - Murray, Miah
  • 1868 - Zearfoss, Dave
  • 1869 - Connaughton, Frank
  • 1870 - Jones, Bumpus "The Wilmington Democrat stated that (Bumpus) Jones was invited by Charles Comiskey to come to Cincinnati and pitch on Saturday. October 15 was the final day of the regular season and would be the last time the pitcher's box was at fifty feet. Bumpus faced a veteran Pirates team that featured Jake Beckley, Lou Bierbauer, Patsy Donovan, and Connie Mack. A nervous Jones walked the first two batters, then coaxed a grounder that was turned into a double play. In the second Jones again walked a batter, but he was eliminated by another double play. The Reds took the lead in the bottom of the second on a RBI double by Comiskey. In the third Donovan walked and stole second. He scored a run when Jones threw a bunt attempt into right field. The Commercial Gazette's report states 'that ended the run-getting of the visitors and not one of the Pittsburgs reached first base in the six closing innings.' The Reds scored 2 in the fifth on a Germany Smith homer and plated 4 more in the eighth for a 7-1 victory. Bumpus became an instant sensation." - Baseball Researcher Chris Rainey (SABR Baseball Biography Project, 'Bumpus Jones', Link)
  • 1873 - Donovan, Tom
  • 1874 - Garvin, Ned
  • 1876 - Martin, Joe
  • 1880 - Rothgeb, Claude
  • 1880 - Livingstone, Jake
  • 1881 - Bell, Rudy
  • 1882 - Bruckmiller, Andy
  • 1882 - Murphy, Howard
  • 1884 - Downey, Tom
  • 1888 - Meyer, Benny
  • 1890 - Schmutz, Charlie
  • 1893 - Fuller, Frank
  • 1894 - Miller, Hack
  • 1897 - Swartz, Monty
  • 1900 - Kearns, Teddy
  • 1900 - Stokes, Al
  • 1904 - Allen, Ethan
  • 1910 - Devens, Charlie
  • 1911 - Greenberg, Hank
    • "When I was playing, I used to resent being singled out as a Jewish ballplayer. I wanted to be known as a great ballplayer, period. I'm not sure why or when I changed, because I'm still not a particularly religious person. Lately, though, I find myself wanting to be remembered not only as a great ballplayer, but even more as a great Jewish ballplayer." - Hank Greenberg in The 50 Greatest Players in Detroit Tigers History (Robert W. Cohen)
  • 1912 - Moran, Hiker
  • 1919 - Robertson, Sherry
  • 1921 - Lint, Royce
  • 1924 - Bishop, Charlie
  • 1924 - Torgeson, Earl "Unlike my boyhood hero, Earl Averill, I'll never be voted into the Hall of Fame. But I had 15 enjoyable years and accomplished things that most players would like to achieve. Even though we lost the 1948 World Series to the Indians, I led both teams in hitting with a .389 average. And I played in three World Series in three different decades - with the Braves in 1948, the White Sox in 1959 and the Yankees in 1961." - Earl Torgeson in Baseball Digest
  • 1927 - Scheib, Carl
  • 1931 - Castleman, Foster
  • 1933 - Host, Gene
  • 1942 - Bethea, Bill
  • 1948 - Bobb, Randy
  • 1953 - Jones, Lynn
  • 1954 - Pittman, Joe
  • 1955 - Owchinko, Bob
  • 1955 - Hoyt, La Marr
  • 1969 - Rivera, Roberto
  • 1970 - Wilson, Gary
  • 1972 - Roque, Rafael
  • 1974 - Beirne, Kevin
  • 1975 - Tatis, Fernando "Besides God, the key for me has been learning consistency. You have to be consistent as a hitter and consistent and disciplined in your preparation to be successful in this game. I wasn't always that way. Respecting the game was an important lesson for me, and the more you play this game, the more you respect it. You appreciate what the game means." - Fernando Tatis in The Washington Post (07/26/2009

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BIRTHDAYS
1885 José Méndez HOF pitcher (NgL World Series 1924; 3 × NgL NL pennants; Kansas City Monarchs), born in Cárdenas, Cuba (d. 1928)


1963 David Cone pitcher (perfect game 1999; AL Cy Young Award 1994; 5 × MLB All-Star; World Series 1992 Toronto Blue Jays; 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000 NY Yankees), born in Kansas City, Missouri


1963 Edgar Martínez HOF third baseman and DH (7 × MLB All-Star; 5 × Silver Slugger Award; AL batting champion 1992, 95; Seattle Mariners), born in NYC, New York


1965 Greg Swindell pitcher (World Series 2001; MLB All Star 1989; Houston Astros, Cleveland Indians, Arizona Diamondbacks), born in Fort Worth, Texas


1970 Royce Clayton shortstop (MLB All Star 1997; SF Giants, St Louis Cardinals, Rockies) and actor (The Rookie, Moneyball), born in Burbank, California

 

FROM MLB's This Day in Baseball History+​

1879 The Northwestern League, considered the first minor league circuit in baseball history, is organized in Rockford (IL). The fledgling organization, which includes teams from Davenport, Omaha, Dubuque, and Rockford, will be defunct before the season ends as a result of lacking a fixed schedule and paying the players more than their counterparts rival National League.

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1912 Charles Ebbets announces the purchase of 4.5 acres of land in the Pigtown section of Brooklyn to build an 18,000-seat concrete and steel stadium. The team's new ballpark location, which will be the Dodgers' home until 1957, is presently a neighborhood that consists of deplorable housing with piles of garbage strewed everywhere.

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1918 In a deal that includes two future Hall of Famers, the Dodgers trade outfielder Casey Stengel and infielder George Cutshaw to the Pirates for pitchers Burleigh Grimes, Al Mamaux, and infielder Chuck Ward. Grimes, known as Ol' Stubblebeard, and Stengel, dubbed The Old Perfessor, will be enshrined in Cooperstown.

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1946 The Senators sell right-hander Alex Carrasquel and shortstop Fred Vaughn to the White Sox. The 33-year-old Caracas, Venezuela native rejects the deal and signs a three-year contract to hurl in Jorge Pasquel's Mexican League, becoming the first major leaguer to jump to a team south of the border.

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