BB On this Date ~ Events & Birthdays #2

FROM MLB's This Day in Baseball History+​

1907 Ty Cobb quarrels with Bungy Cummings, a black groundskeeper who made a friendly gesture toward the Tiger outfielder. When the groundskeeper's wife intercedes, the 'Georgia Peach' reportedly chokes her, and according to Charlie Schmidt, he allegedly stopped the assault by knocking out his teammate. There is speculation this often-told story may not be entirely accurate due to the lack of witnesses corroborating the attack other than Schmidt, who had other disagreements with Cobb during the past year.


1908 Pirates legend Honus Wagner comes out of retirement when Pirates owner Barney Dreyfuss makes him the highest-paid player in the league, offering him $10,000 yearly. The 34-year-old shortstop earns his salary, leading the National League in batting average, hits, total bases, doubles, triples, RBIs, and stolen bases, completing the campaign that historian Bill James cites as the greatest single-season for any player in baseball history. The salary incentive keeps the Flying Dutchman on the field until the middle of the 1917 season.

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1932 Due to the economic depression gripping the nation, Babe Ruth signs a deal for $75,000, a five-thousand pay cut from last season, and 25 percent of the Yankees exhibition games' net receipts. Legend has it the Bambino signed a blank contract, with the amount filled in later by Yankee owner Jacob Ruppert. In 2019, the printed document sold at an auction for nearly $300,000.

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1953 The American League rejects Bill Veeck's request to shift the Browns to Baltimore, voting 6-2 to keep the failing franchise in St. Louis. The lack of support from his fellow owners, except for Charles Comiskey of the White Sox, is an effort to oust the independent-minded maverick from the Junior Circuit.

 

1961 The state of New York approves a bond issue for constructing a 55,000-seat stadium on the 1939-40 World's Fair site in the Flushing Meadow area of Queens. The Mets' future home will be named Shea Stadium, honoring attorney William Shea, who brought the National League back to New York.

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1994 Former major league starter Eric Show dies of an accidental drug overdose in his room at the Rancho L'Abri, a private rehab center in San Diego (CA). The 37-year-old right-hander finished his 11-year career with Oakland, pitching the first ten years with the Padres, where he established the franchise record for most career wins (100) when he left the team as a free agent in 1990.

2001 Slammin' Sammy Sosa signs a four-year contract extension keeping the Cub right fielder in the Windy City until 2006. The prolific home run hitter has averaged nearly sixty home runs (179 HRs/3 years) during the last three seasons.

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2006 At Angel Stadium in front of 38,284 enthusiastic fans, Oliver Perez and seven relievers combined to lead Mexico to a stunning defeat of Roger Clemens and the United States, 2-1. The second-round loss eliminates Team USA from the inaugural World Baseball Classic.

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2006 Roy Halladay (12-4, 2.41) agrees to a $40 million, three-year contract extension which could keep the 'Doc' with the Blue Jays through the 2010 season. The 2003 American League Cy Young winner's season was cut short after getting drilled by a line drive hit by Ranger Kevin Mench, resulting in a broken leg

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2006 At the 5:00 p.m. EST airing of the show Daily News Live!, the Mets begin transmitting Sportsnet New York, which will become better known as SNY. The club modeled the team-owned network after similar regional cable television ventures by the Red Sox (NESN, 1984) and the Yankees (YES, 2002).

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2010 The Red Sox announce 19-year-old prospect Ryan Westmoreland has undergone a five-hour surgical procedure to remove a cavernous malformation in his brain. The highly touted minor league outfielder received the diagnosis at Mass General after leaving spring training earlier this month.

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2010 Former L.A. outfielder Willie Davis, the team leader in hits, extra-base hits, and runs, is fondly remembered by his family and friends, including many teammates, at a memorial service in Dodger Stadium. The 69-year-old, known as 3 Dog, was found dead in his home last week.

Willie & Ron Fairly
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2015 The Grapefruit League game between the Phillies and Twins marks the first time two current Hall of Fame players have managed against each other. Minnesota manager Paul Molitor, enshrined in 2004, opposes Philadelphia skipper Ryne Sandberg, an inductee a season later.

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March 16
Search archives: Historical Events Baseball Birthdays Baseball Deaths
On March 16 in Baseball History...
1900 - At an A.L. meeting in Chicago, Ban Johnson announces that an A.L. team will be placed in the Windy City to ensure the stability of the league. Other franchises are in Kansas City, Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Indianapolis, Detroit, Cleveland, and Buffalo. In an agreement with Chicago N.L. officials, the A.L. club will be situated on the south side of the city and will be permitted to use the nickname White Stockings, formerly used by the N.L. team. However, the White Stockings will not be able to use the word Chicago in their official name.
1953 - The A.L. rejects Bill Veeck's request to move the St. Louis Browns to Baltimore. The rejection is designed to force Veeck out of the A.L.
1985 - Denny McLain, winner of the A.L. Cy Young Award in 1968, is convicted of racketeering, extortion, and cocaine possession in Tampa, Florida. He will serve 29 months of a 23-year sentence before an appeals court overturns the decision.
1994 - Eric Show, who won 100 games pitching for the Padres, dies of a drug overdose at age 37.
Baseball Birthdays on March 16...

1859 - Denny, Jerry
1862 - Abbott, Dan
1864 - Sage, Harry
1865 - Briggs, Grant
1865 - Donovan, Patsy
1871 - Bernhard, Bill
1874 - Duggleby, Bill
1881 - Kruger, Art
1888 - Works, Ralph
1896 - Taylor, Arlas
1899 - Keen, Vic
1902 - Flowers, Jake
1904 - Myer, Buddy
1906 - Waner, Lloyd
1910 - Poser, Bob
1912 - Edelen, Ed
1912 - Bates, Bud
1913 - O'Dea, Ken
1916 - Gorman, Tom
1918 - Olsen, Vern
1927 - Courtney, Clint "Even though he was nicknamed 'Scrap Iron,' St. Louis catcher Clint Courtney didn't look so threatening—he was the first catcher to ever wear glasses. But he was a passionate man who liked his baseball as much as his beer. Courtney was a good hitter with an intense desire to win, but sometimes his intensity went too far and that's when his fire would really show." - Writer Sandra Cozzi in Rumble in St. Louis (April 28, 1953)

1930 - Landrith, Hobie '"You have to have a catcher or you'll have a lot of passed balls': This quotation was reportedly occasioned by the Mets' decision to make well-traveled thirty-one-year-old catcher Hobie Landrith their first choice in the 1961 expansion draft. When I tried to pin down the date and precise wording of Stengel's remark, however, I found that it did not appear in print at the time, and at first I was unable to find any citations of it that preceded his death. This made me skeptical of the legitimacy of the quotation until Bobby Plapinger did some impressive research on the topic. He uncovered the earlier known published version of the quotation, which appeared in the 1966 book Backstage at the Mets, written by Mets broadcaster Lindsey Nelson (with Al Hishberg). On page 64, Nelson mentions the drafting of Landrith and then writes, 'Later, when I asked Casey Stengel why the Mets started with a catcher, he replied with typic Stengel logic. 'When ya build a ball club,' he said, 'ya gotta start with a catcher, 'cause if you don't you'll have all pass balls.'" - Author Peter Morris in Catcher: The Evolution of an American Folk Hero (Ivan R. Dee Publishing, 04/03/2009, Page 295)
1932 - Blasingame, Don
1938 - Browning, Cal
1943 - Reichardt, Rick
1944 - Renick, Rick
1947 - Bradley, Tom
1953 - Franklin, Jay
1953 - Puig, Rich
1954 - Duran, Dan
1956 - Espino, Juan
1959 - Hudson, Charles
1965 - Mota, Jose
1967 - Florence, Don
1970 - McCracken, Quinton
1970 - Schmidt, Curt
1976 - Nunez, Abraham

Copyright � 2001-2007. All Rights Reserved.
Part of the Baseball Almanac family: 755 Home Runs | Around the Horn | Baseball Box Scores | Baseball Fever | Today in Baseball History.​

 

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3/17
BIRTHDAYS
1919 Hank Sauer left fielder (NL MVP, HR leader, RBI leader 1952; MLB All Star 1950, 52; Chicago Cubs), born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (d. 2001)

Banks Irvin & Sauer


1944 Cito Gaston player and manager (Toronto Blue Jays), born in San Antonio, Texas MLB baseball (Toronto Blue Jays, 1979-81) player, born in Eugene, Oregon



1970 Shannan Mitchem infielder (FSU & Colo Silver Bullets), born in Decatur, Georgia


1971 Bill Mueller born in Maryland Heights, Missouri


1976 Scott Downs

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FROM MLB's This Day in Baseball History+​

1899 In Charlotte (NC), the Phillies take the field wearing new sweaters trimmed with green in commemorating St Patrick's Day. The new look is a preview of the team's new uniform colors this season which will feature white suits trimmed in green, a white cap with a green peak, and stockings of two-inch stripes of white and green. Philadelphia abandons the new style next season before bringing the color green back for the 1910 season.

1907 After yesterday's alleged vicious attack on the groundskeeper's wife by his troubled outfielder, Tigers owner Frank Navin makes an all-out effort to trade Ty Cobb. Indian skipper Nap Lajoie turns down a straight swap for former league batting champ Elmer Flick, calling the 'Georgia Peach' a problem player, and Connie Mack of the A's, given his already strong outfield, shows only a passing interest.


1936 Twenty-one-year-old Joe DiMaggio makes his Yankee debut in a big way, collecting four hits, including a triple, in an 8-7 exhibition loss to the Cardinals at Miller Huggins Field in St. Petersburg (FL). The two-time American League MVP and future Hall of Fame outfielder will play 13 seasons with the Bronx Bombers, appearing in ten Fall Classics, in which the team wins nine World Championships.
(Jolting' Joe did not play in the major leagues from 1943 through 1945 due to military service)

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1940 At Plant Field in Tampa, a capacity crowd sees the National League beat the AL in an interleague exhibition all-star game. The charity contest, which is heard nationally on the Mutual Broadcasting System, raises over $20,000 to help feed, clothe, and house the non-combatant citizens of Finland, whose country was recently attacked in November by the Soviet Union.

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1946 In Daytona Beach, the only city that allows him to play, Triple-A Montreal Royals' infielder Jackie Robinson makes his preseason debut at City Island Ball Park, which the municipality renamed after him in 1990. In the first-ever integrated spring training game, the former Negro League standout goes 0-for-3 against the Dodgers but is encouraged by the crowd's reception.

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1953 The Braves' spring training game against the Yankees in Bradenton (FL) will prove to be the team's last full one representing the city of Boston. During the sixth inning of tomorrow's exhibition contest, the club learns of the National League's approval of its shift to Milwaukee, unlike the Junior Circuit's decision two days ago denying Bill Veeck permission to move his Browns to Baltimore due to the short amount of time left before Opening Day.

Spahn & Sain & Pray for Rain
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1953 The Milwaukee County Board, which oversees County Stadium, tears up their three-year deal with its minor league team and offers the ballpark to the Boston Braves at the reduced rate of $1,000 for the first two years. The city would receive five percent of the gate receipts and the majority of the concession sales for the first three seasons.

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1965 Continuing to break barriers, Jackie Robinson becomes the first black to be a part of a national network broadcasting team when he signs on to announce games with ABC. The Hall of Fame infielder will make his Game of the Week debut next month at Fenway Park, teaming with Merle Harmon, the radio voice of the Milwaukee Braves.

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1966 Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale play hardball when negotiating with the Dodgers. The duo signs movie contracts, showing they are serious about retiring from baseball if Los Angeles doesn't agree to their salary demands.

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1969 The Braves trade Joe Torre, a spring training holdout publicly feuding with team GM Paul Richards, to the Cardinals for 1967 National League Most Valuable Player Orlando Cepeda. The All-Star catcher/infielder will play six years in St. Louis, compiling a .308 batting average for the Redbirds that includes a major league-leading .363 in his 1971 MVP season. The Mets actively sought to obtain the 28-year-old Brooklyn-born backstop but declined the trade when Atlanta GM Paul Richard asked for Amos Otis and Nolan Ryan.

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1976 All clubs will comply within forty-eight hours to Commissioner Kuhn's orders to open spring training camps as soon as possible, abruptly ending the 17-day work stoppage. The lockout, initiated by the owners over their concerns about free agency and the free-entry draft, will not impact the start of the regular season.

1977 In a decision seen as one of the most influential and precedent-setting cases in American jurisprudence regarding professional sports, a federal court rules in favor of Bowie Kuhn's decision to void the 1976 sale of A's players by Charlie Finley. The Oakland owner sued the commissioner for illegal restraint of trade when his deals to send Joe Rudi and Rollie Fingers to the Red Sox for $2 million and Vida Blue to the Yankees for $1.5 million were invalidated "in the best interests of baseball."

1978 On St. Patrick's Day, the Reds wear green uniforms, becoming the first team to start a tradition many other clubs will copy. After taking batting practice in their usual garb, Cincinnati, not promoting their green surprise, stun the Yankees and the spring training crowd taking the field sporting their iconic Irish look.

1986 During a Cactus League contest, an official scorer credits Carney Lansford with an unusual two-run inside-the-park homer in the fourth inning of the A's 5-3 victory over the Indians in Phoenix. The infielder circles the bases when Mel Hall's shirt gets stuck on the fence, preventing the outfielder from playing the ball, which is barely out of reach, with shortstop Julio Franco, closest to the play, unable to help because he is so incapacitated with laughter.

 

1999 In a rare dismissal of a manager in spring training, the Blue Jays fire Tim Johnson after deciding he has lost all his credibility, replacing him with Jim Fregosi. After claiming he had seen combat in Vietnam in the offseason, the former Toronto skipper reveals he lied about his military service, causing many players on his team to lose all respect for him as their field boss.

2001 Joe Randa agrees to a two-year contract extension keeping him in Kansas City until the 2003 season. The Royals' third baseman batted .304 and knocked in 106 runs for the Royals in 155 games last season.

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2005 During 11+ hours of the Committee on Government Reform hearing concerning the use of steroids in major leagues, Mark McGwire refuses to talk about the past and does not deny taking performance-enhancing drugs. Other players testifying included Curt Schilling, Sammy Sosa, Rafael Palmeiro, and former big leaguer Jose Canseco, whose recent book prompted the congressional hearing.

2008 The Dodgers lose to the Astros, 12-10, in their last contest at Dodgertown, the team's spring training home since 1948. Eighty-one-year-old Carl Erskine, who pitched the first game at Holman Stadium 55 years ago, plays the national anthem on his harmonica before the contest.
The game, a 12-10 loss to the Astros, was played with a lot going on in Dodgers camp. They would play one more game in Florida, a road contest in Jupiter the next day against the Marlins, before finishing up with a vagabond week in Arizona. Their new facility, Camelback Ranch in Phoenix, would open in 2009.

The St. Patrick’s Day affair was also a split-squad game, because half the team was playing exhibition games against the Padres in China. While Joe Torre managed in Beijing, that left Tommy Lasorda, for one last game in Vero Beach, to sit at the helm in his No. 2 jersey for the Dodgers.

Erskine & Alston
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2010 In a rare spring training ruling, major league baseball suspends a player due to an incident that occurs in an exhibition game. Cliff Lee, the Mariners' much-hyped acquisition, is fined and suspended for the first five games of the regular season after throwing a pitch over the head of Chris Snyder in a Cactus League contest against Arizona.

2020 An Oakland fan named Justin, who tweeted a picture of himself wearing an A's hat while in a hospital bed after testing positive for the Coronavirus, receives an invitation from team president Dave Kaval to throw out the first pitch on Opening Day at the Coliseum. In his Twitter post, the 39-year-old COVID-19 patient issued a plea to take the pandemic seriously, saying, "don't be a moron, stay home
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Search archives: Historical Events Baseball Birthdays Baseball Deaths
On March 17 in Baseball History...

• • 1871 - The National Association of Professional Baseball Players is founded setting the stage for the future National League (1876). The entry fee for a National Association franchise is set at $10.
    
  • 1936 - Much-heralded rookie Joe DiMaggio makes his debut with the Yankees, collecting four hits, including a triple. The day is marred when the Cardinals win 8-7.
    
  • 1946 - In Daytona Beach, the Dodgers take the field against their minor-league farm team, the Montreal Royals. With Jackie Robinson in the lineup for Montreal, the game marks the first appearance of an integrated team in organized baseball in this century. More than 40 years later, the field will be renamed Jackie Robinson Ballpark.
    
  • 1953 - Bill Veeck says that he will accept an offer of $2.475 million for his 80 percent of the St. Louis Browns' stock. Baltimore Mayor D'Alesandro seeks a syndicate to buy Veeck out. The group will eventually purchase 206,250 shares at $12 per share.
    
  • 1976 - Commissioner Bowie Kuhn orders teams to open spring training camps as soon as possible. All teams will comply within 48 hours.
    
  • 1977 - Federal Judge Frank McGarr rules in favor of Bowie Kuhn, saying that the commissioner acted within his authority in voiding the 1976 player sales engineered by A's owner Charlie Finley.
    
  • 1978 - For the St. Patrick's Day exhibition game, the Reds don green uniforms, rather than their traditional red, starting an annual ritual. The Cardinals and other teams will follow suit.

Baseball Birthdays on March 17...

• • 1860 - Pfeffer, Fred
  • 1863 - Hagan, Art
  • 1867 - Beam, Ernie
  • 1869 - Hogriever, George
  • 1871 - Fraser, Chick
  • 1876 - Kostal, Joe
  • 1876 - Gammons, Daff
  • 1881 - Fairbank, Jim
  • 1883 - Stanage, Oscar
  • 1885 - Pearce, Ducky
  • 1885 - Mayes, Paddy
  • 1888 - Klepfer, Ed
  • 1894 - Shafer, Ralph
  • 1895 - Lamb, Lyman
  • 1897 - Riconda, Harry
  • 1899 - Root, Charlie
  • 1906 - Vandenberg, Hy
  • 1912 - Ock, Whitey
  • 1917 - Sauer, Hank "As far as I’m concerned, I was one way. I wanted to win. There was no other way I could play." - Hank Sauer
  • 1919 - Reiser, Pete "There will never be a ballplayer as good as Willie Mays, but (Pete) Reiser was every bit as good, and he might have been better. Pete Reiser might have been the best ballplayer I ever saw. He had more power than Willie. He could throw as good as Willie. Mays was fast, but Reiser was faster. Name whoever you want to, and Pete Reiser was faster. Willie Mays had everything. Pete Reiser had everything but luck." - Hall of Fame Manager Leo Durocher
  • 1923 - Seerey, Pat
  • 1938 - Hall, Jimmie
  • 1944 - Gaston, Cito
  • 1952 - Tabb, Jerry
  • 1956 - Lollar, Tim
  • 1956 - Scurry, Rod
  • 1956 - Lisi, Rick
  • 1959 - Ainge, Danny "I don't know if the Blue Jays want me or not. I think the Blue Jays would be willing to give me up if enough money is involved. I'm not surprised I've changed my mind. At the time, I felt pretty much committed to the baseball situation, and I wasn't sure if I would get a chance to give basketball a shot. I had a better senior year (he averaged 24.4 points a game) than I anticipated, and things in baseball haven't gone as well as I had hoped. I just feel now I'll regret it if I don't give basketball a shot." - Danny Ainge in The Day (New London, Connecticut, Sports Section, Tuesday, September 29, 1981, 'Will Danny Ainge be a baseballorbasketball player a baseballor basketball player?', Page 11)
  • 1965 - Smiley, John
  • 1968 - Gomez, Pat
  • 1968 - Masteller, Dan
  • 1969 - Brow, Scott
  • 1971 - Mueller, Bill
  • 1973 - Wilson, Vance
  • 1976 - Downs, Scott

Copyright � 2001-2007. All Rights Reserved.
Part of the Baseball Almanac family: 755 Home Runs | Around the Horn | Baseball Box Scores | Baseball Fever | Today in Baseball History.​

 

3/19
BIRTHDAYS
1859 Edward J. McKeever baseball executive (co-owner Brooklyn Dodgers), born in Brooklyn, New York (d. 1925)
(1927-1997)

Richie Ashburn Hall of Fame infielder (6 × MLB All-Star; NL batting champion 1955, 58; Philadelphia Phillies) and sportscaster (Phillies TV 1963-71), born in Tilden, Nebraska


1962 Ivan Calderón outfielder (MLB All Star 1991; Chicago White Sox, Montreal Expos), born in Fajardo, Puerto Rico (d. 2003)


1974 John Coppinger, pitcher (Baltimore Orioles), born in El Paso, Texas


1979 Hee-Seop Choi

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FROM MLB's This Day in Baseball History+​

1951 In an interview with the Detroit Free Press, Fred Hutchinson, the American League player representative, says the players should have a voice in selecting the new commissioner replacing A. B. Happy Chandler, who the owners recently ousted. The Tigers’ right-hander suggests that the major leaguers, if not given input, would be inclined to hire and pay their own commissioner, with Chandler being their first choice.

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1961 The Yankees signal opposition to any plan enabling the new National League franchise of sharing their Bronx ballpark, with team owner Dan Topping citing his former GM George Weiss, now in a similar position with the expansion team, vehemently against the idea during his last two seasons with the club. William Shea, chairman of the Mayor's Baseball Committee, is not believing the Polo Grounds or Roosevelt Field in Jersey City as viable venues for the new team until the completion of the new stadium in Flushing Meadows.

1970 During a spring training game against Oakland, Indians' first baseman Ken Harrelson fractures his leg and will not play until September, appearing in only 17 games. Next season, after losing his starting position to Chris Chambliss, the eventual AL Rookie of the Year, the 'Hawk' will retire in June to pursue a professional golf career.

1989 The Yankees, hoping to replace the injured Dave Winfield, trade catcher Joel Skinner and a minor leaguer to the Indians for outfielder Mel Hall. Due to back surgery, the future Hall of Fame outfielder will miss the entire season.

 

2002 The Yankees Entertainment and Sports Network (YES) debuts as a regional cable TV channel. Like NESN of the Red Sox, the team-owned network will carry Bronx Bombers games and cover New Jersey Nets NBA contests.

2005 After avoiding salary arbitration by signing a one-year $10.5 million deal in the offseason, Lance Berkman agrees to a six-year, $85 million contract. The three-time All-Star outfielder will be an Astro until 2010, with the club holding the option for an additional year.

2007 Texas announces their home stadium will now be called Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. The subprime mortgage industry crisis caused Ameriquest to give up its naming rights last month after reaching a 30-year deal with the team in 2004, reportedly worth about $75 million.

2008 In a protest of their coaches not receiving the same $40,000 stipend negotiated by the players union, the Red Sox players boycott their exhibition game, scheduled to be televised nationally from the City of Palms Park, and tomorrow's flight to Japan for the season-opening game against the A's. The delayed game starts an hour later when MLB consents to pay the managers, coaches, and trainers $20,000 each from management's proceeds, with the team agreeing to make up the difference.

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