BB On this Date ~ Events & Birthdays #2

Hank Aaron, George Brett, Wade Boggs, Paul Molitor, Tony Gwynn, Carl Yastrzemski, Willie Mays, Al Kaline, Eddie Murray, Dave Winfield, Rod Carew, Lou Brock, Robin Yount
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Jackie Robinson at second base and that’s Henry Aaron playing right field. Mathews at third base.
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On Feb. 19, 1953, Ted Williams crash-landed his Navy F9F Panther jet following a mission in Korea. The plane was damaged by anti-aircraft fire, but Williams survived thanks to piloting skill honed almost a decade earlier during World War II.
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The San Diego Chicken shows off his dance moves next to Montreal Expos catcher Gary Carter before the 1979 Major League All-Star Game in Seattle!
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Classic 1956 St. Louis Cardinals - Busch Stadium Scorecard 10¢
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Baseball Birthdays January 7
1913 Johnny Mize, Hall of Fame first baseman (10 x MLB All Star; 5 × World Series champion; NL batting champion 1939; 4 × NL HR leader; St. Louis Cardinals, NY Giants, NY Yankees), born in Demorest, Georgia (d. 1993)


1922 Alvin Dark player and manager, born in Comanche, Oklahoma, (d. 2014)


1943 Jim Lefebvre, (Dodgers, Seattle Mariners), born in Hawthorne, California


1945 Tony Conigliaro outfielder (Boston Red Sox), born in Revere, Massachusetts (d. 1990)


1950 Ross Grimsley, born in Topeka, Kansas


1962 Jeff Montgomery,pitcher, 1987-99, 3X All-Star; AL saves leader, 1993 (Cincinnati Reds, Kansas City Royals), born in Wellston, Ohio


1963 Craig Shipley, infielder (San Diego Padres, DBacks), born in Parramatta, Australia


1969 Chris Hatcher outfielder (Houston Astros), born in Kinston, North Carolina

1976 Alfonso Soriano, Dominican baseball player, born in San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic


1976 Éric Gagné pitcher (NL Cy Young Award 2003), born in Montreal, Quebec


1978 Kevin Mench born in Wilmington, Delaware

1982 Francisco Rodriguez born in Caracas, Venezuela

1984 Jon Lester born in Tacoma, Washington

1997 Ozzie Albies player (Atlanta Braves), born in Willemstad, Curaçao

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This Day in Baseball History
January 7th​

1920 Babe Ruth, reacting to harsh comments about him after his trade to the Yankees, tells the Boston Evening Standard, "Frazee is not good enough to own any ball club, especially one in Boston." The Red Sox owner recently called his former player "one of the most selfish and inconsiderate men ever to put on a baseball uniform."

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1924 The Indians trade catcher Steve O'Neill, second baseman Bill Wambsganss, and pitcher Danny Boone to the Red Sox for first baseman George Burns, second baseman Chick Fewster, and catcher Al Walters. In 1926, Burns, who also played for the Tribe 1920 and 1921, will lead the American League in hits, winning wins the circuit's MVP award while playing for the much-improved team.

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1933 Kenesaw Mountain Landis, in a move seen as a precursor to the reduction of all salaries during the depression, voluntarily cuts his pay by forty percent. In 1920, the Millville (OH) native accepted the offer to become the game's first commissioner for seven years at an annual salary of $42,500 on the condition he could remain a federal judge.

1945 During an argument over a disputed call, Roberto Ortiz viciously punches Bernardino Rodriguez, knocking the home plate umpire unconscious. The Almendares' first baseman, who apologizes in local newspapers, will be suspended from the Cuban League for the rest of the season due to his violent behavior that sent the arbitrator to the hospital.

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1971 In Frankfort (KY), Bobby Tolan ruptures his Achilles tendon while playing basketball with a team put together by his Reds teammates, who perform in the Tri-State area at charity events. The Cincinnati outfielder will miss the entire season but returns to the Reds in 1972, winning the Comeback Player of the Year and Hutch awards, hitting .283, and knocking in 82 runs for the National League champs.

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1985 The BBWAA elects St. Louis outfielder Lou Brock and Hoyt Wilhelm, who played with nine different teams, to the Hall of Fame. The Cardinals speedster broke Ty Cobb's record for stolen bases in 1977 with 893 career steals, and the veteran knuckleballer, best remembered for his seasons with the Orioles and the White Sox, appeared in more games than any other pitcher in major league history.
Enos Slaughter Wilhelm Brock

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1991 After serving five months for tax evasion, authorities release Pete Rose from the US Penitentiary in Marion (IL). The former Reds legend pays $366,041 in back taxes and interest, a $50,000 fine, and is required to perform 1,000 hours of community service, which he will fulfill working with kids in the inner-city schools in Cincinnati.

1992 The baseball writers elect Rollie Fingers, the first closer in major league history to record 300 career saves, and Tom Seaver into the Hall of Fame. 'Tom Terrific,' the author of 311 victories, receives the highest percentage (98.84%) in the voting history of the BBWAA, being named by 425 out of 430 writers with three of the five ballots not choosing Seaver left blank in protest of Pete Rose's ineligibility.

Tom Seaver, Rollie Fingers, Hal Newhouser
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2005 John Henry, the Red Sox owner, calls reserve first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz to discuss the ownership of the ball thrown to get the last out of the World Series, now in possession of the infielder. Club president Larry Lucchino has made it clear that he wants the team to own that historic ball, which currently resides with an Olympic ring in the player's safe deposit box

Last Out of the 2004 World Series.​

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2005 Baseball commissioner Bud Selig announces Major League Baseball and the Players Association will donate $1 million to help the victims of last month's Indian Ocean tsunami. According to the United Nations, 229,866 people were lost, including 186,983 known dead and another 42,883 missing

2006 The first black general manager to win a World Series championship, Bob Watson receives the Jackie Robinson Lifetime Achievement Award from the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. The former Astro and Yankee GM, the second African American, following the Braves' Bill Lucas, to serve in the position, is honored during the organization's Legacy Awards ceremonies in Kansas City

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2007 Randy Johnson agrees to a $26 million, two-year Diamondback deal, leaving only a physical and MLB approval to finalize his trade back to the desert from the Yankees. In exchange for the 'Big Unit,' the Bronx Bombers receive reliever Luis Vizcaino, minor league right-handed prospects Ross Ohlendorf and Steven Jackson, along with infielder Alberto Gonzalez.

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2008 Mets reliever Duaner Sanchez signs an $850,000, one-year deal to stay with the team. The 27-year-old right-hander, who has not pitched after being injured in a 2006 Atlanta cab accident, was used primarily as the eighth-inning setup man for closer Billy Wagner before separating his throwing shoulder in the motor vehicle mishap.

2009 Jason Giambi agrees to a one-year $5.25 million deal to return to the A's, the franchise where his major league career started. The 37-year-old free-agent first baseman/DH, celebrating a birthday tomorrow, joins the growing list of aging superstars - Frank Thomas, Mike Piazza, and Mike Sweeney - who played the same role with Oakland in recent years.

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2009 Kevin McClatchy ends his 13-year relationship with the team when he sells his remaining shares in the Pirates. After local ownership failed to materialize in 1996, the former managing general partner ensured the struggling club would stay in Pittsburgh by finding shareholders and securing the cash needed to buy the franchise.

2009 The Reds retain the services of Jerry Hairston, Jr., signing their leadoff hitter to a $2 million, one-year deal. The 32-year-old versatile veteran, the brother of Scott Hairston, grandson of Sam Hairston, and grandson of Jerry Hairston, played six positions last season and hit .326 while appearing in 80 games for Cincinnati.

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2009 Right-hander Koji Uehara agrees in principle to a two-year deal to join the Orioles rotation. The 33-year-old World Baseball Classic standout, formerly with the Tokyo Yomiuri Giants, has won the Sawamura Award twice as the top pitcher in Japan.

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2010 The Royals sign 19-year-old southpaw Noel Arguelles to a $7 million, five-year contract. The 6-foot-4 Cuban fireballer, who defected from his country at the 2008 World Junior Championships in Edmonton, won the Gold Medal Game at the Pan American Junior Championships two seasons ago.

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2010 The Mariners and Red Sox finalized their trade, bringing Casey Kotchman to Seattle in exchange for outfielder Bill Hall, a player to be named, and cash. The M's acquisition of the 26-year-old slick-fielding first baseman signals the departure of free-agent slugger Russell Branyan, who suffered from a disc issue in his back late last season.

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2011 In an eight-player trade, the Cubs send outfielder Sam Fuld and minor leaguers Christopher Archer, Hak-Ju Lee, Brandon Guyer, and Robinson Chirinos to the Rays to acquire starter Matt Garza. In addition to receiving the 27-year-old right-hander, who compiled a 15-10 record last season that included a no-hitter, Chicago obtains outfielder Fernando Perez and a minor league southpaw prospect.

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2023 "Do what you want to do and just know that if you work hard enough, you can definitely make it somewhere. It's not impossible. You can see it can be done." Featuring an impressive fastball/curveball, high schooler Genevieve Beacom becomes the first woman to pitch professionally in Australia, relieving in the Melbourne Aces' 7-1 loss to the Adelaide Giants. The 17-year-old poised southpaw, who hopes to pitch college ball in the United States, tosses a scoreless inning after working around a leadoff error and a walk.

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Eddie Mathews and Ernie Banks
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“People ask me what I do in #winter when there's no #baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for #spring!” ~ Rogers Hornsby
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In 1957: Newly retired baseball legend Jackie Robinson relaxes in the trophy room of his home in Stamford, CT
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Baseball Birthdays January 8

1915 Walker Cooper catcher (MLB All-Star 1942–44, 46–50; World Series 1942, 44; St. Louis Cardinals), born in Atherton, Missouri (d. 1991)


1934 Gene Freese Phils born in Wheeling, West Virginia (d. 2013)


1953 Bruce Sutter HOF relief pitcher (NL Cy Young Award 1979; 6 x MLB All-Star; 5 x NL saves leader; Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals; Atlanta Braves), born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania (d. 2022)


1968 Brian Johnson catcher (San Diego Padres), born in Oakland, California


1968 Paul Carey infielder (Baltimore Orioles), born in Boston, Massachusetts


1969 Brian Boehringer pitcher (NY Yankees), born in St Louis, Missouri


1971 Jason Giambi infielder, 1995-2014, 5X All-Star (Oakland A's, New York Yankees, and 2 other teams), born in West Covina, California


1976 Carl Pavan born in New Britain, Connecticut


1981 Jeff Francis Rockies born in Vancouver, British Columbia

1984 Jeff Francoeur Braves born in Atlanta, Georgia
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This Day in Baseball History
January 8th​

1898 National League president Nick Young, a Civil War veteran, announces the more experienced umpire will stay behind the plate with the institution of the new two-umpire system. Previously, the lone arbitrator would move away from home and stand behind the pitcher when a runner occupied a base.

1913 Frank Chance, a strong disciplinarian, becomes the manager of a weak Highlander team. The former Cubs' skipper, who compiled a .664 winning percentage during his eight seasons in the Chicago dugout, will finish next to last place (57-94) and compiles a 117-168 record during his two-year stint in New York.

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1916 James E. Gaffney sells the Boston Braves for $500,000 to Percy Haughton, Harvard's head baseball coach, and businessman Arthur Chamberlin Wise, who will raise $600,000 to build Fenway Park. The former owner, a Tammany Hall alderman and construction contractor, who bought the team in 1913 for $187,000, recently gained notoriety as a target of Hennessy and Whitman's investigations into political graft.

1944 Bill Terry announces his retirement from baseball and will work as a cotton trader for five years before moving to Jacksonville (FL) to open up a large Buick car dealership. The former Giants star and skipper, who turns down an offer to manage the Dodgers in 1953, citing the loss of personal income, will be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame the following season.

Terry with John McGraw

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1953 The Indians ban night games with the Browns due to Bill Veeck's refusal to share telecast receipts with visiting clubs. The St. Louis owner did not allow his opponents to broadcast away games against his team when other American League owners veto his proposal to share the radio and television revenue.

1956 The National Association awards Dodger second baseman Jackie Robinson the prestigious Spingarn Medal for the Advancement of Colored People for his strong support of civil rights initiatives. Last year the NAACP honored Martin Luther King Jr., best known for promoting nonviolent civil disobedience to secure equal rights for all Americans.

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1976 The Giants announce they plan to sell the team for $13.25 million to a group in Toronto, headed up by the Labatt Breweries, pending the approval of nine of the other 11 national League clubs. When reacting to his constituents' outrage, San Francisco mayor George Moscone will file a $10 million lawsuit to keep the club playing in the City by the Bay.

1981 With Larry Biittner, the Reds became the last big league team to sign a free agent. The team's first attempt into free agency, which has been an option of signing major leaguers since 1976, does not go well when the 35-year-old first baseman/outfielder bats only .213 during his first of two seasons with Cincinnati.