BB On this Date ~ Events & Birthdays #2

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3/13
OTD
BIRTHDAYS
1886 John 'Home Run' Baker Hall of Fame third baseman (World Series 1910, 11, 13; AL HR leader 1911–14; AL RBI leader 1912, 13; Philadelphia Athletics), born in Trappe, Maryland (d. 1963)

1925 Bertha Tickey, American softball pitcher (Hall of Fame 1973), born in Dinuba, California (d. 2014)

1930 Doug Harvey National League umpire (Baseball Hall of Fame 2010), born in South Gate, California (d. 2018)

1957 Steve Lake baseball player, born in Inglewood, California
1963 Mariano Duncan, infielder (NY Yankees), born in San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic
1964 Will Clark MLB first baseman (San Francisco Giants), born in New Orleans, Louisiana

1979 Johan Santana, Venezuelan baseball pitcher (4 × MLB All-Star; AL Cy Young 2004, 06; Triple Crown 2006; Gold Glove 2007; no-hitter 2012; Minnesota Twins, NY Mets), born in Tovar Municipality, Mérida, Venezuela

 

FROM MLB's This Day in Baseball History+​

1915 "Help me, Lads, I'm covered with my own blood!" - WILBERT ROBINSON, reacting to the fluid dripping down from his chest before quickly realizing it's only grapefruit juice. Dodger manager Wilbert Robinson, thinking he will catch a baseball dropped from a plane, is surprised and splattered when the sphere turns out to be a grapefruit. Although legend has it that Casey Stengel is behind the prank, the pilot, Ruth Law, a pioneer in American aviation, substituted part of her lunch when she realized she forgot to bring a baseball.

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1943 Baseball approves official ball (with cork & balata)
1944 It's True, Cy Young's middle name is not Tecumseh, as sometimes listed, but the initial T stands for True. The Hall of Fame right-hander's middle name mixup may result from his teammates calling him 'The Chief,' the English word for Tecumseh.

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1953 On the day that will become known as 'Black Friday' in Boston, Lou Perini announces he will seek permission from the National League to move his franchise to Milwaukee, home of the team's top minor-league affiliate. The Braves owner cites low attendance as the reason for relocating the club after being in the New England city for 82 years.
1954 During an exhibition game against the Yankees, recently acquired Brave Bobby Thomson breaks his ankle in three places, sidelining him until July 14. The '51 National League playoff hero is replaced in the Braves' lineup by a promising prospect named Hank Aaron.

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1960 Much to the chagrin of other owners and most of his players, Bill Veeck's White Sox becomes the first team to put the players' names on the back of the jersey, unveiling the new look on their road uniforms in an exhibition game against Cincinnati in Tampa. After the rest of the league's clubs protest the Chicago owner's innovation, the commissioner's office will rule that in addition to displaying traditional numbers, each team will have the option to use monikered uniforms.

 

1979 The Tigers and Mets swap relievers, with Detroit sending Ed Glynn to the Big Apple in exchange for Mardie Cornejo, who, after posting a 4-2 record as a rookie last season, will never play in another major league game. The latest addition to the New York bullpen will make 84 appearances, compiling an ERA of 3.53 during the two years with his new club.

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1986 Designated hitter Hal McRae, 39, and Brian, his 18-year-old second baseman son, play together in a Royals preseason game against the Phillies at Terry Field to become the first father and son combination appearing as major league teammates. Kansas City manager Dick Howser refers to the pair as a 'Big Mac Attack.'

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1987 The Phillies sign Tiger free-agent catcher Lance Parrish to a one-year deal worth $800,000, plus another $200,000 if the 31-year-year-old does not have any problems with his chronic back. The former six-time All-Star backstop, a winner of five Silver Slugger Awards and three Gold Glove Awards playing for the Tigers, proves to be bust in Philadelphia, batting .230 in his two seasons in the City of Brotherly Love.
1997 In their first-ever minor league spring training game, the Rays defeated Philadelphia, 6-0. John Kaufman, Tom Bergan, Matt Williams, and Jamie Ybarra combine to throw a no-hitter in the exhibition contest against the major league team.

 

2001 Rick Ankiel makes his first appearance since last year's playoffs, throwing 22 strikes out of 29 pitches while tossing two innings of shutout ball in his surprise start against the Mets at Roger Dean Stadium. The 21-year-old southpaw starter lost his control at the end of last season, throwing nine wild pitches in three postseason appearances last year.

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2006 Three pitches into the top of the seventh inning, the stadium lights at Tradition Field partially fail. With fifty percent of the lighting not functioning, the exhibition game ends, after a 15-minute delay, with the Mets leading the Nationals, 10-4.
2008 Joining the ranks of Garth Brooks and Tom Selleck as celebrities who have appeared in a spring exhibition game, Billy Crystal strikes out in the first inning as the Yankees' leadoff batter. The comedian, who signed a one-day contract with the Bronx Bombers, wears the number sixty in honor of his 60th birthday, which is tomorrow.

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2008 The pitching-poor Cardinals bolster their rotation by agreeing to a preliminary one-year deal with Kyle Lohse (9-12, 4.62). The 29 year-old right-hander, who pitched for the Reds and Phillies last season, will make $4.25 million hurling for the Redbirds.

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2009 "Through good times and bad, I never doubted the support that all of you had for my teammates and me...I hope to see you in October." - PAT BURRELL, former Phillies outfielder thanking the Philadelphia fans
Pat Burrell takes out ads in two of Philadelphia's largest newspapers, Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News to thank Phillies fans for their support during his nine years with the team. The 32 year-old slugging 'Pat the Bat' signed a free-agent deal in the off-season with the Rays, the club the Phils beat in last season's World Series.

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Today in Baseball History
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Search archives: Historical Events Baseball Birthdays Baseball Deaths
On March 13 in Baseball History...

• • 1917 - After hearing that Gabby Street had caught a ball dropped off the Washington Monument, Dodgers manager Wilbert Robinson bragged that he could catch a ball dropped from an airplane, even though he was in his mid-50s and well above his playing weight. But Casey Stengel substituted a grapefruit for the baseball. Robinson circled unsteadily under the descending spheroid and actually got a glove on it before it splattered across his chest. Robinson felt the ooze, thought it was blood, and screamed that he was dying until he tasted the juice. He later conceded that he probably would have been killed if a real baseball had been dropped from the plane.
  • 1943 - The major leagues approve an official ball, the insides of which will be made from reclaimed cork and balata, materials not needed in the war effort. Officials insist the ball will have the resiliency of the 1939 ball, but the players will express with dismay that they cannot drive the new ball and point out the dearth of runs and homers in 1942 even with the old ball.
  • 1954 - Newly acquired Bobby Thomson of the Braves breaks his ankle sliding into third base in an exhibition game with the Pirates, thus opening the way for Hank Aaron to start in the outfield. Thomson will be out of action until July 14.
  • 1960 - The White Sox unveil new road uniforms with the players' names above the number on the back, another innovation by Bill Veeck.

Baseball Birthdays on March 13...

• • 1862 - McGuckin, Joe
  • 1865 - Bartson, Charlie
  • 1868 - Gilbert, Bill
  • 1875 - McFarland, Chappie
  • 1877 - Flood, Tim
  • 1879 - Eason, Mal
  • 1879 - Kelly, John
  • 1882 - Glaze, Ralph
  • 1885 - Block, Bruno
  • 1886 - Baker, Frank
  • 1889 - Smith, Wally
  • 1889 - Lynn, Byrd
  • 1892 - Gharrity, Patsy
  • 1892 - Gaw, Chippy
  • 1895 - Erickson, Eric
  • 1897 - Malone, Lew
  • 1899 - Brannan, Otis
  • 1906 - Powers, Ike
  • 1909 - Kimberlin, Harry
  • 1915 - Clarkson, Buzz
  • 1917 - Walsh, Joe
  • 1918 - Pellagrini, Eddie
  • 1920 - Biscan, Frank
  • 1921 - Rossi, Joe
  • 1922 - Mapes, Cliff
  • 1925 - Martin, Ray
  • 1928 - Greenwood, Bob
  • 1931 - Bessent, Don
  • 1931 - Pascual, Carlos
  • 1936 - Miles, Don
  • 1939 - Luplow, Al
  • 1940 - Kolb, Gary
  • 1942 - Staehle, Marv
  • 1948 - Barber, Steve
  • 1949 - O'Toole, Dennis
  • 1954 - Bass, Randy
  • 1954 - Leach, Terry
  • 1957 - Walker, Duane
  • 1959 - Aguayo, Luis
  • 1962 - Lee, Terry
  • 1962 - Funk, Tom
  • 1963 - Duncan, Mariano
  • 1964 - Clark, Will
  • 1970 - Fabregas, Jorge
  • 1971 - Sullivan, Scott
  • 1973 - Veras, Dario
  • 1979 - Santana, Johan

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3/14
OTD
BIRTHDAYS
1960 Kirby Puckett, MLB centerfielder (Minnesota Twins), born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 2006)

1965 Kevin Brown, Mcintyre GA, pitcher (Florida Marlins)

1981 Bobby Jenks

 

FROM MLB's This Day in Baseball History+​

1954 Hank Aaron, filling in for Bobby Thomson, who broke his ankle yesterday, starts his first game wearing a Braves uniform. The 20-year-old from Mobile, Alabama, makes such an impression the club offers him a major league contract after he collects three hits, including a home run, in the spring training game against Boston.

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1956 50-year-old baseball pitching star Satchel Paige signs a contract to play for and manage the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro National League

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1961 The Mets lure former Yankee general manager George Weiss out of retirement to become the club's first president, reportedly offering the four-time The Sporting News' Executive of the Year a five-year deal at $100,000 annually. During the 67-year-old New Haven native's five years in the post, the expansion team will compile a record of 260–547 (.322), finishing in last place four times.

1987 NY Met Darryl Strawberry charges Red Sox pitcher Al Nipper during spring training exhibition game, causes bench clearing brawl

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