On January 2, 1918, the Pittsburgh Pirates acquire outfielder Casey Stengel and infielder George Cutshaw from the Brooklyn Robins for pitcher Burleigh Grimes and Al Mamaux, and infielder Chuck Ward. Stengel will play only two seasons with the Pirates before moving on to Philadelphia, but will eventually enjoy a Hall of Fame career as a…
1917 – The Chicago White Sox acquire first baseman Chick Gandil from the Cleveland Indians for $3,500.
1917 – Smoky Joe Wood, his arm dead at 26, is sold by the Boston Red Sox to Cleveland for $15,000. He will become an outfielder after one last, losing start on the mound, and will play five more years.
New York Giants trade first baseman Fred Merkle
The Reds acquire three future Hall of Famers when Christy Mathewson is traded to Cincinnati with Giants CF Edd Roush and 3B Bill McKechnie for former Giants Buck Herzogand Red Killefer. McKechnie will make it to Cooperstown as a manager, not as a player, but the 23-year-old Roush is a steal for the Reds. A longtime nemesis of the Reds, Mathewson will pitch one game and then manage, and a new team nickname will be coined: “Matties.” The Reds lose today, managing just two hits off Pete Alexander, who contributes two doubles himself to the Phils offense.
On April 12, 1916, the Cleveland Indians acquire future Hall of Famer Tris Speaker from the Boston Red Sox for pitcher Sad Sam Jones, minor league infielder Fred Thomas, and cash. Speaker will lead the American League in batting, slugging, on-base percentage, hits, and doubles in 1916.
Outfielder Tris Speaker is still a holdout as a reaction to Boston Red Sox owner Joseph Lannin’s proposal to cut his salary from $11,000 to $9,000. Speaker wants $15,000. The Red Sox, in anticipation of resolving the contract dispute by trading Speaker, purchase OF Tilly Walker from the St. Louis Browns.
Hall of Fame owner sells a Hall of Fame player
The Giants ask for waivers on Chief Meyers, but Brooklyn and Boston both refuse the team’s request. When the Robins owner Charles Ebbets and Braves owners Percy D. Haughton disagree on the status of the veteran catcher, a coin toss determines the 35 year-old will play for Brooklyn, where he will hit .235 in limited action over the next two season.
In a sweet deal, the Chicago Cubs send cash to the sinking Chicago Whales of the Federal League and bring back defectors Three Finger Brown, Clem Clemens, Mickey Doolan, Bill Fischer, Max Flack, Claude Hendrix, Les Mann, Dykes Potter, Joe Tinker, Rollie Zeider and George McConnell.
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