The Astros swap catcher Brad Ausmus and pitcher C.J. Nitkowski to Detroit for five players including catcher Paul Bako and pitcher Brian Powell. Ironically, both players Houston traded away would return to the Astros organization.
1999 – The Cincinnati Reds sign free agent first baseman Hal Morris, and the Detroit Tigers obtain catcher Brad Ausmus and pitcher C.J. Nitkowski from the Houston Astros in exchange for catcher Paul Bako and four prospects.
1999 – Setting an all-time record, the ball that Mark McGwire hit for his 70th home run is sold at an auction for $2.7 million by Guernsey’s Auction House in Manhattan. The buyer is later revealed to be Todd McFarlane, creator of the Spawn comic books series. The price tag surpasses the record $126,500 which bought a Babe Ruth home run ball last year.
1999 – The Milwaukee Brewers sign free agent outfielder Rich Becker to a contract.
Nolan Ryan is the first passenger to board the Nolan Ryan Express, a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737. Ryan autographs both sides of the aircraft’s nose on two specially designed decals each featuring a baseball with airplane wings and a Southwest colored tail. In July, Ryan will again board the NLE to fly to the Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremonies in Cooperstown, New York.
Surgery makes the news as the New York Mets prize rookie outfielder Jay Payton undergoes arthroscopic surgery on his left shoulder. Also, Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Paul Quantrill has surgery to repair a fractured right thigh and a metal rod is inserted in his leg. He was injured in a snowmobile accident at his home in Port Hope, ON.
In their first year of eligibility, George Brett, Nolan Ryan and Robin Yount are elected to the Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers Association of America. Carlton Fisk finishes fourth in the voting, missing election by 43 votes. It is the only time since the first inductees were selected in 1939 that more than two first-timers have made it into Cooperstown in the same year.
Yogi Berra, after receiving an apology from Yankees owner George Steinbrenner for his 1985 dismissal as the team’s manager 16 games into the season, ends his self-exile from Yankee Stadium and the organization. The Bronx Bomber legend is expected to participate in future Opening Day and Old Timers’ ceremonies.
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