The Detroit Tigers sign Dmitri Young, who hit .302 with 21 home runs for Cincinnati last season, to a four-year contract. Detroit traded outfielder Juan Encarnación and minor leaguer Luis Pineda in December to acquire the 1B/OF.
According to the Detroit Free Press, Major League Baseball is informing umpires to remove pitchers from the game, without warning, who deliberately throw a beanball at a batter’s head. The crackdown, according to officials, is a clarification and reinforcement of an existing rule.
The Ford C. Frick Award, named in memory of the former commissioner who also was a broadcaster, will be given to Florida Marlins radio announcer Felo Ramirez during Hall of Fame induction ceremonies this summer. Ramirez, who began his 56-year career broadcasting games in Cuba, has been in the Miami broadcast booth since the team’s inaugural season in 1993.
1996 – Kevin McClatchy and his group of investors purchase the Pirates from the Pittsburgh Associates.
1984 – Houston signs infielder Enos Cabell, back from Detroit, as a free agent. A popular Astro during his six seasons (1975-1980) which he spent mostly as a third baseman, Cabell becomes the regular first baseman and bats .310 with eight homers. He is dealt to the Dodgers early in the 1985 season.
1976 – The Atlanta Braves send Valentine’s Day cards to their season-ticket holders and the media. The Braves finished in fifth place in 1975, 40 1/2 games behind the Cincinnati Reds. Atlanta will finish this season in last place, 32 games behind Cincinnati, but they are first in rhyming. Their card reads: “Rose is a Red Morgan’s one, too. They finished first, Like we wanted to. But last year’s behind us; We’re happy to say. Now we’re tied for first, Happy Valentine’s Day.”
ON February 14, 1959 – The Baltimore Orioles, looking to find a backup for first baseman Bob Boyd, buy 32 year-old veteran infielder/outfielder Whitey Lockman from the Giants for an undisclosed sum…he will hit 217 for the orioles leading to a June, Baltimore will trade their new acquisition to the Reds for Walt Dropo, who has…
1957 – Some 10 years after Jackie Robinson broke the major league color barrier, the Georgia Senate unanimously approves a bill prohibiting blacks from playing baseball with white players, except at religious gatherings. The bill was put forth by Senator Leon Butts. At the time, Georgia does not have a major league team, but does have several minor league teams.
1952 – The St. Louis Browns pick up 1B Dick Kryhoski and Ps Gene Bearden and Bob Cain from the Detroit Tigers. Detroit receives C Matt Batts, OF Cliff Mapes, P Dick Littlefield, and 1B Ben Taylor.
On February 14, 1948, Hall of Fame pitcher Mordecai “Three Finger” Brown dies at the age of 71. Brown’s nickname “three fingers” came from him losing his index finger in a childhood farm accident. According to his biography, he suffered two separate injuries to his right hand. The first and most famous trauma came when…
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