1934 – The National Recovery Administration says athletes advertising athletic goods must actually use them or advertisers will lose the NRA Blue Eagle and be fined.
On February 4 , 1932, the Pittsburgh Pirates sold infielder George Grantham to the Cincinnati Reds. He’s the only player in team history with 7+ seasons and an .850+ OPS each year. His .901 OPS in 913 games ranks fifth in team history.
1925 – In a deal of outfielders, the Brooklyn Robins acquires Cotton Tierney from the Boston Braves for Bernie Neis.
1922 – Joe Harris, formerly with the Cleveland Indians, is reinstated by Judge Landis because of his good World War I record. Harris had been on the ineligible list for having played with and against ineligible players in independent games. “His service in France, where he was gassed after bitter fighting, caused him to do things he might not have done,” says Judge Landis in reinstating him. Last December, Harris was traded by Cleveland along with “Tioga” George Burns and Elmer Smith to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for Stuffy McInnis.
1915 – The New York Yankees purchase Wally Pipp and Hugh High from the Detroit Tigers for a reported $5,000 each. Baseball historian Lyle Spatz (Yankees Coming, Yankees Going) writes that this was the first of some promised funneling of ball players to the recently-sold Yankees franchise.
On February 4, 1909, Hall of Fame pitcher John Clarkson dies dies in Belmont, Massachusetts, at the age of 47. Clarkson won 328 games during a 12-year career in the 19th century. He will be inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1963.
1899 – Hughie Jennings will not go south with the Brooklyn team but will get in shape as baseball coach for Cornell University.
The first recorded version (Columbia Graphophone Grand, #9649) of the poem Casey at the Bat, vocalized by recording pioneer Russell Hunting, is released. The more well-known rendition of Earnest Thayer’s work, the one popularized by DeWolfe Hopper, will not be heard by the public until 1906.
1882 – National League players are now responsible for carrying their own bats and uniforms on road trips. They are also required to purchase and keep clean two complete uniforms, including the white linen ties to be worn on the field at all times.
1861 – Wearing ice skates, the champion Atlantics defeat the Charter Oak Club, 36 – 27 on a game played on frozen Litchfield Pond in South Brooklyn.
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