1995 – Cecil Upshaw dies of a heart attack in Lawrenceville, GA at age 53. The submarine reliever had a 2-3 record with one save as an Astro in 1973. The righthander had been a closer for Atlanta earlier in his career before tearing a finger on his pitching hand when he accidentally struck a sign while walking down the street.
1994 – Public batting practice by retired NBA star Michael Jordan draws hundreds of reporters. Jordan looks to sign a deal with the Chicago White Sox as an outfielder but some Astros are quick to point out it won’t be easy for him. At his home, Houston pitcher Todd Jones is so incensed with radio callers predicting baseball stardom that he calls the station himself to challenge the basketball champion.
1990 – The Astros Silver Anniversary Team (1965-1989) is announced at a Houston banquet. Joe Morgan is honored as the first genuine Astro to make it to the Hall of Fame. Mike Scott also receives the 1989 Astros Most Valuable Player award. Not surprisingly, both are on the 25th Anniversary squad.
1987 – For only the second time in major league history, a player is forced to take a pay cut due to salary arbitration, when Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Orel Hershiser signs for $800,000, which is a twenty percent reduction from his 1986 salary. Hershiser was 14-14 with a 3.85 ERA in 1986.
1983 – The Seattle Mariners select Cincinnati Reds minor league infielder Danny Tartabull as compensation for the loss of free agent pitcher Floyd Bannister to the Chicago White Sox.
1979 – Minor league pitcher Jesse Orosco becomes the player to be named later, going to the New York Mets in compensation for pitcher Jerry Koosman, who had been sent earlier to the Minnesota Twins. Greg Field was the other pitcher Minnesota sent to New York; he will never appear for the Mets, whereas Orosco had a long stint with them.
On February 7, 1965 Some two months before the Astrodome’s grand opening in 1965 (then known as the Harris County Domed Stadium), Satchel Paige was in town to coach a basketball team in a game versus the Harlem Globetrotters. Aware of his visit, Houston management contacted Paige on the morning of February 7 and asked…
Lawyer Melvin Belli obtains a writ laying claim to Willie Mays, among other assets, unless the San Francisco Giants pay him the judgment awarded by a jury in January. Belli claims the club failed to file a motion for a new trial before the deadline.
The Boston Red Sox hire former Indianapolis Clowns scout Ed Scott as their first full-time black scout.
On February 7, 1959, Hall of Famer Napoleon “Larry” Lajoie dies of pneumonia at the age of 84. Lajoie batted .338 over a 21-year career and gained election to the Hall of Fame in 1937. Lajoie also managed Cleveland from 1905 to 1909.
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