1981 – American League owners approve the sales of two franchises, the Chicago White Sox to Jerry Reinsdorf and Eddie Einhorn for $20 million, and 80 percent of the Seattle Mariners to George Argyros for $10.4 million.
On January 29, 1971, the Pittsburgh Pirates acquire pitcher Nellie Briles and outfielder Vic Davalillo from the St. Louis Cardinals for outfielder Matty Alou and pitcher George Brunet. Briles and Davalillo will play important roles in the Bucs’ 1971 World Championship. Alou was the big piece in the deal. He hit .327 over five seasons…
In accepting the Tris Speaker Award from Houston sportswriters, Roberto Clemente gives a speech which, apart from being called by many of those in attendance “the best talk any baseball player ever made,” is the source of Clemente’s most famous – if oft misquoted – assertion: “If you have an opportunity to accomplish something that will make things better for someone coming behind you, and you don’t do that, you are wasting your time on this earth.”
1970 – Pitcher Miguel Fuentes, at age 20, is shot and killed during a bar fight in Loiza Aldea, Puerto Rico. On October 2, 1969, against the Oakland Athletics, Fuentes pitched what will turn out to be the last inning in the history of the Seattle Pilots.
On January 29, 1967, former Brooklyn Dodgers executive Branch Rickey and Pittsburgh Pirates hitting great Lloyd Waner are elected to the Hall of Fame. In 1947 in a unanimous vote of the Special Veterans Committee, Rickey promoted Jackie Robinson to the major leagues, effectively breaking baseball’s color line.
1964 – Pitcher-writer Jim Brosnan is given permission by the Chicago White Sox to make his own deal with another team. His in-season writing has been censured by White Sox owner Ed Short.
1963 – James M. Johnston, James H. Lemon, and George M. Bunker purchase 80 percent of the Washington Senators, buying out five of the original owners, including club president Pete Quesada. Johnston is elected chairman of the board.
1962 – Manager Harry Craft and General Manager Paul Richards begin the first winter publicity caravan in team history, starting in Victoria. The team has had one every year since then, touring cities throughout Texas and Louisiana. Among the other travelers are infielders Norm Larker, Bob Aspromonte, Don Buddin and Joey Amalfitano and broadcaster Gene Elston. This year’s tour also makes a stop in Monterrey, Mexico.
1961 – Billy Hamilton and Max Carey are selected to the Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee.
1960 – The family feud continues in Chicago as a court rules in favor of Dorothy Rigney, sister of Charles Comiskey, Jr., allowing her to sell her mother’s shares of the White Sox to Bill Veeck. Comiskey had brought suit in order to gain control of the club.
Enjoy our free trial and start listening to games, interviews and shows! Ruth, Mantle, Aaron, and Seaver!