1942 – Rogers Hornsby becomes the 14th player selected to the Hall of Fame, getting 78 percent of the vote, while both Frank Chance (58%) and Rube Waddell (54%) miss out. Hornsby’s offensive numbers rival those of any player before or since. He and Ted Williams are the only players to win the Triple Crown twice, and Hornsby’s .424 mark in 1924 is the highest National League batting average in the 20th century.
1940 – In a trade of pitchers, the Cincinnati Reds send Lee Grissom to the New York Yankees for Joe Beggs, who had to clear waivers from all seven American League teams. This is due to the new rule voted last month barring the AL pennant winner from any trades within the league. Beggs will go 12-3 for the Reds, while Grissom will be sold to the Brooklyn Dodgers on May 15th.
1936 – As the second part of the December 10 deal for Jimmie Foxx, the Boston Red Sox get Doc Cramer and Eric McNair from the Philadelphia Athletics for Hank Johnson, Al Niemiec, and $75,000. Even with the free spending, and the presence of 20-game winners Wes Ferrell and Lefty Grove, Boston will finish 6th in 1936. However, in six-plus seasons with the Sox, Foxx will hit 222 home runs, bats .300 five times, and be an All-Star six times.
Casey Stengel returns from exile in the minor leagues to become coach for the Brooklyn Dodgers.
The Great Depression deepens, and American League costs are cut by dropping an umpire from the AL staff of 11.
1928 – The New York Yankees buy shortstop Lyn Lary and infielder Jimmie Reese from the Oakland Oaks of the Pacific Coast League for a reported $150,000.
1918 – The Chicago Cubs acquire Boston Braves pitcher Lefty Tyler in exchange for Larry Doyle, Art Wilson and $15,000. Tyler will win 19 games for the Cubs this year.
1916 – The St. Louis Browns are the first of two major league franchises awarded to former Federal League owners. Philip de Catesby Ball, ice-manufacturing tycoon and principal stockholder of the Feds’ St. Louis Terriers, pays a reported $525,000 for the Browns and replaces manager Branch Rickey with his own Fielder Jones.
1915 – Infielder Hans Lobert, well known as the “fastest man” in the National League, is traded by the Philadelphia Phillies to the New York Giants for pitcher Al Demaree, infielder Milt Stock, and catcher Bert Adams. The speedster will injure his knee in a preseason game at West Point.
Sponsor this Page January 4, 1908, All-Star outfielder George “Twinkletoes” Selkirk, is born in Huntsville, Canada the man who replaced Babe Ruth in the Yankees’ outfield. Over his 9 year career all with the Yankees he will hit .290 with 101 homeruns. He will make the All Star team in 1936 and 1939 and…
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