1967 – Following a meeting of National League owners, president Warren Giles says the league will not stand in the way of American League expansion to Seattle and Kansas City.
At the beginning of his induction speech at the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame, Branch Rickey mumbles to the audience before collapsing over the podium, “I don’t believe I’m going to be able to speak any longer.” The 83 year-old baseball executive, who suffered a massive heart attack on stage, will remain unconscious while in intensive care at Boone County Memorial Hospital in Columbia, Missouri before dying three weeks later.
1958 – Mayor Robert Wagner of New York announces preliminary plans for a third major league. Chairman William Shea, of what will become the Continental League, says it is apparent that the National League is going to ignore New York City. He implies that the new league will be free to raid major league rosters.
1951 – Lefty O’Doul’s All-Stars, including Joe DiMaggio, Ferris Fain and Billy Martin, lose 3 – 1 to a Pacific League All-Star team. This is only the second time since 1922 that an American professional team has lost to Japan, and the first time to professional players.
On November 13, 1934, the Washington Senators hire future Hall of Famer Bucky Harris as manager. Harris replaces player-manager Joe Cronin, whom Washington had sold to Boston. The ‘Boy Wonder,’ previously managed the Senators to American League championships in 1924 and 1925 and the franchises only World Series victory as the Senators in…
Yankee owner Jacob Ruppert buys the International League’s Newark franchise. The Bears will be very successful, sending many players to the Bronx which include Charlie Keller, Joe Gordon, and Spud Chandler.
The National League announces starting next season there will be two umpires working each game. A crew of four umps employed for all regular season games will not begin until 1952.
1886 – The official American Association batting averages show Dave Orr with .346 edging Bob Caruthers and Guy Hecker, both at .342.