This Day In Baseball January 11

January

It may be cold outside but baseball happens 365 days a year! January Events include trades, births, ballpark announcements, hires, fires and surprises. On January 1 Cool Papa Bell hits 3 homeruns in Cuban Baseball. Future Hall of Famers Tim Keefe and Hank Greenberg were born. January 15 – 1934 – New York Yankees slugger Babe Ruth signs a one-year contract worth $35,000. While the contract is considered a lucrative one for the times, it represents a pay cut of $17,000 for “The Babe”. January, 24, 1939 – Eddie Collins, Willie Keeler and George Sisler are elected to the Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers Association of America. Sisler set a major league season-record (later broken by Ichiro Suzuki) with 257 hits in 1920 and batted .420 in 1922 on his way to a .340 career batting average. Collins batted an even .333 for his career and stole 744 bases as a member of four World Series Champions. Keeler, who “hit ’em where they ain’t”, batted .341 and collected 2,932 hits.

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January 11 – The first of a series of baseball games played on ice is played in Chicago. This will become a regular event in the Chicago area.

1881 – The first of a series of Tuesday games on ice is played in Chicago, Illinois, using professional and amateur players. These games will be a regular winter feature.

1909 – The National Commission approves owner Charles Murphy’s payment of a $10,000 bonus to his Chicago Cubs players for their 1908 World Series triumph.

1913 – With the Philadelphia Phillies franchise in disarray following the expulsion of President Horace Fogel, William H. Locke and his cousin William F. Baker buy the club.

Bill Devery and Frank Farrell sell the New York Yankees to Jacob Ruppert and Tillinghast L’Hommedieu

1915 – Jacob Ruppert and Tillinghast L’Hommedieu Huston buy the New York Yankees from Frank Farrell and Bill Devery for $460,000. Ruppert, who owns a brewery, is thinking of renaming the team the “Knickerbockers” to promote his product, but is dissuaded by newspaper men.

1926 – The Pacific Coast League shifts two franchises, moving the Vernon Tigers to San Francisco, where they become the Mission Reds, and the Salt Lake Bees from Utah to Hollywood, where they become the Hollywood Stars.

Bill Terry rejects a contract offer from the New York Giants

1932 – Bill Terry sends his $13,500 contract back to the New York Giants, telling writers he is “thoroughly disgusted.” Terry, who just missed the National League batting title, led the league in runs (121) and triples (20), and collected a second-best 254 hits, was offered a $9,000 cut from his 1931 contract of $22,500. The Giants counter by saying that the combined salaries of Chick Hafey and Jim Bottomley, the two Cardinals who joined Terry in the batting race, is only $24,000. Hafey, the champion bat, finished with 0.34888 ahead Terry (0.34860) and Bottomley (.34816).

1948 – A DC6 plane carrying the Santiago Baseball Club crashes in Rio Verde de Yamasa, Monte Plata while returning from playing a doubleheader in Barahona. All 32 occupants are killed, including Dominican baseball legend Pedro Báez, the team’s manager, in what is considered the biggest tragedy in the country’s sports history.

1949 – The Story Quarry site is selected as the site for the new Milwaukee County Stadium. Construction will begin on October 19, 1950.

Although the Milwaukee doesn’t have a major league franchise; the selection for the site for the city’s new County Stadium is the Story Stone Quarry, chosen over the Wisconsin State Fairgrounds because of its closer proximity to downtown. Construction will begin in October of next year in an attempt to attract a big league team, which will happen in 1953 when the Braves leave Boston to play in Brew Town.

Before an exhibition game in San Juan, Puerto Rico, San Francisco Giants outfielder Willie Mays and teammate pitcher Ruben Gómez get into a brawl. It starts when Gómez slips into the batting cage ahead of Mays, and batting practice pitcher Milt Ralat then refuses to throw. The sulking Gómez sits down on the plate, and Mays then steps to the side and directs the pitcher to throw to him there. Ralat then throws an insulting slow pitch which Mays barehands and fires back. Mays and Ralat exchange words and when Mays walks towards the mound, Gómez, brandishing a bat, attempts to interfere. Mays drops him with a right. The two later apologize to each other.

The St. Louis Cardinals trade P Ben Wade to the Pittsburgh Pirates for P Paul LaPalme.

1958 – US Representatives Kenneth Keating and Patrick Hillings drop their plan to bring baseball under the nation’s antitrust laws.

1960 – The Philadelphia Phillies send outfielder Richie Ashburn to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for infielders Alvin Dark and Jim Woods, and pitcher John Buzhardt.

The Phillies send fan-favorite Richie Ashburn, the National League’s top hitter in 1958, to the Cubs in exchange for infielders Alvin Dark and Jim Woods along with right-hander John Buzhardt. ‘Whitey,’ a future Hall of Famer, will play center field and hit .291 batting leadoff for Chicago this season.

1965 – Wally Pipp, the predecessor of Lou Gehrig at first base for the New York Yankees, dies in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Pipp, who, as legend has it, had asked out of the Yankees lineup with a headache in 1925 (in fact he had been beaned in a previous game), was 71 years old. After giving way to Gehrig, Pipp never again played a game at first base for New York.

Wally Pipp NYY

Wally Pipp passes away

Ewing Kauffman becomes owner of the new Kansas City Royals club of the American League.

In a trade of outfielders, the St. Louis Cardinals send Alex Johnson to the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for Dick Simpson.

Ewing Kauffman becomes the owner of the new American League franchise in Kansas City to be eventually known as the Royals. The pharmaceutical magnate, encouraged by his wife Muriel, becomes an instrumental force in bringing a quality major league baseball experience to the Heart of America, after Charlie Finley’s stormy departure to Oakland with the unpopular A’s team.

Ted Abernathy

Chicago Cubs acquire veteran reliever Ted Abernathy from the Cincinnati Reds

1969 – The Chicago Cubs acquire veteran reliever Ted Abernathy from the Cincinnati Reds for three minor league players. The trade marks the return of the side-arming Abernathy to Chicago, where he led the National League with 31 saves in 1965.

John Hiller

Detroit Tigers reliever John Hiller suffers chest pains that doctors will later diagnose as a heart attack

1971 – 27-year-old Detroit Tigers reliever John Hiller suffers chest pains that doctors will later diagnose as a heart attack. Hiller will miss the entire 1971 season but will make an incredible comeback in 1973, saving a then major league record 38 games.

Twenty-seven year-old Tiger pitcher John Hiller drives himself to the hospital after suffering a heart attack while relaxing at home. After missing the entire season this year, the Canadian native will make a great comeback with the team in 1973, establishing a new American League record with 38 saves en route to becoming Detroit’s all-time leader in saves with 125, before retiring at the end of the 1980 season.

major league owners approve one of the game’s most controversial rules: the designated hitter

Houston owner Judge Roy Hofheinz votes along with the rest of the National League to allow the American League to conduct a three-year experiment using the Designated Hitter. It will be the first time since the A.L. was formed in 1901 that the two major leagues would have a different set of rules. The gimmick has survived ever since and is now used by National League teams when involved in interleague play.

Attorney Louis Nippert assumes control of the Cincinnati Reds when he purchases 51% of the stock from the Gamble and Williams families. Nippert was part of the group that bought the Reds in 1966.

Major League owners approve one of the game’s most controversial rules: the designated hitter. The owners decide to allow American League teams to implement the rule on an experimental three-year basis, but the rule will become a permanent addition to the AL while the National League never adopts it.

At the owners’ meeting in Chicago, Bowie Kuhn, in addition to introducing the designated hitter and pinch runner concepts, shares with the press his idea of interleague play as a means for the American League to bridge the gap with its more popular NL rivals. The commissioner’s limited plan, if accepted, would only affect cities with multiple teams within one geographic area.

After the American League approves the new rule with a vote of 8-4, and the National League vetoes the idea, and all 24 owners approve the Junior Circuit’s three-year experiment to use a designated hitter. Although the DH was his idea, A’s owner Charlie Finley votes against the concept because of the lack of support for his other brainchild of implementing a designated runner.

Rick Monday

Chicago Cubs trade outfielder Rick Monday to the Los Angeles Dodgers as part of a five-man deal that brings Bill Buckner to the Windy City

1977 – The Chicago Cubs trade outfielder Rick Monday to the Los Angeles Dodgers as part of a five-man deal that brings Bill Buckner and Ivan DeJesus to the Windy City. In 1976, Monday gained national fame when he saved an American flag from being burned during a game in Los Angeles. The trade solidifies the Cubs infield for the next five years, and Buckner will hit .300 for the team over the next seven seasons, but the Dodgers will win three National League pennants in that span, with Monday a major contributor.

New York Yankees name Billy Martin their manager for a third time

Ellis Burks is one of the few good players to be drafted and also signed in the January free agent draft. Burks is picked in the first round by the Red Sox as the Yankees pick and sign a Canseco, Ozzie, with their fourth pick.

The New York Yankees name Billy Martin their manager for the third time in eight years. Martin takes over for Clyde King, who is bumped up to the Yankees’ front office. Martin will lead the team to a record of 91-71 this season.

1993 – The Rev. Jesse Jackson tells baseball owners that unless a plan to hire more minorities for front-office jobs is in place by April 5th, he will call for selective boycotts.

1997 – Free agent pitcher Steve Avery is signed by the Boston Red Sox.

1999 – The Milwaukee Brewers sign free agent outfielder Rich Becker to a contract.

Carlton Fisk, in his second year of eligibility, and Tony Perez, on his ninth try, are elected to the Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers Association of America.

Bob Lemon dies at the age of 79. Lemon was a seven-time 20-game winner with the Cleveland Indians. He teamed with Bob Feller, Early Wynn and Mike Garcia to form one of the game’s greatest starting rotations. In 1954, Lemon went 23-7 and helped the Indians to a 111-win season. In 1970, Lemon became a major league manager for the first time when he assumed leadership of the Kansas City Royals. He later managed the Chicago White Sox before enjoying his greatest success with the New York Yankees. On July 25, 1978, Lemon replaced Billy Martin and helped the Yankees orchestrate a miraculous comeback. Under Lemon’s calming hand, the Yankees won their second straight World Championship that year. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1976.

The BBWAA elects former Red Sox and White Sox catcher Carlton Fisk and the ‘Big Red Machine’s first baseman Tony Perez to the Hall of Fame. ‘Pudge’ is selected in his second year of eligibility, and the Reds infielder from Ciego De Avila, Cuba makes it on his ninth try.

Bob Lemon

Bob Lemon dies at the age of 79

2001 – David Cone agrees to a one-year contract with the Boston Red Sox. The former Cy Young Award winner could make between $4 million and $5 million with Boston, compared to a $500,000 guaranteed-offer made by the Yankees, if he makes the roster and pitches regularly during the season. He will win just 9 games in 25 starts.

After a one-year experiment, the Baltimore Orioles plan to return Camden Yards to its original dimensions by moving in the fences. The team, which hit only 58 homers at home – 44 less than in the previous season, said the fences are returning to their initial distances because the new configuration “adversely affected the viewing angle of the batter’s eye.”

Two free agent pitchers sign one-year contracts, Todd Jones with the Colorado Rockies and Shigetoshi Hasegawa with the Seattle Mariners.

The Orioles, after a one-year experiment, plan to return Camden Yards to its original dimensions by moving in the fences. The team, which hit only 58 homers at home, 44 less than in the previous season, said the fences are returning to their initial distances because the new configuration “adversely affected the viewing angle of the batter’s eye.”

2005 – The Arizona Diamondbacks trade five-time Cy Young Award winner Randy Johnson to the New York Yankees in a three-team deal that includes the Los Angeles Dodgers. Shawn Green, Javier Vazquez and Dioner Navarro also move in the transaction. Arizona receives Vazquez, Navarro and Brad Halsey from the Yankees, and later sends Navarro and three minor league prospects to Los Angeles for Green.

The Diamondbacks trade recently acquired catcher Dioner Navarro and hurlers William Juarez, Danny Muegge, and Beltran Perez to the Dodgers for 32 year-old outfielder Shawn Green (.266, 28, 86). In an effort to rebound from last season’s 51-111 record, Arizona has also signed free-agent third baseman Troy Glaus and starting pitcher Russ Ortiz during the offseason.

2006: The Tampa Bay Devil Rays agree to a $1.4 million, two-year contract with Japanese relief pitcher Shinji Mori, who was posted earlier in the year. He will never pitch in the major leagues, however.

The Devil Rays make their first agreement with a Japanese player when 31 year-old right-handed relief pitcher Shinji Mori signs a $1.4 million, two-year contract to play in Tampa Bay. The former Seibu Lion reliever was 44-44 with 50 saves and a 3.39 ERA, playing in 431 games during his tenure in Japan’s Pacific League.

2008 – The Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame announces its three newest members. Slugger Koji Yamamoto of the Hiroshima Carp and pitcher Tsuneo Horiuchi of the Yomiuri Giants are chosen as well as amateur star Seiichi Shima, who was killed in World War II.

The Reds hire Walt Jocketty as a special adviser to the team’s chief executive Bob Castellini. The former Cardinals GM, who spent 13 seasons in the St. Louis front office, left after the Redbirds slumped to a third-place finish (78-84), one year removed from a World Championship.

News leaks out that an investment group headed by former US Olympic Committee chief Harvey Schiller is interested in buying the Astros from Drayton McLane, Jr. McLane has given them a 30-day window to exclusively negotiate a deal but no offer materializes. 

21-year-old Cuban lefthanded pitching star Aroldis Chapman signs a 6-year, $30.25 million contract with the Cincinnati Reds after weeks of auditioning for a number of interested teams. Chapman defected in July, before taking part in the 2009 World Port Tournament and established residency in Andorra, making him a free agent. The package offered by the Reds is comparable to that given by the Washington Nationals to Stephen Strasburg, the top pick in the 2009 amateur draft.

After years of rumors and speculation which have stalled his candidacy for the Hall of Fame, retired slugger Mark McGwire comes clean in an interview, confirming that he was a user of steroids and human growth hormone starting in 1990, including during his record-setting 1998 season. He had refused to broach the subject when called before a Congressional committee hearing in March, 2005, but decides to speak to the media a few months after accepting a position as hitting coach with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Former pitching great Greg Maddux, who started his major league career with the Cubs in 1986, is returning to the team as an assistant to general manager Jim Hendry. A sure first-ballot Hall of Famer, the 355-game winner’s duties will include assisting the major league and minor league coaching staffs at spring training, evaluating talent, and developing minor league players.

Ryne Sandberg, with aspirations of being the Cubs manager someday, agrees to be the skipper of the team’s Triple-A Iowa farm club, replacing Bobby Dickerson who left for a position with Baltimore. The 50 year-old Hall of Fame infielder has been managing in the Chicago farm system for the past three seasons, two with the Single-A Peoria Chiefs and one year with the Double-A Tennessee Smokies.

Roberto De Franceschi, Italy’s all-time leader in hits, games played and doubles, announces his retirement at age 45 after 27 years. The two-time Olympian has spent most of his career with Nettuno and will transition into a role as their hitting coach upon retirement.

The Tigers sign P Brad Penny to a one-year contract. A back injury ended his last season prematurely after he had pitched well for the Cardinals in the early going.

Trevor Hoffman, who staked his claim as the all-time saves leader in the majors thanks to an outstanding change-up, announces his retirement after 18 seasons. He recorded his 600th save with the Brewers last season, and retires with 601, but had a tough year overall and found little interest in his services for next season. He will not hold the saves record for long, however, as Mariano Rivera has 559 and will pass him before the end of the coming season.

In other signings, the Cardinals add C Koyie Hill and the Mariners sign 8-time Pacific League All-Star infielder Munenori Kawasaki to a minor league deal. Kawasaki says he accepted such a lowly deal in order to play alongside Ichiro Suzuki, his teammate on the Japanese national team.

The Astros­ claim former top prospect, OF Fernando Martinez, on waivers from the Mets; multiple injuries and chronic knee problems have prevented Martinez from reaching his potential.

The Yankees sign OF Preston Mattingly, the son of franchise great Don Mattingly, to a minor league contract. Ironically, Preston was under employ of the Dodgers, the team his father is now managing.

Three new members are picked for the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame. Yutaka Ono, a 10-time All-Star and the Sawamura Award winner in 1988, is selected, as is Yoshiro Sotokoba, a five-time All-Star who was 131-138 on mostly bad teams. Sotokoba shared the Nippon Pro Baseball record for career no-hitters (3). The final selection is 1940s high school star Kazuo Fukushima.

Wearing a Cubs jersey and a backward blue baseball cap, Clark, the Cubs’ new mascot makes his debut at Chicago’s Advocate Illinois Masonic’s Pediatric Developmental Center. Clark the Cub, named after the street located behind Wrigley Field’s home plate, is being touted as the great-grandson of franchise’s first mascot, Joa, a live bear used as a good luck charm in 1916, nine years after the franchise officially adopted Cubs as the team’s name.

2014 – Arbitrator Fredric Horowitz issues his ruling on Alex Rodriguez’s appeal of his 211-game suspension for PED use, originally issued on August 5th, reducing it to 162 games, or the entire 2014 season and postseason, costing him $25 million in salary. Rodriguez says he will appeal the decision in federal court. For its part, the Players Association says it disagrees with the decision, but will respect it as it was reached through due process.

Arbitrator Fredric Horowitz, upon hearing Alex Rodriguez’s doping suspension appeal, reduces baseball’s highest-paid player’s expulsion from 211 games to the 162 games scheduled in the 2014 regular season, and any resulting postseason contests. The ruling, which still keeps the suspension the longest in baseball history for using performance-enhancing substances, may mark the end of the 38 year-old Yankee third baseman’s career.

Hall of Famer Monte Irvin dies at his home in Houston, TX at the age of 96. He was a star in the Negro Leagues before joining the New York Giants shortly after integration in 1949. He later became the first black executive to work for Major League Baseball.

The Cardinals sign Seung-Hwan Oh, the greatest relief pitcher in the history of the Korea Baseball Organization, to a one-year contract. He is expected to serve as a set-up man for closer Trevor Rosenthal.

2017 – The Mariners, who have been quite active this off-season, continue to make trades, first sending pitching prospects Luiz Gohara and Thomas Burrows to Atlanta for P Shae Simmons and OF Mallex Smith, and then flipping Smith to Tampa Bay, along with IF Carlos Vargas and P Ryan Yarbrough, to acquire SP Drew Smyly. Smyly is expected to become a key member of the Mariners’ starting rotation this year.

A few days after losing starting catcher Yasmani Grandal to the Brewers via free agency, the Dodgers move to acquire Russell Martin from the Blue Jays in return for a pair of minor leaguers. Martin had started his career with the Dodgers back in 2006.

Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom reaches a one-year deal with the Mets for $17 million. The $9.6 million raise is the largest ever for a player eligible for salary arbitration. In the same vein, the Red Sox come to an agreement with reigning MVP Mookie Betts, signing him for $20 million, the most ever given to a player in his second year of arbitration eligibility; in fact the amount beats that given to any player in his third year of eligibility. Meanwhile, 3B Nolan Arenado has filed a claim for a $30 million salary, with the Rockies countering by offering $24 million; whatever the arbitration panel decides, the amount will be a record-setting one, topping the $23 million obtained by Josh Donaldson from the Blue Jays last year.

The Yankees add another infielder, signing free agent IF D.J. LeMahieu for two years and $24 million.