January 6
From BR Bullpen
| Stats of players who were born this day | |
| Stats of players who died on this day | |
| Standings on this day | |
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| Today in Baseball History | |
Events, births and deaths that occurred on January 6.
[edit] Events
- 1885 - Millionaire Henry Lucas purchases the Cleveland Blues and plans to fill the vacancy in the National League with his own St. Louis Maroons.
- 1914 - The National Commission grants some demands of the Player's Union: players are to be notified in writing of their transfer or release and to receive a copy of their contract, players with 10 years in the Major Leagues are eligible to become free agents; clubs will pay traveling expenses to spring training and furnish all uniforms, and outfield fences in ML ballparks should be painted green to provide a better hitting background for batters.
- 1916 - King Cole, the pitcher who gave up Babe Ruth's first hit in 1914, dies in Bay City, MI at age 29. Cole was a stellar pitcher while playing for the Chicago Cubs, helping his team to the 1910 World Series.
- 1917 - With Bill Carrigan reaffirming his decision to leave the Boston Red Sox, shortstop Jack Barry is named the team's new manager.
- 1920 - Future Hall of Fame pitcher Early Wynn is born in Hartford, AL. Wynn will make his major league debut in 1939 and will go on to win 300 games during a career with the Senators, Indians and White Sox.
- 1926 - Future All-Star pitcher Ralph Branca is born in Mount Vernon, NY. Although Branca will win 21 games in 1947, he will become best known for giving up Bobby Thomson's pennant-winning home run in 1951.
- 1936 - New York Giants President Charles Stoneham dies of Bright's disease. He was the last surviving member of the trio that purchased the team in 1919.
- 1937 - The New York Giants buy shortstop Tommy Thevenow from Cincinnati Reds.
- 1942 - Cleveland Indians pitcher Bob Feller reports to Norfolk, Virginia for duty in the United States Navy. Feller, who led the American League in victories in three previous seasons, will miss the 1942, 1943, and 1944 seasons before returning for nine games in 1945. Despite missing the time due to the World War II effort, Feller will led the league in 1946, 1947, and 1951, amassing 266 wins during an 18-year major league career.
- 1946 - The Boston Red Sox announce that they have signed a working agreement with the New Orleans Pelicans. The Pelicans are managed by Johnny Peacock, a former Boston catcher.
- 1950 - Charlie Grimm resigns as vice president of the Chicago Cubs to sign a three-year contract to manage the Dallas franchise in the Texas League for a record salary of $90,000. Grimm comments, "these hands were never intended to carry a brief case."
- 1956:
- A Federal Court bars former Little League Commissioner Carl Stotz from forming a rival group. Stotz initiated the suit because he felt the league had grown too big, and that increasing team rosters to 15 players was preventing less able players from getting any real playing time.
- The Boston Red Sox sell their Louisville farm club, the Louisville Colonels to a Cuban cartel led by Havana businessman Edward F. Wheeler.
- 1958 - Willie Mays of the San Francisco Giants signs a contract worth $65,000. It's the largest deal ever signed by a member of the Giants.
- 1964:
- Charlie Finley signs a two-year pact to move the Athletics from Kansas City to Louisville, pending American League approval. He is later denied and the Athletics stay put in Kansas City until after the 1967 season.
- The Chicago White Sox introduce powder-blue road uniforms.
- 1967 - Former major league manager Johnny Keane dies in Chicago from a heart attack at the age of 55. Keane guided the St. Louis Cardinals to the 1964 World Series, but left to become the manager of the New York Yankees, whom the Cardinals had beaten in the World Series. After an unsuccessful stint with the Yankees, Keane became a scout with the California Angels.
- 1969 - Umpires Al Salerno and Bill Valentine file a grievance against the American League and its American League president, Joe Cronin. The grievance is filed by the new umpires union with the National Labor Relations Board.
- 1977 - California Angels reserve shortstop Mike Miley is killed in an auto crash in Baton Rouge, LA, at age 23. Miley had been a star football player for the Louisiana College Wildcats and was chosen twice in the first round of the June free-agent draft.
- 1988 - Free agent slugger Jack Clark signs with the New York Yankees, while free agent Paul Molitor re-signs with the Milwaukee Brewers.
- 1992 - The Yankees sign free agent outfielder Danny Tartabull to a five-year contract.
- 1994 - Free agents signings include pitchers Jay Howell by the Texas Rangers, Jeff Brantley by the Cincinnati Reds, and shortstop Walt Weiss by the Colorado Rockies.
- 1997:
- Former Atlanta Braves knuckleballer Phil Niekro is elected to the Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers Association of America, becoming the 227th member of the Hall. He receives 80.34% of the vote, as former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Don Sutton falls nine votes short of election. Niekro is only the 87th player to be elected by the BBWAA.
- Los Angeles Dodgers owner Peter O'Malley announces plans to sell the team, which has been controlled by his family since 1950. The club is expected to command a record price.
- 1999:
- Surgery makes the news as the New York Mets prize rookie outfielder Jay Payton undergoes arthroscopic surgery on his left shoulder. Also, Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Paul Quantrill has surgery to repair a fractured right thigh and a metal rod is inserted in his leg. He was injured in a snowmobile accident at his home in Port Hope, ON.
- Nolan Ryan is the first passenger to board the Nolan Ryan Express, a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737. Ryan autographs both sides of the aircraft's nose on two specially designed decals each featuring a baseball with airplane wings and a Southwest colored tail. In July, Ryan will again board the NLE to fly to the Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremonies in Cooperstown, New York.
- 2000:
- Major league baseball officials order Atlanta Braves reliever John Rocker is to undergo psychological testing following derogatory remarks he made in an interview with Sports Illustrated magazine. commissioner Bud Selig says he will listen to what the doctors say before deciding what punishment"”if any"”will be handed down to the pitcher.
- Gene Budig resigns as American League president and is appointed a senior adviser to commissioner Bud Selig. The American and National Leagues will be disbanded as legal entities later this month, with their functions consolidated in the commissioner's office.
- 2005 - Bob Watson, the general manager of the United States team for the World Baseball Classic, expects to find out by next week whether Alex Rodriguez will play for the Americans at the tournament. Rodriguez is eligible to play for both the US and the Dominican Republic.
- 2008 - Roger Clemens files a defamation lawsuit against trainer Brian McNamee for statements McNamee made in the Mitchell Report. McNamee had said he injected Clemens with performance-enhancing drugs.
- 2009:
- The Baltimore Orioles sign former Yomiuri Giants right-hander Koji Uehara to a 2-year, $10 million deal with incentives reaching $16 million. The deal, pending a physical, brings the two-time Olympic hurler to the USA. Uehara had struggled in 2008 and had the highest ERA of his 10-year career.
- The New York Yankees finalize their deal with Mark Teixeira for $180 million over 8 years, joining Alex Rodriguez, CC Sabathia, Derek Jeter and A.J. Burnett on the payroll-heavy Yanks.
- The Colorado Rockies and Chicago Cubs exchange pitchers, with Jason Marquis going to Chicago in return for Luis Vizcaino.
[edit] Births
- 1859 - George Shoch, infielder (d. 1937)
- 1864 - Andy Knox, infielder (d. 1940)
- 1865 - Sun Daly, outfielder (d. 1938)
- 1867 - James Donnelly, infielder (d. 1933)
- 1870 - Joe Sullivan, infielder (d. 1897)
- 1878 - Jack Slattery, catcher, manager (d. 1949)
- 1881 - Joe Lake, pitcher (d. 1950)
- 1882 - Willis Cole, outfielder (d. 1965)
- 1886 - Billy Purtell, infielder (d. 1962)
- 1890 - Vern Duncan, outfielder (d. 1954)
- 1895 - Charlie Blackburn, pitcher (d. 1984)
- 1897 - Buck Crouse, catcher (d. 1983)
- 1897 - By Speece, pitcher (d. 1974)
- 1900 - Clyde Beck, infielder (d. 1988)
- 1902 - Bob Barnes, pitcher (d. 1993)
- 1903 - Ike Eichrodt, outfielder (d. 1965)
- 1903 - George Grant, pitcher (d. 1986)
- 1903 - Mul Holland, pitcher (d. 1969)
- 1912 - Hal Warnock, outfielder (d. 1997)
- 1915 - Tom Ferrick, pitcher (d. 1996)
- 1915 - Chuck Workman, outfielder (d. 1953)
- 1916 - Phil Masi, catcher; All-Star (d. 1990)
- 1918 - John Corriden, pinch runner (d. 2001)
- 1918 - Bill Zinser, pitcher (d. 1993)
- 1920 - Jiro Noguchi, NPB pitcher; Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame (d. 2007)
- 1920 - Early Wynn, pitcher; All-Star, Hall of Famer (d. 1999)
- 1923 - Red Hardy, pitcher (d. 2003)
- 1923 - Zenzo Hasegawa, NPB infielder (d. 1998)
- 1926 - Ralph Branca, pitcher; All-Star
- 1928 - Dan Lewandowski, pitcher (d. 1996)
- 1931 - Fern Battaglia, AAGPBL infielder (d. 2001)
- 1931 - Dick Tomanek, pitcher
- 1933 - Lenny Green, outfielder
- 1933 - Lee Walls, outfielder; All-Star (d. 1993)
- 1935 - Ed Bauta, pitcher
- 1936 - Ruben Amaro, infielder
- 1940 - Elvio Jimenez, outfielder
- 1950 - Roy Staiger, infielder
- 1951 - Don Gullett, pitcher
- 1951 - Joe Lovitto, outfielder (d. 2001)
- 1952 - Bob Adams, infielder
- 1955 - Doe Boyland, infielder
- 1962 - Tony Woods, minor league infielder
- 1963 - Norm Charlton, pitcher; All-Star
- 1963 - Bob Davidson, pitcher
- 1965 - Jose DeJesus, pitcher
- 1969 - Alvin Morman, pitcher
- 1970 - Dan Naulty, pitcher
- 1971 - Eric Moody, pitcher
- 1973 - Marc Deschenes, minor league pitcher
- 1974 - Marlon Anderson, infielder
- 1978 - Casey Fossum, pitcher
- 1980 - Dennis Malave, minor league catcher
- 1982 - Scott Thorman, infielder
- 1982 - Brian Bass, pitcher
- 1984 - Jimmy Barthmaier, pitcher
- 1985 - Manuel Rodriguez, minor league player
[edit] Deaths
- 1894 - Marty Sullivan, outfielder (b. 1862)
- 1899 - John Smith, infielder (b. 1858)
- 1913 - Jack Boyle, infielder (b. 1866)
- 1916 - King Cole, pitcher (b. 1886)
- 1919 - Jake Stenzel, outfielder (b. 1867)
- 1932 - George Sharrott, pitcher (b. 1869)
- 1936 - Charles Stoneham, owner (b. 1876)
- 1941 - Charley O'Leary, infielder (b. 1882)
- 1942 - Louis Santop, Negro League catcher; Hall of Famer (b. 1890)
- 1943 - Ted Welch, pitcher (b. 1892)
- 1951 - Harry Camnitz, pitcher (b. 1884)
- 1952 - Frank Oberlin, pitcher (b. 1876)
- 1957 - Ed Abbaticchio, infielder (b. 1877)
- 1957 - Gil Gallagher, infielder (b. 1896)
- 1967 - Joe Haynes, pitcher; All-Star (b. 1917)
- 1967 - Johnny Keane, manager (b. 1911)
- 1967 - Joe Walsh, catcher (b. 1886)
- 1969 - Larry Cheney, pitcher (b. 1886)
- 1969 - Hank Olmsted, pitcher (b. 1879)
- 1969 - Clint Rogge, pitcher (b. 1889)
- 1969 - Jim Viox, infielder (b. 1890)
- 1977 - Mike Miley, infielder (b. 1953)
- 1978 - Tony Rego, catcher (b. 1897)
- 1981 - Fred Stiely, pitcher (b. 1901)
- 1982 - Wally Post, outfielder (b. 1929)
- 1984 - Billy Lee, outfielder (b. 1892)
- 1988 - Ralph Buxton, pitcher (b. 1914)
- 1990 - Walter Anderson, pitcher (b. 1897)
- 1991 - Bobby Estalella, outfielder (b. 1911)
- 1991 - Alan Wiggins, infielder (b. 1958)
- 1997 - Dick Donovan, pitcher; All-Star (b. 1927)
- 1998 - Ronnie Miller, pitcher (b. 1918)
- 1999 - Jim Dunn, pitcher (b. 1931)
- 2001 - Tom Poholsky, pitcher (b. 1929)
- 2001 - Tot Pressnell, pitcher (b. 1906)
- 2002 - Fred Taylor, infielder (b. 1924)
- 2003 - Jarvis Tatum, outfielder (b. 1946)
- 2008 - Marjorie Pieper, AAGPBL player (b. 1922)
