February 17
From BR Bullpen
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| Stats of players who died on this day | |
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| Today in Baseball History | |
Events, births and deaths that occurred on February 17.
[edit] Events
- 1883 - At a meeting between the American Association and the National League, the Tripartite Agreement (or the National Agreement) is drafted. In it the two leagues, along with the Northwestern League, agree to respect each other's contracts, ending a brief period of player raids. Also, the reserve rule is amended to allow each team to reserve 11 players, an increase of 6. The National Agreement will usher in a period of peaceful coexistence, lasting until the Players League war of 1890.
- 1890 - New York National League officials fail in an effort to woo star player and Brotherhood officer Buck Ewing to rejoin the Giants. Although he has rejected an offer reported at $33,000 for three years, Ewing is later accused by some players of spying for the NL.
- 1891 - The American Association withdraws from the National Agreement thus starting a war with the National League. The AA moves its Chicago team to Cincinnati to compete with the NL league team.
- 1900 - Mary Hamilton Von Derbeck is to become owner of the Detroit American League franchise and Bennett Park in lieu of unpaid alimony. However, her ex-husband George Von Derbeck files the required bond with a Michigan court to cover the alimony due, regains ownership of the club, and sells it to Tiger manager George Stallings on March 6th.
- 1909 - The National League deprives umpires of the power to fine players and decrees that relief pitchers must retire at least one batter before being relieved.
- 1924 - Frank Chance, signed as Chicago White Sox manager three months ago, resigns because of illness. Coach Johnny Evers is named acting manager until Chance returns, but the former Cubs star never recovers, and dies on September 24.
- 1937 - The New York Yankees buy another Babe from the Red Sox, picking up Babe Dahlgren. The California native will become the player who replaces Lou Gehrig.
- 1943 - Joe DiMaggio, drawing $43,500 from the Yankees, trades in his salary for the $50 a month as an army enlisted man. DiMaggio, in his customary quiet style, gives no notice to the club.
- 1955 - The Baltimore Orioles get P Erv Palica from the Dodgers for 1B Frank Kellert and cash. This replaces the Preacher Roe deal, which fell through when the Brooklyn lefty announced his retirement.
- 1959 - The Yankees invite Australian cricket player Norman O'Neill for a tryout at SS. U.S. Davis Cup captain Billy Talbert, while playing tennis in Australia, arranges the deal after hearing of O'Neill's prowess.
- 1964 - Former White Sox SS Luke Appling is voted into the Hall of Fame by a special vote. In 1953, Appling's first year of eligibility for Cooperstown, the Sox great received just two votes. He holds the single-season highest average for his position hitting .388 in 1936.
- 1965 - Commissioner Ford Frick suspends U.S.-Japan baseball relations until the Yomiuri Giants-San Francisco Giants dispute over Masanori Murakami's contract is resolved.
- 1971 - Boston's Carl Yastrzemski signs what is believed to be the richest player contract history: three years for a total of $500,000.
- 1976 - Mike Scott of Pepperdine University pitches a 3 - 0 perfect game against California Lutheran University. He will be selected in the 2nd round of the June draft.
- 1980 - While taping separate interviews at KNBC-TV studios in Burbank, CA, Giants coach Jim Lefebvre and Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda trade punches after a brief argument, leaving Lasorda with a bloody lip. Lefebvre had been a Dodger coach in 1979 until he was fired by Lasorda.
- 1987 - New York Yankees first baseman Don Mattingly wins his $1.975 million arbitration case breaking the record for the largest amount ever awarded to a player set by Jack Morris just four days ago.
- 1995 - Tigers manager Sparky Anderson is put on an involuntary leave of absence as he refuses to manage replacement players. The Orioles announce they will not play exhibition games against teams using replacement players.
- 2003 - After his body temperature soars to 108 degrees, Orioles 23-year old pitching prospect Steve Bechler dies of multi-organ failure after spring training workout yesterday. Early speculation is the expectant father death may have been caused by ephedrine, the dietary supplement linked to heatstroke and heart attacks.
- 2003 - Avoiding arbitration, the Braves and 36-year old righty Greg Maddux (16-6, 2.62) agree the largest one-year contract in major league history. The $14.75 million deal for the four-time Cy Young Award winner eclipses the $12 million given to David Cone by Yankees in 2000.
- 2006 - Chicago White Sox skipper Ozzie Guillen issues an apology for his comments published in Sports Illustrated criticizing Alex Rodriguez's indecision concerning which country the Yankee All-Star would represent in the World Baseball Classic. A-Rod, who was born in the United States, thought at first he would play for the Dominican Republic due his parents' heritage, then decided he was not going to play at all before choosing to play for Team USA.
[edit] Births
- 1861 - Joe Miller, infielder (d. 1928)
- 1861 - Stump Wiedman, pitcher (d. 1905)
- 1871 - Cy Bowen, pitcher (d. 1925)
- 1885 - Steve Evans, outfielder (d. 1943)
- 1886 - Pat Pieper, public address announcer (d. 1974)
- 1889 - Leonardo Alanís, minor league outfielder; Salon de la Fama (d. 1978)
- 1890 - Rivington Bisland, infielder (d. 1973)
- 1892 - Fred Brainerd, infielder (d. 1959)
- 1892 - Nemo Leibold, outfielder (d. 1977)
- 1893 - Eddie Onslow, infielder (d. 1981)
- 1893 - Wally Pipp, infielder (d. 1965)
- 1895 - Leon Carlson, pitcher (d. 1961)
- 1896 - Frank Emmer, infielder (d. 1963)
- 1897 - Ike Boone, outfielder (d. 1958)
- 1899 - Leo Najo, minor league outfielder (d. 1978)
- 1901 - Eddie Phillips, catcher (d. 1968)
- 1905 - Ed Brandt, pitcher (d. 1944)
- 1907 - Orlin Collier, pitcher (d. 1944)
- 1908 - Red Barber, announcer (d. 1992)
- 1912 - Bruce Ogrodowski, catcher (d. 1956)
- 1915 - Rod Dedeaux, infielder
- 1921 - Doyle Lade, pitcher (d. 2000)
- 1922 - Ed Chandler, pitcher (d. 2003)
- 1923 - Dottie Key, AAGPBL outfielder (d. 2003)
- 1923 - Bill Sommers, infielder (d. 2000)
- 1926 - Jack Crimian, pitcher
- 1930 - Roger Craig, pitcher, manager
- 1930 - Satoshi Hirayama, NPB outfielder
- 1931 - Cliff Gustafson, college coach
- 1933 - Juan Manuel Ley López, minor league executive; Salon de la Fama
- 1934 - Willie Kirkland, outfielder
- 1935 - Whammy Douglas, pitcher
- 1941 - Dave Wissman, outfielder
- 1944 - Dick Bosman, pitcher
- 1951 - Mike Cosgrove, pitcher
- 1951 - Dave Roberts, infielder
- 1953 - Jamie Easterly, pitcher
- 1953 - Jim Umbarger, pitcher
- 1954 - Mike Macha, infielder
- 1958 - Mike Hart, outfielder
- 1958 - Alan Wiggins, infielder (d. 1991)
- 1963 - Michael Jordan, minor league outfielder
- 1964 - Mike Campbell, pitcher
- 1965 - Jim Bowie, infielder
- 1966 - Howard Freiling, minor league player and manager
- 1967 - Lonnie Maclin, outfielder
- 1971 - Rolando Meriño, Cuban league catcher
- 1971 - Danny Patterson, pitcher
- 1975 - Kelcey Mucker, minor league outfielder
- 1976 - Cody Ransom, infielder
- 1976 - Scott Williamson, pitcher; All-Star
- 1977 - Juan Padilla, pitcher
- 1979 - Josh Willingham, catcher
- 1981 - Andrew Brown, pitcher
- 1982 - Brian Bruney, pitcher
- 1983 - Yasuyuki Kataoka, NPB infielder
- 1986 - Mitch Graham, minor league infielder
- 1990 - Jakub Sládek, Bundesliga infielder
- 1991 - Jose Cabrera, minor league player
[edit] Deaths
- 1909 - Jim Burns, outfielder
- 1915 - Jersey Bakely, pitcher (b. 1864)
- 1920 - Frank Quinn, outfielder (b. 1876)
- 1923 - George Meakim, pitcher (b. 1865)
- 1927 - Harry Little, outfielder (b. 1850)
- 1933 - Harry Smith, catcher, manager (b. 1874)
- 1936 - Tom York, outfielder, manager (b. 1851)
- 1941 - Happy Iott, outfielder (b. 1876)
- 1956 - Kip Selbach, outfielder (b. 1872)
- 1961 - Doc Johnston, infielder (b. 1887)
- 1963 - Lee Thompson, pitcher (b. 1898)
- 1965 - Larry Gilbert, outfielder (b. 1891)
- 1966 - Finners Quinlan, outfielder (b. 1887)
- 1972 - Lew Malone, infielder (b. 1897)
- 1975 - George Twombly, outfielder (b. 1892)
- 1982 - Nestor Chylak Hall of Famer (b. 1922)
- 1985 - George Washington, outfielder (b. 1907)
- 1986 - Red Ruffing, pitcher; All-Star, Hall of Famer (b. 1905)
- 1989 - Lefty Gomez, pitcher; All-Star, Hall of Famer (b. 1908)
- 1990 - Larry Cox, catcher (b. 1947)
- 1996 - Andy Lapihuska, pitcher (b. 1922)
- 2000 - Turkey Tyson, pinch hitter (b. 1914)
- 2003 - Steve Bechler, pitcher (b. 1979)
