January 16
From BR Bullpen
| Stats of players who were born this day | |
| Stats of players who died on this day | |
| Standings on this day | |
| Permanent link to Today's Entry | |
| Sources | |
| Baseball Library Chronology | |
| Today in Baseball History | |
Events, births and deaths that occurred on January 16.
[edit] Events
- 1878 - Tom Carey is signed as team captain of the Providence Grays
- 1885 - The Brooklyn Grays signs several players from the defunct Cleveland Blues club, inking Pete Hotaling, Bill Phillips, John Harkins, George Pinkney, Germany Smith, and Bill Krieg.
- 1886 The Washington Nationals club is admitted to the National League, bringing the league membership to seven teams.
- 1890 - Samuel Gompers, president of the American Federation of Labor, and three other labor leaders pledge support for the Players League at a league meeting in Philadelphia.
- 1891 - A new national agreement is signed by the National League, American Association and the Western Association creating a three-man panel to settle problems among the leagues.
- 1905 - It seems simple enough on paper: the Boston Red Sox buy outfielder George Stone from the Washington Senators; the St. Louis Browns reclaim Frank Huelsman from Washington, where he had been on loan, and send him along with Jesse Burkett to Boston for Stone. Boston then sends Huelsman back to Washington in payment for Stone. This is Huelsman's fourth trade in eight months and his playing for four American League teams in one season will not be matched until Paul Lehner does it in 1951.
- 1910 - Hall of Fame pitcher Dizzy Dean is born in Lucas, AR. Dean will make his debut in 1930 with the St. Louis Cardinals and will win 150 games over a 12-year career with the Cardinals, Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Browns.
- 1917 - The Cubs send Jimmy Lavender and $5,000 to the Phillies for Al Demaree, who will send to the Giants in July.
- 1952 - The U.S. Standardization Board clears the way for Stan Musial to get a salary increase to $85,000. Prior to this relaxation of the rules, there was a wage freeze in effect due to the Korean War. Under the new rules, a team is free to raise individual salaries, as long as they do not exceed a complicated formula, based on total team salaries for any one year, from 1946-1950, plus 10 percent.
- 1960 - In a benefit basketball game in Pittsburgh, the Steelers football club edge the Pirates baseball team in overtime, 22 - 20. Shortstop Dick Groat, a Duke University hoop standout, scores 14 points for the Pirates.
- 1964 - American League owners vote down Charlie Finley's proposed move of the Kansas City Athletics to Louisville, Kentucky. The owners, who vote 9-1 against the proposal, also tell Finley to sign a lease with Kansas City or surrender the franchise.
- 1970 - Gold Glove outfielder Curt Flood files a lawsuit challenging the reserve clause, which binds major league players to teams perpetually. Flood had been traded by the St. Louis Cardinals to the Philadelphia Phillies in September 1969, but refused to report to the Phillies. Flood contends that the reserve clause violates antitrust laws. Flood will lose the suit but the judge will suggest changes to the reserve system.
- 1974 - The Baseball Writers Association of America selects former New York Yankees teammates Mickey Mantle and Whitey Ford to the Hall of Fame. Mantle becomes only the seventh player to make it in his first try. His 536 home runs with the Yankees ranked second only to Babe Ruth and he played in more games (2,401) than any other pinstriper, including Lou Gehrig. Ford was arguably the greatest Yankees pitcher of all time, retiring with more wins (236), more innings pitched (3,171), more strikeouts (1,956), and more shutouts (45) than anyone in club history.
- 1986 - The Minnesota Twins trade Tim Teufel and Pat Crosby to the New York Mets in exchange for Billy Beane, Bill Latham, and Joe Klink. Minnesota also trade Dave Engle to the Tigers for Chris Pittaro and Alejandro Sanchez. Teufel will platoon with Wally Backman during the Mets' 1986 championship run.
- 1996:
- MLB executive council approves a history-making first: interleague play for the 1997 season. The Players Association will eventually give its approval, enabling geographic rivals like the New York Mets and Yankees, Chicago Cubs and White Sox, and Los Angeles Angels and Dodgers to play each other during the regular season.
- The San Francisco Giants signed much acclaimed amateur free agent Osvaldo Fernandez. The Cuban National squad's All-Star pitcher, who defected as his club played Team USA in Tennessee, will post a disappointing 10-17 record during two seasons with the Giants.
- 2001:
- Outfielders Dave Winfield and Kirby Puckett are elected to the Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility. The former Minnesota Twins are the fourth pair of teammates selected by BBWAA in the same year.
- Free agent Jose Canseco agrees to terms with the Anaheim Angels. The incentive-laden contract ranging from $200,000 to as much as $5 million will be based on plate appearances as a designated hitter.
- 2002 - Two free agents agrees to terms on contracts, pitcher Pedro Astacio with the New York Mets, and second baseman Eric Young with the Milwaukee Brewers.
- 2003:
- The owners establish the minimum age of 14 for bat boys. The change from not having any age requirement was prompted by a near collision at home plate during Game Five of the World Series involving 4-year old bat boy Darren Baker, the son of Giants manager Dusty Baker.
- Gary Carter becomes the first player, to wear a Montreal Expos hat on his plaque when he is inducted into the Hall of Fame in July at Cooperstown. Although the former Montreal catcher had expressed his desire to go in with a Mets logo, the team he is employed by and was part of its 1986 World Series championship, the Hall of Fame makes the final decision.
- Trying to restore a competitive edge to the All-Star Game, the owners unanimously approved the winning league of the Mid-Summer classic will have home-field advantage during the World Series. Approval is needed by the players to change the current rotation between the two leagues which was put in place since its inception of the World Series in 1993.
- 2008 - Great Britain withdraws from the 2008 Final Olympic Qualification Tournament due to financial limitations; they were unable to raise the 40,000 pounds they needed and UK Sport had stopped funding the British Baseball Federation in 2005. The IBAF claimed the reason was due to player availability, contrary to the above explanation provided by Britain. Germany takes its spot. Great Britain was not expected to have much chance of advancing to the Olympics.
[edit] Births
- 1855 - Jimmy Macullar, infielder, manager (d. 1924)
- 1858 - Art Whitney, infielder (d. 1943)
- 1863 - Lem Hunter, pitcher/outfielder (d. 1956)
- 1870 - Jimmy Collins, infielder, manager; Hall of Famer (d. 1943)
- 1877 - Lou Bruce, outfielder (d. 1968)
- 1878 - Jim Murray, outfielder (d. 1945)
- 1885 - Joe Kutina, infielder (d. 1945)
- 1886 - Allie Moulton, infielder (d. 1968)
- 1888 - Brad Kocher, catcher (d. 1965)
- 1889 - Ray Jansen, infielder (d. 1934)
- 1889 - Erskine Mayer, pitcher (d. 1957)
- 1891 - Marv Goodwin, pitcher (d. 1925)
- 1891 - Ferdie Schupp, pitcher (d. 1971)
- 1892 - Fred Bratschi, outfielder (d. 1962)
- 1894 - Moxie Divis, outfielder (d. 1955)
- 1895 - Lou Guisto, infielder (d. 1989)
- 1897 - Herschel Bobo, minor league infielder and manager (d. 1975)
- 1899 - Showboat Fisher, outfielder (d. 1994)
- 1900 - Joe Rabbitt, outfielder (d. 1969)
- 1902 - Joe Connell, pinch hitter (d. 1977)
- 1902 - Pip Koehler, outfielder (d. 1986)
- 1904 - Jo-Jo Morrissey, infielder (d. 1950)
- 1907 - Buck Jordan, infielder (d. 1993)
- 1908 - Johnny Watson, infielder (d. 1965)
- 1910 - Dizzy Dean, pitcher; All-Star, Hall of Famer (d. 1974)
- 1911 - Hank McDonald, pitcher (d. 1982)
- 1917 - Bob Ramazzotti, infielder (d. 2000)
- 1920 - Ray Poole, pinch hitter (d. 2006)
- 1920 - Roy Talcott, pitcher (d. 1999)
- 1923 - Dick Sipek, outfielder (d. 2005)
- 1924 - Junior Wooten, outfielder (d. 2006)
- 1934 - Jim Owens, pitcher
- 1937 - Moe Morhardt, infielder
- 1938 - Ron Herbel, pitcher (d. 2000)
- 1940 - Bob Baird, pitcher (d. 1974)
- 1940 - Rod Miller, pinch hitter
- 1941 - Joe Bonikowski, pitcher
- 1944 - Gene Stone, infielder
- 1948 - Tsuneo Horiuchi, NPB pitcher and manager
- 1953 - Dennis DeBarr, pitcher
- 1954 - Dave Stapleton, infielder
- 1957 - Steve Balboni, infielder
- 1957 - Marty Castillo, infielder
- 1957 - Dave Jauss, coach
- 1959 - Kevin Buckley, designated hitter
- 1963 - Joe Cunningham, minor league infielder and manager
- 1966 - Jack McDowell, pitcher; All-Star
- 1969 - Richard Orman, minor league pitcher
- 1970 - Ron Villone, pitcher
- 1973 - Jesus Azuaje, minor league infielder
- 1975 - Kevin Boles, minor league manager
- 1975 - Lee Gardner, pitcher
- 1977 - Colter Bean, pitcher
- 1978 - Alfredo Amezaga, infielder
- 1979 - Jack Cust, designated hitter
- 1979 - Bill Peavey, minor league player
- 1980 - Brooks Conrad, infielder
- 1980 - Albert Pujols, infielder; All-Star
- 1981 - Mitch Stetter, pitcher
- 1983 - Eider Torres, infielder
- 1984 - Matt Maloney, minor league pitcher
- 1985 - Jeff Manship, minor league pitcher
- 1986 - Reid Brignac, infielder
- 1988 - Ron Rivas, minor league infielder
[edit] Deaths
- 1907 - Jake Evans, outfielder (b. 1856)
- 1913 - Tom Dolan, catcher (b. 1855)
- 1917 - Charlie Geggus, pitcher (b. 1862)
- 1925 - George Bignell, catcher (b. 1858)
- 1928 - Claude Rossman, infielder (b. 1881)
- 1932 - Chino Smith, Negro League outfielder (b. 1903)
- 1934 - Wiley Dunham, pitcher (b. 1877)
- 1934 - Jim Hyndman, pitcher/outfielder (b. 1865)
- 1938 - Earl Clark, outfielder (b. 1907)
- 1938 - Joe Sommer, outfielder (b. 1858)
- 1950 - Rudy Hulswitt, infielder (b. 1877)
- 1951 - Pid Purdy, outfielder (b. 1904)
- 1954 - Fred Payne, catcher (b. 1880)
- 1963 - Tommy Thompson, pitcher (b. 1889)
- 1964 - Howard Baker, infielder (b. 1888)
- 1965 - Jimmy Williams, infielder (b. 1876)
- 1968 - Liz Funk, outfielder (b. 1904)
- 1973 - Frank Calo, scout (b. 1973)
- 1976 - Chick Autry, infielder (b. 1885)
- 1977 - Baby Doll Jacobson, outfielder (b. 1890)
- 1982 - Arnulfo RodrÃguez, minor league executive; Salon de la Fama (b. 1929)
- 1985 - Ken Chase, pitcher (b. 1913)
- 1988 - Dutch Kemner, pitcher (b. 1899)
- 1989 - Frank Trechock, infielder (b. 1915)
- 1990 - Earl Naylor, outfielder (b. 1919)
- 2000 - Byrum Saam, announcer (b. 1914)
- 2001 - Bob Latshaw, minor league infielder and manager (b. 1917)
- 2003 - Phil McCullough, pitcher (b. 1917)
