December 8

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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 December 8.

Events

• 1880 - At the annual National League meeting, the league rejects the Washington Nationals' bid for admission, electing Detroit instead, although there is no established club there. The Michigan city is chosen for geographic reasons, since its 1880 population (116,340) is smaller than both Washington's (147,293) and Cincinnati's (255,139), the city being replaced.
• 1881 - The National League adopts a few new playing rules: the three-foot corridor along the first base line is adopted for the first time; runners can no longer be put out returning to their bases after a foul ball not caught; the fine for pitchers hitting batters with pitches is repealed; the "block ball" rule allowing runners to take as many bases as possible on balls going into the crowd, the fielding team being able to put them out only after returning the ball to the pitcher in his box, is also repealed.
• 1885 - At an American Association meeting in Philadelphia, the Metropolitan club is removed from the Association, and the National club of Washington is admitted. By court order, the Metropolitans will be readmitted.
• 1887 - In a controversial move the American Association doubles its basic admission price to 50 cents. In late August 1888, the league, suffering from decreases in attendance and revenues, will reinstitute the old admission fee.
• 1899 - Louisville president Barney Dreyfuss transfers to the Pittsburgh club (of which he is part owner) most of his top stars, including player-manager Fred Clarke, Hans Wagner, Claude Ritchey, Tommy Leach, Rube Waddell, and Deacon Phillippe. Louisville is a likely candidate in the reduction of National League franchises from twelve to eight.
• 1914:
  • The National League votes to hold the 1915 player limit to 21 per team. They also create the disabled list (DL) which allows a player to be kept out of play for ten days and another player substituted for him.
  • Afraid of losing his unsigned second baseman to the upstart Federal League, Connie Mack sells Eddie Collins to the White Sox for the hefty sum of $50,000. The A's have already lost Eddie Plank and Charles Bender to the new league. The deal breaks up the A's "$100,000 infield" and raises conjecture that Mack, too, will leave to manage the Yankees. Ban Johnson reportedly had a hand in the negotiations, sending the A's star to counter the box office effect of the Chifeds signing Walter Johnson.
• 1916 - The National Commission fines 51 players $25 to $100 for performing in post-season exhibitions. Among the guilty: Babe Ruth, Jack Barry, Duffy Lewis, ten other Red Sox players, and Ty Cobb.
• 1928 - The Cardinals sell veteran SS Rabbit Maranville to the Braves.
• 1936:
  • Babe Ruth turns down an offer to manage the Albany farm team as he is hoping for an offer from a major league team.
  • In a three-way deal, the Indians send Thornton Lee to the White Sox, who ship Jack Salveson to the Senators, who transfer Earl Whitehill to Cleveland.
• 1939:
  • The Bees trade veteran Danny MacFayden to the Pirates for Bill Swift and cash.
  • The White Sox trade Gee Walker to the Senators for Pete Appleton and Taffy Wright. The Sox also pick up OF Moose Solters from the Browns for OF Rip Radcliff, both sluggers coming off poor years. The Dodgers get Gus Mancuso and Newt Kimball from the Cubs for Al Todd.
  • At the December meeting of both leagues in Cincinnati, Judge Landis votes against all amendments favorable to farm systems. The Rules committee, with an eye towards raising declining batting averages, votes to restore the sacrifice fly for 1940. Seven American League owners push through a new rule barring the American League champion from making any trades within the league. Clearly aimed at the Yankees, winners of the last four World Series, the National League owners decline to vote it for their league.
• 1941 - Yesterday's bombing of Pearl Harbor and America's sudden involvement in the war, changes the owners' plan at the American League meeting of shifting the Browns from St. Louis to Los Angeles. The move seemed a certainty a few days ago, but with the U.S. now at war, every single team - including the Browns themselves - vote against the plan.
• 1947 - In a move that will anchor The Boys of Summer, Brooklyn acquires SS Billy Cox, P Preacher Roe, and infielder Gene Mauch from Pittsburgh for pitchers Vic Lombardi, Hal Gregg, and former batting champ, 37-year-old Dixie Walker. In the spring Walker had requested in writing to be traded, but then changed his mind.
• 1948 - Pittsburgh trades 2B Frankie Gustine and P Cal McLish to the Cubs for P Cliff Chambers and C Clyde McCullough.
• 1951 - The American League alters its restrictions on night games, adopting the National League's suspended game rule and lifting its ban on lights for Sunday games.
• 1954 - The Cardinals send veteran pitcher Gerry Staley, who won 84 games for St. Louis in the past six seasons, along with 3B Ray Jablonski to the Redlegs for Frank Smith (8-1 in 1954). After a year in St. Louis the Cards will waive good-bye to Smith and Cincinnati will sign him back.
• 1959:
  • American League President Joe Cronin reports that expansion plans are indefinite. Branch Rickey scores him for his indecisiveness.
  • The Continental League awards a franchise to Atlanta.
  • Two days after trading Norm Cash, the White Sox send young OF Johnny Callison to the Phillies for veteran infielder Gene Freese. This ranks as one of the Phils' better trades.
• 1961 - The Mets purchase outfielder Richie Ashburn from the Cubs.
• 1962 - Former major leaguers Frank Crosetti and Johnny Schulte bring suit to prevent any increase in pension benefits which fails to include players from different eras.
• 1966 - Five years after he broke Babe Ruth's record for homers in a season, the Yankees trade OF Roger Maris to the Cardinals for journeyman 3B Charley Smith.
• 1976:
  • The Cubs acquire OF Greg Gross from Houston for infielder Julio Gonzalez. Then in a three-team deal, the Cubs also get OF Jim Dwyer from the Mets for 1B Pete LaCock. LaCock then goes to Kansas City for OF Sheldon Mallory who goes to New York.
  • The Indians trade OF George Hendrick to the Padres for three players: OF Johnny Grubb, C Fred Kendall and IF Hector Torres.
• 1977 - The Rangers engineer a series of deals with the Braves, Mets, and Pirates, unloading a total of six players and getting three in return. Among those involved are 1B Willie Montanez (from Atlanta to New York), Bert Blyleven (from Texas to Pittsburgh), Al Oliver (from Pittsburgh to Texas), and 1B John Milner (from NY to Pittsburgh).
• 1978 - The Rangers trade 3B Toby Harrah to the Indians for 3B Buddy Bell.
• 1980 - The Cardinals and Padres complete the first major trade at the annual winter meetings in Dallas, TX. Reliever Rollie Fingers, who won 11 games and saved 23 for San Diego in 1980, and 24-year-old catcher Terry Kennedy, who hit .254 for St. Louis, are the keys in the 11-player swap.
• 1981 - In the first major deal of the winter meetings, the Cubs trade P Mike Krukow to the Phillies for pitchers Dickie Noles and Dan Larson and versatile Keith Moreland.
• 1983:
  • Ill-advisedly, the Dodgers send pitching prospect Sid Fernandez and SS Ross Jones to the Mets in exchange for relief pitcher Carlos Diaz and utility player Bob Bailor.
  • Dr. Bobby Brown, who played 3B for the Yankees before embarking on a successful medical career, is elected president of the American League by the club owners.
• 1987 - Cincinnati trades OF Dave Parker to the A's for pitchers Jose Rijo and Tim Birtsas, the Braves trade SS Rafael Ramirez to the Astros for a pair of minor leaguers, and in the day's biggest (and most lopsided) deal, the Cubs send dominating reliever Lee Smith to the Red Sox for pitchers Al Nipper and Calvin Schiraldi.
• 1988 - Pitcher Bruce Hurst, considered the cream of this year's free agent crop, signs a three-year contract with the Padres. The Yankees sign free-agent pitcher Andy Hawkins, and the Expos trade P John Dopson and SS Luis Rivera to Boston for SS Spike Owen, and OF Tracy Jones to San Francisco for OF-1B Mike Aldrete.
• 1991:
  • Brewer reliever Julio Machado is arrested for murder in Venezuela. Machado is accused of shooting a woman following an auto accident between his car and a car in which the woman was a passenger. Machado will be convicted and, following appeals, be sentenced to 12 years in prison in 1996. He will never again play in the major leagues.
  • The Reds trade P Randy Myers to the Padres in exchange for IF-OF Bip Roberts and a player to be named.
  • The Angels acquire 1B-OF Von Hayes from the Phillies in exchange for P Kurt Abbott and OF Ruben Amaro Jr.
• 1992:
  • It's signing day as the Giants ink free agent OF Barry Bonds and make him baseball's highest-paid player, with a six-year contract worth $43.75 million.
  • The Angels trade IF Luis Sojo to the Blue Jays in exchange for 3B Kelly Gruber.
  • The Marlins sign free agents Dave Magadan, Charlie Hough, and Geronimo Berroa.
  • The Phillies sign free agent outfielder Pete Incaviglia and Milt Thompson to two-year contracts.
• 1994 - Darryl Strawberry and his agent, Eric Goldschmidt, are indicted for allegedly failing to report a half million dollars of income from the sale of autographs at baseball card shows.
• 1995 - The Giants sign free agent OF Stan Javier to a two-year contract.
• 1996 - The Orioles sign free agent P Jimmy Key to a two-year contract and the Dodgers sign 3B Todd Zeile to a three-year contract.
• 1997:
  • The Blue Jays sign free agent C Mike Stanley to a two-year contract, and free agent IF Tony Fernandez to a one-year pact.
  • The Indians sign free agent OF Kenny Lofton to a three-year contract, and free agent P Dwight Gooden to a two-year pact. They also trade OF Marquis Grissom and P Jeff Juden to the Brewers in exchange for P Ben McDonald, Ron Villone, and Mike Fetters. Fetters is then sent to the Athletics in exchange for P Steve Karsay.
  • In other free agent signings, the Devil Rays sign 1B Paul Sorrento to a two-year contract, the Rangers sign SS Kevin Elster, the Diamondbacks ink P Willie Blair to a three-year deal and the Dodgers sign SS Jose Vizcaino to a three-year contract.
• 1998 - The Cubs sign free agent C Benito Santiago. Following a car crash last January where he suffered mangled ligaments in his right knee‚ Santiago played just 15 games for the Blue Jays last season. In his last appearance at Wrigley Field‚ in 1996‚ Santiago hit three consecutive home runs.
• 1999:
  • The Rockies sign free agent OF Tom Goodwin to a three-year contract.
  • Maels Rodríguez is timed at 100 mph, the first pitcher in Cuban National League history to reach triple digits on the radar gun.
• 2000:
  • The Diamondbacks sign free agent 1B Mark Grace to a two-year contract. Grace was with the Cubs for 13 years and had more hits in the 1990s than any other player.
  • In other free agent signings today, the Giants sign veteran IF Shawon Dunston, the Pirates sign P Terry Mulholland, the Rangers sign 1B Andres Galarraga to a contract and the Cubs sign P Jeff Fassero to a two-year contract.
• 2001 - The Astros sign free agent C Gregg Zaun to a two-year contract, the Braves sign 3B Vinny Castilla also to a two-year contract and the Yankees ink P Steve Karsay to a four-year deal.
• 2005:
  • After signing the two-time Gold Glove shortstop to a four-year, $40 million deal, the Red Sox trade Edgar Renteria to the Braves for third base prospect Andy Marte. The 30-year-old Colombian infielder, who led the majors with 30 errors last season, will help to fill the void created when free agent Rafael Furcal signed with the Dodgers earlier this week.
  • The Pirates send southpaw Dave Williams (10-11, 4.41) to the Reds for Pittsburgh area native Sean Casey. The popular first baseman, who is dubbed "The Mayor" because of his outgoing personality, becomes expendable as Cincinnati seeks pitching to complement its heavy-hitting lineup.
• 2008:
  • Joe Gordon becomes the first player elected to the Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee since it was reconstituted. It had been seven years since Bill Mazeroski had been the most recent pick by the Committee. The new Committee had been criticized for not enshrining anyone in their first elections.
  • Greg Maddux announces his retirement. The four-time Cy Young Award winner set all-time records for putouts by a pitcher (546), double plays (98) and seasons with 15+ wins (18). He finishes with a record of 355-227 with a 3.16 ERA (132 ERA+) and ranks in the top ten all time in wins (8th) and starts (740, 4th). Maddux, like 354-game winner Roger Clemens, began his career while sportswriters were bemoaning the fact that no one would ever reach 300 wins again.
  • The Detroit Tigers try to shore up a gap at catcher by acquiring Gerald Laird from the Texas Rangers. They give up two pitching prospects, Guillermo Moscoso and Carlos Melo.
• 2009:
  • The Italian Baseball League gives out its 2009 awards. The MVP is Fortitudo Bologna's Eddy Garabito. All-Stars are C Juan Pablo Angrisano, 1B Richard Austin, 2B Francesco Imperiali, SS Juan Carlos Infante, 3B David Sheldon, RF Mario Chiarini, CF Garabito, LF Lorenzo Avagnina, DH Max De Biase, UT Riccardo Suardi, SP Tiago Da Silva, RF Fabio Milano, Manager Marco Nanni and Umpire Alessandro Cappuccini. Five new people are inducted into the Italian Baseball Hall of Fame: slugger Roberto Bianchi, pitcher and manager Franco Ludovisi, umpire Sante De Francheschi, scorekeeper Osvaldo Faraone and executive Mario Bretto.
  • The Nationals sign veteran C Ivan Rodriguez to a two-year deal worth $6 million. The deal comes as a surprise as "Pudge" was expected to finish his career with the Texas Rangers.
  • The first blockbuster deal of the winter meetings is a three-team effort: the Yankees receive CF Curtis Granderson, the Diamondbacks get Ps Ian Kennedy and Edwin Jackson, and the Tigers obtain Ps Max Scherzer, Daniel Schlereth and Phil Coke and OF prospect Austin Jackson. The deal will be beneficial to all three teams.
• 2010:
  • Dave Van Horne, longtime broadcaster of the Montreal Expos (from 1969 to 2001) and Florida Marlins (since 2002), is named recipient of the Hall of Fame's 2011 Ford Frick Award.
  • The Tampa Bay Rays are at the center of dealings at the Winter Meetings today. Three of the starters from last season's team, which posted the best record in the major leagues, change uniforms: OF Carl Crawford signs a seven-year, $142 million deal with Boston, 1B Carlos Pena inks a one-year deal with the Cubs, and the Rays trade SS Jason Bartlett to San Diego for two young pitchers, Cesar Ramos and Adam Russell. With P Joaquin Benoit signing with Detroit as a free agent last month, and closer Rafael Soriano expected to follow suit shortly, the team will have a very different look next year.
  • In other moves, OF Jeff Francoeur signs with Kansas City, P George Sherrill goes to the Braves, and DH Jack Cust inks a deal with Seattle.
  • Alfredo Meli is inducted into the Italian Baseball Hall of Fame several months after his death. A career .302 hitter in Italy, he won pennants as a player, manager and general manager, something no one had done before, and later founded the Italian Baseball Federation for the Blind.
  • The Italian Baseball League awards for 2010 are given out. 39-year-old Orlando Muñoz of Parma edges out Carlos Duran for the MVP, 31.6% to 30.7% even though Duran had won the first Triple Crown in Italy in 19 years. Other award winners include Manager of the Year Gilberto Gerali, Umpire of the Year Pierfranco Leone, Robert Fontana Award winner David Sheldon and Best Young Player Stefano De Simoni. All-Stars are Juan Pablo Angrisano, 1B Jairo Ramos Gizzi, 2B Davide Dallospedale, SS Marco Yepez, 3B Muñoz, RF Mario Chiarini, CF Duran, LF De Simoni, DH Max De Biase and P Marco Grifantini.
• 2011:
  • 25-year-old Yu Darvish, star pitcher of the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters, requests that his name be placed on the posting system. He is likely to attract the largest bid through the process since the Boston Red Sox landed Daisuke Matsuzaka in 2006. Indeed, new Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine immediately calls Darvish "one of the four best pitchers in baseball".
  • Three-time MVP Award-winning 1B Albert Pujols signs a free agent deal with the Los Angeles Angels, leaving the St. Louis Cardinals after 11 seasons. He signs for ten years and $254 million, the second-largest deal ever. Angels GM Jerry Dipoto is not done however: he also inks two-time All-Star P C.J. Wilson to a five-year deal worth $77.5 million. As a measure of comparison, Angels owner Arte Moreno bought the club for only $183 million in 2003.
  • The Brewers sign SS Alex Gonzalez as a free agent, to replace Yunieski Betancourt who is still unsigned. Also signing today is reliever Octavio Dotel, who agrees to terms with Detroit, his 13th major league team.
  • The Cubs send OF Tyler Colvin and IF D.J. LeMahieu to Colorado in return for 3B Ian Stewart and P Casey Weathers. Stewart batted only .156 last year, but is counted on to take over the hot corner from free agent Aramis Ramirez.
  • The 2011 Rule V draft is held to close out this year's Winter Meetings in Dallas, TX. Houston selects right-handed reliever Rhiner Cruz from the Mets with the top pick, one of eight pitchers taken in the major league phase of the draft. Among the few well-known names selected is former top pitching prospect Aaron Poreda, drafted by the Pirates from the Padres in the minor league portion of the draft.
  • The 2011 Italian baseball and softball awards ceremony is held. The MVP goes to first baseman Willie Vasquez of San Marino, a former Yankees farmhand. Also honored as All-Stars are C Kelly Ramos, 2B Francesco Imperiali, SS Anthony Granato, 3B Giuseppe Mazzanti, RF Mario Chiarini, CF Carlos Duran, LF Lorenzo Avagnina, SP Kris Wilson and RP Darwin Cubillan (the pitcher of the year). Mattia Reginato is named the top utility man, Ruggero Bagialemani the manager of the year and Pierfranco Leone umpire of the year. Gold Gloves go to Ramos, 1B Alex Sambucci, 2B Alessandro Vaglio, Granato, 3B Andrea Sgnaolin, LF Stefano De Simoni, CF Ennio Retrosi, RF Mario Chiarini and P Roberto Corradini. Winning entry into the Italian Baseball Hall of Fame are pitcher Paolo Ceccaroli and umpire Francesco Neto, while Alessandra Cirelli is enshrined in softball.
• 2012:
  • The 2012 Hoofdklasse awards are given out. The big winner is Amsterdam Pirates ace Rob Cordemans. Following a season in which he had a minuscule 0.22 ERA, Cordemans takes home his seventh Pitcher of the Year award and his first MVP award. Hans Lemmink is named Coach of the Year.
  • Italy also hands its own annual awards. Danilo Sanchez of Godo wins the MVP, while Pierfranco Leone is named umpire of the year and Doriano Bindi Manager of the Year. All-Stars are C Simone Albanese, 1B Renato Imperiali, 2B Francesco Imperiali, SS Juan Carlos Infante, 3B Giuseppe Mazzanti, RF Mario Chiarini, CF Carlos Duran, LF Lorenzo Avagnina and utility man Gabriele Ermini. The Gold Gloves go to P Juan Figueroa, C Juan Pablo Angrisano, 1B Luca Bischeri, 2B Alessandro Vaglio, SS Jack Santora, 3B Andrea D'Amico, RF Chiarini, CF Leonardo De Donno and LF Avagnina. Pitchers Enzo Lauri and Alfredo Lauri are inducted into the Italian Baseball Hall of Fame.
  • P Zack Greinke signs a six-year contract with the Dodgers, worth $147 million.
• 2014:
  • The White Sox make a big splash at the winter meetings in San Diego, CA as they sign closer David Robertson from the Yankees for four years and $46 million and are also rumored to have acquired P Jeff Samardzija from Oakland for 3B Marcus Semien, P Chris Bassitt and another prospect. That trade will be finalized on December 9th, with P Michael Ynoa also headed to Chicago, while C Josh Phegley and 1B Rangel Ravelo go to Oakland.
  • The Veterans Committee fails to elect anyone to the Hall of Fame from the "Golden Era" of 1947-1972, although three candidates come very close: with 12 of 16 votes needed, Tony Oliva and Dick Allen miss election by one vote, and Jim Kaat falls two votes shy.
• 2015:
  • The Winter Meetings are in full swing in Nashville, TN, and a number of deals are announced. The Cubs sign free agent 2B Ben Zobrist to a four-year deal, then trade incumbent Starlin Castro to the Yankees in return for P Adam Warren and a player to be named to clear out a starting spot for him. In another trade, the Diamondbacks acquire Ps Shelby Miller and Gabe Speier from Atlanta, but the price is steep: starting OF Ender Inciarte, SS Dansby Swanson, the top pick in the 2015 amateur draft, and minor league P Aaron Blair. The Cardinals trade OF Jon Jay to San Diego for 2B Jedd Gyorko, the Mariners land P Evan Scribner from Oakland for minor league P Trey Cochran-Gill, while C Tyler Flowers signs with Atlanta for two years and P Mark Lowe joins the Tigers, also on a two-year deal.
  • The KBO Gold Glove winners for 2015 are announced, with the NC Dinos taking four of the ten awards. Seung-yeop Lee wins his tenth award, this time at DH, becoming the first ten-time winner as well as the oldest (at age 39). Other winners are Eric Hacker (P), Eui-ji Yang (C), Eric Thames (1B), Yamaico Navarro (2B), Jae-ho Kim (SS), Seok-min Park (3B), Hyun-soo Kim (OF), Sung-bum Na (OF) and Han-joon Yoo (OF).
• 2016:
  • The news out of the winter meetings in National Harbor, MD is that the Yankees have brought back closer Aroldis Chapman on a five-year, $86 million contract. The Yankees sent Chapman to the Cubs at last year's trading deadline in return for a boatload of prospects; the fireballer then helped the Cubs clinch their first World Series title in over a century before returning to the Bronx Bombers as a free agent.
  • In the annual Rule 5 draft, the Padres end up with the top three picks. Picking third, they make pre-arranged deals with the Twins and Reds, who hold the first two draft slots and select P Miguel Diaz and C Luis Torrens, respectively. Both teams send their selections San Diego's way and with their own pick, the Pads then select IF Allen Cordoba, completing the unprecedented trifecta.
• 2017:
  • In one of the most anticipated signings of this off-season, P/DH Shohei Ohtani agrees to a deal with the Angels. Because he is not yet 25, international bonus rules apply to him, so the deal will be for a paltry $2.32 million and he will be paid the major league minimum salary his first season. The Angels will need to pay his former team, the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, the $20 million posting fee, however. He will go on to win Rookie of the Year honors.
  • Mike Fiers, who pitched the most innings this season for the World Series champion Houston Astros but was left off their postseason roster, signs a one-year free agent deal with the Tigers worth $6 million. In a couple of years, Fiers will exact revenge on his former employers by blowing the whistle on the 2017 Houston Astros sign-stealing scandal.
• 2018 - The Dutch Baseball and Softball Hall of Fame announces two new members, Robert Eenhoorn and Fred van Groningen Schinkel‎. Eenhoorn played in the major leagues and Olympics and managed the Dutch national team among other roles. Van Groningen Schinkel is the first umpire inducted in 29 years. He has worked two Olympics, a World Baseball Classic and set the Hoofdklasse record for games umpired (over 1,200; no one else had topped 1,000) and seasons umpired (46).
• 2019 - The Veterans Committee elects C Ted Simmons and Players' Union leader Marvin Miller to the Hall of Fame for induction in July, 2020. Miller had been passed over for election a number of times, and had asked that his name no longer be considered by the Committee before passing away in 2012, but his wishes were ignored.
• 2020 - The Hank Aaron Award, honoring the best hitter in each league, is given out and the two MVP winners, José Abreu in the AL and Freddie Freeman in the NL, receive the honor.
• 2021 - Jack Graney, the first former player to make a successful transition into baseball broadcasting as the voice of the Cleveland Indians for many decades in the middle of the 20th century, is honored posthumously with the Ford C. Frick Award for excellence in broadcasting.
• 2022 - In the small hours of the morning, the Winter Meetings conclude in San Diego, CA with the news that the hometown Padres have signed SS Xander Bogaerts for 11 years and $280 million. This is seen as a consolation prize for the Friars, who were unable to land either Trea Turner or Aaron Judge, and means that they will have Bogaerts under contract until he is 41.
• 2023:
  • With a surplus of outfielders, the Cardinals trade Tyler O'Neill to the Red Sox for pitchers Nick Robertson and Victor Santos.
  • In another trade, the Angels send IF David Fletcher and C Max Stassi to the Braves in return for 1B Evan White, acquired earlier this week in a trade with Seattle, and P Tyler Thomas, himself just selected by Atlanta in the 2023 Rule V Draft.
• 2024:
  • Results of the voting by the Veterans Committee are announced and there are two new Hall of Fame Members as sluggers Dick Allen and Dave Parker are elected. Both were controversial figures in their playing days, Allen for his mood swings and non-conformism and Parker because his career was almost destroyed by drugs, but with time passing, these controversies became less salient, leaving their outstanding record as hitters as their main legacy. Parker, who battled health issues over the past decade, is still alive to enjoy the honor, although Allen passed away in 2020.
  • The biggest prize on this year's free agent market finds a home as OF Juan Soto moves from the Bronx to Queens, signing a 15-year deal with the Mets for a $765 million. The deal is a record-breaker both in terms of total value and average annual value. While the contract is inordinately lengthy, Soto is still just 26.

Births

• 1843 - Mase Graffen, manager (d. 1883)
• 1853 - Steve Libby, infielder; umpire (d. 1935)
• 1856 - Jack Rowe, infielder, manager (d. 1911)
• 1868 - Jocko Halligan, outfielder (d. 1945)
• 1870 - William Lackey, pitched (d. 1941)
• 1874 - Joe Connor, catcher (d. 1957)
• 1877 - Bill Thomas, outfielder (d. 1950)
• 1879 - Jimmy Austin, infielder, manager (d. 1965)
• 1879 - Jack Thoney, outfielder (d. 1948)
• 1883 - Jimmy Wacker, pitcher (d. 1948)
• 1887 - Eddie Dent, pitcher (d. 1974)
• 1888 - Fred Brice, college coach (d. ????)
• 1889 - Phil Redding, pitcher (d. 1929)
• 1890 - John McGraw, pitcher (d. 1967)
• 1892 - Ellis Johnson, pitcher (d. 1965)
• 1894 - Razor Ledbetter, pitcher (d. 1969)
• 1895 - James Johnston, owner (d. 1967)
• 1900 - Mose Solomon, outfielder (d. 1966)
• 1902 - Spoon Carter, pitcher; All-Star (d. 1974)
• 1907 - Bill Beckmann, pitcher (d. 1990)
• 1910 - Bud Beasley, minor league pitcher (d. 2004)
• 1918 - Sam Zoldak, pitcher (d. 1966)
• 1918 - Walter Lowe, minor league infielder
• 1921 - Dean Stafford, minor league outfielder (d. 2010)
• 1922 - John Pearson, minor league player (d. 2014)
• 1923 - Joe Burke, General Manager (d. 1992)
• 1923 - Stan Landes, umpire (d. 1994)
• 1925 - Hank Thompson, infielder (d. 1969)
• 1925 - Orlando Varona, infielder (d. 1977)
• 1931 - Edward Serrano, minor league infielder and manager
• 1934 - Teruyuki Takakura, NPB outfielder (d. 2018)
• 1937 - Jim Pagliaroni, catcher (d. 2010)
• 1940 - Brant Alyea, outfielder (d. 2024)
• 1941 - Ed Brinkman, infielder; All-Star (d. 2008)
• 1941 - Ken Roy, minor league umpire (d. 2009)
• 1942 - Toshiaki Tokuhisa, NPB pitcher (d. 1998)
• 1943 - Yoshihiro Aiba, NPB outfielder (d. 1988)
• 1943 - Masahiro Doi, NPB outfielder
• 1946 - Alan Foster, pitcher
• 1946 - Ralph Rickey, minor league pitcher-outfielder-infielder (d. 2018)
• 1949 - Douglas Morton, Hoofdklasse pitcher (d. 2020)
• 1950 - Tim Foli, infielder
• 1956 - Masao Sato, NPB pitcher
• 1956 - Rong-Tsong Tsai, CPBL manager
• 1956 - Alan Wirth, pitcher
• 1959 - Kuang-Chi Huang, CPBL pitcher
• 1960 - John Mizerock, catcher, manager
• 1960 - Pedro Luis Rodríguez, Cuban league catcher
• 1965 - Jeff Grotewold, designated hitter
• 1965 - John Orton, catcher
• 1965 - Jose Solarte, minor league pitcher
• 1967 - Tom McGraw, pitcher
• 1968 - Mike Mussina, pitcher; All-Star; Hall of Famer
• 1969 - Kirk Piskor, college coach (d. 2016)
• 1969 - Dave Toth, minor league catcher
• 1970 - Maria Zayas, Puerto Rico womens' national team pitcher
• 1971 - Robert Acosta, CPBL pitcher
• 1971 - Garvin Alston, pitcher
• 1972 - Jolbert Cabrera, outfielder
• 1972 - Paul Failla, minor league infielder
• 1972 - Terry Horn, minor league pitcher
• 1973 - Jeff Davanon, outfielder
• 1974 - Tony Medrano, minor league infielder and manager
• 1975 - Brian Barkley, pitcher
• 1976 - Reed Johnson, outfielder
• 1976 - Rontrez Johnson, outfielder
• 1976 - Jose Leon, infielder
• 1978 - Frances Rojas, minor league pitcher
• 1978 - Vernon Wells, outfielder; All-Star
• 1979 - Rigoberto Loya, minor league pitcher
• 1981 - Cory Blaser, umpire
• 1981 - Kory Casto, outfielder
• 1981 - Brian Daly, minor league pitcher
• 1981 - Chad Whitson, umpire
• 1982 - Alfredo Aceves, pitcher
• 1982 - Jarrod Hodges, minor league outfielder
• 1982 - J.C. Holt, minor league infielder
• 1982 - Sergey Zharov, Russian national team catcher
• 1984 - Doug Banks, scout
• 1985 - Joshua Crouse, Bundesliga infielder
• 1985 - Josh Donaldson, infielder; All-Star
• 1985 - Julio Santiago, minor league pitcher
• 1985 - Robbie Weinhardt, pitcher
• 1986 - Jordan Norberto, pitcher
• 1986 - Brian Pruitt, minor league outfielder and manager
• 1987 - Tyson Blaser, minor league catcher and manager
• 1987 - Kyle Drabek, pitcher
• 1987 - Santo Frias, minor league pitcher
• 1987 - Zach McAllister, pitcher
• 1987 - Alexander Torres, pitcher
• 1988 - Masahiro Inui, NPB pitcher
• 1988 - Causton Merchant, Virgin Islands national team infielder
• 1990 - Brandon Jacobs, minor league outfielder
• 1991 - Óscar Félix, minor league pitcher
• 1991 - Thongvanh Her, Laotian national team outfielder
• 1995 - Liván Moinelo, NPB pitcher
• 1997 - Zac Kristofak, pitcher
• 1997 - Drew Parrish, minor league pitcher
• 1998 - Andy Rodríguez, Serie Nacional pitcher
• 2000 - Andy Pages, outfielder
• 2000 - Andrew Walters, pitcher

Deaths

• 1907 - Washington Fulmer, outfielder (b. 1840)
• 1909 - Bill Hogg, pitcher (b. 1881)
• 1926 - Harry Lamb, umpire (b. 1853)
• 1931 - Jack Bellman, catcher (b. 1864)
• 1932 - Bill Gray, infielder (b. 1871)
• 1935 - Baldy Louden, infielder (b. 1883)
• 1945 - Henry Fournier, pitcher (b. 1865)
• 1948 - Pelham Ballenger, infielder (b. 1894)
• 1951 - Bobby Lowe, infielder, manager (b. 1865)
• 1955 - Buck Washer, pitcher (b. 1882)
• 1958 - Bernie Friberg, infielder (b. 1899)
• 1958 - Tris Speaker, outfielder, manager; Hall of Famer (b. 1888)
• 1959 - Peter McLaughlin, umpire (b. 1884)
• 1961 - Coonie Blank, catcher (b. 1892)
• 1961 - Lou Koupal, pitcher (b. 1898)
• 1962 - Bill Gatewood, pitcher, manager (b. 1881)
• 1963 - Red Worthington, outfielder (b. 1906)
• 1966 - Bill Bolden, pitcher (b. 1893)
• 1968 - Benn Karr, pitcher (b. 1893)
• 1970 - Shinobu Ando, NPB manager (b. 1895)
• 1973 - Mike Morrow, minor league pitcher and college coach (b. 1898)
• 1974 - Bert Niehoff, infielder (b. 1884)
• 1975 - Fred Blackwell, catcher (b. 1891)
• 1975 - Johnny Couch, pitcher (b. 1891)
• 1977 - Art Ewoldt, infielder (b. 1894)
• 1977 - Adolph Samborski, college coach (b. 1904)
• 1978 - Nick Cullop, outfielder (b. 1900)
• 1979 - Del Young, infielder (b. 1912)
• 1981 - Bill Windle, infielder (b. 1904)
• 1985 - Dave Madison, pitcher (b. 1921)
• 1985 - Bill Wambsganss, infielder (b. 1894)
• 1986 - Pip Koehler, outfielder (b. 1902)
• 1992 - Helen Callaghan, AAGPBL outfielder (b. 1923)
• 1993 - Bob Barnes, pitcher (b. 1902)
• 1999 - Wally Hebert, pitcher (b. 1907)
• 2002 - Jim Garland, scout (b. ????)
• 2006 - José Uribe, infielder (b. 1959)
• 2007 - Kent Alexander, minor league pitcher (b. 1963)
• 2008 - Dick Gordon, writer (b. 1911)
• 2010 - Sam Mitchell, minor league catcher (b. 1930)
• 2010 - Herb Stein, scout (b. 1917)
• 2011 - Mike Sgobba, college coach (b. 1930)
• 2013 - Fredrick Ballantine, minor league catcher (b. 1924)
• 2014 - Buddy Hicks, infielder (b. 1927)
• 2014 - Russ Kemmerer, pitcher (b. 1930)
• 2014 - Frank Seeley, minor league pitcher (b. 1930)
• 2015 - Gus Gil, infielder (b. 1939)
• 2016 - Putsy Caballero, infielder (b. 1927)
• 2017 - Dave Brown, minor league pitcher (b. 1929)
• 2017 - Tubby Raymond, college coach (b. 1926)
• 2019 - Weldon Bowlin, infielder (b. 1940)
• 2021 - Richie Lewis, pitcher (b. 1966)
• 2022 - Tom Flanigan, pitcher (b. 1934)