February 22
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 February 22.
Events[edit]
- 1881 - George Wright signs a contract with the Boston Red Caps which he states allows him not to travel with the team on western road trips, but just play in games played in New England and Troy, NY. The arrangement is necessary due to his business commitments.
- 1885 - Boston Beaneaters P Charlie Buffinton invents a baseball "roller skate" that gives pitchers greater impetus and swing in their delivery while still allowing them to keep both feet on the ground.
- 1889 - At the Villa Borghese outside of Rome, the Chicagos edge the All-Americas, 3 - 2, before a crowd that includes King Humbert of Italy.
- 1919 - The Boston Braves trade INF Jimmy Smith to the New York Giants for 1B Walter Holke.
- 1921 - The Cincinnati Reds trade P Jimmy Ring and OF Greasy Neale to the Philadelphia Phillies for lefty Eppa Rixey, who led the National League with 22 losses in 1920. Rixey will continue to pitch his way into the Hall of Fame over the next 13 years. Neale is also a future Hall of Famer - for football. He will play just 22 games in Philly before returning to the Reds.
- 1922 - Cards C Pickles Dillhoefer, 26, dies from typhoid fever following an operation.
- 1938 - The Cardinals sign Texas Christian University All-American football star and Washington Redskins quarterback Sammy Baugh as a shortstop. He will start off with the Cards in spring training, but be assigned first to Columbus and then Rochester.
- 1945 - At the major league meetings, the owners cancel the 1945 All-Star Game, scheduled to be played at Boston's Fenway Park on July 10th. Even after the cancellation, schedule-makers leave the dates of July 9, 10 and 11 open in case circumstances change, permitting the game. In place of the All-Star Game, eight simultaneous games pitting the National League vs. the American League are to be played. Seven are played, with the eighth being cancelled. Also approved is a rule change stating that a player needs 400 at bats to qualify for a batting title.
- 1953 - Trailing 5 - 3 in the bottom of the 9th, the Santurce Crabbers rally to beat the Havana Reds, 6 - 5, as Carlos Pascual and Mario Picone are unable to hold the lead in the Caribbean Series. In other Series action earlier in the day, Charlie Bishop tosses a one-hit shutout to give the Venezuelan entry its first win.
- 1954 - Caguas-Guayama wins the Caribbean Series with two victories today. Corky Valentine picks up the win in a 7 - 1 clincher.
- 1957 - Walter O'Malley says the Dodgers may play ten exhibitions in California in 1958.
- 1992 - Boston Red Sox 1B Carlos Quintana breaks his left arm and right toe in an automobile accident in Caracas, Venezuela. He will miss the entire season as a result.
- 1993 - The Kansas City Royals trade IF Gregg Jefferies and Ed Gerald to the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for OF Felix Jose and IF/OF Craig Wilson.
- 2000 - A Florida Department of Corrections report says New York Yankees OF Darryl Strawberry tested positive for cocaine on January 19th.
- 2005:
- Jerry Coleman, the San Diego broadcaster, is selected as the recipient of this year's Ford C. Frick Award. The 80-year old play-by-play man, who was the MVP of the 1950 World Series, has spent 41 years in the booth working for the Yankees, Angels and Padres with a one-year hiatus to serve as the Padres' manager in 1980.
- Tom Umberg, a California state assemblyman, introduces legislation which would require pro franchises to use disclaimers if they do not play the majority of home games in the location used in their name. With his "Truth in Sports Advertising Act", the Anaheim Democrat is trying prevent the local team from changing its name to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
- 2006 - The Los Angeles Dodgers announce the team has extended the contract of Vin Scully through 2008. The Hall of Fame broadcaster, considered by many to be the best announcer in history, is beginning his 57th year in the Dodger organization, which is believed to be the longest tenure of any on-air individual in sports history.
- 2012 - Two relievers find new homes in their bids to extend their careers. David Aardsma, the former Seattle Mariners closer who missed all of 2011 because of a hip problem and Tommy John surgery, signs a one-year deal with the Yankees, while the Angels ink 39-year-old Jason Isringhausen to a minor league deal.
- 2014 - The Orioles sign free agent OF Nelson Cruz for one year at $8 million.
- 2017 - Major League Baseball adopts a significant rule change, as part of a strategy to speed up the game: a pitcher will no longer need to throw four pitches deliberately outside the strike zone in order to issue an intentional walk, but instead the defensive team's manager will simply need to signal his intention to the home plate umpire, who will immediately direct the batter to advance to first base. However, given that there is on average one intentional walk every 2.5 games, the change is expected to have only a minimal impact on playing time.
- 2018 - The Rays find a taker for All-Star OF/DH Corey Dickerson, whom they designated for assignment on February 17th in an apparent cost-cutting move. They send him to the Pirates in return for P Daniel Hudson and minor league IF Tristan Gray.
- 2019 - Newspapers in Montreal, QC report that a prospective ownership group led by Stephen Bronfman has proposed an innovative solution to resolve the chronic ballpark problems of the Tampa Bay Rays: have the team play a significant portion of its season in Montreal, without breaking its punitive lease on sub-par Tropicana Field which runs until 2027. The team could then move permanently to Montreal if it still cannot find a new home in the Tampa area. The idea will be toyed with for two years, before the Commissioner shoots it down definitely as being impractical.
Births[edit]
- 1839 - Octavius Catto, African-American baseball pioneer (d. 1871)
- 1848 - Mort Dawson, umpire (d. 1891)
- 1853 - Harry Spence, manager (d. 1908)
- 1854 - Jumbo McGinnis, pitcher (d. 1934)
- 1865 - Ed Silch, outfielder (d. 1895)
- 1868 - George Davies, pitcher (d. 1906)
- 1870 - Pussy Tebeau, outfielder (d. 1950)
- 1874 - Bill Klem, umpire; Hall of Famer (d. 1951)
- 1878 - Charlie Moran, catcher; umpire (d. 1949)
- 1881 - Ina Eloise Young, writer (d. 1949)
- 1884 - Jim Ball, catcher (d. 1963)
- 1884 - Roy Radebaugh, pitcher (d. 1945)
- 1887 - Pat Hilly, outfielder (d. 1953)
- 1888 - Ed Hawk, pitcher (d. 1936)
- 1891 - Clarence Mitchell, pitcher (d. 1963)
- 1891 - Mickey Shader, scout (d. 1953)
- 1892 - Bill Benswanger, owner (b. 1972)
- 1892 - Doc Waldbauer, pitcher (d. 1969)
- 1893 - Sidney Brooks, infielder/outfielder (d. 1949)
- 1894 - Tom Grubbs, pitcher (d. 1986)
- 1894 - Bill Hall, pitcher (d. 1947)
- 1895 - Tony DeFate, infielder (d. 1963)
- 1895 - Roy Graham, catcher (d. 1933)
- 1895 - Ed Monroe, pitcher (d. 1969)
- 1896 - Ferdie Moore, infielder (d. 1947)
- 1900 - Roy Spencer, catcher (d. 1973)
- 1901 - George Bennette, outfielder (d. 1984)
- 1901 - Saul Davis, infielder (d. 1994)
- 1901 - Dan Jessee, pinch runner (d. 1970)
- 1901 - James Lytle, college coach (d. 1987)
- 1907 - Dan Dugan, pitcher (d. 1968)
- 1907 - Marty Hopkins, infielder (d. 1963)
- 1909 - Art Bramhall, infielder (d. 1985)
- 1909 - Stan Schino, minor league outfielder and manager (d. 1974)
- 1911 - Bill Baker, catcher (d. 2006)
- 1913 - Shinichi Nakamura, NPB infielder (d. ????)
- 1918 - Charles Finley, owner (d. 1996)
- 1918 - Jackie Sullivan, infielder (d. 1992)
- 1919 - Johnny Lucadello, infielder (d. 2001)
- 1920 - Karl Drews, pitcher (d. 1963)
- 1920 - Miyoshi Nakagawa, NPB pitcher and infielder; Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame (d. 1944)
- 1920 - Stubby Greer, minor league infielder and manager (d. 1994)
- 1921 - Takuzo Miyake, NPB outfielder (d. 2006)
- 1922 - George Genovese, pinch hitter (d. 2015)
- 1922 - Frankie Zak, infielder; All-Star (d. 1972)
- 1925 - Maddy English, AAGPBL infielder (d. 2004)
- 1925 - Bob Wilson, infielder (d. 1985)
- 1928 - Angelo Rizzo, Serie A1 player
- 1929 - Ryne Duren, pitcher; All-Star (d. 2011)
- 1929 - Charlie Peete, outfielder (d. 1956)
- 1930 - Pietro Caranzetti, Serie A1 infielder
- 1930 - Lyle Luttrell, infielder (d. 1984)
- 1931 - Chet Nichols, pitcher (d. 1995)
- 1932 - Don Ervin, minor league outfielder (d. 2018)
- 1933 - Nico Genesta, minor league pitcher
- 1934 - Sparky Anderson, infielder, manager; Hall of Famer (d. 2010)
- 1935 - Yoshihiro Nakata, NPB outfielder (d. 2009)
- 1936 - Ray Mantle, minor league outfielder (d. 2013)
- 1936 - Roy Mantle, minor league outfielder (d. 2001)
- 1938 - Steve Barber, pitcher; All-Star (d. 2007)
- 1944 - Jorge Brown, Puerto Rican national team infielder
- 1947 - Barry Carter, minor league infielder (d. 2022)
- 1948 - Bruce Christensen, infielder
- 1948 - Tom Griffin, pitcher
- 1948 - Mike Rogodzinski, outfielder
- 1949 - Keishi Asano, NPB pitcher
- 1953 - Gerry Davis, umpire
- 1955 - Randy Levine, executive
- 1956 - Joe Lefebvre, outfielder
- 1956 - Hsin-Chun Chen, Chinese Taipei national team pitcher
- 1959 - Mike Bryant, minor league outfielder
- 1963 - Don Wakamatsu, catcher, manager
- 1965 - Eric Yelding, infielder
- 1966 - Pedro Báez, minor league pitcher
- 1966 - Igor Makhambetov, Russian League player
- 1968 - Ormari Romero, Cuban league pitcher
- 1968 - Kazuhiro Sasaki, pitcher; All-Star
- 1970 - Rich Bristow, minor league pitcher and manager (d. 2010)
- 1972 - Pedro Alamo, Puerto Rican national team pitcher
- 1972 - John Halama, pitcher
- 1973 - Norihiro Hamada, minor league pitcher
- 1973 - Rick Heiserman, pitcher
- 1973 - Russ Johnson, infielder
- 1973 - Matt Minter, minor league pitcher
- 1975 - Johan Tisell, Elitserien pitcher
- 1976 - Petr Goleš, Extraliga infielder
- 1977 - Alexander Mayeta, Cuban National League infielder
- 1977 - Bobby Porter, minor league pitcher
- 1977 - J.J. Putz, pitcher; All-Star
- 1977 - Martin Vargas, minor league pitcher
- 1977 - Teddy Sullivan, minor league pitcher
- 1977 - Guogang Yang, Chinesa Baseball League infielder
- 1978 - Martin Bautista, minor league pitcher
- 1978 - Chao-Chi Sung, CPBL pitcher
- 1979 - Matt Creighton, minor league infielder
- 1979 - Steve Colyer, pitcher
- 1979 - Blake Williams, minor league pitcher
- 1980 - Ramon Nivar, outfielder
- 1981 - Chia-Pao Chung, CPBL catcher
- 1981 - Kai Peng, China Baseball League outfielder
- 1982 - Kelly Johnson, infielder
- 1982 - Adalberto Mendez, pitcher
- 1982 - Shinya Nakayama, NPB pitcher
- 1982 - Hsiang-Kai Shih, CPBL infielder
- 1983 - Jeff Corsaletti, minor league outfielder
- 1983 - Brian Duensing, pitcher
- 1983 - Carlos Fisher, pitcher
- 1983 - Casey Kotchman, infielder
- 1983 - Arturo López, pitcher
- 1983 - Daniel Nava, outfielder
- 1983 - Wade Townsend, minor league pitcher
- 1984 - Carlos Yoshimura, Brazilian national team pitcher
- 1985 - Adam Blackley, minor league pitcher
- 1985 - Kyler Newby, minor league pitcher
- 1985 - Björn Schonlau, Bundesliga catcher
- 1985 - William Vazquez, minor league catcher
- 1986 - Tyler Barnett, minor league infielder
- 1986 - Yusep Firmansyah, Indonesian national team catcher
- 1987 - Thomas Field, infielder
- 1987 - Chris Nash, minor league infielder
- 1987 - Carlos Peguero, outfielder
- 1988 - Rocky Gale, catcher
- 1989 - Chris Bassitt, pitcher; All-Star
- 1989 - Sebastian Bernards, Bundesliga pitcher
- 1989 - Yannick Gontier, First Division pitcher
- 1989 - Chih-Lung Huang, NPB pitcher
- 1990 - Wei Dong, China Baseball League catcher
- 1990 - Leo Hernández, minor league catcher
- 1991 - Mélanie Anctil, Canadian women's national team pitcher
- 1991 - Dylan Child, minor league catcher
- 1991 - Lukas Olsson, Elitserien infielder
- 1991 - Tim Peterson, pitcher
- 1991 - Kevin Weijgerste, minor league infielder
- 1992 - Moritz Hackl, First Division infielder
- 1992 - Dixon Machado, infielder
- 1992 - Kevin McCarthy, pitcher
- 1992 - Braden Shipley, pitcher
- 1994 - Brett Sullivan, catcher
- 1995 - Jake Hirst, minor league coach
- 1995 - Germán Márquez, pitcher; All-Star
- 1996 - Petru Balan, minor league pitcher
- 1996 - Thairo Estrada, infielder
- 1997 - José Espada, pitcher
- 1998 - Cody Bradford, pitcher
- 1999 - Kyle Nicolas, pitcher
- 1999 - Ben Rice, catcher
- 2001 - Ashton Lansdell, USA women's national team infielder
- 2001 - Alex Takano, Peruvian national team pitcher
- 2002 - Yun Contreras, Peruvian national team infielder
- 2002 - Yuki Okabayashi, NPB outfielder
- 2002 - Gabriel Rodriguez, minor league infielder
- 2005 - Yu-Feng Tu, CPBL infielder
Deaths[edit]
- 1890 - Bill Blair, pitcher (b. 1863)
- 1892 - Ed Rowen, catcher (b. 1857)
- 1901 - Tom Kinslow, catcher (b. 1866)
- 1920 - Hugh Dunlevy, umpire (b. 1849)
- 1922 - George Hogan, pitcher (b. 1885)
- 1931 - Willie Bobo, infielder (b. 1902)
- 1933 - Bill Shettsline, manager (b. 1863)
- 1935 - Marsh Williams, pitcher (b. 1893)
- 1938 - Mert Hackett, catcher (b. 1859)
- 1939 - Frank Morrissey, pitcher (b. 1876)
- 1954 - Rufus Battle, catcher (b. 1896)
- 1954 - Roy Parnell, outfielder, manager; All-Star (b. 1903)
- 1954 - Owen Wilson, outfielder (b. 1883)
- 1957 - Jim Begley, infielder (b. 1902)
- 1962 - Paul Speraw, infielder (b. 1893)
- 1963 - Ira Errett Rodgers, college coach (b. 1895)
- 1963 - Harry Schwarts, umpire (b. 1918)
- 1964 - Kid Butler, infielder (b. 1887)
- 1964 - Sammy Samuels, infielder (b. 1874)
- 1965 - Clarence Huber, infielder (b. 1896)
- 1966 - William Maughn, scout (b. 1910)
- 1967 - Lou Tost, pitcher (b. 1911)
- 1968 - Scott Lucas, minor league infielder and outfielder (b. 1892)
- 1970 - Francisco Quicutis, minor league player (b. 1919)
- 1972 - Johnnie Oden, infielder (b. 1902)
- 1976 - Burt Shipley, minor league player and manager (b. 1890)
- 1981 - Andy High, infielder (b. 1897)
- 1984 - Red Lutz, catcher (b. 1898)
- 1985 - Army Rhodes, infielder (b. 1918)
- 1986 - Duke Lattimore, catcher (b. 1904)
- 1991 - Joe Craig, outfielder (b. 1918)
- 1991 - Jimmy Pattison, pitcher (b. 1908)
- 1995 - Bobby Lewis, college coach (b. ~1929)
- 1999 - Howie Haak, scout (b. 1911)
- 2004 - Andy Seminick, catcher; All-Star (b. 1920)
- 2005 - Ben Huffman, catcher (b. 1914)
- 2010 - Wes Bailey, minor league pitcher (b. 1922)
- 2011 - Bill Deck, Negro League pitcher (b. 1913)
- 2012 - Dave Bigham, minor league pitcher (b. 1970)
- 2012 - Tom Hank, minor league infielder (b. 1930)
- 2012 - Waldo Sauter, college coach (b. 1921)
- 2013 - Mario Ramirez, infielder (b. 1957)
- 2018 - Jack Hamilton, pitcher (b. 1938)
- 2018 - Nol Houtkamp, Hoofdklasse outfielder (b. 1928)
- 2022 - Julio Cruz, infielder (b. 1954)
- 2023 - Roman Mejias, outfielder (b. 1925)
- 2024 - Yataro Oishi, NPB pitcher (b. 1943)
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