January 25
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 25.
Events[edit]
- 1943 - The New York Yankees sell future Hall of Fame pitcher Lefty Gomez to the Boston Braves. Gomez will never pitch in a game for the Braves, who decide to release the veteran left-hander. Gomez will eventually sign with the Washington Senators in May.
- 1945 - Larry MacPhail, Dan Topping and Del Webb purchase the New York Yankees for $2.8 million from the heirs of previous owner Jacob Ruppert. The new owners announce that Ed Barrow will remain in place as general manager, but a month later they will install MacPhail as GM.
- 1949 - The Cleveland Indians reward player-manager Lou Boudreau with a two-year contract. The future Hall of Famer guided the team to the 1948 World Championship.
- 1950 - The Kokutetsu Swallows are formed. They will be ineffective for years despite the presence of star Masaichi Kaneda, but will enjoy success in the 1990s as the Yakult Swallows.
- 1966 - New York Yankees shortstop Tony Kubek announces his retirement due to a serious back problems. During a nine-year career, Kubek was named to three American League All-Star teams and played on seven New York pennant winners and three World Championship clubs.
- 1974 - Ray Kroc, fast-food entrepreneur (McDonald's), buys the San Diego Padres for $12 million, ending talk of a possible move to Washington, DC.
- 1978 - The San Diego Padres acquire well-traveled pitcher Gaylord Perry from the Texas Rangers. San Diego surrender pitcher Dave Tomlin and $125,000 in cash. Perry will win 21 games for the Padres in 1978 and capture the Cy Young Award.
- 1999:
- New York Mets games this season will be broadcast by WPIX, Channel 11, after being aired on WOR, Channel 9, since the club's inception in 1962. The New York Yankees' games, which had been aired for nearly 50 years on Channel 11, will now be seen on Channel 5, a FOX affiliate.
- Free agent outfielder Tim Raines is signed by the Oakland Athletics to a $600,000 contract. Raines hit .290 for the World Champion New York Yankees last season and has a .296 career batting average.
- 2005 - Agreeing to a four-year, $52 million contract, first baseman Carlos Delgado joins the Florida Marlins. The deal stops the intense bidding war between the Marlins, Mets, Orioles and the Rangers for the coveted free agent. However, Delgado will only play one season for his new team.
- 2008:
- The Águilas Cibaeñas win their 20th Dominican League title, breaking a tie with rival Licey Tigers. They top the Tigers, 5 - 3, in the finals. Ramon Ortiz tosses six shutout innings but the Licey bullpen fails to hold on as Mendy Lopez homers against Guillermo Mota in the 7th and Rafael Furcal also goes deep versus Damaso Marte an inning later to win it. Nelson Figueroa is the winning pitcher, to improve to 4-0 this postseason.
- The Minnesota Twins give Justin Morneau, the 2006 AL MVP, the highest contract in franchise history by signing him for $80 million over six years. They also announce the signing of Michael Cuddyer for three years and $24 million.
- 2009:
- The Leones de Ponce take their 11th Puerto Rican League title, winning the first crown after the league resumed play following a shutdown in 2008. They win the finale, 8 - 0, behind the bats of 2B Andy Gonzalez (3 for 5 with a homer) and DH Gabriel Martinez (who hits two doubles and a triple) and the arm of Hector Mercado, who does not give up a run in 6 2/3 innings of work.
- The Tigres del Licey tie for the most Dominican League titles by taking their 20th in a five-game sweep of the Gigantes del Cibao. The finale goes 12 innings, before 2B Anderson Hernandez singles in 3B Ronnie Belliard with the winner. Felix Rodriguez gets the win and Franklin Nunez the loss.
- The Venados de Mazatlan win the Mexican Pacific League title in a four-game sweep of the Cañeros de los Mochis, with a 3 - 2 win in the last game. 20-year-old Alfonso Sanchez and 24-year-old Sergio Valenzuela combine for eight shutout frames before closer Hector Navarro almost blows it for the Venados.
- 2010:
- Veteran infielder Mark Loretta announces his retirement after 15 years in the majors and is immediately hired by the San Diego Padres, one of his former teams, to a front office job; he will be a special assistant to the baseball operations staff.
- The Nationals sign P Tyler Walker to a one-year contract, joining a revamped bullpen that includes newcomers Eddie Guardado, Matt Capps and Brian Bruney. The Nats also sign OF Chris Duncan and P Chuck James to minor league contracts.
- 2011 - The Blue Jays continue to be active on the trade market, sending newly-acquired C-1B Mike Napoli, who has been with the team less than a week since being picked up from the Angels in a trade for OF Vernon Wells, to Texas in return for P Frank Francisco.
- 2012:
- The Indios de Mayagüez win their 17th Puerto Rican League title, topping the Criollos de Caguas, 5 - 2, to take the finals, five games to three. Bobby Livingston gets the win and Matt DeSalvo the loss. Indios catcher Martin Maldonado homers and drives in three to lead the offense.
- The Yaquis de Obregón repeat as Mexican Pacific League champs. In the finale, they dominate the Algodoneros de Guasave, 19 - 0, with 25 hits to 6. Marco Carrillo and two relievers combine on the whitewash while ten hurlers try vainly to stop the Yaquis' bats. C Iker Franco (3 R, 3 RBI) falls a triple shy of the cycle while 1B Sergio Contreras goes 4 for 6 with 3 runs and 5 RBI.
- The Reds make a couple of deals, acquiring IF Wilson Valdez from Philadelphia in return for P Jeremy Horst, and signing free agent P Jeff Francis to a minor league deal.
- 2013:
- Lara defeats Magallanes, 4 - 2, to take a two-game-to-one lead in the finals of the Venezuelan League. Raúl Rivero pitches 5 2/3 scoreless innings for the winners. Luis Valbuena hits a pair of doubles and drives in and scores a run to lead the offense.
- Obregón takes a three-games-to-none lead in the Mexican Pacific League finals with a 6 - 5 win over Mexicali. Reliever Oscar Villarreal plunks Jesse Gutierrez with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 9th to end the game.
- 2014:
- A brawl breaks out in Game 3 of the Venezuelan League finals. Robinson Chirinos of the Navegantes del Magallanes cracks a solo homer (his second of the day) off Mayckol Guaipe. Chirinos stands for a few seconds to admire the shot, which makes it 6 - 1 in the 6th. The next batter, Ezequiel Carrera, shows a bunt but is hit by Guaipe. The benches clear. Carlos Zambrano of Magallanes leads the charge from the Navegantes bench and takes swings at anyone in his way, though no one is injured.
- Dodger Stadium becomes the latest ballpark to host an outdoor National Hockey League game. The Anaheim Ducks shut out the Los Angeles Kings, 3-0, in a local derby.
- 2015:
- Rob Manfred takes over for Bud Selig as Commissioner of baseball.
- The Gigantes del Cibao win their first Dominican League title. They beat the Estrellas Orientales, five games to three, in the finale. In Game 8 today, the Gigantes win, 12 - 5, hammering away at eight Estrellas hurlers. Maikel Franco belts two homers, driving in seven, Leury Garcia and Alexi Casilla each score three times and Carlos Peguero has three hits (including a home run). Mario Santiago gets the win.
- 2016 - The Leones del Escogido win the Dominican League championship for the 16th time, five games to one. In Game 6, they top the Tigres del Licey 8 - 4, as Shawn Hill gets the win over Yunesky Maya. Eury Pérez goes 3 for 5 with two runs while Leury García comes up big in the finale for a second straight year (2 R, 2 RBI). Lew Ford is named finals MVP after hitting .368.
- 2017:
- The Águilas del Zulia win their first Venezuelan League title in 17 years, beating the Cardenales de Lara, four games to one, in the finals. In Game 5, they win 5 - 2. José Pirela's two-run homer off Raul Rivero gets things going, while Mitch Lively allows one run and two hits in seven innings for the win.
- The Criollos de Caguas take the Puerto Rican League pennant, topping the Santurce Crabbers, five games to three, in the finals. They win Game 8, 6 - 5, in 12 innings when Henry Ramos singles in David Vidal with the winner; it is Ramos's third hit of the day. Joel Piñeiro gets the victory.
- 2018 - The Brewers swing two big deals in one day, first signing free agent CF Lorenzo Cain for five years and $80 million, and then acquiring RF Christian Yelich from the Marlins for four prospects: OFs Lewis Brinson and Monte Harrison, IF Isan Diaz and P Jordan Yamamoto.
- 2019 - The Cangrejeros de Santurce win the Puerto Rican League championship, sweeping the Indios de Mayagüez in four games despite a sub-.500 regular season record compared to Mayagüez's .600 record. The finale is a pitching duel as Santurce wins, 1 - 0. Adalberto Flores allows only three hits, one walk and no runs in six then Lendy Castillo, James Pugliese and Fernando Cruz pitch hitless, scoreless ball for the final three innings. Zack Segovia gives up the game's lone run in the 1st, when Rey Fuentes singles home Johneshwy Fargas.
- 2022:
- David Ortiz is the only successful candidate in the 2022 Hall of Fame Election, receving 77.9% of the vote in his first appearance on the ballot. Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens both miss the mark in their tenth and final year of eligibility, while Alex Rodriguez debuts with a total of just 34.3%, a clear sign that the issue of steroids is still very much on the voters' minds.
- The Navegantes del Magallanes win their first Venezuelan League title in eight years, beating the Caribes de Anzoátegui four games to three in the finals. Series MVP Cade Gotta goes deep in the 3 - 2 win today, while Angel Reyes has three hits. Bruce Rondón saves it for Anthony Vizcaya while Yohan Pino takes the loss.
- 2023 - The Puerto Rican League finals go to seven games for the first time in 12 years, before the Indios de Mayagüez win their 19th title, beating the Gigantes de Carolina, 6 - 1, behind finals MVP Jeremy Rivera and Joshua Palacios and the pitching of Rob Whalen and Braden Webb. It is the eighth pennant for manager Mako Oliveras.
- 2024 - Joc Pederson will be playing for a third different NL West team this year after signing a one-year deal with the Diamondbacks; he has played seven seasons with the Dodgers and the last two with the Giants. Also signing a free agent deal is reliever David Robertson, who joins the Rangers on a one-year contract.
Births[edit]
- 1825 - H.C. Bunce, umpire (d. 1903)
- 1855 - George Adams, infielder/outfielder (d. 1920)
- 1863 - Danny Richardson, infielder, manager (d. 1926)
- 1864 - Ed Flynn, infielder (d. 1939)
- 1876 - Fred Glade, pitcher (d. 1934)
- 1879 - Curt Elston, minor league outfielder (d. 1950)
- 1886 - Frank Owens, catcher (d. 1958)
- 1889 - Les Nunamaker, catcher (d. 1938)
- 1890 - Henry Benn, pitcher (d. 1967)
- 1891 - George Lyons, pitcher (d. 1981)
- 1893 - Abe Bowman, pitcher (d. 1979)
- 1894 - Charlie Whitehouse, pitcher (d. 1960)
- 1896 - Evelio Calderín, pitcher (d. ????)
- 1896 - Ray Schmandt, infielder (d. 1969)
- 1898 - Ralph Cleage, outfielder (d. 1977)
- 1899 - Hubert Lockhart, pitcher (d. 1968)
- 1900 - Kenichi Zenimura, baseball pioneer (d. 1968)
- 1901 - Willie Haynes, pitcher (d. 1981)
- 1904 - Ted Bond, infielder (d. 1997)
- 1907 - Jimmy Adair, infielder (d. 1982)
- 1907 - Roy Sherid, pitcher (d. 1982)
- 1909 - Herbert Gay, pitcher (d. 1979)
- 1909 - Willie Gay, outfielder (d. 1970)
- 1909 - George Hubbell, minor league pitcher (d. 1973)
- 1913 - Bill Anderson, pitcher (d. ????)
- 1914 - Josh Johnson, catcher (d. 1999)
- 1916 - Glenn Gardner, pitcher (d. 1964)
- 1917 - Carl McNabb, pinch hitter (d. 2007)
- 1918 - Manuel Arroyo, minor league infielder and manager
- 1918 - Ernie Harwell, announcer (d. 2010)
- 1918 - Ed Head, pitcher (d. 1980)
- 1918 - Steve Roser, pitcher (d. 2002)
- 1926 - Frances Janssen, AAGPBL pitcher (d. 2008)
- 1927 - David Hataway, minor league pitcher (d. 2019)
- 1930 - Michihiro Sugawara, NPB outfielder (d. 2014)
- 1931 - Kelly Searcy, minor league and Negro League pitcher (d. 1978)
- 1933 - Mel Roach, infielder (d. 2023)
- 1934 - Ted Kazanski, infielder
- 1936 - Bill D. Lucas, general manager (d. 1979)
- 1936 - Buddy Pritchard, infielder
- 1937 - Fred Hopke, minor league infielder (d. 2018)
- 1937 - Jake O'Donnell, umpire
- 1937 - Rudy Sandoval, minor league catcher; Salon de la Fama
- 1942 - Ernie Fazio, infielder (d. 2017)
- 1943 - Michel Beaudry, Canadian national team infielder
- 1943 - Brian McCall, outfielder
- 1943 - Toshinori Yasui, NPB infielder
- 1944 - Gary Holman, infielder
- 1945 - Wally Bunker, pitcher
- 1948 - Ed Goodson, infielder
- 1951 - Balor Moore, pitcher
- 1951 - Vern Ruhle, pitcher (d. 2007)
- 1952 - Kasuhisa Hino, Japanese national team infielder
- 1953 - Junior Moore, infielder
- 1954 - Yong-ho Kwon, South Korean national team pitcher
- 1956 - Dale Mohorcic, pitcher
- 1957 - John Flannery, infielder
- 1959 - Rondal Rollin, minor league outfielder
- 1960 - Masami Yoshikawa, NPB pitcher and umpire
- 1962 - Juan Castillo, infielder
- 1962 - Han-jo Kim, KBO outfielder
- 1963 - Shi-Hsing Lo, CPBL infielder
- 1964 - Francisco Melendez, infielder
- 1965 - Brian Holman, pitcher
- 1965 - Domingo Michel, minor league outfielder
- 1965 - Masato Naito, Japanese national team outfielder
- 1966 - Richie Lewis, pitcher (d. 2021)
- 1967 - Mike Pomeranz, minor league pitcher
- 1968 - Kevin Kelley, umpire
- 1971 - Fernando De La Cruz, NPB pitcher
- 1971 - Kerry Taylor, pitcher
- 1972 - Jose Macias, infielder
- 1972 - Paul Petrulis, minor league infielder
- 1973 - Terrell Wade, pitcher
- 1974 - Brandon Cromer, minor league infielder
- 1974 - Ryan Kane, minor league pitcher
- 1974 - Dan Serafini, pitcher
- 1975 - Chuck Abbott, minor league infielder
- 1975 - Brendan Sagara, coach
- 1975 - Kazuhiro Takeoka, NPB pitcher
- 1977 - Jeff Martin, minor league pitcher
- 1977 - Jeff Urban, minor league pitcher
- 1975 - José Caballero, CPBL infielder
- 1978 - Chi-Yuan Chen, CPBL catcher
- 1978 - Derrick Turnbow, pitcher; All-Star
- 1978 - Chris Vendela, minor league pitcher
- 1979 - Phil Barzilla, pitcher
- 1979 - Mauricio Costa, Argentinian national team infielder
- 1980 - Casey Blalock, minor league pitcher
- 1980 - Roberto Mercado, minor league manager
- 1980 - Phil Stockman, pitcher
- 1981 - Chu-Chien Hsu, CPBL pitcher
- 1981 - Andy Machado, infielder
- 1982 - Rodrigo Koroishi, Brazilian national team pitcher
- 1984 - Tyler Graham, outfielder
- 1984 - Luis Rivera, minor league infielder and manager
- 1984 - José Luis Sáenz, minor league pitcher
- 1984 - Jonathan Sivira, minor league outfielder
- 1985 - Kenen Bailli, minor league outfielder
- 1985 - Shane Lindsay, pitcher
- 1985 - Brent Wyatt, college coach
- 1986 - Sho Aranami, NPB outfielder
- 1986 - Oney Guillen, minor league infielder
- 1986 - Frank Morejón, Cuban league catcher
- 1986 - Eddie Prasch, minor league infielder
- 1987 - Rodney Gessmann, minor league pitcher
- 1987 - Wade Mackey, minor league pitcher
- 1988 - Eric Arnett, minor league pitcher
- 1990 - Freddie Cabrera, minor league pitcher
- 1990 - Raywilly Gomez, minor league catcher
- 1990 - Andrey Lobanov, minor league pitcher
- 1990 - Jacob Reust, minor league player
- 1991 - Matt Pierpont, minor league pitcher
- 1993 - Eduardo de Oleo, minor league catcher
- 1993 - Casey Gillaspie, minor league infielder
- 1993 - Seong-moo Hong, KBO pitcher
- 1994 - Samuel Hiciano, minor league outfielder
- 1995 - Wyatt Mills, pitcher
- 1996 - Alexandre Moromizato, Peruvian national team pitcher
- 1997 - Francis Gesmundo, Philippines national team pitcher
- 1997 - Nolan Watson, minor league pitcher
- 1999 - Coen Wynne, Australian national team pitcher
- 2000 - Cooper Bowman, minor league infielder
- 2000 - Wander Encarnación, Serie A1 infielder
- 2000 - Lenyn Sosa, infielder
- 2001 - Daniel Castillo, minor league infielder
- 2002 - Yeremi Abad, minor league pitcher
Deaths[edit]
- 1887 - Bill Allison, infielder (b. 1850)
- 1923 - Nick Wise, catcher/outfielder (b. 1866)
- 1925 - Cy Bowen, pitcher (b. 1871)
- 1926 - John Day, manager (b. 1847)
- 1930 - Spencer Heath, pitcher (b. 1894)
- 1939 - Abner Dalrymple, outfielder (b. 1857)
- 1941 - Chris Lindsay, infielder (b. 1878)
- 1943 - Wild Bill Clark, minor league pitcher and manager (b. 1880)
- 1955 - Harry Barton, catcher (b. 1875)
- 1955 - Perry Lipe, minor league infielder and manager (b. 1875)
- 1957 - Ichizo Kobayashi, NPB executive; Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame (b. 1873)
- 1960 - Palmer Hildebrand, catcher (b. 1884)
- 1965 - Charlie Fitzberger, pinch hitter (b. 1904)
- 1967 - George Gibson, catcher, manager (b. 1880)
- 1970 - Harvey Grubb, infielder (b. 1890)
- 1991 - Hoot Evers, outfielder; All-Star (b. 1921)
- 1994 - Pat Crawford, infielder (b. 1902)
- 1996 - Mike Clark, pitcher (b. 1922)
- 1996 - Chuck Coles, outfielder (b. 1931)
- 1996 - Toshiaki Okamura, NPB outfielder (b. 1912)
- 1999 - Bob Hartsfield, minor league infielder and manager (b. 1931)
- 1999 - Herman Wedemeyer, minor league outfielder (b. 1924)
- 2000 - Joe Linsalata, umpire (b. 1916)
- 2003 - Toby Atwell, catcher; All-Star (b. 1924)
- 2004 - Giichiro Shiraki, NPB pitcher (b. 1919)
- 2007 - Jack Lang, writer (b. 1921)
- 2009 - Ed Lyons, infielder (b. 1923)
- 2009 - Eddie Reed, minor league outfielder (b. 1929)
- 2010 - Jack Esrang, minor league outfielder (b. 1921)
- 2010 - Jane Jarvis, organist (b. 1915)
- 2014 - Bruce Barmes, outfielder (b. 1929)
- 2015 - Louie Letlow, minor league infielder (b. 1929)
- 2015 - Bill Monbouquette, pitcher; All-Star (b. 1936)
- 2015 - Kris Ralston, minor league pitcher (b. 1971)
- 2016 - Ron Stillwell, infielder (b. 1939)
- 2018 - Glen Clark, pinch hitter (b. 1940)
- 2021 - Dick Smith, infielder (b. 1926)
- 2022 - David Green, outfielder (b. 1960)
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