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This Day in Baseball History
December 7th

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34 Fact(s) Found
1939 At the urging of Senator owner Clark Griffith, the other American League owners enact a rule prohibiting the league's pennant winner from buying, selling, or trading players during the following season. The winter meeting decision appears to have the desired effect as the Yankees finish in third place.
1939 During their winter meeting, the BBWAA elects Lou Gehrig, who played in his last major league game on June 30th, to the Hall of Fame, waiving the five-year waiting period due to his amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) diagnosis. At age 36, the Yankees' first baseman becomes the youngest to be honored, surpassed by Dodger southpaw Sandy Koufax, five months younger when selected in 1972.
1957 Tony Kubek (.297, 3, 39) is selected over Boston's infielder Frank Malzone (.292, 15, 103) by the BBWAA as the American League Rookie of the Year. Much to the dismay of the 27-year-old Red Sox Gold Glove All-Star third baseman, he becomes ineligible when the writers, during the season, change the minimum number of career at-bats to determine rookie status.
1962 Tom Tresh, the Yankees shortstop and left fielder, is selected as the American League's Rookie of the Year by the BBWAA. The 24-year-old son of former major league catcher Mike Tresh gets 13 of the 20 votes cast by the writers, with Bob Rodgers (4), Dean Chance (1), Dick Radatz (1), and Bernie Allen (1) also receiving consideration.
1966 The Cubs trade Dick Ellsworth to the Phillies for right-hander Ray Culp and cash. During his eight-year tenure in Chicago, the southpaw authored a 22-win (1963) and 22-loss (1966) season while compiling 84 victories, the most by a Northside hurler during the decade.
1973 The Giants sell Juan Marichal to the Red Sox, where the high leg-kicking right-handed Dominican will post a 5-1 record. During his 14 seasons with San Francisco, the future Hall of Famer compiled a 238-140 (.630) record.
1973 In a controversial move, the Royals deal outfielder Lou Piniella and pitcher Ken Wright to the Yankees for 38-year-old right-hander Lindy McDaniel, who wins only six games during his two years with the club. The trade draws the Kansas City fans' ire when their departed 29-year-old outfielder enjoys 11 solid seasons in the Bronx, batting .295 and playing a major role in New York's four appearances in the World Series.
1984 The Mets send right-handed starter Walt Terrell to the Tigers for infielder Howard Johnson. New York's new third baseman will spend nine years with the club, returning to the organization to become a minor-league manager and big-league coach.
1988 Nolan Ryan becomes the first major leaguer to play for all four original expansion teams when he signs as a free agent with the Rangers, who played their first 11 seasons as the new Senators in Washington, D.C. The right-hander broke in with the Mets (1966, 1968-71) before being traded to the Angels (1972-79) and then signing with the Astros (1980-1988), known initially as the Colt .45s.
1988 The Mets deal Wally Backman and prospect Mike Santiago to the Twins for minor leaguers Jeff Bumgarner, Steve Gasser, and Toby Nivens. The trade leaves second base open for Gregg Jefferies, but the highly touted rookie infielder will falter, hitting a meager .258 next season.
1992 The Reds sign free-agent outfielder Roberto Kelly to a three-year deal. The 28-year-old All-Star outfielder will play solid baseball for his new team, compiling a .313 batting average in 125 games in Cincinnati before being traded to Atlanta during the season in 1994 for Deion Sanders.
1995 On the day he is traded to the Yankees, Tino Martinez celebrates his 28th birthday and the birth of his daughter, Victoria. After reaching an agreement on a five-year, $20.25 million deal with his new team, the former Mariners' first baseman is acquired by the Bronx Bombers today, along with pitchers Jim Mecir and Jeff Nelson for southpaw Sterling Hitchcock and third baseman Russell Davis.
1999 The Mariners sign Mets' free-agent first baseman John Olerud to a $20-million, three-year deal. The former Washington State University All-American garners a Gold Glove in his three seasons with Seattle, playing a pivotal role in the team's historic 116-46 campaign in 2001, compiling a .401 on-base percentage.
2001 In a rare deal between the crosstown rivals, the Yankees trade outfielder/DH David Justice (.241, 18, 51) to the Mets for third baseman Robin Ventura (.237, 21, 61). The teams had exchanged players only six times in forty years, the last time being in 1992 when the Mets dealt Frank Tanana for Kenny Greer, a minor league pitcher.
2004 The Executive Board of the Players' Association authorizes union head Donald Fehr and their lawyers to work on a new agreement to address the steroid problem in major league baseball. In light of the BALCO scandal, the 40 players attending the meeting appeared to agree with the owners that there is a need for more frequent and stricter testing.
2004 After refusing a $60 million, four-year extension from the Red Sox last winter, Nomar Garciaparra signs a one-year deal with the Cubs, the team he was traded to in July, for $8 million. The All-Star shortstop, coming off an injury-plagued season, can increase the contract's value with bonus incentives based on performance and playing time to $11 million.
2005 The Rangers trade Alfonso Soriano to the Nationals for outfielders Brad Wilkerson and Terrmel Sledge, along with minor league pitching prospect Armando Galarraga. Texas frees up funds to seek much-needed pitching by dumping the All-Star second baseman's salary.
2005 The Diamondbacks acquire All-Star catcher Johnny Estrada (.261, 4, 39) from the Braves for a pair of right-handed relievers, Lance Cormier (7-3, 5.11) and Oscar Villarreal (2-0, 5.27). The deal, the first for Arizona's new general manager Josh Byrnes, fills the D-Backs' need for a starting backstop and provides Atlanta to give emerging rookie Brian McCann more playing time.
2006 Near the end of the Winter Meetings, the Royals sign Gil Meche to a five-year deal valued at $55 million, matching Mike Sweeney's contract as the largest in franchise history. During his five major league seasons, all with the Mariners, the 28-year-old right-hander compiled a 55-44 career record and a 4.65 ERA in 147 games.
2009 The Lowell Spinners, the Red Sox short-season affiliate, well-known for their unique promotional events, publicly extend an invitation to Michaele and Tareq Salahi to attend the team's Eighth Annual Alumni Dinner to be held later this month at the city's Memorial Auditorium. The infamous couple recently became newsworthy for appearing at a White House State Dinner without being included on the guest list.
2009 Brad Penny and the Cardinals come to terms on a one-year deal, which will pay the right-hander $7.5 million, with an additional $1.5 million available in incentives. After compiling a 7-8 record with a 5.61 ERA and being moved to the bullpen by the Red Sox, the two-time All-Star hurler (2006, 2007) asks Boston to release him, which allows the 31-year-old to finish the season with San Francisco.
2009 Adam Everett and the Tigers agree to a one-year, $1.55 million deal, keeping the infielder in Detroit. The slick-fielding shortstop batted .238 with three homers and 44 RBIs for the second-place club last season.
2009 Carl Pavano accepts the Twins' salary arbitration offer, keeping the right-hander with Minnesota next season. The Southington, CT native posted a 5-4 record with a 4.64 ERA in a dozen starts for the team after being obtained from Cleveland in August.
2011 The Marlins continue to sign prime free agents when they reach a deal with 32-year-old southpaw Mark Buehrle (13-9, 3.59) for $58 million over four years. Miami has also come to terms with shortstop Jose Reyes and closer Heath Bell while pursuing super-star Albert Pujols and starting pitcher C.J. Wilson.
2011 In separate deals with free agents, the Pirates sign left-handed starter Erik Bedard and outfielder Nate McLouth, who played with the franchise from 2005 to 2009. The Bucs' new southpaw compiled a 5-9 record last season with Seattle and Boston, and the 30-year-old Gold Glove flycatcher returns to the Steel City three years after being traded to Atlanta, where he hit .229 in 250 games.
2011 The Astros hire Jeff Luhnow as the team's general manager to replace Ed Wade, fired last month in the first major moves made by the new owner, Jim Crane. The 45-year-old new GM, a vice president with St. Louis since 2003, will try to improve upon Houston's 56-106 finish last season, the worst record in franchise history.
2011 Tim McCarver is named the Ford C. Frick Award recipient, becoming the second television analyst, joining Tony Kubek to win the broadcasting excellence award. The former catcher and longtime broadcaster has provided regional analysis for the Mets, Yankees, and Phillies, as well as appearing on the national stage doing the Game of the Week and postseason telecasts for NBC, CBS, and FOX.
2011 At the Winter Meetings, Jose Reyes is introduced as the Marlins' new shortstop. The 28-year-old switch-hitting infielder, the NL's batting champ, signed a six-year, $106 million contract to play with Miami after the cash-strapped Mets showed little interest in retaining their homegrown All-Star.
2012 The Nationals bolster an already solid rotation when the team signs veteran Dan Haren to a one-year deal for $13 million. The 32-year-old right-hander joins starters Stephen Strasburg, Jordan Zimmermann, Gio Gonzalez, and Ross Detwiler.
2013 Center Fielder Jacoby Ellsbury and the Yankees agree to a seven-year deal, valued around $153 million, joining Brian McCann as the team's second major free-agent signing this week. The outfielder, who played a major role in the Red Sox' World Championship last season, also received offers from the Tigers, his former team, and the Mariners.
2015 The Diamondbacks obtain right-handed starter Shelby Miller from the Braves for outfielder Ender Inciarte, pitching prospect Aaron Blair, and Dansby Swanson, the first player selected in this year's MLB June Amateur Draft. The transaction marks the first time a team deals a #1 overall pick within the first year of the player's career, a move made possible because teams are now allowed to trade recently drafted picks after the World Series.
2020

"It could have been a joy, a celebration. Instead, I played angry. In baseball, if a couple things go wrong for you, and those things get misperceived, or distorted, you get a label. I was labeled an outlaw, and after a while that's what I became." - DICK ALLEN, reflecting on his embattled major leaguer career in an autobiography.

Seventy-eight-year-old Dick Allen, known as the Wampum Walloper, died in the Pennsylvania town where he was born. Although the controversial All-Star first baseman/DH had difficulties with the press and teammates, the former Rookie of the Year (1964 Phillies) and Most Valuable Player (1972 White Sox) became one of the most dominant players in the game during his 15-year major league career.

2022 Joining a well-paid infield featuring Fernando Tatis Jr. (14 years, $340 million) and Manny Machado (10 years and $300 million), Red Sox free-agent shortstop Xander Bogaerts agrees to an 11-year, $280-million deal with the Padres. The four-time All-Star from Oranjestad, Aruba, batted .292 during his decade with Boston.
2023 Ron Darling, Class of 1981, becomes the second Yale player elected into the College Baseball Hall of Fame after compiling an impressive collegiate record that included 25 consecutive complete games, 23 wins, 236 strikeouts, and a career 2.18 ERA. The Hawaiian-born, Massachusetts-raised right-hander, best known for his playing days with the Mets, batted .384 with a .589 slugging percentage during his sophomore year with the Bulldogs.

(Ed. Note: Frank Quinn, ‘48, a right-hander who led the Yale baseball team to back-to-back appearances in the NCAA College World Series, was selected to CBHOFin 2021. - LP)

34 Fact(s) Found