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This Day in Baseball History
November 12th

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25 Fact(s) Found
1886 Although teams routinely buy players from other teams, the Reds and Browns become the first clubs to trade personnel. St. Louis deals outfielder Hugh Nicol, credited with 138 stolen bases next season, to Cincinnati in exchange for the backstop "Honest" Jack Boyle, a rookie with one game of major league experience, and more importantly, $400.
1923 Giants manager John McGraw trades outfielders Casey Stengel and Bill Cunningham, along with shortstop Dave Bancroft to the Braves for pitchers Joe Oeschger and Bill Southworth. Although the deal will have little impact for Boston or New York, three of the five players involved in the transaction, Stengel, Bancroft, and Southworth, will become major league managers and members of the Hall of Fame.
1940 Indians' president Alva Bradley, unwilling to yield to the players' demands during the season, finally fires his manager Oscar Vitt, who called his players "Crybabies" during the campaign. Roger Peckinpaugh, who managed the Tribe from 1928 to 1933, replaces the extremely unpopular skipper.
1952 Philadelphia A's hurler Bobby Shantz (24-7, 2.48) is named American League MVP by the baseball writers. The 27-year-old southpaw, listed first on 16 of the 20 writers' ballots, easily outdistances the runners-up Allie Reynolds and Mickey Mantle.
1955 Harry Walker, who had been prepping as a skipper in the Cardinals' minor league system since 1951 and was called up in May from Triple-A Rochester to take Eddie Stanky's place, is replaced by Fred Hutchinson as the team's skipper. With the departure of 'the Hat,' who lost 67 of 118 games he managed, the National League will not have a player-manager in the circuit for the first time in its history.
1958 Yankees right-hander Bob Turley, the World Series Most Valuable Player, wins the Cy Young Award, edging out runner-up Warren Spahn of Milwaukee by one vote. 'Bullet Bob' posted a 2.97 ERA while compiling a 21-7 record and won another two games for New York in the Fall Classic.
1959 The BBWAA selects Nellie Fox, the 5-foot-9 All-Star spark plug of the "Go Go Sox," as the American League's Most Valuable Player. The Gold Glove second baseman, appearing in a league-leading 156 games, played a key role in the White Sox's pennant, batting .306 while collecting 191 hits.
1986 Roger Clemens (24-4, 2.48), joining Denny McLain, who accomplished the feat in 1968, becomes only the second American League pitcher to unanimously win the Cy Young Award when he captures all 28 first-place votes cast by the writers. The Red Sox 24-year-old right-hander will also be named the circuit's most valuable player.
1996 Blue Jays right-hander Pat Hentgen (20-10) edges New York's Andy Pettitte (20-8) for the American League Cy Young Award by a narrow margin of 110-104. Mariano Rivera, the Yankee southpaw's teammate, finishes third in the balloting, getting one first-place vote.
2001 After playing Class-A ball for one year, Albert Pujols (.329, 37, 130) is named the National League Rookie of the Year by the BBWAA. The Cardinal freshman set NL rookie marks for RBIs (130), total bases (360), and extra-base hits (88) and fell one home run shy of tying the National League rookie record of 38 established by Frank Robinson in 1956 as a member of the Reds.
2001 After leading the circuit in hitting, Mariners outfielder Ichiro, disappointed about not winning the award unanimously, is named the American League Rookie of the Year by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Chris Assenheimer of the Elyria (OH) Chronicle-Telegram voted for CC Sabathia (17-4) as his top choice, citing the nine years of professional experience in Japan made Ichiro less of a rookie than 21-year-old Indian hurler.
2002 Miguel Tejada, who receives 356 points from the Baseball Writers' Association of America, including 21 first-place votes out of a possible 28, is selected as the American League's Most Valuable Player. The A's shortstop joins countrymen Sammy Sosa and George Bell as Dominican Republic natives to win the award.
2007 In the closest election since 1980, since the initiation of the current voting method (5 points for 1st, 3 points for second, and 1 point for third), the Baseball Writers' Association of America selects Ryan Braun as the National League Rookie of the Year. By a margin of two points, the Brewers' third baseman edges Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, who was listed first on more than half of the BBWAA ballots.
2007 Dustin Pedroia (.317, 8, 50) becomes the sixth Red Sox player and the first to win the American League Rookie of the Year since Nomar Garciaparra's selection in 1997. The 5'9" second baseman, listed first on 24 of the 28 BBWAA ballots, easily outdistances Rays outfielder Delmon Young (.288, 13, 93).
2008 Joe Maddon, receiving 27 of the 28 first-place votes cast by the Baseball Writers' Association of America, easily wins the American League Manager of the Year award. The Rays skipper, who succeeded Lou Piniella in 2006, this year's NL's choice for the honor, led Tampa Bay to a pennant after the team posted the worst record (66-96) in baseball last season.
2008 Lou Piniella wins the National League Manager of the Year award after leading the Cubs to the postseason for the second consecutive season. While managing in Seattle, the fiery skipper also won the AL honor in 1995 and 2001.
2008 The A's acquire Matt Holliday (.321, 25, 88) from the Rockies in exchange for former Rookie of the Year reliever Huston Street, southpaw starter Greg Smith, and highly touted outfield prospect Carlos Gonzalez. The 28-year-old All-Star left fielder, who can become a free agent at the end of the season, could not agree with Colorado on a long-term contract.
2011 In recognition of his contributions to the Boys & Girls Clubs in Philadelphia and his native Hawaii, Shane Victorino, the recipient of the 2011 Branch Rickey Award, is inducted as the 20th member of the Baseball Humanitarians Hall of Fame. Through his foundation, the Phillies' center fielder has pledged more than $900,000 to renovate the 105-year-old Nicetown Boys & Girls Club, located in an impoverished section of Philadelphia, into the centerpiece of the organization's twelve facilities in the city.
2012 Mike Trout (.326, 30, 83), the BBWAA's unanimous selection as the Rookie of the Year, surpasses Lou Whitaker (1978 Tigers) by three months and five days to become the youngest American League player to be honored with the award. The 21-year-old Angel center fielder joins Evan Longoria (2008 Rays), Nomar Garciaparra (1997 Red Sox), Derek Jeter (1996 Yankees), Tim Salmon (1993 Angels), Sandy Alomar Jr. (1990 Indians), Mark McGwire (1987 A's), and Carlton Fisk (1972 Red Sox) as the only other unanimous AL winners.
2012 Bryce Harper becomes the second-youngest player selected as the National League Rookie of the Year, 24 days older than Dwight Gooden when the Mets right-hander won the award in 1984. The 20-year-old center fielder is the first Nationals player to win a BBWAA postseason award since the franchise moved from Montreal to Washington in 2005.
2013 After guiding the 94-68 Pirates to the Wild Card and their first winning season since 1992, Clint Hurdle becomes the second Buc skipper, joining Jim Leyland (1990, '92), to be selected as the National League Manager of the Year by the BBWAA. The Pittsburgh pilot was named first on 25 of 30 writers' ballots, easily outdistancing Don Mattingly of the Dodgers and the Braves' Fredi Gonzalez for the award.
2013 Terry Francona, who never received a first-place vote for the award after guiding Boston to two World Championships in his eight seasons with the club, is named the American League's Manager of the Year by the BBWAA. The Indian skipper, who helped the much-improved Wild Card Tribe reach the playoffs for the first time in six years, receives 15 of the 30 writers' first-place votes, with John Farrell of the Red Sox finishing second, having his name on the top of a dozen ballots.
2018 Capturing 27 of 30 first-place votes cast by the BBWAA scribes, Braves' freshman Ronald Acuña (.293, 26, 64) wins the National League's Rookie of the Year award. Acuña Jr. The 20-year-old Venezuelan outfielder, the eighth player in franchise history to cop the honor, becomes the first since right-hander Craig Kimbrel in 2011 and the first position player named since Rafael Furcal (SS) got the nod in 2000.

(Ed. Note: In addition to Kimbrel and Furcal, Acuña joins OF David Justice (1990), 3B Bob Horner (1978), C Earl Williams (1971), OF Sam Jethroe (1950) and SS Alvin Dark (1948) as recipients of the prestigious prize. - LP)

2019 The Giants hired Gabe Kapler to replace retiring manager Bruce Bochy, who three World Series during his 13 seasons with the team. San Francisco's new skipper, who agreed to a three-year deal, was fired by the Phillies in October with a year left on his contract after piloting Philadelphia to a 161-163 record during his two seasons at the helm.
2021 The Giants extend manager Gabe Kapler's contract after the team wins a franchise-best 107 games, capturing the NL West flag by one game after edging the 106-win Dodgers on the regular season's final day. The extension for the 46-year-old San Francisco skipper, completing his second season at the helm, runs through the 2024 season.
25 Fact(s) Found