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15 Fact(s) Found
1949 | Monte Irvin becomes the first African-American player, along with hurler Ford Smith, to sign with the Giants. Although the 29-year-old outfielder will play only five full seasons in the major leagues, the former Newark Eagles standout will be elected to the Hall of Fame in 1973, primarily for his outstanding play in the Negro Leagues with the Newark Eagles. |
1953 | Embattled Cardinal owner Fred Saigh is found guilty of income tax evasion and is sentenced to a fifteen-month jail term but will serve only five months at the federal prison in Terre Haute before being given parole for good behavior. Under the pressure of losing his franchise, he enters a lucrative deal with a consortium that plans to move the team to Houston; Anheuser-Busch president Gussie Busch, however, persuades him to sell the team for less ($3.5 million), citing that civic pride was more important than financial gain. |
1958 | Detroit trades infielder Jim Finigan and $25,000 to the Giants for first baseman Gail Harris and utility man Ozzie Virgil, who becomes the first non-white to play for the Tigers. The 26-year-old Dominican will make his debut at third base for the Motor City team at Griffith Stadium on June 6, doubling in the top of the eighth in the team's 11-2 victory over Washington. |
1958 |
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1961 |
![]() the team that made baseball history
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1968 |
![]() Told by the Men Who Played It
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1982 | The Orioles, to make room for Cal Ripken, Jr., trade third baseman Doug DeCinces and minor league southpaw Jeff Schneider to the Angels for outfielder Dan Ford. The Halos' new infielder, who had succeeded future Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson in Baltimore, will win the Silver Slugger Award this season. |
1986 | The Rangers sign 34 year-old free-agent catcher Darrell Porter to a one-year contract valued at $162,500. The bespectacled backup backstop from Missouri will hit .253 during his tenure in Texas, his last two years in the majors. |
2005 |
Traded to the Mets yesterday, first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz, who caught and kept the ball used to make the final out, giving the Red Sox their first World championship in 86 years, will lend his souvenir to his former club. The historic horsehide, which Boston claims belongs to the team, will be encased within a plaque and become part of the victory tour, featuring the World Series trophy.
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2008 | The Rays and James Shields (12-8, 3.85) finalize a four-year, $11.25 million deal, including options that could make the contract worth nearly $38 million over the next seven years. The 26-year-old right-hander was second in the big leagues in the strikeout-to-walk ratio - an impressive 184 to 36, trailing only CC Sabathia (209 to 37). |
2009 | Avoiding salary arbitration, the Angels and 28-year-old infielder Maicer Izturis come to terms on a one-year deal worth $1.6 million. The Halos' opening-day shortstop missed 61 games last season after tearing a ligament in his left thumb in August and straining his lower back in May, necessitating the first of his two stints on the disabled list. |
2009 | Aaron Heilman is traded for the second time this offseason when the Mariners swap the 30-year-old right-hander to the Cubs for utility infielder Ronny Cedeno and southpaw Garrett Olson. Seven weeks ago, the Mets dealt the much-maligned reliever to Seattle as part of a three-team trade that included the Indians. |
2009 | David Weathers decides to stay with Cincinnati after signing a one-year deal that guarantees the 39 year-old reliever $3.9 million. A member of the Reds pitching staff for the past four seasons, the right-hander compiled a 4-6 record, posting a 3.25 ERA in 72 appearances from the bullpen last season. |
2011 |
The Twins plan to remove the 14 pine trees behind the center-field wall that served as the batter's eye at Target Field. The evergreens, planted last season, likely to be relocated inside the newly opened ballpark, made it difficult for hitters to pick up the ball from the pitcher's hand due to their shadows cast during afternoon contests and the conifers' movement in the wind.
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2016 |
![]() In an Oklahoma City ceremony, Cy Young Award recipient Dallas Keuchel receives the Warren Spahn Award, an honor given baseball's top left-handed pitcher. The 28-year-old southpaw, who posted a 20-8 record along with an ERA of 2.48 for the Astros this season, is the first Oklahoman to collect the prestigious pitching prize named in honor of the crafty left-hander. |
15 Fact(s) Found