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This Day in Baseball History
February 5th

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21 Fact(s) Found
1930 The Reds select Leo Durocher (.246, 0, 32) off waivers. The 24-year-old shortstop, an unpopular player in the Yankees clubhouse, falls out of favor in New York after a salary dispute with Ed Barrow, the club's general manager.
1931 Hack Wilson, who set National League records last season when he drove in 191 runs and hit 56 home runs, a mark since surpassed in 1998 by Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa, signs for $35,000. The 31-year-old Cub outfielder's 1930 RBI total remains one of the game's most enduring records.
1934 A day before Babe Ruth's 39th birthday, future all-time home run leader Hammerin' Hank Aaron is born in Mobile, Alabama. The slugger, who will finish his career hitting 755 home runs playing for the Braves and Brewers, will surpass the 'Bambino's' record of 714 home runs in 1974 after receiving much hate mail from people who did not want to see a black man break baseball's hallowed mark.
1951 California governor Earl Warren denies rumors that he will be baseball's next commissioner. The US Senate will confirm Thomas Dewey's 1948 Republican running mate as the 14th Chief Justice in 1954.
1977 The Cubs deal southpaw Darold Knowles to the Rangers for a player to be named later and cash. The left-hander will post a 5-2 record for Texas, and outfielder Gene Clines, who made part of the trade ten days later, will help his new club, batting a respectable .293 while playing 101 games for Chicago.
1983 The Royals trade minor league prospect Cecil Fielder to the Blue Jays for 32-year-old outfielder Leon Roberts, who will retire after having two mediocre campaigns with Kansas City. 'Big Daddy' will enjoy several MVP-caliber seasons during his 13-year tenure in the major leagues, having his best seasons playing for the Tigers.
1999 Major League Baseball will start recognizing the best hitter in each league with the Hank Aaron Award. The all-time home run king learns about the honor on his 65th birthday at an event that includes President Bill Clinton, Ernie Banks, and Reggie Jackson.
2002 The Latin American Baseball Hall of Fame Museum inducts Luis Arroyo, best remembered for his 1961 season with the Yankees (15-5, 29 saves). The Puerto Rican reliever, who made the National League All-Star squad as a rookie with the Cardinals in 1955, had an eight-year career mark of 40-32, saving 36 games with a 3.93 ERA.
2002 Major League Baseball announces the withdrawal of its plan for contraction this upcoming season, but the sport is still determined to eliminate two teams in 2003. Attempts to contract the Twins and Expos this season did not happen due to a series of legal decisions and fierce opposition from the Players Association.
2002 Troy Percival's seven-year tenure with Anaheim, the longest on the current roster, will increase when the All-Star reliever signs a two-year contract extension to stay with the club. The 32-year-old right-hander, the Angels' all-time leader with 210 career saves, converted 39 of 42 save opportunities last season.
2002 The Astros file a motion in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York, asking the court to determine whether the 30-year naming agreement with Enron signed in 1999 should continue. The team wants to avoid calling its stadium Enron Field due to the financial burden many Houston-area residents face due to the bankrupt energy company's business practices.

2008 Alex Rios (.297, 24, 85) and the Blue Jays agree on a $4,835,000, one-year deal, including a $3.5 million signing bonus with a base salary of $1,335,000. The 26-year-old All-Star outfielder will become eligible for free agency at the end of the 2010 season.
2008 Freddie Sanchez signs a $11 million, two-year contract to continue to play second base for the Pirates. The 2006 National League batting champ could add another $8 million in 2010 if the Bucs exercise their option to retain his services.
2008 Scott Podsednik (.243, 2, 11) agrees to a $750,000 minor league contract with the Rockies, appearing in 93 games in a part-time role for the third-place club. The speedy 31-year-old outfielder, best known for his role in the 2005 White Sox World Championship, has been slowed down by injuries during the past two seasons.
2008 Dave Bush (12-10, 5.12), vying to stay in the starting rotation, signs a $2.55 million, one-year deal to pitch for the Brewers. The durable 28-year-old right-hander, who made at least 31 starts each of the previous two seasons, will make an additional $50,000 as part of the arbitration agreement if he pitches 210 innings.
2009 In an arrangement similar to last year, Odalis Perez and the Nationals agree to a non-guaranteed minor league deal, which will reward the southpaw with an $850,000 major league contract if he makes the club this season during spring training. A year ago, the left-hander made 30 starts for Washington, posting a 7-12 record with a 4.34 ERA for the last-place team.
2009 Joseph Reaves, Dodgers' director of international relations, announces that the May 16th regular-season game between Mexico City Diablos Rojos and the Monterrey Sultanes will occur at Dodger Stadium. The contest between the two most storied franchises south of the border marks the first time a Mexican League game has happened in the City of Angels.
2010 The Twins and Dodger former infielder Orlando Hudson (.283, 9, 62) agree to a $5 million, one-year contract. The 32-year-old free-agent second baseman, known as O-Dog, is expected to bat second in the Minnesota lineup, hitting between leadoff man Denard Span and AL MVP Joe Mauer.
2010 The ball Alex Rodriguez hit for his 500th home run is sold at an auction for $103,579 to an anonymous bidder. The historic horsehide, which cleared the left field wall at Yankee Stadium on August 4, 2007, was recovered by 6-foot-4-inch Walter Kowalczyk, a Rutgers University student who used his 250-pound frame to protect his prized possession from the scrum of souvenir seekers.

2014 The Dodgers agree to a minor league contract with free-agent Justin Turner, who was non-tendered by the Mets after hitting .265 in 301 games with the team over four seasons. Since his arrival, the All-Star third baseman's steady fielding and consistent hitting prove to be a significant asset in LA's string of titles.
2024 The Royals and their shortstop, Bobby Witt Jr., 23, agree to a 14-year contract extension, tying by year the longest pact signed in MLB history. The 23-year-old infielder's deal, the richest in franchise history, is reportedly worth $288.8 million.

(Ed. Note: In 2021, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Padres came to terms on a 14-year extension worth around $340 million. - LP)

21 Fact(s) Found