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This Day in Baseball History
January 7th

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22 Fact(s) Found
1920 Babe Ruth, reacting to harsh comments about him after his trade to the Yankees, tells the Boston Evening Standard, "Frazee is not good enough to own any ball club, especially one in Boston." The Red Sox owner recently called his former player "one of the most selfish and inconsiderate men ever to put on a baseball uniform."
1924 The Indians trade catcher Steve O'Neill, second baseman Bill Wambsganss, and pitcher Danny Boone to the Red Sox for first baseman George Burns, second baseman Chick Fewster, and catcher Al Walters. Burns, who also played for the Tribe 1920 and 1921, will lead the American League in hits, winning the circuit's MVP award while playing for the much-improved team.


1921 George H. Burns
George Grantham Bain Collection

1933 Kenesaw Mountain Landis, in a move seen as a precursor to the reduction of all salaries during the depression, voluntarily cuts his pay by forty percent. In 1920, the Millville (OH) native accepted the offer to become the game's first commissioner for seven years at an annual salary of $42,500 on the condition he could remain a federal judge.
1945 During an argument over a disputed call, Roberto Ortiz viciously punches Bernardino Rodriguez, knocking the home plate umpire unconscious. The Almendares' first baseman, who apologizes in local newspapers, will be suspended from the Cuban League for the rest of the season due to his violent behavior that sent the arbitrator to the hospital.
1971 In Frankfort (KY), Bobby Tolan ruptures his Achilles tendon while playing basketball with a team put together by his Reds teammates, who perform in the Tri-State area at charity events. The Cincinnati outfielder will miss the entire season but returns to the Reds in 1972, winning the Comeback Player of the Year and Hutch awards, hitting .283, and knocking in 82 runs for the National League champs.
1985 The BBWAA elects St. Louis outfielder Lou Brock and Hoyt Wilhelm, who played with nine different teams, to the Hall of Fame. The Cardinals speedster broke Ty Cobb's record for stolen bases in 1977 with 893 career steals, and the veteran knuckleballer, best remembered for his seasons with the Orioles and the White Sox, appeared in more games than any other pitcher in major league history.
1991 After serving five months for tax evasion, authorities release Pete Rose from the US Penitentiary in Marion (IL). The former Reds legend pays $366,041 in back taxes and interest, a $50,000 fine, and is required to perform 1,000 hours of community service, which he will fulfill working with kids in the inner-city schools in Cincinnati.
1992 The baseball writers elect Rollie Fingers, the first closer in major league history to record 300 career saves, and Tom Seaver into the Hall of Fame. 'Tom Terrific,' the author of 311 victories, receives the highest percentage (98.84%) in the voting history of the BBWAA, being named by 425 out of 430 writers with three of the five ballots not choosing Seaver left blank in protest of Pete Rose's ineligibility.
2003 Eddie Murray, the only switch-hitter with 500 home runs and 3,000 hits, is chosen on 85 percent of the ballots cast by the BBWAA, becoming just the 38th player elected in his first year of eligibility. Former All-Star catcher Gary Carter (78%), best known for his years with the Expos and Mets, is also selected on his sixth try after falling eleven votes short last year.

NYT Murray and Carter Elected to Hall of Fame

2005 John Henry, the Red Sox owner, calls reserve first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz to discuss the ownership of the ball thrown to get the last out of the World Series, now in possession of the infielder. Club president Larry Lucchino has made it clear that he wants the team to own that historic ball, which currently resides with an Olympic ring in the player's safe deposit box.


The Ball Thrown to get the Last Out
of the 2004 World Series.
2005 Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig announces Major League Baseball and the Players Association will donate $1 million to help the victims of last month's Indian Ocean tsunami. According to the United Nations, 229,866 people were lost, including 186,983 known dead and another 42,883 missing.
2006 Bob Watson, the first black general manager to win a World Series championship, receives the Jackie Robinson Lifetime Achievement Award from the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. The former Astro and Yankee GM, the second African American to serve in the position, following the Braves' Bill Lucas, is honored during the organization's Legacy Awards ceremonies in Kansas City.
2007 Randy Johnson agrees to a $26 million, two-year Diamondback deal, leaving only a physical and MLB approval to finalize his trade back to the desert from the Yankees. In exchange for the 'Big Unit,' the Bronx Bombers receive reliever Luis Vizcaino, minor league right-handed prospects Ross Ohlendorf and Steven Jackson, and infielder Alberto Gonzalez.
2008 Mets reliever Duaner Sanchez signs an $850,000, one-year deal to stay with the team. The 27-year-old right-hander, who has not pitched after being injured in a 2006 Atlanta cab accident, was used primarily as the eighth-inning setup man for closer Billy Wagner before separating his throwing shoulder in the motor vehicle mishap.
2009 Jason Giambi agrees to a one-year $5.25 million deal to return to the A's, the franchise where his major league career started. The 37-year-old free-agent first baseman/DH, celebrating a birthday tomorrow, joins the growing list of aging superstars - Frank Thomas, Mike Piazza, and Mike Sweeney - who played the same role with Oakland in recent years.
2009 Kevin McClatchy ends his 13-year relationship with the team when he sells his remaining shares in the Pirates. After local ownership failed to materialize in 1996, the former managing general partner ensured the struggling club would stay in Pittsburgh by finding shareholders and securing the cash needed to buy the franchise.
2009 The Reds retain the services of Jerry Hairston, Jr., signing their leadoff hitter to a $2 million, one-year deal. The 32-year-old versatile veteran, the brother of Scott Hairston, grandson of Sam Hairston, and grandson of Jerry Hairston, played six positions last season and hit .326 while appearing in 80 games for Cincinnati.
2009 Right-hander Koji Uehara agrees to a two-year deal to join the Orioles rotation. The 33-year-old World Baseball Classic standout, formerly with the Tokyo Yomiuri Giants, has won the Sawamura Award twice as the top pitcher in Japan.
2010 The Royals sign 19-year-old southpaw Noel Arguelles to a $7 million, five-year contract. The 6-foot-4 Cuban fireballer, who defected from his country at the 2008 World Junior Championships in Edmonton, won the Gold Medal Game at the Pan American Junior Championships two seasons ago.
2010 The Mariners and Red Sox finalized their trade, bringing Casey Kotchman to Seattle in exchange for outfielder Bill Hall, a player to be named, and cash. The M's acquisition of the 26-year-old slick-fielding first baseman signals the departure of free-agent slugger Russell Branyan, who suffered from a disc issue in his back late last season.
2011 In an eight-player trade, the Cubs send outfielder Sam Fuld and minor leaguers Christopher Archer, Hak-Ju Lee, Brandon Guyer, and Robinson Chirinos to the Rays to acquire starter Matt Garza. In addition to receiving the 27-year-old right-hander, who compiled a 15-10 record last season that included a no-hitter, Chicago obtains outfielder Fernando Perez and a minor league southpaw prospect.
2023

"Do what you want to do and just know that if you work hard enough, you can definitely make it somewhere. It's not impossible. You can see it can be done." - GENEVIEVE BEACOM, the first woman to pitch for a professional team in Australia.

Featuring an impressive fastball/curveball, high schooler Genevieve Beacom becomes the first woman to pitch professionally in Australia, relieving in the Melbourne Aces' 7-1 loss to the Adelaide Giants. The 17-year-old poised southpaw, who hopes to pitch college ball in the United States, tosses a scoreless inning after working around a leadoff error and a walk.

22 Fact(s) Found