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This Day in Baseball History
February 16th

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16 Fact(s) Found
1924 Boston Braves third baseman Tony Boeckel becomes the first major leaguer killed in an automobile accident, dying from injuries received as a passenger yesterday in San Diego. Yankee outfielder Bob Meusel, another passenger of the car driven by Los Angeles theaterman Bob Albright, escapes without severe injuries.
1950 The BBWAA does not select any players for the Hall of Fame this season, with former Giants Mel Ott (69%) and Bill Terry (63%) as the top vote-getters. 'Master Mel' gets the nod next season, and 'Memphis Bill' enters in 1954 after both get named 75% of the writers' ballots required for induction.
1952 Hall of Fame shortstop Honus Wagner officially retires after 39 years in the major leagues, 21 as a player with the Louisville Colonels and Pirates, and another 18 years as a coach with Pittsburgh. The 'Flying Dutchman,' who led the league in stolen bases for five seasons, won eight batting titles, the most in National League history until Tony Gwynn tied the mark in 1997.
1953 Brooklyn, Cincinnati, Milwaukee, and Philadelphia participate in a four-way trade that sends five players to new clubs. Joe Adcock (Reds) and Jim Pendleton (Dodgers) will now play for the Braves, Earl Torgeson (Braves) goes to the Phillies, Rocky Bridges (Dodgers) is now a Red, with Russ Meyer (Phillies) joining the Dodgers.
1967 Red Ruffing, the former Yankee pitcher who authored 273 major league wins, is selected to be in the Hall of Fame by getting the most votes on the second ballot necessary after the BBWAA fails to choose a player in January. Former Cardinal outfielder Joe Medwick also received 75% of the writer's votes, usually enough to be selected; however, only the top vote-getter gets the nod in this special run-off election.
1989 Orel Hershiser, who will earn $3,166,167 in the final year of the deal, becomes baseball's first three-million-dollar man when he signs a three-year $7.9 million contract with the Dodgers. The 1988 Cy Young Award recipient will post an 18-18 record and an ERA of 3.65 during the terms of the agreement.
1996 General Mills announces a special edition of a Wheaties cereal box honoring the 75th Commemorative Year of the Negro Leagues, featuring superstars Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson, and 'Cool Papa' Bell. In 1934, Yankee's first baseman, Lou Gehrig, became the first athlete depicted on the Breakfast of Champions box.

2001 Yankee premier reliever Mariano Rivera (7-4, 2.85, 36 saves) signs a four-year, approximately $40 million contract with the Bronx Bombers. The 31-year-old Panama native surpassed Dennis Eckersley's major league record with 16 saves in postseason games.
2003

Pete Rose becomes a member of the Ted Williams Hitters Hall of Fame along with the Splendid Splinters' teammate Dom DiMaggio, each not in attendance. 'Charlie Hustle,' who collected a record of 4,256 major-league hits, joins 1998 inductee Shoeless Joe Jackson, another player prohibited from becoming a member of Baseball's National Hall of Fame.

(Ed. Note: On February 18, 2017, Pete Rose was 'officially' inducted into TW's Hall of Fame)
2004 After leaving the Phillies as a free agent following the 2002 season to play for the Rangers, Doug Glanville returns to Philadelphia, signing a one-year contract with the team. The 31-year-old outfielder retires at the end of the season after compiling a lifetime batting average of .277 during his nine-year tenure in the major leagues, including playing time with the Yankees and the Cubs, and leaves with a 293-game errorless streak intact.
2004 The Rangers trade Alex Rodriguez along with cash to the Yankees in exchange for Alfonso Soriano and a player to be named later, Joaquin Arias. The deal comes on the heels of the Red Sox's inability to land the American League MVP in a swap with Texas for Manny Ramirez due to the players' association's objection because of the need to restructure A-Rod's existing contract as a result of the tentative transaction.
2007 Altering the regulations for the first time since 1996, the rules committee approves several changes, including eliminating tie games halted after the fifth inning due to weather by resuming the contest at the same ballpark in the next scheduled start. The new standards also implement a ten-game suspension for scuffing a baseball, prohibit players from going into a dugout to make a catch and allow pitchers to wear multicolored gloves.
2008 Kyle Kendrick, who posted a 10-4 record and an ERA under 4.00 last season as a rookie, is stunned when he hears about his trade to Japan for Takeru Kobayashi, a champion hot dog eater. The bogus deal, an elaborate hoax that includes skipper Charlie Manuel, assistant GM Ruben Amaro Jr., fellow hurler Brett Myers, and media members, totally fools the Phillies sophomore pitcher.

2011 Rickie Weeks and the Brewers agree on a $38.5 million, four-year deal that includes a 2015 option based on plate appearances, which could increase the contract's total value to $50 million. The 28-year-old second baseman broke a franchise record last season with 754 trips to the plate, mostly as the leadoff hitter.
2011 Speaking to reporters at the Phillies' spring training complex, a tearful Dallas Green, former big-league manager and senior adviser to general manager Ruben Amaro, Jr., thanks everyone for their support after the shooting death of his granddaughter. Nine-year-old Christina Taylor Green was one of six victims killed five weeks ago in a shooting rampage during U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords' 'Congress on Your Corner' gathering outside a Tucson supermarket.
2013 After an appearance at a local winter festival, Guido's costume, worn by one of the Brewers' racing sausages, goes missing. Later that night, a seven-foot Italian sausage impersonator is spotted at bars in Milwaukee, signing autographs.

16 Fact(s) Found