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This Day in Baseball History
December 19th

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26 Fact(s) Found
1928 The Senators trade their player-manager Bucky Harris to the Tigers for infielder Jack Warner. The future Hall of Famer will replace George Moriarity (68-86, 6th place) as the Motor City skipper.
1936 The Braves purchase Eddie Mayo from the Giants. The 26-year-old infielder will see limited playing time during his two seasons in Boston, hitting just .216, but will become a productive war-time player for the Tigers, being named the Most Valuable Player by The Sporting News in 1945.
1954 Wally Moon (.304, 12, 106) becomes the first Cardinal player selected by the BBWAA as the National League's Rookie of the Year. The 24-year-old center fielder, who replaced Enos Slaughter in the St. Louis outfield, gets 17 of the 24 writers' votes, with runners-up including future Hall of Famers Ernie Banks (4) and Hank Aaron (1).


Baseball Reference - NL Rookie of the Year Voting

1976 A single-engine Piper Cherokee plane crashes into the upper deck of Baltimore's Memorial Stadium, home of the Orioles, injuring the pilot, arrested for violating air safety regulations, and three others. Minutes before the mishap, the plane had buzzed the stadium during the final moments of the Steelers' playoff 40-14 victory over the Colts.

1986 A judge fines Michael Sergio $500 and sentences him to 100 hours of community service for criminal trespassing after prosecutors drop the more serious charge of reckless endangerment for parachuting into Shea Stadium during the first inning of Game 6 of the World Series. In May, however, the 37-year-old actor and Mets fan will be sentenced to six months in a federal jail for contempt of court when he refuses to reveal the name of the pilot who flew the plane from which he skydived.

1990 At a press conference, Tiger management and WJR announce that 1991 will be popular play-by-play announcer Ernie Harwell's 32nd and final season in the broadcast booth. The dismissal of the broadcaster starts a furor among fans, including a threatened boycott of club owner Tom Monaghan's Domino's Pizza business and the rise of the slogan, "Say It Ain't So, Bo," appearing on bumper stickers and T-shirts, a reference to Bo Schembechler, the team president.
1991 The Blue Jays sign free-agent veteran Dave Winfield as their designated hitter, a role the former Angel nicely fills when he hits .290 with 26 home runs and 108 RBIs. The veteran, who will become a fan favorite, provides leadership and experience en route to the team's first world championship.
1991 The Orioles sign former 1984 Cy Young Award winner Rick Sutcliffe (6-5, 4.10) as a free agent after the Cubs declined to offer him a contract due to recurring arm problems. During his two seasons with the Birds, the right-hander will compile a 26-25 record for the club and becomes Baltimore's starter in the team's first game at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
2001 Several hours before a midnight deadline, Barry Bonds accepts the Giants' offer of salary arbitration. San Francisco's decision to go to arbitration avoids a bidding war for their franchise player, and this season's National League MVP will be likely worth at least $20 million for one year of service.
2001 Free agent Moises Alou (.331, 27, 108) signs a $27 million, three-year deal with the Cubs. The former Astro All-Star's presence in the Chicago lineup, along with Fred McGriff and Sammy Sosa, gives the team a fearsome 3-4-5 threesome.
2002 Japan's most heralded player, 28-year-old outfield slugger Hideki Matsui (.334, 50, 107), reaches a preliminary agreement with the Yankees on a $21 million, three-year contract. 'Godzilla,' the three-time Most Valuable Player of Japan's Central League, rejected the Yomiuri Giants' $33 million, four-year offer, opting to play for Bronx Bombers.
2003 Agreeing to a $6 million, two-year contract with the Angels, Jose Guillen (.311, 31, 86) will become the team's right fielder next season. The deal allows Tim Salmon to become Anaheim's full-time designated hitter.
2003 Kevin Millwood, who made $9.9 million in his first season with the Phillies, accepts the team's surprise offer of salary arbitration, keeping the right-hander in Philadelphia for at least one more season. The All-Star hurler, whose salary will be determined by an arbitration panel in February if necessary, will anchor an outstanding rotation that includes Randy Wolf, Vicente Padilla, Eric Milton, and Brett Myers.
2003 Gary Deporter, the managing partner of the late broadcaster Harry Caray's area restaurants, submits the winning bid of $106,600 to obtain the foul ball that Steve Bartman deflected, which kept the Cubs from getting a much-needed out during Game 6 of the NLCS. Plans call for the ball's destruction as an act of exorcism during a worldwide toast to Harry on his birthday, February 26th.
2006 The Yankees purchase left-handed pitcher Kei Igawa from the Hanshin Tigers for a $26 million posting fee, signing the Eiji Sawamura Award winner to a five-year deal worth another $20 million. The deal, prompted by Boston's signing of Daisuke Matsuzaka, will be disastrous for the Bronx Bombers when the 27-year-old southpaw compiles a 2-4 record in 14 starts and an ERA of 6.66 over two seasons.
2007

"If he doesn't do that then there aren't many options as a fan for me other than to believe his career 192 wins and three Cy Youngs he won prior to 1997 were the end. From that point on the numbers were attained through using (performance-enhancing drugs). Just like I stated about Jose (Canseco), if that is the case with Roger, the four Cy Youngs should go to the rightful winners, and the numbers should go away if he cannot refute the accusations." - CURT SCHILLING, urging Roger Clemens to renounce the final four of seven CYAs if obtained with PED assistance.

With a 3,200-word post on his 38pitches.com blog, Curt Schilling urges Roger Clemens to give up the four Cy Young Awards won after 1997, the alleged period after he started taking performance-enhancing substances if the right-hander cannot clear his name. The veteran Red Sox hurler acknowledged the help the 354-game winner gave him as a young pitcher but wanted to stay consistent, noting he previously urged Jose Canseco to forfeit the 1988 AL MVP award due to the slugger's use of steroids.

2008 The Dodgers confirmed they have inked their current shortstop, Rafael Furcal, to a three-year deal believed to be worth $33 million. Braves president John Schuerholz thought he had an agreement with the 31-year-old infielder earlier in the week, described the negotiation for the free agent as dishonest, and said his team would never again deal with the Wasserman Media Group.
2008 The Marlins have come to terms with Josh Johnson, who is slotted to be their No. 1 starter next season. The right-hander, who returned from elbow surgery in midseason to compile a 7-1 record for the third-place Fish, agrees to a one-year, $1.4 million deal, including incentives for the number of games started in 2009.
2008 Agreeing to stay in Anaheim, Juan Rivera (.246, 12, 45) agrees to a $12.7 million, three-year deal to roam the Angels' outfield. The 30-year-old Venezuelan, the team's best pinch-hitter, going 5-for-14, including two game-winning hits, could also be the club's designated hitter.
2009 Scott Rolen agrees to a two-year contract extension to stay with the Reds, a team he was dealt to in July by Toronto for third baseman Edwin Encarnacion along with pitchers Josh Roenicke and Zach Stewart. The seven-time Gold Glove winner appeared in only 40 games for Cincinnati, having his playing time diminished after getting hit in the head by a Jason Marquis fastball shortly after the trade.
2010 The Brewers obtain 27-year-old right-handed starter Zack Greinke, shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt, and cash considerations from the Royals in exchange for shortstop Alcides Escobar, outfielder Lorenzo Cain, and pitching prospects Jake Odorizzi and Jeremy Jeffress. The acquisition of the 2009 American League Cy Young winner bolsters a strong Milwaukee rotation that includes Shaun Marcum, a recent addition from Toronto in a deal that sent second-base prospect Brett Lawrie to the Blue Jays.
2011 After offering a reported posting fee of $51.7 million, the Rangers win the rights to negotiate exclusively with Yu Darvish, the 25-year-old right-hander Japanese pitching ace of the Nippon Ham Fighters. Texas now has thirty days to sign the two-time MVP, who posted a 93-38 record and a 1.99 earned run average during his seven seasons in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball Pacific League.
2011 The Phillies finalize a $33 million, three-year deal with Jimmy Rollins (.268, 16, 63), including a vesting option for 2015 at $11 million. The 33-year-old shortstop has been integral to Philadelphia's recent success of winning five consecutive NL East titles and the 2008 world championship.
2011 The Diamondbacks and free-agent Jason Kubel agree on a two-year deal worth a reported $15 million. Arizona expects the former long-time Minnesota outfielder to add more punch to the reigning NL champs' offense.
2014 The Rays complete a three-team, 11-player trade that sends outfielder Wil Myers, backstop Ryan Hanigan, and minor league prospects LHP Jose Castillo and RHP Gerardo Reyes to the Padres for catcher Rene Rivera, right-hander Burch Smith, and minor-league first baseman Jake Bauers. Tampa Bay also acquires outfielder Steven Souza and LHP prospect Travis Ott from the Nationals, who received RHP farmhand Joe Ross and a player to be named later, reported to be minor-league shortstop Trea Turner from San Diego.
2014 Major League Baseball bestows the unprecedented title of commissioner emeritus to Bud Selig, effective January 25, the day he officially retires after serving in that position for a record twenty-three years. The new role makes 80-year old available to advise Commissioner-Elect Rob Manfred and to assist his successor with special projects.
26 Fact(s) Found