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9 Fact(s) Found
| 1906 |
National League umpire Hank O'Day suggests using white rubber strips to mark the batter's box to prevent hitters from rubbing out chalk lines. The former right-handed hurler and future Hall of Famer will interrupt his 30-year umpiring career to pilot the Reds in 1912 and the Cubs in 1914, becoming the only person ever to play, manage, and umpire for a full season in the major leagues.
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| 1919 |
Although not official until January, the Yankees buy Babe Ruth from the Red Sox, who won the World Series with their carousing star in 1915, 1916, and 1918, for $125,000 and guaranteed a $300,000 loan with Fenway Park as collateral. The sale of the 25-year-old southpaw and soon-to-be slugger will be the start of the 'Curse of the Bambino,' a spell of bad luck that will last for 86 years, ending in 2004 when Boston wins its next Fall Classic.
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| 1934 | Commissioner Judge Landis denies the Dodgers' claim to Johnny Vander Meer's services, stating Brooklyn was guilty of waiting until the team could determine how good the southpaw was before lodging a protest. Brooklyn had assigned the left-handed free agent had signed to the independently-owned Daytona Ducks, the team that traded him to the Scranton Miners, the Braves' Class A in the New York-Penn League. |
| 1950 |
With a large portion going to the players' pension fund, outgoing Commissioner Happy Chandler announces the Gillette Razor Company has purchased the television rights to the All-Star Game for six years for six million dollars.
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| 1964 | The Seattle Angels select 45-year-old Bob Lemon as the club's manager for the upcoming season. After capturing the circuit's championship, the future big-league skipper, named The Sporting News Manager of the Year in 1966, will manage the team for two seasons before piloting the Royals, White Sox, and Yankees in the American League. |
| 1990 | The Fort Myers Sun Sox franchise of the Senior Professional Association League folds due to its owners' financial disagreement. The monetary dispute will lead to the collapse of the circuit in the middle of its second season. |
| 2001 | The Angels sign Seattle free agent Aaron Sele (15-5, 3.60) to a three-year, $24 million contract. The 31-year-old right-hander has compiled a 107-68 career record pitching for the Red Sox, Rangers, and Mariners during his major league nine-year tenure. |
| 2007 | With the acquisition of Mark Prior, the Padres add another pitcher to the staff who will start next season coming off shoulder surgery, joining southpaw Randy Wolf. The 27-year-old former Cub right-hander signs a one-year, $1 million deal, which can be worth more with performance bonuses. |
| 2008 | Randy Johnson (11-10, 3.91), a five-time Cy Young Award recipient, signs a one-year, $8 million deal with the Giants. The 45-year-old southpaw, five victories shy of 300, joins a staff that includes Tim Lincecum (2008) and Barry Zito (2002), who have also won the prestigious pitching prize. |
9 Fact(s) Found