December 18
From BR Bullpen
| Stats of players who were born this day | |
| Stats of players who died on this day | |
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| Today in Baseball History | |
Events, births and deaths that occurred on December 18.
[edit] Events
- 1884 - Only five clubs attend the "annual" UA meeting, one by proxy. The UA will die early in 1885.
- 1885 - The Washington Nationals are admitted to the National League, in place of Providence. The Washington club was displaced in the AA by the court's decision that the Mets' franchise could not be revoked.
- 1889 - The Brotherhood meets and expels members who have signed National League contracts, including Jack Glasscock, John Clarkson, Kid Gleason, and George Miller. Among those expelled, Jake Beckley, Joe Mulvey, and Ed Delahanty would eventually jump back to the PL and be reinstated.
- 1903 - At the league meeting, Ban Johnson is reelected American League president and given a raise to $10,000. Also, the AL votes to allow coaches at 3B and 1B at all times: till now, only one coach was permitted except if there were two or more base runners. The AL also institutes the "foul strike" rule, used by the National League since 1901: a foul will be counted as a strike unless there are already two strikes.
- 1918 - Duffy Lewis returns from the military, and is traded by the Red Sox to the Yankees. He goes along with front-line pitchers Ernie Shore and Dutch Leonard for P Ray "Slim" Caldwell, Slim Love, Roxy Walters, Frank Gilhooley, and $15,000. The Tigers had turned down a deal for Leonard on the 16th. The Boston Post reports that "it will take a lot to convince Boston fans that they got the best of this one."
- 1920 - On his 34th birthday, Ty Cobb signs to manage the Tigers for $32,500.
- 1936 - The Giants purchase the Albany International League franchise and move it to Jersey City where the team will play in the new Roosevelt Stadium. Recently retired Travis Jackson will manage the team.
- 1950 - Yankee great Tommy "Old Reliable" Henrich calls it a career as a player. He accepts a coaching position with the Yankees.
- 1952 - In a shake-up of the Cleveland Indians, Hank Greenberg stays on as GM, while Ellis W. Ryan resigns as president after losing a showdown. Mike Wilson, who buys Ryan's share, will be the Indians new president.
- 1952 - Indian president Ellis W. Ryan resigns after losing a showdown with general manager Hank Greenberg.
- 1956 - Former Yankee SS Phil Rizzuto signs as a Yankee radio-TV announcer.
- 1961 - Bill DeWitt is elected president of the Reds, and Stanley Kess, chairman of the board.
- 1969 - The White Sox send veteran LH slugger Pete Ward to the Yankees for P Mickey Scott and cash.
- 1973 - Despite an impending legal showdown with Charlie Finley, the Yankees announce the signing of manager Dick Williams. American League president Joe Cronin will void deal two days later.
- 1973 - The Yankees announce the signing of Dick Williams as manager, precipitating a legal showdown with Charlie Finley. Two days later, American League president Joe Cronin rules that the Yankees cannot sign Williams.
- 1975 - Chuck Tanner signs a three-year deal to manage the A's.
- 1980 - Ferguson Jenkins is convicted on cocaine possession charges in a Canadian court, but has the verdict immediately erased by Judge Gerald Young because of his years of "exemplary" conduct.
- 1981 - The Reds swap third baseman Ray Knight to the Astros for outfielder Cesar Cedeno.
- 1985 - The Giants trade strikeout-prone slugger Rob Deer to the Brewers for minor leaguers Eric Pilkington and Dean Freeland.
- 1985 - The Giants trade Rob Deer to the Brewers for farmhands Eric Pilkington and Dean Freeland.
- 1990 - The National League announces the six finalist cities for the two expansion clubs that will join the league in 1993: Buffalo, Denver, Miami, Orlando, Tampa-St. Petersburg, and Washington, DC.
- 1991 - The Blue Jays sign free agent P Jack Morris to a 2-year, $10.85 million contract.
- 1992 - The Cubs sign free agent OF Willie Wilson to a 2-year contract.
- 1992 - The Mets sign free agent OF Joe Orsulak.
- 1993 - Top Yankees P prospect Brien Taylor injures his shoulder in a fight near his home in North Carolina. The Injury will require surgery and cause Taylor to miss the entire 1994 season. Taylor, who signed for a $1.55 million bonus in 1991 has yet to make it to the majors.
- 1995 - The Padres sign free agent P Bob Tewksbury.
- 1996 - Eddie Murray takes his Hall of Fame bat to the Anaheim Angels, agreeing to a one-year contract.
- 1996 - Red Sox veteran Mike Greenwell signs a one-year contract to play for the Hanshin Tigers. The Sox had designated him for assignment on October 15, so his leaving Boston after 10 years was inevitable.
- 1998 - The Angels sign free agent P Tim Belcher to a 2-year contract.
- 2000 - Free agent Sandy Alomar Jr. agrees to a $5.4 million, two-year deal with the White Sox. The former Indians catcher will replace Charles Johnson, who earlier in the day signed to a $35 million, five-year contract with the Marlins.
- 2000 - In related signings, the White Sox ink free agent C Sandy Alomar to a 2-year contract, while the Marlins sign free agent C Charles Johnson to a 5-year contract. Johnson was the Sox catcher last season.
- 2000 - Charles Johnson, the catcher when the team won the 1997 World Series, agrees to return to the Marlins signing a $35 million, five-year contract. The 29-year old backstop batted .304 with 31 home runs and 91 RBIs for Orioles and White Sox last season.
- 2001 - Filling the void created by Mark McGwire's unexpected retirement, the Cardinals sign first baseman Tino Martinez to a $21 million, three-year contract. After he was replaced in the Yankees lineup by Jason Giambi, the former Bronx Bomber said the Cardinals were his first choice as a free agent.
- 2001 - The Cardinals sign free agent 1B Tino Martinez to a 3-year contract.
- 2001 - The Indians send troubled P John Rocker to the Rangers in exchange for minor league P Dave Elder.
- 2001 - The Reds, who tried to sign Pokey Reese in April to a 4-year, $21 million contract, ship the second baseman and P Dennys Reyes to the Rockies for pitchers Gabe White and Luke Hudson. In turn, Colorado sends Reese tomorrow to the Red Sox for C Scott Hatteberg. The Sox will make a Pokey a free agent by not tendering him a contract and he'll sign in January with Pittsburgh. Hatteberg will go the same route and sign with the A's.
- 2001 - The Royals sign 2B-OF Chuck Knoblauch to a 1-year contract.
- 2001 - John Rocker is traded to the Rangers from the Indians for minor league pitcher David Elder. The reliever, not known for his clubhouse diplomacy, will join recently acquired Carl Everett, who also has had difficulties with management and teammates.
- 2002 - The Rangers sign free agent OF Doug Glanville to a contract.
- 2002 - The Astros sign free agent 2B Jeff Kent to a 2-year, $18.2 million contract, with a $9 million option for 2005. Kent will play 2B and all - star second baseman Craig Biggio will move to the OF.
- 2002 - The Yankees sign free agent 3B Todd Zeile to a contract.
- 2002 - After spending the previous six seasons with the Giants, the 2000 National League MVP Jeff Kent (.313, 37,108 ) signs an $18.2 million, two-year contract with the Astros. The 34-year old Texan resident's presence on the team moves four-time second base Gold Glove winner, Craig Biggio to the outfield.
- 2002 - The Red Sox sign free agent P Mike Timlin to a contract.
- 2003 - Adam Kennedy (.269, 13, 49) agrees to an $8.85 million, three-year deal with the Angels. The 28-year old second baseman has a career average of .277, 36 homers and 229 RBIs during his four years with Anaheim.
- 2004 - Two days after trading pitching ace Tim Hudson (17-8, 4.43 ERA ) to the Braves, the A's deal Mark Mulder to the Cardinals for starting pitcher Dan Haren, reliever Kiko Calero and minor league catching prospect Daric Barton. Five of the six players obtained by giving up two-thirds of the team's "˜Big Three' are expected to part of the opening day roster for Oakland.
- 2005 - The bat Pete Rose used to hit his 159th career home run in 1985 is acquired by GoldenPalace.com for $103,631.91 during Lelands Winter 2005 Auction. The on-line casino, infamous for placing winning bids for the Dallas Grassy Knoll fence and the Virgin Mary Grilled Cheese Sandwich, plans to raise money for charity by sawing the bat in half to determine if the bat is corked as is widely believed.
[edit] Births
- 1842 - Rynie Wolters, pitcher (d. 1917)
- 1860 - John Hamill, pitcher (d. 1911)
- 1864 - Dave Oldfield, catcher (d. 1939)
- 1870 - Bobby Rothermel, infielder (d. 1927)
- 1873 - Bill Clymer, infielder (d. 1936)
- 1881 - Bill Essick, pitcher (d. 1951)
- 1881 - Clay Perry, infielder (d. 1954)
- 1883 - Hub Knolls, pitcher (d. 1946)
- 1886 - Ty Cobb, outfielder, manager; Hall of Famer (d. 1961)
- 1886 - Dummy Murphy, infielder (d. 1962)
- 1889 - Buddy Napier, pitcher (d. 1968)
- 1893 - Larry Jacobus, pitcher (d. 1965)
- 1893 - Dominic Mulrenan, pitcher (d. 1964)
- 1893 - Rinaldo Williams, infielder (d. 1966)
- 1894 - Sam Covington, infielder (d. 1963)
- 1897 - Lance Richbourg, outfielder (d. 1975)
- 1899 - Sam Barnes, infielder (d. 1981)
- 1902 - Les Burke, infielder (d. 1975)
- 1902 - Joe Buskey, infielder (d. 1949)
- 1906 - Dick Coffman, pitcher (d. 1972)
- 1908 - Jimmy Pattison, pitcher (d. 1991)
- 1911 - Coaker Triplett, outfielder (d. 1992)
- 1915 - Johnny Barrett, outfielder (d. 1974)
- 1924 - Herb Gorman, pinch hitter (d. 1953)
- 1929 - Gino Cimoli, outfielder; All-Star
- 1930 - Mike Baxes, infielder
- 1930 - Bill Skowron, infielder; All-Star
- 1938 - Mike White, outfielder
- 1939 - Zoilo Versalles, infielder; All-Star (d. 1995)
- 1944 - Steve Hovley, outfielder
- 1947 - Drew Coble, umpire
- 1951 - Orlando Ramirez, infielder
- 1953 - Roy Howell, infielder; All-Star
- 1955 - Jim Clancy, pitcher; All-Star
- 1958 - Scott Nielsen, pitcher
- 1961 - Scott Bailes, pitcher
- 1961 - Dave Hengel, outfielder
- 1963 - Jim Czajkowski, pitcher
- 1965 - Willie Blair, pitcher
- 1969 - Joe Randa, infielder
- 1970 - Mike Gulan, infielder
- 1970 - Todd Johnson, minor league player
- 1972 - Chris Seelbach, pitcher
- 1974 - Lance Carter, pitcher; All-Star
- 1974 - Jose Rodriguez, pitcher
- 1977 - Jose Acevedo, pitcher
- 1981 - Jeremy Accardo, pitcher
- 1983 - Jordan Brown, minor league player
- 1984 - Josh Rodriguez, minor league player
- 1986 - Chris Carter, minor league infielder
[edit] Deaths
- 1899 - Fred Truax, outfielder (b. 1868)
- 1904 - John Clapp, catcher, manager (b. 1851)
- 1931 - C.V. Matteson, pitcher/outfielder
- 1933 - Fred Robinson, infielder (b. 1856)
- 1940 - John Kiley, outfielder (b. 1859)
- 1943 - Bill Conway, catcher (b. 1861)
- 1951 - Joe Ohl, pitcher (b. 1888)
- 1955 - George Caster, pitcher (b. 1907)
- 1960 - Art Nehf, pitcher (b. 1892)
- 1974 - Harry Hooper, outfielder; Hall of Famer (b. 1887)
- 1975 - Bob Allen, outfielder (b. 1894)
- 1976 - Ned Harris, outfielder (b. 1916)
- 1981 - Jake Brown, outfielder (b. 1948)
- 1986 - Bill Shanner, pitcher (b. 1894)
- 1990 - Charlie Gibson, catcher (b. 1899)
- 2001 - Bill Howerton, outfielder (b. 1921)
- 2004 - Glenn Vaughan, infielder (b. 1944)
