December 31
From BR Bullpen
| Stats of players who were born this day | |
| Stats of players who died on this day | |
| Standings on this day | |
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| Today in Baseball History | |
Events, births and deaths that occurred on December 31.
[edit] Events
- 1878 - A reported eight million bats are sold in the United States.
- 1889 - Three players purchased from the disbanded Kansas City Cowboys American Association franchise by the National League.
- 1897 - At the age of 38, Charles Ebbets, who "has handled every dollar" entering the Brooklyn Dodgers club's treasury for the past 15 years, gains a controlling 80 percent interest in the team.
- 1914 - Ban Johnson's efforts to strengthen the New York Yankees succeed when he arranges the purchase of the team by Colonel Jacob Ruppert and Captain Tillinghast L'Hommedieu for $460,000 from Bill Devery and Frank Farrell. After Detroit Tigers owner Frank Navin refuses to let manager Hugh Jennings go, the new New York owners will name longtime Detroit pitcher Bill Donovan to managing the team. Under the new regime, the Yankees will make the most important trade in franchise history when they purchase Babe Ruth from the Boston Red Sox.
- 1918 - Kid Gleason replaces Pants Rowland as Chicago White Sox manager following the team's skid to fifth place. Gleason will win the American League pennant as a rookie skipper, but it will be tarnished by the improprieties of eight members of the so-called "Black Sox " in the 1919 World Series.
- 1931 - Two pitchers changes the color of their socks, when Boston send forkballer Milt Gaston to Chicago in exchange hard-thrower Bob Weiland.
- 1940 - The New York Yankees send Bump Hadley to the New York Giants for the waiver price and trade infielder Bill Knickerbocker to the Chicago White Sox for catcher Ken Silvestri. The military will claim Silvestri for the next four years.
- 1949 - The 1940s is the only decade in Major League Baseball history in which no new stadiums are built. After the Cleveland Indians opened Cleveland Stadium in 1932, no new ballpark will be opened until Milwaukee County Stadium is unveiled by the Braves in 1953. The decade also will end with eight blacks players on MLB rosters: three each on the Brooklyn Dodgers and Indians rosters, and two with the New York Giants. Although it will be another decade before all MLB teams would be integrated, most teams will be playing blacks in the next two years. Finally, all but the St. Louis Browns, Chicago Cubs, and Cincinnati Reds set attendance records in the 1940s. There were 81 scheduled night games in 1940 and 384 in 1949. The change to playing under the lights is underscored by the release of the 1950 schedule. The St. Louis Cardinals have permission to open the season with the Pittsburgh Pirates in a night game.
- 1962 - The state of Ohio withdraws a suit against the Cincinnati Reds when team owner Bill DeWitt agrees in writing that the club will stay in Cincinnati for 10 years.
- 1966 - After 15 seasons with the Braves in three different cities, Eddie Mathews is traded to the Houston Astros. The future Hall of Fame third baseman is the only person to play for the Boston, Milwaukee and Atlanta Braves.
- 1972 - Pittsburgh Pirates superstar Roberto Clemente dies in the crash of a four-engine plane over the Atlantic Ocean. The 38-year-old Clemente was supervising the delivery of relief supplies to the earthquake victims of Managua, Nicaragua. The cargo plane, a DC-7 that departed from San Juan Airport in Puerto Rico, crashed shortly after takeoff. In 18 major league seasons, Clemente batted .317, won the 1966 MVP, and led the Pirates to the World Championship in 1971. Shortly after his death, the Hall of Fame's Board of Directors votes to waive the usual five-year waiting period for Clemente, paving the way for his election to Cooperstown in 1973.
- 1974 - Free agent pitcher Catfish Hunter, who posted a 25-12 record with the Oakland Athletics, signs with the New York Yankees ending an unprecedented bidding war when he inks a five-year, $3.75 million dollar contract. This is triple the salary of any other major league player.
- 1979 - The Basic Agreement between players and owners expires, precipitating more than 19 months of bitter negotiations, culminating in the 1981 player strike.
- 1984 - Despite six weeks of negotiations, the Basic Agreement between the players and owners that was reached after the 1981 strike expires. The players are now seeking increased contributions to their pension plan from the clubs' additional television revenues, while the owners are hoping to slow the rapid growth of player salaries.
- 1990 - Oakland Athletics third baseman Carney Lansford is severely hurt in a New Year's Eve snowmobile accident. He will undergo surgery on January 6 to reconstruct the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee as well as repair other ligament damage. Lansford will play just five games in 1991, but return to the starting lineup in 1992.
- 1993 - Baseball's collective bargaining agreement runs out with no new agreement yet signed.
- 2004 - After the Devil Rays decline his 2005 $8 million contract option, Free agent first baseman Tino Martinez, who hit .262 with 23 home runs and 76 RBI for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, signs a one-year, $3 million contract to rejoin the New York Yankees. Martinez played in New York from 1996 through 2001 and was replaced by Jason Giambi. This time, he is acquired as insurance in the event Giambi's fragile health due to steroid use continues to fail.
- 2005 - Today, Roberto Clemente Jr. will head to Nicaragua to distribute humanitarian aid, mirroring a trip that claimed the life of his father 33 years ago.
[edit] Births
- 1842 - Tom Berry, outfielder (d. 1915)
- 1852 - Al Metcalf, infielder (d. 1914)
- 1857 - King Kelly, outfielder, manager; Hall of Famer (d. 1894)
- 1861 - Walt Goldsby, outfielder (d. 1914)
- 1863 - Pete Sweeney, infielder (d. 1901)
- 1870 - Tom Connolly, umpire; Hall of Famer (d. 1961)
- 1879 - Fred Beebe, pitcher (d. 1957)
- 1884 - Bobby Byrne, infielder (d. 1964)
- 1891 - Charlie Flanagan, infielder/outfielder (d. 1930)
- 1894 - Joe Berry, infielder (d. 1976)
- 1900 - Syl Johnson, pitcher (d. 1985)
- 1900 - Jim Murray, pitcher (d. 1973)
- 1918 - Fats Dantonio, catcher (d. 1993)
- 1918 - Al Lakeman, catcher (d. 1976)
- 1919 - Tommy Byrne, pitcher; All-Star (d. 2007)
- 1919 - Loyd Christopher, outfielder (d. 1991)
- 1924 - Ted Gray, pitcher; All-Star
- 1933 - Ken Rowe, pitcher
- 1947 - Manny Muniz, pitcher
- 1951 - Joe Simpson, outfielder
- 1953 - Jose Baez, infielder
- 1955 - Jim Tracy, outfielder, manager
- 1961 - Rick Aguilera, pitcher; All-Star
- 1961 - Steve Engel, pitcher
- 1961 - Donell Nixon, outfielder
- 1965 - Sil Campusano, outfielder
- 1971 - Esteban Loaiza, pitcher; All-Star
- 1971 - Brian Moehler, pitcher
- 1975 - Sam McConnell, pitcher
- 1977 - Chris Reitsma, pitcher
- 1980 - Jesse Carlson, pitcher
- 1982 - Julio DePaula, pitcher
- 1985 - Matthew Willard, minor league player
[edit] Deaths
- 1896 - Barney Graham, infielder
- 1898 - Martin Duke, pitcher (b. 1867)
- 1903 - Joe McGuckin, outfielder (b. 1862)
- 1905 - Frank Bonner, infielder (b. 1869)
- 1907 - Jocko Flynn, pitcher (b. 1864)
- 1912 - Charlie Sprague, outfielder (b. 1864)
- 1914 - John Farrow, catcher (b. 1853)
- 1914 - John O'Brien, outfielder (b. 1851)
- 1915 - Tip O'Neill, outfielder (b. 1858)
- 1925 - Denny Sullivan, infielder (b. 1858)
- 1927 - Jack Sharrott, pitcher (b. 1869)
- 1933 - James Donnelly, infielder (b. 1867)
- 1936 - Doc Casey, infielder (b. 1870)
- 1944 - Bill Chappelle, pitcher (b. 1881)
- 1954 - Tom Raftery, outfielder (b. 1881)
- 1955 - Clint Brown, pitcher (b. 1903)
- 1958 - Jack Doyle, infielder, manager (b. 1869)
- 1961 - Dutch Lieber, pitcher (b. 1910)
- 1962 - Del Mason, pitcher (b. 1883)
- 1963 - Junie Barnes, pitcher (b. 1911)
- 1963 - Bill Batsch, pinch hitter (b. 1892)
- 1964 - Bobby Byrne, infielder (b. 1884)
- 1964 - Red Rollings, infielder (b. 1904)
- 1964 - Doc Wallace, infielder (b. 1893)
- 1967 - Shovel Hodge, pitcher (b. 1893)
- 1972 - Roberto Clemente, outfielder; All-Star, Hall of Famer (b. 1934)
- 1978 - Tod Davis, infielder (b. 1924)
- 1980 - Bob Shawkey, pitcher, manager (b. 1890)
- 1988 - Wes Flowers, pitcher (b. 1913)
- 1994 - Jack Shepard, catcher (b. 1932)
- 1996 - Sam Narron, catcher (b. 1913)
- 1999 - Larry Bearnarth, pitcher (b. 1941)
- 1999 - Harry Kimberlin, pitcher (b. 1909)
- 2000 - Harry Dorish, pitcher (b. 1921)
- 2003 - Max West, outfielder; All-Star (b. 1916)
- 2004 - Charlie Cozart, pitcher (b. 1919)
- 2006 - Marv Breeding, infielder (b. 1934)
