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February 20
From BR Bullpen
| Stats of players who were born this day | |
| Stats of players who died on this day | |
| Standings on this day | |
| Permanent link to Today's Entry | |
| Sources | |
| Baseball Library Chronology | |
| Today in Baseball History | |
Events, births and deaths that occurred on February 20.
[edit] Events
- 1884 - The Altoona Mountain City club is admitted to the Union Association as its seventh club, leaving Lancaster as the only franchise in the Inter-State League.
- 1887 - New York Giants shortstop and team captain John Ward thinks that the open sale of players has gone too far. "I wouldn't play in Kansas City under any circumstances," he says, but a club could force him to play there or not play at all.
- 1890 - Sam Rice is born in Morocco, Indiana. A quick outfielder with a great arm, Rice will lead the American League in hits twice, in stolen bases once, and collect at least 200 hits on six occasions, while finishing in the top ten in batting average eight times. Rice will gain election to the Hall of Fame in 1963.
- 1903 - Nicholas Young remains National League president when Albert Spalding bows out of the battle.
- 1920 - The Chicago Cubs give his unconditional release to Lee Magee after having learned from him a week ago that he has been betting against his team. Magee will sue the Cubs for his salary of $4,500, charging that his livelihood as a ballplayer was destroyed through the sudden canceling of his contract. The Cubs will ask for a dismissal of the suit, saying that "previous to the making of the contract the plaintiff was guilty of betting against the team of which he was a member, and sought to win bets by intentional bad playing to defeat said team."
- 1923 - Future Hall of Famer Christy Mathewson becomes president and owner of the Boston Braves. Mathewson purchases the team for $300,000 with New York attorney Judge Emil Fuchs and Bostonian James McDonough. The deal does not include Braves Field, which still belongs to James Gaffney. There are also 85 minority stockholders.
- 1929 - The Boston Red Sox announce they will play Sunday games (allowed for the first time in Boston) at Braves Field, because Fenway Park is located too close to a church.
- 1936 - The New York Giants buy back good-hitting first baseman Sam Leslie from the Brooklyn Dodgers.
- 1943 - Chicago Cubs owner Philip Wrigley and Brooklyn Dodgers executive Branch Rickey draw up charter for the "All-American Girls Softball League", which will eventually become the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL). The league, originally conceived in the belief that the major leagues would suspend play because of World War II, will operate from 1943 to 1954 around the Chicago area. When the league changes its name and switches to hardball, the pitching distance is 40 feet and bases 68 feet apart. After struggling through poor attendance in its early seasons, the league will draw over one million fans in 1948.
- 1953:
- August A. Busch buys the St. Louis Cardinals from Fred Saigh for $3.75 million and pledges not to move the team from St. Louis, Missouri.
- The U.S. Court of Appeals rules that organized baseball is a sport and not a business, affirming the 25-year-old Supreme Court ruling. This effectively dismisses the antitrust suits of Jack Corbett and former Brooklyn Dodgers minor leaguer Walter Kowalski. The $300,000 suit of Corbett, the owner of the El Paso Texans, is based on his belief that he lost money when Major League Baseball prohibited him from signing several players suspended for participation in the Mexican League. Kowalski's $150,000 suit is based on the general principles of the antitrust and restraint-of-trade laws. Their lawyer in these cases is Frederic Johnson, who also represents player Danny Gardella in his suit against Major League Baseball.
- 1958 - The Los Angeles Coliseum Commission approves a two-year pact for use of its facility by the Dodgers.
- 1960 - Branch Rickey meets with officials of the proposed Western Carolinas League about pooling talent for Continental League clubs.
- 1963:
- The Chicago Cubs put an end to their radical "College of Coaches" system and hire Bob Kennedy as manager. Under Kennedy, the Cubs will sport a respectable record of 82-80 this season.
- After leading the San Francisco Giants to the pennant the previous season, Willie Mays becomes the highest-paid player in baseball, signing a $100,000 contract.
- 1966 - The American League officially announces the hiring of Emmett Ashford, who will become the first black umpire in major league history.
- 1971 - Former slugger Ted Kluszewski hits a 500-foot three-run single to lead the National League team to a 5 - 3 victory in the annual March of Dimes Old Timers Game.
- 1980 - The Oakland Athletics sign Billy Martin to a two-year contract as manager. Martin, who was fired by the Yankees only four months earlier, will popularize the notion of "Billy Ball" with the A's and lead the team to a split-season crown in 1981.
- 1984 - Pedro Guerrero becomes the highest-paid player in Dodgers history when he signs a five-year, seven-million dollar contract to play in Los Angeles.
- 1997 - Free agent outfielder Danny Tartabull is signed by the Philadelphia Phillies. Tartabull will break his foot on Opening Day and sit out for the year before retiring.
- 2001:
- Longtime baseball figure Bill Rigney dies at the age of 83 after a long bout with cancer. After an eight-year playing career in the major leagues, Rigney went on to manage the New York and San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Angels, and Minnesota Twins. Rigney also worked as a scout, executive, and broadcaster in a career that began in 1938.
- Atlanta Braves outfielder Andruw Jones wins a record $8.2 million contract in salary arbitration. The previous record of $7.25 million was set last year by New York Yankees reliever Mariano Rivera.
- 2006 - San Francisco Giants outfielder Barry Bonds says this season will be his last, according to a report in USA Today. Meanwhile, Chicago Cubs pitcher Greg Maddux won't say whether this season will be his last, he just wants to concentrate on the basics and enjoy the game.
- 2010:
- Free agent OF Johnny Damon reportedly signs a one-year $8 million contract with the Detroit Tigers.
- The Mets sign veteran C Rod Barajas to a contract, joining a crowded catching corps that also includes Henry Blanco, Omir Santos and top prospect Josh Thole.
- 2012:
- The A's sign slugger Manny Ramirez to a minor league contract, ending a retirement that began last April when he prefered to hang up his spikes rather than face a 100-game suspension for violating the Major Leagues' drug policy. He still faces a 50-game suspension before the A's can add him to their major league roster.
- The Yankees sign veteran OF Raul Ibanez, who spent the last three seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies, to be their lefthanded DH for the upcoming season. His timely late-game home runs will be key in defeating the upstart Baltimore Orioles fof the AL East crown and in the ALDS.
- 2013:
- Marlins OF Giancarlo Stanton is accidentally beaned by rookie Jose Fernandez in an intra-squad spring training game, but seems to be fine. Miami can ill afford to lose its last remaining star after dumping all of its other prominent players in the off-season.
- The Red Sox obtain OF/1B Mike Carp from Seattle for future considerations, one week after Carp was designated for assignment. They place OF Ryan Kalish, who is recovering from shoulder surgery, on the 60-day disabled list to clear a roster spot for their new acquisition.
[edit] Births
- 1858 - Jim Toy, infielder (d. 1919)
- 1862 - Harry Raymond, infielder (d. 1925)
- 1866 - John Pickett, infielder (d. 1922)
- 1873 - Charlie Babb, infielder (d. 1954)
- 1873 - Tom O'Brien, outfielder (d. 1901)
- 1874 - Pug Bennett, infielder (d. 1935)
- 1874 - Ike Samuels, infielder (d. 1964)
- 1875 - Jack Rafter, catcher (d. 1943)
- 1887 - Boardwalk Brown, pitcher (d. 1977)
- 1890 - Dave Davenport, pitcher (d. 1954)
- 1890 - Sam Rice, outfielder; Hall of Famer (d. 1974)
- 1890 - Tink Turner, pitcher (d. 1962)
- 1892 - John W. Donaldson, Negro League pitcher (d. 1970)
- 1894 - Suds Sutherland, pitcher (d. 1972)
- 1896 - Muddy Ruel, catcher, manager (d. 1963)
- 1900 - Al Williamson, pitcher (d. 1978)
- 1902 - Pete Monahan, minor league infielder and manager (d. 1963)
- 1912 - Whitey Wistert, pitcher (d. 1985)
- 1913 - Tommy Henrich, outfielder; All-Star (d. 2009)
- 1917 - Jack Bolling, infielder (d. 1998)
- 1918 - Jorge Alarcón, writer; Salon de la Fama (d. 2001)
- 1918 - Charles Tate, USA national team player
- 1920 - Frankie Gustine, infielder; All-Star (d. 1991)
- 1920 - Dick Kashiwaeda, NPB infielder
- 1920 - Roy Valdes, pinch hitter (d. 2005)
- 1921 - Jack Robinson, pitcher (d. 2000)
- 1922 - Bill Reeder, pitcher (d. 2001)
- 1922 - Jim Wilson, pitcher; All-Star (d. 1986)
- 1922 - Henry Bartolomei, minor league infielder and manager (d. 2007)
- 1923 - Joop Geurts, Hoofdklasse catcher
- 1924 - Sal Yvars, catcher (d. 2008)
- 1928 - Juan Delis, infielder (d. 2003)
- 1928 - Roy Face, pitcher; All-Star
- 1930 - Bill Ecklund, minor league pitcher (d. 2011)
- 1932 - Gene Carlson, minor league pitcher (d. 2009)
- 1936 - Wynn Hawkins, pitcher
- 1936 - Shigeo Nagashima, NPB infielder and manager; Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame
- 1939 - Bruce Andrew, minor league infielder (d. 2007)
- 1941 - Clyde Wright, pitcher; All-Star
- 1947 - Tom Buskey, pitcher (d. 1998)
- 1950 - Jim Morris, college coach
- 1953 - Manny Alvarez, minor league infielder
- 1957 - Jesus Figueroa, outfielder
- 1958 - Brian Snyder, pitcher
- 1959 - Bill Gullickson, pitcher
- 1959 - Jong-Nan Twu, CPBL catcher
- 1960 (?) - Victor Mesa, Cuban Leagues outfielder and manager
- 1961 - Rusty Ford, minor league pitcher
- 1963 - Phil Lombardi, catcher
- 1965 - Paul Faries, infielder
- 1965 - Tony Menendez, pitcher
- 1966 - Derek Lilliquist, pitcher
- 1967 - Kurt Knudsen, pitcher
- 1970 - Yuki Kaseda, minor league and NPB pitcher
- 1972 - Steve Janssen, Hoofdklasse coach
- 1972 - Shane Spencer, outfielder
- 1974 - Tom Fordham, pitcher
- 1974 - Alexander Jorge, Cuban league infielder
- 1975 - Leo Estrella, pitcher
- 1975 - Livan Hernandez, pitcher; All-Star
- 1975 - Donzell McDonald, outfielder
- 1976 - Wing-Leung Au, Hong Kong national team infielder
- 1979 - Long-Yi Huang, CPBL outfielder
- 1979 - Joe Lydic, minor league infielder
- 1980 - Ryan Langerhans, outfielder
- 1982 - Jason Hirsh, pitcher
- 1983 - Jose Morales, catcher
- 1983 - Justin Verlander, pitcher; All-Star
- 1984 - Brian McCann, catcher; All-Star
- 1985 - Michael Andersson, Elitserien pitcher
- 1985 - Matt Moses, minor league infielder
- 1985 - Vinnie Pestano, pitcher
- 1985 - Ryan Sweeney, outfielder
- 1986 - Julio Borbon, outfielder
- 1986 - Carlos Hereaud, minor league infielder
- 1986 - Ian Rendón, Cuban league pitcher
- 1988 - Tim Crabbe, minor league pitcher
- 1988 - Lance Durham, minor league infielder
- 1993 - Jurickson Profar, infielder
- 1996 - Jakub Ondráček, Extraliga infielder
[edit] Deaths
- 1903 - Al Dwight, catcher (b. 1856)
- 1908 - Walter Terry, infielder (b. 1850)
- 1909 - John Hatfield, infielder, manager (b. 1847)
- 1912 - Blondie Purcell, outfielder, manager (b. 1854)
- 1925 - John Mansell, outfielder (b. 1859)
- 1934 - George Mappes, infielder (b. 1865)
- 1944 - Harry Wilhelm, pitcher (b. 1874)
- 1945 - Charlie Heard, pitcher/outfielder (b. 1872)
- 1949 - Norm Baker, pitcher (b. 1863)
- 1951 - Marty Shay, infielder (b. 1896)
- 1954 - Sadie McMahon, pitcher (b. 1867)
- 1957 - Dixie Leverett, pitcher (b. 1894)
- 1959 - William Pierson, pitcher (b. 1899)
- 1960 - Dummy Leitner, pitcher (b. 1872)
- 1961 - Otto Krueger, infielder (b. 1876)
- 1963 - Bill Hinchman, outfielder (b. 1883)
- 1971 - Irv Porter, outfielder (b. 1888)
- 1972 - Vidal López, minor league pitcher (b. 1918)
- 1974 - Bob Christian, outfielder (b. 1945)
- 1984 - Dale Matthewson, pitcher (b. 1923)
- 1985 - Syl Johnson, pitcher (b. 1900)
- 1986 - Bob Rice, infielder (b. 1899)
- 1988 - Bob O'Farrell, catcher, manager (b. 1896)
- 1990 - Cecil Garriott, pinch hitter (b. 1916)
- 1991 - John Fetzer, owner (b. 1901)
- 1996 - Carolyn Morris, AAGPBL pitcher (b. 1925)
- 1999 - Buck Rogers, pitcher (b. 1912)
- 1999 - Joe Rossi, catcher (b. 1921)
- 2001 - Bill Rigney, infielder, manager; All-Star (b. 1918)
- 2005 - Ken Blackman, minor league executive (b. 1911)
- 2006 - Curt Gowdy, announcer (b. 1919)
- 2007 - Casey Wise, infielder (b. 1932)
- 2007 - Bob Malloy, pitcher (b. 1918)
- 2011 - Drew Baur, owner (b. 1944)
- 2011 - Henry Zajac, minor league pitcher (b. 1915)
