January 27
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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| Baseball Library Chronology | |
| Today in Baseball History | |
Events, births and deaths that occurred on January 27.
[edit] Events
- 1888 - The Brooklyn Bridegrooms keeps five players of the recently purchased New York Metropolitans franchise and sells the rest of the squad and four Brooklyn players to the Kansas City Cowboys for $7,000.
- 1909 - Catcher Lou Criger sends a telegram to the Boston Red Sox fans expressing his regrets on being traded to the St. Louis Browns.
- 1927:
- Citing accuser Dutch Leonard's refusal to appear at the hearings of January 5, Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis issues a lengthy decision clearing Ty Cobb and Tris Speaker of any game-fixing charges. Landis orders the Philadelphia Athletics to reinstate Cobb and the Washington Senators to restore Speaker. Both are then made free agents. Philadelphia owner Connie Mack will sign Cobb on February 8, and Speaker will sign with Washington on January 31 for a reported $35,000.
- The Cleveland Indians has already chosen Jack McCallister as their new manager.
- 1933 - Washington Senators first baseman Joe Judge is released and will later sign with the Brooklyn Dodgers.
- 1937 - In Cincinnati, the worst flood in the city's history inundates Crosley Field, covering home plate with as much as 21 feet of cold water. The lower grandstand is completely covered. Reds pitchers Gene Schott and Lee Grissom row a boat out from the center field wall and the resulting photo appears across the country. Fortunately, with the season two months away, Opening Day will be unaffected.
- 1943 - The Chicago Cubs acquire veteran pitcher Paul Derringer from the Cincinnati Reds for cash considerations. A four-time 20-game winner, Derringer will win 10 games as a starter and reliever in 1943.
- 1944 - The Boston Braves fire manager Casey Stengel, who becomes the victim of an ownership change when Lou Perini, Guido Rugo, and Joseph Maney takes control of the team. Five years later, the New York Yankees will hire Stengel as their manager. The "Old Professor" will guide the Yankees to five straight championships from 1949 to 1953.
- 1949 - Fred Saigh buys out the interest of Robert Hannegan and now controls 90 percent of the St. Louis Cardinals stock. Saigh and Hannegan had swung the deal in 1947 with only $60,300 in cash in a $4 million deal. Hannegan came out with $866,000 profit in two years.
- 1953 - In another deal that GM Frank Lane pulls over the protests of Paul Richards, the Chicago White Sox send slugging first baseman Eddie Robinson along with outfielder Ed McGhee and shortstop Joe DeMaestri to the Philadelphia Athletics for two-time batting champ Ferris Fain and other player.
- 1956 - The New York Giants football team switches its home games to Yankee Stadium, leading to speculation that the baseball team will soon vacate the Polo Grounds as well.
- 1963 - John Clarkson, Elmer Flick, Sam Rice and Eppa Rixey are elected to the Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers Association of America. Rixey will die before the induction ceremonies that summer, marking the first time that a Hall of Famer passes away between the time of election and induction.
- 1966:
- Wisconsin State Circuit Court Judge Elmer W. Roller rules that the Braves must stay in Milwaukee or else the National League must promise Wisconsin an expansion team for the 1966 season.
- Judge Robert Cannon of Wisconsin is named a full-time administrator of the Players' Association at a $50,000 salary.
- 1977 - Boston sports writers honor Luis Tiant as the Red Sox most valuable pitcher. This is the fifth year in a row that Tiant has won this honor, a record for the award begun in 1952.
- 1982 - The Chicago Cubs make one of their best trades in franchise history, acquiring infielders Ryne Sandberg and Larry Bowa from the Philadelphia Phillies for shortstop Ivan DeJesús. Bowa and DeJesús will have a few more productive seasons in the major leagues, but Sandberg, after starting out his career at third base, will become one of the best-hitting second baseman of all time. A nine-consecutive Gold Glove Award winner (1983-91), in 1984 Sandberg will lead the Cubs to their first appearance in the postseason since 1945.
- 1993 - The Kansas City Royals sign free agents outfielder Hubie Brooks and pitcher Frank DiPino.
- 1997 - The Boston Red Sox send designated hitter Jose Canseco and cash to the Oakland Athletics in exchange for pitcher John Wasdin.
- 1999 - Free agent pitcher Jim Abbott is signed by the Milwaukee Brewers, and the St. Louis Cardinals sign free agent second baseman Carlos Baerga.
- 2000 - The Cleveland Indians sign free agent pitcher Scott Sanders after his agent had spurned a multi-year contract with the Milwaukee Brewers.
- 2005 - All-Star outfielder Lance Berkman avoids arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $10.5 million deal with the Houston Astros. Berkman, who was named National League MVP after hitting .316 with 30 home runs and 106 RBI in 2004, suffered a serious off-season knee injury (anterior cruciate ligament tear) playing flag football.
- 2006:
- The World Baseball Classic set its pitch limits and mercy rules, designed to protect pitchers in the early stages of spring training and cut short one-sided games.
- 2008:
- The Yaquis de Obregón win their first Mexican Pacific League title in 27 years, topping the Mazatlan Deer in the finals 4 games to 1. Andres Meza and four relievers combine on a 1-0 shutout in the finale, with Joakim Soria notching the save. Alfredo Amezaga triples off of Pablo Ortega in the 6th and scores on a hit by Jorge Padilla for the game's lone run.
- Mike Lieberthal announces his retirement. A 14-year major league veteran, he had been a two-time All-Star and had cracked 150 home runs in the majors. Lieberthal had only seen limited playing time in 2007.
[edit] Births
- 1855 - Gil Hatfield, infielder (d. 1921)
- 1859 - Bob Emslie, pitcher (d. 1943)
- 1865 - Bill George, pitcher (d. 1916)
- 1865 - Mother Watson, pitcher (d. 1898)
- 1866 - Charlie Duffee, outfielder (d. 1894)
- 1871 - Bert Inks, pitcher (d. 1941)
- 1876 - Otis Clymer, outfielder (d. 1926)
- 1877 - John Burke, pitcher/outfielder (d. 1950)
- 1880 - Andy Lotshaw, minor league star (d. 1953)
- 1882 - Elijah Jones, pitcher (d. 1943)
- 1883 - John McDonald, pitcher (d. 1950)
- 1888 - Al Wickland, outfielder (d. 1980)
- 1891 - Al Tesch, infielder (d. 1947)
- 1894 - Joe Weiss, infielder (d. 1967)
- 1896 - Milt Gaston, pitcher (d. 1996)
- 1899 - Bob Barrett, infielder (d. 1982)
- 1899 - Bibb Falk, outfielder, manager (d. 1989)
- 1901 - Fred Heimach, pitcher (d. 1973)
- 1902 - Ollie Tucker, outfielder (d. 1940)
- 1903 - Art Reinholz, infielder (d. 1980)
- 1903 - Earl Williams, catcher (d. 1958)
- 1910 - Harry Matuzak, pitcher (d. 1978)
- 1913 - Stew Hofferth, catcher (d. 1994)
- 1913 - Floyd Speer, pitcher (d. 1969)
- 1915 - Buck Etchison, infielder (d. 1980)
- 1920 - Yutaka Ishii, NPB infielder (d. WWII)
- 1920 - Eddie Shokes, infielder (d. 2002)
- 1921 - Red Boucher, founder/manager of Alaska Goldpanners (d. 2009)
- 1926 - Bob Borkowski, outfielder
- 1929 - Bobby Kline, infielder
- 1932 - Juan Lima, minor league umpire; Salon de la Fama (d. 1989)
- 1935 - Steve Demeter, infielder
- 1941 - Nick Willhite, pitcher (d. 2008)
- 1943 - Doug Adams, catcher
- 1947 - John Lowenstein, outfielder
- 1947 - Tim Plodinec, pitcher
- 1948 - Tom Trebelhorn, , manager
- 1951 - Mike Overy, pitcher
- 1954 - Stan Hough, minor league player and manager
- 1959 - Jeff Andrews, coach
- 1959 - Greg Bargar, pitcher
- 1960 - Dan Evans, general manager
- 1960 - Jeff Reynolds, minor league infielder
- 1965 - Rusty Richards, pitcher
- 1968 - Rusty Meacham, pitcher
- 1968 - Eric Wedge, designated hitter, manager
- 1969 - Phil Plantier, outfielder
- 1969 - Jong-tae Park, KBO infielder
- 1970 - Jessie Hollins, pitcher (d. 2009)
- 1971 - Ken Huckaby, catcher
- 1971 - Steve Soliz, minor league catcher
- 1972 - Greg Martinez, outfielder
- 1974 - Bry Nelson, infielder/outfielder
- 1975 - Jason Conti, outfielder
- 1977 - Jason Stanford, pitcher
- 1978 - Angel Berroa, infielder
- 1978 - Pete LaForest, catcher
- 1979 - Luke Field, minor league player
- 1983 - Gavin Floyd, pitcher
- 1983 - Mike Zagurski, pitcher
- 1984 - Tae-wan Kim, KBO infielder-outfielder
- 1984 - Santo Luis, minor league pitcher
- 1984 - Jarod Plummer, minor league pitcher
- 1987 - Luis Solano, minor league player
- 1988 - Chris Berset, Great Britain national team catcher
- 1990 - Tim Beckham, minor league infielder
[edit] Deaths
- 1915 - John Coleman, pitcher (b. 1860)
- 1922 - Emil Frisk, outfielder (b. 1874)
- 1926 - Bill McCauley, infielder (b. 1869)
- 1927 - Drummond Brown, catcher (b. 1885)
- 1932 - Ed Appleton, pitcher (b. 1892)
- 1932 - William Wrigley Jr., owner (b. 1861)
- 1933 - Art Madison, infielder (b. 1871)
- 1938 - Larry Battam, infielder (b. 1878)
- 1953 - Merv Shea, catcher (b. 1900)
- 1962 - Jim Shaw, pitcher (b. 1893)
- 1962 - Bob Steele, pitcher (b. 1894)
- 1962 - Joe Vosmik, outfielder; All-Star (b. 1910)
- 1969 - Al Schweitzer, outfielder (b. 1882)
- 1971 - Bruce Connatser, infielder (b. 1902)
- 1978 - Sarge Connally, pitcher (b. 1898)
- 1978 - Monte Pearson, pitcher; All-Star (b. 1908)
- 1981 - Huck Geary, infielder (b. 1917)
- 1982 - Bill Haeffner, catcher (b. 1894)
- 1983 - Squire Potter, pitcher (b. 1902)
- 1991 - Dale Long, infielder; All-Star (b. 1926)
- 1997 - Kathryn Beare, AAGPBL catcher (b. 1917)
- 2002 - Reggie Sanders, infielder (b. 1949)
- 2003 - Bob Kammeyer, pitcher (b. 1950)
- 2007 - Bing Devine, general manager (b. 1916)
- 2008 - Ken Hunt, pitcher (b. 1938)
