February 11
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 February 11.
Events[edit]
- 1900 - The Baltimore Orioles of the National League sell their stars, third baseman John McGraw, catcher Wilbert Robinson and infielder Bill Keister to the St. Louis Cardinals. McGraw, the team's player-manager, batted .391 in 1899, but the Orioles are being contracted out of the National League.
- 1911 - The Chicago Cubs acquire second baseman Dave Shean from the Boston Rustlers for third baseman Scotty Ingerton and pitcher Big Jeff Pfeffer. This is the second time that Boston has traded with the Cubs for Big Jeff.
- 1914 - Declining to remain with the Chicago Cubs as a player after being fired as manager, second baseman Johnny Evers is traded to the Boston Braves for second baseman Bill Sweeney and cash considerations. Evers will have one good season left, leading the "Miracle Braves" to the National League pennant and winning the Chalmers Award for Most Valuable Player. Meanwhile, Sweeney will sour in Chicago.
- 1915 - New York Giants president Harry Hempstead objects to the International League's efforts to put a team in the Bronx.
- 1916 - After playing two seasons in Cleveland, OH, the American Association Mud Hens transfer back to Toledo. The franchise spent two seasons in Cleveland to block a Federal League team from moving there.
- 1923:
- With rookie Jim Bottomley in the wings, the St. Louis Cardinals send first baseman Jack Fournier to the Brooklyn Robins in a trade for catcher Hy Myers. The veteran Fournier says he'll quit if he has to move, but gives in and plays another five seasons. Fournier, with 22 home runs this year, will finish second in the National League, but his 20 stolen bases in 43 attempts - the 20th century worst percentage for anyone with 20 steals - will barely qualify him for the 20-20 club.
- In a deal of pitchers, the Brooklyn Robins send Clarence Mitchell to the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for George Smith.
- 1928 - The New York Giants and Pittsburgh Pirates swap pitchers: Burleigh Grimes for Vic Aldridge. Grimes, 19-8 with the Giants last season, will lead the National League in wins this year with 25 after his return to Pittsburgh. Aldridge holds out till May 3rd, and then will win just four games for New York.
- 1937 - Philadelphia Athletics owner and manager Connie Mack is interviewed by Boake Carter, one of the most famous journalists of the period, in a television demonstration by the Philco company to display its new technology. It is the first-ever baseball interview on television, although the audience consists only of selected guests at the Philadelphia Cricket Club, a few miles away from Philco's studio.
- 1950 - Future Hall of Fame outfielder Hazen (Kiki) Cuyler dies in Ann Arbor, Michigan, at the age of 50. Considered an outstanding defensive player and baserunner, Cuyler was a .321 hitter with 2,299 hits and 328 stolen bases during an 18-year career. At the time of his death, Cuyler was serving as a coach for the Boston Red Sox. His induction into Cooperstown won't take place until 1968.
- 1965 - Braves officials, who already intend to move to Atlanta, GA for 1966, propose to pay five cents from each ticket sold to a fund for the purpose of bringing a new major league team to Milwaukee, WI. Teams, Inc., a civic group, accepts the offer, buys out the park for Opening Day, and stages "Stand Up for Milwaukee Day".
- 1974 - A total of 48 players exercise their rights to settle their contracts through the new arbitration procedure. Pitcher Dick Woodson will become the first player to go through arbitration, winning his case against the Minnesota Twins.
- 1977 - The Chicago Cubs trade two-time National League batting champion Bill Madlock and infielder Rob Sperring to the San Francisco Giants for outfielder Bobby Murcer, third baseman Steve Ontiveros, and a minor league pitcher. In 1976, Madlock led the NL with a .339 mark, while Murcer hit 23 home runs and 90 RBI. Madlock leaves Chicago having hit .336 for them, which ties him with Riggs Stephenson for the top career average in team history.
- 1982 - The St. Louis Cardinals complete one of their best trades ever, acquiring future Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith from the San Diego Padres for fellow shortstop Garry Templeton.
- 1985 - Minnesota Twins first baseman Kent Hrbek signs a new contract making him the club's first million dollar player.
- 1987 - After refusing the Mets' $800,000 one-year offer, 1986 World Series MVP Ray Knight signs with the Orioles for $475,000 plus incentives and an option for an additional year.
- 1993 - Two free agents are signed: pitcher Scott Sanderson by the California Angels, and catcher Mike Scioscia by the San Diego Padres.
- 1994:
- Long-time Milwaukee Brewers star Robin Yount announces his retirement. The 38-year-old Yount leaves the game with 3,142 hits, 251 home runs, and two American League MVP Awards in 21 seasons. Yount will gain election to the Hall of Fame in 1999, his first year of eligibility.
- MLB owners greatly reduce the commissioner's power to act "in the best interests of baseball."
- 1997 - General Mills, the makers of Wheaties breakfast cereals, unveil three new Jackie Robinson boxes to be sold in stores nationwide. Robinson will be the first athlete to be honored on all three varieties of Wheaties: Original Wheaties, Honey Frosted Wheaties, and Crispy Wheaties 'n' Raisins.
- 2001 - As thousands cheer, Three Rivers Stadium, 30-year-old home of the Pittsburgh Pirates, is imploded. Roberto Clemente's 3,000th hit as well as Mike Schmidt's 500th career home run are part of the historic park's legacy.
- 2002 - Major League Baseball owners approve the sales of the Florida Marlins and Montreal Expos. Florida owner John Henry is selling the Marlins to Jeffrey Loria for $158.5 million, while Loria is selling the Expos to Baseball Expos LP, a limited partnership owned by the other 29 teams, for $120 million. The sales won't officially close until later this week.
- 2005:
- Jose Canseco's controversial book, Juiced, is made available in certain markets in anticipation to his appearance on the television news show 60 Minutes. The self-proclaimed godfather of steroids alleges former teammates Mark McGwire, Juan Gonzalez, Rafael Palmeiro and Ivan Rodriguez, among others, all used illegal performance-enhancing drugs.
- The New York Mets announce their former All-Star and Rookie of the Year Darryl Strawberry will rejoin the team as a special outfield instructor during spring training. Strawberry will also join former 1986 World Champion teammates Gary Carter, Lenny Dykstra, Howard Johnson and Tim Teufel at Shea Stadium on February 27th when single-game tickets go on sale.
- 2006:
- All-Star second baseman Alfonso Soriano loses his arbitration case to the Washington Nationals but will make a record $10 million this season. The figure is the highest salary awarded in a baseball arbitration case.
- Pitcher Shawn Chacon and the New York Yankees agree to a $3.6 million, one-year contract and avoid a salary arbitration hearing.
- Rickey Henderson is back in the major leagues, this time as an instructor for the New York Mets.
- 2009 - Miguel Tejada is the first star player convicted of a crime related to steroids. The 2002 American League MVP pleads guilty to lying to Congress when he said in 2005 that he did not know about any players being involved with steroids. Adam Piatt had later admitted Tejada had discussed steroids with him.
- 2010:
- Two long-time baseball icons officially hang their spikes today, although neither played last season. Pitcher Tom Glavine, after 305 wins and two Cy Young Awards, accepts a position in the Atlanta Braves' front office as a special assistant to team President John Schuerholz, putting an end to any desire for a comeback attempt, which would have required undergoing another arm surgery. For his part, 1B/DH Frank Thomas, nicknamed "The Big Hurt", veteran of 19 seasons during which he hit .301 with 521 homers and 1,704 RBI, announces he will not attempt a comeback either. He last played for the Oakland Athletics in 2008 but could find no takers for his services last season. Both will be elected to the Hall of Fame in short order.
- The Mets round out their squad as spring training is about to get under way, signing veteran Japanese lefthander Hisanori Takahashi, 1B Mike Jacobs and C Shawn Riggans to minor league contracts. Takahashi, unrelated to Ken Takahashi who pitched for New York last year, was 10-6 with a 2.94 ERA with the Yomiuri Giants in 2009; he joins Ryota Igarashi, who was signed earlier this off-season, on the Mets' pitching staff.
- 2011 - The Perth Heat win the 2010-2011 Australian Baseball League title, sweeping the Adelaide Bite in three games. In the finale, Ben Moore tosses a ten-strikeout, four-hit gem for Perth, allowing only one 9th-inning run. Paul Mildren matches him for four innings before folding and Perth goes on to win, 7 - 1. Mitch Graham drives in two, Robbie Widlansky hits a two-run homer and Tim Kennelly gets three hits for the victors.
- 2013 - OF Michael Bourn, one the last remaining unsigned big name free agents this off-season, reaches a four-year deal with the Cleveland Indians, worth $48 million.
- 2015 - Little League International decides to strip the Jackie Robinson West team of Chicago, IL of its United States Championship won at the 2014 Little League World Series because it used players from outside its territory and manipulated district boundaries in order to field a stronger team. Various officials from the district are also suspended for their actions.
- 2016 - The 2017 World Baseball Classic Qualifiers start with the first pool in Sydney, Australia. South Africa tops the New Zealand national team, 7 - 1, as Dylan Unsworth allows two hits in eight shutout innings and Brett Willemburg produces three runs. The host Australian national team has an 11 - 1 mercy rule rout of Philippines, as Steven Kent gets the win and James Beresford goes 4 for 5 with a run and three RBI.
- 2017 - The Brisbane Bandits repeat as Australian Baseball League champions, defeating the Melbourne Aces, two games to none, in the finals. Logan Wade is named finals MVP, having gone 4 for 8 with a homer. In Game 2 today, Kramer Champlin allows one hit in seven innings and Ryan Searle closes out the 3 - 1 win; Thomas Milone scores twice.
- 2018 - The Brisbane Bandits win their third straight Australian Baseball League title. In the 2017-2018 finals, they face the Canberra Cavalry in a winner-take-all Game 3. Travis Blackley allows one hit in six shutout innings for the win while #9 hitter Adam Weisenburger hits a three-run homer and Mitch Nilsson adds a solo shot in the 4 - 2 victory.
- 2019 - Kyler Murray, the 9th overall pick in the 2018 amateur draft by the Oakland A's, announces that he is giving up baseball to concentrate on becoming an NFL quarterback. Murray, an outfielder, was originally committed to give professional baseball a try and accepted a $4.66 signing bonus from the A's, but his plans changed after a tremendous season as a junior at the University of Oklahoma that saw him win the Heisman Trophy as the best college football player in the nation. He has declared for the NFL draft and is expected to be a top pick.
- 2020 - With spring training just around the corner, the Red Sox appoint bench coach Ron Roenicke as interim manager in place of the disgraced Alex Cora, who was let go due to his role in the 2017 Houston Astros sign-stealing scandal.
- 2021 - The Melbourne Aces win the 2020-2021 Australian Baseball League title, as finals MVP Tyler Beardsley shuts down the Perth Heat on one run in six. Colin Willis has three hits and homers while Jarryd Dale has 3 hits, a triple, two runs and two RBI for the Aces.
- 2023 - In a trade of former top picks in the amateur draft, the Athletics send P A.J. Puk (the 6th overall pick in 2016) to the Marlins in return for OF JJ Bleday (#4 in the 2019 draft). Puk played his first full season in 2022 after years of battling injuries, while Bleday was a regular for the Marlins during the second half, even though he batted well below the Mendoza Line.
Births[edit]
- 1825 - Frank Pidgeon, pre-MLB pitcher (d. 1884)
- 1854 - Leech Maskrey, outfielder (d. 1922)
- 1862 - Curt Welch, outfielder (d. 1896)
- 1863 - Jimmy Ryan, outfielder (d. 1923)
- 1869 - Joseph Nicholson, minor league pitcher (d. 1927)
- 1880 - Frank Lakaff, minor league pitcher (d. 1955)
- 1883 - Bill Warren, catcher (d. 1960)
- 1885 - Paul Trammell, minor league infielder and manager (d. 1950)
- 1887 - Ray Boyd, pitcher (d. 1920)
- 1887 - Ray Collins, pitcher (d. 1970)
- 1895 - Seizo Noda, NPB owner; Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame (d. 1978)
- 1896 - Charles Johnston, umpire (d. 1988)
- 1897 - Red Miller, pitcher (d. 1973)
- 1897 - Joe Shannon, outfielder (d. 1955)
- 1897 - Red Shannon, infielder (d. 1970)
- 1898 - Dave Snowden, pitcher (d. 1992)
- 1901 - Jimmy O'Connell, outfielder (d. 1976)
- 1905 - Ed Walsh, pitcher (d. 1937)
- 1911 - Yank Terry, pitcher (d. 1979)
- 1912 - Leon Ruffin, catcher; All-Star (d. 1970)
- 1913 - Joe Taylor, infielder (d. 2000)
- 1916 - Hadley Badgett, minor league outfielder (d. 2011)
- 1916 - George Hausmann, infielder (d. 2004)
- 1916 - Sam Page, pitcher (d. 2002)
- 1920 - Boyd Bartley, infielder (d. 2012)
- 1922 - Don Jameson, minor league outfielder and manager (d. 1996)
- 1924 - Hal Rice, outfielder (d. 1997)
- 1925 - Jack Blaylock, coach (d. 2016)
- 1928 - Chris Kitsos, infielder (d. 2004)
- 1928 - Kenjiro Tamiya, NPB pitcher-outfielder and manager; Japanese Hall of Fame (d. 2010)
- 1929 - Ralph Beard, pitcher (d. 2003)
- 1932 - Ford Baker, minor league pitcher (d. 2011)
- 1935 - George Alusik, outfielder (d. 2018)
- 1939 - Willie Smith, outfielder (d. 2006)
- 1941 - Sammy Ellis, pitcher; All-Star (d. 2016)
- 1944 - Ollie Brown, outfielder (d. 2015)
- 1945 - John Paciorek, outfielder
- 1948 - Bob Jones, minor league infielder
- 1949 - Ben Oglivie, outfielder; All-Star
- 1951 - Steve Hirdt, announcer
- 1953 - Tom Veryzer, infielder (d. 2014)
- 1955 - Billy Taylor, minor league outfielder
- 1961 - Steve Springer, infielder
- 1961 - James Grossman, minor league pitcher
- 1963 - Todd Benzinger, infielder
- 1966 - Daishin Nakamura, Japanese national team outfielder
- 1967 - Cheng-Hsien Chen, CPBL outfielder
- 1967 - John Patterson, infielder
- 1967 - Scott Pose, outfielder
- 1968 - Dave Swartzbaugh, pitcher
- 1969 - Bryan Eversgerd, pitcher
- 1969 - Kevin King, pitcher
- 1969 - Byron Ward, Hoofdklasse infielder
- 1970 - George Grygiel, umpire
- 1972 - Brian Daubach, infielder
- 1974 - Trey Beamon, outfielder
- 1975 - Simon Pantophlet, Netherlands Antilles national team pitcher
- 1975 - Reinier Yero, Cuban league catcher
- 1976 - Rick O'Dette, college coach
- 1977 - Christian Franco, minor league outfielder (d. 2014)
- 1977 - Cory Scott, minor league pitcher
- 1978 - Terrence Antonacci, First Division pitcher
- 1978 - Brent Butler, infielder
- 1979 - Eric Cyr, pitcher
- 1979 - Michel Enríquez, Cuban league infielder
- 1979 - Shlomo Lipetz, Israeli national team pitcher
- 1979 - Chris Mabeus, pitcher
- 1979 - Martin Veselý, Extraliga player
- 1980 - Matt Lindstrom, pitcher
- 1981 - Ken Kume, Japanese national team infielder
- 1982 - Matt Peterson, minor league pitcher
- 1983 - Rodrigo Escobar, minor league pitcher
- 1983 - Mark Minicozzi, minor league infielder
- 1984 - J.R. Towles, catcher
- 1984 - Cheng-Wei Huang, CPBL outfielder
- 1985 - Steve Alexander, minor league infielder
- 1985 - Chris Errecart, minor league outfielder
- 1985 - Miguel Fermín, minor league catcher-pitcher
- 1986 - Ikuhiro Kiyota, NPB outfielder
- 1986 - Mike LaLuna, minor league pitcher
- 1986 - Ryan Lee, minor league outfielder
- 1987 - Brian Matusz, pitcher
- 1987 - John Whittleman, minor league infielder
- 1988 - José García, minor league infielder
- 1988 - Shane Peterson, infielder
- 1988 - Brad Tippett, minor league pitcher
- 1989 - Phil Bauer, minor league outfielder
- 1989 - Cesar Cabral, pitcher
- 1989 - Christopher Howard, Bundesliga catcher
- 1989 - Philippe Lecourieux, French Division I pitcher
- 1989 - Alejandro Martinez, minor league pitcher
- 1990 - Tsubasa Irei, Japanese national team infielder
- 1991 - Beau Amaral, minor league outfielder
- 1991 - Kyle Haynes, minor league pitcher
- 1991 - Luis Santos, pitcher
- 1992 - Clarisa Navarro, USA women's national team pitcher
- 1992 - Heidi Northcott, Canadian women's national team pitcher
- 1993 - Matt Gage, pitcher
- 1993 - Kae Iwami, Japanese women's national team infielder
- 1993 - Takumi Oshiro, NPB catcher
- 1993 - Connor Panas, minor league outfielder
- 1993 - Hervé Saint-Pol, New Caledonia national team outfielder
- 1994 - Kevin Martir, minor league catcher
- 1994 - Dansby Swanson, infielder; All-Star
- 1995 - Gregory Soto, pitcher; All-Star
- 1997 - Shunya Morita, NPB pitcher
- 1998 - Graham Ashcraft, pitcher
- 1999 - Darren Baker, minor league infielder
- 1999 - Joey Wiemer, outfielder
- 2000 - Carlos De Avila, minor league pitcher
- 2000 - Jing-Yu Chang, minor league pitcher
Deaths[edit]
- 1903 - Sam McMackin, pitcher (b. 1872)
- 1912 - Jimmy Knowles, infielder (b. 1856)
- 1916 - Pat Carroll, catcher (b. 1853)
- 1921 - John Cullen, outfielder (b. 1854)
- 1929 - Dutch Ulrich, pitcher (b. 1899)
- 1943 - Ralph McLaurin, outfielder (b. 1885)
- 1945 - Ham Iburg, pitcher (b. 1877)
- 1947 - Jim Stanley, infielder (b. 1888)
- 1950 - Kiki Cuyler, outfielder; All-Star, Hall of Famer (b. 1898)
- 1950 - Hank Griffin, pitcher (b. 1886)
- 1950 - Paul Meloan, outfielder (b. 1888)
- 1956 - Joseph Myers, pitcher (b. 1882)
- 1960 - Fritz Clausen, pitcher (b. 1869)
- 1961 - Pete Shields, infielder (b. 1891)
- 1963 - Bunny Brief, infielder (b. 1892)
- 1965 - Lefty Herring, infielder (b. 1880)
- 1965 - Pete Noonan, catcher (b. 1881)
- 1976 - Johnny Miljus, pitcher (b. 1895)
- 1977 - Clarence Garrett, pitcher (b. 1891)
- 1980 - Red Torphy, infielder (b. 1891)
- 1984 - John Douglas, infielder (b. 1917)
- 1984 - Charley Suche, pitcher (b. 1915)
- 1985 - Luis Montes de Oca, minor league infielder; Salon de la Fama (b. 1926)
- 1987 - Bill McGee, pitcher (b. 1909)
- 1988 - David Eavenson, college coach (b. 1917)
- 1995 - Jimmy Powers, sportswriter (b. 1902)
- 1996 - Joe Lewis, minor league pitcher and manager (b. 1931)
- 1997 - Glen Stewart, infielder (b. 1912)
- 1998 - Mike Fornieles, pitcher; All-Star (b. 1932)
- 2000 - Robert Gaston, catcher (b. 1910)
- 2002 - Frankie Crosetti, infielder; All-Star (b. 1910)
- 2002 - Les Peden, catcher (b. 1923)
- 2003 - Gene Kelly, umpire (b. 1922)
- 2005 - Peter Widdrington, executive (b. 1930)
- 2006 - Venerado Calderón, Puerto Rican national team pitcher (b. ~1940)
- 2006 - Rankin Johnson, pitcher (b. 1917)
- 2006 - Robert Peterson, writer (b. 1925)
- 2011 - Chuck Tanner, outfielder, manager (b. 1928)
- 2011 - Ernie Tyler, ballboy (b. 1924)
- 2012 - Gene Crumling, catcher (b. 1922)
- 2014 - Max McLeary, minor league umpire (b. 1948)
- 2014 - Matt North, minor league pitcher (b. 1988)
- 2015 - Ray Hathaway, pitcher (b. 1916)
- 2015 - John Orphal, minor league pitcher (b. 1917)
- 2016 - Natalio Irizarry, minor league pitcher (b. 1929)
- 2018 - Jim Napier, minor league catcher and manager (b. 1938)
- 2019 - Jack Crimian, pitcher (b. 1926)
- 2020 - Katsuya Nomura, NPB catcher and manager; Japanese Hall of Famer (b. 1935)
- 2021 - Wynn Hawkins, pitcher (b. 1936)
- 2022 - Ernesto Redondo, minor league infielder (b. ~1925)
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