February 2
From BR Bullpen
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| Stats of players who died on this day | |
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Events, births and deaths that occurred on February 2.
Events[edit]
- 1876 - The National League is formed in New York City at the instigation of William Hulbert, owner of the Chicago White Stockings, in reaction to the lack of central direction in the fledgling National Association. The new circuit will field eight teams in its inaugural season and will become the blueprint for professional team sports in North America.
- 1923 - Red Schoendienst is born in Germantown, Illinois. Playing mostly as a second baseman, Schoendienst will bat .289 during a 19-year career mainly with the St. Louis Cardinals, who he will later manage to a World Championship. He will win election to the Hall of Fame in 1989.
- 1930 - The New York Yankees waive shortstop Leo Durocher, who batted only .246 in 1929. The future Hall of Fame manager will eventually sign with the Cincinnati Reds.
- 1936 - The Baseball Writers Association of America announces the results of the first Hall of Fame vote. Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, Christy Mathewson and Honus Wagner comprise the inaugural class of Hall of Fame members. Several other stars like Cy Young fail to make the grade, but will enter the Hall in later elections.
- 1977 - Yukio Nishimura and Shigeo Mori are elected to the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame.
- 1987 - Longtime Kansas City Royals pitcher Dennis Leonard announces his retirement. A three-time 20-game winner, Leonard has struggled in his comeback from knee problems, winning just eight of 21 decisions in 1986.
- 1989 - Former All-Star first baseman Bill White is elected president of the National League. White succeeds Chub Feeney, becoming the first African-American to be named president of either league and the highest-ranking black executive in the four major sports.
- 1997 - Alejandro Quezada of the Hiroshima Carp becomes the first player to be claimed under the posting system; he will spend five years in the Cincinnati Reds chain but never make it past AAA.
- 2005:
- SkyDome is renamed the "Rogers Centre" several days after Rogers Communications completed its purchase of the Toronto Blue Jays' stadium. Fans react to the naming with derision, but the name will stick.
- The trade that sent Sammy Sosa to the Baltimore Orioles from the Chicago Cubs is finalized after Commissioner Bud Selig approves the deal and the slugger passes his physical. Chicago receives second baseman Jerry Hairston, Jr. and two minor leaguers, then signs Jeromy Burnitz as a free agent to replace Sosa in right field.
- 2006:
- Ramón Hernandez hits for the cycle and drives in five runs, leading the Caracas Lions of Venezuela to a 17 - 1 rout of Mexico's Mazatlan Reindeer in the Caribbean Series opener. Alex Cabrera also hits a home run with four RBI, and starter Jeremi Gonzalez strikes out seven in seven innings. According to Caribbean Series historians, Hernandez's feat is the first in Caribbean Series play, dating back to 1949.
- In the other game played today in the Caribbean Series, Anderson Hernandez hits a tiebreaking single in the 11th inning to help the Dominican Republic's Licey Tigers beat the Carolina Giants of Puerto Rico, 5 - 4. Miguel Tejada drives in two runs in the 3rd inning, giving the Dominicans a 2 - 0 lead.
- 2008:
- In the Caribbean Series, DH Miguel Tejada homers twice to become the all-time Caribbean Series leader with 13 home runs, breaking a tie with Tony Armas Sr.. Tejada's jacks help his Aguilas Cibaeñas to a 13 - 6 victory over the Yaquis de Obregón. He goes 3 for 4 with four runs in the game.
- In the other day one game of the 2008 Caribbean Series, the Tigres del Licey beat the Tigres de Aragua in a matchup of Tigers, 6 - 4. 2B Ronnie Belliard drives in four, including a two-run homer against Jose Santiago, to lead the victory charge while José Capellán gives up one run in five innings for the win.
- 2010:
- On the first day of the Caribbean Series, Escogido defeats Mayaguez, 2 - 1, while Hermosillo beats Caracas, 7 - 2, as veterans Vinny Castilla and Ruben Rivera lead the attack.
- The Marlins sign P Seth McClung and Jose Veras to minor league contracts, while the Dodgers add utility player Alfredo Amezaga, who missed most of last season with a knee injury, and also re-sign P Jeff Weaver.
- 2011:
- In the opening game of the 2011 Caribbean Series in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, Obregon of Mexico defeats Toros del Este from the Dominican Republic, 4 - 3, in 15 innings. Barbaro Canizares ties the game with a two-out RBI off Dominican closer Julio Manon in the bottom of the 9th, then Iker Franco wins it with a two-out run-scoring hit in the 15th.
- In the second game of the 2011 Caribbean Series, Anzoátegui of Venezuela tops Caguas of Puerto Rico, 5 - 3, to cap a harrowing day. The Venezuelan champions only reached Mayagüez at 7:00 AM, and had to play until 2:00 AM following delays caused by the Series' opening ceremonies and the marathon opening contest. However they take advantage of two Puerto Rican errors to score four runs the 1st inning and nurse the lead to the end in what manager Julio Franco calls a "superhuman feat".
- The Caribbean Baseball Hall of Fame announces its 2011 class. For the third straight year, only players from the Caribbean Series host nation are honored. This time, it is Roberto Alomar, Carlos Baerga, Candy Maldonado and Luis DeLeon who get the nod.
- 2012:
- Behind the pitching of veteran Nelson Figueroa, Mayagüez defeats Aragua, 3 - 1, in the opener of the 2012 Caribbean Series. Figueroa gives up a run on seven hits while striking out eight in 6 2/3 innings; Ruben Gotay drives in two runs. In the second game, Escogido defeats Obregon, 2 - 1, as lefty Kris Johnson is the star.
- The Cubs sign Cuban LhP Gerardo Concepcion. Concepcion was the Rookie of the Year in the 2010-11 Serie Nacional before defecting at the World Port Tournament in the Netherlands last June.
- A few major leaguers also sign contracts: P Micah Owings goes to the Padres, 1B Casey Kotchman to Cleveland and P Edwin Jackson to the Nationals.
- 2013:
- Escogido wins its second game in the 2013 Caribbean Series, defeating Caguas, 6 - 2. Donell Linares his a three-run homer in the 8th for the key blow. In the other game, Magallanes beats Obregón, 4 - 3, after the Mexican Pacific League champions waste a great start by Rodrigo Lopez. Lopez gives up only a run on two hits in six innings, the run coming on Robert Perez's solo homer, but Obregón replies with a solo homer by Barbaro Canizares. An error by Mario Lissón gives the Mexicans a pair of runs in the 7th, but reliever Oscar Villarreal gives them back immediately, then Lissón redeems himself with a game-ending RBI single in the bottom of the 9th.
- Caltech, known much more for its academics than its sports teams, wins its first game in nearly ten years, a span of 228 games.
- 2014 - In the 2014 Caribbean Series, the Naranjeros de Hermosillo improve to 2-0 by beating the Indios de Mayagüez, with two two-run jacks from Zelous Wheeler powering a 6 - 3 win. Juan Delgadillo tosses seven shutout innings but closer Oliver Perez nearly blows it, giving up all three Puerto Rican runs in the 9th. In the other contest, the Navegantes del Magallanes top Villa Clara, 8 - 5, with three RBI from Ramón Hernández.
- 2015:
- The 2015 Caribbean Series opens in San Juan, Puerto Rico. In the opener, Walter Ibarra hits a tie-breaking single in the 7th to give Culiacan a 2 - 1 win over Pinar del Rio, negating a strong start by Freddy Asiel Alvarez. In the other game, Anzoategui wins its opening match, 5 - 2, over Santurce, behind the pitching of Daryl Thompson and a two-run triple by Alexi Amarista off loser Giovanni Soto.
- ADO, the oldest team in the Hoofdklasse (the club having been founded in 1949), votes to fold due to financial troubles. The team had won the 1992 Holland Series and the 1993 European Cup. Bart Volkerijk had been their brightest star.
- 2016:
- Aragua, representing Venezuela, improves to 2-0 in the 2016 Caribbean Series by defeating Escogido, 8 - 7. Juniel Querecuto singles in the winning run with two outs in the bottom of the 10th. The host Dominican team leads 7 - 5 before it gives up runs in the 8th and 9th to force extra innings, and goes down to its second defeat. Mazatlan of Mexico has also won its first two games, as it defeats Ciego de Ávila, Cuba's representative, 9 - 3, in the day's other game. Sebastian Valle hits a three-run double in the 2nd to put Mazatlan ahead to stay, then adds two more RBI in the 7th as Eddie Gamboa picks up the win.
- The Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame names its class of 2016: Pat Hentgen (first Toronto Blue Jay to win the American League Cy Young Award), Dennis Martinez (only Montreal Expo to throw a perfect game, second in franchise history in wins), Wayne Norton (former AAA player and noted international scout as well as Team Canada executive), Tony Kubek (former Blue Jays announcer), Howard Starkman (Blue Jays executive) and William Shuttleworth (Canadian baseball pioneer).
- 2017:
- The Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame announces its 2017 inductees. Leading the way are P Roy Halladay and OF Vladimir Guerrero, who respectively starred for the Toronto Blue Jays and Montreal Expos, as well as former Baseball Canada President Ray Carter, amateur umpire Doug Hudlin, and the edition of Team Canada which won gold at the 2015 Pan American Games.
- On day two of the 2017 Caribbean Series, Aguilas de Mexicali defeat Tigres del Licey, 7 - 2, behind a homer and three RBIs from C.J. Retherford, four hits by Chris Roberson and two triples by Jason Bourgeois. In the other game, Tigres de Aragua beat Criollos de Caguas, 4 - 3, as Jesus Flores homers and drives in two runs; Omar Bencomo allows one run in five innings to pick up the win.
- 2018:
- With former President Bill Clinton on hand in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Alazanes de Granma open the 2018 Caribbean Series with a 6 - 4 win over Caribes de Anzoátegui, behind the strong pitching of Lazaro Blanco. However, the win is costly for the Cubans as star OF Alfredo Despaigne suffers a leg injury. In the second game, the Criollos de Caguas defeat the Tomateros de Culiacán, 7 - 4, thanks to a three-run rally in the 8th highlighted by David Vidal's go-ahead double.
- Frustration over the slow pace of free agent signings continues, which some observers think is a sign of a return of collusion. The latest salvo in the ongoing war of words comes from agent Brodie Van Wagenen, who claims that players may decide to boycott the start of spring training if things do not improve quickly.
- 2019 - The Brisbane Bandits win their fourth straight Australian Baseball League title, sweeping the Perth Heat in two games in the 2018-2019 ABL finals. Today, they win, 9 - 4, behind finals MVP Tim Atherton's ten strikeouts and homers from T.J. Bennett, Wade Dutton and Andrew Campbell. Robbie Glendinning goes 3 for 3 with two homers for Perth.
- 2020 - After the second day of action at the 2020 Caribbean Series, four teams finish with 1-1 records. The Cardenales de Lara are the lone unbeaten team after edging the Toros del Este, 3 - 2, behind the strong pitching of Wil Ledezma. Meanwhile, the Vaqueros de Montería are the lone winless team after dropping a 1 - 0 game to the Astronautas de Chiriquí as Davis Romero and Diego Moreno combine on a two-hitter. In the other game today, the Tomateros de Culiacán beat the host Cangrejeros de Santurce, 4 - 2, thanks to a three-run dinger by Sebastián Elizalde.
- 2022:
- Pitcher Jeff Francis, a veteran of 11 major league seasons, is elected to the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame.
- The Caribbean Baseball Hall of Fame inducts four new members. New inductees are Tony Batista (the 2007 Caribbean Series MVP and former Series RBI record holder), David Ortiz (2003 Caribbean Series MVP who was also voted into Cooperstown this year), 1950s catcher Luís Saint-Claire and promoter Juanchy Sánchez.
- The Gigantes del Cibao move to the 2022 Caribbean Series finals as Tyler Alexander throws eight perfect innings before a double by Isaac Rodríguez Salazar leads off the 9th, as Cibao beats the Charros de Jalisco, 2 - 1. Moisés Sierra drives in Henry Urrutia with the first run with a 2nd-inning single and Robinson Canó with the second on a sacrifice fly in the 8th.
- Colombia makes its semifinal debut in fine form, as Elniery García and three relievers for the Caimanes de Barranquilla hold the Navegantes del Magallanes to one run on three hits, while Carlos Arroyo leads a balanced offense with two runs and three RBI, coming on a bases-loaded triple in the 2nd, in a 8 - 1 romp.
- 2023 - Curaçao makes its Caribbean Series debut as the event expands to eight teams. In the 2023 Caribbean Series opener, the Wildcats KJ74 de Curaza lead the Agricultores de Granma y Las Tunas 1-0 after 7 as Darren Seferina drives in Sharlon Schoop and Cody Mincey shuts out Cuba, but the Cubans rally to tie it on a 8th-inning homer by Andrés De La Cruz off Shairon Martis and then win it in the 10th on a single by Guillermo Avilés.
Births[edit]
- 1857 - John Cross, umpire (d. 1942)
- 1860 - Ed Halbriter, pitcher (d. 1936)
- 1862 - Bert Dorr, pitcher (d. 1914)
- 1872 - Dale Gear, outfielder (d. 1951)
- 1874 - Charlie Frisbee, outfielder (d. 1954)
- 1878 - Emil Haberer, catcher (d. 1951)
- 1878 - Hub Hart, catcher (d. 1960)
- 1881 - Orval Overall, pitcher (d. 1947)
- 1883 - Bill Abstein, infielder (d. 1940)
- 1884 - Ray Demmitt, outfielder (d. 1956)
- 1884 - Walt Kuhn, catcher (d. 1935)
- 1886 - Herb Juul, pitcher (d. 1928)
- 1887 - Mutz Ens, infielder (d. 1950)
- 1889 - Ernie Wolf, pitcher (d. 1964)
- 1891 - Lawrence Whitney, Olympic outfielder (d. 1941)
- 1893 - Cy Warmoth, pitcher (d. 1957)
- 1895 - George Halas, outfielder (d. 1983)
- 1895 - George Lees, catcher (d. 1980)
- 1896 - Herlen Ragland, pitcher (d. 1960)
- 1896 - Tsutomu Takeda, Japanese Hall of Fame (d. 1990)
- 1898 - Forrest Mashaw, outfielder (d. 1970)
- 1900 - Willie Kamm, infielder (d. 1988)
- 1900 - Frank Mack, pitcher (d. 1971)
- 1900 - Roy Sparrow, writer (d. 1943)
- 1901 - Otis Miller, infielder (d. 1959)
- 1907 - Jerry Byrne, pitcher (d. 1955)
- 1908 - Bobby Coombs, pitcher (d. 1991)
- 1908 - Wes Ferrell, pitcher; All-Star (d. 1976)
- 1915 - Al Lien, minor league pitcher (d. 1967)
- 1918 - Don Pardo, announcer (d. 2014)
- 1920 - Zeb Eaton, pitcher (d. 1989)
- 1922 - Sheldon Jones, pitcher (d. 1991)
- 1923 - Red Schoendienst, infielder, manager; All-Star, Hall of Famer (d. 2018)
- 1925 - Joe Szekely, outfielder (d. 1995)
- 1927 - Doris Sams, AAGPBL outfielder and pitcher (d. 2012)
- 1927 - Fred Waters, pitcher (d. 1989)
- 1931 - Ted Tappe, outfielder (d. 2004)
- 1933 - Jack Reed, outfielder (d. 2022)
- 1935 - Charles Pagliarulo, minor league infielder (d. 1994)
- 1937 - Egidio Cerea, Italian Baseball League catcher
- 1937 - Don Buford, infielder; All-Star
- 1938 - Max Alvis, infielder; All-Star
- 1941 - Gary Hughes, scout (d. 2020)
- 1942 - Ron Franklin, announcer
- 1942 - Larry Rojas, minor league infielder
- 1948 - Dell Chambers, minor league infielder (d. 1968)
- 1950 - Dale Murray, pitcher
- 1951 - Leo Foster, infielder
- 1952 - Warren Brusstar, pitcher
- 1952 - Bill Mallon, author
- 1953 - Hsien-Tsung Hu, Taiwan national team pitcher
- 1954 - Puchy Delgado, outfielder
- 1954 - Rob Dressler, pitcher
- 1954 - Dave Logan, drafted infielder
- 1954 - John Tudor, pitcher
- 1956 - Jose Centeno, minor league outfielder
- 1956 - John Hodges, Australian national team infielder
- 1956 - Manny Sarmiento, pitcher
- 1957 - Craig Chamberlain, pitcher
- 1958 - Pat Tabler, infielder; All-Star
- 1960 - Buddy Biancalana, infielder
- 1961 - Steve Smith, college coach
- 1962 - Pat Clements, pitcher
- 1962 - Paul Kilgus, pitcher
- 1963 - Ruggero Bagialemani, Serie A1 infielder
- 1964 - Doug Cinnella, minor league pitcher
- 1965 - Tom Aldrich, minor league infielder
- 1966 - Greg Smith, scout
- 1968 - Scott Erickson, pitcher
- 1969 - Bill Abare, minor league infielder
- 1969 - Óscar Macías, minor league infielder
- 1970 - Brad Seitzer, minor league infielder
- 1970 - Tom Sutaris, minor league outfielder
- 1971 - Jeff Droll, minor league pitcher
- 1971 - Anthony Lewis, minor league outfielder
- 1971 - Kiyoshi Toyoda, NPB pitcher
- 1972 - Jared Fernandez, pitcher
- 1972 - Melvin Mora, infielder; All-Star
- 1973 - Stefano Landuzzi, Italian Baseball League catcher
- 1974 - Josh Klimek, minor league infielder
- 1974 - Billy Percibal, minor league pitcher
- 1975 - Mark DeRosa, infielder
- 1977 - Adam Everett, infielder
- 1977 - Olivier Israel, Division Elite infielder
- 1978 - Cliff Godwin, minor league player and college coach
- 1979 - Wai-Hang Leung, Hong Kong national team player
- 1979 - Marko Pavlakovic, Croatian national team outfielder
- 1979 - Tino Sanchez, minor league catcher
- 1980 - Luis Miguel Navas, Cuban leagues infielder
- 1982 - Masato Nakamura, NPB outfielder
- 1983 - Ronny Cedeno, infielder
- 1983 - Jason Vargas, pitcher; All-Star
- 1984 - Ryan Doherty, minor league pitcher
- 1984 - Chin-Lung Hu, infielder
- 1984 - Jamin Huchingson, minor league pitcher
- 1984 - Arturo Rivas, minor league outfielder
- 1985 - Scott Maine, pitcher
- 1986 - Joanniel Montero, minor league player
- 1987 - Jean Tome, minor league pitcher
- 1988 - Blake McFarland, minor league pitcher
- 1988 - Brad Peacock, pitcher
- 1988 - Max Perlman, minor league pitcher
- 1988 - Travis Snider, outfielder
- 1989 - Logan Darnell, pitcher
- 1990 - Aldo Montes, minor league pitcher
- 1990 - Nick Rickles, minor league catcher
- 1990 - Hiroaki Shimauchi, NPB outfielder
- 1990 - Daniel Winkler, pitcher
- 1991 - Matt Boyd, pitcher
- 1992 - J.J. Franco, minor league infielder
- 1992 - Chun-Lin Kuo, NPB pitcher
- 1992 - Mauricio Ramos, minor league infielder
- 1993 - Juan Avena, drafted player
- 1993 - Adrian Houser, pitcher
- 1994 - Jair Morelos, minor league infielder
- 1995 - Yunior Marté, pitcher
- 1995 - Bernardo Moreno, Salvadoran national team pitcher
- 1996 - Troy Stokes, outfielder
- 1997 - Leonardo Crawford, minor league pitcher
- 1998 - Will Brennan, outfielder
- 1998 - Josh Lowe, outfielder
- 1998 - Jake Malec, minor league outfielder
- 2000 - Munetaka Murakami, NPB infielder
- 2004 - Alfonso Jalil, Ecuadorian national team infielder-outfielder
- 2004 - Yayua Wa, Laotian national team pitcher
Deaths[edit]
- 1918 - Jack Crooks, infielder, manager (b. 1865)
- 1920 - Frank Quinn, outfielder (b. 1876)
- 1929 - Thorny Hawkes, infielder (b. 1852)
- 1929 - Mike Walsh, manager, umpire (b. 1850)
- 1941 - Ambrose McGann, infielder (b. 1868)
- 1950 - John Butler, catcher (b. 1879)
- 1951 - Bill Sowders, pitcher (b. 1864)
- 1953 - Mike Dejan, outfielder (b. 1915)
- 1956 - Michimaro Ono, amateur pitcher; Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame (b. 1897)
- 1958 - Johnnie Vivens, pitcher (b. 1896)
- 1961 - Red Holt, infielder (b. 1894)
- 1963 - Emil Planeta, pitcher (b. 1909)
- 1966 - Ted Shaw, pitcher (b. 1906)
- 1969 - Ray Schmandt, infielder (b. 1896)
- 1972 - Dick Burrus, infielder (b. 1898)
- 1978 - Archie Wise, pitcher (b. 1912)
- 1980 - Chauncey DeVault, minor league executive (b. 1910)
- 1980 - Jack Rothrock, outfielder (b. 1905)
- 1981 - Al Van Camp, outfielder (b. 1903)
- 1983 - Frederick Bedore, minor league infielder and manager (b. 1904)
- 1986 - Len Noren, minor league infielder and manager (b. 1927)
- 1987 - Néstor Lambertus, outfielder (b. 1906)
- 1993 - Merle Anthony, umpire (b. 1926)
- 1993 - Len Levy, coach (b. 1913)
- 1993 - Arthur Patchin Jr., minor league catcher (b. 1938)
- 1997 - Art Merewether, pinch hitter (b. 1902)
- 2002 - Andy Hansen, pitcher (b. 1924)
- 2002 - Ed Jucker, college coach (b. 1916)
- 2008 - Ed Vargo, umpire (b. 1928)
- 2009 - Kazuhiro Yamauchi, NPB outfielder; Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame (b. 1932)
- 2011 - John Gayle, minor league outfielder (b. 1923)
- 2012 - Michael Fandozzi, minor league infielder and manager (b. 1927)
- 2013 - Pepper Davis, AAGPBL catcher (b. 1924)
- 2013 - Edith Houghton, scout (b. 1912)
- 2015 - Dave Bergman, infielder (b. 1953)
- 2015 - Frank Borghi, minor league infielder (b. 1925)
- 2015 - Ken Johnson, minor league infielder (b. 1922)
- 2017 - Nick DeMatteis, minor league pitcher (b. 1942)
- 2017 - Perry McGriff, minor league infielder (b. 1937)
- 2018 - Larry Dorton, minor league catcher and manager (b. 1928)
- 2018 - Jaime Mercado, Puerto Rican national team outfielder (b. ????)
- 2021 - Grant Jackson, pitcher; All-Star (b. 1942)
- 2022 - Bill Short, pitcher (b. 1937)
- 2023 - Ron Campbell, infielder (b. 1940)
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