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 | |
| Permanent link to Today's Entry | |
| Sources | |
| Baseball Library Chronology | |
| Today in Baseball History | |
Events, births and deaths that occurred on January 27.
Events[edit]
- 1888 - The Brooklyn Bridegrooms keep five players of the recently purchased New York Metropolitans franchise and sell 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 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 5th, 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 8th, and Speaker will sign with Washington on January 31st for a reported $35,000.
- The Cleveland Indians have 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, OH, 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 ten games as a starter and reliever this season.
- 1944 - The Boston Braves fire manager Casey Stengel, who becomes the victim of an ownership change when Lou Perini, Guido Rugo, and Joseph Maney take control of the team. In five years, after Stengel will have achieved success at the helm of the Oakland Oaks of the Pacific Coast League, the New York Yankees will hire him 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 comes out with $866,000 profit in two years.
- 1953 - In another deal that general manager Frank Lane pulls over the protests of manager 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 another 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's 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 the 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 basemen of all time. The winner of nine consecutive Gold Glove Awards from 1983 to 1991, 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 second baseman Carlos Baerga.
- 2000 - The Cleveland Indians sign free agent pitcher Scott Sanders after his agent spurns 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 hit .316 with 30 home runs and 106 RBI in 2004, suffered a serious off-season knee injury - a tear of the anterior cruciate ligament - 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.
- Nobuhiko Matsunaka is given a seven-year contract, a new Nippon Pro Baseball record.
- 2008:
- The Yaquis de Obregón win their first Mexican Pacific League title in 27 years, topping the Mazatlan Deer in the finals, four games to one. Andres Meza and four relievers combine on a 1 - 0 shutout in the finale, with Joakim Soria notching the save. Alfredo Amezaga triples off 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 was a two-time All-Star and cracked 150 home runs in the majors. Lieberthal had only seen limited playing time for the Dodgers last season.
- 2010:
- The Yankees sign free agent Randy Winn to a one-year deal to be their left fielder this season. This move comes as the Yanks' 2009 starter, Johnny Damon, is still unsigned. However, GM Brian Cashman states that the team has now reached its payroll limit and that Damon is simply too expensive. Damon will end up with Detroit.
- Pitcher Tim Redding signs a minor league deal with the Colorado Rockies. He was 3-6 with a 5.10 ERA for the Mets last season.
- 2011:
- The Pirates repatriate western Pennsylvania native Joe Beimel and reunite him with his former manager, Clint Hurdle, when they sign him to a one-year contract.
- Aragua ties up the Venezuelan League finals at two games each by crushing Anzoategui, 16 - 0. Tyler Greene hits a three-run double in the 2nd, starting an eight-run barrage, which Alex Romero concludes with a two-run homer. Rosman Garcia is the beneficiary of the offensive fireworks, giving up only three hits in six innings.
- 2012:
- With the start of spring training just around the corner, some of the remaining unsigned players find homes for the season. The Rays sign IF Jeff Keppinger; IF Ryan Theriot goes to the Giants; P John Maine goes to the Red Sox; OF Juan Pierre signs with the Phillies; IF Matt Tuiasosopo signs with the Mets; and the Astros add P Zach Duke.
- Aguilas Cibaenas tie the Dominican League finals at three games each with a 2 - 1 win over Escogido. Brandon Moss starts the game-winning rally with a single off Hector Rodriguez to lead off the 9th. Teammates Bernie Castro and Miguel Tejada move him to third with a single and a sacrifice, and Juan Carlos Perez is walked intentionally to load the bases before Hector Luna ends the game with a single.
- La Guaira wins for the first time in the Venezuela League finals, 9 - 1 over Aragua, after losing the first three games. Tyson Brummett is the winner. Ray Olmedo and Gregor Blanco both hit bases loaded doubles in the early innings, then Hector Sanchez hits a three-run homer in the 6th to send La Guaira on its way. The Tiburones' nine runs in the game are more than the total seven they scored in losing the first three games.
- 2013 - The National Hockey League's St. Louis Blues pay tribute to a local icon. On the day after Stan Musial's funeral, every player on the team comes out for the warm-up skate before its game wearing jersey number 6, with Musial's name in place of their own. The Montreal Canadiens had paid a similar tribute to Gary Carter last year, with everyone wearing his number 8 in the warm-up.
- 2015:
- The Red Sox and Rangers swap pitchers, with Anthony Ranaudo headed to Texas in exchange for Robbie Ross.
- The Pirates trade OF Travis Snider to Baltimore for P Stephen Tarpley.
- 2018:
- The 9th inning of the 2017-2018 Cuban Serie Nacional finals' Game 6 is one filled with unusual plays. With Granma trying to lock up their second straight title, they are tied 2 - 2 with Las Tunas. With one out, Las Tunas' Yordanis Alarcón and Andrés Quiala single off Raidel Martínez. Yuniesky Larduet hits into a force out at second and Alarcón overruns third; the throw comes in and he is tagged at third by Raúl González. The umpire originally calls him out but it is overturned on video replay, giving Granma another shot. A passed ball advances Larduet while Alarcón holds up. Batting champion Jorge Yhonson is intentionally walked to bring up 41-year-old Danel Castro. Castro hammers an offering from Martínez for an apparent winning grand slam. Instead, after touching first base, he is celebrating with teammates like a much younger player and never finishes circling the bases; due to rule 9.06, it becomes a game-winning single rather than a home run.
- In a season shortened by Hurricane Maria's devastation of Puerto Rico, the Puerto Rican League wraps up with a three-game sweep in the finals as the Criollos de Caguas put away the Santurce Crabbers. Anthony García's two-run homer off Mario Santiago gives Caguas all its runs to make a winner of Iván Maldonado, who allows one run in six innings.
- The Caribes de Anzoátegui win their third Venezuelan Winter League title, beating the Cardenales de Lara, four games to two, in the finals. 41-year-old Freddy Garcia and three relievers (Carlos Teller, Mayckol Guaipe and Nick Struck) combine on a four-hit shutout, while Luis Jimenez hits a grand slam off Jorge Martinez in the 1st for all the game's runs.
- 2019 - The Cardenales de Lara use a balanced offense in a 9 - 2 romp over the Leones del Caracas to win the Venezuelan League title. Raúl Rivero turns in 4 1/3 shutout innings of relief after entering in the 2nd to get the win, while Luis Díaz takes the loss. The Cardenales won four of five games in the finals.
- 2020:
- The Cardenales de Lara win the Venezuelan League title for the second straight year on this date, but it's not nearly as easy. Going the full seven games against the Caribes de Anzoátegui, they trail 2 - 1 in the bottom of the 8th before tying it off Angel Nesbitt. With two outs, Yordanys Linares hits a two-run single off Lester Oliveros for the winning hit. 41-year-old Ricardo Gómez saves the game for Wilking Rodriguez.
- The Pirates trade long-time centerfielder Starling Marte to the Diamondbacks for two prospects, P Brennan Malone and IF Liover Peguero, and international bonus pool money.
- 2021 - The Blue Jays remain one of the most active teams this off-season as they obtain veteran starter Steven Matz in a trade with the Mets in return for three young pitchers - Sean Reid-Foley, Yennsy Diaz and Josh Winckowski.
Births[edit]
- 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)
- 1868 - Clarence Williams, Negro League and minor league catcher (d. ????)
- 1870 - Charles Shaffer, minor league infielder and manager (d. 1938)
- 1871 - Bert Inks, pitcher (d. 1941)
- 1872 - Charles King, umpire (d. 1940)
- 1876 - Otis Clymer, outfielder (d. 1926)
- 1877 - John Burke, pitcher/outfielder (d. 1950)
- 1878 - Robert Drury, owner (d. 1933)
- 1880 - Andy Lotshaw, minor league star (d. 1953)
- 1882 - Elijah Jones, pitcher (d. 1943)
- 1882 - Barney Joy, minor league pitcher (d. 1938)
- 1883 - John McDonald, pitcher (d. 1950)
- 1885 - Tom Baird, Negro Leagues owner (d. 1962)
- 1888 - Al Wickland, outfielder (d. 1980)
- 1891 - Al Tesch, infielder (d. 1947)
- 1893 - Fred Daniels, pitcher/outfielder (d. 1993)
- 1894 - Joe Weiss, infielder (d. 1967)
- 1896 - Milt Gaston, pitcher (d. 1996)
- 1896 - Ramiro Ramírez, outfielder, manager (d. ????)
- 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)
- 1904 - Willie Jefferson, pitcher (d. 1972)
- 1910 - Harry Matuzak, pitcher (d. 1978)
- 1913 - Stew Hofferth, catcher (d. 1994)
- 1913 - Floyd Speer, pitcher (d. 1969)
- 1913 - Shichiro Yokozawa, NPB infielder (d. 2002)
- 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)
- 1922 - Hillman Lyons, scout (d. 1982)
- 1926 - Bob Borkowski, outfielder (d. 2017)
- 1929 - Bobby Kline, infielder (d. 2021)
- 1930 - Karol Kwak, minor league outfielder (d. 2019)
- 1932 - Juan Lima, minor league umpire; Salon de la Fama (d. 1989)
- 1935 - Steve Demeter, infielder (d. 2013)
- 1941 - Nick Willhite, pitcher (d. 2008)
- 1943 - Doug Adams, catcher
- 1946 - Jeff Albies, minor league infielder, college coach
- 1947 - John Lowenstein, outfielder
- 1947 - Tim Plodinec, pitcher
- 1948 - Tom Trebelhorn, , manager
- 1951 - Mike Overy, pitcher (d. 2021)
- 1954 - Stan Hough, minor league player and manager
- 1959 - Jeff Andrews, coach
- 1959 - Greg Bargar, pitcher
- 1959 - Kevin Waller, minor league pitcher
- 1960 - Dan Evans, general manager
- 1960 - Jeff Reynolds, minor league infielder
- 1963 - Dong-chul Cha, KBO pitcher
- 1965 - Keith Helton, minor league pitcher
- 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 - Chris Rose, announcer
- 1971 - Steve Soliz, coach
- 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 - Ronnie Corona, minor league pitcher
- 1979 - Ekaitz Ezpeleta, Division Honor pitcher
- 1979 - Luke Field, minor league player
- 1983 - Gavin Floyd, pitcher
- 1983 - Lucas Montalbeti, Italian Baseball League outfielder
- 1983 - Mike Zagurski, pitcher
- 1984 - Tae-wan Kim, KBO infielder-outfielder
- 1984 - Santo Luis, minor league pitcher
- 1984 - Jarod Plummer, minor league pitcher
- 1986 - Yohan Flande, pitcher
- 1986 - Brett Lester, minor league pitcher
- 1986 - Matt Spencer, minor league outfielder
- 1987 - Shinji Iwata, NPB pitcher
- 1987 - Cody Satterwhite, minor league pitcher
- 1987 - Luis Solano, minor league player
- 1988 - Riccardo Babini, Italian Baseball League infielder
- 1988 - Chris Berset, minor league catcher
- 1989 - James Labartino, Extraliga pitcher
- 1989 - Nikita Monakhov, Russian national team catcher
- 1989 - Michael Pluijmers, Hoofdklasse infielder
- 1990 - Tim Beckham, infielder
- 1990 - Jordan Pries, minor league pitcher
- 1990 - Matt Weaver, minor league infielder
- 1991 - Julio Teheran, pitcher; All-Star
- 1992 - Doug Willey, minor league pitcher
- 1994 - Edwin Espinal, minor league infielder
- 1995 - Matt Foster, pitcher
- 1995 - Bryan Reynolds, outfielder; All-Star
- 1996 - Brallan Pérez, minor league infielder
- 1997 - Jonathan Heasley, pitcher
- 1997 - David Villar, infielder
- 1998 - John McMillon, pitcher
- 1999 - Hye-seong Kim, KBO infielder
- 1999 - Luis Ortiz, pitcher
- 2000 - Pat Winkel, minor league catcher
Deaths[edit]
- 1909 - John Mullen, catcher (b. 1856)
- 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)
- 1961 - Bones Sanders, minor league infielder and manager (b. 1917)
- 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 - Spencer Davis, infielder (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)
- 1992 - Lonnie Blair, pinch runner (b. 1929)
- 1994 - Frank Kristie, minor league infielder and manager (b. 1922)
- 1997 - Kathryn Beare, AAGPBL catcher (b. 1917)
- 2002 - Abelardo Raidi, writer (b. 1914)
- 2002 - Reggie Sanders, infielder (b. 1949)
- 2003 - Bob Kammeyer, pitcher (b. 1950)
- 2007 - Bing Devine, general manager (b. 1916)
- 2007 - John Kelly, minor league pitcher (b. 1927)
- 2008 - Ken Hunt, pitcher (b. 1938)
- 2010 - Sammy Drake, infielder (b. 1934)
- 2011 - Roy Marion, minor league infielder (b. 1919)
- 2011 - Butch McCord, outfielder (b. 1925)
- 2011 - Ben Solaita, American Samoa national team manager (b. 1949)
- 2013 - Chuck Hinton, outfielder; All-Star (b. 1934)
- 2013 - Barney Mussill, pitcher (b. 1919)
- 2013 - Wendell Ringland, US national team pitcher (b. 1921)
- 2015 - Roy Moretti, minor league pitcher (b. 1955)
- 2015 - Al Severinsen, pitcher (b. 1944)
- 2015 - Charlie Williams, pitcher (b. 1947)
- 2017 - Bob Bowman, outfielder (b. 1930)
- 2019 - Peter Magowan, owner (b. 1942)
- 2019 - Matt Turner, pitcher (b. 1967)
- 2020 - Ramon Aviles, infielder (b. 1949)
- 2021 - Flavio Alfaro, minor league infielder (b. 1961)
- 2022 - Gene Clines, outfielder (b. 1946)
- 2022 - Lee Peterson, minor league pitcher and manager (b. 1920)
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