January 8
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 8.
Events[edit]
- 1898 - National League president Nick Young announces the more experienced umpire will stay behind the plate when the new two-umpire system is instituted. Previously, the single umpire would stand behind the pitcher only with men on base.
- 1913 - The New York Yankees sign Frank Chance to be their next manager. Chance previously won two World Series and four pennants as the manager of the Chicago Cubs.
- 1916 - James E. Gaffney sells his Boston Braves for $500,000 to the Harvard University football coach, Percy Haughton, and a banker associate. Gaffney had bought the team in 1913 for $187,000.
- 1918 - Veteran infielder Buck Herzog is traded by the New York Giants to the Boston Braves for second baseman Larry Doyle and pitcher Jesse Barnes. Barnes will go 6-1 this year and then win a league-high 25 games in 1919. Doyle, a former Giants and fan favorite, was acquired from the Chicago Cubs four days ago and his trade was rumored. He will play three years in New York before retiring.
- 1930 - Chicago Cubs star pitcher Art Nehf announces his retirement. Nehf won 184 games during his major league career and pitched in five World Series.
- 1941 - In a poll in The Sporting News, the Baseball Writers Association of America names the 1940 All-Star team: Hank Greenberg (LF), Joe DiMaggio (CF), Ted Williams (RF), Frank McCormick (1B) Joe Gordon (2B), Luke Appling (SS), Stan Hack (3B) and Harry Danning (C) are the position players, and Bob Feller, Bucky Walters, and Paul Derringer the pitchers.
- 1944 - Bill Terry announces his retirement from baseball and plans to start a cotton business.
- 1953 - The Cleveland Indians bar night games with the St. Louis Browns due to St. Louis owner Bill Veeck's refusal to share receipts of the game telecasts.
- 1962 - Commissioner Ford Frick denies charges that Carl Furillo has been blacklisted by Major League Baseball because of a 1959 salary dispute with the Dodgers.
- 1963 - Funeral services for Hall of Fame second baseman Rogers Hornsby are held in Chicago, Illinois. Hall of Fame director Sid Keener, American League president Will Harridge and Hall of Famers Lou Boudreau, Gabby Hartnett, Ted Lyons and Ray Schalk attend the services for Hornsby, who died from a heart attack on January 5th.
- 1964 - In the Panamanian League, Jose Lizondro of Marlboro pitches a 3 - 0 no-hitter against Novatos. It is the first no-hitter in Panama since 1948.
- 1985 - The San Diego Padres sign free agent reliever Tim Stoddard to a three-year, $1.5 million contract. Stoddard was 10-6 with seven saves for the Chicago Cubs last season.
- 1986 - Willie McCovey is the only player elected this year to the Hall of Fame by the BBWAA. McCovey, who receives 346 votes, becomes the 16th player to gain election in his first year of eligibility. The slugging first baseman played 22 years for the Giants, Padres and Athletics, hitting 521 home runs to put him in a tie for tenth place on the all-time list. Another slugger, Billy Williams, falls four votes shy of the 319 needed for election.
- 1987 - Ten free agents (Doyle Alexander, Bob Boone, Andre Dawson, Rich Gedman, Ron Guidry, Toby Harrah, Bob Horner, Lance Parrish, Tim Raines, and Gary Roenicke) fail to meet a midnight deadline and thus will not be allowed to re-sign with their former clubs until May 1st if they are not offered contracts by new teams. The general lack of interest in the players will become the focus of the Players Association's first anti-collusion suit against the owners.
- 1988 - Faced with a midnight deadline to re-sign with the New York Yankees, pitcher Bill Gullickson agrees to a two-year contract with the Yomiuri Giants instead.
- 1991 - For the first time since 1984, three players are elected to the Hall of Fame: Gaylord Perry and Ferguson Jenkins, and a member of the 3,000-hit club, Rod Carew, who becomes the 22nd player to be named in his first year of eligibility. Ironically, none of the three players ever appeared in a World Series.
- 1994 - The Colorado Silver Bullets, professional baseball's first women's team, holds its first public tryouts in Orlando. An invitation-only tryout was held in Orlando on December 18th.
- 1995 - Mike Schmidt, who hit 548 home runs and won two MVP Awards in 18 years with the Philadelphia Phillies, is elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
- 1996 - For the first time in 25 years, and only the seventh time in history, the BBWAA fails to elect a single player for induction into the Hall of Fame. Pitchers Phil Niekro and Don Sutton, who receive the highest number of votes, will win election to the Hall in 1997 and 1998, respectively.
- 2001:
- Needing only 145 hits to reach 3,000, Harold Baines agrees to a minor league contract with the Chicago White Sox. The 21-season veteran, who will turn 42 during spring training, played with the Baltimore Orioles and White Sox last season. He will only get into 32 games with the club and add 11 hits before retiring.
- In a three-way deal, the Kansas City Royals obtain catcher A.J. Hinch, infielder Angel Berroa and cash from the Oakland Athletics, and pitcher Roberto Hernández from the Tampa Bay Devil Rays; Oakland receives P Cory Lidle from Tampa Bay, and outfielder Johnny Damon and infielder Mark Ellis from Kansas City, and Tampa Bay receives OF Ben Grieve from Oakland.
- 2002:
- Turning down a deal offered by the New York Mets worth a million dollars more with no deferred money, Juan Gonzalez agrees to a $24 million, two-year deal with the Texas Rangers that includes $10.5 million in deferred payments. The outfielder, who preferred to stay in the American League, established franchise records for home runs, RBI, total bases and extra base hits while playing for the Rangers from 1989 to 1999.
- Ozzie Smith, a 15-time All-Star shortstop, is elected to the Hall of Fame by the BBWAA in his first year of eligibility. Smith is named on 91.7 percent of the ballots. Dubbed the "Wizard of Oz" due to his remarkable defensive abilities, Smith won 13 Gold Glove Awards during his 19-year career with the San Diego Padres and St. Louis Cardinals.
- 2003 - Eddie Murray, the only switch-hitter in major league history with 500 home runs and 3,000 hits, is elected to the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility by being chosen on 85 percent of the ballots cast by the BBWAA. Former All-Star C Gary Carter also is elected on his sixth try after falling 11 votes short last year.
- 2005:
- Free agent pitcher Kevin Millwood signs a one-year contract with the Cleveland Indians. The 30-year-old starter missed nearly all of the last two months this past season with the Philadelphia Phillies due to acute tendonitis in his right elbow.
- After ending a 17-year Fall Classic drought, the St. Louis Cardinals and manager Tony LaRussa agree to a contract extension. LaRussa, who piloted the team to 105 wins this season and has been in the postseason five of the nine seasons with St. Louis, is now signed through 2007.
- 2008 - Goose Gossage is voted into the Hall of Fame by the BBWAA on his ninth try. Gossage had a 126 ERA+ and was a nine-time All-Star while saving over 300 games. He is the fifth reliever voted into the Hall, but the third in the past five years. He joins Hoyt Wilhelm, Rollie Fingers, Dennis Eckersley and Bruce Sutter. Jim Rice falls 16 votes short in his 14th year on the ballot. Tim Raines leads the first-time candidates, with less than a third of the votes needed for election.
- 2010:
- The Houston Astros sign P Brett Myers, who won three games for the Phillies in the 2008 Postseason, to a one-year deal. Myers missed most of the 2009 season after undergoing hip surgery.
- The Royals sign OF Scott Podsednik to a one-year contract.
- 2011:
- P Will Ohman signs a two-year deal with the Chicago White Sox.
- The Rangers trade P Ryan Kelly to the Athletics in return for Guillermo Moscoso. Moscoso had been designated for assignment by the Rangers when they signed free agent Adrian Beltre a few days ago.
- Baseball is also in mourning after today's shooting at a supermarket near Tucson, AZ, which leaves six persons dead and US representative Gabrielle Giffords among those seriously injured. 9-year-old Christina-Taylor Green, daughter of Los Angeles Dodgers scout John Green and grand-daughter of former player and executive Dallas Green, is one of the victims.
- 2012 - The Red Sox sign free agent P Aaron Cook to a minor league contract.
- 2013:
- The Nationals re-sign free agent 1B Adam LaRoche to a two-year contract worth $25 million.
- The Dodgers sign reliever J.P. Howell to a one-year contract.
- 2014 - One year after failing to elect anyone, the BBWAA atones by giving three players their ticket to Cooperstown in this year's Hall of Fame election. Ps Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine, 300-game winners both, and 1B Frank Thomas are all elected on their first try, while 2B Craig Biggio falls only two votes short of enshrinement.
- 2016:
- The former scouting director of the St. Louis Cardinals, Chris Correa, pleads guilty to five charges of hacking following an investigation by the FBI over allegations that the Cards had spied into the Houston Astros' scouting database.
- The Nationals trade former closer Drew Storen to the Blue Jays in return for OF Ben Revere.
- 2019 - The White Sox sign reliever Kelvin Herrera for two years and $18 million.
- 2021 - A lawsuit filed by fired Angels visiting clubhouse attendant Brian "Bubba" Harkins, sheds some light on some heretofore unpublicized practices in Major League Baseball. Hawkins was fired on March 3, 2020 after 30 years of employment for supplying substances used by pitchers to rub on the baseball and increase its spin rate. In his suit, Hawkins claims the practice was well-known and tolerated, and names a number of top pitchers who benefitted from his help, including Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole. However, in the wake of the sign-stealing scandal, MLB cracked down on other practices bending the rules, including Hawkins' side business, resulting in his firing.
Births[edit]
- 1862 - Jim Donahue, catcher (d. 1935)
- 1864 - John Gilbert, infielder (d. 1903)
- 1865 - James Graham, infielder (d. 1935)
- 1872 - Chauncey Fisher, pitcher (d. 1939)
- 1881 - Bob Tarleton, minor league infielder and manager (d. 1972)
- 1883 - Bob Ingersoll, pitcher (d. 1927)
- 1885 - Bill Bartley, pitcher (d. 1965)
- 1886 - Sam Lanford, pitcher (d. 1970)
- 1891 - Bud Weiser, outfielder (d. 1961)
- 1894 - Art Ewoldt, infielder (d. 1977)
- 1895 - Yank Deas, catcher (d. 1972)
- 1901 - Joe Benes, infielder (d. 1975)
- 1903 - Bob Clarke, catcher, manager; All-Star (d. 1971)
- 1903 - H. Gabriel Murphy, owner (d. 2001)
- 1904 - Porter Charleston, pitcher (d. 1986)
- 1909 - Al Reiss, infielder (d. 1989)
- 1913 - Charlie Wilcox, minor league catcher and manager (d. ????)
- 1914 - Chesley Gray, catcher (d. 1996)
- 1915 - Walker Cooper, catcher; All-Star (d. 1991)
- 1916 - Joe Just, catcher (d. 2003)
- 1916 - Skeet O'Connell, college coach (d. 2012)
- 1919 - Jack McLaurin, catcher (d. ????)
- 1919 - Don White, outfielder (d. 1987)
- 1920 - Bert Kuczynski, pitcher (d. 1997)
- 1920 - Glen Schaeffer, minor league infielder and manager (d. 2008)
- 1921 - Herb Conyers, infielder (d. 1964)
- 1921 - Marv Rickert, outfielder (d. 1978)
- 1921 - Johnny Tobin, infielder (d. 1982)
- 1922 - Ralph LaPointe, infielder (d. 1967)
- 1923 - Joe Duff, college coach (d. 2001)
- 1923 - Ray Flanigan, pitcher (d. 1993)
- 1924 - Hiroshi Hagiwara, NPB outfielder (d. 1997)
- 1926 - Dick Lajeskie, infielder (d. 1976)
- 1927 - Jim Busby, outfielder; All-Star (d. 1996)
- 1930 - Larry Isbell, minor league catcher (d. 1978)
- 1930 - Mack Rankin, owner (d. 2013)
- 1933 - Willie Tasby, outfielder (d. 2022)
- 1934 - Gene Freese, infielder (d. 2013)
- 1934 - Mauro Ruiz, minor league pitcher and manager
- 1935 - Reno Bertoia, infielder (d. 2011)
- 1936 - Chuck Cottier, infielder, manager
- 1936 - John DeMerit, outfielder
- 1937 - Don Dillard, outfielder (d. 2022)
- 1940 - Breno Brenes, Dominican national team player
- 1940 - Dick Kelley, pitcher (d. 1991)
- 1945 - Jesus Hernaiz, pitcher
- 1949 - Wilbur Howard, outfielder (d. 2022)
- 1953 - Apolinar Cruz, Nicaraguan national team outfielder (d. 2021)
- 1953 - Bruce Sutter, pitcher; All-Star (d. 2022)
- 1954 - Bobby Goodman, minor league catcher
- 1954 - Yasushi Tao, NPB outfielder and manager
- 1956 - Tom Berti, minor league infielder
- 1957 - Muneo Nakada, NPB pitcher
- 1959 - Craig Gerber, infielder
- 1959 - Mike Humiston, college coach
- 1959 - Ramon Romero, pitcher (d. 1988)
- 1960 - Randy Ready, infielder
- 1960 - Julio Solano, pitcher
- 1962 - Gianguido Poma, Serie A1 infielder and manager
- 1963 - Kash Beauchamp, minor league outfielder and manager
- 1963 - Jeff Stark, minor league outfielder (d. 2014)
- 1963 - Shane Turner, infielder
- 1967 - Bobby DeJardin, scout
- 1967 - Matt Maysey, pitcher
- 1967 - Randy Nosek, pitcher
- 1968 - Wataru Adachi, NPB pitcher
- 1968 - Paul Carey, infielder
- 1968 - Mike Guerrero, coach
- 1968 - Brian Johnson, catcher
- 1969 - Brian Boehringer, pitcher
- 1969 - Paul Reinisch, minor league infielder
- 1969 - Derrell Rumsey, minor league infielder
- 1969 - David Zancanaro, minor league pitcher
- 1970 - Brian Arntzen, minor league catcher
- 1970 - Burke Cromer, minor league pitcher
- 1971 - Jason Giambi, infielder; All-Star
- 1971 - Gino Henson, minor league infielder
- 1971 - Billy Joe Hobert, minor league outfielder
- 1971 - Kenjiro Kawasaki, NPB pitcher
- 1971 - Jack Stanczak, minor league infielder
- 1973 - Mike Cameron, outfielder; All-Star
- 1975 - Geremi Gonzalez, pitcher (d. 2008)
- 1976 - Carl Pavano, pitcher; All-Star
- 1976 - José Pett, minor league pitcher
- 1977 - Dave Matranga, infielder
- 1979 - Obedt Posadas, minor league pitcher (d. 2013)
- 1979 - Toshiyuki Kitagawa, NPB infielder
- 1980 - Roger Luque, minor league pitcher
- 1981 - Daniel Davidson, pitcher
- 1981 - Jeff Francis, pitcher
- 1981 - Javi Herrera, minor league player
- 1981 - Derek Thompson, pitcher
- 1982 - Kenta Kurihara, NPB infielder
- 1984 - Kenji Akashi, NPB infielder
- 1984 - Jeff Francoeur, outfielder
- 1984 - Warren Guistel, Division Elite outfielder
- 1984 - Kevin Whelan, pitcher
- 1985 - Jason Fernandez, minor league pitcher
- 1985 - Matt LaPorta, outfielder
- 1986 - Jeremy Riggs, umpire
- 1986 - James Russell, pitcher
- 1987 - Kent Matthes, minor league outfielder
- 1988 - Yinoska Claudio, Puerto Rican womens' national team infielder
- 1988 - Jon Edwards, pitcher
- 1988 - Kelvin De La Cruz, minor league pitcher
- 1990 - Hector Corpas, minor league pitcher
- 1990 - Brett DeVall, minor league player
- 1990 - Alexander Torres, minor league pitcher
- 1991 - Carlos Contreras, pitcher
- 1991 - Juan Silva, minor league outfielder
- 1992 - Yuito Mori, NPB pitcher
- 1992 - Breyvic Valera, infielder
- 1993 - Jeff Hoffman, pitcher
- 1994 - Min-jae Choi, KBO outfielder
- 1994 - Won-tak Ra, KBO catcher
- 1994 - Danry Vasquez, minor league outfielder
- 1995 - Jinjun Luo, minor league infielder
- 1996 - Chris Paddack, pitcher
- 1998 - Jhoan Durán, pitcher
- 1998 - Kameron Misner, minor league outfielder
- 1998 - Ken Waldichuk, pitcher
Deaths[edit]
- 1900 - Henry Kessler, infielder (b. 1851)
- 1919 - Jim O'Rourke, outfielder, manager; Hall of Famer (b. 1850)
- 1924 - Joseph Wiley, infielder (b. 1857)
- 1930 - Charlie Flannigan, infielder/outfielder (b. 1891)
- 1930 - A.J. Heinemann, minor league owner (b. 1878)
- 1932 - Bud Lally, umpire (b. 1870)
- 1936 - W.J. Bigelow, umpire (b. 1855)
- 1942 - Harry Pearce, infielder (b. 1889)
- 1943 - John Titus, outfielder (b. 1876)
- 1944 - Harry Daubert, pinch hitter (b. 1892)
- 1945 - Dean Thomas, pitcher (b. 1913)
- 1948 - Howdy Caton, infielder (b. 1894)
- 1950 - Helene Robison Britton, owner (b. 1879)
- 1951 - John Cason, catcher (b. 1895)
- 1952 - Art Evans, pitcher (b. 1911)
- 1956 - Felipe Montúfar, minor league pitcher; Salon de la Fama (b. 1906)
- 1959 - Harley Dillinger, pitcher (b. 1894)
- 1961 - Ray Nelson, infielder (b. 1875)
- 1961 - Schoolboy Rowe, pitcher; All-Star (b. 1910)
- 1980 - Herb Cobb, pitcher (b. 1904)
- 1980 - Harvey Russell, catcher (b. 1887)
- 1983 - Dave Barnhill, pitcher; All-Star (b. 1914)
- 1987 - Frank Hiller, pitcher (b. 1920)
- 1987 - Elmer Miller, pitcher (b. 1903)
- 1987 - Phil Seghi, general manager (b. 1909)
- 1990 - Fred McDaniel, outfielder (b. 1913)
- 1994 - Harvey Haddix, pitcher; All-Star (b. 1925)
- 1996 - Dutch McCall, pitcher (b. 1920)
- 1997 - Norman Shope, minor league pitcher and manager (b. 1915)
- 2001 - Bert Hodges, infielder (b. 1917)
- 2006 - Sidney Williams, pitcher/outfielder (b. 1914)
- 2008 - Steve Ridzik, pitcher (b. 1929)
- 2009 - Bertie Caster, Hoofdklasse player (b. ????)
- 2012 - Glenn Cox, pitcher (b. 1931)
- 2013 - Axel Swang, college coach (b. ~1922)
- 2015 - Charlie Alsop, minor league pitcher (b. 1929)
- 2017 - Jackie Brown, pitcher (b. 1943)
- 2017 - Ken Lowe, 1956 Olympian (b. 1931)
- 2022 - Eddie Basinski, infielder (b. 1922)
- 2022 - Don Dillard, outfielder (b. 1937)
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