1943 The Texas League, as will most minor leagues, announces it will cease operations for the duration of World War II. The difficulty to travel and the lack of able-bodied men available to fill team rosters make suspending play a necessity. 1948 The White Sox trade Ed Lopat to the Yankees for Aaron Robinson, Bill…
1921 Rabbit Maranville is traded by Brooklyn to the Pirates for Billy Southworth, Fred Nicholson, Walter Barbare, and $15,000 in cash. The future Hall of Fame shortstop will spend four of his 19 major league seasons playing for the Bucs, providing excellent defense for the team while compiling a .283 batting average. 1934 Brooklyn coach…
1931 The White Sox and Giants become the first major league teams to play a night game. The Buffs Stadium (Houston, Texas) exhibition game lasts ten innings with the teams collecting a total of 23 hits. 1931 The Dodgers arrive in Cuba to start a series of five inter-squad games. Brooklyn right-hander Dolf Luque, known…
1923 After buying the club along with two partners for $300,000, Christy Mathewson becomes the president of the Boston Braves. 1929 The Red Sox announce the team will play its newly allowed Sunday games at Braves Field. Fenway Park is considered too close to a church. 1953 Pledging not to move the team from St….
Baseball History 1935 Lou Gehrig signs a one-year deal with the Yankees for $30,000. Last season, the All-Star first baseman hit .363 with 49 homers and led the American League with 165 RBIs. 1942 Twenty-nine year old infielder first baseman Hal Trosky tells the Des Moines Register he is leaving the Tribe, citing his recurring…
Baseball History 1943 New York entrepreneur William D. Cox purchases the bankrupt Phillies from the National League. The 33 year-old new owner will be banned from baseball in November by commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis when he admits to making some “sentimental” bets on his team during the season. 1954 In their first major trade since…
1933 Four days after turning thirty years old and acquiring a very generous inheritance from his step-father, Tom Yawkey purchases the Red Sox from Robert Quinn for $1.2 million. The acquisition of the Boston American League franchise, which lasts for 44 years, the longest by a sole owner in baseball history, is prompted by…
Baseball History 1891 The American Association withdraws from the National Agreement, thus starting a war with the National League. The AA moves its Chicago team to Cincinnati to compete with the NL team. 1900 In lieu of unpaid alimony, Mary H. Vanderbeck takes possession of the American League franchise in Detroit. Her ex-husband George Vanderbeck,…
1924 Boston Braves’ third baseman Tony Boeckel becomes the first major leaguer to be killed in an automobile accident when he dies from injuries received as a passenger yesterday in San Diego. Yankee outfielder Bob Meusel, also a passenger of the car driven by L.A. theater man Bob Albright, escapes without any serious injuries….
Be sure to check back out our previous posts for other dates in history. 1931 The Yankees rename their spring training site in St. Petersburg Miller Huggins Field in honor of their late manager. 1934 Radio broadcast rights are granted to Boston, Chicago, Detroit and Cincinnati. 1946 Hank Greenberg signs a Tiger contract for $60,000….