Baseball Birthdays February 29 2024 ********************************* 1836 -Dickey Pearce, 1892 -Ed Appleton, 1896 -Ralph Miller, 1896 -Roy Parker, 1904 -Pepper Martin, 1924 -Al Rosen, 1944 -Steve Mingori, 1952 -Al Autry, 1956 -Jerry Fry, 1960 -Bill Long, 1976 -Terrence Long, ****************************************************** Today in Baseball History February 29th1940 Determining the ownership of the White Sox, a federal judge rules in favor of Grace Comiskey, who inherited the team after the death of her husband, John Louis Comiskey, in 1939. The widow needed to go to court because the First National Bank of Chicago, the estate's trustee, wanted to sell the team because there was no specific instruction in her spouse's will that she should take control of the franchise. 1944 Deemed too tall for service, Dodger 6-foot 6-inch first baseman Howie Schultz, the player Brooklyn trades to make room for Jackie Robinson, is rejected for military duty for the second time. In 1949, 'Steeple' begins professional basketball career, averaging 5.3 points per game during a four-year stint in the NBA, becoming one of few athletes to qualify for a pension from two professional sports. 1972 Hank Aaron becomes the first player paid $200,000 per season when he inks a three-year deal for $600,000. In 1947, Hank Greenberg became the first player to make six figures, signing a $100,000 contract with the Pirates. 2000 The Newark Bears invite Yankee outfielder/DH Darryl Strawberry, suspended yesterday by major league baseball for testing positive for the use of cocaine, to join the team during his one-year banishment. The New Jersey franchise, a member of the South Atlantic Independent League, is located near the slugger's Fort Lee home. **************************************** 171,515
Pitching legends Nolan Ryan & Sandy Koufax pose together at spring training! (1980) You were a strikeout waiting to happen when you faced these guys
Bob Welch, Rickey Henderson (HOF), Dave Duncan, Tony LaRussa (HOF), Dave McKay, Dennis Eckersley (HOF), Jose Canseco, and Mark McGwire
MARCH 1 BASEBALL BIRTHDAYS ************************************** 1855 Paul Hines outfielder (Triple Crown 1878, Providence Grays), born in Virginia (d. 1935) 1914 Harry Caray Hall of Fame broadcaster (Chicago Cubs), born in St Louis, Missouri (d. 1998) 1916 Bing Devine baseball executive (GM St. Louis Cardinals 1957-64 [World Series 1964], NY Mets), born in St. Louis, Missouri (d. 2007) 1918 Hank Wyse pitcher (MLB All Star 1945; Chicago Cubs), born in Lunsford, Arkansas (d. 2000) 1957 Johnny Ray utility (MLB All Star 1988; Silver Slugger Award 1983; Pittsburgh Pirates, California Angels), born in Chouteau, Oklahoma 1962 Mark Gardner pitcher and coach (World Series 2010, 12, 14; SF Giants), born in Los Angeles, California ................................................
This Day in Baseball History March 1st 1903 The rules committee sets the height of the pitcher mound (box) to a maximum of fifteen inches. In 1969, the maximum elevation will drop to ten inches due to last season's dominating pitching, which saw batting averages plummet to all-time lows. 1909 The Pirates begin constructing a new ballpark near Schenley Park near the Oakland section of Pittsburgh. The spacious state-of-the-art venue, named a Forbes Field in honor of a pre-Revolutionary British general, will never have a no-hitter thrown in its spacious confines during the sixty-one years the Bucs call the ballpark home, a span of more than 4,700 games. 1947 Father Vincent Powell announces the diocese's Catholic Youth Organization will no longer participate in the Dodgers' Knothole Club, stating the church cannot continue to have their youngsters associated with the team's manager, Leo Durocher. The monsignor, who has been the director of the local CYO since 1940, believes the Brooklyn skipper "represents an example in complete contradiction" to the faith's moral teachings. 1949 As a ploy to increase their rental income, the Browns evict the Cardinals, their Sportsman's Park tenants. The Redbirds accuse the owners of breaking the lease, and as the season approaches, it is uncertain where the St. Louis National League team will play its home games. 1954 After surviving two plane crashes serving in Korea, Red Sox outfielder Ted Williams breaks his collarbone on the first day of spring training when he stumbles in the outfield fielding a line drive during batting practice. The Boston superstar, who hit .407 in 37 games at the end of the season after flying thirty-nine combat missions as a Marine pilot, will miss the season's first four weeks.
1961 After leaving the Oval Office six weeks ago, former President Dwight Eisenhower jokes with the Angel players before an intra-squad game. Ike will sit in the dugout with the newly established expansion team during the five-inning scrimmage. Dwight D. Eisenhower autographs the glove for Steve Bilko while Ted Kluszewski and skipper Bill Rigney (right) look on. 1967 Commissioner William Eckert approves the BBWAA's plan to select a Cy Young Award recipient from the National League and American League. The honor, initiated in 1956, had been given to just one pitcher in the major leagues each season, a position strongly supported by former commissioner Ford Frick. 1969 Citing "I can't hit when I need to," Mickey Mantle announces his retirement, thus ending his fabled Hall of Fame career. The oft-injured Yankee slugger ranks third, behind Babe Ruth and Willie Mays, on the all-time home run list with 536 round-trippers and finishes his 18-year stay in the majors with a .298 batting average.
1987 Charlie Kerfeld and the Astros finally agree on a one-year contract worth $110,037.37 and 37 boxes of orange Jello, planned for use in future pranks. The Houston reliever, who wears number 37, insisted he earned more than right-hander Jim Deshaies, and the reliever's new deal pays him $37.37 more than his teammate. 1993 Major League Baseball reinstates Yankee owner George Steinbrenner two and a half years after accepting a lifelong ban from involvement in the team's day-to-day operation. 'The Boss' had been exiled from baseball by commissioner Fay Vincent in 1990 for hiring Howie Spira, a known gambler, to snoop into the life of star outfielder Dave Winfield. 1994 Leonard Coleman, MLB's executive director of market development, is elected the National League president, replacing the retiring Bill White. The position will be eliminated in 1999, making the former banker the last person to hold the position. 1995 In an evening exhibition game, the Angels, using replacement players, beat the Arizona State University Sun Devils squad, 13-5. The Tempe (AZ) contest marks the first time since 1912 that replacement players participate in a major league game and the only time the team has worn big league uniforms. 2005 Deciding not to file as a free agent at the end of the season, Tim Hudson (12-6, 3.53) agrees to a four-year, $47-million contract extension with his new team, the Braves. The 29-year-old right-hander, acquired in a trade with Oakland in the off-season, grew up near Atlanta and rooted for the local team as a youngster. 2005 The Cubs announce construction for an additional 1,790 bleacher seats at Wrigley Field, which will begin at the season's end and be ready for Opening Day next year. A deal is reached for the expansion when the team agrees to pay the city $3.1 million before starting the project, contributing the funds for a local school park and a $400,000 traffic signal system near the ballpark.
2012 After spending 15 seasons, including serving as the team captain for the past seven, Red Sox backstop Jason Varitek announces his retirement, leaving only Carl Yastrzemski (23), Ted Williams (19), and Jim Rice (16) with longer tenures with the team without playing for another franchise. The venerable catcher, ninth on the all-time franchise list with 1,546 games, is the only major league player to have played in the Little League World Series, the College World Series, the World Series, the Olympics, and the World Baseball Classic.
2012 Yadier Molina signs a five-year extension with the Cardinals worth $75 million, an agreement to keep the Gold Glove catcher with the world champions through 2017. This new contract, which takes effect next season, includes a mutual $15 million option that could add another year to the deal. View attachment 176321 2019 Bryce Harper reaches a free-agent deal with the Phillies for 13 years and $330 million, the largest guaranteed contract for a baseball player. The 26-year-old six-time All-Star's historic agreement eclipses the 13-year, $325 million contract extension Giancarlo Stanton signed with the Marlins in November of 2014, a deal Mike Trout surpasses in a few weeks when the Angels give $426.5 million over 12 years. ................................................ 171,792
Ernie Banks never complained about his team's bad luck or bad talent, never stopped playing the game for joy, never stopped giving his all, never lost his proud demeanour, never acted like anything but a winner. He was a symbol of Cubs' fans undiminished resilience" Joe Mantegna
MARCH 2 BASEBALL BIRTHDAYS ************************************** 1909-1958) Mel Ott HOF right fielder and manager (12 × MLB All-Star; World Series 1933; 6 × NL home run leader; NY Giants), born in Gretna, Louisiana 1913 Mort Cooper, pitcher (MLB All-Star 1942, 43, 45, 46; World Series 1942, 44; NL MVP 1942), born in Atherton, Missouri (d. 1958) 1917 Jim Konstanty relief pitcher (MLB All Star 1950; NL MVP 1950; Philadelphia Phillies), born in Strykersville, New York (d. 1976) 1938 Donald Schwall, pitcher (MLB All-Star 1961²; AL Rookie of the Year 1961; Boston Red Sox, Indians), born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania 1962 Terry Steinbach catcher (MLB All-Star 1988, 89, 93; World Series 1989; Oakland A's), born in New Ulm, Minnesota 1965 Ron Gant Outfielder (MLB All Star 1992, 95; Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds) and broadcaster (WAGA-TV, co-host 'Good Day Atlanta', born in Victoria, Texas 1983 Glen Perkins, American baseball pitcher (MLB All Star 2013-15; Minnesota Twins), born in St. Paul, Minnesota ................................................
This Day in Baseball History March 2nd1927 Babe Ruth becomes the highest-paid player in major league history when the Yankees announce he will earn $70,000 per season for the next three years. The 'Sultan of Swat,' who had asked for $100,000, meets Colonel Jacob Ruppert at the owner's brewery in the Yorkville section of Manhattan to finalize the historic deal. 1966 Commissioner William Eckert, citing a rule prohibiting clubs from signing players during their collegiate season, voids the Braves' contract with USC standout Tom Seaver, who had signed with Atlanta for a $50,000 bonus a week earlier. The Mets will be awarded the future Hall of Famer's signing rights in a lottery that includes the Phillies and Indians, who also were willing to match the Braves' terms. 1989 "When he punched Keith Hernandez in spring training last season, it was the only time that Darryl Strawberry hit the cutoff man." - STEVE WULF, Sports Illustrated journalist. At a photo session, Mets' outfielder Darryl Strawberry throws a punch at Keith Hernandez, the team's no-nonsense All-Star first baseman. The spring training scuffle started over comments about salaries, resulting in Straw walking out of camp. 1992 The highest-paid player tag now belongs to Ryne Sandberg, when the All-Star infielder signs a four-year contract extension worth 7.1 million dollars per season. The future Hall of Famer will unexpectedly retire during the season in 1994, walking away from nearly $15.8 million from the record deal he inked today. 1995 "Cleveland got the better of the deals. They didn't get anybody." - DAVEY JOHNSON, Reds' manager. The Indians send Mike Curtis, Barbaro Garbey, Lee Granger, and Dave Gray to the Reds for "future considerations." The transaction, which helps Cincinnati add much-needed players to their roster, marks the first trade of replacement players during a baseball strike.
2001 Rusty Greer, now the Rangers' new leadoff hitter due to the A-Rod deal, signs a $21.8 million, three-year contract extension with Texas. The .307 career-hitting outfielder could make $36 million with incentives and options. 2005 Wearing their regular-season home uniforms instead of the traditional batting-practice spring training jerseys, the Nationals, in their first game ever, beat the Mets in the exhibition opener at Space Coast Stadium in Viera, Florida, 5-3. The Expos' first and last games were against the Mets before leaving Montreal for their new home in Washington, D.C. 2005 In a Capitol Rotunda ceremony, with legislators from the House and Senate and baseball commissioner Bud Selig in attendance, President George W. Bush awards the nation's highest honor, the Congressional Gold Medal, posthumously to Jackie Robinson's widow. Rachel, the widow of the courageous ballplayer, accepts the award for her late husband, who died in 1972. 2005 With hundreds of Red Sox Nation citizens in attendance on the south lawn, President George W. Bush praises the team spirit and winning style of the 2004 World Champions during a White House ceremony. Fall Classic hero and Bush supporter Curt Schilling gives the former owner of the Texas Rangers a white baseball jersey emblazoned with the forty-third Chief Executive's name and the number 43.
