BB On this Date ~ Events & Birthdays #2

November Baseball Birthdays 11/27

1920 Johnny Schmitz pitcher (MLB All-Star 1946, 48; NL saves leader 1946), born in Wausau, Wisconsin (d. 2011)


1938 Jose Tartabull MLB player, born in Cienfuegos, Cuba


1939 Dave Giusti (Pittsburgh Pirates), born in Seneca Falls, New York


1958 Mike Scioscia player and manager (LA Dodgers), born in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania


1978 Jimmy Rollins Phillies player

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This Day in Baseball History November 27​

1947 Triple Crown winner Ted Williams (.343, 32, 162) is edged out by Joe DiMaggio (.315, 20, 97) for the American League MVP by one point when a writer from the Midwest leaves the Red Sox right-fielder off the ballot. The BBWAA also denied the 'Splendid Splinter' the award in 1942, another season in which he led the Junior Circuit in every major offensive category.

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1950 Former Cleveland shortstop standout Lou Boudreau signs a two-year contract with the Red Sox for $150,000. The 33-year-old future Hall of Fame infielder will hit .267 playing full-time next season, becoming the team's player-manager in 1952 before managing full-time from the bench for the following two seasons.

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1953 Indian third baseman Al Rosen (.336, 43, 145) is selected the American League's MVP by an unprecedented unanimous vote when he is named first on all 24 ballots cast by the writers. The 28-year-old infielder, completing his fourth full season as a major leaguer, barely misses garnering the triple crown when Mickey Vernon tops him by one point for the best batting average in the circuit.

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1953 Future Hall of Famer Roy Campanella (.312, 41, 142) is named the National League's MVP for the second time. The Dodger catcher also copped the prize in 1951 and will win the honor again in 1955, joining Stan Musial as the circuit's second three-time award recipient.

1956 En route to play winter ball for Valencia, Charlie Peete, his wife, and three small children are among the 25 fatalities when a Caracas-bound plane crashes into the side of a Venezuelan mountain during a severe thunderstorm. The 27-year-old outfielder, who won the American Association batting title by hitting .350 for Omaha, played in 23 games for the Cardinals last season and was likely to become the first black player to be a regular starter in theSt.Louis lineup.​

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1956 After winning the MVP last week and the Rookie of the Year in 1949, Brooklyn starter Don Newcombe (27-7, 3.06) receives major league baseball's inaugural Cy Young Award, an honor given to just one hurler until 1967 when each league will name a winner of the prestigious pitching prize. The Dodgers' director of Community Affairs remains the only player in baseball history to have won all three major postseason awards.

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1963 Gary Peters (19-8, 2.33) edges White Sox teammate third baseman Pete Ward (.295, 22, 84) and Twins' outfielder Jimmie Hall (.260, 33, 80) for the American League Rookie of the Year Award. In his sophomore season, the 26-year-old left-handed fireballer, who struck out 189 batters in 243 innings, will become a 20-game winner for Chicago.

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1963 The A's and Orioles swap first basemen Jim Gentile, along with $25,000, going to Kansas City for Norm Siebern. Each player will have a mediocre season with their new club, but Baltimore's new infielder plays for American League's All-Star team.

Jim Gentile Norm Siebern

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1967 The Mets complete the deal that brings Senator skipper Gil Hodges (321-444, .420), who still had a year left on his contract with Washington, to New York to become the team's fourth manager in the brief history of the five-year-old franchise. The Amazins obtain the beloved former Dodger and original Met by sending 21-year-old right-hander Bill Denehy and $100,000 in reparations to the nation's capital.

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1970 Carl Morton, who finished the season with an 18-11 record for the last-place Expos, wins the National League Rookie of the Year award. The 26-year-old Montreal right-hander receives 11 of the 24 first-place votes cast by the writers

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1972 The Mets trade Tommie Agee to the Astros for right-handed prospect Buddy Harris and outfielder Rich Chiles, who will appear in only eight games for New York. The 1969 World Series hero, dealt by Houston to the Cardinals in August, will retire at the end of the season.

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1972 The Indians trade third baseman Graig Nettles and catcher Gerry Moses to the Yankees for backstop John Ellis, infielder Jerry Kenney, along with outfielders Charlie Spikes and Rusty Torres. Nettles will play a significant role on the Bronx Bombers' championship teams later in the decade, helping the club win three American League pennants and two World Series.

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1978 "I'll never make the mistake of finishing second again." - SPARKY ANDERSON, commenting after being fired by the Reds.
The Reds unexpectedly fired Sparky Anderson, who compiled a career mark of 863-586 (.596) during his nine seasons with the club, after his team wins 92 games but finishes in second place in the NL West, 2.5 games behind the Dodgers. Cincinnati GM Dick Wagner announces John McNamara, who has managed in Oakland and San Diego with mediocre results, will replace the future Hall of Fame skipper.

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1985 Vince Coleman is selected by the BBWAA as the National League's Rookie of the Year. The Cardinals freshman outfielder, who stole 110 bases for the pennant-winning Redbirds, joins Frank Robinson, Orlando Cepeda, and Willie McCovey as only the fourth unanimous winner of the award.

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1989 Tony Pena, 32, becomes the Red Sox's first highly-paid free agent when he signs a $6.4 million, three-year contract to catch for the team. The former Cardinal backstop, a five-time National League All-Star, will lead the Junior Circuit this season in putouts and games played behind the plate, finishing second in assists and fielding percentage.

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1991 The Mets and Eddie Murray agree to a two-year deal worth $7.5 million. The All-Star first baseman, who played the previous three seasons with the Dodgers, spent the first dozen years of his Hall of Fame career in Baltimore.

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2001 The major league owners vote unanimously to extend baseball commissioner Bud Selig's contract through
2006. The former Brewers' owner, who had held the top spot on an interim basis since 1992, was given the title permanently midway through the 1998 season.

2007 The Brewers and Jason Kendall agree to a one-year contract that guarantees $4.25 million and includes a vesting option for 2009. The 33-year-old catcher, who split time with the A's and Cubs last season.

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5 Negro Leagues greats who could knock the STUFFING out of the baseball: Josh Gibson, Turkey Stearnes, Mule Suttles, Oscar Charleston & Willard Brown
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Willie Mays during the Dodgers’ first home game at the Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California, 1958
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Shohei Ohtani throws in the bullpen before a preseason game against the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium, April 5, 2022
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Concession Prices at Shea Stadium, NY (1967)
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Sandy Koufax pitching in his no hitter against the Phillies at Connie Mack Stadium, 1964.
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Washington Senators Mgr Bucky Harris with rookie Harmon Killebrew before a 1954 game
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"To Help you be a Big League Batter" 44 minute recording features Stan Musial with Joe Garagiola. In his own words, Musial tells you how to grip the bat, stand, swing, bunt & all the batting secrets. Free with a minimum fill of 8 gallons of gas at Phillips 66 Gas Station dealers.
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November Baseball Birthdays 11/28

1953 Sixto Lezcano outfielder, 1974-85 (Milwaukee Brewers and 4 other teams), born in Arecibo, Puerto Rico


1958 Dave Righetti pitcher (Yankees, Giants) and coach, born in San Jose, California


1960 Ken Howell (Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies), born in Detroit, Michigan (d. 2018)


1963 Walt Weiss shortstop (AL Rookie of the Year 1988; World Series 1989; MLB All Star 1998; Oakland A's, Colorado Rockies) and manager (Colorado Rockies 2013-16), born in Tuxedo, New York


1964 John Burkett pitcher (MLB All Star, NL wins leader 1993 SF Giants; All Star 2001 Atlanta Braves), born in New Brighton, Pennsylvania


1965 Matt Williams infielder (5 x MLB All Star; NL home run leader 1994; NL RBI leader 1990; SF Giants, DBacks) and manager (Washington Nationals), born in Bishop, California


1969 Robb Nen pitcher (MLB All-Star 1998, 99, 2002; NL saves leader 2001 SF Giants; World Series 1997 Florida Marlins), born in San Pedro, California


1971 William Simas Jr (Chicago White Sox), born in Hanford, California

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This Day in Baseball History November 28
1938 Monty Stratton, having compiled a 36-23 record (.610) during his five-year major league career, has his right leg amputated due to a hunting accident in Greenville, (TX). Jimmy Stewart plays the title role in The Stratton Story, a 1949 movie chronicling the White Sox hurler's attempted comeback.

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1944 Hal Newhouser (29-9, 2.22, 187) edges his Tiger teammate Dizzy Trout (27-14, 2.12, 144) for the American League's MVP by four votes. The future Hall of Fame southpaw, who will also win the award next year, had posted only 34 victories in the past four seasons.

Newhouser & Trout

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1950 After relieving GM Branch Rickey of his duties, Walter O'Malley names PCL Oakland manager Chuck Dressen to replace the fired 65-year-old Burt Shotton, who compiled a 326-215 (.603) record during his four-year tenure as the Dodgers skipper.

1955 Monte Irvin's tenure with the Giants ends when the former Negro League standout is claimed in the Rule V draft by the Cubs. The future Hall of Fame outfielder will retire after playing one season in Chicago, finishing his brief eight-year major league career with a .293 batting average.

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1956 The Indians name Major Kerby Farrell as the team's new manager, replacing Al Lopez, who resigned on the last day of the season after finishing his six-year tenure with a franchise-best 570-354 (.617) record. The Tribe's 43-year-old new skipper led the AA Indianapolis Indians to the Junior World Series title, sweeping the Rochester Red Wings (Cardinals) in four games at the end of September.

Vandy Coach
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1958 The American League announces Opening Day will be on April 9, the earliest the Junior Circuit has ever started the regular season. Accompanied by David Eisenhower, the president's grandson, Vice President Nixon throws out the ceremonial first pitch, before the Senators beat the Orioles, 9-2, in the traditional opener played in Washington D.C.'s Griffith Stadium.

1964 Twins freshman outfielder Tony Olivia, named on 19 of the 20 ballots cast by a special committee of the BBWAA, is overwhelmingly selected as the American League's Rookie of the Year, with the lone dissenting vote going to 19-year-old Oriole right-hander Wally Bunker (19-5, 2.69). The Cuban native from Pinar del Rio won the AL's batting crown with a .323 average while hitting 32 home runs and driving in 94 runs for the sixth-place club.

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1964 Phillies' third baseman Dick Allen easily wins the national League's Rookie of the Year Award, receiving 18 of the 20 writers' votes, with the other two ballots cast for Braves' outfielder Rico Carty and Giants' third baseman Jim Ray Hart. The 22-year-old 'Wampum Walloper' led the circuit in runs scored, triples, and total bases, batting .328, fifth-best in the league, with 29 homers and 91 RBIs.

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1965 Future Red Sox owner Haywood Sullivan resigns as A's manager to become the Red Sox vice president and director of player personnel. Alvin Dark, who will lead the club to a seventh-place finish in his only full season in Kansas City, replaces the Donalsonville (GA) native.

Haywood & Satch
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1972 In a seven-player blockbuster deal between crosstown rivals, the Dodgers trade Bobby Valentine, Billy Grabarkewitz, Frank Robinson, Bill Singer, and Mike Strahler to the Angels for Ken McMullen and Andy Messersmith. Singer (1973) and Messersmith (1974) will become 20-game winners for their new teams.

Singer and Messersmith
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1974 Commissioner Bowie Kuhn suspends George Steinbrenner after the Yankee owner pleads guilty to making illegal contributions by giving "bonuses" to eight shipping firm employees, instructing them to donate their $25,000 to the Re-elect Nixon campaign, and for trying to cover up the scheme. The 'Boss' will have his suspension commuted to fifteen months, and in January of 1989, he will be pardoned by Ronald Reagan, just before the president leaves office.

1979 Right-hander Rick Sutcliffe, who compiled a 17-10 record on a losing Dodger team, is named on 20 of 24 writers' ballots to win the National League Rookie of the Year Award. Outfielders Jeffrey Leonard of the Astros and Scot Thompson of the Cubs garner the remaining four votes.

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1988 Rich Gedman becomes the highest-paid catcher in the American League, signing a one-year contract with the Red Sox for $1.2 million. The Boston backstop, who will appear in only 93 games, bats a meager .212 in his last full season with the team.

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1994 The Astros trade Pete Harnisch to the Mets for two players to be named later, Andy Beckerman (12/6/1994) and Juan Castillo (4/12/1995). The 29-year-old All-Star right-hander, who compiled a 45–33 record and a 3.41 ERA with Houston, doesn't fare as well in New York, winning ten of 31 decisions in two-plus seasons, before being traded to the Brewers on August 31, 1997, for a minor league outfielder.

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2000 Curtis Leskanic (9-3, 2.56, 12 saves) agrees to a $7.2 million, three-year incentive-laden contract with the Brewers, which can almost double based on his performance. After Milwaukee traded closer Bob Wickman to the Indians at the end of January, the 32-year-old closer converted 11 of 12 save chances.

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2005 Agreeing to a deal that pays him the highest average salary for a reliever in baseball history, the Mets offer Phillies left-handed free-agent Billy Wagner a $43 million, four-year contract to close for the team. The 34-year-old 'Billy the Kid,' who led the NL in games finished with 70, will compile 101 saves in his three-plus seasons with New York.

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2005 Closer B.J. Ryan, who saved 36 games last season for the Orioles, agrees to a $47 million, five-year deal with the Blue Jays. The thirty-year-old southpaw's contract calls for the largest sum of money ever given to a reliever.

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2005 Due to the 15-year restriction, Pete Rose is no longer eligible for possible inclusion on the baseball writers' Hall of Fame ballot. The all-time hits leader, who was banned from baseball for life in 1989 for allegedly gambling on the game, has not been listed previously because the Hall of Fame Board of Directors decreed that BBWAA couldn't consider anyone on the permanently ineligible list.

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2006 Adam Kennedy ends his seven-year tenure with the Angels, signing a $10-million, three-year deal with the Cardinals. The former Redbird farmhand will reunite with David Eckstein, the second baseman's double-play partner during Anaheim's 2002 World Series championship year.
Eckstein & Kennedy

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2007 In a six-player trade, the Twins obtain outfielder Delmon Young, infielder Brendan Harris, and outfield prospect Jason Pridie from the Rays for right-handed starter Matt Garza, starting shortstop Jason Bartlett and pitching prospect Eduardo Morlan. The acquisition of the 22-year-old turbulent Tampa Bay outfielder, admonished by his manager Joe Maddon last season for not hustling, will help Minnesota fill the void created by free agent Torii Hunter's departure to the Angels.

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2007 The White Sox sign free agent Scott Linebrink (5-6, 3.71) to a four-year, $19 million contract, which many consider lucrative for a middle-reliever. Chicago plans to use the former Padres/Brewers reliever in an eighth-inning set-up role to get to Bobby Jenks, their closer.

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2011 Less than a week after obtaining the Astros from Drayton McLane, new owner Jim Crane fires GM Ed Wade and team president Tal Smith. In a statement issued by new team president and chief executive officer George Postolos, Dave Gottfried, Houston's assistant GM, has been asked to serve as the club's interim general manager.

2011 The Rays and veteran backstop Jose Molina agree to a one-year, $1.5-million contract that includes a club option for the same amount for the 2013 season. The 36-year-old catcher, known for his outstanding defensive skills, hit a career-best .281 last season with Toronto.

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2014 In a blockbuster trade, the Blue Jays acquire Josh Donaldson from the A's in exchange for second baseman Brett Lawrie, pitching prospects Kendall Graveman and Sean Nolin, as well as Franklin Barreto, a talented minor league infielder. The deal for the 28-year-old All-Star comes as a surprise because the Toronto third baseman was considered untouchable, partly for not being eligible for free agency until after the 2018 season.

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Mickey Mantle about to rock one all the way to Mars
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“What Sparks A Champion Sparks You! And Champions Choose Wheaties! Breakfast of Champions!” ~ Pittsburgh #Pirates star Ralph Kiner (Classic 1950s Wheaties Comic Book Ad)
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