This Date in Baseball

"Don't worry about your individual numbers. Worry about the
team. If the team is successful, each of you will be successful, too." -BRANCH
RICKEY, Baseball Executive

1940 Tigers' slugging left fielder Hank Greenberg (.340, 41,150) is named the American League's Most Valuable Player with Indian hurler Bob Feller (27-11- 2.61) finishing second. Having won the award in 1935 as a first baseman, 'Hammerin' Hank' becomes the first player to win the MVP again playing a different position.
1949 The San Francisco Seals of the Pacific Coast League complete an Asian tour which includes five Japanese games. One of the Japanese games draws over 100,00 fans to watch Lefty O'Doul's team.
1950 The BBWAA select Yankee shortstop Phil Rizzuto (.324, 7, 66) as the American League MVP. The ‘Scooter’, who receives 16 of 23 first-place votes, easily outpoints runner-ups Boston’s Billy Goodman and teammate Yogi Berra.
1950 Walter O'Malley succeeds Branch Rickey as president of the Dodgers.
1960 After operating the team in the nation's capital ever since Clark Griffith took over as manager of the club in 1912, Calvin Griffith, president of the Washington Senators, makes decision to move his club to the Minneapolis/St. Paul area.
1960 In a move designed to get a jump on the National League in the expansion race, the American League grants franchises to Washington and Los Angeles and okays the Senators move to Minnesota.

1982 The Phillies' thirty-seven year old 'Lefty' Steve Carlton (23-11, 3.10) wins the Cy Young Award for an unprecedented fourth time.
1985 Umpire Don Denkinger's controversial first base call helps the Royals to beat their cross-state rivals, 2-1 in Game 6 of the World Series. Jorge Orta was called safe even though it appeared Cardinal first baseman Jack Clark's throw to Todd Worrell covering the bag had beat him.
1996 After two one-sided losses at home, the Yankees win the next four games and take their first World Series since 1978 with a 3-2 victory over the defending World champs Braves in Game 6.
1997 With two outs in the bottom of the 11th inning of Game 7, Edgar Renteria singles home Mark Counsell giving the Florida Marlins their first World Series title with a 3-2 win over the Indians. The five-year old Marlins become the youngest expansion team to win the Fall classic.
1998 Potential free-agent all-star catcher Mike Piazza signs the most lucrative contract in major league history when he agrees to terms with the Mets. The seven-year deal is worth over $91 million and includes having a suite on road trips and a luxury box for home games at Shea.

2000 Yankee shortstop Derek Jeter becomes the first player to win the All-Star Game MVP and the World Series MVP honors in the same season.
2000 In Game 5 at Shea Stadium, the Yankees win their third consecutive World Series, the fourth title in five years and record 26th championship by defeating the Mets, 4-2. Luis Sojo's ninth inning two-out, tie-breaking single off starter Al Leiter is the decisive hit.
2000 Joining Hall of Famers Joe McCarthy (7) , Casey Stengel (7) , Connie Mack (5) and Walter Alston (4), Yankee manager Joe Torre becomes only the fifth skipper to win four World Series championships.
2002 When Russ Ortiz, tossing 5-0 shut-out strikes out Garret Anderson to begin the seventh, the Giants appeared destined to win their first World Series since 1954. Scoring six times in the 7th and 8th innings of Game 6, the Angels' rally from five runs down to stage the biggest comeback in Series history for a team facing elimination and beat the Giants, 6-5, forcing a Game 7.

2004 Prior to Game 3 of the World Series, Edgar Martinez receives the Roberto Clemente Award, an honor is given to the player who best exemplifies the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community involvement and the individual's contribution to his team. The Mariners designated hitter, a native of Puerto Rico like the award’s namesake, is involved Parent Project/Muscular Dystrophy, Children's Hospital, Make-A-Wish Foundation, and Big Brothers and Big Sisters.
2004 Curt Schilling becomes the first starting pitcher to win a World Series for three different teams. In addition to his Game 3 Red Sox victory over the Cardinals, his 8-2 lifetime post-season record includes wins for the Phillies (1993) and Diamondbacks (2002).
2005 Willie Harris scores the game’s only run in the eighth inning as Jermaine Dye, the series MVP, singles the pinch hitter home giving the White Sox a 1-0 victory over the Astros and the team its first World Championship since 1917. For the second consecutive year, an American League team sweeps its National League opponent.
2005 White Sox skipper Ozzie Guillen becomes the first foreign-born manager to win a World Series as the ‘Wizards of Ozzie’ sweep the Astros in the Fall Classic.
2005 Bobby Valentine becomes the first foreign manager to win the Japan Series in the 70-year history of Japanese baseball. Sweeping the Hanshin Tigers, the former Rangers and Mets skipper lead the Chiba Lotte Marines to their first league championship in 31 years.

2005 Tadahito Iguchi becomes the first Japanese native to win a World Series ring as the White Sox swept the Houston Astros to win the Fall Classic in 88 years. Leaving the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks, the second baseman signed as a free agent with Chicago prior to the start of the championship season.