This Date in Baseball

"Everybody thinks of baseball as a sacred cow. When you have the nerve to
challenge it, people look down their noses at you. There are a lot of things
wrong with a lot of industries...baseball is one of them." - CURT FLOOD, as a
Cardinal outfielder commenting the state of baseball

1953 The Rules Committee re-establishes the sacrifice fly ruling which credits a batter with a RBI who flies out driving in a run without charging the hitter with a time at bat. The rule had been dropped in 1939.
1964 Philadelphia voters approve $25 million bond issue to build a new sport stadium. Due cost overruns, a 1967 measure is needed to authorized an additional $13 million making Veteran Stadiums most expensive ballparks with a final cost of $50

1965 In a winter league game, A's pitcher Lew Krausse strikes out a record 21 Lara batters as he tosses a one-hitter for Caracas.
1965 In an unanimous vote, Dodger southpaw Sandy Koufax (26-8, 2.04, 382) is named the Cy Young Award winner.
1970 Curt Flood is traded by the Phillies to the Senators for three minor leaguers.
1979 The AL and NL all-star teams depart on an exhibition tour of Japan. The National League squad will take four of seven from the American League counterparts, but the teams will combine to split a pair of games with the Japanese all-stars.

1992 The Reds trade Paul O'Neill and Joe DeBerry, a minor leaguer, to the Yankees for Roberto Kelly. The deal works well for the Bronx Bombers as the popular outfielder will become a team leader playing an important in four World Series championships before he retires prior to the 2002 season.
1999 In a nine-player deal, the Rangers trade super star Juan Gonzalez along with pitcher Danny Patterson and catcher Greg Zaun to the Tigers for pitchers Justin Thompson, Alan Webb and Francisco Cordero, outfielder Gabe Kapler, catcher Bill Haselman and infielder Frank Catalanotto.
2000 After being turned down by Yankees third base coach Willie Randolph and their own third base coach, Ron Oester, because of below market contract offers, the Reds hire Bob Boone as manager replacing Jack McKeon. The former catcher and present special assistant to general manager Jim Bowden had a 181-206 record as manager of the Royals.
2001 In Game 6, the Diamondbacks get 21 hits in the first six innings against the Yankees to set a record for hits in a World Series game. The previous record of 20 was established by the 1921 Giants (Game 3 vs Yankees) and the 1946 Cardinals (Game 4 vs Red Sox).
2003 ESPN analyst Bobby Valentine will return to Japan to manage the Chiba Lotte Marines, the club which fired him a solid second-place finish in 1995. The former Mets and Ranger skipper signs a three-year deal with an option for two more years worth for an estimated $6.4 million.

1999 Ken Griffey Jr. asks the Seattle Mariners to trade him. The superstar outfielder wants be closer to Orlando, Florida, where his family resides.
2000 Former Blue Jay catcher (1981-86) and the team's present TV color analyst, Buck Martinez, is hired as the Toronto manager. Replacing Jim Fregosi, the 51-year ESPN commentator joins Astros' Larry Dierker and Diamondbacks' Bob Brenly as first-time major league skippers hired from the broadcast booth.
2000 Wrigley Field has been granted preliminary landmark status by the Commission on Chicago Landmarks. Any plans to refurbish or tear down Cubs' home since 1916 will have to be reviewed by this panel.
2004 After a grounds keeper finds a grenade in the Wrigley Field turf, police bomb and arson investigators are called to evaluate the right field discovery. The rusty, hollowed-out shell turns out to be harmless and its origins remain a mystery.
2005 Pat Gillick signs a three-year deal becoming the Phillies' general manager. The 68-year old, who has held the same position with Orioles, Blue Jays and Mariners, has lead his teams to two World Series titles and nine playoff appearances.
2006 In an effort to bring America's national pastime to a country which has a population of over 1.3 billion potential fans, MLB officials announce an office will be opened in China to help promote the game. The possibility of the sport playing a regular-season opener in Beijing is raised by Bob DuPuy, baseball's chief operating officer.