This Date in Baseball

"Any ballplayer that don't sign autographs for little kids ain't an American.
He's a Communist." -ROGERS HORNSBY, Hall of Fame player and manager

1928 After hitting .387 for the Braves, player-manager Rogers Hornsby is traded to the Cubs for five players and $200,000. The 'Rajah' will hit .380 along with 39 home runs and 149 RBIs for his new club.
1963 Yankee backstop Elston Howard wins the American League's Most Valuable Player Award becoming the first black player to receive the honor.
1964 The Braves, for the second time in eleven years, receive permission to shift their franchise to another city. Hank Aaron and company will move from Milwaukee to Atlanta after the 1965 season.
1972 For the second time in three years, Reds' catcher Johnny Bench (.270, 40 ,125) wins the National League MVP award.
1973 New Jersey becomes the first state which allows girls to play on Little League baseball teams.
1973 The Cubs trade second baseman Glenn Beckert and a minor leaguer to the Padres for outfielder Jerry Morales.

1990 Indian Sandy Alomar, Jr. wins the American League Rookie of the Year joining Carlton Fisk and Mark McGwire as the only players to be elected unanimously.
2000 Receiving 25-of-32 first-place votes, the BBWAA selects Rafael Furcal as the National League Rookie of the Year. The Braves shortstop, the only player listed on all 32 ballots, easily outdistances Cardinal pitcher Rick Ankiel and Mets outfielder Jay Payton.
2002 A's southpaw Barry Zito (23-5, 2.75 ) is selected as the American League Cy Young Award winner by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. The 24-year sophomore, who led the AL in wins, out points Red Sox right-hander Pedro Martinez, 114 to 96.
2002 The Baseball Writers' Association of America select Mike Scioscia (World Champions Angels - 99-63) and Tony LaRussa (Cardinals - 97-65) as Manager of the Year for their respective leagues. The St. Louis skipper, who also won the award in the American League with White Sox (1983) and the A's (1988,1992) joins Braves' field boss Bobby Cox as the only managers to win the top honors in both leagues.
2003 Thanks to Luis Garcia's ninth inning tie-breaking home run, Mexico upsets the United States Olympic baseball team in the quarterfinals of the qualifying tournament, 2-1, was knocked out of the by The loss in Panama means the squad be unable to defend its gold medal the next summer in Athens.

2004 After refusing a $60 million, four-year extension from the Red Sox last winter, Nomar Garciaparra signs a one-year deal with the Cubs, the team he was traded to in July, for $8 million. The all-star shortstop, who is coming off an injury- plagued season, can increase the value of the contract with bonus incentives based on performance and playing time to $11 million.