This Date in Baseball

"I'm a sweet hitter. Not really a great hitter. Just a sweet hitter." -MARV
THRONEBERRY, Major league first baseman and outfielder (1955-63)

1941 The Giants trade hurler Bill Lohrman, catcher James O'Dea, first baseman Johnny McCarthy and $50,000 to the Cardinals to obtain first baseman Johnny Mize.
1950 In a close vote (9-7), the owners vote not to renew A. B. 'Happy' Chandler's contract for another term as commissioner.

1951 Joe DiMaggio officially retires from baseball. The Yankee Clipper ends his thirteen year career with a life time .325 BA and 361 home runs.
1952 Fred Haney is named as the Pirate manager for the upcoming season.
1956 A major league player association is formed. Bob Feller, a star pitcher with the Indians, is named as the organization's first president.
1959 The Yankees trade Hank Bauer, Marv Throneberry, Don Larsen and Norm Siebern to the Kansas City A's for outfielder Roger Maris and two other players.
1968 The Angels trade two catchers, Ed Kirkpatrick and Dennis Paepke, to the Kansas City A's for right-handed knuckleballer Hoyt Wilhelm.
1975 In a busy day of trading, the Yankees acquire pitchers Dock Ellis and Ken Brett, and second baseman Willie Randolph from the Pirates for hurler Doc Medich. In a separate deal with the Angels, the club trades Bobby Bonds for outfielder Mickey Rivers and pitcher Ed Figueroa.
1987 The A's obtain Jesse Orosco from the Mets and then trades the southpaw reliever along with shortstop Alfredo Griffin and right-hander Jay Howell to the Dodgers for pitchers Matt Young, Bob Welch and Jack Savage. New York gets Savage as well as right-hand hurlers Wally Whitehurst and Kevin Tapini from Oakland to complete the three-team, eight player deal.
2000 The Astros and Tigers complete a six-player trade with outfielder Roger Cedeno, catcher Mitch Meluskey and right-hander Chris Holt going to Detroit and catcher Brad Ausmus, relievers Doug Brocail and Nelson Cruz headed for Houston.
2000 Alex Rodriguez signs the richest contract in sports history, a ten-year deal with the Rangers worth $252 million. The quarter billion dollars doubles the previous high of $126 million paid by the NBA's Timberwolves to Kevin Garnett in a six-year agreement signed in October, 1997.
2001 The Mets trade outfielders Matt Lawton and Alex Escobar, righthanded pitcher Jerrod Riggan and two players to be named to the Indians for 12-time All-Star second baseman Roberto Alomar (.336, 20, 100), first baseman Danny Peoples and minor leaguer pitcher Mike Bacsik.

2003 The Royals sign 18-year veteran Benito Santiago (279, 11, 56 ) to a two-year deal. Kansas City hopes the veteran catcher's, who is a three-time Gold Glove winner, experience will be helpful to the team's young pitching staff.
2003 Andy Pettitte inks a three-year, $31.5 million deal with his 'hometown' Astros. The thirty-one year old Texan, who compiled a 149-78 won-loss record with a 3.94 ERA during his nine-year stint in pinstripes turned down better offers to stay with the Yankees or go to the rival Red Sox.

This Date in Baseball

"Close don't count in baseball. Close only counts in horseshoes and hand
grenades." -FRANK ROBINSON, Hall of Fame outfielder (1956-76)

1953 The Senators trade Jackie Jensen to the Red Sox for Maury McDermott and Tom Umphlett.

1954 The Yankees and Orioles complete the largest trade in major league history as 17 players, including Don Larsen, Gene Woodling, Bob Turley change teams. The first phase of the transaction began November 18th and will conclude today after the major league draft.
1955 Pitcher Virgil Trucks returns to the Tigers in a trade for White Sox third baseman Bubba Phillips.

1956 In an unanimous vote, Reds outfielder Frank Robinson is selected as the National League Rookie of the Year.

1956 White Sox shortstop Luis Aparicio is selected as the American League Rookie of the Year beating out Indian Rocky Colavito and Oriole Tito Francona.
1964 The Houston Colt 45's become the Astros. The change in name for the three-year old franchise is necessitated due to a dispute with the Colt firearm company and the team's location to NASA.
1987 Free agent Brett Butler (.295, 9, 41) signs with the Giants. The former Indian 31-year old outfielder stole 33 bases for the tribe last season.
1998 Due the acquisition of all-star backstop Mike Piazza, the Mets deal fan favorite Todd Hundley along with right-hander Arnold Gooch to the Dodgers for outfielder Roger Cedeno and catcher Charles Johnson. New York then sends Johnson to Baltimore to obtain closer Armando Benitez.
1998 Bypassing his agent and making the deal himself, Rafael Palmeiro turns down a bigger offer from Orioles and signs a five-year $45 million contract to stay with the Rangers.

2000 Turk Wendell, who wears uniform number 99, agrees to a three-year deal worth $9,999,999.99 with the Mets. The New York reliever had asked that his pact include an option year in which he would play for free, but that plan was unworkable because baseball's collective bargaining agreement sets a $200,000 minimum salary.
2005 The Red Sox have petitioned a judge to keep the ball used to record the last out of 2004 World Series making the team World Champs for the first time in 86 years. Former first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz, who caught the ball after being thrown by Keith Foulke, loaned it to Boston but continues to claim ownership of the sensational sphere.