January 6th - January 12th
January 6th
1915 - Former Yankees P Tom Ferrick (1950-51) was born (1915-1996). On June 15, 1950, Tom was traded by the Browns along with P Joe Ostrowski and 3B Leo Thomas to the Yankees for Jim Delsing, Don Johnson, Duane Pillette, Snuffy Stirnweiss, and $50,000. In 1950, Tom posted an 8-4 record with 9 saves. In 1951, he went 1-1 in 9 games with 1 save before being traded on June 15, 1951 with along Pitchers Bob Porterfield and Fred Sanford to the Senators for P Bob Kuzava. He would later become a pitching coach with the Tigers.
1926 - Future All-Star pitcher Ralph Branca (1954) is born in Mount Vernon, NY. Although Branca will win 21 games in 1947, he will become best known for giving up Bobby Thomson's pennant-winning HR in 1951. In he will appear in 5 games for the Yankees during the 1954 season, going 1-0.
1936 - Former Yankees INF Ruben Amaro Sr. (1966-68) was born. On November 29, 1965, he was traded by the Phillies to the Yankees for INF Phil Linz. The Yankees had high hopes for Amaro, a former ML Golden Glover (1964) to take over starting shortstop position after Tony Kubek was forced to retire with back injuries. He was a failure with the bat and getting Tom Tresh hurt didn’t help out matters any. In 1968, he was sold to the Angels.
1940 - Former Yankee OF Elvio Jimenez (1964) was born. Elvio Jimenez played 1 game in October 1964 for the Yankees, getting 6 at-bats and 2 hits.
1950 - Former Yankees reserve INF Ray Staiger (1979) was born. On December 9, 1977, Roy was traded by the Mets to the Yankees for INF Sergio Ferrer. Roy only appeared in 4 games with the Yanks in 1979, hitting .273.
1951 - Former Yankees P Don Gullet (1977-1980) was born. November 18, 1976, Don was signed as a free agent with the Yankees. Don went 14-4 in 1977, then 4-2 in 1978 before arm injuries ended his MLB career in 1980.
1967 - Former Yankees manager (1965-66) Johnny Keane dies in Chicago from a heart attack at the age of 55. Keane guided the Cardinals to the 1964 World Series, but left to become the manager of the Yankees, whom the Cardinals had beaten in the World Series, replacing the popular Yogi Berra. After an unsuccessful stint with the Yankees (81-101), Keane became a scout with the Angels. In all fairness to Keane during the 1965 AL season, he was only able to field the Yankees regulars together for only for 20 games due to injuries.
1970 - Former Yankees P Dan Naulty (1999) was born. On November 16, 1998, Dan was traded by Twins to the Yankees for Allen Butler (minors). Dan went 1-0 in 33 games before being traded on December 14, 1999 to the Dodgers for Nicholas Leach (minors).
1970 - Yankees purchased OF Rick Bladt from the Cubs for cash.
1988 - Free agent slugger Jack Clark signs with the Yankees. Jack hit .242 with 27 HRs, 93 RBIs in 1988, before being traded to Padres on October 24, 1988, along with P Pat Clements for Pitchers Lance McCullers, Jimmy Jones, and OF Stanley Jefferson.
1992 - The Yankees sign free agent OF Danny Tartabull to a 5-yr contract after losing the chase to signing free agent OF Barry Bonds to the Giants.
January 7th
1900 - Former Yankee Catcher John “Nig” Grabowski (1927-1929) was born.
1913 - Future HOF Yankees 1B/PH Johnny Mize (1949-1953) is born in Demorest, GA. Known as "The Big Cat," Mize will hit 359 HRs and will gain election to the HOF in 1981. On August 22, 1949, he was purchased by the Yankees from Giants for $40,000. With the Yanks, Johnny would be PH and reserve 1B, leading the AL in PH for 3 years, finishing with a lifetime PH BA of .283, as a Yankee Johnny will hit 44 HRs with 179 RBI’s. Mize appeared in 5 World Series, hitting .286 with 3 HRs, 18 RBIs in 18 games. His Yankees Manager Casey Stengel called Mize “the greatest pinch hitter I’ve ever seen, and I’ve been around long enough to have seen everything and some things which was never seen.”
1915 - The Tigers waived 1B Wally Pipp to the Yankees. Pipp hit .161 in 12 games, but he'll anchor 1st base for the Yankees for a decade until Lou Gehrig's appearance, because of Pipp’s headache in 1925.
1920 - Newly acquired OF Babe Ruth reacts to the trade in the Boston Evening Standard saying, "Frazee is not good enough to own any ball club, especially one in Boston."
1924 - The Yankees buy the contract of Louisville Colonels star OF Earle Combs, who hit .380 in 1923. Colonels’ owner Bill Kneblekamp gets $50,000, OF Elmer Smith and another player, and demands that the Yankees play an exhibition game in Louisville with a guarantee that Babe Ruth is in the lineup. This reportedly nets Kneblekamp an additional $5,000. Earle Combs will become the 1st of the great Yankee Center Fielders to play for the team.
1935 - Former Yankees INF Richard ’Ducky’ Schofield Sr. (1966) was born. He is the Father of former MBL player Richard Schofield Jr. and Grandfather of Jayson Werth of the Phillies. On May 11, 1966, he was purchased by the Yankees from the Giants to fill in for injured Ruben Amaro. He hit .155 in 25 games before being traded to the Dodgers on September 10, 1966 for P Thad Tillotson and cash.
1976 - Former All Star 2B Yankees Alfonso Soriano (1999-2003) was born. On September 29, 1998, he was purchased by the Yankees from the Hiroshima Toyo Carp (Japan Central). He was the AL All Star 2B in 2002-3. His best Yankee season was in 2002, hitting .300 with 39 HRs and 102 RBIs. On February 16, 2004, he was traded by the Yankees with a player to be named later to the Rangers for INF Alex Rodriguez and cash.
1978 - Former Yankees 1B George “Tioga George” Burns (1928-29) passed away (1914-1978). George played in 13 games in 1928-29 before being sent to the A’s.
1980 - Former Yankees minor league OF Jackson Melian was born. Jackson never appeared with the Yankees at the MLB level. He was sent to the Reds in the Danny Neagle trade. He is currently in the Tigers organization, yet to play in ML.
2006 -The final 2005 MLB teams payrolls are released, the Yankees finished last year with a record $207.2 million payroll, more than $90 million ahead of any other MLB team, according to final figures compiled by the commissioner's office.
January 8th
1913 - The Highlanders sign Frank Chance to be their next manager. Chance previously won 2 World Series and 4 pennants as the manager of the Cubs. His Yankee record would be 118-170. (1913-14)
1963 - Former Yankee farmhand OF Shane Turner was born. Shane was drafted by the Yankees in the 6th round of the 1985 amateur player draft. He never appeared with the Yankees at MLB level. On June 10, 1987, Shane was traded by the Yankees along with OF Keith Hughes to the Phillies for OF Mike Easler.
1969 - Former Yankee P Brian Boehringer (1995-1997) was born. On December 14, 2000, Brian was signed as a free agent by the Yankees. He went 5-9 in 56 games before being traded on July 4, 2001 to the Giants for C Bobby Estalella and Joe Smith (minors). He was signed as a free agent by the Yankees in July, 2005, but was released at the end of the month with no appearances with the Yankees at the MLB level.
1971 - Current Yankee DH/1B Jason Giambi (2002-2007) was born. So far Jason’s best Yankee season was in 2002, when he hit .314 with 34 HRs and 122 RBIs.
1976 - Current Yankee P Carl Pavano (2005-2007) was born.
1988 - Faced with a midnight deadline to re-sign with the New York Yankees, P Bill Gullickson agrees to a 2-yr contract with Yomiuri Giants instead. The Yankees front office really dropped the ball on Gullickson, he should have been resigned.
January 9th
1903 - The defunct Baltimore Orioles franchise is purchased by Frank Farrell and Bill Devery for $18,000 and moved to Manhattan where they will become the New York Highlanders, which marked the genesis of the Yankees.
1936 - Former Yankee P Ralph Terry (1956-57, 1959-1964) was born. Ralph was signed by the Yankees as an amateur free agent in 1953. He pitched in 10 games in 1956-57, going 2-3 before being traded on June 15, 1957 in the Billy Martin trade. Ralph would return to the Yankees on May 26, 1959, being traded by the A’s along with INF Hector Lopez for Pitchers Johnny Kucks, Tom Sturdivant, and INF Jerry Lumpe. Ralph would become a starter in 1960, going 10-8 in 35 games. He gave up the 9th inning HR to Maz in 1960, WS loss to the Pirates. In 1961, he went 16-3 in 31 games. The 1962 season was Ralph’s best MLB season going 23-12 in 43 starts. He was named to AL All Star team. He won the AL Babe Ruth Award and ML WS MVP award, going 2-1 in the WS against the Giants. In 1963, he went 17-13. In 1964, he was slowed down by arm injuries slipping to a 7-11 mark and working out of the bullpen. Ralph appeared in 5 WS with a 2-4 mark, 2.93 ERA with 31 K’s. After the 1964 WS, he was sent along with P Bud Daley to complete the Pedro Ramos September trade with the Indians.
1959 - Former Yankee OF Otis Nixon (1983) was born. Otis was drafted by the Yankees in the 1st round (3rd pick) of the 1979 amateur player draft (Secondary Phase). He appeared in 13 games, batting .143 in 1983. On February 5, 1984, Otis was traded by the Yankees with a player to be named later (Guy Elston) and P George Frazier to the Indians for a player to be named later (Rick Browne) and INF Toby Harrah.
1964 - Former Yankee OF Stan Javier (1984) was born. After being obtained from the Cardinals, he hit .143 in 7 games in 1984, before being sent to the A’s in the Rickey Henderson trade.
1969 -Former Yankee P Domingo Jean (1993) was born. On January 10, 1992, he was traded by the White Sox along with P Melido Perez and Bob Wickman to the Yankees for INF Steve Sax. He would go 1-1 in 10 games for the Yankees before being traded on November 27, 1993, along with INF Andy Stankiewicz to the Astros for P Xavier Hernandez.
1973 - Former Yankee INF Lynn Lary (1929-34) passed away (1906-1973)Lyn was purchased from Oakland (PCL) in 1928. He had 3 good seasons with the Yankees, before slipping in 1932. In 1934, he would be sent to the Red Sox.
1990 - Former Yankee P Spud Chandler (1937-1947) passed away (1907-1990). Spud Chandler pitched for the Yankees from 1937 to 1947, with a pitching career record of 109-43 (.717). His best season was in 1943, when Spud went 20-1 (.833) with a 1.64 ERA. He was named to the AL All Star team and was the winner of the AL MVP and ML MVP awards. He appeared in the 1941-43 and 1947 World Series with the Yankees going 2-2 with 1.62 ERA. At the age of 38 in 1946, he went 20-8 for the Yankees. He retired after the 1947 season.
1997- Free agent OF Mark Whiten (1997) is signed by the Yankees. Mark would hit .265 in 67 games in 1997.
January 10th
1888 - Former Yankee INF Del Pratt (1918-1920) was born. Del was obtained form the Browns in the Urban Shocker trade of 1918. He was a 2B for the Yanks. His best season was in 1920, when he hit .314. In December of 1920, he would be traded to the Red Sox in the Waite Hoyt trade.
1903 - Despite attempts by John T. Brush and Andrew Freedman to use their political influence to prevent the AL from finding suitable grounds in NYC, AL Commissioner Ban Johnson, aided by baseball writer Joe Vila, finds backers. Johnson also finds a ballpark site at 165th St and Broadway. Frank Farrell and Bill Devery pay $18,000 for the Baltimore franchise and will build a wooden grandstand seating 15,000 on the highest point of Manhattan. The team, logically, will be called the New York Highlanders. The ballpark will be called Hill Top Park.
1924 - Yankees released HOF 3B Frank “Home Run” Baker, he retired.
1959 - Former Yankee P Richard Dotson (1988-89) was born. On November 12, 1987, he was traded by the White Sox along with P Scott Nielsen to the Yankees for OF Dan Pasqua, C/DH Mark Salas, and P Steve Rosenberg. Rich would go 14-14 in 43 games before being released in 1989.
1960 - Former Yankee reserve OF Bob Brower (1989) was born. On December 5, 1988, he was traded by the Rangers to the Yankees for INF Bob Meacham. Bob would appear in 26 games and hitting .232 in 1989.
1983 - A preliminary injunction is issued by NY Supreme Court barring the Yankees from playing their opening games against the Tigers in Denver, Colorado. The Yankees sought to move games fearing the renovations to the Yankee Stadium would not be completed on time.
1992 - The Yankees trade 2B Steve Sax to the White Sox in exchange for pitchers Melido Perez, Domingo Jean and Bob Wickman.
2002 - The Yankees sign pitcher David Wells to a 2-yr, $7-million contract to re-join the team. After posting a 34-14 record including a perfect game from 1997-98, Wells was traded to the Blue Jays in exchange for Roger Clemens. In Toronto, Wells had his only 20-win season.
January 11th
1915 - Jacob Ruppert and Tillinghast L'Hommedieu Huston buy the Yankees from Frank Farrell and Bill Devery for $460,000. Ruppert, who owns a brewery, is thinking of renaming the team the Knickerbockers to promote his product, but is dissuaded by local newspapermen.
1928 - Former Yankee INF (1952-53) and Coach (1967) Loren “Bee Bee” Babe was born, (1928-1984). Loren was signed by the Yankees as an amateur free agent in 1945. Babe appeared in 17 games for the Yankees in 1952-53. He had been buried in the Yankees farm system with so many talented infielders around. In 1953, he was sold to the Philadelphia A’s, but was reacquired by the Yanks in December, 1953. He remained in the minor leagues until retiring in 1958. From 1961-1966, he managed in the Yankees farm system. He was a coach for the Yankees in 1967. He later worked with the White Sox in the 1980รข€™s before his death from cancer in 1984.
1962 - Former Yankees P Don Pall (1994) was born. Don went 1-2 in 26 games for the Yanks in 1994.
1965 - Wally Pipp (1915-1925), the predecessor of Lou Gehrig at 1st base for the Yankees, dies in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Pipp, who in 1925 had asked out of the Yankees lineup with a headache, was 71 years old, after giving way to Lou Gehrig, Pipp will never again played a game at 1st base for the Yankees.
1983 - The Yankees name Billy Martin their manager for the 3rd time in 8 years. Martin takes over for Clyde King, who is bumped up to the Yankees front office. Martin will lead the Yankees to a record of 91-71 in 1983.
1983 - The Yankees pick Ozzie Canseco with their 4th pick in the 1983 amateur draft. Ozzie is the brother of Jose Canseco.
2000 - Former ML pitcher and Yankees Manager Bob Lemon died at the age of 79. Lemon was a 7-time 20-game winner with the Indians. He teamed with Bob Feller, Early Wynn and Mike Garcia to form one of the game's greatest starting rotations. In 1954, Lemon went 23-7 and helped the Indians to an AL record 111-win season. After retiring in 1958, he worked for the Indians organization as a scout and manager. In 1970, Lemon became a ML manager for the 1st time when he assumed leadership of the Royals. He later managed the White Sox before enjoying his greatest success with the Yankees. On July 25, 1978, Lemon replaced Billy Martin and helped the Yankees orchestrate a miraculous 14 game comeback against the Red Sox. Under Lemon's calming hand, the Yankees won their 2nd straight World Championship in 1978. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1976.
2005 - The Diamondbacks trade 5-time Cy Young Award winner Randy Johnson to the Yankees in a 3-team deal that includes the Dodgers. Shawn Green, Javier Vazquez and Dioner Navarro also move in the transaction. Arizona receives P Vazquez, C Navarro and P Brad Halsey from the Yankees, and later sends Navarro and 3 minor league prospects to Dodgers for Green.
January 12th
1950 - The Yankees sell their Newark Bears IL franchise to the Cubs, who will move the team to Springfield, Massachusetts. The once-proud Bears, owned by the Yankees since 1932, finished last in the IL in 1949.The Kansas City Blues will become the Yankees top AAA team.
1951 - Former Yankee OF Terry Whitfield (1974-76) was born. Terry was drafted by the Yankees in the 1st round (19th pick) of the 1971 amateur player draft. Terry will hit.276 in 31 games before being traded on March 14, 1977 to the Giants for INF Marty Perez
1954 - The International League makes 2 franchises shifts as the Baltimore Orioles team is transferred to Richmond, Virginia, becoming the Richmond Virginians. They will become a Yankees AAA farm club and the Springfield, Massachusetts, former Newark Bears team moves to Havana, Cuba, becoming the Havana Sugar Kings. They will move back to Jersey City, NJ, when Cuba is unsettled with the arrival of Fidel Castro to power.
1971 - Former Yankee reserve INF Andy Fox (1996-97) was born. Andy was drafted by the Yankees in the 2nd round of the 1989 amateur player draft. Andy hit .211 in 135 games before being traded on March 7, 1998 to the Diamondbacks for pitchers Todd Erdos and Marty Janzen.
1984 - Free agent relief ace Goose Gossage leaves the Yankees and signs with the Padres. The hard-throwing right-hander will save 25 games in 1984 and help the Padres to their 1st appearance in the World Series.
1997 - The Padres acquire the rights to 27-yr-old Japanese pitcher Hideki Irabu from the Chiba Lotte Marines. Irabu says he only wants to play for the Yankees.
previous week
(As always I'd like to thank Fw57Clipper51 for his great contributions)
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