April 27th - May 3rd
April 27th
1894 - Former Yankees reserve C/1B Bob Williams (1911-14) was born. Bob hit .164 in 46 games for the Yankees
1903 -The Highlanders suffer the 1st shutout loss in their history, in a 6-0 loss to the A’s.
1916 - Former HOF Yankees OF Enos “Country” Slaughter (1954-55, 1956-59) was born. On April 11, 1954, he was traded by the Cardinals to the Yankees for OF Bill Virdon, P Mel Wright, and INF Emil Tellinger (minors). His 1st tour with the Yankees was unsuccessful, just hitting .248 in 69 games. On May 11, 1955, he was traded by the Yankees along with P Johnny Sain to the A’s for P Sonny Dixon and cash. On August 25, 1956, Enos was selected off waivers by the Yankees from the A’s for $50,000 in cash. He hit .350 in the 1956 World Series for the Yankees. Enos performed better for the team with his 2nd tour before fading during the 1959 AL season, being sent to the Braves to finish his long MLB career, which began with the Cardinals.
1935 - The Yankees turn a 1st inning triple play during a 9-8 victory over the A’s. The A’s had runners on 1st and 2nd, when A’s Slugger Jimmy Foxx lined out to 2B Tony Lazzeri, who fired to 1B Lou Gehrig, who then threw to shortstop Frank Crossetti, who was covering 2B. Also the Yankees turned a game ending doubleplay in the 9th inning, when the A’s had the bases loaded.
1947 - Babe Ruth Day at Yankee Stadium drew a crowd of more than 58,000 to honor the ailing star suffering from throat cancer. In the game, Sid Hudson of the Senators out-duels Yankees starter Spud Chandler winning the game by a score of 1-0.
1957 - Former Yankees minor league player OF/1B Willie Upshaw was born. Willie Upshaw was signed as a 5th round draft player choice by the Yankees in 1975. He was lost in the Rule 5 player draft in winter of 1977, when Willie was selected by the new AL eastern division expansion team, the Blue Jays.
1977 - The Yankees obtained P Mike Torrez from the A’s for P Dock Ellis, INF Marty Prez and OF Larry Murray. Mike would go 14-12 in 31 games posting 3.95 ERA with 15 complete games and 2 shutouts. He would win 2 games in the 1977 World Series for the Yankees before leaving the team for free agency and signing with the Red Sox.
April 28th
1925 - Former Yankees P Clarence “Cuddles” Marshall (1946, 1948-49) was born. On December 9, 1944, Clarence was traded by the Seattle (PCL) to the Yankees for Johnny Babich and Richard Hearn (minors). He went 6-4 in 45 games with 3 saves. On May 15, 1950, he was purchased by the Browns from the Yankees.
1930 - Former Yankees P Thomas “Snake” Sturdivant (1955-59) was born. Tom was signed by the Yankees as an amateur free agent in 1948. He was originally an INF with strong arm and weak bat, who switched to pitching. His best Yankee seasons were in 1956-57, going 16-8 in 32 games with a win in 1956 World Series. In 1957, Tom went 16-6 in 28 games. In 1958, he battled arm injuries, just going 3-6 in 15 games. On May 26, 1959, Tom was traded by the Yankees along with P Johnny Kucks and INF Jerry Lumpe to the A’s for P Ralph Terry and INF/OF Hector Lopez. Tom’s Yankees career totals were 36-25 in 105 games.
1935 - Former Yankees P Pedro “Pete” Ramos (1964-66) was born. On September 5, 1964, Pedro was traded by the Indians to the Yankees for players to be named later and $75,000 in cash. He went 1-0 in 13 games with 8 saves in September of 1964 to help the Yankees win the AL pennant. Since he obtained on September 5th, Pedro wasn’t able to pitch for the Yankees in the 1964 World Series against the Cardinals. The Yankees sent P Ralph Terry on October 21, 1964 and P Bud Daley on November 27, 1964 to the Indians to complete the trade. Indians GM Gabe Paul purposely delayed the trade with the Yankees, so he couldn’t pitch in the Series for the Yankees. Overall, Pedro would go 9-14 in 130 games with 30 saves for the Yankees. In another CBS Management ordered salary dump, Pedro was traded on December 10, 1966, by the Yankees to the Phillies for P Joe Verbanic and cash.
1950 - Yankees sell OF Richard Wakefield to the White Sox as part of a deal which brought P Joe Ostrowski to the Kansas City Blues, the Yankees top AAA club. This touched off the great Wakefield controversy, because he refused to report to the White Sox, unless they gave him a $5,000 bonus in lieu of the World Series share that he expected with the Yankees. Wakefield claimed that the Yankees had convinced him to sign for the 1950 AL season for $17,500, $5,000 less than he had been receiving with his 1949 club, the Tigers, by “guarantying him a World Series share.” The White Sox, relying on a guarantee of their own that the Yankees cancelled the deal, refused to return P Joe Ostrowski; nor would they pay Wakefield’s salary. The teams appeal to Baseball Commissioner Albert “Happy” Chandler, who ruled in favor of Chicago and cancelled the deal. On June 15, 1950, the Yankees would finally obtained P Joe Ostrowski from the Browns.
1953 - A terrific brawl breaks out at St. Louis Sportman's Park in the 10th inning of a Yankees-Browns game. Six players are fined a total of $850, an AL record up to that date. The Yankees and former Yankees catcher Clint “Scraps” Courtney had been carrying a personal war of their own over the past 2-seasons. Clint had been traded away by the Yankees in 1951. In the top of the 10th inning, the Yankees took the lead 7-6, when Yankees base-runner Gil McDougald bowled over Courtney at home plate, as he scored the go-ahead run. In retaliation, Courtney slid into Yankees shortstop Phil Rizzuto with “spikes up” in what the Yankees viewed as a deliberate attempt to injured a player, especially because Courtney was trying to stretch a single into a double and was a dead out at 2B. Both of the team benches cleared, Umpire John Stevens suffered a dislocated collarbone, while attempting to separate the players, who involved in the fighting. When peace was finally restored, the Browns fans had littered the playing field with garbage, causing a 17-minute delay and near forfeit of the game. Clint Courtney was fined $250, along with his Browns teammate, Billy Hunter, who was fined $150. The following Yankees were fined for being involved in the fighting: Billy Martin $150, Gil McDougald $100, Joe Collins $100 and Allie Reynolds $100.
1972 - Yankees purchased P Jim Roland from the A’s on waivers. Jim would go 0-1 in 16 games before being traded to the Rangers for veteran P Casey Cox in August of 1972.
1985 - The Yankees hired Billy Martin as their manager for a 4th time. The fiery Martin, one of George Steinbrenner's favorite managers, replaces Yankees fans favorite Yogi Berra, who is fired just 16 games into the 1985 AL season. Yogi Berra will stay away from Yankee organization for many years because of George’s action. One of the lowest points of the 1980’s lost decade marred by George’s poor baseball management decisions.
1980 - Former Yankees P Bob Porterfield (1948-1951) passes away. (1923-1980). Bob had an 8-11 mark with Yankees, while try to pitch with back problems. He was traded by the Yankees, along with pitchers Tom Ferrick and Fred Sanford to the Senators for P Bob Kuzava. He would bounce back with the Senators winning 13, 22, 13 and 10 wins each season after being traded away by the Yankees. His trade was a rare Yankees mistake by Yankees GM George Weiss.
1989 - OF Rickey Henderson of the Yankees set a MLB record, when he led off a game with a HR for the 36th time in his career, breaking a tie with Bobby Bonds.
2006 - Former Yankees P Steve Howe (1991-1996) passes away in an auto accident (1958-2006). Steve Howe was signed as a free agent by the Yankees. Steve went 18-9 with 21 saves in 229 games as a Yankee relief pitcher from 1991-1996.
2007 - Former Yankees OF Archie Wilson (1951-52) passed away. He was signed by the Yankees as an amateur free agent in 1947. Archie only played in 7 games for the Yankees. On May 3, 1952, he was traded by the Yankees along with OF Jackie Jensen, P Spec Shea, and INF Jerry Snyder to the Senators for outfielders Irv Noren and Tom Upton.
April 29th
1923 - The Yankees sign 20-year-old prospect Lou Gehrig to a contract paying him a salary of $2,000 and a bonus of $1,500. Yankees scout Paul Krichell had watched the Columbia University star blast a 450-ft HR against New York University, one day earlier.
1924 - Mercersburg Academy P Bump Hadley threw a perfect game against the Hadley-Lynn team of Massachusetts. A future Yankees starter, Hadley struck out 26 of the 27 batters he faced. Bump Hadley went 49-31 in over 5 seasons with the Yankees after being obtained in January of 1936 from the Senators.
1929 - Former Yankees P Mickey McDermott (1956) was born. He came to the Yankees in a mid season trade with the Senators in 1956. He went 2-6 in 23 games for the Yankees. He was sent to the A’s in February of 1957 in the Bobby Shantz trade.
1939 - Yankees stage their 1st Ladies Day promotion at Yankee Stadium.
1966 - Former Yankees OF/DH Jon Vander Wal (2002) was born. John hit .260 in 84 games for the Yankees during the 2002 season before leaving the team as free agent.
1967 - Whitey Ford of the Yankees earned his final MLB victory. His 236th win comes against the White Sox, an 11-2 decision at Yankee Stadium. Ford will enter the HOF in 1974. He would finish with his Yankee career record with 236 wins.
1971 - Former Yankees P Sterling Hitchcock (1992-1995, 2002-3) was born. Sterling went 16-16 for the Yankees before being traded to the Mariners in the Tino Martinez trade in 1995. The Yankees felt that he wasn’t going to be a big game pitcher. He signed as a free agent in 2001, he stayed until 2003 season, being traded to the Cardinals for minor leaguers Justin Pope and Ben Julinard. His last stint with the Yankees, he went 6-9.
1975 - Yankees 1st baseman Bob Oliver sets an AL record by participating in 6 doubleplays in a 9 inning game.
1977 - Lefty Ron Guidry gets his 1st starting assignment of the season and blanks the Mariners 3-0, with late inning relief help from closer Sparky Lyle. Catcher Thurman Munson hits a 2-run HR. The win pulled the Yankees into 2nd place in the AL East.
1978 - Former Yankees minor league P Tony Armas Jr. was born. Tony was signed a free agent, but never played for the Yankees at the MLB level, who traded him to the Red Sox for DH/catcher Mike Stanley during the 1997 AL season.
April 30th
1903 - Highlanders won their home opener at Hilltop Park, 6-2, over the Senators. A crowd of 16,293 fans watch the game. Starter Jack Chesbro was the winning pitcher. Wee “Willie” Keeler made the 1st Highlanders home game hit, a single in the 1st inning. He went to 2nd base on an error, and then scored the 1st Highlanders home field run on a double by Jimmy Williams.
1907 - Former Yankees P Walter “Jumbo” Brown (1932-37) was born. Jumbo went 19-16 in 80 games with 2 saves, before being sold to the Reds.
1946 - At Yankee Stadium, Bob Feller of the Indians struck out 11 and pitched his 2nd of 3 ML career no-hitters and his 1st since returning from a 3½ year stint in World War II. Bob Feller defeated the Yankees, 1-0, on Frankie Hayes' HR in the 9th inning.
1979 - Former Yankees P Brandon Claussen (2003) was born. He went 1-0 with the Yankees before being traded to the Reds for INF Aaron Boone during the 2003 season.
1988 - All Star OF Dave Winfield drove in his 28th and 29th runs of the season in the Yankees 15-3 rout of Texas, tying the MLB record for RBI’s in April.
1989 - The Blue Jays acquired P Al Leiter from Yankees in exchange for veteran OF Jesse Barfield. Leiter will contribute significantly to the Jays' World Championship in 1993, winning nine of 15 decisions as a spot starter and long reliever.
1992 - Former Yankees INF Celerino Sanchez (1972-73) passes away of heart attack in Mexico. (1941-1992) Former Mexican League star was obtained from the Mexico City Tigers in 1971. He played in 105 games for the Yankees hitting .242.
1997 - First baseman Tino Martinez who got off to a painfully slow start with the Yankees in 1996, finished the month with 34 RBIs to set a MLB record for the month of April.
1999 - About 3,000 fans wearing T-shirts that said, "$hare the wealth" protested baseball economics at the Yankees-Royals game at Kauffman Stadium. The protesters turned their backs when the Yankees batted, then walked out during the 4th inning. The Yankees began the season with baseball's top payroll at $85.05 million, and the Royals were 25th at $23.8 million.
May 1st
1920 - Yankees OF Babe Ruth hit his 50th career HR, and the 1st HR for the Yankees, in the Red Sox 6-0 loss at the Polo Grounds. The HR cleared the roof in right field of the Polo Grounds, a feat matched only by “Shoeless” Joe Jackson of the White Sox.
1951 - On Mother's Day, Mickey Mantle hit the 1st HR of his MLB career off of P Randy Gumpert in an 8-3 victory over the White Sox at Comiskey Park. In the same game, former Negro Leagues star Minnie Miñoso became the 1st black player in the history of the White Sox franchise. Miñoso belted a HR in his 1st MLB at-bat off of Yankees starter Vic Raschi.
1988 - MLB Free agents Ron Guidry (Yankees), Rich Gedman (Red Sox), Bob Boone (Angels) and Tim Raines (Expos), all re-signed with their former clubs on the 1st day, they are allowed to do so. Pitcher Doyle Alexander (Braves) will re-sign on May 5.
1991 - Rickey Henderson of the A's surpassed Lou Brock as MLB career stolen base leader with his 939th steal in the 7-4 victory over the Yankees. Henderson broke the record in the 4th inning, when he stole 3rd base against Yankees catcher Matt Nokes.
May 2nd
1923 - Walter Johnson recorded his 1st shutout of the 1923 season and the 100th of his MLB record 113 career shutouts as the Senators defeated the Yankees 3-0. Yankees shortstop Everett Scott received a medal from the AL for playing in his 1,000th consecutive game. Scott ‘s streak extended for another 307 games, giving him an MLB record of 1,307 games, until future Yankees 1B Lou Gehrig broke it with his 2,130 games streak in 1939.
1939 - Lou Gehrig of the Yankees did not play against the Tigers at Briggs Stadium, ending at 2,130 his streak of consecutive games played. An ailing Lou Gehrig removed himself from the lineup, telling his manager Joe McCarthy that he could not play because of continuing weakness. Doctors will later diagnose Gehrig with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a fatal disease that affects the muscles. Gehrig will never play again. Lou Gehrig replacement at 1st base, Babe Dahlgreen led the Yankees hitting attack with a HR and double as the Yankees beat the Tigers by a score of
22-2.
1984 - Former Yankees minor league pitcher, now with the White Sox, LaMarr Hoyt faced 27 batters in a 3-0, a 1-hitter shutout against the Yankees. Don Mattingly had the only hit for New York, an opposite-field blooper in the 7th inning, which is followed by a double play. Hoyt was one of the Yankee minor leaguers sent to the White Sox in the Bucky Dent trade made in 1977.
1992 - Yankees P Scott Sanderson became the 12th pitcher in MLB history to surrender 4 HRS in a single inning. Sanderson was rocked in the 5th inning of the game against the Twins with Shane Mack, Kirby Puckett, Kent Hrbek, and Randy Bush hitting the HRs. The Twins need all the homers as they won, 7-6.
May 3rd
1904 - Former Yankees HOF P Charles “Red” Ruffing (1930-42,1945-46) was born. Red would lead the Yankee pitchers in career wins with 231 wins, until the club record was passed by Whitey Ford in 1965, who finished with 236 wins as a Yankee. Also he was a pretty good pitching pitcher for the Yankees with a Grand Slam HR. Ruffing will win 273 games during a 22-year career with the Red Sox, Yankees and White Sox. He will gain election to the HOF in 1967.
1912 - Leading 18-5 after 8-innings, A's pitchers gave up a record 9-inning outburst of 10 runs to the Yankees before Eddie Plank stopped them at 18-15.
1916 - Former Yankees C Ken “Hawk” Silvestri (1941, 1946-1947) was born. Hawk played in 33 games for the Yankees before being traded to the Phillies.
1936 - Future HOF CF Joe DiMaggio made his MLB debut for the Yankees. Joe had 3 hits in a 14-5 victory over the Browns at Yankee Stadium. Joe hits a triple and 2 singles drove in a run and scored 3 runs.
1945 - Yankees released veteran OF Paul “Big Poison” Waner (1944-45). He retired as a MLB player. He appeared in 10 games with the Yankees (1944-45) after a fine MLB career retiring with a lifetime BA of .333.
1950 - Yankees starter Vic Raschi commits 4 balks in his 4-3 victory over the White Sox, thereby tying a ML record for balks in a game. He would finish the 1950 AL season with a record tying 6 balks. Raschi was troubled by the new rule that requires a one-second stop before delivery with men on base.
1951 - Yankees rookie INF Gil McDougald ties modern MLB record by driving in 6 runs in 1 inning by tripling home 2 runs and adding a grand slam HR later. The Yanks score 11 runs in that 9th inning, a MLB record for runs scored in the final inning of a regulation game. They chased 3 Browns pitchers and won the game by a score of 17-3 at St. Louis’ Sportsman Park. Gil would go on to win the AL ROY award for the 1951 AL season.
1952 - Yankees obtained OF Irv Norton and INF Tom Upton from the Senators for OF Jackie Jensen and Archie Wilson, P Spec Shea and INF Jerry Snyder. Jackie Jensen was expendable because the Yankees had Mickey Mantle, Hank Bauer, Gene Woodling playing in the OF.
1959 - OF Charley Maxwell of the Tigers hit 4 consecutive HRs in a doubleheader sweep of the Yankees, by scores of 4-2 and 8-2, at Briggs Stadium. During his MLB career, Maxwell hit 40 of his 148 HRs on Sunday. He loved to hit against the Yankees, he hit over 23 HR’s against them during his MLB career.
1965 - Yankees obtained C Doc Edwards from the A’s for P Rolland Sheldon and C Johnny Blanchard. This is a classic Yankees GM Ralph Houk trade trading bad for worst and trying to save player contract money ordered by the new CBS ownership. Doc Edwards hit .190 in 45 games for the Yankees. At the age of 32, Johnny Blanchard had only played in 12 games hitting .145 for the Yankees. He would retire as MLB Player in spring of 1966, after playing for the A’s and Braves in 1965. He was still a better defensive catcher than Edwards, who would go to the minors in 1966, before returning to MLB for his final season with Phillies in 1970. Plus Blanchard still could play 1st base and the OF. Sheldon appeared only in 3 games with the Yankees, with a 0-0 record before the trade to the A’s, where he would finish the season with a 10-8 record in 32 games. Yankees should have held on to him as well.
1980 - Yankees 1B Don Mattingly connected for 3 sacrifice flies in a 9-4 victory over the Rangers. Mattingly became only the 6th MLB player to accomplish this feat.
1991 - Former Yankees Bonus Baby 1B Frank Leja (1954-55) passed away (1936-1991). Frank was signed out of high school in 1953, with rave reviews by scouts as the next Lou Gehrig. He was on the Yankees MLB roster for 2 yrs because of the 2-year rule that required bonus players who signed a for a certain amount of money had to stay with their MLB team for 2 years. He appeared in only 19 games in 1954-55 seasons for the Yankees before going to the minors, with Bill Skowron, Elston Howard and Marv Thornberry ahead of him at 1st Base on the Yankees and in the farm system. In 1961, he was sold to the Cardinals. Frank would reappear briefly in the ML in 1962 with the expansion Angels appearing in only 7 games. His final MLB BA was .043 in 26 games.
2004 - Former Yankees back up C Darrell Johnson (1957-58) passed away. He was back up catcher for Yogi Berra during the 1957-58 AL seasons. He would later become a MLB manager after his active playing days were over.
(As always I'd like to thank Fw57Clipper51 for his great contribution.)
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