This Week in Yankees History (4/26-5/2)

This Week in Yankees History
April 26th - May 2nd

April 26th

1883 - Former Yankees P Ray “Slim” Caldwell (1910-1918) was born. Ray posted a 99-99 pitching career record in 258 games for the Yankees. His best Yankees seasons were in 1914, he went 17-9 and in 1915, posting a 19-16 mark. On December 18, 1918, he was traded by the Yankees along with Frank Gilhooley, Slim Love, Roxy Walters, and $15,000 cash to the Red Sox for P Ernie Shore, OF Duffy Lewis, and P Dutch Leonard.

1913 - The Yankees purchased C John Gossett (1913-14) from the White Sox. He appeared in only 49 games for the Yankees, just hitting .159.

1917 - Former Yankees P Sal “The Barber” Maglie (1957-58) was born. On September 1, 1957, Sal was selected off waivers by the Yankees from the Dodgers. Sal went 2-0 in 6 games with 3 saves in 1958. In 1959, he was 1-1 in 7 games for the Yankees, before being sent to the Cardinals to finish his long MLB career. He was one of the few players to play for all 3 MLB teams in New York City during the golden years of 1947-1957.

1919 - Former Yankees P Virgil “Fire” Trucks (1958) was born. On June 15, 1958, Virgil was traded by the A’s along with P Duke Maas to the Yankees for P Bob Grim and OF Harry “Suitcase” Simpson. Virgil went 2-1 in 25 games, with 1 save before retiring from MLB in April of 1959. Virgil had played 17 years in MLB, starting out with the Tigers, then playing for the Browns, White Sox and A’s, before coming to the Yankees in 1958.

1929 - Despite losing the game to the Philadelphia A’s, Yankees turn a triple play.

1931 - At Griffith Stadium, a walk to Lyn Lary is followed by a Lou Gehrig HR, a smash which clears the fence, but bounces back into the hands of Senators CF Harry Rice. The base runner Lary thinks the ball has been caught on the fly for the 3rd out returning to the dugout without crossing home plate, and Gehrig, running with his head down, is ruled out for passing a runner in front of him costing the Yankees a possible victory (they lost by 2 runs), the 1931 HR crown (he tied Babe Ruth with 46) and 2-RBI’s to add to his record setting 184 for the season.

1936 - After surrendering 6 runs to the Red Sox in the 1st inning. The Yankees rebound with 7 runs in the top of the 2nd inning in route of 12-9 victory at Fenway Park.

1953 - The Yankees sell 3B Loren Babe to the A’s for $30,000. Babe’s freedom from the Yankees organization will be very short, they will reacquire him in December of 1953. He was one of the many young players buried in their farm system during the 1950’s. Babe later was MLB coach with the Yankees and White Sox.

1955 - The Yankees new starter Bob Turley acquired from the Orioles during the winter of 1954 pitches a 1-hit shutout. Bullet Bob struck out 10 batters to lead the Yankees to a 5-0 victory over the White Sox.

1961 - The Yankees 1960 AL MVP OF Roger Maris hits his 1st HR of the 1961 AL season, which will have him finish with a new AL and MLB record of 61 HRs. His Yankees teammate Mickey Mantle will finish with 54 HRs, while the Yankees, as a team will hit 240 HRs in 1961.

1969 - The Baseball Records Committee decides to give Babe Ruth credit for one more HR during his MLB career for a total of 715. The committee rules that one of Ruth's HRs had been incorrectly ruled a triple. The committee will later reverse its decision, returning Ruth to a MLB career total of 714 HRs.

1974 - The Yankees obtained 1B Chris Chambliss along with pitchers Richard Tidrow and Cecil Upshaw from the Indians for Yankee hurlers Fred Beene, Fritz Peterson, Steve Kline and Tom Buskey. Chambliss and Tidrow will help the Yankees win the AL pennants in 1976-1978. Peterson became expendable after his celebrated wife and family trade with Yankees teammate Mike Kelich.

1998 - Former Yankees GM Gabe Paul (1973-1977) passes away (1910-1998). Former Indians GM Gabe Paul came to the Yankees in 1973. He helped rebuild the team through a series of great trades that gave the Yankees championship teams with players like Lou Piniella, Chris Chambliss, Bucky Dent and others. George’s constant interference caused Gabe Paul leave the Yankees to go back to the Indians front office. The Yankees hired Al Rosen to replace Gabe Paul in 1978.

2005 - At Yankee Stadium, Alex Rodriguez slugs his way to the best performance of his MLB career, hitting 3 HRs in his 1st three at-bats off of Angels’ starter Bartolo Colón. The Yankees win the game by a score of 12-4, as Rodriguez becomes only the 11th player in MLB history to collect 10 or more RBIs in a game. He is one RBI shy of the AL record of 11 set in 1936 by former Yankees HOF INF Tony Lazzeri, and 2 short of the MLB mark of 12 shared by Jim Bottomley (1924) and Mark Whiten (1993), both of the Cardinals.

2006 - At Yankee Stadium, Devil Rays beat the Yankees by the score of 4-2, despite setting a team record of walking 14 Yankee batters.

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 Philadelphia 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 1B and 2B, when A’s Slugger Jimmy Foxx lined out to 2B Tony Lazzeri, who fired to 1B Lou Gehrig, who then threw to shortstop Frank Crosetti, who was covering 2B. Also the Yankees turned a game ending double play 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 fans 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. In 1975, Willie Upshaw was signed as an 5th round draft pick by the Yankees. He was lost in the MLB 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 starter Mike Torrez from the A’s for P Dock Ellis, INF Marty Perez 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 (1930-2009). In 1948, Tom was signed as an amateur free agent by the Yankees. He was originally an INF with strong arm, but he had a weak bat. He switched to pitching. His best Yankees career seasons were in 1956-57. Tom posted a 16-8 record in 32 games with a win against the Dodgers in 1956 World Series. In 1957, Tom went 16-6 in 28 games. In 1958, he battled with arm injuries, only 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 pitching career totals were 36-25 in 105 games. Sadly we lost Tom earlier this year.

1935 - Former Yankees closer 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 was 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 - The 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 to earn 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 MLB Commissioner Albert “Happy” Chandler, who ruled in favor of the White Sox 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 Sportmans Park in St. Louis during 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 an 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, AL Umpire John Stevens suffered a dislocated collarbone, while attempting to separate the players, who were 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 Yankee players were fined for being involved in the fighting: INF Billy Martin $150, INF Gil McDougald $100, 1B Joe Collins $100 and P Allie Reynolds $100.

1972 - The 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 reliever Casey Cox in August of 1972.

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 “Sarge” 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 Weiss.

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. Yogi Berra would stay away from the Yankees for over a decade.

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 MLB career, breaking a tie with former MLB All Star OF Bobby Bonds.

2006 - Former Yankees P Steve Howe (1991-1996) passes away in an auto accident (1958 - 2006). In 1991, Steve Howe was signed as a free agent by the Yankees. Steve went 18-9 with 21 saves in 229 games as a Yankees relief pitcher from 1991-1996.

2007 - Former Yankees OF Archie Wilson (1951-52) passed away. In 1947, Archie was signed as an amateur free agent by the Yankees. 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 signed 20-year-old prospect 1B 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 star blast a 450-foot HR against NYU, 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 - The 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 AL season, before leaving the team as free agent.

1967 - Whitey Ford of the Yankees earned his final MLB career victory. His 236th win comes against the White Sox, an 11-2 decision at Yankee Stadium. Ford will enter the HOF in 1974 with his longtime Yankee teammate Mickey Mantle. He would finish with his Yankee career record with 236 wins, becoming the club leader in wins, passing Red Ruffing who had 232 wins with the Yankees.

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 the winter of 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 posted a 6-9 record.

1975 - Yankees 1B Bob Oliver sets an AL record by participating in 6 double plays in a 9-inning game.

1977 - Lefty Ron Guidry gets his 1st starting assignment of the 1977 AL season as he blanks the Mariners by a score of 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. Tony was traded 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 watched the game. 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 he 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 MLB career no-hitters and his 1st since returning from a 3½-year stint in World War II. Bob Feller defeated the Yankees by the score of 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 AL 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 April of 1997, 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 fourth 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

1896 - Former Yankees P William “Wild Bill” Piercy (1917,1921) was born. Bill went 5-5 in 15 games for the Yankees. On December 20, 1921, he was traded by the Yankees along with Rip Collins, Roger Peckinpaugh and Jack Quinn to the Red Sox for Joe Bush, Sam Jones and Everett Scott.

1913 - The Yankees released P Chester Hoff (1911-1913). Chester went 0-2 in 12 games for the Yankees.

1920 - Yankees OF Babe Ruth hit his 50th career HR and the 1st 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.

1948 - Former Yankees P Larry Gowell (1972) was born. Larry Gowell was drafted by the Yankees in the 4th round of the 1967 MLB amateur player draft. He went 0-1 in 2 games for the Yankees during the 1972 AL season.

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 - Free agents P Ron Guidry (Yankees), C Rich Gedman (Red Sox), C Bob Boone (Angels) and OF 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 5th.

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 3B 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 by the score of 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.

1939 - All Star 1B 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 Gehrig removed himself from the Yankees starting 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 Dahlgren 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, the game by a score of 7-6.

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(As always I'd like to thank Fw57Clipper51 for his great contribution.)