This week in Yankees History
January 30th - February 5th
January 30th
1923 - The New York Yankees General Manager Edward Barrow raided his old team the Boston Red Sox again, this time obtaining P Herb Pennock exchange for INF Norm McMillan, P George Murray, OF Camp Skinner and $50,000. Herb Pennock would win 162 games as a New York Yankees starter, finishing with a career winning percentage of .643. Herb had 165 complete games in 346 games with 19 shutouts and 700 strikeouts. In 1924, he went 21-9 for the Yankees. Then in 1926, Herb posted a 23-11 mark. In the World Series, he went 3-2 in 10 games with a 1.95 ERA for the Yankees.
1948 - Former New York Yankees Hall Of Fame starter Herb Pennock (1923-1933) collapses and dies from a heart attack. Herb Pennock, who was 53, had been serving as the General Manager of the Philadelphia Phillies since 1944. He had helped the Philadelphia Phillies new ownership that took over the team in 1944, rebuild the team and it’s minor league team organization. He would be inducted into baseball’s Hall Of Fame in 1948. The results of his work would lead to the 1950 “Whiz kids team”, who won the 1950 Nation League championship.
1954 - Former Yankees reserve OF Dave Stegman (1982) was born. On April 30, 1981, Dave Stegman was sent by the San Diego Padres to the New York Yankees to complete an earlier deal made on April 6, 1981. The Padres sent a player to be named later to the Yankees for minor league player Byron Ballard. He appeared in two games for the 1982 Yankees with no hits. On November 22,1982, Dave was granted MLB free agency by the Yankees.
1961 - Former Yankees 2B Aaron Ward (1917-1926) passed away. Aaron Ward was the 2B for the Yankees in the days before Tony Lazzeri. Coming up to the New York Yankees in 1917 at age 20, he was one of the youngest players in the American League. He became a Yankees regular in 1920. He was in the World Series of 1921,1922 and 1923 (he hit .417 in the 1923 World Series, which the Yankees won). Ward was one of several players who held out at the start of 1922 AL season for better contracts. Ward succeeded in getting a big raise. When Tony Lazzeri came up, Ward was traded to the 1927 Chicago White Sox for a season, thus missing the great 1927 Yankees experience. On January 13,1927, Aaron was traded by the Yankees to the Chicago White Sox for C Johnny Grabowski and INF Ray Morehart. Ward’s final Yankees career status were .268 BA with 45 HRs, 391 RBI’s in 908 games. He finished out his MLB career with the 1928 Cleveland Indians. "Babe Ruth was great, but then we expect Babe Ruth to be great. Let us give credit where credit is due, and give most of the credit to Wardie and [manager Huggins]." – New York Yankees Owner Jacob Ruppert after the 1923 World Series.
1964 - Former Yankees P Hipolito Pena (1988) was born. On March 30, 1988, Hipolito Pena was traded by the Pittsburgh Pirates to the New York Yankees for minor league OF/1B Orestes Destrade. He appeared in 16 games for the 1988 Yankees, posting a 1-1 record.
1978 - Former Cleveland Indians starter Addie Joss and former MLB baseball executive and team owner Larry MacPhail are voted into the Hall of Fame by the Special Veteran’s Committee. Addie Joss went 160-97 with a 1.88 lifetime ERA with the Cleveland Indians (1902-1910). He had passed away in 1914 from an illness. Larry MacPhail was one of the owners who bought the New York Yankees in 1945 from the Jacob Ruppert estate. He would be the Yankees President and General Manager from 1945-1947. In the fall of 1947, he sold his share of the New York Yankees to co-owners Del Webb and Dan Topping. MacPhail was very unpopular with the Yankee players, who were very happy to see him leave.
January 31st
1891 - Former Yankees OF Tim Hendryx (1915-1917) was born. Tom Hendryx hit .246 in 153 games before being sent to the St. Louis Browns.
1893 - Former Yankees reserve 1B George “Tigoa” Burns (1928-1929) was born. George Burns appeared in 13 games for the New York Yankees going 2 for 13, before being sent to the Philadelphia A’s in 1929. The New York Yankees had obtained him from the Cleveland Indians during the 1928 AL season. In 1926, George had won the AL Most Valuable Player Award and the AL Batting Championship, while playing for the Cleveland Indians. He originally came up with the Detroit Tigers in 1915 as their regular 1st baseman, allowing the Tigers to sell rookie 1B Wally Pipp to the New York Yankees.
1900 - Former Yankees reserve C John “Honey” Barnes (1926) was born. John Barnes appeared in one game with New York Yankees with one at bat, drawing a walk during the 1926 American League season.
1929 - Former Yankees P Duke Maas (1958-1961) was born. On June 15, 1958, he was traded by the Kansas City A’s along with veteran starter Virgil Trucks to the New York Yankees for P Bob Grim and OF Harry “Suitcase” Simpson. Duke would go 26-12 in 96 games with the Yankees. His best Yankees season was in 1959, posting a 14-8 mark. He appeared in two World Series in 1958 and 1960 with the Yankees having no record. The Yankees lost him to the new LA Angels in the 1960 American League Expansion Player Draft in December of 1960. On April 4,1961, Duke was traded by the Angels back to the Yankees for reserve INF Fritz Brickell. Duke would only pitch in one-game before arm problems shut him down for the 1961 AL season and eventually cost him his MLB career.
1953 - The New York Yankees, Cleveland Indians, and Boston Red Sox retaliate at St. Louis Browns Owner Bill Veeck, forcing the Browns to play afternoon games to avoid sharing TV revenues. Veeck takes his plan to the American League office to make them pay. The AL office rejects his plan. Eventually Bill Veeck will sell the St. Louis Browns to new owners, who will move the team to Baltimore to become the Orioles in 1954.
1958 - Former Yankees INF Rafael Santana (1988-1989) was born. On December 11, 1987, Rafael Santana was traded by the New York Mets along with Victor Garcia (minors) to the New York Yankees for minor league players OF Darren Reed, C Phil Lombardi, and P Steve Frey. Rafael hit .240 in 148 games in 1988, before going down with rotor cuff injury in spring of 1989. The Yankees released him in August of 1989.
1963 - Former MLB player and long-time Yankees minor league manager Oscar Vitt passed away (1890-1963). Oscar Vitt played in the MLB from 1912 to 1921, with the Detroit Tigers and the Boston Red Sox. He was mainly a 3B and 2B, but also he played some outfield. He was a mediocre hitter, hitting .238 for his MLB career, but he was tough to strike out and did have good speed, as witnessed by high totals of triples - he hit 13 in 1915 and 12 in 1916 - and stolen bases (a career-high of 26 in 1915, and three other seasons with more than 15). However, he only hit 4 home runs for his entire MLB career. He was 3rd in the American League in runs scored in 1915, when he was the Tigers' starting 3B and 2nd-place hitter; he also led the league with 42 sacrifice hits that season. In the 1930’s, he became a successful minor league manager in the Pacific Coast League with the Hollywood Stars and Oakland Oaks. In 1935, he joined the New York Yankees organization, managing the Oakland Oaks to a 3rd place finish in the PCL. Next season, he was the manager of the Newark Bears of the International League (AAA) in the 1936-1937, when they were the top farm club of the Yankees. Oscar fielded one of the best minor league teams ever seen in 1937, posting a 109-43 record and winning the International League championship. His success with the 1937 Newark Bears lead to a MLB manager’s job with the Cleveland Indians from 1938-1940. After being let go by the Indians, he return to managed with the Hollywood Stars for the 1941-1942 PCL seasons.
1971 - The Special Veteran’s Committee selects seven men for enshrinement in the Hall Of Fame: former players Jake Beckley, Joe Kelley, Harry Hooper, Rube Marquard, Chick Hafey, and Dave Bancroft, as well as baseball executive George Weiss, who was the New York Yankees General Manager (1949-1960). Also he ran the New York Yankees minor league system under Yankees General Manager Edward Barrow in the 1930-1940’s. In 1962, he was the 1st General Manager for the New York Mets.
1977- Former Indians and Yankees INF Joe Sewell, P Amos Rusie and MLB catcher and Manager Al Lopez are elected to the Hall Of Fame by the Special Veteran’s Committee. Joe Sewell batted .312 over 14 seasons with the Indians and Yankees. He only struck out 113 times during his MLB career. Amos Rusie won 246 games over 9 seasons from 1889 to 1898. Al Lopez won 4 fielding titles in 19 years as a MLB catcher, but it was his .584 winning percentage in 17 seasons as a MLB manager that got him into Cooperstown. He was the only American League Manager to win AL Flags with the Cleveland Indians (1954) and the Chicago White Sox (1959) during Manager Casey Stengel’s New York Yankees Dynasty run of 1949-1960.
2002 - Former Yankees minor league catcher and MLB player Harry Chiti passed away (1932-2002). On June 29, 1950, Harry Chiti was signed by the Chicago Cubs as an MLB amateur free agent. He became the youngest player in the National League, when he made it into three Cubs games at age 17. After a couple more stays in Chicago, while still a teenager and two years in the U.S. Army, he became a semi-regular behind the plate for the Cubs before being traded to the New York Yankees on December 11 1956 for veteran backup receiver, Charlie Silvera. Harry never made it into Yankees pinstripes at the MLB level. He played with the Yankees AAA team, the Denver Bears (American Association). The Kansas City A’s in the 1957 MLB Rule 5 Player Draft selected Harry from the New York Yankees organization. He played with the Kansas City Athletics, Detroit Tigers, Cleveland Indians (twice), Baltimore Orioles and the New York Mets before leaving the MLB.
2006 - The New York Yankees signed veteran MLB free agent P Ramiro Mendoza. He will spent the 2006 baseball season at Columbus (AAA), trying to comeback from arm problems. He only appeared in one game, pitching one inning with the Yankees in 2005.
2008 - The New York Yankees signed MLB free agent OF/DH Morgan Ensberg. Morgan will appear in 28 games for the Yankees, hitting only just .203, before being released by the team on June 7, 2008. He will sign as a free agent with the Cleveland Indians, playing the rest of 2008 season with their Buffalo (AAA) team.
February 1st
1921 - Former Yankees P (1950) and MLB Scout (1956-1958) Dave Madison was born. In 1947, the New York Yankees signed Dave Madison as an MLB amateur free agent. Dave appeared in only one game during the 1950 AL season with the Yankees. He had no record. On April 7,1952, Dave was purchased by the St. Louis Browns from the Yankees. After finishing his MLB active career, Dave became a Yankees MLB scout from 1956 to 1958. Also he would be a MLB scout for the Baltimore Orioles, Kansas City A’s and the New York Mets.
1924 - The New York Yankees purchased reserve OF Nick Cullop (1926) from Omaha (American Association). Nick appeared in two games with the Yankees, before being sent to the Washington Senators.
1926 - The New York Yankees sell veteran 1B Wally Pipp (1915-1925) to the Cincinnati Reds. In 1925, a headache had forced Wally Pipp out of the Yankees starting lineup, resulting in his replacement by future Hall Of Fame 1B Lou Gehrig. Pipp never started another game for the Yankees at 1B. After being obtained from the Detroit Tigers, Wally Pipp had been the Yankees regular 1B from 1915-1925.
1943 - Former Yankees OF Ron Woods (1967-1971) was born. On June 14, 1969, Ron Woods was traded by the Detroit Tigers to the New York Yankees for INF Tom Tresh. He was a weak-hitting outfielder. On June 25,1971, Ron was traded by the Yankees to the Montreal Expos for OF Ron Swoboda.
1944 - Former Yankees reserve OF Paul Blair (1977-1979) was born. On January 20, 1977, Paul Blair was traded by the Baltimore Orioles to the New York Yankees for Outfielders Elliott Maddox and Rick Bladt. Paul was a late inning replacement for Reggie Jackson in the outfield. He was originally signed by the New York Mets, but was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the MLB first year player draft.
1960 - Former Yankees P Cecilio Guante (1987-1988) was born. On November 26, 1986, Cecilio Guante was traded by the Pittsburgh Pirates along with P Pat Clements and Rick Rhoden to the New York Yankees for P Doug Drabek, P Brian Fisher, and P Logan Easley. He went 8-8 in 79 games with 12 saves. On August 30,1988, he was traded by the Yankees to the Texas Rangers for P Dale Mohorcic.
1966 - Former Yankees P Darrin Chapin (1991) was born. The New York Yankees in the 6th round of the 1986 MLB amateur player draft drafted Darrin Chapin. He went 0-1 in 3 games as a Yankee, before being traded on January 8,1992, to the Philadelphia Phillies for a player to be named later. The Phillies would send INF Charlie Hayes to the Yankees to complete the trade.
1970 - The Veterans Committee selects former MLB Commissioner Ford Frick along with former players OF Earle Combs and P Jesse Haines to the Hall Of Fame. Jessie Haines won 210 games for the St. Louis Cardinals and pitched in four World Series. Although he played 100 games in a season just nine times, New York Yankees CF Earl Combs accumulated 1,866 hits and batted .325. Combs Yankees career was cut short by a serious injury. Ford Frick was MLB commissioner from 1951-1965, but he is best remembered for suggesting that an asterisk be placed next to the name of anyone who broke Babe Ruth's HR record during the eight additional games on the American League schedule in 1961.
1978 - Former Yankees reserve INF Erick Almonte (2001,2003) was born. The New York Yankees signed Erick Almonte as an MLB amateur free agent in 1996. During 2003 AL season, Erick filled in for the injured Derek Jeter at shortstop, hitting .260 in 31 games. His final Yankee totals were a .269 BA in 39 games with 1 HR with 11 RBIs. On March 26, 2004, he was released by the Yankees.
1999 - The New York Yankees trade highly touted 3B prospect Mike Lowell to the Florida Marlins for 3 minor league pitchers: Mark J. Johnson, Ed Yarnall and Todd Noel. Mike Lowell was named minor league player-of-the-year last season, is expendable, after the New York Yankees 3B Scott Brosius' outstanding 1998 American League season performance.
February 2nd
1894 - Former Yankees OF Charles “Ray” Demmitt (1909) was born. Ray Demmitt hit .246 in 123 games in 1909, before being traded to the St. Louis Browns.
1895 - Former Yankees OF George Halas (1919) was born. George Halas, better known as a legendary football coach and NFL team owner of the Chicago Bears, played one season in the major leagues. He had been a three-sport athlete at the University of Illinois. After playing minor league ball, came to the majors as an outfielder in 1919 with the New York Yankees. The New York Yankees outfield consisted of Ping Bodie, Sammy Vick, and Duffy Lewis. In 22 at-bats, George Halas' MLB career batting average was .091.
1908 - Former Yankees P Wes Farrell (1938-1939) was born. The veteran pitcher went 3-4 in 8 games for the New York Yankees during the 1938-1939 AL seasons.
1916 - Former Yankees C Mike Garbark (1944-1945) was born. Mike Garbark hit .244 in 149 games with the Yankees.
1930 - The New York Yankees waived shortstop Leo Durocher, who batted only .246 in 1929. The future Hall Of Fame manager will eventually sign with the Cincinnati Reds. He was caught by his New York Yankees roommate Babe Ruth stealing from him.
1933 - Former Yankees reserve OF Jack Reed (1961-1963) was born. The New York Yankees signed Jack Reed as an MLB amateur free agent in 1953. He was a three-sport star at Old Miss, playing in the 1953 Sugar Bowl. He was signed in 1953, but spent a couple of years in military service in Korea. Jack joined the Yankees in 1961 as a reserve outfielder; often filling in for Mickey Mantle in centerfield. Jack Reed hit his only MLB homerun during the 1962 AL season to win a 22-inning game against the Detroit Tigers. His best season as a Yankees reserve was in 1962, hitting .307 in 43 games. After retiring as an active player, Jack Reed managed in the New York Yankees minor league system.
1936 - The BWAA announces the results of the 1st Hall Of Fame vote. Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, Christy Mathewson and Honus Wagner comprise the inaugural class of HOF members at Cooperstown, NY. Several other MLB stars like hurler Cy Young fail to make the grade, but will enter the Hall of Fame in later elections.
1950 - Former Yankees P Dale Murray (1983-1985) was born. On December 9, 1982, Dale Murray was traded by the Toronto Blue Jays along with OF Tom Dodd to the New York Yankees for OF Dave Collins, minor league 1B Fred Mc Griff, P Mike Morgan, and cash. The Yankees had hope that Murray would help out their bullpen, but he wasn’t the answer, going just 2-6 in 62 games with only one save.
1958 - Former Yankees minor league INF Pat Tabler was born. Pat Tabler was drafted by the New York Yankees in the 1st round (16th pick) of the 1976 MLB amateur player draft. With All Star Willie Randolph entrenched at 2B for the Yankees, Pat’s future was blocked in the Yankees infield. Pat never appeared with the Yankees at the MLB level. On August 19,1981, Pat was traded by the New York Yankees to the Chicago Cubs for two players to be named later. The Cubs sent P Bill Caudill on April 1,1982, later P Jay Howell was sent on August 2,1982 to the Yankees to complete the trade.
1962 - Former Yankees P Pat Clements (1983-1985) was born. On November 26, 1986, Pat was traded by the Pittsburgh Pirates along with P Cecilio Guante and Rick Rhoden to the New York Yankees for P Doug Drabek, P Brian Fisher, and P Logan Easley. He went 3-3 in 61 games with 7 saves. On October 24,1988, Pat was traded by the Yankees along with 1B Jack Clark to the San Diego Padres for Pitchers Lance McCullers, Jimmy Jones, and OF Stanley Jefferson.
1972 - The New York Yankees purchased reserve INF Hal Lanier (1972-1973) from the San Francisco Giants. Hal was a weak hitting, reserve infielder. He was the son of former MLB St. Louis Cardinals star pitcher Max Lanier.
February 3rd
1888 - Former Yankees Hall Of Fame co-owner and General Manager Larry Mac Phail (1945-1947) was born. Larry MacPhail is best remembered for having lights installed at Crosley Field in 1935 for night baseball for the Cincinnati Reds. The Reds were also the 1st team to fly to games. His son, Lee, was a Hall of Fame baseball executive and American League president. Lee worked for the New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles. They are the only father-son combination in the Hall of Fame. Larry was the President of Columbus in the American Association (1930-1933). Then he was the General Manager for the Cincinnati Reds (1933-1936). He moved to the Brooklyn Dodgers, where he was their General Manager, from 1938 to 1942. With the Yankees, he succeeded the long-time Yankees General Manager Edward Barrow in 1945. After the 1947 World Series, he sold his ownership shares of the New York Yankees to co-owners Del Webb and Dan Topping. He was not very popular with the Yankee players.
1896 - Former Yankees OF Nelson “Chicken” Hawks (1921) was born. In 1921, he was briefly an outfielder on the 1921 New York Yankees, playing with fellow OF Babe Ruth in the season that Ruth hit 59 HRs. Hawks, although he had only two HRs, had a .479 slugging percentage, which was one of the highest on the 1921 Yankees team.
1922 - Former Yankees minor league OF Jim Dyck was born. Before 1941 MLB Season, Jim Dyck was signed by the New York Yankees as an MLB amateur free agent. Jim never played for the Yankees at the MLB level. On December 5,1949, Jim was drafted by the St. Louis Browns from the New York Yankees organization in the 1949 minor league player draft. He played for the St. Louis Browns, Baltimore Orioles, and Cleveland Indians before finishing up with the Cincinnati Reds in 1956.
1925 - Former Yankees P Harry Byrd (1954) was born. On December 16, 1953, Harry Byrd was traded by the Philadelphia A’s along with 3B Loren Babe, OF Tom Hamilton, OF Carmen Mauro, and 1B Eddie Robinson to the New York Yankees for 1B Don Bollweg, P Johnny Gray, C Jim Robertson, 3B Jim Finigan, minor league 1B Vic Power and OF Bill Renna. In 1952, Harry was named American League Rookie of the Year, posting a 15-15 record for the A’s. As a New York Yankees starter in 1954, Harry went 9-7 with 2.99 ERA before being sent to the Baltimore Orioles in the big 17-player trade that winter.
1928 - The New York Yankees released INF Julie Wera (1927,1929). Julie Wera appeared in 43 games hitting .278 for the New York Yankees, playing parts of the 1927 and 1929 AL seasons with the team. On November 25,1930, he was purchased by the Yankees from the Jersey City (International League). Before the start of the 1931 AL Season, he was sent by the New York Yankees to the San Francisco Seals (PCL) to complete an earlier deal made on August 23,1930. The Yankees sent a player to be named later and three players to the Seals for INF Frankie Crosetti. The Yankees send INF Julie Wera (1931) to the Seals to complete the trade.
1944 - Former Yankees INF/DH Celerino Sanchez (1972-1973) was born (1944-1992). On December 6, 1971, Celerino Sanchez was traded by the Mexico City Tigers (Mexican League) to the New York Yankees for minor league player INF/OF Ossie Chavarria. He would hit .242 in 105 games for the Yankees. After suffering a fatal heart attack in 1992, Celerino passed away in his hometown of Mexico City.
1951 - Former Yankees P Mike Wallace (1974-1975) was born. On May 3,1974, Mike Wallace was traded by the Philadelphia Phillies to the New York Yankees for veteran P Ken Wright. Mike would post a 6-0 record in 26 games, before being sold to the St. Louis Cardinals in 1975.
1961 - Former Yankees minor league P Fred Toliver was born. The New York Yankees in the 3rd round of the 1979 MLB amateur player draft drafted Freddie Toliver. Fred was traded to the Cincinnati Reds along with P Brian Ryder in the Ken Griffey Sr. trade in 1981. He would return to the Yankees in September of 1989, but he would not make any appearances with the team at MLB level.
1965 - Former Yankees minor league P Rich Scheid was born. The New York Yankees in the 2nd round of the 1986 MLB amateur player draft drafted Rich Scheid. On July 13,1987, he was traded by the Yankees along with pitchers Bob Tewksbury and Dean Wilkins to the Chicago Cubs for starter Steve Trout.
1966 - Former Yankees OF Mike Milosevich (1944-1945) passed away. Mollie Milosevich hit .241 for the 1944-1945 New York Yankees.
1977 - Former Yankees minor league P Chi-Chi Olivo passed away. On November 29, 1966, Chi-Chi Olivo was traded by the Atlanta Braves along with rookie OF Bill Robinson to the New York Yankees for veteran 3B Clete Boyer. He never pitched for the Yankees at the MLB level.
1998 - The New York Yankees replaced recently resigned General Manager Bob Watson with Brian Cashman.
2002 - New York Yankees American League All Star C Jorge Posada signs a five-year contract with the club. Terms are not announced, but Posada was asking for $7.75 million in arbitration, which would make the 30-year-old the second best-paid catcher in MLB history.
February 4th
1875 - Former Yankees OF Alfonzo “Lefty” Davis (1903) was born. Before the 1903 MLB Season, OF Lefty Davis jumped from the National League Pittsburgh Pirates to the New York Highlanders. He appeared in 104 games for the 1903 Yankees, hitting .237.
1878 - Former Yankees OF/Coach Herman “Germany” Schaeffer (1916) was born. Herman appeared in one game for the 1916 Yankees with no hits.
1915 - The New York Yankees purchased 1B Wally Pipp and Hugh High from the Detroit Tigers for a reported $5,000 each. Baseball historian Lyle Spatz (Yankees Coming, Yankees Going) writes that this was the 1st of some promised funneling of ball players to the recently sold New York Yankees franchise. Wally Pipp would be the Yankees regular 1B from 1915 until mid season of 1925, being replaced by Lou Gehrig. He would be sold to the Cincinnati Reds following the completion of the 1925 AL season.
1916 - The New York Yankees released veteran OF Birdie Cree (1908-1915). He had retired from MLB. Birdie Cree played for the Yankees for eight seasons, hitting a career .292 BA in 742 games with 761 hits, 11 HRs and 332 RBI’s. His best New York Yankees season was in 1911, when he hit .348 in 137 games for the team.
1937 - Former Yankees Manager Harry Wolverton (1912) passed away (1873-1937). In 1912, Harry Wolverton managed the New York Yankees to a 50-102 record, a last place finish in the American League. The veteran 3B appeared in several games a pinch-hitter for the Yankees. Former Chicago Cubs Manager Frank Chance replaced Harry Wolverton as Yankees manager for the 1913 AL season.
1957 - Former Yankees and MLB Manager Joe McCarthy and OF Sam Crawford are elected to the Hall Of Fame by the BWAA. Joe “Marsh” McCarthy, the winningest manager in MLB history, won 9 pennants and 4 consecutive World Championships with the New York Yankees. He was the 1st MLB manager to win league championships in NL (Chicago Cubs) and AL (New York Yankees). Sam Crawford, one of the greatest hitters of the dead-ball era, finished his MLB career with 309 triples, 1st on the all-time MLB list.
1961 - Former Yankees minor league executive and MLB General Manager Parker Carroll passed away. Parker Carroll was the General Manager of the Kansas City A’s from 1958-1960. During those years, he engineered a few trades that sent key players to the Yankees, such as Bob Cerv, Hector Lopez and Ralph Terry, but his most notable deal came on December 11,1959, in which Carroll sent OF Roger Maris, 1B Kent Hadley and veteran INF Joe DeMasteri to the New York Yankees for veteran P Don Larsen, 1B/OF Marv Throneberry, OF Hank Bauer and OF/1B Norm Siebern. With the aid of the short right-field porch in Yankee Stadium, Roger Maris set a single-season HR record with 61 HR in 1961, just two years after leaving the A's. Only Norm Siebern would pay dividends for the A's however, as he was their regular 1B from 1960-1963. Carroll's dealings with the Yankees were considered controversial because the A’s, under owner Arnold Johnson, had sent many top players to New York in apparent one-sided trades during the mid-to late-1950s. Johnson and the team's Director of Player Personnel, George Selkirk had previously traded quality players such as veteran starter Bobby Shantz, Clete Boyer and Ryne Duren to the Yankees. Also Johnson had previous business ties with New York Yankees Co-Owner Del Webb. He had owned Yankee Stadium in the Bronx prior to purchasing the Philadelphia A’s from Connie Mack in the winter of 1954. All these factors led to charges from baseball fans, sports writers and other MLB teams that Johnson and Carroll ran the Athletics as a Yankee farm team at the MLB level. Parker Carroll came to the team directly, after working in the New York Yankees organization as Business Manager for the Bombers' two top AAA farm clubs, the Kansas City Blues (American Association) and the Newark Bears (International League). A former sportswriter, who served as sports editor of the Kansas City Journal Post, Carroll entered professional baseball, when that newspaper ceased publication during World War II. He joined the A's in their first MLB season in Kansas City in 1955 as Vice President and Business Manager. Johnson promoted him to General Manager after the end of the 1958 AL season. Johnson previously had not handed the General Manager title to a specific baseball executive, preferring to divide the job responsibilities among himself, George Selkirk and Carroll. At the end of the 1960 AL season, new A’s owner Charley O. Finley fired Parker Carroll replacing him with veteran MLB General Manager Frank “Trader” Lane.
1969 - Attorney Bowie Kuhn is named MLB commissioner, succeeding Spike Eckert. Kuhn receives a one-year contract paying him $100,000. Major league owners turned to Kuhn after failing to agree on either of two other candidates, Michael Burke of the New York Yankees and Chub Feeney of the San Francisco Giants.
1984 - The New York Yankees obtained 3B Toby Harrah and a player to be named later from the Cleveland Indians in exchange for OF Otis Nixon, P George Frazier and a player to be named later. The Indians will send minor leaguer Rick Browne on February 8, 1984 to the Yankees to complete the trade. The Yankees will send minor league P Guy Elston on February 8,1984 to the Indians to complete the trade. Toby Harrah was a major disappointment with the bat for the Yankees. He only managed to hit .217 in 88 games with 1 HR with 26 RBIs. On February 27,1985, Toby was traded by the Yankees to the Texas Rangers for a player to be named later and OF Billy Sample. The Rangers will send minor league player Eric Dersin on July 14,1985 to the Yankees to complete the trade.
2007 - Former Yankees P Steve Barber (1967-1968) passed away. On July 4, 1967, Steve Barber was traded by the Baltimore Orioles to the New York Yankees for players to be named later, 1B Ray Barker, and cash. The Yankees sent minor league players INF Chet Trail and OF Joe Brady to the Baltimore Orioles to complete the trade. Steve went 12-14 in 37 games for the Yankees before being drafted by the Seattle Pilots in the 1968 AL player expansion draft. He was still recovering from arm problems that he had with the Orioles, never showing the great form that made him a starter for the Birds during the early 1960’s.
2007 - Former Yankees reserve OF Jim Pisoni (1959-1960) passed away. Jim Pisoni came to New York Yankees from the Kansas City A’s in the Billy Martin trade on June 15,1957. He hit .144 in 32 games as a reserve Yankees outfielder. On December 1,1958 Jim was drafted by the Milwaukee Braves from the New York Yankees organization in the 1958 MLB Rule 5 player draft. In May of 1959, the Braves returned Jim to the Yankees. He would spend most his time with the Yankees, playing at Richmond (AAA).
February 5th
1891 - Former Yankees INF (1913-1921) and Manager (1914) Roger Peckinpaugh was born. On May 25, 1913, he was traded by the Cleveland Indians to the New York Yankees for infielders Bill Stumpf and Jack Lelivelt. Roger had eight good seasons with the Yankees as a starting shortstop until 1921, when he was traded to the Boston Red Sox. In 1914, he briefly managed the team for 17 games, posting a 9-8 mark.
1921 - The New York Yankees purchase 10 acres of land in the Bronx. The Yankees will use the land as the site for their new park, which will be called Yankee Stadium.
1935 - At the of age of 39, MLB HR king and American League All Star OF Babe Ruth is released by the New York Yankees. He will finish his long MLB career with the Boston Braves in 1935.
1936 - Former Yankees OF/1B James “Leroy” Thomas (1961) was born. In 1954, the New York Yankees signed Lee Thomas as an MLB amateur free agent. Lee was unable to break into the Yankees regular outfield. He was traded to the expansion Angeles in the Ryne Duren-Bob Cerv trade in May of 1961. After retiring as a MLB player he went in front office management, later becoming a MLB General Manager, most recently with the Philadelphia Phillies.
1942 - The Boston Braves obtained minor league OF Tommy Holmes from the New York Yankees for 1B Buddy Hassett and OF Gene Moore in one of the best trades in Braves history. Buddy Hassett will hit .284, and then he would join the U.S. Navy and never return to the MLB. The much-traveled Gene Moore will never play for the Yankees at the MLB level. Tommy Holmes couldn't break into New York Yankees All-Star outfield, but he will be a .302 MLB career hitter. He will win the National League Most Valuable Player Award in 1948, after leading the Boston Braves to the National League pennant.
1955 - Former Yankees INF/C Mike Heath (1978) was born. The New York Yankees in the 2nd round of the 1973 MLB amateur player draft selected INF Mike Heath. He appeared in 33 games for the Yankees hitting .238 in 1978. He was being groomed to be Thurman Munson’s replacement until he was traded to the Texas Rangers in the Sparky Lyle-Dave Righetti trade in the fall of 1978. After retiring as an active MLB player, Mike became a MLB coach.
2002 - Luis (Tite) Arroyo is inducted into the Latin American Baseball Hall Of Fame Museum. The Puerto Rican reliever, who made the National League All Star squad as a rookie with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1955, posted a 40-32 MLB career record with 36 saves and a 3.93 ERA in 8 MLB seasons. Arroyo is best remembered for his 1961 American League season with the New York Yankees, when he went 15-5 with 29 saves. He would later become a Latin American MLB scout for the Yankees.
(As always I'd like to thank Fw57Clipper51 for his great contribution.)
