March 30th- April 5th
March 30th
1931 - Former Yankees P Richard Woodson (1974) was born. Rich went 1-2 in 8 games with the Yankees in 1974 after being obtained from the Twins.
1955 - The Yankees sell veteran P Ewell "The Whip" Blackwell to the Athletics. Blackwell, who was injured in 1954, will pitch in only 2 games for the Athletics in 1955 before retiring from MLB, along with Blackwell the A’s received P Tom Gorman and 1B Richard Kryhoski for $50,000.
1965 - Yankees sell P Stan Williams (1963-1964) to the Indians for cash. Stan went 10-13 in 50 games for Yankees after being obtained from the Dodgers for 1B Bill “Moose” Skowron in 1962. He never was the successful starter for the Yankees like he was with the Dodgers. Stan would be converted to a relief pitcher and be successful with the Twins. He would later become a pitching coach for the Yankees.
March 31st
1971 - The Yankees released veteran INF Pete Ward (1970). Pete was a slugging 3rd baseman with the Chicago White Sox in the 1960’s, by the time he reached the Yankees, he was playing with a bad back at 1st base.
1972 - The Yankees re-purchased OF/1st baseman Frank Tepedino (1967, 69-71, 1972) from the Brewers for cash. Frank originally was signed the Orioles, later drafted by the Yankees. He saw limited action with the Yankees in 44 games. Frank was traded twice by Yankees, once to the Brewers for OF Danny Walton (1971) and then to the Braves P Pat Dobson in 1973.
1980 - Current Yankees starter Chien-Ming Wang was born.
1992 - Former Yankees C and minor league manager Ken “Hawk” Silvestri passed away (1916-1992). Ken was a catcher for the Yankees 1941, 1946-1947. In 1948, he was drafted by the Phillies in the Rule 5 player draft. Ken was a longtime Yankees minor league manager.
April 1st
1934 - Former Yankees farmhand INF Rod “Hot Rod“ Kanehl was born (1934-2004). Rod was originally signed by the Yankees in 1954. He played in their farm system until the fall of 1961, when he was drafted by the Mets on advice from new Mets Manager Casey Stengel. Rod never saw MLB action with the Yankees, but Stengel remember him from a Yankee spring camp training session, where he jumped on a bike to run down a fly ball. The Yankees wanted to give him a shot at 3rd base job in 1967, but the Mets refused to release him from his lifetime reserve clause in his MLB player contract. He would have been a better choice than Charlie Smith.
1939 - Former Yankees P Phil Niekro (1984-85) is born in Blaine, Belmont County, Ohio. "Knucksie" will make his MLB debut in 1964 with the Braves. He will win 318 games over a 24-year career and will gain election to the HOF in 1997. Phil went 32-20 in 53 games as a Yankee pitcher during the 1984-85 seasons.
1955 - Former Yankees OF Larry Murray (1974-1976) was born. Larry was part of a trade that brought P Mike Torrez to the Yankees from A’s in April, 1977. He appeared in 20 games as a back up OF with the Yankees from 1974-76.
April 2nd
1918 - The Yankees purchased 1B "Tioga" George Burns from the Tigers and immediately trade him to the Athletics for OF Ping Bodie (1918-1921).
1931 - At Engel Stadium, Miss Jackie Mitchell strikes out Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig in an exhibition game held in Chattanooga, TN. The 17-year-old girl, a member of the Chattanooga Lookouts roster, also walks Tony Lazzeri in Chattanooga's 14-4 loss to the Yankees. In 1933, Mitchell will pitch for the House of David team.
1945 - Former Yankees P Mike Kekich (1969-1973) was born. Mike is known more for off the field actions as a Yankee than as a player. Fritz Peterson and Mike swapped wives and families one year, causing a quite a media stir. Mike came over from the Dodgers in the Andy Kosco trade. He went 31-24 as a Yankee before being exiled to the Indians after the wife/family swap.
1955 - Former Yankees OF Bill Sample (1985) was born. On February 27, 1985, Bill was traded by the Rangers along with a player to be named later to the Yankees for INF Toby Harrah. The Rangers sent Eric Dersin to the Yankees to complete the trade. Billy hit .288 in 59 games for the Yankees before being traded on December 6, 1985, to the Braves for Miguel Sosa (minors).
1964 - Former Yankees DH Pete Incaviglia (1997) was born. Pete was with the Yankees for 21 days appearing in 5 games with a BA .250, before being released.
1970 - Former Yankees P Jon Lieber (2003-4) was born. He was signed as free agent in 2003; Jon went 14-8 with the Yankees in 2004 before leaving the team as a free agent to sign with the Phillies.
2001 - On Opening Day, Yankees starter Roger Clemens becomes all-time AL career strike out leader passing Hall Of Fame Pitcher Walter Johnson.
2003 - Orioles shortstop Mike Bordick's record streak for games played and total chances without an error by a shortstop ends as Yankees OF Bubba Trammell's 3rd innings grounder tips off his glove.
2003 - Todd Zeile hits a HR in his 1st at-bat for the Yankees, becoming the only MLB player to hit a HR for 10 different teams. In addition to homering with the Yankees, Zeile had also gone deep for the Cardinals, Cubs, Phillies, Orioles, Dodgers, Marlins, Rangers, Mets, and Rockies.
April 3rd
1919 - One of the most bizarre off-the-field spring training incidents in Yankees history takes place in Jacksonville, Florida. Yankees OF Ping Bodie competes against an ostrich named "Percy" in a spaghetti-eating contest! Bodie wins the competition, when Percy passes out after his 11th plate of pasta.
1929 - Former Yankees P Art Ditmar (1957-1961) was born. Art was originally signed by the Philadelphia A’s in 1948. On February 19, 1957, Art was traded by the A’s along with players to be named later, Wayne Belardi, Jack McMahan, and P Bobby Shantz to the Yankees for a player to be named later, OF Irv Noren, INF Milt Graff, Pitchers Mickey McDermott, Tom Morgan and Rip Coleman, and INF Billy Hunter. The Yankees would send P Jack Urban to the A’s to complete the trade. The A’s would send Curt Roberts and INF Clete Boyer to the Yankees to complete the trade. Art would go 13-9 in 1959 and 15-9 in 1960 for the Yankees. He failed to win both of his two 1960 World Series starts against the Pirates. He appeared in 3 World Series with the Yankees in 1957-58 against the Braves, and in 1960 against the Pirates. In 1961, suffering from arm problems, he went 2-3 in 12 games, before being traded back to the A’s along with OF/INF Deron Johnson for veteran P Bud Daley. His overall Yankees pitching record was 47-32 in 168 games with 12 saves.
1952 - Former Yankees P Rick Earle (1976) was born. Rick never pitched for the Yankees at the MLB level.
1961 - Yankees reacquired P Duke Maas (1958-1960) from Angels for shortstop Fritz Brickell (1958-1959). Duke Maas injured his pitching arm, after appearing in 1 game and never pitched again in MLB. His best season as a Yankee was in 1959 when he won 14 games. He was drafted by the Angels in 1960 AL Expansion draft. His Yankee career pitching record was 26-12 before the arm injury finished his MLB career. Both players passed away at young ages, Brickell at 30 in 1965 and Duke Maas at 45 in 1976.
1967 - Yankees obtained INF John Kennedy from the Dodgers for OF John Miller, P Jack Cullen and the temporary transfer of OF Roy White to the Dodgers Spokane AAA farm club in PCL. The Yankees had the Dodgers work with White on his infield play, but in the end, he stayed an outfielder.
1972 - Yankees released veteran pitchers Jim Hardin (1971) and Gary Waslewski (1970-1971). Both were washed up as MLB pitchers.
1979 - Former Yankees OF Harry “Suitcase” Simpson (1957-1958) passed away.(1925-1979) Harry appeared in 99 games for the Yankees, before being traded back to the A’s.
1984 - After rain washes out yesterday's opener at Royals Stadium in Kansas City, actor Yul Brynner tosses out the 1st ball and Royals opens with a 4-2 win over the Yankees. The threat of snow holds the crowd to just 10,006. Starter Bud Black, with relief help from Dan Quisenberry, tops Ron Guidry, still winless in Openers. Onix Concepción hits Guidry's 1st pitch of the game for a HR, while Dave Winfield has a 2-run HR for the Yankees.
2005 - In his 1st outing for the Yankees, All Star starter Randy Johnson allows a run and 5 hits in 6 innings as New York open the 2005 MLB season with a 9-2 triumph over the 2004 World Champion Red Sox at Yankee Stadium. Johnson will win 17 games for the Yankees in the 2005 season.
April 4th
1971 - Former Yankees P Carl “Sub” Mays (1919-1923) passed away at the age of 79 (1891-1971). Carl went 26-11 (1920) and 27-9 (1921). As a Yankee he was 79-39 for the team from 1919-1923. After being sold to the Reds for $85,000, in 1924, he went 20-9 for the Reds. He never got along with Yankee Manager Miller Huggins, which included a fist-fight on the sidewalks of New York City. His trade was considered to be one of the worst in early Yankees team history. He went 56-36 after he joined the Reds. Carl Mays was the Yankee pitcher, who hit Indians batter Ray Chapman with a pitch, which later resulted in his death during the 1920 AL season game.
1972 - Yankees released veteran INF Ron Hansen (1970-71). By the time Ron reached the Yankees, he was playing with a bad back and with limited range.
1982 - Former Yankees P Mel Queen Sr. (1942, 1944, 1946-47) passed away (1918-1982). Mel was the father of former MLB player and manager Mel Queen Jr. Mel was signed by the Yankees in 1938, he went 8-4 in 33 games for the Yankees before being sold to the Pirates during the 1947 season.
1984 - On Opening Day, Yankees veteran starting P Tommy John ties a MLB record by playing in 26 seasons. John beats the Twins, 4-2, for his 287th win putting him 19th overall in MLB pitching career wins.
1994 - In New York City, a total of 56,706 fans attend Opening Day making it the largest crowd ever at the remodeled Yankee Stadium. Yankee starter Jimmy Key is winner with bullpen help from Bob Wickman and Xavier Hernandez picking up the save. The Yankees hitting attack was led by Wade Boggs, who went 4 for 5 with a run driven in.
April 5th
1913 - In an exhibition game at Brooklyn, the Dodgers play their 1st game at their new ballpark, Ebbets Field. Brooklyn beats the Yankees, 3-2, with the Dodgers OF Casey Stengel hitting the park's 1st HR, an in the park HR.
1921 - Former Yankees P Robert Hogue (1951-52) was born. Bob went 4-5 in 33 games with the Yankees before being sent to the Browns in 1952.
1925 - In spring training, the Yankees whip the Dodgers, by a score of 16-9, but the headlines are about Babe Ruth. The Bambino collapses in the railroad station in Asheville, NC, and winds up in a New York City hospital. Ruth will undergo an operation for an ulcer on April 17th and will be in bed until May 26th. The press calls the incident “Babe Ruth’s Bellyache.” The Yankees would fall to 7th place in the AL.
1934 - Babe Ruth, sponsored by Quaker Oats, agrees to do three 15-minute broadcasts a week over NBC radio. The total of $39,000 for 13 weeks is $4,000 more than his New York Yankees contract. Of equal way, WSAL hires Red Barber to broadcast Cincinnati Reds games.
1938 - Former Yankees INF Ron Hansen (1970-71) was born. By the time, Ron reached the Yankees he was playing with a bad back with limited range.
1973 - Yankees obtain INF Tom Matchick from the Orioles for shortstop Frank “No Home Run“ Baker. Baker was a terrible infielder with the Yankees, while in the Orioles farm system; he became a better fielder and a good bench player for the Birds. Matchick never played for the Yanks at MLB level.
1977 - The Yankees acquired shortstop Bucky Dent from the White Sox for OF Oscar Gamble, Pitchers La Marr Hoyt and Bob Polinsky and an estimated $200,000. Dent will solidify Yankees middle infield and help the Yankees reach the World Series in 1977 and '78. Gamble will have a fine season in Chicago. While La Marr Hoyt will blossom into the ace of the White Sox staff in the early 1980's.
1979 - At Yankee Stadium, 52,719 fans see Milwaukee jump on Ron Guidry for 4 runs in the 6th inning, beating Yankees 5-1. It's the most runs the 1978 AL Cy Young Award winner has allowed since the 1977 AL season. New York get singles from their 1st 3 hitters, but manage to score just 1 run in the 1st inning off of Brewers starter Mike Caldwell.
1995 - The Yankees acquired closer John Wetteland (1995-96) from the Expos for minor league 1B Fernando Segugnol and cash. Wetteland will help the Yankees to the World Championship in 1996. He will go 3-8 in 122 games with 74 saves as a Yankee closer before leaving the team for free agency. John will win the 1996 World Series MVP and Rolaids Relief Award.
2002 - Former Yankees minor league manager William “Sheriff” Robinson passed away (1921-2002). He managed the Amarillo Gold Sox (AA) in 1961, which featured future Yankees P Jim Bouton, INF Phil Linz and 1B Joe Pepitione, aka “The Amarillo Gang”. In 1962 he managed the Yankees AAA club, the Richmond Virginians (IL), before leaving the Yankees to join the Mets organization in 1963.
(As always I'd like to thank Clipper51 for his great contribution.)
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