This Week in Yankees History
March 14th - March 20th
March 14th
March 14th - March 20th
March 14th
1944 - Former Yankees OF /1B John Miller (1966) was born. In 1962, the Yankees signed John Miller as an MLB amateur free agent. He appeared in only 6 games for the Yankees hitting just .087. He hit a HR at his 1st MLB at bat with the Yankees. He would be traded to the Dodgers, where he hit a HR in his last MLB at bat. John would play baseball in Japan.
1956 - Former Yankees C/DH/1B Butch Wynegar (1982-1986) was born. On May 12, 1982, Butch was traded by the Twins along with P Roger Erickson to the Yankees for P John Pacella, INF Larry Milbourne, P Pete Filson, and cash. Butch hit .248 in 449 games for the Yankees. On December 19, 1986, he was traded by the Yankees to the California Angels for a player to be named later and Ron Romanick. The Angels would send P Alan Mills on June 22, 1987 to the Yankees to complete the trade. Butch is currently the hitting coach for the Yankees AAA team at Scranton.
1965 - Former Yankees P Kevin Brown (2004-2005) was born. On December 13, 2003, Kevin was traded by the Dodgers to the Yankees for P Jeff Weaver, minor league players P Yhency Brazoban, P Brandon Weeden and cash. He posted a 14-13 record in 35 games for the Yankees.
1969 - The Yankees purchased veteran OF Jimmy Hall from the Cleveland Indians for cash. He hit .236 in 80 games for the Yankees, before being sent to the Cubs.
2003 - Able to maintain the organization's "long standing philosophy", which lets Cablevision customers choose whether or not to receive paid programming, the cable giant agrees 1-year interim deal to offer YES Network to New York Yankees fans for a fee ending a bitter and costly yearlong feud. The arrangement makes YES a premium channel instead of basic cable channel which the new network had previously mandated and would have made every subscriber pay for the channel regardless of the viewer's choice.
March 15th
1889 - Former Yankees INF/OF Charley Mullen (1914-1916) was born. Charley hit .264 in 192 games for the Yankees.
1898 - Former Yankees P Wilfred “Rosy” Ryan (1928) was born. Rosy Ryan appeared in only 3 games for the Yankees with no record in 1928.
1919 - Yankees sell veteran P Ray Fisher to the Cincinnati Reds for undisclosed amount of cash. Before 1910 AL Season, Ray was purchased by the Highlanders from Hartford (Connecticut). Ray went 76-78 in 214 games with 5 saves for the Yankees. His best Yankees season was in 1915, when he posted an 18-11 mark. On March 15, 1919, Ray was selected off waivers by the Cincinnati Reds from the Yankees. He appeared in 1919 World Series with the Reds, losing 1 game to the Chicago White Sox.
1944 - Former Yankees P Wayne Granger (1973) was born. Wayne was obtained from the St. Louis Cardinals for minor league P Ken Crosby. He went 0-1 in 7 games for the 1973 Yankees.
1946 - Former Yankees All Star OF Bobby Bonds (1975) was born. In 1974, the Giants to Yankees for All Star OF Bobby Mercer traded Bobby Bonds. Bobby hit .270, slugging 32 HRS with 85 RBIs in 145 games. On December 11, 1975, he was traded to the California Angels for OF Mickey Rivers and P Ed Figueroa.
1960 - Former Yankees 3B Mike Pagliarulo (1984-1989) was born. In 1981, the New York Yankees in the 6th round of the MLB amateur player draft drafted Mike Pagliarulo. Mike was the Yankees regular 3B from 1985-1989, hitting 95 HRS with 337 RBIs in 703 games. On July 22, 1989, he was traded by the Yankees along with P Don Schulze to the San Diego Padres for P Walt Terrell and a player to be named later, which would be P Freddie Toliver. Mike is currently a baseball sports writer.
1982 - Former Yankees minor league P Steve Jackson was born. Steve Jackson was traded by the Diamondbacks along with INF Alberto Gonzalez, P Ross Ohlendorf and P Luis Vizcaino to the New York Yankees for All Star starter Randy Johnson. In 2007, Steven struggled with the Scranton Yankees (4-8, 5.87 ERA,) and Trenton Thunder (0-1, 1 Save, 3.86 ERA). For the Peoria Javelinas (AFL) that fall, he had a 0-1, with 5.63 ERA, but fanned 19 batters in 16 innings. Steven split 2008 baseball season between Trenton (1-3, 2 Saves, 5.74 ERA in 15 Games) and Scranton (3-0, 4 saves, 3.17 ERA in 34 Games, 54 K in 48 1/3 IP). He started 2009 season with the Scranton (AAA), he allowed 3 runs in 14 1/3 IP with saved 1 game. He was called up to the Yankees but did not pitch in a game for them. They placed him on waivers, the Pittsburgh Pirates claimed him.
March 16th
1927 - Former Yankees reserve C Clint “Scraps” Courtney (1951) was born (1927-1975). In 1947, the New York Yankees as an MLB amateur free agent signed Clint Courtney. Clint appeared in 1 game with the 1951 Yankees before being traded to the St. Louis Browns for P Jim McDonald. Clint’s MLB career with the Yankees was blocked by presence of All Star C Yogi Berra. He was nick named “Scraps” for the game fights and fines that he collected during his career. He was one of the 1st modern MLB catchers to wear glasses behind the catcher’s mask. He played for the Yankees, Browns, Orioles, White Sox, Senators and the A’s during his 11 year MLB career. In 1965, he was a MLB coach for the Houston Astros. In 1970, he began managing in the Atlanta Braves minor league system. On June 16, 1975, he died of a massive heart attack, while as the manager of the Richmond Braves (AAA) in the Atlanta Braves organization.
1932 - In St. Petersburg, Fla. spring training, Babe Ruth signs a 1-year player contract for $75,000 and a percentage of the exhibition gate. Legend has it the Bambino signed a blank player’s contract with the amount filled in later by New York Yankees owner Jacob Ruppert.
1956 - Former Yankees reserve C Juan Espino (1982-1983, 1984-1986) was born. On December 26, 1974, he was signed by the New York Yankees as an MLB amateur free agent. He batted .219 appearing in only 49 games for the Yankees. On March 31, 1984, Juan was purchased by the Cleveland Indians. On January 8, 1985, he was reacquired by the Yankees from the Indians.
1959 - Former Yankees P Charlie Hudson (1987-1988) was born. On December 11, 1986, Charlie Hudson was traded by the Philadelphia Phillies along with P Jeff Knox to the Yankees for INF Tom Barrett and OF/DH Mike Easler. He went 17-13 in 63 games for the Yankees with 2 saves. On March 23, 1989, he was traded to the Detroit Tigers for INF Tom Brookens.
1978 - High-priced free agent hurler Andy Messersmith separates his shoulder in a spring exhibition game for the New York Yankees. A 20-game winner both for the Angels and Dodgers, Messersmith will never win a game for the Yankees. He ran into Yankees 1B Cliff Johnson during a play at first base.
1981- Current Yankees CF Curtis Granderson was born. On December 9, 2009, Curtis Granderson was traded to the New York Yankees in a 3-team trade. In the deal, the Yankees received Granderson, while sending P Phil Coke and minor league OF prospect Austin Jackson to Detroit Tigers. The Arizona Diamondbacks received Yankees P Ian Kennedy and Tigers P Edwin Jackson in return for young P Max Scherzer and Daniel Schlereth, who joined the Tigers. Curtis will wear #14 with the Yankees, a change from his uniform number of #28 with the Tigers, as Yankees Manager Joe Girardi will wear #28, symbolizing the team's drive for its 28th World Series championship. Curtis was named to the 2009 AL All Star team. In the game, he hit a triple in the top of the 8th inning and eventually scored the winning run. The MLB Players Association for his off-field work chose Granderson as the 2009 Marvin Miller Man of the Year
March 17th - Happy Saint Patty’s Day
1888 - Former Yankees P Edward “Big Ed” Klepfer (1911, 1913) was born. Ed went 0-1 in 10 games for the Yankees.
1921- With spring training in Shreveport, Louisiana, the Yankees journey to Lake Charles to play a game against the St. Louis Cardinals, who are based in Orange, Texas. The game was proclaimed "Ruth-Hornsby Day," but Hornsby hits only a single while Babe Ruth lofts a HR over the short RF fence. The Yankees win the game by a score of 14-5.
1936 - Much-heralded Yankees rookie OF Joe DiMaggio makes his debut with the team, collecting 4 hits including a triple. The day is marred when the St. Louis Cardinals win the game by a score of 8-7.
1938 - Former Yankees OF Jimmy Hall (1969) was born. After he was obtained from the Cleveland Indians, he hit .236 in 80 games, before being sent to the Chicago Cubs.
1956 - Former Yankees P Tim Lollar (1980) was born. In 1978, Tim was drafted in the 4th round of the MLB amateur player draft by the Yankees. Tim appeared in 14 games with the 1980 Yankees with a 1-0 mark with 2 saves. On March 31, 1981, Chris was traded by the Yankees along with OF Ruppert Jones, OF Joe Lefebvre, and P Chris Welsh to the San Diego Padres for OF Jerry Mumphrey and P John Pacella.
1958 - Former Yankees minor league OF Frank Wren was born. The New York Yankees in the 17th round of the 1976 MLB amateur player draft chose Frank Wren. He never played for the Yankees at MLB level. Frank Wren served as General Manager of the 1999 Baltimore Orioles. Previously, he had played 5 years in the minor leagues (Yankees and Expos). He was in the Florida Marlins front office for 8 years. Since his days as a General Manager ended, he has been in the Atlanta Braves front office.
1980 - Former MLB Pitcher Bob Hooper (1950-1955) passed away (1922-1980).
(Clippers’ Note: He was my High School Gym teacher at New Brunswick Senior High School in New Jersey. He was the 1st MLB player that I ever met.
He spoke very highly of the Yankee players that he had played against during the early 1950’s. In 1969, when he spoke at the Senior Sports Dinner, saying how proud he was to be MLB player, when there were only 16 teams. He felt that expansion and big money was corrupting the game. We talked many times about baseball, it was an honor to meet and know such a man.)
Bob Hooper served in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. He pitched 6 years in the MLB for the A's, Indians and Reds and another 10 years in the minor leagues. Before the 1940 MLB season, the New York Giants originally signed Bob Hooper. As a 28 year old rookie in 1950, he was the Philadelphia A’s closer, posting a 15-10 mark with 5 saves. In 1951, he became a starter for the A’s, posting a 12-10 record. With the Cleveland Indians, he was Early Wynn’s roommate. He was on the 1954 Indians, but he didn’t appear in the 1954 World Series against the New York Giants. His final MLB career record was 40-41.
Bob Hooper managed in the Baltimore Orioles minor league system from 1957 to 1960. Then he scouted for the New York Mets in 1963. One of his Orioles teams in the minors included future MLB players Brooks Robinson, Dean Chance and John “Boog” Powell. He was a physical education teacher at New Brunswick Senior High School in Central New Jersey until his retirement in 1979. He died at age 57 from a heart attack in his home.
1978 - For a St. Patrick's Day exhibition game, the Cincinnati Reds wear special green uniforms, rather than their traditional red, starting an annual ritual. The good luck works and the Reds beat the Yankees by the score of 9-2. The St. Louis Cardinals, between other teams, will be the next to follow suit. Although the Reds will never use the uniforms in regular season play, the green colors will become a spring training tradition for the team that will last a few seasons.
1985 - Former Yankees minor league 1B Taylor Mattingly was born. The son of former Yankees captain Don Mattingly and brother of Preston Mattingly were drafted by the Yankees in the 42nd round of the 2003 MLB amateur player draft. He hit .224 in 24 games, half of them at 1st base.
1988 - Recently acquired slugger Jack Clark tears a calf tendon while hitting a HR for the Yankees in a spring exhibition game. The oft-injured Clark had signed a free agent contract during the winter. He will miss the start of the 1988 AL season, but will return to hit only .242 with 27 HRs and 93 RBIs.
March 18th
1901 - Former Yankees OF John Cooney (1944) was born. On June 17, 1944, John was signed as a MLB free agent with the Yankees. John only appeared in 10 games with the 1944 Yankees, hitting .125 before being released by the team.
1928 - Former Yankees minor league P Chi-Chi Olivo was born. On November 29, 1966, he was traded by the Atlanta Braves along with OF Bill Robinson to the Yankees for veteran 3B Clete Boyer. He never pitched for the Yankees at the MLB level.
1943 - Due to wartime travel restrictions, MLB spring training camps begin opening in northern locations. Some of the locales include Bear Mountain, New York (Dodgers), French Lick Springs, Indiana (Cubs and White Sox), Asbury Park, New Jersey (Yankees), Medford, Massachusetts (Red Sox) and Wallingford, Connecticut (Braves).
1960 - Former Yankees minor league OF Matt Winters was born. On June 6, 1978, Matt was drafted by the Yankees in the 1st round (24th pick) of the 1978 MLB amateur player draft. On November 12, 1985, he was released by the team. On December 22, 1985, Matt was signed as a free agent by the White Sox. On February 13, 1986, he was traded by the Chicago White Sox along with Chris Alvarez, Eric Schmidt, and C Ron Hassey to the Yankees for P Neil Allen, C Scott Bradley, Glen Braxton and cash. He played at Columbus (AAA) that season. On October 15, 1986, he was granted free agency by the Yankees. Matt would later play baseball in Japan.
1962 - Former Yankees P Brian Fisher (1985-1986) was born. On December 5, 1984, Brian was traded by the Atlanta Braves to the Yankees for veteran C Rick Cerone. He went 13-9 with the Yankees with 20 saves. On November 26, 1986, he was traded by the Yankees along with pitchers Doug Drabek and Logan Easley to the Pittsburgh Pirates for pitchers Rick Rhoden, Cecilio Guante, and Pat Clements.
1984 - Former Yankees Batting Coach Charlie Lau, a renowned MLB batting instructor, dies in Key Colony Beach, FL, at age 50, after a long bout with cancer. Lau, whose MLB career batting average was .255, earned his fame as the Kansas City Royals batting coach from 1971-1978, where his star pupil was George Brett. Lau also served as a batting coach for the Orioles, A’s, Yankees and the White Sox.
1985 - MLB Commissioner Peter Ueberroth reinstates Hall Of Fame members Willie Mays and Mickey Mantle, who had been banned from association with organized baseball by former commissioner Bowie Kuhn due to their employment by Atlantic City casinos. Ueberroth's ruling will allow both men to pursue employment with MLB teams.
2004 - Former Yankees minor league P Gene Bearden passed away. Before the 1939 MLB season, the Philadelphia Phillies signed Gene. In June of 1942, Gene was sent from the Savannah (South Atlantic) to the Yankees in an unknown transaction. He never appeared with the Yankees at the MLB level. On December 6, 1946, Gene was traded by the Yankees along with Al Gettel and Hal Peck to the Cleveland Indians for C Sherm Lollar and INF Ray Mack. He would have one good season with the Indians in 1948, posting a 20-7 mark.
March 19th
1884 - Former Yankees OF Clyde “Hack” Engle (1909-1910) was born. Clyde appeared in 140 games for the Yankees, hitting .275. On May 10, 1910, Hack was purchased by the Red Sox from the Yankees.
1935 - Former Yankees reserve INF Fritz “Fritzie” Brickell (1958-1959) was born (1935-1965). He batted .256 in 20 games with the Yankees in 1958-1959, as a reserve infielder. He was the son of former MLB OF Fritz Brickell, who played for the Pirates and Phillies (1926-1933). Before the 1953 AL season, the New York Yankees signed shortstop Fritz Brickell, as an MLB amateur free agent. Fritz, who stood just 5'5½", was optioned out to the Joplin Miners (Class C) of the Western Association. The 18 year old Kansas native got into only 37 games his 1st year, hitting .221.
Fritz was in the same league in 1954 but with the St. Joseph Saints, where he played 121 games at short and hit .306. He would spend the next few years in the high minors until he had a look-see in a couple games, with no record, for the Yankees in 1958. They gave him another look 1959 AL season and he appeared in 18 games at shortstop. He hit .256 before being sent back to the Richmond Virginians (IL) where he finished out the 1959 season, hitting .247 in 88 games.
Brickell stayed in the Yankees organization until April 4, 1961, when they traded him to the Los Angeles Angels for veteran P Duke Maas. Fritz became the 1st starting shortstop for the expansion LA Angels but was waylaid by injuries, appearing in only 21 games. He was dispatched to the Toronto Maple Leafs (IL), where after he healed a bit, had probably his best season yet, hitting .307 in 108 games and fielding .985, while holding down the 2B position.
Fritz was with both the Toronto Maple Leafs squad and the Louisville Colonels team in 1962 hitting a combined .234 in 68 games. It was apparent he wasn't his old self and he called it a career after the 1962 season. He had spent 10 years in professional baseball from 1953-1962. Fritz's minor league records show, he appeared in 982 games with 3,549 at bats, 979 base hits, including 82 HRs and had a .275 career BA. When he was diagnosed with cancer, Fritz Brickell Night was held in August of 1965 at the National Semi-Pro Tournament in Wichita, Kansas with his former Yankees teammate Mickey Mantle on hand to stage a hitting exhibition as part of the activities. Fritz died just a few months later on October 15, 1965, at age 30 in his hometown of Wichita.
1974 - In a 5-player, 3-team deal involving the Indians, Tigers, and Yankees, P Jim Perry joins his pitching brother, Gaylord in Cleveland. The Detroit Tigers send Perry to Indians and P Ed Farmer to the New York Yankees, who sent C Jerry Moses to Tigers, and the Tribe send P Rick Sawyer and OF Walt Williams to the Yankees. The 1974 MLB season will mark the Perry’s 1st season as teammates during their MLB careers.
1989 - With All Star OF Dave Winfield sidelined the Yankees traded C Joel Skinner and minor leaguer OF Turner Ward to the Cleveland Indians for OF Mel Hall (1989-1992). Dave Winfield will miss all of the 1989 AL season after undergoing back surgery next week for central disc herination.
2003 - Former Yankees shortstop (1945) and long time Minor League Team Owner Joe Buzas died. Joe Buzas owned 82 minor league teams at some point in a 47-year period. At the time of his death, he owned the Salt Lake Stingers. He was the opening day shortstop for the New York Yankees in 1945; he badly injured his shoulder during the 1945 AL season, ending his MLB playing career. The 1st minor league team that he owned was the Syracuse Chiefs (International League). Joe Buzas was known for turning a profit when times were poor financially in the minors.
March 20th
1875 - Former Yankees INF Patrick “Willie” Greene (1903) was born. Paddy appeared in 4 games, hitting .308 in 1903. On July 16, 1903, he was traded by the Highlanders to the Tigers for P John Deering.
1944 - Former Yankees P Steve Blateric (1972) was born. Steve was acquired in a conditional deal with the Cincinnati Reds. He appeared in only 1 game with the Yankees with no record. He was returned to the Reds in the spring of 1973.
1954 - Former Yankees P Paul Mirabella (1979) was born. On November 10, 1978, Paul was traded by the Texas Rangers along with Greg Jemison (minors), OF Juan Beniquez, Pitchers Mike Griffin, and Dave Righetti to the Yankees for INF Domingo Ramos, C Mike Heath, Pitchers Sparky Lyle, Larry McCall, Dave Rajsich, and cash. Paul was 0-4 in 10 games with the Yankees during the 1979 AL season. On November 1,1979, he was traded by the Yankees along with 1B Chris Chambliss and INF Damaso Garcia to the Toronto Blue Jays for P Tom Underwood, C Rick Cerone, and OF Ted Wilborn.
1958 - The Philadelphia Phillies acquired veteran 1B/OF Joe Collins (1948-1957) from the Yankees. Opting not to report to the Phillies Clearwater, Fla. spring training camp, Joe Collins decides to retire from MLB, thereby canceling the deal. Joe Collins was quoted by the NYC media saying that, “I want to be remembered as a Yankee.” He turns down a player contract offered by the Phillies of $100,000. Joe batted .258 in 908 games with the Yankees (1948-1957), never becoming the player that the Yankees had projected him to be. Manager Casey Stengel used him against right hand pitching. Joe appeared in 7 World Series with the Yankees. During the 1955 World Series opener, Joe hit 2 HRs in a Yankees 6-5 win. Casey Stengel often referred to Joe Collins as “My meal ticket.” Bill “Moose” Skowron replaced him as the Yankees regular 1B during the 1956 AL season. Joe was a life along resident of New Jersey.
1961 - New York Yankees announced that the team will oppose any plans that would enable the new NL expansion franchise to use Yankee Stadium. This decision leaves the only the old Polo Grounds as the only viable option for the NL new team, the New York Mets.
1984 - Former Yankees and Hall Of Fame P Stan Coveleski dies in South Bend, Indiana, at the age of 94. Stan pitched for the A’s, Indians, Senators and Yankees (1928) over a 14-season MLB career, winning 215 games, which include five 20-win seasons. On December 21, 1927, Stan was signed as a MLB free agent with the Yankees. In 1928, he went 5-1 in 12 games for the team.
2006 - Two-time All-Star P Al Leiter (1987-1989, 2005) announces his retirement after a 19-season MLB career at the New York Yankees spring training camp in Tampa, Fla. Al was originally signed by the Yankees, later he was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays for OF Jesse Barfield. He also pitched for the cross-town rivals New York Mets and the Florida Marlins.
(As always I'd like to thank Fw57Clipper51 for his great contribution.)
