This Week in Yankees History
March 27th - April 2nd
March 27th
1879 - Future Hall Of Fame Yankees Manager and MLB INF Miller Huggins was born in Cincinnati, Ohio (1879-1929). Adept at getting on base, Huggins will led the National league in walks 4 times, score 100 or more runs 3 times, and regularly collect 30 or more stolen bases and an on base percentage near .400. He will start as a player-manager with the Cardinals before heading to the Yankees in 1918. Huggins will led the Yankees to 6 AL pennants and 3 World Series titles, and his "Murderers' Row" club, which won 110 games before sweeping the 1927 World Series, has been considered one of the greatest MLB teams in history. He died during the 1929 AL season on September 25, 1929 from exhaustion and blood poisoning. In 1964, Miller Huggins was elected to the Baseball’s Hall Of Fame by the Veterans Committee. His New York Yankees manager career record was 1,067-719 .596 (1918-1929), fourth on the Yankees all time Managers wins list.
1910 - Former Yankees P Steve “Smokey” Sundra (1936,1938-1940) was born. On December 11, 1935, Steve Sundra was traded by the Cleveland Indians along with P Monte Pearson to the New York Yankees for P Johnny Allen. Steve went 21-11 in 77 games with Yankees before being traded to the Washington Senators in 1941.
1941 -The New York Yankees sell veteran P Steve Sundra to the Washington Senators, who had posted an 11-1 record in 1939. He slipped to a 4-6 record during the 1940 AL season.
1946 - Former Yankees C/DH/INF Bill “Suds” Sudakis (1974) was born. On December 7, 1973, Bill Sudakis was purchased by the New York Yankees from the Texas Rangers. Bill hit .232 in 89 games with the Yankees in 1974. On December 3,1974, Bill was traded by the Yankees to the California Angels for P Skip Lockwood.
March 28th
1919 - Former Yankees Pitcher Vic “Springfield Rifle” Raschi (1946-1953) was born. Vic Raschi was one of main starters along with Allie Reynolds and Eddie Lopat during the Yankees 5 straight World Championship run of 1949-1953. He won 120 games as a Yankee with 24 shutouts and 99 complete games. He won 21 games each season for the Yankees from 1949-1951. In February of 1954, Yankees General Manager George Weiss sold Vic Raschi to the St. Louis Cardinals for $85,000 as a signal to stop other Yankee stars from staging salary holdouts. Vic lasted less than 2 years with the Cardinals and the Kansas City A’s, pitching under .500 baseball.
1923 - Former Yankees pitcher Bob Kuzava (1951-1954) was born. After being obtained from the Washington Senators, Bob Kuzava worked out of the Yankee bullpen going 8-4 with 5 saves in 1951. Over all his Yankee pitching career record was 23-20 with 33 saves in 111 games. In 1954, he was waived to the Baltimore Orioles.
1927 - In a final exhibition match between the 1926 World Series' opponents, the New York Yankees score 4 runs in the 1st inning off Grover Cleveland Alexander and the St. Louis Cardinals. Then, Alexander shuts down the Yankees until leaving in the 8th inning, and the Cardinals score two in the 9th inning to win by the score of 6-4. Both teams use their regular lineups - the only teams to make no starting changes from last year's teams. The four runs off Alexander are the 1st the 40-year-old veteran has allowed in 15 innings of spring training work.
1961 - In their 1st meeting since Pittsburgh's dramatic World Series win over New York, the Bucs, behind would-be World Series goat Bob Friend beat up the banged-up Bronx Bombers, by the score of 9-2. The game's 1st run comes in the bottom of the 2nd inning on Roberto Clemente's bases-empty bomb over the left-field fence. Pittsburgh goes up 3-0 in the third inning on Dick Stuart's 2-run HR shot, likewise to left field. By the 7th inning, the Pirates will have built their lead to 8-0 before New York can push across its initial tally. Today's win boosts the Bucs' Grapefruit League-leading record to 13-5, while miring the Yankees ever more deeply in the preseason cellar. Nonetheless, other than demonstrating that Pittsburgh's two World Series wins over today's New York Yankees starter Art Ditmar were no flukes and giving some foreshadowing of the MLB career years upon which both Clemente and Stuart are about to embark, today's lopsided win serves mainly as a textbook example of the relative worthlessness of preseason performance as an indicator of regular season outcomes. Just to hammer home that point, it is in fact the two teams tied for the MLB's worst record, i.e. New York and Cincinnati (both are 6-13 at the end of today's action), who'll be meeting in the 1961 World Series in just over 6 months. The defending World Champion Pirates by contrast, having fallen from 1st to 6th place with a 75-79 record, will be sitting home watching on TV. The New York Yankees will trade starter Art Ditmar to the Kansas City A’s along with OF/INF Deron Johnson for veteran AL starter Bud Daley. He too will be watching at home as the Yankees play the Reds in the 1961 World Series.
1981 - Former Yankees P Edwar Ramirez (2007-2009) was born. On July 9, 2006, Edwar Ramirez was purchased by the New York Yankees from Edinburgh (United League). He appeared in 96 games for the Yankees posting a 6-2 record with 2 saves. On March 9,2010, Edwar was purchased by the Texas Rangers from the New York Yankees.
1986 - Former Yankees P Mark Melancon (2009-2010) was born. On June 6, 2006, Mark Melancon was drafted by the New York Yankees in the 9th round of the 2006 MLB amateur player draft. He had pitched for the University of Arizona. He appeared in 15 games for the Yankees posting a 0-1 record. On July 31,2010, Mark was traded by the New York Yankees along with minor league player Jimmy Paredes to the Houston Astros for veteran INF Lance Berkman.
1986 - The Boston Red Sox acquired DH Don Baylor from the New York Yankees for OF-DH Mike Easler. Baylor will hit 31 HRs and drive in 94 runs, helping the Boston Red Sox to the American League East title.
1988 - The New York Yankees waived veteran knuckleball pitcher Phil Niekro four days shy of his 47th birthday.
1990 - Former Yankees minor league Manager and MLB player Johnny Neun passed away. First baseman Johnny Neun began his professional baseball career in 1920. He reached the ML with the Detroit Tigers, spending 4 years with the team beginning in 1925. On July 9,1927, he stole 5 bases in one game against the New York Yankees. Four days later, against the Washington Senators, he swiped home twice in a doubleheader, once in each game. After spending 1929 season back in the minors, he played two seasons with the Boston Braves. Neun then played for the Newark Bears from 1932-1934, serving as a player/coach in his final season. After time as manager of the Akron Yankees and the Norfolk Tars, he returned to Newark in 1938 as the club's skipper, a post he held through 1941. After managing the Kansas City Blues (AAA) for two years, he was a member of the New York Yankees MLB coaching staff from 1944-1946, when he replaced Bill Dickey as the club's manager late in the season. He then went on to manage the Cincinnati Reds for a season and a half (1947-1948) before spending more than 40 years as a MLB scout for the New York Yankees, Kansas City Royals, California Angels, and the Milwaukee Brewers.
2001 - The New York Yankees send DH/OF/1B Glenallen Hill to the Anaheim Angels for minor league player Darren Blakely.
2003 - Three days prior to Opening Day, the YES Network claims Cablevision has pulled out of a proposed deal signed 17 days ago which would have provided televised New York Yankees games nearly 3 million cable subscribers in the New York City metropolitan area. According to a YES press release, the giant cable television company failed to sign a finalized version of the hand-written document that both parties exchanged on March 12th, but Cablevision president, James L. Dolan, said when YES sent him a revised typewritten draft on two days later, the document contained alterations that he found unacceptable.
March 29th
1899 - Former Yankees P Herb McQuaid (1926) was born (1899-1966). On September 14, 1925, Herb McQuaid was traded by St Paul (American Association) to the New York Yankees for undisclosed players. Herb went 1-0 in 17 games for the 1926 Yankees. In 1923, he made his MLB debut with the Cincinnati Reds. In 1924, he went back to the minor leagues.
1917 - Former Yankees minor league OF Tommy Holmes was born. In 1937, the New York Yankees signed Tommy Holmes as an MLB amateur free agent. Unable to crack the Yankees starting outfield of Charlie Keller, Tommy Henrich and Joe DiMaggio, he was traded to the Boston Braves in 1942 for 1B Buddy Hassett, OF Gene Moore and cash. He would have a successful MLB career with the Boston Braves and Brooklyn Dodgers in the National League, finishing with a lifetime BA of .302 in 11 seasons.
1938 - Former New York Yankees Co-Owner Tillinghast L'Hommedieu Huston passed away (1867-1938). Houston was co-owner of the New York Yankees along with Colonel Jacob Ruppert, from 1914-1923. They purchased the club from Co-Owners Frank Farrell and Bill Devery for $460,000. It was during this period that the team began to acquire the stars that would lead them to their first real success in the early 1920s, such as Carl Mays, Babe Ruth and others. In June of 1923, Houston sold his share of the team to Jacob Ruppert for $1,250,000. This allowed Ruppert to become the sole owner of the New York Yankees. In 1937, he offered $1.7 million dollars to buy the Brooklyn Dodgers. He planned to install lights for night games at Ebbets Field. His offer was refused by the current Dodger ownership.
1948 - The New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox go 17 innings and end in a 2-2 tie during one of the longest spring training games ever played. The game lasted a total of 4 hours, 2 minutes.
1952 - Former Yankees reliever Bill Castro (1981) was born. The New York Yankees signed Bill Castro as a MLB free agent. He went 1-1 in 21 games with 1 save. On March 24, 1982, the Yankees trade Bill to the California Angels for veteran INF Butch Hobson.
1958 - Former Yankees reserve INF Domingo Ramos (1978) was born. On May 27, 1975, Domingo was signed as an MLB amateur free agent by the New York Yankees. He appeared in one game for the Yankees in 1978 with no hits. On November 10,1978, he was traded by the Yankees along with C Mike Heath, Pitchers Sparky Lyle, Larry McCall, and Dave Rajsich, with cash to the Texas Rangers for P Dave Righetti, OF Juan Beniquez, P Mike Griffin, P Paul Mirabella, and minor league player Greg Jemison.
1959 - Former Yankees P Johnny Allen (1932-1935) passed away (1905-1959). Pitcher Johnny Allen was working as a bellboy in a hotel, when Yankees super scout Paul Krichell discovered him. He reached the MLB with the Yankees in 1932. Johnny went 17-4 that season, leading the AL with a .810 winning percentage. He won 15 games in 1933, but after holding out for a pay raise and suffering a sore arm, he was traded to the Cleveland Indians for hurlers Monte Pearson and Steve Sundra following the 1935 American League season. Johnny’s Yankees career pitching record was 50-19 in 94 games. He will go 67-36 in five seasons with the Cleveland Indians.
1963 - Former Yankees Closer Wilcy Moore (1927-1929, 1932-1933) passed away (1897-1963). Wilcy Moore led the American League in 1927 with 13 saves and an ERA of 2.28, as his pitching record for the 1927 Yankees was 19-7. He saved game in the 1927 World Series as well as pitching a complete game in that Fall Classic. He is the 1st of many great Yankee closers. His final Yankees pitching career totals were a 36-21 record with 35 saves in 171 games.
1975 - Veteran American League All Star starter Mel Stottlemyre Sr., suffering from a torn rotator cuff, is given his unconditional release by the New York Yankees. He compiled a 164-139 record and a 2.97 ERA as well as 40 shutouts in an 11-season MLB career with the Yankees (1964-1974). He will return to the team as a MLB pitching coach under Manager Joe Torre. Former Yankees Manager Ralph Houk, now with the Detroit Tigers will give Mel a tryout with the team, but Mel doesn’t make it and retires from MLB. He will later become a MLB pitching coach for several teams, including the Mets and Yankees.
1984 - The New York Yankees traded one of the key members of their recent World Championship teams, when they dispatched All Star 3B Graig Nettles to the San Diego Padres for P Dennis Rasmussen and a player to be named. Nettles, who had angered Yankees owner George Steinbrenner by criticizing him in his recent book “Balls”, he will hit 20 HRs and help the San Diego Padres reach the 1984 World Series.
2009 - Former Yankees baseball executive Lou Saban passed away (1921-2009). Lou Saban is best remembered as a college and professional football coach. Over 52 years, Saban coached 27 different teams to 197 wins and two American Football League titles. In the interim, he was briefly president of the New York Yankees in 1981 and 1982. He also served as a MLB scout for the club from 1984 to 1987.
March 30th
1931 - Former Yankees P Richard Woodson (1974) was born. On May 4, 1974, Rich Woodson was traded by the Minnesota Twins to the Yankees for minor league P Mike Pazik and cash. Rich went 1-2 in 8 games with the Yankees in 1974.
1955 - The New York Yankees sell veteran hurler Ewell Blackwell to the Kansas City A’s. Blackwell, who was injured in 1954, will pitch in only two games for the A’s in 1955, before retiring from MLB. Along with Blackwell the A’s would also receive P Tom Gorman and 1B Richard Kryhoski for $50,000.
1965 - The New York Yankees sell veteran starter Stan Williams (1963-1964) to the Cleveland 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 very successful with the Minnesota Twins. He would later become a MLB pitching coach for the Yankees.
1988 - The New York Yankees traded 1B/OF Orestes Destrades to the Pittsburgh Pirates for P Hipolito Pena. Destrades had appeared in 9 games in 1987, hitting .263 for the Yankees. AL All Star Don Mattlingly blocked him at 1B.
2001 - New York Yankees P Dwight “Doc” Gooden announces his retirement from MLB. He pitched for the Yankees (1996-1997 and 2000). He posted a 24-14 record with 2 saves for the Yankees. In 2000, he posted a 4-2 record in 18 games with 2 saves. His highlight of his pitching career for the Yankees was a no-hitter against the Seattle Mariners, winning the game by the score of 2-0. A four-time All-Star and Cy Young Award winner, Gooden posted a 194-112 record with a 3.51 ERA and 2293 strikeouts over a 16-season MLB career. He originally came up with the New York Mets.
2009 - Former Yankees MLB coach Herman Franks (1989) passed away (1914-2009). Herman Franks spent bulk of MLB career with the New York-San Francisco Giants organization as a MLB coach, Manager and General Manager. Also he worked with the Chicago Cubs organization.
2010 - Pat Venditte, the first ambidextrous pitcher in organized baseball since Greg Harris retired in 1995, gets to show his stuff in an exhibition game for the New York Yankees against the Atlanta Braves. The 24-year-old ends the 5th inning by retiring Yunel Escobar on two pitches from the right side; he then moves from one arm to the other as he works his way through the Braves' batting order in the 6th inning. When switch-hitter Brooks Conrad steps to the plate, home plate umpire Mike Reilly reminds Venditte of rule 8.01 that states that he must commit to one arm, in order to avoid the fiasco of his professional debut with the Staten Island Yankees in 2008, when he and switch-hitter Ralph Henriquez Jr. changed sides repeatedly in a cat-and-mouse game. Venditte chooses to face Conrad right-handed, and retires him on a ground ball to end his turn on the mound; Venditte is expected to start the year with the Class-A Tampa Yankees, where he was 2-0, 2.21 in 21 games last year.
March 31st
1894 - Former Yankees P Thomas Sheehan (1921) was born. On September 7, 1920, Tom Sheehan was purchased by the New York Yankees from the Atlanta Crackers (Southern Association). Tom went 1-0 in 12 games for the Yankees during the 1921 AL season.
1971 - The New York Yankees released veteran INF Pete Ward (1970). On December 18, 1969, Pete was traded by the Chicago White Sox to the Yankees for P Mickey Scott and cash. Pete was a slugging 3B with the White Sox in the 1960’s, by the time he reached the Yankees; he was playing with a bad back at 1B. Pete will appear in 66 games for the Yankees, hitting .260 with 1 HR with 18 RBIs.
1972 - The New York Yankees re-purchased OF/1B Frank Tepedino (1967,1969-1971-1972) from the Milwaukee Brewers for cash. Frank originally was signed the Baltimore Orioles, later he was drafted by the New York Yankees in MLB Rule 5 player draft. 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 Atlanta Braves for P Pat Dobson in 1973. After retiring from baseball, Frank returned to New York City and became a NYC fireman.
1979 - Former Yankees minor league P Charlie Manning was born. The New York Yankees in the 9th round of the 2001 MLB amateur player draft drafted Charlie. Manning quickly rose through the Yankees system and was traded to the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for 3B Aaron Boone. After two years in the Reds organization, he was sent back to the Yankees for P Gabe White. In 2006, he made the Eastern League All-Star team. He split 2007 between Trenton and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, going 4-2, 3.69 with 3 saves. Charlie moved to the Washington Nationals organization after the season and made his MLB debut with that team on May 24, 2008. He had gone 19 games with a 1.95 ERA and 6 saves for the Columbus Clippers (International League) prior to getting the call.
1980 - Former Yankees starter Chien-Ming Wang (2005-2009) was born. In 2000, the New York Yankees signed him as an MLB amateur free agent. Wang went 55-26 in 109 games for the Yankees. His best season as a Yankees starter was in 2006, when he posted a 19-6 record. He was 1-3 in the AL postseason playoffs for the Yankees. After the 2009 World Series, Wang left the New York Yankees signing with the Washington Nationals.
1992 - Former Yankees reserve C and minor league manager Ken “Hawk” Silvestri passed away (1916-1992). Ken Silvestri was a catcher for the New York Yankees in 1941 and again in 1946-1947. In 1948, Ken was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the MLB Rule 5 player draft. After his MLB playing career, Ken was a longtime New York Yankees minor league manager.
April 1st
1912 - Former Yankee P Jacob “Whistlin’ Jake” Wade (1946) was born. On December 15, 1944, Jake Wade was traded by the Chicago White Sox to the New York Yankees for Johnny Johnson. He posted a 2-1 mark in 13 games with 1 save for the Yankees. On August 5,1946, he was purchased by the Washington Senators from the Yankees.
1934 - Former Yankees minor league INF Rod “Hot Rod “ Kanehl was born (1934-2004). In 1954, the New York Yankees originally signed Rod Kanehl as amateur MLB free agent. He played in their farm system until the fall of 1961, when he was drafted by the New York Mets on advice from new Mets Manager Casey Stengel. Rod never saw MLB action with the Yankees, but Stengel remember him from a Yankees spring camp training session, where he jumped on a bike to run down a fly ball. He played for the Mets from 1962-1964. The Yankees wanted to give him a shot at 3B job in 1967, but the Mets refused to release him from his lifetime reserve clause in his MLB player contract.
1939 - Former Yankees P Phil Niekro (1984-1985) is born in Blaine, Belmont County, Ohio. "Knucksie" will make his MLB debut in 1964 with the Milwaukee Braves. He will win 318 games over a 24-year MLB career and will gain election to the Hall of Fame in 1997. Phil went 32-20 in 65 games as a Yankees pitcher during the 1984-1985 AL seasons.
1955 - Former Yankees reserve OF Larry Murray (1974-1976) was born. Larry was drafted by the Yankees in the 5th round of the 1971 MLB amateur player draft. He appeared in 20 games as a reserve OF with the Yankees from 1974-1976. Larry was part of a trade that brought P Mike Torrez to the Yankees from Oakland A’s in April of 1977.
1969 - New York Yankees All Star OF/1B Mickey Mantle (1951-1968) retires from MLB. He ends his MLB career with 2,415 hits and 536 HRs in 18 years with the Yankees, numbers that would have certainly been higher if not for persistent knee injuries. He was the last active player from the Yankee Dynasty years (1949-1964) to retire from MLB. He will be elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame with his longtime Yankees teammate Whitey Ford in 1974.
2008 - The New York Yankees set a MLB record by winning their 11th straight home opener. Oddly, the MLB record had been held by the 1945-1954 Pittsburgh Pirates, a club which lost 100 or more games 3 times in that period. The Yankees beat the Toronto Blue Jays, by the score of 3-2. Yankees starter Chien-Ming Wang only allows 2 runs in 7 innings for the win over the Toronto Blue Jays Ace Roy Halladay.
April 2nd
1918 - The New York Yankees purchased 1B "Tioga" George Burns from the Detroit Tigers and immediately trade him to the Philadelphia A’s for OF Ping Bodie (1918-1921). The Yankees already had Wally Pipp as their starting at 1B.
1930 - Former Yankees minor league P Art Ceccarelli was born. Despite being in the New York Yankees organization twice, Art never appeared with the Yankees at the MLB level. On May 4,1954, Art was purchased by the New York Yankees from the Brooklyn Dodgers. On November 22,1954, Art was drafted by the Kansas City A’s from the New York Yankees organization in the 1954 MLB Rule 5 player draft. On May 19,1960 Art was traded by the Chicago Cubs to the New York Yankees for P Mark Freeman. Art was assigned to the Richmond Virginians (AAA) in May of 1960, where he went 9-4 with a 3.96 ERA.
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 New York Yankees. In 1933, Mitchell will pitch for the House of David baseball team.
1945 - Former Yankees P Mike Kekich (1969-1973) was born. Mike Kekich 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. In one of the stranger deals in baseball history, Mike Kekich and Fritz Peterson swapped wives, children, and dogs during the winter of 1972-1973. Kekich never married the former Mrs. Peterson but Peterson did marry Susanne Kekich and they had four children of their own. They are still married today. Mike came over from the Dodgers in the Andy Kosco trade in December of 1968. He went 31-24 as a Yankees pitcher before being exiled to the Cleveland Indians after the wife/family swap was revealed to the public during 1973 Yankees spring training camp. Mike appeared in 125 games for the Yankees posting a 31-32 record with 1 save. On June 12,1973, he was traded by the New York Yankees to the Cleveland Indians for hurler Lowell Palmer. Mike originally came up with the Dodgers in 1965. Then he played for the New York Yankees, Cleveland Indians and Texas Rangers, then pitching in Mexico before coming back to the Seattle Mariners in 1977.
1955 - Former Yankees OF Billy Sample (1985) was born. On February 27, 1985, Bill Sample was traded by the Texas Rangers along with a player to be named later to the Yankees for veteran INF Toby Harrah. The Rangers would send 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 Atlanta Braves for minor league player Miguel Sosa.
1957 - Current Co-Owner of the New York Yankees Hank Steinbrenner was born. Hank Steinbrenner is co-owner and managing general partner of the New York Yankees alongside his younger brother Hal Steinbrenner. He inherited the team on his father, George Steinbrenner's death in 2010, although the two brothers had been running the team since 2007, when their father's illness forced him to curtail his daily activities.
While the two brothers have let General Manager Brian Cashman make most baseball-related decisions since taking over, Hank quickly developed a reputation for being outspoken and for making ill-informed comments, in the mold of his father. Among some his more infamous statements in 2008, he said that the idea that there was a mass of Boston Red Sox fans across the country as a creation of ESPN, and criticized members of the Tampa Bay Rays for picking fights with Yankee players when they were being subsidized by the richer team through luxury tax payments.
In spring training of 2011, he made another sortie that reminded everyone of his father's less-inspired moments, blaming the team's "poor" performance in 2010 on the fact that players had celebrated too much following the 2009 World Series and, in a dig clearly aimed at team captain Derek Jeter who had built a luxury home in Tampa, FL over the previous off-season, were "too busy building mansions" and had become complacent. He was conveniently forgetting that the Yankees had been fighting neck-and-neck with the Rays all season for the best record in the major leagues, and made it all the way to the ALCS, where they lost a tightly-fought series against the Texas Rangers; no independent observers had accused the team of slacking off at all during the season. Steinbrenner had to apologize immediately for his remarks and clarify that he was not singling out Jeter, but dug himself a deeper hole by stating that his remarks were a "euphemism", thereby indicating that he did not know the meaning of that word either. His outburst brought him a rebuke from MLB Commissioner Bud Selig as well, as Steinbrenner stated that the Commissioner supported changes to the revenue sharing and luxury tax system in the current round of collective bargaining with the Players Association; the New York Yankees are of course the largest payers into the system, given their enormous payroll. Selig had to publicly remind Steinbrenner that MLB owners were not authorized to speak on labor-related issues during the ongoing negotiations.
1960 - Former Yankees minor league INF Tom Barrett was born. The New York Yankees in the 26th round of the 1982 MLB amateur player draft drafted infielder Tom Barrett. He never played for the Yankees at the MLB level. He was the brother of Boston Red Sox INF Marty Barrett. On December 11,1986, Tom was traded by the Yankees along with OF/1B Mike Easler to the Philadelphia Phillies for P Charles Hudson and minor league player Jeff Knox.
1964 - Former Yankees DH Pete Incaviglia (1997) was born. Pete Incaviglia was with the New York Yankees for 21 days appearing in only 5 games with a BA .250, before being released by the team.
1970 - Former Yankees P Jon Lieber (2003-2004) was born. Signed as a MLB free agent in 2003, Jon Lieber went 14-8 with the New York Yankees in 2004 before leaving the team as a MLB free agent to sign with the Philadelphia Phillies.
2001 - On Opening Day 2001, New York Yankees starter Roger Clemens becomes the all-time AL career strike out leader passing Hall OF Fame Washington Senators starter Walter Johnson. Royals INF Joe Randa is his 3,509 AL strikeout victim. By passing Walter Johnson, Roger Clemens now takes over the 7th spot in MLB history.
2003 - Baltimore 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 inning grounder tips off his glove.
2003 - Todd Zeile hits a HR in his 1st at-bat for the New York Yankees, becoming the only MLB to hit a HR for 10 different MLB teams. In addition to hit a HR with the Yankees, Zeile had also gone deep for the St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies, Baltimore Orioles, Dodgers, Marlins, Texas Rangers, New York Mets, and the Colorado Rockies. He will add the Montreal Expos to the list before then end of the year.
(As always I'd like to thank Fw57Clipper51 for his great contribution.)
