February 1st:
1913: Olympic champions Jim Thorpe signs a contract with the Giants.
1985: The Giants trade Jack Clark to the Cardinals for David Green, Jose Urbie, Dave LaPointe, and Gary Rajsich.
1999: The Yankees acquire minor league pitcher Eddie Yarnall, Todd Noel, and Mark Johnson from the Marlins for third base prospect Mike Lowell.
2008: The Mets and pitcher Johan Santana agree to a six year deal worth $137.5 million.
Chopping With The Braves And Rolling With The Tide
February 2nd:
1876: With franchises located in Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Hartford, Louisville, New York, Philadelphia, and St. Louis, the National League is officially formed.
1976: Cal Hubbard is elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame, making him the first to be enshrined in both baseball and football. For his career with the Giants, Packers, and Steelers, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1966.
1987: The Braves trade Craig McMurty to the Blue Jays for Damaso Garcia and Luis Leal.
1999: The Padres trade Greg Vaughn and Mark Sweeney to the Padres for Reggie Sanders, Damian Jackson, and Josh Harris.
2005: The Cubs trade Sammy Sosa to the Orioles for Jerry Hairston and two minor leaguers.
2011: The White Sox and Alexi Ramirez agree to a four year extension worth $32.5 million.
Chopping With The Braves And Rolling With The Tide
February 3rd:
1886: Albert Spaulding, a former baseball player, starts a sporting goods company with $800. His company would manufacture the first official baseball as well as football, basketball, tennis ball, and golf ball.
1979: The Twins trade Rod Carew to the Angels for Ken Landreaux, Dave Engle, Paul Hartzell, and Brad Havens.
1987: The Expos trade Jeff Reardon and Tom Nieto to the Twins for Neal Heaton, Jeff Reed, and two minor leaguers.
1989: Bill White is chosen as the new N.L. President, replacing Bart Giamatti, who is becoming commissioner.
2002: Jorge Posada signs a new five year deal with the Yankees.
2011: Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte announces his retirement.
2013: In front of 87 fans, California Institute of Technology breaks their 228 game losing streak in defeating Pacifica 9-7. It was their first win since February 15, 2003.
Chopping With The Braves And Rolling With The Tide
February 4th:
1893: With vocals by Russell Hunting, the first recording of the poem "Casey at the Bat" is released.
1960: The baseball writers fail to elect anyone to the Hall of Fame.
1969: Bowie Kuhn is named commissioner.
2004: The Cardinals and Albert Pujols agree to a seven year deal worth $100 million.
2008: The Tigers and Curtis Granderson agree to a five year deal worth $30.25 million.
2010: The Tigers and Justin Verlander agree to a five year deal worth $80 million.
Chopping With The Braves And Rolling With The Tide
February 5th:
1930: The Reds select Leo Durocher off waivers.
1934: Hank Aaron is born in Mobile, Alabama.
1968: Hall of Famer Roberto Alomar is born in Ponce, Puerto Rico.
1983: The Blue Jays trade outfielder Leon Roberts to the Royals for prospect Cecil Fielder.
Chopping With The Braves And Rolling With The Tide
February 6th:
1895: Babe Ruth is born in Baltimore, Maryland.
1921: The Yankees purchase a ten acre plot of land from William Waldorf Astor for $675,000. The land will be the site of the future Yankee Stadium.
1958: Ted Williams signs a $135,000 contract with the Red Sox, making him the highest player in M.L. history.
2008: The Rangers name Nolan Ryan team president.
Chopping With The Braves And Rolling With The Tide
February 7th:
1949: Joe DiMaggio becomes the first player in A.L. history to make $100,000 in a season.
1979: In the trade that sent Jerry Koosman to the Twins, Jesse Orosco is the "player to be named later" going to the Mets.
2005: The Tigers sign Magglio Ordonez to a five year deal worth $75 million.
2009: Sports Illustrated reports Alex Rodriguez was one of the 104 players who tested positive for steroids in 2003.
Chopping With The Braves And Rolling With The Tide
February 9th:
1971: Satchel Paige becomes the first star from the Negro League to be elected to the Hall of Fame.
2001: The Yankees and Derek Jeter finalize a ten year deal worth $189 million.
2009: Two days after the story breaks in Sports Illustrated, Alex Rodriguez admits to ESPN that he took performance enhancing drugs while playing for the Rangers from 2001-2003.
Chopping With The Braves And Rolling With The Tide
February 10th:
1910: Ground is broken on the site of the future Comiskey Park in Chicago.
1984: The Mets and Keith Hernandez agree to a five year deal worth $8 million.
2000: The Mariners trade Ken Griffey, Jr. to the Reds for Mike Cameron, Antonio Perez, Brett Tomko, and Jake Meyer.
2005: The Astros and Roy Oswalt agree to a two year deal worth $16.9 million.
2011: The Rangers and Josh Hamilton agree to a two year deal worth $24 million.
Chopping With The Braves And Rolling With The Tide
February 12th:
1878: Frederick Thayer receives a patent for creating a catcher's mask.
1924: The N.L. announces they will select a most valuable player at season's end.
1981: Arbitrator Raymond Goetz declares Carlton Fisk a free agent, saying the Red Sox had violated the CBA by not mailing his contract by the December 20th deadline as was specified in an agreement.
2002: MLB purchases the Montreal Expos franchise from Jeffrey Loria for $120 million. Frank Robinson is named team manager. Meanwhile, Loria purchases the Florida Marlins for $158 million.
2007: Liberty Media reaches an agreement to purchase the Atlanta Braves from Time Warner.
2014: Derek Jeter announces the coming season will be his last.
Chopping With The Braves And Rolling With The Tide
February 15th:
1946: Hank Greenberg signs a $60,000 contract with the Tigers.
1990: Without a new collective bargaining agreement, the owners refuse to open camps, starting a 32-day lockout.
2012: The Rays and manager Joe Maddon agree to a three year extension.
Chopping With The Braves And Rolling With The Tide
February 16th:
1950: The BBWAA fail to elect anyone to the Hall of Fame.
1952: After a 39 year career in the majors, Honus Wagner retires. He played 21 years with the Louisville Colonels and the Pittsburgh Pirates and 18 years as a Pirates coach.
1989: Orel Hersisher signs a three year deal worth $7.9 million, making him the first in M.L. history to make $3 million a season.
2001: The Yankees sign Mariano Rivera to a four year deal worth $40 million.
2004: The Rangers trade Alex Rodriguez and cash to the Yankees for Alfonso Soriano and a player to be named later (Joaquin Arias). The Rangers had a deal earlier in the offseason that would have traded Rodriguez to the Red Sox for Manny Ramirez, but the Players Association objected due to the fact that Rodriguez's contract would have to be restructured.
2012: Hall of Famer Gary Carter dies at age 57.
Chopping With The Braves And Rolling With The Tide
February 17th:
1916: During their annual meeting, the A.L. owners endorse a M.L. draft concept proposed by Dodgers owner Charles Ebbets. The plan allows second division teams to have the first pick of available minor leaguers each season.
1943: Joe DiMaggio enlists in the U.S. Air Force.
1964: The White Sox Luke Appling is elected to the Hall of Fame.
1976: In a game against California Lutheran University, Pepperdine's Mike Scott pitches a perfect game. He was selected by the Mets in the second round of the June draft.
2003: Avoiding arbitration, the Braves and Greg Maddux agree to a contract worth $14.75 million, the largest one year deal in M.L. history.
2009: The Marlins extend the contract of manager Fredi Gonzalez through the end of the 2011 season.
2011: The Blue Jays and Jose Bautista agree to a five year extension worth $64 million.
Chopping With The Braves And Rolling With The Tide
February 18th:
1944: After permission from his parents, 15-year old Joe Nuxhall signs a deal with the Reds.
1960: Dodgers owner Walter O'Malley purchases land just north of Downtown Los Angeles, called Chavez Ravine, for a new ballpark.
1998: Longtime announcer Harry Caray dies at age 84.
1999: The Yankees trade David Wells, Graeme Lloyd, and Homer Bush to the Blue Jays for Roger Clemens.
2001: Hall of Famer Eddie Mathews dies at age 69.
2009: Ken Griffey Jr. signs with the Mariners on a one year deal.
Chopping With The Braves And Rolling With The Tide
February 20th:
1923: Christy Mathewson becomes president of the Boston Braves after purchasing the team with two partners.
1953: August A. Busch convinces the Board of Directors of Anheuser-Busch to purchase the Cardinals for $3.75 million.
1963: Willie Mays signs a contract with the Giants worth $100,000, making him the game's highest paid player.
1980: The A's name Billy Martin manager.
1984: Pedro Guerrero signs a five year deal worth $7 million with the Dodgers.
2009: Tom Glavine signs a one year deal worth $1 million with the Braves.
Chopping With The Braves And Rolling With The Tide
February 21st:
1931: The White Sox and Giants play an exhibition at Houston's Buffs Stadium in the first ever night game. The game goes ten innings with the teams combining for 23 hits.
1945: The All-Star Game is cancelled due to wartime restrictions. It marks the only year the midsummer classic has not been played since started in 1933.
1968: The players and owners agree to the first collective bargaining agreement. The news CBA raises the minimum salary to $10,000 and offers a new grievance procedure.
1974: The Mets Tom Seaver becomes the highest paid pitcher in baseball history after signing a deal worth $172,000 per season.
1986: In defiance of Reds policy, Rollie Fingers refuses to shave off his trademark mustache and retires from baseball.
1989: Commissioner Peter Uberroth and Commissioner-elect Bart Giamatti meet with Pete Rose concerning allegations about him gambling. A formal investigation will be launched next month.
Chopping With The Braves And Rolling With The Tide
February 23rd:
1934: Casey Stengel signs a two year deal to manager the Dodgers.
1960: Demolition begins on the Dodgers former home in Brooklyn, Ebbets Field.
1987: Royals manager Dick Howser ends his comeback attempt from brain tumor surgery, finding he is too physically weak to continue. He would pass away three months later.
1988: With the prospect of losing the 1990 All-Star Game and potential postseason games, a committee of Chicago aldermen allow the Cubs to play 18 night games at Wrigley Field.
2012: The Brewers Ryan Braun becomes the first to successfully challenge a positive drug test. The possible 50 game suspension was overturned because it was found the urine collector stored the sample in his refrigerator for two days before sending to a Montreal lab for analysis.
Chopping With The Braves And Rolling With The Tide
February 24th:
1956: Eddie Murray is born in Los Angeles, California.
1966: The Braves sign USC pitcher Tom Seaver. However, the deal would be voided and in a special draft, Seaver is selected by the Mets.
1986: Dick Williams resigns as Padres manager.
2003: After the death of Orioles pitcher Steve Belcher, Commissioner Bud Selig bans the use of ephedra in the majors.
Chopping With The Braves And Rolling With The Tide
February 26th:
1887: Hall of Famer Grover Cleveland Alexander is born in Elba, Nebraska.
1935: The Yankees grant Babe Ruth his release.
1957: The Giants trade Hoty Wilhelm to the Cardinals for Whitey Lockman.
1991: The Veterans Committee elects former Indians, Browns, and White Sox owner Bill Veeck to the Hall of Fame.
1992: Red Sox owner Jean Yawkey dies at age 83. Her interest in the teams is passed to the JRY Trust, led by team CEO John Harrington.
Chopping With The Braves And Rolling With The Tide
February 28th:
1966: Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale begin a holdout from Dodgers camp, asking for a three year deal worth $1 million to be divided among them equally.
1986: Commissioner Peter Uberroth disciplines Joaquin Andujar, Dale Berra, Enos Cabell, Keith Hernandez, Jeffrey Leonard, Dave Parker, and Lonnie Smith (knows as the "Cocaine Seven") for their "prolonged pattern of drug use". They are suspended for a full season, but are allowed to play again when they agree to donate ten percent of their base salaries to drug related community service, submit to random drug testing, and 100 hours of community service.
2000: Yankees outfielder Darryl Strawberry is suspended for one year by Commissioner Selig after a positive test for cocaine last month.
2005: The Padres and Jake Peavy agree to a four year deal worth with a team option for a fifth.
Chopping With The Braves And Rolling With The Tide
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