Today In Baseball History: February

[CrimsonCowboy]

February 1st:

1913: Olympic champion Jim Thorpe signs a deal with the Giants.

1965: The NL adopts a disaster plan in case of a team's place crashes or another catastrophic event. The crisis rule allows the affected club to draft from a pool of two or three replacement players from each team. If follows the AL concept adopted in 1962.

1973: A special committee elected Negro League star Monte Irvin to the Hall of Fame.

1985: The Giants trade Jack Clark to the Cardinals for David Green, Jose Uribe, and Gary Rajsich.

1999: The Marlins acquire third base prospect Mike Lowell from the Yankees for minor league pitcher Ed Yarnall, Todd Noel, and Mark Johnson.

2008: The Mets and Johan Santana agree to a six year deal worth $137.5 million, completing the trade made with the Twins for five prospects.

2010: The Reds trade Willy Tavares and Adam Rosales to the A's for Aaron Miles and player to be named.

[CrimsonCowboy]

February 2nd:

1876: With teams in Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Hartford, Louisville, New York, Philadelphia, and St. Louis, the National League officially forms.

1972: A special committee elects Lefty Gomez and Ross Youngs to the Hall of Fame.

1976: Umpire Cal Hubbard is elected to the Hall of Fame, becoming the first to be elected to both halls in baseball and pro football. After a career with the Giants, Packers, and Steelers, he was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1966, making him the only person in both.

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 Reds for Reggie Sanders, Damian Jackson, and Josh Harris.

2005: The Cubs finalize a deal that sends Sammy Sosa to the Orioles for Jerry Hairston, Jr. and two minor leaguers.

2011: The White Sox and Alexi Ramirez finalize a four year deal worth $32.5 million.

[CrimsonCowboy]

February 3rd:

1886: With $800, Albert Spaulding starts a sporting goods company. His company would manufacture the first official baseball, tennis ball, golf ball, basketball and football.

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 named NL President, replacing Bart Giamatti, who was named commissioner of baseball.

2002: Jorge Posada signs a new five year deal with the Yankees.

2013: In front of a home crowd of 87 fans, California Institute of Technology defeats Pacifica 9-7, breaking a 228-game losing streak. It was their first win since February 15, 2003.

[CrimsonCowboy]

February 4th:

1893: Vocalized by Russell Hunting, the first record of the poem "Casey at the Bat" is released.

1909: Hall of Fame pitcher John Clarkson, who won 326 games, dies of pneumonia at age 47.

1956: To honor the outstanding pitcher in the majors, the Cy Young Award is established.

1969: Bowie Kuhn becomes the fifth commissioner of baseball.

1984: The Indians trade Toby Harrah and minor leaguer Rick Brown to the Yankees for Dan Boitano, Otis Nixon, and minor leaguer Guy Elston.

2008: The Tigers and Curtis Granderson agree to a five year deal worth $80 million.

[CrimsonCowboy]

February 5th:

1934: Hank Aaron is born in Mobile, Alabama.

1983: The Royals trade prospect Cecil Fielder to the Blue Jays for outfielder Leon Roberts.

1999: MLB announces an award for both leagues best hitter named after Hank Aaron. The announcement comes on his 65th birthday.

2002: The Angels and Troy Percival agree to a two year extension.

2008: The Pirates and Freddie Sanchez agree to a two year deal worth $11 million.

[CrimsonCowboy]

February 7th:

1949: Joe DiMaggio becomes the first AL player to make $100,000 in a season.

1979: Jesse Orosco is the "player to be named later" in the Mets deal that sent Jerry Koosman to the Twins.

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.

2012: The Rangers and Elvis Andrus agree to a three year deal worth $14.6 million.

[CrimsonCowboy]

February 8th:

1956: Connie Mack dies at age 93.

1982: The Dodgers trade Davey Lopes to the A's for minor leaguer Lance Hudson, who never appears in a ML game.

2008: The Mariners acquire Erik Bedard from the Orioles for Adam Jones and George Sherill along with prospects Chris Tillman, Tony Butler, and Kam Mickolio.

[CrimsonCowboy]

February 10th:

1910: Ground is broken in Chicago for what will become Comiskey Park.

1982: The Mets and George Foster agree to a five year deal, completing a trade that sent Jim Kern, Greg Harris, and Alex Trevino to the Reds.

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, Brett Tomko, and Antonio Perez. The Reds sign Griffey to a nine year deal worth $116.5 million.

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 three year deal worth $24 million.

[CrimsonCowboy]

February 11th:

1974: Twins pitcher Dick Woodson wins the first arbitration case in baseball history. He received the $29,000 he asked for instead of the Twins offer, which was $6,000 less.

1977: The Cubs trade Bill Madlock and Rod Sperring to the Giants for Bobby Murcer, Steve Ontiveros, and a minor leaguer.

1982: Two months after the deal was announced, Ozzie Smith agrees to the trade that send him from the Padres to the Cardinals for Garry Templeton.

1987: Ray Knight and the Orioles agree to a one year deal with an option for the next season.

2007: The a Twins and Joe Mauer agree to a four year deal worth $33 million.

2009: The Nationals sign Adam Dunn to a two year deal worth $20 million.

[CrimsonCowboy]

February 12th:

1878: Harvard's Fredrick Thayer receives a patent for his invention, the catcher's mask.

1942: Former Texarkana outfielder Gordon Houston becomes the first pro baseball killed in World War II.

1944: The Braves name Bob Coleman manager.

1981: Citing the failure of the Red Sox to deliver his contract by the deadline, arbitrator Raymond Goetz declares Carlton Fisk a free agent.

2002: The Expos are bought by MLB from Jeffrey Loria for $120 million. Loria purchases the Marlins for $158 million. Frank Robinson us named Expos manager with Jeff Torborg named to the same position with the Marlins.

2007: Time Warner agrees to sell the Atlanta Braves to Liberty Media.

2009: The Angels and Ervin Santana agree to a five year deal worth $42 million.

2010: The Giants and Tim Lincecum agree to a two year deal worth $23 million.

2014: Derek Jeter announces the upcoming season will be his last.

[CrimsonCowboy]

February 13th:

1914: The Cubs trade future Hall of Famer Johnny Evers to the Braves for Bill Sweeney.

1995: The Dodgers sign five time Japanese all star pitcher Hideo Nomo.

2002: The Red Sox sign 43-year old Rickey Henderson to a minor league deal.

2005:. Barry Larkin announces his retirement after 19 seasons as the Reds shortstop. He becomes special assistant to team GM Jim Bowden.

2008: Roger Clemens and his trainer Brian McNamee testify for 4 1/2 hours in front of Congress concerning Clemens' alleged steroid use.

2012: The A's and Cuban defector Yoenis Cespedes agree to a four year deal worth $36 million.

[CrimsonCowboy]

February 14th:

1948: Hall of Famer Mordecai "Three Finger" Brown dies at age 71.

1996: A group of investors led by Kevin McClatchy purchase the Pirates.

2002: The Tigers sign Dimitri Young to a four year deal.

2005: The Twins sign Johan Santana to a four year deal.

2014: The Braves sign two of their young players to new deals. Jason Heyward gets a two year deal worth $13.3 million and Freddie Freeman signs an eight year contract worth $135 million. Freeman's contract is the biggest in franchise history.

[CrimsonCowboy]

February 15th:

1946: Hank Greenberg signs a contract with the Tigers worth $60,000.

1990: Without an agreement made with the players, the owners begin a lockout that would span 32 days.

2003: The Red Sox acquire a Kevin Millar from the Marlins.

2012: The Rays agree to a three year extension with manager Joe Maddox.

[CrimsonCowboy]

February 16th:

1950: The BBWAA do not elected anyone to the Hall of Fame.

1952: Honus Wagner retires after 39 years in the majors. He spent 21 years as a player with the Louisville Colonels and Pirates and another 18 as a coach with Pittsburgh.

1989: Orel Hershisher becomes the first player to make $3 million in a season when he signs a three year deal worth $7.9 with the Dodgers.

2001: The Yankees and Mariano Rivera agree to a four year deal worth $40 million.

2012: Hall of Famer Gary Carter dies at age 57.

2004: The Rangers trade Alex Rodriguez and cash to the Yankees for Alfonso Soriano and a player to be named later (Joaquin Arias).

2011: The Brewers and Rickie Weeks agree to a four year deal worth $38.5 million.

[CrimsonCowboy]

February 17th:

1916: The American League owners endorse a new draft concept that was originally proposed by Dodgers president Charles Ebbets. The plan would give second division teams the first pick of available minor leaguers the next season.

1943: Joe DiMaggio enlists in the United States Army Air Forces. He will not play for the Yankees again until 1946.

1964: Luke Appling is elected to the Hall of Fame.

1976: Mike Scott, who would later pitch a no-hitter for the Astros, pitches a perfect game for Pepperdine University against California Lutheran University.

1995: Tigers manager Sparky Anderson is suspended for refusing to work with replacement players during the players strike.

2003: In avoiding arbitration, Greg Maddux and the Braves agree to the largest one year contract in ML history, worth $14.75 million.

2003: Orioles pitcher Steve Bechler dies after a workout at 23 years old. Early speculation is his death may have been caused by use of ephedrine, a dietary supplement linked to heart attacks and heat strokes.

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.

[CrimsonCowboy]

February 18th:

1944: At the age of 15, Joe Nuxhall signs a contract with the Reds.

1960: Dodgers owner Walter O'Malley purchases land at Chavez Ravine for the future stadium for the team.

1998: Longtime announcer Harry Caray dies at age 84.

1999: The Blue Jays trade Roger Clemens to the Yankees for David Wells, Homer Bush, and Graeme Lloyd.

2001: Hall of Famer Eddie Mathews dies at age 69.

2009: The Mariners sign Ken Griffey Jr. to a one year deal.

2011: The Orioles sign Vladimir Guerrero to a one year deal.

[CrimsonCowboy]

February 19th:

1953: The Panther jet piloted by Ted Williams is hit by enemy fire. Williams crash lands the jet near a Korean air base, but suffers only minor injuries.

1970: Denny McLain is suspended for three months, effective April 1st for alleged involvement with bookmakers.

1983: Dodgers pitcher Fernando Valenzuela becomes the first player awarded a million dollar contract in the arbitration process.

1987: Less than a month after signing a deal with the A's, Vida Blue announces his retirement.

2008: The Rangers sign Ian Kinsler to a five year deal worth $22 million.

2014: The Reds and Homer Bailey agree to a six year deal worth $105 million.

[CrimsonCowboy]

February 21st:

1931: In an exhibition at Buffs Stadium in Houston, the Giants and White Sox become the first ML teams to play at night.

1945: Baseball cancels the All Star Game due to wartime restrictions, marking the only time since starting in 1933 the game was not played.

1968: The players and owners sign the first ever collective bargaining agreement. The CBA raises the minimum salary to $10,000 and introduced a formal grievance procedure.

1974: Tom Seaver signs baseball's richest deal at that time, paying him $172,000 with the Mets.

1986: Defying the Reds team policy, Rollie Fingers refuses to shave his mustache and retires. He finished his career with 341 saves.

1989: Pete Rose meets with Commissioner Peter Uberroth and Commissioner-elect Bart Giamatti in regards to allegations about his gambling. A full investigation will be launched the next month.

[CrimsonCowboy]

February 22nd:

1934: Hall of Fame manager Sparky Anderson is born in Bridgewater, South Dakota.

1938: TCU football star Sammy Baugh signs a contract with the Cardinals. After little playing time in the minors, he would soon leave the Cardinals and become the quarterback of the Washington Redskins and later inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

[CrimsonCowboy]

February 23rd:

1934: Casey Stengel signs a two year deal to manage the Dodgers.

1987: Royals manager Dick Howser ends his attempt to come back after a brain tumor three days into Spring Training. Third base coach Billy Gardner takes over as manager. Howser passed away three months later.

1988: With the potential of the Cubs losing the All Star Game and possible postseason home games, a group of Chicago aldermen allow 18 games at Wrigley Field, the last to not have lights, to be played at night.

2012: Ryan Braun becomes the first player to successfully challenge a positive test and avoid a 50 game suspension. The panel voted 2-1 in his favor because the test collector stored the sample in a refrigerator for two days before it was sent for analysis.