On This Day: January 31
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Month: January 2020
On This Day: January 28
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1949
The New York Giants sign their first black players: Negro Leaguers Monte Irvin and pitcher Ford Smith. Both men are assigned to Jersey City. Irvin will star for the Giants and eventually reach the Baseball Hall of Fame. Smith does not reach the major leagues.
On This Day: January 25
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1978
The San Diego Padres trade pitcher Dave Tomlin and an estimated $125,000 in cash to the Texas Rangers for aging pitcher Gaylord Perry. Perry will win the N.L. Cy Young Award with San Diego in 1978, going 21-6 and posting a 2.73 ERA
On This Day: January 23
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On This Day: January 21
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1960
St. Louis Cardinals superstar and Hall of Fame member, Stan Musial, asks for, and receives, a pay cut from $100,000 to $80,000 a year. Musial says he was overpaid in 1957 and 1958 (though he led the NL in ’57 with a .351 BA), and his salary should be cut based on his 1959 performance.
On This Day: January 18
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1947
The Pirates buy first baseman Hank Greenberg from the Detroit Tigers for a reported $25,000 to $35,000. Greenberg led the A.L. with 44 home runs in 1946. In 125 games for Pittsburgh in ’47 he will hit 25 home runs and make it his final MLB season.
On This Day: January 17
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1970
The Sporting News named San Francisco Giants outfielder Willie Mays its Player of the Decade for the 1960s. Topping such luminaries as Hank Aaron, Roberto Clemente, Sandy Koufax and Frank Robinson, Mays had already completed his age-28 season when the decade began and was one of the oldest players in the game at its conclusion.
On This Day: January 15
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1981
In his first year of eligibility, former St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Bob “Hoot” Gibson is the only player elected to the Hall of Fame. Gibson won 20 games five times, struck out 3,117 batters, and captured the Cy Young and M.V.P. in 1968 with a 1.12 ERA.
On This Day: January 13
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1988
Steve Garvey retires. He hit just .211 in his last season and was not offered a new contract by the Padres. Even so, Garvey’s MLB accomplishments include 272 HR, a .294 batting average, and 1308 RB. He was the 1974 NL MVP, a ten time All-Star, and won 4Gold Glove awards.
On This Day: January 11
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