1. materials characteristic of baseball and the culture of baseball; 2. collectible baseball Americana
1954
The New York Giants trade 1951 playoff hero Bobby Thomson and catcher Sam Calderone to the Milwaukee Braves for pitchers Johnny Antonelli and Don Liddle, infielder Billy Klaus, and $50,000. Antonelli will go 21-7 and will lead the National League with a 2.30 ERA.
1977
Boston sports writers honor Luis Tiant as the Red Sox’s most valuable pitcher. This is the fifth year in a row that Tiant has won this honor, a record for the award begun in 1952.
1950
Jackie Robinson signs a contract for $35,000, reportedly making him the highest-paid player in Brooklyn Dodgers team history. That sum is around $378,000 in 2021 dollars.
1935
The Washington Senators receive pitcher Bump Hadley from the St. Louis Browns in a trade for catcher Luke Sewell, who is passed on to the Chicago White Sox. Sewell is an All-Star for the White Sox in 1937.
1916
The New York Giants buy CF Edd Roush from the Newark Peppers of the defunct Federal League for $7,500. Roush will hit just .188 in New York before being packaged to Cincinnati, where he will blossom into a Hall of Famer for the Reds.
1947
The Detroit Tigers sell All-Star first baseman Hank Greenberg to the Pittsburgh Pirates. In 1946, Greenberg led the American League with 44 home runs and 127 RBI, but will slump to 25 home runs and 74 RBI with the Pirates and will retire after the season. Greenberg is elected to the Hall of Fame in 1956.
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Continue readingOn This Day: January 18
2015
The San Francisco Giants sign free agent OF Nori Aoki, who faced them in the 2014 World Series as a member of the Kansas City Royals, to a one-year contract. He will hit to a .287/.349/.388 slash line in 93 games.
1978
Hall of Fame manager Joe McCarthy dies in Buffalo, NY, at the age of 90. McCarthy was the first manager to win pennants with both National and American League teams, winning nine league titles overall and seven World Series as manager of the Yankees.
1907
The New York Giants’ John McGraw plays the role of off-the-field hero as he prevents a team of horses from injuring two women. The fiery Giants manager’s heroic deed of stopping the runaway steeds takes place in Los Angeles, CA.
1989
Bill Terry dies at the age of 92. Terry batted .341 over a 14-year tenure with the New York Giants, including a career-high .401 in 1930. Terry also served as the Giants’ manager for 10 seasons, leading the team to three consecutive pennants. He gained election to the Hall of Fame in 1954.
