1. materials characteristic of baseball and the culture of baseball; 2. collectible baseball Americana
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.
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.
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.
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.
1983
A New York Supreme Court Justice issues a preliminary injunction barring the Yankees from playing their season-opening series against the Detroit Tigers in Denver. The Yanks sought to move the games fearing off-season renovations to Yankee Stadium would not be completed in time.
1981
The Cincinnati Reds finally give in and sign their first free agent – Larry Biittner. The Reds are the last of the 26 MLB teams to sign a player through free agency, which began in 1976.
1963
“Nasty Boy” Norm Charlton was born in Fort Polk, Louisiana. Charlton was 25 years old when he broke into MLB on August 19, 1988, with the Cincinnati Reds. The southpaw was best known as part of the “Nasty Boys” relief pitching trio (with Rob Dibble and Randy Myers) for the 1990 World Champion Reds.
1936
As the second part of the Dec. 10 deal for Jimmie Foxx, the Boston Red Sox get Doc Cramer and Eric McNair from the A’s for Hank Johnson, Al Niemiec, and $75K. Boston wins the deal as Foxx is an All-Star 6 times in 7 seasons, hitting 222 HRs, and batting.300 five times.
1998
Mark McGwire is named the AP Male Athlete of the Year. His stats for the baseball season (tainted or not) included 70 HR, 162 RBI and a .299 BA.
