1. materials characteristic of baseball and the culture of baseball; 2. collectible baseball Americana
1968
Happy 50th birthday to Mike Mussina. He was 22 years old when he broke into MLB with the Baltimore Orioles. Nicknamed Moose, Mussina played for the Baltimore Orioles (1991–2000) and the New York Yankees (2001–2008). He won at least 11 games in 17 consecutive seasons – an AL record – and recorded a career .638 winning percentage.
1978
After 18 years with the Cincinnati Reds, free agent Pete Rose signs a four-year, $3.2 million contract with the Phillies to temporarily become the highest-paid athlete in team sports. Rose and the Phils will win the World Series in 1980.
1990
NL batting champion Willie McGee signs as a free agent with the San Francisco Giants, ending his three-month stint across the bay with the Athletics. He finished the season with the A’s following a trade from the Cardinals, but McGee still qualified as the NL batting champion, hitting .335
1953
The Red Sox trade for hard-hitting Jackie Jensen, sending Maury McDermott and Tom Umphlett to the Washington Senators. Jensen will average 25 home runs a year in his seven seasons at Fenway, lead the AL in RBI three times, and win the MVP award in 1958. 
1962
Happy 56th birthday to the one and only Bo Jackson, born on this date in Bessemer, Alabama. He is the only athlete in history to be named to All-Star teams in both MLB and the NFL.
1978
The Reds fire manager Sparky Anderson after nine years, during which the club averaged 96 wins per season and won five divisional titles, four National League pennants, and two World Championships. He will lead the Detroit Tigers to the World Series Championship in 1984.
1961
The Professional Baseball Rules Committee votes 8-1 against legalizing the spitball, formally banned in 1920. Only National League supervisor of umpires Cal Hubbard votes in favor. Hubbard had been an umpire in the American League from 1936 to 1951.
1953
The Dodgers sign the relatively unknown Walter Alston to a one-year pact as their manager for 1954. He will sign 23 one-year contracts with the team and manage the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers through 1976. Alston led Dodgers teams to seven National League pennants and four world championships.
1950
Happy birthday to Greg “the Bull” Luzinski, born on this day in Chicago. Luzinski was 19 years old when he broke into the big leagues on September 9, 1970, with the Philadelphia Phillies. He hit 223 of his 307 lifetime HRs for the Phils, and then retired in 1984 after a few seasons as a member of the White Sox.
…
Continue readingOn This Day: November 22
1989
Milwaukee Brewers center fielder Robin Yount edges Ruben Sierra of the Rangers to win his second American League Most Valuable Player Award. Yount, who won the award as a shortstop in 1982, hit .318 with 21 home runs and 103 RBI for Milwaukee.