1. materials characteristic of baseball and the culture of baseball; 2. collectible baseball Americana
1980
Don Sutton, the winningest pitcher in Los Angeles Dodgers history, signs a four-year contract with the Houston Astros. Sutton posted a 13-5 record in 1980 with a NL leading 2.21 ERA. He is traded to the Brewers in 1982.
1967
The Cubs give up on pitcher Ray Culp and ship him to the Red Sox for minor leaguer Rudy Schlesinger and cash. A steal for the Sox, Culp will develop a palmball and win 64 games for them over the next four seasons.
1963
The Kansas City Athletics acquire 1B Jim Gentile and $25,000 from the Baltimore Orioles for 1B Norm Siebern. Gentile, immediately a fan favorite, will slug 38 home runs and drive in 93 over 557 at bats while in KC.
1973
Pitcher Bob Gibson of the St. Louis Cardinals wins the last of his nine Gold Gloves, and Joe Morgan wins the first of his five as second baseman of the Cincinnati Reds. Both baseball legends passed away in 2020.
1969
Future Hall of Famer Ken Griffey, Jr. is born in Donora, PA, the son of Ken Griffey, Sr., himself an All-Star outfielder who will not make his major league debut until 1973.
1958
Milwaukee Braves second baseman Red Schoendienst, a future Hall of Fame, is diagnosed as having tuberculosis. He will appear in just five games in 1959 as a result.
2011
Detroit Tigers ace Justin Verlander is the unanimous winner of the 2011 AL Cy Young Award. Verlander won the Pitching Triple Crown by leading the AL in wins with a 24-5 record, in ERA at 2.40 and in strikeouts with 250. He threw his second career no-hitter on May 7th.
1975
Tom Seaver of the New York Mets wins his third Cy Young Award. He posted 243 strikeouts with a 2.38 ERA and led the National League with 22 victories.
1948
In a move that will give them a pitching ace for the next decade, the Chicago White Sox acquire young lefthander Billy Pierce from the Detroit Tigers for All-Star catcher Aaron Robinson. Pierce will win 186 games for the White Sox over the next 13 years.
1977
Hall of Fame manager Bucky Harris dies on his 81st birthday. Harris won two World Championships and three American League pennants over a 29-year career with the Washington Senators and New York Yankees, among other teams.
