- 1885 - At a Union Association meeting held in Milwaukee , only two clubs show up, the Milwaukee Grays and the Kansas City Unions. It is decided to disband the league.
- 1934 - New York Yankees Slugger Babe Ruth signs a one-year contract worth $35,000. While the contract is considered a lucrative one for the times, it represents a pay cut of $17,000 for “The Babe”.
- 1942 :
- --- Judge Landis , encouraging major league baseball to continue playing during World War II . President Roosevelt states he believes playing the sport would be good for Americans and encourages the owners to have more games at night to give war workers an opportunity to attend games.Despite a loss of many star players to military service, all 16 teams will continue to play regular schedules for the duration of the war. Ironically, the Chicago Cubs , who had signed an agreement with a contractor to install to install lights at Wrigley Field , drop their plans because of the Military need for the material. There will be no lights at Wrigley for 35 more years.
- 1957 - The Brooklyn Dodgers extend their five-year lease on Ebbets Field by signing a new three-year lease with real estate developer Marvin Kratter, who bought the field in 1953. A year later, the Dodgers will call the City Of Los Angeles their new home.
- 1959 - The Texas League makes a radical rule change, allowing pitchers to automatically signal an intentional Walk . The rule change eliminates the need for the pitcher to intentionally throw four pitches out of the strike zone.
- 1981 - Pitcher Bob Gibson is elected to the Hall Of Fame in his first year of eligibility. Gibson, who needed 301 votes for election, is named on 337 ballots by the Baseball Writers Association Of America .In 17 seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals , Gibson Won 251 games, Struck Out 3,117 Batters , compiled a 2.91 ERA , won 20 games five times, and earned two World Championship rings. In 1968, Gibson enjoyed his best season ever, going 22-9 with a 1.12 ERA and captured the Cy Young Award . Players falling short of the 301 votes needed for election include Don Drysdale (243), Gil Hodges (241), Harmon Killebrew (239), Hoyt Wilhelm (238) and Juan Marichal (233).
- 2006 :
- ---The Los Angeles Angels agreed to multiyear contracts with IF / OF Chone Figgins and OF Juan Rivera . The versatile Figgins got a $10.5 million, three-year deal, and Rivera agreed to a $3,275,000, two-year contract.
- ---The Dodgers acquired All-Stars Relievers Danys Baez and Lance Carter from Tampa Bay for two pitching prospects.
- --- Jason Bay , Justin Morneau , Erik Bedard , Jeff Francis , Rheal Cormier , Paul Quantrill , Matt Stairs and Corey Koskie , were among 23 players named to Canada 's 30-man roster for the inaugural World Baseball Classic .
- ---The Arizona Diamondbacks and catcher Johnny Estrada agreed to a $2 million, one-year contract, avoiding arbitration.
- --- OF / 1B Craig Wilson chose not to go to salary arbitration and agreed to a $3.3 million, one-year contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates .
- 1882 - Ed Kinsella , pitcher (d. 1976 )
- 1885 - Grover Lowdermilk , pitcher (d. 1968 )
- 1891 - Ray Chapman , infielder (b. 1920 )
- 1920 - Steve Gromek , All-Star pitcher (d. 2002 )
- 1943 - Mike Marshall , All-Star pitcher
- 1949 - Bobby Grich , All-Star infielder
- 1949 - Luis Alvarado , infielder (d. 2001 )
- 1956 - Rance Mulliniks , infielder
- 1956 - Jerry Narron , player and manager
- 1969 - Delino DeShields , infielder
- 1973 - Wayne Gomes , pitcher
- 1974 - Ray King , pitcher
- 1979 - Ben Howard , pitcher
- 1980 - J.D. Closser , catcher
- 1980 - Matt Holliday , outfielder
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