Today in Baseball History

[adminbaberuth]

Dec 7, 1939 Lou Gehrig, who played in his last major league game on June 30 this season, is elected to the Hall of Fame. The five-year waiting rule is waived because of the Yankees first baseman's diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

[adminbaberuth]

Dec. 8, 1966 The Yankees trade two-time MVP Roger Maris to the Cardinals for third baseman Charley Smith. The former Bronx Bomber outfielder will play a key role in the Redbirds' World Championship next season and will help the club win another pennant the following year, while New York's newest infielder will hit only .224 during his two-year tenure in New York

[adminbaberuth]

Dec 9, 1941

Although having a 3-C draft deferment due to being the sole support of his family, [b]Bob Feller[/b], last year's American League leading pitcher with 27 victories for the Indians, becomes the first major leaguer to enlist after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The 23-year old navy recruit has already won 107 major league games.

[adminbaberuth]

Dec. 10, 1919

The National League, spearheaded by the leadership of Pirates owner Barney Dreyfuss, approves the banning of the spitball, allowing just the current spitballers presently throwing the pitch to use it under a [b]"grandfather"[/b] clause. A year later the American League will adopt the same rule.

[adminbaberuth]

Dec 11, 1928

In an effort to speed up the game and add more offense, National League president John Heydler proposes the concept of a designated batter for the pitcher. The American League opposes the idea and the NL withdraws the proposal before Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis is asked to break the deadlock


Dec 12, 1930

Among the many changes to the rule book, the rules committee decides a ball which bounces bounces into stands will no longer be a home run, but will become a ground rule double.

[adminbaberuth]

Dec 14, 1948

It's a busy day for the Phillies as the team purchases Ken Trinkle from the Giants and trade pitchers Walter Dubiel and Dutch Leonard to the Cubs for first baseman Eddie Waitkas and pitcher Hank Borowy. Ruth Ann Steinhagen, a female fan totally obsessed with former Cub Waitkas, is very upset with the trade and will try to [b]kill[/b] him upon his return to Chicago with Philadelphia.

[adminbaberuth]

Dec 20, 1980

Unless contracts are tendered to certain veterans by a today's deadline, the Basic Agreement requires they be allowed to become free agents. The Red Sox will miss the deadline permitting All-Stars [b]Fred Lynn[/b] and [b]Carlton Fisk [/b]to be eligible for free agency.