2010 – 2019

2010 JANUARY 4th The Rockies agree to a one-year contract with free agent C Miguel Olivo. Los Angeles Angels sportscaster Rory Markas dies at the age of 54 at his home in Southern California. He had been with the Angels for eight seasons. From 1994-97, he was the lead announcer for the NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers …

2000 – 2009

2000 JANUARY 4th Padres pitcher Carlton Loewer, recently acquired, suffers a broken leg after falling from a tree while hunting. He’ll not pitch in 2000 and will appear in just 7 more ML games. While pitching for the Phillies last year, Loewer missed almost 4 months due to a stress fracture in his arm, an injury …

1990 – 1999

1990 JANUARY 9th  Jim Palmer, a 3-time AL Cy Young Award winner, and Joe Morgan, a 2-time NL MVP, are elected to the Hall of Fame in their first years of eligibility. 15th  Former Blue Jay Cecil Fielder signs with Detroit as a free agent after spending last season with Japan’s Hanshin Tigers, where he hit 38 …

1980 – 1989

  •1980 JANUARY 9th  Al Kaline and Duke Snider are elected to the Hall of Fame by the BBWAA. Kaline is the 10th player to be elected in his first year of eligibility, while Snider is making his 11th appearance on the ballot. 24th  Nelson Doubleday and Fred Wilpon head a group of investors which purchases the …

1970 – 1979

  1970 JANUARY 1st  Chub Feeney takes over as NL president, succeeding Warren Giles, who is retiring. 14th  Johnny Murphy, the Mets general manager who had seen his team rise from the NL cellar to the World Championship, dies of a heart attack at age 61. Murphy was a star relief pitcher for the Yankees in the …

1960 – 1969

  •1960 JANUARY 5th The Continental League, a proposed third major league, gets an assurance of congressional support from New York Senator Kenneth Keating. 11thThe Cubs send infielders Alvin Dark and Chicago native Jim Woods, and P John Buzhardt to the Phillies for OF Richie Ashburn. Ashburn hit .259 last year while driving in a ML-record …

1950 – 1959

1950 JANUARY 6th  Charlie “Jolly Cholly” Grimm resigns as vice president of the Cubs to sign a 3-year contract, for a record $90,000, to manage Dallas (Texas League). Grimm comments, "These hands were never intended to carry a brief case." 10th  The Cleveland Indians fire coach George C. “Good Kid” Susce when his son, George D., signs …

1940 – 1949

1940 JANUARY 4th The Reds send sore-armed lefty Lee Grissom to the Yankees for 26-year-old pitcher Joe Beggs. As noted by historian Lyle Spatz, Beggs had to clear waivers from all 7 AL teams, who likely were not aware of the impending swap. This is due to the new rule voted last month barring the AL …

1930 – 1939

1930 JANUARY 8th  Art Nehf, who pitched in five World Series, announces his retirement. He won 184 games in his career, last pitching for the Cubs in the 1929 Series. 20th  Commissioner Landis bans boxing for all players in baseball following the brief boxing career of White Sox 1B Art “Whataman” Shires. His challenge to Hack Wilson …

1920 – 1929

1920 JANUARY 5th  The Yankees announce the purchase of Babe Ruth; it had been delayed until Ruth agreed to terms believed to be $40,000 total for 2 years. (Lawrence Ritter’s The Babe, has this announcement on January 6, 11 days after the deal was consummated.) 7th  Babe Ruth reacts to the trade in the Boston Evening Transcript …