December 10th in Baseball History

.	.	THIS DATE IN BASEBALL HISTORY
.	.
2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1993 1992 1991 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1981 1980 1976 1975 1972 1971 1967 1965 1963 1958 1956 1953 1951 1948 1947 1946 1945 1941 1940 1936 1935 1927 1925 1924 1919 1918 1900 1888
	.	December 10th
		2002 ť The Devil Rays sell 1B Steve Cox to the Yokohama Bay Stars, pending Cox clearing waivers. 2001 ť The Blue Jays send SS Alex Gonzalez to the Cubs in exchange for P Felix Heredia and a player to be named. The Cardinals sign free agent P Jason Isringhausen to a 4-year contract. 2000 ť The Pirates sign free agent OF Derek Bell to a 2-year contract. The Rockies sign free agent OF Ron Gant to a contract. The Rangers sign free agent P Mark Petkovsek to a 2-year contract, and free agent 3B Ken Caminiti to a contract. The Marlins obtain OF Jeff Abbott from the White Sox in exchange for OF Julio Ramirez. 1999 ť The Mets obtain P Jesse Orosco from the Orioles in exchange for P Chuck McElroy. The 43-year-old Orosco last played for the Mets in 1987. The Cubs sign free agent C Joe Girardi, late of the Yankees, to a 3-year contract. Babe Ruth is voted Player of the Century by an Associated Press panel. Willie Mays comes in second. 1998 ť In an emotional press conference, pitcher Dennis Eckersley of the Red Sox announces his retirement. The Mariners sign free agent C Tom Lampkin to a 2-year contract. The Royals sign free agent IF Rey Sanchez, and acquire IF Joe Randa from the Mets in exchange for OF Juan LeBron. 1997 ť The White Sox sign free agent catchers Charlie O'Brien and Chad Kreuter. The Yankees sign free agent DH Chili Davis to a 2-year contract. 1996 ť The Tigers make their biggest trade since 1957, sending four players to Houston in exchange for five Astros. Detroit C Brad Ausmus, P Jose Lima, lefties C.J. Nitkowski and Trever Miller, and IF Daryle Ward go to the National League for starters Brian Hunter and Orlando Miller, Doug Brocail and Todd Jones, and a player to come later. Brocail, also involved in the 1994 12-player swap between San Diego and Houston, will be Detroit's Opening Day pitcher in April. Montreal reliever Mel Rojas signs with the Cubs for a three-year $13.75 million contract. With Ugueth Urbina waiting in the wings, the Expos found the expensive Rojas expendable. The Reds sign free agent P Kent Mercker. The Marlins sign free agent veteran Dennis Cook to a 2-year contract. 1993 ť The Colorado Silver Bullets are officially recognized as the first all-women's baseball team in the minor leagues. 1992 ť The Yankees sign free agent P Jimmy Key to a 4-year contract. 1991 ť Admitted gambler Howard Spira is sentenced to two 1/2 years in prison for attempting to extort $110,000 from Yankees owner George Steinbrenner. The Giants trade OF Kevin Mitchell and P Mike Remlinger to the Mariners in exchange for P Bill Swift, Mike Jackson, and Dave Burba. 1988 ť Free-agent Willie Randolph signs with the Dodgers. He will replace Steve Sax in the lineup, who earlier this month signed with Randolph's former club, the Yankees. 1987 ť The White Sox trade ace lefthander Floyd Bannister (16-11 last season) and Dave Cochrane to the Royals for John Davis, Melido Perez, Greg Hibbard, and Chuck Mount. 1986 ť In the first two major trades of the winter meetings, the Dodgers send 1B Greg Brock to the Brewers for pitchers Tim Leary and Tim Crews. The Mariners trade OF Danny Tartabull and P Rick Luecken to Kansas City for pitchers Scott Bankhead, Steve Shields, and Mike Kingery. 1985 ť In the first major swap of the winter meetings, the A's trade C Mike Heath and P Tim Conroy to the Cardinals for Joaquin Andujar, 21-game winner with a volatile temperament. 1984 ť Expos catcher Gary Carter becomes the 3rd All-Star caliber player in five days to be traded, going to the Mets in exchange for IF-OF Hubie Brooks, C Mike Fitzgerald, OF Herm Winningham, and minor league P Floyd Youmans. 1981 ť In what would be a blockbuster swap of outstanding young shortstops, the Cardinals trade Garry Templeton and OF Sixto Lezcano to the Padres for Ozzie Smith and P Steve Mura. The deal is put on hold, however, when Smith is unable to work out an acceptable contract with his new club. The Royals send vet Clint Hurdle to the Reds for P Scott Brown. 1980 ť The Red Sox trade SS Rick Burleson and 3B Butch Hobson to the Angels for 3B Carney Lansford, CF Rick Miller, and P Mark Clear. 1976 ť Rangers SS Danny Thompson, a 7-year veteran, dies at Rochester, MN, two months short of his 30th birthday. He led all shortstops in hitting in 1972 with a .276 average, but was diagnosed with leukemia the following winter. The Expos send Andre Thornton, whose average slumped 100 points to .194, to the Indians for P Jackie Brown. A great pickup for the Tribe, Thornton will lead the club in home runs seven times as a 1B/DH. 1975 ť Bill Veeck and assistant Roland Hemonds set up shop in the hotel lobby at the winter meetings with a sign saying "open for business" and start dealing, making seven trades in two days. First to go is pitcher Jim Kaat and SS Mike Buskey to the Phillies. The Sox receive pitchers Dick Ruthven and Roy Thomas along with OF/INF Alan Bannister. 1972 ť The major leagues adopt the save as an official statistic. A pitcher shall be credited with a save if, when entering a game as a reliever, he finds the tying or winning run on base or at the plate, and he preserves the lead. Or he pitches three effective innings and preserves the lead. The American League votes unanimously to adopt the designated-hitter rule for a 3-year experimental basis. The DH will replace the pitcher in the lineup unless otherwise noted before the start of the game. In the December 1975 meeting the AL will vote to permanently adopt the DH. The National League declines to go along with the AL. 1971 ť The Angels trade SS Jim Fregosi to the Mets for four players, including OF Leroy Stanton and P Nolan Ryan. This will rank as probably the Angels' best trade. 1967 ť In a Puerto Rican League game, San Juan beats Arecibo, 63 behind Pat Dobson. The Detroit rookie strikes out 21 Arecibo batters. 1965 ť The Pirates trade long-time Buc P Bob Friend to the Yankees for P Pete Mikkelson and cash. 1963 ť Chicago's 2B Nellie Fox is traded to the Colts for cash, P Jim Golden, and OF Danny Murphy. 1958 ť The University of Pittsburgh agrees to buy Forbes Field from the Pirates and lease it to them for five years, or until a new municipal stadium is built. 1956 ť The American League club owners vote for a 3-game playoff in case of a tie at the end of the regular season. The Cubs buy perennial backup C Charlie Silvera from the Yankees. They also trade pitchers Sad Sam Jones and Jim Davis, IF Eddie Miksis, and C Hobie Landrith to the Cardinals for pitchers Tom Poholsky and Jackie Collum, C Ray Katt, and a minor league pitcher. Mrs. Grace Comiskey, president of the White Sox, dies of a heart attack in Washington. 1953 ť Dodgers President Walter O'Malley unveils plans for a new stadium in Brooklyn. The Reds trade OF Willard Marshall to the White Sox for infielders Rocky Krsnich, Connie Ryan and P Saul Rogovin. The Sox also pick up Cass Michaels from the A's. 1951 ť The Cards trade lefty Max Lanier and OF Chuck Diering to the Giants for 2B Eddie Stanky, who becomes the team's player-manager. The Reds trade C Smoky Burgess, 2B Connie Ryan and P Howie Fox to the Phillies for C Andy Seminick, infielder Eddie Pellegrini, OF Dick Sisler and P Niles Jordan. The Reds will regret letting the burly catcher go and will reacquire him, again exchanging Seminick, in three years. 1948 ť The minors started 58 leagues and 438 clubs this year. All the leagues finished schedules, but when the minor leagues ask for curbs on television into their areas, the ML clubs sidestep the issue. 1947 ť Cleveland sends pitcher Red Embree to the Yankees for outfielder Allie Clark. New York almost took Embree instead of Allie Reynolds in a trade a year ago. The Reds sell Elmer Riddle to the Pirates. 1946 ť The Yankees sign veteran 1B George McQuinn, recently released by the A's. The 36-year-old has two good years left in him and will hit .304 with 80 RBI in 1947. 1945 ť At the annual meeting the major leagues head off the quest of the PCL for major status and more territorial protection for upper minors by a new AAA classification for the PCL, American Association, and International Leagues. The Eastern and Texas Leagues are promoted from Class A to AA. The Southern Atlantic League moves to Class A from B. For the majors, returning servicemen are given increased protection for one year and the limiting of rosters to 25 players will be delayed until June 15. The Reds sell 1B Frank McCormick to the Phillies. 1941 ť The Reds sell 3B Bill Werber to the Giants. 1940 ť In Chicago, a curious rule that was designed to "break up the Yankees" is continued by the American League, a rule which prohibits the team winning the championship from trading with any other club. The rule was voted in at the December, 1939 meetings by the seven other AL owners after the New York Yankees won four straight World Series. The major and minor leagues agree that players taken into the military will not count against roster limits. The sac fly rule, reinstituted last year, is eliminated for the 1941 season. Though he would .400 without the rule change, Ted Williams will have six flies that score runners from 3B in 1941. The Giants purchase Morrie Arnovich from the Reds and send SS Wayne Ambler to the Reds for P Milt Shoffner. Umpire Bill Klem retires and is appointed National League chief of staff. 1936 ť Commissioner Landis announces his ruling on the Bob Feller case. Feller joined Cleveland in July and Des Moines (Western League) protested, claiming the pitcher for themselves. Landis let Feller stay with Cleveland, pending his final ruling, which is announced today in favor of the Indians. 1935 ť Two Hall of Famers are sold today. Jimmie Foxx, along with Johnny Marcum (1712), is sold by the As to the Red Sox for $150,000. The A's get Gordon Rhodes (210) and minor league catcher George Savino. The 28-year-old Foxx has averaged 41 homers over the past 7 seasons and says about the trade, "my dream has come true." After three years in Chicago, Al Simmons is sold by the White Sox to the Tigers for $75,000. The National League accepts Bob Quinn, who had been GM of the Brooklyn Dodgers, as president of the new ownership of the Braves. Ford Frick is reelected NL president for two years and given a raise. The American League votes down night ball and awards a $500 cash prize for batting leaders retroactive to include Buddy Myer in 1935. The Tigers of Osaka are officially formed to become Japan's 2nd professional team. 1927 ť Roger Peckinpaugh begins a 6-year term as Indians manager. 1925 ť The A's pick up veteran SS Bill Wambsganss from the Red Sox. The American League goes on record as opposing the use of resin by pitchers, but the joint rules committee finally votes it in. The committee also agrees that future World Series games are set to start at 1:30 P.M.; 2nd-place money withheld from the eight Black Sox in 1920 is distributed to the other 1920 White Sox; and players signed by August 31st are declared eligible for World Series play. Finally, no times at-bat will be charged in a fly ball advances a runner to 2B or 3B, as well as home. 1924 ť The two leagues agree on a permanent rotation for World Series play proposed by Charles Ebbets: first two games at one league's park, next three at the other leagues park, last two if needed back at the first league's park, with openers to alternate between leagues. Next year's World Series will commence at the National League city. 1919 ť The National League votes to ban the spitball's use by all new pitchers. The ban will be formally worked out by the Rules Committee in February. With the opposition led by New York, Boston, and Chicago owners, the American League directors pass a resolution accusing Ban Johnson of overstepping his duties. They demand that league files be turned over to them and that an auditor review all financial accounts. 1918 ť National League secretary John Heydler is formally elected president of the league. He had been acting president since John Tener stepped down last August. 1900 ť At the National League meetings at the Fifth Avenue Hotel in New York, rumors fly. Ban Johnson says the American League has signed a lease on a park in Detroit. The Players Protective Association says its members will not sign with the NL. 1888 ť The Tourists play in Auckland, NZ, during a brief stopover.