2001
» The Diamondbacks even the Series at three games apiece with a 15-2 win over the Yankees in Game 6. Randy Johnson gets the win for Arizona while Danny Bautista drives in five runs. Arizona knocks out a World Series-record 22 hits, and scores eight runs in the 3rd inning.

2000
» After being turned down by several candidates, the Reds name Bob Boone as their new manager.

1998
» Ben Grieve, Oakland outfielder, is named the American League Rookie of the Year. Grieve, in the lineup since Opening Day, hit .288.

1997
» In a unanimous vote, Nomar Garciaparra is named American League Rookie of the Year. The Boston SS is the first rookie ever to bat .300, with 30 homers, 90 ribbies, and 20 stolen bases. He also led the American League in hits and his 98 RBIs set a record for a leadoff batter. He's the first Sox rookie to win the honor since Fred Lynn, in 1975.

1993
» Cleveland Indians P Cliff Young is killed in a truck crash in Willis, Texas. He is the 3rd Indians pitcher to die this year.

1992
» The Yankees trade OF Roberto Kelly and minor league 1B Joe DeBerry to the Reds in exchange for OF Paul O'Neill.

1991
» Jeff Bagwell is named the National League Rookie of the Year and is the first Astro to win the award. He hit .294 with a team-leading 15 homers and 82 RBIs. His 82 walks also led the Astros. Bagwell was picked in the 4th round of the 1989 draft by the Red Sox, then traded in the 1990 stretch drive for pitcher Larry Andersen.

1989
» Lou Piniella is named manager of the Reds, replacing the banned Pete Rose, and John McNamara will manage the Indians.

1988
» Veteran pitcher Bert Blyleven changes clubs for the 5th time, going from the Twins to the Angels for a package of minor leaguers.

1987
» Oakland 1B Mark McGwire wins the American League Rookie of the Year Award, now called the Jackie Robinson Award, joining Carlton Fisk (1972) as the only player to win that league's award unanimously. McGwire set a rookie record with 49 homers and was the first rookie to lead the majors in homers since Al Rosen in 1950.

1982
» Pete Vuckovich becomes the Brewers' 2nd consecutive American League Cy Young Award winner, edging Jim Palmer. Vuckovich was 18-6 with a 3.34 ERA for the AL champions, and has the highest winning percentage in the majors for the past two seasons.

1981
» Brewers Rollie Fingers (28 saves, 1.04 ERA) wins the American League Cy Young Award, collecting 22 of 28 possible first-place votes. The other six go to Oakland's Steve McCatty.

1979
» Teams of U.S. all-stars depart on an exhibition tour of Japan. The NL stars will win four of seven games versus the AL, and the combined forces will split a pair of games with the Japanese all-stars.

1970
» The Phillies trade Curt Flood to the Senators for three minor league players.

Bob Gibson wins the National League Cy Young Award by a 118-51 margin over Giant Gaylord Perry. Gibson posted a 23-7 record for the Cardinals.

1968
» Cardinal broadcaster Harry Caray is struck by a car while crossing a street in St. Louis, and he suffers two broken legs, a broken shoulder, and a broken nose.

1967
» Boston's Jim Lonborg is named American League Cy Young Award winner.

1965
» Sandy Koufax is named Cy Young Award winner by a unanimous vote.

Athletics P Lew Krausse enjoys one of the finest performances in winter league history, throwing a one-hitter for Caracas against Lara and establishing the following still unsurpassed marks: most strikeouts in a 9-inning game (21), most consecutive strikeouts (10), most strikeouts in two consecutive games (33).

1964
» Philadelphia voters approve $25 million to build a new sports stadium.

1960
» Pittsburgh's Vern Law is voted Cy Young Award winner. He outpolls Warren Spahn 8-4.

1954
» The Yankees tour Japan and draw a record crowd of 64,000 when they play the first game against the All-Japan Stars in Osaka. Andy Carey slugs 13 home runs, and Elston Howard bats .468 on the 25-game tour.

1953
» The rules committee restores the 1939 rule, which says a sacrifice fly is not charged as a time at bat. Also, the committee votes for "no gloves on the field rule." Hank Greenberg, who proposed the change, says "Aside from the possibility of hindering the play, gloves on the field look sloppy." The committee also makes a rule that any runner will be called out for deliberating running the bases backwards or even taking a lead off the base in the wrong direction. A new balk rule is instituted which gives the batter an option; if he gets a hit after a balk is called, he has the option of accepting the outcome of the pitch, instead of being limited to the advance of the runner(s). Rule suggestions rejected, as noted by Bob Timmerman, include: the legalization of the spitball, two bases for an intentional walk, and the option of declining ball four.

1942
» Ted Williams is the ML Triple Crown winner, but the writers select 2B Joe Gordon by 21 votes as AL MVP. Gordon of the New York Yankees leads the AL with 95 strikeouts, the most ground balls hit into double plays (22), and the most errors at his position (28). P Mort Cooper gets the MVP honor in the NL.

1934
» Although Lou Gehrig wins the Triple Crown with 49 home runs, 165 RBI, and a .363 BA, Mickey Cochrane, with two home runs, 76 RBI, and a .320 BA, is named American League MVP. Cochrane has 67 points to finish ahead of teammates Charlie Gehringer (65 points) and Schoolboy Rowe (59 points). Lefty Gomez of the Yankees polls 60. Dizzy Dean, with a 30-7 record, is chosen as National League MVP easily outdistancing Pitt's Paul Waner.

1928
» Voters in Cleveland approve a bond issue to build a giant municipal stadium near the lakefront to attract events for the 1932 Olympics.

Voters in Massachusetts approve Sunday baseball in Boston, provided that the ballpark is more than 1,000 feet from a church. This leaves Pennsylvania as the only state with no Sunday baseball in the major leagues.

1926
» Ty Cobb resigns as Tigers manager and announces his retirement from the game. American League umpire and former Tigers IF George Moriarty replaces him. Moriarty is the only man to hold baseball's four principal jobs: player, umpire, scout, and manager.

Dan Howley is named St. Louis Browns manager replacing George Sisler.

1908
» An all-star team leaves San Francisco for a tour of Japan, China, Hawaii, and the Philippines. It will play 40 games before returning on February 15.

1887
» The directors of the Omaha club agree to pay $3,000 per month to manager Frank Selee to bring his team from Oshkosh, where they won the Northwestern League pennant in 1887. Two top stars, outfielders Tommy McCarthy and Dummy Hoy, will spend 1888 in the ML, however, and Selee's Omaha team will finish 4th in the WA race.

1881
» The AA elects H.D. McKnight as its president. It votes to honor the National League blacklist in the case of drunkenness but not to abide by the NL reserve clause. The new league will rely on home gate receipts, visiting teams getting just a $65 guarantee on the road, as opposed to the NL's policy of giving 15¢ from each admission to the visitors. The AA will allow Sunday games, liquor sales, and 25¢ tickets, all prohibited by the NL.