This Date In Baseball
. .
1989
1988
1987
1982
1981
1971
1969
1967
1964
1963
1961
1960
1958
1957
1951
1949
1948
1930
1901
. January 29th

1989
» The game-winning RBI is dropped as an official statistic after 9 years of use. The Mets Keith Hernandez is the all-time leader with 129.

1988
» Detroit's Kirk Gibson signs a 3-year contract with the Dodgers. Gibson will be the only one of the 7 no-risk free agents to change clubs.

1987
» Red Sox Wade Boggs avoids going to salary arbitration for the 3rd consecutive year by signing a 3-year contract worth over $5 million.

1982
» Wayne Garland, baseball's first millionaire free agent, is waived by the Indians with 5 seasons remaining on his 10-year contract. Garland was 3-7 with a 5.79 ERA in 1981.

1981
» AL owners approve the sales of 2 franchises, the White Sox to Jerry Reinsdorf and Eddie Einhorn for $20 million, and 80 percent of the Mariners to George Argyros for $10.4 million.

1971
» The Pirates trade OF Matty Alou and P George Brunet to the Cardinals for OF Vic Davalillo and P Nelson Briles.

1969
» Washington manager Jim Lemon is fired.

1967
» Branch Rickey and Lloyd Waner are elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by a unanimous vote of the Special Veterans Committee.

1964
» Pitcher-writer Jim Brosnan is given permission by the White Sox to make his own deal with another team. His in-season writing has been censured by owner Ed Short.

1963
» James M. Johnston, James H. Lemon, and George M. Bunker purchase 80 percent of the Senators, buying out 5 of the original owners, including club president Pete Quesada. Johnston is elected chairman of the board.

1961
» Billy Hamilton and Max Carey are voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Special Veterans Committee.

1960
» The Illinois Appellate Court says Dorothy Rigney, sister of Charles Comiskey, Jr., was entitled to sell her mother's shares of White Sox stock to Bill Veeck. Her brother brought suit in an effort to gain control of the club.

1958
Dodgers C Roy Campanella suffers a broken neck in an early morning auto accident on Long Island. His spinal column is nearly severed and his legs are permanently paralyzed.

The Indians buy 1B Mickey Vernon from the Red Sox for the waiver price.

Stan Musial signs with the Cardinals for an NL record $100,000.

1957
With the advent of coast-to-coast air travel, ML baseball weighs a plan for a player pool to be used in the event of an air disaster.

1951
Baseball signs a 6-year All-Star Game pact for TV-radio rights calling for $6 million. A number of owners criticize lame duck Commissioner Happy Chandler, stating that in a couple of years the broadcast rights would be worth much more than a million per annum.

1949
» The Pirates get Murry Dickson from St. Louis for $125,000.

1948
» Commissioner Happy Chandler fines the Yankees, Cubs, and Phillies $500 each for signing high school players.

1930
» Ken Williams, former AL HR champion and a lifetime .319 batter, goes from the Red Sox to the Yankees for the waiver price. He will be released before the season begins.

1901
» Newly named Rules Committee of Connie Mack, John McGraw, and Charles Comiskey, after rejecting a proposal to ban the bunt, recommends no changes at this time.