On November 15 in Baseball History...

    1886 - The American Association's Red Stockings deal rookie catcher Jack Boyle and $400 to the Browns in exchange for outfielder Hugh Nicol. The transaction is the first recorded trade in major league history.

    1908 - Cuban pitcher Jose Mendez one-hits the visiting Reds, 1-0. During the remainder of the the 14-game barnstorming trip, the 21-year old Almendares right-hander will throw another seven shutout innings in relief in two weeks, and then four days after that tosses a second complete-game shutout, recording an amazing 25 consecutive scoreless innings against the first major league club to ever to play on the island.

    1933 - The Phillies and Cardinals swap catchers with hard-hitting Virgil Davis going to St. Louis and Jimmy Wilson being sent to the 'City of Brotherly Love'. Philadelphia makes the deal to have the former Redbird backstop become the team's player-manager, a position 'Ace' will hold for five seasons.

    1946 - Ted Williams is picked as the American League Most Valuable Player. A week later the National League names Stan Musial for the honor.

    1951 - Giant outfielder Willie Mays and Yankee infielder Gil McDougald are named as the Rookie of the Year in their respective leagues. Neither player was listed on their club's spring training rosters.

    1961 - Roger Maris, with a record-shattering 61 home runs, is voted American League Most Valuable Player with 202 votes to 198 for Mickey Mantle and 157 for Baltimore's Jim Gentile. Maris wins the award for the second consecutive year.

    1962 - The White Sox release 299-game winner Early Wynn enabling him make a deal with other clubs so he will have the opportunity to record his 300th career victory. Next July, at the age of 43, the right-hander will pitch the first five innings of a game for Cleveland reaching the milestone when the Indians down the Kansas City A's, 7-4.

    1962 - Don Drysdale wins the Cy Young Award, outpolling Jack Sanford with 14 of 18 votes.

    1967 - Triple Crown winner Carl Yastrzemski (.326, 44, 121), receiving 19 of 20 first-place votes, is selected by the BBWAA as the American League Most Valuable Player. With a writer putting the light-hitting infielder Cesar Tovar (.267, 6, 47) of the Twins on the top of his ballot, the 28-year old Red Sox outfielder is denied of being the unanimous choice for the award.

    1968 - Jim Bouton agrees to a one-year deal worth $22,000 to play for the expansion Pilots, who had purchased the right-hander from New York last month for $20,000 with his previous team agreeing to pick up $12,000 of the salary. The knuckleballer will use his tenure with the club, and the Astros after he is traded to Houston, to chronicle the 1969 season, along with stories from his Yankee years, in his groundbreaking book, Ball Four, a publication which will not endear him to the baseball community, especially with his former Bronx Bomber teammates.

    1972 - Dick Allen of the White Sox wins the American League Most Valuable Player Award by an overwhelming margin over Joe Rudi of the A's. Allen led the league in home runs (37), RBI (113), walks (99), and slugging average (.603).

    1978 - Pirates outfielder Dave Parker wins the National League Most Valuable Player Award, 320-194 over Dodgers first baseman Steve Garvey. Parker had 30 home runs, 117 RBI, and league-leading figures in batting (.334), slugging average(.585), and total bases (340).

    1983 - Cal Ripken (.318, 27, 102) is named the American League's MVP, with teammate Eddie Murray and Chicago catcher Carlton Fisk also receiving first-place votes. The Orioles' infielder becomes the first player to win the Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player Award in consecutive years.

    1988 - Kirk Gibson is named the National League Most Valuable Player with Mets outfielders Darryl Strawberry and Kevin McReynolds also receiving first-place votes for the award. The Dodger World Series hero, who is the first MVP not to be named an all-star in the same season, batted .290 with 25 home runs and drove in 76 runs in a 150 games this season.

    1989 - Bret Saberhagen becomes the fourth pitcher ever to win the American League Cy Young Award twice, getting 27 of a possible 28 first-place votes for his 23-6, 2.16 ERA season. He also won the award in 1985.

    2000 - Jason Giambi (.333, 43, 137) wins the American League MVP Award edging out two-time winner White Sox first baseman Frank Thomas. The A's first baseman receives 14 of the 24 first-place ballots cast by the BBWAA.

    2001 - Yankee right hander Roger Clemens (20-3, 3.51 ERA) wins the Cy Young Award for an unprecedented sixth time (Red Sox -1986, '87, '91 and Blue Jays -1997, '98). The 'Rocket' becomes the first Pinstriper to win the award since 1978 when Ron Guidry copped the honor.

    2002 - Diamondbacks bench coach Bob Melvin is selected to be the Mariners' twelfth manager in franchise history. The 41-year-old former major league catcher is replacing Lou Piniella, who asked to be released from his contract to take a job closer to his home, will pilot the Devil Rays next season.

    2004 - Barry Bonds (.362, 45, 101), who is the only player to be the league's MVP more than three times, is named by BBWAA for a record seventh time, including an unprecedented fourth consecutive season. Winning the honor at the age of 40, the Giants' left-fielder surpasses Willie Stargell as the oldest player to win the award.

    2005 - The players' association and owners agree to toughen the current penalties (10 days-first offense, 30 days-second offense and 60 days for the third time) for the use of steroids using a 50-game suspension for a first offense, 100 games for a second and then lifetime ban for a third. The agreement also adds the much needed testing for amphetamines which will result with mandatory additional testing if the test is positive the first time, with a second offense drawing a 25-game suspension, and a third offense meaning an 80 game suspension.

    2005 - Alex Rodriguez wins the American League MVP Award for the second time in three seasons. The Yankees' third baseman edges out David Ortiz, the Red Sox DH, fueling the controversy that a designated hitter is not considered an all round player by many of the baseball writers who vote for the honor.

    2005 - Becoming the fourth manager in the team's brief history, Joe Maddon is selected by the Devil Rays to replace Lou Piniella. The former Angels bench coach believes, despite the club's poor record and having the lowest payroll in baseball, the young talent, based on his computer-generated analysis, can start a winning tradition in Tampa Bay.

    2006 - Six weeks after he is fired by the Marlins, Joe Girardi wins the NL Manager of the Year award when he receives 18 of 32 first-place votes in the BBWAA's balloting. The unemployed freshman skipper, who easily outpointed Willie Randolph of the the Mets for the honor, is the first manager of a losing team (78-84) to cop the award.

    2006 - Jim Leyland, who in his first year at the helm led the eventual AL champion Tigers to the their first winning season since 1993, is named the American League Manager of the Year. The veteran skipper receives 19 of 28 first-place of the writers' votes, easily outdistancing the Twins' Ron Gardenhire for the award.

    2007 - Accused of allegedly lying ago nearly four years to a grand jury about his use of performance-enhancing drugs, Barry Bonds is indicted by a San Francisco federal grand jury on four counts of perjury and one count of obstruction of justice. The former Giants slugging outfielder, who has broken many cherished home run baseball records, could be sentenced to a maximum of 30 years in prison if convicted on all charges.

    2007 - Joining Randy Jones (1976), Gaylord Perry (1978), and Mark Davis (1989), Jake Peavy (19-6, 2.54) becomes the fourth Padres pitcher to win the National League Cy Young Award. The 26-year-old right-hander, who led the senior circuit in wins, ERA and strike outs with 240 K's, is the unanimous choice of the BBWAA being named first on all 32 of the writers' ballots.

    2010 - Returning to the organization that gave him his professional start, Ryne Sandberg is hired to manage the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, the Triple-A affiliate of the Phillies. The diplomatic Hall of Fame second baseman, a finalist to replace Lou Piniella as the Cubs manager, decided it would be in the best interest of everyone involved not to continue managing in the Chicago minor league system.

    2010 - Buster Posey becomes the sixth catcher, joining Johnny Bench (1968), Earl Williams (1971), Benito Santiago (1987), Mike Piazza (1993) and Geovany Soto (2008) to win the National League Rookie of the Year Award. The 23-year old Giants backstop, who started the season in Triple-A, batted .305 along with 18 home runs and 67 RBIs playing in 108 games with the eventual World Champions.

    2010 - Ranger reliever Neftali Feliz becomes the second player in franchise history to win the American League Rookie of the Year Award, joining Mike Hargrove, who copped the honor in 1974. The 22-year old closer set a freshman record with 40 saves while finishing the most games in the league.

    2010 - The Phillies and Jose Contreras agree to a $5.5 million, two-year deal that will keep the 38-year-old right-hander in Philadelphia. The one-time starter played a key role as a reliever for the NL East champions posting a 6-4 record along with four saves in 67 appearances in his first season in the bullpen.

    2010 - The Reds and Ramon Hernandez agree to a one-year, $3 million deal. The 34-year old catcher started in 85 games behind the plate last season, and along with Ryan Hanigan and Corky Miller, was part of a trio that lead the National League backstops with 168 hits and a .296 batting average.

    2010 - Replacing John Russell, Clint Hurdle becomes the Pirates' sixth manager since 1992, their last winning season. The The 53-year-old skipper, who managed the Rockies to the National League pennant in 2007, inherits a team that lost 105 games last season and that has averaged 97 losses over the last six campaigns.

    2011 - Justin Verlander (24-5, 2.40) is selected as the unanimous winner of the American League Cy Young award. The 28-year old Tiger right-hander, who captured the circuit's pitching triple crown, leading the AL in victories, earned run average and strikeouts, easily outdistances runners-up that include L.A.'s Jered Weaver, Tampa Bay's James Shields, the New York's C. C. Sabathia.

    2012 - Buster Posey (.306, 24, 103), whose 2011 season ended with a severe injury after a horrific collision with a runner at home plate, wins the National League MVP Award. The Giant catcher is the 21st MVP to also be previously named the Rookie of the Year, an award the backstop copped in 2010.

    2012 - The Baseball Writers' Association of America selects Miguel Cabrera (.330, 44, 139) as the American League's Most Valuable Player. The Tigers' third baseman, the first Triple Crown winner since 1967, receives 22 out of the 28 writer's first-place votes, easily outpointing Angels outfielder Mike Trout, the circuit's Rookie of the Year.

    2014 - Four Japanese hurlers combine to hurl a no-hitter, beating a team consisting of six major league All-Stars, 4-0. The victory, the first no-hitter in the Japan All-Star Series when Randy Johnson and Chuck Finley combined on a hitless game in 1990, clinches the series for the host country for the first time in 24 years.

    2015 - Commissioner Bud Selig announces Petco Park will be the site of the All-Star Game in 2016, making it the first time that the same league will play host in consecutive seasons since Pittsburgh's PNC Park and San Francisco's AT&T Park were the venues in 2006-07. This will be the third Midsummer Classic held in San Diego, following 1978 and 1992 contests played at Jack Murphy Stadium.




    Baseball Birthdays on November 15...

    1855 - Foley, Will
    1856 - Loftus, Tom
    1862 - Long, Jim
    1871 - Childs, Pete
    1873 - Kemmer, Bill
    1880 - Jasper, Hi
    1881 - Schulte, Jack
    1884 - Kelly, Red
    1885 - Ward, Hap
    1887 - Craig, George
    1888 - Ragan, Pat
    1888 - Daringer, Rolla
    1894 - Leonard, Joe
    1895 - Ellison, Babe
    1898 - Jones, Broadway
    1901 - Dobb, John
    1901 - Roser, Bunny
    1902 - Partridge, Jay
    1904 - Cox, George
    1906 - Rye, Gene
    1912 - Carson, Kit
    1913 - Judy, Lyle
    1913 - Larsen, Swede
    1914 - Livingston, Mickey
    1914 - Van Robays, Maurice
    1916 - Ostrowski, Joe
    1916 - Byrnes, Milt
    1928 - Roy, Normie
    1928 - Bell, Gus
    1930 - Bevan, Hal
    1935 - Smith, Jack
    1937 - Webster, Ray
    1937 - Farley, Bob
    1951 - Gonzalez, Orlando
    1952 - Donohue, Tom
    1955 - Niemann, Randy
    1955 - Breining, Fred
    1960 - Luecken, Rick
    1961 - Payne, Mike
    1964 - Irvine, Daryl
    1967 - Borbon, Pedro
    1971 - Jackson, Ryan
    1971 - Steverson, Todd
    1973 - Gryboski, Kevin
    1974 - Cubillan, Darwin
    1976 - Jones, Greg
    1979 - Stephens, John
    1982 - Head, Jerad
    1983 - Hansen, Craig
    1985 - Below, Duane
    1988 - Rowen, Ben
    1991 - Brown, Trevor
    1992 - Bundy, Dylan
    1992 - Story, Trevor



    Baseball Deaths on November 15...

    1913 - McFarland, Monte
    1922 - O'Neil, Denny
    1928 - Dorman, Charlie
    1929 - Nash, Billy
    1934 - Reilly, Barney
    1939 - Richardson, Tom
    1941 - Karns, Bill
    1942 - Gunson, Joe
    1948 - Wagner, Joe
    1950 - McAleese, Jack
    1958 - Riconda, Harry
    1959 - Smith, Klondike
    1960 - Gordinier, Ray
    1969 - Southworth, Billy
    1973 - Todt, Phil
    1979 - Ash, Ken
    1979 - Klieman, Ed
    1981 - Macko, Steve
    1983 - Grimm, Charlie
    1985 - Stephenson, Riggs
    1991 - Franklin, Jack
    2002 - Freed, Ed
    2003 - Battey, Earl
    2007 - Nuxhall, Joe
    2010 - Kirkpatrick, Ed
    2015 - Castillo, Carmelo
    2015 - Genovese, George
    2016 - Addis, Bob