On December 22 in Baseball History...

    1899 - The fledgling American League owners meet to map out a strategy against the established National League. They agree to place a team in Chicago with Charles Comiskey as the owner-manager of the franchise.

    1915 - Organized baseball and the Federal League sign a peace treaty at Cincinnati, ending their two-year war. The Feds agree to go out of existence, but the major leagues pay an enormous price: $600,000 for distribution to FL owners, the amalgamation of two Fed franchises, one each into the NL and AL, recognition of Fed players' eligibility, and agreement to bid for them in a Fed-controlled auction.

    1953 - Jack Dunn III, whose family successfully owned and operated the Baltimore Orioles in the International League, officially turns the old team name over to the relocated St. Louis Browns. The new Baltimore Orioles will draw 1,060,910 in their first season the Browns barely drew that number in their last three years in St. Louis combined.

    1959 - The fledgling Continental League awards its last franchise to Dallas / Ft. Worth.

    1962 - Harris County voters approve a bond issue to complete the financing of an all-weather stadium to house the Houston Colt 45s.

    1980 - The Cardinals release outfielder Bobby Bonds. Despite 326 home runs and 456 stolen bases in 13 seasons, he hit just .203 with St. Louis. Bonds will make one more stop, his sixth in the last four years, with the Cubs in 1981.

    1980 - The Red Sox mail Fred Lynn and Carlton Fisk their new contracts two days after the Basic Agreement December 20 deadline technically making their young All-Stars eligible for free agency. Fisk will leave Boston signing a $3.5 million deal with the White Sox, beginning with the 1981 season.

    1982 - Lee Mazzilli is traded for the third time this season. The Yankees, who obtained the Brooklyn native from the Rangers in August for Bucky Dent, deal the first baseman/outfielder to the Pirates for Tim Burke and three minor leaguers.

    1994 - The Giants trade pitcher John Burkett to the Texas Rangers in exchange for minor league infielders Desi Wilson and Rich Aurilia. The latter will spend nine years in his first tenure in San Francisco becoming an important offensive cog in the team's everyday lineup.

    1995 - After a Southwest Bank investment group promises to keep the franchise in St. Louis, Anheuser-Busch agrees to sell the Cardinals to the financial establishment. The price tag of approximately $150 million is considered a bargain with Forbes Magazine estimating the club's value to be worth twice that amount.

    1995 - Bill DeWitt, Jr. and two investment partners, Frederick and Stephen Brauer, come to an agreement to purchase the Cardinals from Anheuser-Busch for a reported $150 million. The new owner of the Redbirds, whose dad started in baseball selling soda at Redbirds games in 1916, lent his uniform as the Browns' 9-year-old bat boy to Eddie Gaedel, the shortest player in the history of the game who made a single plate appearance and was walked with four consecutive balls in a Bill Veeck stunt in 1951.

    2000 - The Mariners sign Bret Boone to a $3.25 million, one-year deal. The former Padre second baseman played in only 127 games season due to a bruised right knee which ended his season in late August.

    2000 - Hoping to fill the void creating by the departure of Ellis Burks, the Giants sign veteran outfielder Eric Davis to a $1.5 million, one-year contract. The Players Choice Awards 'Man of the Year' had considered retirement, but the lure of more playing time change his mind.

    2001 - Highly sought free agent Chan Ho Park (15-11, 3.50) signs a five-year, $65 million deal with the Rangers. The Korean right-hander led the Dodgers last year in wins, starts, innings pitched, strikeouts and opponents' batting average.

    2005 - After U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control denies the request to allow Cuba to participate in the World Baseball Classic due possibility of financial gain by the island country, MLB reapplies after Fidel Castro says his country will donate any money earned from its participation to victims of Hurricane Katrina.

    2008 - The Yankees avoid salary arbitration when Chien-Ming Wang (8-2, 4.07) agrees to a $5 million, one-year deal to pitch in the Bronx. The 28-year-old right-handed starter missed the rest of the season after injuring his foot while running the bases in an inter-league game against Houston in mid-June.

    2009 - The Yankees reacquired Javier Vazquez by trading outfielder Melky Cabrera to the Braves. The right-hander's last performance in pinstripes was less than stellar, allowing a two home runs, including a grand slam, to Boston's Johnny Damon, which put Game 7 of the 2004 ALCS out of reach and completed New York's historic collapse after the team had won the first three games of championship series.

    2009 - Colorado free-agent Jason Marquis (15-13, 4.04) signs a $15 million, two-year contract to become the anchor of the Nationals' rotation. The 31-year-old right-handed starter, considered a workhorse by his former teams, will be a veteran presence on staff which featured four rookies and a sophomore last season.

    2009 - Garrett Atkins (.226, 9, 48) and the Orioles finalize a $4.5 million, one-year deal after the 30-year old infielder passes a physical. After his woeful performance last season, the Rockies, the only team he had ever played with during his seven years in the big leagues, failed to offer their former starting third baseman a contract for 2010.

    2011 - The Cardinals announce Carlos Beltran (.300, 22, 84) and the team have come to an agreement on a two-year deal, pending the results of a physical. The 34-year-old outfielder, who signed for a reported $26 million, will play right field allowing Lance Berkman to shift to first base to fill the void created by the departure of Albert Pujols to free agency.

    2012 - Ryan Freel, who was a victim of numerous head traumas during his nine-year major league career with the Reds and four other teams due his aggressive style of play, is found dead from what appears to be a self-inflicted shotgun wound. Within a year, a study of the 36 year-old’s brain will reveal he suffered from a degenerative brain disease known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, a condition believed to be triggered by repeated concussions that has been linked to suicide.

    2014 - Phil Hughes (16-10, 3.52) and the Twins come to terms on a $58 million, five-year contract that adds $42-million in guaranteed money from 2017-19. The 28-year-old right-handed control artist, who led the major leagues with an 11.63 strikeout-to-walk ratio, lost $500,000 bonus when a rainout ended the game, leaving him one out shy of earning an incentive. 

    2015 - The St. Louis Cardinals signed Mike Leake as a free agent.

    2016 - The Chicago White Sox signed Cody Asche as a free agent.




    Baseball Birthdays on December 22...

    1850 - Wordsworth, Favel
    1852 - Boyd, Bill
    1860 - Tate, Pop
    1862 - Sullivan, Pat
    1862 - Mack, Connie
    1866 - Burrell, Buster
    1879 - Shannon, Owen
    1885 - Erwin, Tex
    1893 - Winters, Jesse
    1894 - McClellan, Harvey
    1897 - Freeman, Harvey
    1908 - Fallenstein, Ed
    1910 - Klopp, Stan
    1918 - Kennedy, Bill
    1919 - Monchak, Alex
    1922 - Bero, Johnny
    1923 - Hall, Bob
    1937 - James, Charlie
    1938 - Curry, Tony
    1938 - Alou, Matty
    1939 - Ferrara, Al
    1940 - Hendricks, Ellie
    1942 - Jenkins, Jack
    1944 - Carlton, Steve
    1948 - Garvey, Steve
    1950 - Makowski, Tom
    1950 - Sandt, Tommy
    1953 - Underwood, Tom
    1954 - Landreaux, Ken
    1954 - Burnside, Sheldon
    1955 - Smith, Lonnie
    1956 - Schmidt, Dave
    1956 - Cooper, Gary
    1958 - Wright, George
    1958 - Wilson, Glenn
    1959 - Isales, Orlando
    1961 - Allanson, Andy
    1964 - Jackson, Mike
    1968 - Nied, David
    1971 - Ratliff, Jon
    1974 - Enders, Trevor
    1976 - Lane, Jason
    1976 - Obernueller, Wes
    1978 - Jakubauskas, Chris
    1980 - Gorecki, Reid
    1983 - Davis, Blake
    1983 - Smith, Greg
    1985 - Stange, Daniel
    1987 - Britton, Zach
    1987 - Jenkins, Chad
    1989 - Kivlehan, Patrick
    1989 - Navarro, Ray
    1989 - Ramirez, Noe
    1989 - Stallings, Jacob
    1993 - Cecchini, Gaavin


    Baseball Deaths on December 22...

    1887 - Birchall, Jud
    1909 - Sebring, Jimmy
    1912 - Kennedy, Ed
    1914 - Powers, Phil
    1916 - Earl, Howard
    1921 - Seybold, Socks
    1922 - Meek, Dad
    1926 - Weber, Joe
    1933 - Flynn, Joe
    1933 - Alexander, Nin
    1934 - Brashear, Kitty
    1940 - Schwartz, Bill
    1940 - McGaffigan, Patsy
    1945 - Crouch, Bill
    1950 - Vasbinder, Cal
    1950 - Egan, Rip
    1955 - O'Rourke, Queenie
    1960 - Onslow, Jack
    1964 - Fiene, Lou
    1968 - Powers, Ike
    1968 - Bengough, Benny
    1974 - Stout, Allyn
    1980 - Grace, Earl
    1980 - Graves, Joe
    1981 - Gallagher, Ed
    1982 - Mercer, John
    1982 - Faeth, Tony
    1987 - Hogue, Bobby
    1989 - Campbell, Archie
    1996 - Green, Fred
    1997 - Rice, Hal
    1997 - Clifton, Flea
    1997 - Oliva, Jose
    2001 - Davis, Bob
    2004 - Ault, Doug
    2006 - Chapman, Sam
    2012 - Freel, Ryan
    2013 - Herrmann, Ed
    2013 - Tremel, Bill