On December 27 in Baseball History...

    1874 - At Palmar de Junco, a Havanan team plays Matanzas in the first documented baseball game played in Cuba. The game is called after seven innings due to darkness with Havana leading, 51-9.

    1919 - One day after secretly working out a deal with the Yankees to sell Babe Ruth to the Yankees, Red Sox owner Harry Frazee announces that Boston will deal any player except Harry Hooper. Hooper will be sent to the White Sox after the 1920 season.

    1941 - Braves' mascot Chief Nokahoma is born.

    1943 - Former Yankee infielder Roy White is born. The Los Angeles native will play 15 years for the Bronx Bombers and compile a lifetime .271 batting average.

    1967 - Johnny Murphy becomes the Mets' third general manager in franchise history when he replaces Bing Devine. During his tenure, the team begins to benefit from their talented farm system, especially its young pitching prospects which include Tom Seaver, Jerry Koosman, Nolan Ryan, and Gary Gentry, all who will play a major role in the club's World Championship in 1969.

    1981 - Fernando Valenzuela becomes the fifth Los Angeles Dodger to become Southern California Athlete of the Year honors. It winds up an autumn of awards for Valenzuela, who won both the Cy Young and Rookie of the Year awards -- the first NL pitcher to do so -- and also earned a World Series ring with the Dodgers.

    1984 - Free agent pitcher Ed Whitson, who went 14-8 for the NL champion Padres, begins a nightmarish association with the Yankees by signing a five-year $4.4 million contract. By the middle of his second year with the club, he gets so rattled in New York that he can only pitch on the road. The Yankees ship him back to San Diego, where he has four solid years.

    1994 - The Chiba Lotte Marines announced that Julio Franco, Pete Incaviglia and Eric Hillman had been signed to contracts. They would play for fellow American Bobby Valentine, the 1st American manager in professional Japanese baseball.

    2001 - After 21 years being heard on WABC, the Yankees will broadcast its spring training, regular-season and postseason games on all-news station WCBS-AM which is owned by Infinity Broadcasting. The five-year deal with the Yankees' YES Network, created earlier this year, is worth approximately about $50 million.

    2001 - The Mets continue to stay busy this off season acquiring first baseman Mo Vaughn for 13-year veteran right hander Kevin Appier (11-10, 3.57) and cash. The 1995 American League MVP will join Roberto Alomar, Roger Cedeno, and Shawn Estes as the newest members of the Shea Squad.

    2004 - After the Cubs decline Moises Alou's (.293, 39, 106) contract option, the Giants sign the free agent outfielder to a one-year contract with an option for a second year. It will be the second time the All-star will be managed by his dad Felipe as he did playing with the Expos from 1992-96.

    2005 - The Arizona Diamondbacks traded Troy Glaus and Sergio Santos to the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for Miguel Batista and Orlando Hudson.

    2007 - Hoping he will continue to be a hot hitter at Kauffman Stadium (.415), the Royals sign free-agent Miguel Olivo (.237, 16, 60 ) to a one-year contract with a mutual option for the following season. The 29-year-old backstop was the Marlins' starting catcher for the past two seasons, but was not tendered a contract after Florida acquired catching prospect Mike Rabelo in the blockbuster trade with the Tigers during the Winter Meetings.

    2008 - Adding speed at the top of their order and a superior glove in centerfield, the Reds sign Willy Taveras (.251, 1, 26) to a two-year contract. The 27-year old speedster, who led the major leagues with 68 stolen bases last season, became a free agent earlier in the month when the Rockies declined to offer him a contract after the oft-injured outfielder spent two seasons with the team.

    2013 - The Rangers come to terms on a seven-year, $130 million deal with free-agent Shin-Soo Choo, who will join the recently acquired power-hitting first baseman Prince Fielder to provide more offense for the club. The 31 year-old outfielder, who compiled a .423 on-base percentage, hit .285 with 21 home runs and drove in 54 runs for the Reds last season.




    Baseball Birthdays on December 27...

    1861 - Curtis, Ervin
    1867 - Hemp, Ducky
    1869 - Bishop, Bill
    1870 - Farmer, Bill
    1873 - Thomas, Tom
    1876 - Woodruff, Sam
    1876 - Carr, Charlie
    1888 - Textor, George
    1890 - Krueger, Ernie
    1897 - Tavener, Jackie
    1904 - Shea, John
    1912 - Tobin, Jim
    1913 - Lynn, Red
    1916 - Brewster, Charlie
    1917 - Karpel, Herb
    1920 - McCall, Dutch
    1922 - Johnson, Connie
    1930 - Larker, Norm
    1937 - Klaus, Bobby
    1941 - Gagliano, Phil
    1942 - Browne, Byron
    1943 - White, Roy
    1949 - Escarrega, Chico
    1952 - Budaska, Mark
    1952 - Reynolds, Craig
    1955 - Weiss, Gary
    1963 - Leyritz, Jim
    1965 - Marsh, Tom
    1968 - Palmer, Dean
    1972 - Busby, Mike
    1973 - Gonzalez, Raul
    1975 - D'Amico, Jeff
    1980 - Repko, Jason
    1981 - Aardsma, David
    1982 - Bourn, Michael
    1982 - Gimenez, Chris
    1983 - Hamels, Cole
    1988 - Porcello, Rick
    1988 - Reed, Addison
    1990 - Duffey, Tyler
    1990 - Floro, Dylan
    1991 - Sherfy, Jimmie
    1991 - Turner, Stuart
    1992 - Montgomery, Jordan



    Baseball Deaths on December 27...

    1907 - Andrews, Jim
    1919 - Hurley, Jerry
    1920 - Cushman, Harvey
    1932 - Piercy, Andy
    1932 - Schriver, Pop
    1933 - Buelow, Fritz
    1945 - Swaim, Cy
    1945 - Cocreham, Gene
    1948 - Peasley, Marv
    1951 - Lindemann, Ernie
    1955 - Fairbank, Jim
    1956 - Hiller, Hob
    1962 - Flowers, Jake
    1964 - Phelan, Art
    1965 - Smith, Bob
    1967 - Lehner, Paul
    1975 - Lowdermilk, Lou
    1976 - Cruthers, Press
    1982 - Kingman, Harry
    1986 - Wallaesa, Jack
    1995 - Barlick, Al
    1995 - Judd, Oscar
    1996 - Brabender, Gene
    2000 - Partee, Roy
    2001 - Hoffman, John
    2003 - Calderon, Ivan
    2004 - Groth, Ernest
    2015 - Henderson, Dave "Hendu"