On January 2 in Baseball History...

    1879 - The Northwestern League, a minor league, is organized in Rockford, Illinois. The circuit, that will be defunct before the season ends, includes teams from Davenport, Omaha, Dubuque and Rockford.

    1911 - Brooklyn Dodgers president Charles Ebbets announces he has purchased grounds to build a new concrete-and-steel stadium to seat 30,000. During the year he will ease his pinched financial condition by selling half the team to Ed and Steve McKeever.

    1912 - Charles Ebbets announces the purchase of 4.5 acres of land in the Pigtown section of Brooklyn to build an 18,000-seat concrete and steel stadium. The location selected for his new ballpark, which will be the home of the Dodgers until 1957, is presently a neighborhood which consists of deplorable housing with piles of garbage everywhere.

    1918 - Brooklyn sends outfielder Casey Stengel and infielder George Cutshaw to Pittsburgh for pitchers Burleigh Grimes and Al Mamaux, plus infielder Chuck Ward.

    1940 - With Mayor Fiorello La Guardia on hand, Lou Gehrig is sworn in as a member of the New York City Parole Commission. Although the term is for ten years, the former Yankee slugger will eventually become too ill even to sign his name and will ask for a leave of absence next year.

    1946 - The Senators sell pitcher Alex Carrasquel and shortstop Fred Vaughn to the White Sox.

    1977 - Ted Turner is suspended for one year by Commissioner Bowie Kuhn due to tampering charges in the free-agency signing of Gary Matthews. The Braves' owner, an accomplished sailor, uses his free time to pursue another goal, winning the this year's America's Cup which he accomplishes in September.

    1986 - Bill Veeck, the former owner of the Browns, White Sox and Indians, dies of cardiac arrest in Chicago. In addition to being well-known for his promotions and ideas, which included a pinch-hitting midget, an exploding scoreboard and putting players' name on the back of their uniforms, the innovative Hall of Famer is also responsible for breaking the color barrier in the American League signing Larry Doby to play for the Indians in 1947.

    1992 - Former Cy Young Award winner Frank Viola signs with the Red Sox as a free agent. The southpaw, who will injure his arm and undergo 'Tommy John' surgery while in Boston, will post a 25-21 record during his three seasons with the team.

    1996 - The Red Sox sign free-agent hurler Jamie Moyer. The 33-year old southpaw will compile a 7-1 record for Boston before being traded in July to Seattle, where he will enjoy a pair of 20-game victory seasons en route to winning over 100 games during his 11-year tenure with the Mariners.

    2003 - Due to a conflict with the major league schedule, the annual Hall of Fame game, which has been held the day after new members are inducted since its inception, will now take place on a different weekend. This year's contest between the Phillies and Devil Rays will be played on June 16, five weeks prior to the July 27 induction ceremonies at Cooperstown.

    2013 - Avoiding arbitration, the Rays announced the team has reached an agreement with left-handed starter David Price on a one-year deal, worth $10.1125 million. The 27 year-old American League Cy Young Award winner, who finished with a 20-5 record with a 2.56 ERA last season, earned $4.35 million playing for the third-place Tampa Bay club.

    2013 - The Chicago Cubs signed Edwin Jackson as a free agent.

    2014 - The Chicago White Sox signed Scott Downs as a free agent.

   2017 - The Cincinnati Reds signed Deunte Heath as a free agent.




    Baseball Birthdays on January 2...

    1854 - Crane, Sam
    1856 - Farrell, Jack
    1857 - Murphy, Pat
    1858 - Neagle, Jack
    1871 - Saylor, Phil
    1872 - Rising, Pop
    1885 - Autry, Chick
    1886 - Melter, Steve
    1888 - LaRoss, Harry
    1891 - Lotz, Joe
    1892 - Kopp, Merlin
    1892 - Boehler, George
    1892 - Kibble, Jack
    1893 - Altenburg, Jesse
    1894 - Wagner, Bill
    1902 - Jacobs, Ray
    1902 - Dumovich, Nick
    1905 - Whitney, Pinky
    1907 - Gullic, Ted
    1907 - Kress, Red
    1909 - Reis, Bobby
    1919 - Harman, Bill
    1920 - Dapper, Cliff
    1926 - Hollmig, Stan
    1929 - Wolfe, Ed
    1933 - Oster, Bill
    1946 - Ruberto, Sonny
    1951 - Madlock, Bill
    1951 - Essian, Jim
    1951 - Stillman, Royle
    1952 - Heydeman, Greg
    1963 - Martinez, Edgar
    1963 - Cone, David
    1964 - Ward, Colby
    1965 - Swindell, Greg
    1970 - Clayton, Royce
    1971 - Greene, Rick
    1972 - Stephenson, Garrett
    1973 - Metcalfe, Mike
    1975 - Suppan, Jeff
    1977 - Izquierdo, Hansel
    1977 - Proctor, Scott
    1981 - Garko, Ryan
    1983 - Martin, J. D.
    1987 - Sapplet, David
    1988 - Barrett, Aaron
    1988 - Fornataro, Eric
    1994 - Jorge, Felix



    Baseball Deaths on January 2...

    1909 - Quinn, Paddy
    1928 - Hines, Hunkey
    1929 - Lyons, Denny
    1933 - Gleason, Kid
    1947 - Koukalik, Joe
    1959 - James, Bert
    1960 - Gables, Ken
    1965 - Stephens, Jim
    1968 - Warren, Tommy
    1972 - Crawford, Glenn
    1974 - Slade, Gordon
    1975 - Poole, Jim
    1976 - Kraus, Jack
    1977 - Wilson, Max
    1978 - Estrada, Oscar
    1980 - Lees, George
    1980 - Hogan, Kenny
    1986 - Finley, Bob
    1986 - Veeck, Bill
    1987 - Upton, Bill
    1987 - Moreno, Julio
    1990 - Beckmann, Bill
    1994 - Smith, Eddie
    1995 - Elston, Don
    2003 - Metheny, Bud
    2004 - Hopkins, Paul
    2008 - Staley, Gerry
    2012 - Koplitz, Howie
    2017 - Spencer, Daryl