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