<— January 12th     January 14th —>

BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENTS:

1856 George Fair

Boston area native who played one game with New York in 1876.

1861 Harry Clarke

Played one game with Washington in 1889.

1865 John Kirby

Pitcher of the 1880s finished with an 18 – 50 career record, which is about the worst record for any pitcher with at least 50 decisions. In his busiest season, he went 11 -26, tossing 325 innings, for St. Louis in 1886.

“Errorless exhibitions are not expected from anybody’s club, and the Indianapolis public is not disposed to be unreasonably critical, but the streak of insanity that developed itself in the head of some one responsible for it, the result of which was to put Mr. Kirby in to pitch, was certainly of the wildest sort. That player has fully demonstrated the fact that he will not pitch ball in Indianapolis. It is not that he cannot, but because he simply will not do effective work, and after the exhibitions that the young man has given recently that fact ought to be apparent to anyone. No man can spend his nights in carousing and his days in indolent obstinacy and do good work in a pitcher’s box, and when to this sort of conduct is added the determination born of the “sulks,” to not exert one’s self, you have a combination that precludes the possibility of good work from any many in any position; and that is Mr. Kirby’s fix exactly… It has to be hoped that the management has finally profited from his exhibitions, and will sell or give him away to anybody who wants to wrestle with a mule.”

“The Phillies Easily Win”, 26 Jun 1887, Page 7.

Major League Profiles suggests that he wasn’t happy in Indianapolis and may have been trying to force the team to get rid of him; also that he had arm problems by this point in his career and was struggling more than other pitchers when rules were changed.

“John Kirby, the pitcher, called down at the Lindell Hotel this morning to see his old playmates, now with the Indianapolis club. Kirby has not reported to Manager Burnham for duty, and what is more, he says he will not do so unless the club pays him his demands.

“‘They have offered me $1,500 to pitch for them this season,” said Kirby, ‘but no such figure or anything like it is going to catch me. I could get as much asw $2,500 from other League clubs if they’d only let me go, but of course they will not.’

“Kirby is positive in his intention of holding out unless he is paid at least $2,000 for the season.”

“Kirby Holding Out.”, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 05 April 1887, Page 8.

“John Kirby, the well-known local pitcher, will play with the Memphis Southern League team next season. He is to receive a salary of $2,100… His arm was lame last year, and he failed to do good work with Indianapolis and Cleveland, but he is now in good condition.”

Pritchard, Joe. “Special to Sporting Life.”, Sporting Life, 15 February 1888, Page 1

The St. Louis native returned home after his baseball days and spent time in police work, dying in 1931 of complications related to diabetes.

1865 Al Krumm
1869 Jud Smith
1875 Charlie Ziegler
1880 Edward John (Goat) Anderson
1888 Luther Bonin
1889 Mike Konnick
1899 Frank Joseph (Cactus) Keck
1901 Fred Schulte
1904 Elmer Lafayette (Bunny) Hearn
1905 Charlie Wilson
1908 Jimmy Jordan
1908 Alonzo Boone
1909 Charles Asher (Spades) Wood
1915 Mike Dejan
1915 Mike Milosevich
1916 Carvel William (Bama) Rowell
1917 Stan Wentzel
1918 Emmett O’Neill
1918 Everett Fagan
1918 Steve Mesner
1919 Ben Guintini
1923 Eddie Locke
1929 Wilbur Lansing
1929 Moe Savransky
1930 Joe Margoneri
1940 Ron Brand
1944 Larry Jaster
1948 Les Cain
1949 Jim Foor
1949 Mike Buskey
1950 Mike Tyson
1950 Bob Forsch
1952 Bob Galasso
1953 Odell Jones
1954 Steve Comer
1957 Mike Madden
1958 Gene Roof
1962 Kevin Mitchell
1964 Billy Jo Robidoux
1964 Jose Nunez
1969 Kevin Foster
1969 Orlando Miller
1971 Elmer Dessens
1972 Akinori Otsuka
1975 Jason Childers
1981 Darrell Rasner
1981 Jose Capellan
1983 Andy Sisco
1987 Oliver Drake
1989 Heath Hembree
1991 Hoby Milner
1995 Andre Scrubb
1995 Jack Larsen

OBITUARIES:

1890 Buck Gladmon

Just a couple of months over twenty six – his obit says he died after a short illness. – “Died,” Washington Evening Star, January 15, 1890, Page 5.

1891 Joe Connors

Died in Denver – was 28 or 29 years old.  Had left the area to play baseball out west, but was working as a laborer for a laundry house in the year before he died.

“Obituary,” Paterson News, January 17, 1891: 4.  Also Denver City Directory, 1890.

1899 Fred Carl

Carl was 40 when taken from this earth.  I found but one obit – in a German language newspaper from Baltimore…

1903 Pete Conway

Neuralgia of the heart was mentioned as the cause of death.

1914 Aaron Clapp
1927 Bob Ingersoll
1929 Buck West
1932 Geechie Meredith
1933 Jesse Hoffmeister
1939 Jacob Ruppert
1944 Kid Elberfeld
1946 Kid Speer
1951 Charlie Miller
1955 Bill Dinneen
1965 Brad Kocher
1967 Charlie Gelbert
1968 Marty Lang
1968 Art Schwind
1968 Ernie Herbert
1977 Red Ostergard
1978 Joe McCarthy
1978 Bill Clowers
1978 Merwin Jacobson
1980 Monty Swartz
1980 Charlie Sproull
1986 Mike Garcia
1987 Tom Morgan

Longtime pitching coach – Morgan died of a stroke at 56. – Ross Newhan. “Ryan Pays Respects to Coach,” Los Angeles Times, January 18, 1987, 14.

1989 Pat Ankenman
1989 Ray Morehart

Morehart was a member of the 1927 Yankees – once had nine hits in a double header.  He was 89 when he died after a short illness. – “Babe Ruth’s Teammate Dies in Dallas,” Tyler Morning Telegraph, January 16, 1989: 2-5.

1990 Roy Jarvis

Also went by LeRoy…  Jarvis had recently had a hip replacement when he died suddenly at his Oklahoma home.  He was 63. – “Baseball,” Daily Oklahoman, January 17, 1990: 22.

1993 Harlan Pyle

Pyle was a pitcher, farmer, grocer, and butcher over his 87 years… “Pyle, former Reds pitcher, dies,” Beatrice Daily Sun, January 14, 1993: A-2.

2003 Ernie Rudolph

A big fastball got him to the big leagues; not getting along with Leo Durocher got him out of the big leagues.  He died at 93 in Wisconsin. – “Local baseball legend Ernie Rudolph dies,” La Crosse Tribune, February 2, 2003: C4.

2004 Mike Goliat

A third baseman converted to second base, he helped the Whiz Kids win the pennant in 1950.  Goliat died of heart failure. – “Scrappy Whiz Kid Mike Goliat dies,” Philadelphia Inquirer, January 15, 2004: D3.

2008 Johnny Podres

Complications from heart disease and kidney disease took the Dodger legend.  His wife, Joan, called him a “Gem out of Mineville.” –  “Remembering Johnny Podres,” Glen Falls Post-Star, January 15, 2008: 1.

2009 Preston Gomez

A Senators shortstop for eight games but known for being a manager, Gomez was at a gas station when he accidently walked into the path of a vehicle – his family says he was never the same after that. – Mike DiGiovanna, “Gomez dies a year after freak accident,” Chicago Tribune, January 14, 2009: 2-5.

2013 Enzo Hernandez

Shortstop of the Padres; found dead and initially reported that he committed suicide in his Venezuelan home. – “Serena hurts ankle but wins in rout,” Los Angeles Times, January 15, 2013: C7.

2016 Luis Arroyo

The all-star Yankee reliever passed of cancer. – “2-time All-Star pitcher Luis Arroyo dies at 88,” Reno Gazette-Journal, January 15, 2016: D2.

2019 Mel Stottlemyre

Multiple myeloma claimed the life of the fine pitcher and pitching coach. (Multiple sources)

2022 Cholly Naranjo

YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE!!!

2005 Major League Baseball owners approve Mark Attanasio’s purchase of the Milwaukee Brewers from the family of Bud Selig for $223 million.

TRANSACTION WIRE:

1954 Philadelphia sent Jack Lohrke, Andy Hansen, and $70,000 to Pittsburgh for Murry Dickson.

1971 First round picks of the secondary draft included Phil Garner (Oakland), John Wathan (Kansas City), and Johnny Grubb (San Diego).

1981 First round picks of the secondary draft included Glenn Davis (Houston) and Kevin Gross (Philadelphia)…

1996 Florida signed amateur free agent (and Cuban refugee) Livan Hernandez.

2005 The Mets signed free agent outfielder Carlos Beltran.

2018 Pittsburgh traded Gerrit Cole to Houston for Joe Musgrove, Colin Moran, Michael Feliz, and Jason Martin.