<— FEBRUARY 15     FEBRUARY 17 —>

BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENTS:

1865 Ben Sanders

Fine pitcher, author of a no-hitter, and a man not to mince pitches.  After his career, he was an engineer doing big things for big cities.  Fun story…

1866 Jack Scheible
1872 Frank McPartlin
1873 John Sullivan
1875 Dan Coogan
1880 Frank Burke
1880 Carl Lundgren
1884 Herbie Moran
1889 James Joseph “Skip” Dowd
1892 Ed Schorr
1895 Plateau Preston Rex “Red” Cox
1897 Paul Castner
1897 Alex Ferguson
1900 Logan Hensley
1904 T1ny Baldwin
1904 Alonza Bailey
1911 William Starr
1912 Ray Harrell
1915 Wilbert King
1916 Elbert Treadway
1918 Frank Angelo Joseph “Creepy” Crespi
1923 Frank Robert Donald “Ribs” Raney
1926 Howie Judson
1929 Fred Hahn
1931 Maurice Fisher
1934 Don Eaddy
1936 Don Landrum
1942 Tim Cullen
1943 Bobby Darwin
1944 Glenn Vaughan
1947 Terry Crowley
1949 Bob Didier
1951 Glenn Abbott
1952 Barry Foote
1952 Jerry Hairston
1960 Eric Bullock
1960 Bill Pecota
1962 Dwayne Henry
1964 Rico Rossy
1965 Frank DiMichele
1969 Tim Costo
1971 Mike Hubbard
1974 Luis Figueroa
1975 Angel Pena
1976 Eric Byrnes
1981 Sergio Mitre
1981 Jerry Owens
1982 Manny Delcarmen
1983 Ramon Troncoso
1985 Clint Robinson
1987 Tommy Milone
1988 Jorge Rondon
1989 Eduardo Sanchez
1989 John Gast
1992 Marco Gonzales
1992 Jeff Brigham

OBITUARIES:

1902 Eddie O’Meara

He was suffering from rheumatism and a “brain affection” when he passed…

“‘Eddie’ O’Meara’s Life Ends,” Fort Wayne Sentinel, February 17, 1902: 2.

1924 Pop-boy Smith

Clarence Smith learned to play baseball at a park where he used to sell soda pops to fans in the stands, hence the nickname.  He had a massive heart attack at his home.

“Pop Boy Smith Dies,” Austin American, February 17, 1924: 8.
“‘Pop Boy’ Smith Dead,” Shreveport Times, February 22, 1924: 8.

1924 Tony Boeckel

The Braves (and, previously, Pittsburgh) third baseman died in a car accident in San Diego. NationalPastime.com suggests that he was the first ballplayer to die in a car. Bob Meusel and driver Bob Albright, a theatrical agent, were in the car, too, but neither Bob was seriously injured.

Boeckel had a hand injury and wound up spending time in Alaska.  During that time, his hand healed and he returned to the lower 48…

“Death Claims Tony Boeckel,” Boston Globe, February 17, 1924: 1, 20.

1938 Lee Tannehill

Tannehill hit two homers as a rookie with the White Sox in 1903.  He then went years – 791 games – before he finally hit his third career (and final) homer.  Details of his death, however, are not within the grasp of your reporter at this time.

1940 Charlie Berry
1940 Alex Albritton
1942 Orson Baldwin
1948 Percy Coleman
1957 Cap Clark
1959 Ted Reed
1960 Stuffy McInnis
1960 Jasper Washington
1961 Dazzy Vance
1969 Mul Holland
1970 Dick Conger
1971 Cedric Durst
1974 Gus Brittain
1974 Bill Stellbauer
1976 John Shovlin
1977 Ken Nash
1977 Rudolph Ash
1983 Everett Fagan
1988 Bill Cox
1993 Bill Zinser
1996 Hank Gornicki
2000 Soup Campbell
2001 Bob Buhl
2004 Charlie Fox
2010 Jim Bibby
2010 Jim Waugh
2012 Gary Carter

The energetic catcher who helped the Mets win a World Series (but was a legend first with the Montreal Expos) died due to brain cancer at 57.  Way too young.

2020 Tony Fernandez

The great shorstop died of stroke and kidney complications… Like Carter, Fernandez was a too young 57.

2021 Angel Mangual

Died in Ponce, Puerto Rico (I haven’t seen death details)… Mangual drove in the winning run in the first game Oakland won in the 1972 World Series.

2021 Lew Krausse

The former Kansas City Athletic died in Kansas City of cancer.

2023 Tim McCarver

The long time catcher and broadcaster was felled by heart failure at 81.

2023 Alex Herrera

Just 40, Herrera died of a heart attack possibly related to his having been recently diagnosed with an aortic aneurysm.

YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE!!!

2013 After an appearance at a local winter festival, someone steals the costume of Guido – one of Milwaukee’s racing sausages. (NationalPastime.com)

TRANSACTION WIRE:

1909 Cleveland sends $12,500 and two players (Charlie Chech and Jack Ryan) to Boston for Cy Young.

1953 Four team trade (the 1950s had the best trades, really…): The Braves send cash to the Reds and Earl Torgeson to the Phillies. Cincinnati sends Joe Adcock to the Braves, Brooklyn sends Jim Pendleton to Milwaukee and Rocky Bridges to Cincinnati, The Phillies send Russ Meyer to the Dodgers and cash to the Braves.

1985 San Diego signs amateur free agent infielder Roberto Alomar.

2004 Texas sends Alex Rodriguez and a boatload of cash to the Yankees for Alfonso Soriano and (later) Joaquin Arias.