<— OCT 17     OCT 19 —>

BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENTS:

1845 Jim Gifford

Gifford is listed as the manager for three teams. In 1884 he guided Indianapolis to a 25 – 60 record (and two ties) before being let go. He was put in charge of the Metropolitans in 1885 and 1886, resigning after just 17 games that latter year. His career record was 74 – 136 – 2.

His obituary listed a number of other teams with which he was affiliated, but possibly in business roles. That said, he managed some very fine amateur squads in Utica, Albany, and Washington D.C.’s amateur Nationals team, which had a national reputation.

After that last MLB firing, he returned to Columbus, Ohio and took up a spot with the local post office before passing to the next league from Bright’s disease.

“(Dan) O’Leary’s Successor,” Indianapolis News, March 21, 1884: 4.
“Brooklyn Batsmen,” The Sporting News, May 24, 1886: 1.
“James Gifford Dead,” Dayton Daily News, December 19, 1901: 2.

1848 William Arthur (Candy) Cummings

In the argument for being the first to throw a breaking ball, which is how Cummings got into the Hall of Fame…

1859 Pat McManus
1859 Cliff Carroll
1863 Walt Wilmot
1863 Frank Meinke
1868 William Jones (Boileryard) Clarke
1869 Frank Todd
1875 Joe Delahanty
1881 Hans Lobert
1881 Mike Donovan
1884 Burt Shotton
1885 Jack Gilligan
1886 George LeClair
1887 Merton Merrill (Moxie) Meixell
1890 Ted Reed
1892 Bill Johnson
1892 Fank Ignatz (Coonie) Blank
1894 Phil Morrison
1894 Dave Malarcher
1895 Ralph Arthur (Babe) Pinelli
1895 Tom Sullivan
1897 Sumpter Clarke
1902 Charlie Berry
1903 Geroge (Yats) Wuestling
1906 Wally Millies
1908 Andy Spognardi
1909 Orie Arntzen
1910 Lamar Ashby (Skeeter) Newsome
1912 Guy Curtright
1913 Roy Cullenbine
1915 George Gick
1917 Charlie Biot
1917 Loy Hanning
1918 Fred Vaughn
1927 Marv Rotblatt
1931 Andy Carey
1935 Howie Nunn
1938 Bobby Knoop
1942 Willie Horton
1942 Vern Holtgrave
1945 Don Young
1949 George Hendrick
1949 Ed Farmer
1951 Andy Hassler
1951 Rudy Hernandez
1952 Jerry Royster
1952 Allen Ripley
1957 Mike Walters
1960 Steve Kiefer
1960 Terry Clark
1963 Jeff Wetherby
1966 Alan Mills
1966 Carlos Maldonado
1969 Jeff McNeely
1970 Doug Mirabelli
1975 Alex Cora
1976 Michael Tejera
1980 Shane Komine
1981 David Murphy
1982 Ross Wolf
1983 Garrett Olson
1985 Yoenis Cespedes
1989 Carson Blair
1989 Brad Miller
1991 Kevin McGowan
1995 Osvaldo Bido
1996 Patrick Sandoval
1999 Jordyn Adams

OBITUARIES:

1876 Bub McAtee
1918 Tom Reilly
1932 Mac MacArthur
1934 Guy Morton
1937 Charlie Starr
1940 Mack Heller
1945 Monty Pfyl
1946 Jack McCallister
1955 Charlie Shields
1955 George Murray
1959 Ralph Bell
1960 Irish McIlveen
1963 Frank Emmer
1963 Stu Flythe
1981 Lou Ciola
1982 Bob Vines
1983 Willie Jones
1990 Nick Etten
1996 Elmer Klumpp
2001 Ferris Fain
2011 Merritt Ranew
2014 Lou Lucier
2018 Dick Cole

YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE!!!

1950 Connie Mack, now 87, decides to retire after fifty seasons in the American League. He finishes with 3731 wins and 3948 losses – virtually untouchable numbers.

1960 The Yankees fire the 70 year old Casey Stengel. “I’ll never make the mistake of being 70 again,” Stengel remarked.

1977 Reggie Jackson homers on three straight pitches (off three different pitchers) as the Dodgers lose 8 – 4 to the Yankees.

TRANSACTION WIRE:

1955 Baltimore sends Cal Abrams to the White Sox for Bobby Adams.

1971 The Mets sent Jim Bibby, Art Shamsky, Rich Folkers, and Charlie Hudson to the Cardinals for Harry Parker, Chuck Taylor, Jim Beauchamp, and Chip Coulter.

1973 Pittsburgh got Ken Brett by sending Dave Cash to the Phillies.