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BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENTS:

1850 Clytus Georlge (Cy) Bentley
1860 Charles Louis (Chief) Zimmer
1863 Hi Church
1870 Ralph Orlando (Socks) Seybold
1874 Frederick C. (Bill) Clay
1877 George Stovall
1878 Jimmy Sheckard
1890 Al Halt
1894 Art Corcoran
1894 Jesse Petty
1895 Dallas Bradshaw
1896 Dick Reichle
1897 Clarence James (Bubber) Jonnard
1897 Claude Jonnard
1897 Freddy Leach
1903 Roy Parnell
1903 Joe Muich
1906 Wilbur (Biggs) Wehde
1910 Hal Schumacher
1913 Les Scarsella
1914 Mel Preibisch
1915 Bob Kahle
1916 Eddie Collins, Jr.
1917 Jake Caulfield
1917 Herman Reich
1920 Jake Jones
1922 Grady Wilson
1926 Charlie Osgood
1929 John Anderson
1930 Jack McKeon
1940 Luis Tiant
1940 Billy Ott
1942 Jerry Nyman
1947 Tom Hall
1947 Dwain Anderson
1947 Frank Tepedino
1951 Wayne Cage
1954 Glenn Brummer
1954 Broderick Perkins
1954 Ken Schrom
1955 Mark Smith
1955 Todd Cruz
1955 Dan Whitmer
1959 Brook Jacoby
1963 Rich Sauveur
1963 Dale Sveum
1964 Jose Gonzalez
1969 Doug Brady
1969 Dave McCarty
1970 Glenn Murray
1971 Aaron Small
1971 Matt Miller
1971 Eddie Oropesa
1971 Ryan McGuire
1975 Colin Porter
1977 Adam Eaton
1980 Jonathan Papelbon
1983 Wes Bankston
1984 Robert Coello
1984 Justin Turner
1984 Casper Wells
1985 Pedro Figueroa
1986 Brandon Snyder
1989 Ross Stripling
1990 Jeff Ferrell
1990 Enrique Burgos
1992 Kyle Hart
1993 Austin Gomber
1994 Tyler Wade
1995 Lewis Thorpe
1997 Gavin Lux

OBITUARIES:

1880 Jack McDonald

Jack McDonald played for the Brooklyn Atlantics (mostly right field) and one game for the Eckfords at shortstop in 1872. He actually played for the Atlantics for several seasons before that (I found articles going back to 1867 showing he was a member of the Atlantics and others showing him with the Eckfords in 1866 – but they weren’t fully professional yet…). What is important to know, though, is that his real name was Daniel McDonald.

McDonald listed his job as baseballist in the 1880 US Census – maybe because he was between jobs. He was likely a laborer, which is what he cited in the 1870 US Census. It’s in the 1880 US Census we learn that he was married to the former Elizabeth McDonnell, an Irish import, and they had four kids. The 1855 New York Census tells us Daniel was the oldest son of four born of Michael and Elizabeth McDonald, both Irish immigrants. His dad was a machinist – and Daniel’s family would live with his father after his mother died.

His obit in the Brooklyn Eagle (November 24, 1880: 2) says his name is Daniel and instead of being buried at Holy Cross Cemetery (as noted in Baseball-Reference – and that’s where he’s at), he was going to be buried at Calvary Cemetery in Brooklyn. (Probably a clerical error at the paper.) McDonald was felled by tuberculosis – Joe Start wrote that he neglected a cold. (NY Death Certificate Data and “Death of a Ball Player” Brooklyn Eagle, November 24, 1880: 3.)

1898 Walter (Mother) Watson

Lewis Schreiner shot Walter Watson through the right lung on election day at Gardner’s saloon in Pomeroy, Ohio and died a fortnight later. They were arguing over politics; Schreiner hit the road quickly and got out of Dodge. In fact, initial reports said he left the country (which he would have done surprisingly quickly given that it was, you know, 1898, and the article noting his escape was written the day after Watson was shot)…

Watson’s career started and ended rather quickly. He won a start over St. Louis in an exhibition, which launched his career with the Reds in 1887. He made two starts, giving up 18 runs in 14 innings (only nine earned, but you can imagine that he lost his only decision. Then, he injured his arm in some farm implement, which left him unable to throw the same way.

“Watson,” Cincinnati Post, November 9, 1898: 2.
“Walter Watson Dead,” Cincinnati Post, November 24, 1898: 1.

1905 Bill Hanlon
1910 Charlie Barber
1922 Sandy McDermott
1925 Guerdon Whiteley
1925 Henry Lynch
1937 Welday Walker
1947 Charlie Newman
1948 Hack Wilson
1955 Fred Tauby
1961 Nick Carter
1965 Ruby Tyrees
1973 Willie Mitchell
1974 Jerry Benjamin
1974 Babe Twombly
1978 Buck Ross
1985 Sam West
1989 Lefty Moses
1990 Bo Diaz

According to the New York Times, Diaz was installing a satellite dish at his home when it fell off the roof and landed on him, crushing his head and neck. Diaz was 37 when he passed to the next league.

1993 Grey Clarke
1995 Lee Rogers
1996 Nat Pollard
2001 Bo Belinsky
2007 Joe Kennedy

Heart failure. He woke up around 1 am, wasn’t feeling well and collapsed trying to leave his bedroom. He was just 28…

“Rockies ready for home opener,” Fort Collins Coloradoan, April 4, 2008: C3.

2012 Hal Trosky
2012 Chuck Diering
2015 Willie Royster
2016 Ralph Branca
2017 Miguel Gonzalez
2019 Will Brunson
2021 Bill Virdon
2022 Rudy Hernandez

Hernandez died at his home in Puerto Rico – and depending on the source, he was 90 or 91 at the time… Hernandez was an outfielder who couldn’t hit but could really throw, so it took a while to make it to the big leagues. He finally made it in 1960 with the Washington Senators. That team moved to Minneapolis the next year and a new Washington Senators took over in 1961. Hernandez pitched for them, too – just not as well…

2024 Rico Carty

YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE!!!

1943 Kenesaw Mountain Landis suspends Phillies owner William Cox for admitting that he placed bets on baseball games. A former manager with knowledge of these bets turned Cox in…

TRANSACTION WIRE:

1895 Cincinnati sends Arlie Latham, Tom Parrott, Morgan Murphy, Ed McFarland and some spending money to the Browns for Heinie Pietz and Red Ehret.

1926 St. Louis signs Rabbit Maranville, who didn’t have a job at the time…

1964 The Mets purchased Warren Spahn from the Braves. Spahn was a player/pitching coach.

1975 California signs amateur free agent infielder Dickie Thon.

2016 Seattle sends Taijuan Walker and Ketel Marte to Arizona for Mitch Haniger, Jean Segura, and Zac Curtis.