Today in baseball history: January 20

There have been just over 23,000 players in the 100+ year history of the major leagues. Every one of them could be placed in the league’s smallest stadium and the place would be barely two-thirds full.

Just 56 were born on January 20.

It is a very limited group with whom I share a birthday.

Seven of the 56 totaled 10+ WAR in their careers:

• Brian Giles, outfielder, 51.1

• Camilo Pascual, right-handed pitcher, 40.9

• Joe Dobson, right-handed pitcher, 26.3

• Ozzie Guillén, infielder, 21.0

• David Eckstein, infielder, 20.9

• Dave Boswell, right-handed pitcher, 12.6

• Geovany Soto, catcher, 12.0

Would it be too shameless to suggest subscribing (and maybe sharing a link with your friends if you feel so inclined) as a way to wish me a happy birthday? 🙂 

Some highlights and events that took place on this day:

1947: Negro Leagues legend Josh Gibson dies from a brain tumor at the age of 35. Long viewed as one of the greatest hitters from the league’s era, Gibson finished his 14-year career with a .373/.458/.718 batting line and 166 home runs.

1966: Ted Williams is elected to the Hall of Fame, being named on 282 of 302 ballots. How or why 20 BBWAA writers felt it was justified not to vote for one of the game’s best offensive minds, we’ll never know. Williams won two MVPs, twice won the Triple Crown, made 19 All-Star appearances, and hit 521 home runs with a career .344/.482/.634 line despite missing multiple seasons while serving the military in World War II. Seriously, who didn’t think he was HOF-worthy???

1984: Free agent Pete Rose signs with the Montreal Expos, following a five-year stint with the Philadelphia Phillies. Rose appeared in only 95 games for the Expos before they traded him back to Cincinnati where he would finish his career.

1997: Curt Flood dies at age 59. Flood’s challenge of the reserve system in the 1970s paved the way for free agency.

2000: MLB owners unanimously vote to give the league control over all team Internet rights. The decision ultimately led to the creation of MLB.com (which has been a model for other leagues’s official web presences) and led to new revenue streams for all teams.

2006: Thanks to special permission granted by President Bush’s administration, Cuba is granted permission to come to the US to participate in the World Baseball Classic for the first time.

2006: Theo Epstein returns to his role as general manager of the Boston Red Sox, less than three months after resigning.

2011: Andruw Jones, already in the downward spiral that ended his career, signs a one-year deal as a free agent with the New York Yankees. He would hit just .220/.322/.447 in the two seasons he’d play in New York before retiring.