THIS DAY IN BÉISBOL May 24: Bernie Williams becomes a Yankee immortal
No team sells tradition and history like the New York Yankees. But true fans know that whenever mention is made of the beloved and now fabled “Core Four” — the group of elite, homegrown players that formed the nucleus of the Bombers’ late-1990s dynasty and was still together for the 2009 championship run — there’s one vital player from the era who gets short shrift. On this day in béisbol, May 24, 2015, the Yankees gave Bernie Williams the ultimate honor. In front of a packed house at The Stadium, the organization retired his No. 51 and presented him with
THIS DAY IN BÉISBOL May 9: Esteban Bellan, first Latino in MLB, makes debut in 1871
He was a good-field, weak-hitting third basemen whose lack of power was glaring even for the pre-Dead Ball era. But while few, if any, people 150 years ago likely realized the significance of the moment, when Esteban Bellan took the field on this day in béisbol, May 9, 1871, the Cuban-born infielder made history as the first Latino to play in a U.S. major league. While it wasn’t yet the MLB we know of today, the 21-year-old Bellan, also known as Steve, played for the Troy Haymakers, an upstate New York club that was part of the National Association —
THIS DAY IN BÉISBOL April 24: David Ortiz jersey buried in Yankee Stadium by Red Sox fan
As incredible as it sounds, the insanely intense, nearly century-old Yankees-Red Sox rivalry was brought to an even higher level of animosity — some might say absurdity — in the spring of 2008 when a rabid Boston fan tried to put a hex on the Bombers to make up for all those years living under the Curse of the Bambino. As construction crews were busy building a brand new Yankee Stadium in the Bronx across the street from the old one, one worker deviously decided to counteract the Yanks’ perennial postseason luck by secretly dropping a magic charm into a
THIS DAY IN BÉISBOL April 21: Rafael Furcal hits 3 triples in one game
Rafael Furcal, the speedy Atlanta Braves shortstop who was named Rookie of the Year in 2000, put his wheels to work on this day in beísbol April 21, 2002. On that day, the Dominican-born blazer scored a rare trifecta: He tied a Major League record by hitting a trio of three-baggers in one game. Furcal, who went 3-for-5, scored all three times he was on base, sparking a 4-2 home victory against the Florida Marlins. The last player before him to hit a trio of triples in one game was White Sox outfielder Lance Johnson in 1995. The last Braves
THIS DAY IN BEISBOL February 19: Manny Machado signs 10-year, $300M deal with Padres
After a season split between the Orioles and Dodgers, Manny Machado shattered the free agent market on this day in beísbol, February 19, 2019 by signing a $10-year, $300 million deal with the Padres. The Dominican native was only 26 years old but already a seven-year veteran when he joined San Diego, which gladly inked the third baseman to the largest contract in MLB history since Alex Rodriguez’s $275 million deal with the Yankees a decade earlier. Machado immediately became the best hitter in the lineup for a team that hadn’t been to the postseason in 12 years and had
THIS DAY IN BEÍSBOL February 16: A-Rod traded to the Yankees
The New York Yankees added to their all-star, big-money lineup when they traded for all-world superstar Alex Rodriguez on this day in beísbol, February 16, 2004. “A-Rod” was already a controversial lightning rod as the player everyone loved to hate when the Bombers shipped a good young hitter, Alfonso Soriano, to the Texas Rangers in 2004 in exchange for Rodriguez, who was coming off his first MVP season in 2003. Only 28 but already a ten-year vet, Rodriguez — a two-time Gold Glover and five-time Silver Slugger at shortstop with the Seattle Mariners and the Rangers — shifted over to
THIS DAY IN BEÍSBOL February 14: Johan Santana signs largest Twins contract ever
The Minnesota Twins opened its vault for pitcher Johan Santana on this day in beísbol, February 14, 2005, as the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner received a sweet Valentine Day's gift: a four-year, $40 million deal. The contract was the largest in the history of the team and essentially bought out the rest of the 26-year-old southpaw’s arbitration-eligible years and first year of free agency. The move paid off immensely for the Twins as the Venezuela native went 50-26 with a 2.99 ERA over the next three seasons, including a second Cy Young in 2006 for his 19-6, 2.77
THIS DAY IN BÉISBOL January 18: Orlando Cepeda signs with Red Sox as a DH
An aging Orlando Cepeda, 35 and coming off a bad year, signed with the Red Sox to become the team’s primary designated hitter on this day in béisbol, January 18, 1973. The new American League-only DH rule allowed a batter to hit for the pitcher in a move meant to add more offense to games. Cepeda was primed to be history’s first DH during the 1973 home opener at Fenway Park against the Yankees. But the honor went to Bombers designated hitter Ron Blomberg instead. Batting sixth that day, Blomberg came up in the top of the first inning with
