2/19/2007

Baseball History -- February 19

Complete entry for February 19 is at BaseballLibrary.com HERE.

Highlighted entries:
1983
Fernando Valenzuela wins his salary arbitration case with the Dodgers and becomes the first player to win a $1 million salary through that process. The Dodgers had offered Valenzuela $750,000 for the 1983 season.

Even if he got the $750,000 figure, could you say that Valenzuela lost?
1953
Ted Williams safely crash-lands his damaged Panther jet after flying a combat mission in Korea. The plane was hit by enemy fire.

If he hadn't actually existed, people would not believe Ted Williams as a fictional character. Baseball superstar, fighter pilot, fly fisherman. I would have pushed it and made him a brain surgeon or a best-selling poet, too.
1935
Lou Gehrig signs for $30,000, $7,000 less than he asked for. Gehrig is now the highest paid player in baseball.

Now being 1935. $30,000 gets you about two pitches from Barry Zito right now.

No comments:

Site Meter