Author: Bill Grimes

I'm from Chicago. I worked in broadcast journalism for much of the 1970's and 80's. In 1990 I became a litigation consultant, retiring in 2017. Around 2005 I recall flipping through the sports section of the newspaper coming across "On this day in baseball history Willie Mays hit his 600th home run." I enjoyed the one-liners, but I wanted more. I wanted a story. I took my news reporting skills and started researching and telling baseball stories, one for every day of the year. TodayinBaseball.com is the result.

Nov 4: Tale of 2 franchises

NOVEMBER 4, 2016 | CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – The Chicago Cubs were welcomed home by millions on this date in 2016 after winning their first World Series Championship in 108 years.

How long is 108 years? Well, the last time the Cubs were the last team standing was 1908. The New York Yankees had yet to win their first World Series in 1908. In fact they weren’t even called the Yankees yet. They were known as the Highlanders.

Which shows how dominant the New York Yankees have been over the decades. Also on this date in 2009 the Yankees won their 27th World Series Championship.

Did you know the last time the Chicago Cubs won the World Series the Yankees had won none? In fact they weren’t even called the Yankees. They were the New York Highlanders in 1908.

CONTRIBUTING SOURCES:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/postseason/2009_WS.shtml
Cubs post-season results

NOV 3: Holy cow!

NOVEMBER 3, 1968 | ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI – Harry Caray came close to packing it in long before he became the colorful play-by-play man for the Chicago Cubs. He was seriously injured when he was struck by a car while trying to cross a St. Louis street on this date in 1968. Caray was the Cardinals play-by-play man at the time. Both his legs were broken, his shoulder was dislocated and he suffered facial lacerations.

While Caray was in serious condition for a time he recuperated in time for the 1969 baseball season. That would be his 25th and final year with the Cardinals. He was abruptly fired after the season, the reasons were never officially disclosed.

Caray did play-by-play for the Oakland A’s before heading to Chicago in 1971 for an almost 3 decades long love affair with Chicago baseball and the city’s night life. He did White Sox games for 11 years – his tradition of singing “Take me out to the ballgame” started at Comiskey Park. He jumped to the Cubs in 1981 where he remained at the mic until his death in 1998.

Contributing sources: 
Chicago Tribune, “Card ‘Voice’ Seriously Hurt by Car,” November 4, 1968
Harry Caray

Nov 2: CBS buys Yankees

NOVEMBER 2, 1964 | NEW YORK, NEW YORK – CBS, the broadcasting company, became principle owner of the New York Yankees on this date in 1964. It paid $11.2 million for the privilege. That much wouldn’t pay for the restrooms in today’s Yankee Stadium.

According to Forbes magazine, as of March 2016, the Yankee franchise is worth $3.4 Billion (that’s Billion with a “B”), an increase of over 300-fold from what CBS paid for the team in 1964 [it’s worth more today — 2020

According to Forbes valuations of MLB teams, 17 of them are, as of March 2016, worth more than a Billion dollars:

      Team—————–Value
1   New York Yankees…..$3.4 Billion
2   Los Angeles Dodgers…..$2.5 Billion
3   Boston Red Sox…..$2.3 Billion
4   San Francisco Giants…..$2.25 Billion
5   Chicago Cubs…..$2.2 Billion
6   New York Mets…..$1.65 Billion
7   St. Louis Cardinals…..$1.6 Billion
8   Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim…..$1.34 Billion
9   Washington Nationals…..$1.3 Billion
10 Philadelphia Phillies…..$1.24 Billion
11 Texas Rangers…..$1.23 Billion
12 Seattle Mariners…..$1.2 Billion
13 Atlanta Braves…..$1.75 Billion
14 Detroit Tigers…..$1.5 Billion
15 Houston Astros…..$1.1 Billion
16 Chicago White Sox…..$1.05 Billion
17 Baltimore Orioles…..$1 Billion
18 Pittsburgh Pirates…..$975 million
19 Arizona Diamondbacks…..$925 million
20 Minnesota Twins…..$910 million
21 Cincinnati Reds…..$905 million
22 Toronto Blue Jays…..$900 million
23 San Diego Padres…..$890 million
24 Milwaukee Brewers…..$875 million
25 Kansas City Royals…..$865 million
26 Colorado Rockies…..$860 million
27 Cleveland Indians…..$800 million
28 Oakland Athletics…..$725 million
29 Florida Marlins…..$675 million
30 Tampa Bay Rays…..$650 million

Here is a facinating interactive graphic published by Bloomberg in 2013 which shows, among other things, which teams got the most for their money and how valuable TV and radio contracts are, especially in big cities.

CONTRIBUTING SOURCES:
The New York Times, November 3, 1964, by Leonard Koppett
Forbes, “Baseball’s Most valuable Teams,” March 23, 2016

Nov 1: Most MVPs

NOVEMBER 1, 2016 | NEW YORK, NEW YORK – Most Valuable Player awards have been awarded by the Baseball Writers Association of America (BWAA) since 1931.

The players who’ve won the award the most in the American League were Mickey Mantle, Jimmie Foxx, Joe DiMaggio, Yogi Berra and Alex Rodriquez. All were 3-time MVP winners. And all, except Foxx, wore Yankee pinstripes.

In the National League, Stan Musial, Roy Campanella, Mike Schmidt and Albert Pujols were 3-time MVP’s. Barry Bonds won the award 7 times – pretty phenomenal even for someone who apparently took PED’s (performance enhancing drugs), but then again, Bonds apparently took PED’s.

MVP Winners
Year – National League — American League
2015 Bryce Harper, Was — Josh Donaldson, Tor
2014 Clayton Kershaw, LA — Mike Trout, Ana
2013 Andrew McCutchen, Pit — Miguel Cabrera, Det
2012 Buster Posey, SF — Miguel Cabrara, Det
2011 Ryan Braun, Mil — Justin Verlander, Det
2010 Joey Votto, Cin — Josh Hamilton, Tex
2009 Albert Pujols, StL — Joe Mauer, Min
2008 Albert Pujols, StL — Dustin Pedroia, Boston
2007 Jimmy Rollins, Phi — Alex Rodriguez, NY
2006 Ryan Howard, Phi — Justin Morneau, Min
2005 Albert Pujols, StL — Alex Rodriguez, NY
2004 Barry Bonds, SF — Vladimir Guerrero, Ana
2003 Barry Bonds, SF — Alex Rodriguez, Tex
2002 Barry Bonds, SF — Miguel Tejada, Oak
2001 Barry Bonds, SF — Ichiro Suzuki, Sea
2000 Jeff Kent, SF — Jason Giambi, Oak
1999 Chipper Jones, Atl — Ivan Rodriguez, Tex
1998 Sammy Sosa, Chi — Juan Gonzalez, Tex
1997 Larry Walker, Col — Ken Griffey, Sea
1996 Ken Caminiti, SD — Juan Gonzalez, Tex
1995 Barry Larkin, Cin — Mo Vaughn, Bos
1994 Jeff Bagwell, Hou — Frank Thomas, Chi
1993 Barry Bonds, SF — Frank Thomas, Chi
1992 Barry Bonds, SF — Dennis Eckersley, Oak
1991 Terry Pendleton, Atl — Cal Ripken, Bal
1990 Barry Bonds, SF — Rickey Henderson, Oak
1989 Kevin Mitchell, SF — Robin Yount, Mil
1988 Kirk Gibson, LA — Jose Canseco, Oak
1987 Andre Dawson, Chi — George Bell, Tor
1986 Mike Schmidt, Phi — Roger Clemens, Bos
1985 Willie McGee, StL — Don Mattingly, NY
1984 Ryne Sandberg, Chi — Willie Hernandez, Det
1983 Dale Murphy, Atl — Cal Ripken, Bal
1982 Dale Murphy, Atl — Robin Yount, Mil
1981 Mike Schmidt, Phi — Rollie Fingers, Mil
1980 Mike Schmidt, Phi — George Brett, KC
1979 Keith Hernandez, StL Willie Stargell, Pit (tie) — Don Baylor, Cal
1978 Dave Parker, Pit — Jim Rice, Bos
1977 George Foster, Cin — Rod Carew, Min
1976 Joe Morgan, Cin — Thurman Munson, NY
1975 Joe Morgan, Cin —  Fred Lynn, Bos
1974 Steve Garvey, LA — Jeff Burroughs, Tex
1973 Pete Rose, Cin — Reggie Jackson, Oak
1972 Johnny Bench, Cin — Dick Allen, Chi
1971 Joe Torre, StL — Vida Blue, Oak
1970 Johnny Bench, Cin —  Boog Powell, Bal
1969 Willie McCovey, SF — Harmon Killebrew, Min
1968 Bob Gibson, StL — Denny McLain, Det
1967 Orlando Cepeda, StL — Carl Yastrzemski, Bos
1966 Roberto Clemente, Pit — Frank Robinson, Bal
1965 Willie Mays, SF — Zoilo Versalles, Min
1964 Ken Boyer, StL  — Brooks Robinson, Bal
1963 Sandy Koufax, LA — Elston Howard, NY
1962 Maury Wills, LA — Mickey Mantle, NY
1961 Frank Robinson, — Cin Roger Maris, NY
1960 Dick Groat, Pit —  Roger Maris, NY
1959 Ernie Banks, Chi — Nellie Fox, Chi
1958 Ernie Banks, Chi  — Jackie Jensen, Bos
1957 Hank Aaron, Mil — Mickey Mantle, NY
1956 Don Newcombe, Bro —  Mickey Mantle, NY
1955 Roy Campanella, Bro — Yogi Berra, NY
1954 Willie Mays, NY —  Yogi Berra, NY
1953 Roy Campanella, —  Bro Al Rosen*, Cle
1952 Hank Sauer, Chi — Bobby Shantz, Phi
1951 Roy Campanella, — Yogi Berra, NY
1950 Jim Konstanty, Phi — Phil Rizzuto, NY
1949 Jackie Robinson, Bro — Ted Williams, Bos
1948 Stan Musial, StL — Lou Boudreau, Cle
1945 Phil Cavarretta, Chi — Hal Newhouser, Det
1944 Marty Marion, StL — Hal Newhouser, Det
1943 Stan Musial, StL — Spud Chandler, NY
1942 Mort Cooper,  — StL Joe Gordon, NY
1941 Dolph Camilli, Bro, — Joe DiMaggio, NY,
1940 Frank McCormick, Cin Hank Greenberg, Det
1939 Bucky Walters, — Cin Joe DiMaggio, NY
1938 Ernie Lombardi, trans action comes.  Jimmie Foxx, Bos
1937 Joe Medwick, StL — Charlie Gehringer, Det
1936 Carl Hubbell*, NY — Lou Gehrig, NY
1935 Gabby Hartnett, Chi — Hank Greenberg*, Det
1934 Dizzy Dean, StL — Mickey Cochrane, Det
1933 Carl Hubbell, NY — Jimmie Foxx, Phi
1932 Chuck Klein, Phi — Jimmie Foxx, Ph
1931 Frankie Frisch, StL — Lefty Grove, Phi

CONTRIBUTING SOURCES:
Baseball Writers Association of America (BWAA) 
MVP Award – wikipedia   

Oct 27: The 7 game World Series

OCTOBER 27, 2019 | CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – Aren’t 7 game World Series more fun? They were an infrequent occurrence for a few years. From 1989 to 2010 (21 seasons) only 4 World Series went the full 7 games. There were more sweeps (7) than 7-game World Series.

It’s gotten better since 2010. Five of the last 9 World Series went the distance.

Year  – Games won
2019 – Washington 4, Astros 3 (7)
2018 – Boston 4, Los Angeles (NL) 1 (5)
2017 – Houston 4, Los Angeles (NL) 3 (7)
2016 – Chicago (NL) 4, Cleveland 3 (7)
2015 – Kansas City 4, New York (NL) 1 (5 games)
2014 – San Francisco 4, Kansas City 3 (7 games)
2013 – Boston 4, Cardinals 2 (6)
2012 – San Francisco 4, Detroit 0 (SWEEP)
2011 – St. Louis 4, Texas 3 (7 games)
2010 – San Francisco 4, Texas Rangers 1 (5 games)
2009 – New York (AL) 4, Philadelphia 2 (6 games)
2008 – Philadelphia 4, Tampa Bay 1 (5 games)
2007 – Boston 4, Colorado 0 (SWEEP)
2006 – St. Louis 4, Detroit 1 (5 games)
2005 – Chi. White Sox 4, Houston 0 (SWEEP)
2004 – Boston 4, St. Louis 0 (SWEEP)
2003 – Florida 4, NY Yankees 2 (6 games)
2002 – Anaheim 4, San Francisco 3 (7 GAMES)
2001 – Arizona 4, NY Yankees 3 (7 GAMES)
2000 – NY Yankees 4, NY Mets 1 (5 games)
1999 – NY Yankees 4, Atlanta 0 (SWEEP)
1998 – NY Yankees 4, San Diego 0 (SWEEP)
1997 – Florida 4, Cleveland 3 (7 GAMES)
1996 – NY Yankees 4, Atlanta 2 (6 games)
1995 – Atlanta 4, Cleveland 2 (6 games)
1994 – (not held due to strike)
1993 – Toronto 4, Philadelphia 2 (6 games)
1992 – Toronto 4, Atlanta 2 (6 games)
1991 – Minnesota 4, Atlanta 3 (7 GAMES)
1990 – Cincinnati 4, Oakland 0 (SWEEP)
1989 – Oakland 4, San Francisco 0 (SWEEP)

CONTRIBUTING SOURCES:
2008 World Series
All World Series results