1916 Due to a salary dispute with Joe Lannin, the Red Sox president, Tris Speaker is traded to the Indians for Sam Jones, Fred Thomas, and approximately $50,000. The future Hall of Fame outfielder will spend half of his Hall of Fame career in Cleveland, compiling a .354 batting average during his 11 seasons playing for the Tribe after playing nine outstanding seasons in Boston.
1931 Former Cubs pilot Joe McCarthy makes his debut as Yankee manager. The future Hall of Fame manager, who is the team's all-time leader in managerial wins with 1460, guides the club to eight pennants and seven World championships during his 16-year tenure in the Bronx.
1935 Lou Gehrig is named as the fifth captain in Yankee history. The 33 year-old first baseman joins Hal Chase (1912), Roger Peckinpaugh (1914-1921), Babe Ruth (six days in 1922), and Everett Scott (1922-1925) to be so honored as a player. (Our thanks to Howard W. Rosenberg of
http://www.capanson.com for calling our attention to the correct date for this entry, which is commonly mistaken for April 21).
1953 At a preseason exhibition game in Brooklyn, the Ebbets Field public address announcer informs the crowd, including the new dad as he approaches home plate to bat, "Mickey doesn't know it yet, but he has just become the father of an eight-pound, twelve ounce baby boy". Mickey Mantle Jr., whose given middle name is Elven in memory of the Yankee slugger's recently deceased dad, is the first of four children, all sons, with his wife, Merlyn.
2006 With a third-inning two-bagger against Bates, Wesleyan 22 year-old senior Jeffrey Maier collects his 169th safety to break the school's record for career hits. The third baseman gained national notoriety a decade ago as a 12 year-old young fan when he leaned over the Yankee Stadium fence to catch Derek Jeter's fly ball 'homer', which prevented Orioles outfielder Tony Tarasco from catching the ball during the 1996 ALCS.