This Day in Braves History: Atlanta signs Andy Messersmith

Feb 4, 2023 - 1:00 PM

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Braves Franchise History

1925 - The Boston Braves trade Cotton Tierney to the Brooklyn Robins in exchange for Bernie Neis.

1976 - A federal judge upholds a recent decision by arbitrator Peter Seitz who had granted free agency to pitchers Andy Messersmith and Dave McNally. Both players had challenged the league’s reserve clause. Messersmith will sign a free agent contract with the Atlanta Braves.

MLB News

1915 - The New York Yankees purchase Wally Pipp and Hugh Hill form the Detroit Tigers for $5,000 each.

1956 - The National and American Leagues vote to establish the Cy Young Award for the outstanding pitcher of the year. To begin with, there will be just one award for both leagues.

1956 - The American League tests the automatic intentional walk during spring training but it won’t be adopted until 2017.

1957 - The Veterans Committee elects manager Joe McCarthy and outfielder Sam Crawford to the Hall of Fame.

1958 - The Hall of Fame doesn’t elect any new members for the first time since 1950.

1960 - The BBWAA voters again fail to elect any new members for the Hall of Fame. Edd Roush comes the closest receiving 146 of the 202 votes needed to gain enshrinement.

1969 - Bowie Kuhn is named commissioner replacing Spike Eckert. Kuhn receives a one-year contract worth $100,000.

1984 - The New York Yankees trade outfielder Otis Nixon and pitcher George Frazier to Cleveland in exchange for third baseman Toby Harrah

1985 - Greg Luzinski announces his retirement after a 15-year career. Luzinski hit .276 with 307 home runs with the Phillies and the White Sox.

1991 - The 12 members of the board of directors of the Hall of Fame vote unanimously to ban Pete Rose from the ballot. Rose would become eligible again only if the commissioner of baseball reinstates him before December of 2005 which did not happen.

1998 - Jose Canseco signs a one-year contract with the Toronto Blue Jays.

2002 - The Minnesota Supreme Court refuses to consider an appeal of an injunction that forces the Twins to fulfill their lease at the Metrodome thus ending any possibility of contraction in Major League Baseball.

2004 - The St. Louis Cardinals and first baseman Albert Pujols avoid arbitration by agreeing to a seven-year, $100 million deal.

2011 - Andy Pettitte announces his retirement from baseball.

2011 - The Baltimore Orioles sign Vladimir Guerrero to a one-year deal.

2013 - Oakland trades first baseman Chris Carter, pitcher Brad Peacock and catcher Max Stassi to the Houston Astros in exchange for infielder Jed Lowrie and reliever Francisco Rodriguez.

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Information for this article was found via Baseball Reference, NationalPastime.com and Today in Baseball History.