1-03-1920 – The NEW YORK YANKEES purchased the contract of GEORGE HERMAN 'BABE' RUTH from the BOSTON RED SOX for $125,000 and a $325,000 loan against the mortgage on FENWAY PARK.

1-04-1979 – MLB announced it would recognize game-winning RBIs as an official statistic.

1-07-1998 – An investor group, led by THOMAS O. HICKS, agrees to acquire the TEXAS RANGERS in a $250 million transaction.

1-08-1976 – JOHN McHALE, President of the MONTREAL EXPOS, supported the shift of the SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS franchise to Toronto, hoping for a Montreal-Toronto baseball rivalry.

1-09-1903 – FRANK FARRELL and BILL DEVERY purchase the defunct AMERICAN LEAGUE Baltimore franchise for $18000, moving the club to Manhattan.

1-11-1915 – Colonel JACOB RUPPERT and Colonel TILLINGHAST L'HOMMEDIEU HUSTON purchase the NEW YORK YANKEES for the sum of $460,000.

1-11-1976 – GEORGE MOSCONE, Mayor of San Francisco, vowed to fight any sale of the SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS to Toronto interests and keep the club in his city.

1-12-1961 – In a MLB first, CHICAGO CUBS owner WILLIAM WRIGLEY announced that the club would be managed by all eight coaches.

1-12-1976 – A U.S. Congressional Committee recommended that the sale of the SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS be stopped and that Toronto instead be granted an expansion franchise.

1-13-1976 – The city of San Francisco filed a lawsuit accusing the SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS of breach of contract in a tactic to keep the club in that city.

1-13-1992 – Excavation for JACOBS FIELD begins on the new home of the CLEVELAND INDIANS.

1-14-1984 – RAY KROC, owner of the SAN DIEGO PADRES, dies and is succeeded by his wife JOAN KROC as owner and chairman of the board. BALLARD SMITH is named as President.

1-17-1915 – Two Cleveland newspapers, The Leader and The Plain Dealer, reported that afer soliciting their readers the name INDIANS had been chosen to replace the name NAPS.

1-18-1969 – Hall of Fame legend TED WILLIAMS is appointed as the Manager of
the WASHINGTON SENATORS.

1-19-1909 – CHARLES COMISKEY purchases a tract of land near the corner of 35th
and Shields and commissions a design for a spacious ballpark for his CHICAGO
WHITE SOX.

1-20-1978 – GEORGE BAMBERGER is appointed as Manager of the MILWAUKEE BREWERS.

1-22-1959 – The former ST. LOUIS BROWNS OF KEN WILLIAMS dies at the age of 68. He had hit 39 homers in 1922, becoming one of only two men to snatch the home run title from BABE RUTH in the period between 1918 and 1931.

1-22-1977 – Tickets for the TORONTO BLUE JAYS' first Spring Training games went on sale in Dunedin, Florida for $ 2.00 per ticket.

1-23-1962 – JACKIE ROBINSON becomes the first black elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

1-24-1961 – BOB CERV and ALBIE PEARSON become the first two players signed by the LOS ANGELES ANGELS.