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On December 5, 1921, Babe Ruth and two other members of the New York Yankees are suspended for participating in an “illegal” barnstorming tour after the 1921 World Series. Commissioner Landis punishes Ruth, outfielder Bob Meusel, and pitcher “Wild Bill” Piercy for the first six weeks of the 1922 season.
This will have little impact as the Yankees will make World Series for the second straight year (although they lost to the NY Giants for the second consecutive time). However, Ruth had the worst year of his career posting a 6.4 WAR, and as an everyday player, his 1.106 OPS was his second worst mark of the 20's. He did bounce back in 1923, winning the MVP.
He still managed to hit 35 homers with 96 RBI, so it was a pretty good year. What I marvel at is how much of his Baseball Reference page is bolded. Between 1918 and 1931, he wasn't the league leader in home runs just twice. Once was this 1922 season and the other was 1925, when he appeared in just 98 games.
On December 5, 1973 — Ron Santo becomes the first player to invoke the new 10 and 5 rule. The Cubs want to trade Santo to the Angels for two pitchers, but he vetoes the deal. The 10-5 rule, which was agreed upon during the 1972 players strike, gives a player with 10 years’ service and 5 consecutive years with a team the right to veto a trade. In this case Santo was from the west coast but was comfortable in Chicago and desired to stay in the area.
The Cubs honored the new agreement, and he will eventually be traded to the cross-town White Sox. It did not work out well as Bill Melton was the third baseman, and Santo moved around between second and the DH role. He will hang up the cleats in 1974. Ironically on this day in 2011, Santo will finally get his due and be voted into Baseball's Hall of Fame. A long overdue honor for Santo who passed away the previous year. He receives 15 of 16 votes from members of the “Golden Era” Committee.
On December 5, 1978 — After sixteen years with the Cincinnati Reds, Pete Rose signs a four-year, $3.2 million deal with the Philadelphia Phillies. Other teams which pursued “Charlie Hustle” include the Mets, Braves, Pirates and the Royals. The deal temporarily makes Rose the highest-paid athlete in team sports. In 5 years with the Phils (1979-1983), Pete will be a 4X All-Star and help the Phillies to 2 NL Pennants including the Phillies first Championship in 1980. He led the league in hits in 1981 with 140 base knocks, and he finished his Phillies career with a slash line of .291/.365/.361. That was a period that covered his age-38 to age-42 seasons.
On December 5, 1990, the San Diego Padres and Toronto Blue Jays collaborate on an old-fashioned blockbuster trade. San Diego deals Roberto Alomar and Joe Carter to Toronto for Fred McGriff and Tony Fernandez. Alomar and Carter will help the Blue Jays to two World Championships.
Alomar will become one of baseball’s best players during his 6 years, hitting .307 with 206 stolen bases, a .382 OBP and .833 OPS. He will finish in top 10 in the MVP vote 3 times and win 6 Gold Globes. Carter, a premium RBI man, will drive in 100+ runs in 6 of his 7 years in Toronto. Only the strike shortened year stopped him in 1995. He will finish in the top 5 for MVP voting twice and hit one of the most historic homeruns in World Series history off Mitch Williams.
Fred McGriff will go on to hit 493 home runs over his career playing for multiple teams. It remains an injustice he is not in Cooperstown.
Tony Fernandez will play for 2 seasons in San Diego end up back on Toronto and play on the 1993 World Championship team, playing in all 6 games and driving in 9 runs. On December 5, 1951, “Shoeless” Joe Jackson dies at the age of 62. Jackson, who succumbs to a heart attack, batted .356 over his 13-year career. Jackson had the talent to be the greatest player in history, but he threw it away when he accepted $5,000 to throw the 1919 World Series. As part of the most infamous scandal in sports history, Jackson was banished from baseball following the 1920 season, along with his seven co-conspirators. The controversy over that decision has kept Jackson’s name alive long after his death.
