Portal:Baseball/Anniversaries/December 7

Events

• 1876 – The first annual meeting of the National League is held. The New York Mutuals and the Philadelphia Athletics are expelled because the two teams had decided not to play their final games in the west without permission. Also, William Hulbert is elected to succeed Morgan Bulkeley as president.
• 1937 – Five of baseball's pioneers are added to the Hall of Fame: Connie Mack‚ John McGraw‚ Morgan G. Bulkeley‚ Ban Johnson‚ and George Wright.
• 1939 – Lou Gehrig‚ age 36‚ is unanimously elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame‚ the sole choice this year. The five-year waiting period is waived for the "Iron Horse".
• 1957 – The Associated Press votes Tony Kubek of the Yankees as the Rookie of the Year. Frank Malzone of the Red Sox‚ who was declared ineligible‚ receives one vote. Malzone‚ with better offensive numbers‚ will later claim that he was robbed by New York writers‚ when the BBWAA changes the maximum number of at-bats to maintain rookie eligibility during the season‚ thus excluding him.
• 2009 – The Veterans Committee holds two votes for election to the Hall of Fame, in the managers and umpires category and the executives category. In the first group, former umpire Doug Harvey and manager Whitey Herzog are elected and will be inducted in 2010. No one from the second group receives the required 75% of votes. Harvey is the first umpire elected in 11 years.

Births

• 1847 – Deacon White, infielder, manager, Hall of Famer (d. 1939)
• 1911 – Don Johnson, infielder; All-Star (d. 2000)
• 1942 – Alex Johnson, outfielder; All-Star
• 1947 – Johnny Bench, catcher; All-Star, Hall of Famer
• 1956 – Ozzie Virgil, catcher; All-Star
• 1967 – Tino Martinez, infielder; All-Star

Deaths

• 1962 – Bobo Newsom, pitcher; All-Star (b. 1907)
• 1969 – Lefty O'Doul, outfielder; All-Star (b. 1897)