This Day in New York Yankees History 11/13: Enter Swisher

On this day in 2008 the Yankees landed right fielder Nick Swisher and AAA right handed pitcher Kaneoka Teixeira from the Chicago White Sox for pitching prospects Jeffrey Marquez and Johnny Nunez, as well as infielder Wilson Betemit.


Also on this day in 1998 the first home run ever hit in Yankees Stadium, thrown by Red Sox pitcher Howard Ehmke and hit by none other than Babe Ruth, was sold at auction for $126,500. Mark Scala was the seller after finding the historic ball in his grandmother’s attic.


Also on this day in 1978 the Yankees signed free agent pitcher Luis Tiant to a two year deal worth $875,000.


Finally on this day in 1931 the Yankees owner Jacob Ruppert would buy the International League's team out in Newark, New Jersey. The Newark Bears funneled many good players to the Yankees big league club while under Ruppert's watchful eye.

Quick Hit: Derek Jeter to Join MLB, the Rays and President Obama in Cuba for Exhibition

Major League Baseball is preparing a historical and significant trip to the island country of Cuba this month and they are bringing some big shots with them. When it was announced that the Tampa Bay Rays would face off with the Cuban National Team in Havana on March 22 of this season the President of the United States Barack Obama almost immediately threw his name in the hat and booked a seat along for the ride with the league and the Rays and now a notable baseball legend is coming as well. His name is Derek Jeter.

Derek Jeter will join a group headlined by Cuban greats Luis Tiant and Jose Cardenal as a part of the first exhibition in Cuba since 1999.This will mark Jeter's first major public appearance since he retirement in 2014 and speculation has already begun as to why Jeter wants to go. The main speculation is that Jeter wants to one day own a MLB team, but again that is simply speculation. Jeter will be joined by MLB personnel including former manager Joe Torre. 

This was already going to be epic but that just got taken up by about ten notches, at least. 

This Day in New York Yankees History 11/13: Friday the 13th 2015

On this day in 2008 the Yankees landed right fielder Nick Swisher and AAA right handed pitcher Kaneoka Teixeira from the Chicago White Sox for pitching prospects Jeffrey Marquez and Johnny Nunez, as well as infielder Wilson Betemit.


Also on this day in 1998 the first home run ever hit in Yankees Stadium, thrown by Red Sox pitcher Howard Ehmke and hit by none other than Babe Ruth, was sold at auction for $126,500. Mark Scala was the seller after finding the historic ball in his grandmother’s attic.


Also on this day in 1978 the Yankees signed free agent pitcher Luis Tiant to a two year deal worth $875,000.


Finally on this day in 1931 the Yankees owner Jacob Ruppert would buy the International League's team out in Newark, New Jersey. The Newark Bears funneled many good players to the Yankees big league club while under Ruppert's watchful eye.

Can't Predict Baseball: Four Balks In One Game?!?!

On this day in 1950 the Yankees Vic Raschi balked four times in a win over the Chicago White Sox. Apparently Raschi was unable to adjust to the new rule that required a pitcher to come to a full rest for a second before coming to home plate with the pitch.

Also on this day in 1951 the Yankees Gil McDougald tied a major league record with six RBI's in one inning in a 17-3 victory over the Browns. The Yankee rookie hit a grand slam in the ninth inning, the first of his career, and then added a two run triple later in the inning as New York scored 11 times in the inning.

Also on this day in 1959 the Tigers Charlie Maxwell absolutely went off for the 2-15 Detroit team as he hit four straight home runs in a double header against the Yankees. This was Tigers manager Jimmy Dykes first game as the skipper for Detroit and was responsible for Maxwell being in the lineup even though he was hitting .136 at the time.

Finally on this day in 1966 the Indians Luis Tiant threw his third consecutive shutout of the season when he beat the Yankees 1-0. El Tiante is still yet to give up a run this season after shutting out Boston and Kansas City earlier in the season.

You know what they say Suzyn, you really can't predict baseball. 

The Cuban/USA Embargo and Cuban Born Yankees

The New York Yankees may or may not have really open the flood gates for Major League Baseball to sign an influx of Cuban talent to their rosters. Sure Minnie Minoso broke the barrier officially but things were not as wide spread until players like Jose Contreras were signed to lucrative contracts by Mr. George Steinbrenner. Let's take a quick look at some of the better Yankees players who called their native homes Cuba.

Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez wowed many Yankees fans with his clutch postseason performances and strong rookie campaign.

The aforementioned Contreras had an 11 season career that started in 2003 with New York. Contreras sported a nasty split fingered fastball that he made his way with in the Bronx before being shipped off to Chicago in 2004.

Jose Canseco was surprisingly Cuban born and spent time with the Yankees in 2000, getting a World Series ring, after New York got stuck with him after a waiver claim in August. Luis Tiant falls under the same category after spending the better part of his career with the Boston Red Sox before ending up in the Bronx.

This Day in New York Yankees History 11/13: Enter Nick Swisher

On this day in 2008 the Yankees landed right fielder Nick Swisher and AAA right handed pitcher Kaneoka Teixeira from the Chicago White Sox for pitching prospects Jeffrey Marquez and Johnny Nunez, as well as infielder Wilson Betemit.

Also on this day in 1998 the first home run ever hit in Yankees Stadium, thrown by Red Sox pitcher Howard Ehmke and hit by none other than Babe Ruth, was sold at auction for $126,500. Mark Scala was the seller after finding the historic ball in his grandmother’s attic.

Also on this day in 1978 the Yankees signed free agent pitcher Luis Tiant to a two year deal worth $875,000.

Finally on this day in 1931 the Yankees owner Jacob Ruppert would buy the International League's team out in Newark, New Jersey. The Newark Bears funneled many good players to the Yankees big league club while under Ruppert's watchful eye.

Can't Predict Baseball: Four Balks In One Game?!?!

On this day in 1950 the Yankees Vic Raschi balked four times in a win over the Chicago White Sox. Apparently Raschi was unable to adjust to the new rule that required a pitcher to come to a full rest for a second before coming to home plate with the pitch.

On this day in 1951 the Yankees Gil McDougald tied a major league record with six RBI's in one inning in a 17-3 victory over the Browns. The Yankee rookie hit a grand slam in the ninth inning, the first of his career, and then added a two run triple later in the inning as New York scored 11 times in the inning.

On this day in 1959 the Tigers Charlie Maxwell absolutely went off for the 2-15 Detroit team as he hit four straight home runs in a double header against the Yankees. This was Tigers manager Jimmy Dykes first game as the skipper for Detroit and was responsible for Maxwell being in the lineup even though he was hitting .136 at the time.

On this day in 1966 the Indians Luis Tiant threw his third consecutive shutout of the season when he beat the Yankees 1-0. El Tiante is still yet to give up a run this season after shutting out Boston and Kansas City earlier in the season.

This Day In New York Yankees History 11/13

On this day in 1931 the Yankees owner Jacob Ruppert would buy the International League's team out in Newark, New Jersey. The Newark Bears funneled many good players to the Yankees big league club while under Ruppert's watchful eye.

On this day in 1978 the Yankees signed free agent pitcher Luis Tiant to a two year deal worth $875,000.

On this day in 1998 the first home run ever hit in Yankees Stadium, thrown by Red Sox pitcher Howard Ehmke and hit by none other than Babe Ruth, was sold at auction for $126,500. Mark Scala was the seller after finding the historic ball in his grandmothers attic.

On this day in 2008 the Yankees landed right fielder Nick Swisher and AAA right handed pitcher Kaneoka Teixeira from the Chicago White Sox for pitching prospects Jeffrey Marquez and Johnny Nunez, as well as infielder Wilson Betemit.

On this day in 2010 at the Louisville Slugger Museum the ball that Babe Ruth hit out of the park for his 702nd home run was sold at auction for $264,500. The ball went for three times the estimated value after being passed down through three generations before being sold.