Cleveland Indians Sign Satchel Paige On His Birthday

July 7, 1900 - Boston hurler Kid Nichols notches his 300th career victory, beating Chicago 11-4. The win comes two months before his 31st birthday, making him the youngest to ever reach the magic figure.

July 7, 1914 - Suffering heavy losses from Federal League competition in Baltimore, Jack Dunn, owner of the International League Orioles, offers Babe Ruth (plus Ernie Shore and catcher Ben Egan) for $10,000 to old friend Connie Mack. Mack refuses, pleading poverty. Cincinnati, which has a working agreement giving them the choice of two players, takes outfielder George Twombly and shortstop Claud Derrick. Dunn finally peddles his threesome to new owner Joe Lannin of the Red Sox for a reported $25,000.

July 7, 1922 - Pirates outfielder Max Carey is the busiest man on the field in a 9-8, 18-inning loss to the Giants. He gets six hits, draws three walks, has three stolen bases (including one of home), and catches seven flies.

July 7, 1923 - Cleveland scores in every inning against the Red Sox, but playing at home, the team does not bat in the ninth of a doubleheader opener. They run up an A.L. record twenty-seven runs, including 13 in the sixth inning, for a 27-3 win. The Indians keep it up, scoring three in the first inning of the second game en route to an 8-5 win.

July 7, 1937 - Lou Gehrig leads the A.L. All-Stars over the NL 8-3 with a home run, double, and four RBI. President Franklin D. Roosevelt attends the game in Washington. Dizzy Dean's toe is fractured by a drive off the bat of Earl Averill. After the injury Dean is unable to pitch with the same delivery. He uses an unnatural motion, causing an arm injury from which he never recovers.

July 7, 1942 - A military All-star team that includes Bob Feller, Cecil Travis, Sam Chapman, Benny McCoy, Johnny Sturm, and Frankie Pytlak loses 5-0 to A.L. stars in a game at Cleveland in front of more than 60,000 fans. Military relief receives $160,000.

July 7, 1948 - The Indians sign Satchel Paige(on his birthday), fabulous veteran Negro League pitcher. Ridiculed as a Bill Veeck publicity stunt, the move pays as the 42-year-old Paige finishes 6-1.

July 7, 1959 - The N.L. defeats the AL 5-4 in the All-Star Game at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh. Willie Mays knocks in Hank Aaron with the deciding run. Don Drysdale pitches perfect ball the first three innings.

July 7, 1964 - Johnny Callison's ninth-inning three-run home run off Dick Radatz caps a four-run rally and gives the N.L. a 7-4 win in the All-Star Game at Shea Stadium. This evens the series at 17 wins apiece.

July 7, 1993 - Tom Browning decides that he has seen the view from the dugout often enough, so he leaves Wrigley Field and watches the Reds beat the Cubs 4-3 from the roof of a three-story building across Sheffield Avenue. He is fined $500 for leaving the dugout - not to mention the ballpark - during a game.