New Year’s Week Edition: This Date in Yankees History

September 07, 2012; Sugar Land, TX, USA; Sugar Land Skeeters pitcher Roger Clemens (21) pitches in the third inning against the Long Island Ducks at Constellation Field. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

We are one day closer to the end of the year, and the rich history of the most popular franchise in professional sports continues to produce strange and odd items for discussion. Today, a man that went by Babe is involved…no, not the one you are thinking, along with notes from “Rocket” Roger Clemens. Thanks for taking the time to share in Yankees history, and we hope you enjoy these not so well known bits and pieces.

December 29th

It was on this day back in 1943 that a pair of Babes were traded for one another. No, this didn’t involve the most popular Babe of them all, but it did involve a former Babe from days gone by for the Yankees. Former Yankees first baseman Babe Dahlgren headed to the Pittsburgh Pirates for catcher Babe Phelps, coming to Philadelphia. Dahlgren’s claim to fame for the Bombers, is that he was the man who replaced the “Iron Horse”, Lou Gehrig at first base when Gehrig’s condition would no longer allow him to play.

On this date back in 2002, the “Rocket”, Roger Clemens announces that the 2003 will most likely be his last season pitching in the major leagues. He signs a 1-year, $10.1 million dollar deal with the Yankees. At this point, Clemens was seven victories shy of the epic 300 mark. He would help the Yankees reach the World Series, one in which the Bombers would fall to the underdog Florida Marlins. After stating he was going to retire, Clemens would bolt for the Houston Astros, and take free agent and native Texan Andy Pettitte with him. Clemens would have one more go-around with the Yankees, as would Pettitte, who returned to help the Yankees win the 2009 World Series.

One day remains in 2013, so be sure to return and check out our New Year’s Week Edition of “This Date in Yankees History!”