On this day (February 6) in baseball history:
1895: Babe Ruth is born. He'd be 121 if he were alive today. The oldest verified age for a human being: 122 years. Just saying.
1958: The Red Sox sign Ted Williams to a $135,000 contract, making Williams the highest paid player in MLB history. The 39 year old OF, starting his 18th season with the club, led all baseball in hitting in 1957 with a .388 average. Despite a 60 point drop in 1958, his .328 average will still lead the AL -- good enough for his sixth and final batting title.
1986: The Yankees sign RP Al Holland, who had five saves for three different clubs in 1985. The one-year contract has a clause that requires Holland to submit to drug tests (Holland was one of the players caught up in the previous year's Pittsburgh cocaine trials). The Yankees go on to release, re-sign, and release Holland that season, then in 1987 re-sign and release him some more. Holland pitches 47 IP as a Yankee, with a 6.32 ERA.
2008: Texas Rangers announce that Nolan Ryan has been appointed Team President. Somewhere, Robin Ventura is heard to say, "Aw f--k, that clip of him whaling on me is going to be on ESPN again tonight."