On This Day in Baseball

December 18

25 notable birthdays · 22 in memoriam

Born on December 18

Most accomplished baseball figures with this birthday, ranked by career impact.

01

Ty Cobb ⭐ HOF b. 1886

.366 avg, 117 HR 1905–1928 Narrows, USA
02

Ronald Acuña b. 1997

.285 avg, 206 HR 2018– La Guaira, Venezuela
03

Bill Skowron b. 1930

.282 avg, 211 HR 1954–1967 Chicago, USA
04

Byron Buxton b. 1993

.248 avg, 193 HR 2015– Baxley, USA
05

Scott Barlow b. 1992

MLB player 2018– New London, USA
06

Chris Carter b. 1986

.217 avg, 158 HR 2010–2017 Redwood City, USA
07

Joe Randa b. 1969

.284 avg, 123 HR 1995–2006 Milwaukee, USA
08

Brandon Marsh b. 1997

.261 avg, 70 HR 2021– Buford, USA
09

Roy Howell b. 1953

.261 avg, 80 HR 1974–1984 Lompoc, USA
10

Johnny Barrett b. 1915

.251 avg, 23 HR 1942–1946 Lowell, USA
11

Joey Cantillo b. 1999

18-16, 3.66 ERA 2024– Honolulu, USA
12

Eric Haase b. 1992

.224 avg, 52 HR 2018– Westland, USA
13

Gino Cimoli b. 1929

.265 avg, 44 HR 1956–1965 San Francisco, USA
14

Lance Richbourg b. 1897

.308 avg, 13 HR 1921–1932 DeFuniak Springs, USA
15

Coaker Triplett b. 1911

.256 avg, 27 HR 1938–1945 Boone, USA
16

Jeremy Accardo b. 1981

.143 avg, 0 HR 2005–2012 Phoenix, USA
17

Zoilo Versalles b. 1939

.242 avg, 95 HR 1959–1971 Havana, Cuba
18

Rex Brothers b. 1987

.000 avg, 0 HR 2011–2021 Chapel Hill, USA
19

Lefty Bowe b. 1918

4-4, 3.02 ERA Amandaville, USA
20

Michael Grove b. 1996

8-7, 5.47 ERA 2022– Wheeling, USA
21

Buddy Napier b. 1889

5-6, 3.92 ERA 1912–1921 Byromville, USA
22

Sean Burke b. 1999

17-18, 3.59 ERA 2024– Sutton, USA
23

Brendan McKay b. 1995

2-4, 5.14 ERA 2019–2019 Darlington, USA
24

Steve Hovley b. 1944

.258 avg, 8 HR 1969–1973 Ventura, USA
25

Grant Hartwig b. 1997

MLB player 2023– Detroit, USA

Remembered on December 18

Baseball figures lost on this date.

01

Harry Hooper ⭐ HOF 1887–1974

.281 avg, 75 HR 1909–1925
02

Phil Cavarretta 1916–2010

.293 avg, 95 HR 1934–1955
03

Art Nehf 1892–1960

184-120, 3.20 ERA 1915–1929
04

Leniel Hooker 1916–1977

41-46, 4.13 ERA
05

John Clapp 1851–1904

.283 avg, 7 HR 1872–1883
06

Bill Howerton 1921–2001

.274 avg, 22 HR 1949–1952
07

Ned Harris 1916–1976

.259 avg, 16 HR 1941–1946
08

Jim Devlin 1866–1900

11-10, 3.38 ERA 1886–1889
09

Ted Bond 1904–1997

.265 avg, 0 HR
10

Jake Brown 1948–1981

.209 avg, 0 HR 1975–1975
11

C. V. Matteson 1861–1931

.000 avg, 0 HR 1884–1884
12

Zell Miles 1909–1970

.200 avg, 0 HR
13

Glenn Vaughan 1944–2004

.167 avg, 0 HR 1963–1963
14

Evelio Hernandez 1930–2015

1-1, 4.45 ERA 1956–1957
15

Charlie Gibson 1899–1990

.133 avg, 0 HR 1924–1924
16

Bill Conway 1861–1943

.111 avg, 0 HR 1884–1886
17

Bob Allen 1894–1975

.136 avg, 0 HR 1919–1919
18

Bill Shanner 1894–1986

.000 avg, 0 HR 1920–1920
19

Joe Ohl 1888–1951

.000 avg, 0 HR 1909–1909
20

Fred Truax 1868–1899

.333 avg, 0 HR 1890–1890
21

Fred Robinson 1856–1933

.231 avg, 0 HR 1884–1884
22

John Kiley 1859–1940

.207 avg, 0 HR 1884–1891

December 18 in the record

25 baseball figures born on December 18 are listed, led by Ty Cobb. Hall of Famers among them: Ty Cobb. Ty Cobb, born in 1886, is the earliest birth listed, and Joey Cantillo (1999) the latest. Behind Ty Cobb come Ronald Acuña (b. 1997, .285 avg, 206 HR) and Bill Skowron (b. 1930, .282 avg, 211 HR). The birth list reaches beyond the United States to Venezuela and Cuba. Career lines shown range from Ty Cobb's .366 avg, 117 HR to Joey Cantillo's 18-16, 3.66 ERA on the mound. Recent names on the December 18 list, Ronald Acuña, Byron Buxton, and Scott Barlow, show careers still open. 22 baseball figures died on December 18; Harry Hooper is listed first. Harry Hooper is marked as Hall of Fame member. Phil Cavarretta (1916–2010) and Art Nehf (1892–1960) follow Harry Hooper on the list. Deaths on the list run from Fred Truax's in 1899 to Evelio Hernandez's in 2015. Ranking on the December 18 page follows career impact, with Hall of Fame membership weighted heavily.