On This Day in Baseball

December 31

25 notable birthdays · 25 in memoriam

Born on December 31

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

  1. 01
    King Kelly ⭐ HOF b. 1857
    .307 avg, 69 HR 1878–1893 Troy, USA
  2. 02
    Tommy Connolly ⭐ HOF b. 1870
    MLB player Manchester, England
  3. 03
    Rick Aguilera b. 1961
    86-81, 3.57 ERA 1985–2000 San Gabriel, USA
  4. 04
    Syl Johnson b. 1900
    112-117, 4.06 ERA 1922–1940 Portland, USA
  5. 05
    Esteban Loaiza b. 1971
    126-114, 4.65 ERA 1995–2008 Tijuana, México
  6. 06
    Kelvin Herrera b. 1989
    MLB player 2011–2020 Tenares, D.R.
  7. 07
    Alex Colome b. 1988
    34-35, 3.36 ERA 2013– Santo Domingo, D.R.
  8. 08
    Ronald Belisario b. 1982
    .000 avg, 0 HR 2009–2015 Maracay, Venezuela
  9. 09
    Bobby Byrne b. 1884
    .254 avg, 10 HR 1907–1917 St. Louis, USA
  10. 10
    Willie Spearman b. 1899
    19-27, 5.07 ERA Arkadelphia, USA
  11. 11
    Ryan Yarbrough b. 1991
    58-42, 4.18 ERA 2018– Lakeland, USA
  12. 12
    Alfred Saylor b. 1911
    9-10, 3.51 ERA Blytheville, USA
  13. 13
    Liover Peguero b. 2000
    .227 avg, 11 HR 2022– Higuey, D.R.
  14. 14
    Yaramil Hiraldo b. 1995
    MLB player 2025– Santiago, D.R.
  15. 15
    Chris Reitsma b. 1977
    32-46, 4.70 ERA 2001–2007 Minneapolis, USA
  16. 16
    Jesse Carlson b. 1980
    MLB player 2008–2010 New Britain, USA
  17. 17
    Nate Freiman b. 1986
    .256 avg, 9 HR 2013–2014 Washington, USA
  18. 18
    Elmer Wilson b. 1894
    .288 avg, 6 HR St. Louis, USA
  19. 19
    Jim Tracy b. 1955
    .249 avg, 3 HR 1980–1981 Hamilton, USA
  20. 20
    Donell Nixon b. 1961
    .275 avg, 4 HR 1987–1990 Evergreen, USA
  21. 21
    Ken Rowe b. 1933
    .167 avg, 0 HR 1963–1965 Ferndale, USA
  22. 22
    Evan Reed b. 1985
    MLB player 2013–2014 Santa Maria, USA
  23. 23
    Sam McConnell b. 1975
    .000 avg, 0 HR 2004–2004 Middletown, USA
  24. 24
    Jorge Ona b. 1996
    .250 avg, 1 HR 2020–2020 Havana, Cuba
  25. 25
    Butch Thurman b. 1916
    .364 avg, 0 HR St. Louis, USA

Remembered on December 31

Baseball figures lost on this date.

  1. 01
    Roberto Clemente ⭐ HOF 1934–1972
    .317 avg, 240 HR 1955–1972
  2. 02
    Tip O'Neill 1860–1915
    16-16, 3.39 ERA 1883–1892
  3. 03
    Jack Doyle 1869–1958
    .299 avg, 25 HR 1889–1905
  4. 04
    Bob Shawkey 1890–1980
    196-150, 3.09 ERA 1913–1927
  5. 05
    Clint Brown 1903–1955
    89-93, 4.26 ERA 1928–1942
  6. 06
    Fritz Dorish 1921–2000
    45-43, 3.83 ERA 1947–1956
  7. 07
    Max West 1916–2003
    .254 avg, 77 HR 1938–1948
  8. 08
    Bobby Byrne 1884–1964
    .254 avg, 10 HR 1907–1917
  9. 09
    Al Mamaux 1894–1962
    76-67, 2.90 ERA 1913–1924
  10. 10
    Jocko Flynn 1864–1907
    23-6, 2.24 ERA 1886–1887
  11. 11
    James Casey 1870–1936
    .258 avg, 9 HR 1898–1907
  12. 12
    Provine Bradley 1907–1986
    .263 avg, 0 HR
  13. 13
    Anastasio Santaella 1903–1968
    .310 avg, 1 HR
  14. 14
    Jack Shepard 1931–1994
    .260 avg, 12 HR 1953–1956
  15. 15
    Jack Sharrott 1869–1927
    20-17, 3.12 ERA 1890–1893
  16. 16
    Dutch Lieber 1910–1961
    .118 avg, 0 HR 1935–1936
  17. 17
    Pete Gilbert 1867–1911
    .242 avg, 5 HR 1890–1894
  18. 18
    Charlie Cozart 1919–2004
    .000 avg, 0 HR 1945–1945
  19. 19
    Sam Narron 1913–1996
    .286 avg, 0 HR 1935–1943
  20. 20
    Denny Sullivan 1858–1925
    .261 avg, 0 HR 1879–1880
  21. 21
    Tod Davis 1924–1978
    .233 avg, 1 HR 1949–1951
  22. 22
    Tom Raftery 1881–1954
    .219 avg, 0 HR 1909–1909
  23. 23
    Joe McGuckin 1862–1903
    .108 avg, 0 HR 1890–1890
  24. 24
    Vern Rapp 1928–2015
    MLB player
  25. 25
    Junie Barnes 1911–1963
    MLB player 1934–1934

December 31 in the record

25 baseball figures born on December 31 are listed, led by King Kelly. The HOF tag marks King Kelly and Tommy Connolly. King Kelly, born in 1857, is the earliest birth listed, and Liover Peguero (2000) the latest. Next on the December 31 birthday list are Tommy Connolly (b. 1870) and Rick Aguilera (b. 1961, 86-81, 3.57 ERA). December 31 birthplaces outside the United States include England, México, D.R., and Venezuela. King Kelly (.307 avg, 69 HR) leads the December 31 hitters and Rick Aguilera (86-81, 3.57 ERA) the pitchers. Alex Colome, Ryan Yarbrough, and Liover Peguero have no final season listed yet. The December 31 memorial list names 25 figures, beginning with Roberto Clemente. Among those remembered, Roberto Clemente was a Hall of Famer. Also remembered on December 31: Tip O'Neill (1860–1915) and Jack Doyle (1869–1958). Deaths on the list run from Joe McGuckin's in 1903 to Vern Rapp's in 2015. Names are ordered by a career-impact score that weighs Hall of Fame status and career totals, which is why King Kelly is listed first.