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This Day in Yankees History: A once-elite prospect is sent packing

Welcome to the New Year’s Day edition of This Day in Yankees History. We may be well into hot stove season, but there’s still some time to dig into the history books. These daily posts will highlight two or three key moments in Yankees history on a given date, as well as recognize players born on the day. Hope you enjoy this trip down memory lane with us!

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98 Years Ago

Brooklyn native and Hall of Famer Willie Keeler died at age 50. Once a menace with the bat for the dominant Baltimore Orioles of the NL in the 1890s, Keeler jumped to Brooklyn in 1899 and later, came across town as the new Highlanders’ first star player in 1903.