The following are the events that happened world-wide throughout the sport of baseball.
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1800s[]
- 1883 - New York Gothams owner John B. Day proposes a resolution to prohibit a team from signing a player who has broken the reserve clause of his contract. This resolution, eventually adopted by both the American Association and National League, effectively changes the reserve clause from a device to protect owners from their own greediness to a vindictive weapon to be used against uncooperative players.
- 1888 - The National League adopts a salary classification plan that puts all players into five categories with a standard salary for each ranging from $1,500 to $2,500. The scheme is vehemently opposed by the Players League’s Brotherhood.
- 1890 - At the American Association annual meeting in Louisville, the Philadelphia Athletics are expelled for violating the league’s constitution. A new team in Philadelphia is admitted, plus entries from Boston, Washington and Chicago, replacing Syracuse, Toledo and Rochester.
1900-1950s[]
- 1908 - In the first game between a Japanese and an American professional team, the Reach All-Americans defeat Waseda University in Tokyo, 5–0.
- 1932 St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Charley Gelbert shatters his leg in a hunting accident. He will return as a part-time infielder in 1935, playing until 1940.
- 1934 - The Chicago Cubs acquire future Hall of Fame infielder Fred Lindstrom and pitcher Larry French from the Pittsburgh Pirates for outfielder Babe Herman and pitchers Guy Bush and Jim Weaver.
- 1952 - Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Harry Byrd, who won 15 games and posted and a 3.31 ERA is selected American League Rookie of the Year by BBWAA voters. Byrd will be the last Athletics player to win the Award until José Canseco in 1986.
- 1954 - The Pittsburgh Pirates draft outfielder Roberto Clemente from the Triple-A roster of the Brooklyn Dodgers. Although Clemente hit only .257 for the Montreal Royals, he will become a Hall of Fame member with the Pirates.
- 1957 - In a controversial vote, Mickey Mantle barely edges Ted Williams, 233 to 209, to win the American League MVP Award. Mantle batted .365 with 34 home runs for the first-place New York Yankees, while Williams, of the third-place Boston Red Sox, led the AL with a .388 average and 38 home runs, as well as a stunning .731 slugging average. Red Sox owner Tom Yawkey fumes at the news, noting that two Chicago writers listed Williams in the ninth and tenth places on their ballots.
- 1957 - After 22 seasons, Larry Goetz is unwillingly 'retired' as a National League umpire by Warren Giles. The discharged arbitrator had been critical of Senior Circuit because of the league's refusal to include umpires in the players' pension fund.
1960s-1970s[]
- 1960 - The American League proposes that both leagues expand to nine teams in 1961 and begin interleague play. There will be expansion in the American League in 1961, but interleague play does not arrive until 1997.
- 1961 - Frank Robinson becomes the first Cincinnati Reds player in 21 years to win the National League MVP Award, taking 219 of 224 possible votes.
- 1965 - Outfielder Curt Blefary of the Baltimore Orioles edges California Angels pitcher Marcelino López for American League Rookie of the Year honors.
- 1967 - Minnesota Twins second baseman Rod Carew wins the American League Rookie of the Year Award. Receiving 19 of 20 first place votes, Carew easily outdistances Reggie Smith of the Boston Red Sox.
- 1968 - Cincinnati Reds catcher Johnny Bench edges out New York Mets pitcher Jerry Koosman to win the National League Rookie of the Year Award. Bench becomes the third member of the Reds player in six years to be named the top rookie.
- 1971 - Cleveland Indians first baseman Chris Chambliss receives 11 of 24 first place votes to win the American League Rookie of the Year Award.
- 1972 - Future Hall of Fame catcher Johnny Bench of the Cincinnati Reds wins his second National League MVP Award in the last three years. Bench beats out Chicago Cubs outfielder Billy Williams, who also ran second to Bench in the 1970 MVP balloting.
- 1977 - Andre Dawson of the Montréal Expos wins the National League Rookie of the Year Award by one vote over Steve Henderson of the New York Mets. Dawson hit .282 with 19 home runs and 65 RBI, while Henderson had .297, 12, 65.
- 1978:
- Detroit Tigers second baseman Lou Whitaker wins the American League Rookie of the Year Award with 21 of 28 first places votes over Paul Molitor of the Milwaukee Brewers.
- The Yankees sign pitcher Tommy John, a reentry free agent formerly with the Dodgers. John will be a valuable addition to the Yankees, winning 43 games in the next two seasons.
- The Ford Motor Credit Company purchases holdings of the General Electric Credit Company, thereby acquiring 100 percent interest in the Houston Astros.
1980s-1990s[]
- 1982 - Second baseman Steve Sax is named National League Rookie of the Year, becoming the fourth consecutive player of the Los Angeles Dodgers to win the award. Sax hit .282 and stole 49 bases as the replacement for Davey Lopes in the Dodgers infield.
- 1983:
- Ron Kittle of the Chicago White Sox, who hit 35 home runs with 100 RBI, wins the American League Rookie of the Year Award beating out Cleveland infielder Julio Franco and Baltimore pitcher Mike Boddicker.
- The Players' Association fires executive director Kenneth Moffett and chooses Donald Fehr as his successor.
- 1984 - Alvin Davis of the Seattle Mariners easily wins the American League Rookie of the Year Award over Mark Langston and Kirby Puckett.
- 1989 - Free agent outfielder Kirby Puckett re-signs with the Minnesota Twins for $9 million over three years, making him the first ML player ever to sign a contract that calls for an average salary of $3 million per year.
- 1992 - Milwaukee Brewers SS Pat Listach is named American League Rookie of the Year. Listach was recalled on April 7 to replace the injured Bill Spiers and hit .290. He also became the first Brewers player to steal 50 bases in a season.
- 1993:
- The Texas Rangers sign free agent 1B Will Clark to a multi-year contract. Clark, who batted .283 with 73 RBI for the San Francisco Giants, will raise his average to .329 with the Rangers in 1994.
- Free agent pitcher Sid Fernandez sign with the Baltimore Orioles to a three-year contract.
- 1995 - The Angels sign free agent IF Randy Velarde to a three-year contract.
2000s[]
- 2000:
- Although offered more money by three other clubs, switch hitting shortstop José Valentín elects to stay with the Chicago White Sox signing a three-year deal with a fourth-year option worth $5 million a year.
- The Blue Jays obtain pitcher Steve Parris from Cincinnati for pitchers Clayton Andrews and Leo Estrella.
- 2002 - Houston Astros RF Richard Hidalgo is shot in the left forearm during a carjacking in Venezuela. He is released from the hospital and is expected to go to Houston for more tests.
- 2003 - The oldest player in the majors next season could still be Jesse Orosco. The 46-year old relief pitcher agrees to a minor league contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks and will earn an $800,000 salary when he is added to the big league roster.
- 2004 - The recently relocated Washington National League franchise (ex-Montreal Expos) announces its new name, logo and colors. Using official original name of the district’s team which used the nickname the Senators from 1901-56, the club clad in red, white, blue and gold will be known as the Nationals.
Births[]
- 1901 - Harry Rice, outfielder (d. 1971)
- 1907 - Dick Bartell, All-Star infielder (d. 1995)
- 1926 - Lew Burdette, All-Star pitcher
- 1943 - Wade Blasingame, pitcher
- 1950 - Lyman Bostock, All-Star outfielder (d. 1978)
- 1950 - Greg Luzinski, All-Star outfielder
- 1955 - Wayne Tolleson, infielder
- 1958 - Lee Guetterman, pitcher
- 1965 - Mike Benjamin, infielder
- 1972 - Jay Payton, outfielder
- 1973 - Ricky Ledee, outfielder
- 1974 - Joe Nathan, All-Star pitcher
- 1980 - Jonny Gomes, outfielder
- 1981 - Oscar Villarreal, pitcher