Events edit
- 1893 - The National League eliminates the pitching box and adds a pitcher's rubber five feet behind the previous back line of the box, establishing the modern pitching distance of 60 feet six inches. In addition, baseball bats flattened on one side to facilitate bunting are banned.
- 1903 - In the first interleague trade, the New York Giants trade Heinie Smith to the Detroit Tigers for Kid Gleason.
- 1919 - Christy Mathewson, back from the World War I, rejoins the New York Giants as pitching coach and heir apparent to manager John McGraw.
- 1923 - After sitting out most of the 1922 season, Fred Toney signs for one year with the St. Louis Cardinals.
- 1979 - Hack Wilson and Warren Giles are elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee.
- 1979 - At spring training, exhibition season opens with semipro and amateur umpires in place of major league arbiters, who are staging a collective holdout.
- 1981 - The Atlanta Braves trade Jeff Burroughs to the Seattle Mariners in exchange for Carlos Diaz.
- 1995 - The Veterans Committee elects former Richie Ashburn, Vic Willis, William Hulbert, and Leon Day to the Hall of Fame.
- 1998 - The New York Yankees sign Orlando Hernandez to a four-year, $6.6 million contract.
- 2008 - The 2008 Final Olympic Qualification Tournament begins.
Births edit
- 1879 - Ginger Clark, pitcher (d. 1943)
- 1881 - Charlie Fallon, pinch runner (d. 1960)
- 1881 - Doc Scanlan, pitcher (d. 1949)
- 1884 - Ed Willett, pitcher (d. 1934)
- 1888 - Dan Griner, pitcher (d. 1950)
- 1888 - Tex Wisterzil, infielder (d. 1964)
- 1890 - Dave Danforth, pitcher (d. 1970)
- 1894 - Frank Gleich, outfielder (d. 1949)
- 1894 - Merwin Jacobson, outfielder (d. 1978)
- 1901 - Dick Loftus, outfielder (d. 1972)
- 1910 - Fred Archer, pitcher (d. 1981)
- 1914 - Joe Gallagher, outfielder (d. 1998)
- 1915 - Soup Campbell, outfielder (d. 2000)
- 1925 - Bobo Holloman, pitcher (d. 1987)
- 1929 - Red Wilson, catcher
- 1930 - Tom Acker, pitcher
- 1931 - Dick Rand, catcher (d. 1996)
- 1933 - Ed Bouchee, infielder
- 1936 - Galen Cisco, pitcher
- 1941 - Glen Clark, pinch hitter
- 1950 - J. R. Richard, pitcher; All-Star
- 1951 - Jeff Burroughs, outfielder; All-Star
- 1953 - Randy Stein, pitcher
- 1954 - Mike Armstrong, pitcher
- 1954 - Nyls Nyman, outfielder
- 1958 - Albert Hall, outfielder
- 1960 - Joe Carter, outfielder; All-Star
- 1962 - José Canó, pitcher
- 1962 - Germán González, pitcher
- 1963 - Keith Miller, outfielder
- 1964 - Wayne Edwards, pitcher
- 1965 - Jack Armstrong, pitcher; All-Star
- 1966 - Mauro Gozzo, pitcher
- 1968 - Denis Boucher, pitcher
- 1968 - Jeff Kent, infielder; All-Star
- 1980 - Scott Munter, pitcher
- 1983 - Taylor Tankersley, pitcher
Deaths edit
- 1902 - Pud Galvin, pitcher, manager; Hall of Famer (b. 1856)
- 1905 - John Murphy, pitcher (b. 1858)
- 1924 - Pat Moran, catcher, manager (b. 1876)
- 1932 - Bill Carrick, pitcher (b. 1873)
- 1936 - Tom Rogers, pitcher (b. 1892)
- 1937 - Lady Baldwin, pitcher (b. 1859)
- 1940 - Johnny Johnston, outfielder (b. 1890)
- 1950 - Joe Brown, pitcher (b. 1900)
- 1953 - Tom Wilson, catcher (b. 1890)
- 1956 - Shorty Desjardien, pitcher (b. 1893)
- 1967 - Al Shealy, pitcher (b. 1900)
- 1978 - Steve Bilko, infielder (b. 1928)
- 1981 - Pee-Wee Wanninger, infielder (b. 1902)
- 1986 - Jimmy Moore, outfielder (b. 1903)
- 1991 - Cool Papa Bell Hall of Famer (b. 1903)
- 1994 - Stew Hofferth, catcher (b. 1913)
- 2000 - Jack Sanford, pitcher; All-Star (b. 1929)
- 2007 - Emil Mailho, outfielder (b. 1908)