MLB History
1900 – Ban Johnson announces that an American League team will be placed in Chicago to ensure the stability of the league. In an agreement with National League officials, the AL club will be placed on the south side of the city and will be called the Chicago White Stockings.
1907 – The Detroit Tigers agree to trade Ty Cobb to the Cleveland Naps in a deal for Elmer Flick but Cleveland’s manager, Nap Lajoie rejects the trade.
1932 – Babe Ruth agrees to a one-year contract for $75,000 and a percentage of the exhibition gate.
1953 – American League owners turn down a bid by Bill Veeeck to move the St. Louis Browns to Baltimore.
1960 – The Boston Red Sox agree to trade catcher Sammy White and outfielder Jim Marshall to Cleveland in exchange for catcher Russ Nixon. However, the deal is canceled when White retires unexpectedly.
1961 – The state of New York approves a bond issue for the construction of a 55,000 seat stadium in Queens’ Flushing Meadows. Shea Stadium will open three years later.
1972 – Vida Blue announces that he has rejected Oakland’s latest contract offer and will retire. He will eventually come to terms on a new deal and begin his season in May.
1978 – Andy Messersmith separates his shoulder in an exhibition game in a game for the New York Yankees.
1985 – Denny McLain, who won the American League Cy Young Award in 1968, is convicted of racketeering, extortion and cocaine possession in Tampa, Florida. He will serve 29 months of a 23-year sentence before an appeals court overturns the decision.
1992 – The Pittsburgh Pirates send pitcher John Smiley to the Minnesota Twins in exchange for left-hander Denny Neagle and outfielder Midre Cummings.
1999 – Kerry Wood suffers a ligament tear in his right elbow and will miss the upcoming season.
2001 – Sammy Sosa agrees to a four-year extension with the Chicago Cubs
2012 – Andy Pettitte ends his retirement after one year and signs a minor league contract with the New York Yankees.
2018 – Jose Altuve agrees to a five-year, $151 million extension with the Houston Astros.
2020 – Commissioner Rob Manfred announces that the start of the season will be delayed until mid-May at the earliest due to the pandemic.
2022 – The Cubs sign outfielder Seiya Suzuki to a five-year, $85 million contract.
2022 – The A’s trade third baseman Matt Chapman to the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for four prospects.
2022 – The Dodgers agree to a six-year, $162 million contract with Freddie Freeman.
Information for this article was found via Baseball Reference, NationalPastime.com and Today in Baseball History.
