March 29
From BR Bullpen
| Stats of players who were born this day | |
| Stats of players who died on this day | |
| Standings on this day | |
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| Today in Baseball History | |
Events, births and deaths that occurred on March 29.
Events[edit]
- 1867 - Denton True "Cy" Young is born in Gilmore, a tiny village near Newcomerstown, Ohio. Young will earn his nickname for his cyclone-like pitching motion and he will win (and lose) more games than any pitcher in major league history with a 511-316 record and a 2.63 ERA over 22 seasons. Young will win 20 or more games 15 times, and top the 30-win mark five times. He will be elected to the Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers Association of America in 1937, with 153 votes on 201 ballots.
- 1933 - Chicago Cubs outfielder Kiki Cuyler breaks his leg and will miss nearly three months of the season. Cuyler also missed half of last season when he broke his other leg.
- 1935 - The St. Louis Cardinals release Dazzy Vance. The future Hall of Fame pitcher will spend his last season with the Brooklyn Dodgers, the team where he blossomed in 1922.
- 1954 - Chicago Cubs manager Phil Cavarretta gives team owner Phil Wrigley an honest assessment of the Cubs' chances, and is fired for his defeatist attitude, becoming the first manager ever to be given the gate during spring training. Stan Hack replaces him. Cavarretta is right: the Cubs will drop to seventh place this year.
- 1956 - "The Catch", Part 2. A year and a half after one of baseball's most celebrated moments, Willie Mays again robs Vic Wertz. New York Times beat writer Louis Effrat reports: "Those who saw Willie Mays of the Giants rob Vic Wertz of the Indians in the first game of the 1954 World Series should have seen what the Say Hey Kid did to the same man today. The occasion was a Cactus League expedition, which the Tribe won, 10 - 5. With the Giants five runs behind in the 5th inning, Willie ran from center to right center and reached a spot 400 feet away from home plate a fraction of a second before the ball would have hit the wall. Mays caught the ball in his gloved hand and cushioned his crash against the fence with his other hand. He lost his cap but held tightly to the ball for the third out. There were two Indians aboard, so Mays' catch blocked a couple of runs."
- 1973 – The "Alert Orange Baseball" is used for the first time in major league history. The unique baseball, an invention of Oakland Athletics owner Charlie Finley, is used in an exhibition game between Oakland and the Cleveland Indians. Finley contends the ball, painted the color of a construction worker's hat, will be easier for both players and fans to see. But pitchers complain that the ball is slippery and hard to grip, while batters are unable to pick up the spin of the ball without seeing the seams. Although Finley pushes for the use of colored baseballs during the regular season, the idea will never come to fruition.
- 1975 - Pitcher Mel Stottlemyre, suffering from a torn rotator cuff, is given his unconditional release by the New York Yankees. He compiled a 164-139 record and a 2.97 ERA as well as 40 shutouts in an eleven-season major league career with the Yankees.
- 1979 - Former Negro Leagues and Cleveland Indians star Luke Easter is murdered in Euclid, Ohio, at the age of 63. Easter starred for the Homestead Grays and several minor league teams before arriving in the major leagues at age 34.
- 1983 - While some clubs are concerned about low attendance at the start of the season, the Los Angeles Dodgers become the first team in major league history to cut off season ticket sales before the start of the season. The Dodgers, with 27,000 season tickets already sold, implement the cutoff so that group sales won't be impeded and fans will be able to buy tickets for individual games.
- 1984 - The New York Yankees trade one of the key members of their last World Championship teams when they dispatch Graig Nettles to the San Diego Padres for pitcher Dennis Rasmussen and a player to be named. Nettles, who had angered Yankees owner George Steinbrenner by criticizing him in a book, will hit 20 home runs and help the Padres reach the 1984 World Series.
- 1988 - Popular slugger Ted Kluszewski dies in Cincinnati, Ohio, at the age of 63. In a 15-season career, Kluszewski hit 279 home runs, including a National League leading 49 in 1954.
- 1995 - Four-time All-Star Terry Moore dies in Collinsville, Illinois, at the age of 82. An outstanding defensive center fielder, Moore played 11 seasons for the St. Louis Cardinals and was a member of the World Championship teams in 1942 and 1946.
- 1997 - Malley's Chocolates announces the introduction of the Chipper Jones Candy Bar. On a team full of marketable stars, the 24-year-old Atlanta Braves third baseman is the first member to get his own candy bar.
- 2000 - In Japan, the Chicago Cubs open the major league season at the Tokyo Dome by defeating the New York Mets, 5 - 3, in the first major league opening day ever played outside of the United States, Canada or Mexico. Jon Lieber gets the victory and Mike Hampton takes the loss. Shane Andrews, Mark Grace and Mike Piazza hit home runs in the game.
- 2001 - First baseman Todd Helton signs a nine-year, $141.5 million contract extension making him the highest-paid player in Colorado Rockies history. in 2000, Helton posted a .372 average with 42 home runs and 147 RBI.
- 2002:
- Rickey Henderson is added to the Boston Red Sox Opening Day roster as his contract is purchased from Triple-A Pawtucket. Henderson, who joined the exclusive 3000 hit club on the final day of last season, will begin his 24th year in the majors appearing with his eighth different club.
- Miller Park's retractable roof will only be used on a limited basis at the start of season as engineers try to eliminate persistent noise coming from the one-year-old roof.
- 2005 - First baseman Andres Galarraga announces his retirement. A five-time All-Star and two-time Gold Glove winner in a 19-year major league career, Galarraga was a .288 hitter with 399 home runs and 1,425 RBI in 2,257 games played.
- 2006:
- Outfielder Marquis Grissom announces his retirement after a 17-year major league career that saw him play with six teams. A two-time All-Star and four-time Gold Glove winner, he finished with 429 stolen bases, including a career-high 78 in 1992. Grissom leaves as one of seven players with 2,000 hits, 200 home runs and 400 stolen bases.
- Lenny Harris, the career leader in pinch hits, is released from the Florida Marlins after being told he would not make the team. Harris, 41, has 212 career pinch hits, 62 more than second-place Manny Mota. Last year, Harris batted .314 with one home run and 13 RBI, as he set Marlins franchise records with 19 pinch hits and 13 pinch-hit RBI.
- 2008 - The Dodgers celebrate the 50th anniversary of their move to Los Angeles, CA by playing an exhibition game against the Boston Red Sox in their original home, the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. A crowd of 115,300 is present, the largest ever assembled at a baseball game anywhere. The previous record of 93,103 had been set in the Dodgers' second season in L.A., for an exhibition game against the New York Yankees in honor of paralyzed catcher Roy Campanella on May 7, 1959.
- 2010 - The Nationals announce that President Barack Obama will throw the ceremonial first pitch on opening day, April 5th, against the Phillies at Nationals Park. It will mark the 100th anniversary of the first presidential first pitch, by William Howard Taft, at the Washington Senators' home opener on April 14, 1910.
- 2011:
- Major League Baseball creates a new seven-day disabled list for players who have suffered concussions, following a number of serious incidents last season, and controversy about concussions in professional football and hockey. Players will need to be evaluated by a medical specialist before they are allowed to return to action.
- One of last season's concussion victims, Mets OF Jason Bay, is sidelined again, but for a different reason. He suffers a strained muscle in his rib cage and will likely start the season on the disabled list. Other prominent players who will miss the start of the season with injuries include Phillies closer Brad Lidge, Mariners CF Franklin Gutierrez, Astros P J.A. Happ and Giants closer Brian Wilson.
- 2012:
- The A's secure a split of their season-opening series with the Mariners with a 4 - 1 win at the Tokyo Dome. Among the A's three homers is the first one in the major leagues by Cuban defector Yoenis Cespedes; Josh Reddick and Jonny Gomes, both also acquired over the winter, hit the other two, while Justin Smoak hits a solo shot for Seattle's only run. Bartolo Colon earns the win with eight solid innings of work.
- The Italian Baseball League season begins. Bologna beats Parma, 7 - 2, with veteran Jesus Matos getting the win. Parma makes five errors while getting only three hits; one bright spot for them is Stefano De Simoni homering to lead off the bottom of the 1st. Alessandro Vaglio and Marco Sabbatani each score twice for Bologna, while Juan Carlos Infante drives in two.
- 2013 - With Opening Day just around the corner, a few teams ink star players to long-term deals. In Detroit, P Justin Verlander agrees to a $120 million extension for five years, with an option for a sixth at $22 million; the Giants lock up C Buster Posey for eight years at $159 million; and the Diamondbacks sign 1B Paul Goldschmidt for five years at $32 million - which seems like mere pennies compared to the other deals.
- 2018 - The Major League Baseball season starts today with all 30 teams being scheduled to play, although a couple of games are rained out. Ian Happ of the Cubs launches the season by homering off Jose Urena of the Marlins on the very first pitch thrown in the earliest of the 15 games. For his part, Giancarlo Stanton, acquired by the Yankees in a major off-season trade, also has a memorable day as he starts his career in pinstripes with two long balls in a 6 - 1 win over the Blue Jays.
- 2019 - In his second game as a member of the Cardinals, Paul Goldschmidt has four hits including three homers, and drives in five runs to lead his team to a 9 - 5 win over the Brewers. He comes up to bat again with a chance at a four-homer game in the 9th, but the Brewers walk him intentionally with one out and a runner on second base.
- 2023:
- Major League Baseball strikes a tentative deal with minor league baseball players that will more than double their salaries on average. They will still be paid peanuts compared to major leaguers, but now will at least approach a living wage.
- One day before the start of the season, the Phillies acquire OF Cristian Pache from the Athletics in return for minor league pitcher Billy Sullivan. The Phillies are starting the season with both Bryce Harper and Rhys Hoskins on the injured list and need reinforcements. Pache is hitting only .156 after three major league seasons, however.
- 2024 - Having just turned 20 two weeks ago, Jackson Chourio starts in right field and leads off the Brewers' first game of the season against the Mets. He is the second youngest player to lead off on Opening Day after Hall of Famer Bobby Doerr in 1937, and the fifth youngest player to start on Opening Day since 1969.
Births[edit]
- 1849 - George Hall, outfielder (d. 1923)
- 1849 - S.L. Kahn, umpire (d. 1914)
- 1855 - Bill Harbridge, outfielder (d. 1924)
- 1858 - Gus Shallix, pitcher (d. 1937)
- 1865 - Hank Gastright, pitcher (d. 1937)
- 1866 - George Carman, infielder (d. 1929)
- 1867 - Cy Young, pitcher, manager; Hall of Famer (d. 1955)
- 1870 - Doak Roberts, minor league manager (d. 1929)
- 1873 - Duff Cooley, outfielder (d. 1937)
- 1875 - Barney McFadden, pitcher (d. 1922)
- 1876 - Harry Lochhead, infielder (d. 1909)
- 1876 - Frank Oberlin, pitcher (d. 1952)
- 1881 - Lou Schiappacasse, outfielder (d. 1910)
- 1883 - Rube Dessau, pitcher (d. 1952)
- 1888 - Lee Meyer, infielder (d. 1968)
- 1889 - George Wilson, catcher (d. 1967)
- 1892 - Harry McCluskey, pitcher (d. 1962)
- 1894 - Dixie Leverett, pitcher (d. 1957)
- 1894 - Alex McColl, pitcher (d. 1991)
- 1896 - Genzaburo Okada, NPB catcher and manager; Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame (d. 1977)
- 1899 - Toby Greene, college coach (d. 1967)
- 1899 - Herb McQuaid, pitcher (d. 1966)
- 1900 - Red Schillings, pitcher (d. 1954)
- 1908 - Gibby Brack, outfielder (d. 1960)
- 1908 - Bill Strickland, pitcher (d. 2000)
- 1910 - Bill Dietrich, pitcher (d. 1978)
- 1915 - Johnny Gorsica, pitcher (d. 1998)
- 1917 - Tommy Holmes, outfielder, manager; All-Star (d. 2008)
- 1918 - Allen Bryant, pitcher (d. 1992)
- 1921 - Ferris Fain, infielder; All-Star (d. 2001)
- 1925 - Emlen Tunnell, minor league outfielder (d. 1975)
- 1931 - Sidney Bunch, minor league outfielder (d. 2009)
- 1931 - Lacey Guice, Negro League outfielder (d. 1993)
- 1932 - Chick Childress, college coach (d. 2015)
- 1932 - Piet de Nieuwe, Hoofdklasse infielder (d. 2021)
- 1935 - Moby Benedict, college coach (d. 2022)
- 1937 - Norm Kampschror, minor league catcher (d. 2014)
- 1939 - Francis Agcaoili, NPB infielder
- 1944 - Denny McLain, pitcher; All-Star
- 1947 - Roger Coryell, college coach (d. 2018)
- 1950 - George Whileyman, minor league pitcher
- 1952 - Bill Castro, pitcher
- 1953 - Erik de Clerck, Belgian national team infielder
- 1953 - Tom Hume, pitcher; All-Star
- 1954 - Mike Ramsey, infielder
- 1954 - Tom Tellmann, pitcher
- 1955 - Karl Pagel, infielder
- 1958 - Domingo Ramos, infielder
- 1961 - Mike Kingery, outfielder
- 1962 - Bob Nutting, owner
- 1962 - Billy Beane, outfielder; General Manager
- 1963 - Laz Díaz, umpire
- 1966 - Eric Gunderson, pitcher
- 1967 - Troy Eklund, minor league outfielder
- 1967 - Brian Jordan, outfielder; All-Star
- 1967 - Geronimo Pena, infielder
- 1968 - Juan Bell, infielder (d. 2016)
- 1968 - Mike Jones, Canadian national team pitcher
- 1969 - Pedro Lopez, minor league catcher and manager
- 1969 - Mauro Prampero, Serie A1 pitcher
- 1971 - Sean Lowe, pitcher
- 1972 - Martin Langlois, Bundesliga player
- 1972 - Alex Ochoa, outfielder
- 1973 - Dave Slemmer, minor league infielder
- 1974 - Jose Lobaton, minor league infielder
- 1975 - Marcus Jones, pitcher
- 1975 - Danny Kolb, pitcher; All-Star
- 1976 - Scott Atchison, pitcher
- 1976 - Kevin Nicholson, infielder
- 1976 - Chun-Yang Tsao, NPB pitcher
- 1977 - Ming-Hsien Lin, CPBL outfielder
- 1978 - Eric Bruntlett, infielder
- 1979 - Jun Hirose, NPB outfielder
- 1980 - Chien-Wei Tsai, CPBL outfielder
- 1981 - Ben Fritz, coach
- 1984 - Kila Ka'aihue, infielder
- 1985 - Casey Hodges, minor league pitcher
- 1986 - Yong-ho Kim, KBO infielder
- 1987 - Yoilán Cerce, Cuban league infielder
- 1987 - Michael Dabbs, minor league outfielder
- 1987 - Chu-Hsuan Yeh, CPBL infielder
- 1988 - Brett Brach, minor league pitcher
- 1989 - Rainel Rosario, NPB outfielder
- 1989 - Garrett Weber, minor league infielder
- 1990 - Zach Nuding, minor league pitcher
- 1991 - Pat Light, pitcher
- 1991 - Sung-min Jeong, South Korean national baseball team catcher
- 1992 - Nick Urbanus, minor league infielder
- 1992 - Chad Pinder, infielder
- 1993 - Cameron Haskins, minor league infielder and manager
- 1994 - Jesse Hodges, minor league infielder
- 1994 - Matt Olson, infielder; All-Star
- 1994 - Anthony Villa, minor league infielder
- 1995 - Bastien Dagneau, French Division I outfielder
- 1997 - Hadi Nur Muhammad, Indonesian national team pitcher
- 1998 - Yung-Chin Lee Wu, CPBL pitcher
- 1999 - José Fermín, infielder
- 2001 - In Jae Baek, Singaporean national team outfielder
- 2002 - Tzu-Hao Lin, CPBL infielder
Deaths[edit]
- 1892 - Adam Rocap, outfielder (b. 1854)
- 1898 - Tony Hellman, catcher (b. 1861)
- 1907 - Doug Crothers, pitcher (b. 1859)
- 1907 - Cozy Dolan, outfielder (b. 1872)
- 1917 - Charles Boles, umpire (b. 1852)
- 1933 - Harry Salisbury, pitcher (b. 1855)
- 1933 - Ed Watkins, outfielder (b. 1877)
- 1937 - Bill White, infielder (b. 1860)
- 1938 - Tillinghast L'Hommedieu Houston, owner (b. 1867)
- 1945 - Jim Hughey, pitcher (b. 1869)
- 1945 - Ray Tift, pitcher (b. 1884)
- 1945 - Seiichi Shima, Japanese Hall of Fame member (b. 1920)
- 1958 - Jimmy Archer, catcher (b. 1883)
- 1959 - Johnny Allen, pitcher; All-Star (b. 1905)
- 1960 - Kid Carsey, pitcher (b. 1872)
- 1962 - Otto Miller, catcher (b. 1889)
- 1962 - Red Thomas, outfielder (b. 1898)
- 1963 - Wilcy Moore, pitcher (b. 1897)
- 1966 - Ted Waters, outfielder (b. 1902)
- 1968 - Buddy Napier, pitcher (b. 1889)
- 1971 - Gus Salve, pitcher (b. 1885)
- 1975 - Oscar Fuhr, pitcher (b. 1893)
- 1979 - Luke Easter, infielder; All-Star (b. 1915)
- 1984 - Hugh Poland, catcher (b. 1910)
- 1988 - Ted Kluszewski, infielder; All-Star (b. 1924)
- 1989 - Walt Novick, minor league catcher and manager (b. 1919)
- 1990 - Phil Masi, catcher; All-Star (b. 1916)
- 1994 - Finn Bakken, minor league infielder (b. 1915)
- 1994 - Ray Bare, pitcher (b. 1949)
- 1995 - Terry Moore, outfielder, manager; All-Star (b. 1912)
- 1998 - Dick Phillips, infielder (b. 1931)
- 2000 - Hank Miklos, pitcher (b. 1910)
- 2004 - Al Cuccinello, infielder (b. 1914)
- 2005 - Pat Stasey, minor league outfielder and manager (b. 1918)
- 2008 - Mitch Coplon, minor league pitcher (b. 1959)
- 2009 - Katsumi Nakanishi, NPB pitcher (b. 1935)
- 2009 - Lou Saban, executive (b. 1921)
- 2012 - Ray Narleski, pitcher; All-Star (b. 1928)
- 2017 - Jack Mele, minor league catcher and manager (b. 1922)
- 2018 - Ed Samcoff, infielder (b. 1924)
- 2018 - Rusty Staub, outfielder; All-Star (b. 1944)
- 2019 - David Hataway, minor league pitcher (b. 1927)
- 2019 - Jim Holt, outfielder (b. 1944)
- 2020 - Luciano Miani, Serie A1 player (b. 1934)
- 2024 - Wayne Schurr, pitcher (b. 1937)
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