Earl Averill of the Cleveland Indians becomes the first American League player to hit a home run in his first major league at-bat 
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Earl Averill of the Cleveland Indians becomes the first American League player to hit a home run in his first major league at-bat 

ByThis Day in Baseball

Earl Averill of the Cleveland Indians becomes the first American League player to hit a home run in his first major league at-bat when he blasts an 0-and-2 pitch by Detroit Tigers pitcher Earl Whitehill in the Indians’ 5 – 4, 11-inning victory.

Yankees become first team to have numbers on back

ByThis Day in Baseball

On April 16, 1929, the New York Yankees become the first team to permanently feature numbers on the backs of their uniforms. The numbers correspond to each player’s position in the batting order. The numbers also allow fans and broadcasters to more easily identify the players. Future Hall of Famers Earle Combs, Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig wear #1, #3 and #4, respectively.